International Women’s Day is a worldwide event that celebrates women’s achievements, from political to social, while striving for gender equality. This day has been recognized since the early 1900s and is now celebrated on March 8. This day is marked all over the world with arts, performances, talks, rallies and marches.
This day can be traced back to 1908 when 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding voting writes, better pay and shorter working hours. This day has joined together many women and has helped get their voice across to the world. Gender equality has gotten better since the 1900s, but women are still marching on this day to achieve more.
Many businesses and corporations are showing their support of this day in many different ways. One corporation that made a change for March 8 is McDonald’s. In honor of this day, McDonald’s has turned their iconic golden arch upside down. They have done this on their digital channel, some of its packaging and at least one U.S. restaurant. When upside down, the normal M becomes a W for women. That sign right now sits outside the McDonald’s in Lynwood, California. Dozens of McDonald’s locations will have special packaging, including fry boxes, cold cups and bags and the inverted Golden Arches on employees’ hats and shirts.
Chief Diversity Officer of McDonald’s, Wendy Lewis, stated that, “the upside-down look is in honor of the extraordinary accomplishments of women everywhere and especially in our restaurants,” she continued to say “from restaurant crew and managements to our C-suite of senior leadership, women play invaluable roles at all levels and together with our independent franchise owners. We’re committed to their success.”
Another show of appreciation for IWD is the Google logo on their search engine. It appears to be a wheel of many different women of different colors, which replaces the second “O” in Google.
One last company is Catalyst, a global nonprofit focused on empowering and accelerating women in business. On IWD, dozens of global leading companies all around the world will join Catalyst in “lighting up” their buildings with the female symbol in a movement called the Catalyst Skyline Takeover. In the United States, you will be able to see this in Cincinnati. Companies like Columbia Plaza, Kroger and Procter & Gamble will join the skyline takeover with many other companies. These lights will also highlight hashtags life #SignOfProgress, #CatalystForChange, #WorkplacesThatWorkForWomen and #IWD2018.
The director of Catalyst, Tanya van Biesen, said “when buildings light up, and people see these companies taking a firm and visible stand for gender equality, our hope is to show an undisputable beacon of solidarity among business leaders and spark a conversation that accelerates much-needed change in workplaces.”
These are just a few of the businesses taking steps forward to continue improving gender equality and to show their support for women with great accomplishments. Whether it’s through marches, art, conferences, community gatherings or just table conversation, lots of people are playing a role in pressing for gender equality.
Cassidy Sorenson • Mar 22, 2018 at 10:29 am
I think its great that businesses are celebrating National Womens Day. Well written article!