Countdown to International Women’s Day 2026
A Learning Journey for Advancing Gender Equality
WHY GENDER EQUALITY MATTERS
Advancing gender equality is not just a moral imperative—it drives business resilience, innovation and sustainable growth. By embedding gender equality across operations, supply chains and communities, companies can create fair, inclusive systems that unlock the full potential of their people and business.
In the lead-up to International Women’s Day, take meaningful corporate action to support gender equality. The UN Global Compact invites you to join the Countdown to International Women’s Day—a high-impact, interactive learning journey designed to help your company move from commitment to action on gender equality.
Starting from 24 February, gain exclusive access to four live sessions paired with practical toolkits and resources. Join peers from around the world to explore what holistic corporate action for gender equality looks like in practice across your region, industry or sector—and come away with concrete strategies your teams can implement immediately.
WHY JOIN?
- Gain insights into the latest trends shaping the business landscape and how gender equality is essential for business sustainability
- Access concrete frameworks and tools to set and make progress on ambitious corporate targets for gender equality
- Learn about actions that your company can meaningfully take this International Women’s Day and beyond
- Receive a certificate of completion from the UN Global Compact Academy to share on social media
HOW IT WORKS?
- Sign up for the journey—open to all—and invite your peers and team to join
- Once you sign up, you’ll receive informative emails with activity reminders and resources recommended by experts
- Engage in interactive online learning, participate in live sessions or explore our on-demand courses to learn from global innovators and experts
THE JOURNEY
To receive the full journey experience, sign up to gain exclusive access to live sessions, relevant case studies and other curated resources.
*Signing up for the journey grants access to register for each live session and does not automatically register you. Please follow the instructions in the welcome email to participate in as many of the Countdown’s offerings as desired.
Live Sessions
Session 1
Gender Data Trends & the Power of the Women Empowerment Principles (WEPs)
Explore global trends in gender equality and the impact of collective leadership through WEPs
24 February: 2 p.m. - 3 p.m. (Bangkok)
Interpretation: Chinese, Japanese & Arabic
24 February: 9:30–10:30 a.m. (New York)
Interpretation: French, Spanish, Portuguese & Italian
Session 2
Closing the Gender Pay Gap through Collective Action
Learn how collective business action helps close the gender equality gap by aligning practices, shaping policy and driving impact across markets
26 February: 9:30–10:30 a.m. (New York)
Interpretation: French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Arabic, Japanese & Italian
Session 3
Building Gender-Responsive Value Chains
Understand how collective supplier engagement can drive WEPs alignment and build gender-inclusive supply chains
03 March: 9:30–10:30 a.m. (New York)
Interpretation: French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Arabic, Japanese & Italian
Session 4
Centering Women in Digital Transformation
Leverage digital inclusion to drive innovation and advance gender equality in the workplace
05 March 2026: 9:30–10:30 a.m. (New York)
Interpretation: French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Arabic, Japanese & Italian
JOURNEY RESOURCES
On-Demand Offerings
Access each live session’s recording and accompanying resources on demand on the Academy. You will receive curated recommended e-learning courses to further advance gender target setting and implementation.
Case Studies
Explore a variety of regionally diverse case studies showcasing real-world examples of companies tackling gender equality through their refined policies, structure and overall business environment.
Moving Forward Faster: As part of the UN Global Compact’s Forward Faster initiative, Gender Equality is one of five critical areas where the private sector can make the most impact in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). If your company is prioritizing gender equality or wants to set ambitious targets, visit the Forward Faster webpage to accelerate your company’s profitability and performance by ensuring inclusive workplaces and parity in your workforce.
In Collaboration with:
Increasing gender equality across the corporate landscape is a collective effort and the UN Global Compact Academy is grateful for the work and leadership of the organizations below:
Sign up for the journey
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