HR guide: How to celebrate International Women's Day on a budget

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Next Monday, 8 March, is International Women's Day. This year's theme is #ChooseToChallenge, meaning calling everybody to take the plunge to make a change.

Here is the full official explanation of this year's theme:

A challenged world is an alert world. Individually, we're all responsible for our own thoughts and actions – all day, every day.

We can all choose to challenge and call out gender bias and inequality. We can all choose to seek out and celebrate women's achievements. Collectively, we can all help create an inclusive world.

From challenge comes change, so let's all choose to challenge.

Whether to make it into a week long series or a day celebration, here's how you can celebrate International Women's Day with your colleagues, according to the Internet:

1. Invite your colleagues to upload their #ChooseToChallenge hand up pose via social media

Create a short and simple hashtag that combines International Women's Day and your company name. Invite colleagues to take a picture of them holding one of their hands up high and share on social media using #ChooseToChallenge, #IWD2021 and the new hashtag. The gesture is a manifestation of one's commitment to challenge inequality, call out bias, question stereotypes and help build an inclusive world. You can also submit your individual or group #ChooseToChallenge images to the official site.

2. Organise lunch and speed mentoring sessions

Order catering services or local restaurants that are founded by a woman (or women) and treat your colleagues. After lunch, you can host 15-min mentoring sessions for career-aspiring women to consult senior women in leadership from different departments in the company. 

3. Prepare an International Women's Day-themed email signature or desktop wallpaper

Work with your graphic designer to come up with an International Women's Day-themed email signature or desktop wallpaper for colleagues.

4. Compile a special International Women's Day edition newsletter

In the newsletter, you can invite senior female leaders across departments in the company to share their career journey and experience. Additionally, to fill up the newsletter, you can compile an International Women's Day Spotify playlist or movie list or book list. 

Spotify playlist recommendation: 

Movie recommendation: Pick out movies directed by women and include different genres. 

Award-winning: Nomadland (2020), Can you ever forgive me (2018), Lady Bird (2017), Selma (2014), Zero Dark Thirty (2012), Winter’s Bone (2010), Frida (2002)

Critically Acclaimed: Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019), Mudbound (2017), You were never really here (2017), We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011), Fish Tank (2009), Lost in Translation (2003)

Blockbusters: Wonder Woman (2017), American Psycho (2000), The Matrix (1999), Clueless (1995)

Hong Kong: Look for Ann Hui, Rita Hui, Mabel Cheung

Book recommendation: Consider autobiography and fictions written by women or with a strong female lead 

5. Dress as a female icon day

Invite female colleagues to pick their favourite female icon and dress up like her on Monday. It would be even better if you can get them to dress in group. For male colleagues, choose a colour that demonstrates solidity and support. The colour white has been know as a symbol of female solidarity with reference to women's suffrage movement. 

6. Review your internal D&I policies 

Gather your HR teammates and discuss what the company can do more to make sure there is equality at work. 

Photo/ It's Nice That