In time of crisis and conflict, women and girls are disproportionately impacted. We’re standing for and with women all around the world. 

“Women step up in a crisis, history tells us that.  They step up for their families, for the people they work with, and when they need to, for their country,” said Stefanie Straub, Mars VP and General Legal Counsel. “Right now, so many women are showing this resilience once again.”

We support women everywhere this #InternationalWomensDay, and are reminded that our progress towards gender equality must not be halted, even in times of humanitarian crisis. We remain committed to play our part in building a more inclusive future for all. 

Addressing these systemic issues will require action by all stakeholders to challenge long-standing beliefs about the value of women. It also will require a systemic review of leadership competencies that are consciously or unconsciously biased against women.

We’re taking action.

Gender-based discrimination and harmful stereotypes are rampant. One study found that 90% of women and men across 75 countries hold gender bias (UNDP), and even the most committed countries haven’t achieved gender equality (OECD). At work, discrimination and stereotypes confine women to certain tasks and jobs (e.g., care and domestic work and administrative support roles) and undervalue “soft” skills traditionally associated with women (e.g., communication, listening, and empathy). 

We hear the #BreakTheBias message loudly and clearly. We know gender bias and discrimination in the recruitment, hiring, performance review and promotion processes contribute to gender workforce gaps. And we know that addressing these gaps will require both systemic approaches to ensure equity in wages, and opportunities and initiatives to address negative gender stereotypes and bias.

Our Associates are committed, too. 

We’re listening.

In early 2021, we asked the world a question as part of our #HereToBeHeard Global Listening Study.

“What needs to change so more women can reach their full potential?” 

We heard from more than 10,000 women from nearly 90 countries, and we found repeated themes in their words. One of the big ones? Breaking down gender bias. 

We weren’t the only ones hearing this trend. The International Women’s Day organization dubbed this year’s theme #BreakTheBias, a movement to dismantle the prejudices assigned to women, prejudices that don’t just hold them back in the workplace, but everywhere. 

Our former Chairwoman, Victoria Mars, says it best, “Business not only has a meaningful role to play, but it is particularly well-equipped to make a difference. For example, part of what we heard was the need to bust bias and stereotypes that can hold women back at work. Many businesses are taking a forensic look at their systems to identify unconscious bias, understand where talent pipelines can break down, and explore how tailored support to women at different stages in their career development can make a positive change. We all need to accelerate these actions.”