Can we really celebrate International Women's Day 2021?

Last year's International Women's Day was about the time when COVID-19 reared its ugly head. There was a great deal of uncertainty and concern around the safety of our teams and families, as well as the possible impact on the growth of our business.

For me, there was another worry that nagged at me - the years of life changing and impactful work we had done for moms/those going back to work was going to disappear. Returners who were working on a personal and professional strategy to return to work had to now figure out how to meet the challenges the pandemic brought.

Several companies had committed to partnering with Women Back to Work to create Returnships, or Return-to-Work programs. They were now forced to evaluate remote work for their own employees and adapt to the new normal. They had to pause their internal hiring until there was more clarity, and reassess their strategy on the timing of hiring returners.

It troubled me that the career & future of thousands of women who put their faith in us was at stake. What I didn't know was that we hadn't hit rock bottom. I didn't know that a year later on International Women's Day in 2021, we would face a national emergency with over 2.3 million women leaving the workforce. That it would disproportionately impact women of color and specific communities further magnifying existing social inequalities.

Today, we celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women globally, and yet here we are - decades of hard work, sacrifices, and progress made for women in the workforce threatens to be wiped out.

My team and I are eternal optimists, we don't give up easily in the face of hardships and challenges. We innovated, we pivoted, and renewed our allegiance to build an extraordinary momentum for our talent community. We are proud today to be partnering with leading companies who share our purpose and commitment towards the Returner talent communities. My team is implementing multiple Returnships today. We are creating exciting, leading-edge opportunities for those going back to work so they don't have to settle for less. Leaders, both men and women, have extended their support to the 'Women Back to Work' mission.

A part of me is pleased with the progress Women Back to Work made during the last 12 months but then did we really? Are we any better or are we far worse today? None of us can rest now because the journey ahead is uphill and difficult.

To truly celebrate Women's International Day means a personal commitment to women in the workforce. It is the responsibility of every CEO and leader to partner with organizations like Women Back to Work to create pathways for women to return to work. It means becoming #HerAlly whether it is within the home or at work.

Will you join us in our mission, so that in 2022 as we celebrate International Women's Day, we are able to look back and truly be proud of the progress we have made.