How you can bring this years theme of “give to gain” into the centre of your organisation and why supporting midlife women can align with this.
Every year, International Women’s Day invites us to celebrate progress, reflect on inequality, and ask key questions. Each year when I attend the Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce IWD event, we talk about how can we create meaningful long-term change especially in an economy that feels stretched and uncertain.
This year, the theme of “Give to Gain” feels more relevant than ever especially for those of us who are running a third sector organisation. At Midlife360, we see every day how giving whether it be time, advocacy, opportunity or visibility can generate amazing returns for women.
But what does “give” really mean when budgets are tight, teams are stretched, and ESG is seen as an add on?
Give to Gain: A Midlife360 Perspective
Social Enterprises like Midlife360 exist to support and enable midlife women who are at a crossroads. For us, it’s not just about income it’s about making a difference with midlife women, employers and likeminded organisations. We focus on key areas where we know we can make this difference. This sits at the intersection of:
- Women’s career longevity and purpose
- Personal midlife changes and the impact on their lives
- Building confidence
- Purpose-led individual and organisational growth
The reality is clear: midlife women are one of the most overlooked assets in today’s workforce. How can this be so when they bring lived experience, emotional intelligence, work-based wisdom, organisational knowledge, personal connections and the ability to share these amazing skills. Yet many women we talk to feel invisible, stalled, or unsupported at exactly the stage when their impact could be greatest. Supporting them at this moment in their lives should not be seen as charity but ingrained in strategy.
In an Economy That Feels Tight, What Can We Actually Give?
Not every organisation can increase salaries or launch major initiatives right now, but the theme of “Give to Gain” does not always require financial investment. Giving comes in all forms. Could you mentor a midlife woman? Engage with LinkedIn posts? Listen to your team to understand their needs? Deliver a community workshop? Bring women together to continue the conversation and understand their needs and motivators? Adapt your recruitment strategy to focus on engaging midlife women? We can give time, our knowledge, our passion and our support.
Ask the women in your organisation what they need and want from their roles, are they interested in further training, development and career growth? Is there something holding them back? How can you activate their (often unrecognised) potential. Building women up to enable them to have a voice on internal matters like policy design or career planning can be pivotal for individuals and for organisations.
The Gain: What Organisations Receive
When organisations truly invest in women (and those in midlife), they can reduce turnover, have higher engagement, have a focus on personal growth and mentoring, great innovation and a stronger focus on truly impactful ESG actions and subsequent reporting. But most importantly organisations retain wisdom.
Why This Matters on International Women’s Day
International Women’s Day should not be just seen as an annual spotlight on what women want and need for equity in the workplace, it should be the catalyst for long term change. What could your organisation do to make this change part of your culture, your growth and the evolution of your team?
This International Women’s Day, ask your organisation:
- How are we activating the “S” in ESG and how can we Give to Gain?
- Where are midlife women in our talent strategy?
- What small, meaningful actions could we take immediately?
- How can we engage with the third sector to support and Give to Gain?
Because giving requires sustainable intention and when we give time, voice, advocacy, and opportunity to midlife women, the return is measurable in loyalty, leadership, resilience, and growth.
To discuss how Midlife360 CIC can support you or your team, please contact ingrid@midlife360.org.uk