Senior people leaders at European technology and fintech firms are urging employers to treat this year's International Women's Day theme, "Give to Gain", as a long-term shift in how organisations develop and retain women, rather than a one-day message.
Chief People Officers at Mambu, Node4 and Lucanet said sharing authority, opportunity and investment with women can improve performance, resilience and innovation. They warned, however, that many workplaces still leave women fighting for equal footing or struggling to return after career breaks.
People-first focus
Mambu Chief People Officer Ellie Heath said sustainable growth in fintech depends on how firms treat their people, not only on how quickly they scale products or markets.
"This International Women's Day, the theme 'Give to Gain' is a powerful reminder that sustainable growth starts with people. In fintech, we move fast - but speed and scale alone don't build enduring businesses. Investment in talent does," Heath said.
She linked the theme to leadership behaviour and culture, arguing that giving time, trust and meaningful chances to progress can change outcomes for individuals and organisations.
"Throughout my career, I've seen that giving isn't a compromise. When leaders give time, trust and real opportunity, performance naturally follows. Whether it's backing someone for a stretch role or challenging whether our systems really support equality, those moments compound."
"At both ends of this spectrum, I have felt the impact personally: I was encouraged into HR after experiencing an environment that threatened, rather than supported, equality. I'm now CHRO because a leader gave me opportunity, backing and allyship," she said.
Heath said fintech firms often describe themselves as fast-moving and innovative, but do not always confront women's day-to-day experience at work.
"We also need to be more honest about how women experience work day-to-day. I want to see more fintechs pride themselves on being people-first and recognise that more substantial investment in their women can unlock greater innovation, collaboration and resilience. I want to see the end of women having to fight to earn their equal place at the table; to have to be louder to be heard; to have to work harder to be seen."
She described "Give to Gain" as a prompt for leaders to weigh cultural impact alongside short-term metrics.
"'Give to Gain' is ultimately a call to action for leaders. It asks us to look beyond short-term outcomes and consider the culture and legacy we're building. When we invest more intentionally, the impact is measurable and lasting," Heath said.
Returners and AI
Node4 Chief People Officer Victoria Knight said the theme highlights the need for accountability on long-term progress, particularly for women whose careers include unpaid caring responsibilities.
"This year's International Women's Day theme, 'Give to Gain', feels particularly powerful because it encourages us to take a longer-term view of progress. It moves the conversation from awareness to accountability, reminding us that meaningful change isn't something we celebrate once a year - it's something we build, sustain and embed into our organisations," Knight said.
She said this is especially true in technology, where rapid innovation can unintentionally leave people behind. For women returning after career breaks for maternity, childcare or other caring responsibilities, she said the challenge can be greater.
"With AI, the pace of change is so fast that returning professionals can feel as though the industry has transformed without them. That experience often brings a loss of confidence at the very moment when support is most needed," she said.
Knight said employers should provide structured, accessible and genuinely encouraging routes back into the workplace. She added that, used well, AI can help returning employees refresh skills, accelerate learning, and rebuild knowledge and confidence.
At Node4, she said International Women's Day is being used to launch a women in tech programme under the "Give to Gain" banner as a sustained programme of work. She said it will include mentoring, improvements to internal policies and processes for career breaks, investment in skills enhancements, and platforms to champion women in the technology sector.
"Ultimately, 'Give to Gain' is about recognising that investing in women's return-to-work journeys or enhancing their skills strengthens not just our own organisations, but the wider tech industry and the future talent pipeline. Supporting women in their careers isn't only the right thing to do - it's a strategic imperative for building a stronger, more inclusive and resilient sector," Knight said.
Global gaps
Lucanet Group Chief People Officer Elena Aubell placed the discussion in a wider global context, contrasting leadership and flexibility debates in some markets with the reality that many women still lack basic education or access to work.
"This International Women's Day, I find myself thinking about two very different realities at once. Somewhere right now, a girl is being denied education. In other places, women with the right skills and ambition are being passed over because the system wasn't built with them in mind."
"For hundreds of millions, gender equality isn't yet a conversation about leadership pipelines or flexible work policies. It's about access to the most basic opportunities. That gap deserves to be named."
"And yet, naming it doesn't let the rest of us off the hook. Quite the opposite."
"I give to gain. Every day, I delegate responsibility, ideas and leadership to the talented women around me who can take things further. That's how I win as a board member at Lucanet; a role still too rarely entrusted to strong women. Real leadership is knowing that you can only move forward and win when you let go."
"'Give to gain' captures how meaningful change actually works. It's not a transaction, it's a mindset. When organisations genuinely invest in the conditions that allow women to lead, everyone benefits: better decisions, stronger teams and more resilient businesses."
"That same principle applies far beyond one company. Progress depends on more women in leadership, on closing pay gaps - something we're especially proud of at Lucanet, where our gender pay gap is 3.23%, well below the 5% threshold that signals low disparity - and on creating conditions where people don't have to choose between ambition and life. There has been movement - but not enough, and not everywhere."
"Diverse experience is a competitive advantage. By empowering the right people regardless of gender, we sharpen our edge and drive better outcomes. Together," Aubell said.
Aubell also pointed to Lucanet's reported gender pay gap of 3.23%, which she said is below commonly used thresholds for low disparity, and described diverse experience as a competitive advantage.