Meaningful change comes not just from words, but from action.

In honor of 2025’s International Women’s Day theme, “Accelerate Action,” we spoke with Chief Members who are walking the walk and using their influence as executives to promote gender equality at work.

Here are five tangible steps they say all executives can take to do the same:

1. Demand pay equity.

“As we celebrate Women’s History Month, we reaffirm our collective strength as a community of women in power. But power must be exercised — and one of the most urgent actions we can take is to demand pay equity.

“The wage gap is undeniable: Black women earn just 69% of what White men make, Hispanic women only 65%, and White women 83%. Even Asian women, closest to parity, still earn just 93%. This isn’t just a statistic — it’s a call to action. When women are paid fairly, we all rise. Let’s use our voices, influence, and power to close the wealth gap.”

— Attica Alexis Jacques, Senior Vice President and General Manager, U.S. Marketing, Ancestry

2. Address unconscious bias.

“One tangible step leaders can take is to implement unconscious bias training for promotion and compensation committees. At ESB Technologies, this fosters awareness that ensures balanced opportunities across all genders.”

— Soumya Kesireddy, CEO, ESB Technologies

2. Challenge the status quo.

“Executives must ensure they advocate for fair compensation, which may require challenging the status quo. When I shared my compensation philosophy with my HR team — focused on compensating the true value individuals bring — I expected pushback. Instead, she responded, “That's a great philosophy.” From there, she understood how to source talent, how I would approach compensation, and how we'd ensure candidates felt valued. By becoming more efficient with resources, we returned value to the P&L and built stronger talent density, achieving the same or better output with high-impact, fairly compensated teams, including women.”

— Shauna Biersay-Dunbar, Growth Marketing Executive & Advisor

4. Collaborate.

“Share power by listening deeply and co-creating solutions — without placing the responsibility on those most affected by inequality. Advancing gender equity is a collective effort. Real change happens when leadership commits to progress, aligns resources, and engages women — whether executives or external experts — to turn intent into action. When we collaborate, we build stronger, smarter, and more resilient workplaces for everyone.”

— Lily Jampol, Partner, Services at ReadySet HR

5. Don’t just lift women up — bring them along.

“Accelerating action begins by lifting women alongside us, not just lifting them up. One effective way executives can do this is by establishing mentorship programs that pair women and underrepresented groups with senior leaders. This approach fosters collaboration and creates opportunities for growth and advancement. By actively involving women in decision-making processes and ensuring their voices are heard, we can cultivate an environment that values equality and empowers everyone to thrive together.”

— Kristy Ryan, Chief Operating Officer, Move for Hunger