What achievements, in 3 decades, have been made in the fight for greater gender equality?

This International Women’s Day, there’s plenty to celebrate and lots left to be done, writes Amy Cappellanti-Wolf.

When you think of the ’90s, the first things that come to mind might be your favourite Seinfeld jokes, Nirvana’s Nevermind, or Paul Keating in The Lodge.

Maybe you remember the growing conversations about a niche tool for academics and computer hobbyists – something they called the internet.

The ’90s were also an important time for gender equality. In 1995, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action for gender equality was unveiled. A resolution adopted by the UN at the end of the Fourth World Conference on Women, it undertook to create a set of principles concerning the equality of men and women.

Considered by UN Women to be the most progressive blueprint ever for advancing women’s rights, it represented something for us to collectively strive for.

Looking back over the past 30 years, it’s remarkable to see the progress we have made in the workplace – and the work we still must do.

Tallying the progress

Three decades on, we’ve reached a place where women in positions of authority and influence within businesses and organisations are no longer exceptions and outliers. They’re leaders and colleagues whose input is sought after and valued, not rarities to be remarked upon because they’ve managed to climb to the top in a man’s world.

In 2025, we no longer have to explain why diversity in the workplace is critically important. The days of having to prove its benefits have passed, because individuals from the C-suite to the shop floor understand that a broad range of perspectives can help businesses understand their customers and solve problems faster and more effectively. Diversity also goes hand in hand with meritocracy, expanding the pool of top talent by ensuring that everyone has an equal opportunity to prove themselves.

We’ve also witnessed tremendous growth in equitable pay practices and increased transparency around gender pay gaps. In Australia, the Workplace Gender Equality Agency’s total remuneration average gender pay gap was 21.8 per cent in 2024. It’s a modest improvement on 2020’s 23.3 per cent – and a clear sign that, however far we may have come, there’s still progress to be made.

Elevating the next generation of female leaders

As someone who stood on the shoulders of more experienced women early in my career, I’m delighted to do my share of that work at Dayforce, where I’ve been part of the leadership team for the past year and in a more personal capacity.

I’m passionate about mentoring individuals who are considered high potential – women who are a level or two below vice president status and have the skills required to advance into senior leadership roles. That typically entails making sure they have amassed the requisite experiences, providing them with real-time feedback and helping them build the business networks they need to advance because, while many things may change over time, success in business most often stems from relationships.

I’m also an active participant in Dayforce’s employee resource groups, encouraging and supporting women across our organisation to keep marching in the right direction towards the professional and personal goals they set for themselves.

And outside the office, I engage with foster youth via a not-for-profit organisation. Helping young people who’ve had a less than auspicious start in life think of themselves as future leaders is a humbling and fulfilling experience.

Putting structural supports in place

Just as important as our individual efforts to create growth opportunities for talented, up-and-coming women are the structural changes that senior leaders like me can advocate for and implement.

They include equitable pay practices within our organisations, inclusive talent acquisition strategies to attract a broader range of candidates, flexible working practices that support employees to build their careers while taking care of personal responsibilities and belonging councils to help bring women and allies along on the journey.

Establishing these solid foundations for success in more businesses and organisations will ensure our collective march towards genuine, sustainable equity and inclusion remains as strong and steady as it has been since 1995.

Amy Cappellanti-Wolf is the chief people officer at Dayforce.