For event planners 5 min read
IWD 2027 event ideas your whole organisation will value.
International Women’s Day 2027 falls on Monday 8 March. Here’s how to plan an IWD event your people will value, not just attend.
By Jess Wilson · Tech entrepreneur & IWD 2027 keynote speaker
International Women’s Day is one of the few moments each year when a whole organisation stops to talk about progress, together. Done well, it builds momentum that lasts all year. Done as a tick-box breakfast, it’s forgotten by lunchtime. Here’s what I’ve seen work at IWD events, from leadership breakfasts to company-wide launches.
01 Start planning now
IWD falls on Monday 8 March 2027, and most organisations hold their events across late February and March. Venues, speakers and the best dates book out early, so lock in the essentials before the end-of-year break. Even if your details aren’t final, a quick hold on a date or speaker saves a scramble in January.
02 Build it around the theme
Each year the United Nations and the International Women’s Day organisation announce official IWD themes. Anchoring your event to the 2027 theme connects it to the global conversation and gives your internal communications a ready-made hook. Brief your speaker on it so the keynote ties the theme to your organisation, not just the headline.
03 Make it for everyone
The most valuable IWD events aren’t only for women. Progress has always been won by women and the allies who stood beside them, so invite your whole organisation, including senior leaders of every gender. Allyship in practice, not just on posters, is often the most useful conversation in the room.
04 Connect it to what’s changing at work
Many organisations are pairing IWD with the biggest shift at work right now: AI. It’s rewriting roles and career paths, and the choices leaders make now will decide who benefits. A session that looks at women’s progress alongside AI gives people something practical and current, not just a celebration. As an IWD 2027 keynote speaker, it’s the conversation I’m bringing to stages in Sydney, and virtually from New York, where I’m representing Australia at CSW71.
05 Choose the right format
Match the format to your culture and budget: a breakfast or lunch keynote for the whole company; a panel of your own leaders sharing real stories, with a skilled moderator; a fireside conversation with a guest; a live virtual keynote that brings distributed and regional teams together; or one session streamed to offices in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Many organisations pair a keynote with a panel, so outside perspective meets inside experience.
06 Give people something to do afterwards
The best IWD events end with action. Ask attendees for one commitment, launch or relaunch a mentoring program, share a clear plan from leadership, or start a women’s network that meets all year. Follow up a month later, so IWD becomes a starting point, not a single day.
07 Brief your speaker well
Share your audience, your goals, what’s happening in your organisation and anything sensitive to avoid. A good IWD speaker will tailor stories and examples to your people and help you plan the session around them, including Q&A and how it fits with your panel or leaders.
08 Measure what matters
Run a two-question pulse survey on the day: what people will do differently, and what they’d like next. It gives you evidence for next year’s budget and shows your people that their voices shaped what comes next.