Give to Gain: Celebrating International Women’s Day at First Derivative

At First Derivative, creating an inclusive and supportive workplace is something we strive for every day. International Women’s Day offers a valuable opportunity to pause, reflect and celebrate the achievements of women across our teams, while continuing the conversation around equality, opportunity and representation within our industry. International Women’s Day, celebrated annually on 8th March, recognises the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women while continuing to call for progress toward gender equality.

This year in the Newry office, we were delighted to be asked to help organise our International Women’s Day event and to take part in the panel discussion alongside our Head of People, Fiona McGilly. It’s something very important to us personally, so it was a real privilege to help bring the event together and share our experiences, focusing on supporting and empowering women at every stage of their careers.

To mark the occasion, we were also delighted to reconnect with Women in Business, an organisation that First Derivative is proud to be a member of. We were pleased to welcome Collette Kelly, Head of Membership, and Nicola Gorman, Membership Engagement Manager, to our HQ in Newry for the event. A big thank you to Collette for facilitating and moderating the panel discussion, helping guide a really open and engaging conversation.

The conversation centred around this year’s theme, “Give to Gain”, which highlights the power of generosity, sharing our time, experience and support to create opportunities for growth across communities and workplaces. Fiona began by highlighting some of the initiatives we have at FD, such as STRIVE, which empowers women currently working within the business, and IMPACT, supporting students and those at the beginning of their careers.

Mentoring quickly became a key theme of the panel discussion. I, Shauna, shared my experience as a mentor for a final-year student at SRC, through the IMPACT programme. Inspired by the experience, my mentee applied for a role at FD and I supported her during interview preparation. She successfully joined the company, and seeing her progress from mentee to colleague was a powerful reminder of the impact that meaningful support and guidance can have.

I, Sarah, also shared my perspective on how easy it can be for women to fall into comparison and self-doubt, instead of celebrating each other’s successes. I reflected on a manager who encouraged me to take up space and speak confidently, even in rooms where I might initially have felt outnumbered. The encouragement has stayed with me and is something I aim to pass on to others.

Imposter Syndrome was another area of focus as we discussed those moments when we question whether we truly ‘belong’ in the room. Collette suggested reframing it as an imposter moment – temporary feelings that don’t define our skills or achievements. We also discussed the importance of wellbeing, recognising life events and challenges, and creating a workplace culture where colleagues feel supported and empowered to speak up.

When the floor opened to questions, we explored leadership and allyship, and how women can confidently step into leadership roles, not as token representation, but as valued contributors with a seat at the table. It was also great to see our male colleagues in the room, actively listening and contributing to the conversation.

While Newry hosted the panel discussion, our colleagues in Dublin and Stockholm also marked the occasion with local celebrations, recognising the contributions of women across the business and reinforcing a culture of inclusion and support.

International Women’s Day is a time to celebrate progress, but it’s also a reminder that supporting each other shouldn’t be limited to one day. By fostering a culture of inclusion, encouragement and mentorship all year round, we can continue to build a workplace where everyone feels supported, confident and empowered to succeed.

Thanks
Sarah & Shauna