As we mark International Women’s Day (IWD) on Saturday 8^th March, 2025, the theme resonates louder than ever: Accelerate Action. It’s not just a call to celebrate achievements, it’s a powerful push to speed up the rate of progress towards true gender equity.

Stated by the organisers of International Women’s Day, at the current pace, full gender parity is still a distant goal, the year 2158 to be exact. That’s roughly five generations away, according to the World Economic Forum. For women in design and the creative industries, this is a stark reminder that while strides have been made, the finish line is still far off.

So what does Accelerate Action mean for women in design and intellectual property (IP)? It means recognising the incredible contributions of female creators while tackling the systemic barriers that still hinder their success. It means protecting the innovations of women, ensuring their ideas aren’t stolen or undervalued, and empowering them with the knowledge to safeguard their intellectual property.

Women Leading the Way in Design

Across the creative industries, women are shaping the future of design. From fashion and interiors to product design and digital art, their ingenuity and resilience drive innovation every day. At ACID (Anti Copying in Design), we are proud to stand alongside our female members — with 70% of our community made up of women creatives and business owners. This rise in female-led creative businesses shows a growing movement of empowered, knowledgeable women protecting their intellectual property. Leading by example, our Co-founder Dids Macdonald OBE., and CEO Laura Newbold Breen continue the fight as empowered female leaders and campaigners in the industry, inspiring others to stand up for their rights.

Dids Macdonald says, “International Women’s Day is a marker in the year to raise the profile of representation and relevancy in the context of addressing gender parity. However, every day, each of us must be committed to championing and mentoring tomorrow’s leaders and creating a clear and inspiring proposition that is relevant to young, female design professionals. Today’s theme in this sphere reinforces action, not words which is why we are helping empower women with an entré into intellectual property and a special offer, see below. Knowledge matters”.

Laura Newbold Breen says, “I still remember sitting in the school careers office in the late 90’s being given advice that was so gender divisive and limiting due to my being female. There was no concept that the opportunities that lay before me could be equal to those of the boys. Now, as a female CEO, I proudly stand alongside other women who refuse to have their career path defined by gender. Education and career opportunities should be equal for all, regardless, and that is the mindset we need to keep challenging – both from bottom up and top down”.

The IP Gender Gap: Still Work to Be Done

Despite the undeniable talent of female designers, the reality is that IP protection remains an uneven playing field. While women are increasingly leading smaller design businesses, men are still more likely to hold leadership positions and CEO roles in larger corporations. This often means women-led creative businesses have fewer economic resources to protect their intellectual property, making them more vulnerable to infringement. Addressing this imbalance is crucial to ensuring all creators, regardless of gender, have the tools and support needed to safeguard their work.

Reported by Nat Maher from The Drum, women in design are still largely absent from leadership and top roles. She states, in the UK, design roles are made up of 63% women, yet only 18% of women hold leadership or senior roles in design.

Holly Tucker MBE., the female entrepreneur extraordinaire who founded Not On The High Street and now runs Holly & Co, a largely female marketplace for high-end, handmade crafts, is a larger than life voice for female business empowerment. She states, just 2p in every £1 of investment goes to female-founded businesses and that if women owned businesses had a level playing field, they would bring in £250 Billion to the economy.

Taking Action Together

This IWD, let’s move beyond celebration, let’s take action. Whether it’s sharing knowledge about IP rights, supporting women-led design businesses, or challenging the systems that slow progress, every step counts.

To support Accelerated Action, ACID is offering 50% off ACID membership for female-led businesses throughout March. This initiative aims to create more opportunities for women in design to access legal support, protect their designs with the ACID IP Databank, use the ACID logo as a powerful deterrent against infringement, and join a thriving, supportive design community. It’s about levelling the playing field and ensuring women have the tools they need to secure their creative futures.

Email [email protected] to claim your discount code!

We believe in a future where creativity knows no gender bias — where women’s designs are not only admired but fiercely protected.

So, join us. Let’s Accelerate Action and work towards a world where gender equality isn’t a distant goal, but an urgent, unstoppable movement.

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