As another International Women’s Day rolls around, you may be thinking: why is a man writing about it? But maybe it’s time to challenge that line of thinking. If equity is framed as a women’s issue, progress will always be limited. Real change requires a fresh perspective.

Throughout my career, I’ve seen that diverse, inclusive teams aren't just about ‘doing the right thing’; they outperform. They are more creative, resilient and better equipped to serve modern clients. Gender equity is a business advantage, as well as making the world a better place to live in. And male allyship plays a defining role in making it real. For me, this idea became personal in an unexpected way.

From school run to one-to-ones

There was a time when I felt uncomfortable saying, “I’ve got to do the school run.” I’d hesitate, over-explain or quietly rearrange meetings to avoid making it explicit. Somehow, I’d internalised the idea that visible parenting - particularly as a senior leader - might signal a lack of commitment.

But the school run is not optional, for any parent - it’s a fixed point in the day and it has to be done. It doesn’t undermine your ability to do a good job. The problem isn’t the school run; it’s the silence around it.

State normal

So how do we shift this? For starters, normalisation is powerful. When men speak openly at work about parenting responsibilities, it chips away at outdated assumptions that caring duties sit with women by default. In reality, in dual-working households, parenting is a team effort. Workplace culture needs to reflect that reality.

I was struck by research shared by Elliott Rae through his Parenting Out Loud platform, which showed a third of dads feel embarrassed or fearful about saying they’re doing pick-up or drop-off. If I’m honest, I was probably part of that third at one stage. I may not have articulated it, but I connected time out of the office with not being fully committed, even though I didn’t believe that deep down.

There was also a subtler lesson. I once found myself explaining that I had to pick up my children “because my partner can’t”. I thought I was being helpful and transparent, but actually, I was reinforcing the idea that childcare was her default responsibility, and I was stepping in as an exception. I was rightly called out by my partner. Shared parenting doesn’t need justification. It’s a fact of life.

When leaders model this openly, it gives others permission to do the same. A junior colleague watching how a senior leader handles family commitments will take cues: if they see confidence and normalisation, they’re more likely to feel secure doing likewise. If they see secrecy and apology, the stigma persists.

Power of policies

This is where male allyship moves from theory to action. It’s not always about grand gestures or keynote speeches. It’s about small, consistent behaviours: openly blocking time for childcare, challenging biased language in meetings, ensuring women’s contributions are credited, or asking who isn’t in the room when decisions are made.

At Propeller Group, we reviewed and enhanced our maternity and paternity policies. On paper, they were in line with industry standards, but we felt they could, and should, be better. Company culture is paramount if you want happy, thriving staff who want to stay at your company for years to come.

Improving paternity leave was a signal: shared childcare is not a secondary consideration. When fathers are supported to take meaningful leave, it shifts dynamics. It challenges the assumption that women will shoulder the majority of early caregiving. Over time, that impacts promotion trajectories, pay gaps and leadership pipelines.

Flexible work, better paternity leave and thoughtful return-to-work pathways shouldn’t be ‘nice to haves’. They are strategic decisions and the return on investment is tangible.

There’s also the mental load - the invisible planning, organising and emotional labour that falls disproportionately to women. Supporting men to share that load isn’t just about time off; it’s about culture. Are we creating environments where men feel confident adjusting their schedules, declining late meetings or speaking about family priorities without fear of judgement? If not, we are indirectly reinforcing inequality. When people feel seen as whole individuals - not just employees - performance improves.

Ally action

International Women’s Day is an important moment for reflection. But allyship should be a daily occurrence, not an annual LinkedIn post.

Being a great ally might look like amplifying a female colleague’s idea in a meeting. It might mean questioning a recruitment shortlist that lacks diversity. It might mean mentoring someone whose career path doesn’t mirror your own. Or it might be as simple as saying, without apology, “I’m doing the school run.”

Small acts accumulate. If we want women to flourish at work, men need to be visible participants in change. Not as saviours, but as equal partners. As contributors, not commentators. Because equity isn’t a zero sum game. It’s about building workplaces where everyone can thrive.

And that’s not just good ethics. It’s good business.