I challenge you this International Women's Day to redefine leadership

If we truly embrace 'regeneration', its scope must be pushed beyond carbon footprints and climate pledges.

For International Women's Day 2026, under the theme 'Give to Gain,' I want to challenge my peers to redefine sustainable leadership. It’s not just about the planet, it’s profoundly about people.

True regenerative practice involves consciously giving more than you take from your entire ecosystem – environmentally, yes, but also socially and culturally. My journey in the male-dominated industrial design sector has shown me that actively reshaping our industry to be more inclusive isn't just an ethical imperative, it's a powerful driver for personal growth, business success, and a healthier future for the next generation (see these pieces on gender and the design industry and structural inequalities in the industry for more).

Redefining regeneration

The core philosophy of regeneration is beautifully simple: give more than you take. While this principle is increasingly applied to our environmental impact, I’m a firm believer that it should govern all business practices and, critically, our individual interactions. What I’ve learned is that when you embody this spirit of giving – whether it’s time, knowledge, or advocacy – the personal and professional growth you receive in return often far outweighs the initial investment.

This conviction pushed me to step beyond the day-to-day operations of Morrama and consider where the wider design industry was. For the past few years, I’ve put concerted energy into speaking on pressing topics, from the urgent need for greater women’s representation to accelerating progress on sustainable and regenerative design.

Wanting to lead by example, I co-instigated Design Declares, a growing community of designers passionately committed to addressing the climate crisis. Three years on, it’s a testament to this collective spirit that Design Declares now has signatories from 54 countries worldwide, proving the awesome power of shared purpose.

Collaborative regeneration

At a Design Declares event in 2025, an attendee posed a fundamental question: what can an individual designer truly do to make a difference when bound by client brief constraints? My answer then, and now, is clear: advocate wherever possible.

If you feel constrained by the business you operate within, or by the parameters set by partners and clients, then actively seek out allies beyond those immediate walls. Share your stories, learn from others, and find innovative ways to re-frame your position.

Whether the issue is sustainability, diversity, or any other core value you hold dear, collective advocacy can create shifts that individual efforts alone might miss. This isn't about rebellion; it's about collaborative regeneration – growing the understanding and capacity for positive change within our industry.

Creating a regenerative loop

Our industrial design industry, despite having a heart and soul rooted in innovation, remains disproportionately male. I’ve been that single young female in a team of male designers, and I know precisely what it feels like to be an outlier. It shouldn’t be this way, and frankly, it doesn't have to be.

By the virtue of simply being a female voice and leader, I’ve found that I attract phenomenal female talent to Morrama. When we post a job ad, we receive scores of applications from women who explicitly state their desire to work with us because they perceive Morrama as a place where they will be genuinely heard and valued.

This isn't just about my personal experience, it’s a clear signal from the talent pool that visibility and representation matter profoundly, creating a regenerative loop where inclusive leadership naturally attracts and nurtures diverse talent.

Regeneration through empathy

Designers, at their very core, are supposed to be empathetic. Our craft demands that we instinctively put ourselves in the shoes of others to create products and experiences that meet people’s needs. We design for users who are not us and for contexts we might not share and we do it really well.

Why then, does this empathy often falter when it comes to designing our own work cultures? It should be entirely possible for a team – even one predominantly made up of men – to ‘design’ an environment and culture that not only supports women but actively makes them want to work there, thrive there, and stay there.

The commercial case for diversity has been proven time and again. It’s good for business, fuels creativity, and accelerates the personal and professional development of every team member. The incentives for decision-makers are clear, yet progress can feel painstakingly slow.

This International Women’s Day, my message to those in positions of power is simple: intentionally put yourself in the shoes of the women in your team – or, perhaps more revealingly, in the shoes of the women who are not in your team. I guarantee you will uncover insights and learn something that will surprise you, sparking truly regenerative changes.

A regenerative act of connection

Mentorship, too, is a profound regenerative act which I believe should be more actively embraced in our industry, embodying the 'give to gain' principle at a deeply personal level. For years, I’ve mentored and advised creatives and entrepreneurs, and often, I’ve found myself feeling completely out of my depth, questioning my ability to add value.

Yet, time and again, the act of simply being a sounding board, asking guiding questions, and holding space for another’s growth has proven to be incredibly powerful. In these exchanges, it’s often me who learns the most. This mutual growth is the essence of regenerative giving. You invest in another's journey, and in doing so, you cultivate a richer, more connected ecosystem from which you also benefit. This isn't about having all the answers, it's about building an environment where growth is contagious and reciprocal.

Ultimately, the conversation around regeneration is holistic. It’s not just about carbon credits or climate pledges, it’s intrinsically about people. It’s about consciously giving more than you take from your industry, from your team, and from the next generation stepping up behind you.

Advocacy, representation, and cultivating an empathetic, inclusive culture are not just buzzwords – they are fundamental regenerative acts. As designers, we pride ourselves on our ability to imagine and build better products for a future user, let’s now apply that same visionary capability to imagining, and building, a more equitable, diverse, and genuinely regenerative industry for each other.

Find out more about International Women's Day 2026.