This International Women’s Day, 8 March 2023, we are supporting UN Women and the United Nations in celebrating under the the Embracing Equity theme, DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality, and although technology has the means to empower women, not everyone has access.

There is still a persistent gender gap in digital access, keeping women in many developing countries, from unlocking technology’s full potential.

Women now own 16.8% of Canadian SMEs, 22.4% of American small businesses, and are 50% of the entrepreneurs in Latin America and the Caribbean. The number of women-founded unicorn startups valued at more than US$1 billion has doubled in Canada since 2019 while Indian women own and control enterprises that directly employ around 27 million people.

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It might seem like things are good, but there are still persistent and long-standing disparities to tackle. STEM fields are imbalanced, and women get smaller grants than their male colleagues. Women receive 50% of all science and engineering bachelor’s degrees, but only make up 25% of college-educated STEM workers. Women make up 33% of all researchers, but constitute only 12% of national science academy memberships.

Female researchers have shorter and less well-paid careers, are underrepresented in high-profile journals, and tend to be passed over for promotion. Recruiters are 13% less likely to click on a woman’s profile versus a man. Women hold 10% of executive positions at US companies and 5% of chief executive positions at S&P 1500 companies. 60% of women experience unwanted jokes or comments about their gender.

Women make up around 75 percent of all jobs in public relations, but they are still outnumbered in senior leadership positions.

However, on International Women’s Day, we want to recognize that the overwhelming majority of women working in the PR industry is a commendable feat. What made it possible is the pathbreaking work of women in public relations who paved the way for the rest of us.

Acknowledging the contributions of women in public relations shouldn’t be seen merely through the prism of gender empowerment. While that’s important, it’s also crucial to understand how women have influenced public relations as an industry.

Here are some of those influential women and their contributions to public relations: 

Betsy Plank 

The industry rightfully refers to Betsy Plank as the “First Lady of Public Relations.” In her six-decade-long career, she redefined the field and inspired countless women to enter public relations. Charting new paths, Plank held leadership positions in several reputed firms, such as the director of public relations planning at AT&T and executive vice president at Daniel J. Edelman Inc. (known as Edelman Public Relations now). In 1973, Plank became the first woman president of the Public Relations Society of America. One of her most enduring accomplishments is the creation of the Public Relations Student Society of America.

Muriel Fox

As the co-founder of NOW (National Organization for Women), Muriel Fox’s contributions to public relations extend to civil rights movements. While being the head of public relations for NOW, she was actively involved in the organization’s campaign to include women in Executive Order 11246. This affirmative action addressed discrimination in hiring and employment and opened the doors for millions of women to enter the workforce. Beyond the world of public relations, her fight for equality has cemented her place as a feminist icon.

Judy Smith

A lawyer, crisis manager, television producer, and author, Judy Smith is the founder, CEO, and president of Smith & Company, a crisis management firm. She had served as a Special Assistant to President George H. W. Bush and was known for her honesty and straightforwardness. One of the pioneering figures in crisis management, Smith is the inspiration behind Scandal, the ABC television series. A sought-after commentator, she’s been an advisor to corporate giants such as Johnson & Johnson, Walmart, Amazon, Google, and Facebook.

Inez Yeargan Kaiser 

As long as the public relations industry has existed, black women have been underrepresented in the sector. By being the first black woman to own a PR and advertising firm with national clients, Inez Yeargan Kaiser inspired many black women to enter the field. Before starting her firm, Kaiser had been an educator for 20 years. The first black woman to join the Public Relations Society of America, she was also a reputed author.

Talia Beckett Davis

We also want to recognize our own Founder, Talia Beckett Davis, who created the Organization of American and Canadian Women in Public Relations (Women in PR North America), to advocate for women to move into leadership positions, and overcome the gender pay gap.

Today, digital technology is opening doors for women, and Talia is working to empower female entrepreneurs through digital programs at Talia Davis Public Relations. She is training the next generation of public relations practitioners in the Public Relations Academy, and personally coaching marketing professionals to help them confidently demonstrate the value of public relations to their own organizations.

In her interview with PR News for Women’s History Month, Beckett-Davis explains why she created her own PR agency and left the corporate world behind, to build a more inclusive, gender diverse future for herself and fellow women in public relations.

By appreciating these trailblazing women in public relations on International Women’s Day, we are celebrating their wider contributions to society and acknowledging what more needs to be and can be achieved. At American and Canadian Women in Public Relations, we support UN Women, who are calling on governments, activists, and the private sector alike to power on in their efforts to make the digital world safer, more inclusive, and more equitable.

We hope you will join us online in our membership, as we work to empower women globally and embrace equity for our industry. Imagine a gender equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that’s diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated. Together we can forge women’s equality. Collectively we can all #EmbraceEquity.

Women in PR North America is introducing innovative new initiatives to enable groups of PR practitioners across the Americas to advocate for major issues directly affecting women working in the PR industry today.

Visit our website to learn more here: womeninpr.com

Canadian Women in Public Relations Ltd. (Women in PR Canada®) and American Women in Public Relations (Women in PR USA®) is an influential network of leading businesswomen striving for excellence in the field of public relations. Together, the organizations form the group Women in PR North America®.