International Women’s Day 2026 celebrates the power of giving, not as an act of loss, but as a catalyst for progress, connection and growth.

This year’s theme, Give to Gain, highlights how sharing knowledge, time, perspective and opportunity can unlock progress not only for individuals and teams, but also for the organisations and clients they support.

At Multrees, this philosophy closely reflects the values that guide how we work every day: Work as One, Proudly Professional, Trusted Partner, Fearlessly Evolving and Ambition with Purpose. Together, these values underpin how we work as a team, invest in each other’s development, and continually enhance the way we deliver for our clients.

To mark International Women’s Day, we spoke with three of our executives about what “Give to Gain” means in practice, and how leadership grounded in collaboration, reflection and courage continues to shape the culture and success of the business.

Leadership Through Collaboration

For Rachel Robertson , Chief Risk & Compliance Officer, leadership often means navigating complex balances while maintaining trust and clarity.

“In my role, I’ve learned that being a Trusted Partner means actively balancing what it is to be both trusted and a partner,” she explains. “We work across shifting spectrums every day: balancing regulatory expectations with commercial reality; rigour with pragmatism; and fostering pacey innovation while maintaining safe control.”

Rachel notes that these balances are equally present in how leaders support others. “This itself ranges from direct intervention to subtle coaching, from gentle nudges to firm requirements, from stepping in to stepping back.”

For her, professional growth is built through continuous reflection. “Self-assessment is core to that growth: examining our decisions, noticing our defaults, and understanding the impact they have on clients, colleagues and ourselves.”

While this reflection can sometimes be challenging, Rachel believes it ultimately strengthens leadership and the trust placed in it. “For me, Proudly Professional leadership is the commitment to keep refining these choices with clarity, integrity and a genuine duty of care for those who rely on us.”

Leadership Through Shared Knowledge

For Keri-ann Osfield , Chief Financial Officer, the concept of Give to Gain comes to life through collaboration and transparency across the organisation.

“One of the clearest examples of this has been implementing a collaborative approach to budgeting,” she says. “Traditionally, budgeting can feel like a top-down or siloed exercise, but when we approach it collaboratively, bringing teams together early, sharing context openly and inviting challenge: we create stronger outcomes.”

By giving teams visibility and trust, the organisation benefits from broader insight and stronger decision-making. “We gain budgets that are more realistic, resilient and aligned to our strategic priorities.”

The impact extends beyond financial planning. “When individuals understand not just their own numbers, but how decisions impact colleagues, clients and the wider business, they grow in confidence and commercial awareness.”

Keri-ann believes that sharing knowledge across teams strengthens both relationships and outcomes. “Sharing knowledge across functions during the budgeting process strengthens relationships, breaks down barriers and builds a genuine sense of shared ownership.”

Ultimately, this collaborative approach reflects the Multrees commitment to Working as One, ensuring decisions are informed, transparent and focused on delivering the best possible outcomes for clients.

Leadership Through Courage and Opportunity

For Carole Lamond FCIPD, MAC , Chief Culture & Communications Officer, leadership is about creating environments where people feel supported to learn, contribute and grow.

“Leadership, for me, is about courage, generosity and creating space for others to thrive,” she explains.

An early experience in her career shaped this philosophy. “Early in my career, a refusal of mentorship left a lasting impact and shaped my determination to lead differently.”

Since then, Carole has focused on creating opportunities that empower others across the organisation. “At Multrees, I have championed mentorship as a safe space for ideas and innovation, introduced executive coaching to develop future leaders, supported our apprentices through professional networks and helped establish a values framework that underpins our evolution as a business.”

For Carole, leadership is ultimately about championing others as the organisation transforms. “Fearlessly evolving means lifting others as we grow and ensuring leadership is something we build together”.

By investing in people and encouraging new thinking, we strengthen both our culture and our ability to deliver long-term value to clients.

A Collective Perspective

Across each of these reflections, a clear theme emerges: giving strengthens everyone involved.

Sharing knowledge builds confidence. Offering perspective improves decision-making. Creating opportunities enables innovation.

At Multrees, living our values in this way strengthens not only our workplace culture, but also how we serve our clients every day, with clarity, partnership and a shared commitment to excellence.

This International Women’s Day, we celebrate the leaders who recognise that progress is rarely achieved alone. Instead, it is built through collaboration, trust and a willingness to invest in others.

When we Give to Gain, growth becomes something we create together.