Nourish Care hosts an internal ‘Women in Tech’ group to bring together women from across our departments to share experiences, insights and inspiration. Our Director of People and Culture, Kate Crouch, reflects on the theme for this year’s International Women’s Day ‘Give to Gain’ in the context of technology and social care.
Every year on International Women’s Day, I’m reminded of the progress made toward gender equality and the work still ahead of us. This year, the theme “Give to Gain” offers a powerful reflection point, not just for society, but for us as a community working in technology and in a sector built fundamentally on compassion: social care.
In social care, giving is at the core of everything. It’s the heartbeat of the work our users do every day, supporting individuals, families, and communities. And, it’s a value that resonates deeply with how we support one another inside our organisation too. Which is why it’s reflected in several of the key pillars of our Culture Code.
Collective Effort: We help each other out because we know that when one person wins, we all win.
Making a Difference: We go above and beyond because we remember who we serve. We know the difference we’re making to the lives of those in care.
Every Person Counts: We genuinely care about all the individuals and groups of people in the Nourish circle and across our sector more broadly.
‘Give to Gain’ in social care technology
‘Give to Gain’ reflects the truth that generously sharing knowledge, time, encouragement, and opportunity creates returns far beyond what we invest.
This certainly rings true in the tech space. Especially tech in a sector traditionally powered by women yet underrepresented in technical roles! I find giving takes many forms, including:
- Sharing lived experience to help others navigate their careers
- Mentoring and championing future women leaders
- Opening doors for opportunities, stretch projects, and visibility
- Amplifying a woman’s voice in rooms where she isn’t present
- Supporting inclusive practices that reflect the values of social care: dignity, compassion, and empowerment
These actions help women not only enter tech but thrive in it. And in return, we gain stronger teams, deeper innovation, and more human centred technology aligned with what the care sector needs.
Women in Tech
Our internal Women in Tech group was created to bring women in our organisation together for exactly these reasons. Like the care sector itself, Nourish is built on the belief that people flourish when they feel supported, included, and connected.
Within our Nourish Women in Tech group, we’ve started to benefit from:
- A dedicated space for connection, insight, solidarity, and lived experience
- Building relationships across departments and seniority levels
- A safe space for learning where questions are welcomed
Nourish thrives not just because of what we gain individually, but because of what we choose to give: time, encouragement, advocacy, empathy, and support.
Our Women in Tech group is also an important part of the culture we want to be part of. At Nourish this is incredibly important to us and having a group that really embodies the our values means we continue to create a ripple effect that supports the whole organisation, not just women. An environment that empowers people to contribute openly, values varied viewpoints, and doesn’t shy away from confronting bias.
While we celebrate progress, it’s important to acknowledge a simple truth: we are not there yet.
Moving forward
Women, especially women in tech, continue to face challenges including unequal representation, slower career progression, societal expectations, and persistent barriers to leadership roles. In the care sector too, while women overwhelmingly make up the frontline workforce, they remain underrepresented in the decision making roles shaping the future of the industry.
Achieving gender equality requires continued commitment to:
- Breaking down structural barriers
- Challenging biases, both conscious and unconscious
- Creating equitable career pathways
- Ensuring women have the sponsorship, not just mentorship, they need to progress
- Designing workplaces that celebrate difference rather than expect conformity
Progress isn’t guaranteed, it is created through consistent action. And every one of us plays a part.
The Care sector is fundamentally human. Technology here isn’t just about systems or software; it’s about enabling better outcomes for people. When women bring their experience, empathy, and leadership into tech roles, especially in care, innovation becomes more inclusive, more thoughtful, and more effective.
Strengthening women’s voices ultimately strengthens the sector we operate in, that is the core of the ‘Gain to Give’ message. We are the rising tide, and together we can lift the whole care sector up.
