Marking International Women’s Day on social media is a great way for brands to acknowledge the value and leadership provided by the hard-working women within their organisation and industry – but this must be backed by action. The instantly infamous Gender Pay Gap App bot that emerged on Twitter yesterday left many feeling red faced.

Much like the greenwashing concerns – incidents like this teach a valuable lesson in leading with empathy, rather than self-service or trend-chasing. Customers want to do business with brands that care about them and genuinely mirror their values. Brands that fail to align with their customers’ values (in practice as well as in message) risk losing millions in revenue or market value, and immeasurable reputation damage in the long-term.

Actions speak louder than words, and the brands that practice what they preach on social will inevitably build stronger connections with their audience, especially with the socially aware millennials and Gen Z strengthening purchase power. At a time when the need for compassion couldn’t be higher, companies must lead with empathy in everything they do.