WACL was founded in 1923 in a spirit of international hospitality – as an organisation charged with “receiving” a visiting delegation of adwomen from the US. At that time not all women had the right to vote. It would take another six years for that to happen.

We have come a long way since then, but we still have a long way to go before we have total equality with men in our industry and society at large. We are still not free of bias or harassment, and not all women have the same opportunities and chances of success as others.

We are, in many ways, facing some of our toughest times as female leaders. The advertising industry is dealing with an erosion of trust, relentless disruption, and ever-increasing economic pressures. Women continue to be disproportionately affected by these issues, making WACL as relevant today as it was 100 years ago.

As we come into our 101st Year we hope you will continue to support WACL’s mission to accelerate gender equality in the industry, so it doesn’t take another 100 years for women to gain the equal footing we deserve.