Cloudflare Marks Women’s Empowerment Month with a Full Slate of Events

International Women’s Day is a significant date on Cloudflare’s calendar, and the company has planned a full month of activities to celebrate. The effort is spearheaded by Womenflare, Cloudflare’s Employee Resource Group (ERG) for those who identify as women and their advocates. The group was launched on International Women’s Day in 2020, just as offices were closing due to the pandemic, but it has since grown into a central part of the company’s culture.

Womenflare operates under two guiding principles: ensuring that women feel supported and represented at Cloudflare. These themes shape everything from support channels and community-building to opportunities for women to speak directly with leadership. The group’s work also emphasizes intersectionality, partnering with other ERGs to foster a more inclusive environment.

The timing is urgent, especially given the World Economic Forum’s 2020 Global Gender Gap Report, which projects it will take another 257 years to close the gender gap at the current pace. Cloudflare sees the month as a chance to accelerate that progress.

Celebrations Kicking Off Globally

Internal events across regions begin with a performance by Kat Hudson, a UK-based magician known for appearances on ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent. The month will also feature internal panels, workshops, and fireside chats with women leaders at the company, including co-founder, President & COO Michelle Zatlyn and SVP, Chief Product Officer Jen Taylor.

Many sessions will be broadcast on Cloudflare TV, with content that is open to external audiences as well. New segments scheduled for March include:

  • Yes We Can — Hosted by Michelle Zatlyn, with guests such as Christina Liu, SVP, Chief Accounting Officer at Zendesk, and Katherine Regnier, CEO and Founder of Coconut Software.
  • Unfiltered — Womenflare’s own segment, featuring interviews with Louise Story, Chief Product and Technology Officer & Chief News Strategist at the WSJ, and Alison Taylor, Co-Founder & Co-CEO of Jane.
  • Additional Women’s Empowerment Month programming on shows like Silicon Valley Squares, Founder Focus, Recruiting Corner, and Delivery Management at Cloudflare.

Focus on Allyship and Interactive Engagement

Beyond celebratory events, Cloudflare is pushing for tangible allyship. The company is hosting an internal Ally Skills panel and workshops to teach everyday ways to support women. It has also introduced the Womenflare Challenge, which encourages colleagues to take deliberate actions throughout the month, guided by a Women's Empowerment Month Challenge Card.

An ally is defined here as someone who both understands their own privilege and actively works to end oppression. Examples of ally actions include amplifying women’s voices, advocating for women colleagues, speaking up against gender bias, and contributing to work that aims for gender equality.

The month also includes more casual, interactive activities such as Netflix Parties and a Pub Quiz across global regions. Colleagues are being urged to use their voices, with women invited to present at the weekly All Hands meetings, write for the blog, and otherwise contribute to company-wide conversations — both during March and throughout the year.

Cloudflare is inviting everyone to participate in the broader conversation using the hashtags #IWD2021 and #ChooseToChallenge.