How Gemma is building a culture of support, strength and shared success at CTL.

When Gemma Partington reflects on her time at CTL, she laughs and says, “Well… an entire career.”
It’s a fitting way to begin her story because Gemma’s presence at CTL has indeed shaped not only her own career, but also the experiences, confidence and futures of so many women across the business.

What began as a resourcing role has grown into a leadership journey defined by giving, lifting others, and building a culture where women thrive and, as this year’s International Women’s Day theme reminds us, where everyone gains when women rise.

A chance to grow… and the permission to go further

When Gemma joined CTL, the company was navigating the complexity of COVID, remote work, and supporting a team member who had just announced her pregnancy. The moment highlighted something vital: CTL needed dedicated HR expertise.

For Gemma, who had always been drawn to people development, it felt like a natural step. What she didn’t expect was the level of support she would receive.

Catherine, CTL’s Founder and CEO, not only encouraged Gemma to pursue HR professionally, she backed her fully, funding a full CIPD qualification.

“It was 18 months of essays, studying, writing… honestly way more intense than I expected,” Gemma says. “But I would never have put myself forward for it had I not spent so much time with Catherine and the incredible women here. It’s impossible to be around her and not feel like you can take on the world.”

That permission to try, to stretch, to grow, became the spark for everything that came next.

Giving back through policy that changes lives

Armed with new knowledge and a clear purpose, Gemma set to work.

One of her proudest achievements? Building industry-leading family leave policies designed around real people and real lives.

With CTL’s young workforce in mind, she led extensive research into maternity, paternity and family leave, challenging what “good” looks like in the industry.

The result was a suite of policies introduced several years ago, offering family leave allowances far above the industry standard.

“Our aim was to support people in and out of work,” Gemma says. “Yes, we want people to have the careers of their dreams… but we also want them to feel supported in building families at the same time, without the financial stress.”

That work has had a profound impact. Today, CTL is proudly 70% female, a statistic Gemma is quick to celebrate but slow to take sole credit for, even though her HR leadership has played a central role in making the business a place where women feel safe, supported and encouraged.

A culture where helping each other win is the norm

Ask Gemma what makes CTL special, and she doesn’t hesitate.

“There’s no ego here,” she says. “No ‘I did that better.’ What you see is: ‘That was amazing! Can I learn from you?’ or ‘I’ve done that before; can I show you?’”

Across the company, she sees women - and men - lifting each other up, giving their knowledge freely, and celebrating one another’s wins.

It’s a far cry from her experiences in previous workplaces.

“In the past, it was very much ‘step on people to get yourself higher.’ At CTL, it’s ‘build everyone up to build yourself up.’ I’ve never seen anything like it.”

That spirit extends across genders, too.

“Yes, we’re 70% women,” Gemma says, “but the men here are huge supporters of the women. It never feels like anyone’s left out or siloed. We’re just one team, building each other up.”

And even remotely, the culture thrives. Gemma receives messages almost daily:
“Can you thank this person for being so welcoming?”
“This person really deserves a shoutout.”

It’s a workplace where recognition isn’t rare, it’s constant.
Where kindness isn’t optional, it’s standard.
Where giving is simply how people operate.

When women thrive, we all rise

“To be honest,” Gemma says quietly, “I hope I play a part in that culture. But culture is something everyone has to work on. It’s like a relationship; the second you put it down, it goes away.”

International Women’s Day 2026 is about Give to Gain, then Gemma’s story is its embodiment:

• She was given an opportunity - a chance to learn, grow and lead.
• She gave her dedication, her voice and her vision back to the business.
• CTL gained a culture of empowerment, industry-leading policies, and a workforce where women (and everyone) can thrive.

Gemma’s journey proves a simple truth:
When we invest in others, we multiply success. When we lift others, we rise too.
And when women are empowered, organisations become unstoppable.

And this is why we celebrate the women like Gemma who make this culture possible.