The last 5 years has seen a huge drive in diversity in STEM, particularly in technology and these days, I’m feeling a shift towards positive change.
We started by talking about it. Why were there so few women in tech? A changed ensued. Companies reviewed their culture, hiring policies and launched diversity drives. We have entered an age where we are educated and conscious of the biases and discrimination that exist in the industry.
The work is not yet done. In recent figures released by Google, over 2/3rd of their employees are men and over half are white.
Whilst diversity may not be high on the agenda for Silicon Valley giants and Investors, you only need to consider the recent furore at Uber to see the brand and financial damage that turning a blind eye to diversity can create.
So, the Unicorn, Uber, is in danger and creating a wake-up call for Investors. Computer Weekly are doubling their list for entries into the most influential women in UK tech and publishing, showcasing, the full list of 160 nominees. Communities like Ada’s List and Stemettes are becoming more influential and creating a platform where people can support, educate and unify in numbers to drive awareness and change.
At ground level, we work with our clients to encourage and facilitate better hiring processes that will create a level playing field. Whilst the Google’s, Facebook’s and Ubers of this world are highlighting the issues at the top end, it is our responsibility to work with our clients to achieve a more diverse and fair culture. It starts with the people. Actually, it starts with the people who hire the people.
If you would like more information, please drop us a line.
{Since its launch six years ago, the list has expanded from the top 25 women in UK tech to the top 50, with more and more nominees put forward each year. This year, for the first time, we decided to publish the full list of everyone nominated, to recognise the increasing breadth and depth of important roles carried out by women in IT.
