This year raised some serious alarms about diversity, equity, and inclusion in the tech sector. Many companies started to roll back on their initiatives, which is really disappointing.
Because of this lack of commitment, several key diversity organizations decided to pull back their own efforts. They didn’t want to play a part in letting companies pretend they were making progress while the numbers stayed stagnant. As we near the end of the year, it’s hard not to wonder how the landscape for diversity will shape up in the UK tech scene next year.
At the start of the year, women in tech and finance rallied against a government decision that threatened to widen the existing diversity gap in startup funding. The HM Treasury decided to change the criteria for “high-net-worth individuals,” making it tougher for women to become angel investors. MP Caroline Dinenage jumped on board with the investHER campaign, which pushed for a change. Thankfully, they reversed that decision.
Research by BCS, building on a pre-pandemic study, showed that diversity growth in UK tech has been painfully slow over the last five years. For instance, only 20% of tech professionals were women in 2022. That’s just a 4% rise since 2018.
There’s a lot of chatter about what keeps people from underrepresented groups out of tech careers. The Institute of Coding pointed out that many people aren’t fully aware of what tech roles actually involve. This confusion, combined with the lack of representation in the tech workforce, serves as a huge barrier for anyone considering this career path.
Then in the summer of 2024, the network Everywoman rolled out the winners of their technology awards, in partnership with Bupa. The theme this year was “Empower. Transform. Thrive.” Much of the discussion focused on boosting the visibility of female role models in tech, aiming to inspire others to join the field.
Every year, Computer Weekly teams up with Harvey Nash to host a diversity in technology event. This year’s recap included expert advice on promoting diversity and inclusion in tech workplaces. The message was clear: everyone needs to get involved in making real progress in diversity and equity.
Actress Viola Davis spoke at the ServiceNow Knowledge24 event about her career and the role of women in tech. She emphasized the importance of mentorship and supporting one another, paralleling ongoing conversations in tech about the need for strong role models to encourage more women to enter the field.
With AI becoming a critical part of our lives and businesses, concerns about the diversity of the teams developing it are rising. Research from IBM suggests that having women in decision-making roles is essential for creating AI that caters to everyone’s needs.
After revealing that tech companies were scaling back on diversity efforts, the Tech Talent Charter announced its closure after nearly 10 years. In their farewell message, they urged the industry not to backslide on diversity improvements and offered suggestions for moving forward.
Further supporting this concern, research from Code First Girls and Tech Talent Charter stated that job automation is 40% more likely to impact women than men. However, providing ongoing training could help address this issue.
In 2024, Sheridan Ash from Tech She Can was named the 13th most influential woman in UK tech by Computer Weekly. This announcement came alongside the recognition of other top women and rising stars in tech, highlighting the shifts taking place in the industry.