CEPIS has launched the DiversIT Charter as part of its plans to increase the number of women in tech roles in Europe.

The Charter, aimed at reducing gender disparity in IT roles, is a roadmap which moves through three levels of attainment: Bronze, Silver and Gold.

Each level has a focus on attraction and retention, asking applicants to showcase their initiatives and policies for increasing gender diversity in ICT professions.

Women in tech

The technology sector has long since been a male-dominated field. According to a Women in Tech report, only 17% of Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) specialists are women. Just 34% of STEM graduates are women.

Women in the ICT sector earn 19% less than men. And, 46% of women have reported that they have experienced discrimination in the European tech sector.

The DiversIT Charter will be made available to organisations across Europe, including the UK at the end of November 2020, in a bid to help close the gender gap in the technology industry and STEM fields.

Gillian Arnold, Chair of CEPIS’ Women in IT group, explains: “The lack of women tech professionals in Europe is a genuine issue at a time when we are facing a European wide skills shortage. Evidence proves that diverse teams increase the potential for innovation in tech companies and that gender equality in the workforce increases GDP.

“However, even with all these potential benefits, women still make up only 16% of the IT workforce. Our new charter aims to help organisations embed diversity in their IT departments by committing to undertake activities which will help them progressively build support for women working in these roles.”

CEPIS DiversIT conference

The charter will be launched at a half-day virtual conference on November 26, with speakers from European institutions, industry, non-governmental and public sector.

The focus will be on the challenges and opportunities related to the gender gap in ICT professions. Speakers and panellists include: Evelyn Regner MEP, Chair of Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality, European Parliament, Cecilia Bonefeld-Dahl, Director General, DIGITALEUROPE and Marta Ochoa, Director of Youth and Senior Coordinator for Equal Opportunities, UNI Europa, and other high-profile stakeholders from the private, public and non-governmental sectors.

You can register for the event here: https://cepis.org/events/diversit-charter-launch/