[London Tech Week]: Do or die: Improving Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in Tech

There are an extraordinary 600,000 vacancies in the tech sector at a time and the sector has for a time struggled to recruit. Tech Nation reveals that women are sorely absent in tech, making up 19% of the general talent pool and 23% at senior level (this is 49% and 29% respectively in the wider economy). Others like techUK have found that whilst 19% of the UK workforce has a disability, 9.5% of IT specialists have a disability. Ethnic minorities (in particular Asians) fare better when we look at the tech workforce (14%) but this drops to 8.5% at senior level.

The evidence is that diversity, equity and inclusion are important to the bottom line of an organisation. McKinsey found that a 48% (yes, you read correctly!) differential likelihood of outperformance between the most from the least gender-diverse companies, with ‘equally-compelling’ results for ethnic and cultural diversity. And in a tough labour market, can a tech business really not bother to recruit and promote from a wider base?

This London Tech Week, we will hear from those campaigning for and offering solutions to the DEI challenge in tech, as well as those who are recruiting on behalf of tech organisations. Inclusive growth is a thread that runs through Hammersmith & Fulham’s Industrial Strategy and the panel will also address practical ways in which tech careers can be offered to the borough’s residents, especially those based in the White City Innovation District which has seen a boom in tech-related jobs.

PANEL:

Farial Missi, Community Engagement Manager for Imperial College London’s White City Campus, local resident

Sandra Stanley, Chief Data Science Officer, dunnhumby

Claire Thorne, co-CEO of Tech She Can, venture partner & physicist

*More speakers to be announced shortly*

PROGRAMME:18:00 – Registration & drinks18:30 – Panel and Q&A19:45 – Cocktails (courtesy of mixologists from Shake & Stir), food and networking 21:00 – Event ends

WHO SHOULD ATTEND: Those who work in any role in tech in Hammersmith & Fulham and nearby neighbourhoods. HR/talent leads. Anyone who wants to meet like-minded individuals working in tech.

THANKS to: Scale Space White City for hosting us!