Celebrating International Day of Girls in ICT - April 24
As we enter April, leading up to International Day of Girls in ICT on 24 April, we shine a light on the urgent need for more young girls and women to pursue careers in tech.
According to research from McKinsey, women occupy only 22% of all tech roles across European companies. And based on our own industry-specific research LEAD Network Gender Diversity Scorecard from 2023, only 5% of senior executive IT roles are held by women across the European CPG and retail industry.
Why the gender disparity in tech specifically? Several factors are at play, but gendered educational trajectories are a hugely problematic contributor to the overall talent pipeline. Simply put, girls and women remain significantly under-represented in technical subjects. Studies show the percentage of women pursuing STEM subjects drops during the transition from secondary education to university, and again from university into the workforce. At current rates, the share of women in tech roles in Europe is predicted to decline to 21% by 2027. And yet doubling the share of women in the tech workforce could close the talent gap altogether and boost the EU’s GDP by €260 to €600 billion. So, widening access to education and technical capability-building opportunities are therefore not only important for setting girls up for economic independence, but key to a more sustainable future.
So, what role can the LEAD Network community play in driving change and future-proofing a more inclusive industry? Our top tips for #DoingNotTrying are:
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Join the LEAD Network Digital Chapter who are actively paving the way for the next generation of women in tech across the European retail and CPG industry! Whether you’re a student, a professional considering a functional pivot, or just curious about the digital domain; check out the Digital Skills Series for free, simply by becoming a member of the Digital Chapter.
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Partner members of the LEAD Network also benefit from exclusive access to our DEI Content Library. In honour of International Day of Girls in ICT, we recommend checking out L'OCCITANE Group’s innovative approach to nurturing the pipeline of women in tech. This impactful case study helped them secure the top spot of ‘Best in Class, Retail’ in the 2023 LEAD Network Gender Diversity Scorecard Awards.
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Stay connected and leverage the power of LEAD Network’s cross-company community to learn from each other and move the needle forward.