DEI Women in Tech Programme

IFA Women in Tech Breakfast

We kick off this insightful and empowering day with a breakfast which will set the day for an energising conversation about the challenges the industry faces. What can we can actively change together now, and for the future generations to improve the opportunities for all - this will be a great opportunity to meet the high-level speakers in person, network with your peers and build new contacts. 

The world feels like a different place post pandemic, with a pause and now a reset playing out now across cultures and societies as we return to a new normal. During these turbulent years, we witnessed civil unrest and people reflecting and questioning the world that they live in. So why we are focussing on DEI now? We kick off the day with a conversation around what these terms specifically mean, across the broad terms of internal, external, organisational and worldview diversity. What does diversity, equity and inclusion mean in practice? And how can a company create an inclusive culture that facilitates innovation and creativity to foster a healthy workplace environment that people can flourish within. We look at the impact of this across the board and delve into the worldwide view on DEI. This panel session will host individuals who will explain their own personal experiences of leadership on these issues and how they achieved their career success.

We delve into one of the founding reasons why there is a lack of diversity in the tech industry. Starting with the education system. Only 27% of female students surveyed say they would consider a career in technology, compared to 61% of males, and only 3% say it’s their first choice. (PWC, 2022) Why is this? What is deterring people? And what can the education system do to tackle this?  

In addition, beyond the traditional higher education system, what other routes are there into the industry, across all stages of life – how can people transition into this industry? We examine how apprenticeships operate and crucially what are companies looking for when they come to hire? 

Technology has the incredible potential to transform the lives of those affected by different disabilities including neuro diversity. We take a look at some real-life case studies of technology integration into people lives and the impact that has had technology on their career and look at the individuals and companies that are championing these initiatives.

We shine a spotlight on women founders in the entrepreneurial landscape. This session aims to celebrate the remarkable achievements and contributions of women entrepreneurs, exploring their unique journeys and the challenges they have overcome in building successful ventures. Through engaging discussions and inspiring stories, we will delve into the diverse experiences of women founders, addressing the systemic barriers they face and the strategies they employ to navigate the business world. Don't miss this opportunity to be inspired by trailblazing women founders and join the movement for greater diversity and equality in the business realm.  

In this session, we will take a deep dive into the tech solutions available to assist and accelerate integrating an effective DEI strategy into the heart of an organisation. There are multiple areas such as survey platforms, recruitment software, cloud platforms to explore, and also tech solutions that support those with disabilities and neuro diversity.

We look at some tangible implementation examples and what can be learnt from other companies and individuals on this panel discussion. We will look to the data to ascertain which initiatives have the best measurable impact on improving DEI, for example how much does having a fully remote working policy impact on DEI. 

What are DEI strategies are tech leaders deploying? What's the key criteria for measurement/impact and what does reporting look like? Ageism is often an over looked part of DEI, and as pension ages across Europe increase, workforces will increasingly welcome people of increased age. How can companies ensure that they are welcoming and adapt to suit the varying requirements of their staff? Neurodiversity is also a key area that companies need to educated on to provide a working culture and environment that compliments differing requirements. 

Without employees, a company is nothing, it's the people that drive a company and create the culture. With that in mind, we look at the incredibly important area of recruitment and the role it plays in DEI. We will showcase tangible company case studies of where having a diverse team has created incredible results and the data on how companies with a strong diversity strategy perform better. We examine the on-boarding process, an area often not really considered or questioned after being in place for years, and go into granular detail on the language used in job specs, where are job adverts places, what is the application form and company website conveying. Actual real life examples will be demonstrated to show where improvements can be made.

The boards of all organisations are a key focal point that attract attention when discussing DEI within organisations. In 2022 The European Council approved EU rules to promote more balanced gender representation on the boards of listed companies. This national law states that at least 40% of non-executive director positions in listed companies should be held by members of the underrepresented sex by 2026. This deadline is fast approaching and it is obvious that not enough is being done or progress being made. So how are leaders planning and executing a staffing and recruitment strategy with their organisations? And where are we seeing the biggest impact? 

The workplace has exponentially changed post the pandemic - fully remote, hybrid and contract roles have meant that physical location is no longer an issue for employers, and they can select the best talent available which can improve DEI. 

These new working styles require a new style of leadership and management, to understand how to lead/manage in a virtual world and how to embed DEI within an organisation. Retraining is an essential part of this process to ensure employees are retained and progress. Join us as we take a deep dive into the initiatives companies are embarking on and their impact.

Women make up only 25% of computer-science related jobs, according to the Pew Research Center,  Women are even less represented in engineering, making up just 14% of the workforce.  

This panel session will give the stage to trail blazing women who can share their challenges, career journey and what they would advise for those looking to enter this industry. What are the first steps to take if you are looking to transition into a tech role? And what would they have done differently on their journey? The panel will also examine why so many women also leave the tech industry, and what be done to reverse this to focus on retention and progression, also looking at returning to work post maternity leave, keep in touch days.