Tech's Future is Powered by Equality and Diversity

Our Human+Machine vision with its emphasis on collaborative intelligence is built around the idea of augmenting and amplifying human capability. Achieving this future, however, depends largely on creating diverse teams and fostering equality in the workplace—and across the technology industry.

Gender diversity in the workplace is essential to make sure we properly shape the world to meet the needs of all people. Just as important, we need to create access and opportunity for all people to use technology. This level of equality is a collective effort that governments, enterprises and individuals must commit to and work toward every day—so that both women and men can thrive and innovate.

Progress on “Getting to Equal”

Accenture has a longstanding commitment to gender equality, and we’ve set bold goals to hold ourselves accountable on progress. Last year, we set our global goal, which aims to achieve a gender-balanced workforce--with 50 percent women and 50 percent men by 2025.

I am proud to say that we now have more than 180,000 women at Accenture—more than 40 percent of our global workforce – and that a record percentage (32 percent) of our managing director promotions in 2017 were women. This is progress, but we understand more must be done - and are passionately committed to doing more.

One of the initiatives that supports Accenture’s efforts is our continued participation at the annual Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing, which was held this week in Houston. I’ve never been prouder to be involved with this event, where 20,000 of the most innovative women in technology come together to network and hare ideas and experiences. 

Case in point are two of our Accenture panelists and young women leaders: My thanks to Malek Ben Salem, senior manager, Accenture Labs, who discussed the opportunities and challenges around machine learning; and Zoe Wood, senior manager, Accenture Digital, who talked about Industry 4.0 and digital manufacturing with 3D printing.

What We Must Do Next

Perhaps the most compelling part of our participation at this year’s Grace Hopper celebration was the release of new findings from our Getting to Equal research. Spotlight on Young Leaders reveals that digital technology gaps, combined with lack of mentorship, networks and professional training, exacerbate challenges facing young professional women.

Our findings from a survey of 2,900 young professionals show that:

1. Sixty-two percent of young women versus 77 percent of young men have had tech/digital experience since graduating (such as taking a coding or computing class or working within the IT/digital/tech department of their company).
2. Only half of young women have access to a mentor at the start of their careers.
3. Young men have greater access to leadership and/or professional development training than young women. Just 38 percent of young women say they have access to training at all times versus 45 percent of young men.

The Spotlight on Young Leaders research is a part of our larger Getting to Equal 2018 report, When She Rises, We All Rise, which uncovers 40 workplace factors that help companies create a culture of equality where women and men have equal opportunities for advancement and pay.

These factors include a diverse leadership team that sets, shares and measures equality targets openly; policies and practices that are family-friendly, support both genders and are bias-free in attracting and retaining people; and an environment in which people feel trusted and have the freedom to be creative and to train and work flexibly.

I encourage you and your company to be a part of this journey--inspiring women in technology to achieve their ambitions. Be a mentor to a young woman professional, share your technology skills with others, sponsor a women’s group or make your own purposeful contribution.

Every positive action—large and small—adds up to a better future for us all.