Ofcom said UK’s biggest telecoms companies have committed to hire more women for technology roles.
BT, Openreach, Sky, TalkTalk, Three, Virgin Media O2 and Vodafone have signed a pledge committing to improve representation for women. They did not reveal specific target in terms of hiring and promoting women.
Ofcom’s technology work covers a range of areas within its remit – including spectrum management, cyber security and innovative use of data. We are also increasing our tech capabilities as we prepare to become the UK’s online safety regulator.
“We want the telecoms industry, including us at Ofcom, to lead the way in changing that. So it’s great to see so many companies getting behind this pledge, and committing to helping more women launch long-lasting and rewarding technology careers,” Dame Melanie Dawes, Ofcom Chief Executive, said.
Telecom operators have agreed to take action to increase senior representation of women in technology-based roles over the next three years, as well as have more women in their workforces more generally.
“At BT Group we have set ourselves stretching targets on the diversity of our workforce in terms of gender, race and disability, and we are building inclusivity into the fabric of how we work and live our values,” Philip Jansen, BT Group Chief Executive, said.
“We want our teams to reflect the communities we serve in every corner of the UK, as we know that diverse and inclusive companies are more innovative, dynamic and ultimately better able to respond to customers’ needs,” Clive Selley, CEO of Openreach, said.
“Since 2017, we have almost doubled female representation in our technology team so we are looking forward to working with partners to drive this at an industry level,” Stephen van Rooyen, Chief Executive Officer, Sky UK Ireland and Chief Commercial Officer, Sky Group, said.
“We’re passionate about increasing the numbers of women in tech, from inspiring young girls into STEM subjects through to mentoring, supporting and promoting women into leadership positions. As the creators of the North West Women in Tech awards, we celebrate and champion the many incredible achievements that women in our sector make every day,” Tristia Harrison, CEO of TalkTalk Group, said.
“We have already committed to a 50-50 gender split in leadership roles at Three UK and are investing significantly in attracting and retaining the right people to help us do that,” Robert Finnegan, CEO of Three UK, said
“Virgin Media O2 is proud to join Ofcom’s Diversity and Inclusion Pledge to support more women into our industry, which builds on our commitment to become a more inclusive and equitable company,” Lutz Schuler, CEO of Virgin Media O2, said.
“It’s our responsibility, as a collective industry, to inspire future generations to become technology leaders regardless of gender or background,” Ahmed Essam, CEO, Vodafone UK, said.
