In a bid to hike up the number of women in senior tech roles Ofcom and a group of telco giants have joined forces, pledging to increase the presence of females in the historically male dominated comms sector.
BT, Openreach, Sky, TalkTalk, Three, Virgin Media O2 and Vodafone, along with the regulator have agreed a three year plan that incorporates a wider push for more women in their workforces generally.
The Ofcom devised pledge includes sharing best practice, accountability and transparency by publishing data on progress made including performances against firms' own diversity and inclusion strategies and KPIs.
"Having a diverse workforce is crucial to the success of any organisation," stated Dame Melanie Dawes (pictured), Ofcom Chief Executive. "It drives creativity, innovation and ensures we as employers attract the skills we need from the widest possible pool. But for too many women, climbing that career ladder in a male-dominated industry can be a real challenge. It’s great to see so many companies committing to helping more women launch long-lasting and rewarding technology careers."
Stephen van Rooyen, CEO, Sky UK&I, added: "A more inclusive tech industry is fundamental to a thriving UK tech sector and critical to realising the full potential of innovation. But to achieve wide scale progress industry collaboration is key."