Everywoman, the global platform for advancing women in business, has announced a year-long partnership with Facebook.
The two organisations will work closely together to support Facebook’s commitment to broadening gender diversity across their business and across the tech industry overall.
Over the next twelve months, everywoman and Facebook will create a series of programmes, events and initiatives to engage more women in technology, especially those from under-represented groups. London and Dublin will be the key focus for the partnership, which kicks off on November 20th with a Facebook Live session titled ‘The Power of Visible Role Models’. The session is hosted by Facebook’s diversity partner Sheekha Rajani, Colorintech founder Dion McKenzie, and everywoman co-founders Karen Gill MBE and Maxine Benson MBE.
In 2018, women only made up 12.6% of board members in the tech sector, compared to a 30% female representation achieved by FTSE 100 businesses. Furthermore, research carried out by everywoman found that a lack of role models is a significant factor in the gender imbalance in the technology industry[2]. These findings demonstrate the role this partnership will play in promoting the tech industry while also encouraging a more inclusive work environment.
Over the year-long partnership, speakers from all parts of Facebook’s organisation will be involved in the creation of webinars, leadership dinners, a keynote at the 2020 everywoman in Technology Forum, plus articles and podcasts that will be shared throughout the year.
The partnership’s overarching objective will be to provide the wider community with insight into how to lead and build a career in tech. This will be done by showcasing a range of diverse, inspirational role models sharing their career stories.
Speaking about the partnership, Karen Gill MBE, Co-Founder at everywoman comments: “We are delighted to have partnered with Facebook and support their ambitious plans for diversity and inclusion. Over the past 20 years, our tools and insights have helped global organisations with their diversity agendas. We know that gender diversity is an economic imperative in business and through this partnership, we believe we have the chance to engage and advance exceptional female talent within the tech industry”.
Emma Cashmore, director for diversity and inclusion, Facebook: “Making connections is at the heart of what we do at Facebook and so we’re incredibly pleased to have this partnership to connect to everywoman’s global platform of talented women. We’re looking forward to working together to advance the opportunities for women through this year long series of initiatives and events, on how to lead and build a career in tech.”
