It seems the gender divide in technology is still rife, with new research from CodinGame revealing that just 15% of chief technology officers (CTOs) at FTSE 100 firms are women.
With recent Office for National Statistics (OfS) figures stating that females make up less than 17% of the nation’s tech workforce, it’s evident that more needs to be done to achieve gender parity and diversity across the sector – especially when it comes to leadership roles.
Only two organisations in the FTSE 100 are able to boast both a female CTO and CEO: Severn Trent, headed by Liv Garfield who’s assisted by Jayne Showell as CTO; and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), with Dame Emma Walmsley as CEO and Karenann Terrell as CTO.
Three of the top 10 firms by market capitalisation have female CTOs – including GTK, AstraZeneca and British American Tobacco.
On top of this, average female representation on FTSE 100 boards is 33%, according to the government-backed Hampton-Alexander Review of gender equality in business. The goal to have women holding a third of board-level roles was achieved ahead of the 2021 target, but this successful trend does not translate to the CTO profession.
“By striving for equal, inclusive and diverse organisations, we can work towards a better, fairer world” – Nicole Sahin, Globalization Partners
Nicole Sahin, founder and CEO of Globalization Partners, commented: “This research shows that women continue to be underrepresented in CTO roles. For every 100 men promoted and hired to manager, only 72 women are promoted and hired.
“From recruitment, to development, to women-friendly policies, this research reminds us about the importance of prioritising equality across every aspect of the organisation, to ensure women’s progress is accelerated further.
“After all, there is so much gain from companies focusing on creating a diverse, inclusive culture that attracts talent of all genders, ages, sexualities and ethnicities. Time and time again, research shows that organisations that have a high percentage of diversity financially outperform their competitors. I’ve seen first-hand the powerful results that occur when people with different perspectives work together. By striving for equal, inclusive and diverse organisations, we can work towards a better, fairer world.”
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