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Tech Diversity

According to the Boston Consulting Group, companies with more diverse employees have 19% higher revenue than their counterparts. Unfortunately, if most people were to pick one industry with the greatest need for diversity, they'd probably choose the tech sector.

For years, the highest positions in many tech companies have been notoriously difficult to reach for people in minority groups. However, Stack Overflow surveys suggest that we may finally be making progress in the areas of diversity and inclusion. In recent years, some of the world's biggest IT and computing brands have demonstrated how much companies can accomplish with D&I initiatives. Today, we're going to celebrate the organizations with the best, most forward-thinking programs.

Salesforce

Equality and inclusion are at the heart of Salesforce's culture. The pioneering company believes that businesses can accomplish anything with the right mixture of people. Through Trailhead training, Salesforce educational opportunities and diverse employment, Salesforce has one of the most inclusive communities in the world. All of this builds on Salesforce's ethos of "Ohana," which treats every staff member as part of the family.

As well as delivering opportunities for all - regardless of race, culture, or any other individual identifier, Salesforce also offers multiple unique support systems for team members. There are groups available for differently abled people, Latin employees, LGTBQ team members, women, veterans, people of faith and more.

Cisco

Cisco is one of the most highly rated companies in the world for diversity and inclusion. Responsible for the Cisco Global Women organization, the company drives a substantial educational and support movement for female technology staff. Also, the company runs a conference once a year that celebrates women with an impact on the industry.

It's not just women that get support at Cisco either. The brand also offers a host of employee resource groups. Team members can find everything from the Cisco disability awareness network, to the Cisco Asian affinity network, where they'll receive tailored support. The Cisco network even formed a unique global inclusion and diversity platform in 2007 to help integrate D&I into all business procedures.

HP (Hewlett Packard)

Computing company Hewlett Packard cultivates diversity through various unique initiatives. For instance, there's a program which uses employee groups to scan the globe for talent regardless of age, disability, orientation, gender or identity. HP is also committed to supporting employees from any background, race, or culture. As well as offering opportunities to a range of people, HP also invests in the future of tech talent with STEM education opportunities.

Employees of HP can access policies for fair treatment in the work environment. What's more, Hewlett Packard was one of the first brands to create an employee resource group specifically for LGBTQ individuals.

Apple

Inclusion and diversity is a crucial consideration at Apple. The global tech company believes that "humanity is plural" - which means that everyone should feel included in the workforce. Apple employs staff members of any age (from 18 to 85) and ensures that they have access to various forms of support and guidance. Furthermore, Apple's female workforce is steadily increasing, with 29% of its leaders identifying as women.

What's more, Apple also teams up with educators in deaf and blind communities to bring more accessible coding strategies into schools. This allows differently abled people to have a better chance of succeeding in the tech industry.

IBM

IBM is a world leader in technology diversity. By creating a culture of cohesive inclusion for workers, IBM ensures that everyone can reach their full potential. The business partners with Girls Who Code to help close the gender gap in tech, and recruits girls for after-school clubs and intern programs. IBM also has a program called "EPELI," which identifies people showing exceptional leadership skills in any community and helps them to take the next step in their career.

IBM believes in driving diversity for people from a wide range of backgrounds. However, their main focus is on empowering women in technology. Women amid their tech career can apply for sponsors or coaches to support them on the path to promotions and new opportunities.

Amazon

Leading technology and online marketplace company, Amazon, has an excellent background in the diversity space. The company commits to several groups that allow it to support diversity within their workforce. Currently, the team sponsors and recruits people from a wide range of backgrounds, including those in the LGBT group and people with disabilities. Amazon also encourages STEM talent support for future engineers, and work with "Girls Who Code."

In January 2018, Amazon also hosted a conversation with their employees to find out how race has affected their workplace environment. After strong feedback, the business now invests in annual conferences were people can come together and work on creating a more inclusive workplace.

TransTech

A business, co-working space and incubator for LGBTQ talent, TransTech focuses on empowering the transgender people in the industry. As a co-learning community, TransTech provides a safe source of support and guidance for people in the trans, gay, lesbian, and queer communities, and makes sure that everyone has the right skills to succeed. No matter how you identify, you can become a TransTech member to accelerate and transform your career.

The TransTech community also offers a wide range of resources that members can access for free. You can tap into everything from volunteer guidance, to mentor and support networks, career prep courses and more.

Facebook

Facebook might have had a few issues with privacy and security in recent years. However, the social media giant is still making an effort toward diversity. The company frequently publishes "diversity" reports, where you can learn about the growth of women in senior leadership, as well as the options available for people from different cultures. Facebook also commits to the concept of #BlackExcellence and promotes employees regardless of their origin or race.

While Facebook still has some work to do in making older staff members feel more involved in the office, it's safe to say its moving in the right direction.

Oracle

One of the world's leading computer technology giants, Oracle is doing its part to boost diversity and inclusion campaigns. According to the Oracle website, the company believes that an "inclusive" site is crucial to its success. The most significant element of Oracle's diversity strategy is a commitment to empowering women. Around 24% of the global Oracle workforce is now made up of women. Female staff hold 23% of leadership positions.

Oracle is also taking steps towards diversity in other areas too. For instance, the company is beginning to hire more college graduates, and it's working progressively with greater groups of multi-cultural individuals also.

Yubico

Founded in Sweden during 2017, Yubico has a quest to make secure computing more accessible to everyone. In 2018, Yubico's founder and CEO Stina Ehrensvard earned the title "Female Executive of the Year" in the Women World Awards. The accolade honors women around the world from a variety of industries. Yubico, like many technology brands today, is committed to helping their employees succeed regardless of age, gender, or background.

The brand is particularly committed to its female staff members. Yubico regularly celebrates it's successful women.