The telecoms sector has been historically male-dominated, particularly in more senior technology-based positions, but this pledge from Ofcom and companies across the sector looks to change that and help women build rewarding careers in telecoms.
In June, Ofcom signed a pledge committing to improve representation for women in technology roles with seven of the biggest companies in the sector: BT Group, Openreach, Sky, TalkTalk, Three, Virgin Media O2 and Vodafone.
CityFibre, GCHQ, the National Cyber Security Centre, and Zen Internet have now joined that pledge to increase senior representation of women in technology-based roles over the next three years, as well have more women in their workforces more generally.
The organisations will also focus on both attracting and retaining more women, while creating more inclusive working environments. They will come together to share best practices, as well as publishing information on the impact of their work to achieve better representation for women.
Dame Melanie Dawes, chief executive, Ofcom, said, “We’re delighted to see more companies sign the Women in Tech pledge. Whether it’s rolling out high-quality broadband and mobile services or keeping our connections safe and secure, these organisations form the digital backbone of the UK economy.
“So we welcome their commitment to helping more women into technology roles – ensuring the industry has a talented, diverse workforce ready to meet the demands of an increasingly digital world.”
Ayshea Robertson, people and culture director, Zen Internet, commented, “This is an absolute critical issue and I am looking forward to working with other industry leads to shift the dial on gender equity in telecoms. This, and indeed all diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging matters, are so important to us, and we will do our best to continue to improve things in Zen and the sector at large.
"The Ofcom pledge is a great start to driving cross industry collaboration, but we now need to see proactive action on the back of this as that will be key to making a difference.”
Greg Mesch, CEO, CityFibre, explained, “CityFibre is committed to fostering a more diverse and inclusive telecoms industry so we’re proud to have made this pledge to promote the role of women in our sector. By actively championing gender diversity, we're driving positive change and shaping a brighter, more innovative future for our business and our industry.”
Lindy Cameron, chief executive, NCSC, added, “To keep the UK safe in cyberspace, diversity is critical to our success but sadly we know women continue to be under-represented across the technology profession.
“The NCSC is committed to driving positive change – in our own organisation and beyond – by fostering an inclusive environment and championing women to pursue rewarding careers in the field.
“We are pleased to be reaffirming this commitment by joining the Women in Tech pledge and look forward to working with partners to achieve better representation in the sector.”