There’s no question that there’s a big gender gap in tech. Things need to change. Not only because it’s the right thing to do, but also because Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) brings business value. A more diverse, equal and inclusive work environment leads to more creative ideas, faster problem-solving, increased productivity, faster innovation and more engaged employees – to name just a few of the benefits.
What do we want to achieve with the Women* in Tech community?
The Women* in Tech community was launched to create a more diverse, equal and inclusive work environment within the Rabobank tech departments. It’s a positive and inclusive community for everyone that identifies themselves as woman, those who don’t like binary gender definitions and anyone else interested in supporting women in tech. Currently, the community consists of nearly 200 members and we’re further growing the community by actively inviting everyone to participate in and contribute to the women* in tech community, no matter sex or gender. Because only by joining forces and working together, we can truly make a change.
With the community, we aim to:
- Provide a safe space for women* in tech to connect and share challenges, stories, thoughts, or worries;
- Actively support women* in tech tackling any hurdles they might face and offer help or advice when needed;
- Raise awareness and open up the conversation about diversity & inclusion in tech and our social responsibility;
- Connect women* across the Rabobank tech departments;
- Empower and inspire women* to add value using their unique strengths in a tech environment;
- Promote and boost women* in tech.
How do we want to achieve our Women* in Tech community goals?
To reach our goals and create a more diverse, equal and inclusive work environment within the Rabobank tech departments we’re setting up different initiatives. We’ll organize events with internal and external speakers, inspiration and networking. We started hosting monthly coffee-chats where women* in tech can connect on a certain topic, like the last coffee-chat on ‘how to combine the pressure of a household with your tech career’. Next to that, we’re organizing skill-builder events, a lunch session on psychological safety and we’re working on a coaching & mentoring program. So… lots of exciting things are happening and there’s more to come!
A big shout-out to all the community leads for making the Women* in Tech community happen! Let’s start contributing to a more diverse, equal and inclusive work environment at Rabobank and grow a better world together!
*We write women here to include all people that identify themselves as woman, those who don’t like binary gender definitions and anyone else interested in supporting women in tech
Resources
- Gartner: Tactics to Increase the Number of Women in IT
- Deloitte: Women in technology statistics
- Forbes : 15 Key Benefits Of DEI To Communicate With Team Members
- Harvard Business Review: Teams Solve Problems Faster When They’re More Cognitively Diverse