At Kinkajou Limited, driving Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging is hugely important to us. We support companies, leaders and individuals to promote diverse and inclusive cultures and create workplaces where everyone is welcome. With almost all companies using technology in all or part of their business, the widening tech skills gap is compounded by an even wider tech diversity gap.
UK Tech Skills Crisis Costs Billions
Despite the UK's tech job market being projected to grow to £30 billion by 2025, current estimates indicate a stark gender imbalance, with only one qualified woman for every 115 tech roles.
Furthermore, social mobility within the tech industry remains a significant concern, with only 19% of employees originating from working-class backgrounds, compared to 33.3% across other industries. According to a report from the UK Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology, the financial impact of the digital skills gap is estimated at approximately £63 billion annually.
Women in Tech Benefits Everyone
In 2023, UN Secretary General, António Guterres, said:
Promoting women’s full contribution to science, technology, and innovation is not an act of charity or a favour to women. It is a MUST, and it benefits everyone.
Research shows that diverse teams lead to innovative products and increase creativity, productivity, and profitability. For example, women tech professionals innovate and design products that otherwise wouldn’t be created - see the rise of FemTech.
Inclusion by Design
Attracting and retaining women in tech means organisations need to have inclusion by design. Tech Nation reports that in the UK, women represent only 26% of those working in technology. And Accenture says that around 50% of women leave tech roles before age 35.
Code Girls First's Top 10 Recommendations: Hiring, Retaining and Progressing Women in Tech provides insights on how organisations can design for inclusion. For example, flexible working, enhanced parental leave policies, fairer hiring processes, returner programs and non-traditional pathways.
Leaders have a huge role to play in creating a culture of belonging. However, according to Accenture, there is a disconnect between leadership perceptions and the reality experienced by employees. While 68% of leaders believe they cultivated empowering environments where employees share a sense of belonging, only 36% of employees agree with this assessment.
Kinkajou Limited has joined the Tech Talent Charter
In November 2023, Kinkajou Limited became a Tech Talent Charter (TTC) signatory. Becoming a member of the TTC is a commitment to a set of undertakings that aim to deliver greater inclusion and diversity in the UK tech industry.
Nancy Maher, our Founder, said:
Kinkajou Limited proudly supports the Tech Talent Charter, championing diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in the UK tech industry. Joining this is an opportunity to align with organisations passionate about creating a diverse and inclusive tech industry. We pledge to drive positive change within our organisation, community and clients. Join us in creating a vibrant and equitable future for the UK tech industry and the planet.
What is the Tech Talent Charter?
The Tech Talent Charter (TTC) is a government-supported, industry-led membership group that brings together 700+ Signatory organisations and equips them with the networks and resources to drive their diversity and inclusion efforts. The TTC’s broad base of Signatories includes companies and industries of all sizes, non-profit organisations, charities, leading UK educators, and government departments.
Created in 2015 to address the UK’s tech talent shortage and diversity problem through collective action, the TTC’s goal is for the UK tech ecosystem to be a diverse and inclusive community where people from all backgrounds are welcomed and valued for their contributions.
The TTC works towards this goal by providing concrete measurement and insights into diversity in the tech ecosystem and actionable ways forward by gathering, curating, and distributing innovative practices, techniques, and ideas.