The tech industry and tech employers have a huge opportunity to be beacons of best practices when it comes to inclusion and diversity. At the West Wood Hotel, Westlands, Savabyte is launching a tech capacity hub on a mission to promote the inclusion and participation of women in technology in Africa.
The 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, founded on the principle of ‘leaving no one behind’ calls for transformative shifts, integrated approaches, and innovative solutions to overcome the structural barriers to sustainable development. Innovation and technology provide unpreceded opportunities to reach those who are the most likely to be left behind. The gender gap in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) has widened since the 1980’s when 37% of all computer science graduates in the U.S. were women. Today, that number is a mere 18%.
The importance of women in tech can span far and wide. Adding women to the IT workforce can help organizations be better equipped to achieve their goals. Studies from the Credit Suisse Research Institute found that more women in leadership roles increased the likelihood of better financial health for a company, further proving gender diversity is indeed a valuable asset. Firms that employ women in leadership are more likely to have a higher return on equity than those that do not and a higher net income growth rate.
Companies that had women’s involvement on a board averaged 14% net income growth over the past six years as compared to 10% for companies with no women’s board representation.
“Digital transformation by its very nature opens borders, diversifies candidate pools, and helps bring a broader variety of talent to the table because jobs are no longer dependent on location but on access. Social prejudices often prevalent in face-to-face encounters are replaced with digital “anonymous” exchanges, and artificial intelligence done right can help organizations remove biases from tasks such as candidate screening. By embracing this and making diversity and inclusion – or broader social responsibility – a core part of who a company is, employers have the opportunity to create a more empathetic, transparent workforce and a working environment where inclusion, diversity, and belonging can thrive.” says Irene Mwangi, Co-founder, Savabyte.
Founded in 2022 in Kenya, Savabyte is a pan-African, women-led, and borderless platform that brings career advancement opportunities to close reach for women in technology and any tech talent consumer.
Savabyte is on a mission to promote the inclusion and participation of women in technology in Africa. We place tech talent specifically software developers and engineers, data scientists, and AI engineers as well as provide a support system through structured mentorship, workshops, and networks.
“The gender gap in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields isn’t going to close on its own. We are working to reverse this equation and write a future where women have the same opportunities for career success as men,” says John Kamara, Founder, of Savabyte.
