Striving to create an organization, and by extension an industry, that truly reflects the diverse societies we work in has been a priority of ours for over a decade. Our aim for the last few years has been to reach 40% women or gender diverse (W/GD) [1] in tech roles, a goal that we are proud to have achieved. And while we are delighted to have come this far, the work doesn't stop with meeting a target - we will continue to build on this strong foundation. Below we share the current proportion of W/GD across our business.
We know that diversity, especially at more senior levels, has a significant positive impact on our business and culture. So we are being intentional in creating the right opportunities, support systems and programs to ensure strong diversity at every level.
Gender is not the only dimension of diversity we focus on, of course, but it is one that we pay close attention to in every region. Beyond gender, each region focuses on an additional dimension of diversity, these are based on race, disability, socio-economic background or other factors which are important in that geography.
All figures below are accurate as of March 31, 2024 and are updated at the end of each quarter.
Women or gender diverse (W/GD)
W/GD
Tech
By 'tech' roles we mean those actively involved in the creation of technology products/software. We have been working towards 40% as a goal.
W/GD
Non tech
Those in roles that are non-tech, primarily operational and leadership roles.
W/GD
Global management team
Our senior leadership group.
Setting goals is an important way to remain on track, and to hold ourselves accountable. But numbers aren’t our main focus: genuine progress comes from weaving diversity, equity and inclusion into our everyday actions, business priorities and culture. You’ll find many stories of our programs of work, employee experiences, blogs and more in our culture hub.
Women or gender diverse in tech roles
Why track women or gender diverse in tech roles, specifically? Our CTO Emeritus, Rebecca Parsons explains: "Gender diversity in tech is one of the key areas of focus for us because we passionately believe that technology must be created by diverse teams that reflect society to better serve society. The industry still struggles with W/GD diversity, with women and people who identify as GD leaving the industry at higher rates. We’re proud of the work we’ve done championing women or gender diverse (W/GD) in tech, but we still have a long way to go."
Global gender diversity by grade (tech roles)
Adopting a holistic approach to our efforts in gender diversity also includes an emphasis on parity and advancement. Metrics aside, a culture of inclusion and belonging backed by specific advancement opportunities and programs is critical, as we constantly see the under-representation of W/GD in tech. Our software delivery teams are created with a mix of skills, backgrounds, experiences etc. and we have a global system of grades and review process that ensures parity.
W/GD
Lead
W/GD
Principal
W/GD
Director
Women or gender diverse in leadership
"We're really proud that 37.5% of our global management team are W/GD. Tracking advancement versus just overall numbers is key to ensuring the right and fair opportunities are provided to women or gender diverse across Thoughtworks. Initiatives like the global Women in Leadership Development program are designed to accelerate W/GD’s leadership and presence in Thoughtworks. Equal opportunity and, when necessary, equitable measures to ensure gender parity is what we continue to strive for." – Joanna Parke, Chief Talent and Operating Officer
Global gender diversity by grade (operational and leadership roles)
W/GD
Lead
W/GD
Principal
W/GD
Director
W/GD
Global management team
"Our diversity, equity and inclusion strategy is designed to involve every Thoughtworker. It's essential to us that everyone feels they have both a voice and responsibility in fostering equity and belonging within their teams. To do so, we focus our efforts on operationalizing equitable practices and encoding those into thoughtful policies. Having shared metrics helps us focus and track our path of continuous improvement."
– James Grate, Global Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
[1] W/GD are self-identified. Figures accurate as of March 31, 2024 and will be updated following the close of every quarter.
[2] These figures do not incorporate new acquisitions, which will be included in this report 18 months from their acquisition date to allow time to align to the DEI best practices of Thoughtworks.