Diversity Numbers Aren't Good, But Tech is Taking Action

Back in May, Google became the first major Internet company to disclose its workforce diversity data to the public. Since then, more of tech’s big names -- LinkedIn, Yahoo, and most recently, Facebook -- have followed suit and published their own employment statistics. While Google, LinkedIn, Yahoo, and Facebook are four different companies with different products in different sectors, there is a troubling, but not-so-shocking sameness to the diversity of their workforces. There is a lot of work to be done, but these businesses are starting to take action.

Sixty to seventy percent of the workforce at each company are male; white employees make up over 50% of total employees across all four companies; the percentages of Asian employees ranges from 30%-39%, and all four companies employ only 2% of black and 3-4% of Latino workers.

Each company has conceded that making these statistics public is their first step on the long road to solving tech’s inclusion problem, and have made clear that they won’t stop at these revelations. The starkness of their data has presented an imperative to act, and all four have introduced initiatives such as partnerships with pipeline organizations and the implementation of employee resource groups to improve their recruitment and retention.   

Google

• Google has over 13 employee resource groups ranging from Ethnic groups, sexual orientation, and age, that aim to provide support communities and discuss targeted recruitment and retention initiatives.
• Partnered with HBCUs such as Howard to elevate coursework and attendance in CS.
• Hosts education outreach programs, talent development programs, and technical conferences and events worldwide, while also sponsoring conferences put on by external organizations such as the National Society of Black Engineers, the AdColor Industry Coalition, and the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing.
• Partners with organizations that work to increase the diversity of talent in tech including: Anita Borg Institute for Women in Technology, American Association of People with Disabilities, Leadership Education and Development, and Richard Tapia Celebration of Diversity in Computing.

LinkedIn

• Partners with organizations that promote women in technology, including the Anita Borg institute; and sponsor development events such as the Grace Hopper Conference.
• Created and pioneered DevelopHer, an annual women’s hackday to engage and support women in tech.
• Partnered with Management Leadership for Tomorrow, an organization aimed at career development for black, Latino, and Native Americans.
• Sponsored the 2014 Out & Equal Workplace Summit to work towards an end to employment discrimination for LGBTQ employees.

Yahoo

• Supports a wide range of employee resource groups to create an inclusive workplace environment and engaged workplace environment.
• Yahoo!’s Women in Tech group hosts an annual Yahoo! Women Working Wonders event as well as partners with organizations such as Girl Geek Dinner that bring together female-identified technologists and aspiring women in tech for networking events around the world.

Facebook

• Hosts Facebook University, a program that provides undergraduate freshman from underrepresented groups with internships at Facebook.
• Partners with pipeline programs such as Girls Who Code, Code 2040, the National Society of Black Engineers, and the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers and Management Leadership for Tomorrow.
• Works with Yes We Code to help connect 100,000 youth to computer programming education programs.
• Provide unconscious bias training for employees to help staff recognize and stop racism and sexism they may unknowingly exhibit.
• Supports employee resource groups for staff from diverse ethnic, cultural, and contextual backgrounds.

With four of tech’s biggest players outing their diversity data, companies like Apple and Amazon are becoming more conspicuous in their discretion. Getting #diversity trending in the tech industry is one thing, but making it stick for the long term with lasting change is another. As companies become more transparent and vocal about what they are doing and hope to do to improve diversity in the workplace--best practices and ultimately, an industry standard are being set as we speak. Alongside sales and profits, a diverse workforce is now a priority and marker of a successful, forward-thinking company.

Google Diversity Numbers Highlight Tech’s Challenge

Yesterday, Google took a bold step in releasing the diversity data for its workforce. Of Google’s 46,170 employees worldwide, just 30% are women, 2% are black, and 3% are Hispanic. Asian workers make up 30% of employees, a very far second behind white workers at 61%.

The numbers, gathered as part of a report that major U.S. employers are required to file with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, confirm what much of the public has suspected--Google’s current workforce is mostly white and male. Google’s disclosure of its diversity figures finally provides hard evidence to back-up polemics against the homogeneity of Silicon Valley’s gender and ethnic makeup.

Tech industry giants have been notoriously discreet about their workplace diversity. Google is one of the first major Internet companies to disclose this data to the public, a commendable first step on a long road ahead that the company has to remedy its hiring and retention disparities. Lazlo Bock, Senior Vice President of People Operations admits, “Put simply, Google is not where we want to be when it comes to diversity, and it’s hard to address these kinds of challenges if you’re not prepared to discuss them openly, and with the facts.”   

There’s no doubt that Google’s diversity problem is one faced across the board in the tech industry. Silicon Valley has both a pipeline and retention challenge when it comes to recruiting a diverse workforce. Women earn approximately 18% of all computer science degrees in the United States, while Blacks and Hispanics make up less than 10% of U.S. college graduates and earn under 5% of degrees in CS majors. These statistics are reflective of a larger systemic problem, but rumors and realities of tech’s white “bro culture” present contexts and environments that make staying in tech unappealing for the women and minorities that are granted access in the first place.    

While companies are not required to disclose their diversity figures, it is a hope that Google’s example will pressure other big players such as Facebook, Apple, and Twitter to quickly follow suit. Google’s disclosure marks a pivotal moment in Silicon Valley’s agenda: it’s time to start solving the problems of inclusion and access.  

12 Startups in DC for the Day

Thanks to our team of superstar delegates, Startup Day on the Hill 2014 was a rousing success. Members of Congress and their staffs are increasingly involved with the startup community and the technologies and services we’re building; they are starting to understand that they must support what we do for the good of the whole economy.

Our Women in Technology event on Tuesday night was attended by more than 100 people and DC luminaries, including visits from startup-friendly members of Congress including Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI), Rep. Blake Farenthold (R-TX), and DNC Chair Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D-FL), who gave the evening’s inspirational remarks.

The packed celebration was also an opportunity for us to introduce Engine’s new Executive Director, Julie Samuels, who is committed to the issue of women in technology and has laid plans to bring on a senior fellow to advise on the subject. By focusing on the under-representation of women as engineers, founders, and investors, we hope to create better policies to give women an equal opportunity.

(Here’s what Politico had to say about the evening!)

Startup Day itself was packed with incredible experiences, vibrant conversations, and bold actions – all aimed at providing members of Congress more tools and resources to support startup communities and create better public policy.

In having these conversations, we already succeeded in bringing the startup community closer to policymaking in Washington -- at least for a day. But we also hope to have had an impact as the Senate continues to work towards patent troll reform, as the House works on immigration reform, and as Congress begins to tackle the numerous issues we face as a community.

Take a look at pictures from the day!

Stay tuned, also, for new installments to our Startups Speak series -- putting a human face on the policy issues we face.

We’re thankful to CEA for their generous support, and we look forward to continuing our work together. We also thank WeWork for hosting our team at their beautiful Wonder Bread Factory, Franklin Square Group and S-3 for their assistance in getting our events together, and to our Congressional co-hosts for their assistance in the coordination of the event.

We can’t wait for Startup Day 2015!