Tech seeking to address diversity, gender challenge

A leading technology association has stepped up to positively impact tech diversity and inclusion through a new challenge that aims to double the percentage of the state’s Black and Latinx tech workers — currently at 5 and 7 percent respectively — by the end of the decade. The Mass Technology Leadership Council (MassTLC) launched a 2030 Challenge earlier this week that also will continue to work towards gender parity in the state’s tech workforce. According to a release announcing the initiative, the new challenge came about in response to the organization’s benchmarking of the state’s tech sector, including key metrics on race, ethnicity and gender, which showed that the Massachusetts tech sector, one of the highest paying sectors in one of the most expensive regions in the country, does not adequately reflect the diverse population of the state.

MassTLC is inviting organizations that employ tech workers to join the Tech Compact for Social Justice by committing to change within their own organizations. MassTLC will work with Tech Compact signers over the coming months and years to track progress, spotlight leadership, share best practices, work to overcome roadblocks, and develop initiatives in support of the 2030 Challenge objectives. At its announcement, 62 companies had already signed on to the Tech Compact.

The 2030 Challenge is in alignment with the benchmarking MassTLC has been doing as part of their State of the Technology Economy reports and its 2020 Challenge to create 100,000 net new tech jobs in Massachusetts.