Beyond the Hashtags: #sconnect16 and #All4GIT

Former Member · ‎10-19-2016

Even though women earn more than half of bachelor’s degrees in biological sciences, the percentage graduating with diplomas in computer sciences and math is much lower and the need to address the shortage of women in technology jobs becomes top priority. Such a shortage could have an effect on the bottom line for many businesses, so having diverse talent in STEM careers has never been more important.

SAP recognized this was a business imperative and took action. Customers will soon be able to detect and eliminate bias that might take place during the hiring process with SAP SuccessFactors technology to help ensure they have a diverse and inclusive workforce. To help advance the pipeline of females in STEM careers, SAP announced an SAP SuccessFactors initiative to support Girls in Tech (GIT), a San Francisco volunteer-based organization with more than 50,000 members that empowers women and girls passionate about entering into high-tech careers.

I spoke with Adriana Gascoigne, founder and CEO of Girls in Tech, to find out more about the current state of affairs around workplace diversity.

“The U.S. is leading the way when it comes to programs designed to advance women into leadership roles, especially in technology. Corporations are talking about it and starting diversity initiatives, but we still have a long way to go,” she said. “From the GIT side, we continue to grow. We’re seeing women have the confidence to stand up and say ‘I want to do this’.”

But with that confidence and will to achieve success, women benefit from a supportive network to help get them there. Using your network is a major part of the equation, and women can benefit from finding a sponsor to help them achieve their career goals. “Sponsors take you under your wing and pull you up,” Gascoigne said. “Rather than hiring from outside the organization, sponsors can help women get in the door because someone believed in them.”

"We are seeing a tremendous amount of effort being placed on women in technology, and it is critical that organizations focus on not only building a diverse workforce, but also a culture where they can thrive,” said Nicole McCabe, Global Head of Gender Equality, Global Diversity & Inclusion Office. “Organizations like Girls in Tech are critical in ensuring that companies have a diverse talent pool of qualified candidate in the future.” Indeed, SAP has a number of programs to help women thrive professionally inside the company, including the Leadership Excellence Acceleration Program (LEAP).

When asked about SAP’s solutions that can help other organizations with diversity in their workforces, Gascoigne said, “Things like this are not happening elsewhere. It’s lonely out there. We’re thrilled that SAP is creating tools to enable the hiring of women and create more diverse and inclusive workplaces.”

Attendees at the SuccessConnect events in the Asia Pacific region can hear more on this topic from customers, like Origin Energy, Housing New Zealand, Arrium Ltd, Caltex Australia, Ixom and Serco (who will speak at the Sydney event), who are using SAP SuccessFactors solutions to innovate their people strategies.

Keynote speakers for the region’s events include :

In Sydney: Mike Ettling, president of SAP SuccessFactors, David Ragones, group vice president of Product Management at SAP and Holly Ransom, CEO of Emergent

In Tokyo: Kerry Sain, chief revenue officer, SAP SuccessFactors. In Singapore, David Ludlow, group vice president, Solution Management at SAP SuccessFactors will join Sain for the keynote session.

In Vienna: Mike Ettling and Fabrice Enderlin, executive vice president of Talent & Company Reputation, UCB, Stefan Ries, CHRO and Labor Relations Director, and member of SAP’s Executive Board, and Thomas Otter (with Dave Ragones) group vice president of Product Management at SAP SuccessFactors

Want to support GIT? SAP will donate one dollar for every Tweet that mentions both #sconnect16 and #All4GIT thru December 31.

Learn more: