DEI Policies +  Progression Opportunities = Most Desired Employer

Efforts are being made, change is becoming a reality. By walking the talk,  most large tech companies have started to release annual diversity reports outlining their strategies and performance on their DEI progress. This sets the standard in the industry and serves as a benchmark for accountability, enabling stakeholders to assess the company’s commitment to promoting equality and identifying areas for improvement. And what is a red thread amongst all these reports you may ask? Improving leadership representation. 

The spotlight is shining ever so bright on how can we diversify the higher tiers in management.

Therefore, companies are developing guidance on how to promote Senior and Leadership roles that reflect the customers and communities they serve.

Whilst keeping this in mind, meet Xena’s pics of companies that are taking steps to ensure the advancement of women in their organisations:

Deel

Today, the best jobs are limited to people who live in the world’s largest cities. Deel’s making it easier than ever for companies to hire whoever they want, wherever they live. All without the upfront cost and admin of researching complex local laws, navigating compliance, and running international payroll. Finally, more people worldwide can get the jobs they want without moving countries, and companies can make dream hires faster by opening up their hiring borders. The same approach applies to Deel’s employees. 

Co-founded by Shuo Wang, Deel is one of the most exciting SaaS companies out there, with a unique platform offering comprehensive tools and solutions for international operations.

The nature of their business is helping companies hire in more than 150 countries across the world! International by design and culture, this team makes a conscious effort to keep fostering an inclusive culture and value gender representation on their teams. Their fully remote setup has shown to be good for diversity and inclusion, allowing more flexibility for parents, caregivers, people with disabilities, and more to take part in the working world without the need to make inequitable sacrifices. Most vacancies in the EMEA and LatAm regions are fully remote. Between 2022- 2023 this team hired a staggering 275 engineers!

Helsing 

Helsing is a new type of defense and artificial intelligence company. They believe that software – and, in particular, artificial intelligence – will be the key to protecting liberal democracies. Their ambition is to achieve technology leadership in real-time information processing, turning unstructured sensor data into information advantage for democratic governments. Their technology aims to provide the clearest picture possible in any operating environment. With offices in Munich, London, Berlin and Paris, this team is deeply motivated to develop their technology thoughtfully and with the highest ethical standards.

Traditionally a male-dominated industry, Helsing employs various channels to increase the number of women in their hiring pipeline for tech positions.

But if you are still wondering: “Why should you work for a defense tech company?”, we invite you to take a few minutes to read this blog by Helsing.

Most recently, they sponsored the Helsing x ada Fellowship, a one-year part-time programme dedicated to empowering female technologists and entrepreneurs. The programme aligns with Helsing’s commitment to creating an inclusive work environment and supporting women in achieving their full potential in the software and defence industries. This one-year programme is completed alongside fellows’ existing full-time role to equip individuals and teams with future-focused skills. The programme offers a three-pronged approach: Access to high-quality knowledge, systematic networking in the cross-industry network of all partners, and implementation for real innovation in the organisation.

Alteos 

Since 2018, Alteos has become one of Europe’s leading providers of embedded insurance. This team believes that buying and consuming insurance can be made seamless, easy and fair with the right technology, smart use of data and a drive to build a world-class organisation. A growing team, Alteos is actively taking steps toward a more gender-diverse organisation with a strong focus on their Tech and Sales teams.

They are determined to increase DEI in the insurance industry through proactive initiatives that champion diversity.

In 2022, they established their Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging team to define their goals and diversity roadmap. Their starting point was a range of DI&B surveys where they did temperate checks of team composition, work-life balance and employee development.  The survey results were reviewed in line with the diversity metrics they wanted to measure, which helped define their priorities across the business. In parallel with their DI&B roadmap, they have been working behind the scenes to ensure top-down leadership support toward inclusivity and work hard to inform and educate team members about the importance of representation and avoiding biases. They recently published their Alteos code of conduct which included input from the entire business, and this year they hope to develop an unconscious bias training program for all Alteos employees. Other recent initiatives included the installation of their virtual letterbox which aims to create a safe space for team feedback and projects that focus on talent acquisition to attract and hire gender-diverse leadership.

Earlier this year, Alteos was also a category ambassador for our Allyship Award at the Xena Women in Tech Awards. This gesture showcases their commitment to creating more seats for women in a male-dominated industry and recognising those who are driving this systematic change.

Mainteny

Founded in 2020, Mainteny have swiftly carved a niche for itself in the dynamic tech landscape. Their team, a vibrant mix of talents, is at the heart of everything they do. At Mainteny, they’re not just about creating cutting-edge solutions; they’re about fostering a culture where ideas thrive, collaboration is key, and growth is a shared journey. 

This team values learning and development, and highly encourages employees to keep developing skills.

Each employee gets an L&D budget to expand on their professional skills and network. Two of their core values are to recognise and appreciate every voice on their team to create a supportive culture where ideas, concerns and feedback is valued and heard. 

Deloitte

In today’s dynamic business environment, Deloitte continues to stand out for their unwavering commitment to innovation. Well-known for the growth potential and opportunities they offer employees, they have one of the most diverse leadership teams in the world for an organisation of their size and continue to work toward increased representation of women on their leadership and C-level teams. In parallel with their efforts to attract a diverse workforce, they provide ongoing reports and transparency about their diversity progress on a regional and global level. 

At Deloitte, D&I is a major persisting topic in their Talent Agenda.

Their focus on gender equality does not end with the organisation. They believe that they are responsible for being active agents of positive change and leading the way on the complex challenges that stand in the way of gender balance in broader society.

To promote the visibility of women working in technology consulting in Central Europe, they recently launched their “Women in Tech Consulting” campaign. The campaign features women from their Technology Consulting business and tells their stories. Additionally, Deloitte creates ongoing visibility about the lack of women at board level and actively invests in research that supports programs and initiatives that champion women in tech.

Each one helps each other rise higher and shine brighter at Deloitte

Deloitte offers various initiatives and programs that many, including working parents, benefit from. Such as flexible working times and location, 4-day work week, and the possibility for part-time work or job sharing, that many working parents benefit from. It also offers career counselling for learning and development, and female mentorship programs. Deloitte fosters and supports internal talent initiatives that are driven by its people for its people. For example, the “Female Empowerment & Recruiting” initiative focuses on hiring, supporting, and developing its female talent pool as well as their “Diversity & Inclusion” initiative that focuses on harnessing a harmonious and inclusive work environment for everyone with different genders and cultural backgrounds, while raising awareness of the importance of gender and cultural diversity within the technical field.

Babbel

Mastering a new language has become increasingly essential. Whether for professional advancement, travel, or personal enrichment, the ability to communicate in multiple languages opens doors to new opportunities and experiences. Recognising this need,  as the pioneering online language learning platform, Babbel has grown steadily over the years. In 2023, Babbel was honoured with a place on Fast Company’s list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies, ranking 4th in the Education category, and became the #1 most sold language learning platform globally.

The Babbel team is as diverse as its content. Based in Berlin, Germany, and New York, USA, 1,000+ employees from over 80 nationalities represent the diverse backgrounds, characteristics, and perspectives that make each person unique. Building genuine connections with all users is what sets Babbel apart, making it the world’s leading language-learning platform with more than 16 million subscriptions sold.

Babbel is also an avid supporter of women in tech initiatives within the Berlin tech community and strongly believes in making technology more accessible to underrepresented groups, career changers, or those from non-traditional tech backgrounds.

In 2023 they co-hosted a Career Advice Sprint at their office in Berlin Empowering 17 learners from ReDI School of Integration to apply for their first job in tech, and co-host events that draw attention to challenges women on tech or leadership face with advice on how to overcome them. Check out Toddlers, Timing and Taboo Topics – an event we hosted with Babbel to share the experiences of parents, especially mothers, working in tech. In 2023 Babbel worked closely with Xena to recruit 6 Senior gender diverse candidates across their tech team, another way in which Babbel is taking an active stand in gaining a diverse candidate pipeline and hiring a more diverse workforce.