HP aims to put women in 50% of company's leadership roles

Women‌‌ 05:51 PM - 2021-05-20

Photo Credit: CNET

The computer maker also wants to increase the percentage of women in technical roles.

 

HP wants half of its leadership ranks to be up of women by 2030.

 

In a new set of goals surrounding diversity and inclusion, the computer maker laid out specific stats and deadlines aimed at increasing representation at the company, and the industry in general.

 

"We will continue to push to break down barriers within our own organization while using our platforms to advance gender and racial equality, social justice and human rights across our ecosystem," Enrique Lores, president and CEO at HP, said in a statement Thursday. HP says women currently hold about 30% of the company's leadership roles. 

 

Among the other goals labeled as "Human Rights goals," which are a part of HP's Sustainable Impact strategy, is reaching 30% women in technical and engineering roles. In addition, HP aims to meet or exceed labor market representation for minority groups. Both also carry the 2030 timeframe goal.

 

HP's efforts come as the tech industry is still struggling to become less white and male. In particular, the goals around women in leadership and in technical roles point to well-documented weak spots for companies. 

 

Consultancy McKinsey's annual Women in the Workplace report from 2020 found that for every 100 men promoted to a manager role, only about 85 women are promoted. Often, women lag behind even in getting their first promotion, something McKinsey calls "the broken rung." And as the coronavirus pandemic has placed an outsized burden on women for caregiving responsibilities, the report warned that gains could be lost as women, including in leadership positions, exit the workforce altogether.

 

Another barrier tech companies have faced is reaching 30% women in technical roles like software engineers. In 2015, CNET's Roger Cheng devoted an article to exploring why that number was proving to be such a hurdle, and in the intervening six years, none of the major tech companies have broken the barrier. 

 

"We will not turn a blind eye to the forces of racism, discrimination and inequity that hold so many back from reaching their potential," Lesley Slaton Brown, chief diversity officer at HP, said in a statement. "And we will not rest until everyone, everywhere has access to the opportunities they deserve."

 

 

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