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Nicoll Curtin Diversity & Inclusion Report

May 2015

Be Outstanding www.nicollcurtin.com

THE TECH SKILLS GAP: Gender Disparity

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May 2015


The best predictor of an effective team is the presence of women. The

kind of collaborative, team-based work that creates great software and

great digital services has been proven to be vastly improved by the

presence of women. So let’s show what can be done – starting in our

schools, continuing all the way to the boardrooms.

Here’s a straightforward, achievable goal – let’s make the UK the best

place to be a female technologist in the world. Now.

The UK will need 1m people to fill the jobs created in the technology

sector by 2020. So let’s create an awesome new cohort of female

coders, creators, designers – women to take on any and every digital

role.

Why not launch a national challenge to find the best ideas to tackle this

problem?

Why not offer every unemployed woman free education and training?

Surely there must be a couple of new Ada Lovelaces lurking in this

land?

There are exciting projects happening in the UK such as Techmums,

Stemettes and Codebar but there need to be more of them, with bigger

impact, so we foster the maximum breadth and depth of digital talent.

Remember the next wave of women can come from all sorts of unlikely

places – look at me – An ancient historian!

- Martha Lane-Fox, Baroness Lane-Fox of Soho,

CBE, Co-Founder lastminute.com (Lane-Fox, 2015)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martha_Lane_Fox,_Baroness_Lane-Fox_of_Soho

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martha_Lane_Fox,_Baroness_Lane-Fox_of_Soho

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May 2015


INTRODUCTION 4

The Increasing Skills Gap 4

THE STATISTICS 5

The Tech Giants 5

Taking a Closer Look 6

Women in STEM: The Reality 6

THE WORKPLACE 7

A Problem of Retention 7

Barriers to Promotion 7

Unconscious Bias 7

Homogenous Culture 8

Overtly Discriminatory Environments 9

An Inclusive Solution 9

A Circular Problem 10

IN EDUCATION 11

The Statistics 11

A Problem of Calibre 12

A Problem of Numbers 12

Early Choices Limiting Prospects 13

Changing Entry Requirements: UCL 13

Influencing Choices Sooner 15

Ensuring it is Not a Sacrifice 15

The Lack of Role Models 17

CONCLUSION 18

Note from the Author 20

About Us 21

REFERENCES 22

CONTENTS

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May 2015


The Increasing Skills Gap

There is an impending skills gap in the technology industry, yet the industry is failing to engage almost half of the

UK’s skilled workforce – women. With this paper we will explore at what point in women’s lives, educations or

professional development a career in technology is becoming unappealing or inaccessible and why.

The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) 2014 Skills and Demand in Industry survey found that:

The demand for engineers remains high, with more than half of companies looking to recruit engineers

and more reporting difficulties in finding the people they need

This year, 59% of companies indicated concerns that a shortage of engineers would be a threat to their

business in the UK.

41% of organisations are planning to recruit engineering, IT or technical staff in the next 12 months.

For the ninth year running the skills gap has increased and now stands at 44% of employers stating that

engineering, IT and technical recruits did not meet reasonable expectations for levels of skill.

Women make up 47% of the UK workforce (BITC Diversity - Opportunity now, 2015), yet a comparatively small

percentage of the STEM workforce. In order to minimise this skills gap going forward, the UK needs to ensure it is

reaching into every corner of its available talent pool.

.

INTRODUCTION

This is a lifelong journey, which

starts with parents then schools and

universities, we have to work

together.[…] People used to talk

about the glass ceiling, now we talk

about the leaky pipeline of women

in STEM

- Amanda Jenkins, Varkey GEMS

Foundation (Gurney-Read, 2014)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationopinion/10637941/The-leaky-pipeline-of-women-in-science.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationopinion/10637941/The-leaky-pipeline-of-women-in-science.html

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May 2015


The Tech Giants

The statistics below reveal the gender breakdown of employees at some of the giants of the tech world:

Source: (Information Is Beautiful, 2015)

Diversity statistics are usually provided by organisations to support transparency. However, even these statistics

often fail to provide a true representation of disparities which are still prevalent in organisations. So what happens

when we take a closer look at these demographics?

31

37

30

31

39

40

37

30

30

37

30

30

42

30

33

25

16

37

69

63

70

69

61

60

63

70

70

63

70

70

58

70

67

75

84

63

Facebook

flickr

Google+

Instagram

LinkedIn

Pinterest

tumblr

twitter

YouTube

amazon

Apple

Dell

ebay

Google

hp

intel

nvidia

Yahoo

%Women %Men

THE STATISTICS

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May 2015


31

69

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Female Male

%

Facebook: The demographic

Male 85%

Female 15%

Facebook: Gender in Tech

689,207

4,710,031

0

500,000

1,000,000

1,500,000

2,000,000

2,500,000

3,000,000

3,500,000

4,000,000

4,500,000

5,000,000

Women Men

Number in STEM Occupations 2014, UK

Taking a Closer Look

These are Facebook’s demographics :

However, role specific statistics show that:

Source: (Newsroom.fb.com, 2015)

Women in STEM: The Reality

Male 87.2%

Female 12.8%

% of STEM Occupations 2014, UK

Source: (Wisecampaign.org.uk, 2015)

THE STATISTICS

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May 2015


A Problem of Retention

As aforementioned, women

occupy a mere 12.8% of STEM

occupations in the UK. When

these statistics are probed or

deconstructed further, the

professions with the lowest

proportions of women are

engineering with only 6% and

information and communication

technology with 12%. (House of

Commons Library, 2014)

A recent report by research firm

Gartner shows that even when

the technology industry recruits

similar numbers of men and

women, it then fails to retain

female employees for more

than a few years (Gibbs, 2014).

So why is the technology

industry loosing its women?

Consensus seems to suggest

the answer to that question is

two-fold:

1. Barriers to promotion

2. A homogenous, male

culture

Barriers to Promotion

Tina Nunno, VP at Gartner,

says “A lot of companies

thought this [poor retention of

women] was because women

were leaving to have families,

but more recent data tends to

show that women have become

very intolerant of situations

where they feel men who are

not as qualified as them have

been promoted over them,

frequently just leaving.

Systematically we have to

change the promotion structure

so that women are promoted

and kept engaged in the

company. That could be as

simple as changing the criteria

under which people are

promoted” (Gibbs, 2014).

Unconscious Bias

Indeed this criterion upon which

people are promoted is often

based upon unconscious bias.

Women in tech are the canary in the coal mine. Normally when the canary in

the coal mine starts dying you know the environment is toxic and you should

get the hell out. Instead, the tech industry is looking at the canary, wondering

why it can't breathe, saying “Lean in, canary. Lean in!” When one canary dies

they get a new one because getting more canaries is how you fix the lack of

canaries, right? Except the problem is that there isn't enough oxygen in the coal

mine, not that there are too few canaries.

- Kate Heddleston, Software Engineer & Public Speaker (Heddleston 2015)

THE WORKPLACE

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May 2015


We have unspoken understandings,

assumptions, and biases about what it

means to work on a team, communicate

with others, build software, and be an

engineer. Despite living as engineers

every day, we're largely unaware of how

our unconscious biases create an

environment that is harmful to diversity. Is

arguing the best way for people to figure

out solutions to technical problems? Are

you more critical of some people than

others? Does that stupid idea suggested

during a meeting really deserve to be

publicly shot down?

Perhaps the most discussed and debated type of unconscious

bias suggests that many managers hire in their own image. This

type of bias is often accentuated by the interview process in which

‘women report that men promote in their own image and through

networks that are male-dominated.’ (REC, 2014)

The prevalence of men in senior, hiring positions creates a cycle

which only further restricts access to senior positions for women.

By innocuously selecting criterion for promotion which reflects their

own backgrounds, senior managers may overlook people with

other equally valid backgrounds and capabilities. It is essential

organisations understand the types of skills and experiences

necessary for senior roles in order to broaden what is considered a

‘successful profile’.

Nunno gives the example of the “hero mentality”; a mentality in

which individuals will work extremely hard to fix problems after

they occur. Men generally associate with the hero mentality, but

women are often better at identifying and rectifying problems

before they happen – but that means they are seen to be doing

less hard and crucial work (Gibbs, 2014).

Homogenous Culture

It seems gender discrimination in the technology sector is perhaps

not always as unconscious as it is generously labelled. Kieran

Snyder is a leading software designer and engineer; who writes

and blogs about the diversity problems. In a recent study she

collected stories from 716 women who had left the tech industry.

192 women cited discomfort working in environments that felt

overtly or implicitly discriminatory as a primary factor in their

decision to leave tech. That’s just over a quarter of the women

surveyed. (Snyder, 2014)

- Kate Heddleston, Software

Engineer and Public Speaker (Heddleston,

2015)

THE WORKPLACE

THE WORKPLACE


May 2015


Overtly Discriminatory

Environments

Entrepreneur and writer Andrew

Keen writes in his book ‘The

Internet is Not the Answer’ that

indeed, the “tech bros” or

“brogrammers” mentality of the

technology industry encourages

the treatment of women as

sexual objects (Keen, 2015).

Keen evidences this statement

with the example of the

infamous “Titstare” incident at

the 2013 TechCruch Disrupt

conference in San Fransisco;

Titstare was introduced as “an

app where you take photos of

yourself staring at tits” (Morais,

2013) in front of a gender

diverse audience, including a

nine year old girl who was also

presenting. Unfortunately – this

is one incident of its kind

amongst many.

How do businesses go about

changing the “tech bros” or

“brogrammers” mentality? By

ensuring that the voices of

advocates supporting women in

technology are both many and

widely heard. Vivek Wadhwa,

lecturer at Stanford University

and ardent advocate of

promoting women in

technology, notes that: “These

days, it’s understood that

sexism exists in the technology

industry[…]Google, Apple,

Facebook, Intel, Microsoft, and

Twitter have disclosed their

dismal diversity data, and,

where there used to be silence

and ignorance, we hear their

CEOs pledging to create the

necessary opportunities.” He

attributes this progress to “years

of work by brave, vocal women

who have consistently and

eloquently raised the issue” by

“proposing ways in which to

make the industry a safer, more

welcoming place for women”

(Wadhwa, 2015).

An Inclusive Solution

However Wadhwa - who wrote

more than 75 articles on this

subject, completed numerous

research projects and worked

with many talented women to

create a book giving voice to

hundreds of women from all

over the world – has decided to

step out of the debate on

women in technology. Why?

Each time I tried to address the points of my critics, I found others piling on or taking my words out of

context. I got frustrated, and it showed, and the quality of the discussion suffered. […]The diversity

debate has itself become incendiary. Moderate voices are drowned out by shouting and vile invective.

But I may have made the mistake of fighting the battles of women in technology for too long. And I may

have taken the accusations too personally. So I am going to bow out of this debate.

- Vivek Wadhwa (Wadhwa, 2015)

THE WORKPLACE

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May 2015


His withdrawal was following comments by a tech

blogger that “By appointing himself the unwanted

spokesman for women in tech he has kept actual,

qualified women’s voices from being heard widely in the

mainstream media.” (Greenhall, 2015)

If we are to change the culture of the technology industry

there has to be room for both the male and female voice.

If women are to find equality in male-dominated

industries, men have to be advocates of the change

too. Men are part of the solution as well as the problem.

A Circular Problem

However, diminishing the gender disparity will not be an

easy fix. In some cases the problem is circular. Some

women felt that their work environments were

discriminatory, but most reported something milder: the

simple discomfort of not fitting-in in an otherwise

homogenous setting.

I love coding. I have a masters in CS [computer

science]. I worked in tech for two decades. So

many women like me, so highly trained and for

what? It was hard enough being the only woman

on most projects. Try being the only woman over

40. Doesn’t matter how good you are, or even if

your colleagues respect you. Eventually you get

tired of being the odd duck. I took all my experience

and started my own thing where I could make the

rules. I’m never going back. (Snyder, 2014)

Supporting Organisation:

HeForShe

A Solidarity Movement for

Gender Equality

The movement for gender equality was

originally conceived as a struggle led

only by women.

In recent years men have begun to

stand-up in addressing inequalities

and discrimination faced by women

and girls.

Now it’s time to unify our efforts.

HeForShe is a solidarity movement for

gender equality that brings together

one half of humanity in support of the

other half of humanity, for the benefit

of all.

All over the world, men are taking a

stand for gender equality.

Join them by visiting:

http://www.heforshe.org/

THE WORKPLACE

10

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May 2015


64

92.5

36

7.5

ICT

Computing

A-Levels sat UK 2014

%Male of Total Sat %Female of Total Sat

83.2

83

16.7

17

Computer Science

Engineering and Technology

Full-time HE student enrolements UK 2013/2014

Enrolements: %Male Enrolements: %Female

The Statistics

Source: (Sedghi and Arnett, 2014)

Source: (Arnett, 2014)

Source:: (Higher Education Statistics Agency, n.d.)

95

57

85

5

43

15

Other Technology

ICT

Computing

GCSEs sat UK 2014

%Male of Total Sat %Female of Total Sat

IN EDUCATION

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May 2015


9

16

19

30

33

39

46

48

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Other

Lack of applications

Lack of practical experience/lab skills

Lack of appropriate attitude and aptitudes for workinglife

Content of qualification(s) not relevant to businessneeds

Lack of general workplace experience

Shortage of STEM graduates

Quality of STEM graduates

Barriers to recruiting STEM-skilled staff

A Problem of Calibre

As part of the CBI Education

and Skills Survey 2014, an

analysis of the causes of the

STEM skills shortage found

that: ‘Heading the list is the

troubling finding that nearly half

of those respondents (48%)

experiencing problems have

concerns about the quality of

STEM graduates’. This problem

seems to be compounded by a

widespread perception that the

content of qualifications is too

often not relevant to business

needs (cited by 33% of

respondents). A majority of 54%

concluded that this highlights

‘the need for firms and

education and training providers

to work together to ensure

programmes of study properly

reflect workplace developments

and technological advances’.

(CBI, 2014)

A Problem of Numbers

As part of the same survey,

46% of respondents cited a

shortage of STEM graduates as

a barrier to recruiting STEM-

skilled staff. We need to

increase the number of STEM

graduates by increasing the

number of young women

choosing to pursue STEM

subjects in higher education;

only 16.7% of higher education

Computer Science enrolments

in the UK 2013 were female – a

disparity which highlights the

number of intelligent and

educated young women these

degree programmes are

missing out on.

Source: (CBI,2014)

IN EDUCATION

% of respondents

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May 2015


100 FEMALE BACHELOR

STUDENTS

12 STEM GRADUATES

3 STEM INDUSTRY

Of 100 female bachelor students, 12

graduate with as STEM major but only

3 continue to work in STEM fields 10

years after graduation. (TATA

Consultancy Services, 2014)

Early Choices Limiting

Prospects

The subject choices of young women at

GCSE and A-level are acting as a barrier

to careers in STEM. The entry

requirements of universities mean that

young women who would choose to

pursue a degree in a technology subject

are unable to because of subjects chosen

at ages as young as 14.

Changing Entry

Requirements: UCL

UCL suggests that the number of women taking up civil engineering degrees could be boosted dramatically, if

universities relaxed the requirements they set at A Level. UCL has seen female representation on degree courses

climb above 30% after removing a requirement that undergraduates must have A Level mathematics and a

science eight years ago. (Mann, 2014) The Civil Engineering department’s professor Richard Simons says:

We aimed to allow girls to come on to courses more comfortably – so we removed the requirement for

maths and science at A Level […] Now over 30% of our students are female, plus a third of our

academic staff and professors, and half of the department’s senior management team is also women

(Mann, 2014)

Other leading civil engineering universities have strict entry requirements which include A Level mathematics, and

usually a science as well. However Simon’s highlights the example of Rachel Smith, a 2011 civil engineering

graduate who joined UCL with A Levels in fine art, psychology, and chemistry. Smith said: “Like so many others,

when I was choosing my A Levels, I had reasons for not picking maths and physics, be it not getting on with the

teachers, or something else.” (Mann, 2014)

IN EDUCATION


May 2015


For Smith, the lack of A-Level

mathematics has been

unproblematic. Simon’s

explains that “The difference

with our approach is that

students are engaged with

engineering problems

immediately,” said Simons.

“They still have to do maths, but

in a project environment – so

the maths is more relevant.”

(Mann, 2014)

A new introduction this year

means undergraduates can

take a minor subject, in the style

of the US degree system, such

as mechanical engineering. “It

means they graduate with a civil

engineering degree, having

‘majored’ in civils, but with

another string to their bow in the

minor subject. Again, the aim is

to give them a more rounded

experience and skills more

suited to what employers are

demanding.”

This solution therefore, has a

positive impact on both of the

industry’s biggest problems in

sourcing STEM skilled staff. By

increasing the courses

accessibility and attracting more

female enrolments, it is

reducing the shortage of STEM

graduates. The situational,

project-centric style of teaching -

used to make the course

accessible to those without

recent mathematics

qualifications - addresses the

industry’s concerns around

graduates’ lack of

understanding of business

needs.

However, Simons says UCL

has been criticised for “dumbing

down” the engineering

profession in doing so. The

Guardian’s league disputes this

however: UCL has achieved

3rd, 1st and 1st in the past three

years. (Mann, 2014)

IN EDUCATION

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May 2015


Influencing Choices

Sooner

GCSE choices affect A-Level

choices, A-Level choices affect

Higher Education choices,

Higher Education choices affect

career options. It is about starting

young; it comes down to

ensuring girls are growing up

thinking of a career in STEM as a

viable and appealing option.

Starting Young

We need to ensure that we are

breaking stereotypical gender

roles from an early age. The

Girguiding Survey 2011 found

that of 1200 girls aged between

7 and 11, 43% think that girls

opt for hairdressing because

some jobs are more for girls,

and 27% feel that engineering

loses out because some jobs

are more for boys. Girls

between 11 and 16 are

particularly likely to refer to girls’

or boys’ jobs. (Girlguiding,

2011)

Ensuring it is Not a

Sacrifice

Anne-Marie Imafidon, founder

of the STEMettes, highlights

that: “Some schools, often girl-

only schools, simply don't offer

ICT at A-level and the girls

wanting to do it have to go to a

nearby boys school to learn

it[…] Computer science often

clashes with things like drama

or music, meaning the girls can't

do both. If every other girl is

doing drama, you'd want to be

in a class with all your friends

rather than take the difficult

route and do computer

science." (Wakefield, 2013) As

teenagers, it is all too easy to

make decisions based on your

inclusion in your friendship

group. It is important we ensure

that STEM subjects are

timetabled in a way which they

can be taken alongside courses

which see high female

participation, so that the choice

to opt for a STEM subject is not

a sacrifice.

IN EDUCATION

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May 2015


Improving Information

The 2011 Girlguiding UK survey found

that 43% of girls said they were put off

science and engineering careers

because they did not know enough

about the kind of careers available.

(Girlguiding, 2011) Careers advice

needs drastic improvement - 43% of 16-

18 year olds feel they received poor

advice or none at all from a careers

service (WISE, 2012). The same

careers information, advice and

guidance continues to reinforce gender

stereotypes (WISE, 2012).

Indeed it seems that many young female engineers stumble into degrees, specialisms or jobs without guidance to

get them there. Kate Heddleston, software engineer and public speaker writes of her experience in this vein:

“Picking a major in college is one of the most obnoxious and stressful decisions you make in your

young life. I knew I wanted to study engineering, but I wasn’t sure what kind.[…] My brother studied CS

and he told me that software engineers were in such high demand that everyone gets a job no matter

how mediocre their grades are in school. I thought to myself—mediocrity, I can manage that. So I did

what I’ve always done: I copied my brother.” (Kateheddleston.com, 2015)

For young women who don’t have a brother to copy, we need to ensure we are supplying them with the advice

needed to make an informed choice with an awareness of the resulting career prospects. We need to ensure that

young women who, like Kate, know they want to study engineering but aren’t sure what kind, are given visibility to

all of their options, to ensure those young women are retained in the right career for them.

IN EDUCATION

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May 2015


The Lack of Role Models

Of respondents to the 2011 Girlguiding UK survey, 60% said they were put off a career in technology by a lack of

female role models. Anne-Marie Imafidon, head of the STEMettes Project, speaks of the impact media can have

on young girls and their perception of IT:

“The media has a role to play – how many techy girls do we see on children's TV and in papers and

magazines? Girls who aren't already in the industry or don't know anyone in the industry have nothing

to look to, or to aspire to.” (Williams, 2013)

High-visibility women within the IT industry are essential. If employers promote diverse images of IT professionals

within their companies, we can ensure girls are growing up with a perception of the IT industry as one in which

they belong.

IN EDUCATION

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May 2015


Conclusion

As evidenced, the demand for STEM skills is high. As also evidenced, women’s participation in the STEM industry

is minimal. Women make up 47% of the UK workforce (BITC Diversity - Opportunity now, 2015); this a huge talent

pool with which the STEM industry is not fully accessing.

The industry needs to simultaneously focus on retaining the limited number of women whom are in STEM careers

or graduating with STEM degrees now; whilst improving pipeline by encouraging more young women to pursue

STEM qualifications and careers going forwards.

Women in technology are disengaging with their careers when male colleagues whom they perceive as less

qualified are being promoted over them. The suggestion is that this is occurring as a result of unconscious bias;

particularly men tending to recruit in their own image. To address this, the criterion for promotion should be

revaluated, formalised and made measurable in order to understand the types of skills and experiences

necessary for senior roles and to broaden what is considered a ‘successful profile’.

Respondents to the CBI Education and Skills Survey 2014 suggested the following actions to promote STEM

study:

Source: (CBI,2014)

CONCLUSION

14

31

36

38

40

50

54

57

57

0 20 40 60

Businesses should provide financial incentives

Streamlining of government and stakeholder initiatives

Businesses should provide more high quality work placements

Employees should be encouraged to become STEM ambassadors

Government should tilt higher education in favour of STEM subjects

Government should recruit and retain more specialist teachers

Closer working between business and universities to develop business-relevant STEM courses

More STEM apprenticeships

Businesses should engage with schools to enthuse pupils about STEM study

Priority action to promote STEM study

% of respondents

19


May 2015


Indeed, businesses engaging further with schools to enthuse pupils about STEM study has many positive

implications for engaging young women in technology.

This interaction with businesses will provide role models. WISE (a campaign to promote women in science,

technology and engineering) suggest that:

Girls respond to female role models plus an explanation of the range of different careers available,

using real jobs and current job titles. Role models should be promoted from primary school age and at

key decision points such as Year 9 when they chose GCSE subjects and Year 11 when they choose

whether to continue in education. (WISE, 2012)

These role models would be best presented as part of a diverse team, “rather than a single talking head” to

prevent a perception of women as an anomaly in technology.

This business-education partnership will also improve the provision of information. It is vital that both young

women and parents understand which qualifications and subjects are required for a career in technology. For

example, few young people will understand or realise that taking science at school can lead to a career in robotics

or computer gaming.

With many girls and young women categorising hairdressing a ‘girl’s job’ and engineering as a ‘boy’s job’ (as

detailed in the findings of the Girlguding survey); it is apparent that the implications of this discussion go well

beyond the technology industry and into a redefinition of societal gender norms. However, these actions are a

tangible and positive step towards engaging more women in careers in technology; a step towards closing the

STEM skills gaps by accessing the widest talent pool available.

CONCLUSION

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May 2015


Note from the Author

There is huge demand for technical skills and the career prospects are extremely strong. In education I was a

strong mathematician and achieved good grades in physics. I have always found technological advances exciting.

The opportunities to innovate as part of a career in tech are engaging, as are the opportunities for creativity and

entrepreneurship.

Why did I not opt for a career in technology?

I made my GCSE choices at 14 years old, with an extremely limited view as to what careers were available. At

this age, your understanding of the careers available to you comes from the professions of the adults in your life,

be this parents, teachers or family friends. My perception of the technology industry was that you either worked in

IT support which did not appeal to me, or you were an inventor of kind, with genius level intelligence.

At 16, choosing my A-Levels, I did not believe that I could take Computing or ICT as I did not at GCSE. I was

completely unaware that maths or physics were applicable or utilised in pursuing technology subjects.

It is essential that we are educating young women on the scope and variety of roles available within technology

before they make these choices; using real women, real jobs and current job titles. It is about making these jobs

real, accessible options and ensuring an understanding of the skills and qualifications they require.

So in answer to my question, I didn't opt for a career in technology because it wasn’t even on my radar; I never

considered it an option.

Information is key to making the technology industry an option for all young women.

Ashleigh Clowes

Co-Head of Equality and Diversity

Researcher Senior Appointments

NOTE FROM THE

AUTHOR

21


May 2015


BITC Diversity - Opportunity now, (2015). Women and Work: The Facts. [online] Available at:

http://opportunitynow.bitc.org.uk/WomenWorkFactsheet [Accessed 27 Apr. 2015].

OUR STORY

Nicoll Curtin Senior Appointments was conceived and developed by Cian Loughnane (Head of Senior Appointments, Co-

Head of Diversity), following a central role in the business since 2004. He was tasked with spearheading Nicoll Curtin’s

Senior Appointments offering in 2011, in response to client demand for a service that reflected our successes in

contingency. He is passionate about Equality and Diversity and its role in the corporate sphere.

Cian is ably supported by Ashleigh Clowes (Senior Appointments Researcher and Co-Head of Diversity). Ashleigh takes

ownership of research functions, producing tailored research documents on topical issues of interest for clients.

OUR COMMITMENT TO EQUALITY & DIVERSITY

We fully acknowledge that an optimal business environment is a diverse one. We are committed to helping our clients

improve their business performance by providing them with the diverse talent required to constitute effective leadership.

We will challenge doubts and reinforce the attributes of non-traditional career pathways, broadening your definition of a

“successful profile” and providing appropriate weight to intrinsic competencies and capabilities. This process is

instrumental in facilitating equal opportunities for diverse and talented individuals.

Even when this takes the form of a difficult or ‘loaded’ conversation, we will probe, question and challenge often long-held

assumptions, revealing unconscious biases that may exist in specifications or selection processes.

We will engage candidates in the application process from under-represented characteristic groups by demonstrating your

commitment to diversity and your organisation’s mechanisms to help them succeed.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

For more information please contact:

Cian Loughnane


Head of Senior Appointments

[email protected]

0207 397 0197

Ashleigh Clowes


Researcher for Senior Appointments

[email protected]

0207 397 0145

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

22


May 2015


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