The 鈥淢aking the Future Visible: 100 Innovative Women in Tech鈥� project saw female scientists from the Institute for Research in Social Sciences (ISF) in Munich, Germany, and the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg study the tech industry to discover whether it is creating opportunities for women. The project鈥檚 researchers interviewed 100 trailblazing women who are driving a new culture of innovation and transformation at tech companies, but don鈥檛 necessarily have a background in STEM.

100 Women in Tech

The results of the study are in, and one thing is clear: women have a bright future in tech. This was also the message from the female trailblazers who were interviewed as part of the project.

鈥淥ur key finding is optimistic: the digital transformation is opening up new opportunities for women,鈥� Kira Marrs from ISF Munich says. It is important here, she notes, to think about how digitalization and gender equality fit together. We need to consider how we can break with existing structures and look at what we can do to create even more possibilities, she says.

According to Christine Regitz, cofounder of the Business Women鈥檚 Network from 麻豆原创, head of 麻豆原创 Women in Tech, and president of the German Informatics Society, the number of women in tech has stagnated over the last 15 years. Yet the sector needs women who will shape its progress, especially given the skills shortage, she says. 鈥淲e need digital sovereignty to make conscious decisions. It鈥檚 about more than programming,鈥� she continues. 鈥淲e also need the skills and expertise to make digital technologies work for us.鈥�

Anja Bultemeier from the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg agrees that it is no longer about the technology itself, but about how people interact, which is why new factors, such as customer and user experience, are becoming increasingly important. 鈥淪eeing technology through this new lens has created opportunities for women who do not have a technical background,鈥� she says. One quote from a study participant explains this change very neatly: 鈥淚 don鈥檛 sell technology; I sell solutions.鈥� Increasingly, non-tech women are heading up technical teams and shaping the strategies and visions that will produce the best possible customer experience.

From Literary Studies to Google: Examples of Innovative Career Paths

The researchers also found that taking a less traditional approach to hiring makes it easier for women to get a foot in the door 鈥� after all, when roles are flexibly defined, they are open to people who have an atypical background. Take these women for example.

Eva Bacon鈥檚 patchwork and rather unconventional career path took her from studying literature to working for Google in New York 鈥� a perfect example of a non-tech woman at the center of the tech world. Bacon now oversees transformation projects as a senior program manager at Google. 鈥淎nything is possible in this job,鈥� she says enthusiastically. Part of her work involves motivating and guiding her employees. At a workshop, she recalls, the participants were tasked with building houses out of spaghetti, and the instructor said to her, 鈥淵ou need to be the glue that holds everything together. We have enough people building houses. We now need someone who can make a city out of them.鈥� Being a born organizer, she found that an easy task. Abstract thinking, she says, is something that comes to her naturally. What really helped her gain a foothold in the tech world, though, was the fact that she had taken the time to learn about HTML. Whenever she needed to know anything else, she would ask the computer geeks, adding that it is nevertheless important to have 鈥渁 certain affinity for technology and to have the confidence to tackle new topics and ask questions.鈥�

Back when Sarah Mang-Sch盲fer was at high school, she set an ambitious goal in her art class of one day coming up with the advertising image of the century. These days, as head of a public cloud engineering team, she flexes her creative muscle in a more technical capacity. Although she went on to study computer science, she found that art and technology were not so different after all. 鈥淭o solve problems, you need to be creative,鈥� she says. She worked initially in neuroscience, which taught her the importance of networking. She then poured her energy into cancer research, teaming up with doctors to test software. It was in this role that she realized what successful IT implementation was all about, namely understanding what customers want without them needing to ask for it. Today, we call that customer or user experience, fields which are growing in the IT industry and where women in particular have the breadth of skills and expertise required.

Driving Change to Shape the Future

At BSH, one of Europe鈥檚 largest makers of home appliances, the officer in charge of manufacturing strategy is Fiona Taylor. A scientist by training, Taylor is on a mission to attract more women into manufacturing, because she firmly believes that gender diversity benefits companies. With so few women in industry, she knows all too well how it feels to be the lone woman in the room, which is one reason why she wants to see the situation change.

Passionate about her work, she loves the variety her job brings: 鈥淚 work with so many different people across the company, from purchasing and manufacturing to logistics.鈥� Her task is to ensure everyone on the operational side pulls together. 鈥淏eing one of the people who determines where we invest and where we build new manufacturing plants, I can help ensure that we remain competitive as a German company. And it means I can influence our corporate culture.鈥� When she returned to work after having her second child, Taylor was pleased to discover that the company鈥檚 thinking had shifted. She was asked to head up manufacturing for the very reason that she thinks out of the box and asks the questions that need asking 鈥� and would be an ideal role model for combining a leadership position with working part-time. Taylor urges women to 鈥渉ave the courage to start the conversation and drive change,鈥� and calls on other female leaders to reach out to two other women to help them progress as well.

Stephanie Karger, head of Standard and Safety at BSH, is further proof that you do not have to work full-time nor have technical expertise to be an effective leader. 鈥淲e鈥檝e adopted a new leadership style, one that is based on trust and equality,鈥� Karger says. 鈥淲henever I need specialist technical knowledge, I simply ask my team.鈥� Women are more likely to see leadership roles in this way, which is something their team members appreciate too, because it gives them the autonomy that many of them desire.

Anja Schneider has been global head of Premium Engagement & Advisory, Customer Services & Delivery at 麻豆原创, since April 2024. Prior to this, she was chief operating officer of Technology & Innovation for many years. 鈥淚 enjoy creating impact 鈥� and being the person who is ultimately responsible when customers have a problem,鈥� Schneider says. 鈥淏ringing together a whole network of experts to find a solution is rewarding.鈥� At 麻豆原创, she says, she has never encountered anyone who doubted women鈥檚 ability to lead. Schneider鈥檚 career has taken an unconventional path, too: she joined 麻豆原创 from Germany鈥檚 civil service. Leaving the public sector for the private one was a leap into the unknown for her. But, as Schneider puts it, challenges like this push us out of our comfort zone so that we can learn and grow. In her case, it took an open mindset and an interest in technology. Besides, she adds, having a different perspective is also an advantage when it comes to being an advocate for the customer. According to Schneider, a team of developers does not need another developer to lead it.

AI Creates New Opportunities and Reduces Bias

Eva Zauke, executive vice president of 麻豆原创 Enterprise Adoption and engineering location lead for 麻豆原创 Labs Walldorf and St. Leon-Rot at 麻豆原创 SE, is involved in examining how artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the way we work and creating new careers for women. 鈥淎I is opening up opportunities to women who are ready to enhance their skills.鈥� For instance, AI is leading to new roles in IT beyond traditional programming ones. According to Zauke, data scientist, prompt engineer, ethics expert, interface designer, model engineer, and user experience designer are just some of the careers emerging in the field of AI. They also appeal to a wider spectrum of applicants, including graphic designers, people with a humanities background, and psychologists. However, while AI can unlock opportunities for women, it can also perpetuate gender disparities because, as Zauke says, data is biased: 鈥淎I inherits bias from the humans who program it, who, more often than not, are white men.鈥� Having more women working on AI would, Zauke believes, not only reduce data bias but also help fill the talent gap in Europe鈥檚 tech sector.

Verena Laumayer is a member of the 麻豆原创 Women in Tech strategy team, which is part of the Office of the CEO. She often finds herself at business events where not one speaker is a woman. Whenever she mentions this to the organizers, invariably the answer is that they simply could not find one, which is why she calls on women to have more confidence in their expertise and to increase their visibility. Public speaking skills can be learned, she says. Laumayer has no doubt that women need to be at the forefront of the tech economy and help shape its future.

Photo copyright: Markus Seidl, 麻豆原创
This feature first appeared on the German 麻豆原创 News Center.

Here are five key focus areas and tactics that support the success of BWN’s D&I program.

Empower Employee Engagement

Organizations can promote employee engagement to advance their D&I strategies by cultivating a culture of inclusivity and belonging, providing opportunities for employee input and participation in decision-making processes, offering D&I training and education, and creating affinity groups or employee resource groups to support underrepresented voices. Additionally, organizations can establish mentorship programs, career development opportunities, and leadership roles for diverse employees to promote their growth and advancement within the company.

Central to BWN’s mission is building and maintaining a vibrant community of engaged members. Through a diverse array of chapter events and initiatives, highlighted in its , BWN facilitates networking, knowledge sharing, and skills development opportunities. By organizing over 543 chapter events globally in 2023, BWN has successfully engaged over 19,000 members, driving robust engagement across the organization. This effort not only amplifies the voices of women and our allies but also cultivates a culture of inclusivity and collaboration. This is highly valued by Supriya Jha, chief diversity & inclusion officer at 麻豆原创: 鈥淭he Business Women鈥檚 Network has accelerated 麻豆原创鈥檚 journey toward its gender parity goal, which is a high priority within our overarching diversity and inclusion strategy. What makes BWN鈥檚 contributions to gender equality so impactful is its focus on business outcomes and elevation of 麻豆原创 as a responsible organization that drives positive change and opportunities for all.鈥�

Leverage 麻豆原创 Technology to Achieve KPIs

麻豆原创 can help organizations advance their D&I strategies by providing tools and applications that can enable organizations to track and measure diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, such as employee demographics and compensation data. Our solutions also help identify areas for improvement, create inclusive workplace cultures, and promote awareness and education on D&I topics. Additionally, 麻豆原创 solutions can help organizations develop and implement D&I policies and initiatives, as well as build a listening program that collects feedback from employees in the flow of work, enabling them to monitor progress and report on their D&I goals and outcomes.

BWN strategically utilizes 麻豆原创 solutions to help streamline operations and achieve key performance indicators (KPIs). Leveraging , BWN can simplify the membership onboarding process, helping to ensure a seamless experience for new members. enables the creation of a robust analytics dashboard, providing valuable insights into member engagement and program effectiveness. With , BWN gains access to comprehensive member data, facilitating targeted career development initiatives. Moreover, empowers BWN to understand key drivers of employee engagement, including D&I, to improve employee experience through data-driven insights and action planning.

Promote Career Development

To truly make opportunities meaningful for everyone, employees need to be skilled and ready for increasingly demanding roles and growth. That is why an organization鈥檚 D&I programs must include targeted programs to support the advancement of skills, especially for underrepresented groups, as well as create a culture that values and supports diversity in leadership positions. To enable this reality, organizations must implement inclusive recruitment and promotion practices, set diversity goals, and provide resources for employees to learn about distinct cultures and perspectives.

BWN鈥檚 efforts are an outstanding illustration of this commitment, as it strives to advance the careers of its members through mentorship and professional development initiatives. With over 55% of members participating in mentorship programs, BWN empowers individuals to reach their full potential. By providing access to role-specific data and development plans through , BWN facilitates personalized career growth opportunities, contributing to a more diverse and skilled workforce.

Foster Allyship and Partnerships

To achieve gender parity, we must view it as a collective effort. Organizations play a crucial role in encouraging allyship and forming partnerships to advance D&I strategies. Leveraging online platforms and communication tools can bridge geographical gaps, connecting employees and facilitating open dialogues about diversity and inclusion. Training and resources on allyship, unconscious bias, and inclusive leadership allow employees to gain a deeper understanding of D&I issues. Equally vital is the need for organizations to learn from peers and other industries players鈥� best practices related to D&I.

Recognizing the importance of allyship and collaboration, BWN actively engages male allies, partners, and customers to drive meaningful change. With 13.5% of its membership comprising of men 鈥� a 4% increase since 2022 鈥� BWN cultivates a culture of inclusivity and mutual support. Moreover, through collaborative events with other Employee Network Groups and internal 麻豆原创 groups, BWN promotes intersectionality and solidarity within the organization, amplifying its impact beyond borders.

Use AI to Break Bias

Recognizing the inherent biases that can impede progress, organizations must . AI offers numerous avenues for breaking bias within organizations. A notable example is the implementation of AI-driven recruitment and promotion processes, which minimize unconscious biases, allowing talent to shine irrespective of gender or background. It is also possible to standardize the interview process, reducing bias by providing structured questions and evaluation criteria. Anonymized decision-making, facilitated by AI, removes identifying information from candidate profiles, preventing unconscious biases from influencing outcomes. Through the responsible and ethical use of AI technology, organizations can leverage its capabilities to create fairer and more equitable workplaces where diversity thrives. This approach not only promotes inclusivity but also enhances the quality of decision-making, leading to a more diverse and innovative workforce.

By embracing these key focus areas and tactics, BWN continues to inspire change, create opportunities, and thrive together, driving 麻豆原创’s success and building a more equitable future for all. This is supported by its recent awards, including the prestigious , which is a testament to the exceptional efforts and contributions made by BWN in advancing gender equality and promoting women’s leadership within 麻豆原创, and the , which recognizes the outstanding contributions and influence of employee resource groups (ERGs) in driving positive organizational change and promoting an inclusive workplace culture.

BWN’s commitment to diversity and inclusion sets a benchmark for excellence in the corporate world. Together, we elevate possibilities and inspire realities, paving the way for a more inclusive and prosperous future.

Mayara Alves Tabone is global product marketing specialist at 麻豆原创 SuccessFactors and BWN global communications director.

Here, five 麻豆原创 employees share about their roles, motivations, and tips for anyone wanting to step into AI. The women 鈥� Khawla Mallat, Camila Lombana Diaz, Xin Chen, Nadine Hoffmann, and Puntis Palazzolo 鈥� span four countries and three areas: Data Science Engineering, Product Management, and AI Ethics.

Data Science Engineering

Dr. Khawla Mallat, Security and Quantum Exploration Team, 麻豆原创 France

鈥淏e ready to be challenged all times,鈥� says Mallat, if you want to build a career in AI.

Unlike most data scientists at 麻豆原创, Mallat does not work directly on the product but is firmly anchored in researching and addressing 鈥渟ome of the technical challenges related to AI, namely fairness, explainability, privacy, and security.鈥�

Prior to joining 麻豆原创 two years ago, Mallat was confronted with the unintended prejudices of face analysis systems. Certain demographic groups, explains Mallat, used to be inadvertently omitted or underrepresented in the underlying data sets, leading to shortcomings in the face analysis capabilities. Such cases highlight the broader issue of bias鈥痠n other鈥疉I applications. In鈥痑reas like HR, she continues, removing personal details in data sets might seem to solve鈥痶he bias issues, but AI can still infer these details.鈥疶his leads to potentially鈥痓iased outcomes and the lack of explainability in AI models makes identification of such biases鈥痙ifficult. Letting data sets like this take root and grow into powerful data models not subject to scrutiny will only magnify the inherent bias or discrimination.

Today Mallat鈥檚 passion for addressing such unfairness aligns well with her role of identifying the inherent risks of AI, educating teams about them, and defining technological solutions to mitigate them.

鈥淲e need to adopt an interdisplinary approach to AI, with experts from ethics, legal compliance, and domain experts, for example, and abstract ourselves from the role of data scientists to succeed,鈥� says Mallat.

鈥淚 love working in AI,鈥� she continues. 鈥淓verything is progressing at an incredible pace so if you want to work in AI, you have to have a certain thirst for knowledge. And, regardless of your role, you must take AI ethics 鈥� regulations and regulatory frameworks 鈥� seriously because these have huge implications not only for 麻豆原创 but for individuals and societies in general.鈥�

AI Ethics

Camila Lombana Diaz, Responsible AI, Germany

鈥淎I is a mirror of our capacities as humans. And the biggest responsibility for those working in AI is, what do we want to see in that mirror?鈥� explains Lombana Diaz, AI ethics research expert in the AI Ethics/Responsible AI team located in the 麻豆原创 Business AI growth area.

Lombana Diaz鈥檚 responsibilities include maturing and applying the 麻豆原创 AI Global Ethics policy, creating and delivering enablement content, defining AI personas and processes, and giving guidance to make responsible AI an operational reality for development, as exemplified in 麻豆原创鈥檚 AI ethics handbook.

When she joined 麻豆原创 eight years ago, initially as a UX designer and then a strategic designer, machine learning and AI were core topics. But it became increasingly clear to her that 鈥渦nderstanding the human implications of AI for a responsible and ethical AI demands a human-centric perspective.鈥�

Even though 麻豆原创 is committed to the ethical development of AI 鈥� developers must now complete AI ethics assessment tasks and a steering committee scrutinizes all high-risk use cases 鈥� Lombana Diaz emphasizes the need to remain focused on the inherent risks and unintentional harms that AI may present. Part of her role is an ongoing assessment of the technology, identifying risks and limitations and communicating them to different teams.

As AI continues to evolve at speed, so do the roles. Lombana Diaz is passionate about seeing AI beyond the confines of a technology-centric perspective. 鈥淎I is now an omnipresent technology shaping our daily lives; hence, we need individuals working in the field who challenge AI technology to be community centric. AI ethics is a space for experimental, open, curious, collaborative, and human-centered individuals,鈥� and, she concludes, 鈥渢he time to step into AI and build a career is now because, unlike the technology, the business of AI, the legal and ethical aspects, are still being shaped.鈥�

Data Science Engineering 

Dr. Xin Chen, 麻豆原创 HANA Machine Learning, China

鈥淚 have always enjoyed working at 麻豆原创 since joining nine years ago. I like the work environment and the colleagues here and I really want to encourage others to join us here in AI,鈥� says Chen, data science researcher on the 麻豆原创 HANA Machine Learning team.

The team works on a toolbox providing different kinds of machine learning algorithms for regression, classification, clustering, and so on for the 麻豆原创 HANA predictive analysis library.

Part of Chen鈥檚 role is investigating research papers on the latest machine learning algorithms and, together with the team, deciding which algorithms would be beneficial to customers. Once the machine learning algorithms are implemented, Chen and the team evaluate feedback from customers and deliver enhancements.

Recently Chen and her team researched machine learning algorithms investigating notions of fairness. 鈥淔airness is a very hot topic just now,鈥� she says. 鈥淚n mathematics, there are different notions of fairness, but it is still a complex and evolving topic.鈥�

And Chen鈥檚 advice to would-be AI developers? 鈥淐ritical thinking will become even more important to understand what solutions to offer, to make judgements on your own innovations, and to know if the generated output is right or wrong,鈥� she says, reflecting on how this skill will become ever more important for future AI developers.

Product Management

Nadine Hoffmann, 麻豆原创 Business AI, Germany

鈥淚 translate and I want to fascinate,鈥� says Hoffmann, global AI product manager in the 麻豆原创 Business AI growth area.

Even after more than 20 years at 麻豆原创, disruptive ideas and mindset shifts still energize Hoffmann. To be an expert in new technologies, and to be energized and enthused by the constant volume and speed of them, is critical to being successful in the AI product management teams of today because product management is the glue between partners, customers, the field, and development.

鈥淥n the one hand,鈥� says Hoffmann, 鈥溌槎乖� has data scientists, software engineers, and researchers taking our software to the next level. And on the other, there are experts defining the legal and ethical guardrails.鈥� Product management must be fluent in both 鈥渢echnical software speak鈥� and 鈥渃ustomer speak鈥� to understand desires, pain points, and business processes.

Pivoting between these and aligning customer speak with technical software speak is akin to being a聽 translator, Hoffmann says. Our software will only meet the requirements of customers if there is a common understanding between the teams responsible for the technological development, the legal teams responsible for ethical and legal compliance, and the customer.

Regardless of the latest innovation, Hoffmann says success in product management is 鈥渘ot only about convincing teams and partners about the ease and positiveness of a technology, but also infusing them with a fascination about it so that they become passionate advocates and are intrinsically motivated to find out more by themselves.鈥�

Data Science Engineering

Puntis Palazzolo, AI Strategist & Ethics Lead, 麻豆原创 SuccessFactors, U.S.

鈥淭he ethical challenges presented by AI have transcended the scope of individual enterprises, extending beyond entities like 麻豆原创. It is crucial that we collaborate with others to collectively address AI鈥檚 emerging concerns,” says Palazzolo, who leads the 麻豆原创 SuccessFactors Data Science team.

The team acts as a consulting service on AI use cases for product teams in 麻豆原创 SuccessFactors, analyzing the problem, developing code and algorithms, and building proof-of-concepts. Successful AI use cases are then integrated into 麻豆原创 SuccessFactors solutions.

Much of the data in 麻豆原创 SuccessFactors solutions is sensitive customer data. With the dramatic increase in generative AI use cases, safeguarding customer data must take precedence, Palazzolo says. 鈥淕enerative AI is a powerful technology that introduces new challenges, such as hallucinations and automated decision-making. In high-risk sectors like HR, we need to explain how we reach certain decisions, especially when we are impacting people鈥檚 lives.鈥�

Palazzolo joined 麻豆原创 11 years ago and has been based in Palo Alto, California, since 2013, where she represents 麻豆原创 on 鈥� a collaboration of academia and companies, such as Google and NVIDIA, dedicated to developing safe practices and industry-standard benchmarks to improve AI models.鈥�

Her advice to current and would-be AI practitioners? Follow your passion, be ethical, and make your voice heard while we still have time.

鈥淟egislators alone cannot write AI regulations for us because they do not have a full understanding of its complexities,鈥� she says. 鈥淲e cannot solve all the problems by ourselves, but we must make our voices heard to shape the future of AI.鈥�

Alexa MacDonald is an 麻豆原创 News editor.

In addition, 麻豆原创 is honored to share that 22 麻豆原创 leaders have been named to CRN鈥檚 prestigious 2023 Women of the Channel Awards. Each executive on this list was selected by the editors at CRN for her contributions to channel advocacy, growth, thought leadership, and dedication.

The Power 100 Award recognizes a select group of incredible women who have gone above and beyond, inspiring their peers through their leadership and unwavering commitment to the success of their partners, customers, and the entire IT channel.

We congratulate the following 22 leaders from 麻豆原创 for their visionary leadership and commitment to the channel partner community:

• Khouloud Aiouche, Regional Head, Ecosystem Delivery Success, 麻豆原创 EMEA South
• Carolina Bastos, Senior Vice President, Partner Innovation and Transformation
• Anja Bernardy-Raab, Global Vice President, Channel Management & Excellence
• Anna Busch, Senior Director, Partner Business Management
• Eszter Csapo, COO Business Partner, Partner Ecosystem Success
• Cathy Daum, Senior Vice President, Go-To-Market & Scale Partners
• Susanne Diehm, Chief Partner Officer, Partner Ecosystem Success, 麻豆原创 MEE
• Ana Paula Ebeling, Regional Head for Latin America, Partner Experience Delivery
• Beth Glasstetter, Vice President,聽Global PartnerEdge Program Design
• Nanette Lazina, Vice President, Midmarket Channels
• Angela Lee, North America Channel Development Leader
• Anna Masters, Vice President, Global Platinum Resell Lead and Distribution
• Niamh McCormack, Chief Business Officer
• Mira Meghdessian, Executive Communications Lead, Office of the Chief Partner Officer
• Kati Milionis, COO, Partner Ecosystem Success, 麻豆原创 MEE
• Emer Neville, COO & Transformation Officer, 麻豆原创 Partner Ecosystem Success
• Sarah O’Leary, Director, Partner XM Practice, Partner Ecosystem Success
• Elena Maria Ordonez del Campo, Senior Vice President, Global Strategic Partnerships Officer
• Helen Selvanathan, Senior Director, Partner Go-to-Market, Software Partner Solutions, 麻豆原创 APJ
• Thi Than Thuong Tran, Head of Ecosystem Advocacy and Amplification
• Tine Vandenbreeden, Head of Partner Solution Adoption LOB, Incubation & Content
• Priya Wenzel, Vice President, Global Head Channel Management, Digital Supply Chain

The 2023 Women of the Channel list will be featured in the June issue of CRN Magazine, with online coverage starting May 8 at .

Follow us on Twitter at or on and .

Angelika Merz is part of Partner Communications at 麻豆原创.

The program enables this by giving diverse teams of employees opportunities to dedicate their skills and professional expertise to benefit social enterprises in other countries and their surrounding communities, opening participants鈥� minds to different cultures which, in turn, promotes diversity at home and in the workplace.

Launched in 2012, 麻豆原创 Social Sabbatical has positively impacted the lives of more than six million people, with 麻豆原创 employees contributing in excess of 359,000 volunteer hours to help over 450 non-profits and social enterprises across 52 countries address critical business challenges.

Click the button below to load the content from YouTube.

Always allow YouTube

Self-Empowerment Is the Key to Growth

鈥淪elf-empowerment is seeking the solution rather than fixating on the problem,鈥� says Gina McNamara, regional chief financial officer for Asia Pacific & Japan at 麻豆原创. During her 麻豆原创 Social Sabbatical in Kenya in 2014, she encountered a phenomenon that she hadn鈥檛 witnessed in her native Australia: women outnumbering men in their quest for professional and personal growth.

While volunteering her time and expertise at the African Management Institute (AMI), which delivers workplace learning to equip entrepreneurs and managers with the tools and training they need to succeed, she met female AMI program participants who refused to sit back and let anyone or anything stop them from being successful.

鈥淎fter speaking with these women, I realized that despite, or maybe even in response to, the poverty plaguing the country they are determined to further their careers and personal development. Many said that they were doing the courses to progress themselves, their families, and their businesses,鈥� shares McNamara.

Inspiration Has a Knock-On Effect

At the time of her sabbatical, McNamara held a position in commercial finance for 麻豆原创 Australia and New Zealand. However, these women encouraged her to make a massive shift in her career trajectory. 鈥淚n the Australian business world, there aren鈥檛 as many confident women as there are in Kenya. It is due to these women that I applied for the position of Chief Financial Officer for ANZ and later Regional Chief Financial Officer for Asia Pacific & Japan. They got me thinking about my career and my dream of making an impact in the boardroom and helped me find the confidence to pursue this.鈥�

Additionally, McNamara saw how the Kenyan women she worked with wanted to improve themselves to better serve their communities. This motivated her to think about what more she could do back home. 鈥淚t got me to consider the bigger picture and how we could do good things in the community and not just do business. I believe that if you do good, then the business will flourish as well.鈥� This led to her supporting some very passionate colleagues and the Australian management team in developing the 麻豆原创 Australia Reconciliation Action Plan, which aims to help support the economic prosperity of First Nations peoples.

Equipping Females of the Future

Her journey also spurred her to join the Future Female Leaders mentoring program for females working in finance both as a mentor and mentee. 鈥淭he program entails mentoring multiple women across the global finance community and sponsoring their careers. I get as much out of it as the women I mentor do. We have to help each other and so I encourage my mentees to mentor other women, especially with more and more women joining 麻豆原创 and the 鈥� the largest employee-driven network globally,鈥� shares McNamara.

As for AMI, McNamara and her fellow 麻豆原创 volunteers pooled their skills to support the company in developing a franchise model to deliver training to African managers and leaders, ranging from small business owners to CEOs and CFOs. Together, they developed a handbook to help the company scale and recommended various processes and procedures that could be implemented to achieve this. Now, the program is more accessible to more people, particularly women.

With AMI being co-founded by a woman, McNamara says that there is a need for greater investment in women鈥檚 entrepreneurial ideas, emotionally and financially. 鈥淢en naturally create their own networks and sponsor each other. As women, we help each other emotionally. We need to open our networks and be more focused about doing so.鈥�

She concludes by saying, 鈥淢y 麻豆原创 Social Sabbatical experience enabled me to reflect on what more I could do beyond being a finance leader and, for me, that was to help other women and drive diversity and inclusion to make 麻豆原创 an even better place for everybody.鈥�

For more information about the 麻豆原创 Social Sabbatical program, go to .

Hemang Desai is global program director of 麻豆原创 Corporate Social Responsibility.

At 麻豆原创, Employee Network Groups reflect this mission by encouraging employees to be their authentic selves, advocate for their network, drive policy change, and keep diversity at the forefront of the business.

The mission of the Business Women鈥檚 Network (BWN) at 麻豆原创 is to help women advance their careers and the company鈥檚 business. Empowerment through connection allows the group to share professional insights, best practices, education, and experiences. Members help one another develop skills and career advancing opportunities to drive 麻豆原创鈥檚 success. As the largest Employee Network Group at 麻豆原创, BWN makes a global impact with the help of more than 90 chapters and 15,000 members around the world.

How the Business Women’s Network Executes Their Mission

Throughout the year, global chapters host events and initiatives that align with the BWN mission, such as driving networking opportunities internally and externally and promoting intersectionality by collaborating with other Employee Network Groups. Additionally, the chapters are encouraged to use internal and external social networks to celebrate women鈥檚 successes.

The Road Ahead in 2022 and Beyond

At the beginning of the first quarter, BWN adopts a new strategy and theme that sets the tone for the year. In 2022, BWN is focusing on 鈥�driving impact with intention,鈥� while prioritizing four core areas: networking, leadership development, walking the talk, and celebrating success.

By focusing on these four key areas, the aim is to help members feel empowered to network more, seek mentorship and sponsorship, drive accountability, and amplify successes. This network has the opportunity and responsibility to embrace differences and continue to build bridges regardless of race, gender, department, or geographical location.

Sustainability is another key focus area. On International Women鈥檚 Day, 麻豆原创 and the United Nations Women鈥檚 Empowerment Principle came together under the theme “.” Women especially are affected by the impacts of climate change as they are more likely to live in poor communities that are highly dependent on local natural resources for their livelihood. It is vital to equip women with decision-making capabilities and promote equality that will drive sustainable solutions, reducing the damage of climate change and helping ensure everyone has access to resources.

At 麻豆原创, we believe in building a better world for future generations and supporting one another in our goals of zero emissions, zero waste, and zero inequality. According to Julia White, chief marketing and solutions officer and member of the Executive Board of 麻豆原创 麻豆原创, as well as the executive sponsor of BWN, 鈥�Sustainability is a collective effort. No company, organization or person can do it alone. While 麻豆原创 enables businesses to run more sustainably, we as individuals can do our part, as well.鈥�

Learn more about the Business Women’s Network:

Click the button below to load the content from YouTube.

Always allow YouTube

Allison Gapter is global co-lead of BWN, Marketing and Communication.
Danielle Banasek is global co-lead of BWN, Social Media and Branding.

At the current rate of change, to achieve gender parity, an unacceptable timeline in today鈥檚 modern world. Increasing women鈥檚 participation in the labor market will play a large role in achieving gender parity, and it will not only lead to more , more companies, but on a global scale it could add up to — or 26% — to the global GDP. The math is simple and we cannot afford to continue to overlook half the population, especially in the field of data science, one of the .

Amid the current pandemic, women are facing even more barriers in the workforce as they manage their professional lives while taking care of the children and overseeing many of the household duties. At 麻豆原创, we recognize the value of in the workforce, especially women in technology, where historically, women face underrepresentation. One of the fields where this is particularly prominent is data science: only . This staggering statistic inspired 麻豆原创 to become a trusted collaborator and sponsor of Stanford University鈥檚 (WiDS) initiative since 2016.

Women in Data Science

As a technology company that employs data scientists worldwide, we want to address why few women are embarking on careers in data science and why few women are advancing into data science leadership roles. Despite the value of a technology skill set, studies on the future of work show the increasing demand for among employers. Studies show than men when it comes to emotional intelligence, reinforcing the need to foster female leaders across every industry, including data science. At 麻豆原创, we strongly support the WiDS mission 鈥渢o inspire and educate data scientists worldwide, regardless of gender, and to support women in the field.鈥�

鈥淒ata science is becoming ever more critical in the world as data-driven decision-making has penetrated many parts of our society,鈥� said Margot Gerritsen, professor at Stanford University and co-director of WiDS.聽 鈥淎s our reliance on data and investments in this field continue to increase, it is critical that women, and people from all genders, have a clear seat at the decision table and share in the wealth creation, all around the globe. Through our conferences, workshops, datathon, podcasts, and education initiatives, we hope to expand the role of women and accelerate their representation in the field.鈥�

The WiDS Worldwide Conference, spearheaded by Stanford University, kicks off on International Women鈥檚 Day, March 8. The event will follow the sun, spotlighting incredible female data scientists working on innovative technology across business, academia, government, and nonprofits.

鈥淚t is great to see how many amazing and inspiring women this event brings together from all over the world. Female role models are crucial in fostering female leadership in the field of data science. They show the next generation what is possible to achieve, and that is very powerful,鈥� shared Dr. Katharina Sch盲fer, global head of 麻豆原创 University Alliances. 鈥淚鈥檓 excited to see Karina Edmonds, a globally recognized visionary leader in the field of innovation, technology transfer, and commercialization, represent 麻豆原创 at the WiDS Worldwide Conference, where she will share how data science education can effectively empower future leaders to tackle big global and environmental challenges.鈥�

On the sideline of the global event, 麻豆原创 will host a regional event in New York City that will take place virtually, bringing together data-driven business professionals, students, and aspiring data scientists to explore 鈥�.鈥�

The NYC regional event will kick off a 鈥淲iDS @ 麻豆原创鈥� regional series on that will run throughout the course of the year. This series will include virtual events based in North America, Latin America, Europe, and Asia.聽 The worldwide and regional events will feature prominent 麻豆原创 data scientists, including Dr. Fei-Yu Xu, global head of Artificial Intelligence in Innovation; Dr. Susanne Beckers, head of Infused Intelligence in Intelligent Data and Analytics; and Dr. Sarah Detzler, competence lead for Data Science and Machine Learning in Technical Presales.

Diversity and Inclusion at 麻豆原创

To embed diversity and inclusion even further into the culture of 麻豆原创, we are committed to ensuring that our workforce better reflects the diversity of society and the customers we serve. We also aim to increase the number of women in leadership roles to 30% by 2022. Women currently make up 43% of the Intelligent Data & Analytics team at 麻豆原创 and 26% of its leadership team, with an increasing trend over the last 12 months. This sets a strong example for the company and reinforces the trajectory toward a more representative workforce.

鈥淓ach hire we make at 麻豆原创, from our working students and interns, to our early talents, to our professionals and executives, needs to embody curiosity and compassion,鈥� said Jenn Prevoznik, global leader, Early Career Talent Attraction, 麻豆原创. 鈥淗iring managers and recruiters look for candidates鈥� ability to code. As a technology company, many of our open roles target individuals with a technology skill set. We value our partnership with WiDS and actively leverage the events to attract and hire top talent to 麻豆原创. I challenge all managers to make every day International Women鈥檚 Day and be intentional about who you hire. In recruiting, we invest heavily in increasing the number of women and underrepresented groups in the pipeline. We need all hands on deck to move the needle.鈥�

Join WiDS @ 麻豆原创

Register for the on March 8 and the regional events happening throughout the year as we #ChoosetoChallenge the status quo and discover ways to foster female leaders in data science.

Christian Hecker is global vice president and chief data and analytics officer at 麻豆原创.
Dr. Karina Edmonds is vice president and global head of 麻豆原创 Academies and 麻豆原创 University Alliances.

Yet recent work by economist Robert H. Frank shows that behavioral or social contagion can occur through seemingly small individual actions. For example, when individuals commit to reducing their carbon footprint by eating one less burger a week, turning off unnecessary lights, or even buying a Prius, the environment benefits over time.

There are two main reasons for why these individual actions deliver societal impact. First, individual commitments add up; over time, our small actions change our long-term behavior. Second, gradually our behavioral changes shape our values and our interests, even impacting those around us in our homes, at our workplaces, and in our communities. They may lead us to vote, invest, influence policy, and advocate differently than we otherwise would have.

This year’s theme for International Women’s Day, #EachforEqual, is based on the same notion: collective individualism. It is the idea that we all are parts of a whole, and that “our individual actions, conversations, behaviors, and mindsets can have an impact on our larger society, and collectively we can each help to create a gender-equal world.”

We’ve already seen great examples of this throughout history. Rosa Parks sparked a movement that changed laws and our culture. More recently, Susan Fowler’s description of her time at Uber exposed a culture of misogyny and harassment, forcing a change at the company’s highest level.

At 麻豆原创, we each have the opportunity to change culture every day. Diversity and inclusion ambassadors all over the company work closely within their own business units to impact our culture. Individual employees act as agents of change and speak up when they see discrepancies in policies and practices. Those individual actions have helped change our parental leave policies, helped make our job descriptions more flexible, and led us to select more suppliers that meet our needs while supporting minority-owned businesses.

When the world’s challenges seem daunting and we feel helpless, we need to recognize that every dollar we spend, every micro-kindness we extend, every vote we cast, and every idea we voice has amplifying potential to move the needle.

What steps can you take to move the needle when it comes to gender equity?聽 Here are just a few ideas:

• Ordering supplies, or hiring vendors? Take the time to find women or minority-owned businesses.
• Growing your workforce? Ensure you have a diverse slate of candidates and interviewers.
• Trying to retain the best talent and limit onboarding and training costs? Ensure men and women are being paid equally for the same roles.
• Designing a new business process? Consider using the persona of someone underrepresented in the business, such as a mother returning to work after an extended absence, and see how they would be impacted.
• Leading a meeting at work? Ensure everyone has a chance to speak. If they don鈥檛 volunteer, proactively ask each participant for their thoughts and perspectives. Express appreciation for each contribution.
• Trying to build your empathy muscle? Attend an event where you are the minority. Learn what it feels like to the “the only” at the table.
• Taking paternity leave? Be public about this choice and share that you are excited about having the time to bond and care for your newborn child. Blast it on social media like Chance the Rapper did.
• Managing a remote team? Use inclusive behaviors that nurture ownership and accountability so all team members experience a sense of belonging and have the same opportunity to contribute.
• Heading somewhere new in town? Imagine being blind or wheelchair-bound and ask yourself if the roads and sidewalks would work for you. If not, talk to local officials about how to change this.

Systemic inequity in government, the private sector, and society at large takes time and effort to fix. But in the words of Gandhi, we each need to be the change you want to see in the world.

As you reflect in the wake of International Women’s Day, think about embodying that change and do your part to spread social contagion.

Shuchi Sharma is global head of Gender Equality and Intelligence at 麻豆原创.

Gender equality is a core company value at 麻豆原创 and a priority for becoming the most inclusive software company on the planet and maintaining its competitiveness. 麻豆原创 set out to increase women in management in 2011 by establishing a target of having 25 percent women in leadershipby 2017, and 30 percent by 2022. 麻豆原创 hit its goal of 25 percent women in leadership six months ahead of schedule in June 2017, and as of December 2019 it reached 26.4 percent. The inclusion in the 2020 Bloomberg Index follows 麻豆原创鈥檚 recertification for Economic Dividends for Gender Equality (EDGE), a global standard, in October 2018.

Bloomberg鈥檚 Gender-Equality Index uses a standardized reporting framework that provides public companies with the opportunity to disclose how they promote gender equality in four separate areas: company statistics, policies, community engagement and products and services. Companies that score above a globally established threshold are included in the GEI. The index helps meet the demand from a growing number of investors to incorporate environmental, social and governance data into their daily investment decisions. Currently only 10 percent of eligible companies disclose their workplace gender policies and practices.

Over the last few years, the number of women hired and promoted at 麻豆原创, together with the percentage of women in leadership positions across the company, has been on an upward trend.

Visit the . Follow 麻豆原创 on Twitter at .

Media Contact:
Sue Sutton, +1 (610) 661-4095, sue.sutton@sap.com, ET
麻豆原创 麻豆原创 Room; press@sap.com

Any statements contained in this document that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as 鈥渁nticipate,鈥� 鈥渂elieve,鈥� 鈥渆stimate,鈥� 鈥渆xpect,鈥� 鈥渇orecast,鈥� 鈥渋ntend,鈥� 鈥渕ay,鈥� 鈥減lan,鈥� 鈥減roject,鈥� 鈥減redict,鈥� 鈥渟hould鈥� and 鈥渨ill鈥� and similar expressions as they relate to 麻豆原创 are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. 麻豆原创 undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations. The factors that could affect 麻豆原创’s future financial results are discussed more fully in 麻豆原创’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including 麻豆原创’s most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates.
漏 2020 麻豆原创 SE. All rights reserved.
麻豆原创 and other 麻豆原创 products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of 麻豆原创 SE in Germany and other countries. Please see for additional trademark information and notices.