BOSTON, Aug. 03, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Mass Technology Leadership Council (MassTLC) announced today that it is launching a 2030 Challenge for the tech community with a goal of doubling the percentage of the state’s Black and Latinx tech workers - currently at 5% and 7% respectively - by the end of the decade. The 2030 Challenge will also continue to work towards gender parity in the state’s tech workforce.
The 2030 Challenge benchmarks participation of Black and Latinx workers in tech occupations across all industries. These are the specific jobs within tech companies as well as healthcare, financial services, life sciences, and all other industries that require technical skills. This is in alignment with the benchmarking MassTLC has been doing of Black and Latinx workers in tech occupations since 2015 as part of the organization’s State of the Technology Economy reports and 2020 Challenge to create 100K net new tech jobs in Massachusetts.
This new challenge came about in response to the organization’s benchmarking of the state’s tech sector, including key metrics on race, ethnicity and gender, which showed that the Massachusetts tech sector, one of the highest paying sectors in of the most expensive regions in the country, does not adequately reflect the diverse population of the state.
To kick off the 2030 Challenge, MassTLC is inviting organizations that employ tech workers to take a critical look inside their organizations and join a Tech Compact for Social Justice by committing to change within their own organizations. MassTLC will work with Tech Compact signers over the coming months and years to track progress, spotlight leadership, share best practices, work to overcome roadblocks, and develop initiatives in support of the 2030 Challenge objectives.
"This is a time when people are speaking out and we, as leaders, need to listen to them. This is how change happens, and it is why we launched The Tech Compact for Social Justice." stated Tom Hopcroft, CEO of MassTLC. "We recognize that Boston and the tech industry have more to do to support and encourage the inclusion of black, Latinx and Indigenous people and we accept our responsibility to do more to make change at the company and community level."
As of today, 62 companies have signed on to the Tech Compact, including some of the largest MA-headquartered companies, such as Akamai, PTC, TripAdvisor and Wayfair.
“At Akamai, diversity is a mission-critical goal,” said Anthony Williams, executive vice president and chief human resources officer, Akamai Technologies. “As long-time active members of MassTLC we are proud to join forces with them to create long-term change in the Massachusetts technology community. By pooling resources with other companies, we harness our collective influence for greater impact.”
“PTC is proud to be one of the first companies committed to MassTLC’s Tech Compact for Social Justice,” said Jim Heppelmann, President and CEO, PTC. “We’ve reached a moment where real change is needed, and we all must recognize our role in bringing it forward. PTC aims to be a meaningful part of the change here in Massachusetts, as we help make inclusion and diversity a pillar of how our technology community does business. We look forward to partnering with Tom and the entire MassTLC organization on this needed initiative.”
The 2030 Challenge is designed to drive meaningful impact on tech diversity and inclusion, while fueling the growth of the tech sector and the Massachusetts economy as a whole.
About Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council, Inc.
With 450 member companies, the Mass Technology Leadership Council (MassTLC) is the region’s leading technology association and the premier network for tech executives, entrepreneurs, investors and policy leaders. MassTLC’s purpose is to accelerate innovation, growth and the development of an inclusive tech ecosystem in Massachusetts by connecting people from across the technology landscape, providing access to industry-leading content and ideas and offering a platform for visibility for member companies and their interests. More at www.masstlc.org.
Media contact:
Sara Fraim, MassTLC
617-869-5425
sara@masstlc.org