Women in Data
Women in Data is an organisation and movement that aims to empower women and support them through the various stages of their careers in data.
Although women comprise about 50% of the United Kingdom population, only 20% of professionals in artificial intelligence and data in the UK are women.
Underrepresentation of women in data science can result in serious issues and in some cases, e.g., automobile crashes, actual harm.
With a membership of over 25,000, the organisation seeks to improve the representation of women and girls in data and technology, address some of the key issues, and connect data professionals with partner companies.
Summary
Founded in 2014 by Roisin McCarthy, Women in Data was formed to promote diversity in analytics by encouraging more women to take up careers in the data industry.The organisation is dedicated to supporting and promoting women in the data and technology fields by providing an expansive platform for female and gender-diverse practitioners to share their technical knowledge and network at various in-person and virtual events.
To date, Women in Data have worked with a broad range of organisations, including some very high-profile businesses, that support diversity within the data and technology sector. The organisation believes that having greater numbers of women within the sector will generate a competitive advantage for UK businesses by mobilising a wealth of untapped talent.
History
In 2014, with over fifteen years’ experience as a recruiter in data science and analytics, Roisin McCarthy observed an industry-wide relative decline in female candidates applying, scaling and remaining in the data sector. The gap in female applicants caused her to examine the underlying issues and potential barriers to women in the data and technology field and led her to collaborate with one of the UK's foremost data experts, Payal Jain. Women in Data was formed to confront these problems and to advocate for change.To bring awareness to the issues and to do something positive about them, Women in Data
set about creating a community of professionals in which members could network, share ideas, and support and encourage one another. By design, the organisation offers a free membership to provide an opportunity to connect, engage and belong to this community.
Following many media appearances and networking events, in 2015, the organisation held its first major event at the University College London campus.
The movement quickly gained traction, and by 2019, the conference welcomed more than 1,200 attendees to the InterContinental London - The O2. A report in 2019 noted that although women still hadn't been entering the sector at the same increasing rate that men had, there had never been a better time to be a woman in this field. In the following year, thousands more attended a week of virtual Women in Data events and workshops and by 2022, the community had grown to more than 30,000 members.
Twenty in Data & Tech Awards
Established in 2017, Women in Data collaborated with Edwina Dunn, Founder of The Female Lead, to create the Twenty in Data & Tech Awards. This annual showcase was designed to celebrate the achievements of women within the industry. Each year a selection of twenty women, at various stages in their careers, are awarded for their contributions to the Women in Data community.Partnerships
Maintaining partnerships with third-party organisations are an integral component of how Women in Data operates.Today, Women in Data have created over 50 partnerships with organisations on a national and global scale. Supporting partners have included corporations such as Snowflake, Sainsbury's, Google, Experian, Lloyds Banking Group, TUI Group, JPMorgan Chase, Johnson & Johnson, IBM, Lego, Microsoft, BT, Very Group, Marks & Spencer, Royal Bank of Scotland, Royal Mail and Hotels.com.