According to a report from The World Bank, women make up only one-third of the world’s workforce in tech-related fields. McKinsey found that only 22% of tech roles in Europe are occupied by women, and in the U.S., research from the National Science Foundation uncovered that a mere 38% of women with computer science degrees actually work in their field, compared to 58% of men. It’s clear that there’s a disparity in the science and technology fields – and that it’s a worldwide phenomenon.
That’s why we at LS Retail are proud to be a global sponsor of the Women in Dynamics initiative. This is one of the actions we are taking to support diversity and inclusivity in the IT and tech industries.
What is Women in Dynamics?
Women in Dynamics is a not-for-profit with the mission to promote gender-inclusivity and diversity in the Microsoft Dynamics community. Its goal is to provide women and minorities with more opportunities to contribute to the Dynamics community, to empower them to play an active role, and to encourage people from all walks of life to break into tech.
The movement hopes to inspire Microsoft Dynamics partners to join their commitment, ignite change in the industry, and foster a more diverse workforce.
Our contribution to the movement
36% of the employees at LS Retail are women, a ratio which is higher than the average – globally, only 26.7% of tech-related positions worldwide are covered by women.
“As the largest Microsoft Dynamics ISV we are proud to lead this important initiative, as we want to be at the forefront of the transformation in our community,” says Peter Vach, VP Partner Operations at LS Retail and a big promoter of Women in Dynamics.
To further increase opportunities for young women, LS Retail also sponsors International Girls in ICT Day, hosted by Reykjavik University in Iceland. The program is held in over 166 countries and seeks to break down the stereotype that IT jobs are just for men and boys. International Girls in ICT gives young girls the opportunity to meet women holding positions in information and communications technology (ICT) companies and to explore their interest in tech in a welcoming environment.
A diverse workforce
As a global company operating in 157 different countries, we strongly believe that having a diverse, inclusive workforce is key to success. Our employees are located across 23 countries, and in our team of 300 people we count over 30 nationalities. Although the company operates primarily in English, the majority of LS Retail employees speak English as their second or third language.
“At LS Retail we have employees of various ages, genders, and personalities, coming from different countries, cultures, and educational backgrounds,” says Bergthora Olafsdottir, Chief Human Resources Officer at LS Retail. “With such a diverse group of people we hear, and listen to, a wider range of perspectives and ideas. I believe that cultures that promote inclusivity, and emphasize openness and creativity, lead to better business results for the company. This is especially true for the technology sector. After all, when everyone comes from the same background and brings the same perspective to the table, as a company you can’t really bring change or innovations.”
In an international survey from the Boston Consulting Group, 81% of employees who reported working in an inclusive work environment also reported feeling happy in their jobs. And employees who are happy are 1.5 times more likely to say they always want to give their best at work – and less likely to want to leave their employer. "Fostering a culture of inclusivity and celebrating diversity is a win-win: it’s good for employees, who find an environment where they can share their ideas and thrive, and it’s good for companies, which can better attract, instead of losing, talent,” concludes Bergthora.
Would you like to become part of the LS Retail team? Check out our open job positions.
