Dr Ismini Vasileiou today attended the third in-person meeting of the UK Government’s Women in Tech Taskforce – which has published two major reports on women’s participation in the tech and digital economy.

The publications are an independent study by Alma Economics that focuses on the economic impact of equal opportunities in the digital economy, and a summary of the findings from the Taskforce’s “Building a Future Tech Sector that Works for Everyone” Call for Evidence. Each sets out why closing gender gaps in tech is critical to UK growth, innovation and cyber resilience.

Why the reports matter

The reports highlight that tackling women’s underrepresentation in tech could unlock billions of pounds of additional GDP each year, alongside higher average earnings for women working in digital roles. 

They also surface lived experiences of toxic culture, barriers to progression, and challenges returning after maternity leave, as well as the impact of emerging technologies like AI on who enters and succeeds in tech careers.

Insight from the 570 responses shows that:

• 73% of respondents noted that emerging technologies, such as AI, are affecting who applies for, and succeeds in, tech roles

• 74% of respondents agreed that improving team and organisational culture would support women’s entry into, progression within, and leadership of the tech sector.

The independent report by Alma Economics, commissioned by DSIT, on the economic impact of equal opportunities in the digital economy finds that the UK could gain around £4 billion in GDP every year if women’s underrepresentation in the tech sector was fully addressed.

The report also estimates that women working in the digital economy could see average gains of around £7,000 per year if barriers to progression and participation are reduced.

For EMCSC and the wider East Midlands cyber community, this is directly relevant to how we build and sustain a diverse, skilled cyber workforce. As AI and new technologies reshape roles and risks, inclusive cultures and fair progression pathways become core components of effective cyber security.

EMCSC’s role in shaping policy

Through Dr Vasileiou’s membership of the Women in Tech Taskforce, EMCSC ensures that the realities of cyber security work, regional skills needs and sociotechnical risk are represented in national policy discussions. This complements our ongoing work on cyber workforce development and our contributions to UK-wide conversations about diversity, inclusion and digital resilience.

Dr Vasileiou, who is also an associate professor at De Montfort University, said: “The findings underline what many of us working across Cyber, skills and regional innovation already see in practice – that talent is not the problem. 

“The challenge is whether the sector has the right cultures, pathways and structures to enable women to enter, progress and lead in tech.

“For me, this is an economic and resilience issue as well as an equality issue. If we want a stronger digital economy, a more secure Cyber workforce and better innovation across the UK, we can’t afford to exclude or lose talent because workplaces, recruitment models or progression routes have not kept pace.

“Through the East Midlands Cyber Security Cluster, we see the importance of translating national policy into practical regional delivery.

“That means working with employers, universities, founders, professional bodies and government to create inclusive routes into Cyber and tech, support organisational change, and ensure that women are not just encouraged into the sector but are able to thrive and lead within it.”

What East Midlands organisations can do

To align with the direction set by the Taskforce’s reports, East Midlands cyber and tech organisations can:

• Review the Call for Evidence findings and assess how similar barriers might exist in their own teams.
• Examine how AI and other emerging technologies influence recruitment, progression and leadership opportunities.
• Use the economic evidence to build a business case for inclusive practices that support women into, through and back into tech and cyber roles.
• Engage with EMCSC’s events and programmes on cyber workforce, diversity and culture, sharing local insights that can feed back into future policy and practice.

The Taskforce is now moving from evidence to delivery planning, with working groups focusing on how to strengthen proposals and turn them into detailed programmes over the summer.

By translating the Taskforce’s findings into concrete actions, EMCSC and its members can help make the East Midlands a leading region for the cyber and tech sector.