techUK becomes ambassador for government initiative to improve workplace culture to support more women in tech

techUK is proud to be a part of the government’s Women in Tech Taskforce and an ambassador of the new Tech Forward Standard, where the commitments are looking to improve workplace culture. We support the Standard’s ambition to ensure women are supported and empowered to stay, succeed, and thrive in their careers. 

techUK members have signed up include: Arm, BT, Colt, FDM Group, Sage, Virgin Media O2, and Vorboss. 

It has four main parts: 

• The Tech Forward Standard: voluntary commitments to improve workplace culture, which could include trusted routes for reporting harassment so that people feel safe to come forward. 

• The Inclusive Investment Standard: voluntary commitments for investors, which could include broadening deal sourcing and tracking women-led businesses from pitch to funding decision, so it is clear where founders drop out. 

• A scale-up women’s programme from 2027: support for women founders of high-growth businesses to secure investment and scale, run jointly by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade. 

• Wider pipeline measures: the first TechFirst Girls Competition, a Women in Tech strand of the public sector Get Tech Certified programme, and the TechFirst Women’s Programme, which aims to place 300 women into paid roles in AI, cyber security and other high-growth areas by March 2027. 

The Taskforce reconvenes in November, and both standards are expected to launch formally in the coming months. The package will be co-created with industry and investors over the coming months so there are chances to get involved.  

What comes next 

The UK has one of the world’s leading tech sectors, but it will not reach its potential while women face barriers to entering, progressing and securing investment. This package recognises that the fix sits with industry as much as with government, and that changing culture and capital is harder, and more important, than another awareness campaign. 

The real test will be delivery: standards that businesses of every size can adopt, progress that is measured in the open, and a clear line between these commitments and the wider skills and growth agenda. techUK will work with the Women in Tech Taskforce, our members and partners to help get that right. 

If you are a techUK member and want to shape the Tech Forward Standard, or to share what has worked in your own organisation, please get in touch with Nimmi Patel & Sue Daley. 

Read our full Autumn Budget Skills Analysis below: