The Bureau of Labor Statistics (2017) stated that, in the next decade, jobs in computer and mathematical occupations are expected to grow by 13%, with nearly 600,000 new jobs on the horizon. Industry research over the years has confirmed that companies that are more diverse outperform companies that are not. Yet, the percentage of professionals of color holding C-suite and other senior-level technology positions was in the single-digit percentages 24 years ago…and those percentages have generally remained constant.
However, companies like Capgemini are committed to supporting the development, retention, and advancement of their employees of color. Capgemini—a founding member of the Partnering for Racial Justice in Business initiative created by the World Economic Forum earlier this year—has partnered with ITSMF to build programs that give employees of color access to instructor-led, facilitated leadership development initiatives featuring business and technical executives from a variety of industries.
By creating a safe space for program participants to build their personal brand, gauge their individual level of emotional intelligence, and have candid discussions about the challenges of assuming senior leadership positions, Capgemini has leveraged the extensive experience of the ITSMF network to educate participants about the power of building relationships across its own business and external communities, a major factor in an employee’s likelihood to be considered for senior-level positions.
In the wake of the pandemic, Capgemini pivoted its Black Leadership Development Program (BLDP) into a six-month webinar series focused on various “Leadership Dimensions” used for internal promotion criteria. Capgemini developed a plan to alternate self-driven virtual learning content and virtual lunchtime social hours with monthly webinars. Through the active participation of senior Capgemini team members and ITSMF members from its Speakers Bureau, our two organizations set a high standard for the 50 members of this year’s BLDP community by offering them a wealth of professional advice, tips and tricks for networking, and data-driven research from its learning platform.
With the six-month program nearing completion, participants are already building stronger networks, showing more confidence, and increasing their personal visibility, in order to position themselves to take the next step in their careers. The feedback has been excellent, thanks in large part to the participation of the ITSMF community.
Click here to find out more about Capgemini’s Diversity and Inclusion program and thought leadership.
About Capgemini
Capgemini is a global leader in partnering with companies to transform and manage their business by harnessing the power of technology. The Group is guided everyday by its purpose of unleashing human energy through technology for an inclusive and sustainable future. It is a responsible and diverse organization of 270,000 team members in nearly 50 countries. With its strong 50 year heritage and deep industry expertise, Capgemini is trusted by its clients to address the entire breadth of their business needs, from strategy and design to operations, fueled by the fast evolving and innovative world of cloud, data, AI, connectivity, software, digital engineering and platforms. The Group reported in 2020 global revenues of €16 billion.
Get the Future You Want | www.capgemini.com
