ENTAIN LAUNCHES GLOBAL INITIATIVES TO SUPPORT WOMEN IN TECH

British gambling group Entain has marked International Women’s Day by launching global initiatives to support women in tech.

Girls Who Code, an international non-profit organisation dedicated to closing the gender gap in technology, will receive $250K USD from the Entain Foundation. The funding will be used to support global programs to bring young women into the technology industry, particularly in the UK, US, Canada, and India. 

The Entain Foundation will also be providing $50K AUD to the Tech Girls Movement Foundation in Australia. The organisation works to challenge perceptions that limit girls’ participation in STEM (science, technology engineering and mathematics) through community and industry collaborations. 

Entain’s support of Girls Who Code and the Tech Girls Movement Foundation follow recent senior female appointments at the group, including that of new CEO, Jette Nygaard-Andersen, and non-executive board directors, Stella David and Vicky Jarman. 40% of Entain’s board, and almost 50% of the group’s total workforce is now female. 

Commenting on the news CEO of Entain, Jette Nygaard-Andersen, said: “I’m proud to be leading a global technology company which is making real strides in promoting women’s careers, not just in the West, but also developing markets like India where creating opportunities for young women is especially important.

“One of the biggest impediments to career choices around the world continues to be cultural, based on preconceived notions of what society and young women themselves believe they can do. That is why we are focusing on initiatives to support their education and build stronger pathways into technology-related careers.”

While Dr. Tarika Barrett, incoming CEO of Girls Who Code, added: “Passionate, ambitious and diverse young women are the key to transforming the world and the technical workforce. This International Women’s Day, we’re excited to partner with the Entain Foundation to support young women around the world on their journey into the technical workforce. Our work together will help spur the creation of a fairer and more equitable workforce, helping more women of all backgrounds rise to the top and achieve their goals of working in tech.”