On 21 November, the Turkish Computer Society (IAT) demonstrated its commitment to gender diversity in ICT professions by being the first CEPIS member society to officially adopt the CEPIS DiversIT Charter, a roadmap and structured programme of activities that organisations can take to establish a supporting environment for Women in IT professions. The launch event, co-organised by IAT and the CEPIS Women in ICT expert group, took place in Istanbul and was attended by stakeholders from both private and public sectors. IAT received the Bronze tier recognition for their work to promote the attraction and retention of women in digital studies and jobs.
The main aim of the event was to inform companies working in the IT sector within Turkey of the benefits of attracting and retaining a diverse workforce in a scarce skills market, and to show how the CEPIS DiversIT Charter can be used as a roadmap to acquiring diverse teams and ensure equal opportunities.
In the CEPIS Council meeting the following week, CEPIS President Byron Nicolaides praised IAT for its initiative and expressed hope that other CEPIS member societies will adopt the Charter soon.
A European-level DiversIT Charter launch event will take place on 6 May 2019 in Brussels, Belgium.
