ITWC signs on as a media sponsor for March 5 conference in Toronto, Ontario
TORONTO – ITWC, Canada’s leading content house serving the IT industry, is pleased to support the efforts of The WIT Network as it brings its annual International Women’s Day (IWD) conference to the Evergreen Brick Works in Toronto on Thursday, March 5th, 2020.
The world recognizes International Women’s Day as an opportunity to both reflect and to take action that results in change. “An equal world is an enabled world,” say IWD organizers. “How will you help forge a gender-equal world? Celebrate women’s achievement. Raise awareness against bias. Take action for equality.”
The WIT Network conference, themed Believe. Achieve. Celebrate., brings a powerful and motivational line-up of speakers to inspire and inform conference attendees. It will also offer mentoring circles, practical takeaways, networking opportunities and, of course, fun.
Why a conference is required
Women make up just 23 per cent of high school advanced placement computer-science exam takers, 19 per cent of bachelor’s computer and information science degree recipients, and 26 per cent of the computing workforce. With demand for advanced IT and programming skills expected to grow by as much as 90 per cent over the next 15 years, the global management consulting firm McKinsey reports that the technology industry must innovate to expand its technical workforce.
The World Economic Forum states that companies with gender diversity in leadership outperform their less diverse peers. On average, their advantage is seen in a 48 per cent higher operating margin, a 42 per cent higher return on sales and a 45 per cent higher earnings per share.
Shine the light
“With all the proven advantages, the participation rate statistics have moved very little of the past two decades,” said Fawn Annan, President of ITWC. “As the exclusive media sponsor for the event, we are committed to shining the light on the outstanding leaders in attendance and promising initiatives that will push those numbers changing moving forward.”
The WIT Network is a global not-for-profit organization with over 3,000 members around the world. Through a network of community leads and global members, it provides programs, education, and encouragement for women and girls to study STEM and pursue careers in technology. It also strives to enable more women to advance their careers, attain leadership positions, and work with companies to change the gender equality landscape within their businesses.
Impossible without sponsors
The WIT Network International Women’s Day Conference is made possible through the generous support of sponsors who believe in the importance of its mandate. ITWC joins conference sponsors that including Microsoft, Jabra, Dell Technologies, Mercer-MacKay Digital Storytelling, Samsung, SHI Canada, SoftwareOne, TK Events, Shinydocs, Eaton, GoDaddy and Omers.
“The WIT Network is working with companies and individuals alike in their pursuits for attracting and retaining more gender-balanced teams, creating an inclusive environment where women have opportunities to grow and thrive in their careers and supporting employee resource groups with a more inclusive workplace,” says Corinne Sharp, WIT Executive Board Member.
“The IWD conference is a fantastic opportunity for everyone to come together in a meaningful way to learn, grow and be inspired to take action in their careers.”
Presenters include:
- Kate Wood, Co-Founder, Engage Your People
- Aisha Addo, Founder/CEO, Power to Girls Foundation
- Nicole Mumford, Co-Founder/CEO, AirGate
- Barbara Hardy, Inclusive Leadership Expert
- Dr. Arlene Espinal, Global Head of Digital Transformation, SoftwareOne
- Susan Mazza, Author/Founder, Random Acts of Leadership
For more information or to explore conference sponsorship opportunities, contact
Julie LaFleur
[email protected]
