By Kate Mollett, Senior Regional Director at Commvault, Africa South & East

As we celebrate Women’s Month, let us not forget that the presence of women in science is still very limited. According to the Thematic Report of the inter-university consortium AlmaLaurea, the differences between educational and professional choices are still very deep. The gap is more evident in scientific subjects: women represent almost 60% of the total number of 2020 graduates, but only 14% of those enrolled in the computer science and ICT groups and 26% in industrial and information engineering.

Where does such a significant difference come from? It is certainly not due to a lack of female aptitude for scientific subjects, but rather to deep-rooted customs, which also reflect in the world of work.

It is a well-known fact that men and women generally have different mental approaches in some respects. And if comparison and difference can be considered elements of wealth, even in the corporate world, it is clear that the world of technology in particular is losing something at the moment. More balanced work teams, with a view to making the most of diversity, can achieve more ambitious goals, as well as better reflect a reality that is increasingly more varied than we are used to.

It is not just a matter of gender gaps, as every type of diversity can be valued because it enriches the discussion and makes the result more representative of reality. The most forward-looking companies are aware of this, and in many cases have launched specific projects to support inclusion, empowering employees to contribute more actively to their success. A more effective work-life balance not only enriches the employee, but also gives a further boost to the company's business, in the wake of greater motivation but, above all, of the ability of each individual to make use of his or her talents in a better way and under better conditions.

Commvault is a particularly attentive company in this area, with active diversity & inclusion policies that affect not only employees but also the world around us. Our Women in Technology employee resource group is growing in influence and popularity within Commvault, as our company continues to prioritise education to avoid ignorance on such important topics. We closely follow STEM education initiatives for students, especially those in difficult conditions, in the firm belief that this can be key to better social equality, even before gender equality. The more boys and girls are trained in science, the easier it will be for them to enter the world of work, with a long positive wave that will also affect communities and society as a whole.

In order to achieve this, we have put all stereotypes aside, in favour of an approach focused exclusively on the enhancement of individual talent and inclinations, which must be left free to develop. In this sense, the world of education, but also the professional world, must place itself at the service of the individual, in a listening phase before being prescriptive, in order to develop those talents that will then grow within the company, also improving the efficiency of the organisation as a whole.

If women make up 50% of our planet, the reduction of this presence at a professional level, particularly in the world of technology, represents an impoverishment that we must no longer accept. With the right foundations, stemming from a virtuous intersection between the worlds of education and work, we can leave this gap behind and lay the foundations for a future that is fairer, but also more promising and positive in every way.