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Diversity Taking Center Stage with Apple, Other Tech Companies

Some big names in technology and communications are looking to put an added emphasis, and dollar figure, behind increasing diversity in their companies.

Apple, Intel, and Google are among some of the companies pushing to improve the number of minority and women employees working for them, and they are partnering with a number of organizations toward the mutual goal of diversifying the tech workforce. Telecommunications giant AT&T also made headlines recently when it named a new chief diversity officer.

The push for increased diversity is being backed with more than words, as the companies invested millions to help achieve a more inclusive workforce.

Apple Looks to Bolster STEM Interest in Women, Minorities

The method of attack, for Apple, will include a nearly $40 million contribution to the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and $10 million partnership with the National Center for Women and Information Technology. That's according to Inside Philanthropy.

CEO Tim Cook noted Apple has stepped up its efforts to increase diversity, but acknowledged more could be done to foster interest in science, technology, engineering and math in women and minorities. Soon after, Apple Vice President for Human Resources Denise Young Smith, a Grambling State University graduate, announced the partnership.

Grambling has itself had support from the TMCF in the past. Over a four year period, TMCF will receive funding to create a database of computer sciences majors at “historically black colleges and universities” and provide training for students and faculty while also creating scholarships, the report reads. Apple has pledged a paid internship for students who excel.

More Money Backs Diversity Efforts

An article in The Root enumerates some of the demographic breakdowns for Apple as well as some other tech companies. According to the article, 54% of Apple’s employees are white, while 56.4% of Microsoft’s employees are white. Respectively, 80% and 83.3% are men as of the 2014 year’s end.

Google has a workforce comprised of 61% male employees, with only 3% being Hispanic or Latino and 2% being African American. Of its tech workers, 83% are men compared to 70% across the company. Subsequently, Microsoft, one of the least diverse major tech companies to release data, has made a contribution to the National Center for Women & Information Technology, according to the story.

Also highlighted in the piece; Intel is creating a $300 million fund to help bolster the number of women and minorities in the tech field, and will create engineering scholarships at traditionally black schools and universities. Further, Google is teaming up with Code2040, a nonprofit organization that helps Africans Americans and Latinos find work in the tech industry. Google donated $775,000 in grants last month to Code2040.

AT&T Names Cynthia Marshall Chief Diversity Officer

The computer companies were not the only ones making moves in March, as The Financial reports, Cynthia Marshall, the companies’ senior vice president-of Human Resources will take on the additional role of Chief Diversity Officer. She was recently named as one of the Top 50 Most Powerful Women in Corporate America by Black Enterprise Magazine, and according to the article, she has 30-plus years of telecommunications experience.

She has acted as VP of HR since December of 2012 and has “held positions in operations, human resources, network engineering and planning, and regulatory/external affairs.” She said: “I’m proud to play a role in AT&T’s diversity efforts. For decades, a commitment to diversity and inclusion has informed our beliefs, strategies, practices and success. Our inclusive culture runs deep – and impacts every employee every day – and it’s a privilege to build on such a rich tradition.”

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