Google has fired an employee who released a memo questioning the company’s diversity efforts and stating that women aren’t biologically suited to certain roles in tech.
The news comes as BusinessCloud continues to compile its list of 101 female founders in tech.
The memo that sparked the controversy is entitled ‘Google’s Ideological Echo Chamber’ and was written by engineer James Damore, who identified himself to the Guardian earlier this week.
The ‘manifesto’ suggested that there were less high-level women in tech because of biological differences rather than discrimination.
Google’s chief executive, Sundar Pichai, said sections of the memo had violated the company’s code of conduct and went too far by “advancing harmful gender stereotypes in our workplace”.
Damore said that he had written the memo in the hopes of having an “honest discussion” and confirmed his dismissal in an email to Bloomberg saying that he had been fired for “perpetuating gender stereotypes”.
He has stated that he is “likely to be pursuing legal action” against Google for his firing.
In an age where diversity is still a pressing issue for the industry, BusinessCloud is hoping to shine a light on some of the amazing women in technology with its upcoming ‘101 Female Founders in Tech’ list.
The list, which will appear in the final 2017 edition of BusinessCloud, will celebrate the amazing women who have taken an idea that uses tech in some way and turned it into a first-rate business.
It will build on the incredible reception of BusinessCloud’s inaugural 100 Female Role Models in Tech list in 2016, which received over 3 million impressions on Twitter and won widespread praise.
The new list will celebrate the female leading lights and the unsung heroes of the tech world.
BusinessCloud editor Chris Maguire said: “Computer programmer Ada Lovelace is just one of the most famous examples of a trailblazing woman in the industry who wasn’t recognised when she was alive.
“Today the world is full of examples of women who are at the forefront of tech and we want to showcase their work so they inspire the next generation.
“Our100 Female Role Models in Tech list in 2016 was a massive success but we didn’t just want to repeat what we did last year so we want to shine a light on the women who have started or co-founded a tech business.”
Criteria:
- ‘Female founder’ is defined as a woman who started or co-founded a tech business (they do not need to currently still be involved in the business)
- Tech is defined as a company that is using tech to disrupt a traditional industry or is creating / selling a technology-based product
- To be considered the business must be based in the UK and the nominee should currently be living in the UK
- The judges are looking for supporting information, such as evidence of commercial success; growth; or global impact
- The closing date for entries is September 11th, 2017