UK technology industry body Tech Nation has introduced a new guide for tech founders and their employees to help them build more diverse and inclusive businesses.

Tech Nation said the toolkit was created from interviews conducted with UK tech leaders, and contains checklists, links to tools and resources, and case studies which highlight examples of companies who have enacted positive change.

In 2019, entrepreneurs from Black, South Asian, East Asian, and Middle Eastern backgrounds received just 1.7 per cent of UK venture capital (VC) investment, while over the past decade, only 3 per cent of VC funding went to all female teams, according to data from Extend Ventures cited by Tech Nation.

The new toolkit is set to be continually updated according to the industry body, and will reflect the changing tech landscape, new diversity initiatives, and companies which have already implemented successful diversity frameworks.

Tech Nation said that as the nation looks to rebuild a stronger economy and society post-pandemic, equal opportunity, and representation within the tech sector has never been more important, citing statistics from the Office of National Statistics which found that almost 10 per cent of all UK jobs are now in tech.

"With one in 10 UK job vacancies in the country's booming tech sector, firms have a golden opportunity to bring about real change by closing gender and ethnic diversity gaps through their hiring,” said digital infrastructure minister Matt Warman. "A diverse workforce is not only good for society, but it also makes good business sense.”

He added: “I urge businesses to use these insights and guidance to lead the charge in creating a fairer, stronger and more diverse tech industry."

“When it comes to achieving equality in the UK’s tech sector, we still have a long way to go,” said Rowena Knapp, chief operating officer at Tech Nation. “Tech companies and their founders need to have a comprehensive toolkit they can turn to help them address diversity issues head-on.”

“As we look to rebuild a stronger economy and society, equal opportunity and representation within the tech sector has never been more important. This is why I am pleased to launch the diversity and inclusion toolkit today, which we will continue to refine and build on over the months and years to come.”

She added: “Creating a truly diverse and inclusive tech business is an ongoing and iterative process, and the diversity and inclusion toolkit is a fantastic place to start.”

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