At the vibrant Reykjavík Global Forum recently held at the Harpa concert hall, Advania Iceland took part in a session called 'Barbershop Chat' to discuss the vital role both men and women play in supporting gender equality.
Participating in the conversation was Ægir Thorisson, CEO of Advania Iceland, alongside Iceland's Minister of Foreign Affairs Bjarni Benediktsson and Andri Heiðar Kristinsson, partner at Frumtak Ventures. Together, they emphasised the crucial role of men in actively supporting gender equality. This mission, they argued, is essential and benefits everyone, transcending gender boundaries.
Gender equality needs men, and men need gender equality. Advania's stance is clear: gender equality is beneficial for all, and men’s commitment is needed for true gender equality. Ægir Thorisson emphasized that attracting women to the tech sector has been a challenging endeavour. The industry is notorious for its gender imbalance, with women constituting about 20% of the global tech workforce. At Advania, this figure is slightly better at around 30%, but it still falls short of equality.
Thorisson elaborated, “We are committed to attracting more women into the tech field. Currently, only 30% of tech graduates are women, so our focus is on encouraging young women to pursue tech education. This involves inspiring them to seek higher education in technology. We're also urging the industry to take proactive steps to attract and support young women.”
He continues, highlighting further initiatives, “Additionally, we're working to feature more women in our marketing campaigns to provide more role models. By doing so, we aim to create a diverse and inclusive tech landscape where women’s contributions and successes are not just welcomed, but are seen as essential for innovation and growth.”
Held on November 13-14, 2023, the sixth edition of the Reykjavík Global Forum, was co-hosted by the Government of Iceland and the Parliament of Iceland, in partnership with the global non-profit foundation Women Political Leaders (WPL). The forum brings together women leaders from various sectors, including politics, business, civil society, academia, the arts and media. Its goal is for participants to exchange ideas and develop solutions for advancing societal progress towards gender equality and to enhance the representation of women in leadership roles.