REDESIGNING GENDER EQUITY IN TECH

Yes. Project F is a for-profit social enterprise. Our charter aligns with Goal #5 (Gender Equality) of the 17 Sustainable Development targets defined in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development set out by the UN, and 2 main pillars of the Australian Government Women in STEM Decadal Plan – Supporting women in STEM careers & Making women in STEM visible.

Project F is purpose-built to address the severe underrepresentation of women in technology. Solving different dimensions of diversity requires tailored expertise — and we don’t dilute our focus.

Our deep, specialised knowledge of the tech sector means we deliver meaningful, lasting outcomes for women in technology. While gender is our focus, the systemic changes we drive often create broader benefits across all areas of diversity.

Technology is shaping every part of our lives — and will dominate the future of work, with 70% of jobs expected to be STEM-related by 2050. If women are excluded from designing, building, and leading in tech, we don’t just lose talent — we set back gender equality, innovation, and economic growth for generations.

Balanced teams are proven to drive greater creativity, faster innovation, and stronger problem-solving — all essential for building world-class technology. Without diverse perspectives at the table, technology risks serving an ever-narrower slice of society — entrenching inequality instead of solving it.

The lack of women in technology is systemic — driven by decades of bias, exclusion, and a male-coded industry culture.

Despite women founding the field of computing, a 1960s rebranding of the “ideal programmer” as a socially awkward man shaped hiring, culture, and career pathways for generations. The impact is clear: girls are still steered away from STEM, women lack visible tech role models, and workplace systems consistently fail to support their progression.

Today, over half of women leave the tech sector mid-career, costing organisations critical leadership and innovation capability.

Project F works with companies to dismantle these barriers — embedding systems that not only attract women into tech, but retain and advance them.

Look for organisations that are working with Project F and those participating in the T-EDI Standards (www.tedistandards.com) from 2024 onwards. These companies have committed to tackling systemic barriers, not just applying surface-level fixes.

Beyond that, be cautious. Many organisations still suffer from the structural issues that drive 56% of women to leave tech mid-career — no matter how polished their employer branding appears.

Always check the data. The Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) publishes key metrics like gender pay gaps, promotion rates, and leadership representation. These are far more revealing than company slogans or awards.

Project F is a social enterprise that helps organisations take a systemic, evidence-informed approach to improving gender equity and inclusion – particularly in the tech sector. We work with businesses of all sizes to shift culture, remove structural barriers, and create measurable, sustainable change.

Examples of our work include:

• Auditing systems and processes to identify hidden barriers and inform your DEI strategy

• Designing practical tools and resources to support inclusive hiring (like structured interview kits and bias disruptors)

• Facilitating talks and workshops with leadership teams to build buy-in and capability

• Developing and writing gender equity strategies grounded in your business context and goals

Project F is also the creator and operator of the T-EDI Standards – Australia’s first and only DEI accreditation designed specifically for technology teams.