The image shows the inEvidence logo with the text "InEvidence" in bold black letters, accompanied by the tagline "customer storytellers" in smaller black letters beneath it.
Alex Fernandes
7 March 2025
Diverse voices can break barriers
Fewer than 1 in 5 reference stories feature women as the primary voices. In keeping with the campaign theme of #IWD 2025, it’s time to ‘Accelerate Action.’

In previous years I’ve marked International Women’s Day by posting footage of Cher and Raquel Welch circa 1975 in sequins and sandals duetting on ‘I’m A Woman.’  But as a writer specialising in customer storytelling, this year I’m minded to pay a different tribute.

In the course of my work, I interview clients’ customers about their use of tech solutions in industries the world over. Too few are women – a situation little changed in the 30 years inEvidence has led the field globally in customer advocacy.

It reflects a broader picture. In mid-market tech firms, women hold approximately 20.2% of Chief Technology Officer (CTO) positions compared to 25.8% of CEO roles. They’re also sorely underrepresented in software development, with women comprising around 17.4% of software developers worldwide.

While there are numerous significant initiatives to address gender disparity and promote inclusivity – some of them driven by our own clients – clearly there’s a way to go.

#IWD 2025 is calling for greater urgency in tackling the systemic barriers and biases women encounter in both their personal and professional lives.

The stories and storytellers are out there. Here are some of the women I’ve written about in the last year:

  • The senior developer for a UK government department who specialises in customising bots. Her expertise is helping to create faster, smarter, and more reliably accurate digital solutions to deliver critical services to citizens.
  • The CEO of a new Icelandic supermarket who’s challenging the country’s retail giants. Her innovative, fully self-service model is helping ease the high cost of living for Icelanders.
  • The strategist who spearheaded onboarding all functions of an Australian university onto a new service management platform. Her work is enhancing service delivery for 53,000 students through automation and AI-driven tools.
  • The global head of data analytics who leads a team of technical solution architects for a major Indian multinational IT company. Together, they deliver comprehensive data and analytics solutions to enterprises and industries worldwide.
  • The young Russian developer leveraging cutting-edge database technology for a leading global appliance company. By enhancing IoT systems she’s creating a smarter, more sustainable user experience.
  • The South African process analyst who’s pioneering a data-driven partnership program for a local bottling company. She’s growing volumes and revenues.
  • The managing director and e-commerce manager for Portugal’s most renowned cosmetics retailer. Their efforts are delivering a seamless omnichannel shopping experience.
  • The French head of data for a global membership management software platform. By single-handedly modernising its data stack she has created new investment opportunities and business leads.
  • The young Indian software engineer at the world’s largest building society. She seamlessly migrated its overdraft database from on-premises to the cloud, enhancing service efficiency for the society and its members.
  • And the joint heads of data technology who are transforming the way UK government departments handle procurement. They have collaboratively created operational excellence through transparency, efficiency and regulation compliance.

By the way,…the Icelandic CEO? She’s also a former, multi award-winning, national basketball player and top-tier league coach. With three kids. Who two afternoons a week – alongside revolutionising supermarket retail and lowering the cost of living for households in Iceland – coaches kindergarten children in basketball. Now there’s a lyric to ‘I’m A Woman’.  W.O.M.A.N.

Meanwhile, recent data from the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) indicates that about 91% of women with children spend at least an hour each day on housework – compared with 30% of men with children.

But that’s a whole other blog.

International Women’s Day 2025 urges faster action to forge gender parity. By actively elevating female voices to tell customer stories, companies won’t only create a more rounded narrative in the tech space. They will foster inclusivity, drive innovation, attract top talent, and inspire generations to come.

 

#IWD 2025 #Accelerate Action

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