Driving equity and inclusion through strategic partnerships

At ServiceNow, we don’t see our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as a program or initiative. It’s a moral imperative. Our vision is to embody DEI in everything we do. It’s our business to create better work and life experiences for our people, customers, partners, and communities.

When I talk to our customers and leaders across industries, I see we share a deep desire to make our organizations more diverse, equitable, and inclusive. We believe one of the best ways to do that is through strategic partnerships. These can help us accelerate our business objectives while working closely with our customers to better represent global diversity throughout the tech industry. 

Partnering for the greater good

That’s why the DEI team at ServiceNow has established strategic partnerships with the Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA), AfroTech, Blavity Inc., Catalyst, Disability:IN, The Executive Leadership Council (ELC), Hispanic Technology Executive Council (HITEC), and PowerToFly.

“As the first national Latino professional association in the United States, we aspire to be the business partner of choice for companies seeking to hire and develop Latino talent,” says Damian Rivera, CEO of ALPFA. “We love to work with ServiceNow because we can open career pathways for Latinos to showcase their innovation and tech skills, both at ServiceNow and with its customers across industries.”

We’ve also worked with teams across our company to create or expand strategic partnerships with organizations such as Colorintech, Girls Who Code, and INROADS.

"At Girls Who Code, we know all too well the challenges women of color face in the tech industry,” says Tarika Barrett, CEO of the organization. “Our partners at ServiceNow understand that the future of tech depends on a tech workforce representative of our diverse world. We are grateful for their support as we work to level the playing field for our most marginalized students."

Improving diverse representation

Companies with the most ethnic and cultural diversity among their executive teams are likely to outperform less diverse companies by 36% in profitability, according to McKinsey. Organizations with the most gender-diverse leadership teams outperform the least diverse by 25% in profitability. Diverse and equitable organizations are more innovative, efficient, and successful.

Righting long-standing inequities is not easy work. That’s especially true in the technology industry, where women and people of color have often been marginalized. Representation in tech has vast consequences. We must come together and share what works.

Prioritizing DEI in tech

As companies decide whether and how to cut costs in the face of economic uncertainty, people are still counting on us to follow through on our DEI commitments. “Tech layoffs are decimating human resources and corporate diversity teams,” according to SHRM. But “the slashing of HR and DEI as companies tighten their belts isn’t a widespread phenomenon yet.”

Organizations cannot be shortsighted regarding the benefits of DEI. HR and DEI leaders may need to fight to ensure this vital work remains a top priority, especially as we grapple with a competitive talent market and a tough financial forecast.

By engaging strategic partners, we introduce our company to underserved communities, drive talent to open positions, and build bridges of opportunity into the tech industry. Our NextGen Professionals Program, part of RiseUp with ServiceNow, is a good example.

The program helps create generational, diverse talent engines for our customers and partners. Across 15 countries, more than 6,300 NextGen Program participants have secured jobs through training, education, and partnerships—many with our customers.

NextGen opens more doors for everyone to participate in the digital economy, and ServiceNow customers benefit from more diverse talent. CANCOM, for instance, plans to use Service Portal technology created by NextGen students.

Unlocking DEI breakthroughs

We’ve made significant commitments to deliver meaningful change at our company, in the technology industry, and beyond. I’m proud of how business leaders have worked with community leaders, employees, activists, and dedicated people around the world in recent years. Much work remains, but I’m confident we’re making noteworthy progress. Now we need to accelerate even more.

DEI will continue to make teams, businesses, and customers stronger. Strategic partnerships can help organizations unlock significant DEI breakthroughs. No person or company can manage this imperative on their own. As companies prepare for more uncertainty in 2023 and beyond, we can navigate the challenges by working together to shape the new world of work for all people.

Find out more about ServiceNow’s commitment to equity and inclusion.

© 2023 ServiceNow, Inc. All rights reserved. ServiceNow, the ServiceNow logo, Now, and other ServiceNow marks are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of ServiceNow, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Other company names, product names, and logos may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.