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Facebook Marketing Diversity & Inclusion

Facebook reveals lacklustre diversity report as it blames ‘pipeline’ troubles for lack of talent

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By Rebecca Stewart, Trends Editor

July 15, 2016 | 3 min read

Facebook has unveiled the findings of its most recent diversity report, revealing lacklustre results into the make up of its workforce.

Facebook has filed its latest diversity report

The share of the social giant’s Hispanic and black employees in the US has remained almost stagnant for the past twelve months sitting at four per cent and two per cent respectively, while the number of women working for the firm globally has budged by just one per cent to reach 33 per cent.

Asians are better represented, making up 38 per cent of the businesses' US employee base; an annual increase of two percent.

In terms of tech roles Hispanics constitute three per cent, while African Americans make up just one percent.

facebook diversity

Facebook has placed Facebook has blamed the slow growth of its female employees on a “pipeline” problem, with Maxine Williams, global director of diversity writing in a blog post that talent is not coming to the firm through the current schooling system.

“It has become clear that at the most fundamental level, appropriate representation in technology or any other industry will depend upon more people having the opportunity to gain necessary skills through the public education system.”

Pointing to the fact that currently, only one in four US high schools teach computer science, Williams said that in 2015, seven states had fewer than 10 girls take the Advanced Placement Computer Science exam and no girls took the exam in three states.

global gender diversity facebook

She also said that no black people took the exam in nine states including Mississippi where about 50 per cent of high school graduates are black, and that 18 states had fewer than 10 Hispanics take the exam with another five states having no Hispanic AP Computer Science (CS) test takers. "This has to change," she added.

The diversity report is Facebook’s third in two years, and despite the overall small increase in the number of women it employs globally the firm does appear to be making some headway when it comes to women in senior leadership positions.

It said that women now made up 27 per cent of managerial roles, up from 23 per cent in 2015. Additionally, 29 per cent of leadership hires over the past 12 months were women.

facebook diversity data

This year, Facebook also added LGBT data to the mix, which was compiled using a voluntary survey of its employees which attracted interest from two thirds of staff (61 per cent). The results indicated that seven per cent of the social network’s employees classed themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, transgender, or asexual.

“We are proud to support the LGBTQ community through our policies, products and extensive benefits for our employees,” noted the social network.

Facebook Marketing Diversity & Inclusion

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