Microsoft releases diversity figures: It has “made progress” but “much work needs to be done”

Microsoft has become the latest company to release its diversity statistics, with a senior executive acknowledging despite a “substantial investment and engagement in promoting diversity”, more needs to be done.

According to figures published on its Global Diversity and Inclusion page, women make up just 29% of Microsoft’s workforce, including 44.5% of non-tech roles, 17.1% of tech roles, and 17.3% of leadership positions.

Meanwhile, 56.7% of Microsoft’s tech workforce identify as Caucasian, 35.3% as Asian, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 2.3% as African American or Black, 1.2% as Multiracial, .5% as American Indian or Alaskan Native, and 0.2% as Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander.

The figures are similar to those released by tech giants Google, Apple, Twitter and LinkedIn.

In a letter to employees published by ZDNet, Microsoft executive vice president of human resources Lisa Brummel highlights the company’s initiatives but acknowledges more needs to be done to “increase the diversity of our company and the tech industry”.

“Have we made progress? Yes, we certainly have, and I am proud of the progress we have made. But we can all agree that much work remains to be done to increase the diversity of our company and the tech industry,” Brummel said.