Are you doing your part for diversity? Enter the UK IT Awards now

The pressure is on to increase diversity, so why does the technology industry still lag behind?

There are trends that go across a single industry - containers, AI & ML, bare metal cloud - and some that go across all of them. These larger social movements, like the drive towards eco-friendly practices, reflect the changing values of global society.

Every year, Computing and BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT refresh the categories of the UK IT Awards to reflect changing industry and social trends - removing those that are out of date and looking at exciting new areas that companies are adopting. This year, as well as sustainability, we have added a brand new category celebrating diversity: Diversity Inclusion Project of the Year.

Diversity means many things, but for companies is increasingly coming to refer to employees. A diverse workforce, of different races, ages, genders, religions and cultures, can tackle business challenges from many different perspectives - and empowers people who might otherwise not have had the opportunity.

Technology is one of the least diverse industries in the UK: only 15 per cent of the tech workforce are from BAME backgrounds, and gender diversity sits at 19 per cent, compared to 49 per cent for all other industries.

We have written a lot about this issue on Computing, and earlier this year launched the Women in Tech Festival with our sister site, CRN, but it is up the industry to also recognise and address the issue.

Luckily, some companies are already doing so, and the entries we've received for Diversity Inclusion Project of the Year so far have been inspiring. There is always room to recognise leaders in the space though, so remember to submit your own company before entries for this year's UK IT Awards close on the 5th July.

Making it onto the shortlist at the UK IT Awards - the premier event for the IT industry - is a major achievement, and a win is something to be truly proud of, proving that you stand head and shoulders above your peers.

Award categories cover all areas of the industry, from people and projects to companies and innovations. Check out a selection below, or view the whole category list.

Entries close on the 5th July, with the shortlist announced in mid-August. Following a judging day at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester in September, we will announce our 2019 winners at the event itself on the 13th November.

More than 1,500 IT professionals attended last year's event, making the Awards one of the industry's best nights of the year for networking. Check out our galleries of attendees and winners - can you spot anyone you know?

You need to be in it to win it, so don't delay - enter before this Friday, and remember to make your entry stand out!

Computing and CRN have united to present the Women in Tech Festival UK 2019, on 17 September in London.

The event will celebrate successful women in the IT industry, enabling attendes to hear about, and to share, personal experiences of professional journeys and challenges.

Whether you're the ‘Next Generation', an ‘Inspirational Leader', or an ‘Innovator of Tech' this event will offer inspiration on not only how to improve yourself, but how to help others too. The event is FREE for qualifying IT pros, but places will go fast