The healthy representation of women in STEM and data science is not just a matter of ensuring gender diversity; it’s an economic, scientific and ethical imperative, says Leonardo’s Lila Rose who is the Lead Data Scientist in the company’s UK Cyber & Security Solutions business.
Despite making up 42% of the global workforce, women remain significantly underrepresented in STEM fields, comprising 28.2% of the workforce, compared to 47.3% in non-STEM sectors, according to the World Economic Forum’s 2024 Global Gender Gap Report. I believe this limits innovation and reinforces historical inequalities. Increasing female participation in STEM is crucial for driving more varied research, fostering creativity and ensuring that technology serves diverse populations.
Broadening the influence and decision-making pool
A wealth of studies has shown that diverse teams produce better outcomes, with more novel and higher impact ideas. Without women’s perspectives, the design of algorithms, medical treatments and engineering solutions risk being biased, often reinforcing systemic discrimination. In data science specifically, where models inform critical decisions – from hiring to defence – the exclusion of women can lead to flawed conclusions with real-world consequences.
One notable example of how a lack of diversity in teams can fail in their outcomes was seen in one of the world’s biggest companies several years ago. They created a tool to automate their hiring process using AI to screen CVs. Due to the assumption that the existing workforce/team had the skills required, the AI model was trained on high performing CVs from previous years. However, this didn’t deliver the desired outcome since the AI tool was based on embedded gender-bias within the company, consequently rejecting applications from women. This was due to the majority of CVs being used for the training data having come from male applicants, reflecting the pre-existing gender gap in the workforce. Upon discovery of this, the tool was immediately scrapped.
Beyond ethics, gender diversity in STEM is an economic necessity. The demand for skilled professionals in these fields is skyrocketing, yet the talent pool remains constrained. By empowering women in STEM through education, mentorship and policy changes, organisations can unlock a wealth of untapped potential. Bridging the gender gap in these fields is not just the right thing to do – it’s essential for a smarter, fairer and more innovative future.
Economic implications
McKinsey & Company’s ‘Diversity Matters Even More’ report, published in December 2023, found that businesses in the top quartile for board-gender diversity are 27% more likely to outperform financially those in the bottom quartile. This further highlights the economic value companies can achieve alongside the ethical benefits.
The landscape is changing and year-on-year more women are entering the data industry. However, there is still a considerable amount of work to be done to redress the balance. In the UK’s defence sector, women account for 11.4% of the workforce, while they represent 22% of AI and data professionals, and just 3% of chief information security officers. In Leonardo’s data team within the UK Cyber & Security Solutions Division, women make up 22% of the workforce – a figure we aim to grow significantly as part of the company’s wider commitment to being a diverse employer.
How Leonardo is driving change
During recent years, Leonardo has made positive strides in this area through the introduction of several programmes designed to increase the representation of women across its UK business. This includes our partnership with STEM Returners, which enables candidates to restart their career following a break. Elsewhere, many UK employees are among the 400+ people who have completed the company’s women’s talent development programme, Springboard, which assesses personal and professional opportunities for growth, and helps create connections and a sense of community.
In addition to being a member and active contributor to the Women’s Engineering Society, Leonardo is a proud signatory of the Women in Aviation and Aerospace Charter and Women in Defence Charter. This is further strengthened by us participating in the Women in Defence mentoring programme since 2021. 30 employees are currently participating in the programme, building upon a cohort of 50 employees who have already completed it.
Internally, the company’s Equalise network group plays a significant role in achieving gender equality within the workforce and supporting employees’ career development and opportunities. The group has also been consulted for feedback on Leonardo’s range of flex benefits, custom working and emergency care to further support working mothers and carers.
And we recognise our responsibility for making cyber security and other STEM-based jobs more appealing to the next generation. It is why Leonardo recently welcomed its first cohort of 25 young women – each excelling in STEM-related subjects at school and about to enter their final year of secondary school education – who took part in the six-month Future Leaders programme. The students attended a series learning and development activities, work experience and mentoring programmes with engineers and STEM ambassadors at our Luton site. 48% of those who participated in the programme have applied for roles in the 2026 Early Careers programme.
Overall, research overwhelmingly highlights the importance of diverse teams, while exposing the continuing lack of women in the data, defence and cyber sectors. Closing this gap isn’t just beneficial – it’s critical for building stronger, more innovative and more inclusive technologies that reflect the needs of everyone.