The following blog post was written by Avanade alum Mick Slattery.

One of the first things that catches my eye when walking into any Avanade office is a striking orange poster that proudly displays the company’s five core values.

• We change things for the better.
• We innovate with passion and purpose.
• We deliver with excellence.
• We believe everyone counts.
• We act with integrity and respect.

These core values drive our commitment to diversity and inclusion, which are the cornerstones to spurring innovation, creativity, productivity and better results for our clients. Success for a global company like Avanade means bringing our clients the best thinking through a culture that honors diversity and reflects the communities around the world in which we live and operate. Equality, while not necessarily called out, should be assumed to be the case.

Inside and outside of Avanade, we all have some collective work to do. Women have traditionally been under-represented in the technology industry. Now is our time to build on the great progress we have made. Together, it’s up to us to collaborate and continue to address this critical challenge with urgency. I’m proud of the wide-range of actions underway serving our people at Avanade and the community at large:

1. Tools, Resources and Training Opportunities

We teamed up with like-minded corporate partners, who are passionate about strengthening women in the workplace: Women in Technology International, Anita Borg Institute and Catalyst. With our partners, we provide Avanade employees with access to networking events, webinars, classes, conferences and articles. In November, we launched a new training opportunity from Microsoft on unconscious bias -- how it affects us all and how we can all help counter bias together.

2. Advancing Women Leaders and Support Networks

At Avanade, a strategic goal is to increase the number of women in leadership roles. Avanade’s Leadership Program for Women (ALPW) is a fantastic initiative, which champions women, invests in female talent, and helps women to realize their potential during crucial points in their career. In 2016, our ALPW included a close-knit network of 25 female managers who completed a four-month, multifaceted program that enhanced leadership, networking, communication and negotiation skills. We also have a Women’s Employee Resource Group, which leverages talented colleagues and role models from every part and every level of Avanade to foster connections and support women and allies.

3. White House Equal Pay Pledge

We are proud to have been among the first 30 companies to sign the White House Equal Pay Pledge in 2016. This reaffirms our commitment to pay parity by pledging to regularly review salaries to create a workplace where every employee is paid fairly and equitably. We proactively review our pay decisions and structures. From these reviews, we address any issues or problems.

4. Conferences and Events

We sponsor team members to attend the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing conference. We’re honored to participate in this hallmark event, which is the world’s largest gathering of women technologists. Every March, we celebrate International Women’s Day by hosting global and local events, including leadership panel webcasts, workshops, TweetChats and activities.

5. Community Outreach

Through our partnership with The Aspire Foundation, 1,000 Avanade employees serve as mentors to women at not-for-profit organizations around the globe. I’m working with my second mentee and continue to see rewarding results for both my mentee and for myself through this remarkable program. In 2014, we launched Avanade’s 15 in 15 scholarship program. For the third year, these scholarships help invest in promoting STEM education and careers for girls and young women around the world.

Catching a glimpse of our five core values is always a proud reminder for me that I am surrounded by colleagues who embody and uphold a commitment to diversity, inclusion and equality. We are seeing great momentum and results from these programs. You and I play a significant role in being a part of the solution. Together, let’s continue to participate, pledge and expand on these important initiatives at Avanade.

Mick Slattery is President, North America at Avanade.