The Society of Women Engineers released its third annual diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, or DEI&B, report, “Embedding DEI&B In All We Do.” This report chronicles another year of the Society’s strides toward fostering an inclusive engineering and technology community while demonstrating its ongoing commitment to transparency and accountability. The report covers activities during fiscal year 2024.
SWE remains committed to publishing this annual report as both a reflection of its progress and a road map for continued improvement. SWE’s DEI&B efforts are informed by external and internal assessments, driven by its current strategic plan, and acted upon each year by the SWE president through the annual operational plan. The operational plan guides how SWE implements its strategic plan and its day-to-day work.
In this report, SWE delved deeper into the experiences of members, recognizing that each individual’s story contributes to the collective strength of SWE. Through its focus on global engagement, leadership development, community support, and systemic advocacy, SWE is building an inclusive environment in which everyone can thrive.
SWE has made significant progress in expanding its global membership and resources through initiatives such as the Global Ambassador Program, which offers one-year leadership development opportunities to members outside of the United States. SWE has also established new global affiliates for a total of 120 in 34 countries as of March 2024. These efforts have strengthened connections among members and created vibrant platforms for sharing experiences and resources across borders.
SWE’s global programs have specifically centered DEI&B to promote the inclusion of members from outside the United States in SWE programming and provide regionalized and localized experiences for stakeholders. For example, global programs has worked closely with regional leaders to develop website landing pages for Africa, Brazil, Europe, and India. These sites contextualize the SWE experience at the regional or country level. This tailored approach has not only increased the accessibility of SWE resources but has also fostered a stronger sense of belonging among members worldwide.
In FY 2024, SWE’s total membership grew by 8.5%, rising from 43,357 members in FY 2023 to 47,059. SWE experienced notable increases in the percentage of members identifying as part of the LGBTQ+ community and in the representation of Asian American and Pacific Islander and Hispanic and Latinx members, reflecting SWE’s successful outreach and inclusivity efforts.
While these achievements are notable, there is still work to be done. A portion of gender identity data remains unreported (12.05%), and a substantial percentage of members (85.43%) have not disclosed their disability status. These gaps in demographic data underscore the need for continued efforts to build trust and ensure members feel safe and empowered to share their full identities. Enhancing the diversity of leadership roles also remains a priority. Addressing these areas will further strengthen SWE’s commitment to fostering an inclusive and diverse community.
Insights from past DEI&B reports have been used to inform SWE’s programs aimed at collegiate engagement, gender and racial inclusivity, education and learning, leadership development, workforce initiatives, leadership diversity, and sustainability and innovation.
SWE values diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging as essential to its mission and works toward a world in which equal opportunities and equitable outcomes exist for all. While this overview provides a glimpse into SWE’s efforts and progress, it is just a snippet of the comprehensive initiatives, insights, and future goals detailed in the full report. Members can find the full report here.
