In 2025, we built upon over a decade’s commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and belonging. Our work this year spanned global and local themes encompassing gender, disability, LGBTQIA+, race and ethnicity and mental health inclusion.
Inclusion requires constant attention and effort, it is never ‘done’. In 2019, we set a goal to reach 40% women or gender diverse (W/GD) representation in tech roles, which we achieved in 2022. Since then, while industry shifts and skills scarcity in hiring have brought that number down, our commitment hasn’t changed. This year, we refocused our efforts: with more emphasis on inclusive leadership, retention and long-term growth.
Fostering a new generation of leaders through our new "Beyond" program in LATAM.
Building diverse C-level successors with the NextGen leadership program, where 53% of the participants in 2025’s cohort identified as W/GD.
Established a new leadership model integrating “Inclusive Leadership” as one of three core principles and capabilities in all of our development programs.
Helping women re-enter the tech workforce through India's Vapasi returnship program, in partnership with our client REA.
Training women in AI and data via Brazil's "Vem pra Dados, Mulher!" initiative.
Uniting our global teams with campaigns and event series tackling gender bias and building connections.
And of course, our Thoughtworks University program, which had 63% W/GD participation in 2025.
Beyond gender equity, we continued expanding visibility, rights and opportunities for our LGBTQIA+ community. Our global “You Be You” campaign and comprehensive pronouns awareness, helped us earn a perfect score in Brazil’s HRC Equidade “Best Places to Work for LGBTQIA+ People” index.
We also deepened our focus on disability and neurodiversity inclusion. We partnered with The Valuable 500 to support their digital Engagement Hub, and launched the internal “Inclusive Thoughtworker Journey” to better understand the lived experiences of our People with Disabilities (PWD) colleagues. Our programs also focused on specific communities, supporting people with motor disabilities through Aceleradora Inclusiva, and expanding opportunities for d/Deaf professionals through our work with Globo.
Because true inclusion means supporting the whole person, mental health is also a DEI and belonging theme. Workplace wellbeing goes beyond encouraging individual self-care. To help reduce stigma, our leaders shared their own mental health experiences in a series of internal blogs, opening up space for more honest conversations. Alongside this, we focused on how teams can support one another in practice, making care a shared responsibility, not something individuals carry alone.
Equidade BR - Human Rights Campaign 2024 (Brazil)
Wequity - Most Inclusive Organization for Women in Tech 2024 (India)
Our Head of DEI in Europe has been working with Client leadership teams to embed inclusion, working far beyond representation. This work starts with transparency and has impacts from senior client stakeholders through to individual goals and practices. The outcomes? Engagement and learning across the Thoughtworks and client teams, micro inclusions becoming business as usual and improved equity in both hiring and opportunities.
To address the historical gender gap in the technology sector, Thoughtworks, CESAR, and Télos partnered to deliver Vem pra Dados, Mulher!. Based in Recife, Brazil, this six-month initiative provides scholarship-based training in Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics, creating a definitive pathway for women to enter and lead in these high-impact fields.
By merging technical rigor with human-centered development, the program reinforces a collective commitment to diversity, equity, and social transformation through technology in the region.
xConf is our signature practitioner event that has been running for 12 years. We are deeply proud of xConf as a role model for inclusion. Getting over 50% women or gender diverse speakers into our line up doesn’t happen by accident. It starts with who is in the selection committee and how the call for papers is crafted, through blind selection and various reviews that ensure a balanced program. Then we consider individual diversity and sometimes need to improve, suggesting pairing, or adding an expert on a topic. Inclusion is embedded at every step of the planning and production.
Operationalizing equity and belonging is fundamental to how Thoughtworks is navigating the challenges of remote and hybrid work evolutions, rapid integration of AI, and shifting attitudes and priorities in relation to DEI. We have embedded equity and belonging strategies across the employee lifecycle with a focus on fair and equitable access to opportunity.
Key actions included:
The effectiveness of this centralized model is reflected in our talent retention (14% voluntary attrition rate, against an industry average of 20%), among other measures. Learn more about how a strategic focus on equity and belonging drives organizational resilience and future readiness, even amidst global disruption and industry shifts.
The framework is supported by significant enablement and guidance tools to foster a compliant culture. This includes mandatory annual AI training for all Thoughtworkers, which covers aspects of AI Compliance alongside Infosec and Data Protection training. Internal guidance is provided through the AI Compliance Crib Sheet, that gives detailed instructions on compliance themes such as risk classification, data security, transparency, and fairness. AI compliance on client engagements is monitored via annual Account Health Monitoring (AHM) check-ins, and a path for AI Safety Champions is being developed for roll-out in 2026 to embed expertise within delivery teams.
