Company Name: SAP Labs China

Project Name: SAP Girls Power Tech

Award Category: CSR

SAP Girls Power Tech 

Educate-Enable-Inspire-Empower- Completing the Circle of Inclusion

Representation of women in the technology organizations has been a topic of deliberation for a long while. While the ratio of women opting for STEM courses in technology streams is increasing bit by bit, we still have not been able to deal with numerous barriers that women face to continue in the path of building a technology career. The challenge is even profound among girls from lower socio-economic backgrounds. Apart from barriers like career stereotypes and cultural biases, they also face lack of inspiration and role models around them. 

Innovation

With the sponsorship of Christian Klein, CEO of SAP, SAP Labs China was proud to launch “Girls Power Tech”in 2020. “Girls Power Tech” opens window of opportunities for bright girl students who do not have access to technical experiences and mentors. It is one of pioneering work in educating girl students in STEM through our CSR initiatives. Through Girls Power Tech phase I, 25 girl students were invited for internships to SAP Labs China 6 offices. We set up career mentors and hands-on project experiencesm, learnt latest technology offerings, attended bootcamp and acquire career enhancing skills that would help them in the transition from campus to tech career. They also got lots of opportunities to work with women leaders and experts and learnt from their career journeys. After all these offerings, they all got expired and brought out an overview and strategic understanding of their career path. They become an exemplar and pass it on back to their own life. Youth-Women-Technology is a long-term topic. We encourage women in technology with the knowledge and skills as well we raise their awareness as to inspire them to contributes and innovate proactively. We see how this project connect individuals, communities, and social systems, eventually forming an integrated ecosystem.

Corporate Competences

SAP has a great culture of connecting employees with purpose and we enable 6 location labs to join this exciting program. Through “Girls Power Tech” SAP employees get the opportunity to give back and play the role of a career mentor and guide for the girls and take responsibility of their learning. Some of these girls could be tomorrow’s technology leaders. This is a small step that can really change the direction their life and give them the right impetus for a bright career. Girls have a significant role to play in the “Digital Economies” and initiatives like “Girls Power Tech” ensures that this does not get limited to only a few.

Scalability

In 2023, we have kicked off Girls Power Tech phase II. To support SAP People Strategy on attracting the best and most diverse talents to infuse digital native skills, this program is committed to educating girls in STEM and empowering them to pursue their dreams in technology. Based on 2020 best practices, we corporatewith NGOs to expand the program, such as China Youth Development Foundation, E-YOUTH, JA China to promote the programs to target students. A bigger eco-system is being established to address social issues to influence more people together. Also we have scaled from this program, Youth4Fure SAPi Digital Skilling and Girls In Tech are both from SAP Labs China CSR, which is for 8-12 kids and girls in migrant schools. Until now. we have finished recruiting the 15 candidates. They will start their SAP journey soon!

Social and Environmental Impact

SAP Labs China won the 2021 EUCCC CSR Award “Women Empowerment” at the 8th CSR Awards Ceremony held by the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, with its CSR program Girls Power Tech. As a global leader, SAP stands for a higher purpose that goes beyond economic success – our purpose is to help the world run better and improve people's lives. We use our considerable resources and broad reach to help the world’s economy, society, and environment prosper. Together with our employees, SAP CSR leads the company in putting our purpose into action. We focus on 3 strategic areas that foster digital inclusion and create opportunity for all people by: Building future skills, Accelerating best-run nonprofits and social enterprises, and Connecting employees with purpose. Girls Power Tech perfectly touch the three pillars of SAP CSR. The impact is not only for “girls”, but also for their families, universities,NGOs, company, employees and the society. The programs we run within each pillar embrace the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).