June 13, 2022

Girls Talk London partners with Zalando to launch the Black Girls Tech Summit in Berlin!

Girls Talk London partners with Zalando to launch the Black Girls Tech Summit in Berlin and to connect female talent to opportunities in Technology

“One of the largest global events for Black women in Technology!”

We are excited to announce our partnership with Zalando to connect Black female technologists in Berlin (Germany) with colleagues and role models in Technology as the host of the Berlin edition of the Black Girls Tech Summit together with ADAN (Afro Deutsches Akademiker Netzwerk) on October 26th 2022.

This partnership aims to remove the barriers faced by women entering technology through showcasing opportunities available at Zalando to the Girls Talk London community in Europe and emerging markets. Zalando continues its support of the cause by sponsoring the global virtual Black Girls Tech Summit event taking place in November 2022.

As part of this strategic partnership, Zalando will work closely with the Girls Talk London EMEA Talent and Community team to showcase jobs and opportunities. This aims at encouraging applications from women alongside targeting those from marginalised communities which includes Black women.

Vanessa Sanyauke, CEO and Founder of Girls Talk London says:

“Girls Talk London are excited to partner with Zalando as we expand our work in Germany to address the under-representation of Black women in Technology. This partnership allows us to provide women and those from marginalised communities with direct access to a leading employer in Technology, the opportunity to meet like-minded peers, role models and to develop the necessary key skills to secure roles in this sector.

Our mission is to democratise access to opportunities in technology for women and especially those from marginalised communities which includes Black women. We want to ensure that they have an equal opportunity to have successful and thriving careers and to contribute to the future of technology. The talent is ready and what they need is the opportunity to shine and showcase their skills. This relationship with Zalando allows us to be a bridge between emerging talent and the technology sector.”

Created by award-winning gender equality organisation, Girls Talk London, the Black Girls Tech Summit has connected over 3000 Black women across 37 countries with role models and leading companies in technology to increase the representation of Black women in the sector which is currently at 3% (U.S)[1] and 0.7% in the UK[2]

Aspiring women and experienced professionals in Technology will be given the platform to get their foot in the door to access opportunities in the Technology sector, widen their professional network, connect with role models and upskill to ensure they can successfully secure jobs and opportunities in the sector.

Vikki Leach, Director Diversity & Inclusion at Zalando adds:

“We are proud to be supporting Girls Talk London this year with their launch of Girls Talk Berlin. At Zalando, our vision is to be the Starting Point for Fashion that is welcoming to everyone. We strive to be inclusive by design, bringing to life the diversity of our talents, leaders, customers and partners. This partnership is another step toward achieving our commitment of 40% women in technical roles by the end of 2023, as outlined in our D&I do.BETTER strategy.”

About Girls Talk London

Girls Talk London  is an award-winning organisation that partners with businesses to build the future workforce through connecting them with women in 37 countries through bespoke programmes, events and digital content. Our aim is to democratise access to opportunities and jobs in male dominated sectors and to empower women to develop the skills and confidence to progress in their careers. To date we have helped over 5500 women and have a global digital community of over 44K people.

About Zalando

Zalando  is a leading European online platform for fashion and lifestyle. Founded in Berlin in 2008, we bring head-to-toe fashion to almost 49 million active customers in 25 markets, offering clothing, footwear, accessories, and beauty. The assortment of international brands ranges from world famous names to local labels. Our platform is a one-stop fashion destination for inspiration, innovation, and interaction. As Europe’s most fashionable tech company, we work hard to find digital solutions for every aspect of the fashion journey: for our customers, partners and every valuable player in the Zalando story. Our vision is to be the Starting Point for Fashion and a sustainable platform with a net-positive impact for people and the planet.

[1] https://wpassets.ncwit.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/13193304/ncwit_women-in-it_2016-full-report_final-web06012016.pdf

[2] https://www.comparethemarket.com/meerkat-your-career/articles/the-world-of-black-women-in-tech/