VMware, Inc. looked at its gender diversity numbers last year and knew it could do better. With VMwomen, a business-led initiative for a more diverse and inclusive environment, VMware is becoming a more inclusive company. Paul Strong, VMware’s CTO, Global Field, and Sheryl Chamberlain, group VP and global partner executive at Capgemini, joined John Furrier of theCUBE, from the SiliconANGLE Media team, during VMworld 2015, to talk about VMware’s VMwomen initiative.

“The office of the CTO is about driving innovation,” said Strong. “Data shows that innovation is the outcome of the interplay of ideas of people from various backgrounds and diverse experiences. So from my perspective and VMware’s, we need that diversity in the workforce. The clearest group that tends to be poorly represented is women. This initiative is around raising awareness and helping us as a business do better at being inclusive.”

A push for inclusivity

Chamberlain said the push for inclusivity represents a trend toward advocacy in terms of women’s equality, as opposed to women’s leadership. “When it’s about advocacy, instead of women working by themselves to be more visible and have a seat at the table, we’re working together to drive change and innovation in our organization,” she said.

Strong said that advocacy and inclusivity must start well before the corporate stage. “Diversity from the get-go is poor,” he said. “Computer science is one place where the number of women graduates is decreasing. We need to do better things there. But in the workplace, everyone should be given equal access to opportunity with regards to promotion.” Strong added that the VMwomen program has allowed the company to become aware of many unconscious behaviors.

Although inclusive discussions must continue, Chamberlain noticed a shift in perception about women in technology. “When I write a blog about women’s leadership, the men are the ones that read my blogs first and comment,” she said. “This is a conversation that we own together on a global level.”

Watch the full interview below, and be sure to check out more of SiliconANGLE and theCUBE’s coverage of VMworld 2015.

Photo by SiliconANGLE