UK Sets Out Voluntary Tech Workplace and Investment Standards to Support Women

The UK government set out plans on October 29, 2026, for two voluntary standards intended to improve workplace conditions and access to investment for women in technology. The measures follow announcements in the October 28 Budget and will be developed with industry through the Women in Tech Taskforce.

A proposed Tech Forward Standard would focus on workplace culture, including trusted channels for reporting harassment and discrimination. A separate Inclusive Investment Standard would encourage investors to examine how they identify potential investments and track women-founded businesses through the funding process. Both standards are proposals under development rather than binding regulations already in force.

The government says women account for 22% of the UK information-technology workforce and that only two pence of each pound of UK venture-capital investment goes to women-founded businesses. Those figures are used to explain the policy's aims; the proposed standards have not yet been shown to close the gaps.

The taskforce is expected to work with participating companies and investors on the standards before a formal launch in the coming months. Early participants include technology companies, financial businesses and venture-capital firms. A separate scale-up programme is planned for 2027 to offer support such as workshops, networking, peer learning and introductions to investors for women leading high-growth companies.

De Montfort University said one of its academics, cybersecurity researcher Ismini Vasileiou, had helped develop the proposals through the taskforce. The university also reported a Budget commitment to increase British Business Bank funding for women-led businesses and funds to £200 million. That funding commitment is distinct from the voluntary standards and should not be interpreted as money already distributed to individual founders.

The government estimates that reducing disparities in entrepreneurship could unlock substantial economic activity, but such estimates are scenarios rather than realised gains. The measures' practical effect will depend on which employers and investors adopt the standards, how their implementation is measured and whether participating firms change their practices.