- Female empowerment in IT and professional sports
Frankfurt, 12 September 2023 Colt Technology Services (Colt), a global digital infrastructure company, today announced a new sponsorship deal to support the women’s team of the traditional club Eintracht Frankfurt in the Google Pixel Women’s Bundesliga from the upcoming season 2023/2024. Colt is committed to empowering women, especially in male-dominated fields such as soccer and IT. Colt and Eintracht share a common goal of promoting women, developing talent, celebrating diversity, and advancing digitalisation. The decision to continue the successful collaboration was based on these shared goals. Colt previously supported the men’s U21 team, which was promoted from the LOTTO Hessenliga to the Regionalliga Südwest last season.
In both soccer and the IT industry, women are notably underrepresented. According to Bitkom, a mere 5 percent of IT professionals in IT and telecommunications companies are women. In the broader context of the IT industry, women’s representation in the workforce hovers around 15 percent as of 2023. However, recognising that women play an indispensable role, it’s crucial to address this imbalance, especially in light of the impending skilled labour shortage.
Colt has taken upon itself the mission to counteract this trend and set an example for others. With a representation of approximately 25 percent women in the company, Colt surpasses the industry’s average. Notably, women are also in leadership positions, exemplified by Keri Gilder, the female CEO at the helm. Moreover, the position of Country Manager for Germany is also held by a woman. Large client accounts are also increasingly managed by women.
The progress made by female employees is due in part to targeted support. An internal network dedicated to women’s growth and career advancement provides them with a platform to develop their professional skills and knowledge.
“Both football and IT exemplify the essence of teamwork. Women play a pivotal role in driving achievements, be it in sports or business. Our dedication lies in ensuring that this invaluable contribution receives the recognition it deserves. Whether in the realm of sales, managing key accounts, or out on the field, triumph hinges on collective endeavour. We are proud to partner with Eintracht Frankfurt, who shares our commitment to diversity and inclusion. Together, we are working to create a more equitable future for women in football and IT. We believe that technical connectivity is essential for creating an optimal fan and stadium experience. By providing reliable and secure networks, we are helping to create a foundation for emotional connection through soccer. We are also committed to contributing to a stronger presence and reach for women’s soccer at this level,” said Keri Gilder, CEO of Colt Technology Services.
Colt operates global world-class network, solutions and on-demand experience which empower customers to act with agility and confidence. Frankfurt was the first German location to be connected more than 25 years ago. A high-performance network is playing an important role in the increasing digitization of sports, from live broadcasts and e-sports to data analysis and simulation. Eintracht Frankfurt is focusing on digitalization and, in this context, founded the subsidiary EintrachtTech GmbH around four years ago to further develop digital business areas.
“We are delighted to have Colt, an international company, as a sponsoring partner for our women’s team. As a digital pioneer, Colt makes powerful services such as networking of stadiums and stable live broadcasts possible worldwide,” adds Arnfried Lemmle, Head of Sales and Marketing at Eintracht Frankfurt.
After five players of Eintracht Frankfurt were allowed to travel to Australia and New Zealand for the FIFA World Cup 2023 the successful qualification tournament for the Champions League, the new season officially starts on September 15th. The first match for the Eintracht women will be away against SGS Essen on September 17th.
About Eintracht Frankfurt
Der Verein Eintracht Frankfurt wurde 1899 gegründet und ist eine der national und international bekanntesten Sportmarken sowie der sportliche Leuchtturm der Rhein-Main-Region. Bei Eintracht Frankfurt e.V. sind derzeit in insgesamt 19 Abteilungen mehr als 130.000 Menschen aktiv. Neben den klassischen Vereinssportarten wie Fußball, Tennis, Turnen, Tischtennis, Basketball, Volleyball oder Hockey bietet der bekannteste hessische Sportverein auch zahlreichen Sportexoten eine Heimat: Eisstockschützen und Curler tragen ebenso wie Triathleten, Rugby- und Frisbee-Spieler mit Stolz den Adler auf der Brust. Dabei gelingt es Eintracht Frankfurt, erfolgsorientierten Leistungssport und gesundheitsorientierten Breitensport unter einem Dach zu vereinen.
Der Verein gliederte zum 1. Juli 2000 den professionellen Fußball-Lizenzspielbetrieb in die Eintracht Frankfurt Fußball AG aus. Dem Vorstand gehören Axel Hellmann (Vorstandssprecher), Oliver Frankenbach, Markus Krösche und Philipp Reschke an. Der Verein hält 67,89 % der Anteile an der AG.
About Colt Technology Services
Colt Technology Services (Colt) is a global digital infrastructure company which creates extraordinary connections to help businesses succeed. Powered by amazing people and like-minded partners, Colt is driven by its purpose: to put the power of the digital universe in the hands of its customers, wherever, whenever and however they choose.
Since 1992, Colt has set itself apart through its deep commitment to its customers, growing from its heritage in the City of London to more than 60 offices around the world. The powerful Colt IQ Network connects 222 cities and 32 countries with more than 1000 data centres, 51 Metropolitan Area Networks and over 31,000 buildings across Europe, Asia and North America’s largest business hubs. Privately owned, Colt is one of the most financially sound companies in the sector.
Obsessed with delivering industry-leading customer experience, Colt is guided by its dedication to customer innovation, by its values and its responsibility to its customers, partners, people and planet.
For more information, please visit www.colt.net
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