Intel allocates millions to boost staff diversity in workplace

San Francisco

OVER the last year, Apple, Google and other big technology companies have faced mounting criticism by civil rights leaders about the lack of diversity in their workforces, which are populated mostly by white and Asian men. Now Intel, the giant chipmaker, is taking more concrete steps to do something about it.

On Tuesday, Intel said the company's workforce would better reflect the available talent pool of women and under-represented minority groups in the United States within five years. If successful, the plan would increase the population of women, blacks, Hispanics and other groups at Intel by at least 14 per cent during that period, the company said.

In addition, Intel said it has established a US$300 million fund to be used in the next three years to improve the diversity of the company's workforce, attract more women and minorities to the technology field and make the industry more hospitable to them once they get there. The money will be used to fund engineering scholarships and to support historically black…