Women in Tech sets the standard for female empowerment in the workplace

Coupang is firmly committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. For example, from Q2 2020 to Q2 2022, we increased female employment at Coupang Corp. by 121.6%, more than doubling total employment growth in that same period (57.0%). At the same time, we strive to provide various opportunities for these employees to develop their careers and increase the representation of women in the industry and leadership positions.

Coupang’s Women in Tech (WIT@Coupang) is a case in point. WIT@Coupang supports women in developing their skills and advancing in the tech industry, and facilitates information sharing and networking with the goal to foster female leaders and role models.

We spoke with Binna Kim, the leader of WIT@Coupang, to learn more about the organization and what she hopes to achieve.

Hi Binna, please introduce yourself.

Hello, I’m the Chief of Staff of Coupang’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO) in the Culture and Communications team of our tech organization. Previously, I worked as a product manager, and I’ve been at Coupang for six years. I majored in psychology in college, and started my tech career as a business data analyst at an ad tech company near San Francisco. Before I joined Coupang, I was in charge of product management and presales (consultations, proposals, and other sales activities prior to the sale itself).

What got you interested in the topic of diversity and inclusion?

I’ve always believed that all people should be treated fairly, regardless of gender, race, or sexual orientation. People used to believe there was no “glass ceiling,” and that everyone had a chance to participate in decision-making, but the reality was different. I learned about the gender pay gap in various countries, and I wanted to address the inequalities that arose from different starting points.

You’re currently leading WIT@Coupang, which is comprised of various male and female tech employees. Could you introduce more about your group?

We started WIT@Coupang with the goal of building a network for women to be successful in their careers. Given the current work schedule, we meet around once a month.

I suggested launching this program to the leaders of our tech organization in 2021. I thought that we needed a clearer direction to create a diverse and inclusive organization, because simply agreeing to a project isn’t enough to make a difference.

Since WIT@Coupang’s inception, it has received a surprising amount of support, with tech leaders actively serving as advisors, participants, and event speakers. We have a task force of roughly 15 people in the organization, which prepares for various events such as quarterly meetings, forums, speaker presentations, and networking. It would have been hard for WIT@Coupang to exist without the support of all our participants, and I’m sincerely grateful to everyone.

What do you think has been the impact of the leadership programs and sessions that WIT@Coupang conducts in helping female employees realize their potential and become leaders?

I’m sure it’s of great help. First, our programs allow you to share experiences with other employees going through similar situations. This creates empathy and a sense of belonging, which are important in the workplace but can sometimes be overlooked. Second, participants can find role models similar to themselves at the meeting. Finally, WIT@Coupang provides employees opportunities to directly lead various programs as members, giving them more confidence in their daily lives.

We are all working hard to build a better workplace, but we can always do better. How can we create an inclusive environment?

At Coupang, there are many people who value diversity and inclusion and work hard with a sense of mission, so I’m always grateful. We’re continually making a lot of effort, but it’s important to keep making these efforts with diversity and inclusion as a priority. In the Coupang tech organization, if there is anything that neglects employees, even unconsciously, we encourage everyone to raise that issue. Also, when hiring or reviewing candidates for promotion, we constantly ask ourselves if we have even the slightest bias. We also ask recruiters to consciously consider both male and female candidates when hiring. It may sound trivial, but diversity and inclusion have a huge impact on the decisions that organizations make.

What are some of the challenges in implementing diversity and inclusion?

It’s not easy to empathize with someone else’s experience if you haven’t experienced it yourself. There are also people who have never experienced discrimination or stereotypes based on gender. This lack of experience means that there is a level playing field, which is a good sign, but it also makes it difficult to understand why diversity and inclusion must continue to be taken seriously.

To solve this issue, anyone, not just women, can join WIT@Coupang. Anyone interested in learning about gender-specific issues is welcome to participate. This allows you to see problems from a different perspective and make new changes, so I recommend it to anyone with even the slightest interest.

What are your thoughts on diversity and inclusion at Coupang?

I believe Coupang is moving in the right direction to create an environment where everyone feels safe and respected at work. We continue to create policies based on equality, and I hope that we continue to develop to become a role model for other companies. Change doesn’t happen overnight—it has to start somewhere. I believe that Coupang can and should lead that change.