Capgemini UK addresses digital exclusion via collaborative project

For Capgemini UK, months of the global pandemic have reinforced how important it is to stay connected.

But many people without digital skills can be left behind.

Sally Caughey, Capgemini Head of Digital Inclusion, writes about how Capgemini UK's project with Digital Unite aims to inspire employees to help address digital exclusion.

Lack of digital skills as a UK social issue

Society has undergone an accelerated digital transformation as a result of lockdowns throughout the pandemic, highlighting the need for companies like Capgemini to ensure transformation is an inclusive one

Lack of digital skills is a material social issue in the UK. It’s not just a generational problem, it affects all ages, with the poorest often hit the hardest.

Partnering with digital inclusion specialists

At the start of 2020, as part of Capgemini's commitment to combating digital exclusion, the company partnered with digital inclusion specialists Digital Unite to develop and trial a novel approach to digital skills support. The “Digital Champion Accelerator Programme” aimed to harness Capgemini employee capabilities to build the capacity and capability of Digital Champions already active in community organisation.

The pandemic has thrown into sharp relief the realities of not being able to get online:

Young people missing out on their education
A rising number of unemployed desperately trying to access jobs and online resources
The elderly separated from friends and family struggling to use tech to communicate
Vulnerable people shielding and unable to shop online

"Covid-19 caused Vapgemini to re-think the Digital Champions model. They realised that our plans were rooted in supporting these Champions in extending and improving their community reach through a physical, location based model. The community needs continue but we lacked the mechanism to help address them," explains Sally.

Engaging a remote workforce

"As an organisation of almost 8000 UK employees we had been able to transition to nearly 100% remote working almost overnight. So, we decided to use our ability for remote collaboration – and the fact our employees were working from home to create a community-based response to the digital skills challenges, focusing on friends, families and local community groups in the areas where we live," comments Sally.

"We wanted to use this experience to create an equally rapid response for those who needed it most by sharing the skills we take for granted every day. Working with Digital Unite we realised that our people had the skills but lacked knowledge of the issue and the confidence to offer help; everyone in Capgemini has something to offer; and we bring a different perspective through our natural proactivity and interest in innovation."

Creating a learning and engagement initiative

"Together we created Inspire – a learning and engagement initiative designed to galvanise action in the community across our teams while working remotely. Arming our people with an understanding of how easy it is to help others to develop basic digital literacy skills, and building on their natural creativity, proactivity and passion for helping others, we have created a model that can have exponential impact. This is also a great starting point for many of our employees who may later go on to be longer term supporters of Digital Champions," said Sally.

Sharing skills and knowledge

"What we’ve realised through our work with Digital Unite, is that a small act of sharing the skills and knowledge we take for granted every day can make a huge difference to someone.

"You may not know that you’re already doing it. How many of us have helped a family member, neighbour or colleague adjust and use digital tools during the pandemic? Simple things like showing someone how to use Zoom, pay bills online, and use Google to find information.

"The knowledge that this is what digital skills volunteering means – you don’t need to be an expert to help someone – is game changing. Through our Inspire training programme, we’re equipping our people with this knowledge and giving them an understanding of how basic digital exclusion can be."

Pledging to support others

Across the business Capgemini people are pledging to help with a range f aspects inclusing:

Confidence – encouraging some of the 11m people who can’t use the internet without help to experiment and try new things, such as online shopping
Staying connected – helping to combat loneliness
Getting access to basic services, such as health, financial and benefits
Improving job prospects – accessing opportunities and new skills

"It's inclusive for society and inclusive for our people: everyone can get involved," said Sally.

"Better still, the Inspire model is scalable. So, this is just the start of our journey. We’re looking at how we can share Inspire with our charity networks and clients," mentions Sally.

"From the outset of our partnership with Digital Unite we knew we were proposing something different. We wanted to bring corporate skills to help charities scale and extend their reach. Now through Inspire we’re aiming to help more employers support more local communities as we all get to grips with new ways of working remotely and all that comes with it."

Helping to provide a bridge between technology and society

Commenting previously on the Capgemini / Digital Unite relationship, Paul Margetts, Managing Director of the UK Business Unit of Capgemini and Chair of the UK Corporate Social Responsibility Board said: “As a responsible company, our aim is to help make the digital revolution an opportunity for all and provide a bridge between technology and society. We believe the lack of basic digital skills should not limit work or life and we want to help create a digitally literate population, who can stay connected and be the next generation of digital innovators. Staying true to our philosophy of ‘People Matter’ this collaboration will allow us to help accelerate the impact of Digital Unite’s Digital Champions Network, building scale and impact for the UK.”