29 January 2026, London: The GSMA, which represents the mobile connectivity industry and ecosystem worldwide, today announced that the #ChangeTheFace Alliance will formally join its portfolio of global programmes, marking a major milestone in the sector’s collective journey toward greater diversity and inclusion.
Since its inception, the #ChangeTheFace Alliance has become a catalyst for industry-wide action on diversity and inclusion. The Alliance has united global technology companies, consultancy firms, NGOs, and industry bodies to collaborate on common initiatives, share insights through an open-source portal with the wider tech industry, and drive collective progress on diversity and inclusion. Its initiatives include ground-breaking research such as the Neurodiversity in Tech Report (2023), the largest workplace study of its kind, and ongoing advocacy at major global forums such as the UN General Assembly, World Economic Forum, and Mobile World Congress. The Alliance received the GLOMO Award for Diversity in Tech at MWC Barcelona 2022.
The integration of the #ChangeTheFace Alliance with the GSMA’s “Connectivity for Good” programme brings together two movements with a shared mission: to build a technology and telecoms sector that truly reflects the diversity of the world it serves. This builds on GSMA’s existing work to advance inclusion across the mobile ecosystem, and will create a stronger global platform for collaboration, scale, and lasting industry impact.
The #ChangeTheFace Alliance will continue as a member‑led alliance, governed and strategically directed by its independent Board. The Board will retain oversight and authority for the Alliance’s work, ensuring continuity of purpose and accountability to members. The GSMA will host the Alliance’s administration and align with its wider diversity and inclusion initiatives to help accelerate impact and scale progress globally across the technology ecosystem.
Existing members will continue as part of the integrated programme at the GSMA, working together to shape the next phase of the Alliance, further expand participation globallyacross the technology sector, and launch new impactful initiatives at even greater scale. Progress and outcomes will be shared at the GSMA’s flagship events, including MWC Barcelona and the M360 series.
Lara Dewar, Chief Marketing Officer of the GSMA, said: “The #ChangetheFace Alliance has already demonstrated the power of collective action to challenge stereotypes and drive inclusion in the tech sector. We are honoured to build on this foundation, working with our partners to expand the Alliance’s work and ensure that our industry represents the rich diversity of the communities it connects, and the people it serves. Building diversity is not only the right thing to do; it is essential for innovation, growth and trust in our digital age.”
The GSMA also paid tribute to Serpil Timuray, Founding Chair of the #ChangeTheFace Alliance, for her leadership in guiding the movement. “Serpil’s vision and leadership have been central to establishing the Alliance as a catalyst for industry change,” added Dewar. “We are proud to continue this important work and thank Serpil for inspiring our sector to act with ambition and purpose.”
Serpil Timuray, Founding Chair of the #ChangeTheFace Alliance, said: “The #ChangeTheFace Alliance was created to unite the global industry behind a shared mission to make the technology sector more inclusive for customers and employees. I am proud of how far we have come and deeply grateful to all our members for their invaluable commitment, collaboration, and impact. The GSMA is the perfect home for the Alliance’s next chapter, with its shared purpose and global platform to further scale our impact. I am excited for this new growth phase for the #ChangeTheFace Alliance and thank the GSMA for enabling this tremendous opportunity to enhance collaboration and drive lasting change across the global technology sector.”
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About #ChangeTheFace
The #ChangeTheFace movement was launched by Vodafone in 2020 as a pledge campaign to drive greater diversity and inclusion across the technology sector. In September 2021, it evolved into the #ChangeTheFace Alliance, bringing together leading global technology companies, consultancy firms, NGOs, and industry bodies committed to accelerating industry-wide change. Alliance members include organisations such as Colt, Cyta, Deloitte, Digital Boost, Founders4Schools, ITU, Korn Ferry, Nokia, UN Women, and Vodafone. Through collective action, members collaborate on shared initiatives, exchange insights and best practices, and work together to advance diversity and inclusion across the global technology ecosystem
About GSMA
The GSMA is a global organisation unifying the mobile ecosystem to discover, develop and deliver innovation foundational to positive business environments and societal change. Our vision is to unlock the full power of connectivity so that people, industry, and society thrive. Representing mobile operators and organisations across the mobile ecosystem and adjacent industries, the GSMA delivers for its members across three broad pillars: Connectivity for Good, Industry Services and Solutions, and Outreach. This activity includes advancing policy, tackling today’s biggest societal challenges, underpinning the technology and interoperability that make mobile work, and providing the world’s largest platform to convene the mobile ecosystem at the MWC and M360 series of events.
We invite you to find out more at gsma.com
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