article_snippet.sent: Smith wrote on the blog: 'It's simple, Microsoft is stronger when Microsoft expand opportunity and Microsoft have a diverse workforce that represents Microsoft customers.'
article_snippet.sent: Microsoft is now focusing on diversity.
article_snippet.sent: Tech companies, particularly the engineering ranks, are overwhelmingly male, white and Asian.
article_snippet.sent: Criticized for Tech companies, particularly the engineering ranks lack of diversity, major companies say major companies are trying to address the problem with programs such as employee training sessions and by participating in initiatives meant to introduce girls to coding.
article_snippet.sent: Twenty-nine percent of Microsoft's employees are women, according to figures Microsoft released Last year.
article_snippet.sent: Microsoft technical and engineering staff and Microsoft management are just 17 percent female.
article_snippet.sent: That's roughly comparable to diversity data released by other big tech companies Last year.