As the mobile industry grapples with rapid transformation, the GSMA is using its new Voice Campaign to place diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) at the centre of how the sector understands its people, cultures and broader ecosystem.

Unveiled at MWC 2025, a year-long global survey aims to build the most detailed picture yet of DEI across the mobile sector. Speaking to Mobile World Live, Lara Dewar, CMO at the GSMA, explained the campaign’s ambition was to gather data from member organisations to better reflect diversity “not just in terms of roles and geographies”, but the lived experiences of people shaping the industry today.

She added that the timing of the project remains crucial, “because this is a pivotal moment as we face the emergence of an increasingly AI-driven world: connectivity is more essential than ever and ensuring that various perspectives are valued and considered will be critical to driving innovation, growth, and equity across the ecosystem”.

Perhaps more urgently, the GSMA’s push comes as DEI initiatives have faced setbacks as some of the industry’s most prominent players move in the opposite direction under US President Donald Trump’s administration. T-Mobile US and Verizon both axed their DEI programmes this year to align with Trump’s policy directions, a move that coincided with the operators receiving regulatory approvals for billion-dollar acquisitions. AT&T and Google are also amongst those who have scaled back DEI efforts this year. In May, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chair Brendan Carr hailed the shedding of DEI initiatives as “consistent with the law and the public interest,” marking a sharp shift in tone for corporate diversity efforts in the US.

Against this backdrop, the GSMA Voice campaign seeks to make the mobile industry more representative, equitable and inclusive. Dewar said the campaign, which is central to the GSMA’s Diversity4Tech forum, “signals to our members and the wider ecosystem that DEI is not a “nice-to-have,” but a business imperative”.

Beyond the numbers
The survey itself reflects the campaign’s human-centric philosophy. Dewar explained that it was designed with Dublin-based software company Inclusio to go beyond surface-level demographics, aiming to illuminate how employees experience inclusion and equity at work. By collecting these insights, the GSMA intends to create a baseline for measuring progress and informing actionable change.

“We want to capture meaningful insights into the people and culture within our member organisations. That means exploring representation, equity, belonging, and opportunity,” Dewar noted. She emphasised that the Voice Campaign is about more than data; lived experience remains central.

“When we say this campaign is about more than data, we mean that it’s about the people behind the numbers; their voices, their stories, their sense of being seen and included,” she explained. “The survey provides a platform for those perspectives, ensuring that industry-wide strategies and policies are shaped by real lived experiences, not just statistics.”

However, Dewar pointed out that diversity in the workplace is not only a moral imperative but also a smart business move. “There is a positive link between diverse teams and employee satisfaction, creativity and corporate profitability, so there is a business imperative for this focus,” she highlighted.

Catalyst for change
By gathering these insights, the GSMA intends to create a baseline for measuring progress, informing actionable change, and upholding transparency and accountability. Findings from the survey are expected to shape company policies on talent development, leadership and organisational culture, while also informing industry-wide norms.

Indeed, Dewar sees the campaign driving change across the value chain. At the policy level, it could inform advocacy for inclusive practices that benefit both business and society. Within companies, it serves as a benchmarking tool to enable concrete steps toward equity and representation. Meanwhile, at an industry level, the initiative sets a new standard “that listening to and acting on the experiences of our people is fundamental to our success”.

“Our hope is that this campaign becomes a catalyst for change on multiple levels,” she remarked.

Measuring success
The GSMA plans to share the survey’s findings at MWC 2026, alongside insights and stories that reflect the diversity of the sector. And while the industry association has set a target of gathering at least 1,000 responses, Dewar stressed that the real measure of success is the impact of the findings in tangibly “influencing how companies think about talent, leadership, and culture”.

“We want to stand on the MWC stage and demonstrate that, together, we are building a more inclusive industry, with tangible actions and commitments flowing directly from what this campaign has uncovered,” she stated.

Ultimately, the initiative aims to move beyond raw data to a shared vision of inclusivity. “Long-term, we want to embed a culture of listening, learning, and leading inclusively throughout the mobile ecosystem,” Dewar stated.

Indeed, the Voice Campaign aims to set a benchmark for how the mobile industry understands and shapes its most valuable resource – people.