BU Hosts Secretary Jones to Mark Workforce Equity Milestone

May 30, 2025 | Duan Family Center for Computing & Data Sciences

Speakers: Azer Bestavros, BU Associate Provost, Faculty of Computing & Data Sciences; Evelyn Murphy, Former Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor and BWWC Co-Chair; Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Lauren Jones; President and CEO of the Associated Industries of Massachusetts Brooke Thomson; Principal Investigator Neha Gondal, BU Associate Professor of Sociology and Computing and Data Sciences

Access the 2025 Workforce Data Report & Dashboard

Boston University proudly welcomed Secretary Lauren Jones of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (EOLWD) to the Duan Family Center for Computing & Data Sciences on May 30, marking a milestone event in the ongoing pursuit of workplace equity.

The occasion—centered around the release of the 2025 Workforce Data Report —celebrated a decade of innovation, partnership, and impact made possible through BU’s long-standing collaboration with the Boston Women’s Workforce Council (BWWC and led by Executive Director Kimberly Borman). All event partners addressed the audience, reflecting on the unique public-private partnership driving progress for wage equity across Massachusetts.

Since 2014, BU has worked hand-in-hand with the BWWC to build a secure, privacy-preserving data platform that enables employers to share sensitive wage data confidentially. The original effort, led by Azer Bestavros—now Associate Provost for Computing & Data Sciences—responded to a call from the City of Boston for a technical solution to analyze pay equity without exposing individual or corporate data.

“A technology we initially developed in support of the Boston Women’s Workforce Council privacy-preserving reports on gender pay equity, expanded greatly for over a decade through NSF and DARPA awards, is the catalyst for what is now the law of the land on pay transparency in Massachusetts,” said Bestavros. “It’s our privilege to be entrusted with hosting and operating the technology platform for implementing that law -- that's what societally relevant convergent research impact looks like!”

That initiative laid the groundwork for the Frances Perkins Workplace Equity Act, signed into law by Governor Maura Healey in 2024, and has supported five influential BWWC reports to date. The platform continues to evolve, with faculty leaders Neha Gondal, Mayank Varia, and John Liagouris at the helm, supported by major funding from the National Science Foundation and DARPA.

“Massachusetts is home to the world’s best talent. But we need to make sure that everyone is able to participate in and succeed in our economy,” said Governor Maura Healey. “This report shows that we have made important progress to bring more women and people of color into our workforce, but that more work needs to be done to address racial and gender disparities. This data will be an important tool to guide our efforts to provide more workforce development opportunities and partner with employers and labor to support workers and strengthen our economy.”

The project has become a cornerstone of BU’s commitment to public-interest technology and experiential learning. Students contributing to the platform gain hands-on experience solving real-world problems, from data de-duplication to advanced cryptographic protections, while making meaningful contributions to equity-focused policy work.

“This is the kind of research that not only opens doors—it shapes futures,” said Bestavros. “Our students aren't just learning; they're helping build the tools that power policy.”

BU Workforce Data Report Release Evelyn Murphy
Evelyn Murphy, Former Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor and Co-Chair of the BWWC

Among the dignitaries and thought leaders participating in the event were:

  • Secretary Lauren Jones, Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development

  • Evelyn Murphy, Former Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor and Co-Chair of the BWWC

  • Brooke M. Thomson, President & CEO, Associated Industries of Massachusetts

  • Josh Cutler, Undersecretary of Labor

  • Neha Gondal and Mayank Varia, Principal Investigators and Professors at Boston University

As leaders shared their reflections on the report and its significance, Secretary Jones emphasized the state’s continued commitment to advancing equity:

“This report will help move Massachusetts forward as we tackle gender and racial wage disparities and inequities within the workplace,” said Secretary Jones. “Following this report, the Healey-Driscoll Administration will continue to work with stakeholders, including employers, to develop and implement policies that attract and retain skilled, diverse talent right here in Massachusetts.”

Evelyn Murphy highlighted Massachusetts’ unique approach to data-driven equity and the role of public policy in shaping economic opportunity:

“We live in a time when big data can enhance decision-making in the public sector. Massachusetts is the only state collecting EEO filings by employers—securing and aggregating individual filings—for economic progress not employer punishment,” said Murphy, Co-Chair of the Boston Women’s Workforce Council. “The Healey-Driscoll Administration deserves enormous credit for embracing workplace equity as a significant contributor to the Massachusetts economy.”

Download the 2025 Workforce Data Report

Key Learnings & Findings

At the report release event, Neha Gondal—principal investigator and associate professor of Sociology and Computing & Data Sciences—highlighted several key findings, including:2025 Workforce Data Report

  • Greater Diversity in the Largest Employers: Companies with 2,500 or more employees demonstrate higher levels of racial and gender diversity—possibly due to more robust HR infrastructure and diversity strategies. See "Racial-Ethnic Distribution of EEO-1 Workforce by Organizational Size."
  • Gender Balance in Private Sector: Women make up 54% of the workforce in reporting private-sector companies, with higher representation in healthcare, education, and administrative support roles.
  • Persistent Occupational Disparities: Black and Hispanic workers remain overrepresented in lower-wage roles, such as service work, laborers, and administrative, and underrepresented in executive and managerial positions. Senior executive roles remain disproportionately held by white men.
  • Gender Gaps in Male-Dominated Industries: Women remain significantly underrepresented in traditionally male-dominated fields such as construction, mining, and utilities.
  • Shifting Demographics in Public Education: New hires in public schools show modest gains in racial diversity. However, school leadership positions lack racial diversity, with 62% of principal roles held by white employees.
  • Public Education Workforce is Predominantly Female: Women comprise 77% of the public education workforce, and more than 74% of new hires, reflecting long-standing gender imbalances in the field.
  • Progress in Finance and Professional Services: These sectors show more balanced gender representation than traditionally expected, indicating positive movement toward workplace representation.
  • Asian Workers Often Concentrated in Professional Fields: Asian employees have relatively high representation in professional roles, especially in healthcare, tech, and information and scientific sectors.

Quick Links:

Share this:

View all posts