The new digital minister, Margot James, is to write to technology firms including Facebook, Google and Twitter to request that they adopt the Tech Talent Charter – a set of measures seeking to address the lack of women in senior posts at these high-profile businesses.

The Tech Talent Charter has been signed by over 150 firms, including Cisco and Sage. Signatories commit to featuring more women in interview shortlists, as well as submitting internal data for an annual diversity report.

James said she would like to “tackle the gender imbalance in the tech workforce”.

“The charter is a timely initiative to put the UK at the forefront of tackling the gender imbalance in the tech workforce,” the minister said, noting that she would like to use the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage to urge significant technology firms, which are yet to sign the Charter, to do so.

“This week we celebrate 100 years since women gained the right to vote, so I want to expand the Tech Talent Charter’s reach and will be writing to a number of major tech firms asking them to sign up.”

The Telegraph says Facebook, Apple, Twitter, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Uber and Snapchat did not specify whether they plan to sign the charter.