FEATURES
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Posted Mar 13, 2009
 PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) was the first of the major accounting firms to become a national diversity leader. What's truly remarkable about PwC is their relentless pursuit of diversity-management excellence and their deep comprehension that diversity is a quickly evolving discipline--and that to succeed, they need to be constantly improving. |
 The firm clearly understands the importance of diversity to its direct lines of business and in recent years has named critical line partners to the post of chief diversity officer. The current CDO, Roy Weathers, is a tax partner and one of U.S. Chairman and Senior Partner Dennis Nally's seven direct reports.
PwC definitely values branding its diversity commitment as a key trigger for recruitment, retention, talent development, client acquisition and retention, community development and supplier diversity. The firm's web site and internal and external communications consistently reflect the importance of diversity in every aspect of its business. The work-force demographics demonstrate that commitment. For a company in professional services, having new hires who are 31 percent Asian, Black, Latino and American Indian and 51.6 percent women is commendable. The company continues its demographic diversity, even at the highest levels. Of Nally's direct reports, one is Black, one is Asian and two are women.
The company retains and develops its key employees through a robust mentoring program and cutting-edge work/life programs, including "Full Circle Program," an on-ramping and off-ramping program; Mentor Moms; National Special Needs Caregiver Circle; and the Working Parents microsite, which includes a Prepared Parent planner, an executive-health program, reimbursement for emergency back-up care, firmwide holiday shutdowns and emergency backup childcare centers. The firm also has a perfect score for benefits for same-sex domestic partners of employees.
PwC is No. 1 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Global Diversity Companies for its deep-rooted commitment to inclusiveness in all its operations worldwide, including company-sanctioned global employee-resource groups and working globally to change laws perceived as oppressive.
The firm also surveys its employees on diversity through focus groups, exit interviews, Point of View dialogues and national and local meetings with management, including town halls with Nally.
PwC has a long history of giving back to the community. Eighteen percent of its philanthropic budget goes to multicultural organizations. The firm also has increased its supplier-diversity efforts and is working with suppliers to help them understand how to do business with the Big Four accounting firms. |
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Dennis Nally, U.S. Chairman and Senior Partner
"Our commitment to diversity has not wavered during this incredibly challenging time for our country, our global economy and for each of our businesses. While we must focus on the immediate and burning challenges we and our clients are facing in today's environment, we also understand that we must continue to attract, retain and develop the best talent, particularly our diverse talent. That talent will be the key driver in maintaining our competitiveness in the marketplace. In fact, I believe that our focus on diversity positions us to emerge from this downturn even stronger than before." |
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Roy Weathers, Tax Partner and U.S. Chief Diversity Officer
"Even when times are tough, courageous leaders do the right thing. Some may rationalize that it would be understandable for a business to take its eye off diversity in these challenging times; but that's not what leadership is about. Leadership requires an ability to take the longer view. We have a unique opportunity right now to invest in and enhance our diverse talent, understanding that investing today promotes innovation, enhances perspectives and solidifies global relevance for our clients' business, as well as our own." |
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Specialty Lists
- No. 1 in The DiversityInc Top 10
Global Diversity Companies
- No. 3 in The DiversityInc Top 10
Companies for LGBT Employees
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Industry
Professional Services
Main Competitors
Deloitte, Ernst & Young, KPMG
U.S. Headquarters
New York |
Number of U.S. Employees
30,440
Annual Revenue
$28.2 billion
% of Operations Outside U.S.
68 |
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