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The issue of the lack of women in leadership is not just a concern for PricewaterhouseCoopers. It has implication upon several industries and sectors.
Last year, Catalyst asked women about the barriers they face in their advancement in business. They told us that there were a number of challenges such as stereotyping and preconceptions about the role that a woman might play in an institution. Catalyst identified that the commitment that women have to family or personal responsibilities is often mentioned, as is the lack of mentoring that a woman might receive in an organisation.
Maybe the hardest of these to address is the first — that some stereotypes appear more entrenched than others.
Women at PwC
Over 50 percent of the people we recruit into our organisation around the world are female, but only 13 percent of our partners overall are women. We’re bringing in talent at the beginning of the cycle, but we're not nurturing that talent to lead.
We have to do a better job of ensuring that the women in our organisation have the opportunity to grow, develop a rewarding career, lead big engagements, run business units, and participate on management teams. We have to make sure our partners are aware that there's an issue and it's one we have to deal with, not just talk about.
Acting on our commitment
Many of our firms around the world have made great progress and have implemented innovative programmes to help our women on the path to leadership.
But we also have to set the tone at the top of the firm, at the global level, which is why I created the Gender Advisory Council. We're developing the tools and the support around the network to start to make a real difference. Not only are the leaders in the firm becoming more enlightened on this subject, but a growing majority of our partners understand that advancing women into leadership roles isn’t just a strategic imperative. It's a necessity.
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