Diversity and inclusion
We work hard to make PwC a place where people of all backgrounds can thrive and build a fulfilling career. Our firm cultivates a diverse and inclusive environment – not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it spurs innovation, drives growth, and helps us to sustain a competitive advantage in the marketplace.
Diversity expands our point of view and deepens our ability to provide clients with the highest level of service. It lets us see risks and opportunities through different lenses and develop innovative solutions.
From our senior leadership to our local office staff, diversity is woven into the experiences we create for our people and clients. At the national level, our chief diversity officer reports directly to our US chairman and senior partner, and is supported by subject matter experts and advisors in our Office of Diversity. At a local level, diversity leaders are integrated into market leadership teams; they drive local efforts to embed diversity into our overall business strategy. We invest in numerous programs, affinity groups, and networking forums to support women, ethnic and racial minorities, GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender) professionals, people with disabilities, parents, white men, and other groups.
Our diversity efforts have focused on developing our people at all stages of their careers. For example, during PwC’s annual partner meetings, senior partner Bob Moritz emphasized the importance of sponsoring diverse protégés. We introduced a toolkit that outlines successful advocacy, including the business case, guidelines, tips, internal resources, suggested reading, and more. The centerpiece of the guide is a series of videos – real-life examples of partners and diverse staff who share their personal experiences.
We strive to increase the percentages of women and minorities at the partner and leadership levels, and today, our partnership is more diverse than ever before. In 2011, we admitted over 50 women and minorities to the partnership. But we still have work to do. We’re working hard to retain our people today so we can benefit from more diverse leadership in the future.
Diversity awards
We’re proud to be frequently recognized for our diversity efforts. In 2011, DiversityInc ranked us as Number 3 on its list of the Top 50 Companies for Diversity in the US – our fourth appearance among the Top 10. We were also recognized as a Top 10 company for executive women, working mothers, Asian Americans, and GLBT employees.
In 2011, we were named for the eighth consecutive time to Working Mother’s “100 Best Companies” list. We have made significant investments to support working parents by offering best-in-class parental leave, emergency backup child- and eldercare, sabbaticals, and networking circles, among other family-friendly benefits.
Honoring the legacy of MLK
In January 2012, we kicked off a new program to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. We’re furthering our commitment to youth education by funding public school programs related to MLK and civil rights through DonorsChoose.org. In just the first few months of the program, our investment has impacted more than 24,000 students nationwide in over 200 classroom projects relating to MLK, diversity, and inclusion.
Diversity data
New hires who are women
%
New hires who are minorities
%
Partnership who are women
%
Partnership who are minorities
%
| Type | FY2010 | FY2011 |
|---|---|---|
| Percentage of new hires who are women | 50% | 42% |
| Percentage of new hires who are minorities | 28% | 33% |
| Percentage of partnership who are women | 17% | 17% |
| Percentage of partnership who are minorities | 7% | 10% |
Supporting GLBT professionals
Since 2006, PwC has received a 100% rating on the Corporate Equality Index for the Human Rights Campaign, an organization dedicated to promoting equality for GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender) professionals.
As of this year, PwC will provide tax equalization benefits to all staff with domestic partners covered under the firm's medical plans. Unlike spousal benefits, domestic partner benefits are taxed at a federal, state, and local level. PwC is the first Big Four firm to extend this benefit to all staff with same-sex or opposite-sex domestic partners. We took this action because we believe it’s the right thing to do, and we’re proud to be at the forefront of this issue.
PwC was the first of the Big Four accounting firms to convene a board of openly gay partners to advise us on GLBT initiatives – a strategy that includes an intensified focus on career development for our highest-performing gay managers, senior managers, and directors. In addition to serving as role models in their local markets, the board visits offices around the country to meet with partners and staff and encourage dialogue.