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Standing up for LGBT+ equality and inclusion
Every day, our LGBT+ professionals bring their authentic selves to work, making our workplace culture brighter.
#PwCPride
At PwC, we’re committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone can be themselves, including our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT+) people.
From sponsoring pride parades around the world, to adding respect for sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression into our Global Code of Conduct, to issuing a Global Human Rights statement, there are many examples of PwC’s commitment to LGBT+ inclusion around the world.
Supporting LGBT+ inclusion isn’t just the right thing to do. An inclusive workplace enables us to embrace the diverse backgrounds and perspectives of all our people to create better outcomes for clients and society.
To mark Pride Month 2019, our leaders share what Pride means to them.
"Leaders need to be active advocates and allies for LGBT+ equality and inclusion. They can't hide from or ignore these issues – we must be loud in our support for LGBT+ colleagues."
Bringing our global LGBT+ community together
From 28-30 June 2019, PwC organised its first ever Global LGBT+ summit in New York, in conjunction with the World Pride celebration and the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising.
The Summit brought together 200 PwC LGBT+ leaders and staff from 28 countries to share knowledge, network and talk about LGBT+ issues. On the agenda was a keynote from the Founder and Principal of Out Leadership Todd Sears and a private screening of the Lavender Scare, the first documentary to tell the story of an unrelenting campaign in the 1950s by the US federal government to identify and fire all employees suspected of being homosexual. For live perspectives from the Summit, follow @PwC, #PwCPride and #PwCProud.
Perspectives from the Summit
What were your top takeaways from the Summit?
Amelia Kondilios, Senior Manager, PwC Australia
“The PwC LGBT+ Global Summit provided me with the opportunity to meet and build relationships with other members of the Global LGBT+ PwC Community. This is already allowing us to expand and strengthen the existing network we have in Australia as we can draw different experiences and ideas when shaping the strategy and objectives of our own network. The Summit also gave the Australian firm an opportunity to share our experiences on the Marriage Equality debate and vote that happened in November 2017. The panel, run by James Collins (Chief of Staff, PwC Australia) was incredibly well received and provided some great discussion points for everyone who attended the Summit!”
How did it feel to network with colleagues from around the world?
Michelle Severino, Senior Associate, PwC Mexico
“It was great to meet people from around the world and identify that we have the same values. It doesn't matter that we speak different languages, we are proud of who we are and proud of being part of the PwC team. Now I know that in another country, there's someone like me who can support me and who I can support. #PwCProud"
What impact has the Summit made on you personally?
Lourens Klopper, Manager, PwC South Africa
“The Summit renewed the energy in me - the energy to unashamedly be myself - in the workplace and thrive in it! I met so many role models - Partners, Associate Directors and other senior staff, who are so successful at what they do at PwC, and yet they fall in the LGBT space. It just reminded me that I can be myself and be successful at PwC - because PwC allows me to Shine!”
What impact has the Summit made on you personally?
Joshua Cooper, Manager, PwC United States
“Hearing the stories of my LGBT+ colleagues from around the world made me realize how much privilege we have living in the United States, while at the same time how much work we still have to do in the US for the LGBT+ community. It was an amazing experience hearing from our Global Chairman, Bob Moritz, and Global Diversity Leader, Sharmila Karve, about what the firm is doing to make PwC an inclusive work environment around the world!”
We’re partnering with other organisations to make progress on LGBT+ equality
Partnership for Global LGBTI Equality
In collaboration with the World Economic Forum, this coalition of organisations works together to advance global progress for equality and social and economic inclusion for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people.
Open for Business coalition
A coalition of leading global companies dedicated to LGBT+ inclusion. It aims to present the business rationale on global LGBT+ inclusion: successful, enterprising businesses thrive in diverse, inclusive societies and the spread of anti-LGBT+ policies runs counter to the interests of business and economic growth.
Out Leadership and OutNext
A global LGBT+ business network which helps Out Leaders and organisations realise the economic growth and talent dividend derived from inclusive business. PwC has partnered with Out Leadership on a research project and we are one of three sponsors for its talent development initiative for high-performing LGBT+ future leaders, OutNEXT.
Hear from our leaders
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Driving LGBT+ equality across PwC
Learn more about the career stories of our LGBT+ talent:
Liesbeth Botha
As the sponsoring partner for PwC Africa’s LGBT “Be Yourself” network, Botha is proud of the difference it is making for younger people in the organisation who weren’t yet comfortable being out at work.
“I don’t fit into any box as a woman engineer, with a PhD from one of the leading universities in the United States, then working in academia, moving to leadership positions, and finally joining a professional services firm. Since nothing ‘fits together,’ so to speak, it shows others that being different can give you an advantage.”
Ruth Punter
For PwC’s Ruth Punter, diversity takes many forms. Most obviously, of course, she is a woman working with clients in the male-dominated financial services industry. She is also an openly out gay woman, and takes care to mention her intermittent mental health challenges that have underlined for her the importance of having an open and supportive working environment.
“It’s important for people to be able to be themselves and have a chance to shine in all their forms of diversity.”
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