PwC at Workday Rising 2023: A week of innovation and community

I had the pleasure of spending last week in San Francisco at Workday Rising, alongside global Workday leaders, clients, and enthusiasts and some immensely talented PwC team members. This year’s conference highlighted Workday’s dedication to providing trustworthy, innovative tech solutions that can empower organizations to adapt and excel in the evolving world of work, with the implementer ecosystem at its center.

As PwC’s Global Workday Practice Leader, I felt that Rising spoke to the core of what we’re focused on as a firm and as a practice — a human-led, tech-powered approach built on trust. Here are my three key takeaways from an inspirational week:

1. The impetus for AI adoption is evolving from a rush to embrace new tech to realized operational efficiencies

Workday unveiled AI enhancements to Workday Adaptive Planning to offer faster insights and streamline finance and HR planning processes, helping to improve decision-making for complex enterprise challenges.

Workday’s innovation power and adaptability (pun intended) across industries help make it a planning leader in the marketplace — combining user experience and leading AI technology to support those of our clients pursuing business model reinvention.

2. But mitigating AI risks should remain top of mind across the C-suite

AI is bringing unimaginable potential — but with great possibility comes great risks. Ongoing governance and regulatory compliance will likely be foundational to helping companies harness the power of AI in an ethical and responsible manner, from strategy to execution. Responsible AI was a common theme throughout the Workday Rising week.

PwC’s Responsible AI Toolkit is a suite of customizable frameworks, tools and processes designed to address an organization’s unique business requirements and AI maturity.

3. Building a sustainable business takes more than good intentions

Clearer ESG reporting helps build long-term value — governments and financial institutions are pushing for greater transparency and reliability in carbon data disclosure, and this data is now subject to auditing for compliance.

Navigating this complex regulatory landscape and choosing the right technology for carbon reporting can be crucial. Carbon ledger reporting, an excellent illustration of co-innovation coming to life by combining Workday’s technology platform with PwC’s business solutions, is helping clients simplify and centralize greenhouse gas emissions data. This carbon ledger reporting solution is also available in Workday Solutions Marketplace, a new marketplace by Workday which was unveiled last week.

As I reflect back on an incredible week

I’m encouraged by the sentiment shared by Workday’s co-CEO, Aneel Bhusri, during a keynote: “We work side-by-side to help you adapt, transform and lead the future of work.” I plan to carry this sentiment as my North Star during the coming year.