Currently, Accenture has 150,000 women, which is nearly 40 percent of its global workforce.
As organisations across the globe make significant investments in correcting their gender diversity numbers, one organisation has decided to balance it in its true sense. Accenture recently declared that it will achieve a gender-balanced workforce, with 50 percent women and 50 percent men, by 2025.
Although it may sound utopian at a time when organisations are struggling to find the right women talent to fit leadership roles, Accenture has already achieved a 40 percent score in having women at the workplace. Currently, Accenture has 150,000 women, which is nearly 40 percent of its global workforce.
Talking of why it is important to have more women in the workplace, Pierre Nanterme, chairman and CEO, Accenture, says, “Diversity makes our business stronger and more innovative and, most important, it makes the world a better place. With this new goal, we are sending an important message to our people and our clients confirming our commitment to a gender-balanced workforce.”
Over the past several years, the company has set milestones on the path to gender equality. These include – setting a goal to reach 40 percent women new hires by 2017 – and already having achieved it a year early; promoting its largest percentage of women to the managing director level in 2016 (30 percent); and growing its percentage of women managing directors to 25 percent globally by 2020.
The company has taken a number of steps to attract, retain, advance and sponsor women on the path to achieving a gender balanced workforce. These include:
• Sponsoring the company’s most senior women to advance in P&L roles. Since its inception six years ago, approximately 80 percent of the women in the global executive leadership program have been promoted or have significantly expanded their areas of responsibility.
• Delivering on a commitment to transparency. The company has set and published clear, measurable targets to grow its number of women, and has published its workforce demographics in many countries including the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Japan, India and ASEAN countries.
• Launching initiatives that provide women with in-demand skills. For example, the company’s Women in Technology program helps fast-track the careers of high-performing women toward the position of Technical Architect, a high-demand and short-supply role.
• Collaborating across businesses and governments to further gender equality in the workplace, with commitments that include the White House Equal Pay Pledge, Paradigm for Parity, and Catalyst CEO Champions for Change.
“We embrace diversity as a source of creativity and competitive advantage,” says Ellyn Shook, chief leadership and human resources officer at Accenture. “As we work toward ‘50 by 25,’ our ultimate goal is to create a truly human environment where people have a real sense of belonging, where they can show up every day, be who they are and be their best, both professionally and personally.”