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Awards
- ON Awards 2012
- ON Awards 2011
- ON Awards 2010
  - 2009 Case Studies
    - Advancing Women in Business Award
      - Eversheds
      - McDonalds
      - PricewaterhouseCoopers
- RfO Awards 2012
- RfO Awards 2011

PricewaterhouseCoopers

What

This case study outlines PricewaterhouseCoopers’ LLP (PwC) strategic approach to diversity and inclusion and how it is working to increase the number of women at partner level. It recognised that for diversity to be seen as a business priority within the firm its leaders needed to be motivated to create meaningful change. It developed a strategic approach to deliver diversity and transformation at both an organisational and individual level. The strategy has three elements – monitoring, support and awareness. These three elements have helped ensure that its leaders are both intellectually and emotionally engaged to
drive change.

An example of this in action is its Women’s Leadership Programme which is designed to support women through to partnership.

The programme includes a senior male sponsor for each participant whose role it is to coach, challenge and support the female in their career development. This helps to build the gender intelligence of both participants and sponsors and allows the sponsors to see the organisation through a woman’s eyes. PwC has found that this has encouraged senior men to take an active role in dismantling those aspects of corporate culture which work against women’s progression.

Why

The data the firm has collected shows that its retention rates are better for women than men, but women’s advancement rates remain a challenge. Women represent 49% of its workforce but make up 13% of its partners. PwC acknowledges that its business depends on its ability to attract and retain the most talented people, whatever their background and whatever their gender. It is keen to increase the number of women partners to ensure that its talented staff have role models which strengthen their aspirations for partnership. Its Women’s Leadership Programme is all about actions to support women and promote awareness among men and women.

How

PwC believes that excellent monitoring and management information are crucial to underpin tactical interventions. It has found that great data helps its leaders to really understand the issues and take action. The company used its in-house actuaries to develop a flow rate model which explored the underlying trends in women’s advancement and exposed any blockages. It has used this data to set targets for improvement. The second element of its strategy is support. When any blockages are identified it can specifically target its action by offering additional sources of support an example of this is its Women’s Leadership Programme. The third element of its strategy is awareness. Its people are encouraged to take personal responsibility for diversity, by first and foremost better understanding themselves and how they may be ‘part of the problem’. Its diversity and bias awareness training has helped people to consciously control biases and preferences and realise that diversity is not about treating everyone the same but being curious about differences.

29% of new partners in July 2008 were women, compared with 13% in July 2007
The firm now has more than 100 female partners.
The business unit which piloted the Women’s Leadership Programme had not admitted a woman to partnership in 2006 or 2007. In 2008, 20% of its new partners were women. They had all participated in the Women’s Leadership programme.
The UK Executive Board has commissioned further programmes for other minority groups. From 1 July 2009 the Women’s Leadership Programme will be rolled out across the entire business