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Inclusion and Diversity

Accenture is committed to attracting and retaining great people and


providing an environment where they can all develop professionally and build
rewarding careers.
Accenture does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, age,
non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, national origin, sexual
orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other basis covered by local
law. We create an inclusive environment that is rich in diversity,
acknowledges each individual's uniqueness and promotes respect, personal
achievement and stewardship.

Core Values
Two of Accenture's core values-"best people" and "respect for the individual"form the foundation of everything we do in our diversity and inclusion efforts.
This foundation allows us to link teams effectively, operate at peak
performance in both local and global markets, and deliver high performance
to our clients.

Diverse Workforce
In each region, the Accenture workforce mirrors the country's human
diversity. These local organizations are a part of the global Accenture
organization, united by a common culture and commitment to help our
clients achieve high performance. In this way, we build and maintain a global
workforce that includes people from different backgrounds, with a vast range
of skills and experience.

Cultivating a diverse workforce and inclusive work environment makes


business sense. Our peoples' varied skills are the talent engine that powers
Accenture, enabling it in turn to deliver the innovative solutions that help our
clients outperform competitors.

We also offer an array of programs and training designed specifically for


women in our workforce. Accenture is committed to attracting, retaining and
advancing women, and our number of female leaders is constantly growing.

Recognizing Who You Are


Accenture believes that people perform better when they can be themselves.
Accenture is committed to supporting Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender
(LGBT) people and creating a supportive work environment where people can
reach their full potential. Accenture has a global LGBT network which is
supported through local LGBT networks in different countries.

Vaahini Network

The diversity of our people makes Accenture exceptional . We launched


Vaahini, in conjunction with International Women's Day in 2010. This online
forum is now 20,000 members strong and continues to grow.

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Accenture Inclusion and Diversity

Accenture Inclusion & Diversity

Inclusion and diversity are fundamental to our culture and core values,
fostering an innovative, collaborative and high-energy work environment.
Having a diverse workforce of people with different capabilities, cultures,
perspectives, abilities and experiences enables Accenture to compete
effectively in the global marketplace.

Employee GroupsCross-cultural DiversityWomen

Employee Groups

Each of our local offices drive initiatives and programs to support our people
at the location and help them build strong networks, both within Accenture
and with the broader community. Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) may be
organized around a common interest: ethnicity, sexual orientation, career
path, faith or religion, family arrangement or other personal beliefs or
interests. The groups often develop based on local demand and interest, and
differ from location to location, but they all promote inclusion and diversity
through education, awareness, professional and personal development and
cross-cultural interactions. All of our ERGs are open for any of our employees
to join.
Skip to Main Content
About Accenture Newsroom Latest Thinking Careers
IndiaIndiaSelect Country Search
Careers HomeWork We DoTeam CultureYour FutureSearch and ApplyFind Your
FitAccenture High performance. Delivered.

Sign In New? Start Here


E-mail
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Questions about opportunities at Accenture?
Contact UsEmail Us
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Accenture Inclusion and Diversity

Accenture Inclusion & Diversity

Inclusion and diversity are fundamental to our culture and core values,
fostering an innovative, collaborative and high-energy work environment.
Having a diverse workforce of people with different capabilities, cultures,
perspectives, abilities and experiences enables Accenture to compete
effectively in the global marketplace.

Employee GroupsCross-cultural DiversityWomen

Cross-cultural Diversity

We sponsor activities that support teaming and learning so our people can
work more effectively across cultures. Understanding how to work in a crosscultural environment and leveraging the diversity of multiple cultures is
inherent to the unique way we do things at Accenture.

Training is a priority in Accentures overall career experience, and is one of


the most effective ways we can make inclusion and diversity part of our
culture. Accenture aims to provide our employees with the resources and
training they need to work effectively across cultures, either virtually or faceto-face, including access to online training and tips on business etiquette in
different countries.

A diverse workforce brings with it a broader skill base, creativity and


innovation that enable our people to focus on the outcomes that matter to
help our clients achieve high performance.

Skip to Main Content


About Accenture Newsroom Latest Thinking Careers
IndiaIndiaSelect Country Search
Careers HomeWork We DoTeam CultureYour FutureSearch and ApplyFind Your
FitAccenture High performance. Delivered.
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E-mail
Print
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Share on facebookShare on twitterShare on linkedin
Save
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Questions about opportunities at Accenture?
Contact UsEmail Us
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Accenture Inclusion and Diversity

Accenture Inclusion & Diversity

Inclusion and diversity are fundamental to our culture and core values,
fostering an innovative, collaborative and high-energy work environment.
Having a diverse workforce of people with different capabilities, cultures,
perspectives, abilities and experiences enables Accenture to compete
effectively in the global marketplace.

Employee GroupsCross-cultural DiversityWomen

Women

With more than 100,000 women at Accenture36% of our global workforce


we know that the success of our women around the globe is key to our
success as a company. We are committed to supporting their professional
goals and aspirations, which are as unique as the women who deliver high
performance every day. Through our global womens themeDefining
success. Your way.we strive to provide an environment and culture that
empowers our more than 100,000 women at Accenture to define their own
personal approach to success.

WORKFORCE DIVERSITY

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An organisation that is committed to a diverse workforce, therefore, is one


that aims to harness a pool of individuals with unique qualities An
organisation that is committed to a diverse workforce, therefore, is one that
aims to harness a pool of individuals with unique qualities
While the traditional notion of workplace diversity may refer to
representations of various races, genders and religious backgrounds, todays
concept of workplace diversity is all-encompassing. Aside from these
variables, considerations are also made on personality, age, cognitive style,
skillset, education, background and more.

The focus of workplace diversity now lies on the promotion of individuality


within an organisation, acknowledging that every person can bring something
different to the table.

An organisation that is committed to a diverse workforce, therefore, is one


that aims to harness a pool of individuals with unique qualities, seeing this
combination of differences as a potential for growth rather than opportunities
for conflict. Attached to this commitment is also an intention to nurture and
develop the potential of each individual.

So what is it about diversity that can give organisations an edge? Here are
several advantages of having a diverse workforce:

1 Various opinions and perspectives

Employees with different background and experiences will bring together a


variety of perspectives, thereby evoking alternative solutions and approaches
when discussing a topic or issue. If managed well, the strengths and best
insights of every individual can be harnessed to heighten productivity and
deliver better results.

According to Claudia Cadena, director of strategic human capital


management at SapuraKencana Petroleum Bhd, the composition of a team
will dictate its potential for success. There needs to be a mix of capabilities to
ensure that essential components and skills from strategic planning,

execution, follow up to communication abilities and conflict resolution are


present.

At times we overlook the need for diversity given the pressures that a limited
pool of resources puts in organisations. However, if we give in to this
pressure, we will ultimate suffer the consequences of having a workforce
composed of individuals that can only see things from the same perspective
and are unable to contribute different points of view or alternatives due to
their limited and similar background, exposure and experience, adds
Cadena.

This amalgamation of diverse individuals also sets the stage for creativity as
different ideas can be tested against one another, and new ones may be
birthed. Employees stand to experience more personal growth in an
environment where they are exposed to differences in culture, opinions and
ideas.

The more you know, the more you know you dont know, goes the
Aristotelian saying. The following can is also be said: The more you know, the
better your capacity to test and refine your own perspectives and opinions.

2 Growth of employees

Employees stand to experience more personal growth in an environment


where they are exposed to differences in culture, opinions and ideas.

The more you know, the more you know you dont know, goes the
Aristotelian saying. The following can is also be said: The more you know, the
better your capacity to test and refine your own perspectives and opinions.

Employers will have to improve their ability to adapt to different


circumstances in a diverse environment. They have to work through
differences in personality, culture and background. Underlying ethno-centric
notions may finally be brought to the fore and confronted as they learn to

work with different styles and cultures.

3 Unity of diverse strengths

Diversity also presents the opportunity to unite specific strengths to the


advantage of the organisation. As every person has different skills and
possesses varying strengths, these can be combined for greater performance
and productivity. Technical strengths in one individual can be united with the
management strengths of another, and the sales strength of yet another.

Likewise, the cultural expertise of diverse individuals can be leveraged for the
benefit of the company. Especially for global organisations, diversity in a
workforce can optimise an organisations ability to meet the needs of each
market. Representatives of specific demographics can be paired with clients
of the similar backgrounds, helping clients feel more comfortable and sense
an affinity with the employee, and thereby, the organisation.

4 Makes company attractive

From the marketplace perspective, a company that promotes workplace


diversity and an inclusive work environment adds to its attractiveness as an
employer.

A work place that is open to exploring new ideas and styles is especially
appealing for the adventurous open-minded employees of Generation Y.

If an organisation makes it known that they focus on what individuals can


bring to the table more than the candidates socio-economic background,
ethnicity and the like, they are more likely to attract a diverse range of
applicants.

5 The schedule advantage

There is also a practical advantage in having a diverse workforce. As


individuals have their unique time commitments, having a varied group helps
ensure that work tasks can be fulfilled at all times of the year.

Acknowledging that various ethnicities and religions have different


celebrations they adhere to, making sure they have a diverse group of
employees ensures there is a workforce across different festival periods
during the year.

If managed well, the strengths and best insights of every individual can be
harnessed to heighten productivity and
deliver better results. If managed well, the strengths and best insights of
every individual can be harnessed to heighten productivity and deliver better
results.
THE CHALLENGES OF DIVERSITY

There are, however, natural obstacles to embracing and implementing


diversity in an organisation. Feel good images of effortless synergy, the
harmonious combination of different perspectives and a melting pot with a
fantastically delicious mix of ingredients may be easy enough to talk about.
However, we would be ignoring the challenges firstly of advocating diversity
and then managing it in a manner than ensures it is a strength, and not a
human resource and operational nightmare.

The goal is to create an environment where every employee has


opportunities to be successful and where their differences are leveraged for
the success of the organisation. The challenge, she says, is the issue of
inclusion.

OVERCOMING MUSCLE MEMORY

"Muscle memory as one of the main obstacles to workplace diversity,


referring to the attitude that says This is how it has always been done. Why

change it?

Hidden biases form a major component in the formation of this muscle


memory. Subconsciously, every person has a tendency to draw on their
hidden biases when making decisions about who they think will be the best
candidate for a particular role or opportunity. They may favour people of a
particular race or educational background, gender or individuals of a certain a
personality type. A quick glance at the leadership composition of an
organisation can reveal predispositions that they are inclined towards.

CLASH OF APPROACHES

There is also the very real issue of differences in perspectives leading to a


clash of approaches. Culture, personality and background differences can
erect social divisions between employees that they need to recognise and
overcome. Naturally, this can present disruptions when working in teams as
individuals learn to adapt and understand on another.

However, this can turn to an advantage if individuals recognise that different,


sometimes conflicting ideas, are important to make sure a team does not
have tunnel vision. Martin sees it as a dynamic tension that can bring the
best results.

IMPLEMENTING DIVERSITY

In implementing diversity within an organisation, there is no one-size-fits-all


ratio of optimal differences, as this will vary from company to company
depending on needs and dynamics.

The starting point, therefore, is to first define the type of diversity that your
organisation needs to succeed. Identify what is important for your
organisation and then set the appropriate goals and measures so that
employees understand what is needed to succeed in this endeavour.

Different companies adopt different approaches. AIG adopts a target-setting


approach in relation to gender and ethnic representations at senior levels of
the company. Malakoff reviews its diversity mix on an annual basis at its
manpower planning meeting, discussing talent needs with heads of divisions
and departments. Quota systems are an option as well; however, a danger
here is that hiring managers can sometimes feel pressured to recruit for the
sake of diversity more than talent.

Cadena of SapuraKencana points out that while every organisationss


diversity requirements are different, communication is crucial across the
board. Leaders should be made aware of the reasons behind the importance
of achieving this diversity mix, says Cadena. This ensures not only
understanding of the goal, but will also lend the essential perspective and
context to their everyday decision-making.

CREATING A CULTURE OF DIVERSITY

Internally, the culture of the organisation should echo this commitment to


diversity. Foster an appreciation for diverse individuals, and encourage
teamwork and collaboration.

This can be ingrained into the company culture by embedding diversity within
the companys value system. Alliance Bank Malaysia, for instance, integrates
its diversity commitment into its core values. The values of Respect (We are
fair in all matters, always listening and valuing the contributions of each
individual) and Teamwork (We are a champion team, not a team of
champions) succinctly encourages each of our employee to embrace
diversity in the workplace, says Chew Siew Suan, executive vice-president
and head of group human resource.

As diversity involves the recognition of the strength of individuality, and the


combination of differences, organisations will strengthen its diversity call by
giving its employees equal opportunity for career development. This may
involve internal training programmes and putting in measures to build the
internal talent pipeline, such as providing them with the tools, resources and

opportunities to plan their own career path and reach their career goals.

WORKING WITH A DIVERSITY PERSPECTIVE

Implementing a diversity mind-set into decision making will help to support


diversity. For instance, when discussing internal talent, have a group
participate in this discussion, and assess not only talent in your own sphere
but look at talents across the organisation. This is because youre not only
looking for talents for your own team, but for the organisation as a whole,
Martin advises.

Similarly, in the recruitment process, expand the pool of talent you are
considering. Post vacancies both internally and externally. Commit to
interviewing diverse candidates so that hiring managers get to consider all
possibilities.

Also, include diverse perspectives in the selection process. Have interview


sessions with a diverse panel, as opposed to scheduling the candidate to
meet different managers at different times. The advantage of this is that the
panel will hear the same answers at the same time in the same context. In
doing so, their perspectives lend to better comparisons.

In making a decision on recruitment and who to give growth opportunities to,


AIGs Martin says that the impact of bias and stereotypes can be reduced by
shifting the focus from the specific type of people you require, to the skills
necessary. When considering candidates for a position, managers should first
identify the specific skills needed by an individual to fulfil that role. In
focusing on the skillset required rather than the type of person the manager
would like, this helps managers to think from a diversity perspective.

We challenge managers to think of diversity as broadly as possible, says


Martin. Consider individuals who have worked in different countries, or
manage with a transformational style rather than a transactional style. This
way, the chances of recruiting a diverse range of individuals increases.

As the geographical divisions of the world become increasingly irrelevant and


organisations are poised more than ever to service a global community, the
advantages of a diverse workforce become especially pertinent. The question
to ask is no longer whether diversity is required, but what kind of diversity is
needed in every organisation, and how diversity is best managed in the
organisations particular environment.

In doing so, a mind-set change is often required, as biases and stereotypes


can impede us from viewing the full potential of differences. But instead of
proceeding always on auto-pilot without questioning our underlying beliefs,
perhaps turn on your minds manual mode. Take some time to examine the
diversity composition and diversity needs of your organisation. It could be the
secret to taking your company to the next level.

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