Global Services Company Weaves Diversity and Inclusion into Firm's Fabric - 2018 Spring - Spectrum Magazine

GLOBAL SERVICES COMPANYWeaves Diversity & Inclusion intoFirm’s Fabric By Ruth E. Thaler-CarterDiversity and inclusion are no small matters for through diversity and inclusionErnst and Young (www.ey.com) — the global training,” he said. It is partprofessional services firm has more than 250,000 of a celebration for all newlyemployees around the world, encompassing a wide promoted professionals,range of ethnicities, genders, cultures and more, among other tactics.with the accompanying need for sensitivity and Another invaluable strategyunderstanding among those many perspectives. at EY is to highlight peopleThat reality underlies the firm’s commitment to throughout the company anddiversity and inclusion. “It is critically important to have them tell their stories and journeys throughus, literally from the CEO to permeating throughout its website and a weekly newsletter, Journeys thatour culture, especially as a global company with Inspire. “Understanding and knowing about people’speople all around the world,” said Kenneth Bouyer, differences, cultures, and backgrounds is key,”Americas director of inclusion and recruiting. “We Bouyer said.believe it helps with innovation as we work to solve EY tracks data on its diversity and inclusion processclient problems.” and successes. One statistic is campus recruiting and building a pipeline to the profession and the In short, according to Bouyer, company. Most recently, “39 percent of campus diversity and inclusion is hires are considered minorities as part of a deliberate focus and effort,” he said. “We’re really “fundamental to our clients’ proud of this — in 1993–94, only 10 percent of our business and our success.” campus hires were minorities.” Because “we know that within the accountingThe company includes diversity and inclusion in profession, we need to consider the future, weits statement of corporate value at its website (on fund a lot of high school programs” to enhance thepage 9), making its commitment clear and strong. pipeline, including working with several NABA ACAPThat commitment has been in place for more than programs. “We plant trees to raise awareness of20 years, “so it’s woven into the fabric of the firm,” opportunities. We’re all going to be better off as aBouyer said. “Our commitment has never wavered, result,” he said.even in the economic downtime. We recognize that EY is “very deliberate” in giving early opportunitiesdiversity and inclusion is part of every area of the at the university level for internships through itsfirm, so we have the broadest definition — that’s Discover EY program, which involves bringing 180critical to success.” students to New York City for three to four daysAmong the company’s strategies, “we bring in of leadership development. The company also hasexperts to work on topics such as unconscious invested close to $30,000 in scholarships specificallybias,” Bouyer noted. The company makes significant for NABA students. “We’re very holistic, frominvestments in training. “All of our leaders go planting the roots of opportunity to breathing the oxygen,” said Bouyer.8 SPECTRUM | SPRING 2018

CONTINUING EFFORTS EY AND DIVERSITYEssential to continued success is providing ongoing The EY website makes the company’straining. “We do training in diversity and inclusion commitment to diversity and inclusion crystal-every single year,” Bouyer said. “We’re very focused clear, as shown in these excerpts from its statedon caring for our people. We know there has been corporate philosophy and approach.a lot of divisiveness externally in society as a whole,and we aim to counteract that negativity by holding “… Our focus on diversity and inclusiveness‘Are You OK?’ sessions. It’s a little risky, but the is integral to how we serve our clients, developfeedback has been great, and it ensures that we are our people and play a leadership role in ourlooking at our environment and our people feel safe.” communities.”EY’s Leadership Matters program is another waythat the company focuses on increasing inclusive “Diversity is about differences. Each of usleadership skills. “It isn’t enough just to hire diverse is different, and at EY we value and respectemployees,” Bouyer explained. “You have to have individual differences. At EY, we think broadlyinclusive leaders to create an environment where about differences; they include background,you can actually be inclusive. This effort speaks to education, gender, ethnicity, nationality,recognizing people who are different, because we generation, age, working and thinking styles,must ensure that everyone can be heard.” religious background, sexual orientation, abilityEY was active in the American Institute of CPAs and technical skills … [and] service line, sector(AICPA) inaugural Chairman’s Commission and and function.remains involved in its work, seeing the commissionas “instrumental in drawing the accounting “Inclusiveness is about leveraging theseprofession together on diversity and inclusion, and differences to achieve better business results.pulling resources together across the profession. It’s It is about creating an environment where all ofbeen awesome!” our people feel, and are, valued ...”EY is “very invested in AICPA initiatives,” Bouyeradded. “We use AICPA tools for recruitment and “Research shows that companies with diverseretention and help fund resources. We’ve leveraged teams that are led inclusively perform bettera lot of communications and have done a lot to than those with more homogenous teams.extend outreach. We team with the commission on Diverse teams are more likely to improve marketa lot of programs.” share and have success in new markets; they demonstrate stronger collaboration and betterLOOKING TOWARD THE FUTURE retention.While EY and AICPA are clearly staying strong in the “Making sure that all our people’s voices areareas of increased diversity and inclusion, Bouyer heard and valued not only helps attract andsees more to be done. “Our profession’s broad and retain the best people, but it also helps uscontinuing focus on diversity and inclusion will be deliver better approaches for our clients and forcritical to our and our clients’ success,” he said. “We our own organization … because creating anmust continue this focus and investment. We all will inclusive workforce, where all differences matter,benefit from diversity and inclusion.” ▲ allows us to identify the risks and opportunities we might not otherwise see ...”Ruth E. Thaler-Carter (www.writerruth.com) is an award-winning freelance writer/editor and frequent contributor to SPRING 2018 | SPECTRUM 9Spectrum Magazine.

Where do you © 2018 Ernst & Young LLP. All Rights Reserved. | 1801-2539571 NABA | ED Nonestart if youwant to changethe world?You start right here. At EY, we believe our role,our legacy to the world, is to help it work better.Learn more by joining our talent community:tinyurl.com/naba2018 or contact TonikaHammonds at [email protected] orTina Thompkins at [email protected].