Our People, Our Focus: Inclusion & Diversity at Accenture 2014

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1 Our People, Our Focus: Inclusion & Diversity at Accenture 2014

2 Table of Contents Leadership Message Unlocking the Power of an Inclusive Culture Empowering Women to Define Success Fostering a Workplace of Equality for Our LGBT Employees Creating Environments Where People of All Abilities Can Thrive Promoting Understanding Across Cultures Enabling the Success of Our Ethnically Diverse Employees Continuing Our Journey Awards and Recognition Please use navigation buttons at the top of each page to move through the document or click on the Table of Contents items. 2

3 gender identity gender sexual orientation ethnicity age religion abilities gender expression Build awareness At Accenture we take the widest possible view of inclusion and diversity. 100,000 Women work at Accenture 36% Women make up a large proportion of our global workforce. Persons with disabilities To build awareness and understanding, we sponsor networking and information sharing and encourage the provision of reasonable accommodations, to a job or work environment. Ethnic diversity At Accenture our workforce is made up of highly motivated employees who reflect the cultural diversity of a global marketplace. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Ensuring an inclusive environment for LGBT employees across the globe is a key and integral part of our global inclusion and diversity strategy. Cross-cultural diversity We offer tools and training to foster more effective interactions across cultures. 3

4 Leadership Message Accenture s business is in finding solutions that help clients address the challenges of today s rapidly evolving world. Diagnosing complex problems and delivering results in complicated, constantly shifting environments is what we do best, every day, in more than 120 countries across the world. We have been successful, thanks largely to the collective talent of the 281,000 women and men of Accenture. Our ability to harness their unique mix of capabilities, expertise and commitment forms the foundation of our culture and helps drive our business. Collectively, Accenture employees represent a tremendous variety of cultures, ethnicities, beliefs and languages. It is through this diverse experience that Accenture can truly understand and be relevant to our clients. The richness of diversity of our people makes Accenture stronger, smarter, more innovative and a better-performing company across all dimensions. Supported by our core values and methodologies, our efforts encourage creativity, engage and develop our people and challenge them to be greater than they imagined possible. We believe this is the right thing to do both for our people and for our business. In short, our commitment to inclusion and diversity helps us create sustained economic growth for our clients and the communities around the world in which we operate. At its heart, our ongoing commitment is to each of our people, to our clients and to Accenture s future growth and sustainability. We are proud of what we have accomplished to date and the recognition we have earned for our diversity. And yet we know there is more to do. With our exceptional team of people aligned to the collective goal of an increasingly inclusive and diverse Accenture, we look forward to continuing our journey. From our Board of Directors to our executive leadership team, and through every facet of our business, we are committed to inclusion and to rewarding our people on the merits of their contributions. We invest in their professional development, directing more than US$870 million annually to employee training, which includes customized inclusion and diversity programs. We encourage our people to expand their networks by participating actively in global employee resource groups including ones focused on women, on ethnicity, on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender and on persons with disabilities. Pierre Nanterme Chairman & CEO Adrian Lajtha Chief Leadership Officer Chairman & CEO Pierre Nanterme (left) and Chief Leadership Officer Adrian Lajtha (right). Accenture s enduring core values Client Value Creation, One Global Network, Respect for the Individual, Best People, Integrity and Stewardship direct our behavior and guide our decision making. 4

5 Unlocking the Power of an Inclusive Culture At Accenture, embracing inclusion and diversity in the widest possible sense beyond gender, ethnicity or religion is part of a powerful recipe for success and central to being a high-performance business. We recognize that each person has unique strengths and, by embracing those unique strengths, we achieve success, foster innovation and deliver high performance. Global strategy, local delivery Our global and local inclusion and diversity initiatives underpin our focus on building a dynamic workforce that is equipped with the skills, passion and energy to deliver high performance to our clients. At a global level, we provide guidance, coordination and vigilance around our priority initiatives, and we champion best practices across the organization. A core part of our Human Capital strategy, our Global Inclusion & Diversity strategy sets overarching objectives and outlines key tactics for raising awareness, building diversity into our recruiting efforts and supply chain. The strategy also addresses other areas essential to meeting our goals, including promoting a discrimination-free and harassment-free work environment for all employees globally. At the local level, our employee resource groups help drive our activities, both internally and externally. Based on local demand and interest, these groups differ from location to location and offer members the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues who have similar interests or backgrounds and to participate in career development workshops, mentoring, local recruiting and community service activities. Across the company, Accenture Leaders serve as Human Capital & Diversity leads to support global priorities in their locations. Accenture is passionately committed to cultivating a diverse workforce, both because it s the right thing to do and because it s a key element of achieving high performance. Our company comprises people from a wide range of cultural, educational and geographic backgrounds people who are able to challenge conventional thought, offer unique perspectives and generate innovative ideas. Our rich diversity is part of what makes our company greater than. Roze Phillips Managing Director - Products and Human Capital & Diversity Lead Spain, Portugal, Africa, Israel Johannesburg 5

6 Five global priorities Our leaders around the world, including members of the Accenture Diversity Council, have helped shape our five Inclusion & Diversity global priorities. These are: Cross-cultural diversity. Ethnic diversity. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT). Persons with disabilities. Women. Our people drive the momentum around these priorities, and we invest in developing content, tools and resources to build their skills and heighten their awareness of diversity s dimensions. At the same time, diversity recruiting and supplier diversity initiatives complement our global priorities. In the following pages, we highlight our efforts to build awareness and understanding and to support the career aspirations of our people. We also describe achievements from our inclusion and diversity journey, initiatives that help our people work effectively across cultures and examples from throughout our organization. Inclusion & Diversity training Training begins the first day an employee joins Accenture and continues throughout his or her career. To meet the specific needs of our people, our geographies and our company functions, we develop and tailor Inclusion & Diversity training, including: Diversity awareness courses, which help our people develop a greater sensitivity to the opportunities and challenges of working in an increasingly dynamic, global and diverse organization. Online knowledge- and awareness-building courses define what inclusion and diversity mean to Accenture, examine their various dimensions and highlight actions that individuals can take to create a more inclusive environment. Diversity management courses, which equip our executives to manage diverse teams effectively and foster an inclusive work environment. Delivered in team settings, these courses include "Leading a Diverse Workforce," "Managing Cross-cultural Diversity" and "Working Across Cultures." Professional development opportunities, which help our women, LGBT and ethnically diverse employees and others build skills to enable their success. These sessions complement the extensive training opportunities available to Accenture people globally. Accenture s Ofentse Lekwane, Karen Lala and Norma Twala participate in the inaugural Women: Inspiration & Enterprise (WIE) Africa symposium in Cape Town, South Africa. 6

7 Employee resource groups Supplier diversity Diversity recruiting Inclusion & Diversity leadership Our employee resource groups provide valuable opportunities to discuss career management questions; become involved with our diverse recruiting and corporate citizenship efforts; and build cultural awareness, both internally and with groups outside of the company. These groups foster a sense of community and provide a forum for sharing positive experiences and challenges. All of our employee resource groups are open to any of our employees. Organized around common interests or experiences, they focus on military veterans; gender; persons with disabilities; ethnicity (including African/African American, American Indian, Asian Pacific American, Hispanic American and Caribbean); sexual orientation and gender identity and expression; career path; faith or religion; family arrangement; or other personal beliefs or interests. We believe we can make a powerful difference by creating marketplace opportunities for enterprises that have historically experienced barriers to participation. We continually strengthen our ability to grow our own pool of diverse suppliers and encourage our large suppliers to engage diverse organizations on Accenture s behalf. We also participate in external organizations such as the National Minority Supplier Development Council and the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce in the United States, as well as WEConnect International in several countries. Additionally, through initiatives such as our Diverse Supplier Development Program, we help diverse suppliers build skills to advance their businesses. We build on our diversity as we grow our pool of talented team players. We do this by ensuring our recruiting efforts appeal to a broad cross-section of candidates. Through scholarship and internship programs and relationships with professional organizations, colleges and universities, we meet top candidates from all walks of life. In each of our geographic regions, a managing director serves as the Human Capital & Diversity lead. In addition to their businessfacing roles, these leads implement meaningful programs for employees, communities, clients and recruits in the geography. The work of the Accenture Diversity Council, which includes members of our Global Management Committee, complements geographic initiatives. Members of the Council take an active role in assessing the inclusion and diversity matters we face, setting strategic direction and prioritizing our actions globally. The Accenture Procurement team in the United Kingdom took part in an event organized by the GLE Group for the Ready to Supply the City program funded by the City of London Corporation. Pictured are Ready to Supply the City Buyer Engagement Expert Monica Montero (left) with Accenture s Cassandra Rennie (right). 7

8 Empowering Women to Define Success Accenture's commitment to attracting, retaining and advancing the women who work with us is critical to being a high-performance business, and we have created unique programs to support our women in their career development and progression. Defining success. Your way. In 2012, we launched our women s theme, Defining success. Your way., to encourage the more than 100,000 women at Accenture to find their own paths to professional and personal success. To support their goals and aspirations, we strive to provide an environment and culture that develops leaders, empowers women and enables them to thrive. This includes: Customized training and professional development opportunities that help women identify role models in leadership, develop visions and goals, expand their networks and advance to the next level. Proactive succession planning, which positions women for leadership roles and provides the support they need to succeed. More than 85 local women s networking groups in 32 countries that support our women and help them build strong networks. The Accenture Women s Network, a global internal portal that connects women across the company and provides resources that can help them define their vision of success through education, tools, multimedia and discussions. International Women s Day celebrations Perhaps our most distinctive initiative is our annual recognition of International Women s Day. Since 2005, Accenture has observed this United Nations-designated celebration with innovative employee and client events around the world. In March 2013, more than 18,000 Accenture people, clients and recruits gathered at more than 200 locations around the globe from Manila to Madrid and from Seoul to Seattle to reflect on their personal definitions of success, deepen their understanding of what is important to them personally and shape their career paths. Research on women in the workplace Every day, women around the world tackle a variety of issues related to workplace success, and Accenture regularly conducts and sponsors research on these topics, including skills readiness, stretch roles, resilience and worklife balance. A recent study, "Defining Success, released as part of our 2013 celebration of International Women s Day, provides insight into the way women define success and the initiatives that help them achieve success. Women at Accenture (As of August 2013) 36% of our global workforce 17% of Accenture Leaders It is so important that we share the stories and experiences of our individual journeys so other women can see the possibilities available to them and understand that there isn t just one single path to success, but many. Lay Lim Teo Managing Director - ASEAN and Country Managing Director - Singapore Singapore Mentoring and sponsorship initiatives to help ensure women have the right level of exposure to senior leaders who can provide career advice and opportunities. Virtual Defining Success forums held quarterly by region and featuring leaders who share their personal approaches to managing various aspects of their career journeys. 40% of new hires 33% of external board of directors 8

9 Women s networks build a sense of community Two of Accenture s largest women s groups are Accent sur Elles in France and the Vaahini network in India. Accent sur Elles ( Focus on Women ), founded in 2005, provides its 1,200 women executives from Accenture as well as the public and private sector with access to a robust business network, so they can share experiences, generate new business contacts and innovate on women s topics. In 2012, the network organized 90 events ranging from breakfast discussions to the International Women s Day celebration. More than 65 percent of Accenture s executive women in France benefited from training and development opportunities sponsored by Accent sur Elles. Unique to both our company and the industry, the Vaahini network is an Accenturesponsored virtual community of more than 76,000 women professionals across industries. Vaahini aims to bring women together in person and online so they can benefit from perspectives and insights from women achievers and experts and accelerate career growth. The community offers a rich suite of content, including interviews, articles, question-answer features, blogs and networking opportunities. It also enables women professionals to connect, learn, debate and discuss online. Women at Accenture video library In this video collection, Accenture women discuss their diverse career experiences, their secrets to success and things they wish they knew back when. We also feature videos demonstrating how Accenture celebrates International Women s Day and recognizing our commitment to developing women. Spotlight on recruiting As part of our ongoing diversity campaign to attract quality female candidates to Accenture, we hosted more than 3,000 prospective candidates at our 2013 International Women s Day celebrations in Japan, Sweden, Germany, Indonesia and other locations. These included: United Kingdom Produced an emagazine and used social media to raise awareness about careers for women at Accenture Spain Co-sponsored an event with the internationally recognized graduate school, Instituto de Empresa France Hosted a workshop for women students interested in technology China Generated strong visibility through news and social media campaigns featuring Accenture women executives India Hosted an array of activities to attract women to careers at Accenture, for example: Accent on Women campus diversity initiative at nine engineering colleges featured our networking, development and other programs An Accenture-sponsored film, Scattered Windows, Connected Doors, demonstrated what it means to be a woman in modern India 9

10 Flavia Da Hora Spotlight on training Flavia Da Hora, a managing director in Brazil, volunteered to formalize and lead an initiative focused on developing women employees in Latin America. Today, a variety of programs help women across the region hone their technical skills, increase their networking opportunities and learn from mentors. She has helped launch efforts to support both expectant mothers and those just returning from maternity leave. She also organizes and supports International Women s Day and "Emerging Women Leaders" training for Brazil and Mexico. Through Flavia s leadership, the Latin America women s initiatives have helped produce an eight-percent increase in the number of women employees in the region in the past two years. Our broad spectrum of customized training for our women includes Developing High Performing Women, a three-day, invitationonly course aimed at top-performing managers who are at a critical point in shaping career goals and progressing towards senior leadership roles. To date, more than 1,900 women have participated. Our suite of professional development courses for women also includes Developing Our Women: Growing Your Career, Developing Executive Women: Steering Your Career, Developing Executive Women: Maximizing Your Career, Maximizing Performance: Women and Client Centricity and Maximizing Performance: Women in Leadership. Lily and Priscilla served as faculty for the professional development program, Maximizing Performance: Women and Client Centricity, just two years after taking the course themselves. My life changed because of this course. Taking the valuable lessons I learned and passing them on to help other women get promoted was an amazing feeling. Priscila de Pinho Managing Director - Finance São Paulo What I learned when I took the course definitely helped me get to the next level, and it felt great to help other women in their quest to do the same. Lily Lim Poh Sim Managing Director - Financial Services Singapore 10

11 Fostering a Workplace of Equality for Our LGBT Employees Accenture is proud to be recognized as a corporate leader that supports lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) employees and the broader LGBT community. In fact, a number of our clients have asked us to assist with replicating our initiatives, such as our LGBT Ally Program, in their own organizations. Connecting people Our Global LGBT Network brings our LGBT community and allies together for networking, mentoring and information sharing in local offices across 25 countries. These groups organize programs and events such as Pride celebrations, mentoring, client networking events, community sponsorships, webcasts, recruiting activities and much more. From internal portals to Facebook, local LGBT teams use a variety of channels to build awareness, offer leadership support, foster a sense of community and educate within and beyond the LGBT Network. Locally created initiatives, such as LGBT 101, a lunch-andlearn series conducted for project teams across the Washington, DC, area, demonstrate the commitment to outreach and understanding. Facilitating career growth We provide LGBT employees with access to specialized professional development, mentoring and networking opportunities to help them succeed in their careers and serve as positive role models to others. We also support and sponsor our people s participation in a wide array of external LGBT organizations and events, including the Out & Equal Conference and Human Rights Campaign events in the United States; Global LGBT Workplace Summit in London; L-Women at Work and Workplace Pride conferences in the Netherlands; and Pinnacle Foundation and the Pride in Diversity conference in Australia. Leading the way Our policies strive to ensure equal treatment of employees regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity and expression, where permitted by law. While individual countries may have laws affecting the LGBT community, we work to ensure that our global policies and practices have their intended effect in all the geographies in which we operate. Our recruitment, promotion and retention policies and guidelines make us one of the most inclusive and progressive companies in the world for LGBT people. For example, Accenture was one of the first organizations to add sexual orientation and gender identity and expression information to our non-discrimination policy. In 2010, we became one of only 10 companies in the United States to implement Transgender Transition Guidelines that comply with World Professional Association for Transgender Health standards, and we signed on as a sponsor of the all-inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). Striving for inclusive benefits We aim to provide identical employee benefits to same-sex and opposite-sex partners in all the countries in which we operate and where permitted by law. We recently introduced and validated new global eligibility criteria for life-partners and non-married parents to be reflected in all policies where no legal constraints exist. In addition, in the United States and Canada, we offer comprehensive health benefits for transgender employees, including coverage for hormone therapy, mental health counseling and transgenderspecific surgeries. Inclusion and diversity are critical to the success of Accenture and the engagement of our people. We bring our best and brightest people to serve our clients, and our LGBT employees are a vital part of delivering high performance. I am empowered by the energy and vision that our senior leaders and LGBT network members exhibit as they help Accenture live by our core value of Respect for the Individual. Chip Sherrill Managing Director - Accenture Federal Services Washington, DC 11

12 LGBT Ally Program Spotlight on training Spotlight on recruiting Our LGBT Ally Program taps into effective and powerful voices for equality within our organization: straight employees who personally support and advocate for equal rights and fair treatment for LGBT people in the workplace. Allies help people in the coming-out process and others understand the importance of equality, fairness, acceptance and mutual respect. Piloted in the United Kingdom, the LGBT Ally Program is now a global initiative with more than 3,000 members. In 2013, Accenture piloted the new global "LGBT Leaders Learning (L3)" training, based on a successful leadership development program created by Stonewall, the LGBT nonprofit organization. The training, conducted in Europe, Asia and North America, provides high-potential LGBT executives the information, tools and support to continue to build their careers and further develop into highly effective LGBT role models and managers of our people and business. All Accenture people have access to "Inclusion & Diversity in Motion: LGBT Equality in the Workplace," an online course that provides the necessary tools and resources to create an inclusive workplace where LGBT employees can perform at their full potential. Accenture participates in key outreach opportunities, including recruiting conferences, that enable us to meet and source diverse talent to join our company. The US LGBT Network participates actively in events such as the Out & Equal Workplace Summit and Reaching Out MBA Conference, while in Australia we have developed a campus network of LGBT groups through our work with the LGBT Student Society. I AM PRIDE Watch Accenture s I AM PRIDE video, which showcases Accenture s LGBT Network members and allies sharing what pride means to them. One of the things that drew me to Accenture was our commitment to diversity and LGBT rights. Pride month is a very visible time for companies and organizations to come out in support of or reassert their support for our community. It makes me proud to work at Accenture to know that our involvement is so much more than just a press release." Beck Mankowski Consultant - Business & Systems Integration San Francisco 12

13 Creating Environments Where People of All Abilities Can Thrive People come to Accenture to build new capabilities and stretch their talents, and we offer an environment that challenges their minds while giving them the support they need to be at their best. That is why we create barrier-free workplaces for persons with disabilities places that are physically, technologically and attitudinally accessible. At a global level, we provide reasonable accommodations for Accenture people with disabilities, including assistive technology and workplace or other adjustments, such as flexible work arrangements, or additional training that enables persons with disabilities to perform essential job functions to the best of their abilities. We recently introduced an online request service through which people can ask for assistive technology for themselves or on behalf of a colleague, and we review all requests for accommodations on a case-bycase basis. Additionally, we strive to enable job applicants to participate equitably in the hiring process. Many of our local teams have created innovative programs and inclusion strategies for persons with disabilities. For example, in France, employees may call the Accent sur le Handicap helpline anonymously and at no charge for information and advice on disability-related topics. In Argentina, the Sin Barreras work inclusion program supports employees with disabilities. Celebrating contributions, raising awareness Throughout the year, we celebrate the value our employees with disabilities bring to our organization. Our activities culminate in the December celebration of the United Nationscommemorated International Day of Persons with Disabilities. These activities showcase the contributions of Accenture people while educating employees about the importance of fostering an inclusive workplace. We also raise awareness about ways to work more effectively with persons with disabilities. Local observances have included webcasts in India and North America on topics such as Disability Rights around the World and Making a Difference with my Difference. Other locations have offered training or organized networking opportunities, and many countries from Austria to Australia and from Spain to Singapore have reached out to their employee populations through online communication campaigns. Championing an inclusive workplace for colleagues Our growing global network of more than 2,000 volunteer champions engages, celebrates and raises awareness about persons with disabilities. Many of these champions also participate in local employee resource groups, helping to organize networking, collaboration, mentoring and awareness-building activities for persons with disabilities, as well as for caretakers and colleagues. Globally, we support these networks with a regular newsletter and an internal website, Learn. Act. Inspire. Accenture employees in Japan discover their strengths during a networking activity held in celebration of International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Since I ve been at Accenture, being disabled has never been an issue in my work and my interactions with colleagues and clients. My worth has been based on what I contribute, not what I look like or any physical limitations I have. I am seen as an employee who just happens to have one arm, not as a onearmed employee. Emma Olivier Senior Manager - Technology Melbourne 13

14 Spotlight on training Among our many training offerings are those aimed at educating our people about how to integrate persons with disabilities into our workplace. These include an online "Inclusion & Diversity in Motion: Valuing Persons with Disabilities" course; specialized training guides for managers and supervisors on topics such as reasonable adjustments and non-visible disabilities; and training and support for Human Resources and assistive technology contacts. In 2013, we introduced the Disability Inclusion webinar series, which engages our champions network through topics such as web accessibility and assistive technology. Spotlight on recruiting As we seek potential recruits, we reach persons with disabilities through initiatives such as focused internship programs in Italy and Australia; a pilot talent-acquisition program for people with hearing impairments in conjunction with Enable India; and targeted recruitment and training for people with hearing and mobility issues through our Sin Barreras initiative in Argentina. Kannan Sethuraman, Persons with Disabilities Champion A service delivery manager in Accenture s Accounting & Finance Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) organization and a member of the BPO Diversity Council in India, Kannan Sethuraman helps drive the Inclusion & Diversity agenda for the Bangalore service delivery office. His primary focus and passion is the inclusion of persons with disabilities. Kannan does everything he can to champion the cause. Aside from encouraging inclusion of persons with disabilities on his own team, he has organized sign language training for all team leads and team members in his delivery center and has led supervisor sensitization meetings to demonstrate how to conduct meetings that include team members with disabilities. Today, thanks to Kannan s passion and persistence, there are 26 persons with disabilities working on his team and contributing to the success of the Accounting & Finance BPO organization. Sin Barreras, Argentina In 2005, our offices in Argentina launched a work inclusion program called Sin Barreras ( without barriers ) that showcases our commitment to providing equal opportunities for persons with disabilities and demonstrates that disability is not a limiting factor in our workplace. Since the program s beginning, Accenture has employed more than 120 persons with disabilities in Argentina. Watch a brief video about Sin Barreras. 14

15 Promoting Understanding Across Cultures It is one thing to bring together a diverse group of people but quite another to create a cohesive, effective team that honors members varied perspectives while finding the common ground to build long-term relationships across multiple time zones and cultures. The Accenture Way is to have the best people teaming to produce results and deliver high performance for our clients and for Accenture. To that end, we equip our people with the tools they need to develop a global mindset and work effectively across cultures, either virtually or face to face. Promoting global understanding and teamwork Our internal Global Inclusion & Diversity portal connects people to cross-cultural diversity resources, including: training; materials to organize team workshops; quick reference cards with information about business etiquette and communication styles in specific countries; and a global multicultural calendar. Stories and tips from people across the globe bring the subject to life. Additionally, a broad network of crosscultural diversity sponsors and champions complements online resources and training. Sponsors have experience managing teams across cultures and country borders and serve as faculty for cross-cultural training courses. All Accenture people have the opportunity to become champions and support cross-cultural diversity in their teams or projects by serving as points of contact for cultural and diversity questions, promoting the resources available to heighten awareness and organizing training for their teams. Many places state that they are global in nature; however, Accenture truly lives it day in and day out. Diversity is so much larger than race as it also includes dimensions such as culture, experiences, thoughts and ideas, delivery patterns and overall social styles. As such, there s not a day that goes by where I m not interacting with someone who is different from what I am in some way, and as such I m always exposed to new ideas as well as incorporating new traits into my unique personal style." Cross-cultural diversity resources include cultural reference cards and videos. Horace Tiggs Senior Manager - Technology Architecture Detroit 15

16 Why is cross-cultural diversity important? Accenture has a presence in 200+ cities In fiscal year 2013, 35,000 people worked on international assignments In 56 countries Serving clients in 120 countries One Accenture project team could involve as many as 30 Different nationalities Cultural Diversity Office The Cultural Diversity Office in Austria, Switzerland and Germany is one example of our country- or function-specific cultural awareness networks. This office provides an efficient point of contact for people working on multicultural projects, and its core team trains and provides support to local project teams on the assumptions, values and beliefs that influence behavior in different cultures. It also produces and maintains a variety of resources, including: A Cultural Diversity Handbook. Presentations on cultural differences between certain countries (e.g., Germany and India). Games to help teams working on multinational projects. Expatriate podcasts. Memory cards and starter packages for various countries. Spotlight on training Accenture people have access to more than a dozen global training courses on crosscultural awareness, ranging from workshops customized to the needs of specific countries and project teams to online courses such as "Building Cross-cultural Awareness," which teaches participants how to maximize value within a multicultural team. One series of courses helps participants develop skills for managing and leading virtual teams. 16

17 Enabling the Success of Our Ethnically Diverse Employees As an equal opportunity employer, Accenture makes no distinction based on ethnicity, race or any other legally protected characteristics in hiring or promotion decisions. But our commitment to an inclusive environment extends beyond formal policies. We actively build awareness and understanding of ethnic diversity in our recruiting practices, leadership coaching, training and communities around the globe. We maintain close relationships with professional associations and universities dedicated to specific ethnic groups, both as a recruiting channel and as an outside opportunity for our leaders to help build a better future. Additionally, Accenture leaders personally train and coach people with shared or different ethnic backgrounds to help them develop their careers, mentor and sponsor colleagues or serve as executive sponsors of employee resource groups. The importance placed on workforce diversity makes Accenture an exceptional company. Accenture is setting the benchmark for how Hispanic Americans should be perceived in the corporate environment." Ronald Rodriguez Consultant - Health & Public Service Washington, DC Spotlight on training "Driving Stronger Performance" is one of several specialized training initiatives designed to support the career progression of ethnically diverse employees. This multi-month course delivers one-on-one coaching with an external coach, access to a comprehensive web curriculum, individual feedback, a live training session and followup conference calls. Spotlight on recruiting Our established relationships with diversityrich institutions and organizations help us locate qualified ethnically diverse candidates. For example, we participate in networking events and conferences, such as the Black Management Forum in South Africa and the Hispanic IT Executive Council Summit in the United States. 17

18 Continuing Our Journey Inclusion and diversity has been my primary focus for many years here at Accenture, and it has been a journey of personal satisfaction to see the progress we have made. With our continued strong leadership support, inclusiveness has become integral to our business strategy. Leveraging the power of our diversity to help clients and Accenture achieve high performance is now a natural part of the way we work. I m very proud to say that inclusion and diversity are fundamental to Accenture s culture and core values creating a strong sense of belonging and pride in our company and driving collaboration and success. Celebrating our progress As I reflect on the journey, there are many things we can celebrate. The initiatives we have created and continue to build are our means for understanding, valuing and leveraging the great diversity of our workforce. They have made a significant difference in our business, and we have seen great successes through many of our efforts. Focusing, innovating and sharing Part of our open and transparent culture is recognizing that we can always improve, while staying focused on being an equitable, inclusive organization and a true employer of choice for all people. Guided by our leadership, we continue to seek opportunities to innovate and to extend our inclusion and diversity offerings. We partner internally and externally to expand our knowledge and the effectiveness of our actions. We share what we have learned with others, and we strive to learn from other inclusion and diversity leaders. We benchmark our performance rigorously. Always looking ahead Accenture is a very special company the reason is our people and the diversity they bring to our organization and our clients. We believe that continuing to be proactive and advancing our inclusion and diversity efforts is essential. At Accenture, inclusion and diversity is not an abstract principle it is an essential ingredient that enables us to compete effectively in the global marketplace. We recognize that each person has unique strengths and by embracing those unique strengths, we achieve success, foster innovation and deliver high performance. Nellie Borrero Managing Director Global Inclusion & Diversity Advocating beyond Accenture Our passion for results and our commitment to a better future as part of the Accenture Way inspire us to apply our inclusion and diversity principles to the work we do for our clients, sharing what we have learned and learning from other inclusion and diversity leaders. Our hope is that dialogue with clients and other organizations will bring the best thinking around inclusion and diversity to the forefront. Our goal, as always, is to ensure that all our people have what they need to help our clients achieve high performance. 18

19 Awards and Recognition Organizations and publications around the world recognize Accenture s Inclusion & Diversity programs. These are some highlights of our awards and recognition; to see more, visit FORTUNE Top 50 World s Most Admired Companies and 100 Best Companies to Work For DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index and Best Places to Work for LGBT Equality Stonewall Workplace Equality Index Working Mother 100 Best Companies HispanicBusiness Best Companies for Diversity Pride in Diversity Australian Workplace Equality Index CAREERS & the disabled Top 50 Employers At Accenture, we take the widest possible view of inclusion and diversity and are committed to providing an inclusive, open and equitable environment for individuals with different backgrounds, lifestyles, needs and expectations. Jorge Benitez Chief Executive - United States and Senior Managing Director - North America 19

20 Accenture is a colorful mosaic of capabilities, cultures, generations, abilities and experiences. We seek the best people and welcome their unique perspectives and strengths. We foster an inclusive, innovative, collaborative and high-energy work environment. The Accenture logo incorporates a greater than symbol that speaks to our ability to perform better together than alone. Our strong culture of inclusion and diversity enables our people to be greater than every day. About Accenture Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company, with approximately 289,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Combining unparalleled experience, comprehensive capabilities across all industries and business functions, and extensive research on the world s most successful companies, Accenture collaborates with clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. The company generated net revenues of US$28.6 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, Its home page is For more information about inclusion and diversity at Accenture, visit: Copyright 2014 Accenture All rights reserved. Accenture, its logo, and High Performance Delivered are trademarks of Accenture