Worldwide Update 2021: Q2

Diversity and Inclusion
Different People. Equal Opportunities.

How Does Your Firm’s Diversity and Inclusion Efforts Fare?

In recent months, AGN has centre-staged successful women leaders. On sharing their thoughts and opinions based on their own experiences and accomplishments, these women further highlighted the importance of Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) in the workplace, and how D&I is good business.

With special thanks to Crystal Cooke (Director of Diversity & Inclusion at AICPA) and Kimberly Ellison-Taylor (Growth & Innovation Specialist) and who opened the AGN 2021 Global-e-Connected event in May, and closing keynote speaker Wendy Hart (Leading Corporate Finance Specialist at HMT LLP), we can share some key takeaways from both sessions. All three women have “walked the walk” as successful leaders at high levels, giving different, but equally engaging messages about the value of diversity and inclusivity businesses, and how to achieve it.
 
It’s not necessarily complicated, but it does requires recognition and our attention as a long-term objective. We encourage you to define some priorities and start to take actions as we develop these themes in the coming months.



1. It is empirically demonstrated that businesses with successful approaches to diversity and inclusivity are more commercially successful.

2. Why? Well there are many reasons. But one of the most striking is that the pool of customers and human talent is increasingly diverse, and it recognises and values these traits.


3. Diversity and inclusivity can be defined as competencies - similar to others that we are used to in the professions. Indeed, AICPA has a great approach to this, the CPA Firm Competency Model.

4. We can and should train, nurture and assess these competencies alongside more traditional ones, including them in our role descriptions, expectations and policies.


5. Do not underestimate the importance of being proactive - encourage confidence and self-belief in our female professionals.  Recognise that male-oriented environments can be intimidating, and pick your moments to call out any alpha male “chest-thumping” behaviours.

6. Consider the value that can be added via the role of a senior female mentor.


7. Basic thoughtfulness and consideration can go a long way for those with responsibilities more likely to fall on females. For example, changing or rotating the day, time or location of a regular meeting might ensure it does not always clash with the school run.

8. Help teams recognise and make the most of the advantages of being female – for example, memorability in a pitch where competitors are predominantly men.