From challenge comes meaningful and lasting change… and it’s time to accelerate

I’ve spent time reflecting on International Women’s Day (IWD), reading through my colleagues' experiences and points of view on what IWD and Women’s History Month signifies to them and for our society more broadly. I felt proud and inspired, I also feel an overwhelming sense of purpose. As hard as this year has been for so many, women have disproportionately lost jobs, have had to pull back from work to manage remote learning or family care responsibilities, and are grappling with untenable stress levels. As of February, more than 2 million women have left the workforce, with Black and Latina women being unduly affected. Today, “women are participating in the workforce at the lowest level since 1988.”

 The world needs diverse teams

The absence of so many women from the workforce puts business and society at an incredible disadvantage. The pandemic unearthed global challenges in the business world and beyond that can’t be solved by siloed thinking—they demand diverse perspectives, integration, and a collaborative approach. In my role leading businesses, global, and strategic services (BGS) at Deloitte, I have seen firsthand how collaboration—a cornerstone of IWD’s mission and platform—precipitates success within Deloitte and on behalf of our clients by breaking down siloes to find the most innovative solution. Collaborative teams drive higher performance and generate more impactful and innovative solutions. Collaboration and bold commitments to enable it has never been more critical to business.

But you simply cannot have true collaboration without equitable representation of women. And the longer women are sidelined, the longer it will take to unlock a truly innovative culture.

It’s time to accelerate our progress

I’ve had a front-row seat in witnessing the impact of a gender equal mindset here at Deloitte, and how it inspires distinction, growth, and innovation. We’ve been a firm of some important firsts in this regard, notably being the first of the Big Four to elect a female CEO and female chair. We were the first among professional services firms to offer a comprehensive paid family leave program. Our Women’s Initiative (WIN), launched in 1993, has been successful in addressing higher attrition rates of women and propelling more women to leadership positions at critical junctures in their careers. Women at Deloitte are leading clients through today’s most complex business, global, and technology challenges. My female colleagues counsel multinational companies on how to shore up against cybersecurity threats, lead the industry on defining and solving for ethics in technology, and spearhead the firm’s commitments on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Across our organization, women having a seat at the table has brought the diverse perspectives and strategic integration that today’s business challenges demand.

We’re immensely proud of the journey we’ve been on, but we know this is just the beginning, and that more work must be done to accelerate progress. Investing in inclusion is crucial to breaking down silos and creating the collaboration that will spark the next disruptive idea or societal break-through. That’s where we, as leaders, must demonstrate our commitment through concrete and meaningful action toward a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace.

In our 2021 DEI Transparency Report, we’ve committed to increasing our US workforce female representation to 45% by 2025 and to increasing the number of female US PPMDs by 25% by 2025. Deloitte’s recent Racial Equity Imperative puts further emphasis on the case for urgency and new action regarding equity in the workplace, pushing for mutually reinforcing actions that dismantle systemic racism and inequity for all identity groups. These goals were set because inclusion is an inherent part of our purpose, our approach to serving clients, and to our continuous efforts to build a culture where everyone can thrive.

 From challenge comes change

I’m continually inspired by the women I’m fortunate to learn from—from the client executives I’ve had the privilege of serving over 27 years, to my incredible colleagues and mentors, to my own daughters. Their individual and collective achievements and strengths make our families, society, and world better each and every day.

This year’s IWD theme was Choose To Challenge, and rightfully so. The commitment to a gender equal world must be sustained and intensified. We’re in this for the long haul, beyond the headlines and hashtags, and I firmly believe that from challenge comes change. Change that brings more recognition and celebration of women’s achievements, increased awareness against gender bias in all forms, and more actions to promote equality for all. This is a watershed moment to collectively lead with head and heart, driving meaningful and lasting change.