NEW YORK, Aug. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Organizations that leverage diverse talent and manage diversity with their 'heads, hearts and wallets' will gain long-term competitive advantages, noted Greg Garrison, Partner and Vice Chairman, PricewaterhouseCoopers
LLP (PwC), in a keynote speech at the 2010 Ascend Annual Gala. Ascend
is a 5,000-member professional leadership organization dedicated to
leveraging the potential of pan-Asians.
Though
organizations typically approach diversity from three perspectives --
the head, which looks at diversity academically; the heart, which view
it in moral terms; and the wallet, which ties diversity efforts directly
to the bottom line -- unsuccessful diversity commitments often occur
because organizations approach the effort from just one of those
mindsets.
"Successful
leaders approach diversity using all three lenses," stressed Garrison.
"Looking through these lenses, leaders must act upon what they see and
anticipate what is to come to successfully shape the talent that will
drive business performance."
Diversity
training is a key element to cultivating a workplace where everyone
feels included and offers opportunities for all professionals to climb
the ladder to success. But unlike many organizations, PwC does not
mandate diversity training. Instead, it is integrated into the core
curriculum of all of the firm's training -- from intern orientation to
partner learning programs.
Garrison
also noted the importance of global mobility in building cultural
dexterity into present and future leaders. "An international assignment
has become a fundamental milestone in many career paths," he said.
"You cannot overestimate the value of the leadership experience,
knowledge and cultural awareness that participants carry home."
In addition to Garrison, Niloufar Molavi, Partner and Chief Diversity Officer, PricewaterhouseCoopers, spoke on the "Living in a Diverse and Inclusive World" panel.
"As a DiversityInc
2010 top company for Asian Americans, we believe that inclusive
cultures are created by acknowledging the unique experiences and
perspectives of all people," said Molavi. "Diversity is a business
imperative that has the ability to drive new thinking and innovation."
PwC has also been named to Working Mother's "Best Companies" list for 15 consecutive years, including six successive years in the top 10, and won the 2007 "Catalyst Award" for its efforts to advance and retain women. The firm has was also ranked 6th in the 2010 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity list.
PwC was recently named to FORTUNE's "100 Best Companies to Work For" list for the sixth consecutive year. In 2009, the firm was ranked No. 2 in the first-ever "Universum Global Top 50" employers index, a ranking of the world's most attractive employers.
For more information on PwC's commitment to diversity please visit www.pwc.com/diversity.
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SOURCE PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
