Embracing Diversity Across Cultures

In an era where technology is transforming society, building a culturally-inclusive work environment is both the right thing to do– AND it is a business imperative.

Building culturally diverse teams is important and we need to do even more. Organizations that create a collaborative work environment where people of all backgrounds feel engaged, respected and appreciated for their knowledge, experience and skills are poised to thrive. Today, UN World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, is an international day of recognition that aims to promote dialogue and mutual understanding among people from different countries and cultures around the globe. For Accenture, it’s a celebration of the rich diversity that makes us better able to serve our clients, people and the communities where we work and live.

According to recent research from Gartner, 75% of organizations with front-line decision-making teams that reflect a diverse and inclusive culture will surpass their financial targets through 2022. There are many reasons why this is the case, one of which is the correlation between inclusive work environments and innovation. Accenture’s Getting to Equal 2019 research found that for every 10 percent improvement in culture-of-equality factors – such as diverse leadership, inclusion and work-life balance – innovation mindset increases by 10.6 percent. In fact, we found that innovation mindset is six times higher in the most-equal environments than in the least-equal ones.

At Accenture, our commitment to cross-cultural diversity is a true differentiator, helping us compete in the current business environment and attract the best talent. With more than 475,000 people in 52 countries around the world, we embrace diversity as a source of strength, agility and innovation. We take an intersectional view of identity that honors the many factors that make each person unique. 

One way in which we foster a “culture of cultures” is by taking concrete steps to identify and eliminate unconscious bias. In 2018, we released InclusionStartsWithI, a video call-to-action where our people shared stories of workplace discrimination. The goal was to raise awareness around the stereotypes and prejudices that might impact the way we interact with our colleagues and how we can work together to create a more inclusive organization – and world.

Specifically, in Accenture Operations, the business that I have the privilege to lead, we have focused on aligning our people initiatives to our business priorities to drive business performance. Recognizing that embracing diversity of talent and cultures is a critical factor to our success, we are proud that women represent over 50% of our global workforce of 128,000 talented employees who every day provide services that deliver value for our clients in over 150 countries around the world.

We also provide our people with a variety of tools, resources and training to help them build cross-culture skills and understanding. For example, all our people have access to Globe Smart, an innovative platform that provides round-the-clock information on global business effectiveness, including tips on how to maximize value with a multicultural team. In addition, through the Globe Smart Expert Certification training program, our people can learn to train others on topics related to cross-cultural diversity, including relationship building, unconscious bias and leading across distance.

UN World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development represents an important opportunity for us to cultivate a deeper understanding of and respect for other cultures by fostering open, honest and meaningful conversations.

Through a continued focus and commitment to fostering a “culture of cultures”, our intent is to make Accenture the most diverse and inclusive company in the world.

Debbie Polishook, Group Chief Executive – Accenture Operations