Without access, we limit potential

Access and opportunity. Two words that bring to my mind the inequality that exists not only throughout this country, but in our own state, particularly in Black and Hispanic populations. Inequality has reverberating effects, impacting social mobility, crime, health, trust and availability of financial capital beyond our immediate communities. So inequality should concern us all.

Across the United States, there exists wider disparities of wealth between rich and poor than any other major developed nation. Here in Georgia, 18.3% of our population lives in poverty (44th out of 51, including the District of Columbia), according to the Center for American Progress. The two racial groups with the highest levels of poverty? The African American and Latino communities.

It’s way past time for change. More of us need to step up and make a difference in every way we can, whether big or small. In particular, the business community has an important role to play because businesses will not thrive in the future without the value that varied human experiences bring to our workforce, products and services. Bottom line: without a diverse workforce, our businesses will be in the same position as the individuals that “access and opportunity” left behind.

I’ve always been a believer in looking inward to solve problems. I believe solutions should be authentic and personal to a business’ greatest assets. As a professional services firm, PwC has relied on our more than 46,000 partners and staff to deliver lessons in financial literacy and business acumen to more than 3.5 million students through a commitment we call Earn Your Future. This is a tremendous achievement I’m very proud of, but one we didn’t accomplish on our own. PwC has teamed with countless nonprofits, schools, educators, and businesses because we recognize there are many other organizations and individuals in a far better position than we are to help spread the word.

One of those individuals is renowned speaker, hip hop artist and former teacher David “Dee-1” Augustine, who experienced so many pains of paying off student loans that he wrote a song about paying Sallie Mae Back -- which went viral. People understood his message, and they could relate to what he went through. As a firm that recruits more than 11,000 college students every year, we’ve seen the weight of these loans on our staff, which is why we now provide a Student Loan Paydown benefit that helps them do just that. With Dee-1’s help, we’re showing students that there are businesses out there with the resources and drive to help them prosper.

By definition, opportunity is a set of circumstances that makes something possible. Every path you pave, no matter the size or how many it touches, is worth it.

Our hope is that by providing underserved populations with access to resources they need, and by engaging them through multiple channels -- be it a website, an accounting professional or a rap artist -- we can enable opportunity for those who need it, no matter where they come from. And, by providing our people with many avenues through which they can contribute to this effort, they have the ability to make a difference in a way that is meaningful to them.

To me, that is what this is about. Giving people the access and opportunity to pursue the paths they want to in life, not the paths they think they have to. We’ve all felt the joy that comes from seeing a friend or loved one succeed. Or, from being in a position to experience something through another’s eyes. My family recently adopted a four-year-old boy from New Orleans, and I think of how amazing it felt when we took him to see the ocean for the first time. This was a small opportunity we created for him, but one we hope will change his perspective on life.

A zip code shouldn’t impact one’s ability to become a CEO any more than it should prevent one from seeing the ocean. The world around us, and everything it has to offer, should be within reach for everyone.

Shelley Giberson is the Managing Partner of PwC’s Greater Atlanta Market.

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