PwC leaders reflect on their highlights of a successful 2022
With 2022 coming to a close and the ‘out of office’ signs going up at PwC until early January, the firm took the opportunity to ask some of its leaders what their highlights were for the year.
Professional services firm PwC has shut up shop for a hard-earned summer break, with its nine nationwide offices not set to reopen until January 9th. The firm is coming off another big year, maintaining its position as Australia’s largest accounting and consulting network with a national headcount pushing above 9,000, including the addition of around 150 new partners to be closing in on 950 in total.
After a couple of flat years in the wake of Covid-19, the firm in August posted annual revenues of $3 billion on the back of 17 percent growth and a 21 percent boost to its consulting business, to easily eclipse its closest rival Deloitte despite its own 19 percent growth to $2.5 billion.
Aside from picking up specialist tax advisory Greenwoods & Herbert Smith Freehills, almost all of PwC’s growth was organic.
“While FY22 has been an incredibly successful year for our firm, it was also a year of continued challenges. The pandemic, geopolitical strains, supply chain disruption, skills and workforce shortages, inflation, energy transition complexities and the ongoing need to digitise are just a sample of the challenges and opportunities we are all faced with,” noted PwC Australia CEO Tom Seymour.
PwC was also keen to point to other figures in celebrating the past year, including the more than 85,000 worth of social impact hours performed by staff and the achievement of 100 percent renewable energy across all of its Australian offices. In addition, the firm extended its paid parental leave from 18 to 26 weeks, a policy cited by people & culture head Catherine Walsh as her highlight of the year.
“I am so proud of our support of our people and families with the expansion of paid parental leave for both partners, and introducing miscarriage leave,” Walsh stated. “The feedback and stories from our people on how this has changed their lives and opened up options for their caring responsibilities and career really brings to life our commitment to caring and supporting diversity and flexibility.”
Other PwC leaders were also asked what were their highlights of the year, including people & culture director Kristina Travers, who cited bringing the firm’s Together Anywhere initiative to life, which allows PwC staff the option to work from remote Australia or in one of 14 different countries for up to four weeks. The policy was instituted on the back of the nation’s lengthy border closures.
Sydney-based future of work lead partner Lawrence Goldstone pointed to The Outside, PwC’s immersive development event in the Hunter Valley for 2,700 future leaders. “We were absolutely blown away by the response. It’s not every day you get to put on a Corporate Coachella. Seeing all the positive reactions was incredible and showed how relevant and valued the event was for people.”
Bringing together over 130 subject matter experts, the mid-year launch of PwC’s Energy Transition practice also received a mention by practice leader and PwC partner Varya Davidson as her highlight of the year, describing the opportunity as a privilege. “This is pioneering work, and bringing our cross-functional capabilities together into one focused business will benefit our clients greatly.”
