Consultancies make list of Australia’s most inclusive employers
A record number of organisations have been recognised for their efforts on the Diversity Council of Australia’s latest list of the nation’s most inclusive employers, including half a dozen consultancies.
The Diversity Council of Australia has released its latest annual Inclusive Employers list, with professional services firms Grant Thornton, BDO, Synergy Group, Aurecon, L.E.K. Consulting, and FTI Consulting among the 82 local organisations recognised for their commitment to diversity & inclusion and performance above national benchmarks.
The council’s 1,200-plus members are estimated to employ around 20 percent of the Australian workforce.
“Our goal has always been to create a safe place at work and so we are proud to be recognised externally as an inclusive employer,” stated Grant Thornton CEO Greg Keith. “Creating an inclusive workplace for all our people is central to our company culture and team environment, so we can ensure our people feel empowered, respected, supported and safe at work. “This is an exciting time for our organisation to be curious and open to listening and learning.”
In addition to individual well-being and the broader community benefits, the Diversity Council of Australia contends that its results demonstrate a clear business case for workplace inclusion, with consistent links to better team performance, customer service, innovation, and employee retention. According to its data, workers in inclusive teams are twice as motivated to work extra hard toward team success while being three times less likely to leave an organisation.
“We know that inclusion has significant benefits for both employers and employees,” comments council CEO Lisa Annese. “Our Inclusive Employers Index is a rigorous process that reveals the state of inclusion and diversity across participating organisations. Recognition as an Inclusive Employer means that an organisation is doing the necessary work to create a welcoming and inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and respected.”
To qualify for the list, participating organisations must rank above the national average in at least five out of six metrics around diversity & inclusion action, engagement, leadership, team and culture, with respect, connection, contribution, and progress forwarded as the four key requirements for employees to feel included in their workplace.
Ratings are determined through company-wide external surveys, with an employee participation rate of above two thirds.
Speaking from an employee point of view, private business tax & advisory director Dharav Gandhi, who previously worked at Grant Thornton (and Deloitte) in Mumbai before later joining the firm in Sydney, says; “It’s not about conforming or fitting into an existing pattern, but rather enriching the pattern with different perspectives. At Grant Thornton, I feel safe to be myself, embracing my uniqueness while contributing to a collective vision.”
Internal feedback
In addition to Grant Thornton, those that met the criteria this year included a number of other consultancies, such as FTI Consulting. Senior managing director Dawna Wright – who co-chairs the firm’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee and was recently once again recognised as one of the world’s leading forensics and litigation practitioners in a male-dominated field – pointed to the benefits of the program as a means to monitor progress internally.
“Our participation in the survey process wasn’t about being recognised or getting an award,” Wright stated. “We wanted to participate to be able to benchmark ourselves externally, helping us focus our efforts and attention in the areas most required. For FTI Consulting, diversity & inclusion isn’t a destination, it’s a journey and the data provided through this process is going to enable us to continue to learn and adapt our approaches. Each year, this assessment has provided us with valuable insight.”
