Race and Culture
From saying the unspoken, to taking action.
Our vision is to have a leadership team and workforce that reflects a diverse Australia. This requires us to move beyond celebrating culture to better understand the experiences of our people from racially and culturally diverse backgrounds to inform and activate our way forward.
We are committed to ‘saying the unspoken’ and elevating the voices and lived experiences of diverse communities to shape a future that is equitable for all.
Tharani Jegatheeswaran, Social Impact Consulting Partner
Taking action
Our Race and Culture Action Plan and the Unspoken campaign
Our Race and Culture Action Plan outlines our commitment over the next three years to have a leadership team and workforce that reflects a diverse Australia to reach racial equity. Change begins with the courage to start. It’s about understanding and removing barriers and creating spaces where we can show up and speak up. This is why the voices and experiences of our diverse community are at the heart of Deloitte Australia's Race and Culture Action Plan.
Download a copy of Deloitte Australia's Race and Culture Action Plan.
Our four pillars of impact are:
Cultural Flex
We want to empower our people to celebrate their cultural heritage. At Deloitte, you can substitute two public holidays to celebrate important religious or cultural days that matter to you.
Learn more about Flexibility at Deloitte.
Learn more
Download a copy of Deloitte Australia's Race and Culture Action Plan.
Chido Mauwa, Zimbabwean heritage, Director in Enabling Areas
“I look at myself in the mirror regularly and say, ‘Your crown has been paid for. There are people who've come before you who sacrificed for you to be here, for you to be successful.'
So, I need to wear my crown proudly, and I need to step into those spaces. And if it means other people will be uncomfortable by my presence, that is not on me. I just need to be who I am.”
Josh Duke, Dunghutti man, Consulting Director
“Allyship is so important. We can't do it without you. To be an ally is to be well-read. It's about understanding that Australia's history wasn't that nice and bringing to light the things we haven't heard about.
For me, it's not about making people feel guilty because you can't change the past, but you can change the future and that you can influence your spheres of influence. Even if they're just at your dinner table, that's really important.”
Sasha Fredrick Sri-Lankan Australia heritage, Audit & Assurance Partner
“I didn't think too much about being female and also being from a culturally diverse background until recently. I only just learned the term ‘intersectionality’ about 12 months ago. Having the language to explain it has helped me understand why I sometimes feel the way that I do.
We have to start being more deliberate about the decisions we make and about intentionally including people - there are so many voices and ideas that are not being brought to the table because people aren’t being seen or heard.”
Ramneek Singh, Sikh, Indian- Australian, Senior Consultant in Consulting
“Representation is super important because for younger people from different racial and cultural backgrounds and experiences, imagining themselves in senior positions can be challenging unless they can see someone who is just like them.
It's important for people to see they can bring their diversity, different perspective and identity and still succeed. I am amazed by the fact so many young Sikhs are feeling confident in pursuing success while maintaining their identity, coming through Deloitte and elsewhere.”
Lama Tiavo, Samoan (Aotearoa New Zealand), Consulting Manager
“Growing up in a Pacific Islander community, I gained many skills through roles in my church, the community, and frequent extended family gatherings, from chairing a meeting and public speaking to team building, emotional intelligence, and resolving conflict. Real-life experiences that are transferrable to work.
We need to be curious and learn more about each other. Because that's how we'll understand the human side of people. When people feel safe to bring their full authentic selves to work, they'll be able to share their different lived experiences and perspectives without any guards or fear of being judged.”
Benny Lee, Malaysian heritage, Financial Advisory Partner and Board Member
“I hope and I know that Deloitte will continue to change with the times. Today's Partnership won't necessarily be fit for purpose for tomorrow's business. We need to focus our continued efforts on how we nurture, retain and elevate our diverse workforce for a better Deloitte and a better Australia.
Because when we've got a workplace where people feel like they belong, they will want to come to work, they will want to do their best work, and they'll have a lot of fun along the way.”
