Inclusion

Dear colleagues,

Monitoring leading indicators and fine-tuning or shifting approaches is smart business, even when it appears business is currently performing well. As we close one fiscal year and plan the start of another, there’s no better time to talk about what we see when we look at where we’re going and who we are.

Who are we? That can be a complex question, but at our core, Deloitte’s people are people of integrity who treat others with respect, regardless of their background or beliefs. This quality is inseparable from the work we do. It’s the foundation of the culture of inclusion that makes Deloitte such a special place.

Deloitte’s culture of inclusion unleashes the power of diversity and applies to each of us at every stage of our careers. It’s what helps us develop and maintain strong connections. It gives us that essential feeling of belonging and being valued, and it enables us to continuously grow. Strength from diversity, one of our core values, enables us to succeed as we focus on building high-performing teams with diversity of thought, perspective, and experiences.

At Deloitte, everyone matters. Each of us has the opportunity to grow personally and professionally in our development culture. We treat each other with respect and create “Deloitte colleagues for life.” We have the privilege of sharing our values—and Deloitte’s inclusive culture—in the interactions we have at work, at home, with our clients, and in our communities. We’re proud of the work we do as ambassadors of Deloitte’s culture.

“Inclusion” means something different to everyone. We know sometimes it can be difficult to see the world through someone else’s eyes, but Deloitte people embrace challenges and we respect and value diverse views. We are courageous—individually and collectively. Each of us is responsible for supporting development and can play a crucial role in bringing to life the tenets of our inclusive culture through the things we do every day.

An organization of firsts

Since we started this inclusion journey 25 years ago, we have continued to push boundaries and challenge the status quo. We have set the standard by being an organization of firsts: the first woman chairman, the first minority CEO, the first minority chairman, the first woman CEO of the Big Four professional services organizations, and first woman CEO of a consulting organization of its size.

Looking back, we have such a great deal to be proud of: 2,000+ women and minority PPMDs; 50 percent+ women and minorities on our board; three straight years of our newly admitted PPMDs breaking that same 50 percent threshold. Over two-thirds of our professionals today are women and minorities, creating increasingly diverse client service teams and leadership opportunities. Our talent survey inclusion scores remain best-in-class, well-being scores are on the rise, and this year accolades from external organizations from Working Mother to the Human Rights Campaign continue to sing our praises for our innovative inclusion practices, with our recently announced Paid Family Leave program alone garnering significant praise from our people and the marketplace alike.

Reimagining inclusion

But with all that’s gone right, the reality is we still face a number of key inclusion challenges where we know we have more work to do. Additionally, we continue to learn that inclusion unleashes the power of diversity—and we believe there’s more we can do to further embed the tenets of an inclusive culture into our everyday behaviors, because being a leader at Deloitte means being an inclusive leader.

Ultimately, Reimagining inclusion is about promoting a brand that enables us to connect with world-class talent, foster a culture of inclusion where all of our people feel like they belong, and provide opportunities for our PPMDs and professionals alike to grow personally and professionally. To that end, we are taking a holistic perspective and widening the conversation to help us all see that each one of us plays a role. To accomplish this, we are focusing on the essential tenets of an inclusive culture for all:

Reimagining inclusion

Inclusive behavior starts with our own individual self-awareness and the way we each approach the world. We want you to seek out and engage other people’s unique perspectives. Work with your colleagues to build diverse teams in which everyone feels valued for what they bring to the table and be aware of our own unconscious biases that may exist.

Intellectual curiosity is one of the qualities our clients value most in us. So be curious as you expand and enrich your networks. Get to know people beyond their résumés. Understand what matters to them personally. Think about how their backgrounds may influence their work and communication styles. You, as a person, are more than just your race and gender, and the same is true of your colleagues. So be sure to consider the many different qualities that make someone tick—single parents, same-sex couples, introverts, extroverts—whatever. Deloitte is a microcosm of the world—and that immeasurably enriches our work with our diverse range of clients.

Find the joy in our diversity, the excitement of being in an organization that values development, authenticity, and well-being. We invite you to join us in embracing what makes Deloitte an increasingly inclusive culture where everyone has an opportunity to connect, belong, and grow.

Regards,

Inclusion is who we are

Each of us has something unique to contribute to Deloitte’s success. Everyone has a role to play and every act counts. To us, leadership is inclusiveness—it’s how we tap into the power of our diversity. We are fostering an inclusive culture where all of our people feel valued for who they are, feel comfortable bringing their authentic selves to work, and feel empowered to reach their full potential in every aspect of their lives.

– Deb DeHaas, chief inclusion officer, Deloitte