Workplace ‘a catalyst for change’
Accenture Africa is committed to embracing diversity and fostering greater inclusivity in society using the workplace as a catalyst to drive this change.
”We believe the future workforce is an equal one, which is why we strive to create an environment of equality through progressive inclusion and diversity policies,” says Accenture Africa CEO Vukani Mngxati.
He says these core values are a fundamental part of the company’s culture and are therefore non-negotiables. “We believe that no one should be discriminated against because of a disability, their age, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender identity and expression or sexual orientation.”
Globally, Accenture is already recognised as a corporate champion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights, and Accenture South Africa was recently recognised as an LGBT+ Silver Employer in the South Africa Workplace Equality Index .
In this regard, the company has implemented some of the most progressive employment policies and practices, including workplace training to build awareness and understanding of the LGBT community, policies that ensure the equal treatment of employees, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity and expression (where permitted by law), and inclusive recruitment, promotion and retention policies.
“We also strive to provide identical employee benefits to same-sex and opposite-sex partners in all the countries in which we operate and where permitted by law,” adds Mngxati.
To further demonstrate its commitment to inclusion, equality and diversity, the company aims to achieve a gender-balanced workforce by 2025. “Workforce diversity delivers richness in thinking and a divergence of approaches that can drive innovation and set your business apart from the competition.”
Diversity is also good for business as it creates a workplace dynamic that correlates with increased profitability, believes Mngxati, in reference to recent research conducted by the company. According to the study findings, by upskilling more women and creating a culture of equality to achieve gender parity in the workplace, the country could add R319bn to its GDP and create more jobs.
“It's a win-win for the country, the economy and the business, which is why we are championing workforce diversity and leading the initiative to accelerate change in the workplace,” he adds.
As part of its inclusion and diversity strategy, Accenture’s ambition is to be the number one place to work in Africa by 2023. “This is a powerful talent acquisition and retention tool as it adds significantly to our value proposition as a global employer of choice.”
DIVERSITY DELIVERS RICHNESS IN THINKING AND A DIVERGENCE OF APPROACHES THAT CAN DRIVE INNOVATION