PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), a company devoted to “assurance, tax and advisory services,” sponsored the launch of a diversity and inclusion podcast created by Huffpost with the intention of helping companies “foster a culture of diversity, acceptance, allyship and inclusion.”
The accounting firm’s venture into podcasts is just their latest in a string of initiatives to signal their corporate wokeness.
“Time To Act” is hosted by Y-Vonne Hutchinson, CEO & Founder of ReadySet, a consulting firm devoted to “making more human-centric, inclusive work environments.” The podcast outlines how leaders from a multitude of companies have chosen to become more accommodating to a progressive, leftist, inclusion-based agenda.
The podcast currently only has 3 episodes, each one focused on a different aspect of improving diversity practices in the workplace. Featuring guests from different companies devoted to promoting a more inclusive workplace, Hutchison seeks to demonstrate that diversity is “a societal issue not a competitive one” and should be a burden companies work to resolve.
So far, episodes have covered global inclusion and authentic hiring, accommodating for mental health and handling new challenges that come with a pandemic, and inclusion with technology and addressing social issues. The introduction of the podcast boasts of diversity working to benefit everyone in the workplace by promoting equality and a space for everyone.
“The most important thing when you’re working on anything with a team of people is diversity of thought. The only way you’re going to do that is to make an inclusive community that is open to new ideas,” said one guest.
“You have to really include everybody no matter who they are, where they are from, what they believe in. That’s really the only way it can work,” another added.
It is, however, very clear that any pushback to these diversity initiatives would be seen as behind the times or even hostile or racist in and of themselves. One of the guests on the podcast even discussed asking every employee where they were on their “anti-racism journey” and how the company could choose to act on social issues.
“Are you someone who is just standing in the room saying you’re an ally, or are you taking the initiative to drive those things and drive that change when you see it?” asked another guest in the intro of an episode.
The move comes as more and more companies continue to embrace wokeness and more progressive policy decisions in the workplace. Whether it’s the companies that posted a black square on blackout Tuesday in solidarity with Black Lives Matter, or those major companies that donated to the Black Lives Matter Global Network, more and more businesses are caving into societal pressures to address social issues.
For PwC in particular, this cultural shift is nothing new. For a while, the company has become increasingly progressive in how it views its role in society. In 2019, PwC was “ranked as the top UK employer in the Social Mobility Employer Index” which “ranks Britain’s employers on the actions they’re taking to ensure they are accessing and progressing talent from all class backgrounds.”
“Companies can no longer afford to ignore social responsibility and societal issues that intersect with their business, and the regulatory environment is changing in response,” said in a statement on the public policy portion of the PwC website.
While the company boasts that “people from different backgrounds and with different points of view work together, we create the most value – for our clients, our people and society,” PwC still lacks the diversity they try to preach. Of the 22 people on their board, only one is black. The same can be said of the global leadership team, which only has one black member. The network leadership team is made up solely of white males.
One glance at PwC’s Twitter also reveals how important staying “woke” is to the company. Whether it’s focusing on environmental issues, gay rights, or more diversity, PwC maintains itself as a leader in the social justice world.
We've been sharing tips on ‘sustainable living at home’ with our people since lockdown began and are delighted to be featured in @BITC's new factsheet offering practical advice on how we can all contribute towards a cleaner future https://t.co/DmwUopT8wU #WorldEnvironmentDay pic.twitter.com/lyP1RJIUKF
— PwC UK (@PwC_UK) June 5, 2020
.@KevinJDEllis @AlberthaPwC @TOwusuAdjei_PwC & @Tunji_Akintokun spoke to our people about race in the workplace. Fair work allocation, supportive relationships & tackling microaggressions were named as key to inclusivity at work. We're listening, learning & committed to progress pic.twitter.com/Lp6RDQ7Mv6
— PwC UK (@PwC_UK) June 10, 2020
Not only does the company sponsor the podcast on diversity, they have also previously sponsored a list with the British LGBT Awards naming the “Top 10 Inspirational leaders 2020” that are LGBTQ+ inclusive and devoted an entire Instagram account called “Shine” to spotlighting “LGBTQI+ community and allies at PwC.”
They also have an entire thread celebrating minorities, women, and LGBTQ+ employees posted to their UK Twitter account.
https://twitter.com/WokeCapital/status/1145481228122017792?s=20
The company continues to introduce new programs and initiatives including a commitment to “pay equity” with “analysis along racial/ethnic lines.”
