New Delhi: Just when the corporate world is debating about gender equality, pay parity, Accenture has emphasised on an inclusive workplace where gender equality will be a norm. The company has also pledged to grow the percentage of women it hires to at least 40% by 2017.

Accenture chairman and CEO Pierre Nanterme said, “At Accenture, our commitment to inclusion and diversity starts at the top, and we empower all of our people – including our more than 130,000 women – to lead,” said Nanterme. “We believe strongly that gender equality is essential for a high-performing, talent-led organization. This commitment extends to pay, and we strive to ensure that all our people – women and men – are compensated fairly and equitably from the moment we hire them through the milestones of their careers here.”  

Accenture's pledge to grow the percentage of women it hires to at least 40% worldwide by 2017 and has made steady progress toward this goal. In fiscal year 2015 – the 12 months ended August 31, 2015 – approximately 39% of the company’s more than 100,000 new hires were women. The company has ongoing rigorous processes to identify potential pay discrepancies, looking carefully at specific roles in each country, and is proactive at all stages of an individual’s career. “If we identify a problem, we fix it,” Nanterme said.   

Today, four of the 11 independent directors on Accenture’s board – including its lead director – are women, and the company’s Global Management Committee, which has ultimate accountability for running the business, includes three women. In addition, women hold many key leadership positions at Accenture including leading the company’s businesses in the United States, India, China and the Philippines. In India, Accenture is lead by Rekha Menon. 

“We create an environment where our people can be successful, both professionally and personally -- quite simply, our diversity makes Accenture stronger, smarter and more innovative,” said Nanterme.

Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries and all business functions – underpinned by the world’s largest delivery network – Accenture works at the intersection of business and technology to help clients improve their performance and create sustainable value for their stakeholders. With more than 358,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture drives innovation to improve the way the world works and lives.