November 19, 2015

Gender Equality Fundamental for Business and Next Generation of Leaders, says Accenture Chairman and CEO

Company commits to grow percentage of women new hires to 40 percent by 2017

NEW YORK; Nov. 19, 2015 – Gender equality is an essential element of an inclusive workplace, says Accenture (NYSE: ACN) Chairman and CEO Pierre Nanterme.

“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.”

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.


Accenture has also pledged to grow the percentage of women it hires to at least 40 percent worldwide by 2017 and has made steady progress toward this goal. In fiscal year 2015 – the 12 months ended Aug. 31, 2015 – approximately 39 percent of the company’s more than 100,000 new hires were women.

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.

“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.

Watch as Nanterme shares more on why gender equality is important to him and to Accenture. Also, visit us at accenture.com to learn more about the company’s commitment to inclusion and diversity.