DIVERSITY , EQUALITY & INCLUSION NAME : DR ANTONIA SUDKAEMPER GIG : DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION MANAGER COMPANY : ICAEW
Attracting diverse talent is major priority . ICAEW is a leading professional membership organisation that develops and supports over 186,500 accountants worldwide . Despite significant progress being made to attract and retain under-represented groups , the accountancy profession has not yet completely succeeded in leaving its reputation of exclusiveness behind . The sector still suffers from a perceived lack of diversity , which results in loss of talent from minority groups and the benefits that come from a diverse workforce .
A vital area of success has been attracting those from a lower socio-economic background into the profession . ICAEW and over 25 employers are part of a charity called Access Accountancy . Set up in 2014 to provide work experience for school students who might otherwise struggle to find a way into the industry , it achieved its initial objective of nearly 4,000 placements in 2019 . ICAEW took over as chair of the charity in October 2020 and is keen to accelerate impact on social mobility , expanding Access Accountancy ’ s focus to include progression .
Despite the current challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic , such as business recovery , a growing number of accountancy firms have added D & I to their board
84 November 2021