Ernst & Young named most admired employer for Diversity & Inclusiveness

Ernst & Young has been named as one of the UK’s most admired employers for its approach to Diversity & Inclusiveness, in a report released today (6th December 2012) by the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development (CIPD) and Bernard Hodes. The report, Diversity & Inclusion – Fringe or Fundamental?, was based on a survey of over 300 companies and analysed Diversity & Inclusiveness practices across a range of industries. Survey respondents were asked to name organisations that they considered to be leading the field in this area. Ernst & Young topped the list, followed by BT, IBM, Barclays and Sodexo.

Liz Bingham, Ernst & Young Managing Partner for People in the UK & Ireland commented: “To have been benchmarked and recognised by our peers is a real achievement. It’s a testament to the time and investment we’ve put into making sure that Ernst & Young is a place where all our people are able to be themselves and achieve their career potential.

“As a professional services firm, our people are our biggest asset. So whether it’s our employee networks, leadership programmes for our high potential women and black and minority ethnic staff, or our maternity coaching scheme, we’re constantly looking for ways to improve what we do.”

She added: “The report research demonstrates that whilst many organisations have embarked on a journey of change, they are all at different stages.  Many still see D&I as being about compliance and policies, when in fact there is an important business case for D&I. We are making real progress, but there is always more to be done.”