Support for women's leadership

Our commitment to women’s development and advancement is integral to Ernst & Young’s success. In 1996, Ernst & Young launched a focused effort to grow our women leaders, both personally and professionally. Since then, the promotion rate of women at the partner level has more than doubled to 25% and women now comprise 13% of all leadership positions at our firm.

As a result of our achievements in developing and advancing women in business, Ernst & Young received the 2003 Catalyst Award, one of only three companies to do so. This prestigious award recognizes our effectiveness in creating a culture where women not only can participate, but can lead and excel.

The Offices for Flexibility and Gender Equity Strategy are Ernst & Young’s in-house “people R&D groups” to support local and national teams in developing our women leaders. Members of the Offices for Flexibility and Gender Equity Strategy help identify development and change-management initiatives, advise senior leadership on strategies related to gender, and facilitate knowledge-sharing across Ernst & Young’s business units.

Providing industry leadership in cultural change and people development is an expression of our commitment to a People First culture. The following are some of the ways Ernst & Young supports women’s leadership development.

• Women’s PLAN provides mentoring for key women leaders by Executive Board members.
• Women’s ACCESS is a mentoring initiative for women pursuing the partnership or leadership in the support ranks.
• Women’s Forums, held across the firm, feature panels and discussions on topics of emerging interest.
• An annual Women’s Leadership Conference brings together top women from the Americas with key business leaders and executive management.
• Professional Women’s Networks, both inside and outside the firm, raise women’s stature in the business world.
• The firm’s prestigious Rosemarie Meschi Award honors men and women in the firm who are doing the most to create a level playing field for women.

Initiatives such as these draw upon nationally deployed resources while offering leadership opportunities through local ownership and implementation.

Workplace issues

Flexibility: a powerful
workplace benefit

A recent report on the tangible business benefits of workplace flexibility has been released by Corporate Voices for Working Families (pdf, 791K). Among the findings, based on research into 28 American companies: workplace flexibility contributes to talent retention, profitability, productivity, and stronger employee commitment to the organization. Ernst & Young Chairman and CEO Jim Turley was the first CEO to sign a statement of support for the report, affirming that workplace flexibility contributes to our firm’s success.

Women's advancement
is everyone's business

Ernst & Young’s leadership is not only committed to supporting women’s advancement, but to innovating and leading efforts to create the environment for that advancement. In an article in the Journal of Accountancy Ernst & Young Chief Operating Officer John Ferraro explains why giving women the chance to succeed makes good business sense.

Support and benefits

We don't just talk
about gender equity

At Ernst & Young achieving gender equity is critical to creating a workplace that is and feels inclusive. Find out more about our culture and initiatives that support women's development, read about real-life experiences, and check out our progress in "Realizing success together: Creating gender equity" (pdf, 404K).

The many faces
of flexibility

Several Ernst & Young people and their families share their experiences achieving their personal and professional goals with the support of our culture and programs and policies that support flexibility and working parents. Watch a new video series of their first-person accounts.

New Ernst & Young network
keeps moms engaged

The newly launched Ernst & Young Working Moms Network provides support, resources, networking, and mentoring opportunities for expectant, new, and veteran mothers. The new network is the latest addition to My JournEY, a group of programs and resources designed to help all working parents at Ernst & Young achieve personal and professional goals throughout their careers.