ACCENTURE DEMOGRAPHICS LOCATIONS DIVERSITY LEADERSHIP EMPLOYMENT CONTACT THE STATS*

Transcription

1 ACCENTURE LOCATIONS Offices and operations in more than 200 cities in 52 countries DIVERSITY LEADERSHIP LaMae Allen dejongh Managing Director of US Human Capital & Diversity EMPLOYMENT CONTACT John Redmond US Diversity Recruiting Lead Phone: (469) DEMOGRAPHICS Women (US) More than 12,000 women work for in the United States. Four in 10 (40%) employees in the US workforce are women. Approximately 20% of s US senior executives are women. During 2008, one-quarter (25%) of promotions to senior executive in the United States were women. During 2008, more than four in 10 (44%) new hires in the US were women. Women (Global) More than 60,000 women are part of s global workforce. More than one in three employees (36%) are women. More than 15% of senior executives are women. During 2008, more than one in five (21%) of promotions to senior executive were women. s board of directors includes three women. Approximately 20% of s executive leadership team is female. During 2008, nearly four in ten (39%) new hires were w-omen. Our Commitment to an Inclusive Culture More than one-third (36%) of s US workforce is African- American, Hispanic American, Asian American or American Indian. Approximately 10% of s US senior executives represent these diverse backgrounds. During 2008, 14% of professionals promoted to senior executive in the US were African-American, Hispanic American or Asian American During 2008, more than four in 10 (46%) new hires in the US were members of these groups. THE STATS* Total in the U.S Total outside the U.S Total worldwide Number of employees 32,500 32, , , , ,000 Revenue (billions) $7.95 $7.15 $15.44 $12.54 $23.39 $19.69 Number of minorities 11, , ,000 Number of women 12, ,000 54,000 45,000 67,000 *Please note: these are approximate numbers. 18

2 RECRUITING Please list the schools/types of schools at which you recruit. Ivy League schools Other private schools Public state schools Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs) Do you have any special outreach efforts directed to encourage minority students and graduates to consider your firm? Hold a reception for minority students: Diversity-focused open house in Atlanta, New York, Chicago and Washington, D.C., and hold receptions at all our targeted schools Conferences: Candidate Five Conference, National Black MBA Association, National Society of Black Engineers, National Society of Hispanic MBAs, Out for Work Conference, Reaching Out MBA Conference, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, Society of Women Engineers, Women for Hire, Women in Technology, MBA JumpStart, Management Leadership of Tomorrow. Advertise in minority student association publication(s) or other minority-focused publications Participate in/host minority student job fair(s) or other minority-focused job events: National Black MBA Association, National Society of Black Engineers, National Society of Hispanic MBAs, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, Society of Women Engineers, Women for Hire, Women in Technology. Sponsor minority student association events Firm s employees participate on career panels at school Outreach to leadership of minority student organizations Scholarships or intern/fellowships for minority students: American Indian Scholarship Fund, Junior and Community College Scholarship, Scholarship Program for Minorities and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund Other: has created several programs aimed at attracting and retaining ethnic minority and women employees, including s Women s Networking Forum, Student Leadership Conference and the Student Empowerment Program for female and diverse students. What activities does the firm undertake to attract minority and women employees? Partner programs with women and minority associations: Catalyst, INROADS, National Black MBA Association, National Society of Black Engineers, National Society of Hispanic MBAs, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, Society of Women Engineers Conferences: Candidate Five Conference, National Black MBA Association, National Society of Black Engineers, National Society of Hispanic MBAs, Out for Work Conference, Reaching Out MBA Conference, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, Society of Women Engineers, Women for Hire, Women in Technology Participate at minority job fairs: National Black MBA Association, National Society of Black Engineers, National Society of Hispanic MBAs, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, Society of Women Engineers, Women for Hire, Women in Technology Seek referrals from other employees Utilize online job services Other: hosts exclusive open house and networking events for ethnic minority, female and GLBT employees. Do you use executive recruiting/search firms to seek to identify new diversity hires? Yes. INTERNSHIPS AND CO-OPS Internship Program Deadline for application: Applications are due in the early winter timeframe Number of interns in the program in summer 2008: Approximately 200 Pay: offers market-competitive wages for interns. Length of the program: They last for a period of at least 10 weeks typically from late May/early June and ending in mid-august/early September. Percentage of interns/co-ops in the program who receive offers of full-time employment: Approximately 90 to 95 percent of interns receive offers for employment Website for internship/co-op information: Aside from our overall internship program, has been a strong supporter of INROADS interns since the organization began in 1970 in Chicago, and was one of the original 17 corporate sponsors. Former senior executive Andrew Jackson from the Cleveland office was the first inductee into the INROADS Alumni Hall of Fame. We have a limited number of internships available through the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering (NACME) and the On-Campus Internship program. We also provide internship opportunities to students participating in our Student Empowerment Program. Intern analysts participate in a variety of roles, including those of an actual full-time analyst. As an intern, they may participate in client or internal engagements with an emphasis on the planning, design and installation of management information systems. 19

3 Assignments may include: Defining user requirements Programming Coding and testing applications Analyzing, designing and implementing business process improvements Project administration Researching work on a proposal Developing an array of technology-based solutions to improve business performance from interactive, virtual technologies to object-oriented, client/server and Internet applications Developing training and human performance management programs Additionally, students interning with us the summer before their rising senior year attend a three-day leadership conference during the summer. The agenda for the conference includes team-building exercises, meeting our executives, diversity presentations, networking opportunities, motivational speakers and a showcase of our clients. SCHOLARSHIPS is committed to providing financial support for a variety of programs at institutions of higher education. We are also focused on the advancement of minorities. We believe that there are tremendous opportunities for bright, hardworking individuals who wish to apply their skills to the advantage of businesses on a global scale. We also believe that education helps individuals reach their maximum potential. At, we have made a commitment to help support meritorious minority students in pursuit of their dreams. That s why we have established a series of scholarship programs: Scholarship Program for Minorities Deadline for application for the scholarship program: Applications are due in the month of January each year. Scholarship award amount: Scholarship awards of $2,500 are awarded to outstanding students for undergraduate study. Website or other contact information for scholarship: careers3.accenture.com/careers/us/campusconnection/studentprogra ms/scholarships_minorities.htm The Scholarship Program for Minorities was created to encourage minorities to pursue degrees in engineering, computer science, and a variety of programs related to information systems and decision or management sciences. Scholarships of $2,500 are awarded to outstanding students for undergraduate study. Scholarship recipients are selected solely on merit, based on academic achievement, leadership, participation in school and community activities, work experience, statement of education and career goals, personal essay and an outside appraisal. This scholarship program is administered by Scholarship Management Services, a department of Scholarship America. Junior and Community College Scholarship Deadline for application for the scholarship program: Applications are due in the month of February each year. Scholarship award amount: Scholarship awards of $5,000 each. Website or other contact information for scholarship: careers3.accenture.com/careers/us/campusconnection/studentprogra ms/communitycollege.htm The Junior and Community College Scholarship Fund was recently created to support junior and community college students seeking four-year degrees in high technology and business. These scholarships are part of our commitment to providing access to higher education and developing a competitive U.S. workforce. The scholarship fund will award up to 20 scholarships of $5,000 each, renewable up to one year or until a bachelor s degree is earned. In addition to the scholarship funds, recipients at the junior-year undergraduate level may be eligible for summer internships at. American Indian Scholarship Fund Deadline for application for the scholarship program: Applications are due during the May/June timeframe each year. Scholarship award amount: awards three types of scholarships ranging in amounts of $1,000 to $20,000. Website or other contact information for scholarship: careers3.accenture.com/careers/us/campusconnection/studentprogra ms/aigc.htm awards three types of scholarships to high-achieving American Indian and Alaskan Native students seeking degrees and careers in the professional, teaching, social services, and high technology or business fields: Scholars: Three undergraduate scholarships of $20,000 each will be awarded to high school seniors pursuing a four-year undergraduate program at a U.S. university or college. Fellows: Two graduate scholarships of $15,000 each will be awarded to undergraduate students pursuing an advanced degree at a U.S. accredited university or college. Finalist Scholarships: Two undergraduate scholarships of $1,000 per year for four years and one graduate scholarship of $2,500 per year for two years will be awarded to candidates for the Scholars and Fellows scholarships. In addition to the funding, scholarship recipients are eligible for summer internships with, as first-year graduate students or junior-year undergraduate students. Applicants are evaluated based on academic excellence, demonstrated leadership ability, commitment to preserving American Indian culture and communities and proof of enrollment in a federally recognized American Indian/Alaskan Native tribe. Thurgood Marshall College Fund Deadline for application for the scholarship program: deadlines vary. Application Scholarship award amount: awards $2,500 for each semester. Website or other contact information for scholarship: 20

4 Through the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, awards scholarships directly to students at participating member schools. The Thurgood Marshall College Fund is a 501(c)(3) organization, which provides scholarship money to historically black colleges and universities for the purpose of helping students complete their education. AFFINITY GROUPS The National Diversity Interest Group Program is a critical component of s inclusion and diversity efforts. The interest groups provide an opportunity for individuals who share an affinity to work together on diversity-focused issues with a business purpose. There are currently 12 national groups, each led by a senior executive who sponsors and guides the group. Two new groups were launched in FY08, The Experienced Hire Interest Group and the Men s Interest Group. These interest groups also have local chapters existing in locations where there is interest. Nearly half of our U.S.-based employees participate in one or more of these groups. The National Diversity Interest Program groups include: Abilities Access Interest Group African American Interest Group American Indian Interest Group American Military Community Asian Pacific American Interest Group Experienced Hire Interest Group Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Interest Group Hispanic American Interest Group Inter-Faith Interest Group Men s Interest Group Military Interest Group Multicultural Interest Group Women s Interest Group Nation Worklife/Wellness Strategy Interest Group These groups provide individuals who share a common purpose an opportunity to come together to discuss specific issues related to workplace diversity. The groups: Provide members with networking opportunities Foster a means for individuals with similar backgrounds to discuss similar challenges and opportunities Offer professional direction Promote inclusion and diversity throughout the company Support national and local recruiting activities Provide employees with heritage packets that highlight various cultural celebrations throughout the year currently has more than two dozen U.S. offices with active local office inclusion and diversity initiatives. In locations that lack critical mass of the demographic groups above, or where the location does not have formalized interest groups, multicultural groups have been put in place. ENTRY-LEVEL PROGRAMS/FULL-TIME OPPORTUNITIES/TRAINING PROGRAMS Entry-level training programs primarily recruits undergraduate students to join our consulting team as entry-level consulting analysts. All new consulting analysts spend their first five weeks in training at. The first week is spent in New Hire Orientation, becoming familiar with our culture, the way we manage our work and preparing for Core Analyst School. They then spend the next two weeks at their local office in an appropriate fundamentals course solutions development or management consulting based on their workgroup. Next up, they ll join consulting analysts from around the world for Core Analyst School, an intensive, two-week training course at our training center, just outside of Chicago. Through a rigorous set of learning experiences, they ll discover how to deliver quality solutions using the same tools and methods that analysts use on the job. We ll also prepare them for their first assignment, which could involve additional advanced career training, such as industry training, skills training in a particular capability or function, or specific technology tools training. Training is not just something employees do when they first join. In our most recent fiscal year, we invested $900 million globally in training/professional development and delivered more than 12 million hours of training to our people. Diversity training opportunities Appreciating gender differences: This course heightens awareness of gender differences and demonstrates the importance of appreciating and valuing the dynamics between men and women. This helps create an inclusive workplace which increases team innovation and productivity. The course is available to all U.S. personnel and is available for uptake in our project teams. Building cross cultural awareness: Building Cross Cultural Awareness is designed to increase understanding of and appreciation for working effectively across cultures and what we at mean by one global network. After completing this course, participants understand how behaviors are influenced by but not an absolute determination of culture, the dimensions of inclusion in the management of a crosscultural team and how to adjust their communication and management style in order to adapt to a cross-cultural team. Country Guides/GlobeSmart: Available to all employees globally, the country guides teach individuals about the cultures and customs that does business with. The goal of the guides is to increase cultural awareness and insight into the work styles and behaviors across specific cultures, including etiquette, communication and respect. These guides enable employees to effectively do business around the globe. Developing high-performing women: Embracing the advancement and retention of women, this course helps our women managers develop skills and knowledge to advance their careers in the organization. Since the course began in our 2004 fiscal year, there have been 12 sessions; approximately 400 participants globally have completed the 21

5 training. We re-energized this course during our 2007 fiscal year by adding more networking opportunities and fresh content to keep the momentum of the course going for our future women leaders. Diversity principle: The diversity principle is an interactive awareness presentation that helps the participant understand his or her role in creating an inclusive work environment. Designed to enhance and promote s diversity definition, vision and strategy, the diversity principle focuses on increasing awareness of some diversity challenges that arise in the workplace. The course remains available as computer based training. Since this one-hour course was rolled out across the United States in 2001, approximately 18,000 employees have completed the training. Diversity principle in motion: Building on the success of the diversity principle, the diversity principle in motion further examines peoples perceptions and behaviors of others who are different from them. It helps participants recognize inappropriate behaviors related to differences in the workplace and become more aware of ways to address these behaviors. This instructor-led, one-and-a-half-hour course has been rolled out across the U.S. and 22,000 people have completed the training. In our 2006 fiscal year, this training was developed into web-based training available to all employees. Leading a diverse workforce: Leading a diverse workforce enables s executives to successfully lead an inclusive work environment. Participants leave the course able to explain the importance of inclusion and diversity, and describe the various dimensions of inclusion and diversity. More importantly, participants will understand how to implement key strategies for successfully leading and managing diversity. Time is spent allowing executives the opportunity to apply techniques and frameworks to their respective business entities and develop personal action plans thus creating a positive impact in the organization. Valuing inclusion training: The purpose of this training is to increase awareness of the positive impacts of inclusive behaviors as well as the negative impacts of exclusive behaviors. Designed for project teams and community settings, this 90-minute training enables participants to help create a more inclusive environment. Last year, more than 1,500 people in our Solutions workforce completed this training for their summer community meeting. In our 2008 fiscal year, this course has been packaged for our use on our project sites. Workplace harassment training: Mandatory for all U.S. managers and above, this one-and-a-half-hour, computer-based training presents s position on harassment in the workplace and how to appropriately address it. High-performance mindset training Pilot: s high performance business research program has found that high performers have distinctive mindsets that help drive competitive advantage and contribute to optimal personal success. Highperformance mindset training is designed to instill these mindsets in our people and to provide the requisite competencies to maximize performance and achieve excellence in the workplace. This training course is based on the fact that when people adopt beliefs, perspectives and behaviors proven to be successful, they can create superior results in their relationships, professional careers and personal lives. As an outcome, participants will evolve to an empowered mindset and become aware of tools and resources that they can leverage for creating sustainable success. This course was piloted in FY08 to 20 executives. Based on its success, the content has been incorporated in our Leadership Summits. Leadership summits: s Leadership Summits reflect s commitment to ensuring the success of our ethnically diverse leaders. These include summits geared to the needs of specific groups, such as African-Americans, American Indians, Asian Americans and Hispanic Americans, as well as one focused on our senior executives. Some of the key objectives of each summit are to: inspire and build confidence in opportunities within for career advancement; build skills, capabilities and strategies for career progression; evolve targeted action plans for development and advancement and leverage resources, tools and people within in developing a platform for success. Smith College Leadership Consortium: In 2008, selected 12 high-performing female executives to attend the Smith College Leadership Consortium. The course is a two-week, mini-mba crash course combined with a strategic life retreat that is focused on three dimensions: mind, body and spirit. The Consortium takes place on the campus of Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, from late July to early August. The program brings together about 50 participants from several companies. The program offers the following: Opportunity to learn and network with other women managers and executives Courses on corporate strategy, corporate finance, relationship management, leadership, finance, global strategy and innovation, intercultural competence, marketing, etc. Other programs and activities to help participants present their ideas more powerfully, manage change, develop healthy lifestyles, participate effectively in mentoring networks, and generally lead with vigor Respect in Action training: Respect in Action is a 60-minute training course designed to reinforce s commitment to its core value Respect for the Individual. Required for all US people, this training emphasizes the importance of creating an inclusive work environment and demonstrates how we can proactively live out the themes embodied by Respect for the Individual. Additionally, this training helps employees feel more comfortable with raising concerns when they experience or witness actions that violate company policy and/or the law. The course reinforces that will not tolerate retaliation in any form against anyone who raises a concern in good faith. It also emphasizes that employees who come forward with concerns play an important role in maintaining s ethical workplace and high-performance business. STRATEGIC PLAN AND DIVERSITY LEADERSHIP What trends in your industry affect your corporate diversity goals, strategies and/or internal or external alliances? Both increased diversification of U.S. workforce and globalization increase need for multicultural competency among employees 22

6 Diversity practices among service providers are fast becoming a strategic differentiator in the marketplace War for diverse talent mandates robust initiatives to recruit, develop, and retain top performers How does the firm s leadership communicate the importance of diversity to everyone at the firm? communicates regularly with employees on our global inclusion program. Some of the vehicles we leverage are: Executive memos Internal website Local memos U.S.-wide newsletter Networking meetings Conference calls Training courses Who has primary responsibility for leading diversity initiatives at your firm? The person with primary responsibility for leading U.S. diversity initiatives at is Managing Director of U.S. Human Capital and Diversity LaMae Allen dejongh. This strategic role ensures that people strategies and initiatives remain complementary, relevant and meaningful to our employees. LaMae works collaboratively with the U.S. leadership team and, together, they foster an environment of change in the areas of inclusion and diversity, talent retention, leadership development and corporate citizenship. As part of the U.S. Human Capital and Diversity organization, the diversity recruiting team is responsible for attracting and hiring a diverse workforce. There are recruiters dedicated at the entry and experienced hire levels to ensure we recruit women and minorities across all levels and workforces. Does your firm currently have a diversity committee? Yes. Please describe how the committee is structured, how often it meets, etc. Our global diversity council comprises two bodies of governance: The diversity council, which includes some of the most senior leaders at, assesses the inclusion and diversity challenges we face and global inclusion and diversity trends, prioritizes our actions and helps to increase the focus on and importance of fostering inclusion and diversity across. Its main objective is to make decisions regarding inclusion and diversity globally. Does the committee s representation include one or more members of the firm s management/executive committee (or the equivalent)? Yes. How many executives are on the committee, and in 2008, what was the total number of hours collectively spent by the committee in furtherance of the firm s diversity initiatives? How many employees are on the committee, and how often does the committee convene in furtherance of the firm s diversity initiatives? The global diversity council is a subcommittee of the executive leadership team and is made up of 10 senior-level executives, including our chief leadership officer, chief financial officer, chief human resources officer, chief marketing and communications officer and several of the group chief executives of our global business units. The council meets on a quarterly basis. The advisory forum is made up of 16 senior executives across the globe representing various business units, organizational entities and geographies. The forum meets as needed to shape diversity strategy around key workstreams. Does the committee and/or diversity leader establish and set goals or objectives consistent with management s priorities? Yes. s diversity efforts continue to align with the company s top global priorities of engaging senior leadership, improving retention of senior executive women and focusing on the U.S. minority pipeline. Has the firm undertaken a formal or informal diversity program or set of initiatives aimed at increasing the diversity of the firm? Yes. Attracting and retaining a diverse workforce is key to helping continue to grow. We are an equal opportunity employer with an inclusive recruiting practice and formal diversity recruiting program. has established relationships with ethnically diverse institutions and organizations to help locate qualified ethnically diverse candidates. In 2009, will continue to focus on identifying candidates for our annual leadership conference; increase current relationships with colleges, universities and professional diversity organizations; and continue to build relationships for the future by offering workshops for ethnically diverse college students. Additionally, we will continue to increase our participation in national and regional diversity conferences and career fairs. The diversity advisory forum, a group of senior and more junior leaders from all walks of life, which is diverse in terms of location, entity and business focus, tells the story from the field and recommends ground-breaking solutions to the diversity council to face inclusion and diversity challenges with new lenses. 23

7 is also increasing its local support and its number of partnerships with several organizations, including the: National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA) National Society of Hispanic MBA (NSHMBA) National Association of Women MBA (NAWMBA) National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) MBA Jump Start Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Thurgood Marshall College Fund Leadership Institute has made a concentrated effort to attract diverse students through its recruiting efforts focused on relationship building and by providing scholarships to ethnically diverse students. s primary strategies are to: Reach out to diverse candidates as early as their freshman and sophomore years through Student Empowerment Program Develop strong alliances with national ethnically diverse source schools Develop strong alliances with national ethnically diverse organizations Partner with national diversity career fair organizations on local diversity-focused career fairs In addition to our multicultural programs, we also have GLBT, disability and female-specific recruiting initiatives. has a current program to recruit gay, lesbian, bisexual and/or transgender people. We actively participate in outreach targeted to gay and lesbian students at a number of select campuses, adding GLBT employees to our campus recruiting teams, hosting information sessions and informal Q&A events. also supports gay and lesbian networking groups at both the national and local levels. As part of our affirmative action plans, we describe specific steps undertaken to recruit qualified individuals with disabilities. These include contacting certain employment agencies that have a particular expertise or are otherwise known for working with people with disabilities, making our nondiscrimination policies known, eradicating barriers to recruitment, etc. How often does the firm s management review the firm s diversity progress/results? Quarterly. RETENTION & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT What trends have you seen emerge in diversity retention in your career field in the last two decades? The key trends that have emerged around diversity retention over the last two decades have been centered on effective talent management, career development and work/life policies. Programs such as mentoring, sponsorship, coaching, pipeline management and succession planning are critical to retaining and advancing diverse talent. Work/Life approaches, which support professionals with balancing various personal and professional demands, are also key. Please identify the specific steps you are taking to reduce the attrition rate of minority and women employees. Develop and/or support internal employee affinity groups (e.g., minority or women networks within the firm) Increase/improve current work/life programs Succession plan includes emphasis on diversity Work with minority and women employees to develop career advancement plans Professional skills development program, including minority and women employees Provide formal mentoring opportunities to minority and women employees What programs or initiatives have you found to be most successful in diversity recruitment and retention? Numerous programs have been designed to encourage women and ethnically diverse employees to continue their careers with. Cultural awareness and diversity training: Creating an environment where each person can discover and be made aware of our similarities and differences allows employees to proactively create a work environment that includes and engages everyone. National networking and interest group programs: The networking and interest groups provide an opportunity for individuals who share an affinity for working together on diversity-focused issues with a business purpose. Business leadership forums: These forums help our senior executives build crucial relationships in the external marketplace. We currently host a Women s Forum and an African-American/Hispanic Forum. In addition, there are numerous flexible work options, which allow employees to balance work/life issues, deal with unexpected family problems or take time off to pursue an interest. Some of our more than two dozen work/life initiatives include: Future leave: An unpaid self-funded sabbatical where an employee may take up to three months away from work with benefits continuation. Hours that help: A paid-time-off donation program that allows employees to contribute time to other employees who are faced with a personal crisis. Flexible transitions: Resources are offered to employees to help them make a smooth transition out of and back into the workforce. Flexible work arrangements: A variety of flexible work arrangements are available to support individuals in managing work and personal responsibilities (e.g., job sharing, telecommuting, modified workweek, etc.) DIVERSITY MISSION STATEMENT Building, maintaining and expanding an inclusive culture is central to s ongoing success. We sponsor programs that encourage understanding and tolerance to all, regardless of race, age, gender, sexual preference and faith. 24

8 Our approach to inclusion and diversity stems from a twofold desire: To live and work in a world free from the constraints of geographical barriers or cultural perceptions, and to seek innovative practices that help employees achieve work/life balance. is engaged in the recruitment, retention and advancement of women and other underrepresented sectors of society, offering flexible work arrangements and adaptability as vital ingredients in our culture and business operations worldwide. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION In addition, we are part of DiversityInc s Top 50 Companies for Diversity and we have been named to Working Mother s list of 100 Best Companies for Working Mothers for six consecutive years. also received a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaigns Corporate Equality Index. We believe that our approach to fostering an inclusive environment has led to this recognition. Our internal approach to inclusion and diversity is complemented by a broad range of projects that focus on women, the disabled, gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and multicultural communities. s networking groups enable colleagues of similar backgrounds to build a community and gain valuable skills and information. Our mentoring programs provide opportunity for candid dialogue and guidance on career issues. Flexible work arrangements support the unique needs of our professionals and enable them to balance work/life issues. And we have long-standing employee benefits for same-sex domestic partners. Importantly, our recruiting initiatives help ensure we build a diverse workforce. We re proud of the unique programs we have created to help build future business leaders. We sponsor various workshops and forums for minorities and women to help foster their growth and development. The events also serve as an excellent opportunity for college students of similar backgrounds to get to know each other and learn more about a career in consulting. Here are three of s key programs: Student Leadership Conference: This three-day conference is held for a limited number of outstanding seniors at our education center in St. Charles, Illinois (near Chicago). This helps participants further develop and refine leadership skills and experience the same learning environment as full-time employees. Student Empowerment Program: is a three-year program targeted toward diverse sophomores pursuing careers in business and technology, that provides an opportunity to build a relationship with throughout their campus career, learn about careers in consulting, foster mentoring relationships and get the hands-on experience they need to ultimately choose a career path. Women s Networking Forum: is a series of one-day networking events at local offices that helps top female students in their junior or senior year develop and strengthen their leadership skills, build relationships with female employees, and meet other outstanding female students from schools in the area. 25