Diversity, equity and inclusion at Strategy&

What does diversity, equity and inclusion mean to us?

At Strategy&, we are dedicated to fostering a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) that not only reflects the diverse and dynamic world of business, but also drives innovation and excellence in our daily consulting work for our clients. Our commitment includes:

1. Embracing diversity: We celebrate and value the unique perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences of our employees, clients, and partners, knowing that diversity enriches our solutions. We are a diverse team with a variety of personalities, backgrounds, skills and views. We hire people with exceptional talents, abilities and potential, and create a collaborative environment where you can become the best version of yourself.
2. Promoting equity: We actively promote fairness and equality in all aspects of our operations, from hiring and promotion to project assignments and decision-making. We acknowledge differences in skill and experience. We believe in strengthening strengths. We support equity in all core strategy consulting skills, whilst nurturing specialist experience in areas where we can make a difference. We actively support a variety of work models to attract a diverse pool of talent and provide excellent strategic consulting advice.
3. Collaborating inclusively: We create an environment where every voice is heard, encouraging open dialogue, and ensuring that everyone has an opportunity to contribute their best. We welcome everyone for who they are. We foster a culture of belonging. We help each other, we value each other, regardless of the background or role in the organization. We treat each other fairly, with respect and on eye level.

Furthermore, we invest in education and training to raise awareness, challenge biases, and foster a culture of continuous growth in matters of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We engage with our communities to support initiatives that advance DEI, knowing that our success is intertwined with the well-being of society.

By championing these principles, we aim to not only strengthen ourselves as a leading strategy consulting firm, but also make a meaningful impact in shaping a more equitable and inclusive world.

Key elements of our diversity, equity and inclusion agenda 2030

Here are three examples of actions and programs that we have in place to demonstrate our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Unequaled support during pregnancy and beyond

Life outside of work is important, and so is the balance between work and private life. Consequently, almost all strategy firms offer flexible work arrangements. These arrangements provide consultants with the space for family, personal ambitions, or simply relaxation. At Strategy&, we realized that just having a policy is not enough. With a policy, the initiative remains with the employee, who may not always have the time to think about what they need — let alone delve into policies and what they can mean. Through our Must Have Conversations, we proactively support consultants experiencing a life event: personal, structured, and real support, without you having to ask for it.

Must Have Conversations (MHC) is an initiative by Brecht Gijsbertsen, Director at Strategy&. Inspired by her own experience with balancing pregnancy and work, she began thinking about how to organize 'structured involvement' for those who need it. She explains:

"When I was pregnant for the first time, I naturally received nice reactions, and the leadership genuinely wanted to help: 'Just tell us what you need, and we'll arrange it.' But I was pregnant, and a hundred thousand things were going through my mind. 'Just tell us what you need' sounds nice, but I didn't know what I needed or what I could ask for. I also didn't know if there really was 'no limit,' and I didn't want to ask for too much. So, it remained at offering space, but I didn't feel helped."

Just a clear process

"After my pregnancy, I realized that this was not a good way, and I wasn't the only one. Together with our HR Director Sanne Boogert, I developed MHC. Just a clear process, where PwC Strategy& takes the initiative to help you if you're pregnant, becoming a father, or going through another life event. It boils down to talking with a partner of your choice and with Sanne every three or four weeks. About how you feel, your energy levels, what you're working on, how the balance is, those kinds of things. Safe and secure. And if Sanne and the partner see that you have too much on your plate, they make suggestions or intervene.

They really listen and help you very concretely. This can be with anything, and if you need it, even long after the specific event has ended. Because you can still encounter issues then. As far as I know, we are the only organization that supports so concretely, proactively, and continuously." 

Babette has been working at Strategy& since 2014 and had her first child in 2021. She started with Must Have Conversations early in her pregnancy and plans to continue for a while.

"When I was pregnant, I quickly noticed that being pregnant really impacts you. Especially if you are working hard and want to advance in an organization. So when I heard about MHC, I immediately thought: 'I want that.' Of course, it takes some getting used to discussing such personal things with colleagues, but it felt very open and sincere right away."

Focus on targeted help

"What I really appreciated was that I felt empowered in the conversations to name things. That I could raise the alarm. And that the alarm was also raised for me. The good thing about MHC is that you don't have to actively ask for help, but it is offered very naturally. You are protected at the moments when this is needed. Sometimes also against yourself, because Sanne and the partner can make choices for you that you wouldn't even seriously consider because you would think in advance that this is not possible. Naturally, they do this in consultation with you, but it is nice to hand over the thinking of options and get security back."

I recommend It to everyone

"You don't have to do MHC, but I recommend it to everyone. A friend of mine who works at a large law firm got pregnant and found out that very little was arranged. She asked how it works at PwC Strategy&, and I told her about our MHC. Then it suddenly felt like a luxury. But it is not."

Support across the board

Although Must Have Conversations started to support women during pregnancy and beyond, we now use the concept more broadly. We focus on supporting young fathers in combining fatherhood and work. And we also engage in conversations in cases of grief or loss. Every significant moment has a certain impact on your life. At PwC Strategy&, we work from the belief that everything is discussable, and we create space to support our people as appropriately as possible

Unique and diverse culture at Strategy&

Get to know the colleagues who make our culture unique.