DIVERSITY

The landscape of work is evolving rapidly, alongside shifting client demands and heightened expectations from employees. Recognising that our workforce is the cornerstone of our success, we are dedicated to empowering them to reach their full potential.

As leaders, we bear the responsibility of setting the standard. It is incumbent upon us to champion inclusivity and equal opportunity, both within our organisation and in our interactions with the wider community, thereby fostering positive social change.

Driving transformation within our workforce and work practices necessitates the inclusion of diverse talents from varied backgrounds. By embracing individuals with unique experiences, we cultivate a culture rich in innovation, creativity, and fresh perspectives. Our commitment to enhancing workforce diversity is underscored by our efforts to foster a truly inclusive culture - one where every member feels valued and empowered within our company.

To ensure accountability and track our progress, we have established targets and regularly report on our advancements and core initiatives.

Driving Inclusive Excellence: Our Five-Point Action Plan

Fostering an inclusive culture hinges on the presence of inclusive leaders who leverage the full potential of every team member, thereby enabling their organisations to thrive in today's intricate national and global landscapes. Through their self-awareness and open-mindedness, these leaders proactively cultivate an environment where diversity is embraced and celebrated.

Our comprehensive five-point action plan delineates the measures we're implementing to champion diversity and inclusion throughout the firm, focusing on key areas where we can effect the most significant change.

At Whitetree, we hold senior leadership accountable for championing diversity and fostering an inclusive environment. Our commitment to diversity extends beyond mere rhetoric; it is ingrained in our organisational ethos.

By ensuring that senior leaders actively promote diversity initiatives, we strive to create a workplace where all individuals feel valued, respected, and empowered to contribute their unique perspectives and talents.

We conduct inclusive leadership training aimed at empowering leaders across all tiers to foster a culture that celebrates diversity. This training equips them with the necessary skills and insights to champion inclusion within their respective domains. Additionally, we collaborate with teams throughout the organisation to elucidate the collective responsibility we all bear in cultivating an inclusive environment.

Our efforts in promoting inclusion are reinforced by a robust engagement and communication strategy. Designed to encourage our workforce to contemplate inclusion from various angles, this strategy encompasses diverse facets of difference. It prompts individuals to reflect on how they can actively contribute to a more inclusive workplace.

We are committed to ensuring that our recruitment procedures, from hiring students to seasoned professionals, are inclusive and appealing to all. We have made significant investments in innovative recruitment tools to mitigate unintentional biases in our processes and utilise data analytics to track our advancement.

Implementing bold changes, such as prohibiting all-male shortlists for experienced hires and establishing our new Talent Community, exemplifies our dedication to expanding the scope of our talent search and embracing diversity in our workforce.

Targets

Aligned with our Key Objectives for 2023-2026, our quantitative targets signify a resolute commitment from the board to advance diversity within Whitetree:

Maintaining a minimum level of 30% female representation in the workplace.
Elevating female representation in the workplace to 50%.
Ensuring female representation in senior and leadership positions reaches 50%.
Enhancing the representation of underrepresented groups.

Our journey began with the establishment of five-year diversity targets in 2023, serving as a yardstick to gauge the efficacy of our action plan over time.

With women comprising 30% of our workforce (compared to 15% in FY22), we are encouraged by our strides in fortifying the pipeline of female talent, resulting in heightened representation at director and partner levels. Notably, we have made significant strides in narrowing gender pay gaps compared to 2022, a testament to our sustained commitment to progress.

Our proactive approach, underscored by our five-point action plan, has involved recalibrating various people processes, including recruitment, work allocation, performance management, and promotions. These strategic initiatives are pivotal in fortifying our talent pipeline.

It is evident that our pay gaps stem from the underrepresentation of relevant demographics in senior roles within our organisation. Hence, our targets, delineated by grade for gender and ethnic background, are geared towards accelerating progress over a five-year span.

Achieving these targets is imperative to redressing our pay gaps and fostering an environment of true equity and inclusion.