Speaker: Peter McCarthy, Principal, Precision Taxation Accounting & Management
What does Diversity, Equity & Inclusion mean to you?
Peter McCarthy: To me, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is quite simple. I think it's about creating an environment where people have different lived experiences, can come together and can bring their diverse set of skills and mindset to the business. And, I think in doing so, it can create a unique set of problem solving capabilities. I think it's always looking at what people have outside the box that can help create a better work environment.
Why is it important to implement a DE & I program?
Peter McCarthy: I think it's really important to implement a structured Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Program in a business. It's the sort of thing where I think it's easy for people to say that they believe in those values. I think people believe in Equity, I think they believe in Diversity and and Inclusion, but it's not enough to just say that you believe in those things. I think you have to have a program implemented in your business that melds with your corporate culture and those values are front and centre for the entire team to see. I think that's only through having a structured program where you can examine things like Anti Bias Training or practice Exceptional Communication things like providing Equitable Recruitment Practices. I think that these things can only really exist within the context of a program.
Tell us about a key element of We Are Precision?
Peter McCarthy: our D E and I Program - We Are Precision encompasses five essential foundations. One of those foundations is the provision of Training and Growth Opportunities. So quote that I'm quite fond of is from Phil Knight, the founder of Nike and he says the finish line never ends. And I think that's very true for the concept of life long learning. You can always be improving. You can always sharpen your skills and learn more and learn something new today that you didn't know yesterday. And I think that's essential in business. I think you should always be trying to improve and trying to encourage others around you to improve. So this foundation of our program definitely does that. One example that we use to do this is we have our own internally designed Professional Development Program called Precision with SWOL, and in that program, amongst other things, people can watch movies, read books, listen to podcasts and we have a structured assessment around that and we we will often meet to discuss the content of that media and see what learnings can be shared across the team. So I think it's really important to embrace the idea of life long learning and we definitely do so within our program.
