The EYWN focuses on agitating for change. Our purpose is that we are committed to building a better working world by advocating for change and accelerating gender parity at EY and beyond. We are dedicated to growing our membership across all our offices and increasing male involvement in the Network as we work together to achieve our objectives.
Our objectives are:
Empower women to build their careers at EY
Build EY’s brand and relationships
Enhance EY’s culture through gender diversity and inclusivity
FY24 priorities have been:
Membership has grown to over 4000 members in the past year. This year, we have listened to our members through our Annual Members Survey which has validated that we are on the right path to supporting women within the workplace, as they bring their whole authentic selves to work. The cost-of-living crisis has meant that the Financial Wellness Series we have been running have seen a strong attendance and received great feedback. We have really boosted our internal engagement through our ‘In conversation with series’ which is all about hearing from our inspiring women leaders at EY which has included EY’s very own Global DEI lead, Karyn Twaronite, showing commitment from top leadership within the firm.
Our priority area achievements:
Collaboration and Engagement
Launched the Strategic Engagement and Relationships workstream which has fostered 12 internal and external cross-network events, doubling our initial target and solidifying our commitment to intersectionality.
Launched our sixth EY x Gender Networks Report where Edwina Dunne OBE and senior leaders from the UK’s top banks and firms attended, highlighting the importance of gender networks across the workplace.
Hosted an internal webcast with Harvard Business Review’s Amy Bernstein, demonstrating our network’s dedication to cultivating influential relationships that benefit women and the broader firm.
Male Allyship:
We developed an allyship playbook for male colleagues, providing clear guidance on effective allyship.
Our data-driven approach to audience analysis and allyship objectives has led to engaging over 75 male partners.
Hosting a webcast for International Men’s Day featuring ex-Rugby player Gareth Thomas and a collaboration with HSBC for Movember which included a charity run with 50 participants and raised £2933.
Our core initiatives have seen huge growth and impact:
Power Up sessions
Were annual at inception (2023) but are now held twice a year due to substantial growth of 300% increase in attendance. These sessions create a platform for open discussions on gender equality and leadership.
Events
The International Women’s Day Awards, featuring Dame Kelly Holmes and our new female CEO, attracted nearly 2,000 viewers and received close to 900 nominations, now inclusive of non-binary individuals and self-nominations.
Women’s History Month events, in collaboration with five other EY DE&I networks, engaged over 800 participants, exploring topics such as women in art history, women and disability, and the hidden figures of black women in history.
Circles
An initiative which has launched 13 peer mentoring groups across the UK and Ireland, with an overwhelming majority of participants reporting a positive impact and improved leadership skills.
Reciprocal Mentoring Programme
Has paired male colleagues with junior female colleagues, fostering new perspectives on allyship, on gender equality and leadership development.
Coffee Mornings
Have provided a forum for discussing leadership books, with unanimous interest and significant network expansion among participants.
Social impact
In our commitment to social value, we have partnered with the Global Girl Project to support their future strategy. We have also hosted fundraising efforts through the EY Ripples Programme.
EYWN’s dedicated and comprehensive approach to DE&I is not just about numbers, it’s about fostering meaningful change and empowering every individual we reach. Our initiatives, from strategic collaborations and male allyship to empowering workshops and mentoring programmes, are all designed to create a fair and equal world, demonstrating our unwavering commitment to gender equity, diversity and an inclusive culture.
