Deloitte Retains Top Ten Spot on DiversityInc's Top 50 Companies for Diversity®

Organization recognized for its commitment to nurturing diverse talent for the ninth year

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May 07, 2012, 01:23 ET

NEW YORK, May 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Amid increasing competition, Deloitte maintained its position among the top 10 companies most admired for diversity on The 2012 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity® list and was recognized for being the first in its industry to launch a women's initiative and the first to have chairmen and CEOs from historically underrepresented groups. Participation in The DiversityInc Top 50 survey grew by 11 percent this year.

"There is a clear business case for diversity," said Joe Echevarria, chief executive officer, Deloitte LLP. "We see the impact of it daily as we work to build trust, protect capital markets and strive to deliver innovative solutions for some of the most complex business problems. Diverse talent brings different experiences and ideas to our clients, which helps us make better-informed and more responsible decisions." Echevarria recently spoke at the White House Forum on Women and the Economy about the business imperative of increasing women's representation in the workplace.

Now in its 12th year, The DiversityInc Top 50 survey measures company performance in CEO commitment, human capital, corporate and organizational communications and supplier diversity. All companies included on the list must score above average in the four areas, in addition to demonstrating ongoing diversity management initiatives and efforts.

"Deloitte is known as a place that celebrates all that makes us unique but, even more importantly, as a place that capitalizes on our differences to our collective advantage," said Deborah L. DeHaas, chief inclusion officer, Deloitte LLP. "The strength we derive from diversity is paramount to Deloitte being a place where all our people can thrive as leaders."

The focus on achieving strength through diversity is visible throughout Deloitte, including at the top. It is the first among the Big Four professional services organizations to elect minorities to its most senior positions. Joe Echevarria is of Hispanic/Latino origin and Chairman Punit Renjen is of Indian origin. Deloitte's former chairman, Sharon Allen, was the first woman elected to that office among the Big Four. According to DiversityInc, Deloitte has 25 percent more minority managers than the average of this year's Top 50 companies.

Additionally, Deloitte exhibits continuous support through several diversity and inclusion initiatives, including:

Helping to advance women in the workplace through Deloitte's Women's Initiative.
Sponsoring over 100 chapters of seven national Business Resource Groups, including Black Employee Network & Allies; Hispanic/Latino(a) Employee Network and Allies; Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Employees & Allies; and Asian-American Alliance & Allies among others.
Guiding minority managers to the next level in their careers through the Emerging Leaders Development Program.

"This is a transitional year," said Luke Visconti, chief executive officer, DiversityInc. "We were struck by the change of diversity of the CEOs and managing teams of the companies on our list. It is much different from just five years ago. I see this as being a result of increasing emphasis at the most competitive companies, who link diversity management to creating a nimble and innovative corporate culture."

In other DiversityInc award categories, Deloitte also ranked:

No. 7 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Latinos
No. 2 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Asian Americans
No. 9 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Executive Women
No. 10 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for LGBT Employees
No. 4 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Global Diversity®

In addition to The 2012 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity®, Deloitte has been recognized for its record of diversity and inclusion by several other organizations, including:

FORTUNE's 100 Best Companies to Work For® list for the 13th year
2011 Working Mother 100 Best Companies® top 10 for the third year, its 18th consecutive year on the list
2011 Company of the Year in the LATINA Style 50 Report
Human Rights Campaign® (HRC) "Best Places to Work," earning a 100 percent rating on its Corporate Equality Index (CEI)

About Deloitte's Talent Initiatives
As the nation's largest professional services organization, our ability to attract, develop and deploy high-performing talent is critical to delivering superior performance and serving our clients with distinction. Our aim is to offer challenging work to our people, enhance their careers and fuel our business growth by fostering an environment where leaders thrive. This is a meaningful part of the Deloitte culture, and a value understood, shared, and recognized by our clients and our professionals. Please visit us at http://www.facebook.com/YourFutureAtDeloitte and follow us at @LifeAtDeloitte. For more information on Deloitte's award-winning Talent initiatives, please visit deloitte.com/us.

As used in this document, "Deloitte" means Deloitte LLP and its subsidiaries. Please see www.deloitte.com/us/about about for a detailed description of the legal structure of Deloitte LLP and its subsidiaries. Certain services may not be available to attest clients under the rules and regulations of public accounting.

SOURCE Deloitte