Doone O’Doherty
Chief People Officer, PwC Ireland
“At PwC, we are committed to building a culture where everyone feels like they belong. Our Inclusion First strategy revolves around our people — focusing on creating an environment where everyone feels they can be their true selves and where they can realise their full potential.”
At PwC, we work hard to create a sense of belonging where individuals can thrive. We’re committed to fostering an environment where everyone’s individuality is celebrated, diversity is embraced, and inclusion is deeply valued. Explore our initiatives and discover how we champion a culture of belonging.
Our Inclusion First strategy ensures that our daily actions, thoughts, behaviours and interactions support an environment where everyone feels a sense of belonging, embraces individuality, celebrates diversity, and values inclusion. This strategy focuses on three key areas:
Leadership commitment, accountability and transparency;
Developing inclusive leaders at all levels; and
Embedding inclusion into our processes, policies and systems.
Our Inclusion First strategy is overseen by our Inclusion and Diversity Council and further supported by five employee-led pillar groups.
At PwC, our commitment to transparency drives our 2030 inclusion targets. Our initial focus is on advancing gender equity, supporting self-identification, and continuously improving our inclusion and belonging scores in PwC’s Global People Survey. Our goals include:
At PwC, we understand that creating an inclusive, diverse and equitable workplace requires leadership at all levels. Our leaders set the example by promoting inclusion, diversity and equity at all levels of the organisation, and we hold ourselves accountable through transparent targets. Our Territory Leadership Team is in charge of driving our Inclusion First strategy, with guidance from our Chief People Officer, who oversees the firm’s Inclusion and Diversity Council.
At PwC, our people are our greatest asset. That’s why we champion inclusion and diversity in everything we do. This commitment is reflected in all aspects of our recruitment process:
At PwC, our Inclusion First policies provide flexibility, support and leave for our people during critical life events, including; domestic abuse, fertility, gender identity and expression, menopause, mental health, parental and caring responsibilities and pregnancy loss.
These policies reflect our commitment to our people’s empowerment, safety and wellbeing and creating a workplace where everyone feels valued and supported.
Creating a culture of belonging isn’t a one-time effort; it’s a continuous journey that requires collaboration, unwavering commitment and constant learning. At PwC, we’re proud to have five vibrant employee-led pillar groups that form the backbone of our inclusive ecosystem.
Our Gender Diversity pillar is dedicated to promoting gender equality in the workplace and closing the gender gap. They strive to raise awareness of unconscious bias among leadership teams and ensure that gender equality is integrated into our people policies and recruitment processes. They also run the firm’s ConnectHER and Women in Tech network.
At PwC, we are proud of the diverse range of nationalities that make up our team. Our Cultural Diversity pillar promotes diversity across various cultural, racial and ethnic communities. This group is an active platform for networking, meeting new people and increasing awareness of the different cultures, races and ethnicities that exist within our organisation. Our network also supports our colleagues and their families who have recently moved to Ireland or plan to relocate overseas.
The Disability Inclusion and Accessibility pillar creates a workplace that is safe, inclusive and barrier-free for individuals with disabilities, neurodiverse conditions, caregivers and allies. The network offers advice, information and support to help facilitate an inclusive culture within the organisation and create an environment that is accessible to everyone. They work to identify practical solutions for workplace issues and provide networking opportunities for colleagues.
Shine@PwC promotes inclusivity for LGBTQ+ individuals, allies and supporters. This community is dedicated to creating a welcoming, safe and caring environment for people of all gender identities and sexual orientations through networking, advocacy and policy development. At its core, Shine celebrates the LGBTQ+ community and strives to cultivate a culture of advocacy and allyship, enabling all individuals to thrive.
Our Parents & Carers Pillar is a vibrant community committed to supporting all kinds of families, including those with caring responsibilities within PwC. The network provides a platform for people from diverse backgrounds to share their knowledge, experiences and ideas and receive support from colleagues who may be in similar circumstances.
We recognise that building an inclusive and diverse workplace is an ongoing process rather than a destination. While we are proud of our progress, we want to improve continuously. We believe transparency is crucial in driving change, so we want to share our journey with you.
In addition to our inclusion targets, we publish an annual report detailing our progress towards building a more inclusive and diverse workplace. Read our Transparency Report 2025 (PDF) (file size: 9.3 MB) to learn more, and our 2024 Gender Pay Gap Report is also available.
Our commitment to inclusion and belonging extends beyond PwC. We drive change through external accreditations, partnerships and community initiatives.
Investors in Diversity Ireland is a comprehensive equality, diversity and inclusion mark supported by Ibec. At PwC, we’re proud to hold the Gold Investors in Diversity Mark — the highest accreditation awarded by the Irish Centre for Diversity. This recognition reflects our firm commitment to building and growing an inclusive workplace.
As signatories of the Women in Finance Charter, we actively strive for gender balance at all levels and work towards meaningful change to ensure equal representation for all.
We are proud advocates of the 30% Club, which strives to achieve gender balance across leadership levels. Diversity is a strength, and we work to make a difference within and beyond our organisation.
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