Women NL

Why Women NL?

Over the past years, women are increasingly taking up senior leadership roles. However, many women still struggle to advance their professional and personal development. Why is that? Research found subtle patterns of gender bias, both by women and men, where women were held by different standards than men when it comes to promotion. Moreover, research found that women’s careers slow down and become more restricted when they have children. Within PwC, we see that the percentage of female colleagues typically declines when climbing the corporate ladder. And this hinders our progress. The more included and recognized a diverse workforce is, the more people are empowered and the more impact we make for our clients.

We say, ‘time to find the new balance between feminine and masculine values’ and that’s exactly where our added value lies: to challenge ruling perspectives, to inspire female colleagues, and to empower female colleagues within PwC.

How do we do it?

PwC Women NL is the network run by and for women within PwC. We have a very dedicated Women NL Board and ambassador network that brainstorm together about and organize events, keep up with recent developments, and keep our eyes and ears open about the needs and wishes of our female community within PwC.

Role Models within PwC

At PwC, we strongly believe in the power of role models. Role models play a crucial role in inspiring and motivating others, helping to break gender stereotypes and promote equality in the workplace. They demonstrate what is possible and provide an example of success and leadership that others can aspire to.

Our organisation is proud of the diverse and talented women who contribute daily to our growth and innovation. These role models are not only a source of inspiration for their colleagues but also for the broader community. They show that with determination, passion, and support, anyone can achieve their goals.

One of our nominated role models is Anke Meijer (Partner Assurance). In this video, we surprise Anke with the nomination and she reflects on what being a role model means to her and how it contributes to an inclusive and supportive work environment. This video is a must-see for anyone who believes in the impact of positive examples.

What activities does Women NL organise?

We organize activities and events for women - no matter their function level - throughout PwC, creating more awareness, opening up discussions, and providing opportunities and resources, to ultimately strike a better balance between feminine and masculine values.

Next to our regular newsletter, these events are also a regular part of our annual planning:

Townhall: here we provide you with a platform to voice your opinions, needs, and questions to the board of PwC Women NL
Women Talks: where you learn from female senior leadership’s experiences on various women-related challenges.
Lean in Circles: where we welcome female colleagues to share their own experiences and where we discuss challenges in talking groups with other women within PwC.
International Women’s Day: when we celebrate cultural, political, and socioeconomic achievements of women, every year with a different theme.

We also join recruitment events - and other external events: to enhance our presence and attract new female talent and to act as the linchpin between various women-related activities, regardless of industry.

Measuring and monitoring goals

PwC measures equality of male and female colleagues in terms of appraisals, promotion, inflow, outflow and promotion to the partner level on a regular basis. We are getting ever closer to equal percentages of male and female colleagues in our organization. In the most senior positions however, we still see a relatively smaller percentage of female colleagues. In FY2022/2023, 25% of partner promotions and 30% of promotions directors consisted of female colleagues. We set the ambition in our firm to realise a gender ratio of at least 30% female partners and also 30% male partners. Furthermore, we strive to have at least 35% female directors and 35% male directors by 2030.