Wipfli’s commitment to diversity and inclusion
Kurt Gresens
Our industry is facing constant disruption, and it’s vital to a firm’s strength to have a workforce with a diverse range of thoughts, perspectives and skills to better reflect and serve our clients.
By implementing concrete actions and approaching the future with a diversity and inclusion lens, we are building a dynamic career path for our associates, enhancing the client experience and reaching our purpose of creating lasting, positive impact for the firm, associates and community.
DEI is a journey, and our firm is committed to:
1. Continue to make our workplaces trusting places to have complex, and sometimes difficult, conversations about diversity and inclusion.
We have established a process for the creation of business resource groups within the firm. We have launched five so far, with plans to add more. The groups give voice to and elevate issues inside our firm for diverse groups. Our BRGs dedicate thousands of hours a year to developing programming to expand our education and build a culture of inclusivity.
2. Implement and expand unconscious bias education.
All Wipfli associates are provided with unconscious bias training. This course defines what unconscious bias is, explains the science behind it and equips our associates with tools to identify and overcome it. We have nearly 100% attendance from existing associates and new hires are enrolled in the training within their first 90 days.
3. Share best — and unsuccessful — practices.
We have regular touchpoints with other companies, both in and outside our industry, to see what has worked for them and how they’ve adapted. In addition, I have attended DEI-related conferences with our chief human resources officer to stay current on best practices.
4. Diversify our recruiting efforts.
We have enhanced our campus recruiting, including identifying new markets and opportunities with schools. We have also prioritized high school and college programs that connect with and support students from underserved communities. We are collaborating with multicultural student organizations and associations as well as bringing them into our offices to expose them to our culture and the corporate setting.
I am personally committed to change: as a leader of the firm, a DEI advocate and an ally to our business resource groups.
In March 2019, I signed the CEO Action Pledge for Diversity & Inclusion to demonstrate Wipfli’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion across our firm, our industry and our communities.
These are exciting moves for our firm. I hope that as we continue this journey to create the workforce of the future, everyone strives to match their own actions and values to this pledge — myself included.
