NEW and Accenture Partner to Boost Retail and CPG Women Leaders

The Network of Executive Women and Accenture are teaming up to help foster a more flexible, collaborative and inclusive workplace for women in retail and consumer goods across North America.

The alliance follows Accenture’s recent expansion of its 17-year relationship with NEW as a foundation partner. The leading global professional services company, which employs more than 170,000 women, is helping NEW conduct research to examine gender equality in the retail, consumer goods, technology and financial services workplace.

The research—based on NEW partner data, interviews, a survey of 1,300 NEW members and proprietary social media resources from Accenture—will be included in both an upcoming NEW position paper, which outlines the way forward for gender equality and diversity, and a special report on "pivot points" focused on the career-changing choices women make.

“Accenture has been with NEW since year one, and they have been a real partner in this workplace transformation journey, providing their support, guidance and insights, and helping us connect with other important players,” NEW President and CEO Sarah Alter said in a statement announcing the partnership. “It's safe to say that NEW, and our mission, would not have come so far so fast without them.”

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“Accenture and NEW share a commitment to helping more women advance to leadership positions—a critical element of an inclusive, equitable workplace,” said Julie Sweet, Accenture's North America CEO. “The future workforce is an equal one, and by teaming with forward-thinking organizations like NEW, we will continue to see significant progress for women, in retail and beyond.”

“Too many Accenture executives to mention” have assisted NEW since its establishment in 2001, said Alter, but she singled out Sweet and Nellie Ferrero, Accenture's global inclusion and diversity manager, who held an executive conversation on diversity and inclusion at the NEW Leadership Summit 2017 in Washington, D.C.

Alter also applauded the efforts of Accenture managing directors for their NEW leadership, current NEW board member Beth Marrion and former NEW board member and sponsor development chair Mike Gorshe.

"Mike has been a constant champion of the Network throughout his career—he received the NEW Diversity Hall of Fame Award in 2014, one of only 10 individuals to be so honored," Alter said. “Beth recently stepped into the role of NEW regional advisory chair and her guidance and insights on the industry have been invaluable."