KPMG, one of the Big Four accounting firms, said it wants to see 29% of its UK partners and directors come from the working class by 2030.
The accountant is one of the first UK organisations to set a target for socio-economic background for its employees.
Currently, 23% of the firm’s partners and 20% of its directors are from a working-class background and working-class representation across KPMG’s board is 22% and 14% in its executive committee, the company said in a statement.
It defines “working-class background” as those who have parents with “routine and manual” jobs.
KPMG said staff meeting the working class criteria were currently paid on average 8.6% less than employees from a professional background.
Bina Mehta, chair of KPMG in the UK, said: “I’m a passionate believer that greater diversity in all its aspects improves business performance. Diversity brings fresh thinking and different perspectives to decision making, which in turn delivers better outcomes for our clients.”
Mehta succeeded Bill Michael, who was forced to resign earlier this year after telling his staff to “stop moaning” in a virtual meeting.
Michael told staff to stop “playing the victim card” and described the concept of unconscious bias as being “complete and utter crap for years”.
Sourced from Proactive