PwC shows support to transgender community

For International Transgender Day of Visibility on March 31, PwC hosted an event featuring stories from its transgender and gender-nonconforming employees through its network Shine, which promotes the interests of the LGBTQ+ community and advocates against discrimination. 

The event demonstrated how the firm could be a more powerful ally in the movement for transgender equality and create a space for inclusive conversations about gender identity. To prepare, PwC turned to its staff for inspiring testimonies to understand how to best support the well-being and safety of transgender individuals across its practices.

"This is my first Transgender Day of Visibility as an out trans non-binary person!" " said Bailey Dobbs, an associate at PwC. "I would never have been able to find the words to describe how I've felt my whole life or have the courage to be myself — especially at work — if it were not for other trans people's stories. Visibility saves lives and I will be honoring the day by celebrating my transness boldly with my coworkers and loved ones." 

As the workforce continues to shift and employees seek new opportunities, DeAnne Aussem, PwC's well-being leader, saidit's imperative for job seekers to see companies externalizing their benefits and hear from executive voices to help build inclusivity and ultimately attract and retain diverse talent. As one of PwC's 11 inclusion networks, Shine counts more than 3,300 members who work to create a supportive environment for the LGBTQ+ community and allies for mentoring, networking and socializing.

Launched in 2005, Shine also includes the inclusion network Trans Fam, which allows members to regularly share their experiences and provide additional support to one another. Aussem said these services are part of PwC's inclusion strategy to make sure that individuals from different affinity groups have a space to come together and foster belonging for all. As a result, the firm worked to guarantee benefits for its LGBTQ+ staff, including adoption, surrogacy and transgender-related procedures.

"We have had a longstanding commitment to supporting a diverse and inclusive workplace," said Aussem. "That is really underpinned by our culture of care and belonging, and we've provided transgender-related medical coverage since 2013, because access to these types of benefits really changes lives."

In July 2021, the firm increased its lifetime maximum for transgender-related procedures and health care coverage from $25,000 to $75,000, which also includes an employee's loved ones. According to Aussem, the ability to offer these kinds of benefits isn't about a firm's size, but relies on a culture of feedback and listening, which needs to evolve in accordance with its employees' needs. She said that covering these medical costs has also helped PwC to attract and retain LGBTQ+ talent in the long term.

In 2021, a study released by the Institute of Management Accountants and the California Society of CPAs found that one in five LGBTQ+ employees left the accounting profession because of a lack of diversity, and only about half of them believed their work setting to be inclusive and equitable. Aussem said PwC doesn't only wish to financially support staff members throughout their transition, but also to protect the time off they need to feel seen, heard and valued during this experience.

"Transitioning is extremely taxing mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually," said Jessica Slutsky, PwC director in trust solutions, digital assurance and transparency. "It's a relief that I don't have to stress about many of the financial aspects of transitioning thanks to PwC's generous trans-specific medical benefits." 

Aussem herself knows the value of such benefits, as she and her wife benefited from PwC's adoption and surrogacy services. The firm's benefits include a $25,000 reimbursement per child for adoption or surrogacy, up to a $75,000 lifetime maximum. In addition to financial benefits, PwC also provides an additional six weeks of paid leave for individuals going through the surrogacy and adoption process, as well as infertility treatment benefits for same-sex couples who have trouble conceiving. 

Aussem said these benefits are becoming more common throughout the profession, but only a few employers cover them in states where they're not required or found in self-insured plans. But at PwC, employees who are undergoing infertility treatment have 24/7 access to a fertility nurse care manager who can answer questions, provide education, help them understand their options and navigate care. They also have access to reimbursement for an elective oocyte cryopreservation, which allows the preservation of a woman's eggs, plus up to one year of storage.

"We also have a reimbursement program for donor eggs and donor sperm, which will provide reimbursement to partners and employees up to a lifetime max of $25,000 for the purchase of donor eggs, and a lifetime maximum of $10,000 for the purchase of donor sperm," said Aussem. "For our son, we used my wife's egg and donor sperm and then I carried the pregnancy, so that was a really unique benefit that we were very happy and grateful to have available."

To continue supporting parents through all phases of caregiving, PwC recently expanded its parental leave program for all parents regardless of gender from eight to 12 weeks to allow for additional time to bond with newborns or newly adopted children. The firm also allows parents to work a reduced schedule of 60% of a 40-hour workweek for a smoother transition back to work, while still benefiting from their regular base pay. 

These critical life stages can get lonely, if one believes they're the only ones going through them. But with these extended benefits and active role models engaging in events within inclusion networks like Shine, Aussem said that people can gain a sense of visibility and purpose in the workplace. She believes that individuals feel empowered to stay true to themselves by working with people who share their backgrounds and values, which makes events like the Transgender Day of Visibility even more important.

"We'll continue building continuous listening, because we need that information to leverage and inform the decisions that we make moving forward, and we know it's not a one size fits all," said Aussem. "So we'll also continue to take measurable action to support social justice and equality. We've not been shy in expressing our stance there as an organization, and that comes from having a committed, visible leadership that cares about its people."