Chief Diversity Officer

Roy Weathers

Roy Weathers, who’s been with PricewaterhouseCoopers for 18 years, has always liked a challenge—he picked accounting as his college major in part because he heard it was one of the most difficult. Last year, PwC’s chairman offered him the position of chief diversity officer, an opportunity Weathers admits was never on his five-year plan. But he happily accepted, and is thrilled to help promote a more candid dialogue about issues that matter as much to the firm as to him personally.

What does your job entail?
My job is to look at everything we do as a firm and make sure it contributes to an inclusive and diverse workplace. I am charged with supporting a culture where people can succeed regardless of their background, and can feel comfortable to share their views and opinions. Those views are fuel for our firm.  

Why is diversity important?
We’re only as good as our people, and diversity is the piece that really makes everything come together here. We live in a global world, and the services that PwC offers require us to be agile when navigating different cultures. In addition, studies have shown that when you bring a group of people together who have different experiences and different backgrounds who are comfortable to share their views, you get a better product. Diversity is an asset.

What does PwC look for in new employees?
The learning here never stops—if you’re someone who isn’t focused on taking advantage of that, it doesn’t matter how well you’re trained, you aren’t going to be successful. We have academic standards of course, but we also want individuals who are involved, who go above and beyond what the normal day-to-day college life would require. Students who have been very involved, performed academically, and will challenge the firm and help it grow are a tremendous asset to PwC.   

In what way are young employees important to your company?
Where do I start? The average age of our firm is somewhere around 28. We hire thousands of college students each year right out of school. The success and growth of our firm depends on attracting new, motivated talent every year. We couldn’t survive without it.

What’s the best part about your job?
It’s extremely gratifying to know that I can have a real impact on so many people. Our diversity efforts are vital to PwC’s future success, and to be in a position where I can influence where we’re going in this area is extremely rewarding and meaningful to me. Being a driver of strategy that’s positive for our people and our “bottom line” is just tremendous.