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CSR Case Study - Price Waterhouse Coopers
Julie Gallimore
Price Waterhouse Coopers
Kate, Associate (Trainee Accountant)
History BA, University of Sheffield
How did you decide that Price Waterhouse Coopers matched your own personal values?
I took the time to read all the information on their website and look at graduate surveys e.g Best Employer and Greenest Employer. PwC has a strong commitment to corporate responsibility (CR) and that's important to me.
Were these values assessed or talked about at application and interview stage?
One of the group exercises at the assessment centre was based around CR with the emphasis of the exercise being on how to change the CR profile of an oil company with the onus being on coming up with policies which would benefit staff and the environment and test your understanding of wider issues, it was not necessarily about improving the companies profits.
Did you explore other career areas/organisations prior to securing this job?
Everything I looked at was within the finance sector but I did look into other accountancy firms and banks. It's easy to be wowed by big employer names but it's important to know what you want out of the employer.
What kinds of values are important to you and how do you feel you developed this set of values?
I feel it is becoming increasingly important to be aware of business' impact on the environment and the world we are living in. This is both in terms of the environmental impact of doing business and other issues affecting the wider community such as education. I come from a socially aware family and I followed this through at university getting involved in a Green Forum and groups like Amnesty.
How have your values come into play on a day to day basis?
My current role is within the audit department at PwC. This often involves going out to client sites. I have a car on the PwC graduate car scheme which I will use for getting to sites if they are outside central London. When I joined the scheme I was given the opportunity to carbon offset my emissions and consequently I pay a small amount each month which contributes to re-planting a forest in Scotland. PwC also gives me the opportunity to reach out to the wider community, I have been involved in the graduate brochure as I was keen to show you didn't have to have a finance degree to be successful in business. I am also currently arranging to return to my high school and discuss university and career options with the students there, this has been supported by PwC.
Do you think there is a particular skill set that goes with applying values in the workplace?
I wouldn't say a particular skill set is necessary but an awareness of your values and the firm's values is important as it is then easier to spot where you are working towards the same goal or indeed if your values are taking you in different ways. I think understanding your values helps you develop a wider awareness of your actions and a greater consideration of the impact you are having.
Do you have ideas about how your career might develop in the future?
I intend to stay at PwC in the immediate future, beyond that I haven't made plans as my current focus is on passing my exams and qualifying as an accountant.
How do you think your job choice/application of values to the workplace is different from the career choices of your peers?
My peer group is largely split down the middle. A good proportion of my friends have started work in highly competitive industries such as advertising or media so it is unlikely that values at work would have been high on their list of priorities. However, I have a number of friends who are so committed to their values they have decided to work for NGOs, or companies whose sole role is to encourage the community to become more environmentally friendly.
What advice would you offer to prospective students hoping to go into work that in some way matched their values?
Take time to look on the websites of the companies you're interested in and read through their CSR policy, see how up to date it is and whether it concurs with your values. At interviews or recruitment fairs take the opportunity to talk to recent graduates to see if they have actually had a chance to get involved in things which interest them.
This page was originally on the website of The Subject Centre for Philosophical and Religious Studies. It was transfered here following the closure of the Subject Centre at the end of 2011.
