Dive Brief:

• In a report on its diversity progress, business services company Accenture announced the addition of 1,000 employees of various backgrounds above its 2015 level. The Inclusion and Diversity in the United States report shows that women make up 43% of its new hires.
• Besides women, Accenture's 1,000 hires include African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans and workers with disabilities. The company also set a new hiring goal for women, from 36% to 40% by 2020.
• “Our commitment to inclusion and diversity is unwavering," said Julie Sweet, Accenture North America's CEO, "and we believe it makes us smarter, more competitive and more innovative — and is a key part of what makes Accenture a great place to work."

Dive Insight:

Sweet said Accenture published its diversity report to not only kick off a new level of cooperation with fresh hires but also to hold the company accountable for its progress. Accenture could serve as an example to other companies in being more transparent and honest about their progress in diversity hiring.

Leading tech companies struggle with their diversity hiring. Many say they have trouble diversifying their staffs, which are made up of mostly white and Asian men. Some companies even lowered their hiring goals out of fear they wouldn’t be able to meet them.

But other giants like Facebook, which rewards recruiters for each hire, and Microsoft, which ties managers’ pay to hiring achievements, are committed to raising their hiring numbers.

Accenture seems to have found the right strategy for achieving its diversity goals. The company is collaborating with other businesses as well as government agencies to continue making progress.