PwC announces new strategy titled ‘The New Equation’

• $ 12 b investment over 5 years, creating over 100,000 new jobs globally across all 155 PwC network territory firms
• Initial commitments include new ESG Centres of Excellence, Leadership Institutes, accelerated deployment of emerging technologies and increased investment to support audit quality
• Strategy focuses on helping clients build trust and deliver sustained outcomes

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) recently unveiled ‘The New Equation’, PwC’s landmark global strategy which responds to fundamental changes in the world, including technological disruption, climate change, fractured geopolitics, and the continuing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The New Equation is based on analysis of global trends and thousands of conversations with clients and stakeholders. It builds on more than a decade of sustained revenue growth and continued investment.

The New Equation focuses on two interconnected needs that clients face in the coming years.

The first is to build trust, which has never been more important, nor more difficult. Organisations increasingly need to earn trust across a wide range of topics that are important to their stakeholders. Success depends on fundamental shifts in the way executives think, organisational culture, systems and ambition.

The second is to deliver sustained outcomes in an environment where competition and the risk of disruption are more intense than ever, and societal expectations have never been greater. Businesses need to change faster and more thoroughly to attract capital, talent and customers. Too often, however, narrowly conceived transformation initiatives do not deliver the outcomes they promise. A new approach is needed.

PwC Global Chairman Bob Moritz said: “The profound changes in the world mean that to succeed, organisations need to create a virtuous circle between earning trust and delivering sustained outcomes. By bringing our unique combination to quality, we can help them do that. In doing so, we will help clients unlock value for shareholders, stakeholders and wider society.”

How PwC will help build trust and deliver sustained outcomes

PwC’s multidisciplinary model is the foundation for the strategy, bringing together a passionate, diverse community to help organisations build trust and deliver sustained outcomes. The model enables investment at scale in the combination of capabilities that is essential to delivering quality and impact for clients, stakeholders and society. PwC firms will invest $ 12 billion over the next five years, creating over 100,000 net new jobs across all PwC territories around the globe, as well as continuing to develop the skills of PwC’s partners and employees.

PwC’s approach to building trust is designed to meet rising expectations of transparency and stakeholder engagement. It combines expertise in audit, tax and compliance activity with an expansion of specialist capabilities, including cybersecurity, data privacy, ESG and AI. It recognises the importance of quality and that reporting and compliance are just one link in a chain that includes organisational culture, executive mindset, aligned standards, certified professionals, stringent controls, tailored technologies, and appropriate governance.

Similarly, delivering sustained outcomes requires an integrated approach. Instead of a traditional technology-driven approach to transformation, PwC’s approach is focused on the outcome that effort seeks to achieve. PwC then mobilises expertise in strategy, digital and cloud services, value creation, people and organisation, tax, ESG, deals, business recovery services, legal and compliance, amongst other areas to deliver the agreed outcomes.

Planned investments

• ESG -  PwC will expand Centres of Excellence for specialists on key ESG topics, including climate risk and supply chain, as well as create a global ESG Academy which will enable all PwC partners and staff to integrate the fundamentals of ESG into their work. 1,000 partners from 60 territories across the network have already completed an in-depth six-week program focused on business issues resulting from critical global trends.
• Quality - PwC will continue to invest to further enhance quality across its businesses. This will include $ 1 billion dedicated to accelerate deployment of technology that further automates the implementation of quality frameworks in audit, as well as build the delivery model for the audits of the future – which are expected to require more types of data, assess a broader range of risks and more fully integrate non-financial information. This additional technology investment builds on the ongoing focus on quality, supported by rigorous methodology and training across all lines of service.
• Leadership Institutes – Today’s leaders need new skills to help lead through and manage uncertainty, build inclusive cultures, and support transformation. New leadership institutes will be created to support clients and stakeholders. The first institute will be based in the United States and will empower more than 10,000 of today and tomorrow’s C-suite leaders, executives, and Board members to build trust. Another leadership institute will be created in Asia Pacific and further announcements will be made in the coming months.
• Technology – PwC will continue its strategy of being human-led and tech-powered. It will continue to rapidly expand its use of cloud, artificial intelligence, technology alliances, virtual reality and other emerging technologies to deliver insights and drive competitive advantage for clients. In addition, PwC is accelerating the deployment of technology products, supporting seamless collaboration and enabling its people to automate processes. These products and automations will transform the client experience and allow new insights and value to emerge.

The New Equation also accelerates PwC’s growth in Asia Pacific, with $ 3 billion of the investment planned for the region, aimed at doubling its business and significant scaling up capabilities to serve our clients.

Moritz stated: “To do what we are setting out to do, we are mobilising multi-disciplinary teams, powered by technology and drawing on deep specialist expertise. We will continue to evolve our ways of working and expand our capabilities in the areas that matter most for the future, while remaining steadfast in our commitment to quality – bringing together the unique combinations needed to help clients answer the expectations of their shareholders, stakeholders and society at large.”

Commitments in Sri Lanka and Maldives

As part of The New Equation, PwC Sri Lanka and Maldives are announcing plans to meet the specific needs of client stakeholders in our market. Here in Sri Lanka and Maldives, PwC will:

• Continuously make strategic investments in the workforce to expand their capabilities, along with the focus on inclusion and diversity
• Build capabilities in the emerging areas in digital technology and ESG over the next five years
• Accelerated deployment of emerging technologies and increased investment to support audit quality
• Focus on growth and pursue market opportunities over the next five years by ensuring quality and building trust in the market
• Realign their delivery models to help clients build trust and deliver sustained outcomes

“We are bringing the best of our people, capabilities and technology together to support our clients in building trust and delivering sustained outcomes for their businesses and society,” said PwC Sri Lanka and Maldives CEO Sujeewa Mudalige.

Building PwC’s passionate community of solvers

The most important challenges faced by clients and stakeholders can only be met through multi-disciplinary, diverse teams. PwC is doubling down on its existing commitment to attract and equip its people to meet this need – combining human ingenuity with technology to deliver sustained outcomes whilst building trust across the value chain.

PwC is continuing to attract diverse talent, supported by expanded flexible and remote working as well as progressing the previously announced commitment to upskill its own people. The 100,000 net new jobs will be focused in emerging capability areas, from ESG to AI. In addition, PwC will continue to hire over 30,000 people into early career posts each year, providing training and qualifications that set people up for a strong career either within PwC or elsewhere.

Moritz said: “We want our people to be the most sought after in the market, because they have the technical, digital and human skills needed to build trust and deliver sustained outcomes. We are proud that so many people begin their careers at PwC before moving on and are committed to continuing to support training and development for a new generation of business leaders.”

Here in Sri Lanka and Maldives, PwC is taking further action to improve diversity and inclusion, including making strategic investments by expanding their capabilities, along with the focus on inclusion and diversity.

Delivering Net Zero, increasing transparency

In addition, the network is mobilising around the commitment made last year to achieve Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, which involves transforming its business model to decarbonise its value chain. Its science-based targets have been validated by the SBTi, and each member firm has appointed a Net Zero leader to enable progress based on local plans.

PwC is also increasing transparency around its own operations, through expanded reporting based on the World Economic Forum/International Business Council metrics, as well as the recommendations of the World Business Council on Sustainable Development.

Moritz went on to say: “There is a strong need for stakeholders from across society to work together. Whether it’s the pandemic, climate change, social injustice or the digital divide, there is a growing expectation that businesses have a role to play in addressing broader societal issues. Our new strategy is about helping clients address their toughest challenges and delivering for society and the planet.”