Ernst & Young LLP has announced the launch of its sixth Neuro-Diverse Center of Excellence (NCoE) in the US to attract autistic and other neurodivergent talent.
The launch is aligned with Autism Awareness Month in the US. This time it’s based in Boston to tap into the city’s diverse workforce. EY’s NCoEs are designed to apply the talents of neurodivergent individuals to meet clients’ business needs. The Boston centre has opened with a founding team of 10, which includes individuals with cognitive differences such as dyslexia, ADHD, autism and Asperger syndrome.
The new team will join the existing EY US client teams of nearly 2,300 professionals in the Greater Boston area working in consulting, intelligent automation, data analytics, cybersecurity, assurance, tax and more. The centre hopes to grow the team through community and professional relationships over time.
EY US introduced its first neurodiversity center in Philadelphia back in 2016; and has since expanded to six cities across the US, as well as one in both Canada and India. The firm plans for cities in South America, Asia-Pacific and Europe to join the network soon.
INNOVATIVE WORK & THINKING
Neurodivergent individuals, such as those with dyslexia, Asperger syndrome or autism, make up approximately 20% of the global population. They excel in data analytics and software management that supports emerging technologies; including artificial intelligence, automation, blockchain, cyber and more. These skills are a great asset to EY US clients, and with the addition of this centre, the team in Boston will be able to offer an even higher standard of service, said the firm.
Commenting on the launch of the centre, Jane Steinmetz, Boston Office Managing Principal at Ernst & Young LLP, stated: “The Boston NCoE will not only transform the way we help our clients across New England; but it underscores our deep commitment to diversity, inclusiveness and opportunity for all. These team members bring unique skills to the firm; and will be able to support clients through innovative work and thinking. We’re always looking to build a better working world and create inclusive employment opportunities that benefit EY, the businesses we serve and most importantly those we hire. The Neuro-Diverse Centers of Excellence have reimagined the traditional hiring processes and created environments more conducive to the needs of a neurodivergent individual that unlock tremendous talent potential.”
Over the past five years, EY US has customised the NCoE hiring, training and onboarding process to be more inclusive for its neurodivergent colleagues. One such adjustment is shifting from a behaviour-based interview process to a performance-based process. It has also allowed additional time for team members to absorb and retain the information shared during onboarding and training. This comprehensive approach provides structure around the team to ensure success and promotes psychological safety for true belonging and equity, said the company.
TREMENDOUS UNTAPPED TALENT
EY US created the NCoE model after recognising a need to drive growth for businesses by accessing the tremendous untapped talent of neurodivergent individuals. The contributions of NCoE professionals help to enhance workforce ability and support clients in accelerating technology processes and solutions while meeting the changing demands for jobs, tasks and skills; such as intelligent automation, blockchain, cybersecurity, cloud optimisation, true data science and analytics. In addition, EY US recognised the significant employment roadblocks faced by people experiencing neurodiversity. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that up to 85% of autistic adults are unemployed or underemployed.
“The EY NCoEs activate the exponential power of neurodiversity by creating inclusive high-performance teams,” commented Hiren Shukla, EY Global and Americas Neuro-Diverse Center of Excellence Leader. “By spearheading this journey of incorporating and curating cognitive differences into teaming models, we are positioning ourselves to solve transformation challenges directly and have a competitive advantage in the market.”
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