Recent events have caused us to challenge ourselves: can we so better? We believe we need to provide even more opportunity for those brilliant people to whom it has been denied

The diversity and inclusion (DEI) topic has been central to our industry for years, and most specifically our firm. At Acertitude, we recognize that we are uniquely positioned to help promote and support diversity through the work we do to unleash human potential globally. “Brilliant people at work” is our tagline, but it also fundamentally represents what we do, and how we do it.

Our role is to find brilliant people, to do brilliant things, with our brilliant clients. Crucial to that ethos is an ability to listen and understand people by identifying that brilliance – without fear or favor – wherever we find it and within whomever we speak. This is equally true for our own business and for all the businesses — and brilliant people — we serve.

Events over the last months have caused us to challenge ourselves. We are not unfamiliar with the themes and the dialogue. We actively seek to remove unconscious bias from our process; we reject prejudice from our assessment; and we love to uncover and empower hidden talent.

But is this enough? It would be hubris to believe that one company can solve all of society’s ills, but we do profoundly believe that meaningful change is always driven by individuals – brilliant people, if you will.

Our purpose is to unleash human potential. We find and enable brilliance in society, so we do have our part to play. To do so, we believe we need to become even more diverse ourselves and keep building an environment of belonging, principle, and respect. We believe we need to understand more about overcoming bias and how we uncover talent from the broadest of backgrounds. And we believe we need to provide real, actual, opportunity for those brilliant people to whom it has been denied.

It is a time for action, not words.

We are committed to bringing our clients a diverse composition of candidates – including diversity of race, gender, background, experience, and viewpoints – recognizing that this drives better creativity, decision-making, and performance. Specifically, we are committed to reviewing slate composition at the longlist and shortlist phase, ensuring that we have at least one diverse candidate. Along with our commitment to diversity recruiting, our environment is open and welcoming to all. As we endeavor to make our own team more diverse, we are also reflecting on our commitment to the outside world inside as well.

We will find the right solutions, and act boldly.

Sincerely,


Kevin O'Neill, Managing Partner
Rick DeRose, Managing Partner
Guy Barnes, Managing Partner