Tailored diversity, equity and inclusion consulting
About Perspective Hive
“Diversity and inclusion is less about a program, and more about helping people become comfortable enough to have a dialog about their experiences—including times when we have felt like an outsider”.
Carin Taylor
Perspective Hive is a boutique diversity, equity and inclusion consulting firm based in Sydney. Led by Grazia Pecoraro (she/her), we take a holistic approach to DEI, with services that span from planning and education through to full-service delivery support and reporting.
Grazia is able to draw on a broad network of collaborators, including writers, designers and more, to plan and execute DEI projects from small pilots through to large scale change programs.
Our impact and results
Most of our work is commercially sensitive and confidential. While not representative of the depth or breadth of our capability, we’ve curated some of our publicly published work that showcase the way we’ve supported our clients with making positive DEI change.
A clear path forward for RSM
“Accounting firm RSM engaged Perspective Hive to perform a national review of our diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) strategy to date and to assist with the formulation of the next phase of the strategy. Grazia reviewed all available DEI-related data and documents, providing us with a high-level summary of key organisational data and inclusion insights to shape the review.
One of the most impactful aspects of the project was the consultation phase. Grazia conducted focus groups and interviews with a representative mix of our employees and leaders, capturing their lived experiences around inclusion, psychological safety and equity. This not only provided us with invaluable insights, but also gave employees an opportunity to shape our new DEI strategy.
All of these qualitative and quantitative data points were integrated in the delivery of a comprehensive DEI strategy including identified strengths, future opportunities for strengthening outcomes, and a detailed DEI action plan with a three-year horizon view. The proposed focus areas and key measures have given us a clear path forward to continue making DEI a priority at RSM.
Grazia was involved throughout the process, including presentation of the report to the National Executive and also supported in sharing the strategy with our broader senior leadership team at our annual conference.”
Arlene Kristianto, Partner, RSM Australia and National Lead for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Industry-first gender equity charter and playbook
We supported Chartered Accountants ANZ (CA ANZ) with developing its gender equity charter for the accounting profession, which was launched with a playbook to help members understand how they could support and activate it in their practices.
Designed to be about support and not shaming, the 10 focus areas of the Charter and Playbook were designed to help employers identify gaps and create action plans that have a demonstrable impact on the inclusion experiences of women. They range from making gender equity a strategic business priority and tracking and monitoring gender equity progress through a range of measures, to working to identify and remove unconscious bias in attitudes, systems and processes, while actively creating safe and respectful workplace cultures.
Together with the 10 focus areas, we developed a Q&A that helped members understand the intent of the Charter and how it would support their accounting practices to be more equitable, inclusive and fair for women. It included answering questions such as:
- What is Chartered Accountants ANZ trying to achieve with the establishment of the Gender Equity Charter?
- How can my organisation support the Chartered Accountants ANZ Gender Equity Charter?
- Why is supporting women a focus when there are other people who also experience disadvantages in the workplace?
- What support will Chartered Accountants ANZ provide to members to support them with making a Gender Equity commitment?
Find out more about Chartered Accountants ANZ’s gender equity charter and playbook.
Industry accessibility guidelines for payments
Australian Payments Network engaged Perspective Hive with solving a complex problem: address the accessibility of Point of Sales touchscreen technology as a key step in efforts to ensure innovations in payments technology are accessible to the widest population.
Through our project management approach, we brought together a working group comprising a cross-section of Australian Payments Network member organisations including financial institutions and technology providers with the aim of making it easier for people living with vision and/or motor impairments to make transactions on point-of-sale (POS) touchscreens.
Due to the complex nature of the project involving multiple stakeholders and breaking new ground in this space, the project was developed and executed across four key phases:
- Design – establish project parameters and success measures.
- Consult – seek input from the disability community, particularly those living with vision and / or motor impairments, through a variety of input measures.
- Create – draft the Guidelines.
- Confirm – seek feedback from community and working group stakeholders and finalise document for launch.
A key focus was consulting people with lived experience of disability as well as peak industry advocacy bodies for people with disability to better understand the challenges they face and their needs. The extensive consultation process involved workshops, one-on-one interviews and an online survey with over 250 stakeholders taking part. Workshop attendees included a range of peak advocacy groups, including Vision Australia, the Macular Disease Foundation, Guide Dogs Australia, the Royal Society for the Blind, Blind Citizens Australia, Deafblind Australia, the Cerebral Palsy Alliance, the Digital Gap Initiative, the National Ethnic Disability Alliance, the Australian Network on Disability, and the Centre for Inclusive Design as well as the Disability Discrimination Commissioner.
The Guidelines for Accessibility in PIN Entry on Touchscreen Terminals were released on International Day of People with Disability.
Survey insights steer member DEI strategy
We supported Chartered Accountants ANZ (CA ANZ) with designing, running and publishing the results of its inaugural member DEI survey. This was shared with the over 130,000 members across Australia and New Zealand, with more than 2,000 individuals sharing their lived experiences.
Key outcomes achieved included:
- Underpinned by the research which asked chartered accountants about their experience of DEI, Chartered Accountants ANZ launched a 3-pillar DEI strategy focussed on: Inclusive Culture, Inclusive Careers and Inclusive Leadership.
- Member feedback highlighted DEI as a priority for the future success and sustainability of the profession – particularly in the attraction and retention of high-quality talent.
- Insights into gaps and opportunities. Overall, 93% of respondents said they had not experienced discriminatory behaviour in the past five years (11% above the benchmark). However, the survey did reveal instances of exclusionary and negative behaviour, particularly for women, LGBTQ+ individuals and people with a disability.
Find out more about Chartered Accountants ANZ’s DEI strategy:
About the Chartered Accountants ANZ’s DEI Strategy
What Chartered Accountants ANZ’s Survey Revealed on Inclusion
Chartered Accountants ANZ’s Diversity Equity Inclusion Report