Inclusive workforces are essential for workplace productivity and stakeholder engagement. As a CGMA® designation holder, you can promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in business and industry and foster progressive business practices in other professions too.
The CGMA® designation allows finance professionals to advise and run thriving, equitable
organisations. Earning the CGMA designation furthers candidates' understanding of what an equitable organisation looks like and helps candidates become leading agents of organisational change.
DEI initiatives benefit all employees
Alicja Dworowska, ACMA, CGMA, finance director at Thermo Fisher Scientific, runs a successful life coaching service that focuses on improving self-confidence and tackling imposter syndrome. Although these may seem like universal anxieties, Dworowska explained in a sit- down interview for the Financial Management magazine podcast that women in finance sometimes struggle in these areas.
Dworowska said, ‘Women's impact is often not appreciated enough as we have social norms that are not geared towards self-confidence. I'm a big fan of coaching and mentoring activities. Not only technical training in accounting but wider opportunities for women and men too’.
In Dworowska’s article, ‘Five ways women can showcase how remarkable they are’, she discussed ‘Reimagine your career’ workshops, which she held for CIMA students and members. Response to the workshops, which were part of International Women’s Day celebrations and the #IamRemarkable initiative, was overwhelmingly positive.
'When we announced the workshop, we thought it would be just one [workshop] during International Women's Day. However, due to interest from candidates and members, we held an additional eight.'
Thanks to Dworowska's CGMA designation, she has been able to juggle successful careers in both finance and life coaching.
‘In the modern world,’ Dworowska said, ‘a strong organisational IQ and growth mindset are valuable assets. The CGMA designation taught me to always strive in these areas, giving me the confidence to start my second career as an workshop facilitator’.
The workshops’ benefits have been long lasting, for herself and her clients.
'I am still in touch with many of them, and to see their progress is great’, she added.
Eradicating regressive norms
Lindsay Stevenson, change agent, CPA, CGMA and chair of the AICPA Women's Initiatives Executive Committee, echoed Dworowska's statement.
'Women may be saying, do you see me? ... but it takes men to say we see you and want to do this with you. Stevenson said at last year’s at AICPA & CIMA Women's Global Leadership Summit
Like Dworowska, Stevenson encouraged women to continue their ascent in the boardroom without accepting regressive, patriarchal norms.
'I encourage all women in the profession to embolden their power within without having to learn golf and adopt male workplace sensibilities. Instead, show your authentic self, grow, and utilise it in the boardroom', she said.
Enhance your company's DEI initiatives with the CGMA designation
How companies approach diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) requires serious thought. The CGMA designation helps candidates understand certain areas of organisations that may require solutions to certain DEI issues.
This comes from a solid understanding of:
Transparent, progressive reporting. By analysing metrics such as employee diversity and pay equity, finance professionals can foster a culture of accountability, enabling management to tackle such disparities and provide more equitable outcomes for their employees.
Take the hiring patterns of a human resources department. It might paint an unflattering picture of a company's commitment to DEI if staff come from the same university. CGMA designation holders understand this area and could identify such a trend to promote a more equitable hiring process.
Targeted performance evaluations. Management accountants can be important in organisations' performance and structural review evaluations. Certain company departments may act on a performance evaluation highlighting a need for more diversity in upper-management positions.
With these skills and more, CGMA designation holders are well-positioned to make critical socioeconomic decisions across their organisations.
Lead the charge with the CGMA® designation
Alicja and Lindsay were featured on the FM magazine podcast episode, International Women's Day: Embracing equity, empowering others.
With learning pathways tailored to individual study and lifestyle needs, the CGMA designation provides an accessible path to a bright future in the accounting and finance profession — and beyond.
