When she came to Accenture in 1986, first generation Latina Nellie Borrero saw a need for inclusive culture. But with DEI not being as prominent of a factor in the business world at the time, Borrero’s continual learning and relentless advocacy led to a long but utterly successful journey, turning Accenture into an inclusive powerhouse.Today, as the company’s managing director and senior global inclusion, diversity and equity strategic advisor, Borrero uses her award-winning strategies to not only continue inclusive culture at Accenture, but bring it to their clients, partners and audiences around the world.Now, Borrero is taking her story, experiences and expertise and sharing them in her new book, Unwavering, which retells the story of Borrero’s professional life, her battle with overcoming unconscious biases and provides a guideline on how others can foster effective DEI strategies within their companies.Direct quotes of some of Borrero’s strategies include:
- “Diversity encompasses all the visible and non-visible ways people differ, including unique styles, experiences, identities and ideas. Inclusion is an environment where differences are welcomed, valued, embraced and celebrated… At Accenture, we position inclusion first because we firmly believe that a culture of inclusion must be created in order to receive and retain diverse talent with an emphasis towards creating equity.” (page 157)
- “So, what does a sense of belonging look and feel like to me? It’s a space where I feel safe and I interpret others in the room to be welcoming of me, where I can let my guard down and feel at ease.” (page 39)
- “Instead of ‘why me?’ or ‘I don’t think I am the right choice,’ or ‘I don’t think I am ready. I need more time,’ get comfortable with ‘thank you, I am looking forward to getting started,’ ‘what are the expectations of the role?’ and ‘how do you envision the transition?’” (page 71)
“Nellie’s journey is Accenture’s journey,” Julie Sweet, chair and CEO of Accenture, stated. “She has helped Accenture—and countless companies and individuals—move from aspiration to action.”
“Unwavering will change the way leaders think, feel and behave,” Douglas R. Conant, a former Fortune 500 CEO, praises. “The book offers unexpected candor, timely insights and battle-tested solutions. Rarely do you find so many resources in one place.”
Read the complete article in this month’s digital magazine.
To learn more about Borrero and her book, you can visit accenture.com/us-en/about/company/unwavering-rejecting-bias-igniting-change or purchase a copy of Unwavering yourself at Barnes & Noble, Walmart, Porchlight, Bookshop or Amazon.com.
