Event highlights
10 university teams battled it out at PwC’s 2018 Trust Builders Challenge Finals to present their solution to rebuild trust in business.
They had to present and answer questions from a panel of judges that included Fave Co-Founder Yeoh Chen Chow, WORQ Co-Founder and CEO Stephanie Ping, and members of PwC Malaysia’s Country Management Team.
Team Confianza from Taylor’s University were the winning team. Team R.O.P.E from Sunway TES came in second and Team RJT from Monash University placed third.
The Trust Builders Challenge encourages students to have a point of view on trust in business.
It is part of PwC’s ongoing Building Trust programme which highlights trust as a business imperative.
The students had to address a thorny issue – gender pay gap. They were tasked to recommend a solution to help a fictional sales agency regain the trust of their stakeholders, after an internal whistleblower revealed that the agency was deliberately paying its female staff less commission than its male salespeople.
Highlights from the PwC’s 2018 Trust Builders Challenge Finals. Watch now.
PwC Malaysia: Highlights from the Trust Builders Challenge
On 3 March 2018, 10 university teams battled it out at PwC’s 2018 Trust Builders Challenge Finals. They were tasked with helping a fictional sales agency rebuild trust, after it was found to be paying its female staff less commission than its male salespeople. The Challenge is part of PwC’s ongoing Building Trust
Chen Chow summing up the Judges' remarks
The Judges were wowed by the students’ well-researched points, innovative solutions, and quick thinking.
“I’ve judged a lot of competitions and I must say, the quality is really up there,” Chen Chow commented, summing up the Judges’ remarks.
Indeed, the students’ passion for the topic shone through during their presentations, showing that they had a real interest to join in the trust debate.
The support of mentors, a fresh element to the Challenge this year, gave the teams an extra boost.
Each of the ten teams were paired with two mentors – one from PwC, and one from an industry, ranging from communications and human resources professionals, to entrepreneurs and corporate figures.
Mentoring provided a platform for the students to learn through feedback before their presentation, opening up opportunities for personal and professional development, while fostering a culture of continuous learning.
One of the mentors, Andy See said:
“I was inspired by the energy and commitment of the various teams at the PwC Trust Builders Challenge ... it was a great learning experience for me. Proud to have served as a mentor to one of the groups. It has certainly refreshed my commitment to work with young talent and leaders!”
The top three teams, Special Mentions and Best Presenter
Team Confianza (Taylor's University)
The team articulated their viewpoints with confidence, recommending a HR audit and bias-free recruitment and remuneration policies to help the company rebuild trust after being entangled in the gender pay gap controversy.
They focused on making the employees feel more included by engaging them via internal social media platforms, as well as an employee relations programme.
Team Confianza with our Markets Leader Nurul A'in Abdul Latif
Team R.O.P.E (Sunway TES)
The team’s solution included forming a Women’s Network, led by senior female employees and role models, and organising monthly forums on ‘women at work’ issues.
They also proposed an equal pay system, with disclosure of the wage structure to the company network.
Team R.O.P.E proposing an equal pay system
Team RJT (Monash University)
The team’s solution was three-pronged; short term (bridging the gap in communications/understanding of the issue), medium term (rebuilding values) and long term (sustainability and measurability).
Team RJT presenting their case
Team Chamanda with our Markets Leader Nurul A'in Abdul Latif
Special Mentions were presented to Chamanda from Sunway TES, and M.S.M. from Sunway University.
The judges credited Chamanda for taking a risk through a simulation exercise among a group of their peers, to validate their findings on how people would react if they were given unfair remuneration.
Team M.S.M with our Markets Leader Nurul A'in Abdul Latif
M.S.M was acknowledged for their unwavering stance in addressing the leadership issue that had put the company in the spotlight – by removing the tarnished CEO.
Liaw Jia Yoong from Team Confianza received the award for Best Presenter for his smooth delivery of the topic and calm manner in answering questions from the judges.
Judge Stephanie Ping with Best Presenter, Liaw Jia Yoong of Team Confianza
- Visit our Facebook page for more photos.
- Check out what happened at our inaugural Trust Builders Challenge Finals last year.
- Check out how PwC engaged youths through a Trust Debate in collaboration with Young Corporate Malaysians (YCM)
Quotes from the event ...
As students coming into society whether as a consumer or a corporate employee, I think it is very important that you get those values (trust) correct. From our perspective (as a firm), it is important for students to actually listen to what is going on and ask the right questions. I personally think it is very important for students to understand this at an early age.
Dato’ Mohammad Faiz Azmi
PwC Malaysia Executive Chairman
(Chief Judge)
The Judges Stephanie Ping, Dato' Mohammad Faiz Azmi and Nurul A'in Abdul Latif during presentations
The PwC Trust Builders Challenge tackles an issue so delicate, yet so crucial in today’s society which makes it even more challenging and rewarding. Although we didn’t bag a prize, we definitely went home with bags of experience. Thank you PwC Malaysia!
Tay Tshung Man
Team Just Trust Me (Monash University)
Building trust is a long term process and it isn’t something that is easy as it requires patience and persistence. What we have learnt is that a lot of effort has to be put in and we must not give up easily. Our advice to other students who are keen to join this Challenge is always be prepared before the finals, please don’t do last minute work and be confident ‘on stage’.
Team Confianza
Winning Team (Taylor's University)
The winning team with their mentors Dhaliff Anuar (PwC Malaysia) and Jean Loh (L’Oréal Malaysia), and our Markets Leader Nurul A'in Abdul Latif
Honoured to be mentor to Team Confianza for the PwC Trust Builders Competition. Must say my team is highly talented, passionate and super smart!
Jean Loh
Corporate Communications Director
L’Oréal Malaysia (Mentor to the winning team)
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