Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month at PwC

As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, we take this opportunity to amplify the voices of our Latino/Hispanic community and honor the rich diversity, cultures and identities that make up the vibrant tapestry that is PwC. “At PwC, it’s easy to find someone like me with a similar background, and that’s what I love about our firm,” Raul Ordonez, Trust Solutions Associate shared.

The importance of cultural recognition and celebration

Thalia Perez, Trust Solutions Associate, shared, “Hispanic Heritage Month is important to me because it allows me to reconnect with my cultural roots and is a great time to educate others about my heritage by sharing my experiences and traditions.” To celebrate is to recognize the history and diversity that make up the Latino/Hispanic community. “Hispanic Heritage Month allows me to find that pride and allows for others to see the beauty across our diverse cultures and the countries they represent,” said Fernando Aviles, Consulting Solutions director. Throughout the month, our firm will host events, share educational resources, uplift the voices of our Latino/Hispanic PwCers and donate to organizations that help make a positive impact on the community.

Building meaningful connections

Our Latino Inclusion Network (LIN) is made up of more than 3,000 PwCers, including Vania Beltran, Consulting Solutions Senior Associate. “Being part of this network is a great way to connect with people. I love being able to help people find their community within PwC and connect them with resources so they can thrive in their careers,” Beltran shared. Lucia Wiggins, Products & Technology Associate shared, “The LIN provides mentors for PwCers interested in connecting with leadership that have common experiences, backgrounds or cultures. It’s very helpful to hear their experience and receive advice that is relatable. We would even speak in Spanish while connecting!” Our Inclusion Networks provide access to external events in addition to building meaningful connections within the firm. Ana Patino, Consulting Solutions senior manager, shared, “Being a part of ALPFA and LIN has allowed me to connect with individuals at the firm who come from similar upbringings, which has been critical in my journey of feeling like I belong in corporate America. PwC also sponsors individuals to attend the ALPFA convention and I always come back from the conference feeling refreshed and motivated to do more.”

The strength of intersectionality and diversity

When people's different identities and experiences come together, they offer something unique to our firm, our clients and our society. “Each of us shows up to work with characteristics and traits unique to us. One way that we can begin to support others to grow is by taking the time to learn about, make space for, and support those deeper levels of diversity,” said Ez Meza, PwC Private-West Assurance associate. “There’s a strong cultural background ready to be shared with all the people who would like to know more about Latino/Hispanic countries – we try to preserve those traditions through generations,” said Guillermo Gonzalez, PwC Mexico WPX West Region Support director

Advancing inclusivity inside and outside the firm

At PwC, we believe the success of our firm depends on continuing to support equitable experiences for our people and communities. We support Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) and directly engage with students so they are aware of the career opportunities available to them. In FY23, we’ve invested $2.3m+ in HSIs and related initiatives, including gift and donation matching. We have a recruiting presence at 46 HSIs and saw a 29 percent increase in applications from HSIs compared to prior years. Additionally, over the past year, the PwC Charitable Foundation awarded over $9 million in grants as part of PwC’s Access Your Potential education commitment to several organizations collaborating with HSIs including One Million Degrees, Beyond 12 and Phi Theta Kappa to strengthen pathways into careers for historically underrepresented community college students.

From hosting firm events to providing learning experiences and resources, we aim to continue to foster stronger connections, cultivate active allyship and drive meaningful change in support of the Latino/Hispanic community to advance equity for all. When we bring our people together, we bring our purpose to life. As a firm, our theme for this year is; “Todos Somos, Somos Uno: We Are All, We Are One.” 

Raul Ordonez
Trust Solutions Associate

Thalia Perez
Trust Solutions Associate

Fernando Aviles
Consulting Solutions director

Vania Beltran
Consulting Solutions Senior Associate

Lucia Wiggins
Products & Technology Associate

Ana Patino
Consulting Solutions senior manager

Ez Meza
PwC Private-West Assurance associate

Guillermo Gonzalez
PwC Mexico WPX West Region Support director