Meet Shannon Schuyler

“We are about our people, but we are a people business. That's what we do. We don't sell widgets. We are people and people have changed. What people desire has changed over the course of time. We have needed to dig into that to have an appreciation of what people wanted and the way in which they worked. And the motivations for working a hundred years ago are different than they are now.”

Shannon Schuyler, PwC’s U.S. Chief Purpose and Inclusion Officer, leads the professional services firm’s efforts to deliver and embed purpose throughout culture and operations. Her work enables employees to be stewards of organizational purpose and embrace social transformation both internally and externally through coalitions and skills development.

We invited Schuyler to share how PwC has aligned its purpose with all 295,000 employees to upskill talent for a global, digital economy; engage authentically with social issues; and have honest conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Listen for Shannon’s insights on:

• How PwC approaches each employee as an individual when it comes to their purpose, experiences, background, and skills.
• How PwC is building trust with stakeholders, clients, and society to deliver sustained outcomes through the New Equation strategy.
• How to collaborate with competitors in order to address industry-wide issues while amplifying societal impact.
• How PwC changed the way it approached topics of diversity and inclusion.

Resources + Links:

• Shannon Schuyler’s LinkedIn
• PwC’s Purpose and Values
• The New Equation
• New world. New skills. Program
• Trust Leadership Institute
• CEO Action for Racial Equity
• CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion

Carol has been an attendee of the Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose (CECP) Summit for over 20 years, but 2022’s Summit felt different. It was the first time colleagues were reuniting since the pandemic started, infusing the Summit with excitement and eagerness to share the latest in purpose insights.

Step into the Summit with Carol as she reconnects with purpose leaders from Tata Consultancy Services and Blackbaud to explore what they learned during the past two years. 

Listen for insights on: 

• How to introduce virtual volunteerism opportunities that both engage employees and deliver impact.
• How smaller companies with fewer resources can help employees identify their personal purpose and link it to organizational opportunities.
• Why investing in human connections can accelerate purpose success.

Resources + Links: 

• Kari Niedfelt-Tomas’s LinkedIn
• Balaji Ganapathy’s LinkedIn
• Rachel Hutchisson’s LinkedIn
• Nandika Madgavkar’s LinkedIn
• CECP’s Website

“When you are aligned, you instinctively know what to do. You’re equipped to close the gap between the leader you are and the leader you want to be. When your professional and personal values are aligned, you lead with authenticity and everything becomes possible.”

Many guests on Purpose 360 have shared how they activate employees, collaborate in partnerships, communicate to customers, and engage in the community. It is clear that purpose work requires companies and leaders to care for and focus on many different stakeholders. But while leaders must focus on internal and external stakeholder alignment, it’s vital to also invest in yourself to maintain alignment.

Hortense le Gentil, Executive Coach and Author, defines alignment as the congruence of who you are with what you do. Much like how an organization looks to its values to define purpose, individuals must do the same to be the best version of themselves, drive change, and create impact.

Listen for Hortense’s insights on:

• The most effective ways to find alignment
• Why showing emotion is vital in effective leadership.
• How to break down “mind traps” to unleash your potential
• What leaders can learn from model CEOs, including Satya Nadella (Microsoft), John Donahoe (Nike), and Corie Barry (Best Buy)

Resources + Links:

• Hortense le Gentil on LinkedIn
• Hortense le Gentil’s Website
• Aligned: Connecting Your True Self to the Leader You’re Meant to Be