Ernst & Young has become the first of the Big Four firms to create a diversity role in a Scottish practice.
Kristine Dickson, a risk advisory services director in the firm's Glasgow office, has been appointed "leader of diversity and inclusiveness" for Scotland.
Her new role is part of a UK-wide policy initiative, "to pursue a progressive diversity agenda", and it follows the appointment of Fleur Bothwick earlier this year as UK diversity and inclusiveness director for the firm.
Dickson, who has been with Ernst for 20 years, and part of the firm's flexible working scheme for the past eight, has been given the lead role in directing the new diversity policy towards attracting and retaining top-quality staff.
She has already begun a series of diversity and inclusiveness workshops across the Scotland practice to increase the cultural intelligence of its people.
She said: "Diversity and inclusiveness for us is about maximising and recognising the potential of our people and being a global firm with a global mindset.
"What it is not is an exercise in political correctness, a management fad or a quota system.
"This is all about recognising the value that a diverse team of people can bring to the table.
"If we don't start recognising and adapting to the changing requirements of the future talent pool, coupled with demographic and social change, we will not attract and retain the right people.
"Our strategy is to ensure that we provide services that are relevant to all clients and employ the best people from the broadest pools.
"Our aim is to ensure diversity and inclusiveness is stitched into the fabric of our firm and becomes part of our cultural norm."
She has also been tasked to build on the firm's current family-friendly policies, and will begin by piloting more flexible working hours and nine-day fortnights.
Dickson insists that staff taking up such options will not be barred from advancement.
She said: "One of our female partners was promoted while she was working flexibly. Ernst & Young has the highest percentage of women partners, 15%, in the Big Four, and we are also the only Big Four firm to have two women on its leadership team. Within the UK practice our staff also speak a total of 64 languages."
Initiatives and programmes already in place at Ernst, includes flexible working; support networks, such as the Ernst Parents' Network and the Disability Working Group.
It also uses Globesmart, an electronic tool to educate staff on cultures in other countries, especially those working with overseas teams or clients.
Hywel Ball, Ernst's managing partner for Scotland, said: "The aim is to build on the wide range of activity that is already under way across the UK firm, and to ensure that Ernst & Young is an organisation in which everyone can succeed and achieve their full potential.
"The skills, knowledge and values of our people are the firm's most important assets. There is more to be done in the Scottish marketplace around diversity and inclusiveness to ensure businesses leverage all the talent pool that is available.
"The accountancy profession needs a diverse workforce that reflects both the diversity of clients and society."
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