In March 2017, I received a call from an Oliver Wyman Partner, offering me a graduate role in the Sydney office. I’d had the chance to intern at both larger and smaller consulting firms but knew that Oliver Wyman was the place for me. I was sold not only by the strong sense of culture - something I had not seen in other consulting firms - but by the platform, Oliver Wyman would offer me to continue making a difference in my community.
During university, I’d taught school kids in Thailand and Vietnam, built houses in Mexico, and mentored students from my old high school, each helping me appreciate how big and diverse the world is. Fast forward two years and this journey have continued at Oliver Wyman. Alongside travelling for firm training and six different consulting projects, I’ve had the opportunity to have an impact within Oliver Wyman, helping lead Sydney’s volunteering programmes and inclusion and diversity initiatives.
Within the first few months, I had the chance to step up and lead GLOW - Oliver Wyman’s global Employee Resource Group for LGBT+ employees and allies. GLOW champions initiatives that encourage cultural awareness and transformation and promote engagement with external LGBT+ recruits, clients, and community organizations. The Sydney GLOW chapter was established in 2016 and in the three years since we have led a vast range of activities and campaigns for both those who identify and allies. These include panel events and speakers, LGBT+ awareness training, discussion forums with our sister companies, roundtables, morning teas, and themed Friday afternoon happy hours. In 2018, Oliver Wyman Australia achieved a bronze award in the Australian Workplace Equality Index, the definitive national benchmark on LGBT+ workplace inclusion in Australia.
Our Sydney office also has a range of other employee resource groups, including WOW (Women at Oliver Wyman) and IntrOW (Introversion at Oliver Wyman) which, alongside our social events, trainings, and office dinners, help make the Sydney office an open and inclusive environment. I’ve also had the opportunity to organise two Sydney office volunteer days, allowing consulting and support staff to use a paid day off to dedicate time to environmental conservation projects across Sydney. Plans are in place to expand the number of volunteering opportunities this year!
From a project perspective, I’m learning a lot about various industries, having worked across banking, insurance, and oil and gas. I plan to join one of Oliver Wyman’s social impact projects – pro-bono consulting projects addressing issues in education, health, social finance, energy & environment, social inclusion, and the arts. For example, Partners and Consultants from Sydney worked with Suicide Prevention Australia to build a business case for piloting zero suicide within the Australian Heath System. The project involved an assessment of the problem of suicide in Australia, and the development of an operating model and pilot for national roll-out. This was a great opportunity to make a real difference to the Australian community.
After just one year, I’m grateful for the opportunity Oliver Wyman has given me, and proud of what I have done to continue making a difference in my community.