Goal-oriented: Deloitte to sponsor US Soccer Federation’s SheBelieves diversity movement
Big Four firm Deloitte has announced a multiyear partnership with US Soccer. The agreement begins with the 2019 season and runs through 2021. The partnership positions Deloitte as the official services provider of the US Soccer Federation and the title sponsor of the second annual US Soccer SheBelieves Summit, which will be held on March 9 at Nike’s New York City headquarters.
“US Soccer and the US Women’s National Team [WNT] created SheBelieves to inspire young women and encourage them to accomplish all their goals and dreams – athletic, academic, or otherwise,” US Soccer said in a statement. “The 2019 SheBelieves Summit, presented by Deloitte, will bring together college-aged students and a diverse range of notable speakers from sports, entertainment, and businesses.”
The summit will be held on International Women’s Day, and will include keynote speeches, panels, and workshops focusing on the topics of female leadership and empowerment. Speakers this year include Lisa Carnoy, chief financial officer of AlixParters; Safra Catz, chief executive officer of Oracle; Crystal Dunn, a defender on the US WNT; Jill Ellis, head coach of the US WNT; and Katie Sowers, offensive assistant coach for the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers. Sowers is the second woman to hold a full-time NFL coaching position, and the firstly openly gay coach in the NFL. The listed speakers are only a fraction the high-powered women who will be in attendance to speak, share stories, and inspire young women from around the world. The event reinforces the importance of the morality of diversity, but companies would be wise to take note: a 2018 McKinsey study, for example, found that firms in the top quartile for executive team gender diversity were 21% more likely to experience above-average profitability.
The Deloitte-US Soccer partnership was brokered by Soccer United Marketing, which was worked with US Soccer for 15 years. “It highlights both organizations’ commitment to forging positive change and providing opportunities for young women,” the statement said.
SheBelieves is a movement that brings together the world’s most elite soccer players for a round-robin competition, placing positive female role models front and center. The US Women’s National Team will of course be competing, along with top women’s teams from Japan, Brazil, and the UK. The winner will be decided by total points, with three points for a win and one for a tie.
“The US Soccer Federation’s SheBelieves movement celebrates and promotes leadership opportunities for women,” Deloitte said in a statement. “At Deloitte, we share the same goals of fostering an inclusive culture that draws power from diversity and inspiring the next generation of leaders.”
In addition to the SheBelieves movement, Deloitte throughout the year sponsors or holds several events for employees, students, and business professionals to encourage diversity among the workforce, one being the annual International Women’s Day Conference, which gathers a select group of undergraduate students to network, share ideas, and lay the foundation for successful careers.
Registration for the SheBelieves summit is now open. Tickets are $30, and include breakfast, lunch, and a gift bag. A ".edu" email address is required for registration.
