YOUnext: Inspiring the Next Generation of Women Leaders

Read the Summary

This Best Practice is part of the Gender Intelligence Report 2026.

Read the full Best Practice

Initial Challenge

Eight years ago, attracting and retaining entry-level female talent proved to be a critical challenge for Deloitte’s diversity strategy. Research revealed that many female students lacked clarity on career progression, felt disconnected from relatable role models in consulting, and expressed uncertainty about whether they “belonged” in professional services. Deloitte wanted to further enhance its diversity targets by building confidence and clarity among emerging female talent. Traditional recruitment channels offered limited time for meaningful 1:1 interactions and mentoring. Providing dedicated mentoring outside the recruitment process enabled Deloitte to showcase its people-centred, collaborative culture and to help women succeed in their careers. This proactive approach increased Deloitte’s chances of attracting and retaining talented women.

Goals

Our primary goal was and is to inspire and empower female students to pursue careers in professional services by providing 1:1 mentoring, practical skill-building, and authentic exposure to Deloitte’s culture. Specifically, we aim to:

1. equip and empower participants with career clarity, interview readiness, and professional networking opportunities;
2. demonstrate Deloitte’s commitment to inclusion and diversity by empowering underrepresented groups both within and beyond Deloitte;
3. establish a scalable, long-term programme that evolves with emerging business needs – including digital proficiency and AI literacy; and
4. strengthen the female talent pipeline for entry-level roles.

Success is measured across three dimensions:

• Participant development: Feedback on personal growth and career clarity.
• Brand impact: Enhanced brand awareness, positioning Deloitte as an attractive employer, and increased likelihood of programme participants applying to Deloitte as well as the likelihood of recommending the programme and Deloitte as an employer.
• Social impact: Demonstrated social impact through empowerment of underrepresented groups beyond Deloitte.

Approach

Deloitte designed a five-month cohort-based learning journey combining strategic mentoring, interactive skill-building, and practical experience.

1. Matching process: Participants and mentors are carefully paired using CV analysis, interests, and an innovative speed-dating session (3 mentors meet 3 mentees, each selecting their top 3 preferences) to ensure cultural and professional fit, fostering genuine connections and peer networking.
2. Core workshops:

• CV & Interview skills – Personalised feedback using anonymised real-world examples, equipping participants with practical career launch tools.
• Design Thinking workshop – A human-centred, interactive problem-solving methodology applied to real case studies, teaching participants to challenge assumptions and develop innovative solutions.
• Business Chemistry workshop – Deloitte’s proprietary framework for understanding diverse working styles. Participants are intentionally grouped into case-study teams with differing profiles, creating firsthand experience of team dynamics before learning the theoretical framework, thereby delivering powerful “aha” moments on interpersonal interactions and collaboration.
• Practical application – Participants tackled an AI-centred case study in teams, stepping into consultant roles to develop presentation, problem-solving, and collaboration skills.

Programme uniqueness: Unlike traditional mentorship, YOUnext integrates personalised mentoring, skill-building workshops, practical case-study experience, and peer networking into a unified learning journey. Enhanced with the AI-centred case study, this comprehensive approach develops the technical, interpersonal, and future-ready capabilities women need to succeed in an increasingly AI-driven professional services landscape, while building a supportive community extending beyond the programme.

“Before joining the programme, I struggled with confidence in areas such as presentations and interviews. After the mentorship and training sessions, I see a significant improvement. I now feel much more confident expressing my ideas and presenting my work. One of the most impactful parts of the programme was the case study. It helped me learn how to approach problems in areas where I don’t have deep prior knowledge. This experience taught me how to step back, think more strategically, and approach problems from a broader perspective before diving into details. I also found it incredibly inspiring to work alongside other participants from diverse backgrounds. Seeing how each person approached problems differently gave me new ways of thinking and a deeper appreciation for collaboration.”

Result

Over eight years, YOUnext has engaged nearly 200 female students across cohorts of 20–25 annually, delivering measurable impact and sustained momentum.

Immediate Impact:

• 96% of participants would recommend the programme to peers.
• 86% reported increased likelihood of applying to Deloitte.
• Participants consistently reported boosted confidence, clearer career goals, and valuable professional networks.

Programme evolution & continuous improvement:
YOUnext has continuously adapted to reflect emerging business needs: newly integrated AI case study (2025), enhanced CV workshops with personalised feedback, refined mentor-mentee matching incorporating interests and backgrounds, and added Business Chemistry workshop – demonstrating our commitment to evolving with the business landscape.

Awareness & engagement strategy: Our multi-channel approach has driven sustained interest and applications, such as:

• Internal communications highlighting programme impact and participant success stories;
• University partnerships and social media promotion across key talent channels;
• Yearly applications averaging ~100 annually, demonstrating strong appeal to target talent.

Social impact & commitment: Beyond recruitment, YOUnext prioritises developing underrepresented groups in professional services. By providing dedicated mentoring, skill-building, and community support, we empower women to advance their careers with confidence and clarity, contributing to broader diversity and inclusion goals both within Deloitte and outside.

What else does Deloitte offer?

YOUnext is part of Deloitte’s broader ecosystem of talent and diversity initiatives. Beyond this programme offers:

• Internal Women Mentoring Programmes: Firmwide mentoring platforms connecting professionals across grades and business lines.
• Diversity Programmes & Employee-led Communities (ERGs): Internal inclusion communities and targeted initiatives for underrepresented groups, including women, LGBT+, multicultural community, neurodiversity network and people with disabilities.
• Skills Development: Continuous Learning Journeys available to all employees.
• Inclusive Leadership: Executive sponsorship programmes and inclusive culture training.
• Career Pathways: Clear progression frameworks and flexible working arrangements supporting work-life integration.
• Alumni Network: Ongoing engagement with programme graduates, creating long-term community and career support. Together, these initiatives reinforce Deloitte’s commitment to building an inclusive culture.