Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging
Why we believe DEI is so important
Part of Kreischer Miller’s stated mission is to create a culture and an environment where all team members can work at peak performance, grow intellectually, and have the ability to realize their professional and personal goals. Key to fostering that culture is treating everyone with respect and acknowledging that diversity of backgrounds, ideas, and opinions makes us stronger as a firm and as individuals. It also fosters innovation and enhances the services we provide to our clients, helping to differentiate us from other service providers.
For the past several years we have taken an increasingly active role in fostering diversity, inclusion, and belonging at Kreischer Miller through a number of internal efforts as well as participation in various initiatives in the accounting industry.
Inclusion and Belonging Council
In 2020 we formally created an Inclusion and Belonging Council comprised of team members at all levels. The goal of the Council is to continue to foster a workplace culture of inclusion and belonging and continue to enhance the firm’s diversity and inclusion efforts with valuable input from our team members.
We achieve this through:
- Education and development programs, including coaching and training
- Enhancing belonging and allyship through increased awareness
- Enhancing our recruiting and retention practices
RISE – Kreischer Miller Women’s Network
Kreischer Miller’s formal women’s initiative – RISE (Retain, Invest, Support, Empower) – focuses on connecting, elevating, and developing women in the firm. To achieve these objectives, we offer professional and personal networking opportunities and events on a regular basis. Through RISE, we have also introduced such family-friendly programs as Core Hours, Alternative Work Arrangements, and a generous parental leave policy.
CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion Pledge
Kreischer Miller joined the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion in 2020. The CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion is the largest CEO-driven business commitment to advance diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Recognizing that change starts at the executive level, more than 1,600 CEOs of the world’s leading companies and business organizations are leveraging their individual and collective voices by taking the CEO pledge.
The CEO pledge outlines a specific set of actions that CEOs will take to cultivate a trusting environment where all ideas are welcomed, and employees feel comfortable and empowered to have discussions about diversity and inclusion. These actions include:
- Continuing to make workplaces trusting places to have complex, and sometimes difficult, conversations about diversity and inclusion,
- Implementing and expanding unconscious bias education,
- Sharing best – and unsuccessful – practices, and
- Creating and sharing strategic inclusion and diversity plans with boards of directors.
AICPA Accounting Inclusion Maturity Model (AIMM)
The American Institute for Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) helps public accounting firms track and rate their diversity and inclusion efforts via its Accounting Inclusion Maturity Model (AIMM). The AIMM assessment tool measures four key areas: Workplace Culture, Workforce (People), Marketplace (Clients), and Suppliers & Community.
Kreischer Miller utilized the AIMM assessment tool to identify areas that were working well, as well as areas for improvement. As a result of this process, the firm implemented a number of new initiatives, including an evaluation of our suppliers and our new hire recruiting sources to ensure that we are working with organizations that also prioritize diversity and inclusion and that we are seeking new employees with diverse backgrounds. We have also implemented new processes, procedures, and formal training to promote diversity and inclusion within the firm.
AICPA George Willie Ethnically Diverse Student Scholarship & Internship Program
Kreischer Miller was an inaugural co-sponsor of the AICPA’s George Willie Ethnically Diverse Student Scholarship & Internship Program. Only five firms in the United States were selected to participate, and the co-sponsoring firms were selected based on several eligibility requirements including an ability to demonstrate the infrastructure, commitment, and innovation in embracing diversity and inclusion in the firm. It is intended to connect participating firms with promising accounting majors of ethnically diverse backgrounds.
Firms participating in the program serve as the entry point for students to practical experience and exposure to public accounting firms – both critical success factors in increasing ethnic diversity in the CPA profession.
PICPA Diversity & Inclusion Program
Kreischer Miller was selected as one of only two firms in the state of Pennsylvania to participate in the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants' (PICPA) Diversity & Inclusion pilot program. Kreischer Miller continues to partner with the PICPA in its DEI efforts and the firm's Director of Talent Acquisition, Kristin Seeger, is a current member of PICPA’s Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Board.
Kreischer Miller Scholarship for Diversity in Accounting
In 2020, we created the Kreischer Miller Scholarship for Diversity in Accounting at West Chester University. This scholarship serves as a reflection of Kreischer Miller’s commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion in the accounting profession.
Inclusion and Belonging Council
In 2020 we formally created an Inclusion and Belonging Council comprised of team members at all levels. The goal of the Council is to continue to foster a workplace culture of inclusion and belonging and continue to enhance the firm’s diversity and inclusion efforts with valuable input from our team members.
We achieve this through:
- Education and development programs, including coaching and training
- Enhancing belonging and allyship through increased awareness
- Enhancing our recruiting and retention practices
RISE – Kreischer Miller Women’s Network
Kreischer Miller’s formal women’s initiative – RISE (Retain, Invest, Support, Empower) – focuses on connecting, elevating, and developing women in the firm. To achieve these objectives, we offer professional and personal networking opportunities and events on a regular basis. Through RISE, we have also introduced such family-friendly programs as Core Hours, Alternative Work Arrangements, and a generous parental leave policy.
Learn More
CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion Pledge
Kreischer Miller joined the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion in 2020. The CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion is the largest CEO-driven business commitment to advance diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Recognizing that change starts at the executive level, more than 1,600 CEOs of the world’s leading companies and business organizations are leveraging their individual and collective voices by taking the CEO pledge.
The CEO pledge outlines a specific set of actions that CEOs will take to cultivate a trusting environment where all ideas are welcomed, and employees feel comfortable and empowered to have discussions about diversity and inclusion. These actions include:
- Continuing to make workplaces trusting places to have complex, and sometimes difficult, conversations about diversity and inclusion,
- Implementing and expanding unconscious bias education,
- Sharing best – and unsuccessful – practices, and
- Creating and sharing strategic inclusion and diversity plans with boards of directors.
AICPA Accounting Inclusion Maturity Model (AIMM)
The American Institute for Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) helps public accounting firms track and rate their diversity and inclusion efforts via its Accounting Inclusion Maturity Model (AIMM). The AIMM assessment tool measures four key areas: Workplace Culture, Workforce (People), Marketplace (Clients), and Suppliers & Community.
Kreischer Miller utilized the AIMM assessment tool to identify areas that were working well, as well as areas for improvement. As a result of this process, the firm implemented a number of new initiatives, including an evaluation of our suppliers and our new hire recruiting sources to ensure that we are working with organizations that also prioritize diversity and inclusion and that we are seeking new employees with diverse backgrounds. We have also implemented new processes, procedures, and formal training to promote diversity and inclusion within the firm.
AICPA George Willie Ethnically Diverse Student Scholarship & Internship Program
Kreischer Miller was an inaugural co-sponsor of the AICPA’s George Willie Ethnically Diverse Student Scholarship & Internship Program. Only five firms in the United States were selected to participate, and the co-sponsoring firms were selected based on several eligibility requirements including an ability to demonstrate the infrastructure, commitment, and innovation in embracing diversity and inclusion in the firm. It is intended to connect participating firms with promising accounting majors of ethnically diverse backgrounds.
Firms participating in the program serve as the entry point for students to practical experience and exposure to public accounting firms – both critical success factors in increasing ethnic diversity in the CPA profession.
PICPA Diversity & Inclusion Program
Kreischer Miller was selected as one of only two firms in the state of Pennsylvania to participate in the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants' (PICPA) Diversity & Inclusion pilot program. Kreischer Miller continues to partner with the PICPA in its DEI efforts and the firm's Director of Talent Acquisition, Kristin Seeger, is a current member of PICPA’s Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Board.
Kreischer Miller Scholarship for Diversity in Accounting
In 2020, we created the Kreischer Miller Scholarship for Diversity in Accounting at West Chester University. This scholarship serves as a reflection of Kreischer Miller’s commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion in the accounting profession.
Equal Employment Opportunity Policy
It is Kreischer Miller’s policy to provide equal employment opportunity to all qualified employees and qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, or physical or mental handicap. This policy applies to all the terms and conditions of employment including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, training, compensation, transfer, promotion, leave of absence, termination, layoff and recall.
The firm considers the implementation and monitoring of this Equal Employment Opportunity Policy to be an important part of each supervisor’s responsibility. The Chief Human Resources Officer will inform all employees of the policy and shall take positive steps in an effort to seek adherence to the policy by all employees within the spheres of their responsibilities. The failure of any employee to comply fully with the policy will be grounds for discipline up to and including discharge.