In a push to attract more autistic and other neurodiverse talent, accounting and consulting giant Ernst & Young announced Monday that it has launched a new Neuro-Diverse Center of Excellence (NCoE) here in Boston.
The NCoE will open with a founding team of 10, which include individuals with cognitive differences like dyslexia, ADHD, autism and Asperger syndrome. Over time, the number of members will grow, joining EY’s team of more than 2,000 in the Greater Boston area to work in areas like intelligent automation, data analytics and cybersecurity.
“The Boston NCoE will not only transform the way we help our clients across New England, but it underscores our deep commitment to diversity, inclusiveness and opportunity for all.” Jane Steinmetz, the head of EY’s Boston office, said in a statement. “These team members bring unique skills to the firm and will be able to support clients through innovative work and thinking.”
This will be the sixth NCoE launched by EY in just five years. In that time, the company has also taken steps to customize its hiring, training and onboarding process to be more inclusive of its neurodivergent employees. This includes shifting from behavior-based interviewing practices to more performance-based ones. The overarching goal is to “promote psychological safety and true belonging and equity,” according to the company.
“We’re always looking to build a better working world and create inclusive employment opportunities that benefit EY, the businesses we serve and most importantly those we hire,” Steinmetz added. “The Neuro-Diverse Centers of Excellence have reimagined the traditional hiring processes and created environments more conducive to the needs of a neurodivergent individual that unlock tremendous talent potential.”
Indeed, EY’s stated goal in launching these NCoEs is to access the “untapped talents” of a demographic that typically experiences an 85 percent unemployment rate. These individuals, says EY, “excel” in areas like data analytics and software management, which are crucial in emerging tech areas like AI, automation, blockchain and cybersecurity — areas that EY’s clients are working to innovate in.
Externally, EY has also co-founded the Autism at Work Employer Roundtable and sponsored various conferences to help other employers launch neurodiversity-focused hiring efforts of their own. Going forward, the company says it plans to launch more NCoEs in South America, Asia and Europe soon too.
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