Ernst & Young, one of the top accounting firms of the world, is under the public eye for a controversial training program they conducted for female employees of the company.
According to a report by News18, 30 women employees of the company were given a leadership training program called Power-Presence-Purpose or PPP in June 2018. This training was misogynistic, regressive, and sexist in every aspect possible.
The training program included a 55-page presentation that captured instruction on how women need to dress, behave, and speak to fit into a male-dominated company.
As per HuffPost, some of the most distasteful instructions that the company expected women employee to follow were:
1. Don’t flaunt your body because sexuality “scrambled” the minds of men and women.
2. Women should have a “polished” appearance – manicured nails, nicely cut hair, well-cut attire that complements the body type, etc.
3. Don’t show skin.
4. “Speak briefly” because women often “ramble” and “miss the point”. They should also consider “wait(ing) for their turn to speak”.
5. Women are not to “confront men in meetings”. Instead, speak to them in private.
6. Sit across men without crossed legs.
7. Do not speak to men “face-to-face” as it might “threaten them”.
According to the HuffPost report, the employees were also given a “Masculine/Feminine Score Sheet” and were asked to rate their adherence to stereotypical masculine and feminine characteristics both on the job and outside the office.
But, what made it most disgusting were the traits that defined under masculinity and feminity.
While the masculine traits included pointers like “Acts as a Leader”, “Strong Personality”, “Willing to take a stand”, “Analytical”, etc.; the feminine traits included “Affectionate”, “Childlike”, “Loves Children”, “Cheerful”, “Affectionate”, etc.
But there is more to the regressive training material. Another aspect that sparked massive outrage online was how it reportedly focused on the information that a woman’s brain is 6-11% smaller than a man’s brain. This is what was said:
“Women’s brains absorb information like pancakes soak up syrup so it’s hard for them to focus. Men’s brains are more like waffles. They’re better able to focus because the information collects in each little waffle square.”
As per Business Insider, after facing backlash, Ernst & Young clarified how they don’t use this version of the presentations for seminars anymore and that the “training was hosted by an external vendor”.
At IFORHER, we are heartbroken to see how one of the leading firms in the corporate world is promoting regressive stereotypes on women. Even in the 21st century, they are training women to focus on ways to please men around them. This is shameful, disgusting and unacceptable.
