A level playing for all employees requires culture change in our companies. Culture change happens when we encourage dialogue (some of it uncomfortable) to promote understanding combined with structural programs that nudge us along to best in class workplaces.
PWC has a formal sponsorship program that helps drive a culture that embraces differences and opens up doors for everyone. Maria Castañón Moats, Chief Diversity Officer at PWC, highlights the sponsorship program in this Fast Company article from 2014. All 2800 PWC partners are required to sponsor and develop three people who are of a different race, ethnicity or gender. The partner basically takes them under their wing to help them develop professionally and advocates for them during evaluations and as job opportunities arise.