Accenture-CHRO-Growth-Executive-1.pdf

From insights to action, the path to extraordinary value starts here.
The CHRO as a
growth executive
Focusing the power of data, tech and
people to accelerate reinvention—
and a new vision for growth

Contents
Setting sights on new growth
How to spot a High-Res CHRO
How to support a High-Res CHRO
Putting the forces of change to work
Are you ready to join the 5%? The way forward
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From 2017 to 2022 the level of macroeconomic, social,
geopolitical, climate, consumer and technological disruption
increased by 200%.1
And today, tight labor markets and talent
shortages continue beyond the pandemic as skill gaps remain
at high levels.2
Setting sights on new growth In this environment it is abundantly clear that
organizations need to accelerate change—not only to
compete but also find new paths to growth. Accenture
has identified five key forces of change that are essential
to success in the next decade: total enterprise reinvention,
talent, sustainability, the metaverse continuum and the
ongoing technology revolution. For C-suites looking to
forge ahead, these forces are showing the way.
The CHRO as a growth executive 3

Figure 1
Of these, two are especially essential given
today’s challenges:
1. Adopting a total enterprise reinvention
strategy that transforms every part of the
business through technology, data and
AI, and new ways of working
AND
2. Embracing new opportunities to access and
create talent and to unlock people’s potential
Bold leadership is required, and CEOs are
stepping up. To speed transformation and growth,
they are focused on leveraging the full potential of
data, technology and people. In fact, they’ve put it
at the very top of their agenda.3
Data from n=570 CEO survey responses
Top focus areas identified by CEOs for driving growth in the next
three years (% frequency)

It’s the right priority. Accenture research
has found that by activating the growth
combination of data, technology and people,
companies stand to gain a premium of up to
11% on top-line productivity4
—the ultimate
driver of profitability and revenue growth.
It’s the human element that makes a critical
difference: When companies implement data
and tech solutions that fail to put people at
the center, the premium reduces to just 4%.
That 7% gap in productivity underscores the
significant impact that people have as an
important source of competitive differentiation
and continuous growth.
Yet the reality is that just 5% of large, global
organizations are following through.5
These
leading companies sit in the top quartile of
their respective industries for placing parallel
emphasis on the digital core6
and talent
creation to achieve their business goals. They
are able to shape transformation in ways that
are people-led.7
11% top-line productivity
premium when unlocking the
growth combination of data,
tech and people
4% top-line
productivity premium
when unlocking data
and tech alone

What else makes this 5% so effective?
The answer lies in the new skills, redefined roles and boundaryless
connections taking shape in the C-suite. With unprecedented access to
data, enabled by cloud solutions, executives are discovering powerful ways
to lead change within the enterprise and beyond.
The nexus: Chief Human Resources Officers (CHROs).8
With the skills
they bring and the impact they make across all parts of an organization, a
new type of CHRO is stepping up to lead their C-suite peers in connecting
data, technology and people and cultivating collaboration.
Indeed, Accenture has identified how these CHROs, who are central
to creating the digital enterprise, are bringing business growth and
exceptional human experiences into higher resolution. These skilled and
connected “High-Res” CHROs are accelerating continuous reinvention by
finding new streams of value in every corner of the organization.
A High-Res CHRO is a growth
executive who operates at the heart
of their company’s reinvention. They
view data, technology and people
through both a wide and telescopic
lens to bring unseen opportunities for
growth into focus. With an advanced
skillset and optimal environment,
these CHROs make an impact in every
part of the company, leading across
the C-suite to accelerate change for the
enterprise and beyond.

of CEOs say their CHRO
should have a central role
in ensuring long-term
profitable growth
of CEOs are creating
the conditions that
enable CHROs to lead
business growth
Awareness isn’t translating into action
The importance of CHRO impact is gaining
attention from top leaders: in fact, 89% of the
570 CEOs we recently surveyed say that the
CHRO should have a central role in ensuring
long-term profitable growth.
But only 45% of those CEOs, by their own
admission, are creating the conditions that
allow CHROs to lead business growth.

And when we combined those findings with results from our
survey of 570 CHROs, we found that just 29% of CHROs are
playing that role, having both the profile and the conditions
they need to act as High-Res CHROs.9

Seizing the opportunity
By cultivating the right skills, connections and conditions,
organizations can tap their CHROs to maximize the growth
combination of data, technology and people. Through this
groundbreaking research, we offer a look at these High-Res CHROs,
the strengths they bring to the table and the breakthrough ways they
can lead and innovate across an organization.
As Cisco’s Chair and CEO Chuck Robbins puts it:
“CHROs have the ability to drive a company’s growth
and business outcomes by effectively using people
strategy, data insights, and technology to the company’s
advantage. When a CHRO is empowered to operate in
this way, the result is a culture that benefits both people
and profitability.”

Systems
thinking
+52%
synthesize internal and external complexities and spot connections holistically
versus individually, applying those insights to accelerate change
Financial
acumen
+44%
apply deep expertise on financial topics (e.g., P&L, financial data) when making
decisions and taking action
Leadership
skills
+44%
drive strategic outcomes through aligning, inspiring and motivating others to
work toward a common goal
Technology
and data skills
+39%
continuously evolve their understanding of what’s possible for the business,
people and communities using tech and data
Strategic
talent
development
+39%
create vibrant career opportunities by combining knowledge of how people
learn and grow with awareness of the skills and capabilities the organization
needs to stay competitive
Business
acumen
+25%
recognize how their business/industry functions and what drives success,
while translating that into actions that impact the bottom line and create value
for all stakeholders
Two primary characteristics set
these high achievers apart: their
skillset and their connections.
The skills to lead
Compared to other CHROs, leaders are at a higher level of proficiency
across all skills measured in our research.
Figure 2
High-Res CHROs are more proficient than their peers
across all skills measured
Leadership
Communication
Technology and data
Collaboration
Creativity
Ability to execute
Financial acumen
Inclusion/cultural
awareness
Scores are presented as means on a 3-pt. proficiency scale.
Business
acumen
Research skills
Talent engagement
Emotional intelligence
Systems thinking
Strategic talent
development
Leading CHROs
Other CHROs
Figure 3
High-Res CHROs are more likely to be at the highest level of
proficiency across six key skillsets, compared with their peers
They’re also more likely to be at the very top level of proficiency
for six critical skills relative to other CHROs: advanced in systems
thinking, financial acumen, leadership, technology and data,
strategic talent development, and business acumen.
Data from n=570 CHRO survey responses Data from n=570 CHRO survey responses
Skillsets High-Res CHROs
Likelihood
to score at
highest level
of proficiency

The combination of financial acumen, business acumen
and systems thinking will be particularly important in the
future. It positions CHROs to operate as anticipators, driven
by data and insights, instead of as reactors. Today’s High-
Res CHROs are already 2.3x more likely to be at the
top level of proficiency in this combination. As such,
this blurs the lines between front and back office, enabling
them to seize opportunities even beyond their function.
Our research indicates that more CHROs will be on
the path to developing this enviable skillset, as they
are continuously learning, unlearning and reinventing
themselves. Through our interviews10
we found that CHROs
globally are already deepening their expertise (honing
critical skills like data science and analytics on the job) to
meet future business needs.
12

“CHROs are asking the tough questions that no one may
want to ask and connecting data across the organization in
new ways—whether it’s people-related or not. Ultimately
there isn’t an ‘HR agenda’. The agenda for CHROs is the
business agenda.”
— Christine Deputy, Chief People Officer for Pinterest
The connections that put those skills to work
Our High-Res CHROs are 4x more likely to have strong relationships
of mutual influence across the entire C-suite, starting with the CEO
and particularly with the CFO, CTO and COO. They also build networks
externally across organizations and industries to influence broader change
beyond their companies. The resulting collaborations enable innovation to
build competitive advantage.
Through their relationships and data-driven insights, these CHROs
strengthen organizational resilience and execute the business strategy.
In fact, our interviews highlighted that there is no business strategy
without talent strategy. This clear expectation must be set by the CEO,
shared across the C-suite and embraced by the board.

CASE IN POINT: FERRERO
The choco-confectionary company
Ferrero has an enviable growth story.
From successfully expanding into new
product categories to rapidly widening
its geographic footprint around the world
(organically and through acquisitions),
the company’s strategic decisions
have propelled it to reach in 2020/21 a
consolidated turnover of 12.7 billion Euro,
with an increase of 3.4% compared to the
previous year’s turnover of 12.3 billion Euro.
The Ferrero Group also completed key
initiatives such as: increasing investment
in its iconic brands, strengthening internal
R&D activities and, for another consecutive
year, investing in improving and expanding
its factories, plants and equipment. As part
of the Group’s continued technological
development strategy, it expanded its
production capacity.
Fueled by digital transformation,
prioritizing their people and preserving
a strong culture, HR has been essential
to Ferrero’s innovation and growth. Chief
Human Resources and Organization
Officer Giuseppe Addezio says that
“HR has entered a new age because of
digital transformation, which is changing
the agenda of companies. It requires
reskilling, redesigning processes,
changing the organizational model
and always taking care of your people
throughout.” Ferrero’s integrated cloud-
based HR system sits at the heart of
change, enhancing the employee
experience, streamlining processes and
equipping leaders and workers alike with
important data to work smarter.11
Read more about their journey to unlock
the talents of their people and remain
agile to meet changing business needs
and drive growth.
Ferrero’s Recipe for Employee
Engagement | Accenture
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Howtosupporta
High-ResCHRO
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Profile alone is not enough. Our research shows that even when
CHROs have the right skills and connections, 55% lack the
conditions to impact business growth. But when they do have an
optimal environment, their CEOs are more than twice as likely
to say the HR function is exceeding their expectations in terms of
discovering business value through the company’s people.
What are the keys to creating these conditions?
First, C-suite leaders must prioritize their people
They recognize talent as key force to drive change and competitive
differentiation. This commitment starts with all leaders (not just
the CHRO) asking a simple question—Are people Net Better Off
working here?—and taking personal accountability for the answer.
Becoming Net Better Off means employees’ fundamental needs
are met and they feel: (1) healthy and well (physically, emotionally
and financially) (2) connected, with a sense of trust and belonging

(3) their work has purpose (4) they have marketable skills to pursue vibrant
careers. Meeting these needs unlocks 2/3 of people’s potential at work and
offers a revenue boost upwards of 5% even in unstable economic times.12
Second, they must enable boundaryless collaboration, powered by data
Reinvention can only happen when leaders break free of their silos—not just to
find new ways to work together, but to explore new avenues for using data and
technology to lead broader change.
If your people are Net Better Off:
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“Increasingly, the role has become an architect … meaning, if
we actually want to drive growth for our business in certain
areas, we might have to divest in others to put more emphasis
where we are prioritizing. The expectation of the role is that
we’re consulting to the business in terms of our people and our
approaches—around building businesses, changing businesses
[and] evolving businesses … and this starts with really knowing
your own data and the drivers of the business—specific to your
organization and people. Then, it’s looking externally for insights.”
— Donna Morris, Chief People Officer at Walmart
To foster an environment in which this is
possible, CEOs must position CHROs as
central to the priorities, processes and
decisions that impact P&L and shape long-
term profitable growth. This means involving
them in areas outside of the typical HR
purview, such as capital allocation, real estate
decisions and product innovation, alongside
their core remit to access and create talent
and unlock people’s potential.

Puttingtheforces
ofchangetowork
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Having the right profile and conditions activates a High-Res CHROs’ ability to accelerate change and drive growth. Our survey analysis and in-depth
interviews with CEOs and CHROs globally illustrate three key things they do differently.
Figure 4
Three things High-Res CHROs do differently to put the forces of change to work
Data from n=1,140 CEO and CHRO survey responses and n=17 in-depth interviews with CEOs and CHROs
• Enable next generation skills
development to meet growth objectives
and build the infrastructure needed to
deliver the right capabilities at the right time
• Use technology to unearth hidden
talent and eliminate bias
• Embrace strategic managed services
to access specialized talent at speed
and scale
• Maximize people-related data to
unlock their potential and achieve
business outcomes
• Innovate through technology and
ecosystem by leveraging emerging
technologies and innovative partnerships
• Automate strategically by using data
as a springboard for more effective
workforce planning and meaningful work
• Catalyze change and ensure all
reinvention is people-led by driving
strategic value for business initiatives
that benefit from the people/culture lens
• Solve systemic challenges by
expanding external partnerships and
investments, contributing to collective
action for change and leading
community impact
Access and create talent
in innovative ways
Connect new dimensions of
data, technology and people
to unlock potential
Lead reinvention beyond
the HR function

1. Access and create talent in innovative ways
High-Res CHROs use data-led, AI-powered insights to understand
which capabilities their organizations need most—and where to find
and attract the people that have them. To achieve this, they:
• Enable next-generation skills development: In a
continuously disrupted market, the expertise companies need
to stay competitive is shifting. Top CHROs prioritize skilling the
organization’s people to meet growth objectives, as well as building
the infrastructure to deliver the right capabilities at the right time
across the business. Our High-Res CHROs are over 2x as likely to
invest significantly in skills development—and they recognize that
technology is an integral part of that process. With this approach,
they expand access to new and more diverse sources of talent
and create pathways for people, such as hiring for skills instead of
degrees and offering apprenticeship programs.
• Use technology to unearth hidden talent: Leading
CHROs are putting new tools to work as they revamp hiring
and recruitment practices for a new era. They are utilizing
AI to better understand how bias enters the screening
process and looking to data to transform candidate
experiences. They are also discovering talent within their
own organizations and using technology to support creative
and flexible work models.
“Through different experiences each of us have in
our career, we build up tools and tactics, and develop
pattern recognition—you’re not limited by it, though,
and you stay open to new patterns that come through.”
— Christine Deputy, Chief People Officer for Pinterest

• Embrace strategic managed services13
: Using strategic
managed services partners for HR delivery provides access to
talent at speed and scale and the ability to harness intelligent,
cloud-based platforms that enable data-driven decision-
making. Our research shows that leading organizations
(the top 5% who best tap the power of data, technology
and people) are utilizing managed services at higher rates
than their peers. Notably, they have a 46% greater focus on
embedding managed services into their strategy, compared
with companies that focus on talent alone. The pandemic
highlighted how some organizations used this solution to
shift large-scale operations to fully remote settings quickly
and efficiently. Introducing managed services allowed them
to focus on their core business and their people, while taking
advantage of the scale and industrialized platforms such
services offer.
“By using the right technology, leveraging data
across the organization and reimagining a new
intelligent global HR service delivery model,
companies can see HR’s value fully realized—
freeing up the team to focus on building the talent
agenda and driving business results.”
— Darrell Ford, EVP, Chief Human Resources
Officer and Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Officer at UPS

CHROINACTION
The “gray areas” where functions intersect and value hides
Francine Katsoudas, Chief People, Policy and
Purpose Officer at Cisco, thinks of her role as
“being focused on anticipating market transitions
and understanding the business strategy and how it
links with our people strategy to accelerate growth
for the company.”
It’s a relatively new approach, but it reflects the
Cisco C-suite’s evolving understanding of how
people, technology and data must combine to drive
productivity. As Katsoudas explains: “Historically,
you would have business discussions and talk tech
and data—and then you would talk separately about
people. Now we’re understanding that success
means braiding these discussions together.”
This “braiding” manifests itself in relationships and
new ways of working within the executive team.
To illustrate, Katsoudas points to her increasingly
collaborative partnership with Chief Information
Officer Fletcher Previn, which shines a new light
for both on how technology can elevate people to
drive greater productivity in their company. Given
Cisco’s business, and the networked solutions the
company develops, their learnings can also inform
the company’s client offerings.
Katsoudas notes that Cisco’s work to unlock
employee potential and create better experiences—
from recruiting to workforce planning, to skill
development and ways of engaging—is dependent
on leaders. “Elevating leadership expectations
and focusing on longer term outcomes is critical,”
she says. “Data and insights from our HCM cross-
enterprise platform reinforce the efficacy of this
approach and can help create efficiencies that can
be reinvested to further improve people’s ability to
collaborate and deliver value.”
As a result, Cisco is fast-tracking change for its
people, its business and its communities.
“Today, all of us across the
C-suite are trying to bust
siloes and spot the ‘gray
spaces’ where opportunities
or challenges lie. Bringing
our unique perspectives on
the data enables us to solve
issues or seize opportunities
more rapidly.”
— Francine Katsoudas,
Chief People, Policy and
Purpose Officer at Cisco

2. Connect new dimensions of data, technology and people
to unlock potential
High-Res CHROs are nearly 2x more likely to effectively connect
data, technology and people than their peers. Leveraging this growth
combination is the primary accelerator for improved financial and
non-financial outcomes.14
To achieve this, these CHROs:
• Maximize people-related data: High-Res CHROs bring insights
that connect talent more directly to business outcomes and
ultimately unlock people’s potential. They do this by spotting
productivity trends, uncovering engagement drivers and applying
predictive insights from skills data to proactively meet demand and
help their people grow. At the same time, these CHROs connect
external signals with enterprise data that allows faster decision-
making, influences long-term strategy and informs actions on
broader social issues.
• Innovate through technology and ecosystem: High-Res CHROs
know every business is a digital business. In addition to continuously
reinventing their HCM/HR digital core to optimize processes and
increase personalization, they use innovative technology, such as
the metaverse to enhance people’s experiences at work. And they
don’t do it alone: the efficiencies gained through an ecosystem of
partnerships, platforms and scalable solutions can free up capital
and fuel new investments – making them a foundation for growth.
Our research shows that companies adopting next-generation AI
and digital tools, in combination with enabling partnerships and
ecosystems, are 2.6x more likely to increase revenue by 10% or more
than peers who are not.15

• Automate strategically: High-Res CHROs don’t just see automation
as a path to minimizing tasks and boosting efficiency—they use it as a
springboard for more effective workforce planning and meaningful work.
Through data, they are making smart buy-build-bot decisions with future
growth in mind by merging the very best of human skills with technology.
CASE IN POINT: Takeda
Lauren Duprey, CHRO at Takeda, is leveraging technology to ensure
the right talent is in place to drive business growth. Her team is
building out a technology roadmap that includes everything from
HRIS to learning programs to talent marketplaces that use AI and
machine learning to source talent internally and help employees
grow their careers. Additionally, they are looking at how technology
and AI can help them with recruiting, to avoid bias in candidate
screenings and help them tap into new and more diverse talent
populations. “By partnering together with leaders at Takeda,”
Duprey says, “we can help them meet their immediate needs
as well as develop the future talent they’ll require based on the
business objectives.”

CHROINACTION
Putting data to work
Numbers have always been a factor in human
resources, but today’s CHROs have access to more,
better and deeper data than ever before. And as
access to it has changed, so has its impact.
“Data and insights are paramount for our jobs,” says
Donna Morris, Chief People Officer at Walmart.
“Years ago, we didn’t have it as real-time, or as
accessible as it is today … If I had to go back 15
years, I’d say it took a lot longer to get predictive
insights. And often it was predictive in outcomes,
not actually insight. So, if an outcome happened,
we assumed it would happen again. It wasn’t as
if we could apply logic to data to give us different
formulated outcomes and insight.”
Now, CHROs are experimenting with artificial
intelligence, machine learning and other
technological tools that can uncover hidden truths
in the numbers—and all faster than ever.
Morris’ team put this into play with its 2022
Associate Engagement Survey. By using internal
technology to drive the survey in real-time, they
were able to draw responses from nearly a million
employees in just five days. They then used AI
and machine learning capabilities to segment
the data and distill qualitative comments into
actionable categories and insights. As a result,
they could act on the survey results right away,
instead of the typical three to five weeks it would
normally take to do so. “And, when it comes to
DEI and representation,” Morris says, “we are now
able to report every six months—armed with real-
time data that enables us to be transparent about
where we’re at and to be even more accountable
to drive progress and change.”
Over the years, Morris says the CHRO role has
pivoted from a focus on talent and retention to a
role focused on furthering the business through
organizational growth and people.
“A strategy is only unlocked
by the systems and the people
and the processes and the
technology that you apply to
them,” says Morris. “[In this
role], increasingly you’re very
active in all those dimensions
of driving it.”

3. Lead reinvention beyond the HR function
While credibility starts with functional excellence, High-Res CHROs’ impact and influence
extends across the entire enterprise and beyond the organization to truly drive transformation.
That means they:
• Catalyze change: All reinvention must be people-led; as a result, leading CHROs adapt
talent strategy at speed and scale to align with business needs and strengthen resilience.
Our interviews with CEOs and CHROs show the CHRO’s opportunity to impact many
areas that benefit from the people/culture lens, including acquisitions, investments, new
products and services, branding and social activism. Additionally, we found that 88% of
CEOs say their CHRO should be responsible for infusing a culture of innovation across
the enterprise.
• Solve systemic challenges: Top CHROs recognize that their organizations are deeply
intertwined with the communities in which they function. As a result, they work beyond the
boundaries of the company—across organizations, industries, and geographies—jointly
contributing to actions for change. They leverage best practices (such as the use of PPE
during the height of the pandemic) to help with broader social goals while expanding
external partnerships and investments that make an impact in the world. Another way
High-Res CHROs add value: improving sustainability, one of the forces that drive change.
CEOs with a High-Res CHRO are 1.5x as likely to say their CHRO is directly improving the
company’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance.
“[You have to] strike the right
balance between, one, running
your function well and being an
expert in your craft, and two,
operating without boundaries.
The balance between those two is
what sets you up to drive growth
in the future. That also means
understanding the industry, the
business and the macro business
environment the company is
facing—and how people can help
address what lies ahead.”
— Lauren Duprey, CHRO at Takeda

CHROINACTION
Resilience is everything
If there’s one word to describe the past few years,
it’s uncertainty. Whether it’s the pandemic, Russia’s
invasion of Ukraine, rising inflation, the energy
crisis or the cryptocurrency crash, businesses
have had to adapt quickly to change. Some
organizations have even thrived since they have
the right mix of people and technology to adapt to
changing conditions.
Kerry Dryburgh, Chief People Officer at bp
calls this the platform of opportunity. “It’s about
leading transformation internally and then looking
beyond, considering the challenges externally,
to make a difference in the world” she says. “It’s
about purpose and how we respond to societal
expectations. And then it’s about engagement
and the commerciality.”
There are examples of this everywhere in the
organization. On a high level, all of bp’s HR tools
and data are in the cloud, all to ensure that
employees have the best possible experience.
Moving forward, Dryburgh expects to be able
to use analytics and insights for a real-time look
at employee sentiment—and react quickly, if
necessary. For instance, Dryburgh’s team found that
bp employees who work for great team leaders are
15 points more engaged than those who see their
team leader less often and receive less feedback.
Moving forward, bp is creating an agenda focused
on driving engagement and performance. “So,
it’s having that discussion as opposed to it being
about what we intuitively think we need to do…[and]
underpinning the ‘why’ in a much more robust way.”
Dryburgh has also found bp is well positioned
to support the greater good, beyond what’s
traditionally expected of a CHRO or HR in general.
She worked with external partners, including NGOs,
to create a system of support for refugees—not just
connecting them with jobs, but linking all the other
aspects as well, such as determining if someone
needs language training or financial support to
cover the costs of requalification. It’s a complete
rethinking of the talent strategy in a time of
upheaval that not only helps the business in a
time of crisis, but also the people most affected
by that crisis.
Ultimately, Dryburgh sees resilience—and
leveraging that platform of opportunity—in three
facets. The first is transformation and using HR
tech and talent to help the company evolve and
grow to meet its goals in a constantly changing
world. (To this end, bp is aided by Accenture’s
transformation GPS tool to help them understand
their progress on the journey.) The second is
embedding the importance of transformation and
talent throughout the C-suite and with the board
and opening the door to collaboration. And the
third is leaving a legacy, so that the company and
the communities it serves are all better off than
when she arrived at bp.
Her advice? “Think bigger than the seat
that you sit in.”

Areyoureadyto
jointhe5%?
Thewayforward
04
29

Every C-suite leader should be talking about how to tap into and empower the
CHRO as a growth executive. It starts by holding the mirror up, individually and
collectively, because unlocking growth through data, tech and people is only
achieved together. Consider these four questions:
1. Does our culture enable, recognize, and reward leaders to think and act
beyond their title to drive growth in new ways?
2. Do all of our leaders possess the right data and technology skills (supported
by the right processes and tools) to accelerate change together, in a
boundaryless and frictionless way?
3. Do we have differentiated strategies to access talent, create talent and
unlock people’s potential?
4. Are people Net Better Off working at our company, where all leaders take
accountability for this commitment?
30

“I talk to other CEOs about the CHRO being a business
leader and it resonates. There’s a shift from focusing on the
concept of corporate function or enabling function to the
CHRO as the center of the business. You need to look at
your CHRO as being a business leader who’s driving your
growth and reinvention. And you need to empower them
to follow through on that mandate.”
— Julie Sweet, Chair and CEO, Accenture
Future success requires reinvention today. It all starts with connecting
data, technology and people; but it takes the right skills and environment
for those connections to truly matter, both within the company and
beyond. Reaching the top 5% requires bold leadership—not only from a
High-Res CHRO, but from each member of the C-suite. Every executive
must be a growth executive.

Ellyn Shook
Yusuf Tayob
Chief Leadership & Human
Resources Officer, Accenture
Group Chief Executive,
Accenture Operations
Thank you to the following executives, practitioners,
colleagues and partners for their significant contributions:
The authors of the report would like to
thank the following business leaders and
experts for their valuable insights during our
interviews and conversations:
Vasilisa Barsukova, Michael Benyamin, Mark Emerson, Eric Fallen, Emer
Finnegan, Rachel Frey, Lucy Frost, Briana Hanafin, Marc-Antoine Jarry,
Dominic King, Elizabeth Koenig, Brian Kropp, Victoria Lee, Amanda
McGrath, Samantha Muljadi, Athena Peppes, Katy Rosati, Alex Setnikar,
Lorraine Shearing, Sheryl Sober, Jeffrey Ward, Jim Wilson
Giuseppe Addezio, Chief Human Resources and
Organization Officer, Ferrero
Christine Deputy, Chief People Officer, Pinterest
Kerry Dryburgh, Chief People Officer, bp
Lauren Duprey, CHRO, Takeda
Darrell Ford, EVP, Chief Human Resources Officer
and Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, UPS
Francine Katsoudas, Chief People, Policy and
Purpose Officer, Cisco
Donna Morris, Chief People Officer, Walmart
Chuck Robbins, Chair and CEO, Cisco
Acknowledgements
Research Lead: Laurie Henneborn
Research Architect: Gabriela Burlacu, Ph.D.
Research Team: Tomas Castagnino, Francis Hintermann, Regina
Maruca, Macarena Ortt, Tal Roded, Abira Sathiyanathan, Pragati Sharma,
Nataliya Sysenko, Christine Yiannakis
Strategic Lead: Joanne Kaufman
Marketing Content Lead: Courtney Bonanno
Julie Sweet, Chair and CEO, Accenture
Christie Smith, Lead—Talent & Organization/Human Potential, Accenture
Jill Kramer, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, Accenture
Authors

About the research
We identified leading companies who are unlocking the “growth combination” of
data, technology, and people) through data science, text analytics and econometric
modeling
Leading companies were identified by applying text analytics to earnings call transcripts from
S&P Capital IQ, captured in the 2020-2022 timeframe across 3,800 large, global organizations
(with annual revenues higher than $500M USD and headcount of more than 1,000 employees.)
Strategic focus on talent creation and digital core topics was determined through a set of key
words and phrases. Companies were considered “leading” when they were found to be in the
top quartile in focus across both categories of topics, relative to their industry groups. While
18% of organizations were found to be in the top quartile for just talent creation and 20% for
just digital core, 5% of organizations were found to be in the top quartile for both. (We found
56% of organizations were not strongly focused on either.)
We then applied econometric modeling using these organizations’ financial data, captured
through S&P Capital IQ. Top-line productivity levels (measured as revenue per employee, in
USD) and yearly revenue growth going back 10 years (2012-2022) were used to develop a
panel regression equation to simulate the impact on revenue growth and productivity of (a)
becoming a leading company with regard to digital core and talent creation, and (b) increasing
focus on digital core and talent creation topics.
We identified High-Res CHROs through global CEO and CHRO surveys
Surveys were conducted between October and November 2022 with 570 CEOs and 570
CHROs across 12 industries (Banking, Insurance, High Tech, Retail, Consumer Goods &
Services, Public Sector, Healthcare, Communications and Media, Utilities, Energy, Life
Science, Software & Platforms) in 12 countries (Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany,
France, United Kingdom, India, Japan, Singapore, Switzerland and the United States.)
High-Res CHROs were determined by identifying CHROs in the top quartile of scores on a
composite variable made up of “perception” (extent to which CEOs and CHROs perceive
the CHRO as a High-Res CHRO) and “reality” (growth initiatives driven by the CHRO) items
within the survey. The High-Res CHRO variable was recoded as dichotomous (0=not High-
Res CHRO; 1=High-Res CHRO) and utilized to determine frequency of High-Res CHROs, as
well as enabling environment, profile and pathways to growth specific to this group.

About the research
We assessed the profile, environment and relationships of High-Res CHROs through
data analysis and modeling from survey responses and through in-depth interviews
High-Res CHRO profile aspects were determined from CHRO self-evaluative survey responses,
using logistical regression modeling to identify significant drivers of being a High-Res
CHRO from a set of hypothesized variables and controlling for demographics and company
characteristics. CHROs at and above the mean on all significant drivers were considered to
“carry the profile.” Additional insights were gathered through in-depth interviews with 17 CEOs
and CHROs of large, global organizations across North America, Europe, Latin America and
APAC and spanning multiple industries, including: Travel, Life Sciences, Consumer Goods &
Services, Retail, Utilities, Banking, Energy, High Tech, Software & Platforms, Oil & Gas.
Enabling environmental aspects were determined from CEO survey responses, using logistical
regression modeling to identify significant drivers of having a High-Res CHRO from a set of
hypothesized variables and controlling for demographics and company characteristics.
CEOs at and above the mean on all significant drivers were considered to be “creating the
environment.” Additional insights were gathered through in-depth interviews with 17 CEOs and
CHROs of large, global organizations.
Strength of relationships between the CHRO and different C-level roles were computed from
CHRO survey responses, measured on a scale of 1 (limited) to 4 (very strong). The number of
relationships labeled as “very strong” were added together, with sum totals compared across
High-Res and non-High-Res CHRO groups. Average relationship strength across the roles was
also compared. Most critical C-level relationship roles were then determined from the largest
mean differences in relationship strength across the two groups. A regression equation using
average relationship strength as the dependent variable was used to determine accelerators
of CHRO relationship strength across the C-suite.
We identified how High-Res CHROs are putting change to work through financial
analysis, machine learning and survey data
Financial and non-financial data for the companies that participated in the survey were
obtained from S&P Capital IQ. Machine learning algorithms were applied to survey data to
surface optimal pathways to accelerating growth and 360 value, from the actions, initiatives,
and approaches the CHRO had taken in the preceding year. These pathways were then
grouped together according to key themes identified through in-depth interviews with 17
CEOs and CHROs, that were then confirmed to be three distinct factors using Confirmatory
Factor Analysis. These three factors were also evaluated for their strength in driving financial
and non-financial impact, determining the primary accelerator of impact among the three.

1. Accenture, Total Enterprise Reinvention: Reaching a new performance frontier,
2023. Based on Accenture’s proprietary Global Disruption Index, a composite
measure that covers economic, social, geopolitical, climate, consumer and
technology disruption. We created an overall measure of disruption to assess
the level of volatility and change in the external business environment. The index
is based on the average of six sub-components, that cover the economic, social,
geopolitical, environmental, consumer and technological spheres. Each of the
sub-components is based on a set of indexed scores for a range of indicators.
2. Accenture Research analysis based on OECD Economic Outlook and Oxford
Economics
3. Data drawn from survey of 570 CEOs conducted between October and
November, 2022. See About the Research for more detail.
4. Top-line productivity growth based on a predictive model using revenue-per-
employee for the past 10 years (2012-2022). See About the Research section for
more information.
5. See About the Research section for methodology
References
6. Accenture defines the “digital core” as a technology architecture that consists
of three integrated layers: 1) cloud-based infrastructure and security layer, 2)
modernized and cloud-native applications layer, and 3) data and AI layer
7. Text analytics revealed a unique focus on the following topics and phrases for
the 5% of organizations leading in parallel emphasis on digital core and talent
creation: Emerging technology, Employee experience, Hybrid and remote work
models, Inclusion and diversity, Metaverse, Mobile and web platforms, Security
solutions, and Workforce upskilling.
8. CHRO is the C-level position with responsibility for the acquisition, retention
and engagement of the company’s people. This role sometimes goes by other
titles, such as Chief People Officer or a Chief People & Culture Officer, to reflect
a widening scope. We have used CHRO throughout this report for consistency
and clarity.
9. Surveys were conducted between October and November 2022 with 570 CEOs
and 570 CHROs across 12 industries (Banking, Insurance, High Tech, Retail,
Consumer Goods & Services, Public Sector, Healthcare, Communications
and Media, Utilities, Energy, Life Science, Software & Platforms) in 12 countries
(Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, France, United Kingdom, India, Japan,
Singapore, Switzerland and the United States.) See About the Research section
for more information.

10. Insights were gathered through in-depth interviews with 17 CEOs and CHROs
of large, global organizations across North America, Europe, Latin America and
APAC and spanning multiple industries, including: Travel, Life Sciences, Consumer
Goods & Services, Retail, Utilities, Banking, Energy, High Tech, Software &
Platforms, Oil & Gas.
11. Read more about Ferrero’s journey to drive growth here:
https://www.accenture.com/us-en/case-studies/consumer-goods-services/
ferrero-employee-engagement
12. Accenture. Care to Do Better, 2020.
https://www.accenture.com/us-en/insights/future-workforce/employee-potential-
talent-management-strategy
13. Strategic managed services are much more than traditional outsourcing. Instead,
they are a next-level solution incorporating specialized skills and outcome-based
results, delivering reinvention through gain-sharing agreements. Managed services
are transformative, reduce risk and costs, and see suppliers become true partners
in innovation.
References
14. See About the Research section for methodology
15. Accenture, Breaking Through to Innovation at Scale, 2023. Based on data from
Accenture’s Art of AI Maturity survey of over 1,600 C-suite executives and data-
science leaders from the world’s largest organizations.
https://www.accenture.com/us-en/insights/artificial-intelligence/ai-maturity-
and-transformation

This content is provided for general information purposes and is not intended to be used in place of consultation with our professional advisors.
Copyright © 2023 Accenture. All rights reserved.
Accenture and its logo are registered trademarks of Accenture.
About Accenture
Accenture is a leading global professional services company that helps
the world’s leading businesses, governments and other organizations build
their digital core, optimize their operations, accelerate revenue growth
and enhance citizen services — creating tangible value at speed and
scale. We are a talent and innovation led company with 738,000 people
serving clients in more than 120 countries. Technology is at the core of
change today, and we are one of the world’s leaders in helping drive that
change, with strong ecosystem relationships. We combine our strength
in technology with unmatched industry experience, functional expertise
and global delivery capability. We are uniquely able to deliver tangible
outcomes because of our broad range of services, solutions and assets
across Strategy & Consulting, Technology, Operations, Industry X and
Accenture Song. These capabilities, together with our culture of shared
success and commitment to creating 360° value, enable us to help our
clients succeed and build trusted, lasting relationships. We measure
our success by the 360° value we create for our clients, each other, our
shareholders, partners and communities.
Visit us at www.accenture.com
About Accenture Research
Accenture Research creates thought leadership about the most pressing
business issues organizations face. Combining innovative research
techniques, such as data science-led analysis, with a deep understanding
of industry and technology, our team of 300 researchers in 20 countries
publishes hundreds of reports, articles and points of view every year. Our
thought-provoking research developed with world leading organizations
helps our clients embrace change, create value and deliver on the power
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Visit us at www.accenture.com/research

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