Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship
By Peggy Connolly
As befi ts one of the Forbes 100 most pow-
erful women in the world, Ernst & Young's
Beth Brooke is a real straight shooter, especial-
ly when it comes to speaking about why there
aren't more female executives.
"Young women today don't see businesses fulfi lling
their desire to contribute to society," she says. The
global vice chair for Ernst & Young, adds: "[Wom-
en] are underrepresented in business schools. And
senior women, my colleagues, my peers, continue
to check out of corporate America because they
don't feel like we're fueling their desire to make a
difference." Brooke says corporate citizenship is a key
issue for women. "Citizenship is no longer a nice-
to-have. It simply isn't. It's an obligation we all now
have. And I feel very strongly about that."
Although women are leaving big business, Brooke
says record numbers of them are starting their own
businesses. Calling herself "dangerously candid,"
Brooke acknowledged she seriously considered leav-
ing Ernst & Young. The fi rm helped Brooke connect
work with her sense of greater purpose by offering her
the role of global vice chair of strategy, communications,
and regulatory affairs. This position gave her the opportu-
nity and responsibility of leading public policy efforts and of
helping to restore public trust in the accounting industry.
The former Purdue University basketball player obviously likes
a challenge. Brooke concedes: "Big business has been under attack.
It started with the ethical and accounting scandals surrounding En-
ron and WorldCom and that was followed by all of the perceived
injustice with CEO pay. And then we've had the stock option back-
dating scandals. So it has not been a good time for business."
Speaking of her personal journey to fi nd meaning in her work she
adds: "I couldn't fi gure out how I was making a difference and it was
really frustrating. All of my making-a-difference-activities were my
'night job' .… Today what is so wonderful is I feel like my night
A Powerful Woman
Blends the
