PwC Luxembourg recognised for its leadership development strategy with the “Learning & Upskilling Strategy Award”

In a world where skills evolve faster than ever, organisations are rethinking how they prepare their leaders for the future. At the Human Capital Awards 2026, PwC Luxembourg was recognised for its innovative approach to leadership development, receiving the Learning & Upskilling Strategy Award for its programme “Embrace”, designed to support the long-term development of the firm’s directors. More than a traditional leadership training programme, Embrace reflects a broader ambition: building a leadership community capable of navigating increasingly complex and rapidly evolving business environments.

From fragmented learning to a structured leadership journey

Before the launch of Embrace, PwC Luxembourg identified a common challenge faced by many large organisations: leadership development opportunities existed, but they were often scattered, short-term and insufficiently connected to a broader leadership journey.

For newly appointed directors in particular, the absence of a structured development path sometimes resulted in a reactive rather than strategic approach to leadership readiness. The Embrace programme was therefore designed as a holistic and long-term development experience, giving directors a clearer path to grow into their leadership responsibilities while strengthening connections across the organisation. Rather than focusing only on technical training, the initiative combines self-awareness, leadership development and peer collaboration.

A development journey built around reflection and peer learning

At the core of the Embrace programme lies a strong focus on self-discovery and leadership awareness. The journey begins with external leadership assessments, helping participants better understand their strengths, behavioural patterns and potential blind spots that may influence their leadership effectiveness.

From there, the programme combines several complementary learning formats. Leadership sessions explore key topics such as trusted and inclusive leadership, ethical decision-making and healthy work practices. Directors also benefit from career orientation interviews, offering space to reflect on their professional trajectory, ambitions and long-term development. Another distinctive element of Embrace is the co-development sessions, where small groups of directors tackle real leadership challenges together. Facilitated by external experts, these sessions encourage open dialogue, collective problem-solving and practical peer learning.

Beyond the formal modules, the programme also aims to build a strong leadership community, connecting directors across business lines and encouraging the exchange of perspectives. Exclusive business dialogues with industry leaders further enrich the experience, bringing insights into market dynamics and broader transformations shaping the business landscape.

A programme already delivering impact

Since its launch, the initiative has generated strong engagement across the organisation. Out of 240 eligible directors, 137 joined the Embrace journey, representing a 72% participation rate. Six leadership training sessions achieved an average satisfaction score of 8.7/10, while 81 career interviews and 77 peer co-development sessions created multiple opportunities for reflection and exchange.

Beyond the metrics, participant feedback consistently highlights the quality of peer interactions and the trust quickly built within the cohort. Many emphasised the value of exchanging experiences with colleagues across different lines of service and reflecting together on real leadership challenges. By combining coaching, peer learning and leadership development tools, Embrace is helping PwC Luxembourg strengthen its leadership pipeline and prepare directors for the organisation’s next strategic challenges.

Beyond the programme itself, Embrace reflects a broader conviction at PwC Luxembourg: building a future-ready organisation requires embedding learning deeply into the way the company operates.

We asked PwC Luxembourg to share their perspective on how organisations can foster a true learning culture and prepare their teams for the evolving skills landscape.

In a world where skills evolve rapidly, how do you create a true learning culture within an organisation?

You build a real learning culture by elevating the importance of skills as a strategic dimension and integrating continuous learning directly into the flow of work. This cannot be seen as a standalone HR initiative. To drive impact at scale, the entire ecosystem needs to support the same direction: technology, processes, learning pathways, performance frameworks and incentives must all reinforce continuous development. When the system truly enables learning, people can grow faster, apply new skills sooner and adapt more effectively to changing demands.

The organisation itself becomes more resilient and genuinely future-ready. Leaders also play a critical role in this process. They need to embody curiosity, encourage experimentation and set clear expectations about future capabilities. When leaders actively support learning, it becomes embedded in the way the organisation thinks and operates.

What surprised you the most during the implementation of this skills development strategy?

One of the most striking aspects was the genuine curiosity from the business. Leaders and teams were eager to explore new approaches, ask deeper questions and experiment with new frameworks and tools to understand how skills-based thinking could transform the way they work. Clarifying the “why” behind the initiative played a key role in unlocking that openness.

At the same time, many organisations still underestimate how quickly they need to start building the capabilities required for the future. The challenge is not necessarily knowing what needs to be done, but shifting behaviours quickly enough in a rapidly evolving market environment.

What advice would you give to organisations looking to better prepare their teams for the jobs of tomorrow?

A practical approach can be built around four key steps. First, start by understanding the skills you truly need, rather than focusing only on traditional job descriptions or historical profiles.

Second, invest in building a dynamic skills architecture, create intentional learning journeys and integrate technology-enabled learning into everyday work routines.

Third, encourage future-oriented discussions, what we sometimes call “daydreaming about the future”. These conversations help organisations anticipate upcoming transformations and identify the actions they need to start today.

Finally, equip leaders to guide their teams through uncertainty and develop the muscle of continuous, measurable learning aligned with evolving market demands. And perhaps most importantly: remain curious and courageous. Organisations rarely have all the answers immediately, but maintaining the conversation around skills and learning is essential to building a future-ready workforce.