Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Accenture to Equip 250,000 People by 2015 with the Skills to Get a Job or Build a Business

Accenture (NYSE: ACN) today announced that, by 2015, it will equip 250,000 people around the world with the skills to get a job or build a business. This goal underscores Accenture’s commitment to its corporate citizenship initiative, Skills to Succeed, which, through teaming with strategic partners, educates people around the world, building skills that enable them to participate in and contribute to the economy and society.

Additionally, Accenture and the Accenture Foundations will contribute more than US$100 million over three years – in global and local giving, as well as pro bono contributions of time and Accenture employee skills – to support the company’s corporate citizenship efforts.

“The development of human capital – people – to achieve higher levels of performance has always been a key competence and hallmark of our company,” said William D. Green, chairman and CEO at Accenture. “Skills to Succeed capitalizes on that experience and expertise to bring it to people looking to learn, grow and raise their level of accomplishment, enabling them to make a sustainable difference to their economic vitality, as well as to the economic vitality of their families and communities.”

Accenture currently has more than 80 Skills to Succeed initiatives, which focus on building relevant skills for people in communities around the world, including:

  • Africa – working in multiple countries with Enablis, a Canadian organization with whom it has a founding partner relationship, to help build the skills of young entrepreneurs
  • Brazil – offering training, with Conexão, in market-relevant skills for people who are unemployed, as well as free consulting services for entrepreneurs
  • India – working with Dr. Reddy’s Foundation to train disadvantaged young people in business process outsourcing and technology skills
  • Philippines and Cambodia – teaming with Passerelles Numériques to help underprivileged students build the skills they need to obtain IT jobs and break out of poverty
  • Spain – teaming with local organizations to train migrant groups in specialized technology skills that will allow them to enter the Spanish job market
  • United Kingdom – working with Youth Business International (YBI) to provide their global network with improved tools, funding, mentoring and training to help disadvantaged young people become successful business entrepreneurs
  • United States – Accenture senior executives are teaching business preparedness skills to students in community colleges; in addition, working with Genesys Works to provide IT training that will prepare disadvantaged youth for employment

“Accenture has a long and rich tradition in corporate citizenship, so it’s no surprise that Skills to Succeed resonates with our people around the world,” said Adrian Lajtha, Accenture’s chief leadership officer. “Their passion, experience and commitment to developing and nurturing talent fuel our initiatives – and demonstrate the impact business can have when it harnesses its talents to make a difference.”

“Professional development is at the heart of what we do. Accenture has earned a reputation for developing talent by helping our people cultivate and use their skills effectively to help solve our clients’ business problems,” said Roxanne Taylor, Accenture’s chief marketing & communications officer. “Now through our Skills to Succeed initiative, we are looking to help a quarter million people develop the skills and confidence to find jobs. It’s an exciting initiative that our leadership is committed to and our people are enthusiastic about.”

About Skills to Succeed

Skills to Succeed is Accenture’s corporate citizenship focus, which educates people around the world – building skills that enable them to participate in and contribute to the economy and society. By 2015, the company is committed to equipping 250,000 people around the world with the skills to get a job or build a business. To achieve this, Accenture will continue to work with a number of strategic partners that share its skills-building goals. Current partners include organizations such as Enablis, Genesys Works, Oxfam, Passerelles Numériques and Youth Business International, among others. Additionally, the company offers its people volunteering and pro-bono opportunities and expands its impact by replicating and scaling successful initiatives. Accenture and the Accenture Foundations will contribute more than US$100 million by the end of 2013 – in global and local giving, as well as pro bono contributions of time and Accenture employee skills – to support the company’s corporate citizenship efforts.

About Accenture

Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company, with more than 190,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Combining unparalleled experience, comprehensive capabilities across all industries and business functions, and extensive research on the world’s most successful companies, Accenture collaborates with clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. Accenture is committed to being a good corporate citizen – dedicated to minimizing its environmental impact and helping individuals around the world get jobs or build businesses. The company generated net revenues of US$21.58 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2009. Its home page is www.accenture.com.

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