Accenture is committed to being a good corporate citizen and playing our full part in society. We seek to understand the impact our actions have on all our clients, employees and the broader community, and we are building mutually beneficial relationships with these groups. Furthermore, we are passionate about making positive contributions to the communities in which we operate. But in a country with glaring differences between different layers of society, how can a business make a meaningful difference without trying to be all things to all people? In Accenture's case, the same tight strategic focus that applies to our core business applies to our corporate citizenship approach. South Africa has a severe skills shortage. Accenture has them in abundance. Even though employees come into the organisation as highly qualified graduates, not a day goes by without their receiving some form of classroom-based, electronic or on–the-job skills development. In South Africa alone, Accenture annually invests 4.4 percent of salaries and benefits in training and developing employees. From the day you start until the day you leave, you learn. This culture of learning directly influences our view of corporate citizenship. "Education. You're not going to get the population to move up without it," says Bruce Dickson, head of Accenture Corporate Citizenship in South Africa. "With our passion for learning and the skills available through our people, it makes sense to focus our corporate citizenship activities on education and skills development." Accenture Education Trust
Since the end of 2001, Accenture has been awarding full four-year scholarships to South African school–leavers for degree studies in disciplines where the country has a serious skills shortage. The emphasis is on computer science, information systems, information technology, electrical or electronic engineering and industrial engineering. The scholarships provide for the full costs of tuition, accommodation and books and, in the case of more senior students–a laptop computer. This adds up to around R1.2 million a year, spread across 24 beneficiaries. There are only two qualifying criteria. First, candidates must come from severely financially disadvantaged backgrounds and second, they must have strong academics. Despite the simplicity of these rules and the fact that scholarships are awarded to school leavers—often regarded as a high-risk group—the Trust has an excellent success rate. "It stands at around 95 percent, which is very high by bursary scheme standards," Dickson says. Although the students are not obliged to join Accenture, the overwhelming majority choose to do so. However, there are no automatic placements and candidates have to go through the same rigorous recruitment process as all other applicants. Siyathuthuka
Through this programme, established in 1999, Accenture uses its own training facilities and staff to offer Saturday morning classes in basic computer skills to matriculants and teachers from the townships around Johannesburg. "Accenture people from all levels, senior executives to young analysts, come in and tutor the students, many of whom have never seen a PC," Dickson says. "Six months later, they receive a certificate of proficiency in the Microsoft suite of tools, which can be very useful in helping them find jobs. Don't you remember people saying, 'But what experience have you got?' This is why we also help with 'soft skills' on the ways of the business world, as well as how to draw up an effective CV and handle interviews and other business situations." Over the last seven years since Siyathuthuka was created by a group of back-office Accenture staff, approximately 600 township learners have benefited from the programme, which has been extended to Accenture's offices in Pretoria and Cape Town. Imfundo
This programme also involves Saturday tutoring for township learners but focuses on mathematics and science—the two subjects in which Matric pass rates in South Africa are particularly poor. Started in 2003 by an Accenture employee, Ntuthuko Shezi, and a friend, Imfundo is a registered nonprofit organisation with a board of trustees and a solid base of sponsors, including Accenture. Classes are held at the Nedcor Conference Centre in Sandton and are free of charge to the learners, who also receive free transport to and from the centre. From initially having only two tutors, Imfundo now has access to as many as 22, all professionals from various companies. The number of learners has risen from 10 in the first year to around 30, with learners coming from Alexandra township, one of the poorest communities in the Johannesburg area. In 2004, Imfundo learners achieved an overall pass rate of 75 percent for Grade 12 mathematics and science, far higher than the average pass rate at South African schools. Accenture Day Away
In November 2005, Accenture decided to expand its annual team-building "Day Away" to local communities through a project named: "Great People. Great Place. Great Heart." On this day Accenture employees from all levels of the organisation spent a full working day working on a variety of tasks for three children's homes in Cape Town and Johannesburg. The focus was both on the needs of the community and on Accenture's team-building objectives. The three orphanages were Abraham Kriel Maria Kloppers in Langlaagte, Emdeni Campus in Soweto and ThembaCare in Bridgetown, Cape Town. Tasks included painting, gardening, decorating and providing entertainment for the children. Employees and corporate donors also sponsored mattresses, beds, duvet covers, linen, curtains and seeds, among other things. Through the project, Accenture employees have achieved a marked difference in the living standards of these children. Twenty30
Twenty30 is an organisation started by a group of young professionals and originally funded by the Shuttleworth Foundation. The Accenture Foundation is their first 2006 donor. Working with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and schools, Twenty30's aim is to "take a marvellous idea and put it on a sound footing," as Bruce Dickson puts it. "The downfall of many NGOs is that they lack funding, management and an administrative infrastructure," he says. "Accenture people are very good at helping organisations perform more efficiently and so we look for projects where our people can use their skills to train emerging administrators and set up systems so that NGOs can operate effectively and be sustainable." Enablis
Accenture is one of the founder sponsors of Enablis, an innovative global nonprofit organisation which is dedicated to bridging the digital divide by helping entrepreneurs develop sustainable ICT-related businesses. Operating on commercial principles, Enablis provides intensive business guidance and support combined with critical early-stage business financing. Enablis entrepreneurs become part of a close–knit business network with access to wider local and global business expertise, opportunities and funding. Johannesburg Centre for Software Engineering
This centre, run by the City of Johannesburg and Wits University, develops the software engineering skills of young people. Accenture is a sponsor and founding member of the programme, which seeks to alleviate the shortage of professional software engineers. Its beneficiaries are young people who have the potential to be trained as software engineers but lack the means to acquire the skills. The centre is funded entirely on donor contributions. Voluntary Giving
Through this internal donor programme, Accenture staff are invited to donate between R20 and R100 a month, with the company then matching the total donation made for each month. Currently, an estimated 70 percent of Accenture employees are participating. The money raised is channelled into various charity projects based on overall staff preferences. Traditionally, Accenture supports three to four charities a year, representative of our offices in Johannesburg, Pretoria and Cape Town. Corporate Citizenship Overview
South African-based projects are managed under the umbrella of the Accenture (SA) Foundation Trust, which reports to the local Corporate Citizenship Council. Internationally, Accenture refers to corporate social responsibility as corporate citizenship and has established a global Corporate Citizenship Council to fund and drive major projects around the world. Our South African operation is represented on this council and participates in global projects while also driving its own corporate citizenship initiatives. South African-driven programmes are funded by the local organisation and are governed by the Corporate Citizenship Council of South Africa. This is composed of senior executives who are members of the Accenture (South Africa) board. To Top |