  The Accenture Foundation Trust was established in 2004. It is responsible for the management and distribution of funds received from Accenture (South Africa). The Accenture Foundation Trust is governed by a board of trustees, the majority of whom are not associated with the company, thereby ensuring objectivity in the Foundation's administration. The Accenture Foundation Trust is registered with the Master of the Supreme Court (Master) and with the South African Revenue Services (SARS). Its board operates in accordance with the Accenture Foundation Trust's charter and reports to the board of Accenture (South Africa).
In addition to the Accenture Foundation Trust, Accenture established the Accenture (SA) Education Trust in 2001. Like the Accenture Foundation Trust, the Accenture Education Trust is governed by an independent board of trustees, is registered with the Master and with SARS. The Trust received a major donation from the global Foundation of Accenture Limited in 2002 as part of the celebration surrounding the listing of Accenture on the New York Stock Exchange. The capital was repatriated to South Africa and is invested locally. The income from the investments is used to fund the activities of the Trust and to build the capital base. Investment
In South Africa, Accenture contributes at least 1.5 percent of its annual profit to its corporate citizenship programme, of which the Accenture Foundation Trust is a major recipient. This is over and above the earnings received from the Accenture Education Trust's return on investments. The majority of the income received by the Accenture Foundation Trust is distributed amongst various deserving organisations, including the Trust. In general the organisations selected by the Board for support are those which fall within the guidelines of the global Corporate Citizenship Council of Accenture Limited. Many of the organisations supported by the Accenture Foundation Trust are involved, in one way or another, with the education of individuals and/or organisations and in which many Accenture employees voluntarily give of their time and skills. Accenture Foundation Trust support
The main recipients of Foundation funding support in 2006/2007 include:
- The Accenture (SA) Education Trust—The Accenture Education Trust provides scholarships to financially disadvantaged school-leavers who are high-performers academically and wish to study for a degree in computer science, information systems, information technology, informatics, electrical or electronic engineering or industrial engineering. The scholarships cover the full costs of tuition, accommodation, books and a laptop computer for senior students. In 2006 the Trust supported 19 students through the launch of the Adopt-a-Student Programme, with more than 10 percent of the consulting workforce volunteering to participate in this programme which provides two mentors for each student. Both students and mentors benefit enormously from this initiative. The annual expenditure of the Trust exceeds R1 million.
- The Business Trust—The Accenture Foundation Trust has committed to a five-year annual donation (2005 to 2009). Accenture participated in the launch of the Business Trust and was a founding donor in 1999.
- The National Business Initiative (NBI)—Accenture was a founding donor of the NBI and has continued to support this national initiative which celebrated 10 years of existence last year. Amongst its many activities, the NBI plays a key role in helping organisations transform their structures and become more representative.
- Imfundo—This initiative was launched by several concerned professionals who provide tutoring in English, mathematics and physical science to grade 11 and grade 12 students from schools in Alexandra on Saturdays. Several major companies donate funds or contribute to this project. All time given to the teaching programme is provided voluntarily. A significant number of Accenture personnel have played a key role in establishing this "school" and continue to play an invaluable part in the success of this programme.
- Twenty30—This organisation undertakes a variety of different activities amongst different non-governmental organisations (NGO) and disadvantaged schools. Its primary purpose is to utilise the skills of young professionals to help establish workable infrastructures for these organisations. Accenture personnel have been involved in training emerging administrators and setting up administrative systems to help these organisations operate more effectively and be sustainable in the future. The Accenture Foundation Trust was the first major donor to Twenty30 in 2006 and this funding will allow Twenty30 to expand its reach.
- Siyathuthuka—This programme was developed by Accenture back–office personnel in 1999. Cognisant of Accenture's training facilities, a group of dedicated employees started a "school" utilising Accenture facilities to teach matriculants basic IT skills. Over the years the team has developed a curriculum that includes not only courses in Microsoft Office but also a "soft-skills" programme to equip school-leavers with crucial business skills and educate them on essentials such as how to draw up an effective curriculum vitae and handle interviews. To date, nearly 600 school-leavers have participated in this programme. On completion of the course, successful participants are awarded a certificate of competence and many "graduates" have successfully found employment, which they were unlikely to have secured without this skills-enhancing course. The Accenture Foundation Trust has committed to funding the costs of running Siyathuthaka and has been instrumental in the establishment of a similar programme run out of Accenture's office in Cape Town.
- Johannesburg Centre for Software Engineering—The City of Johannesburg and the University of the Witwatersrand have jointly created this centre to help develop software engineering skills amongst young people. There is a very significant shortage of professional software engineers in South Africa and this initiative attempts to partially address this. The Accenture Foundation Trust is a founding member of this programme which is entirely funded on donor money.
- Bergzicht Training—This is an NGO skills training centre in Stellenbosch that delivers free training to impoverished, semi-skilled and disadvantaged people. It provides learners with applied job competence, a basis for further learning and employment opportunities, thus empowering them to become active in our country's economic. Over the past 14 years, more than 8,000 learners received training at Bergzicht, of which at least 80 percent were placed into employment.
- The South African National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (SANCA) in the Western Cape—SANCA's youth substance abuse prevention education programme's focus is not only on ways to prevent substance abuse, but also on promoting healthy alternative lifestyles. SANCA is actively fighting the spread of drugs and the resulting effects on our communities. Its main objective is to reach the youth—from primary school through high school and early adulthood—by educating them about the dangers of substance abuse and its relation to HIV/AIDS and other health and social problems.
- The READ Educational Trust—Accenture supported READ over many years before the establishment of the Foundation Trust. Annually, during the weekends of May, convoys of off-road vehicles depart from main cities across the country in the Rally to Read to deliver educational materials to some of the country's most neglected schools. Once at the schools, Rally participants meet and interact with the students and teachers who benefit from the deliveries as well as the subsequent professional development which is provided for thee years by the Read Educational. Several Accenture employees participate in the rallies.
- Common Purpose—This organisation promotes effective leadership in complex and multicultural societies by presenting leadership development programmes for rising generations of leaders from the public, private and non-for-profit sectors to shape the future of their organisations, sectors, cities and communities. The programmes combine the development of leaders with an understanding of how to manage difference, and so help to build a strong civil society. This is a powerful and timely combination given the increased recognition in both developed and developing nations that complex problems cannot be solved by organisations or agencies acting alone. A number of Accenture employees have attended Common Purpose programmes in recent years.
Other Initiatives
Enablis—Accenture is one of the founder sponsors of Enablis, an innovative global nonprofit organisation that is dedicated to bridging the digital divide by helping entrepreneurs develop sustainable ICT-related businesses. This programme was established with Canadian Government funding. The main objective of Enablis is to encourage and develop entrepreneurship amongst young professionals. Accenture, by virtue of its highly skilled and entrepreneurial workforce, has played a key role in Enablis programmes, which are now run in many countries around the world. In South Africa, Accenture has supported Enablis, not only in the provision of skilled resources but also in the administration of the programme. Recently a programme to take Enablis to four additional countries in Africa has been launched. Some of the funding of this initiative has been provided by Accenture's global Corporate Citizenship Council. - Accenture Development Partnerships (ADP)—Accenture in South Africa participates in ADP, a global programme funded by both the global Corporate Citizenship Council and individual countries. The programme identifies volunteers from Accenture companies in several countries around the world who are willing to take a 50 percent reduction in their salaries in order to work on projects in emerging countries where the need for Accenture resources are desperately required, but funding for a project is not available. Volunteers are expected to not only take a significant drop in earnings for a period of at least three months but also to work in challenging conditions and often under difficult circumstances. The programme has been extremely successful and has resulted in major systems being rolled out for severely under-funded, but important NGOs and similar socially responsible organisations in many of the poorer countries.
- Voluntary Giving Programme—In response to comments from Accenture personnel to increase the spread of NGOs, Accenture has joined The Giving Organisation which has the exclusive aim of uniting charities and nonprofit organisations in areas such as children, health, education, feeding schemes, wildlife, animals and nature, and developing innovative ways of creating sustainable source of income for them. Staff members donate between R25 and R500 per month. Currently approximately 70 percent of employees are committed to this programme. The 11 charities are:
– CHOC
– Childhood Cancer Foundation
– South African Red Cross Society
– Cotlands
– Read for a Dream Foundation
– Ithemba Trust
– Walter Sisulu Paediatric Cardiac Centre for Africa
– CANSA
– Tomorrow Trust
– African Children's Feeding Scheme
– Word Wide Fund for Nature (South Africa)
– National SPCA - Operating Groups and Offices—Accenture's Operating Groups and offices across the country are very active in their communities. Some initiatives include:
- Financial Services Operating Group
Life Skills Mentorship Programme (LSM)—LSM aims to develop and empower learners with life skills through workshops held on alternate Saturdays at Accenture, covering topics such as career guidance, networking, mentoring and exam preparation. The course is aimed at Grades 11 and 12 students with academic performance above 60 percent, mixing children of different backgrounds from both the northern and southern parts of Johannesburg.
Ikageng-Itireleng Aids Ministry—This organisation was established in 2001 and is dedicated to assisting children orphaned by HIV/AIDS. The Financial Services Social Responsibility committee has, over the last three years, assisted with fundraising efforts and clothing collection drives. The group also hosts an annual Fun Day for over 200 children where they are entertained by Accenture employees and volunteers.
- Resources Operating Group
In a joint initiative last Christmas, employees from Chevron and an Accenture project team made donations to various children's homes in the Cape.
- Products Operating Group
Instead of invoicing the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) for contributing to its "Mastering Finance" programme, this fee was donated to the Salvation Army Carehaven, a shelter for abused women and children in the Cape.
- Pretoria Office
The Pretoria Office supports The Danville Help Project. This organisation is run by a small group of volunteers and provides food, clothing and accommodation for the needy people of Danville, a poor suburb of Pretoria. The eventual goal is upliftment of the community through self-help projects thereby creating jobs and generating income.
Download the Accenture (South Africa) Education Trust Annual Report for year ended 31 August 2006 [PDF, 190K] Download the Accenture Foundation (South Africa) Trust Annual Report for 2006 [PDF,599K] To Top |