SBIA PARTNER PROFILE KPMG
Education and Inspiration A range of initiatives run across KPMG pivoted to a virtual offering, with education and literacy remaining fundamental themes of the Corporate Citizenship agenda
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ockdown restrictions haven’t stopped KPMG’s Corporate Citzenship agenda in its tracks, with virtual volunteers and initiatives moving into the online world continuing to make a difference, seeing the company nominated across five categories in this year’s Sustainable Business Impact Awards. To offer staff practical support KPMG offered over 20 different wellbeing initiatives, which sees the firm shortlisted in the Workplace LIC category this year. “We have reached a collective audience of over 2,000 participants who are engaged in these programmes,” says Karina Howley, Head of Corporate Citizenship & Diversity, KPMG. “We successfully offered everything from webinars on sleep management, to laughter yoga. The response from our people has been overwhelmingly positive; the feedback states they have felt support from their employer at a time when they need it most.” In the Community Programme LIC category, the ‘KPMG – Making a Difference’ initiative saw virtual volunteers becoming pen pals and making weekly calls to help tackle the isolation felt by the elderly during lockdown. Other volunteers provided study support to young people over Zoom and worked with Business in the Community to assist jobseekers by providing CV advice, interview practice and career guidance. The digital realm also provided a home for a forum which developed as the Black Lives Matter movement gained momentum last year. The ‘KPMG Courageous Conversations’ initiative (nominated in the Diversity &
GIVEN THAT DISADVANTAGED FAMILIES HAVE BEEN MORE ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY THE PANDEMIC, INCLUDING CHILDREN MISSING OUT VERY VALUABLE SCHOOL TIME, THE NEED TO FOCUS ON LITERACY HAS NEVER BEEN MORE IMPORTANT. Inclusion category) saw 312 of KPMG’s colleagues in a virtual discussion, over the course of 72 hours, contributing ideas, insights and personal stories of racial injustice they had seen or experienced. “As a result of this forum, we have already taken actionable measures in KPMG in Ireland and we will continue to do so,” notes Howley. “As we continue our Courageous Conversations journey, we recently
launched digital learnings for all Irish employees. The focus is on important racial topics including: Anti-racism and equity, Managing Biases, Becoming an Inclusive Leader and Acting Inclusively.” EDUCATION AND INSPIRATION Initiatives that focus on providing access to education and literacy for young people is an ongoing and fundamental theme in KPMG’s Corporate Citizenship
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