Accenture and Global Action Plan Team to Equip 1,300 Young People with Green Skills Needed for Employment

(3BL Media) London - May 4, 2012 – Accenture (NYSE: ACN) and the environmental charity Global Action Plan announced a two-year collaboration to offer green skills development and practical training to 1,300 young people in the United Kingdom to help enhance their employability.   The initiative reflects Accenture’s global corporate citizenship initiative, Skills to Succeed, which will equip 250,000 people around the world by 2015 with the skills to get a job or build a business. It will focus on young people from disadvantaged backgrounds or those not currently in employment, education or training (NEETs) and will include six-month internships, BTEC qualifications and support to create a sustainability project, which will offer students practical experience while improving their community. The effort aims to give participants valuable work experience, project management skills, personal development and an understanding of how the environment affects their daily lives.    Accenture’s UK Foundation will provide £85,000 annually for the green skills program, which will begin this year and will run until 2014.  Additionally, the young people will have access to mentoring, peer-to-peer networks and counseling, and volunteers from Accenture will support them through their training.   “As unemployment among 16-24 year olds continues to hit record highs, cross-sector partnerships like the one between Global Action Plan and Accenture are vital in ensuring that young people get into employment and contribute to a better, more sustainable society,” said Trewin Restorick, CEO of Global Action Plan.    “Our Skills to Succeed initiative equips people with the skills they need to get jobs, build businesses and contribute to their communities. Working with Global Action Plan enables us to combine our passion for helping to create growth and employment with our passion for sustainability,” said Oliver Benzecry, managing director of Accenture UK and Ireland.   About Accenture Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company, with more than 244,000 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.  Through its Skills to Succeed corporate citizenship focus, Accenture is committed to equipping 250,000 people around the world by 2015 with the skills to get a job or build a business. The company generated net revenues of US$25.5 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2011.  Its home page is www.accenture.com.   About Global Action Plan Global Action Plan is the UK’s leading environmental behaviour change organisation and, since 1993, has helped businesses, schools, and communities reduce their carbon footprint to positively impact on the environment and climate change. Global Action Plan consistently achieves significant environmental and financial savings in the UK by empowering people to take action on energy, waste, water and transport.  Global Action Plan is the only charity in the UK to be supported by the United Nations Environment Programme.   Global Action Plan has also been chosen as a delivery partner for the government’s flagship National Citizenship Service. With the Government’s support we will be delivering a tailor-made programme for 300 16-17 year olds in summer 2012 focussed on environmental action. Contact us at info@globalactionplan.org.uk for more information on how you can get involved.  www.globalactionplan.org.uk www.twitter.com/globalactplan http://www.linkedin.com/groups?home=&gid=3004320&trk=anet_ug_hm       Contacts: Justyna Gnyp Accenture + 44 207 844 0090
justyna.a.gnyp@accenture.com   Kate Emmerson Accenture + 44 207 844 8132 kate.emmerson@accenture.com