Accenture Awards KIPP – Knowledge Is Power Program – an Additional US $3.3 Million to Equip Young People with Career Readiness Skills

NEW YORK, December 4, 2012 /3BL Media/ - Accenture (NYSE: ACN) and the Accenture Foundations today announced that they have awarded KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program), a national network of charter schools, a grant of US$3.3 million to help young people in underserved communities transition from secondary education to higher education and employment. This grant brings Accenture’s direct support of KIPP to US$3.7 million since 2009.

The award, which consists of cash as well as the time and skills of Accenture employees, is part of 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.    The three-year grant will support the expansion of the Future Focus program, piloted with KIPP DC during the 2011-12 school year, to deliver skills training, mentoring and internships to nearly 7,000 students across the KIPP network. In addition, the grant will support KIPP Through College programs focused on helping KIPP students and alumni as they progress to and through college, including KIPP’s efforts to establish partnerships with colleges and universities across the United States.   “Supporting KIPP helps bring to life Accenture’s commitment to building skills,” said Jill Huntley, senior director of corporate citizenship at Accenture. “KIPP is proving it’s possible to make a significant and lasting impact on the economic well-being of individuals and their communities by connecting students with the programs and skills that will enable them to be successful.”   The Future Focus program was established in Washington, D.C., as a joint project of KIPP DC and Accenture. This grant will expand the program in Washington, D.C., and bring it to four additional markets across the United States – Austin, Denver, Houston and the San Francisco Bay Area. In addition, it will provide pro-bono work in each of the five markets to assist KIPP in developing and customizing skills training programs for each location. Accenture volunteers will help deliver skills training, including developing internship and job shadowing opportunities.   Accenture employee volunteers will use training materials developed in partnership with other nonprofit organizations, such as Back on My Feet, to mentor KIPP students on career management, presentation skills, financial literacy and critical thinking.   “We are very grateful for this generous grant, and for Accenture’s ongoing support of KIPP,” said Richard Barth, chief executive officer of KIPP. “With Accenture’s help, we can expand the Future Focus program and continue to build KIPP Through College programs to help thousands more students and young people reach the goals of college graduation and successful careers.”   About Accenture Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company, with 257,000 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 itsSkills 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$27.9 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2012. Its home page is www.accenture.com.   About KIPP KIPP – Knowledge Is Power Program – is a national network of open-enrollment, college preparatory public charter schools with a track record of preparing students in underserved communities for success in college and in life.  KIPP was founded in Houston in 1994, and has grown to 125 schools serving over 41,000 students in 20 states and Washington, D.C.  Ninety-five percent of students enrolled in KIPP schools are students of color, and over 80 percent qualify for the federal free and reduced-price meals program. To date, over 80 percent of students who have graduated from KIPP middle schools have matriculated to college. For more information, visit www.kipp.org.     Media Contacts:   Kate Shenk Accenture + 917 452 3784 kate.shenk@accenture.com   Rebecca Raber KIPP Foundation + 415 733 9718 rraber@kipp.org