Accenture Grants the Association for Aid and Relief, Japan US $1.15M to Equip Persons with Disabilities with Employment Skills

TOKYO, December 6, 2012 /3BL Media/ - Accenture (NYSE: ACN) and the Association for Aid and Relief, Japan (AAR Japan) today announced that Accenture and the Accenture Foundations have awarded AAR Japan US$1.15 million to help the organization provide vocational training, business skills and suitable job placements to more than 2,700 persons with disabilities.

The award 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. The grant will help persons with disabilities become economically self-sufficient and socially self-reliant and allow AAR Japan to work with local employers to develop appropriate work placements for them.   “Supporting the Association for Aid and Relief, Japan helps exemplify Accenture’s commitment to building skills and improving the communities in which we live and work,” said Jill Huntley, senior director of corporate citizenship at Accenture. “By fostering workforce diversity, AAR Japan is proving persons with disabilities can effectively participate in, and contribute to, Japan’s economy.”   “More than 2.8 million persons with disabilities in Japan are able to work and seeking employment,” said Sayako Nogiwa, of AAR Japan’s Tohoku office. “Teaming with Accenture helps us make a lasting impact on this community and on our local and national economies through effective vocational training and appropriate, fulfilling job placements.”   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 Association for Aid and Relief, Japan Association for Aid and Relief, Japan (AAR Japan) is a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) aiming to provide emergency relief, assistance to persons with disabilities, and mine action, among other operations. It was established in 1979 as an organization with no political, ideological, or religious affiliations. It has since then grown into an international organization approved and registered by the United Nations. AAR Japan currently has offices in 10 countries.   More than a year after the devastating earthquake and tsunami in March 2011, AAR Japan continues its contribution to the region’s recovery through repairing institutions for the elderly and persons with disabilities, supporting market expansion for products made by persons with disabilities, promoting employment opportunities for persons with disabilities, and many other activities. Its home page is http://www.aarjapan.gr.jp/english/.       Contacts:   Yoshino Horikoshi Association for Aid and Relief, Japan (AAR Japan) + 03 5423 4511 staff@aarjapan.gr.jp   Yosuke Shiroshita Accenture + 81 45 330 7935 yosuke.shiroshita@accenture.com