Big Four Alumni & Professionals Group (ACN, CAP, D&T, E&Y, KPMG, PwC)
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John Fowler Group moderatorThe company name is only visible to registered members.Ernst And Young Turns Greener05 Jun 2010, 9:23 pmErnst And Young Turns Greener
2010
Ernst & Young LLP is speeding up its ‘go green’ efforts as the firm has now become more serious about its sustainability efforts.
Leisha John, US director of environmental sustainability at E&Y walked into the offices with tax services partner Stephen Starbuck to talk about the firm’s initiative to go greener. They pointed out that as climate change occurs, sustainability is also becoming a concern for clients along with the rising energy costs. Ernst&Young is thus helping them to reduce the levels of carbon and make themselves greener.
E&Y has been proactively working on cutting down its own carbon footprint, and has now calculated a service line from which to work. This includes everything from doing more double-sided copying at the Xerox machine and also getting rid of Styrofoam coffee cups at all its offices.
The firm is also helping clients so that they can qualify for government incentives and stimulus money, which includes earning a piece of the $2.3 billion, announced by the Obama government, in tax credits for clean energy technology projects.
E&Y has been encouraging some of their own staff involved in green projects as well. The firm has set up “EcoCare”, which is a network of over 1,000 volunteers who have been involved in a variety of projects, including building a large recycling center at its Secaucus, N.J., offices. Employees in these locations go for walks through the local marshland.
The firm joined hands with EarthWatch in 2009 and sent a group of about 12 employees to a Costa Rica coffee plantation to evaluate its environmental and economic sustainability. This was done in part by measuring tree trunks. The firm plans to send another, larger group on a similar trip this year.
The recent climate change summit in Copenhagen was disappointing in the environmental awareness movement since many of the nations that attended, prominently lacked specific commitments, including the United States. Organisations of all kinds still want to reduce their energy costs, and many now understand that they need to be more effective keepers of the environment.
Ernst & Young is a global leader in, tax assurance, transaction and advisory services. Over 144,000 people are employed by them worldwide and are united by shared values and a firm commitment to quality. They create a difference by helping their employees as well as clients.
