One Day Off To Change The World

DELOITTE IMPACT DAY A MODEL FOR BIG CORPS

     In late spring, the Deloitte LLP company holds an annual day of community service and gives every employee a day of sunshine.

     Proud to be on the cutting edge of new corporate fundraising efforts, Deloitte didn’t give everyone the day off…in fact a lot of people traded their keyboards for dirty yard tools.

     “Each year, you see our Deloitte professionals in blue tees filling classrooms, parks, and recreation centers,” said Cathy Engelbert, Chief Executive Officer of Deloitte LLP. “It’s the one day we celebrate our contributions together…reminding us that we are all part of a culture that values volunteerism.”

     About 30 charities in the Atlanta area benefit from the added work force. 

     Deloitte’s national day of service started in Atlanta 16 years ago as a team building exercise.   It’s grown to a massive multifaceted project where tens of thousands of Deloitte professionals around the country spend the work day contributing to more than 950 community projects in more than 80 U.S. communities. 

    “This is an opportunity for us to celebrate our annual commitment to our communities,” said Ed Heys, managing partner for Deloitte’s Atlanta office. “Our employees get to choose the organization where they will volunteer.   Many continue helping that same organization, so a long-term relationship comes out of it.” 

     In Atlanta’s Oakland Cemetery, Ed and about 190 Deloitte employees were hauling mulch from a pile that began about the size of a small house.  From there, employees used shovels and wheel barrows to distribute the good stuff to areas of the historic cemetery that were in need of repair.

     “They do tons of work in the gardens,” said David Moore, Executive Director of the Historic Oakland Foundation.  ”They get things done. We get things built.  Items are planted, we get our database updated, and records are cleaned-up. ”

       As the work is done, Ed Heys and his Deloitte Impact Staff stopped for a team photograph.  “We’re really good at this,” said Ed.  “We hope other companies will follow our lead.”

---Ray Macon