Following the 12 May 2008 earthquake in China that has claimed some 70,000 lives and made over five million homeless, Accenture has launched a donation drive amongst China employees.

Donations from Accenture and its staff have already been released to assist with the Sichuan reconstruction effort.

“Our nation is mourning this heartbreaking tragedy, and our prayers are with the families who have lost loved ones,” said Gong Li, chairman of Accenture for
Greater China.

Accenture’s first step in response to the earthquake was a safety check of all staff members in the company’s Chengdu office, located in the largest city centre closest to the epicentre of the earthquake, as well as their families in the Sichuan area and Greater China. With employees safe and accounted for, Accenture launched its local donation drive. Jeff Beg, corporate citizenship lead for Greater China said that remaining and future donations would be reserved for the subsequent Sichuan reconstruction effort.

Beg emphasized that Accenture in Greater China will make the most impact by helping to regenerate the livelihoods of people affected by the earthquake. This help could be in the form of in-kind support using core skills and capabilities of Accenture people or basic cash donations.

"We will be taking a very planned approach to the relief effort,” Beg said. “We see that assistance will be needed both immediately and in the future, and we will ensure our corporate and employee contributions need to to touch as many lives as possible. This needs to be a global effort, one that will genuinely make a deep and longstanding impact to the victims and their families.”