Accenture Wins Philippines 'BPO Employer of the Year' Award at International ICT Awards

MANILA, Philippines; March 24, 2008 - Accenture (NYSE: ACN) was recognized as the Philippines' business process outsourcing (BPO) employer of the year at the International Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Awards, held March 13 in Manila.

Organized by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines and in partnership with Business Processing Association of the Philippines, the International ICT Awards - Manila recognizes outstanding performance and contributions by organizations and individuals within the information and communications technology community in the Philippines and Asia Pacific region.

"We attribute the success of the Accenture delivery centers in the Philippines to the talented workforce that comprises our organization," said Beth Lui, country managing director of Accenture in the Philippines. "Our employees – about 15,000 in the Philippines – are Accenture's greatest asset. We relentlessly strive to help our people grow and hone their talents by providing them with continuous training and development programs, and by promoting an inclusive culture that respects their cultures, beliefs, skills and personal achievements."

Philippine-based BPO companies serving international clients were eligible to submit nominations for the award. The criteria included: leadership that manifests in company policies and programs; strategic human resources (HR) focus, particularly on employee retention strategies; commitment to talent- and skills-building; involvement incorporate social responsibility initiatives; and strong support in industry development.

"The primary success factors for Accenture's selection as 'BPO Company Employer of the Year' are our high employee engagement rate, which measures employees' overall satisfaction in company practices; our competitive benefits and compensation package; the work our professionals do; opportunities for advancement; employee quality of life; and our lower-than-average attrition rate," said Ramona Velasco, an Accenture senior executive and the company's human resources lead in the Philippines.

With eight facilities in Manila and Cebu, Accenture provides capabilities from systems integration to infrastructure and applications outsourcing, and data and voice BPO. In fiscal year 2007, the company invested $776 million in training its global workforce. This included organizational, professional development and projects-based training.

Accenture also has an array of employee clubs and organizations that address the diverse interests of their employees. Accenture Working Moms Organization (AWMO), for example, helps working mothers achieve work-life balance through projects like a daycare center, nursing rooms, workshops on family and parenting, while Friends, Lesbians and Gays (FLAG) enlightens employees about gender issues.

Additionally, through the Accenture Caring for Tomorrow (ACT) program, the company encourages corporate citizenship among employees by giving them the opportunity to participate in local community initiatives, such as environment cleanup activities, literacy programs for less-fortunate children and livelihood projects. Accenture also supports and provides amenities for special interest clubs in languages, sports, the arts and health & wellness, among others.

"As the Philippines gears to become a dominant player in the international ICT sector, Accenture maintains its commitment to expand its local business and provide employment opportunities for the Filipinos," affirmed Lui. "We will continue to cooperate with the industry to raise the bar for information technology in the country, as well as to promote the Philippines as a prime destination for outsourced services."