Mark Foster, group chief executive-Management Consulting & Integrated Markets, spent a week recently in Kenya and South Africa witnessing how Accenture people are using their business and technology consulting skills to make a difference, particularly through the work of Accenture Development Partnerships.

The trip also was linked to Mark’s involvement as chair of the non-executive board of the Global Health Initiative against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, and his role representing Accenture on the board of the Prince of Wales International Business Leaders Forum, which promotes responsible business leadership and relationships for international development. The Forum’s “Crossing Borders” program, which Foster’s visit supported, encourages global corporate leaders to engage directly in global issues.

“It was one of the most fascinating and impactful weeks of my 23-year career at Accenture,” Mark said of his visit.

Early in his journey, Foster met with student nurses from an African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF) e-learning program. AMREF is Africa’s largest health organisation and one of Accenture’s most successful partnerships. The students are taking part in a national initiative to train 22,000 nurses using an e-learning training program designed by Accenture Learning and supported by a global giving grant from the Accenture Foundation. The program will elevate 22,000 nurses from certificate to diploma level in about five years and can be replicated elsewhere in the developing world. Under the traditional system it would have taken 100 years to reduce the nursing shortage!

“I was moved to see the nurses who have already experienced the training caring for children and adults in the hospital and to hear from patients and caregivers alike about the improvements,” Mark said. “It is inspiring to see how tools and expertise from our business can be used in such a context for such powerful results and with so much potential for more.”

Foster then traveled to the Ugandan border of Kenya to discuss the World Economic Forum’s Global Health Initiative to develop and promote private sector partnerships for health in developing countries. Accenture has a close relationship with the Global Health Initiative, assigning staff to its programmes for the last three years.

Accenture Development Partnerships is one of the major programs through which Accenture people dedicate their time and skills for measurable and sustainable outcomes. This unique not-for-profit business model provides consulting expertise to the international development sector at a much reduced cost, with Accenture people working at half salary. Through a range of project visits, Mark experienced firsthand the commitment of Accenture people to improving communities and changing lives. He views the program as critical to leadership development.

“Accenture Development Partnerships is a unique program that is recognised as such in its field.” Mark said. “We have a real chance to make this part of the integrated leadership development for our highest performers and I am enthused at the potential ahead.”

In the course of his visit, Mark met with Accenture people from Canada, Denmark, Finland, the United Kingdom and the United States who are working on Accenture Development Partnership projects in Africa.

“Everywhere I looked, I saw opportunities for Accenture to engage with our skills in targeted ways to help transform the private, non-government and government sectors in this region,” he said. “I was impressed at the power of the networks and the credibility that we have built through the combined efforts of our Accenture people and leadership. We have an opportunity to take this impact to a higher level as we chart our way to becoming one of the world’s leading companies.”