Deloitte outlines global commitments to COVID-19 response and relief efforts

NEW YORK, NY, 23 April 2020—In response to the spread of COVID-19, Deloitte has activated the power of its global footprint and adopted a multi-pronged approach to address the significant and growing needs of impacted communities around the world. To date, Deloitte has committed more than US$12.5 million in investments in the form of direct monetary donations, medical equipment and pro bono project work. These efforts are targeted to helping frontline health care workers, supporting the millions of students globally who are out of school and providing communities in need with donations and volunteers.

“Deloitte’s purpose is to make an impact that matters for our people, our clients, and the communities where we live and work,” says Punit Renjen, Deloitte Global CEO Emeritus. “Rarely in our 175-year history have we encountered a crisis of this magnitude that has impacted so many so severely. We are using all of the tools we have – financial contributions, in-kind donations and pro-bono project work - to help our people, our clients and our communities respond to this crisis and get back on the road to recovery.”

Deloitte’s multi-pronged, global approach to its COVID-19 response focuses on making an everyday impact through direct donations to organisations fighting the pandemic, collaborating with clients and suppliers on innovative medical solutions, supporting non-profit and community partners in need, rolling out or expanding employee giving programmes, supporting government response efforts, and leveraging the creativity and passion of employees.

Deloitte’s multi-pronged global response is centred on three key areas:

Helping those on the frontlines of the COVID-19 fight: Deloitte is supporting the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund, as well as other global and local organizstions, to provide critical support and supplies to frontline workers risking their lives to help others. Some of Deloitte’s efforts include:

• In China, at the start of the outbreak, Deloitte mobilised 600,000 pieces of protective medical supplies to support medical professionals in Hubei province in 28 designated hospitals and several quarantine spots.
• In Spain, as medical equipment became scarce, a group of Deloitte professionals began 3D-printing hundreds of pieces of medical equipment, including protection kits and alternative breathing pieces for use by hospitals and public servants. Additionally, Deloitte has donated hemofilters to the Intensive Care Units (ICU) of several hospitals in Spain.
• In Italy, Deloitte has donated a total of €1M (approx. US$1.1 million) to the Civil Protection for the purchase of ventilation tools and protective equipment for healthcare personnel.
• Additionally, Deloitte Israel developed ConvergeHEALTH Connect for Crisis Response, first rolled out in India, to digitally triage and manage the treatment of COVID-19 patients, as well as support the care and remote monitoring of quarantined or convalescing patients.

Supporting students and communities through WorldClass: Deloitte is providing critical educational and financial support through its WorldClass initiative. With more than 1.5 billion learners­1 affected by lockdowns and school closures, Deloitte is providing financial, pro bono, and volunteer support to educational organisations, helping them shift to virtual programming and new learning technologies.

• In Canada, Deloitte professionals are working with Junior Achievement (JA), which aims to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in the global economy. Over the past few weeks, Deloitte Canada’s pro bono team has accelerated deployment of JA’s learning management system (LMS) by three months and is funding the enhancement of digital e-learning content to allow students to access online learning programmes faster.
• In South Africa, Deloitte professionals created a COVID-19 Awareness booklet, which has been circulated online to more than 750 local non-governmental organisations. The booklet aims to connect underserved communities with educational information and helpful resources for getting support on COVID-19.
• In the UK, Deloitte is supporting national charity partner Teach First to make sure schools in disadvantaged areas recover from COVID-19 through great teachers. Deloitte will help 12 new teachers start their Time to Teach training, a programme that supports those who want to make a career transition into teaching.
• In Germany, Deloitte is providing financial support to help Serlo Education, a digital learning organisation, to scale its programming with the goal of broadening access to education to improve the future prospects for thousands of students. Forty thousand students per day are using their learning materials.

Providing support and relief to local communities: Understanding the toll of the pandemic on communities across the globe, Deloitte is deploying its employees and resources to provide millions of people with food, housing support and access to other basic needs.

• In the United States, Deloitte committed US$2 million to support funding the unique and varying response and relief efforts of local communities across the country. As part of this commitment, a portion will go to the United Way Worldwide’s COVID-19 Community Response and Recovery Fund, which provides support for the 211 network. A free and confidential 24/7 hotline service that helps people find the local resources they need—whether food, health or education resources.
• In the UK, Deloitte is helping 70+ organisations with pro bono and virtual volunteering to ensure critical services remain available for those most in need. A donation to Social Bite allowed 8,800 meals to be delivered to socially isolated people. A further donation was made to The Trussell Trust, which supports a nationwide network of 1,200 food banks. Deloitte is also providing project management and logistics and supporting a taskforce to develop solutions in locations where foodbanks are facing closure.

“The short-term effects of COVID-19 on society may be unlike anything we’ve experienced in our lifetimes. Our multi-pronged, global approach enables our people to respond to client and community needs in ways that will provide the greatest impact. Our goal is to mitigate the negative consequences and speed recovery to get to the other side of this crisis to the better days we know lie ahead,” adds Renjen.

Note: To learn more about Deloitte’s commitment to support its global communities through and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, click here.

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¹ As of April 21, according to UNESCO

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About Deloitte’s societal-impact commitment

Addressing the complex challenges society faces today has become a mandate for business, and one that requires a new mindset for action.

Deloitte is taking action through WorldClass, a societal-impact initiative to empower 50 million futures by 2030. Our ambition is to create pathways for people to fulfill their aspirations and find meaningful work in the new economy. Deloitte is also empowering women around the globe, promoting environmental sustainability, investing in new insights and methodologies, and serving clients to fulfill their purpose. In FY19, Deloitte’s total societal investments were US$238.9M, including 1.4 million hours of volunteer and pro bono time.

Deloitte is committed to responsible business practices, serving the public interest, and making an impact on society. Learn more about our commitments here.