One Future at a Time: The Global Impact of WorldClass
As the world’s largest professional services organisation, Deloitte aims to use its global reach to empower communities through education and skills development. WorldClass is the ultimate expression of that ambition.
A Deloitte professional facilitates a WorldClass initiative in Papua New Guinea.
Deloitte’s WorldClass initiative seeks to prepare 50 million people or roughly 13,687 people per day between 2020 and 2030 for the future of work by 2030. Launched in 2017, to unify Deloitte around one global challenge, WorldClass seeks to empower individuals and communities through education and skills development opportunities and is a reflection of Deloitte’s commitment to investing in people and lifelong learning.
Deloitte and its predecessor firms have always strived to leave no one behind. Howard Pim of the legacy firm Howard Pim & Hardy advocated for black education in apartheid-era South Africa. The Haskins & Sells Foundation launched in 1928 to provide financial assistance for employees unable to work based on age or disability. More recently, the Deloitte21 initiative launched with the goal of contributing $100 million to 50 community programmes for underserved young people across the world.
WorldClass focuses on education and skills, and also inclusion and equality. We focus on people, because we’re a people business.
- Stasha Santifort, Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability leader, Deloitte Global
WorldClass reflects Deloitte’s deeply held commitment to lifelong learning, talent development, and helping people succeed. “We focus on people because we’re a people business,” said Stasha Santifort, Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability leader, Deloitte Global The initiative tackles challenges at a country level. For example, in recognition of India’s gender inequality, WorldClass seeks to empower 10 million Indian girls and women, with a focus on increasing school retention rates and increasing their employment opportunities. Urban-rural inequality is the initiative’s main focus in China and supporting the agricultural sector. For Deloitte LLP (in the US), the RightStep programme supports low-income school students to get to college. Deloitte Canada is working with the Junior Achievement Company Programme to help high school students develop entrepreneurial skills. In Papua New Guinea, Deloitte is helping address illiteracy and supporting children with much-needed school supplies.
“As Deloitte, we want to make a positive impact in the world. UNLEASH fits our strategy and vision. In UNLEASH, we bring together talents from over the world to work on innovations that will realize UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Talent and innovation: a perfect match for Deloitte,” said Joep Arends, Director, Deloitte Consulting Netherlands.
