Accenture Foundations Provide Enablis with Additional US$1.25 Million to Support Entrepreneurs in Argentina
Grant reflects Accenture’s corporate citizenship focus Skills to Succeed
MONTREAL; April 21, 2010 – Accenture (NYSE: ACN) and Enablis today announced that the Accenture Foundations have awarded Enablis an additional grant of US$1.25 million to help the organization support entrepreneurs in Argentina. This grant brings Accenture’s direct support to Enablis to more than $3 million since 2007.
The award reflects Accenture’s global corporate citizenship initiative, Skills to Succeed, which aims to equip 250,000 people around the world by 2015 with the skills to get a job or build a business. The grant will help Enablis develop, mentor and train more than 1,100 entrepreneurs in Argentina, supporting their efforts to build and scale strong, sustainable businesses.
In addition to the grant, Accenture will continue supporting Enablis with pro-bono services, as it has done since the organization’s inception in 2004. Specifically, Accenture employee volunteers will provide mentoring support for the entrepreneurs. Most recently, Accenture Development Partnerships developed the framework, feasibility study and action plan for Enablis’ expansion into Argentina.
“Supporting Enablis helps bring to life Accenture’s commitment to building skills,” said Adrian Lajtha, chief leadership officer at Accenture. “Enablis is succeeding at a rapid pace and is proving it’s possible to make a significant, lasting impact on the economic well-being of individuals and their communities by developing entrepreneurial skills and connecting people with the right job opportunities.”
After seven successful years and 12 urban hubs across Africa, Enablis’ expansion to Argentina is to be the first of many efforts on the Latin American continent. As with the organization’s growth through Africa, the Buenos Aires office will help establish Enablis’ presence in Argentina before it reaches into other eligible cities and countries.
“Accenture’s Skills to Succeed mission is to build skills that enable people to participate in and contribute to the economy,” said Roberto Alvarez, country managing director of Accenture Argentina. “The Enablis network can provide much needed support to our country’s entrepreneurs, so they can grow their ventures into sustainable and high performing businesses, creating jobs and economic development in Argentina.”
Enablis’ first entrepreneur member in Buenos Aires is Hernán Marchiselli, founder of CEFEF, a company that organizes sports events and develops customized programs to help Human Resources departments with employee integration and retention. Hernán, a Physical Education Licenciate, started his business seven years ago, looking for personal growth and convinced that innovation and customer focus are key ingredients for success. “It is an honor to be part of the Enablis Network,” he said. “I believe Enablis can help me further develop my business skills and grow my company with increased opportunities through the exchange with other entrepreneurs and their network of partner companies.”
Paul Lamontagne, Enablis Global CEO, shared the excitement about the opening of the new office: “Expansion into Latin America is an important milestone for Enablis. Thanks to Accenture’s efforts, we are well on our way to achieving our mission to drive meaningful economic development and be leaders in empowering entrepreneurs in the developing world”.
About Accenture
Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company, with more than 215,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Combining unparalleled experience, comprehensive capabilities across all industries and business functions, and extensive research on the world’s most successful companies, Accenture collaborates with clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. Through its Skills to Succeed corporate citizenship focus, Accenture is committed to equipping 250,000 people around the world by 2015 with the skills to get a job or build a business. The company generated net revenues of US$21.6 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2010. Its home page is www.accenture.com.
About Enablis Entrepreneurial Network
Enablis Entrepreneurial Network is a member-based organization existing throughout the African continent. Founded by Accenture and Telesystem, in collaboration with the Government of Canada, the Enablis Entrepreneurial Network is a non-profit organisation (NPO) geared at leveraging and supporting entrepreneurial talent in developing economies. Enablis is driven by its professional network of entrepreneurs, governed by a sense of social sharing and networking. Enablis gives these entrepreneurs the opportunity to interact with one another through the Enablis platform and thereby to increase their capacity for entrepreneurial success. Enablis facilitates entrepreneurial skills development, access to finance, professional networking and mentoring to ensure economic stimulation and entrepreneurial sustainability in developing countries.
Enablis engages with entrepreneurs in South Africa, Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya, Ghana, Rwanda and Argentina, and has more than 1,500 entrepreneur members.
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Contact:
Rose Vervenne
Vice-President Latin America Operations
Enablis Global
Tel: + 54 11 4850-4496
Mobile: + 54 9 11 6741-5119rose.vervenne@enablis.org
Aimee-Noel Hartley
Communications Manager
Enablis Global
Mobile: +27 82 684 8678
Aimee-noel.hartley@enablis.org
Caitlin Storhaug
Accenture
+ 1 415 537 5458
caitlin.storhaug@accenture.com
Santiago Beti
Accenture
+5411 5196 2483