October 24, 2013

Accenture’s John Matchette Honored for Expanding Employment Opportunities for People Who are Blind


ARLINGTON, Va.; Oct. 24, 2013 – National Industries for the Blind (NIB) and the National Association for the Employment of People Who Are Blind (NAEPB) recognized John Matchette, a managing director at Accenture Federal Services

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with the NIB Customer Appreciation Award for his personal and professional interest in creating and supporting jobs for people who are blind.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 70 percent of working-age, blind Americans are not employed. In an effort to change that statistic, Matchette, who leads Accenture’s U.S. government public safety business, worked with NIB to expand the organization’s historic leadership beyond manufactured products to new growth in service-oriented offerings such as Section 508 Assurance Services, contact center services, document management and administrative services.

Section 508, an amendment to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, mandates that all electronic and information technology systems, including websites, that are developed, procured, maintained or used by the federal government, must be accessible to people with disabilities. Matchette helped NIB launch new service delivery offerings to address software, systems and website accessibility, and usability conformance to meet Section 508 web content accessibility guidelines.

Section 508 Compliance Services are now provided under Accenture’s information technology integration and development contract for the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA). Accenture and NIB are planning additional service offerings for an increased base of customers.

“The partnership between Accenture and NIB is truly a ‘win-win’ for both organizations,” said Kevin Lynch, president and chief executive officer of NIB. “NIB’s Section 508 Assurance services provide excellent career opportunities for talented people who are blind, and Accenture and its customers receive the expertise needed to ensure accessibility of electronic information.”

NIB’s 508 assurance testing services address software, systems and website accessibility and usability. In addition to automated testing tools, manual testing is conducted by a team of IT accessibility specialists who are blind, as well as specialists who are sighted, who test and improve software accessibility and usability.

“We are proud of John’s leadership, dedication and important contributions to NIB and the fabric of our industry,” said David Moskovitz, Accenture Federal Services chief executive. “Creating and maintaining opportunities for the blind is another example of our commitment to continuously fostering a diverse workforce of talented individuals.”

Matchette was presented the award at the 2013 NIB/NAEPB National Conference at the Gaylord Hotel, National Harbor, Md., earlier this month.

Accenture Federal Services is a U.S. company, with offices in Arlington, Va., and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Accenture LLP. Accenture’s federal business serves every cabinet-level department and 20 of the largest federal organizations with clients at defense, intelligence, public safety and civilian agencies.

Learn more about Accenture’s work with federal agencies.

About Accenture
Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company, with approximately 275,000 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. The company generated net revenues of US$28.6 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2013. Its home page is www.accenture.com.

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Contact:

Joanne Veto
Accenture
+ 703 947 2590
+ 703 963 4212 (mobile)
joanne.m.veto@accenture.com