PwC FOUNDATION CHAMPIONS
Our Foundation is built on the goodwill of many generous and talented PwC people. They are led by our Foundation
champions who give of themselves and work with our charity partners to help make their communities stronger, more
cohesive and more compassionate. We thank and congratulate them all.
Claire Keating, Rachel Rademaker, Tristan Whitear, Chris Willis, David Ray, Luke Salter, Graham Pond, Pascal Saminaden, Viki Keen, Silvana Favorito,
Carly Munro, Carole Elliott, Jackie Lindmark, Kaanji Skandakumar, Denise Lim, Stephen Longley, Sarah Moors, Jonathan Denby, Helen Denman,
Helen Scott,Sarah Oram, Natanya Full, Chris Jenkins, Kristie O’Brien, Fiona Obst, Katrina Silverwood, Richard Fox, David Webb, Kate Robertson, Stephen Shepard,
Penny Cottle, Michael Da Gama Pinto, Ben Wheaton, Fabiola Seminario, Simone Dahl, Krisin Clulow, Ed Zambruno, Andrew Hagger, Matthew Zappulla,
Ferdi Hepworth, Hayley Fisher, Belinda Wright, Priya Sawhney, Natalie Fan, Dave Kelly, Jessica Oakley, Daniel McInerney, Daniela Del Rossi, Michael Powell,
Jacqui Sewell, Pearl Tang, Anita Burer, Ann Lewis, Justine Little, Donna McDevitt, Marcus Laithwaite, Anil Chhabra, Pierre Baldacchino, Scott Hendry,
Oliver Parker, Jules Grove, Sonia Thompson, Renae Cooper, Mark Falvo, Tricia Houston, Steve Oliver, Rachael McVean, Serena Rudenko, Deborah Smyth,
Lynette Hickey, Nicola Lancaster, Antonella Ancona, Yoko Sharma, Mark Reading, Will Honner, Belinda Ward, Danielle Clarke, Mae Rai, Tom Callachor, Rina Levine,
Anna Jedy, Rory Melick, Bianca Tomkins, Sheron Warren, Yvonne Koncek, Claire Lambert, Mike Forsdick, John Micalizzi, Gavin Favelle, Raelene Barrett,
Valerie Duong, Chris Rogaris, Emma Watson, Pamela Tilbrook, Lory Reyes, Julie Soon, Ellen Dacey, Erika Barna, Lucy Halliday, Josie Habak, Greg McKay,
Michael Daniel, Liz Austin, Shameela Karunakara, Lorraine McIntosh, Nick Vickery, Natalie Piper, Elizabeth Bozinovska, Richard Scenna, Carol Ward, Jaye McCall-Power,
Martin Jones, Dacia Nolan, Mia Levy, Andrew Edwards, Leonie Palmer, Kyle Jackson, Megan Nielsen, Matthew Cooper, Sara Brown, Camille Kirk, Roslyn O’Halloran,
Jasmine Lee, Lucy Caldwell, Karen Wilkinson, Alicia Colgan, Gino Curciarello, Sarah Dawson, Alicia Russo, Kim Cheater, David Zweck, Nick Haslam,
Alan Ford, James Lewis, Adrienne Tan, Hsui Ling Mai, Nick McArdle, Shannon Smith, Lucia Murray, Andrew Noble, Sarah Vaile, Belinda Gore, Layton Gould,
Jane Hahn, Darlene Morrish, Johanna Roche, Claire Kennewell, Sarah Donovan, Suzy Hudson, Nicki Archer, Barb Hoge, Jessica McQueen, Funminiyi Oduko,
Dania Croft, Leyton Cronk, Lee Rigg, Melinda Huston, Jason Gray, Nicole Seeto, Sarah Yates, Claire McDowall, Kim Ho, Adam O’Connor, Katie Dominey, Mimi Kim,
Simone Hensler, James Bartlett, Megan Kerr, Bianca Summerville, Kathleen Shaw-Farrell, James McElvogue. Marg Hoffmann, Trevor Mahony, Greg Lourey,
Jayne Naismith, Nicole Hamilton, Carol Lilley, Melinda Kouparitsas, Chris Gill, Caitrin Dunn, Scott Campbell, Steve Clark, Imogen Geissler, Jade Davenport,
Sarah Pearce, Kate Gottaas.
Foundation
www.pwc.com/au/foundation
© 2006 PricewaterhouseCoopers.
All rights reserved.
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PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (US).
For further inquiries regarding this
Annual Report contact:
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Darling Park Tower 2, 201 Sussex Street
New South Wales 1171 Australia
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Foundation Annual Report 2006
HEARTS&MINDS*
ENGAGING WITH OUR COMMUNITY
RESPONSIBLE
LEADERSHIP
IN ACTION
4
WORKING WITH
STARLIGHT TO
HELP MORE KIDS
5
CLEANING UP
AFTER ‘LARRY’
AND PROTECTING
THE ENVIRONMENT
6
YOUNG PEOPLE
GRADUATING
TOWARDS
LEADERSHIP
WITH ELEVATE
8
SPONSORING
OUR FIRST
GUIDE DOG
PLUS FOUNDATION
WEEK ACTIVITIES
9
RECOGNISING OUR
FOUNDATION’S
CHAMPIONS AND
RAISING FUNDS
10 11
PROMOTING
RESPONSIBLE
LEADERSHIP
AND FIGHTING
DEPRESSION IN
OUR COMMUNITIES
HELPING OUR
ENVIRONMENT
AND BUILDING
A SENSE OF
COMMUNITY
Foundation Annual Report 2006
*connectedthinking
PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS HAS A
LONG-TERM INTEREST IN THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH
WE OPERATE. THROUGH THE PWC
FOUNDATION AND OUR RELATIONSHIPS
WITH OUR 21 CHARITY PARTNERS,
WE CONTRIBUTE TO VALUABLE SOCIAL
CAUSES WHILE HELPING DEVELOP
OUR PEOPLE. IN THE FOLLOWING PAGES
WE DISCUSS WHAT WE DO, AND HOW
WE DO IT.
2
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
THROUGH RESPONSIBLE
LEADERSHIP
BUILDING ON A
STRONG FOUNDATION
Welcome to the PricewaterhouseCoopers Foundation Annual Review for 2006.
The past year has been a tremendous one for our Foundation, thanks to
the hard work and dedication of our people, who are the driving force in its
continued growth and expansion. Since 2003, we have increased our funding
to charity partners by 236 per cent; we’ve seen a 43 per cent increase in PwC
people making charitable donations and we’ve doubled our hours working
in the community. In the following pages, you’ll read about how our people
are making a real difference in our communities, and how they are benefiting
personally from their involvement in some of the most important issues facing
us as a society: including the health and welfare of our children and young people,
the search for a cure for diseases and the conservation of our environment.
Our Foundation is coming up to its fourth anniversary … and it’s been a terrific
journey so far! In such a relatively short period, the strong engagement of our
people has seen the Foundation become embedded in the culture of our firm.
It is this engagement which ensures the sustainability of our Foundation.
As business leaders today, we operate in a global arena and must deliver
on our commitments to a diverse group of communities in which we live
and work. At PwC, we embrace the challenge of promoting corporate social
responsibility, seeing it as a natural extension of our values of teamwork,
excellence and leadership. Through the Foundation, we are living these
values to ensure the ongoing sustainability of our communities. Whether it’s
supporting a young person towards a career, assisting to grant wishes to
seriously ill children, or helping people reclaim their lives from depression, we
are working alongside our charity partners.
Our people tell us we’re doing well – 95 per cent of them think that PwC is
socially responsible. We know it is an attribute that resonates strongly with
our young people in particular. And given that PwC’s average staff age is 27,
we see our commitment to social responsibility as a great way to develop
and retain our people, encouraging them to realise their ambition to make a
positive impact on their communities.
In all of these ways our Foundation enriches us as individuals and strengthens
us as a firm. It helps us to foster more meaningful connections with our
communities and clients. And it breathes life into our commitment to ensuring
that responsible leadership is central to the way we do business.
As we work towards meeting our responsible leadership challenge, I am
proud of the fact that Australian Foundation partner Rick Millen is taking a
leadership role in coordinating PwC’s efforts globally – providing a worldwide,
collaborative focus for our people’s passion, energy and expertise to make
a difference around the world.
Foundation Report 2006
I hope you enjoy reading about the activities and achievements over the past
12 months of many of our people along with our Foundation charity partners.
Tony Harrington
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Chief Executive Officer and
Foundation Chairman
A lot has been achieved in this last year. One example that stands out for me
is the Foundation’s response to the Cyclone Larry Appeal and the support we
were able to give our charity partner Endeavour, which you’ll read about in the
following pages. The way our people and clients pulled together to help out,
donate essential equipment and raise funds was truly inspiring.
I extend my sincere congratulations to all involved – whether you were on the
ground, coordinating help from elsewhere or giving generously towards the
rebuilding effort – PwC and Endeavour thank you.
There were a few changes and additions to our charity partner list this year. In
October 2005, we checked with our people through a charity survey, asking
them to confirm where they wanted to see the Foundation’s energies focused
in the future. As a result of our survey, we now have four new charity partners –
Guide Dogs Australia, The Australian Red Cross, beyondblue and The Cancer
Council. I warmly welcome our new partners and look forward to successful
partnerships with each of them.
In February we held Foundation Week. A number of our charity partners visited
our offices around the country to give our people the chance to hear and see
how their donations of time, money and skills help make our communities
better places to live and work. The response around the country to Foundation
Week was huge – for example, we received so many pledges to Guide Dogs
Australia during the week that we were able to sponsor our own guide dog
– but more on that later.
In other news, we are pleased to join the Australian Business Community
Network. This new organisation promotes diversity and best practice in
the workplace and encourages businesses to have a positive impact in
their communities. We hope it will prove successful in its aim to encourage
corporates to collaborate on their community initiatives.
The firm around the world is now also looking to better coordinate and
leverage community activities in individual territories. Expect to hear more
about the Global Communities initiative over the next 12 months.
Rick Millen
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Foundation Partner
COMMUNITY, PEOPLE AND LEADERSHIP:
A SUSTAINABLE APPROACH
In last year’s Foundation Annual Report we spoke of how,
in making a contribution to the communities in which we
live and operate, we have endeavoured to go beyond the
traditional model of giving – choosing instead to enter
into long-term partnerships with our charity partners
– so that our efforts and impacts in the areas in which
we seek to make a difference are sustainable.
good case in point. In developing with Mission Australia
this unique two-way mentoring program – whose first
participants graduated this year – PwC recognised that a
key concern for many businesses today is identifying and
developing the next generation of leaders who are both
capable and willing to take on the complex challenges of
local, or indeed global, business.
Over the last year, we have built on this approach. We
have further evolved our Statements of Intent, which set
out the basis of our relationships with each of our charity
partners, ensuring they have a sharp business edge
and include a greater focus on developing a joint vision.
We have continued to engage our people in all aspects
of working together with our charity partners – giving,
volunteering, capacity building services and strategic
projects. And, by aligning our business objectives, we
have been able to identify growth areas and develop a
comprehensive plan for the future of our Foundation.
The Elevate program has addressed these issues in respect
of both the participants and the PwC coaches. This year,
the program will expand to embrace twice the number of
participants and we are already in discussion as to how it
can grow further, in a sustainable way, in future years.
Importantly, we surveyed our people to determine which
charities and causes they are most passionate about
and how they want to see PwC’s roles with those
charities develop. As a result we have entered into
three-year partnerships with each of our charity partners,
helping to ensure sustainability and a greater ability to
make an impact.
FOR THE PwC FOUNDATION,
SUSTAINABILITY IS MORE THAN
JUST A BUZZWORD. IT IS AN
ESSENTIAL COMPANION TO OUR
CORE VALUES OF TEAMWORK,
LEADERSHIP AND EXCELLENCE.
Sustainability is a strategic business issue. But what does
this mean to our Foundation? Our Elevate program is a
The strength of our people’s commitment is demonstrated
within our firm’s culture by the high esteem in which
our charity partner relationships are held. Many of our
people have devoted their time to community activities,
including community capacity building services. None
of the Foundation’s work would be possible without the
generous contributions our people make of their time and
resources every day.
The wide-ranging nature of their contributions
demonstrates an implicit understanding that corporate
social responsibility is not just about money and giving.
It is about people caring enough to take the time to
think through their own definitions of ‘responsibility’ and
‘community’. At PwC a theme that resonates with us is
the notion of connecting the ‘heart’ with the ‘mind’ so that
intelligence, technical ability and professional success
are matched with human qualities such as warmth,
compassion and sharing.
3
A key feature of ensuring the continued business and
social relevance of our Foundation and the work of our
charity partners is sharing what we do and how we do it
with our clients. This is one of the ways we foster more
distinctive and meaningful connections with our clients,
inspiring them to think about ways in which we can all
make a difference; sharing our expertise in a business-
Key PwC Foundation facts
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% of people who make
recurring $ contributions
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Number of hours spent on
community activities
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Number of community
activities undertaken
% of people who
participated in a community
volunteering day
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* An additional one-off $1 million payment was made to the tsunami relief fund.
��
Foundation Report 2006
$ distributed to
charity partners
�����
COMMUNITY, PEOPLE AND LEADERSHIP
FRIENDS
INDEED:
FRIENDS
OF THE
FOUNDATION
HELPING STARLIGHT
HELP MORE KIDS
Inspired by the Foundation’s
presentation at the 2004
Partners Conference, a
group of spouses/partners
of PwC partners got together
to establish a group to assist
the Foundation in its work.
PwC is behind Starlight all the way
on this vision. In partnership with
the charity, PwC has developed a
comprehensive package of support
that involves donations of time,
money and expertise through three
of our key Foundation programs:
Volunteering, People Giving and
Capacity Building.
The Friends of the Foundation was
born and, with over 20 members
in both Melbourne and Sydney,
continues to grow steadily. The
Friends of the Foundation plays a
vital role in undertaking community
as well as administrative and
marketing projects, allowing the
Foundation to stay focused on its
core business.
4
The Friends of the Foundation is
championing The Smith Family’s
education support program
‘Learning for Life’, which our people
support through PwC People
Giving. Learning for Life provides
mentoring and scholarships to
disadvantaged young people.
Our people’s contributions allow
us to sponsor 126 students of
all ages, from primary to tertiary
level. As research suggests that
contact with a sponsor can benefit
young people, the Friends of the
Foundation is ensuring that all of
our sponsored students are written
to on a regular basis. It is currently
seeking interested partners and
spouses from all over Australia to
help make this happen.
Foundation Report 2006
The Friends of the Foundation has
also donated Sydney Symphony
tickets to the Starlight Foundation
for use in its ‘Starlight Escapes’
program, which brings Starlight
families together and gives them a
much-needed break from the stress
of their child’s illness. It assisted
in the distribution of the Mission
Australia Youth Survey, which
identifies key and emerging issues
for young people. The ongoing
success of the Foundation relies on
people power – with The Friends
of the Foundation in our corner, the
future is looking good.
Starlight Children’s Foundation Australia has a vision. Currently, the children’s charity has the
resources to bring joy and laughter to one out of three seriously ill or hospitalised children.
Starlight wants to make that three out of three.
Starlight’s wish-granting program
has always captured the hearts
and minds of our people, who have
been generous with their donations
through People Giving. It was clear
that there was interest in becoming
more involved, so the PwC
Foundation established its ‘Seeing
is Believing’ tours, where our people
visit Captain Starlight in the Starlight
Express Room and witness firsthand
how much fun and laughter the
charity brings to children.
Our people have now taken their
involvement one step further,
volunteering their time through the
Foundation and spending a day
in the Starlight Express Room,
entertaining the kids with games,
arts and crafts, and dress-ups.
The connection with Starlight is now
truly multi-dimensional.
But PwC people are still always
on the lookout for further ways to
support Starlight. This has included
fundraising for Fun Centres,
The Foundation is delighted with
the way our partnership with
Starlight has developed over the
last three years. We are proud
that, as a result, we are now able
to contribute the funds required
to grant one wish per month to a
chronically ill child – helping Starlight
get closer to their ultimate goal of
‘three out of three’.
ROCKING SEAN’S WORLD
WITH THE GIFT OF MUSIC
Like most teenagers, 17-year-old Sean loves music, and even has his own band. Unlike most other
kids his age, Sean has been in and out of hospital with chronic pancreatitis since the age of 14.
Each attack leaves him confined to bed and attached to a drip, unable to eat or drink.
So it was with pleasure that
Katherine Tolley, a senior accountant
in the Assurance practice, was able
to make one of Sean’s greatest
wishes come true.
was honoured to work with Starlight
and organise all aspects of Sean’s
wish and deliver these gifts to Sean
– witnessing the joy on his face
when he unwrapped them.
PwC Foundation teams with
Starlight to give PwC people the
chance to train to become Starlight
‘wish-granting’ volunteers for
seriously ill children. Katherine is
one of three Starlight Wish Granters
from the Melbourne office in
2005/06. Sean’s Starlight wish was
for an amp and guitar. Katherine
But Katherine had more up her
sleeve. Starlight had enhanced
Sean’s wish by giving him and his
band a day in a recording studio.
Sean got to travel in the biggest
limo he had ever seen! And just
to lighten up the hard work of
recording, comedian Dave Hughes
called in to see how they were
“The Foundation
is such a special
initiative of PwC ...
to be able to
provide even a
small measure of
support to the work
of the Foundation
makes me feel that
I contribute to their
work and am part of
their ‘greater good’.”
Robbi Ellis
Member, Friends of the Foundation
volunteering as Starlight Wish
Granters and providing Starlight
Escapes, such as tickets to the
Commonwealth Games and a
corporate box at the MCG, with
the opportunity for the kids to
meet players from their favourite
footy teams.
“My Starlight wish was the best thing that ever happened to me.” Sean with his new guitar.
going. Sean was overwhelmed by
Starlight’s generosity and described
his Starlight wish as “absolutely
awesome”. His parents were equally
overjoyed, believing that it was a
life-changing experience for Sean,
as his illness has prevented him
doing so many things.
Katherine says it was hard to
describe just how she felt granting
Sean’s Starlight wish. She found the
experience extremely touching and
the reaction of Sean and his parents
was incredibly rewarding.
PwC FOUNDATION REPORT 06
PICKING UP THE PIECES
AFTER CYCLONE LARRY
On 20 March 2006, severe tropical Cyclone Larry lashed
the north Queensland coast near Innisfail, wreaking havoc
on homes and public buildings, uprooting trees and
devastating crops.
Our charity partner Endeavour
provides support for people
with intellectual disabilities and
their families through a range
of services including residential
accommodation, employment
placement and adult education.
Endeavour experienced a
devastating blow in March
when its Innisfail Adult Training
Service, Business Service and
two residences were severely
damaged by Cyclone Larry. Within
days of Cyclone Larry hitting the
Queensland coast, the Foundation
had launched an appeal to help
Endeavour rebuild its vital services.
Our people responded to the call
for action with amazing generosity;
849 staff and partners responded
to the appeal, which, when matched
dollar-for-dollar by the firm, raised
$92,050 for Endeavour. Our people
worked alongside Endeavour on the
rebuilding effort, helping to ensure
that clients maintained a level of
normalcy and routine in their lives.
Local PwC staff also rallied together
and organised much-needed
generators for the Endeavour staff
who remained in Innisfail to start the
long clean up process.
Two PwC Foundation champions
– Marg Hoffman (Cairns) and
Kathleen Shaw-Farrell (Townsville)
– quickly and efficiently mobilised
emergency support for Endeavour.
Both Marg and Kathleen contacted
local clients who were happy to help
by sending generators to Innisfail.
Coates Hire, the local Rotary Club
and the state government quickly
responded to the call for help to
provide emergency power.
Kelvin Spiller, CEO of Endeavour,
thanked PwC staff, saying:
“We are indebted to you for
the amazing fundraising efforts.
PwC staff also demonstrated a
sincere commitment to those
from Endeavour affected by
Cyclone Larry. PwC’s generosity
has helped the Endeavour staff,
clients and families overcome
some of the immediate hardships
and will help them face the future
obstacles that lie ahead as they try
to restore their lives and rebuild the
Innisfail community – we thank you.”
Our cheque for $92,050 was
presented to Endeavour Foundation
at the ‘Not Happy Larry’ concert.
The concert was put on by the
Endeavour Foundation to raise
money for the cyclone victims.
Marg and Kathleen organised a
team of PwC volunteers to assist
at the concert.
5
An Endeavour staff member’s home took a beating during Cyclone Larry.
This is a great example of how our
people’s individual passion and
collective efforts can make a real
difference in our communities. Our
people, clients and local contacts
worked together to provide muchneeded support for the Innisfail
community in their hour of need.
PROTECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT
PwC people have been working closely with our charity
partners in delivering benefits for our local environment.
Here are some examples of the work we’ve done this year.
Boosting biodiversity at
Murray Bridge
The Kooragang wetlands in Newcastle
is an area of great ecological
significance, and is home to several
threatened and protected species.
The Mannum to Wellington Local
Action Planning Committee
concentrates on issues which have a
specific impact on the River Murray.
The Kooragang Landcare group
is working to enhance the wildlife
habitats in the wetlands. One of
the best ways to test the health
of the wetlands and measure how
much progress has been made
to protect it is to monitor birdlife.
In partnership with the Hunter
Bird Observers Club, the group
researches and monitors the area’s
fauna, providing valuable data for
the management planning of the
estuary.
Thirty staff from the Adelaide office
assisted at the Murray Bridge site
with the building of habitat boxes
for frogs, bird, bats and turtles and
the trimming of willows (which were
taken to the Monarto Zoo to feed
the giraffes). The team also helped
to remove weeds and replace them
with plants native to the area.
Through the People Giving
program, PwC has funded a boat
which will help the group observe
important roost and feeding sites
only accessible from the river.
The boat will significantly improve
the efficiency and accuracy of
observations with minimum
disturbance to flora and fauna.
Our charity partner Mission
Australia asked us to help out
with a ‘backyard blitz’ on Wattle
House – one of its accommodation
services in Perth. Wattle House
provides accommodation and
intensive support to families at risk
of, or dealing with, homelessness
in the Maddington area. Mission
Waterwise Gardens
– Landcare and Mission
Australia
Installing habitat boxes at Murray Bridge.
Australia works with these families
to help them understand the issues
that may be related to their crisis,
so that they can live independently
in the community.
Landcare Australia provided
vital information on choosing the
appropriate plants to create a
drought-tolerant, low-maintenance
garden.
Wattle House’s backyard was
in need of a total makeover.
Our people were keen to make
the garden as easy-care and
environmentally friendly as
possible, so they enlisted the
help of Landcare Australia in
planning a waterwise garden.
This collaboration between two
of our charity partners and our
people not only enabled us to help
the residents of Wattle House but
also educated our people on how
to develop their own waterwise
gardens, providing an even greater
environmental benefit.
Foundation Report 2006
Helping Landcare
monitor wetlands
COMMUNITY, PEOPLE AND LEADERSHIP
GRADUATING TOWARDS
LEADERSHIP – ELEVATE
PWC AND MISSION AUSTRALIA ARE AT THE FOREFRONT
OF DEVELOPING TODAY’S AND TOMORROW’S LEADERS;
LEADERS WHO WILL, IN THE WORDS OF PWC GLOBAL
CEO SAM DIPIAZZA, “LEAVE THE WORLD BETTER THAN
THEY FOUND IT”.
On 18 May 2006, the first graduates
of the youth leadership program
Elevate took the stage at a gala
graduation at Sydney’s Customs
House. The story of Elevate has
been truly inspirational.
Over the past year, we have
witnessed young people from
diverse backgrounds and their
PwC coaches learn more about
themselves, the meaning of
leadership and how to work with
others from all walks of life, among
many other important life lessons.
Let’s rewind the clock two years.
6
Mission Australia, in its National
Youth Survey for 2004, identified
the following priorities:
• Young people need support to
address and manage issues such
as stress and depression
• The internet and magazines are
playing an important role for
young people in the provision of
information, support and advice
• Independence, work and financial
security are important issues for
young people. Mission Australia
believes young people should
have access to appropriate
education, training and meaningful
job opportunities if they are to
make the successful transition to
independent adulthood.
Fundamentally, young people are
our future and the outcome of the
survey highlighted that, as they
transition through life, they need
support.
PwC and Mission Australia have
worked in partnership for over
three years, across all pillars of the
Foundation and with many aspects
of Mission Australia’s Community
Services. Over that period we have
developed a deeper awareness of
the challenges facing young people.
It was, therefore, natural and fitting
that we chose to work in partnership
to develop a leadership program.
Elevate provides an avenue for
young people to develop their
self-confidence, resilience and
leadership potential, and offers
positive role models during a
key transition point in their lives.
It fits well with the core PwC values
of teamwork, leadership
and excellence.
Social evaluator Urbis Keys Young
has independently evaluated the
first program and describes it as
unique: a co-coaching program that
develops a one-to-one relationship
between a young person and his/her
coach while also developing a group
dynamic. Elevate offers a unique and
powerful experience for participants.
The evaluation not only highlighted
the difference Elevate has made
to the young people involved; it
also showed that the coaches have
become more socially aware and
now have a greater understanding
of issues facing young people today.
We are building on this evaluation
as we prepare to deliver further
programs in 2006.
an impact – on themselves, each
other and those that they come in
contact with.
Elevate is a contract between PwC
and Mission Australia based on
trust and integrity, and is delivered
through an integrated business
strategy. When the Foundation is
determining the types of social
investments we want to make,
we look for sustainability, the
chance to innovate, a two-way
partnership and the opportunity
to make a difference. Our
partnership with Mission Australia,
and our involvement in the Elevate
program, is a great example of
responsible leadership in action.
Both young people and potential
coaches are queuing up to be a part
of Elevate. At the time of writing, two
more Elevate programs were getting
underway in Sydney and Melbourne.
Following year one of the program,
we are at the start of the Elevate
journey towards responsible
leadership at the individual,
corporate and community level.
Elevate has shown us that a small
group of people can, and do, make
THE SKY’S THE
LIMIT FOR SAMMI!
Elevate has been a great experience and a lot of fun. Before
Elevate I was extremely shy and introverted, scared of public
speaking and a totally different person. When I heard about
the program I hoped to achieve self-esteem and confidence
and make new friends. I have achieved all of these things and
much more. Now I am not afraid of public speaking, I am more
extroverted, I believe in myself and I have a supportive network
of friends who have become like my second family. I was
challenged at first as meeting heaps of new people was daunting
and I was worried that I wouldn’t get along with everyone.
Foundation Report 2006
The best part of Elevate was my work experience. I had two
weeks at Virgin Atlantic – one week at the office and one week
at the airport. It was FANTASTIC! I woke up at 2.30am every
day to be there for the 6am landing and stayed till after 6pm
everyday. I didn’t want to leave. The staff were so friendly and
made me feel like a part of the team, I learned so much. It wasn’t
your typical ‘filing papers and doing coffee run’ type of work
experience. I met some of the pilots and flight attendants, spent
time with engineers, helped check the plane everyday, including
the cockpit, worked on check-ins, met the personal assistant of
ELEVATE HAS TAUGHT ME
THAT WITH EFFORT AND SELFDISCIPLINE I CAN ACHIEVE
WHATEVER I SET MY MIND TO.
the CEO for Rolls Royce, went to a meeting at the Hilton Hotel,
wore a flight attendant’s uniform and much, much more.
They introduced me to everyone as their next female captain
which made me feel like I was being appreciated. I was the first
person and probably the last person to have the opportunity to
complete work experience at the Virgin Atlantic Airport Office,
which was an honour.
My mentor is another great part about Elevate. We have a good
relationship. She is reliable, trustworthy, full of good advice
and has offered me a lot of support over these past 12 months.
Although the program has finished, we still keep in touch.
The friendships in Elevate are extremely strong and I am
amazed how everyone gets along well which is unusual for a
diverse range of people. The diversity makes me appreciate
everyone as individuals and I now have a greater understanding
of different cultures and lifestyles. I loved all of the activities,
the retreats and Artescape were the highlights. Everyone was
out of their comfort zone and learnt to trust each other through
activities including flying fox and abseiling. The first community
project was a good way of getting to know one another and
learning organisational skills. It also made me feel good about
myself to know that I was helping other people but at the same
time having fun. Now that the program is complete I have faith in
myself to go for my dream of being a pilot. Elevate has taught me
that with effort and self-discipline I can achieve whatever I set
my mind to.
Sammi Booth, 18
PwC FOUNDATION REPORT
06
PEOPLE
I think everyone has left the program with more than we
all imagined. I know that I have learnt a lot about myself
over the year and have valued the guidance and support
of those around me as I made decisions regarding
what comes after school among other things. I have
thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the people in the
group and watching them develop, and I have left with
many good friendships. It was a wonderful experience.
Marissa Ward, 18
Marissa Ward throws herself into the Elevate retreat.
Foundation Report 2006
7
COMMUNITY, PEOPLE AND LEADERSHIP
GETTING IN
THE SPIRIT OF
FOUNDATION
WEEK
IT’S A BOY! SPONSORING
OUR FIRST GUIDE DOG
At 9am on 27 February, PwC
staff in all states arrived
at work to be greeted by
some unusual sights: people
in purple tights, robots
riding bicycles and giant
bears were a few of the
more striking vistas in the
corridors and foyers that day.
Kathryn Wightman-Beaven, Director
of the Foundation, was struck by
the effect on staff. “It stopped
people in their tracks. Frowns soon
turned to smiles as people met our
charity partners. It’s sometimes
hard to bring the stories of the
Foundation’s work to life for our
people. But I think we made great
strides that day.”
8
The activity was all part of the
inaugural Foundation Week, a new
annual event on the PwC calendar.
Foundation Week builds awareness
and understanding of the work of
our charity partners and sets out
how we will work together for the
next three years.
PwC Consultant Hugh Cook makes
a new friend.
Foundation Report 2006
Foundation Week enabled
our people to engage with our
charity partners in a direct way.
By taking time to hear and learn
about the work of our partners
on social issues and social
change, our people were able
to connect ‘heart and mind’
and see the difference we are
making collectively.
PwC offices all over the country
joined in the celebrations for
Foundation Week. Events included
‘walk the floor’ activities with Guide
Dogs Australia, highlighting the
challenges facing someone with
vision impairment; beyondblue
lunchbag seminars, raising
awareness about depression in
the workplace; and a chat with
Tim Costello, CEO of World Vision,
on the tsunami relief effort, our
involvement in the Armadale
Indigenous project and poverty in
Australia. Our people were also
entertained by a couple of irreverent
Captain Starlights and Camp
Quality’s cheeky remote controlled
robot, Giggle.
Flack (middle) with his sisters.
Guide Dogs Australia
plays a crucial role in
assisting people with vision
impairment to achieve greater
mobility. This year, the PwC
Foundation was thrilled to
establish a partnership with
the Guide Dogs, due to the
strong interest of our people
in the charity. Through our
People Giving program,
we are donating $25,000 to
meet the total costs of caring
for and training a guide dog
at Guide Dogs Queensland
from birth to graduation
– the first 18 months to two
years of its life.
In the early hours of Mother’s Day
2006, PwC’s sponsored puppy,
Flack, was born. His mum Kirra’s
litter of seven pups is a welcome
boost to Guide Dogs Queensland’s
family of dogs in training, as there
are currently nine people on the
waiting list for a guide dog in
Queensland alone.
‘Flack’ was the winning entry in a
PwC competition to name our first
guide dog, and is a reference to
inspirational Price Waterhouse & Co
partner Edwin Flack, who was an
Olympic champion in 1896.
From about 14 weeks of age, Flack
will live with puppy raisers who will
socialise, train and develop him. At
12 months, he will move back into
the Guide Dogs facilities for at least
six months of formal training before
qualifying to become a guide dog.
We will be watching his journey with
interest.
Once we have reached our goal
of $25,000 to support Flack, we
will begin to provide funding to a
guide-dog-in-training in NSW.
Our ultimate aim is to have PwC
Foundation-sponsored guide dogs
all over the country.
In other news, our people
volunteered with the Guide Dogs
in Victoria this year, providing a
face-lift for a large kennel area
complete with designer paw
prints. Another of our teams in
Victoria rolled up their sleeves and
undertook a large-scale working
bee at the Guide Dogs facilities.
EMBRACING LIFE, WITH A LITTLE
HELP FROM THEIR FRIENDS
At 14, Paul Harpur lost his eyesight
when hit by a train. For Lester Miles,
an eye disease is responsible for
his vision loss. But Paul and Lester
have something in common – they
are both dynamic, high-achieving
members of the community, thanks
in part to a little help from their
constant companions, guide dogs
Weston and Kenya.
Paul, a sportsman, lawyer and PhD
student, and Lester, a tour guide
and valued Guide Dogs Queensland
volunteer, both glow with enthusiasm
when talking of how their dogs have
opened up their worlds. With Kenya
by his side, Lester has been able to
resume his position as a tour guide
at the Boondall Wetlands. “It really
is brilliant having a guide dog,”
Lester says.
Paul is equally confident in his guide
dog, Weston. Paul’s busy routine as
a competitive athlete, solicitor and
student doesn’t faze Weston in the
least. “Right now I just want to keep
advancing myself and I know with
Weston there are no bounds ... when
I met Weston I got my eyesight back.”
“They give you so much independence and freedom.
I put my life in Kenya’s hands every time I walk out the
door and he never lets me down. He’s not just my eyes,
he’s my best mate.”
Lester Miles and Kenya.
PwC FOUNDATION REPORT 06
RECOGNISING
OUR CHAMPIONS
On 22 June, representatives
from our 21 charity partners
gathered for a special
dinner to honour them at
the PwC office in Sydney.
The event was also an
opportunity to honour the
Foundation’s champions.
The commitment and generosity
of PwC people is at the heart of
the Foundation’s success. And
nationwide, there are almost 200
PwC Foundation champions who
make a special effort to ensure that
the Foundation continues to grow
and thrive.
For the first time in 2006, the
Foundation has introduced a
National Champion of the Year
award, providing an opportunity to
celebrate the work of all champions
and honour the top five from around
the country.
In June 2006, the five finalists were
chosen and flown to Sydney to
attend the charity partner thank you
dinner, an annual event which gives
our charity partners and champions
the chance to meet face-to-face
and celebrate the achievements of
the last year.
Rick Millen offered his thanks
and congratulations to all of our
champions, saying “The champion
network is the lifeblood of our
Foundation. It would be impossible
to have achieved the level of
engagement we now see across
the firm without the enthusiasm
and dedication of our champion
network, who not only act as a
great communication channel
but also come up with many new
and original ideas and drive the
activity in their individual business
areas. The champions do what they
do for the Foundation on top of
WWF and PwC are working together to protect endangered turtles.
their day to day jobs … sometimes I
don’t know how they manage it, but
they do.”
The winner of the first annual
National Champion of the Year
Award was Sarah Moors from
Advisory in Melbourne. Sarah was
given the opportunity to spend five
days in Cape York, where she will
work alongside our charity partner
WWF Australia to help Indigenous
residents and researchers protect
endangered turtles and other
marine life from nets and feral pigs.
Sarah will make a video of her
adventures and provide PwC people
with regular email updates, enabling
all of PwC to share in her journey.
“Assisting with Foundation activities
as a site champion is a very
important part of my life at PwC.
I find it inspiring and dynamic and,
somewhat selfishly, I also find it very
rewarding! It’s an exciting time to
be part of the Foundation,
particularly as the role corporations
should and can play in the
community is being debated more
and more.
PHOTO © WWF-CANON/JÜRGEN FREUND.
“I think the passion, commitment
and enthusiasm for the Foundation
within the Firm Leadership Team,
champion network and broader firm
is amazing, and seems to be gaining
further momentum year by year.
I look forward to seeing how our
partnerships with charity partners
continue to develop and grow.”
9
“The difference our Foundation
has been able to make working with
our charity partners is a tribute to
our champions’ passion.”
FUNDRAISING EVENTS
REACHING OUR GOALS AND HAVING FUN
Every year, PwC people get
together in their hundreds to walk
or run for breast cancer research
in the Mother’s Day Classic. PwC
is proud to be in its fourth year
as a gold sponsor of this event.
This year, our 500-strong team
included current staff, friends,
family, clients and alumni, who took
part at the four sites of Melbourne,
Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide.
Money raised through the Mother’s
Day Classic funds a number
of scholarships for vital breast
cancer research.
World’s Greatest Shave
April 2006
In April 2006, over 100 PwC staff
and partners around the country
joined in the fun of the World’s
Greatest Shave by putting their
locks on the line – either by
colouring their hair, shaving their
head or waxing their legs.
By taking part and securing
sponsorship, our people raised
over $337,000 for patients and
families living with leukaemia,
lymphomas and related blood
disorders.
Money raised from the events
will continue to support the PwC
National Tissue Bank and patient
support services.
At our Brisbane office, Claire
Kennewell, a Foundation site
champion, and Johanna Roche,
a Foundation site partner,
stepped up to the shavers and
raised over $18,000.
The Foundation has now raised
close to $1 million through this
event over the last three years,
making us the top corporate
fundraiser.
World Swim for Malaria
December 2005
This year, for the first time, PwC
people from around the globe
joined together in a huge
fundraising effort to raise money
to fight malaria. Malaria is the
single biggest killer of children
around the world – one child dies
from the disease every 30 seconds.
This equates to seven jumbo jets
full of children dying every day
from a preventable and treatable
disease.
World Swim for Malaria, a UK-based
charity, aimed to encourage at least
1 million people around the globe
to get wet for a good cause.
PwC worldwide answered the call,
and in Australia over 100 people
took the plunge with many more
sponsoring their efforts. PwC
Australia raised an impressive
$36,500 for mosquito nets
– the single most effective way of
preventing malaria.
The Smith Family
Toy & Book Appeal
December 2005
Each year The Smith Family and
The Salvation Army donate toys and
food hampers to around
30,000 disadvantaged Australians,
bringing Christmas cheer to
those in need. All nine PwC sites
participate in the appeal each year,
donating a new toy and/or book
to be distributed to a family in
need in their local city. PwC
donated over 1,400 books and
toys to these worthwhile appeals
Foundation Report 2006
Mother’s Day Classic
May 2006
COMMUNITY, PEOPLE AND LEADERSHIP
HEALTHY
HEARTS
FOR LIFE
– THE HEART
FOUNDATION
The Heart Foundation is the largest
non-government funder of research into
cardiovascular disease in Australia.
10
FIGHTING DEPRESSION
WITH BEYONDBLUE
Around 1 million Australians suffer
from depression each year and,
on average, one in five people will
experience depression at some
point in their lives. The majority
of people never seek treatment
for their depression. Our people
nominated the national depression
initiative beyondblue as an agency
that they wanted to work with
through the Foundation for the next
three years.
beyondblue tackles issues
associated with depression, anxiety
and related substance misuse
disorders, working in partnership
with health services, schools,
workplaces, universities, media and
community organisations, as well as
people living with depression.
High blood pressure is a common
health problem and can lead to
heart attack, stroke or kidney
disease. Current treatment relies on
pharmaceuticals, but some patients
find that their medication stops
having any effect or has no effect
even after prolonged treatment.
While the rates of depression are
much the same in country and city
With the help of a grant supported
by our PwC People Giving program,
Dr Ming Wei and his team from
the Department of Medicine at
the University of Queensland are
working on a ground-breaking
gene-based therapy to relax blood
vessels and provide a lasting
reduction in blood pressure.
The Andrew Thirsk scholarship,
established in 2003, recognises
our top performers and promotes
the development of responsible
leadership skills through
participation in a demanding
community program. This year,
Anthony Klein of our Melbourne
office won the scholarship, giving
him the opportunity to join PwC
partners from around the world
on the firm’s global leadership
program, Ulysses.
In another exciting project
sponsored by PwC People Giving,
Dr Anushka Patel from The George
Institute for International Health
in Sydney is working to ensure
that people at risk of heart attack
and stroke receive the correct
assistance for their particular
situation. Currently, there are a
number of treatments available
that have been shown to be highly
effective in preventing heart attack
and stroke, however many people
are not adequately treated.
Dr Patel’s research will develop and
evaluate new strategies for ensuring
the appropriate delivery of treatment
for individual at-risk patients. This
will have a huge impact on the
burden of cardiovascular diseases
in this country.
We are proud to be assisting The
Heart Foundation in vital research
into the prevention and causes of
heart disease – the most common
cause of death in Australia – and
other life-threatening conditions.
Foundation Report 2006
To launch beyondblue as one of
our newest charity partners, we
held lunchbag seminars during
Foundation Week to hear about
depression in the workplace. Over
100 people attended the seminars
in Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney
to hear and discuss how to identify
the difference between depression
and anxiety.
beyondblue advertising campaign.
“I have battled with depression
for many years, but didn’t
know what it was and didn’t
want to talk to anyone about
it. So I did nothing and things
got progressively worse, to
the point that I could not
function at all. After visiting
the beyondblue website … my
life has turned around. Thank
goodness I sought help when I
did – before I lost everything.”
Matt, 36, rural Victoria
ANDREW THIRSK SCHOLARSHIP –
RESPONSIBLE LEADERSHIP IN ACTION
After a week-long leadership
intensive in June, Anthony headed
to China to work with Save
the Children on an eight-week
international aid project to improve
education outcomes for poor ethnic
minority children in remote areas
of Yunnan Province. The project’s
focus areas are teacher training,
inclusive education, nutrition,
hygiene, community participation in
education and income generation.
The PwC team is looking at how
income can best be generated
to provide scholarships to poor
children to help them access and
continue basic education. This
involves identifying and assessing
the strengths and weaknesses of
the current strategy and making
recommendations about future
development of this component
of the program.
Depending on the team’s
recommendations, the assignment
may also include the development
of tools, models and methodologies
to assess the validity of any
proposed school or communitybased income-generating projects
and to monitor their impact. This
is a great example of PwC’s
commitment to responsible
leadership. The value of this
model stretches far beyond the
communities where the immediate
benefit is felt, delivering a greater
sense of value and purpose within
our leaders and our firm.
Anthony is delighted to be a part
of the program. “I feel both excited
and extremely privileged to have
been selected to represent the
Australian firm. I am intrigued about
what lies ahead in this journey
and what it will teach me about
myself and the wider world in
which we live. I am committed to
bringing my learnings back to the
Australian practice and to share
the experience with all staff and
partners across the country.”
“By giving our people the skills to lead responsibly, PwC is able to
help effect change and deliver sustainable outcomes for diverse communities.”
BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE
COMMUNITY IN ARMADALE
For young people to escape the
cycle of poverty and build resilience,
it is essential that they are given the
opportunity to develop the skills
they need to gain employment.
This is exactly what is happening
in Armadale, Western Australia
where World Vision, with help from
PwC People Giving, is helping
Indigenous young people reach
their full potential. Through the
Armadale Noongar Corporation
Experimental Training and
Employment project, young people
are gaining marketable skills while
redeveloping a property, gifted by
the Western Australian Government,
into a new community culture centre.
PwC’s support is playing a major
role in the Heart Foundation’s
battle against conditions such as
cardiomyopathy, which took the life
of Matthew Howell at just 31.
His sister Belinda says, “If we
really place value on the most
important things in life – our
family, our children – if we let
those thoughts motivate us
then we will use our money to
go towards research and finding
cures, trying to avoid other
families having to go through
what we’ve gone through.”
areas, suicide rates are much
higher in the country. In these
tough times, when rural families
are facing extreme hardship as a
result of the ongoing drought,
our people are helping beyondblue
get the message out that
depression is an illness that can be
treated and that help is available.
The Foundation is lending its
support to education forums about
depression and how to prevent
suicide in rural communities.
Horticulture trainee Iran Dinah.
Currently there are 10 trade
employees in the program, in the
areas of landscaping, plumbing and
painting. All are getting their trades
certificates through the local TAFE
and have passed the first phase,
gaining a Certificate I in Horticulture
and Construction. The young people
are now entering the Certificate II
course. World Vision’s program has
been so successful that it has led to
the establishment of a commercial
operation, providing further
employment for the young people.
A mentor is now helping to develop
further commercial projects for the
young people to participate in.
This kind of project fits perfectly
in PwC’s model of responsible
leadership. It is adding to the
sustainability of communities
and providing hope and selfdetermination for young people
who face significant challenges.
PwC FOUNDATION REPORT 06
SUPPORTING SOCIAL INNOVATION
WITH SOCIAL VENTURES AUSTRALIA
Social Ventures Australia (SVA) aims to increase wellbeing and happiness in our
communities by helping people to participate both economically and socially, as
well as building a sense of self-worth among the most marginalised members of
our communities.
PwC is actively involved in three of
SVA’s programs: Activate, School
Aid Trust and OzGreen. Activate
develops leadership skills in young
people who are experiencing longterm unemployment, homelessness
and disadvantage. These young
people are then able to go back
to their communities and help find
solutions to local issues. School
Aid Trust works on the theory that
a little can add up to a lot. It asks
Australia’s 11,000 schools to donate
as little as $100 a year – and so far
has raised $1.2 million over three
years to help educate disadvantaged
kids worldwide.
PwC is proud of its role in helping
these initiatives take flight. Of
PwC’s involvement, Jan Owen,
Executive Director, Social Ventures
Australia, says, “All ventures are
leaving a significant impression
upon the communities in which they
operate. This is due in large part
to the significant contributions that
Strengthening our communities: OzGreen.
PwC has made in supporting the
formalisation, strengthening and
growth of these ventures.”
This year, PwC was proud to be
a part of a new venture with SVA.
In June, we worked with SVA and
Brisbane City Council to launch
the Brisbane Social
Enterprise Hub. This
will give long-term
unemployed people,
refugees and people
with a mental illness
access to work and
life opportunities,
and help to develop
‘social entrepreneurs’
who will make a
significant economic
and social impact in
their communities.
By investing in
the network, PwC
has the chance to
transfer valuable
business skills to
those who, traditionally, have been
at a disadvantage in the employment
market, as well as being at the
forefront of the development of the
social enterprise sector – which
makes sense from both a business
and community perspective.
A GREENER WAY
TO DO BUSINESS
GRINDING
BEANS FOR A
GOOD CAUSE
It’s a year since the Foundation
café (‘Foundation’) first fired up
its espresso machines in PwC’s
Melbourne office and began
serving refreshments and providing
a lively hub for the firm’s employees.
51,000 coffees later we are
proud to say that it’s already a
Foundation institution.
“It’s really taken off.
Regulars – and there
are hundreds of them
on a daily basis – tell
me they can’t imagine
a workplace without it
now,” says manager
Bill Apostolou, who has
enjoyed watching the
café grow.
Foundation has been working
hard to raise funds for our charity
partners, with 40 cents from every
hot drink sold going to charity. In
February 2006, Foundation made its
first donation – presenting $10,000
to Urban Seed, which provides daily
lunches, assistance and referral
services to people facing issues of
homelessness, unemployment and
substance misuse.
11
Urban Seed, which runs its own
charity café, Credo, is using the
funds to make an educational video
on homelessness issues for use in
schools. The video will complement
the educational text Homelessness
– Searching for Home in Australia,
which the PwC Foundation and The
Age partially funded.
Foundation plays a vital role in
raising awareness of our charity
partners, as well as demonstrating
PwC’s own strong commitment to
helping our communities become
more sustainable. Foundation’s
‘coffee connoisseur’ event during
Foundation Week not only helped
many of our people learn how to
brew like a barista, but it also gave
them a chance to hear about the
work of Urban Seed and share in
the cheque presentation.
At a time when concern over
climate change is growing steadily,
PwC is committed to reducing our
greenhouse gas emissions and
the energy wastage caused by the
blazing lights of city office towers.
By switching to a sensor-based
lighting system, the Sydney office
is saving 630 tonnes of carbon
dioxide a year – which is equivalent
to removing 140 greenhouse
gas-emitting cars from the road.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports
that, if all office tenants in Sydney
followed PwC’s lead, the power
saved would be enough to supply
13,000 homes.
Jay Lomax, director, Infrastructure,
says that PwC has a global
commitment to reduce emissions
and save power. Here in Australia,
refits are also taking place in our
offices in Perth, Canberra and
Brisbane.
Jay believes PwC people are proud
to be part of a global environmental
initiative. “The reaction from staff
has been really positive. They
understand why we are doing it
and the benefits to the broader
community,” Jay says.
PwC’s power-saving initiative not
only makes environmental sense
– it will reduce our energy costs.
In the first four months of operation
in Sydney, the new lighting system
shaved 15 per cent off PwC’s
energy bill.
“The reaction
from staff has
been really
positive. They
understand why
we are doing it
and the benefits
to the broader
community.”
Jay Lomax, director,
Infrastructure, PwC
PwC staff learn how to make coffee like a pro.
Foundation Report 2006
Reducing our impact on the environment through greener business practices.