Entrepreneurs create jobs and build communities
Ernst & Young is well known in the marketplace as a friend to entrepreneurs. Our Strategic Growth Markets practice has helped many of the world’s most dynamic young companies grow into industry leaders. The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® Award, which celebrates successful entrepreneurs in 50 countries, is the most prestigious award of its kind. Google, IKEA and Starbucks are all former Entrepreneur Of The Year winners.
Working with and supporting entrepreneurs has given us a profound understanding of the value of entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurs create jobs and transform communities as well as industries. And entrepreneurs are extremely resourceful in both good times and bad. A recent study by the Kauffman Foundation highlighted that more than half of the companies on the 2009 Fortune 500 were founded during a recession or bear market.
We encourage our people to donate their skills to smaller ventures that otherwise could not access such sophisticated advice – but that still have the potential to contribute significantly to the economy of a household, a village or an entire nation.
Below are several examples of the efforts we’re making to support and celebrate entrepreneurs around the globe.
Kiva.org
In September 2008, we announced an in-kind donation of up to $1 million of professional services to Kiva.org, the world’s first not-for-profit website that provides person-to-person micro-lending. Ernst & Young is mobilizing its skilled professionals around the world to assist Kiva.org in increasing the transparency of its micro-finance process.
Corporate Responsibility Fellows Program (US/Canada)
This competitive program sends high-performing Ernst & Young people to high-impact entrepreneurs in Central and South America for three-month assignments. Corporate Responsibility Fellows (pdf, 74kb) projects are designed to improve the integrity and effectiveness of the entrepreneurs’ key business processes and to use the unique skills of each of our professionals.
PlaNet Finance (France)
This Paris-based organization offers advice and investment capital to micro-finance organizations around the world. Ernst & Young volunteers assist PlaNet Finance in every one of its businesses, from consulting to ratings to insurance, all over the globe.
Eoy.tv (Ireland)
Recognizing a void in online educational tools for business students, our Ireland practice has launched eoy.tv, a web portal focused on Irish entrepreneurs that includes case studies for teachers and interviews with more than 100 entrepreneurs, all of whom have an inspiring story to tell.
The Social Entrepreneur Of The Year Award
Ernst & Young, in collaboration with the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship (an affiliate of the World Economic Forum), presents the Social Entrepreneur of the Year award in five countries to business leaders who successfully apply practical, innovative and market-oriented approaches to benefit the marginalized and the poor.
Entrepreneur Of The Year Junior Academy (Austria/Germany)
This is a week-long initiative in Austria and Germany that brings together the children of people who have been involved with the Entrepreneur Of The Year program and teaches them about what it takes to be an entrepreneur.
Please note: Ernst & Young does not accept unsolicited request for funding or volunteer engagements.
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