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EY Ripples

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EY Ripples connects EY people and their skills, experience and passions to not-for-profits and social enterprises to help deepen their impact on the lives of young people and underserved groups to create an equitable, sustainable future for all. 

Globally, EY is looking to positively affect one billion lives through the EY Ripples program by 2030.

Last year in Canada, over 2,000 EY volunteers worked with more than 150 organizations to further their important work in the areas of environmental sustainability, education and the next-generation workforce, social entrepreneurship, and diversity, equity and inclusion.

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    • Supporting the next generation - Helping young people and underserved groups develop the mindsets and transferable skills they need to find and sustain meaningful work in a transformative age.
    • Working with impact entrepreneurs - Helping impact entrepreneurs scale innovative business models for tackling the causes and symptoms of social inequality defined by the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
    • Accelerating environmental sustainability - Helping scale adoption of behaviours, technologies and business models that accelerate progress towards a net positive, circular economy.

How EY Ripples is amplifying impact

Through the EY Ripples program, we mobilize our people to bring their business skills, knowledge and experience to non-profits and social enterprises to increase our collective impact on Canadian communities and the world at large.

Each EY Ripples initiative is unique, providing opportunities for our teams to innovate, co-create and contribute in meaningful ways.

Here are some examples of the work we've done:

  • Habitat for Humanity

    EY Ripples Project Sponsor Monica Chadha led a team of EY Canada consultants through an intensive review of Habitat for Humanity’s operations. The EY Ripples team provided recommendations that helped reduce administrative burden, increase collaboration, enhance donor and customer experience and improve fundraising efficiency.

    “Being able to tap into EY Canada’s experience, network and intellectual horsepower through the EY Ripples program is a huge gift for Habitat and people living with low income who need safe and decent housing. EY’s advice will empower us to serve many more families in the future.”  – Julia Deans, President and CEO, Habitat for Humanity Canada

  • Pathways to Education

    EY Ripples volunteers conducted a series of workshops to help build a sustainable corporate engagement model for Pathways to Education. The outcomes included ways to tap into the alumni network, manage corporate volunteer opportunities and segment corporate partnerships.

    “EY's skills, knowledge and experience were instrumental in identifying new ways to approach partnerships and volunteerism to achieve our strategic goals.” – Quinn Bingham, Vice President and Chief Development Officer, Pathways to Education Canada

  • The Climate Reality Project Canada

    Using Google Studio, EY Ripples volunteers created an interactive dashboard to display climate change initiatives in a dynamic, user-friendly way on the Climate Reality Project’s website. The new dashboard makes climate policy information more accessible to Canadians.

    “The team displayed stellar professionalism and delivered high-quality work. We are confident the new dashboard will help us raise climate policy literacy to inform all Canadians of climate initiatives across the country and how they can act on them.” – The Climate Reality Project Canada leadership team

  • Creating a roadmap for Up With Women

    Using key growth factors to create a technology roadmap, we helped Up With Women enable homeless and at-risk women build sustainable paths out of poverty. Next, EY will work to enhance Up With Women’s coaching program.

    “EY Canada helped us adapt to a tripled caseload — while improving our capacity to deliver quality services, while protecting client confidentiality and organizational security in a remote environment. The result: client full-time employment increased 1,500% and 57% no longer needed social assistance within 6-12 months in the program.” – Lia Grimanis, CEO, Up With Women

  • Scaling SNAP technology

    We advised on technology enablement to scale the Stop Now and Plan (SNAP) program and supported system selection and change management. The result was an innovative data system solution — SNAP Implementation Tool (SNAPiT).

    “Through the support of the EY Ripples volunteers, the SNAPiT data system was enhanced to support the SNAP Expansion Project, funded by Public Safety Canada, to reach over 100 communities, impacting thousands of children and families across Canada.” – Margaret Walsh, Senior Manager, Research, Evaluation and Data Systems, Child Development Institute (SNAP)

  • Defining IP acquisition strategy for Lucky Iron Fish

    We developed a strategy to acquire IP for Lucky Iron Fish, a unique handled measurement device that helps people boost their iron levels. Our work included a market analysis and financial modeling.

    “EY’s commitment to supporting the next generation of social business leaders is clearly demonstrated through the Ripples program. Through EY Ripples my organization was able to receive a detailed market analysis which will be an incredible help for our investment strategy. As a small start-up we could not access this type of high quality report on our own, and I am extremely grateful that we were able to benefit through this program.” – Gavin Armstrong, CEO, Lucky Iron Fish

EY Connect Days and EY Ripples Connect Weeks increase our collective efforts

As part of the global EY Ripples corporate responsibility program, EY Canada hosts EY Ripples Connect Weeks and Connect Days. Amazing things happen when we come together and focus the full power of EY to make a positive impact right here in Canada.

EY Connect Day is an annual event when our people increase our impact on society through skills-based volunteering with local nonprofit organizations and social enterprises in our EY Ripples network. This year’s EY Connect Day is November 4, 2022.

EY Ripples Connect Weeks take place three times a year. EY Canada people work on the frontlines in our communities to:

  • Support the next generation, January 16-20, 2023: Our focus is to help young people and underserved groups develop mindsets and transferable skills to find and sustain meaningful work in the transformative age. 
  • Accelerate environmental sustainability, April 24-28, 2023: We work to scale adoption of behaviours, technologies and business models that protect and regenerate the environment.
  • Work with impact entrepreneurs, August 21-25, 2023: We help underrepresented and impact entrepreneurs scale innovative business models for tackling the causes and symptoms of social inequality. 
EY Ripples isn’t about one individual EY person giving back to society, but rather that any one EY person can bring the full power of the organization and EY networks to create positive impacts in their communities.
Damian Eleftheriou
EY Canada Partner and EY Ripples Executive Sponsor

Some organizations we support through the EY Ripples program:

CGLCC
Child Development Institute
Earth Day Canada
Federation of African Canadian Economics
Habitat for Humanity
International Black Economic Forum
Junior Achievement
Lucky Iron Fish
NEXT Canada
Pathways to Education
Teach for Canada
The Prosperity Project
United Way Canada
Up With Women
2022 corporate responsibility report

2022 corporate responsibility report

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