EY Greece Sustainable Development Report 2022

EY Greece’s first Sustainable Development Report provides information regarding our impact on our clients, our people, society, and the environment

EY Greece proudly presents its first Sustainable Development Report. As we work to fulfill our commitment to Building a better working world, it aims to present our management approach and performance, in relation to our impact on the economy, people and the environment. We have assessed and prioritized our identified impacts, both positive and negative, as well as set and prioritized goals that will help us create long-term value for our colleagues, clients and other stakeholders, whilst staying accountable to the EY purpose, ambition, and strategy.

The report covers the financial year 2022 (FY22), while also including information about financial years 2021 (FY21) and 2020 (FY20) for comparability purposes. The Report has been compiled based on the requirements set by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards 2021 and it is also used to demonstrate EY Greece’s performance in relation to the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact.

Significant challenges

During the last three years, we have been faced with unprecedented challenges and witnessed momentous changes. We have observed first-hand the growing impact of climate change, and have seen vulnerable communities being hit the hardest and left behind by the pandemic, while the war on our continent has reminded us of the fragility of our world order. None of us has the luxury to be an idle observer of these developments. Our actions and policies at EY are guided by a set of shared values that define who we are and our deeply rooted commitment to addressing humanity’s most profound challenges.

Creating long-term value for society and the natural environment

Creating long-term value for society means having a positive impact on the planet and on the communities in which we live and work. Our commitment to make an impact on the economy, environment and society can be demonstrated by our annual achievements. During FY22, EY globally reached a major milestone in its four-step carbon ambition and is now carbon negative. We reached this target by reducing absolute emissions, and offsetting or removing more than the remaining amount of EY emissions. At the same time, we remain focused on our target to reach net zero in 2025, while EY teams are using their experience, in Greece as throughout the world, to help others decarbonize and transition to a green future.

In 2022, we planted 1,750 trees in Ancient Olympia, one for every member of the EY Greece family, helping revive the natural landscape after the devastating fires of 2021.

Additionally, we offered one ton of food to people in need in collaboration with Wise Greece, while our people raised a significant amount, matched by the company, which was received by Doctors of the World as the largest financial donation so far in the first phase of the organization’s emergency action for the protection of refugees and displaced persons in Ukraine.

Our global CSR program, EY Ripples, launched in 2019, aims to positively impact the lives of one billion people by 2030, by focusing on three areas: Supporting next generation workforce, working with impact entrepreneurs, and accelerating environmental sustainability. EY Greece has been implementing the program with enthusiasm, impacting 98,000 lives in FY22 alone, with nearly 100 participating active volunteers. 

In addition, in FY22, EY Greece received the internationally recognized ISO 14001:2015 certification, confirming our strong commitment to creating a better and more sustainable working world, through the improvement of our corporate performance in environmental matters.

All these achievements have been accomplished thanks to the drive and commitment of our exceptional people. People with energy, enthusiasm, and the courage to lead. We know that we expect a lot from them, and we are striving to provide a caring environment, where they feel heard, respected, and free to be themselves. We believe that embedding an inclusive culture can secure an exceptional career experience; it enables our people to unfold their full potential and helps us deliver high-quality service to our clients.

Creating long-term value for our people

In FY22, our female headcount reached 851, while women accounted for 52% of our 301 promotions. Today, women account for 47% of our staff and 33% of our senior management, a figure that we aim to increase to at least 40% within the next five years. Over the last decade, our headcount has grown from 540 to 1,810 – an increase of 235% - providing quality jobs for young scientists and professionals. In FY21 alone, we hired 30 Greeks who had been working abroad, making our own contribution to the reversal of the brain drain. Building on our COVID-19 experience, we are also seeking to create a flexible working environment that will allow our people to best combine the pursuit of their professional ambitions with their personal life and family welfare. Meanwhile, our Learning and Development investment reached €1.2m in FY22, while 561 colleagues from Greece acquired EY Badges. EY Badges are an exciting way for our people to develop valuable skills and put them in action to the benefit of their teams, clients, and the wider society. 

Targets and commitments to value creation

We will continue to help our stakeholders navigate the current challenges and embrace opportunities. Our NextWave strategy has been developed to create long-term value for our clients, by helping them grow, optimize, and protect value; our people, by empowering them to navigate what’s next and to build their own exceptional experiences; and society, by fostering confidence and trust in the world’s capital markets and broader business.

Our ambition is to remain at the forefront of stakeholders’ needs and expectations, while continuing to provide our clients with the exceptional level of service they have come to expect from EY and securing a working environment for our people that empowers them to grow professionally and achieve their life aspirations. We are confident we can achieve this by adhering to our shared values, demonstrating integrity, respect, teaming, and inclusiveness, and building trusted relationships through always doing the right thing.