EveryChild
4 Bath Place
Rivington Street
London
EC2A 3DR
T +44 (0)20 7749 2468
F +44 (0)20 7729 8339
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Leading professional services firm PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP has seconded a group of staff from its UK Assurance practice on a pro bono basis to EveryChild and ChildHope, another charity working to improve the lives of some of the world's most vulnerable children.
Under the direction of the two charities, the 13 PricewaterhouseCoopers' staff are travelling to six countries over a three month period to review how financial and operational systems are managed. The week-long visits will be to EveryChild's branches in Cambodia, Romania and Russia and ChildHope's local partner organisations in Tanzania, Ethiopia and Brazil. The secondees, who devised this innovative collaboration project themselves, will provide assistance in several areas - these include improving business processes and skills such as financial and operational management, budgeting and IT systems
Richard Sexton, Head of Assurance, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP said:
"It is exciting that PricewaterhouseCooopers has chosen to contribute in this way to a medium-sized charities and that it understands the importance of responding to the wishes of the local NGOs for financial advice and guidance. The firm's secondees will find themselves in settings that are unlike those they normally encounter and I am convinced that their experience of difference will inspire innovation and imaginative problem-solving."
Anna Feuchtwang, Chief Executive of EveryChild said:
"This is a groundbreaking example of charities working in similar areas collaborating to engage with a large organisation. We hope that with PricewaterhouseCoopers' generously given expertise we will be able to further improve financial transparency and accountability in overseas offices whilst encouraging a better understanding of international development amongst some of the business sector's future leaders. This scheme will bring new perspectives to all the participants, right down to the local NGOs operating on the ground."
The secondment marks an innovation in the way in which charities work with private sector organisations.