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The Right WayGlobal Collaboration |
Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu (DTT) is structured as a Swiss Verein--an association of member firms that are legally independent of one another, but operate under the Deloitte brand and related names. Among the member firms there are more than 168,000 people in 140 countries.
At the core of our sustainability efforts is recognition of a "wider agenda" than an individual, an office, and the boundaries of a member firm. Indeed, has there ever been a time when mankind has been more interconnected and increasingly sensitive to the broad implications of our impact? As a global citizen, Deloitte plays an important role within DTT—making the world better and becoming better as a consequence.
What DTT does
While distanced geographically and diverse in many ways, the values shared by the member firms foster a common approach to the marketplace with a common goal: to help organizations create lasting value and maintain the public's trust in their financial reports. This is done by member firms delivering high-quality client service, conceiving and promoting solutions to large-scale, complex problems, and offering advice to help executives and managers be more successful leaders.
How DTT does it
For any organization to be sustainable, objectivity, professionalism and integrity are essential qualities. Set down in 2004, the DTT Ethical Principles make explicit the standards of responsible behavior that the member firms of DTT have upheld for many years. Further, DTT member firm leaders actively contribute to institutions like the United Nations Global Compact, Transparency International, and the World Economic Forum's Partnering Against Corruption Initiative.
Corporate Responsibility
John Connolly, DTT Chairman of the Board, leads the DTT 18-member Global Corporate Responsibility Council, which has global oversight of DTT's broad corporate responsibility (CR) agenda. The positioning of CR with the Global Chairman provides an important link between the council and the leadership of the organization, and helps to ensure that CR considerations are part of strategic decisions.
Many of the council's initiatives during the past year have been guided by recommendations from working groups. As a member of the CR council representing the US, vice chairman and corporate responsibility officer Tom Dekar led the working group that developed a DTT CR Policy, with the objective of creating harmony and consistency of approach across all member firms. The policy has been approved by the DTT Executive and Board, and member firms are being encouraged to adopt and promote the policy within their areas of responsibility.
Where DTT is heading
Two major CR pursuits by DTT are environmental impact and, related, a desire to engage stakeholders in the journey ahead.
Responding to environmental challenges
DTT member firms worldwide take a serious, business-minded approach to climate change and the environmental impact of their operations. Particular focus is in areas like transportation and facilities management where resource use is most pronounced.
Fiscal 2009 will be known as the year DTT first produced a CR report and the first time DTT reported aggregated performance (among the 15 largest member firms) in regard to community, electricity and transportation. Looking forward, DTT expects to extend the reporting framework to more member firms and expand areas of measurement.
Investing in communities
Community investments by DTT member firms are driven by the idea that mobilizing the intellectual capital of the people of DTT makes the greatest social impact and advances key business goals. Around the world DTT member firms contribute to education and skills building— endeavors that both protect and develop their most important business asset, their people.
DTT member firms believe that conventional education is in need of improvement to prepare young people for success and achievement in the 21st century economy. This is particularly true for students who are underserved. These young people are unprepared for higher education and employment and therefore struggle to realize their full potential as individuals and contributors to society. Recognizing this challenge, DTT member firms believe that their people can contribute to communities most effectively by using their professional capabilities to scale the impact of programs that support young people to develop 21st-century skills.
Stakeholder engagement
DTT member firms regularly engage with stakeholders on issues of relevance. During the coming year, DTT will work with member firms to systematically gather stakeholders' views on a wide range of issues. DTT plans to use this information and engagement to help shape the CR views of the member firms.
