A year has passed since KPMG in the Crown Dependencies launched its local Impact plan.
The Impact plan at a local level leverages the global Impact plan and commitments (such as net zero by 2030) but also tailoring the activities to the firm’s communities and setting its own local ambitious plans to achieve the wider global goals.
Now, 12 months later, the firm is reflecting on its achievements and progress against the pan-island plans.
As one of the largest employers across the islands of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man, KPMG has always held it core focus on the impact the business and its people have on their local communities.
The Impact Plan has sought to tackle real issues at a local level and by ‘walking the talk’, the firm has seen real results over the past year – notably the enthusiastic response from its people following the release of the firm’s volunteering policy, permitting each team member five days of skilled volunteering on KPMG time.
This has been achieved by Impact covering the whole business, going beyond the environmental factors so many just focus on, with buy-in at all levels and with activity focused on four key areas – or pillars – which the firm has developed through extensive and detailed reviews of all aspects of the business. These are Planet, People, Prosperity, and Governance.
1. The Planet pillar
Planet activity has the intended goal of reducing the firm’s impact on the local environment to build a more sustainable and resilient future, with a key commitment to achieve net-zero by 2030. As the world returned to its new norm post-Covid, it could be expected that emissions at the firm may have increased compared to lockdown year levels. Further details on the firm’s carbon footprint, after a full analysis, will be shared in due course.
Meanwhile, the Planet pillar continues to work towards the net zero target in 2030, with short-term plans already in place to implement a new firm-wide travel policy, improved monitoring of electricity usage and an office heating plan.
A key element of the Planet pillar has been the successful introduction of the Giki Zero app, which encourages KPMG people to take steps to understand and then reduce their individual carbon footprints. About a third of staff are now actively using the app to track their carbon usage and tailor-make their own approach to reducing their personal emissions. Plus a recent food challenge, set via the Giki app, saw savings of upwards of 1,500 kilograms in the personal carbon emissions of staff across the firm’s offices, equating to the creation of more than 10,000 chocolate bars.
Another significant pillar achievement has been the switch to a green electricity tariff in the Isle of Man office, using renewable energy sources. This reduced the Isle of Man office energy emissions by 95% over all of 2022, compared to the non-renewable tariffs available locally.
2. The People pillar
The People pillar has further enhanced KPMG’s caring, inclusive, and values-led culture.
Through the pillar, the Impact Inclusion, Diversity and Equity (IDE) policy has been implemented to make sure all staff feel safe and empowered at work – so they can perform to the best of their abilities in a supportive, open and inclusive environment. The 2022 launch of a new leadership development programme has served to support succession planning and improve representation of underrepresented groups in leadership positions. As part of this, KPMG has also continued to work towards an equal gender balance among its staff, with a current 55:45 per cent ratio of male to female colleagues across its Crown Dependencies teams.
KPMG regularly reaches out to its people to find out if they feel fulfilled in their job. Results from its latest wellbeing survey shows how more than three quarters of all staff agree they can be their true selves at work. This is in line with the firm’s key pledge of empowering its people to come as they are and always bring their true, authentic selves to the office.
3. The Prosperity Pillar
Through Prosperity, KPMG has been sharing its expertise, building local alliances and making a positive contribution through sponsorships, education for youth and charity fundraising. This not only serves the public interest but also builds trust through a wide range of social and community initiatives. Work already in motion has included KPMG’s recent partnership with environmental NGO’s (Non-Government Organisations) and the Wildlife Trusts in the Crown Dependencies, focusing on mechanisms for the business community to support local biodiversity whilst accelerating journeys to net-zero.
The firm’s new volunteering policy provides staff with the flexibility they need to make a positive difference to their charitable organisation of choice. This offers staff up to five days skilled volunteering allowance a year, allowing KPMG’s people to use their professional skills for the benefit of their respective island communities – be it marketing, accounting, consulting or HR. This revamped policy has already seen 30 volunteering, sponsorship and donation requests from members of staff in the month of January 2023 alone, representing a remarkable initial uptake which demonstrates the keenness and proactivity of KPMG’s people to get out into their communities and make a positive difference.
4. The Governance Pillar
The fourth pillar – Governance – has focused on putting ESG principles at the heart of the way the things are done at KPMG. From leadership decisions to the wider personal and professional behaviour of its people – the rollout of Impact has served to drive a reflective and responsible corporate culture, to do the right thing the right way, within KPMG’s teams and their wider communities. This has ensured consistency and accountability in promoting sustainable economic growth and prosperity.
Simon Nicholas (pictured), Partner and Head of Impact at KPMG, said: “With our Impact plans, we’re walking the talk and building an inclusive culture for success.
“Through our actions, we are showing our commitment to our key values, to do work that matters to make the world a better place. Impact is not a one-off exercise, and I am really pleased with the progress we made last year, none of which could have been achieved without the engagement and passion of our great people”.
Neale Jehan, Senior Partner at KPMG in the Crown Dependencies, said: “Reflecting on the Impact achievements to date is particularly poignant as 2023 is a landmark year for the firm, as we celebrate a presence of over 100 years in Guernsey, 50 years in Jersey and 40 in the Isle of Man.
“These significant milestones are not lost on the firm, nor is our personal connection and relationships with the local communities, with other 450 employees across the three islands. We’re only at the start of our ESG journey and, with such a strong start, I’m excited to see what the future holds”.
