6.30.2005 ET

(CSRwire) WASHINGTON, D.C. - This week Deloitte & Touche USA LLP, Howard University and a group of stakeholders from public accounting, government, and minority-owned accounting firms are launching the Howard University School of Business Center for Accounting Education Program - We're About Success. The educational center, based at the university's campus in Washington, D.C., offers a range of programs to support highly talented Black/African-American accounting graduates as they begin careers in financial services.

This week, 25 Deloitte & Touche USA first-year Black & African-American audit and tax professionals will participate in the Center's inaugural week-long Leadership Skills Development program. Several senior audit and tax leaders from Deloitte & Touche and other firms will lead the participants through a series of courses focused on professional development as well as preparation for the CPA exam.

"Our involvement with the Howard University School of Business Center for Accounting Education reflects our deep commitment to foster a culture of inclusion through growth and development for our people," said Barry Salzberg, Managing Partner, Deloitte & Touche USA LLP.

"This joint program is designed to help our new Black/African-American accounting professionals identify the challenges, choices and opportunities that may impact and facilitate growth in their careers," said Redia Anderson, Chief Diversity Officer of Deloitte & Touche USA. "We are focused on continuing to expand the development of our business critical talent.

"The concept of this Center was designed to help increase the success rate of Blacks and African-Americans in public accounting," said Frank Ross, director of the Center for Accounting Education at Howard University. "The founding team felt it was best to design a program that brings the entire public accounting profession together to address the issues and help the younger professionals just out of college find ways to develop successful careers with their firms right from the start," added Ross.

As part of a three-year commitment, Black/African American tax and audit professionals from Deloitte & Touche will participate in the program.

About Deloitte

Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, a Swiss Verein, its member firms and their respective subsidiaries and affiliates. As a Swiss Verein (association), neither Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu nor any of its member firms has any liability for each other's acts or omissions. Each of the member firms is a separate and independent legal entity operating under the names "Deloitte", "Deloitte & Touche", "Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu" or other related names. Services are provided by the member firms or their subsidiaries or affiliates and not by the Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Verein.

Deloitte & Touche USA LLP is the US member firm of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu. In the US, services are provided by the subsidiaries of Deloitte & Touche USA LLP (Deloitte & Touche LLP, Deloitte Consulting LLP, Deloitte Financial Advisory Services LLP, Deloitte Tax LLP and their subsidiaries), and not by Deloitte & Touche USA LLP.


Quick Facts on Deloitte's Diversity & Inclusion Initiative Issued by Deloitte & Touche USA LLP

Deloitte has made strong progress in growing its diverse workforce. Some Diversity & Inclusion programs Deloitte offers include (but are not limited to) the following:

1) Efficacy: Maximizing Professional and Personal Development. Deloitte offers this program to enable the professional development of its diverse employees, help them become aware of factors that hinder peak performance and enable them to develop strategies for effective career management. The program is designed for minorities with less than 18 months of professional experience. Deloitte offers the Hispanic Efficacy and Black Efficacy programs, which are available to our employees in conjunction with the annual ALPFA (Association of Latina Professionals in Finance and Accounting) and NABA (National Association of Black Accountants) conventions.

2) Breakthrough Leadership: This is a comprehensive cross-functional (across Deloitte business units) minority leadership development program that is designed for highly talented minority managers and senior managers. Participants learn how to improve and accelerate their performance and establish professional relationships with colleagues from a variety of backgrounds to support individual career goals and reach their full professional potential.

3) E-Learning: Deloitte is developing a comprehensive Diversity & Inclusion curriculum for employees across the nation.

4) Jackie Robinson Foundation: Deloitte teams with the Jackie Robinson Foundation, which for more than 29 years has provided educational and leadership development opportunities to academically talented, economically disadvantaged minority students pursuing a college degree at a four-year institution.

5) INROADS: Each year Deloitte accepts more than 100 interns from INROADS, the most successful leadership training, development, and placement organization for minority students and pre-professionals in the country. Deloitte's conversion rate from student to employee is more than 90%. Deloitte received the INROADS National Account Award for Excellence in 2003 and 2004.

6) Business Resource Groups (employee affinity groups): Deloitte's Business Resource Groups are open to all Deloitte employees and are an important part of its strategy to create a more inclusive culture. These groups bring together employees with common interests and backgrounds with the primary goal to help members advance professionally. Over the years, the role of these groups has expanded. Today, these formalized groups also actively support and further the Deloitte's recruitment activities, professional development efforts, as well as community involvement and targeted marketing. Deloitte currently has the following groups:

WIN - Women's Initiative*

7) U.S. Office Visits: Deloitte's U.S. Managing Partner and Chief Diversity Officer visit Deloitte offices around the nation to gauge progress in Diversity & Inclusion and to see that the regional diversity initiatives are fully aligned with Deloitte's overall national goals.

8) Voluntary External Diversity Advisory Board: This board consists of seven prominent national leaders in business, government and academia. The board's charge is to advise Deloitte on ways to enhance and realize quantifiable improvement in recruitment, retention, advancement, development and deployment of Deloitte employees.

9) Representation Targets: To bring about the highest level of diversity throughout its organization, Deloitte has established representation targets for under-represented groups. Deloitte carefully monitors its progress toward meeting and maintaining those targets.

10) Strategic Alliances: Deloitte has fostered numerous strategic, long-term national relationships with professional and education organizations. These alliances have greatly enhanced Deloitte's ability to attract the best diverse talent, deploy them into its workforce and connect diverse employees with every available resource for their personal and professional development.

For more information please contact:

Gwendolyn S. Knapp , Deloitte Services LP
313-396-3377

For more CSR news and information from this organization:

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