Case Study: Deloitte's Corporate Pro Bono Leadership

Deloitte helps people and communities thrive by using its best thinking to build stronger nonprofits. And specifically through a sophisticated approach to pro bono service, Deloitte is delivering the highest quality counsel and services to build critical operating capacity for the nonprofit sector. Its groundbreaking pro bono program is the embodiment of the organization’s strategic approach to community involvement: to mobilize its intellectual capital, resources and expertise in order to deliver meaningful impact in our communities. At Deloitte, all pro bono clients and projects are treated as if they were paid engagements, making pro bono service business as usual.

Deloitte also makes it a priority to contribute its thought leadership to best practices to promote the broader pro bono movement globally. Through its program of meaningful community engagement and advocacy efforts, Deloitte is paving the way for a new standard of corporate community involvement.

Pro Bono History

Deloitte’s pro bono program is a natural outgrowth of its larger community involvement program, which is centered on contributing the knowledge and expertise of their employees to help strengthen the capacity of nonprofit organizations. When the organization’s community involvement team began to explore how to better integrate pro bono into its program, they found there was already an impressive amount of pro bono activity taking place at the firm, on an ad hoc basis. In the absence of a formal pro bono program or policy, however, they learned that the organization’s resources weren’t being leveraged as effectively as possible. To address this issue, the team set a course to develop a more strategic program, which included meeting with a wide range of personnel from senior leaders to junior employees over the course of two years to understand the needs and interests of key stakeholders, and to secure buy-in and support from all four of its business units (tax, audit, financial advisory and consulting). As a result, Deloitte successfully established a formal structure and funding stream for this program, so that pro bono projects receive the same level of world-class service as their paying commercial clients.

Now pro bono project applications follow a uniform process, submitted first by Deloitte personnel and then evaluated by regional committees for scope of work, business value and desired outcomes. Deloitte works primarily with nonprofits that have an existing relationship with the organization through financial support, volunteerism or nonprofit board service to ensure that there is a representative of the company who can support the engagement as an advocate. Through this integrated approach, Deloitte helps nonprofits receive high-quality professional services to which they otherwise would likely not have access.

Deloitte is particularly focused on helping nonprofits deal with the business and operational issues that challenge their capacity to address social problems. Currently, seven regional committees and one national committee comprised of managing partners, department representatives and a community investment leader, review and approve nonprofit applications. Deloitte has seen a very high demand with an impressive 41 projects currently under way.

Deloitte is setting the bar for high quality delivery of pro bono service. Pro bono engagements are supported by a formal structure and funding stream that ensures they receive the same level of world-class service as Deloitte’s high-profile business clients, and that personnel time spent on pro bono is recognized in the same way as commercial work and receives the same monitoring for quality and impact. It is this innovative approach that sets Deloitte apart as a pro bono leader.

Pro Bono Vision for the Future

To Deloitte, pro bono thought leadership is of utmost importance. At the core of the firm’s philosophy is sharing their insight and leading the pro bono movement. As Deloitte continues to scale their pro bono program, they will deliver overall engagement guidance and focus on assessing the impact of their pro bono service. In addition to compiling an annual report that details the organizational impact, they will reflect on their successes to improve their program and in turn, benefit the sector as a whole.

In an effort to build the field, Deloitte conducts external research every year. Its 2008 Deloitte Volunteer IMPACT Survey found a significant connection between skills-based volunteering and professional development.

Deloitte has committed $50 million in pro bono service over the next three years, and is a supporter of the Billion + Change Campaign.

Pro Bono Vision in Action

  • A Deloitte team of 15 consultants worked alongside professionals from the national nonprofit College Summit to develop a scalable technology system or “data warehouse” that would more efficiently measure the progress of individual students and schools throughout the college application process, which will ultimately help more students apply to and enter college.

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  • A team of Deloitte employees developed a plan to optimize volunteer support and increase capacity at the Gleaners Community Food Bank.

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  • Several Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu member firms, led by Deloitte Financial Advisory Services LLP, advised the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in the aftermath of the 2004 Tsunami, in its efforts to maximize the efficiency and transparency of its tsunami resources.

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To learn more about the impact Deloitte is making, visit www.deloitte.com.