KPMG Joins The Millennium Villages Project to Help Address Extreme Poverty in Africa

Corporate Social Responsibility Press Release

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10.10.2008 - 11:17am ET

KPMG Joins The Millennium Villages Project to Help Address Extreme Poverty in Africa

$1.5 million contribution and skill-based assistance committed towards

(CSRwire) NEW YORK,NY. - Oct 10, 2008 – KPMG LLP, the U.S. audit, tax and advisory firm, has announced a $1.5 million contribution over the next five years to Millennium Promise, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending extreme poverty in sub-Saharan Africa, to help support a Millennium Village in Tanzania.

The Millennium Villages project—the flagship initiative of Millennium Promise, implemented in cooperation with the Earth Institute at Columbia University and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)—now reaches over 400,000 people in 80 villages across 10 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. In addition to KPMG in the U.S., KPMG International, KPMG in Japan, KPMG in Canada and KPMG in Russia are also providing financial and other commitments to support the project.

"KPMG is proud to participate in the Millennium Villages' important efforts to reduce extreme poverty," said Timothy P. Flynn, KPMG chairman. "This relationship is consistent with KPMG's commitment to being a responsible corporate citizen and is one of several KPMG initiatives dedicated to help make the world a better place."

The announcement was made by KPMG partner Kelly Watson at the Millennium Promise Partners' Meeting on September 26, 2008—held during the annual opening week of the U.N. General Assembly meetings—where she outlined KPMG's financial commitment to support comprehensive development strategies in a Millennium Village in Tanzania. KPMG will also enlist employees and partners to provide pro-bono, skill-based assistance to the Millennium Villages project, as well as raise awareness to inspire further support from KPMG International member firms.

"KPMG is committed to supporting sustainable communities throughout the world," said Watson in her remarks at the event. "This commitment guided the U.S. firm's Women's Advisory Board to initiate involvement with the Millennium Villages project and also underscores KPMG's support for the Millennium Development Goals outlined by the United Nations."

In response to the announcement at the event, Millennium Promise's CEO and executive director, John McArthur, said, "Millennium Promise is thrilled to be partnering with a leader like KPMG in this important partnership. We look forward to working with KPMG member firms to draw upon their vast resources and expertise to support rural communities in Africa that are working to escape extreme poverty."

Also in attendance from KPMG was partner Tsutomu Takahashi, who represented KPMG's member firm in Tokyo, Japan, as well as James Geisel, senior manager, advisory-Charlotte; Ed Giniat, partner, audit-Chicago; Masahiro Miyahara, partner, audit-Tokyo, currently based in New York; Ron Safran, partner, advisory-New York; Jane Smallman, manager-London; and Derek Watson, principal, advisory-Short Hills.

"As I visit KPMG member firm offices around the world, I consistently find determination, compassion and a compelling desire of our people to make a difference in the lives of others," said Lord Michael Hastings, KPMG's global head of citizenship and diversity.

"The Millennium Villages project provides an outstanding opportunity for KPMG people to apply their passion to an important effort to support those truly in need."

As part of KPMG's Global Development Initiatives, the firm has since 2006 provided pro-bono economic and commercial work in support of a related project—the Millennium Cities Initiative. KPMG member firms in China, India, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States have worked with the Millennium Cities Initiative to support the delivery of investment reports, which are used to encourage foreign investment in sub-Saharan cities. KPMG is now proud to expand its support of sustainable development in Africa to rural communities through its partnership with Millennium Promise.

About KPMG LLP
KPMG LLP, the audit, tax and advisory firm (www.us.kpmg.com), is the U.S. member firm of KPMG International. KPMG International's member firms have 123,000 professionals, including more than 7,100 partners, in 145 countries.

About Millennium Promise
Founded in September 2005 by philanthropist Ray Chambers and Dr. Jeffrey Sachs, Millennium Promise is the only organization in the United States entirely dedicated to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)—eight globally endorsed objectives that address the many aspects of extreme poverty—in Africa by 2015(www.millenniumpromise.org). To that end, Millennium Promise works with impoverished communities, national and local governments and partner organizations to implement high-impact programs aimed at transforming lives on the continent and engaging governments, the private sector and the general public in the effort. Millennium Promise's work is premised on the belief that, for the first time in history, our generation has the opportunity to end extreme poverty, hunger and preventable disease.

About the Millennium Villages
The Millennium Villages are a proof of concept initiative to demonstrate that the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)—eight globally endorsed objectives that address the many aspects of extreme poverty—can be achieved in even the poorest and most remote rural communities in Africa by combining the best scientific and local knowledge to chart a course for ground-level, community-based support for agriculture, health, education, infrastructure and business development.