Deloitte and United Nations Development Programme

The Project

Led by Deloitte Financial Advisory Services LLP (Deloitte FAS), Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu (Deloitte) member firms advised the (UNDP) in the aftermath of the 2004 Tsunami, in its efforts to maximize the efficiency and transparency of its tsunami resources. 

The Opportunity

The 2004 tsunami disaster in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Thailand resulted in an unprecedented need for financial and human resources within the UNDP for the tsunami-impacted countries and at UNDP Headquarters (HQ) in New York.  The UNDP was faced with the challenge of spending an increased amount of development assistance funding and needed to quickly integrate new tools and processes to assist the organization in better delivering aid to tsunami-impacted areas.

Deloitte's Pro Bono Investment

More than 60 full-time and short-term technical specialists representing seven Deloitte member firms from the United States, Australia, Canada, India, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand donated more than 14,000 hours to provide a variety of focused advisory services to UNDP from 4 April to 1 November 2005.

The project objectives were to facilitate increased country capacity, advance the UNDP's goal of focused program development and improve the transparency and accountability of funds distribution related to the tsunami relief effort. 

The Impact

The work was valued at over $5 million and was publicly recognized as exemplary corporate citizenship by Presidents Clinton and George H.W. Bush in their multiple UN addresses regarding the Tsunami relief efforts. Deloitte's assistance helped augment the UNDP's ongoing capacity through the development of over one hundred tools, methodologies and deliverables, adapted to the unique needs of each UNDP Country Office and procurement at HQ. These tools are serving as the catalyst to affect change and many are now standard practices in the UNDP offices where they were developed.

About the Client

UNDP is the UN's global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP is on the ground in 166 countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. As they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and its wide range of partners.

About the Company

"Deloitte" is the brand under which tens of thousands of dedicated professionals in independent firms throughout the world collaborate to provide audit, consulting, financial advisory, risk management, and tax services to selected clients.  In the United States, Deloitte's community involvement strategy is focused on leveraging the organization's intellectual capital for social impact and business value.  Pro-bono service is a key component of the delivery of the strategy. Learn more about the company and their commitment to the community at www.deloitte.com.