Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
In supporting the next generation, Grant Thornton Ireland works in partnership with local schools and universities to help students realise their fullest potential. The long-standing initiative supporting the Trinity Access Programme at Trinity College Dublin prepares students from under-represented backgrounds, such as those from disadvantaged areas, to attend college.
For over 12 years, Grant Thornton has been making an annual financial contribution to help fund the programme, providing engaging soft-skills training to all students, and providing mentoring by staff who volunteer to work on a one-to-one basis with students throughout the academic year. In addition to this, four students are offered summer internships at Grant Thornton offices.
In addition to staff offering reading support to local primary-school children through Business in the Community Ireland’s (BITC) Time to Read programme, Grant Thornton is also planning to support an educational programme on the environment and climate change, at a school near its City Quay headquarters in Dublin.
Covid-19 restrictions have proved challenging for CSR activity but in adapting to a changed landscape, Grant Thornton has managed to shift towards virtual events, including a virtual version of the GT5K annual corporate challenge. Grant Thornton invites businesses to enter the event, the profits from which are split between its 2021 charity partners, The Alzheimer Society of Ireland, the Alzheimer’s Society in Northern Ireland and Athletic Ireland’s (the organising body) Young Athletes programme.
Indeed, Grant Thornton has been working for the last two years towards achieving BITC’s Business Working Responsibly Mark, the leading independently audited standard for CSR and sustainability certification in Ireland.