Andersen Consulting

Andersen Consulting is a global company that is known for being a leader in management and technology consulting. Lately, the Atlanta office is leading the way in community service as well. The company promotes employee involvement by sponsoring monthly volunteer projects and incorporating these projects into the orientation process for new employees. The valuable work that is done by Andersen's staff is recorded in the pages of a civic newsletter that highlights volunteer activities.

Five hundred Andersen employees from the Atlanta office contributed more than 20,000 hours of service to the Atlanta community through Hands on Atlanta, a citywide volunteer program. The company established its partnership with Hands on Atlanta in 1993. Dedicated employees have the option of participating in monthly projects or large scale quarterly projects that address a specific community need. The services performed by these employees for Hands on Atlanta are diverse, addressing a wide variety of community needs, Project Open Hand and beautification at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens.

Two hundred and fifty Andersen Consulting volunteers and more than 175 students at Southside High School collaborated to create an overhead art gallery on the ceiling of the school to beautify the drab, dimly-lit hallways. Using overhead projectors, they traced paintings onto 35 large, wooden tiles. The volunteers then painted the tiles and later helped landscape the school grounds. In another instance, 130 Andersen volunteers from the Products Industry Group poured their energy into fixing the grounds and facilities of the Virginia Highlands YMCA. This beautification process was in the spring of 1997, when Andersen Consulting conducted a series of projects including the Bellwood Boys & Girls Club, the Atlanta Community Food Bank and Norcross Elementary. More than 450 total Andersen employees participated in these four projects.

The Andersen Consulting outstanding community outreach directives extend beyond the scope of most corporate service and inspired Hands On Atlanta to develop a model program called the Corporate and Group Volunteerism Program (CGVP). This program draws a great amount of support from Andersen Consulting, who has contributed their skills, expertise and funds to achieving maximum program growth. A manual designed by Andersen Consulting guides corporate liaisons in methods to create meaningful volunteer opportunities for their employees. In 1997, there were more than 150 corporate groups involved in community service through the CGVP as a direct result of Andersen Consulting's continued support for the program.