KPMG generates charitable donations through corporate American Express card

Under an innovative new agreement announced today, KPMG staff in the UK who use the firm's American Express Corporate Card to pay for their business expenses will be helping to raise funds for KPMG's charity of the year, currently Help the Hospices

 

Under the agreement, a proportion of the value of every business transaction on the corporate American Express card will go to Help the Hospices, which is KPMG's current staff-selected charity in the UK. KPMG hopes to raise at least £100,000 for charity through the scheme.

KPMG will be providing further support to Help the Hospices by carrying out 'green audits' for their sites on energy use - to find ways to help reduce the hospices' carbon footprint and reduce their energy consumption, thereby helping them to benefit the environment and save against their existing running costs. KPMG in the UK has already raised over £500,000 for Help the Hospices through other activities in the last year.

KPMG staff can also elect to join the American Express Membership Rewards scheme and, if they do, individuals can choose for the points that they earn to be donated to charity.

In order to encourage travellers to consider their environmental impact, the KPMG scheme incorporates extra benefits allocated to rail travel. Extra benefits are also available on hotel bookings.

"We are delighted to be able to generate charitable donations through the simple use of our corporate American Express cards. Now, whenever a member of staff pays for any business expense using the card they will also be triggering some money for a great cause,” commented Mike Kelly, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at KPMG in the UK.

"The firm's carbon footprint is also very important to us. The new scheme rewards rail travel with extra points with the aim of increasing the use of the train on short haul journeys, where rail travel can be a viable alternative to flying or driving.”

Last year, KPMG staff in the UK made nearly 2,000 journeys from London to Paris and nearly 1,000 journeys from London to Brussels. Around two-thirds of these journeys were made by train.

Jean Diacono, American Express EMEA Global Client Group Vice President, said:
"We are delighted to partner with KPMG and assist them in demonstrating their commitment to community service and environmental stewardship in an innovative, beneficial way.”

David Burland, Chief Operating Officer of Help the Hospices, said:
"This really is great news for our partnership and is a testament to how imaginative KPMG is in finding ways to support us.”


KPMG News 19 December 2007


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Further information:
Mark Hamilton, KPMG Corporate Communications
Phone: 020 7694 2687 


About KPMG:
KPMG is the global network of professional services firms who provide audit, tax and advisory services. KPMG LLP operates from 22 offices across the UK with over 10,000 partners and staff. KPMG in the UK recorded a turnover of £1.45 billion in the year ended September 2006. KPMG LLP, a UK limited liability partnership, is a subsidiary of KPMG Europe LLP and a member firm of the KPMG network of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International, a Swiss cooperative.


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