Climate Change Data

Environmental Metrics

ESG Focus Areas

• Business ethics
• Data security
• Employee engagement, diversity, inclusion

Environmental Achievements

• Recycled 273 tons of paper, avoiding 395,177 pounds of CO2 emissions, conserving 1,365 cubic yards of landfill space, saving 4,579 trees and 7,480,791 gallons of water, and 616,781 kWh of electricity.

Social Achievements

• Listed for 13 consecutive years on Working Mother’s 100 Best Companies list and six times as a Top Company for Executive Women by the National Association for Female Executives. In 2018, listed as 24th on Forbes first-ever Best Employer for Diversity list.
• Hosted first Inclusive Leadership Conference focused on inclusive leadership skills.

Governance Achievements

• Established the Grant Thornton Audit Quality Advisory Council to advise on maintaining and improving the firm’s system of quality control.
• Published an Audit Quality and Transparency Report in 2019.

Climate Goals & Targets

Environmental Challenges

• Not disclosed

Mitigation Strategies

• Not disclosed

Supply Chain Management

Supplier Audits: Not disclosed

Responsible Procurement

• Building ESG considerations into contracts with vendors

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

Physical Risks

• Not disclosed

Transition Risks

• Not disclosed

Opportunities

• Not disclosed

Reporting Standards

Frameworks Used: GRI

Certifications: ISO 27001

Third-party Assurance: Not disclosed

UN Sustainable Development Goals

• Not disclosed

Not disclosed

Sustainable Products & Innovation

• Not disclosed

Awards & Recognition

• Numerous awards and recognition listed in the report

Environmental Metrics

ESG Focus Areas

• Employee engagement
• Diversity and inclusion
• Quality, ethics and risk
• Innovation, data security and infrastructure resilience
• Community support
• Environment
• Professional integrity
• Data security
• Workforce diversity and engagement
• Digital innovation and transformation
• Environmental policies

Environmental Achievements

• Saved 288,264 pounds of CO2 emissions
• Avoided 199 tons
• Recycled 199 tons (Note: This is an estimate and not comparable to previous years due to COVID-19)
• Reduced office paper, electricity, and water usage due to remote work (quantification difficult due to COVID-19)

Social Achievements

• Launched a DE&I National Leadership Team Task Force
• Implemented a wide range of actions, policy changes, and commitments related to diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Expanded existing benefits and introduced new limited-time benefits to support colleagues during the pandemic
• Created GT Flex, a workplace flexibility program
• Partnered with a digital mental health service
• Offered a free tutoring service
• Started interim dining support services
• Achieved a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index for four consecutive years
• Donated $600,000 to the Southern Poverty Law Center and Thurgood Marshall College Fund
• Provided 40 annual chargeable hours for each employee to support community organizations and internal Business Resource Groups

Governance Achievements

• PCAOB Part I inspection results were among the best in the profession for the third year in a row
• Restatements declined, setting a new bar for quality
• 100% of personnel completed Code of Conduct policy certification
• 95% of personnel completed Code of Conduct training
• 0 confirmed incidents of corruption or legal actions regarding corruption
• 0 legal actions regarding anti-competitive behavior
• Published first Audit Quality and Transparency Report
• Established Grant Thornton Audit Quality Advisory Council
• ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certification for IT services
• No significant data breaches in FY 2020

Climate Goals & Targets

Environmental Challenges

• COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on operations and employee well-being
• National reckoning on diversity, equity, and inclusion issues
• Data security threats
• Measuring environmental impact accurately due to remote work

Mitigation Strategies

• Rapid response to COVID-19, including office closures and remote work transition
• Development of pandemic-related solutions for clients
• Expansion of remote technology capacity and benefit programs
• Formation of a COVID-19 project management office
• Creation of a COVID-19 resource center
• Launch of DE&I National Leadership Team Task Force
• Implementation of various DE&I initiatives and policy changes
• Continuous monitoring and assessment of information security procedures
• Improved internal data collection and processing procedures for environmental criteria

Supply Chain Management

Responsible Procurement

• Supplier Code of Conduct

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

UN Sustainable Development Goals

• Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities
• Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
• Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
• Goal 13: Climate Action
• Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals

The report mentions alignment with these SDGs throughout various initiatives.

Awards & Recognition

• Brandon Hall Group Gold award for Excellence in Leadership Development

Environmental Metrics

ESG Focus Areas

• Talent attraction, retention and development
• Employee health, safety and well-being
• Employee diversity, equity and inclusion
• Climate change and carbon emissions
• Ethics and integrity
• Data privacy and cybersecurity
• Technology and innovation

Environmental Achievements

• Reduced paper waste by securely shredding and recycling 89 tons of paper, resulting in estimated environmental benefits (see report for details)
• Recycled over 1,100 pieces of e-waste

Social Achievements

• Increased employee perceptions of feeling valued and appreciated by 8 percentage points
• 88% of colleagues reported being engaged at work, with 51% reporting they are highly engaged
• Expanded parental leave benefits to include up to 12 weeks of paid leave at 100% salary for all active colleagues
• Launched Fusion digital badge program to enhance skills development
• Contributed $600,000 to the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund
• Helped raise over $550,000 for Purple Paladins non-profit organizations

Governance Achievements

• Achieved 99% completion rate for annual Code of Conduct, Respect in the Workplace, and Independence & Ethics trainings
• Established a new organizational structure to elevate the information security program
• Achieved ISO 27701 certification for privacy management system

Climate Goals & Targets

Environmental Challenges

• Climate change and its potential indirect impacts on the firm's business
• Changing stakeholder expectations and increased concerns around climate change

Mitigation Strategies

• Expanded Risk & Compliance team to monitor changing stakeholder expectations related to ESG
• Improved processes related to climate and ESG disclosures
• Set absolute greenhouse gas emissions reduction and net zero targets
• Addressed ESG-related topics regularly among leadership and Partnership Board
• Revised travel policies and budgets to reduce emissions from business travel

Supply Chain Management

Responsible Procurement

• Supplier Code of Conduct
• Supplier Diversity Initiative
• Sustainable Procurement Statement

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

Transition Risks

• Changing stakeholder expectations and increased concerns around climate change
• Risk of insufficient action in response to climate change

Opportunities

• Access to new markets and expanded opportunities due to client interest in ESG services
• Flexible work models reducing business travel

Reporting Standards

Frameworks Used: GRI Standards: Core option, SASB Standards for the professional and commercial services industry, TCFD recommendations, UN Sustainable Development Goals

Certifications: ISO 27001, ISO 27701

UN Sustainable Development Goals

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
• SDG 4: Quality Education
• SDG 5: Gender Equality
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
• SDG 13: Climate Action

See report for details on how initiatives contribute to these goals

Sustainable Products & Innovation

• cta.x (automated internal controls testing)
• te.x (indirect tax engines implementation platform)
• ptvault.x (personal property tax management platform)
• SOC.x (System and Organization Controls reporting platform)

Awards & Recognition

• 2021 Employee Voice Award (Excellence in Engagement)
• 2021 global Best Advance in Performance Management Silver award (Brandon Hall Group)
• 2021 Disability Equality Index “Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion” (100% score)
• Perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index (five consecutive years)
• Seramount’s “50 Best Companies for Dads” (three consecutive years)
• Seramount’s “100 Best Companies for Working Mothers” (16 consecutive years)
• 2021 Silver Stevie® winner for Governance, Risk & Compliance Solutions – SOC.x tool
• 2021 Bronze Stevie® winner for Integration Solutions – alyx™
• 2021 Bronze Stevie® winner for Most Valuable Service – COVID-19 Pandemic Resiliency Assessment Tool
• 2021 DHS Mentor-Protégé Team of the Year

Environmental Metrics

ESG Focus Areas

• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I)
• Sustainability
• Climate Change
• Employee Well-being
• Ethics and Integrity
• Data Privacy and Cybersecurity
• Technology and Innovation
• Community Involvement

Environmental Achievements

• Reduced GHG emissions by 37% from 2019 baseline in calendar year 2022.
• Submitted GHG emission reduction targets to the SBTi for validation.
• Obtained limited assurance of GHG emissions inventories for calendar years 2019 and 2022.
• Established 10 Local Green Teams in offices across the U.S.
• Awarded Gold Medal rating from EcoVadis for the second year in a row.

Social Achievements

• Met aspiration of 40% of partners, principals, and managing directors being women, people of color, LGBTQ+, individuals with disabilities, veterans, or military spouses by the end of fiscal year 2025.
• Met aspiration of 50% of hot-skills training opportunities including participants who are women, people of color, LGBTQ+, individuals with disabilities, veterans, or military spouses by the end of fiscal year 2025.
• Recorded more than 19,000 hours of colleague participation in business resource group (BRG) activities, community service and/or volunteer engagements.
• Named to the 2023 “Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion” with a top score of 100% by Disability Equality Index®.
• Named one of Seramount’s 2023 “100 Best Companies” for the 18th year in a row.
• Earned 100% on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index for the sixth year in a row.
• Awarded Brandon Hall Group Gold in the “Best Program for Upskilling Employees” category for digital badging and Career Compass.
• Awarded Brandon Hall Group Silver in the “Best Blended Learning Program” category for the Manager Development Program.

Governance Achievements

• Kelli Knoble elected Partnership Board Chair (first woman in firm's history).
• Implemented new ERM technology to facilitate risk identification and assessment.
• Established the firm’s new Risk Council to improve oversight of risk management.

Climate Goals & Targets

Environmental Challenges

• Meeting changing client expectations for transparency on environmental, sustainability, and climate-related actions.
• Risks of weather and climate-related events impacting daily operations.
• Transitioning to lower emissions-generating solutions.
• Addressing potential revenue losses due to inaction on climate-related risks and opportunities.

Mitigation Strategies

• Expanded key areas of Risk and Compliance team (ERM and Sustainability).
• Improved processes related to climate and ESG disclosures.
• Developed a roadmap to achieve GHG emission reduction targets.
• Implemented strategies to reduce emissions (e.g., hybrid work model, reduced office footprint, renewable energy procurement).

Supply Chain Management

Supplier Audits: Third-party validation of vendor base for diverse suppliers in 2023.

Responsible Procurement

• Supplier Code of Conduct
• Sustainable Procurement Statement
• Supplier Diversity Initiative

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

Physical Risks

• Severe weather events impacting operations

Transition Risks

• Transitioning to lower emissions solutions
• Changing client expectations

Opportunities

• Resource efficiencies from hybrid work model and reduced office footprint
• Expanded opportunities due to client interest in ESG services

Reporting Standards

Frameworks Used: GRI Standards (including the revised GRI Universal Standards 2021), SASB Standards for the professional and commercial services industry, TCFD recommendations, UN Sustainable Development Goals (U.N. SDGs)

Certifications: ISO 27001, ISO 27701, ISO 27017

Third-party Assurance: Limited assurance obtained for 2019 and 2022 GHG emissions data by an external CPA firm.

UN Sustainable Development Goals

• Goal 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy)
• Goal 13 (Climate Action)
• Goal 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth)
• Goal 10 (Reduced Inequalities)
• Goal 5 (Gender Equality)
• Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities)
• Goal 17 (Partnerships for the Goals)

Report details how initiatives contribute to these goals.

Awards & Recognition

• EcoVadis Gold Medal
• Brandon Hall Group Gold and Silver awards