KPMG: enhancing learning in schools
This case study outlines the partnership between KPMG and the Economist Educational Foundation.
Background
KPMG, the Anglo-Dutch multinational professional services network began a partnership with the Economist Educational Foundation in the summer of 2019. KPMG wanted to further enhance its support in schools for numeracy and to enable social mobility. Basic skills such as numeracy, literacy and essential skills are the primary ways the company has targeted its support. KPMG sees these as the building blocks of social mobility and providing opportunities to volunteer and support communities is core to its values.
Programme
Prior to COVID-19, the programme delivered half-day ‘Numeracy in the News’ workshops for 15 schools across the UK at KPMG offices. The sessions were led by the Economist Educational Foundation and supported by KPMG volunteers. The Economist Foundation also designed the materials in collaboration with KPMG and successfully delivered five face-to-face sessions before lockdown in March 2020. Each workshop involved 28 students and 7 KPMG volunteers.
The impact of COVID-19
With ten workshops to deliver, KPMG and The Economist Educational Foundation worked together to develop an online, interactive version of the programme.
Firstly, the resources for both teachers and parents were re-worked and published on their website, available for free to facilitate home learning. The ten remaining workshops were brought together into one large online workshop in November 2020 and delivered over a school day. The organisations worked together intensively for four months to design the online event programme.
Delivery on the day brought together students and teachers from 10 schools and KPMG from sites UK-wide via Zoom and MS Teams.
Outputs
The programme delivered:
- A six-week Numeracy in the News programme for 25 schools.
- Creation of a 6-hour package of multimedia Numeracy in the News teaching resources.
- KPMG volunteers supported students online via The Economist Educational Foundation’s online platform.
- Live visits organised with KPMG volunteers to build personal connections with students.
Business in the Community’s work on employment and skills
Business in the Community (BITC) works with organisations to create meaningful employment. This is one of the most significant ways that business contributes to individuals’ and communities’ livelihoods and is the only sustainable route out of poverty for many.
Offering quality work experience, adopting new recruitment approaches, and breaking down barriers to entering work for people from disadvantaged groups can benefit business by tackling skills shortages, building new talent pipelines, boosting retention rates, and achieving higher productivity.
Next step
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