EY awards US$1m to winners of the global Better begins with you program

LONDON, Jan. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- EY has awarded US$1m to the 2016 winners of its global program, Better begins with you, which recognizes outstanding EY people and teams who have found inspiring and impactful ways to bring the organization's purpose – building a better working world – to life.

Mark A. Weinberger, EY Global Chairman and CEO, says:

"Our Better begins with you program celebrates some of the very best people and teams we have at EY. They are the people who bring our purpose of building a better working world to life in the most inspiring ways."

EY employees worldwide nominate colleagues for a Better begins with you award. Five global winners in four categories will receive US$1m among them to further develop the initiatives for which they are being recognized, allowing them to have an even greater impact and continue to further the EY purpose through the work they do. There are two winners in the "Strengthening our communities" category, who will split the US$250,000 investment.

• Strengthening our communities: The German Diversity Charter refugee support team in the German member organization, for bringing together businesses, government bodies and social groups to help refugees integrate with the workforce and rebuild their new lives in Germany.
  And:
  Lee Ann Kline, US, for founding a not-for-profit program that prepares and inspires young women and underserved minorities of all genders to pursue science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) careers through paid internships, mentorships and scholarships.
• Driving exceptional client service: The pan-Asean Transaction Advisory Services (TAS) team, for supporting EY teams across the world on a major global transaction and, in the effort, transforming the EY relationship with the client in the Region using EY as a significant advisor throughout Asia.
• Developing outstanding leaders and teams: Thomas Zhou, Financial Services Organization (FSO), in the Hong Kong member firm, for bringing in new talent to build out the Asia-Pacific FSO Cybersecurity team and leading the team to successfully execute the largest-ever EY cyber deal in Asia.
• Pursuing innovation: Danny Dang, Tax, US, for creating an efficient and reliable reporting tool for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) team in the US, which has improved profitability and freed up EY people to focus more on their clients' immediate needs.

Nancy Altobello, EY Global Vice Chair – Talent, says:

"We see purpose as a journey, and to make it real, it needs to be something that our people believe in and embody with our clients every day. The Better begins with you program not only inspires our people about the impact their work has on the world, but also recognizes the individuals and teams who are exceptional examples of our commitment to building a better working world."

More than 50 Better begins with you global finalists and leadership from across EY met in Rome on 12 December, 2016 for an inspirational daytime celebration, including a private tour of the Vatican and hands-on cooking class, as well as an evening gala dinner where the five winners were announced.

Notes to Editors

About EY

EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. The insights and quality services we deliver help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and in economies the world over. We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for our communities.

EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com.

This news release has been issued by EYGM Limited, a member of the global EY organization that also does not provide any services to clients.

Kailyn Smigelski                                                                                            
EY Global Media Relations                                                                
+1 973 715 3624                                                                     
kailyn.smigelski@ey.com

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160620/381362LOGO