Accenture Teams with Code.org to Support Increased Funding for Computer Science Education

From Accenture:

Accenture Teams with Code.org to Support Increased Funding for Computer Science Education
 
Company donates $500,000 to support Code.org’s mission of expanding access to computer science and increasing participation by women and other underrepresented groups

 
NEW YORK; April 26, 2016 – Accenture (NYSE: ACN) today announced an expanded collaboration and joint campaign with Code.org, joining with other major businesses, elected officials and educators to encourage increased funding for computer science education for K-12 students. As part of its commitment, Accenture will donate $500,000 to support Code.org activities around the nation plus additional pro bono services.
 
In an open letter to Congress, the Computer Science Education Coalition – a diverse group of businesses and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) – in partnership with Code.org, is encouraging Congress to approve $250 million in federal funding for a critically important investment in K-12 computer science education.
 
“Accenture has long been committed to the ongoing effort of promoting computer science education in our schools,” said Julie Sweet, Accenture chief executive – North America. “We are proud to expand our collaboration with Code.org by joining the Computer Science Education Coalition, hand in hand with other leaders in the technology industry, to urge change in the way we educate the next generation of technology innovators and prepare them for the 21st century workforce.”
 
In addition to joining Code.org and others in the Computer Science Education Coalition, Accenture will encourage its U.S. employees to help maximize grassroots support for the open letter launch by signing the online petition at www.change.org/computerscience. The company will also provide tools to help employees amplify their commitment via social media and with their respective state and local governments.
 
“Providing every student with access to computer science education is essential for the next generation to succeed and thrive in the digital economy, especially young women and underrepresented students of color,” said Paul Daugherty, Accenture’s chief technology officer. “Today’s digital natives may have been born on the Internet but without access to computer science education, they will fail to realize their full potential as productive members of the workforce of the future. Through our work with Code.org, we want to help students acquire the foundational technology skills they need to pursue their goals.”
 
The commitment of funds and pro bono services expands the existing relationship between Code.org and Accenture. Last year, Accenture teamed with Code.org to advance coding proficiency and encourage participation in Hour of Code, one of the world’s largest educational events, inspiring thousands of Accenture employees in nearly 200 cities around the world to pledge over 12,000 Hours of Code during Computer Science Education Week.
 
The collaboration with Code.org complements Accenture’s investment in other technology skills development programs through its corporate citizenship focus on building Skills to Succeed.
 
About Accenture
Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries and all business functions – underpinned by the world’s largest delivery network – Accenture works at the intersection of business and technology to help clients improve their performance and create sustainable value for their stakeholders. With approximately 373,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture drives innovation to improve the way the world works and lives. Visit us at www.accenture.com.
 
About Code.org
Code.org® is a non-profit dedicated to expanding access to computer science, and increasing participation by women and underrepresented students of color. More information about Code.org is available at http://code.org/about
 
About The Computer Science Education Coalition
The Computer Science Education Coalition is a nonprofit organization comprised of businesses and NGOs focused on securing federal funds that will provide computer science education to all K-12 students. More information about the Computer Science Education Coalition is available athttp://csecoalition.org.
 

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