Many people would think of accountants as dressed in suits and sitting in offices, but for the employees at Ernst & Young, under Northeast Ohio Managing Partner Don Misheff’s leadership, they defy the stereotype. Instead, adorned with softball-jersey style shirts bearing the Ernst & Young logo, they’re out in the community volunteering with organizations all across Northeast Ohio.
More than 350 employees participated in the annual E&Y Day of Caring this past year, in which they volunteered at 17 locations across the Greater Cleveland and Akron areas, including Medwish, Boys and Girls Club of Cleveland, Cleveland Foodbank, Replay for Kids, Ronald McDonald House of Cleveland Inc., Shoes and Clothes for Kids, Haven of Rest, and The Humane Society of Greater Akron, just to name a few.
In addition to that, for the past two years, the people in Ernst & Young’s Akron and Cleveland offices have opted to forego having a traditional holiday party and instead help families in need during the holiday season. Employees came together to adopt 126 families, including 361 children, by raising funds to purchase gifts from families’ wish lists and to provide gift cards for food, clothing and other necessities. On top of that, the firm matched their efforts, with a total of $80,000 donated.
In addition to these large annual events, Ernst & Young has implemented “jeans days” in its offices, where employees donate $5 to wear jeans every Friday. The money that is collected is then divided among organizations that the employees have requested to support, such as the Akron Symphony, American Cancer Hope Lodges, Blessing House, Boy Scouts of America — Greater Cleveland Council, Laura’s Home, Northeast Ohio Adoption Services, Harvest for Hunger and many others.
The offices have also raised $756,000 for the United Way this year and contributed an additional $390,000 to a variety of other organizations, as well. But beyond donating money, Ernst & Young encourages its employees to get out and volunteer with the causes that are important to them. By providing a flexible work environment, employees are able to get involved and further serve the community in ways that are most meaningful to them.
How to reach: Ernst & Young, (330) 255-5804 or www.ey.com
