Corporate responsibility

As a proud participant in the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), the global EY organization is committed to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and to aligning strategy and operations with the UNGC Ten Principles.

Through the EY Ripples program, EY people are devoting their time to SDG-focused projects, bringing together the combined skills, knowledge and experience of the global EY network in pursuit of one shared vision: to positively impact one billion lives by 2030. At the same time, across the global EY organization, we continue to challenge ourselves to embed responsibility, inclusiveness and sustainability more deeply in everything we do. This includes through global commitments to upholding and promoting human rights, and to innovating toward a net zero future.

Overseeing these commitments is the EY Corporate Responsibility Governance Council, which includes several members of the EY Global Executive, and brings together leaders from across EY functions, service lines and geographies.

Positively impacting one billion lives by 2030

Faced with the urgent and interconnected challenges of climate change and social inequality, we believe businesses must go further, faster, to build a better working world — one that is socially just, economically inclusive and environmentally regenerative by design. Launched in 2018, with the ambition to positively impact one billion lives by 2030, the EY Ripples program embodies our quest to lead EY people and networks in accelerating progress toward the SDGs.

Using EY skills and experience across three focus areas

Together with clients and other like-minded organizations, EY people use their distinctive skills, knowledge and experience to bring positive change across three focus areas: supporting the next generation workforce, working with impact entrepreneurs and accelerating environmental sustainability. These are the areas where we believe our combined capabilities can make the biggest impact — where each ripple we start has the potential to grow and join with others to create waves of change.

Photo credit: Every1Mobile

EY Ripples extends the value of EY knowledge and networks to people and places we might not otherwise reach. It empowers EY people to devote their time to SDG-focused projects that apply their skills in different contexts, and help them develop as more inclusive leaders with a deeper understanding of the challenges facing low-income and marginalized communities. As more and more EY people learn to appreciate the social value of the skills they use every day, so creating long-term value for society becomes more deeply embedded in our culture.

Tackling the interconnected challenges of climate change and social inequality requires systemic change. By joining forces with clients and other like-minded organizations — including the following — across multiple countries, we can achieve together what no one organization could achieve alone. The constellation of organizations we work with includes government bodies, nonprofits, multinational corporations and impact investors, and it’s growing all the time.

Awards and accolades

The EY Ripples program and EY teams are earning worldwide recognition from clients and collaborators for the impact they’re making. Recent awards include:

• Winner of 2024 Microsoft Sustainability Changemaker Partner of the Year award
• Finalist for the 2024 SAP Pinnacle Award for Social Impact 
• Winner of “Corporate Award” Catalyst 2030 Awards 2023
• Finalist for Social Impact at the Reuters Responsible Business Awards 2023 
• Finalist for the employee volunteerism category at the 2023 Ragan CSR & Diversity Awards in the Americas
• Awarded the 2023 “Welcome. Working for Refugee Integration” award by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Italy
• Winner of NFTE’s 2023 Corporate Volunteer of the Year for the Post-Secondary/Alumni Programs
• Winner of Employee Communications at the 2023 SABRE Asia-Pacific Awards for creating ripples of change with impact entrepreneurs
• Winner of “Global Good Company of the Year — Bronze” and “Educational Excellence — Silver” at Global Good Awards in 2023
• Winner of the Microsoft 2023 Global Sustainability Changemaker Partner of the Year Award
• Winner of the 2023 International CSR Excellence Award for Corporate Citizenship
• Finalist for the 2023 SAP Pinnacle Award for Social Impact
• Received a Platinum Catalyst Business Commitment badge in 2023
• Winner of the 2022 SAP Pinnacle Award for Social Impact
• Winner of “Most Impactful Business Partner” in the Life Terra Climate Action Awards 2021–2022
• Winner of the 2022 Microsoft USA Inclusion Changemaker Award (for the EY STEM App)
• Winner of “Technology for Good — Silver” at Global Good Awards in 2022
• Winner of “We Excel in Sustainability” at Chiesi Vendor Day Italy in 2022
• Recognized on the MENTOR National Mentoring Honor Roll in 2022
• Winner of 2022 “Best ESG Strategy” Human Resources Online Employee Experience Awards in Hong Kong
• Winner of 2022 “Champion of Good” from Singapore National Volunteer And Philanthropy Centre
• Received 2022 “Deputy Prime Minister of Economic Affairs” Award from Chosun Media in Korea
• Winner of “Best Social Responsibility Project” in China’s 2021 Employer Branding Creativity Awards
• Recipient of the Junior Achievement USA Gold US President’s Volunteer Service Award for 2021–2022
• Awarded “JA Best Volunteer Program 2021” by Junior Achievement Italy
• Received a 2021 “Social Corporate Contribution Award” from Korea Economic Daily
• Received a 2021 “Social Contribution Award” from Chosun Media

Operating responsibly

At EY, we believe that when organizations align their aims with society’s, they will be more valuable and viable in the long-term, and we will all be closer to addressing some of the world’s greatest challenges. It is through this lens that we make long-term commitments, including in relation to upholding human rights and innovating toward a net zero future.