I am delighted to introduce Deloitte Impact 2013. Our vision at Deloitte is to be the distinctive firm; defined by the impact we have on the success and reputation of our clients and the broader contribution we make to the society in which we operate. That vision supports our broader purpose of driving sustainable economic growth and improving high value skills in the UK.

Driving sustainable economic growth

Our responsibility in driving sustainable economic growth is based on our role as an audit firm in building confidence in capital markets through business transparency and assurance of audited financial statements; our role working with UK business in driving innovation and new thinking in the creation of new products, services and ways of working; and our UK Futures programme in supporting UK business playing a greater role in the global economy.

Deloitte this year issued the first extended audit report leading the way on business transparency. We have held 23 client innovation events in our iZone, the results of which supported client projected sales growth of £3 billion and client investments of more than £1 billion. In addition  our UK Futures programme has identified growth opportunities for UK business in developing markets and the key drivers of success working with Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to develop their export plans. Each of these areas is covered in more detail in the case studies attached to this report.

In addition to our role in supporting our clients drive sustainable economic growth, I am proud of our own contribution through the jobs we have created both directly and indirectly. The results for the year to May 2013 are very positive against the backdrop of a challenging and volatile market. Deloitte continued with its focus on quality, clients and people and has achieved a strong financial performance. This has enabled us to continue to make a significant overall contribution to the UK economy. This has included an increase in employment by more than 9 per cent from a year ago and Deloitte UK’s direct Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contribution increasing by 3 per cent from 2012, against growth of 0.4 per cent in the UK economy as a whole over the same period.

Linking that goal of driving sustainable economic growth with the broader contribution we wish to make is key. In my role as Senior Partner and Chief Executive of Deloitte I have had the opportunity to see and experience some amazing examples of our work, but in terms of pride in who we are as a firm and what we stand for it is hard to beat the time I have spent with a number of our Social Innovation Pioneers, hearing from them just how important our peoples’ contribution is to their success. I am immensely proud of the impact that the programme has had both in the growth of the Pioneers and our people.

Improving high value skills

Investing in talent and developing skills also remains a priority. It is through this investment that we are able to make a significant contribution to the availability of high-value skills within the UK economy. Having the right people and investing in their personal and professional development, through learning and fair access to opportunities, is vital. This year, we have recruited 2,567 people in the UK, which includes 1,200 graduates but also an increasing number recruited through initiatives such as BrightStart, helping us to reach a broader talent pool.

We are using our core skills and leadership capabilities to help equip future business leaders as well as encouraging and nurturing the talent of tomorrow. Through The Deloitte Academy, board directors and senior business people have benefited from one of the number of tailored training programmes we run each year. Education and skills has always been a key focus of our community investment activity enabling us to support more than 10,000 young people since 2006 through a range of employability and secondary school mentoring programmes.

Looking forward

The scrutiny professional services firms are under from regulators, politicians, investors, companies and other stakeholders continues.  The Competition Commission will announce the conclusions into its enquiry into the choice and competition in the audit market shortly. We have been proactive and constructive in participating in these discussions; and we take our public interest responsibilities very seriously.

I would welcome feedback from all stakeholders to help shape our future plans, there is opportunity to provide your thoughts as you read through the report, so please do take the time to comment. You can also send your thoughts directly to us at: ukdeloitteimpact@deloitte.co.uk

David Sproul
Chief Executive