About Accenture

Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company. Combining unparalleled experience, comprehensive capabilities across all industries and business functions, and extensive research on the world's most successful companies, Accenture collaborates with clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments.

Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company, with more than 215,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Combining unparalleled experience, comprehensive capabilities across all industries and business functions, and extensive research on the worlds most successful companies, Accenture collaborates with clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. The company generated net revenues of US$21.6 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2010. Our "high performance business" strategy builds on our expertise in consulting, technology and outsourcing to help clients perform at the highest levels so they can create sustainable value for their customers and shareholders. Using our industry knowledge, service-offering expertise and technology capabilities, we identify new business and technology trends and develop solutions to help clients around the world:

y y y y

Enter new markets. Increase revenues in existing markets. Improve operational performance. Deliver their products and services more effectively and efficiently.

We have extensive relationships with the world's leading companies and governments and work with organizations of all sizesincluding 94 of the Fortune Global 100 and more than three quarters of the Fortune Global 500. Our commitment to client satisfaction strengthens and extends our relationships. For example, of our top 100 clients in fiscal year 2009, based on revenue, 99 have been clients for at least five years, and 91 have been clients for at least 10 years. Among the many strengths that distinguish Accenture in the marketplace are our:

y y y y y y

Extensive industry expertise. Broad and evolving service offerings. Expertise in business transformation outsourcing. History of technology innovation and implementation, including our research and development capabilities, on which we spend approximately $300 million annually. Commitment to the long-term development of our employees. Proven and experienced management team.

Our Core Values have shaped the culture and defined the character of our company, guiding how we behave and make decisions:

y y y y y y

Stewardship: Building a heritage for future generations, acting with an owner mentality, developing people everywhere we are, and meeting our commitments to all internal and external stakeholders. Best People: Attracting and developing the best talent for our business, stretching our people and developing a "can do" attitude. Client Value Creation: Improving our clients' business performance, creating long-term, win-win relationships and focusing on execution excellence. One Global Network: Mobilizing the power of teaming to deliver consistently exceptional service to our clients anywhere in the world. Respect for the Individual: Valuing diversity, ensuring an interesting and inclusive environment, and treating people as we would like to be treated ourselves. Integrity: Inspiring trust by taking responsibility, acting ethically, and encouraging honest and open debate.

By enhancing our consulting and outsourcing expertise with alliances and other capabilities, we help move clients forward in every part of their businesses, from strategic planning to day-to-day operations. With approximately 215,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, deep industry and business process expertise, broad global resources and a proven track record, Accenture can mobilize the right people, skills and technologies to help clients improve their performance.

Overview Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company. Combining unparalleled experience, comprehensive capabilities across all industries and business functions, and extensive research on the world's most successful companies, Accenture collaborates with clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. Net Revenues: US$21.55 billion for fiscal 2010 (12 months ended Aug. 31, 2010) Exchange/Ticker: NYSE / ACN Index Memberships: S&P Total Market Index, Russell 1000 Index, Fortune Global 500 Employees: More than 215,000 (including more than 4,800 senior executives) Global Reach: Offices and operations in more than 200 cities in 53 countries Geographic Regions: Americas Asia Pacific Europe / Middle East / Africa (EMEA) Senior Leadership: Pierre Nanterme Chief Executive Officer Jo Deblaere Chief Operating Officer Pamela J. Craig Chief Financial Officer Clients

Accenture's clients span the full range of industries around the world and include 94 of the Fortune Global 100 and more than three-quarters of the Fortune Global 500. Industry Expertise Accenture delivers its services and solutions through 19 focused industry groups in five operating groups. This industry focus provides Accenture s professionals with a thorough understanding of industry evolution, business issues and applicable technologies, enabling Accenture to deliver solutions tailored to each client's industry. Operating Groups and Industry Groups Communications & High Tech Financial Services Health & Public Service Products Resources Communications Electronics & High Tech Media & Entertainment Banking Capital Markets Insurance Health Public Service Air Freight & Travel Services Automotive

Consumer Goods & Services Industrial Equipment Infrastructure & Transportation Services Life Sciences Retail Chemicals Energy Natural Resources UtilitiesFact

History
[edit]Formation

and early years

Accenture originated as the business and technology consulting division of accounting firm Arthur Andersen. The division's origins are in a 1953 feasibility study for General Electric. GE asked Arthur Andersen to automate payroll processing and manufacturing at GE's Appliance Park facility near Louisville, Kentucky. Arthur Andersen recommended installation of a UNIVAC I computer and printer, which resulted in the first commercially owned computer installation in the United States in 1954. Joe Glickaufwas Arthur Andersen's project leader responsible for the payroll processing automation project. Now considered to be the father of computer consulting, Glickauf headed Arthur Andersen's Administrative Services division for 12 years. [edit]Splitting

from Arthur Andersen

In 1989, that division split from Arthur Andersen and began using the name Andersen Consulting. Both Arthur Andersen and Andersen Consulting consisted of groups of locally-owned independent partnerships and other entities around the world, each in a contractual agreement with Andersen Worldwide Socit Cooprative (AWSC), a Swiss administrative entity. By 2000, Andersen Consulting had achieved net revenues exceeding US$9.5 billion and had more than 75,000 employees in 46 countries,[6] whereas Arthur Andersen had revenues of US$9.3 billion with over 85,000 worldwide in 2001.

Through the 1990s there was increasing tension between Andersen Consulting and Arthur Andersen. Andersen Consulting was upset that it was paying Arthur Andersen up to 15% of its profits each year (a condition of the 1989 split was that the more profitable unit - AA or AC - paid the other this sum), while at the same time Arthur Andersen was competing with Andersen Consulting through its own newly established business consulting service line called Arthur Andersen Business Consulting. This dispute came to a head in 1998 when Andersen Consulting claimed breach of contract against AWSC and Arthur Andersen. Andersen Consulting put the 15% transfer payment for that year and future years into escrow and issued a claim for breach of contract. In August 2000, as a result of a conclusion of the International Chamber of Commerce, Andersen Consulting broke all contractual ties with AWSC and Arthur Andersen. As part of the arbitration settlement, Andersen Consulting paid the sum held in escrow (then $1.2 billion) to Arthur Andersen, and was required to change its name, resulting in the entity being renamed Accenture. Perhaps most telling about who had "won" the decision was that four hours after the arbitrator made his ruling, Arthur Andersen CEO Jim Wadia suddenly resigned. Industry analysts and business school professors alike viewed the event as a complete victory for Andersen Consulting.[7] Jim Wadia would provide insight on his resignation years later at a Harvard Business school case activity about the split. It turned out that the Arthur Andersen board passed a resolution saying he had to resign if he didn't get at least an incremental $4 billion (either through negotiation or via the arbitrator decision) for the consulting practice to split off; hence his quick resignation once the decision was announced.[citation
needed]

Accounts vary on why the split occurred executives on both sides of the split cite greed and arrogance on the part of the other side, and executives on the Andersen Consulting side maintained breach of contract when Arthur Andersen created a second consulting group, AABC (Arthur Andersen Business Consulting) which began to compete directly with Andersen Consulting in the marketplace. Many of the AABC firms were bought out by other consulting companies in 2002, most notably, Hitachi Consulting and KPMG Consulting, which later changed its name to BearingPoint. Andersen Consulting's change of name proved to be fortuitous as it avoided the taint when Arthur Andersen was effectively dissolved as a result of its role in the later Enron scandal. [edit]Emergence

of Accenture

On January 1, 2001 Andersen Consulting adopted its current name, "Accenture". The word "Accenture" is supposedly derived from "Accent on the future". Although a marketing consultancy was tasked with finding a new name for the company, the name "Accenture" was submitted by Kim Petersen, a Danish employee from the company's Oslo, Norway office, as a result of an internal competition. Accenture felt that the name should represent its will to be a global consulting leader and high performer, and also intended that the name should not be offensive in any country in which Accenture operates.
[citation needed]

Organization The majority of Accenture employees are organized in one of four "workforces", each of which serves a different function in the company. The specifics differ by workforce but it is commonplace for Accenture employees to work in blended teams for a variety of reasons.


Consulting: Focus on business consulting, process design work and the application of technologies to business. Responsible for sales, delivery, and leadership of most of Accenture's project-based work. Contains Accenture Technology Labs. Levels are Analyst to Senior Executive. Services: Most focus on outsourcing engagements in the areas of business operations, IT, applications development and maintenance, help desk services, and HR. Can also work on Consulting-led projects. Contains the Accenture National Security Services subsidiary which primarily services to US government entities. Levels are F through A (reverse alphabetical order, lowest to highest) and Senior Executive. Solutions: The Accenture Technology Solutions subsidiary focuses on the specific technology skills needed to deliver projects or outsourcing arrangements. Comprises the majority of Accenture's employees in delivery centers in developing countries like Brazil, India, and the Philippines. Levels are Programmer to Senior Executive, with slight regional variations. Enterprise: Focus on managing and supporting all activities across Accenture's business, including legal, security, facilities, marketing, and client financial management. Levels are Junior Assistant to Senior Executive. Other: Comprises subsidiaries like Avanade and Digiplug as described below.

[edit]

Inclusion & Diversity at Accenture

Diversity is essential to our ability to deliver high performance to clients. Our global workforce gives clients access to a rich range of talent, representing different styles, perspectives and experiences. This diversity is a critical strength that we work hard to maintain and foster. It makes us a better company on every dimension. Pierre Nanterme Chief Executive Officer At Accenture, we take the widest possible view of inclusion and diversity, going beyond gender, race, religion, ethnicity and sexuality to create a work environment that welcomes all forms of differences. Each employee is a respected member of our team; we recognize and value individual similarities and differences. Our workforce is a reflection of the clients we serve, the suppliers we do business with and the communities in which we operate. Inclusion and diversity are fundamental to our culture and core values, fostering an innovative and collaborative work environment that helps our people to be successful and enables Accenture to effectively compete in the global marketplace.

Alliances Extend Accenture Capabilities to Deliver the Best Solutions to Fit Client Needs Accenture has developed a powerful network of alliances with a core objective of helping our clients become highperformance businesses while getting the most value out of technology investments. Our alignment with market leaders and emerging players enables us to deliver a more complete solution to our clients. How Our Network of Alliances Benefit Clients Working closely with more than 150 technology market leaders complements and extends Accentures solutions and capabilities. Our network of alliance relationships strengthens our ability to help clients achieve: sustainable IT cost reduction; reduced total cost of ownership; reduced delivery risk; and accelerated vendor identification and evaluation cycle time. The proliferation of products, services and vendors creates a constant challenge for organizations wishing to optimize existing assets and accommodate new technologies. As a result, executives are searching for trusted and objective advisors with the knowledge and experience to help them navigate the sea of available technology. Accenture relies upon our network of alliances to augment our knowledge of the technology providers and products available globally. Our clients benefit from that knowledge, as well as:

y y

Enhanced vendor relationships with dedicated support resources. Privileged access to development software, demonstration hardware, architectural expertise, sizing and configuration assistance. Expedited vendor escalation processes. In addition, Accenture clients that leverage our network of alliances are able to reduce the risk and costs associated with the technology procurement process as well as the total cost of technology ownership. Through Accenture, organizations can streamline and expedite decision making and procurement processes.

Management Consulting
Accenture Management Consulting helps businesses achieve high performance. Drawing on our groundbreaking research and hands-on experience with highperformance businesses, Accenture delivers insights and puts them into action.

Services

We help our clients create value and architect change through our unique spectrum of management consulting services: Accenture Interactive Analytics Business Process Management Change Management Cloud Services Customer Relationship Management Driving Growth Finance & Performance Management International Development Manufacturing Mergers, Acquisitions and Alliances Mobility Operational Excellence Process & Innovation Performance Profit and Cash Optimization Risk Management Strategy Smart Grid Supply Chain Management Sustainability Talent & Organization Performance

Technology
Accenture provides a broad, deep spectrum of technology services to help organizations translate their strategic business agendas into IT initiatives and solutions that measurably improve performance.

Overvi
Accenture combines deep technology expertise and industry-specific insights into how technology impacts people and processes to deliver solutions that help clients achieve business outcomes with agility, speed and certainty. Accenture Interactive Accenture Software Analytics

Application Modernization & Optimization Application Outsourcing Capacity Services Cisco Cloud Services Data Center Embedded Software Global Delivery and Sourcing Human Capital Management Information Management Infrastructure Infrastructure Outsourcing IT Service Excellence IT Strategy & Transformation Microsoft Mobility Network Technology Open Source Oracle SAP Security Smart Grid Sustainability Systems Integration Consulting Technology Architecture Technology Consulting Testing Services Workplace Enablemen

Outsourcing Services
Accenture enables high performance through outsourcing management. Our experience and global capabilities make us a world leader in application outsourcing, infrastructure outsourcing, business process outsourcing and bundled outsourcing.

Services Accentures global outsourcing services touch every industry and business process. We transform our clients operations, making them smarter, faster and cheaper, while working with visionary organizations to define innovations in strategic outsourcing. Airline BPO: Navitaire Application Outsourcing Bundled Outsourcing Business Process Outsourcing Capacity Services Customer Contact BPO Engineering BPO Finance and Accounting BPO Global Delivery and Sourcing Health Administration BPO Human Resources BPO Industry-specific BPO Infrastructure Outsourcing Insurance BPO Learning BPO Procurement BPO Supply Chain BPO Testing Services Utilities BPO