E&Y;, lan Canada join forces to provide disaster relief and recovery

TORONTO — Responding effectively to natural disasters and emergencies is critical to the success of relief efforts, Ernst & Young LLP and Plan Canada said when announcing a new agreement. To support Plan Canada’s disaster relief and recovery work, Ernst & Young is donating $150,000 over three years to their cause.

“Plan Canada’s focus on recovery aligns with our firm’s culture of supporting communities, and we’re very proud to join forces,” explains Trent Henry, Ernst & Young’s Canadian Chairman and CEO. “Immediate relief efforts to support children and families hard-hit by disasters and struggling to cope and survive are critical. But we believe that providing continuing support to help rebuild infrastructure for things like schools will allow communities to survive – and thrive – in the long term.”

Ernst & Young’s support is welcomed by Plan Canada which not only supports families during emergencies like droughts, floods, or famines, but also works together with communities to plan and prepare for emergencies before they occur. As a child-focused organization, Plan also works to protect the rights and lives of children during emergencies, providing them with psycho-social support when needed, child-friendly play and learning spaces and ensuring their needs are addressed through short and long-term recovery projects.

“Ernst & Young’s support not only helps us provide children and their families with clean water, shelter, food, and other necessary items they need to survive an emergency, but it also allows us to quickly address recovery efforts which are essential to help communities rebuild,” said Rosemary McCarney, President and CEO of Plan Canada. “Ernst & Young understands the importance of recovery, and they get involved. We feel so fortunate today that we can count on this firm as one of our dedicated partners in bringing urgent relief – and longer term recovery – to people affected by disasters.”

Plan Canada is also working with Ernst & Young to develop a customized portal that allows employees to make donations in the event of a disaster or emergency. The donations from Ernst & Young employees will also be used to support emergency relief and recovery programs and projects provided by Plan Canada. Ernst & Young is the first professional services firm of its kind to sign on with Plan Canada in this capacity.

“From Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy to the earthquakes in Haiti, we’ve all witnessed the devastating trail a natural disaster or emergency can leave in its wake,” Henry says. “This collaboration ensures that Ernst & Young’s support gets to those in need and makes as big an impact as possible.”