Washington, D.C. – September 23, 2010 – Corporate Pro Bono (CPBO), a partnership project of the Pro Bono Institute (PBI) and the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC), is delighted to announce that the legal departments of Accenture, Caterpillar, Merck, in partnership with Baker & McKenzie and the Public Interest Law Institute (PILI), have been selected as this year’s CPBO Pro Bono Partner Award winners for their innovative partnership program. The award will be presented at PBI’s Annual Dinner in New York on November 4.
Accenture, Caterpillar, and Merck in partnership with global law firm Baker & McKenzie and PILI have created a virtually unprecedented and innovative inter-company, cross-border approach to meaningfully impact humanitarian issues. The resulting program united nearly 70 lawyers in eleven countries, all working to help PILI position International Public Interest Law Fellow Sarmila Shrestha, to move forward with her efforts to reduce socioeconomic and sexual exploitation of women in the workplace in Nepal.
“Major corporations working together, not only with a law firm and public interest organization, but also with each other is a true testament to the importance and value of pro bono work worldwide,” said Esther Lardent, President and CEO of the Pro Bono Institute. “The work of Accenture, Caterpillar, and Merck in partnership with Baker & McKenzie to support the efforts of PILI in support of powerless women in Nepal is awe-inspiring.”
“ACC is thrilled to see the growth and expansion of corporate pro bono service in legal departments,” said Fred Krebs, President of ACC. “The fact that corporate legal departments are partnering around a project of this magnitude demonstrates the value and importance of pro bono work.”
In a unique collaboration of legal departments, lawyers at Accenture, Caterpillar, and Merck have been working with Baker & McKenzie attorneys on a project designed to empower women in the workplace in Nepal, where women and girls as young as ten years old work in “cabin and dance” restaurants in which they are compelled to smoke, drink, and engage in sexual relations with patrons. The project was generated by PILI’s Global Pro Bono Clearinghouse, which disseminates pro bono opportunities for law firm and in-house lawyers to support the work of public interest lawyers around the world.
Based on a public interest case brought by PILI Fellow Strestha, the Supreme Court of Nepal has issued a decision decrying the practices and directing the enactment of legislation to address the issue. PILI has moved this forward by seeking legal advice about fashioning model legislation predicated on international normative best practices and mechanisms for educating employers about the nature and scope of their legal obligations. Together the team analyzed international legal mechanisms and best practices designed to deter sexual harassment; promote principled approaches to wage and hour, equal pay, and minimum hour regulation; foster occupational health and safety, and incorporate fundamental rights under international laws, treaties and conventions to empower women in the workplace in Nepal.
The CPBO Pro Bono Partner Award, presented by Corporate Pro Bono, recognizes the unique role partnerships between and among in-house corporate legal departments, law firms, and public interest groups play in the provision of legal services.
About Accenture
Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company, with more than 190,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Combining unparalleled experience, comprehensive capabilities across all industries and business functions, and extensive research on the world’s most successful companies, Accenture collaborates with clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. Accenture is committed to being a good corporate citizen – dedicated to minimizing its environmental impact and helping individuals around the world acquire skills to get jobs or build businesses. The company generated net revenues of US$21.58 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2009. Its home page is www.accenture.com.
About Caterpillar
For more than 85 years, Caterpillar Inc. has been making progress possible and driving positive and sustainable change on every continent. With 2009 sales and revenues of $32.396 billion, Caterpillar is the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines and industrial gas turbines. The company also is a leading services provider through Caterpillar Financial Services, Caterpillar Remanufacturing Services, Caterpillar Logistics Services and Progress Rail Services. More information is available at: http://www.cat.com.
About Merck
Merck is a global healthcare leader working to help the world be well. Merck is known as MSD outside the United States and Canada. Through our prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, and consumer care and animal health products, we work with customers and operate in more than 140 countries to deliver innovative health solutions. We also demonstrate our commitment to increasing access to healthcare through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships. For more information, visit www.merck.com.
About Baker & McKenzie
Founded in 1949, Baker & McKenzie advises many of the world’s most dynamic and successful business organizations through more than 3,750 locally qualified lawyers and over 5,700 professional staff in 67 offices in 39 countries. Baker & McKenzie is known for having a deep understanding of the language and culture of business, an uncompromising commitment to excellence, and world-class fluency in its client service. John Conroy is Chairman of the Firm’s Executive Committee. www.bakermckenzie.com
About the Public Interest Law Institute (PILI)
The Public Interest Law Institute (PILI) is an international NGO that connects with local partners to develop the institutions essential to rights-respecting societies. It inspires lawyers to serve the public interest, strengthens the ability of civil society to help shape law and policy and makes formal systems of justice more accessible. Among other activities, it provides Public Interest Law Fellowships to young leaders around the world, and it promotes the development of pro bono globally. Its annual European Pro Bono Forum will take place in Paris on November 18-19. For more information, visit www.pili.org and www.probonolawyer.eu.
About Corporate Pro Bono
Established in 2000, Corporate Pro Bono (CPBO) is a partnership project of the Association of Corporate Counsel (www.acc.com) and the Pro Bono Institute® (www.probonoinst.org). Through on-line services (www.cpbo.org), technical assistance to the in-house community, and educational outreach, CPBO seeks to encourage and support the participation of in-house counsel in pro bono legal services.
About ACC
The Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) is the world’s largest organization serving the professional and business interests of attorneys who practice in the legal departments of corporations, associations and other private-sector organizations around the globe. ACC promotes the common interests of its members, provides resources to help save time, money and effort, contributes to their continuing education and provides a voice on issues of global importance. With more than 25,000 members in over 70 countries, employed by over 10,000 organizations, ACC connects its members to the people and resources necessary for both personal and professional growth. By in-house counsel, for in-house counsel.® For more information, visit www.acc.com.
About the Pro Bono Institute
Established in 1996, PBI is a non-profit organization with a mandate to explore and identify new approaches to the poor and disadvantaged unable to secure legal assistance to address critical problems. In doing so, PBI identifies and develops innovative programs and undertakes rigorous evaluations to ensure that these new approaches are workable and effective. PBI administers a number of projects designed to enhance access to justice, including: the Law Firm Pro Bono Project®, Corporate Pro Bono℠, Second Acts®, Global Pro Bono, and Public Interest Pro Bono.