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Initiative

Finish Liners: Marathon with Muscle Dystrophy Association (MDA Hellas) patients

Finish Liners: Marathon with Muscle Dystrophy Association (MDA Hellas) patients
SUBMITTED FROM:

PwC

PwC's accounting practice began in London a century ago. As times have changed and PwC has expanded globally, our commitment to clients – like you – has never wavered. With us, you're supported by a global network of over 284,000 people in 155 countries with one goal: to help your business thrive.

PwC: About us



Objective Action

PwC’s purpose is to build trust in society and solve important problems. Key pillar of our Corporate Responsibility strategy is diversity and inclusion, providing equal opportunities to all.

Our purpose is consistent with MDA Hellas’ vision to care for and improve the lifestyle of people with neuromuscular diseases and disabilities. Within the framework of SDG#10 - “Reduced inequalities”, we developed a programme to support MDA in different ways.

Our objective is to help MDA’s patients with disabilities be included and participate in all social activities, increase their opportunities to enjoy life and develop their potential.

The programme started in 2016, continues and expands annually and has a long-term duration.

 

Target Audience

PwC employees, MDA patients, members and friends, young people, and society at large.

 

Duration

The programme started in November 2016 and continues as part of our Corporate Responsibility strategy.


Description

Our challenge is to help people learn to deal with people with disabilities in a normal way, without pity, to encourage them but also to get inspiration from their example. These people face harsh realities, but with MDA’s help are making every effort to enjoy life and participate in creative and joyful activities. Our aim is to inspire optimism and power through different activities.

The key pillars of our programme are:

  1. Help MDA patients take part in Athens Marathons. 
  2. Raise awareness in our people in order to support and promote MDA’s work through volunteerism.
  3. Offer to MDA pro bono professional services that enhance its transparency and help improve its operations. Therefore, our value-added offer enables MDA to become sustainable and deliver substantial results.

Our communication campaigns focus on Facebook and PwC’s intranet, leveraging all electronic and print media available. 


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Impact on Society

1. Marathon

  • Athens Marathon, 11/2016: Four PwC employees took part in the Finish Liners team consisting of MDA patients and runners assisting them to participate in the Marathon by taking turns pushing their wheelchairs. 
  • We contributed to the MDA Marathon Fundraising aiming to support MDA patients. We ran an internal campaign calling our people to become “sponsors” of their colleagues who ran in the Marathon. PwC doubled the amount raised. After the Marathon, we organised an event in our premises to celebrate the event and honour the Finish Liners, together with MDA and four Paralympic athletes who were also MDA patients. 
  • Athens Half-Marathon, 3/2017: The Marathon experience was a life-lesson, inspiring more employees to participate. We continued to participate in the Finish Liners team, this time with 14 runners and offered financial assistance to the MDA. 
  • Athens Marathon, 11/2017: Our support to the MDA grew stronger because of the tremendous effort to raise awareness and inspire our people. Ten more PwC employees participated in the Finish Liners team, amongst them our CEO. 
  • We increased our contribution to the MDA Marathon Fundraising by 150%, aiming to support an MDA patient to finish her studies at the University of Crete. We celebrated again the Marathon and honoured the Finish Liners together with MDA, in our premises after the race. During the event, we watched a video of the marathon with Finish Liners interviews that moved and inspired our employees.

 

2. Additional volunteerism

  • In December 2016 and 2017, PwC volunteers helped MDA, participated in PwC’s Christmas bazaars, together with other NGOs.
  • In October 2016 and 2017, PwC volunteers assisted in MDA’s annual philanthropic bazaar. 
  • In March 2017, PwC volunteers organised a screening of the Finish Line movie filmed to promote the Marathon ideals and raise awareness about MDA’s cause. The movie presents the three oldest Greek Marathon runners and enhances the inspiration of the Marathon Finish Liners initiative. Amongst our invitees in this movie screening was an 86 year old Marathon runner who lead us by this example to increase our running team members. There were also members of AIESEC Hellas who were enthused and invited as a speaker to their annual conference, Alexandra Stamatopoulou, MDA patient and Marathon Finish Liner, who spoke about her experience and encouraged young students to volunteer.

 

3. Pro bono services to MDA

  • Year-round, we provide pro bono audit and tax advice services that helped them improve their corporate governance and transparency procedures. 
  • In May 2017, PwC volunteers provided Internet Security training to MDA patients. At the same time, we offered laptops to MDA patients’ IT lab. 
  • Since July 2017, through MDA, we support Alexandra Stamatopoulou who is a Marathon Finish Liner and a Paralympic swimming champion. Our support does not only consist of financial support but also includes personal and professional development consulting, provided by a group of PwC volunteers. In December 2017, Alexandra won three medals at the World Para-Swimming championships in Mexico. Our support will continue until Tokyo Olympics 2020.


Initiative Location

Premises of PwC and MDA, Athens Marathon and Half-Marathon course, Panathenaic stadium, President hotel, Benaki Museum.


Working with Organization

MDA, AIESEC Hellas.


Workers Participation

Our people take part:

  • By providing pro bono voluntarily auditing and tax advice pro bono services to MDA, as well as training and empowerment consulting to MDA patients. 
  • As volunteer runners in Athens Marathon, assisting MDA patients on wheelchairs participate. 
  • By contributing to the MDA Marathon fundraising. 
  • Supporting MDA take part in PwC’s humanitarian bazaars, as well as volunteering in MDA’s annual fundraising bazaar. 

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Benefits for Οrganization

The joy of MDA patients, our employees but also of the other Marathon runners and spectators who encourage them with cheers is the biggest “benefit” to PwC.

It is also important for us to realize that through our work we can help an NPO continuously improve and offer value to the people it cares for.

Our support to MDA has a long-term duration and substance because it derives from the enthusiasm and the participation of our people in different ways, as well as of the smooth cooperation of different departments within PwC. Consequently, we strengthen our bonds with our people, sharing the same values and working together for a social purpose.

PwC’s global network acknowledged the value of our programme and included it in “Reimagining the possible” best practices in PwC’s global website. 




Connection with Global Goals







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