Grant Thornton International raises CA$69,000 for charity

Grant Thornton member firms raised CA $69,000 for charity in an auction at the annual Grant Thornton International conference held in Toronto, Canada this October (2007). The money was donated to the Sainte-Justine Hospital Foundation and the Sick Kids Foundation.

Each member firm was asked to donate an item from their country to be auctioned. The gifts ranged from holidays and pieces of art to jewellery and sports memorabilia. This is the first time an auction was held at the Grant Thornton International annual conference. The charities were selected by the the Canadian Grant Thornton member firm, comprising Grant Thornton LLP and Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton.

The Sick Kids Foundation donates to the Hospital for Sick Children (Sick Kids), which is among the top four children's hospitals in the world and is a national and international leader in patient care, advocacy, research, and education. The Saint-Justine Hospital Foundation is the largest mother-child hospital in Canada and the second largest in North America.

Alex MacBeath, CEO of Grant Thornton LLP said: "Grant Thornton Canada has a long history of support for many organisations and communities across the country. Our partners and staff believe that corporate social responsibility is an important part of who we are and how we conduct ourselves. We strive to have a demonstrated and meaningful contribution to our communities and to our social responsibilities as community members and leaders."

Richard Payette, President of Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton said: "I am delighted by the generosity in both the donations of gifts for the auction and in the partners' bids. Grant Thornton member firms truly lead by example in taking corporate social responsibility seriously. I hope the success of this auction leads to further work by all member firms to support either specific causes or organisations with which they have become associated or for a range of community organisations with needs."

Grant Thornton International is one of the world's leading organisations of independently owned and managed accounting and consulting firms. The strength of each local firm is reflected in the quality of our organisation. All Grant Thornton International member firms share a commitment to providing the same high quality service to their clients wherever they choose to do business.

Grant Thornton International does not deliver services in its own name. Each member and correspondent firm of Grant Thornton International is a separate independent national firm. These firms are not members of one international partnership or otherwise legal partners with each other, nor is any one firm responsible for the services or activities of any other. Each firm governs itself and handles its administrative matters on a local basis.

All references to Grant Thornton International are to Grant Thornton International Ltd. Grant Thornton International Ltd is a non-practicing, international umbrella entity organized as a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales.