Case studies

Recruitment case study

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP has encouraged graduates to go green and consider their impact on the
environment by setting up a ‘Carbon Gym’ and energy generating bicycles at local universities, during the
firm’s university roadshow campaign this year. The innovative on campus recruitment campaign focusing
on corporate responsibility and sustainability enables students to think about their carbon output by
setting them a ‘Roller Racing’ challenge. The activity invited students to race against each other on
stationary bikes with the winner being the person able to cycle quickly enough to generate energy to
power a sound system.

Representatives from both PricewaterhouseCoopers and Global Action Plan, a climate change charity,
were on hand at the roadshows to provide information on climate change and the action
PricewaterhouseCoopers is taking to reduce the firm’s environmental impact. In line with the firm’s carbon
neutral status, they offset the carbon outputs of the UK recruitment team through purchasing carbon
credits, as part of the firm’s strategy to manage and reduce our carbon emissions. The aim of the
exercise was not only to educate graduates about greener ways of living and thinking but also to allow the
firm to benchmark and improve their results the following year when they run the exercise again.

Carbon neutrality
PricewaterhouseCoopers became carbon neutral in May 2007, with a range of measures including a
continuing drive to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions associated with its business
operations and travel. Audio, video conferencing and telesuites have been installed or upgraded
across the firm’s operations. The firm has reduced its air travel by over one million miles through the
use of the firm’s Telesuite video conferencing facilities. The firm has entered into a three year
agreement with Climate Care to offset at least 80% of emissions, with options under consideration for
the remaining 20%. Credits will be sourced from a portfolio of projects which includes new carbon
finance for two projects in India and South East Asia providing sustainable energy to local
communities from wind turbines and biomass generators. Projects will be verified using the Voluntary
Carbon Standard and both schemes should boost confidence in investing in small scale renewable
energy projects.

The green campaign was also promoted internally to the PricewaterhouseCoopers student recruitment
team in a carbon footprint monitoring project. The campaign was monitored by Amy Donald, student
recruitment officer at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Newcastle. The team calculated the carbon footprint of
the entire UK student community and the firm’s student recruitment team monitored their travel to and
from events and interviews across the country since October 2007. Where possible the team were
encouraged to use video conferencing, to walk and find more friendly modes of transport such as rail
travel.

About PricewaterhouseCoopers
The member firms of the PricewaterhouseCoopers network provide industry-focused assurance, tax and
advisory services to build public trust and enhance value for its clients and their stakeholders. More than
146,000 people in 150 countries across our network share their thinking, experience and solutions to
develop fresh perspectives and practical advice.

Unless otherwise indicated, 'PricewaterhouseCoopers' refers to PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

(www.pwc.com/uk) a limited liability partnership incorporated in England. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP is
a member firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited.

1 of 1