Accenture Supports Canadian Charities with C$780,000 in Grants and Volunteering

Press release:

September 18, 2012

Accenture Supports Canadian Charities with C$780,000 in Grants and Volunteering

 

Grants reflect Accenture’s Skills to Succeed corporate citizenship initiative

 

TORONTO; September 18, 2012 – Accenture has awarded 12 grants totaling C$780,000 to help support Canadians who are seeking job skills to re-enter the workforce. In addition to the grants, Accenture employees are volunteering and donating pro bono consulting skills, reflecting the company’s Skills to Succeed initiative to equip 250,000 people around the world by 2015 with the skills to get a job or build a business.

 

“By working with these strong organizations and programs, Accenture hopes to help Canadians from coast to coast develop their skills and find new careers,” said Michael Denham, president and country managing director, Accenture.  “We share the commitment of these organizations to making a significant, lasting impact on the long-term economic vitality and resilience of individuals, families and communities around the world.”

 

The charities were selected following an official call for proposals to all Accenture employees in Canada.  A panel of Accenture’s corporate citizenship team in Canada then decided to fund programs that include:

 

• United Way (Ottawa) – assisting the Minwaashin Lodge’s Employment Readiness Program in efforts to help Aboriginal women find meaningful work and/or training to participate in the job market.
• The Salvation Army’s Harbour Light ministry (Vancouver) – training disadvantaged people in Vancouver’s downtown eastside community, using technology programs to start businesses or find jobs.
• Mixed Company (Toronto) – training at-risk young adults from diverse backgrounds and cultures in skills development, so they can gain employment and explore opportunities to develop their own creative ventures.
• Centre for Addiction & Mental Health Foundation (Toronto) – supporting Employment Works!, a program that helps people with a history of mental health issues and/or addiction to successfully return to the workforce.
• Hull Child and Family Services (Calgary) – partnering with organizations to assist young people, adults and families of people with significant developmental and behavioral challenges learn new skills to achieve success in their lives.
• Green Skills Network (Niagara) – mentoring and providing skills training to young adults, so they understand pathways to careers in the renewable energy field.
• Le Refuge des Jeunes de Montréal (Quebec) – developing a program to help disadvantaged young men in Quebec start a business or secure meaningful work.

 

Grants will also be given to Free The Children, The Canadian Centre for Diversity, Ability Online, ACCES Employment and Alberta Ecotrust.

 

About Accenture

Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company, with more than 249,000 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.  Through its Skills to Succeed corporate citizenship focus, Accenture is committed to equipping 250,000 people around the world by 2015 with the skills to get a job or build a business. The company generated net revenues of US$25.5 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2011.  Its home page is www.accenture.com.

 

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Accenture to Help Oi Transform Business Operations and Support Strategic Growth Objectives

Press release:

September 13, 2012

 Accenture to Help Oi Transform Business Operations

and Support Strategic Growth Objectives

 

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Sept. 13, 2012 – Oi SA (NYSE: OIBR/C), one of Brazil’s leading providers of communications services, and Accenture (NYSE: ACN) have signed a seven-year agreement for Accenture to help Oi transform its business by having Accenture manage Oi’s billing and collections, finance and accounting, human resources, supply chain, and select back office functions.

 

Under the agreement, Accenture will provide Oi services through a flexible model designed for today’s business challenges, ultimately supporting Oi and its goal to improve efficiency, quality and cost-effectiveness. Through its deep communications industry knowledge, and supported by its management consulting, technology and business process outsourcing expertise, Accenture will focus on improvements designed to help transform Oi’s operations and support future growth.  

 

“We are committed to Oi’s success as they execute their strategic business plans and undergo this transformation,” said Robert Sell, group chief executive of Accenture’s Communications, Media & Technology operating group. “By leveraging Accenture’s industry and functional expertise combined with analytical tools and technologies, we’ve moved beyond operational cost reduction to drive more meaningful business outcomes for Oi. This agreement expands our longstanding relationship, and the work we perform will help make Oi an even stronger market competitor.”

 

About Accenture

Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company, with more than 249,000 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. The company generated net revenues of US$25.5 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2011. Its home page is www.accenture.com.

 

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Accenture to Acquire NewsPage, a Leading Provider of Integrated Distributor Management and Mobility Software for the Consumer Goods Industry

Press release from Accenture:

August 30, 2012

Accenture to Acquire NewsPage, a Leading Provider of Integrated Distributor Management and Mobility Software for the Consumer Goods Industry

 

NEW YORK; Aug. 30, 2012 – Accenture (NYSE:ACN) has entered into an agreement to acquire Singapore-based NewsPage Pte Ltd (“NewsPage”), a leading provider of integrated distributor management and mobility software for the consumer goods industry in emerging markets.

 

NewsPage provides software products to some of the world’s largest consumer goods companies. Upon closing, the acquisition will complement the capabilities of the Accenture CAS software platform, a leading integrated software platform that supports the consumer goods industry sales processes, and help strengthen its capabilities in emerging markets. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

 

The Accenture CAS software platform helps consumer goods companies achieve greater trade efficiency and sales by enabling improved product availability on the shelf and increasing their ability to efficiently collaborate with retailers, while supporting the management of large, mobile sales and distribution forces.

 

Upon closing, the acquisition of NewsPage will add distributor management and mobility capabilities to the Accenture CAS software platform through a lean, user-friendly application. Also, NewsPage will bring a multi-platform mobility capability to the Accenture CAS solution, allowing it to run on Windows, Android and iOS devices. NewsPage’s products are delivered on a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) basis or on-location.

 

The combination of the Accenture CAS software platform and NewsPage’s products will offer consumer goods companies the ability to manage all of their sales processes on a single global sales platform – from trade promotion management and optimization to retail execution, and from distributor management to direct store delivery, merchandising and customer service.

 

“This acquisition is important as it will enhance Accenture’s ability to help global consumer goods companies by supporting all route-to-market sales and delivery models across mature and emerging markets,” said Fabio Vacirca, senior managing director of Accenture’s Consumer Goods & Services practice. “NewsPage has a strong client base of global consumer goods brands that have benefited from its products. Its addition will strengthen Accenture’s software capabilities in emerging markets and reinforce Accenture’s position as a leading provider of integrated sales software for the consumer goods industry.”

 

Once the transaction has closed, approximately 128 NewsPage employees will join Accenture, and will continue to focus on product development, client sales and delivery. This team will be integrated into the Accenture Software organization.

 

“We are pleased that Accenture has recognized the strength of the NewsPage products, and the valuable work that we deliver for our clients,” said Tim Yoon, CEO of NewsPage. “We believe that the combination of our two organizations will create a compelling offer for consumer goods companies in emerging markets. Now we will be able to meet our client’s software implementation needs in countries outside of our traditional geographic area, benefiting from Accenture’s global reach and experience. This will be particularly useful where clients want business process changes before they implement the software platform.”

 

The acquisition is subject to closing requirements and is expected to close within 60 days.

 

About Accenture

Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company, with more than 249,000 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. The company generated net revenues of US$25.5 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2011. Its home page is www.accenture.com.

 

Accenture Software combines deep technology acumen with industry knowledge to develop differentiated software products. It offers innovative software-based solutions to enable organizations to meet their business goals and achieve high performance. It's home page is:www.accenture.com/software. For more information on Accenture CAS, please visitwww.accenture.com/accenturecas.

 

About NewsPage
NewsPage, a market leader in mobility, has been in the business of developing and deploying industry-ready mobile applications since 1993. NewsPage Distributor Management is an end-to-end enterprise solution that caters for businesses that sell thru distributors. NewsPage has an extensive install base worldwide with more than 60 successful systems running in 20 countries across 7 different time zones in multiple languages. For more information, visitwww.newspage.com.sg.
 

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Accenture Ranked as Top IT Services Vendor in Life Science Industry By Independent Research Firm

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Accenture Ranked as Top IT Services Vendor in Life Science Industry By Independent Research Firm; Second Year in a Row

 Related Assets

March 29, 2012

Accenture Ranked as Top IT Services Vendor in Life Science Industry

By Independent Research Firm; Second Year in a Row

NEW YORK; Mar. 29, 2012 – Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has been ranked as the number one life science information technology (IT) services vendor in a survey conducted by IDC Health Insights. This is the second year in a row that Accenture has received this ranking.

The ranking was contained in a February 2012 report titled, “Perspective: IDC Health Insights' Top Preferred Life Science Technology Vendors for 2012” which documents results from IDC Health Insights’ Leading Indicators in Life Science IT Spending Survey.”¹ The IDC Health Insights survey indicates that respondents expect to contract Accenture during the next 12 months for IT services. Click here for a link to the report.

Anne O’Riordan, global managing director of Accenture’s Life Sciences practice, said, “For the second consecutive year, Accenture is honored to receive this recognition by IDC Health Insights. This designation further highlights Accenture’s ability to provide the life sciences industry with the best IT services solutions to gain better business insight, deliver better business outcomes and create greater value.”

The IDC Health Insights report is a biannual IT budget-tracking survey of several hundred life science companies. The survey, which polled 115 industry leaders on planned IT budgetary spend, technology priorities and vendor preference, asked participants to identify which vendors servicing the life science market they expect to spend money with on software, hardware, and IT services over the next 12 months.

[1] IDC Health Insights: “Perspective: IDC Health Insights' Top Preferred Life Science Technology Vendors for 2012,” Document # HI233255, February 2012, Eric Newmark.

About Accenture

Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company, with more than 246,000 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.  The company generated net revenues of US$25.5 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2011.  Its home page is accenture.com.

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Infosys BPO Wind 7 Awards

Infosys BPO Wins 7 Awards at the World HRD Congress 2012

Bangalore, March 14, 2012 - Infosys BPO Ltd., today announced that it has won 7 Awards at the World HRD Congress 2012, held in Mumbai. The three day congress was attended by senior HR leaders from across key industries and prominent sectors. The World HRD Congress Awards aim to celebrate leading organizations' impactful HR practices that have achieved overall effectiveness in their HR functions.

The awards won by Infosys BPO included the Global HR Excellence Award, Fun at Work Award, RASBIC Award which recognizes exemplary practices in innovative acquisition of talent, Employer Branding Award for innovation in retention strategy, Employer Branding Award for innovation in career management, STAR News Talent Leadership & HR Award for best overall talent management organization of the year and Top 10 Best Employers of the Year Award.

The World HRD Congress recognizes the efforts of organizations which have demonstrated excellence through their innovative programs, showing clear and measurable business results to drive organizational excellence.

Speaking about the awards, Raghavendra K., VP and Head, Human Resources Development, Infosys BPO, said, "Winning seven awards in a prestigious forum like the World HRD Congress 2012, is a true testimony to the talent centric and industry leading HR practices implemented by Infosys BPO. We will continue to strive towards introducing new and relevant HR practices in the company and retaining our position as an employer of choice in the ITeS industry."

News Release from MICROS Systems

PRESTIGIOUS WYNN LAS VEGAS AND ENCORE CASINO RESORTS TO ADVANCE TECHNOLOGY PORTFOLIO WITH MICROS SIMPHONY ENTERPRISE SOLUTION IN THE CLOUD

Columbia, MD – March 13, 2012—MICROS Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:MCRS), a leading provider of information technology solutions for the hospitality and retail industries, is pleased to announce that Wynn Resorts  has selected MICROS’s Simphony™ Enterprise Solution for its Wynn Las Vegas and Encore casino resort properties.  MICROS will complete its enterprise-wide conversion upgrade from the MICROS 9700 Hospitality Management System (HMS) and other Legacy POS solutions to the MICROS Simphony Software as a Service (SaaS) enterprise solution in the cloud on March 31st.  The project encompasses over 100 Revenue Centers located across the two casino resort properties and includes over 500 MICROS Workstation 5A (WS5A) point-of-service terminals.

“Wynn Resorts is already realizing the tangible benefits of Simphony’s advanced technology as well as MICROS’s highly structured project management through this seamless upgrade,” stated James Houghton, Chief Information Officer, Wynn Resorts, Limited.   “Our food and beverage operations now enjoy the benefits of a smooth and uninterrupted technology platform which ensures our guests’ experience remains excellent.”

Wynn Las Vegas and Encore continue to set the bar for luxury and excellence in Las Vegas, earning top honors and recognitions, including the 2012 Forbes Travel Guide Star awards (formerly Mobil Travel Guide Star awards). Wynn Resorts selected MICROS Simphony for its advanced technology and proven capabilities in the industry, which include enterprise configuration and functionality, a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA), and inherent offline resiliency and scalability in a global, multi-property casino resort environment.   MICROS Simphony’s SOA approach provides Wynn Resorts management the ability to strategically place critical services across the enterprise.  In the event of a planned or unplanned outage, Simphony is able to operate detached from the hosting center or server.  This design allows all system interfaces to continue to function: credit card authorizations, liquor dispensing systems, posting to the property management system, gaming and video surveillance systems all while remaining able to share checks among terminals and print to the remote service locations.

As the look and feel of MICROS Simphony is similar to the MICROS 9700 Hospitality Management System, Wynn Resorts is able to leverage its employees’ familiarity with MICROS to reduce training time, as well as utilize new screen option layouts to improve guest service.  MICROS Simphony is also highly flexible, offering advanced interface capabilities to third-party peripheral products such as player tracking systems, liquor dispensing systems, and stored value cards.

“We are pleased to be able to offer Wynn Resorts an enterprise solution that offers a multitude of features and benefits and one which will improve the everyday operational efficiency at its properties,” stated Tom Giannopoulos, Chairman and CEO of MICROS Systems, Inc.  “MICROS Simphony will create a smoother interaction between property employees and guests and provide Wynn Resorts management with strong visibility of each property through one centralized set of reports.”

“The scalability of MICROS Simphony is a big factor in our decision to upgrade,” stated James Houghton.  “We have a reputation of pushing the limits in guest service and MICROS Simphony’s next generation solutions will scale to meet our growing demands.”

News Release from GE - Portable Vibration Analyzer

13 March 2012

GE’s Bently Nevada Introduces Portable Plant Condition Monitoring Solution Series

SCOUT Portable Vibration Analyzer Series Expands Business’ End-to-End Monitoring Expertise

MINDEN, NEV.—March 13, 2012—GE’s (NYSE: GE) Bently Nevada product line, a GE Measurement & Control business, today unveiled SCOUT, an intelligent suite of portable vibration monitoring and analysis instruments. The SCOUT series demonstrates the business’ commitment to providing the oil, gas and power generation industries with fully integrated, single-provider solutions that support all plant condition monitoring needs. The SCOUT series represents the first products resulting from GE’s acquisition of Commtest Instruments in 2011. Commtest is recognized for its leadership and innovation in portable vibration analysis and monitoring instruments.

“At GE’s Bently Nevada, we’re passionate about developing simple, intelligent systems that provide our customers with the information they need to optimize machinery operations and ensure the highest level of productivity and safety,” said Don Marshall, product manager, GE’s Bently Nevada. “The SCOUT series aligns perfectly with our vision to expand our plant-wide monitoring capabilities, enabling us to offer a truly integrated, end-to-end condition monitoring solution to our customers.”

Engineered from the ground up to offer leading-edge reliability, accuracy and usability, the SCOUT series offers the power and convenience of dual- or four-channel measurement and dual-plane balancing to support all plant condition monitoring needs—from route-based data collection to machinery analysis and balancing. SCOUT's combination of accuracy, intuitive operation and unrivaled storage capacity ensures that each analyzer delivers a premium return on investment. Additionally, the SCOUT series features field-proven Ascent® software that can be programmed with thousands of separate machine definitions covering a number of route choices.

From refineries and petrochemical plants to hydroelectric facilities and wind farms, GE’s Bently Nevada provides trusted and proven vibration monitoring equipment and a comprehensive services portfolio to help improve the efficiency, reliability and performance of production assets like turbines, compressors, motors and generators. For more information, please visitwww.ge-mcs.com/scout.

About Measurement & Control
Measurement & Control is a leading innovator in advanced, sensor-based measurement, non-destructive testing and inspection and condition monitoring. Providing healthcare for customers’ most critical assets, the business delivers accuracy, productivity and safety to a wide range of industries, including oil and gas, power generation, aerospace, metals and transportation. Measurement & Control has over 40 facilities in 25 countries and is part of GE Oil & Gas. For further information, visit www.ge-mcs.com.

About GE
GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company's website at www.ge.com.

GE Energy works connecting people and ideas everywhere to create advanced technologies for powering a cleaner, more productive world. With more than 100,000 employees in over 100 countries, our diverse portfolio of product and service solutions and deep industry expertise help our customers solve their challenges locally. We serve the energy sector with technologies in such areas as natural gas, oil, coal and nuclear energy; wind, solar, biogas and water processing; energy management; and grid modernization. We also offer integrated solutions to serve energy- and water-intensive industries such as mining, metals, marine, petrochemical, food & beverage and unconventional fuels.

Cloud Computing & Jobs

Microsoft: Cloud Computing to Create Millions of Jobs

Countering conventional wisdom, new commissioned research from IDC predicts the cloud will generate nearly 14 million new jobs worldwide by 2015.

inShare3

REDMOND, Wash. — March 5, 2012 — Microsoft Corp. today published commissioned research from analyst firm IDC indicating that cloud computing will create nearly 14 million new jobs globally by 2015. IDC’s research predicts revenues from cloud innovation could reach $1.1 trillion per year by 2015, which, combined with cloud efficiencies, will drive significant organizational reinvestment and job growth. “For most organizations, cloud computing should be a no-brainer, given its ability to increase IT innovation and flexibility, lower capital costs, and help generate revenues that are multiples of spending,” said John F. Gantz, chief research officer and senior vice president at IDC. “A common misperception is cloud computing is a job eliminator, but in truth it will be a job creator — a major one. And job growth will occur across continents and throughout organizations of all sizes because emerging markets, small cities and small businesses have the same access to cloud benefits as large enterprises or developed nations.” The report also indicates specific industries will generate job growth at different rates, and that public cloud investments will drive faster job growth than private cloud investments. The report also notes governments can influence the number of jobs created by cloud computing within individual countries. More information, including the full report, is available athttp://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2012/mar12/03-05CloudComputingJobs.mspx. Microsoft is delivering a set of solutions to drive the cloud’s growing future. The company offers full public and private cloud solutions for consumers and organizations of all sizes. These enable customers to reap the benefits of cloud computing — from connecting and sharing for consumers, to lowering costs and realizing new technical or strategic opportunities for organizations. More information on Microsoft cloud solutions is available at http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/cloud/default.aspx?fbid=92ndoVValL4. Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

News Release from the DOE

Eight National Labs Offer Streamlined Partnership Agreements to Help Industry Bring New Technologies to Market

February 23, 2012 

Washington, D.C. – Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced that eight of the Department’s national laboratories will participate in a pilot initiative to make it easier for private companies to utilize the laboratories’ research capabilities.  The program will harness America’s unique advantages in innovation to create jobs and accelerate the development of new clean energy technologies.

“The Agreements for Commercializing Technology will cut red tape for businesses and startups interested in working with our nation’s crown jewels of innovation, the national laboratories,” said Energy Secretary Steven Chu. “This initiative will also strengthen new domestic industries by helping to bring innovative, job-creating technologies to the market faster.”

Previously, companies wishing to partner with the laboratories for commercial research had two options: signing a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) or a Work For Others (WFO) Agreement.  The eight laboratories participating in this pilot program intend to offer a third, more flexible option: an Agreement for Commercializing Technology (ACT).

ACT was created to address concerns that have been raised by industry and to remove barriers that sometimes got in the way of commercializing technology under a CRADA or WFO agreement.  Specifically, under an ACT:

·         There will be more flexibility in negotiating over the intellectual property rights for technologies created at the laboratory.  While the labs generally have had limited flexibility on IP terms under CRADAs and WFO arrangements, an ACT will allow both parties to develop a specialized arrangement that will facilitate moving the technology into the marketplace as quickly as possible.
·         More flexible terms are also available on other issues ranging from payment arrangements to project structures to indemnification.  The goal is to develop terms that are better aligned with industry practice.
·         Whereas WFO arrangements and CRADAs tend to be tailored for two-party agreements between one company and a lab, an ACT will make it easier to develop a multi-party research and development partnership.  Groups of companies, universities and/or other entities may come together with a laboratory to address complex technological challenges that are of mutual interest.

The participating labs are:

·         Ames Laboratory
·         Brookhaven National Laboratory
·         Idaho National Laboratory
·         Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
·         National Renewable Energy Laboratory
·         Oak Ridge National Laboratory
·         Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
·         Savannah River National Laboratory

DOE’s laboratories have a long tradition of working with businesses and academia on scientific research and technology development efforts that have generated many advances, spawned new businesses and supported the creation of new industries and jobs.

ACT complements the goals of the Administration’s “Startup America” initiative and is part of DOE’s broader efforts to support startups and small businesses, including the “America's Next Top Energy Innovator” Challenge, which gives startup companies access to the Energy Department's thousands of unlicensed patents at a greatly reduced cost and paperwork.

To view the FAQ on Agreements for Commercializing Technology (ACT), visit http://technologytransfer.energy.gov/ACTpilotFAQ.html