KPMG joins 1 Billion Meals drive with Dh1 million donation

Big Four professional services firm KPMG has signed up to the 1 Billion Meals campaign. The company’s employees and management have committed a contribution equivalent to one million meals, according to a release from the firm.

The inequity across the Middle East has manifested itself in increasingly stark terms since the pandemic. According to a UN report released in 2021, more than one-third of the 420 million people in Arabic countries do not have enough to eat.

With around 70 million people in the region suffering from malnutrition, organisations such as KPMG are doing what they can to provide relief.

The 1 Billion Meals initiative is the region’s largest donation drive of its kind, which aims to provide food support to the underprivileged and undernourished in 50 countries around the world. Supporting its drive from the UAE, KPMG has announced a donation of Dh1 million.

Nader Haffar, Chairman, KPMG Middle East and South Asia, explained that the move expressed the company’s values of generosity and giving – which are rooted in the Emirati community. Haffar also noted that he believed the private sector plays a crucial role in helping those in need.

“At KPMG, inspiring confidence and empowering change together for the betterment of tomorrow is at the heart of our purpose. In support of this humanitarian initiative, our people have actively contributed to make a difference to vulnerable communities around the world.”

KPMG states its donation is equivalent to one million meals. Noted as a shared donation from among the company’s employees and management,the statement added that the battle against hunger “and the nobility of the initiative” were especially important during Ramadan.

Talal Cheikh Elard, Head of Client and Markets at KPMG Lower Gulf, stated “We are proud of our people and leadership and commit to support such initiatives in the future as well.”

1 Billion Meals is organised by Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), to alleviate global hunger and battle malnutrition in less-fortunate communities across the world, especially among vulnerable groups such as women, children, refugees, displaced persons and victims of disasters and crises.

MBRGI is a philanthropic foundation based in the United Arab Emirates, founded Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum – Prime Minister of the UAE.

The present campaign is an extension of the 10 Million Meals and 100 Million Meals campaigns launched by Sheikh Mohammed in 2020 and 2021 respectively. Beneficiaries of the donations will meanwhile be selected in consultation with the partners. These include the Food Banking Regional Network (FBRN), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the UN World Food Programme and Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Humanitarian and Charity Establishment (MBRCH).