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Making an impact through UNLEASH 2019

Applying our innovation expertise to accelerate societal impact

Deloitte’s global WorldClass societal impact initiative seeks to empower 50 million people to succeed in the rapidly changing global economy. Through our WorldClass efforts, we are using our core expertise to develop job skills, improve educational outcomes, and create opportunities for those left behind in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

To accelerate our impact, we are collaborating with others to find the most innovative solutions to some of the most complex global challenges. For the third year in a row, we are teaming up with UNLEASH to bring together the brightest minds from different sectors and backgrounds to develop new solutions for the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

2019 UNLEASH Innovation Lab

UNLEASH was created in 2017 to inspire innovation by connecting talented people with an eco-system of corporate and institutional partners. The ultimate goal of UNLEASH is to develop solutions for the SDGs by taking Talents – the name used for UNLEASH Innovation Lab participants – through business-led Innovation Labs.

The 2019 UNLEASH Innovation Lab will take place from 6-13 November in Shenzhen, China. Throughout the five day UNLEASH process, the Talent are guided through a series of lessons, simulations, and tests that are designed to provide the foundation for truly actionable solutions.

In 2019, Deloitte and UNLEASH will also be collaborating on UNLEASH+, which is a pre-accelerator program to help ready solutions to bring to market. Teams of former UNLEASH participants have been invited to join the UNLEASH+ track this year. These teams are working on innovations such as HIV detection via chewing gum, education through Virtual Reality, and using by-catch fish to create new nutritious products.

Deloitte GBA Centre hosts 100+ UNLEASH facilitators

More than 100 facilitators gathered at the Deloitte Greater Bay Area Centre in Shenzhen on 6 November to prepare to guide and inspire 1,000 of the brightest global minds at UNLEASH 2019.

This is the 3rd year Deloitte has teamed up with UNLEASH as Lead Innovation Partner, which runs from 6-13 November, connecting with and empowering young talent to develop innovative solutions to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.

Deloitte's participation aligns with its China WorldClass initiative to improve the lives of 10 million rural children and farmers between now and 2030. Globally, Deloitte has set an ambitious goal to prepare 50 million people for a world of opportunities through WorldClass.

Chief Digital Officer Joseph Chu and Southern Mainland Managing Partner Tom Kwok welcomed facilitators to the GBA Centre. Deloitte China Chief Talent Officer Jungle Wong participated in today's UNLEASH opening ceremony.

This year, a number of Deloitte China colleagues have attended UNLEASH as participants or facilitators.

Deloitte bids farewell to UNLEASH 2019; see you next year!

UNLEASH 2019 finished today with hundreds of brilliant ideas created through collaboration by young global talent to address the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Deloitte is proud to have supported UNLEASH for a 3rd year as Lead Innovation Partner.

This year, UNLEASH took place soon after the launch of Deloitte China WorldClass, our initiative to impact the lives of 10 million people by 2030 through education programs for migrant and left-behind children, vocational training for rural youth to prepare for opportunities for the 4th Industrial Revolution, and innovation in China's agriculture sector.

More than 60 Deloitte professionals, including eight from Deloitte China, participated in UNLEASH this year. The experiences they acquired during UNLEASH will help us drive and instill new, creative elements into China WorldClass.

As part of our support for UNLEASH, Deloitte China Chairman Philip Tsai and Deloitte Asia Pacific Chief Talent Officer Elizabeth Faber attended the closing ceremony, presenting the award for "Most Innovative Solution". 

Applying innovation expertise to accelerate solutions

As Lead Innovation Partner for UNLEASH, Deloitte supports the design, delivery and facilitation of the innovation labs that are at the heart of the UNLEASH process. Over the past three years, Deloitte has co-developed a lab curriculum that utilizes Deloitte’s distinct innovation facilitation processes to support UNLEASH talents as they translate their ideas into actionable solutions.

UNLEASH is truly a global activation for Deloitte, with teams from around the world contributing to the success of the Innovation Labs. In 2019, 51 professionals from 16 countries will travel to China to facilitate these Labs during the Summit. A further 11 Deloitte professionals from 8 countries have been invited to attend the Summit as Talents. Participation in the UNLEASH Lab provides a unique opportunity for these Deloitte professionals to enhance their ability to make a positive societal impact.

More information on UNLEASH can be found at UNLEASH.org.

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