Photos: KPMG’s Annual Make A Difference Day

May 20, 2023 | 0 Comments

More than 100 KPMG staff went to Burt Island for their annual Make a Difference Day earlier this month.

A spokesperson said, “Each year, KPMG selects a registered charity, and the entire staff dedicates their day to giving back in whatever way the charity needs. This year the staff of KPMG were given the opportunity to head over to Burt Island and join forces with the Waterstart team – three passionate teachers/environmentalists dedicated to educating young people of all ages on environmental awareness and personal growth through hands-on educational opportunities in a natural environment.

“The staff were assigned various tasks, from creating a protecting natural breakwater of rocks that had been moved by winter storms, clearing invasive trees and plants all around the island, collecting any trash that has washed on shore, snorkeling in the water surveying seagrass, and collecting data on growing scallops and oysters. A huge thank you goes to Horsfield Landscape & Design Ltd. who donated their services to KPMG and Waterstart to assist with the landscape portion of the day.”

James Berry, Chief Executive Officer at KPMG, said, “This year’s MADD was an extra special one for the firm. We are making a conscious effort to improve our environmental impact through how we operate as a firm and how we educate our staff. The amazing team at Waterstart not only welcomed us into their space, which they’ve spent years rebuilding and correcting, but also educated us on sustainability and the environmental state of our island.

“The Waterstart team were extremely proud of all of the effort that the KPMG staff, Horsfield Landscapers and Waterstart volunteers put in during the MADD day. We set optimistic goals to clear several difficult areas filled with invasive trees and debris which we had been unable to clear over the past years. We were thrilled to see the results of the teams working so hard together.

“The targeted areas are now beautifully clear and ready for the planting of endemic trees. Not only did KPMG support Waterstart’s goals for the conservation of Burt Island, they also donated many of the tools and the supplies that we can now use with our students. This will help enormously as we continue to fulfill our mission of supporting experiential education on our Burt Island campus.”

For more information about Waterstart, visit their website.