_{KPMG Chesapeake is committed to connecting our community efforts with our firm’s culture—including KPMG’s core values of “Together” and “For Better.”}

KPMG Chesapeake develops a community impact strategy rooted in our core values “Together, for Better” and guided by these convictions:

• A strong community is our responsibility
• Community involvement builds business leaders
• Top talent expects thoughtful community impact
• We will do well by doing good

Honoring Autism Awareness Month: KPMG Chesapeake Neurodiversity Initiative

According to the CDC, about 1 in 54 children is diagnosed with autism each year, and about 80% of adults with autism are unemployed or under-employed. Individuals with autism represent a significant source of untapped talent, including many with technology skills. The KPMG Neurodiversity Initiative serves as the launchpad for the firm’s efforts to leverage neurodiverse talent. 

With this initiative, KPMG aims to make an impact in three key areas:

• Business. The initiative is delivering business impact both by recruiting neurodiverse talent and by providing partnership opportunities with top-tier clients that share KPMG’s commitment to inclusion and diversity.
• Social. The initiative is bringing together private and public entities to help solve for social and economic challenges related to neurodiversity.
• Workplace. Finally, this initiative is working to demonstrate how neurodiversity enhances the workplace in vital ways and fosters inclusion and diversity.

The initiative’s growing portfolio of partnerships includes relationships with Autism Speaks, the largest autism advocacy organization in the U.S.; Melwood, a D.C.-area nonprofit that advocates for and empowers individuals with disabilities; and the Society of Information Managers (SIM), a professional organization of 5,000+ senior IT executives, CIOs, prominent academics, and selected consultants. Additionally, KPMG is forming an Industry Committee made up of clients from Fortune 500 companies.