West Monroe Receives Award for Excellence in Social & Community Investment

West Monroe Partners, a full-service North American business and technology consultancy, today announced that it has been named one of Consulting® magazine’s inaugural Excellence in Social & Community Investment award winners for its pro bono work with The Furniture Bank of Central Ohio (“FBCO”).

West Monroe Partners originally became involved with the FBCO in 2012 when a group of volunteers from the firm’s Columbus office spent an afternoon building and painting household furniture. Several team members continued to volunteer time to assist the organization with specific needs, ultimately resulting in the opportunity to provide pro bono assistance with supply chain management, workforce optimization, and strategic planning. Using expertise and methodologies that West Monroe Partners applies to its work for large distribution clients, the project team conducted floor space utilization, bulk storage, and material handling studies and produced detailed recommendations that will enable the FBCO to expand its services from 4,500 families to as many as 7,500 families without compromising the time spent with each family.

“The commitment to social responsibility and building strong communities runs deep in our firm. Sparked by the interests and passions of our people, we do great work in our communities every day,” said Gary Beu, West Monroe Partners’ managing director of people and leadership development. “Our support for The Furniture Bank of Central Ohio is a perfect example of an effort that began with individual involvement and initiative and grew into a team effort that taps our skills and expertise to produce tangible community benefits. We are proud to be recognized for this work, but even prouder of the impact it will have.”

West Monroe Partners’ work for the FBCO is part of the firm’s “1+1+1” social responsibility initiative, through which it strives to contribute one percent of its time by “matching” up to 24 hours that employees spend outside work on qualified community service activities with a comparable number of hours that those employees may devote to these pursuits while on the job; one percent of its talent through pro bono or at-cost project-based work; and one percent of its “treasure” (revenue) through company donations to organizations in its communities.

West Monroe Partners is one of 15 firms receiving awards for their work in categories that include pro bono services, community outreach, foundations, sponsorships, days of service, and partnership. A complete list of the winners is available here: www.consultingmag.com/SocialCommunityInvestment.

Consulting magazine’s October 2014 issue will feature a special Social & Community Investment editorial section profiling the award winners and their clients. Consulting magazine will recognize those organizations at an awards dinner on September 18 at the St. Regis New York. A portion of the evening’s proceeds will directly benefit the clients with which each of the recognized firms partnered and the causes they have championed.

About West Monroe Partners

West Monroe Partners is a North American, business and technology consulting firm focused on guiding organizations through projects that fundamentally transform their business. With the experience to create the most ambitious visions as well as the skills to implement the smallest details of our client’s most critical projects, West Monroe Partners is a proven provider of growth and efficiency to large enterprises, as well as more nimble middle-market organizations. Our more than 500 consulting professionals drive better business results by harnessing our collective experience across a range of industries, serving clients out of offices across the US and Canada. For more information, visit our website at www.westmonroe.com.

About The Furniture Bank of Central Ohio

The Furniture Bank of Central Ohio provides free furniture to central Ohio families and individuals struggling with poverty and other severe life challenges. Its vision is that all central Ohio families live in furnished homes, thereby relieving suffering, strengthening family units, improving quality of life, and building a better community. The organization serves more than 4,500 families per year, more than 60 percent of those with children.