North Highland Launches Economic Empowerment Social Impact Platform

Management consulting firm names Dianne Bernez to lead social impact efforts

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Aug 31, 2016, 12:29 ET

ATLANTA, Aug. 31, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Global management consulting firm North Highland today launches its social impact platform – Economic Empowerment – under the direction of newly-hired Global Head of Philanthropy, Dianne Bernez.

Dianne Bernez joins North Highland as the Global Head of Philanthropy where she will lead the firm's new Economic Empowerment social impact platform.

The intent of the Economic Empowerment initiative is to address the root cause of economic disparity, enabling at-risk individuals and families to become economically stable. In partnership with an array of civic, community and business organizations, the new social impact platform will deliver strategies and programs that support long-term financial stability, such as work skill development, in the communities where firm consultants live and work across the globe. The localized community aspect of the program will allow consultants to take advantage of the networks and resources they know.

"Through Economic Empowerment, we will leverage our business leadership skills and consulting expertise to help solve problems in the communities in which we work and live by stopping poverty before it starts," said North Highland CEO Dan Reardon. "Our goal is to create long-term economic empowerment by helping at-risk individuals develop the skills required to break the cycle of poverty. I can't think of a better person to lead this charge than Dianne Bernez."

With more than 25 years of experience building, launching and driving impactful public relations, marketing communications, brand and employee communications programs, Bernez has held senior communications positions at companies such as ING Americas, AT&T and – most recently – Equifax. At Equifax, she was senior vice president of communications. Additionally, she has managed community affairs' activation programs, is active in the community and has served on a number of nonprofit boards.

"I am excited to be joining a team that shares my passion for and commitment to Economic Empowerment," said Bernez. "Our intention is to get to the heart of economic disparity, find solutions that work and deliver an impactful new philanthropic approach focused on transformative initiatives that will align civic, community and business partnerships."

In 2016, North Highland is running Economic Empowerment pilot programs at its offices in Atlanta, London, Los Angeles, Philadelphia/Basking Ridge and Portland. Its consultants will support projects that tackle financial stability, family sustaining employment and housing. Based on learnings from these pilots, North Highland will build a unified firm strategy that will be localized in each of its 23 communities where consultants live and work across the globe.

To learn more about North Highland's Community engagement, visit http://www.northhighland.com/about-us/community.

About North Highland

North Highland is a global management consulting firm known for helping clients solve their most complex challenges related to customer experience, transformation, performance improvement, and technology and digital. We add value and support our clients across the full spectrum of consulting, from strategy through delivery. We bring the big ideas, then we make them real. North Highland is an employee-owned firm, headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., with more than 3,000 consultants worldwide and 60+ offices around the globe, and has been named as a "Best Firm to Work For" every year since 2007 by Consulting Magazine. The firm is a member of Cordence Worldwide (www.cordenceworldwide.com), a global management consulting alliance. For more information, visit northhighland.com and connect with us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.