Deloitte CEO: 500,000 veterans is just a start

Deloitte CEO Cathy Engelbert (Courtesy: Deloitte)

In honor of Veterans Day, I recently had the opportunity to ring the NASDAQ closing bell alongside my husband Ed and more than 20 of his fellow graduates from the United States Military Academy at West Point.  Not only were they veterans, but they were also executives at Fortune 500 companies.

It was an inspirational reminder of the value that veterans bring to corporate America – and to our country. It was also evidence that America’s businesses are making real strides in supporting veterans.

Four years ago, hundreds of companies, including Deloitte LLP, signed on to the White House’s Joining Forces initiative, which challenged companies to hire or train 100,000 veterans and military spouses. Since then, the business community has hired and trained more than half a million.

Moreover, companies are launching their own efforts committed to veterans. Starbucks, for example, recently convened representatives from nonprofits and the military to tackle the problem, while Wal-Mart launched “Greenlight a Vet,” a public awareness campaign that shines a light on the great things veterans are doing in our communities and in the business world.

The simple truth is that every veteran has his or her own unique story, and there’s no single narrative about the issue of veterans finding civilian employment. And no single solution.

At Deloitte, our programs for veterans are bringing new approaches to the table. For instance, we’re helping veterans organizations use data analytics to sift through streams of information about veteran needs.

In Los Angeles – home to more veterans than anywhere in the nation – we are bringing such analytics to the University of Southern California Center for Innovation and Research on Veterans & Military Families.

Over the past two years, we’ve helped the organization create the nation’s first large-scale, comprehensive survey of veteran needs across employment, education, housing, and physical and mental health. It’s demonstrated itself to be an important tool in helping Los Angeles determine veterans’ policies and prioritize next steps. The University of Southern California is now taking this research model to Chicago and San Francisco to address veterans’ needs in those cities as well.

The simple truth is that every veteran has his or her own unique story, and there’s no single narrative about the issue of veterans finding civilian employment. And no single solution.

That’s why corporate America is doing its part … through innovative approaches like analytics … through collaborations … and through the commitment to societal betterment that we have come to expect from our best businesses.

Cathy Engelbert is CEO, Deloitte LLP.