DUSHANBE, December 22, 2011, Asia-Plus -- Grant Thornton this week donated US$57,500 to UNICEF, the leading children’s organization, as part of its ongoing partnership through the International Business Report (IBR), press release issued by Grant Thornton on December 19 said.

Launched in 1992 in nine European countries the report now surveys 11,500 businesses in 40 economies every year, providing insight into the economic and commercial issues affecting both listed and privately-held businesses.

For every interview completed Grant Thornton makes a donation of US$5 to UNICEF.

Ed Nusbaum, CEO of Grant Thornton International, said: “We are delighted to continue supporting the very important work done by UNICEF. Having progressed IBR from an annual to a quarterly survey, we now interview a greater number of business leaders every year.  Aside from the benefits this has brought in terms of our ability to deliver insights on business issues in a more timely manner, it also happily means that our annual donation has increased significantly.”

Handing over the cheque to UNICEF, IBR project manager Dominic King said: “The US$5 donation is a key driver for business leaders to undertake the survey.  In today''s fast-moving business environment, time pressures on senior executives are ever increasing so the direct link to an internationally-recognized charity makes a real difference to the success of the project, and, more importantly, helps to save children’s lives.”

Grant Thornton has now donated over US$200,000 to UNICEF over the past five years through the IBR project.

Victoria Lindop, UNICEF UK Head of Corporate said: “We are most grateful that Grant Thornton has chosen to continue its association with us through IBR.  UNICEF’s work for children depends entirely on voluntary donations as we do not receive any funding from the UN budget.  The annual donation is incredibly valuable in our mission to ensure every child has the best start in life.”