Programs

We invite your submission for the 2012 Corporate Citizenship Awards during the month of May. The nomination process closes May 31.

About the Corporate Citizenship Awards 

Over the past 13 years, some of the most accomplished social and community initiatives within the business sector have been recognized through the "Citizens" Awards. Dozens of industry leaders, including Abbott, Best Buy, Cargill, Chevron, Deloitte, UPS, Wegmans, and more, have gained positive exposure for their good work. The Citizens Awards honor strategic and sustained positive impact on people, communities, the environment, and society.

The Citizens Awards recognizes companies in four categories:

• Best Business Neighbor: The Citizen award for this category is dedicated to specific U.S.-focused social, community and/or environmental initiatives. Nominees should exemplify leadership and positive impact through a single strategic initiative.

  

• Best International Ambassador: The Citizen award for this category is dedicated to a specific social, community, and/or environmental initiative that takes place within one or more developing nations around the world. Nominees should exemplify leadership and positive impact through a single strategic initiative.

   

• Best Partnership: The Citizen award for this category is dedicated to a business-nonprofit collaboration whose goal is to achieve high impact and sustainable results on a single social, community, or environmental issue. This is a publicly judged "people’s choice" award and finalists will receive tools from BCLC to help with the online campaign. Business entities and nonprofits should complete the application together and be prepared to participate together in the awards activities.

   

• Best Corporate Steward: The Citizen for this category goes to companies that are responsive and responsible members of society, whose overall values, operational practices, and stakeholder strategies exemplify “shared value.” A corporate steward understands and sustains the linkages between it and society.

Winners of the 2012 Corporate Citizenship Awards will be announced at our annual reception on December 6, 2012.

Across America, businesses both large and small are developing new ideas, inventing new technologies, and changing the way they interact with the environment. BCLC’s Environmental Innovation Network seeks to promote companies leading this trend and connect private sector, public sector, and NGO leaders towards more effective collaboration.

The network focuses on:

• Showcasing research and development on product and technology innovations
• Sharing financial service and project investment tools
• Advancing business resource management practices
• Cultivating awareness of green supply chain opportunities
• Capturing lessons learned and best practices

Key Issues

BCLC uses resources such as the Environmental  Innovation Map and the Environmental Help Desk for Business and services such as monthly conference calls and annual working meetings to make progress on:

• Advancing R&D and Product and Technology Innovations for Environmental Progress
• Stimulating Local, Regional, and National Green Market Development
• Sharing Financial Service and Project Investment Tools for Environmental R&D
• Identification and Advancement of Business Resource Management Practices
• Cultivating Awareness of Green Supply Chain Opportunities
• Capturing Lessons Learned and Best Practices in Promoting Environmental Innovation

Events

• Siemens Sustainable Community Awards Reception
• Annual Environmental Innovation Summit

Initiatives

The Environmental Innovation Network is driven by a group of businesses who are leaders in their fields and in the overall advancement of strategic sustainability.

The Environmental Help Desk for Business is a resource to help America’s small and medium-sized businesses understand green supply chain requirements, green business certifications, and innovations that can save money while reducing environmental impacts. Discover what the Help Desk can do for you.

The Environmental  Innovation Map represents creative and innovative business solutions to environmental challenges. The Map showcases projects that deviate from standard practices and could potentially have a revolutionsary, game-changing impact. To learn more about what businesses are doing please visit the Map.

BCLC Lead

Chris Ryan (email, @ChrisRyan_87) coordinates the Environmental Innovation Network. In this role, he is responsible for building awareness about best practices regarding environmental issues and facilitating collaboration between the public, private, and non-government sectors. Chris is also responsible for implementation of BCLC's annual Sustainable Community Awards, underwritten by Siemens. Chris can be reached at (202) 463-5714.

Environmental Innovation Headlines:

BCLC's Global program helps businesses navigate the international development and partnership landscape while showcasing solutions to some of the world’s most complex development challenges. BCLC works closely with public and private sector partners, including the Global Partnership Center at the U.S. State Department, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, the World Bank, and the United Nations, to provide supporters with connections and resources that will advance their global corporate citizenship interests and help business development in emerging markets.   

Key Issues

• The business role in addressing food security, clean water, sanitation, and hygiene
• Access to medicines and mobile health solutions
• Job creation and skills training at the bottom of the pyramid
• Rural and urban development
• Aid and trade
• Women and girls empowerment

Events

• Spring Forum:  Hosted in partnership with the United Nations
• Global Corporate Citizenship Conference: Every October, this conference is the convening place for companies, multilateral organizations, entrepreneurs, and NGOs that are creating a movement of change and progress.  The conference consists of interviews, enlightening plenary discussions, active audience participation, best practice models, breakout and networking sessions, and TED-style conversations.
• Forums, briefings, and working meetings throughout the year

Initiatives

BusinessCorps, a platform for business people using their skills to help communities in emerging markets flourish and succeed. Through BusinessCorps, companies donate their employees’ technical skills to address community needs on a pro bono basis. Building on the inspiration that led John F. Kennedy to establish the Peace Corps in 1961, companies are coming together to make a difference, whether they operate in Brazil, the U.S., or around the world.

BCLC Lead

Laura Horton (email, @LauraMHorton) is the interim program manager, while Taryn Bird, is on sabbatical in Rwanda until July 2012. Laura first became interested in global development while teaching English in South India, and gained a deep appreciation for the potential positive private sector impact in global development while working as a management consultant. She enjoys combining her two passions while working alongside BCLC’s supporters to build partnerships, showcase innovative business solutions to complex development challenges, and create events and program content that provide insight and promote best practice sharing to enhance the private sector’s global development work.

Business Co-Chairs

• Bo Miller, Director, Corporate Citizenship, President, The Dow Chemical Company Foundation at The Dow Chemical Company
• Kathy Pickus, Divisional Vice President, Global Citizenship & Policy , Abbott

Global Program Headlines: