BCLC 2011 Accomplishments

On behalf of our members, BCLC’s digital network – the website and blog, e-news, and social media networks – reached nearly a quarter of a million stakeholders with insight and examples of business making a difference. Additionally, BCLC garnered more than 114 million media impressions: 93 million online and 22 million in print outlets. New communications and visibility assets were cultivated to improve our ability to tell the positive story of business: the Business for Good Map, the new website, and the hiring of seasoned public relations and marketing professionals.

Attendance at BCLC’s signature events led to 1,000+ stakeholders listening to and seeing firsthand examples of corporate citizenship in U.S. and global communities.

BCLC played a major role in coordinating the private sector response to the disasters in Japan, Tuscaloosa, and Joplin and supported recovery efforts in Australia and Indonesia. Companies helped address water and sanitation challenges, health care issues, debris removal, communications, and transportation difficulties. Multinational companies contributed over $300 million to the Japanese response effort.
 
BCLC ushered the Memorandum of Understanding between the U.S. State Department and the US Chamber of Commerce to coordinate disaster risk reduction, resilience, sustainable development, and aid coordination, and develop public-private-NGO partnerships in the Pacific Rim at APEC.  

BCLC partnered with the United Nations, Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon and actress/activist Geena Davis to raise awareness about how businesses are empowering women and entrepreneurs around the world. Companies ranging from Dermatologica to Goldman Sachs are developing innovative programs that are helping lift women and girls out of poverty, receive education, and gainful employment.

BCLC launched the Environmental Innovation Network initiative on July 18. This initiative brings together national companies with local chambers and small businesses to facilitate business to business networking, information sharing, and value chain opportunities.

BCLC’s U.S. program held a successful national conference in Philadelphia in April, and presented Greensburg, KS, Raleigh, NC, and San Jose, CA with the Siemens Sustainable Community Awards.  In addition, the U.S. program launched a Health and Wellness working group and a “Redfields to Greenfields” initiative to promote the conversion of distressed housing to parks and other green spaces.

BCLC hosted “The Citizens Award” at the Newseum in Washington, DC to celebrate the highest ideals of corporate citizenship with more than 400 business, government and NGO leaders. Citizens finalists exemplify the continued evolution of corporate citizenship, illustrating its movement from the periphery of business activity to the strategic alignment with the core of the company. Inaugural year to present the Association of American Chambers of Commerce in Latin America CSR Award. (The 2012 Citizens Award nominations will be accepted in May and the celebration will take place on November 15.)

Learn more in-depth information about BCLC's 2011 successes and 2012 programming that was made possible through the strategic and financial support of our working group members.

Business & Society Relations
National Corporate Citizenship (Former Corporate Community Investment)
Disaster Assistance & Recovery Program
Global Corporate Citizenship