Congratulations to the 2005
Corporate Citizenship Award Winners
More than 500 business executives, NGO leaders, members of Congress and congressional staff, and members of the diplomatic corps gathered at the spectacular National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 8 to celebrate the highest ideals of corporate citizenship. Harvard Business School Professor Michael Porter delivered this year's keynote address. 
Watch the keynote remarks by Harvard Business Professor Michael Porter
The 2005 Corporate Citizenship Award winners are ...
International Community Service Award: Alticor, Inc.
Alticor created the One by One Campaign for Children, which encourages its key stakeholders — more than 3 million independent business owners, 12,000 employees, and thousands of customers — to address issues relating to children. In 2004, Alticor raised more than $11 million and increased the number of affiliates participating in the program by 92 percent, benefiting orphans, at-risk girls, blind children, children with cleft palate or cancer, and many other of the world's children in need.
Presented by: Frank Scruggs, EVP of external relations and diversity, Office Depot
Accepted by: Steve Van Andel, chairman, Alticor
U.S. Community Service Award: Xerox Corporation
Xerox has implemented the Social Service Leave (PDF) program, which provides employees with a fully paid, yearlong sabbatical, complete with benefits, so they can provide full-time volunteer services to a nonprofit organization of their choice. One of the oldest of its kind in American business, Xerox has enabled more than 460 employees to serve as full-time 
volunteers since the program began in 1971. Eight employees are volunteers in 2005 and are contributing to the long-term social and economic development of their communities.
Presented by: former U.S. Secretary of Commerce Don Evans
Accepted by: Michael Mac Donald, president of global accounts and marketing operations, Xerox
Corporate Stewardship Award, Small/Mid-size Business: Citizens Financial Group
Last year marked the 12th consecutive year of record growth for Citizens Financial Group. This growth, in turn, has fueled its strong commitment to communities in need in the areas of affordable housing, hunger, neighborhood revitalization, and job creation. Within one year, Citizens Financial Group doubled the amount of money it contributes to the community, reaching $30 million. Through its three-year-old Champions in Action program, employee volunteers partner with one nonprofit organization from every state each quarter. To date, the company has delivered $1.5 million and thousands of volunteer hours to its partners.
Co-Presented by: U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez and U.S. Chamber President and CEO Thomas J. Donohue
Accepted by: Larry Fish, chairman and CEO, Citizens Financial Group
Corporate Stewardship Award, Large Business: General Electric
The only company to be part of the Dow Jones Industrial Average since that index started in 1896, General Electric has grown into a company with sales in excess of $150 billion. General Electric has been a pioneer in corporate governance, environmental management, volunteerism, corporate philanthropy, and improving social conditions through its operations. GE builds some of the most energy efficient commercial and industrial equipment and some of the world's 
most energy-efficient household solutions. They call their vision for a cleaner, healthier world, "Ecomagination," and programs like this help to define who GE is today.
Co-Presented by: U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez and U.S. Chamber President and CEO Thomas J. Donohue
Accepted by: Bob Corcoran, VP of GE corporate citizenship and president of GE Foundation
Citizenship in Action Award: U.S. Businesses
A special tribute was paid this year to the hundreds of American companies that gave time, money, resources, and services to aid the response to the Dec. 26, 2004, tsunami in South Asia. U.S. companies' contributions to relief and recovery totaled more than $560 million.
Presented by: Suzanne Clark, EVP and COO of the U.S. Chamber and president of the Center for Corporate Citizenship
Accepted by: Jeff Kindler, vice chair and general counsel, Pfizer, Inc., on behalf of the U.S. business community.
Congratulations to all of this year's finalists -- true examples of corporate citizenship at its finest.
The 2006 Corporate Citizenship Awards nomination period will open in March. For more information, call 202-463-3133 or email ccc@uschamber.com.
The Citizenship in Action award recognizes a specific action. Last year's winner, the Home Depot, responded to the four hurricanes in Florida by mobilizing an unprecedented number of its associates, providing numerous in-kind donations, donating $4 million, and helping the people of the region pick up the pieces of their lives and rebuild their homes. Other examples of Citizenship in Action include the Johnson & Johnson Tylenol tampering case, when J&J organized a massive response and introduced new types of safety procedures and packaging.
- The U.S. Community Service Award
- The International Community Service Award
These awards are presented to a business, trade association or chamber of commerce for a specific community service program promoting better corporate-community relations and contributing to the social and economic development of its community. Companies and trade associations are eligible to compete for this award for the first time this year.
The Community Service Awards are presented in two categories: domestic and international. Past winners of the U.S. Community Award included the Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce for their education campaign, the Salisbury Chamber of Commerce for their innovative workforce development program, and the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce for their corporate citizenship initiative. Past winners of the International Award included the American Chamber of Commerce in Singapore for their active community engagement program, the American Chamber of Commerce of Brazil-Sao Paulo, for their computer exchange and literacy campaign, and the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines for their disaster relief and youth education programs.
- The Corporate Stewardship Award, Small/Mid-size Business
- The Corporate Stewardship Award, Large Business
These awards are presented to companies that exemplify the highest ideals of corporate stewardship through their values, strategies, and operational practices.
The Corporate Stewardship Awards are presented in three categories: Small, Mid-size, and Large Business, based on annual revenue. Companies are recognized for their ability to integrate economic performance with a sustained contribution to economic, community, and social progress. Last year's winners were Office Depot, which leverages its core business skills in many of its philanthropic activities; University Bank, which focuses on economically disadvantaged communities as a market and a development mission; and Seventh Generation, for its integration of environmental concerns into the core of its business strategy.
