U.S. Chamber Announces Humanitarian Aid Fund

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The United States Chamber of Commerce and Deputy Treasury Secretary Stuart Eizenstat today announced a new, humanitarian aid foundation to channel corporate donations to disaster victims, during a forum on corporate responsibility. The Chamber has been asked by some member companies to facilitate efforts to compensate World War Two slave labor victims and it is in discussions with the Clinton Administration to utilize the fund in this manner.

"American companies are looking for a way to do the greatest amount of good for real victims," said Ambassador Craig Johnstone, Chamber senior vice president for international, economic and national security affairs. "This fund will serve as a conduit for contributions."

The humanitarian fund – the Center for Corporate Citizenship Foundation (CCCF) – is envisioned as a separate Chamber affiliate with its own Board of Directors. The CCCF will serve as an independent mechanism for companies wishing to pool resources to respond to humanitarian challenges, according to the Chamber.

"American businesses want to contribute to relief efforts, without siphoning scarce dollars through the pockets of trial lawyers," said Johnstone. "This foundation will help them put their humanitarian donations where they're needed – with victims and with the agencies working to support them. In fact, the impetus for this fund came from companies that are looking for ways to assist relief efforts after natural disasters in Central America and Turkey."

Current member requests for consideration also include support for aiding military families in need and complementing current programs to assist Nazi era slave and forced laborers. The structure, funding and programs of the foundation will be the focus of discussions with legal advisors this week.

The Center for Corporate Citizenship was founded by the U.S. Chamber in October 1999 and is chaired by Craig Johnstone, Chamber senior vice president and former Ambassador to Algeria under President Reagan. The Center focuses on public policy development to facilitate the ability of companies to address humanitarian concerns.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world's largest business federation representing more than three million businesses and organizations of every size, sector and region.

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