Communities large and small were called upon to tell what is great and exceptional about their sustainability initiatives. Of the 21 nominations, nine were honored as Siemens Sustainable Community Awards 2010 finalists.

The Siemens Sustainable Community Awards recognize public-private coalitions for taking on the 21st century challenge of sustainable development. A sustainable community has committed to setting and achieving complementary economic, environmental and social goals that will help build long-term competitiveness and prosperity. Awards go to local governments, chambers of commerce, convention bureaus, economic development authorities and similar organizations representing the local initiative.

CSRwire CEO, Joe Sibilia, was selected on behalf of Siemens, the Business Civic Leadership Center and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce as one of the five judges for these awards. Individuals chosen to rate the nominations were deemed to be among 'a diverse and distinguished group of experts, all of whom bring different but necessary skills to the task of evaluating sustainable communities.'

Also sitting on judges panel are Joel Kotkin, Distinguished Presidential Fellow in Urban Futures, Chapman University; Curt Pringle, Mayor of Anaheim, CA (Winner of the 2009 Siemens Sustainable Community Award -- Mid-Size); Hillary Brown, AIA, LEED AP and Principal, New Civic Works; and Phillip Singerman, Senior Vice President, B&D Consulting. To be noted, this year's judging was a paperless exercise - completed through an online portal.

"I found an interesting diversity of nominations. Some nominees gave a good talk without any measurable goals and objectives. The better nominees were able to articulate their aspirations with or without results. Finally, the best nominees articulated their aspirations, provided measurable results and suggested improvements," Sibilia says, "Some nominees depended on a fancy brochure without substance. Others didn't take the time to attract attention with design communication. The best ones took the time to design a creative approach to disseminating their solid ideas and successes."

Who are the "best ones?" The finalists are listed below -- along with Sibilia's ranking. Click on a city for a description of community initiatives.

Sustainable Community Award for Large Community (500,000+ residents)

• Atlanta, GA; Sibilia's #1 choice
  
• Dallas, TX; #2
  
• Philadelphia, PA; #3
  

Sustainable Community Award for Midsize Community (50,000 - 500,000 residents)

• Davenport, IA; Sibilia's last choice, #12
  
• Grand Rapids, MI; #10
  
• Hoover, AL; #2
  

Sustainable Community Award for Small Community (

• Casselberry, FL; #3
  
• Manhattan Beach, CA; #1
  
• Newton, IA; #4
  

Share your thoughts about the awards finalists and community initiatives on Sibilia's CSRwire Talkback blog.

The Siemens Sustainable Community Awards winners will be announced and presented at BCLC's National Conference on Corporate Community Investment at the JW Marriott Houston on the evening of May 13, 2010.

For more information, please visit http://www.usa.siemens.com/sustainable_community_awards.htm.

About CSRwire
CSRwire is the leading source of corporate social responsibility and sustainability press releases, reports and information. CSRwire members are companies and NGOs, agencies and organizations interested in communicating their corporate citizenship, sustainability, and socially responsible initiatives to a global audience through CSRwire's syndication network and Daily News Alerts. CSRwire content covers issues of Diversity, Philanthropy, Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) Environment, Human Rights, Workplace Issues, Business Ethics, Community Development, Corporate Governance and much more.

About Siemens
Siemens AG (NYSE: SI) is a global powerhouse in electronics and electrical engineering, and operates in the industry, energy and healthcare sectors. For more than 160 years, Siemens has built a reputation for leading-edge innovation and the quality of its products, services and solutions. With 405,000 employees in 190 countries, Siemens reported worldwide revenue of $104.3 billion in fiscal 2009. With U.S. executive offices in Iselin, N.J., New York, N.Y. and Washington, DC, Siemens in the USA reported revenues of $21.3 billion in fiscal 2009 and employs more than 60,000 people throughout all 50 states.

About the BCLC
BCLC is a 501(c)(3) affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and is the Chamber's voice and resource for the social and philanthropic interests of the business community.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world's largest business federation representing the interests of more than 3 million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations.

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