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CSRwire Member Spotlight: U.S. Chamber’s Business Civic Leadership Center
CSRwire Member Spotlight: U.S. Chamber’s Business Civic Leadership Center
Published 05-29-09
Submitted by U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation Corporate Citizenship Center
May 29, 2009 - The Business Civic Leadership Center (BCLC) is a 501(c)3 affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that serves as the U.S. Chamber's primary voice for business and their social and philanthropic interests. The organization connects business and civic leaders to foster complementary economic and social goals.
On their website, BCLC narrows their mission down to the following three focuses: communicating the U.S. private sector's unique and valuable contributions; cultivating strategies and practices that achieve positive results; and coordinating public-private partnerships and coalitions. "BCLC's connection to Washington and its ability to drive partnerships for development is really unique" says Katie Loovis, BCLC Director, Business and Society. BCLC's methods of pursuing these aims vary.
For starters, every year, BCLC hosts the Corporate Citizenship Awards Dinner designed to recognize exemplary corporate citizens and to promote socially responsible business leadership. The Corporate Citizenship Awards are not far off. Previous honorees include Allstate, KPMG, Microsoft, and Capital One. The nomination period ends June 26th, so send in your nominations! http://www.uschamber.com/bclc/awards/default
Ms. Loovis is enthusiastic about the new Together For Recovery initiative, which encapsulates BCLC's forward-looking response to the current economic crisis. "One of my dearest friends just got laid off and I said, 'Go to Together For Recovery dot org!' Ms. Loovis proclaims. From help with housing and healthcare to job training and small business start-up, Together For Recovery connects individuals in need with hundreds of business offerings available right now to help them. For example, through Together For Recovery, one suit company will sell you a suit, but if you get laid-off, the company will refund your money and allow you to keep the suit for job interviews. This is an inspiring example of capitalist innovation catering to the needs of individuals down on their luck so that those individuals can stay in the game.
Earlier this month, BCLC hosted the National Conference on Corporate Community Investment in Chicago, and the purpose of the event was in keeping with its name. "More than a dozen companies came onto the stage, announced what they are offering to help cushion the recession for individuals, and epitomized Together For Recovery," says Loovis.
But BCLC's imagination and participation doesn't end there. They offer a disaster assistance and recovery program just in time for Hurricane season (June 1st), and furthermore. Ms. Loovis states that in times of emergencies - whether natural disasters or financial crisis - companies are coming to the table, cushioning the blow, and driving recovery.
And just as many businesses are now global, BCLC services extend beyond U.S. boarders. Through the Global Corporate Citizenship program, BCLC advances how companies engage in emerging market development. On October 1st, BCLC will bring business leaders together with development agencies and multi-lateral organizations to improve social issues in the developing world.
BCLC was founded in 2000, when corporate citizenship remained an emerging concept in business management. In the nine years since then, Americans have been besieged by a host of disappointments regarding corporate ethics. The Enron scandal was unfortunately only one of many breaches of American people's trust on the part of a gigantic business. BCLC is working very hard to restore this trust.
It is organizations like BCLC, which is devoted to assisting the economically displaced and connecting people to business resources with which they can avoid being left behind by the system, that we need in these challenging times.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation Corporate Citizenship Center
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation Corporate Citizenship Center
U.S. community development. Emerging-market development. Disaster response. Social and environmental innovation – businesses play an important role in all of these issue areas.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation Corporate Citizenship Center is recognized in the corporate citizenship field as a source for fresh thinking, exceptional networking and practical lessons learned.
The Foundation works to strengthen collaboration and understanding among companies, corporate foundations, chambers of commerce, NGOs, and governmental offices. As a partnership facilitator, The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation Corporate Citizenship Center helps businesses find highly effective ways to invest in local communities, be responsive in times of disasters, and improve lives and livelihoods across the globe.
The Foundations mission is to work with businesses to make the world a better place. Email ccc@uschamber.com to learn more.
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