It is not often when we hear “good news” about corporations and American businesses and how important they are to the community, the public and private sector, or their importance throughout the world.  We usually hear news of the large amounts of profits they make and the fall-out on bad investments or scandals.  Well, at least for one night in Washington, D.C., American businesses and business people had a reason to be proud.  Many were recognized for their hard work and commitment to helping the community and others in need of an opportunity to become better and to “grow-up great”.  Corporate America helps to create growth and prosperity throughout the world.  They continue to engage communities, cities, states and countries to give aid and support.  Clearly these companies are interested in making a buck for their share holders and investors.

However, these great businesses are great because they care about social justice and free enterprise, and they work hard to be good stewards in the community.  Corporate responsibility and how it fits into America is being displayed everyday by many businesses.  These corporations find points of intersection where the community and the business can benefit-- a win-win situation for both the communities and corporations.  The next time we hear news of the dishonesty by corporations and its leaders, or how they fail to support the communities or failed to do enough in the areas hit by disasters, ask yourself, “Is this the norm for most American businesses?”  Last year, American corporations donated more than 14 Billion to charities and more than 1 billion to the Hurricane Katrina devastated region, the largest response and contribution by the private sector in modern history to a disaster response.  Thank you Corporate America— don’t stop helping us to grow-great and don’t stop taking care of “tomorrow’s people.”

About the 2006 Awards Finalists BCLC's Corporate Citizenship Awards showcase businesses, trade associations, chambers of commerce and their partners for demonstrating ethical leadership and corporate stewardship, making a positive difference in their communities, and advancing important economic and social goals.

The dinner honored these finalists: Corporate Stewardship Award, Large Business: Intel, Nike, PNC Financial Services Group, Safeway, Verizon Corporate Stewardship Award, Small/Midsize Business: Alpine Banks of Colorado, Fairmount Minerals, Miller and Long Concrete Construction, Inc., PAETEC Communications, Inc.

U.S. Community Service Award: ArvinMeritor, Inc., Independence (MO) Chamber of Commerce, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Morgan Stanley, Union Pacific

International Community Service Award: AIG, GlaxoSmithKline, Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Marathon Oil Corporation, Microsoft Corporation, Western Union

Partnership Award: The Boeing Company and New Leaders for New Schools, Capital One and Junior Achievement Worldwide, The Coca-Cola Company and United Nations Foundation, The Home Depot and KaBOOM!, Weyerhaeuser Company and CAREEveryone attending the dinner was a winner, but some corporations left with additional awards: The Corporate Stewardship Award went to Intel Corporate Stewardship Award, small/midsize business went to Fairmont Minerals U.S. Community Service Award went to Kimberly-Clark Corporation The International Community Service Award went to GlaxoSmithKlineThe Partnership Award went to Capitol One  The U.S. Chamber gave a special tribute to the U.S. private sector for its response to the 2005 Gulf Coast hurricanes.New Orleans, Biloxi and other communities that were shattered by the worst natural disaster to every hit the United States saw an out-pouring of concern and support from the business community.  They saw the best in corporate citizenship and how it fits into society.  The American business community contributed more than 1 billion in aid to this region.  This is the largest response by the private sector in modern history to a disaster.

 Award presenters included Thomas J. Donohue, President and CEO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and The Honorable Carlos M. Gutierrez, U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Master of Ceremonies: Susan Lisovicz, Correspondent, and CNN Business News.

Special thanks to the Awards Dinner sponsors:
Alpine Banks of Colorado, Allstate Insurance Company, American International Group, Inc., ArvinMeritor, Booz Allen Hamilton, Capital One, CEMEX, Citizens Financial Group, CHOICES Education Group, Coca-Cola Company, Ernst and Young, Fairmount Minerals and Subsidiaries, GlaxoSmithKline, Intel Corporation, JPMorgan Chase, Kimberly-Clark Corporation, KPMG Foundation, McDonald’s Corporation, Marathon Oil Company, Marriott International, Inc., Miller and Long Concrete Construction, Inc., Office Depot, PAETEC Communications, PNC Financial Services Group, Safeway Inc., The Home Depot, Inc., Union Pacific, United Nations Foundation, Verizon Communications, and Weyerhaeuser Company.