Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy

New York, New York, June 2, 2009 — Today, the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (CECP) shares a first-look at results from its annual philanthropy survey of nearly 140 leading companies, revealing that 53% of companies increased their total philanthropic donations in 2008, and 27% increased their giving by more than 10% year-over-year. Amid a challenging economy, business leaders continue to support their companies’ commitments to supporting their communities and advancing social and environmental programs around the world, further evidenced today as CECP presents the Excellence Awards in Corporate Philanthropy to two companies and one nonprofit.

Earlier this year, in honor of International Corporate Philanthropy Day, 55 CEOs from some of the world's largest companies convened for the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy's fourth annual Board of Boards CEO Conference to discuss this year's theme, "Global Leaders: Confronting a Crucial Decision."

What can individual donors learn from the philanthropic practices of big corporations? We talked with three corporate leaders at an annual gathering of the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (CECP) to find out how big companies make charitable gifts and what their practices can teach individual givers. We also quizzed them about corporate social responsibility — the buzz-term for putting a good charitable or socially-aware face on your company — and whether it helps attract new, younger employees.

On Monday, Robert L. Corcoran, president of the GE Foundation, stood cheerily alongside three other corporate-philanthropy leaders on the balcony above the floor of the New York Stock Exchange to ring the opening bell.

Today leading companies and organizations around the world celebrate International Corporate Philanthropy Day, a day designated to showcase strategic corporate philanthropy initiatives and encourage further cross-sector partnerships in support of social and environmental causes. Building upon the tremendous success of a national celebration of corporate giving in prior years, the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (CECP) is proud to launch a global effort in 2009 to engage more business leaders in the day’s activities.