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May 2007
Center member Grand Circle Corp. has established the CEO Social Leadership Award, which will award $100,000 to an area CEO to be used for a social initiative. The program will be run with the help of the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship and the Boston Business Journal.
The award, established to support, inspire and recognize business leaders in Greater Boston for their commitment to corporate citizenship, philanthropy and community service, comes at a time when social leadership is needed in the city as a whole and when a company's social report is becoming more important in attracting and retaining talent.
Grand Circle Corp. owners Alan and Harriet Lewis have committed $500,000 over five years to be given in $100,000 increments, annually, to the recipient of the award. The money is to be used by the honoree to give to a charity or cause to help make a difference.
"What makes this award so remarkable is not just the size, but that it's promoting much-needed CEO leadership on social issues," said Bradley K. Googins, executive director of Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship. "We're at a time now where businesses are the key institutions in society, especially in taking more of a role in addressing difficult social issues that impact our society as well as them."
Googins said many issues facing Greater Boston, whether they be educational or sustainability in the environment, need to be resolved through collaboration – not competition – within the business community.
The CEO Leadership Award will be granted to a CEO or owner of a company who demonstrates certain criteria. Eligible candidates need to be CEO or owner of a privately held company based in Greater Boston with annual revenues under $1 billion.
The criteria will look at the candidate's commitment to a corporate philosophy and strategies for carrying that out, which would include a written mission statement about that philosophy that is shared with employees. The candidate needs to exhibit consistent involvement with senior leadership and in the company's social initiatives, including actively promoting philanthropy and employee volunteerism. Ultimately, the company must show an impact in the form of measurable results due to that company's efforts. The application for the award can be found at www.bizjournals.com/boston/nomination/805.
Nominations will be considered by a committee of judges composed of faculty of the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship, executives of the Boston Business Journal, executives of Grand Circle Corp. and other social thought leaders in Greater Boston.
The Lewises will present the first award at the Boston Business Journals' second annual Corporate Philanthropy Summit, Sept. 6, 2007. |
