Hitachi, Ltd. created The Hitachi Foundation to both invest in improving the quality of life for economically isolated people in America and to work with the Hitachi North American group companies in their efforts to be good corporate citizens. Over the years the question of what it means to be a good corporate citizen has become a central component of our work.
The Foundation operates at the intersection of concern for economically isolated people and places, and corporate citizenship. In particular, we are interested in business-community partnerships that both improve the quality of life and strengthen businesses. Though ours is an important role in the field of corporate citizenship, it is but a small fraction of the critical work underway.
The field is growing in breadth and complexity. We'd like to help our readers connect with the many organizations that are building knowledge. The links and resources we've identified represent only a sample of the work underway throughout the world, but they offer a valuable entrance into the field of Corporate Citizenship.
Organizations and Associations
Aspen Institute, The Nonprofit Sector and Philanthropy Program:
The Nonprofit Sector and Philanthropy Program seeks to expand knowledge of the nonprofit sector and philanthropy through research and dialogue focused on public policy management and other important issues affecting the sector.
http://www.aspeninstitute.org
Business and Society Program (BSP, formerly Aspen ISIB), Aspen Institute:
The Business and Society Program is an independently funded policy program at the Aspen Institute, dedicated to increasing the supply of business leaders who understand and seek to balance the complex relationship between business success and social and environmental progress.
http://www.aspeninstitute.org
BSP's Caseplace:
This site provides hundreds of business case studies and supporting materials that incorporate Social Impact Management into business education. CasePlace.org is a free service of the Aspen Institute's Business and Society Program (BSP).
http://www.caseplace.org
Business for Social Responsibility (BSR):
With more than 1,400 members, BSR helps businesses achieve commercial success in ways that respect ethical values, people, communities, and the environment.
http://www.bsr.org
Center for Womens Business Research:
The Center provides data-driven knowledge to advance the economic, social and political impact of women business owners and their enterprises worldwide.
http://www.womensbusinessresearch.org
Committee for Economic Development (CED):
An independent organization of business and education leaders, CED conducts policy research on major economic and social issues and promotes the implementation of its recommendations by the public and private sectors.
http://www.ced.org
Community Wealth Ventures:
Community Wealth Ventures is a for-profit subsidiary of Share Our Strength, a leading nonprofit anti-hunger and anti-poverty organization. It works with nonprofit practitioners/investors to find ways to strengthen their social impact by identifying and stimulating new sources of revenue -- by creating community wealth.
http://www.communitywealth.org
The Conference Board:
A mission of The Conference Board is to enhance the contribution of business to society.
http://www.conference-board.org
Corporate Voices for Working Families:
A national nonprofit organization that will fill an important gap in the national policy debate about the community supports needed to sustain working families.
http://www.cvworkingfamilies.org
Council on Foundations:
The main membership organization of grantmaking foundations in the US. By providing technical assistance, research, publications, conferences and workshops, legal services, and a wide array of other services, it promotes and enhances responsible and effective philanthropy.
http://www.cof.org
Council on Foundations' list of affinity groups with links:
http://www.cof.org/about/affinitygroups.cfm
Ford Foundation:
Created by Henry and Edsel Ford of the Ford Motor Company, this Foundation is a resource for innovative people and institutions worldwide with goals set to strengthen democratic values, reduce poverty and injustice, promote international cooperation, and advance human achievement.
http://www.fordfound.org
Foundation Center:
The Center supports and improves institutional philanthropy by promoting public understanding of the field and helping grantseekers succeed.
http://fdncenter.org
Independent Sector (IS):
IS represents the nonprofit and philanthropic communities to promote greater cooperation within, and influence of the independent sector.
http://www.independentsector.org
Initiative for Competitive Inner Cities (ICIC):
A national, nonprofit organization founded by Harvard Business School Professor Michael E. Porter, ICIC promotes new thinking about the business potential of inner cities, thereby creating jobs and wealth for inner-city residents.
http://www.icic.org
Jobs for the Future:
Focusing on the expansion of economic and educational opportunities for all, Jobs for the Future partners with local, state, and national organizations to enhance opportunities for people to advance in education and careers.
http://www.jff.org
Jobs to Careers:
A national initiative to support partnerships that advance and reward the skill and career development of incumbent workers providing care and services on the front lines of our health and health care systems. A collaborative effort of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and The Hitachi Foundation, it supports partnerships of employers, educational institutions, and other organizations to expand and redesign systems to: create lasting improvements in the way that institutions train and advance their frontline workers; and test new models of education and training that incorporate work-based learning.
http://www.jobs2careers.org
US Chamber of Commerce, Center for Corporate Citizenship:
The Center is where companies, nonprofits and other organizations from around the world can sit down and discuss what can be done to highlight business achievements - and learn where more help is needed.
http://www.uschamber.com/ccc
Winning Workplaces:
Winning Workplaces is a not-for-profit providing information, training, consulting, and easy-to-use, affordable tools to help small and midsize organizations create high-performance workplaces.
http://www.winningworkplaces.org
College and University Centers
The Center for Corporate Citizenship at Boston College:
The Center exercises leadership in promoting corporate citizenship as an essential part of business, so all companies act as economic and social assets to communities.
http://www.bc.edu/centers/ccc.index.html
The Center for Responsible Business, University of California - Berkeley:
The vision of the Center is to create a more sustainable, ethical and socially responsible society by educating stakeholders on the roles and responsibilities of business in society through research, teaching, experiential learning, and outreach.
http://www.haas.berkeley.edu/responsiblebusiness/
City University of New York, Center for the Study of Philanthropy:
The Center provides an ongoing national and international forum for research, discussion, and public education on philanthropic trends.
http://www.philanthropy.org
Civic Practices Network(CPN) at Brandeis University:
Part of the movement for a "new citizenship" and "civic revitalization," CPN provides practical tools for public problem solving in community and institutional settings across America.
http://www.cpn.org
Duke University, Center for the Study of Philanthropy and Volunteerism:
The Center promotes the exchange of ideas among students, scholars, policymakers, and practitioners in the nonprofit sector.
http://www.pubpol.duke.edu/centers/philvol
The E Center for Business Ethics at Colorado State University:
The center provides information on business ethics, corporate citizenship, and organizational compliance to create a virtual community of organizations and individuals that share best practices in the improvement of business ethics.
http://www.e-businessethics.com
Harvard University, The Initiative on Social Enterprise:
Focusing on nonprofit organizations and other private social-purpose enterprises, ISE provides research, education, and MBA courses and programs.
http://www.hbs.edu/socialenterprise
Yale University, Program on Nonprofit Organizations:
The program is an international center for multidisciplinary studies of philanthropy, voluntarism, and nonprofit organizations.
http://www.yale.edu/divinity/ponpo
Media
Business Ethics Magazine:
The mission of Business Ethics is to promote ethical business practices, to serve that growing community of professionals striving to live and work in responsible ways, and to help create financially healthy companies in the process.
http://www.business-ethics.com
Chronicle of Philanthropy:
The Chronicle is a leading newspaper of the nonprofit world and a news source for charity leaders, fund raisers, grantmakers, and others involved in the philanthropy.
http://philanthropy.com
The National Center for Business Journalism at the American Press Institute:
The Center was created to meet the strong need for improvement in the American Journalism and conducts various workshops that are open not only to business reporters, but reporters in other beats seeking to improve their skills in business coverage.
http://www.businessjournalism.org/
Resources Outside of the U.S.
Business in the Community, UK:
A national network of corporate social responsibility organizations, promoting corporate community involvement.
http://www.bitc.org.uk
Imagin Canada, CA:
Imagin Canada's programs and services provide organizations in the nonprofit sector with timely information and tools to ensure they have the resources required to do their work and serve Canadians.
http://www.imaginecanada.ca/
The Corporate Citizenship Company, UK:
The Company offers research, consultancy and publications to help business success as good citizens of our changing global society.
http://www.corporate-citizenship.co.uk
Corporate Responsibility Group (CRG), UK:
CRG is a forum for corporate professionals working in the field of community involvement and corporate social responsibility.
http://www.crguk.org
Council for Better Corporate Citizenship, JP:
Japan's major economic organization's (Nippon Keidanren-Japan Federation of Economic Organizations) policy reports on Social Affairs, Philanthropy, and Corporate Behavior.
http://www.keidanren.or.jp/CBCC/english/profile/index.html
Japan Center for International Exchange (JCIE), JP:
Founded in 1970, JCIE is an independent, nonprofit, and nonpartisan organization dedicated to strengthening Japan's role in international networks of policy dialogue and cooperation.
http://www.jcie.or.jp
