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For the last four years Center member CA, Inc. has sponsored CA Together in Action (CTA), a month-long program to support non-profit organizations around the world. Launched in 2006 as a two-week event, the program expanded to a month to allow as many employees as possible to participate. 
Coming together to advance citizenship around the world
“We are just at the beginning of realizing the reality of what is happening to our economy. There couldn’t be a more interesting time for corporate citizenship,” Center Director Bradley Googins mused at the third annual meeting of the Global Education and Research Network (GERN) meeting in San Francisco last Saturday.
With eight countries on five continents represented at the largest meeting the network has had to date, there were many challenges to discuss, yet the energy and optimism of the group was heartening. The Network, launched by the Center and supported by the UPS Foundation, was formed to share knowledge and contribute to understanding of global citizenship, and international variations, through collaborative research and education initiatives. The Network is made up of the Center’s counterparts around the world – Centers for Corporate Citizenship in Germany, South Africa, Chile, Italy, the United Kingdom, Mexico, China and the Philippines.
What role can these centers and corporate citizenship proponents play in moving along the citizenship agenda during these tumultuous times? Practically all of the organizations represented have taken on the role of “convener of dialogue.” At a time when companies are feeling the brunt of negative public perception and reputation, there seems to be a great demand, and new openness, to convene. No one has the answers, or wants to stick out their neck alone in these times, but new lines of collective conversation have opened up.
Susanne Lang, Director of the Center for Corporate Citizenship Deutschland (CCCD), noted that there is an increased awareness in Germany that things need to be changed – that the role business must play in society is changing, but no one knows exactly when and how to react. The CCCD has taken the opportunity to gather a network of 30 companies to discuss civil society engagement and how to approach these dramatic changes.
In South Africa, the Center for Responsible Leadership at the University of Pretoria is holding “courageous conversations” with a group of CEOs to broach the topic of the role of business in society. The role of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai is to be a platform for companies to engage stakeholders, convening groups in various roundtable discussions on topics related to corporate citizenship.
As we participate in the Center’s annual conference, we are reminded of the power of the simple action of coming together. Three hundred -plus individuals have travelled to join together this week for two days of conversation. The urgency of our topics seems heightened this year, but our ability to react and adapt will be greatly enhanced because we have come together.
A lone corporate citizenship manager will not find the answer, nor will the most seasoned CSR expert, or even a CEO or president. A glimpse into the current global activity shows that the answers will come from the collective.
