U.S. Chamber Foundation Joins Institute for Corporate Social Responsibility

WASHINGTON, D.C., October 18, 2016 /3BL Media/ —The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation today announced that it will join the Institute for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as an active marketing and thought partner to help expand the reach of the program and position the Institute as a national leader in the CSR professional development space.

The Institute for CSR is an initiative of the Washington Regional Association of Grantmakers and is offered in partnership with Advanced Academic Programs at Johns Hopkins University. The Institute, which is entering its fourth year, offers CSR practitioners the opportunity to earn a professional certificate in Corporate Social Responsibility from Johns Hopkins in less than a year.

“The Institute for CSR provides professionals in the field with practical, real-world skills and best practices,” said Marc DeCourcey, senior vice president of the U.S. Chamber Foundation. “We are excited to join this impressive partnership and help expand the reach of the Institute for CSR.” 

Since its launch in 2014, the Institute has featured the expertise of CSR leaders from American Express, IBM, Johnson & Johnson, Walmart, and other major corporations. 

“The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation is one of the nation’s leading resources in the corporate citizenship field, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the largest business network in the world,” said Katy Moore, Managing Director of Corporate Strategy for the Washington Regional Association of Grantmakers. “It’s easy to see why we’re so excited about having them as partner. Their involvement will help us reach new audiences, attract new talent, and, ultimately, strengthen the CSR field.”

“As companies face increasing pressure to be more socially responsible, CSR professionals need a well-honed and varied set of skills to navigate this growing component of business strategy,” said Kathy Wagner Hill, Director of the Center for Advanced Governmental Studies at  Johns Hopkins University. “The Institute provides CSR professionals with these skills and helps them build a trusted peer network from among some of the largest and most respected companies in the world.”

Registration for the 2017 Institute is now open, and classes begin in March 2017. Over the course of the year, participants will learn a robust set of new skills and best practices from some of the nation’s leading CSR practitioners. Coursework will focus on a wide range of topics, including CSR strategy, trends in philanthropy, employee engagement, ethics and sustainability, measurement, and communications.

Learn more about the 2017 program and registration process here.

Founded in 1992, the Washington Regional Association of Grantmakers is a network of grantmaking organizations dedicated to promoting increased, effective, and responsible philanthropy in the Greater Washington, DC region.

Founded in 1876, the mission of The Johns Hopkins University is to educate its students and cultivate their capacity for life-long learning, to foster independent and original research, and to bring the benefits of discovery to the world.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation is dedicated to strengthening America’s long-term competitiveness. We educate the public on the conditions necessary for business and communities to thrive, how business positively impacts communities, and emerging issues and creative solutions that will shape the future.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business federation representing the interests of more than 3 million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations.