America's Reputation Is Every Company's Responsibility

The U.S. can use some serious help with its reputation around the world right now. Where should it look for that help? How about corporate America?

Ten years after 9/11, we look back on a tough decade. The attack on our mainland gave way to a series of self-inflicted wounds that have deeply damaged our standing around the world. The wars and failed state-building that followed, the financial meltdown that triggered global economic crisis, the flat job market that demonstrates that we’re a long way from figuring it all out, and the vacuum of political leadership in Washington all leave the world wondering if the U.S. has begun a decline from which it won’t recover.   In this void, corporate America can and should provide much of the energy and imagination needed to improve the nation’s image abroad. Look at the world’s greatest corporate brands and you see that most of them are U.S. multinationals that already provide tremendous leadership through their corporate social responsibility programs. They are using the engines of business, backed by their own expertise in their industries, to harness new thinking to help meet global challenges. Some of their largest and most memorable campaigns include GE’s Ecomagination, IBM’s Smarter Planet, and Cisco’s Human Element. These companies know it matters how they behave as global corporate citizens. Their employees feel it, and Wall Street recognizes it. With campaigns like theirs we get more than sloganeering. We get effective multi-year commitments to making a real difference.   To continue reading about the changing corporate America, click here.   About GE
GE (NYSE: GE) is an advanced technology, services and finance company taking on the world’s toughest challenges. Dedicated to innovation in energy, health, transportation and infrastructure, GE operates in more than 100 countries and employs about 300,000 people worldwide. For more information, visit the company's Web site at www.ge.com.
 
Citizenship at GE is more than a program or a set of good intentions - it is a full-time commitment built upon cultural behaviors and actions. These actions are integrated with business strategy and have defined goals, strategies and metrics that make it actionable and accountable.
 
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