U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation Citizens Awards

For 25 years, the Corporate Citizenship Awards (“Citizens Awards”) have highlighted how businesses serve as a force for good, expanding opportunity and driving progress in every aspect of society.

This program recognizes the most innovative and impactful corporate citizenship initiatives that leverage a company’s talent, resources, and expertise to improve communities.

Categories

• Best Civic Engagement Program
  • The Citizen Award for this category is dedicated to those that have created and implemented innovative civics programs and/or resources that empower their employees and communities to gain knowledge, skills, and disposition vital to participating in civic life. By actively promoting the importance of civics, these applicants are making a significant and lasting impact on their communities and fostering informed and engaged citizens poised to shape the future of their communities and society.
• Best Commitment to Education Program
  • The Citizen Award for this category is dedicated to a single strategic initiative focused on improving educational outcomes for students. Eligible initiatives could focus on a number of global or domestic topics including (but not limited to): STEM, soft skills, early education, teacher training, access to technology and resources.
• Best Community Improvement Program
  • The Citizen Award for this category is dedicated to a single strategic initiative focused on community improvement. Eligible initiatives could focus on global or domestic topics including (but not limited to): housing, poverty, economic development, community safety, green space, arts and culture, youth development, nonprofit capacity building, or infrastructural improvement.
• Best Community Resilience and Disaster Response Program
  • The Citizen Award for this category is dedicated to a single strategic initiative focused on community resilience and disaster response. Eligible initiatives could focus on global or domestic topics including (but not limited to): individual and community preparedness, pre-disaster mitigation, immediate response (especially for those most vulnerable), or long-term recovery.
• Best Economic Opportunity and Empowerment Program
  • The Citizen Award for this category is dedicated to a single strategic initiative focused on economic empowerment. Eligible initiatives could focus on global or domestic topics including (but not limited to): financial inclusion and literacy, entrepreneurship, diversity and inclusion, and workforce development.
• Best Health and Wellness Program
  • The Citizen Award for this category is dedicated to a single strategic initiative focused on health and wellness. Eligible initiatives could focus on global or domestic topics including (but not limited to): workplace wellness, community wellness, nutrition and obesity prevention, food security, disease prevention, and improved access to health care services.
• Best Sustainability Program
  • The Citizen Award for this category is dedicated to a single strategic initiative focused on environmental stewardship, sustainability, and the circular economy. Eligible initiatives could focus on global or domestic topics including (but not limited to): climate solutions, circular economy, conservation, energy efficiency and clean energy, fleet and transportation, manufacturing design and innovation, resource stewardship, sustainable procurement, sustainable supply chain, or waste and materials management.
• Best Corporate Steward
  • The Best Corporate Steward award recognizes companies that are responsive and responsible members of society, whose overall values, operational practices, and decision-making exemplify “shared value.”
  • This year, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation will present two Best Corporate Steward awards:
    • Best Corporate Steward: Small and Middle-Market Business—Companies with revenue of $1 billion or less will be eligible for the Best Corporate Steward: Small and Middle-Market Business award.
    • Best Corporate Steward: Large Business—Companies with revenue more than $1 billion will be eligible for the Best Corporate Steward: Large Business award.

Who Can Be Nominated?

• The Citizens Awards signify the power of business to create stronger communities in the U.S. and around the world.
  • Businesses of all sizes, chambers, and trade associations are eligible to be nominated for the Citizens Awards.
  • An entity may nominate itself or be nominated by a third party. They welcome nominations that represent a member of the business community operating as a solo entity or operating with partners. Given the public format of finalist information, third-party nominators should ensure the nominated entity is aware of the application and prepared to participate in awards activities.
  • If multiple companies/chambers/trade associations would like to submit a nomination on behalf of their partnership, they may apply as a group so long as there is a primary entity that will be recognized as a potential finalist and is the single point of contact. Multiple businesses cannot be named a finalist for a single category.
  • Non-business partners may nominate their work with a member of the business community, so long as the business is the primary entity that will be recognized as the potential finalist and is the single point of contact.
  • Entities can be nominated for more than one category, and a separate application is required for each category. Additionally, while a nominee can submit the same work in multiple categories (if it is relevant to more than one category), they are eligible to be a finalist in only one of the categories, which will be determined by scoring (the category with the highest score for that program will be the finalist category).
• Additional Eligibility Requirements:
  • Nominee is able to go on record publicly about the work or program being showcased.
  • If chosen as a finalist, nominee is able to submit high-res multimedia assets to support digital and print materials produced by the U.S. Chamber Foundation to recognize finalists.
  • If chosen as a winner, nominee commits to judging in that category for the following year’s “winner round.”
  • Each category’s submission form will provide additional guidance, such as the time periods that are eligible and the information/content that each category is based on.

For more information, visit U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.