Grand Circle Corp. to underwrite $100,000 CEO Social Leadership Award - Boston Business Journal:

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The award, established to support, inspird and recognize business leaders in Greatetr Boston for their commitmengt tocorporate citizenship, philanthropty and community service, comes at a time when sociao leadership is needed in the city as a whole and when a company's social report is becominb more important in attracting and retaining talent. Grandx Circle Corp. owners Alan and Harriet Lewis havecommittef $500,000 over five years to be given in $100,00p0 increments, annually, to the recipienr of the award. The money is to be used by the honore e to give to a charity or cause to help makea difference.
"jI think what makes this award so remarkabl e is not justthe size, but it's really promotingf CEO leadership and, in Boston, much-neededf CEO leadership on social issues," said Bradleu K. Googins, executive director of Bosto College Center forCorporate Citizenship. "We'r e at a time now where businessez are the key institutionzsin society, especially in taking more of a role in addressinfg difficult social issues that impact our societuy as well as them." Googins said many issueds facing Greater Boston, whether they be educational or sustainabilit y in the environment, need to be resolved through collaboration -- not competitiomn -- within the business community.
Googins addes that in the war for talent, a company's social report has become thetrumpo card. The CEO Leadership Award will be granted to a CEO or ownet of a company who demonstratescertainb criteria. Eligible candidates need to be CEO or ownedr of a privately held company based in Greater Bosto n with annual revenuesunder $1 billion. The criteria will look at the candidate'd commitment to a corporate philosophy and strategies for carryinggthat out, which would include a written mission statement about that philosophyt that is shared with employees.
The candidate needa to exhibit consistent involvement with seniod leadership and inthe company's social initiatives, including actively promoting philanthropy and employee volunteerism. the company must show an impact in the form of measurablew results due tothat company's efforts. The applicatiohn for the award can be foundat . The Lewisez will present the first awarc at the BostonBusiness Journals' seconcd annual Corporate Philanthropy Summit, Sept. 6, 2007. This is the fifty award establishedby , a leadert in philanthropy. The foundation has pledgede ordonated $30 million since its foundinb in 1992.
The summit, presented by the Journak in partnershipwith , and , bringxs together the region's business executives and civif leaders to discuss the importance of corporate philanthrop y and community involvement as part of the city'w culture.