13 Conferences in 2012: Employee Engagement in Corporate Citizenship

Guest blog post by Alyson Genovese, Twitter: @alysongenovese

I've got to admit, I love going to conferences. They're kind of romantic (no, not that way!) - I get to hang out with others who care about employee engagement and sustainability as much as I do, learn from the best and the brightest about new trends and successes in our field, and leave feeling inspired and ready to tackle the challenges facing our (somewhat mundane) everyday. 

Even those of you who are more pragmatic about conferences than I see the importance of attending a few of our industry’s key gathering opportunities to network, grow and “be seen.” So together, the team at Realized Worth and I, have culled through all the newsletters, blogs and press releases to offer you a quick list of 2012 conferences, listed below in chronological order.

Check out their individual web sites to see pricing, calls for presenters, lodging information and all the other pertinent details. See you there!

2012 Conference Listing (in chronological order)

‘Corporate Social Impact’ 
EF 2012 Corporate Citizenship Conference
March 9, 2012, eBay Town Hall Conference Center, San Jose, CA

This event is designed for companies interested in creating, enhancing, and strengthening their corporate community involvement and philanthropy programs. The Conference will showcase corporate citizenship programs and feature panels and workshops from a broad variety of large and small, public and private companies. Expect to learn about trends, metrics, best practices, and issues facing companies today.

2012 'International' Corporate Citizenship Conference 
Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship
March 25-27, 2012 in Phoenix, AZ

Successful corporate citizenship is all about managing many interests in a way that contributes to the bottom line. How to make this work for your company is the focus of the 2012 conference. Note: Registration is open exclusively to corporate citizenship practitioners inside of companies.

Best Practices Summit on Engagement, Giving and Volunteerism
Charities@Work
April 3-4, 2012 in New York, NY 

A peer-to-peer forum for employee engagement professionals to learn integrated approaches to grow and evolve their programs. This organizers of this conference are interested in new ideas and trends. The more intimate size allows for some great networking as well.

Ceres Conference 2012
April 25-26, 2012 in Boston, MA

The Ceres Conference provides a unique forum for networking and connecting with corporate and investor leaders, nonprofit groups, thought leaders and media to discuss current challenges, trends and opportunities within sustainability. 

Cause Marketing Forum 2012
May 30-31, 2012 in Chicago, IL

This is the 10th anniversary of the conference, which brings together national corporate and nonprofit leaders in cause marketing together in one room – a great spot for cause marketing newcomers and veterans alike.

Sustainable Brands Conference 2012
June 4 - 7, 2012, Paradise Point in San Diego, CA 

Sustainable Brands is an international community of learning and action focused on understanding and leveraging the role of brand in shaping a flourishing future. Now in its 6th year, over 1000 attendees from diverse organizations - both large multi-national corporations and start-ups, investors and NGO's, design, strategy and communications agencies and more will be attending.

2012 Corporate Philanthropy Summit
Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy
June 5-6, 2012 in New York, NY

CECP’s membership of senior corporate giving officers from the world’s most influential companies come together for two days of thought leadership, networking, best practice sharing, and dialogue.

National Conference on Volunteering & Service
Points of Light Institute
June 18-20, 2012 in Chicago, IL

NCVS is the world's largest gathering of volunteer and service leaders from the nonprofit, corporate and government sectors. If you or your organization deals with volunteers in any capacity, this is the event to attend.

Corporate Citizenship and Sustainability Conference
Conference Board
June 20-21, 2012 in Washington D.C.

Details not yet announced

BSR Conference
Businesses for Social Responsibility
October 23-26, 2012 in New York, NY

Now in its 20th year, the BSR Conference attracts more than 1,000 senior business executives, entrepreneurs, and leaders from the public sector and civil society, providing opportunities to help such individuals “build the business of a better world.”

Commit!Forum
Corporate Responsibility Magazine & NYSE Euronext
October 2-3, 2012 in New York, NY

Commit!Forum is said to be the single largest gathering of leaders improving business and society. All sectors – from media to investors to nonprofits – are included in this mix.

2012 Global Corporate Citizenship Conference
Business Civic Leadership Center at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce
October 10-12, 2012 in Washington, D.C.

Conference registrants will connect on how to advance corporate citizenship to “confront today’s challenges and to provide solutions for tomorrow’s opportunities.”

Net Impact Conference
October 25-27, 2012 in Baltimore, MD

Net Impact brings together 2,600 professionals and students dedicated to “using their careers to change the world.”

Who did we miss? If it includes employee engagement in CSR, Sustainability and Corporate Citizenship - we'll add it to the list.

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GUEST BLOG POST: Alyson Genovese is a freelance consultant on issues related to sustainability, corporate social responsibility, public affairs, and employee engagement. She has over 16 years of experience in the private, nonprofit and academic sectors. Alyson may be reached at alyson.genovese@gmail.com. alyson@causesolutions.com www.causesolutions.com Twitter: @alysongenovese