Chamber BCLC and Siemens Seek Exemplary Models of Sustainability Innovation

(3BLMedia/theCSRfeed) WASHINGTON, D.C. - November 17, 2010 - The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Business Civic Leadership Center (BCLC) is calling for nominations for the 2.011 Siemens Sustainable Community Awards.

Now in its fourth year, the program recognizes local governments, chambers of commerce, and other organizations for the tremendous steps they’ve taken to improve quality of life and enhance their ability to sustain a successful community for generations to come. 

“In this era of limited resources, public-private partnerships are proving especially successful in making their communities more sustainable.” said Stephen Jordan, BCLC executive director. “We are soliciting nominations so that we can share best practices and help accelerate this process throughout the country.”   The Siemens Sustainable Community Awards recognize communities in the categories of small, midsize, and large, based on population. Nominations will be accepted until January 21, 2011. Community-based coalitions, chambers of commerce, community developers, and other local agencies are encouraged to complete the application process. The winning community in each category will receive $20,000 worth of trees from Siemens Corporation.   To be eligible for the awards program, cities and municipalities must demonstrate several overarching characteristics of long-term sustainability planning. These requirements include local partnerships and stakeholder involvement and demonstrable improvements to the environment, business sector, and quality of life.   The Siemens Sustainable Community Awards judging panel consists of leading professionals with backgrounds in environment, business, academics, government, and economic development. One winning community per category will be announced in April 2011 at the Chamber BCLC’s National Conference on Corporate Community Investment in Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia and its mayor’s office are the winners of the 2010 Sustainable Community Award, Large Community.   “Siemens is proud to sponsor this award, which emphasizes the important role communities of all sizes play in setting examples for achieving a sustainable future,” said Alison Taylor, vice president, Sustainability, Siemens Corporation. “Sustainability is a cornerstone of Siemens values and being able to support cities in their quest for greater sustainability is not only a business goal, but also a responsibility that we take very seriously.”   To apply, visit the Siemens Sustainable Community Awards website.   Siemens AG (NYSE: SI) is a global powerhouse in electronics and electrical engineering, and operates in the industry, energy and healthcare sectors.  For more than 160 years, Siemens has built a reputation for leading-edge innovation and the quality of its products, services and solutions.  With 405,000 employees in 190 countries, Siemens reported worldwide revenue of $104.3 billion in fiscal 2009.  With its U.S. corporate headquarters in New York City, Siemens in the USA reported revenue of $21.3 billion and employs approximately 64,000 people throughout all 50 states and Puerto Rico.  For more information on Siemens in the United States, visit www.usa.siemens.com.   BCLC is a 501(c)3 affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and is a resource and voice for businesses and their social and philanthropic interests. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world's largest business federation representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region. Visit www.uschamber.com/bclc.   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.   sustainablecommunity.uschamber.com                ###                bclc.chamberpost.com BCLC10390