Altria was recognized today as one of America’s most community-minded
companies in The Civic 50, an annual initiative that identifies
and recognizes companies for their commitment to improve the quality of
life in the communities where they do business. The survey was conducted
by the National Conference on Citizenship and Points of Light, the
nation’s definitive experts on civic engagement, and published by
Bloomberg News.
“Altria and its family of companies have a long history of contributing
to organizations that enrich and improve the communities where our
employees live and work,” said Jennifer Hunter, Altria Client Services
Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs. “We work to develop strong
partnerships with leading nonprofit organizations with proven-effective
programs. Over the past 10 years, Altria’s companies have donated more
than $1.1 billion in cash and in-kind contributions to improve the
communities where we operate. In addition, our employees give their
time, talents and resources to organizations through volunteer service
in the community and our Altria Companies Employee Community Fund. We
are pleased to be recognized for this work and the difference
corporations and citizens can make in our communities when we work
together.”
“The results of this year’s Civic 50 survey show that even the
most civically engaged companies are doing more to make community
engagement a top priority and a permanent aspect of their business
strategy,” said Michael Weiser, chairman of the Board, National
Conference on Citizenship and Neil Bush, chairman of the Board, Points
of Light, in a joint statement. “These 50 companies are showing others
in the private sector how to boost the bottom line and make the world a
better place.”
This year’s Civic 50 applicants were evaluated and accrued points
based on several criteria, including how much financial and human
resources are applied to civic improvement, whether internal and
external resources are activated to maximize community impact, how a
company’s community engagement activities support its business
interests, how broadly community engagement is supported and
institutionalized within a company’s policies, systems and incentives,
and how a company measures the social and business value of its
community engagement programs.
The Civic 50 was developed in partnership with a high-profile
working group of lead researchers and industry thought leaders. Dozens
of corporate advisors provided strategic guidance on the program’s
objectives, including defining indicators, developing methodology, and
identifying partners and participants. As a result of this collaborative
process, the initiative reflects leading insight and thinking about how
corporations can and should engage with communities in a twenty-first
century economy.
True Impact, a company specializing in helping organizations maximize
and measure their social and business value, administered the survey. A
cross-sector team of independent qualitative evaluators reviewed the
responses.
To learn more about The Civic 50 survey as well as the
importance of civic engagement in corporate America, please visit www.Civic50.org.
About Altria — Altria Group is the parent company of Philip
Morris USA, U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company and John Middleton. Altria
also owns Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, Nu Mark, Philip Morris Capital
Corporation and has a continuing economic and voting interest in
SABMiller. The company is headquartered in Richmond, Virginia.
Altria’s tobacco companies provide adult tobacco consumers in the United
States with premium products in the cigarette, smokeless tobacco,
machine-made large cigar categories and innovative tobacco products. Our
companies' stable of strong brands, together with their ability to
respond to the many changes in the tobacco industry, have resulted in
sustained financial performance and strong returns for investors.
Altria is focused on setting standards and priorities for its companies,
including valuing and respecting employees, working to reduce the harm
associated with cigarettes and other tobacco products and partnering
locally to improve the quality of life in the communities where we do
business.
Take a closer look at Altria and its companies on altria.com.
Follow
Altria on Twitter at @AltriaNews.
Copyright Business Wire 2013