On Sunday, more than 500 corporate citizenship professionals began assembling in Minneapolis for the 2023 International Corporate Citizenship Conference. The event has returned to taking place entirely in-person after several years of virtual or hybrid formats. Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship staff excitedly welcomed new and returning colleagues to what is sure to be an action-packed event with opportunities to network and learn from experienced industry professionals.

Melding of the minds at the Advisory Board Summit

Yesterday, members of the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship Advisory Boards gathered for an Advisory Board Summit. Advisory Boards offer opportunities for advanced corporate citizenship professionals to share their expertise and advice while staying current on emerging issues and leading-edge practice related to specific aspects of their work.

Advisory Board members enjoyed a future-focused presentation on the unique features of employees of different generations from Jacqui Heidelberger, Assistant Vice President of Market Research at the Travelers Companies. Heidelberger’s presentation focused on the ways in which companies should adapt to earn the trust of Gen Z – both as consumers and as they enter the workforce.

“[Companies] can’t assume that [they] will be trusted simply because [they’ve] been trusted in the past. [They] have to realize that trust can be actively earned and maintained to stay relevant for Gen Z,” said Heidelberger.

Participants later gathered within their boards for a discussion period where they heard from speakers, completed small and large group activities, and shared lessons learned.

After each Board chair provided a summary of their discussions and shared their Board’s goals, ESG Reporting Board Chair Francis Hyatt was joined in conversation by Eelco van der Enden, CEO of the Global Reporting Initiative, for a fireside chat about the future of ESG reporting and how GRI intends to shape that future.

“Making your organization understand what's happening in the global landscape and how it will affect you will make your job much more interesting and will make sure you will have more resources,” said van der Enden. “We see that the whole reporting cycle is being pulled more and more in line with corporate financial reporting. We see more and more managers noticing that this is very important for business.”

Although our Conference is just getting started, you can start getting ready for next year by learning what it takes to join an Advisory Board so that you can take advantage of future Advisory Board Summit opportunities.

Rethinking Resilience

This year’s conference theme, Rethinking Resilience, will inspire discussions about the flexibility and agility required to attune organizations’ CSR strategies relevant in a rapidly changing world. It also reflects an opportunity to celebrate the resiliency that has propelled CSR professionals through the social, political, and environmental challenges of the past few years. From the main stage, corporate citizenship leaders will share perspectives on key topics such as advancing equity, sustainability, and philanthropy across all areas of the company.

As always, the general sessions at the Conference are led by an inspiring lineup of corporate, educational, civil rights, and philanthropic leaders, including (in order of appearance):

• Eelco van der Enden, CEO, Global Reporting Initiative
• Amanda Nusz, Senior Vice President, Corporate Responsibility, Target; President, Target Foundation
• Ron Brown, Vice President, Community Impact, Target
• Kiera Fernandez, Senior Vice President, Human Resources and Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Target
• Dr. Michael Lomax, President and CEO, United Negro College Fund
• Mike Rizer, Executive Director, Corporate Citizenship, Ally Financial
• Alesha Brown, Founder, and Executive Director, For the Struggle
• Toson Knight, Founder, and President, Caught Up             
• Julie Yenicheck, Senior Director, Community Relations, Lowe’s
• Katie Stearns, Chief Global Corporate Solutions Officer, Points of Light
• Gary McCoy, Store Manager, Lowe’s
• William McNeely, Jr., Founder and CEO, Do Greater Charlotte
• Karen Jarmoc, Chief Sustainability Director, The Allstate Corporation
• Cheryl Harris, Senior Vice President, Sourcing and Procurement Solutions, The Allstate Corporation
• Eloiza Domingo, Vice President and Chief Inclusive Diversity and Equity Officer, The Allstate Corporation
• Terry Rhadigan, Vice President, Corporate Giving, General Motors Company
• Hina Baloch, Executive Director, Sustainability and Communications, General Motors Company
• Jenny Robertson, Senior Vice President, Integrated Marketing and Communications, FedEx
• Rick Callender, CEO, Valley Water

Ready, set, network!

For all that virtual and hybrid events offer, they can’t replicate the feeling of being together with colleagues, strengthening existing connections, and forging new bonds. Attendees of this year’s Conference will enjoy ample time to network with their peers, including the newcomer networking session before the official Conference kick-off, idea exchange breakfasts, Monday’s Altria-hosted networking cocktail reception, and daily networking breaks made possible by Gallagher.

Break it down at a breakout session

The Conference’s popular breakout sessions offer participants a chance to tailor their learning experience using four content tracks: strategy and organizational change; community investment and social impact; communications and reporting; and sustainability. Learners can choose to attend traditional panel-style discussions, case studies, workshops, and more.

Here are just a few breakouts we’re especially excited about:

• Rethink resilience
• Bridging the digital divide
• Advancing health equity
• Where DEI meets ESG
• Emerging regulations across the globe: Where is disclosure REALLY going?
• Crafting effective ESG communications: A stakeholder-focused approach

Coming together to do good

Thanks to KPMG, Conference attendees will be given a chance to say thank you to our host city of Minneapolis through a volunteer opportunity. Over the course of our three days, participants will work to assemble 500 Summer Fun and Wellness Bags that will be donated to the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities. 

Stay tuned as we cover more highlights from the 2023 International Corporate Citizenship Conference!