On Thursday, June 25th, CED, in partnership with the Alliance to Save Energy hosted a breakfast discussion entitled Corporate Sustainability, the Environment and Economic Recovery - Investing for the Future. The breakfast forum was hosted in the Capitol Visitors Center and brought together business leaders and the political community for an in-depth discussion on the importance of corporate sustainability during trying economic times.

The issues facing our country require sustained focus and immediate action. Leadership and Shared Purpose for America's Future summarizes what we call CED's "unfinished agenda." At the top of this list are heath care reform, controlling our budget, trade, and savings deficits, reforming our entitlement programs, and investing in new infrastructure such as early education, sustainable energy, and the environment. We are pleased to have the financial support of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation to underwrite our efforts to enlist more American business leaders to support this reform agenda.

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Bolivia - With Democracy, Without Poverty

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• Learn more about the 2008 conference
• Learn more about CED and the International Counterparts Network

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• Read the co-chairs' biographies

2008 CED Distinguished Performance Awardees

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• CED Executive Committee
• See the 2008 CED Awards Dinner Booklet

Australia - Climate Change

The International Counterparts Conference was held on November 15-16, 2007 in Sydney, Australia. It brought together leading experts from Europe, North America, Asia, and Australia to analyze the rapidly evolving scientific and economic debate over climate change and explore cutting-edge options for policy response. The conference was hosted by CEDA (Committee for Economic Development Australia), which "promotes Australia's economic development in a sustainable and socially balanced way".

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• Learn more about the 2007 conference
• Learn more about CED and the International Counterparts Network

IBM, McKinsey & Company, Toyota North America, and (Product) Red honored at 2007 CED Distinguished Performance Awards Dinner

2007 CED Distinguished Performance Awardees

The Distinguished Awards Dinner is the highlight of CED's Annual Meetings, held each May at the Waldorf=Astoria Hotel. Each 2007 awardee has made important contributions to the strength of CED's international and domestic programs.

CED President Charles Kolb said in his welcoming remarks, "The past year has been an extremely good year for CED. Our finances are strong; our policy agenda is full; and we were highly visible around the country and in the media. We took CED on the road - more than we ever have before - with 32 events in 14 cities, plus several events in New York and Washington."

"Our policy program includes health care reform, early education, corporate governance, global imbalances, international studies and foreign languages, and "Making Washington Work.'"

People often ask how CED differs from other public policy and business organizations. Aside from the fact that we rarely lobby, CED's work is characterized by the active engagement of senior leaders in the American business and academic communities who focus on issues that benefit the country and not just corporate profits. This year's dinner theme of "business engagement in public policy" has characterized CED's work going back to the Marshall Plan in the late 1940s, right up to today's work on money and politics, education, trade, health care reform, and the nation's overall fiscal health.

More than 300 people attended the Awards Dinner.

The Coca-Cola Company and Neville Isdell, Chairman, Board of Directors, and CEO of Coca-Cola, were honored with the 2006 CED Distinguished Performance Award for Corporate Citizenship. The leadership of The Coca-Cola Company has made a commitment to improving the communities in which it operates and CED applauds the company for its unwavering commitment to integrity and leadership.

CED's 2006 Peter G. Peterson Award for Business Statesmanship was presented to Andrea Jung, Chairman and CEO, Avon Products, Inc. In her role as CEO, Andrea Jung has created a work environment that fosters work-life balance and Avon has created opportunity for millions of women around the world. Ms. Jung is one of the most respected business leaders in America and she is committed to corporate philanthropy and to creating a workplace that encourages employees to reach their full potential.

James D. Robinson III, Co-founder and General partner, RRE Ventures, and Former Chairman and CEO, American Express Company, was honored at the CED dinner with the 2006 CED Trustee Leadership Award. Jim Robinson is a long-time CED Trustee and has led efforts to improve trade for both the United States and our trading partners. Mr. Robinson is Chair of CED's Subcommittee on Trade and has presided over the last two major CED trade reports.

Following the Annual Dinner, CED hosted a breakfast forum featuring remarks from noted author Daniel Yankelovich. Mr. Yankelovich, author of the soon-to-be released book, Profit with Honor: The New Stage of Market Capitalism, argued that attempting to use more laws and regulations to deal with the flawed ethical climate that has permeated some American businesses will not succeed. Instead, through case histories, he showed how many business leaders can build new social and ethical norms that incorporate both profitability and stewardship.

Many consider Mr. Yankelovich to be the founder of modern public opinion research, and his is also an experienced member of the corporate boardroom. He is Co-Founder and Chairman of Public Agenda, established the public opinion research firm of Yankelovich, Skelly and White, and later started DYG, Inc. His remarks drew over 100 business and civic leaders to the breakfast forum.

In March 2006, CED released Private Enterprise, Public Trust: The State of Corporate America After Sarbanes-Oxley, a policy statement that examines the state of corporate governance in the United States and offers practical recommendations for restoring public trust in business. These recommendations include: making audit committees autonomous and vigorous; ensuring that users understand that financial information is based on judgments; giving Sarbanes-Oxley a chance to work; reducing excessive executive compensation and using independent nominating committees to select and appraise directors.

General Electric, Jeffrey Immelt Honored at Gala Awards Dinner

This year's Awards Dinner, attended by 320 business and policy leaders, was highlighted by the presentation of CED's distinguished performance awards to several individuals committed to issues in the interest of the public good and dedicated to the highest standards of ethics. For 2005, the CED awardees are:

• Jeffrey R. Immelt and the General Electric Company. Jeffrey Immelt is the Chairman and CEO of the General Electric Company and the 2005 recipient of CED's inaugural Peter G. Peterson Award of Business Statesmanship. Mr. Immelt has dedicated himself and GE to sound corporate governance and has championed issues in the public interest. He personally serves on the boards of Catalyst, an organization devoted to advancing women in business, and Robin Hood, a non-profit organization focused on addressing poverty in New York City. The General Electric Company received CED's Corporate Citizenship Award for "its commitment to integrity and excellence."
• Hugh B. Price, a CED Trustee and Senior Advisor, DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary US LLP, is CED's Excellence in Public Policy Awardee. Mr. Price has dedicated his career and life to public policy, championing those with the greatest needs. He has excelled in several positions over the years, including as President of the Urban League and Senior Vice President at WNET-TV in New York, the nation's largest public television station.
• The Concord Coalition: Bob Kerrey, former Senator; Peter G. Peterson, former U.S. Secretary of Commerce; Warren Rudman, former Senator; and Paul E. Tsongas, the late former Senator. The Concord Coalition is the 2005 CED Public Policy Leadership Award recipient. The Concord Coalition, founded in 1992 by Peter Peterson, Warren Rudman, and Paul Tsongas has had a distinguished history of advocating fiscal responsibility while ensuring Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are secure for all generations. CED has been proud to partner with The Concord Coalition on several issues, including ways to lower the federal budget deficit and Social Security reform. Bob Kerry and Peter Peterson, who is also CED's longest-serving Trustee, were in New York City to accept the award at the Friday, May 13th, Annual Meeting Luncheon.
  
• The first 2005 Trustee Leadership Award recipient is William "Bill" Lewis. Bill Lewis is Chair of CED's Program Committee and active in many of CED's issue areas. Mr. Lewis is Director Emeritus of the McKinsey Global Institute. His service in government includes stints as Acting Secretary of Energy, and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense. CED is proud to honor Bill Lewis for his "exceptional leadership as a CED Trustee and for his many contributions to our policy research, programming, and governance."
• Frank Doyle is also the recipient of a 2005 Trustee Leadership Award. Mr. Doyle is the retired Vice President of the General Electric Company, and served as CED's Chairman from 1996 to 2002. He had a distinguished career at GE and was noted for his skill in labor-management relations. At CED, Mr. Doyle ushered in a period of growth and expansion for the organization. He helped focus CED's mission, strengthened our leadership, and enhanced development and recruitment efforts. Frank Doyle has been an exceptional CED leader and greatly deserving of the Trustee Leadership Award.

The Gala Award Dinner audience heard remarks from each of awardees, including thoughts on improving corporate governance from GE's Jeffrey Immelt. The CED Business Statesmanship Award had been renamed in Peter G. Peterson's honor and Mr. Peterson was on hand to present the award to Mr. Immelt.