AmCham member BizCult.com is also seeking help identifying companies that have contributed in unique ways to the earthquake relief effort. The online publication about doing better business in China intends to run a series of articles on such companies. The site views this effort as “a way to share CSR success stories to help the China community know what works – and maybe what doesn’t – when it comes to allaying this and future tragedies.” Contact editor Matt Young at +86 139 1075 2134 or editor@bizcult.com to assist this effort.

Following the recent earthquake in southwestern China, many AmCham-China member companies have made significant efforts to the relief effort. Read the list of companies, the amount of their contribution and the agency where they directed their funds.

The Ministry of Civil Affairs (MOCA — the government agency responsible for disaster relief) is offering to publicize the donations made by AmCham member companies, should that be of interest. Each day MOCA compiles a press release, including a list of contributions, and issues it to Xinhua and CCTV.

If you represent an AmCham member company and would like to add your name to the list, please e-mail Julie Leng  - Julie@amcham-china.org.cn

Please post information about your contribution on this site as well.

Posted by Laura

The American Chamber of Commerce in China expresses its deep concern and sympathy to the people of China affected by the devastating loss of life and property damage resulting from the earthquake in Sichuan Province.  In response, AmCham-China pledges the sum of  RMB 1 million to aid the relief efforts.  These funds will be made available after consulting with Chinese disaster-relief officials to determine where they can be used most effectively and immediately.

“Our members live and work in China, and our hearts go out to the families of the victims of this disaster,” said AmCham-China chairman James Zimmerman. “Many of our member companies have already stepped forward to offer support and aid.”

AmCham will continue to work with the Chinese Government to make information available to members about where and how they can offer further support as new information becomes available.

If you represent an AmCham-China member company and would like to share what your firm has done to provide earthquake relief, please post your story here, or send an e-mail to Julie Leng  Julie@amcham-china.org.cn .

Posted by Laura

In an effort to assist those companies and individuals helping people affected by the recent earthquakes, Xinhua PR Newswire is offering AmCham members the free use of its press release distribution service within the country.  Organizations offering aid to the victims of the earthquakes can distribute their messages through XPRN’s network in China that covers over 9,000 journalists from over 3,000 newspapers, magazines and online media from across China. These press releases can include both a text announcement about their aid efforts and an accompanying photo or image.

For more information please contact:

Tailei Zhang of Xinhua PR Newswire in

Beijing at 10-58645288; 10-58645299
 

Jack Ni of Xinhua PR Newswire in

Shanghai at 21-61135934.

About Xinhua PR Newswire
Xinhua PR Newswire (XPRN), an alliance created between Xinhua Finance and PR Newswire, assists companies and organizations in delivering their news releases to the media, individual and institutional investors, and the general public worldwide, with clipping, monitoring, measurement and media intelligence services. Utilizing PR Newswire’s global news distribution network, Xinhua PR Newswire can send clients’ press releases to 170 countries and regions in 40 languages.

Posted by Laura

The International Federation Red Cross (Federation) is planning to launch a multi-million dollar appeal to support the Chinese Red Cross Society’s Earthquake response for victims of the Chengdu disaster.
Those interested to support this effort can either make contributions directly to the Chinese Red Cross Society, or to the Federation’s Beijing office (contact Carl Naucler: +86-10-6532-7162).  For corporations wishing to make contributions from their home offices in the U.S. to a registered 501C charity, the American Red Cross will be facilitating collection of donations which will be provided towards this International Appeal, in support of the Chinese Red Cross efforts.  For more information on how to contribute directly via the American Red Cross HQ in Washington D.C., please contact their Regional Representative for Asia at +91-99-7180-0406, or e-mail rayyis@gmail.com. 

Thanks to Ramsey A. Rayyis, senior field representative at the American Red Cross for passing along this valuable information.
If your firm is contributing to the relief effort, please let us know by posting about here.

In mid-June American Embassies around the world will be asked to nominate US-based companies operating in their host countries for the Secretary of State’s award for corporate excellence. 

Based on their work in China, UPS was a finalist in 2005, as were AmCham-China members APCO and Coca-Cola in 2006 and 2007 respectively. 

The Embassy would very much like to hear from any American companies whose good works would qualify for this award in 2008.  Interested candidate companies are requested to contact the Embassy by mid-May.

More information about the award is on the US Department of State website:  www.state.gov/e/eeb/ace.  Bruce Levine, Labor Officer, can provide more information to interested companies directly.  He can be reached by phone: [86](10) 6532-3831 ext 6046 or by e-mail: LevineBJ@state.gov

On Wednesday, March 26, Dr. Desai, president of the Asia Society, spoke at a luncheon sponsored by AmCham–China about renewing the role of Chinese culture in today’s world. She stressed that putting more focus on culture is an important part of continuing to develop the economy. It is certainly a challenge for

China, an established player in the global economy, to also maintain the focus on its culture—the biggest aspect in keeping the economy unique amongst its peers.
Bizcult.com sums up some of Dr. Desai’s ideas for steps that companies can take:

Find a way to support the humanities. China focuses plenty of attention of math and science, but not on the liberal arts. If kids grow up respecting culture, they won’t tear it down.

Consider public/private partnerships on preservation endeavors even outside of the big cities.

Work with internationally minded Western institutions that already are doing this kind of non-profit work, like Asia Society.

Visit CRIEnglishfor clips of Dr. Desai’s speech.

If you think your business is being strangled in bureaucratic red tape, wait until you hear Erika Helms’ story.
Ms. Helms, executive director of the Jane Goodall Institute China, tells just how difficult it is treading water as an NGO in this Powwow podcast, produced last week by bizCult.com at AmCham-China’s Young Professionals Brown Bag Lunch Series.

 AmCham member Matt Young of Bizcult.com

Prior to Spring Festival, AmCham-China sent out an e-mail to our members telling them how to join in the effort to help those affected by the brutal storms that rocked southern China this winter. Elizabeth Knup, co-chair of AmCham-China’s CSR Forum, helped put the wheels in motion, and tons of other people helped along the way as well.

Many member companies had already started to respond before the notice went out, and others who had been looking for ways to get involved used the call as an impetus. Among the companies that made contributions to help out Chinese communities in need were Wal-Mart, who donated US$1,000,000 on February 5; O’Melveny & Myers LLP, who held a charity drive to raise funds; BP donated RMB1,000,000 in cash and kind including generously contributed much-needed goods like anti-freeze to help with clean-up efforts; and Caterpillar Foundation, which gave US$150,000 in addition to the heavy-duty equipped that they provided to help clear roads.

AmCham is extremely proud of the efforts that its member companies made, and the examples above are only a small part of the total impact that US businesses had.

If you did something to help out the Chinese community in its time of need AmCham members want to know. Please add your stories in the comments section of this post, and if you are still looking for ways to get involved, we have information here.

Half the Sky is working directly with MOCA to get immediate relief to orphanages in hard-hit areas of China affected by these year’s terrible snowstorms. American, Canadian and

Hong Kong companies can contribute to our efforts and also receive tax benefits. The outpouring of support for the children has been extraordinary but much more help is needed. More information on these pages - thank you!www.halfthesky.org/www.halfthesky.org/work/littlemouse.php
Posted by Jenny Bowen, executive director, Half the Sky Foundation