[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 36, Number 20 (Monday, May 22, 2000)]
[Page 1145]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

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Statement on the Ron Brown Award for Corporate Leadership

May 18, 2000

    When I called on the business community in 1996 to work with the 
administration to develop a new Presidential award for corporate 
citizenship, the response was immediate and enthusiastic. The Ron Brown 
Award for Corporate Leadership is now a preeminent corporate citizenship 
award in America. And so today I am pleased to welcome to the White 
House the most recent winners of this honor.
    The five companies we recognize today earned this award because 
they've developed some of the Nation's most innovative, successful 
programs in employee and community relations. General Mills is 
strengthening communities through an inner-city joint venture. GTE's 
literacy programs reach 40 millions adult Americans who struggle with 
basic reading. Hewlett-Packard's commitment to diversity in education 
reaches talented individuals from kindergarten to graduate school. IBM's 
partnerships with our public schools bring new ideas and new 
technologies to American youngsters. US WEST's commitment to diversity 
benefits employees and communities across a broad swath of America.
    As I had hoped, the Ron Brown Award for Corporate Leadership is 
making a significant difference in America by showing that businesses 
can do well by doing good--something that Ron Brown, for whom this award 
is named, often reminded us. Like the Malcolm Baldrige award, it 
exemplifies the best of American business. Managed by the independent 
research organization, the Conference Board, this award has broad 
support in the business community. I know it will continue to strengthen 
employees, families, and communities for many years to come by 
celebrating and spreading the highest achievements in corporate 
citizenship.