IMPACT Awards 2011

Established in 1998, the annual IMPACT Awards honor excellence in corporate community engagement. As the only program of its kind in Atlanta, the event will once again bring together the leaders of community service programs at companies throughout the city to highlight those that are making a difference.

“Atlanta’s corporate community is deeply committed to sharing resources that help make Atlanta a better place to live, work and visit; and it is a wonderful experience to read through the IMPACT Award nominations,” said Cheryl Kortemeier, CVC executive director. “People helping others — whether they are on the clock or sharing their personal time — that is what IMPACT is all about.”

In the IMPACT Awards’ 14th year, the 2011 categories and winners are:

IMPACT AWARD: This award is presented to exemplary corporate employee volunteer programs that effectively integrate volunteerism into the companies’ culture.

This year, the winner in the small to medium business category (up to 1,000 Atlanta-based employees) is Alston & Bird LLP for its work with the Georgia Senior Legal Hotline, which supports the firm’s commitment to providing pro bono legal services and its long-standing involvement with the Atlanta Legal Aid Society. The Hotline is a toll-free number that services senior citizens, ages 60 or older, for the entire state of Georgia. Following 2009 budget cuts and a loss of volunteer attorneys, Alston & Bird receptionists began volunteering their time and today handle calls for the Georgia Senior Legal Hotline five days a week, 52 weeks of the year.

Cisco Systems Inc. is the winner in the large business category (more than 1,000 Atlanta-based employees) for its employee volunteer program, which focuses on education, critical human needs and community leadership. At Cisco “civic councils” made up of employee “champions” manage volunteer activities. These councils plan volunteer projects, develop nonprofit partnerships, roll out product donation programs, and work toward cash grantmaking, tailoring projects to the specific needs of the local community.

PARTNERSHIP AWARD (Business to Nonprofit): This award recognizes companies that demonstrate outstanding collaboration with a nonprofit agency to develop innovative solutions that achieve significant, measurable results.

AGL Resources Inc. is the winner of the 2011 Partnership Award for its collaboration with a community program that teaches students at an Atlanta elementary school about the nation’s free enterprise system. Bringing this program to schools in 2007, AGL expanded the project in 2010 to include high school students.

PROJECT AWARD: This award honors a company that produced a short-term volunteer project that was completed within one year and achieved significant, measurable results.

Cox Enterprises Inc. is the 2011 winner of the Project Award for its volunteer work to make a park more sustainable, attractive and safe. As part of the service undertaking, 100 volunteers donated three hours each. The 300 total service hours resulted in the spread of 2,500 pounds of topsoil, re-seeding of 3,000 square feet of a hillside with grass, installing 2,700 square feet of biodegradable straw matting and much more.