Secretary Clinton Presents Awards for Corporate Excellence

Media Note

Office of the Spokesperson

Washington, DC

January 18, 2012

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On January 18, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton presented the Secretary of State's 2011 Award for Corporate Excellence (ACE) to Sahlman Seafoods, Incorporated, in Nicaragua; Procter & Gamble in Nigeria; and Procter & Gamble in Pakistan The ACE is an annual award that recognizes U.S.-owned businesses that exhibit good corporate citizenship, promote innovation, and advance democratic principles around the world.

This year’s small- or medium-sized company winner is Sahlman Seafoods, Inc. in Nicaragua. The shrimp farming company promotes sustainable aquaculture and environmental awareness in local communities, protects endangered species of wildlife, and assists communities by improving school facilities, providing meals to children on non-traditional school days, and offering free medical treatment to farm workers.

This year’s winner in the multinational category is Procter & Gamble for its work in both Nigeria and Pakistan. In Nigeria, Procter & Gamble, a consumer packaged goods company, improves the local communities’ water supply through education and purification technology, supports the health and well-being of new and expectant mothers and children through mobile clinics, provides a safe and healthy work environment, and conducts novel educational programs for teenage girls. In Pakistan, Procter & Gamble’s exemplary humanitarian assistance efforts include providing clean drinking water, food, hygiene products, medical care, and laundry services after unprecedented flooding in the region; cultivating sustainable partnerships to establish schools, early education programs, support for orphanages; reduction of carbon dioxide emissions at its facilities; and collaboration with universities to develop young business leaders.

The winners were chosen from 13 finalists. Others were: Amway in China, ANOVA Food, LLC in Indonesia, Archer Daniels Midland Company in Paraguay, Cargill in India, General Motors in Uzbekistan, Grenada Chocolate Company in Grenada, Intel in Vietnam, Johnson & Johnson in Russia, Joy Global in South Africa, and Tiger Machinery in Russia.

Since 1999, the Secretary of State has bestowed the ACE on U.S. businesses that meet diverse needs, in diverse communities, through corporate responsibility activities in every region of the world. The Department of State is committed to working with the business community to further their best practices worldwide and to encourage efforts that improve lives at home and abroad. For more information, please visit: http://www.state.gov/e/eb/ace.

ENDS

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