GE approaches corporate citizenship with the same set of goals, strategies and accountability that drive other parts of the business. This makes good citizenship a way of life at GE and a natural part of the company’s business.

The signature corporate citizenship program of GE Capital, Americas is called In the Community, For the Community (ICFC). We know that not-for-profits face the same operational and organizational challenges as for-profit companies but have fewer resources. That's why ICFC has three components — financial support, volunteerism and skill building. Its primary focus is education, specifically out-of-school programs.

Here’s an example of one recent ICFC program.

• Throughout 2012, GE Capital’s community outreach program has inspired kids and trained administrators at the Jean De Lafayette Elementary School in Chicago’s Humboldt Park neighborhood. The school educates roughly 530 ethnically diverse students from pre-Kindergarten through 8th grade. About 97% of the population is low income.
• Against budget cuts and competing priorities, the Lafayette School has found ways to continue its student orchestra. A cash donation from GE Capital’s Navistar Capital business in Schaumburg, IL is being used to purchase instruments for the students.
• In addition, the Access GE team shared GE’s well-known Change Acceleration Process (CAP) training with Lafayette School leaders, including the new and former principals. CAP training helps alleviate the anxiety that comes from change and even encourages strategies to embrace future challenges.
• After realizing that the Greater Humboldt Park community has nearly double the national incidence of diabetes, Navistar Capital organized a 5K run/walk called “Striding for Strings” to highlight the benefits of physical activity and raise money for the orchestra.
• The run/walk is being paired with GE’s BEE Healthy™ program, which educates children and their families about childhood obesity. The four-part curriculum includes fun, hands-on activities and is presented by GE Capital’s Hispanic Forum, an employee-based group that focuses on making a positive difference in Hispanic communities through an emphasis on health and education.

For more information about GE Capital's In the Community, For the Community (ICFC) program, and its support of Chicago's Lafayette School, click here.