Columbus is among the three finalists in the “large community” category for the 4th annual Siemens Sustainable Community Awards, sponsored by Siemens and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Business Civic Leadership Center (BCLC).
The other two cities in the category are Baltimore, MD and San Jose, CA.
According to a release, “The finalists represent outstanding local-level efforts to achieve complementary economic, environmental, and quality-of-life goals.”
“The Siemens Sustainable Community Awards show that sustainability is about building a better community for the long-term,” said BCLC Manager of Corporate Community Investment Hanna Felleke. “Stability and competitiveness are top of mind. Good sustainability planning goes hand-in-hand with competitive communities.”
Other finalists for the 2011 Siemens Sustainable Community Award finalists are:
– Mid-Size Community — North Little Rock, AR; Pittsburgh, PA; Raleigh, NC
– Small Community — Brea, CA; Burlington, VT; Greensburg, KS
A panel of five business, environmental, and community development experts selected the finalists from nearly 100 applicants. The judges were Donald J. Borut, executive cirector of the National League of Cities; Alan Greenberger, acting deputy mayor, planning and economic development, Philadelphia; Professor Leonard Lodish, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania; Joel Makower, chairman and executive editor of GreenBiz Group Inc.; and Joe Sibilia, chairman of CSRwire.
“Siemens is very proud to be sponsoring these awards. In order for sustainability to fully take root within a community, companies need to work together with residents and local governments to ensure there are real programs at the grassroots levels. These awards encourage the type of community-level action that we need across the country,” said Eric Spiegel, president and CEO, Siemens Corporation.
The winner in each category will be announced on April 12 at the Chamber BCLC’s National Conference on Corporate Community Investment, held in Philadelphia.