Monitoring Our Actions to Make Our Business Better

GE has an unmatched reputation for rigor in the ways the Company monitors and analyzes progress. While best known for applying this discipline to its commercial operations, GE devotes the same attention to its citizenship efforts.

Even as business trends change, the Company remains committed to responsible citizenship and strong corporate governance is the mechanism for making sure that our values of integrity, ethics and compliance are faithfully translated into action and communicated with transparency.

Environmental, social and regulatory issues are considered within several GE processes. Ongoing dialogue with external stakeholders is also an important component, with additional processes in place, such as our leadership committees and Expert Advisory Panel, to monitor the Company’s responsiveness to their concerns. GE communicates its citizenship performance regularly in order to foster transparency and underscore accountability—through our annual GE Citizenship Report and dynamic Citizenship Web site, and by utilizing international standards such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Sustainability Reporting Guidelines, The United Nations Global Compact principles and the AA1000 Assurance Standard.

Acting for Positive Change

With these monitoring systems in place, GE works toward positive change in all areas of the Company.

On an individual level, employees offer their subject matter expertise, contributing to policy dialogue in critical areas like energy and water. Others use their abilities in innovation and problem solving to fuel solutions that make a human impact. And all employees (along with suppliers, contractors and consultants) are required to follow GE’s integrity policy, The Spirit & The Letter, which defines and regulates conduct befitting global ambassadors of the Company.

GE’s financial commitment to positive change is also reflected through its philanthropy. In 2010, GE Foundation matched $38 million in employee-driven gifts around the world. But philanthropy is only one piece of GE’s overall approach. The Company effects positive change by investing in clean energy and healthcare technology along with world-class research and development efforts. And GE maintains an open dialogue with diverse stakeholders so the Company can understand and respond to complex global issues, such as climate change, human rights and healthcare, and foster sustainable growth.

Ultimately for GE, operating as a responsible citizen makes good business sense. Contributing to a healthy, prosperous and interconnected world enables the success of GE’s customers, partners and employees, and it helps to improve GE’s own performance and products.

The Developing Health Globally™ program offers an instructive example. Conceived to apply GE products, expertise and employee engagement toward improving healthcare delivery in the developing world, the program generated valuable real-world insights. GE has already applied many of these lessons in technology products designed specifically for the needs of emerging markets.

Viewing its work through a citizenship lens gives GE unique insights, helping the Company better understand systemic and environmental changes and their implications. Ultimately, GE’s citizenship efforts are a critical piece of a cycle that benefits the Company, people and communities throughout the world.