Today is the International Corporate Philantropy Day (ICPD), hooray!

As I’m writing this, leaders from all over the world are gathering in New York for the ICPD conference, which has been ranked for the fifth consecutive year among the world’s top ten executive events. This is the 8th year of this international advocacy day and during the New York meeting, participants will be discussing how to mobilize business around societal issues, sharing best practices and developing partnerships with the mission to reach more strategic and effective societal investments.

The event is initiated by the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (CECP) – an international forum of business CEOs and chairpersons who aim to raise the level and quality of corporate philanthropy. Attendendees include over 70 leading global CEOs, including more than 20 from Global 500 or Fortune 500 companies, who will gather to discuss this year’s theme “Business at its Best: Maximizing Long-Term Profitability and Societal Impact,”. Focus this year lies on overcoming the challenges corporations face as they reorient their businesses to engage in helping solve societal issues.

During the Board of Boards CEO Conference, CEO attendees will also join the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the UN Office for Partnerships, and other UN agencies to host a special program, “Partnering with the philanthropic community to promote education for all,”. This focuses on opportunities for philanthropy to help further Millennium Development Goal 2, which is to achieve universal primary education.

To give you an idea of how big this event is: United States President Barack Obama has sent a letter of support to business leaders in recognition of ICPD, saying:

“By offering their skills, time, financial support, and creativity to causes greater than themselves, generous corporate philanthropists strengthen our communities and enrich our lives.”

Also, in recognition of the day, leading corporate contributions executives from a wide range of companies, such as Bank of America Corporation, Campbell Soup Company, Deloitte Services LP, The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., PepsiCo, and The Western Union Company, to name a few, will ring The Opening Bell℠ at the New York Stock Exchange and tonight, the Empire State Building in New York and the clock tower of the Wrigley Building in Chicago will be lit in blue and green – the colors of ICPD. Read more here!