Ambassador's Remarks at the 2002 Secretary of State Awards for Corporate Excellence

Remarks by United States Ambassador
Clark T. Randt, Jr.,
On the Secretary of State's 2002 Award for
Corporate Excellence
Prepared for Delivery October 9, 2002

I AM DELIGHTED TO BE HERE TODAY TOGETHER WITH DIRECTOR GENERAL WU, DIRECTOR GENERAL LIU, DIRECTOR GENERAL HAO AND FORMER HEALTH VICE MINISTER CAO TO CONGRATULATE CHINDEX AND ITS PRESIDENT ROBERTA LIPSON, AND ITS EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT ELYSE SILVERBERG AND ALL OF CHINDEX'S EMPLOYEES FOR RECEIVING THE 2002 AWARD FOR CORPORATE EXCELLENCE ON OCTOBER 1 FROM SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL.

EACH YEAR, THE SECRETARY OF STATE SELECTS TWO AMERICAN CORPORATIONS, ONE LARGE AND ONE SMALLER, FOR THE AWARD FOR CORPORATE EXCELLENCE.

THIS AWARD RECOGNIZES AMERICAN COMPANIES THAT DISPLAY "OUTSTANDING CORPORATE CITIZENSHIP, INNOVATION AND EXEMPLARY INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS PRACTICES" IN ADDITION TO EXHIBITING "THE QUALITIES OF CONSCIENCE, CHARACTER AND INTEGRITY."

CHINDEX INTERNATIONAL, WHICH BRINGS MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AND SERVICES TO THE CHINESE MARKET, WAS SELECTED FROM AMONG A FIELD OF 56 NOMINEES OPERATING AROUND THE WORLD. HERE IN CHINA, WE ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE HAD MANY FINE AMERICAN COMPANIES TO CONSIDER, AND I REGRET THAT WE COULD ONLY NOMINATE ONE OF THESE FOR THIS AWARD. THERE ARE MANY UNITED STATES COMPANIES THAT HAVE CONTRIBUTED MUCH TO CHINA AND HER PEOPLE AS PART OF CHIINA’S DETERMINED EFFORT TO PURSUE AND ADVANCE ECONOMIC REFORM AND TO BECOME AN EVEN GREATER NATION.

IN THIS CAPACITY, AMERICAN FIRMS ACT:

• AS BRIDGES BETWEEN OUR PEOPLES;
• AS MODEL EMPLOYERS;
• AS GOOD CORPORATE CITIZENS TAXPAYERS;

AND

• AS EXAMPLES OF SOLID BUSINESS ETHICS AND MANAGERIAL BEST PRACTICES.

THE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN CHINA, FOR EXAMPLE HAS ESTABLISHED A CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY COMMITTEE, REFLECTING THE INTERESTS OF MEMBER COMPANIES IN GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY. AS FORD MOTOR COMPANY CHAIRMAN BILL FORD SAID SO WELL, "A GOOD COMPANY DELIVERS EXCELLENT PRODUCTS AND SERVICES; A GREAT ONE DOES ALL THAT AND STRIVES TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE." AND BILL FORD SHOULD KNOW FORD WAS A RECIPIENT OF THIS AWARD LAST YEAR FOR ITS WORK IN SOUTH AFRICA. AND SO IT IS WITH CHINDEX THESE GREAT COMPANIES RECOGNIZE THAT IT IS POSSIBLE TO DO WELL BY DOING GOOD. AS THE CHINESE SAYING TEACHES, LI JI LI REN.

EMPLOYEES CAN TAKE PRIDE IN AN EMPLOYER THAT LOOKS BEYOND THE SINGLE-MINDED PURSUIT OF PROFIT. GOOD CORPORATE CITIZENSHIP GOES BEYOND SIMPLY WRITING DONATION CHECKS. ACCORDING TO THE 18TH CENTURY BRITISH AUTHOR, GEORGE DAVIES HARLEY, TRUE PHILANTHROPY "BURIES NOT ITS GOLD IN OSTENTATIOUS CHARITY BUT BUILDS ITS HOSPITAL IN THE HUMAN HEART." CHINDEX HAS LIVED UP TO THIS IDEAL, NOT ONLY BY BUILDING THE BEIJING UNITED FAMILY HOSPITAL BUT ALSO BY ARRANGING HEART SURGERY AND OTHER LIFE-ALTERING OPERATIONS FOR CHINESE ORPHANS.

THIS PAST SUMMER, BEIJING UNITED DOCTORS DIAGNOSED FOUR CHILDREN WITH CONGENITAL HEART DEFECTS AND CORRECTIVE SURGERY HAS BEEN SCHEDULED IN THE COMING MONTHS. ALREADY FOLLOWING REPAIR OF CONGENITAL FACIAL DEFORMITIES ELEVEN-YEAR-OLD FU YANG IS FINALLY LEARNING TO SPEAK. BY DEVOTING A PERCENTAGE OF HOSPITAL EARNINGS TO MEDICAL SERVICES FOR ORPHANS, CHINDEX GIVES THESE CHILDREN A CHANCE TO LEAD FULL AND PRODUCTIVE LIVES. "HABITS OF THE HEART" WAS THE PHRASE THE FRENCH ARISTOCRAT ALEXIS DE TOCQUEVILLE USED OVER 160 YEARS AGO TO DESCRIBE THE AMERICAN SPIRIT OF VOLUNTEERISM. HERE IN BEIJING CHINDEX CONTINUES THIS TRADITION BY ORGANIZING PURELY VOLUNTARY BLOOD DRIVES. THIS NEWLY-ESTABLISHED PROGRAM HAS ALREADY HELPED PATIENTS, BOTH CHINESE AND FOREIGN. CHINDEX EXECUTIVES HAVE ALSO WORKED WITH THE RELEVANT CHINESE AUTHORITIES TO IMPROVE THE CHINESE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM. MINISTRY OF HEALTH OFFICIALS HAVE URGED HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATORS TO VISIT BEIJING UNITED FAMILY HOSPITAL TO SEE THIS FULLY FUNCTIONING SHOWCASE OF AMERICAN-STYLE PATIENT-CENTERED HEALTHCARE.

CHINDEX PRESIDENT ROBERTA LIPSON HAS BEGUN WORKING WITH THE AMERICAN AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS ON AN INITIATIVE TO PROMOTE STANDARDS IN APEC ECONOMIES FOR HOSPITAL ACCREDITATION BASED ON QUALITY OF SERVICE. WE HONOR CHINDEX, THEN, FOR ITS GOOD CORPORATE CITIZENSHIP AT MANY LEVELS:.

• FOR REACHING OUT TO THE NEEDIEST THROUGH DIRECT ASSISTANCE TO CHINESE ORPHANS;
• FOR PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OTHERS TO GIVE OF THEMSELVES THROUGH VOLUNTARY BLOOD DRIVES;

AND

• FOR PROMOTING ADVANCEMENTS IN THE ENTIRE CHINESE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM.

I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE CHINDEX PRESIDENT ROBERTA LIPSON TO SAY A FEW WORDS. ROBERTA.(End)

Remarks at Awards for Corporate Excellence

2002 Awards for Corporate Excellence

The 2002 Secretary of State Awards for Corporate Excellence