When businesses align their unique strengths with community needs, remarkable things happen. At the U.S. Chamber Foundation's Business Solves Conference, the 2025 Citizens Awards showcased exactly that—ten organizations demonstrating that strategic corporate citizenship can transform lives and strengthen communities.
From disaster relief to education, economic opportunities to community health, this year's winners demonstrate how purpose-driven business initiatives create lasting impact. Here's a look at the organizations setting the standard for corporate social responsibility.
Best Corporate Steward – Large Business: Chick-fil-A, Inc.
With over 3,000 restaurants nationwide, Chick-fil-A invests in communities through $215 million in ‘Team Member’ scholarships, 30 million donated meals, and 38.6 million pounds of diverted food waste. Local owner-operators lead programs fighting hunger, supporting education, and fostering youth leadership—demonstrating care for people, communities, and the planet.
Best Corporate Steward – Small and Middle-Market Business: SprintRay, Inc.
SprintRay is transforming dental care through 3D printing technology, delivering fast, affordable, accessible treatment worldwide. Operating in over 15 countries, the company has produced more than two million dental appliances and trained over 9,000 professionals in 2024, enabling same‑day care, fewer visits, and lower costs for underserved patients.
Best Civic Engagement Program: Gilbert Chamber of Commerce
The Gilbert Chamber of Commerce Foundation brings neighbors together for free gatherings featuring food, music, and art, while discussing vital topics like voting and civic responsibility. These events strengthen democracy by building connected, engaged citizens and communities.
Best Community Improvement Program: FedEx Corporation
FedEx supports Feed the Children's Food and Essentials Hub program, partnering with school districts nationwide. Operating hubs across nine major cities, the program provides food, personal care items, books, and school supplies—relieving hunger so students focus on learning while helping families maintain food-secure households.
Best Disaster Response and Community Resilience Program: Hilton
In response to the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires, Hilton partnered with American Express and 211 LA to provide more than 20,000 complimentary hotel nights for displaced families. Within days, over 7,000 people found safety across their hotels—demonstrating how hospitality infrastructure can rapidly mobilize to deliver stability during disasters.
Best Economic Opportunity and Empowerment Program: Guardian
Guardian's Minding Your Money: Skills for Life™ program blends financial education with social-emotional learning for high school students through a digital curriculum and volunteer program. Since 2023, the initiative has reached over 100,000 students across 2,500 schools—many of which in low- to moderate-income communities—helping them thrive financially and emotionally in adulthood.
Best Education and Workforce Program: Dollar General
Dollar General Literacy Foundation and Save the Children have invested $10.3 million since 2018 to transform early childhood education in rural America, reaching nearly 1 million children annually. The partnership supports kindergarten readiness, literacy, and workforce development while also providing localized insights that have shaped programs in communities across 14 states.
Best Health and Wellness Program: Edward Jones and Pfizer
Edward Jones has raised over $55 million for the Alzheimer's Association since 2016. By funding vital programs and research and engaging more than 130,000 participants in the Walk to End Alzheimer's nationwide, the partnership supports families facing Alzheimer's and creates hope and positive change for affected communities.
The Pfizer Foundation and Save the Children are reducing child mortality and morbidity in Ethiopia, where vaccine-preventable diseases threaten children under five. Their Pneumonia and Child Immunization Project improves immunization delivery, strengthens health systems, and builds more resilient communities.
Best Sustainability Program: Norfolk Southern
Norfolk Southern transformed 30 years of shoreline erosion at its Lamberts Point terminal in Virginia by building a living shoreline of native plants and filtering Chesapeake Bay pollutants. The project also created the state’s largest nutrient credit deposit, which companies and municipalities can purchase to offset their environmental impacts. This solution has restored 1,500 feet of shoreline, revived critical habitat, and supported economic growth.
Why This Matters
Whether it's leveraging logistics networks to fight hunger, repurposing existing infrastructure for disaster relief, or applying 3D printing technology to expand healthcare access, each winner has found innovative ways to make their business a force for good.
