US embassy cable - 05QUITO1269

UNCLAS QUITO 001269 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR EB/CBA NSMITH-NISSLEY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: BEXP, EINV, ELAB, ETRD, KSEP, SENV, EC 
SUBJECT: NOMINATION FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S AWARD FOR 
CORPORATE EXCELLENCE 
 
REF: STATE 66434 
 
Post is pleased to nominate Citigroup, an American company 
that operates in over 100 countries around the world for the 
Secretary's Award for Corporate Excellence.  Here in Ecuador, 
 
SIPDIS 
Citigroup operates as a fully embedded financial services 
institution.  They are committed to the notion of being a 
good corporate citizen by contributing positively to the 
economy as well as giving back to communities through 
philanthropy and community service. 
 
As a good corporate citizen, they have strived to improve the 
community in which they operate in three areas:  education, 
economic and community development, and quality of life. 
Through their grant dollars and business and employee 
volunteers, they have focused on areas that offer the 
greatest opportunity to build economically strong, vibrant 
and self-sustaining communities and individuals.  As such, 
they have supported the Junior Achievement Foundation since 
2000, with approximately $100,000 to support different 
business and financial education programs, benefiting 4,000 
children and young adults.  In addition to the economic 
contribution, more than 100 Citigroup employees, which 
represent 80 percent of their staff, have volunteered to 
participate as instructors and advisors in Junior Achievement 
programs, adding up to more than 2,000 volunteer hours. 
 
On the environment side, with a $70,000 grant, in 2003 and 
2005 Citigroup supported a sustainable cocoa production 
project, sponsored by Rainforest Alliance in the Ecuadorian 
Coastal Region, benefiting more than 500 local growers and 
their families.  In addition to helping small cocoa producers 
to improve the environmental impact of their cocoa 
production, this initiative also assisted growers in 
increasing their income through training and direct access to 
international cocoa markets. 
 
In the last four years, Citigroup has donated $185,000 to 
support micro-entrepreneurs and micro-finance programs 
through Fundacion Esquel and Finca, organizations devoted to 
help women and low-income teenagers start their own 
businesses.  Citigroup executives have assisted by providing 
financial and banking education, advice and business conduct 
seminars. 
 
In 2004, Citigroup Ecuador began a partnership with Habitat 
for Humanity and have built six houses in Quito and 
Guayaquil, benefiting more than 42 individuals.  Citigroup 
was the main sponsor when Operation Smile started its mission 
in Ecuador in 1995.  Citigroup executives have contributed as 
volunteers in several surgical missions conducted nationwide, 
improving the quality of life of many children with facial 
deformities. 
 
Citigroup's exemplary business practices include regular 
training to employees in order to shape the best executives 
in the Ecuadorian market.  In 2004 Citigroup Ecuador was 
ranked as the Most Respected Company in the country in the 
category of "Leadership and Quality of its Executives" in a 
survey of business executives conducted by Lideres Magazine, 
PriceWaterhouse Coopers and the Superintendent of Companies. 
 
Citigroup also brought innovation to the financial services 
industry through their high-tech transaction-banking platform 
"CitiDirect."  They were the first corporate bank to 
establish a top quality service model (CitiService), offering 
efficient and effective on-line solutions to their clients. 
 
This year, Citigroup is celebrating its 45th anniversary in 
Ecuador with a long and solid trajectory of service to their 
clients and the country.  Today, Citigroup is the largest 
international financial institution in the country, and has 
been ranked by BanksWatch Ratings with the best risk 
qualification in the Ecuadorian market AAA-, for three 
consecutive years.  Citigroup epitomizes the best of American 
companies, quality, innovation, a "can-do" spirit and 
community service.  Citigroup Ecuador deserves the 
Secretaries Award for Corporate Excellence. 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
Kenney