Power Players in Corporate Social Responsibility

As energy and sustainability assistant director, Agins manages NYU Langone Health’s environmental sustainability program. Agins sets the program’s strategic direction and leads projects to reduce the health system’s environmental footprint across a growing building portfolio of more than 13 million square feet to reach its carbon neutrality goal by 2050. She also works to build a culture of sustainability among more than 40,000 employees through robust engagement and communications. Agins received her dual MBA and MS from the University of Michigan focused on sustainable enterprise and environmental management.

Why is corporate social responsibility important to you and your organization?
Pursuing sustainability in healthcare is unique because caring for the environment is essential to NYU Langone Health’s mission. You truly cannot have healthy people without a healthy environment. That is why NYU Langone acts as a community leader in CSR and has made strong public commitments in these areas.

How does your organization ensure that CSR flows through all of its areas?
NYU Langone’s sustainability commitments extend to every facet of the health system across patient care, research and education. To ensure that CSR flows throughout, we focus on implementing overarching institutional policies that support our goals, creating committees across departments and job functions, and activating our large employee base to build grassroots commitment and projects that align with their values. Our goal is to develop both a top-down and bottom-up approach.

What are some of your organization’s specific CSR goals and what social impact do you hope to accomplish?
NYU Langone recently committed to reaching carbon neutrality by 2050 as part of a pledge led by U.S. Health and Human Services. We continue to invest in infrastructure, energy resiliency, and emergency preparedness as we adapt to a changing future. Climate change is a serious global health issue that is affecting the communities we serve, many of which already face significant compounding disparities. By leading through example, we can inspire other health systems to do the same and together further advocate for the needed decarbonization of the healthcare value chain.

How would you describe CSR in three words?
Ensuring the future

Mr. Audiffred comes to HITN with experience in media relations and government affairs. Angel served at the New York City Council as a press officer for the Majority Leader and Speaker of the Council, then as chief of staff for two council members. In 2017, he joined the Board of  Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum. In 2022, he joined the WNET Group’s Community Advisory Board. Angel resides in Queens and is a graduate of F.I.T., SUNY and Columbia University.

Why is corporate social responsibility important to you and your organization?
It means to incorporate “giving back” as a promise, instead of a strategy.

How does your organization ensure that CSR flows through all of its areas?
We’re always looking for opportunities to extend HITN-TV’s commitment to its viewers from off the screen and into their communities.

What are some of your organization’s specific CSR goals and what social impact do you hope to accomplish?We focus on early education projects and various health and wellness initiatives. 

How would you describe CSR in three words?
The main priority.

Ezgi Barcenas currently serves as chief sustainability officer for Anheuser-Busch InBev. In this role Barcenas works to advance sustainability and inclusive growth across all business functions. She joined Anheuser-Busch InBev in 2013 and has held key roles within corporate affairs and procurement throughout her career. Barcenas holds a bachelor’s degree in biomedical and electrical engineering from Vanderbilt University, a master’s degree in environmental health from Harvard School of Public Health and an MBA from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Susan Birnbaum is president and CEO of the New York City Police Foundation, an independent nonprofit organization that provides resources for the NYPD to innovate and improve the quality of its services; build bridges with the community; and make New York City a safer place to live, work and visit. Throughout her career, Birnbaum has been a community leader and connector of people and organizations. Prior to leading the Police Foundation in 2011, she served as executive director of the Columbia College Fund at Columbia University in New York.

Why is corporate social responsibility important to you and your organization?
At the heart of the New York City Police Foundation’s work is a public-private partnership that serves the community by building a safer city for everyone.

How does your organization ensure that CSR flows through all of its areas?
Since 1971, the Foundation has helped safeguard the city and strengthen its communities in a sustained and collaborative way, including by funding numerous initiatives and regularly identifying and meeting the evolving needs of the NYPD and the public.

What are some of your organization’s specific CSR goals and what social impact do you hope to accomplish?
The Foundation supports the city and engages with the public every day. We advance programs to prevent violent crime and thwart terrorism, like Crime Stoppers; we build relationships between the NYPD and community members, including youth programs across the five boroughs; and we pilot new technologies and provide resources that support the police, such as bullet-resistant vests.

Michael R. Bloomberg is the founder of Bloomberg L.P. and Bloomberg Philanthropies, and three-term mayor of New York City. An innovator in government and philanthropy, Bloomberg’s success has made him a global leader on critical issues such as climate change and public health. Bloomberg earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from John Hopkins and earned his MBA from Harvard Business School.

Grace C. Bonilla, Esq. has a wealth of knowledge and experience in the nonprofit and public sectors. She is president and CEO of United Way of New York City. Grace was senior vice president for Latin America at Covenant House International. She was appointed by Mayor Bill de Blasio to serve as the first executive director of the Task Force on Racial Equity and Inclusion and was also appointed as administrator of the Human Resources Administration leading the largest local social services agency in the country.

Why is corporate social responsibility important to you and your organization?
As a backbone organization working with hundreds of our city’s corporations as both a grantor and grantee, UWNYC prioritizes corporate social responsibility. Our corporate partners eagerly contribute to the betterment of all New Yorkers, and we’re excited to work with stakeholders towards equitable, inclusive systemic change for all communities.

How does your organization ensure that CSR flows through all of its areas?
Social responsibility is our most important core objective. Stemming beyond our programmatic work for which we’re known, social responsibility is integrated throughout the business touchpoints of our operational, legal, and financial teams who strive to serve our community-based partners with dignity, transparency, and respect. Capacity building is also a key tenet of our organization and is anchored on the model of greater social good. We strive to make a lasting impact with each project.

What are some of your organization’s specific CSR goals and what social impact do you hope to accomplish?
We achieve impact across the areas of education, small business and workforce development, food and benefits, justice and opportunity, and health equity. We partner with socially responsible corporations to drive change across community, network, and systems levels. The impact we hope to accomplish includes: 

• People with access to a continuum of food and benefits support achieve dignity and empowerment.
• Justice-involved individuals connected to their community and families through therapeutic services that reduce re-offense.
• Social determinants of poor health outcomes can be addressed with equitable care. 

How would you describe CSR in three words?
Critical, transformational, beneficial

Michael Cassidy currently serves as a senior advisor at Brown & Weinraub. Prior to joining Brown & Weinraub, Cassidy served as Governor Andrew Cuomo’s assistant director of state operations. Michael also serves as commissioner of the City of Albany Civil Service Commissions and as a member of the Rockefeller College advisory board, Maria College board of trustees, and the Empire State Plaza Performing Arts Center board of directors. Cassidy holds a B.A. and MPA from the University at Albany’s Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy.

Francine Chew is head of corporate social responsibility at The Guardian Life Insurance Company, where she is responsible for leading and evolving its philanthropic strategy to engage colleagues, community and consumers. Her prior roles include vice president at Prudential Financial’s Inclusive Solutions group, founding program officer of Goldman Sachs’ 10,000 Small Businesses initiative, investment banking associate at Merrill Lynch and analyst at Morgan Stanley. Francine received a BA from Yale, an MBA from Harvard Business School, and was a Fulbright Scholar to Ecuador. She will chair the board for Row New York.

Why is corporate social responsibility important to you and your organization?
Since Guardian’s founding as a mutual insurer in 1860, we are proud of the positive difference we have made in people’s lives through our insurance and financial products, and through our thoughtful investment in our communities. We are guided by our purpose to inspire well-being for colleagues, consumers, and communities.

How does your organization ensure that CSR flows through all of its areas?
Our strategic philanthropy supports financial well-being and health and wellness initiatives in alignment with Guardian’s enterprise priorities and its products and services. We also reward our colleagues’ volunteering and match their donations, and communicate these benefits throughout the organization.

What are some of your organization’s specific CSR goals and what social impact do you hope to accomplish?
At Guardian, we foster a workplace culture that celebrates volunteering and empowers our colleagues to be active and involved. We are committed to advancing our community outreach and philanthropic efforts by volunteering, donating, and working side-by-side with charitable organizations to help our communities thrive. Our strategic philanthropy aligns to Guardian’s business priorities and is focused on financial well-being and health and wellness. Guardian also supports the response and recovery phase of disaster relief in communities where our colleagues or consumers are affected, or if the disaster is extraordinary.

How would you describe CSR in three words?
Inspiring well-being

Rose Christ currently serves as co-chair of the New York Practice at Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies. During her tenure at Cozen O’Connor, Ms. Christ has advocated for and secured public funding for major capital and cultural projects. Ms. Christ is an executive board member of the Stonewall Democratic Club of NYC and a new leaders co-chair for the Citizen’s Budget Commission. Ms. Christ earned a B.A. in political science and in communication from the College of Charleston.

Alex Cohen is president of the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation, a nonprofit that she co-founded with her husband Steve in 2001. Alex is also president of the Amazin’ Mets Foundation, which she created in 2020 after she and her husband purchased the New York Mets. Alex was born in Harlem and grew up in Washington Heights. After studying communications at Manhattan College, she worked in the financial industry until her marriage in 1992. Alex was named one of the 50 Most Powerful Women in U.S. Philanthropy by Inside Philanthropy and serves on the Bob Woodruff Foundation Honorary Leadership Council.