Community Relations and Corporate Responsibility

At American Express, we believe that serving our communities is not only integral to running a business successfully, it is part of our individual responsibilities as citizens of the world. The mission of our program is to bring to life the American Express value of good corporate citizenship by supporting communities in ways that enhance the company's reputation with employees, customers, business partners and other stakeholders. We do this by supporting visionary nonprofit organizations that are: 

• • Preserving and sustaining unique historic places for the future
• • Developing new leaders for tomorrow
• • Encouraging community service where our employees and customers live and work

American Express supports hundreds of non-profit organizations each year through its foundation and corporate giving activities. Grants are made under the Historic Preservation, Leadership and Community Service themes that reflect our company values and complement our business priorities. Our support to the organizations and initiatives below exemplifies our commitment.

• Disaster Relief
• Employee-Driven Philanthropy
• American Express Leadership Academy
• Historic Preservation Initiatives
• Serve2Gether Consulting

Service is the rent we pay for living. It is the very purpose of life and not something you do in your spare time." -- Marian Wright EdelmanAt American Express, service has been a hallmark of our company throughout its 160-year history. This service ethos comes to life every time we help a customer – whether with a simple, everyday request or in an emergency situation. We show the same care and commitment to service in our communities.

We encourage good citizenship by supporting organizations that cultivate meaningful opportunities for civic engagement by our employees and members of the community, whether as volunteers, donors, voters or patrons.

We also serve our communities by supporting immediate and long-term relief and recovery efforts to help victims of natural disasters. Funding also goes to support preparedness programs that allow relief agencies to be better equipped in responding to emergencies as they occur.

Social Media Guide

American Express joined the social media scene in 2009 with presences on Twitter and Facebook, aimed at providing customer service for cardholders.

American Express first made its appearance on Twitter with the @AskAmexhandle, focused on servicing Cardmember and merchant questions and needs; @AmericanExpress and the official American Express Facebook Page came soon after.

"Our mission is to be everywhere our Cardmembers and merchants are," says Berland. "To engage with them, service them, deliver unique value that's shareable and create seamless digital experiences that surprise and delight."

Since the beginning, American Express has built its social strategy on service, and it continues to improve its implementation by taking in user feedback. "We spent a great deal of time listening to the community. The community interests and feedback defined our strategy."

AmEx has come a long way — with nearly 2.4 million Facebook fans and more than 348,000 followers on Twitter for the American Express U.S. pages alone. Its presences have also expanded internationally, and the brand now supports efforts on LinkedIn, Foursquare, YouTube and Google+, as well.

AMEX

Hi! My name is Samantha and I am currently a Senior at Providence College studying Public Relations and International Business. I have a strong interest in entering the Corporate world and having one client rather than various small ones so that I can truly apply my skills and focus my attention to one subject.

In my Corporate Public Relations course, we are being taught to understand the ins and the outs of the business culture and expectations that come with entering the corporate world. I have decided to focus my attention on American Express, an American multinational financial service corporation headquartered in Manhattan's Three World Financial Center in New York City. AMEX was founded by William Fargo, Henry Wells, and John Warren Butterfield. Currently, the CEO is Kenneth I. Chenault and the CFO is Jeffery C. Campbell.

By volume, they are the largest card issuer in the world and process millions of transactions daily as the premium network for high-spending cardmembers. They pride themselves off helping small business owners succeed by delivering purchasing power, flexibility and financial control while also providing commercial payment tools and expertise to help companies control their spending and save billions of dollars, collectively.

American Express holds its identity in their 8 Blue Box Values, which they use to reflect who they are and what they stand for as a company. These values include:
1. Customer Commitment
2. Integrity
3. Teamwork
4. Respect for People
5. Good Citizenship
6. A Will to Win
7. Personal Accountability
8. Quality