Making the world a better place

As Cummins Inc. launches employee involvement activities for Black History Month, it’s also the perfect occasion to reflect upon and recognize a person who instilled so much hope and action surrounding corporate responsibility, equality and social justice in not only Cummins but in the world at large – Ambassador James A. Joseph.

“Hope allows us to see beyond what is and to imagine what can and ought to be. It is not so much an act of memory as it is an act of imagination and courage.” – Ambassador James A. Joseph [use as a graphic]

Joseph was a former Cummins employee who played a significant role in the birth and evolution of the company’s Corporate Responsibility function. Dedicated to service, faith and the fight for equality, Joseph’s inspirational life came to a close in February 2023, however, his many accomplishments live on, inspiring others to continue moving forward and make a difference.

As Cummins recognizes Joseph’s many contributions, in his honor, Cummins held a special event with employees and members of Joseph’s family to launch the inaugural Ambassador James A. Joseph Humanitarian Award.

“This award is in recognition of Ambassador Joseph’s work and will be presented annually during Black History Month to a Cummins employee who exemplifies the qualities of Ambassador Joseph’s dedication to service, leadership, and education,” said Jim Schacht, Vice President of Corporate Responsibility at Cummins, while introducing the award.

Impacting Cummins

Appointed one of the first Black Vice Presidents at Cummins, Joseph spearheaded the Corporate Action function, and also served as Executive Director of The Cummins Foundation from 1971 – 1977. He pioneered and led the company’s efforts in corporate social responsibility and, through The Cummins Foundation, funded a broad range of civil rights and civil society organizations. Joseph not only made major contributions in his area of responsibility, he greatly impacted other functions of the company.

Throughout his career at Cummins, Joseph encouraged the company – both leaders and employees – to think broadly about Corporate Responsibility and was instrumental in institutionalizing the function. He helped Cummins understand the distinction between responding to the social needs of the public sector to not only have a reactive role, but, more importantly, to recognize the value of a proactive role that begins with basic business decisions. This resulted in the establishment of the Corporate Action Division of Cummins, now known as Corporate Responsibility, which helped business leaders think about their responsibility in all aspects of their business dealings under their leadership.

A responsible corporation is really one which understands its obligations in relation to its total function.” – Ambassador James A. Joseph 

Impacting the world

Joseph left Cummins in 1977 to accept an appointment as Under Secretary of the Department of the Interior in the Carter Administration, further serving in a senior or advisory position to four U.S. Presidents in total: member of the Advisory Committee to the Agency for International Development under President Reagan; Incorporating Director of the Points of Light Foundation and a Member of the Presidential Committee on Historically Black Colleges under President Bush; and U.S. Ambassador to South Africa under President Clinton. Joseph was the only U.S. Ambassador to present his credentials to President Nelson Mandela and awarded the Order of Good Hope by the Republic of South Africa in 1999, the highest honor bestowed on a citizen of another country.

From 1982 – 1995, Joseph was also President and Chief Executive Officer of the Council on Foundations, an international organization of more than 2,000 foundations and corporate giving programs, which changed communities and lives on five continents. He also served as a consultant and speaker to national and local groups, academic centers and federal agencies seeking solutions to urban problems. 

Additional noteworthy achievements of Joseph include being an ordained minister, teaching at Yale Divinity School, serving as University Chaplain at Claremont Colleges, receiving 19 honorary degrees and authoring several books. When Hurricane Katrina decimated New Orleans in Joseph’s home-state of Louisiana in 2005, he was named the Chairman of the newly formed Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation by the Governor. Joseph was also the founder of the United States-Southern Africa Center for Leadership and Public Values at Duke University and the University of Cape Town.

Inspiring progress

In 1934, J. Irwin Miller joined Cummins, the family business, serving as president from 1947 to 1951 and Chairman from 1951 to 1977. He was well-known to have channeled his family’s philanthropies into support for racial equality and minority development. Miller was, in fact, responsible for recruiting Joseph, which, at that time, positioned Cummins far out front in its understanding of the company’s role of business in society and what actions were needed to promote the value of corporate responsibility.

Thanks to the dedication of Cummins' leadership, employees, and pioneers such as Joseph, we witness a remarkable surge in representation across all levels of the global communities where Cummins conducts its operations. This transformation is epitomized by the existence of over 150 Employee Resource Groups and the establishment of Cummins Advocating for Racial Equity (CARE). CARE serves as the company's unwavering commitment to fostering sustainable change in the ongoing effort to dismantle systemic discrimination. Furthermore, Cummins actively engages its employees in initiatives like Black History Month, where they come together to connect, share experiences, and deepen their understanding of the profound impact the Black community has on a global scale.

“All of us today stand on the shoulders of the giants that came before us, and Ambassador Joseph was one of those giants. He helped us define what it means to be a responsible corporate citizen. On behalf of Cummins leadership, I would like to express our appreciation of the many contributions made by Joseph and reiterate our company’s commitment to building a better world by continuing to operate as an equitable, inclusive and responsible corporate citizen,” says Schacht.

Watch for more information on Cummins Newsroom about the company initiatives taking place not only in February but throughout the year that highlight the Cummins culture and its dedication to making the world a better place.