American Express 2007 Annual Report Download - page 26

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STAYING TRUE TO OUR VALUES
While we cannot know exactly how these opportunities will unfold, one thing is certain—as we pursue
them, we will follow the same set of deeply held values that have always guided our company. These values
outline our duties not only to customers and shareholders, but also to the world around us.
Good corporate citizenship has been an American Express objective for as long as our company has
existed. In 2007, we offered a detailed account of how we go about it in Recognizing Responsibility,
our first global corporate citizenship report. It outlines the vision, principles and programs we have in
place to help ensure that we stay true to our values, from long-standing to more recent initiatives. For
example, it describes two actions we took last year to strengthen our commitment to conserving natural
resources: setting a goal to reduce our carbon footprint and establishing an Office of Environmental
Responsibility. If you haven’t already had an opportunity to read the full report, it is available at
www.americanexpress.com/csr.
Whether we’re directing our support to communities or to customers, our aim at American Express is to
deliver a level of service that is not only gracious but also personalized, sincere, intuitive and valuable—in
a word, uncommon.
Our definition of service isn’t limited to our frontline customer care professionals, although the role
they play is absolutely essential. It also extends to those who create online experiences and communities
for cardmembers. The salespeople who sign up new clients, merchants and other partners to use, accept
or distribute our products. The creative minds throughout our organization that conceive new products
and services. The business experts who advise clients. The marketing experts who engage customers
and prospects. And so many more who build our capabilities, support our operations and otherwise
help shape the overall experience of our customers.
Ultimately, we all feel responsible for delivering on the expectation and promise of the American Express
brand. It was true in 1850, when we were in the delivery business and customers entrusted their most
valuable goods to us for safekeeping. It was true when we launched the Card in 1958, and then-President
Ralph Reed said, “All we have to sell is service.” And it is certainly true today, as we contemplate both
exciting new opportunities and sobering challenges.
Our business fundamentals are strong. Clearly, we face challenges in the year ahead, but we feel we
have the right strategies in place to manage through a changing environment. We have the benefit of
experience. But, most of all, it is the passion and dedication of American Express people that gives me
confidence in our future. Fifty years from now, when our successors are marking the Card’s centennial
anniversary, I believe the record will reflect a second half that was even more groundbreaking than
the first—and that, no matter what the Card has become by then, we will still be talking about our
uncommon service.
Sincerely,
Kenneth I. Chenault
Chairman and CEO, American Express Company
March 3, 2008
LETTER TO SHAREHOLDERS
24