Impact & Sustainability News From Leading Brands

Green Infrastructure

McDonald's Opens First Net-Zero Restaurant at Disney World

Feb 2, 2021 1:20 PM ET

Eight decades after McDonald’s restaurant revolutionized a speedier way to prepare and serve meals, the fast-food giant is once again setting new standards in the industry, laying the groundwork for a more ecologically responsible place to dine.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

MilliporeSigma Named SBER's Outstanding Corporate Leader of 2020

Feb 2, 2021 1:05 PM ET

Sustainability Roundtable, Inc. (SR Inc), the leader in outsourced Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) assistance, announced MilliporeSigma as the Sustainable Business & Enterprise Roundtable (SBER) Outstanding Corporate Leader of 2020.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Whole Planet Foundation Recognizes Field Officers in Eastern/Southern Africa

Feb 2, 2021 12:35 PM ET

As we look back at the anxious and uncertain times of 2020, I hope we will also remember the bright spots of resilience and shared humanity.

Research, Reports & Publications

Qualcomm Releases 2020 Corporate Responsibility Report and Unveils 2025 Targets

Feb 2, 2021 12:30 PM ET

The report notes the Company has met or exceeded its 2020 goals and unveils 2025 Corporate Responsibility targets which will serve to help drive progress towards the Company’s 2030 vision and continue to advance in key ESG areas.

Energy

California's Clean Energy Future - With More Solar, Batteries and EVs - Requires Reimagining the Power Grid

Feb 2, 2021 12:25 PM ET

New SCE white paper points out that the effects of climate change also are driving needed grid evolution

Sustainable Development Goals

Aramark Sets New Climate Goal, Commits to Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 15% by the End of 2025

Feb 2, 2021 12:00 PM ET

Just one year after introducing its sustainability plan, Be Well. Do Well., Aramark announced its commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 15% by the end of 2025 in the United States, thus decreasing its carbon footprint.

Health & Healthcare

Employee's Passion for Fitness Helps a Company Get in Shape

Feb 2, 2021 12:00 PM ET

Already known for its lack of physical activity, office work became even less active with remote work. And with gyms closed, there were few options for exercise. Bechtel’s Lexi Corral decided to take action & help her colleagues stay active at home.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Easterseals and the Abbott Fund Join Together to Advance Health Equity Through the Black Child Fund

Feb 2, 2021 11:10 AM ET

The Abbott Fund, the foundation of the global healthcare company Abbott, is the first funder to support Easterseals' newly established Black Child Fund, with a $250,000 grant to advance health equity by addressing racial disparities in healthcare among young Black children with autism and other disabilities.

Innovation & Technology

Multimodal Manufacturing—Avoid Challenges in the ATMP Marketplace

Feb 2, 2021 11:05 AM ET

Making history isn’t just about ideas. It’s about understanding the many challenges that lie between an idea and its real-world application, and finding reliable ways to overcome those challenges.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

The Importance of EHS Compliance

Feb 2, 2021 10:25 AM ET

Get insight into the common challenges EHS managers face and discover focus areas for EHS compliance and possible consequences of non-compliance. We also focus on COVID-19 specific adjustments to EHS programs and things to consider in virtual audits.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Study Reveals Responsible Business Potential of Hispanic America

Feb 2, 2021 9:45 AM ET

Research into corporate transparency practices in Hispanic American capital markets has set a benchmark for the prevalence of sustainability reporting in the region.

Research, Reports & Publications

Shifting Attitudes and the Impact of Racial Injustice Conversations

Feb 2, 2021 9:40 AM ET

This year, more VC firms assigned greater value to the investment opportunity that multicultural-founded companies present, and say that they are more likely to invest in multicultural- and women-founded companies in the coming year.

Events, Media & Communications

HACR to Host All-Women CEO Roundtable at 2nd Annual Latina Empow(h)er Summit™

Feb 2, 2021 9:00 AM ET

The Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR) will reach a historic milestone as the first United States organization in recent memory to host an all-women roundtable of corporate CEOs for a Latino audience.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

VolunteerMatch and Newwave Foundation Launch “Money Talk$” Financial Empowerment Educational Series for BIPOC Youth

Feb 2, 2021 8:10 AM ET

VolunteerMatch and Newwave Foundation are pleased to announce the launch of their new financial literacy educational series, “Money Talk$”.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Hunger's Reach Is Long. Here's How You Can Help

Feb 2, 2021 8:00 AM ET

David Griffin wants you to know COVID-19’s effects reach across all walks of life. “Hunger,” said Griffin, director of Second Harvest Food Bank of Southeast North Carolina, “is not exclusive to the kind of car you drive or where you live.”

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

MilliporeSigma Named SBER's Outstanding Corporate Leader of 2020/ Synopsys' Barbara Donaldson Named SBER's Outstanding Executive of 2020

Feb 2, 2021 7:30 AM ET

Sustainability Roundtable, Inc. announced MilliporeSigma as the Sustainable Business & Enterprise Roundtable (SBER) Outstanding Corporate Leader of 2020 and Barbara Donaldson, Synopsys’ Senior Vice President, Workplace Resources as the SBER Outstanding Corporate Executive of 2020.

Diversity & Inclusion

Medtronic African Descent Network Celebrates Black History Month by “Making Good Trouble”

Feb 1, 2021 6:05 PM ET

The Medtronic African Descent Network is a resource group open to all employees. Its goal is to raise awareness about racial equity issues and provide recruitment and retention tools to help develop and advance Black employees in their careers.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

MetLife Named to World's Most Admired Companies List by Fortune Magazine

Feb 1, 2021 5:40 PM ET

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Medtronic Among Fortune Magazine's “Most Admired Companies” for 2021

Feb 1, 2021 5:30 PM ET

“Being named a “Most Admired Company” fuels my excitement and drive to continue to carve our path forward, while reinforcing our commitment to making a positive impact on the world,” said Medtronic chairman and CEO Geoff Martha.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Kala Gibson Recognized as a Top Black Leader by the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber

Feb 1, 2021 4:05 PM ET

Gibson was honored for his work at the bank, where he oversees Business Banking, but also the Bank’s Community and Economic Development efforts, including Community Reinvestment Act lending and investment, and ESG efforts.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Duke Energy Named One of Fortune's 'World's Most Admired Companies' for Fourth Consecutive Year

Feb 1, 2021 3:00 PM ET

Duke Energy’s commitment to helping customers through the Covid pandemic while also advancing a robust clean energy transformation kept the company among Fortune magazine’s 2021 list of the World’s Most Admired Companies for the fourth year in a row

Research, Reports & Publications

From Domestic Hedonism To Mindful Moderation, the Bacardi Survey Reveals Spirits Trends Sparked by Cultural Shifts Last Year

Feb 1, 2021 3:00 PM ET

Despite a seeming increase in single-use plastics during the pandemic, consumers still have sustainability and transparency on the forefront of their minds.

Environment

Major Companies, Institutions in Illinois Call for 100% Clean Energy Legislation

Feb 1, 2021 2:45 PM ET

Nearly two dozen companies and higher education institutions in Illinois urged state lawmakers today to accelerate the state’s transition to 100% clean energy and build a cleaner, more equitable transportation system.

Education

Scotiabank Launches National Scholarship Program to Support Next Generation of Anti-racism Advocates in the Legal Profession

Feb 1, 2021 2:30 PM ET

The bank has developed a first-in-Canada scholarship program to increase the number of students pursuing a career in the legal profession with the intent to become advocates for anti-racism.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Arrow Electronics Earns Top Score in Human Rights Campaign's 2021 Corporate Equality Index

Feb 1, 2021 2:20 PM ET

For the third consecutive year, Arrow Electronics earned a perfect score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2021 Corporate Equality Index, the nation’s foremost benchmarking survey and report measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ workplace equality. Arrow joins the ranks of 767 major U.S. businesses that also received top marks this year.