Impact & Sustainability News From Leading Brands

Research, Reports & Publications

Legg Mason Celebrates a Decade of Corporate Social Responsibility Reporting

Dec 17, 2018 2:00 PM ET

Legg Mason celebrates 10 years of connecting employees, communities and stakeholders with the publication of its annual corporate social responsibility (CSR) report.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

KeyBank Arranged Financing for the New Construction of Affordable Housing Apartments in Oklahoma City

Dec 17, 2018 2:00 PM ET

KeyBank Real Estate Capital arranged a $3.9 million Fannie Mae, 9% Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) forward commitment permanent loan for Four Corners Development to finance the new construction of Council Trails Apartments. Council Trails Apartments is a 72-unit affordable housing property in Oklahoma City, OK comprised of four, three-story residential buildings. The Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) provided the 9% LIHTC equity allocation.

Diversity & Inclusion

Sysco Is Delivering A Better Tomorrow: Better Is… Diverse and Inclusive!

Dec 17, 2018 12:30 PM ET

Our company can better prosper if we reflect the diversity of the customers and communities we serve. That’s why we’ve launched initiatives to significantly increase the gender and ethnic diversity of U.S. associates and to boost our spending with minority and women-owned suppliers by 25 percent.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Keep America Beautiful Celebrates its 65th Anniversary of Improving Communities Across America

Dec 17, 2018 11:45 AM ET

On this day in 1953 – Dec. 17 – the iconic national community improvement nonprofit organization Keep America Beautiful was founded when a group of corporate, civic and environmental leaders gathered to unite the public and private sectors to foster a national cleanliness ethic. Sixty-five years later, the remarkable scope and influence of Keep America Beautiful still touches millions of Americans every year in its effort to end littering, improve recycling and beautify America’s communities.

Sustainable Development Goals

Ahead of COP24, Schneider Electric Strengthens Its Commitment to Become Carbon Neutral by 2030

Dec 17, 2018 11:00 AM ET

At a time when the latest IPCC report calls for urgent action to fight climate change, Schneider Electric, the leader in digital transformation of energy management and automation, is accelerating its contribution to meeting the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. To mark the occasion of COP24 in Katowice (Poland), from December 3 to 14, 2018, Schneider Electric is strengthening its commitments to become carbon neutral by 2030 using solutions that will help accelerate the transition towards a low carbon economy.

Health & Healthcare

Together, Let’s Defeat Alzheimer’s Disease

Dec 17, 2018 11:00 AM ET

Every 65 seconds, Alzheimer’s disease begins to destroy the brain of a loved one somewhere in America. That’s over 1,300 people per day. Right now, there’s no way to stop it from touching you or your loved ones.

Media & Communications

The UN Sustainable Development Goals – “What Matters” for 40 Sectors? G&A Institute's Research Project Yields Key Data

Dec 17, 2018 10:45 AM ET

Nearing the end of the 20th Century, the United Nations assembled experts to develop the eight Millennium Goals (MDGs), to serve as blueprints and guides for public, private and social sector actions during the period 2000-2015 (the “new millennium”).

Innovation & Technology

Additive Manufacturing Beyond Hobbyist 3D Printing

Dec 17, 2018 10:30 AM ET

Additive manufacturing (AM) already has many industrial uses, with more being discovered every year. Similar in principle to 3D printing, but distinct in execution, AM is the process of joining materials to make objects from 3D models, usually layer by layer, followed by a finishing process that prepares the new part for installation or use. While 3D printing excels at producing models and imitations, AM combines printing technologies, computer-assisted design (CAD), and post-production processing to create usable components.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

GRI Podcast December: Tax Reporting

Dec 17, 2018 10:30 AM ET

GRI's Global Sustainability Standards Board released a draft Standard on Tax and Payments to Governments, to make tax reporting more transparent and accessible. Hear from members of the Technical Committee on this project, on GRI's latest podcast

Events, Media & Communications

Positive Impact Launch White Paper Demonstrating How The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals are a Business Opportunity for the Global Event Industry

Dec 17, 2018 10:15 AM ET

Four United Nations staff attended this year’s IBTM World, in what is believed to be an industry first, to engage with the global event industry as events are increasingly recognised as a route to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

You Can Give the Gift of Family This Holiday Season

Dec 17, 2018 10:00 AM ET

This holiday season, give the gift of family to help us find a permanent home and loving family for more youth, like Haylee.

Health & Healthcare

What Will We be Eating in 2019? A Nestlé Nutrition Expert (and More Than 2,000 Americans) Weigh In

Dec 17, 2018 9:45 AM ET

After decades of staying on the cutting edge of food, I’ve learned that the world of nutrition moves fast. Now, I lead a team of nutrition and wellness professionals at Nestlé, helping to design new foods and beverages to give you the foods you love with the nutrition you crave.

Throughout the recent decades of our wellness-focused culture, we’ve seen fats, protein, and carbs all rise and fall in popularity. One thing that never changes? Flavor. Food has to taste good — if it doesn’t, we won’t eat it, no matter the potential health benefits. Every nutritionist knows this from day one, and luckily, the latest trends in functional food are packing more flavor than ever.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Army Principles Helped This Walmart Manager Move up the Ranks

Dec 17, 2018 9:45 AM ET

Elise Hackstall no longer wears an Army uniform. But to this day, the military values she learned in her years of service still inform her identity. For Hackstall, commitment, accountability and leadership weren’t abstract principles but essential traits that propelled her through a military career at Fort Knox.

When she joined Walmart, she quickly noticed a cultural overlap. The company's four basic beliefs had plenty in common with the seven Army values she already knew, sharing an emphasis on respect and integrity.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Professions with Purpose

Dec 17, 2018 9:35 AM ET

Simone Andrews, an Associate Analyst in our RRS group within Moody’s Investors Service, grew up in Houston, Texas. She saw the devastating effects of Hurricane Ike on the Gulf Coast in 2008 and of Hurricane Harvey in 2017.

Supply Chain & the Circular Economy

How I Became Passionate About the Circular Economy

Dec 17, 2018 9:15 AM ET

Graduate school completely changed this guest author’s thoughts about sustainability issues, and equipped her with a toolkit for analyzing environmental challenges and implementing circular economy solutions.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

National Grid Wins Project of the Year, Best Water, Environment & Excellence in Safety Award of Merit

Dec 17, 2018 9:10 AM ET

Throughout the $30-million project, the team had to coordinate with the city of Gloucester, the Maritime Museum and the Coast Guard as well as National Grid, which was the project client that also owned property on the 78,970-sq-ft waterfront area.

Events, Media & Communications

Brands Taking Stands: 3BL Forum Explores Corporate Activism

Dec 17, 2018 9:10 AM ET

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Food is the Most Important School Supply

Dec 17, 2018 8:45 AM ET

Every kid needs three meals a day to be healthy and do well in school. And for some kids, school is the best place to get those meals.

Sustainable Development Goals

Expert Interview With Dave George, Architecture and Engineering Program Management Expert

Dec 17, 2018 8:00 AM ET

Dave George has more than 25 years of experience in large-scale infrastructure and facility planning, design, and construction management for Department of Defense (DoD) projects, including significant work outside the contiguous United States (OCONUS). Since 2003 Dave has managed facility design and civil and utilities-related services for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Middle East District (MED). He also has managed the design of prototypical district and training center facilities for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and projects for the U.S. Air Force.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Corporate Purpose Is the Tie That Binds: CECP’s Annual Trends Report

Dec 16, 2018 6:00 PM ET

Leading companies are laser-focused on corporate purpose. They explore what their purpose is and how it translates to their people and community and bring that purpose to life through intentional practices and strategies. They use a human-centered lens for all business operations because it helps them see around corners and delivers a competitive edge. All this leads to a future-forward outlook that enables a long-term view. Within this purpose megatrend, we see five prominent themes: Employee Power, Collaborative Advocacy, Responsible Tech, Long-Term Growth Going Mainstream, and Impact Measured.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Abbott Named One of the Top Companies for Responsible Business on the JUST 100 List by Forbes and JUST Capital

Dec 14, 2018 5:20 PM ET

Abbott was recently named one of America's Most JUST Companies by Forbes magazine and JUST Capital. The list recognizes the top 100 companies in the U.S. leading the way for responsible, sustainable business.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Solving the National Affordable Housing Crisis With Mercy Housing

Dec 14, 2018 4:35 PM ET

Every day, millions of Americans have to sacrifice food, education, and healthcare because the cost of housing is so high. The numbers are grim: only one out of every four households who needs housing assistance gets it; more than one in four renters pays more than half of their income on housing costs; and nationwide waiting lists for affordable housing are years long. Many lists aren’t even open to new applicants because the backlog is so enormous. The lack of affordable housing affects millions nationwide, and people who have full time jobs are not immune: the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) notes that someone has to make $21.21 per hour in order to afford a two-bedroom rental home at Fair Market Rent. Of the people fortunate enough to receive federal housing assistance in

Research, Reports & Publications

Report: How Business Can Measure the Impact and ROI of Corporate Sustainability

Dec 14, 2018 3:30 PM ET

In partnership with the Erb Institute, Innovation Forum recently hosted a conference in Detroit that delved into the best ways to assess materiality, build a business case and deliver impact at scale.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Smithfield Foods Adds 250 Jobs in North Carolina With New Distribution Center

Dec 14, 2018 3:00 PM ET

Smithfield Foods, Inc. is pleased to announce the grand opening of its new distribution center in Tar Heel, North Carolina, which will create approximately 250 new jobs in the state. Smithfield invested more than $100 million into the over 500,000-square foot facility, about the size of eight football fields, and its blast cell cold storage capabilities at its processing facility, which will strengthen the company’s supply chain to better serve customers globally.

Diversity & Inclusion

With Girls Who Code, Viacom Develops a Pipeline of Future Tech Leaders

Dec 14, 2018 2:05 PM ET

“Ultimately, our goal is to establish a pipeline of talent and help develop the STEM [science, technology, engineering and math] skills that are vital to pursuing careers in tech,” says Viacom Chief Technology Officer Dave Kline. “We’re focused on crafting opportunities for the Girls Who Code alumni where they can explore, learn, and thrive in an all-encompassing environment surrounded by top-tier talent.”