Impact & Sustainability News From Leading Brands

Research, Reports & Publications

These Brands Are Starting Movements (And Your Brand Can Too)

Feb 23, 2018 10:00 AM ET

Delivering on brand relevance also requires welcoming more and different voices to the table, using our collective wisdom to solve problems together and rallying consumers and employees to take action with us as brands. When net trust in global corporations is less than zero, it is understandable that brands may feel overwhelmed and afraid to go it alone. That is why thoughtful partnerships can empower brands to tackle meaningful issues without feeling like they are straining credibility or speaking out of turn.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

NAMI Recognizes Smithfield Foods' Facilities for Environmental and Safety Achievements

Feb 23, 2018 9:30 AM ET

Smithfield Foods, Inc. announced today that the North American Meat Institute (NAMI) recognized 43 of the company's U.S. facilities and hog operations for environmental achievements, as well as 24 company locations for workplace safety accomplishments. NAMI, the oldest and largest trade association representing meat packers and processors, presented the awards earlier this week at its Worker Safety and Environmental Recognition Awards program in Atlanta, Georgia.

"Environmental stewardship and workplace safety are core pillars of our industry-leading sustainability program," said Stewart Leeth, vice president of regulatory affairs and chief sustainability officer for Smithfield Foods.

Health & Healthcare

What Would a Pharmacy Look Like Without Clinical Trials? Here's a Hint - Empty.

Feb 23, 2018 9:15 AM ET

While there are thousands of experimental drugs currently in development, with the potential to ease symptoms or even cure various diseases, none of these treatments will become available to patients without clinical trials and clinical trial volunteers. In a global study conducted by The Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation (CISCRP) a non-profit-organization, in 2017, close to 70% of the public has never or rarely considered clinical trials as an option when discussing treatment options with their doctor or health provider. And only 6% of people who suffer from severe and chronic diseases participate in clinical trials each year. Low participation rates delay and limit the development of new medical therapies.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

KeyBank Provides $43 Million in Financing for Affordable Housing in Oregon

Feb 23, 2018 9:00 AM ET

KeyBank Community Development Lending & Investment (CDLI) has provided $43 million in construction financing to BRIDGE Housing Corporation (BRIDGE) for the development of 203 affordable housing units in the RiverPlace neighborhood of Portland, OR. The affordable housing project is the culmination of a competitive request for proposal process initiated jointly by the Portland Housing Bureau and Prosper Portland. National Equity Fund, Inc. is the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit limited partner of RiverPlace Housing 3 Limited Partnership (LP).

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

VIDEO: Companies That Are Leading the Way With Solutions for Transition to a Clean Energy Future

Feb 23, 2018 8:50 AM ET

Green Infrastructure

The Expanded Role of Sustainability in Healthcare Interiors

Feb 23, 2018 8:15 AM ET

Mohawk Group’s Cynthia Hubbell, VP of Healthcare & Senior Living, talks about sustainability in Healthcare Facilities today.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

New Program Supports U.S. Retailers Who Are 'Always Open on eBay'

Feb 23, 2018 8:15 AM ET

eBay partners with sellers to help connect their online and offline efforts.

Environment

Dell and Nikki Reed Turn Gold from Computers into Jewelry

Feb 23, 2018 8:10 AM ET

The ‘Circular Collection’ is a limited edition jewelry collection, part of the Bayou woith Love series, sourced from gold from Dell’s recycling programmes and includes 14-and 18-carat gold rings, earrings, and cufflinks.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

SCS Named Environmental Certification Specialist of the Year

Feb 23, 2018 8:00 AM ET

For the second time in a row, SCS Global Services (SCS) has been recognized by Global Energy News under its Clean Energy Awards program. Last week, SCS was named Environmental Certification Specialist of the Year for 2018. As described by Global Energy News, based in the United Kingdom, the 2018 Clean Energy Awards “acknowledge the organizations, agencies and individuals who strive to provide the services and solutions which will allow us to live and work in a cleaner and safer environment whilst remaining economically viable.”

Sustainable Development Goals

New Technology is Shaking Up The Diamond Mining Industry in Côte d’Ivoire

Feb 23, 2018 8:00 AM ET

Terah DeJong, country director of the Tetra Tech-implemented U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Property Rights and Artisanal Diamond Development (PRADD II) Project, discusses the introduction of new technology in the diamond mining areas of Cote d’Ivoire, and how technology has increased the volume of stones that enter the legal chain of custody, leading to increased earnings and more sustainable livelihoods for miners. All opinions expressed in this post are the author’s own.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Xylem Volunteers Collaborate to Protect Water Environments of South Florida

Feb 23, 2018 8:00 AM ET

Last October, five Xylem volunteers from Chile, Germany, Sweden and the United States spent five days exploring the water environments of South Florida and collaborating with groups working to protect these unique environments. Activities were conducted in partnership with EarthEcho International, one of Xylems’ global nonprofit partners.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Cerro Verde, a Freeport-McMoRan Company, and Dreambuilder Program Featured in Mining With Principles Campaign Video

Feb 23, 2018 7:50 AM ET

América Cristina Paz Tito lives in Arequipa and is a small business owner. She has been taking monthly classes from the DreamBuilder program, a partnership between Freeport-McMoRan and its affiliate Sociedad Minera Cerro Verde, and Thunderbird School of Global Management.

Sustainable Development Goals

Motorbike Transport App Creating Jobs and Saving Lives in Rwanda

Feb 23, 2018 7:45 AM ET

SafeMotos is transforming public transport in Kigali by providing quality training and fair wages to drivers and safer rides for customers

Health & Healthcare

CISCRP’s New Clinical Research Awareness Initiative Uses Empty Pharmacy Shelves to Educate Public and Patients

Feb 22, 2018 5:15 PM ET

The Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation has released a new educational video. Sponsored by Sanofi US, the digital public service announcement is designed to increase awareness of the important role that clinical research participants and clinical trials play in advancing public health.

Health & Healthcare

Ferring Pharmaceuticals and Merck Announce Completion of Largest Clinical Trial Ever Conducted in Postpartum Hemorrhage

Feb 22, 2018 3:50 PM ET

Ferring Pharmaceuticals and Merck, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, through its Merck for Mothers initiative, today announced the completion of CHAMPION (Carbetocin Haemorrhage Prevention), a global clinical trial conducted by the Human Reproduction Program (HRP) at the World Health Organization (WHO).

Education

Engineers Spark STEM Interest at Local Girl Scouts Electricity Workshop

Feb 22, 2018 3:15 PM ET

Engineer Lindsey Sayers remembers building a strobe light in her high school electronics class and watching the light flash on when she plugged it in. In awe that something she built worked, she knew then that she wanted to become an engineer.

Education

Real Life Research Experience: Meet Amgen Scholars Alumni Agata Misiaszek

Feb 22, 2018 2:55 PM ET

Ever since I can remember, I was curious about how the world works and the causes and implications of different processes. Life’s extremely complex network of molecules and reactions that made me want to contribute to its understanding, especially because it has a constant impact on us. I find the ability to understand and possibly modify the entire network by interacting with a single component on molecular level incredibly fascinating. The application of research in disease treatment and improvement of overall life quality makes me realize the importance of the area and drives me to invest even more into my studies.

Environment

Los Angeles Convention Center Installs Rooftop Garden

Feb 22, 2018 2:35 PM ET

The Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC), managed by AEG Facilities, recently revealed its new 9,500 square-foot rooftop garden. Located above the LACC’s South Hall lobby, the garden features various citrus trees and vegetables that will be used to provide produce for the LACC in-house caterer Levy Restaurants.

Environment

Environment Scores Big Win With Zero-Waste Legacy Project at Super Bowl LII

Feb 22, 2018 2:15 PM ET

The NFL, in partnership with PepsiCo, Aramark, U.S. Bank Stadium, SMG and the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority, scored a zero-waste legacy project at Super Bowl LII, with 91 percent[1] of all trash generated on gameday from 67,612 fans responsibly recovered through composting, recycling and reuse. The landmark project marks the highest diversion rate achieved at U.S. Bank Stadium and at any previous Super Bowl, and aims to serve as the benchmark for future large-scale events.

Environment

Timberland Shares Sustainability Approach at Rotary Presidential Peace Conference

Feb 22, 2018 2:00 PM ET

I recently had the opportunity to join over 800 Rotary members from 30 different countries at Rotary’s Presidential Peacebuilding Conference in Vancouver, British Columbia. The conference was focused on Environmental Sustainability and Peace, the first of six Peacebuilding Conferences to be held in different locations around the world on Rotary’s core focus areas. I was invited to share some of Timberland’s corporate responsibility best practices on a session entitled “Business of Sustainability.” Beth Keck, former Senior Director at Walmart and member of the Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group, facilitated the conversation between me and Bruce Karas, VP Environment, Sustainability Coca-Cola.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Building the Business Case for Sustainability: Impactful CSR Through Cross-Functional Teamwork

Feb 22, 2018 1:30 PM ET

Building the business case for sustainability within a company is not always easy. In this interview, Symantec's Debra McLaughlin reveals practical examples of how the company tackled some of their CSR challenges, and how sustainability reporting has been an effective tool for that.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Avery Dennison Among Barron's 100 Most Sustainable Companies

Feb 22, 2018 1:00 PM ET

Sustainability, one of our company values, means we are focused on the long-term health of our business, planet and communities. Our efforts over the last few years have dramatically raised the bar, and recently resulted in our ranking #72 on Barron’s first list of 100 Most Sustainable Companies. Barron’s is a US-based publication that covers the financial and investment industries. It's 100 Most Sustainable Companies list was developed with Calvert Research and Management, which looked at the 1,000 largest publicly held companies headquartered in the US (size determined by market value) as of December 31, 2017.

Diversity & Inclusion

Bacardi Debuts Women’s Empowerment Series in Houston

Feb 22, 2018 12:15 PM ET

The series brought together industry leaders, community partners, and expert panels to spark discussion of everything from equal pay and maternity leave for women in the hospitality and spirits industries to financial wellness and self-defense tactics.

Events, Media & Communications

PODCAST | SHE Innovates Interview with Nate Hurst, HP Chief Sustainability and Social Impact Officer

Feb 22, 2018 11:45 AM ET

Nate Hurst, HP's Chief Sustainability and Social Impact Officer chats with Michelle King about how women play a key role in driving innovation in the workplace, and what business leaders can do to deliberately support women in technology and innovation. SHE Innovates is a podcast that shares the stories, challenges and triumphs of women across innovation, technology and entrepreneurship.

Diversity & Inclusion

An Aspiring Pilot Veers into a Career as a JetBlue Aircraft Mechanic

Feb 22, 2018 11:30 AM ET

Jerusalem Melke has spent more sleepless nights at John F. Kennedy International Airport than even the most road-weary frequent flier, although she is there by design. Melke is an aircraft technician for JetBlue Airways, and her workday starts at 10 p.m. “The terminal is pretty desolate at night, but outside the hangar it’s bustling,” she said.