Impact & Sustainability News From Leading Brands

Social Impact & Volunteering

Whole Foods Market Lives Its Core Values, Increases Employee Engagement Through Global Volunteer Program

Jul 7, 2017 9:05 AM ET

In 2010 I had the opportunity to travel to Guatemala for 30 days as part of Whole Foods Market’s Team Member Volunteer Program near Lake Atitlan, one of the most beautiful yet poorest regions of the country. Whole Foods Market launched its volunteer program in 2007 to give employees (called Team Members) the opportunity to witness the transformative power of microcredit in person and to volunteer alongside the community where Whole Foods Market sources products.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Walking the Tight Rope

Jul 7, 2017 9:05 AM ET

Non-profits often don’t have processes for inquiring about the risks they face, prioritizing those risks, and how to responding to them. For most, risk management begins and ends with insurance, their only safety net.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Arrow Electronics’ Interns Build 32 Wheelchairs for Veterans

Jul 7, 2017 9:00 AM ET

The Arrow Electronics summer intern class teamed together last month to build 32 wheelchairs for military veterans in need. The Build-a-Wheelchair® corporate social responsibility team-building event was a part of Arrow’s annual Intern Kickoff event.

Green Infrastructure

Living Shoreline Demonstration Project | Restoring and Preserving the Louisiana Coastline

Jul 7, 2017 9:00 AM ET

The Louisiana coastline loses an average of more than 16 square miles of wetlands per year according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority of Louisiana (CPRA) is the single state entity with authority to develop, articulate, implement, and enforce a comprehensive coastal restoration and protection master plan to reduce hurricane storm surge flood impact, restore Louisiana’s bountiful natural resources, build land to protect critical energy infrastructure, and secure Louisiana’s coast now and for future generations.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Xylem Watermark Water Challenge Field Testing

Jul 7, 2017 9:00 AM ET

Xylem employees inspire students about science, the environment and water with practical, hands-on field experience.

Innovation & Technology

Going Cashless: The Fast Lane to Payments

Jul 6, 2017 6:35 PM ET

Diversity & Inclusion

How Olympic Gold Medalist Natalie Spooner is Inspiring the Next Generation of Girls

Jul 6, 2017 5:35 PM ET

As a young girl growing up playing hockey, Natalie Spooner felt she didn’t have much to aspire to within the sport of hockey. Now an Olympic gold medalist and Canadian Women’s Hockey League All-Star, she’s inspiring the next generation of girls through initiatives like Project North and Scotiabank Girls HockeyFest.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Republic Services Honors Veterans at 'Follow the Flag' Event in Utah's Grove Creek Canyon

Jul 6, 2017 5:00 PM ET

Republic Services Salt Lake division proudly sponsored the annual Follow the Flag ceremonial event, established to honor Veteran’s with a large American flag hung between two canyon walls across a 600-foot-wide crevice in Grove Creek Canyon, in Pleasant Grove, Utah. Republic Services provided thousands of attendees with water bottles, sunglasses, and recycling education materials. Republic also provided recycling bins throughout the event, supporting our customers at the city and the Pleasant Grove Parks and Rec recycling efforts for the ceremony.

Research, Reports & Publications

Taproot Foundation & BMW Foundation Release 2017 Global Pro Bono Summit Recap

Jul 6, 2017 4:45 PM ET

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Carnival Cruise Line Thanks The Troops With The World's First Social Media Powered Barbecue At Marine Corps Air Station Miramar In San Diego

Jul 6, 2017 4:30 PM ET

Social Impact & Volunteering

Astellas Employees Support Veterans at 2017 Warrior Games

Jul 6, 2017 4:30 PM ET

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

First Costa Group Volunteer on Board the Africa Mercy

Jul 6, 2017 3:00 PM ET

Events, Media & Communications

Mike Bloomberg Announces $200 Million American Cities Initiative at the U.S. Conference of Mayors

Jul 6, 2017 3:00 PM ET

“Thank you Manny, and good afternoon, everyone! We’re lucky to have Manny as a Board Member at Bloomberg Philanthropies, and I want to thank him and Miami Beach Mayor Phil Levine for welcoming us here.

Events, Media & Communications

Living Future unConference Call for Proposals

Jul 6, 2017 3:00 PM ET

The International Living Future Institute is excited to announce the Call for Proposals for the upcoming Living Future unConference in Portland, Oregon on May 1-4, 2018. At the 12th annual unConference, ILFI invites you to lead us in the exploration of AUTHENTICITY and inspire and equip us to take ACTION that echoes our truth.

Green Infrastructure

Chicago Named Nation’s Greenest City in CBRE Study

Jul 6, 2017 2:45 PM ET

After placing second last year, the Chicago market claimed the top spot with 66% of its space qualified as green certified according to the fourth annual Green Building Adoption Index study by CBRE and Maastricht University. San Francisco slipped to second, while Atlanta, Houston and Minneapolis again claimed spots in the top 5 in the 2017 report.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Agile Organizations: The Balance of Speed and Stability

Jul 6, 2017 2:45 PM ET

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Drew Finally Triumphs Over Jonathan in HGTV's ‘Brother vs. Brother: Jonathan vs. Drew’

Jul 6, 2017 2:30 PM ET

Drew and Jonathan Scott collected the highest total profit in Brother vs. Brother history with an impressive $160,500. The proceeds from the sales will benefit projects in both Galveston and Houston via Rebuilding Together—a national U.S. nonprofit organization that preserves affordable homeownership and helps to revitalize neighborhoods by providing free home repairs and modifications to homeowners in need.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

GRI Rises To Sustainability Standards Challenge

Jul 6, 2017 1:15 PM ET

Timothy J. Mohin is the Chief Executive of GRI, developer of the world’s most widely used sustainability reporting standards. A veteran in the field of corporate sustainability reporting, he is now steering GRI to lead the evolution of sustainability reporting. Here's how he will do this.

Diversity & Inclusion

Fortune Names Aflac to 100 Best Workplaces for Millennials List

Jul 6, 2017 12:20 PM ET

Education

HP Inc. Commits to Enhancing Education for More Than 100 Million People by 2025

Jul 6, 2017 12:05 PM ET

HP Inc. announces its commitment to enable better learning outcomes for more than 100 million people between 2015-2025 at the 2017 Global Citizen Festival in Hamburg, Germany. The Global Citizen Festival in Hamburg falls on the eve of the G20 Summit, where leaders of the world’s most powerful countries are congregating to address inequalities and promote sustainable development.

Green Infrastructure

Duke Energy’s $1 Million Grant Adds 200 EV Charging Stations Across North Carolina

Jul 6, 2017 12:05 PM ET

Between Main Street’s flowering trees and the patchwork facades of historic buildings, the Shute Family Parking Garden provides about 60 parking spaces for downtown Monroe, N.C. Soon, the parking garden will become even more green when the city installs its first electric vehicle charging station.

Environment

Climate Consulting in a Time of Political Uncertainty

Jul 6, 2017 11:45 AM ET

President Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement generated considerable controversy. Given Antea Group’s position as an environmental consulting firm, with clients facing very real climate change challenges and decisions, we wanted to take this opportunity to contribute a rational, knowledgeable voice to the conversation.

Research, Reports & Publications

Bloomberg Sustainable Finance Brief Provides Actionable Insights for Investors

Jul 6, 2017 11:20 AM ET

Bloomberg Brief’s weekly newsletter on sustainable finance provides actionable insights for investors following sustainable, responsible and impact investment strategies. In each issue, you’ll see coverage of funds and investment strategies, as well as up-to-the-minute news on major trends, including green and social bond markets, sustainability reporting, corporate social responsibility, corporate governance and employee engagement and diversity.

Research, Reports & Publications

Sanofi Foundation for North America Annual Review 2015-2016

Jul 6, 2017 11:10 AM ET

We are proud to announce the launch of the Sanofi Foundation for North America 2015-2016 Annual Review. Over the past two years, Sanofi’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy has evolved to embody the following core pillars: Public Health and Access to Healthcare, Development of Communities, and Healthy Planet.

Sustainable Development Goals

Business Has Much to Do If It Wants to Be a Climate Leader

Jul 6, 2017 11:00 AM ET

If there’s one group that’s basking in the long shadow cast by Donald Trump’s ill-fated decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate accord, it’s business. In story after story, reporters and pundits are hailing businesses – large and small – as the would-be saviours of much needed progress in the efforts to curb the risks associated with climate change.