Impact & Sustainability News From Leading Brands

Diversity & Inclusion

Finding a Home at Olive Garden

Oct 4, 2016 9:15 PM ET

Ian Nason persevered through homelessness and a difficult upbringing to achieve new heights as Director of Operations for Olive Garden.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Robecosam Publishes Corporate Sustainability Rankings Together With Bloomberg And Provides ESG Data To Mainstream Investors Worldwide

Oct 4, 2016 5:55 PM ET

RobecoSAM publishes corporate sustainability rankings together with Bloomberg and provides ESG data to mainstream investors worldwide

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Kathleen Smith to Receive a Women in Sustainability Leadership Award from Green Building & Design Magazine

Oct 4, 2016 4:40 PM ET

International Living Future Institute is thrilled to announce that Kathleen Smith, Vice President of the Living Building Challenge, has been awarded one of Green Building & Design (gb&d)’s Women in Sustainability Leadership Awards.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Graphite: The Newest Mineral Under Public Scrutiny

Oct 4, 2016 3:55 PM ET

The electronic and automotive industries are facing increased scrutiny as environmental and ethical concerns regarding graphite productions grow. Already under pressure to determine “conflict-free” Tin, Tungsten, Tantalum and Gold (3TG) sources under the US federal regulation Dodd-Frank 1502, manufacturers and suppliers are now also being pushed to also investigate graphite sourcing throughout their supply chains.

Events, Media & Communications

Sustainable Brands and RILA Announce Conference Partnership

Oct 4, 2016 3:35 PM ET

Sustainable Brands® recently announced a strategic partnership with Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA). RILA will merge its sustainability-focused conference with Sustainable Brands to produce a dedicated program track at SB’17 Detroit focused on sustainability-led innovation in the retail sector.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Greenville, S.C., Area Emergency Responders Hone Their Skills on Norfolk Southern Safety Train

Oct 4, 2016 3:25 PM ET

Norfolk Southern Corporation’s (NYSE: NSC) safety train rolled into Greenville, S.C., last week, hosting 213 area emergency responders who received advanced training in safely handling potential rail incidents involving hazardous materials.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Accelerating Research to Help End Children’s Cancer

Oct 4, 2016 3:15 PM ET

Every day, 43 children are diagnosed with cancer. Every one out of eight children that are diagnosed with cancer will not survive. Sixty percent of those who do survive will suffer late term effects such as infertility, heart failure and secondary cancers.

Research, Reports & Publications

General Motors Corporate Responsibility Newsletter - October 2016

Oct 4, 2016 3:15 PM ET

General Motors plans to generate or source all electrical power for its 350 operations in 59 countries with 100 percent renewable energy — such as wind, sun and landfill gas — by 2050.

Green Infrastructure

LG Technologies Bring Unrivaled Energy Efficiency to Greenbuild ‘GreenZone’ Community Center

Oct 4, 2016 3:05 PM ET

Energy efficient technologies from LG Electronics are at the heart of a new community learning center developed for Compton YouthBuild, which provides educational and vocational opportunities for young people who are invested in creating a sustainable future for themselves, their families and their communities.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

California Diversity Council Honors the 2016 Top 50 Most Powerful Women in Technology

Oct 4, 2016 2:30 PM ET

The California Diversity Council is pleased to recognize the 2016 Top 50 Most Powerful Women in Technology on October 13th at the Hyatt Regency Santa Clara.

Environment

EcoPlanet Awarded Recognition by Government of Nicaragua

Oct 4, 2016 2:30 PM ET

Education

Connecting Students to Their Dreams

Oct 4, 2016 2:10 PM ET

We’re always looking for ways to link our philanthropy strategy with our technology, so enhancing our robust student mentoring initiative with an online mentoring program is an ideal fit. Working with leading non-profits and secure internet platforms, we’re able to connect our talented employees to students across the country virtually.

Events, Media & Communications

Webinar // Change Maker Series - Doing Well by Doing Good: The Power of Pro Bono Service

Oct 4, 2016 2:00 PM ET

Calling all HR professionals! Are you looking for a high-impact way to give back to your community? Do you want to know how you, as an HR professional, and others at your company can engage your professional skillsets to help nonprofit organizations tackle messy organizational challenges? Join Workplace Options and Taproot Foundation, the leading expert in pro bono service, on Tuesday, October 11th at 1pm ET for Doing Well by Doing Good: The Power of Pro Bono Service to learn about this unique way to volunteer and its many benefits to nonprofits, volunteers, and companies.

Social Impact & Volunteering

More Than 100 Smiles Delivered in Brownsville, Brooklyn

Oct 4, 2016 12:55 PM ET

On September 8, FedEx volunteers teamed up with United Way of New York City (UWNYC) to distribute more than 100 backpacks covered in beloved heroes and brimming with school supplies to students at P.S. 156 in Brownsville, Brooklyn.

Health & Healthcare

Major League Baseball Players Trust and Our Children’s Vision Take Aim at Avoidable Blindness

Oct 4, 2016 12:15 PM ET

Baseball and kids are a classic combination, but what happens when those kids struggle to see? When they can’t see clearly enough to catch a fly ball, connect with a pitch, or read the scoreboard? But it isn’t just about their performance on the field, children with uncorrected vision are hindered in the classroom and in every aspect of their lives.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

National Grid Among Top 5 in Nation for Energy Efficiency Again this Year

Oct 4, 2016 12:10 PM ET

The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) released its 2016 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard yesterday, and once again, National Grid’s service area in three states —Mass., R.I. and N.Y.—all were ranked among the top ten energy efficiency. Massachusetts ranked number one for the sixth year in a row, with Rhode Island coming in fourth and New York jumping ahead from ninth to the fifth spot.

Environment

Partnering and Innovating for Sustainable Lifestyles

Oct 4, 2016 12:10 PM ET

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) today announced that the sustainable lifestyles of the future are taking shape under a new collaboration between Whirlpool Corporation, P&G and Firmenich at the Whirlpool ReNEWW House – a live-in laboratory on Purdue University’s campus in Indiana, USA.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Xylem Watermark and Partners Help Three Million People

Oct 4, 2016 12:00 PM ET

From ending hunger to slowing climate change, water will play a vital role in meeting the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Find out how Xylem Watermark and its partners are working to help communities solve water-related problems around the world.

Green Infrastructure

The Hyatt Regency Coral Gables Receives a 5 Key Rating with New GSTC Recognized Green Key Eco-Rating Program

Oct 4, 2016 11:45 AM ET

Green Key Global is pleased to announce the Hyatt Regency Coral Gables has moved from a 4 to a 5 Key rating with the new GSTC Recognized Green Key Eco-Rating Program.

Health & Healthcare

Nestlé Commited to Reducing Sugars

Oct 4, 2016 11:30 AM ET

Nestlé is strongly committed to helping consumers meet the 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) recommendation to consume less than 10% of daily calories from added sugars, as illustrated by our recently updated Nestlé Policy on Sugars.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Kids from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Enjoy Fun #CatinHat4Prez-Themed Activities during Carnival Cruise Line’s Annual ‘Head of State Play Date’

Oct 4, 2016 11:30 AM ET

To celebrate The Cat in the Hat’s recently announced presidential campaign, Carnival Cruise Line – the exclusive cruise line partner of Dr. Seuss Enterprises and the Official Seagoing Campaign Headquarters for the world’s favorite feline – teamed up with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to host a rally for kids at the Memphis, Tennessee, hospital.

Environment

Ecocentricity Blog: Congratulations John Picard!

Oct 4, 2016 11:15 AM ET

Last week, I was in Los Angeles to celebrate with John as he received the Global Green Individual Environmental Leadership Award. It was certainly well-deserved for a man who has been an environmental leader for nearly three decades.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Sodexo Launches Bistro 464 to Give Seniors a New Dining Experience

Oct 4, 2016 11:15 AM ET

Sodexo, world leader in Quality of Life Services, announces the launch of Bistro 464—a new restaurant option—to supplement the traditional dining service in the senior living communities it serves. The bistro-style service option meets the needs of senior communities today by offering a dining spot that feels like a special occasion thanks to its attractive design and a specially created menu that includes casual as well as more upscale meal selections. The Bistro 464 concept gives a nod to the Baby Boomer generation, born between 1946 and 1964. It formally launches this month with over 100 locations expected to open in the first year.

Innovation & Technology

Qualcomm Wireless Reach and the Sustainable Development Goals: Lessons Learned in Nairobi

Oct 4, 2016 11:05 AM ET

I must confess: while I’ve always been excited by technological innovations that transform people’s lives, like the Vodafone m-pesa mobile money service that many Kenyans now use instead of cash to pay for groceries, car fuel, even health clinic fees, I hadn’t given much thought to how information and communications technology (ICT) can also revolutionize how work is completed in international development to help achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Education

G&A Institute Launches Online Training Platform "Sustainability Training HQ" With First Course Offering Certification in Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability Strategies

Oct 4, 2016 11:00 AM ET