Impact & Sustainability News From Leading Brands

Events, Media & Communications

Sustainable Brands Announces 2018 Innovation Open Semi-finalists

May 15, 2018 5:00 PM ET

Sustainable Brands® recently announced 11 semi-finalists to compete at the Sustainable Brands Innovation Open (SBIO) startup competition co-sponsored by Makersite and RISN Incubator at Arizona State University. The SBIO competition attracts world-changing entrepreneurial teams with unique ideas to solve some of the world’s pressing environmental and social concerns.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Ecolab to Receive World Environment Center’s 2018 Gold Medal Award for Corporate Sustainability

May 15, 2018 5:00 PM ET

The World Environment Center (WEC) is pleased to announce that Ecolab will receive the Gold Medal for International Corporate Achievement in Sustainable Development during the 34th annual Gold Medal Presentation Ceremony in Washington, D.C., on May 17. Doug Baker, chairman and CEO of Ecolab, will accept the award on behalf of the company.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Wells Fargo Donates $250,000 for Denver-Aurora Stabilization Efforts

May 15, 2018 4:50 PM ET

Wells Fargo today announced a total of $250,000 in donations for three local nonprofits to help revitalize Denver-Aurora neighborhoods through the Wells Fargo NeighborhoodLIFT® program.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

2019 Gender-Equality Index Gives Companies Chance to Prove Their Commitment to Gender Equality to Investors

May 15, 2018 4:40 PM ET

Last week’s discussions at the Bloomberg Business of Equality Summit proved that the topic of gender equality is ubiquitous – companies can no longer ignore gender-related issues in the workplace. Policies and practices that promote equality benefit everyone – employees are happier, more productive and exhibit a greater sense of loyalty. Not surprisingly, we also know that companies that prioritize inclusion tend to outperform those that do not.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Fully Paid Parental Leave for Duke Energy’s Moms, Dads

May 15, 2018 3:00 PM ET

Duke Energy in 2017 began offering its employees fully paid parental leave – totaling six weeks – to bolster workfamily balance and help attract and retain highly skilled workers.

Research, Reports & Publications

Aetna Releases 2016-2017 Corporate Social Responsibility Report

May 15, 2018 3:00 PM ET

Aetna, one of the nation’s leading diversified health care benefits companies, today released its 2016-2017 Corporate Social Responsibility report. This year’s report covers the 2016 and 2017 calendar years and provides an in-depth look into Aetna’s commitment to building healthy communities.

Education

Meet the 2018 AT&T Aspire Accelerator Class

May 15, 2018 2:45 PM ET

I love getting to meet and learn from innovators from all walks of life. When people from diverse backgrounds — geographically, culturally, ethnically or professionally — come together to address social challenges, the results are awe-inspiring.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

GM Makes 100 Best Corporate Citizens List

May 15, 2018 2:00 PM ET

Corporate Responsibility Magazine has named General Motors to its 19th annual 100 Best Corporate Citizens list. Ranked at No. 21, General Motors is the only automaker recognized for standout environmental, social and governance performance.

Energy

Ecocentricity Blog: This One Is a Step Back

May 15, 2018 1:15 PM ET

It is important for environmentalists to acknowledge each step back at the same time they celebrate every two steps forward. Credibility is lost if sustainability’s successes are trumpeted while ignoring its failures.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Jack Daniel's Brand Ambassador Explains Importance of Responsibility

May 15, 2018 12:20 PM ET

Jack Daniel's brand ambassador and bartender for over 20 years, Eric "ET" Tecosky, explains the importance of responsibility in an on-premise environment.

Diversity & Inclusion

Israel: Workforce Diversity is the Key to Building an Innovative Society

May 15, 2018 12:00 PM ET

Israel is home to more than 15 different cultures, each with their own distinctive traditions and ancestral backgrounds. Although Israel is often characterized as the world’s only Jewish state, diversity is, and always has been at the heart of its identity as a nation.

Health & Healthcare

Nestlé Launches Global Initiative to Help Children Lead Healthier Lives

May 15, 2018 11:55 AM ET

On the United Nations International Day of Families, Nestlé announced its global “Nestlé for Healthier Kids” initiative. The program includes the further development of healthier products and advice for families on nutrition and exercise. It aims at helping 50 million children lead healthier lives by 2030.

Health & Healthcare

INFOGRAPHIC: How to Boost Industrial Safety and Productivity with a “Culture of Clean”

May 15, 2018 11:30 AM ET

Industrial workers aren’t afraid to “get down and dirty” on the job – but they’ll be happier, safer and more productive if their work environments are equipped to be kept as clean as can be.

This requires more than a once-in-a-while initiative of posters and pamphlets encouraging your workforce to be mindful of the mess. If you want to take full advantage of the business-building benefits of a cleaner work environment, it takes a new corporate mindset, from the corner office to the shop floor. This infographic highlights three key steps that will take you a long way down this often-overlooked path to a safer, more productive workplace.

Innovation & Technology

Siemens Foundation and Discovery Education Celebrate 'Siemens NATIONAL DAY OF STEM' to Spark Student Interest in Real-World Applications of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math

May 15, 2018 11:05 AM ET

The Siemens Foundation and Discovery Education are teaming up today to host the annual Siemens National Day of STEM. The day is designed to spark a national conversation about pathways to success for students through STEM and demonstrate how science, technology, engineering and math work together to shape the future.

Events, Media & Communications

Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in and Goldcorp Sign Collaboration Agreement

May 15, 2018 11:00 AM ET

Diversity & Inclusion

HP VIDEO | Reinvent Mindsets: #LatinoJobs

May 15, 2018 10:25 AM ET

Green Infrastructure

Part 2: Inside World War II’s Secret Cities

May 15, 2018 10:15 AM ET

Part 2 of a 2-part series. Last time, we introduced you to three cities created at the height of World War II. Next up are Hanford and Los Alamos, and Bechtel’s role in moving them forward.

Green Infrastructure

Why I’m Pursuing My WELL AP Credential: Andrew Browning

May 15, 2018 10:10 AM ET

As an Associate in the Development division of Forum Real Estate Group, a full-service, private equity and real estate investment firm based in Denver, Col., I understand the importance of spaces that are created to fit the needs of the people inside of them. Forum has a diverse portfolio of 49 properties (nearly 11,000 units), including signature ground-up developments that include office, mixed-use, retail, industrial, and multifamily. The amount of time people spend in each of these spaces provides an immense opportunity to positively impact their lives.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Award-winning News for Domtar’s 2017 Sustainability Report

May 15, 2018 9:55 AM ET

Award-winning news for Domtar, a leading global provider of pulp, paper and personal care products. The company is pleased to announce its 2017 Sustainability Report, “Working Smart for the Long Term,” has been named the winner in two categories of the Corporate Register Reporting Awards 2018 program (CRAA’18). More than 121 entries submitted by 61 organizations across 6 continents were judged and Domtar won in the categories of Creativity in Communication and Openness & Honesty.

Health & Healthcare

The Quest for Quality Maternal Health Care in India

May 15, 2018 9:25 AM ET

In India, we’re giving patients a voice – and getting providers to listen. What a private sector-driven, consumer-centric, ‘total market’ approach to improving maternity health care looks like.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Cisco’s International Volunteers Return to Beijing to Connect and Empower Education

May 15, 2018 9:10 AM ET

Recently, Cisco’s Connected Asian Affinity Network (CAAN), an employee resource organization (ERO) that focuses on cultivating more Asian leaders, sent several of its members to Beijing, China to work with the Green and Shine Foundation, a non-governmental organization (NGO) that focuses on scholarships, donating educational materials, and providing training to teachers in rural areas.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Los Angeles Business Journal Ranks Tetra Tech #1 Environmental Engineering & Consulting Firm

May 15, 2018 9:00 AM ET

Los Angeles Business Journal ranked Tetra Tech as the #1 Environmental Engineering and Consulting Firm in Los Angeles County for 2018. With headquarters in Pasadena, California, Tetra Tech was founded in 1966 and has grown to 522 employees in Los Angeles County, with 17,000 employees and 400 offices worldwide. Led by CEO and Chairman Dan Batrack, Tetra Tech’s full-service work includes expertise in water, environment, infrastructure, resource management, energy, and international development.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Brands Taking Stands Newsletter, 5/15/18

May 15, 2018 9:00 AM ET

“The Big Story” in this week’s edition of the Brands Taking Stands Newsletter focuses on the issue of long-term strategy in investment—a subject rising rapidly to the top of business agendas.

Environment

General Mills Is Spending More to Develop Organic Ingredients That Customers Can Trace

May 15, 2018 9:00 AM ET

General Mills became a food giant by pioneering ideas to get people in and out of the kitchen more quickly. Now, it has moved to the front lines of an agricultural movement it didn’t start. A series of investments in recent months for its growing portfolio of natural and organic products has been aimed at fortifying the land where its food is grown.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Sodexo Named as One of the Best Companies for Multicultural Women for 10 Consecutive Years

May 15, 2018 9:00 AM ET

Sodexo, a food and facilities management company committed to improving Quality of Life, announced today that it has been recognized for 10 consecutive years by Working Mother as one of the 2018 Best Companies for Multicultural Women-- an honor that recognizes U.S. companies that create and use best practices in hiring, retaining and promoting women of color.