Impact & Sustainability News From Leading Brands

Keep up with the latest news from 3BL’s clients.

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Environment

Four New Substances Added to the EU REACH Candidate List

The list of “substances of very high concern” (SVHCs) has grown to 173 with the recent addition of four chemicals and compounds to the list by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA).

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

6 Ways Materiality Assessments Add Value to Sustainability Strategies

For many companies, sustainability is an increasingly important part of their overall business strategy. As a result, sustainability professionals work hard to track, analyze and meaningfully report on their sustainability initiatives to find new opportunities and report on progress to goals.

But with so much data at their disposal, as well as a being closely connected with that data, some find it difficult to extract the most valuable and inspiring insights to propel their efforts forward—and get stakeholders onboard.

The good news is that there’s a solution: materiality assessments.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

A Rare Corner of Finance Where Women Dominate

Seven of the 10 corporate governance heads at the largest institutional investors are women, according to data compiled by The New York Times. Those institutional investors manage $14 trillion in assets. And the women overseeing their corporate governance groups decide how those investors will vote on a range of companies' environmental, social, and governance issues raised among shareholders.

Environment

Cargill’s Progress on Building Deforestation-Free Supply Chains Outlined in New Report

In a report issued today, Cargill presented progress on its efforts to meet its commitment to eliminate deforestation from its supply chains. The first Cargill Report on Forests covers on-the-ground actions within six priority supply chains and global collaborations to advance sustainable agriculture. Cargill worked with numerous global partners to engage more than 148,000 farmers and established a baseline for measuring tree cover loss by mapping the sourcing areas of nearly 2,000 locations across 14 countries.

Environment

Tackling Climate Change Within the Emerging Circular Economy

As a business paradigm, the circular economy represents a maturing of the global business community. Under this philosophy, biological and mineral resources are no longer simply there for the taking, but are precious natural capital to be stewarded. Air, water, and ecosystems are no longer viewed as dumping grounds for wastes, but are community commons that must be protected. And products are not simply trinkets to be used and discarded, but are designed to serve their function, then to be reused, repurposed, or recycled with the least possible waste. Now, in this period of unprecedented climate change, it is essential for companies, governments and institutions to apply the lessons of the circular economy to our greatest challenge – stabilizing the Earth’s climate.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony Launches Three New Holland America Line ‘Ships’ in Seattle Sailing the Sound Transit Light Rail System

Holland America Line launched three new commuter “ships” Monday, Jan. 9, that will run on the Sound Transit Light Rail System in Seattle. The trains, which are wrapped to resemble Holland America Line’s newest ship, ms Koningsdam, will cruise the tracks through April 2017, when the summer cruise season to Alaska begins from the Port of Seattle.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Help Develop the Next Generation of GRI Standards on Water and Occupational Health & Safety

GRI and the Global Sustainability Standards Board (GSSB) are excited to announce the first set of GRI Standards open for review in 2017 - GRI 303: Water and GRI 403: Occupational Health and Safety. Stakeholders with expertise in these areas can apply now to participate in the development process.

Diversity & Inclusion

Meet the Antea Group Baltimore Office!

The Antea Group office in Columbia, Maryland provides a strategic location between Balitmore and Washington DC to service Maryland and the surrounding states, including Delaware, Virginia, and West Virginia. Our team of environmental professionals include experts with backgrounds in engineering, geology, and environmental sciences, and manage projects ranging from release discovery through assessment, remediation, monitoring and closure, in accordance with each state’s specific requirements.

We specialize in environmental liability management and environmental liability transfer projects, but also have capabilities in health and safety, transaction services, and operational performance and assurance.

Environment

Five Steps to Sustainability

Embracing sustainability may seem daunting- but even small steps can have a big impact on your environmental footprint and make a big difference to your patients and community alike.

Green Infrastructure

Connecticut Honda Dealer Achieves Grid Neutral Status

American Honda launched a ‘Green Dealer’ program in 2012 to help independently owned and operated Honda and Acura automobile dealers in the U.S. reduce their environmental impact. In 2014, the program was extended to motorcycle and power equipment dealers. The program recognizes dealers who implement recommended sustainable practices with three award levels – Silver, Gold and Platinum.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Barclays Accelerator Game Changer: Hello Soda

When you are doing something disruptive, it can be difficult to get people to back your ideas. Innovative companies tend to get excited about new ideas before the rest of the pack. Slower-moving businesses, however, start embracing innovation once the proof of success is already out there.

Environment

Nat Geo WILD Launches ‘WILD TO INSPIRE’ Short Film Contest Encouraging Young Filmmakers to Share Their Love of Nature

Nat Geo WILD uses the power of storytelling to inspire a love of wildlife and nature in its audiences, and through a new short film contest, the network is giving young filmmakers across the U.S. the chance to do the same.

The 4th annual WILD TO INSPIRE competition asks contestants to create one-minute videos that share personal wildlife stories, from travels around the globe to the habitats and ecosystems thriving in their own backyards. Enter the contest by uploading these videos to Instagram with the hashtag #WildToInspireContest until submissions close on February 15.

Environment

MGM Resorts International Reduce Its Water Footprint Within the Desert City

At MGM Resorts International, we believe water is the planet’s most valuable natural resource.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Pilot Program Announced for American National Standard for Sustainable Agriculture

Leonardo Academy Inc, The Sustainability Experts®, announced today that they signed an agreement with the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) to accredit certifiers (Certification Bodies/CBs) for ANSI/LEO-4000, the American National Standard for Sustainable Agriculture.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Points of Light, Southwest Airlines and the Corporation for National and Community Service Bring Communities Together to Honor the Legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. Through Volunteer Service

Points of Light, with support from Southwest Airlines Co. and the Corporation for National and Community Service; and in partnership with nonprofits and hundreds of local volunteer action centers, will mark the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service, Jan. 16, by mobilizing more than 175,000 volunteers across the country. Calling together its community of changemakers, Points of Light encourages people to reflect on gains won during the Civil Rights Movement and to address contemporary issues facing our nation through volunteer service.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Getting the Entire Supply Chain on Board When Your Company Goals Change

When implementing a new process or policy at a company, especially corporate social responsibility goals, communication and engagement are king.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Center for Financial Inclusion at Accion, Institute of International Finance and MetLife Foundation Launch Project to Help Banking Industry Overcome Barriers to Financial Inclusion

The Center for Financial Inclusion at Accion (CFI), the Institute of International Finance (IIF) and MetLife Foundation, together with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) as a technical partner, announced today a two-year initiative to help advance the financial services industry’s ability to reach unserved and underserved populations.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Whirlpool Corporation's Sponsorship of FIRST® Robotics Encourages Youth Interest in STEM Fields

At our global headquarters, Whirlpool Corporation is a proud sponsor of FIRST® Robotics, providing local teams with challenge grants, materials and supplies, including Gladiator® GarageWorks tool chests. Our employees also spend thousands of volunteer hours coaching and mentoring high school youth to encourage their interest in science, technology, engineering and math, as well as careers in manufacturing. In 2015, three area teams competed in the World FIRST Robotics Competition.

Environment

Detroit Rooftop Garden Fed Diners and a Nonprofit

The rooftop garden next to General Motors’ Renaissance Center world headquarters wrapped up another productive growing season. Now in its third year, the garden – thriving from the landfill-free facility’s compost – resulted in 815 pounds of fresh produce, 150 jars of honey, and $3,546.00 in donations to a community shelter located across the street.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Enabling Safety Excellence for a Global Oil and Gas Client

A client’s remediation organization was concerned over the financial and safety performance of contractors and subcontractors working on its portfolio of over 800 remediation sites consisting of retail service stations, terminals and pipeline properties across the USA. Antea Group was hired to develop and implement a comprehensive HSSE Compliance and Assurance Program across the portfolio.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Epsilon Partners with OakLuv to Make the Holidays Brighter

Making the holiday season a little brighter, associates in San Francisco from Alliance Data’s Epsilon business, partnered with OakLuv, a nonprofit organization based in Oakland, Calif., to fulfill Christmas lists for families in Oakland.

Innovation & Technology

Scale the Technology Now: Separating Content and Technology in Digital Health

At this year’s Global Digital Health Forum, I was excited to see the range of ways that digital tools are helping us move towards a healthier world. Despite the variation in the types of programs presented, two questions came up in nearly every conference session.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Announcing KIND Snacks Founder & CEO as Newest Speaker at Health Means Business Summit!

New speaker alert! We're thrilled to welcome KIND Snacks Founder & CEO, Daniel Lubetzky, as a featured speaker at our Health Means Business National Summit and Healthy10 Awards on February 15-16! Register today to join innovative businesses of all sizes to discuss the link between business and health and inspire action.

Health & Healthcare

WHO New Economics of Tobacco Control Report

A new comprehensive report conducted by the U.S. National Cancer Institute and the World Health Organization provides powerful evidence about the economic implications of tobacco use, manufacturing, trade and global tobacco control efforts.

Health & Healthcare

Holland America Line’s ms Koningsdam Receives Perfect Score of 100 on First United States Public Health Inspection

Holland America Line’s ms Koningsdam earned a perfect score of 100 on its first routine United States Public Health inspection conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The ship launched in April 2016 in Europe and made its maiden visit to the United States in November.

Latest Campaigns

  1. KeyBank Foundation: Helping Communities Thrive through Education, Workforce Development, and Service
    KeyBank Foundation helps build thriving communities by supporting organizations and programs that foster thriving students and a thriving workforce...
  2. License to Operate
    Corporate governance, risk management, operational integrity, and regulatory compliance are demanding challenges that companies face in today’s ever...
  3. IWBI | WELL Building Standard
    Our built environment can shape our habits and choices, regulate our sleep-wake cycle, drive us toward healthy and unhealthy choices, and passively...
  4. Scotts Miracle-Gro | Environment Improvement
    Earth's beauty and resources should be appreciated now and preserved for generations to come. Discover the stewardship initiatives underway to protect...
  5. Opportunity for All
    At Trane Technologies, uplifting our communities and workforce is the key to our continued success. We focus on broadening access to education...
  6. Recognition of our Company
    As the leading sports and live music company in the world, we recognize our responsibility to provide industry leadership and to conduct our business...
  7. Investing in our Communities
    We invest in sustainable community outcomes that improve lives.
  8. Sustainable Products and Innovation
    Ongoing research into innovative solutions enables CNH’s brands to manufacture products that respect the environment while satisfying customers’...
  9. FedEx Cares | Overall
    FedEx Cares is our global community engagement program and one way that we live out our purpose of connecting people and possibilities. Our goal is to...
  10. Enriching Women's Lives
    60 years ago, Mary Kay Ash created an unparalleled opportunity for women to define their own successes and control their own futures. Her vision of...
  11. Coach Foundation | Dream It Real
    To help break cycles of inequality, we empower the next generation to reach their full potential through higher education.
  12. Accelerating access to healthcare technology
    We believe technology can help close the world’s health gaps. By putting people first, we find new ways to advance health while reducing costs. And...
  13. IWBI | Workplace Wellness
    A WELL Certified™ project has the potential to add measurable value to the health, well-being and happiness of people in the buildings. It can also...
  14. Cascale Events
    Cascale organizes and participates in a series of events, leveraging its position as a global convener of close to half the sector to bring together...
  15. AEG Celebrates Inclusion
    At AEG, we embrace inclusion and strive to create a workplace where our employees feel welcomed, valued and respected for the viewpoints, ideas...