Impact & Sustainability News From Leading Brands

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

New RobecoSAM Study Reveals GRI Standards Fit for Investment-Grade Disclosures

May 3, 2016 9:30 AM ET

Amsterdam and Zurich, May 3, 2016 /3BL Media/ - International sustainability standard setter GRI and RobecoSAM, the investment specialist focused exclusively on Sustainability Investing (SI), have today released the research publication Defining What Matters: Do companies and investors agree on what is material? The publication, funded by the Alcoa Foundation, examines whether the information companies disclose in their sustainability reports correlates with what investors want to know. The study found general alignment between disclosed topics and investor interests. The research also indicates GRI’s approach to materiality is appropriate as a basis for disclosures to investors, as it gives a broad perspective on risk.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

UBS Invests in Sustainability for Financial and Societal Return

May 3, 2016 9:15 AM ET

Banking came into its own in the rst industrial revolution. Banks were the intermediaries between the people with money and the ideas and opportunities of the community they served.

Innovation & Technology

Final Days to Apply for Techstars Atlanta

May 3, 2016 9:15 AM ET

Techstars Atlanta, a partnership between Cox Enterprises and Techstars, is approaching its May 8th deadline for applications. Located at Ponce City Market, Techstars Atlanta will annually select a group of 10 startups to participate in a three-month program that provides expertise, funding and office space to help them accelerate their businesses.

Education

2011 Amgen Scholar Vanessa Gray Delves Into DNA, Including Her Own

May 3, 2016 9:05 AM ET

In 2009, as a sophomore at Arizona State University in Tempe, Vanessa Gray started what would become a fruitful beginning as a scientist. She began conducting research with Sudhir Kumar, whose group uses genomics data from species ranging from primates to fish to make inferences about human disease.

Environment

How Hortau Helps Farmers Produce More Crops With Less Water

May 3, 2016 9:00 AM ET

At a time when water conservation is high profile because of California’s nearly five-year drought, a company that provides more efficient irrigation systems for farmers is important.

Research, Reports & Publications

The De Beers Group of Companies Publishes 10th Annual Report to Society

May 3, 2016 9:00 AM ET

The De Beers Group of Companies today published its 10th annual Report to Society.

Innovation & Technology

Cerro Verde, a Freeport-McMoRan Company, Supports Entrepreneurial Development

May 3, 2016 9:00 AM ET

The Cerro Verde Mining Company’s Emprende program supports small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the geographical regions surrounding the mining operations, which are located near Arequipa, Peru.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Tequila Cazadores® Biomass Boiler Cuts Distillery’s Carbon Footprint

May 3, 2016 8:55 AM ET

Research, Reports & Publications

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany Publishes Corporate Responsibility Update 2015

May 3, 2016 5:00 AM ET

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany has published its Corporate Responsibility Update, covering the year 2015. It is available online at http://reports.emdgroup.com/2015/cr-report.

Events, Media & Communications

Announcing #FairHer!

May 2, 2016 8:25 PM ET

At Fair Trade, we recognize the importance of empowering women. From fairer wages, to educational opportunities to funding for health services, Fair Trade supports and enables women farmers and workers to lift themselves out of poverty, provide for their families, gain leadership opportunities, and so much more.

But did you know that women play an equally important role in empowering us – the consumers – to make a change in the world? Women farmers, workers, business representatives and advocates all help get Fair Trade on store shelves, enabling us to vote with our dollars for a better world. These women make the world fairer, and you are a FairHer women when you make a Fair Trade purchase. That's why we're celebrating all of the women of Fair Trade in our new FairHer campaign!

Events, Media & Communications

Join the #FairHer Twitter Party!

May 2, 2016 7:40 PM ET

Join Patagonia, West Elm, DAVIDsTEA,prAna, Heifer International, UNICEF USA End Trafficking project, Dillanos, Love146 and FairTradeUSA on May 3rd from 5-6pm PT for a Twitter party about Fair Trade's global impact on women and easy ways to Fair Trade your Mother's Day! Just use the hashtag #FairHer to attend!

And what would a party be without prizes? Lucky attendees will be entered to win Fair Trade goodies to get them started on their sustainable shopping adventures. Just join the conversation using the hashtag #FairHer to be eligible to win! See you there!

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

4 Key Steps to Increasing Strategic Value of Your CSR Programs

May 2, 2016 7:40 PM ET

Corporations across the board are struggling to figure out how exactly to be more strategic in their giving. The following steps will help you as your corporation looks to get more strategic in your philanthropic giving.

Responsible Production & Consumption

The 2016 Fair Trade Mother's Day Gift Guide

May 2, 2016 7:20 PM ET

Mother’s Day is just around the corner, and you know what that means – time to find that perfect gift for Mom, a gift that shows her just how special she is. And while that “I <3 Mom” mug that you got her last year was cute, why not make this year’s gift Fair Trade Certified™ and spread the love to moms and women across the globe?

Read on for some great Fair Trade gift ideas!

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Global Demand For B.C. Farm-Raised Salmon at All Time High

May 2, 2016 6:05 PM ET

British Columbia set a new record for exports of farm-raised salmon in 2015, and are on track to set new records in 2016 as well. The most encouraging numbers in the final data released by Statistics Canada are those that show an emerging appetite for farm-raised salmon in China, with exports from British Columbia more than doubling over the previous high in 2012.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Rays Players Were Out in the Tampa Community All Weekend

May 2, 2016 5:40 PM ET

Players from the Rays provided early season excitement in their community this past weekend, first hosting a group from Big Brothers Big Sisters at the ballpark in the Players Trust’s Buses for Baseball program then joining kids from the Miracle League of the Gulf Beaches the following day.

Innovation & Technology

United Technologies Proves Sustainability Works

May 2, 2016 5:00 PM ET

Water and food are two essential things that humans need to survive.

Environment

KeyBank Sponsors Cleveland Museum of Natural History's New Perkins Wildlife Center with $2 Million Gift

May 2, 2016 4:00 PM ET

KeyBank has donated $2 million to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History to become the presenting sponsor of the museum's Perkins Wildlife Center, the museum announced Monday.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Hundreds of Univision Employees Volunteer During First-Ever Week of Service, Break Ground on Five New Univision Media Centers at Middle Schools Across the Country

May 2, 2016 4:00 PM ET

Univision Communications Inc. (UCI), the leading media Company serving Hispanic America, today broke ground on five new Univision Media Centers at middle schools in Austin, Chicago, Miami, Los Angeles and Oakland to culminate its Yo Soy Univision Contigo (I Am Univision Contigo) national employee week of service. Univision Network’s hit morning show “Despierta América” capped- off the week with a special coast-to-coast LIVE broadcast from all five schools in celebration of el Dia de Los Niños (Children’s Day).

Social Impact & Volunteering

Cientos de Empleados de Univision Trabajaron Durante la Primera Semana de Voluntariado Iniciando la Construcción de Cinco Centros de Medios de Univision Nuevos en Escuelas Intermedias de Todo el País

May 2, 2016 4:00 PM ET

Univision Communications Inc. (UCI), la principal empresa de medios de comunicación al servicio de la comunidad hispana en los Estados Unidos, inició hoy la construcción de cinco nuevos Centros de Medios de Univision en escuelas intermedias de Austin, Chicago, Miami, Los Ángeles y Oakland para culminar su semana nacional de voluntariado de empleados denominada Yo Soy Univision Contigo. “Despierta América”, el programa matutino más popular de Univision, cerró la semana con broche de oro con la trasmisión de costa a costa de un especial EN VIVO desde las cinco escuelas a fin de celebrar el Día de los Niños.

Research, Reports & Publications

One Step Further to a More Sustainable Business

May 2, 2016 3:00 PM ET

In 2015, Scentre Group has been focusing on ways to create a Sustainable Business in alignment with its business purpose to create extraordinary places connecting and enriching communities. Scentre Group has continued to embed sustainable business practices more deeply into its operations. Scentre Group’s Digital Report illustrates environmental, community and staff initiatives that have delivered on a more sustainable business and the creation of shared value for all.

Environment

SCS Global Services Approves eco-INSTITUT as Testing Partner for VOC Emissions

May 2, 2016 2:30 PM ET

SCS Global Services (SCS), a trusted leader in third-party environmental and sustainability certification, has partnered with eco-INSTITUT, a leading provider of product emissions and chemical testing based in Cologne, Germany. eco-INSTITUT will conduct volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions testing for the SCS Indoor Advantage™, SCS Indoor Advantage™ Gold, and FloorScore® certification programs in conformance with industry-recognized sustainability and environmental claims standards, such as CA Specification 01350 and ANSI/BIFMA M1.1 and X7.1.

Environment

Antea Group Case Study: Underground Bunker C Fuel Distribution System Investigation

May 2, 2016 2:15 PM ET

A railroad transportation company tasked Antea Group with researching Underground Bunker C Fuel Distribution Systems at eighty railroad stations of a formerly acquired rail transportation company. The scope of work involved extensive research of both rail companies’ historical records and archives at railroad museums.

Diversity & Inclusion

Military Appreciation Month: 10 Things You Didn’t Know

May 2, 2016 2:05 PM ET

May is National Military Appreciation Month, and Chevrolet is joining the National Navy SEAL Museum to honor the men and women who have served in the U.S. military, particularly its special forces.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Domtar's Kingsport Mill Celebrates 100 Years by Planting 100 Trees

May 2, 2016 1:30 PM ET

As Domtar celebrated EarthWeek, colleagues and the Kingsport community also celebrated the mill's 100th year of operations. Throughout 2016, Kingsport Mill is commemorating this milestone anniversary with local activities and events.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Michael Bloomberg Believes In Knocking Down Walls

May 2, 2016 1:30 PM ET

As part of The Huffington Post’s parent-child interview series Talk To Me, the business leader and former New York City mayor opened up about fatherhood, family traditions and the importance of knocking down walls in an honest conversation with his eldest daughter Emma.