Impact & Sustainability News From Leading Brands

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Why Giving Opportunity Matters

Oct 16, 2017 3:15 PM ET

This week, Comcast NBCUniversal is launching our annual Employee Giving Campaign for United Way and I am grateful to be part of it. Comcast has been partnering with United Way since shortly after the company’s founding more than 50 years ago, and our relationship continues to strengthen our local communities with each passing year. Last year, money pledged by our employees across our company helped fund over 5,000 nonprofits in more than 1,300 local communities. In Denver, that meant providing mentoring to over 1,000 young people; in Atlanta, it meant assisting 75 mothers with housing and financial coaching; and in Washington, D.C., that funding provided medical supplies to over 2,500 people in need.

Environment

The Business of Climate Change: Supply Chain Continuity Risks and How to Proactively Manage Impact

Oct 16, 2017 3:15 PM ET

Antea Group can help food and beverage companies determine their supply chain risks and put a strategy in place to avoid costly business consequences.

Energy

Bechtel | Powering More Than Clean Energy

Oct 16, 2017 3:05 PM ET

The new 778-megawatt Stonewall Energy Center in Loudon County, Virginia provides the electricity the community needs while protecting its water, wildlife, and other natural resources. More than 778,000 homes in Virginia and Washington DC will be powered by the clean energy this plant produces.

Education

Subaru of America President Joins Children’s Book Author in Encouraging Camden Students to Develop a Love of Science

Oct 16, 2017 3:00 PM ET

Environment

Ecocentricity Blog: Thank You for Coming

Oct 16, 2017 2:00 PM ET

I call RayDay our environmental family reunion. That makes you the family! Thank you for spending your Sunday afternoon with us, and I hope you came away inspired.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Wells Fargo Provides an Additional $850,000 for California Wildfire Relief

Oct 16, 2017 2:00 PM ET

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) announced today that it is making an additional $850,000 available for relief efforts related to wildfires in California. Additionally, through October 23, customers who wish to support the American Red Cross’ California wildfire relief efforts may do so by using any Wells Fargo ATM in California and selecting the option to donate. There is no fee for this service and 100% of contributions will be sent to the American Red Cross.

Innovation & Technology

Global Organizations Align on Societal Engagement Trends, Seeing Commonalities From Asia to Europe and Africa

Oct 16, 2017 1:15 PM ET

Further reinforcing world-wide trends seen over the last year among some of the world’s largest companies, affiliates of the Global Exchange, a network from CECP: The CEO Force for Good, have identified four key areas of focus taking root: Levering Assets, infusing Purpose throughout the business, broader support of the Sustainable Development Goals, and Digital Adoption and Integration in multiple areas.

Health & Healthcare

The Five Senses Matter for Quality of Life

Oct 16, 2017 12:45 PM ET

We get all of our information about the world around us through our five senses, but as we age our senses often diminish. It’s not just that we lose our hearing or have worsened eyesight. Senses of touch, taste and smell can weaken as well. These sensory changes alter the way we experience the world and ultimately impact quality of life.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

PayPal & Kiva: Help Entrepreneurs Around the Globe

Oct 16, 2017 12:00 PM ET

A rising tide of financial empowerment creates meaningful value for all. At PayPal, we believe in the combined power of technology and compassion to create life-changing opportunities for those who need it most. For more than a decade, we’ve worked hand-in-hand with the nonprofit micro-lending pioneer Kiva, to enable loans to people and entrepreneurs who do not have access to capital or traditional financing. These small, crowd-funded loans not only help build businesses, they create jobs, opportunities and stronger economies. We’ve seen the powerful impact this has on the livelihoods of families, neighborhoods and communities.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Merck Makes $3 Million Charitable Donation to Support Swim Across America

Oct 16, 2017 11:35 AM ET

To help support innovation in cancer research, Merck today announced that the company will make a $3 million charitable contribution to Swim Across America. Established 30 years ago, Swim Across America, a national nonprofit organization, was founded with the purpose of granting the proceeds from its benefit swims to fund cancer research and clinical trials.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

The ROI of CSR, a Conversation With Leor Rotchild, Executive Director of CBSR

Oct 16, 2017 11:35 AM ET

In this episode of the Champions for Social Good Podcast, Leor Rotchild, Executive Director of Canadian Business for Social Responsibility, speaks about the influence of CSR on investors and stock price.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Northern Trust Ranked a 2017 Responsible Company by CR Magazine

Oct 16, 2017 11:15 AM ET

Northern Trust’s guiding principles of service, expertise and integrity are the foundation of our business. They drive our corporate responsibility strategy, developing and executing innovative, sustainable and ethical business practices, building on our role as a socially responsible corporate citizen, supporting our diverse communities, and creating value for all stakeholders.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Less Than 10 Days Left to Register & Reserve Your Seat for Demystifying the CSA & DJSI

Oct 16, 2017 11:00 AM ET

The aim of this workshop is to increase the participants’ knowledgeabout the methodology behind the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) and the RobecoSAM Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA). In this sessiobutn, special focus will be on selected criteria including Human Rights, Supply Chain, and Human Capital.

Innovation & Technology

GM Appoints Pamela Fletcher Vice President – Global Electric Vehicle Programs

Oct 16, 2017 10:45 AM ET

General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) is appointing Pamela Fletcher, who led the team that successfully launched the Chevrolet Bolt EV and created the plan to accelerate us along the pathway to our vision of a zero emissions world, to the newly created position of vice president, Global Electric Vehicle Programs.

Green Infrastructure

IWBI WELL Tip: All Projects In

Oct 16, 2017 10:30 AM ET

At IWBI, we believe that all projects and building space types should be able (and encouraged) to apply the WELL Building Standard™. Access to spaces that optimize our health and mental well-being is a fundamental human right. To further this goal, in February 2017, IWBI introduced a pathway for new project types to pursue WELL Certification. This pathway allows for all building type sectors to collaborate with IWBI to adapt the WELL v1 and pilot programs through the creation of a custom scorecard. Our mantra is: all projects in.

Research, Reports & Publications

NACS and Keep America Beautiful Publish New Guide for Trash Management

Oct 16, 2017 10:15 AM ET

Keep America Beautiful and the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) have partnered to produce the new resource, “Being a Good Neighbor: A Guide to Reducing Litter, Managing Trash and Encouraging Recycling.”

Health & Healthcare

Building a Business-led Culture of Health and Food Security

Oct 16, 2017 10:15 AM ET

Workplace wellness can be a heavy lift for companies everywhere. In addition to the initial investment, companies must ensure employee participation and effectiveness to attain the desired outcomes. Yet 70% of healthcare costs in America are affected by the environments in which people live and work. So dropping these programs entirely isn’t a financially or socially viable option, either.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Sappi North America Announces Recipients of the 18th Annual Ideas That Matter Grant

Oct 16, 2017 10:10 AM ET

Sappi North America, a leading producer and supplier of diversified paper and packaging products, today announced the ten grant recipients of its 18th annual Ideas that Matter program, where financial support is given to designers who create print integrated projects to maximize social impact.

Research, Reports & Publications

Reporting matters Study Reveals Measurable Improvement in Sustainability Reporting Among Top Global Companies

Oct 16, 2017 10:05 AM ET

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and Radley Yeldar released the fifth edition of Reporting matters – WBCSD’s annual review of member companies’ sustainability and integrated reports.

Events, Media & Communications

Your Shared Value Journey Starts Here

Oct 16, 2017 10:00 AM ET

Join the Shared Value Initiative on October 18 for Shared Value 101 featuring conversation with and lessons from leading companies, Enel & Abbott.

Events, Media & Communications

For a Limited Time Only – Save up to $200 on Opportunity Forward with Special 20% Fall Discount!

Oct 16, 2017 10:00 AM ET

This year's Corporate Citizenship Conference, Opportunity Forward, will bring together business leaders across sectors to address how they can utilize their problem-solving abilities to tackle some of the greatest social issues of our time.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

GRI Impact Story: Sustainability Reporting "Fundamental" For Triodos Bank to Manifest Purpose

Oct 16, 2017 10:00 AM ET

The Dutch-based Triodos Bank is one of the world’s most sustainable financial institutions: its mission is to make money work for positive social, environmental and cultural change. We interviewed James Niven, Head of Corporate Affairs at Triodos Bank, to find out why reporting on their sustainability impacts is seen as important as financial impacts.

Innovation & Technology

HPE Labs VIDEO | A Radically New Approach to Computing Could Help Cure Cancer, Detect Fraud and Stop Traffic Jams

Oct 16, 2017 9:45 AM ET

Today’s computers all use a basic architecture pioneered more than 60 years ago. A processor computes using data in memory. That memory is quick to access and very close to the processor. However, it’s also limited in size. So when the processor is ready for more data, it fetches it from a larger, slower storage system, and swaps the new data into memory to continue calculating.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Smithfield Foods President and CEO Kenneth M. Sullivan Receives CR Magazine’s 2017 Responsible CEO of the Year Award

Oct 16, 2017 9:35 AM ET

Smithfield Foods, Inc. is pleased to announce its President and CEO, Kenneth M. Sullivan, has been honored with CR Magazine’s Responsible CEO of the Year Award — presented to a chief executive who demonstrates diligence in the areas of employee relations, environmental impact and sustainability, human rights, philanthropy, and corporate responsibility practices.

Environment

SC Johnson Supports World’s Largest Tropical Reforestation Project

Oct 16, 2017 9:00 AM ET

SC Johnson today announced that the funds raised from its 2017 acre-for-acre match challenge will be used to kick off the world’s largest tropical reforestation project in the Brazilian Amazon. Through a partnership with Conservation International (CI) earlier this year to support the virtual reality film Under the Canopy, SC Johnson enlisted the public to help protect 10,000 acres of the Amazon rainforest through its acre-for-acre match campaign.