Impact & Sustainability News From Leading Brands

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

American Express ranked #1 Best Adoption-Friendly Workplace

Sep 25, 2017 10:30 AM ET

For the 11th year, the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption surveyed the nation’s employers in search of those with the best adoption benefits. The Foundation compares financial reimbursement and paid leave given to new adoptive parents. This year, there is a new company atop the list.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Aflac | From a Successful Regional Brand to a Company That Serves More Than 50 Million People

Sep 25, 2017 10:25 AM ET

Dan Amos has been chief executive officer for Aflac for more than 26 years. In fact, he is the second longest tenured CEO at the same company in the Fortune 200, behind only Warren Buffett. Over 26 years Dan has learned a few things about leadership, managing risk and why it is important to treat employees with respect and dignity.

Health & Healthcare

The Culture of Food Safety | Handwashing

Sep 25, 2017 10:00 AM ET

When it comes to personal hygiene, handwashing is one of the most important steps in preventing the spread of pathogens and cross-contamination.

Energy

Weatherford Addresses Material Environmental, Social, and Governance Issues

Sep 25, 2017 10:00 AM ET

Weatherford considers material Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) issues to be those which pose the greatest potential risk to our business, and are important to our key stakeholders including our employees, customers, and shareholders. In 2016, we strengthened our existing process for assessing materiality by canvassing a broader range of internal and external stakeholders and extending sustainability issues across the whole value chain.

Events, Media & Communications

The Best Rates for the BSR Conference 2017 Have Been Extended to September 29

Sep 25, 2017 10:00 AM ET

Microsoft President Brad Smith has joined our already exciting line-up of plenary speakers at the BSR Conference 2017, and we want you to be there! We have extended our best registration rate deadline for BSR17. You can still save up to US$350, but it won’t last long—rates will increase this Friday.

Sustainable Development Goals

Sands ECO360 | Expanding Stakeholder Engagement

Sep 25, 2017 9:30 AM ET

Working in unison with our stakeholders, we can really make a meaningful difference – multiplying our positive impacts both now and into the future.

Environment

One Way Dell is Helping to Save the Monarchs

Sep 25, 2017 9:25 AM ET

The Monarch butterfly and its multigenerational migration is truly a wonder of nature. Already, those butterflies born up in Canada and the northern U.S. are making their way down to central Mexico, where they will arrive in November. Their flightpath gets funneled through Central Texas. No single butterfly makes the whole round trip – the Monarchs I will soon see are at least four generations removed from those who started their journey in their pine-oak winter home in the highlands on the border between Michoacan and the State of Mexico. This home is a World Heritage Site and was only rediscovered by scientists in 1975.

Innovation & Technology

Microsoft Philanthropies Donates $1B in Cloud Tech to Nonprofits, Aims to Triple Impact

Sep 25, 2017 9:05 AM ET

The demands on nonprofits are perhaps greater today than ever. That’s why, in early 2016, Microsoft Philanthropies committed to donating $1 billion in cloud computing resources, over three years, to help 70,000 nonprofit organizations digitally scale their impact and serve the public good. Today, we’re proud to share that nonprofit demand for cloud solutions has dramatically exceeded our expectations. We have reached our original goal a year early and donated cloud services to more than 90,000 nonprofits.

Environment

Can State Parks Keep Waste out of Landfills?

Sep 25, 2017 9:00 AM ET

Sustainability Coordinator Margaret Wilson said, for a long time, Grand Teton was like most state parks – they didn’t have money or staff to devote to recycling. Then they joined the Zero Landfill Initiative – a pilot project to try and divert most of the waste generated inside national parks. Wilson said part of that is educating tourists.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

GRI: 20 Years of Driving Global Change

Sep 25, 2017 9:00 AM ET

Today, the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) marks its 20th anniversary and charts a refreshed course to help even more businesses use sustainability reporting to create the conditions for sustainable development. To do this, GRI will focus on improving the quality of sustainability reporting, providing preliminary reporting guidance on sustainability topics that are new to the corporate reporting field, increasing reporting among small and medium-sized enterprises and promoting harmonization in the corporate reporting landscape.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

JPMorgan Chase Commits $10 Million to DC

Sep 25, 2017 9:00 AM ET

JPMorgan Chase & Co. today unveiled a $10 million, three-year investment to help drive inclusive economic growth in underserved Washington, D.C. neighborhoods, most notably in Wards 7 and 8. This long-term commitment is the firm’s third investment in a major U.S. city. It combines the firm’s business expertise and collaboration with local business and community leaders to invest in four key drivers of inclusive growth: jobs and skills, minority-owned small business expansion, neighborhood revitalization and financial health.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Embracing Sustainable Commuting: 2017 International Bike to Work Week Challenge

Sep 25, 2017 9:00 AM ET

As part of Tetra Tech’s Sustainability Program, the company challenges employees from around the world to park their cars and cycle to work each May.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Xylem Volunteers Clean Up Local Parks and Creeks in Texas Trash-Off

Sep 25, 2017 9:00 AM ET

Twenty Xylem employees partnered with Keep Brazos Beautiful (KBB), an organization in Bryan, TX that works to educate and engage Brazos County citizens on the importance of keeping the community clean, green, and beautiful.

Environment

Can We Put a Price on Forest Conservation? TD and Nature Conservancy of Canada Look at the Natural Capital Value of Forests

Sep 25, 2017 8:30 AM ET

This week marks National Forest Week (September 24-30), a time to reflect on the value of our forests and learn more about the impact this natural resource has on our environmental, social and economic well-being.

Earlier this year, TD Bank Group and Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) released a report that examines the role of forests in Canada – and the value that they provide to us.

Environment

Bartlett Tree Experts to Become Professional Partner for Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree Campus USA® Program

Sep 25, 2017 8:00 AM ET

The Arbor Day Foundation announced today an expanded professional partnership with Bartlett Tree Experts in conjunction with the Foundation’s Tree Campus USA program. Now in its tenth year, Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree Campus USA program boasts 344 campus participants receiving recognition for their commitment to tree care and management and a cumulative investment of $48.5 million nationwide to ensure healthy canopies on their campuses nation-wide.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Everyday Champion Endre Szabo Created Cycling Program to Help Refugees

Sep 25, 2017 8:00 AM ET

Events, Media & Communications

UN Global Compact Challenges Companies to Disrupt the Business-As-Usual Mindset

Sep 22, 2017 9:30 PM ET

Today, nearly 800 business leaders from over 70 countries joined leaders from civil society, Government and the United Nations at the UN Global Compact Leaders Summit 2017. Convened during the 72nd Regular Session of UN General Assembly, the Summit focused on driving responsible business action and partnerships to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Paris Climate Agreement.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Major League Baseball Players to Provide $1 Million for Disaster Relief Across the Americas

Sep 22, 2017 8:30 PM ET

The Major League Baseball Players Trust today announced it will provide $1 million in funding to support nonprofits dedicated to providing relief and recovery to the victims of the recent spate of natural disasters occurring across the Americas. In keeping with its commitment and practice of assisting others when disasters strike, the Players Trust will distribute the funds in a manner that will support short-term relief as well as long-term recovery efforts in areas suffering in the wake of the recent hurricanes and earthquakes.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Charity Begins at Home for New York Mets Pitcher Steven Matz

Sep 22, 2017 7:00 PM ET

When Steven Matz made it to the major leagues, he knew he wanted to give back to the New York community.

So Matz started the TRU32 campaign in 2016 as a way to acknowledge and thank first responders from the area for their tireless efforts in keeping communities safe.

Matz, who wears No. 32, has hosted 32 first responders at every Wednesday home game during the 2016 and 2017 seasons.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Whole Planet Foundation Celebrates 12th Anniversary With Poverty Is Unnecessary Benefit & Live Auction

Sep 22, 2017 6:45 PM ET

On October 25, Whole Foods Market will celebrate the 12th anniversary of Whole Planet Foundation, the company’s nonprofit dedicated to global poverty alleviation. Poverty is Unnecessary Day marks the launch of the foundation in 2005 to alleviate poverty around the world where the company sources products. Joining this effort are Poverty is Unnecessary Fund® partners, who collectively are committed to donating $300,000 this year.

Health & Healthcare

What is Food Safety?

Sep 22, 2017 6:00 PM ET

National Food Safety Month was created in 1994 to heighten the awareness of food safety education. Each year, we feature a new theme and create free training activities and posters for the restaurant and foodservice industry to help reinforce proper food safety practices and procedures. Test your knowledge on the five common risk factors.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Anti-Slavery Organization International Justice Mission Announces Grant From Walmart Foundation to Address Human Trafficking in Thai Fishing Industry

Sep 22, 2017 5:00 PM ET

Today International Justice Mission (IJM), the world’s largest international anti-slavery organization, announced support from the Walmart Foundation to address human trafficking, also known as modern slavery, in the Thai fishing industry.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Sappi North America Awarded by Minnesota Office of Foreign Direct Investment

Sep 22, 2017 4:30 PM ET

Sappi North America, a leading producer and supplier of diversified paper and packaging products, today received an award for its investment in the state of Minnesota from the Minnesota Office of Foreign Direct Investment, under the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). The award highlights the company’s contributions to the economic vitality of local communities, and its commitment to keeping Minnesota a world-leading business destination.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

The UPS Foundation and UPS Airlines Continue to Support Humanitarian Relief Needs

Sep 22, 2017 3:25 PM ET

Following recent natural disasters, UPS announced that The UPS Foundation and UPS Airlines will expand humanitarian aid and support in Puerto Rico, Cuba, and Mexico.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Italian Students Become "Guardians of the Coast" With Carnival Corporation's Costa Crociere Foundation

Sep 22, 2017 3:00 PM ET

Making young people more aware about protecting the sea and the Italian coastline is the idea behind the "Guardians of the Coast", the citizen science project promoted by Costa Crociere Foundation, which aims to create a long-term environmental snapshot of Italy's coastline, from Liguria to Friuli Venezia Giulia, as well as Sardinia and Sicily, with the active participation of teachers and students from over 200 Italian high schools.