Impact & Sustainability News From Leading Brands

Environment

Food Giants Unilever, Nestle and PepsiCo Will Get Tougher on Single-use Plastics

May 2, 2018 11:00 AM ET

The U.K.'s biggest supermarkets, food manufacturers and processors — from Lidl and Aldi to Nestle, Unilever and PepsiCo — unveiled an industry-wide promise to overhaul their practices, in an unprecedented step which underscores the impact public concern over plastic waste is having on businesses practices across the country.

Health & Healthcare

Increased Awareness Around Sepsis Can Save Lives!

May 2, 2018 10:35 AM ET

Each year sepsis causes on average six million deaths worldwide. It is the primary cause of death from infection and is more common than heart attacks. This is why the Private Organization for Patient Safety and the World Health Organization (WHO) have centered the theme for this year’s May 5th World Hand Hygiene Day on the ways of preventing sepsis through appropriate hand hygiene.

Green Infrastructure

Marking the Line Between Preservation and Development

May 2, 2018 10:05 AM ET

In well-established cities such as New York and Los Angeles, rules are put into place to help defend landmarks against demolition or destruction. But in ever-growing cities in China, landmarks take up much-needed space. From New York to LA and Beijing, here are three cities grappling with preservation and development in very different ways.

Sustainable Development Goals

WBCSD's Panorama Podcast | Project Drawdown: How to Reverse Global Warming

May 2, 2018 10:05 AM ET

Project Drawdown is the most comprehensive plan ever proposed to reverse global warming. All solutions modeled are already in place, well understood, analyzed based on peer-reviewed science, and are expanding around the world. To discuss this exciting initiative in our studio, WBCSD’s Managing Director for Climate & Energy Maria Mendiluce is joined by Chad Frischmann, Research Director at Project Drawdown and Prof. Tim Flannery, an acclaimed scientist, explorer and conservationist.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

2018 Global Visionary Award: MilliporeSigma

May 2, 2018 10:00 AM ET

For initiating innovative ways to engage employees company-wide in Instrumental Access, MilliporeSigma was honored with a Global Visionary Award at Positively Instrumental 2018 on March 21.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Corporate Responsibility Magazine to Announce 2018 100 Best Corporate Citizens

May 2, 2018 9:50 AM ET

Corporate Responsibility Magazine (CR Magazine) will announce its 19th annual 100 Best Corporate Citizens list on May 7 at noon ET, recognizing the standout environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance of public companies across the United States.

Energy

VIDEO | Sustainability Creates Opportunities for Business Growth: Leveraging Ecostruxure for Resource Efficiency

May 2, 2018 9:45 AM ET

Schneider Electric believes that sustainability must be the endgame of any company in today’s world. At the core of their strategy is to deliver sustainable solutions to their customers, shareholders and employees.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Tetra Tech Is #1 in Water for 15 Years

May 2, 2018 9:00 AM ET

Tetra Tech is Leading with Science® to deliver innovative solutions for its clients’ most challenging water problems around the world. In 2018 Engineering News-Record (ENR) ranked Tetra Tech #1 in Water in its “Top 500 Design Firms” issue for the 15th year in a row. Tetra Tech also advanced to the #4 spot out of 500 firms in the Design Firm ranking for 2018.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Join Gildan in Working Towards Making Apparel Better

May 2, 2018 9:00 AM ET

We all share in the responsibility of protecting the planet. Research reveals that 24% of the water and 54% of the energy consumed over the complete life-cycle of a t-shirt happens in the average family home.

Green Infrastructure

VIDEO: Subaru of America Celebrates New Headquarters in Camden, NJ

May 2, 2018 9:00 AM ET

Research, Reports & Publications

Gilead Publishes 2017 Year in Review

May 2, 2018 7:00 AM ET

Gilead Sciences, Inc. today announced the release of its 2017 Year in Review, composed of its Annual Report and Corporate Social Responsibility report. The Year in Review provides a comprehensive view into the company’s achievements and highlights how it has continued to deliver on its mission to improve the lives of people living with life-threatening diseases.

Research, Reports & Publications

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany Publishes 2017 Corporate Responsibility Report

May 2, 2018 5:00 AM ET

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany has published its ninth Corporate Responsibility Report, covering the year 2017. It is available online at http://reports.emdgroup.com/2017/cr-report/. At Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, responsible conduct has been embedded in our fundamental principles for 350 years and is an integral element of our global strategy. In this vein, we meet global challenges in a variety of ways.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Astellas' Nahrin Marino Named a 2018 Healthcare Businesswomen's Association Luminary

May 1, 2018 6:00 PM ET

Astellas has announced that Nahrin Marino, Deputy General Counsel, Legal, will be recognized as one of the most inspirational people in the life sciences industry by the Healthcare Businesswomen's Association (HBA). The HBA will honor Nahrin as a 2018 Luminary at its 29th Woman of the Year awards ceremony in New York City on May 3, 2018. HBA Luminaries are industry veterans who serve as role models in their company, actively mentor and sponsor others and help advance the careers of businesswomen.

Environment

Guest Blog: Nature’s Hidden Lessons and How My Favorite Teachers Taught Me How to Find Them (the Tangential Magical)

May 1, 2018 6:00 PM ET

Mentors come in all forms, shapes, and sizes and communicate in uniquely diverse ways. I’ve been fortunate to have several mentors who have shaped my life—from the profoundly eloquent and sharp, to the rambling, and tangential, and even the completely silent. When I was in college, I had a professor named Mike. Professor Mike (who is still teaching) taught Fluvial Geomorphology—the dynamics of how rivers and lakes change and evolve over time, on their own. He was the kind of teacher who was more of a person than a professor and treated students like peers, rather than pupils.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Celebrating Small Businesses with PayPal Small Business Month

May 1, 2018 4:10 PM ET

Small businesses play a critical role in the global economy. Entrepreneurs create jobs and foster healthy local economies, which leads to a more vibrant national economy. They contribute to local causes, have relationships with their neighbors and are the foundation of the community. We also recognize that not all small businesses have the same issues or dynamics. Some work 9-to-5 while others operate outside traditional business hours. With all of this in mind, it is vital that the public and private sector work to foster an environment where technology and innovation help deliver small business success around the world.

Events, Media & Communications

Melissa Ben-Ishay to Keynote the 2018 Tri-State Diversity and Leadership Conference

May 1, 2018 4:00 PM ET

The Tri-State Diversity Council is proud to welcome Melissa Ben-Ishay as a keynote speaker for the 8th Annual Diversity and Leadership Conference. The conference will take place in New York, NY at the New Yorker Hotel on August 23, 2018. The theme of this year’s annual conference is “Inclusion: The Source of Innovation.”

Diversity & Inclusion

Carnival Corporation Earns Perfect Score in Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index

May 1, 2018 3:30 PM ET

Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), the world's largest leisure travel company, today announced that it has been recognized by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) with a perfect score for the second consecutive year in its Corporate Equality Index (CEI), which rates U.S. companies on their treatment of LGBTQ consumers, investors and employees.

Events, Media & Communications

Utilizing the Power of Technology for Social Good

May 1, 2018 3:15 PM ET

Innovative partnerships, where businesses can work with and leverage the assets of governments, NGOs, and civil society, can help develop creative, sustainable, and scalable solutions that can create significant impact. The partnerships and the technologies that make this possible is the focus of Digital Empowers: Accelerating Innovation for Business and Social Good, a forum hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and Tata Consultancy Services.

Media & Communications

Eco-design, Energy Efficiency, CSR Practices, and Good Governance Reported at Bloomberg

May 1, 2018 2:45 PM ET

Efficiency and environmental measures have cut carbon dioxide emissions by 834,209 tons in nine years reports Bloomberg, the Manhattan-based financial, software, data and media company. As a result, operating costs have been reduced by an impressive $103m (£74m, €84m). The emissions statistics are among the ethical achievements listed in Bloomberg’s 2017 impact report.

Innovation & Technology

Unlocking ¢hange: BNY Mellon and Ashoka Launch Social Innovation Challenge

May 1, 2018 2:45 PM ET

Today, six out of ten Americans will experience financial insecurity in their lifetimes1. While saving money can be a challenge for a variety of reasons, the inability to build a strong financial foundation is often a symptom of a greater, systemic problem. Now, BNY Mellon and Ashoka are launching a collaborative effort aimed at addressing the root causes of financial inequality through innovation—the Unlocking ¢hange Challenge.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Forbes Names National Grid One of “America’s Best Employers 2018”

May 1, 2018 2:30 PM ET

Forbes Magazine selected National Grid as one of “America’s Best Employers 2018,” ranking in the top 500 companies in the United States. National Grid also received this honor in 2017. National Grid is joined by national and global brands like Google, REI and JetBlue Airways on this list.

Health & Healthcare

The Drug Enforcement Administration, DEA Educational Foundation and Discovery Education Announce 10 National Finalists For Second Annual ‘Operation Prevention’ Video Challenge

May 1, 2018 2:25 PM ET

The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), DEA Educational Foundation and Discovery Education today announced 10 national Operation Prevention Video Challenge finalists. The Operation Prevention Video Challenge – a peer-to-peer platform for communicating messages about the dangers of opioid misuse – invites educators, students, teen advocates and communities to vote for the People’s Choice winner through May 15, 2018 at OperationPrevention.com.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Northwest Ohio Wind Farm to Power General Motors’ Ohio, Indiana Plants

May 1, 2018 2:10 PM ET

Officials from General Motors and Starwood Energy Group joined Ohio lawmakers, county officials and local landowners today at a press conference to unveil the Northwest Ohio Wind Farm, a 100-megawatt wind project under construction in Paulding County, Ohio. Power purchased from the wind farm will help offset the power used at General Motors’ Ohio and Indiana manufacturing facilities with clean, renewable energy.

Events, Media & Communications

WBCSD Sustain Newsletter | Sustainability Comes Together in Our Biggest-ever Event in Montreaux

May 1, 2018 1:45 PM ET

WBCSD’s annual Liaison Delegate Meeting is a truly global event, with sustainability leaders from across the world visiting Montreux, Switzerland from 16-19 April for this year’s event.

Research, Reports & Publications

Duke Energy's Renewable Energy Portfolio Grew Almost 20 Percent in 2017, According to New Report

May 1, 2018 1:35 PM ET

Duke Energy's renewable energy capacity grew by almost 20 percent in 2017, according to the company's newly posted Sustainability Report. One of the company's sustainability goals is to own, or have under contract, 8,000 megawatts (MW) of wind, solar and biomass capacity by 2020. Over the past year, the company has made strong progress toward that goal, growing its renewable energy capacity from 5,400 MW to more than 6,400 MW, which can power more than 1 million homes at peak production.