Impact & Sustainability News From Leading Brands

Education

The Right to Education Index

Sep 15, 2017 10:00 AM ET

As of 2013, 59 million children are still missing out on primary school—and not because they’re playing hooky. Although the Millennium Development Goals and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have prompted increases in primary school enrollment worldwide, gaps remain in achieving the right to education for all, particularly related to education quality and completion of secondary education. For youth entering the workforce, the gaps result in limited employable skills. Given current education trends, youth unemployment rates will continue to grow at critical rates.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Scentsy Announces Partnership with Habitat for Humanity

Sep 15, 2017 9:45 AM ET

International fragrance company, Scentsy, Inc. is teaming up with Habitat for Humanity for a yearlong partnership to help create a world where more families will have a place to call home.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Doing Good by Giving Back

Sep 15, 2017 9:30 AM ET

Responsible Production & Consumption

Carlsberg Promotes Responsible Drinking with 20 Million People in 20 Countries on Global Beer Responsibility Day

Sep 15, 2017 9:25 AM ET

The Carlsberg Group, together with business partners and social organisations today celebrates the third annual Global Beer Responsibility Day (GBRD) - a worldwide effort to promote the responsible consumption of beer.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

For Campbell’s, Brand Value Means Customer Engagement

Sep 15, 2017 9:05 AM ET

For several years, corporate social responsibility (CSR) advocates have suggested that companies will lag on solving their environmental and social challenges, putting them at risk – unless CSR is integrated into the company instead of cast aside in a silo. To that end, Campbell Soup Company is one firm that stands out for making CSR critical to both its overall strategy and brand value.

Sustainable Development Goals

Tetra Tech Celebrates International Day of Democracy

Sep 15, 2017 9:00 AM ET

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Keys to Crafting a Charitable Giving Strategy: A Q&A with Albertsons

Sep 15, 2017 9:00 AM ET

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Christy Duncan Anderson, Executive Director of The Albertsons Companies Foundation, for a conversation about what can be the Holy Grail for many corporate philanthropy teams – moving from a program-centric charitable giving focus to one that’s truly strategy-driven. Christy shared her ideas, her inspirations and well as a few lessons learned from her 6-year tenure with the organization.

Media & Communications

Freeport-McMoRan releases 2016 Working Toward Sustainable Development Report “Driven by Value”

Sep 15, 2017 8:40 AM ET

Education

Scotiabank Engages Employees through Experiential Learning for Students

Sep 14, 2017 6:55 PM ET

Scotiabank supports organizations and programs that are committed to helping young people reach their full potential, particularly in the areas of health and well-being and education.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

How Businesses Can Unleash the Power of Long-term Hurricane Harvey and Irma Support Through Employee Giving and Matching Gifts

Sep 14, 2017 6:55 PM ET

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Carnival Corporation, Miami HEAT Charitable Fund and Micky and Madeleine Arison Family Foundation Pledge up to $10 Million for Hurricane Irma Relief

Sep 14, 2017 6:40 PM ET

Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), the Miami HEAT Charitable Fund, and the Micky and Madeleine Arison Family Foundation are pledging up to $10 million in funding and in-kind support for relief and rebuilding efforts in Florida and throughout the Caribbean following Hurricane Irma.

The Micky and Madeleine Arison Family Foundation will make an immediate donation of $2.5 million to Direct Relief, UNICEF and the United Way of Miami-Dade County to support the most timely and urgent relief needs in the wake of Hurricane Irma.

Research, Reports & Publications

Doing Good Can Make You Feel Good, Study on Volunteerism Finds

Sep 14, 2017 5:45 PM ET

Employee volunteerism positively affects the health and well-being of the people who participate, according to a new study by UnitedHealthcare and VolunteerMatch.

The Doing Good is Good for You Study reveals 75 percent of U.S. adults feel physically healthier by volunteering, with a stronger connection to their employers.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

TCS in Fortune 50 List of Companies That Changed the World

Sep 14, 2017 5:35 PM ET

Tata Consultancy Services (BSE: 532540, NSE: TCS), a leading global IT services, consulting and business solutions organization, has been recognized in Fortune’s annual list of the Top 50 companies that are changing the world, ranked 30th among many of the world’s most notable brands. The Fortune list is selected by an independent panel of experts, acknowledging companies whose businesses are helping to address numerous societal challenges and ultimately ‘do well by doing good.’

Social Impact & Volunteering

Helping in Houston: Employees Step up Following Historic Hurricane

Sep 14, 2017 3:35 PM ET

The Medtronic Mission, written by the company’s founders more than 50 years ago highlights the importance of “maintaining good citizenship as a company.” Employees are coordinating with All Hands Volunteers, a disaster relief organization, sending waves of teams to Houston to support the community following Hurricane Harvey. The company allows employees up to five days of paid leave to volunteer with disaster relief efforts. Medtronic and the Medtronic Foundation are also donating to organizations assisting those affected by the storm while several Medtronic facilities are collecting supplies and organizing blood drives.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

SC Johnson Signs Agreement to Acquire Method and Ecover

Sep 14, 2017 3:00 PM ET

SC Johnson today announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire Method and Ecover, two highly regarded consumer brands from People Against Dirty, a leading company that offers home care, hand and body, and laundry products sold in North America, Europe and a number of other countries around the world.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

DC Sponsors: 4 Questions to Ask When Adding ESG to Your Menu

Sep 14, 2017 3:00 PM ET

ESG analytics and ratings have historically improved over the years. ESG ratings can now be used as a risk mitigation technique or an opportunity seeking technique.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

MetLife Named to the 2017 Disability Equality Index

Sep 14, 2017 2:40 PM ET

MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET) today announced that it has been named to the 2017 list of “Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion” by the United States Business Leadership Network (USBLN) and American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD). This is the first time MetLife has been recognized for its efforts to provide a more inclusive workplace for people with disabilities.

Education

Samsung Invites Teachers to Help Their Students “Solve for Tomorrow” Through STEAM Competition

Sep 14, 2017 2:35 PM ET

Samsung today announced the launch of the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Contest, welcoming U.S. public school teachers who teach in public schools including Charter Schools that are 50% or more publicly funded to submit ideas on how their students can use STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) to address a real-world problem in their community.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

2 New Rules of the Sustainability Game

Sep 14, 2017 2:20 PM ET

BSR found that luxury brands need to account for the preferences and shopping habits of younger generations, who are more eco-conscious but also less loyal and more digital.

Education

Popularity of Erb Institute Business Sustainability Case Studies on the Rise at WDI Publishing

Sep 14, 2017 2:15 PM ET

Andrew Hoffman's "Strategies for Sustainable Development" course feeds the pipeline of sustainable case studies for WDI and the Erb Institute | Business for Sustainability.

Environment

Feeding Ourselves Thirsty Report – Water Stewardship Work Recognized

Sep 14, 2017 12:45 PM ET

Water stewardship is an integral part of General Mills' efforts to continually reduce the environmental impact of our operations, including the impact that occurs upstream of our own facilities.

Agriculture uses 70 percent of global freshwater withdrawals; therefore, General Mills has made it a priority to see that collaborative watershed protection plans are developed in regions where the company’s footprint intersects high water risk.

Supply Chain & the Circular Economy

Apparel Industry Stands by the Higg Index

Sep 14, 2017 12:45 PM ET

It’s hard to imagine two brands more different than Walmart and Patagonia, yet in 2009 they aligned their unique strengths and issued a call to the industry. In an invitation to some of the world’s largest retailers, then Walmart chief merchandising officer, John Fleming, and Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard proposed an industry collaboration unlike any attempted before. The idea was to join competitors together to develop an index to measure the environmental impact of their products. The benefits, if the idea was successful and didn’t implode before it even got off the ground, would not only be at the individual company level, but would transform the industry.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Nominate Your Company for the 2018 WEC Gold Medal Award for Sustainability (due Sept. 18)

Sep 14, 2017 12:40 PM ET

Nominations are now being accepted for the World Environment Center’s (WEC) 2018 Gold Medal for International Corporate Achievement in Sustainable Development. The Gold Medal Award is presented annually to a global company that demonstrates deep, organization-wide commitment to sustainability in its business practice and beyond.

Innovation & Technology

Closed Loop Foundation Releases Insights on Film and Flexible Packaging Recycling Investment Opportunities New "Recycling of Plastic Film Packaging" Research Study and Infographic Published

Sep 14, 2017 12:20 PM ET

With support from SC Johnson, Closed Loop Foundation, which is the independent 501c3 affiliate of Closed Loop Partners, announced key insights on how investors can advance film and flexible packaging recycling.

Energy

Kimberly-Clark to Power North American Mills With Renewable Wind Energy

Sep 14, 2017 12:15 PM ET

Kimberly-Clark Corporation today announced its first major commitment to renewable energy with agreements to annually purchase approximately 1,000,000 megawatt hours (245 megawatts - MW) of electricity from two new wind power projects in Texas and Oklahoma.