Impact & Sustainability News From Leading Brands

Environment

Lloyd Alter: Transportation Puzzles

Apr 24, 2019 1:35 PM ET

The industrial revolution ushered in an era of more efficient transportation. As history has shown us, the impact of our ability to move easily across town and across the planet is complex. It has made the world smaller but it has also given rise to the climate crisis.

Innovation & Technology

Video | Leveraging Technology for Authentic Social Purpose: My Special Aflac Duck

Apr 24, 2019 1:30 PM ET

What does Aflac’s iconic duck have to do with kids facing cancer? Knowing the power of companionship, Aflac paired its brand icon with the latest in social robotics to evolve the company's impact on pediatric cancer. In this panel discussion from the BRITE ’19 Conference, the creators behind My Special Aflac Duck discuss how insights from this initiative can help any brand leverage existing assets, rethink long-term commitments, and boldly embrace innovation to advance purpose.

Diversity & Inclusion

Women in Leadership at Northern Trust Promote Education and Healthcare for Young Girls and Women in Bangladesh

Apr 24, 2019 12:05 PM ET

Events, Media & Communications

Smithfield Foods EVP of Corporate Affairs & Compliance Keira Lombardo Gives Keynote Speech at STEP Ahead Awards

Apr 24, 2019 12:05 PM ET

Keira Lombardo, Smithfield Foods EVP of corporate affairs and compliance, served as the chair of the Manufacturing Institute’s STEP Ahead Awards.

Education

PNC Sponsors High School Students for the Company's Young Innovators: Code for Your Cause Program

Apr 24, 2019 11:55 AM ET

PNC strives to inspire learning and STEAM programs within our community. Pittsburgh high school students joined PNC’s Young Innovators: Code for Your Cause. These talented students were tasked with designing & developing innovative solutions in response to challenge statements with the help of PNC mentors.

Environment

Rock and A Hard Place: How Hazardous Waste Generators Can Avoid Missteps in The Changing State Regulatory Landscape

Apr 24, 2019 11:55 AM ET

The blog explains the difficulty in following RCRA hazardous waste generator rule changes as individual states implement these changes differently.

Diversity & Inclusion

The Launch of Employee Resource Groups Brings an Inclusive Spirit to Viacom

Apr 24, 2019 11:30 AM ET

Last month, 300 Viacom employees gathered on the outdoor pavilion of their Buenos Aires office, clad in sunglasses to temper the summer sunshine. A mix of long-time Viacom employees and those that joined the company via its 2016 acquisition of broadcaster Telefe, they browsed informational stations about Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) devoted to the interests of women, parents, the LGBTQ community, and aspiring next-generation professionals.

Research, Reports & Publications

A Sustainable Year: CNH Industrial presents its 2018 highlights

Apr 24, 2019 11:05 AM ET

CNH Industrial (NYSE: CNHI /MI: CNHI), eight-time Industry Leader in the Dow Jones Sustainability World and Europe Indices, announces the third edition of A Sustainable Year which details the sustainability activities the Company and its stakeholders accomplished in 2018. This 36-page guide accompanies the 2018 Sustainability Report.

Energy

$200,000 Green Mountain Energy Sun Club Grant Funds Solar Energy and Horticultural Training Program at My Possibilities

Apr 24, 2019 11:00 AM ET

My Possibilities (MP), a for-cause organization that provides continuing education and vocational training for adults with disabilities, announced today the completion of sustainability projects funded by a $200,000 grant from the Green Mountain Energy Sun Club.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Inspired Partner: Convoy of Hope

Apr 24, 2019 10:35 AM ET

At Hormel Foods, we are inspired to do our part in helping with hunger-relief efforts around the world. We have significant resources as a food company, but we understand we can’t do it alone. Working with our inspired partners such as Convoy of Hope, Feeding America, Food For The Poor and Caritas, we are able to make a difference every day.

Environment

Ecocentricity Blog: Trope-a-Dope

Apr 24, 2019 10:30 AM ET

Our goal is to inspire others to become environmentalists, working to harmonize business and society with our natural systems. Dollars certainly help in pursuit of this goal, but a compelling and authentic example of what to do, and why we should do it, is so much more valuable.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Video | Providing Safe Spaces for Children to Learn and Grow

Apr 24, 2019 10:30 AM ET

From healthy food access to social connectedness, gardens provide powerful benefits to communities, to families, and most importantly, to children’s lives. That’s why ScottsMiracle-Gro launched the Gro More Good initiative with a commitment to connect 10 million children to the benefits of gardens and greenspaces over the next five years.

Innovation & Technology

MilliporeSigma Introduces New Greener Solvent, Cyrene™

Apr 24, 2019 10:10 AM ET

MilliporeSigma today launched Cyrene™ — a sustainable dipolar aprotic solvent, produced in two steps from a renewable cellulose source. The bio-derived alternative was created in response to the need for solvents to meet stricter regulation requirements for both employee safety and environmental sustainability. The new product targets the rising demand for greener alternatives to Dimethylformamide (DMF) and N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP).

Education

Consumers Energy Helps Launch the Next Generation of Michigan Talent Through FIRST Robotics Championship in Detroit

Apr 24, 2019 10:05 AM ET

Consumers Energy is excited to sponsor the FIRST Championship for high school robotics students, a marquee event that brings teams from across the globe and tens of thousands of visitors to Detroit -- and a showplace for the next generation of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) talent here in Michigan.

Research, Reports & Publications

Update to French Translation of GRI Standards

Apr 24, 2019 10:00 AM ET

Additional French translations of the GRI Standards, the world's most widely adopted sustainability reporting framework, are now available.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

What Innovative Companies and Women on Boards Have in Common

Apr 24, 2019 9:35 AM ET

ESG investing has garnered more and more acceptance and enthusiasm in the market as investors tackle some of the most urgent environmental and social issues of our time, from climate change to social inequalities. I have long been passionate about women’s advancement and inclusion in the workplace.

Environment

The Green Graph: 8 Innovative Ways Johnson & Johnson Is Helping the Environment

Apr 24, 2019 9:25 AM ET

When a company has the formidable goal of helping make the places where we live and work healthier, every effort counts. And Johnson & Johnson has no shortage of programs, initiatives and partnerships aimed at helping protect our Earth.

Sustainable Development Goals

UN Global Compact Bulletin (April 2019)

Apr 24, 2019 9:15 AM ET

Almost four years into the 2030 Agenda, it is clear that our actions are not transformational enough, nor at the scale and pace needed to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Estimates project that it will require roughly US $5 to 7 trillion of annual investments to make this happen. This leaves us with a financing gap of between $2.5 and 3 trillion annually, and for each year we fail to close the gap, the price tag grows.

Green Infrastructure

How Cities Are Evolving to Meet the Sharp Rise in Shipping Demands

Apr 24, 2019 9:00 AM ET

According to the 2017 Material Handling Industry’s annual report, urban freight deliveries are expected to grow 40 percent by 2050. For cities looking to stay on the cutting edge, urban planning teams will have to work hand-in-hand with emerging technologies and private-sector providers to keep the delivery playing field in order. And while managing additional packages is nothing new—USPS delivered 3.1 billion packages across the U.S. in 2009 and 5.1 billion in 2016—city infrastructure has a more finite limit than sprawling suburbs or rural areas.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Tetra Tech Releases Its 2018 Sustainability Report Card

Apr 24, 2019 9:00 AM ET

Tetra Tech released its 2018 Sustainability Report Card on Earth Day, April 22, 2019. Our report card shares how we are Leading with Science® to achieve a more sustainable and resilient world. Featuring an introduction from Tetra Tech CEO Dan Batrack, the report card covers the company’s sustainable practices and highlights how Tetra Tech incorporates the latest innovations and technologies throughout its projects and operations.

Innovation & Technology

PepsiCo Goes Beyond the Bottle with New, Mobile-Enabled Hydration Platform

Apr 24, 2019 8:30 AM ET

Built to reflect how people drink water today, the new hydration platform from PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ: PEP) is a connected ecosystem that responds to the rise in consumption of low-and-no-sugar drinks as well as heightened focus on plastic's effect on the environment. As part of PepsiCo's Beyond the Bottle efforts, the new system makes it easier for people to stay hydrated with great-tasting beverages, digitally track their hydration, and help meet the growing consumer demand for more sustainable packaging.

Research, Reports & Publications

Hannon Armstrong’s 2018 ESG Report: Investing in Climate Change Solutions

Apr 24, 2019 5:00 AM ET

Hannon Armstrong (NYSE: HASI), a capital provider focused on sustainable infrastructure markets that address climate change, today announced that its inaugural 2018 ESG Report is available online.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

2018 CFC Results: America’s Charities Nonprofit Members Outperform Overall Results

Apr 23, 2019 5:50 PM ET

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) just released the final results of its 2018 Combined Federal Campaign (CFC), the workplace giving program for current and retired federal and military personnel (one of the largest workplace giving programs in the world). America’s Charities nonprofit members outperformed overall results, and despite the historic government shutdown, the CFC is showing signs of improvement.

Research, Reports & Publications

Mohawk Industries 2018 Sustainability Report Showcases Flooring Company’s Commitment to Handprints Over Footprints

Apr 23, 2019 4:35 PM ET

The power of handprints over footprints is the focus of the 2018 Sustainability Report released online by Mohawk Industries today. This year’s report illustrates how a growing commitment to sustainability by the world’s largest flooring company is shaping business decisions that positively impact the company, its customers, employees and communities. Through innovative product design and manufacturing—and a company-wide passion for making a difference—Mohawk is broadening the definition of corporate social responsibility to both “believe in better” and “believe in beautiful.”

Events, Media & Communications

Can a Circular Economy Salvage the Climate?

Apr 23, 2019 4:30 PM ET

Can a Circular Economy Salvage the Climate? Panel discussion on May 7th in San Francisco with Ray C. Anderson Foundation, Biomimicry Institute and Cradle to Cradle: ClimateOne at the Commonwealth Club.