Impact & Sustainability News From Leading Brands

Energy

Hormel Foods to Become Powered by Nearly 50 Percent Renewable Energy

Apr 10, 2019 10:45 AM ET

The new wind farm will be located near Milligan, Nebraska. Construction is expected to be completed in 2020. The farm will be capable of 74 MW of power and an estimated 349,000 MWh of electricity each year. Hormel Foods partnered with Kinect Energy Group to assess the project and negotiate the agreement. In addition to this agreement, Hormel Foods also supports the renewable energy markets by subscribing to community solar gardens at five manufacturing locations, including a co-sponsorship with Westar Energy for its first community solar garden near Wichita, Kan., where the company manufactures most of its Hormel® Natural Choice® bacon products.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Bloomberg Is Named a “Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality” by Human Rights Campaign Foundation for Third Straight Year

Apr 10, 2019 10:35 AM ET

Bloomberg has been named one of the Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality, receiving a perfect score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2019 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), a benchmarking tool on corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ workplace equality across the United States. Bloomberg joins the ranks of more than 560 major U.S. businesses that earned top marks this year.

Environment

Ray C. Anderson Foundation’s NextGen Committee Issues Grant RFP for Projects Helping to Reduce Global Warming

Apr 10, 2019 10:30 AM ET

The NextGen Committee of the Ray C. Anderson Foundation has issued a call for proposals for one $100,000 grant to fund work in the 2020 calendar year for new or existing programs that will help to reduce global warming, whether through direct carbon avoidance, climate communication, climate education, industry engagement, or otherwise.

Health & Healthcare

Responsibility.org’s Ask, Listen, Learn Program and Discovery Education Uncover the Science Behind How Alcohol Affects Developing Brains, Bodies, and Behavior During Alcohol Responsibility Month

Apr 10, 2019 10:30 AM ET

To turn awareness into action this Alcohol Responsibility Month, Responsibility.org’s Ask, Listen, Learn: Kids and Alcohol Don’t Mix program, the most widely-distributed underage drinking prevention program of its kind, and Discovery Education, the leading provider of standards-aligned digital curriculum resources, engaging content, and professional learning for K-12 classrooms, today announced a new partnership aimed at educating students about the negative effects of underage drinking on the developing brain.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Helping Women Build Assets through Successful Homeownership

Apr 10, 2019 10:05 AM ET

Homewise is working with women, particularly those of low-to-moderate income, to build assets through successful and sustainable homeownership. Each year single women and single mothers make up 30 percent of new Homewise homeowners; that’s nearly 200 New Mexico women buying a home of their own and building financial stability and wellbeing every year.

Responsible Production & Consumption

SCS Global Services Chosen as Launch Partner for Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) Standard

Apr 10, 2019 10:05 AM ET

SCS Global Services (SCS) is partnering with the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) to deliver certification services for the initiative’s new Standard for Responsible Mining. Beginning in June 2019, SCS will conduct independent, third-party audits for mining companies seeking credible verification of their achievement levels or full certification to the IRMA Standard.

Environment

Georgina Gustin on the Farm Bureau

Apr 10, 2019 9:30 AM ET

You may or may not have heard of the Farm Bureau but it is one of the most powerful lobbying organizations in this country, representing over six million members.

Innovation & Technology

Liju Augustine Represented Northern Trust as a Panelist in the NASSCOM Product Conclave Event

Apr 10, 2019 9:25 AM ET

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

VIDEO | 2018 Subaru Share the Love Event National Partners Donation Ceremony Highlights

Apr 10, 2019 9:00 AM ET

The 2018 Subaru Share the Love Event raised a total of $27.5 million for national and local charities. Over the last 11 years, through the Share the Love Event, Subaru of America and its retailers have donated more than $145.7 million to national charities and over 1,170 hometown charities.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Tetra Tech Wins Climate Change Business Journal and Environmental Business Journal Awards

Apr 10, 2019 9:00 AM ET

Climate Change Business Journal (CCBJ) and Environmental Business Journal (EBJ) recognized Tetra Tech with two business achievement awards at the Environmental Industry Summit XVII in San Diego, California, on March 20, 2019. Tetra Tech won the CCBJ Business Achievement Award for Consulting & Engineering Practice in the Offshore Wind category and the EBJ Business Achievement Silver Award for Large Firms.

Diversity & Inclusion

Schneider Electric Accelerates Its Practices of Gender Equality and Inclusion Forward with 100% Leadership Commitment to UN Women's Empowerment Principles

Apr 10, 2019 9:00 AM ET

Schneider Electric announced today that it is the first multi-national company to achieve 100% commitment to the UN Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs) across its global leadership team. In addition to the company's Chairman and CEO, Jean-Pascal Tricoire, each of the company's country presidents in markets with at least 10 employees have also personally signed the WEPs, further committing the company to its practices of gender equality and inclusion.

Research, Reports & Publications

Co-op Way Report 2018

Apr 10, 2019 5:00 AM ET

The Co-op is one of the world’s largest consumer co-operatives, with over 4.6 million active members. Its purpose is ‘Championing a better way of doing business for you and your communities’.

Today the Co-op announces the launch of its 13th annual sustainability report.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Points of Light Celebrates National Volunteer Week With a Focus on Recognizing Individuals Who Make a Difference

Apr 9, 2019 8:00 PM ET

Points of Light, in partnership with The UPS Foundation and TEGNA, celebrates National Volunteer Week, April 7-13, 2019, through volunteer recognition and service events around the country. Each year, National Volunteer Week is celebration of the power of volunteers to tackle society’s greatest challenges, to build stronger communities and be a force that transforms the world.

Diversity & Inclusion

Empower Series, Inc. in Partnership with Comerica Bank and the Houston Area Urban League Launches in Houston

Apr 9, 2019 4:05 PM ET

The EMPOWER Series, a free financial education and self-development coaching and counseling program, in partnership with Comerica Bank and the Houston Area Urban League, is expanding to the Greater Houston area beginning Saturday, April 13. The seminars will be held on the second Saturday of each month from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Houston Area Urban League – Palm Center location.

Events, Media & Communications

Taproot Foundation Gathers Movers and Shakers of the Pro Bono Movement in New York City for 2019 Global Pro Bono Summit

Apr 9, 2019 3:25 PM ET

Nonprofits and non-governmental organizations around the world are taking on society’s greatest challenges each and every day. But how can these organizations get the support they need to meet the mounting needs in our communities?

The Taproot Foundation, with support from BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt and Impact Sponsor BNY Mellon, will gather leaders of the pro bono movement from 25 countries to explore emerging trends at the 7th annual Global Pro Bono Summit, May 7 – 9, in New York City. The 2019 Summit marks the first time since 2014 that the event returns stateside.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Pentair Earns 2019 Energy Star® Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence Award for Sixth Consecutive Year

Apr 9, 2019 3:20 PM ET

Pentair is proud to announce that it received the 2019 ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence Award for continued leadership and superior contributions to ENERGY STAR.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Dell | LinkedIn Reveals Its 2019 Top Companies, and We’re One of Them!

Apr 9, 2019 3:10 PM ET

For the second year in a row, we’re honored to be named as one of LinkedIn’s Top Companies, in both the U.S. and Japan. I could share a long list of what makes Dell Technologies a great place to work, but really, every highlight would come back to our people.

Diversity & Inclusion

These Women Are Growing Their Businesses — and Their Confidence

Apr 9, 2019 2:10 PM ET

Sandra is one of the participants in Ovante, an interactive digital platform with a vision to help microentrepreneurs build and enhance their business skills, grow their enterprises, and adopt healthy habits for using financial products and services. In 2016, Accion and FedEx launched an initiative to digitize Accion’s award-winning classroom business education program, making the program less expensive to deliver, more flexible, and more easily accessible for a broader audience.

Research, Reports & Publications

ClearBridge Highlights Benefits of Sustainable Investment Approach in Annual Impact Report

Apr 9, 2019 1:50 PM ET

ClearBridge Investments released its annual Impact Report, which details the environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations that have been a crucial part of its investment process for over 30 years.

Events, Media & Communications

CSRHub’s Cynthia Figge Speaking at CSR 5.0

Apr 9, 2019 1:50 PM ET

Skytop Strategies will launch its fifth annual CSR Summit hosted in partnership with Nasdaq at their Entrepreneurial Center on April 17th in San Francisco.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

GM Earns 2019 ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year for Sustained Excellence

Apr 9, 2019 1:45 PM ET

General Motors has earned a 2019 ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year Sustained Excellence Award in Energy Management for continued leadership and superior contributions to ENERGY STAR. This is GM’s eighth recognition for Sustained Excellence. GM’s commitment to reducing energy intensity since 2010 has eliminated 1.5 million tons in carbon emissions, equivalent to the electric use of 260,000 homes for a year.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Frontier Co-op is #FundingHerFuture through Whole Planet Foundation

Apr 9, 2019 1:30 PM ET

The brand has been a proud supporter of Whole Planet Foundation since 2012, donating more than $460,000 to alleviate global poverty through microcredit and renewing their membership in the $100,000 Fund in 2019.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Delos Listed Among Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas Awards

Apr 9, 2019 1:15 PM ET

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Consumers Energy Receives National Recognition as ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year, Saves Customers $2 Billion on Bills

Apr 9, 2019 1:10 PM ET

Consumers Energy is being honored for the seventh time in eight years with the ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence Award for energy efficiency programs that have saved Michigan homes and businesses over $2 billion. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency hands out Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence Awards to organizations that are leaders in reducing energy waste. The awards are the highest level of recognition from the EPA.

Supply Chain & the Circular Economy

The Five Ws of Supply Chains: Who, What, Where, When and Why Corporations Should Care

Apr 9, 2019 1:00 PM ET

Not a month goes by without a media campaign linking the supply chain of a well-known brand with unsavory labor practices or environmental mismanagement. Such exposés can devalue brands and reduce well-meaning corporate sustainability initiatives to hypocrisy. Beyond financial and reputational risks, a corporation that doesn’t know its supply chain can be caught flat-footed when the regions it sources from are rocked by political and environmental upheaval.