Impact & Sustainability News From Leading Brands

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

VIDEO | See How CIT Employees Volunteered in Their Communities Across the Country

Jul 19, 2018 12:35 PM ET

During CIT Cares Month, more than 250 community projects were completed by 1,900 CIT volunteers over 7,300 hours across 18 locations to make a difference. These efforts included packing & delivering over 130,000 lbs of food, planting 1,300 lbs of vegetables, and cleaning parks and beaches across the country.

Supply Chain & the Circular Economy

VIDEO: Timberland Shares Efforts to Reintroduce Cotton Farming to Haiti

Jul 19, 2018 12:15 PM ET

Education

AEG and BET Host Sixth Annual BET Experience Youth Program

Jul 19, 2018 12:00 PM ET

Since the inception of BET Experience at L.A. LIVE in 2012, AEG, the world’s leading sports and live entertainment company and BET Networks have provided more than 300 students throughout the greater Los Angeles area with an in-depth look at the entertainment industry and behind-the-scenes access to the BET Experience at L.A. LIVE and the BET Awards through the BET Experience Youth Program.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Connecting the Orphans of Jhamtse Gatsal to the World

Jul 19, 2018 11:45 AM ET

National Geographic's Mike Libecki challenged the Dell team to become part of the journey to open a technology lab for an orphanage in a very remote area of Anruchal Pradesh, Eastern India.

Social Impact & Volunteering

What to Know About the Next Generation of Activists

Jul 19, 2018 11:30 AM ET

At 19 years old, Ziad Ahmed has become one of the young voices in a growing movement around creating social change. In describing his peers—Generation Z as they’re labeled—he says they have one goal in mind: Change.

Ahmed, the founder of the organization Redefy and the Gen Z consulting firm, JÜV Consulting, joined fellow activists on the “The Power of Youth to Create Change” panel at Vidcon on June 24. The panel was part of Viacom’s launch of its global initiative, Generation Change, which elevates and empowers young people driving change.

Education

Everyone Can Be the Legacy – Celebrating Mandela Day

Jul 19, 2018 11:25 AM ET

While attending school at MIT, I was shocked that only 5% of schools in Africa teach ICT, increasing just slightly to 10-12% at affluent primary schools. Nearly all high schoolers never had a chance to learn basic programs such as Microsoft Word. At the same time parts of Africa were becoming hotbeds for technology. For example, many would be surprised to know that Elon Musk was educated in South Africa.

Environment

Are Data Centers Facing a Literal Watershed Moment?

Jul 19, 2018 11:20 AM ET

Antea Group’s blog discusses the literal ‘watershed moment’ for data centers to rise to the challenge of achieving water sustainability & security.

Education

Curiosity Cube Teaches Kids About STEM

Jul 19, 2018 11:20 AM ET

A Laramie company has created a mobile science lab out of an old shipping container.

Sustainable Development Goals

VIDEO | Barclays Citizenship Awards: Sumita Patnaik Teaches the Value of Education

Jul 19, 2018 11:05 AM ET

In 2001, Sumita Patnaik, along with her cousin, started Twinkle Academy, a school in the rural village of Kalan, India. The school has grown from three children to 170 in this time, with the first class of seniors soon to graduate.

Environment

Berliner Stadtreinigung Utilizes VMware Solutions to Increase Conservation Efforts

Jul 19, 2018 11:00 AM ET

Sustainable Development Goals

Community Engagement Q&A with Brent Bergeron, EVP, Corporate Affairs & Sustainability

Jul 19, 2018 11:00 AM ET

In our 2017 Sustainability Report, we demonstrate how our unwavering commitment to safe, responsible and sustainable mining underpins every facet of our business. From our initial community outreach before a mine is built to our meticulous reclamation and rehabilitation practices post-closure, we strive to build lasting, mutually-beneficial relationships, drive innovation, improve safety performance and minimize our environmental footprint. Brent Bergeron, Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs and Sustainability, reflects on 2017’s developments and initiatives, and how we are generating enduring value for and with local communities.

Environment

The Global Clean Water Crisis -- PepsiCo Expands Its Safe Water Program

Jul 19, 2018 10:30 AM ET

People want to drink clean water even more than they want to breath clean air. So it’s a good thing that almost 3 billion people have gained access to clean water over the last 25 years. But current water use, population growth and the effects of climate change have caused two-thirds of the global population – about 4 billion people – to live under conditions of severe water scarcity at least one month of the year. Some of this scarcity has led to violence and conflict, especially in Africa, Southern Asia and the Middle East.

Environment

Earth Overshoot Day: Save the Date to Save the Planet

Jul 19, 2018 10:25 AM ET

Humanity is currently using nature 1.7 times faster than our planet’s ecosystems can regenerate. On August 1, humanity will have used nature’s resource budget for the entire year, according to Global Footprint Network, an international research organization that has pioneered the Ecological Footprint resource accounting metric. Since the world went into ecological overshoot in the 1970s, D-day of August 1 this year will be the earliest.

Supply Chain & the Circular Economy

How Cocoa and Honeybees Are Helping Latin American Farmers Thrive

Jul 19, 2018 10:25 AM ET

Many Latin American agricultural businesses don’t survive long term. But it isn’t because they’re fighting against Mother Nature or bad crops or not enough hard-working laborers. It usually boils down to a lack of financial training and little access to credit.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Successes of Starbucks' Responsible Sourcing Program for Coffee

Jul 19, 2018 10:00 AM ET

International NGO Conservation International’s new progress report on Starbuck’s C.A.F.E. Practices program for responsibly sourced coffee provides an in-depth look at the positive impact one company is having on land conservation and human dignity.

Events, Media & Communications

Global Climate Action Summit Update—Will We See You There?

Jul 19, 2018 10:00 AM ET

We hope you join us in San Francisco this September, as our collective efforts must lead to a turning point by 2020 in order to prevent the worst effects of climate change.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Caring Is at the Heart of Hallmark Culture

Jul 19, 2018 9:50 AM ET

Hallmark earned recognition in 2017 by Forbes and Statista as one of America’s Best Employers and by Forbes and the Reputation Institute as one of the top five Most Reputable Companies in the United States.

Sustainable Development Goals

Disaster Resiliency: How IBM and Bechtel Partnered in Puerto Rico

Jul 19, 2018 9:05 AM ET

With the 2018 hurricane season underway, Bechtel and IBM have partnered up to share lessons learned from last year’s devastating Category 5 storm in Puerto Rico and mapping their work to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Sodexo Recognized by Black EOE Journal in 2018 Best of the Best Issue

Jul 19, 2018 9:05 AM ET

Sodexo, a food services and facilities management company committed to improving Quality of Life, announced today that it has been recognized by Black EOE Journal in the 2018 Best of the Best issue as a Top Employer, Top Supplier Diversity Program and Top LGBT-Friendly Company.

Research, Reports & Publications

Science for a Cleaner, Healthier World

Jul 19, 2018 9:00 AM ET

Johnson Matthey, the global leader in science that makes the world cleaner and healthier, has set out its ambitious new sustainable business framework to drive growth and value creation in its latest annual report: matthey.com/ar-18

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Brown-Forman Named a Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion

Jul 19, 2018 9:00 AM ET

Brown-Forman is proud to announce that for the third year in a row, we have been named a Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion by scoring a 100% on the Disability Inclusion Index.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Smithfield Foods Donates More Than 34,000 Pounds of Protein to El Pasoans Fighting Hunger Food Bank Albertsons Joins the 26th Stop of Smithfield’s 2018 Helping Hungry Homes® Tour

Jul 19, 2018 8:55 AM ET

Today, Smithfield Foods, Inc. joined forces with Albertsons to donate more than 34,000 pounds of protein to El Pasoans Fighting Hunger Food Bank. “At Albertsons, we are dedicated to bettering the lives of our neighbors in need,” said Lori Raya, Southwest Division president of Alb

Environment

The Last Straw: Mark Marinozzi + Romain Troublé

Jul 18, 2018 9:00 PM ET

The next time you sip on a drink from a straw, you may want to think twice because humans are producing an inordinate amount of plastic waste on straws alone. Plastic straws are one of the leading contributors to ocean trash, they take up to 200 years to decompose and they can’t be recycled. Every year, the US alone uses enough straws to fill up nine baseball stadiums. Plastic straws are pretty much the definition of wastefulness, they serve very little purpose and are terrible for the environment. This week on Sea Change Radio, we speak to two people who are doing their best to combat plastic waste in our oceans.

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG Business Forum Urged to Do Business Responsibly and Accelerate Sustainable Development

Jul 18, 2018 7:05 PM ET

Enthusiasm, renewed energy and a positive approach was top of mind as leaders from business, Governments, civil society and the United Nations met at the third annual SDG Business Forum to set a new direction to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. The event was held as part of the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) at the United Nations in New York — the annual platform for reviewing progress and guiding global efforts for the 2030 Agenda.

Diversity & Inclusion

Carnival Corporation Named to NAACP Equity, Inclusion and Empowerment Index

Jul 18, 2018 6:00 PM ET

Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), the world's largest leisure travel company, today announced its inclusion in the first-ever NAACP Equity, Inclusion and Empowerment Index, which assesses U.S. companies on their commitment to racial and ethnic equity in every aspect of their business and operations. Carnival Corporation was among the companies recognized this week at the 109th NAACP Annual Convention in San Antonio, Texas, which coincided with the official launch of the index from the nation’s oldest civil rights organization.