Impact & Sustainability News From Leading Brands

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

104 Companies Included in First Sector-Neutral Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index

Jan 22, 2018 2:10 PM ET

Over 100 companies from ten sectors headquartered in 24 countries and regions joined the inaugural 2018 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index (GEI). Launched today, the reference index measures gender equality across internal company statistics, employee policies, external community support and engagement, and gender-conscious product offerings.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Beth Jenkins: New Resources to Speed Employees Up the Intrapreneurial Learning Curve

Jan 22, 2018 1:40 PM ET

Business Fights Poverty, Barclays, Pearson, and Cemex, together with The Intrapreneur Lab and Be Inspired Films, have developed a series of videos and tip sheets designed to jump-start the Intrapreneurial Learning process. These resources are intended to give intrapreneurs the confidence that comes with knowing what they’re getting themselves into – even if they won’t fully figure it out until they try.

Education

Curiosity Cube: Sparking STEM Investigation

Jan 22, 2018 1:35 PM ET

This 22x10-foot, retrofitted shipping container that has been transformed into a mobile science lab is featuring hands-on science experiments to "spark" interest in STEM.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Fortune Magazine Names Merck One of World’s Most Admired Companies

Jan 22, 2018 1:25 PM ET

Fortune Magazine has released its annual list of the World’s Most Admired Companies. For the first time, Merck ranked first among its peers for pioneering innovation andsecond overall among pharmaceutical industry in the survey.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Millions of American Small Business Owners Feel Left Behind, and This Is How Tech Can Help

Jan 22, 2018 1:15 PM ET

Small businesses are already the biggest generator of jobs in America. They make up almost half of private sector employment. Those of us in tech and in the public sector need to take the next step to rev that engine more.

Education

Republic Services Teaches St. Louis Students About Recycling

Jan 22, 2018 12:10 PM ET

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

FORTUNE® Recognizes CVS Health on 2018 List of “World’s Most Admired Companies”

Jan 22, 2018 12:00 PM ET

CVS Health (NYSE: CVS), the nation's largest pharmacy innovation company, today was recognized by FORTUNE® magazine as one of the World’s Most Admired Companies. CVS Health was honored as No. 39 on the corporate rankings, up six spots from the previous year and marking the fourth consecutive year on the Global Top 50 list.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Nestlé’s Parent Support Spotlight on Michael: Taking the Time You Need as a New Foster Dad

Jan 22, 2018 12:00 PM ET

Nestlé’s Parent Support Policy has only been in place a year, but it’s already making a difference in the lives of employees like Michael.

Environment

The TD-Bloomberg Sustainability Dialogues Shine a Spotlight on the Business Case for a Low-carbon Economy

Jan 22, 2018 12:00 PM ET

Today, a main topic of discussion for many businesses is what it will take for society to transition to a low-carbon economy – and what role business can play. To shine a spotlight on this question, Bloomberg BNA released a report that captures the insights and different perspectives that were shared at the Bloomberg Sustainable Business Summit in Toronto this past September.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Scotiabank Impact Story: Building a Cooperative Future in Peru: the Manantial de Vida (Spring of Life) Dairy Co-op

Jan 22, 2018 11:45 AM ET

The town of Cabeza de Toro sits about five hours south of Lima, in the agricultural heart of Peru. For the past decade, this agricultural center has been home to the Manantial de Vida (Spring of Life) Dairy Services Cooperative. Today, this farmer-owned cooperative produces and collects milk to feed Peru’s growing population, while simultaneously providing dairy farmers in the region with a viable income.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Smithfield Foods Commences 10th Anniversary of Helping Hungry Homes® Initiative

Jan 22, 2018 11:35 AM ET

Smithfield Foods, Inc. launched its 2018 giving tour in celebration of the 10-year anniversary of the company’s signature hunger-relief program, Helping Hungry Homes®. Founded in 2008, Helping Hungry Homes® is a company-wide initiative focused on alleviating hunger and helping Americans become more food secure.

Ten years ago, Smithfield launched Helping Hungry Homes® to raise awareness of hunger, and donate high-quality, nutritious protein to food banks, school nutrition programs, disaster relief efforts, and community outreach programs across the country.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Follow the Money: How Sands Cares Assists Nevada Homeless Alliance

Jan 22, 2018 11:15 AM ET

Through Sands Cares, Las Vegas Sands’ corporate giving program, the company is leading the way to bring positive change to the significant homelessness problem in Las Vegas. Through various agencies and partners in the community, Las Vegas Sands believes in playing an active role to bring new solutions and resources to address the issue.

Education

Cream School in Camden Re-opens With New School Supplies From Subaru of America

Jan 22, 2018 11:05 AM ET

After being closed for a week due to a burst pipe, the Riletta Twyne Cream Family School re-opened yesterday, January 17th, occupying a new building in an unused school on the other side of Camden. Staff used to fully equipped classrooms are making do with just the basics, and were excited to receive ready-made classroom supply kits courtesy of Subaru of America.

Green Infrastructure

BRE and IWBI Deliver Improved Guidance to Streamline Joint Certification of BREEAM and WELL

Jan 22, 2018 11:05 AM ET

BRE and the International WELL Building Institute™ (IWBI™) today released a new, improved briefing paper that outlines how projects may achieve both a certified BREEAM rating and WELL Certification.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Never Too Old for Family, Adoptive Parents Finally Bring Home Their Son at Age 20

Jan 22, 2018 11:00 AM ET

The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption believes you are never too old for family and the Betancourt family is a deep believer in that notion as well.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

CITGO Lake Charles Employees Adopt Families and Donate Gifts During the Holidays in SWLA

Jan 22, 2018 10:30 AM ET

CITGO Lake Charles Refinery employees contributed monetary donations and gifts to local families during the 2017 Christmas season through Southwest Louisiana charities and CITGO Partner in Education, E.K. Key Elementary School. Employees raised more than $8,000 to purchase holiday presents and household necessities for the families.

Diversity & Inclusion

Legg Mason Hires Regina Curry as Chief Diversity Officer

Jan 22, 2018 10:00 AM ET

Legg Mason is pleased to announce the hiring of Regina Curry as Chief Diversity Officer.

Regina joins Legg Mason after serving as Senior Director of Global Diversity & Inclusion at McCormick & Company where she successfully developed and implemented a multi-year global diversity and inclusion strategy, and established a firm-wide metrics framework to drive accountability.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

2018 Corporate Giving Trends: What Last Year Taught Us About the True Role of Companies in Today’s Society

Jan 22, 2018 9:15 AM ET

January is a time for new beginnings, with many reflecting on the events of 2017 and how our beliefs, practices and sense of purpose evolved as a result. In the world of charitable giving, tragedies, tensions and political triggers caused people and companies to recognize their place and power as a force for good, particularly when they worked together towards positive change. And all of this created a unique space for companies to put their corporate values to action.

Education

Young Scientists Share Their Thoughts on the Amgen Biotech Experience in Singapore

Jan 22, 2018 9:00 AM ET

Hear from students in Whitely Secondary School, Singapore as they share their experiences of how the Amgen Biotech Experience sparked their interest in science discovery.

Sustainable Development Goals

Davos 2018: Advancing the SDGs in a Fractured World

Jan 22, 2018 9:00 AM ET

The theme for this year's World Economic Forum Annual Meeting is "Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World." Here's what business leaders gathering in Davos this week can do to advance the Sustainable Development Goals and our shared future.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Humana Ranks No. 1 in CSR Among Health Insurers on Fortune List of World’s Best and Most Admired Companies

Jan 22, 2018 9:00 AM ET

Humana has ranked No. 2 in its industry – the company’s highest-ever ranking – in Fortune magazine’s 2018 listing of the World’s Best and Most Admired Companies. Humana was No. 3 last year in the category of Health Care: Insurance and Managed Care.

Events, Media & Communications

Top 10 Reasons to Attend the Living Future unConference

Jan 22, 2018 9:00 AM ET

The International Living Future Institute is hosting its 12th annual unConference, Living Future 2018, May 1-4, 2018 at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, Oregon.

This three-day event will bring together Authenticity and Action as individuals and organizations with unique backgrounds, experiences and personalities gather to create unified action toward a living future. Keynote speakers—conservationist Terry Tempest Williams and activist Raj Patel—will kick off the event on Wednesday night and Thursday morning with inspiring messages for attendees.

Innovation & Technology

San Diego to Develop Innovative Hydropower Energy Storage Project

Jan 22, 2018 9:00 AM ET

Black & Veatch has been selected to serve as owners’ representative for an energy storage facility at the San Vicente Reservoir near Lakeside in San Diego County, California. The project owners, the San Diego County Water Authority and the City of San Diego, are assessing the potential to develop the 500 megawatt (MW) San Vicente Energy Storage Facility (SVESF) to increase the availability and efficiency of renewable energy for the region.

Events, Media & Communications

BCtA Webinar Series: Women’s Economic Empowerment and Inclusive Business

Jan 22, 2018 8:45 AM ET

We are excited to announce BCtA’s new webinar series featuring presentations and discussions with key experts who have helped to empower women at the Base of the Pyramid (BOP) market through their research, products or services development, policy or advocacy work. This is a unique chance to engage on both conceptual and practical issues around women’s economic empowerment for the BOP market.

Energy

National Grid System Operator (SO) Published its Product Roadmap for Frequency Response and Reserve Markets

Jan 22, 2018 8:30 AM ET

In June 2017 we launched our first ever System Needs and Product Strategy (SNAPS). Its aim was to identify how the SO could work better with industry to provide the right mix of balancing services that we will need in future. The changes we are making will ultimately make it easier for all parties to sell balancing services to the System Operator, delivering more efficient markets and minimising costs to consumers.