Impact & Sustainability News From Leading Brands

Keep up with the latest news from 3BL’s clients.







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Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

How to Optimize Your Grants Lifecycle for a Better ROI

A solid grantmaking process is key to maximizing the social impact of your funding. Here are some tips and techniques that will help you fine-tune your process, so you can better serve non-profits and measure the impact of your foundation’s efforts.

Research, Reports & Publications

Corporate Giving Increased for a Third Consecutive Year, up 15% Since 2015

In the largest, most robust, industry-leading, and internationally-recognized research of corporate social investment, CECP: The CEO Force for Good, in association with The Conference Board, found in their annual Giving in Numbers: 2018 Edition report that leading corporations are intensifying efforts to meet key societal needs around the world.

Energy

Duke Energy Aims to Expand Solar Power to Non-residential Customers Without Large Upfront Investment

Duke Energy wants non-residential customers to have another option to install solar power on their premises. The company recently filed to be a certified solar lessor with the North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC). Duke Energy Clean Energy Resources (DECER), a non-regulated affiliate of Duke Energy, will build, own and operate on-site solar facilities that will allow customers to access renewable energy without a large upfront investment. DECER is not financially supported by either Duke Energy Carolinas or Duke Energy Progress, Duke Energy's operating companies in the Carolinas.

Environment

Don’t Be a Tardigrade: Private Sector Solutions for Ensuring a Freshwater Future

While the private sector must double down on its ambitions to achieve rapid decarbonization of the global economy, it must, at the same time, do everything in its power to protect the freshwater resources that are essential to all human and economic activity.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Timberland’s Fall Fest Celebrates Service, Company Culture and the Season

Eight employees who volunteer to serve on Timberland’s “Culture Club” planned this year’s Fall Fest celebration. The Club’s mission is to plan and execute small scale events throughout the year to bring a bit of fun into the workplace.

Energy

Secure. Affordable. Responsible. With Renewables, Have All 3

Global institutions today face what is known as the energy “trilemma”—the need to balance energy security with energy that is both affordable and environmentally responsible. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) currently projects that world energy consumption will increase 28% by 2040. Simultaneously, the energy delivery system around the world is expected to undergo massive disruption in the forms of decentralization, digitization, and decarbonization.

Futureproofing energy supply has become a predominant goal for managing risk and resilience for a majority of companies.

An enormous opportunity exists for organizations with distributed energy load to act by acquiring renewables.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Humana Foundation Invests $1.84 Million to Address Social Determinants of Health in Knoxville and Jacksonville

The Humana Foundation is investing $1.84 million to address social determinants of health in two communities – Knoxville, Tenn., and Jacksonville, Fla.

In Knoxville, the Humana Foundation will invest $1,020,000 in the Truck2Table pilot program and is partnering with InterFaith Health Clinic and Catapult 4D to address East Tennessee health barriers.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

New Study on Financial Inclusion, the 2018 Global Microscope, Shows Countries in Latin America and Asia Provide the Best Environments for Financial Progress

The Global Microscope on Financial Inclusion, now in its 11th year, is a benchmarking index that assesses the enabling environment for financial access in 55 countries. The 2018 Global Microscope underscores the evolving landscape of financial inclusion itself. This year’s index was completely revised to take a forward-looking focus on digital financial services, and to address the critical role of financial inclusion envisioned in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Kohler Co.’s Innovation For Good Program Recognized as Changemaker with 2018 Mahatma Award

Kohler Co. has been presented with a 2018 Mahatma Award for Social Good for its “Innovation for Good” (IfG) efforts. Laura Kohler, Senior Vice President-Human Resources, Stewardship & Sustainability for Kohler Co., accepted the award on behalf of IfG and Kohler Co. in New York City during the recently held UN General Assembly.

The Mahatma Awards for Social Good spotlight changemakers and are awarded annually to individuals or organizations committed to addressing complex social issues like safe water, sanitation, disease, poverty and hunger.

Kohler’s Innovation for Good program is an innovation incubator focused on developing and implementing sustainable business solutions to address some of the most pressing problems related to safe water, safe sanitation and reliable power.

Health & Healthcare

Helping Nonprofits Within the Food System Tap Into Pro Bono

Environment

The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation Helps Orca to Expand ‘Living Lagoon’ Program to St. Lucie County to Promote Water Improvement in the Indian River Lagoon

The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation and Ocean Research & Conservation Association (ORCA) today announced a new Living Lagoon School Program partnership. The partnership will expand access to hands-on programs for middle-school students living near the Indian River Lagoon in Florida’s Treasure Coast region.

Media & Communications

FSB Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosure Considers the Dramatic Contents of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was organized by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in 1988 (30 years ago!) to provide a “clear scientific view of the current state of knowledge in climate change and its potential environmental and socio-economic impacts”.

Events, Media & Communications

Pro Bono Perspectives Podcast: Episode 7 - Tim Smith, The Boston Foundation and Pledge 1% Boston

We are so excited to welcome Tim Smith, Senior Director of The Boston Foundation and Head of Pledge 1% Boston chapter, powered by The Boston Foundation to Pro Bono Perspectives this week. In his day-to-day work with The Boston Foundation, Tim advises individuals and companies in the region on a variety of philanthropic offerings including Donor Advised Funds.

Events, Media & Communications

Alexander “Sandy” Taft Joins Sappi North America as Director of Sustainability

Sappi North America, Inc., a leading producer and supplier of diversified paper, packaging products and dissolving wood pulp, today announced the appointment of Alexander “Sandy” Taft as director of sustainability.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Refining Honey Production Through Investing in Bee Houses

“When we decided to build a bee house, fellow community members thought it was impractical and unwise. But since we saw a snippet of its advantages during a tour in Western Uganda, nothing would deter us from pursuing this new venture. Why shouldn’t we benefit from the same?” said William Sabila, a Honey Innovation Platform facilitator, during a field visit to Kapchorwa District, Uganda, with representatives from Landcare Australia and the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF).

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Responsible Business Alliance Announces Compass Awards Winners

The Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) today announced the winners of its inaugural Compass Awards program recognizing corporate social responsibility (CSR) excellence across three categories: Leadership, Innovation and Implementation.

Environment

WWF Report Reveals Staggering Extent of Human Impact on Planet

Populations of mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians have, on average, declined in size by 60 percent in just over 40 years. The biggest drivers of current biodiversity loss are overexploitation and agriculture, both linked to continually increasing human consumption. Given the interconnectivity between the health of nature, the well-being of people and the future of our planet, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) urges the global community to unite for a global deal for nature and people to reverse the trend of biodiversity loss.

Sustainable Development Goals

NASCAR Continues Sustainability Efforts With the Arbor Day Foundation

The NASCAR Green Race for Trees Campaign – a sustainability partnership between the Arbor Day Foundation, NASCAR, Texas A&M Forest Service, Texas A&M AgriLife and Harris County Master Gardener Association - will distribute 500 new trees this year to homeowners in Houston.

Health & Healthcare

About 50 Percent of Cancer Deaths Are Preventable. Here’s How We Can Stop Cancer Before It Starts!®

The number of new cancer diagnoses is increasing. In 2018, more than 1.7 million Americans will be diagnosed with cancer – that’s 46,570 more cases than in 2017. This increase in diagnoses is proof that prevention and early detection are more critical now than ever. And research shows that up to 50 percent of cancer cases and about 50 percent of cancer deaths are preventablewith the knowledge we have today. Addressing this issue is the Prevent Cancer Foundation®, which is working to reduce the cancer mortality rate by focusing on research, education, outreach and advocacy for cancer prevention, and for early detection when cancers are most treatable.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Carnival Corporation's AIDA Cruises Awarded the German Fairness Award for the Fifth Time in a Row

The cruise company AIDA Cruises has once more received the German Fairness Award 2018. In cooperation with the n-tv news station, the German Institute for Service Quality conducted a comprehensive survey among more than 50,000 consumers on the topic of fairness with regard to over 500 companies. AIDA again achieved first place, and is therefore the best-rated company in the cruise sector.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Who Says Materiality Can't Be Fun?

Each year at FCA, we put on our creative hats to explore what matters most to the Company, to our stakeholders and to the world in general. Earlier this year, we turned to our student interns for a fresh look on two critical topics: the future of mobility and human rights in the supply chain. To make things more interesting for all involved, the two events were structured around role-playing.

Environment

An Important Day for the Future of Agriculture

About two years ago, Bayer and Monsanto reached an agreement under which Bayer would acquire Monsanto. In that time, I’ve had the opportunity to meet farmers from around the world, including the United States, Brazil, Kenya, Nigeria, Germany, the Netherlands, China and India to name only a few.

Supply Chain & the Circular Economy

Nestlé Steps Up Efforts in Addressing Plastics Waste and Pollution

Nestlé today joined forces with other businesses and governments in signing The New Plastics Economy Global Commitment ('Global Commitment') at the Our Ocean Conference in Bali, Indonesia.

The Global Commitment is an initiative of The Ellen MacArthur Foundation and UN Environment. It aims to rethink the future of plastics by applying the principles of circular economy, in which plastics never become waste. The Global Commitment represents a powerful framework to work collectively on solutions that address the root causes of plastics waste and pollution.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Advancing the Long-Termism Movement: The Strategic Investor Initiative's CEO Investor Forum

In an effort to update corporate leaders and investors on the latest trends and research, the National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI) and the Strategic Investor Initiative (SII) will hold a joint webinar called “Changing the Conversation: Sharing Your Company’s Long-Term Plans.”

Latest Campaigns

  1. Integrated Tools
    Cascale shares updates on its efforts to align the industry on a common language to describe sustainability performance to reduce duplication and...
  2. Local Communities
    The principals of living and working in synergy with the communities in which we operate, as well as collaborating on projects that benefit those...
  3. Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG)
    The business landscape is reorienting itself and you can almost hear priorities shifting toward change-readiness and the bigger picture. And in this...
  4. GoDaddy | Microbusiness
    They’re the people who build websites, run restaurants, and teach online classes. They power local economies and national growth but their impact...
  5. Biomimicry and Ray of Hope Accelerator
    The Ray C. Anderson Foundation has partnered with the Biomimicry Institute to create the Ray of Hope Accelerator, designed to bring commercially...
  6. Fifth Third's Commitment to Small Businesses
    Fifth Third believes that small businesses form the foundation of our communities – and when they succeed, we all succeed. Supporting them through...
  7. FedEx | Volunteer Campaigns
    Giving back is part of the FedEx culture. Team members support our charitable investments and local community needs by dedicating their time where...
  8. Social Progress
    Social engagement has always been an integral part of our sense of responsibility as a company. We care and we act to do our part to improve the...
  9. Collective Action
    Cascale shares updates on its efforts and initiatives geared toward activating its ecosystem to develop and scale solutions that drive collective...
  10. AEG's Commitment to Social Impact and Volunteerism
    AEG embraces its responsibility to enrich the lives of people in the communities around the world where we do business, and to use business to create...
  11. Digital Safety
    We provide tools and guidance so people can manage digital content in a way that’s right for them and their families. Learn more >>
  12. Healthy Spaces Podcast: Season 5
    Welcome to Season 5 of Healthy Spaces by Trane Technologies, the podcast where experts and disruptors explore how climate technology and innovation...
  13. Nutrition and Health
    Focus on preventing and treating malnutrition across life stages. Highlights include early detection, community-based treatment (e.g., MUAC screening...
  14. Health and Safety by Antea Group
    Antea Group's health and safety consultants understand what it takes to help make a positive impact on safety culture. Read blogs, insights, and more...
  15. Leading ESG & Sustainability Stewardship
    The new CNH continues on its longstanding path of excellence in sustainability, which is recognized by the foremost authorities.