Impact & Sustainability News From Leading Brands

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

FCW’s GreenStep 2017

Oct 13, 2017 9:25 AM ET

George Bandy, Mohawk’s vice president of sustainability, was the first-ever winner of the GreenStep People Award, and said he was humbled and honored to be recognized. “I think this particular kind of awards ceremony gives us the opportunity to celebrate all of our successes and pushes us to move forward around all these areas like health and wellness, social sustainability and financial acuity,” he said. “As we do that, we get to collaborate, and move forward as an industry for Mother Nature.”

Health & Healthcare

Make a Difference in the World Using Your Hands

Oct 13, 2017 9:00 AM ET

Global Handwashing Day 2017 is Sunday, October 15th. Our theme is "Get your hands dirty for hand hygiene".

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Bacardi Helps with Puerto Rico Recovery as It Opens First “Stop & Go” Community Relief Center

Oct 12, 2017 4:35 PM ET

Bacardi opened its first “Emergency Stop & Go” community relief center in Cataño, Puerto Rico, on October 2. The center provides a safe place for those in the neighboring communities to the BACARDI rum facility to come daily for food, water, medical care, government services and activities.

Green Infrastructure

WBCSD Insider Perspective | 2017 Cement Sustainability Initiative Forum: "Growing Together Through the SDGs"

Oct 12, 2017 4:10 PM ET

Last week the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)'s Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI) held its 11th annual forum in New Delhi, India. The event focused on how, through sharing knowledge and experience, the private sector can capture and build on the opportunities offered by the SDGs and understand the risks of inaction.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Siblings Through Adoption, but Connected for Life

Oct 12, 2017 4:00 PM ET

Environment

Smithfield Foods Announces New, Industry-Leading Environmental Initiative, Smithfield Renewables

Oct 12, 2017 3:30 PM ET

Smithfield Foods, Inc. announced today the launch of Smithfield Renewables, a new platform within the organization that will unify, lead and accelerate the company’s industry-leading carbon reduction and renewable energy efforts. Smithfield Renewables will ensure the company meets its environmental commitments including its goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 25 percent by 2025.

Diversity & Inclusion

Diversity Drives Innovation

Oct 12, 2017 3:05 PM ET

Despite being one of the most diverse cities in the country, Philadelphia’s entrepreneurial and executive community is not reciprocally represented by Black, Latinx, and other ethnic groups. While people of color constitute 55% of the population, a 2016 Census Bureau survey found that just 15% of Philadelphia businesses are operated by non-white owners.

Comcast NBCUniversal hopes to address these disparities across the city by supporting Black & Brown Founders and other organizations that promote diverse business investment and give more groups the support and resources they need to start their own companies.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Chevrolet Proudly Partners With American Cancer Society for Seventh Year in the Battle Against Breast Cancer

Oct 12, 2017 3:00 PM ET

For the seventh consecutive year, Chevrolet and General Motors employees, dealers and customers are joining in the fight against breast cancer by proudly supporting the American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer® walks.

Health & Healthcare

Newmont Reducing Cases of Holes in the Heart in Ghana

Oct 12, 2017 2:55 PM ET

Investing in the wellbeing of our host communities is part of our mission as a sustainable and responsible mining company. In Ghana, we recently partnered with the Children’s Heart Foundation (CHF) to help save the life of Daniel Darkwa, a three-year-old boy suffering from atrial septal defect and patent ductus arteriosus, a rare condition that creates “holes” in the wall separating the top two chambers of the heart.

Environment

As Long as Climate Change Does Not Touch the Rich, Nothing Will Change, Says Andrew J. Hoffman

Oct 12, 2017 2:45 PM ET

Andrew J. Hoffman is an American Professor of Sustainable Business at the University of Michigan. He came to the Czech Republic for the release of his book, "How Culture Shapes the Debate on Climate Change."

Social Impact & Volunteering

Minnesota Twins Pitcher Hector Santiago to Join Action Team's First Teleconference of the School Year

Oct 12, 2017 2:30 PM ET

The Action Team national youth volunteer program will host its first teleconference of the 2017-18 school year on Thursday, October 12 (9:00 PM ET), when Hector Santiago of the Minnesota Twins joins Action Team Captains from Brunswick (ME) High School as special guests.

Health & Healthcare

The Novartis Foundation launches Healthy Schools for Healthy Communities with the University of Basel and other partners

Oct 12, 2017 1:55 PM ET

The Novartis Foundation and the University of Basel, together with other partners are pleased to announce the launch of Healthy Schools for Healthy Communities. The initiative aims to address poor health in disadvantaged schools in South Africa and is the first Novartis Foundation program to include the education sector, bringing new opportunities for achieving impact.

Education

Curiosity Cube Brings Cutting-Edge Science to Local Schools

Oct 12, 2017 1:30 PM ET

Students at area schools are getting a chance this week to check out advanced scientific technology and learn through hands-on experiments as the "Curiosity Cube" visits Centre County.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Webinar// Taproot+ Live: Use Your Skills to Make a Social Impact

Oct 12, 2017 1:20 PM ET

Want to volunteer, but don’t necessarily want to paint a fence? Instead, drive social change with what you do best by donating your time and professional skills to nonprofits in need of your expertise. Thousands of nonprofits and skilled volunteers are connecting each day on the free online platform, Taproot+, for marketing, IT, HR, business strategy, finance projects and more.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Morgan Stanley Releases New Report Finding Sustainability Communication Disconnect Between Companies and Investors

Oct 12, 2017 1:15 PM ET

Today the Morgan Stanley Institute for Sustainable Investing released a new report analyzing the communications disconnect between the environmental, social and governance (ESG) information investors seek and what companies provide. The paper, Sustainable Value: Communicating ESG to the 21st Century Investor, identifies the communications opportunities and best practices for companies to better communicate their ESG stories to enhance their business and investor value.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Bloomberg Becomes First U.S.-Domiciled Corporate Retirement Plan Sponsor to Sign the PRI

Oct 12, 2017 1:15 PM ET

Bloomberg today announced at the Bloomberg Sustainable Business Summit that it has become the first U.S.-domiciled corporate retirement plan sponsor (ERISA plan sponsor) to join the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI). By joining, Bloomberg will incorporate the six, voluntary Principles for Responsible Investment into its investment practices. The principles align closely with Bloomberg’s commitment as a financial data provider to integrate sustainable business and finance considerations into its operations, products and services.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

World Environment Center Expands U.S. Department of State “La Red de Innovacion e Impacto Innovators’ Program in Latin America

Oct 12, 2017 1:00 PM ET

The U.S. Department of State has awarded the World Environment Center (WEC) and its partner, Le Groupe-conseil baastel ltée (Baastel), additional funding to grow innovative, sustainable local organizations in Latin America. The current program, known as La Red de Innovacion and Impacto (La Red), established in 2014, is a collection of 30 such innovative solutions from 11 nations across the region.

Environment

BIER Releases Latest Practical Watershed Context Tool

Oct 12, 2017 1:00 PM ET

The Beverage Industry Environmental Roundtable’s (BIER) concept paper, entitled Performance in Watershed Context: Insights and Opportunities, provides a pragmatic decision support process to assist the beverage industry and beyond in making informed water-related investments across a portfolio of operational sites.

Environment

World Environment Center Expande “La Red de Innovación e Impacto”, Programa del Departamento de Estado de los EEUU para Innovadores en América Latina

Oct 12, 2017 1:00 PM ET

El Departamento de Estado de los EEUU ha otorgado al World Environment Center (WEC) y su socio, Le Groupe-conseil baastel ltée (Baastel), financiamiento adicional para apoyar la innovación y sustentabilidad local en América Latina. El programa actual, conocido como La Red de Innovación and Impacto (La Red), que se estableció en el año 2014, es una colección de 30 soluciones innovadoras de 11 países de la región.

Social Impact & Volunteering

How Fair Trade Is Helping Smallholder Coffee Farmers Succeed

Oct 12, 2017 12:00 PM ET

Fair Trade USA is the leading fair trade certifying body in North America, operating globally alongside the European-based Fairtrade International. Colleen Anunu, Fair Trade USA’s Senior Manager of Supply Chain, reflects on some of fair trade’s achievements and challenges, with a focus on the coffee sector. She also explains how Fair Trade USA and Oikocredit are teaming up to reduce price risks for coffee farmers.

Responsible Production & Consumption

An Unlikely Alliance: Why Paper Users and Paper Purchasers Can Be Among the Most Influential Forest Preservationists

Oct 12, 2017 12:00 PM ET

There is a fine balance between the need to conserve forests and the very real role they play as a resource to our economy.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Andrew Winston, Author of The Big Pivot and Green to Gold, Joins Ingersoll Rand Advisory Council on Sustainability

Oct 12, 2017 11:30 AM ET

The Advisory Council on Sustainability of Ingersoll-Rand plc, a world leader in creating comfortable, sustainable and efficient environments, appointed Andrew Winston as a member of the Council, effective immediately.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Reflections from the 2017 NEHRA Conference

Oct 12, 2017 11:30 AM ET

Common Impact had a fantastic time at the 2017 NEHRA Conference! What a fun way to spend a few days: reflecting on employee engagement and talent development with a crowd of talented HR professionals. We learned a ton while we were there, so we've provided a few key highlights and reflections from the conference:

Environment

CSRHub CEO Cynthia Figge Speaking at FiRe 2017

Oct 12, 2017 11:30 AM ET

CSRHub Co-Founder and CEO, Cynthia Figge, will be moderating a conversation at the Future in Review® (FiRe) Conference in Park City, Utah held October 10-13, 2017. Cynthia will be hosting a discussion titled “Supporting the Carbon Trifecta: Building Elon’s World”, on Thursday October 12th.

Events, Media & Communications

What Works in Employee Financial Wellness Programs

Oct 12, 2017 11:15 AM ET

Join the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation for a webinar on financial wellness programs (FWP) and learn how your business can benefit by creating or expanding your FWP for your employees.