Impact & Sustainability News From Leading Brands

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Creating a Better Workplace

May 4, 2018 10:05 AM ET

CBRE’s Workplace practice, established in 2008 and comprised of more than 40 professionals across the Americas, is focused on creating, implementing, and sustaining workplace strategies that improve employee engagement and create real and measurable organizational value.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Meet Latha and Gautam, Mother and Son in Tirrupur

May 4, 2018 10:00 AM ET

In July 2017, some of the workers at Bestitch Knits in Tiruppur, India, the Fair Trade Certified™ factory where Latha Maheshwari works, learned that her 18-year-old son, Gautam, needed help paying for his third semester fee for higher education to be able to stay in school. When workers brought this up at their Fair Trade Committee meeting, the group decided they wanted to help.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

New Ambient Pack From Tetra Pak for In-shop and At-home Freezing of Dairy and Juice Based Products Wins Award

May 4, 2018 10:00 AM ET

Tetra Pak has won an Alufoil Trophy 2018 award for Product Protection with a new single-portion pack for juice and dairy products, featuring a thin aluminium foil inner layer. The Tetra Fino® Aseptic 100 Ultra MiM not only enables the contents to be kept for long periods at ambient temperatures, but also allows them to be turned into frozen treats, with minimal changes to existing dairy and juice production processes.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Gildan's Sustainable Innovations Featured on Science Channel's New Show Tomorrow's World Today

May 4, 2018 9:50 AM ET

Gildan is excited to be featured on the Science Channel’s new program, Tomorrow’s World Today, in an episode airing at 8:30am E.T. on Sunday May 6th. The show hosted by Tamara Krinsky, Emmy award-winning actress, writer and broadcast host and George Davison, co-creator of the show, is a cutting-edge television series exploring innovations in technology and sustainability.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

VIDEO | How Cisco Helps Nonprofits Develop and Scale Tech Solutions

May 4, 2018 9:50 AM ET

Cisco’s cash and product grant programs help nonprofits apply digital technology to have the broadest impact in some of the most economically underserved parts of the world. Years of working with nonprofits have taught us how mission-based technology initiatives develop and scale. We’ve distilled this insight into a social investment approach that helps new initiatives progress from an innovative idea to a scalable, financially sustainable operation.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Celebrating Literacy During Read Across America on Dr. Seuss’ Birthday in Las Vegas & Bethlehem

May 4, 2018 9:45 AM ET

During the annual literary celebration of the National Education Association’s Read Across America on March 2, many children across the nation celebrate reading on the same day as the beloved children’s author Dr. Seuss’ birthday. In honor of the literary holiday, Las Vegas Sands Team Members in Las Vegas and Bethlehem, PA, took the time to read to students at local elementary schools.

Sustainable Development Goals

Bold Ideas for Financing and Regulations to Close the Energy Gap

May 4, 2018 9:30 AM ET

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7 calls for universalaccess to affordable, reliable and modern energy services by the year 2030. 1.1 billion people worldwide still have no access to electricity. That’s nearly equivalent to the U.S and European population combined. The International Energy Agency (IEA) predicts that, unless electrification efforts are further accelerated, by 2030 a total of 674 million people will still be without access to electricity.

Sustainable Development Goals

Solving the Distance Problem to Reduce Maternal Mortality: The Mothers' Shelter Alliance

May 4, 2018 9:20 AM ET

When a young Zambian mother, Zimthambo Musianga, felt the onset of labor, she went into the hills to find an ox cart to take her to the hospital. But with the nearest clinic miles away from her remote village in the rural district of Lundazi, the ox cart wasn’t going to get her there in time. After being bumped along a dirt road over rough terrain, she had no choice but to give birth right there in the cart.

Environment

PHOTO GALLERY | Andy Mann’s Breathtaking Images Capture His Water Positive Journey

May 4, 2018 9:10 AM ET

We partnered with environmental photographer Andy Mann, one of the few people in the world capable of capturing both the beauty and the distress of America’s most important water bodies.

Sustainable Development Goals

Leveraging Partnerships for Water Security: Reducing Non-revenue Water in Uganda

May 4, 2018 9:00 AM ET

Urban areas in many parts of Africa face the challenges of competition for water resources, inadequate infrastructure, droughts and water shortages, and non-revenue water loss—water that has been produced and is "lost" before it reaches the customer. In this post, Tetra Tech’s Leif Kindberg and Dr. Scott McCormick discuss how reducing the amount of water lost before it reaches the customer is integral to water security and the resiliency of urban water and sanitation services. All opinions expressed in this post are the authors’ own.

Sustainable Development Goals

New Report Shows Green Growth and Reporting Are High on Vietnam’s Agenda

May 4, 2018 8:55 AM ET

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and the Climate Disclosure Standards Board (CDSB) released a new Reporting Exchange case study on Vietnam, showing that sustainability and economic ambitions are shaping the country’s corporate reporting patterns.

Research, Reports & Publications

Charitable Giving Changing As Younger Donors Give and Demand More From the Third Sector

May 4, 2018 8:45 AM ET

A new Barclays Corporate Banking survey of over 2,000 UK consumers shows younger people report giving more money to charities than the over 55s, challenging widely-held views that the older generation support good causes the most. People aged 35 to 54 say they gave an average of £265 last year to charities, followed by £246 from under-35s. Over 55s gave £168 in comparison.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

JetBlue Celebrates Launch of Service to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport with a Book Donation and Career Day at Jefferson Community School

May 3, 2018 6:35 PM ET

On Thursday, May 3 JetBlue brought its award-winning service and low fares to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP). To kick-off service, JetBlue hosted a two-day celebration for its newest route. The day before service started, JetBlue crewmembers participated in a special “JetBlue For Good Day of Service” at Jefferson Community School in Minneapolis. The day consisted of a Career Day Q&A between fifth graders and JetBlue pilots and crewmembers. Following Career Day, JetBlue donated 500 age-appropriate children books. Each fifth grade student had the opportunity to take a book home to build their personal libraries and some will be donated to the school’s library.

Education

AEG Hosts Arroyo Seco Weekend Job Shadow Day

May 3, 2018 4:20 PM ET

AEG welcomed more than 30 students from Pasadena’s John Muir High School to its global headquarters in downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday, April 25 for the second Arroyo Seco Weekend Job Shadow Day. As part of AEG’s community outreach initiative with Pasadena Unified School District in conjunction with Arroyo Seco Weekend in Pasadena, Calif. in June, students were exposed to the company’s many facets of the sports and entertainment industry and received advice on future career paths.

Research, Reports & Publications

AEP Releases 2018 Corporate Accountability Report; New Sustainability Goals Unveiled

May 3, 2018 3:00 PM ET

American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP) issued its 12th annual Corporate Accountability Report to provide a comprehensive view of AEP’s progress as a business and community partner.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Dow Leadership in Action

May 3, 2018 2:30 PM ET

In 2016, The Dow Chemical Company deployed 40 employees from across the globe to Cebu, Philippines as part of the company’s signature skills-based volunteer program, Leadership in Action. The Dow employees collaborated on six different projects as pro bono consultants for local government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to address local challenges. Now, two years later, one of the more comprehensive projects—to increase access to sufficient, affordable, and safe water to 50 households of Sitio Kabatbatan in the Buhisan Watershed—has been successfully completed and was turned over to the local community on March 9.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Astellas Included in Forbes Best Midsize Employers List for Fourth Year

May 3, 2018 1:00 PM ET

Astellas was again named one of America's top workplaces by Forbes Magazine for the fourth consecutive year. Astellas appeared among the top 200 best midsize companies in the U.S. from 2,300 employers assessed. Astellas also ranked eighth out of the top pharmaceutical companies, up from the 25th spot previously.

Environment

Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation Leads in Tackling Water Challenges at National Meeting

May 3, 2018 12:35 PM ET

The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation convened its national network of environmental grantees in Oyster Bay, Long Island, last week with one goal: Addressing America’s toughest water resource challenges. Dr. Christopher Gobler, head of the Gobler Laboratory at SUNY Stony Brook, presented the keynote address on his research exploring the causes and effects of harmful algal blooms, as well as potential solutions.

Education

EcoRise, Green Mountain Energy Sun Club® Team up to Educate Students about Sustainability

May 3, 2018 12:00 PM ET

EcoRise, the school-based nonprofit organization inspiring a new generation of leaders to design a sustainable future for all, and Green Mountain Energy Sun Club are joining forces to deliver a new program of leading-edge, student-driven sustainability curriculum, project grants, and training an estimated 50 K–12 educators at no cost to teachers, schools, or school districts.

Diversity & Inclusion

HPE’s 2018 Women's Excellence Award Winner: “I Will Always Encourage Everyone to Pursue Their Passions”

May 3, 2018 11:50 AM ET

Research, Reports & Publications

Running a Sustainable Airline

May 3, 2018 11:45 AM ET

Last week, JetBlue published its 2017 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report which highlights all the work the airline has done to ensure JetBlue’s sustainability. Throughout the report, readers will see mentions of all the work JetBlue is doing to run a sustainable business. For any airline, this is mostly about conserving fuel.

JetBlue has a lot to share…from introducing electric Ground Service Equipment at JFK to our recent order for the latest fuel-efficient engines…to equipping our aircraft in preparation for the latest advances in air traffic control…to providing support and funding for renewable jet fuels. The list is extensive and impressive – and it speaks to JetBlue’s culture of caring and our long history of innovation.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Deciphering the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD)

May 3, 2018 11:30 AM ET

Climate change not only poses serious threats to communities in the form of natural disasters such as catastrophic floods, droughts and storms, but it also impacts businesses operating in the affected communities. Companies around the world, and in nearly every sector, are increasingly acknowledging that climate change presents significant risks to the economy, while battling climate change may bring new opportunities for growth as well.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

We Lost Our Pigtails for National Foster Care Month

May 3, 2018 11:25 AM ET

Why did Wendy’s® remove the well-known pigtailed girl (or as we call it, the cameo) from our cup?

Events, Media & Communications

How Social Sustainability Can Change the Industry

May 3, 2018 11:10 AM ET

In this interview with Green Building + Design, Mohawk's VP of Sustainability discusses the lessons he has learned over time that helped him distrupt the industry.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Best Adoption-Friendly Workplace Survey Closing Soon

May 3, 2018 11:00 AM ET

Each year the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption recognizes employers in the United States that offer adoption benefits to their employees. Each year the Foundation is thrilled to see more and more companies recognizing the significance of adoption benefits. This time away from work allows families to bond and the financial reimbursement for private adoptions and international adoptions is critical to many families.