Impact & Sustainability News From Leading Brands

Green Infrastructure

Consumers Energy Plans New Grand Rapids Headquarters

Mar 19, 2018 10:35 AM ET

Consumers Energy’s investment in West Michigan continues with plans announced today for a new $20 million headquarters in the city of Grand Rapids to serve the fastest-growing region of its company. Locating the building in the city’s West Side, a vibrant area seeing significant redevelopment centered on sustainability and walkability, is a promise to Consumers Energy’s employees of today and tomorrow.

Diversity & Inclusion

Las Vegas Sands Honors International Women's Day: Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

Mar 19, 2018 10:35 AM ET

In honor of International Women’s Day, Las Vegas Sands has chosen to highlight female Team Members in all of the regions in which we operate that have initiated change in their communities and the workplace. Here we recognize Christine Kaelbel-Sheares, Hazel Chan, and Chan Yit Foon.

Education

21 Savage and Get Schooled Launch the “21 Savage Bank Account” Campaign to Teach Teens Money Managing Basics

Mar 19, 2018 10:30 AM ET

Today, 21 Savage and Get Schooled launched, “21 Savage’s Bank Account,” a campaign to teach teens money basics. The campaign, announced on Ellen today, includes a digital badge, 21 Savages’ money tips for young moguls, as well as the opportunity for young people to receive $1,000 from 21 Savage’s Leading by Example Foundation to start their own bank account and gain knowledge in financial literacy. Savage is giving the first 21 accounts to deserving teens and people are encouraged to donate and sponsor for just $1,000 a kid at www.getschooled.com.

Education

How Barclays Helps Prepare People for the Workplace

Mar 19, 2018 10:25 AM ET

Innovation & Technology

Fostering a Secure Tomorrow

Mar 19, 2018 10:15 AM ET

Events, Media & Communications

In Search of the Next Generation of Sustainability Leaders

Mar 19, 2018 9:55 AM ET

GreenBiz Group, in partnership with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, is opening nominations for the 2018 class of "30 Under 30" honorees, showcasing the next generation of sustainable business leaders.

Diversity & Inclusion

JetBlue Encourages Young Aviators to #FlyLikeAGirl

Mar 19, 2018 9:30 AM ET

In celebration of Women’s History Month, last week JetBlue’s Women in Flight crewmember resource group, in partnership with the airline’s diversity & inclusion teams and the JetBlue Foundation, hosted its signature Fly Like a Girl event, bringing aspiring and youth from local organizations to JetBlue’s Hangar at New York’s JFK Airport. For the fourth year in a row, participants heard what it’s like to run an airline from female crewmembers representing careers below the wing, above the wing and everywhere in between.

At the event, the attendees participated in sessions throughout the day which included a crewmember Q&A, an airplane engine “show and tell,” and an opportunity to board an aircraft and sit in the Captain’s seat and a meet-and-greet with women pilots and inflight crewmembers.

Environment

Go Behind the Scenes of Fox’s “The X-Files” and Learn How Season 11 Went Green on Set

Mar 19, 2018 8:00 AM ET

The X-Files diverted 68% of its waste from landfill, avoided 19 metric tons of carbon emissions, and saved nearly $150,000 in the process. The production also introduced a new food donation program that distributed more than 2,500 meals to those in need in the Vancouver area, and has already encouraged other film and TV projects in the region to adopt similar programs.

Health & Healthcare

Breath for Life: The Johnson & Johnson Program That's Helping Eradicate Tuberculosis in Vietnam

Mar 18, 2018 10:00 AM ET

Le Van Giang doesn’t know if his family would be alive today were it not for an observant health worker at his local clinic.

In 2016, on a visit to get a persistent cough checked out, she suspected that Giang might have tuberculosis (TB)—a disease that has seriously burdened the healthcare system in Vietnam, with over 100,000 new cases identified in the country in 2016 alone.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Engaging Employees Through Volunteering Programs

Mar 16, 2018 7:20 PM ET

Companies in the LBG Canada network are engaging their employees through volunteering programs. Employee volunteering is an important aspect of community investment. LBG Canada companies are engaging their employees through both, during work hours and during non-work hours volunteering.

Innovation & Technology

International Committee of the Red Cross Uses AR to Show Reality of War

Mar 16, 2018 6:00 PM ET

Over the past few years, the topic of refugees has dominated the news. Despite the widespread conversation, the realities of wars in faraway places are still hard to grasp for most people. To help them better realize the effects of conflict, a few companies have recreated scenarios to give consumers a glimpse into how war affects people’s every day. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) just launched a new campaign to create an experience using today’s latest technology, allowing everyone, everywhere to immerse themselves in what is happening thousands of miles away.

Sustainable Development Goals

Global Trends Report on the Women’s Empowerment Principles Gender Gap Analysis Tool Launched by UN Global Compact, UN Women and IDB Invest at 2018 WEPs Forum

Mar 16, 2018 5:15 PM ET

Unleashing the full potential of women and girls by empowering them to be equal members of society has a multiplier effect on families, businesses, communities, and nations and is essential to achieving sustainable development. Today, in the spirit of advancing the crucial role of the private sector in achieving Goal 5: Gender Equality, the United Nations Global Compact, UN Women and the United Nations Office for Partnerships (UNOP) joined forces to organize the 2018 Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) Annual Forum — the premier event on gender equality for the private sector held each March as part of the annual session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).

Research, Reports & Publications

Business Sustainability 2.0: Market Transformation (Adapted from “The Next Phase of Business Sustainability” by Andy Hoffman)

Mar 16, 2018 4:00 PM ET

Education

Good Sports, FOX Sports Supports and FOX Sports "Magnify" Series Team up to Bring Sports Equipment to Chicago Youth

Mar 16, 2018 4:00 PM ET

Good Sports has teamed up with FOX Sports Supports and FOX Sports Films’ MAGNIFY documentary “Shot in the Dark,” providing sports and fitness opportunities to the youth of Chicago. Supporters of the initiative can visit www.goodsports.org/shotinthedark to personally handpick sports equipment that will be directly donated by Good Sports to the youth programs in Chicago. In addition, all donations made through the “Shot in the Dark” webpage will be matched up to $25,000 by 21st Century Fox.

Health & Healthcare

Meet the Scientist: Zaven Kaprielian, Director of Research in Neuroscience at Amgen Massachusetts

Mar 16, 2018 2:30 PM ET

I manage a team of Amgen Neuroscience Discovery Research scientists dedicated to developing new therapeutics for ALS and Parkinson’s disease. As part of this, I set the scientific strategy for my team, and identify and foster collaborations with academic labs/start-up biotech companies to strengthen our pipeline of innovative therapies and technologies. I also play a role in recruiting the next generation of Amgen scientists.

Diversity & Inclusion

VMware Diversity and Inclusion Update 2018

Mar 16, 2018 2:05 PM ET

This year, the conversation around diversity has been amplified. While progress is being made in the area of diversity and inclusion (D&I) from Hollywood to the C-suite, company diversity report releases alone won’t move the needle in our communities. Conversation – and action – need to take place every day.

Events, Media & Communications

What Purpose-Driven Leaders Can Learn from SXSW

Mar 16, 2018 1:30 PM ET

This week, individuals, executives and world figureheads convened in Austin for SXSW Interactive – a mammoth event where leaders shared ideas, solutions, innovations and a positive outlook for the future. Although the conference features a Social Impact track where activists, social enterprises and entertainers shared how they are creating solutions, the theme of Purpose extended far beyond this singular track.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Vetiver Together: Our Efforts, Continued

Mar 16, 2018 1:00 PM ET

In 2016, IFF and Unilever, in collaboration with Oxfam Great Britain, Heifer International and the Ford Foundation, launched Vetiver Together, a two-year pilot program aimed to improve the livelihoods of the vetiver farming communities, strengthen IFF’s vetiver supply chain and increase environmental conservation.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

CBRE Named to Center for Companies That Care's Honor Roll for Eleventh Consecutive Year

Mar 16, 2018 12:00 PM ET

CBRE Group, Inc. announced that it has been named to Center for Companies That Care’s Honor Roll for the 11th consecutive year. Center for Companies that Care recognizes employers for outstanding workplace practices and active community involvement.

Honor Roll employers are selected for their adherence to all 10 Characteristics of socially responsible employers. Each consistently makes meaningful investments in its employees and in society through community service.

“Respect, integrity, service and excellence are the foundations of our company values, and it shows in our dedication to our clients and in the way we volunteer our time and resources in the communities we serve,” said Jennifer Ashley, Global Director of Human Resources.

Health & Healthcare

Essity Launches Essential Initiatives to Empower People Around the Globe to Overcome Hygiene Barriers

Mar 16, 2018 11:45 AM ET

Essity has gathered insights and ignited the conversation around the role and importance of hygiene in a global perspective through our Hygiene Matters initiative since 2008.

To emphasize our commitment to health as well as hygiene, we’re renaming Hygiene Matters to become the Essentials Initiative, because for us, hygiene and health are essential for improving well-being for everybody, everywhere.

Events, Media & Communications

Final 2 Weeks for Early Bird Pricing!

Mar 16, 2018 11:30 AM ET

We're in the FINAL two weeks of Early Bird pricing to attend the 2018 Sustainability and Circular Economy Summit May 9—10 in Washington, D.C.! Register before March 30 to get the lowest rates.

Supply Chain & the Circular Economy

Fighting e-Waste with Dell Corporate Savvy and Art

Mar 16, 2018 11:15 AM ET

A mix of Dell’s international e-waste recycling and the very expert Benjamin Von Wong’s artistic skills can make a big point about a big issue. E-waste is one of the big new plagues in the environment, and it MUST be managed well.

Education

Taco Bell Partners With Guild to Expand Education Support to Its Entire System of Team Members

Mar 16, 2018 11:05 AM ET

Taco Bell today announced that it’s partnering with Guild Education to provide education support for all 210,000 team members in its system of 7,000 restaurants in the U.S. As one of Guild’s largest partners to offer education benefits across its entire system, Taco Bell team members will have access to personalized college advisors and tuition discounts for thousands of classes, certificates and degrees from day one of their career at Taco Bell.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Timberland X Thread: Meet Mirlande

Mar 16, 2018 11:00 AM ET

Global outdoor lifestyle brand Timberland recently released three new Timberland X Thread men’s footwear styles for spring, made with Thread’s recycled Ground to Good™ fabric. Each product made with Thread™ fabric supports a vibrant network of dignified jobs in the developing world - jobs for Haitian entrepreneurs like Mirlande Joseph.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

PYXERA Global Announces New Board Members

Mar 16, 2018 11:00 AM ET

Washington DC (March 16, 2018) PYXERA Global is pleased to announce that Ladan Manteghi, Global Partner Network Director at the Social Progress Imperative, and Kavilash Chawla, Partner at Baton Global has joined its board of directors.