Impact & Sustainability News From Leading Brands

Energy

ALLETE Clean Energy's Diamond Spring Wind Project Will Provide Renewable Energy to Large Corporate Customers Including Smithfield Foods and Walmart

Jun 14, 2019 6:00 PM ET

ALLETE Clean Energy, a wholly owned subsidiary of ALLETE (NYSE: ALE), announced today a power sales agreement with Smithfield Foods, Inc. for the remaining output of the Diamond Spring wind site ALLETE Clean Energy will build, own and operate in Oklahoma.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Mohawk Group Honored with NeoCon Accolades Spanning Multiple Flooring Categories and Awards Programs

Jun 14, 2019 4:30 PM ET

Leading commercial flooring manufacturer Mohawk Group earned several awards this week in Chicago at NeoCon covering all major flooring categories, including carpet tile, broadloom, area rugs, resilient tile and resilient sheet. NeoCon is North America’s largest design exposition and conference for commercial interior design professionals, offering ideas and introductions that shape the built environment today and into the future.

Environment

A Better Way for Michigan

Jun 14, 2019 3:05 PM ET

Consumers Energy has a long term vision to create a more sustainable energy future for our state. Our Clean Energy Plan,* developed with a variety of Michigan stakeholders, is a path to reduce carbon emissions by more than 90 percent and end the use of coal as a fuel source for electricity by 2040. But we’re not waiting two decades to do our part for Michigan’s natural resources.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Ten Billion Dollars & Counting: Helping Small Businesses Globally

Jun 14, 2019 2:30 PM ET

For more than 20 years, PayPal has been helping small business owners achieve their dreams. In the beginning, we provided marketplace sellers with a secure way to accept electronic payments from buyers. In 2013, we started pursuing another path: providing our small business owners with much needed access to capital in order to grow. So, in response, we launched PayPal Working Capital as a way to bring our merchants the financing they so desperately needed.

Environment

Keep America Beautiful® 'Cigarette Litter Prevention Program'

Jun 14, 2019 2:00 PM ET

Keep America Beautiful®, the nation’s leading community improvement nonprofit organization, has taken aim at aggressively reducing cigarette litter and beautifying communities through its Cigarette Litter Prevention Program® (CLPP), which launched in 2002.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Alliance Data Named as a Forbes America’s Best Employer by State

Jun 14, 2019 1:35 PM ET

Diversity & Inclusion

JetBlue and RuPaul’s Drag Race Bring It to The Runway for World Pride as New York’s Hometown Airline® Celebrates Ongoing Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

Jun 14, 2019 1:20 PM ET

JetBlue today announced a series of special events and highlighted the airline’s ongoing support for various LGBTQ organizations throughout Pride Month – and throughout the year – as New York’s Hometown Airline celebrates World Pride.

Diversity & Inclusion

Schneider Electric: Building an Inclusive Culture for LGBT+ at Work

Jun 14, 2019 12:35 PM ET

Over the past few years, our company has adapted and improved the way to talk about Inclusion. Especially about LGBT+ communities. When I joined Schneider Electric in France, my partner and I had access to the same benefits as any other couple. Even before marriage was legal, the company was already one of the few to recognize all forms of unions.

Research, Reports & Publications

Water Meets "New Energy": Surging Renewables Have Utilities Eyeing Alternative Power Sources

Jun 14, 2019 12:30 PM ET

Water and energy systems long have been intrinsically intertwined, given electricity's entrenchment as one of a water or wastewater utility's biggest expenditures. But as water suppliers and wastewater service providers grapple with ways to reduce power costs, advance toward "green" energy and participate in the electric industry evolution, there's talk of "ner energy."

Environment

Painting A Blue Sky

Jun 14, 2019 12:10 PM ET

Shipping containers play a major role in global trade, helping companies around the world to move goods securely from A to B. However, until recently, containers manufactured in China were painted using solvent-heavy coatings. This endangered the health of local communities due to the release of high concentrations of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) into the atmosphere.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Different From Business As Usual: Unique Talent Management Principles in Inclusive Business

Jun 14, 2019 12:00 PM ET

Research, Reports & Publications

Public Consultation Period on the Latest AA1000 Assurance Standard Opened

Jun 14, 2019 11:45 AM ET

The latest revision of the AA1000 Assurance Standard, the AA1000AS (2019), has been initiated by AccountAbility for public consultation via a globally accessible web platform today. The AA1000AS (2019) is an internationally accepted, freely available standard that provides the requirements for AccountAbility licensed assurance providers to conduct good-quality sustainability assurance on sustainability disclosures by reporting organisations.

Research, Reports & Publications

Mike Bloomberg Introduces the 2019 Bloomberg Philanthropies Annual Report

Jun 14, 2019 11:05 AM ET

Mike Bloomberg issued his new letter on philanthropy today as part of the release of Bloomberg Philanthropies' 2019 annual report.

His lifetime giving now totals more than $8 billion.

He writes: “In the year ahead, as political candidates debate what to do in the future, we will work to improve the present by expanding our efforts."

Education

The Possibilities Lie Within Us

Jun 14, 2019 11:00 AM ET

Can you imagine the implications to the country and society if we were better able to harness and unleash the talent all around us? What if opportunity and culture unlocked the ambition and dreams of more people – young and old – to achieve their potential? We’re barely scratching the surface.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Being in the Zone: When Work Just Goes So Right

Jun 14, 2019 10:10 AM ET

I recently had the fortune to visit one of our customers, and this visit was unlike any other I’ve ever had. To understand how we got to this day in March, let me give you some flavor of how these experiences usually go for context.

There’s route one: Our sales team emails or calls and says, “Hey, our customer is asking what we do for sustainability.” Typically this happens in April — Earth Month, of course — and other times during quarterly customer reviews. They ask for a few slides or send a questionnaire. This is my most loathed format because, from my end, I don’t see much done with the data and these requests take time. The sales rep is concerned because the request is steep and the details are tough, especially for those who aren’t subject matter experts. They also want to make su

Events, Media & Communications

SC Johnson Brings Acclaimed “Love Sonia” Anti-Human Trafficking Film to Racine, Wisconsin

Jun 14, 2019 10:00 AM ET

SC Johnson hosted a screening of the acclaimed film “Love Sonia,” the story of a young girl’s journey to rescue her sister from the dangerous world of human trafficking after their debt-ridden father sells her into prostitution. Inspired by real-life events, the film is the directorial debut from “Slumdog Millionaire” producer Tabrez Noorani and exposes the disturbing issue of international human trafficking. The film was shown to an audience of law enforcement professionals, educators, medical professionals, community leaders and the general public at the company’s Golden Rondelle Theater in Racine, Wisconsin on Thursday, June 13.

Diversity & Inclusion

Paper Science Students Explore Personal Care Career Opportunities

Jun 14, 2019 9:45 AM ET

Paper science and engineering students from North Carolina State University saw more than just pulp and paper mills on this year’s Paper International Experience (PIE) trip to Domtar’s Personal Care operations in Toledo, Spain.

Diversity & Inclusion

The Rainbow Railroad

Jun 14, 2019 9:30 AM ET

More people today are living as refugees or displaced persons than at any time since the end of World War II1 and many of those seeking asylum are from the LGBTQ2+ community. In more than 70 countries around the world LGBTQ2+ people are facing extreme violence and persecution.2 They are looking for hope and a safe place to call home.

Research, Reports & Publications

Letter from Don Hall, CEO, Hallmark

Jun 14, 2019 9:10 AM ET

J. C. Hall once said, “If a man goes into business only with the idea of making a lot of money, chances are he won’t. But if he puts service and quality first, the money will take care of itself.”

Diversity & Inclusion

"Everyone Deserves to Feel Safe": Meet a Johnson & Johnson Leader Who's Proud to Be an Ally for the LGBTQ+ Community

Jun 14, 2019 9:05 AM ET

For Pride Month, Johnson & Johnson Executive Vice President Ashley McEvoy shares how the company stands behind its LGBTQ+ employees—and why a strong culture of diversity and inclusion is crucial to successfully finding solutions for the world's greatest healthcare problems.

Environment

NRPA and The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation Launch Nationwide Parks for Pollinators BioBlitz as Part of Gro More Good Initiative

Jun 14, 2019 9:00 AM ET

The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) and The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation will launch Parks for Pollinators BioBlitz, a program inspiring local parks to host a pollinator BioBlitz event during June in celebration of pollinator month to raise awareness and community involvement in the pollinator crisis.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Tetra Tech is #1 in Water for 16 Years

Jun 14, 2019 9:00 AM ET

Tetra Tech is Leading with Science® to deliver innovative solutions for its clients’ most challenging water problems around the world.

Research, Reports & Publications

Edison International 2018 Sustainability Report: Leading the Transformation with Clean Energy

Jun 14, 2019 9:00 AM ET

Cleaning the Power System: SCE is a national leader in clean energy and delivers power with only half of the GHG emissions per unit of electricity compared to the estimated U.S. average. In 2018, 46% of electricity that SCE delivered to customers came from carbon-free resources,6 more than halfway to the 80% we estimate is needed by 2030 to meet California’s climate change goals.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Smithfield Foods Donates Nearly 40,000 Pounds of Protein to FeedMore WNY

Jun 13, 2019 5:30 PM ET

Today, Smithfield Foods, Inc. and Tops Friendly Markets joined forces to donate nearly 40,000 pounds of protein to FeedMore WNY. Smithfield’s contribution was part of the company’s 2019 Helping Hungry Homes® donation tour.

Diversity & Inclusion

It’s Time for the Equality Act

Jun 13, 2019 5:15 PM ET

The month of June is LGBTQ Pride Month in the United States. Each year, Pride events are held nationwide in cities large and small, and for some people, it is the only occasion where they can be out and proud in their community. Pride festivals and parades are a celebration of the progress the LGBTQ community has made, but also a time to recognize the distance we still have to go to achieve full equality. This June, we’re excited to feature a guest post from Human Rights Campaign’s Liz Cooper.