Impact & Sustainability News From Leading Brands

Innovation & Technology

What Does a City of One Million People on Mars Look Like?

Sep 6, 2018 12:10 PM ET

For the past year, creative professionals, students, space geeks—even families—have been creating their visions for a metropolis on the fourth planet from the sun. The final winners of the HP Mars Home Planet challenge were announced today by HP and unveiled in a VR experience at SIGGRAPH 2018, an annual computer graphics convention, in Vancouver.

Energy

Sysco to Source 20% of Electricity from Renewable Sources by 2025

Sep 6, 2018 12:00 PM ET

By 2025, we will source 20 percent of electricity from renewable sources. One of the ways we will achieve this is with our multi-site solar garden project, which will support approximately 10 percent of Sysco’s electricity usage.

Innovation & Technology

PepsiCo Launches Nutrition Greenhouse Program to Support Food and Beverage Brands Driving Change in North America

Sep 6, 2018 12:00 PM ET

PepsiCo announced today the launch of its Nutrition Greenhouse accelerator program in North America, an innovation initiative designed to discover and support emerging brands in the food and beverage sector. The North American program follows the launch of PepsiCo's Nutrition Greenhouse in Europe, now in its second year. In 2017, eight start-ups in the European program delivered an estimated combined sales growth of over €10 million – a fourfold increase throughout the duration of the 6-month program.

Environment

A Watershed Moment: Regulatory Changes in Mexico

Sep 6, 2018 11:40 AM ET

Antea Group’s blog discusses Mexico’s 10 Presidential Decrees, eliminating the concept of restricted areas around water exploitation.

Energy

Ingersoll Rand Unveils Solar Power System at New Jersey Manufacturing Plant As Part of Its Global Climate Commitment

Sep 6, 2018 11:30 AM ET

Ingersoll Rand (NYSE:IR), a world leader in creating comfortable, sustainable and efficient environments, announced that a 1,990 kW GE Solar PV power system is now online and generating power at its 430,000 square-foot manufacturing facility in Trenton, N.J.

The solar power system marks another milestone in Ingersoll Rand’s Global Climate Commitment, which includes a 35-percent reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint from its operations by 2020.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Mary Barra Shares Progress Made Toward an All-Electric Future

Sep 6, 2018 11:20 AM ET

In a recent LinkedIn post General Motors Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mary Barra, outlined our progress toward an all-electric future. Along with our efforts to support industry standards and policies that will bolster EV development, partnering with utilities, states and others to build a robust infrastructure and helping to increase consumer awareness, we’re moving forward on bringing more electric vehicles to market.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Sometimes You Need a Helping Hand

Sep 6, 2018 11:15 AM ET

In December of last year, Wendy’s launched WeCare: an employee assistance fund designed to provide short-term financial assistance to members of the Wendy’s family experiencing financial need due to federally or state-declared natural disasters. We’re proud to offer this new benefit to our system and hope that WeCare will be a straightforward way for Wendy’s people to help Wendy’s people during difficult times.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Advancing and Assessing Our Legacy of Good

Sep 6, 2018 10:55 AM ET

How do we quantify the positive social and environmental benefits of using Dell technology? How do we quantify the negative impacts? And how do we compare the two? We’ve been diligently pursuing the answers to these questions as we work toward Dell’s biggest 2020 Legacy of Good goal: By 2020, the good that will come from our technology will be 10x what it takes to create and use it.

Diversity & Inclusion

Women Rock-IT: Female Role Models Matter

Sep 6, 2018 10:50 AM ET

Coupled with our drive to attract female talent at Cisco, we sought a way to inspire girls toward technology careers. And while we knew it would be a huge challenge, it’s one we gladly pursued. So was born the Women Rock-IT program, which is now in its fourth year and seeing tremendous results.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Symantec and YearUp Mentor Young Adults to Move Into Meaningful Careers

Sep 6, 2018 10:40 AM ET

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Barclays in the News: Changing the World

Sep 6, 2018 9:45 AM ET

Barclays has been named in Fortune magazine’s annual Change the World list for its innovative business practices and efforts to cultivate a “thriving society and planet”.

Green Infrastructure

Sustainability in Sync at the UFI Educational Forum

Sep 6, 2018 9:20 AM ET

Pranav Jampani, director of Sustainability for The Venetian and The Palazzo in Las Vegas, shared a presentation on “Sustainability in Sync: How IMEX, Sands Expo/The Venetian/The Palazzo, and GES collaborate to deliver innovative green solutions” at the 8th Union of International Fairs Educational Forum on Sustainable Development.

Green Infrastructure

Operational Efficiency Builds Sustainable Future at Plymouth Mill

Sep 6, 2018 9:15 AM ET

In 2017, Domtar set forth a vision to establish our pulp business as a growth driver for the company. Since then, the pulp leadership team has enacted tangible plans to optimize and improve operational efficiency at Domtar’s core pulp mills through a combination of capital investments and continuous improvement projects with the goal to grow the business into a world-class global supplier with strong long-term customer partnerships.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Pledging Support for Our Troops and Team Members

Sep 6, 2018 9:00 AM ET

Senior Master Sgt. George Valencia was only supposed to be deployed stateside as an Air Force reservist for six months, but it eventually turned into 18 months. While some of his fellow troops were concerned about what an extended deployment might do to their full-time jobs and pay, Valencia knew as a Wells Fargo team member, his job was secure.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Sodexo Named as One of the Top 40 Companies Hiring for Flexible Jobs

Sep 6, 2018 9:00 AM ET

Sodexo, a food services and facilities management company committed to improving Quality of Life, announced today the organization’s ranking as one of the Top 40 Companies Hiring for Flexible Jobs. This recognition follows Sodexo’s ranking on the FlexJobs’ Top 100 Companies to Watch for Remote Jobs in 2018 list.

Sustainable Development Goals

Tetra Tech’s Lamine Cisse Wins Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Superstar Award

Sep 6, 2018 9:00 AM ET

Tetra Tech recognized Lamine Cisse with the Superstar award for his stellar performance and work in the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) sector.

Tetra Tech’s biannual MEL Superstar award recognizes outstanding performance of an individual or team working in the MEL sector. The winner demonstrates initiative and remarkable performance building MEL capacity among staff, partners, and beneficiaries.

This year we recognized Tetra Tech’s Lamine Cisse as the MEL Superstar for his involvement in the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded West Africa Biodiversity and Climate Change (WA-BiCC) program for providing outstanding leadership, management, and technical guidance to potential grantees.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

MGM Resorts Foundation Now Accepting Nonprofit Grant Proposals for the 2018 – 2019 Community Grant Fund Program

Sep 5, 2018 7:30 PM ET

The MGM Resorts Foundation will accept nonprofit grant applications through its online portal until September 28, 2018. Nonprofits to submit applications online at www.mgmresortsfoundation.org

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Bristol-Myers Squibb Kicks Off Coast 2 Coast 4 Cancer Ride to Fundraise for the V Foundation for Cancer Research

Sep 5, 2018 6:15 PM ET

Today, for the fifth year in a row, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY) is launching Coast 2 Coast 4 Cancer, a nearly month-long cross-country bike ride to raise money for cancer research. From September 5-25, 109 company employees will ride a total of nearly 3,000 miles from Cannon Beach, OR, to Long Branch, NJ with the goal of raising $1 million for the V Foundation for Cancer Research. Funds raised will be matched dollar for dollar by Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, up to a $500,000 maximum donation.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

SAP Launches Multi-Company Collaboration to Support Agenda 2030 Through Skilled Volunteering

Sep 5, 2018 5:30 PM ET

Building on their extensive experience to deploy employees to address some of the most challenging problems in the world, SAP announced Wednesday at the United Nations Headquarters the establishment of the “Corporate Champions for Education,” a multi-company, cross industry collaboration to send skilled corporate volunteers into short-term assignments in underserved communities.

Environment

Harvesting the Best Farm Bill Possible (Part 1)

Sep 5, 2018 5:30 PM ET

As the House and Senate debate a final, compromise farm bill, they should consider the long term sustainability of our food supply, the global competitiveness of our major food companies, and the success of farmers adopting new conservation practices.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Merck Ranked No. 2 in Fortune Magazine’s 2018 “Change the World” List

Sep 5, 2018 4:40 PM ET

Fortune magazine has released its latest "Change the World" list, a ranking of 57​ companies that are doing well by doing good. Merck ranked second on the list for our leadership role in the fight against Ebola, including our experimental Ebola vaccine and our support for humanitarian organizations involved in Ebola relief and recovery efforts.

Research, Reports & Publications

Hormel Foods Shares Food Journey Progress in 12th Annual Corporate Responsibility Report

Sep 5, 2018 4:35 PM ET

Hormel Foods Corporation today announced the launch of its 12th annual corporate responsibility (CR) report.

The report is available online at https://csr.hormelfoods.com/ and includes information about the company’s CR progress in fiscal 2017.

“We are proud of the progress we have made as a leading corporate citizen in our industry,” said Jim Snee, chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer of Hormel Foods, in his letter in the report. “At Hormel Foods, we know that building social value and creating economic value are not competing goals, and we are inspired to do our part in making the world a better place."

Social Impact & Volunteering

Keep America Beautiful’s National Planting Day Kicks off Sept. 8

Sep 5, 2018 4:30 PM ET

Keep America Beautiful, the nation’s iconic community improvement nonprofit organization, is mobilizing Americans to bolster their local ecosystems by planting native species of trees, shrubs and plants for its seventh annual National Planting Day.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

MilliporeSigma Recognized for Efforts to Fight Hunger Worldwide

Sep 5, 2018 4:15 PM ET

During a weeklong meal packing program, MilliporeSigma employees at sites in Milwaukee, St. Louis, Missouri and Temecula, California, prepared 65,000 meals to be distributed to communities worldwide. Additionally, 100 employees — including the Life Science Executive Team (LSET) — packed approximately 22,000 meals in Germany earlier this year. The Rise Against Hunger organization estimates that MilliporeSigma’s contributions have impacted the lives of more than 4,500 individuals in 11 countries.

Environment

Graham Sinclair on Sustainable Financial Markets

Sep 5, 2018 4:10 PM ET

There is a nearly constant scroll of bad news passing before our eyes, from rampant income inequality and raging wildfires to climate devastation and white nationalists in the Oval Office. Somehow, though, the stock market just keeps chugging along. Corporate profits are up, so in the eyes of the average news consumer, the economy is “strong.” But what factors are we missing in this declaration of strength?