News from Leading Brands

Keep up with the latest impact news from companies embracing the triple bottom line, shared via 3BL's publishing platform.

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Environment

GM Recycles Water Bottles to Make Chevy Equinox Part

General Motors is turning its employees’ recycled water bottles into a new life: noise-reducing fabric insulation that covers the Chevrolet Equinox engine. The bottles – collected from five of its Michigan facilities – are also being turned into air filtration components and insulation in coats for the homeless community.

Diversity & Inclusion

At White House Event Sodexo Announces Exceeding Leadership Gender Balance Goals

Sodexo, world leader in Quality of Life Services, announced today that it exceeded its 2015 goal to have women comprise at least 25 percent of its top 200 leadership positions globally by 6 percentage points; achieving 31 percent. The company made the announcement at a White House Diversity and Inclusion Roundtable, where it also announced higher targets of 35 percent by 2020 and 40 percent by 2025.

Events, Media & Communications

Taproot Foundation Convenes Corporate Social Responsibility Leaders and Pro Bono Providers for the 5th Annual U.S. Pro Bono Summit, April 13th & 14th, Los Angeles

This week the Taproot Foundation is convening the 5th annual U.S. Pro Bono Summit in Los Angeles, a two-day convening of cross-sector leaders who are committed to connecting business professionals who volunteer their time and expertise (pro bono) to nonprofit organizations who benefit from this support to achieve their missions. These skilled volunteers are filling gaps in areas like marketing, finance, IT, and HR for under-resourced social change organizations across the country. The Summit is a forum to share best practices and challenges to ensure delivery of high-quality pro bono service and is generously supported by pro bono enthusiasts and advocates KPMG LLP, Prudential Financial, Inc., Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Warner Bros.

Diversity & Inclusion

Jordan Spieth’s Masters Meltdown Can Teach Us How to Handle a Bad Day at the Office

On Sunday, golfer Danny Willet of England earned his first Masters win at Augusta National. It was a great day for Willet, whose wife had given birth to the couple’s first child just twelve days before.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

2015 Bloomberg Impact Report Update

Since our founding in 1981, Bloomberg has been guided by the principle that making markets more transparent empowers investors, fuels entrepreneurs, and supports economic growth. As new developments in markets arise, we are committed to making sure that our clients have the tools they need to understand them—and act on them. Sustainability, especially as it relates to climate change, is a great example.

Events, Media & Communications

14 Sessions to Make the Circular Economy Work for You

Hosted in partnership with The Ellen MacArthur Foundation and PYXERA Global, Better Business, Better World: Mainstreaming the Circular Economy will convene more than 300 private and public sector leaders to identify practical and scalable ideas and solutions for putting the circular economy in motion.

Innovation & Technology

On the Road to Autonomous Driving, Toyota Establishes Ever Deeper Roots in Ann Arbor Tech Community with Third US Research Facility

Dr. Gill Pratt, CEO of the Toyota Research Institute (TRI), announced recently that Toyota will establish its third TRI facility in the U.S.

Environment

Smart Cities Mission Supports Indian Program

In early February 2016, 18 US companies led by US Deputy Secretary of Commerce Bruce Andrews visited the Indian cities of New Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai as part of the executive-led Smart Cities Infrastructure Business Development Mission.

Responsible Production & Consumption

EU Conflict Minerals Update

A mandatory certification process for Conflict Minerals in the European Union is critical. Any voluntary certification that is put in place leads to a grey area for compliance reporting, and the regulation will not serve its purpose.

Environment

Carbon Emissions and Food Waste Reduced with Baldor’s SparCs Program

The White House Climate Change Plan to Reduce Methane Emissions identified landfills as being responsible for 18% of all methane emissions and approximately 100 million metric tons of carbon dioxide pollution. [1] Baldor Specialty Foods, a leading produce distributor in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states based in the Bronx, NY, is on a mission to reduce these numbers by tackling the overwhelming problem of food waste in the United States.

Responsible Production & Consumption

LEED v4 Adopts Living Future's Declare Label

On April 4, 2016, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced that the Living Future Institute’s Declare label is now an approved pathway for Option 1 of the Building Product Optimization and Disclosure, Material Ingredients credit for LEED v4. Declare labels with ingredient disclosure greater than 1,000ppm now comply with the LEED v4 credit requirements.

Education

Exploring, and Learning, Across Borders

At AT&T we are passionate about supporting education beyond the classroom.

To me, world travel is one of the most impactful learning experiences you can have during your formative years. When I was 16, I was lucky enough to travel with a group of fellow students to a remote island off the coast of Panama to help build a new school. The four weeks I spent on Arritupo completely changed my perspective on the world and inspired me to pursue a career that would enable me to give back.

Environment

Water Conservation: A Way to Make Waves in Your Industry

It’s no surprise that water is at the core of the United Nations’ new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), given its connection to health, climate change and resiliency. The SDGs seek to improve water quality and to substantially increase recycling and safe reuse globally by 2030.

Increasing the efficiency of water consumption at the industry level will help address these goals and also reduce scarcity issues. From using stormwater to flush toilets to installing low-flow nozzles where appropriate, conserving water will drive efficiency and also help companies save money. Here are some ways businesses can get started.

Research, Reports & Publications

Shape Culture, Drive Strategy: From Deloitte's Global Human Capital Trends 2016 Report

Culture has become one of the most important business topics of 2016. CEOs and HR leaders now recognize that culture drives people’s behavior, innovation, and customer service.

Events, Media & Communications

Enel Partners with GRI at 2016 Global Conference

Global power company Enel has partnered with international sustainability standard-setter GRI ahead of the 5th GRI Global Conference: Empowering Sustainable Decisions, which takes place in Amsterdam 18-20 May, 2016.

Environment

The Relationship Between Corporate Sustainability and Human Development

By: Bahar Gidwani

A number of years ago, CSRHub showed that its measures of corporate sustainability correlate with the level of development of countries. For that study, we used the United Nations Human Development Index (HDI). We found a correlation of 28% for 27 developed countries, but poor correlation with human conditions in less developed countries.

Events, Media & Communications

Going At It Alone

Sometimes boldly going where no brand has gone before can be a lonely voyage. Three multibillion-dollar companies, that received accolades for taking an early and socially progressive stance on controversial issues, have publicly acknowledged they expected their competitors to follow suit sooner.

Events, Media & Communications

Municipal Credit Union to Bring Technology, Financial Literacy Seminars to Brooklyn Generation School

Municipal Credit Union (MCU) brings technology (including iPads) to Brooklyn Generation School. This support will help the school's 300 students and 30 teachers better prepare for STEAM focused fields, as well as enhance their classroom education experiences. After the technology is revealed, MCU executives will lead financial literacy presentations for the school's students and also participate in a job and career panel as part of the school's Visiting Professionals Day.

Social Impact & Volunteering

The Employee Volunteerism Dividend: How Volunteering Can Foster Talent Development

Employee volunteer programs are often seen as a great way to promote social good, while increasing employees’ sense of connection with their company’s mission and purpose, thereby driving engagement. But there’s another dimension to company-sponsored volunteerism that may be just as powerful in energizing your workforce – it can provide employees with a meaningful and effective way to develop their talents and build their careers.

Environment

Sustainable Agriculture Standard Stakeholder Comment Period Announced

SCS announces 60-day stakeholder comment period for its Sustainably Grown Standard V2.0, the updated version of its well-regarded Sustainable Agriculture Standard.

Education

Meet the Scientist: Margaret Chu-Moyer’s Unexpected Path to Biotech

This profile is a part of the Amgen Foundation’s “Meet the Scientists” series, where we invite students and teachers to learn more about a scientist at Amgen and the work they do to create lifesaving medicines. Join the conversation by sharing your own experiences with @AmgenFoundation and @Amgen.

Research, Reports & Publications

Historical Introduction

Latest Campaigns

  1. AEG's Commitment to Social Impact and Volunteerism
    AEG embraces its responsibility to enrich the lives of people in the communities around the world where we do business, and to use business to create...
  2. Southwire Giving Back
    Our neighbors depend on us, just as we depend on them, so we are committed to improving the quality of life in the communities in which we work. At...
  3. Carbon Footprint
    We are accelerating our efforts to help build a low-carbon economy and avert the worst impacts of climate change. Our goal to reduce our GHG emissions...
  4. Environmental Sustainability
    As sustainability leaders, we implement our sustainability strategy across all company activities along the entire value chain, from raw materials to...
  5. Corporate Social Responsibility
    Corporate Social Responsibility
  6. Sustainability Report
    Our latest Sustainability Report highlights recent accomplishments and progress toward achieving goals in the environmental, social and governance...
  7. Kingfisher Around the World
    The SCS Kingfisher certification mark is showing up on an increasing number of products around the world. It differentiates companies that are making...
  8. License to Operate
    Corporate governance, risk management, operational integrity, and regulatory compliance are demanding challenges that companies face in today’s ever...
  9. IWBI | WELL Building Standard
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  10. Leading ESG & Sustainability Stewardship
    The new CNH continues on its longstanding path of excellence in sustainability, which is recognized by the foremost authorities.
  11. Green Mountain Energy Commitment to Sustainability
    At Green Mountain Energy Company, we share our customers’ commitment to the environment and sustainability. We are inspired by the success that we...
  12. KeyBank's Community Investment
    In states where Key has a presence, there are approximately 1.7 million low- to moderate-income (LMI) households. Many LMI individuals don’t have bank...
  13. SustainabilityHQ.com Weekly Highlights
    Highlighting the top news, commentary, and research for the week coming from SHQ. The highlights newsletter also spotlights one profiled organization...
  14. Responsible Investing
    Responsible Investing
  15. FedEx | Awards & Recognition
    We are consistently ranked among the world’s most admired brands and employers. Read more about honors and recognition for FedEx’s ongoing effort to...