Impact & Sustainability News From Leading Brands

Green Infrastructure

Building Affordable Homes to Empower Communities

Jan 27, 2017 8:10 AM ET

Affordable home builder and Business Call to Action (BctA) member ¡Échale! a Tu Casa has made an ambitious new pledge to provide 12,500 new low-income clients with access to sustainable housing solutions and financing in Mexico by 2022.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Bacardi Goes Eco-Friendly for Major Lazer

Jan 27, 2017 8:05 AM ET

For the recently staged Major Lazer and Friends EDM event, title sponsor Bacardi rolled out an environmentally friendly campaign that patrons were able to appreciate. The company introduced a line of premium cold drink cups, made entirely from plants. The Greenware is made from Ingeo(TM_ biopolymer and is 100 per cent compostable.

Social Impact & Volunteering

How Cargill and Heifer International are Helping Poultry Farmers Thrive in China’s Sichuan Province

Jan 27, 2017 8:05 AM ET

In agricultural towns throughout the world, prospering farmers make for strong communities. Everywhere we operate, we strive to be much more than just a feed dealer. We seek to give farmers the best solutions to help grow their operations and livelihoods, and to make a positive impact through our operations, our business expertise, our employees’ time and skills, our partnerships, and our charitable giving.

Education

Meet Amgen Scholars Alumni Danielle Spitzer

Jan 27, 2017 7:30 AM ET

Ninth-grade was when the fire was lit. As soon as I took an intro biology class, I knew I wanted to keep studying this. Throughout high school, I continued taking biology courses and my senior year, my biology teacher—an amazing mentor—gave me a desk in the back of the classroom and said, “Design an experiment.” The experiment itself didn’t work out, but I feel like that’s a good way to start off in science.

Social Impact & Volunteering

TQL Sees Record High Employee Participation in 2016 Annual Goodness Campaign

Jan 26, 2017 7:45 PM ET

Total Quality Logistics, the second largest freight brokerage firm in North America, achieved a record-high participation rate of 75% in its 2016 annual employee giving campaign – its inaugural year using a new charitable giving software platform. Noting a strong desire to connect employees with the charities that are most meaningful to them, TQL selected Benevity’s award-winning workplace giving solution, Spark, to power the company’s TQL Cares program.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Aloha Charlotte - A Make-A-Wish Reveal with VSP Global

Jan 26, 2017 7:35 PM ET

Responsible Production & Consumption

Additional Non-Financial Disclosure Requirements for EU Companies in Effect This Year

Jan 26, 2017 6:30 PM ET

Starting this year, large companies based in the European Union will need to disclose additional non-financial information in their annual reports, specifically policies, risks and outcomes related to environmental issues, respect for human rights and anti-corruption.

Research, Reports & Publications

Study Finds Executives Meet Key Business Goals Through Corporate Citizenship

Jan 26, 2017 4:30 PM ET

Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship is pleased to release the 2017 State of Corporate Citizenship, a unique research report that examines how executives view corporate citizenship in both business and global contexts, and identifies the topics and issues they find most important.

Innovation & Technology

The Current State of Machine Intelligence 3.0

Jan 26, 2017 4:30 PM ET

Environment

21CF’s Vijay Sudan Talks Waste, Responsible Sourcing and Fox’s Green Production History With Greenbiz’s Joel Makower

Jan 26, 2017 4:00 PM ET

On the latest episode of the GreenBiz 350 podcast, GreenBiz executive editor Joel Makower interviewed 21st Century Fox’s VP of Social Impact Vijay Sudan about the company’s efforts to green its film and television productions. Vijay spoke about the studio’s recent production achievements, such as 24: Live Another Day’s success at becoming the first TV series to use 100% FSC-certified lumber for set construction, as well as the company’s ongoing efforts to manage waste.

Research, Reports & Publications

Republic Services Announces $230 Million Economic Impact in Nevada

Jan 26, 2017 3:35 PM ET

Republic Services, Inc. (NYSE: RSG) announced today the results of a study of its annual economic impact in the state of Nevada. The study measures the direct and indirect economic impact of the Company’s subsidiaries and operations statewide in 2015, including tax revenues, payroll expenditures and supplier purchases, as well as multiplier effects when income is reinvested into the local economy.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Ashley Hall Turns from Desperate to Successful

Jan 26, 2017 3:30 PM ET

Ashley Hall personifies a life transformed. Hall, 36, a native of Anderson, S.C., fell on hard times in 2010 during the recession when her then-husband’s contracting business ground to a halt. She needed help feeding her two young children.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

General Mills Recognized as World Leader for Corporate Action on Climate Change

Jan 26, 2017 3:30 PM ET

General Mills has been recognized as a global climate leader and has been named to the CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project) Climate A-List, Supplier Engagement Leader Board and Supplier Climate A-List. The company is among the 9 percent of global corporations participating in CDP’s climate change program to be awarded a position on the Climate A-List, in recognition of its performance and actions to reduce emissions and mitigate climate change in the past reporting year.

Health & Healthcare

What You Need to Know About Norovirus

Jan 26, 2017 2:45 PM ET

Environment

Demand vs. Desire: New Guide Reframes Ivory Consumption Challenge

Jan 26, 2017 1:15 PM ET

Demand vs. Desire: New WWF Guide Reframes Ivory Consumption Challenge
A first-of-its-kind guide released by World Wildlife Fund today suggests tackling the ivory trade requires a deeper understanding of consumers' underlying desires.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Cox Enterprises Donates $50,000 to American Red Cross for South Georgia Tornado Victims

Jan 26, 2017 1:00 PM ET

Cox Enterprises, in partnership with The James M. Cox Foundation, announced today a combined cash donation of $50,000 to the American Red Cross to assist the relief and recovery efforts of the communities affected by the recent tornadoes in South Georgia.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Desert Rain House in Oregon Earns First-ever Residential Living Building Certification

Jan 26, 2017 1:00 PM ET

The Desert Rain House located in Bend, Oregon, has become the first residential compound to earn Living Building certification, the most ambitious and optimistic international standard of sustainability in the world. Developed by the International Living Future Institute, the Living Building Challenge certification requires actual, rather than modeled or anticipated, performance across environmental, social and community impact.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

MGM Resorts International Honored for its Support of Women-owned Businesses

Jan 26, 2017 12:05 PM ET

Our commitment to providing women-owned businesses with opportunities for economic participation and growth is among the reasons MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) was named one of America’s Top Corporations for Women’s Business Enterprises in 2016.

Events, Media & Communications

More Than Ever, Social Value Matters

Jan 26, 2017 11:50 AM ET

Want to drive change? How about maximize the value of your impact? Join Social Value International for Social Value Matters 2017, April 10th and 11th in Istanbul, Turkey.

Responsible Production & Consumption

BIER Releases New Framework to Support Water Stewardship in the Beverage Industry

Jan 26, 2017 11:40 AM ET

Ensuring the sustainability and quality of the world’s water supply is of paramount importance—and the beverage industry has a vital role to play in water stewardship efforts.

Health & Healthcare

Anthem and its Foundation Tackle Some of Missouri’s Most Complex Health Needs in 2016

Jan 26, 2017 11:15 AM ET

Everyday countless nonprofits across the country are working hard to improve the health of our communities. The Anthem Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Anthem, Inc. recognizes the impact these organizations are making and shares a common goal for a healthier generation of Americans.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Navigating Change with Skills-Based Volunteering

Jan 26, 2017 10:45 AM ET

January always lends itself to predictions about hot trends in the year to come. Indeed, if you look up “2017 CSR and sustainability trends” in your search engine right now, you’ll see a collection of insightful articles sharing expert (and of course widely divergent) opinions on what’s in store for us over the next twelve months. This January, though, in the face of a starkly different administration in Washington D.C., the social sector is looking at an even more uncertain, unpredictable climate. This has the Common Impact team thinking less about trends, and more about how to practically navigate the twists and turns ahead.

Education

Who Are Today's "Hidden Figures"?

Jan 26, 2017 9:40 AM ET

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Cone Communications Announced as Key Speaker at Jewelry Industry Summit

Jan 26, 2017 9:30 AM ET

Cone Communications will be heading to Tucson, AZ to participate in the second Jewelry Industry Summit January 29-30. The two-day conference will facilitate an open forum between stakeholders of the jewelry industry on sustainable and responsible sourcing.

Environment

Dr Pepper Snapple Group and Keep America Beautiful Kick Off Fifth Year of Recycling Partnership

Jan 26, 2017 9:00 AM ET

The Dr Pepper Snapple Group/Keep America Beautiful Park Recycling Bin Grant program opened its 2017 application process today, offering new opportunities to make recycling convenient for communities across the country.