Impact & Sustainability News From Leading Brands

Responsible Production & Consumption

The Value of Food, Responsible Consumption and Fighting Against Food Waste: Costa Cruises Food Waste Reduction Project

May 30, 2019 1:00 PM ET

Costa Cruises has put food issue at the very heart of its sustainable development strategy, focusing in particular on the objective on cutting food waste.

Responsible Production & Consumption

How Brands are Empowering Consumers to Accelerate Change

May 30, 2019 1:00 PM ET

A month ago, Paris hosted the first European Sustainable Brands conference during a volatile time for the region; the grassroots Gilets Jaunes (Yellow Vests) movement protesting high taxes and economic inequality in the French capital, young people from the Youth Strike 4 Climate movement organizing protests in various UK cities and the disastrous fire at Notre Dame cathedral bringing modern philanthropy back to the debate table. With over 3,000 attendees representing a mix of entrepreneurs, start-ups, non-profits, and brand managers of large companies, it was an inspiring and refreshing experience.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

100 New Young Leaders Join the Journey Towards Zero Hunger

May 30, 2019 12:30 PM ET

Bayer is excited to announce that it has selected the 100 participants, coming from 45 countries, for the fourth edition of the Youth Ag Summit. The 2019 Summit will take place in Brasilia, Brazil from November 4-6, in partnership with Nuffield Brazil.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Hawesville Mill’s Continuous Improvement Projects Deliver Results

May 30, 2019 12:30 PM ET

Five years after the introduction of a transformative barge unloading system, our Hawesville Mill continues to embark on projects that help increase reliability and performance in producing pulp and paper. These continuous improvement projects are saving time, reducing costs, increasing efficiency and lowering our environmental impact.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Bacardi and Mercy Corps Dive into Puerto Rico Clean Up Efforts

May 30, 2019 11:45 AM ET

The two dive activities resulted in the collection of 500 pounds of trash, including anchors, fishing sinkers and hooks. Dive teams also removed fishing line that became tangled during the 2017 hurricane season. Not only is the line unsafe for tourists and locals looking for a refreshing swim, but also for hawksbill turtles which live in the area and are on the endangered species list.

Research, Reports & Publications

JetBlue Focuses on Long-Term Emissions Strategy, Climate Risk Management and Innovation

May 30, 2019 11:30 AM ET

The report details JetBlue’s long-term strategy – mitigating ESG risk, investing in more fuel-efficient aircraft and technology and fueling the aviation talent pipeline of the future.

Environment

Can Greta Bring Moral and Financial Responsibility Into the Climate Conversation?

May 30, 2019 10:25 AM ET

The type of awareness that Greta has raised for climate change is unprecedented. No one could have anticipated that a 15 year old girl from Sweden sitting alone outside of the Swedish parliament could have turned that single action into a worldwide movement. But she did and the reason it worked is that it was a genuine stand against a ruling class that stopped paying attention to the 99%. I think we need to be very mindful to not tell young people who have the most to lose, what they need to do, what is achievable and what will work.

Innovation & Technology

AERA Launches Luxury Line of Vegan Footwear That Delivers on Promise of Sustainable Fashion

May 30, 2019 10:05 AM ET

Today, AERA announces its inaugural collection of luxury shoes for both men and women that offsets both its carbon footprint and water footprint by 110%. Produced in partnership with two multigenerational family-owned factories in the Veneto region of Italy, the company marries artisanal shoemaking with its commitment to social responsibility and environmental stewardship.

Innovation & Technology

HEULIEZ BUS Wins Major Order for Electric Buses From the Paris Public Transport Operator, RATP

May 30, 2019 10:00 AM ET

The order, worth €133 million was signed in May 2019 and is the largest fully electric bus order to date for Heuliez Bus, a brand of CNH Industrial N.V. (NYSE: CNHI / MI: CNHI). The vehicles will be delivered over a period of two years starting in 2020. The inclusion of HEULIEZ BUS in the largest European tender for electric buses to be launched thus far by RATP and financed by IDFM, reinforces the brand’s position at the forefront in this specialized field.

Education

An Introduction to Money Matters

May 30, 2019 9:30 AM ET

It is estimated that nearly one-third of wealth inequality in the United States can be explained by the financial-knowledge gap1 – the distance between one’s financial goal, such as buying a first home or planning for retirement and knowing the right choices that need to be made to get there. As products and services evolve during the digital age, knowing which choices to make can be more complicated.

Responsible Production & Consumption

‘Last 10% is always the hardest’: Inside General Mills’ push for sourcing, agriculture and communities

May 30, 2019 9:15 AM ET

According to its 2019 Global Responsibility Report, the Minneapolis, Minnesota-based company sources 85% of its top ten ingredients in responsible ways.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

How Splunk’s First Giving Campaign Turned a Modest Budget into Major Impact

May 30, 2019 9:15 AM ET

Data company Splunk kicked off its first company-wide giving campaign with a modest budget. The result? Engaging 61% of their workforce across 33 global offices—and double the donation dollars that went to support 1,300 causes!

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

The Arbor Day Foundation Recognizes David Moore, Tree Supervisor at City of Oakland, With Trailblazer Award

May 30, 2019 9:00 AM ET

The Arbor Day Foundation announced today that David Moore has been honored with the Foundation’s Trailblazer Award.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Fifth Third Foundation Donates $100,000 to Assist with Tornado Relief

May 30, 2019 9:00 AM ET

Fifth Third Foundation contributed $100,000 to support relief efforts for those impacted by tornadoes in the Dayton and Greater Indianapolis areas.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Whole Planet Foundation Annual Prosperity Campaign Surpasses $4 Million for Microentrepreneurs

May 30, 2019 9:00 AM ET

With the tremendous support of Whole Foods Market shoppers, team members and volunteers, donors, and corporate partners, the Whole Planet Foundation Annual Prosperity Campaign raised $4,249,706 during the month of March. These efforts will support more than 128,000 people with the chance to lift themselves out of poverty through microcredit. Each year, Whole Foods Market shoppers can round up their bill or make a donation of their choice to fund microloans for people living in poverty in countries around the world where Whole Foods Market sources products. Since 2006, shoppers have contributed $45 million, close to half of the Foundation’s revenue since inception.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Mark Holden: Collaboration on criminal justice reform works

May 30, 2019 9:00 AM ET

Last year’s landmark criminal justice reform happened because people from all walks of life united for a common purpose: to lift up people seeking to improve their lives and communities. This year, there are “more and more opportunities” for even more reforms in states across the country, Koch Industries Senior Vice President and General Counsel Mark Holden said during a panel at the 14th annual John Jay/Harry Frank Guggenheim Symposium on Crime in America. Moderated by The Marshall Project editor Bill Keller, the panel also featured Justice Action Network Executive Director Holly Harris and Ohio Senate President Larry Obhof.

Research, Reports & Publications

CapitaLand Publishes Its 10th Edition of Integrated Global Sustainability Report: We See a Sustainable Future

May 30, 2019 5:00 AM ET

CapitaLand recognises that the long-term success of its business is closely intertwined with the health and prosperity of the communities it operates in. CapitaLand continually integrates sustainability as part of its global business.

As a signatory to the United Nations Global Compact’s (UNGC) commitment, CapitaLand adopts UNGC’s universal principles on human rights, labour, the environment and anti-corruption, to create a positive impact aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDG).

Green Infrastructure

Consumers Energy Launches New Electric Vehicle Charging and Customer Rebate Program

May 29, 2019 5:15 PM ET

Consumers Energy today announced the launch of PowerMIDrive, a multi-year program to make it easier for owners of electric vehicles to charge their vehicles and to ensure the electric grid is prepared to capture the benefits for our customers from the growing electric vehicle market.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Prepare for 2020 with Schneider Electric's Interactive Sustainability Goal-Setting Guide

May 29, 2019 5:05 PM ET

Take your energy and sustainability programs to new heights. Companies with publicly-stated energy- and carbon-reduction targets innovate and advance. And, according to recent research, they see value beyond efficiency and cost reduction. It’s time to make a commitment. Get started today with these resources and the interactive sustainability goal-setting questionnaire.

Diversity & Inclusion

Building Equality with The CBRE Ally Program

May 29, 2019 3:50 PM ET

The Ally Program at CBRE supports the LGBTQ community to enrich the lives of everyone, inside and outside of the workplace. In addition, The Ally Network group also provides an open-minded support system for conducting business while addressing the personal requirements of our LGBT community.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Scotiabank Bolsters Employee Engagement with "Way We Work" Initiative

May 29, 2019 3:00 PM ET

At our headquarters in Toronto, Canada, our Way We Work (W3) initiative is bolstering employee engagement by creating innovative Activity-Based Working environments, referred to as “Ecosystems.” Activity-Based Working provides employees a flexible work environment with a variety of work stations for each activity they engage in during the day. State-of-the-art tools and technology make for a high degree of mobility and connectivity within the workspace. Without assigned desks, Scotiabankers are empowered to choose how, when and where they work, based on what makes them, their teams and colleagues most effective.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Ending Homelessness in Silicon Valley

May 29, 2019 2:40 PM ET

Santa Clara County is one of the wealthiest counties in the United States, yet it has the 3rd highest rate of chronic homelessness. This statistic is a stark reminder that homelessness does exist in our backyard. Destination: Home’s work is predicated on the Housing First model, aimed at getting homeless individuals and families into housing quickly, and then providing sustainable support systems built for long-term success. With support from Cisco beginning in 2018, Destination: Home launched the Supportive Housing and Innovation Fund to enable the private sector to strategically and seamlessly partner with local government, leverage public funding, and share in a joint approach to prevent and end homelessness.

Environment

The Ramez Naam Plan For De-Carbonization, Pt. 1

May 29, 2019 2:10 PM ET

Education

Charlotte Engineering Early College's Inaugural Graduates Focus on the Future With Help From the Duke Energy Foundation.

May 29, 2019 2:10 PM ET

Evan West and Kira Marsh, members of the Charlotte Engineering Early College’s (CEEC) first graduating class of fifth-year students, have a lot in common. West and Marsh were co-valedictorians of their class. They have perfect 4.0 grade point averages in their UNC Charlotte courses. And they both will continue their educations at UNC Charlotte, thanks to generous scholarships from the Duke Energy Foundation.

Responsible Production & Consumption

The Case Construction Equipment Plant in Burlington, U.S.A and the CNH Industrial Agriculture Facility in Harbin, China Achieve Bronze Level Designation in World Class Manufacturing

May 29, 2019 2:05 PM ET

The CASE Construction Equipment manufacturing facility in Burlington, U.S.A. and the CNH Industrial agricultural equipment plant in Harbin, China have both achieved Bronze status in the World Class Manufacturing (WCM) program. This important milestone for CASE, Case IH and New Holland Agriculture, global brands of CNH Industrial (NYSE: CNHI/MI: CNHI), represents further tangible proof of the Company’s commitment to the pursuit of world-class manufacturing excellence.