Impact & Sustainability News From Leading Brands

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Providing Assistance to Employees Who Have a Sudden Financial Emergency Due to a Catastrophe or Crisis in Their Life

May 23, 2019 4:15 PM ET

44% of Americans can’t cover a $400 unexpected emergency expense and only 39% of Americans say they have enough savings to cover a $1,000 emergency room visit or car repair. No matter the scale or severity of the crisis, employee financial stress costs employers an average of $5,000 per employee per year in lost productivity. Employers have an opportunity to address this problem and demonstrate their commitment to the well-being of their workforce through Employee Assistance Funds (EAF) – also known as an Employee Relief Fund or an Employee Crisis Fund.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

The Scotiabank Calgary Marathon Celebrates its 55th Anniversary

May 23, 2019 4:05 PM ET

The 55th edition of the Scotiabank Calgary Marathon takes place this weekend with participants raising money for 78 local charities, as part of the Scotiabank Charity Challenge. Canada's longest running marathon, The Scotiabank Calgary Marathon, features the: 50km Ultra, Scotiabank Calgary Marathon, Centaur Subaru 21.1km, Jugo Juice 10km, GoodLife Fitness 5km Walk & Run and the Scotiabank Kids Marathon, for those 12 years of age and under. The race weekend will welcome 10,000 participants across all distances.

Media & Communications

HP’s Award‐winning Short Film Series Available for Streaming this Summer

May 23, 2019 3:30 PM ET

Fresh off the heels of winning a Tribeca X award for best episodic short series, HP Inc. struck a deal to distribute its film series The History of Memory through Cinedigm’s dedicated documentary channel Docurama by July. Created by Redglass Pictures and the Garage by HP The History of Memory celebrates the power of printed photographs to change our lives by exploring stories of real-life people whose lives were forever altered by the discovery, creation, or preservation of a photograph.

Research, Reports & Publications

Smithfield Foods Announces Zero-Waste-To-Landfill Initiative, Strengthens Commitment to Environmental Sustainability with Release of 2018 Sustainability Report

May 23, 2019 3:05 PM ET

Smithfield Foods, Inc. today announced the company’s commitment to reduce overall solid waste sent to landfills 75% by 2025. This includes certifying at least 35 of its facilities in the United States, or three-quarters of its domestic facilities, as zero-waste-to-landfill by 2025. Through this bold initiative, the company will minimize waste and recycle or reuse materials that were once considered garbage, ultimately reducing waste sent to landfills in numerous communities throughout the country. This initiative is a new target within Smithfield’s industry-leading sustainability program, which also includes a goal to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 25% by 2025—the first commitment of its kind from a protein company.

Diversity & Inclusion

Merck Veterans in the Spotlight on National Television Show

May 23, 2019 3:00 PM ET

Merck employees are in the spotlight on "Military Makeover: Operation Career" on Lifetime TV. The show, hosted by Montel Williams, captures the stories of veterans transitioning from the military back to civilian work life and the companies who employ them.

Innovation & Technology

VMware Unveils Carbon Avoidance Meter to Optimize Data Center Energy Usage

May 23, 2019 2:35 PM ET

VMware, Inc. (NYSE:VMW), a leading innovator in enterprise software, has announced the Carbon Avoidance Meter (CAM), to provide data center operators with near-real time “carbon scores” – determined from the level of one’s carbon footprint and energy usage – and recommendations for reducing this footprint. The CAM bases carbon scores on telemetry data sent to VMware through VMware Skyline, a proactive support technology, in order to encourage energy reduction and inspire sustainable best practices for the industry.

Education

Gardening Gives the Kids of Migrant Workers a Head Start

May 23, 2019 2:30 PM ET

When preschool teacher Tonya Langston first asked the children in her Bowling Green, Florida, classroom where milk came from, their response was: "the kitchen." When she asked them where a banana comes from, same answer: "the kitchen." Langston's students are young—3 or 4 years old—but because they're the children of professional migrant farmworkers, Langston and her fellow teachers wanted to teach them more about what their parents do, and why it's important. The East Coast Migrant Head Start Project is part of a nationwide program made possible by the Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation, designed to help children and families living in at-risk communities access fresh, healthy food.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

HPI Principles Guide Our Safety Journey

May 23, 2019 2:20 PM ET

Domtar safety leaders first encountered the idea of human performance improvement (HPI) in 2013 at a Pulp & Paper Safety Association conference focusing on human behavior. HPI principles have driven our safety journey ever since, leading to a steady decline in workplace injuries between 2013 and 2017.

Social Impact & Volunteering

#CiscoChat Live: Making an Impact on Homelessness

May 23, 2019 2:05 PM ET

The homelessness challenge may seem enormous, but it is solvable. Organizations like Destination: Home and PATH—with the support of companies like Cisco and local communities—are making an impact across the state. And at Cisco Live US 2019, attendees will have the opportunity to make conquering homelessness possible. Before Cisco Live US kicks off on June 9th, we invite you to join our #CiscoChat Live on Thursday, May 30th at 10 am PT to hear directly from Cisco, Destination: Home, and PATH. They’ll share how we can conquer homelessness, together, and how you can get involved at Cisco Live or in your own backyard.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

The 7 Deadly Sins of Grantmaking

May 23, 2019 1:30 PM ET

Contrary to the seven virtues, the 7 Deadly Sins - pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath and sloth, are often thought to be the abuses or excessive versions of one's natural tendencies. In your grantmaking process, do you need help curbing your inclination towards evil before dire consequences and misdeeds occur?

Energy

Kimberly-Clark Switches on One of Singapore’s Largest Solar Roofs

May 23, 2019 1:10 PM ET

Kimberly-Clark switched on one of Singapore’s largest solar energy installations at its manufacturing facility in Tuas, which produces Huggies diapers and Huggies baby wipes. The 7,730 photovoltaic panels mounted on its roof will generate 3.5 Gigawatt hours of clean energy, enough to power up a thousand 3-bedroon HDB flats for a year.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

From Go Green Finalist to Schneider Electric Employee

May 23, 2019 12:25 PM ET

Social Impact & Volunteering

The Arbor Day Foundation Partners With Brambles|CHEP, P&G and Sustainable Brands to Plant Trees in Detroit

May 23, 2019 12:00 PM ET

The Arbor Day Foundation is collaborating with Brambles|CHEP, Procter & Gamble and Sustainable Brands to help ReLeaf Michigan plant 35 trees in Detroit’s Muliett Park on June 3.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Intel Makes ESG a Competitive Advantage

May 23, 2019 11:45 AM ET

Sustainable and socially responsible investing now represents $1 in every $4 under professional management. As this type of investing becomes increasingly mainstream, companies around the world are scrambling to make environmental, social and governance (ESG) data available to investors so they can be included in ESG-focused portfolios. Intel, in particular, started engaging with investors around ESG issues nearly 20 years ago. Through so-called “outreach roadshows,” company representatives met with investment firms to share Intel’s ESG metrics and gather feedback about the data points of greatest interest to investors.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

SC Johnson América Latina é considerada um dos melhores locais de trabalho dentre empresas multinacionais pela 14.ª vez

May 23, 2019 11:15 AM ET

A SC Johnson anunciou hoje que foi reconhecida como um dos melhores locais de trabalho dentre empresas multinacionais na América Latina pela Great Place to Work®. Essa é a 14.ª vez — e o quarto ano consecutivo — que a região latino-americana da empresa foi reconhecida como um dos melhores locais de trabalho. A SC Johnson América Latina obteve a 22.ª colocação na lista de 2019 dos melhores locais de trabalho da região.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

SC Johnson Latinoamérica fue nombrada como el mejor lugar de trabajo multinacional por decimocuarta vez

May 23, 2019 11:15 AM ET

SC Johnson anunció hoy que ha sido reconocida por Great Place to Work® (Los mejores lugares de trabajo) como uno de los mejores lugares de trabajo multinacional en Latinoamérica. Esta es la decimocuarta vez que la región de Latinoamérica de la empresa ha sido reconocida como uno de los mejores lugares de trabajo, y el cuarto año consecutivo. SC Johnson Latinoamérica obtuvo el puesto n.º 22 de la lista 2019 de los mejores lugares de trabajo en la región.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

SC Johnson Latin America Named Best Multinational Workplace for 14th Time

May 23, 2019 11:05 AM ET

SC Johnson today announces it has been recognized as a Best Multinational Workplace in Latin America by Great Place to Work®. This is the 14th time the company’s Latin America region has been recognized as a Best Workplace, and the fourth consecutive year. SC Johnson Latin America ranked No. 22 on the 2019 list of top places to work in the region.

Environment

CEOs of Major Companies Call on U.S. Congress to Set a National Price on Carbon

May 23, 2019 11:00 AM ET

Today, more than 75 businesses including eBay, Exelon, Gap, Levi's, Nike, Mars Incorporated, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Tesla and others will meet with a bipartisan group of federal lawmakers to call on Congress to pass meaningful climate legislation, including a price on carbon. Collectively, today’s Lawmaker Education & Advocacy Day (LEAD) on Carbon Pricing is the largest business gathering on the Hill to advocate for climate legislation in over a decade.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Merck Foundation Announces Grant to American Cancer Society to Improve Access to Cancer Care in Resource-Limited Settings

May 23, 2019 10:30 AM ET

The Merck Foundation (the Foundation) and the American Cancer Society (ACS) recently announced that the Foundation awarded a $1.99 million, five-year grant to ACS to improve support and access to care for people living with cancer in low-and-middle-income countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. This funding will help ACS further develop its capacity development approach to expanding patient navigation to countries with a growing burden of cancer.

Education

Mentorship Creates Lasting Bonds

May 23, 2019 10:15 AM ET

The science community really is a small world. Nick Watkins and Rocío Mercado met years ago in chemistry lab at at the University of California, Berkeley. Mercado mentored Watkins when she was a graduate student instructor and he was a second semester undergrad. While they have remained in close contact since, it wasn’t until they were contacted for this story that they realized they shared something in common: They are both Amgen Scholars who participated in the program at Caltech, years apart.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Taproot+: Free Support From Business Experts at Your Fingertips

May 23, 2019 10:15 AM ET

Join Taproot Foundation’s webinar on Thursday, May 30 for all the tools you need to get started on Taproot+, the cost-free online platform that connects charitable organizations in the United Kingdom, European Union, India, United States, and Singapore with skilled volunteers for pro bono projects and consultations. During the event, Taproot staff will show you how to translate your challenges and plans into a clear volunteer request and guide you through posting your project live.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Lab Grown Diamond Council Retains SCS Global Services to Develop Sustainability Certification for Lab Grown Diamonds

May 23, 2019 10:00 AM ET

The Lab Grown Diamond Council trade organization has retained SCS Global Services, an internationally recognized third-party certifier and standards developer, to create the first sustainability standard in the diamond and jewelry market.

Research, Reports & Publications

Bayer Animal Health and Nutreco Sign Global Research and Development Collaboration Agreement

May 23, 2019 9:25 AM ET

Bayer Animal Health GmbH and Nutreco have signed a global research and development collaboration agreement to drive the development of novel technologies and applications for the animal health and animal nutrition industries.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Bacardi Limited Announces 5th Annual Good Spirited Awards for Employee-Led Global Environmental Sustainability Programs

May 23, 2019 9:15 AM ET

In continuation of its ongoing sustainability efforts, Bacardi Limited is proud to announce the recipients of its 5th annual Bacardi Limited Good Spirited Awards. Launched in 2014, the awards recognize the employees, teams and facilities across the company’s’s global network that developed the best environmental programs across five different categories: Production Facility, Brand Innovation, Sustainable Office, Green Champions or Partnerships.

Research, Reports & Publications

Caterpillar Reports Progress on Enterprise Strategy, Sustainability

May 23, 2019 9:00 AM ET

Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) has released its 2018 Annual Report and Sustainability Report. Both titled “Let’s Do the Work,” the companion reports detail the company’s progress on executing the enterprise strategy and the benefits being realized for customers, dealers, employees, shareholders and communities around the world.