Impact & Sustainability News From Leading Brands

Social Impact & Volunteering

Our Commitment to Address Homelessness in Rome

May 16, 2019 11:30 AM ET

In Europe, homelessness is on the rise. Countries across the continent have seen large increases in the number of people who are homeless. Addressing homelessness – and helping those in need – is an imperative for all of us, especially those of us who have the ability to make a difference. At Cisco, we take that imperative close to heart – taking on big challenges and doing what we can to make an impact are core to who we are. To further our efforts in making an impact, I am proud that this week we are announcing a commitment of $1 million over four years to support a Housing First pilot in Rome with Comunità di Sant’Egidio, an organization that for 50 years has addressed poverty in Italy and in other countries around the world.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Review of the GRI Universal Standards

May 16, 2019 11:30 AM ET

The Global Sustainability Standards Board (GSSB), the independent standard setting body of GRI, is launching a project to review the universal Standards.

Energy

General Mills Buys Wind Energy And Consumer Goodwill

May 16, 2019 11:00 AM ET

Following a barrage of announcements celebrating advances in environmental stewardship from food producers in honor of Earth Day, General Mills just announced that they have signed a 15 year purchase agreement with Roaring Fork Wind, LLC based in Central Texas.

Research, Reports & Publications

Flash Report: 86% of S&P 500 Index® Companies Publish Sustainability / Responsibility Reports in 2018

May 16, 2019 11:00 AM ET

G&A Institute has analyzed index companies’ sustainability reporting activities since 2011. “Sustainability reporting” rose dramatically from 2011, when roughly 20% of companies published reports, to 72% just three years later in 2013. From 2013 to 2017, the frequency of reporting increased each year, now inching up to 86% of companies reporting in 2018.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

MilliporeSigma Receives 2019 Environmental Leader Product of the Year Award for Cyrene™

May 16, 2019 10:00 AM ET

MilliporeSigma’s Cyrene is a solvent that the science and technology company says is safer, more sustainable, and can offer better performance than petroleum-derived products. Cyrene is manufactured in two steps from tree-derived waste cellulose through a process that is nearly energy neutral, and releases water to the environment, according to the company.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Hall of Fame Quarterback Steve Young Teams up With Aflac for Children’s Hospitals Week

May 16, 2019 9:00 AM ET

Special thanks to Hall of Fame Quarterback Steve Young, who joined the Aflac Duck at Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Children’s Hospitals Week in Orlando, Florida, to raise awareness for children’s hospitals and celebrate My Special Aflac Duck®, a robot designed to help children cope with cancer. Steve has been a major supporter of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals for more than 30 years.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Arbor Day Foundation Honors Team Willamette

May 16, 2019 9:00 AM ET

The Arbor Day Foundation has announced today that Team Willamette of Oregon has been awarded the Foundation’s Headwaters Award. This award celebrates innovative programs — in rural or urban areas — that support the improvement of water quality and quantity through forestry activities.

Energy

Timberland: Expanding Net Metering is Good for NH Residents, Businesses

May 16, 2019 9:00 AM ET

We at Timberland think it’s time for a more progressive look at clean energy policy in our state. That is why Timberland is one of many companies, including Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health, MegaFood, Stonyfield Farm, Worthen Industries and more supporting the House and Senate bills (House Bill 365 and Senate Bill 159), which would raise the project cap on net metering.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

CBRE Group, Inc. Ranked #15 On Best Corporate Citizen List

May 16, 2019 8:00 AM ET

CBRE Group, Inc. is ranked #15 in Corporate Responsibility Magazine’s 2019 100 Best Corporate Citizens list, which recognizes outstanding environmental, social and governance (ESG) transparency and performance. “CBRE is committed to exceptional performance on the environmental, social and governance issues that we know are important to our stakeholders,” said Bob Sulentic, president and chief executive officer of CBRE. “We are proud to be recognized for our accomplishments in these critical areas.”

Research, Reports & Publications

BAE Systems Publishes 2018 Annual Report and Corporate Responsibility Summary

May 16, 2019 5:00 AM ET

At BAE Systems we are proud of what we do and how we do it – from developing innovative products and services and investing in our people and future workforce, to giving our customers the best possible service. We report on our Corporate Responsibility (CR) performance in our Annual Report with more detail in our CR Summary.

Environment

PepsiCo Launches TerraCycle Operated Reusable Packaging Pilot

May 15, 2019 5:30 PM ET

It is part of a market trial of the new shopping platform, Loop, operated by the global recycling organization, TerraCycle. The involvement in Loop builds on PepsiCo’s sustainable packaging vision to create a world where packaging need never become waste, providing consumers with a convenient way to enjoy its products, while reducing impact on the planet.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Smithfield Foods Senior Director of Smithfield Renewables Honored for Environmental Efforts

May 15, 2019 5:30 PM ET

Smithfield Foods, Inc. is pleased to announce that the Environment and Energy Leaders Institute recognized Kraig Westerbeek, senior director of Smithfield Renewables and hog production environmental affairs, as an Environment + Energy 100 honoree. Environment + Energy 100 is a program that honors individuals for their leadership of environmental, energy, and sustainability initiatives at their companies.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Intel Named One of 100 Best Corporate Citizens of 2019 by CR Magazine

May 15, 2019 5:00 PM ET

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Ecolab Ranks Eighth on 2019 Best Corporate Citizens List

May 15, 2019 4:30 PM ET

For the sixth consecutive year, Ecolab Inc. is ranked within the top 10 on Corporate Responsibility (CR) Magazine’s 100 Best Corporate Citizens list, which recognizes leading U.S. public companies for their environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance. Ecolab ranks eighth on the 2019 Best Corporate Citizens list.

Research, Reports & Publications

‘Can a Tobacco Company Be Sustainable?’ Philip Morris International Says ‘Absolutely,’ and Outlines Clear Progress Toward a Sustainable, Smoke-Free Future

May 15, 2019 3:00 PM ET

Philip Morris International Inc. (PMI) (NYSE:PM) today published its fourth Sustainability Report, detailing its progress in key areas across its value chain. PMI’s mission to unsmoke the world is core to its sustainability ambition and business strategy.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Bloomberg Employees Planted 15,000+ Trees Around the World in 2018

May 15, 2019 2:00 PM ET

More than 2,000 Bloomberg employees dedicated 17,370 hours of hands-on action supporting local greening efforts in 33 cities around the world in 2018. Bloomberg employees were dedicated to preserving and restoring our local green spaces throughout the year.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Front Line Financial Inclusion: Whole Planet Field Officer Appreciation Award – Asia/Pacific

May 15, 2019 2:00 PM ET

WPF’s Field Officer Appreciation Award is an initiative to support our partners to recognize the hard work done by field staff on the front lines of microfinance. During quarter one, WPF disbursed prizes to the field officers who were nominated by our microfinance partners at the end of 2018. Here are some highlights from this group of nominees from the Asia/Pacific region and some lovely award ceremonies that our partners have shared. Even with personalized recognition, all the staff chose to share their prize with their colleagues and/or the clients they serve!

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

We Proudly Stand for Quality

May 15, 2019 1:00 PM ET

Last November, the employees featured in the photo above hosted a tour of the building behind them. The building itself is, by all accounts, nothing short of a game changer for all of us who work at Alexion. On that day, I had an exclusive look at our new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Blanchardstown, Dublin, Ireland, where many of our rare-disease therapies will be produced. The visit was impressive for several reasons.

Energy

Compressed Gas Energy Storage

May 15, 2019 12:30 PM ET

One solution to the supply-demand mismatch is energy storage. Based on the principle of ‘time shifting,’ excess energy from renewable generation during times of off-peak demand is stored for later use at time of peak demand when the renewable generation comes up short.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Domtar Leaders Recognized for Management Excellence

May 15, 2019 12:25 PM ET

The Paper Industry Management Association (PIMA) bestowed its highest honor on Domtar President and CEO John D. Williams at the Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry’s annual PaperCon in May. Williams was named Executive of the Year in recognition of his leadership, his contributions to the pulp and paper industry, and his management excellence. While at the conference, Williams also spoke on an executive panel about sustainability and the ongoing trend toward a bio-based economy.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

$13M Apartment Complex Breaks Ground in Downtown Jackson

May 15, 2019 12:05 PM ET

The $13 million development, called The 200, includes plans for 86 studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments on four floors. It’s on pace to open in spring 2021, said Kevin Thomson of Jackson Downtown Partners, developer of the complex.

The city is giving over the land for $1 and Consumers Energy is incorporating the project into its Jackson Smart Energy District.

Plans for complex include solar panels on the roof and energy efficiencies throughout.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Fifth Annual Sports Humanitarian Awards to Take Place July 9

May 15, 2019 12:00 PM ET

The Sports Humanitarian Awards presented by ESPN and sponsored by Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, returns for its fifth year on Tuesday, July 9, at L.A. LIVE’s The Novo. The evening celebrates the impact made by athletes, teams and sports industry professionals who use the power of sports to make a difference in their communities and throughout the world.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Kohler WasteLAB Honored With Environmental Leader Award

May 15, 2019 12:00 PM ET

Kohler WasteLAB was recently named a 2019 Environmental Leader Project of the Year award winner by Business Sector Media’s Environmental Leader (EL) and Energy Manager Today (EMT).

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Secretary Moniz to Present Ingersoll Rand With WEC’s 2019 Gold Medal Award for International Corporate Achievement in Sustainable Development

May 15, 2019 12:00 PM ET

The World Environment Center (WEC) is pleased to announce that its 35th annual Gold Medal for International Corporate Achievement in Sustainable Development will be awarded to Ingersoll Rand (NYSE: IR). Ingersoll Rand is a world leader in creating comfortable, sustainable and efficient environments, delivering innovative solutions to customers through the Club Car®, Ingersoll Rand®, Thermo King® and Trane® brands.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Redefining Employee Well-being

May 15, 2019 11:45 AM ET

General Mills, a Minnesota-based food company employing 38,000 people in more than 100 countries, prioritizes the well-being and full engagement of those employees. From expanding employee benefits to facilitating dialogue on difficult conversations in the workplace, the company has proven its commitment to supporting employees’ physical, social, and emotional well-being.