Impact & Sustainability News From Leading Brands

Education

Adopt a School

Oct 2, 2017 11:55 AM ET

When Sipho first started at Mpumelelo High School in Estcourt, KwaZulu-Natal Province, it only had eight classrooms for its 560 pupils. There was no clean water source, so many of the children had to walk miles every morning carrying heavy water cans to school.

Education

Scientific Communion at Caltech

Oct 2, 2017 11:45 AM ET

The kitchen of Avery House was a sacred place this summer. Invariably, entering the room led to participating in an earnest and heavy discussion: about aspirations, about CRISPR Cas9 vectors, about God and morality, about algorithmic complexity, about relationships, about protein binding sites, about wind resistance. Undergraduate researchers from all over the world gathered there to joke, watch TV, and eat ramen noodles.

Diversity & Inclusion

American Banker Names PNC’s Charlotte McLaughlin to 2017 Most Powerful Women in Finance List

Oct 2, 2017 11:40 AM ET

Innovation & Technology

#TechstarsATL: Get to Know MoQuality

Oct 2, 2017 11:20 AM ET

Techstars Atlanta is presented in partnership with Cox Enterprises and is part of a worldwide network that helps entrepreneurs succeed. Applications for the 2017 program’s 10 coveted spots came from 41 countries around the globe.

Green Infrastructure

Energy Efficiency Benefits NH Businesses

Oct 2, 2017 11:15 AM ET

Look no further for a success story than MilliporeSigma, a global company with 65 manufacturing sites worldwide and more than 19,000 employees. One of their largest manufacturing facilities — located in our own backyard: Jaffrey, New Hampshire — produces precision filtration devices for use in the food and beverage, ultra-pure water and pharmaceutical manufacturing industry. The Jaffrey plant continuously implements energy efficiency measures targeted at reducing costs while working towards the company’s corporate goal of a 20 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 versus 2006 levels.

Diversity & Inclusion

Cultivating a Global Inclusive Culture, with Pride

Oct 2, 2017 10:25 AM ET

How Dell’s LGBT employee resource group, Pride, is making inroads, opening dialogue.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Habitat for Humanity Receives Top Spot on Indeed’s “Best Nonprofits to Work For” Employee Ranking

Oct 2, 2017 10:10 AM ET

Leading affordable housing organization Habitat for Humanity is the best nonprofit in the United States for employees and volunteers, according to an inaugural ranking published by job-hunting site Indeed. Habitat secured the top spot among U.S. nonprofits based on more than 1,200 reviews from current employees, past employees and volunteers.

Innovation & Technology

How Technology and Connectivity Can Extend Refugees' Opportunities Beyond Borders

Oct 2, 2017 10:05 AM ET

Malawi, Africa is one of the most underserved nations in the world. More than half of Malawians live on just $1 per day. Close to 40,000 people living in Malawi today are refugees — 28,000 of them now call Dzaleka Refugee Camp home after fleeing from genocide and political instability in their countries.

Innovation & Technology

The MWRD of Greater Chicago’s Nutrient Recovery Facility Earns Top Honor From Water Environment Federation

Oct 2, 2017 10:00 AM ET

The world’s largest nutrient recovery facility that improves water quality of the Chicago Area Waterway System while reducing downstream phosphorus discharges into the Gulf of Mexico has won a coveted Project Excellence Award from the Water Environment Federation (WEF). The honor will be presented to the project’s owner, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD); Black & Veatch, the facility’s design-builder; and technology provider, Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies.

Energy

Going Solar

Oct 2, 2017 10:00 AM ET

When Nick Schweitzer, senior brand manager at Hormel Foods, learned about a community solar garden that was going to be constructed near the plant where Hormel® Natural Choice® uncured bacon products are produced, he was all ears.

The company’s environmental sustainability team was all ears as well since they had set a goal to reduce non-renewable energy use by 10 percent by 2020.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Aramark Volunteers Bring Nutrition and Culinary Education to Nashville Youth

Oct 2, 2017 10:00 AM ET

Aramark chefs, dietitians and dozens of other volunteers created whole wheat pita and vegetable sandwiches and bananas on a stick for Nashville's Martha O'Bryan Center pre-schoolers on Aramark Building Community Day (ABC Day), the company’s global day of service. The volunteer service day is part of the company's year-round community engagement that inspires people t lead healthier lives and succeed through education and employment.

Health & Healthcare

Whole Kids Foundation® Launches Growing Healthy Kids Campaign, Raising Money for School Salad Bars, Gardens, and Beehives

Oct 2, 2017 10:00 AM ET

With its 2017 Growing Healthy Kids Campaign, Whole Kids Foundation aims to raise $3 million to fund programs that give schoolchildren in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. better access to fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as educational opportunities to learn about where their food comes from.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Global Health Corporate Champions Have Openings Available for February Cohort

Oct 2, 2017 9:55 AM ET

The third cohort for Global Health Corporate Champions (GHCC), an activity of USAID’s Global Health Fellows Program (GHFP) II, is filling up as corporate volunteers prepare to travel to Rwanda in February, aiming to make a difference in local organizations in order to improve community health. A few slots remain.

Innovation & Technology

Unreasonable Impact | Solving the World’s Biggest Challenges: LanzaTech

Oct 2, 2017 9:50 AM ET

Last week, Barclays and the Unreasonable Group hosted the first Unreasonable Impact World Forum, bringing together 27 innovative companies from Asia, the US and Europe working to solve some of the world’s most pressing problems. In the first of three profiles of those taking part, we hear from Jennifer Holmgren, CEO of LanzaTech, about thinking the impossible, carbon-monoxide eating bugs – and doing what you think is right.

Energy

Making the Shift to Active Energy Management

Oct 2, 2017 9:45 AM ET

55% of clients at the Energy & Sustainability Perspectives Summit revealed lack of organizational alignment as the top factor preventing them from reaching their energy and sustainability goals

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

JAY-Z, Jennifer Lopez, DJ Khaled & More Performing at TIDAL X Benefit Concert

Oct 2, 2017 9:45 AM ET

TIDAL X: Brooklyn is sponsored by Bacardi, and the rum brand is donating $1.3 million to the charities supported by the festival. Together, they are also assisting Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s Empire State Relief and Recovery Effort for Puerto Rico by paying for the cost of cargo planes delivering donated goods to the island, from clothing to food to toiletries.

Sustainable Development Goals

Private Sector Food Producers Line up Behind First Ever Global Initiative to Cut Food Losses

Oct 2, 2017 9:40 AM ET

A global initiative committing major international food producers to tough new targets to reduce food loss was announced during the United Nations General Assembly’s Climate Week in New York. This voluntary resolution calls on private sector members of the Global Agri-Business Alliance2 (GAA) to halve their food and agricultural losses by 2030, and work with suppliers and customers to the same end, a target aligned with Sustainable Development Goal Target 12.3.

Diversity & Inclusion

UN and De Beers Join Forces to Open Doors for Women

Oct 2, 2017 9:35 AM ET

The company will also seek to accelerate the advancement of women in its organisation and ensure its consumer brands are a positive force for supporting gender equality through its marketing campaigns.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Driving Food Waste Toward Zero

Oct 2, 2017 9:35 AM ET

As a computer science student in Urbana, Illinois, Raj Karmani had almost no clue about running a restaurant or grocery store. He only knew that if leftover bagels at his neighborhood bakery were landing in the trash while people all over the city were going hungry, something didn’t add up.

In 2013 Raj aimed his technology skills at the problem by founding Zero Percent, a startup that uses a unique mobile software app and online platform to connect local businesses that have excess food with community service organizations seeking donations. So far, his company has redistributed more than 1.5 million meals from over 150 food operators to more than 120 nonprofits.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Mohawk Raises $90,000 for Calhoun, GA Habitat for Humanity

Oct 2, 2017 9:15 AM ET

Mohawk Industries is committed to bringing comfort, fashion and durability to homes across the world. Thanks to the generosity and dedication of many Mohawk volunteers, a deserving Gordon County family will soon enjoy a new home all their own.

Education

Sodexo Unveils 2017-2018 President to President Thought-Leadership Series on the Challenges Faced in Higher Education

Oct 2, 2017 9:00 AM ET

Sodexo, world leader in quality of life services, published its 2017-2018 edition of President to President, a thought leadership series offering perspectives from university presidents for university presidents on the challenges faced in higher education. This year’s series, titled “How Disruptive Innovation is Shaping the Next-Gen Campus and Enabling Student Success,” will focus on how institutions are innovating in order to secure the future and ensure positive business outcomes, all while enhancing the student experience on campus.

Sustainable Development Goals

Sands ECO360 Global Goals

Oct 2, 2017 9:00 AM ET

The world has changed significantly over the past years. Our portfolio is growing and new challenges are emerging, but technology is also creating unprecedented opportunities.

Environment

Keep Tampa Beautiful and MetLife Foundation Host Community Tree Planting In Celebration of NeighborWoods® Month

Oct 2, 2017 8:00 AM ET

Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful, a member of the Arbor Day Foundation’s Alliance for Community Trees program, is partnering with MetLife Foundation to plant trees to beautify two large areas anchoring the front of the Florida State Fairgrounds ExpoHall (4800 US 301), which welcomes 1.2 million visitors to Tampa annually.

The planting will take place on October 7, 2017 from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. The community event is made possible with the support of MetLife Foundation and is part of NeighborWoods Month, a national celebration of communities and trees.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

How a Four-Legged Friendship Changed This Veteran’s Life

Oct 2, 2017 6:00 AM ET

TransCanada is proud to support programs that help veterans in the communities where we live, work and operate, such as paws4vets.

Events, Media & Communications

Celebrate International Coffee Day With a Cup of Fair Trade Coffee

Sep 30, 2017 10:00 AM ET

This year, celebrations of International Coffee Day start on Friday, September 29 and culminate on Sunday, October 1, resulting in probably the most alert weekend of 2017. It’s also a great time to join Fair Trade USA’s #JustOneCup campaign and support coffee farmers across the globe.