Impact & Sustainability News From Leading Brands

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

KeyBank and Fannie Mae Partner on Inaugural Healthy Housing Rewards Enhanced Resident Services™ Rehabilitation

Sep 26, 2018 3:35 PM ET

KeyBank Real Estate Capital (KBREC) and KeyBank Community Development Lending & Investment (CDLI) have provided a first-of-its-kind Fannie Mae Healthy Housing Rewards Enhanced Resident Services loan to Omni New York LLC for the acquisition and rehabilitation of two affordable housing properties in Newark, NJ.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

CVS Health Announces Commitment to Build Healthier Communities in Ohio

Sep 26, 2018 3:00 PM ET

CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) today announced a series of community investments to improve the health and wellness of local communities in Ohio. More than $150,000 in new grants will help support Ohio nonprofits helping to mitigate prescription drug abuse and expand access to quality, convenient and affordable care across the state.

Events, Media & Communications

Consumers Energy Plugs in to Clean Energy Future,Turning to Electric Vehicles for Company Employees

Sep 26, 2018 3:00 PM ET

Consumers Energy yesterday announced plans to provide more electric vehicles for its employees -- a major step toward a clean energy future for Michigan.

Consumers Energy President and CEO Patti Poppe said yesterday morning that the company is now buying or leasing electric vehicles instead of purchasing new sedans that rely on gasoline. Poppe and an official from General Motors also announced the start of a pilot program to test smart charging for electric vehicle owners.

Environment

Celebrating Ten Years of Sea Change Radio, Pt. 1

Sep 26, 2018 2:45 PM ET

It’s been ten years since Bill Baue and Francesca Rheannon launched Sea Change Radio in Western Massachusetts. To celebrate this past decade of broadcasts, we’re looking back at some of the best moments and interviews.

Environment

New California Dam Built With Black & Veatch’s Management Help Reaches Key Milestone

Sep 26, 2018 2:40 PM ET

Seventeen years after being deemed seismically vulnerable and having its capacity restricted, a San Francisco-area dam and reservoir near an active fault line soon will be at full volume, thanks to a new dam that ensures a reliable water supply to millions of residents.

Research, Reports & Publications

Pentair Releases 2017 Corporate Responsibility Report

Sep 26, 2018 2:30 PM ET

Pentair announced the release of its 2017 Corporate Responsibility (CR) Report, highlighting corporate and community citizenship efforts including its continued commitment to sustainable products and solutions, operational excellence, employee engagement, community involvement and philanthropic giving, and governance.

Energy

National Grid Enhances Electric Vehicle Leadership

Sep 26, 2018 2:10 PM ET

National Grid has set a new goal for electric vehicle (EV) public charging infrastructure as a meaningful step toward reducing Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions in the transportation sector. Additionally, Dean Seavers, President of National Grid, US, as co-chair of the Alliance to Save Energy’s 50x50 Commission on U.S. Transportation Sector Efficiency, led a diverse coalition of prominent auto, utility, labor, and environment leaders in unveiling a report charting a path to cut transportation energy use in half by 2050.

Education

Discovery Education and Arconic Foundation Celebrate National Manufacturing Day with ‘Manufacture Your Future Virtual Field Trip’ at Arconic in Austin, Texas

Sep 26, 2018 1:15 PM ET

In celebration of National Manufacturing Day, Arconic Foundation, the independently endowed philanthropic arm of Arconic, Inc., and Discovery Education, the leading provider of digital content and professional development for K-12 classrooms, are hosting a Manufacture Your Future Virtual Field Trip from Arconic in Austin, Texas on Friday, October 5, 2018.

Events, Media & Communications

Pro Bono Perspectives Podcast: Episode 3 - Emily McCann, Citizen Schools

Sep 26, 2018 1:15 PM ET

We are thrilled to welcome Emily McCann, CEO of Citizen Schools to Pro Bono Perspectives. For those of you in the nonprofit sector, you likely know Citizen Schools, a national education nonprofit that works primarily in low-income communities that need additional support and resources.

Sustainable Development Goals

Business Leaders Join Heads of State and UN Secretary-General to Discuss Peace, Human Rights and Advancing the 2030 Agenda

Sep 26, 2018 1:05 PM ET

More than 120 Chief Executives from some of the world’s leading businesses joined Heads of State and Government and leaders from both the United Nations and civil society today to explore innovative solutions to some of the most pressing challenges of our time as part of the UN Global Compact Leaders Summit 2018 during the 73rd regular session of the UN General Assembly.

Environment

BIER Member Spotlight: Julio Torruella

Sep 26, 2018 1:00 PM ET

Twice a month the Beverage Industry Environmental Roundtable (BIER) highlights their members' beverage industry sustainability insights and ideas in their BIER Member Spotlight series. These spotlights include their answers to questions about their company's sustainability achievements and strategy, practical insights from BIER, interesting facts, and more.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Wells Fargo Donates $500,000 for Atlanta Housing, Neighborhood Revitalization Efforts

Sep 26, 2018 12:30 PM ET

Wells Fargo announces $500,000 in donations to six local nonprofits to support affordable, safe housing and community programs for Atlanta residents

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Benevity Releases Annual Trend Data on Top Causes Supported by Companies and Their People

Sep 26, 2018 12:15 PM ET

Benevity announces its annual trend data on the “Top Ten Causes” that have been supported by companies and their people this year to date, as well as the shifts in top donation recipients between 2015 and 2018.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Smithfield Foods Employees Rally Together to Support Feeding America® During Hunger Action Month™

Sep 26, 2018 12:15 PM ET

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

A Decade of Caring: FCA Us Recognized for Improving the Health and Overall Well-being of Employees and Families for 10th Consecutive Year

Sep 26, 2018 12:15 PM ET

FCA US LLC was once again recognized by the National Business Group on Health (NBGH), earning a gold medal for its comprehensive programs that enable a healthy workplace and encourage healthy lifestyles for both employees and families.

It was the 10th consecutive year the Company achieved this important benchmark and the eighth consecutive year FCA US was the only automaker to earn a medal.

The NBGH’s Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles Award recognizes employers that have embraced a culture of health and wellness and are working collaboratively to improve the health and quality of life of employees and their families.

Events, Media & Communications

CR Magazine Announces Finalists for 2018 Responsible CEO of Year Award and Lifetime Achievement Award

Sep 26, 2018 12:05 PM ET

Corporate Responsibility Magazine has announced the finalists for its annual excellence in leadership awards. The awards are given to corporate leaders committed to a progressive environmental, social, and governance (ESG) agenda, and to those who are taking bold steps to move the needle on the urgent conversations of the day.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Tyson Foods and Feeding America® Announce Results of $1M Protein Innovation Fund Distribution

Sep 26, 2018 12:00 PM ET

Tyson Foods and Feeding America® today announced the results of a two-year project focused on empowering local food banks to develop innovative animal protein sourcing programs to address hunger on the community level.

The Tyson Foods Protein Innovation Fund provided $1 million to 10 Feeding America food banks in nine states to fund protein sourcing projects that have the potential to be scaled and replicated across the Feeding America network.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Merck Makes Top 20 on Working Mother’s 200 Best Companies List

Sep 26, 2018 12:00 PM ET

Merck has been recognized by Working Mother magazine for its commitment to cultivating a family-friendly workplace.

Health & Healthcare

For Over 23 Years, Aflac Has Spread Awareness and Hope for Children Diagnosed with Cancer

Sep 26, 2018 11:55 AM ET

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. For more than 23 years, Aflac has led the charge to bring more attention and funding to childhood cancer and how it impacts the lives of thousands of children in our communities each year.

Green Infrastructure

IWBI Announces First WELL Portfolio Participants

Sep 26, 2018 11:10 AM ET

The International WELL Building InstituteTM (IWBITM ) announced today the first participants in WELL PortfolioTM , a new streamlined pathway for WELL CertificationTM for multiple new or existing buildings and tenant spaces in a single portfolio. Being released as part of the WELL v2TM pilot, the latest iteration of the WELL Building StandardTM (WELLTM ), it is part of a suite of enhancements to WELL that addresses growing demand across the building industry for a program that helps owners, developers and tenants streamline and scale health and wellness upgrades to their real estate assets.

Environment

Ecocentricity Blog: San Francisco and the Satellites

Sep 26, 2018 11:00 AM ET

Satellites are incredibly important tools for monitoring the climate of Earth. Measurement capabilities include temperature, arctic ice coverage, solar activity, the ozone layer, and air pollution.

Health & Healthcare

Big Impact in Bio: Innovating to Save Lives

Sep 26, 2018 10:45 AM ET

In this video, Amgen Scholars alumni tell their #BigImpactinBio stories, focusing on how to innovate in biotechnology in order to improve and save people’s lives. Marvin Gee (ASP 2011, California Institute of Technology) is co-founder of 3T Biosciences; Ailon Haileyesus (ASP 2015, Harvard University) is a development engineer at K2M, Inc; and Joshua Yang (ASP 2013, University of California, San Diego) is co-founder of Helispot and an M.D./Ph.D. student at Johns Hopkins University.

Since 2006, the Amgen Scholars Program has provided hands-on research opportunities under world-renowned faculty mentors to over 3,500 undergraduate students. 94 percent of the program’s alumni who have completed their bachelor's degree are currently pursuing an advanced degree or career in a scientific field.

Innovation & Technology

Symantec Partners with National PTA to Help Children Be Successful Online

Sep 26, 2018 10:45 AM ET

As the founding sponsor of PTA Connected, Symantec has deepened its commitment to National PTA and to fostering the safe, positive use of smart devices and social media among youth. Together we'll provide tools and resources to empower families to guide their children into responsible digital citizenship.

Research, Reports & Publications

Go Get the (Immune Cell) Regulators!

Sep 26, 2018 10:45 AM ET

The shortage of donor beta cells and the need for strong immunosuppressive drugs to prevent immune attack make beta cell replacement available only to people with severe life-threatening unawareness of their low blood sugar, called hypoglycemia. At JDRF, we are taking a new route to beta cell replacement technologies, with the aim to develop an unlimited source of insulin-producing cells without drugs that limit your immune system’s role in fighting off infection.

One avenue, which Shugo Sasaki, M.D., Ph.D., is pursuing with a postdoctoral fellowship from JDRF, is to use gene editing. More specifically, Dr. Sasaki wants to investigate beta cells that have been edited to make a molecule that attracts “good” immune cells, called regulatory T cells, and whether the transplanted beta cells ar

Health & Healthcare

National Food Safety Month: Foodservice Tech Safety Quiz

Sep 26, 2018 10:30 AM ET

New technologies and new meal delivery options can present food safety challenges. As always, keeping consumers safe is top priority.

Third-party delivery services, tablets, and self-service kiosks are helping restaurants and customers interact. With this technology, however, employees must be aware of associated food safety risks.