Supply Chain & the Circular Economy

Why Green Consumerism Isn’t Taking Off - Erb Institute | Business for Sustainability

Mar 28, 2018 3:00 PM ET

If sustainability is so “in,” why aren’t more people buying ethically made clothes? The past few decades have changed the shape of the apparel industry. A few iconic media scandals over child labor and sweatshop labor have made Western shoppers sensitive to certain social responsibility topics. People are willing to pay 5 percent more for a product to ensure that it was made under ethical working conditions. The rise of conscious consumption has created new consumer markets in which labels like fair trade, organic and “made in USA” comingle and overlap.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

NeighborWorks America — Advancing Opportunity for All

Mar 28, 2018 3:00 PM ET

Since 1978, NeighborWorks® America has focused on creating opportunities for people to live in affordable homes, improve their lives, and strengthen their communities. With a network of more than 245 of the nation’s best community development organizations, we tackle some of the nation’s biggest housing and community development challenges in low- and moderate-income communities.

Environment

General Motors Highlights Water Management and Reuse Efforts in Mexico

Mar 28, 2018 2:15 PM ET

As a company committed to reducing water intensity across its global operations by 15 percent by 2020, General Motors is constantly looking for innovative ways to conserve water and increase efficiencies. This mindset has led the automaker to adopt a circular economy approach to maximizing water reuse in water-stressed regions, such as Mexico.

Energy

SCE and Other Power Companies Across the Country Transform

Mar 28, 2018 2:00 PM ET

Electric utilities across the country are seeing an industry change, driven by evolving customer demands and technological advancements. This change looks different and is occurring at different paces in different states, but there are commonalities as new technologies such as battery storage, electric vehicles and smart meters become increasingly available and affordable.

Environment

Recycling Facility Fire Sparks Warnings about Improperly Discarded Batteries

Mar 28, 2018 1:20 PM ET

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Merck Chairman and CEO Ken Frazier Honored with Ronald H. Brown American Journey Award

Mar 28, 2018 1:20 PM ET

On March 23, Merck Chairman and CEO Ken Frazier received the Ronald H. Brown American Journey Award. The award, given annually, honors outstanding Americans who exemplify the vision and transformative ideals of Ron Brown, the first African-American U.S. Secretary of Commerce.

Health & Healthcare

The Val Skinner Foundation, Discovery Education, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and Rutgers School of Public Health Promote Nationwide Effort to Decode Cancer

Mar 28, 2018 1:15 PM ET

Decoding Cancer, a comprehensive biology and genetics education program launched in 2016, provides standards-aligned, interactive classroom resources to students and families nationwide to help them understand the “science behind cancer.”

Responsible Production & Consumption

The Long-Term Benefits of Sustainability in Distilleries

Mar 28, 2018 12:30 PM ET

One of the biggest players in the sustainability game is Bacardi, which has championed the approach since the beginning of the company, more than 155 years ago.

The Bermuda-­based group launched an ambitious environmental sustainability initiative called Good Spirited, with specific goals in sourcing, packaging and operations. The firm cut its greenhouse-­gas emissions intensity in half in 2016 – more than a year earlier than its end­-of­-December-2017 target.

Sustainable Development Goals

GRI Embarks Upon New Phase of Partnership With Swedish Government

Mar 28, 2018 12:00 PM ET

GRI and the Swedish International Development Agency are embarking on a new joint program, which includes a partnership with the Danish Institute for Human Rights. This new phase has a specific focus on ​poverty alleviation, equality and human rights, and will stimulate responsible business towards achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Innovation & Technology

Arrow Electronics Supports Effort to Build First 3D Printed Home for the Developing World

Mar 28, 2018 11:40 AM ET

Arrow Electronics has teamed with Silicon Valley non-profit New Story to help complete the first low-cost, 3D printed house for humanitarian purposes. The nonprofit, which focuses on providing safe homes for people living in inadequate housing around the world, plans to print a small concrete test home later this year in rural El Salvador.

Research, Reports & Publications

New Report Reveals Opportunities for Harmonization in Sustainability and Corporate Governance Reporting

Mar 28, 2018 11:05 AM ET

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and the Climate Disclosure Standards Board (CDSB) have released the second report as part of a series called Insights from the Reporting Exchange.

Media & Communications

Moody’s Joins Ceres Company Network and Ceres Investor Network

Mar 28, 2018 11:00 AM ET

The sustainability nonprofit organization Ceres and Moody’s Corporation (NYSE: MCO) announced today that Moody’s has joined both the Ceres Company Network as a member and the Ceres Investor Network as an associate member.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Ten Years Running: Subaru 2017 Share the Love® Event Totals Nearly $24 Million in Charitable Donations

Mar 28, 2018 10:50 AM ET

Subaru of America, Inc. today announced its donation of $21.8 million to national and local charities as part of the 2017 Share the Love event. This was the tenth annual Share the Love event, which benefits national and local charity partners. More than $118 million has been donated to charities throughout the life of the campaign.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Vanguard's Chairman Says Every CEO of a Public Company Should Be Able to Answer 7 Questions

Mar 28, 2018 10:30 AM ET

Vanguard chairman Bill McNabb believes that American public companies have been chasing short-term gains at the expense of long-term value for too long. McNabb is the co-chair of the CECP's Strategic Investor Initiative, dedicated to fostering a dialogue between CEOs and investors.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Smithfield Foods Donates $75,000 to Support After-School Programs in Virginia

Mar 28, 2018 10:30 AM ET

The Smithfield Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Smithfield Foods, Inc., is pleased to announce a $75,000 donation to NextUp RVA to support the organization and its mission to provide Richmond middle school students with opportunities that promote continued learning beyond the school day.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Corporations as Citizens: Have We Come Full Circle?

Mar 28, 2018 10:00 AM ET

Until the past few years, our society has not expected corporations to act like exemplary citizens. But we are seeing hopeful signs that this could be changing.

Research, Reports & Publications

Industrial Internet of Things and Big Data: The (R)evolution Continues

Mar 28, 2018 10:00 AM ET

The industrial ecosystem increasingly is turning to the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) in pursuit of quality control, efficiency and supply-chain improvements. But as sensors get cheaper, Big Data grabs a bigger footprint, and the technology gets ever more ubiquitous, complexities emerge with the broadening scale. With all this ability to measure and monitor, businesses risk drowning in a sea of data during the digital transformation. This challenge demands a strategy for structuring information, applying analytics and extracting knowledge to harness data’s value.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Schools Help Raise Recycling Rates in Greece

Mar 28, 2018 10:00 AM ET

Tetra Pak Hellas has been supporting recycling initiatives in schools in Greece, ranging from workshops to collection points, all to raise awareness and improve the rate of recycling in the country.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

5 Questions with the 2017 Viacommunity Award Winners

Mar 28, 2018 10:00 AM ET

​Congratulations to Victor Caro (VP, Nickelodeon Ad Sales) and Flora Huang (VP, Paramount Pictures Finance & Planning), our 2017 Viacommunity Award winners!

We recognize them for making a positive impact in the lives of others — Victor for helping hurricane survivors in Puerto Rico with the Warrior Angels Rescue organization, and Flora for mentoring youth in Watts, CA with the nonprofit Red Eye.

Viacom will donate $10,000 to each of the causes they champion. Hear about their volunteer work, how they got involved and what winning this award means to them.

Diversity & Inclusion

Women's History Month: Advice for Other Women

Mar 28, 2018 9:30 AM ET

Environment

Inspiring Teen Puts a Spotlight on a Pervasive Trash Problem

Mar 28, 2018 9:30 AM ET

Meet Hannah Testa, a 15 year-old environmental motivator from Georgia and founder of Hannah4Change. Testa has worked with the Georgia General Assembly for the past two years to recognize today, February 15, as Plastic Pollution Awareness Day in Georgia. The goal of the day is to educate Georgians about excessive plastic use and waste so they can make simple changes to reduce plastic pollution.

Diversity & Inclusion

Female Founders Forum: Barclays' Julia Rogan on Why Mentoring Really Matters

Mar 28, 2018 9:25 AM ET

Diversity & Inclusion

Changing the Story of Women in the Workplace

Mar 28, 2018 9:00 AM ET

Can ignoring gender bias make it go away? Of course not.

But I do wonder whether the specter of gender bias is creating self-limiting stories for a generation of women entering the workforce. This question was inspired by a recent visit to the campus of one of our nation’s most respected universities.

Research, Reports & Publications

Scotiabank Demonstrates CSR Progress in 2017 Report, Building the Economy of Everyone

Mar 28, 2018 9:00 AM ET

Scotiabank published its 2017 Corporate Social Responsibility Report, Building the Economy of Everyone, today. In this report Scotiabank covers the progress made on its CSR strategy: Better Future, Better Off.

Green Infrastructure

Are We Going in the Right Direction: How Can You Tell?

Mar 28, 2018 9:00 AM ET

Trevor Clements, Tetra Tech’s Mid Atlantic regional manager for Integrated Water Management, discusses how using holistic management principles and practices within a One Water approach can help communities integrate their water management with other community objectives and obtain greater public support by demonstrating how decisions benefit the community’s economy, quality of life, and environment.