Impact & Sustainability News From Leading Brands

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Analysts Mum on Sustainability During Earnings Calls

Oct 10, 2016 10:25 AM ET

Questions from sell-side stock analysts about corporate sustainability issues remain few and far between on the quarterly earnings conference calls held by publicly traded companies.

More and more institutional investors, however, are digging deep into voluminous sustainability reports to gain a strategic advantage.

Those are some of the observations shared this week during the Bloomberg BNA Sustainability Business Summit in New York.

Diversity & Inclusion

How the New Fair Labor Standards Act Impacts EHS

Oct 10, 2016 10:25 AM ET

On May 18, 2016, President Obama and Department of Labor Secretary Thomas Perez announced the final rule updating overtime pay regulations for many white collar workers. As a result, companies across industries are working to comply with the Dec. 1, 2016 deadline, while also bolstering their bottom line.

How should EHS managers be preparing for the new regulations, in effect December 1? How will EHS operations potentially be impacted?

Social Impact & Volunteering

CITGO and Special Olympics Arkansas Hit the Road for the World’s Largest Truck Convoy®

Oct 10, 2016 10:00 AM ET

CITGO Petroleum Corporation and Special Olympics Arkansas took to the highways of Arkansas for the World’s Largest Truck Convoy® to help raise awareness and funds for Special Olympics’ year-round programs for people with intellectual disabilities.

Environment

Trash in our National Parks - Why It's Your Problem Too

Oct 10, 2016 9:00 AM ET

A recent survey conducted by Subaru of America and the National Parks Conservation Association found that a majority of Americans (59%) are unaware of the monumental waste challenges facing the country's national parks.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Empowering India’s Women Cotton Workers Reduces the Use of Water and Chemicals

Oct 10, 2016 9:00 AM ET

The UK gender pay gap will not close for more than fifty years unless action is taken to tackle it now, according to Deloitte. Current inequalities between pay rates for men and women may not be eradicated before 2069. So, if in the West we are so far behind on this issue, what chances do women cotton workers have in India? Here, women have few rights and are often underpaid, despite their vital role in cotton production. The average income for women in rural India is just 77 percent of the men’s income.

Environment

Leonardo DiCaprio Screens Nat Geo's 'Before the Flood' at the White House, Talks Climate Change with President Obama

Oct 9, 2016 8:00 PM ET

Leonardo DiCaprio's new documentary Before the Flood takes viewers on a global journey through the worsening effects of climate change, and on October 3, he screened the film, which premieres on 21st Century Fox's National Geographic Channel on Sunday, October 30, for the audience at the White House's first ever South by South Lawn event and moderated a discussion on the issue with atmospheric scientist Katharine Hayhoe and President Barack Obama.

Innovation & Technology

Schneider Electric Company Story: Our Technology is Everywhere

Oct 9, 2016 7:05 AM ET

From the moment you're up, so are we. You don't have to look too hard. Our technology is everywhere. Discover Life Is On.

Environment

Climate Justice and Sustainability Advocacy

Oct 7, 2016 8:30 PM ET

Environment

Donald Trump Could Slow Clean Energy’s Hard-Won Progress

Oct 7, 2016 7:50 PM ET

“A Trump presidency would probably not be the worst disaster, given that support is grandfathered in at the federal level,” said Jenny Chase, head of global solar analysis at Bloomberg New Energy Finance.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Lance McCullers of the Houston Astros is The Leader of the Pack

Oct 7, 2016 4:40 PM ET

Lance McCullers sometimes employs unorthodox training methods to keep it interesting. He’s been known to swing an axe in the backyard, or even do squats with his wife Kara on his shoulders.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

The PayPal and Kiva Connection: A Shared Mission

Oct 7, 2016 3:30 PM ET

I joined PayPal as one of their first 50 employees in 2000 as a product manager. Little did I know that this job was going to lead me into my career as an social entrepreneur and that PayPal would be the company that helped make Kiva, a global nonprofit, possible. In the early days of PayPal it was really just a group of strange geniuses.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

OnStar Donates $400,000 to First Responders

Oct 7, 2016 3:05 PM ET

Today OnStar celebrates its 20th anniversary by giving $20,000 each to 20 public safety personnel who experienced serious physical injury or hardship that impacted their ability to perform their jobs.

Environment

GM Hydrogen Fuel Cells Mark 50 Years of Development

Oct 7, 2016 2:45 PM ET

The year 1966 brought the TV debuts of “Batman” and “Star Trek,” which both enjoy a cultlike following 50 years later. With less fanfare in the same season, General Motors tested the Electrovan, the world’s first hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicle.

Education

Boeing’s Partnership with EdWeek Shows the Value of Basic Classroom Materials in STEM Education

Oct 7, 2016 2:30 PM ET

As part of Boeing’s ongoing 100 Days of Learning, the company and its educational partners took part of in an EdWeek webinar on September 28 at 2pm EST. This webinar discussed ways of using everyday, accessible classroom materials for STEM lessons.

Diversity & Inclusion

GM Foundation, Rainbow PUSH Award 30 Scholarships

Oct 7, 2016 2:15 PM ET

Thirty college students were awarded Rainbow PUSH Excel Scholarships at the 17th Annual Rainbow PUSH Automotive Summit held in Detroit. The conference brings together automotive, business and community thought leaders to advance diversity initiatives within the automotive industry.

Events, Media & Communications

NAEM’s Annual Forum to Showcase Latest Strategies for Building Safety Culture, Reducing Environmental Risks and Natural Resource Management

Oct 7, 2016 2:00 PM ET

Each year NAEM’s annual conference convenes more than 550 attendees for a three-day showcase of the latest strategies corporate environment, health, safety and sustainability (EHS&S) leaders are using to keep employees safe, minimize their company’s environmental footprint and deliver business value through sustainability programs.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Conflict-Free Sourcing Initiative Names Source Intelligence as First Official Vendor Member to Further Enhance Resources, Networks

Oct 7, 2016 1:40 PM ET

Source Intelligence today announced it has become an official vendor member of the Conflict-Free Sourcing Initiative (CFSI) to further facilitate the exchange of supply chain data and technical information in the quest for global ethical sourcing of materials.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Qualcomm Employees Participate in San Diego Heart Walk

Oct 7, 2016 1:10 PM ET

This past Saturday, Qualcomm employees came together to help to make the American Heart Association’s 2016 San Diego Heart Walk big a success!

Social Impact & Volunteering

Volunteer Spotlight: Keep Cincinnati Beautiful's Gary Dangel

Oct 7, 2016 12:00 PM ET

Even though Gary Dangel has been retired for 12 years, he is busier than ever. As a resident of Cincinnati’s Walnut Hills for the past 30 years, he saw things that needed to be done in his neighborhood and got to work. He hasn’t stopped since.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Subaru of America Celebrates Its Love of Pets During October “Subaru Loves Pets” Initiative

Oct 7, 2016 12:00 PM ET

This October, Subaru of America, Inc. has once again kicked off its “Subaru Loves Pets” initiative as part of the brand’s Love Promise platform. More than half of Subaru drivers are also pet owners, and the automaker remains committed to keeping the entire family safe, including beloved pets. As part of this commitment to animal welfare, Subaru retailers across the country will activate several programs that will help animals in need.

Diversity & Inclusion

Inclusion and Safety: Drivers of Business Success

Oct 7, 2016 11:50 AM ET

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

4 Ways You Can Support Hurricane Matthew Recovery Efforts Over the Long Term

Oct 7, 2016 11:45 AM ET

Hurricane Matthew is devastating. According to the New York Times, Florida’s “Atlantic coast is feeling the force of the Category 3 storm, and the National Weather Service warns of ‘extremely dangerous and life-threatening’ winds. ‘Evacuate, evacuate, evacuate,’ the governor urged 1.5 million residents yesterday.” More from their reporters about the destruction in Florida, South Carolina and elsewhere can be found here.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Carnival Cruise Line, New Orleans Saints and Scholastic Book Fairs Team Up to Honor Students With ‘Read & Rise’ Literacy Event Aboard Carnival Triumph in New Orleans

Oct 7, 2016 11:30 AM ET

On September 8, 2016, 100 students from Kipp Central City Primary, an elementary school in New Orleans, enjoyed a day of fun aboard the Carnival Triumph for the first-ever “Read & Rise” literacy day to celebrate their reading achievements as winners of the school’s summer reading challenge.

Events, Media & Communications

Sustainable Brands Releases Full Program for Annual New Metrics Conference

Oct 7, 2016 10:00 AM ET

Sustainable Brands® recently announced the full program for New Metrics’16, scheduled for November 14-16 in Boston, MA.

Responsible Production & Consumption

More Mining Companies Begin to Share Resources Using Integrated Infrastructure

Oct 7, 2016 10:00 AM ET

Traditionally, mining companies have built their own infrastructure at greenfield sites, and due to necessity, constructed their own supporting “pit to port” infrastructure, including power and water supply schemes, roads and railways. However, as a result of growing cost pressures and increasing capital to build new greenfield operations, a trend is developing, whereby mining companies are seeking opportunities to share resources to save on expenses.