Impact & Sustainability News From Leading Brands

Energy

The Arbor Day Foundation Attends the United Nations Climate Change Conference

Jan 29, 2019 8:00 AM ET

In December of 2018, the Arbor Day Foundation attended the United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP24, in Katowice, Poland to advocate for investments in natural climate solutions, specifically forests and trees.
The two main goals of COP24 were to finalize the “Paris Rulebook” for implementing the Paris Agreement from COP21 in 2015 and to “raise ambition” for reaching a global response to the threat of climate change.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Video: HP and Lavergne Group for The National Zero Waste Council

Jan 29, 2019 8:00 AM ET

Due to the high volume of recycled materials from printers and cartridges, National Zero Waste Council member HP has increased their operations. So much so that the contracted company, Lavergne Group, has made plans to expand.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Benevity Kicks Off 2019 With a Surge in Client Momentum

Jan 29, 2019 7:00 AM ET

Benevity announces 42 new clients have launched programs on the company’s platform in the last quarter.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

For The Fifth Consecutive Year, Aramark Named A Top 50 Employer For People With Disabilities

Jan 28, 2019 6:00 PM ET

Aramark (NYSE:ARMK), a global leader in food, facilities management and uniforms, who employs 270,000 team members across the globe, has again been named a Top 50 employer by CAREERS & the disABLED magazine, for providing a positive working environment for people with disabilities.

Health & Healthcare

Healthcare Flooring Solutions that Help Foster Optimum Health and Wellness

Jan 28, 2019 2:25 PM ET

At Mohawk Group, we believe healthy environments nurture the positive connections that enable patients and care providers to thrive. It’s what drives our passion to pioneer innovative flooring solutions that help foster optimum health and wellness.

Our award-winning Healthy Environments soft and hard surface collection was created with that mission in mind – to design flooring solutions that promote productivity, allowing patients and care providers to thrive.

Social Impact & Volunteering

How America's Charities Is Succeeding in Its Ongoing Commitment to Bring More Resources to the Nonprofits Changing Our World

Jan 28, 2019 2:15 PM ET

For the past couple years, we've spoken about the changing dynamics of workplace giving over the last decade and how America’s Charities has embraced that evolution, taking proactive steps to guide our stakeholders into the new era. In 2017 and through 2018, we continued to test and refine new approaches that pave the way for others in our industry to follow - and our efforts have proven fruitful. We have succeeded in our ongoing commitment to bring more resources to the nonprofits changing our world.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Live from Davos: CDP and Corporate Knights Highlight Global Sustainability Leaders

Jan 28, 2019 2:05 PM ET

On Tuesday of last week, both CDP and Corporate Knights announced the results of their 2018 assessment of thousands of global companies in the areas of climate change (CDP) and the broader topic of sustainability (Corporate Knights). For 2018, Cisco again made CDP’s “A-List,” along with 125 other companies out of almost 7,000 that reported carbon data. Cisco has reported to CDP every year of its existence, receiving more awards from CDP for our climate change submittals than any other company. We’ve included a table in our 2018 CSR Report (p. 124) summarizing our results.

Supply Chain & the Circular Economy

From Davos: Terracycle Accelerates Circular Economy With Reusable Packaging

Jan 28, 2019 2:00 PM ET

At the World Economic Forum in Davos last week, one company has announced a transformational innovation and has enlisted the help of some of the world’s largest companies to bring it to life.

Environment

Las Vegas Sands Retains A List Position by CDP and Discusses the Importance of Transparency About Environmental Performance

Jan 28, 2019 1:05 PM ET

Las Vegas Sands was recently recognized on the Climate Change and Water A List by CDP, the international nonprofit environmental disclosure platform. The company has participated in CDP disclosure since 2012, beginning with reporting on climate change initiatives and performance. The disclosure put transparency to our environmental performance, relying on a structured well-recognized framework. We have chosen CDP platform because it is the best for carbon disclosures and its questionnaire offers guidance and ideas on how to adjust our measurements, goals, disclosures and new initiatives for upcoming years.

Media & Communications

From Sustainable Brands: A Prominent IT Professional’s Outlook on 2019 – “Year of Sustainability”, Empowered by Technology & Innovation

Jan 28, 2019 12:30 PM ET

Is 2019 going to be “The Year of Sustainability”? Greatly empowered by technology? With exciting innovation on the business front? One European-based writer (Carmen Ene, CEO of 3 STEP IT in Helsinki, Finland) thinks so. Writing for Sustainable Brands® SB/The Bridge to Better Brands, she outlines what she sees as the top sustainability issues for corporate leaders in 2019 -- and offers advice on how to address them.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Xylem Delivers Relief to Victims of Hurricane Florence

Jan 28, 2019 12:00 PM ET

In preparation of the storm, the local Xylem Commercial Team deployed dewatering pumps and equipment to its customers to help them withstand the weather and protect critical infrastructure to mitigate the negative impacts of the storm. In addition, Xylem supported key nonprofit partners Mercy Corps and Team Rubicon, which deploys military veterans to respond to natural disasters alongside first responders. After the hurricane, Xylem led a campaign to send relief items such as lanterns, solar chargers, food, and water to those in need. Additionally, a Xylem employee donation drive, in partnership with iHeart Radio in Atlanta, collected and delivered cases of bottled water to hurricane victims.

Events, Media & Communications

AmerisourceBergen, APTIV PLC, Equinix, JetBlue Airways, and Nestlé S.A. Present Long-Term Plans to Investors at Sixth CEO Investor Forum

Jan 28, 2019 12:00 PM ET

CECP’s Strategic Investor Initiative (SII) announced that the CEOs of AmerisourceBergen, APTIV PLC, Equinix, JetBlue Airways, and Nestlé S.A. will present their company’s long-term plans to institutional investors at the CEO Investor Forum on February 25, 2019 in New York City. The presentations will follow a keynote panel discussion on megatrends with the CEOs of Medtronic and Siemens US, and the former CEO of Aetna, moderated by the CEO of Johnson & Johnson.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Comerica: Developing a Budget

Jan 28, 2019 11:30 AM ET

It’s a new year and at the top of your resolutions list should be to develop a budget and stick with it all year. One of the best ways to reach personal financial success is by developing a budget, which allows you to see exactly what you have, what you spend and where there is room for saving.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

VMware Named As One of 2019's Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World

Jan 28, 2019 10:20 AM ET

VMware was named as one of “2019’s Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World.” The Global 100 ranks large corporations on their performance of reducing carbon and waste, gender diversity among leadership, revenues derived from clean products, and overall sustainability.

Education

FCA US Launches Student Loan Refinancing Benefit with CommonBond for Business™ to Help Employees Tackle Student Debt

Jan 28, 2019 10:15 AM ET

FCA US announced today that it has added a student loan refinancing program to its package of benefits offered to salaried employees. The program is being offered in partnership with CommonBond For Business, the student loan benefits platform from financial technology company CommonBond. FCA US salaried employees with student loan debt, as well as employees with federal government-backed Parent PLUS loans, are now eligible to refinance these loans through the program with preferred terms.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Schneider Electric Named One of the Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies for 2019

Jan 28, 2019 10:15 AM ET

Schneider Electric, the leader in digital transformation of energy management and automation, has been included in the World’s Most Admired Companies, according to the 2019 list published by Fortune. This year, the company ranks fifth in the electronics industry, maintaining its strong position from 2018. The achievement reflects its growing reputation as an all-round achiever in its industry, pursuing innovation with a strong focus on sustainability and inclusion for all.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Johnson & Johnson Among FORTUNE Magazine's 2019 'World's Most Admired Companies'

Jan 28, 2019 10:10 AM ET

Environment

The Simple Idea That Could be the Answer to our Plastic Problem: Reusable Packaging

Jan 28, 2019 10:05 AM ET

Part of the magic of Loop is reusable packaging, designed in partnership with the brand owners to be not just durable, but "counter-worthy" — attractive enough to keep in plain view, in the words of Virginie Helias, vice president and chief sustainability officer at Procter & Gamble. "You want to show it to your friends." But, she adds, the appeal is not just aesthetic: "It's also the fact that it's a better premium experience for people."

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

KeyBank Finances $50.4 Million for the Construction of Multifamily Affordable Housing in Boulder, CO

Jan 28, 2019 10:00 AM ET

KeyBank announced today $50.4 million in total combined financing for a tax-exempt bond transaction to support Koelbel & Company’s construction of Diagonal Crossing. Diagonal Crossing is a 105-unit garden-style apartment community that is income-restricted for families earning at or below 60% AMI in Boulder, CO.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Bruins to Host 3rd Annual BFit First Responder Challenge

Jan 28, 2019 10:00 AM ET

The Boston Bruins and the Boston Bruins Foundation announced today that the Third Annual BFit First Responder Challenge powered by National Grid will take place Sunday, January 27, 2019 at TD Garden, starting at 9:00 a.m. This one of a kind event invites first responders from all over New England to participate in a course throughout TD Garden.

Sustainable Development Goals

The SDGs Drive Innovation in the Energy and Infrastructure Sectors: Saipem Shows How

Jan 28, 2019 10:00 AM ET

Adopted in 2015, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) put forth a roadmap for addressing the world’s most pressing social, environmental and economic challenges by 2030. Unlike their predecessors, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the SDGs explicitly call on business to play a role in tackling global challenges like access to energy and clean water.

Environment

Sculpting a Future for E-Waste

Jan 28, 2019 9:45 AM ET

Teenage artist Zayd Menk believes that in a perfect world, there’d be no waste.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Support for Sustainable Investment Decisions

Jan 28, 2019 9:05 AM ET

We’ve seen sustainability move from buzzword to business imperative as people, companies and governments increasingly seek to make environmentally and socially conscious investments.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

'Giving Back' Can Build Stronger Customer Ties

Jan 28, 2019 9:00 AM ET

Say the words “corporate social responsibility,” or CSR, and what may come to mind are multinational corporations taking action on global issues like climate change or public health. While that is certainly part of what is happening under the larger CSR umbrella today, businesses of all sizes are increasingly embracing good corporate citizenship as part of their standard operating procedure and discovering ways to do good within their own communities and professional networks.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

What Larry Fink’s 2019 Letter Means for the Future of Business

Jan 28, 2019 9:00 AM ET

Here are our four main takeaways from this year's letter from BlackRock's Larry Fink to CEOs.