Impact & Sustainability News From Leading Brands

Social Impact & Volunteering

CITGO Lemont Refinery Honored as Grand Marshal at Romeoville Founder’s Day

Nov 17, 2016 9:30 AM ET

In honor of the CITGO Lemont Refinery’s 90th Anniversary, employees were asked to serve as this year’s Grand Marshal for the annual Founder’s Day Parade in Romeoville, Ill.

Environment

PepsiCo and the Nature Conservancy Announce "Water for the Planet:" A Water Replenishing Strategy For Latin America

Nov 17, 2016 9:30 AM ET

PepsiCo Latin America and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in Latin America announced "Water for the Planet," a new collaboration that will work to replenish five different watersheds for the urban areas of Mexico City, Monterrey, São Paulo, Guatemala City and Bogotain the next seven years.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

GSK Supports a Healthy and Happy Triangle with $400,000

Nov 17, 2016 9:30 AM ET

GSK IMPACT Award winners build healthy communities by addressing care of elders, homelessness, education and other pressing issues

Energy

Community Solar on the Rise

Nov 17, 2016 9:20 AM ET

We’ve been making some headlines lately for our push into community solar – an area NRG is moving into quickly. Why community solar?
“From a customer’s perspective, community solar is a home run: companies can stabilize energy costs while helping create a cleaner local power grid,” says Miro Sutton, NRG Business Solutions. “They can essentially offset a large portion of their electricity without any physical changes to their site. It’s clean, simple and financially prudent.”

Diversity & Inclusion

Nestlé Purina PetCare Company Celebrates Veterans Day with Three-Day Celebration and Highlights Job Opportunities for Veterans

Nov 17, 2016 9:15 AM ET

Nestlé Purina is celebrating Veterans Day with three days of military-focused events for Purina associates, spotlighting job opportunities for Veterans across the U.S., and giving a total of $100,000 to split between consumers' favorite military pet charity based on online votes at PureLoveForPets.com*.

Environment

Britain Throws Away 20 Olympic Swimming Pools of Paint a Year – Let’s Recycle It

Nov 17, 2016 9:00 AM ET

Responsible Production & Consumption

Stakeholder Comment Period Announced for Veriflora® Sustainably Grown Standard

Nov 17, 2016 9:00 AM ET

SCS Global Services announced today that its hallmark certification standard for cut flowers and potted plants, Veriflora® Sustainably Grown, has been updated, and that the 60-day stakeholder comment period is now underway. All interested stakeholders are invited to submit comments.

Environment

Food Waste Pioneers: David Rodriguez + Jonathan Bloom

Nov 17, 2016 9:00 AM ET

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

BSR Conference 2016: Barrick Gold Executive Chairman John L. Thornton

Nov 17, 2016 9:00 AM ET

In a plenary address at the BSR Conference 2016, Barrick Gold Corporation Executive Chairman John L. Thornton shared thoughts on being bold in partnerships, transparency, and innovation.

Health & Healthcare

Merck Foundation Announces $10 Million Initiative to Improve Access to High-Quality Diabetes Care in Vulnerable and Underserved U.S. Communities

Nov 17, 2016 9:00 AM ET

Energy

How Sappi Assesses Its Success

Nov 17, 2016 9:00 AM ET

Our pulp and paper products are derived from renewable resources, made with high levels of renewable energy, and are designed to be re-used or recycled.

Education

HP Life Helps Women and Girls Gain Skills and Confidence

Nov 17, 2016 8:05 AM ET

November provides an opportunity to reflect on the positive impact that entrepreneurs have on economies around the world - from US Entrepreneurship Month to Global Entrepreneurship Week and Women’s Entrepreneurship Day.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Corporate Giving Course: Maximizing Effectiveness

Nov 17, 2016 8:00 AM ET

Is your corporate giving strategy delivering all of the value it could to your business and your community and making the most of the mechanisms available to you?

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Nestlé, Unilever, FedEx and WBCSD on Finding Profit in Social Purpose

Nov 17, 2016 8:00 AM ET

It’s easy for companies to keep track of how successful they are in hitting environmental goals, as evidenced by the growing popularity of initiatives such as science-based targets and the RE100, where companies commit to renewable energy targets.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

VIDEO | CBRE Australia Walk For A Wish 2016

Nov 17, 2016 7:55 AM ET

On October 28, more than 1,000 CBRE staff from across Australia took part in the firm’s flagship charity event, Walk For A Wish – completing 10km walks in major capital cities to raise funds for charity.

Social Impact & Volunteering

How Can Volunteering Build Employee Engagement?

Nov 17, 2016 7:00 AM ET

Lately, I’ve been writing about employee engagement quite a bit, and I keep coming across information showing that volunteering as a workforce can do wonders for improving it. At first, I didn’t get the connection, but the more I read, the more it makes sense. Engaged employees go a step beyond what’s required of them. A big factor in their willingness to do this is whether they believe there is a larger purpose — a meaning — to their work.

Events, Media & Communications

CEOs and Senior Execs from Dell, Rockwool, Smurfit Kappa, Accedo, Heineken, Grundfos and SC Johnson Will Gather in London to Discuss How to Deliver Social Purpose and Impact

Nov 17, 2016 4:00 AM ET

In light of the recent UK referendum and US election business faces uncertain times. What is a certainty is the need for organisations from across the globe to come together to continue to push the sustainable and responsible business agenda.

Education

21CF Partners with PepsiCo to Launch 'The Search for Hidden Figures' Contest, Empowering Young Women to Pursue STEM Careers

Nov 16, 2016 7:40 PM ET

To celebrate the release of "Hidden Figures," 20th Century Fox's upcoming film following three female African American mathematicians during the 1960's Space Race, 21st Century Fox has teamed with PepsiCo to launch "The Search for Hidden Figures," a contest encouraging young women to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The contest asks high-school and college students, as well as professionals, to answer essay questions and provide video submissions about the importance of STEM to themselves and the world. More than $200,000 in scholarships and other awards will be granted to the 12 winners, and more will receive membership to the New York Academy of Sciences and other prizes. "Hidden Figures" stars Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe and more.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Benevity, Inc. Ranks 3rd on Deloitte’s Technology Fast 50™ and 22nd on Fast 500™ Companies Lists

Nov 16, 2016 7:00 PM ET

Benevity, Inc. was named one of Canada’s and North America’s fastest growing technology companies today in the 19th annual Deloitte Technology Fast 50™ and Fast 500™ awards. These awards demonstrate bold innovation, dedicated leadership and strong growth. Benevity ranked 3rd in Canada and 22nd in North America and grew 5,870 percent from 2012 to 2015.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Volunteers Bill and Susan Tyson Receive the Edna Silberman Humanitarian Award

Nov 16, 2016 5:10 PM ET

Bill and Susan Tyson, long-time volunteers with Susquehanna Service Dogs in Grantville, Pennsylvania, recently received the Edna Silberman Humanitarian Award. This award is given annually to the person or persons who has made significant contributions to people, the community, and Keystone Human Services, and has played a major role in making Keystone Human Services’ vision real in the lives of others.

Environment

Turn Your Food Waste Into Fertilizer in a Day with Zera (Hands-On)

Nov 16, 2016 5:00 PM ET

WLabs, the arm of Whirlpool Corporation tasked with designing, developing and manufacturing small-batch products on the quirkier side of the spectrum, has found a clever, albeit pricey, alternative to composting.

Innovation & Technology

All Roads Lead to Marrakech: Formula E and COP22 Combat Climate Change

Nov 16, 2016 5:00 PM ET

This week, Formula E race cars will weave their way through the streets of Morocco, a first not only for the city but for the entire continent. And that’s not the only reason all eyes will be on Marrakech: The 2016 FIA Formula E Marrakech ePrix will be the official sporting opening event of the 22nd session of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP22).

Social Impact & Volunteering

Subaru Encourages Dog Lovers Everywhere to Enjoy the Great Outdoors with Their Dogs as Part of REI #OptOutside Movement

Nov 16, 2016 4:40 PM ET

Today, Subaru of America announced that, through its partnership with REI, it is bringing together two passions of Subaru drivers, the outdoors and pets, to invite dog lovers everywhere to #OptOutside with their four-legged friends on Black Friday. Subaru is encouraging millions across the country to #OptOutside with their pets and share their outdoor adventures on social media leading up to and on Black Friday itself.

Social Impact & Volunteering

A Nonprofit Guide to Quantifying the Value of Pro Bono

Nov 16, 2016 4:00 PM ET

Corporate skills-based volunteerism is on the rise. Today, 54% of companies are offering skills-based volunteering opportunities for their employees. This is good news all around. Good news for companies who are seeing tangible talent development returns; good news for employees who are reporting higher levels of engagement with their company and their community; and good news for nonprofits who are leveraging this influx of talent to build their capacity to serve.

Energy

GM Makes its Largest Green Energy Purchase to Date

Nov 16, 2016 3:45 PM ET

General Motors has made its largest renewable energy procurement to date, purchasing enough wind power to equal the electricity needs of 16 of its U.S. facilities, including business offices in Fort Worth and Austin, Texas, a major assembly and stamping complex in Arlington, Texas, and 13 parts warehouses east of the Mississippi River.