News from Leading Brands

Keep up with the latest impact news from companies embracing the triple bottom line, shared via 3BL's publishing platform.

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Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

It Takes Focus to Grow and Maintain a Company Culture

I spend a lot of my time thinking about corporate culture. Since we grew the life science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany in 2015, through the acquisition of Sigma-Aldrich, we’ve been navigating that interesting space of culture creation. You’ve got the established culture of the acquiring company and then you’ve got the established culture of the acquiree. How are those two things supposed to automatically mesh or even mesh after several years?

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Philanthropic Investors Tap “Catalytic Capital” to Seed Innovation & Scale Progress

Often, the most compelling impact investments are made, not found. That phrase describes how foundations and impact investors use “catalytic capital” to support social and environmental progress. These patient, flexible, “catalytic” investments take on more risk and/or accept a lower return than commercial capital to finance gains that would not otherwise be possible.

Energy

Consumers Energy Achieves Broad Support for Breakthrough Clean Energy Plan, Files Settlement

Consumers Energy and other stakeholders have filed a settlement with the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) on the company’s Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) outlining a breakthrough Clean Energy Plan for Michigan. The plan positions Consumers Energy as a national clean energy leader and demonstrates its commitment to people, the planet and Michigan’s prosperity. Today’s settlement announcement – from a broad coalition of customer groups, environmental organizations and the Michigan Attorney General – outlines the best plan for Michigan’s energy future.

Environment

Building a Bridge to Clean Water

TODAY, MILLIONS OF people around the world are forced to drink dirty, contaminated water. Nearly 1,000 children die every day as a result of drinking unsafe water and due to poor sanitation and hygiene. Fortunately, this global crisis is being addressed with vision, skill, and the life-changing magic of chemistry.

Supply Chain & the Circular Economy

Maximizing Business and Environmental Value with the Circular Economy

Hewlett Packard Enterprise CEO, Antonio Neri, shares how HPE is contributing to a circular economy by building considerations like energy efficiency, materials innovation and design for recyclability right into our business design principles.

Environment

Restoring the Essentials of Life

Arbor Day Foundation members and partners are integral to supporting reforestation efforts around the world. In the last 30 years, our members and partners have provided the resources to fund big planting projects in areas of high-need.

Sustainable Development Goals

UN Global Compact Bulletin (March 2019)

The UN Global Compact Bulletin is designed to keep participants up to date on news, actions you can take, resources and events. Participants are encouraged to look at this monthly communication for important information. Please note that actions and events are intended for Global Compact stakeholders, unless otherwise indicated. The Bulletin is published in English, French, Spanish and Chinese.

Sustainable Development Goals

Women Smallholder Farmers Rising to the Challenge: Firsthand Perspectives from Kenya and Thailand

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, there would be a 20-30 percent estimated yield increase if women farmers had the same access to resources as men. It's a powerful statistic that underscores the global issue of gender inequality, highlighting the integral role – and extraordinary potential – of women in agriculture.

Health & Healthcare

CVS Health Fights Rise In E-Cigarette Use Among Young Adults With More Than $1 Million In New Giving To Advance Tobacco-Free Policies On College Campuses

As part of its commitment to building healthier communities, CVS Health [NYSE: CVS] has announced more than $1.4 million in new giving through the CVS Health Foundation to 82 U.S. colleges and universities, helping them to advocate for, adopt and implement 100 percent smoke- and tobacco-free campus policies, including limiting the use of e-cigarettes. The new grants, delivered in partnership with the American Cancer Society and Truth Initiative, build upon the three organizations' combined commitment to helping deliver a tobacco-free generation.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

JetBlue’s Icema Gibbs Named 2019 CSR Professional of the Year by PR News

Icema Gibbs, JetBlue’s Director of Corporate Social Responsibility and one of the airline’s founding members, was named PR News’ 2019 CSR Corporate Professional of the Year.

Environment

World Water Day: Companies Helping Billions Access This Basic Human Right

Friday marked World Water Day, an annual international observance created by the UN to advocate for and grow awareness of sustainable management of freshwater resources as a worldwide issue. Despite the world’s technological advances, billions of people still do not have access to clean and safe water.

Diversity & Inclusion

Video | The Disability Collection: Munya Mahia

Verizon, Getty Images and the National Disability Leadership Alliance are creating The Disability Collection, a growing collection of stock images that break stereotypes and authentically portray people with disabilities in everyday life.

Diversity & Inclusion

Recognizing Women’s Empowerment as a Catalyst for Business and Change

We believe that diversity and inclusion breed innovation, creativity, engagement, collaboration, and high performance — all necessary ingredients for a successful workplace in an increasingly competitive and complex world.

Supply Chain & the Circular Economy

Webinar | Prepare for the Circular Economy with UPS Experts

Don’t miss Wednesday’s free webinar: “Preparing Your #SupplyChain for the Circular Economy.” UPS reverse logistics and e-commerce experts will share findings from recent research about incorporating circular thinking into your business strategy.

Diversity & Inclusion

No Barriers, Wells Fargo Announce Winning 2018 Global Impact Challenge Schools & Open Teacher Applications for 2019 Opportunity

No Barriers USA and Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) announced the winners of the 2018 Global Impact Challenge, a year-long competition designed to inspire the best ideas from students to build a world free of stereotypes and discrimination. The goal of the Global Impact Challenge is to equip teachers with the tools necessary to help students dream big and break down diversity and inclusion barriers.

Education

Computational Thinking: “Decomposing" Problems & Separating Fact from Fiction

The human brain is exposed to around 100,500 words per day – 23 words per second according to a University of California-San Diego study. Each day, our brains take in an average of 34 gigabytes of information, enough information to crash a computer within one week. This information overload especially affects students in school today, who are more connected to the internet than any other generation. To prepare their students for the 21st century, educators must arm students with strategies to navigate and process the vast amount of information they consume to help them distinguish fact from fiction. In my classroom, I use a program called Ignite My Future in School to address this information overload and to help my students become more conscientious about how they evaluate information.

Energy

Lynda Clemmons and Bradford Pete-Hill Talk Renewable Select

On Monday, February 25th, 2019, we celebrated our success in bringing 25 MW of clean solar energy to Sysco, the global food service distribution company. Our Renewable Select program supports 10% of their electricity usage and puts them halfway towards their goal of 20% renewable energy by 2025.

Diversity & Inclusion

This Lineworker Shows Mia That Girls Can Dig Holes and Set Poles

While lineworker Ariel Martin and her crew installed a light pole at a home in Asheville, N.C., fourth-grader Mia Eudy asked a question Martin, as one of the few female lineworkers, has been asked many times. Why did you choose this job? Martin said she loved the idea of being outside, working with her hands and learning new skills. And when the power is out, she gets to help turn it back on. “That makes you feel good,” she said, “kind of like a hero.”

Health & Healthcare

Menu Innovation and Consumer Engagement Drive Impact for Aramark Healthy for Life 20 By 20

Three years ago, Aramark teamed up with the American Heart Association as part of an innovative initiative called Healthy for Life® 20 By 20. The combined goal: To improve the health of Americans 20 percent by the end of 2020.

Environment

PHOTO GALLERY | Barley Water Prize Finalists Visit Fourth and Final Test Site

The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation is proud to be the presenting sponsor of The Everglades Foundation’s George Barley Water Prize, the largest prize of its kind dedicated to finding a solution to water pollution caused by algal blooms.

On February 19, the four finalist teams––who are committed to delivering cost-effective technologies to clean polluted fresh water and reverse this environmental catastrophe––took their first step toward the Grand Challenge.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Numi Organic Tea Celebrates World Water Day

Numi supports people through initiatives like Whole Planet Foundation and Together for H2OPE, a Numi Foundation nonprofit program bringing clean water and sanitation education to its family communities.

Environment

The EHS Professional’s Quick-Link Guide to Environment, Health, and Safety Webinars

Antea Group provides you links to convenient EHS webinars to widen your EHS knowledge from the comfort of your chair.

Education

Arrow Electronics Engineers Mentor Aspiring Women Scientists

Arrow Electronics engineers Grace Doepker and Maddie Eyolfson served as mentors at Girls and Science, an annual education event that inspires girls to pursue careers in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, the arts and math), hosted by the Denver Museum of Nature and Science and KCNC-TV (CBS4 Denver).

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