Impact & Sustainability News From Leading Brands

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Wells Fargo LIFT Programs Create 2,000 Homeowners in 2016

Jan 20, 2017 8:25 AM ET

More than 2,000 families and individuals purchased their home in 2016 through Wells Fargo LIFT programs, which offer homebuyer education plus down payment assistance in local communities.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Mind Your Menus: What to Expect from the World of Food and Drink in 2017

Jan 20, 2017 8:05 AM ET

With nearly everyone happy to see the backside of 2016, most of us are especially grateful to have a shot at that symbolic clean slate that January always promises. And this year, clean living doesn’t seem to be quite as important as social responsibility judging by many in the food and drink industries who are renewing their commitments to making the world a better place. As such, 2017 is already shaping up to be the Year of Mindful Eating and Drinking.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Kimberly-Clark Professional’s Supply Chain Team Inspired to Help Atlanta’s Homeless Children

Jan 20, 2017 7:00 AM ET

Inspired by a rally cry of “No Peanut Butter and Jelly for Christmas Dinner,” the Supply Chain team for Kimberly-Clark’s Professional business made time during the typical year-end rush of activity to coordinate employees on the company’s Roswell, Georgia campus in support another successful food drive for the Children’s Restoration Network, CRN, in Atlanta.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

MGM Resorts International Donates $150,000 to Support Best Buddies Nevada’s Jobs Program for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Jan 19, 2017 4:00 PM ET

Best Buddies International, a nonprofit founded in 1989 by Anthony K. Shriver to establish a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), is excited to announce a generous donation from MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) of $150,000 to support the Best Buddies Jobs program in Nevada.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

U.S. Conference of Mayors, Wells Fargo Announce 2017 CommunityWINS Grant Program

Jan 19, 2017 2:15 PM ET

The U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) and Wells Fargo today announced a call for nominations for the 2017 CommunityWINS℠ grant program, aimed at accelerating neighborhood revitalization, economic development, and job creation in municipalities across the country.

Launched in 2015, the CommunityWINS grant program includes a $3 million investment by the Wells Fargo Foundation over three years. CommunityWINS grant program is administered by The U.S. Conference of Mayors and funded by the Wells Fargo Foundation.

Diversity & Inclusion

Nestlé in the U.S. Announces Veteran Career Support Partnerships with Hiring Our Heroes and The Mission Continues

Jan 19, 2017 2:15 PM ET

Events, Media & Communications

WEF 2017: Paul Jacobs and Industry Experts Discuss the Challenges and Opportunities of Autonomous Driving [Video]

Jan 19, 2017 2:00 PM ET

The world is shifting to autonomous and driverless vehicles, and Qualcomm is among those with their foot on the gas.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Comcast Named Top Military Spouse Friendly Employer

Jan 19, 2017 1:45 PM ET

Military Spouse magazine released its annual Top 100 Military Spouse Friendly Employers’ list, and Comcast NBCUniversal is number one overall in 2017.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Feature Q&A with Tyler Butler, Principal and Founder, 11Eleven Consulting and Former CSR Director at GoDaddy

Jan 19, 2017 1:30 PM ET

Tyler Butler is Founder and Principal of 11Eleven Consulting. 11Eleven is a boutique consulting firm focused on aiding companies who aim to do well by doing good. 11Eleven assists companies to develop meaningful and innovative corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs.

Energy

US Clean Energy Forecast for 2017

Jan 19, 2017 1:15 PM ET

With Davos this week and current uncertainty around climate change policy from the White House, it’s even more important for business to see the benefits clean energy renewable energy can provide for long term sustainable growth. Ethical Corporation has just produced 7 pages of exclusive insight into clean energy strategies from leading renewable businesses: General Motors and Autodesk.

Environment

LSU Football Fans Champions of 2016 GameDay Recycling Challenge

Jan 19, 2017 12:30 PM ET

While Clemson University recently defeated the University of Alabama in the College Football Playoff National Championship, football fans at Louisiana State University could also claim a championship of their own having been crowned the overall winners of the 2016 GameDay Recycling Challenge (GDRC), the national collegiate football recycling competition.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Nine Amazing Ways to Give Back in 2017

Jan 19, 2017 12:30 PM ET

Corporate houses and entrepreneurs are custodians of the future. They are responsible for creating a long lasting measurable change that could add value in the economic and social welfare arenas.

Energy

Duke Energy Turned N.C.'s Sunny Days Into More Solar Energy Capacity in 2016

Jan 19, 2017 11:00 AM ET

North Carolina's status as a national solar energy leader expanded further in 2016 as Duke Energy connected about 500 megawatts (MW) of solar capacity in the state to serve customers.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Return on Equality: Investment Opportunities that Help Close the Global Gender Gap

Jan 19, 2017 10:30 AM ET

Achieving gender equality is essential as a matter of justice and human rights — and it also unleashes a range of positive economic and development outcomes. While women and girls have made significant gains in the past decade in terms of education, health, economic participation, and political leadership, gender equality has yet to be attained in many critical areas, and at the cost of substantial and unrealized social and market benefits. In fact, the McKinsey Global Institute estimates that narrowing the global gender gap could add US $12 trillion in annual gross domestic product.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Jewelry Industry Moves Toward More Sustainable and Ethical Supply Chains

Jan 19, 2017 10:30 AM ET

The jewelry industry has forged ahead with recent efforts to ensure gemstones and other jewelry products are sustainably sourced. Before the American Gem Trade Association’s annual conference kicks off in Tucson, hundreds of jewelers and others will gather on Jan. 29-30 for their second “Jewelry Industry Summit” to advance efforts for responsible sourcing of gemstones and to improve sustainability in the gem supply trade.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Astellas Improves Rank in Second Year Named to Corporate Knights’ 2017 Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations

Jan 19, 2017 9:30 AM ET

Astellas has been named for the second year one of Corporate Knights’ 2017 Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World, moving up 10 spots in the index. Corporate Knights announced this year’s honorees at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Health & Healthcare

NAACP, Baxter Launch Partnership to Boost Access to Kidney Care

Jan 19, 2017 9:30 AM ET

The NAACP announced today that, with support from Baxter International Inc., it is launching a series of town hall events in communities across the country to improve knowledge about kidney disease and dialysis treatment options for African Americans. Baxter’s support will enable the project to bring needed information about prevention and treatment of kidney disease to African Americans, whose rates of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) continue to rise at alarming rates.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Domtar Difference Makers: Khloe Thompson & Stephanie Arnold Help Homeless Women

Jan 19, 2017 9:30 AM ET

Through Khloe’s efforts, four generations of women are working together to provide help for homeless women through Khloe Kares. This small but heartfelt initiative provides basic necessities to homeless women in and near Fullerton, California.

How do you make a difference in your community?

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Five More Cities Join Bloomberg Philanthropies and the Aspen Institute’s Global Initiative on Autonomous Vehicles

Jan 19, 2017 9:00 AM ET

Bloomberg Philanthropies, in conjunction with the Aspen Institute, is helping more cities prepare for the emergence of autonomous cars through its global initiative. Now, five more cities are a part of the cohort.

Research, Reports & Publications

Millennials in the Workplace: What Do They Really Want?

Jan 19, 2017 8:45 AM ET

Entitled, flighty, never fully invested—if you were to take the stereotypes about millennials seriously, they’d be about the worst co-workers and employees imaginable. Happily for HR departments everywhere, a recent report from CBRE Research suggests that (for the most part) the stereotypes would seem to be just that.

Innovation & Technology

Empowering Women Through Design

Jan 19, 2017 8:05 AM ET

US-based social enterprise Raven + Lily has joined the Business Call to Action (BctA) with a commitment to provide market access and sustainable livelihoods to over 2,000 women from impoverished communities.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

UN Global Compact Bulletin (January 2017)

Jan 19, 2017 8:05 AM ET

Let's Make Global Goals Local Business in 2017!

Learn more about the UN Global Compact’s multi-year strategy to drive business awareness and action in support of achieving the SDGs by 2030.

Education

Fox and LA Promise Fund Screen ‘Hidden Figures’ for 10,000 Girls in Los Angeles

Jan 19, 2017 7:00 AM ET

Nearly 10,000 young women from middle and high schools across Los Angeles County gathered at the University of Southern California’s Galen Center on January 10 for an exclusive screening of Hidden Figures, the hit film from 20th Century Fox that tells the true story of three female African American mathematicians who played crucial roles in the Space Race of the 1960’s. The LA Promise Fund for Public Schools organized the screening, which featured appearances by cast members Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe and Aldis Hodge, along with producer Pharrell Williams, all of whom spoke about their hope that the Hidden Figures story will inspire more women and women of color to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Macomb Innovation Fund Awards $225,000 to Five Detroit-area Technology Startups

Jan 19, 2017 6:00 AM ET

Five early-stage companies from Macomb, Washtenaw and Wayne counties will receive $225,000 in funding from the Innovation Fund Macomb Community College, Powered by JPMorgan Chase & Co. Since July 2015, the Macomb Innovation Fund has awarded $1.4 million to 24 companies, which have garnered $3.5 million in follow-on funding.

Media & Communications

New Avery Dennison ClearIntent™ Portfolio Enables Sustainability Improvements

Jan 19, 2017 5:15 AM ET

As part of its ambitious 2025 sustainability goals, Avery Dennison Label and Packaging Materials has created a new portfolio designed to enable customers choose products that can help to make a positive environmental impact.