Impact & Sustainability News From Leading Brands

Keep up with the latest news from 3BL’s clients.







Editors Pick

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

CBRE | FacilitySource Named U.S. Supplier Company of The Year at PRSM2019 National Conference

The Professional Retail Store Maintenance Association (PRSM), now known as Connex, has named CBRE | FacilitySource as the 2019 U.S. Supplier Company of the Year. The prestigious award, which recognizes performance excellence by a supplier to the retail facility management industry, was presented at the PRSM2019 National Conference on April 30th.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Q&A with Jenny Kim: The Transformative Power of Second-Chance Hiring

For many former inmates, success upon re-entry means securing housing, maintaining a solid support system of family and friends, and finding a job. In 2018 alone, approximately 700,000 people finished their time in prison and re-entered their communities. But as many have found, getting a job is harder than ever. About one in three Americans holds a criminal record, regardless of whether they have been to prison – about as many people who hold college degrees. Just having a record is a barrier, says Jenny Kim, deputy general counsel and vice president for public policy at Koch Industries.

Research, Reports & Publications

Panalpina’s Sustainability Performance in 2018 Sets New Records

Year after year, Panalpina’s quality, health, safety and environment (QHSE) team has demonstrated the hard work and dedication needed to deliver high-quality service to its customers, while building a culture of quality, safety, sustainability and caring. 2018 was one of the most successful years ever, with a 72 percent reduction in injuries to staff since 2013 and a wide range of activities dedicated to improving local communities.

Diversity & Inclusion

What Are Your Blind Spots? Conquering Misconceptions Surrounding the U.S. Asian-pacific Community

The U.S. Asian-Pacific community, spanning more than 50 racial/ethnic groups and speaking more than 30 languages, isn’t easily defined.

Diversity & Inclusion

WEConnect International’s Council Pioneers Research Addressing the Link Between $1.5 Trillion Credit Gap and Access to Markets for Women-Owned Businesses

CEO and Co-Founder of WEConnect International, Elizabeth A. Vazquez, today announced that WEConnect International’s Council on Scaling Women-Owned Businesses will generate pioneering research on how to connect two critical challenges to growth faced by micro, small, and medium enterprises owned by women—access to capital and access to markets.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Las Vegas Sands Recognizes Recipients of Adelson Citizenship Award: 2019

Las Vegas Sands announced the 12 recipients of The Mr. Sheldon G. and Dr. Miriam Adelson Citizenship Award presented by Sands Cares. The award was established through Sands Cares, the company’s corporate giving program, to recognize team members across all regions who have demonstrated a dedication to giving back to their local communities and important causes.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Smithfield Foods Continues Support of James River Association Environmental Clean Up Efforts

Smithfield Foods, Inc., announced today a $10,000 donation to the James River Association to support efforts to restore and protect the future of Virginia’s largest river. To kick-off the continuation of the partnership, Smithfield employees contributed their time with James River Association staff to clean trash from Tyler Beach in Rushmere, Virginia. An important part of the James River watershed, more than 340 pounds of trash were removed from the river’s shores.

Events, Media & Communications

Vote Now for the Young Entrepreneurs Competing in Cisco's Global Problem Solver Challenge

Voting closes 5pm PST on May 17th! The Cisco Global Problem Solver Challenge aims to recognize new business ideas that leverage technology for social impact from student entrepreneurs around the world. Winners will be announced on May 20, 2019.

Innovation & Technology

Addressing Social Sector Needs Through Technology Pro Bono

The social sector continues to lag in the adoption and use of technology due in part to lack of funding and limited staff. How can pro bono service bridge the gap between the needs of the sector and available human and financial resources? On the heels of last week’s Global Pro Bono Summit, Taproot Foundation and VMware are releasing their latest research—a compilation of guides to Transforming Technology Pro Bono—in an effort to support nonprofit organizations in maximizing the impact technology pro bono can have on their mission.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

CITGO Raises More Than $2.2 Million for the Muscular Dystrophy Association

CITGO employees, Marketers, Retailers, vendors and suppliers raised more than $2.2 Million to date for families living with muscular dystrophy, ALS and related neuromuscular diseases that severely weaken muscle strength and mobility.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Foodies Learn About Farming’s Future

There are many challenges in today’s food system, from resource scarcity to soil health and water quality. Cascadian Farm and General Mills believe it will take a collective movement to change how crops are commercially grown, to positively impact climate change, and that’s what we’re doing by collaborating to help develop Kernza.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Aflac Agent Nick Wagner on Living with a Sense of Purpose

Giving back to the community is important to Nick Wagner, who's been an Aflac independent sales agent for 18 years. Working at Aflac gives Nick the flexibility he needs to ensure that he's giving back how and when he wants. "Aflac gives me the opportunity to help people and make a lifestyle out of doing that." says Nick, "It's one thing to give money to a cause, and it's another thing to become a part of the cause. When there's a need in the community, I can take time away from what I'm doing with Aflac to go volunteer my time."

Environment

Medtronic CEO Reinforces Commitment To Sustainability

Business Roundtable CEOs, including Medtronic Chairman and CEO, Omar Ishrak, are embracing sustainability across their businesses. Now, through the #EmbracingSustainability challenge, they are sharing progress and calling on other business leaders to balance environmental stewardship practices and social impact with economic growth for a sustainable future.

Events, Media & Communications

The New Climate for Business

The BSR Conference 2019 will offer the opportunity to gain a greater understanding of the new climate that every business is facing and to learn about how to meet these challenges as we move into the decisive decade ahead. Early-bird registration is now open.

Research, Reports & Publications

Using Data for Good: Return on Investment in Corporate Responsibility

Alliance Data recently hosted a panel discussion at Boston College’s annual Center for Corporate Citizenship Conference on the topic of “Data for Good: Maximizing Impact through Data-Driven Nonprofit Partnerships.” Alliance Data’s Dana Beckman, Director of Corporate Affairs, facilitated a conversation with Tina Weinfurther, President and CEO of nonprofit consulting firm CNM, as well as Daniel Roby, Executive Director of homeless shelter Austin Street Center, on the challenges of both corporate funders and nonprofits in demonstrating return on investment.

Research, Reports & Publications

Catalyzing Action on the SDGs Through Collaboration

Slowly but surely we are seeing pockets of progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Ten years remain until the 2030 deadline and as the urgency ramps up, so does the commitment of many businesses and swathes of civil society around the world. Still, experts worldwide polled by GlobeScan and SustainAbility continue to view progress on sustainable development as inadequate (particularly the contribution of national governments). The good news is that they are gradually becoming less negative according to the most recent SDG Progress Report.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Nestlé Makes Its Human Rights Training Available to All

Nestlé today made its human rights training for employees available to all. Companies and others will be able to use the training module and adapt it to meet their own needs.

Environment

Compressed Air Applications Reduce Environmental Footprint With Ingersoll Rand Energy Recovery Units

Manufacturing plants using oil-free compressed air solutions like pharmaceutical, food and beverage, chemical and automotive industries can lower their environmental footprint and reach their ISO 50001 goals in energy management with the new Energy Recovery Units (ERU) from Ingersoll Rand®. The new sustainability oriented solutions work with oil-free compressors transferring the heat generated throughout the compression process to warm water, which customers can use in industrial processes or to heat spaces in the plant.

Green Infrastructure

Aiken County (S.C.) Off Road Tire Plant Achieves LEED Green Building Certification

Bridgestone Americas, Inc., a subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation, the world’s largest tire and rubber company, today announced that its Aiken County Off Road Tire Plant (Aiken ORR), located in Trenton, S.C., has been awarded Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). LEED recognizes buildings that are designed, constructed, and operated for improved energy, environmental, and human health performance. LEED is the world’s most widely used green building program with more than 94,000 registered and certified projects in 167 countries and territories.

Environment

WWF Launches Activation Hub to Help Prevent 10 Million Metric Tons of Global Plastic Waste

Principal Members, Keurig Dr Pepper, McDonald’s, Procter & Gamble, Starbucks, Tetra Pak and The Coca-Cola Company, with Thought Partners Ocean Conservancy and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation sign on to ReSource: Plastic to inspire action across sectors and supply chains

Research, Reports & Publications

Sanofi 2018 Integrated Report Presents Its Responsibility for the Future

For the third year, Sanofi has published its Integrated Report, "Our Responsibility for the Future”.

This year, the report took on a shorter, bolder format. In this latest edition, we illustrate our commitments and long-term value creation for all stakeholders, giving them a clear, concise, and comprehensive vision of our business model. We also provide key information about the company, its strategy, its value creation, and its sustainable governance, as well as its financial and non-financial performance.

Innovation & Technology

Partners in Purpose: My Special Aflac Duck is Helping Kids With Cancer

On average, children with cancer will spend 1,000 days undergoing treatment. Knowing this can be a scary and difficult time for young patients, Aflac partnered with Sproutel to develop "My Special Aflac Duck." The duck is designed to be a comfort and help children share their emotions. The robotic companion recently earned SXSW's People Choice Award in the Robotics & Hardware category in addition to previous accolades from TIME Magazine and Engadget.

Diversity & Inclusion

Inclusive Workplace Earns Aramark Three Awards

Higher rates of workplace diversity can help companies evolve, innovate, problem-solve and be more efficient. It attracts the best talent, and helps define a company's reputation as a responsible company.

Environment

Behind the Wheel: The Goodwood Estate, in the Fast Lane for Sustainable Growth

What does the English ancestral home to the Dukes of Richmond have in common with one of the largest capital goods companies in the world? The Goodwood Estate and CNH Industrial: two global, multi-faceted businesses with a reputation for excellence in their various fields are committed to finding new, innovative and sustainable ways of working. Nowhere does this become more apparent than on Goodwood’s own Home Farm.

Innovation & Technology

Modern-Day Nightingales: Meet Three Enterprising Nurses Who Moonlight as Inventors

When you think about groundbreaking healthcare innovations—creations that forever changed how medicine is practiced, like the invention of sutures—chances are you first think of medical device engineers and pharmaceutical scientists brainstorming in a lab.

But there's another category of equally inventive medical professionals who work on the very front lines of healthcare: nurses.

Latest Campaigns

  1. Investing in our Communities
    We invest in sustainable community outcomes that improve lives.
  2. Growth Through Sustainability
    Trane Technologies is a global climate innovator with a clear purpose to boldly challenge what’s possible for a sustainable world. See how embedding...
  3. IWBI | WELL Building Standard
    Our built environment can shape our habits and choices, regulate our sleep-wake cycle, drive us toward healthy and unhealthy choices, and passively...
  4. 2024-25 AMD CR Report
    AMD Commemorates 30 Years of Corporate Responsibility with 2024-25 Report
  5. Aflac Stories
    Get a closer look at the people, products and stories that make Aflac the company we know today.
  6. Innovation & Sustainable Solutions
    Chemours chemistry is essential to our daily lives, global commerce, and the future. Our commitment to product sustainability drives us to innovate...
  7. Growth Through Sustainability
    Trane Technologies is a global climate innovator with a clear purpose to boldly challenge what’s possible for a sustainable world. See how embedding...
  8. Goals That Inspire: Positive Social Impact
    Through our Goals That Inspire we strive to make a positive difference in our communities by relying on our ability to understand their needs and then...
  9. Local Communities
    The principals of living and working in synergy with the communities in which we operate, as well as collaborating on projects that benefit those...
  10. Collaboration and Partnership
    Cascale shares updates on its strategic partnerships with industry stakeholders geared toward shifting the industry into one that gives back more than...
  11. Sustainable Operations
    ops-related sustainability content (e.g., new electric equipment, decarb efforts, etc.)
  12. AEG's Commitment to Social Impact and Volunteerism
    AEG embraces its responsibility to enrich the lives of people in the communities around the world where we do business, and to use business to create...
  13. Kids to College Powered by Entergy
    Entergy believes in the dreams of the families we serve. Everyone deserves the opportunity to continue their education and, as a corporate leader and...
  14. Nutrition and Health
    Focus on preventing and treating malnutrition across life stages. Highlights include early detection, community-based treatment (e.g., MUAC screening...
  15. Emergency Response
    Document rapid interventions when crises strike: delivering therapeutic food, water, hygiene kits, and deploying mobile med