Impact & Sustainability News From Leading Brands

Research, Reports & Publications

GRI Standards Now Available in German

Jan 11, 2018 9:00 AM ET

The German translation of the GRI Standards is now available to download in time, just in time for the reporting season at hand. As a public good, GRI Standards downloads are all free of change.

Energy

SCS Global Services Accredited for Sustainable Biomass Program (SBP) Certification

Jan 11, 2018 9:00 AM ET

SCS Global Services (SCS) has become the third Certification Body to be accredited by Accreditation Services International (ASI) for SBP certification services. ASI, the appointed accreditation body for the SBP certification system, has undertaken a thorough assessment of the processes and procedures in place at SCS and is satisfied that the accreditation requirements for the SBP certification system have been met.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Community Impact Investing

Jan 11, 2018 9:00 AM ET

Community impact investments focus on positive criteria for inclusion in a portfolio and can include a wide range of intentions such as affordable housing, neighborhood revitalization, and small business development. These types of investments provide capital to help finance affordable homeownership, loans to start or improve small businesses, loans to rehabilitate affordable rental housing properties and healthcare facilities, and improvements to communities nationwide such as green technology, revitalization activities, rural community development, and more.

Sustainable Development Goals

VIDEO | See How Texas Trees Foundation and Alliance Data Are Working to Reverse Dallas’ Rising Temps

Jan 11, 2018 8:35 AM ET

Supply Chain & the Circular Economy

Our Global E-Waste Challenge and the Need for Leadership

Jan 11, 2018 8:20 AM ET

Trisa Thompson, Senior Vice President and Chief Responsibility Officer at Dell, shares in her article on thecirculars.org the growing challenge we face in dealing with the global rise of e-waste. Thompson shares some of the key barriers to innovation as well as provides insight into the work Dell is doing to lead the change.

Innovation & Technology

Sodexo Launches Upgraded User Experience for Universities Digital Platform

Jan 11, 2018 8:00 AM ET

Sodexo, world leader in Quality of Life Services, today announced the upgrade of SodexoMyWay, a digital platform enabling customer-driven e-commerce dining websites with dynamic content that will predict content for the user, enhancing their digital experience. The upgrade to the website platform includes an upgraded mobile-first technology for ease of access across multiple devices. Using the newly-released SDL/Tridion (Web 8.5) content management system, this upgrade across Sodexo’s 700-site ecosystem marks the largest deployment of Web 8.5 in the world to date.

Environment

VIDEO: TD Helps Advance Prosperous Low-Carbon Economy With New Set of Environmental Initiatives

Jan 11, 2018 8:00 AM ET

TD recently announced a set of initiatives to advance the low-carbon economy of the future. As we look to target CDN$100 billion by 2030, through low-carbon lending, financing, asset management and other programs, TD is demonstrating the crucial role that financial institutions can and should play in supporting economic prosperity and transformational technology.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Boeing Donates $10 Million to the Bush Institute’s Military Service Initiative

Jan 10, 2018 5:05 PM ET

Boeing [NYSE: BA] has awarded $10 million to the George W. Bush Institute’s Military Service Initiative in support of veterans’ programs and services. The company’s donation is part of a $30 million, multi-year investment aimed at veterans' recovery and rehabilitation programs and military transition services. In 2018 alone, Boeing grant dollars will assist more than 100 veterans’ nonprofits, worldwide.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Humana Among Top 10 Military Friendly Gold Employers

Jan 10, 2018 4:05 PM ET

Humana was recently named a Top 10 Gold-level Military Friendly ® Employer by Victory Media. The 2018 list of Military Friendly Employers distinguishes elite companies who boast the strongest job opportunities, hiring practices and retention programs for transitioning service members seeking civilian employment. Humana placed 4th overall of 200 companies in the prestigious list. View the entire list. This is the seventh time Humana has made the list.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

In Time of Need, Tonya Dirkse Found Warmth, Peace

Jan 10, 2018 4:00 PM ET

Tonya Dirkse was, in her own words, at her breaking point. Recently divorced with no job, she was having trouble making ends meet and was hesitant to ask for help. Then her sister mentioned that she might qualify for social services assistance, saying that it would be “a hand-up not a hand-out.”

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Newsweek Recognizes Mohawk in 2017 Green Rankings For Reducing Its Environmental Impact

Jan 10, 2018 3:30 PM ET

For the eighth consecutive year, Mohawk Industries has earned recognition as one of Newsweek magazine’s 500 greenest companies in the United States, and once again it is the only flooring manufacturer to make this influential list. The company ranked 265 in Newsweek’s 2017 Green Ranking program, which uses key indicators to measure environmental performance of large publicly traded companies that are delivering solid business results while minimizing their environmental impact.

Education

Calling Teen Filmmakers: Toyota and Discovery Launch Safe Driving PSA Challenge

Jan 10, 2018 3:05 PM ET

Now in its sixth year, Toyota and Discovery Education have kicked off the 2018 TeenDrive365 Video Challenge, inviting 9-12 grade students to submit an original 30-60 second Public Service Announcement for teens about safe driving habits.

Supply Chain & the Circular Economy

LIVARI: How 3 Women are Leading the New Sustainable Fashion Movement

Jan 10, 2018 2:20 PM ET

How many pairs of jeans do you own? How many t-shirts? How many pairs of shoes? A $3 trillion dollar industry employing roughly 60 million people, the fashion industry accounts for 2 percent of the world’s GDP and supports many adjacent industries, including agriculture, petroleum, mining and construction. It’s also an industry that historically hasn’t been very earth friendly. Boston Consulting Group estimates that the fashion industry is the fifth most polluting industry in the world. LIVARI, a new zero-waste, women-led, women-designed label has entered the fashion scene and is looking to change this one tonne of carbon pollution at a time.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Sodexo Announces Its Mindful Soup-er Hero! Winner From Portland, OR, Receives Free Lunch for One Year

Jan 10, 2018 2:10 PM ET

Sodexo, world leader of quality-of-life services, is thrilled to announce that Shawn Daley is the winner of Make It Mindful. Shawn, an administrator at Concordia University in Portland, Oregon, created a delicious and healthy 3 Cs (Chicken, Cabbage & Chickpea) Soup that will be featured in Sodexo cafés across the country today through February 4. In addition to seeing his winning soup on the menu, Shawn will receive free lunch for one year.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

National Grid Earns Emergency Response Awards From Edison Electric Institute

Jan 10, 2018 2:00 PM ET

National Grid has received Edison Electric Institute’s Emergency Assistance and Emergency Recovery awards for its response to damaging thunderstorms and tornadoes that struck the upstate New York region in May and July 2017.

Environment

Jeremy Lent: Human History and the Climate

Jan 10, 2018 1:15 PM ET

Social Impact & Volunteering

MLK Day Employee Volunteer Spotlight: John Ketner

Jan 10, 2018 12:15 PM ET

As MLK Day approaches, Common Impact is encouraging our partners to make it a day "on," not a day off. To honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's legacy were lifting up our inspiring employee volunteers who have a strong commitment to civic engagement and are deeply involved in strengthening the livelihood of their local communities.

Research, Reports & Publications

Action Points for Poverty Alleviation: New GRI Paper Outlines Practical Steps

Jan 10, 2018 12:05 PM ET

CSR reporting can help companies advance poverty alleviation. A new paper by GRI outlines recommendations and specific disclosures companies can apply to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goal #1: No Poverty.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Humana Named Greenest Among Health Care Providers & Services in 2017 Newsweek Green Rankings

Jan 10, 2018 11:45 AM ET

Humana is the greenest company in the Health Care Providers and Services industry, according to Newsweek’s 2017 Green Rankings. Humana ranked No. 18 out of 500 U.S. companies on the list and is the industry leader in the Health Care Providers and Services industry. Overall, Humana ranked No. 32 on the global list.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Scotiabank Sponsors Race Weekend 2018

Jan 10, 2018 11:30 AM ET

Nassau, The Bahamas - Scotiabank is a silver, corporate partner for Sunshine Insurance Race Weekend 2018. The Bank has supported the annual event, inclusive of Marathon Bahamas and the Susan G. Komen Bahamas Race for the Cure since inception.

Events, Media & Communications

Leveraging Technology for Financial Wellness

Jan 10, 2018 10:15 AM ET

Join us for a webinar hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and supported by JPMorgan Chase & Co., where representatives from University of North Carolina Center for Community Capital and nonprofit Leaders in Financial Technology (nLIFT) will discuss the potential for technology innovation in the financial services sector – fintech – to increase financial inclusion in the United States.

Education

JetBlue Encourages ‘Even More Girls - In Tech’ With an Event Focused on Inspiring Young Girls to Pursue STEM Careers

Jan 10, 2018 10:00 AM ET

JetBlue is continuing its mission of Inspiring Humanity®. Last week, JetBlue partnered with the nonprofit Girls in Tech to host a special event designed to encourage young girls to be brave, dream big, and build. Girls in Tech is a global organization focused on the engagement, education, and empowerment of girls and women who are passionate about technology.

During the “Even More Girls – In Tech” event, which took place at the Impact Hub in Oakland, Calif., nearly 50 girls, ages 12-15 learned leadership skills directly from JetBlue senior leaders and Girls in Tech CEO and Founder Adriana Gascoigne and received an introduction to technical skills such as coding that are critical to careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Ecolab to Receive World Environment Center’s 2018 Gold Medal Award for Corporate Sustainability

Jan 10, 2018 10:00 AM ET

The World Environment Center (WEC) is pleased to announce that its 34th annual Gold Medal for International Corporate Achievement in Sustainable Development will be awarded to Ecolab. The Chief Executive Officer of Ecolab will accept the Gold Medal Award on Thursday, May 17, 2018, during the Gold Medal Presentation Ceremony in Washington, D.C.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

7 Nestlé Brand Stories You Missed in 2017

Jan 10, 2018 9:30 AM ET

2017 was an eventful year here at Nestlé. We launched innovative products, had new learnings on the joy of pizza, broke Guinness World Records, and welcomed new members to our family.

We know you had a busy year too — so in case you missed any of our biggest stories, we’ve got a quick roundup of the highlights for you.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Acumen America Makes Its First Financial Inclusion Investment Under New Partnership With Metlife Foundation

Jan 10, 2018 9:20 AM ET

Acumen, the nonprofit global venture fund, today announced its first financial inclusion investment under its Acumen America portfolio. Launched in 2016, Acumen America invests in social enterprises addressing the problems of poverty in the United States with a focus on the sectors of health care, workforce development and financial inclusion.