Impact & Sustainability News From Leading Brands

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

KeyBank Provides $8.2 Million in Financing for Construction of New York Affordable Housing Property

Dec 13, 2017 4:00 PM ET

KeyBank Community Development Lending & Investment (CDLI) has provided an $8.2 million credit enhancement for the construction of Roosevelt Residences, located in Utica, NY. The project is being developed by Norstar Development USA, L.P., and the Municipal Housing Authority of the City of Utica, NY.

Innovation & Technology

Podcast | UPS Longitudes Radio: Moving Urban Logistics Forward (Part 3)

Dec 13, 2017 12:35 PM ET

In the final episode of a three-part series, Peter Harris and Thomas Madrecki of UPS discuss a surprising avenue to pursue in addressing urban logistics: the balance between efficiency and self-disruption. Listen to the podcast, then subscribe to Longitudes Radio so you’ll be among the first to know about new episodes.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Community Support

Dec 13, 2017 12:30 PM ET

On a brisk Saturday morning in November, volunteers and area organizations in Austin, Minnesota, were busy getting everything ready for an event to help others in the community. Tables were being set up, groceries were being placed into bags and barber chairs were being brought in for haircuts.

Richard Lemons, co-chair of the Austin Poverty Taskforce, the organization that coordinated the event, said he was humbled and overwhelmed as he entered the high school gym where Austin’s first Community Connect event would be taking place. “I was moved by how many people cared and were giving their time to help out,” he said.

Supply Chain & the Circular Economy

Tackling Modern Slavery With Transparency: GRI to Support the Reporting Community

Dec 13, 2017 12:05 PM ET

GRI is inviting leading reporting companies to join a Corporate Leadership Group (CLG) on Modern Slavery to engage in cutting edge dialogue about the challenges and opportunities of transparency on this urgent sustainability issue in consultation with diverse stakeholders such as investors, media, human rights and legal experts and governments.

Health & Healthcare

Serving Those Who Served

Dec 13, 2017 12:00 PM ET

With the help of the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is hoping to wage a war on lung cancer by increasing veterans’ access to lung cancer screenings across the country.
Sponsored by the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation, the project brings together a leading team of lung cancer experts and the VA to develop the VA-Partnership to increase Access to Lung Screening or VA-PALS. The goal is to develop early-detection programs for lung cancer, a malignancy with an 80 percent cure rate when caught early.

The initiative aims to create lung cancer screening programs at 10 VA medical centers throughout the U.S. to increase veterans’ access to lung cancer screenings with innovative technology designed for early detection.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

How Much Is Enough to Make a Difference When Donating?

Dec 13, 2017 11:30 AM ET

While it often feels like one individual’s actions doesn't have an impact on the big picture, the truth is that we all have the power to make a difference and influence change. In fact, the majority of giving (at least 71% of total annual donations) is from individuals. Through our work at America’s Charities, we empower individuals and organizations to support causes they care about, and we do this to bring more resources to the nonprofits that are changing our world.

Social Impact & Volunteering

TeamCITGO Aruba Participates in Beach Cleanup

Dec 13, 2017 10:30 AM ET

This past November, TeamCITGO Aruba participated in the annual Aruba Hotel and Tourism Association (AHTA) Beach Cleanup from Baby Beach to the dog cemetery in San Nicolas. The event was the first volunteer outreach for the new volunteer organization and 95 TeamCITGO volunteers filled approximately 175 trash bags with trash from the beach area. Trash was then transported to the event’s central drop off point at Seroe Colorado to be properly disposed of.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

CBRE Group, Inc. Named to Forbes JUST 100

Dec 13, 2017 10:15 AM ET

CBRE Group, Inc. announced that it has been named one of America’s Most JUST Companies by Forbes and JUST Capital.

Forbes and JUST Capital evaluate U.S.-based public companies based on measures of corporate citizenship, including employee relations, quality of goods and services, client service, environmental impact, community support, diversity and ethical conduct. Nearly 1,000 companies are considered for inclusion in the JUST 100.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Bloomberg and Carney Announce Growing Support for Climate-Focused Financial Taskforce

Dec 13, 2017 10:05 AM ET

On the two-year anniversary of the Paris Agreement, 237 companies with a combined market capitalisation of over $6.3 trillion have publicly committed to support the Bloomberg-led Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). This includes over 150 financial firms responsible for assets of over $81.7 trillion.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Changing Lives ‘From the Inside Out’

Dec 13, 2017 10:00 AM ET

Brandon Madrid wasn’t sure how he could get the training he needed to find and advance in a career. He had previously enrolled in college, but financial struggles, a full-time job providing maintenance for an apartment complex, and ongoing kidney dialysis made it impossible for him to continue.Then, he saw an online ad for BankWork$®, and he enrolled in the fall of 2016. Today, he is a teller for Wells Fargo in Denver and pursuing a degree in finance. “BankWork$ has given me more assurance for my future,” Madrid said.

Environment

Unlocking Sustainability Through Analytics at SunTrust

Dec 13, 2017 10:00 AM ET

One student at Georgia Tech changed his whole view about #climatechange after taking Beril Toktay's class in the Ray C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Merck’s Ken Frazier Named to The Bloomberg 50 and as BioPharma Dive’s Executive of the Year

Dec 13, 2017 9:35 AM ET

BioPharma Dive recently issued its annual “Dive Awards.” Heading their list? Merck’s own Ken Frazier, as Executive of the Year. From Merck’s growing immuno-oncology presence to the company’s research productivity and strong share price, Ken has played a leading role in “returning [Merck] to the science-focused juggernaut that is dominating the lung cancer space today,” the website notes in a lengthy profile of Merck’s Chairman and CEO.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Essity Discloses Its Footprint in WWF’s Environmental Paper Company Index

Dec 13, 2017 9:35 AM ET

Essity has shown its commitment to transparency by participating in the Environmental Paper Company Index 2017 (EPCI). The Group receives an overall score of 78.7% and 94% out of a maximum of 100% for its responsible fiber sourcing. The EPCI is a WWF tool that promotes transparency and continual improvement in the global pulp, paper and packing sector towards sustainability.

Health & Healthcare

Good Health for All People in Colombia

Dec 13, 2017 9:20 AM ET

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Should We Be Talking About Financial Health Instead of Inclusion?

Dec 13, 2017 9:05 AM ET

In this Gateway interview, Carrie shares with us some of the latest thinking on financial health and why MetLife Foundation has shifted its focus from financial inclusion to financial health.

Energy

Balancing Modern Power: The Convergence of Natural Gas and the Electric Market

Dec 13, 2017 9:00 AM ET

One might think the proliferation of renewables would spell the demise of natural gas, but market leaders know that gas-fired generation will continue to play an important role even as an influx of renewable energy reshapes the American power landscape.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Nestlé Purina Honored as One of the Best Places to Work in 2018, a Glassdoor Employees’ Choice Award Winner

Dec 13, 2017 8:30 AM ET

Nestlé Purina PetCare Company has been honored with a Glassdoor Employees’ Choice Award, recognizing the Best Places to Work in 2018. The Employees’ Choice Awards program, now in its 10th year, relies solely on the input of employees, who elect to provide feedback on their jobs, work environments and companies via Glassdoor.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Boys & Girls Clubs of America And Maytag Brand Honor Nearly 100 Boys & Girls Club Employees And Volunteers With Maytag Dependable Leader Award

Dec 13, 2017 8:30 AM ET

Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Maytag brand have announced 10 new recipients of the 2017 Maytag Dependable Leader Award.

Sustainable Development Goals

Tetra Tech Uses Film to Help Indonesia Combat Corruption

Dec 13, 2017 8:00 AM ET

Through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded CEGAH project, MSI, A Tetra Tech Company, partnered with Indonesia’s Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) to create a unique film festival aimed at engaging more young people and creative professionals around government accountability and transparency.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

SC Johnson Goes Above and Beyond Regulatory and Industry Standards With Skin Allergen Transparency

Dec 13, 2017 8:00 AM ET

SC Johnson announced that it has fulfilled a commitment it made in May 2017 to disclose the presence of 368 skin allergens by product on its ingredient website WhatsInsideSCJohnson.com. Previously, the company published a list of fragrance and non-fragrance skin allergens on its website, and beginning today takes it a step further by listing the specific allergens by product. With this initiative, the company goes well above and beyond regulatory and industry allergen disclosure standards, including those in the European Union and the United States.

Sustainable Development Goals

VIDEO: Accelerating Schneider Electric’s Transition to Carbon Neutrality

Dec 13, 2017 7:45 AM ET

As sustainability leaders from around the world gather at the One Planet Summit, we’re reminded of the urgency of the climate crisis and inspired by those who, together, are rising to meet the challenge head on.

Diversity & Inclusion

PNC Employee Provides Testimony to Senate Aging Committee

Dec 13, 2017 7:45 AM ET

Supply Chain & the Circular Economy

Gildan’s Vertically-Integrated Approach to Making Apparel Better

Dec 13, 2017 7:00 AM ET

Gildan’s ownership of its facilities provides it with oversight and control over almost every stage of the production process – starting with the spinning of USA cotton into yarn, to textile production, sewing and finally distribution. This vertical integration allows the company to uncover efficiencies while ensuring safe and healthy work environments for its employees, sustainable solutions in its operations and valuable contributions to its communities.

Environment

Aaron Huertas: Science Justice Warrior

Dec 12, 2017 5:40 PM ET

This week on Sea Change Radio, we check in with science communicator Aaron Huertas about his advocacy work. We discuss the fight for science justice, talk about the intersection of religion, science and politics, and look at some examples of how political divisions in this country damage the science community, and ultimately, all of us.

Health & Healthcare

Video | A Macy’s Parade Sneak Peek for a Family Facing Pediatric Cancer

Dec 12, 2017 5:15 PM ET

It’s been a challenging year for 10-year-old Teryn Buster. But on November 3, her spirits were flying high — as the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade balloons recently did — during a visit to Macy’s Parade Studio in Moonachie, New Jersey, headquarters of the world-famous parade. Inside this warehouse is where most of the parade’s balloons and floats are constructed.