Impact & Sustainability News From Leading Brands

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

For Smart Cities, What Comes First? The Budget or the Plan?

Feb 22, 2017 9:00 AM ET

Strained budgets may be holding back many municipalities whose leaders understand the benefits of smart city systems but lack the money to support them. Yet, a question is emerging that potentially turns that notion on its head: How can a city know what it can’t afford until it identifies what it needs?

Innovation & Technology

Capitalizing on the Sustainable Benefits of the IoT: New White Paper from HPE and Globescan

Feb 22, 2017 8:55 AM ET

Could the Internet of Things (IoT) hold the key to solving the world’s most pressing social and environmental challenges? Do IoT learnings from business apply to community issues? Can IoT technology scale quickly and responsibly enough to advance critical solutions, such as those needed to achieve the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals?

Environment

Relentless Innovation at the Nexus of Food, Energy, and Water

Feb 22, 2017 8:10 AM ET

In his opening remarks at the 2017 World Economic Forum (WEF), Klaus Schwab, the founder and executive chairman of WEF, called for responsive and responsible leadership to advance the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The latest meeting – attended by more than 3,000 politicians, business executives, scientists, and heads of civil society – was one of the largest multi-stakeholder groups ever assembled. This year, the gathering included more voices at a time when the breakneck pace of change has contributed to deep anxiety in much of the world about how best to build a more sustainable and inclusive future.

Health & Healthcare

Health and Wellness Trends in the US Corporate Workplace

Feb 22, 2017 8:05 AM ET

Thanks to advancements in collaboration tools, such as social networking and mobile technologies, today’s employees are hyper-connected. This connectivity allows productivity to continue when team members are away from the office, but the potential negative health effects of being plugged in should not be dismissed. This workforce is also working hard, whilst workers’ lives are becoming a balancing act. These modern-day realities, along with the growing demands of most jobs, are chronic sources of stress for workers, and may lead to serious health implications.

Education

Tetra Tech’s 2016 STEM Program Results

Feb 22, 2017 8:00 AM ET

Helping spark an interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics for students of all ages

Green Infrastructure

Delos™ to Open a Well Living Lab in Beijing, China

Feb 22, 2017 7:55 AM ET

Today, Delos™, a U.S.-based wellness real estate and technology firm, announced plans to build and operate its second Well Living Lab, which is slated to open in Beijing, China in the Fall of 2018. The Well Living Lab (China) will be the first scientific research center in Asia to integrate building science, behavioral science, and health science to help quantify and ultimately improve the impact that indoor environments have on human health, wellness, comfort, and performance. Through this research, the Lab aims to spur innovations that will help address indoor environmental challenges specifically related to the local climate, environment and culture in China.

Education

Meet Amgen Scholars Alumni Vera Thornton

Feb 22, 2017 7:00 AM ET

Energy

Power of the Sun: Green Mountain Energy Launches Innovative Combination to Help Homeowners Make the Most of Solar

Feb 22, 2017 7:00 AM ET

Events, Media & Communications

Top 5 Takeaways From Goodness Matters 2017: The Annual Benevity Client Conference

Feb 21, 2017 7:55 PM ET

When you get more than 200 DoGooders together in a desert, great things happen. The passion and enthusiasm from everyone who attended Benevity's annual Goodness Matters client conference was incredible, and we left Palm Springs more convinced than ever that we, as companies, have an incredible opportunity to create the change we want to see in the world. To keep the momentum going, we pulled together some of the big ideas and learnings with 5 key takeaways — because this was more than just a palm-covered getaway (though it was certainly beautiful). It was a starting point for all of us to make Goodness matter (even) more!

Environment

NatGeo WILD and resident explorers bring conservation to the classroom for Big Cat Week

Feb 21, 2017 7:45 PM ET

On February 20, 2017, Nat Geo WILD launched its seventh annual ‘Big Cat Week’, a week of premiere programming and activities dedicated to telling the stories of nature’s fiercest felines—lions, tigers, cheetahs, panthers and more—around the world. ‘Big Cat Week’ is an extension of the Big Cats Initiative (BCI), a long-term commitment by 21st Century Fox’s National Geographic to stop poaching, save habitat and sound the call that big steps are needed to save big cats around the world. The initiative was co-founded by big cat experts Dereck and Beverly Joubert, and supports protection efforts through assessment, on-the-ground conservation, education, and global public-awareness campaigns—since 2009, BCI has supported over 95 innovative grants to protect seven iconic big cat species across 27

Research, Reports & Publications

Do Matching Gifts Inspire Employee Giving?

Feb 21, 2017 6:45 PM ET

Are employees more motivated to donate to nonprofits if their employer is willing to match their gift?

Health & Healthcare

The Potential Dangers of Palm Oil Consumption

Feb 21, 2017 5:15 PM ET

The European Safety Authority (ESFA) released a report last year highlighting the potential dangers posed by the consumption of harmful compounds found in refined vegetable oils. The negative and often misleading news media coverage of Nutella that resulted was so strong that Ferrero (the manufacturer of Nutella), experienced a decrease in product sales.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Abbott Leads Industry on Fortune's Most Admired Companies List; Also Named No. 1 in Social Responsibility, People Management

Feb 21, 2017 4:55 PM ET

Abbott was named the Most Admired Company in the medical products and equipment industry by Fortune magazine for the fourth straight year. As part of the overall Fortune rankings, the company also was once again named the No. 1 company in its industry sector for social responsibility and people management as well.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Duke Energy Earns NWTF Energy for Wildlife Award

Feb 21, 2017 3:50 PM ET

The National Wild Turkey Federation presented Duke Energy the prestigious Energy for Wildlife National Achievement Award at the 41st Annual Convention and Sport Show.

Energy

How Billionaire Philip Anschutz is Cashing in on California’s Thirst for Wind Power

Feb 21, 2017 3:45 PM ET

Philip Anschutz, the owner of AEG, will soon build the largest wind farm in the United States to serve utilities in California, where officials have set ambitious green power goals.

Diversity & Inclusion

Women of Color Lead Volkswagen’s Diversity Programs

Feb 21, 2017 2:00 PM ET

By Stacy M. Brown (NNPA Newswire Contributor)

The job of a lifetime is something most aspire to but, for some, the fantasy simply is much too difficult to even comprehend.

Brown is a 21-year veteran of the automotive industry, and she has spent 18 of those years at Volkswagen Group of America (VWGoA). There she found the “job of a lifetime,” despite being a woman in a male-dominated industry.

Today, as Brown serves as Volkswagen’s Diversity and Inclusion Consultant, her passion for diversity and inclusion is fulfilled daily.

Research, Reports & Publications

Monsanto 2016 Sustainability Report Marks Substantial Progress Against Goals

Feb 21, 2017 2:00 PM ET

Monsanto Company has released its 2016 Sustainability Report, Growing Better Together. Highlights include Monsanto’s actions to mitigate and adapt to climate change through collaborative efforts, the advancement of its biodiversity position and its alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Diversity & Inclusion

Three Quality of Lifehacks for Recognizing the All-Stars at Your Organization

Feb 21, 2017 1:30 PM ET

You may have watched this weekend’s NBA All-Star game, but do you know why those players were picked to play? It’s not about points scored or minutes played, and it’s not about the dollars they earn for team owners. They’re chosen by the people most touched by their work. The NBA lets fans pick half of the starting players — and the rest are picked by fellow players and the media who cover them.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

What Employers and Their Employees Can Do to Address the Global Refugee Crisis

Feb 21, 2017 1:20 PM ET

While the politics and policy surrounding refugees continues to be disputed between governments, companies and their employees can play a significant role in supporting the individuals and families impacted by the refugee crisis. Here's how your team can get involved in just two steps.

Innovation & Technology

UPS Tests Residential Delivery Via Drone Launched From Atop Package Car

Feb 21, 2017 1:00 PM ET

UPS announced today that it has successfully tested a drone that launches from the top of a UPS package car, autonomously delivers a package to a home and then returns to the vehicle while the delivery driver continues along the route to make a separate delivery.

Research, Reports & Publications

Our Waste Doesn't Go To Waste

Feb 21, 2017 1:00 PM ET

From construction projects to daily meals in our cafeterias, we’re committed to making sure the waste we create around the world is reused, recycled or composted. Our efforts are paying off.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Grameen America Partners with Citi and Mastercard to Launch Transformative Digital Finance Platform for Low-Income Women Entrepreneurs

Feb 21, 2017 12:30 PM ET

Citi and Mastercard today announced a collaboration with Grameen America, a leading nonprofit microfinance organization, to introduce financial technology solutions that will significantly enhance the organization’s ability to promote digital financial access and inclusion for more than 86,000 low-income minority women entrepreneurs across the United States.

Environment

Climate Change and Women’s Rights: The Opportunity for Action

Feb 21, 2017 12:15 PM ET

Are you a millennial? I have bad news and good news for you. The bad news is that climate change and gender equality — two key issues you care about — will cost our generation over $30 trillion; that is the equivalent of the American, Chinese and Japanese economies combined. The good news is that, while scary, we can use our voices and investable assets to create real change, quickly!

Diversity & Inclusion

Indigenous Communities Initiative Combines Traditional Knowledge with University-Based Research to Address Social and Economic Issues

Feb 21, 2017 11:50 AM ET

The Mitacs Indigenous Communities Engagement initiative is developing new models of collaborative research by combining traditional knowledge and Indigenous research methods with university-based research. This is being done through partnerships with Canada’s Indigenous peoples, and evaluating the models through a limited series of pilot projects.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Wendy’s Wonderful Kids Recruiter Finds Joy in Most Challenging Cases

Feb 21, 2017 11:00 AM ET

It’s funny how life takes twist and turns and before you know it you end up in a place you never could have imagined. As a newly licensed counselor, my plan was to work within the field of marriage, family therapy and domestic violence issues. I never applied for a job as an adoption recruiter, and yet somehow, my resume landed on the desk of someone who thought I might be perfect for the job. There have been countless moments of joy in the last few years as a Wendy's Wonderful Kids adoption recruiter.