Impact & Sustainability News From Leading Brands

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Wells Fargo Donates $200,000 for New Mexico Housing, Education and Small Business Efforts

Oct 17, 2018 2:30 PM ET

Wells Fargo & Company announces $200,000 in donations to three New Mexico nonprofits

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Scotiabank Named One of the World's Best Workplaces 2018

Oct 17, 2018 1:35 PM ET

Events, Media & Communications

Video: HPE Sustainability Helps Grow $240 Million in New Revenue

Oct 17, 2018 1:25 PM ET

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Chief Sustainability Officer Chris Wellise revealed on Bloomberg TV that $240 million in new revenue can be linked to its sustainability-related practices through the first three quarters of 2018. He also discussed HPE's partnership with the World Economic Forum to end global hunger and India as the company's main Asia opportunity. Wellise spoke to Bloomberg's Ramy Inocencio on "Bloomberg Daybreak: Asia" on the sidelines of the fourth annual Bloomberg Sustainable Business Summit in New York.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Crafton Hills Fire Academy Hopes to Increase Number of Female Firefighters

Oct 17, 2018 1:25 PM ET

Jessica Renfrow, 21, recalls a story her police officer father told her as a young girl about being called out to a burning building. The fire department hadn’t arrived yet, but a woman said her child was still inside.

Supply Chain & the Circular Economy

Keep America Beautiful Advances Effort to Recycle More and Recycle Right Ahead of America Recycles Day

Oct 17, 2018 1:15 PM ET

America Recycles Day, a Keep America Beautiful national initiative that takes place on and in the weeks leading into Nov. 15, recognizes the economic, environmental and social benefits of recycling, and provides an educational platform to raise awareness about the value of reducing, reusing and recycling – every day – throughout the year.

Green Infrastructure

Lessons Learned on the Path to Sustainable Urban Logistics

Oct 17, 2018 11:45 AM ET

UPS Chief Information and Engineering Officer Juan Perez is leading transformation on the future of our network – how we are integrating technology to connect the facilities, fleet, drivers and information systems fueling a more sustainable global network.
From disrupting our industry – and ourselves – with our new technologies to overhauling our approach to city delivery, there’s much to discuss in this period of transformation.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

JetBlue Scholars Named a Winner of the U.S. Department of Education’s ‘2018 Reimagining the Higher Education Ecosystem Challenge’

Oct 17, 2018 11:45 AM ET

JetBlue and its employer-sponsored college degree program – JetBlue Scholars – was recently named a winner of the U.S. Department of Education’s “2018 Reimagining the Higher Education Ecosystem Challenge.” The U.S. Department of Education announced the winners last week at a special ceremony in Washington, D.C. JetBlue Scholars offers the airline’s crewmembers the opportunity to earn a fully-accredited associate or bachelor’s degree with JetBlue covering most of the cost.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Behind the Scenes VIDEO | Sunweave Woven Broadloom

Oct 17, 2018 11:25 AM ET

Mohawk Group's Sunweave woven carpet responds to current desires for artisanal materials in the built environment. Inspired by women weavers of indigenous cultures around the world, Sunweave evokes natural patterns found in baskets, blankets and textiles.

Sunweave features the innovative award-winning yarn system, Heathered Hues. This fiber’s natural texture and blending provides a variegated wool-like appearance. Sunweave is Red List-free and Living Product Challenge Petal Certified.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Merck Named Number 4 on Equileap's List of World's Top Companies for Gender Equality

Oct 17, 2018 11:20 AM ET

Merck has been ranked in the 2018 Gender Equality Global Ranking by Equileap, making us one of the leading companies globally making progress towards gender equality in the workplace!

Research, Reports & Publications

Making Road Trips Safer With Pets Aboard Is All About 'Location'

Oct 17, 2018 11:20 AM ET

Despite rising gas prices, millions of Americans will be packing up the family SUV and taking to the highways on weekend excursions and extended vacations alike. And given the cost of care and boarding, a large percentage of them will be taking their road trips with one or more pets coming along for the ride.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

With the Guidance and Support of Seattle Goodwill, Lazon Campbell Finds Employment and a Renewed Sense of Purpose

Oct 17, 2018 11:15 AM ET

Millions of people from all around the world connect on eBay. Each time that happens, something positive happens in the world. These are the stories of everyday people on eBay making an extraordinary difference in the lives of others.

For nine years, Lazon Campbell’s depression consumed him. What started as a byproduct of his parents’ passing became an everyday, uphill battle.

Environment

Ecocentricity Blog: Letting the Expert Speak

Oct 17, 2018 11:15 AM ET

As I’m sure you know, Hurricane Michael recently slammed into the Florida panhandle and then made its way across South Georgia. While a lot of coverage of the storm focused on what happened to the impacted coastal communities (short story – they got hammered), I feel like there has not been enough attention paid to the impact of Michael on Georgia agriculture.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Five Steps to Building a Healthy Relationship for Nonprofit and Corporate Partners

Oct 17, 2018 11:05 AM ET

Throughout the year, Common Impact has been taking a closer look at The Knitting Factor as a concept that best explains effective skills-based partnerships. Today we explore the sticky relationship component as a way to describe meaningful partnerships between companies and nonprofits that sustain far past an initial volunteer opportunity. Creating these relationships takes intention, time and an appreciation of the knowledge, resources and needs of both parties.

Environment

The Great Debate: Plastic vs. Paper Drinking Straws

Oct 17, 2018 10:40 AM ET

Paper or plastic? It’s a debate that has raged for years about a variety of goods, including grocery bags, food packaging materials, lollipop sticks, personal care items and other single-use products. The latest item to make headlines is the humble straw. Plastic drinking straws are ubiquitous, but they may soon take a backseat to paper drinking straws.

Education

Seventh Grader Aims to Improve Treatment for Pancreatic Cancer Using Artificial Intelligence

Oct 17, 2018 10:30 AM ET

Discovery Education (@DiscoveryEd) and 3M (@3M) have named 13-year-old Rishab Jain the winner of the 2018 Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge (#YoungScientist). Rishab created an algorithm to make pancreatic cancer treatment more effective by using artificial intelligence to accurately locate and track the pancreas in real-time during MRI radiotherapy.

Innovation & Technology

How Social Entrepreneurs Are Using Tech-based Solutions to Tackle Global Poverty

Oct 17, 2018 10:25 AM ET

The challenge of ending poverty for the world’s 3.7 billion poor is larger than any one entity can solve. Crucially, this task also presents a market opportunity so large that there is more than enough work for all active stakeholders to engage in. More than ever before, digital technology is making these opportunities easier to harness.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Leading Investor and Environmental Groups Issue Methane Guidelines for the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures

Oct 17, 2018 10:00 AM ET

As the private sector adopts climate disclosure standards established by the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), the oil and gas industry faces increasing pressure from its investors to disclose how it is managing climate risk, including emissions of methane from oil and gas.

Research, Reports & Publications

Energy Storage Proves Key to Delivering Natural Gas Advantages

Oct 17, 2018 10:00 AM ET

The cost of energy storage has fallen to the point where the power generation industry is moving from demonstration projects to full deployment. Driven by demand and a federal order designed to nurture broader adoption of storage capabilities, practical applications of energy storage are emerging that are competitive with conventional solutions.

Events, Media & Communications

How Companies Can Support Women During the #MeToo Movement

Oct 17, 2018 10:00 AM ET

The #MeToo movement has had far-reaching implications for women and workplaces globally. At BSR18, we'll explore solutions and challenges and examine what we have learned from this defining moment.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Sysco Donates $50,000 for Hurricane Michael Relief Efforts

Oct 17, 2018 9:30 AM ET

Sysco Corporation announced that the Company will donate $50,000 to the American Red Cross North Florida Region chapter to support relief efforts following Hurricane Michael.

“Sysco is committed to supporting the communities where we live and operate,” said Tom Bené, president and chief executive officer, Sysco. “We have a long-standing partnership with the American Red Cross, an organization that shares a commitment to providing support to communities and individuals in times of need, including many of our associates and customers. One of Sysco’s top priorities during this time continues to be making deliveries to critical customer locations by working diligently to get water, food and other supplies to our customers affected by Hurricane Michael.”

Events, Media & Communications

Annual Ideagen Global Empowering Women & Girls 2030 Summit at the United Nations

Oct 17, 2018 9:30 AM ET

Ideagen™ Global Empowering Women & Girls 2030 Summit convenes the world's leading Companies, NGO's and Public Sector at the United Nations to accelerate global solutions to solve for x.

Sustainable Development Goals

Sustainable Agriculture Means Sustaining More Young Farmers

Oct 17, 2018 9:25 AM ET

According to some U.S. food industry observers, interest in small farms and sustainable agriculture is on the rise among young people.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

The Allstate Foundation Funds $45 Million Effort to Empower Youth and Achieve Critical Mass

Oct 17, 2018 9:00 AM ET

The Allstate Foundation today announced a five-year, $45 million commitment to empower millions of youth to build social and emotional learning skills like resilience, self-awareness and conflict resolution.

Green Infrastructure

The Arbor Day Foundation’s Energy-Saving Trees and Community Canopy Programs Launch Fall Planting Season

Oct 17, 2018 9:00 AM ET

The Arbor Day Foundation announced today the beginning of its fall tree planting initiatives through its Energy-Saving Trees and Community Canopy programs.

Sustainable Development Goals

Sodexo Announces Plastics Reduction Policy Balancing Inclusion and Environmental Impact

Oct 17, 2018 9:00 AM ET

Sodexo, a food services and facilities management company committed to improving Quality of Life, announced today a North American Single Use Plastics Reduction Plan that will eliminate single use plastic bags and stirrers by 2019, polystyrene foam items such as cups, lids and food containers by 2025, and shift straws to a “by request” item that will still be available to customers who need them while moving toward more sustainable materials.