Impact & Sustainability News From Leading Brands

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Smithfield Foods Donates More Than 34,000 Pounds of Protein to El Pasoans Fighting Hunger Food Bank Albertsons Joins the 26th Stop of Smithfield’s 2018 Helping Hungry Homes® Tour

Jul 19, 2018 8:55 AM ET

Today, Smithfield Foods, Inc. joined forces with Albertsons to donate more than 34,000 pounds of protein to El Pasoans Fighting Hunger Food Bank. “At Albertsons, we are dedicated to bettering the lives of our neighbors in need,” said Lori Raya, Southwest Division president of Alb

Environment

The Last Straw: Mark Marinozzi + Romain Troublé

Jul 18, 2018 9:00 PM ET

The next time you sip on a drink from a straw, you may want to think twice because humans are producing an inordinate amount of plastic waste on straws alone. Plastic straws are one of the leading contributors to ocean trash, they take up to 200 years to decompose and they can’t be recycled. Every year, the US alone uses enough straws to fill up nine baseball stadiums. Plastic straws are pretty much the definition of wastefulness, they serve very little purpose and are terrible for the environment. This week on Sea Change Radio, we speak to two people who are doing their best to combat plastic waste in our oceans.

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG Business Forum Urged to Do Business Responsibly and Accelerate Sustainable Development

Jul 18, 2018 7:05 PM ET

Enthusiasm, renewed energy and a positive approach was top of mind as leaders from business, Governments, civil society and the United Nations met at the third annual SDG Business Forum to set a new direction to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. The event was held as part of the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) at the United Nations in New York — the annual platform for reviewing progress and guiding global efforts for the 2030 Agenda.

Diversity & Inclusion

Carnival Corporation Named to NAACP Equity, Inclusion and Empowerment Index

Jul 18, 2018 6:00 PM ET

Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), the world's largest leisure travel company, today announced its inclusion in the first-ever NAACP Equity, Inclusion and Empowerment Index, which assesses U.S. companies on their commitment to racial and ethnic equity in every aspect of their business and operations. Carnival Corporation was among the companies recognized this week at the 109th NAACP Annual Convention in San Antonio, Texas, which coincided with the official launch of the index from the nation’s oldest civil rights organization.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Brown-Forman Recognized as Best for Vets: Employers 2018 List

Jul 18, 2018 6:00 PM ET

Brown-Forman was named one of the best employers for veterans by Military Times, the trusted source for independent news and information for service members and their families. This is Brown-Forman Corporation’s second year making the “Best for Vets: Employers” list in the ranking’s nine year history.

Education

Kid Power to Help Save the Earth

Jul 18, 2018 6:00 PM ET

“Do you want to help save the planet?” CLP Power graduate trainee Crystal Kwan asked a group of kindergarten students. In a split second, more than a dozen hands shot up into the air as the boys and girls cried out in unison: “Yes, I do. I do.” CLP Power Hong Kong is sowing the seeds of energy efficiency and conservation in children through kindergarten visits while motivating the community to live a low-carbon life.

Diversity & Inclusion

Time for ‘Bold Action’: A Conversation About Diversity at Cannes Lions

Jul 18, 2018 5:25 PM ET

Events, Media & Communications

Brands Taking Stands | Meet the New Bottom Line

Jul 18, 2018 4:25 PM ET

Back in the day, corporate strategy meant defining a business mission and describing how those goals were to be reached through business practices. Today, setting a viable strategy means including many factors once considered outside the scope of traditional business planning. Brands are taking stands on multiple issues, from public, cultural questions (climate change, immigration, gun violence) to internal issues (diversity, ethics, harassment, gender pay gap).

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Translating Value to Ignite Action

Jul 18, 2018 2:10 PM ET

Insights from the Fourth Annual Sustainability and Circular Economy Summit

Environment

Grassland Conservation Project Earns Groundbreaking Recognition as Carbon Sink

Jul 18, 2018 1:30 PM ET

The Southern Plains Land Trust, working with the Environmental Defense Fund, has sold the first listed grassland carbon credits, making possible the restoration and preservation of two Colorado ranches that together sequester 8,000 metric tons of soil carbon per year. SCS Global Services conducted the third-party verification of the carbon offset project, confirming the accuracy of the emissions reductions and compliance with the Climate Action Reserve’s Grassland Project Protocol. The project was funded in part by a USDA Conservation Innovation Grant.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

KeyBank Provides $19.6 Million in Total Financing for the Construction of Affordable Housing in New York

Jul 18, 2018 1:30 PM ET

KeyBank Community Development Lending and Investment (CDLI) has provided $19.6 million in total financing for the development and acquisition of Mosaic Village in Cohoes, NY. Key provided a $10.7 million construction loan, plus $8.9 million in Low-Income Housing Tax Credit equity.

Education

Avoid Summer Learning Loss with These Family Activities for Middle Schoolers

Jul 18, 2018 1:20 PM ET

With summer now in full swing, most students’ minds are far from school. But as educators know, students need to be engaged in thinking and exploring year-round if they are to avoid what is known as “summer learning loss.”

Research, Reports & Publications

When Corporations Take Credit for Green Deeds Their Lobbying May Tell Another Story

Jul 18, 2018 1:15 PM ET

Diversity & Inclusion

What Duke Energy is Doing to Recruit More Female Employees

Jul 18, 2018 1:10 PM ET

As a civil engineering student, Alex Smith never considered a career in the energy industry. But at a job fair on campus, a Duke Energy recruiter revealed some opportunities that appealed to her. Today, Smith is a transmission line engineer designing power lines, poles and towers for the company, and she’s an example of how Duke Energy is changing its recruiting practices to attract more diverse employees including women.

Environment

CBRE Video: Offices in Latin America

Jul 18, 2018 12:10 PM ET

Following a relocation to an iconic new building at Torre Virreyes, CBRE's Mexico City office has embraced a free address and paperless environment, with an enhanced technology platform including Liquid Galaxy. Clients and employees are both thrilled to be operating in this new flexible environment -- the first of its kind among CBRE offices in Latin America.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Sodexo Names Brett Ladd As New CEO of Government for North America

Jul 18, 2018 12:00 PM ET

Sodexo, a food services and facilities management company committed to improving Quality of Life, today announced that Brett Ladd will serve as the new CEO of the Government for North America and will be a member of Sodexo’s North America Regional Leadership Committee. Previously, Ladd led growth and client retention initiatives as Senior Vice President of Sales for Government North America. He was a member of the executive team when Sodexo established its formal Government segment in 2002.

Environment

Carnivorous Plant Inspires Sustainable Mosquito-Control Device

Jul 18, 2018 11:30 AM ET

Nature-inspired mosquito-control device from Cornell team is finalist in the Biomimicry Global Design Challenge.

Green Infrastructure

Using Roads to Make Power and Toilet Paper

Jul 18, 2018 11:00 AM ET

A highway in Georgia is being used as an experiment to try out alternative uses for roads.

Research, Reports & Publications

Northern Trust Releases Corporate Social Responsibility Report

Jul 18, 2018 10:30 AM ET

Northern Trust (Nasdaq: NTRS) announced the release of its eighth Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) report. The latest report outlines key priorities for governance, citizenship and operations, employees, shared values and sustainable products / services. The report highlights achievements during the fiscal year ending December 31, 2017.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

How to Plan Your Financial Future in Your 20s

Jul 18, 2018 10:25 AM ET

Social Impact & Volunteering

Sands Bethlehem Helps Plant the Seeds for a Healthier Future

Jul 18, 2018 10:15 AM ET

To provide the community with accessible horticulture, the Sands Cares and Sands ECO360 teams partnered with Penn State Extension, Lehigh and Northampton County 4-H, and the Community Action Development Corporation of Bethlehem to build planting beds for the Lynfield Community Center in Bethlehem.

Innovation & Technology

Cisco VIDEO | Giving Voice to the Voiceless

Jul 18, 2018 9:35 AM ET

Environment

Driving Decisions With Data Dashboards: Weaving a HydroWebbed Data Dashboard

Jul 18, 2018 9:00 AM ET

Across Tetra Tech’s markets, nearly all clients share the need for actionable information that can drive decision making. Big data began bursting onto the scene some 25 years ago, inundating our information-hungry clients with megabytes and gigabytes of facts and figures that soon became a flood of petabytes and zettabytes. Managers thirsty for relevant intelligence were drowning in oceans of data, wondering what was important, what was essential, and what was urgent information.

Environment

Ørsted, GRI & CDSB on the TCFDs

Jul 18, 2018 5:00 AM ET

Ethical Corporation has just published a new briefing that delves into the role of the TCFDs in sustainability reporting and I wanted to send this across to you - you can access the report here.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

The Case for Cause Marketing

Jul 17, 2018 7:35 PM ET

Understand the difference between cause marketing and other CSR efforts, so you are prepared to build a sound strategy that complements your other corporate responsibility activities.