Impact & Sustainability News From Leading Brands

Social Impact & Volunteering

Morgan Stanley Strategy Challenge to Benefit 14 Nonprofit Organizations in U.S. and UK

Mar 22, 2017 10:30 AM ET

Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) today announced the launch of the ninth annual Strategy Challenge, the Firm’s signature skills-based pro bono volunteer program. Over the course of the next ten weeks, teams of Morgan Stanley employees in New York and London will work with leadership teams at 14 nonprofit organizations to provide strategic recommendations to address their mission-critical challenges.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Inclusive Business Maturity Toolkit: How Inclusive is Your Business?

Mar 22, 2017 10:25 AM ET

Following on from the successful launch of Uncharted Waters, a report jointly published by Business Call to Action (BCtA), UNDP and Deloitte in October 2016, BCtA has now launched its Inclusive Business Maturity Toolkit. While the report examines how the private sector can move beyond philanthropy and corporate social responsibility to more meaningfully contribute to the SDGs, the toolkit takes this concept a step further by helping companies identify both how well they’re including people at the base of the economic pyramid (BoP) as employees, consumers and more, and how they can do it better.

Research, Reports & Publications

Ethical Corporation’s Social Impact Dividend Briefing

Mar 22, 2017 10:20 AM ET

This report outlines key strategies for companies to measure and quantify their social impact to give them a competitive edge.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Atlas Copco USA’s Water for All Organization Surpasses $1 Million in Donations

Mar 22, 2017 10:15 AM ET

Atlas Copco USA’s employee-run program Water for All has surpassed $1 million in donations. The milestone comes after making a $50,000 contribution to charity: water, a New York-based nonprofit organization dedicated to funding water projects across the globe.

Environment

Anonymous Engineer Discusses Gold Mining

Mar 22, 2017 10:05 AM ET

Did you know that a metric ton of electronic waste can contain 8 to 16 ounces of gold? Whether we like it or not, precious metals show up in more than just that gold necklace or platinum ring we might have purchased - from the titanium used in our high-end mountain bikes, to platinum in our cellphones, to silver in our solar panels, precious metals are all around us.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

The Value of Smart City Initiatives Offer New Twist on Old Question of Affordability

Mar 22, 2017 10:00 AM ET

Black & Veatch’s 2017 Strategic Directions: Smart City/Smart Utility Report reinforces lessons learned in the past year—although governments and municipalities believe strongly in the smart city model, they continue to struggle to fund these efforts. According to survey data, only 16 percent of municipalities can self-fund a smart city initiative, a little over a third cannot.

Responsible Production & Consumption

PepsiCo: We Expect Suppliers to Share Our Values

Mar 22, 2017 10:00 AM ET

PepsiCo’s 10-year-old sustainable business philosophy, Performance with Purpose, is embedded deeply into its workplace culture — so deeply, that it’s part of the "code of conduct" that must be signed and upheld by every employee.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Pentair Advances Sustainable Water Solutions

Mar 22, 2017 10:00 AM ET

Pentair, a global leader in sustainable water solutions, is collaborating with the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science at UC-Davis to advance water stewardship and accelerate new innovations in dairy and beer processing.

Environment

AEG Celebrates World Water Day with Focus on Potable Water Conservation

Mar 22, 2017 9:00 AM ET

Last year, AEG relaunched its 2020 Environmental Goals to include a new water target to reduce potable water use at water-stressed sites by 2.3 percent per year from 2010 to 2020. Through different water conservation projects like drought-tolerant landscaping and equipment retrofits, AEG reduced its 2015 potable water use by 27 million liters of water at its water-stressed sites compared base year consumption.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Pentair Announces $5 Million Project Safewater Commitment

Mar 22, 2017 9:00 AM ET

Pentair's next Project Safewater initiative with Water Mission will deliver clean, safe drinking water and sanitation to 150,000 people in Central America.

Environment

Whirlpool Corporation Celebrates World Water Day

Mar 22, 2017 9:00 AM ET

At Whirlpool Corporation, we are passionate about improving our consumers’ quality of life while minimizing our environmental impact. We have been focused on sustainability since 1969, long before it became the norm, and we continue to integrate it into our everyday work. Join us in celebrating World Water Day!

Energy

MARTINI® Energized by Hydropower from the Italian Alps

Mar 22, 2017 8:55 AM ET

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Global Food in a 'Farm-to-Table' World

Mar 22, 2017 8:50 AM ET

It has been estimated that by 2050 the world will need to feed more than 9 billion people, requiring at least 70 percent more food than we consume today. That's amid growing concerns over water depletion and threats to biodiversity worldwide caused by food production. So the question is, how can the agriculture industry produce food in ways that are environmentally sustainable?

Environment

PNC Meets 30 Percent Carbon Reduction Goal Ahead of Plan

Mar 22, 2017 8:00 AM ET

The PNC Financial Services Group disclosed today that it has met its 30 percent carbon reduction goal four years ahead of plan. PNC set this goal, along with an energy reduction goal, in 2009 with plans to reduce its carbon emissions and energy consumption by 30 percent by 2020.

Environment

Make Your Mark on World Water Day

Mar 22, 2017 7:00 AM ET

This year on World Water Day, March 22, Xylem will kick off the “Make Your Mark 30-Day Challenge,” which will run through Earth Day, April 22.

Energy

Eyeing New Technology for Pipeline Leak Detection

Mar 22, 2017 6:00 AM ET

Not unlike speed skating, the pipeline business is a high-tech, high-performance industry. And thanks to one complex and evolving piece of equipment, the similarities don’t stop there.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

21CF Campaigns “Hidden Figures” and “Stand with Malala” Recognized as 2017 Shorty Award Finalists in Multiple Categories for Social Impact and Digital Influence

Mar 21, 2017 8:00 PM ET

21st Century Fox’s social media campaigns supporting young women in STEM and girls’ access to education were named as finalists for the 9th annual Shorty Awards, which are sponsored by AdWeek and celebrate the best in digital and content marketing on social media.

Environment

Infographic: Transportation Electrification

Mar 21, 2017 5:55 PM ET

SCE is transforming the energy sector with bold ideas to accelerate vehicle electrification. Our Charge Ready pilot program is installing EV charging stations in parking lots where passenger vehicles are parked for extended periods of time. Now we want to do the same for public transportation, medium-and heavy-duty trucks and industrial vehicles.

Diversity & Inclusion

Bloomberg Reports: Women in Finance

Mar 21, 2017 4:00 PM ET

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Texas Diversity Council is Proud to Announce the 2017 Top 10 Distinguished Leaders for Diversity in Texas

Mar 21, 2017 3:00 PM ET

The Texas Diversity Council is proud to announce the 2017 Top 10 Chief Executive Officers in Houston and Dallas, TX. Individuals selected for this distinguished award demonstrate undeniable leadership ability and strong commitment to diversity and inclusion within their organizations.

Environment

The Value of EHS Risk & Compliance Management Services

Mar 21, 2017 2:50 PM ET

Antea Group and our global partners work with our clients to create custom, fit-for-purpose EHS solutions that help them manage risk today and drive continuous EHS improvement tomorrow. Read about Antea Group’s core EHS risk and compliance management areas of expertise, as well as some of the services and benefits that could help your organization achieve its goals.

Innovation & Technology

Investing in Innovative Technology Can Drive Sustainable Growth

Mar 21, 2017 2:30 PM ET

The last few years have been transformational for climate diplomacy. In 2015, we witnessed the first legally binding global climate deal with the Paris Agreement, and last year’s COP22 conference saw governments and businesses reaffirm their commitments to sustainable growth. These events, coupled with a groundswell of public pressure, leave no doubt that working toward a low-carbon economy is, and will remain, a priority.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Voya Financial EVP of Operations Nan Ferrara Appointed to Board of Directors for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Jacksonville

Mar 21, 2017 2:15 PM ET

Voya Financial, Inc. announced today that Nan Ferrara, EVP of Operations and Continuous Improvement, has joined the board of directors of Ronald McDonald House Charities ® (RMHC) of Jacksonville.

Health & Healthcare

Hygiene Matters Video - Joining Forces for Progress

Mar 21, 2017 1:30 PM ET

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Elevating Sustainability Reporting to Common Practice: Close-Up with GRI's Judy Kuszewski

Mar 21, 2017 1:15 PM ET

As the newly appointed Chair of the GRI Global Sustainability Standards Board, Judy Kuszewski wants to see a stronger link between sustainability and business strategy, and deeper collaboration between reporting frameworks. Find out more about Kuszewski’s vision about the future of corporate reporting.