Corporate Social Responsibility

Sid Johnson’s official title is a mouthful: Process and Systems Manager for Koch Remediation and Environmental Services. But he’d prefer that you just call him “Koch conservation dude.”

The month of June is LGBTQ Pride Month in the United States. Each year, Pride events are held nationwide in cities large and small, and for some people, it is the only occasion where they can be out and proud in their community. Pride festivals and parades are a celebration of the progress the LGBTQ community has made, but also a time to recognize the distance we still have to go to achieve full equality. This June, we’re excited to feature a guest post from Human Rights Campaign’s Liz Cooper.

Consumers Energy has a long term vision to create a more sustainable energy future for our state. Our Clean Energy Plan,* developed with a variety of Michigan stakeholders, is a path to reduce carbon emissions by more than 90 percent and end the use of coal as a fuel source for electricity by 2040. But we’re not waiting two decades to do our part for Michigan’s natural resources.

Earth Day is upon us, and it’s time to end plastic pollution. All living things have an intrinsic value, and each plays a role in the complex web of life. Disposable items used and forgotten force many animals to the edge of survival.

I would like to congratulate the Sappi North America (SNA) team on another successful year, truly embodying this year’s theme of renewal. The business underwent a significant change with the conversion of Paper Machine 1 (PM1) at the Somerset Mill to be able to produce packaging and speciality paper grades. We also commenced a project to increase dissolving pulp capacity at Cloquet. These exciting changes are part of Sappi’s global strategy to boost capacity in higher growth and higher margin product segments. Despite the inevitable disruption which accompanies such significant capital projects, the business was able to offset cost pressure in the graphic paper business, nearly doubled packaging business volumes and improved overall profitability after the conversion of Somerset PM1. Impor

Shipping containers play a major role in global trade, helping companies around the world to move goods securely from A to B. However, until recently, containers manufactured in China were painted using solvent-heavy coatings. This endangered the health of local communities due to the release of high concentrations of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) into the atmosphere.

The Global Pro Bono Summit is an annual invitation-only gathering of leaders from across sectors and around the world with a shared vision to make the talents and skills of the entire business community accessible to organizations serving our collective good.

At VMware, we’re optimistic about the power of technology to help solve big societal problems and are committed to leading responsibly. One of our key focus areas is about changing our relationship with energy. According to the U.N.’s report, as a society we need to shift 70-85 percent of electricity to renewable energy sources by 2050 to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. Data centers are responsible for two percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions—roughly the same as global air travel.

At Alexion, people with rare and devastating diseases are our inspiration. We know that beginning with their first symptoms through an often long path to diagnosis and treatment, living with a rare disease is a sobering new normal to navigate while managing other life priorities.

Our employees from around the globe brought passion, smarts and tons of fun to this years’ Global Day of Service. From rebuilding schools, to helping students improve their resumes and making bread for underserved communities, we’re thankful to have such an inspiring team.