ESG News from Leading Brands

Social Impact & Volunteering

Pro Bono Week Spurs New Community Service Ideas

Oct 28, 2015 7:30 PM ET

This time in October is when volunteer leaders honor the power of pro bono, a global campaign that celebrates and activates pro bono service across all professions that use their talents to make a difference. Organized by Taproot, the leading national advocate for pro bono service, and inspired by the American Bar Association's National Celebration of Pro Bono, Pro Bono Week is an opportunity to highlight the global network of pro bono champions who mobilize volunteers around the world.

Innovation & Technology

Ibrahim Abdul-Matin Appointed to International Living Future Institute Board of Directors

Oct 28, 2015 6:00 PM ET

The International Living Future Institute™ announced today that Ibrahim Abdul-Matin, Director of Community Affairs at the NYC Department of Environmental Protection, has been appointed to the Institute’s Board of Directors. Abdul-Matin works to make sure that New York City residents have a responsive government that helps bring water to their homes and takes their wastewater away. He’s also a powerful advocate for the idea that diverse perspectives are necessary to grow the environmental movement.

Events, Media & Communications

Twitter Chat Recap: Championing Global Health - Examining the UN's SDGs

Oct 28, 2015 6:00 PM ET

The United Nations recently ratified the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs or Global Goals), providing the foundation for action to solve some of the world’s most difficult challenges. This is a tremendous opportunity for the private, public, and social sectors to partner to improve global health worldwide. PYXERA Global and The Global Health Fellows Program II saw this as a perfect opportunity for an open discussion the topic. #SDGforum Twitter chat encouraged anyone interested in global health and the SDGs to join in the conversation leading up to The Global Engagement Forum, November 10 -12.

Health & Healthcare

Art Therapy Benefits Combat Veterans with PTSD in a Randomized Trial

Oct 28, 2015 5:30 PM ET

Ted Bosworth from Family Practice News covered a recent collaboration between the Hampton VA Medical Center and the Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS) Art Therapy Program that represents the first of its kind: a randomized trial that examines art therapy treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) within the VA.

Environment

More Investors and Businesses Than Ever Before Are Tackling Climate Change, And Governments Are Acting Too

Oct 28, 2015 5:05 PM ET

Hundreds of investors, businesses, and governments have recently announced major new commitments to tackle climate change, adding a fresh boost to efforts to expand investment in clean energy by an additional $1 trillion per year – the Clean Trillion.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Whirlpool Corporation, Indiana University and Habitat For Humanity: Fulfilling the Promise

Oct 28, 2015 5:00 PM ET

Volunteers from Whirlpool Corporation, Habitat for Humanity of Monroe County and Indiana University’s Kelley School recently completed construction of a new Habitat home in Bloomington for Neydra Garza, a single mother of three and first time homeowner.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Why Many WPG Programs Miss the Mark: The Top 5 Things That Get in The Way of Your Program’s Success

Oct 28, 2015 4:30 PM ET

There is a very good reason why the corporate giving landscape is replete with companies re-examining their workplace giving program strategy, design, technology and providers: quite simply, they want to drive more successful outcomes.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

CSX Employee Wins Rail's Highest Honor for Environmental Professionals

Oct 28, 2015 3:45 PM ET

CSX employee Raghu Chatrathi today received the 2015 North American Environmental Employee Excellence Award from the Association of American Railroads (AAR), the highest honor for industry environmental professionals. Chatrathi, the director of environmental remediation, engineering and advanced technology, is the seventh CSX employee to receive this honor in the last 14 years.

Diversity & Inclusion

My Disability is One Part of Who I Am

Oct 28, 2015 3:35 PM ET

Every October during National Disability Employment Awareness Month businesses around the country reflect on and celebrate the many and varied contributions of America’s workers with disabilities. For 70 years, the Department of Labor used this time of year to showcase the talents of workers with disabilities and encourage diversity, inclusion and accessibility in the workplace. This year, the Department of Labor is focusing on the theme, “My Disability is One Part of Who I Am.” I am incredibly proud of AT&T’s commitment to the disabled community and to its employees with disabilities, and that commitment is especially meaningful to me because of my own disability.

Environment

The UPS Foundation Sets Global Goal to Plant 15 Million Trees by the End of 2020

Oct 28, 2015 3:30 PM ET

The UPS Foundation, the philanthropic arm of UPS (NYSE: UPS) which leads the company’s global citizenship programs, today announced it will fund the planting of 15 million trees by the end of 2020. Since 2012, The UPS Foundation and its environmental partners have planted more than 5 million trees in 46 countries.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

BlueBud: How JetBlue Is Helping 'the United Nations of Bread' Get Off the Ground

Oct 28, 2015 3:15 PM ET

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

IBM Wins 2015 Alliance to Save Energy Chairman's Award

Oct 28, 2015 3:00 PM ET

IBM uses energy across its business to deliver products, services and solutions to our clients around the world. In order to be competitive and minimize our environmental impacts, we strive to reduce the energy we consume and the associated carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions as we deliver innovation that matters to our clients. In 2014, IBM reduced or avoided the consumption of 404,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) of energy and an associated 142,000 metric tons (MT) of CO2 emissions, while saving $37.4 million through the execution of over 2,200 energy conservation projects. These energy conservation savings were equivalent to 6.7 percent of IBM’s 2014 energy consumption, exceeding our goal of 3.5 percent.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Republic Services and Make a Difference Day 2015

Oct 28, 2015 1:45 PM ET

On Saturday, October 17, Republic Services joined Fresno City Councilmember Steve Brandau for the 7th Annual Make a Difference Day Soccer Festival.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Accenture’s US$2.2 Million Grant to Plan Netherlands Will Help Thousands of Tanzanian and Zambian Youth Secure Employment

Oct 28, 2015 1:30 PM ET

Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has made a US$2.2 million grant to Plan Netherlands to help the nonprofit deliver digital, technical and life skills training to more than 6,000 disadvantaged youth in Tanzania and Zambia.

Innovation & Technology

Booz Allen Hamilton Breaks Ground on New Innovation Center with a Hard Hat Launch

Oct 28, 2015 1:25 PM ET

Last week, Booz Allen Hamilton’s Innovation Center opened its doors for the first time with a Hard Hat Launch Reception in downtown Washington, DC. Leaders across Booz Allen celebrated the construction kickoff, a major milestone in fulfilling the next chapter of Booz Allen’s Innovation Agenda. The Innovation Center is where clients, employees, partners, and the Innovation Community will converge to inspire ideas, build new technologies, grow dynamic networks of inputs, and work together to solve their toughest clients problems of today, and the future.

Environment

Dow Discovers the Value of a Swamp

Oct 28, 2015 1:20 PM ET

What if that swamp could naturally convert waste water from a nearby manufacturing site at a cost far cheaper than building and maintaining a water treatment plant? Suddenly, the interests of the accountant, the environmentalist, the politician, and the corporate engineer coalesce around the same goal: protecting the wetland.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Mars Food Partners with the Sustainable Rice Platform

Oct 28, 2015 12:30 PM ET

Mars Food, in partnership with the Sustainable Rice Platform, (SRP), a global alliance of agricultural research institutions, agri-food businesses, public sector and civil society organizations convened by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), today announced the first global standard for sustainable rice at the 5th Annual Plenary Meeting and Assembly here.

Education

New NAEM Research Identifies Five EHS Career Stages

Oct 28, 2015 12:00 PM ET

The National Association for Environmental Management will be releasing a research report in November that examines the core competencies, attributes, and responsibilities of EHS professionals at different stages of their career.

Innovation & Technology

How Mobile Money Drives Economic Growth

Oct 28, 2015 12:00 PM ET

Research, Reports & Publications

Ceres Report: How Board Directors can Elevate Sustainability More Effectively at Companies

Oct 28, 2015 11:40 AM ET

Broadening board compositions, reduced focus on quarterly returns and stronger sustainability/compensation linkages are just a few of the ways that board directors can elevate sustainability concerns more effectively at the companies they serve on. So concludes a new Ceres report highlighting the generally weak performance of U.S. corporate boards in prioritizing environmental and social issues and recommendations for boosting their effectiveness on such issues.

Environment

New Opportunities Blooming for Natural Infrastructure and Caterpillar Business

Oct 28, 2015 11:35 AM ET

Looking out over 65 acres of green prairie grasses, Robert Scoville, Caterpillar's Environmental Health and Safety Senior Associate at the Decatur, Illinois, Earthmoving Facility, knows that supporting the prairie restoration partnership* in his community is having a big impact beyond Decatur’s city limits. In fact, this land reclamation project has the potential to positively impact our climate.

Health & Healthcare

Four Innovators Changing the Game for WASH Worldwide

Oct 28, 2015 11:05 AM ET

This November, the Global Engagement Forum in Washington, D.C., will bring together leaders and innovators to discuss how individuals and institutions can take ownership of Goal #6, to ensure access to water and sanitation for all.

Events, Media & Communications

TWC Hosts Disaster Preparedness Training Sessions for Central Texas Employees

Oct 28, 2015 11:05 AM ET

Unfortunately, natural disasters or severe weather emergencies are all too common. It’s not a matter of if the next disaster will occur but when... Do you know what to do before, during and after a natural disaster or severe weather emergency?

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

New AA1000AS Working Group Announced

Oct 28, 2015 10:30 AM ET

The AA1000AS Nominations Committee and AA1000 Standards Board are pleased to announce the members of the newly constituted AA1000AS Working Group. This collective body of global experts from industry, governmental, and non-governmental organisations from around the world is charged with all aspects of development and promulgation of the next release of the AA1000 Assurance Standard.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

How Smarter Spaces Can Inspire Progress

Oct 28, 2015 10:15 AM ET

Experts from around the world agree: the design of collective spaces can improve quality of life. From transforming a city in crisis, to opening channels that increase knowledge, and improving performance in organizations, the effective use of space can foster rejuvenation, creativity and community. Even in the face of what seems like insurmountable obstacles, the way we use and reuse space can inspire progress and instill hope for a better future.