Corporate Responsibility

JetBlue today announced the opening of the application period for the next round of its BlueBud business mentoring program. BlueBud offers innovative environmentally and socially responsible companies a unique opportunity for business mentorship and access to JetBlue’s senior leaders and unique product development culture. Applications are currently being accepted here through September 30, 2018.

As New York’s Hometown Airline®, JetBlue’s BlueBud program has historically focused on sustainable and pioneering food brands based in New York. However, as the largest carrier in Boston, JetBlue is extending the opportunity to small businesses in the greater Boston area for the program’s fourth year. JetBlue is also extending the focus beyond just budding food and beverage brands.

For 33 years, Duke Energy has partnered with employees and customers to lend a hand to those struggling to pay their energy bills. The company is reinforcing that commitment with an additional $600,000 contribution to its Share the Warmth program to help South Carolina customers pay their high seasonal energy bills.

From massive natural disasters to complex and escalating conflicts, communities around the world experienced unprecedented incidences of crises requiring emergency response last year. The global cost for natural disasters in 2017 alone totaled $330 billion. In the wake of disasters, many companies mobilize to offer volunteers for on-the-ground rapid response activities and to provide financial assistance, often spending significant portions of their philanthropic budget on disaster relief. But, is there room for more to be done?

GRI’s latest podcast episode focuses on water stewardship and how reporting can help companies manage their impacts better. Interviews with GRI's Chief of Standards Bastian Buck, Paul Reig from the World Resources Institute, and GRI Standards Manager Anna Krotova, explaining what exactly has changed in GRI's newly launched Water and Effluents reporting standard.

Because of the existing and projected impacts from climate change, it is imperative for businesses in Southeast Asia to build resilience to prepare for today’s climate reality. These new reports from BSR and The Rockefeller Foundation explain why and how.

Positive Impact defines 'peace' as when people connect and collaborate to make the world a better place. This can be done through small, everyday and sustainable actions

Our friends at FB Heron recently published a summary of how they arrived at their current ESG (Environment, Social and Governance) investment process. It should be interesting for anyone who is trying to bring ESG factors into their own framework.

Now in its second summer at FIU, Verizon Innovative Learning motivates young men to a new confidence that carries into the school year, putting them on a path to build brighter futures. They are in a better position to change the outcomes of their own generation, and those that follow. When asked why they believe they can change the world, participants like Jonathan, British and Gideon all had the same response: “Because we can.”

U.S. Veterans Magazine (USVM) released the results of its highly anticipated 2018 evaluation of the nation’s Best of the Best Top Veteran-Friendly Companies, Top Supplier Diversity Programs, Top Government & Law Enforcement Agencies, and Top Veteran-Friendly Schools. Brown-Forman among those listed for Top Veteran-Friendly Companies.

As I reflected on the unpredictable zigs and zags of my career, I thought back to that very confident (my mother would have said way too confident) and dare I say naive 22-year-old, and I’m still in awe of where I find myself today. My worldview, desire for inclusion and appreciation for experiences have grown. Although, a few things haven’t changed, including my belief that the power of possibility can be limitless, desire to be quicker and an unquenchable thirst for more information to power change. As a friend and colleague recently said to my team during an off-site meeting in York, U.K.: “It’s not just hard work, it’s knowing how our business works that leads to success.” In my mind, truer words have never been spoken, and that all started proofreading catalogs.