Corporate Responsibility

With the 2018 hurricane season underway, Bechtel and IBM have partnered up to share lessons learned from last year’s devastating Category 5 storm in Puerto Rico and mapping their work to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

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.

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.

Some businesses have traditional HR strategies in place to retain their talent pool, but there are also unique, more meaningful ways companies can keep valuable workers from leaving, create a stronger workforce and build a more sustainable business.

Since the inception of BET Experience at L.A. LIVE in 2012, AEG, the world’s leading sports and live entertainment company and BET Networks have provided more than 300 students throughout the greater Los Angeles area with an in-depth look at the entertainment industry and behind-the-scenes access to the BET Experience at L.A. LIVE and the BET Awards through the BET Experience Youth Program.

This year, Gilead sponsored @aidswalksf, the largest #AIDS fundraising event in Northern California. 10,000 people participated in the 10k walk, and raised more than $1.8 million to benefit HIV/AIDS support organizations in the Bay Area.

SDG 12 is crucial because there is an urgent need to transform the way we use food and land. As the world’s largest food and beverage company, Nestlé is contributing our expertise and experience to help achieve sustainable, healthy diets for a growing global population. This is an integral part of our business.

We believe that to be successful in the long term, we have to create value for both our shareholders and society. ´Creating Shared Value’ is the way we do business and live up to our purpose – ‘Enhancing quality of life and contributing to a healthier future’.

Software has the power to unlock new possibilities for people, and for the planet. And yet, not everyone is benefiting equally from automation and operational efficiency. NTEN’s 10th Annual Nonprofit Technology Staffing & Investment report showed that the average technology budget of nonprofits is 5.7 percent of their total operation budget, with only 28 percent of organizations often or regularly using technology volunteers. Pro bono service learning can help enable nonprofits with technology, processes and people, giving it what it needs to thrive and ultimately bridging the growing digital divide.

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.

Responding to the devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey, Hallmark matched employee donations to the American Red Cross of $35,000 at its headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri, and $4,000 at Crayola in Easton, Pennsylvania. Additionally, Hallmark Gold Crown stores across the U.S. accepted donations from their valued consumers through year-end, totaling $28,000 for the Red Cross.