Corporate Responsibility

We all share in the responsibility of protecting the planet. Research reveals that 24% of the water and 54% of the energy consumed over the complete life-cycle of a t-shirt happens in the average family home.

What began as a roundtable with senior Detroit and Michigan business leaders to discuss the city’s needs for business leadership of urban revitalization became an Erb Institute and Sustainable Brands partnership. Our two entities collaborated on bringing the Sustainable Brands 2017 flagship conference to Detroit where a global conversation was sparked on how purpose-driven businesses could contribute to designing solutions and fulfilling the needs of a city reimagining itself. Sustainable Brands 2018 will be in Vancouver this year, but is committed to returning to Detroit in 2019.

Small businesses play a critical role in the global economy. Entrepreneurs create jobs and foster healthy local economies, which leads to a more vibrant national economy. They contribute to local causes, have relationships with their neighbors and are the foundation of the community. We also recognize that not all small businesses have the same issues or dynamics. Some work 9-to-5 while others operate outside traditional business hours. With all of this in mind, it is vital that the public and private sector work to foster an environment where technology and innovation help deliver small business success around the world.

We’ve learned a lot over the years about what makes a corporate pro bono program successful, and one thing has been proven true time and again: the most impactful programs are those that are uniquely tailored to fit a given company. With this in mind, we’ve developed a handy framework for helping companies hone in on their own unique opportunities to make an impact in the social sector through pro bono service.

The Pro Bono Sweet Spot is a framework that recognizes that the corporate sector is rich with diversity across a variety of characteristics, such as organizational culture, skills and expertise, attitudes towards volunteering, and more. Long story short, each company is unique, and therefore needs a tailor-made pro bono program in order to maximize its opportunity for impact.

Project Drawdown is the most comprehensive plan ever proposed to reverse global warming. All solutions modeled are already in place, well understood, analyzed based on peer-reviewed science, and are expanding around the world. To discuss this exciting initiative in our studio, WBCSD’s Managing Director for Climate & Energy Maria Mendiluce is joined by Chad Frischmann, Research Director at Project Drawdown and Prof. Tim Flannery, an acclaimed scientist, explorer and conservationist.

WBCSD’s annual Liaison Delegate Meeting is a truly global event, with sustainability leaders from across the world visiting Montreux, Switzerland from 16-19 April for this year’s event.

Duke Energy's renewable energy capacity grew by almost 20 percent in 2017, according to the company's newly posted Sustainability Report. One of the company's sustainability goals is to own, or have under contract, 8,000 megawatts (MW) of wind, solar and biomass capacity by 2020. Over the past year, the company has made strong progress toward that goal, growing its renewable energy capacity from 5,400 MW to more than 6,400 MW, which can power more than 1 million homes at peak production.

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany has published its ninth Corporate Responsibility Report, covering the year 2017. It is available online at http://reports.emdgroup.com/2017/cr-report/. At Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, responsible conduct has been embedded in our fundamental principles for 350 years and is an integral element of our global strategy. In this vein, we meet global challenges in a variety of ways.

City Developments Limited (CDL) published its latest Integrated Sustainability Report 2018: On Track To CDL Future Value 2030. The report shows the eco-developer’s progress towards its material Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) goals and targets established under the CDL Future Value 2030 sustainability blueprint.

For initiating innovative ways to engage employees company-wide in Instrumental Access, MilliporeSigma was honored with a Global Visionary Award at Positively Instrumental 2018 on March 21.