ESG News from Leading Brands

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Keybank Provides $54.5 Million for New Affordable Housing Units Near Seattle

Feb 2, 2017 1:00 PM ET

KeyBank’s Community Development Lending & Investing (CDLI) group announced today it has provided $54.5 million to construct 256 4% LIHTC units at Puget Park, a fully affordable multifamily housing development in Everett, WA, 30 miles north of Seattle. The property will serve residents who earn 60% or less of the area median income.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Connecting Personal Values of CEOs to their Commitment to CSR: An Interview with Otgontsetseg Erhemjamts

Feb 2, 2017 12:30 PM ET

Understanding personal values of CEOs informs employees and investors about a company’s commitment to ethics and corporate social responsibility. In a paper titled “Relation between personal values of CEOs and their commitment to corporate social responsibility”, Professor Erhemjamts and her student Sarah Maher examined corporate social responsibility (CSR) ratings of S&P500 companies along with social capital of the states their CEOs grew up in.

Innovation & Technology

Barclays Accelerator Gamechangers: BenBen

Feb 2, 2017 12:15 PM ET

Events, Media & Communications

Whole Planet Foundation® and Partners Host Pre-GRAMMY® Benefit and Showcase at OHM Nightclub in Hollywood

Feb 2, 2017 12:05 PM ET

Green Infrastructure

Citi Joins NYC Mayor’s Carbon Challenge to Reduce Greenhouse Gases at Global Headquarters

Feb 2, 2017 12:00 PM ET

Work is well underway in transforming Citi’s Global Headquarters located at 388 Greenwich Street in New York City into a modern, world-class facility that supports Citi’s businesses and functions, enabling employees to connect and work more closely together, and to better serve our clients and customers.

Social Impact & Volunteering

CITGO Named the Official Fuel Sponsor of the Boston Marathon

Feb 2, 2017 12:00 PM ET

CITGO Petroleum Corporation and the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) today proudly announced the beginning of a multiple-year sponsorship agreement, making the Houston-based oil refining and marketing company the Official Fuel Sponsor of the Boston Marathon.

Health & Healthcare

Doing Winter Better – Why Where You Live Matters

Feb 2, 2017 10:35 AM ET

Snow, ice, cold, slippery roads – and isolation. And that’s on good days, when an ice storm or high winds haven’t knocked down the power lines. No senior in this situation is singing, “Hello, darkness, my old friend.”

Diversity & Inclusion

A New Symbol of IBM’s Diversity Leadership

Feb 2, 2017 10:10 AM ET

IBM is proud of our long-standing commitment to fostering diversity, acceptance and inclusion. We strongly oppose discrimination of any kind toward anyone. IBM firmly stands by all of our employees and strives to attract, retain and grow the very best and brightest diverse talent to fulfill our company’s purpose — to be essential.

Diversity & Inclusion

Say Hello to the Antea Group Portland Office!

Feb 2, 2017 9:35 AM ET

The Portland office provides services primarily to the oil and gas, wood products, and high tech market segments. For the oil and gas segment, we are involved in the remediation of retail LUST sites as well as large bulk storage terminals and associated pipelines. We also provide litigation support services for oil and gas clients with facilties located with the Portland Harbor Superfund located along the lower Willamette River. In the wood products industry, we provide compliance support with stormwater, waste water, and groundwater issues. For high tech, we provide HSE support and on-site out-sourced staffing.

Innovation & Technology

Millennials, Money and Investing

Feb 2, 2017 9:05 AM ET

In this special issue of GreenMoney Journal, you will hear from five Millennials who are in various stages of their careers: two who have ventured out on their own to make an impact in their own special way, and three who choose the corporate path. Each writer brings a unique lens on what it means to make a sustainable impact.

Environment

Tetra Pak Announces Science Based Targets for Climate Impact Reduction

Feb 2, 2017 9:00 AM ET

Tetra Pak today pledged that by 2030, the greenhouse gas emissions from its own operations will be at least 40% lower than in 2015.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

What Drives Urban Resilience? Two Cities That Bounced Back

Feb 2, 2017 8:35 AM ET

Every so often, cities face major shocks. These can be economic shocks, such as the decline of key markets; natural disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina; or political shocks, such as corruption or gross mismanagement. Larger cities can often deal with these events using their own ample manpower and by leveraging their relationships with national governments. Smaller cities have a greater need for outside resource, but often have to fall back on their own resources and creativity to survive.

Responsible Production & Consumption

42BELOW® Vodka Launches ‘Recycled Cocktail Lemons Eco Soap’ Sustainability Initiative

Feb 2, 2017 8:05 AM ET

The good people at 42BELOW® vodka have decided to launch their own kiwi planet-saving initiative and are introducing ‘42BELOW Recycled Cocktail Lemons Eco Soap.’ The world’s first soap made from recycled cocktail lemons, and probably the odd martini olive. It’s recycling, on a sociable scale.

Social Impact & Volunteering

VolunteerMatch’s Site Traffic Hits All-Time High Post-Inauguration

Feb 2, 2017 8:00 AM ET

VolunteerMatch, the Web’s largest volunteer engagement network, announced today that its website’s traffic increased by as much as 76% in the days following President Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20, 2017, marking the busiest time in the website’s history.

Environment

FCA US Prioritizes Wetlands Preservation at North American Headquarters

Feb 2, 2017 7:00 AM ET

Today is World Wetlands Day – a day honoring a global treaty to conserve and sustain wetlands. So, what does that have to do with an automotive company?

The FCA US headquarters in Michigan boasts more than 100-acres of natural wetlands, and has since breaking ground 25 years ago.

Research, Reports & Publications

DONG Energy to Stop All Use of Coal by 2023

Feb 2, 2017 4:00 AM ET

DONG Energy has decided that by 2023, coal will no longer be used as fuel at the company's power stations. The decision goes hand in hand with the aim to reduce CO2 emissions in power and heat generation with 96% as compared to 2006.

Environment

Follow Freedom the Eagle's Journey Across North America

Feb 1, 2017 4:40 PM ET

Meet Freedom the eagle - a baby bald eagle (eaglet) born in North Carolina. To help raise awareness of eagle conservation, the Carolina Raptor Center, aided by a grant from the Duke Energy Foundation, put a tracker on Freedom to follow his migration pattern. When Freedom grew big enough, he took to the skies. Follow his journey across North America on illumination.

Research, Reports & Publications

Reimagining What’s Possible in Sustainability

Feb 1, 2017 2:25 PM ET

VMware is committed to having a net positive impact in the world and we are proud to report on the progress we are making. As we accelerate into the new year, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on our progress in 2016.

Research, Reports & Publications

General Motors Corporate Responsibility Newsletter - February 2017

Feb 1, 2017 2:10 PM ET

GREENER VEHICLES

Chevrolet Bolt EV is 2017 North American Car of the Year
Chevrolet Bolt EV is the 2017 North American Car of the Year. The Bolt EV’s recognition marks the fourth time in four years that Chevrolet has received the North American Car of the Year or Truck of the Year award, following the Corvette Stingray and Silverado’s wins in 2014 and the Colorado’s award in 2015.
Read more…>

Environment

RSPO Makes Significant Progress on Palm Oil Sustainability

Feb 1, 2017 2:00 PM ET

The RSPO has recently released a report highlighting how their sustainability efforts have positively impacted "people, planet and profit" pillars throughout 2016.

Health & Healthcare

Meet Roxy, A Pilot Dog

Feb 1, 2017 1:50 PM ET

In December, we introduced VSP Global employee Renee Emmerson and her inspiring journey. Today, we’d like to introduce Roxy, Renee’s guide dog!

Roxy, a 2-year old Black Labrador, was raised and trained by Pilot Dogs, Inc., in Columbus, Ohio. When she was ready to graduate, Pilot Dogs taught Renee and Roxy how to work together.

Health & Healthcare

CVS Health Announces Support of Women’s Heart Health with $10 Million Commitment to Go Red For Women®

Feb 1, 2017 1:00 PM ET

CVS Health, the nation's largest pharmacy innovation company, today announced a major commitment in support of women’s heart health. As a new national sponsor of the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women® movement, CVS Health has pledged to raise a minimum of $10 million over the next three years to support life-saving cardiovascular research and education.

Diversity & Inclusion

Celebrating African American History

Feb 1, 2017 12:45 PM ET

During the month of February, the United States celebrates National African American History Month, a time to commemorate the many contributions and accomplishments of African Americans nationwide.

Innovation & Technology

Techstars Atlanta Accepting Applications for 2017 Class

Feb 1, 2017 12:30 PM ET

Techstars Atlanta, presented in partnership with Cox Enterprises, is accepting applications for its 2017 class through April 9.

Health & Healthcare

Empire BlueCross BlueShield Foundation Tackled Complex Health Needs in New York in 2016

Feb 1, 2017 12:05 PM ET

The Empire BlueCross BlueShield Foundation works with organizations in Empire’s 28-county service area to help improve the health of New Yorkers. Through our focus on heart health, cancer prevention, prenatal care, diabetes prevention, active lifestyles and behavioral health, the Foundation is teaming with organizations that are setting the standard when it comes to innovative programs that offer long term health solutions.