Companies issue an annual report every year but where can you find information about the corporate sector as a whole? Sure, indices can tell you lots about stock price, market cap, and EBITDA. In this modern age, expectations of companies go much further beyond financial performance. CECP is thrilled to launch Investing in Society, a digital collection that endeavors to focus on the most crucial insights of how the sector is faring beyond where the Dow closes.

As a leader at the world’s largest food and beverage company, I know that no single person, company, or organization can solve hunger, but our collective efforts can change lives.

I’m proud to say that Nestlé and our employees across the country take enormous pride in the role we play in working toward a solution. For 2018, Nestlé’s annual Day of Service in the U.S. will focus on combating hunger in our communities. Our employees will work at more than 75 events across the country, doing everything from preparing meals for families here in Northern Virginia, to serving at a Cleveland food bank, to leading a food drive in Oakland, California. These are only a few of the volunteer efforts organized across our factories, distribution centers, headquarters, and many locations in between.

Closed Loop Partners today is announcing a new venture, Circulate Capital, to invest in companies, innovations and projects that prevent marine plastic waste originating in Asia.

In collaboration with the United Nations Foundation, the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) and companies like Nestle and Novozymes, Essity invited experts and executives from the UN, government, business and non- governmental organizations to discuss the relationship between policy and investments that drive progress toward SDG implementation.

In working toward Hallmark’s ambitious 2020 Environmental Goals, the company regularly incorporates positive strides for the environment with the needs of the business. In years like 2017, it can be a balancing act between what is required to grow the business and what is needed to maintain forward progress on environmental goals.

In February 2016 The New York Times ran a story, “Oaxaca’s Native Maize Embraced by Top Chefs in US and Europe,” highlighting the work of a new company called Masienda that was sourcing landrace (heirloom) corn from small farms in Mexico. Masienda’s business model emphasizes conservation of agrobiodiversity, while supporting smallholders using sustainable/organic farming methods. When some of us here in Santa Fe saw this article we asked the question, “Why can’t this be happening in New Mexico as well?” And so the New Mexico Landrace (Heirloom) Corn Project was born.

During 2017, we set specific key performance indicators aligned to the Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations and will continue to measure progress against these indicators.

Warranty Solutions and the Arbor Day Foundation have reached a new milestone in their partnership by planting two million trees in our nation’s forests. The partnership began in 2009 to help improve air quality, water quality, mitigate the effects of climate change, combat deforestation and prevent species loss.

Moody’s Corporation’s newly released Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Report details the company’s progress in delivering on its goal of empowering people around the world to create a better future for themselves, their communities and the environment. “Moody’s CSR strategy is focused on finding challenges that we can solve by creating paths to knowledge and opportunity,” said Raymond McDaniel, President and Chief Executive Officer of Moody’s. “I am proud that Moody’s employees have dedicated their time and expertise to addressing these challenges — from supporting small business owners to nurturing the environment — in ways that have changed the world around us for the better.”

Be smarter about your partnerships with insights from Social Capital. Join Social Impact and Blackbaud on August 1st at 2 pm ET to learn more about this shift toward corporate activism, and uncover what kinds of partnerships you should be exploring.