ESG News from Leading Brands

Social Impact & Volunteering

Pro Bono Perspectives: Rachel Hutchisson

Sep 17, 2015 6:30 PM ET

Common Impact is excited to launch Pro Bono Perspectives, a series of profiles – people like you – who took a leap into skills-based volunteering. From intrapreneurs, to entrepreneurs, to nonprofit executives, to corporate leaders – these individuals all have their own stories to tell, successes to share, lessons they’ve learned and tools they’ve used.

Research, Reports & Publications

New Study Shows Upgrading to Latest AMD Processor Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Personal Computing Use by 50 Percent

Sep 17, 2015 6:00 PM ET

Results of an AMD (NASDAQ:AMD) carbon footprint analysis of its 6th Generation A-Series Accelerated Processing Unit (APU), codenamed “Carrizo”, show that using the new processor can result in a 50 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to the previous generation APU. The study results are based on the widely accepted Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHGP) established by the World Resources Institute (WRI) and World Business Council for Sustainable Development(WBCSD), and were announced today during an AMD sponsored media panel on energy efficient information technology.

Research, Reports & Publications

Merck & Co., Inc. Publishes 2014 Global Corporate Responsibility Report

Sep 17, 2015 5:45 PM ET

Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today issued its 2014 global corporate responsibility report, which provides an overview of its priorities, programs and performance in the areas of Access to Health, Environmental Sustainability, Employees and Ethics & Transparency.

Environment

California in Focus: Keeping Groundwater in Mind

Sep 17, 2015 5:45 PM ET

Preserving groundwater is key for food security and sustainable ecosystems. With drought and climate change, how is California managing groundwater and how can you help? To learn, read the TerraPass blog!

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

MetLife Foundation on "Be The Change" a Lifetime TV Network Program

Sep 17, 2015 5:40 PM ET

Award-winning morning show The Balancing Act® will feature a “Be the Change” segment on how corporate America is empowering people to build better lives on Friday, September 18 and Friday, September 25 at 7:30 a.m. (ET/PT) on Lifetime®.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Cities for Citizenship Celebrates 1 Year Anniversary

Sep 17, 2015 4:15 PM ET

Social Impact & Volunteering

Aramark’s Ongoing Health and Wellness Programs with Casa Central

Sep 17, 2015 4:00 PM ET

Events, Media & Communications

Register Today to Join Daymond John, Shark Tank Star, and Many More on October 5-7!

Sep 17, 2015 3:15 PM ET

Daymond John, Founder & CEO, FUBU; Star, ABC's Shark Tank; CEO, Shark Branding, will explore the role of entrepreneurship in developing business impact around the world at Connect the Dots: How Businesses Solve Global Challenges Locally.

John will join other top business leaders to discuss how the private sector can be a leading force in addressing the world's challenges across the globe. But no single business can do it alone. Time is running out, sign up today to be a part of the discussion and connect with the best minds in the corporate citizenship sphere.

Environment

Bechtel Projects Address Decades-Old Nuclear Waste

Sep 17, 2015 3:05 PM ET

During World War II and throughout the Cold War, the Hanford site in Washington state housed a vast complex of nuclear reactors and processing facilities that produced plutonium for atomic weapons. The site was decommissioned in 1987 as the Cold War wound down, but the site’s nuclear and chemical excess remains a legacy. Today, 177 aging underground tanks holding 56 million gallons (212 million liters) of nuclear and chemical waste endanger the Columbia River, the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States and the country’s fourth-largest river, stretching for more than 1,200 miles (around 2,000 kilometers) to the Pacific.

Education

Ballerinas Powered by Tech?

Sep 17, 2015 3:00 PM ET

What did you want to be when you grew up? As a little girl, I vacillated between a ballerina or grocery check-out clerk. The skills for these seemed fairly straightforward – being incredibly athletic or very organized. Looking back, I couldn’t fathom that my job now might entail investing in ed-tech startups, or that my friends and colleagues would be designing mobile apps or driverless cars.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

MGM Resorts International Donates $1 Million to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sep 17, 2015 3:00 PM ET

MGM Resorts International today announced a $1 million donation to the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC). The gift will support the construction of the Smithsonian’s 19th museum, scheduled to open in 2016.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Aramark Building Community Philadelphia Volunteers Demonstrate Passion for Service

Sep 17, 2015 3:00 PM ET

Today, in communities around the world, thousands of Aramark employees are inspiring families to lead healthier lives and empowering youth and adults to obtain valuable job skills during Aramark Building Community Day.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Seattle Historic Arts District Refinances for Future Success

Sep 17, 2015 2:05 PM ET

The walls of Seattle’s Pioneer Square Historic District have long featured canvases splashed with elevating colors and dramatic shapes. Yet this neighborhood’s rich artistic and cultural tradition experienced a slump in the 1990s when market forces drove artists out of the area at an alarming rate.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Por Segundo Año Consecutivo, Banorte Forma Parte del Índice de Sustentabilidad del Dow Jones

Sep 17, 2015 2:00 PM ET

Las prácticas sustentables que Grupo Financiero Banorte (GFNorte) integra en sus operaciones, han permitido que, por segundo año consecutivo, esta institución financiera forme parte del Índice de Sustentabilidad de Mercados Emergentes del Dow Jones (DJSI Emerging Markets), reconocimiento que, además de honroso, se convierte en un importante indicador para accionistas e inversionistas globales, sobre el sobresaliente desempeño del propio Grupo en materia de sustentabilidad.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

The Business Case for the BSR Conference 2015

Sep 17, 2015 2:00 PM ET

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

For a Second Consecutive Year, Banorte is Included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index

Sep 17, 2015 2:00 PM ET

The sustainable practices that Grupo Financiero Banorte (GFNorte) integrates into its operations, have allowed that this financial institution has been selected for a second consecutive year to form part of the Dow Jones Sustainability Emerging Markets Index (DJSI Emerging Markets), recognition which besides to be an honor, is a relevant indicator for global shareholders and investors of the group’s outstanding performance in the field of sustainability.

Education

Business Shouldn’t Forget the World’s Out-of-School Children

Sep 17, 2015 1:30 PM ET

As parents send their children off to school this September, they should not forget the 59 million children across the globe who only dream of making it to the classroom. Despite prioritizing increasing access to free, basic education across the globe fifteen years ago as Goal 2 of the Millennium Development Goals, enrollment numbers have sputtered, stalled, and abruptly declined, in large part from emergencies and crises.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Students Visit Republic Services Old Dominion Landfill

Sep 17, 2015 12:45 PM ET

The group found the Ash Processing facility very interesting, specifically watching the conveyor belts form the incinerated ash into stone. One student told the Landfill Ops Manager that was the coolest thing he had seen all summer. The group also enjoyed watching the tractor trailers dispose of the waste. When asked how long the students thought it would take to unload the tractor trailer, answers ranged anywhere from three days to three minutes. The tour of the Old Dominion Landfill facility concluded with sack lunches and Q&A. Republic’s landfill tours are educational, engaging and fun.

Events, Media & Communications

Join Us for Keep America Beautiful's "Planning a Recycling@Work Event for America Recycles Day" Webinar

Sep 17, 2015 12:45 PM ET

During this Keep America Beautiful webinar, we’ll review how to plan an America Recycles Day event in your workplace and how to use the Recycling@Work research to create a better recycling program in your office.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

HP: Upgrading Citizenship to a Whole New Level

Sep 17, 2015 12:30 PM ET

Chris Librie, senior director, strategy & communications, HP Living Progress, says that global citizenship has been part of HP’s DNA from the outset.

Events, Media & Communications

It's Time for the Social Tools Summit in San Francisco, Oct. 27 - 28

Sep 17, 2015 12:10 PM ET

This past May, I attended the Social Media Tools Summit in Boston. This event got me thinking about social media tools and organization in a new way.

Social Impact & Volunteering

UN 2030 - Jump In and Help… It’ll Be Fun and So Worth It!

Sep 17, 2015 12:00 PM ET

The UN recently announced its 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. See how corporate philanthropy programs are uniquely positioned to help through their expertise, volunteering programs, matching gifts and more. Jump in, get involved, make a lasting difference!

Social Impact & Volunteering

Aramark and Casa Central Help Chicago Residents Gain Job Skills

Sep 17, 2015 11:30 AM ET

The unemployment rate in Chicago fell this year, but many youth and adults remain unemployed and in need of basic skills training, such as resume writing, interview techniques or life skills. These basic skills can help them find – and keep – good jobs.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

CITGO Fuels a Win with Red Sox Foundation

Sep 17, 2015 11:20 AM ET

Red Sox fans have something else to cheer about now that the Red Sox Foundation and CITGO, along with its local branded Marketers and Retailers, are joining forces to further help underserved youth in the Boston area. With a $2,500 donation of CITGO Gift Cards, the foundation can now provide transportation for youth involved in its two key efforts - the Red Sox Scholars Program, which has awarded 250 students with college scholarships since inception in 2003, and the Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) program aimed toward teaching at-risk children about non-violent conflict resolution, resistance to drugs and alcohol, health and fitness, and educational achievement through the game of baseball.

Environment

5 of the Coolest Bike-Friendly Infrastructure Projects in the World

Sep 17, 2015 11:05 AM ET