ESG News from Leading Brands

Social Impact & Volunteering

Reflections from the International Women's Day Forum

Mar 16, 2016 4:30 PM ET

A belated happy International Women’s Day to all! As I reflect on an inspiring two days at the 2016 International Women’s Day forum last week, The Business of Inclusion: Global Prosperity through Women and Girls Empowerment, I wanted to share a few of the themes that came to the fore over the course of the conference.

Education

BJ’s Wholesale Club to Help Educators Receive Valuable Resources

Mar 16, 2016 4:20 PM ET

Health & Healthcare

CVS Health Foundation Announces Second Round of Grants in Partnership with Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids

Mar 16, 2016 3:35 PM ET

The CVS Health Foundation, a private foundation created by CVS Health (NYSE:CVS), today announced the second round of grants awarded in partnership with the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids through the “Making the Next Generation Tobacco-Free” grant program. The new grants are part of Be The First, CVS Health’s $50 million, five-year initiative to help deliver the nation’s first tobacco-free generation, and extend the company’s commitment to help people lead tobacco-free lives.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Launching the $1 Million Fostering Wellness Initiative

Mar 16, 2016 3:30 PM ET

Last week, GSK announced a new $1 million grant to Fostering Wellness, a group of seven nonprofit organizations in the Triangle, NC region helping young people aging out of foster care to transition to a healthy and productive adulthood.

Environment

How to Make Money in Plastics Recycling

Mar 16, 2016 3:20 PM ET

Health & Healthcare

Heart Healthy Aging with Nutrition

Mar 16, 2016 2:25 PM ET

Energy

Desalination: Is It Time to Drink the Pacific?

Mar 16, 2016 2:15 PM ET

Transforming ocean water into potable drinking water seems so remarkably cool on so many levels.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Business Impacts: Action Where it Matters

Mar 16, 2016 2:00 PM ET

In this short film, Corporate Citizenship explores how the relationship between business and society is becoming more complex. As companies are being asked tougher questions about their impacts, the importance of mapping, measuring and taking action on issues across the value chain has never been more important. Diageo and Civicus share insights into how organisations can use a better understanding of their economic, social and environmental impacts to focus their efforts and drive change where it matters most.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Volunteers Drive Vital Eye-Screening Program for Kids

Mar 16, 2016 2:00 PM ET

Austin Hull arrived at Apple Tree Children’s Center in downtown Iowa City one morning last week with the mission to save some young eyes by screening children early for potential sight problems.

Research, Reports & Publications

Pfizer Launches 2015 Annual Review

Mar 16, 2016 1:20 PM ET

Innovation & Technology

Data into Drops: Improving Water Services through the Water Point Data Exchange

Mar 16, 2016 1:00 PM ET

Over the past decade, a dramatic shift has taken place in the water sector that fundamentally changes the way that work is done. During this time, water point mapping around the world has accelerated at unprecedented rates. Dropping costs of technology and innovative software has enabled national governments, as well as funders, NGOs, academics, and others to inventory, share, and even monitor the work they have contributed to. The impacts of the data collected are truly profound

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

City of Rio to Host First C40 Event to Unlock Access to City Financing

Mar 16, 2016 12:30 PM ET

Today, C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40) and the City of Rio de Janeiro announced a first-of-its-kind global financing forum to accelerate city climate action. The C40 Financing Sustainable Cities Forum – hosted along with the Citi Foundation and WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities – will bring together senior decision-makers from financial institutions, the private sector and more than a dozen city governments from across the globe. The Forum will take place April 5-7 at the City of Rio de Janeiro’s iconic new Museum of Tomorrow.

Energy

The Workplace as Consumer and Producer of Energy: A Global Perspective

Mar 16, 2016 12:15 PM ET

This is the fourth in a continuing blog series based on insights and findings from the Sodexo 2016 Workplace Trends Report. The Report examines nine key trends affecting business outcomes and the quality of life of employees and consumers. To learn more, access the full article: Smart Energy Management: A Win for the Environment, People and Business

Events, Media & Communications

Business Leaders, UN Member States and Civil Society Agree: Gender Equality Critical to Economic Development

Mar 16, 2016 11:05 AM ET

Recognizing gender equality as a fundamental human right, central to driving the global economy and achieving the recently adopted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), business leaders joined UN Member States and civil society organizations at the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) Annual Event. The event focused on the multiplier effect of empowering women and girls in advancing all development issues and the enormous opportunity for business to lead on promoting gender equality.

Environment

National Geographic Channel's Upcoming Series Highlight the Power of Storytelling to Change the World

Mar 16, 2016 11:00 AM ET

On March 15, 21st Century Fox's National Geographic Channel unveiled its slate of new shows for the 2016-2017 season, with each series delivering on the channel's commitment to premium content from the world's best storytellers. The slate includes "Mars," a six-part event series from Ron Howard and Brian Grazer about the science behind a manned mission to Mars, as well as the climate change documentary series "Years of Living Dangerously" and the unique live documentary event "Earth Live!" The new shows build on the legacy of the National Geographic brand and demonstrate the channel's unique ability to use storytelling to change the world.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

NAEM Launches New EHS & Sustainability Software Satisfaction Benchmark

Mar 16, 2016 10:40 AM ET

Today the National Association for Environmental Management (NAEM) announced the launch of the EHS & Sustainability Software Ratings Project, a new research initiative to evaluate customer satisfaction with commercial software systems.

Environment

Getting Our Hands Dirty - Real Sustainable Agriculture

Mar 16, 2016 10:35 AM ET

Learn about the fast growing movement of Slow Money and how it is investing in sustainable agriculture -- join us as we get back down to the earth, grounded in the soil where we grow our food and sustain our planet and its many living systems.

Diversity & Inclusion

Antea Group Wellness Program Profiled by Employee Benefit News

Mar 16, 2016 10:30 AM ET

Antea Group's employee wellness program takes a holistic approach, emcompassing the emotional, physical and financial aspects of well-being. The firm's recent efforts around mental health and stress management were recently featured in a piece in Employee Benefit News. The article spotlights the Learn to Live program of web-based cognitive behavioral therapy (or CBT) and the Vitality program, which incentivizes healthy behaviors.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Keep America Beautiful Launches 2016 Great American Cleanup; Encourages Family and Friends to ‘#cleanYOURblock’

Mar 16, 2016 10:30 AM ET

Keep America Beautiful, the nation’s leading nonprofit that envisions a country where every community is a green, clean and beautiful place to live, today announced the launch of the 2016 Great American Cleanup. Entering its 18th year, the Great American Cleanup is the country’s largest community improvement program.

Diversity & Inclusion

Advancing Gender Equality One Step at a Time

Mar 16, 2016 10:15 AM ET

Barclays employs many passionate people who, both in and out of work, are committed to advancing gender equality. James Bingham is one of them.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

GRI Predicts New Formats for Sustainability Reporting and Real-Time Stakeholder Interaction

Mar 16, 2016 10:00 AM ET

Today, GRI released The Next Era of Corporate Disclosure: Digital, Responsible, Interactive, a digital publication that maps out the future of sustainability reporting and disclosure. According to GRI, the future will involve new formats with organizations moving from annual reports to sustainability data exchange, while focusing on major challenges like climate change and human rights. All of this will be coupled with a new role for stakeholders, who will be empowered by almost real-time interactions with companies. The Next Era of Corporate Disclosure is the culmination of the first year of GRI’s continuing Sustainability and Reporting 2025 project, and provides conclusive insights from these discussions.

Environment

MGM Resorts Joins World Observance of Earth Hour 2016

Mar 16, 2016 10:00 AM ET

In honor of Earth Hour, MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) will dim the exterior lights at several of its resorts, joining the global effort to raise awareness of climate change.

Environment

Protecting Earth’s Resources Can Boost Personal Happiness, New Survey Finds

Mar 16, 2016 10:00 AM ET

Is renewable living the key to happiness? New data from Tetra Pak offers some compelling evidence that the answer is yes – great news leading up to International Day of Happiness on March 20.

Diversity & Inclusion

#WomensHistoryMonth at Cox Enterprises: Get to Know Maria Soklis

Mar 16, 2016 9:55 AM ET

In celebration of Women's History Month, female leaders from across Cox Enterprises are sharing insights from their experience throughout the month of March. Maria Soklis is president of Cox Automotive Canada.

Environment

Living Sustainability

Mar 16, 2016 9:30 AM ET

In this presentation (video*) Dr. Robin Kimmerer clearly and beautifully teaches us the relationship of living The Honorable Harvest to our quest to live in balance with Mother Earth; how to save ourselves by coming into relationship with Nature. She is Distinguished Teaching Professor and Director, Center for Native Peoples and the Environment at the State University of New York (SUNY), College of Environmental Science and Forestry.