Experts from around the world agree: the design of collective spaces can improve quality of life. From transforming a city in crisis, to opening channels that increase knowledge, and improving performance in organizations, the effective use of space can foster rejuvenation, creativity and community. Even in the face of what seems like insurmountable obstacles, the way we use and reuse space can inspire progress and instill hope for a better future.

Employee engagement is key to company performance, leading to positive effects such as higher productivity, improved work quality, and decreased job turnover. Employees want to be involved in their work, enthusiastic about the organization they work for, and committed to their fellow workers. Yet less than a third of U.S. workers were engaged in their jobs in 2014, according to Gallup.

Tetra Pak has informed all of its key suppliers that they will be expected to file ethical performance reports on the Supplier Ethical Data Exchange (Sedex), as part of its commitment to improve supply chain transparency.

The environmental impact of any business enterprise depends on the specific environmental conditions and challenges that exist where that enterprise is doing business. So a dairy in Vermont, where the water tables are high but solar energy is more intermittent, will have a different set of environmental factors to consider than a dairy in dry and sunny Arizona. In other words, sustainability planning is context-specific.

In this method, energy consumption from purchased electricity is calculated in terms of fuel inputs to account for different fuel efficiencies during power generation and efficiency losses in power transmission. The equivalent energy value is represented in terms of sources as per power supplier-provided data. Our Westbrook Mill does not buy power, and the mill energy profile reflects sales of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs). The 2013 conversion of the Cloquet pulp mill to dissolving pulp, a higher-purity pulp requiring more energy to produce, increased the energy intensity of that site. At the same time, Cloquet achieved higher use of renewable fuels, reducing natural gas, purchased electricity and fuel oil.

This October, Subaru is rolling out its "Subaru Loves Pets" initiative, part of the brand's Love Promise philanthropic platform, dedicated to supporting causes that are meaningful to its customers. While the initiative is year-round, specific months highlight key causes. October focuses on Subaru's commitment to pet safety and well-being, and the brand will work with several dedicated and highly regarded animal welfare organizations that help share a call-to-action for animals in need.

MGM Resorts International – in partnership with NRG Renew, the nation’s largest solar energy developer – installed a 20-acre, 6.4MW solar photovoltaic array on the rooftop the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in 2014. The project is but one way MGM Resorts demonstrates its dedication to environmental sustainability. In its first year of operation, the solar array offset the peak electricity demands of the property by as much as 20 percent. That’s enough energy to power 1,000 average-sized homes for a year.

Salmon farmers in British Columbia are taking further steps towards increasing the availability of information on farming practices and key areas of public interest by publishing a Sustainability Progress Report, released today at GOAL 2015 in Vancouver. The report, a first for salmon farmers in B.C., includes information on all three pillars of sustainability: environmental, social and economic.

Our forthcoming Community Involvement survey finds that among companies that measure, more than 90% of companies with employee volunteer programs see higher employee engagement.

Corporate social responsibility and sustainability executives trying to make the business case for community involvement activities should attend the next 3BL Media “Best Practices” webinar, Nov. 17 at 11 a.m. ET.