ESG News from Leading Brands

Media & Communications

WEBINAR: When Staying Silent Isn’t an Option: If, When and How to Take a STANCE on Divisive Issues

Oct 9, 2018 11:15 AM ET

Nike’s bold move to make Colin Kaepernick the face of “Just Do It.” Levi’s announcement that “Americans shouldn’t have to live in fear of gun violence.” Dick’s Sporting Goods CEO stating its new gun control policy “isn't going to make everyone happy.” Over the last year, we have seen many companies take risks around divisive issues - with varying degrees of success or failure. Today, most companies are struggling with if and how to use their voice, scale and reach to engage on issues.

Environment

How to Create a More Sustainable (and Resilient) Supply Chain: 4 Steps to Take & Missteps to Avoid

Oct 9, 2018 11:10 AM ET

Antea Group’s blog explains what to do and what not to do to create a more sustainable and resilient supply chain.

Media & Communications

State of Corporate Sustainability, Greenbiz Releases Latest Update -- Top Lines: (1) We Are Making Progress and (2) There Are Still Challenges

Oct 9, 2018 11:00 AM ET

It’s three-quarters of the way through the year 2018 – what is the state of the Sustainability Profession? John Davies, writing in GreenBiz (he’s VP & Senior Analyst), shares some interesting highlights gained through the firm’s recent report with us this week.

Health & Healthcare

Albertsons Companies Pharmacies Release Online Education Tools With Aim to Vaccinate 1.5 Million People This Flu Season

Oct 9, 2018 11:00 AM ET

To bolster the public’s awareness about flu vaccinations and the fact that many insurance plans will cover most or all of the cost, Albertsons Companies pharmacies have fully revamped their informational consumer flu websites with new features, easier navigation, and interactive

Social Impact & Volunteering

Alexion Employees Serve Local Communities During 2018 Day of Service

Oct 9, 2018 11:00 AM ET

Our employees from around the globe brought passion, smarts and tons of fun to this years’ Global Day of Service. From rebuilding schools, to helping students improve their resumes and making bread for underserved communities, we’re thankful to have such an inspiring team.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

CSRHub’s Bahar Gidwani Talks About ESGHub Bloomberg App With Proactive Investors

Oct 9, 2018 10:45 AM ET

CSRHub co-founder and CTO, Bahar Gidwani was recently interviewed by Christine Corrado of Proactive Investors about CSRHub and the new ESGHubTM app on the Bloomberg App Portal.

ESGHub provides subscribers with the ability to compare metrics from Bloomberg and CSRHub at the portfolio level and drill down on the details associated with more than 9,000 companies.

Education

Hallmark Reaches Youth By Hosting Champions in Hometown

Oct 9, 2018 10:35 AM ET

For the first time in 30 years, the U.S. Figure Skating Championships returned to Kansas City, Missouri, in 2017. As part of their long standing tradition of supporting local and national events in its hometown, Hallmark and Crown Center served as the local presenting partners of the event.

Green Infrastructure

The UPS Foundation Awards Tree Planting Grants to 19 Keep America Beautiful Affiliates Nationwide

Oct 9, 2018 10:20 AM ET

Keep America Beautiful, the nation’s iconic community improvement nonprofit organization, today announced the distribution of 19 grants totaling $100,000 from The UPS Foundation for the 2018 Keep America Beautiful/UPS Community Tree and Recovery Tree Planting Grants program. The grant recipients’ projects will result in more than 1,200 trees being planted in support of local tree-planting initiatives.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Wells Fargo Housing Foundation Announces $6 Million in Neighborhood Revitalization Grants

Oct 9, 2018 10:00 AM ET

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) today announced $6 million in neighborhood revitalization grants to 50 nonprofits through the Wells Fargo Housing Foundation 2018 Priority Markets Program.

“These 50 nonprofits share our focus of strengthening communities through local neighborhood revitalization efforts in support of sustainable housing,” said Martin Sundquist, executive director of the Wells Fargo Housing Foundation. “The impact of each dollar invested through this program will be magnified by enabling nonprofits to combine funding with other community grants as the catalyst for their neighborhood revitalization work, serving as a powerful example of the positive impact that can be achieved with thoughtful public-private collaboration.”

Education

The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation to Bring Garden Benefits to America’s Most Vulnerable Children in Partnership with the National Head Start Association

Oct 9, 2018 9:55 AM ET

The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation today announced its multi-year partnership with the National Head Start Association to combat some of the most pressing challenges facing today’s youngest generation, improving access to healthy food and increasing time spent outdoors connected to nature.

Health & Healthcare

The Refugee Crisis Is a Test of Our Collective Conscience

Oct 9, 2018 9:35 AM ET

In Lebanon, Johnson & Johnson has partnered with the nongovernmental organization Save the Children to provide refugees displaced by the crisis in Syria with access to early childhood development services.

Sustainable Development Goals

The Arbor Day Foundation’s Texas Community Tree Recovery Campaign Partners With Praxair, TruGreen, FedEx, Texas A&M Forest Service, LMC/Embark and Memorial City Mall to Distribute Free Trees to Local Texas Residents Affected by Hurricane Harvey

Oct 9, 2018 9:00 AM ET

The Arbor Day Foundation’s Texas Tree Recovery Campaign will hold a tree distribution event in Houston, TX on Saturday, October 13, 2018, for homeowners to replace trees lost in Hurricane Harvey.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Sodexo Recognized as a Best Company for Latinas

Oct 9, 2018 8:45 AM ET

Sodexo, a food services and facilities management company committed to Quality of Life, was listed on the 2018 LATINA Style 50 Report for the organization’s efforts to encourage training, mentorship and the promotion of Latinas within Sodexo. This the tenth consecutive year Sodexo has been recognized for this distinction.

Social Impact & Volunteering

VIDEO | Aflac CSR Hero Angela Vitellaro Helps Girls Overcome Cyberbullying, Low Self-Esteem

Oct 8, 2018 11:55 PM ET

For Angela Vitellaro, Aflac CSR Hero and an independent agent licensed to sell Aflac products, compassion is key when it comes to her role as a volunteer coach with the youth development program Girls on the Run of New Jersey East.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Relief Efforts for Indonesia: How You Can Help

Oct 8, 2018 6:30 PM ET

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Sodexo and Murray State University to Enhance Dining Options for Campus Community

Oct 8, 2018 4:35 PM ET

After a comprehensive review of vendor proposals by a committee representing University constituents, Sodexo, a food services and facilities management company committed to improving Quality of Life, has been selected to provide dining services to the Murray State University campus community in Kentucky of more than 10,000 students, faculty and staff beginning December 15. The University’s Board of Regents’ subcommittee established to review the recommendation approved the contract on Monday, October 8.

Environment

Republic Services Recycling Simplified on Go Green Radio with Jill Buck

Oct 8, 2018 4:15 PM ET

For years, the United States sold materials for China to be recycled, but with changes to environmental standards required for purchased materials (the "China Sword") recycling programs stateside are in transition. Republic Services' Marek Crabbs and Alberto Guardado spoke with Jill Buck for Go Green Radio about "Recycling Simplified," a program designed to help customers understand what these new regulations mean for curbside recycling and where we go from here.

Energy

CMS Energy Announces Operations for Northwest Ohio Wind, Providing Clean Energy to General Motors

Oct 8, 2018 3:50 PM ET

CMS Energy today celebrated Northwest Ohio Wind, a 105-megawatt wind project that will generate clean energy for General Motors for at least the next 15 years.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Students Leading Sustained and Innovative Hunger-Fighting Solutions Can Apply for $10,000 from the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation

Oct 8, 2018 3:15 PM ET

he Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation today announced the opening of the application period for the 2019 Stephen J. Brady Stop Hunger Scholarships which will run from October 5 through December 5, 2018. The scholarship program urges students to apply to #Get5KGive5K to help end hunger in their communities.

Research, Reports & Publications

Hear About the State of Sustainable Business at BSR18

Oct 8, 2018 3:00 PM ET

The recent BSR and GlobeScan State of Sustainable Business 2018survey is a great testament to the progress of corporate action on sustainability and provides insight into how companies are preparing for the next 10 years as they respond to a rapidly changing world. It includes responses from business leaders representing 152 global companies—more than 60 percent of BSR’s global membership network. This is the perspective of the people who do sustainability and corporate social responsibility work every day, inside some of the largest and most influential companies in the world, and we have used it to inform the agenda for BSR18: A New Blueprint for Business.

Energy

California First Large State to Mandate 100 Percent Clean Power Grid

Oct 8, 2018 1:00 PM ET

With the Governor’s signing of Senate Bill 100, California becomes the first large state to set a 100 percent clean electricity target. The new law requires California’s utilities to drive the state’s energy grid to 100 percent clean power by 2045.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Arrow Electronics Employees in Italy Race for Awareness to Prevent Violence Against Women

Oct 8, 2018 12:45 PM ET

Arrow Electronics sponsored the participation of a team of employees in its Milan, Italy branch in the eighth annual StraWoman race, designed to promote fitness and raise awareness about violence against women. Held in Monza, where many of Arrow’s Milan-based employees live, the non-competitive, women-only 5K race drew 5,000 participants.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Spinning Straw into (Packaging) Gold in China

Oct 8, 2018 12:30 PM ET

After the wheat is harvested in farming communities in parts of rural China, the air is often so thick with smoke that roads become impassable and it’s hard to breathe. Farmers, inundated with leftover straw, typically torch the excess crop to dispose of it.

Innovation & Technology

Virgin Atlantic Goes Circular With Innovative Airplane Fuel

Oct 8, 2018 12:15 PM ET

In a 2016 report, UPS* and GreenBiz found awareness of circular economy was not only on the rise, but a majority of companies (86%) believed circular economy principles would be important to their organization in the next two years.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Techniques for Improving Your Company’s Supply Chain

Oct 8, 2018 12:00 PM ET

Supply chain improvements can be a substantial undertaking for companies of any size, and often require years to complete. However, it is a task that can deliver substantial benefits in terms of improving efficiencies, enhancing customer service and minimizing a company’s environmental footprint. Here’s how companies can improve their product’s path to market: