ESG News from Leading Brands

Social Impact & Volunteering

Domtar and SCA Clean Up Parks in Two of Our Communities

Sep 4, 2018 10:05 AM ET

Domtar volunteers in Missouri and Ontario invested hundreds of volunteer hours this spring to clean up community parks, with help from the Student Conservation Association (SCA). Participating in an SCA clean up is a great way for our colleagues to give back to the communities in which they live and work.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Whole Kids Foundation® Launches 2018 Growing Healthy Kids Campaign

Sep 4, 2018 10:00 AM ET

With its 2018 Growing Healthy Kids Campaign, Whole Kids Foundation aims to raise $3 million to fund K-12-focused programs in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. that are working to create a deeper connection between kids and food. The foundation’s goal will allow it to grant 620 edible educational gardens, 450 salad bars in schools, and support healthy teacher programs and educational bee programs.

Sustainable Development Goals

Good Sanitation: How Toilets Can Help Children Learn for Longer

Sep 4, 2018 10:00 AM ET

Responsible Production & Consumption

Las Vegas Sands Properties Participate in the Global Clean Plate Challenge and Responsible Consumption Week

Sep 4, 2018 9:50 AM ET

Las Vegas Sands conducted its annual Global Clean Plate Challenge in an effort to reduce its environmental impact on the environment through its award-winning program, Sands ECO360. The company encourages its Team Members to be conservative with their food quantities during the clean plate challenge, but also the rest of the year.

Research, Reports & Publications

ScottsMiracle-Gro Launches Corporate Foundation, Makes Strides in Waste Reduction in 2017

Sep 4, 2018 9:45 AM ET

Inspired by the words of Miracle-Gro founder Horace Hagedorn to “find a need and fill it”, ScottsMiracle-Gro continues to invest in its associates, communities and operations to ensure we leave our piece of the Earth better than we found it. We are pleased to share our latest Corporate Responsibility Update, which provides information on our achievements in the 2015-2017 timeframe.

Health & Healthcare

Managing School Stress: Why Creating a "School-life" Balance Matters

Sep 4, 2018 9:35 AM ET

Responsibilities piling up, competing demands, lack of time. Just reading this may make your heart start to race a little. Does the word stress come to mind? Stress is a normal part of the human experience, and in fact, can be useful − mild levels of stress have the ability to motivate us to get our work done and even stimulate creativity

Innovation & Technology

Recycling Technologies: Making Plastics Digestible

Sep 4, 2018 9:35 AM ET

In 2016, Recycling Technologies was part of the first cohort of the Barclays Unreasonable Impact accelerator, which supports entrepreneurs that are providing solutions to some of the world’s biggest challenges. Two years on it has booked £65m of future sales and is opening a UK factory with capacity for 300 employees. Founder and CEO Adrian Griffiths tells us the story of his company and how it plans to change the world of plastic recycling.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Glumac, A Tetra Tech Company, Supports Four Engineering News-Record Award-winning Projects

Sep 4, 2018 9:00 AM ET

Tetra Tech’s sustainable infrastructure group, which includes Glumac, specializes in high-end design and consulting for commercial, institutional, advanced technology, and healthcare facilities worldwide. Our team supports clients from design through construction and operation and provides comprehensive and coordinated sustainable building engineering services, including mechanical, electrical, and plumbing design; commissioning; energy analysis; lighting design; technology integration; sustainability consulting; and construction management. Our teams have worked on some of the most iconic sustainable buildings gracing skylines around the world.

Research, Reports & Publications

50+ Business Leaders Linking Reporting & the SDGs

Sep 4, 2018 8:50 AM ET

When it comes to reporting sustainability performance, companies find it difficult to create a clear and concise report that illustrates their environmental & social impacts.

Environment

Thinking Outside the Box: Exploring the Kaiser Permanente and Cleveland Clinic Partnership Programs

Sep 3, 2018 11:45 AM ET

HPRC studied the best practices of 2 hospital-led recycling partnerships, their methods for recycling and transportation, and lessons learned.

Supply Chain & the Circular Economy

The Future Is Sweet — and Sustainable — for Allbirds

Sep 3, 2018 11:05 AM ET

If you take a quick look around your office, it probably won’t be hard to spot a pair of shoes made by Allbirds, the San Francisco-based footwear company that makes its products using materials like wool and eucalyptus fiber. The two year-year old company aims to make comfortable, sustainably-made shoes – and they seem to be everywhere.

Research, Reports & Publications

Caterpillar Inc. | Working Smarter on the Job

Aug 31, 2018 3:00 PM ET

Reducing waste and conserving natural resources on job sites are increasingly important goals of many of Caterpillar’s customers as they seek to realize the full value of their assets on the job site.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Labor Day: Orange County’s Toughest Jobs and the People Who Do Them

Aug 31, 2018 2:25 PM ET

Health & Healthcare

Simple Steps to Relieve Mealtime Stress

Aug 31, 2018 1:00 PM ET

Let’s be honest. By the end of summer, many parents are excited for back-to-school season. That is, until we remember the planning it takes to get back into a busy schedule. It can be tricky to balance new school and after-school activities while maintaining a “normal” household — especially around meal and snack times. I’ve found that being prepared and mapping out your family’s week really helps. Try these tips and tricks to encourage healthy behaviors and cut back on stress.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

GRI Newsletter: New Tools to Improve Reporting

Aug 31, 2018 12:35 PM ET

The August issue of the GRI newsletter is full of practical examples and tools that can help you as the new reporting cycle begins for many report preparers.

Environment

EPEAT: Dell EMC PowerEdge Servers Further Validated as the Responsible Choice

Aug 31, 2018 11:15 AM ET

Those who know the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) registry know it is one of the best indicators of sustainably produced electronics. The Green Electronics Council is expanding their registry to include a new server category, and customers can find multiple Dell EMC PowerEdge servers from the start.

Energy

Sustainability and Industry Are No Longer Mutually Exclusive – Part 1

Aug 31, 2018 11:15 AM ET

World energy use has increased by 50% over the last 25 years, and yet two million people on our planet still lack access to reliable electricity. Add to that the forecast that energy demand will increase by almost another 50% by 2050. In addition, we know that 85% of CO2 emissions are linked to energy use and that industries use one third of worldwide energy. And we know that there will be a gap of 40% between the supply of, and the demand for, clean water by 2030.

The result is that we must cut emissions in half to avoid significant and irreversible damage to our planet.

There is no doubt that the easiest, cheapest, fastest, and most profitable way to embrace green energy is to save energy and to consume it smarter.

Supply Chain & the Circular Economy

Food and Agriculture Companies: A Challenge From a Millennial Mom

Aug 31, 2018 11:00 AM ET

As a working mother, I often have to multi-task. Recently, as I watched my toddler push his food around his plate, I caught up on last week’s news that Fortune had released its annual “Change the World” list of top companies using the profit motive to help the planet and tackle social problems.

Supply Chain & the Circular Economy

Sysco's Commitment to a Responsible Supply Chain

Aug 31, 2018 10:00 AM ET

Sysco is committed to supplying products responsibly by improving animal welfare in the foodservice industry; minimizing negative environmental, social or ethical impacts when sourcing products; and ensuring that human rights are respected in the company’s operations, as well as the global supply chain.

Supply Chain & the Circular Economy

Windsor Mill’s Circular Economy Reduces Waste

Aug 31, 2018 9:55 AM ET

You’ve heard about ecosystems: the way all living things in a given area interact with each other and their environment. There’s a similar concept in sustainability called “industrial ecology,” which is the notion that industrial processes benefit from mimicking the closed-loop efficiency, or circular economy, of a natural ecosystem

Diversity & Inclusion

3 Top Women in Grocery Share Insights on Success, Mentoring, #MeToo and More

Aug 31, 2018 9:00 AM ET

I believe that success in the workplace is when a workforce is engaged and feels “connected” to their organization. Connected employees care about their company’s success, and they truly believe their company cares about them.

Success in the workplace is where diverse groups of people are always challenged yet choose to step up and work together to find great solutions. It is where every employee sees a path for themselves to learn and grow, is motivated to contribute at a high level, feels valued and appreciated as well as feel they are part of something bigger than themselves.

Research, Reports & Publications

Where Life-Changing Technology Meets Sustainability

Aug 30, 2018 8:20 PM ET

At Abbott, our goal is not just to help people live their best lives through life-changing technology – it's also to make this important work sustainable for the future.

For us, sustainability is about applying the power of our business to drive positive economic, social and environmental impact – making sure that the work we do helps people live healthier and better, both today and for generations to come.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Closing the STEM Gap Through Skilled Volunteerism

Aug 30, 2018 4:40 PM ET

Around the world, employers are seeking to enlist workers with relevant skills for existing and emerging roles in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, also known as STEM. According to the CECP 2017 Giving in Numbers report, workforce development and education, particularly as related to STEM, are two of the largest focal areas for corporate and foundation giving. These are also two of the largest mission focus areas for nonprofits. In spite of such determined investment and effort, gaps persist, leaving employers and students without the critical thinking and applied skills needed to propel our evolving global economy.

Environment

Brightening Our Corner Newsletter - August 2018

Aug 30, 2018 4:30 PM ET

This is the quarterly newsletter for the Ray C. Anderson Foundation, a private family foundation that seeks to promote a sustainable society by supporting and funding educational and project-based initiatives that advance knowledge and innovation in sustainability.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Tyson Foods Grant to Help Serve Hungry Neighbors

Aug 30, 2018 3:45 PM ET

As part of Tyson Foods’ commitment to support the communities it serves, the company announced today a $125,000 grant to Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee. The investment will bolster the food bank’s ability to supply its agency partners and pantries with a variety of food through two projects.