ESG News from Leading Brands

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Open Giving Format Encourages Employee Giving

Oct 25, 2017 3:40 PM ET

Best Buy’s 12,000 employees are enjoying the retailer’s new employee giving program that matches 40 per cent of their donations to registered Canadian charities. The retailer’s new open giving program, called ‘myGiving’ launched in June.

Education

Franklin Middle School Integrates Computational Thinking Into Core Subjects to Prepare Students for 21st Century Careers

Oct 25, 2017 3:35 PM ET

Tata Consultancy Services, (TCS), (BSE: 532540, NSE: TCS) a leading global IT services, consulting and business solutions organization, and Discovery Education, the leading provider of digital education content and professional development for K-12 classrooms, continued their Ign

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

LA Galaxy and Southern New Hampshire University Launch STEAM Curriculum Week

Oct 25, 2017 3:00 PM ET

Five-time Major League Soccer (MLS) Cup champions, the LA Galaxy, and Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), a private nonprofit university and the exclusive education partner of the club, came together this week to give 250 middle school students across Los Angeles the opportunity to take part in an exclusive supplemental curriculum called LA Galaxy STEAM (Soccer, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math).

Diversity & Inclusion

A Fresh Start: How Rania Llewellyn Is Helping Canadian Immigrants Kick-Start Their Career

Oct 25, 2017 3:00 PM ET

When Rania Llewellyn first immigrated to Canada, she found herself in the same predicament as many newcomers: educated and talented, but unable to find work. Now Senior Vice President, Products and Services, Global Transaction Banking at Scotiabank, Rania tells her incredible story of how she got her start, and how she’s helping other immigrants to do the same.

Environment

Marco Krapels: Empowering Puerto Rico

Oct 25, 2017 2:10 PM ET

We have profiled nonprofit startup Empowered By Light in the past because of the organization’s good work in developing countries. This week on Sea Change Radio, we speak to one of its co-founders because of the work they’re currently doing in this country. Marco Krapels joins us to discuss his recent trip to Puerto Rico in the wake of Hurricane Maria.

Environment

Nestlé Waters to Certify 20 Factories with AWS for Water Stewardship by 2020

Oct 25, 2017 1:30 PM ET

Nestlé Waters has today announced that it will strengthen its collaboration with the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) to certify 20 factories by 2020.

The company has already certified three Nestlé Waters bottling facilities: one in Sheikhupura, Pakistan, and two in California (Ontario and Sacramento). It plans to certify additional sites in Africa, Asia, Canada, Europe, Latin America, and the United States.

Environment

Domtar Sustainability Monthly Minute | October 2017

Oct 25, 2017 1:00 PM ET

Nine in 10 Millennials say it is important they work for a company with a strong sustainability mission. So what do they think about Domtar's 2017 Sustainability Report? Check out this video to hear directly from them. Bonus points if you spot the cameo by Owen the Owl.

Environment

NFWF and Wells Fargo Announce $2 Million in Grants

Oct 25, 2017 1:00 PM ET

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) today announced $2 million in grants to eight nonprofit organizations to increase community capacity to plan and implement resilience projects and improve the protections afforded by natural ecosystems by investing in green infrastructure and other measures across the United States. The grants will generate $11 million in matching contributions for a total conservation impact of $13 million.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

AARP and LA Galaxy Ink Agreement to Help Bridge Generations

Oct 25, 2017 1:00 PM ET

The five-time MLS Cup winning team, the LA Galaxy and AARP have entered into a multiyear agreement that names AARP an official and community sponsor. The agreement, brokered by AEG Global Partnerships, is AARP’s first in Major League Soccer and is the foundation for a joint campaign, “The Game Unites Us” (in Spanish: “El Juego Nos Une”).

Events, Media & Communications

Deep Impact: Six Takeaways from the Unreasonable Impact World Forum

Oct 25, 2017 12:50 PM ET

Hosted by Barclays and the Unreasonable Group, the Unreasonable Impact World Forum brought together 27 innovative companies from around the globe to discuss new possibilities for solving some of the world’s most pressing problems. Here are six insights and ideas from key speakers.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Curefest 2017: Taking Aim at Childhood Cancer

Oct 25, 2017 12:40 PM ET

Childhood cancer receives less than 5 percent of the national funding that goes toward cancer research and treatment. To help make it a national priority, Aflac once again joined Curefest for Childhood Cancer at its annual event near the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

Events, Media & Communications

Ray C. Anderson's Legacy and Friends at Net Impact 17 Conference in Atlanta

Oct 25, 2017 12:30 PM ET

John Lanier, executive director of the Ray C. Anderson Foundation, Paul Hawken, founder of Project Drawdown and Advisory Board member for the Ray C. Anderson Foundation will be speaking at the Next Impact 17 Conference in Atlanta this week, along with Allie Kelly, executive director of The Ray, and Michael Oxman and Beril Toktay of the Ray C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business.

Sustainable Development Goals

Women’s Rights and the SDGs, a Conversation with Francoise Girard, President of IWHC

Oct 25, 2017 12:15 PM ET

In this episode of the Champions for Social Good Podcast, we sit with Francoise Girard, President of the International Women’s Health Coalition (IWHC), which focuses on advancing women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights. IWHC, in coordination with other members of the UN Women’s Major Group, worked to ensure that women’s rights played a major role in the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals, resulting in gender equality being assigned its own SDG in addition to being incorporated within all 17 goals. Learn the fundamental challenges women’s rights organizers are facing.

Energy

Converting Waste Into Renewable Energy

Oct 25, 2017 12:00 PM ET

Responsible landfill management involves the proper handling of landfill gas and liquids, which are byproducts of the decomposition of waste. It requires considerable science, engineering and technology to manage an evolving waste stream in a manner that is protective of the air, land and water for generations to come. It also involves a relentless commitment to innovation.

Supply Chain & the Circular Economy

Moving the Circular Economy from Concept to Business Strategy and Operations – The Conference Board

Oct 25, 2017 12:00 PM ET

“The circular economy is not an entirely new concept, but it is presently at a major inflection point. Its intellectual roots emerged from early ideas and practices of recycling and pollution prevention, life cycle analysis, eco-efficiency assessments and analysis of materials flows. In response to current sustainability challenges and business opportunities circular economy proponents are now attempting to transition it from a diverse set of individual methodologies aimed at addressing specific problems to a more integrated and systematic set of ideas to transform business strategies and operations.”

Diversity & Inclusion

Comcast NBCUniversal Screens DreamWorks Pictures' 'Thank You For Your Service' in Washington, DC and Philadelphia

Oct 25, 2017 11:45 AM ET

Comcast NBCUniversal is grateful for those who serve our nation, and is proud of the thousands of members of the military community who call Comcast their home. The importance of supporting the military community is woven into the fiber of our company, starting with our company leadership. Comcast NBCUniversal leaders including founder Ralph Roberts, a World War II U.S. Navy veteran; Comcast’s Vice Chairman, Neil Smit, a former U.S. Navy SEAL; and NBCUniversal’s Vice Chairman, Ron Meyer, a Marine Corps veteran, exemplify our authentic commitment to our military community throughout the Comcast NBCUniversal family.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

BNY Mellon Recognized for Climate Action Leadership

Oct 25, 2017 11:30 AM ET

As a global leader in the corporate response to climate change, BNY Mellon has been awarded a position on this year’s Climate A List by CDP, the non-profit global environmental disclosure program.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Pro Bono Challenge Spotlights: YWCA Chicago

Oct 25, 2017 11:15 AM ET

YWCA Metropolitan Chicago impacts more than 200,000 individuals annually through programs focused on safety and wellness, education and training, and economic sustainability. They provide career, financial management, digital literacy and business services to help youth and adult members achieve financial stability and obtain training to enter high-growth fields.

Environment

7 Basic Steps for Conducting a Successful Materiality Assessment

Oct 25, 2017 11:05 AM ET

Materiality is a hot topic in the corporate sustainability world, with CSR teams working hard to meaningfully convey the opportunities and successes of their initiatives to both internal and external stakeholders.

Environment

Ecocentricity Blog: Dreaming Big

Oct 25, 2017 11:00 AM ET

So how about you? Do you have an idea for a biomimetic innovation that could help solve our next challenge of climate change? If so, we’d love to see you enter the Biomimicry Global Design Challenge.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Mike Bloomberg Is Our Saint of Rational Self-Interest

Oct 25, 2017 11:00 AM ET

“The world is turned upside down,” says Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire businessman, UN Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change, three-term former New York City mayor, public health and immigrant champion, lover of cities and enemy of gun violence, climate quant, and sugar daddy many times over to his philanthropic causes.… It’s hard to succinctly describe what Bloomberg does. I counted, with absolutely no confidence that I was even skimming the surface, more than 20 organizations and initiatives he is currently engaged with as founder, chair, or major funder.

Energy

Major Businesses Call on International Trade Commission to Reconsider Solar Tariff

Oct 25, 2017 10:50 AM ET

In a letter sent today, major businesses are calling on the head of the International Trade Commission to reconsider its recommendation to impose a tariff or trade restrictions on imported solar products, citing the potential impacts on U.S. businesses and homeowners.

Responsible Production & Consumption

General Mills Works to Make the Cocoa Sector More Sustainable

Oct 25, 2017 10:30 AM ET

General Mills is working to make the cocoa sector more sustainable and to reduce child labor. In 2013, the company made a commitment to sustainably source its ingredients, with the goal to sustainably source 100 percent of its top 10 ingredients by 2020. Those top 10 ingredients include cocoa, oats, wheat, corn, dairy, fiber packaging, vanilla, palm oil, sugar cane and sugar beets, which represent over 50 percent of its annual raw material purchases.

Environment

VIDEO | Glasgow, VA Is Buzzing With New Pollinators at Mohawk Plant

Oct 25, 2017 10:20 AM ET

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

How to Make the Business Case for Pro Bono at Your Company

Oct 25, 2017 10:15 AM ET

Those of us who have experienced pro bono service understand that it is a powerful way to drive social change. Pro bono can equip social good organizations with the expertise and support they need to serve more beneficiaries, become more efficient, and deliver on their missions more effectively.