ESG News from Leading Brands

Education

Scotiabank Engages Employees through Experiential Learning for Students

Sep 14, 2017 6:55 PM ET

Scotiabank supports organizations and programs that are committed to helping young people reach their full potential, particularly in the areas of health and well-being and education.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

How Businesses Can Unleash the Power of Long-term Hurricane Harvey and Irma Support Through Employee Giving and Matching Gifts

Sep 14, 2017 6:55 PM ET

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Carnival Corporation, Miami HEAT Charitable Fund and Micky and Madeleine Arison Family Foundation Pledge up to $10 Million for Hurricane Irma Relief

Sep 14, 2017 6:40 PM ET

Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), the Miami HEAT Charitable Fund, and the Micky and Madeleine Arison Family Foundation are pledging up to $10 million in funding and in-kind support for relief and rebuilding efforts in Florida and throughout the Caribbean following Hurricane Irma.

The Micky and Madeleine Arison Family Foundation will make an immediate donation of $2.5 million to Direct Relief, UNICEF and the United Way of Miami-Dade County to support the most timely and urgent relief needs in the wake of Hurricane Irma.

Research, Reports & Publications

Doing Good Can Make You Feel Good, Study on Volunteerism Finds

Sep 14, 2017 5:45 PM ET

Employee volunteerism positively affects the health and well-being of the people who participate, according to a new study by UnitedHealthcare and VolunteerMatch.

The Doing Good is Good for You Study reveals 75 percent of U.S. adults feel physically healthier by volunteering, with a stronger connection to their employers.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

TCS in Fortune 50 List of Companies That Changed the World

Sep 14, 2017 5:35 PM ET

Tata Consultancy Services (BSE: 532540, NSE: TCS), a leading global IT services, consulting and business solutions organization, has been recognized in Fortune’s annual list of the Top 50 companies that are changing the world, ranked 30th among many of the world’s most notable brands. The Fortune list is selected by an independent panel of experts, acknowledging companies whose businesses are helping to address numerous societal challenges and ultimately ‘do well by doing good.’

Social Impact & Volunteering

Helping in Houston: Employees Step up Following Historic Hurricane

Sep 14, 2017 3:35 PM ET

The Medtronic Mission, written by the company’s founders more than 50 years ago highlights the importance of “maintaining good citizenship as a company.” Employees are coordinating with All Hands Volunteers, a disaster relief organization, sending waves of teams to Houston to support the community following Hurricane Harvey. The company allows employees up to five days of paid leave to volunteer with disaster relief efforts. Medtronic and the Medtronic Foundation are also donating to organizations assisting those affected by the storm while several Medtronic facilities are collecting supplies and organizing blood drives.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

SC Johnson Signs Agreement to Acquire Method and Ecover

Sep 14, 2017 3:00 PM ET

SC Johnson today announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire Method and Ecover, two highly regarded consumer brands from People Against Dirty, a leading company that offers home care, hand and body, and laundry products sold in North America, Europe and a number of other countries around the world.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

DC Sponsors: 4 Questions to Ask When Adding ESG to Your Menu

Sep 14, 2017 3:00 PM ET

ESG analytics and ratings have historically improved over the years. ESG ratings can now be used as a risk mitigation technique or an opportunity seeking technique.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

MetLife Named to the 2017 Disability Equality Index

Sep 14, 2017 2:40 PM ET

MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET) today announced that it has been named to the 2017 list of “Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion” by the United States Business Leadership Network (USBLN) and American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD). This is the first time MetLife has been recognized for its efforts to provide a more inclusive workplace for people with disabilities.

Education

Samsung Invites Teachers to Help Their Students “Solve for Tomorrow” Through STEAM Competition

Sep 14, 2017 2:35 PM ET

Samsung today announced the launch of the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Contest, welcoming U.S. public school teachers who teach in public schools including Charter Schools that are 50% or more publicly funded to submit ideas on how their students can use STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) to address a real-world problem in their community.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

2 New Rules of the Sustainability Game

Sep 14, 2017 2:20 PM ET

BSR found that luxury brands need to account for the preferences and shopping habits of younger generations, who are more eco-conscious but also less loyal and more digital.

Education

Popularity of Erb Institute Business Sustainability Case Studies on the Rise at WDI Publishing

Sep 14, 2017 2:15 PM ET

Andrew Hoffman's "Strategies for Sustainable Development" course feeds the pipeline of sustainable case studies for WDI and the Erb Institute | Business for Sustainability.

Environment

Feeding Ourselves Thirsty Report – Water Stewardship Work Recognized

Sep 14, 2017 12:45 PM ET

Water stewardship is an integral part of General Mills' efforts to continually reduce the environmental impact of our operations, including the impact that occurs upstream of our own facilities.

Agriculture uses 70 percent of global freshwater withdrawals; therefore, General Mills has made it a priority to see that collaborative watershed protection plans are developed in regions where the company’s footprint intersects high water risk.

Supply Chain & the Circular Economy

Apparel Industry Stands by the Higg Index

Sep 14, 2017 12:45 PM ET

It’s hard to imagine two brands more different than Walmart and Patagonia, yet in 2009 they aligned their unique strengths and issued a call to the industry. In an invitation to some of the world’s largest retailers, then Walmart chief merchandising officer, John Fleming, and Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard proposed an industry collaboration unlike any attempted before. The idea was to join competitors together to develop an index to measure the environmental impact of their products. The benefits, if the idea was successful and didn’t implode before it even got off the ground, would not only be at the individual company level, but would transform the industry.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Nominate Your Company for the 2018 WEC Gold Medal Award for Sustainability (due Sept. 18)

Sep 14, 2017 12:40 PM ET

Nominations are now being accepted for the World Environment Center’s (WEC) 2018 Gold Medal for International Corporate Achievement in Sustainable Development. The Gold Medal Award is presented annually to a global company that demonstrates deep, organization-wide commitment to sustainability in its business practice and beyond.

Innovation & Technology

Closed Loop Foundation Releases Insights on Film and Flexible Packaging Recycling Investment Opportunities New "Recycling of Plastic Film Packaging" Research Study and Infographic Published

Sep 14, 2017 12:20 PM ET

With support from SC Johnson, Closed Loop Foundation, which is the independent 501c3 affiliate of Closed Loop Partners, announced key insights on how investors can advance film and flexible packaging recycling.

Energy

Kimberly-Clark to Power North American Mills With Renewable Wind Energy

Sep 14, 2017 12:15 PM ET

Kimberly-Clark Corporation today announced its first major commitment to renewable energy with agreements to annually purchase approximately 1,000,000 megawatt hours (245 megawatts - MW) of electricity from two new wind power projects in Texas and Oklahoma.

Research, Reports & Publications

DuPont Releases Sustainability Report, Cites Progress Toward 2020 Goals and Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

Sep 14, 2017 12:15 PM ET

DuPont has released its 2017 Sustainability Report, highlighting progress toward its 2020 Sustainability Goals and ongoing engagement in areas reflected in the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as food security, environmental stewardship, and diversity and inclusion.

Research, Reports & Publications

Pfizer Is Accelerating the Supply Chain

Sep 14, 2017 12:00 PM ET

Through a Highly Orchestrated Supply Network (HOSuN) approach, Pfizer has developed a supply chain that is directly sensitive to patient needs and can speed our response to those needs. Enhanced with technological advances, we are able to track movement of product throughout the entire supply chain.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Morgan Stanley and the Economist Intelligence Unit Release New Index to Support Investors Seeking Climate Change Mitigation Opportunities

Sep 14, 2017 11:30 AM ET

Today the Morgan Stanley Institute for Sustainable Investing released the Climate Change Mitigation Opportunities Index, a report and interactive tool investors can use to examine the risks and opportunities of climate change mitigation investments. The index seeks to evaluate technology investment opportunities, both on their impact on mitigating climate change and their potential for market-rate returns.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Texas A&M Fair Trade University Designation Press Release

Sep 14, 2017 11:00 AM ET

Texas A&M is the 46th and largest university in the nation, and only the second in Texas, to earn official designation as a Fair Trade University from Fair Trade Campaigns, a national initiative that engages students in issues of global poverty.

Environment

Thinking, and Advocating, Globally

Sep 14, 2017 10:15 AM ET

Today’s consumers are more aware than ever before of the social and environmental issues related to their purchasing decisions. The rise of “green” brands and certification programs across a wide range of product categories are evidence of this growing awareness. However, truly understanding what goes into making products that people use every day is not always obvious or easy.

Events, Media & Communications

Can Private-Public Partnerships Solve Our Global Challenges?

Sep 14, 2017 10:05 AM ET

The suffering of millions displaced by powerful megastorms like hurricanes Harvey and Irma underscore the critical significance of finding solutions to the world’s greatest challenges and the need for countries and the private sector to work in collaboration. Tackling tough global problems is a driving force for Jim Thompson, director for innovation within the U.S. Secretary of State’s Office of Global Partnerships (SGP), and speaker at COMMIT!Forum’s “Brands Taking Stands” event on Oct. 11-12.

Events, Media & Communications

Schneider Electric WEBINAR | Help!! My Company Has Set Science-based Targets and Clean Energy Goals

Sep 14, 2017 10:05 AM ET

A further 150 European companies have agreed to set science-based targets for greenhouse gas emissions reduction, many of which will rely on renewable energy and other clean technologies to meet their goals. To help accelerate the pace, Schneider Electric today announced it’s expanding the reach of the New Energy Opportunities (NEO) Network™, a growing community of forward-thinking corporations committed to buying and developing renewable energy and cleantech around the world.

Events, Media & Communications

One Week Left for the Best BSR Conference 2017 Rates

Sep 14, 2017 10:00 AM ET

Are you planning on attending the BSR Conference 2017: How Business Leads? Make sure to register by next Friday September 22 for your last chance to save. After that, rates increase!