Sandy Nessing, Managing Director of Sustainability at American Electric Power, describes how sustainability has transformed how the Ohio-based utility does business.

Benjamin Mays, mentor to Martin Luther King, once said: “He who starts behind in the great race of life, must forever remain behind, or run faster than the man in front.” Mays’ comments were made in the context of the 1960s civil rights movement in America, but could just as easily apply to inequalities today—and with regard to our digital future.

Benevity saw a big boost in giving to immigrants’ rights organizations following the news about family separations at the U.S. border. Donations to RAICES skyrocketed, as the organization moved from place #13,433 in May to the #2 recipient of funds disbursedon the Benevity platform in June.

The past two years have witnessed a bold shift in leadership from the C-Suite. Now more than ever, CEOs and senior Executives at the world’s leading companies are speaking out on social policy issues that conflict with the core values of their business. This phenomenon, dubbed “CEO Activism,” is on the rise – and right on queue. CEO Activism as a core component of corporate societal engagement strategy has shifted from important to imperative. According to the 2018 Edelman Trust Barometer, public trust in business and government to “do the right thing” fell sharply from 2017 to 2018.

Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE: YUM) today released its 2017 Global Citizenship & Sustainability Report, citizenship.yum.com, highlighting the company’s progress in 2016 and 2017 and outlining efforts by KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell to make a meaningful impact in three areas of strategic focus: Food, Planet and People.

Major brands like ours have an opportunity to lead in accelerating the transition to a low-carbon future. A new report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) shows that businesses are stepping up their use, procurement and investment in renewable electricity. While this is good news, only 17% of us have a specific target for renewable electricity and a mere 134 have committed to 100% renewable electricity use.

The Arbor Day Foundation announced today a gift from the Edward C. Fogg, III and Lisbeth A. Fogg Charitable Trust. The Trust’s gift was given in December 2017 and has enabled the planting of 50,000 trees on 79 acres of forests in Wayne and Glynn Counties as well as the Upper Altamaha Watershed in southeast Georgia.

As investors, employees, customers and other key stakeholders demand that companies weigh in on vexing social and environmental issues, 3BL Forum has built its agenda around the “Brands Taking Stands” movement, Oct. 23-25, at MGM National Harbor in Washington, D.C.

With many of Avery Dennison’s solutions made from paper, maintaining a sustainable paper supply is vital to our business success and achieving our long-term sustainability goals. In fact, we’re aiming to use 100% FSC-Certified paper for all of our products by the year 2025. A passionate proponent of environmentally, socially, and economically sound management of our forests, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is a key partner in our journey to leaving the planet in better condition than we found it. And they are in very good company.

Nominations are now being accepted for the World Environment Center’s (WEC) 2019 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.