May marked the final month of pilot stage testing for the top 9 George Barley Water Prize contestant teams. This international $10 million grand prize competition aims to find a lasting solution to the problem of harmful algal blooms fed by excess phosphorus. Begun in 2016 with more than 100 contestant teams, the competition’s latest stage challenged teams to test their innovations in real-world, cold-climate conditions. The winning team will demonstrate a cost-effective, scalable solution to remove and repurpose phosphorus from freshwater.

We had several illuminating conversations about the intersection of gender equity and shared value recently at the Shared Value Leadership Summit. The Summit brings together approximately 400 global leaders every year in New York to explore opportunities for shared value across industries and geographies.

Merck employees recently celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Merck Medical Outreach Program by assembling 1,500 disaster relief backpacks with MAP International.

Jeremy Gorelick, senior infrastructure finance advisor for the Tetra Tech-implemented U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Finance (WASH-FIN) project, discusses the reality of decreasing water levels in Cape Town, South Africa, and the opportunity WASH-FIN has to set an example for how to best prepare for water scarcity challenges in a rapidly changing world. All opinions expressed in this post are the author’s own.

A pair of gifts totaling $2 million will support various initiatives at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business. The Michigan-based Whirlpool Foundation has donated $1 million, which is being matched by IU alumni Jeff and Marcia Fettig.

Cerro Verde has supported the Promotion for Agricultural Development Project in surrounding communities near its operations in Arequipa, Peru. The program benefits the farmers of Tiabaya, Uchumayo, Yarabamba, La Joya and Hunter. The Promotion for Agricultural Development Project started in 2012 with the aim of improving the quality and quantity of agricultural and animal yields to increase the economic income of local farmers.

BCE Inc. ("Bell Canada” or “Bell”) has released its 25th annual Corporate Responsibility Report, covering the company’s performance in 2017 and progress towards its short- and long-term sustainability goals.

At Sappi we believe that sustainable growth must emanate from a solid foundation where we do not focus exclusively on profits, but rather, balance our need to generate Prosperity by promoting the interests of People while respecting the boundaries of the Planet. Our value statement “at Sappi we do business with integrity and courage, making smart decisions which we execute with speed” is guiding people towards the right behaviour and is providing the foundation for further growth.

When Southern California Edison asked David Elias to return to Puerto Rico for a second time this year to help restore power on the island, he had his doubts. There were family obligations. There was also the communications course he would have to drop at Copper Mountain College in Joshua Tree.

With consumer demand for non-GMO foods on the rise, food companies are increasingly making the decision to formulate their products to earn Non-GMO Project Verified distinction (see VIDEO). However, as many food companies have discovered, steering clear of GMOs can be tricky, given the pervasive degree to which genetically modified commodities and their derivatives have penetrated the world market.