Large scale disasters, design thinking, and more will affect corporate social responsibility professionals in 2018. Warren Buffet has stated that natural disasters have a greater economic impact than terrorism. As an example, Puerto Rico’s economy is expected to shrink by 8% because of Hurricane Maria, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit.

Since 2011, Laverstoke Mill has been home to one of the most recognisable of gins, Bombay Sapphire.

Since the gin distillery took up residence, the most striking addition to this quiet Victorian site has been the two intertwining glasshouses, designed by Thomas Heatherwick’s studio. Behind these picturesque scenes though lies the heart of Laverstoke; the ecological and sustainability emphasis that is key to the site. A biomass boiler uses by-products from the distillation to provide heat and hot water; through this, coupled with a photovoltaic array and a hydro-electric turbine on the river, up to 85 per cent of the site’s power is self-generated to reduce its carbon footprint.

Smithfield Foods, Inc. is proud to announce that it has fulfilled its industry-leading commitment of providing group housing systems for pregnant sows on all company-owned farms in the United States. Smithfield also released a 360-degree, virtual reality video that transports viewers to a company sow farm.

Although it may seem counterintuitive for a company to discourage consumers from buying its products, we have seen this strategy work in brands’ favors in the past – Patagonia’s “Don’t Buy This Jacket” campaign resulted in an overwhelming positive response from consumers who took extra time to learn about the brand’s mission before making a purchase. Now, one company with a notoriously controversial product is attempting to pivot its business model to be more socially responsible – and marketing directly to consumers during this transition.

Brandon Cheong, Shift Manager, Loyalty Club at Marina Bay Sands, first started volunteering while still in school at a local animal shelter after being inspired by United Nations Messenger of Peace, Dame Jane Goodall. This sparked a lifelong commitment to volunteerism as he believes in giving a voice to those who cannot speak for themselves. He has devoted time volunteering and fundraising for Save Our Street Dogs (SOSD) and Voice for Animals (VFA).

World Environment Center (WEC) and DFGE Institute for Energy, Ecology and Economy will expand their cooperation to help organizations to better integrate Sustainability Intelligence into companies’ daily business from a corporate as well as from a global perspective. First outcome of the partnership will be another webinar in March 2018 addressing "Climate-related Disclosures and Investment Decisions".

In high school, Marvin Gee was fortunate to get a jump start on his research career, working at the National Cancer Institute. Cancer had been a personal interest of his because of the death of his uncle who battled with the disease. His early exposure to bioscience research helped him realize that biology is like a complicated puzzle. It all eventually fits together to make perfect sense.

In the context of higher expectations for honesty and bravery about what really matters in our lives, BBMG partnered with Planned Parenthood Federation of America to empower women with confidence, clarity and control around their sexual and reproductive health. The organization’s new app, Spot On, a birth control and period-tracker enables women to track their menstrual cycles, manage their birth control and learn more about their bodies. While developing their launch campaign, we identified five strategies for shifting behavior through bravery.

At Visa, our commitment to operating as a responsible and sustainable company includes a focus on understanding and minimizing the environmental footprint of our payments ecosystem. That is why we are pleased to announce our recognition as one of the top 100 U.S. companies on the Newsweek Green Rankings 2017 list, produced in partnership with Corporate Knights. Visa placed at #73, up 170 spots from the previous year ranking and first among U.S.-based payments networks.

As one of Fortune’s (and Benevity’s) Most Admired Companies, Prudential has a social mission at the core of its business model—that everyone should have the opportunity to achieve financial security. They’ve committed over $1 billion to their hometown of Newark through initiatives like impact investments, grants to nonprofits and infrastructure projects. And even with great participation rates and rave feedback on their Goodness program, Prudential CARES, the company is continuously looking for ways to expand and improve by digging into the data. Learn how Prudential used data to increase participation in community impact programs.