ESG News from Leading Brands

Events, Media & Communications

HPE Makes the List. Top Companies Using Their Social Media Platform to Promote Sustainability

Feb 5, 2019 3:30 PM ET

Corporate handles averaged 19 sustainability posts per month, with sustainability leader handles looking neglected at an average of five posts per month.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Fair Trade Gifts for Valentine's Day

Feb 5, 2019 2:20 PM ET

However you choose to express your love, you can't go wrong with a Fair Trade Certified™ gift because it says you not only care about them, but also that you care about the planet, the lives behind the product, and the impact of your purchase. These gifts, and all Fair Trade Certified products for that matter, go straight to work on community development in places like Ecuador and Côte d’Ivoire.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Aligning Business Need & Community Impact | LBG Canada Company Spotlight

Feb 5, 2019 2:05 PM ET

As we begin 2019, LBG Canada spotlights the Cenovus Decision Making Criteria. A tool created to assist a geographically dispersed community investment team with decision-making consistency by clearly outlining and identifying characteristics of a community investment opportunity to ensure both community and business impact.

Energy

NRG Energy Participates in the Business Sustainability Roundtable Challenge.

Feb 5, 2019 1:25 PM ET

"At NRG, sustainability is at the center of everything that we do. It's more than the way we do business; it's an integral part of who we are and literally at the heart of our purpose of creating a sustainable energy future."

Education

Meet Amgen Scholars Alumni Joel Orlando Hernández Ramos

Feb 5, 2019 12:25 PM ET

Ever since I was a little kid I was interested in science and thought of becoming a scientist. However, it wasn’t until high school that I realized what biotechnology is and that I wanted to major in that field. I became interested by attending a college talk at my current university about all the majors they offer. Ever since that moment, I started seeking extracurricular courses to learn more about biotechnology and to start gaining knowledge about it.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

CEO & Co-Founder of Selah Freedom to Speak About Importance of Eradicating Sex Trafficking and Exploitation

Feb 5, 2019 12:20 PM ET

Diversity & Inclusion

Hallmark Provides Opportunities for Diverse Students to Build Their Skills for Future Careers in the Entertainment Industry

Feb 5, 2019 12:15 PM ET

Through the support of several entertainment industry organizations, Crown Media Family Networks provided opportunities for diverse students to intern with the company. In 2017, Crown Media partnered with the National Association of Multi- Ethnicity in Communications, Women in Cable Telecommunications, the Emma Bowen Foundation and, for the first time, a full-year partnership with the T. Howard Foundation.

Energy

Why Disney World is Betting on Clean Energy

Feb 5, 2019 11:35 AM ET

“Environmental stewardship and conservation were engrained in The Walt Disney Company from the beginning,” Angie Renner recently told me. Angie is an Environmental Integration Director at Walt Disney World Resort, and today she says the company is investing in new technologies and renewable energy projects that have thus far cut greenhouse gas emissions nearly in half. Why? Because as a Bloomberg story just noted, warmer temperatures are already impacting the “the comfort and health and well being of [the resort’s] customers.”

Environment

Stay in the Know: 12 Top EHS and Sustainability Accounts to Follow on Social Media

Feb 5, 2019 10:40 AM ET

Antea Group recommends 12 EHS and sustainability social media accounts that offer on-the-ball coverage of emerging trends, news, and insights.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Multi-Year Effort Launches to Help Millions of Financially Vulnerable People Build Savings & Economic Opportunity

Feb 5, 2019 10:15 AM ET

MetLife Foundation and Commonwealth announced a new project, Making Wealth Common: Extending Financial Opportunity for All, which aims to reverse this trend beginning with over 300,000 financially vulnerable Americans.

Health & Healthcare

Cooking Up Fun: With Hands-on Classes and Shiny New Kitchens, Children’s Museums Around the Country Are Teaching Kids to Eat Healthy and Try New Foods

Feb 5, 2019 10:05 AM ET

Across the country, children’s museums are aiming to teach their young visitors about food science, nutrition and agriculture by offering cooking demonstrations and hands-on classes that are fun for the whole family. All children can benefit from learning about where their food comes from and how to make healthy snacks and meals, but these programs are especially beneficial for picky eaters.

Health & Healthcare

Napa Valley Unified School District Transforming School Food With Get Schools Cooking Grant

Feb 5, 2019 10:00 AM ET

Napa Valley Unified School District (NVUSD) has set the table for transitioning to scratch cooking with the opening of a new centralized kitchen expected to open early February. The kitchen is another step in the District’s drive to provide healthier school food – a commitment that was bolstered last summer by receiving a Get Schools Cooking grant valued at nearly $200,000.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Special Olympics Receives Check from Albertsons

Feb 5, 2019 10:00 AM ET

“Albertson's Grocery managers presented the organization with a $15,000 check. "Every dime that we receive makes the difference to our athletes. When you increase that to 15 thousand dollars from one organization, it's great." Priscilla Dowse said.”

Media & Communications

Davos 2019: The Conversation in Switzerland Ripples Out to The Rest of the World – News, Commentaries, Reports, Initiatives, For Your Consideration

Feb 5, 2019 10:00 AM ET

The world leadership gathering in Switzerland in winter every year – we see this in the “Davos meetings” in the many news report datelines – are part of the World Economic Forum (WEF) broad activities -- this is the WEF’s annual meeting. Heads of state, CEOs, invited thought leaders, leading academics and journalists, politicians of all persuasions, NGOs, heads of multilateral heads (Christina Lagarde, International Monetary Fund)…they were all gathered there this year.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Ingersoll Rand to Receive World Environment Center’s 2019 Gold Medal Award for International Corporate Achievement in Sustainable Development

Feb 5, 2019 9:00 AM ET

The World Environment Center (WEC) is pleased to announce that its 35th annual Gold Medal for International Corporate Achievement in Sustainable Development will be awarded to Ingersoll Rand (NYSE: IR), a world leader in creating comfortable, sustainable and efficient environments. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ingersoll Rand, Michael W. Lamach, will accept the Gold Medal Award on Thursday, May 16, 2019, during the Gold Medal Presentation Ceremony in Washington, D.C.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

“Matter to a Million” Global Giving Partnership Celebrates Five Years, $21M in Loans

Feb 5, 2019 9:00 AM ET

Imagine turning $25 loans into more than $21 million, impacting more than 1 million people globally, in just five years. No, this isn’t the latest Shark Tank pitch. It is the outcome of Hewlett Packard Company’s Matter to a Million employee-engagement program.

Environment

How One Community Kept a Hurricane at Bay

Feb 5, 2019 9:00 AM ET

When Hurricane Irma made landfall in the Florida Keys in 2017, many beaches were diminished by high winds and ocean activity. But when Irma struck Virginia Key, a barrier island in Miami, a dune replanted there by the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science — and more than 3,000 volunteers — kept out the surge.

Research, Reports & Publications

Schneider Electric Research Tracks Corporate Energy and Sustainability Progress, Obstacles

Feb 5, 2019 8:30 AM ET

Schneider Electric today released the 2019 Corporate Energy & Sustainability Progress Report, a look at the global trends, barriers and opportunities impacting enterprise energy and carbon-management programs. Although corporate teams responsible for these efforts still struggle with funding and data, the report reveals that a majority of large companies have set public-facing sustainability targets — goals that are driving the adoption of innovative strategies and technologies, and shifting perceptions of the value of conservation and climate action.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Nutrition Labels Get a Makeover: Will It Make a Difference?

Feb 5, 2019 8:05 AM ET

It’s been nearly 25 years since the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) mandated that all food and beverage packaging carry the Nutrition Facts panel. These labels, now found on over 700,000 products, provide the consumer with information like serving sizes, calories per serving, ingredients and nutritional content.

Energy

Putting Energy-Efficient Pizzazz Into Making Pizza

Feb 5, 2019 8:00 AM ET

SCE has been educating business customers on energy-efficient equipment for 25 years. The Foodservice Technology Center was set up to test the energy efficiency of commercial electric kitchen appliances ranging from the pizza ovens to fryers, induction cooktops and soft-serve yogurt machines.

Research, Reports & Publications

Life-Changing Technology for the Sustainable Future of Healthcare

Feb 5, 2019 8:00 AM ET

“By driving our business to achieve positive economic, social and environmental impact, Abbott is delivering life-changing technologies, creating value in communities worldwide and achieving sustainable growth.” – Miles D. White, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Abbott, a global healthcare leader, strives to help people live their best lives through life-changing technology – but also focuses on making this important work sustainable for the future. With leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines, the company serves people in more than 160 countries and employs 103,000 people.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

NFL Names '1st and Future' Safety Innovation Winners

Feb 5, 2019 8:00 AM ET

The NFL teamed with Arrow Electronics to host a live competition between five companies pitching innovative products and concepts aimed to enhance player health and safety. Additionally, four individuals were provided an opportunity to propose rule changes geared to reduce injuries on punt plays based on data.

Research, Reports & Publications

Climate-risk Awareness Rises Among Corporations, Says New Report

Feb 5, 2019 6:00 AM ET

A rising tide of companies around the world are waking up to the challenges and opportunities presented by climate change and other environmental issues, according to a new report from Trucost, part of S&P Global, and GreenBiz Group.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Business Leaders on the Value of the Bloomberg GEI

Feb 4, 2019 4:40 PM ET

This month, Bloomberg released the 2019 Gender-Equality Index (GEI), which includes 230 companies across industries that are committed to transparency in gender reporting and promoting equality. In my role as the head of the Index, I have had the opportunity to connect with business leaders from many of these organizations and gain a stronger insight into why companies report gender data and the value in participating. Below are a few highlights from my conversations with CEOs across the globe on the impact the Bloomberg GEI has had on their organizations.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Scotiabank Invests $15 Million to Help Provide Young People in the GTA a Strong Start

Feb 4, 2019 2:00 PM ET

United Way Greater Toronto announced a $15-million investment from Scotiabank to help ensure that young people in the GTA have the opportunities and resources they need to have a bright future. The funds – the largest corporate commitment in United Way Greater Toronto's history – will be invested in a network of agencies across Peel, Toronto and York that support more than 245,000 young people and their families, each year.