ESG News from Leading Brands

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

One Year After Hurricane Harvey: Dr. Pravda’s Story

Sep 7, 2018 6:40 PM ET

“Not knowing what the future was going to bring was really scary.” – Dr. Jay Pravda

After leaving his house by boat and seeing his office under water in a drone video, VSP Network Doctor Jay Pravda, O.D., was unsure of what the future would hold. “It was just an awful feeling not knowing where we were going to live, what I was going to do, and how we were going to pay for everything,” he said, reflecting on his angst after the storm.

Hear from Dr. Pravda one year after Hurricane Harvey on the VSP Blog: https://vspblog.com/hurricane-harvey-dr-pravdas-story/

Environment

Reducing the Environmental Impact of Our Operations in India

Sep 7, 2018 4:50 PM ET

We work aggressively to reduce the environmental footprint of our India facilities by developing solutions that address the country’s unique challenges to air and water quality.

We are continually looking for ways to minimize the amount of natural resources used to create and deliver Dell products and services.

Media & Communications

Nike’s New Campaign: Social Justice Campaign or Smart Marketing?

Sep 7, 2018 4:35 PM ET

Unless you haven’t signed onto social media, looked at any major news site or stood by a water cooler in the past three days, chances are, you’ve heard of Nike’s new 30th anniversary campaign for “Just Do It.” As well as the face of the campaign, Colin Kaepernick, and the controversy surrounding that decision.

Research, Reports & Publications

Management As a Calling – Erb Faculty, Andy Hoffman in SSIR

Sep 7, 2018 4:35 PM ET

On July 13, 2005, WorldCom CEO Bernie Ebbers, who had been convicted of fraud and conspiracy four months earlier, was sentenced to a 25-year prison term. It was the largest accounting scandal in US history, until Bernie Madoff’s Ponzi scheme was uncovered in 2008. I remember Ebbers’ sentencing well, because I had just joined the faculty at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business and was struck by the fact that no one was talking about it. Ebbers was a man that would have been held up as a model of success for our students, building the second-largest long-distance phone company in the country. But now he was a disgrace.

Innovation & Technology

PepsiCo Is Launching an Accelerator Program

Sep 7, 2018 3:30 PM ET

PepsiCo will fund startups to learn how they do business and stay on top of the hottest food trends. The company announced on Thursday that it is launching a North American accelerator program to help food and beverage startups grow.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

The Avery Dennison Foundation Helps Clean Up the Ocean

Sep 7, 2018 3:30 PM ET

Plastic pollution in the world’s oceans is one of the biggest threats to our environment and impacts more than 600 marine species. Discarded trash, mostly comprised of single-use plastic, accumulates in five ocean garbage patches, the largest of which is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch located between Hawaii and California.

Education

FCA Helps Students Explore, Invent Tomorrow’s Next Big Thing

Sep 7, 2018 3:00 PM ET

No one knows what the future holds, but for several weeks this summer FCA opened windows of opportunity for employees’ school-age children to dream big and think creatively about what the future could and should look like.

FCA’s Camp Invention and Invention Project camp invited more than 200 elementary, middle and high school students of FCA employees to bring their curiosity and creativity to a series of STEM and STEAM camps, short for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math, held at FCA headquarters in Auburn Hills, Michigan.

Diversity & Inclusion

Recognizing Unconscious Bias

Sep 7, 2018 2:00 PM ET

‘Viewpoints’ invites guest authors from outside of Wells Fargo to share an important perspective related to their work. Today, we welcome Jennifer Brown, founder, president, and CEO of Jennifer Brown Consulting, a strategic leadership and diversity consulting firm.
Like it or not, unconscious biases in the workplace continue to influence our language and decision-making, impacting the ability of talented people in historically underrepresented or marginalized groups in the workforce to thrive. If this dynamic isn’t addressed proactively, key talent will not stay for long — impacting morale, reputation, and the bottom line.

Energy

Q&A: How Schneider Electric’s NEO Network Is Shaping the Future of Renewables in Europe

Sep 7, 2018 1:00 PM ET

Europe’s appetite for renewables is growing rapidly, and countries including Germany, Scotland and Denmark have already established themselves as leaders in renewable energy generation. However, the voluntary market for commercial and industrial participation has, as a whole, been slower to develop compared to the more aggressive US, Indian and Mexican markets.

In the midst of this transition, global energy management and automation specialist Schneider Electric has extended its NEO Network to Europe.

Education

Jackson Charitable Foundation and Discovery Education Launch Second Annual “Cha-Ching Money Smart Kids” Contest to Encourage Fiscally Fit Habits Among Youth

Sep 7, 2018 12:30 PM ET

Jackson Charitable Foundation, a nonprofit with the mission to advance financial knowledge on a national scale and Discovery Education, the leading provider of digital content and professional development for K-12 classrooms today announced the second annual Cha-Ching Money Smart Kids Contest! The contest invites elementary school teachers and families to take a pledge to teach kids how to “earn, save, spend and donate” for a chance to win $10,000 for their local school – plus an additional $1,000 for the charity of their choice.

Green Infrastructure

Making the Luxury Experience Sustainable

Sep 7, 2018 12:25 PM ET

The issues of urban access, congestion and pollution affect us all – even retail luxury brands. Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH), for example, is changing its business model to meet two of the 21st century’s greatest challenges: e-commerce and urbanization.

Innovation & Technology

Merck Emergency Drone Delivery Experiment Combines Supply Chain Innovation and Corporate Responsibility

Sep 7, 2018 12:00 PM ET

A Merck experiment flying drones carrying medicines to remote locations to see if the technology is viable during emergencies may have appeal in disaster situations.

Environment

JetBlue Helps Sustainable Aviation Take Off with Carbon Offsets

Sep 7, 2018 12:00 PM ET

Consumer priorities are shifting across a number of industries, and the aviation sector is no exception. In the past, businesses could get away with offering a simple, good-value service, but today’s customers expect airlines to take sustainability as seriously as they do profitability.

One airline looking to integrate long-term environmental planning and corporate social responsibility into its core business strategy is JetBlue. The airline sets goals to meet both short and long-term financial needs, while also fulfilling its commitment to reducing emissions.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

It’s Not Just Hard Work: It’s Knowing How the Company Works

Sep 7, 2018 11:45 AM ET

As I reflected on the unpredictable zigs and zags of my career, I thought back to that very confident (my mother would have said way too confident) and dare I say naive 22-year-old, and I’m still in awe of where I find myself today. My worldview, desire for inclusion and appreciation for experiences have grown. Although, a few things haven’t changed, including my belief that the power of possibility can be limitless, desire to be quicker and an unquenchable thirst for more information to power change. As a friend and colleague recently said to my team during an off-site meeting in York, U.K.: “It’s not just hard work, it’s knowing how our business works that leads to success.” In my mind, truer words have never been spoken, and that all started proofreading catalogs.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Nespresso Revives Zimbabwe’s Coffee Production

Sep 7, 2018 11:05 AM ET

Nespresso announced today a long-term investment plan to revive Zimbabwe’s coffee industry and stimulate the rural economy.

The company will provide training and technical assistance to 400 smallholder coffee farmers over the next five years, with the goal of increasing the country’s production of quality sustainable coffee.

Research, Reports & Publications

Ingersoll Rand Reaffirms Commitment to ESG in Latest Sustainability Supplement

Sep 7, 2018 11:00 AM ET

Ingersoll Rand, a world leader in creating comfortable, sustainable and efficient environments, has published its eleventh annual sustainability supplement. The supplement is designed to provide a comprehensive update on Ingersoll Rand’s progress on environmental, social and governance issues and how the company transforms everyday life.

Responsible Production & Consumption

INFOGRAPHIC | Bacardi Limited Highlights Sustainability Achievements of Good Spirited Initiative

Sep 7, 2018 11:00 AM ET

Announced in early 2014, Good Spirited was an ambitious environmental sustainability initiative with specific goals in sourcing, packaging, and operations to be achieved by 2017 and 2022 -- under the vision to return to the environment at least as much as we take away. Significant reductions have been achieved in greenhouse gas emission (GHG) intensity (59%) and water usage (50%), as well as Zero Waste to Landfill targets. In addition, the original sourcing goal to obtain 40% of sustainably sourced sugarcane-derived products used to make BACARDĺ® rums were not only achieved but more than doubled.

Events, Media & Communications

Time to Fly: Our Picks for Fall 2018 Events

Sep 7, 2018 10:20 AM ET

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Celebrating Wendy’s Family Members Who Go the Extra Mile

Sep 7, 2018 10:05 AM ET

It’s an old adage and while we may not realize it in the moment, actions speak louder than words.

What we do and how we choose to treat people can make a lasting impression on strangers and friends. It’s great when we learn about examples of this type of behavior by Wendy’s employees, and it’s important that we take a minute to appreciate those moments and the people who make them.

Health & Healthcare

Burnout 101: What Ignites Burnout and How to Protect Yourself From Getting Scorched

Sep 7, 2018 9:50 AM ET

Research, Reports & Publications

CEOs Who Take Stands on Issues Seen as Future Leaders: New Survey

Sep 7, 2018 9:50 AM ET

A just-released report, “CEOs Speaking Out on Social Media,” adds yet more numbers to the argument for brands taking stands, and to the growing assumption that chief executives should take the lead. Authors Ann Charles, founder and CEO of BRANDfog, and Susan McPherson, founder and CEO of McPherson Strategies, set out to examine “social media as an effective tool that enables CEOs to amplify their positions on key social issues.”

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

P&G Named: JUST Capital's Top Ten Companies For Workers

Sep 7, 2018 9:20 AM ET

Green Infrastructure

Meet Sunweave, Living Product Woven Sustainable Carpeting That Evokes the Sun’s Natural Patterning

Sep 6, 2018 6:00 PM ET

Sunweave is a Living Product Challenge Petal certified woven broadloom carpet collection that merges the time-honored craft of woven construction with today’s desire for artisanal materials, authenticity and warmth in contract spaces. Inspired by women weavers of indigenous cultures around the world, Sunweave evokes the natural patterns found in baskets, blankets and textiles realized in its biophilic design.

Research, Reports & Publications

Caterpillar Inc. | Manufacturing Products Responsibly

Sep 6, 2018 4:00 PM ET

At our facilities, we work to minimize our environmental impact by focusing on energy conservation, greenhouse gas emission reduction, water conservation and waste reduction.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Accenture Ranks No. 1 on Thomson Reuters Index of World’s Most Diverse and Inclusive Companies

Sep 6, 2018 3:05 PM ET

Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has been named the top company on the Thomson Reuters Diversity & Inclusion Index, which recognizes the 100 most diverse and inclusive companies in the world, according to Thomson Reuters ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) data. The Index, established in 2016, is one of the most comprehensive measures of workplace inclusion and diversity practices.