Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany has published its ninth Corporate Responsibility Report, covering the year 2017. It is available online at http://reports.emdgroup.com/2017/cr-report/. At Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, responsible conduct has been embedded in our fundamental principles for 350 years and is an integral element of our global strategy. In this vein, we meet global challenges in a variety of ways.

Mentors come in all forms, shapes, and sizes and communicate in uniquely diverse ways. I’ve been fortunate to have several mentors who have shaped my life—from the profoundly eloquent and sharp, to the rambling, and tangential, and even the completely silent. When I was in college, I had a professor named Mike. Professor Mike (who is still teaching) taught Fluvial Geomorphology—the dynamics of how rivers and lakes change and evolve over time, on their own. He was the kind of teacher who was more of a person than a professor and treated students like peers, rather than pupils.

Astellas has announced that Nahrin Marino, Deputy General Counsel, Legal, will be recognized as one of the most inspirational people in the life sciences industry by the Healthcare Businesswomen's Association (HBA). The HBA will honor Nahrin as a 2018 Luminary at its 29th Woman of the Year awards ceremony in New York City on May 3, 2018. HBA Luminaries are industry veterans who serve as role models in their company, actively mentor and sponsor others and help advance the careers of businesswomen.

Small businesses play a critical role in the global economy. Entrepreneurs create jobs and foster healthy local economies, which leads to a more vibrant national economy. They contribute to local causes, have relationships with their neighbors and are the foundation of the community. We also recognize that not all small businesses have the same issues or dynamics. Some work 9-to-5 while others operate outside traditional business hours. With all of this in mind, it is vital that the public and private sector work to foster an environment where technology and innovation help deliver small business success around the world.

The Tri-State Diversity Council is proud to welcome Melissa Ben-Ishay as a keynote speaker for the 8th Annual Diversity and Leadership Conference. The conference will take place in New York, NY at the New Yorker Hotel on August 23, 2018. The theme of this year’s annual conference is “Inclusion: The Source of Innovation.”

Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), the world's largest leisure travel company, today announced that it has been recognized by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) with a perfect score for the second consecutive year in its Corporate Equality Index (CEI), which rates U.S. companies on their treatment of LGBTQ consumers, investors and employees.

Innovative partnerships, where businesses can work with and leverage the assets of governments, NGOs, and civil society, can help develop creative, sustainable, and scalable solutions that can create significant impact. The partnerships and the technologies that make this possible is the focus of Digital Empowers: Accelerating Innovation for Business and Social Good, a forum hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and Tata Consultancy Services.

Efficiency and environmental measures have cut carbon dioxide emissions by 834,209 tons in nine years reports Bloomberg, the Manhattan-based financial, software, data and media company. As a result, operating costs have been reduced by an impressive $103m (£74m, €84m). The emissions statistics are among the ethical achievements listed in Bloomberg’s 2017 impact report.

Today, six out of ten Americans will experience financial insecurity in their lifetimes1. While saving money can be a challenge for a variety of reasons, the inability to build a strong financial foundation is often a symptom of a greater, systemic problem. Now, BNY Mellon and Ashoka are launching a collaborative effort aimed at addressing the root causes of financial inequality through innovation—the Unlocking ¢hange Challenge.

Forbes Magazine selected National Grid as one of “America’s Best Employers 2018,” ranking in the top 500 companies in the United States. National Grid also received this honor in 2017. National Grid is joined by national and global brands like Google, REI and JetBlue Airways on this list.