ESG News from Leading Brands

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

When Disaster Strikes: Companies Plan for Employee Catastrophic Assistance

Mar 14, 2018 1:50 PM ET

If there is any positive takeaway from last year’s unexpected climate events, it’s that emergency response networks can and are learning how to adapt to meet the challenges of natural disasters.

Diversity & Inclusion

Accelerating Women’s Economic Empowerment Through Technology

Mar 14, 2018 1:45 PM ET

Financial services are core to poverty reduction and economic empowerment, yet a staggering 42% of women and girls worldwide – approximately 1.1 billion – remain outside the formal financial system. Women’s financial inclusion is essential to achieving gender equality by enabling them to handle their finances with greater privacy, security and efficiency, and providing a platform for future investments.

Supply Chain & the Circular Economy

Better Supply Chain Management Through SME Reporting

Mar 14, 2018 12:30 PM ET

As part of its Competitive Business Program, GRI has established a digital reporting platform for small and medium sized enterprises. In this video GRI Chief Executive Tim Mohin talks about why large enterprises should join the program in the target countries and motivate their SMEs suppliers to begin reporting on their sustainability impacts.

Diversity & Inclusion

Women in Business Find Allies at PNC

Mar 14, 2018 12:05 PM ET

It seems incomprehensible that just 30 years ago, our mothers and grandmothers were denied simple acts of financial independence like obtaining business credit under their own names. Women fought to remove barriers like this, and the Women’s Business Ownership Act established policies and programs to support their business pursuits. As we commemorate the 30th anniversary of the passage of the Women’s Business Ownership Act this year, it is difficult to imagine the nation’s economy and culture without women-owned businesses and the goods, services, jobs and other advancements that women have created since 1988.

Diversity & Inclusion

Celebrating Pi Day By Taking JetBlue to New Dimensions

Mar 14, 2018 11:45 AM ET

Happy Pi Day! Pi Day is celebrated on 3/14 around the world. Pi (Greek letter “π”) is the symbol used in mathematics to represent a constant — the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter — which is approximately 3.141592. Pi has been calculated to over one trillion digits beyond its decimal point.

Today is a celebration of math and continuous measurement and movement. In honor of Women’s History Month, we sat down with three JetBlue crewmembers in math and technology-related careers who keep our airline moving non-stop. From figuring out JetBlue’s flight times and IT problem solving to buying airplanes, these women help fuel the airline.

Social Impact & Volunteering

AmeriCorps Alums Joins Service Year Alliance

Mar 14, 2018 11:15 AM ET

Today, in an effort to boost the service year field and advance shared missions, Service Year Alliance officially acquired AmeriCorps Alums from Points of Light. AmeriCorps Alums, which had been an enterprise of Points of Light since 2005, is the only national network that connects the more than 1 million alumni of all AmeriCorps programs to resources that support their lifetime of service.

Diversity & Inclusion

Las Vegas Sands Honors International Women's Day: Sands China

Mar 14, 2018 10:35 AM ET

Ruth Boston, SVP of Marketing and Brand Management for Sands China, Ltd., continues to make significant contributions to the business. Her work spans the full spectrum of marketing and sales functions, including leading the destination marketing and sales efforts in the opening of the Sheraton Grand Macao Hotel, Cotai Central and The Parisian Macao.

Supply Chain & the Circular Economy

Behind the Wheel: The Importance of Remanufacturing

Mar 14, 2018 10:20 AM ET

As a global manufacturer of industrial goods, CNH Industrial is invested in the efficient and sustainable lifecycle of a wide range of products from agricultural and construction machinery to commercial vehicles and powertrains. The parts that go into these machines are essential to their performance, and each one tells a story. This video looks at how the Company’s Remanufacturing operations provide an alternative solution to replacing parts which is both ecologically sustainable and cost effective.

Research, Reports & Publications

UN Leaders Demand Urgent Action to Scale-up Collaboration and Partnerships With the Private Sector to Achieve Sustainable Development Goals, Finds United Nations Global Compact-Accenture Strategy Study

Mar 14, 2018 10:15 AM ET

United Nations leaders see greater collaboration and partnership with the private sector as critical to progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), according to a new study by the UN Global Compact and Accenture Strategy. One hundred percent of UN leaders surveyed believe that cross-sector alliances, networks and partnerships are essential to accelerating progress on Agenda 2030, and a clear majority (59 percent) believes that business will be the critical partner in the UN’s ability to deliver the SDGs.

Environment

Regreening Ethiopia!

Mar 14, 2018 10:05 AM ET

Regreening Africa aims to accelerate the adoption of farmer-managed natural regeneration and other agroforestry practices, with a goal of 500,000 households managing 1 million regreened hectares in just five years. In Ethiopia, the target for 2022 is to have regreened 200,000 hectares managed by 120,000 households.

Research, Reports & Publications

Autonomous Cars Poised to Transform, Connect Smart Communities

Mar 14, 2018 10:00 AM ET

A future where driverless cars are roaming city streets may be closer than you think. Quickly moving past test and pilot phases, autonomous vehicles are now hitting the road in business parks and on limited fixed routes, bringing the promise of increased safety, reduced emissions and the potential for streamlined public transportation.

Responsible Production & Consumption

MFA and SCS Launch Pilot Flooring Certification Program

Mar 14, 2018 9:30 AM ET

The Multilayer Flooring Association (MFA) and SCS Global Services announced a pilot certification for new resilient flooring products in the multilayer format with rigid polymer cores. Focusing on performance and sustainability, and by bundling existing standards, the collaboration has created an all-encompassing platform for safety, quality, performance and sustainability for multilayer flooring.

Events, Media & Communications

An Inspiring Conversation with Global Problem Solvers

Mar 14, 2018 9:30 AM ET

I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Mary Elizabeth McCulloch and Elizabeth Nyeko, two socially minded young women who exemplify the mindset of a Global Problem Solver. They joined me on stage in San Jose at the Women of Impact conference, where we spoke to more than 16,000 global attendees on a day dedicated to the advancement of professional women.

Diversity & Inclusion

Celebrating Women's History Month & How Symantec C3 is Creating a Future in Tech for Females

Mar 14, 2018 9:20 AM ET

Events, Media & Communications

New LBG Canada Webinar: Community Investment & the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Mar 14, 2018 9:15 AM ET

Join LBG Canada to discuss corporate community investment as a tool to contribute to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals in this brand new webinar!

Diversity & Inclusion

Women, Energy & Economic Prosperity - The Undeniable Link

Mar 14, 2018 9:10 AM ET

Despite the substantial, positive contribution to growth and innovation made by women, disparities still exist in access to education and economic opportunities that limit women from achieving their full sociopolitical power.

Research, Reports & Publications

New Report Helps Business Navigate Global Sustainability Reporting Trends

Mar 14, 2018 9:05 AM ET

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and the Climate Disclosure Standards Board (CDSB) released a new report that maps global and regional Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) reporting trends.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Sodexo Recognized As a Top Company for Female Executives

Mar 14, 2018 9:00 AM ET

Sodexo, a food services and facilities management company committed to improving Quality of Life, announced today that it has been named to the National Association for Female Executives (NAFE) 2018 Top Companies for Executive Women list for the fifth consecutive year. The list commends companies that champion women and empower them to make decisions that affect their company’s future and its bottom line. 

Diversity & Inclusion

Why I’d Love All Women to Be Able to Thrive in a World That Values and Encourages Talent, Irrespective of Gender

Mar 14, 2018 9:00 AM ET

The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is #pressforprogress, and though we’re undeniably advancing toward gender equality in our workplaces, I think there’s still more to be done. Often, one of the issues that holds many women back begins in childhood, when certain behaviours are labelled.

Innovation & Technology

HydroWeb Smart Data Monitoring Platform | Keeping Afloat of Big Data

Mar 14, 2018 9:00 AM ET

HydroWeb provides our clients with full access to a powerful, personalized solution for their water systems data management needs. Tetra Tech developed the HydroWeb tool, a free web platform that enables the efficient management of our customers’ monitoring systems. It allows for real-time data collection, analysis, display, and reporting of key performance indicators.

Events, Media & Communications

Listen to Your Employees: How to Craft a Volunteer Program That Meets Their Needs

Mar 13, 2018 10:20 PM ET

In overwhelming numbers, employees want their companies to offer ways for them to volunteer. Yet, one-third of employees won’t give through their workplace because they’re not able to choose the causes that matter to them. On Tuesday, March 27, 2018, VolunteerMatch will present ways to gauge employee preferences and mobilize employees to give back in the way they want to.

Social Impact & Volunteering

The Walt Disney Company Commits More Than $100 Million to Bring Comfort to Children and Their Families in Hospitals

Mar 13, 2018 8:50 PM ET

Robert A. Iger, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Walt Disney Company, today announced an innovative plan to dedicate more than $100 million in company resources, including cash, products and services, to reinvent the patient and family experience in children’s hospitals across the globe. This initiative will roll out over five years, expanding the Company’s rich legacy of supporting children’s hospitals, which dates back to Walt Disney.

Research, Reports & Publications

Managing for Business and Societal Impacts: Erb Institute and World Environment Center Roundtable (Washington D.C)

Mar 13, 2018 5:45 PM ET

The University of Michigan’s Erb Institute for Sustainability in Business (Erb) and the World Environment Center (WEC) brought together 40 senior-level thought leaders and executives from business, academia, government and nonprofits, as well as selected Erb Institute students, for a roundtable discussion.

Education

Stemming the Leak: 4 Ways to Encourage STEM in Your Middle Schooler

Mar 13, 2018 5:20 PM ET

Maintaining students' interest in science during the middle school years is crucial to increasing the likelihood they'll pursue STEM careers. That's important, since studies show our nation will need to produce an additional one million STEM workers between 2012 and 2022 alone.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Viacom to Support Courageous Youth Activists Who Have Had #Enough of Gun Violence

Mar 13, 2018 5:00 PM ET

In the weeks since a gunman claimed 17 lives at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, courageous young people have marched and raised their voices to demand action on gun violence in the United States. They have had #enough.

Viacom and its brands have a long history of supporting young people’s movements around the world, and today the company is extending that tradition by leveraging its substantial multi-platform footprint to support these extraordinary individuals and amplify the reach and impact of their activism.