ESG News from Leading Brands

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

General Motors Recognized for Corporate Sustainability Leadership on Two Dow Jones Sustainability Indices

Sep 14, 2018 3:20 PM ET

We’re proud to announce that General Motors has been included on this year’s Dow Jones Sustainability Indices, a global index long considered the gold standard for corporate sustainability. This is the fourth year we’ve made the North American Index as the only automaker and our second time appearing on the World Index.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Nestle Waters North America Supports California’s Day of Emergency Preparedness

Sep 14, 2018 3:10 PM ET

On Saturday, September 8th, Nestle Waters North America sponsored California’s Day of Preparedness in Sacramento, California. The annual event, hosted each year by California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), is open to the public and regularly sees over 5,000 attendees.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

General Mills Named to Elite Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and Dow Jones Sustainability North American Index

Sep 14, 2018 2:30 PM ET

General Mills has been named to both the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and the North American Index by S&P Dow Jones Indices and sustainability asset management firm RobecoSAM. The Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) is one of the most prestigious recognitions for leadership in corporate sustainability, and is based on in-depth analysis of economic, environmental and social performance. General Mills scored well above the industry average across each of these dimensions.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Las Vegas Sands Recognized by Dow Jones for Corporate Sustainability Leadership

Sep 14, 2018 1:40 PM ET

Las Vegas Sands Corp. has once again been recognized by the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) for its industry-leading corporate sustainability efforts. Sands is the only Integrated Resort company included on the DJSI North America.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

JetBlue Donates Instruments to A Miami Middle School After a Decade Without Music

Sep 14, 2018 1:15 PM ET

Last month, JetBlue worked with VH1’s Save the Music to donate instruments to Henry H. Filer Middle Schoo in Hialeah, Fla. l to “bring the beat back.” The donation will help revival their music program, which had been shut down for more than a decade. JetBlue recognizes how much music adds into a child’s education. The arts help inspire creative thinking and opportunities. The event ended on a high note with a surprise guest performance from Emily Estefan.

With a focus on STEAM (science, technology engineering, arts and math) education, JetBlue has been a proud partner of VH1 Save The Music for more than 10 years, raising more than $300,000 to boost the Foundation’s mission on a national level and save the music in public schools across the country.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Caterpillar Again Named to Dow Jones Sustainability Indices

Sep 14, 2018 1:10 PM ET

Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) has been named to the 2018 Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI), including both the World and North America indices. This marks the 19th time Caterpillar has been included in the DJSI.

Environment

Leading Global Investors Managing $6.4 Trillion Call on Companies to Eliminate Deforestation in South American Cattle Production

Sep 14, 2018 1:00 PM ET

As carbon pollution from global cattle production and tropical deforestation continues its alarming rise, 44 investors with approximately US $6.4 trillion in assets under management today called on companies sourcing beef and related cattle products to mitigate and eliminate deforestation risks from their supply chains.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Nearly 400 Investors With $32 Trillion in Assets Step up Action on Climate Change

Sep 14, 2018 1:00 PM ET

The Investor Agenda provides a way for investors to directly report actions they are taking, and scale-up their commitment to act, across four key focus areas: Investment, Corporate Engagement, Investor Disclosure, and Policy Advocacy.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Leading the Way

Sep 14, 2018 12:00 PM ET

Responsibility, one of our five values, is at the core of everything we do. We are working with customers to create a more sustainable recycling model; developing new products and services that meet customers’ emerging recycling needs; engaging and empowering our employees to always do the right thing to minimize the impacts of all facets of our operations; and enabling our customers to make an even greater difference in their communities. Together, we are leading the way within our industry and receiving notable recognition for our sustainability achievements.

Environment

Mongabay: Why Keep Africa’s Dryland Forests Alive?

Sep 14, 2018 11:45 AM ET

About 10 years ago, the average millet farmer in Boromdougou village along the Niger River in Mali produced about 170 kilograms of cereals per hectare per season, according to Pierre Dembele, executive secretary of Malian NGO Sahel Eco. Lack of wind breakers, however, eventually led to heavy losses.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Riding Hope’s Trail

Sep 14, 2018 11:30 AM ET

There were smiles all around Aug. 30, as members of the Hormel Foods Bentonville (Ark.) Sales Office helped dedicate a new bike trail, a gift to some of the town’s youngest and most deserving residents.

Cassie Moore, customer business manager for Hormel Foods, was among those in attendance, grinning from ear to ear at what her co-workers and her company have done for children who find refuge at the Northwest Arkansas Children’s Shelter. For a quarter of a century, the organization has served as a 24-hour emergency residential care facility for children who are victims of family violence, abuse and/or neglect. Since it opened its doors in 1993, the residential center has welcomed in excess of 9,000 children, giving them on-site schooling, counseling and other services during their stays.

Supply Chain & the Circular Economy

Farming + Finance for a Path out of Poverty

Sep 14, 2018 11:10 AM ET

Through a new project WPF supports in Honduras, we will get to see firsthand if the two-pronged approach of providing both agricultural and financial assistance will have a synergistic, lasting positive effect on the alleviation of poverty.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

A ‘Special’ Day for Children at the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center

Sep 14, 2018 11:05 AM ET

Aflac, the leader in voluntary insurance sales at U.S. worksites, today delivered the very first My Special Aflac DucksTM to the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. My Special Aflac Duck, designed by Sproutel, is a social robot that uses medical play, lifelike movement and emotions to engage and help comfort kids during their cancer care.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Holland America Line Donates $25,000 to Seattle Children’s as Part of K’s for Kids with the Seattle Mariners

Sep 14, 2018 10:30 AM ET

Holland America Line President Orlando Ashford presented a check for $25,000 to Seattle Children’s Uncompensated Care Fund Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2018, at the Seattle Mariners’ home game at Safeco Field. The company made the donation as part of its partnership with the Seattle Mariners Major League Baseball team and the K’s for Kids program. Holland America Line became the presenting sponsor of the program during the 2014 baseball season.

Events, Media & Communications

Powering and Digitizing the Economy

Sep 14, 2018 10:15 AM ET

Energy decentralization means customers can now produce their own energy, and we can go one step further to help them be sustainable, efficient and productive. Schneider Electric is innovating to help customers navigate the new energy landscape at the upcoming Innovation Summit Singapore.

The Summit will open with a keynote by Schneider Electric Chairman & CEO Jean-Pascal Tricoire who will talk about the digital transformation of energy management and automation. This keynote will focus on how digital transformation can unlock more value for everyone.

Innovation & Technology

ESG Investing: What IT Leaders Need to Know

Sep 14, 2018 10:15 AM ET

IT can play a pivotal role in a company’s environmental, social, and governance impact, criteria that are key to institutional investors. Greater access to data, lower environmental impact, and improved privacy and security controls are just a few things they look for when shopping for new investments. Here's what you need to know.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Consumers Energy on Standby for Hurricane Florence

Sep 14, 2018 10:10 AM ET

Even though the storm is hundreds of miles away, Mid-Michigan utility crews are preparing for Hurricane Florence.

Health & Healthcare

Video: Nurses Change Lives

Sep 14, 2018 10:10 AM ET

Social Impact & Volunteering

Why Transformative Volunteering Is Good Citizenship

Sep 14, 2018 10:05 AM ET

Frequently, volunteer experiences are episodic events that provide vital support to organizations, but what if more resources could be used to boost the impact we can have as volunteers, and forge sustainable relationships?

Environment

At GCAS, Walmart and Unilever Show Leadership on Forests: 3 Big Reasons to Join Them

Sep 14, 2018 10:05 AM ET

Walmart and Unilever made big news at this week’s Global Climate Action Summit. With forest loss is still on the rise (the highest levels of tropical tree cover loss occurred in the last two years), these two consumer-product giants just committed to taking big, concrete steps toward addressing the complex reality of global deforestation.

Education

The New MBA Will Educate the 'Whole Manager'

Sep 14, 2018 9:35 AM ET

Behind the unending stream of headlines about executive malfeasance, there’s a lot of thought and action going on in progressive quarters about how to improve leadership training so that business can perform better.

Research, Reports & Publications

A Deeper Look at CECP's Investing in Society: Planet

Sep 14, 2018 9:35 AM ET

Investing in Society, CECP’s recently launched compendium of data, research, and case studies illustrates innovations in corporate efforts to solve the world’s most pressing problems. Divided into five sections – Priorities, Performance, People, Planet, and Policies – the collection of insights offers a far-reaching assessment of what leading companies are doing in each of the five focus areas.

Health & Healthcare

Technology and Health Converge in Toronto

Sep 14, 2018 9:05 AM ET

Toronto has firmly established itself as one of the most desirable modern cities in North America to live in and it’s clear to see why. As the city experiences a renaissance and booming real estate market, it has placed technology and health at the forefront.

Research, Reports & Publications

Albemarle’s Core Values Highlight 2018 Sustainability Report

Sep 14, 2018 9:00 AM ET

Albemarle is pleased to present its 2018 Sustainability Report on 2017 activities. This edition marks the 12th year Albemarle has released a sustainability report, demonstrating the company's commitment to growing in a sustainable manner.

Environment

Unilever and Walmart Announce Forest Sustainability Initiatives at the Global Climate Action Summit

Sep 13, 2018 9:00 PM ET

Today, at the Global Climate Action Summit (GCAS) in San Francisco, USA, Unilever committed to supporting work in Sabah, Malaysia as part of the strategy to achieving a deforestation free supply chain and further reducing emissions. Unilever will help sustainably certify 60,000 hectares in Sabah, Malaysia as part of a program led by Forever Sabah, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Malaysia and PONGO Alliance.