ESG News from Leading Brands

Social Impact & Volunteering

Kite Employees Assemble Care Packages for Families Affected by Cancer

Nov 2, 2018 12:00 PM ET

Last week, our Kite employees volunteered at Family Reach, assembling 400 care packages for families affected by cancer.

Responsible Production & Consumption

PepsiCo Announces New Packaging Goal For 25% Recycled Plastic Content By 2025

Nov 2, 2018 12:00 PM ET

As part of its sustainable plastics vision, PepsiCo, Inc. announced a new goal to strive to use 25 percent recycled content in its plastic packaging by 2025.

PepsiCo aims to achieve this goal by collaborating with suppliers and partners, helping to increase consumer education, fostering cross-industry and public-private partnerships, and advocating for improved recycling infrastructure and regulatory reform, all of which are required to realize our ambition. The goal includes an aim specific to PET (polyethylene terephthalate) beverage bottles to achieve 33% recycled PET content by 2025.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

The State – and Future – of Sustainable Business

Nov 2, 2018 11:55 AM ET

The past 10 years have seen incredible progress in sustainable business. There are global multi-stakeholder commitments on climate action and the SDGs, collaborations driving systemic change across value chains, and tremendous improvements in corporate and investor practices toward a more sustainable world.

Energy

#PoweringJobs: Elevating Energy Access Skills

Nov 2, 2018 11:10 AM ET

It’s estimated that scaling off-grid renewables can create 4.5 million jobs by 2030. But of the 10.3 million renewable energy jobs in the world today, just 76,000 are in Africa. In other words, less than 1% of the jobs worldwide are in the region that most urgently needs them. The same trend holds true for energy-poor communities in Asia and elsewhere.

That is why Schneider Electric is supporting the launch of the #PoweringJobs campaign, a global effort to ensure the creation of an energy access workforce.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Scotiabank and Concacaf Launch Youth Football Programme

Nov 2, 2018 11:05 AM ET

Innovation & Technology

7 Tips for Safe Use of Compressed Air

Nov 2, 2018 11:00 AM ET

Compressed air is an increasingly common utility in workspaces around the world from factories to construction sites. Although it may seem easy to operate, compressed air can become dangerous if used incorrectly. Here’s what you need to know when it comes to safe operation.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Xylem Donations Make Completion of New Prep School Possible After Devastation from Hurricane Harvey

Nov 2, 2018 11:00 AM ET

Xylem colleagues toured one of YES Prep Schools facilities in Houston, TX last week in celebration of the completion of a new school building. Xylem Watermark donated to YES Prep to support building classrooms in response to the devastation from Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Xylem also participated in water monitoring educational events at the time, adding to its efforts to solve water and educate youth about water issues. YES Prep School is committed to providing students in underserved communities access to superior educational opportunities, and Xylem is proud to support this effort.

Environment

Working Toward Zero-Landfill Parks

Nov 2, 2018 10:45 AM ET

NPCA is working to significantly reduce waste at our national parks, starting with three pilot parks: Denali, Grand Teton and Yosemite. Collectively, these three pilot parks welcomed nearly 8.3 million visitors in 2017, who left behind nearly 9 million pounds of waste that could otherwise be recycled or composted.

Research, Reports & Publications

GRI Newsletter: Updates and Upgrades for Easier Reporting

Nov 2, 2018 10:35 AM ET

As the data collection for many report preparers gains momentum, we are happy to announce new and updated GRI Standards and services to support reporters' work. There are also new mapping documents that help harmonize and reduce the burden of reporting to different frameworks. GRI is also presenting updates to its Digital Reporting Tool, which helps in data collection.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

An Interview with Ron Reese, Senior VP of Global Communications and Corporate Affairs, Las Vegas Sands

Nov 2, 2018 10:10 AM ET

We’ve identified this as a priority for the company several years ago. We felt it was an issue the public didn’t know much about and as one of the biggest employers in Southern Nevada, we’re able to provide resources and help bring awareness to the issues most important as we work together with our community partners.

Events, Media & Communications

Innovative Initiatives, Visionary Leadership: Highlights from 3BL Forum 2018

Nov 2, 2018 9:25 AM ET

For the over 300 CR professionals, CEOs, sustainability executives, and journalists who gathered at the MGM National Harbor, just outside Washington D.C., the 3BL Forum was a fast-paced, idea-packed two days of panels, breakout sessions, issue tables, one-on-one interviews, and networking.

Innovation & Technology

Privacy: A Business Imperative and Pillar of Corporate Responsibility

Nov 2, 2018 9:05 AM ET

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Gildan Supports Sarah’s Fund for Cedars to Help the Montreal Children’s Hospital Care for Young Cancer Patients

Nov 2, 2018 9:00 AM ET

Gildan is proud once again be a Gold level sponsor for the Splash & Dash event, raising funds for Sarah’s Fund for Cedars, a local Montreal charity dedicated to supporting the needs of the Pediatric Hematology and Oncology patients and their families at the Montreal Children’s Hospital.

Education

Alliance for Community Trees Mentor Exchange Program Connects Community Greening with California Groups

Nov 2, 2018 9:00 AM ET

This year, Alliance for Community Trees hosted a mentor exchange program for members through a grant from the U.S. Forest Service. The mentor exchange program paired smaller non-profit groups with larger groups and allowed them to learn by travelling to their location and doing a site visit.

Events, Media & Communications

Join Us for "CSR & Employee Engagement Technology For IMPACT"

Nov 1, 2018 7:00 PM ET

On November 20 Chris Jarvis, Co-Founder of Realized Worth and Lesa George, Director of Digital Business Development, United Way of Calgary and Area will share insights into the customer experience and how technology can enable companies to meet impact and engagement objectives.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Recycling Business Model Getting Trashed

Nov 1, 2018 6:25 PM ET

Energy

VMware Achieves Carbon Neutrality and Partners with City of Palo Alto on Community Microgrid, as Part of Global Impact Initiative

Nov 1, 2018 6:00 PM ET

VMware, Inc. (NYSE: VMW), a leading innovator in enterprise software, has announced the achievement of key milestones in its journey to drive positive global impact across people, products and the planet. At the opening of the new VMware Discovery Center in Palo Alto, CEO Pat Gelsinger announced the company has achieved carbon neutrality in global operations two years ahead of the company’s scheduled 2020 goal, and a partnership with the City of Palo Alto to develop a proof-of-concept for a community microgrid.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Composting at Sappi Transforms Food Waste Into Community Resource

Nov 1, 2018 5:40 PM ET

Sappi’s shared service center in South Portland Maine has implemented a program that collects the office’s organic solid waste on-site, adding a compost container to complement the existing single-stream recycling and landfill waste containers.

Environment

Borden Project Receives Canada’s Clean Growth Program Funding

Nov 1, 2018 5:00 PM ET

Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources, the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, together with Parliamentary Secretary Paul Lefebvre, announced this week that the Government of Canada plans to invest $5 million to help position Goldcorp’s Borden Project as a mine of the future — mining ore in a more environmentally sustainable way.

Environment

Essity Commits to 100% Recyclability of Plastic Packaging by 2025

Nov 1, 2018 4:45 PM ET

Essity has joined the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastic Economy global commitment, “A line in the sand”. Essity is therefore committed to working toward 100% recyclability of the company’s packaging by 2025.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Celebrate With Your Community This Small Business Saturday®

Nov 1, 2018 3:00 PM ET

Are you ready to shop, eat and celebrate with the small businesses in your neighborhood this holiday season? Today, American Express (NYSE:AXP) revealed its lineup of community programs for the ninth annual Small Business Saturday, taking place nationwide on November 24. Small Business Saturday, founded by American Express in 2010, is held each year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving to encourage people to shop at independently-owned businesses online and at storefronts across the country.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Mohawk's Bandy to Be Recognized with Prestigious Greenbuild Leadership Award

Nov 1, 2018 3:00 PM ET

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has announced the recipients of its 2018 Leadership Awards, an annual recognition of the outstanding individuals and organizations at the forefront of the green building movement. George Bandy Jr., Mohawk Industries vice president of sustainability and commercial marketing, will join five other distinguished honorees, including global apparel retailer NIKE, for the USGBC Leadership Awards Reception on Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2018, in Chicago. Individuals and organizations representing diverse expertise from across the green building industry will be celebrated in tandem with the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo.

Health & Healthcare

Nestlé Partners with Tembo Education to Drive Greater Nutritional Awareness in East Africa

Nov 1, 2018 2:30 PM ET

Nestlé has partnered with Tembo Education to deliver customised, nutrition-based curriculums to families across Kenya, through SMS and WhatsApp messages. The aim is to help families provide their children with the best possible nutritional start in life by delivering information, tools and tips that could tackle malnutrition and potentially save lives.

The initiative, launched through Nestlé’s open innovation platform - HENRi@Nestlé, forms part of Nestlé’s ambition to improve nutritional levels across the East and Southern Africa region (ESAR). According to joint assessments conducted by Kenya’s County Departments and UNICEF last year, nearly 73,000 children are severely malnourished in Kenya alone.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

LA Kings Host Halloween Party at Ronald McDonald House

Nov 1, 2018 2:30 PM ET

AEG’s LA Kings and Blue Shield of California teamed up to host a Halloween Party at the Los Angeles Ronald McDonald House on Tuesday, October 30. Throughout the afternoon, volunteers from the Kings and Blue Shield of California – including LA Kings center Nate Thompson and his wife Sydney – prepared and distributed gift bags, decorated cookies with guests, led Halloween-themed arts and crafts and played a lively game of ball hockey.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

GM’s Toledo Transmission Receives Ohio EPA’s Top Environmental Stewardship Award

Nov 1, 2018 2:20 PM ET

General Motors' Toledo Transmission plant was recently recognized for excellence in environmental stewardship by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This year, the plant was awarded the Platinum Level – the highest-level award from Ohio EPA’s Encouraging Environmental Excellence Program (E3) – making General Motors one of five organizations to receive this recognition this year.