ESG News from Leading Brands

Environment

PNC Met its Carbon Emissions and Energy Reduction Goals for 2020 Ahead of Schedule

Jan 4, 2018 7:15 AM ET

In 2010, PNC set ambitious environmental performance goals to reduce carbon emissions and energy and water consumption by 30 percent by 2020.

The company met its carbon reduction goal in 2016 and is on track to meet its energy reduction goal by the end of 2017. Due to improvements like new lighting and heating, and ventilation and air conditioning systems, PNC’s branches and office buildings use less energy than ever. PNC also attributes this success to its hands-on, direct approach to managing energy in its more than 27 million square feet of real estate. This in-house approach has proven to have a direct impact on reducing consumption.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Legg Mason Expands Parental Leave Policy

Jan 3, 2018 2:50 PM ET

Legg Mason has announced that it will offer US employees 12 weeks of parental leave to both men and women, effective January 1, 2018.
Expanding this benefit is consistent with Legg Mason’s efforts to improve diversity and inclusion across the company by treating all new parents equally – both male and female. All new parents with at least one year of service qualify for the benefit.

Research, Reports & Publications

10 Years of BISC | The Importance of BISC Research for the Corporate Social Investment

Jan 3, 2018 2:00 PM ET

Comunitas, a civil society organization based in São Paulo, and the Brazilian Local Authority of the Global Exchange led by CECP, recently published the 10th edition of The Corporate Social Investment Benchmarking (or BISC, Benchmarking do Investimento Social Corporativo in Portuguese), a comprehensive overview of the achievements in this space over the last ten years.

Social Impact & Volunteering

University of Akron, Clemson University Football Fans Champions of 2017 GameDay Recycling Challenge

Jan 3, 2018 1:00 PM ET

While Clemson University came within a victory of making it to the College Football Playoff National Championship, it can claim, along with the University of Akron, the co-championship of the 2017 GameDay Recycling Challenge (GDRC), the national collegiate football recycling competition. The GameDay Recycling Challenge is produced through a partnership of the College and University Recycling Coalition (CURC), Keep America Beautiful, RecycleMania, Inc., and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Environment

A Wildlife Biologist With Power

Jan 3, 2018 12:35 PM ET

As a kid, Scott Fletcher was the go-to guy to identify whatever strange-looking critters had appeared in his neighbors’ yards. When his father, a geology professor, took him and his brothers out for weekend fossil hunts in central Pennsylvania, Fletcher went searching for insects while the other two checked out the rocks. His father helped him assemble a sort of homemade natural history museum in the basement. He kept salamanders in a crate inside the house — until the smell overwhelmed his family and his dad shut-it down.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Reading Is Still Fundamental

Jan 3, 2018 11:30 AM ET

There is a significant and cyclical literacy crisis facing America today and it begins with our children. 34 percent of children entering kindergarten lack the basic skills needed to learn how to read, and when faced with this disadvantage at such a young age, kids are starting down one of the toughest paths they will ever take.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Northern Trust Partners Supported the 13th Allergan Bengaluru Walk-a-Thon

Jan 3, 2018 11:25 AM ET

Northern Trust partners supported the 13th Allergan Bengaluru Walk-a-Thon organized by Samarthanam Trust for Disabled and walked towards a greener planet with over 8000 participants!

Education

Cisco NetAcademy Dream Team Puts IT Talent to Work

Jan 3, 2018 11:20 AM ET

Kwame Ohemeng and Zoe Rose did not expect to become IT networking professionals. Yet, they both went from being IT tinkerers to working side-by-side with Cisco engineers to build a massive network for Cisco Live as members of the Networking Academy Dream Team.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Stowe Beam Named SCS Global Services’ Vice President of Environmental Certification Services

Jan 3, 2018 11:00 AM ET

SCS Global Services (SCS) is pleased to announce that Mr. Stowe Beam has been promoted to Vice President of the company’s Environmental Certification Services division. In this role, he will oversee the operations of the division, which manages a wide range of pioneering and internationally recognized third-party certification programs and services for the green building, furniture, energy, life cycle assessment, apparel, consumer products, and mineral extraction industries. In addition, Stowe is joining the SCS Executive Team, which provides strategic oversight for the company’s broader environmental and sustainability auditing, certification and consulting services.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Points of Light Civic Accelerator Invests $100,000 in Two Startups Advancing Workforce Innovation

Jan 3, 2018 10:30 AM ET

The Points of Light Civic Accelerator announced today that it will invest $50,000 each in ReciproCare (Washington, D.C.), a for-profit enterprise, and La Cocina VA (Arlington, Virginia), a nonprofit enterprise. Both ventures are focused on access and pathways to employment to help more individuals and families succeed.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Putting the Wheels in Motion This Holiday Season

Jan 3, 2018 10:05 AM ET

Just in time for the holidays, more than 18 Maryland families recently were awarded an early Christmas gift. Each family was given the opportunity to purchase a badly needed car through the work of Vehicles For Change (VFC). The program awards vehicles to qualified low-income families with guaranteed low-interest loans, allowing them to build credit while completing the car ownership process.

Media & Communications

[WEBINAR] A Year in CSR: The Top 10 Trends of 2017

Jan 3, 2018 10:00 AM ET

Please join us on Wednesday, January 10 from 1-2 p.m. EST as we review what was trending in 2017 in our “A Year in CSR: A Look at the Top 10 CSR Trends of 2017” webinar. Cone’s Executive Vice President of CSR Strategy, Alison DaSilva and Director of Marketing/Research & Insights, Whitney Dailey will take a closer look at how leading companies and organizations leveraged insights to drive action – and what this means to the broader business world. For a glimpse at what we’ll discuss in greater detail, see our byline in Triple Pundit.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Hormel Foods Donates $370K to the United Way

Jan 3, 2018 9:30 AM ET

The United Way of Mower County has an additional $370,000 to put toward its programs thanks to donations from Hormel Foods employees.

Environment

Employees of This Tech Company Are Doing Their Parts to Protect the Environment

Jan 3, 2018 9:20 AM ET

Employees play a key role in making HP’s sustainability strategy a success. And many of them embrace sustainability not just as part of their jobs, but as integral to their daily lives.

Sustainable Development Goals

During Renovations, the Venetian and the Palazzo Use Sustainable Wall System

Jan 3, 2018 9:15 AM ET

During the renovation at The Palazzo casino and other parts of the property, the properties Sustainability team learned of an innovative product called Envy Walls, a temporary wall that is made of 100% recyclable and reusable materials. The manufacturing company states that every 700 square feet of Envy Wall reduces one ton of landfill debris compared to conventional framing, metal studs, and dry wall.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Northern Illinois Food Bank in Geneva to Use $200k in Donations to Encourage More Giving

Jan 3, 2018 9:05 AM ET

Data marketing company Alliance Data announced in a news release that its Conversant and Epsilon businesses donated $100,000 to the food bank in Geneva.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Does Your Company Offer Adoption Benefits? We Want to Celebrate You!

Jan 3, 2018 9:00 AM ET

In just a few days, the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption will launch its 2018 Best Adoption-Friendly Workplace survey. This survey measures the financial reimbursement given to employees who adopt, paid time off to employees who adopt as well as any benefits given to employees who are foster parents.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Brand Advocacy vs Aspiration in the Trump Era

Jan 3, 2018 9:00 AM ET

​Like few times in our history, brands and businesses are facing a profound moment of challenge and change. Trust has never been lower. Expectations have never been higher. And in our new political and cultural reality, there’s no middle ground and there’s no place to hide.

At BBMG, we believe the only way for brands to remain relevant and resilient is to put humanity first. Based on our global research into Aspirational and Advocate consumers, we’ve identified two paths for using the power of brand to fight injustice and create the good life.

If you’re ready to authentically inspire fans, mobilize champions and win in this new era, it’s no time for fear. It’s time to be brave.

Education

Can a Shipping Container Increase Access to Hands-on STEM?

Jan 3, 2018 8:55 AM ET

Designing STEM outreach programs for K-12 classrooms often becomes a balancing act between ambitious goals and limited resources. Scientific equipment is just one kind of resource, but one that is unavailable to many schools. Time is a less obvious resource, but time away from classroom curriculum is becoming increasingly hard for teachers to justify with their administrators. And personal access to relevant experts – face time with actual scientists – is a resource that many programs don’t even get to add to their wish lists.

Events, Media & Communications

WEBINAR | Schneider Electric to Host Deep-Dive Discussion About Science-Based Targets with WWF and HP

Jan 3, 2018 8:45 AM ET

Join Alexander Liedke with WWF as he discusses the SBTs Initiative, and HP as they provide an overview of their SBTs journey, including how they secured internal buy-in, overcame challenges, and their plan to meet targets through strategies like renewable energy.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

De Beers Group Provides a Solution for a School's Crowded Classrooms

Jan 3, 2018 8:30 AM ET

The mine sent in a lowbed truck and crane and partnered with local contractors to transport unused mobile classrooms from Alldays High School to the nearby Alldays Primary School in Limpopo Province, saving the school R150,000, which is what it would otherwise have cost to move them.

Education

Meet Amgen Scholars Alumni Andrea Pérez González From Universidad Francisco de Vitoria

Jan 3, 2018 8:25 AM ET

"Although I had no previous research experience, Dr. Hugh Robinson gave me the opportunity to do my project on electrophysiological properties of small-cell lung cancer.”

Environment

Plants of the Future: Sustainable Food Processing from Beginning to End

Jan 3, 2018 8:25 AM ET

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

National Grid to Present the “Not Impossible Ignition Award” to OffGridBox

Jan 3, 2018 8:10 AM ET

National Grid will recognize OffGridBox with the “Not Impossible Ignition Award” at CES® (Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas on January 11, 2018. The Not Impossible Awards celebrate the work and stories of people who exemplify innovation in technology. OffGridBox is a modular, compact unit that provides renewable energy and treated water in off-the-grid areas. They will be one of five recipients to receive the award and the only business recognized for their strides in the energy industry.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Alliance for Community Tree Groups Are Dedicated to Improving the Livability of Towns and Cities Through Tree Planting

Jan 3, 2018 8:00 AM ET

Local impact happens when community-based tree planting organizations create projects that involve citizens, schools, churches, and government. This is the work of the 125 members of the Alliance for Community Trees program. This is the work of the 125 members of the Alliance for Community Trees program. for Community Trees program.