ESG News from Leading Brands

Sustainable Development Goals

Participatory Planning Produces Strategic Blueprints for Cities

Feb 21, 2018 8:00 AM ET

Graeme Thompson, communications specialist for the Tetra Tech-implemented U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Urban Municipal Governance project (UMG) in Guatemala, discusses how the project executed a three-month technical assistance initiative to help four municipalities deliver high-quality operating plans to the Ministry of Finance. All opinions expressed in this post are the author’s own.

Diversity & Inclusion

Difference Is Beautiful: Where We Came From Leads Us to Where We’re Going

Feb 20, 2018 4:25 PM ET

I didn’t know Bloomberg wrote about that.” I often hear this response when I tell people what I cover as a reporter on Bloomberg News’ diversity and management team. This beat looks at the intersection of race, class and gender in the workplace – one that has become increasingly relevant in our political and social climate.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Aflac Lands Placement on Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For List for 20th Consecutive Year

Feb 20, 2018 4:20 PM ET

For the 20th consecutive year, Aflac has been named one of Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For, according to global research and consulting firm Great Place to Work® and Fortune. The leading provider of voluntary insurance at the worksite in the United States, Aflac has received a place on the prestigious list every year since 1999.

Diversity & Inclusion

PayPal’s Monica Chatmon on Her Community Involvement in Omaha

Feb 20, 2018 4:00 PM ET

Supply Chain & the Circular Economy

Sustainability Reporting for SMEs Made Simple

Feb 20, 2018 1:00 PM ET

Small and medium sized enterprises have a huge impact on our global society and world. In this video, GRI Chief Executive Tim Mohin talks about why SMEs should join the GRI Competitive Business Program, designed to help SMEs get started with sustainability reporting.

Health & Healthcare

Merck for Mothers Blog | Leading a Global Coalition of Mothers Dedicated to Social Good

Feb 20, 2018 12:50 PM ET

Merck for Mothers talks to Jennifer James of Social Good Moms about maternal health and maternal care.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Walking Forward Receives $1.6 Million Grant for Lung Cancer Screening Research

Feb 20, 2018 12:30 PM ET

Avera Health is pleased to announce that the Walking Forward Program, based in Rapid City, has been awarded a grant for over $1.6 million from the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation to increase lung cancer screening rates for high-risk smokers living in western South Dakota.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Whirlpool Corporation Named One of the 2018 World's Most Ethical Companies® by the Ethisphere Institute

Feb 20, 2018 12:30 PM ET

Whirlpool Corporation, the world's leading major home appliance company, is recognized by the Ethisphere Institute, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices, as one of the 2018 World's Most Ethical Companies.

Health & Healthcare

Plant Based Proteins: The Meat Alternative That Is Good For Your Health And The Planet

Feb 20, 2018 12:05 PM ET

It's rare that an idea or solution comes along that solves a variety of problems facing the world. Plant-based proteins is one of those. Whether it is human health, animal welfare, deforestation or climate change (or all of those) that concerns you, consuming more plant-based proteins can offer a simple (and tasty) way to make a positive contribution to solving them.

The food system is changing. It always has, but now it needs to change to reduce waste and optimise the use of plant proteins. Challenges like these have led the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, of which Nestlé is a member, to work on a new programme called FReSH - Food Reform for Sustainability and Health. FReSH will focus on the solutions that businesses can bring, and proteins will be at the centre.

Diversity & Inclusion

Investing in Our Nation’s Future: No One Left Behind

Feb 20, 2018 11:45 AM ET

Walter Cronkite was the legendary CBS anchorman known as “The most trusted man in America.” In 2003, 84-year-old Walter took me, then 23-years-old, on the first of many spins on his sailing vessel, the Wyntje. We talked constantly while tacking our way through the mountain-bordered waters of the British Virgin Islands. Walter and I were both of Dutch decent, and proud of it. Having the opportunity to talk hours on end with such an iconic figure was life changing for me. And it all started with that first sailing trip. We met because Walter was also a close friend of my boss, consumer advocate Remar Sutton. He visited Remar often during the winters.

Health & Healthcare

Smithfield Bioscience and University of Virginia Announce Regenerative Medicine Research Partnership

Feb 20, 2018 11:05 AM ET

Smithfield Foods, Inc. and the University of Virginia School of Engineering & Applied Science announced today a research partnership to explore and advance regenerative medicine technologies leveraging porcine bioproducts. The research is part of a collaborative project between UVA and Smithfield Bioscience, a strategic business platform within Smithfield Foods that is focused on supporting a range of biotechnology solutions in areas of human therapeutics, tissue fabrication and regenerative medicine.

Diversity & Inclusion

How and Where Diversity Drives Financial Performance

Feb 20, 2018 10:55 AM ET

A new survey of 1,700 companies shows the benefits of diversity and inclusion go deeper than innovation for companies around the world.

Education

Did You Know First-Year Students Can Also Be Amgen Scholars? Meet Yulia Kostina

Feb 20, 2018 10:30 AM ET

Before I was accepted into the Amgen Scholars Program, I was quite sure about a career in academia, but this summer ultimately convinced me that university-based research is a job with which I would be happy.

Media & Communications

Purpose: Everyone Wants It, But What Does It Actually Mean?

Feb 20, 2018 10:15 AM ET

Purpose has become a catch-all phrase that means different things to different people. Consumers are demanding that companies do more than make a profit and are basing their decisions on what to buy and where to work based on a company's responsible business practices and support of social and environmental issues.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

A Conversation with Connie Lindsey

Feb 20, 2018 10:00 AM ET

There was standing-room only at The Baumhart Center’s first event of the Kelly Tyrrell Conversation Series on Tuesday, January 30th. The Tyrrell Conversations aim to engage Loyola students in monthly dialogues with foremost social impact, enterprise, and responsibility leaders; this month’s conversation with Northern Trust’s Executive Vice President and Head of Corporate Social Responsibility and Global Diversity & Inclusion, Connie L. Lindsey, was a perfect start to the series.

Innovation & Technology

Ideagen Reveals Global 100 Innovators List of 2018

Feb 20, 2018 10:00 AM ET

Ideagen Global revealed Global 100 Innovators list at Global Innovation 2030 Summit, encompassing industry luminaries who facilitate innovation in their fields.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Join Aramark Campaign and Help Children and Families Live Healthier Lives

Feb 20, 2018 9:35 AM ET

Aramark (NYSE: ARMK), a global leader in food, facilities and uniforms, announced that it will donate $1 to local community centers when consumers join or follow its Feed Your Potential 365 health campaign* at FYP365.com/community or on Instagram @Aramark. Funding from this effort will be distributed through the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities, a respected national community action network, and will be earmarked to support nutrition and cooking educational experiences that help children and families in underserved communities lead healthier lives.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

How Sustainable Are Corporate Pensions?

Feb 20, 2018 9:20 AM ET

Climate change, the low-carbon transition and sustainable development pose some of the greatest challenges of the 21st century. The global transition is well underway and has urgent and wide-ranging implications for companies, policymakers and investors. This requires integrated thinking across the board from corporates - but do workplace pensions schemes and business strategies sufficiently reflect this?

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

How CBRE Develops Competitive Advantage: Q&A with Global Director of CR David Pogue

Feb 20, 2018 9:05 AM ET

“Commercial real estate is at the nexus of many issues — waste, water, energy, emissions, health,” says David Pogue, global director of corporate responsibility for CBRE. “We have a particular responsibility as a real estate services company to help our clients and the whole industry move forward.”

For CBRE, this means adopting a strategy that takes shared values into consideration. Recently, Environmental Leader caught up with Pogue to learn how the company is integrating corporate responsibility into its business practices, and what kind of competitive advantages this can produce.

Education

Internship: Sustainability Reports Data Analyst

Feb 20, 2018 9:00 AM ET

G&A is offering unpaid internship opportunities for qualified students interested in learning more about corporate sustainability and corporate ESG performance (“Environmental, Social, Governance”) issues. G&A Institute interns learn important elements about the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards for sustainability reporting as well as other common frameworks such as CDP, RobecoSAM CSA (DJSI), SASB, IIRC, SDGs, and concepts in sustainability such as materiality, stakeholder engagement, assurance, balance, comparability, and many others that can be used in their future work situations.

Research, Reports & Publications

Consumers Want Brands to Put a Stake in the Ground on Issues That Matter

Feb 20, 2018 9:00 AM ET

More than ever before, consumers want brands to put a stake in the ground. It is not simply about reacting to today’s news cycle, but rather knowing where you stand and standing strong when issues arise.

As traditional corporate philanthropy efforts have ceased to capture the love and loyalty of consumers, it is time to rethink old models of CSR and consider how your brand’s purpose can translate to more meaningful and culturally relevant efforts that excite and engage consumers.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

CNH Industrial Top Stories: Hands-On Help With Lessons in Life

Feb 20, 2018 8:55 AM ET

Through an education project in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, and training programs in Rajasthan and Karnataka, CNH Industrial and its brands have been closely involved in community initiatives that are helping to lift hundreds out of poverty in India. The Company’s sustainability initiatives are inspired by the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and these three particular projects in India are directly related to SDG 8 - Decent work and economic growth. By giving underprivileged children access to education, and by training unemployed youth in useful skills, CNH Industrial hopes the next generation will have a brighter future.​​

Supply Chain & the Circular Economy

WBCSD Insider Perspective: GreenBiz 2018

Feb 20, 2018 8:25 AM ET

Last week, over 1,100 sustainability professionals from around the world gathered in Phoenix, Arizona for the tenth annual GreenBiz conference. The conference focused most notably on sustainable and resilient supply chains; how investors are stepping up their scrutiny of companies' environmental, social and governance (ESG) data; what it takes to create circular products and business models; and the energy procurement landscape.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

eBay Launches ‘Retail Revival’ Program to Boost Small Businesses

Feb 20, 2018 8:05 AM ET

Partnering with the City of Akron, Ohio, eBay will empower local entrepreneurs to harness the power of technology and ecommerce.

Environment

Greening Mardi Gras: Recycling Effort Targets Parade Trash

Feb 19, 2018 3:00 PM ET