ESG News from Leading Brands

Innovation & Technology

Final Week to Apply for Techstars Atlanta

Apr 3, 2017 10:00 AM ET

Techstars Atlanta, presented in partnership with Cox Enterprises, is accepting applications for its 2017 class through April 9th. Techstars is an internationally recognized accelerator program that boosts entrepreneurs' early stage business and product development efforts through focused education, mentorship and funding.

Environment

Xylem Watermark | Preventing Waterborne Illness in India

Apr 3, 2017 9:30 AM ET

Since 2008, Xylem Watermark has completed more than 5000 water projects across India, providing access to clean, safe drinking water to over 484,000 people to help prevent water related illness.

Health & Healthcare

Improving Indoor Spaces Through Delos™ Research and IBM Technology Data Insights

Apr 3, 2017 9:15 AM ET

What if we knew that clean indoor air could help businesses improve corporate strategy? What if we understood how different artificial indoor lights were affecting our health, performance and sleeping patterns? Delos research is now providing the tools and knowledge to measure and build for occupant health.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Banking on the Community: Why Barclays is Giving Space to Credit Unions

Apr 3, 2017 9:05 AM ET

It may seem counter intuitive for a bank to give free office space, training and support to another finance provider. But that’s exactly what Barclays branches in Essex are doing – in a pioneering partnership with a not-for-profit credit union.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Special UN Briefing on the Risk of Famine & How Business Can Contribute

Apr 3, 2017 9:05 AM ET

In this webinar hosted by the UN Global Compact and the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OCHA), experts give an overview of the situation in the four countries, present the humanitarian needs and identify areas in which businesses could make a difference and contribute to ending the crisis.

Health & Healthcare

A Good Fit: Challenges and Opportunities in the Drive for Workplace Wellness

Apr 3, 2017 9:05 AM ET

A recent CBRE report on workplace wellness finds that every year up to $227 billion is lost to employee absenteeism (when you’re out sick) or presenteeism (when you’re in the office, but not feeling well enough to work at your typical clip).

Research, Reports & Publications

AkzoNobel Bringing Innovation to Life

Apr 3, 2017 9:00 AM ET

A message from the digital 2016 AkzoNobel Report : Our strategic focus on driving innovation to support organic growth gathered momentum. We launched a series of products, many offering major benefits in terms of their sustainability profile. Digital innovation is a major area of attention and is playing an increasingly important role in product development and how we work with customers

Research, Reports & Publications

Special Announcement – 2016 Nestlé in Society Creating Shared Value and Meeting our Commitments Full Report Now Available

Apr 3, 2017 9:00 AM ET

Today Nestlé published the 2016 edition of its annual Nestlé in society: Creating Shared Value full report. It follows the summary version published on 7 March 2017 as part of Nestlé’s Annual Report.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Aflac Named Company of the Year for Corporate Social Responsibility

Apr 3, 2017 9:00 AM ET

Aflac, the leader in voluntary insurance sales at the worksite in the United States, was honored by PR News Magazine as the 2017 Company of the Year at the PR News CSR Awards held in Washington, D.C., on March 22. The company received the award in the “Corporation, less than 25,000 employees” category.

Innovation & Technology

Can HP Z Workstations Help Improve Life in Space? HP and Intel Tap Engineering Minds to Find Out

Apr 3, 2017 8:45 AM ET

HP announced that it’s partnering with Intel to launch an innovative new contest, the “Life in Space” Design Challenge, which will tap some of the brightest engineering minds at universities across the U.S. to develop a product that can improve the lives of astronauts in space. Undergraduate student teams from prestigious engineering schools across the country will be outfitted with HP ZBook Studio Mobile Workstations, powered by Intel® Core i7® processors, to help them design a manufacture-able product to improve life in space for our astronauts.

Research, Reports & Publications

Cargill Issues 2017 Update on Sustainable Palm Oil Progress

Apr 3, 2017 8:45 AM ET

Cargill is committed to building a 100-percent transparent, traceable and sustainable palm oil supply chain by 2020. In a new annual progress report, the company highlights progress against its commitment in 2016 and outlines a 2020 roadmap for sustainability.

Sustainable Development Goals

National Geographic Releases First Ever Sustainable Tourism Impact Report Highlighting Social and Environmental Impact of Unique Lodges of the World Collection

Apr 3, 2017 8:00 AM ET

Launched in 2015, the National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World is a collection of 55 world-class hotels spanning 30 countries and 6 continents that offer guests rare experiences with parts of the world that not many get to know. Each lodge is deeply rooted in its community and dedicated to protecting surrounding ecosystems and cultures—and harnesses their vitality to safeguard them for the future. On March 27, National Geographic released the first Sustainable Tourism Impact Report, compiled from data from each of the member lodges that measures the impact of their practices, from use of renewable energy to protecting endangered wildlife. The report details this impact and highlights stories about some of the innovative sustainability projects at the lodges, and serves as inspiring p

Research, Reports & Publications

Responsible Business Trends 2017 - Complimentary Snapshot Report

Apr 3, 2017 5:15 AM ET

As part of Ethical Corporation’s annual Responsible Business Trends 2017 Report we reached out approximately 2,500 global business executives to get an understanding of the top sustainability trends and issues for 2017. This snapshot highlights some key findings from our community based in Europe.

Education

Europe 2017 Travel Award Cycle Opens

Mar 31, 2017 6:45 PM ET

To learn more about the Amgen Scholars Program, please visit our website and check out the #AmgenScholars hashtag on Twitter. Visit AmgenInspires.com and follow @AmgenFoundation to stay up to date with all STEM-related news from the Amgen Foundation.

Energy

Milestone 250th and 251st American Coal Plants Announce Retirement

Mar 31, 2017 4:50 PM ET

Today marked the 250th U.S. coal plant that has retired or committed to retire since the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign began in 2010, driving coal use down to its lowest level in history.

Environment

Take an Exclusive Look Behind-the-scenes of Fx’s ‘Legion’ and Learn How Fox Goes Green on Set

Mar 31, 2017 4:00 PM ET

FX’s Legion drew praise from critics and audiences alike for its ambitious storytelling and visual style, and fans can now check out an exclusive video and case study detailing how the cast and crew brought that same level of ambition to going green behind-the-scenes.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Great American Cleanup Project Benefits Martin Nature Park in Oklahoma City

Mar 31, 2017 3:25 PM ET

Oklahoma City's Martin Nature Park recently received a facelift as city, state, nonprofit and private industry teamed up to celebrate the Great American Cleanup, during Oklahoma’s Arbor Week.

Education

A Passion for Labor Studies and Social Justice Motivates This Scholarship Winner

Mar 31, 2017 3:00 PM ET

Like fellow recipients of a Michael Weiner Scholarship for Labor Studies, Melissa Britton understands and appreciates the close relationship between worker rights and civil rights that defines organized labor’s important role in advancing social justice.

Events, Media & Communications

A Show of Solidarity for the Arts in America

Mar 31, 2017 3:00 PM ET

It’s a critical time for the arts and healthcare across the USA. In solidarity with Americans for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, and dozens of arts organizations, the AATA was a proud National Partner for the 30th annual Arts Advocacy Day, March 20 and 21, 2017, in Washington, DC.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Video: Bloomberg FIRST Robotics 2017

Mar 31, 2017 11:45 AM ET

FIRST Robotics' first regional event was this past weekend in Rockland County (NY), with eight Bloomberg teams competing. The NYC regional is the weekend of April 9 where we will have 10 teams competing.

Diversity & Inclusion

Addressing Barriers for Women Leaders: Mentoring

Mar 31, 2017 11:25 AM ET

Last year the US hit a milestone with a record 27 female CEOs at the helm of S&P 500 companies. And while there has been progress since 1972, it has not been enough, especially when women are projected to account for 51 percent of the increase in total labor force growth between 2008 and 2018.

Health & Healthcare

Delos™ and Overbury and Morgan Lovell Form Strategic Alliance to Integrate Health and Wellness Into the Built Environment

Mar 31, 2017 11:15 AM ET

Delos™, a wellness real estate and technology firm, today announces a strategic alliance with Overbury PLC and Morgan Lovell PLC, two of the United Kingdom’s foremost office design, fit out and refurbishment firms, to accelerate the transformation of indoor environments into spaces that promote human health and wellness. As part of the new relationship, Overbury and Morgan Lovell will demonstrate a commitment to supporting the continued global reach of the WELL Building Standard™ (WELL), which is the world’s first building standard focused exclusively on the effects of the built environment on human health and wellness.

Diversity & Inclusion

Connie Lindsey of Northern Trust Receives 2017 Distinguished Fellow Award

Mar 31, 2017 11:05 AM ET

Health & Healthcare

External Recognition for Our Climate Change and Water Efforts

Mar 31, 2017 11:00 AM ET

Our efforts to reduce carbon emissions were acknowledged in 2016 with our inclusion in the ‘Climate A List’. CDP assessed companies globally from across 10 industry sectors; we were one of only 193 companies (9% of applicants) and seven healthcare companies to be A-listed.

Energy

Consumers Energy to Provide Up to 150,000 LED Bulbs to Michigan Families through Food Banks

Mar 31, 2017 10:35 AM ET

Consumers Energy announced today that it will provide up to 150,000 high-efficiency LED bulbs to Michigan families through food banks. Consumers Energy will make the contribution as part of its “Light the Moment with ENERGY STAR Buy a Bulb, Give a Bulb” campaign, which starts Saturday and runs through April.