Client News Feed

Realized Worth Launches ‘Voyager,’ a Customizable Learning Environment for Employee Volunteers

Today, Realized Worth is proud to launch Voyager, our new online immersive learning environment. Practitioners can further evolve citizenship strategy by leveraging Voyager to engage and activate employee volunteers to take part in community activities. Voyager gives corporate citizenship practitioners an easy-to-use digital tool to train and certify employee volunteers in the practice of Transformative Volunteering, and to easily manage, track and report on training progress.

German Environment Ministry Awards WEC Europe and The Institute for Sustainability a Major Grant to Advance Corporate Sustainability Management in Latin America

Events, Media & Communications

The German Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) has awarded the World Environment Center Europe (WEC Europe) and the Institute for Sustainability a grant to disseminate best practices in corporate sustainability management in Chile and Mexico. Leading German company executives and international thought leaders will participate in peer-to-peer roundtables to discuss the sustainability’s value proposition, value chain innovation and integration of strategy and practices across the enterprise.

Sodexo Earns High Score on Annual Diversity Best Practice’s Inclusion Index

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Sodexo, a food and facilities management company, announced today that it achieved a score of over 70 percent on the inaugural Diversity Best Practices (DBP) Inclusion Index. The Inclusion Index reports data and provides insight into how participating companies met and excelled in three areas: company culture, demographic transparency and best diversity and inclusion practices in recruitment, retention and advancement.

Smithfield Foods Supports Veterans with $25,000 Contribution to Warrior Canine Connection

Diversity & Inclusion

The Smithfield Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Smithfield Foods, Inc., is pleased to announce it has joined forces with the Warrior Canine Connection (WCC), a pioneering organization that utilizes a Mission Based Trauma Recovery therapy model to help service members and veterans reconnect with their families and communities. Smithfield’s $25,000 donation will help fund a new Puppy Enrichment Center where future service dogs begin their training at WCC’s Healing Quarters in Boyds, Maryland.

Alliance Data Earns Perfect Score in 2018 Corporate Equality Index

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Jumping 20 percent from the previous year, Alliance Data has proudly received a perfect score of 100 percent on the 2018 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), a national benchmarking survey and report on corporate policies and practices related to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) workplace equality.

2017 Edition of CECP's Giving Around the Globe: Highlights and Findings

Research, Reports & Publications

This year marks the fifth edition of Giving Around the Globe, a leading report that explores Corporate Societal Investment (CSI) insights and cross-regional strategies among the world’s leading companies. The report is part of CECP’s continued efforts to study worldwide trends and better understand how companies, whether headquartered in the US or internationally, are pursuing strategies to be a Force for Good.

How Companies Can Help Solve Global Problems: a Conversation With Alice Korngold, CEO of Korngold Consulting

Sustainable Development Goals

We talk with Alice Korngold (@alicekorngold), President and CEO of Korngold Consulting, about trends in collaboration across the social good sector. Alice is the author of a few highly acclaimed books on board governance, service, and global problem solving. Alice discusses the do’s and don’ts of nonprofit board membership, the trajectory of collaboration between corporations and nonprofits in the last 30 years, and how the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals have influenced collaboration between businesses and nonprofits.

Duke Energy Foundation Invests $216,500 to Protect and Restore Florida's Wildlife and Natural Resources

Environment

Duke Energy is helping protect and restore Florida's environment through $216,500 in foundation grants to seven Florida-based organizations. The grants will fund environmental projects, as well as educational and research programs throughout the state.

Combining Her Passions, Volunteer Helps Connect Vets With Companion Pets

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

For military veterans who have proudly served, there can be physical and emotional injuries that make it difficult to transition back to civilian life – some estimates say as many as 20 percent of returning vets suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. Barbara Blair has touched the lives of many struggling vets in need of companionship through her efforts as the Georgia chapter director of Pets for Vets, where she leads state-wide programs for the national organization dedicated to veterans and rescued shelter pets.

How Cities Are Counteracting Climate Change, One Heat Wave at a Time

Green Infrastructure

As global cities struggle with how to handle rising temperatures, as well as other side effects of climate change, some are implementing small changes that can have a big impact.

Viacommunity Takes Talent for Good West

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Last month, Viacommunity journeyed to Viacom’s Hollywood office, the Paramount Lot and the Nickelodeon Animation Studio in Burbank as part of an official West Coast launch of Talent for Good, Viacom’s skills-based volunteer program in conjunction with Catchafire.

The program kicked off with an exclusive Rapid Fire event in Hollywood. We matched five teams of Viacom and Paramount volunteers with one of five local nonprofit organizations to take part in a two-hour brainstorm, exploring solutions to each nonprofit’s challenges. All five teams then shared their solutions, forging connections with their colleagues and local nonprofits. Each organization left with clear next steps and tools to overcome their challenges and move closer to achieving their missions.

Your Nature-Inspired Climate Change Solution May Be Worth $100,000

Environment

The 2017-2018 Biomimicry Global Design Challenge is looking to help commercialize nature-inspired solutions to adapt to, mitigate, or reverse the effects of climate change.

Prof. Charles Ng Conferred CLP Holdings Professorship in Sustainability

Environment

Geotechnical engineering expert Charles Ng of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology has been named CLP Holdings Professor of Sustainability.

The endowed professorship in sustainability is the first of its kind at a Hong Kong university. It will focus on climate change and sustainable energy, which are not only important to CLP but also of significance globally.

Corporate Citizenship Presenting at Upcoming Measurement Summit in Washington D.C.

Events, Media & Communications

The forthcoming ACCP Measurement Summit in Washington D.C. on 5th December 2017, kindly hosted by KPMG, will bring together CSR, sustainability and community investment professionals to discuss the different approaches being taken to measure both social and business impacts, addressing the challenges and unlocking the wealth of opportunities that measurement brings.

Domtar Sustainability: Managing Our Energy and Emissions

Environment

Domtar’s three-part approach to improving the sustainability of our energy consumption is yielding results.
We have converted most of our carbon-intensive coal power boilers to cleaner burning and less carbon-intensive natural gas.

Building Local Capacity Through HCV Training in Chiapas

Environment

With the objective of sharing best practices and developing the capacity of future assessors in High Conservation Value (HCV), PepsiCo and FEMEXPALMA, in collaboration with Proforest, have carried out a HCV course from October 2-6, 2017 in Palenque, Chiapas.

Wells Fargo’s Support of Military Members, Veterans Surpasses $100 Million

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

In honor of Veterans Day Nov. 11, Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) announced that it has donated more than $100 million since 2012 to support military service members, veterans and their families through financial education, career transition and housing initiatives.

How Soil Sparked a New Sustainable Ag Movement

Environment

For three weeks every month, Ray Archuleta captivates audiences with a few handfuls of soil. He begins with two clumps, dropping them into water. The soil from a farm where the soil isn’t tilled holds together, while the tilled soil immediately disperses, indicating poor soil structure. Next, volunteers from the audience — mostly farmers and ranchers — pour water over a soil that grew a variety of crops, and it runs right through. A sample of tilled soil that grew only corn is like a brick, and the water sits on top. Water is the most precious resource for growing crops, and having a soil unable to absorb water is crippling for farmers.

Defending the Rights and Benefits of American Veterans

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

AMVETS enhances and safeguards the entitlements for all American Veterans who have served honorably and continues to improve the quality of life for them, their families, and the communities where they live through leadership, advocacy and services.

They do this by advocating for alternative medical practices suitable to the veteran’s needs, the recognition of diversity within the veteran community, and further accountability within the Department of Veteran Affairs.

Rabobank and UN Environment Announce New Billion-Dollar Partnership to Kickstart Climate Smart Agriculture

Rabobank and UN Environment announced the creation of a new one-billion-dollar facility to finance sustainable agriculture using a combination of public and private funding. Together they also invite other interested financial institutions to sign up and work actively with global food companies to put this into practice.

Why Community Forests are Key to Solving Challenges of Urban Living

Environment

What comes to mind when you think of forests? Do they conjure feelings of tranquility, scenic landscapes, and wildlife? Or maybe you think of the great outdoors? Although these sentiments are commonly tied to forests, there is another type of forest that is rarely talked about but is key in responsible forestry: community forests. As the world becomes more urban, now is the time to invest in healthy community forests.

Business Value of Pro Bono: Cultivate Your Workforce

Diversity & Inclusion

Pro bono service is a powerful way to drive social change. Yet, many corporate employees looking to bring pro bono service to their company struggle to get buy-in from leadership and other key stakeholders. Although these stakeholders may understand the social value of pro bono, they don't always see the business value.

INFOGRAPHIC: Ahead of Schedule, Schneider Electric Celebrates the Accomplishment of 2017 Target at COP23

Sustainable Development Goals

To mark COP23, Schneider Electric, the leader in digital transformation of energy management and automation, is re-enforcing its aim to become carbon neutral by 2030.

Arbor Day Foundation Draws Industry Leaders at Partners in Community Forestry Conference in the Wake of Natural Disasters

Environment

The Arbor Day Foundation will hold the 2017 Partners in Community Forestry Conference in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on November 15–16. The conference is one of the largest urban forestry gatherings of its kind and attracts leading experts from around the world to share the latest practices and lessons in city forest management and citizen engagement.

Tetra Tech Celebrates Achievements at Uganda Learning Event

Sustainable Development Goals

Tetra Tech celebrated five years of achievements by the Feed the Future Uganda Agricultural Inputs (Ag Inputs) Activity, funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), at the Activity’s Close-out Learning Event in Kampala, Uganda, in September 2017. The Activity worked to increase farmers’ use of high-quality agricultural inputs and decrease the prevalence of counterfeit inputs in Uganda.