ESG News from Leading Brands

Social Impact & Volunteering

Points of Light Civic Accelerator Launches Fall 2016 Cohort, Focused on Educational and Workforce Success for Detroit Area Youth

Sep 22, 2016 5:30 PM ET

ATLANTA, September 22, 2016 – The Points of Light Civic Accelerator – the first national accelerator dedicated to investing in civic ventures – announced today the 15 ventures selected to participate in its Fall 2016 program. These civic start-ups include for-profits and nonprofits focused on increasing educational outcomes and workforce success for youth in the Detroit and Great Lakes region.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Aramark Improves Family Health in Los Angeles

Sep 22, 2016 5:00 PM ET

As part of Aramark’s ongoing commitment to health and wellness, more than 100 Aramark associates united yesterday at the Youth Policy Institute’s Ramona Elementary School in Los Angeles to inspire families to make healthy food, nutrition and lifestyle choices for Aramark Building Community Day, the company's global day of service.

Events, Media & Communications

Solar Energy on Campus (Webinar)

Sep 22, 2016 4:30 PM ET

Solar developers and renewable energy marketers are increasingly interacting directly with end-use customers interested in purchasing solar energy or supporting the development of solar PV projects. Developers engaged in these deals have to be prepared to address a range of concerns and goals that differ from those of their traditional customers, mainly utilities and electricity providers. Importantly, there can be reputational and legal risk for both developer and customer if the deal isn’t properly understood in terms of renewable energy benefits by all involved entities. Join representatives from Center for Resource Solutions (CRS) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in a free webinar to discuss:

Environment

University of California's "Audacious" Climate Action Plan

Sep 22, 2016 4:20 PM ET

If the University of California was a state, it would be the 15th largest.

The annual budget for UC is 20 times larger than Arizona, where Janet Napolitano was governor from 2003 to 2009.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Increasing Effectiveness of Inclusive Business a Key Contributor to the SDGs

Sep 22, 2016 2:55 PM ET

One year ago this week, the international community achieved consensus on a historic new agenda for change and blueprint for global development – the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In line with these ambitious goals, companies all over the world are engaging in innovative business models designed to make a positive impact on poverty, inequality and other global challenges.

Education

Boeing Announces $6 Million in Grants to Support Education in Washington

Sep 22, 2016 2:45 PM ET

Boeing (NYSE: BA) announced today it is awarding $6 million in grants to more than 50 nonprofit organizations and education institutions across Washington.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Republic Services’ Southern Nevada Recycling Center Celebrated with Industry Facility of the Year Award

Sep 22, 2016 2:00 PM ET

Republic Services, Inc. (NYSE: RSG) is pleased to announce that the National Waste and Recycling Association (NWRA) has named Republic Services’ Southern Nevada Recycling Center the winner of the Recycling Facility of the Year Award. The award was presented today at the NWRA’s annual Waste360 Recycling Summit in Austin, Texas.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Morgan Stanley Renews $8 Million Commitment with Feeding America, the Nation’s Leading Hunger-Relief Charity

Sep 22, 2016 2:00 PM ET

The Morgan Stanley Foundation today announced its renewed commitment to hunger relief through a new $8 million, four-year pledge to Feeding America to support children’s hunger and produce programs. This grant will build on the Firm’s $13 million previous support to Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger relief charity. Since Morgan Stanley’s partnership with Feeding America launched in 2009, over 11,000 employees have volunteered more than 60,000 hours with Feeding America food banks, and over 50 million meals have been distributed.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Imagine America Without Hunger

Sep 22, 2016 1:50 PM ET

Actively engaging young people in their community can result in positive and meaningful social change. Learn more about how to engage young people by reading Six Steps to Engage Millennials in Social Change and utilizing the complimentary Youth Engagement Toolkit.

Research, Reports & Publications

Three Ways to Get People to Read Your Corporate Responsibility Report

Sep 22, 2016 1:30 PM ET

Your employees, consumers, shareholders and others are demanding more corporate responsibility (CR) information from companies, but they probably aren’t reading your CR report. As expectations continue to increase around transparency and responsibility, there remains a disconnect.

Research, Reports & Publications

Global Study Finds Corporate Societal Engagement Increasing Internationally, with Majority of Companies Utilizing Global Volunteerism

Sep 22, 2016 1:00 PM ET

A leading study shows a sharp increase in corporate societal engagement across borders in Africa and Asia, and the continuation of a high-level of international corporate societal investment in Europe.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Congratulations to the 2016 Best Community Improvement Finalists!

Sep 22, 2016 12:30 PM ET

The Best Community Improvement Program Award recognizes strategic work to improve local communities. Read on to learn more about the significant, positive impacts these businesses have had in communities, locally and globally.

Events, Media & Communications

A Living Room Chat with Conservative Party MP Michael Chong

Sep 22, 2016 12:30 PM ET

Education

Changing Lives, One Class at a Time

Sep 22, 2016 12:00 PM ET

Most people attend college to learn and prepare for their future career. You don’t imagine that your actions in that classroom will change someone’s life somewhere across the globe. But for students in Michigan State University’s ME 491 International Humanitarian Engineering class–taught by Dr. Brian Thompson, Professor of Mechanical Engineering–that’s exactly what happens.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Program Spotlight: New Pathways for Youth

Sep 22, 2016 12:00 PM ET

We're excited to highlight an inspiring project with a talented team from Charles Schwab and its nonprofit partner, New Pathways for Youth (NPFY), who empower youth to fulfill their potential through mentoring and life skill development. The Schwab team created an onboarding plan to help NPFY train and retain their talent. The new process provides new hires with a better understanding of NPFY’s vision and culture and instills a sense of belonging.

Events, Media & Communications

Global Supply Chains and the Necessity Of Making Operations Safer, More Sustainable

Sep 22, 2016 11:45 AM ET

Savvy corporate managements recognize that the supply chain of their company represents a huge opportunity for cost savings, more efficient management of procurement, and the extension of important health & safety practices beyond their own operations.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Download Now: Champions for Social Good Podcast - Accelerating Performance for Social Good

Sep 22, 2016 11:30 AM ET

The second episode of the Champions for Social Good Podcast, Accelerating Performance for Social Good with Root Cause Founder Andrew Wolk, is now available on the MicroEdge + Blackbaud website and for download on iTunes, Google Play Music and Stitcher.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Guest Blog: From Foster Sister to Family Finder

Sep 22, 2016 11:30 AM ET

Ashley Sargent is a Wendy's Wonderful Kids Recruiter. She works each day to find forever families for the children in foster care

Health & Healthcare

Quest Diagnostics Provides Free Cancer Screenings to Underserved Women in Texas

Sep 22, 2016 11:15 AM ET

Minority women have a greater incidence of both cervical and breast cancer than the general population. In our quest to remove barriers to healthcare access among the country’s most vulnerable populations, a volunteer team of Quest pathologists and clinicians traveled to Irving, Texas in December to provide free, potentially life-saving diagnoses to at-risk uninsured and/or underinsured women.

Health & Healthcare

Curing Blindness in Dogs Gives Us Insight into Helping Blind Children

Sep 22, 2016 11:00 AM ET

When Dr. Gustavo Aguirre set out to find a cure for night blindness in dogs, a disease related to Progressive Retinal Atrophy, he knew it was going to require a lot of patience. When he started studying this disease, there was no map for the canine genome. He was able to find the mutated gene that caused the disease, and, by saving his genetic samples, he made a significant contribution to the mapping of the canine genome, which was completed in 2004.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Timberland’s Fall 2016 Collection: Stitched with Style and Substance

Sep 22, 2016 11:00 AM ET

With its new fall 2016 collection, outdoor lifestyle brand Timberland is bringing sustainable style to consumers around the world. From leather boots made with a proprietary eco-conscious waterproof membrane to jackets made with organic cotton canvas, Timberland is making strides in its quest to reduce the environmental impact of virtually every product it makes across footwear, apparel and accessories.

Health & Healthcare

Data For Good: Predictive Analytics to Personalize Health Care

Sep 22, 2016 10:45 AM ET

As part of National Volunteer Week this month, we are profiling our DataCorps volunteers of projects past, present and future. These volunteers donate a whopping 5-10 hours a week over the course of several months to apply data science techniques that can help advance a social change organization's mission.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Addressing Women’s Empowerment Is Key to Sustainability: BSR’s Strategy for Business Action

Sep 22, 2016 10:30 AM ET

With the publication of the first UN High-Level Panel on Women's Economic Empowerment report, BSR is pleased to launch a new practice to catalyze effective and ambitious business action on women's empowerment.

Research, Reports & Publications

BCtA and GRI Release Publication Measuring Business Impact on the SDGs

Sep 22, 2016 10:30 AM ET

Today, Business Call to Action (BCtA) and GRI are launching a report that finds that governments are increasingly interested in accounting for private sector contributions to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a trend that has evolved from the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Responsible Production & Consumption

Domtar EarthChoice Monthly Minute | September 2016

Sep 22, 2016 10:25 AM ET