ESG News from Leading Brands

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Congratulations to the International Winners of the Scotiabank Youth Awards

May 4, 2017 9:55 AM ET

If you enjoy building your future and enriching the lives of others along the way, you’re a great candidate to be recognized as a Scotiabank Youth Awards winner.

Diversity & Inclusion

Reinventing Mindsets to Guarantee an Inventive Future at HP

May 4, 2017 9:50 AM ET

At HP, we believe in the power and promise of committing to a more diverse and inclusive workplace. And we’re proud of the progress we’ve made, with the most diverse board of directors of any technology company, among other things, and the awards and recognition we’ve won because of it. But we are far from satisfied.

Education

Introducing the 2017 AT&T Aspire Accelerator Class

May 4, 2017 9:45 AM ET

“How can I help students in new and lasting ways?” That’s a question all innovators in education ask… daily.

“How can the program, platform or product I’m working on make a difference in learners’ lives? Does it connect teachers to new, untapped resources? Does it help engage caregivers in a child’s learning? Does it allow students to see things in a different light? Does it help?”

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Wells Fargo Announces Small Business Neighborhood Renovation Program Contest

May 4, 2017 9:00 AM ET

Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC) is introducing the Wells Fargo Works for Small Business®: Neighborhood Renovation Program Contest, designed to help improve eligible small businesses in designated neighborhoods in five cities – Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami and Minneapolis – through a physical location or storefront makeover. Wells Fargo is launching the program in collaboration with Rebuilding Together, a premier nonprofit organization focused on rebuilding communities.

Research, Reports & Publications

New Report Highlights Benefits of De Beers’ Partnerships

May 4, 2017 5:00 AM ET

The 56-page sustainability report, published today, stresses that doing the right thing has long been an imperative for De Beers Group, not least because being a good corporate citizen brings all-round socio-economic benefits.

Environment

Fox’s ‘Salem’ Donates More Than $200,000 in Set Materials Toward the Construction of New Lousiana Aquarium

May 3, 2017 8:00 PM ET

Fox 21 Television Studios and the production crew on the horror thriller series Salem recently donated more than $200,000 worth of set materials to the city of Shreveport, Louisiana, where the series has filmed each of its three seasons. The donation will go toward the city’s efforts to repurpose an abandoned community center into an environmentally sustainable aquarium. The new building is set to become the first in the state’s history to achieve LEED Platinum certification and will receive $166,000 worth of lumber used to construct Salem’s sets, as well as individual set pieces such as water wells, foam trees, and foam rocks that can be used in the aquarium’s exhibits.

Social Impact & Volunteering

In Indiana, Vigo Volunteers, Duke Energy Come Through for the Hungry

May 3, 2017 6:05 PM ET

Tears of joy streamed down Anita Cheeks’ face as Duke Energy volunteers took box after box of canned foods and other non-perishable items into the basement of St. Joseph’s Church parish offices.

Energy

NYS Energy Symposium Shows Determination and Direction

May 3, 2017 5:00 PM ET

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

UPS Named A Top NBIC Best-Of-The-Best Corporation For Second Consecutive Year

May 3, 2017 4:15 PM ET

UPS® (NYSE: UPS), is proud to have been named among the 2017 Best-of-the-Best Corporations for Inclusion by the National Business Inclusion Consortium (NBIC). The recognition acknowledges UPS’s outstanding commitment to diversity for suppliers as well as employees and customers.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Diversityinc Recognizes Medtronic In 2017 'Top 50' List

May 3, 2017 2:45 PM ET

Medtronic strives to engage employees at all levels of the organization to ensure an inclusive culture. Announced in May 2017, DiversityInc has again named Medtronic to its list of the top companies recognized for being leaders in diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Sodexo Ranks in the Top 10 for Ninth Consecutive Year on DiversityInc’s 2017 Top 50 Companies for Diversity

May 3, 2017 2:45 PM ET

Sodexo, the world leader in Quality of Life Services, announced today that it ranked #6 on DiversityInc’s 2017 Top 50 Companies for Diversity list. This marks the ninth consecutive year that Sodexo’s metrics-driven commitment to diversity and inclusion was recognized among the top 10 companies.

Media & Communications

SASB Positions -- Critical Points Made In Commentary Published by Dr. Jean Rogers in the "IBD"

May 3, 2017 2:40 PM ET

What is important for us today is the publication in the IBD of powerful commentary by Jean Rogers, PhD, Founder/CEO of the Sustainable Accounting Standards Board (SASB). Dr. Rogers responds to earlier published commentary in IBD that warned investors "against the dangers of infusing corporate accounting with environmental advocacy."

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

General Mills Partners with World Food Program USA to Strengthen World’s Largest School Meals Program

May 3, 2017 2:35 PM ET

The grant from General Mills will support the World Food Programme (WFP)’s work with local partners in the eastern Indian state of Odisha, where a large proportion of youth exhibit symptoms from malnourishment, including anemia, wasting and stunting. The pilot will enable school meal fortification through multi-micronutrients like iron, zinc and vitamin A to approximately 137,031 schoolchildren across the state via the primary mid-day school meal. Two different methods of delivery will be tested against one another to determine which is the most effective: Half of the schools will receive fortified rice cooked onsite, the other half will receive micronutrient powder added to curry dishes served in the schools.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Empowering the Aging Population to Thrive: A Conversation with Dr. John Feather of Grantmakers in Aging

May 3, 2017 2:35 PM ET

In this episode of the Champions for Social Good Podcast, Jamie Serino speaks with Dr. John Feather, Chief Executive Officer of Grantmakers in Aging.

Sustainable Development Goals

Eco-Offsetting at Éléonore

May 3, 2017 2:00 PM ET

Éléonore’s CSR, Human Resources and Communications departments partnered with FaunENord, a regional Not-For Profit Organization and expert in environmental education and reclamation, to set about devising an eco-offsetting plan for each of the community events to be held at the mine. The ultimate goal was to ensure waste products from planned community events were separated to be recycled and composted where possible, calculate each event’s greenhouse gas emissions effect, and convert the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions into the quantities of trees and vegetation to be planted in the local community.

Sustainable Development Goals

Day 200 of Amway’s 1000-Day Initiative to Reach 500K Malnourished by End of 2019

May 3, 2017 1:25 PM ET

We’re 200 days into the Nutrilite Power of 5 Campaign’s goal to reach 500,000 malnourished by the end of 2019. Click here to see the faces of children around the globe that have been impacted by the Power of 5 Campaign.

Sustainable Development Goals

Reporting on the SDGs Action Platform Launched: A Global Mechanism for Measuring Business Contribution to the Global Goals

May 3, 2017 1:15 PM ET

GRI, the world’s leading organization for sustainability reporting, and the UN Global Compact, the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative, have formed a ground-breaking action platform to establish best practices in reporting on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Watch the video to find out more about the partnership, its members and what the world will look like in 2030 if the SDGs are achieved.

Health & Healthcare

How Smart Partnerships Can Help Us Fight Chronic Diseases in Africa

May 3, 2017 1:15 PM ET

WEF Africa is kicking off today under the theme of “Leadership in an Era of Disruption.” Harald Nusser, Head of Novartis Social Business, emphasizes how novel solutions between the public and the private sector are needed to effectively fight the rising epidemic of chronic diseases in Africa.

Social Impact & Volunteering

PayPal’s Usman Ahmed on the Power of Small Business

May 3, 2017 1:05 PM ET

Innovation & Technology

Maven Gig Accelerates the Freelance Mobility Economy

May 3, 2017 1:00 PM ET

Maven is expanding its flexible mobility platform to accelerate the gig economy. Maven Gig drivers are provided access to vehicles they can use for independent gigs that they choose, such as package delivery, food or grocery delivery, and ridesharing. The program is live in San Diego and will launch in San Francisco and Los Angeles later this year. Initial partners include GrubHub, Instacart, Roadie and ridesharing services.

Energy

Barclays Infographic: Water and Oil and Gas

May 3, 2017 12:30 PM ET

Barclays Infographic: Water and Oil and Gas. Finding the right mix.

Events, Media & Communications

15 Finalists Announced for Hawaii Startup Pitch Competition

May 3, 2017 12:00 PM ET

Fifteen clean-economy startups have been selected to advance to the final round of the VERGE Hawaii Accelerate fastpitch showcase.

Diversity & Inclusion

Sanofi - Good Morning Sanofi - Meet Jaqueline

May 3, 2017 11:40 AM ET

Social Impact & Volunteering

How to Plant 500,000 Trees: One at a Time

May 3, 2017 11:10 AM ET

Charlotte, N.C., likes to be known as the City of Trees, but keeping that name requires a lot of work because development and aging trees are threats to the city's tree canopy. So the city decided in 2011 to cover half of Charlotte with trees by 2050. Doing that requires planting 500,000 trees.

Environment

News Brief: EPA Update, Ozone Depleting Substances Regulation

May 3, 2017 11:10 AM ET

The EPA finalized updates to Section 608 of the Refrigerant Management Regulations, effective January 1, 2017. These changes affect professionals who interact with refrigerants as well as owners/operators of refrigerant containing equipment. Antea Group has a quick summary of these updates as well as links to various resources.