ESG News from Leading Brands

Health & Healthcare

How Healthy Are We Indoors?

Dec 19, 2016 8:05 AM ET

With the average American now spending more than 90 percent of each day indoors, environmental factors such as lighting, noise, air quality and temperature in our homes, offices, gyms, stores and healthcare facilities play a vital role in our overall wellness. But which of these factors are most critical, and exactly what effects do they have on our health and behavior?

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Consumers Energy Receives Recognition for Commitment to Sustainable Business Practices

Dec 19, 2016 8:00 AM ET

Reflecting its commitment to delivering energy from increasingly green sources and more safely than ever, Consumers Energy announced today that it has been ranked in the top 6 percent among global utilities for sustainable environmental, social and economic practices.

Research, Reports & Publications

ANZ Shaping a World Where People and Communities Thrive

Dec 19, 2016 8:00 AM ET

ANZ has released its 2016 Corporate Sustainability Review, which reports on how it is tackling its most material sustainability issues.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Europe’s Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH) and SIFAV Recognize SCS Sustainably Grown Certification Program

Dec 19, 2016 8:00 AM ET

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Mohawk Group’s Light Lab Design Center Receives Petal Certification from International Living Future Institute

Dec 19, 2016 7:45 AM ET

Mohawk Group, a leading commercial flooring company known for cutting-edge and innovative flooring solutions, recently announced that Light Lab, the company’s newly renovated design studio, has received Petal Certification from the International Living Future Institute (ILFI) Living Building Challenge™ 2.1.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Tell Investors of Climate Risks, Energy Sector is Urged

Dec 19, 2016 7:10 AM ET

A coalition of the world’s most powerful bankers, regulators and even executives at some heavy polluters have a message for oil and gas companies: Be more forthcoming about the risks posed by climate change.

Events, Media & Communications

21CF Businesses Earn 34 Nominations at NAACP Image Awards, Celebrating Achievements of People of Color in Entertainment

Dec 19, 2016 7:00 AM ET

The nominees for the 48th NAACP Image Awards were announced on December 13, with 21st Century Fox film and television projects receiving 34 total nominations. Fox Searchlight's recent historical drama The Birth of a Nation received six nominations, tying with Moonlight as the year's most-nominated film. Several more Fox films and TV series were recognized, including FX's hit limited series The People v. O.J. Simpson (six nominations), 20th Century Fox's Hidden Figures (three nominations), and FOX's musical drama Empire (six nominations), which collected five awards last year. This year's winners will be announced at a ceremony in Hollywood on February 11 hosted by Anthony Anderson and broadcast live on TV ONE at 9pm/8c.

Events, Media & Communications

Climate Related Financial Disclosure For Business: An Imperative For 2017

Dec 19, 2016 6:45 AM ET

2016 began - as recorded here on Forbes - noting that climate change was becoming very real in the financial world. As we head towards the end of what has been a tumultuous year, the Financial Stability Board (FSB) is clear the message needs to be reinforced, not dismissed.

Health & Healthcare

Michael R. Bloomberg Commits $360 Million to Reduce Tobacco Use – Raising Total Giving on Tobacco Control Efforts to Nearly $1 Billion

Dec 16, 2016 4:20 PM ET

Bloomberg Philanthropies today announced a new commitment of $360 million to global anti-tobacco efforts. The grant supports evidence-based policies to curb tobacco use and works to increase awareness of the dangers of tobacco in low and middle-income countries. The new round of funding raises Bloomberg’s total giving on this public health initiative to nearly $1 billion and builds on ten years of support for the implementation of tobacco control laws and policies around the world through the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use. To date the initiative has successfully supported 59 countries in passing laws or policies, reaching nearly 3.5 billion people and saving an estimated 30 million lives.

Green Infrastructure

Delos, IBM Join Forces to Advance Healthy Indoor Environments through Improved Digital Intelligence on the Cloud

Dec 16, 2016 3:05 PM ET

BM (NYSE: IBM) today announced that it is collaborating with wellness real estate and technology firm Delos™ to adopt IBM Cloud and cognitive technologies to speed the discovery of new insights in health and wellness and their connections to the design of indoor spaces.”

Events, Media & Communications

Department of Liquor Control Promotes Discounts for Designated Driving and Taxi Program

Dec 16, 2016 3:00 PM ET

In an effort to help prevent drunk driving in Montgomery County, the Montgomery County Department of Liquor Control (DLC) is partnering with a local transportation service, Dryver, to offer $20 gift cards towards a designated driver this holiday season and $5 off the first ten Lyft rides used.

Environment

GM’s Carsharing Service Expands. Is Your City Next?

Dec 16, 2016 2:20 PM ET

General Motors’ Maven carsharing service debuted in January 2016 as an alternative mode of transportation for people living in the college town of Ann Arbor, Michigan. It has since grown to 15 more cities and 17,000 users that together have clocked in 40 million miles. Peter Kosak, GM’s executive director of urban mobility, said the company will announce even more locations in 2017.

Health & Healthcare

Volunteers Ensure the American Red Cross Stands Ready to Respond

Dec 16, 2016 2:10 PM ET

Everything the American Red Cross does is powered by the commitment of our volunteers, and the generosity of the public and our corporate partners.

Education

Bechtel Sponsored DiscoverE Future City Team Visits White House, Appears on FabLabTV

Dec 16, 2016 2:05 PM ET

Who knew that joining a Future City team could land you a visit to the White House? That’s exactly what happened to the Nevada Future City team this year. Future City is a middle school competition that ask students to imagine, design and build cities of the future. After four months of designing a virtual city (using SimCity), they write up their solution to a city-wide issue, build scale models of their city, and then present their vision to a panel of judges. Luckily a team from Nevada was chosen to participate in the U.S. Science Fair Engineering Festival which was hosted by U.S. President Barack Obama, April 16-17, 2016.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Walmart and the Walmart Foundation Announce $250,000 Towards Relief and Recovery Efforts in Tennessee Wildfires

Dec 16, 2016 1:50 PM ET

Walmart and the Walmart Foundation have made a commitment to provide support of $250,000 to organizations helping with relief efforts for those affected by Tennessee wildfires in Sevier County, which includes Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville.

Diversity & Inclusion

How to Reward Employees With Time Off for Volunteer Work

Dec 16, 2016 1:25 PM ET

There’s a lot of evidence to show that launching a paid time off to volunteer (VTO) initiative will improve your corporate social responsibility image while benefiting your company in return. Here are a few things you need to know if you want to reward employees with time off for volunteer work.

Environment

Task Force Issues Specific Guidance for the Financial Sector

Dec 16, 2016 1:25 PM ET

A key aim of the FSB Task Force is to encourage disclosures that "would enable stakeholders to understand better the concentrations of carbon-related assets in the financial sector and the financial system's exposures to climate-related risks."

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

A Day for All Dogkind

Dec 16, 2016 1:15 PM ET

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Helping Public-Private Partnerships Reach Their Full Potential

Dec 16, 2016 12:30 PM ET

Companies partner with nonprofit organizations every day, but how closely are they measuring the outcomes of these partnerships? Are companies holding their partners accountable and setting goals that will help define success?

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

A Gift - Help 10 Students and Yourself - One for TEN for CSR

Dec 16, 2016 12:00 PM ET

CSRHub will give you 10% off an annual plan AND give TEN students a free subscription for their academic research… from now until 12/31. We are calling this our One for Ten for CSR.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Swiss Re Adopts Climate-Related Financial Disclosure Recommendations

Dec 16, 2016 10:35 AM ET

Swiss Re announced on Wednesday that it will adopt the climate-related financial disclosure recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD).

Social Impact & Volunteering

Timberland’s Holiday Season of Giving

Dec 16, 2016 10:00 AM ET

In November, outdoor lifestyle brand Timberland kicked off its holiday season of giving at its Stratham, NH headquarters to benefit the local community. Since then, through the company’s Path of Service™ program, more than 100 employees have volunteered at seven events in support of nonprofit organizations in New Hampshire. Approaching its 25th year, Timberland’s Path of Service™ program provides employees with up to 40 paid hours each year to serve in the community.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Carney-Backed Report Urges Companies to Disclose Climate Change Effects

Dec 16, 2016 9:40 AM ET

A task force led by Michael Bloomberg and backed by Mark Carney has urged companies to disclose to investors the impact of climate change on their businesses.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Transaction Support for a Retail Petroleum Portfolio Acquisition

Dec 16, 2016 9:20 AM ET

Antea Group was contracted as part of an acquisition team to provide environmental liability and compliance related due diligence services for an approximately 500 location retail fuel outlet portfolio acquisition in the southeast US. The client was a South American energy company making its first retail fuel outlet acquisition in the US, and the project was to be performed under an extremely tight timeline.

Innovation & Technology

PYXERA Global Secures Grant of IBM Technology

Dec 16, 2016 9:10 AM ET

PYXERA Global has earned an Impact Grant from IBM for 2017, giving it data analytics technology designed to help organizations make more informed decisions and be more effective.