We grantmakers should strive to be enablers, finding effective partners and using our charitable gifts to allow those partners to be the best versions of themselves.

Ceres announces today at a Skytop Symposium on Water and Long-Term Value, at Levi Strauss & Co. headquarters, that Clif Bar, Genentech, Fetzer Vineyards, Qualcomm Incorporated and VMware have joined its Connect the Drops Campaign to support resilient water solutions at a time of unprecedented drought in California.

Generous donations from a trio of local corporate sponsors will serve as the foundation for the newly created Public Safety Cadet Program at Bertie High School. In an event held Dec. 2 at the school campus, Republic Services, JBA Properties, and Perdue Farms donated funds to the program.

Congratulations to Linda Roesch, a research fellow in Atlanta, for winning the $20,000 first-place prize in our “Data for Diplomas” challenge!

Continuing to fuel good in local communities and build on its long-term commitment to the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA), CITGO Petroleum Corporation, along with its local Marketers and Retailers, recently supported the MDA Arkansas chapter’s Hollywood-themed Passport to a Cure event, raising nearly $30,000 benefiting research and local families dealing with neuromuscular disease.

Cause marketing during the holiday season is nothing new. Companies have long realized the power of appealing to consumers' hearts and wallets to break through the holiday clutter. Although this year is no different with dozens of campaigns in the marketplace, there is a new twist on conventional efforts. Companies and nonprofits are moving beyond the shopping transaction and engaging consumers to spread even more good cheer with digital activations.

As we monitor U.S. companies’ disclosure and periodic reporting on their respective sustainability journeys, we are seeing that companies have both expanding and narrowing choices.

Carnival Cruise Line and its employees, both on board and ashore, are doing their part to make the holidays brighter for needy children this year.

Throughout the year we actively engage in dialogue with our stakeholders – clients, partners, shareholders, communities, regulators, suppliers and peers. These stakeholder groups are determined based on our business strategy of serving corporations, institutions and affluent individuals worldwide. Each stakeholder group affects our reputation, policies and best practices.