Smithfield Foods Highlights Charitable Giving and New Employee Programs in Full Release of 2017 Sustainability Report
Today, Smithfield Foods, Inc. issued the fourth and final installment of its 2017 Sustainability Report with the release of its Helping Communities and People sections. The Helping Communities section focuses on Smithfield’s 2017 charitable giving within the communities where its employees live and work. The People section features new programs rolled out in 2017 that focus on keeping employees safe and engaged, and highlights employee talent development and educational opportunities.
Duke Energy Energizes Ohio and Kentucky with Nearly $600,000 in STEM, Literacy and Workforce Development Grants
Duke Energy is expanding its investment in local students and workforce development by funding 36 education and training programs – totaling nearly $600,000 – in southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky. The grants, which are administered by the Duke Energy Foundation, will benefit and enhance educational programs focused on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), childhood reading proficiency and workforce development.
Promoting Healthy Lifestyles in and Outside the Company
When Medtronic decided to partner with the Minnesota Vikings this fall, the goal was simple — bring awareness to the importance of health and fitness. In September, Medtronic and the Vikings awarded a local school with a "Fit Zone" donation. The financial support allowed Minneapolis North Community High School to invest in a new weight room and training center for its student athletes. Additionally, Medtronic is providing Twin Cities employees the opportunity to donate gently used sports equipment throughout the month of October. The donations will go to the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Department.

Helping in Houston: Employees Step up Following Historic Hurricane
The Medtronic Mission, written by the company’s founders more than 50 years ago highlights the importance of “maintaining good citizenship as a company.” Employees are coordinating with All Hands Volunteers, a disaster relief organization, sending waves of teams to Houston to support the community following Hurricane Harvey. The company allows employees up to five days of paid leave to volunteer with disaster relief efforts. Medtronic and the Medtronic Foundation are also donating to organizations assisting those affected by the storm while several Medtronic facilities are collecting supplies and organizing blood drives.
Volunteers Put Work on Hold and Serve in Puerto Rico
Medtronic continues to team up with All Hands and Heart, a disaster relief organization. Together, they’re providing opportunities for employees to put a pause on their day jobs and pitch in throughout hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico.

Research, Reports & Publications

State of the Low-Income Housing Finance Market 2018

New research from FSG examines the state of the low-income housing finance market in India and provides recommendations for facilitating greater scale so that even more households can to own or improve their homes. The report also includes a pragmatic set of recommendations for government to address issues, ensure robust growth and facilitate serving currently unserved/underserved segments.

VMware Invests in a New Women’s Leadership Innovation Lab at Stanford University
At the 3rd annual Women Transforming Technology (WT2) Conference in Palo Alto, with the theme “Inclusion in Action,” VMware (NYSE:VMW) announced it is collaborating with Stanford University to create the VMware Women’s Leadership Innovation Lab, in the pursuit of dramatically improving female representation in leadership positions.
How an Indonesian Coconut Plantation Inspired Mars' “Aha Moment” on Sustainability
For those of us in the field of corporate social responsibility, Mars is well-known for its environmental leadership. The company’s goals are therefore nothing short of ambitious. But if anyone can help the company meet those targets, it is chief procurement and sustainability officer Barry Parkin, who believes that big goals drive big innovation.
National Geographic Fights Single-Use Plastic on All Fronts
Plastic pollution has become a trending topic over the past year. Companies have partnered with environmental organizations and nonprofits to upcycle plastic pollution, they have joined coalitions and launched a new initiative to address their supply chains – diverting plastic waste from our oceans. Plastic waste is such a critical issue, it was even the theme of this year’s Earth Day. With stakeholders from all industries working to decrease the impact of plastic pollutants, National Geographic kicked-off a multifaceted campaign leaning on its aptitude for storytelling in the hopes of reducing global reliance on single-use plastics.
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