ESG News from Leading Brands

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Franklin Templeton Launches Franklin Municipal Green Bond Fund for US Investors

Aug 4, 2020 1:35 AM ET

Franklin Templeton today announced the launch of Franklin Municipal Green Bond Fund, one of the few strategies solely focusing on muni green bonds.

Sustainable Development Goals

Let's Talk About the Thing We're All Talking About: Sustainability

Aug 3, 2020 5:55 PM ET

Environment

'Community Restoration Cleanup Series' Launched, Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful Boat & Truck Outfitted through $6,000 Keep America Beautiful Grant

Aug 3, 2020 5:30 PM ET

This week, Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful (KTNRB) will launch the ‘Community Restoration River Cleanup Series’ held within the Tennessee River watershed to mitigate litter following this past spring’s flooding.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Truist Named LISC Donor of the Month, August 2020.

Aug 3, 2020 4:35 PM ET

The COVID-19 pandemic has not only illuminated the magnitude of the racial health and wealth gaps across the country, but has also shone a spotlight on the additional hurdles that rural communities face in comparison to their urban counterparts...

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

CIT Leads $25 Million Financing Deal for MLK Community Hospital Medical Office Building

Aug 3, 2020 4:10 PM ET

CIT Group Inc. (NYSE: CIT) and its Healthcare Finance unit today announced a $25 million loan supporting Seavest Healthcare Properties’ acquisition of the MLK Community Hospital Medical Office Building in South Los Angeles.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

1.8 Million Face Shields Delivered to Protect Medical Workers from Covid-19

Aug 3, 2020 3:10 PM ET

Personal initiatives by a pediatrician and by researchers to make face shields for medical workers have transformed into an industry collaboration that by June had delivered 1.8 million shields to hospitals and other organizations around the country with plans to produce 2.5 million all total.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Duke Energy Creates Job Training Opportunities Through $900,000 in Grants to North Carolina Community Colleges

Aug 3, 2020 2:00 PM ET

Duke Energy has announced it has awarded $903,828 in grants to support apprenticeship job training programs at eight community colleges in North Carolina. The grants fulfill the company’s 2017 commitment to fund $5 million in apprenticeship...

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

John Bianco joins Black & Veatch as Civil Works Program Manager

Aug 3, 2020 1:00 PM ET

Climate change, shifting population demographics and an increasing focus on resiliency are reshaping infrastructure initiatives across the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Comerica Bank Promotes Importance of Financial Education

Aug 3, 2020 1:00 PM ET

Comerica wants to serve as a trusted resource for financial education, especially for the unbanked and underbanked portions of the communities within our key markets.

Diversity & Inclusion

Celebrating 30 Years of the ADA With Disability Inclusion

Aug 3, 2020 1:00 PM ET

On Sunday, July 26, the U.S. celebrated the thirtieth anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This Act extends civil rights to people with disabilities and prohibits discrimination in the workplace, public places, transportation, telecommunications and local government services and facilities. The ADA built a foundation of rights for people with disabilities but, as with all civil rights movements, there is a critical need to expand these rights. Companies are in a unique position to push the needle much further. This week, we examine how companies are building disability inclusion into their business strategy and fighting for a more inclusive world.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

International Paper Included in the FTSE4Good Index Series for 20th Year

Aug 3, 2020 12:15 PM ET

International Paper (NYSE: IP) has again been selected as a member of the FTSE4Good Index Series, marking the 20th consecutive year of recognition for its sustainability performance.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Making an Impact Out of the Limelight

Aug 3, 2020 12:05 PM ET

This year has brought unforeseen changes and challenges. Jeffrey Whitford, head of corporate responsibility at MilliporeSigma, shares how adjusting to these changes with consistency and transparency is key to turning problems into solutions.

Environment

Herbal Essences Join Forces With the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew to Help Save Endangered Plants From Extinction Through Seed Banking

Aug 3, 2020 12:00 PM ET

Plants underpin all life on Earth, providing the oxygen we breathe and the food we eat – they’re the backbone of the world’s ecosystems.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Cox Scores High on Disability Equality Index

Aug 3, 2020 11:30 AM ET

Cox is a company that strives to be inclusive of all. That’s why we’re exceptionally proud Cox Communications is considered a Best Place to Work for people with disabilities by Disability:IN, the leading nonprofit resource for business disability inclusion worldwide.

Events, Media & Communications

Resilience Reimagined: Reshaping the Path to Equitable Economic Mobility

Aug 3, 2020 11:10 AM ET

The widespread health and economic impacts of COVID-19 have highlighted the critical need to support vulnerable populations, many of whom are disproportionately impacted due to existing inequities.

Events, Media & Communications

Resilience Reimagined: Innovating for a Sustainable Food Future

Aug 3, 2020 11:10 AM ET

The world has been in a climate emergency for years and scientists say that in order to undo and mitigate the most extreme scenarios, 2020 must be the year for comprehensive cross-sector climate action.

Events, Media & Communications

Resilience Reimagined: Disruptive Leadership & Responsive Innovation

Aug 3, 2020 11:10 AM ET

Among many things, COVID-19 has revealed just how broken the world’s health systems are including traditional insurance models. For nearly 30 years, Discovery has challenged the status quo by using behavioral science to develop a shared value insurance model that incentivizes people to be healthier while delivering superior business value by driving down healthcare costs.

Events, Media & Communications

Resilience Reimagined: Partnering for Supply Chain Transformation

Aug 3, 2020 11:10 AM ET

A company’s supply chain can make an impact in promoting human rights, fair labor practices, and environmental sustainability but companies often report that transforming supply chains is one of the largest challenges to meeting their ESG targets.

Events, Media & Communications

Resilience Reimagined: Stakeholder Relevance in a Purpose-Led World

Aug 3, 2020 11:10 AM ET

Over the past year we’ve seen business leaders from the US Business Roundtable and the World Economic Forum publicly state that the purpose of a company is to engage all its stakeholders in shared and sustained value creation.

Innovation & Technology

VF Corp. Well-Positioned to Engage on Digital, CEO Says

Aug 3, 2020 11:05 AM ET

VF Corp. Chief Executive Officer Steve Rendle says the company has changed its approach to consumers amid the coronavirus pandemic and is well-suited to handle increased e-commerce sales.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Musim Mas and General Mills Collaborate to Build Smallholder Extension Services in Aceh's Leuser Ecosystem

Aug 3, 2020 11:00 AM ET

Musim Mas & General Mills launched a joint program to build robust & sustainable extension services for the oil palm farmers in Indonesia. The initiative is part of an overall strategy to reduce deforestation by improving livelihoods.

Energy

Offshore Wind: More Power to You

Aug 3, 2020 9:55 AM ET

Since we built our first offshore wind farm in 1991, we have maintained our position as a leader in offshore wind energy production.

Research, Reports & Publications

Opportunities to Shape GRI's Governance

Aug 3, 2020 9:50 AM ET

Apply now to join the governance of the provider of the GRI Standards - the world's most widely used for sustainability reporting

Responsible Production & Consumption

Timberland Earns Accolades for New Purpose-Led Store Environment

Aug 3, 2020 9:30 AM ET

Known worldwide for its iconic designs and sustainability leadership, last winter Timberland unveiled its new “purpose-led place” store environment in select cities around the world, including New York, London, Philadelphia and Shanghai.

Diversity & Inclusion

Booz Allen Celebrates 30 Years of the Americans with Disabilities Act

Aug 3, 2020 9:00 AM ET

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was “a response to an appalling problem: widespread, systemic, inhumane discrimination against people with disabilities,” in the words of Robert L. Burgdorf, Jr., author of the original version of the bill that was introduced to Congress.