ESG News from Leading Brands

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Sysco Donates $50,000 for Hurricane Michael Relief Efforts

Oct 17, 2018 9:30 AM ET

Sysco Corporation announced that the Company will donate $50,000 to the American Red Cross North Florida Region chapter to support relief efforts following Hurricane Michael.

“Sysco is committed to supporting the communities where we live and operate,” said Tom Bené, president and chief executive officer, Sysco. “We have a long-standing partnership with the American Red Cross, an organization that shares a commitment to providing support to communities and individuals in times of need, including many of our associates and customers. One of Sysco’s top priorities during this time continues to be making deliveries to critical customer locations by working diligently to get water, food and other supplies to our customers affected by Hurricane Michael.”

Events, Media & Communications

Annual Ideagen Global Empowering Women & Girls 2030 Summit at the United Nations

Oct 17, 2018 9:30 AM ET

Ideagen™ Global Empowering Women & Girls 2030 Summit convenes the world's leading Companies, NGO's and Public Sector at the United Nations to accelerate global solutions to solve for x.

Sustainable Development Goals

Sustainable Agriculture Means Sustaining More Young Farmers

Oct 17, 2018 9:25 AM ET

According to some U.S. food industry observers, interest in small farms and sustainable agriculture is on the rise among young people.

Sustainable Development Goals

Sodexo Announces Plastics Reduction Policy Balancing Inclusion and Environmental Impact

Oct 17, 2018 9:00 AM ET

Sodexo, a food services and facilities management company committed to improving Quality of Life, announced today a North American Single Use Plastics Reduction Plan that will eliminate single use plastic bags and stirrers by 2019, polystyrene foam items such as cups, lids and food containers by 2025, and shift straws to a “by request” item that will still be available to customers who need them while moving toward more sustainable materials.

Green Infrastructure

The Arbor Day Foundation’s Energy-Saving Trees and Community Canopy Programs Launch Fall Planting Season

Oct 17, 2018 9:00 AM ET

The Arbor Day Foundation announced today the beginning of its fall tree planting initiatives through its Energy-Saving Trees and Community Canopy programs.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

The Allstate Foundation Funds $45 Million Effort to Empower Youth and Achieve Critical Mass

Oct 17, 2018 9:00 AM ET

The Allstate Foundation today announced a five-year, $45 million commitment to empower millions of youth to build social and emotional learning skills like resilience, self-awareness and conflict resolution.

Innovation & Technology

Air-Bending at Borden: Compressed Air

Oct 17, 2018 7:40 AM ET

Underground mining tools usually include a mix of mechanical and pneumatic tools such as handheld jacklegs and stoper drills. Mechanical equipment such as bolters can now be operated remotely keeping the operator at a safe distance from hazards in the work area. Hand-held tools require cumbersome connections to water and compressed air to function and are heavy to lift, making them difficult to maneuver at the risk of musculoskeletal injuries to the worker. Pressurized air and water lines underground can also be a risk as they age and deteriorate in underground conditions, faulty valves on compressed air lines have caused serious accidents in the industry.

With worker safety in mind, Borden has banned the use of jacklegs and stopers, which are pneumatic hand tools.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Amazon Joins Walmart, Other Major Retailers on Safer Chemicals

Oct 16, 2018 8:30 PM ET

Retail demand for safer products is not only here to stay – it’s now a source of competition in the evolving marketplace. Amazon is the latest retailer to join Walmart, Target, CVS Health, Home Depot, and Rite-Aid by publishing a chemicals policy and a public Restricted Substances List.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Top 10 Charitable Causes Trending (So Far!) In 2018

Oct 16, 2018 7:30 PM ET

Each year at Benevity, just before the biggest giving months of the year, we release data showing the top charitable causes that enterprise companies and their people are supporting through our platform… and the results are in!

SEE THE TOP 10 CHARITABLE CAUSES

Health & Healthcare

Three Key Stats You Should Know About Young Women With Breast Cancer and How You Can Help Them

Oct 16, 2018 7:25 PM ET

There are more than 250,000 women living in the United States today who were diagnosed with breast cancer at age 40 or younger (U.S. Census). These women represent 5-7% of all breast cancer patients diagnosed, annually, in the United States.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Creating Magical Memories for Children With Critical Illnesses

Oct 16, 2018 7:20 PM ET

Every year in the U.S., 27,000 children are diagnosed with critical illnesses. That’s 27,000 families whose lives are turned upside down. Play dates, soccer games, and sleepovers are replaced with doctor appointments, hospital stays and medical treatments.

But, when they arrive at Give Kids The World, families are transported to a storybook world straight from a child’s dreams. At this 84-acre, nonprofit resort in Central Florida, critically ill children and their families receive weeklong, cost-free vacations complete with accommodations, transportation, meals, donated attraction tickets and so much more.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Feeding America Expands Pilot Nationally to Help Truckers Rescue Food

Oct 16, 2018 6:00 PM ET

Today, on World Food Day, Feeding America announced the national expansion of a pilot program to rescue food, in partnership with manufacturers and their carriers on the road. Each year, 40 percent of food in the United States goes to waste. This program, known as MealConnect Logistics, has already facilitated the donation of more than 580,000 pounds of food to the Feeding America network of food banks in the pilot phase.

After partnering together for nearly four decades addressing hunger, Feeding America and General Mills joined forces last fall to get more meals to families in need. By recognizing there was food to be rescued within the delivery chain, the two organizations developed a smart solution to fight both food waste and hunger.

Energy

Going Beyond the Mills: Energy-Efficient Infrastructure at Sappi

Oct 16, 2018 5:50 PM ET

Our focus on energy and emissions extends beyond our mill gates. Since 2009, Sappi has participated in the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) SmartWay® Transport Partnership, an innovative collaboration between the EPA and companies that provide freight delivery services. In support of the partnership, we include the SmartWay specifi cation in our carrier bid contracts, and since 2013, approximately 95 percent of our cumulative domestic ton-miles have been shipped by SmartWay carriers.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Creating Waves of Impact with Simple Solutions for Hunger Relief

Oct 16, 2018 5:15 PM ET

Caring runs deep at Tyson Foods. For nearly 20 years, we’ve worked to provide hunger relief in the communities where we live and work. Grants and product donations to strategic food banks and nonprofit organizations are the bulk of this support.

Through growth and acquisitions, we have become neighbors to more and more people every year, and we’re adding to our neighborhood every day. This not only helps us grow our business, but also allows us to bring hunger relief to even more people.

Environment

Hear the Latest on Indoor Air Quality Certification

Oct 16, 2018 3:05 PM ET

Hear the latest about healthy indoor air quality. See how major manufacturing companies are meeting demands for low emitting products to contribute to LEED, WELL & other green building rating systems with SCS Indoor Advantage Certification.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Center for Resource Solutions Announces 2018 Green Power Leadership Award Winners

Oct 16, 2018 3:00 PM ET

The nonprofit Center for Resource Solutions (CRS) presented the 18th annual Green Power Leadership Awards on Wednesday October 10, awarding eight organizations and one individual for their roles in promoting and expanding the use of clean, renewable energy. The awards were presented at the Renewable Energy Markets 2018 conference in Houston, TX in the categories of Green Power Market Development, International Green Power Market Development, Leadership in Green Power Education, and Green Power Leader of the Year.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Running a Clean Fleet

Oct 16, 2018 2:40 PM ET

Running a clean fleet means reducing our footprint. It requires a tremendous amount of technology, commitment and vision — all of which we have relied on to expand our fleet of clean-powered collection vehicles.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Innovation to Address Hunger: Less Waste, Better Use of Supply

Oct 16, 2018 2:00 PM ET

Tuesday is World Food Day, yet 1 in 11 households in Minnesota struggle with hunger. The issue is as pervasive as it is quiet, and many of our neighbors endure the challenge of putting enough food on the table. At the same time, 40 percent of food in the U.S. is wasted each year. Over the past year, General Mills and Feeding America partnered to create an innovative solution to connect surplus food in the delivery system with families in need.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Do More With Less: Tap Into Pro Bono Support

Oct 16, 2018 1:45 PM ET

Don’t put off your nonprofit’s next big project because of a tight budget! With support from passionate Taproot Foundation volunteers skilled in marketing, strategy, finance and more, you can make those plans happen while keeping costs low.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Booz Allen and LaunchCode: Fast-Tracking Veterans into Mission-Critical Careers

Oct 16, 2018 1:30 PM ET

Energy

Mobile Home Park Residents to Save Money, Energy in New Pilot Program

Oct 16, 2018 1:15 PM ET

The Greenbriar Mobile Home Park clubhouse was recently packed with residents like Patricia West, who lives with her disabled daughter, who came to learn about upcoming construction scheduled at their site. For the next two months, crews will be converting the mobile home park’s master electric and gas distribution systems to direct electricity and natural gas utility service. Once completed, residents will become first-time customers of Southern California Edison and their local gas utility.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Rescuing One Billion Pounds of Food

Oct 16, 2018 12:30 PM ET

One billion of anything is a lot.

One billion pounds of perfectly good food given to hungry people instead of landfills is life changing for those who face hunger. And according to Feeding America, that’s one in eight people in America.

With wasted food in landfills being one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas going into the atmosphere, every pound of food we can use to feed hungry people – rather than send to a landfill – really helps the environment.

Social Impact & Volunteering

JetBlue’s Newest Destination is... Good!

Oct 16, 2018 12:05 PM ET

JetBlue today announced that it is putting good on the map. Literally. To celebrate the airline’s nonstop commitment to giving back and good deeds, JetBlue is adding a new destination to its network this November — Destination Good. As part of JetBlue For Good Month, JetBlue is flying a plane full of winning do-gooders to Destination Good for a volunteer experience departing on Giving Tuesday, November 27. The twist? The actual location won’t be revealed until the morning the contest winners depart from New York’s JFK International Airport.

Health & Healthcare

Thousands of Louisville Residents Take Suicide Prevention Training

Oct 16, 2018 12:00 PM ET

During National Suicide Prevention Week (September 9-15), more than 2,200 Louisville residents were trained in Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR), a nationally known suicide prevention technique.

Similar to CPR, QPR is designed to support an emergency response to someone in crisis and to save lives.

Responsible Production & Consumption

A Holistic Approach to Sustainability Through Handprinting

Oct 16, 2018 12:00 PM ET

When the commercial division of the world’s largest flooring manufacturer switches its focus from “footprinting” to “handprinting” — or leaving the world in better shape than when we found it — it is not a small endeavor or one taken lightly.

We at Mohawk Group quickly realized that if we truly intended to pursue sustainability, it would require a sea change in our way of doing business, our manufacturing processes, our attitude from plant floor to boardroom, and our products. It would require committed leadership and putting to work all the innovation we had come to be so well known for. And it would mean every day, in every Mohawk facility around the globe, reinvigorating our promise to Believe in Better.