ESG News from Leading Brands

Social Impact & Volunteering

Timberland Sample Sale Benefits Victims of Hurricane Matthew

Dec 23, 2016 10:00 AM ET

In the wake of Hurricane Matthew, a devastating October storm that struck communities in Haiti and the U.S., employees of outdoor lifestyle brand Timberland mobilized to support the disaster relief effort.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Aflac Holiday Helpers to Provide a Combined $50,000 to Help Families Across the Country

Dec 23, 2016 10:00 AM ET

Education

Visa Supports Financial Education for Youth

Dec 23, 2016 9:05 AM ET

The global payments business partners with Junior Achievement Europe to create innovative e-commerce and personal finance programmes. Tom Idle reports…

The digitisation of our global economy has very quickly transformed how we think about and use money. Paying for goods and services online, spending our salaries in stores with the swipe of a card and transferring cash in virtual environments has made lives easier and the handling of ‘real’ cash a thing of the past.

Diversity & Inclusion

Meet Business Line Manager, Maicon Lopes, from Atlas Copco in Brazil

Dec 23, 2016 8:10 AM ET

Maicon is sharing his approach to work and life at Atlas Copco.

Innovation & Technology

First Lady Hosts DC Students for Screening of Fox’s ‘Hidden Figures’ to Celebrate Decades of Women in Space Exploration

Dec 23, 2016 7:00 AM ET

Middle and high-school students from Washington, D.C. area schools gathered at the White House on December 15 for a private screening of Hidden Figures, the new film from Fox 2000 following three female African American engineers who played crucial roles in the 1960s Space Race. Stars Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monae were in attendance and joined a panel discussion following the screening to celebrate the contributions these women and many more African Americans have made to the STEM fields. First Lady Michelle Obama hosted the screening, part of a larger event series recognizing the untold stories of women in STEM, and delivered closing remarks.

Health & Healthcare

Norfolk Southern | Staying Healthy One Step at a Time

Dec 23, 2016 6:30 AM ET

In 2015, more than 8,700 employees – about 30 percent of NS’ workforce – earned points and pocketed up to $260 a year by walking, participating in challenges, and tracking their health through this WellNS program.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Points of Light Civic Accelerator Invests $50,000 in Two Startups Addressing Education and Workforce Development Success for Detroit Area Youth

Dec 22, 2016 6:55 PM ET

The Points of Light Civic Accelerator, with founding partners PwC Charitable Foundation and The Starbucks Foundation, along with the Ford Motor Company Fund, U.S. Small Business Administration, Hilton Worldwide, Dentons, and Singing for Change, announced today that it will invest $50,000 each in Skill Scout (Chicago) and Grow Detroit's Young Talent (Detroit) – one for-profit and one nonprofit startup.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Albertsons Companies Holiday Giving Campaign Provides Millions of Meals, Thousands of Toys and Financial Donations for People Throughout the U.S.

Dec 22, 2016 6:30 PM ET

Albertsons Companies today thanked its employees and customers across the many communities it serves for helping donate millions of nutritious meals and thousands of toys through the company’s 2016 Holiday Giving Campaign.

Environment

As I See It: Easy Tips for Better Recycling

Dec 22, 2016 3:50 PM ET

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Sodexo Employees Help Provide Meals to Children in Need During Holiday Breaks and Weekends Throughout the School Year

Dec 22, 2016 3:40 PM ET

Employees of Sodexo, world leader in Quality of Life services, understand that for some children the holidays don’t always mean bounty and joy.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

New York Women in Film & Television Announces Muse Awards Honorees

Dec 22, 2016 3:35 PM ET

New York Women in Film and Television’s 2016 Muse Awards gala luncheon is set for next month in New York City, with actress and CBS commentator Nancy Giles on board to recognize five stand-out women in the film, television, and digital media industries.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Duke Energy Indiana Helps Local Families Stay Warm During Winter

Dec 22, 2016 3:25 PM ET

Duke Energy is once again assisting customers who may struggle to pay their winter energy bills.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Keep America Beautiful Launches Online Auctions for Chance to Win Tickets to Winter’s Biggest Sports Events

Dec 22, 2016 2:45 PM ET

Keep America Beautiful, the nation’s leading nonprofit that envisions a country in which every community is a clean, green and beautiful place to live, today launched the “#DoBeautifulThings — Sports Auctions” with Charitybuzz, the premier destination for nonprofit online auctions.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Engineering a Happy Holiday for Clients and Customers Helps Make the Season Brighter for Those Offshore

Dec 22, 2016 1:50 PM ET

Sodexo, a world leader in Quality of Life Services, will make the holidays special for hundreds of men and women working on the 34 offshore oil rigs that the company serves in the Gulf of Mexico.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Notes from The Square Deal Inbox: One Customer’s Heartwarming Story

Dec 22, 2016 1:30 PM ET

It was a new experience for our family, having a third birthday for Amos at Wendy's. Our family historically has birthday parties at home, where a multitude of kids and entire families spill into our neighboring parking lot, and chaos breeds happy little people. Amos is an enigma though. He may adore his own family, but he doesn't naturally gravitate towards his peers and he doesn't love a crowd like the rest of us. As much as I longed to have a party, deep down I knew it would only be for me.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

A More Sustainable Shipping Journey

Dec 22, 2016 12:00 PM ET

We know many of our customers want to ship more, with less impact. From analyzing, packing, shipping, receiving, and returns, we have sustainable solutions for every step of the shipping journey.

Events, Media & Communications

NYT Brings Us Encouraging News in the Swelter of Negative Reports as Sustainability Advocates Consider Possible Changes of Course

Dec 22, 2016 11:45 AM ET

Leading Business readership publication focuses attention on the dramatic rise of ESG factors in investing over the past five years in wrap up story...

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Second Chance Center for Animals Receives $25,000 Grant from Nestlé Purina

Dec 22, 2016 11:40 AM ET

Second Chance Center for Animals is expanding its enrichment and training programs for shelter dogs with the opening of its Canine Sports Arena, made possible by a $25,000 donation from Nestlé Purina, a global leader in pet care with a facility in Flagstaff.

Education

T. Rowe Price’s Holiday Card Giving Campaign Aims for Impact

Dec 22, 2016 11:30 AM ET

Zambia’s Southern Province bordering Zimbabwe, home to the storied and soaring Victoria Falls, is a rich cultural mosaic with access to natural resources such as copper and water.

Health & Healthcare

Meet the two Finalist Teams in The Medical Tricorder Competition

Dec 22, 2016 11:00 AM ET

The contest to create the world’s first medical tricorder is down to two teams. Currently, both teams are undergoing the consumer testing phase of the competition and we should have a winner by the first half of 2017. Which puts the invention of the medical tricorder about 200 years ahead of schedule.

Events, Media & Communications

Sustainable Brands Opens Registration for SB’17 Detroit

Dec 22, 2016 10:30 AM ET

Sustainable Brands® opened early bird registration for its notable US conference: SB’17 Detroit. Best-available pricing for All Event Passes ends January 5th, 2017. The event will be held at Detroit’s world-class Cobo Center convention facility, May 22-25, 2017.

Social Impact & Volunteering

The Path to a Brighter Future

Dec 22, 2016 10:10 AM ET

When Jessica Souto unexpectedly lost her job, then her apartment, she didn’t know how she would support her three young children. Then she found the compassionate encouragement and practical tools she needed at Pocono Area Transitional Housing (PATH), which provides temporary housing and individualized support services to homeless Monroe County families.

Education

CITGO Lake Charles Refinery Hosts STEM Educational Workshop for Local Teachers

Dec 22, 2016 9:30 AM ET

The CITGO Lake Charles Refinery, in partnership with The National Energy Education Development Project (NEED), recently hosted an informational and educational workshop for 30 local STEM teachers to enhance the science, technology, engineering and math-based education curriculum used in their classrooms.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Alabama Tissue Site Uses Waste to Help Farmers Grow Crops

Dec 22, 2016 9:15 AM ET

SCA in Barton, Alabama, has started to provide a soil improver made from its residual solids. Nearby farmers have begun using the substance to improve the soil quality for growing crops. It’s a win-win: farmers improve their crops and SCA sends less solids to landfill.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Sappi Employees Are Giving Back to Neighboring Communities

Dec 22, 2016 9:00 AM ET

Over $15,000—that’s how much employees at Sappi’s Somerset Mill raised this holiday season to feed undernourished families in neighboring communities.