ESG News from Leading Brands

Innovation & Technology

Your Brain on Tech: More Information but Less Knowledge

Oct 12, 2015 12:30 PM ET

The human brain is continuously adapting and evolving. With technology, the digital world enables people to perform virtually all daily activities from the comfort of their homes without seeing another human being. How does this type of evolution impact overall quality of life?

Social Impact & Volunteering

FedEx Uses Healthcare Credentials to Enable World Para-cycling Success in Switzerland

Oct 12, 2015 12:30 PM ET

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

RSF Social Finance Fall Quarterly: Are We What We Grow?

Oct 12, 2015 12:05 PM ET

Environment

We’re All About Islands; Just Not These Type of New Islands Forming In Earth’s Ocean

Oct 12, 2015 11:15 AM ET

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

GM Struts its Sustainability Stuff at Golden Peacock Awards

Oct 12, 2015 11:10 AM ET

We’re as proud as a peacock. Yesterday we received the 2015 Golden Peacock Global Award for Sustainability in London.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

How Bigger Data and Better Analysis Supports Financial Access

Oct 12, 2015 10:45 AM ET

Like farmers everywhere, those in rural India have long been subject to the ravages of weather, from droughts to destructive storms. But until recently, few Indian small subsistence farmers had access to crop insurance because many providers didn’t find the market commercially viable.

Responsible Production & Consumption

NGO Recommends Going Beyond Conflict Minerals Compliance

Oct 12, 2015 10:00 AM ET

NGO rankings/ratings, regardless of the subject matter, always heighten program manager’s and even board room senses. Will the work that I, as the program manager, did for my company to comply be represented well? Will the level of compliance we, as the board room, decided to have, be enough for the NGO? Responsible Sourcing Network (RSN), in response to their recent report ranking 155 large cap companies for conflict minerals, discloses their intention of their efforts to identify trends and determine areas for improvement among companies, with the ultimate goal to encourage all companies to develop a robust conflict minerals program.

Innovation & Technology

Is Technology Moving Us Forward or Holding Us Back?

Oct 12, 2015 9:30 AM ET

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Source Intelligence’s Lina Ramos Named a Finalist for Stevie Awards for Women in Business, Maverick of the Year

Oct 9, 2015 7:30 PM ET

Environment

High Tech, Low Tech Help Clear Forest of Flammable Debris

Oct 9, 2015 7:00 PM ET

There’ll be a whole lot of munching and chewing going on at Shaver Lake, one of the six major reservoirs in Northern Sierra’s Big Creek hydroelectric system.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

GRC Analyst Web Briefing Features Source Intelligence “Best in Class” Platform

Oct 9, 2015 5:50 PM ET

Moving forward and advancing in the world is inevitable. The manual way of doing things is quickly being replaced with technology and with a more superior process. As companies find ways to enhance their capabilities in their global markets, they are quickly identifying what solutions are making their processes, with regard to world wide regulatory compliance, a much more manageable and streamlined practice.

Environment

General Motors Corporate Responsibility Newsletter - October 2015

Oct 9, 2015 4:15 PM ET

General Motors CEO Mary Barra and her leadership team last month outlined the company’s plans to capitalize on the future of personal mobility by owning the customer relationship beyond the vehicle, building upon nearly two decades of connectivity leadership.

Environment

Keep America Beautiful: Americans Want to Recycle — Let's Help Make It More Successful

Oct 9, 2015 4:15 PM ET

Keep America Beautiful, the nation’s leading nonprofit which envisions a country where every community is a clean, green and beautiful place to live, today issued the following statement:

Innovation & Technology

In Your Community: AT&T Launches CBusStudentHack

Oct 9, 2015 4:05 PM ET

Last week, AT&T and Franklin University launched the CBusStudentHack: Coding for Community, a 12 week programming contest for central Ohio high school students.

We’ve all heard about “hackathons” in our local communities, but the CBusStudentHack is different. Instead of working with the developer and tech communities, the CBusStudentHack will focus on providing Columbus area high school students with 21st century skills via computer science education. We also hope this competition will prepare the students for college and career readiness, solve real world problems and open the doors of opportunity and creativity, right here in Columbus, Ohio.

Innovation & Technology

Cyber Security in an Insecure World

Oct 9, 2015 3:30 PM ET

Every year, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security brands the month of October as ‘Cyber Security Awareness Month.’ As households purchase an increasing number of connected devices, from television to thermostats and even smart lightbulbs, cyber security awareness continues to accelerate for both corporations and consumers. We asked two of Alliance Data’s Chief Information Security Officers to provide some thoughts on the subject. Mike Britton is Chief Information Security Officer for Alliance Data and Matt Fearin is Chief Information Security Officer for Epsilon/Conversant.

Events, Media & Communications

UN Global Compact Bulletin (October 2015)

Oct 9, 2015 3:05 PM ET

UN Global Compact Bulletin (October 2015)

The UN Global Compact Bulletin is designed to keep participants up to date on news, engagement opportunities, resources and events. Participants are encouraged to look to this monthly communication for important information. Please note that engagement opportunities and events are intended for Global Compact stakeholders unless otherwise indicated. The Bulletin is published in English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Arabic and Russian.

Update from our Executive Director

"It is a historic day at the United Nations as all Member States come together in the General Assembly to adopt the Sustainable Development Goals – laying out a path over the next 15 years to end extreme poverty, fight inequality and injustice, and protect our planet."

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Consumers Energy Supports Energy Efficiency And Weatherization Home Improvements In Kalamazoo County

Oct 9, 2015 2:30 PM ET

Diversity & Inclusion

Marketplace Innovation Through Disability Inclusion

Oct 9, 2015 2:05 PM ET

The United States Business Leadership Network (USBLN) has paved the way to help businesses build their disability inclusion efforts in the workplace, supply chain, and marketplace. Over the years, we have worked with them to improve and highlight our own efforts. Last week, we were happy to join them for their Annual National Conference in Austin. This year’s conference was especially memorable for us as we were honored to receive USBLN’s Marketplace Innovator of the Year Award for our work on Real-Time Text (RTT).

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

A Café That’s More Than Just Food

Oct 9, 2015 1:00 PM ET

Cari Hart-Bunevith remembers Monkey Business Café's early years when the Fullerton restaurant’s “kitchen” consisted of a microwave oven, a blender to make smoothies and two sandwich offerings — turkey or the Nutty Monkey, a combination of peanut butter, bananas and honey.

Innovation & Technology

Washington Post Forums: Bridging the Digital Divide

Oct 9, 2015 1:00 PM ET

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Astellas USA Foundation Announces Strategic Giving Areas

Oct 9, 2015 12:00 PM ET

Environment

4 Steps to a More Sustainable Supply Chain

Oct 9, 2015 11:40 AM ET

GM’s purpose is to serve our customers and improve the communities in which we live and work. In order to achieve this, we need to think holistically and realistically about our impact and engage our entire value chain, including our supply chain.

Therein lies huge opportunity.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Cardboard to Leather Baseball Equipment Campaign Drives Fans to Donate Every Year

Oct 9, 2015 11:30 AM ET

In partnership with the Baltimore Orioles, Legg Mason has been a proud sponsor of Cardboard to Leather (C2L) since 2008 a collection drive for new or gently used sporting equipment for children in Latin American countries.

Environment

Sea You Tomorrow: Costa Cruises Presents Its Sustainability Report & Plan

Oct 9, 2015 11:15 AM ET

Costa Cruises, Europe’s number one cruise company, has presented its “Sustainability Report - Results for 2014 and Outlook for the Future” and illustrated its corporate social responsibility plan for the coming years.

Education

Google Expeditions Pioneer Roadshow Launches at Des Plaines District 62!

Oct 9, 2015 11:15 AM ET

Perhaps you have seen Google Expeditions on YouTube or experienced it yourself at ISTE. If you haven't you should definitely check it out.