ESG News from Leading Brands

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Earth Week Guest Post: Reflections for New Business Leaders: Opportunity and Responsibility

Apr 20, 2017 5:00 PM ET

In our second Earth Week guest post, a 2016 graduate of the University of Michigan's Erb Institute reflects on the essential impact her classmates will need to make as they reenter the workplace to ensure a sustainable future for their businesses and our planet.

Social Impact & Volunteering

This Florida Teen is a Rising Star

Apr 20, 2017 4:30 PM ET

This Action Team Ambassador combines passions for baseball and helping others.


Action Team Ambassador Juan Salinas-Bentley didn’t derive nearly as much satisfaction from his baseball team’s 19-1 win over neighboring Palm Beach Lakes in February as he did from raising funds to help the financially stressed school pay the $1,485 for umpires it needed to complete this season.

Research, Reports & Publications

Aetna Releases 2016 Corporate Social Responsibility Report

Apr 20, 2017 3:00 PM ET

Aetna, one of the nation’s leading diversified health care benefits companies, today released its 2016 Corporate Social Responsibility report. This year’s report provides an in-depth look into Aetna’s commitment to building a healthier world, community by community.

Education

New Infrastructure Promotes Education in Sinaloa, Mexico

Apr 20, 2017 3:00 PM ET

For years, children in the northern region of Mexico’s Sinaloa state had no real place to learn. Teachers would move from one house to another, or cram their young students into a tiny room measuring 6m x 4m – with no furniture, no power, no running water and no washrooms.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

The Pittsburgh Pirates and Philadelphia Phillies Speak Out About Gender Violence Through Partnership with PCADV

Apr 20, 2017 2:05 PM ET

The Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence (PCADV) has attained remarkable achievements in promoting safety and justice for victims of domestic violence in Pennsylvania and across the country in its 33 year history.

Responsible Production & Consumption

How Urbanization is Driving Changes to the Global Food System

Apr 20, 2017 2:05 PM ET

Dr. Phil Pardey, professor of agricultural economics at the University of Minnesota and director of the International Science and Technology Practice and Policy Center, discusses the implications of today's shifting population trends for the global food system.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Food and Conservation Groups Invest in Soil to Sustain Food Production

Apr 20, 2017 2:00 PM ET

A national effort to enhance farm sustainability through soil health has additional backing from a major consumer foods manufacturer. Leaders from General Mills, The Nature Conservancy, the Soil Health Institute and the Soil Health Partnership announce a collaborative effort to advance soil health on America’s farms and ranches, paving the way for measurable economic and environmental gains for farmers, businesses and communities for generations to come.

Innovation & Technology

Transformative Technology: Understanding Sustainability Impacts and Opportunities

Apr 20, 2017 2:00 PM ET

For more than 30 years, we’ve been at the forefront of mobile technology – and we’re just getting started. Stemming from our industry expertise and long-time commitment to research and development, we are uniquely positioned to empower designers and developers to create new possibilities for our rapidly evolving world. We are at the hub of 5G innovation, spearheading the research efforts that will create the next global wireless revolution – just as we pioneered many of the building blocks for 3G and 4G.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Nordic Stock Exchanges recommend GRI Standards

Apr 20, 2017 1:30 PM ET

Already 35 exchanges and market regulators globally reference GRI’s sustainability reporting framework. In March, Nasdaq’s Nordic and Baltic stock exchanges joined this group, as they released an ESG guide for listed companies to better comply with investor demands on non-financial disclosure, referencing GRI as the best practice in sustainability reporting throughout the guide.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

CR Magazine Reveals 18th Annual 100 Best Corporate Citizens List

Apr 20, 2017 1:30 PM ET

Corporate Responsibility Magazine announced today its 18th annual 100 Best Corporate Citizens List, recognizing the standout corporate responsibility and sustainability performance of public companies across the United States.

Responsible Production & Consumption

#TagYourHalf During Distracted Driving Awareness Month

Apr 20, 2017 1:15 PM ET

Hi, I’m Staci from Our Family Lifestyle. Hi, I’m Colby from Days of a Domestic Dad.

We’ve been married for almost 23 years and have 5 children.

From the moment we met in high school, I have been making the moves and calling the shots. My Type A personality and Colby’s easy-going attitude have kept us checked and balanced in our marriage, in raising our children, and in life.

Education

Domtar’s STEM Program Works to Build Future Leaders

Apr 20, 2017 1:00 PM ET

Domtar's Plymouth Mill is hosting a series of events in honor of Earth Day. Area students will learn about the mill's science, math, engineering and math (STEM) program as employees visit schools in North Carolina and host a mill tour. Domtar is committed to developing tomorrow's leaders via STEM learning.

Innovation & Technology

How Business Can Lead Sustainable Growth

Apr 20, 2017 1:00 PM ET

Today the private sector is uniquely positioned to step forward and assume a higher level of sustainability leadership. The changing policy landscape around the world presents an opportunity for companies to create a consumer-driven marketplace that is better for the environment and better for business.

Environment

Shire Examines Packaging to Reduce Carbon Footprint

Apr 20, 2017 1:00 PM ET

In 2016, we worked with third party partner, The Carbon Trust, on a lifecycle assessment to recertify the product carbon footprints of three different bags of Flexbumin 25% [Albumin (Human)] sold in the U.S., Europe, Latin America, and Asia. From plasma collection, to manufacturing, distribution, and end-of-life, the assessment looked at the whole product lifecycle to understand where the biggest carbon impacts arose.

Research, Reports & Publications

U.S. Chamber Foundation and IBM Issue New Report on Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility on Public Sentiment, Brand Reputation

Apr 20, 2017 12:15 PM ET

The U.S. Chamber Foundation’s Corporate Citizenship Center and IBM today issued a new report that explores how efforts by businesses to be a positive force in communities – commonly referred to as corporate social responsibility (CSR) – influences public perception of those companies.

Education

From Wildomar to Rosemead, High Schoolers Get an Edison Scholars Surprise

Apr 20, 2017 12:00 PM ET

When Promise Agbo, 17, was 6 years old, her father would often take her outside to look at the stars in the sky. Ten years later, she accepted an internship at NASA where she was able to work on the Mars Mission. Her idea: a hybrid spacecraft that once deployed would break off into a satellite and land rover. Her idea was so good it was presented to the NASA administration.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Republic Services Unveils Customer Resource Center in Indianapolis

Apr 20, 2017 12:00 PM ET

Republic Services, Inc. (NYSE: RSG) unveiled today its latest Customer Resource Center (CRC), one of three fully operational, state-of-the-art centers designed to enhance the overall customer experience for more than 14 million customers nationwide. The 67,000-square-foot facility is home to modern communications capabilities to cater to evolving customer preferences and needs.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Voya Financial Congratulates 2017 National Teacher of the Year Sydney Chaffee

Apr 20, 2017 12:00 PM ET

Today, Sydney Chaffee, a ninth-grade humanities teacher at Codman Academy Charter Public School in Boston, MA, was named the 2017 National Teacher of the Year.

Environment

Hanes Partners with Give Back Box to Give Old Clothes New Life for Earth Day

Apr 20, 2017 11:45 AM ET

As Earth Day approaches, Hanes, America’s No. 1 apparel brand, today announced that it is partnering with Give Back Box® to encourage consumers to “Give Back for Good” by reducing waste, giving their old clothes new life and helping those in need.

Diversity & Inclusion

Arrow Electronics Participates in 43rd Annual National Society of Black Engineers Conference

Apr 20, 2017 11:00 AM ET

In late March, members of Arrow Electronics’ recruiting team took part in the 43rd Annual National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) Annual Convention held in Kansas City, Mo. The event attracted undergraduate and graduate NSBE students majoring in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, making it one of the largest gatherings of STEM talent across the U.S.

Social Impact & Volunteering

AkzoNobel and Ministry of Foreign Affairs Launch Human Cities Coalition

Apr 20, 2017 10:30 AM ET

Founded by AkzoNobel, the Human Cities Coalition (HCC) brings together more than 150 stakeholders and 20 partners, such as Arcadis, Philips, ABN-AMRO, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Slumdwellers International, to focus on realizing Goal 11 of the United Nation's 17 Sustainable Development Goals: sustainable cities and communities. Ton Büchner, CEO of AkzoNobel will officially kick off the Human Cities Coalition today with stakeholders across business, government, NGOs and academia.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Merck Donates $300,000 to Support Neglected Tropical Disease Elimination Efforts in Africa

Apr 20, 2017 10:00 AM ET

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Justice for Austin

Apr 20, 2017 10:00 AM ET

Meet Austin! He loves Paw Patrol, pizza and playing with his three siblings. He's been with his foster-turned-forever family since 2015 but officially became a Justice two weeks ago!

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Rebuilding the Talent Supply Chain

Apr 20, 2017 9:55 AM ET

The American Dream has always been fueled by opportunity—the opportunity to create a life better than your parents had, the opportunity to reinvent yourself, the opportunity to live out your fullest potential. The American Dream is tightly woven into the fabric of our country; inextricable from what it means to call oneself an American. But the American Dream is facing a new challenge, and if not addressed properly, millions may lose out on the opportunities America has always afforded her people.

Social Impact & Volunteering

National Rebuilding Month: Falls at Home

Apr 20, 2017 9:40 AM ET

Did you know falls are the leading cause of injury-related deaths for older Americans?