ESG News from Leading Brands

Innovation & Technology

Points of Light Civic Accelerator Launches Spring 2016 Class – Invests in 14 Civic Ventures That Are Addressing Digital and Financial Inclusion

Mar 31, 2016 5:30 PM ET

The Points of Light Civic Accelerator – the first national accelerator dedicated to investing in civic ventures – announced today the 14 ventures selected to participate in its Spring 2016 program. This will be the seventh cohort of the Civic Accelerator since its founding in 2012. The ventures come from across the U.S. and include for-profits and nonprofits that focus on digital and financial inclusion to help more people succeed in the digital economy.

Environment

More Than 400 GM Dealerships Join Green Program

Mar 31, 2016 5:15 PM ET

When Lee Davis became the fourth-generation owner of Davis Chevrolet in Lexington, North Carolina, he used his expertise as an environmental scientist to upgrade the dealership. From heating the service department and body shop with used vehicle oil to buying lunch for employees with money from recycling soft drink cans, he is integrating sustainable practices into daily operations.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Apple Issues $1.5B Green Bond to Spearhead Environmental Efforts

Mar 31, 2016 5:00 PM ET

Corporate green bonds are a debt taken on by a company to finance environment-friendly projects.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Three Tips to Drive Volunteerism in Your Company

Mar 31, 2016 4:00 PM ET

For many companies, large and small, community service is ingrained in the culture. AT&T is no different. For more than 100 years, we have been donating our time and talents to support underserved populations and strengthen our communities. Thanks to platforms like VolunteerMatch, we have been able to strengthen our community engagement programs to help achieve even greater results.

Environment

Live Podcast on Harvesting the Urban Forest with Pratt Industries Recycling

Mar 31, 2016 3:15 PM ET

The Bard MBA in Sustainability  hosts a live dial-in podcast discussion with Michelle Wiseman, Public Sector Representative at Pratt Recycling. With a primary focus on recycling and sustainability, Pratt partners with municipalities, haulers and recyclers to respond to inquiries, service issues and events. Michelle is tasked with providing education regarding the reduction of waste and easing contamination. Pratt Recycling is one of the largest producers of 100% recycled cardboard in North America and operates one of the leading Material Recovery Facilities (MRF’s) in the Southeast. Listeners can dial in to the podcast at NOON EST on Friday, April 1st.

Education

Booz Allen Hamilton Sponsors Final Four of College Chess, Offers Internships to Nation’s Top Players

Mar 31, 2016 3:00 PM ET

Health & Healthcare

Can Employers Achieve Better Performance by Encouraging Employees to Wear Fitness Trackers?

Mar 31, 2016 2:15 PM ET

In January, Oral Roberts University announced an experiment. The Tulsa, Okla., university asked all 900 of its incoming freshmen to wear Fitbit fitness trackers.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

JetBlue Foundation Provides Grants To Help Six Aviation Programs Take Flight

Mar 31, 2016 2:00 PM ET

Environment

Unlocking Real Estate Value by Going Green

Mar 31, 2016 1:45 PM ET

New green technology could boost asset values of US office buildings by as much as $35 billion.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

The (Surprising) Power of Benchmarking

Mar 31, 2016 1:30 PM ET

How good are you? Most companies tell their employees they are (of course) the best. But the truth is little time or money is spent confirming or dispelling the notion. Why take the risk of diminishing your company’s perceived achievements, because after all that’s how performance reviews and subsequent bonuses and promotions are determined, right?

Social Impact & Volunteering

Rising Above the Pack Through Targeted Pro Bono Program Design

Mar 31, 2016 12:40 PM ET

As pro bono continues to gain traction, companies are no longer asking themselves if they will create a pro bono program, but instead increasingly exploring how they can create one that is uniquely well aligned with their own core competencies and goals.

This question of how is where the real opportunity lies. A tried-and-true, off-the-shelf program design is sometimes exactly what a company needs. However, like any good investment, taking the time to build something intimately relevant to your company’s unique context can really pay off. If you’re investing the time and effort to build something new, don’t miss the opportunity to get creative and reach for maximum impact on your business and social goals.

Research, Reports & Publications

Implementing SASB – Aspirational Goals

Mar 31, 2016 12:40 PM ET

Events, Media & Communications

FLASH REPORT: G&A Institute & Trust Across America Partner to Examine Trustworthiness for S&P 500® Companies Not Reporting on Sustainability

Mar 31, 2016 12:00 PM ET

Results Show Higher Trust for Firms Reporting on Their Sustainability Journeys New York, NY - March 24, 2016 -- Continuing the in-depth analysis of S&P 500 (r) companies' sustainability reporting activities, Governance & Accountability Institute teamed with the Trust Across America / Trust Around the World program to explore potential relationships of the trustworthiness of companies that do and do not report utilizing the TAA/TAW's proprietary FACTS® scoring.

Responsible Production & Consumption

GSK Expands Graduated Approach to Patents and Intellectual Property to Widen Access to Medicines in the World’s Poorest Countries

Mar 31, 2016 11:40 AM ET

Ahead of today’s meeting of the UN High Level Panel on Access to Medicines, GSK CEO Sir Andrew Witty set out a series of steps designed to help bring innovative GSK medicines to more people living in the world’s poorest countries.

Energy

Antea Group Case Study: Safety Program for Chemical Production Plant

Mar 31, 2016 11:35 AM ET

The client facility was an active chemical production plant that consists of several buildings and an active landfill in a campus-like setting on 800 acres of land in New York state.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

The Staff of Sands Las Vegas Vote Where Donations Go

Mar 31, 2016 11:35 AM ET

In the casino, winning and losing is the name of the game. For Sands Las Vegas and its employees, giving back to the community is a win-win situation.

Energy

Arby’s Exceeds ‘15% By 2015’ Energy Reduction Goal

Mar 31, 2016 11:20 AM ET

Arby’s Restaurant Group, Inc. (ARG), parent company of the franchisor of the Arby’s® brand, announced that as of Dec. 31, 2015, it reached 15.2 percent total energy reduction per company-owned restaurant from a 2011 baseline, exceeding the “15 Percent By 2015” energy savings goal set by the Brand in 2012.

Health & Healthcare

Women of FOX Sports volunteer at Children's Hospital LA as part of the #MakeMarchMatter campaign

Mar 31, 2016 11:00 AM ET

On March 22, members of the Women of FOX Sports group volunteered at Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA), a nonprofit hospital providing care to more than 107,000 children each year. The event came as part of CHLA's annual #MakeMarchMatter campaign, through which the hospital aims to raise $1 million in support of its programs and services. FOX Sports colleagues received a tour of the hospital and spent time with the patients by serving food and hosting arts & crafts activities.

Energy

Powered by Trash: Enabling Customer Sustainability

Mar 31, 2016 10:35 AM ET

At Caterpillar, we are “champions for our customers’ enduring success”. When it comes to sustainability projects, often times our customers are focused on their customers’ success. That is precisely the case for Caterpillar customer, Montauk Energy, and their work at the Bowerman Landfill in Orange County, California.

Health & Healthcare

Health in the City: Why Urbanisation can be a Risk Factor

Mar 31, 2016 10:10 AM ET

Today, Novo Nordisk published a new issue of the company’s sustainability magazine, TBL Quarterly. The latest instalment – The Urban Issue – presents recent research on urban health and some of the actions being taken to prevent chronic disease and improve treatment.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

UPS Launches #BAGS4BIRDIES Global Golf Campaign

Mar 31, 2016 10:00 AM ET

UPS will donate junior sets of golf clubs for every birdie or better that UPS golf ambassadors Lee Westwood or Louis Oosthuizen make during a competitive round in the four 2016 major championships to deserving kids in select markets around the world.

Events, Media & Communications

Global Celebration of Women’s History in March

Mar 31, 2016 10:00 AM ET

In recognition of Women’s History Month, Legg Mason and Affiliate employees honored and celebrated the achievements of women by attending several events around the world.

Responsible Production & Consumption

This Is the Latest Giant Company to Free Its Chickens

Mar 31, 2016 10:00 AM ET

The cage-free egg movement struts on.

Education

Booz Allen Hamilton Sponsors Final Four of College Chess, Offers Internships to Nation’s Top Players

Mar 31, 2016 10:00 AM ET

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Linda, the "Neighborhood Health Advocate"

Mar 31, 2016 10:00 AM ET

An interview with Linda, GSK Community Partnership Representative, 26-year employee of GSK, the second in a three-generation family of GSK’ers, and a Philadelphia native.