ESG News from Leading Brands

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Starting Strong in Corporate Societal Engagement Leadership: Your First 90 Days

Nov 5, 2015 10:30 AM ET

Congratulations! You’ve earned a senior role in your company’s societal engagement function. You’ve been tapped for your leadership and your ability to collaborate, influence, inspire, and creatively and resiliently navigate the unique complexities of your organization to drive business and social impact. Well done.

Environment

Bank of America Expands National Community Advisory Council

Nov 5, 2015 10:30 AM ET

Today, the National Community Advisory Council (NCAC), a diverse group of nonprofit and private-sector leaders convened by Bank of America, recognizes its 10th anniversary with the addition of five new members representing environment and sustainability expertise. Meeting this week in Washington, D.C., the group of senior consumer, community and academic leaders gathers twice a year to advise the bank on critical issues impacting society.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Siemens Receives Top Marks In World’s Largest Climate-Protection Ranking

Nov 5, 2015 10:25 AM ET

For the first time, Siemens has achieved the highest possible score in the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), the world’s largest climate-protection survey. For the transparency of its reporting on the opportunities and risks associated with climate change, the company received 100 (2014: 99) out of 100 possible points. In addition, Siemens’ efforts to achieve energy efficiency and cut CO2 emissions enabled the company to reach Band A, the highest performance range. As a result, the company is also included in the Carbon Performance Leadership Index.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Global Pro Bono Converts Insight to Innovation

Nov 5, 2015 10:15 AM ET

Over the last ten years, leading companies have begun investing their greatest asset—their human capital—in “giving back” by improving lives around the world through global pro bono programs. Such programs place employees in short-term volunteer assignments within local social-sector organizations for a period of three weeks to three months in emerging or growth markets, from India to Brazil. While the pursuit of philanthropic community impact will likely continue to underpin such initiatives, some corporations are realizing that deploying employees as pro bono consultants can have two other significant and desirable effects as well.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Moving Business Forward Requires Not Looking Back on the Past

Nov 5, 2015 10:10 AM ET

What’s past is NOT prologue, according to Jean Paul Gladu, President and CEO of the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business. In his presentation during Sodexo’s inaugural Quality of Life Conference, he said that to make progress, “…government and industry should stop worrying about the past and look more deeply at their future. I think we spend too much time looking behind us and we’re not focusing, or at least looking ahead at what opportunities lay in front of us.”

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Do You Know if Slavery Lives in Your Supply Chain? If You Don't Know, You're Not Alone.

Nov 5, 2015 9:00 AM ET

Slavery is typically a problem that is thought to be in areas that are not close to us, when in reality these issues are closer then people realize. As companies begin to grow their operations into other markets and work with suppliers and distributors from across the world, knowing what type of labor is going into your expanding supply chain has been top of mind. The idea that modern day slavery does not exist in supply chains is quickly fading as more accounts of this unethical practice are being uncovered. Not all countries are immune to this problem, as slavery has been found in operations here within the United States. There are several levels of slavery that can plague a company and many times those areas where it penetrates is directly into the supply chain.

Environment

Why Timberland Made a Documentary to Share Its Haitian Tree-Planting Initiative

Nov 5, 2015 9:00 AM ET

A lot of brands talk the talk on social responsibility and sustainability. Many of those also walk the walk—but few put both together as forcefully as Timberland has with a new documentary, produced by Found Object, called KOMBIT: The Cooperative, telling the story of the company's mission to plant five million trees in Haiti over five years.

Events, Media & Communications

Tetra Pak Launches 2015 Sustainability Update

Nov 5, 2015 9:00 AM ET

Tetra Pak has launched its 2015 sustainability report, which highlights the company’s achievements in environmental performance, social responsibility and good governance over the past year.

Health & Healthcare

Abbott Teams Up With Soccer Star Cristiano Ronaldo to Inspire Young People to Donate Blood

Nov 5, 2015 8:05 AM ET

Blood is an essential component for life. That's why Abbott and Real Madrid soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo are partnering to bring attention to the importance of donating blood. To join the #BeThe1Donor movement and watch a video on the campaign featuring Cristiano Ronaldo, visit www.bethe1donor.com.

Innovation & Technology

First Open Data Initiative for a Sustainable AEC Industry

Nov 5, 2015 8:00 AM ET

The architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry brings together separate players that collaborate on large national and international building projects.

Education

Meet Amgen Scholar Alumni Maxwell B. Wang

Nov 5, 2015 8:00 AM ET

"These interactions will help me to explore the various fields of bioengineering and settle on a direction for graduate school and the rest of my career."

Energy

Installing Home Solar Panels in Seven Steps

Nov 5, 2015 8:00 AM ET

Check out this infographic explaining the steps to getting solar panels installed on your home.

Events, Media & Communications

Breakthrough Prize Ceremony Celebrating Scientists to Air on National Geographic Channel this Sunday and on FOX Nov. 29

Nov 5, 2015 7:00 AM ET

On Sunday, Nov. 8, at 10/9c, 21st Century Fox's National Geographic Channel will host a live broadcast of the 2016 Breakthrough Prize Ceremony, an annual awards show honoring the work of today's leading scientists and mathematicians. Seth MacFarlane, executive producer of Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey and creator of Family Guy, will return as host for the second consecutive year, and the ceremony will include appearances by presenters Russell Crowe, Hilary Swank, Lily Collins, Thomas Middleditch, and Martin Starr, as well as a performance by ten-time Grammy Award winner Pharrell Williams. An abridged one-hour version of the ceremony will air on the FOX network on Sunday, Nov. 29.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Source Intelligence’s Jess Kraus Named “CEO of the Year” by CIO Review

Nov 5, 2015 5:00 AM ET

“Behind his vision to leverage technology to enable the harmonious coexistence of people, profit and planet, Kraus truly symbolizes the 21st century CEO, making the world we live in a better place,” magazine, The CIO Review, wrote.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

The Long Beach Public Library Receives New Energy-Efficient Lighting Upgrades From Winthrop-University Hospital

Nov 4, 2015 5:30 PM ET

Social Impact & Volunteering

Amway Dedicates Hundreds of Hours to United Way’s Day of Caring

Nov 4, 2015 5:00 PM ET

Amway Corporate took part in United Way’s Day of Caring on September 11 with more than 145 employee volunteers sharing about 555 hours of their time with the local community.

Energy

Future Cities Summit Ties Sustainability, Social Equity, Clean Energy and Scale

Nov 4, 2015 4:00 PM ET

The Greentopia Future Cities Summit, which took place last week in Rochester, NY, gave a thoughtful look at some of the potential opportunities for cities in the future, and what kinds of steps might be required to get us there. These were presented by a number of knowledgeable experts who have been considering these issues and developing approaches for some time.

Health & Healthcare

Nestlé Supporting Working Parents With a New Parental Support Policy and More Paid Leave

Nov 4, 2015 3:45 PM ET

By 2016 – Implement the new Parental Support Policy in the U.S., effective January 1, 2016, offering up to 14 weeks of paid leave for primary caregivers of newborns with the option of extending unpaid leave up to six months.

Education

IoT in the Classroom

Nov 4, 2015 3:35 PM ET

Connected devices are already in the classroom, but the Internet of Things (IoT) will boost new levels of connectivity and learning approaches, particularly in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) areas.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Insurance Company CEO Highlights Resilience at the BSR Conference 2015

Nov 4, 2015 3:30 PM ET

Environment

Imitations: On GMOs and Concrete

Nov 4, 2015 3:30 PM ET

Social Impact & Volunteering

BJ’s Wholesale Clubs Helps Make Communities Green for National NeighborWoods® Month

Nov 4, 2015 2:40 PM ET

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Massachusetts Communities Rewarded for Energy Efficiency Efforts

Nov 4, 2015 2:20 PM ET

Environment

World Wildlife Fund Opens Kenya Safari Sweepstakes

Nov 4, 2015 2:00 PM ET

World Wildlife Fund (WWF) announced today a sweepstakes for a seven-day/six-night safari to the famed Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya. This experience is custom-designed by Natural Habitat Adventures for the sweepstakes and not available anywhere else.

Education

Businesses Can Play an Integral Role in Fighting Hate, Teaching Tolerance, & Seeking Justice

Nov 4, 2015 1:15 PM ET