ESG News from Leading Brands

Sustainable Development Goals

VIDEO | Barclays Citizenship Awards: Sumita Patnaik Teaches the Value of Education

Jul 19, 2018 11:05 AM ET

In 2001, Sumita Patnaik, along with her cousin, started Twinkle Academy, a school in the rural village of Kalan, India. The school has grown from three children to 170 in this time, with the first class of seniors soon to graduate.

Environment

Berliner Stadtreinigung Utilizes VMware Solutions to Increase Conservation Efforts

Jul 19, 2018 11:00 AM ET

Sustainable Development Goals

Community Engagement Q&A with Brent Bergeron, EVP, Corporate Affairs & Sustainability

Jul 19, 2018 11:00 AM ET

In our 2017 Sustainability Report, we demonstrate how our unwavering commitment to safe, responsible and sustainable mining underpins every facet of our business. From our initial community outreach before a mine is built to our meticulous reclamation and rehabilitation practices post-closure, we strive to build lasting, mutually-beneficial relationships, drive innovation, improve safety performance and minimize our environmental footprint. Brent Bergeron, Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs and Sustainability, reflects on 2017’s developments and initiatives, and how we are generating enduring value for and with local communities.

Environment

The Global Clean Water Crisis -- PepsiCo Expands Its Safe Water Program

Jul 19, 2018 10:30 AM ET

People want to drink clean water even more than they want to breath clean air. So it’s a good thing that almost 3 billion people have gained access to clean water over the last 25 years. But current water use, population growth and the effects of climate change have caused two-thirds of the global population – about 4 billion people – to live under conditions of severe water scarcity at least one month of the year. Some of this scarcity has led to violence and conflict, especially in Africa, Southern Asia and the Middle East.

Environment

Earth Overshoot Day: Save the Date to Save the Planet

Jul 19, 2018 10:25 AM ET

Humanity is currently using nature 1.7 times faster than our planet’s ecosystems can regenerate. On August 1, humanity will have used nature’s resource budget for the entire year, according to Global Footprint Network, an international research organization that has pioneered the Ecological Footprint resource accounting metric. Since the world went into ecological overshoot in the 1970s, D-day of August 1 this year will be the earliest.

Supply Chain & the Circular Economy

How Cocoa and Honeybees Are Helping Latin American Farmers Thrive

Jul 19, 2018 10:25 AM ET

Many Latin American agricultural businesses don’t survive long term. But it isn’t because they’re fighting against Mother Nature or bad crops or not enough hard-working laborers. It usually boils down to a lack of financial training and little access to credit.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Successes of Starbucks' Responsible Sourcing Program for Coffee

Jul 19, 2018 10:00 AM ET

International NGO Conservation International’s new progress report on Starbuck’s C.A.F.E. Practices program for responsibly sourced coffee provides an in-depth look at the positive impact one company is having on land conservation and human dignity.

Events, Media & Communications

Global Climate Action Summit Update—Will We See You There?

Jul 19, 2018 10:00 AM ET

We hope you join us in San Francisco this September, as our collective efforts must lead to a turning point by 2020 in order to prevent the worst effects of climate change.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Caring Is at the Heart of Hallmark Culture

Jul 19, 2018 9:50 AM ET

Hallmark earned recognition in 2017 by Forbes and Statista as one of America’s Best Employers and by Forbes and the Reputation Institute as one of the top five Most Reputable Companies in the United States.

Sustainable Development Goals

Disaster Resiliency: How IBM and Bechtel Partnered in Puerto Rico

Jul 19, 2018 9:05 AM ET

With the 2018 hurricane season underway, Bechtel and IBM have partnered up to share lessons learned from last year’s devastating Category 5 storm in Puerto Rico and mapping their work to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Sodexo Recognized by Black EOE Journal in 2018 Best of the Best Issue

Jul 19, 2018 9:05 AM ET

Sodexo, a food services and facilities management company committed to improving Quality of Life, announced today that it has been recognized by Black EOE Journal in the 2018 Best of the Best issue as a Top Employer, Top Supplier Diversity Program and Top LGBT-Friendly Company.

Research, Reports & Publications

Science for a Cleaner, Healthier World

Jul 19, 2018 9:00 AM ET

Johnson Matthey, the global leader in science that makes the world cleaner and healthier, has set out its ambitious new sustainable business framework to drive growth and value creation in its latest annual report: matthey.com/ar-18

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Brown-Forman Named a Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion

Jul 19, 2018 9:00 AM ET

Brown-Forman is proud to announce that for the third year in a row, we have been named a Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion by scoring a 100% on the Disability Inclusion Index.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Smithfield Foods Donates More Than 34,000 Pounds of Protein to El Pasoans Fighting Hunger Food Bank Albertsons Joins the 26th Stop of Smithfield’s 2018 Helping Hungry Homes® Tour

Jul 19, 2018 8:55 AM ET

Today, Smithfield Foods, Inc. joined forces with Albertsons to donate more than 34,000 pounds of protein to El Pasoans Fighting Hunger Food Bank. “At Albertsons, we are dedicated to bettering the lives of our neighbors in need,” said Lori Raya, Southwest Division president of Alb

Environment

The Last Straw: Mark Marinozzi + Romain Troublé

Jul 18, 2018 9:00 PM ET

The next time you sip on a drink from a straw, you may want to think twice because humans are producing an inordinate amount of plastic waste on straws alone. Plastic straws are one of the leading contributors to ocean trash, they take up to 200 years to decompose and they can’t be recycled. Every year, the US alone uses enough straws to fill up nine baseball stadiums. Plastic straws are pretty much the definition of wastefulness, they serve very little purpose and are terrible for the environment. This week on Sea Change Radio, we speak to two people who are doing their best to combat plastic waste in our oceans.

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG Business Forum Urged to Do Business Responsibly and Accelerate Sustainable Development

Jul 18, 2018 7:05 PM ET

Enthusiasm, renewed energy and a positive approach was top of mind as leaders from business, Governments, civil society and the United Nations met at the third annual SDG Business Forum to set a new direction to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. The event was held as part of the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) at the United Nations in New York — the annual platform for reviewing progress and guiding global efforts for the 2030 Agenda.

Diversity & Inclusion

Carnival Corporation Named to NAACP Equity, Inclusion and Empowerment Index

Jul 18, 2018 6:00 PM ET

Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), the world's largest leisure travel company, today announced its inclusion in the first-ever NAACP Equity, Inclusion and Empowerment Index, which assesses U.S. companies on their commitment to racial and ethnic equity in every aspect of their business and operations. Carnival Corporation was among the companies recognized this week at the 109th NAACP Annual Convention in San Antonio, Texas, which coincided with the official launch of the index from the nation’s oldest civil rights organization.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Brown-Forman Recognized as Best for Vets: Employers 2018 List

Jul 18, 2018 6:00 PM ET

Brown-Forman was named one of the best employers for veterans by Military Times, the trusted source for independent news and information for service members and their families. This is Brown-Forman Corporation’s second year making the “Best for Vets: Employers” list in the ranking’s nine year history.

Education

Kid Power to Help Save the Earth

Jul 18, 2018 6:00 PM ET

“Do you want to help save the planet?” CLP Power graduate trainee Crystal Kwan asked a group of kindergarten students. In a split second, more than a dozen hands shot up into the air as the boys and girls cried out in unison: “Yes, I do. I do.” CLP Power Hong Kong is sowing the seeds of energy efficiency and conservation in children through kindergarten visits while motivating the community to live a low-carbon life.

Diversity & Inclusion

Time for ‘Bold Action’: A Conversation About Diversity at Cannes Lions

Jul 18, 2018 5:25 PM ET

Events, Media & Communications

Brands Taking Stands | Meet the New Bottom Line

Jul 18, 2018 4:25 PM ET

Back in the day, corporate strategy meant defining a business mission and describing how those goals were to be reached through business practices. Today, setting a viable strategy means including many factors once considered outside the scope of traditional business planning. Brands are taking stands on multiple issues, from public, cultural questions (climate change, immigration, gun violence) to internal issues (diversity, ethics, harassment, gender pay gap).

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Translating Value to Ignite Action

Jul 18, 2018 2:10 PM ET

Insights from the Fourth Annual Sustainability and Circular Economy Summit

Environment

Grassland Conservation Project Earns Groundbreaking Recognition as Carbon Sink

Jul 18, 2018 1:30 PM ET

The Southern Plains Land Trust, working with the Environmental Defense Fund, has sold the first listed grassland carbon credits, making possible the restoration and preservation of two Colorado ranches that together sequester 8,000 metric tons of soil carbon per year. SCS Global Services conducted the third-party verification of the carbon offset project, confirming the accuracy of the emissions reductions and compliance with the Climate Action Reserve’s Grassland Project Protocol. The project was funded in part by a USDA Conservation Innovation Grant.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

KeyBank Provides $19.6 Million in Total Financing for the Construction of Affordable Housing in New York

Jul 18, 2018 1:30 PM ET

KeyBank Community Development Lending and Investment (CDLI) has provided $19.6 million in total financing for the development and acquisition of Mosaic Village in Cohoes, NY. Key provided a $10.7 million construction loan, plus $8.9 million in Low-Income Housing Tax Credit equity.

Education

Avoid Summer Learning Loss with These Family Activities for Middle Schoolers

Jul 18, 2018 1:20 PM ET

With summer now in full swing, most students’ minds are far from school. But as educators know, students need to be engaged in thinking and exploring year-round if they are to avoid what is known as “summer learning loss.”