ESG News from Leading Brands

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Celebrating World Water Day with BIER at the White House

Mar 23, 2016 10:40 AM ET

This week the White House hosted its first ever Water Summit to promote the importance of water stewardship in the US, and to highlight new commitments and announcements that the Administration and other organizations have made regarding water stewardship. The Beverage Industry Environmental Roundtable (BIER)--a technical coalition of leading beverage brands, facilitated by Antea Group--is honored to be included as the initiator of two of these commitments.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

JPMorgan Chase Releases Second Report Examining Ways to Strengthen Detroit’s Workforce Systems

Mar 23, 2016 10:10 AM ET

JPMorgan Chase & Co. and the Corporation for a Skilled Workforce (CSW) today released the second report of a two-part series that examines the state of Detroit’s workforce development system. The report identifies specific opportunities for the city’s workforce infrastructure, funding, organizations and programs to work together to help job seekers and employers.

Energy

MIT Team Turning Fumes Into Fuel

Mar 23, 2016 10:05 AM ET

You know that sick feeling when you look at a smokestack belching noxious gases into the air? Well, what if you knew that the gas waste coming from that smokestack was getting turned into a usable, liquid fuel? That’s the technology that an MIT professor, Gregory Stephanopoulos, and his colleagues are working on and so far, the results have been quite promising.

Environment

Our Planet In Focus: “Horlicks Takes a Green Leap in India”

Mar 23, 2016 10:00 AM ET

We are investing £9.6 million in Project Green Leap to reduce carbon emissions and water use at these three Horlicks factories. For example, we continue to increase the amount of waste biomass we buy to replace coal as a fuel in our boilers. We will be constructing a new 1MW combined heat and power plant at Rajahmundry that will also be fuelled with waste biomass.

Energy

Ingersoll Rand Expert Weighs in on Carbon Pricing, Findings From Research With GreenBiz

Mar 23, 2016 9:30 AM ET

Owen Smith, director of global energy policy and strategy at Ingersoll Rand, recently discussed the findings of a newly published whitepaper titled “Accountability for Climate Action: How Corporations are Tackling Climate Change.” The whitepaper is a result of collaboration between Ingersoll Rand, a world leader in creating comfortable, sustainable and efficient environments, and GreenBiz Media.

Energy

Now 100 Percent of SunPower's Direct Current E-Series and X-Series Solar Panels Produced are Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Silver

Mar 23, 2016 9:00 AM ET

With environmental sustainability and social responsibility at its core, SunPower demonstrates continued industry leadership by manufacturing 100 percent of its direct current E-Series and X-Series solar panels to meet Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Silver standards. Administered by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, Cradle to Cradle certification evaluates a product across five categories: material health, material reutilization, renewable energy use, water stewardship and social fairness.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

First Ignite Impact Award Winner Announced at ACCP: The Conference 2016

Mar 22, 2016 7:10 PM ET

Kristina J. Taylor, Vice President, Global Community Relations and Vice President, Ecolab Foundation at Ecolab, was honored with the first Ignite Impact award in San Diego, CA for her exceptional work in the corporate responsibility field.

Environment

Sands ECO360° Program Reduces Water Consumption

Mar 22, 2016 6:15 PM ET

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

JPMorgan Chase Awards $1 Million to Small Business and Workforce Programs in New Orleans

Mar 22, 2016 6:00 PM ET

JPMorgan Chase & Co. today announced $1 million in new philanthropic support to spur the growth of small businesses and help more New Orleanians find better jobs through improved workforce training.

Environment

World Water Day: Water Ethics

Mar 22, 2016 5:40 PM ET

If you think technology is going to be the big fix for issues and problems associated with the availability, use, and conservation of water, especially in the context of global warming, you might want to balance that view with a better understanding of how important is the ethic of water by listening to seven thoughtful leaders from the Center for Humans and Nature as part of their project, Fostering a Water Ethic.

Environment

Environmental Justice in the Clean Power Plan Webinar Hosted by Bard CEP

Mar 22, 2016 5:05 PM ET

The Bard Center for Environmental Policy National Climate Webinar hosts Sarah Jackson, and Avi Allison of Synapse Energy on the live webinar to address environmental justice in the clean power plan on Wednesday, March 23rd, 2016 at 12 NOON est.

Environment

World Water Day: We All Play a Role in Conserving Earth’s Most Precious Resource

Mar 22, 2016 4:00 PM ET

If a business wanted to cut its energy use in a significant and impactful way, it easily could by tapping into a vast array of energy-efficient technologies currently available in the market. But reduce its water use? That might prove a bit more challenging.

Events, Media & Communications

ACCP: The Conference 2016 Kick Off: The Power of And

Mar 22, 2016 4:00 PM ET

ACCP: The Conference 2016 opened on March 21st at the Westin Gaslamp in San Diego, CA. The Conference drew more than 250 Corporate Responsibility professionals from around the country. Companies represented included some of the world’s most respected and established brands as well as companies just beginning to build a name in the world.

Responsible Production & Consumption

It’s Time for Responsible Leaders to Take Action to Eliminate Child Hunger (SDG 2)

Mar 22, 2016 4:00 PM ET

This week, Global Sourcing Council's 17 Weeks for 17 SDGs Intiative explores Goal 2 with examples of action from organizations and businesses to end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture in their business strategy.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Sodexo Applauds Million Women Mentors for Surpassing 650,000 Mentors of Girls and Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Careers

Mar 22, 2016 3:45 PM ET

Sodexo, a leading provider of integrated facilities management and foodservice operations, today applauds the outstanding work and achievement of the STEMConnector® Million Women Mentors (MWM) initiative for securing more than 650,000 pledges from science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) mentors. In just two years, the organization has passed a major milestone toward reaching its goal of one million STEM mentors for girls and women by 2019.

Environment

Timberland Commissions Study to Test Feasibility of Reintroducing Cotton as Haitian Export Crop

Mar 22, 2016 3:30 PM ET

Global outdoor lifestyle brand Timberland, Impact Farming and Haiti-based Smallholder Farmers Alliance (SFA) today announced the launch of a new feasibility study exploring the possibility of reintroducing cotton as an export crop for Haitian smallholder farmers. If the study proves successful, the opportunities for organic cotton farming in Haiti are extensive, and companies like Timberland can one day transition from being early supporters of the SFA agroforestry enterprise to being its customers.

Education

Giving All Students a Chance to Create the Future

Mar 22, 2016 3:30 PM ET

Today, I am thrilled to stand with Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo as she leads an initiative to bring computer science education to every public K–12 school across Rhode Island. The governor’s focus on computer science provides Microsoft Philanthropies with a great opportunity to partner in helping to achieve our own mission to expand digital inclusion and empowerment for everyone. An important element of that mission is to enable all young people to learn computing skills. We believe that computer science will be a foundation for most future jobs and careers, and for participating fully in society.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Beverage Industry Environmental Roundtable's Efforts Recognized by The White House

Mar 22, 2016 3:00 PM ET

Today is World Water Day, a day when people, places, and organizations around the globe come together to recognize the challenges we face in protecting and preserving this most important of natural resources. Water scarcity, resiliency, and community stakeholder engagement—these are but a few of the challenges, and opportunities, wherein business, government, not for profits and communities need to work together to ensure effective water stewardship and to improve the quality of life in the face of natural disasters, pollution, and increasing demands on water sources.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

PR News Celebrates CSR & Nonprofit PR Awards Winners, Diversity Awards Honorees at March 15 Luncheon in D.C.

Mar 22, 2016 2:45 PM ET

PR News is thrilled to announce the winners of its annual CSR and Nonprofit PR Awards, as well as the inaugural class of honorees for the Diversity in PR Awards program. The finalists and honorees of these industry-known programs were celebrated at a Spring Awards Luncheon on March 15, 2016 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.

Environment

Lights Out at MGM Resorts for Earth Hour 2016

Mar 22, 2016 2:30 PM ET

In honor of Earth Hour, MGM Resorts International dimmed the exterior lights at several of its resorts, joining the global effort to raise awareness of climate change.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Championing Gender Equality Starts with Empowerment

Mar 22, 2016 2:15 PM ET

The prestigious WEPs CEO Leadership Award recognizes business leaders for their exceptional championship of gender equality and support for the Women's Empowerment Principles. Michel Landel, Chief Executive Officer, Sodexo and Janet Awad, Regional Chair of Latin America and Country President, Sodexo Chile, were recently honored with the 2016 7 Principles WEPs CEO Leadership Award.

Events, Media & Communications

Strategic Volunteerism Webinar

Mar 22, 2016 2:05 PM ET

Stop painting the same wall seven times and start creating real impact with your nonprofit partners. Join America's Charities and Causecast for a free webinar about strategic volunteerism, April 5th 11am PT/2pm ET.

Innovation & Technology

Water Mission to Deliver 1,000 KOHLER Clarity Filters to Those in Need

Mar 22, 2016 1:30 PM ET

Kohler Co. has shipped the first order of its ceramic filtration system, KOHLER Clarity, to Water Mission, a nonprofit organization that provides sustainable safe water solutions to people in developing countries and disasters. Water Mission plans to distribute the filters in small communities in Haiti, Honduras and Peru.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Impact for Change: Why Business Impacts Matter?

Mar 22, 2016 1:30 PM ET

Swazi sewing shop might seem a surprising place to see the impacts of big business first hand. But it’s where I found myself one morning in 2013, travelling as a guest of a big global brand. The smiling owner opened the door to us. She was smartly dressed, and rightly proud of the enterprise she’d grown. I’ll never forget the noise of her workshop. About two dozen women were hard at work, mostly from the local village. They were producing uniforms for the factory owned by our client down the road.

Social Impact & Volunteering

JetBlue Now Accepting Applications for Second BlueBud Business Mentoring Program

Mar 22, 2016 1:15 PM ET

JetBlue (Nasdaq: JBLU), New York’s Hometown Airline™, recently began accepting applications for its business mentoring program – BlueBud (buddies + budding new companies). Now in its second year, JetBlue’s BlueBud program is once again offering innovative and socially responsible food and beverage companies a unique opportunity to learn what it takes to potentially get their products onboard commercial aircraft.