ESG News from Leading Brands

Health & Healthcare

Hershey Partners with Blommer Chocolate and Olam Cocoa to Build Health Center in Cote D’Ivoire

Feb 26, 2016 11:00 AM ET

The Hershey Company partnered with cocoa suppliers Blommer Chocolate and Olam Cocoa to fund and build a community health center in Cote d’Ivoire.

Education

King Philippe Marks 500,000th Computer Donation by Arrow Electronics and Close the Gap

Feb 26, 2016 10:50 AM ET

A half-million donated computers is a milestone—momentous enough to warrant a King’s attention.

Energy

GM Woos Sustainability Execs with Electric Vehicle Test Drives

Feb 26, 2016 10:50 AM ET

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Citi Foundation Announces $4.8 Million Investment in Summer Jobs Connect to Jumpstart Career Readiness of More than 2,000 Youth

Feb 26, 2016 10:30 AM ET

Today, as part of the announcement of the Summer Opportunity Project and Champions of Change event at the White House, the Citi Foundation announced a $4.8 million grant to Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund to provide more than 2,100 low-income youth with summer jobs and access to financial education as part of Summer Jobs Connect. The program, a part of the Citi Foundation’s Pathways to Progress initiative, uses the opportunity of a first-employment experience to instill early career readiness lessons and positive financial behaviors for lifelong success.

Environment

Nestlé Waters North America Appoints Nelson Switzer to Lead Sustainability Efforts

Feb 26, 2016 10:10 AM ET

The President and CEO of Nestlé Waters North America (NWNA), Tim Brown, is pleased to announce the appointment of well-known sustainability innovator Nelson Switzer as Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Chief Executives Convene with Heads of State at Historic Private Sector Investment Conference in the Africa Great Lakes Region

Feb 26, 2016 10:05 AM ET

Marking the third anniversary of the signing of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Africa Great Lakes Region, the first-ever Private Sector Investment Conference brought together over 500 high-level representatives from the private sector, Government, civil society and the United Nations on 24-25 February in Kinshasa. The aim of the Conference was to strengthen economic cooperation, expand trade opportunities, and stimulate job creation in order to bring about long-term stability and peace in the region.

Environment

Environmental Film Festival Announces 2016 Theme of “Parks: Protecting Wild”

Feb 26, 2016 10:05 AM ET

The Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital, the nation’s largest and longest-running environmental film festival, announces that its 2016 theme is “Parks: Protecting Wild,” and will be presented in partnership with Subaru of America.

Innovation & Technology

How Infrastructure Planning is Being Used by LA as a Blueprint For Sustainable Urban Development

Feb 26, 2016 10:05 AM ET

Health & Healthcare

Bristol-Myers Squibb Studying Impact of Cancer Survivorship

Feb 26, 2016 10:00 AM ET

Environment

Three Ways to Protect Our Precious Forests

Feb 26, 2016 9:35 AM ET

Forest certification emphasizes qualitative factors like water cleanliness, which is crucial for a forest to support plants and wildlife.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Seven Ways to Reclaim Your Focus at Work

Feb 26, 2016 8:45 AM ET

In the modern workplace the feeling of being overwhelmed is the new normal. And it only gets worse when we don’t organize our thoughts, projects and to-do lists. From the most senior leaders to the frontline staff, we simply don’t take the time to get organized because we’re too busy (and maybe also because we’re using being “busy” as an excuse). The stress resulting from this only grows and grows, eventually forcing us to face it at its most demanding peaks. This is by no means mentally, emotionally or physically healthy. But with the right amount of focus, it is completely preventable.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

5 Myths About ESG Investing, Debunked

Feb 26, 2016 8:30 AM ET

Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”) investing is frequently misunderstood and these misconceptions have been passed around the investing world like a game of telephone. For those who view ESG investing with skepticism, ClearBridge Investments emphasizes that investing in ESG strategies can lead to continued growth and debunks the FIVE most popular myths about these strategies.

Social Impact & Volunteering

The Worth of Water

Feb 25, 2016 5:30 PM ET

It’s said we never know the worth of water until the well is dry. Here in Michigan, we know the truth of that statement. At AT&T, we’ve been enormously concerned about our customers, employees and neighbors as the water crisis in Flint has developed.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Travis Snider, Steven Souza Jr Help Refurbish Baseball Facilities at Everett, Wash. High School

Feb 25, 2016 5:00 PM ET

Although they’ve competed with each other from high school up to the Major Leagues, Travis Snider and Steven Souza, Jr. have worked together to help refurbish Cascade High School’s baseball field in their hometown.

Diversity & Inclusion

Making The Leap From Service To Career

Feb 25, 2016 4:30 PM ET

Environment

Can a 16-Mile Stretch of Road Become the World's First Sustainable Highway?

Feb 25, 2016 3:30 PM ET

"The Ray" is an ambitious project to convert a Georgia highway into a road that isn't horrible for the environment.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Fifty-Nine Percent of Americans Now Aware of Fair Trade Certified™ Products

Feb 25, 2016 3:30 PM ET

New research from Fair Trade USA and NMI reveals jump in consumer awareness of Fair Trade Certified label to fifty-nine percent.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Jetblue Joins The Roundtable On Sustainable Biomaterials

Feb 25, 2016 3:00 PM ET

JetBlue Airways (Nasdaq: JBLU) today announced it has joined The Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB). As the first U.S. airline member, JetBlue joins 100 other like-minded organizations in creating a market and standard for sustainable biomass and bio-based products.

Diversity & Inclusion

Whirlpool Celebrates Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day

Feb 25, 2016 3:00 PM ET

In honor of National Engineering Week several of our talented female engineers came together to reflect on their experience in the field and share advice, hoping to inspire the next generation of women in engineering.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Cause Marketing Partnerships that Mutually Benefit the Nonprofit and the Company's Brand

Feb 25, 2016 2:00 PM ET

There is growing importance that corporations and nonprofits align strategically, work to identify mutually beneficial goals, and work in partnership to deliver transformational experiences [i.e. to employees, customers, other stakeholders] while meeting real nonprofit needs (Source: America’s Charities Snapshot 2015 – The Corporate DNA).

Environment

Bard MBA to Host Live Podcast Addressing World Hunger and Poverty While Caring for the Earth

Feb 25, 2016 2:00 PM ET

The Bard MBA in Sustainability  will host a live dial-in podcast discussion "Ending World Hunger and Poverty while Caring for the Earth" with Pierre Ferrari of Heifer International. Pierre will discuss Heifer's initiatives for addressing hunger and poverty while helping to reinforce and build local communities in the process. Listeners can dial in to the podcast at NOON EST, February 26th.

Innovation & Technology

Top Trends in Shared Value

Feb 25, 2016 2:00 PM ET

This month, we are excited to launch the research phase of Global Trends in Shared Value and enlist your help in making it happen. In order to bring about representative perspectives from different regions and industries, we invite the shared value community to participate in our global survey to contribute to a forthcoming Global Trends online platform.

Health & Healthcare

A Candid Conversation with Kim Campbell on the Rhinestone Cowboy, Alzheimer's and Living Life as a Caregiver

Feb 25, 2016 1:00 PM ET

In her article, art therapist Angel Duncan describes her conversation with Kim Campbell: "'I have a black eye, but I'm hanging in there.' Kim Campbell tells me. 'Caregiving is hard,' she says. 'I don't know how people do it.'"

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Investor ESG: What You Need To Know About Fink’s Quiet Earthquake

Feb 25, 2016 12:30 PM ET

Larry Fink is Chief Executive of BlackRock. BlackRock’s portfolio weighs in at a cool US $4.6 trillion. So when he speaks it’s wise to listen. He has spoken. And what he has said, in a letter to top US and European CEOs, is the single most significant intervention ever made by an investor on CSR issues.

Business Insider managed to obtain a copy of this private letter and post it on-line. It is a much more detailed, punchier version of a blog Fink posted last year. The fact that a second letter was needed at all suggests Fink didn’t believe the message had been received and acted upon.

Social Impact & Volunteering

The Power of Employee Giving and Communities Working Together When Natural Disasters Strike

Feb 25, 2016 12:15 PM ET

By empowering employees to support the community through organized workplace giving and disaster relief campaigns, and forming strategic partnerships with nonprofits based on their needs and in-kind support your company naturally has to offer, businesses are an indispensable conduit for providing nonprofits much-needed resources – in times of crises AND all year-long.