ESG News from Leading Brands

Green Infrastructure

Whirlpool Finishes Work on 1.5 MW Wind Turbine at Ottawa Plant

Dec 6, 2017 2:00 PM ET

Whirlpool Corporation has completed a wind turbine project at its Ottawa, OH plant. The $13.5 million project is expected to generate 1.5 megawatts of electricity and offset 34% of energy needs at the facility.

Innovation & Technology

Podcast | UPS Longitudes Radio: Moving Urban Logistics Forward (Part 1)

Dec 6, 2017 1:25 PM ET

UPS Longitudes is launching a three-part podcast series on how forward-looking businesses, academic institutions and sustainability leaders are reimagining the movement of goods in urban spaces. In the first episode, John Davies of GreenBiz breaks down the findings and the future of city planning, public-private partnerships and data-driven solutions disrupting international commerce.

Energy

Consumers Energy Delivers $2.6 Million Check to General Motors for Energy Efficiency Measures

Dec 6, 2017 1:05 PM ET

General Motors Flint Complex has received a $2.6 million incentive payment from Consumers Energy for energy efficiency upgrades, part of the energy provider’s commitment to helping businesses across Michigan lower their energy costs. Consumers Energy President and CEO Patti Poppe presented the incentive check to GM officials at the Flint Assembly plant today.

Environment

General Motors Sustainability Newsletter - December 2017

Dec 6, 2017 12:30 PM ET

It all started in 2004 with a nature habitat initiative at GM’s Lansing Delta Township site in Michigan. With help from numerous NGOs, community and supplier partners over the next couple of years, the LDT site established a wildlife habitat. The project included more than 20 acres of diverse woodlands, 40 acres of restored prairie, and 15 acres of wetlands. It was the first GM site to earn Wildlife Habitat Council certification in 2006.

Education

Policy Pursuits Take Two Amgen Scholars Beyond the Lab

Dec 6, 2017 12:00 PM ET

When Cameron Clarke was first assigned a policy brief as an Amgen Scholar at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 2016, it was the start of something big: a career in public health policy. In the year that followed, he would use the policy brief writing skills again and again as an intern on Capitol Hill, and then with several local government organizations on issues ranging from opioid addiction and minority health inequities to environmental policy. Now a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford, Clarke’s work focuses on systematically reviewing research to translate the results into policy recommendations.

Innovation & Technology

5 Tips for Building a Successful Startup

Dec 6, 2017 11:50 AM ET

I come from a family of educators, but I am not one myself.

When I started as the Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the AT&T Aspire Accelerator focused on ed-tech, I had a small case of imposter syndrome. Sure, I’d worked in technology for my entire career, but what about the “ed” part of ed-tech? What did I know about education? How could I be taken seriously?

Social Impact & Volunteering

'Holidays for Heroes'

Dec 6, 2017 11:45 AM ET

Whirlpool Corporation employees in Cleveland recently worked to spread holiday cheer to U.S. military personnel and veterans by participating in "Holidays for Heroes," an initiative of the American Red Cross.

Diversity & Inclusion

Ingersoll Rand Earns Perfect Score on Human Rights Campaign Foundation Corporate Equality Index for Second Year

Dec 6, 2017 11:30 AM ET

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC) awarded Ingersoll Rand (NYSE:IR), a world leader in creating comfortable, sustainable and efficient environments, a perfect score of 100 percent in workplace equality on its 2018 Corporate Equality Index (CEI). This is the second consecutive year Ingersoll Rand has earned a perfect score on the index.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

How to Maximize Gifts to Charity

Dec 6, 2017 11:30 AM ET

Being a kind and generous person in today’s global society can sometimes prove to be a challenge. It seems every day we’re being asked to donate to organizations that support heart-wrenching causes, ranging from helping abused animals to sick children to wounded veterans and victims of natural disasters.

Environment

Science-based Climate Targets: Helping Business Leaders Fill the Climate Ambition Void

Dec 6, 2017 11:00 AM ET

History is spiked with aspirational moments that influence a turn, a new narrative, a change of course. It’s easy to look back and marvel at past historical moments.

Environment

Antea Group Partners With Engineers Without Borders USA, Bringing Clean Water & Opportunity to Ugandan Women

Dec 6, 2017 10:45 AM ET

Engineers Without Borders USA (EWB-USA), Antea Group, and the local community bring an end to the water hauling days of the people of Oloo, Uganda

Social Impact & Volunteering

Xylem Employees Volunteer to Improve Water Resources

Dec 6, 2017 10:00 AM ET

During Xylem’s Month of Service in October, employees volunteered for water-related activities in their communities, including cleaning up water sources and rebuilding homes in Houston. Xylem has set a goal for employees to volunteer 35,000 hours during 2017. We spoke with Michael Fields, Director of Xylem Watermark, to learn more.

Energy

Bloomberg New Energy Finance Releases Its Annual Climatescope Findings

Dec 6, 2017 10:00 AM ET

Bloomberg New Energy Finannce (BNEF) released its annual Climatescope findings, assessing 71 countries in emerging markets on their progress made toward the clean energy transition. Solar capacity jumped by more than half in developing nations.

Energy

Generating Energy Revenue

Dec 6, 2017 9:45 AM ET

Despite being fundamental to every industry, energy is often an afterthought in many operations. Relegating Energy Management to the edges of operational and cost efficiency considerations is leaving the opportunity to generate additional revenue and reduce spend, on the table.

Supply Chain & the Circular Economy

Affordable v. Eco-Friendly: You Shouldn’t Have to Choose

Dec 6, 2017 9:30 AM ET

Last April, Walmart launched Project Gigaton, a project that invites our merchandise suppliers to join us in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the products they make and the way they make them, taking 1 gigaton (yes, that’s really a word - a billion metric tons) of emissions out of the atmosphere. That’s equal to all the emissions produced from all the homes in California over three years.

Environment

A Crusade for a Sustainable Tomorrow

Dec 6, 2017 9:30 AM ET

CLP Holdings Professor of Sustainability Charles Ng Wang Wai outlines his mission to make the world more sustainable for future generations.

Green Infrastructure

Vision for Healthy Communities Built Through Industry Partnership

Dec 6, 2017 9:25 AM ET

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

WETA Engages People of All Ages in the Joy of Lifelong Learning

Dec 6, 2017 9:15 AM ET

For more than 50 years, WETA Television and Classical WETA 90.9 FM have been the Greater Washington community’s source for high-quality, educational public media. Combined Federal Campaign and workplace giving contributions from individual community members have provided vital support to help make WETA’s public service possible.

An independent, not-for-profit public broadcaster and producer, WETA’s mission is to share programs of intellectual integrity and cultural merit that pique the audience’s curiosity and interest in the world around them, providing opportunities for lifelong learning for all who seek enrichment, inspiration and information.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Head Start Boot Drive

Dec 6, 2017 9:10 AM ET

Boots On The Ground at Sanofi Pasteur – As the first of a two-part program focused on helping local Head Start families in need, hundreds of Sanofi Pasteur employees donated snow boots, hats, gloves, and other wintertime essentials to approximately 225 Monroe county Head Start children.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Alliance Data Does It Again: Company Named a 2017 Best Workplace for Diversity by FORTUNE

Dec 6, 2017 9:05 AM ET

Alliance Data ranks No. 57 on 100 Best Workplaces for Diversity

Innovation & Technology

Black & Veatch Work on $1.3B Koch Fertilizer Plant Expansion Contributes to Water Award

Dec 6, 2017 9:00 AM ET

Black & Veatch, a leading engineering and construction company with deep expertise in industrial water treatment, water reuse and water infrastructure, helped guide a Koch Industries subsidiary to an award-winning water treatment project at the Koch Fertilizer plant in Enid, Oklahoma.

Energy

Critical Considerations for Global Gas-To-Power Deployment Success

Dec 6, 2017 9:00 AM ET

Looking to take advantage of the LNG oversupply and low pricing, many developing regions are now establishing gas-to-power markets that can accommodate imported supply. Converting to gas power, particularly in regions that have historically run on diesel fuel oil, can carry additional economic benefits. In some areas, conversions can cut electric costs in half.

Sustainable Development Goals

Sustainable Collaboration: Navigant Joins WBCSD

Dec 6, 2017 8:45 AM ET

With a focus on markets and clients facing transformational change, and more than 40 offices around the world, Navigant serves the energy, healthcare, and financial services segments. The firm works closely with clients across all industries on sustainability solutions. In the energy sector, these clients include the world’s 50 largest electric and gas utilities, the 20 largest independent power generators, and the 20 largest gas distribution and pipeline companies.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

More Companies Get on Board with #GivingTuesday. Let’s Keep that Goodness Going!

Dec 6, 2017 8:20 AM ET

It’s been a week since #GivingTuesday 2017 and we’re still overwhelmed by the incredible participation of companies and people around the world who, together, raised a staggering $264.6 million in the movement's sixth year. At Benevity, almost 200 of our enterprise clients got involved, with their employees logging 45,000 volunteer hours and donating $13 million (including employer matching) to nearly 11,000 charities around the world.

Innovation & Technology

Mining Supercluster’s CLEER Project Shortlisted for $950 Million Funding

Dec 6, 2017 8:10 AM ET

Goldcorp is amongst the industry’s leaders in our approach to innovation and responsibility at every stage of the mining cycle and our involvement in the Innovation Superclusters Initiative provides an additional collaborative opportunity to support the industry’s transformation.