ESG News from Leading Brands

Sustainable Development Goals

Empowering a New Generation of Farmers in Colombia

Dec 6, 2017 7:55 AM ET

Fruandes Frutos de los Andes SAS joins the Business Call to Action, pledging to improve the lives of rural Colombians through fair trade organic farming

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Barclays and NYU Launch Veterans Future Lab in New York City

Dec 6, 2017 7:40 AM ET

Recognizing the importance of providing mentoring and support to early-stage start-ups founded by United States military veterans, and with a commitment to veteran-owned enterprises, Barclays and NYU Tandon School of Engineering launched the Veterans Future Lab.

Environment

Northern Trust India Goes Green

Dec 6, 2017 7:05 AM ET

Our WorkPlace services team launched 20 electric cars as part of the transport facilities for partners in Bangalore & Pune. We are actively contributing to sustainability of the environment!

Media & Communications

CITGO Board of Directors Appoints Interim Officers

Dec 5, 2017 7:05 PM ET

The Board of Directors of CITGO Petroleum Corporation appointed the following new officers of the Company, on an interim basis, effective Nov. 30, 2017:

James Cristman, currently Vice President and General Manager Lemont Refinery, has been named Vice President of Refining in addition to Vice President and General Manager Lemont Refinery. Jim brings more than 30 years of refining experience and is a current member of the American Petroleum Institute’s (API) Operating Practices Advisory Group 1980 as well as an Executive Committee member of the local Three Rivers Manufacturing Association.

Sustainable Development Goals

Sappi North America's Key Performance Indicators: Fiber

Dec 5, 2017 4:30 PM ET

One hundred percent of our fiber is procured in accordance with the SFI® Fiber Sourcing standard as well as the FSC® Controlled Wood standard. These third-party programs provide assurance that wood-based products have been procured from well-managed forests and are legally harvested. While Sappi does not own any forestland in North America, our foresters provide active forest management services for landowners within our procurement zones.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Duke Energy Executive Vice President, Lloyd Yates, Named to List of Most Influential Black Corporate Directors

Dec 5, 2017 4:15 PM ET

Lloyd Yates doesn’t forget the people who gave him a lift. His parents, who insisted that he do something with his life. The Salvation Army, which provided a safe space to play. And the mentors who offered advice, friendship and the codes to crack to rise through the ranks of a major corporation.

Diversity & Inclusion

How Big Companies Can Push Nonprofits to Diversify Their Boards

Dec 5, 2017 2:40 PM ET

With one of the most diverse boards in the technology industry, HP understands the value and importance of supporting broad age, gender, ethnic and cultural diversity across company and nonprofit board members. HP is proud to be both a sponsor of, and contributor to, this Better World Leadership Nonprofit Board Study, to help drive greater awareness of the board service as a catalyst for increasing diversity and inclusion, human capital development, and economic development.

Education

Erb Institute | Business for Sustainability Andy Hoffman and Dow CSO, Neil Hawkins Discuss Dow Sustainability Fellows Program – Featured in Corporate Eco Forum

Dec 5, 2017 2:15 PM ET

Education

The Power of One: Tis the Season to Mentor Youth & Spark STEM Passion

Dec 5, 2017 1:45 PM ET

The future belongs to those who can build digital technologies — and those who can use them to solve problems. We need everyone’s participation. We’re challenging team members, partners & leaders to spend 1 hour with a girl talking about careers in technology. Do they know technology is the backbone of business today? Are they aware of technology’s role transforming industries & addressing society’s biggest challenges? Start the conversation. Ignite change.

Events, Media & Communications

#NuggsForCarter and Wendy’s Chicken Nuggets Make Twitter’s “Year on Twitter” List

Dec 5, 2017 1:05 PM ET

Carter Wilkerson is still the reigning Twitter king for getting the most retweets of all time, surpassing Ellen DeGeneres and her celebrity friends’ infamous Oscar-Selfie. The best part of this whole thing? Carter is a wonderful young man from a great, supportive family. While the attention was almost overwhelming, he responded the only way he knew how: by remaining his true self. He took the opportunity and the fame and paid it forward by raising money and awareness for both foster care adoption and breast cancer research. Both causes benefitted significantly because Carter thought more about others then he did himself, and that’s something that is all too rare in today’s world. We can all learn from his example.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Want to Try Something New in 2018?

Dec 5, 2017 1:05 PM ET

Driven by both necessity and opportunity right now, Taproot Foundation partners across the nonprofit, for-profit, and philanthropic sector all seem to be asking themselves one thing: “How can we be better?”

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Your Gift Allows Siblings Grow Up Together

Dec 5, 2017 1:00 PM ET

Robbin and Steven hadn’t considered adopting two children. But when Rachel, a Wendy’s Wonderful Kids Recruiter, told them about Dawson and Dalton, they knew they had to keep the boys together.

Diversity & Inclusion

Peter Grauer on Gender Parity, Diversity in the Boardroom

Dec 5, 2017 12:30 PM ET

Peter Grauer, chairman of Bloomberg LP, the parent company of Bloomberg News, and founding chairman of the U.S. 30% Club, discusses gender parity and diversity in the boardroom with Bloomberg's Scarlet Fu on "Bloomberg Markets."

Energy

Ingersoll Rand: How to Use IoT to Become More Energy Efficient

Dec 5, 2017 12:00 PM ET

According to a Berg Insight report, by 2021 nearly 55 percent of all households in the U.S. are expected to be “smart” homes. Smart, connected thermostats can now do far more than just monitor temperatures – they can adjust humidity levels, turn on and off lights, lock and unlock doors, check security cameras and more.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Greenville Whirlpool Workers Support Darke County Food Pantries

Dec 5, 2017 11:00 AM ET

Whirlpool Corporation employees in Greenville, OH donated more than $21,000 to local food pantries.

Environment

Porcupine Gold Mines Reduces Fresh Water Use from Porcupine Lake to Almost Zero

Dec 5, 2017 10:30 AM ET

As one of the oldest operating mines in Canada, Porcupine Gold Mines (PGM) has been an integral part of the Timmins, Ontario community since 1910. Part of its community commitment includes placing a high priority on water conservation and preservation to reduce its environmental impact.

Green Infrastructure

Let's Use the Right-Of-Way in a Smarter Way

Dec 5, 2017 10:30 AM ET

Right-of-way farming joins a bevy of sustainable initiatives along the Ray C. Anderson Memorial Highway in Georgia.

Having a stretch of highway named in your honor is a big deal. But the Ray C. Anderson Foundation, the nonprofit family foundation dedicated to realizing the legacy of the late green business pioneer, has opted to take the highway memorization process one giant step further.

Diversity & Inclusion

Bacardi General Counsel Marlene Gordon Joins Advisory Board for Women of the Vine & Spirits™

Dec 5, 2017 10:05 AM ET

Family-owned Bacardi announces Marlene Gordon, general counsel for Bacardi in North America, joins Women of the Vine & Spirits™ as an Advisory Board member for the United States. In this role, Gordon will contribute her experience and insight to the organization’s efforts to support and advance opportunities for women in the alcohol beverage industry.

Established in 2015, Women of the Vine & Spirits is guided by both a U.S. and European Advisory Board and led by Deborah Brenner, founder and president. Comprised of leaders from every segment of the industry, the Advisory Board works to collectively advocate for industry support of talent development and gender-diverse teams.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

BET, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, Spike and VH1 Are Viacom’s NAACP Image Award Nominees

Dec 5, 2017 9:45 AM ET

We’re thrilled to report that Viacom’s brands have just been nominated for a total of 16 NAACP Image Awards across BET, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, Spike and VH1. The awards honor outstanding achievements of people of color and those who promote social justice in the arts, and we couldn’t be more proud of our nominees — see the list below. Winners will be announced at a live ceremony on Martin Luther King Day (Monday, Jan. 15).

Research, Reports & Publications

Ceres, Global Investors With $6 Trillion in AUM Release First-Ever Toolkit for Managing Water Risks in Investment Portfolios

Dec 5, 2017 9:20 AM ET

The first-ever, comprehensive, online toolkit for investors to evaluate and understand water risks was released today by the sustainability nonprofit organization, Ceres, along with an analysis of water risk in major global indices.

The Ceres Investor Water Toolkit was produced in partnership with more than 40 members of the Ceres Investor Water Hub, a working group of more than 90 global institutional investment firms within the Ceres Investor Network on Climate Risk and Sustainability. Members producing the toolkit collectively manage $6 trillion in assets.

Research, Reports & Publications

Resilience in a Box – Resources and Tools for Business Resilience & Preparedness

Dec 5, 2017 9:00 AM ET

Developed in partnership with The UPS Foundation, the World Economic Forum (WEF), and the Disaster Resistant Business (DRB) Toolkit Workgroup, Resilience in a Box is based on best practices and designed to educate newcomers on business resilience. These resources will guide companies toward addressing preparedness issues while building in flexibility to handle potential business interruptions.

Research, Reports & Publications

Schneider Electric Has Become One of the Few CAC 40 Companies Going Beyond Legislation to Achieve Emission Reduction Targets

Dec 5, 2017 8:55 AM ET

The sustainability reporting performance of the CAC 40 , evaluated by Ecoact -- the climate expert firm -- examines the extent and quality of the carbon and sustainability measurement, reporting and reduction by France’s 40 largest companies using publicly available information.

Sustainable Development Goals

WBCSD's Panorama Podcast | Non-financial Reporting – What Is It, and Why Is It So Important?

Dec 5, 2017 8:15 AM ET

Environment

World Soil Day: Reflecting on Soil Health’s Growing Recognition

Dec 5, 2017 8:15 AM ET

The Soil Health Partnership has built a network of 111 farmers across 12 states, from North Dakota to Maryland. These farmers have raised their hands to join in learning about how a little science and soil health can help improve cropping system resiliency, economic performance and environmental outcomes (water quality, air quality, and biodiversity).

Research, Reports & Publications

Business Leaders Leveraging Community Investment as an Opportunity to Drive Innovation, Vibrant Workforces: New Study

Dec 5, 2017 8:00 AM ET

Canada's leading corporations widely recognize the business opportunity in putting their brands and resources behind worthy causes, and many plan to increase their community investments, according to a new study issued by Imagine Canada and LBG (London Benchmarking Group) Canada. The 2017 Corporate Community Investment Leadership study expects corporate giving will advance in 2018, driven by economic growth, heightened appreciation of community investment, customer expectations and high rates of employee interest.