ESG News from Leading Brands

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

CSD Learns Awarded $75,000 Grant From Wells Fargo

Nov 16, 2017 11:30 AM ET

Communication Service for the Deaf (CSD) Learns announced that the organization received a $75,000 grant from the Wells Fargo Foundation to create a pilot American Sign Language (ASL) Financial Education Series. Content from Wells Fargo’s Hands On Banking® online financial learning center, such as Dealing with Debt and Getting Started with Investing, will be provided in ASL on the CSD Learns site.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

BNY Mellon Earns Perfect Score in 2018 Corporate Equality Index

Nov 16, 2017 11:15 AM ET

BNY Mellon received a perfect 100 percent score on the 2018 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), a national benchmarking survey and report on corporate policies and practices related to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) workplace equality, administered by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. BNY Mellon joins the ranks of 609 major U.S. businesses which also earned top marks this year.

Environment

Beth Rattner's Biomimicry Podcast Featured on Episode 56 - Regen360

Nov 16, 2017 11:00 AM ET

For much of our history, we’ve struggled against nature, even working to tame it as we built civilizations. However, the field of Biomimicry turns the issue around 180 degrees and shows us how to learn from nature as our best teacher. If we study nature and begin to embody its design laws into our creations, we can live in greater harmony and life flourish.

Energy

Businesses Commend Virginia for Leadership in Cutting Carbon Emissions and Promoting Clean Energy

Nov 16, 2017 10:15 AM ET

Businesses across Virginia are commending Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s proposed rule that would cut carbon dioxide emissions from the Commonwealth’s electricity sector by 30 percent between 2020 and 2030.

The McAuliffe Administration will present their proposal to the State Air Pollution Control Board later today in Richmond.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Business Value of Pro Bono: Take Social Impact Further

Nov 16, 2017 10:15 AM ET

Every part of the business is expected to provide a return on investment for the company, including corporate social responsibility (CSR) and philanthropy departments. That means CSR professionals need to demonstrate the impact of their programs for their community and for their business. Pro bono helps companies... align social impact with business KPIs, maximize the impact of existing initiatives, and enhance product donations.

Environment

The U.S. Is Tackling Global Warming, Even if Trump Isn’t

Nov 16, 2017 10:10 AM ET

"American leaders from state capitols, city halls and businesses across the country have shown up in force, and we have delivered a unified message to the world: American society remains committed to our pledge under the agreement."

Media & Communications

Subaru Debuts New Advertising Campaign for 2017 Share the Love® Event

Nov 16, 2017 10:00 AM ET

To mark the start of its annual Share the Love® event, Subaru of America has debuted a new advertising campaign featuring the heartwarming stories of real people whose lives have been touched by the program, as well as the automaker's national charity partners: The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals® (ASPCA®), Make-A-Wish®, Meals on Wheels America and National Park Foundation. The new series of television commercials launches as the Subaru Share the Love event officially kicks off this year, marking the program’s tenth anniversary in the automaker’s 50th anniversary in the U.S.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Net Impact Awards "Chapter of the Year" Honors

Nov 16, 2017 10:00 AM ET

Net Impact, the leading global nonprofit that mobilizes the next generation to use their skills and careers to make a positive impact on the world, released the 2017 Chapter of the Year winners, a designation awarded to one outstanding Chapter in each of the undergraduate, graduate, international and professional Chapter segments. This year’s award went to the Net Impact Chapters at Texas State McCoy College (undergraduate), UCLA Anderson School of Business (graduate), IIT Kharagpur (international) and the New York City Professional Chapter.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

GM Earns Perfect Score on Equality Index

Nov 16, 2017 9:45 AM ET

GM scored a perfect 100 on the 2018 Corporate Equality Index conducted by the Human Rights Campaign, a national benchmarking survey and report on corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ workplace equality. 2018 makes it six years in a row with a perfect score, and 10 out of the last 11 years with a perfect score.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Wells Fargo and NeighborWorks America Celebrate 15,000 NeighborhoodLIFT Homeowners Created at AtlanticLIVE's CSR Conference

Nov 16, 2017 9:30 AM ET

Every day at work, Natasha Jones teaches adults with mental disabilities daily life skills. But outside of work, she was unsatisfied with her home life. After almost 13 years of living in public housing in Jacksonville, Florida, she was ready to own her own home.

Energy

Consumers Energy Program Installed New Water Heater at Kalamazoo Gospel Mission

Nov 16, 2017 9:30 AM ET

Supply Chain & the Circular Economy

General Mills Signs on to World Cocoa Foundation's Joint Frameworks for Action to Combat Deforestation

Nov 16, 2017 9:30 AM ET

General Mills joins leading companies in an agreement to end deforestation, protect national parks from illegal cocoa production and develop alternative livelihoods for affected smallholder farmers in Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana. The two countries produce nearly two-thirds of the world’s annual supply of cocoa. The far-reaching joint Frameworks for Action, led by the World Cocoa Foundation, was announced today at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP23) in Bonn, Germany.

Environment

Domtar Sustainability: Simple Idea. Big Savings

Nov 16, 2017 9:15 AM ET

How do you heat more with less? Reuse the heat you have.

That is what our Rothschild, Wisconsin, mill did by installing a heat exchanger to warm incoming process water with outgoing process water. The idea is simple. Instead of being lost to the wastewater treatment plant, some of the heat from the outgoing water is captured and sent back into the mill.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Ray C. Anderson Foundation Divests From Fossil Fuel Investments

Nov 16, 2017 9:15 AM ET

“Fossil fuel divestment is both ethically and fiscally responsible,” said John A. Lanier, executive director of the Ray C. Anderson Foundation and one of Ray’s five grandchildren. “Investment has consequences, and we intend for our assets to grow by fueling renewable energy and other clean technologies that will combat climate change.”

Environment

Racing to Protect Forests and Local Jobs

Nov 16, 2017 9:10 AM ET

Did you know that the forest products industry employs nearly 2.7 million workers in the U.S.? Or that large, uninterrupted forests are habitat to 60% of the U.S.’s at-risk wildlife? Did you know that the security of America’s forestland has undergone a dramatic shift in the last 30 years?

Research, Reports & Publications

CLP Shares New Trends in Corporate Sustainability Reporting

Nov 16, 2017 9:00 AM ET

In the last two decades, there has been a manifold increase in the number of reporting requirements and guidance documents related to corporate reporting on ESG issues as governments, nonprofits, stock exchanges and others look to companies for transparency on their sustainability performance. As a result, an increasing robustness is now seen in non-financial reporting among companies worldwide.

The CLP Group highlighted the importance of tracking the trends that are changing the business landscape and the need for incorporating the trends into a company’s strategy to maintain a sustainable business in the latest edition of Reporting matters.

Events, Media & Communications

BSR Alumni Discuss the Evolution of Sustainable Business Over the Past 25 Years

Nov 16, 2017 9:00 AM ET

At the BSR Conference 2017, a panel of BSR alumni, including Amazon's Kara Hurst; Levi Strauss & Co.'s Michael Kobori; and Alliance of Green Consumption and Green Supply Chain, China, and The Sustainability Consortium's Wei Dong Zhou discussed the evolution of sustainable business over the past 25 years.

Education

Education and Empowerment: Powerful Tools for Girls in STEM

Nov 16, 2017 8:50 AM ET

The push for young minds to pursue science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) careers is more prevalent now than ever before. While more and more educators and organizations are acknowledging this need, it is just as important to address the existing gender gap in STEM. According to the National Science Foundation, women make up half of the total U.S. college-educated workforce, but only 29 percent of the science and engineering workforce.

Health & Healthcare

Aflac Holiday Duck Has a Huge Heart in Fight Against Childhood Cancer

Nov 16, 2017 8:35 AM ET

It’s a warm and fuzzy gift. It’s a keepsake collectable. But, most importantly, it’s a way for anyone and everyone to give from their hearts in the crusade against childhood cancer.

Innovation & Technology

Barclays’ Annual Technology and Futures Conference: The Age of Connection

Nov 16, 2017 8:05 AM ET

Hundreds of decision-makers and innovators from the finance and technology sectors and beyond have gathered in London for the Barclays New Frontiers conference to consider what Barclays Group CEO Jes Staley called “the new age of connection”.

Environment

Northern Catalpa: Rarely Unnoticed

Nov 16, 2017 8:00 AM ET

Catalpa is a hard tree to overlook. Trumpet-shaped flowers herald its awakening for the summer and are soon followed by some of the largest leaves in the northern hemisphere. Elephant ears would not be too far off the mark for their description. Finally come the seed pods — bean-like in shape draping the tree like green tinsel.

Environment

Why Can’t We Get Greener When We Want To?

Nov 16, 2017 8:00 AM ET

Trevor Clements, Tetra Tech’s Mid Atlantic regional manager for Integrated Water Management, is co-leading efforts to support the City of Raleigh, North Carolina, vision for advancing low impact development and green stormwater infrastructure citywide and shares how removing barriers in city codes, policies, and operations is essential to moving forward. All opinions expressed in this post are the author's own.

Social Impact & Volunteering

GSK Honors Triangle Nonprofits Making a Positive Impact on Health Outcomes

Nov 16, 2017 8:00 AM ET

Ten nonprofits will receive $40,000 to support healthy eating, quality employment and education, affordable housing, and other social determinants of health.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

JPMorgan Chase Announces $900,000 in Sustainable Infrastructure Investments and Branch Enhancements to Support Detroit’s Economic Recovery

Nov 16, 2017 8:00 AM ET

JPMorgan Chase & Co. today announced a $900,000 investment to support sustainable infrastructure projects in Detroit. In addition, the firm is retrofitting over 70 percent of Chase branches in the city with LED lights and new Building Management Systems.

Environment

SC Johnson Unveils ‘Carnaúba: Tree of Life’ Exhibit at Museum of Industry in Fortaleza, Brazil

Nov 16, 2017 7:00 AM ET