ESG News from Leading Brands

Education

Creating Global Pathways to Science: Lela Okromelidze and Marta Andres Terre

Jul 6, 2017 10:45 AM ET

Two women from two different backgrounds – one from a rural town in Eurasian Georgia and the other from urban Barcelona – both shared something in common growing up: a lack of access to scientific research labs. Now thanks to the Amgen Scholars Program (ASP), both are breaking the mold to become role models for budding female scientists around the world.

Education

CITGO Partners with the University of Houston-Downtown Scholars Academy to Promote Local STEM Education

Jul 6, 2017 10:30 AM ET

CITGO recently partnered with the University of Houston-Downtown (UHD) Scholars Academy in support of its 17th annual UHD Student Research Conference (SRC). The partnership builds upon the company’s CITGO STEM Talent Pipeline initiative, which supports educational organizations near its operational areas to increase access to learning opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields.

Green Infrastructure

The UPS Foundation Awards Tree Planting Grants to 21 Keep America Beautiful Affiliates Nationwide

Jul 6, 2017 10:30 AM ET

Keep America Beautiful, the nation’s iconic community improvement nonprofit organization, today announced the distribution of 21 grants totaling $120,000 from The UPS Foundation for the 2017 Keep America Beautiful/UPS Community Tree and Recovery Tree Planting Grants program. The grant recipients’ projects will result in more than 1,200 trees being planted in support of locally-relevant initiatives.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Domtar's Featured Difference Maker: Felimar Figueroa, Founder of Amie La Foundation Des Immigrants

Jul 6, 2017 10:15 AM ET

“The situation in my country is worse and worse every day,” said Figueroa, 48, a Montreal-based export process team leader for Domtar’s logistics team. “There is violence and killing. People are being kidnapped. There is no food or medicine. People are desperate and dying. I cry for my family and about the situation.” But Figueroa is on a mission to help the people in Venezuela, through Amie La Foundation Des Immigrants (which translates from French as “Friend Foundation of Immigrants”), which she founded a year ago.

Events, Media & Communications

Chef, Author, and Host of Pati’s Mexican Table on PBS to Speak at MGM Resorts Foundation’s Women’s Leadership Conference

Jul 6, 2017 10:00 AM ET

Pati Jinich will participate in the conference’s popular executive leadership panel, which will feature dynamic women leaders at the top of their careers.

Environment

PepsiCo Names North Carolina High School as Recycle Rally Winner

Jul 6, 2017 10:00 AM ET

“Recycle Rally has provided more than 2,000 schools across the country the opportunity to make recycling easy, fun and rewarding,” says Tim Carey, senior director of sustainability at PepsiCo. “We are proud to offer leadership opportunities to students who are passionate about making positive changes in the environment. Students at Pine Forest exemplify how Recycle Rally participants can make an impact in their community and beyond.”

Innovation & Technology

eBay StartUp Cup Challenge Pairs Mentors with Early Stage Entrepreneurs

Jul 6, 2017 9:40 AM ET

What’s your big idea? That’s one question that more than 200 businesses have been answering as part of the eBay StartUp Cup Challenge, a global series of business model competitions currently underway in four cities. The competitions were made possible through an eBay Foundation grant to GriffinWorx, a nonprofit organization that helps early stage entrepreneurs with any type of business idea to design, test and build a viable company.

Environment

Connecting Cities to be Cleaner, Safer and Stronger

Jul 6, 2017 9:30 AM ET

AT&T is teaming up with companies to deploy innovative solutions throughout cities, making them “smarter.” We’re also developing connected solutions to help cities improve the way they use resources and take care of their citizens. But what if we could use the efficiencies created by this technological revolution to understand a city’s environmental impact — and improve it?

Research, Reports & Publications

It’s Clear, Social Investment Drives Business Value

Jul 6, 2017 9:20 AM ET

A myth has long lingered in the private sector- the bottom line can only be driven by company-centered investments and business strategy. Today, however, the conversation has shifted from company-centered to stakeholder-centered, from bottom-line to triple-bottom line. And as CSR becomes more deeply integrated into core business strategy, a clear fact is emerging: Profit and Purpose should NOT be divorced. In fact, the opposite is true: These two make a power couple for companies seeking to be industry leaders.

Environment

VIDEO | How One Company Is Giving Old Computers New Life in Amsterdam Schools

Jul 6, 2017 9:10 AM ET

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

A Heartwarming Story About Community, Wendy’s Style

Jul 6, 2017 9:05 AM ET

When Ryan, who is autistic, first came to Wendy’s, he kept to himself. But he soon took notice of Becky, who quickly memorized his favorite meal, a 10 piece chicken nugget, size large, with ranch. Ryan began studying Becky’s nametag and stealing glances at her smile. He started saying Becky’s name first to himself, then to Becky. These days, he gives a booming greeting, and his once shy mannerisms have given way to high-fives and hugs.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Planting Seeds for the Future of Food

Jul 6, 2017 9:05 AM ET

The Food System is facing unprecedented challenges. It needs to meet the nutritional needs of a growing population and grow our food in a manner that does not exceed societal and planetary boundaries. This is against a backdrop of climate change that will strain productivity in many parts of the world and put more pressure on water and land use.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

NFCC Receives $1 Million Commitment of Support for Programs Benefiting Military Service Members and Veterans

Jul 6, 2017 9:00 AM ET

Wells Fargo & Company announced a $1 million commitment to the National Foundation for Credit Counseling® (NFCC®) in support of the Sharpen Your Financial Focus® (Sharpen) initiative. The Sharpen program helps consumers address their primary financial challenges through targeted education and counseling.

Research, Reports & Publications

Sanofi Publishes Its First Integrated Report

Jul 6, 2017 9:00 AM ET

Sanofi, a global healthcare leader, just released its very first Integrated Report. This evolution in Sanofi’s reporting is designed to provide a holistic view of the company’s strategic roadmap and its sustainable value creation, performance, and governance, with information covering year 2016.

Environment

Calcasieu Ship Channel (CSC) Salinity Control Measures Project | Reducing the Rate of Wetland Loss in Louisiana

Jul 6, 2017 9:00 AM ET

The Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) selected Tetra Tech to complete a feasibility study and preliminary engineering and design for the Calcasieu Ship Channel (CSC) Salinity Control Measures Project to develop and evaluate alternatives to reduce wetland loss rates.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Amway Charity Foundation Showcases “Mompreneur” Program at St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in Russia

Jul 6, 2017 8:55 AM ET

Russia’s Amway Charity Foundation recently presented the results of its highly popular “Mompreneur” program at the prestigious 2017 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).

Education

Hidden Figures: The Untold Story of Female African American Mathematicians in the 1960s Space Race Continues to Inspire Girls and Women Around the World Today

Jul 6, 2017 8:30 AM ET

To celebrate and build upon the groundswell of enthusiasm around the film, 21CF businesses developed engagement efforts to bring the film to audiences that might not otherwise have been able to see it, and to empower girls and young women to believe in their own abilities and pursue STEM fields.

Sustainable Development Goals

Goldcorp Reports 2016 Sustainability Performance

Jul 6, 2017 8:05 AM ET

Goldcorp has published its 11th annual Sustainability Report, which provides detailed insights into our economic, environmental, and social performance.

Health & Healthcare

Novartis Access and Government of Uganda Sign Memorandum of Understanding

Jul 6, 2017 7:15 AM ET

Novartis and the Ministry of Health of Uganda have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to implement Novartis Access in Uganda. Uganda becomes the fifth country to launch the Novartis Access program. Novartis Access medicines will be made available to patients in public health facilities through the National Medical Stores and through faith-based health services. The program will also cover capacity-building activities, including NCD prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

Sustainable Development Goals

Sappi North America's 2016 Sustainability Goals: Preserving our Planet

Jul 5, 2017 6:00 PM ET

At Sappi North America, we are committed to operating our businesses in a sustainable manner. Together with the 2020Vision, Sappi’s global growth strategy, we use our sustainability goals program to set targets, initiate improvement actions and monitor progress.

Social Impact & Volunteering

With the MoonCatcher Project, This Woman Supplies Reusable Menstrual Pads to African Girls to Help Them Stay in School

Jul 5, 2017 5:40 PM ET

At least once a month, Ellie von Wellsheim presides over sewing bees where she guides the hands of volunteers as they sew pieces of brightly colored fabric into reusable menstrual pads. The pads are destined for girls in Uganda, Malawi, and a host of other developing countries that lack the money and access to purchase feminine hygiene products.

Environment

IFF Achieves Pioneering First with Zero-Waste-to-Landfill Certification

Jul 5, 2017 5:20 PM ET

International Flavors & Fragrances’ facility in the New Jersey township of South Brunswick was officially certified as a GreenCircle Certified LLC, Zero Waste to Landfill facility, making it the only facility of its kind in the flavor and fragrance industry to achieve GreenCircle's zero waste status.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

BSR Conference 2017 Best Rates Extended to July 14

Jul 5, 2017 4:00 PM ET

The early rates deadline for the BSR Conference 2017 has been extended to July 14.

Education

Exploring our Talent Pipeline

Jul 5, 2017 3:55 PM ET

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

US Water Alliance Awards Kohler Prestigious Water Prize

Jul 5, 2017 3:40 PM ET

Kohler Co. was awarded the US Water Prize for its water conservation efforts by the US Water Alliance yesterday during its One Water Summit in New Orleans.