ESG News from Leading Brands

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

The Narrative “Greening of Business” Is a Joke But We’re Not Laughing

Jun 18, 2019 2:10 PM ET

Going forward the concept of the “greening of business” should only be used as a storytelling tactic, a warning of just how desperate we had become that we believed the idea that business, unfettered with regulations could effectively address our global environmental and social challenges.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

4 Keys to a Frictionless Medical Affairs Grants Program

Jun 18, 2019 2:00 PM ET

Medical affairs grant management is a highly complex, often fractured process. This video discusses four keys to creating a frictionless program that maximizes patient outcomes.

Energy

Raquel Espada: "Sustainability is a Critical Factor in Any Company"

Jun 18, 2019 1:15 PM ET

Raquel Espada is Vice President of Energy Services and Sustainability at Schneider Electric. In this interview, she outlines the company's sustainability strategy and the projects they are carrying out.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Points of Light Names Aflac One of the 50 Most Community-Minded Companies in the US Bestows The Civic 50 Honor on Leading Supplemental Insurer for Second Consecutive Year

Jun 18, 2019 1:15 PM ET

Aflac, the leader in supplemental insurance sales at U.S. worksites, today announced that the company has been named an honoree of The Civic 50 Award by Points of Light, the world's largest organization dedicated to volunteer service. This marks the second consecutive year that Aflac has been included on this prestigious list of companies seeking to serve their communities in addition to their employees, customers and shareholders.

Health & Healthcare

CVS Health Announces Aggressive New Plans to Combat the Significant Rise in E-Cigarette Use Among Youth

Jun 18, 2019 1:05 PM ET

Given the significant increase in the number of teens using e-cigarettes, CVS Health today announced that it and its charitable foundations will award a total of more than $10 million in 2019 to support youth smoking and e-cigarette prevention strategies and education delivered in classrooms, by clinicians and in communities across the United States.

Environment

Consumers Energy Funds Habitat Improvement Project To Raise More Walleye for Michigan Anglers

Jun 18, 2019 12:50 PM ET

Upgrades funded by Consumers Energy will help the Muskegon River Walleye Pond produce 300,000 more walleye yearly for anglers and significantly reduce expenses to operate the Michigan Department of Natural Resources facility.

Environment

Corona Accepting Plastic as Payment for Beer

Jun 18, 2019 12:20 PM ET

There’s no question plastic has become the sustainability issue of the year. And for good reason, especially as environmental advocates such as Dame Ellen MacArthur warn there will be more plastic than fish in our world’s oceans by 2050.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Comcast NBCUniversal Recognized as a Top 50 Community-Minded Company

Jun 18, 2019 12:15 PM ET

We have invested more than $5.9 billion in communities across the US since 2001, including more than $550 million since 2011 on initiatives to close the digital divide. Our employees are the backbone of our volunteerism. They are helping to make toys accessible for children with disabilities in partnership with Easterseals; performing technology assessments with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America; serving as mentors to young people through Big Brothers Big Sisters of America; coaching teams for FIRST Robotics; serving on the national and local boards of City Year, the National Urban League, UnidosUS, and the Arc; and more. Just this spring, more than 120,000 volunteers participated in our longstanding Comcast Cares Day tradition, improving communities through more than 1,450 local projects.

Education

Behind the Wheel: The Challenge to Develop Sustainable Agriculture

Jun 18, 2019 12:15 PM ET

Charles Njenga Mbugua’s eyes light up as he describes the exact moment the hi-tech irrigation system was activated for the first time at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology in Nairobi, Kenya.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Baltimore Homeownership to Get $6 Million Boost

Jun 18, 2019 12:15 PM ET

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC), NeighborWorks® America and Neighborhood Housing Services (NHS) of Baltimore today announced the NeighborhoodLIFT® program will expand for Baltimore with a $6 million commitment by Wells Fargo to boost local homeownership. The 2019 Baltimore NeighborhoodLIFT program follows the 2012 CityLIFT program for Baltimore that included a $5.8 million investment from Wells Fargo and created 386 homeowners.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Igloo and Artist David Rollyn Raise Awareness for Keep America Beautiful at the OR Summer Market

Jun 18, 2019 11:15 AM ET

Today, world-renowned artist David Rollyn and Igloo are teaming up at this year’s Outdoor Retailer to customize Igloo Playmates for auction during the Summer Market Show. Rollyn will be at the Igloo booth (#36120-UL) to create unique pieces of art where 100 percent of the proceeds raised from the auction will benefit Keep America Beautiful®.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Global Push for Corporate Purpose Fuels 85% YoY Growth in Adoption of Benevity OneWorld™ International Solution

Jun 18, 2019 10:15 AM ET

Benevity announces an 85% YoY increase in adoption of the Benevity OneWorld™ international solution, as more companies expand the reach of their CSR programs across borders. More than 600,000 new OneWorld users logged on to the cloud-based giving and volunteering platform in the last year alone. Companies among the most active in giving internationally through Benevity include Apple, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, LinkedIn, Micron, Oracle, TC Energy Corp and Western Digital.

Events, Media & Communications

PYXERA Global Partners With GreenBiz for Circularity 19 Conference

Jun 18, 2019 10:05 AM ET

PYXERA Global is pleased to announce its media partnership with GreenBiz Group for the Circularity 19 conference from June 18 to 20 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This three-day event will convene over 500 leaders to explore and capitalize on opportunities toward a circular economy. Featured speakers include Sarah Chandler of Apple Inc. and Kate Brandt of Google.

Media & Communications

Global Alliance For Responsible Media Launches To Address Digital Safety

Jun 18, 2019 10:00 AM ET

With nearly 3.8 billion people online, the world is increasingly connected, and yet the increase in dangerous, hateful, disruptive and fake content online risks threatening our global community.

Diversity & Inclusion

Bridgestone Americas Sponsors 2019 Nashville Pride Festival and Parade

Jun 18, 2019 9:30 AM ET

Bridgestone Americas (Bridgestone), a subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation, a leading tire and rubber company, will serve its sixth year as presenting sponsor of the Nashville Pride Festival. This year’s Pride Festival will take place on Saturday, June 22, and Sunday, June 23, at Public Square Park in Downtown Nashville.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

RBA Compass Awards 2019 Call for Submissions

Jun 18, 2019 9:30 AM ET

RBA Compass Awards 2019 Call for Submissions

Supply Chain & the Circular Economy

Bridgestone Promotes Sustainability and Transparency Across Global Tire and Rubber Supply Chain

Jun 18, 2019 9:00 AM ET

Bridgestone has made steady progress in implementing its Global Sustainable Procurement Policy, which outlines the company’s path to achieving the ambitious goal of using only sustainable materials in all of its products by 2050. Through its partnership with EcoVadis, a provider of sustainability, risk and performance ratings for global supply chains, the tire maker assesses suppliers’ current sustainability practices, and looks at what support is needed to improve on this.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Supporting Entrepreneurship with the Hispanic Scholarship Fund

Jun 18, 2019 9:00 AM ET

At Koch, we believe in everyone’s ability to become a lifelong learner and succeed while helping others. Through these virtuous cycles of mutual benefit, we have seen first-hand how people can improve their lives and help those around them do the same. That’s why Koch Industries, along with the Charles Koch Foundation, is supporting the Hispanic Scholarship Fund’s new Entrepreneurship Summit in 2019 and 2020. Scholars selected for the four-day, experiential conference will learn how to apply an entrepreneurial mindset to improve their lives and to chart a course for success in all they do.

Environment

Pollinator Habitats Are Declining Worldwide, But Business Can Help

Jun 17, 2019 5:00 PM ET

Bees are necessary to pollinate plants, including crops we use for food, but bee populations are in decline worldwide. For well over a decade, colony collapse disorder (CCD) has shaken the agricultural sector and challenged scientists. This mysterious phenomenon occurs when the majority of adult worker bees in a colony disappear, leaving the queen behind.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Making Living Products is Second Nature at Our Glasgow Plant

Jun 17, 2019 4:15 PM ET

Mohawk Group, the commercial division of Mohawk Industries, now has more than 300 flooring products that have been certified by the International Living Future Institute (ILFI) as having achieved the stringent requirements for Living Product Challenge Petal Certification. Because most of the products are carpet tile styles made in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley at our Glasgow facility, we saw it only fitting to refer to Glasgow as our first "Living Site."

Events, Media & Communications

My Special Aflac Duck® to Share Spotlight With Famous Directors, Producers and Creatives

Jun 17, 2019 3:05 PM ET

More than just humans will grace the speaker dais of the annual Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity in France this year. Aflac today announced that My Special Aflac Duck®, an innovative robotic version of the well-known U.S. insurance company's famous mascot duck that helps children cope with cancer, has a spot in the health care track.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Uncovering What's Next at the Global Pro Bono Summit

Jun 17, 2019 2:45 PM ET

The Global Pro Bono Summit is an annual invitation-only gathering of leaders from across sectors and around the world with a shared vision to make the talents and skills of the entire business community accessible to organizations serving our collective good.

Diversity & Inclusion

Arrow Electronics Sponsors Colorado Technology Association’s Women in Tech Conference

Jun 17, 2019 2:30 PM ET

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

You Want the Best + Brightest? Here’s How

Jun 17, 2019 2:05 PM ET

While most leaders agree that investing in corporate philanthropy and employee giving programs are great for a corporate brand, these initiatives have become more important than ever, especially for hiring and retention.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Setting the Standard for Corporate Civic Engagement

Jun 17, 2019 1:00 PM ET

It’s award season for sustainability and corporate responsibility professionals across the globe! Symantec was recently listed on CR Magazine’s 100 Best Corporate Citizens list, named a “Win-Win Company” by JUST Capital, named to Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index for the eleventh consecutive year, and included in the 100 U.S. Companies Supporting Healthy Communities and Families. As the manager of Community Relations, I couldn’t be more proud to announce that today Symantec has also been named to The Civic 50 for the fourth consecutive year. The Civic 50 is run by Points of Light, an organization committed to empowering, connecting and engaging individuals and organizations to be a force for social good.