ESG News from Leading Brands

Diversity & Inclusion

The Future of Gender Equality in the Workplace

Feb 6, 2019 10:50 AM ET

Last week, I sat on a panel with Bank of America Vice Chairman Anne Finucane and Goldman Sachs Managing Director Dina Powell to discuss the state of gender equality in the workplace at Bloomberg’s annual ‘The Year Ahead Davos’. Our conversation focused on the financial imperative for representation across organizations – from the trading floor to the boardroom – and the key trends driving the evolution of equality. Following our productive discussion, I came away with four major factors catalyzing this change:

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

JetBlue Foundation E-Newsletter: A Glance at 2018

Feb 6, 2019 10:15 AM ET

On November 8th, the JetBlue Foundation awarded $135,000 in grants to STEM education programs in Puerto Rico to aid long-term post-hurricane recovery in celebration of National STEM Day. The JetBlue Foundation, in its continued commitment to Puerto Rico, awarded grants to organizations that are investing in the island’s future and placing aviation and STEM top-of-mind as career choices for students. JetBlue started service 16 years ago, and is the largest carrier on the island with San Juan being one of JetBlue’s six Focus Cities.

The grant recipients included Ciencia Puerto Rico, EcoExploratorio, Inter American University of Puerto Rico and Puerto Rico Aviation Maintenance Institute.

Environment

Healthcare Plastics Guide for Recyclers

Feb 6, 2019 10:10 AM ET

HPRC has prepared a guide to inform plastics recyclers and processors about the common streams of plastic waste generated in clinical settings.

Environment

A Fully Recyclable Mattress by Auping and DSM-Niaga

Feb 6, 2019 10:05 AM ET

Royal Auping and DSM-Niaga developed a completely redesigned mattress. Every component of the new modular design can be separated easily and is fully recyclable for re-use in a new mattress.

Health & Healthcare

Albertsons Offering Services to Help Battle Flu

Feb 6, 2019 10:00 AM ET

Originally posted on Local News 8 ABC
The latest flu report from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention shows Idaho as one of 45 states with widespread flu activity.
One grocery store is hoping to help with that.

Environment

Ecocentricity Blog: Dropping an L-Bomb

Feb 6, 2019 9:45 AM ET

Ray Anderson succeeded in transforming the culture of Interface, and that culture shift is still felt today. Advancing sustainability is not a corporate strategy for Interface, but rather an identity.

Environment

Giving Consumers a Behind-the-Scenes Look at Sustainable Forestry

Feb 6, 2019 9:45 AM ET

With certified companies such as Procter & Gamble, the Forest Stewardship Council is advancing a strategy to help consumers understand the impacts of their purchases.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Wells Fargo Foundation to Provide Nearly $13 Million to NonprofitsServing American Indian and Alaska Native Communities

Feb 6, 2019 9:00 AM ET

To support greater economic empowerment in tribal communities, the Wells Fargo Foundation has awarded nearly $13 million to nonprofits supporting American Indian and Alaska Native communities as part of a five-year, $50 million commitment to expand its focus on tribal philanthropy.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Timberland's Unwavering Commitment To Environmental And Social Responsibility

Feb 6, 2019 8:00 AM ET

The brand's dedication to making quality products is matched by an unwavering commitment to environmental and social responsibility – to make it better with respect to responsible products, protecting and restoring the outdoors, and supporting communities around the globe.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Making a Difference Globally and Locally: How We Give Back

Feb 6, 2019 8:00 AM ET

Since our company was founded in 1868, we’ve strived to strengthen the communities where we work. Beyond our core business of protecting life and health, we provide philanthropic support for health, education, housing, and through MetLife Foundation’s support of low-income individuals and communities on their journey toward financial health and well-being.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Tetra Tech’s 2018 Year in Review

Feb 6, 2019 8:00 AM ET

Tetra Tech’s more than 17,000 employees around the world positively impact our planet through their work on our projects and in our communities. Through our 2018 Photo Contest, employees showcased how they are making a difference through their work in the field, office, and community.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Pro Bono Perspectives Podcast: Episode 14 - Daniel Horgan, MENTOR

Feb 6, 2019 7:00 AM ET

Listen to Common Impact's new Pro Bono Perspectives podcast episode featuring Daniel Horgan, Senior Director of Corporate Engagement at MENTO and hear how he uses his experience in the private and social sector to develop unique and impactful partnerships that engage corporate volunteers as mentors and champions of the mentorship movement.

Environment

Ship of Fools: Cruise Polluters

Feb 5, 2019 4:45 PM ET

Growing up watching “The Love Boat,” some of us thought of a cruise as a romantic and exciting way to see the world. New research out of Johns Hopkins University and Stand.earth, however, indicates that cruises don’t just “set a course for adventure,” they deliver high quantities of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons into the air and delicate ocean habitats.

Sustainable Development Goals

Sappi Reduces Solid Waste for Fifth Consecutive Year

Feb 5, 2019 4:00 PM ET

The following offers a view of our annual performance in important areas of environmental and social responsibility. We monitor key metrics for fiber, emissions, energy usage and the impact of our operations on air, water and solid waste. We use this data to set improvement goals for our operations and interactions with key stakeholders.

Environment

Did Facebook, Microsoft, and Google Really Just Sponsor an Event With a Climate Denial Session?

Feb 5, 2019 4:00 PM ET

Did you happen to see the story the other day; Facebook, Microsoft, and Google were high-level sponsors of the libertarian student conference, LibertyCon, which featured a session denying climate change?

Events, Media & Communications

HPE Makes the List. Top Companies Using Their Social Media Platform to Promote Sustainability

Feb 5, 2019 3:30 PM ET

Corporate handles averaged 19 sustainability posts per month, with sustainability leader handles looking neglected at an average of five posts per month.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Fair Trade Gifts for Valentine's Day

Feb 5, 2019 2:20 PM ET

However you choose to express your love, you can't go wrong with a Fair Trade Certified™ gift because it says you not only care about them, but also that you care about the planet, the lives behind the product, and the impact of your purchase. These gifts, and all Fair Trade Certified products for that matter, go straight to work on community development in places like Ecuador and Côte d’Ivoire.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Aligning Business Need & Community Impact | LBG Canada Company Spotlight

Feb 5, 2019 2:05 PM ET

As we begin 2019, LBG Canada spotlights the Cenovus Decision Making Criteria. A tool created to assist a geographically dispersed community investment team with decision-making consistency by clearly outlining and identifying characteristics of a community investment opportunity to ensure both community and business impact.

Energy

NRG Energy Participates in the Business Sustainability Roundtable Challenge.

Feb 5, 2019 1:25 PM ET

"At NRG, sustainability is at the center of everything that we do. It's more than the way we do business; it's an integral part of who we are and literally at the heart of our purpose of creating a sustainable energy future."

Education

Meet Amgen Scholars Alumni Joel Orlando Hernández Ramos

Feb 5, 2019 12:25 PM ET

Ever since I was a little kid I was interested in science and thought of becoming a scientist. However, it wasn’t until high school that I realized what biotechnology is and that I wanted to major in that field. I became interested by attending a college talk at my current university about all the majors they offer. Ever since that moment, I started seeking extracurricular courses to learn more about biotechnology and to start gaining knowledge about it.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

CEO & Co-Founder of Selah Freedom to Speak About Importance of Eradicating Sex Trafficking and Exploitation

Feb 5, 2019 12:20 PM ET

Diversity & Inclusion

Hallmark Provides Opportunities for Diverse Students to Build Their Skills for Future Careers in the Entertainment Industry

Feb 5, 2019 12:15 PM ET

Through the support of several entertainment industry organizations, Crown Media Family Networks provided opportunities for diverse students to intern with the company. In 2017, Crown Media partnered with the National Association of Multi- Ethnicity in Communications, Women in Cable Telecommunications, the Emma Bowen Foundation and, for the first time, a full-year partnership with the T. Howard Foundation.

Energy

Why Disney World is Betting on Clean Energy

Feb 5, 2019 11:35 AM ET

“Environmental stewardship and conservation were engrained in The Walt Disney Company from the beginning,” Angie Renner recently told me. Angie is an Environmental Integration Director at Walt Disney World Resort, and today she says the company is investing in new technologies and renewable energy projects that have thus far cut greenhouse gas emissions nearly in half. Why? Because as a Bloomberg story just noted, warmer temperatures are already impacting the “the comfort and health and well being of [the resort’s] customers.”

Environment

Stay in the Know: 12 Top EHS and Sustainability Accounts to Follow on Social Media

Feb 5, 2019 10:40 AM ET

Antea Group recommends 12 EHS and sustainability social media accounts that offer on-the-ball coverage of emerging trends, news, and insights.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Multi-Year Effort Launches to Help Millions of Financially Vulnerable People Build Savings & Economic Opportunity

Feb 5, 2019 10:15 AM ET

MetLife Foundation and Commonwealth announced a new project, Making Wealth Common: Extending Financial Opportunity for All, which aims to reverse this trend beginning with over 300,000 financially vulnerable Americans.