ESG News from Leading Brands

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Sodexo Recognized as One of the Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion for the 4th Consecutive Year

Jul 10, 2018 9:00 AM ET

Sodexo, a food and facilities management company committed to improving Quality of Life, announced today that it has been named as one of the “Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion” by the Disability Equality Index (DEI) -- a joint initiative between the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and the US Business Leadership Network (USBLN) to recognize organizations who promote diversity and disability inclusion in the workplace. Sodexo was a top scorer among 145 other businesses and received a score of 90 percent after being measured on key performance indicators in organizational culture, leadership, accessibility, employment, community engagement, support services and supplier diversity.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Legg Mason Among Holdings in New Goldman Sachs/JUST Capital ETF

Jul 10, 2018 8:00 AM ET

As one of the companies in the top 50% of JUST Capital’s industry rankings, Legg Mason is included as a holding in the recently-launched Goldman Sachs JUST US Large Cap Equity Exchange-Traded Fund (NYSE:JUST).

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Engage the Chain: An Investor Guide to Engaging the Food Sector on Sustainability Risks

Jul 10, 2018 8:00 AM ET

The challenge is clear for global food and beverage companies: as the population rises, the ag sector they rely on will need to produce more food with fewer greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while shifting toward farm practices that conserve or restore diminishing water and soil resources. Sustainable sourcing strategies and supply chain transparency will become—and are already– essential practices for the food and beverage industry to ensure that their suppliers are making these critical changes.

As significant owners of and lenders to companies, investors can be major forces in driving these sustainable sourcing practices. It’s in their best interest to do so, as business risks that affect company bottom lines can show up as decreased revenue or stranded assets in investor portfolios.

Supply Chain & the Circular Economy

Human Rights Risks From New Clean Tech – Complimentary Briefing

Jul 10, 2018 5:00 AM ET

Global supply chains are becoming increasingly complex, leading to a growing risk of Human Rights abuses. These mounting complications mean that even businesses in ‘clean’ sectors such as renewable energy producers and electric car manufacturers are facing questions around the human rights risks and challenges in their supply chains.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

How We’re Working to Meet the Needs of People Living and Aging With HIV

Jul 9, 2018 8:00 PM ET

In the past two decades, incredible progress has been made in the fight against HIV in the United States. Through a steady stream of innovation, more people living with HIV are leading longer, healthier lives. But the work is far from over. According to the CDC, as of 2014, 45 percent of people living with HIV in the U.S. are now 50 years old or older, and by 2020 that percentage is estimated to reach 70 percent. This aging population faces a unique set of challenges that we at Gilead are working to address.

Health & Healthcare

IWBI Launches Global Network of Concept Advisories

Jul 9, 2018 6:00 PM ET

The International WELL Building Institute today announced the formation of a network of global concept advisories to explore, better understand and, ultimately, more accurately quantify the impact of specific health intents captured in the 10 WELL concepts – Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Movement, Thermal Comfort, Materials, Sound, Mind and Community.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Multi-Sector Partnerships - The Key to a Brighter Future?

Jul 9, 2018 6:00 PM ET

Both public and private companies should serve a social purpose. But can they, should they, be expected to do this on their own? Social impact does not exist in a vacuum. If we’re to overcome ongoing socio-economic and political crises, it’s going to take a unified approach. A brighter future for humanity is going to require collaboration – between individuals, and between sectors.

Education

Eighth-Graders Take Hands-On Approach to Fighting Air Pollution

Jul 9, 2018 4:45 PM ET

Jamie Lei and Kenneth Nosaka, air quality measurement tools in hand, were surprised by the readings inside a local fast food restaurant during lunch hour. The numbers were even worse than those taken from a nearby freeway overpass. “I was not expecting that,” Nosaka said.

Health & Healthcare

Medtronic and the Red Cross of Mexico

Jul 9, 2018 4:25 PM ET

In Tijuana, where more than 1.6 million people live, the Red Cross fields 98 percent of the area’s 911 emergency calls. Approximately 3,000 of those calls, annually, are related to brain and heart disease. Medtronic has joined forces with Cruz Roja de Tijuana (Red Cross, Mexico) to address cardiovascular disease head on. With a new state-of-the-art cath lab the Tijuana branch of the Red Cross can deliver advanced, affordable cardiac treatment to more patients.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Costa 4GoodFood Project Wins the Seatrade Award for Corporate Social Responsibility

Jul 9, 2018 4:00 PM ET

The international jury of Seatrade has awarded the Costa 4GOODFOOD initiative with the prestigious Seatrade Award for the Corporate Social Responsibility category. This proves the international relevance of the programme designed to highlight the importance and the value of food and to minimize food waste through the direct engagement of guests and crew. For more than thirty years, the Seatrade Award honours results and innovations that lead the future of the cruise industry, recognizing the excellence of the international maritime industry.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Kansas City, Mo. Homeownership to Get Boost With $5.7 Million NeighborhoodLIFT Program

Jul 9, 2018 3:45 PM ET

Registration is open for the July 27-28 homebuyer event in Kansas City. Down payment assistance grants and homebuyer education are available for eligible homebuyers in three Missouri counties (Cass, Clay and Jackson), with special parameters for teachers, military, veterans and first responders.

Research, Reports & Publications

CA Technologies Releases Latest Sustainability Report

Jul 9, 2018 3:00 PM ET

CA Technologies (NASDAQ:CA) today announced the release of its latest Sustainability Report, as further evidence of the company’s long-term commitment to operational efficiency. The company has reduced its carbon footprint by approximately 50 percent since first taking part in the initiative in 2006.

Innovation & Technology

What Can Sustainability Reporting Learn From the Evolution of Digital Music?

Jul 9, 2018 2:30 PM ET

With the Digital Reporting Tool, GRI has taken its first step toward making sustainability data available and accessible in digital format. As we drive innovative formats in corporate sustainability reporting beyond PDFs, what can we learn from the path the music industry took as they evolved from vinyl to CDs to digital streaming?

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Smithfield Foods Earns National Honors for Sustainability Achievements

Jul 9, 2018 2:25 PM ET

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

MetLife Named One of the Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion

Jul 9, 2018 2:15 PM ET

MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET) today announced it has been named to the 2018 Disability Equality Index® “Best Places to Work” by the United States Business Leadership Network (USBLN) and the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD). This is the second time MetLife has been recognized for its efforts to ensure an inclusive workplace for people with disabilities.

Media & Communications

Taproot Foundation Launches New Website

Jul 9, 2018 1:10 PM ET

It is more imperative than ever to connect nonprofits and social change organizations with the resources they need to serve their communities. To ensure organizations can easily access this support through pro bono service, the Taproot Foundation has launched a brand new, easy-to-use website at https://www.taprootfoundation.org.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

WATCH | Las Vegas Sands Raises Critical Funds, Heightens Awareness and Inspires At-Risk Youth at Charity Concert Featuring Grammy Award-Winning Artist Jason Mraz

Jul 9, 2018 12:15 PM ET

The second annual INSPIRE charity concert brought in Jason Mraz fans and charity supporters from across the country to raise funds for Sands Cares Accelerator Program members: the Marty Hennessy Inspiring Children Foundation (ICF) and Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth (NPHY).

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Infographic | Sustainability at UPS

Jul 9, 2018 11:25 AM ET

This infographic from the 2017 UPS Sustainability Progress Report shows how how UPS shapes their sustainability strategy.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

First Nations Oweesta Corporation and Wells Fargo Launch $500,000 Program for Native Americans

Jul 9, 2018 11:00 AM ET

First Nations Oweesta Corporation and Wells Fargo & Company today announced a $500,000 home down payment assistance program aimed at increasing U.S. homeownership opportunities for Native Americans.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Augmented Reality Brings History to Life

Jul 9, 2018 11:00 AM ET

Fourteen-year-old Abby Blunt hardly knows what the world was like before smartphones — but technology is helping her with that. During a recent trip to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., Abby roamed the “Tower of Faces” section of the main exhibition, smartphone in hand, eyes glued to her screen.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Expanding Access to Social Investing Opportunities

Jul 9, 2018 10:25 AM ET

BNY Mellon expands access to social investing strategies, which generate returns while addressing social and environmental concerns.

Education

Big Impact in Bio: Identifying Biosignals to Improve Women’s Health

Jul 9, 2018 10:20 AM ET

From an early age, Suzanne Rohrback had a unique insight into the need for science to bridge gaps in medical care. Her big brother is autistic and growing up, Rohrback remembers thinking there were no good options for him – unmedicated, he could be unpredictably violent and medicated, he would be zombie-like. “But we don’t understand enough about what goes wrong in this condition to have created a better solution,” she says.

Environment

Companies Take on Climate Change with "We Mean Business"

Jul 9, 2018 10:15 AM ET

The We Mean Business coalition was formed to organize a critical mass of the business world to make progress on climate change. With its no-nonsense brand name, formidable numbers, and world-class leadership, the coalition is poised to be a dominant player in directing businesses toward taking stands on strategies and practices that define climate change as a business opportunity, not just an environmental disaster.

Innovation & Technology

“Feed a Fever” Takes on New Meaning for Tech-Inspired Students of Color

Jul 9, 2018 10:05 AM ET

Green Infrastructure

A Second Act for the Parking Garage

Jul 9, 2018 10:05 AM ET

If ride-sharing and driverless taxis reduce individual commuting, parking facilities could be repurposed as office space, apartments, gyms and more.