ESG News from Leading Brands

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

National Park Foundation Boosts Volunteer Outreach & Programs Across National Parks Community

Apr 18, 2018 10:00 AM ET

In celebration of National Volunteer Week, the National Park Foundation and American Express are announcing seven grants supporting volunteer capacity-building efforts at national parks across the country. Designed to support the growth of park volunteer programs, projects funded by the grants include expansion of volunteer housing space, development of recruitment handbooks, and outreach to neighboring communities.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

GRI and Global Child Forum Commit to Driving Corporate Action to Improve Children’s Lives

Apr 18, 2018 10:00 AM ET

GRI and the Global Child Forum have announced a partnership to strengthen corporate transparency and accountability on children’s rights issues. The new collaboration will combine the best of the two organizations and drive corporate action to improve the lives of children.

Responsible Production & Consumption

The Science Behind Tyson's Meaty New Sustainability Agenda

Apr 18, 2018 10:00 AM ET

Former McKinsey consultant Justin Whitmore was on the job as the first chief sustainability officer of Tyson Foods just one month when he disclosed his team’s intention to set science-based targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions and to embrace "outcome-based" water conservation goals across the company’s operations and supply chain.

It tapped World Resources Institute to assist with that process. "Sustainability is about thriving today and doing the right thing to thrive tomorrow," Whitmore said, announcing the partnership. "We’re collaborating with WRI on aggressive and attainable goals rooted in science. These will give us the opportunity to reduce our environmental impact over time so we can benefit now, and other generations will benefit in the future."

Research, Reports & Publications

Timberland Wardrobe Values Survey Uncovers Consumer Eco-Fashion Behaviors

Apr 18, 2018 10:00 AM ET

In a world motivated by social cred and “likes,” it comes as no surprise that U.S. consumers on average spend roughly $250 a month on clothes, shoes and accessories. But what you might not expect is that men not only outspend women when it comes to their closet (spending an average of $310.50 per month on their wardrobe, compared to $187.20 for women), they are also 52 percent more likely than women to say they care a lot about eco-conscious fashion. Just in time for Earth Day, outdoor lifestyle brand Timberland shines a spotlight on what consumers value most when it comes to “going green” with their wardrobe.

Research, Reports & Publications

Cyber Threats to Physical Assets Demand a Proactive Approach

Apr 18, 2018 10:00 AM ET

Intent on safeguarding the nation’s largest electric grids from potential mayhem, federal regulators have stepped up their oversight of the security of power utilities in an attempt to protect it from threats and incidents such as widespread, long-duration blackouts caused by digital saboteurs. Cyber threats linger, however, with operational technology (OT), including water systems that are far less centralized and, thus, more vulnerable.

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG Sector Roadmaps: Leveraging the Power of Collaboration to Drive SDG Impact

Apr 18, 2018 9:55 AM ET

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) has today released a new publication which lays out a step-by-step process that companies from the same sector can follow as they come together to explore, articulate and realize a common vision for how their industry can contribute to the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Energy

Texas State Students Win Shell and Net Impact's International Competition to Design Renewable Energy Solutions

Apr 18, 2018 9:55 AM ET

A team of students from Texas State University was honored as the winner of the Net Impact Future of Energy Challenge at Shell’s Powering Progress Together event. Their research applied blockchain technology to local solar grids.

Environment

Dell x Nikki Reed's Gold Ring Collection Was Made From Recycled Laptop Motherboards & We're Shook

Apr 18, 2018 9:45 AM ET

Your unwanted e-trash just got turned into treasure that you're actually going to want to wear. Dell and Nikki Reed created a line of rings made from recycled computer motherboards. The technology brand asked the sustainable designer and actor to make trash into dainty jewelry, and the outcome was so good. After seeing these rings, you'll want to recycle all of your old items.

Events, Media & Communications

How Investors Consume ESG Data: Advice for Corporate Reporters from Wall Street – a 3BL Media Webcast, May 16, 12:30 p.m. E.T.

Apr 18, 2018 9:15 AM ET

Investment management firms are pledging to build environmental, social and governance (ESG) analysis into their financial models, elevating this key stakeholder group in importance as corporations strive to optimize they way they report on sustainability.

Research, Reports & Publications

Robots at the Gate: Barclays Report on Technology and the Future of Work

Apr 18, 2018 9:05 AM ET

New technology is changing our work and social lives at unprecedented speed and intensity. Leaps in technological advancement are nothing new, and innovation often results in incredible step changes in the home and the workplace: the printing presses of the 1400s widened access to books (and therefore knowledge) for the first time; the Industrial Revolution’s mechanisation led to an explosion in both industrial output and urbanisation; cars, aeroplanes and the internet have connected people around the world like never before.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Sands China Care Ambassadors Distribute 350 Food Hampers to Families in Need

Apr 18, 2018 9:05 AM ET

More than 30 Sands China Care Ambassadors volunteered at Macau Holy House of Mercy’s Welfare Shop to distribute 350 food hampers to disadvantaged families days before Chinese New Year. Sands China Care Ambassadors has more than 1,600 volunteers from across all Sands China Ltd. properties, contributing close to 12,000 hours of voluntary community service in more than 50 activities in 2017.

Environment

Now Is the Time for Trees: A Message from Arbor Day Foundation President Dan Lambe

Apr 18, 2018 9:00 AM ET

As both Arbor Day and Earth Day approach, it is time for all of us to step up and help our planet thrive. With all the global issues we face today — including poor air and water quality, climate risk, deforestation, poverty, and hunger — more and more corporations are taking a proactive step to become part of the solution. And they are turning to trees to make a difference.

Sustainable Development Goals

Using Technology to Sustainably Manage Fisheries in Asia-Pacific

Apr 18, 2018 9:00 AM ET

The fisheries sector is vital to the economy of the Philippines, particularly for the population whose livelihoods depend on small-scale fisheries. Excessive and unsustainable fishing, population growth, uncontrolled development, and the effects of climate change have degraded fish populations in recent decades.

Tetra Tech is supporting enhanced fisheries management through the Ecosystems Improved for Sustainable Fisheries (ECOFISH) project, funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). We are using innovative interventions and technological solutions to conserve marine biodiversity, enhance ecosystem productivity, and restore profitability of fisheries in key marine bio-diverse areas.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Gildan Supports the Leonardo Martínez Hospital in Honduras With Donation of Medical Equipment

Apr 18, 2018 9:00 AM ET

The Leonardo Martínez Valenzuela Hospital received a donation of medical equipment for its surgery ward from Gildan, which was commemorated on April 6 by the First Lady of Honduras, Ana García de Hernández. The equipment, valued at more than US $520,000, for the new operating rooms at the healthcare center will provide free services to patients in the Northern Region of the country. This new surgical module is expected to perform more than 8,000 surgeries annually.

Media & Communications

Statement From Natalye Paquin, Points of Light President and CEO, in Honor of Mrs. Barbara Bush

Apr 18, 2018 9:00 AM ET

Barbara Bush embodied strength, grace, and dedication to family and faith. Her life was the very definition of what we at Points of Light hold up and support through our mission, a life that includes service to others. A tireless advocate for volunteerism, Mrs. Bush helped countless charities and humanitarian causes during her years in public life.

Research, Reports & Publications

Marshalls plc 2017 United Nations Global Compact Communication on Progress Report: Leveraging Sustainability to Drive Competitive Advantage

Apr 18, 2018 9:00 AM ET

This Marshalls 9th UNGC Communication on Progress sits alongside its Annual Report as the main vehicle for sharing its sustainability progress. Read on and judge for yourself the depth of Marshalls’ actions which clearly demonstrate that sustainability remains at the heart of all that it does.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Albertsons Companies Celebrates Earth Day by Reducing Plastic Waste

Apr 18, 2018 8:00 AM ET

This year, Earth Day is focused on plastic pollution and the lasting effects on our planet. There’s growing concern that plastic, in addition to littering our beaches and clogging our waste streams, is threatening marine wildlife and may end up in our food. Plastic pollution can come from a variety of sources, including clear film in plastic bags or product packaging.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Our Country’s Active Duty Military Personnel, Veterans, and Their Supportive Caregivers Need Our Help

Apr 17, 2018 6:10 PM ET

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation’s $25M Commitment to Cancer Moonshot Recognized at AACR Annual Meeting

Apr 17, 2018 5:40 PM ET

The Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation’s commitment to address health disparities in cancer outcomes and care was represented at the Biden Cancer Initiative event at AACR. In 2016, the Foundation joined the Cancer Moonshot initiative and donated $25M to grantee projects to expand community-based cancer care resources and patient engagement and support programs for racial and ethnic minorities, rural, low income and vulnerable populations in the U.S. Grantee projects are being implemented in over 25 states across the country.

Research, Reports & Publications

How the Process of Identifying Environmental, Social & Governance Issues Can Point the Way to Enhanced Shareholder Value Targets

Apr 17, 2018 5:20 PM ET

As bottom-up investors, our process starts at the company level. We subject all candidates for inclusion in our high-conviction portfolios to rigorous fundamental analysis and peer review. ESG analysis is embedded in this assessment, influencing key assumptions such as the cost of capital, revenues and expenses. From this we can seek to estimate a company’s intrinsic value.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

From Chasing Storms to Scaling Poles, Duke Energy Lineworkers Keep the Grid Running

Apr 17, 2018 4:20 PM ET

Lineworkers have jobs unlike any other – they chase storms, climb poles and know the ins and outs of the energy grid – and, with the demands of the job, are always on standby when severe weather strikes.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Keep America Beautiful and Volunteers Unite for Great American Cleanup Earth Day Events Nationwide

Apr 17, 2018 2:45 PM ET

Keep America Beautiful, the nation’s iconic community improvement nonprofit organization, led by its network of more than 600 affiliates and other partners across the country, will rally tens of thousands of volunteers at events across the country on and around Earth Day, Sunday, April 22, as part of its annual Great American Cleanup.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Humana Offering $500,000 for Plan to Address Hunger, Isolation in Broward

Apr 17, 2018 2:30 PM ET

Broward County organizations that connect residents to healthy food are invited to apply for grants “no smaller than” $500,000 from the Humana Foundation, the charitable arm of the health insurance giant.

Research, Reports & Publications

PNC Publishes 2017 Corporate Social Responsibility Report

Apr 17, 2018 1:00 PM ET

As a Main Street bank organized around its customers and communities, we recognize that success isn’t about whether we sold another deposit product or booked another loan. It’s about whether we helped people and institutions achieve their financial goals. It’s about whether we are helping our communities to thrive. It’s about whether our employees are achieving their career aspirations and whether we are collectively living our values in a way that makes us all proud to work for PNC. It’s about whether we are doing right by the people we serve. And we know that when we do, financial success follows.

Research, Reports & Publications

Sappi North America Releases 2017 Sustainability Report, Receives Gold Rating From EcoVadis

Apr 17, 2018 1:00 PM ET

Sappi North America, a leading producer and supplier of diversified paper and packaging products, has released its 2017 Sustainability Report showcasing its industry leading sustainability performance. The report includes up-to-date information on the company’s progress against five year goals measuring environmental, economic and social responsibility commitments as well as providing insights into its continued technical innovation.