ESG News from Leading Brands

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Gildan Receives Bronze Class Distinction in the RobecoSAM 2018 Sustainability Yearbook

Feb 7, 2018 7:00 AM ET

Gildan has been included in the 2018 RobecoSAM Sustainability Yearbook for the sixth consecutive year. This year, the company received the Bronze Class distinction. RobecSAM’s Sustainability Yearbook is one of the world’s most comprehensive publications on corporate sustainability. The index has been built using a selection of criteria that best captures a company’s quality of management and its potential to create long-term value.

Environment

FX’s “American Crime Story” Donates $15,000 Worth of Set Materials to Habitat for Humanity

Feb 6, 2018 7:00 PM ET

Twentieth Century Fox Television and the production crew of FX Networks’ American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace have made donations of nearly $15,000 worth of furniture, artwork, lights and more materials used on set to the Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles. The organization helps provide home improvement materials to families in need, and TCFTV provided an entire warehouse worth of items at entirely no cost. 21st Century Fox’s film and television productions regularly find new homes for leftover set materials in order to both reduce waste and support the communities where these projects work and film.

Research, Reports & Publications

Caring About the Game

Feb 6, 2018 6:20 PM ET

“It seems to be easier to win the game when you care about the game.” The morning after the Super Bowl seems an appropriate time to write about the game, but it’s not actually the game of football that I’m interested in. It’s the game of business and what it takes to win in 2018.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

The 3 Big Trends in Employee Giving & Volunteering

Feb 6, 2018 5:00 PM ET

At Realized Worth, we spend a lot of time researching, evaluating and developing employee giving and volunteering programs. Understandably, most of our clients want to know about current trends, best practices and new developments in technology that may produce an award winning corporate community investment program. Here’s how we answer that question: “There is a big difference between trends and mechanisms.”

Environment

Brown-Forman Invests in Renewable Energy

Feb 6, 2018 4:30 PM ET

Brown-Forman Corporation today announced a major commitment to renewable energy with an agreement to purchase 30 megawatts (MW) of electricity annually from Solomon Forks Wind Project, a new wind power project in Kansas. The wind farm is expected to generate the equivalent of more than 90% of Brown-Forman’s annual electricity usage in the United States. Brown-Forman is the first major U.S. spirits and wine producer to commit to a power purchase agreement (PPA) in the U.S.

Environment

Maya van Rossum and the Green Amendment Movement

Feb 6, 2018 4:15 PM ET

When the crafters of the Declaration of Independence affirmed "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" as inalienable rights, they could not have known that private industry practices like fracking would one day pose grave dangers to the holders of those rights. Our guest today on Sea Change Radio, Maya van Rossum, asserts not only that protection from these dangers should be understood as inalienable, but that environmental protections should be explicitly named in our constitution.

Health & Healthcare

CVS Health Offering No Cost "Know Your Numbers" Heart Health Screenings As Part of Its National Support of American Heart Association's Go Red For Women Movement

Feb 6, 2018 4:00 PM ET

As part of its continued support of the American Heart Association's Go Red For Women movement, CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) today extended its commitment to women's health by offering no cost "Know Your Numbers" heart health screenings at MinuteClinic, the company's retail medical clinic, every Wednesday in February.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

CareerBliss Happiest Company Spotlight: PNC Financial Services

Feb 6, 2018 3:25 PM ET

What makes a company happy? To answer this question, we turned to the experts: PNC Financial Services, one of our top ten 2018 Happiest Companies in America!

Education

CITGO and Houston Astros’ Carlos Correa Team up for SpringSpirit Baseball’s Breakfast for Champions

Feb 6, 2018 3:10 PM ET

CITGO Petroleum Corporation and Houston Astros’ Star Shortstop and 2015 American League Rookie of the Year Carlos Correa teamed up for SpringSpirit Baseball’s Eighth Annual Breakfast for Champions fundraiser. During the breakfast, Lance Berkman – former Astro, fellow World Series Champion and SpringSpirit Board member – led a conversation with Correa about what he has learned in his journey to become a professional baseball player.

Events, Media & Communications

Dell Eyes a Future That's More Than Just New PC Hardware

Feb 6, 2018 2:30 PM ET

Dell's wide-ranging CES press conference focused less on systems than you might expect, demonstrating the scope of the company's strategy.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Aramark Building Community: A Decade of Impact

Feb 6, 2018 2:25 PM ET

Millions of families struggle to make ends meet, but through Aramark Building Community, Aramark partners with local community centers to provide solutions. Tens of thousands of employees have shared their skills and expertise to inspire healthy lifestyles and help people succeed at work. Watch the video to see Aramark volunteers at work.

Research, Reports & Publications

A New Model for Building Social-Benefit Markets – Research by Jacqueline Corbett and Erb Institute Visiting Scholar, Wren Montgomery

Feb 6, 2018 2:00 PM ET

Like all markets, social-benefit markets provide a platform for buyers and sellers to exchange commodities, but they are distinguished by their unique goal of improving social and environmental conditions. For example, most people are familiar with carbon trading markets, which aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Social-benefit markets are not only a promising strategy to combat pressing social and environmental problems; they are also contributing significantly to the world economy, with trading volumes estimated to reach $1 trillion by 2020. Still, the problems that these social-benefit markets address are large, complex and multifaceted; their development and sustenance therefore will require novel entrepreneurial approaches.

Green Infrastructure

Stanton Chase LA and the International Well Building Institute™ Collaborate to Do Well by Talent

Feb 6, 2018 1:45 PM ET

The Los Angeles office of Stanton Chase today announced a collaboration with the International WELL Building Institute™ (IWBI™) to be the “Thought Leader” to educate executives and management of companies on the critical importance of healthy workplace environments. As part of the collaboration, Stanton Chase will introduce clients to IWBI’s WELL Building Standard™ (WELL™), which provides a meaningful solution to advance human health and well-being in the workplace.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Bacardi Supports "Miami Is Not Plastic" Campaign Launch

Feb 6, 2018 1:30 PM ET

Bacardi came out to support the “Miami Is Not Plastic” launch event, an initiative to inspire hospitality businesses in the Miami area to reduce single-use disposable plastics in an effort to help keep our oceans clean. Local politicians, hospitality leaders, eco-friendly vendors, charitable organizations, and about 300 guests – including many Bacardi employees and business partners - came out to show their support. Bacardi had the opportunity to share its “No Straws” initiative with all attendees, as well as support the campaign’s kickoff with an open bar showcasing reusable metal straws printed with “Good Spirited” that guests were encourage to take home.

Green Infrastructure

Faster, Smarter, Greener

Feb 6, 2018 1:25 PM ET

Changing consumer behaviors are driving new economies and possibilities in a world of hyper-connectivity. But what lessons can cities, technologists and entrepreneurs take from this shift?
This excerpt from  Faster, Smarter, Greener: The Future of the Car and Urban Mobility (MIT Press), explores the factors altering the trajectory of mobility in developed economies, as well as the ripple effects of such disruption.

Media & Communications

It’s 2018 – Does Wall Street “Get It” on Corporate Sustainability and Sustainable Investment? A Noted Author Explores the Question...

Feb 6, 2018 1:15 PM ET

Does Wall Street finally care about sustainability? A noted sustainability author (Andrew Winston) muses about this in the pages of the influential journal for the C-suite – the Harvard Business Review. Yes, we think – more and more asset owners and managers are getting aboard the train...but there is work to do.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Creating a Culture of Skill Sharing: Research Triangle Foundation of North Carolina Spotlight

Feb 6, 2018 12:45 PM ET

The Common Impact team is looking forward to a year full of exciting project opportunities and innovation! To kick us off with some inspiration, we're bringing back a project with a talented team from Fidelity Investments and its nonprofit partner, Research Triangle Foundation of North Carolina (RTF), whose mission is to support and partner with local universities, create jobs, and lift up all the citizens of North Carolina by providing a positive economic and social impact.

Environment

Yacht Converted into Mobile Science Lab with Xylem Solution

Feb 6, 2018 12:30 PM ET

Up to 15 percent of the world’s cargo traffic is handled in the Baltic Sea, making it one of the busiest areas for ship traffic in the world. As part of an EU project, a yacht has been modified with Xylem water-monitoring technology to research the environmental impact of shipping in the region.

Today the Baltic Sea is heavily trafficked by a variety of ships, including ferries, cruise ships, oil tankers, car carriers, and container and other cargo ships. Due to its narrow straights and shallow waters, the sea is difficult to navigate. In some of the major ship lanes, one large ship passes on average every ten minutes.

The ever-expanding shipping and tourism industries have led to growing environmental pressure on the waterway.

Innovation & Technology

How Drones Are Helping Traditional Industries Take Flight Into the Future

Feb 6, 2018 12:00 PM ET

Not long ago, the mere thought of drones was reserved for the military and sci-fi movies. Today, they’ve become a part of everyday conversation among friends, in the media and beyond. While drones aren’t swarming the skies yet, many companies across industries are using them more and more to increase efficiency and productivity.

“Drone technology is going to disrupt businesses,” says Elaine Whyte, head of drones (UK) at PricewaterhouseCoopers. “They’re agile, inexpensive, and rapid to respond. So, they can go and reach places that are difficult for a business to get to.”

Ultimately, implementing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) will make jobs easier, safer and more cost-effective, which is a win-win across sectors.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

KeyBank Provides $14.9 Million in Financing for Affordable Housing Acquisitions

Feb 6, 2018 12:00 PM ET

KeyBank Real Estate Capital has provided a total of $14.9 million in Fannie Mae financing to Harmony Housing, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to providing safe, clean and comfortable affordable housing throughout the United States, for the acquisition of three affordable housing properties in North Carolina, Texas and Wisconsin.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Sustainable Brands to Convene Global Executives at SB’18 Vancouver

Feb 6, 2018 12:00 PM ET

Sustainable Brands® reveals highlights for its upcoming global flagship conference: SB’18 Vancouver. More than 3,000 brand and business leaders will convene June 4 -7 at the Vancouver Convention Centre in Vancouver, British Columbia to focus on how brands are updating their products and services to meet shifting consumer demands in an evolving economy.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

In the Vanguard: Fund Giants Urge CEOs to Be a 'force for Good'

Feb 6, 2018 11:45 AM ET

American markets are spinning on a carousel. As fourth-quarter corporate earnings tumble out this week, analysts are digesting every digit, leaving share prices swinging. But if Bill McNabb, chairman of Vanguard, has his way, this carousel may soon spin differently.

Innovation & Technology

T. Rowe Price Sponsors Local Cybersecurity Programs to Grow Baltimore's Cybersecurity Workforce

Feb 6, 2018 11:30 AM ET

T. Rowe Price Group (NASDAQ-GS: TROW) announced today that the firm’s information security team made financial contributions to two local cybersecurity programs in an effort to support science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education and research specifically in cybersecurity. University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) Center for Cybersecurity received $60,000 and Loyola Blakefield received $25,000.

Supply Chain & the Circular Economy

New Animation: GRI Competitive Business Program for SMEs

Feb 6, 2018 11:30 AM ET

GRI's newly established Competitive Business Program is tailored to help SMEs to break into global value chains by improving transparency around their sustainability impacts. This two-minute animation will list the many benefits of corporate responsibility for SMEs, and how GRI can help them become more competitive.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Kate Remsen Inspires a Greener Viacom With “Eco-Lodeon”

Feb 6, 2018 11:15 AM ET