ESG News from Leading Brands

Keep up with the latest environmental, social and governance news from companies embracing the triple bottom line, shared via 3BL's distribution platform.

Environment

Duke Energy, Watershed Ecology Center Team Up to Bring Adopt-a-Stream to Spartanburg County

As one of Duke Energy’s Water Resources Fund recipients, Watershed Ecology Center developed the Adopt-a-Stream program for Spartanburg County, and is working with local volunteers and students who have become certified water quality monitors. Thanks to their efforts, Spartanburg County can now monitor and address water quality issues more quickly.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Responding to Natural Disasters: Three Steps for Companies to Maximize Their Impact

In what has been an unforgettable year of natural disasters, companies have demonstrated that they intend to do their part to help devastated communities rebuild. The private sector has committed more than $300 million to date to relief efforts for Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, and millions more in the aftermath of Mexico’s strongest earthquake in a century and the wildfires ravaging northern California.

Education

Live From HUBweek 2017

Last week, HUBweek took over City Hall Plaza. Presented by the Boston Globe, HUBweek sits at the intersection of science, technology, innovation, and general coolness. Visitors explored interactive installments and open spaces full of intriguing displays that highlighted forward-thinking concepts in areas from education to farming to virtual reality.

Sustainable Development Goals

Reporting on the SDGs: Measuring Today’s Contributions and Educating Tomorrow’s Leaders

GRI is strengthening the contribution of the private sector to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by helping make reporting on them more comparable, encouraging private sector engagement and supporting collaboration between business and academia to prepare the next generation of sustainability leaders. ​Read about recent SDG related events here.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

American Express Climbs 30 Spots to Top Best Adoption-Friendly Workplace List

Each year the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption recognizes the nation’s employers that offer the best adoption benefits to employees.
This year, American Express topped the list by overhauling its adoption benefits package for employees. The first place company offers $35,000 in financial reimbursement for the costs of the adoption and 20 weeks of paid leave to employees to bond with their children.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

“On the Road with eBay Motors” Crosses the Finish Line at SEMA

eBay Motors concluded its summer-long “On the Road” tour at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas by auctioning off a custom 1967 Mustang Fastback through eBay for Charity.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Announcing TWITTER® CHAT: “Defending the Harvest: Reducing Food Loss” With the Rockefeller Foundation, Feed the Future and ADM Institute for the Prevention of Postharvest Loss

More than 1.2 billion people go to bed hungry or under-nourished every day, while the food that could feed them is wasted, lost along the food-chain. Such waste also rocks the security of livelihoods for the most vulnerable in the agricultural value chain and negatively impacts the environment. Eliminating food loss—using the harvest wisely—is one of the most solvable problems of our time.

Energy

Imminent Game Changer for Inefficient UK Properties

From April 2018, it will be illegal to let out certain energy inefficient buildings in the UK. Under what has commonly been termed the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards, or MEES, landlords will not be able to let out properties with an Environmental Performance Certificate (EPC) rated F or G. Government estimates have shown this could affect as high as 23% of the commercial real estate market, affecting as much as £165 billion of real estate.

Environment

A Business Sustainability Framework for Understanding Water Stewardship through Shared Value

While many companies are already engaging with climate change and an array of other environmental issues, water is quickly emerging as an impactful driver of both business risk and opportunity in the 21st century. Water is a critical input for many supply chains, providing energy and both direct and indirect materials for production as well as giving life to essential natural resources beyond the company gates.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Two Consumers Energy Leaders Have Been Named Among the Energy Industry’s “Top 40 Innovators”

Two Consumers Energy leaders – Andy Bordine and Holly Bowers – have been named among the energy industry’s “Top 40 Innovators” by Public Utilities Fortnightly, a leading national trade publication.

Education

Turn Today's HBCU Students Into Tomorrow's Leaders With Thurgood Marshall College Fund

Over the last several months, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund received over 3,500 applications for about 500 scholarships providing financial assistance to students at our 47 historically black member institutions across the country. And while we celebrate that 500 students will be able to continue to complete their academic careers over the course of the 2017-18 academic year with support from our valued corporate partners and donors, being able to help less than one out of every five students who express need is not an acceptable success rate by any means.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Sands Bethlehem Raises Money and Supplies for Hurricane Victims

During the months of August and September, major hurricanes ravaged parts of the United States and Puerto Rico, devastating many. Hurricane Harvey trampled through the southern portion of the US – yielding the most destruction in parts of Texas. Across the state, tens of thousands of individuals were left without power, food, and infrastructure. Less than a couple of weeks later, Hurricanes Maria and Irma, caused catastrophic damage in Florida and the US territory, Puerto Rico. In an effort to help those affected, Sands Bethlehem participated in several ways to raise money and supplies for the victims.

Research, Reports & Publications

CLP Shares Sustainability Reporting Insights in WBCSD’s Reporting Matters

The CLP Group shares its Asia Pacific perspective and approach to monitoring key trends for sustainability in the latest edition of Reporting matters.

In the World Business Council for Sustainable Development’s (WBCSD) annual review of member company sustainability reports, CLP highlighted the importance of tracking the trends that are changing the business landscape and the need for incorporating the trends into a company’s strategy to maintain a sustainable business.

Energy

New Report Finds Increased Investment in Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Far Outweigh Costs

As automakers continue to bring new electric vehicles to the marketplace, electric utilities are grappling with the challenge of deploying adequate electric vehicle charging infrastructure to ensure that vehicles can be charged reliably. A new analysis released today by the sustainability nonprofit organization Ceres and M.J. Bradley & Associates finds that the benefits of increased investment in electric vehicle charging infrastructure outweigh the costs by more than 3 to 1.

Sustainable Development Goals

World Business Council Releases Policy Recommendations for Climate Negotiators at the Start of COP23 in Bonn

Today at the start of COP23, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) released key policy recommendations for this year’s round of climate negotiations ahead of next year’s global stock take on progress made towards the Paris Agreement.

Diversity & Inclusion

Smithfield Foods Veteran Highlight: John Fineran

“Serving in the military has made me a better person, someone who is not afraid to speak his mind and take on challenges,” says John Fineran, 37, a territory manager assistant for Smithfield’s Hog Production Division in West Central Iowa. “That has certainly helped me in my work.”

Environment

First Nation Elders Visit De Beers Mine to Taste the Fish

The event is one of the ways the company seeks to gain traditional knowledge as part of the mine’s environmental monitoring programme. A dozen lake trout were caught from Kirk Lake by elders from Behchoko and Lutsel K’e, who were accompanied by a member of the mine’s environment team. Kirk Lake is about 20km downstream from the mine site.

Health & Healthcare

How to Avoid Scary Situations in Food Processing

The food manufacturing industry is subject to regulations and scrutiny that few other industries are: social pressure is ever-present, as news of infection or disease outbreak caused by food-borne pathogens strikes an uneasy nerve in consumers. Manufacturers can be subject to tremendous backlash if they do not take the proper steps to ensure their manufacturing facilities are appropriately equipped to prevent and mitigate the risk of food contamination.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

EMEA President, Teresa Parker, Named on Financial News’s 11th List of the 100 Most Influential Women in Finance

A leadership shakeup in January 2017 handed Parker responsibility for Northern Trust’s asset servicing, asset management and wealth businesses, as well as regulatory affairs, across EMEA.

Research, Reports & Publications

Marathon Petroleum Corp. Expands Safety and Greenhouse Gas Data Reporting

Marathon Petroleum Corp. (NYSE: MPC) has released its 2017 Citizenship Report, which includes expanded data on safety, greenhouse gas emissions, process safety events, waste generation and more.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

MetLife Named to Working Mother “100 Best Companies” List for 19th Year in a Row

MetLife, Inc. has earned a spot on the 2017 Working Mother magazine’s “100 Best Companies” list for outstanding leadership in programs, policies and a culture that supports working families.

Green Infrastructure

New State-of-the-Art Office Building in Brooklyn, New York

Tetra Tech provided consulting engineering services to create an innovative, flexible, and comfortable office space in Brooklyn, New York.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Burger King Shaves to Show Support for Movember

November marks the start of the hairiest month of the year: Movember. During this annual event hosted by the Movember Foundation, men across the world grow out their ‘staches to raise awareness of men's health issues, such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and men's suicide. This no-shave-November, one company is helping change the face of men’s health by changing their own.

Social Impact & Volunteering

SMCAA, Whirlpool Volunteers Team up to Fight Hunger

Members of the Whirlpool Women's Network made up the majority of volunteers during a recent event at the Southwest Michigan Community Action Agency (SMCAA), where several dozen people helped pack boxes full of non-perishable food items for low-income seniors and families.

Health & Healthcare

Jens’s Story​: ​The Power of Precision Medicine, Personalized Care & A Brave Kid

Jens Hildreth is a fun-loving 8-year-old. He smiles a lot. He is on the move – a lot. And he asks questions – a lot! Sam, when is the kid’s library open? Hey Bill, when is your partner coming to the security desk? Jens seems to know everyone at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital (HDVCH) in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Latest Campaigns

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