ESG News from Leading Brands

Social Impact & Volunteering

Points of Light Civic Accelerator Launches Fall 2017 Class

Sep 27, 2017 10:00 AM ET

The Points of Light Civic Accelerator – the first national accelerator dedicated to investing in civic ventures – announced today the 12 ventures selected to participate in its fall 2017 program. The ventures come from across the United States a

Education

Announcing Twitter Chat: “the Skills Mismatch: Approaching a Collective Strategy” With the Dow Chemical Company, Sap, Dreamoval Foundation, and Making Cents International

Sep 27, 2017 10:00 AM ET

Following on the heels of the Global Engagement Forum: Live (GEF: Live)—a convening that focused on cross-sector collaboration for solvable problems—join the Dow Chemical Company, SAP, DreamOval Foundation from Ghana, and Making Cents International for a LIVE PYXERA Global-hosted Twitter Chat on Wed, Oct 4 at 11 AM, ET at #GEFlive and on the PYXERA Global website.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Collaboration is Key to Success, Says Carlsberg Group During Climate Week NYC

Sep 27, 2017 9:40 AM ET

Demonstrating clear corporate leadership during Climate Week NYC 2017, RE100 member Carlsberg Group has highlighted the importance of working in partnership with others to reduce emissions and address climate change.

Sustainable Development Goals

How Dell Is Considering the Use of the UN Sustainable Development Goals Framework to Move Business Forward

Sep 27, 2017 9:30 AM ET

One of the perks of working in corporate responsibility is getting to think about how really big problems that seem far out on the horizon can be impacted by businesses today. As exciting as it can be to think about our role, it can also seem quite daunting.

Health & Healthcare

Merck for Mothers Blog | A Conversation with Lynsey Addario

Sep 27, 2017 9:25 AM ET

An important part of our mission at Merck for Mothers is to draw attention to the urgent issues affecting maternal health for women; to help raise awareness and to deepen our own understanding of what women need not just to survive pregnancy and childbirth, but to thrive. Our partnership with TIME magazine is part of that. We are proud to be a sponsor of TIME's ongoing series, Finding Home, an indepth look at what the journey to motherhood looks like for a refugee, featuring the work of award-winning photojournalist Lynsey Addario. Our Executive Director Mary-Ann Etiebet recently caught up with Lynsey to hear more about what she learned covering this story. The following are excerpts from that conversation.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Conducting Business 'The Aflac Way'

Sep 27, 2017 9:15 AM ET

Environment

Scaling-Up Investment into Land Restoration

Sep 27, 2017 9:15 AM ET

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Heightening CSR Impact through a Culture of Purpose

Sep 27, 2017 9:05 AM ET

At BNY Mellon, our purpose is “Improving Lives through Investing.” It is the vision that our leaders have set for the company, and one that all employees know and live out.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Genuine Responsibility (TM) at Gildan

Sep 27, 2017 9:00 AM ET

Over the last 30 years, Gildan has grown into a very different apparel company, with close to 90% of its revenues being generated from products manufactured in its company-owned and operated factories.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Microfinance in the Face of Adversity: Emergency Loans in Cameroon

Sep 27, 2017 9:00 AM ET

During annual field visits to our microfinance partners, we often see them searching for better ways to help their clients. Unexpected household shocks can seriously jeopardize the livelihoods of the poorest entrepreneurs and their families. The microfinance sector may be in its infancy in successfully providing access to financial products to buffer the effects of devastating health emergencies, floods, droughts, fires and other disasters, but we have seen innovative approaches from partners all over the world designed to mitigate these unexpected events.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Subaru Partners with Klean Kanteen to Promote Sustainability

Sep 27, 2017 9:00 AM ET

Subaru continues to showcase its nature loving image by partnering with Klean Kanteen to launch a multi-year partnership that focuses on sustainability. Klean Kanteen is the first stainless steel reusable water bottle manufacturer, while Subaru is known for being America’s first zero-landfill automaker.

Diversity & Inclusion

Women Need to Be Confident in Their Ability, Says De Beers' Esther Oberbeck

Sep 27, 2017 9:00 AM ET

There’s never been a better time to be a woman at De Beers Group, says Head of Strategy Esther Oberbeck, but don’t shy away from making your ambitions clear.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Celebrate National Coffee Day with O Organics® Fair Trade Certified™ Coffee

Sep 27, 2017 9:00 AM ET

Coffee is enjoyed every day, but it’s especially celebrated on National Coffee Day (September 29)! According to the National Coffee Association, the average American drinks 3.1 cups of coffee a day— that’s nearly 80 gallons of coffee per year!

Environment

NeighborWoods® Month Survey Reveals That Trees Grow Happier and Healthier Communities

Sep 27, 2017 7:00 AM ET

Alliance for Community Trees, a program of the Arbor Day Foundation encompassing a collective of local tree planting nonprofits, kicks off NeighborWoods Month — the annual celebration of trees and green communities.

Environment

Scotiabank Instilling Environmental Awareness and a Commitment to Green Mobility

Sep 26, 2017 5:35 PM ET

Climate change and air pollution are large environmental challenges affecting all of us. At Scotiabank, we recognize that a better future is intrinsically linked to the health of our planet, and we are committed to reducing our impact on the environment.

Sustainable Development Goals

Sappi North America's Key Performance Indicators: Energy

Sep 26, 2017 5:30 PM ET

Our pulp and paper products are derived from renewable resources, made with high levels of renewable energy, and are designed to be reused or recycled. While it is difficult to identify a more sustainable industry than forest products, not all companies perform equally when it comes to operating safely and sustainably.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Republic Services Earns Top Industry Award for Excellence in Composting Systems

Sep 26, 2017 5:05 PM ET

Republic Services of Oregon is pleased to announce that the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) has named Republic’s Pacific Region Compost Facility (PRC) the winner of the Silver Excellence Award in the Composting Systems category. The award was presented at SWANA’s annual conference, WASTECON®, today in Baltimore.

Innovation & Technology

LG Expands Google Assistant Capabilities Across Extensive Smart Appliance Portfolio

Sep 26, 2017 5:00 PM ET

Driving home its commitment to future-ready open platforms for smart appliances, LG Electronics USA today announced that almost 87 Wi-Fi connected LG smart home appliances – including ENERGY STAR® certified washing machines and dryers, refrigerators, ovens, dishwashers, vacuums, air purifiers and more – are now compatible with the Google Assistant on Google Home and eligible Android and iOS smartphones.

Innovation & Technology

Leveraging Technology to Build a Successful Public-Private Partnership

Sep 26, 2017 4:35 PM ET

Leveraging technology and innovation is essential to build capacity, streamline programs, and further impact in successful public-private partnerships (PPPs). Technology can be leveraged in two ways: first through the use of technical tools and platforms, and second through the use of technical knowledge to ensure expertise and innovative practices are applied uniformly and consistently to community investment strategies.

Events, Media & Communications

Start Your Shared Value Journey - Shared Value 101 Webinar

Sep 26, 2017 4:30 PM ET

On Wednesday, October 18 the Shared Value Initiative is hosting "Starting Your Journey: Shared Value 101", a 75 minute webinar which will feature an overview of the shared value theory and a candid discussion of how some of the world’s leading companies are implementing it.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Carnival Fascination Delivers Food, Water and Other Relief Supplies to Island of Barbuda

Sep 26, 2017 4:30 PM ET

During a port call in Antigua, Carnival Fascination dropped off pallets of water, food, and other items to be delivered to Barbuda as part of the island’s recovery and relief efforts. The delivery is part an ongoing initiative by Carnival to bring critical supplies to affected Caribbean islands following Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Fighting Hunger With Pro Bono, Part 1

Sep 26, 2017 4:05 PM ET

September is Hunger Action Month. A month to take action, spread the word, and dedicate ourselves to ending hunger. In honor of this month, and as part of our hunger initiative--Accelerate Change--Taproot is releasing inspiring stories of pro bono making an impact. Thanks to support from Alliance to End Hunger, we're showcasing how three organizations are taking advantage of expertise to do everything from effectively providing healthy meals and expanding access to fresh food, to increasing the promotion of regional food distribution, education, and advocacy to those who need it.

Events, Media & Communications

2018 International Corporate Citizenship Conference: Resilience, Responsibility, Results

Sep 26, 2017 4:00 PM ET

Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship is pleased to announce that registration is open for the 2018 International Corporate Citizenship Conference | April 8-10 in Los Angeles. This year's conference will focus on resilience, responsibility, results.

Diversity & Inclusion

Delivering on the Dream of Diversity

Sep 26, 2017 3:40 PM ET

At the annual conference of UnidosUS, through the lens of three shared diversity beliefs, David Abney examined UPS’s 35-year relationship with America’s largest Latino nonprofit advocacy organization.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Timberland and VF Sponsor Classrooms for Children in the Dominican Republic

Sep 26, 2017 3:30 PM ET

This fall, there will be three more classrooms at the Cienfuegos Daycare Center, thanks to outdoor lifestyle brand Timberland and its parent company, VF Corporation. The daycare center, located in one of the poorest areas in the Dominican Republic, cares for many of the children of employees at both the Recreation Footwear Company (RFC), Timberland’s owned footwear factory, and Sun Jade, a factory that makes footwear for Vans, another VF brand.