ESG News from Leading Brands

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Recruitment and Retention for Tomorrow’s Workforce

Jun 22, 2017 3:20 PM ET

In today’s war for talent, organizations and leaders are looking for strategies to attract individuals who will thrive in a senior care environment. The key word is strategy, which requires a plan of action. Incorporating a strong workforce planning process is an essential component of the overall business strategy.

Environment

Survey Finds Majority of World’s Leading Companies Will Maintain Climate Investments and Strategies, Despite Changing Policies in Washington

Jun 22, 2017 3:20 PM ET

A survey distributed in June by CECP: The CEO Force for Good to the largest global companies asked how corporate environmental strategy stacks up against current Federal and global agreements and regulations. Two-thirds of respondents indicated that their company already goes “beyond what’s required” and is committed to that path.

Events, Media & Communications

CECP Announces Second CEO Investor Forum As Movement to Encourage Corporate Long-Term Planning, Disclosure, and Governance Gains Momentum

Jun 22, 2017 3:10 PM ET

CECP, a coalition of more than 200 of the world’s largest companies, announced that its Strategic Investor Initiative (SII) will host the second CEO Investor Forum (CIF) on September 19th, 2017, at the Bloomberg LP HQ. This invitation-only event will feature leading CEOs presenting their company’s long-term strategic plans—including operational and financial outlooks ranging three to five years or more--to an audience of 200 long-term-oriented institutional investors and pension funds, collectively representing $25 trillion in AUM. CEOs confirmed to date include: Mark Bertolini, CEO of Aetna; Michael P. Gregoire, CEO of CA Technologies; Kevin Clark, President and CEO, Delphi; Johan Dennelind, President and CEO of Telia; and Rodney O. "Rod" Martin, Chairman and CEO of Voya Financial.

Research, Reports & Publications

Owens Corning Publishes 2016 Sustainability Report

Jun 22, 2017 3:00 PM ET

Owens Corning today published its 2016 sustainability report. The company’s 11th annual report, themed It All Adds Up, documents the actions and efforts driving its global “handprint” and environmental footprint progress.

Events, Media & Communications

Final Days to Register for U.S. Chamber Foundation's Resilience Event, June 26

Jun 22, 2017 2:45 PM ET

Promoting Resilience and Cross-Sector Collaboration for a Sustainable Future will take a comprehensive look at the different social drivers that impact a community’s ability to prepare and respond. Starting with a holistic approach to community development, experts will discuss best practices to creating resiliency plans.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Nine Out of 10 Americans and Canadians Call for Affordable Housing Solutions

Jun 22, 2017 2:15 PM ET

A majority of Americans and Canadians have made it clear: we are not paying enough attention to affordable housing needs and solutions, according to Habitat for Humanity’s Affordable Housing Survey.

Environment

A Big Data Approach to Gathering CSR Data

Jun 22, 2017 2:00 PM ET

CSRHub uses input from investor-driven sources (known as “ESG” for Environment, Social, and Governance or “SRI” for Socially Responsible Investment), non-governmental organizations, government organizations, and “crowd sources” to construct a 360 degree view of a company’s sustainability performance.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Investing in Employee Development Fuels Unrivaled Culture and Talent

Jun 22, 2017 1:45 PM ET

At Yum!, we aim to unlock the true potential in all of our employees by investing in both their professional and personal development through our holistic performance management process called the Building People Capability (BPC) cycle.

Green Infrastructure

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Approves SCS Global Services as Third Party Certifier for Formaldehyde Emission Standards for Composite Wood Products

Jun 22, 2017 1:30 PM ET

Leading third-party certifier SCS Global Services (SCS) announced today that it is now approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a Third Party Certifier (TPC) for the Formaldehyde Emission Standards for Composite Wood Products, commonly referred to as the EPA Formaldehyde Rule.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

AT&T Recognized as No. 1 Community-Minded Communications Company

Jun 22, 2017 1:10 PM ET

Diversity & Inclusion

Inclusivity Strengthens Century Project

Jun 22, 2017 1:00 PM ET

In this final installment of our four part series on diversity and inclusion in our workplace, we look at how large scale operations and projects have the potential to significantly boost the profile of women in mining and inspire increased inclusivity and innovation.

Diversity & Inclusion

LA Galaxy to Host 4th Annual Pride Night on June 24 at StubHub Center

Jun 22, 2017 1:00 PM ET

AEG’s LA Galaxy will celebrate the LGBTQ community of Los Angeles with its 4th Annual Pride Night at StubHub Center on Saturday, June 24, as part of the Galaxy’s home match against Sporting KC, presented by Hotel Tonight (7:30 p.m. PT, Spectrum SportsNet, Spectrum Deportes). As part of the celebration, Covenant House, which offers housing and support services to homeless, runaway and trafficked youth, will serve as the Community Partner of the Match.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Throwback Thursday: Duke Energy Volunteers Through the Decades

Jun 22, 2017 1:00 PM ET

Volunteer work is part of Duke Energy's legacy and identity as a company. Duke Energy is committed to powering the lives of its customers and the vitality of it communities in the seven states it serves. That's why employees contribute their time and money giving back to the community.

Responsible Production & Consumption

The Bee Lab Takes On a Big Threat to Bees

Jun 22, 2017 12:55 PM ET

People know how to protect themselves from disease, but what about bees? Varroa mites are one of the most significant threats to honey bee health today.

Research, Reports & Publications

Highlights from Bridging the Technology Divide at Taproot Foundation's U.S. Pro Bono Summit

Jun 22, 2017 12:35 PM ET

The Taproot Foundation's U.S. Pro Bono Summit is an annual gathering of leaders from across sectors and industries with a shared vision to make the talents and skills of the business community accessible to social change organizations.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Beyond Financing: Key Attributes of a Public-Private Partnership

Jun 22, 2017 12:30 PM ET

Public-private partnerships (P3s) are most commonly known for funding large-scale water infrastructure projects that a utility can’t support through traditional funding. However, other key attributes in the P3 model are often overlooked. In a P3, the private entity may provide the capital, but the true benefits go well beyond financing alone.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

HPE Awarded for Innovation and Corporate Citizenship

Jun 22, 2017 12:15 PM ET

This week, HPE took home two awards that recognized the company’s innovative initiatives and its ongoing efforts in the community. On Monday, HPE won the Global Grand Prize for Innovation at the ISPIM Innovation Conference in Vienna for the Living Progress Challenge, and on Wednesday, Civic 50 announced that HPE is on its list of the 50 most community-minded companies in the United States.

Research, Reports & Publications

Bloomberg Strengthens Green Bond Accountability

Jun 22, 2017 12:10 PM ET

Environment

How to Activate a World Class Water Stewardship Strategy Within Your Company

Jun 22, 2017 11:45 AM ET

If your organization aspires to world class water stewardship, you need to check out the World Class Water Stewardship framework that can help guide your efforts. Antea Group's blog offers guidance and steps to using this framework to your best advantage.

Research, Reports & Publications

Comcast NBCUniversal Releases 2017 Corporate Social Responsibility Report

Jun 22, 2017 11:30 AM ET

At Comcast NBCUniversal, we are committed to using our platforms, media channels and strategic expertise across our varied businesses to create opportunities for individuals and communities to succeed, including by creating more access to technology and fostering innovation in diverse communities.

Research, Reports & Publications

New In-Depth Technology Review Supporting Cement Sector in Further Mitigating Its CO2 Emissions

Jun 22, 2017 11:05 AM ET

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)’s Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI) published a report focusing on the availability of the latest technologies and the need to scale up research and development that can help the cement industry mitigate its greenhouse gas emissions.

Environment

Once There Were Fish, but Then the Coal Mining Began

Jun 22, 2017 11:00 AM ET

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

City Accelerator Expands to Five More U.S. Cities With a Focus on Strengthening Local Procurement Practices to Promote Economic Opportunity

Jun 22, 2017 11:00 AM ET

The Citi Foundation and Living Cities today announced the expansion of the City Accelerator program to five additional U.S. cities – Charlotte, Chicago, Los Angeles, Memphis, and Milwaukee. The five cities will work together over the next year to refine their approach to procurement spending, pursuing at least one new strategy to increase the diversity of municipal vendors and contractors and direct more spend to local minority-owned businesses.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Timberland Encourages Employees to Commute Smart this Summer

Jun 22, 2017 11:00 AM ET

Global outdoor lifestyle brand Timberland is driven by a longstanding commitment to protect and preserve the outdoors, around the world and in the communities where it operates. Putting these values into action, the Stratham, New Hampshire-based company recently joined its neighbors in the Seacoast Region’s annual CommuteSMART B2B (Business to Business) Challenge 2017. The event challenges area businesses to encourage employees to reduce their carbon footprint by using sustainable modes of transportation during the month of May. Employees at Timberland’s global headquarters embraced the opportunity, commuting by biking, carpooling, walking or telecommuting instead of driving alone in cars.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

2017 Voya Scholars Winner Klajdi Qoku

Jun 22, 2017 10:50 AM ET

Congratulations to Klajdi Qoku, who is one of five students to receive a $10,000 scholarship from Voya Scholars – a collaborative program launched by Voya Financial, in collaboration with its nonprofit partner, Scholarship America.