ESG News from Leading Brands

Green Infrastructure

Leonardo Academy Releases Survey Report

Feb 9, 2017 9:30 AM ET

Today Leonardo Academy, Inc. The Sustainability Experts®, released a survey report about the use of the LEED® green building rating system among colleges and universities in the United States.

Environment

Goodwill: The Unsung Hero of Healthcare Plastics Recycling

Feb 9, 2017 9:30 AM ET

Most people know Goodwill as a thrift store, or donation center for unwanted items, and not as being in the recycling business. However, Goodwill is helping to reduce landfilling and associated environmental impacts through various recycling efforts. One such effort involves Kaiser Permanente and Goodwill Southern California. Their partnership began in 2009 when Kaiser Permanente was looking for a vendor to take their 20 tons/year of blue wrap, a nonwoven material made from polypropylene used for wrapping surgical instruments for sterilization.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Making a Difference for Children Like CJ

Feb 9, 2017 9:00 AM ET

Dee Marks adopted her son CJ from foster care. It was a journey she had taken before, but one that she knew would be difficult. “I knew that we were going to face a lot of uphill battles, especially in the beginning. But there was just something there. I can’t explain it. Right from that first day, I didn’t want to leave him.”

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Stacey Taylor, MGM Resorts International Senior Vice President and Chief Procurement Officer, Recognized for Company's Diversity Efforts

Feb 9, 2017 9:00 AM ET

MGM Resorts Senior Vice President and Chief Procurement Officer Stacey Taylor has been named a 2017 Diversity Leader by Profiles in Diversity Journal.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Merck Foundation Announces Six Program Grant Recipients for Alliance to Advance Patient-Centered Cancer Care

Feb 9, 2017 9:00 AM ET

Health & Healthcare

Finding Better Ways to Prepare for Future Health Threats

Feb 9, 2017 9:00 AM ET

Ebola, Zika, SARS and the return of avian flu to the headlines recently are reminders that the threat of a new epidemic is never far away. With increased air travel and populations on the move, it doesn’t take long for a virus to spread between countries and jump across continents, with potentially catastrophic results.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

TCS Certified as a Top Employer in North America 2017

Feb 9, 2017 8:45 AM ET

Social Impact & Volunteering

NRG's Vehicle Donation Drives Circular Economy

Feb 9, 2017 8:30 AM ET

From creating a more sustainable world to shrinking our carbon footprint; conservation and re-thinking waste are central to making our community and our planet, a cleaner and safer place to live. Recently, I partnered with the greater Trenton community to bring the circular economy to Mercer Street Friends, Mercer County’s only food bank.

Environment

Rainforest Alliance Partnership Promotes Biodiversity Conservation

Feb 9, 2017 8:15 AM ET

For 16 years, Domtar has collaborated with the Rainforest Alliance to preserve the integrity of North American forests and promote biodiversity conservation through responsible paper production and fiber sourcing. Domtar and the Rainforest Alliance have partnered on a number of initiatives that advance sustainable land use and forestry. In 2017 the partnership continues as Domtar and the Rainforest Alliance team up to expand responsible forest certification on the ground and spread awareness about sustainable land use and biodiversity conservation, starting with their Follow the Frog campaign.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Amway Volunteers Share the Passion Behind Their Volunteer Efforts

Feb 9, 2017 8:15 AM ET

Everyone has a story. At Amway, our employees and Amway Business Owners continue to write new chapters in their personal stories as they improve local communities through their personal volunteer efforts.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

UN Global Compact Bulletin (February 2017)

Feb 9, 2017 8:05 AM ET

Explore our new Action Platforms!

See how your company can make the biggest impact and deliver on the SDGs.

Health & Healthcare

The Worst Disease You’ve Never Heard of is Just as Common as Cystic Fibrosis and ALS

Feb 9, 2017 8:00 AM ET

Have you heard of Epidermolysis Bullosa? Not many people have. Yet, it’s as common as ALS and Cystic Fibrosis. It’s kind of a tongue twister - we call it “EB” for short. There is no cure for EB – daily wound care, pain management, and protective bandaging are the only options available for those with the rare disease. Over the next year, an estimated 200 babies will be born with EB in the United States. That’s 200 more reasons why we are doing something today.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Sodexo Reveals Trends Shaping the Global Workplace in 2017

Feb 9, 2017 8:00 AM ET

Sodexo, world leader in quality of life services, today released its 2017 Global Workplace Trends report, detailing the most critical factors affecting the world’s workers and employers. The report, which can be downloaded here, is an insightful tool for employers navigating the changing workplace to push toward success.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Three Ways to Reinvent for the Fourth Industrial Revolution

Feb 9, 2017 7:50 AM ET

We are on the cusp of a new industrial revolution defined by the blending of our digital and physical worlds. At HP we call this Blended Reality, and we believe it will surpass the revolutions that came before in scale, scope and complexity. Connected factories, robotics, artificial intelligence, augmented reality and 3D printing have the potential to disrupt and reinvent virtually every aspect of the $12 trillion manufacturing industry, unlocking unprecedented economic potential.

Research, Reports & Publications

Bacardi Limited Continues to Deliver Upon Corporate Social Responsibility Commitments

Feb 9, 2017 6:45 AM ET

Bacardi Limited, the largest privately held spirits company in the world, continued to improve in its social responsibility, people, environmental, operational efficiency and sourcing programs. These accomplishments are featured in the ninth annual Bacardi Limited Corporate Responsibility (CR) Report which reinforces the Company’s strategic business initiatives and core values during the 2016 fiscal year encompassing April 1, 2015, to March 31, 2016.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

China Premier Li Keqiang: ‘Economic Openness Serves Everyone Better’

Feb 9, 2017 3:20 AM ET

This is a testing time.

Almost a decade on, the world is still reeling from the fallout of the global financial crisis. China faces its fair share of challenges, but we choose to confront them head on.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Channeling Wisdom: Danielle Holly, CEO of Common Impact

Feb 8, 2017 4:30 PM ET

Danielle Holly is dedicated to creating previously unseen pathways for individuals to meaningfully contribute to making their communities thrive. She envisions a world where every person is able to bring their values and personal mission to their day jobs, integrate healthy and sustainable personal lives and, as a result, have the drive and energy to make our communities more equitable and vibrant.

Health & Healthcare

Love Your Heart

Feb 8, 2017 3:45 PM ET

Not only is Valentine’s Day around the corner, but February is also American Heart Month. Heart disease remains the No. 1 cause of death in the U.S.. What better way to show how much you love your heart than by making heart-healthy food choices?

Environment

Recycling Madness Begins as Colleges Nationwide Battle to be Named Champions of 2017 RecycleMania Competition

Feb 8, 2017 3:00 PM ET

RecycleMania, the premier collegiate recycling competition managed by Keep America Beautiful, is back for the 17th time as college and university campuses across the country rally school spirit while competing to see who will claim the championship title in the fight to reduce, reuse, recycle and compost the most on campus. The 2017 RecycleMania competition launched on Sunday, Feb. 5, and will run for eight weeks, concluding on Saturday, April 1.

Innovation & Technology

Ideagen - Annual Ideagen Global 2030 Leader Summit 2017

Feb 8, 2017 2:30 PM ET

Kevin Donnellan, Chief of Staff of AARP, moderated the first Power Panel opening up the discussion about The Global Disruption of Aging. Mr. Donnellan says, "Our cultures, institutions, social supports and infrastructures have not kept up with the advancements in the way we age that science, technology and innovation had made continue to make possible; that's what the conversation needs to be about. We need to get rid of the outdated beliefs and the stereotypes about aging and spark new solutions, so that more of us can choose how we want to live and age. That means replacing old models that do not work with new ones that do and updating those, so that those of us who want to work can continue to work in the future".

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Wells Fargo’s 50th Lift Program to Boost Las Vegas Valley Homeownership

Feb 8, 2017 2:30 PM ET

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC), NeighborWorks® America and its network member Neighborhood Housing Services of Southern Nevada today announced the NeighborhoodLIFT® program is expanding to Las Vegas Valley with a $5.55 million commitment by Wells Fargo to boost homeownership.

Environment

SABIC Finds Profit in Good Practice

Feb 8, 2017 2:05 PM ET

The Saudi Arabian Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) cuts carbon emissions by recycle CO2. Miranda Ingram reports…

Social Impact & Volunteering

Bilingual Volunteers Needed to Grant Wishes with Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic

Feb 8, 2017 1:45 PM ET

Chances are, you are familiar with the mission behind Make-A-Wish® Mid-Atlantic’s work. Serving children who reside in Maryland, the District of Columbia, Northern Virginia, and Central and Southern Delaware since 1983, Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic has granted the wishes of more than 8,800 children fighting illnesses such as cancer, pediatric AIDS, cystic fibrosis, Duchene's muscular dystrophy and heart disease. However you might be surprised to learn that all of Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic’s wishes are granted by trained volunteers who assume the role of a Wish Granter. And right now they especially need help from bilingual, Spanish-speaking volunteers.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Comcast Awards Two Philadelphia Students $5,000 Scholarships at Annual Mayoral Luncheon

Feb 8, 2017 1:35 PM ET

The Comcast Foundation and Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney on Thursday honored two local students with the Gustave G. Amsterdam Leadership Award at the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce’s annual Mayoral Luncheon. Comcast Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer David L. Cohen presented Fakira Awawdeh and Widchard Faustin with individual $5,000 scholarship awards at the luncheon, held at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Mt. Pleasant High Students Earn $5,000 to Pursue Project Aimed at Zika Virus

Feb 8, 2017 1:30 PM ET