ESG News from Leading Brands

Diversity & Inclusion

Northern Lights: Meet the Warm-Hearted Associates of Alaska

May 22, 2017 9:00 AM ET

It takes a special team to stay happy in one of the coldest, darkest places in the country. Even at temperatures of -30 F, associates in Alaska keep customers — and each other — smiling by taking outstanding customer service to the extreme.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Allstate Agency Owners from Across the U.S. Come Together at the “People’s Pier” to Assemble 2,400 Backpacks for Chicago Youth

May 22, 2017 6:55 AM ET

More than 100 Allstate agency owners from around the country sorted and stuffed 2,400 backpacks with books and loaded them onto Chicago Public Library trucks at Navy Pier on Wed., May 17. The backpacks, which included books tailored for preschool, elementary and middle school students, were delivered to all 80 Chicago Public Library branches and will be distributed to youth this summer.

Research, Reports & Publications

Caterpillar Highlights Company's Focus on Building Better and Making Sustainable Progress Possible Around the World

May 22, 2017 5:00 AM ET

Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) has released its 2016 Sustainability Report, highlighting the company’s focus for more than 90 years on building better – better lives, better communities and, ultimately, a better world.

Health & Healthcare

This Is Your Brain With Schizophrenia: How the Illness Manifests and What Researchers Are Doing to Help

May 21, 2017 9:00 AM ET

Even if you don’t know anyone who has schizophrenia, chances are you’re familiar with the symptoms.

People with the condition may experience hallucinations, delusions and paranoia, as well as have difficulty concentrating, organizing their thoughts and doing basic tasks of everyday life.

For many years, doctors had little insight into the illness beyond patients’ self-reported symptoms. The causes of schizophrenia, and the way it impacts the brain, were mostly a mystery due to the unique challenges researchers faced in trying to understand the most complex—and least accessible—organ in the body.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Heroes Working For a Restorative Future

May 19, 2017 5:30 PM ET

Every year, we recognize individuals who have demonstrated a fierce commitment to the Living Building Challenge with their desire to continually raise the bar on behalf of the green building industry.

This year, nine recipients are inspirational in their quest to help safeguard our future.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Cubs Pitcher Jon Lester Saddles Up for Team #NVRQT

May 19, 2017 5:30 PM ET

Chicago Cubs pitcher, Jon Lester, has built quite the résumé through his first decade-plus in the majors, helping to win two World Series with the Boston Red Sox and adding another last year with the Cubs. Jon has also made four All-Star appearances, won an NLCS MVP award and a Babe Ruth Award, and has even pitched a no-hitter.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful Completes Successful Great American Cleanup Event

May 19, 2017 5:00 PM ET

Earlier in May, Keep America Beautiful Reno, Nevada-based affiiliate Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful (KTMB) hosted its 11th annual Great Community Cleanup -- a local initiative of the Great American Cleanup, the nation's largest community improvement program.

Media & Communications

Walmart Reports Strong Comps, Shows Leadership And Fights Hunger

May 19, 2017 3:30 PM ET

Diversity & Inclusion

Army Veteran Brings Military Values to FedEx

May 19, 2017 2:30 PM ET

Bobbi Wells, Vice-President of Aviation Safety & Airworthiness, FedEx Express discusses how her military values of service and leadership prepared her for the responsibilities of her current role at FedEx.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Amgen Staff Volunteer with Habitat for Humanity

May 19, 2017 1:50 PM ET

Amgen employees from the Corporate Audit team at the Thousand Oaks, CA HQ volunteered at their local Habitat for Humanity. Not only did they learn valuable skills, they helped provide housing for families in need.

Environment

TD Bank Group Wins U.S. Department of Energy's Green Lease Leader Award

May 19, 2017 1:05 PM ET

On May 15, the Institute for Market Transformation (IMT) and the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Better Buildings Alliance announced the 2017 Green Lease Leaders at the Better Buildings Summit in Washington, D.C. This year’s Green Lease Leader portfolio, which collectively spans almost 200 million square feet of commercial, retail and industrial buildings across North America, recognizes companies who effectively leverage their lease as a smart tool to achieve higher energy and water savings.

Health & Healthcare

Report Calls for Better Measurement of Access-to-Medicine Programs to Support the World’s Poorest

May 19, 2017 12:30 PM ET

Pharmaceutical companies have long experience in measuring the impact of their business programs. The same should apply to their access-to-medicine efforts. Richard Laing, from the Boston University (BU) School of Public Health and former World Health Organization official, says that many efforts to expand access to medicines fail to gather sufficient evidence on how effective they are.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Morgan Stanley and The Economist Intelligence Unit Release New Index to Support Investment in Inclusive Growth

May 19, 2017 12:00 PM ET

Today the Morgan Stanley Institute for Sustainable Investing announced the Inclusive Growth Opportunities Index, a report and interactive tool for investors to explore technology-based opportunities that support inclusive economic growth – the first in a body of work that the Institute will produce to help drive private capital toward reducing inequality.

Energy

International Living Future Institute and New Buildings Institute Partner to Accelerate the Zero Energy Movement

May 19, 2017 11:30 AM ET

The International Living Future Institute (ILFI) and New Buildings Institute (NBI) today announced a partnership that will streamline and strengthen the tracking and certification of zero energy (ZE) buildings in order to drive broader market adoption, codification and standardization of ZE technologies in everyday buildings.

Diversity & Inclusion

PayPal’s Brandon Tineo on Strong Work Ethic Creating Opportunity

May 19, 2017 11:15 AM ET

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Astellas Named 2017 When Work Works Honoree by the Society for Human Resource Management

May 19, 2017 11:10 AM ET

Yesterday, Astellas was named an honoree of the 2017 When Work Works award by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).
The award honors organizations that have created effective workplaces based on six evidence-based components connected to positive employee and employer outcomes: autonomy; work/life fit; supervisor support for work success; earnings, benefits and advancement opportunities; learning opportunities; and a culture of trust.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Making Unadoptable Unacceptable

May 19, 2017 11:00 AM ET

With more than 130,000 children in foster care who are in need of a permanent, loving home, foster care adoption is as critical as ever. Learn why we believe that unadoptable is unacceptable. #FosterCareMonth

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Samsung Employees Nationwide Swap the Office for Day of Service

May 19, 2017 10:45 AM ET

Samsung Electronics America, Inc. today will host its bi-annual, companywide Day of Service throughout their national locations in New Jersey, New York, Texas, California and Washington, D.C. and regional offices. The event, which occurs each spring and fall, is part of the company’s overarching Samsung Gives initiative, a platform that creates service opportunities for Samsung employees to connect to meaningful causes within their own communities.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Hospitalized Children Experience a ‘Moment of Magic’ Thanks to a College Student with a Big Heart

May 19, 2017 10:00 AM ET

When Kylee McGrane sat down with her family to watch Frozen, it gave her a great idea – and she just couldn’t let it go. Realizing that she looked like Elsa and that her best friend, Maggie McAndrew, looked like Anna, she had an “a-ha moment” that would become her next service project: she wanted to start visiting hospitals as the princesses from Frozen.

Responsible Production & Consumption

PepsiCo Advances 2025 Sustainability Agenda through Agreement with Partnership for a Healthier America

May 19, 2017 10:00 AM ET

PepsiCo, Inc. (NYSE: PEP) announced that it has signed an agreement with Partnership for a Healthier America ("PHA") to independently report and verify the company's progress against previously outlined goals designed to transform its product portfolio and offer healthier options.

Social Impact & Volunteering

More Than 105,000 Comcast Cares Day Volunteers Improve Communities Worldwide

May 19, 2017 9:05 AM ET

Our employees, their friends and families rolled up their sleeves and joined with our community partners to give back at more than 1,000 local projects across the U.S. and in 22 other countries. We also hit a milestone with more than 5 million total service hours donated since Comcast Cares Day began in 2001.

Sustainable Development Goals

Daimler's Sustainable Management

May 19, 2017 9:00 AM ET

As a globally operating automobile manufacturer, we face industryspecific challenges whose associated opportunities need to be exploited and whose risks need to be minimized.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Palapye Schoolchildren Get New Classrooms Through Donations from Debswana and Partners

May 19, 2017 9:00 AM ET

Students with learning difficulties at a school in Botswana have moved into a new P1.3 million (US$124,000) classroom block funded mainly by Debswana.

Research, Reports & Publications

MetLife Foundation Is Proud to Present Its 2016 Annual Report

May 19, 2017 9:00 AM ET

The right financial services can make all the difference. For families. For financial institutions. For communities. For families, financial inclusion means having the tools to manage money, deal with setbacks, and seize opportunities.

Health & Healthcare

Auditing Takes Center Stage in FSMA

May 19, 2017 9:00 AM ET

In today’s complex global supply chain and environment of ever-expanding market requirements, it has become common to rely on third-party audits to help assure the safety of one’s supplies. Not only are food safety regulations driving this uptick, but retailers and other buyers are demanding it to reduce risk to consumer and brand value.

The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) emphasizes prevention and accountability across the supply chain to ensure the safety of foods consumed within the U.S., irrespective of where the food is produced. Four out of seven of the regulations finalized under FSMA address auditing in some manner. What do you need to know about these audits and your auditor?