ESG News from Leading Brands

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Industry Leaders DuPont & Archer Daniels Midland Win Platts Global Energy Breakthrough Solution of the Year Award

Dec 15, 2016 8:15 AM ET

DuPont Industrial Biosciences (DuPont) and Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) have been honored with the Breakthrough Solution of the Year Award from Platts Global Energy for their platform technology to produce a revolutionary biobased monomer, furan dicarboxylic methyl ester(FDME). The award was announced at the 18th Platts Global Energy Awards, held in New York on Thursday, Dec. 8.

Diversity & Inclusion

Cargill Pledges Gender Equality in Leadership by 2030, Unveils Paid Family-Leave Policy

Dec 15, 2016 8:05 AM ET

The companies signing on for Paradigm for Parity will tackle goals like combating unconscious bias in the workplace, getting the number of women in top roles up to 30 percent in the near future as they work toward parity and providing regular progress reports to the coalition.

Education

150,000 Refugees are Being Educated, Thanks to These Businesses

Dec 15, 2016 8:05 AM ET

The UN announced at the start of this summer that the last time the world saw a refugee crisis of this level was during World War II. So why, amid wars, terrorism, and natural disasters, are we worried about children attending school?

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

A Fragile Moment for Human Rights

Dec 15, 2016 8:05 AM ET

The United Nations Global Compact has long affirmed—and stood with others who also maintain—that a flourishing society and economy fundamentally require respect for human rights under the rule of law. In short, business cannot thrive in societies that fail.

Education

VIDEO | What Makes A SEED Classroom? Watch This…

Dec 15, 2016 7:55 AM ET

SEED stands for Sustainable Education Every Day, and SEEDclassrooms are modular hands-on sustainable learning spaces built to Living Building Challenge™ standards. Watch and learn what makes a SEED classroom a sustainable classroom of the future. Watch and learn what makes a SEED classroom a sustainable classroom of the future and how The SEEDclassroom at the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Pittsburgh uses Red List free Mohawk Group flooring that is based on biophilic design as part of their Living Building Challenge.

Green Infrastructure

Recycled Paper: Developers Are Reinventing Former Newspaper Headquarters

Dec 15, 2016 7:55 AM ET

According to numbers from a recent Pew Research Center report on the state of the media, the newspaper industry has shed around 20,000 positions, or almost 40 percent of its workforce, over the last 20 years. Between 2004 and 2014, some 126 daily newspapers closed their doors, as reported by Editor & Publisher’s DataBook listings.

Events, Media & Communications

Novartis Dialogue Explores Response to Chronic Illness in Poor Countries

Dec 15, 2016 1:15 AM ET

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Subaru Share the Love Event has Helped the ASPCA Save 30,000 Animals and Counting

Dec 14, 2016 3:30 PM ET

Innovation & Technology

Why It’s Still a Good Idea to Invest in Boeing

Dec 14, 2016 3:30 PM ET

The company is researching a cheap, salt-tolerant seaweed that could soon fuel our bodies, our cars, our jets—even a mission to Mars

Innovation & Technology

Tennessee Teens Take Action to Prevent Distracted Driving

Dec 14, 2016 3:15 PM ET

At the end of the summer of 2016, we reached a remarkable milestone – 10 million pledges to not drive distracted. The It Can Wait campaign and the 10 million pledge count represent the dedication of so many to keep our roads safe. Today, seven-in-ten people admit to smartphone activity behind the wheel.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

"Swipe Right" on Nonprofit Partners

Dec 14, 2016 2:30 PM ET

While researching potential partners has never been easier through the use of technology, there is still a fair amount of due diligence required to find the right partner match.

Health & Healthcare

Pfizer Supports Progress toward UN Global Goal 3: Good Health and Well-Being

Dec 14, 2016 2:00 PM ET

At Pfizer, our purpose is to make innovative medicines and vaccines that significantly improve people’s lives. In doing so, we are helping society achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – 17 ambitious targets for positive and essential change around the world.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Nestlé Committed to Sustainable Fisheries and Healthy Fish Farms

Dec 14, 2016 2:00 PM ET

Fish and seafood are precious resources to our planet and all who live on it, particularly for the people in some of the poorest countries in the world who rely on healthy fisheries for their primary source of protein.

Education

The 10 Best CSR Books to Give as Gifts or Read Over the Holidays

Dec 14, 2016 1:45 PM ET

The holiday season is here. Your gifts may be picked out and ready to go, but what about something for your CSR colleagues? And what about your own wish list? The holiday break is a great time to catch up on your reading. We asked some leading CSR experts what books they have recently read and why they recommend them. There’s plenty here to get you and your colleagues fired up for the year ahead..

Environment

Trash Talk: GM Has Record Year for Landfill-Free Operations

Dec 14, 2016 1:00 PM ET

General Motors achieved a record number of landfill-free facilities in 2016, exceeding its commitment four years early. The company now operates 152 global facilities that recycle, reuse or convert to energy all waste from daily operations. These 52 non-manufacturing sites and 100 manufacturing sites contribute to GM’s top and bottom lines by driving efficiencies, generating revenue and saving money.

Environment

How We Fight Back, Part I

Dec 14, 2016 1:00 PM ET

Diversity & Inclusion

Aflac Lands 2 Major Honors from FORTUNE and Great Place to Work

Dec 14, 2016 12:00 PM ET

Aflac, the leader in voluntary insurance sales at the worksite in the United States, today announced two major honors for the company and its workforce. Aflac was named to FORTUNE Magazine’s 2016 lists of the Best Workplaces for Diversity and the Best Workplaces for African Americans, according to global research and consulting firm Great Place to Work® and Fortune.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

GRI Appoints CSR Leader Tim Mohin as New Chief Executive

Dec 14, 2016 11:30 AM ET

GRI announced today that Timothy J. Mohin, a well-known sustainability practitioner, advocate and author, has been appointed as the organization’s new Chief Executive.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

A World Hungry for Social Inclusion

Dec 14, 2016 11:30 AM ET

The exclusion of the poor from participating in, and getting access to, opportunities and activities is a major dimension of poverty that needs to be recognised and addressed. As allocators of capital, we believe that social inclusion considerations must be an integral component of our investment and ownership decisions.

Energy

Shining a Light on Off-Grid Communities

Dec 14, 2016 11:25 AM ET

Germany-based solar energy provider Little Sun has joined the Business Call to Action (BCtA) by committing to provide clean and affordable solar lighting to 5 million people in Africa while bringing livelihood opportunities and training to at least 4,000 local micro-entrepreneur distributors until 2020.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Forbes Names Whirlpool Corporation to Just 100 List

Dec 14, 2016 11:15 AM ET

Forbes Magazine has named Whirlpool Corporation to its Just 100 list — a recognition that celebrates America’s best corporate citizens.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Duke Energy's Water Resources Fund Grants Top $5 Million over Two Years

Dec 14, 2016 11:05 AM ET

Twelve organizations in North Carolina, South Carolina andVirginia will share $777,879 in new grants from Duke Energy's Water Resources Fund to support environmental and wildlife programs.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

One Year Later, Detroit’s Entrepreneurs of Color Fund Provides $2.75 Million to Nearly 30 Minority-Owned Small Businesses

Dec 14, 2016 11:00 AM ET

Innovation & Technology

Facebook, Microsoft Philanthropies, Google and Qualcomm Wireless Reach Featured at Annual Global Digital Health Forum Closing Plenary

Dec 14, 2016 11:00 AM ET

Thought leaders from Facebook, Google, Microsoft Philanthropies and Qualcomm Wireless Reach will be featured at the closing plenary of the 3rd annual Global Digital Health Forum (formerly the Global mHealth Forum), on December 14.

Health & Healthcare

Power to the Period Donation Drive | U by Kotex

Dec 14, 2016 10:25 AM ET

More than 50,000 people started a donation drive. More than 585,000 products were donated.