ESG News from Leading Brands

Energy

Ecocentricity Blog: Solar Juice, from Concentrate

Jun 21, 2016 10:00 AM ET

Have you ever seen the trick where someone starts a fire using a magnifying glass to focus sunlight? Concentrated solar power is like that, just way bigger.

Environment

Panel: The Money - Business Practices and Sustainability

Jun 21, 2016 10:00 AM ET

Chaired by senior journalist Zeinab Badawi. Panelists: Azita Shariati CEO, Sodexo Nordic. Dr. Michael Grosse, Executive Vice President Development & Service Operations, Tetra Pak. Matt Kovac, Executive Director, Food Industry Asia. Stefan Catsicas, Executive Vice President of Nestlé. EAT Stockholm Food Forum, June 2016. www.eatforum.org

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

KeyBank Provides $17MM to Patriot Station, Helps Shortage of Affordable Housing in White City, Oregon

Jun 21, 2016 9:45 AM ET

KeyBank’s Community Development Lending and Investment (CDLI) group announced it will provide a total of $17MM to the Housing Authority of Jackson County (HAJC) to help develop 53 units of affordable housing for singles, couples, families and veterans making 50 percent of area median income. The development, named Patriot Station, is located in in White City, Oregon. Patriot Station participates in the VASH program, a HUD Housing Choice Voucher program that supports vulnerable, chronically homeless veterans. KeyBank provided a $9.3MM equity investment, facilitated by Beth Wirtz of Key Community Development Corporation (KCDC), and a $7.7 MM construction loan, facilitated by CDLI’s Aubre Dickson.

Education

Atlas Copco Exposes Teenage Girls to Working Environment & Future Career Options

Jun 21, 2016 9:30 AM ET

In acknowledgment of the importance of empowering young women for the promotion of socio-economic growth in South Africa, Atlas Copco invited 24 Grade 11 and 12 learners from Lethukuthula Secondary School, situated in Katlehong on the East Rand to share sound advice and career planning with the young ladies.

Environment

Arbor Day Foundation Celebrates 60 Millionth Tree Planting

Jun 21, 2016 9:30 AM ET

The Arbor Day Foundation, in partnership the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), is commemorating the planting of the 60 millionth tree in our nation’s forests.

Diversity & Inclusion

FACES of Olive Garden | Jenifer French

Jun 21, 2016 9:25 AM ET

Meet Jenifer French, director of operations for Olive Garden’s Houston division, who leads nine restaurant teams and 1,000 people.

Education

Cerro Verde, a Freeport-McMoRan Company, Graduates 178 Women Business Owners From the Dreambuilder Program

Jun 21, 2016 9:15 AM ET

More than 170 entrepreneurs from different districts of the Arequipa region of Peru successfully completed the DreamBuilder program in April 2016, which is funded by Freeport-McMoRan Inc., Sociedad Minera Cerro Verde and the Thunderbird School of Global Management.

Responsible Production & Consumption

BACARDÍ® Crafts Wooden Sunglasses Made From Recycled Oak Rum Barrels

Jun 21, 2016 9:05 AM ET

Health & Healthcare

Perfecting Access Through Embedded Sustainability, Pooling Resources and Consolidating Expertise

Jun 21, 2016 6:10 AM ET

Anthony Gitau is Country Head of Novartis Access and Familia Nawiri in Kenya. In his current role, Anthony Gitau is in charge of implementing and scaling up the two social business programs of Novartis in Kenya. These are meant to empower people living at the base of the pyramid to take control of their health and to give them access to quality affordable healthcare services and products. Anthony tells his story about his passion for working on affordable access programs on EFPIA Blog.

Research, Reports & Publications

SABMiller Sustainable Development Report 2016; Embedding Prosper into the Business

Jun 21, 2016 5:00 AM ET

SABMiller’s Sustainable Development Report 2016 provides an update on progress against its sustainable development ambition, Prosper, and highlights how this contributes to the SDGs.

Events, Media & Communications

20th Century Fox Partners with Save the Children for Emergency Preparedness PSA Campaign Featuring 'Ice Age' Movie Characters

Jun 20, 2016 8:00 PM ET

20th Century Fox and Blue Sky Studios have partnered with Save the Children for a new emergency preparedness PSA campaign featuring the beloved characters from the upcoming animated adventure Ice Age: Collision Course. The campaign encourages parents to create In Case of Emergency (ICE) cards for their children so that families can quickly reunite after an emergency. Ice Age: Collision Course will open in theaters everywhere July 22.

Education

EU Conflict Minerals: An Agreement Has Been Met

Jun 20, 2016 7:35 PM ET

On June 15th, the European Union (EU) agreed on terms for the long-pending conflict minerals regulation. As one of the largest economic bodies in the world, The EU was hard pressed to develop a regulation that would make companies perform due diligence on their supply chains, ensuring that they responsibly source 3TG (tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold), or conflict minerals.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Bilingual Volunteers Needed! Help Fairfax CASA Overcome Language and Cultural Barriers

Jun 20, 2016 7:15 PM ET

Sara had fallen into the wrong crowd during her time at a local high school. When she entered foster care, she was struggling with substance abuse issues and gang involvement. Sara was placed in a group home, miles away from her family (which had no transportation to visit her), where she was being treated for substance abuse, but the home had no Spanish speaking staff. She continued to receive therapy and substance abuse treatment services in English, to no avail. Having a language and cultural barrier between them, the social worker and all involved could not communicate effectively with her.

Responsible Production & Consumption

New Palm Oil Risk Tool Released by World Resources Institute

Jun 20, 2016 6:00 PM ET

Global Forest Watch, an initiative of the World Resources Institute (WRI), has recently released a palm oil risk tool that maps deforestation risk for palm oil mills worldwide. The PALM Risk Tool (Prioritizing Areas, Landscapes and Mills) assigns a risk rating to approximately 800 palm oil mills. Satellite data is used to identify deforested and fire treated areas. Mills that have heavily deforested regions within a 50 kilometer (31 mile) radius are assigned higher risk ratings; this is also the maximum distance that palm fruit can be transported in usable condition.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Tri-C Dedicates KeyBank Public Safety Training Center

Jun 20, 2016 5:45 PM ET

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) today dedicated the KeyBank Public Safety Training Center in recognition of KeyBank’s generous support of first responder training programs.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Glen Oak Park Cleanup Part of Caterpillar 'Summer of Service'

Jun 20, 2016 5:40 PM ET

Health & Healthcare

O'Goodness! - Sodexo's New Mindful Snacks Leave Consumers “Snackified”

Jun 20, 2016 5:35 PM ET

Responding to consumers’ preference for healthy, filling, on-the-go snack options, Sodexo, world leader in Quality of Life Services, has partnered with Rich’s Products to offer fresh baked protein energy bars and cookies in Sodexo operated cafes and retail shops across the country.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

Follow the Journey of These Women in STEM!

Jun 20, 2016 4:05 PM ET

The number of STEM jobs is increasing—but the number of women entering these fields isn’t. We’re on a mission to change that.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

World Organization of Dredging Associations Presents Environmental Awards for

Jun 20, 2016 4:00 PM ET

The World Organization of Dredging Associations (WODA), during the gala dinner of its triennial international conference in Miami, proudly presented four Environmental Excellence Awards in two categories, Environmental Dredging and Dredging for Coastal Reinforcement.

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

2016 Booz Allen Aspen Ideas Award Finalists Announced

Jun 20, 2016 3:45 PM ET

Responsible Production & Consumption

GM Dominates the Top 10 in Study of Most American-Made Vehicles

Jun 20, 2016 3:05 PM ET

For the fourth consecutive year, Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac vehicles are the leaders of the Made in America Automotive Index produced by American University’s Kogod School of Business.

Environment

Cox Enterprises Celebrates Summer Solstice with Solar Projects in Nevada

Jun 20, 2016 3:00 PM ET

At a dedication event held today, Cox Enterprises announced the completion of solar projects at its Cox Communications facility in Las Vegas and its Manheim Nevada facility in North Las Vegas. Combined, the solar installations annually prevent more than 1,700 tons of carbon from entering the environment. The installations produce 1,523 kW of clean energy, equivalent to the amount needed to power 238 homes.

Events, Media & Communications

Think Big & Bold - Think Grand Vision: Embrace Sustainability as "America’s Grand Strategy?"

Jun 20, 2016 2:00 PM ET

Does the United States of America have a "grand strategy" in this second decade of the 21st Century? Henry Luce, publisher of Time magazine, famously labeled the 20th Century "the American Century," in recognition of the nation’s leadership in world affairs, military power, economic & financial power, cultural dominance, and more. So what is the definition for this new century and what should the nation’s "grand strategy" be (in practical terms)?

Diversity & Inclusion

What the Cleveland Cavaliers Can Teach Us About Comebacks at Work

Jun 20, 2016 1:45 PM ET

Last night was an historic comeback win for the Cleveland Cavaliers, but what was really impressive and a lesson for us all, was the nature of the Cavs’ comeback. Psychologically, when you’re already behind, winning can become even harder. That’s a lesson that’s as true on the basketball court as it is in the office.

Innovation & Technology

3 Rules I Needed to Know About the Internet as a Dad, According to my Children

Jun 20, 2016 1:45 PM ET

Being a father of two girls, ages 18 and 16, is one of the greatest joys of my life. Because of them, over the years, I have perfected bedtime stories, how to play imaginary characters, bad dad jokes and my ability to embarrass each of them in just seconds. Just like we always resist driving directions, I know many dads like myself claim that we don’t need help navigating the internet, but truth be told much of it is still mystery, especially when it comes to simply knowing this month’s favorite social media app, let alone how to actually use it.