by Alyssa Caddle, Social Strategy Lead, Corporate Responsibility

SOURCE:Dell

DESCRIPTION:

One of the perks of working in corporate responsibility is getting to think about how really big problems that seem far out on the horizon can be impacted by businesses today. As exciting as it can be to think about our role, it can also seem quite daunting.

Listening to the recent Business Forum hosted by the United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development I couldn’t help but be a bit overwhelmed. For those unfamiliar with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), they are a set of 17 global goals (and 169 corresponding indicators) intended to move our world forward toward a more just, equitable, and sustainable society by 2030.

While statements such as “no poverty” and “zero hunger” are certainly aspirations we all dream about, creating a roadmap that will move governments, societies, and yes, businesses, to that reality can seem daunting. And yet, this is necessary – and we believe Dell has an important role to play.

First of all, 2030. That feels far away!

As we can see in Dell Technologies’ Realizing 2030 reporting, our days are likely to look quite different in 2030. As a planet, we’re expected to have over a billion more people to care for, as well as the environmental impacts of climate change. As a millennial, I will have more than doubled my work experience by 2030, will undoubtedly be full time “adulting” (should we still consider that a verb in 2030), and will have already experienced and helped shape a third of this century.

Use the SDGs to Explain Our Current Strategy

While this may be the most basic and straightforward use of the SDG framework, it can still be valuable, and likely will be necessary. It is Dell’s expectation that organizations for which the SDGs are particularly relevant will ask their suppliers to report on SDGs-related activities and impact. We know that many companies’ CSR and strategic giving programs already do much to further many of the SDG indicators.

As an example, Dell has a wide range of existing programs that show progress to Goal 4: Quality Education. One such program is the Rural Education Action Program (REAP)-Dell CAL program, a computer-assisted learning program aimed to bridge the rural-urban educational divide for students in rural schools across China. The REAP-Dell CAL program is a Dell Youth Learning initiative, and just one example of a Dell program that can help ensure inclusive and equitable quality education for all by 2030.

We share a great story about REAP-Dell CAL program here.

We expect our customers may ask for information or data in the language of the SDGs, and we must be able to respond.

Use the SDGs to Shape Our Corporate Responsibility Strategy Going Forward

Dell’s Legacy of Good commitments chart a clear course for us toward 2020 and each day brings us closer to achieving the objectives we established for ourselves.

You can learn more about our progress on our 2020 Legacy of Good Plan Annual Update web site.

While we are proud of the work our Dell team members, partners, and customers have done to date, we recognize that our work is far from complete. As we look toward setting goals for our business for 2030, we can utilize the SDG framework.

While we are still deciding the best approach (contribute to as many indicators as possible, design our materiality program and focus on what’s most material to our business based on the SDGs, something else?), we are excited for the upcoming guidance from our partners at the UN Global Compact (UNGC) and the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), on the roles, expectations, and opportunities for business in achievement of the SDGs.

Use the SDGs to Shape Our Core Business

Even if I was overwhelmed while listening to the speakers at the UN Forum, I was also quite inspired. Many companies talked about the ways they have already used the SDGs to cultivate a corporate business development mindset based around shared value thinking – the unlocking of new markets and new revenue opportunities by addressing social problems.

While this is difficult, and must be done mindfully, I believe we have a unique opportunity to pursue these types of programs at Dell in concert with our customers. This would not be done at the expense of our own corporate citizenship of course, but as a way to be even more purposeful in how we innovate.

We’ve already started down this path working to measure the net positive benefits of technology solutions and as more companies look to reshape their businesses, we stand ready to be a good partner.

And that’s a future I can get excited about.

This article shares one example of how Dell is committed to driving human progress by putting our technology and expertise to work where it can do the most good for people and the planet.

Explore our FY17 Annual update on our 2020 Legacy of Good Plan at legacyofgood.dell.com.

Tweet me:What will 2030 look like? @Dell4Good discusses the role of @UN #SDGs in moving #sustainable business forward http://bit.ly/2fJFQsH

KEYWORDS: Sustainable Development Goals, Corporate Social Responsibility, Dell, Rural Education Action Program (REAP)-Dell CAL program, UN Global Compact (UNGC), Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)

by Marie Reynolds

SOURCE:Carlsberg Group

DESCRIPTION:

Demonstrating clear corporate leadership during Climate Week NYC 2017, RE100 member Carlsberg Group has highlighted the importance of working in partnership with others to reduce emissions and address climate change.

In an interview for Climate TV, recorded prior to the Opening Ceremony, Flemming Besenbacher, Chair of Board, Carlsberg Group, said, “Partnership is very, very important for us… we can learn from other industries; we would like to collaborate with others.”

Click here to read the full article

Tweet me:Collaboration is key to success, says @CarlsbergGroup during #CWNYC via @ClimateGroup http://bit.ly/2xqnBmi #TowardsZERO #ClimateAction

KEYWORDS: Responsible Production & Consumption, Climate Action, Carlsberg Group, Climate Week NYC, the climate group, RE100

SOURCE:Cisco Systems Inc.

DESCRIPTION:

Technology has the potential to transform the way organizations like ours tackle the world’s toughest challenges.

With 65 million people forced from their homes in search of safety and a better life for their families, humanitarian and development organizations like Mercy Corps are stretched to our limits. At the same time this record number of people is on the move, technology advancements are breaking down geographic barriers and creating an inter-connectedness the likes of which the world has never seen before.

By partnering with other agencies and leading technology companies, we’ve already experimented with a number of innovative technology solutions to help people survive through crisis, build better lives and transform their communities for good.

But we know there is much more we can do. That’s why we are excited to announce that we are embarking on a new five-year initiative with leading global technology company Cisco. Together we hope to deliver aid and development assistance faster, better and to more people around the world.

Continue reading on Mercy Corps website >>>

Tweet me:.@MercyCorps Partnering with @Cisco to Tackle the World's Toughest Challenges http://bit.ly/2fB7I2m @CiscoCSR

KEYWORDS: Sustainable Development Goals, Innovation & Technology, Mercy Corps, cisco csr

SOURCE:Bristol-Myers Squibb Company

DESCRIPTION:

NEW YORK, September 27, 2017 /3BL Media/ -- Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY) has been named to the prestigious Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) North America for the third consecutive year. The 2017 North America Index is an independent validation of the important work the company is carrying out in the area of corporate responsibility and Bristol-Myers Squibb is one of three pharmaceutical, biotechnology and life sciences companies to earn a spot. Recognizing public companies for outstanding performance across economic, environmental and social factors, the Index serves as a benchmark for investors who integrate sustainability considerations into their portfolios.

“We are proud to receive this honor in recognition of our deep commitment to corporate responsibility and sustainability for the third consecutive year,” says Carol Ryerkerk Powell, global head and vice president of Environment, Health, Safety and Sustainability. “Corporate social responsibility drives the work we do on behalf of patients fighting serous disease and defines our culture. Our position as a sustainability leader is further exemplified by our ambitious Sustainability Goals, which help to strengthen our fundamental business.”

The Bristol-Myers Squibb Sustainability 2020 Goals are aligned with the company mission and provide a platform to elevate the commitment to economic growth, social responsibility and a healthy environment to the next level. The final report on the Sustainability 2015 Goals is available at: http://www.bms.com/sustainability.

About the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI)
Measuring the performance of the world’s sustainability leaders, this global ranking is published annually by the S&P Dow Jones Indices and RobecoSAM. RobecoSAM, a company focused exclusively on sustainability investing, invited 3,450 of the world’s largest publicly traded companies to participate in its 2017 Corporate Sustainability Assessment. RobecoSAM collects information about economic, environmental and social challenges and trends that are financially relevant to companies within a particular industry. The assessment focuses on sustainability factors that can have an impact on companies’ long-term value creation potential and identifies companies that are more likely to outperform as a result of their adoption of sustainability best practices.

About Bristol-Myers Squibb
Bristol-Myers Squibb is a global biopharmaceutical company whose mission is to discover, develop and deliver innovative medicines that help patients prevail over serious diseases. For more information about Bristol-Myers Squibb, visit us at BMS.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube and Facebook.

For more information contact Lisa McCormick Lavery, 609-252-7602, lisa.mccormicklavery@bms.com

Tweet me:Bristol-Myers Squibb named to #DJSI for third consecutive year http://bit.ly/2fRBvE7 @BMSnews #sustainability

KEYWORDS: Awards, Ratings & Rankings, Health & Healthcare, Bristol-Myers Squibb, DJSI, Dow Jones Sustainability Index, sustainability, Corporate Social Responsibility, RobecoSAM

150 EMEA HQ employees, five NGOs, and a whole day’s voluntary work.

SOURCE:Whirlpool Corporation

DESCRIPTION:

More than 150 employees at the headquarters of Whirlpool EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) left suit and tie at home for one day to volunteer in their local communities as part of the company’s first-ever Community Day. This event allowed employees the opportunity to spend working hours volunteering for one of five, local non-profit organizations.

Banco Alimentare Lombardia, Fondazione Mission Bambini (in partnership with L’Amico Charly), Fondazione AVSI (in partnership con Farsi Prossimo), ATLHA and social co-operative Bee.4 (operating at the Bollate Reclusion Centre) were the five organizations involved in this year’s Community Day, which was extended to all the countries in the EMEA region in which the groups operate.

As a reflection of Whirlpool Corporation’s own social responsibility policy, employees’ voluntary work supported the unique missions of these five organizations to:

• Raise awareness of the need for responsible food consumption and the avoidance of food waste;
• Help families in need to find safe and sustainable housing;
• Promote employment for young people.

Whirlpool volunteers contributed by assisting with manual labor, e.g. decorating and gardening, as well as interacting with staff members and project beneficiaries.

“We’ve always been actively engaged in promoting a model of social commitment and sustainable development, wherever we operate,” said Karim Bruneo, Corporate Responsibility and Government Relations Manager, Whirlpool EMEA. “It’s a source of pride for us that Community Day has been launched here in Milan, where we have the headquarters of the entire EMEA region.”

Whirlpool Corporation aims to support CSR and sustainability initiatives based on environmental and community needs. On a daily basis, this commitment drives the creation of innovative and environmentally-friendly technological solutions, as well as more efficient production and distribution processes.

The mission of Associazione Banco Alimentare della Lombardia “Danilo Fossati” is to recover surplus food from the agro-food industry and distribute it free of charge to charities that support the poor.

“It’s very good to see a big corporation like Whirlpool doing something concrete to help the less fortunate,” said Marco Magnelli, head of Banco Alimentare Lombardia.

Fondazione Mission Bambini was set up in 2000 to help poor, sick and unschooled children in Italy and elsewhere in the world.

“Corporate voluntary work is a great thing: it brings business and communities closer, it promotes the value of solidarity among employees and is visible proof to young people in need that there are people out there who care for them,” said Goffredo Modena, chairman of Mission Bambini.

Fondazione AVSI is a UN and EU accredited non-governmental organization set up in 1972 and engaged in some 130 development co-operation projects in 30 countries across Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

“An initiative like this shows us once again that the only way to resist the massive provocations we’re being faced with these days, including the “migration” issue, is that of collaboration between the various entities: NGOs, the private sector, voluntary organizations like Farsi Prossimo, and the public sector. But all this is only possible if individuals, in the first place, put themselves on the line. Like Whirlpool’s volunteers,” explained Giampaolo Silvestri, General Secretary, Fondazione AVSI.

ATLHA APS supports families of people with disabilities, offering them the chance to participate in a variety of activities, including: exchanges with other countries, integrated summer camps, 1-day workshops, and adapted sports activities. The organization also promotes on-the-job training and apprenticeships based on an inclusive staff model.

“For ATLHA, Community Day is a privileged opportunity to promote knowledge,” said ATLHA APS president Fabiola Beretta.

Bee.4 Altre Menti is a social co-operative set up to provide work for underprivileged categories, including prisoners and people suffering from hardship, to enable them to learn trades and become active players in society. It also organizes activities focusing on sustainability, solidarity and energy conservation.

“We’re really proud to be able to show society the work that goes on in prisons thanks to the commitment of a big corporation like Whirlpool,” comments Giuseppe Cantatore, head of Attività Produttive Bee.4 Altre Menti.

Tweet me:Whirlpool Corporation EMEA employees assist non-profit organizations as part of first Community Day @WhirlpoolCorp http://bit.ly/2fmPpNN

KEYWORDS: Social Impact & Volunteering, Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives, whirlpool emea, Community Day, Banco Alimentare Lombardia, Fondazione Mission Bambini, Fondazione AVSI, ATLHA, Bee.4, Karim Bruneo, Marco Magnelli, Goffredo Modena, Giampaolo Silvestri, Fabiola Beretta, Giuseppe Cantatore

SOURCE:Albertsons Companies

DESCRIPTION:

The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank (LARFB) serves more than 300,000 people each month through a variety of programs meant to “mobilize resources to fight hunger in the community.” In 2016, LARFB’s long-time supporter, Albertsons Companies Foundation, invited the food bank to apply for funding to support efforts to end childhood hunger through the Hunger Is initiative, a joint charitable program they have with the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF). The Hunger Is grant helps address a glaring need in the Los Angeles County: the thousands of kids facing a hunger gap of weekends and summers when school food was not available.

Read more about Hunger Is and its efforts to tackle childhood hunger in America

Tweet me:.@HungerIs and @whyhunger visited @LAFoodBank to see how they fight childhood hunger http://bit.ly/2fgZJqJ #HungerIs

KEYWORDS: Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives, Hunger Relief, Hunger Is, Albertsons Companies Foundation

Independent audit affirms best-in-class processes, controls and governance

SOURCE:Benevity

DESCRIPTION:

CALGARY, Alberta, September 28, 2017/3BL Media/ -  Benevity, Inc., the global leader in workplace giving, volunteering and community investment software, announces the completion of two independent audit reports demonstrating full compliance with SSAE 18, affirming the company’s ability to provide operational excellence to its enterprise clients. This audit includes Benevity’s award-winning cloud-based solution, Spark, as well as its integrated grants management solution, Benevity Grants.

Today’s employee engagement programs are being powered by technology that electronically processes transactions and distributes funds to charities and nonprofits around the globe. Employees must have trust and confidence that their personal data is safeguarded and that their donations will securely and accurately go to intended recipient charities. And companies must have certainty that their software solution will securely integrate into their HR, IT and payroll systems.

“Employees increasingly expect companies to deliver an experience that gives them a sense of meaning and purpose in their work and access to ‘consumer grade’ technology tools to do so,” says Bryan de Lottinville, Founder and CEO of Benevity. “Delivering that software and those outcomes in a manner that provides assurance to our enterprise clients is of paramount importance to us. Our most recent SSAE 18 report serves as a continued endorsement of our market leadership in data security, financial processes and controls for employee engagement software. Meeting these robust standards allows us to provide assurance of second-to-none processes and controls to the world’s most iconic companies, in a technological climate where vigilance is vital.”

This is the third straight year that Benevity has achieved the SSAE 18 SOC 1 Type II attestation for Spark, the award-winning workplace giving, matching and volunteering solution. Additionally, Benevity earned the SSAE 18 SOC 1 Type I attestation for its integrated grants management solution. Receipt of these independent reports demonstrate the maturity of Benevity’s financial processes and controls, and positions the company as one of the only solutions of its kind that can offer enterprise clients world-class operational and governance practices while delivering user-centric functionality.

SSAE 18 was designated by the Auditing Standards Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants as an authoritative reporting standard for service organizations in the U.S. in May 2017, superseding SSAE 16, which was first introduced in June 2011. By aligning with the international audit standard ISAE No. 3402, SSAE 18 provides confidence in the security of companies operating globally.

About Benevity
Benevity, Inc. is the global leader in online workplace giving, matching, volunteering and community investment software. Many of the world’s most iconic brands rely on Benevity’s award-winning cloud solution to power corporate “Goodness Programs” that attract, retain and engage today’s diverse workforce by connecting people to the causes that matter to them. With software that is available in 16 languages, to several million users around the world, Benevity has processed over a billion dollars in donations to more than 100,000 charities worldwide.

Media Contact
Andrea Davis-Yue
403.966.5622
press@benevity.com

Tweet me:Independent audit affirms best-in-class processes, controls and governance, via @benevity http://bit.ly/2xL3Wgz

KEYWORDS: Responsible Business & Employee Engagement, Awards, Ratings & Rankings, benevity, SSAE 18, data security, Data Accuracy, workplace giving, csr, Corporate Social Responsibility, corporate giving, employee giving

Treating 14 million gallons per day of secondary effluent to reduce reliance on imported water for 4 million people

SOURCE:Tetra Tech

DESCRIPTION:

The Water Replenishment District of Southern California (WRD), selected Tetra Tech to design the Ground Water Reliability Improvement Project (GRIP). Tetra Tech used multiple technologies to treat secondary effluent to a near distilled water quality and re-inject into the groundwater basin. The effluent will be treated at a higher level than drinking water with less impurities or constituents in the water, allowing for a high-quality groundwater recharge.

Tetra Tech’s design included ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis, and ultra violet technologies. The plant is designed to treat 14 million gallons of ground water per day and is expandable to 28 million gallons per day. The facility includes an operations and learning center to teach the local community about water reuse and water education and includes space for events or seminars. The design also incorporates a stream that runs through the property and mimics the local river traveling into a recharge basin, which can be used as a learning tool.

Once completed, GRIP could virtually eliminate the region’s current demand for imported water.

Tweet me:.@TetraTech is using innovative #technology to recharge #groundwater in Southern #California http://bit.ly/2h5hCwv #LeadingWithScience

KEYWORDS: Environment, Clean Water and Sanitation, Tetra Tech

SOURCE:Sealed Air

Tweet me:.@Sealed_Air is creating a better way for life by supporting and working with nonprofit organizations. http://bit.ly/2uDCpNR #CSR

KEYWORDS: Responsible Business & Employee Engagement, Sealed Air

SOURCE:General Mills

DESCRIPTION:

School breakfasts are important for a child’s emotional, social and academic well-being. Fueling youngsters in the classroom is the goal of the General Mills Foundation and No Kid Hungry.

Click here to learn more about No Kid Hungry

Tweet me:.@GeneralMills is supporting @NoKidHungry's work to fuel children in the classroom through #SchoolBreakfast programs http://bit.ly/2xMVSfv

KEYWORDS: Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives, Nutrition, General Mills Foundation, No Kid Hungry, School breakfasts

A De Beers Group donation has helped capture important cultural lessons for Tłı̨chǫ communities in Canada’s Northwest Territories.

SOURCE:De Beers Group

DESCRIPTION:

Tłı̨chǫ Whaèhdǫǫ̀ Godıı̀ (Tłı̨chǫ Storıes from Long Ago) and an accompanying Teachers’ Guide were launched at an event held in Behchokǫ̀.

Tammy Steinwand-Deschambeault, Culture and Language Coordinator for the Tłı̨cho Community Services Association (TCSA), said: “These are our stories from long ago that have been passed down to us. When young people are out on the land, the evidence is out there for them to see. Our history helps them know who they are as Tłı̨cho people.”

The book contains stories collected from elders, a process that took two years. Five hundred copies will be distributed to students for use in classrooms at all Tłı̨cho community schools. 

The accompanying guide will help teachers understand how to incorporate the book and its stories into the classroom. Workshops are being planned to introduce the teachers to the resource and other materials, including recordings of interviews with elders, a map of the region and a presentation for teachers to use in the classroom.

“This is a living document and we want it to get bigger and better and we want to keep adding to it,” Tammy said.

In addition to funding from the TCSA and the Tłı̨cho Government, C$15,000 was provided through the De Beers Canada Fund.

Erik Madsen, General Manager of Sustainability for De Beers Canada, said: “This is an important book that will help Tłı̨cho youth build a better connection to their culture and history. This is the kind of project that De Beers is proud to support because it will result in real, long-lasting benefits in the communities where we work.”

During 2016, De Beers Canada provided close to C$610,000 in social investment projects in the Northwest Territories, of which more than half went to cultural and heritage initiatives. 

De Beers Group has also supported a book by one of its project managers in Botswana. Mike Brook’s ‘Botswana’s Diamonds – Prospecting to Jewellery’ was the second of five books he has produced. 

Mike, who specialises in innovative water supply solutions for Debswana, a 50/50 joint venture between De Beers Group and the Government of the Republic of Botswana, has written on a range of aspects of life in Botswana.

About De Beers
De Beers is a member of the Anglo American plc group. Established in 1888, De Beers is the world’s leading diamond company with expertise in the exploration, mining and marketing of diamonds. Together with its joint venture partners, De Beers employs more than 20,000 people across the diamond pipeline and is the world’s largest diamond producer by value, with mining operations in Botswana, Canada, Namibia and South Africa. As part of the company’s operating philosophy, the people of De Beers are committed to ‘Building Forever’ by making a lasting contribution to the communities in which they live and work, and transforming natural resources into shared national wealth. For further information about De Beers, visit www.debeersgroup.com.

Media Contact 
Press office
Tel +44 (0) 20 7430 3434
pressoffice@debeersgroup.com

Tweet me:De Beers donates C$15K towards a new book to capture cultural lessons for Tłı̨chǫ youth in #Canada https://t.co/jakG89bJR4

KEYWORDS: Education, Social Impact & Volunteering, De Beers

SOURCE:PNC Financial Services Group

DESCRIPTION:

Employees at this financial-services company were thrilled when it increased its paid parental leave in 2016, giving birth moms 16 fully paid weeks off (up from seven) and providing eligible new dads and adoptive parents with six fully paid weeks off (up from one). While the policy was announced in June, the company made the leave retroactive from January, meaning that thousands of moms and dads suddenly got extra free time. “I was ecstatic,” recalls HR business partner and new mom Lisa Stepanic. 

Click here to continue reading

“We know that if we want to attract and keep our best talent we have to help our employees thrive in their personal life as well as their professional life,” says Elizabeth Harrington, PNC’s Wellness and Work-Life Strategy Manager. “This is why we invest in programs and benefits that support our employees’ lives outside of work like flexibility or paid time away from work to help someone adjust to becoming the parent of a new child.”

Tweet me:.@PNCBank Named to 2017 @_workingmother_ 100 Best Companies list for its Commitment to #WorkLifeBalance for Moms http://bit.ly/2fSehxz

KEYWORDS: Awards, Ratings & Rankings, working mother, PNC, work-life balance for moms, csr

Give the gift that gives back

SOURCE:Aflac

DESCRIPTION:

Give the gift that gives back – because you shouldn’t have to choose between looking good and doing good. 100% of all net proceeds from #Duckprints merchandise will go to hospitals treating childhood cancer across the United States.

Visit the Duckprints store now 

Tweet me:Give the gift that gives back with @Aflac #Duckprints merchandise http://bit.ly/2y3H7Sl

KEYWORDS: Health & Healthcare, Chronic Illness, Aflac, childhood cancer

The Sustainable Coffee Challenge today welcomed Nestlé Nespresso SA (Nespresso) among its 83 partners who are seeking to make coffee the world's first sustainably grown commodity.

SOURCE:Nestlé Nespresso

DESCRIPTION:

​ARLINGTON, Va., September 29, 2017 /3BL Media/ - The Sustainable Coffee Challenge today welcomed Nestlé Nespresso SA (Nespresso) among its 83 partners who are seeking to make coffee the world's first sustainably grown commodity. 

Last week, Nespresso launched a new campaign that puts sustainability efforts in the spotlight; building consumer awareness of the brand's support of coffee farmers across the globe. The initiative is part of Nespresso's longstanding commitment to sustainability and social responsibility.  

"As the Sustainable Coffee Challenge grows, we need innovators and leaders from the coffee industry to step up and help consumers and producers understand what's at stake for the future of coffee," said Bambi Semroc, Senior Strategic Advisor at Conservation International. "Adding Nespresso's vast experience and leadership in​to the Challenge will greatly bolster our efforts to make coffee the world's first sustainable agricultural product." 

"For 30 years, Nespresso has been continuously innovating to deliver the highest quality coffee experiences to consumers worldwide and continuously learning how to integrate sustainability into its activities," said Jérôme Pérez, Global Head of Sustainability, Nespresso. "The Challenge is a great opportunity to collaborate with other stakeholders of the same landscapes, and identify the most innovative solutions and actions to reinforce the resilience of coffee communities."
​​
The Sustainable Coffee Challenge, conceived by Conservation International and Starbucks and launched during the Paris climate meetings in 2015, is uniting players from across the coffee industry – growers, traders, roasters, retailers, governments and NGOs. It aims to stimulate greater demand for sustainable coffee while partnering to find solutions.

To join as a partner in the Sustainable Coffee Challenge, contact the team at scc@conservation.org. 

About Nestlé Nespresso SA
Nestlé Nespresso SA is the pioneer and reference for highest-quality portioned coffee. The company works with more than 70,000 farmers in 12 countries through its AAA Sustainable Quality™ Program, Nespresso quality coffee sourcing program, launched in 2003 in collaboration with The Rainforest Alliance. Sustainable farm management for improved yield and quality is still at its heart but today the program also focuses on community stability and landscape resilience with the deployment of actions like agroforestry, farmer savings scheme, crop insurance. 

Headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, Nespresso operates in over 60 countries and has more than 13,000 employees. In 2016, it operated a global retail network of more than 600 boutiques. For more information, visit the Nespresso corporate website: www.nestle-nespresso.com.

About the Sustainable Coffee Challenge
The Sustainable Coffee Challenge convenes, unites and urges the coffee sector and conservation partners across the industry to spur the actions and investments necessary to make coffee the first sustainable agriculture product in the world. The Challenge is committed to stimulating demand for sustainable coffee across the value chain, from the policymaking level to the final consumer. By encouraging demand for sustainable coffee, it leads to investments that enable the transition to a sustainable production and ensuring the coffee we drink is a sustainable product.

About Conservation International
Conservation International (CI) uses science, policy and partnerships to protect the nature people rely on for food, fresh water and livelihoods. Founded in 1987, CI works in more than 30 countries on six continents to ensure a healthy, prosperous planet that supports us all. Learn more about CI and its groundbreaking "Nature Is Speaking" campaign, and follow CI's work on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Tweet me:.@ConservationOrg The Sustainable Coffee Challenge Partners with Coffee Industry Innovator @Nespresso http://bit.ly/2xyUvBh

KEYWORDS: Environment, Climate Action, nespresso, Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality™ Program, # sustainability, Conservation

SOURCE:World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF)

DESCRIPTION:

Land degradation is at the nexus of a vicious spiral which links low land productivity and biodiversity loss with poverty, hunger, instability and insecurity. Land degradation, for instance, releases carbon, worsening global climate change; it reduces crop yield, creating food insecurity; and it erodes livelihoods, driving migration. Under these conditions, instability can take hold, order can break down, and non-state armed groups can become established, leading in turn to impacts such as increases in wildlife poaching, deforestation and violence.

Land restoration and trust-building initiatives offer practical solutions. For example, carbon sequestration in soils and biomass can provide multiple ecosystem services like mitigate the impacts of climate change and boost agricultural productivity. Yet despite these multiple benefits, such initiatives are largely ignored by capital markets and often fail to attract significant investments. An ICRAF side event entitled “Land Restoration for Peace and Profit”, held as part of IUCN’s Landscape Restoration Day at the recent UNCCD COP13 in Ordos, China explored the relationships between land degradation, restoration, conflict and peace.

Continue reading via worldagroforestry.org

Tweet me:Land restoration & trust-building initiatives offer practical solns that benefit multiple ecosystem services http://bit.ly/2fUsv0O @ICRAF

KEYWORDS: Environment, agriculture, agroforestry, climate change, Land degradation, Land Rehabilitation, land use, ICRAF, world agro forestry Centre

Interview by Gayathri Unnikrishnan

SOURCE:International WELL Building Institute

DESCRIPTION:

Robert Soler is Vice President of Human Biological Technologies and Research at Biological Innovation and Optimization Systems (BIOS). Prior to his work with BIOS, he worked with the Kennedy Space Center, where he was integral in the development of the first LED light used on the International Space Station (ISS), and was subject matter expert on a lighting system designed to synchronize circadian rhythms of astronauts aboard ISS. Robert spoke with us about how his work as a lighting expert has inspired everything from innovation in outer space to the synchronization of his children’s bedtime routines.

What first inspired you to join the lighting field?

I've always had a respect for light. When I was getting my undergraduate degree in electrical engineering, Cal Poly had a minor program in lighting and I found it fascinating. Once I was exposed to some of the fundamental impacts light has on organisms and biological systems, I became even more passionate and entered the Master’s program at the LRC.

What was it like to be a lighting expert at the Kennedy Space Center?

I worked at the Space Life Sciences Lab, and there was a lot of really cool research going on. One of the most dynamic areas of collaboration and research was focused on Mars exploration, where everyone was an expert in a one specific field or another. It was a great place to start a career because lighting played such an integral role in the work of so many different fields. I worked with microbiologists who were interested in light's interaction with bacteria, as well as plant researchers who wanted to understand different wavelengths of light. Still others were interested in how light interacts with astronauts’ circadian rhythms, and that’s where I really wanted to have an impact. It was exciting to work with so many people who were experts in their individual fields and show them how the application of light could really impact their theories and results. I was able to get broad experience and facilitate a lot of the research. In each of those studies, the spectrum of LED lighting was a key component to the outcomes we observed.

Can you tell us about how you developed lighting systems to synchronize circadian rhythms of astronauts aboard the International Space Station?

What we understand about circadian rhythms is it's a 24 hour biological cycle synchronized to the 24 hour cycle of the sun. But since the space station orbits the earth every 90 minutes, providing a sunrise and sunset every 45 minutes, our human bodies don't know how to process that kind of unnatural, acclelerated cycle. Because of this our bodies start depending on an individualized free-running clock, which is close to 24 hours but not exactly 24 hours. Mine might be 24.1, yours might be 24.2, someone else’s might be 23.9 and although these differences are very small, that's just day 1. So after 10 days it's a 60 minute difference, and after 100 days it becomes 600 minute differences. When we designed the lighting for the international space station, the idea was to be able to give a strong enough cue so that everyone could synchronize to a true 24-hour cycle, and therefore be able to work effectively and safely together in a very dangerous environment.

Why is the circadian system so important to human health and well-being?

The most obvious thing the circadian system impacts is our sleep cycle and our alerting profile.

But what's not very obvious is that a master clock controls the majority of our physiology directly or indirectly. There are peaks and troughs to a lot of biological processes, like our hormone secretions and our enzyme activities.

In fact, there’s a whole emerging field called chronotherapy, which explores not just what medicine to take but what time to take it. We have found our bodies utilize medicine differently depending on when it’s administered, and by studying its link to our circadian system, we can actually increase a medication’s overall effectiveness. We are finding that our inner clock is very pervasive throughout our bodies, when we desynchronize things by not having a robust light cue, chaos can ensue. Alternatively, when we are able to supply this robust light cue, we can synchronize our systems and mitigate a lot of issues caused by our artificially illuminated society.

How can we use technology to help maintain our circadian health?

We now understand that a newly discovered photoreception system mediates how our circadian rhythms synchronize to light each day. This is interesting because it’s different from vision, and thus we can isolate this daytime signal from vision, such that we can use lights with a high daytime (melanopic) signal during the daytime and a low daytime (melanopic) signal at night to help improve our circadian health. However, there are other things like television screens, cellphones and tablets that can interrupt our natural cycles. Luckily we also have technology that works to correct these interruptions. You can remove the blue component on your screens at a specific time through systems like f.lux, which is available free for the computer, and through other programs like the Twilight app and Night Shift for Apple.

Interestingly, the impact of light at night, which gains a lot of attention, is magnified by the fact that we do not get enough light during the daytime. At BIOS, we understand this, and thus created a spectral solution with a heightened daytime signal for places we are during the daytime, such as offices and schools. Moreover, we’ve figured out a way to get high amounts of this daytime signal without compromising color preferences.

What advice would you give people who want to align their circadian systems to the natural daylight cycle - one or two simple things that people could follow to align their circadian systems to the societal cycle?

While lighting cues can be your primary signals, behavior also plays a central role in circadian alignment. We can automate lighting strategies, but people still have to understand that there are certain times they shouldn't be out. You shouldn't be at the gym at midnight if you're trying to go to sleep at 1 o’clock in the morning. There’s a lot we can do to improve our circadian health with lights, colors, cues, and external factors, but most of it comes down to our behavior and habits.

In my house, a timer switches the lights in our house from high daytime signal to low daytime signal automatically according to our routine. This switch changes both the intensity and the spectrum of light (not the color of light). The way I see it, what goes on outside, from the solar cycle doesn't impact our social requirements: when my kids need to go to school, what time they should be going to bed to get enough sleep, what time my work schedule is. As a result, we've honed in on a lighting routine that keeps us on a social time cue rather than a solar time cue.

To learn more about how light impacts health and strategies for designing spaces that can help align with the body’s natural circadian rhythms, download the Light WELLography available on our new WELL app, Build WELL.

Tweet me:The #CircadianSystem: Aligning the Body’s #InternalClock http://bit.ly/2fmopOw @WELLcertified #Health #WellBeing #LightWELLography

KEYWORDS: Health & Healthcare, Biological Innovation and Optimization Systems (BIOS), circadian system, internal clock, Kennedy Space Cente, International Space Station (ISS, International Well Building Institute (IWBI), Light WELLography

"The use of plastic bags will soon be prohibited in our country."

SOURCE:HP, Inc.

DESCRIPTION:

After receiving a master's degree in mechanical engineering and with eight years of professional experience, Walid Gharsalli decided the time was right to start his own business.

And so, Gharsalli launched his own paper-packaging business, Papers Be Green. But he couldn't have done it without combining his work experience and mechanical skills, additional entrepreneurial training, and support from his government. 

Take Action: We Challenge You to join Our Week Long Action Challenge to Protect Our Environment

Based in Kasserine, Tunisia, the business has enabled Gharsalli to meet the key objectives in becoming an entrepreneur: become his own boss, protect the environment through the manufacture of a recyclable product, and support job creation in his region. His company has already created five new jobs so far.

“My professional experience in the private sector enabled me to develop skills to start my own business,” Gharsalli said. “Realizing this project is a priceless opportunity, but also a challenge that is not only changing my life, but also the lives of my employees.”

The idea of the project was born in 2015 and initially benefited from government subsidies for young entrepreneurs. Since then, thanks to his determination, Gharsalli has been leveraging this investment opportunity to launch and build his business.

Read More: Watch This Woman Turn Design Ideas Into Beautiful Wooden Sculptures and a Successful Business

“We need to strengthen the environmental protection of Tunisia,” Gharasalli said. “The beauty of our cities, countryside, and ocean is threatened by plastic bags that litter the landscape. It’s this passion that inspired me to launch my business.”

In September 2016, Gharsalli participated in the Mashrou3i program organized by UNIDO in partnership with USAID, the Italian Cooperation, and the HP Foundation.

The Mashrou3i program is designed to foster a spirit of entrepreneurship and offer tools that support fledgling business owners. Its mission is to create some 6,000 jobs and reach more than 25,000 aspiring and existing entrepreneurs in Tunisia over the next five years. In addition to mentoring and technical skills training, participants have access to HP LIFE, a free, online program of the HP Foundation, which features 27 interactive modules covering business and IT skills training in seven languages.

Gharsalli took part in a five-day HP LIFE workshop, where he learned business and IT skills that he believes better equipped him to start and grow his business.

Read More: Advancing Social Goals Together: The Power of Public & Private Partnerships

“Mashrou3i gave me the opportunity to meet other new entrepreneurs with different backgrounds and become familiar with HP LIFE’s practical tools that I’m already applying in my daily business operations,” he said.

Gharsalli chose a flourishing area, which nurtures his personal ambitions.

“The use of plastic bags will soon be prohibited in our country. The paper bags market is growing and has even more potential in the years to come," he said. “That’s why innovation is so important in this project and should not stop at its creation. We need to develop a range of innovative new products, and Mashrou3i’s support in marketing and market access will help me to achieve these goals. I am confident in the future. Success is not a choice, it’s a must.”

This article was developed by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and published here with the approval of UNIDO.

Tweet me:Hoping for #PlasticBagBan, Man Starts 'Papers Be Green' Business in #Tunisia http://bit.ly/2xNzrU3 via @UNIDO #SocialImpact @HPSustainable

KEYWORDS: Environment, Climate Action, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), global citizen, Tunisia, HP Inc, plastic bag ban, Papers Be Green, Mashrou3i program

SOURCE:Cisco Systems Inc.

DESCRIPTION:

Social, environmental, and economic barriers are interconnected, and governments, companies, and nonprofits must work together to address global issues. Public-private partnerships (PPPs) can deliver meaningful and sustained outcomes to communities across the globe while accounting for differences in culture, society, and governing models.

Laura Quintana, VP of Corporate Affairs, helps shape and drive public-private partnerships (PPPs) at Cisco, including our longest-running PPP, Cisco Networking Academy. Laura recently led a #CiscoChat, “Developing Public-Private Partnerships to Achieve Large-Scale Impact,” during which she provided insight into her experience implementing successful PPPs across the globe.

She was joined by featured guests Sasha Kapadia, Director, International Development at Mastercard; Jane Jamieson, Senior Infrastructure Specialist at the World Bank; and Keith Davis, Executive Board Member of the Camden Dream Center; along with dozens of other organizations and individuals that shared their perspectives.

If you missed the conversation, take a look at the highlights and share your thoughts below.

What role do public-private partnerships play in addressing global challenges?

#CiscoChat participants and the World Food Program USA, a nonprofit dedicated to ending hunger, discussed the knowledge, expertise, and resources PPPs can provide to make progress on global societal issues such as economic development and education.

Continue reading on Cisco Blog | Corporate Social Responsibility

Tweet me:#CiscoChat Recap: Developing #PPPs to Achieve Large-Scale Impact http://bit.ly/2wjL7gX @CiscoCSR @CiscoNetAcad

KEYWORDS: Events, Media & Communications, Social Media, cisco csr, cisco networking academy, World Food Program USA

SOURCE:Mohawk Industries

DESCRIPTION:

Mohawk Industries, 1775 The Exchange in the Cumberland area, announced that it has once again been recognized for its dedication to sustainable practices, innovative products, charitable promotions and individual leadership.

The company received three GreenStep awards from Floor Covering Weekly, including the inaugural People award, which was presented to George Bandy, vice president of Sustainability, for his leadership in providing environmental, economic and socially responsible solutions to the organization and its customers.

“I am so proud to work at a company like Mohawk, where we believe in better,” Bandy said. “We’ve translated that belief into action, delivering industry-leading sustainable products and constantly improving our processes to reduce and recycle waste, lower natural resource consumption and help our people fulfill their potential. We have a strong focus on being the preferred solution provider for our customers, which translates into giving them the expertise and products they need to meet end users expectations for performance and functionality as well as LEED, WELL or Living Building Challenge certification requirements.”

Continue reading on Cobb Business Journal >>>

For more information, visit mohawksustainability.com.

Tweet me:.@MohawkFlooring Receives Three #GreenStep Honors from @FCWMagazine ‏http://bit.ly/2xOPsMy via @mdjonline #sustainability

KEYWORDS: Awards, Ratings & Rankings, Green Awards, GreenStep awards, Floor Covering Weekly, Mohawk Industries, WELL Certification, Living Building Challenge certification

by Kristen Coco

SOURCE:International WELL Building Institute

DESCRIPTION:

Wellness is going mainstream.

That was the clear takeaway during this year’s Wellness17, the latest venture of Unwired and an evolution of its WORKTECH platform. Hosted in London, Wellness17 built on the foundations of WORKTECH to further explore all the facets that affect wellness within the workplace, from the impacts of technology and job design to workplace culture and best practices for supporting mental health. In its broadest sense the second annual conference embraced topics across the full range of mind, body and spirit – and capitalized on key opportunities and challenges facing the UK market.

With the global wellness economy now reaching $3.7 trillion (£2.8 trillion),1 the notion that both mind and body need to be nurtured and cared for is no longer taken for granted. And employers – from large corporations to government and non-profit organizations – can play a critical role in crafting workplaces that promote the health, happiness, satisfaction and productivity of their employees.

“Our environment is changing how we live and how we work,” said Ann Marie Aguilar, IWBI Director of Operations for Europe. “From our changing views and exposure to nature, to how our food is produced and packaged, and how we get around within offices, our physical and social environment has a huge impact on our health.”

Indeed, evidence shows that our health is based on far more than genetics. Genetics are responsible for just 10 percent of the state of our health, according to research conducted by the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control.2 The vast majority of what determines our health is based on the physical and social environments where we live and work

That’s where the WELL Building Standard™ comes in.

As buildings have an incredible influence on our lifestyle, our workplaces have the power to improve our health, well-being and performance. This means the design and operations of our built environments, as well as how we behave – that is, our activity levels or how we nourish our bodies through nutrition.

“Ultimately, WELL is for people,” added Aguilar. “The incredible choices offered in today’s workplaces – whether through flexible seating arrangements, the integration of biophilic design, or the activation of workspaces to enable people to move throughout the day – represent a major positive shift for workers.”

As our modern workforce searches for purpose-driven opportunities where they can make an impact, employees also want to know that their employers have their best interests in mind. A WELL building which utilizes a holistic framework to help improve health and well-being for everyone inside signals to the world that an organization is putting people first.

As Despina Katsikakis, Chair of Wellness17, noted in her closing remarks, “If we can create healthier workplaces, we can also create organizations that empower people to thrive.”

For the urban planners, facilities managers, architects, engineers and human resources professionals in attendance, making the healthy choice the easy choice for people is an objective we can all get behind.

Tweet me:#Wellness at Work Goes Mainstream http://bit.ly/2fQyS5k #workplacewellness @WELLcertified #Wellness17

KEYWORDS: Health & Healthcare, Good Health and Well-Being, workplace wellness, Wellness17, International Well Building Institute, World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control (CDC)