Report outlines achievements in efforts to create economic opportunity, advance diversity and social inclusion, and promote environmental sustainability

SOURCE:Wells Fargo & Company

DESCRIPTION:

SAN FRANCISCO, May 30, 2018 /3BL Media/ – Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) today released its 2017 Corporate Social Responsibility report, which details the significant progress the company made last year to address social, economic, and environmental challenges through its philanthropy, operations, and products and services. In the report, Wells Fargo also reinforces its enhanced commitment to community investments that support economic growth, resiliency, and sustainability, including a pledge to donate $400 million — or more than $1 million a day — to nonprofits in 2018. The company also recently announced that it will provide $200 billion in financing to sustainable businesses and projects by 2030.

“We recognize that achieving our goal to become the financial services leader in corporate citizenship requires a specific, sustainable commitment from leaders and engagement at all levels of the company,” said Tim Sloan, Wells Fargo’s chief executive officer and president in his letter to stakeholders. “It also requires that we consistently look for new ways to take a leadership role in helping address long-term and complex global challenges that are important to our company and stakeholders.” Read Sloan’s complete letter on Wells Fargo Stories at stories.wf.com/sloan-we-are-living-our-commitment/.

Wells Fargo’s 2017 CSR report, Living our Commitment, provides a comprehensive update on the company’s achievements in three areas of strategic focus: advancing diversity and social inclusion, creating economic opportunities in underserved communities, and accelerating the transition to a low-carbon economy and a healthier planet. For example, in 2017, Wells Fargo exceeded its 45 percent carbon-reduction goal three years ahead of schedule, and met 100 percent of its global electricity needs with renewable energy. In addition, through collaboration with Habitat for Humanity and Rebuilding Together, more than 1,000 homes for low-income seniors, veterans, and families were built or improved by Wells Fargo volunteers, meeting the company’s goal more than two years early. 

Wells Fargo’s 2017 CSR report also outlines new goals and strategies for the company to more deeply and strategically embed environmental and social responsibility into products and services, culture and operations, and philanthropy. In 2017, the company pledged to increase corporate philanthropy by 40 percent in 2018, and beginning in 2019, will invest 2 percent of after-tax dollars in corporate philanthropy. The company also committed to increasing investments in:

• Diverse small businesses, with a target of delivering $100 million in grants, capital, technical assistance, and other resources between 2018 and 2020 through the Wells Fargo Works for Small Business: Diverse Community Capital program.
• Neighborhood revitalization. Wells Fargo is investing $75 million investment in 2018 to expand the NeighborhoodLIFT® program, including down payment assistance grants, homebuyer education and program support.
• Responsible, sustainable homeownership. Wells Fargo has made a 10-year, $60 billion lending commitment to create at least 250,000 African-American homeowners. In 2017, the company also marked the second year of its 10-year, $125 billion commitment to help increase Hispanic homeownership.
• Clean technology and innovation. The company has committed $20 million to expand the Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator (IN²) program to advance emerging clean technologies and startup companies in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
• American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities. Wells Fargo has made a five-year, $50 million commitment to better serve AI/AN communities through expanded philanthropic support, community outreach, and efforts to improve products and services that meet the financial and banking needs of tribal communities. 
• Building resilient communities. In 2017, Wells Fargo launched a four-year, $10 million program with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to help cities enhance and protect natural habitats and prepare for, withstand, and recover from natural disasters associated with climate change.
• Access to steady employment. Wells Fargo has entered an $18 million, five-year partnership with United Way Worldwide to help one million people find jobs over the next five years.

“As a global financial services company – and one of the nation’s largest small business lenders, residential mortgage providers, and corporate cash donors – we understand our role as a community partner and the positive impact we can have on society, the economy and the environment,” said Jon Campbell, head of Corporate Responsibility and Community Relations. “Looking ahead, we will continue seeking opportunities to further integrate CSR throughout our business and are committed to being transparent with you about our progress.”  Read Campbell’s complete letter on Wells Fargo Stories at stories.wf.com/we-will-become-a-better-stronger-wells-fargo/.

Wells Fargo was recently recognized as one of the 100 Best Corporate Citizens by Corporate Responsibility Magazine for its environmental, social, and governance performance and disclosure practices. It has long been one of the top corporate cash donors, ranked first among financial institutions and third among all U.S. companies in a 2016 report by The Chronicle of Philanthropy. Wells Fargo was also recognized by Fortune as the third Most Generous Fortune 500 Company in their latest report.

About Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.9 trillion in assets. Wells Fargo’s vision is to satisfy our customers’ financial needs and help them succeed financially. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through 8,200 locations, 13,000 ATMs, the internet (wellsfargo.com) and mobile banking, and has offices in 42 countries and territories to support customers who conduct business in the global economy. With approximately 265,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 25 on Fortune’s 2017 rankings of America’s largest corporations. In 2017, Wells Fargo donated $286.5 million to 14,500 nonprofits and Wells Fargo team members volunteered a record 2 million hours. Wells Fargo’s corporate social responsibility efforts are focused on three strategic priorities: diversity and social inclusion, economic empowerment, and environmental sustainability. News, insights and perspectives from Wells Fargo are also available at Wells Fargo Stories.

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Tweet me:.@WellsFargo Releases 2017 #CSR Report, Reinforces Commitment to Donate More than $400 million to Non-Profits in 2018 http://bit.ly/2kBZau8

KEYWORDS: CSR Report, Wells Fargo, sustainability, CSR goals, NYSE:WFC

SOURCE:Duke Energy

SUMMARY:

• 2018 education grants to benefit 46 organizations
• Gift doubled with matching funds from state of Florida's School District Education Foundation

DESCRIPTION:

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., May 30, 2018 / 3BL Media/ -- Emphasizing the importance of workforce development and science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), Duke Energy recently awarded more than $1.56 million in grants to 46 Florida-based programs.

The educational grants will help fund STEM projects, and the workforce development initiatives are designed to further bolster and expand the state's existing skilled workforce.

"I'm proud to say our 'K to Career' grant cycle is the largest investment we make in the state each year," said Harry Sideris, Duke Energy Florida president. "It demonstrates our commitment to the future of our communities by preparing students to become  leaders and enabling and empowering a skilled workforce to meet the needs in high-demand fields."

Duke Energy workforce development grants have helped train workers across the country, including a program for energy workers at Lake-Sumter State College in Leesburg, Fla: https://illumination.duke-energy.com/articles/how-to-prepare-the-workforce-of-the-future.

Duke Energy's grants to K-12 local education foundations are also eligible for dollar-for-dollar matching funds through the state of Florida's School District Education Foundation Matching Grant Program, doubling the impact of the investment.

"The deep commitment of Duke Energy to Florida's future is evident in their investments in our students – from kindergarten through college," said Mary Chance, president of the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations. "From rural communities to urban school districts, Duke Energy is making STEM education relevant to students of all ages through hands-on activities and experiential learning, helping them make the vital connections they need to see themselves in STEM careers."

Recipients of the largest donations include:

• Pinellas County Education Foundation: PCS STEM Academies ($212,000)
• University of Central Florida Foundation: 2018 College of Engineering and Computer Science Programs ($125,000)
• Lake-Sumter State College Foundation Inc.: Advancement of Energy Technology ($110,000)
• University of South Florida Foundation Inc.: USFSP/USF College Marine and Biology ($110,000)
• Foundation for Seminole State College: Duke Energy Environmental Sustainability Lab ($80,000)
• Valencia College Foundation Inc.: Duke Energy Scholarships ($75,000)
• Orlando Science Center Inc.: Improving STEM Education through STEM Field Trips ($75,000)
• Foundation for Orange County Public Schools Inc.: Duke Energy STEM and Energy Education Teacher Grant Programs ($60,000)
• Consortium of Florida Education Foundations Inc.: Raising the Bar for Florida's Local Education Foundations ($50,000)
• Polk Education Foundation and Business Partnership Inc.: Full STEM Ahead! ($50,000)
• Pasco Education Foundation Inc.: Woodland and Schrader Elementary STEM Lab and Teacher Training ($50,000)
• Florida Education Foundation: Next Generation Summer Science Symposium ($45,850)
• Citrus County Education Foundation Inc.: Preparing for the Future in Citrus County ($42,500)
• Foundation for Seminole County Public Schools: Grants for Great Ideas ($40,000)
• Challenger Learning Center: The Ultimate Classroom at the Challenger Learning Center ($30,500)
• Futures Inc.: ENVIRO STEM ($30,000)
• St. Petersburg College Foundation Inc.: First Generation Scholarship Initiative ($30,000)
• Educational Foundation of Lake County Inc.: Duke Energy Classroom STEM Projects ($28,000)
• Florida Polytechnic University Foundation Inc.: Duke Energy Foundation Scholarship ($25,000)
• Polk State College Foundation Inc.: Bachelors of Education – STEM Active Learning Center ($25,000)
• The Foundation for Osceola Education Inc.: The Pipeline Program ($25,000)

The Foundation annually funds more than $33 million to communities throughout Duke Energy's seven-state service area. In 2017, the company donated more than $5 million to nonprofit organizations in Florida.

Additionally, Duke Energy's volunteer support solidifies its commitment to the communities it serves. Florida employees have also rolled up their sleeves to help their neighbors. Last year, employees volunteered more than 15,000 hours in their communities.

For additional information on Duke Energy's community giving programs, visit duke-energy.com/foundation.

About Duke Energy Foundation
The Duke Energy Foundation provides philanthropic support to address the needs of communities where its customers live and work. The Foundation contributes more than $33 million annually in charitable gifts.

The Foundation's education focus spans kindergarten to career – particularly science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) – as well as early childhood literacy and workforce development. The Foundation also supports environmental projects and community impact initiatives, including arts and culture.

Duke Energy employees and retirees actively contribute to their communities as volunteers and leaders with a wide variety of nonprofit organizations. Duke Energy is committed to building on its legacy of community service. For more information, visit duke-energy.com/foundation.

The Duke Energy Foundation is part of Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK).

Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is one of the largest energy holding companies in the U.S., with approximately 29,000 employees and a generating capacity of 49,500 megawatts. The company is transforming its customers' experience, modernizing its energy grid, generating cleaner energy and expanding its natural gas infrastructure to create a smarter energy future for the people and communities it serves.

A Fortune 125 company, Duke Energy was named to Fortune's 2018 "World's Most Admired Companies" list and Forbes' 2018 "America's Best Employers" list.

More information about the company is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center includes news releases, fact sheets, photos, videos and other materials. Duke Energy's illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Contact:
Peveeta Persaud
Office: 727.820.5592 | 24-Hour: 800.559.3853

Tweet me:.@DukeEnergy issues $1.56M in #grants to help fund #STEM projects and #workforcedevelopment initiatives, further expanding Florida's existing skilled workforce. http://bit.ly/2LM32F9

KEYWORDS: Duke Energy, Florida, scholarships, workforce development, job training

By Allison Torres Burtka and Wren Montgomery, Erb Institute | Business for Sustainability

SOURCE:University of Michigan: Erb Institute | Business for Sustainability

DESCRIPTION:

Is water a human right or a commodity? It’s treated like both.

As water scarcity becomes more pressing, both public and private entities have had to examine their stances on how water resources should be controlled. These issues frequently arise in the developing world, where water resources and sanitation often are inadequate—but are now arising increasingly in U.S. cities, when drinking water gets contaminated or residents can’t pay their water bills.

Residents of Flint, Michigan, have been unable to drink their tap water since the city’s contamination crisis made headlines four years ago. On April 6, state authorities announced that the city’s water is safe to drink, but residents and advocates are concerned that their tap water remains unsafe because some tainted pipes still need to be replaced.

Flint’s mismanaged water system left residents with dangerously high lead levels in their bodies and various health problems—which they argue violated the Safe Drinking Water Act and their right to bodily integrity. Flint third-graders’ reading proficiency was reported to have dropped from 41.8 percent in 2013 (when lead poisoning began) to 10.7 percent last year, and some blame the lead poisoning.

In 2014, tens of thousands of Detroit households had their water shut off after failing to pay their bills. One Detroit mother of five said to United Nations representatives: “How can you deny a person the right to use a toilet?” After her water was shut off, she was evicted and had to move her family to a bus shelter. A 2017 study by the Henry Ford Global Health Initiative found that residents living on a street with shutoffs were 1.55 times more likely to be diagnosed with a waterborne illness.

When people lack access to clean water and sanitation, the implications can be profound.

A commons 
In 2010, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution affirming the human right to clean drinking water and sanitation. The motion passed with 122 nations voting in favor and no votes against, but 44 nations abstained. Those that abstained—including the United States—suggested that a right to water was unclear, unnecessary or premature, given existing rights and other ongoing negotiations. The countries supporting the resolution argued that water was essential for life and noted that large portions of the population lack access to clean drinking water and adequate sanitation.

In 2002, the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights had adopted Comment 15, which stated: “The human right to water is indispensable for leading a life in human dignity. It is a prerequisite for the realization of other human rights.” The 2010 declaration reaffirmed this right and made it explicit, and it was subsequently approved by consensus at the UN Human Rights Council, of which the U.S. was a member, in motions in 2010 and 2011, making it legally binding in international law.

The UN also has determined that water and sanitation must be sufficient, safe, acceptable, accessible and affordable, defining “affordable” as not more than three percent of a household’s income.

A commodity 

Traditionally, most of the Western world’s water bodies and water systems have been publicly owned, although private landowners have had limited rights to use water sources on their property. However, as scarcity concerns have grown, industries have expanded around water, ranging from desalination to dam construction to bottled water. Efforts to privatize and sell water resources have grown.

The 1992 Dublin Principles  declared water an “economic good” for the first time and stated that trading water as a commodity is the most efficient means of managing scarce water resources. Although numerous global governments and organizations and several transnational corporations support this view, others disagree. Some governments and nonprofits have created a global “water justice movement” to try to maintain the traditional model of public ownership and delivery of water.

Disputes over privatizing public water systems have arisen around the globe, including the clashes in Cochabamba and La Paz, Bolivia—after the water corporations Suez and Bechtel succeeded in lobbying for privatization in 1999, and the companies were later ousted. Many communities around the world have also pushed to “re-municipalize” water systems—to shift control from corporate back to public entities.

Several corporations have found themselves at the heart of this debate, including Veolia Water and Suez Environnement, the world’s largest water-services companies. They are responsible for many municipal water privatizations—and they are the subject of much activist criticism.

A stake in water 
Beyond water-services companies, many corporations that use significant quantities of water have also found themselves at the crux of conflicts over how water should be managed. For example, Coca-Cola has faced protests and boycotts over its water withdrawals in India; critics say the company has exacerbated drought-related problems. One of the ways the company has responded is by working with local nonprofits to help build “check dams” that allow water from monsoon season to be stored for later use.

Nestlé has clashed with environmental and community advocates in the United States and Canada over the water it withdraws for its bottled water. Issues include the price Nestlé pays for water extraction and whether the company’s withdrawals deplete the water table and harm the local environment. On April 2, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality approved the company’s permit to increase the amount of water it withdraws from the groundwater table from 250 to 400 gallons per minute, for which it reportedly pays a $200 annual fee. The permit drew public ire, and its approval came four days before the announcement that Flint’s water is safe and the city’s free bottled water distribution would cease.

Nestlé is not directly connected to Flint’s problems, but critics point out that it is paying next to nothing to bottle and sell water—and has been depleting local wetlands—while Flint residents about 120 miles away were still being charged for water they couldn’t drink. The company issued a fact sheet that addresses some of these concerns and points out that Nestlé has been donating water to Flint residents. Similar issues are at stake in California, where Nestlé pumps water out of the San Bernardino National Forest for its Arrowhead Mountain Spring Water.

Nestlé maintains that it is committed to being a leader in water stewardship. It is a founding member of the Alliance for Water Stewardship and states that it “will continue to certify our facilities to the AWS Standard and seek to inspire others to adopt the standard to help advance the principles and practices of water stewardship and responsible water resource management.”Growth in water-intensive energy technologies also is reinvigorating these commons versus commodity debates in the United States and Canada. On a global scale, nonprofits and the media are noting growing attempts to gain private rights to water that was previously in the public commons, through extensive land purchases in South America, Africa, Asia and elsewhere. Land purchases are really about purchasing the water that goes with it—or a “great water grab,” as Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, then Nestlé’s chairman, put it. Banks and investors, from JPMorgan to Deutsche Bank, have also been increasing their water investments.

The World Economic Forum has declared the growing global “water crisis” a leading risk to the global economy. Lack of clean water and sanitation creates problems that span around the world, from urban households to rural agricultural production. Many disparate stakeholders have an interest in addressing this crisis. And businesses—from companies that bottle water and sell it, to water services providers, to industries that use water to produce their goods—have an important stake in how water resources are used and protected for future generations.

Tweet me:READ: Is #water a human right or a commodity? It's treated like both. @erbinstitute #business + #Sustainability #FlintWaterCrisis @NestleWatersNA @MichiganDEQ @q_worldeconomic http://myumi.ch/aZ2mP

KEYWORDS: Erb Institute, Sustainable Business, water scarcity, Flint, Michigan, Human Rights

Overall Winner, People's Choice to be announced during ArtPrize 10 this fall

SOURCE:Consumers Energy

DESCRIPTION:

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., May 31, 2018 /3BL Media/ – Organizers have announced the 10 finalists out of nearly 50 entries from Grand Rapids Public Schools student artists who will have their energy-related art work highlighted during this fall’s ArtPrize competition through collaboration with the school district and Consumers Energy.

This morning, representatives from the school’s administration, Consumers Energy, ArtPrize and the city of Grand Rapids gathered to celebrate 49 high school entries submitted with a theme of energy efficiency, renewable energy and sustainability. Media include oil pastels, pencil/charcoal drawing, painting and mixed media. 

“The Grand Rapids community has long been committed to renewable energy and sustainability,” Lauren Youngdahl Snyder, vice president of customer experience for Consumers Energy, told students and others gathered at today’s event. “Consumers Energy shares that commitment. Recently, we announced our Clean Energy Goals, which includes a commitment to, by 2040, cut carbon emissions by 80 percent and eliminate the use of coal to generate electricity.  The artwork displayed today certainly shows students also understand the importance of protecting our environment.”

This is the sixth year of the SmartArt competition, which stands for Students Making Art with a Renewable Theme.

At a student assembly a week ago, GRPS, Consumers Energy and ArtPrize announced the 20 SmartArt semi-finalists. Those students were invited to the ArtPrize HUB for today’s announcement. The Top 10 artwork was on display afterward and will be displayed during the tenth annual ArtPrize, Sept. 19-Oct. 7. Also during ArtPrize, a large banner displaying the Top 10 will be on display outside a Consumers Energy electric substation wall at Fulton Street and Market Avenue.

The Top 20 were selected by Grand Rapids Public Schools’ officials. The 10 finalists were then judged by a panel of art professionals from Kendall College of Art & Design at Ferris State University, Grand Rapids Community College and Grand Valley State University.  The top winner and the winner of a “people’s choice” online contest are scheduled to be announced during the ArtPrize Final 20 announcement on Sept. 30 at Rosa Parks Circle, sponsored by Consumers Energy.

The 10 finalists announced Wednesday, along with their artwork title, grade, and high school are, in alphabetical order:

• Lana deGraaf, Solar Bus, 10th, City High Middle School;
• Emanuel Galindo-Peralta, 60 %, 9th, CA Frost Environmental Science Academy;
• Rose Gerson, Colors of the Wind, 10th, City High Middle School;
• Jazmine Knight, Dream in Action, 11th, City High Middle School;
• Lillian Kuipers, Polluted Night, 11th, City High Middle School;
• Elena Mealing, Neglected Connection, 11th, City High Middle School;
• Rukundo Nshimiyimana, Hope, 11th, Innovation Central;
• Jenna Sherwin,  Light Up The World, 11th, City High Middle School;
• Alex Van Kuiken, Empire, 11th, City High Middle School;
• Madison Younts, Our Planet In Bloom, 11th, City High Middle School

“Now in its sixth year, the SmartArt contest has evolved into an annual opportunity that our students and fine arts teachers look forward to with great excitement,” said Grand Rapids Public Schools Superintendent Teresa Weatherall Neal. “I am grateful to be working with Consumers Energy to blend art with sustainability and environmental stewardship -- then elevating the students’ work for the entire world to see as part of ArtPrize 10 and the final 20 announcement.”

The contest’s top winner will receive a $1,000 college scholarship courtesy of Consumers Energy.

ArtPrize is an open, independently organized international art competition which takes place for 19 days each fall in Grand Rapids. Each year, $500,000 in prizes are awarded, which include a $200,000 prize awarded entirely by public vote and another $200,000 prize awarded by a jury of art experts. Consumers Energy has been an ArtPrize sponsor since 2011.

“Engaging visitors of all ages in meaningful learning opportunities lies at the heart of the ArtPrize event. Thanks to sponsors like Consumers Energy, our city transforms each fall into a place for generations of artists and art-lovers to explore and create contemporary art,” said Becca Guyette, ArtPrize director of learning and engagement. “The SmartArt competition continues to be a shining example of how ArtPrize can serve as a stage to celebrate the creativity and ingenuity of our city’s youth.”

For more information on ArtPrize, visit www.artprize.org.

About Consumers Energy

Consumers Energy, Michigan’s largest energy provider, is the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS), providing natural gas and/or electricity to 6.7 million of the state’s 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.

Media Contacts

Consumers Energy: Roger Morgenstern, 616-530-4364

Grand Rapids Public Schools: John Helmholdt, 616-819-2149

ArtPrize: Jaenell Woods, 616-214-7921

Check Out Consumers Energy on Social Media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ConsumersEnergyMichigan/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/consumersenergy

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/consumersenergy

Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/consumersenergy/

Tweet me:10 student finalists announced for this fall's @ArtPrize competition, a collaboration with Grand Rapids Public Schools and @ConsumersEnergy http://bit.ly/2xB6uzE @We_Are_GR ‏

KEYWORDS: Consumers Energy, SmartArt Competition, ArtPrize, Grand Rapids Public Schools

Benefit includes free college credit for Walmart Academy training and options for associates to earn a college degree without incurring student loan debt

SOURCE:Walmart

DESCRIPTION:

BENTONVILLE, Ark., May 31, 2018 /3BL Media/ – Walmart has unveiled a new associate education benefit designed to remove barriers to college enrollment and graduation. The program is another step in the company’s commitment to train and educate workers to advance in the jobs of today - and the future.

In partnership with Guild Education, a leading education benefits platform, Walmart associates will be able to access affordable, high-quality associate’s and bachelor’s degrees in Business or Supply Chain Management. Under the program, which will be made available to all Walmart U.S. and Sam’s Club associates, Walmart will subsidize the cost of higher education, beyond financial aid and an associate contribution equivalent to $1 a day. Degrees will be offered through the University of Florida, Brandman University and Bellevue University – nonprofit schools selected for their focus and strong outcomes on serving working adult learners.

Investing in the personal and professional success of our associates is vital to Walmart’s future success. We know training and learning opportunities empower associates to deliver for customers while growing and advancing in their careers.

- Greg Foran, CEO of Walmart U.S.

Highlights of the program include:

AFFORDABLE 
Under the program, the associate contribution toward a college degree would be just $1 a day. Walmart will subsidize the cost of tuition, books and fees, eliminating the need for student loan debt and addressing one the biggest hurdles that keep people from returning to college.

In addition, associates can jumpstart their path to completion by earning college credit for paid training at Walmart Academies. Hundreds of thousands of associates have already undergone skills training equivalent to more than $210 million in college credits. This will save associates both time and money in completing their degree.

RELEVANT
Walmart selected universities with a specialized focus on serving working adult learners and top outcomes for the working adult demographic. In addition, Walmart is collaborating with these universities to tailor curriculum to relevant skills for jobs and advancement across industries for today and in the future.

ACCESSIBLE 
Working with three universities that include both selective and open-access programs, Walmart provides all associates a place to start. The goal is for all associates who apply for admission to be accepted. These universities have a programmatic dedication to high graduation rates for their students.

SUPPORTED
From day one, associates will receive support from a Guild Education coach on everything from the application and enrollment process to selecting the appropriate degree. This kind of academic counseling has been shown to help students complete their degree.

“Walmart has kicked off what might be the nation’s most scalable approach to creating educational opportunity for America’s workforce, now available to its U.S. associates and their families,” said Rachel Carlson, chief executive officer and co-founder of Guild Education. “Walmart is also leading innovation at the intersection of workforce development and higher education by helping associates earn college credit for their on-the-job training.”

Walmart is also committed to an independent evaluation of the outcome of its new offering. The Lumina Foundation has agreed to research and measure the impact and effectiveness of the program and will work with the Walmart team to share findings.

“Walmart is making a significant investment in its workforce that will not just help the company, but help shift how our society moves toward more affordable and accessible pathways for individuals to be recognized and rewarded for their work-based skills and knowledge, resulting in high-quality, relevant credentials. We applaud Walmart’s efforts,” said Jamie Merisotis, president and chief executive officer of the Lumina Foundation.

“I commend Walmart for trying an innovative strategy to increase the skills and post-secondary education of its workers and for committing to have the Lumina Foundation conduct an independent evaluation of the program. I look forward to studying Lumina’s findings,” said Alan Krueger, professor of economics, Princeton University.

ADDITIONAL EDUCATIONAL AND TRAINING OFFERINGS
Walmart’s new education program underscores the importance of education in helping associates prepare for the future. College degrees in supply chain management or business are parts of a broader approach to preparing the workforce to succeed today and into the future. Initiatives include:

• Developing a broad suite of offerings across roles and levels to help associates from frontline to executive levels develop job-related skills for advancement.
• Covering the complete cost for associates and eligible family members for earning a high school diploma or GED.
• Offering associates and eligible family members have access to tuition discounts, financial aid assistance and education coaching across Guild’s broader network of more than 80 accredited, nonprofit university partners, including schools such as The Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), Columbia University and Purdue University. These institutions are made available through EdX.
• Giving access to professional development courses including college prep, leadership training and ESL.

These programs are available to full-time, part-time and salaried Walmart U.S. store, supply chain, home office and Sam’s Club associates.

Walmart associates can learn more by visting WalmartOne.

About Walmart
Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT) helps people around the world save money and live better - anytime and anywhere - in retail stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Each week, nearly 270 million customers and members visit our more than 11,700 stores under 65 banners in 28 countries and eCommerce websites. With fiscal year 2018 revenue of $500.3 billion, Walmart employs approximately 2.3 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting http://corporate.walmart.com , on Facebook at http://facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/walmart.

Tweet me:New education benefit @Walmart includes free college credit for #WalmartAcademy training and options for associates to earn a #CollegeDegree without incurring #StudentLoanDebt http://bit.ly/2kBqRTJ

KEYWORDS: Walmart, Guild Education, employee benefits

Standouts discuss risks and opportunities, but few report financial implications

SOURCE:Ceres

DESCRIPTION:

May 31, 2018 /3BL Media/ - Ceres and CookESG Research released a new tool for identifying corporate disclosure of human and workers’ rights risks and opportunities in annual financial filings. The tool covers more than  5,000 U.S. and foreign companies’ filings (10-K, 20-F and 40-F) to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The SEC search tool also expands Ceres’ work to address investors’ concerns about improving the disclosure of decision-useful sustainability information in mandatory filings.

“In an era when companies face growing scrutiny for their human and workers’ rights policies and practices, and greater responsibilities for helping to address global sustainability threats, improving disclosure of the associated financial risks and opportunities to investors is an imperative,” said Jim Coburn, senior manager of disclosure at Ceres.  

On critical issues of human rights and workers’ rights, the tool shows examples of good practice disclosure. But even these examples fail to detail the financial implications of these risks and opportunities.  Given the financial risks human rights and workers’ rights issues pose in many industries, investors are increasingly taking stock of opportunities for improved disclosures so they can better integrate human and workers’ rights risks into their corporate engagements and investment decision-making.

The search tool captures information--where it is disclosed--about internationally recognized human rights such as freedom of association, the right to collective bargaining, non-discrimination, and the elimination of forced and child labor. The tool categorizes disclosure as four types, providing investors information on the following: human rights policies and practices, equal employment and anti-discrimination, workers’ rights and workplace practices, and social license to operate.

Using the tool to review 2015-2018 disclosures, Ceres and CookESG Research found that S&P 500 companies disclosed more information about workers’ rights and workplace practices than about human rights, equal employment, and anti-discrimination policies. Foreign companies generally disclosed more information than their U.S. competitors.  Overall, however, companies failed to detail the financial implications of human and workers’ rights-related risks and opportunities.

For industry sectors with at least 10 companies analyzed, chemical, medical equipment manufacturers and oil and gas companies disclosed the most information about human rights. However, business services, electronics and insurance services companies disclosed the least amount of information.

“Increasingly, investors are recognizing that human rights, worker treatment and community relations intersect with environmental and governance issues and are material sources of business strength and business risk,” said Jackie Cook, head of CookESG Research. “Discussion of their impacts belongs in annual financial reporting to shareholders.”

Examples of corporate disclosures found by the tool include:

• Human rights due diligence – Communications and information technology company Nokia --“[W]e have identified the potential misuse of the products and technology we provide, as the most salient human rights risk in our operations...In 2017, to increase transparency, we became the first telecoms vendor to publish real human rights due diligence cases to increase the dialogue and understanding of the issues vendors can face. We run human rights due diligence processes as part of our global sales process, to further mitigate the potential risks of product misuse.”
• Supply chain human rights – Beverages bottler and consumer goods company Coca-Cola European Partners -- “We are also working to embed sustainability, ethics and human rights within our supply chain…CCEP's Human Rights Policy is guided by international human rights principles encompassed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Labour Organisation's Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, the United Nations Global Compact and the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. In 2017, we published our first response to the UK Modern Slavery Act, and will publish further updates on our progress on embedding human rights and sustainability in our supply chain in our 2017 Stakeholder Progress Report.”
• Gender diversity – Oil and gas exploration and production company Equinor (formerly Statoil) -- “During 2017, we continued to analyse the diversity of our pipeline, at all levels and in all locations, to ensure continued improvement in our representation. In 2017, the overall percentage of women in the company was 30 percent. The percentage of women in the board of directors is 40 percent...The percentage of women in leadership positions was 28 percent in 2017.”
• Board responsibility for sustainability issues – Intercontinental Hotels discussed the role of its Corporate Responsibility Committee, including, “Monitoring delivery of the Group’s Responsible Business targets for 2013-2017, and establishing new targets for 2018–2020 [and] Reviewing Environmental, Social, Community and Human Rights issues including the Group’s Modern Slavery Statement and the Group’s approach to responsible procurement.”

The search tool, introduced in 2014 by Ceres and CookESG Research, also provides users the ability to search for disclosures on these sustainability issues: climate change, water risk, carbon asset risk, and hydraulic fracturing.

###

Ceres is a sustainability nonprofit organization working with the most influential investors and companies to build leadership and drive solutions throughout the economy. For more information, visit www.ceres.org and follow @CeresNews.

Tweet me:Exciting news! Ceres just improved their SEC #Sustainability Disclosure Search Tool. It now covers disclosures from more than 5,000 companies on #humanrights and workplace practices, equal employment, and social license to operate. https://bit.ly/2IZtQjm

Contact Info:

Karen Rivera
Ceres
+1 (617) 247-0700ext. 106
rivera@ceres.org

KEYWORDS: Human Rights, SEC search tool, Securities and Exchange Commission, Annual Financial Filings, anti-discrimination, equal employment, worker's rights, workplace practices, CERES

New national campaign highlights the role of public parks and pollinator gardens in addressing pollinator health

SOURCE:Scotts Miracle-Gro

DESCRIPTION:

MARYSVILLE, Ohio, May 31, 2018 /3BL Media/ — To address the critical need to increase pollinator habitat for beneficial insects, such as honey bees, monarch butterflies and others, The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation and the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) have teamed up on a new “Parks for Pollinators” campaign aimed at raising public awareness of pollinator health and encouraging local action through public parks and pollinator gardens.

“NRPA is proud to partner with The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation on this important initiative,” said Lori Robertson, NRPA director of conservation. “Public parks play an increasing role in addressing pollinator decline, and this initiative will help strengthen the work our agencies do to educate the public about the important role pollinators play in our daily lives and inspire individuals to take action.” 

Through Parks for Pollinators, agencies will engage members of the public in a variety of settings, including community events, public education programs, social media and online communications. NRPA and The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation will also fund on-the-ground survey research that will aid in understanding the public’s perception of the pollinator crisis. Five park and recreation agencies have been selected to help conduct the research and include:  

• Chicago Park District — Chicago, Illinois
• Houston Parks and Recreation Department — Houston, Texas
• Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation, and Open Spaces Department — Miami, Florida
• City of Providence, Department of Public Parks — Providence, Rhode Island
• Seattle Parks and Recreation — Seattle, Washington

“Local park and recreation centers are an ideal place to engage, educate and help more people to get involved in the creation of pollinator habitat in their communities and in their own backyards through pollinator gardens,” said Jim King, president of The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation. “Parks can also provide a much-needed corridor of protected land for habitat creation, especially in urban areas.”

Since 2015, Scotts Miracle-Gro has engaged in a multiyear Pollinator Promise effort to help home gardeners, community gardeners and urban planners understand the critical role pollinators play in our ecosystem and to provide them with the tools necessary to grow successful pollinator gardens.

The Parks for Pollinators campaign will kick off with an online photo contest that will take place during the month of June, which is also the month of National Pollinator Week, June 18–24. NRPA members and the public are encouraged to post a pollinator photo on social media using the hashtag #Parks4Polllinators to have the chance to win a pollinator garden prize pack with gardening products and tips for taking personal, at-home actions to support pollinator health.

According to a recent poll conducted by NRPA, nearly all Americans agree that promoting pollinator health should be a conservation priority across the United States. Promoting pollinator health includes protecting against the decline and death of pollinators, such as honey bees and other insects, and increasing their habitat.

To learn more about Parks for Pollinators, visit www.nrpa.org/parks4pollinators.  

To learn more about NRPA, visit www.nrpa.org.   

About the National Recreation and Park Association
The National Recreation and Park Association is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that all Americans have access to parks and recreation for health, conservation and social equity. Through its network of 60,000 recreation and park professionals and advocates, NRPA encourages the promotion of healthy and active lifestyles, conservation initiatives and equitable access to parks and public space. For more information, visit www.nrpa.org. For digital access to NRPA’s flagship publication, Parks & Recreation, visit www.parksandrecreation.org.

About The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation
The mission of The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation is to inspire, connect and cultivate a community of purpose. The Foundation is deeply rooted in helping create healthier communities, empower the next generation, and preserve our planet. The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that funds non-profit entities that support its core initiatives in the form of grants, endowments and multi-year capital gifts. For more information, visit www.scottsmiraclegrofoundation.org.

Media Contacts:
Molly Jennings
molly.jennings@scotts.com 
561-681-7683

Heather Williams
hwilliams@nrpa.org
703.858.4743
@NRPA_news

Tweet me:The @Scotts_MGro Foundation has joined with @NRPA_news to launch #Parks4Pollinators and help raise awareness through #PollinatorGardens http://bit.ly/2JgUurj #pollinators #savethebees

KEYWORDS: NYSE:SMG, The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation, National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), pollinators, Parks for Pollinators, Pollinator Promise, Pollinator Gardens

Riham shares a look behind the Nestlé curtain and gives insight on making the jump from nonprofit advocacy to food innovation.

SOURCE:Nestlé

DESCRIPTION:

by Brittan Maisch, Employer Brand Digital Manager at Nestlé

Tweet me:An ‘activist at heart’ shares insight on making the jump from #nonprofit advocacy to food innovation at @NestleUSA http://bit.ly/2sl2ugC

KEYWORDS: VTX:NESN.VX, Nestle

By Victoria Glazar, Verizon Corporate Social Responsibility

SOURCE:Verizon

DESCRIPTION:

According to the Future of Jobs Report by the World Economic Forum, creativity is one of the top three most important skills for future workers, along with complex problem solving and critical thinking.   The report notes that by 2020 rapid technological change will make more than a third of the skills considered important in today’s workforce obsolete. In fact, 85 percent of the jobs that will exist in 2030 haven't even been invented yet, says a report by the Institute for the Future and a panel of 20 tech, business and academic experts from around the world.

Experts agree that creativity is critical to success in the future. But can creativity be taught? If so, how? Middle school teachers are finding answers to these questions in a program that aims to put today’s students on the path to success in tomorrow’s jobs. The initiative, called Verizon Innovative Learning, gives a tablet with data plan to every student and teacher in under-resourced middle schools. Also, teachers are provided with comprehensive training on strategies to integrate technology into learning, and an on-site Digital Learning Coach, trained by the nonprofit Digital Promise, to provide individualized support.

With its tech-infused curriculum, Verizon Innovative Learning is changing the way teachers teach and students learn. The changes are resulting in student gains in academics, and perhaps more importantly, in the “soft skills” that will be increasingly important in tomorrow’s jobs.

“The biggest difference that I see with students is creativity,” says Kara Noah, an Instructional Technology Specialist in the Irving, Texas Independent School District.  “In the past, one of my major frustrations with students was the absence of originality and imagination in their work. On projects, I’d see the same thing over and over.”

Time, she notes, is one of the biggest factors limiting the cultivation of creativity in the classroom. “We’re usually in a crunch time around state testing, and there is so much that needs to get done during class that we really don't allow much time to practice creativity.”

Now, she says, students have access to the internet on their tablets 24/7, so they can take their time to fuel their creative sides.  Along with more time, the technology gives students more scope, Noah says. She says that the tablets are like portals through which students can access a universe of ideas. They can research art, history, nature, foreign countries, science fiction – and the list goes on. “Now, their horizons are limitless,” she says.

And it’s making a difference. “Our district hosts an annual event called iCreate, where students can submit projects that they have created.  For years, our school struggled to get projects into the Featured Room, which displayed the best projects. But this year we got two accepted!” she exclaims.

Alissa Womack, Digital Learning Coach in the Irving school district, helps teachers understand how to use technology to help students tap into their creativity. She notes that students are demonstrating creative solutions more than ever, giving an example from a recent English Language Arts class. “The teacher let students choose how to display their knowledge of the book, ‘Freak the Mighty.’ On this kind of assignment in the past, we used to see a bunch of Powerpoints and not much else. But this year we had kids’ creating prosthetic body parts, making robotic arms from recycled materials, and producing stop motion video, among other things,” she says.  

Noah adds that letting students choose is key to promoting creativity.  “One of the best things we can do is to put kids in the driver’s seat. When we let kids choose how to demonstrate their knowledge, we see them come up with things we would never imagine.”

Another teacher in a Verizon Innovative Learning school also observes an increase in creativity among students. Chris Reasor, a teacher at Patrick Henry Middle School in New York City, adds, “We have seen the school environment change in a lot of ways. More student-centered learning. Teachers do less lecturing and more guiding students as they drive the learning. This discovery-type approach encourages students to explore and create things,” he says.  

Tweet me:With its tech-infused curriculum, #verizoninnovativelearning is changing the way teachers teach and students learn. The results are student gains in academics, and perhaps more importantly, in the “soft skills” increasingly important in tomorrow’s jobs. http://bit.ly/2suiMDN

KEYWORDS: Verizon, STEM, NYSE:VZ, Creativity, Technology

SOURCE:FCA US LLC

SUMMARY:

• Up to 62,000 additional Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivans will join Waymo’s driverless fleet, starting in late 2018
• Companies beginning discussions about use of Waymo self-driving technology, including potentially through licensing, in a FCA-manufactured vehicle available to retail customers

DESCRIPTION:

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., May 31, 2018 /3BL Media/ - FCA US LLC and Waymo today announced they will expand their partnership with an agreement to add up to 62,000 Chrysler Pacifica Hybridminivans to Waymo’s self-driving fleet. This venture builds upon a previous commitment, announced in January, to deliver thousands of vehicles to Waymo’s driverless transportation service. Vehicle delivery is expected to begin in late 2018.
 
FCA US and Waymo also announced today that they are beginning discussions about the use of Waymo self-driving technology, including potentially through licensing, in a FCA-manufactured vehicle available to retail customers.
 
“FCA is committed to bringing self-driving technology to our customers in a manner that is safe, efficient and realistic,” said Sergio Marchionne, Chief Executive Officer, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. “Strategic partnerships, such as the one we have with Waymo, will help to drive innovative technology to the forefront.” 

Currently, Waymo is the only company with a fleet of fully self-driving cars, with no one in the driver seat, on public roads. Later this year, Waymo will launch the world’s first self-driving transportation service, allowing the public to use Waymo’s app to request a vehicle.
 
“Waymo's goal from day one has been to build the world’s most experienced driver and give people access to self-driving technology that will make our roads safer,” said John Krafcik, CEO of Waymo. “We're excited to deepen our relationship with FCA that will support the launch of our driverless service, and explore future products that support Waymo's mission.”

FCA and Waymo first announced their partnership in May 2016. The first-of-its-kind collaboration brought engineers from FCA and Waymo together to integrate Waymo’s fully self-driving system into the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivan, leveraging each company’s individual strengths and resources. Since then, FCA and Waymo engineers have continued working together to support Waymo’s expansion and to evolve the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivan with self-driving technology. 

The self-driving Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivans are one of the most advanced vehicles on the road today, equipped with Waymo’s self-driving system, including a powerful hardware suite and software honed over 6 million miles of on-road testing.
 
To date, FCA has delivered 600 Pacifica Hybrid minivans to Waymo.

About Waymo
Waymo is a self-driving technology company with a mission to make it safe and easy for people and things to move around. We’re determined to improve transportation for people around the world, building on software and sensor technology developed in Google’s labs since 2009. Waymo is building the most experienced driver with over 6 million miles driven on public roads across 25 U.S. cities, and billions of miles logged in simulation testing.
 
About FCA
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. (“FCA”), the seventh-largest automaker in the world based on total annual vehicle sales, is an international automotive group. FCA is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “FCAU” and on the Mercato Telematico Azionario under the symbol “FCA”.

The transaction was executed by FCA’s wholly owned subsidiary, FCA US LLC. Headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, FCA US LLC designs, engineers, manufactures and sells vehicles under the Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram and FIAT brands, as well as the SRT performance vehicle designation. The company also distributes Alfa Romeo and Mopar products. FCA US is building upon the historic foundations of Chrysler, the innovative American automaker first established by Walter P. Chrysler in 1925, and Fiat, founded in Italy in 1899 by pioneering entrepreneurs, including Giovanni Agnelli.

-###-

For more information, please visit the FCA US LLC media site at http://media.fcanorthamerica.com.

Contact: 

Dianna Gutierrez
FCA US LLC
(248) 512-2921 (office)
(248) 705-7504 (cell)
dianna.gutierrez@fcagroup.com

Waymo Press Inquiries
press@waymo.com

Tweet me:.@FiatChrysler_NA Expands Partnership With Waymo http://bit.ly/2JlG0GT

KEYWORDS: NYSE:FCAU, FCA, Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, Waymo, Partnership, sustainability, self-driving vehicles, safety

11th Annual Week of Employee Volunteerism Prioritizes Community Resilience

SOURCE:NRG Energy

DESCRIPTION:

PRINCETON, N.J., May 31, 2018 /3BL Media/ — For the 11^th consecutive year, NRG Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NRG) employees took to the communities where they live and work to volunteer in the name of “positiveNRG week,” the company’s annual week of volunteering. This year’s efforts resulted in nearly 1,000 NRG employees across 16 states volunteering nearly 5,000 hours to 71 charities and nonprofits.

“PositiveNRG is more than a corporate initiative, it’s our ethos.” said Jennifer Brunelle, Director, positiveNRG, NRG’s corporate philanthropy program. “We leverage our unique expertise to build lasting relationships that extend beyond times of need — we volunteer to nurture vibrant, resilient communities.”

Organizations served during positiveNRG week include these and more:

• Fort Bend Senior Meals on Wheels
• Houston Food Bank
• March of Dimes
• Homefront
• Girlstart
• Junior Achievement

Whether for environmental, human welfare, health and wellness or education, NRG’s positiveNRG program aims to achieve long-term, sustainable outcomes. Learn more about NRG’s charitable giving efforts.

About NRG

At NRG, we’re redefining power by putting customers at the center of everything we do. We create value by generating electricity and serving nearly 3 million residential and commercial customers through our portfolio of retail electricity brands. A Fortune 500 company, NRG delivers customer-focused solutions for managing electricity, while enhancing energy choice and working towards a sustainable energy future. More information is available at www.nrg.com. Connect with NRG on Facebook, LinkedIn and follow us on Twitter @nrgenergy, @nrginsight.

Contacts:

Media:
Candice Adams
(609) 524-5428

Investors
Kevin L. Cole, CFA
609.524.4526

Lindsey Puchyr
609.524.4527

Tweet me:See what @NRGenergy #employee #volunteers contributed to their communities during #positiveNRG week http://bit.ly/2kF0lsw #corporateresponsibility

KEYWORDS: NRG Energy, PositiveNRG Week, NYSE:NRG, Fort Bend Senior Meals on Wheels, houston food bank, March of Dimes, Homefront, girlstart, junior achievement

Jon Campbell, head of Corporate Responsibility for Wells Fargo, shares how the company is enhancing its approach to corporate social responsibility to make a bigger impact.

SOURCE:Wells Fargo & Company

SUMMARY:

Editor’s note: In a letter published in the 2017 Wells Fargo Corporate Social Responsibility report, Jon Campbell, head of Corporate Responsibility and Community Relations for Wells Fargo, discusses the company’s refreshed CSR priorities, shares new initiatives, and reviews progress made over the past year.

DESCRIPTION:

As a global financial services company — and one of the nation’s largest small business lenders, residential mortgage providers, and corporate cash donors — we understand our role as a community supporter and the positive impact we can have on society and the environment. This report reflects the hard work of the Wells Fargo team to fulfill our company’s vision of helping customers succeed financially while also being a leader in corporate citizenship and helping create more equitable, financially self-sufficient, and resilient communities.

As part of our transformation into becoming a better, stronger company, we continue to evolve and enhance our approach to corporate social responsibility to ensure we are integrating responsible business practices throughout our global business operations and effectively responding to significant CSR matters. We are building on a strong foundation of investing in our team members, communities, and sustainable business operations, while maximizing our ability to make an impact in ways that benefit Wells Fargo and all of our key stakeholders.

As Wells Fargo President and CEO Tim Sloan addresses in his letter, we remain committed to achieving our 2020 CSR goals, which you will learn more about in this report. At the same time, we took steps in 2017 to refresh our CSR priorities in light of changes in our business, new board and executive leadership, and heightened stakeholder feedback on current and emerging socioeconomic and environmental trends.

Our third CSR materiality assessment (PDF) since 2009 included a series of interviews with internal and external stakeholders who helped us understand and prioritize topics with the highest importance to our business and our stakeholders in the context of today’s environment. The results validated our existing priorities that will continue to comprise our CSR strategy:

Diversity and social inclusion: Help ensure that all people feel valued and respected and have equal access to resources, services, products, and opportunities to succeed.

• Economic empowerment: Strengthen financial self-sufficiency and economic opportunities in underserved communities.
• Environmental sustainability: Accelerate the transition to a lower-carbon economy and help reduce the impacts of climate change.

The assessment also highlighted issues that have increased in impact to our company and stakeholders, including, for example, ethical practices and culture, corporate governance, human rights, and climate change risk management. We take our commitment to continuous improvement seriously and plan to integrate these findings into our work.

The evolution of our CSR strategy is also reflected in our board’s establishment of an external Stakeholder Advisory Council to provide the board and management with stakeholder perspectives on current and emerging issues. The council — which consists of experts and advocates focused on consumer rights, fair lending, the environment, human rights, civil rights, and governance — will help us ensure we are considering social responsibility matters that are important to customers and others in our philanthropy and day-to-day operations. We look forward to benefiting from the council’s diverse perspectives and experiences, which will be instrumental in our efforts to continue enhancing our CSR strategy, programs, policies, and actions.

Tweet me:.@WellsFargo head of #CSR Jon Campbell: ‘We will become a better, stronger Wells Fargo’ http://bit.ly/2JjfcHb

KEYWORDS: jon campbell, csr, Wells Fargo, NYSE:WFC

Porsche White and why she wants everyone to belong

SOURCE:Hormel Foods Corporation

DESCRIPTION:

By Mary Burich

Tommy Swearingen has the privilege of meeting a lot of employees in his job as human resources manager at MegaMex Foods. Even so, he remembers vividly the day in 2008 when Porsche White crossed his path. What’s more, in the years since their first meeting, he’s been able to watch her make a difference in the life of Hormel Foods and perhaps more important, in the lives of its workers.

“I’ve had a front-row seat witnessing this amazing growth and the contributions and impact that she has made,” says Tommy. In addition, he adds, she is steadfast in her commitment to the importance of diversity and inclusion.

Indeed, Porsche believes furthering the diversity and inclusion platform of Hormel Foods is one of the most important aspects of her job as a manager for the company. She also understands well that when people feel accepted for who they are, they are inspired to do their best work. It’s a lesson she learned firsthand.

Porsche is an African-American woman who identifies as lesbian. “I’m a minority in so many ways,” she says. Yet, from day one, she has felt like she belonged at the company. That’s a deal-maker for her. “Being accepted for who you are with Hormel Foods is very important. It allows me to do the best job that I can for the company.” As a manager, it also allows her to “help give others a voice.”

Porsche is now part of the team at Don Miguel in Dallas, a joint venture of Hormel Foods. Her latest position as quality and process control manager marks another time in her nine years with Hormel Foods that she relocated for a job with more responsibility. Her initial role was a supervisory one in 2008 in Atlanta, the city she identifies as her hometown.

Porsche came to the Hormel Foods plant in Atlanta, Ga., when she was 28. She brought with her experience and two college degrees: a bachelor’s in forensic science and a master’s in operations management. She was at home right away, she recalls. “I felt for the first time in my life that I had a company that invested in me. And that investment? You just want to give it back 10 times over.” The same wasn’t true for others in her family. Porsche remembers her mother, an accountant with a large corporation, never getting the recognition she deserved.

Porsche is passionate about doing her part to ensure a different experience for those she works with. She serves on two of the nine employee resource groups (ERGs) at Hormel Foods. The groups bring people together around common interests or backgrounds and in this way, contribute to the company’s growth and innovation. In addition, the volunteer-led ERGs are a critical part of the company’s efforts to bolster the diverse and inclusive work environment of Hormel Foods.

Porsche signed on soon after joining the company. She currently serves as vice president of Hormel African American Resource Group (HAARG). According to its charter, the group serves to “support and enhance the professional development of its members and be a valued business resource to our corporation by leveraging the unique African-American experience.” She also is part of Hormel Professionals Representing Out United Individuals & Allies (HPROUD & Allies), the ERG whose mission is to promote a safe and equitable working environment for all employees, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.

Giving Back To The Community

Before Porsche assumed the role of vice president of HAARG and while stationed at the Atlanta plant, she was in charge of the community service component of the ERG, a role she fills to this day. Projects in Atlanta included volunteering for Habitat for Humanity and helping out with Hosea Feed the Hungry and Homeless, among others.

One of the most successful community service efforts was the relationship Porsche developed more than five years ago with Hosea Feed the Hungry in Atlanta. She was looking for opportunities for HAARG to expand its community outreach. The organization and the legacy of its founder, civil rights leader/activist Hosea Williams, impressed Porsche with their compassion for the hungry and homeless in Atlanta. “Hosea was an impressive person,” she says. “He marched with Martin Luther King Jr.”

Not only did Porsche get HAARG involved with Hosea Feed the Hungry, she educated her plant manager about the group’s mission and work in the community. Though Porsche transferred from the Atlanta facility a number of years ago, the relationship with Hosea Feed the Hungry continues.

A subsequent assignment with Hormel Foods put Porsche in Lathrop, California, in 2013. One of the first things she did upon her arrival was to introduce the plant to HAARG and “empower them to do things they had never done before.” The facility is small, she explains. Workers didn’t realize they could participate with the ERGs. Porsche stepped up and organized a project to collect school supplies for in-need students and led the location’s Black History Month celebration, recognizing an African-American who was also a food industry pioneer.

Porsche accepted her current assignment in 2017 and is now the quality and process control manager at Don Miguel Foods, a joint venture of Hormel Foods and Herdez del Fuerte, located in Dallas. True to form, she is in the process of establishing HAARG there and working to learn as much as she can about the diverse cultures of her co-workers, at the same time sharing hers.

It’s more than what she does. It’s who she is.

“Porsche has been a dedicated teacher in educating people within the company about diversity and inclusion and the difference it can make in the workplace when all feel a part of the same team,” Tommy says.

Tweet me:Porsche White highlights the importance of diversity and inclusion in the @HormelFoods workplace http://bit.ly/2IXGV0S

KEYWORDS: NYSE:HRL, Hormel Foods, Hormel African American Resource Group, Hormel Professionals Representing Out United Individuals & Allies, Porsche White, Hosea Feed the Hungry

SOURCE:Monsanto

DESCRIPTION:

Sporting Kansas City announced on Tuesday the launch of Sporting Sustainability, a collaborative platform that unites prominent industry leaders to reduce food waste and achieve additional key sustainability outcomes in the Midwest.

The initiative features the following five founding partners, who have each committed to addressing causes of food waste, supporting external efforts across the supply chain and building a network of advocates for food conservation:

Agspring
Monsanto
Sporting Kansas City
Syngenta
The Nature Conservancy

“The objective for Sporting Sustainability is to engage and educate all affiliated with our organization -- from guests at Children’s Mercy Park to families in the Sporting Club Network – on the importance of taking action to address food waste,” said Jon Moses, Senior Director of Corporate Partnership Sales for Sporting Kansas City. “We are thrilled to welcome the expertise of best-in-class partners on this important initiative. Together, we can collectively achieve a significant social impact and develop best practices for our league, our sport and our communities.”

“Tackling food waste will be one of the most significant things an individual, family or food service operation can do to simultaneously impact the environment, hunger and their own monthly budget,” said Bradford Warner, Vice President of Marketing and Sustainability for Agspring.  “Down the supply chain from agricultural production to food processing to the point of consumption, our society wastes 30-40% of the food we produce and it’s our mission to help show people they can change that every day.”  

Sporting Sustainability aims to raise awareness around the impact of food waste prevention, including greenhouse gas emissions and agricultural land use, while utilizing educational tools to encourage the adoption of sustainable practices amongst consumers.

Sporting Kansas City supporters will have the opportunity to join the mission via digital pledges and subsequent self-reporting will qualify participants for a chance to win Sporting KC tickets, merchandise and experiences. The multi-faceted platform will also integrate components to further measure the impact of food waste reduction, including an online tracking tool to showcase the overall objectives.

To learn more, visit SportingKC.com/sustainability.

Tweet me:.@MonsantoCo is proud to partner with @SportingKC and others to help reduce food waste. Learn more: https://bit.ly/2xkDxYm

KEYWORDS: sustainability, Food Waste, agriculture, Monsanto, Sporting Sustainability

SOURCE:Bloomberg

DESCRIPTION:

New York, 22 May 2018 ─ Bloomberg L.P.’s headquarters at 731 Lexington Avenue in New York has been LEED® certified to the Gold level for Building Operations and Maintenance (O+M) for existing buildings. The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) green building program is a rating system, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). It is the foremost program for buildings, homes and communities that are designed, constructed, maintained and operated for improved environmental and human health performance.

Bloomberg partnered with Vornado Realty Trust, the building’s manager, to achieve this certification. LEED O+M addresses efficient and optimum use of energy and water resources, purchase of environmentally preferred products and food, waste stream management and ongoing indoor environmental quality. The LEED rating system provides guidelines for building maintenance and cleaning, material use, and recycling programs, as well as system upgrades to improve energy, water consumption, and indoor environmental quality.

“LEED has been a critical component of our real estate strategy since 2008. Certifying our offices to the rigorous LEED standards enables us to demonstrate our commitment to sustainability and provide transparency for our employee and stakeholders around the word,” said Michael Barry, Head of Sustainable Business Operations at Bloomberg. “We are extremely pleased that our global headquarters has been certified LEED Gold.”

“Achieving LEED certification is more than implementing sustainable practices. It represents a commitment to making the world a better place and influencing others to do better,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO, USGBC. “Given the extraordinary importance of climate protection and the central role of the building industry in that effort, Bloomberg and Vornado demonstrate their leadership through the LEED certification of 731 Lexington Avenue.”

This is Bloomberg’s 38th project certified under a third-party environmental standard to date. We have achieved LEED Platinum (the highest level) at 17 projects and LEED Gold (second highest level) at 20 projects. Our LEED portfolio contains offices in all Bloomberg operating regions on six continents. Additionally, our new European headquarters in London has achieved an ‘Outstanding’ BREEAM rating.

In addition to LEED O+M certification, our headquarters at 731 Lexington Avenue has achieved LEED Gold for Commercial Interiors for our expansion onto floors 21- 29 in 2012. The building also achieved a Fitwel 3 Star Rating in 2017. Fitwel is the leading global health certification, evaluating evidence-based strategies in buildings that support human health.

To learn about Bloomberg's sustainable operations, visit the 2017 Impact Report website. 

Tweet me:Bloomberg Headquarters in New York Achieves Prestigious LEED Green Building Certification @bloomberg #sustainablebusiness #bloombergimpact http://bit.ly/2ITpIVB

KEYWORDS: Bloomberg, Sustainable Operations, bloomberg impact

by Terry Ramsay

SOURCE:HanesBrands

DESCRIPTION:

On one of his first days of work at Sara Lee Corporation—now HanesBrands—Chris Fox was introduced to the world of factory compliance. The Kathy Lee Gifford sweatshop scandal had just broken, revealing the appalling conditions and child labor practices that were prevalent in the factories that produced clothing under her label.  As legal counsel for Sara Lee, Fox witnessed firsthand the seeds of a movement that, over the course of many years, would result in a change to consumer consciousness and buying behavior. 

A lawyer by trade, Fox earned his joint MBA and JD degrees from Wake Forest University in 1993. His long-term goal was to apply critical thinking from his legal training to solve problems in the private sector. Marrying business growth goals in a price-driven industry with the seemingly conflicting ethical mandate to do the right thing was right up his alley.

In 2007, after HanesBrands broke off from Sara Lee, Fox was tasked with spearheading the company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts. As part of reinventing the culture at the newly formed company, the entire work force—at every level, in every function—became increasingly accountable for sustainable, ethical production of apparel.

For starters, the entire management team signed a comprehensive energy policy, and the corporation committed itself to aggressive five-year goals in reductions of energy use, carbon dioxide emissions and water usage, and significant increases in energy production from renewable sources. Since about 80 percent of HanesBrands’ products are manufactured in company-owned factories, that was the logical place to start.

“Ninety-five percent of the industry is entirely sourced,” says Fox. “But since the vast majority of our products are made in our own plants, how we think about environmental and social issues is fundamentally different. The interaction with our factories and communities is driven by the fact that they are made up of our people, and that is where they live, work and raise their kids.”

By 2012, the five-year goals for environmental stewardship had been exceeded, and they were subsequently increased with a 2020 deadline. 

As a bonus, the process changes in manufacturing resulted in a direct and immediate benefit to the bottom line. “Since we reduced energy consumption by 20 percent, we reduced cost by millions every year,” explains Fox. “It has made perfect business sense.”

Despite the company’s incredible success in sustainability, Fox noticed that newcomers to the apparel industry were getting more traction by marketing themselves as CSR enthusiasts. Recognizing that HanesBrands needed to do more to make its efforts known, the entire CSR effort was rebranded as Hanes for Good.

“We do realize that the space has reached a tipping point, and by not saying enough, we are doing ourselves a disservice because that vacuum is filled with what people assume,” says Fox.

As an example, HanesBrands acquired Alternative Apparel—a supplier that dedicates itself to sustainable products—in October 2017. When they learned their products have a much more difficult time affecting what goes on at the manufacturing level,” says Fox. “For example, we will consume more recycled polyester [for cotton/poly fleece] than an Alternative Apparel could put in their product in decades. As a result, the story that Alternative can now tell is much stronger.”

In addition to environmentalism, Fox is equally passionate about community development. Roughly 10 years ago, he was looking to fund an extensive community improvement program that would target projects such as health care, education and infrastructure development for the communities where projects through recycling. Green for Good, a company-wide philanthropic program, was born.

“We took a hard look at waste in manufacturing, including trash on the floor, skids and cardboard—anything that was sent to landfills—and figured out how to sell it to recyclers. Every year, the program generates about $2 million, much of which funds community projects in El Salvador, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, Europe and Asia,” says Fox.

For the roughly 60,000 manufacturing employees at HanesBrands, the results of Green for Good have been life changing. Each year, Fox attends the high school graduation ceremonies for the company’s employees in the continuing education program. In 2017, of the 150 graduates in Honduras, the one he remembers most is Felipa Benitez, who was the graduation speaker.

Benitez, a 34-year-old mother of two, could not read or write and had never attended school when she was hired by HanesBrands eight years ago. Starting at the first-grade level, she completed high school, triumphantly read her graduation speech at the ceremony and was awarded a college scholarship by HanesBrands.

Fox stresses that CSR is different for every company and is based on many factors, including the supply chain model. For apparel companies wanting to shift toward a more CSR-focused culture, he recommends engaging with peer-to-peer organizations such as the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, the Fair Labor Association and the Sustainability Consortium to get an idea of how similarly structured organizations are tackling the issues.

“My challenge was taking this big enterprise and effectively and appropriately using the resources to both meet the obligations to our shareholders and, at the same time, make a true and real difference in the lives of people.” 

When Fox isn’t on the road, he plays golf—although not as much as he’d like—and is enjoying being an empty nester with wife Lynn. His oldest son, Tyler, attends the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill, and his youngest, Robbie, attends Elon University. 

Although originally from Ocean Township, New Jersey, Fox and his family have now long-planted roots in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where he serves on the board of directors of Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina and the United Way of Forsyth County. Fox says the stewardship culture that he helped build and continues to drive has become embedded in every aspect of his life. “Everything that we do in the CSR space at HanesBrands is the backbone of how we think, act and interact with both the global and local communities of which we are a part.”

Tweet me:Read how Chris Fox, VP of #CorporateResponsibility @HanesBrands, has spearheaded #sustainability efforts for over 10 years http://bit.ly/2LHwkVz via PPB Magazine #thoughtleadership

KEYWORDS: Chris Fox, HanesBrands, PPAI MEDIA, PPB MAGAZINE

By Daryl Brewster, CEO, CECP

SOURCE:CECP: The CEO Force for Good

DESCRIPTION:

Few of today’s CEOs earned their job because they were socially responsible and spoke out on hot topics. Yet key stakeholders increasingly want to know where companies and CEOs stand on critical social issues. It might be argued that speaking out is becoming a 21st-century requirement for the leaders of major companies.

Data confirms a shift in expectations from the public: research from Weber Shandwick indicates that 47% of Millennials believe CEOs have a responsibility to speak up about issues that are important to society [emphasis added]. And the 2018 Edelman Trust Barometer also suggests that CEOs, as a whole, have been “rewarded” for speaking out on issues, seeing CEO credibility levels among the general population rise from 33% in 2017 to 44% in 2018 while trust in media, government, and even non-profits declined.

CECP: The Corporate Force for Good, counsels that is in the best interests of leading CEOs to support a safe, inclusive, and well-run society. CECP, building on the work of Chatterji and Toffel, has developed a framework through which CEOs and their teams can assess why, when, and how to take positions on social issues, identifying three areas and accompanying questions for CEOs and their teams to consider.

WHAT’S YOUR ROLE AND WHAT’S YOUR STRATEGY?

• What are your company’s Purpose and Values?
• What issues matter to your company and its stakeholders?

What are your company’s Purpose and Values?

When speaking out after Charlottesville, Merck CEO Ken Frazier said, “The most important role of a leader is to safeguard the heritage and values of the company.” CEOs and their teams must determine if an issue intersects with corporate values and how the brand lives those beliefs on a day-to-day basis.

Patagonia is an oft-cited example of effective corporate advocacy, taking political positions on environmental issues with support from their stakeholders. Many feel their success is directly linked with their core business values and the issues they support.

What issues matter to your company and its stakeholders?

We hear daily about a range issues surfacing in the global debate: race and racism, diversity, inclusion, gender equality, gender identity, gender and sexual violence, marriage equality, immigration, poverty, gun control, climate change, abortion, and religion freedoms. Take time to review how your company would respond to top issues in the news and identify which ones matter most, particularly in the context of corporate purpose, values, stakeholders, and business operations.

Continue reading at https://cecp.me/2IXzBOK. 

Tweet me:What are the options CEOs have when it comes to speaking out on critical social issues? Backed by data @CECPTweets CEO Daryl Brewster shares how chief executives can map out their strategy by answering these key questions https://cecp.me/2IXzBOK

KEYWORDS: Purpose, CECP, Leadership

At Nestlé, we’ve found three things that are essential to helping veterans thrive. No matter where you end up, here’s what to look for during your transition process.

SOURCE:Nestlé

DESCRIPTION:

By Jon Salmons, Vice President, Recruiting — Nestlé USA

According to a survey conducted by Prudential Financial and IAVA, three in five veterans worried about “how to translate their military skills to a business environment.” The survey also found that “veterans are most concerned about finding a job that is meaningful to them.”

Transitioning from military to civilian life often presents challenges for members of the armed services. Often times, as a veteran, when you are ready to look for new work opportunities, you may feel unprepared or like you don’t know how to identify “the right job” for your skillset.

At Nestlé, we believe that military values like a sense of purpose and mission, collaboration, and agility, can cross over into a civilian work experience. And what’s more, we know that veterans and transitioning military members make Nestlé better. The experience and skills veterans bring to the table is a natural fit for us, and we believe our purpose-driven company culture is a natural fit for them.

Through Project Opportunity, we’re supporting veterans with employment and training opportunities, which build upon their already impressive skills. We’re proud to employ 2,400 veterans across our operating companies who are welcomed and rewarded at Nestlé.

Whether veterans find their next opportunity at Nestlé or somewhere else, here are three things to look for in your transition to the civilian workforce.

1. Your military background is celebrated

At Nestlé, we deeply value the experiences and skills that veterans bring to the workforce. Veterans contribute strong skills and values to our company, such as integrity, perseverance, and discipline. At Nestlé, a military background is always an asset and never a setback.

My initial experience applying for work [before I found Nestlé] was strange, I was really grilled about why I went into the military, it seemed to play against me and it was an interesting transition period. That was different at Nestlé — I was 7 years out of the military when I applied here, but even in the interview process the gratitude and accolade for my service was incredible.”

Lisa — Army Veteran, Human Resources at Nestlé Waters

Click here to continue reading

Tweet me:.@NestleUSA shares three things that are essential to helping #veterans thrive in the civilian workforce http://bit.ly/2Jd6WZr

KEYWORDS: VTX:NESN.VX, Nestle, Project Opportunity

Debra Vernon, Senior Director, Corporate Social Responsibility

SOURCE:Tyson Foods

DESCRIPTION:

Our purpose is to raise the world’s expectations for how much good food can do. Today, our purpose is coming to life in exciting ways through investments we are making in social enterprise initiatives -- philanthropic investments that create shared value for society and our company.

These initiatives are aimed at using our strength as a modern food company with the size and scale to impact change to help sustainably solve social issues such as food insecurity, while improving communities and making a positive impact on people’s lives.

Because we’re in the food business, it only makes sense for us to address hunger relief. For nearly two decades Tyson has had formal programs in place to aid hunger relief organizations and disaster relief efforts through product donations, volunteer efforts, grants and more.

We are now testing social enterprise initiatives that include connecting our K-12 Foodservice and Poultry group with hunger relief organizations to pilot programs aimed at solving hunger insecurity for children.

Providing K-12 after-school meals

Our first pilot project is a partnership between our K-12 Foodservice program, No Kid Hungry, schools, and foodservice management companies. For more than 15 years we’ve partnered with No Kid Hungry to provide support for school breakfast and lunch programs and to raise awareness about ending childhood hunger. As we reconsidered the partnership in collaboration with the K-12 team, it became clear we had a new opportunity to help support growth in afterschool meals.

We found that many of the same kids who benefited from free and reduced-price meals at breakfast and lunch simply didn’t have access to afterschool meals; after they went home for the day, many of these kids did not eat another meal until the next school day. We realized the potential demand for afterschool meals.

Last fall, we entered into an agreement with No Kid Hungry to provide best practices and strategic expertise and to help grow afterschool meal programs. Once started, the programs are sustained by funding from the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) that supports the program and the purchase of food.

From a business standpoint, Tyson and our foodservice management customers benefit. Once schools with eligible afterschool programs apply for federal funding for additional meals, they’ll use the funds to purchase food, which they’ll buy either directly from Tyson or from one of our foodservice customers such as Chartwells, Aramark or Sodexo.

Providing an egg a day to undernourished children

A second pilot project is underway to provide more eggs to more kids in countries where children face significant malnutrition issues. For many years, Tyson Foods Fellows have provided technical and pro bono support for One Egg projects in countries like Rwanda, Uganda, and Haiti. One Egg is a nonprofit focused on delivering much-needed animal protein in the form of a hardboiled egg to children in developing countries who often lack access to such nourishing food.

In early 2018, Tyson partnered with One Egg and Tyson subsidiary Cobb Vantress to launch new projects in Ethiopia, Honduras and Nepal. These new projects are designed to get more eggs to more kids and help grow the chicken farming ecosystem in underserved markets, while also growing the business by increasing broiler chicken parent stock sales through Cobb-Vantress. In some cases, these projects create demand and stabilize the market for eggs and chicken, which further benefits our bottom line.

The projects differ by country, and we expect each to provide insights about how to most effectively support program and business growth. Our in-country partners will provide us with expertise around the local population and stakeholders. In addition, they will help us to understand how we can support the adoption of animal protein in ways that mesh with local customs.

Dave Juenger is a senior advisor with Cobb Vantress and helps guide the One Egg program:

Tyson Foods Fellows work in developing markets in partnership with One Egg to bring chicken farming expertise to small holders and others. “We had great social impact in Haiti, and the latest iteration of the partnership gives us a chance to pilot projects that can influence business growth through entry and growth in underserved markets, along with the social benefits of providing more eggs to more kids.”

Social enterprise projects create new ways for us to work together to solve social issues. We’re excited about how we can help our businesses find creative ways to grow while also helping kids around the world get the nutrition they need. We know there is much more work to do and are continuing to look for new ways to sustainably feed our growing population and live out our purpose.

Tweet me:Learn how @TysonFoods works with #HungerRelief organizations to pilot programs aimed at solving hunger insecurity for children http://bit.ly/2JgST4U

KEYWORDS: NYSE:TSN, Tyson Foods, No Kid Hungry, Child and Adult Care Food Program, One Egg, Cobb Vantress

SOURCE:GRI

DESCRIPTION:

Modern Slavery affects an estimated 46 million people around the world and poses a prominent risk for companies. Transparency on human rights in supply chains is becoming increasingly necessary due to rising consumer interest as well as regulatory developments.

Sustainability reporting can help companies comply with legislation, but also to identify and address their impact, and highlight innovative solutions and a path forward.

To help solve this issue, GRI is working together with experts from government, civil society, industry, investors and international institutions, with the aim of promoting tools to improve consistency and comparability in reporting. GRI also wants to activate more companies to engage in reporting on modern slavery. The task force is recruiting now. Participating organizations will co-develop tools and resources that they need to make informed decisions for identifying risks or instances of modern slavery in their supply chain, and for managing this issue, if necessary. 

Click here to find out more about the phases of the project, and how to apply. 

Tweet me:#ModernSlavery is a risk in many company #supplychains, and #transparency around the impacts is imperative. A new task force by @GRI_Secretariat supports companies that are making their supply chains more transparent through #sustainabilityreporting: http://bit.ly/2swopl3

KEYWORDS: GRI, global reporting initiative, GRI Standards, sustainability reporting, Human Rights, Modern Slavery