SOURCE:Booz Allen Hamilton

SUMMARY:

HACKtheMACHINE, a collaborative “Blue Angels for Geeks” held in Seattle on September 21-23, hosted by the U.S. Navy, Booz Allen Hamilton and Fathom5 unites private sector technologists and the Department of Defense in digital engineering, solving complex problems with profound implications for global security.

DESCRIPTION:

Convening a group of over 500 technologists, academics, entrepreneurs and military officials, HACKtheMACHINE Seattle served as the Navy’s premier digital experience. Participants competed, learned and engaged in solving problems that span the Navy’s challenges across maritime cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and development operations.

 “Perspectives from these start-ups, academia, leading innovators, and military leaders are essential given the complexity of today’s maritime cybersecurity challenges, said Brian MacCarthy, principal, Booz Allen. “These “moonshot” problems require America’s brightest tech minds from both the public and private sectors.”

The three tracks of the event focused on “Maritime Capture the Flag,” “Data Science and the Seven Seas,” and “Hack for the Oceans.” Competitors built cross-disciplinary teams that bridged the Navy, academia and industry to develop innovative approaches to complex problems. Each of the three tracks was sponsored by a Navy program manager who took insights from the crowd and turned them into relevant military outcomes.

For the Maritime Capture the Flag track, Booz Allen’s elite team of engineers conceptualized and built TRUDI, a fully-functional model of the networked systems that equip connected maritime vessels.

TRUDI let hackers attempt exploits such as:

• Creating a fake weather event, causing a ship to be rerouted
• Gaining access to a ship’s components from a remote location
• Moving a ship’s rudder without signaling a change in course to the ship’s captain
• Sending a false distress signal over VHF radio
• Hacking into the email server to procure a copy of a ship’s manifest

Insights from Maritime Capture the Flag track will inform design requirements that the Navy will use for the installation of programmable logic controllers aboard ships, whereas lessons learned from the Data Science and the Seven Seas track to build tools that support safer navigation. Other ideas from the event will be used to provide future Consolidated Afloat Network System developers with ideas to accelerate the use of agile and DevOps processes. The Navy’s Cyber Warfare Development Group will use lessons learned to implement high velocity learning for new engineers who may not be aware of specific technologies in the maritime domain.

“Data insights gleaned from our collaborations with industry and academia are especially important as naval engineering is undergoing a fundamental shift, said the Navy’s Chief Engineer and HACKtheMACHINE event lead, Rear Admiral Lorin Selby. “In the 21^st-century, organizations gain insight, process data, and make decisions through digital systems, rather than the industrial systems the Navy has used to maintain global pre-eminence for the last hundred years. Development and deployment of digital capabilities involves a timeline of days and weeks rather than years which requires significantly new processes, tools, and approaches.”

“As a central hub for innovation, HACKtheMACHINE serves as a gateway for entrepreneurs and companies to partner with the Navy. It provides mentorship opportunities for non-traditional partners who otherwise would not interact with the Navy. And, it seeks to inspire a new generation of talent to apply their skills to the ever-evolving digital challenges that can only be solved through partnership,” added MacCarthy.

Tweet me:@BoozAllen, @Fathom5 unite private sector technologists with @navsea to solve the most complex problems facing our nation’s security http://bit.ly/2y41Dnx

KEYWORDS: NYSE:BAH, HACKtheMACHINE, Seattle, Department of Defense, digital engineering, cybersecurity, Booz Allen Hamilton, Fathom5

New functionality allows investors to compare ESG scores

SOURCE:Bloomberg

DESCRIPTION:

October 2, 2018 /3BL Media/ - CSRHub, a provider of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability rankings, recently launched its ESGHub app on the Bloomberg App Portal allowing users to compare ESG metrics from Bloomberg and CSRHub at the portfolio level. Bloomberg Terminal subscribers can now access the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) disclosure and ratings performance of companies in portfolios, indexes or other financial instruments.

This ESGHub tool on the Bloomberg App Portal is introduced during a time of heightened demand by investors for more ESG reporting and transparency on material issues. To do this effectively, ESG factor analysis requires a simple, powerful and comprehensive set of data. ESGHub, in concert with Bloomberg, provides Terminal subscribers access to deeper insight and an opportunity to note ESG performance across specific companies.  

Click here to read the full story. 

To learn more about using ESGHub with the Bloomberg Terminal service or for information about the Bloomberg App Portal community, please contact app_portal@bloomberg.net.

Tweet me:CSRHub recently launched its #ESGHub app on the Bloomberg App Portal allowing users to compare ESG metrics from @Bloomberg and @CSRHub at the portfolio level. #sustainablefinance http://bit.ly/2DKkycR

KEYWORDS: appportal, Bloomberg, ESGHub, CSRHUB, apps, esg, bloombergterminal, ESG investing

Companies reporting with the GRI Standards now also meet WFE requirements

SOURCE:GRI

DESCRIPTION:

AMSTERDAM, October 2, 2018 /3BL Media/ -  The World Federation of Exchanges has recently published a revised sustainability reporting guidance for their member exchanges. The WFE ESG Guidance and Metrics is fully aligned with the GRI Sustainability Reporting Standards, and the guidelines have now been mapped against the standards in an easy-to-use linkage document. 
 
This is good news for the thousands of companies already reporting with GRI. Instead of adopting additional reporting metrics, they can continue using the GRI framework. What’s more, companies new to reporting can adopt the leading global reporting framework – the GRI Standards– with the additional benefit of being in accordance with WFE’s guidance. The 30 Environmental, Social and Governance metrics published by the WFE represent the best sustainability practice, covering indicators such as emissions, climate risk mitigation, gender pay, human rights, and ethics and anti-corruption. 
 
“Stock exchanges have a key role in driving sustainability reporting, which is a crucial element for corporate transparency and responsible business practices. We are pleased to see the World Federation of Exchanges take leadership with this initiative that will undoubtedly drive comparability in ESG reporting. GRI will continue working with stock exchanges around the world to establish the GRI Standards as the basis for reporting on the WFE recommendations,” commented Bastian Buck, GRI Chief of Standards. 
 
GRI is currently referenced by 36 stock exchanges worldwide and is participating at the WFE Annual Meeting in Athens held on October 2-4, where the WFE Principles for Sustainable Exchanges are being discussed in the main plenary session. 
 
Siobhan Cleary, Head of Research and Public Policy, WFE said: “With more issuers engaging in ESG reporting, and more investors using this information, it is important to drive towards standardization of ESG reporting. For this reason, the WFE is delighted to see the GRI’s publication of a tool which maps the WFE’s ESG metrics to the GRI Standards. This ensures alignment of reporting and will contribute to enhancing the overall quality of reporting.” 
 
* * * * *
 
Press contact
Noora Puro
Communications Specialist, GRI
puro@globalreporting.org
+ 31 (0)20 531 00 45 
 
About GRI
GRI is an independent international organization that has pioneered sustainability reporting since 1997. GRI helps businesses and governments worldwide understand and communicate their impact on critical sustainability issues such as climate change, human rights, governance, and social well-being. This enables real action to create social, environmental and economic benefits for everyone. The GRI Sustainability Reporting Standards are the first and most widely adopted global standards for sustainability reporting, developed with true multi-stakeholder contributions and rooted in the public interest. Read more: https://www.globalreporting.org/  
 
About WFE
Established in 1961, the WFE is the global industry association for exchanges and clearing houses. The WFE works with standard-setters, policy makers, regulators and government organisations around the world to support and promote the development of fair, transparent, stable and efficient markets. The WFE shares regulatory authorities' goals of ensuring the safety and soundness of the global financial system, which is critical to enhancing investor and consumer confidence, and promoting economic growth.

Tweet me:"Stock exchanges have a key role in driving #sustainabilityreporting and responsible business practices." New mapping document between #GRIStandards and @TheWFE Guidance and Metrics to increase comparability in #ESG reporting. http://bit.ly/2y6NFkC @GRI_Secretariat

KEYWORDS: GRI Standards, global reporting initiative, sustainability reporting, GRI

Global standards will play key role in widening EV adoption among everyday drivers and business fleets

SOURCE:Black & Veatch

DESCRIPTION:

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., October 2, 2018 /3BL Media/ – Advancing standardized electric vehicle charging systems is crucial to widening EV adoption across the transportation value chain – from passenger drivers to public transit and enterprise-scale medium- and heavy-duty fleets. That’s why Black & Veatch, a market leader in the design and deployment of EV charging networks, has joined CharIN, the Charging Interface Initiative (CharIN e.V.), as a core member. 

CharIN’s mission is to promote standards for all types of battery-electric vehicles. The group includes a diverse set of infrastructure providers, OEMs, and other organizations dedicated to driving transportation electrification forward 

A full-service design, engineering, permitting and construction company, Black & Veatch has built and continues to develop some of the largest electric vehicle charging networks, as well as high-powered charging depots for heavy-duty vehicles. Black & Veatch works closely with cities, utilities, vehicle manufacturers, and EV hardware and service providers to deploy clean transportation solutions.  

“As an EV market innovator, we are committed to the acceleration of alternative fuel vehicle adoption for light, medium and heavy-duty vehicles,” said Dean Siegrist, Associate Vice President, Transformative Technologies, Black & Veatch. “Global standards are an important foundation to continued EV growth and scale.” 

Joining as a core CharIN member, Black & Veatch will help drive important initiatives such as CharIN’s Taskforce on High Power Charging for Commercial Vehicles. This global taskforce was formed to collect requirements and deployment guidelines for next-gen charge rates of 1.6 megawatts and beyond for applications such as Class 8 Semi-Trucks.

Black & Veatch brings our experience with over 1,000 high-power sites across North America to accelerate power delivery, utility interconnection, site design and construction needs.

“Without standardized charging, we risk fragmenting the market at a time when unifying charging systems could reduce confusion among consumers and commercial fleets,” said Paul Stith, Director of Strategy & Innovation, Black & Veatch. “Establishing standards now, at the front end, will accelerate innovation and speed to market.” 

About Black & Veatch 
Black & Veatch is an employee-owned, global leader in building critical human infrastructure in Energy, Water, Telecommunications and Government Services. Since 1915, we have helped our clients improve the lives of people in over 100 countries through consulting, engineering, construction, operations and program management. Our revenues in 2017 were US$3.4 billion. Follow us on www.bv.com and in social media.

Media Contact Information:

CHRISTOPHER CLARK | +1 913-458-2778 P | +1 816-674-0572 M | ClarkCA@bv.com

24-HOUR MEDIA HOTLINE | +1 866-496-9149

Tweet me:Advancing standardized EV charging systems will speed wider adoption by consumers. See how @Black_Veatch is working to make it happen. http://bit.ly/2OzDdg0

KEYWORDS: Black & Veatch

SOURCE:Legg Mason

DESCRIPTION:

By Pawel Wroblewski, CFA
Director, Portfolio Manager, ClearBridge Investments

Consensus expectations for electric vehicle (EV) sales have been – and remain  – too low. The falling costs of rechargeable batteries promise to be increasingly disruptive to traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) platforms. With cheaper batteries, even traditional automakers can offer better EVs.

Other original obstacles to EV adoption, such as range and charging infrastructure, are gradually being overcome. A new generation of modular platforms, designed from the ground up as EVs for a variety of vehicle types (trucks and buses as well as cars), is generating strong demand.

Many EV technologies are being provided by fast-growing companies outside the traditional automotive supply chain, particularly outside the U.S. The shift to fully electric cars presents a good opportunity for the semiconductor and software industries, as the value in vehicles moves away from traditional auto parts. The whole supply chain for rechargeable batteries will have to scale up massively; leaders in cathode materials, a key rechargeable battery component, expect substantial demand growth.

In 2016, we argued that EV sales had the potential to grow much faster than many assumed. As battery costs continued to decline, given the speed of improvement in lithium-ion technology, manufacturers would be able to offer competitive EVs in a growing number of market segments.

We were right: sales grew faster than expected, and the EV production outlook has become more optimistic. Europe, the U.S. and particularly China are leading the way. Between 2015 and 2017, global EV sales expanded at a consolidated annual growth rate of over 50 percent, reaching 1.1 million. (Source: Bloomberg New Energy Finance). The International Energy Agency (IEA) predicts the global EV stock will reach 130 million in 2030, up significantly from its 58 million “base case” forecast published in 2017.

We suspect EV sales forecasts will continue to be revised upward in the future. In addition to cars, electric city buses, delivery vans and utility vehicles have witnessed strong sales growth.

E-bus purchases may soon become economically justifiable, even without subsidies. E-buses have much lower operating costs and are cheaper on a total cost of ownership basis than conventional buses in some regions. Several cities in China and Europe announced ambitious electrification plans for their municipal fleets. In October 2017, 12 cities signed the C40 Fossil-Fuel-Free Streets Declaration, pledging to procure only zero-emission buses from 2025 onward.

The EV powertrain is also expected to be adopted across commercial truck platforms, which was not in mainstream forecasts two years ago. Trucks are large consumers of diesel fuel due to their high weight and mileage driven. Most of the plug-in electric models introduced so far are light- and medium-freight trucks that operate in urban and suburban contexts. The largest market is China, where companies such as BYD offer electric utility trucks for municipalities.

More electric heavy-duty truck models are being developed. Tesla announced its Semi model and Daimler has announced series production of its heavy-duty truck as of 2021. According to Tesla, its Semi will provide $200,000 in annual fuel savings and a two-year payback period.

The perception that EVs are lower quality may have been true in early models, as electric powertrains were forced into chassis designed for ICEs. A new generation of modular platforms, designed specifically for EVs, should address these concerns. Volkswagen’s new EV platform, MEB, is more efficient and less expensive. With flat-shaped battery design allowing for a flat floor and a roomier-than-normal cabin, VW intends to leverage MEB over several EV models.

Several new attractive EV car models are coming to the premium end of the market. After Tesla’s S and X models captured significant premium segment market share, competitors responded with the Porsche Taycan, Audi e-tron, Mercedes EQC and Jaguar I-PACE (already available in Europe). These new premium cars promise good driving ranges, fast charging capabilities and attractive specifications, such as good handling and quick acceleration.

As the rate of disruption and innovation increases, successes in EV manufacturing and sales also should lead to opportunities in new areas – parts, materials and adjacent industries, for example – for companies that did not previously have material exposure to the ICE car drivetrain.

Yet it all comes back to batteries: costs should continue to improve, mostly due to changes in the number and scale of factories, sizes of the batteries installed in cars, and improving chemistry.

Pawel Wroblewski is a Portfolio Manager at ClearBirdge Investments, a subsidiary of Legg Mason. His opinions are not meant to be viewed as investment advice or a solicitation for investment.

©2018 Legg Mason Investor Services, LLC, member FINRA, SIPC. Legg Mason Investor Services, LLC is a subsidiary of Legg Mason, Inc.

All investments involve risk, including loss of principal.

Tweet me:Pawl Wroblewski, Portfolio Manager at @Clear_Bridge shares perspective on the most attractive investment opps in the #EV revolution. http://bit.ly/2NhUzt1

KEYWORDS: NYSE:LM, legg mason

SOURCE:Duke Energy

DESCRIPTION:

CHARLOTTE, N.C., October 2, 2018 /3BL Media/ -- Building on its long-running record of sustainability leadership, Duke Energy was recently named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) for North America for the 13th consecutive year.

"Duke Energy employees continue to sharpen their focus on sustainability every year," said Cari Boyce, Duke Energy's senior vice president, stakeholder strategy and sustainability, and president, Duke Energy Foundation. "The Dow Jones Sustainability Index thoroughly looks at hundreds of companies. To be on the North America list for 13 straight years is a clear acknowledgment of Duke Energy's commitment to implementing best practices that best serve our customers and our communities."

Read a recent column by Boyce on Duke Energy's sustainability.

Since 1999, the DJSI has evaluated the sustainability of leading companies worldwide.

In selecting the top performers in each business sector, the DJSI reviews companies on several general and industry-specific topics related to economic, environmental and social dimensions.

Among the topics are corporate governance, innovation management, environmental policy, climate strategy and corporate citizenship.

The index is compiled annually by S&P Dow Jones and Zurich-based RobecoSAM (Sustainable Asset Management). More information is available at http://www.sustainability-index.com/.

Duke Energy has a long history of communicating about its environmental and sustainability efforts, including the 2017 Climate Report to Shareholders. https://www.duke-energy.com/_/media/pdfs/our-company/shareholder-climate-report.pdf

Since 2002, Duke Energy has published an annual Sustainability Report that summarizes its efforts to advance energy efficiency, develop renewable energy, reduce emissions and more.

The 2017 report is available online at sustainabilityreport.duke-energy.com.

Some of the highlights covered:

• Since 2005, Duke Energy's carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions decreased by 31 percent, sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions decreased by 96 percent and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions decreased by 75 percent.
• By 2030, the company plans to reduce CO2 emissions 40 percent from 2005 levels.
• Since 2007, Duke Energy has grown its renewable generation portfolio and now has more than 6,400 megawatts of wind, solar and biomass capacity – owned or under contract.
• The company is teaming up with customers to reduce customer energy consumption by 15,000 gigawatt-hours by 2020, which is equivalent to the annual usage of 1.25 million homes.
• Electric customers continue to benefit from rates below the national average in all customer classes and all service areas.
• The company met its goal to recycle 80 percent of its solid waste a year earlier than planned.

About Duke Energy
Duke Energy is a Fortune 125 company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the company is available at duke-energy.com. 

The Duke Energy News Center serves as a multimedia resource for journalists and features news releases, helpful links, photos and videos. Hosted by Duke Energy, illumination is an online destination for stories about people, innovations, and community and environmental topics. It also offers glimpses into the past and insights into the future of energy.

Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Contact: 
Randy Wheeless
Office: 704.382.8379
24-Hour: 800.559.3853
Twitter: @DE_RandyW

Tweet me:.@DukeEnergy named to #DJSI for 13th consecutive year http://bit.ly/2y8AhN3 #sustainability #energyefficiency #recycling

KEYWORDS: Duke Energy

Brenda Barnicki and Amy Provance, President and Founder and volunteer at Bellafina Chocolates LLC

SOURCE:CECP: The CEO Force for Good

DESCRIPTION:

Each day Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and media venues are bombarded with the idea of social impact and yet many do not understand the true meaning behind the movement. The business dictionary defines social impact as the effect of an activity on the social fabric of a community and well-being of individuals and families in that community and around the world.  How can one person, one organization, one business, one CEO make a social impact that will be felt by many?

Take Lori for example.  Lori was considering options for a Christmas gift for clients at her branch of Citizens Bank.  She knew a box of made-to-order artisan chocolate truffles would be a big hit with the bank’s customers and realized the customized packaging would enhance and reinforce her company’s brand.  What she didn’t count on was the ripple effect that her seemingly inconsequential decision would have.  Lori’s purchase of Bellafina Chocolates truffles helped break the generational cycle of illiteracy in a dozen families by providing funds to train four volunteer literacy teachers, purchasing tutorial materials for 12 illiterate parents and placing nearly 100 children’s books in homes where there were none.

Read complete blog post on the CECP Insights Blog.

Tweet me:Read about how small socially conscious decisions can have ripple effects into the community in this @CECPtweets blog post by President and Founder Brenda Barnicki of @BellafinaChoc: http://cecp.co/small-decision-big-impact/

KEYWORDS: cause marketing for small business, children's literacy, CECP, Bellafina Chocolates

SOURCE:America's Charities

DESCRIPTION:

As a former college president, each fall my mind turns to students for whom a college education can make a profound difference – if only they had the resources to attend and finish. I think of sacrifices some students make to continue their education: living in their cars or on friends’ couches or skipping meals. And, I think about those students who will not return to school because they cannot afford the full cost of tuition, fees, books, room and board. 

We at the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) understand the sacrifices some college students make to achieve their goals – especially those with few resources. TMCF programs bridge the resource gap to get students to and through college and into economically sustainable careers. While earning a college degree is the best way to increase lifetime earnings – by an average of $1 million – attending and graduating college is beyond the means of the very students who would benefit most: students from fragile communities. 

The Center for Advancing Opportunity’s inaugural State of Opportunity in America report reveals that fragile-community residents recognize the importance of a college education, yet only 19% believe that everyone in the U.S. has access to an affordable college education, and just 12% have a four-year bachelor’s degree, versus 34% of the total U.S. population. TMCF helps low-income students afford a college education. Financial aid packages assume that students will work full-time in the summer and part-time during school and dedicate all of their income to paying for school. Yet TMCF knows that working too much leads low-income students to drop-out, often with high student loan debt.  A National College Access Network review of college affordability reveals that up to 45% of colleges are not affordable for low-income students – and as few as 29 states have at least one affordable campus.

TMCF’s 47 member-schools, America’s publicly supported Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), primarily serve low-income (72% are Pell Grant eligible, versus 35% for all colleges), and first-generation students (52%). On some TMCF member-school campuses nearly 90% of students receive Pell Grants. Many low-income students begin college without understanding the full price of attendance, estimated by Sallie Mae to be nearly $24,000 per year for in-state students attending public schools. Nearly 70% of families have eliminated a college as an option for their children due to cost – regardless of the education potential.

While the statistics on college affordability and available resources are sobering, hope remains for the 300,000+ students attending HBCUs each year. TMCF’s Scholarship Program helps students meet the full cost of college, using a last-dollar strategy while providing non-monetary wrap-around resources. As a result, TMCF Scholars annually post a 97% graduation rate – more than 20 points higher than the numbers yielded by the nation's most highly-selective HBCUs.

Additionally, TMCF emphasizes strategic use of a college education to enter career pipelines, preparing students to be workforce-ready upon graduation and begin economically sustainable careers.

But for each $1 in support TMCF awards, we have identified an additional $10 in need.This is what makes the generosity of our donors so critical. By supporting TMCF through your company’s Workplace Giving Campaign, the impact of your donation will yield lifelong dividends for each recipient.

For example, a $25 donation deducted automatically from each paycheck (26 pay periods) – adds up to $650 over the course of a year.  With a matching gift from your employer, your gift of $25 per week becomes a $1,300 donation to TMCF to help students.  This amount makes an extraordinary difference for students who need just a few hundred dollars to fulfill the final financial requirements for graduation, those seeking support to maintain safe residence on or near campus, or to dedicate more time to studying and internships without the necessity of part-time employment.

America’s future is shaped by today’s investments – and our best investment is in our youth.  With your Workplace Giving donation, you can help TMCF bridge the resource gap for more of our member-school students, shaping a better future for America – one student at a time.

Dr. Harry L. Williams is the President & CEO of Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF), the largest organization exclusively representing the Black College Community. Prior to joining TMCF, he was the president of TMCF member-school Delaware State University. Connect with Dr. Williams at@DrHLWilliams and follow TMCF on Twitter at @tmcf_hbcu

Support TMCF through your employee giving program:

As a donor, you can support TMCF by donating to them through your employer’s workplace giving program (CFC#11691) if you're a military or federal employee participating in the Combined Federal Campaign). Payroll pledges made through employer-sponsored charitable giving programs represent a cost effective and near effortless way to support your favorite charities.

As TMCF's workplace giving partner, America’s Charities can help your company design and implement a program centered on supporting their work - through workplace giving campaigns, employee fundraising, cause-focused signature programs, volunteerism, donation drives, matching gifts, Dollars-for-Doers, In-Kind Giving and other employee engagement and philanthropic initiatives. Click here to request a demo and learn how we can help you do this.

Tweet me:.@AmerCharities: @DrHLWilliams Shares How @tmcf_hbcu is Bridging the Resource Gap: Getting Students To and Through College and into Good Jobs https://impact.ac/2P4ncM0 #HBCUs #WorkplaceGiving #ShowSomeLoveCFC

KEYWORDS: America’s Charities, workplace giving, employee giving, Corporate Social Responsibility, csr, charity vetting, payroll deduction giving, Fundraising, Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF), Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), SDGs

SOURCE:Barclays

DESCRIPTION:

Luke Davies was instrumental in the creation and launch of the Green Deposit, a first-to-market commercial product to help Barclays transition to a low-carbon economy. This pioneering and innovative corporate banking solution is a first for Barclays and the market.

Barclays Citizenship Awards

Citizenship can take many different forms – from supporting entrepreneurs to helping young people develop their employment skills. The annual Barclays Citizenship Awards recognise those colleagues who make that difference and create opportunities to rise.

In 2018, we received over 550 nominations for the Citizenship Awards, celebrating the vast and outstanding Citizenship work of our employees and their contributions, not just to our customers and clients, but in helping to find ways in which to drive economic, environmental and social prosperity.

To see other Citizenship Award videos, click here.

Tweet me:WATCH how Luke Davies created the first #greendeposit to help @Barclays transition to a #lowcarboneconomy http://bit.ly/2OvyKe6 @Barclays_cship #ESG

KEYWORDS: barclays citizenship, Barclays, green deposit, low-carbon economy

SOURCE:Northern Trust

DESCRIPTION:

Our Miami office sponsored the 10th Annual Women of Influence Cocktail Reception & Networker benefiting The YWCA Miami. The energy was high as women who are corporate leaders, entrepreneurs, and philanthropists networked over cocktails!

Connect with Northern Trust

Tweet me:.@NTCSR #Miami office sponsored the 10th Annual Women of Influence Cocktail Reception & Networker benefiting @YWCAMIAMI http://bit.ly/2QVda12

KEYWORDS: 10th Annual Women of Influence Cocktail Reception & Networker, ywca miami, Northern Trust, women in business

Insights on why measuring sustainability matters and which metrics matter most.

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

DESCRIPTION:

How did sustainability become a career for you?

When I was going into undergrad, I wanted to do something in the sciences and had always had a strong affinity for the environment. I can remember back to my elementary school days when we had a “cans for critters” campaign, where we collected soda cans, and all the money from the recycling went to the San Diego Zoo.

When I saw that the University of Michigan had such a strong program—at the undergraduate and graduate level—I jumped at the opportunity to dive into something I loved.

Prior to working at Kellogg, I was working at the USDA doing environmental law compliance, which was a great learning experience and a different approach to sustainability. However, an opportunity at Kellogg provided the right opening to get back to my business sustainability roots. It wasn’t too long after joining the company that I was able to support Kellogg as we established our second generation of sustainability commitments—our 2020 Sustainability Commitments. The work continues to evolve, which is a lot of fun but is also one of the main challenges of working in the corporate sustainability space: What is material to our business is always changing.

How do you think about the scope of your work at Kellogg?

The team focuses on two primary areas within the sustainability spectrum: responsible sourcing (working with ingredient suppliers to ensure social and environmental goals are tracking with our sustainability commitments) and conservation of natural resources within our own operations (reductions in energy and water use, as well as reducing GHG emissions in manufacturing). In addition, we reach out externally to understand the scientific and stakeholder landscape by partnering with nonprofit organizations and industry groups. We are also seeing increasing interest from our own brand and sales teams to respond to the needs of people who love our foods and care about where our foods come from, how they are made and how they impact communities and the planet.

The theme of the Innovation Forum conference this year focuses on measuring sustainability. Why does this matter, and which metrics matter most when it comes to better understanding sustainability impacts, both social and environmental, at Kellogg?

There is a saying: “You can’t improve what you can’t measure.” Quantifying corporate responsibility is important for a few reasons:

We have a lot of advocates who want to do the right thing, but being able to provide guidance on what is most material for the business—how we measure the impact of what we are doing—helps people understand their individual contribution to meeting our goals.External stakeholders, including investors, nonprofit organizations, advocates, retailers, customers and consumers, often ask, “How do we compare the work you are doing to other companies, and how do we know it’s driving the right outcomes?” Continual assessment is imperative to determine whether we are measuring the right things to drive the right outcomes.

In a corporate setting and for our NGO partners, we are all held accountable to our boards. In the end, is what we are doing consistent with our values, reducing risk and driving growth?

Continue reading here

Tweet me:READ: @AmyBraunKCo on the power of #innovation and #metrics in driving for more #sustainable outcomes @KelloggsUS myumi.ch/a0nXe #KelloggsBFBD @InnovaForum

KEYWORDS: university of michigan, Erb Institute, Kellogg Company, Amy Senter, Innovation Forum, Sustainable Business

SOURCE:3BL Forum

DESCRIPTION:

THE BIG STORY

States Take Stands Like Brands​

We are witnessing a new development in the Brands Taking Stands movement: States defining themselves as “brands” by adopting definitive positions on social and political issues that are intertwined with business.
 
Pioneering this new territory is California, which has just signed into law legislation that requires publicly traded companies headquartered in the state to have at least one woman on the boards by the end of next year. By 2021, companies with at least five directors would need to have two or three female directors, depending on the size of the board. Financial penalties would be assessed for non-compliance. Some 86 Californian companies in the Russell 3000 Index don’t have any women on their boards, such as Skechers, TiVo, and Stamps.com. Hundreds of other companies could be affected.
 
The new law lands on the female-deficient leadership of some big players in the state’s tech industry. Companies like Facebook and Alphabet/Google, will be required to add women directors to their boards. (On the other hand, some tech companies have taken a pro-active stance. Hewlett Packard, Apple, Cisco, Apple, Symantec, and Oracle have been called out for their leadership on board diversity.)

California’s law is being launched amid two strong, conflicting, socio-political currents: the deregulation policies of the current administration (the Department of Justice has said it will file suit against the new California law) and the national trend toward addressing gender inequality in many areas of civic society.  READ MORE >>>

NEWS YOU CAN USE

California Takes a Stand, Part 2
While passing the above legislation, Governor Jerry Brown also signed into law net neutrality legislation which prohibits Internet service providers from blocking or specific types of content or applications, or charge apps or companies fees for faster access. This position was challenged by the Department of Justice claim that the California law is illegal and that the state is "attempting to subvert the Federal Government's deregulatory approach" to the Internet.

Business is split on the state’s stand on the issue. Major broadband companies including AT&T and Comcast lobbied heavily against the California bill. USTelecom, a trade group, spoke against it. On the other hand, the American Sustainable Business Council came out in favor. “ASBC and its members are pleased that Governor Brown has signed SB 822 into law,” CEO Hammad Atassi said in a statement.

“This law is a model for other states to follow since it will implement strong net neutrality protections in California. While we prefer a federal solution, we support individual states taking the lead when necessary. Our members know that net neutrality rules and strong enforcement are key to maintaining a fair and open Internet. An open internet is crucial for the exchange of ideas, job creation, and business growth.” 

It should be noted that California and the Trump administration are also at odds on other policies: Immigration laws, emissions standards, and the sale of federal lands--among others--in an ongoing war between a progressive state and a retrograde federal government.

Belief-Driven Buyers: A New Consumer Emerges 
Various surveys and polls in recent months have shown that consumers are increasingly directing their purchases to companies that are identified with causes. Readers of this newsletter—named for a trend we saw developing over three years ago, when we began our reporting on the Brands Taking Stands movement—will recall our regular reports on the consumer-cause connection (see the BTS Newsletter archive for the back story).

The latest data confirming this movement comes from Edelman, the influential PR and marketing company. The 2018 Edelman Earned Brand study polled 8,000 people in eight countries. Its key finding: “Nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of consumers around the world now buy on belief, a remarkable increase of 13 points since 2017. These Belief-Driven Buyers will choose, switch, avoid or boycott a brand based on where it stands on the political or social issues they care about.” Further, “almost 40 percent of those surveyed said they bought a product for the first time for the sole reason [my italics] that they appreciated the brand’s position on a controversial societal or political issue.” And more than half (53 percent) “believe that brands can do more to solve problems in society than government.”

“People want to be associated with brands that stand for something or are a force for change,” said Richard Edelman, the firm’s chief executive. “Consumers expect brands to lead the movement for change and address critical problems.”

While none of these conclusions will be breaking news to Brands Taking Stands Newsletter readers, it’s good to have numbers from such a reliable source to support the movement. Last month, Edelman was ranked #4 on a list of the 200 Most Influential PR Companies, and the firm has had a Business and Social Purpose division since 2012, so it is well grounded in the concept of cause-driven business.
 
Expect more confirmation from such established sources—consumer-facing companies, investment entities, and consumer groups—in coming months.

Responsible CEO of the Year Finalists Announced by CR Magazine
Corporate Responsibility Magazine has announced the finalists for its annual excellence in leadership awards. The awards are given to corporate leaders committed to a progressive environmental, social, and governance (ESG) agenda, and to those who are have been taking bold steps to move forward on the most urgent conversations of the day.

The finalists for the 2018 Responsible CEO of the Year and Lifetime Achievement Awards are:

• Daniel Amos, chairman and CEO at Aflac
• Mariano Lozano, chairman and CEO at Danone North America
• Steve Rendle, president and CEO at VF Corporation
• Tim Ryan, U.S. Chairman and Senior Partner at PwC

New this year is the inaugural Brands Taking Stands™ Humanitarian Award, which is being presented to Chef José Andrés, for his indefatigable work feeding those affected by natural disasters in Puerto Rico, California, Texas, and North Carolina.

The awards will be presented during 3BL Forum, October 23-25 at MGM National Harbor, just minutes from Washington, D.C.

For more information about the annual 3BL Forum and CR Magazine’s Responsible CEO of the Year Awards Dinner, click here.

C-SUITE COMMENTS

“Half the people in America are women. So the diversity argument is very simple. It is the right thing to do, plain and simple. And that’s good enough. It’s not the reason, but you should do it. Second of all, if I pick from the best people, I’ll pick a better team. And third of all, you know, we don’t understand all the issues of other people without having a diverse work force. You have more ideas, you get more generations, you get better people, happier people. And so there’s tons of arguments for it.”

— Jamie Dimon, chief executive and chairman, JPMorgan Chase

Excerpted from a speech at the New Rules Summit

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

FINN Partners has named Jane Madden as managing partner, sustainability and social impact practice leader. Madden will leverage more than 25 years of experience in ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) performance, Sustainability and Corporate Reputation to build the practice globally. As an award-winning advisor to Fortune 500 companies, Madden will work with FINN's offices in the U.S., Europe and Asia and across its practice areas including financial services, technology and health.
 
Alessandro de Pestel has been appointed chief marketing officer of Under Armour. De Pestel has successfully developed brand equity and pioneered digital marketing across different cultures, nations and businesses, having more than 20 years of high-level global experience in communications and global marketing. He most recently served as EVP of marketing, communications and consumer insights for Tommy Hilfilger Global/PVH Europe. Prior to that, de Pestel served as international communications director for Christian Dior Parfums in France and as vice president of global marketing for Omega Watches in Switzerland. 
 
Dr. Nancy B. Gutiérrez has assumed the post of president and CEO of the NYC Leadership Academy. Previously, she was chief strategy officer at the organization. Prior to working at the Leadership Academy, Dr. Gutiérrez led the development of a critical piece of the New York City Department of Education’s leadership pipeline, launching a program for high performing executives that enticed them to stay and advance within the district by offering valuable professional learning opportunities and superintendent certification. Dr. Gutiérrez’s vision for the Leadership Academy comes from her life-long belief in education as a critical lever for equity and social justice.

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Tweet me:In this wk's @BrandsTkgStands newsletter: #California + #Delaware are taking stands like brands. Also: New survey from @EdelmanPR says #BrandActivism plays a big part in #consumer spending http://bit.ly/2P551ph @3BLMedia #BrandsTakingStands #3BLForum

KEYWORDS: California, delaware, net neutrality, Edelman, BRAND ACTIVISM, Brands Taking Stands, john howell, 3BL Forum, 3bl Media, Jose Andres

200 Plant-Based Recipes Created in Partnership with the Humane Society of the United States and the World Resource Institute-Better Buying Lab

SOURCE:Sodexo, Inc.

DESCRIPTION:

GAITHERSBURG, Md., October 3, 2018 /3BL Media/ — According to a Nielsen global survey, 39% of American consumers are working to incorporate more plant-based foods in their diets. Sodexo, a food services and facilities management company committed to improving Quality of Life, launched its new plant-based menus in hundreds of accounts across its Universities, Healthcare, and Corporate Services segments.  The new menus featuring 200 plant-based recipes were created in partnership with the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and the World Resource Institute-Better Buying Lab (WRI), to meet consumer demand for plant-based options and reduce the environmental impact of food offerings.

Watch this video on Sodexo’s launch of 200 Plant-Based Recipes

Food production accounts for a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions, and helping people increase the share of plant-based foods in their diets is a critical step in reducing those emissions. "By increasing the proportion of plants in a dish, we help address some of the world’s most pressing challenges,” shared John Wright, senior vice president, global food platform, Sodexo. “This approach aligns with the sustainability and wellness commitments embedded in our Love Of Food platform."

Stanford University found that simply changing the name of vegetables to sound more appealing increased the number of diners opting for plant-based choices by up to 41 percent.  Choices on Sodexo’s new menus include “Chesapeake Cakes,” “Smoky Black Bean Tamales,” “Carrot Osso Buco,” and “Kung Pao Cauliflower.”

“The current language set used to describe plant-based food isn’t creating the right stimulation in consumers’ brains to drive curiosity for trying new dishes,” explained Daniel Vennard, director Better Buying Lab at the World Resource Institute. “Our work with Sodexo in testing naming conventions demonstrated that even a small change could significantly increase willingness to select a plant-based option.”

Talented chefs from HSUS and Sodexo’s culinary team worked together to develop, test and perfect the 200 plant-based recipes that appeal to not only flexitarians, vegetarians and vegans, but also general consumers. In one of many examples, the chefs created a Mexican-themed menu featuring dishes such as jackfruit and avocado tortas, chipotle quinoa burrito bowls, and garlic-roasted cauliflower burritos.

“We are especially proud to expand this program with Sodexo. For more than a dozen years, we have worked closely with Sodexo to improve the welfare of animals and with this latest step, the company has once again shown its commitment,” said Ken Botts, Humane Society of the United States, Director Food and Nutrition-Food Service.

As a leader in food service, Sodexo’s ability to scale and reach tens of millions of customers per day will ensure that plant-based options are available to more people than ever before in North America. Unilever, a Sodexo supplier and client, will be one of the first locations to feature the new plant-based menu at its corporate headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, NJ.

“Offering healthy and sustainable meals is part of our global Better Tomorrow 2025 roadmap for how we improve quality of life for individuals and address the challenge of climate change at the same time,” explained Ted Monk, vice president, sustainability and corporate responsibility, Sodexo North America. “However, the most exciting aspect is that our customers get to experience new foods with new flavors along with creative adaptations of their existing favorites, with more and better choices overall in the marketplace.”

The new plant-based menu items are one example of Sodexo’s “Love Of Food,” a consumer-centric approach that embraces fantastic food, healthy and balanced choices, and culinary innovation among its team of global chefs.

Visit www.sodexoUSA.com/plantbased to learn more.

XXX

About Sodexo North America

Sodexo North America is part of a global, Fortune 500 company with a presence in 72 countries. Sodexo is a leading provider of integrated food, facilities management and other services that enhance organizational performance, contribute to local communities and improve quality of life for millions of customers in corporate, education, healthcare, senior living, sports and leisure, government and other environments daily. The company employs 150,000 people at 13,000 sites in all 50 U.S. states and Canada and indirectly supports tens of thousands of additional jobs through its annual purchases of $9.2 billion in goods and services from small to large American businesses. Sodexo is committed to supporting diversity and inclusion and safety, while upholding the highest standards of corporate responsibility and ethical business conduct. In support of local communities across the U.S., the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation has contributed close to $32 million over the past 20 years to help feed children in America impacted by hunger. To learn more about Sodexo, visit SodexoUSA.com, SodexoInsights.com and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube.

Contact: Enrico Dinges, Sodexo, Inc., 301-987-4393, enrico.dinges@sodexo.com

Tweet me:.@sodexousa launches 200 Plant-Based Recipes Created in Partnership with @HumaneSociety and @WRIFood http://bit.ly/2DTkho1

KEYWORDS: Sodexo, plant-based, vegan, vegetarian, Humane Society of the United States, Better Buying Lab, World Resource Institute, OTC:SDXAY

Customers and crewmembers can join in and ‘Bid for Good’ for one-of-a-kind experiences benefiting charitable partners – Feeding Children Everywhere, Together We Rise and the JetBlue Foundation

SOURCE:JetBlue Airways

DESCRIPTION:

NEW YORK, October 3, 2018 /3BL Media/ - JetBlue (NASDAQ:JBLU) today launched its tenth annual Swing for Good Golf Classic and fundraising campaign at Bethpage State Golf Course in Bethpage, N.Y. Since its inception in 2008, JetBlue's Swing for Good initiative has raised more than $6.1 million for a variety of youth and education focused charitable organizations.

Under the JetBlue For Good umbrella, JetBlue’s platform for social impact and corporate responsibility, the Swing for Good campaign includes the JetBlue Bid For Good online auction which features one-of-a-kind opportunities and experiences. All proceeds will benefit non-profit recipients – Feeding Children Everywhere, Together We Rise, and The JetBlue Foundation.

"Swing for Good is one of my favorite events as we work together with our business partners, customers and crewmembers to raise awareness and funds for non-profits helping the next generation and most vulnerable,” said Robin Hayes, JetBlue’s chief executive officer. “Aligned with our mission of inspiring humanity, our dedication to the communities we serve goes beyond one day on the golf course. The funds raised will provide services for years to come.”

Swing for Good proceeds will benefit three non-profit organizations:

• Feeding Children Everywhere – New to Swing for Good, JetBlue is partnering with Feeding Children Everywhere for the first time to help with their mission to create a hunger-free world. Since its inception, this non-profit has provided millions of meals to children worldwide.

Similar to JetBlue and its environmental focus, Feeding Children Everywhere strives to reduce its carbon footprint in every community, every day. For more information, visit feedingchildreneverywhere.com.

• Together We Rise – Back for its fourth year as a Swing for Good beneficiary, Together We Rise is a non-profit organization comprised of motivated young adults and former foster youth. Together We Rise is focused on transforming the way youth navigate America's foster care system.  

JetBlue also partners with Together We Rise for JetBlue For Good bike builds and “sweet case” (decorated, personalized suitcases) deliveries to benefit children in foster care. Last year, JetBlue crewmembers built and donated 300 bikes across 11 JetBlue maintenance facilities and Support Centers. For more information on Together We Rise, visit togetherwerise.org.

• The JetBlue Foundation – This JetBlue-sponsored private foundation encourages and advances aviation-related education. The JetBlue Foundation’s mission is to ignite interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs and place aviation top-of-mind as a career choice for students, especially those from traditionally underserved communities.

Over the past five years, the JetBlue Foundation has built lasting relationships with more than 50 aviation-focused programs and provided over $1 million in grants to help these programs take off. For more information, visit JetBlueFoundation.org.

How to get involved – JetBlue’s annual charitable fundraising campaign also includes the JetBlue Bid For Good online auction, powered by CharityStars. This auction is open to the public and takes place online through October 31, 2018. Bid for Good features priceless opportunities and VIP experiences such as:

• Deluxe JetBlue Vacations experiences
• A trip to the Boston Red Sox training camp
• Tickets to see some of Boston’s favorite sports teams
• An opportunity for one lucky boy/girl to be a ball kid at a Boston Celtics home game
• A JetBlue flight simulator experience
• Access to VIP events and other exclusive experiences

To get involved in Bid for Good, customers can go to charitystars.com/bidforgood.

JetBlue For Good, JetBlue’s platform for social impact and corporate responsibility – Giving back is part of JetBlue’s DNA and is core to its mission of inspiring humanity. Centered around volunteerism and service, JetBlue For Good focuses on the areas that are most important to the airline’s customers and crewmembers – Community, Youth/Education and the Environment. JetBlue’s core programs and partnerships directly impact the areas where its customers and crewmembers live and work by enhancing education and providing access to those that are traditionally underserved. Signature programs include the award-winning Soar with Reading initiative which has provided more than $3 million worth of books to kids who need them most; Blue Horizons For Autism which helps introduce air travel in a realistic environment to families and children affected by autism; and Swing for Good has raised more than $6.1 million to date for education and youth focused non-profits.

Join the #JetBlueForGood conversation on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, check for regular updates and get involved.

About JetBlue

JetBlue is New York’s Hometown Airline®, and a leading carrier in Boston, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, Los Angeles (Long Beach), Orlando, and San Juan. JetBlue carries more than 40 million customers a year to 103 cities in the U.S., Caribbean, and Latin America with an average of 1,000 daily flights. For more information please visit JetBlue.com.

Tweet me:.@JetBlue's tenth annual ‘Swing for Good' Golf Classic and #fundraising campaign to raise much needed funds for three youth-focused non-profits http://bit.ly/2zOJBHH

Contact Info:

JetBlue Corporate Communications
+1 (718) 709-3089
corpcomm@jetblue.com

KEYWORDS: NASDAQ:JBLU, Jetblue, Swing for Good Golf Classic, feeding children everywhere, together we rise, JetBlue Foundation

SOURCE:Business Call to Action (BCtA)

DESCRIPTION:

By Yao Huang, Managing Partner at The Hatchery, keynote speaker at the Business Call to Action 8th Annual Forum, Technological Disruption in the World of Inclusive Business

Everyone starts a business with PURPOSE. Everyone invests in a start-up for the ride. We just learn to plaster the business case and the financial returns as the headline and sweep the essence under the rug. It’s lost along the way. Skype was built to DISRUPT. The money that came out of it was secondary. Entrepreneurs are driven by creation. Tech companies grow to become part of our lives and change the status quo within a few years. Think about Facebook grew to be the way we stay in touch in 6 years, Whatsapp became the way we make international calls in 6 years, Uber became the way we get around in 4 disrupting the taxi industry, and Netflix disrupted content from TV, movies, and definitely the way we rent content within 9 years. The list goes on. They become known brands and shape our lives. Technology growth is fast and has become the driving sector of every company for them to stay competitive – from automation to AI. It can also be used as a foundation to grow social impact with just a little thought. And tying the two together means you can get double bottom line returns. People think that social impact and tech are antithesis of each other. It's the synergy that's powerful.

Technology is an advantage. People, companies, governments fight over the latest tech to move ahead. It means we don’t have to spend months to cross the country and we can do it in hours and in special planes it can be done in minutes. It means you can get a message in a second instead of days. These examples probably don’t disturb you because it’s part of what you’re used to. What brings skepticism and fear in people are what they don’t understand. It could stem from fear that if groups of people gain they individually would lose something. That’s not true and it doesn’t have to be so black and white. Or what they’re used to would change. There’s constantly a recycling of old for new. Being open to new things, being curious is the human advantage. Blockchain is disrupting the entire foundation of how our financial systems are run. Artificial intelligence is disrupting modern work. Virtual reality is advancing the way we learn. And all of these for the better. Each saves time, money, resources, and gives more people access to tools they didn’t have before.

Purpose requires thought -- just an extra thought. The “why you’re doing something.” And not just for “more” or to “break.” Be curious for improving and helping. Shifting to impact isn’t hard. Just focus on a purpose besides making more money. And again, helping others doesn’t mean you don’t make money – it’s not mutually exclusive. Just requires a little thought and consideration on why you as the decision maker are building, growing, implementing your “it.” It’s about being thoughtful. About bringing empathy to business. And no, it’s not a weakness. It’s actually a superpower – not everyone can think like this, not yet. It’s as cool as the concept of money making money while you sleep. You can structure an idea or a business to impact while you sleep. Using a technology to help advance people, communities, and create more for others. Double benefit – doing good and making money. And if you want to take it another step further, see if you can take a portion of profits to create ripple effects as well. Microfinance is an example – you make money while loaning someone money to build a business that creates jobs, feeds their family, and fuels them with pride in something they created.

Doing nothing didn’t hurt so much until now. There is a speed of advancement happening now that is allowing groups to leapfrog, leaving those with old tech behind. The pace of innovation and adoption is accelerating. And with this, we see fear from change and action lead to death. Amazon has been running fast for over 10 years, taking out traditional retail one sector at at time. That’s how stubborn entire sectors are to change. Wall Street even knows this, as stocks for entire categories drop by mere announcements from Amazon entering grocery and healthcare. They are dying a slow death by standing still for decades. Closing your eyes doesn’t make things go away. Most of what’s happening in innovation you can foresee the next steps. You don’t even need to be that good a chess player for that. The problem is not being willing to move, because it’s easier to stand still. It requires basic vision with a passion to move. In order to move fast and inspire others to move, you need purpose. No one is going to move to make you two piles more money. And it’s so boring. It doesn’t do anything. That second Ferrari doesn’t do anything. I promise you won’t be happier or more famous.

It’s not size, it’s growth, it’s spreading a good thing. What if we put energy into spreading technology to help improve mental health; to teach inclusion, understanding, and the value of diversity; to improve health and wellness? Can you now see the next set of benefits that it leads to (simple chess)? The ripple effects to business, churn, profits -- peace. What if we harness the power of tech development to further something more meaningful. What if we put a little more thought to including something that benefits others into the thing we sell, our efforts and our days. It doesn’t have to be separate. So the by-product helps others. They are choices. And if you are in a position of action, they can become realities. It’s not just that we should harness tech for good -- we have to, because it has the power to destroy and separate it as much as it can connect.

Learn more about this year's Business Call to Action 8th Annual Forum, Technological Disruption in the World of Inclusive Business here.

Tweet me:Yao Huang: People think that #socialimpact and technology are the antithesis of each other. But it's their synergy that's powerful. @BCtAInitiative @TheHatchery #BCtATechForum #inclusivebiz #disruptivetech

KEYWORDS: business call to action (bcta), Yao Huang, The Hatchery, tech disruption, Social Impact, inclusive business

Projects will help communities address impacts of a changing climate through conservation and capacity building

SOURCE:Wells Fargo & Company

DESCRIPTION:

WASHINGTON, October 3, 2018/3BL Media/ — Wells Fargo and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) today announced $2 million in grants to eight nonprofit organizations to help communities become more resilient in the face of conditions associated with a changing climate, including rising sea levels, water quantity and quality issues, and extended hurricane and fire seasons.

The projects will increase the protections naturally provided by ecosystems by investing in green infrastructure and conservation training across the U.S., Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The grants will generate $7.6 million in matching contributions for a total conservation impact of more than $9.6 million.

The eight grants were awarded through the Resilient Communities program, a $10 million, four-year program funded by the Wells Fargo Foundation. Awardees include:

• The Nature Conservancy of New Mexico, to restore a tributary of the Tijeras Arroyo, increase an urban tree canopy and revitalize a city tree nursery and greenhouse. The project also will provide jobs and workforce training for future planting projects.
• Grand Canyon Youth, to engage Native American youth from the Southwest Conservation Corps Ancestral Lands Program in managing invasive species and enhancing stream buffers along the Colorado, Escalante, San Juan and Dirty Devil Rivers.
• James River Association, to develop a living shoreline pilot program, resiliency training opportunities and technical resources to respond to sea level rise through wetland migration. The project will be located in the Tidewater region of Virginia’s James River watershed.
• Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, to secure the 26,144-acre Brushy Mountain Conservation Easement and assist California’s Mendocino County in wildfire preparedness.
• Spokane Tribe, to address fire hazards by reducing fuel loads on nearly 550 acres of land and to promote the growth of aspen stands and native vegetation to create essential cover for big game, a primary food source and a living symbol of native culture on the Spokane Reservation. Nearly 40,000 acres of Spokane tribal land have burned in the past three years.
• National League of Cities Institute, to engage a cohort of seven cities throughout the U.S with technical assistance and peer learning around local resilience projects. The goal is for the cohort to then deliver education and leadership training workshops for dozens of additional cities.
• Enterprise Community Partners, Inc., to help deepen the understanding of resilience and business continuity strategies among a network of Community Development Corporations in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The CARES Learning Collaborative will engage thousands of residents in readiness planning and strategies for rebuilding with resilience in mind to reduce the impact of future weather-related events.
• CDP North America, Inc., to conduct “Matchmaker - Scaling Green Infrastructure Investments in Cities” in 18 cities across the U.S., which will help local leaders prepare for future impacts associated with sea level rise, water quantity and quality, and forest degradation. The project will generate important data and lessons that will be applicable to a national and international portfolio of sustainable infrastructure investments.

In 2017, NFWF and Wells Fargo initiated the Resilient Communities program to grow the capacity of communities to adapt for outcomes associated with the impacts of a changing climate. The program’s goal is to maximize the resources available for local communities. Because of matching funds and in-kind contributions from grantees and partners, Resilient Communities was able to leverage Wells Fargo’s $2 million 2018 commitment into a total resilience investment of $9.6 million. The program empowers communities to utilize and strengthen natural features like wetlands, urban tree canopies, resilient shorelines, healthy upstream watersheds and forests. The Resilient Communities program places special emphasis on inclusion and helping historically underserved, low- and moderate-income communities address climate change.

“The eight grants announced today directly engage communities in making the nation more resilient to future challenges by reinforcing natural systems and resources which also benefit wildlife habitats,” said Jeff Trandahl, executive director and CEO of NFWF. “NFWF and Wells Fargo take this hands-on approach that demonstrates how communities develop and rely on the benefits natural ecosystems provide. The impact of each grant lasts far beyond the project’s lifespan and helps build a more resilient landscape.”

“We’ve all seen, and even experienced, the devastating effects of extreme weather and climate change on local communities,” said Stephanie Rico of Wells Fargo Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility. “By enhancing and strengthening native ecosystems and building capacity at the local level, we can help minimize the impact of climate-related natural disasters on our customers and communities. We are proud to be working with NFWF on this important national program.”

The 2018 Resilient Communities grant recipients were selected from a pool of more than 140 applicants. The projects that earned grants balance a high level of conservation expertise, partnerships with stakeholders, and dedication to the communities they serve.

A detailed listing of the 2018 grants made through the Resilient Communities program is available on the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation website.

About the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) works with the public and private sectors to sustain, restore and enhance the nation’s fish, wildlife, plants and habitats for current and future generations. Chartered by Congress in 1984, NFWF has grown to become the nation’s largest private conservation grant-maker, supporting more than 16,500 projects and generating a total conservation impact of more than $4.8 billion. Learn more at www.nfwf.org.

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, investment and mortgage products, as well as consumer and commercial finance through more than 8,300 locations, 13,000 ATMs, the internet (wellsfargo.com) and mobile banking, and has offices in 38 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. 26 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.

Contact:

KEYWORDS: Wells Fargo, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, CDP North America, grand canyon youth, resiliency, natural disasters, The Nature Conservancy of New Mexico, james river association, spokane tribe, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, National League of Cities Institute, Enterprise Community Partners, NYSE:WFC

SOURCE:Republic Services

DESCRIPTION:

In households across America, questions like these are heard several times a day: “Is this recyclable?” “It’s okay to put my recyclables in a bag, right?” “Do I need to do anything to this pizza box before I recycle it?”

Recycling started as a relatively easy concept — converting discarded resources into reusable material. But, over time, two things happened — the way manufacturers package their products changed and community recycling guidelines became disparate and confusing. Today, people are genuinely unsure about what to recycle, what not to recycle and how to recycle. The one constant in this equation — people want to recycle.

As a result, the practice of “aspirational recycling” has become the norm. For many, this means placing an item in a recycling container that does not belong, or an item that is soiled, out of hope that someone downstream might recycle it. The unintended consequence? Unprecedented levels of contamination in the nation’s recyclables.

Let’s Simplify Recycling by simplifying recycling and raising awareness, we can help our customers and the communities we serve minimize their environmental impact, and make local recycling programs sustainable, both now and for future generations.

30% Contaminated: Contamination occurs when recyclables are soiled by remnants of food or drink, or when non-recyclable items, from diapers to hoses, are put in a recycling container. In some communities, contamination levels are as high as 30%.

For more information on recycling, visit https://recyclingsimplified.com/

To learn more about Republic’s Sustainability initiatives, visit https://www.republicservices.com/sustainability

KEYWORDS: Republic Services, NYSE:RSG

Despite major advances in modern medicine, universal access to healthcare remains the largest unmet medical need. Building on the inaugural Sandoz HACk, this year’s competition expands to seek broader digital solutions to local healthcare access challenge

SOURCE:Novartis

DESCRIPTION:

HOLZKIRCHEN, Germany, October 4, 2018 /3BL Media/ –Sandoz, the Novartis generics and biosimilars division, today announces the launch of the second Sandoz Healthcare Access Challenge (HACk).

The Sandoz HACk is a global competition that invites entrepreneurs and innovators in the field of digital technology to submit inspirational ideas with the potential to complement – or even positively disrupt – established approaches to driving access to healthcare. Sandoz HACk opens for entries today (October 4), closing on November 30, 2018.

Universal access to healthcare is still arguably the largest unmet medical need and, while great strides continue to be made globally, access challenges vary hugely across geographies and communities. Therefore, a major step towards improving healthcare access globally is to identify and understand the specific needs of local communities.

“There are still two billion people in this world not getting the medicines they need. This is why we are launching Sandoz HACk as we aim to inspire and embrace the brave and innovative thinking of entrepreneurs and visionaries to improve access to healthcare around the world”, said Richard Francis, Division Head and CEO of Sandoz.

Richard added: “Building on the inaugural Sandoz HACk, this year we are broadening the competition to anyone, anywhere, with an idea that uses digital technology to help address a local healthcare access challenge. By collaborating, we hope to create ambitious-yet-practical digital solutions that, with scale, could have a significant impact on people’s lives.”  

Digital innovation promises cost-effective and practical solutions with the power to transform access. Last year, Sandoz HACk focused on m-health (mobile health). This year’s theme is ‘Leveraging Digital Technologies to Solve Healthcare Access Challenges’: encouraging ideas that can drive patient access or help healthcare providers to reach more people.

Three shortlisted entrants, to be announced in January 2019, will receive support from Sandoz experts to develop their ideas and transform potential into real impact. Our three finalists will travel to the world’s leading forward-focused gathering of creative minds, South by Southwest (SXSW; Austin, Texas) in March 2019, to explore, network and discover the latest innovative trends. Following in-person selection, one winner will be chosen and awarded seed funding and support from Sandoz, to help bring their idea to life.

For more details on how to enter the competition and terms and conditions, see here.

To view this year’s video, see here.

Join the conversation on Twitter and Facebook using #SandozHACk.

Tweet me:Have an inspirational idea that could improve #access to healthcare in your community? #SandozHACk, a global competition inviting ideas that use digital technology to solve healthcare access issues is launching, announces @Sandoz_Global CEO Richard Francis http://bit.ly/2O1opXL

KEYWORDS: NYSE:NVS, Novartis

SOURCE:CSRHub

DESCRIPTION:

CSRHub CEO and Co-Founder, Cynthia Figge, will be speaking at the Sustainable Brands New Metrics ’18 Conference, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, held on October 29-31, 2018. Cynthia will speak on October 30th on “The ROI of Embedding Social Purpose in Brand Strategy”. This session will look at some emerging best practices, along with challenges based on wide-reaching recent research as well as anecdotes from practitioners.

This Sustainable Brands event will be focused around the ROI of Sustainable Business, as well as learning how to measure the risk and impact of previously unmeasured forms of value through the newest credible tools and solutions. The 3-day conference brings together sustainability, brand and financial leaders from around the globe to share the latest insights, research and case studies to optimize key business metrics and mobilize financial performance in the evolving economy.

Tuesday, October 30th

The ROI of Embedding Social Purpose in Brand Strategy

• Cynthia Figge, CEO and Co-Founder; CSRHub
• Stephen Hahn-Griffiths, Chief Reputation Officer; Reputation Institute

Friends of CSRHub will receive 20% Discount on registration!

Please register here with code “JoinMe”.

Program Highlights:

• Curated Networking
• Thought-Provoking Plenaries
• Collaborative Breakout Sessions
• Interactive Sessions
• Special Events
   

Key Tracks:

• Value in Finance & Investing
• Value in Product & Service Innovation
• Value in Strategy & Operations
• Value in Marketing & Communications

Sustainable Brands:

Sustainable Brands is home for the global community of business innovators who are shaping the future of commerce worldwide. Since 2006, their goal has been to inspire, engage and equip today’s business and brand leaders to prosper for the near and long term by leading the way to a sustainably abundant future.

Cynthia Figge is a forerunner and thought leader in the corporate sustainability movement who co-founded EKOS International in 1996, one of the first consultancies integrating sustainability and corporate strategy. Cynthia is CEO and Cofounder of CSRHub. Cynthia has worked with major organizations including BNSF, Boeing, Coca-Cola, Dow Jones, and REI to help craft sustainability strategy integrated with business. She was an Officer of LIN Broadcasting/McCaw Cellular leading new services development, and started a new “Greenfield” mill with Weyerhaeuser. She serves as Advisor to media and technology companies, and served as President of the Board of Sustainable Seattle. Cynthia has an MBA from Harvard Business School. Cynthia is based in the Seattle area.

CSRHub is the largest ESG and sustainability rating and information platform globally. We aggregate 180M data points from 550+ data sources including 12 leading ESG analyst databases. Our patented algorithm aggregates, normalizes, and weights data to rate 18,000 companies in 132 countries across 136 industries. We track 97% of world market capitalization. We cover 12 subcategories of ratings and rankings across the categories of environment, employees, community and governance. We show underlying data sources that contribute to each subcategory’s ratings. CSRHub metrics are a consensus view (any 2 sources may have about a 30% correlation so we make sense of the disparate data). We tag companies for their involvement in 17 Special Issues. We provide Macro-enabled Excel dashboard templates, customizable dashboards, and an API. Our big data technology enables 85% full coverage of data across our rated companies and robust analyses. We provide historical ratings back to 2008.

Tweet me:.@CSRHub CEO and Co-Founder Cynthia Figge to Speak at @SustainBrands #NewMetrics '18, https://bit.ly/2DX4HYM Save 20% today with code ‘JoinMe’! sbshare.co/2KyLZFs

KEYWORDS: Cynthia Figge, CSRHUB, sustainable brands, SB New Metrics, ROI

Allentown plants meets rigorous alliance for water stewardship standard

SOURCE:Nestlé

DESCRIPTION:

ALLENTOWN, Pa., October 4, 2018/3BL Media/– Nestlé Waters North America announced today that its Allentown, Pennsylvania factories received certification under the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) Standard. Created and supported by prominent environmental conservation groups, development organizations, and industry leaders, the AWS Standard is the first comprehensive global benchmark for responsible water stewardship across social, environmental, and economic criteria. This achievement was confirmed through audits conducted by SCS Global Services (SCS), a leading international third-party certification body, and sole certifier to the AWS standard in North America.

Nestlé Waters has committed to implementing the AWS Standard at all of its factories around the world by 2025. With the Allentown AWS certification, the company has so far certified 11 Nestlé Waters factories, including seven in North America.

AWS provides a platform for organizations to identify shared water challenges within the watershed where their facilities are located. Facilities demonstrate conformance to the AWS Standard under four key categories:

1. Good Water Governance
2. Sustainable Water Balance
3. Good Water Quality Status
4. Healthy Status of Important Water-Related Areas

“Water is a shared resource, and the AWS Standard has given us a common language and approach to work with others to address these issues that impact all of us as water users,” said Mike Franceschetti, Allentown Factory Manager. “The AWS process has helped us better understand how we are using water inside our factory and has given us a greater appreciation for the positive impact we can have outside of our four walls, by more effectively working together with the local community.”  

A number of initiatives implemented at the Allentown factories – including reusing wastewater in cooling towers, production line optimization, improved leak detection, and filling loss reduction initiatives – are projected to result in 16.6 MM gallons of water saved annually.

“AWS certification enables Nestlé Waters to provide added assurance to its customers that they are obtaining water from a highly responsible source,” said Stanley Mathuram, SCS Vice President. “Our comprehensive, year-long assessment of the Allentown facilities included an on-site audit, a thorough review of operations and the watershed, and vigorous stakeholder engagement. SCS congratulates Nestlé Waters on achieving this latest certification and championing the cause of water stewardship to protect our precious fresh water resources.”

As part of the AWS process, auditors conducted one-on-one interviews with local stakeholders to understand their working relationship with Nestlé Waters, as well as to gauge their understanding of key water stewardship concepts, and how their engagement with the company has affected this understanding.

“Nestlé Waters has been an environmental education partner for more than a decade, and we are excited to learn that the Allentown factories have been recognized for their water stewardship and conservation practices by achieving certification through the Alliance for Water Stewardship,” said Chris Kocher, president of Wildlands Conservancy.

Nestlé Waters is committed to sponsoring and volunteering at community programs that encourage and increase awareness of water quality and water conservation. Educational programs such as ProjectWET and Trout in the Classroom benefit more than 2,800 local students every year and help build an appreciation for water resources.

Launched in 2009, AWS is a non-governmental organization founded by leading organizations representing social and environmental interests including The Nature Conservancy, Pacific Institute, Water Stewardship Australia, and World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Since that time, Nestlé Waters has joined dozens of other companies, government agencies, NGOs, and educational institutions as a member of AWS to promote best practices in water stewardship.                                    

About Nestlé Waters North America

Nestlé Waters has been operating in Pennsylvania for more than 20 years and has invested more than $350 million in its two Lehigh Valley facilities. More than 600 Pennsylvanians work in clean, safe, family-wage manufacturing jobs at Nestlé Waters. Those jobs are directly tied to sustainable water resources at the company’s seven Pennsylvania spring sites.

Nestlé Waters North America offers an unrivaled portfolio of bottled waters for healthy hydration, including Deer Park^® Brand 100% Natural Spring Water, Nestlé^® Pure Life^®, Perrier^® and S. Pellegrino^®. The company also owns and operates ReadyRefresh^SM by Nestlé^®, a customizable water and beverage delivery service.

Based in Stamford, Connecticut with some 8,500 associates, we are committed to reducing our environmental footprint across our operations. As a natural resource company, we sustainably manage 47 spring sources and conserve nearly 21,000 acres of natural watershed area. We are also committed to creating shared value and being a good neighbor in the 140 communities where we operate in the U.S. For more information, visit us at www.nestle-watersna.com/en and follow us on Twitter and Facebook: @NestleWatersNA.

About SCS Global Services

SCS Global Services has been a global leader in third-party environmental and sustainability certification, auditing, testing, and standards development for more than three decades. Its programs span a cross-section of industries, recognizing achievements in green building, product manufacturing, food and agriculture, natural resource management, power generation, and more. SCS is now a leading AWS certification body, and the sole AWS-approved conformity assessment body in North America. SCS worked closely with AWS during the development stages of the certification program. SCS is based in Emeryville California, with representatives and affiliates around the world. Its broad network of auditors are experts in their fields, and the company is a trusted partner to many environmental NGOs due to its dedication to quality and professionalism. SCS is a Chartered Benefit Corporation, reflecting its commitment to socially and environmentally responsible business practices.                                                                                                               

About the Alliance for Water Stewardship

AWS is a global membership-based collaboration that unites organizations behind its mission of promoting responsible use of freshwater in a socially, economically and environmentally sustainable manner. AWS achieves this through a global water stewardship system, centered on the International Water Stewardship Standard (the AWS Standard), that drives, recognizes, and rewards good water stewardship performance. The AWS vision is that water users and managers are responsible water stewards who protect and enhance freshwater resources for people and nature. The AWS Standard provides a globally-applicable framework for major water users to understand their water use and impact, and to work collaboratively and transparently for sustainable management within water catchment areas.

# # #

Tweet me:.@NestleWatersNA achieves water stewardship @_A4WS certification in Allentown, #Pennsylvania http://bit.ly/2PbeCLt

Contact Info:

Kristina Wilson-Rocheford
Nestle Waters North America
+1 (203) 246-6642
kristina.wilsonrocheford@waters.nestle.com
@NestleWatersNA
https://www.facebook.com/nestlewatersna

KEYWORDS: water, water stewardship, AWS, Pennsylvania, Allentown, VTX:NESN.VX, Nestle