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The Avista Foundation and Avista Utilities Win Good Citizen Awards, Home Depot Offers 30 Different Electric Car Chargers, and Energy Future Holdings Donates $185,000 to the Red Cross - Energy Minute for November 30, 2012

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SOURCE:3BL Media, LLC

DESCRIPTION:

The Avista Foundation and the employees of Avista Utilities have received the “Making Spokane Better” award from the Salvation Army, in recognition of their philanthropy and volunteerism. Donations from Avista Corp. and the Avista Foundation to non-profits totaled more than $1.4 million in 2011. Avista Utilities employees volunteered more than 52,000 hours of service to more than 1,000 organizations within the company’s three-state service area.

Home Depot now offers 30 different electric car chargers that can be ordered through their virtual store. Prices of the charging stations range from $699 to $7,999, depending upon their features. In California, purchase of a new EV vehicle includes a free charger.

Energy Future Holdings and its employees have contributed $185,000 to the American Red Cross for disaster relief. The contributions are the Dallas-based company’s response to emergencies in Texas as well to Hurricane Sandy recovery efforts.

For more information on these and other stories, go to 3blmedia.com

Video Source: Avista Foundation and Avista Utilities Win Good Citizen Awards; Home Depot Offers 30 EV chargers; Energy Future Holdings Donates $185,000 to the Red Cross

Tweet me:.@AvistaUtilities wins good citizen award http://3bl.me/463f59 @HomeDepot offers 30 electric car chargers, #EFH donates to @RedCross

KEYWORDS: Avista Utilities, Avista Foundation, Salvation Army, Home Depot, Electric Car Chargers, Energy Future Holdings, American Red Cross, Hurricane Sandy, 3bl Media, Energy, Energy Minute


ARAMARK is Named as the Official Sponsor for Texas Neighborhood Centers’ Health Program, and the American Cancer Society Awards Companies for Reducing Employee Cancer Risk - Health Minute for November 30, 2012

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SOURCE:3BL Media, LLC

DESCRIPTION:

ARAMARK will be the official sponsor of “Health and Wellness. For Good,” the health and wellness education and awareness program of Neighborhood Centers, Inc. Since 2007, Aramark has contributed 4,500 volunteer hours and $1 million to Neighborhood Centers, a non-profit that serves 340,000 individuals and families in Texas.

The American Cancer Society has recognized several companies for their exceptional efforts to reduce employee cancer risk. Among those noted were Allstate Insurance Company, which received two awards, United Technologies, WellPoint, and the Duke University Health System. The Corporate Impact awards are presented annually by the Society’s Corporate and Systems Initiative.

For more information on these and other stories, go to 3blmedia.com

Video Source: ARAMARK Named Official Sponsor for Texas Neighborhood Centers’ Health Program; American Cancer Society Awards Companies for Reducing Employee Cancer Risk

Tweet me:.@ARAMARK named sponsor for @NeighborhoodCtr Health Program http://3bl.me/kxdbrb @AmericanCancer awards companies for reducing #cancer risk

KEYWORDS: Aramark, Neighborhood Centers Inc, American Cancer Society, Texas, Allstate Insurance Company, united technologies, WellPoint, Duke University Health System, Corporate Impact Awards, 3bl Media, Health, Health Minute

Celebrating Better Access

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SOURCE:GlaxoSmithKline

DESCRIPTION:

Celebrating Better Access

By Mary Anne, GSK Communications
 
Polls and rankings seem to be everywhere in the news. One published today--the 2012 Access to Medicine (ATM) Index--is worth a closer look.

It is cause for celebration here at GSK because we were ranked highest in the index, which evaluates pharmaceutical companies on their efforts to improve access to medicine in low-income and lower middle income countries. The ATM Index is a major initiative of the Access to Medicine Foundation, an international not-for-profit organisation.

It is cause for a much wider celebration because the foundation is seeing companies "really raising the bar" and stepping up efforts to get medicines to those who need them, regardless of where they live.

The Foundation found that:

  • 17 of 20 companies performed better in 2012 than at the time of the last index in 2010. This happened at a time when the Foundation also raised its expectations.
     
  • Companies are developing more medicines for more diseases that disproportionately affect the world's poor
     
  • More companies are using tiered pricing to lower prices for certain countries or specific populations.

Improving access to medicine is core to GSK's overall mission and strategy. Over the last five years we have made changes to our business model, expanding to more countries and making our medicines and vaccines more available and affordable.

Here in the US, we provide some of the most generous patient assistance programs in the industry. In 2011, more than 478,000 patients here received GSK medicines and vaccines worth $115 million.

We will read closely the report's recommendations and invite you to do the same. You can find the full report at www.atmindex.org

Read more about what GlaxoSmithKline does to increase access to medicine.

 

Tweet me:.@GSKUS ranked highest in the 2012 Access to Medicine Index http://3bl.me/5g4qgs #csr #healthcare

KEYWORDS: Access to Medicines, GSK, GlaxoSmithKline, ATM index, The access to medicine index, patient assistance programs

Primus Green Energy Joins NEWBio Consortium as Industry Collaborator

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SOURCE:Justmeans

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Primus Green Energy, a New Jersey alternative energy company based in Hillsborough, New Jersey, has signed on to the Northeast Woody/Warm-season Biomass Consortium (NEWBio) as an industry collaborator. The company will provide technical insight to the group as it develops perennial feedstock production systems and supply chains for biomass feedstocks.

The consortium is led by Penn State's College of Agricultural Science and supported by a nearly $10 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Other consortium partners include eight universities based in the Northeast, the USDA's Eastern Regional Research Center, the U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Idaho National Laboratory. The consortium includes eight other industrial collaborators, and Primus is the only advanced alternative fuel company of the group.

NEWBio will focus on the development of four large demonstration projects throughout the Northeast operating at commercial scales of thousands of acres to produce between 500 and 1,200 tons per day of lignocellulosic biomass for alternative fuel production. Plant scientists will work to improve the ability of crops to grow on marginal lands and to resist insects and disease, with a goal of increasing yields by 25 percent and reducing costs by 20 percent.

Click here to continue reading and comment

Antonio Pasolini is a Corporate Social Responsibility writer for Justmeans, Antonio Pasolini is a journalist based in Brazil who writes about alternative energy, green living and sustainability. He also edits Energyrefuge.com, a top web destination for news and comment on renewable energy and Elpis.org, a recycled paper bag/magazine distributed from health food stores in London, formerly his hometown for over a decade. He is also a happy herbivore.

 

Tweet me:Industry collaboration between Primus #Green #Energy and NewBio Consortium http://3bl.me/28fxac @justmeans #csr

KEYWORDS: Green, Energy, NewBio Consortium, collaboration, Innovation, sustainability, csr, biomass feedstocks, Primus Green Energy

Harnessing the Power of 6.7 Million American Youth- Collective Impact for Opportunity Youth

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SOURCE:FSG

SUMMARY:

FSG’s new report, “Collective Impact for Opportunity Youth” highlights the underlying challenges facing Opportunity Youth, youth between the ages of 16 and 24 who are neither enrolled in school nor participating in the labor market, and offers a framework to help communities come together to address these challenges.

DESCRIPTION:

Nov. 30, 2012 /3BL Media/ - There are 6.7 million youth in the United States who are neither enrolled in school nor working.  Known as 'Opportunity Youth’, this population totals 17% of all youth nationwide between the ages of 16-24. FSG’s new report, “Collective Impact for Opportunity Youth” calls on communities to use collective impact, the practice of organizations from different sectors working together to solve a specific social problem, to improve the outcomes for this population. In doing so, businesses and communities have the potential to increase savings for society, improve the quality of talent available to employers, and interrupt a multigenerational cycle of poverty for youth and their families.

Authored by FSG, Open Society, and Jobs for the Future, “Collective Impact for Opportunity Youth” illustrates how collective impact poses a significant opportunity for communities to work together to enable Opportunity Youth to develop confidence, skills, self-efficacy, obtain a postsecondary credential, and meaningfully connect to sustainable careers.

Click here to access the full report.

For more on collective impact and opportunity youth, read FSG’s blog post on Opportunity Youth and learn more about FSG’s collective impact approach.

Tweet me:New Report from @FSGtweets, @JFFtweets, @OpenSociety: http://ow.ly/dXc5I on #collectiveimpact for Opportunity #Youth.

KEYWORDS: People, Social Action & Community Engagement, Reporting, Ratings & Rankings, Collective Impact, Youth, FSG, opportunity, csr, sustainability

HP Recognized for Its Civic Engagement by Bloomberg and Points of Light

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SOURCE:Hewlett-Packard

DESCRIPTION:

By Michael_Thacker

HP is among the top companies named in Bloomberg Businessweek’s “The Civic 50,” the first scientific evaluation of companies that best use their time, talent and resources to improve the quality of life in the communities where they do business.

HP ranked No. 28 on the list of S&P 500 companies that were surveyed by the National Conference on Citizenship and Points of Light, groups that promote civic engagement. Companies were judged on seven criteria:

  • Program structure and the metrics used to evaluate its success
  • Involvement of top leadership
  • Participation of corporate departments in program activities
  • Working with partners such as nonprofits
  • Contributing to employees’ personal growth
  • Alignment of causes with core competencies and workforce skills
  • Ability to communicate their work to the public and share best practices

According to Bloomberg, winning companies employed sophisticated tools to measure the impact of community engagement and alignment of these programs with their business’ core competencies. More than two-thirds of the top 50 companies said they “frequently” or “always” use the professional skills of their workforce to address social issues and real community challenges.

At HP, we apply our knowledge and expertise to make an impact in the areas of education, entrepreneurship and health. In 2011, HP employees and retirees gave more than 744,000 hours to volunteer projects and those employees who participate in skills-based volunteer events organized by HP or HP employees are 59 percent more likely to feel that HP is a “great place to work.” 

Since 2007, HP and our employees have also donated $30 million through the Hewlett-Packard Company Foundation, which matches employee gifts up to $1,000 per employee each year to qualified nonprofits. 

The entire scorecard of America’s most community-minded companies was published in the Nov. 12-18 issue of Bloomberg Businessweek. For more on The Civic 50, visit here: http://www.businessweek.com/interactive_reports/civic_50_2012.html.

 

Tweet me:Integrating community engagement with core business competency http://3bl.me/wfnnrf @HPGlobalCitizen makes @TheCivic50 #csr

KEYWORDS: HP, Hewlett Packard, civic engagement, Bloomberg, Points of Light, The Civic 50, National Conference on Citizenship

The Hershey Company Joins Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) Advisory Council

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SASB to create sustainability standards for 89 industries across 10 sectors

SOURCE:Hershey Company

DESCRIPTION:

HERSHEY, Pa., Dec. 4, 2012 /3BL Media/ - The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY) today announced it will join the Advisory Council of the newly founded Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) as part of Hershey’s commitment to reporting on its expanding sustainability practices. As a member of the Advisory Council, Hershey will help develop reporting standards for the food and beverage industry that will support greater transparency.

The SASB, a newly formed nonprofit organization, aims to develop and disseminate sustainability accounting standards for 89 industries, which will give investors, companies and key stakeholders a comprehensive view of a company’s sustainability risks and opportunities.

“We are committed to being transparent with our stakeholders on a growing range of socially responsible and environmentally sustainable programs and initiatives at The Hershey Company,” says Todd Camp, Director, Corporate Social Responsibility at The Hershey Company. “We support SASB’s mission to create industry-specific standards that will increase transparency and ease of comparison across the food and beverage industry. We look forward to collaborating with our peers to help drive enhanced innovation and sustainability across our industry.”

Hershey understands that there are many non-financial material issues affecting a company’s ability to create long-term value. These sustainability issues vary greatly from industry to industry, and SASB, in partnership with industry leaders such as Hershey, will work to identify and understand these unique material issues so they can develop a standard for companies to measure, manage and disclose how they are mitigating sustainability risks.

Hershey is already committed to providing timely and relevant sustainability information to its key stakeholders through its CSR reports and scorecard updates; full CSR reports are released every even year with scorecard updates, providing progress against the company’s key sustainability benchmarks, published every odd year. Hershey also engages with stakeholders year round through ongoing announcements of new Corporate Social Responsibility projects and initiatives.

Most recently and significantly, Hershey announced its 2020 cocoa certification goals, a substantial commitment to addressing cocoa sustainability issues in the cocoa supply chain. Hershey will source 100 percent certified cocoa for its chocolate product lines globally by 2020 and accelerate its sustainability programs in Ghana and the Ivory Coast.

For more information on Hershey's 2011 CSR achievements and 2015 sustainability goals, please see: http://www.thehersheycompany.com/social-responsibility/csr-report.aspx

Additional information on the SASB is available at sasb.org or read “Why SASB is a Game Changer for Sustainable Business” on Greenbiz.com.

About The Hershey Company

The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY) is the largest producer of quality chocolate in North America and a global leader in chocolate and sugar confectionery. Headquartered in Hershey, Pa., The Hershey Company has operations throughout the world and approximately 14,000 employees. With revenues of more than $6 billion, Hershey offers confectionery products under more than 80 brand names, including such iconic brands as Hershey's, Reese's, Hershey'sKisses, Hershey'sBliss, Hershey's Special Dark, Kit Kat, Twizzlers, Jolly Rancher and Ice Breakers

Hershey also offers premium and artisan chocolate products under such brands as Scharffen Berger and Dagoba through the Artisan Confections Company, a wholly owned subsidiary.  The company is focused on growing its presence in key international markets such as China and Mexico while continuing to build its competitive advantage in the United States and Canada.

For more than 100 years, The Hershey Company has been a leader in making a positive difference in the communities where its employees live, work and do business.

Corporate Social Responsibility is an integral part of the company’s global business strategy, which includes goals and priorities focused on fair and ethical business dealings, environmental stewardship, fostering a desirable workplace for employees, and positively impacting society and local communities.

Milton Hershey School, established in 1909 by the company's founder and administered by Hershey Trust Company, provides a quality education, housing, and medical care at no cost to children in social and financial need. Students of Milton Hershey School are direct beneficiaries of The Hershey Company's success.

Tweet me:#Hershey to be food & beverage industry advisor to #SASB as #sustainability standards for 89 industries are created #CSR http://www.sasb.org

Contact Info:

Jeff Beckman
The Hershey Company
+1 (717) 534-8090
jbeckman@hersheys.com

KEYWORDS: Business & Trade, Environment, People, Social Action & Community Engagement, the hershey company, hershey, Hersheys, SASB, sustainability, Transparency, Reporting

Action Against Hunger's Nan Dale - Video Interview

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Collaboration Between NGOs and Corporations

SOURCE:Video4Good

DESCRIPTION:

Video4Good interviewed Nan Dale from Action Against Hunger at the COMMIT!Forum 2012 in New York City.  According to Dale, corporate responsibility revolves around finding a common mission between NGOs and businesses, and letting each side bring something to the partnership.

Corporate partners provide needed expertise, dollars and equipment.  NGOs have on-the-ground experience with community organization and facilitating behavior change necessary to create sustainable projects. Dale believes that collaboration between corporations and NGOs equal more than the sum of the parts.

Tweet me:Finding a common mission for business and NGOs can inspire sustainable change: http://3bl.me/r29zff @VideoforGood @ACFUSA #csr

Contact Info:

Gretchen Siegchrist
Executive Producer, Video4Good
+1 (877) 619-4743
gretchen@video4good.com

KEYWORDS: Business & Trade, Environment, People, Social Action & Community Engagement, Action Against Hunger, Commit!Forum, video4good


Accenture Awards KIPP – Knowledge Is Power Program – an Additional US $3.3 Million to Equip Young People with Career Readiness Skills

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Grant reflects Accenture’s corporate citizenship focus, Skills to Succeed

SOURCE:Accenture

DESCRIPTION:

NEW YORK, December 4, 2012 /3BL Media/ - Accenture (NYSE: ACN) and the Accenture Foundations today announced that they have awarded KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program), a national network of charter schools, a grant of US$3.3 million to help young people in underserved communities transition from secondary education to higher education and employment. This grant brings Accenture’s direct support of KIPP to US$3.7 million since 2009.

The award, which consists of cash as well as the time and skills of Accenture employees, is part of Accenture’s global corporate citizenship initiative, Skills to Succeed, which will equip 250,000 people around the world by 2015 with the skills to get a job or build a business. 
 
The three-year grant will support the expansion of the Future Focus program, piloted with KIPP DC during the 2011-12 school year, to deliver skills training, mentoring and internships to nearly 7,000 students across the KIPP network. In addition, the grant will support KIPP Through College programs focused on helping KIPP students and alumni as they progress to and through college, including KIPP’s efforts to establish partnerships with colleges and universities across the United States.
 
“Supporting KIPP helps bring to life Accenture’s commitment to building skills,” said Jill Huntley, senior director of corporate citizenship at Accenture. “KIPP is proving it’s possible to make a significant and lasting impact on the economic well-being of individuals and their communities by connecting students with the programs and skills that will enable them to be successful.”
 
The Future Focus program was established in Washington, D.C., as a joint project of KIPP DC and Accenture. This grant will expand the program in Washington, D.C., and bring it to four additional markets across the United States – Austin, Denver, Houston and the San Francisco Bay Area. In addition, it will provide pro-bono work in each of the five markets to assist KIPP in developing and customizing skills training programs for each location. Accenture volunteers will help deliver skills training, including developing internship and job shadowing opportunities.
 
Accenture employee volunteers will use training materials developed in partnership with other nonprofit organizations, such as Back on My Feet, to mentor KIPP students on career management, presentation skills, financial literacy and critical thinking.
 
“We are very grateful for this generous grant, and for Accenture’s ongoing support of KIPP,” said Richard Barth, chief executive officer of KIPP. “With Accenture’s help, we can expand the Future Focus program and continue to build KIPP Through College programs to help thousands more students and young people reach the goals of college graduation and successful careers.”
 
About Accenture
Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company, with 257,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Combining unparalleled experience, comprehensive capabilities across all industries and business functions, and extensive research on the world’s most successful companies, Accenture collaborates with clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. Through itsSkills to Succeed corporate citizenship focus, Accenture is committed to equipping 250,000 people around the world by 2015 with the skills to get a job or build a business. The company generated net revenues of US$27.9 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2012. Its home page is www.accenture.com.
 
About KIPP
KIPP – Knowledge Is Power Program – is a national network of open-enrollment, college preparatory public charter schools with a track record of preparing students in underserved communities for success in college and in life.  KIPP was founded in Houston in 1994, and has grown to 125 schools serving over 41,000 students in 20 states and Washington, D.C.  Ninety-five percent of students enrolled in KIPP schools are students of color, and over 80 percent qualify for the federal free and reduced-price meals program. To date, over 80 percent of students who have graduated from KIPP middle schools have matriculated to college. For more information, visit www.kipp.org.
 
 
Media Contacts:
 
Kate Shenk
Accenture
+ 917 452 3784
 
Rebecca Raber
KIPP Foundation
+ 415 733 9718

Tweet me:Accenture Awards @KIPP Foundation US $3.3 Million to Equip Young People with Career Readiness Skills http://3bl.me/xtdpgs

KEYWORDS: Corporate Social Responsibility, People, Social Action & Community Engagement, Community, Engagement, Positive Change, Social Development, Social Gifting, Social Change, Social Actions, Teen Action, Volunteerism, Youth Action, Accenture, KIPP, Knowledge is Power Program, grant, Education, College, University, Development, skills, Careers

The Benefits of Cisco Remote Collaboration Technology in a Global Economy

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SOURCE:Cisco Systems Inc.

DESCRIPTION:

Paul Dickinson, Founder and Executive Chairman of the Carbon Disclosure Project, explains how Cisco TelePresence and Cisco WebEx help his environmental advocacy organization execute its mission across the globe.

About Cisco Systems

Cisco is the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate. Information about Cisco can be found at http://www.cisco.com. For ongoing news, please go to http://newsroom.cisco.com.

Cisco's CSR Commitment
We take our expertise--in building networks, partnerships, and a successful business--and use it to multiply social impact around the world. We call this Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Our commitment begins with our employees and extends to the dollars, time, and technology we give as a company to build and support programs in more than 150 countries. 

Because we approach CSR the same way we approach our business, we build more impactful, more sustainable programs that also support our company goals. 

 

Tweet me:Cisco TelePresence & WebEx help Paul Dickinson with his #environmental advocacy organization http://3bl.me/encb27 #csr @Ciscocsr

KEYWORDS: csr, sustainability, Cisco Systems Inc., Paul Dickinson, environment, telepresence, WebEx, collaboration

Big Pharma Improves Access to Medicine in Developing World

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SOURCE:Justmeans

DESCRIPTION:

The Access to Medicine Foundation has released its 2012 Access to Medic Index (ATM Index). The ATM Index is designed to provide independent, unbiased and credible information regarding individual pharmaceutical companies' progress on making drugs and other medical products more available and affordable in developing countries.

"We are publishing the Index for the third time," said Wim Leereveld, CEO of the Access to Medicine Foundation, "and it has matured to the point that we are now able to provide some robust trend analysis on how individual companies, and the industry as a whole, are evolving their approach to access to medicine."

The ATM Index ranks the top 20 pharmaceutical companies on their efforts to provide greater access to medicine. Topping the list this year is London-based GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE:GSK), which also led the rankings the previous two times they were published, in 2008 and 2010.

Click here to continue reading and comment

Harry Stevens is a freelance reporter covering climate change, corporate social responsibility, social enterprise, and sustainable finance. Harry has contributed to several media outlets, including Justmeans, GreenBiz, SocialEarth, and Sustainablog. You can follow Harry on Twitter: @Harry_Stevens

Tweet me:.@GSKUS tops 2012 ATM Index making products more affordable to developing countries http://3bl.me/9x9fdh #csr

KEYWORDS: 2012 Access to Medic Index, csr, developing countries, Medicine, sustainability, GlaxoSmithKline

Hemlock Printers is the First Canadian Printer to Earn Green-e Certification

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Printer purchases 100% renewable energy for its U.S. and Canadian operations

SOURCE:Center for Resource Solutions

DESCRIPTION:

SAN FRANCISCO, December 4, 2012 /3BL Media/ - Center for Resource Solutions (CRS) announced today that Hemlock Printers, based in Metro Vancouver, BC, has joined Green-e® Marketplace after purchasing nearly 2,500 megawatt-hours of Green-e Energy Certified renewable energy certificates from 3Degrees–enough to meet 100 percent of the total annual electricity needs for the printer's entire U.S. and Canadian operations. By participating in Green-e Marketplace, Hemlock can now display the Green-e logo to inform its customers of its commitment to clean, renewable energy.

"Hemlock Printers has been a leader in the printing industry for many years. We are extremely pleased to add Hemlock as a part of our Green-e re:print initiative," said Orrin Cook, manager of Green-e Marketplace. "We look forward to seeing many customers in Canada and beyond use Hemlock to lower their environmental footprint and support renewable energy use."

Hemlock Printers is one of the largest commercial sheetfed printers in the Pacific Northwest, with a 79,000 square-foot facility and over 170 employees. Its other environmentally friendly practices include an aggressive recycle and reuse program in its facilities, and practices to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to 33% below 2007 levels by 2020.

"The re:print program is another significant step towards a truly sustainable paper and printing industry," said Richard Kouwenhoven, President and General Manager of Hemlock. "It's the first program that addresses renewable energy use across the supply chain, which raises the bar in our industry and allows our clients to demonstrate their commitments through the use of the Green-e logo. We're very excited to support the growth of this important program."

By offering its customers printing and paper that has been sourced from renewable energy, Hemlock can use the Green-e logo on printed materials through the Green-e re:print program. This program promotes renewable electricity in the print supply chain by granting use of the Green-e logo to organizations that source both their paper and printing through Green-e Marketplace Certified printers and paper lines.

Hemlock joins a growing list of companies and organizations taking real action to reduce the impact of their energy use. Electricity generated from renewable sources results in less environmental waste and pollution and displaces other non-renewable sources from the electric grid. Hemlock's purchase of electricity created from nearly emissions-free renewable sources avoids carbon dioxide and other pollutants and serves to build the market for renewable energy nationwide, increasing incentives for developing new facilities. Currently, renewable energy accounts for less than ten percent of total electricity generation nationwide.

Renewable energy certificates purchased by Hemlock are certified by Green-e Energy, the leading renewable energy certification program in the nation. Green-e Energy provides independent, third-party certification to ensure renewable energy products meet strict environmental and consumer protection standards, including being sourced from verified, new facilities; not being double-counted towards any state's renewable energy goal; and being retired on behalf of the purchaser. Every Green-e Marketplace participant undergoes annual verification and audits to document that it has purchased enough certified renewable energy to meet its annual commitment. 

 
About Hemlock Printers
Hemlock Printers is one of the largest commercial sheetfed printers in the Pacific Northwest, and is a professionally managed, privately owned family enterprise that has built its success on service integrity, quality products and a commitment to continuous innovation. With a production facility in Burnaby, British Columbia that operates 100% carbon neutral, and offices in Victoria, Seattle, and San Francisco, Hemlock is consistently recognized as an industry leader in both quality and sustainability. Learn more about Hemlock at at www.hemlock.com.
 
About Green-e and Center for Resource Solutions
A program of Center for Resource Solutions, Green-e is North America's leading independent consumer protection program for the sale of renewable energy and greenhouse gas reductions in the retail market. Green-e offers certification and verification of renewable energy and greenhouse gas mitigation products through Green-e Energy, a renewable energy certification program; Green-e Climate, a greenhouse gas emission reduction certification program; and Green-e Marketplace, a program that provides forward-thinking organizations a simple, nationally recognized logo they can use to communicate their renewable energy and climate commitment to their customers and shareholders. To learn more about Green-e Certified products and programs available in all 50 states, visit www.green-e.org.

Tweet me:.@HemlockPrinters is the First Canadian Printer to Earn Green-e Certification http://3bl.me/9g5tf5 @GreeneMarktplc

Contact Info:

Jeff Swenerton
Center for Resource Solutions
+1 (415) 561-2119
jeff@resource-solutions.org

Doug Climie
Hemlock Printers
+1 (604) 439-5004
doug@hemlock.com

KEYWORDS: Alternative Energy, hemlock, printer, Printing, green power, Clean Energy, renewable energy, Green-e, Center for Resource Solutions

PT Freeport Indonesia helps to produce a documentary about Indigenous Papuan Kamoro Tribe

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SOURCE:Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc.

DESCRIPTION:

“The Kamoro” is a documentary produced by Kalman N. Muller, written by Dr. Kal Muller, with support from PT-Freeport Indonesia.  PT Freeport Indonesia is a subsidiary of Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold and operates in the Grasberg mineral district in Papua, Indonesia.

“The Kamoro” offers a look at the traditions, daily lives and challenges faced by the Kamoro people who live along the south coast of the Indonesian province of Papua, on the island of New Guinea.

To watch the video in English, click on the video link here http://www.fcx.com/videos/Kamoro_english.htm

To view the video in Indonesian, or for further information about Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc.’s community development programs and indigenous peoples, please visit their website at http://www.fcx.com/envir/comm_indig_people.htm

Please see the 2011 Working Toward Sustainable Development Report for more information on all of their social, economic and environmental efforts. http://www.fcx.com/envir/wtsd/pdf-wtsd/2011/WTSD_Bk_2011.pdf

Tweet me:PT Freeport Indonesia helps to produce a documentary about Indigenous Papuan Kamoro Tribe http://3bl.me/tkhmkm

KEYWORDS: Freeport-McMoRan, Copper, Gold, Indonesia, Papua, indigenous, tribe, Kamoro, Documentary

SustainabilityHQ.com Weekly Highlights November 29, 2012

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SOURCE:Governance & Accountability Institute, Inc.

DESCRIPTION:

Top Story of the Week

Obama to appeal to public on fiscal cliff      
(Tuesday - November 27, 2012)
Source: AP - WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama plans to make a public case this week for his strategy for dealing with the looming fiscal cliff, traveling to the Philadelphia suburbs Friday as he pressures Republicans to allow tax increases...

ESG / Sustainability

Why a 4°C warmer world must be avoided      
(Tuesday - November 27, 2012)
Source: Reuters - It is my hope that this report shocks us into action. Even for those of us already committed to fighting climate change, I hope it causes us to work with much more urgency. This report spells out what the world would be like if...

Income inequality: Wealth gap widens between rich, poor 
(Monday - November 26, 2012)
Source: Battle Creek Enquirer - “The fact is that income inequality is real. . . And the question is whether we respond to the income inequality we see with policies that help lift people up or tear others down.” Those words came not from President Barack...

22nd International Children’s Painting Competition      
(Thursday - November 22, 2012) Associated Profiles : UN - Environmental Programme
Source: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), - The International Children’s Painting Competition on the Environment is organized every year by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Japan-based Foundation for Global Peace and Environment (FGPE), Bayer and Nikon...[more]

Commentary

Joseph A. Matais: Scaring Americans into surrendering their money      
(Tuesday - November 27, 2012) Associated Profiles : Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change(IPCC)
- news.providencejournal.com - The smell of money has this affect. Consider this from Ottmar Edenhofer of the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: "One must say clearly that we redistribute de facto the world's wealth...

How sustainable investors impact industries and corporate policies      
(Tuesday - November 27, 2012)
Source: GreenBiz.com - The 2012 Report on Sustainable and Responsible Investing Trends in the United States, released last week by U.S. SIF, is the sustainable, responsible, and impact (SRI) investment industry’s primary barometer of the both the...

Sovereign Wealth Funds

Qatar cashes in to make $2.7 bn from Barclays deal [AlArabiya.net (United Arab Emirates)]     (Tuesday - November 27, 2012) Associated Profiles : Qatar Investment Authority
- Equities.com - According to Reuters estimates that amounts to a profit of about 1.7 billion pounds in total. Qatar Holding is part of Qatar Investment Authority, which was set up by the state in 2005 to diversify investments away...

UK company pension deficits getting worse - PwC      
(Monday - November 26, 2012) Associated Profiles : Pension Protection Fund - United Kingdom
- Reuters UK - Recent figures from the Pension Protection Fund showed the total deficit of British final-salary pension schemes had more than doubled to 231 billion pounds in the space of a year.

Gulf firms eye emerging markets for growth      
(Friday - November 23, 2012) Associated Profiles : Invest AD
- Peninsula - portfolio manager at Invest AD in Abu Dhabi;. Morocco is considering a possible dollar-denominated bond issue in coming days and plans to launch its investor meetings in Abu Dhabi this week. It's where the money ...

Arab Spring economies to recover slowly in 2013      
(Wednesday - November 21, 2012) Associated Profiles : Excess Crude Account (Nigeria)
- Punch - Most economies hit by the Arab Spring uprisings will recover slowly next year, grappling with high inflation and rising unemployment due to poor global conditions, the International Monetary Fund predicted in a report on.

This is just a sample of some of the articles from this weeks SustainabilityHQ Highlights.  You can view the full Highlights by using the following links.  Sustainability | ESG, Highlights for the Week of November 29, 2012

Tweet me:SustainabilityHQ.com Weekly Highlights November 29, 2012 http://3bl.me/8ktm2x

KEYWORDS: Marketing, Media & Communications, SustainabilityHQ, sustainability, Accountability, Governance & Accountability Institute, G&A Institute, esg, environment, Energy, governance, Sovereign Wealth Funds, SWFs, USPF, united states pension funds, Asset Managers, GRI

Environment, Health and Safety Managers Also Lead Corporate Sustainability

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SOURCE:National Association for Environmental Management (NAEM)

DESCRIPTION:

WASHINGTON, DC, Dec. 4, 2012 /3BL Media/ -  The professionals who manage a company’s environmental, health and safety (EHS) compliance risks are also responsible for leading corporate sustainability initiatives, according to a new report by the National Association for Environmental Management (NAEM).  The association’s latest benchmark of the profession, which was conducted by independent research firm Verdantix, draws insights from 199 corporate EHS and sustainability leaders at large, U.S.-based corporations. 

The “EHS & Sustainability Staffing and Structure” report reveals that the EHS function either leads, or shares responsibility for the majority of the top 15 initiatives identified by the respondents as ‘sustainability’. These programs include developing sustainability strategies, setting sustainability goals, carbon footprint tracking, energy management, resource conservation and stakeholder engagement.

“Over time, our benchmarks have reflected the evolution of the environmental management profession to include health and safety. What this report shows is that today it also includes sustainability,” said NAEM Executive Director Carol Singer Neuvelt. “While EHS professionals do not always have sustainability in their titles, this research demonstrates that they are, indeed, doing the job.”

Most responding companies manage sustainability through a cross-functional team, led by the EHS function or a combined EHS and sustainability function, according to the results. The other members of the team are representatives from corporate communications, operations, legal, and sales and marketing. 

Ms. Neuvelt said this collaborative approach reflects the growth of sustainability as a business management paradigm.

“Large companies are embedding sustainability into their operations by bringing a variety of perspectives to the table,” she said.

The second most common approach to managing sustainability, according to the data, was assigning the program to the EHS function. This approach may reflect the history of strategic environmental management, Ms. Neuvelt said, which often emerged as a grassroots effort from inside EHS.

Additionally the report reveals how business leaders define sustainability in terms of a broad range of programs addressing traditional and non-traditional business risks.  

“While each company defines the term for itself, what we see emerging from the data is a definition of sustainability from the perspective of those who are leading these programs every day,” Ms. Neuvelt said. “While we realize that this list of activities is not exhaustive of all aspects of sustainability, it does provide a solid, working definition that could help drive clarity in the conversation about what is happening inside of companies today.”

To learn more, download the Executive Summary or visit www.naem.org to order a copy of the full results.

 

About this Research
To understand how companies staff and structure their EHS and sustainability programs, NAEM and Verdantix, an independent analyst firm, fielded an online survey among full-time, "in house" corporate EHS and sustainability professionals. The research also included 14 qualitative interviews with senior EHS and sustainability leaders from across industries. The results reflect the perspective of 199 senior leaders (manager, director, vice president) working within a variety of industries at mostly U.S.-based companies with revenues ranging from $250 million to more than $50 billion.

About NAEM
The National Association for Environmental Management (NAEM) empowers corporate leaders to advance environmental stewardship, create safe and healthy workplaces, and promote global sustainability. As the largest professional community for EHS and sustainability decision-makers, we provide peer-led educational conferences and an active network for sharing solutions to today’s corporate EHS and sustainability management challenges. Visit us online at www.naem.org.

 

Contact
Elizabeth Ryan
Manager of Interactive Media and Communications
NAEM
Elizabeth@naem.org
(202) 986-6616 x109

Tweet me:New NAEM report reveals #sustainability mgmt. structures, leadership roles & practitioner's definition http://3bl.me/nspbmy #CSR #susty

KEYWORDS: Corporate Social Responsibility, Green Business, Green Professionals, Sustainability Professionals, Sustainability Business, Environmental Business, EHS management, Sustainability staffing, Organizational structure, EHS and sustainability structure, EHS roles and responsibilities, Definition of sustainability


Community Home Opened in Ialoveni District

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SOURCE:Keystone Human Services

DESCRIPTION:

A Community Home – a social service for persons with disabilities – opened in the village of Hansca, Ialoveni today. The service was established within the district Directorate for Social Assistance and Family Protection, supported by Keystone Human Services International Moldova Association (Keystone Moldova ) through its Community for All – Moldova program.

A Community Home represents an alternative to residential care, providing persons with severe disabilities access to all community-based services and thus offering them a much higher quality of life. The service is meant for adults or children with mental disabilities who require constant protection, care and specialized assistance. Thus, each Community Home is serviced by a support team made of the director, social workers, a health professional and a cook.

Hansca Community Home hosts six boys taken from the Boarding house for children (boys) with severe mental disabilities  of Orhei. They began living in this home   in June this year and have already shown progress in development.

Mihai got acquainted with all the neighbors quickly and says he wants to become a priest because he likes the church. He is the one who usually meets guests at the door, and if he likes them he sees them off when they leave and gives them his own hand-made flowers. He hides the flowers courteously behind the back and offers them in a theatrical gesture. Being highly responsible, Mihai participates in all the work in and around the house.

“Once upon a time / There was a pretty girl…”, recites Sergiu, the most poetic and contemplative of all the boys. If he feels he can trust you he will recite you poems in a loud voice and then wait for applause. He has learned to crawl in his knees recently, but he will need an operation to walk.

Victor is all just a big bright smile all over his face. He is very sociable, open to everything new; he trusts everybody and is always happy to help. He only pronounces vocals, but his mimics and gestures are so expressive it is easy to understand what he is trying to say. He is the only one of the boys who had gone to school, and he enjoys telling how he raised his hand and wrote on the blackboard in chalk.

Andrei has learned to count and likes coloring. He is the singer of the Home – he knows a whole lot of songs both in Romanian and Russian. He is always joyful and willing to communicate.

“Are you coming tomorrow?”, asks Ion, who has made much progress. He has learned to hold his head up without help and now tries to sit up. He has become active; he shows his emotions willingly, pronounces more words and likes being the center of attention.

Ion –a different young man who shares the same name – has become more sociable, can maintain eye contact, participates in group activities and has even started to sing.

The community, in its turn, gets involved in the boys’ life: village children come to play with them; the woodsman has taken them to the forest; they go to church; the mayor’s wife comes to visit and brings them presents.

The Community Home as a social service acts under the Framework Regulations and Quality Standards developed by the Ministry of Labor, Social Protection and Family (MLSPF) with the support of Keystone Moldova and approved by the Government in 2010. Each Community Home is created based on a social design which depends on the beneficiaries’ specific needs. Beneficiaries are placed in the service by decision of the Committee for the Protection of Vulnerable Children and the district Directorate for Social Assistance and Family Protection.

Keystone Moldova support reform the social protection and care system for persons with disabilities to ensure their social inclusion by means of its Community for All – Moldova program which is implemented jointly with MLSPF, with the financial support of Open Society Mental Health Initiative and Soros Foundation – Moldova.

Româna

Tweet me:Six young men with disabilities have a new home in the community. More steps toward #inclusion from @KeystoneMoldova. http://3bl.me/wa69qz

Contact Info:

Ludmila Malcoci
Keystone Human Services International Moldova Association
lmalcoci@keystonehumanservices.org

Charles Hooker
Keystone Human Services International
+1 (717) 232-7509
chooker@keystonehumanservices.org

KEYWORDS: inclusion, community homes, Keystone Moldova, Community for All-Moldova, Open Society Mental Health Initiative, Soros Foundation - Moldova, Republic of Moldova

Clone of Frederick W. Smith, FedEx Corporation, Addresses National Clean Energy Summit

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SOURCE:FedEx Corporation

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FedEx Chairman and CEO Frederick W. Smith discusses foreign oil dependence significant threat to national and economic security at the National Clean Energy Summit, stating, "The United States oil dependence on imported petroleum -- after weapons of mass destruction and terrorism -- is our greatest single national risk." After emphasizing the economic, military, geopolitical and industry issues, he shares policy recommendations.

About FedEx
FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services.  With annual revenues of $42 billion, the company offers integrated business applications through operating companies competing collectively and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brand. Consistently ranked among the world's most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 300,000 team members to remain "absolutely, positively" focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities. For more information, visit news.fedex.com.

Tweet me:FedEx Chairman and CEO addresses National Clean Energy Summit: http://3bl.me/b8286w

KEYWORDS: FedEx, fredrick smith, National Clean Energy Summit, energy independence, renewable energy, oil, clean energy act, Clean Air

Military Heroes Month: SWA First Officer Named Citizen Airman of the Year

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SOURCE:Southwest Airlines

DESCRIPTION:

Southwest has a rich tradition of supporting the United States Military, and in particular, the Employees who have served and continue to serve. It’s only fitting that one of our very own Pilots was acknowledged by the Air Force Reserves for his brave service to our country along with Southwest being recognized as a Company that supports service men and women.

Southwest Airlines First Officer Rob Sweet was recently awarded the 2012 Citizen Airman of the Year Award by the U.S.  Air Force Reserves. Rob flew combat missions during Operation Desert Storm and was shot down and captured by Iraqi forces. He joined Southwest last year after retiring from active duty in the Air Force. A 1988 graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, Rob flies A-10s in the Reserves with the 476th Fighter Group at Moody Air Force Base in Georgia.

In addition to one of our own being honored by the Air Force Reserves, the Company also was presented an award: the 2012 Citizen Airman and Employer of the Year award in the officer category. Citizen Airmen nominate their employers for this award, which recognizes Reservists and honors their employers' support.

MCO Chief Pilot Captain John Fluhart accepted the award on behalf of Southwest. In his words: “It was an honor to be present to accept the award on behalf of the Company. As an active drilling Reservist, I fully appreciate what an incredible level of support the Company provides our men and women serving in the Reserves.”

Pictured above, from left to right: Sandy Schlitt, AFA Chairman of the Board: Lt. Col. Rob Sweet, MCO First Officer, winner of the Air Force Citizen Airman of the Year; MCO Chief Pilot Captain John Fluhart; and Lt. Gen. Jackson, Chief of the Air Force Reserve

Patriotism runs deep at Southwest Airlines, and we are proud of all those who serve, especially the nearly 5,800 Active Duty, Reservists, and Veterans who are part of the Southwest Family.  In celebration of Military Heroes Month in November, you’ll hear about and read blogs about service, how we honor the military, the sacrifice these heroes make, and how we celebrate the brave who fight for our Freedoms.

Tweet me:.@SouthwestAir First Officer Named Citizen Airman of the Year: http://3bl.me/v8ghr7

KEYWORDS: military heroes month, veteran, Heroes, Armed Forces, Southwest Airlines

Former Whole Foods Market Executive Michael Besancon Joins Fair Trade USA Board of Directors

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SOURCE:Fair Trade USA

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December 5, 2012 /3BL Media/ - Fair Trade USA, the leading third-party certifier of Fair Trade products in North America, today announced that Michael Besancon, former Senior Global Vice President of Purchasing, Communications and Distribution for Whole Foods Market, has been elected to the nonprofit organization’s Board of Directors.

Consistent with best practice in nonprofit governance, Fair Trade USA recruits its Board Members from a range of diverse constituencies, including producers, philanthropists, entrepreneurs, academics and activists. Mr. Besancon will join the ranks of eleven other individuals that currently sit on the organization’s Board.

Mr. Besancon brings more than 40 years of hands-on experience in the natural/organic food and grocery sector, two decades of which he spent at the global level of Whole Foods Market (WFM). “The importance of a fair wage and safe working conditions for farm workers has been part of my personal mission for over 40 years,” said Mr. Besancon. “I am pleased that in this new stage of life I will be able to further that mission as a Board Member of Fair Trade USA.”

Mr. Besancon began his career as the Director of Purchasing for Mrs. Gooch’s Natural Foods Markets, a Whole Foods-owned company. He was then hired as the Southern Pacific Regional Vice President for WFM, where he oversaw purchasing, distribution, and operations of the region. He was later promoted to Mid Atlantic Regional President, Southern Pacific Regional President, and finally to Senior Global Vice President of Purchasing, Communications and Distribution in 2008, a position he held until retiring in 2012. Besancon also led the company’s Green Mission task force, guiding the purchase of an unprecedented 100 percent electricity offset of wind renewable energy credits.

Throughout his career, Mr. Besancon worked with vendors across the globe to dramatically shift traditional retail approaches to selling food. By supporting the purchase of high quality products, he was able to encourage customers to connect not just to the food they buy, but also the people who produce it, and the land it’s grown on. In the grocery sector, Michael helped fuel the unprecedented mainstream expansion of the national and worldwide organic food movements that have changed the way millions of people eat, how food is grown, and how the entire grocery industry sells natural, non-GMO and organic food.

Besancon also co-founded a number of companies, including: Follow Your Heart Natural Foods Store, one of the very first and longest continuously operated natural food retail stores in the United States; Naturally Fast, a chain of Natural Food fast food restaurants in Southern California; and B & W Natural Food Brokerage, a national food brokerage group growing that represented many of the leading vendors in the natural and organic food industry.

“The insights and integrity of our distinguished Board of Directors are essential for developing an effective strategic vision and maintaining accountability to our mission,” said Paul Rice, President & CEO of Fair Trade USA. “Michael’s pioneering experience in bringing traceability and sustainability to the forefront of grocery shelves will be invaluable in our journey to dramatically increase the impact and scale of our model.”  

# # #

 

Fair Trade USA, a nonprofit organization, is the leading third-party certifier of Fair Trade products in the United States. Fair Trade USA audits and certifies transactions between U.S. companies and their international suppliers to guarantee that the farmers and workers producing Fair Trade Certified goods were paid fair prices and wages, work in safe conditions, protect the environment, and receive community development funds to empower and improve their communities. Fair Trade USA also educates consumers, brings new manufacturers and retailers into the Fair Trade system, and provides farming communities with tools, training and resources to thrive as international businesspeople. Visit http://www.fairtradeusa.org/ for more information.

Tweet me:Former Whole Foods Market Executive Michael Besancon Joins Fair Trade USA Board of Directors http://3bl.me/p3kgva

Contact Info:

Jenna Larson
Fair Trade USA
+1 (510) 844-1668
jlarson@fairtradeusa.org

KEYWORDS: Business & Trade, People, Social Action & Community Engagement, Whole Foods Market, Michael Besancon, BOARD OF DIRECTORS, appointments, fair trade

 

CSC Among the Greenest Companies in the United States

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Again ranks highly in annual Newsweek Green Rankings

SOURCE:CSC

DESCRIPTION:

FALLS CHURCH, Va., Dec. 4, 2012 /3BL Media/ - CSC (NYSE: CSC) is one of the top 50 greenest companies in America according to the 2012 Newsweek Green Rankings. The fourth-annual list provides an environmental ranking of the 500 largest publicly traded companies in America, as measured by revenue, market capitalization, and number of employees.

“CSC continues to improve its environmental sustainability impact and we are proud that Newsweek has recognized us for the fourth consecutive year as one of America’s greenest companies,” said Mark Delisi, director of Corporate Responsibility, CSC. “The IT industry is a leading source of innovation across the globe and has a unique opportunity to improve sustainability initiatives internally and with the clients that they serve. Recognition programs like this emphasize the important role that CSC and our industry peers play in continuing the effort to improve the environment.”

For more information about CSC’s commitment to corporate responsibility and environmental sustainability initiatives, visit http://www.csc.com/cr.

The 2012 Newsweek Green Rankings are accessible online at http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/features/2012/newsweek-green-rankings.html

About CSC

CSC is a global leader in providing technology-enabled business solutions and services. Headquartered in Falls Church, Va., CSC has approximately 95,000 employees and reported revenue of $15.7 billion for the 12 months ended September 28, 2012. For more information, visit the company's website at www.csc.com.

Tweet me:#CSC Among the Greenest Companies in the United States: http://3bl.me/997k7k

KEYWORDS: Environment, Reporting, Ratings & Rankings, CSC, environmental sustainability, Green, Ratings and Rankings

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