SOURCE:Cisco Systems Inc.

DESCRIPTION:

By Charu Adesnik

Each year the Schwab Foundation presents Social Entrepreneur of the Year awards to people who apply innovative, practical approaches to resolving social and environmental challenges.

Of the 24 awardees announced on February 15, 3 lead nonprofit organizations that Cisco partners with to promote education and economic empowerment around the world.

These visionary leaders have leveraged our support to continue investing in innovative solutions that create opportunities for underserved populations. In fact, their organizations are so effective that Cisco has approached them to support several of our own Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs.

Read more about the 3 Schwab Foundation Social Entrepreneurs of the Year we are proud to support.

Tweet me:Promoting #education & #economicempowerment around the world http://3bl.me/c3esba @CiscoSystems' partners recognized by @SchwabFound

KEYWORDS: Schwab Foundation, Social Entrepreneurship, Impact News, Cisco, Partnerships, Public Private Partnership, Social Entrepreneur of the Year, Corporate Social Responsibility, 2013, Award, Digital Opportunity Trust, Inveneo, Living Goods, social entrepreneur

SOURCE:Johnson & Johnson

DESCRIPTION:

By Simon Perry, Sourcing Manager for Sustainable Palm Oil, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Group

In the past, we’ve told you about Johnson & Johnson’s support of sustainable palm oil, like this blog post about our connection to a program at the Philadelphia Zoo. Although we are very small users overall of palm oil (less than 0.2% of the estimated 50 million tons produced a year) we take our responsibility to protect the environment and our natural resources very seriously. Now, we’re pleased to share with you the latest milestone in our journey to source palm oil sustainably, this time from another part of the world—Thailand.

As the Sourcing Manager for Sustainable Palm Oil within the Johnson & Johnson Consumer Family of Companies, I take pride in helping to drive our organization toward our commitment to sourcing sustainable palm oil. So it was with great enthusiasm that I recently witnessed an important milestone in this journey, involving a group of 412 independent palm oil farmers in Thailand.

These farmers have been certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), which means that they now meet the RSPO standards for sustainable palm oil planting and production. They’re able to realize better prices from the mills, produce more and also improve the quality of the fruit by employing better agricultural management practices. I’m pleased to say that Johnson & Johnson has committed to supporting these farmers by purchasing all the available GreenPalm certificates associated with this group for the next three years, meaning that the farmers have a financial incentive to continue producing palm oil in a sustainable way. With this purchase, Johnson & Johnson became the first company to buy GreenPalm certificates from RSPO-certified independent small holder farmers.

As Thailand is the third largest producer of palm oil globally, and approximately 70% of all production in Thailand comes from independent small holders, the opportunity to purchase the GreenPalm certificates from this group of farmers made sense. Small holders are farmers who own less than 50 hectares of land. Typically, independent small holders lack access to financial capital from banks and good agricultural management practices, making it difficult for them to work toward growing palm oil sustainably. From 2009 to 2012, the German International Cooperation (GIZ) organization worked with these small holders to train them in better farming practices and RSPO certification standards.

The certification was a big milestone for not only the farmers but for the RSPO as well, serving as an inspiration for other independent small holders and demonstrating that they, too, could become RSPO-certified.

Shortly after the RSPO certified the farmers, I journeyed to Thailand for an official handing over of the GreenPalm certificates. I wanted to meet the farmers, and get a sense for the improvement that Johnson & Johnson was making to people’s lives. This was a great opportunity to celebrate this wonderful achievement.

I spoke with a number of the farmers and got a sense of what this certification means to them. At the start of the project, they were motivated by the prospect of better financial returns, and this remains important to them. But as the project evolved, additional benefits became clear to them as well, such as their understanding of a better way to farm oil palm, and the role they could play in preserving this precious resource.

This effort will improve the lives of these farmers tremendously. As examples, the use of less pesticides and fertilizer means the farmers can save money, the reduced application of both means they have more free time to focus on other tasks, and the better-quality fresh fruit bunches (from which the palm oil is extracted) means higher prices from the mills and less rejections, providing more rewards and greater satisfaction. All these changes are having a positive impact on their daily lives—socially, environmentally and financially—contributing to a healthy business, healthy people and a healthy planet.

Going forward, Johnson & Johnson will continue to identify other opportunities to purchase GreenPalm certificates from independent small holders. We also will continue to work with relevant organizations to grow the independent small holder-certified sustainable palm oil capacity.

For more information on Johnson & Johnson’s commitment to sourcing sustainable palm oil, click here.

Tweet me:.@JNJStories' new milestone in the journey toward sustainable #palmoil - http://3bl.me/32zxbr

KEYWORDS: Palm Oil, Sustainable palm oil, johnson & johnson, jnj, consumer products, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Group, thai palm oil, sustainability

SOURCE:General Electric (GE)

DESCRIPTION:

The rural health clinic in Kimalamisale, Tanzania, sits at the end of a rutted sandy road some 160 miles from the nearest large town of Kisarawe. Although the brightly colored concrete structure serves thousands of villagers living in the surrounding savannah, it has no electricity and its main healthcare equipment includes a stethoscope, weighing scales, and a blood pressure machine.

Things changed last spring, when a trained nurse arrived with Vscan, a pocket-size ultrasound machine manufactured by GE. Her visit was part of a research study designed to test technological innovations that will contribute to the Government efforts to accelerate attainment of Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5 in Africa. The study was developed by Tanzania’s Ifakara Health Institute in partnership with GE’s healthymagination campaign.

In Tanzania, hemorrhage, obstructed labor, sepsis and other pregnancy complications cause 454 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. That’s more than three times above a U.N. Millennium Development Goal of 133 deaths by 2015.

Ifakara trained a total of 14 nurse midwives in ultrasound scanning. They fanned out across the Kisarawe district, population 230,000 of which 28 percent are women of reproductive age, to five rural clinics like the one in Kimalamisale, a health center, and a district hospital. “Newborn and maternal health is the most critical health issue in Africa, ahead of malaria or AIDS,” says Janeen Uzzell, Director of Healthcare Programs for healthymagination in Africa. “We want to show that GE is committed to the lives of mothers and babies in Africa.”

Similar studies had been done in rural Bangladesh and Indonesia, but Africa presented additional challenges. The rural clinics in Tanzania rely on solar panels for electricity, lack telephone service, and suffer from bad roads and no ambulances. But using a process called “reverse innovation,” the team was able to power Vscan by solar panels and let professionals use in the village after just 10 days of training. “In Africa, what the product actually enables is what matters the most,” says Uzzell.

The program used local doctors to train nurses who had not used ultrasound before. It includes rigorous quality control “to make sure that the nurses are doing what we want them to do,” says Kallol Mukherji, GE Program Manager in Tanzania.
Mukherji, who helped run similar projects in Asia, says that he was initially surprised when the women in Tanzania showed no emotional reaction to the images on the ultrasound screen. “They thought that we uploaded the picture beforehand,” he says. “They did not believe that you could actually see your baby before it’s born through a device.”

That may soon change. The Vscan is already helping healthcare professionals in Ethiopia, and Ghana recently signed an order to purchase 400 of the machines. Uzzell is now working with Nigeria’s Ministry of Health’s Saving One Million Lives initiative to reduce neonatal mortality in the country’s northern region. “We don’t just have a product,” Uzzell says. “We have a visualization tool that can help change maternal and newborn health in Africa.”

Tweet me:Family Matters: @general_electric #Technology Helps #Healthcare Providers in Africa http://3bl.me/pb8n2z

KEYWORDS: Technology. Innovation & Solutions, GE, Technology, Health, Healthcare, africa, vscan, maternal health, Innovation

SOURCE:Justmeans

DESCRIPTION:

It has been three years since the destructive earthquake struck the island of Haiti.  During this time, Timberland's social innovation efforts have helped plant 2.2 million trees in the rural area surrounding Gonaives, providing food, fuel and shelter.Timberland has teamed up with the Small Farmers Alliance, a local not-for-profit and non-government organisation (NGO), in a partnership that highlights Timberland's commitment toEarthkeeping - the philosophy that guides this company in everything it does, which is simple, straightforward, common sense and doing things that enable it to be good stewards of the earth.

In 2010, Timberland teamed up with representatives from the Smallholder Farmers Alliance to create a self-sustaining agroforestry social innovation model that would help agricultural improvement, restore the local environment and support economic growth for the participating farmers through the development of eight community tree nurseries and agricultural training centres. To meet its 'tree commitment' Timberland needs to plant five million trees in a five-year period, so an additional one million trees will be planted this year as well as in 2014 and 2015.

Click here to continue reading and comment

Tweet me:#Timberland's social #innovation efforts help plant 2.2M trees http://3bl.me/nt7yyy in Gonaives, Haiti since the #earthquake @Justmeans

KEYWORDS: Timberland, csr, Trees, environment, Earthquake, Haiti, sustainability, food, Fuel, Shelter

SOURCE:Microsoft

DESCRIPTION:

Posted by Lisa Brummel

Chief People Officer, Microsoft

In October of last year, we marked the 30^th Employee Giving Campaign and celebrated a major milestone: $1 billion in cash raised by U.S. employees and our company match for more than 31,000 global nonprofit and community organizations since the start of the campaign in 1983.

Four months later, we’ve tallied the result for 2012 alone and we’re proud to share that the Employee Giving Program raised $105 million last year for 18,755 unique nonprofit and community organizations in the United States and around the world.

Microsoft’s Employee Giving Program is one of the largest in the world. Its impact is local and global, and real. At its heart stands our employees’ dedication to their communities, near and far. Time and again, I am impressed by the impactful stories they have shared with me, such as the employee who established the North Dakota Autism Center (NDAC), focused on bringing services to families affected by autism in the areas in and around Fargo. The center’s mission is clear: to help children affected by autism spectrum disorder (AUD) realize their full potential through excellence in care, therapy, instruction and support.

Our employees tell us that they join Microsoft to make a difference in the lives of others, knowing that we will actively support them in doing so. Each year Microsoft matches employee volunteer time at $17 per hour and dollar-for-dollar charitable contributions to all eligible nonprofits up to $12,000 per employee. In 2012, nearly two-thirds of Microsoft U.S. employees participated in the Employee Giving program.

While employees are free to donate to any cause they care about, most are drawn to nonprofits dedicated to providing education opportunities for children, discovering cures for illness and disease, and providing aid during international humanitarian crises. Four nonprofits have received the most employee donations since we started our program: World Vision, Seattle Children’s Hospital, United Way of King County, and American National Red Cross. We granted them an additional $25,000 in October, the impact of which is already making a difference.

The Employee Giving Program is emblematic of two of Microsoft’s core values: our respect and appreciation for our employees, and our dedication to serving the communities where we live and work. We have an immense amount of gratitude for all the Microsoft employees who participated, either by coordinating and participating in fundraising efforts during our October kick-off, or by quietly donating to the causes they believe in. We also want to extend our appreciation to our nonprofit and community partners who dedicate themselves every day to making a difference in the lives of hundreds of millions of people around the world.

I am absolutely confident that Microsoft employees will continue to vigorously support others less fortunate. In fact, I predict that we will reach the next billion dollars in giving within a decade. Given the passion and dedication of our people, it would not surprise me at all…

Tweet me:#Microsoft Employees gave $105 million in 2012; the most generous year yet http://bit.ly/XmNF5e

KEYWORDS: Human Resources, Volunteering, Community, Engagement, Positive Change, People, Social Development, Social Change, Social Actions, Volunteerism, Youth Action, Microsoft, microsoft employees

Acclaim from the American Publishers Awards for Professional and Scholarly Excellence

SOURCE:Elsevier

DESCRIPTION:

Philadelphia, Pa., February 20, 2013 /3BL Media/ – Elsevier, a world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services, today announced that it received six 2012 PROSE Awards and three Honorable Mentions.

The 37^th annual PROSE Awards – the American Publishers Awards for Professional and Scholarly Excellence – were presented at the Association of American Publishers’ Professional and Scholarly Publishing Division Annual Conference in Washington. PROSE honors the best in professional and scholarly publishing, as judged by peer publishers, librarians, academics and medical professionals. This year’s competition attracted 518 entries of books, reference works, journals and electronic products in more than 40 categories; these represented the fifth consecutive year of a record-breaking entries count.

“The recent PROSE Awards show Elsevier’s continuing dedication to publishing top-notch content in science and technology,” stated Suzanne BeDell, managing director, Elsevier Science & Technology Books. “We congratulate all of the Elsevier authors that won these most prestigious awards.”

The Elsevier 2012 PROSE Award winners, print as well as digital, are as follows, by category:

Chemistry & Physics, Honorable Mention
Chemical Analysis of Food: Techniques and Applications
By Yolanda Pico

Computing & Information Sciences
Practical Text Mining and Statistical Analysis for Non-Structured Text Data Applications
By Gary Miner, John Elder, Andrew Fast, Thomas Hill, Robert Nisbet, Dursun Delen, Andrew Fast

eProduct / Biological & Life Sciences
SimChart, by Elsevier

eProduct / Social Sciences
Policing in America: Exam Cram
By Larry Gaines, Victor Kappeler, an iTunes App

Multivolume Reference / Science
Comprehensive Renewable Energy
Edited by Ali Sayigh

Multivolume Reference / Science, Honorable Mention
The Geologic Time Scale 2012 2-Volume Set
By F M Gradstein, J G Ogg, Mark Schmitz, Gabi Ogg

Nursing & Allied Sciences
Know the Body: Muscle, Bone and Palpation Essentials
By Joseph E. Muscolino

Nursing & Allied Health Sciences, Honorable Mention
Local Anesthesia for the Dental Hygienist
By Demetra Daskalos Logothetis, RDH, MS

Single Volume Reference / Science
The Laboratory Rabbit, Guinea Pig, Hamster, and Other Rodents
By Mark Suckow, Karla Stevens, Ronald Wilson

For more information or to purchase these titles, please visit www.store.elsevier.com

# # #

About Elsevier
Elsevier is a world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services. The company works in partnership with the global science and health communities to publish more than 2,000 journals, including The Lancet and Cell, and close to 20,000 book titles, including major reference works from Mosby and Saunders. Elsevier’s online solutions include ScienceDirect, Scopus, Reaxys, ClinicalKey and Mosby’s Nursing Suite, which enhance the productivity of science and health professionals, and the SciVal suite and MEDai’s Pinpoint Review, which help research and health care institutions deliver better outcomes more cost-effectively.

A global business headquartered in Amsterdam, Elsevier employs 7,000 people worldwide. The company is part of Reed Elsevier Group PLC, a world-leading provider of professional information solutions in the Science, Medical, Legal and Risk and Business sectors, which is jointly owned by Reed Elsevier PLC and Reed Elsevier NV. The ticker symbols are REN (Euronext Amsterdam), REL (London Stock Exchange), RUK and ENL (New York Stock Exchange).

Tweet me:Elsevier Wins Six #PROSE Awards http://3bl.me/mtqaw5

Contact Info:

Christopher Capot
Elsevier
+1-212633 ext.3164
c.capot@elsevier.com

KEYWORDS: Elsevier, prose awards, American Publishers Awards, Chemistry & Physics, Computing & Information Sciences, Biological & Life Sciences

SOURCE:Cisco Systems Inc.

DESCRIPTION:

SAN JOSE, Calif., February 20, 2013 /3BL Media/ – Cisco today announced that it has been honored with the AT&T 2012 Supplier Sustainability Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions in energy efficiency, environment, greenhouse gas emissions and water use. These are topics of critical importance to both business operations and the environment.

As part of the companies' longstanding relationship, Cisco has helped AT&T increase energy efficiency while managing increased data traffic on its network.  Smartphones and other modern technologies have increased data traffic on AT&T's networks by 20,000 percent between 2007 and 2011. The Cisco Carrier Routing System (CRS) is helping AT&T meet growing data demands while also staying on track to meet its goal of reducing electricity intensity 60 percent by 2014 (over a 2008 baseline).

"The suppliers honored with the AT&T Supplier Sustainability Award help make AT&T's sustainability programs possible with their innovative technologies and expertise," said Tim Harden, president of AT&T Supply Chain and Fleet Operations. "Together, we are improving performance in the areas of energy efficiency, waste management, greenhouse gas emissions and water use. We're very pleased to recognize their contributions to sustainability at AT&T and around the world."

"Cisco's corporate social responsibility vision is to build environmental sustainability into each business function and process, as well as to multiply the impact of our technologies to help customers, suppliers and key partners, such as AT&T, mitigate their environmental footprint," said Surya Panditi, senior vice president and general manager of Cisco's Service Provider Networking Group.  "Cisco is committed to designing the most innovative networking solutions that enable our partners to deliver seamless connected experiences with minimal environmental impact.  Today's recognition from AT&T is another example of Cisco's success maintaining this critical balance with key partners like AT&T."  

Cisco has received top rankings for its environmental sustainability efforts, including being included in the Carbon Disclosure Project Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index for five consecutive years (2008-2012) and being ranked second in Greenpeace's Cool IT Challenge in 2012. Cisco has also been recognized by Corporate Knights, Forbes Magazine, and Interbrand for its commitment to sustainability. 

Cisco recently announced that it had achieved its greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) reduction goal in 2012 and set a new target of cutting GHG emissions worldwide by 40% absolute by FY2017.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

Embedded Photos

• Surya Panditi, Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Service Provider Networking Group

Supporting Resources

• Cisco Service Provider Solutions
• Cisco Carrier Routing System
• Cisco Corproate Social Responsibility
• Cisco 2012 Corproate Social Responsibility Report
• Read: Cisco SP360 Blog

RSS Feed for Cisco: http://newsroom.cisco.com/dlls/rss.html

About Cisco
Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in IT that helps companies seize the opportunities of tomorrow by proving that amazing things can happen when you connect the previously unconnected. For ongoing news, please go to http://thenetwork.cisco.com.

 #  #  #

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. A listing of Cisco's trademarks can be found at www.cisco.com/go/trademarks. Third-party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company.

Tweet me:.@CiscoSystems recognized by @ATT with 2012 Supplier #Sustainability Award for #EnergyEfficiency - http://3bl.me/zb2pyd

Contact Info:

Jim Brady
Cisco Systems, Inc.
+1 (408) 424-2150
jimbrady@cisco.com

KEYWORDS: Cisco, AT&T, AT&T Supplier Sustainability Award, Tim Harden, Surya Panditi, sustainability, data traffic, Cisco Carrier Routing System, Cisco CRS

AT&T Video is a Finalist in BCCCC Film Festival

SOURCE:AT&T

DESCRIPTION:

The Connected Child concept uses everyday consumer technology to help children rise above disabilities. This video features London Mabie, a nine year old who is developmentally similar to a three year old due to a rare genetic condition. Her dad uses technology to teach her basic academic and independent living skills.

The powerful story is a a finalist in the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship 2013 Film Festival. We invite you to watch the video and vote for it to move to the next round of the film festival. Voting runs through March 1 on the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship website.

Read more about London Mabie's experience below.

The Connected Child: Using Technology to Rise Above Disabilities

The caregivers of a child with a rare genetic disorder use a range of technologies like tablets and smart phones to help her learn, track her care and provide consistent learning experiences.

Original article on Mother Nature Network

Tweet me:Watch how @ATT technology helps developmentally disabled children, and please vote for the video in @BCCCC festival. http://3bl.me/fsqckh

KEYWORDS: People, Social Action & Community Engagement, Technology. Innovation & Solutions, Corporate Social Responsibility, Education, Technology, csr, disability, family, learning, parenting, sustainability, video competition, film competition, AT&T

SOURCE:Hewlett-Packard

DESCRIPTION:

HP and partners use cloud-enabled healthcare infrastructure to deliver accessible health services to remote areas in India.

For more information about HP's health initiatives, please visit: www.hp.com/go/socialinnovationhealth.

Tweet me:.@HPGlobalCitizen's cloud technology + partnership = health access in rural India http://3bl.me/ekvat4

KEYWORDS: Hewlett Packard, HP, India, Healthcare, health services, social innovation

SOURCE:Verizon

DESCRIPTION:

NEW YORK, February 20, 2013 /3BL Media/ - Verizon is ranked No. 1 on Training magazine's latest 2013 Training Top 125 rankings of companies that have the best training programs for their employees. This is the second consecutive time Verizon has achieved the top ranking and the 12th consecutive year the company has been named to the list. Verizon has been ranked in Training’s Top 10 for four consecutive years. 

The Top 125 rankings are based on several benchmarking statistics such as effectiveness, impact on the business, total training budget, percentage of payroll, number of training hours per employee program and workplace surveys.

Training magazine cited Verizon’s implementation of Verizon Lean Six Sigma in 2012 as a key factor in the company’s continued strong showing in the rankings. VLSS, which aims to improve the company’s processes to help increase profitability and drive shareholder value, has already helped Verizon save several million dollars in just the first year of implementation.

“To be recognized at the top of Training magazine’s rankings is both an honor and a reflection of the investment we have made as a company in our people,” said Magda Yrizarry, chief talent and diversity officer at Verizon. “Having a highly trained and skilled workforce is good for our employees, customers and shareholders, and helps build strong leaders for the future across all of Verizon’s business units.”

The publication also cited Verizon’s innovative use of technology and social media e-learning tools to help further the learning and development of its employees. For example, more than 2,800 videos logging more than 2 million views have been posted by employees to the company’s intranet video site, VZTube. The videos help employees show one another how they perform certain tasks or solve certain common problems, which enables an interactive viral learning setting.

In 2012, Verizon invested nearly $300 million in the development, education and training of its employees, as well as nearly $100 million in tuition assistance to over 23,000 employees.

Verizon's application to Training magazine's Top 125 list for 2013 contained data from the company's largest business groups. The February issue of the publication lists the companies on the Top 125 list and features Verizon executives explaining the company's approach to educating, developing and training employees.

Winners of the Training Top 125 award, now in its 13th year, were honored on Feb. 18 at the Training Top 125 gala, held during the Training Conference and Expo in Orlando, Fla.

Verizon is committed to being an employer of choice. To learn more about Verizon as a great place to work, visit www.verizon.com/jobs.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to consumer, business, government and wholesale customers.  Verizon Wireless operates America’s most reliable wireless network, with more than 98 million retail connections nationwide.  Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America’s most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers integrated business solutions to customers in more than 150 countries, including all of the Fortune 500.  A Dow 30 company with nearly $116 billion in 2012 revenues, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of 183,400.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

####

Media Contact:

Ray McConville, 908-559-3504

Tweet me:#Verizon is ranked No. 1 on Training magazine's 2013 top rankings of best training programs for #employees. http://3bl.me/gmc7wc

KEYWORDS: Reporting, Ratings & Rankings, Verizon, Verizon Lean Six Sigma, Training, employee

SOURCE:General Motors

DESCRIPTION:

General Motors credits its waste-reduction leadership in part to its strong network of partners and suppliers.  Building on our nearly $1 billion annual revenue  from byproduct recycling and reuse and increasing our  landfill-free facilities from 104 to 125 by 2020, we’re focusing our efforts regionally.

First on the docket is the Southeast United States.

Knowing that a project of this scope hinges on a group effort, we’ve initiated he first Suppliers’ Partnership for the Environment Southern Network forum to discuss waste-reduction challenges, recycling opportunities and capabilities with fellow automakers, their suppliers, recycling partners and government officials.

“By connecting local recyclers – and those with potential – with area companies, we can start to address the gaps and build a more robust infrastructure that will help the auto industry and beyond to leave a smaller footprint,” said GM Waste Reduction Manager, John Bradburn.

“No one entity can solve this challenge; it will take many people to help transform how businesses manage their waste.”

According to Bradburn, the Southeast has opportunity to build up its recycling economy compared to other regions where GM has plants.

“Sustainability is important to our facility, and we’re always looking around corners for ways to reduce waste and become more efficient,” said Patrick Van Ryckeghem, senior environmental engineer, GM Spring Hill Manufacturing. “We’ve initiated practices that help us to lessen our environmental impact, and see this forum as an entry-point to working with recycling partners on some of our more challenging waste streams.”

Tweet me:.@GM Seeks to Boost Recycling Infrastructure in Southeast http://3bl.me/mtz7ye

KEYWORDS: General Motors, waste-reduction, landfill-free, Suppliers' Partnership for the Environment, sustainability

SOURCE:Governance & Accountability Institute, Inc.

DESCRIPTION:

Top Story of the Week

Navigating the Sustainability Landscape in a Constant Game of Chase    
(Thursday - February 07, 2013)
Source: CSR Wire - It's truly staggering how few companies new to the sustainability agenda understand the landscape in which they must operate. At best, they might be aware of the pesky 'NGO movement.' But the lens through which they believe their...

ESG issues are key this year      
(Monday - February 11, 2013)
Source: FT Adviser - We recently conducted a survey of fund managers to canvass their views and opinions on environmental, social and governance issues because these factors are playing an increasingly prominent and integral role in our multi-manager...

Sustainability

Why companies need partnerships to reach sustainability potential      
(Wednesday - February 13, 2013)
Source: GreenBiz.com - In two previous posts, I described how companies can make both incremental and transformative changes that drive a virtuous cycle of innovation, sustainability and profit. These changes are backed by rigorous research: At the...

The Three Ecological Principles of Economic Sustainability
(Tuesday - February 12, 2013)
Source: CSRWire - A healthy, productive natural ecosystem is essential for economic sustainability. The sustainability of an economy is ultimately dependent on the ability of natural ecosystems to capture and store sufficient quantities of solar...

The New Sustainable Energy Factbook: A Strong Case for Consistent Policy      
(Monday - February 11, 2013)
Source: Thinkprogress.org - Easy to read, reliable and current data can be hard to come by. The new Sustainable Energy in America 2013 Factbook produced by Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF), and commissioned by the Business Council on Sustainable Energy...

Waking up to sustainability karma      
(Monday - February 11, 2013)
Source: Thomson Reuters - Management consultants often urge their clients to view setbacks or difficulties as opportunities. The cost of reducing environmental impacts are often cited as one such "opportunity". But a global study from consultancy BCG and...

Ikea: Sustainability and Profitability Two Ends of the Same Stick      
(Friday - February 08, 2013)
Source: Forbes - Is Ikea's newly minted sustainability strategy working? It carries the name People & Planet Positive; the retailer's stated business mission is "to create a better everyday life for the many people." The 2012 report is the first...

ESG

Deloitte: Environmental, Social, Governance Performance Affects Organization's Market Value     
(Wednesday - February 13, 2013)
Source: International Business Times - The report highlights that short-term ESG issues and events, including human rights issues, product recalls, boycotts and protests often trigger the strongest and most immediate impact on stock prices. As the news media continues...

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 February,14 2013

Tweet me:SustainabilityHQ.com Weekly Highlights January 10,2013 http://3bl.me/arn7wx

KEYWORDS: Marketing, Media & Communications, GRI Data Partner, G&A Institute, Governance & Accountability Institute, SWF, Sovereign Wealth Funds, US Pension Funds, esg, sustainability, SustainabilityHQ, Asset Managers

By Katie, GSK US Community Relations

SOURCE:GlaxoSmithKline

DESCRIPTION:

Tweet me:Katie @GSKUS blogs about visiting Denver for a discussion about how to build a #HealthyCommunity http://3bl.me/5r8qy4

KEYWORDS: GSK, GlaxoSmithKline, healthy communities, The Atlantic, Conversation on Community Health, Governor John Hickenlooper, Denver, social determinants of health

SOURCE:America's Charities

DESCRIPTION:

It’s estimated that on Valentine's Day, Americans purchased roughly $18.6 billion worth of flowers, jewelry, chocolate and other romantic gifts for their Valentines, with nearly half of all tablet and smartphone owners using their handy mobile devices to make those sweet gestures (according to the National Retail Federation).

But, retailers don't rely exclusively on Valentine's Day to generate a year's worth of revenue from flowers and jewelry - there are other "pulse points" throughout the year which contribute to their bottom line (i.e. Mother's Day, birthdays, anniversaries, etc.) Makes sense, right? So why wouldn’t you treat your employee giving and engagement efforts in a similar fashion? 

>> Click here to read more.

Tweet me:It might be time to get rid of your Fall employee giving campaign... http://bit.ly/15hY7kS #AmerCharWPG

KEYWORDS: America's Charities, workplace giving, Employee Engagement, csr, social responsibility, volunteer, philanthropy, fund raising, employee giving, corporate cause

SOURCE:School of Visual Arts - Design for Social Innovation

DESCRIPTION:

Do you ever wonder why local food tends to cost more even though the distance it has to travel is so much less than the global industrial system? Erika Block of Local Orbit – a one-stop shop for ecommerce and business management tools designed specifically to serve the needs of local food systems – knows some of the answers. And she's doing what she can to change them.

A few weeks ago, on my way into the DSI studio, I made a quick stop at the Union Square Farmers Market. My intention was just to drop off some fruit and vegetable scraps for composting, but as I passed through, a stand overflowing with apples from a local farm caught my eye. I couldn't resist the sample slices beckoning on the front of the table, so I tried a few and ended up buying four apples. Total Cost: about $5.00.

Six or seven blocks later, nearing the studio, I passed a Trader Joe's and decided to pop in to pick up a few more things, including some almond butter to eat with the apples I'd just gotten. I noticed that the apples at Trader Joe's, were selling for about 79 cents each, so four of them would have cost me a little more than $3.00.

Why is it that the apples at TJ's were about 60% cheaper than the local ones at the farmers market? [...continue reading...]

Tweet me:How Local Orbit is Changing the Face of Local Food http://3bl.me/z2xayk

KEYWORDS: Business & Trade, Environment, Health and Wellness, People, Social Action & Community Engagement, Technology. Innovation & Solutions, farming platforms, erika block, DSI, MFA DSI, Design for Social Innovation

SOURCE:UPS

DESCRIPTION:

If I were to ask you which state is the real sunshine state, what would you say? Florida? California? Try New Jersey…You got a problem with that?

UPS has four facilities in the U.S. that are outfitted with solar panels. Believe it or not, three of those facilities are in New Jersey. Yes, Jersey. The other one? Across the country in Palm Springs, California.

UPS’s Lakewood facility, which is a short drive “down the Jersey Shore,” was installed two years ago. The company took advantage of incentives instituted by the state to build and finance its own solar power.

Read the rest of this post on the upside blog.

UPS (NYSE:UPS) is a global leader in logistics, offering a broad range of solutions including the transportation of packages and freight; the facilitation of international trade; innovative delivery options for the global consumer market, and the deployment of advanced technology to more efficiently manage the world of business. Headquartered in Atlanta, UPS serves more than 220 countries and territories worldwide.

blog.ups.com | facebook.com/ups | @UPS

Tweet me:Power from UPS's 2 solar projs in NJ is = to providing electricity for > 300 homes annually! http://ow.ly/hSDy6 #solar

KEYWORDS: Solar Energy, solar panels, UPS, Corporate Responsibility, solar power

SOURCE:Skype

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When Skype launched our global community for educators, Skype in the classroom, we wanted to help educators all over the world provide more interesting and exciting learning experiences to their students.  The community has been running for a little over a year and a half, and the creative lessons we’ve seen teachers conduct – from a session on the importance of reading with NBA all-star Shaquille O’Neal to meeting Santa Claus face-to-face to learning about geology and ecology from a Yellowstone National Park Ranger– have been nothing short of incredible.

We’re proud to announce that today we now have over 50,000 teachers signed up as a part of the Skype in the classroom community. Each day, teachers from nearly every country in the world speaking 66 different languages are actively collaborating on over 2,500 Skype lessons.

Check out just a few of the interesting lesson plans currently available on Skype in the classroom website below:

Use Skype to join explorer Mark Wood on his Everest adventure

Polar explorer and adventurer Mark Wood will be leading an expedition through the Himalayas in an attempt to summit Mount Everest in March 2013.  Ten lucky schools from ten different countries will have the chance to speak with him via Skype during his descent of the mountain.

Humans in Space

What’s it like living in space?  Skype in the classroom affiliate NASA’s Digital Learning Network is providing classrooms with the opportunity to speak with astronauts about the physiological, physical, and mental challenges that are presented about living in zero-gravity, encouraging students to suggest their solutions to problems that astronauts living in space must overcome.

How Far Food and Culture are Related

An elementary school English teacher in Egypt is looking to partner with other EFL/ESL learners from around the globe to discuss how food relates to the cultural themes of movies, food and transport.

Are you interested in bringing exciting experiences to your classroom?  Sign up for Skype in the classroom now for free by visiting http://education.skype.com or by clicking here. We’d love to hear your feedback about the program on our communities on Facebook and @SkypeClassroom on Twitter.

Tweet me:.@Skype is proud to announce that  50,000 teachers from across the globe have joined the @skypeclassroom community: http://3bl.me/kp5t6x

KEYWORDS: Education, People, Social Action & Community Engagement, Technology. Innovation & Solutions, Skype, Skype in the classroom, classroom, Technology, video call, Teachers, mark wood, Infographic

SOURCE:Elsevier

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Cincinnati, OH, February 22, 2013 /3BL Media/ - In January 2012, the United States Department of Agriculture passed a series of regulations designed to make school lunches more nutritious, which included requiring schools to increase whole grain offerings and making students select either a fruit or vegetable with their purchased lunch.  However, children cannot be forced to eat these healthier lunches.  In a new study scheduled for publication in The Journal of Pediatrics, researchers determined that small, inexpensive changes to school cafeterias influenced the choice and consumption of healthier foods.

Andrew S. Hanks, PhD, and colleagues from the Cornell Center for Behavioral Economics in Child Nutrition Programs (B.E.N. Center) studied the effects of multiple small interventions, called the smarter lunchroom makeover, in the cafeterias of two junior-senior high schools (grades 7-12) in western New York.  In the lunchroom, changes were implemented to improve the convenience and attractiveness of fruits and vegetables (e.g., fresh fruit next to the cash register in nice bowls or tiered stands) and make the selection of fruits and vegetables seem standard through verbal cues from cafeteria staff (e.g., “Would you like to try an apple?”).  The smarter lunchroom makeover took no more than 3 hours in one afternoon and cost less than $50 to implement.  These types of changes are applications of the behavioral science principle termed “libertarian paternalism,” which promotes influencing choice through behavioral cues, while preserving choices.

To measure the impact of the smarter lunchroom makeover, researchers recorded what was left on trays after lunch, both before and after the intervention.  After the smarter lunchroom makeover, students were 13% more likely to take fruits and 23% more likely to take vegetables.  Actual fruit consumption increased by 18% and vegetable consumption increased by 25%; students were also more likely to eat the whole serving of fruit or vegetables (16% and 10%, respectively).

These low-cost, yet effective interventions could significantly influence healthier behaviors, potentially helping to offset childhood obesity trends.  Dr. Hanks notes, “This not only preserves choice, but has the potential to lead children to develop lifelong habits of selecting and consuming healthier foods even when confronted with less healthy options.”  These simple changes could also be effective in the cafeterias of other organizations, including hospitals, companies, and retirement homes.

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Notes for Editors
“Smarter Lunchrooms Can Address New School Lunchroom Guidelines and Childhood Obesity,” by Andrew S. Hanks, PhD, David R. Just, PhD, and Brian Wansink, PhD, appears in The Journal of Pediatrics (www.jpeds.com), DOI 10.1016/j.jpeds.2012.12.031, published by Elsevier.

About The Journal of Pediatrics
The Journal of Pediatrics is a primary reference for the science and practice of pediatrics and its subspecialties. This authoritative resource of original, peer-reviewed articles oriented toward clinical practice helps physicians stay abreast of the latest and ever-changing developments in pediatric medicine. The Journal of Pediatrics is ranked 4th out of 113 pediatric medical journals (2011 Journal Citation Reports^®, published by Thomson Reuters). URL: www.jpeds.com

About Elsevier
Elsevier is a world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services. The company works in partnership with the global science and health communities to publish more than 2,000 journals, including The Lancet and Cell, and close to 20,000 book titles, including major reference works from Mosby and Saunders. Elsevier’s online solutions include ScienceDirect, Scopus, Reaxys, ClinicalKey and Mosby’s Nursing Suite, which enhance the productivity of science and health professionals, and the SciVal suite and MEDai’s Pinpoint Review, which help research and health care institutions deliver better outcomes more cost-effectively.

A global business headquartered in Amsterdam, Elsevier employs 7,000 people worldwide. The company is part of Reed Elsevier Group PLC, a world-leading provider of professional information solutions in the Science, Medical, Legal and Risk and Business sectors, which is jointly owned by Reed Elsevier PLC and Reed Elsevier NV. The ticker symbols are REN (Euronext Amsterdam), REL (London Stock Exchange), RUK and ENL (New York Stock Exchange).

Media contact
Becky Lindeman
+1 513 636 7140
journal.pediatrics@cchmc.org

Tweet me:Smarter Lunchrooms Make Lunch Choices Child’s Play http://3bl.me/98np7w via @ElsevierNews & The Journal of Pediatrics

KEYWORDS: Eco-Living, Consumption & Travel, Food & Farming, Health and Wellness, People, Social Action & Community Engagement, School, Children, policy, health advice, Elsevier

Sodexo releases its 2012 Sustainability Report for North America, which includes the company’s sustainability performance

SOURCE:Sodexo, Inc.

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GAITHERSBURG, MD, February 22, 2013 /3BL Media/ - With the release of the 2013 Workplace Trends Report, Sodexo researchers noted key trends clearly indicating that the emerging workforce is motivated by positive, people- and community-centric workplace practices and initiatives. In fact, the report shows all four generations in the workforce see corporate social responsibility as a potential motivating factor at work. To that end, Sodexo, an award-winning leader in sustainability recently recognized with a triple distinction in the RobecoSAM Sustainability Yearbook, released its 2012 Sustainability Report for North America, which includes the company’s sustainability performance for the past two years, as well as specifics of how they address four priorities as defined by Sodexo’s Better Tomorrow Plan including:

• developing people and promoting diversity,
• promoting nutrition, health and wellness,
• strengthening local communities, and
• protecting the environment.

Sodexo’s worldwide commitment to a Better Tomorrow is comprehensive and is instrumental in helping improve the well-being and performance of organizations and their people. This report provides a transparent review of its progress and describes the company’s approach to sustainability within Sodexo’s own operations and for the client sites it serves.

Tweet me:#Sodexo releases its 2012 #Sustainability Report for NORAM http://3bl.me/yh6ph3

Contact Info:

Stacy Bowman-Hade
Sodexo
+1 (301) 987-4352
stacy.bowmanhade@sodexo.com

KEYWORDS: People, Social Action & Community Engagement, Reporting, Ratings & Rankings, sustainability, sustainability reporting, csr, Employee Engagement, doing good, Sodexo

The Official Logistics Provider of NASCAR Introduces Environmental Enhancements to Its Trackside Pick-up and Delivery Operations

SOURCE:UPS

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February 22, 2012 /3BL Media/ - NASCAR gives UPS (NYSE: UPS) the green flag in sustainability as it upgrades its Trackside Services operation for the 2013 racing season. This "best practice" aims to reduce environmental impacts and create a model for other racing teams and sponsors to leverage in their own sustainability efforts by reducing emissions and optimizing power generation with state-of-the-art solar power.

UPS became an official NASCAR partner in 2000 and has provided critical behind-the-scenes pick-up and delivery services for race teams, sponsors, racing officials, vendors and news media at NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events across the country. Throughout the 2012 season, UPS began developing plans to further reduce the environmental impact of its Trackside Services operation that serve as an example of improved efficiency to drive superior environmental performance throughout the sport.

Read the rest of this press release on the UPS pressroom.

UPS (NYSE:UPS) is a global leader in logistics, offering a broad range of solutions including the transportation of packages and freight; the facilitation of international trade; innovative delivery options for the global consumer market, and the deployment of advanced technology to more efficiently manage the world of business. Headquartered in Atlanta, UPS serves more than 220 countries and territories worldwide.

blog.ups.com | facebook.com/ups | @UPS

Tweet me:.@NASCAR Gives @UPS the Green Flag in 2013, http://ow.ly/hTle2 #Daytona

Contact Info:

Brad Klein
NASCAR
+1 (212) 326-1874
bklein@nascar.com

Andy McGowan
UPS
+1 (404) 828-4663
amcgowan@ups.com

KEYWORDS: UPS, NASCAR, Suniva, solar panels, Solar Energy, UPS Racing