SOURCE:MGM Resorts International

DESCRIPTION:

By: Rose McKinney-James, Chair of the MGM Resorts Board of Directors’ Corporate Social Responsibility Committee
Dec. 15, 2016

A growing number of corporate boards are pursuing sustainable business practices as a strategic objective. Research shows that companies with board-driven sustainability initiatives have a competitive advantage. For instance, a 2014 report released by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) found that companies that strategically reduced their carbon footprints had 21 percent stronger dividends than those that didn’t.

The MGM Resorts International board was ahead of the curve when it made sustainability a strategic goal in 2005. We were driven largely by the company’s mounting of an unprecedented project that became the world’s largest sustainable, mixed-use development: CityCenter, a 16 million square-foot urban complex located on the Las Vegas Strip. The project helped define our company’s approach to water conservation, recycling, waste management and all other aspects of environmental sustainability.

When I joined the MGM board in 2005, I had years of experience in overseeing sustainability issues. I had led the Corporation for Solar Technology and Renewable Resources and served on the board of the Nevada Renewable Energy Task Force. I also had extensive exposure to renewable energy issues when I served as a commissioner with the Nevada Public Service Commission and through my board position with the Energy Foundation. I brought to the board my unique understanding that incorporating environmental best practices throughout our operations as a strategic initiative would make a powerful difference for this company.

Continue reading on MGMThink.com.

Tweet me:Read how #sustainablebusinesspractices are an important business differentiator in this latest @MGMThink blog. http://bit.ly/2gUz5lT

KEYWORDS: Business & Trade, Corporate Social Responsibility, MGMThink, MGM Resorts

By Gideon Mann & Cathy O'Neil

SOURCE:Bloomberg

DESCRIPTION:

Originally posted on Harvard Business Review.

By Gideon Mann & Cathy O'Neil
Gideon Mann is head of data science at Bloomberg LP.

More and more, human resources managers rely on data-driven algorithms to help with hiring decisions and to navigate a vast pool of potential job candidates. These software systems can in some cases be so efficient at screening resumes and evaluating personality tests that 72% of resumes are weeded out before a human ever sees them. But there are drawbacks to this level of efficiency. Man-made algorithms are fallible and may inadvertently reinforce discrimination in hiring practices. Any HR manager using such a system needs to be aware of its limitations and have a plan for dealing with them.

Cliick here to read more.

Tweet me:Hiring Algorithms Are Not Neutral #HarvardBusinessReview http://bit.ly/2gJQgGu

KEYWORDS: Diversity & Human Resources, demographics, algorithms, data science, machine learning, Gender, Race, diversity, Author, math, hiring, Careers, jobs, Education

SOURCE:Walmart

DESCRIPTION:

Walmart and the Walmart Foundation use philanthropy to complement Walmart’s  business initiatives as well as the efforts of others in civil society, business, and government to drive systemic improvements in economic opportunity, supply chain sustainability, and community resilience.

The problems being addressed are both large scale and complex, but Walmart believes that by working with their grantees and collaborators from the private sector, they can lead the way in driving significant, lasting change.

Walmart and the Walmart Foundation focus on three priority areas that are particularly relevant to Walmart customers, associates and other stakeholders:

• Opportunity– using philanthropy to accelerate mobility in retail and related sectors, enhance economic empowerment of women in global supply chains, support small business development and help U.S. veterans reintegrate into civilian life.
• Sustainability– helping to alleviate hunger, enhance nutrition, and enhance the sustainability of food systems and product supply chains.
• Community– working to strengthen resilience in the face of natural disasters, and to increase inclusion in local communities, through local donations and engaging our associates and customers in local causes.

In FY2016, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation donated more than $1.4 billion in cash and in-kind, and Walmart associates contributed more than 1.25 million hours of their time outside of work to volunteer causes.

Walmart’s 2016 Giving Report

About Philanthropy at Walmart
By using our strengths to help others, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation create opportunities for people to live better every day. We have stores in 28 countries, employing more than 2.3 million associates and doing business with thousands of suppliers who, in turn, employ millions of people. We are helping people live better by accelerating upward job mobility and economic development for the retail workforce; addressing hunger and making healthier, more sustainably-grown food a reality; and building strong communities where we operate and inspiring our associates to give back. Whether it is helping to lead the fight against hunger in the United States with $2 billion in cash and in-kind donations or supporting Women’s Economic Empowerment through a series of grants totaling $10 million to the Women in Factories training program in Bangladesh, China, India and Central America, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are not only working to tackle key social issues, we are also collaborating with others to inspire solutions for long-lasting systemic change. To learn more about Walmart’s giving, visit www.foundation.walmart.com.   

Tweet me:.@WalmartGiving’s philanthropic approach helps people live better every day! See how they're impacting hunger: https://youtu.be/Hg2vqXORIzQ

KEYWORDS: Philanthropy, Business & Trade, Walmart, Hunger, economic opportunity, Supply Chain Sustainability, community resilience

Welcomes Robert Wood Johnson Foundation as Sponsor for the Symposium on Social Design and Health

SOURCE:School of Visual Arts - Design for Social Innovation

DESCRIPTION:

December 20, 2016 /3BL Media/ - MFA Design for Social Innovation (DSI) at the School of Visual Arts in New York will host Measured Summit, a two-day gathering in January 2017, to mark its fifth anniversary as the only master of fine arts degree in Social Innovation Design.

Although the field of social design is gaining popularity among funders, designers and social sector practitioners as a practical way to solve complex social problems, there has never been a collaborative approach to measure its benefits. To celebrate the five-year milestone as well as gather leaders to examine the process of measuring the impact of social design, DSI is hosting its inaugural Measured Summit. More than 150 leaders and practitioners from the business, philanthropy, technology and design sectors are anticipated to attend.

On the second day of the summit, DSI—in partnership with Worldstudio Foundation—will host the Measured Symposium, called Design+Health, which will examine how social design impacts and improves our health. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) will be the lead sponsor for this January 24 event.

"We're thrilled to welcome RWJF as a sponsor for our first symposium. As the nation's largest philanthropy devoted to health, we're looking forward to learning more from RWJF about the ways design can support a Culture of Health," said Cheryl Heller, founding chair of DSI.

At the January 24 Design+Health symposium, leading funders, designers and social innovators—working both in the United States and internationally—will deliver short presentations as well as guide participant discussions around key questions: 

(1) Does human centered design lead to better health outcomes? 
(2) Does it make patients smarter and more informed?
(3) Can it encourage healthcare companies to be more innovative and successful and improve the delivery of products and services?

This is the first of an ongoing platform to be organized by DSI to help evaluate and scale the field of social design. To attend on January 24 and to read more about the program, please visit http://measured.design.

About the MFA Design for Social Innovation 
MFA Design for Social Innovation at the School of Visual Arts in New York is the first MFA program at the intersection of design, social innovation and enterprise. Our two-year program is for people who want to become leaders of change in business, the non-profit world, communities or government. To read more about the power of design to tackle pressing social problems and to apply, please visit http://dsi.sva.edu.

About Worldstudio Foundation
Established in 1995, Worldstudio is a strategy and communications firm that works in two ways; through the Social initiatives it develops and the Client services it provides. To read our case studies and to learn more, please visit http://worldstudioinc.com.

Contact:
Carrie Barnes
(215) 239-4643
carrie@elisecommunications.com

Tweet me:Can social design lead to better health? Join @RWJF @worldstudio & @SVADSI #MeasuredSummit 1/24 in NYC http://prn.to/2i6wZo2

KEYWORDS: Events, Conferences & Webinars, Education, mfa, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, School of Visual Arts - Design for Social Innovation, SVA

SustainabilityHQ Highlights (12.15.2016)

SOURCE:Governance & Accountability Institute, Inc.

DESCRIPTION:

Top Story

Sustainability reporting in stock exchanges 'comes of age'
(Thursday - December 08, 2016) 
Source: GreenBiz - As many as 21 stock exchanges across the world could introduce sustainability reporting standards in the coming months. They would join the 17 exchanges that currently recommend listed companies to report on environmental, social...

Sustainability in Focus

Too few of Hong Kong’s listed companies treat sustainability reporting seriously, claims leading advisory agency
(Monday - December 05, 2016) 
Source: South Chins Morning Post - CSR Asia, which creates and monitors sustainability strategies, says only around 60 of city’s 2,000 listed companies consider it a strategic necessity

How countries rank on food waste, nutrition, and sustainable agriculture  
(Monday - December 05, 2016) 
Source: CS Monitor - By highlighting performance of different countries and identifying best practices, a new index establishes a benchmark for global leaders to measure progress in establishing sustainable food systems.

Silicon Valley's sustainability problem
(Monday - December 05, 2016) 
Source: GreenBiz - The tech sector has stepped up its fight against climate change since COP21 last year. From the Bill Gates-led Breakthrough Energy Coalition pledging more than $1 billion towards the transition to clean energy, to Google...

Why Beef Sustainability Matters
(Monday - December 05, 2016) 
Source: CattleNetwork - McDonald’s partnered with the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef to conduct a “Sustainable Beef Pilot Project” in Canada.

Let’s Quit Obsessing Over the Business Case for Corporate Sustainability
(Tuesday - December 06, 2016) 
Source: Triple Pundit - As sustainability professionals making pitches to senior management to adopt more sustainable practices company wide, we’re told to avoid soft qualitative rationale and speak in the language of business – numbers, usually...

3 ways college students are revolutionizing sustainability
(Tuesday - December 06, 2016) 
Source: Green Biz - Universities around the world are striving to curb their wasteful tendencies as well as to foster an atmosphere that encourages environmental consciousness. Here are three areas of campus life that universities have sought to...

Sustainability to enhance, not only protect, environment 
(Wednesday - December 07, 2016) 
Source: NZ Farmer - An environment-enhancing and profitable farming operation can go hand in hand, a Bay of Plenty sheep and beef farmer tells Anne Boswell...

Now More Than Ever, We Need Global Solidarity for Sustainability
(Wednesday - December 07, 2016) 
Source: Triple Pundit - At the finish line is a sustainable world – something we are in a race against time to reach. With a rapidly increasing population on one side of us and fast-depleting resources on the other, we have to accelerate our... 
  
Opportunities for forest conservation and sustainability in the South
(Wednesday - December 07, 2016) 
Source: GreenBiz - Our supply chains are linked to a global economy, whether you are talking commodities such as palm oil from Indonesia or coffee beans from South America. Even close to home, timber, pulp, wood fiber and biomass from the southern...

Wendy's Pushing Forward with Sustainability Efforts
(Wednesday - December 07, 2016) 
Source: QS Magazine - Wendy's announced its partnership with the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef and a commitment to advancing sustainability efforts throughout the U.S. beef value chain. With a forty-six year commitment to serving only fresh...

From Frivolity To Sustainability: Why Technology And Innovation Matter For The Future Of Fashion
(Wednesday - December 07, 2016) 
Source: Forbes - “Often the perception of the fashion industry is that it’s a frivolous entity, based on silly ideals about what we should wear, and how we should look.” So goes the opening line to my TEDx talk delivered in London in late October...

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 December 15, 2016

Tweet me:SustainabilityHQ Highlights (12.15.2016) http://bit.ly/2gHCvs5

KEYWORDS: Media & Communications, Business & Trade, G&A Institute, GRI, Governance & Accountability Institute, SWF, Sovereign Wealth Funds, SustainabilityHQ, esg, sustainability

SOURCE:Bloomberg

DESCRIPTION:

Originally posted on Environmental Finance.

The launch of TCFD's recommendations were today hailed as a landmark moment for investors campaigning to have climate considerations integrated into mainstream reporting.

Helen Wildsmith, head of stewardship at the CCLA, said: "I think it's an important turning point. This is the FSB recognising the potential macro risks in the system."

Click here to continue reading the full article.

Tweet me:TCFD Reaction: 'Turning point for climate disclosure' #tcfdrecs http://bit.ly/2hLmeav

KEYWORDS: Reports, Business & Trade, JPMorgan, Dow Chemical, tcfd, Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures, Bank of England, Mark Carney, esg, SRI, disclosures, China, United States, Global Warming, Markets, equities, CEOs, Luxury, SEC, financial statements, Unilever, Financial Stability Board, g20 group of 20, breakthrough, news, headline, risk, Climate Risk, Carbon, equity, investors, stranded assets, London, New York, Helen Wildsmith, Nathan Fabian, Paul Simpson, Julian Poulter, Douglas Farquhar, David Cole, Richard Howitt, CCLA, PRI, CDP, Asset Owners Disclosure Project, DNV GL, Swiss Re, IIRC, G20

SOURCE:General Motors

DESCRIPTION:

It’s been a transformative year. In January, General Motors launched its Maven carsharing service, now active in 17 cities around the United States. In the fall, the company committed to power its global operations’ electricity with renewable energy by 2050. And in December, the long-range Chevrolet Bolt EV hit the streets. Along the way, a variety of collaborations have helped to reduce waste, address climate change and inspire STEM learning.

Here’s a snapshot of GM’s sustainability journey in 2016.

Transforming transportation

1.      Accelerating an EV Future

2.      GM on Fast Track to Redefine Mobility with Lyft, Maven & Self-Driving Cars

3.      The Connection between EVs, Batteries and a Clean Grid

4.      GM’s Carsharing Service Expands. Is Your City Next?

Promoting renewable energy

5.      GM Details its 100 Percent Renewable Energy Goal

6.      How GM Used Renewable Energy to Save $80M

7.      Steps to Brighten Up and Save Energy

Advancing a more circular economy

8.      GM Suppliers Give New Life to Recycled Water Bottles

9.      Mississippi River Tires to Become GM Car Parts

10.   Getting Back on the Landfill-Free List

Partnering to create change

11.   GM Recognized as World Leader for Climate Change Action

12.   Kids Learn about STEM from the Environment

13.   Dealerships Share their Environmental Best Practices

Protecting natural resources

14.   How Companies Can Protect the Nation’s Pollinators

15.   GM Facilities Across the Globe Take Action on World Environment Day

16.   Capturing Rainwater Will Save GM Plant Millions of Dollars

The team looks forward to the talent and technology that will continue to redefine personal mobility and help strengthen communities in 2017 and beyond.  

Tweet me:Take a look at some of @GM's biggest #sustainability news in 2016: http://bit.ly/2h8Lh7m

KEYWORDS: Environment & Climate Change, GM, General Motors, pollinators, Maven, world environment day, Lyft, electric vehicles, autonomous vehicles, RE100

Wattway Solar Paving and WheelRight® Tire Pressure and Tread Depth Monitoring

SOURCE:Ray C. Anderson Foundation

SUMMARY:

The Ray and its partners have dedicated two newly installed state-of-the-art technologies that are both "firsts" in the U.S.; solar paved roads for cleaner energy and tire pressure and tread depth measurement for safety awareness.

DESCRIPTION:

December 20, 2016/ 3BL Media/ - The Ray and its partners have dedicated two newly installed state-of-the-art technologies that are both "firsts" in the U.S.  Wattway drive-over solar panels that turn ordinary highways into power producers, and the WheelRight drive-over tire safety system have both been installed at the Georgia Visitor Information Center (VIC) on I-85 in West Georgia, along a corridor that is now known as "The Ray."

The Ray is an 18-mile stretch of I-85 in West Georgia that is a model for the highway of the future, and a namesake project that embodies the vision of the late Ray C. Anderson (1934-2011), a globally recognized leader in green business, and founder and chairman of the world's largest carpet tile manufacturer, Interface, Inc.

Wattway Solar Road

Wattway solar panels are paved onto streets, highways and parking lots to combine the best practices of road construction and photovoltaic (PV) techniques to provide clean, renewable energy while allowing for all types of traffic. The thin, heavy-duty, skid resistant PV pavers can be applied directly over existing paving, eliminating the need to remodel or build new road infrastructures.

WheelRight Tire Pressure and Tread Depth Monitoring

More than 35,000 drivers die each year in accidents on U.S. roads and highways and U.S. DOT data points to underinflated tires as a major cause of crashes that can result in fatalities and injuries.

The installation of the WheelRight, state-of-the-art, drive over tire safety system, that measures tire pressure and (for the first time anywhere in the world) tread depth, will help keep highways safer.

"The Ray is a place where we can test big ideas, the radical innovations, and the simple, smart choices that can create safer and cleaner transportation," said Harriet Langford, president of The Ray.

Read more.

Tweet me:#TheRay unveils #wattway #solar paving and #WheelRight tire pressure and tread depth monitoring system. http://bit.ly/2hNiySJ @allienkelly

Contact Info:

Valerie Bennett
The Ray
+1 (770) 317-5858
valerie@raycandersonfoundation.org

KEYWORDS: Environment & Climate Change, Energy, Ray C. Anderson Foundation, #wattway, solar road, highway safety, Georgia Department of Transportation, Georgia Department of Econommic Development, Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia, #theray, COLAS Group, WheelRight

SOURCE:Bloomberg

DESCRIPTION:

Originally posted on Bloomberg Media

At a star-studded gathering yesterday, New York Women in Film and Television honored five inspiring women with its annual Muse Award. Along with actors Mary-Louise Parker, Debi Mazar and Martha Plimpton, and Firelight Media founder Marcia Smith, Bloomberg Media’s COO Jacki Kelley was recognized for her visionary leadership.
​
She has already amassed an impressive collection of awards and honors for her entrepreneurial leadership in advertising and media, and for being a powerful champion for diversity and inclusion. This fall, Kelley led an initiative to launch Big Problems. Big Thinkers, a new six-part television and video series examining some of the biggest threats facing humanity and the possible solutions underway to solve them. The series, created in partnership with journalist Terre Blair, features in-depth interviews with Warren Buffett, the Dalai Lama, Michael R. Bloomberg, Steven Soderbergh and more.  

“I would say we became like Thelma and Louise – except we were on the run to change the world for the better,” said Blair, in a Bloomberg News-style video shown at the NYWIFT gala. In the video, additional media luminaries including Bloomberg Chairman Peter Grauer, The Female Quotient CEO Shelley Zalis, Interpublic Group Chairman and CEO Michael Roth, and Bloomberg Media CEO Justin Smith also weighed in on what makes Kelley such an effective, inspirational leader.

Hats off to Jacki Kelley! We couldn’t be more excited and proud.

- Jen Robinson | December 9, 2017

Click here for more information.

Tweet me:.@BBGMedia #COO Jacki Kelley honored with #Muse Award http://bit.ly/2gJVMJg

KEYWORDS: Awards & Recognition, women, film, Television, muse, media, problems, thinkers, HONOR, awards, movies, Leadership, inspire, diversity, inclusion, female, lead

Charlotte will go on dream vacation to Hawaii with family

SOURCE:VSP Global

DESCRIPTION:

RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif - Charlotte, a 9-year-old girl, suffering from a genetic heart condition got her wish granted Friday thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation and VSP Vision Care.

Watch the video of the wish reveal on KCRA.com

Tweet me:See the moment 9-year-old Charlotte finds out she'll get to go on a dream Disney vacation. http://bit.ly/2i7bjrR #BetheWish #AlohaCharlotte

KEYWORDS: Volunteerism & Community Engagement, Health, VSP Global, Make-A-Wish, #bethewish, #AlohaCharlotte, wish reveal, VSP

Register today for the Health Means Business National Summit and Healthy10 Awards!

SOURCE:USCCF Corporate Citizenship Center

DESCRIPTION:

Registration is now open for the inaugural Health Means Business National Summit and Healthy10 Awards! Hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the National Summit will discuss the connection between healthy communities, economic prosperity, and a more competitive U.S. economy for all.

WHEN: February 15-16, 2017

WHERE: U.S. Chamber of Commerce Headquarters
1615 H Street, NW
Washington, DC 20062

As part of our Health Means Business campaign, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation will host its inaugural National Summit and Healthy10 Awards on February 15-16, 2017.

Impacting community wellness isn't just for health care companies. And it isn't just about employee wellness. Every business has a role to play in impacting the health of their consumers, communities, current workforce, and future workforce.

The National Summit will bring together a cross-sector of some of the most innovative businesses leading the way in creating a culture of health, through mission-driven businesses, public-private partnerships, employee health, and other strategies.  Together we are making the connection between healthy communities, economic prosperity, and a more competitive U.S. economy for all.

Featured speakers include:

• Arianna Huffington, Founder and CEO, Thrive Global
• Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, MD, MBA, President and CEO, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
• Gunnar Lovelace, Founder and Co-CEO, Thrive Market
• Ali Maffucci, New York Times Best Selling Author and Founder of the culinary brand, Inspiralized
• Ann Woo, Director, Corporate Social Responsibility, Samsung Electronics North America
• Sam Polk, Co-founder and CEO, Everytable
• And more!

In addition, we'll honor ten outstanding cross-sector collaborations or innovative businesses working to create healthier communities across the nation. The winners will be recognized during the inaugural Healthy10 Awards Ceremony in conjunction with the National Summit.

We hope you can join us this February to discover the role every business has to play in impacting the health of their communities and how it relates to overall economic prosperity. For more information, such as speakers and a full agenda, click here.

Don't miss this exciting event. Get your ticket today by registering here.

All proceeds from the National Summit registration fee will be donated to DC Central Kitchen and YMCA of Metropolitan Washington to support their mission of building a culture of health.

Tweet me:Join @USCCFoundation and @RWJF on Feb 15-16 for the Health Means #Business National Summit http://bit.ly/1LvQvya #Opportunity4Health

KEYWORDS: Events, Conferences & Webinars, Awards & Recognition, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Health Means Business, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation Corporate Citizenship Center

SOURCE:Bloomberg

DESCRIPTION:

Corporations, especially those in the financial and energy sectors, should provide investors with clear and systematic disclosure of the risks that climate change poses to their future economic health, a task force reporting to Bank of England Governor Mark Carney recommended Wednesday.

The group, headed by Bloomberg LP founder Michael Bloomberg, pointed to carbon-intensive, fossil-fuel companies as being among those that will be most significantly affected by the transition to a lower-carbon economy, with risks being borne by their lenders and investors.

Clock here to read more.

Tweet me:Companies must disclose climate-change risk: Carney panel http://bit.ly/2hLoJtp #tcfdrecs

KEYWORDS: Business & Trade, Energy, tcfd, tcfdrecs, Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures, Bank of England, Mark Carney, esg, risks, G20, group of 20, FSB, investors, Bloomberg, Michael Bloomberg, Financial Stability Board

A collection of exemplary CR and sustainability case studies

SOURCE:Ethical Performance

DESCRIPTION:

The Autumn 2016 issue of Best Practice includes CSR and sustainability case studies from thought leaders across several industries:

• Visa supports financial education for youth - Visa
  The global payments business partners with Junior Achievement Europe to create innovative e-commerce and personal finance programmes.
   
• Using the power of communications for social impact - Dentsu Aegis
  Dentsu Aegis directs its employees’ skills toward community-based charities. 
   
• The National Lottery operator takes proactive approach to player safety - Camelot
  Innovative software tracks data to identify online problem play.
   
• MSD lends its best employees to NGOs around the world - MSD
  The Fellowship for Global Health programme matches skills to needs.

For more information on how your organization can be featured in an upcoming issue of Best Practice, click here.

Tweet me:The latest issue of #BestPractice is now available http://bit.ly/2h30L87 via @ethicalp #CSR #Sustainability

KEYWORDS: Business & Trade, Corporate Social Responsibility, Best Practice, Ethical performance, csr, sustainability, visa, Dentsu Aegis, Camelot, MSD

Year-End Fundraising Letter from Leonardo Academy President

SOURCE:Leonardo Academy

DESCRIPTION:

As the year is winding down, Leonardo Academy's team of experts is gearing up to expand the impact of their sustainability and environmental improvement projects. 

Not only will 2017 bring a new level of challenges in the field of sustainability, emissions reduction, and overall climate action, it also marks Leonardo Academy’s 20^th anniversary as a nonprofit. Since 1997, the organization has been working with the mission of leveraging market forces to advance sustainability and environmental improvement.

In order to meet oncoming challenges and celebrate 20 years of hard work, Leonardo Academy is conducting a year-end fundraiser. For more information about Leonardo Academy’s project work and how to donate, see President Michael Arny’s year-end letter.  

Leonardo Academy will also continue to raise funds throughout 2017. If you are interested in volunteering as a fundraiser for Leonardo Academy, please contact maren@leonardoacademy.org.

Tweet me:Support a #SustainableFuture through @leonardoacademy #yearend #fundraiser http://bit.ly/2h2vhic

KEYWORDS: Environment & Climate Change, Corporate Social Responsibility, Leonardo Academy, Year-End

Nuclear plant employees donate and deliver toys and bikes for local children

SOURCE:Duke Energy

DESCRIPTION:

Nearly 20 years later, the effort is still going strong.

The Christmas bike drive has become such a tradition in southeastern North Carolina that Bertrand Wilder, a project manager and employee since 1995, has been happy to organize for the past three years.

Wilder said more than 50 employees help organize fundraisers and deliver bikes while others donate money. In 2013, their best year, employees raised more than $27,000 and donated about 300 bicycles to schools in four counties.

“People start asking about it in September,” he said, “and that’s when we get started because it takes a while to get names from 40-plus schools.”

He said the schools are always excited to hear the drive is happening, and in Brunswick, Pender, New Hanover and Columbus counties, 225 children at 38 schools will receive a bike this year.

Wilder contacts each school to ask which children should receive a bike based on financial need. He then works with Walmart to order bikes that are the appropriate height for the students, ages 5 to 13.

Terry Eason II, who has worked at Brunswick as an instrumentation and electrical technician for 14 years, has been delivering bikes for the past three years. Eason said he gets a lot more out of the experience than he puts in.

“It’s pretty awesome because sometimes you actually get to give them directly to the kids,” Eason said. “Sometimes you give them to the parents, and it might be a Santa Claus present, and there’s a satisfaction to that, too, in knowing that the kid has something coming on Christmas morning.”

From the beginning, the bike drive at Brunswick has been led by volunteers, and Wilder said it’s never been difficult to find the help.

“You don’t have to twist arms. You don’t have to beg and plead,” he said. “We just have such generous people here that it doesn’t feel like we’re working to team build. It’s like it flows naturally.” 

Tweet me:.@DukeEnergy employees uphold 20 years of #HolidayTradition - donating bikes to Brunswick area children http://bit.ly/2ibaxtW

KEYWORDS: Philanthropy, Volunteerism & Community Engagement, Duke Energy, Brunswick, North Carolina, holidays, toy drive, Employee Engagement, children in need

SOURCE:Bloomberg

DESCRIPTION:

After a year of intensive work, the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) today laid out its eagerly-awaited recommendations designed to help standardise and mainstream considerations about the impacts of climate change on companies.

The TCFD – which was assembled by Mark Carney as chairman of the Financial Stability Board, and chaired by Michael Bloomberg with the help of 32 big-hitting executives from across the business community – aims to help integrate better understanding of the risks and opportunities presented by climate change into investment and insurance underwriting decisions.

Click here to continue reading.

Tweet me:TCFD's long-awaited report revealed http://bit.ly/2hLrpXT @fsb_tcfd #tcfdrecs

KEYWORDS: Events, Conferences & Webinars, Environment & Climate Change, tcfd, Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures, Bank of England, Mark Carney, esg, risks, opportunities, SEC, financial statements, Financial Stability Board, FSB, Bloomberg

SOURCE:Business Call to Action (BCtA)

DESCRIPTION:

In 2016, the Business Call to Action welcomed 45 new inclusive business commitments, adding to the total of 182 member companies working in 66 countries across a diverse range of sectors, from renewable energy to affordable eye care and from sustainable agriculture to microinsurance. Only one year since its launch, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which seeks to end poverty and hunger, and actively address issues of inequality, is already influencing the way the private sector works – and who benefits.

This year, we have witnessed both large and small businesses stepping up and making real contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As several member companies’ commitments come close to completion, it is heartening to see companies renewing their commitments, replicating their inclusive business models and influencing up-and-coming enterprises (visit our Resources page to read case studies on renewing member companies Dimagi, Jaipur Rugs, MicroEnsure, ¡Échale! a tu casa, and many others).

In September 2016, the Seventh BCtA Annual Forum took place in New York City. Bringing together over 200 member companies and other stakeholders, it focused on increasing effectiveness of inclusive business as a key contributor to the SDGs (read the event report here). Looking at the significant growth in our membership this year, we are encouraged by the diversity of companies recognizing the value of inclusive business as a powerful tool for contributing to the 2030 Agenda.

To ensure that these contributions are meaningful and make an impact, businesses must continue embracing change in an era of disruptive innovations. Unlocking the potential of developing markets requires ambition as well as imagination: in order to achieve the 2030 Agenda while ensuring business growth, companies need both the creativity and ambition to address the needs of the developing world’s untapped markets.

During 2016, BCtA partnered with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) on a joint report highlighting the successes and challenges of integrating private-sector data into SDG review processes – and how governments can facilitate the measurement of businesses’ contributions. In 2017, the BCtA team looks forward to continuing its support of members’ efforts to create inclusive growth. We will keep challenging the private sector to make responsible inclusive business – in pursuit of the SDGs – a key component of corporate strategies.

Through the BCtA Impact Measurement Services (BIMS), we will help inclusive businesses to better plan for social impact and measure those achievements, as well as drive good management practices that enhance inclusive businesses’ performance. By building an evidence base to influence policies at the global and country level, we will work to create a more conducive environment for inclusive business – and make those businesses’ contributions to SDGs count.

In the meantime, we welcome you to visit our newly launched website to explore case studies, resources and tools for companies looking to venture into or scale up their inclusive businesses and contribute to the SDGs. Finally, our team would like to wish you a happy and healthy holiday season. We look forward to continuing our collaboration in 2017. 

2016 HIGHLIGHTS

BCtA and GRI Release Publication Measuring Business Impact on the SDGs
Business Call to Action (BCtA) and GRI launched a report that finds that governments are increasingly interested in accounting for private sector contributions to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a trend that has evolved from the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Read the report here.

Increasing Effectiveness of Inclusive Business a Key Contributor to the SDGs
The Business Call to Action brings together inclusive business stakeholders with a focus on concrete development impacts

Can businesses promote sustainable development while turning a profit?
Business involvement in sustainable development is intimately linked to the strategic context in which it operates. Here are four ways to consider this context.

Business collaboration on water could have massive multiplier effect
Many companies are setting innovative targets around Sustainable Development Goal 6, water and sanitation for all. Bhaskar Chakravorti argues that further collaboration on this goal will raise the entire SGD platform.

How Kenyans are embracing mobile technology to access healthcare
Mobile money technologies are facilitating much-needed access to healthcare financing and delivery in Kenya.

Being a woman business owner offers unusual challenges but great reward
Women business owners discuss their commitment to inclusive business: the challenges, opportunities and rewards.

MEMBER HIGHLIGHTS
Who has joined us in 2016? Browse all member stories or search per sector, SDG, or region

Asahi Kasei: Investing in Inclusive Growth
Japan-based company joins the Business Call to Action  with a commitment to build an inclusive textile value chain in India 

Bridging the Digital Divide in Papua New Guinea
Digicel joins the Business Call to Action

Improving Lives by Improving Sight
Essilor International joins the Business Call to Action with a commitment to expand access to vision care in developing countries 

Achieving Nutritional Autonomy for All
Nutriset joins the Business Call to Action with a pledge to establish local value chains for tackling malnutrition 

About the Business Call to Action (BCtA): Launched at the United Nations in 2008, the Business Call to Action (BCtA) aims to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by challenging companies to develop inclusive business models that offer the potential for both commercial success and development impact. BCtA is a unique multilateral alliance between key donor governments including the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), UK Department for International Development, US Agency for International Development, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of Finland, and the United Nations Development Programme — which hosts the secretariat. For more information, please visit www.businesscalltoaction.org or on Twitter at @BCtAInitiative.

Tweet me:.@BCtAInitiative Highlights #SocialImpact Stories from 2016 http://bit.ly/2gKEWKa #BoPBiz #GlobalDev #SDGs #Biz4SDGs

KEYWORDS: Social Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Business & Trade, Business Call to Action, BCtA, Global Development, SDGs

SOURCE:HP, Inc.

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Forests are key to the survival of human, animal, and plant life around the world. According to the United Nations Climate Summit’s Declaration on Forests, forests support approximately 80 percent of the planet’s biodiversity, helping provide clean air and combatting climate change by absorbing carbon in the atmosphere. Today more than 1.6 billion people depend on forests for their food, water, fuel, medicines, and livelihoods.

Yet each year, an average of 32 million acres of forest disappear due to deforestation, drought, manmade actions, and other natural occurrences. Reducing this loss takes a concerted effort by individuals, businesses, and governments.

HP has joined with International Paper, Kimberly-Clark, McDonald’s, Procter & Gamble, and Williams-Sonoma, Inc., on a new campaign designed to encourage consumers to purchase products bearing the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) label. This label signifies that the forest a product comes from was managed responsibly.

According to FSC, because all of the companies share a commitment to responsible forest management, they were willing to collaborate on the initiative. “These companies know that to meet customer expectations about sustainability, sometimes you have to put competition aside and do what’s right for the planet,” said Corey Brinkema, president of the FSC US. “We also know that forest conservation can be good for the bottom line, especially when it demonstrates good corporate citizenship.”

A Commitment to Sustainable Forestry
Like the other companies supporting this campaign, HP already sells FSC-certified products. In 2015, HP achieved its public forestry goal of using at least 50 percent FSC-certified fiber in HP brand paper products.

And in June 2016, HP announced a commitment to achieve zero deforestation by 2020. This means that all HP brand paper and paper-based product packaging will be derived from certified and recycled sources by 2020, with a preference for virgin fiber from certified sources of the FSC.

HP explores innovative ways to address its packaging needs by reducing packaging material use in each new product, designing packaging for reuse, replacing hard-to-recycle materials, and increasing the use of recycled content. For example, in 2015, Hewlett-Packard Company continued to collaborate with North American suppliers on a recycled pallet program, avoiding the use of 665,000 new pallets and saving 30.7 million board feet of lumber since 2012.

“Climate change is the most challenging environmental issue of our lifetime,” said Nate Hurst, HP’s Chief Sustainability & Social Impact Officer. “HP is committed to being an environmental steward; therefore, we continue to measure and reduce the impact of our products, operations, and supply chain activities.”

Tweet me:Can Paper Be #EcoFriendly? This Label Says Yes http://bit.ly/2hG4xJj @FSC_US @GlblCtzn @HPSustainable #deforestation

KEYWORDS: Environment & Climate Change, Business & Trade, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), HP, Deforestation, global citizen

SOURCE:Cisco Systems Inc.

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“I truly believe that we are at our best when we combine our business strength with our desire to do good in the world.”  –  Chuck Robbins, Cisco CEO 

Many thanks to our amazing nonprofit partners for their positive impact on society this year!

Learn more about the impact of Cisco & our amazing nonprofit partners in Cisco's 2016 Corporate Social Responsibility Report.

About Cisco
Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide technology leader that has been making the Internet work since 1984. Our people, products and partners help society securely connect and seize tomorrow's digital opportunity today. Discover more at newsroom.cisco.com and follow us on Twitter at @Cisco.

Tweet me:.@Cisco Joins #Nonprofit Partners to Combine Business Strength with Desire to Do Good http://bit.ly/2gG2BM5 @CiscoCSR #CSRReport

KEYWORDS: Reports, Business & Trade, cisco csr, nonprofit partnerships, Community Engagement

SOURCE:CBRE Group, Inc.

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Understanding occupier satisfaction is vital to the success of the property industry. It enables continuous improvement in relationships between landlords and tenants, and encourages best practice property management processes by managing agents.

What drives occupier satisfaction?
The results are in… according to CBRE’s latest annual Global Premier Properties Occupier Survey, which polls more than 500 occupiers across 9 countries:

• 80% of occupiers want social or charity events to be staged in and around their buildings, with 38% desiring three or more events per year; occupiers see social and charity events as a way to make multi-let offices more engaging and socially interesting places to work;
• Combining effective and responsive facilities management with a strong sense of ‘place’ and ‘community’ can help building owners differentiate their assets, while also driving occupier retention;
• Security is now the number one factor in determining occupier satisfaction. It is important that we remain on our guard; constantly reviewing and enhancing our security operations to provide protection while letting our occupiers’ daily business operations proceed unhindered; and
• Sustainability is rising up the agenda. The biggest emphasis on green attributes in the search for space came from occupiers in China, with those from ‘Western’ markets such as the UK and US lagging behind (though France, it should be noted, also placed higher emphasis on green expectations).

The millennial mind-set
By 2020, millennials born between 1980 and 2000 will make up half of the global workforce.

With such a large voice, millennials’ decisions about where they work, how they work and whom they work for will have lasting consequences for the global economy and for real estate. Employers looking to attract and retain the best and the brightest in the “war for talent” will need to know what motivates millennials and how their needs may differ from those of previous generations.

According to CBRE’s latest research, millennials are placing significant value on sustainability-, and corporate responsibility- related factors in workplace selection. 34% rate environmental credentials as ‘very’ or ‘extremely’ important and 36% of millennials want wellness and rest facilities in their workspace.

36% of millennials want wellness and rest facilities in their workspace

A lack of wellness facilities is potentially of great concern, and is an issue that companies are starting to take seriously. Previous research by CBRE found that 74% of European employers have a wellness program in place. This is an important issue for millennials in the workplace, since their generation is characterized by a relatively strong commitment to health and well-being.

Millennial implications on real estate
To compete for the best and brightest of the rising generation, companies are adapting their location strategies, their workstyle and their workplace design.

• Leadership from the top – The trend toward activity-based working and open-plan, mixed-environment offices is changing the way many of us work. Change management is always crucial when adopting new ways of working, and leadership from the top is needed. The millennial workforce will lead the charge if new office environments are implemented sensitively.
• A blend of work and leisure – While millennials may have ushered in a blur of the boundaries between work and leisure, they don’t want to be “always on,” and expect opportunities for privacy and relaxation in the workplace.
• Wellness matters – Millennials seem to care more about their general health and well-being than other generations, although awareness is rising across all sections of society. As the debate about sitting being “the new smoking” rages on, companies need to emphasise wellness throughout the workplace.
• Location, location, location – While major cities are attractive places to live and work, they are also expensive—which makes it hard for millennials early in their career to manage. Some employers that especially need young talent—particularly in the tech sector—are adapting their location strategies to target concentrations of millennials outside of traditional major cities. With a lower cost of living and more-affordable housing market, these towns and smaller cities also typically offer lower operating costs for companies.

So, what does this all mean?
For landlords? This means investing in real estate assets with green credentials, ensuring that your portfolio is as attractive as possible to current and potential occupiers, ultimately driving up demand for your buildings.

For occupiers? This means selecting your office space with sustainability and wellness in mind, and continually working to respond to and exceed employee expectations – by doing so improve staff retention and attraction.

For CBRE? Not only does this mean providing sound sustainability and wellness advice to bring together both parties, but it is key that we adopt sustainability and wellness principles in our day-to-day way of working.

All signs point to a more sustainability- and corporate responsibility-conscious occupier market. If this trend is to play out, we are likely to see significant change in the real estate industry.

Tweet me:#TheGreenPerspective: Adapting to the Corporate Responsibility-Conscious Occupier http://bit.ly/2gJ4zyW @CBRE #CSR #realestate

KEYWORDS: Business & Trade, Corporate Social Responsibility, Real Estate, CBRE, the green perspective, millenials