Reprinted from Scheller News

SOURCE:Ray C. Anderson Foundation

SUMMARY:

The Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business is creating the next leaders to take on carbon reduction through an innovative co-curricular initiative launched in partnership with the College of Sciences and partially funded by the Ray C. Anderson Foundation.

DESCRIPTION:

Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business is creating the next leaders to take on carbon reduction, thanks to an innovative new co-curricular initiative launched in partnership with the College of Sciences.

Earth and Atmospheric Science Professor Kim Cobb’s successful Carbon Reduction Challenge class will be expanded to enable students participating in an internship or co-op to plan and implement a carbon reduction project with their employers. This new program is a collaboration between Cobb, who also serves as a Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems Fellow, and Scheller College Professor Beril Toktay, faculty director of the Ray C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business. Of the hundreds of Georgia Tech undergraduates that will participate in internships and co-ops this year, about 30 will work to reduce carbon emissions and save money for their employers through this innovative program. The Challenge is funded by a grant from the Ray C. Anderson Foundation’s NextGen Committee and the Scheller College Dean’s Innovation Fund, and is an affiliated project of the Georgia Tech Center for Serve-Learn-Sustain.

Read more.

Tweet me:.@georgiatechbsch is creating next leaders to take on carbon reduction challenge. @GT_ACSB @GeorgiaTechEAS ‏http://b.gatech.edu/2r2oJ8l

Contact Info:

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

Treshea Wade
Georgia Tech, Scheller College of Business
+1 (404) 385-0580
treshea.wade@scheller.gatech.edu

KEYWORDS: Environment, Academia, Georgia Tech, Ray C. Anderson Foundation, Ray C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business, Scheller College of Business, Climate Action Challenge, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Kim Cobb, Beril Toktay

SOURCE:Points of Light

DESCRIPTION:

Cancer patients work hard battling the multiplying malignant cells in their bodies. In the meantime, most also face multiplying bills as medical expenses pile on top of ongoing costs for housing, food, utilities and more.

That’s why Bringing Hope Home, a growing Philadelphia-based organization, raises money to help cancer patients pay everyday bills that loom over their already stressful lives.

But Bringing Hope Home never calls the people they help “patients.”

“You’re not allowed to use the ‘patient’ word in our office,” says Paul Isenberg, founder and CEO of Bringing Hope Home. “They are our ‘families.’ We treat all the people we help as family, because to us they are.”

Paul’s wife, Nicole, died in 2003 of Hodgkin’s lymphoma at age 39. She had battled her cancer for six years, undergoing bone marrow transplants and extensive chemotherapy. Paul and Nicole, who had two young children, experienced an outpouring of support; however, they couldn’t help but notice that others with cancer didn’t always have that.

“We were thankful that we had such an unbelievable support system, from family to neighbors to friends, to friends from church to our employers,” said Paul. The couple often referred to the men and women who helped them as “great guys,” and wondered if they’d be willing to help others, too. In 2001, Paul and Nicole had the idea to host a dinner to raise money to help people who are fighting cancer.

Paul called his friend Tim Sherry, for help organizing the event – and the Great Guys Dinner was born.

Read the full story on the Points of Light blog.

Tweet me:.@BHHNation helps families fighting cancer cover everyday expenses during treatment: http://bit.ly/2rVcHBW #DailyPointofLight

KEYWORDS: Social Impact & Volunteering, Awards, Ratings & Rankings, Points of Light, Daily Point of Light Award, Bringing Hope Home

SOURCE:Sea Change Radio

DESCRIPTION:

Many sports fans are familiar with this dilemma: do I want my team to put everything on the line to win now or would I prefer that my team take its time and try to methodically build a long term successful franchise? This is very similar to the quandary that investors, stakeholders and management at some of the world’s most powerful companies find themselves facing. This week on Sea Change Radio, we speak to John Wilson, the head of Corporate Governance for Cornerstone Capital. Wilson and host Alex Wise discuss how managers balance trying to please dividend-hungry shareholders with keeping an eye on the future, how automation will affect the global economy, and how all of this is ultimately an issue of sustainability.

Tweet me:This wk on @SeaChangeRadio - John Wilson: Finance of the Future http://www.cchange.net/2017/06/06/johnw/ #SRI #Sustainability #Investing

KEYWORDS: Environment, Responsible Business & Employee Engagement, sea change radio, John Wilson, corporate governance

SOURCE:Sanofi

DESCRIPTION:

Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi, once again served as a lead sponsor for the TecBridge Business Plan Competition – a regional competition, located in Northeast Pennsylvania, designed to stimulate innovative thinking to leverage a technology-driven economy while retaining area talent.

Students from the area’s fourteen colleges and universities, along with young people representing non-collegiate teams, competed for $100,000 in cash and in-kind business services to launch their tech-based companies. Pennsylvania is the only comprehensive U.S. location for Sanofi Pasteur Inc. housing commercial operations, research & development and industrial affairs activities.

Ellyn Schindler, Sanofi Pasteur director, North America Corporate Social Responsibility and Community Engagement; CSR Communications, presented the award to Collegiate Winner Fader Plugs LLC from East Stroudsburg University. During the presentation, Schindler said, “As a supporter of the TecBridge Business Plan competition since its inception, Sanofi Pasteur and VaxServe are proud to support a program that fosters the spirit of innovation in talented young entrepreneurs and encourages them to become entrepreneurs and begin their own technology-based businesses right here in the Northeast Pennsylvania region.”

Globally Sanofi is committed to corporate social responsibility, which includes a focus on supporting colleges and universities and driving entrepreneurship for future generations.

In addition to sponsoring the program, The TecBridge Smit-Webster Award, given to the “Best in Class” program supporting the Collegiate Winner Institution of Higher Education, is named in part for former VaxServe and Sanofi Pasteur General Manager Jaco Smit.

Ellyn, along with TecBridge Executive Director Don Webster, reflected on the event during a 30-minute radio interview. To listen to the interview click here: http://www.tecbridgepa.org/radio/episode-18-ellyn-schindler-sanofi-pasteur/ 

Tweet me:Sanofi Pasteur Sponsors 15th TecBridge Business Plan Competition http://bit.ly/2sQDc8M

KEYWORDS: Education, Awards, Ratings & Rankings, Sanofi, Sanofi Pasteur, TecBridge, Northeast Pennsylvania, Fader Plugs, csr, Corporate Social Responsibility, PA, East Stroudsburg University, business plan competition

American Airlines, BNSF, Cinemark, and Dr. Pepper Snapple Group joined Alliance Data and Texas Trees Foundation to study the impacts of Dallas' raising temperatures on the city's infrastructure, economy, and citizens' health

SOURCE:Alliance Data

DESCRIPTION:

Five major Dallas corporations, Alliance Data, American Airlines, BNSF Railways, Dr. Pepper Snapple Group and Cinemark came together today at the Sustainability Leadership Forum to learn about the impact that Dallas' urban heat island is having on our city. 

Alliance Data, and Texas Trees Foundation, in conjunction with American Forests, the oldest national conservation organization in the United States, teamed up to implement the urban heat island study in Dallas County, which identifies where the region is experiencing high urban heat island temperatures and the associated effect on air quality, and where greater tree canopy coverage could mitigate the issue. The study also uncovered that Dallas is the second largest city in the country that is warming the fastest, which means hotter nights and even hotter days. Within the urban heat islands, the hottest areas in the city, average 101 for more than five months out of the year. The study is serving as a catalyst for developing a strategy to promote tree canopy policies and long-term funding support with local government, civic and non-profit organizations. 

A more detailed breakdown of the study's results can be viewed in this presentation by Dr. Brian Stone, Georgia Institute of Technology, who helped make the study and it's data a reality. The full report will be available this summer.  

Tweet me:DFW corps study Dallas' Urban Heat Island impact at #sustainability #leadership forum http://bit.ly/2sTSoCd @AllianceData

KEYWORDS: Environment, urban heat island, Air Quality, texas trees foundation, American Forests, Alliance Data, American Airlines, BNSF Railways, dallas, Texas, Georgia Institute of Technology, Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, CINEMARK

Key to provide $16.3 million to Christopher Community Inc., for the construction of Harborbrook Apartments, a mixed-income development in Geddes, NY

SOURCE:KeyBank

DESCRIPTION:

CLEVELAND, June 7, 2017 /3BL Media/ — KeyBank’s Community Development Lending & Investment (CDLI) team will provide a total of $16.3 million in financing to Christopher Community, Inc. for the construction of Harborbrook Apartments, a mixed-income senior housing development near Syracuse, in Geddes, NY. Christopher Community, Inc., a nonprofit specializing in the development and management of senior housing facilities, will receive a $7.3 million construction loan and up to $9 million in LIHTC equity from KeyBank.

Harborbrook Apartments will feature 60 units for seniors 55 and older making 30%, 50% or 70% AMI; 20 units will be set aside for individuals with disabilities and three units will be set aside for individuals with hearing or visual impairments.

“KeyBank is dedicated to helping clients and communities thrive by helping make safe, decent and affordable housing options available across the country,” said Rob Likes, national manager of KeyBank’s CDLI team. “As we face a shortage of affordable seniors housing, we are proud to support Christopher Community, Inc. in their mission to allow our senior neighbors to age in place.”

Residents at the Harborbrook Apartments will benefit from Christopher Community, Inc.’s partnership with the Centers at St. Camillus, one of the largest senior rehabilitation centers in Central New York. The Centers at St. Camillus earned an Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative contract, and will provide rental assistance and subsidize supportive services to seniors making 30% AMI, who come to reside at the Harborbrook Apartments.

“Our mission at Christopher Community, Inc. is to build housing that preserves dignity and fosters independence among seniors and families in our communities,” said Kelly Besaw, vice president of Property Development at Christopher Community, Inc. “We appreciate the opportunity to partner with KeyBank’s CDLI team on our latest effort to create safe and affordable housing for seniors in and around Syracuse, NY.”

The NYS Supportive Housing Initiatives Program, the NYS Middle Income Housing Program and the NYS Energy Research and Development Program also provided funding for the project.

“We are committed to finding the right financial solution that will help partners like Christopher Community, Inc. develop affordable housing that makes a real difference in communities across the country,” added Lynne Callis-Wilson, senior relationship manager on KeyBank’s CDLI team who arranged the financing, along with Ryan Olman, who also serves as a senior relationship manager at KeyBank.

About Key Community Development Lending and Investment
KeyBank Community Development Lending and Investment (CDLI) helps fulfill Key’s purpose to help clients and communities thrive by financing projects that stabilize and revitalize communities. Experts in complex tax credit lending and investing, Key is one of a handful of affordable housing lenders in the country with a platform that brings together balance sheet, equity, and permanent loan offerings. CDLI has a substantial investment and loan portfolio worth more than $2 billion, 90% of which is Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) projects. For its ability to lend to, invest in, and serve its communities –especially low-to-moderate income communities – KeyBank has earned eight consecutive “Outstanding” ratings on the Community Reinvestment Act exam, from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

About KeyCorp
KeyCorp's roots trace back 190 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation's largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $134.5 billion at March 31, 2017. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, insurance, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of more than 1,200 branches and more than 1,500 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank is Member FDIC.

About Christopher Community, Inc.
Since 1971, Christopher Community has dedicated itself to meeting the housing needs of low- and moderate-income individuals and families, many of whom are elderly or have disabilities.  Christopher Community has developed a variety of safe and affordable housing alternatives from single family to multi-unit buildings across upstate New York. We currently manage nearly 3,000 units in over 104 buildings.  In addition, Christopher Community administers the county-wide Section 8 rental assistance program serving over 1900 households.

Tweet me:KeyBank to provide $16.3MM for the construction of #affordablehousing for #seniors with disabilities in Geddes #NY http://bit.ly/2sU2RNV

KEYWORDS: Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment, keybank, SENIORS WITH DISABILITIES, SYRACUSE NY, Community Development Lending & Investment (CDLI), Christopher Community Inc., KeyCorp, Harborbrook Apartments, mixed-income HOUSING

Award recognizes Sodexo for its commitment to serving veterans through both hiring practices and community involvement

SOURCE:Sodexo, Inc.

DESCRIPTION:

GAITHERSBURG, Md., June 7, 2017 /3BL Media/ -- Sodexo, world leader in providing Quality of Life services, and its operations throughout North Carolina have been recognized by American Veterans, Inc. (AMVETS) for its work providing employment opportunities for veterans through the annual AMVETS Veteran Friendly Employer of the Year Award.

The AMVETS Veteran Friendly Employer of the Year Awards program recognizes employers from the private sector and local, state and federal government who have made great strides by providing employment to our veterans. The awards recognize organizations based on their commitment to serving veterans through both their hiring practices and community involvement.

“As a company with a deep commitment and a long term relationship to the armed services, Sodexo is in a position to use our considerable expertise and resources to improve the quality of life for solders from all branches of the military, as they start a career outside of the military upon completion of their service,” said Deborah Roberts, CEO government, Sodexo North America. “Sodexo is honored to hire, mentor and train veterans, while offering information sharing and community involvement initiatives that harness the enormous potential and experience of our retired military population.”

Sodexo’s commitment to North Carolina veterans is evident in the number of veterans it hires and the support provided to veterans. In calendar year 2016, the measurement period for the award, Sodexo hired 68 veterans for new positions in operations throughout North Carolina, which accounts for 62% of all new hires in that state. These new hires included 22 women veterans and 26 disabled veterans.

“As part of our commitment to provide employment opportunities for veterans, Sodexo has developed a great relationship with the NCWorks Career Center and the Onslow County Veterans Unit,” said Lori Ready-DiGiovanni, Senior Human Resource, Sodexo. “We have worked hard together to meet each other’s needs. When Sodexo has an opening, the Veterans’ Unit, staff and partners within the Career Center send the best qualified applicants and we do our utmost to hire as many as possible.”

In addition to new hires, Sodexo supports veterans in numerous ways. We assist veterans succeed in its workforce and beyond.  Sodexo actively raises funds and awareness for veterans, provides veterans with employment opportunities, and trains veterans to be better prepared for their futures. One of its more recent efforts included a partnership with Volunteers of America, where Sodexo launched a collection of resources specifically designed to support veterans who may be transitioning to the civilian workforce or seeking to enhance their active duty career opportunities.

Training is a vital aspect of veterans having a smooth transition to civilian life, and one way that Sodexo facilitates this is through the “Well Seasoned Culinary Training program.” Well Seasoned provides training for senior level enlisted Marines who are getting ready to transition out of the Marine Corps. This three-day training session Sodexo executive chefs, culinary professionals and other subject matter experts work closely with Marine cooks to help them enhance their skills for a food-focused job in a civilian setting.

Sodexo employees who are veterans and join the company's Employee Business Resource Group, HONOR, gain support, guidance and resources for the employees and families connected to the military. HONOR accomplishes this by offering development opportunities, providing a forum to recognize and celebrate contributions made to our country, and establishing partnerships with community groups that support veterans, active duty, National Guard and military reserve.

The statewide AMVETS Employer of the Year Award was presented to Sodexo at the North Carolina AMVETS Convention on Saturday, June 3. As one of three employers throughout North Carolina recognized with this award in 2017, Sodexo is now eligible for the AMVETS national Employer of the Year Awards, which will be presented at the AMVETS National Commander’s Banquet during the AMVETS National Convention in August.

With more than 40 years of experience working municipal, state, federal and military clients, Sodexo’s Government segment and its nearly 3,000 employees, improve the Quality of Life for the people it serves at 150 military and U.S. Federal Government locations in 26 states. Headquartered in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, Sodexo provides a variety of integrated food and facilities management solutions and is the nation’s largest federal foodservice contractor – serving 45.6 million meals annually with a focus on wellness and nutrition.

Sodexo delivers more than 100 services across North America that enhance organizational performance, contribute to local communities and improve quality of life. The Fortune Global 500 company is a leader in delivering sustainable, integrated facilities management and foodservice operations.

Learn more about Sodexo at its corporate blog, Sodexo Insights.

Tweet me:#Sodexo operations in North Carolina recognized by @AmvetsNC for commitment to serving #veterans http://bit.ly/2rWdJxC

Contact Info:

Samuel Wells
Sodexo, Inc.
+1 (301) 987-4893
Samuel.Wells@sodexo.com

KEYWORDS: Awards, Ratings & Rankings, Events, Media & Communications, Sodexo, AMVETS, Veterans, hiring

SOURCE:Bloomberg

DESCRIPTION:

Originally posted on www.bloomberg.org. 

As the World Health Organization and people around the globe celebrate World No Tobacco Day, we invite you to join us for part two of our series on tobacco control. Over the last ten years the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use has successfully supported 59 countries in passing laws or policies, reaching nearly 3.5 billion people and saving an estimated 30 million lives.

Through the support of a few of our long term partners like Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids and The International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, also referred to as The Union, Bloomberg Philanthropies is working globally to promote evidence based policies like creating smoke-free public spaces, banning advertising of tobacco products, and raising the price of tobacco through taxation – to reduce tobacco use in low and middle income countries.

In this episode we’ll go in depth on the ways how countries are passing critical laws to protect the public and taking action to implement policies.

To read the full story and access the podcast, click here. 

Tweet me:Follow the Data Podcast Episode 10: The role of countries in the global tobacco crisis @bloombergdotorg http://bit.ly/2sP6DrE

KEYWORDS: Health & Healthcare, Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives, mikebloomberg, philanthropy, bloombergphilanthropies, bloombergdotorg, Bloomberg, smoking, smokingcessation, Podcast, followthedata, worldnotobaccoday

Players Trust launches 2017 Buses for Baseball program with trip to Dodgers Stadium

SOURCE:Major League Baseball Players Trust

DESCRIPTION:

About 50 young people fighting serious illnesses enjoyed a game at historic Dodger Stadium on Monday night as the personal guests of the Players, when the Major League Baseball Players Trust’s Buses for Baseball program kicked off its 2017 campaign.

Los Angeles Dodgers players Chris Hatcher, Enrique Hernandez, Kenley Jansen, Chris Taylor and former Dodgers great and current broadcaster Orel Hershiser broke away from  their pregame routines to spend time with the kids from Tia’s Hope, a charity that provides “memory moments” for children and their families who are forced to spend time in the hospital. The players offered encouragement, signed autographs and posed for pictures before the kids and their chaperones settled in to watch the game as the personal guests of the players.

Tia Palermo, for whom the charity is named, battled non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma for 11 years before passing away in 2012 and spent many days and hours at City of Hope National Medical Center in Duarte, Calif. She was particularly interested in ensuring that kids at the hospital had special experiences to cherish, so Tia’s Hope was created by her family to carry on that work in her memory.

2017 marks the 18th season the Players Trust will be providing unforgettable ballpark memories to hundreds of children in ten Major League cities. Through the Buses for Baseball program, players host groups of underserved kids at ballparks, treating them to a bus ride to the stadium, a pre-game meet-and-greet with players, food, beverages, souvenirs and, of course, a ballgame.

To learn more, please visit PlayersTrust.org.

Tweet me:.@MLBPlayersTrust launches 2017 #BusesForBaseball program by taking kids from @TiasHopeMoments to @Dodgers Stadium http://bit.ly/2s4mI0f

KEYWORDS: Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives, Events, Media & Communications, Major League Baseball Players Trust, Players Trust, los angeles dodgers, Buses for Baseball, Kenley Jansen, Tia's Hope

SOURCE:Eastman Chemical Company

DESCRIPTION:

Tweet me:.@eastmanchemco and Eastman Foundation understand that ocean science matters. #WorldOceansDay http://bit.ly/2rW0Zqq

KEYWORDS: Environment, ocean, Ocean Science, WHOI, Eastman, NOSB

Grant Funding Supports Center and Company’s Mission of Environmental Stewardship

SOURCE:Consumers Energy

DESCRIPTION:

Consumers Energy employees are taking part in volunteer efforts this spring to support environmental stewardship and sustainability throughout Michigan. Lansing’s Fenner Nature Center is one of the beneficiaries, thanks to employee Scott McPhail.

McPhail, an engineer with Consumers Energy in Jackson, has been an active volunteer at the Fenner Nature Center for more than two years and also serves on the organization’s board of directors.

He recently received a Volunteer Investment Program grant from the Consumers Energy Foundation recognizing 65 hours he devoted to the nature center. The $450 grant was used to support the overall mission of conservation, education and stewardship of the center and the many programs offered to the community. McPhail also recruited coworkers to volunteer at Fenner’s Earth Day Extravaganza on April 22.

McPhail said he finds the volunteer work very fulfilling. “I find it gratifying to know that people of all ages and backgrounds have a safe place to learn and explore nature, especially in an urban area,” he said.

The Fenner Nature Center encompasses 134 acres in Lansing. The property includes over four miles of trails, including two handicap-accessible paved trail loops. The visitor center has a collection of live native reptiles and amphibians, large picture windows for viewing birds, deer and other wildlife as well as a hands-on children’s exhibit.

“We appreciate the volunteer and financial support of Scott McPhail and Consumers Energy as we continue our 50-year mission of environmental education and recreation for the citizens of greater Lansing,” Liz Roxberry, executive director.

Carolyn Bloodworth, secretary/treasurer of Consumers Energy Foundation, noted that supporting the environment in the communities the company serves is a key focus. “Our employees take great pride in giving back to communities by volunteering for nonprofit organizations supporting many causes. From beautifying lakeshores, parks and nature centers, helping support food banks and walking to raise funds for customers in financial need, these are just some examples of the hundreds of ways employees are giving back,” Bloodworth added.

The Consumers Energy Foundation supports employee and retiree volunteer efforts by awarding Volunteer Investment Program (VIP) grants on their behalf. Those that volunteer 45 or more hours in a 12-month period for a nonprofit organization can receive a grant to benefit their organization.

The Consumers Energy Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Consumers Energy, giving Michigan cities, towns and neighborhoods the extra support needed to build communities that we’re proud to call home. The foundation provides grants and mobilizes volunteers to strengthen local education, social services, the environment, community, economic and cultural development.

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

LEARN MORE about Consumers Energy’s efforts to preserve and enhance Michigan’s environment.

Media Contacts 
Terry DeDoes
517-374-2159
Katie Carey
517-788-2395

For more information about Consumers Energy, go to www.ConsumersEnergy.com

Facebook | Twitter | YouTube

Tweet me:Grant funding supports @FennerNature Center & @ConsumersEnergy mission of environmental #stewardship http://bit.ly/2rZzOvb

KEYWORDS: Environment, Energy, Consumers Energy

GM's environmental manager shares her role in GM’s sustainability journey

SOURCE:General Motors

DESCRIPTION:

For Bridget Burnell, GM’s manager of environmental sustainability initiatives, sustainability is more than just her job – it’s personal.

She spent much of her childhood on her grandfather’s 60-acre tree farm, going for walks around the property as her “Grandad” called out to birds and pointed out animal tracks. He passed down a love and respect for the environment that Burnell channels in her job today.

Burnell leads the teams pursuing GM’s renewable energy, waste reduction, water conservation, habitat preservation and other environmental commitments.

She uses her education in environmental science and policy, and background in manufacturing and sustainability leadership, to align the priorities of each team toward a common purpose that drives business value at GM.

“There is a global conscientiousness that is growing and younger generations are making it clear that ‘business as usual’ is unacceptable,” said Burnell. “I see creativity and innovation driving the future of sustainability.” 

Early in her career at GM, a centralized environmental organization was formed to leverage the expertise across the company to achieve environmental goals. After an internship at a GM foundry, Burnell started full-time at GM in a relatively new environmental group, giving her the opportunity to learn, educate others and create positive change.

“The vision and leadership of this team, along with the excitement of being part of GM’s environmental movement, has empowered me to drive change throughout the company,” she said. “There is a culture shift occurring in our company. Our CEO Mary Barra recognizes the business value and societal needs in pursuing sustainable business practices. For GM to thrive, our communities must thrive.”

Employees from across GM are developing ideas to support the company’s sustainability mission and new talent is joining GM because they want to work for a company that is doing good. Getting everyone involved drives the future of sustainability.

“I encourage all our team members to keep an open mind and consider things not always as they are, but as they could be,” she said. “Creativity and collaboration are key to drive this culture change, which will deliver value back to our customers.”

“We can leverage the scale of our company to make a real difference in the environment,” she said. “I want our great-grandchildren to one day be able to walk safely through the woods with their grandparents breathing fresh, clean air; peering into a clean river to see fish and frogs thriving; listening to the wind in the trees; and calling to the birds.”  

Tweet me:.@GM focuses on #culture, #collaboration and #creativity to drive corporate #sustainability http://bit.ly/2sjSgz0

KEYWORDS: Responsible Business & Employee Engagement, Environment, General Motors, GM, Corporate Sustainability, environmental sustainability initiatives, Waste Reduction, Water Conservation, habitat preservation

SOURCE:Timberland

DESCRIPTION:

In spring 2017, global outdoor lifestyle brand Timberland released a new collection in partnership with Thread, a Certified B Corporation that crafts fabric from plastic bottles littering the streets and landfills of Haiti. The Timberland X Thread collection of boots, bags and t-shirts goes beyond environmental sustainability, creating cleaner neighborhoods and meaningful new job opportunities. The collection recently received three distinct honors – from the Environmental Leader Product & Project Awards, The Stevie American Business Awards and Apparel Magazine Top Innovators Awards – for demonstrating innovation, responsible sourcing and social impact. The partnership builds upon Timberland’s longstanding commitment to be Earthkeepers – to make products responsibly, protect and preserve the outdoors, and support communities around the globe where its employees and consumers live, work and explore.  

• On June 6, Timberland’s partnership with Thread was honored as a “Project of the Year” at the 2017 Environmental Leader Product & Project Awards. The award recognizes excellence in products, services and projects that provide companies with environmental, sustainability and energy management benefits. Timberland’s purchase of 76,528 yards of Thread’s Ground to Good^TM fabric for the spring 2017 collection resulted in 765,280 plastic bottles recycled, and 30,521,203 gallons of water and 15,305 pounds of pesticide saved.
• For the social impact of the collaboration, the brand received the “Gold” Stevie Award for Innovation of the Year in the Consumer Products category of the 15th Annual American Business Awards. More than simply recycling plastic bottles, the Timberland X Thread collection focuses on responsibility, transparency and creating social value. In Haiti, more than 1,300 local residents collect the plastic bottles that are developed into Thread fabric, creating much-needed income opportunities in the developing world. Through the partnership, 77 new income opportunities were created in Haiti, $2,295 in revenue was generated for Haitian bottle collectors and collection centers, and $14,540 was generated for Haitian recyclers.
• Timberland was also recognized at the 2017 Apparel Magazine Top Innovators Awards, which are given to apparel retailers, brands and manufacturers that have demonstrated innovation at any point along the apparel supply chain. Each yard of Ground to Good^TM fabric is traced and tracked at every step of its journey, from bottle collection to fabric creation and to the delivery of the fabric bolt to the manufacturer, providing an unparalleled level of supply chain transparency. This transparency allows Timberland consumers to learn about the people, the vibrant stories and the impact metrics behind every Timberland X Thread product they purchase.

“The Timberland and Thread teams, including our employees, trusted partners and communities we aim to serve, are excited to receive this level of recognition for our partnership,” said Margaret Morey-Reuner, director of strategic partnerships and business development at Timberland. “We’ve successfully demonstrated that style and sustainability can be achieved without sacrifice. It’s our sincere hope that other companies are inspired enough by the holistic commercial success of this collaboration to consider partnering with material suppliers, like Thread, that are able to generate marked social and environmental impacts through the creation of dignified employment opportunities and first-mile transparency in the supply chain in developing countries.”

To learn more about how Timberland is making a difference in terms of its products, the outdoors and the communities it serves, visit: https://www.timberland.com/responsibility.html. 

Tweet me:.@Timberland recognized for innovative partnership with Thread, combining sustainability and social impact http://bit.ly/2s0nSsW

KEYWORDS: Awards, Ratings & Rankings, Environment, Timberland, Thread, Timberland X Thread

By Jenni Bergal

SOURCE:Ray C. Anderson Foundation

SUMMARY:

The long-term goal of The Ray is to build the world’s first sustainable road, a highway that could create its own clean, renewable energy and generate income by selling power to utility companies, while producing no stormwater runoff or other pollution and eliminating traffic deaths.

DESCRIPTION:

Just past the Alabama border, in a bit of rural Georgia filled with manufacturing plants and distribution warehouses, there’s an 18-mile stretch of Interstate 85 where new technologies are being tested for what could be a green highway of the future.

The long-term goal is to build the world’s first sustainable road, a highway that could create its own clean, renewable energy and generate income by selling power to utility companies, while producing no stormwater runoff or other pollution and eliminating traffic deaths.

The project, called The Ray, is an unusual collaboration between state agencies, private companies, and a family foundation that is paying for it. For now, much of the action is centered around the West Point visitors center at exit 2, where there’s the first drivable solar road surface available to the public in North America and, out back, a drive-thru automated tire safety station.

Continue reading on PEW Charitable Trusts | Stateline >>>

Tweet me:.@TheRayHighway is a collaboration between state agencies, private companies, and a private family foundation http://bit.ly/2sjvO9v

Contact Info:

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

Anna Cullen
The Ray
+1 (404) 405-2685
anna@theray.org

KEYWORDS: Green Infrastructure, Renewable Energy, Ray C. Anderson Foundation, The Ray, sustainable highway

SOURCE:Amgen Foundation

DESCRIPTION:

The Tampa INBU sales team volunteered in the Metropolitan Ministries thrift shop. They unpacked and organized donations to help the homeless and those at risk of being homeless. 

Amgen recognizes the importance of giving back to our local communities. Each year, thousands of Amgen staff generously devote their personal time, energy, talents and funds to a variety of charitable organizations across the globe. Amgen encourages staff to become involved in their local communities through Amgen Impact Day, which offers staff members a paid day off to volunteer, as well as the Amgen Foundation’s staff involvement programs: Amgen Volunteers and Matching Gifts. For more information, please visit the Amgen website.

Tweet me:This Amgen Tampa team volunteered in the Metropolitan Ministries thrift shop. Learn more: http://bit.ly/2sXFMtK

KEYWORDS: Social Impact & Volunteering, Amgen, Amgen Foundation, Volunteers, Tampa, Florida, giving back

SOURCE:Bloomberg

DESCRIPTION:

Originally posted on www.nytimes.com.

Representatives of American cities, states and companies are preparing to submit a plan to the United Nations pledging to meet the United States’ greenhouse gas emissions targets under the Paris climate accord, despite President Trump’s decision to withdraw from the agreement.

The unnamed group — which, so far, includes 30 mayors, three governors, more than 80 university presidents and more than 100 businesses — is negotiating with the United Nations to have its submission accepted alongside contributions to the Paris climate deal by other nations.

“We’re going to do everything America would have done if it had stayed committed,” Michael Bloomberg, the former New York City mayor who is coordinating the effort, said in an interview.

To read the full story, click here. 

Tweet me:Bucking Trump, These Cities, States and Companies Commit to Paris Accord @mikebloomberg #parisagreement http://bit.ly/2rUVPeH

KEYWORDS: Environment, Energy, mikebloomberg, philanthropy, bloombergphilanthropies, bloombergdotorg, Bloomberg, trump, parisaccord, climatechange

Launched on World Environment Day, the new fleet will include six vans that are more environmentally friendly and take up less curb space

SOURCE:Blue Cross Blue Shield

DESCRIPTION:

Tweet me:.@empirebcbs rolls out new fleet of vans, reducing #carbonfootprint in NYC http://bit.ly/2s0mnuZ #WorldEnvironmentDay

KEYWORDS: Environment, Green Infrastructure, blue cross blue shield, carbon footprint, New York City, sustainability

SOURCE:TransCanada

DESCRIPTION:

BIG RAPIDS, Mich., June 8, 2017 /3BL Media/ – An iconic insect on the decline could see its numbers take off along its North American flight path when a 4,000-acre tract of land near Big Rapids becomes an innovative breeding ground.

Monarch butterflies have been making headline news since 2014 when their Mexico hibernation numbers plunged to record lows—down by 90 per cent from 1996. One of the primary causes of this decline is the loss of habitat, including milkweed, the monarch caterpillar’s only source of sustenance, which is disappearing throughout the butterfly’s migratory flyway from southern Mexico to eastern Canada.

In an effort to help restore dwindling monarch butterfly populations, the Save Our Monarchs Foundation (SOM) has partnered with TransCanada to utilize approximately 4,000 acres of land surrounding TransCanada’s Woolfolk Gas Plant as pollinator habitat.

“TransCanada’s support of our mission has been invaluable. This large-scale habitat restoration project will help make a significant impact on recovering monarch populations. I would like to see projects like this become the new industry standard,” says Randall Gilbert, Program Director at SOM, on the three-year partnership with TransCanada.

On Thursday, June 8, several groups of volunteers from SOM, TransCanada, Pheasants Forever, the Muskegon River Watershed Assembly and Ferris State University will be working together to plant thousands of pollinator plants throughout the property surrounding TransCanada’s Woolfolk Gas Plant, including 40 native wildflower and grass species.

Monarchs and other pollinators are critical for the production of one third of our food, and for the reproduction of 90 per cent of all flowering plants.
“Although their ecosystem is nearly invisible to us, we depend on these important pollinators who are always working behind the scenes for our well-being,” said Mr. Gilbert.

SOM’s Corridors for Pollinators program is committed to increasing habitats for monarchs and other pollinators and engages with utility companies that have rights-of-way (ROW) across North America to manage their properties as habitat through integrated vegetation management and the reintroduction of native pollinator plant species.

“Our existing TransCanada assets align remarkably well with the monarch migratory route. Through our environmental partnership with SOM we have an opportunity to play a larger role in directly supporting pollinator health over the long term,” said Brad Stermer, Environmental Specialist, Operations and Engineering for TransCanada.

TransCanada’s Pollinator Pathway Initiative is a three-year commitment to help pollinators by providing three pilot sites totaling 11,000 acres for enhancing habitat along TransCanada’s properties and ROW corridors. This initiative is the largest monarch habitat restoration project of its kind on privately-owned lands in the U.S.

“As a leading North American energy infrastructure company, we have an important role to play in contributing to the health and vitality of the communities where we live and work. Our Pollinator Pathway project is one way we can make a positive difference in our communities,” said Rich Connor, Director for TransCanada’s Great Lakes Region.

Over the next few months, local biology students from Ferris State University will monitor the site and record their observations on plant and pollinator species. SOM will then share this information and results with other utility companies, conservation organizations and the public with the goal of inspiring similar restoration efforts.

Additional restoration steps and volunteer activities are scheduled for the fall.

Media Enquiries:
Save Our Monarchs Foundation
Randall Gilbert
531.739.8367

Tweet me:TransCanada announces three-year partnership with @SaveOurMonarchs #EnvironmentWeek http://bit.ly/2sZamD8

KEYWORDS: Environment, Wildlife Conservation, TransCanada, Save Our Monarchs, monarch butterflies, Minnesota, Pollinator habitats

Creation of new impact investment program, managed by CA Capital Management, will accelerate the organization's funding of research, exploration and education, inspiring solutions for the global good

SOURCE:21st Century Fox

DESCRIPTION:

Tweet me:.@NatGeo Society commits $50M of endowment to #impact investments: http://bit.ly/2s0bBVt @21CF_Impact @JoinCambridge

KEYWORDS: Environment, Education, 21st century fox, National Geographic, cambridge associates, Donation, endowment, Science, exploration, Research, storytelling, nonprofit

SOURCE:Newmont Mining Corporation

DESCRIPTION:

Newmont is a member of Business for Social Responsibility (BSR), a global non-profit organization that works with a network of more than 250 member companies and other partners to build a just and sustainable world.

Recently, members of our team, including Beatrice Opoku-Asare, Director, Global Inclusion and Diversity, Adiki Ayitevie, Newmont Ghana’s Senior Director, Communication and External Relations, and Boakyewaa Glover, Regional HR Manager, Organizational Effectiveness, participated in a BSR webinar titled Business Action for Women’s Economic Empowerment in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Alison J. Taylor, BSR’s Director, Advisory Services, kicked off the webinar with a brief introduction to the organization’s research into the state of women’s empowerment in sub-Saharan Africa. Alison and her team found evidence that companies can generate additional business value from inclusive economic growth and gender equality. While the report gives recommendations for ways that the private sector can contribute to women’s economic empowerment, Alison highlighted that real progress requires implementation: “It’s easy to say what companies should be doing, but what does this look like when you’re inside a company trying to make this happen?”

To provide insight on the work happening inside our company, Beatrice shared Newmont’s global inclusion and diversity strategy and spoke about the priorities inside each of its key pillars: workplace, workforce and community. “Our focus to enhance understanding of our inclusion value company-wide is supported through formal structures, such as Business Resource Groups, while our work to build a workforce that better reflects the diversity of society is supported through leadership training and advocacy. We want to make sure we are tapping into the different skill set that every individual brings to the organization, and are working to make sure that when people hear about Newmont, they see it as a company where they can thrive and where they can be themselves.”

Boakyewaa and Adiki joined in the conversation to share Newmont Ghana’s region-specific efforts as they relate to the BSR business action framework, one of which includes the formation of the Ahafo Women’s Consultative Committee (WCC) to enhance women’s participation in community decision making. Boakyewaa added, “Building inclusion and diversity does not happen by accident. It must be deliberate and proactive. Our formal strategy in the region is set in three-year blocks so we can be concise and concrete about what we want to achieve.”

Newmont’s focus on inclusion is critical to engaging the whole organization – not just female employees. As Beatrice explained, “We want to make sure that we get to a point where inclusion does not become a stand-alone item, but is really integrated into all of the work we are doing from a supply chain perspective, from a safety perspective, and just woven into the organization as a whole.”

Read more about BSR’s recommendations for business action on their website, and to find out more about Newmont’s global inclusion and diversity strategy, visit our 2016 report, Beyond the Mine.

Tweet me:As a member of Business For #SocialResponsibility @Newmont works to build a more just and #sustainable world http://bit.ly/2s0Y4Nr

KEYWORDS: Diversity & Inclusion, Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives, Women's Empowerment, Business for Social Responsibility, Newmont Mining