FINANCE & INVESTMENT -
Young, sustainable companies have it tough. With all that excitement and idealism in building a new company comes a mountain of obstacles to overcome. But for purpose-driven companies pursuing opportunities that also create impact, that risk/reward ratio may be even higher.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
A digital initiative bringing to life real stories about real people in the Bangladeshi garment industry is proving a game-changer in the country in its first year of launch.
“Made in Equality” is a website and Facebook page illustrating garment workers’ life experiences in their own words. The simple format of an individual’s image, presented alongside their quotes, is proving moving and powerful.
PRESS RELEASE -
Visa (NYSE:V) today marked the launch of the newly-incorporated Visa Foundation, which has been established as part of Visa’s larger social impact strategy that will prioritize the growth of micro and small enterprises around the world, enabling individuals, businesses, and economies to thrive. To mark its inception, the Visa Foundation is making its first financial commitment of up to $20 million to Women’s World Banking.
PRESS RELEASE -
Google.org and Goodwill, the United States’ leading workforce development nonprofit, have announced the launch of the Goodwill Digital Career Accelerator. Funded by a $10 million grant from Google.org and with the assistance of 1,000 Google volunteers, the new Goodwill initiative will enable more than one million people — including people with disabilities and disadvantages, youth, older workers, veterans and military families, and people who are transitioning back into society — to receive digital skills training over the next three years.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
Earthshine, a consultancy and think tank focused on business and economic transformation, and remanufacturing company Norsk Ombruk have released a new business case white paper demonstrating how remanufacturing within a circular economy can deliver a wide range of benefits for society, environment and economy.
WALKING THE TALK -
While faced by a myriad of social and environmental challenges, the fashion and textile industries continue to edge ever-closer to a more sustainable, equitable and circular future thanks to the innovative thinking of industry leaders.
PRESS RELEASE -
Ahead of World Tourism Day, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, along with other leading global hotel groups in the International Tourism Partnership (ITP), reached a consensus on the goals for a sustainable hotel industry.
The ITP today announced these four goals, which are in support of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and focused on carbon, water, youth employment, and human rights.
PRESS RELEASE -
Nestlé has today announced a new ambition for its global youth initiative: Nestlé needs YOUth. By 2030, Nestlé will help 10 million young people around the world have access to economic opportunities.
The global initiative brings together all of the efforts to support young people around the world that Nestlé undertakes on its own and with others, including the Alliance for YOUth.
In addition to employability, the initiative now also focuses on the next generation of farmers and entrepreneurs across Nestlé’s value chain. It also seeks to encourage innovation, including through a challenge on the HENRi@Nestlé open innovation platform.
PRESS RELEASE -
Cybersecurity skills are in high demand, and employers are challenged with finding the right talent to build their expanding workforce needs. At the same time, thousands of veterans are looking to apply their unique skills as they transition to civilian jobs. At Cisco, we see this as an opportunity to build a bridge between a targeted talent pipeline and our ecosystem of employers and partners.
SUPPLY CHAIN -
Four years after the collapse of the Rana Plaza garment factory in which 1,134 people were killed, Fashion Revolution has released its 2017 Fashion Transparency Index, which ranks 100 of the biggest fashion companies on their social and environmental policies, practices and impacts.
BEHAVIOR CHANGE -
Seventy-five million people work directly in the fashion and textiles industry. Many are subject to exploitation; verbal and physical abuse, unsafe working conditions and poor pay. While some progress has been made since the collapse of the Rana Plaza garment factory in 2013, which killed 1,138 people, there is still a lot to be done.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
Earlier this year, the World Bank announced a fundamental shift in its role of alleviating global poverty, by refocusing its financing efforts towards tackling climate change through the lens of SMEs. Last month, the group launched a new Climate Business Innovation Network (CBIN) during COP22 in Marrakech to help commercialize and diffuse clean technologies through developing countries.
SUPPLY CHAIN -
According to a recent survey of 287 sustainability professionals, working conditions are the most important sustainability issue in supply chains. That’s not too surprising; in the short time it’s taken to read this far, 153 people around the world have had a work-related accident.
ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE -
Yesterday, the European Commission (EC) announced it will begin phasing out coal subsidies and reduce carbon emissions by 40 percent by 2030 under a new clean energy package.
STAKEHOLDER TRENDS AND INSIGHTS -
On 21 September, Alliance 8.7 was launched during the UN General Assembly to end forced labour, modern slavery, human trafficking and child labour. The aim is to galvanize political support and strengthen multi-stakeholder action on Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8.7.
Taco Terheijden, Director of Cocoa Sustainability at Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate, reflects on the importance of SDG 8.7 and how the new Child Labour Monitoring and Remediation System within the Cargill Cocoa Promise will strengthen its efforts to tackle child labour and forced labour in the cocoa supply chain.
PRESS RELEASE -
Eastman team members are committed to investing in their communities, no matter where they are. At the Kohtla-Järve (KJ) site, team members have been involved in a number of endeavors that have made an impact in that small Estonian community.
Eastman began observing Earth Day events in 2013 in KJ. Volunteers recently used their time and talent to continue a tree planting project that was started last year.
In a commitment to environmental stewardship, 10 trees were planted last year in front of the administrative building, and another 10 trees were added this year.
PRESS RELEASE -
Finding meaningful work just got a little easier for thousands of Arizona residents when Goodwill of Central Arizona and Valley-based non-profit
Career Connectors announced today they would enter into partnership to help better serve those in career transition in the greater Phoenix area.
Goodwill, with 19 no-cost career centers across the Valley, has been extremely successful at helping local jobseekers find employment. Their career centers are funded through donations and Goodwill retail stores.
PRESS RELEASE -
Bank of America today announced a $40 million commitment to connect 100,000 teens and young adults to the skills and employment experiences needed for 21st-century jobs. Over the next three years, in partnership with nonprofit organizations across the country, the bank will fund summer internships, education and job training, and support diverse talent to help build a pipeline that will strengthen and enhance tomorrow’s workforce.
"Investing in young adults to help provide them the opportunities they need to build their career skills makes a meaningful impact in their lives and the lives of our communities," said Brian Moynihan, chairman and CEO, Bank of America.
PRESS RELEASE -
The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY) issued its latest Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) report – titled “Shared Goodness” – on June 9, showcasing progress made in 2015 against a variety of priority issues. Building on 2014, Hershey made continued progress through a range of efforts supporting the company’s commitment to responsible sourcing, ingredient transparency, simple ingredients and environmental sustainability. Additionally, 2015 marked the launch of Hershey’s Nourishing Minds program, the company’s global shared social purpose. The innovative program provides children in need with the basic nutrition they need to learn and allows Hershey to help address this critical issue with its deep expertise in food production.