WASTE NOT -
It was 2014 and social entrepreneur Samir Lakhani was working on sustainable aquaculture projects in the villages of Northern Cambodia. Watching a mother wash and bathe her new baby using laundry powder rather than soap is a vision that has stayed with him to this day.
It was also the inspiration for his next business venture.
“I noticed that nobody seemed in good overall health — whether it was an infection that wouldn’t go away or a child with diarrhea,” he told Sustainable Brands in a recent interview.
PRESS RELEASE -
Now in its second year, the 2018 Africa Innovation Challenge is open to innovators and entrepreneurs from Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria & Ghana among other African countries.
The challenge focuses on identifying scalable and sustainable solutions to six major health and environmental problems for Africa’s population.
Winning Africa-based innovators and startups are eligible for mentorship and US$50,000 in financial support and resources to help bring their ideas to market
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT -
We recently spoke with Mike Pepperman, corporate social responsibility and community relations manager at LG Electronics, about why he’s so inspired by LGE’s work supporting sustainable happiness for youth.
Keep reading to understand the impact of this work and how it also supports LGE’s business value. Does your work relate to the science of happiness? If so, get in touch with Mike to drive even greater impact.
BEHAVIOR CHANGE -
For the fourth year in a row, this Black Friday, REI will close all 153 stores, process no online payments and pay more than 12,000 employees to #OptOutside with friends and family.
NEW METRICS -
At its core, the #NewMetrics series of events has always been about quantifying previously ignored risks, costs and revenue potential associated with sustainability impacts. Over the years, we have explored important new metrics related to the whole range of vital capitals — natural, human, social, relationship, intellectual and financial — with the same end goal of helping businesses understand the full picture of their presence in the world, so they can then improve it in informed, holistic ways.
PRESS RELEASE -
After a successful inaugural fundraiser in 2017, the 26 New York-area Chick-fil-A® Restaurants in New York City, Southern Connecticut, Long Island, Northern New Jersey and Jersey Shore will host a second annual Lemonade Fundraiser on Friday, Sept. 14 in support of Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. Last year, this initiative raised more than $28,000, an amount that the company is hopeful to exceed in 2018 with the help of local communities. Once again, the restaurants will donate 100 percent of regular lemonade sales during the event to the nonprofit, a national foundation dedicated to raising funds and awareness for childhood cancer.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
Materialism is making us miserable. That’s the unavoidable conclusion from decades of research into the links between consumption and wellbeing. Buying stuff just doesn’t make life feel any better. Advertising paints a picture of what we don’t have and fuels frustration and insecurity. What does this mean for businesses that aspire to grow? How can brands improve their impacts on the world whilst also selling us more?
PRESS RELEASE -
Shaw Industries Group, Inc. (Shaw) has introduced an innovative, patent-pending tool to showcase the impact ceiling and floor construction, as well as flooring and underlayment selection, have on room acoustics. Known as Sound Advisor, the web-based tool helps users make more informed design and interior product selection decisions.
PRESS RELEASE -
Dalton, Ga. – August 30, 2018 – The 2017 sustainability report released today by Shaw Industries Group, Inc. (Shaw) focuses on the company’s continued efforts to “Create a Better Future” through a focus on safe, sustainable products and operations that contribute to healthier environments and preservation of natural resources.
“2017 was a positive year for Shaw, as we continued to accelerate the evolution of our company,” said Vance Bell, Chairman and CEO, Shaw Industries. “As we continue to grow and work to ensure that our people thrive and our processes evolve, Shaw’s dedication to Cradle to Cradle design philosophies is unwavering and a guidepost for both human and environmental health considerations.”
PRESS RELEASE -
Humana Inc., one of the nation’s leading health and well-being companies, today released its 2016-2017 corporate social responsibility (CSR) report. In the comprehensive report, Humana, for the first time, announces the company’s alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), becoming one of the first U.S. health insurers to commit to the international targets.
PRESS RELEASE -
Imagine lifting a bag of flour or a watermelon over your head up to 4,600 times a day as part of your job – that is similar to what some Ford employees do every day as they work to build vehicles around the world.
Repetitive motions like those can lead to fatigue and injury for workers, but now Ford is rolling out a new wearable technology globally called EksoVest that helps reduce injury risk in some plant workers after a successful trial in two U.S. plants.
PRESS RELEASE -
In April, National Volunteer Month, over 4,500 Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) associates nationwide volunteered for more than 26,000 hours. The company’s associates served over 1,700 nonprofits in that month alone, and the Humana Foundation donated $10,000 to various non-profits chosen by volunteers.
"Volunteerism has always been an integral part of our mission at Humana," said Bruce D. Broussard, President and CEO of Humana Inc. "With Humana's Bold Goal of helping those we serve become 20% healthier by 2020, giving back to the community is more important than ever."
COLLABORATION -
Sanitation is one of the most pressing social and public health challenges today. 1 in 3 people worldwide do not have access to a safe toilet — and 892 million people have no choice but to defecate in the open. Every two minutes, a child dies from a preventable diarrhea-related disease — approximately 288,000 children each year. The issue also contributes to the number of girls who drop out of school, since they are especially affected by a lack of hygiene and sanitation during their period.
SUPPLY CHAIN -
Sugar has been a hot topic the past few years due to artificial and natural sweeteners entering the market and growing concerns about obesity and children’s health. The U.S.
PRESS RELEASE -
At 3M, we use science every day to improve lives and help solve society’s toughest challenges. We like to imagine a world where all communities are safe, healthy and thriving—where increased energy efficiency, reduced greenhouse gas emissions and access to clean air and water enhance human health at home and at work. Still, nearly four in ten Americans currently live in counties with unhealthy levels of ground level ozone or particle pollution.¹ Since reducing air pollution remains critical to public health,² 3M is addressing this environmental challenge by creatively applying science to help remove smog³ and improve the air we breathe.
PRESS RELEASE -
To help kick off the spring season, we once again asked our team members and guests at our locations across North America to participate in the annual CodeGreen Challenge for a chance to be named the most eco-conscious location in the company. The CodeGreen Challenge is part of Caesars Entertainment’s effort to raise awareness around environmental conservation, as well as the health and wellness benefits of an active and healthy lifestyle, through activities and promotions that educate and support environmental consciousness.
BEHAVIOR CHANGE -
Last week, over 2,000 representatives from our global community of sustainability practitioners, brand strategists, product and service innovators, thought leaders and other change-makers converged at SB’18 Vancouver to share their latest insights on a multitude of themes pertinent to all of those committed to improving business around the world. Here, we dig into brand and organizational efforts to get consumers to deliver their part of the equation, through responsible consumption.
P&G: The road to responsible consumption
By Marissa Rosen
PRESS RELEASE -
Johnson & Johnson today released its 2017 Health for Humanity Report, demonstrating its approach and the considerable progress it has made toward an ambitious social, environmental and governance commitment to advance the Company’s mission to drive better health for all.
Looking across all Johnson & Johnson’s business practices, the Company shares important disclosure about how it supports good health for patients, consumers, employees and local communities on a global scale. The report tracks how Johnson & Johnson is striving to eradicate and prevent disease, reimagine how care is delivered, and put a healthy mind, body and environment within reach of all people around the world.