Impact & Sustainability News From Leading Brands

Keep up with the latest news from 3BL’s clients.







Editors Pick

Research, Reports & Publications

Start with Empathy: Design a Brand with People at the Center

To stay relevant in a world of limited resources and mounting concerns, brands cannot simply show up and sell more stuff. Like never before, consumers expect brands to make their lives better. Doing so means understanding consumers’ struggles, needs and aspirations and addressing the issues that matter to them in meaningful ways.

A fundamental design principle in divided times is to start with empathy and listen to what people are feeling and what they desire for their lives. Empathy is fundamentally about respect. When was the last time you truly listened? When people feel ignored, or when their basic human needs are not being met, it is time for brands to start listening.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Marina Bay Sands Team Member Pretika R K Shares: What Volunteerism Means to Me

When Pretika R K left the Republic of Singapore Navy after nearly a decade of service to her country, she rededicated her life to another form of service – making a difference in the lives of others. Pretika has been an active member of the community since she was young and has volunteered at various organizations on her own time.

Supply Chain & the Circular Economy

Actress Nikki Reed and Dell Collaborate on Recycled Gold Jewelry Collection

Nikki Reed and Dell created a recycled gold jewelry collection from e-waste.

Events, Media & Communications

Living Future unConference Promotional Video

The International Living Future Institute is hosting its 12th annual unConference, Living Future 2018, May 1-4, 2018 at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, Oregon.

This three-day event will bring together Authenticity and Action as individuals and organizations with unique backgrounds, experiences and personalities gather to create unified action toward a living future. Keynote speakers—conservationist Terry Tempest Williams, activist Raj Patel, and urban revitalization strategy consultant Majora Carter—will deliver their messages on Wednesday night and Thursday and Friday mornings with inspiring messages for attendees.

Celebrate 12 years of innovation and discover the added noteworthy twists that exemplify the unConference. Visit 2018.livingfutureunconference.org to register.

Events, Media & Communications

Inspire the World’s Largest Audience for CSR and Sustainability Report Announcements Through ReportAlert

Corporate social responsibility and sustainability reporting is growing globally yet many brands continue to suffer from a lack of awareness among key stakeholders about their organisations’ many environmental, social and governance (ESG) successes.

Innovation & Technology

Systemic Investments in Equity, Talent & Tech: Equity Along the Spectrum

The Systemic Investments in Equity, Talent, and Tech Accelerate Community has taken a deep dive into the structure and objectives of individual programs focused on tech equity in the portfolios of its members. The objective of the CECP community is to develop a framework that can render corporate efforts in tech equity more impactful. At the center of the work is the identification of the core variables that distinguish equity from equality.

Innovation & Technology

PT Freeport Indonesia Supplies Power to Remote Villages

PT Freeport Indonesia started a program in 2013 in the remote Papuan highlands called LIMAR, which is an acronym for People’s Independent Electricity as written in the Indonesian language.

Environment

The Life of a Modern Cowboy

Zachary Jones is a rancher. But he’s no lone ranger.

In fact, people are at the center of his job. He’s even earned the nickname “push-button man” from his two young daughters. He’s often on his phone, email or Skype.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Investors Signal a Shift in Mainstream Finance Towards an “SDG Bonds” Market During Financial Innovation Symposium

The United Nations Global Compact, in partnership with PIMCO and ENEL, convened a two-day symposium to mobilize private finance and investment around the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Humana Listed in 2018 RobecoSAM Sustainability Yearbook

For the fifth straight year, Humana has been recognized for corporate citizenship efforts by one of the nation’s leading sustainable-investing companies, RobecoSAM, and has been included in the 2018 RobecoSAM Sustainability Yearbook.

Events, Media & Communications

Tetra Tech Facilitates Major Automotive Industry Event

Tetra Tech is partnering with the four major original equipment manufacturers (OEMs)—Ford, General Motors, Honda, and Toyota—to facilitate a rare opportunity for automotive supply chain companies to hear directly from OEMs about their needs and reporting requirements.

Research, Reports & Publications

Companies of All Different Sizes Use the LBG Model

Companies of all different sizes use the LBG Model to manage and measure community investment.

Do you see your company size represented? Interested in LBG Canada? We want to hear from you!

Events, Media & Communications

Celebrate #WomenScienceDay With This Special Discount

In honor of International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we’re offering a special discount for our upcoming International Women’s Day Forum! Get 25% off your registration using discount code SCIENCE4ALL.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Timberland Celebrates Record Number of Volunteer Champions

Global outdoor lifestyle brand Timberland recently celebrated a record number of volunteer champions at its Stratham, New Hampshire global headquarters with its annual recognition breakfast. Since 1992, Timberland has offered employees paid time to serve their community through the brand’s Path of Service™ Program. Employees who serve all 40 of their available service hours in a year earn membership in the company’s 40’s Club. In 2017, 163 Stratham employees served all their available hours and were welcomed into the 40’s Club. This was 32 more than 2016, and set a new record for participation.

Research, Reports & Publications

Get Ready for First-Time Sustainability Reporting

At this week’s 2018 GRI Reporters’ North America Summit, participants geeked out on all the best ways to improve their sustainability reporting with increased materiality, stakeholder engagement and communications. But the conference also served newer reporters, sharing tips and tools for those just getting started with reporting. Stewart Rassier from the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship, an experienced consultant with multiple “first reports” under his belt, together with Jamie Jones Ezefili from Northern Trust, an accomplished first time reporter, shared some best practices for first time reporting.

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

After 900 Days in Foster Care, Little Girl is Finally Home

For nearly 900 days, little Saphina didn’t know if she’d have a forever family. That’s how long she spent in foster care before her last name was officially made “Tetreault.”

Social Impact & Volunteering

Fortune 1000 Leaders Help Remove Long-term Dumping From Desert

Corporate citizenship leaders from 40 Fortune 1000 companies joined the Mojave Desert Land Trust in a stewardship event organized by Benevity to remove trash from 2-3 acres of land at Long Canyon. In just two hours, a 20-yard-long dumpster donated by Burrtec was filled with old tires, household debris, broken glass, building waste, clothing and shell casing.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

The Solvable Problem Challenge

We invite you to submit a solvable problem to be considered for one of the collaborative action tracks at the next Global Engagement Forum: Live, a two-day event this fall that will bring together leaders from the private, public, and social sectors to develop cross-sector concepts that address urgent, yet solvable problems within the United Nations Global Goals.

Environment

AT&T Announces One of the Largest Corporate Renewable Energy Purchases; Signs on to Corporate Renewable Energy Buyers’ Principles

AT&T will purchase 520 megawatts (MW) of wind power through 2 agreements with subsidiaries of NextEra Energy Resources, the world’s largest operator of renewable energy projects. Together, these deals constitute one of the largest corporate renewable energy purchases in the U.S.* It’s also a key component of our goal to develop and leverage technology solutions that enable carbon savings 10 times the footprint of our operations by 2025.

Diversity & Inclusion

Bloomberg Benefits: Among the Most Generous Parental Leave Policies at Major U.S. News Organizations, According to Columbia Journalism Review

Bloomberg has always aimed to provide world class benefits to employees: It’s been a business imperative that has helped propel the company to reach its 36th consecutive year of revenue growth in 2017.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Fair Trade Gifts for Valentine's Day

No matter what you end up doing this Valentine's Day, you can't go wrong with Fair Trade Certified flowers and chocolate. It's a gift that tells your loved ones you care not only about them, but also about the planet, the lives of workers, and the impact of your dollar. Here are our top picks for a Valentine's Day gift that'll keep loving all year long.

Diversity & Inclusion

The Strike That Brought Hope to Memphis Sanitation Workers

“I remember when I was hired by the Memphis Department of Public Works on April 15, 1967,” recalls Rev. Cleophus Smith. “This particular morning, it was cold. I’m talkin’ about cold, cold. We didn’t have sufficient gloves, clothes, nor did we have water to drink on the job.” Mid-January, 1968: Memphis, Tenn. The low on most days around this time of year was 19 degrees Fahrenheit (°F). The high, falling somewhere in the mid-20s. Hundreds of men – black workers for the Memphis Department of Public Works – went to work each day in the cold, sometimes having to brave freezing rain, sleet, or snow, too.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

After Hurricane Maria, Duty Called Him Home to Help

When Armando Ortiz flew to Puerto Rico three weeks after Hurricane Maria slammed ashore, he wept to see his ravaged homeland. Now four months later, he is back, this time with other Duke Energy employees helping to restore power.

Events, Media & Communications

BCtA Series WEBINAR 3 | Women’s Empowerment: Measuring Inclusive Business Impact

Gender inequality and the process of empowerment are both dynamic and complex; as are the market systems in which women work. Monitoring and evaluation systems must be consistently updated and adapted in line with the changing needs of women to effectively address the market constraints they face and the positive impact of their empowerment on business growth. This requires a carefully designed measurement system that captures data on women’s economic empowerment from multiple perspectives and sources.

Energy

Disrupting the Electricity Industry

Where does the future lie for electricity? One UPS expert believes it is in the auto-consumption and peer-to-peer trade of electricity. It’s no secret that going green is challenging. Governments, businesses and individuals must consider several factors when making the shift to alternative energy, including availability, cost and storage. In the case of electric energy, rising demand means we have to start rethinking the way electricity is produced, transported and consumed.

Latest Campaigns

  1. Baker Tilly Foundation
    The Baker Tilly Foundation makes a difference in the communities where we live and work by supporting causes in the areas of education, health and...
  2. Antea Group Brand
    Antea Group Brand Content
  3. Sustainability at Fifth Third
    Our holistic approach to addressing climate change includes supporting a sustainable transition, managing climate-related risks, and managing our...
  4. IWBI | Workplace Wellness
    A WELL Certified™ project has the potential to add measurable value to the health, well-being and happiness of people in the buildings. It can also...
  5. Aflac Stories
    Get a closer look at the people, products and stories that make Aflac the company we know today.
  6. Healthy Spaces Podcast: Season 5
    Welcome to Season 5 of Healthy Spaces by Trane Technologies, the podcast where experts and disruptors explore how climate technology and innovation...
  7. Growth Through Sustainability
    Trane Technologies is a global climate innovator with a clear purpose to boldly challenge what’s possible for a sustainable world. See how embedding...
  8. Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG)
    The business landscape is reorienting itself and you can almost hear priorities shifting toward change-readiness and the bigger picture. And in this...
  9. Supply Chain Dive AI Playbook 2025
    Artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic concept – it’s already transforming supply chains end to end. In a new Playbook developed by DP...
  10. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
    Diversity, Equity & Inclusion is embedded in our company values. We actively promote it among our employees, raise awareness, and foster an...
  11. Sustainable Products and Innovation
    Ongoing research into innovative solutions enables CNH’s brands to manufacture products that respect the environment while satisfying customers’...
  12. IWBI | Workplace Wellness
    A WELL Certified™ project has the potential to add measurable value to the health, well-being and happiness of people in the buildings. It can also...
  13. AEG's Commitment to Social Impact and Volunteerism
    AEG embraces its responsibility to enrich the lives of people in the communities around the world where we do business, and to use business to create...
  14. Collective Action
    Cascale shares updates on its efforts and initiatives geared toward activating its ecosystem to develop and scale solutions that drive collective...
  15. Collective Action
    Cascale shares updates on its efforts and initiatives geared toward activating its ecosystem to develop and scale solutions that drive collective...