CSRWire News

The Western Union Foundation today announced support for disaster relief efforts that will help the families and communities impacted by the tornado in Oklahoma.

The Western Union Foundation is an American Red Cross disaster-response partner.  The Foundation’s funding is supporting Red Cross immediate response activities in the wake of the disaster, which includes providing shelter, meals and mental health triage for people impacted by the storm, as well as first responders. 

To encourage and support employee generosity, Western Union will two-for-one match all employee donations to the Western Union Foundation for Oklahoma tornado disaster-relief efforts.  Each employee can donate up to US$25,000 per calendar year.

Western Union is also encouraging its Agents to join together in supporting relief efforts. Under the Western Union Foundation Agent Gift Match program, the Foundation will provide a dollar-for-dollar match of qualifying Agent contributions to NGOs providing disaster relief support in the impacted region.

Employees and consumers can give online by using the “Donate Now” button at www.westernunionfoundation.org. Consumers should select the Oklahoma Tornado Relief option.

Additionally, the Western Union Company has set up a no-fee* Payments contribution account benefitting the American Red Cross. Donors can contribute to relief efforts by making a no-fee* Payments transaction at participating Western Union® Agent locations, directed to the account, up to USD$5,000.

Donors will need to complete the Western Union blue Payments or Quick Pay form, using the company name “American Red Cross” or the code city, “REDCROSS DC.”  Please write in, “Tornado Relief” as the account number.

"The tornado in Oklahoma has caused significant damage and loss of life, and we are responding with support and services to assist the relief efforts,” said Western Union Foundation President, Patrick Gaston. “Funds collected through Western Union will help the American Red Cross assist with critical initiatives such as providing food, water and shelter to the families and children most affected by the tornado.”

“We are committed to helping the communities we serve, and our thoughts are with the people of Oklahoma during this time of need.  Over the coming weeks we will be working with Western Union Agents, employees and nonprofit partners to help the area recover and rebuild,” concluded Gaston.

*Western Union makes money on the exchange of currencies.

About The Western Union Foundation

The Western Union Foundation is dedicated to creating a better world, where the ability to realize dreams through economic opportunity is not just a privilege for the few but a right for all.  With the support of The Western Union Company, its employees, Agents, and business partners, The Western Union Foundation works to realize this vision by supporting education and disaster relief efforts as pathways toward a better future.  Our combined social ventures efforts make life better for individuals, families and communities around the world.  Since its inception, The Western Union Foundation has committed more than $86.9 million in grants and other giving to more than 2,627 nongovernmental organizations in more than 130 countries and territories. To learn more, visit www.westernunionfoundation.org.

About Western Union

The Western Union Company (NYSE: WU) is a leader in global payment services. Together with its Vigo, Orlandi Valuta, Pago Facil and Western Union Business Solutions branded payment services, Western Union provides consumers and businesses with fast, reliable and convenient ways to send and receive money around the world, to send payments and to purchase money orders. As of March 31, 2013, the Western Union, Vigo and Orlandi Valuta branded services were offered through a combined network of approximately 515,000 agent locations in 200 countries and territories and approximately 100,000 ATMs. In 2012, The Western Union Company completed 231 million consumer-to-consumer transactions worldwide, moving $79 billion of principal between consumers, and 432 million business payments. For more information, visit www.westernunion.com.

A new report issued by the Amazon Defense Coalition in the landmark environmental lawsuit between residents of Ecuador’s Amazon rain forest and the oil giant Chevron examines Chevron’s backroom deals and open threats during a multi-year lobbying campaign to kill a $19 billion judgment issued against Chevron by an Ecuadorian court in 2011.

The report, Backroom Deals and Open Threats: Chevron’s Lobbying Efforts on its $19 Billion Ecuador Judgment Revealed, documents Chevron’s strategic manoeuvres to avoid paying the legitimate court judgment by pressuring high-placed Ecuadorian and U.S. government officials to interfere, as well as lobbying the U.S. government to punish the Andean nation by revoking an important trade preference agreement that provides a viable alternative to drug trafficking by granting various Ecuadorian products duty-free status in the U.S.

“Chevron’s sweetheart deals and covert pressure amount to little more than extortion,” said Graham Erion, a coordinating attorney for the plaintiffs. “It’s clear Chevron has decided to do everything it possibly can to fight the rule of law by spending shareholders’ money on high-powered lobbyists to little avail.”

Despite Chevron’s extensive efforts, courts in Argentina have frozen Chevron’s assets and 40 percent of its revenues. A Brazilian enforcement action is pending and filings in other countries will come later this year. A provincial court in Canada recently acknowledged jurisdiction for the Ecuadorians but said Chevron subsidiaries were shielded. That ruling will be appealed.

Analyzed in the new report are multiple documented instances of political interference and Chevron’s attempts to use the Andean Trade Preferences Act (ATPA) to punish Ecuador, including:

• Chevron began in 2003 to lobby high level government officials in Ecuador, including the Attorney General and the Minister of Commerce, to try to get Ecuador to assume the liability for any judgment rendered against Chevron and effectively shut down the case.

• Recently disclosed internal Chevron emails show that the company has been lobbying to revoke Ecuador’s membership in the Andean Trade Preferences Act (ATPA) since 2003, including meetings between paid Chevron lobbyists and the Ways & Means committee of the U.S. House of Representatives.

• Chevron’s costly lobbyists backfired when, in 2009, Chevron’s tactics were assailed by roughly 30 Members of Congress who wrote multiple letters to the USTR protesting Chevron’s tactics.

At Chevron’s annual shareholder meeting on Wednesday, May 29, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), on behalf of its 1.6 million members, will file a shareholder resolution calling for the company to publish an annual report disclosing its lobbying practices. According to a supporting statement from AFSCME, Chevron spent approximately $22.6 million in 2010 and 2011 on direct federal lobbying in the U.S.; not including funds spent lobbying the Republic of Ecuador or lobbying through organizations such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

“Chevron is not doing its investors any favors by keeping them in the dark as it throws good money after bad,” said Sonia Kowal, Director of Socially Responsible Investing at Zevin Asset Management. “Shareholders deserve greater transparency and greater accountability. It's time for Chevron to find a way to stop the bleeding.”

“Chevron’s massive lobbying expenditures and the ongoing fight to avoid the Ecuador judgement will be elephants in the room at the Chevron shareholder meeting next week,” added Erion. “Rather than achieve any benefit to shareholders, Chevron is simply pouring money into a failed strategy.”

Energy efficiency is estimated to be a multi-hundred-billion dollar investment opportunity in the United States, but better policies are required to unlock broad-based financing from institutional investors, who together manage approximately $70 trillion in assets globally.

That is the key finding of Power Factor: Institutional Investors’ Policy Priorities Can Bring Energy Efficiency to Scale, a new report issued today by Ceres and its Investor Network on Climate Risk (INCR). Based on the input of nearly 30 institutional investors and other experts from the energy, policy and financial sectors, Power Factor cites three areas of policy—utility regulation, demand-generating policies and innovative financing policies—that can take energy efficiency financing to a scale sufficient to attract significant institutional investment.

Investment analysts estimate that climate change could contribute ten percent of overall risk within institutional investment portfolios. Furthermore, the International Energy Agency estimates that one third of emissions reductions must come from energy efficiency in order to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. Energy efficiency-related investments thus offer institutional investors an attractive opportunity to manage the risks of climate change while earning returns.

“Energy efficiency offers investors a potent one-two punch: stable returns and an important strategy for mitigating climate-related risks,” said Mindy Lubber, president of Ceres and director of INCR. “Policymakers and regulators should work to unlock capital from institutional investors for energy efficiency by promoting the policies identified in this report. Many of these policies do not require public funds, and they can put money back into the pockets of homeowners and business leaders around the country.”

Although institutional investors hold shares in energy services companies, have improved energy use in their real estate investments, and have filed dozens of shareholder resolutions encouraging more efficient energy use at corporations within their portfolios, the report argues that the ability drive the financing of energy efficiency projects—financing retrofit loans through a secondary market—is unavailable to them. Secondary markets are routinely used to bundle loans, such as mortgages and car loans, and repackage them as securities or bonds. Investors can then purchase shares of these products, and sell them as they would a share of stock.

“CalSTRS has made a commitment to energy efficiency. In the last year alone, we’ve engaged nearly 100 of our public equity portfolio companies concerning their energy efficiency efforts. In 2007, 47 percent of buildings in our real estate portfolio received top Energy Star scores; today over 90 percent make that mark,” said Jack Ehnes, CEO of the California State Teachers Retirement System (CalSTRS). “However, while many of the largest investors in the country are taking action on energy efficiency, more is needed. Smart policy fixes can help us go further to both realize the massive energy efficiency investment opportunity that exists and help avoid the worst of climate change and the risks it presents to our portfolios.”

“Investors are interested in energy efficiency, but we need a strong pipeline of projects and better information to maximize the investment opportunity,” said Ken Locklin, managing director, Impax Asset Management LLC. “The changes we are seeing at the local level, including stronger public utilities regulations and disclosure standards for building energy performance are all encouraging factors.”

Specifically, investors cited several areas of policy that would help to build up a secondary market for energy efficiency retrofit loans:

• Utility Regulations: Public Utilities Commissions and other regulators can move the utility business model from a 20th century model that rewards increasing energy sales to one that maximizes energy efficiency. At the same time, utilities and their regulators can help make energy-efficiency finance programs investment grade through the same protections provided to electricity sales as well as better data sharing and strong contractor and performance standards.
• Demand-Generating Policies: Investors highlighted efficiency-inducing measures including building codes and standards and appliance and equipment efficiency standards set a baseline of efficiency in the marketplace. Building energy disclosure requirements, such as those adopted by cities like Philadelphia, New York City and most recently, Boston, can provide both an impetus to do energy efficiency retrofits and the transparency to facilitate investments in more efficient buildings.
• Innovative Financing Policies: These policies include Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) bonds, on-bill repayment, credit enhancement, and extending Master Limited Partnerships to combined heat and power (CHP) projects can overcome the challenge of paying for the upfront costs of energy efficiency retrofits. In addition, these policies help provide vehicles for loans that can be packaged and sold to institutional investors.

“In order for California to realize the full advantages of energy efficiency, we need to focus on policies that encourage institutional investor participation and job creation. We know from our investment colleagues here and around the country that we’re facing similar challenges and opportunities,” said California State Controller John Chiang. “This is why I am sponsoring legislation in California that will scale-up commercial sector energy efficiency improvements to a level that would be attractive to institutional investors. As this report indicates, the right policies can overcome barriers to low-cost financing for projects that create jobs and use less energy.”

A webinar will be held on June 6, 2013, from 3:00-4:00 p.m. ET/12:00-1:00 p.m. PT to provide an overview of the report. To attend, please register at this link.

About Ceres and INCR
Ceres is an advocate for sustainability leadership. Ceres mobilizes a powerful coalition of investors, companies and public interest groups to accelerate and expand the adoption of sustainable business practices and solutions to build a healthy global economy. Ceres also directs the Investor Network on Climate Risk (INCR), a network of 100 institutional investors with collective assets totaling more than $11 trillion. For more information, visit www.ceres.org.

The Aspen Institute and The Atlantic are pleased to announce the ninth annual Aspen Ideas Festival. From June 26 through July 2, 2013, more than 300 insightful thinkers and leaders from around the country and beyond will gather in Aspen, CO to discuss their work, the issues that inspire them, and their ideas. The week’s programming will cover a variety of important issues including the economy, the Middle East, energy, space, mobility, and design, among other topics. The public dialogue will engage, over seven days, a festival audience of more than 4,000 attendees between the campus at the Aspen Meadows and the town of Aspen, as well as those following the festival online throughout the world.

Speakers currently confirmed to attend include: US Supreme Court Associate Justices Stephen Breyer and Elena Kagan; Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih; Twitter CEO Dick Costolo; Congressman Eric Cantor (R-VA); Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence President Dan Gross; National Rifle Association of America President David A. Keene; Goldman Sachs CEO and Chairman Lloyd Blankfein; Cellist and the Aspen Institute’s 2013 Harman-Eisner Artist in Residence Yo-Yo Ma; Stanford University Artificial Intelligence Lab Director Andrew Ng; United States Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice; edX President Anant Agarwal; fuseproject Founder and CEO Yves Behar; National Resource Defense Council President Frances Beinecke; Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP Managing Partner David Boies; The Metropolitan Museum of Art Director Thomas Campbell; The Heritage Foundation Distinguished Fellow Elaine Chao; Stanford University Professor of Psychology Carol S. Dweck; MD Anderson Cancer Center President Ronald DePinho; Harvard Law School Professor of Law Noah Feldman; Billy Lynns' Long Halftime Walk Author Ben Fountain; Aramex Founder and Former CEO Fadi Ghandour; The Studio Museum in Harlem Director and Chief Curator Thelma Golden; US Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Margaret Hamburg; HBO's "Girls" Executive Story Editor Sarah Heyward; Zappos.com CEO Tony Hsieh; Harvard Business School Chair of Business Administration Nancy Koehn; US Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood; New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu; The SING Campaign Founder, Singer, and Activist Annie Lennox; Photographer Zanele Muholi; Acumen Fund, Inc. Founder and CEO Jacqueline Novogratz; Reddit Co-Founder Alexis Ohanian; Former Secretary of the US Treasury Department Henry Paulson; Former Governor (R-MN) and Republican Presidential Candidate and CEO of the Financial Services Roundtable Tim Pawlenty; Republican Political Consultant and Policy Advisor Karl Rove; Red Rooster Chef and Owner Marcus Samuelsson; Wikipedia Co-Founder Jimmy Wales; American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten; and IDEO.org Executive Director Jocelyn Wyatt.

Alongside leading journalists such as Kurt Andersen, Maria Bartiromo, James Bennet, David Brooks, Ronald Brownstein, David Carr, Steve Clemons, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Katie Couric, James Fallows, Jeffrey Goldberg, Steve Inskeep, Ezra Klein, Alexis Madrigal, Andrea Mitchell, and Michele Norris, presenters will discuss their ideas in plenary sessions, tutorials, and other sessions on program tracks including American Society: One Nation, Divisible; the Economic Puzzle; World Affairs: Understanding the Middle East; Balance of Power: the Energy Revolution; Citizen Artists; Space and the Cosmos; the Reinvention of Television; Flying Cars: The Future of Mobility; How We Learn; Innovation by Design; and You and Your Health. More details on all program tracks are available at www.aspenideas.org/festival/tracks.

“The conversations and presentations offered at the Aspen Ideas Festival will underscore some of the most critical dilemas and challenges we face today,” said Kitty Boone, Aspen Institute vice president and director of the Aspen Ideas Festival. “So many of those coming are the thinkers and leaders whose vision and expertise are taking us into the future in such a positive and constructive way.”

Prior to the start of the Festival, the 21st Century National Service Summit on June 24-25 will serve as the first-ever signature lead-in event to the Aspen Ideas Festival and will be centered around the Franklin Project's plan to build a bold vision of civilian national service as a common expectation and common opportunity for all Americans. General Stanley McChrystal (Ret.) and others will present findings from the summit during the opening day of the Aspen Ideas Festival. Learn more at http://as.pn/om.

“What distinguishes this gathering is what distinguishes The Atlantic: a commitment to exploring and debating ideas of consequence,” James Bennet, editor in chief of The Atlantic, said.

During the lead-up to the Aspen Ideas Festival, The Atlantic will host an Ideas Special Report on its website, highlighting breakthroughs and innovations having direct impact on business, technology, politics, science, and the arts. The report coincides with the July/August Ideas issue of The Atlantic in print and online, focused on the most powerful ideas shaping our world.

Starting June 26, TheAtlantic.com will offer comprehensive coverage of the Festival, including articles on the most compelling discussions and presentations, a daily “Today at Aspen” photo gallery, and video conversations with panelists and attendees. Online coverage will also include special commentaries and observations from Atlantic writers and editors on the scene, including Kasia Cieplak-Mayr von Baldegg, Garance Franke-Ruta, Conor Friedersdorf, Megan Garber, J.J. Gould, and Derek Thompson, as well as well as National Journal’s Ronald Brownstein and Quartz’s Kevin Delaney.

It is now easier to keep up with the Aspen Ideas Festival in more ways than ever before. Full-session video and audio clips will be featured on www.aspenideas.org, on the Aspen Institute’s YouTube channel, iTunesU, and on the Aspen Institute’s video channel and TheAtlantic.com’s video channel. Regular updates from the Festival in the run-up, during the event, and after can be found on Facebook and Twitter. Follow the Ideas Festival on Twitter at @aspenideas with the hashtag #AspenIdeas. Additionally the Festival discussions can be followed all year on the Aspen Ideas Festival blog.

For a list of currently confirmed speakers, program tracks, and passholder information, please visit www.aspenideas.org.

Presenting underwriters for the 2013 Aspen Ideas Festival include Allstate; Booz Allen Hamilton; CH2MHILL; DLA Piper; Mt. Sinai; PepsiCo; Shell; Thomson Reuters; Toyota; and U.S. Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Management. Supporting underwriters include AARP, the American Federation of Teachers, Ernst & Young, Legacy, Southern Company, and the Target Foundation. Pearson and the Entertainment Software Association are contributing underwriters.

About The Atlantic
Since 1857, The Atlantic has played a central role in shaping the national debate on current affairs and cultural trends.  Dedicated to bold, independent, diverse, and highly reasoned perspectives, its writers, bloggers, and critics represent the best in American journalism. The Atlantic’s award-winning commentary and coverage can be found in its magazine, on its website at www.TheAtlantic.com, and at events produced by its industry-leading events division, AtlanticLIVE.

About the Aspen Institute
The Aspen Institute is an educational and policy studies organization based in Washington, DC. Its mission is to foster leadership based on enduring values and to provide a nonpartisan venue for dealing with critical issues. The Institute is based in Washington, DC; Aspen, Colorado; and on the Wye River on Maryland's Eastern Shore. It also has offices in New York City and an international network of partners. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org.

“No one should suffer or die to make clothing. Just the opposite, they and their families should prosper. That’s how it is with our supply chain. That’s how it can be with others. Let’s not make this harder than it is. And let’s not wait. Lives are at stake,” says Scott Leonard, Co-founder and CEO of INDIGENOUS.

For almost two decades, INDIGENOUS has led the way in fair trade and organic fashion. Its premium value fashion is featured in over 500 boutiques, and many catalogs, and INDIGENOUS produces for Eileen Fisher. Over 1,500 artisan knitters in some of South America’s poorest regions participate in the INDIGENOUS supply chain.

“Accidents like the one that happened in Bangladesh simply would not happen in our supply chain. We independently survey workers every six months, require participatory and fair labor practices, personally tour workshops and pay prices that make safety, benefits and fair wages easy to achieve.”

“The INDIGENOUS model is readily replicable. While it represents a distinctive competitive advantage, INDIGENOUS is ready to share it to help save lives and promote the well-being of artisans and garment workers everywhere,” says Matt Reynolds, Co-founder and president of INDIGENOUS. INDIGENOUS independently collected data shows that 75% of artisans in its supply chain are no longer at risk of poverty. Many are achieving milestones of financial security, even growth as some start their own artisan workshops. Workplaces are safe and provide benefits. A full 85% of workers say they are better off since participating in this supply chain.

The model has three key elements. The first is continuous supply chain monitoring and the promotion of artisan rights and engagement in all aspects of workplace policy and practice. INDIGENOUS uses innovative SMS and voice technology to directly survey workers about their economic, social and workplace well-being. This allows their opinions to be shared privately and confidentially.

The second is transparency. From the provenance of its organically grown fibers to the status of artisans and artisan communities, INDIGENOUS shares information about its supply chain in a way that goes beyond simple, iconic labeling. Video profiles of artisans, artisan workshops, and supply chain source maps are just a few of the tools.

The third is consumer engagement in the value of fair trade and organic fashion. This fall, every INDIGENOUS garment will come with a QR code on the hang tag. The QR code launches INDIGENOUS proprietary Fair Trace Tool™, an application that lets the consumer meet the artisans who made the garment, understand the social impact of purchasing the garment and other facts, delivered in text, video and animated map format.

INDIGENOUS is prepared to share by license its best practices and innovative supply chain transparency tools with any fashion brand that is willing to stand up and take the pledge that “no one will suffer or die to make our clothes. Instead, they will prosper,” They will also immediately adopt new standards of transparency. “This is a call to action for you to stand up and be heard,” says Leonard.

About INDIGENOUS
INDIGENOUS is considered a true pioneer in premium eco-sensitive and socially-conscious apparel. INDIGENOUS has provided organic and fair-trade quality clothing since 1994, and has established itself as the first name in premium eco fashion, employing over 1,500 highly skilled artisans in knitting groups and cooperatives. The INDIGENOUS collection is available through premium specialty boutiques and catalogues nationwide. Learn more at www.indigenous.com or www.facebook.com/indigenousdesigns.

Trust is no longer in your hands. According to a study by BBMG, GlobeScan and SustainAbility, social sources of trust like consumer reviews, blogs and message boards (28%) as well as friends, family and co-workers (27%) now rival traditional sources like certifications (40%) and media reports (31%) as consumers’ most trusted sources for determining whether a product is socially and environmentally responsible. Barely one in ten consumers relies on company advertisements or website content for information, showing that the most trusted sources are often beyond a company’s control. 

According to the study — Re:Thinking Consumption: Consumers and the Future of Sustainability — consumers in emerging markets (Brazil, China and India) are more than four times as likely as those in developed markets (UK, USA, Germany) to turn to social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn as a trusted source of information (22% to 5% respectively).

“Our findings reflect the new context for corporate reputation and trust, as peer-to-peer communication and social platforms rival certifications and media reports as the most reliable sources of information on sustainable product claims for consumers,” says Eric Whan, Sustainability Director at GlobeScan. “Forward-thinking brands will increasingly tap peer networks and social media channels to try to drive trust. Authenticity will determine their success.”

“Simply put, companies no longer own their brands. They are co-owned and co-created by consumers whose experiences, ideas and opinions are now shaping brand perceptions and trust,” says Raphael Bemporad, co-founder of brand innovation consultancy BBMG. “Companies that cultivate honest and collaborative relationships with consumers will be best positioned to win their trust, loyalty and participation.”

Re:Thinking Consumption Report – Key Findings:

Most Trusted Sources: Consumers’ most trusted sources “to inform you about whether a product is environmentally and socially responsible” include certification seals or labels on product packaging (40%), media reports (31%), consumer reviews, ratings, blogs or message boards (28%), friends, family or co-workers (27%) and government information or reports (25%).

Least Trusted Sources: Consumers’ least trusted sources include company advertisements (11%), films or documentaries (11%), company website or a company’s Facebook page (7%) and church, temple or other spiritual communities (3%). Five percent of consumers say they have “no way of knowing who to trust for this information.”

Market Differences: Twenty-two percent of consumers in emerging markets identify “social media like Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn” as one of their most trusted sources of information, while only 5% of consumers in developed markets choose the same.

Twenty percent of consumers in emerging markets identify “corporate social responsibility or sustainability reports” as one of their most trusted sources of information, while only 9% of consumers in developed markets choose the same.

Fifteen percent of consumers in emerging markets identify “endorsements by organizations you trust” as one of their most trusted sources of, while 29% of consumers in developed markets choose the same.

Background and Methodology:

Developed by BBMG, GlobeScan and SustainAbility, Re:Thinking Consumption is an in-depth online survey of consumer attitudes, motivations and behaviors relating to sustainable consumption among 6,224 respondents across six major international markets (Brazil, China, Germany, India, the United Kingdom and the United States) conducted in September and October 2012. Drawn from consumer research panels, global data are comparable to having a margin of error of +/- 1.3 percent. Analysis of country-level data reflects a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percent.

The study was made possible by BMW Group, SC Johnson, Campbell Soup Company, Itau, L’Oréal, Shell and Starbucks. For more information, and to download a free copy of the study, visit http://theregenerationroadmap.com/.

About BBMG: Based in New York City, BBMG is a brand innovation consultancy dedicated to creating disruptive business solutions and delightful brand experiences to help organizations achieve business success and positive social impact. By integrating branding with sustainability expertise and innovation protocols, BBMG helps clients identify growth opportunities, forge new markets, create new brands and drive real culture change. Recent clients include NBCUniversal, MillerCoors, Brown-Forman, Walmart, Samsung, Seventh Generation and Earthbound Farm. For more information, visit http://www.bbmg.com/.

About GlobeScan: For 25 years, GlobeScan has helped clients measure and build value-generating relationships with their stakeholders. Uniquely placed at the nexus of reputation, brand and sustainability, we partner with clients to build trust, drive engagement and inspire innovation within, around, and beyond their organizations. For more information, visit http://www.globescan.com/.

About SustainAbility: SustainAbility is a think tank and strategic advisory firm working to inspire transformative business leadership on the sustainability agenda. Established in 1987, SustainAbility delivers illuminating foresight and actionable insight on sustainable development trends and issues. For more information, visit http://www.sustainability.com/.

“No one should suffer or die to make clothing. Just the opposite, they and their families should prosper. That’s how it is with our supply chain. That’s how it can be with others. Let’s not make this harder than it is. And let’s not wait. Lives are at stake,” says Scott Leonard, Co-founder and CEO of INDIGENOUS.

For almost two decades, INDIGENOUS has led the way in fair trade and organic fashion. Its premium value fashion is featured in over 500 boutiques, and many catalogs, and INDIGENOUS produces for Eileen Fisher. Over 1,500 artisan knitters in some of South America’s poorest regions participate in the INDIGENOUS supply chain.

“Accidents like the one that happened in Bangladesh simply would not happen in our supply chain. We independently survey workers every six months, require participatory and fair labor practices, personally tour workshops and pay prices that make safety, benefits and fair wages easy to achieve.”

“The INDIGENOUS model is readily replicable. While it represents a distinctive competitive advantage, INDIGENOUS is ready to share it to help save lives and promote the well-being of artisans and garment workers everywhere,” says Matt Reynolds, Co-founder and president of INDIGENOUS.   INDIGENOUS independently collected data shows that 75% of artisans in its supply chain are no longer at risk of poverty. Many are achieving milestones of financial security, even growth as some start their own artisan workshops. Workplaces are safe and provide benefits. A full 85% of workers say they are better off since participating in this supply chain.

The model has three key elements. The first is continuous supply chain monitoring and the promotion of artisan rights and engagement in all aspects of workplace policy and practice. INDIGENOUS uses innovative SMS and voice technology to directly survey workers about their economic, social and workplace well-being. This allows their opinions to be shared privately and confidentially. 

The second is transparency.  From the provenance of its organically grown fibers to the status of artisans and artisan communities, INDIGENOUS shares information about its supply chain in a way that goes beyond simple, iconic labeling. Video profiles of artisans, artisan workshops, and supply chain source maps are just a few of the tools.

The third is consumer engagement in the value of fair trade and organic fashion. This fall, every INDIGENOUS garment will come with a QR code on the hang tag. The QR code launches INDIGENOUS proprietary Fair Trace Tool™, an application that lets the consumer meet the artisans who made the garment, understand the social impact of purchasing the garment and other facts, delivered in text, video and animated map format. 

INDIGENOUS is prepared to share by license its best practices and innovative supply chain transparency tools with any fashion brand that is willing to stand up and take the pledge that “no one will suffer or die to make our clothes. Instead, they will prosper,” They will also immediately adopt new standards of transparency. “This is a call to action for you to stand up and be heard,” says Leonard.

About INDIGENOUS

INDIGENOUS is considered a true pioneer in premium eco-sensitive and socially-conscious apparel. INDIGENOUS has provided organic and fair-trade quality clothing since 1994, and has established itself as the first name in premium eco fashion, employing over 1,500 highly skilled artisans in knitting groups and cooperatives. The INDIGENOUS collection is available through premium specialty boutiques and catalogues nationwide. Learn more at www.indigenous.com or www.facebook.com/indigenousdesigns.

L’Oréal USA announced today that the renovation of the company’s hair and skincare laboratory, has been awarded LEED® Gold certification.  The company’s US laboratories are located in Clark, New Jersey and this is the third of L’Oréal USA’s facilities to receive LEED certification established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI).  The company’s Franklin, NJ manufacturing plant was awarded LEED® Silver for the expansion of its operations in December 2010 and its Berkeley Heights, NJ administrative offices, which is home to over 400 employees, was awarded LEED® Gold in March 2011. 

LEED is an internationally-recognized green building certification system for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings. LEED addresses all building types and emphasizes state-of-the-art strategies in sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials and resource selection and indoor environmental quality.

“Sustainable buildings are an integral part of L’Oréal’s overall strategy to reduce its use of natural resources and mitigate environmental impacts,” said Eric Bone, Senior Vice President Corporate Research & Innovation, L’Oréal USA.  “LEED is a best-in-class benchmark for sustainable buildings and our pursuit of LEED certification for new and renovated buildings is aligned with our long-term sustainability goals.”

The renovation project at 30 Terminal Avenue which represents approximately 14% of the existing building’s total square footage, is comprised of a new hair care laboratory, a new skin care/sun care laboratory and research offices. The renovation features energy efficient windows, light tubes which provide natural light in the office areas, a daylight harvesting system that adjusts natural lighting levels, ceiling and desk occupancy lighting sensors, and a ceiling mounted chilled beam cooling system, which circulates cool water through special fixtures which cool air.  At the end of 2012 the company also installed a photovoltaic roof system with the capability of generating 1,025.77kW which supplies 25% of the building’s energy requirements and new fixtures which are designed to reduce onsite water consumption by 31%, while the occupancy sensors and daylight harvesting will reduce the lighting power density by 20%. The renovation also incorporates reused and refurbished furniture throughout.

About L’Oréal USA

L'Oréal USA, headquartered in New York City, with 2012 sales of over $5.6 billion and 10,159 employees, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of L'Oréal SA, the world’s leading beauty company. In addition to corporate headquarters in New York, L'Oréal USA has Research and Innovation, Manufacturing and Distribution facilities across nine states, including Arkansas, California, New Jersey, Kentucky, Illinois, Ohio, Texas, and Washington.  Since 2001, L’Oréal has been measuring its impact on global warming and joined the Global Compact in 2003, reinforcing its commitment to climate change. The company has been recognized by Corporate Knights for being among the 100 most sustainable corporations in the world and by Climate Counts for its leadership in addressing climate change. For more information visit www.lorealusa.com.

U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)
USGBC is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. USGBC works toward its mission of market transformation through its LEED green building program, robust educational offerings, a nationwide network of chapters and affiliates, the annual Greenbuild International Conference & Expo, the Center for Green Schools and advocacy in support of public policy that encourages and enables green buildings and communities. For more information, visit usgbc.org, explore the Green Building Information Gateway (GBIG) and connect on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Net Impact, a leading nonprofit that inspires a new generation to work for a sustainable future, has announced the results of its first Small Steps, Big Wins Campus Challenge. The Challenge, designed to empower undergraduates to take small steps to create big social and environmental change, drove significant results – including saving more than 64,233 pounds of carbon dioxide.

Small Steps, Big Wins enables students to complete actions designed to inspire everyday activism. Led by a group of dedicated campus directors, student participants witness the immediate impact they make on their own campuses and communities and can also track how they measure up against students at other universities. Each campus collects points for various actions and logs activity through the Small Steps, Big Wins website. Actions are worth different points depending on factors including difficulty, complexity and outreach components; for example, recycling a can is two points and donating blood is 25 points. Small Steps, Big Wins was made possible through the support of Alcoa Foundation. Additional major support was provided by Microsoft.

During the spring semester, California State University, Chico took first place, recording 110,476 points. Pennsylvania State University followed closely behind, with 74,764 points.

Since the Challenge launched in October 2012, students collectively took more than 45,000 actions which translated into:

• 39,258 pounds of CO2 saved by taking public transportation or walking instead of driving
• 3,064 plastic bags saved from landfills
• 3,124 volunteer hours logged
• 1,272 acts of kindness taken

“The Small Steps, Big Wins Campus Challenge is a great way to get people thinking about how even the smallest lifestyle changes can make a big difference," said Jessica Rudnick, campus director at Washington University in St. Louis, which came in seventh place. “Collectively, those small changes add up and create significant positive impact on the environment and in our communities.” Students at the Washington University Net Impact chapter implemented ideas such as “Meatless Mondays” to inspire conversations about the impact of the food we consume.

“What's been really exciting for us is how participants have become catalysts for change among their friends and fellow students,” said Liz Maw, CEO of Net Impact. “Students like Jessica have found incredibly creative ways to get their friends involved and discover that one small step at a time, they can make a big impact.”

In addition to learning about their collective influence and competing against other schools, participants had the chance to win exciting prizes throughout the Challenge. This year’s prizes included participation in the 2013 Clinton Global Initiative University, Coachella 2013 concert passes and travel and enrollment in Corkscrew’s 28-day Entrepreneur Incubator program.   

The next Small Steps, Big Wins Campus Challenge will launch in fall 2013 with a new feature – mobile accessibility, enabling students to check out new actions and report and document their impact with photos from their mobile devices.

Interested students and schools should visit www.smallsteps.netimpact.org for more details on how to get involved, one small step at a time.

Additional Information

• Learn more about the Challenge: smallsteps.netimpact.org
• Find out how to become a student campus director: smallsteps.netimpact.org/form/contact
• Follow us on Twitter: @netimpact
• Join us on Facebook: facebook.com/smallstepsbigwins

About Net Impact

Net Impact is the leading nonprofit that inspires a new generation to work within and beyond business to tackle the world’s toughest social and environmental problems. We support student and professional leaders to act locally through our vibrant chapter network and connect globally online and through our flagship conference to create a more just and sustainable future. Through our careers, we make a positive net impact that transforms our lives, our organizations, and the world. Learn more at http://www.netimpact.org.

Challenge Sponsors
The Small Steps Challenge is powered by title sponsor Alcoa Foundation, with additional support from gold sponsor Microsoft. Small Steps also supported by 3M, Avon, The Coca-Cola Company, Procter & Gamble, Target, and WaterMatch, and prize sponsors REI, Levi Strauss & Co, PepsiCo, and Timberland.

Morgan Stanley today announced the expansion of its longstanding partnership with Feeding America through a new $8 million commitment to its Fill the Plate program and an expanded employee volunteer initiative with the organization. Feeding America is the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief charity and partners with Morgan Stanley on a range of programs including:

• Individualized awards to local food banks over the next four years, including grants given this spring to 27 food banks, tailored to best serve the child and family nutritional health needs in each community;
  
  
• Financial support of cutting-edge research to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of child hunger-relief programs;
  
  
• Continuing assistance for the National Produce program that helps bring fresh produce to families in need across the United States through a network of 61,000 Feeding America partner agencies such as soup kitchens, food pantries and shelters; and
  
  
• Continuing assistance for the BackPack program that provides free backpacks with food staples so children who usually receive reduced or free lunch at school can get the nutritious meals they need over weekends or long school breaks.

“Giving back has been a cornerstone of Morgan Stanley’s culture and values since our founding in 1935,” said James P. Gorman, President and CEO of Morgan Stanley.  “Our partnership with Feeding America has long been an important way for us to create impact, and I am proud of the innovative programs we have worked on together that give children the healthy start they need for lifelong achievement.”

In this latest phase of Morgan Stanley’s Fill the Plate initiative, awards to local food banks will total more than $1 million each year for the next four years.  The innovative design for this grant-giving allows individual food banks to select hunger-relief programs that most effectively match their local population and capabilities.  The awards provide groundbreaking flexibility to Feeding America and its hunger-relief network of over 200 food banks nationwide.

“With more than 16 million children in the United States in danger of going hungry, we know that we can’t solve this issue alone,” said Bob Aiken, President and CEO of Feeding America.  “This historic gift by Morgan Stanley shows the true commitment they have to help us fight hunger in all of our communities.  We are proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with them in looking for ways to solve this problem.”

For 50 years, the Morgan Stanley Foundation has supported employee communities and innovations in pediatric health through initiatives such as its Global Alliance for Children’s Health.  Through Fill the Plate, Morgan Stanley is dedicated to addressing food insecurity.  Currently, one in five children in the U.S. does not have enough to eat, according to Feeding America’s 2010 Hunger Study.

“It is an honor for Morgan Stanley to strengthen its partnership with Feeding America in the fight against children’s hunger.  At the same time, I take special pride in the efforts of individual Morgan Stanley employees who regularly spend time volunteering at Feeding America’s network food banks across the country,” said Joan Steinberg, Global Head of Philanthropy at Morgan Stanley.  “Morgan Stanley looks to bring intellectual capital, leadership and ‘sweat equity’ to its partnership with Feeding America and with all of our community partners.”

About Morgan Stanley

Morgan Stanley is a leading global financial services firm providing investment banking, securities, investment management and wealth management services.  The Firm's employees serve clients worldwide including corporations, governments, institutions and individuals from more than 1,200 offices in 43 countries.  Through its Global Alliance for Children’s Health, the Firm is dedicated to improving the lives and welfare of the world’s youngest citizens.  For more information about Morgan Stanley, please visit www.morganstanley.com. 

About Feeding America

Feeding America provides low-income individuals and families with the fuel to survive and even thrive.  As the nation's leading domestic hunger-relief charity, our network members supply food to more than 37 million Americans each year, including 14 million children and 3 million seniors. Serving the entire United States, more than 200 member food banks support 61,000 agencies that address hunger in all of its forms.  For more information on how you can fight hunger in your community and across the country, visit http://www.feedingamerica.org. Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/FeedingAmerica or follow our news on Twitter at twitter.com/FeedingAmerica.

There is a global consensus that family planning and reproductive health is a life-saving, cost effective intervention that jumpstarts development. Yet, 222 million women worldwide still have an unmet need for family planning. Those who are working to meet that need—in some of the poorest, most remote regions of the world—face daunting obstacles, from the opposition of local leaders to resource constraints and bad roads.

With leaders and health experts gathering from around the world in Geneva for the 66th World Health Assembly, the Global Leaders Council for Reproductive Health (GLC) celebrates countries that are surmounting barriers to access to these vital services.

GLC Chair Joy Phumaphi will present the 2013 Resolve Award to representatives of three countries—the Gambia, Kenya, and Zambia, with a special mention given to Sierra Leone—for demonstrating leadership and political will. But the individuals transforming lives on the ground may not be who you’d expect.

Meet Reverend George Buannie. He’s the Executive Director of the Fambul Initiative Network for Equality (FINE) in Sierra Leone. What’s Buannie’s innovation? “Husband schools” that teach men to respect women’s rights and health. The villages where FINE volunteers work have seen a 60 percent decrease in rape and gender-based violence, and maternal mortality has declined by more than 60 percent. There has been a 75 percent increase in hospital births, and contraceptive use has soared from 30 to 51 percent.

In the Gambia, the game-changing intervention was a practical one: reliable transportation. As in many developing countries, The Gambia’s unpaved roads and an aging fleet of vehicles kept healthcare workers from visiting rural communities. This posed significant challenges for reproductive health: regular antenatal checkups and swift access to obstetric care can mean the difference between life and death for women and their infants.

To solve the problem, the Ministry of Health leveraged public and private funding to purchase a new fleet of ambulances and all-terrain vehicles, then outsourced their maintenance and operations to Riders for Health, a not-for-profit with decades of experience in medical transport.

Majai Ceesay owes her life to the program. Ceesay lives in Kaikunda, a remote village 120 miles from The Gambian capitol. She nearly died while giving birth to twins in June 2012. But Ceesay was fortunate to receive care from Sheriff Darbo, a community health nurse, who travelled to Kaikanda on a motorcycle from Riders for Health. “I can honestly say that without Sheriff, I and my second twin wouldn’t be alive,” says Ceesay.

In Zambia, reproductive health suffered from years of “structural adjustment” programs that decimated the country’s health and social service sectors. A decade ago, Zambia’s had some of the world’s highest rates of HIV/AIDS and maternal and child mortality. But in recent years, the Zambian government has redoubled its commitment to primary and reproductive health, increasing spending in those areas by 50%. And Zambia is pioneering integrated service provision: family planning and maternal and child health services are offered together, free of charge. “People do not want to go to separate facilities for family planning and for child health,” said Dr. Joseph Kasonde, Zambia’s Minister of Health. “We are working to meet all of their health needs in one place.”

Sometimes the obstacles to reproductive health are political, rather than practical. The solution? Build broad-based support. That is how Kenya’s National Council for Population Development won approval of a comprehensive Population Policy for National Development, which places family planning at the center of Kenya’s development agenda. The NCPD spent three years engaging with civil society members, churches, government officials and other stakeholders to develop a visionary new policy, created by and for the Kenyan people.

“The Resolve Award winners show us that, even in the most challenging environments, progress can be made,” said Peggy Clark, Executive Director of Aspen Global Health and Development and Vice President of Policy Programs at the Aspen Institute. “With ingenuity and commitment, these leaders are pushing the frontiers of reproductive health.”

While the Resolve Award showcases remarkable achievements, there is much work to be done. Please join the GLC in congratulating not only the Award winners, but all leaders maintaining their utmost resolve to achieve universal access to family planning and reproductive health services.

Learn more about each of the Resolve Award winners by joining the webcast on May 22 at www.aspeninstitute.org/live to watch the ceremony and participate via Twitter by following @GLCRHresolve and #ResolveAward.

About The Aspen Institute
The Global Leaders Council for Reproductive Health, established by The Aspen Institute in 2010, is composed of eighteen sitting and former heads of state, high-level policymakers and other leaders who build political leadership for increased financial and technical support for reproductive health. The Council works to revitalize political commitments to reproductive health by increasing awareness of reproductive health issues, supporting the effective use of donor resources, and championing policies dedicated to achieving universal access to reproductive health.

Aspen Global Health and Development (GHD) helps to build innovative strategies for global health and poverty alleviation by bringing leaders together to share and advance innovative solutions and by strengthening the capacity of developing world leaders to champion these ideas. Learn more at www.aspeninstitute.org/GHD.

The Aspen Institute is an educational and policy studies organization based in Washington, DC. Its mission is to foster leadership based on enduring values and to provide a nonpartisan venue for dealing with critical issues. The Institute is based in Washington, DC; Aspen, Colorado; and on the Wye River on Maryland's Eastern Shore. It also has offices in New York City and an international network of partners. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org.

On June 4, 2013, the Metro New York BBB’s Education and Research Foundation will present its sixth annual BBB Forum on Corporate Responsibility at Time Inc., 1271 Avenue of the Americas, in New York City, from 8:00 AM to 12:30 PM.  BBB Forum attendees will gain insights from corporate leaders about business responsibility trends and megatrends, changing consumer and investor expectations and trends, new ideas about goal-setting and social impact assessment, and more.  The 2013 BBB Forum is generously sponsored by Ernst & Young LLP, Popular Community Bank, NYSE Euronext, and Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey and is hosted by Time Inc.

“Corporate responsibility professionals and business owners are often confronted with major challenges, including shifting public expectations, misunderstandings about the bottom-line value of corporate responsibility efforts, and the complex business of establishing meaningful metrics,” said Claire Rosenzweig, President and CEO of the Metro New York BBB’s Foundation.  “The BBB Corporate Responsibility Forum gives us an opportunity to hear from leaders in the field about how they meet and master these challenges.”

BBB Forum Keynote speaker Kim Jeffery, Chairman, Nestlé Waters North America, will share insights about how his company has responded to changing consumer expectations, and how that process has benefited the business.

Following the keynote, a senior executive from Cone Communications will provide an overview of the evolving corporate responsibility scene.   Prominent Corporate Responsibility leaders from Verizon Communications, McGraw-Hill Financial, TD Bank US and The Conference Board Initiative on Sustainability will then conduct a panel discussion about the latest global and domestic challenges, solutions and trends in business responsibility.

Two thought-provoking special reports will also be presented by leaders from Ernst & Young LLP and BSR.  These reports will highlight key features of shareholder-sponsored proposals on environmental and social issues, and provide an overview of trends in ESG investing. 

The 2013 Forum will conclude with remarks about challenges and benefits of “greening” professional sports, by a senior scientist from the Natural Resources Defense Council who has led these efforts.

Click here to view the complete 2013 BBB Forum agenda.

Many distinguished business associations and organizations are Supporters for the Forum.   Corporate Responsibility Magazine is the event’s Media Supporter.  The following groups are Event Supporters: Advertising Self-Regulatory Council, American Sustainable Business Council, BSR, Council of Better Business Bureaus, CSRHub, CSRWire, Ethics and Compliance Officer Association, Forum for the Future, Governance & Accountability Institute, Inc., Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, Net Impact NYC, New York Society of Association Executives, NYCharities.org, Sustainability Practice Network, The Robert Zicklin Center for Corporate Integrity. (List in formation)

COST TO ATTEND:
BBB Accredited, Event Supporter Guests, Nonprofits: $95 per person
Non-BBB Accredited: $165 per person

DETAILS & ONLINE REGISTRATION: 
www.newyork.bbb.org/bbbforum2013

OTHER CONTACT INFORMATION:
Call: 212-358-2829
Email: hlayland@newyork.bbb.org
General BBB Information:  www.newyork.bbb.org

Space is limited.  Advance registration is required.  Register now to assure seating.

About the Education and Research Foundation of the BBB of Metropolitan New York, Inc.
Metro New York’s BBB Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 1967.  It provides educational programs and services for charities, consumers, and businesses; encourages informed consumer support of charities; promotes charity transparency and accountability; conducts research; and provides educational intern opportunities to students who are potential charity and business leaders.  It operates the BBB Charity Review Program which publishes BBB reports on 800 Metro New York area charities. This charity review program does not rank charities, but rather seeks to assist donors in making informed judgments by providing objective reports based on charity performance against the BBB’s 20 Standards of Charity Accountability.  Charities that meet all of the BBB’s 20 Standards are eligible to participate in its BBB Accredited Charity Seal program.  The list of Metro NY BBB Accredited Charity Seal Holders is available at www.newyork.bbb.org/charityguide. The BBB Wise Giving Alliance produces reports on over 1,300 nationally soliciting charitable organizations.  Thousands of additional charity reports are available through other local BBBs; there are about 11,000 national and local BBB charity reports in all.  The outcomes of local and national BBB charity reviews are available online at www.ny.give.org and www.give.org. 

 Sustainable Brands® recently announced the twelve semi-finalists selected from over 100 entries received from across the globe to compete at the Sustainable Brands Innovation Open (SBIO) business plan competition. Presented by Target and co-sponsored by Energy Points and Pure Strategies, the 4th annual competition will feature environmentally and socially-conscious entrepreneurs contending for top honors and prizes as part of the Sustainable Brands 2013 conference in San Diego, CA, June 3-6th.

The 2013 SBIO semi-finalists include:

• Fenugreen – produces a low-cost, compostable paper infused with only organic spices that keeps produce fresh 2-4 times longer
• LaborVoices – gathers real-time information on working conditions in overseas factories, directly from workers’ mobile phones
• re:char – producers of a low-cost kiln that converts agricultural waste into biochar, a carbon-negative fertilizer
• Ecopia – produces ECOPLAS®, the first “Fair for Life” certified bio-plastic in the world which is a resin made from tapioca
• Blue Box – reduces the use of toxic chemicals and hazardous waste streams by 90%+ in the cleaning of industrial systems
• Refrigerant Revolution® by EOS Climate – a multi-sector stewardship empowering organizations to manage refrigerants throughout their full life cycle
• Efficiency Exchange – using modern web technology, they are building a better way to improve the efficiency and sustainability of global supply chains
• Thread – transforms trash in the poorest countries into jobs for poor and exports products consumers love
• Amplify, Inc. – translates policy research and reform agendas into social change using a three-part product: 1) outcome data and 2) digital storytelling with 3) strategically coordinated grassroots advocacy movements
• Isidore Electronics Recycling – an electronics recycling company that serves as an on-the-job training and employment program for previously incarcerated people in Los Angeles
• Back to the Roots Home Aquaponics Garden – makes grow-your-own food tools to educate and inspire kids and adults to learn where food comes from and why it is important
• EcoPrint – a plug-in for Microsoft Office and web browsers, it uses formatted algorithms to print efficiently, saving paper and ink automatically

Eleven semi-finalists were selected by a panel of esteemed judges including executives from Target, Energy Points, Pure Strategies, Mindful Investors, Ashoka’s Changemakers, among others. An additional semi-finalist was selected by popular vote using the technology platform Podium and hosted by YouNoodle. All twelve semi-finalists receive complimentary admission to the SB’13 conference where they will have the chance to pitch their business plans to a group of social and sustainable investors, executives from leading companies, top brand consultancies and nearly 2,000 business and brand leaders attending the conference and Solutions Expo. The winner will receive cash and in-kind prizes, access to executives who specialize in business and law services, mentoring and feedback from prominent thought leaders and exposure to members of the global Sustainable Brands community.

“SB Innovation Open seeks to catalyze the progress and impact of disruptive innovation that leads business down the path toward a sustainable future,” states KoAnn Skrzyniarz, founder of Sustainable Brands. “By seeking out innovative business models, products and services that support positive environmental and social impact, these entrepreneurs are challenging the status quo in business today. Our community will continue to provide leadership and guidance to passionate innovators such as these with breakthrough ideas that contribute to our flourishing future.”

Business plan pitches will run back-to-back beginning Tuesday, June 4th on the Solutions Expo stage at SB’13. Four finalists will then be selected to present on the main stage which will be broadcast worldwide through the conference live stream. More information about the SB Innovation Open, SB’13 and the Solutions Expo can be found on the event website.

About Sustainable Brands
Sustainable Brands® is the premier global community of brand innovators who are shaping the future of commerce worldwide. Since 2006, our mission has been to inspire, engage and equip today’s business and brand leaders to prosper for the near and long term by leading the way to a better future. Digitally published news articles and issues-focused conversation topics, internationally known conferences and regional events, a robust e-learning library and peer-to-peer membership groups all facilitate community learning and engagement throughout the year. Sustainable Brands is hosted by Sustainable Brands Worldwide, a division of Sustainable Life Media headquartered in San Francisco, CA.

The Centre for Sustainability and Excellence (CSE), following Europe’s engagement in developing and enhancing business strategies though CSR frameworks, delivered on the 25th & 26th of April, 2013 for the first time the Certified Sustainability (CSR) Practitioner in London.

The 2 day training approved by IEMA, was delivered with great success and attended by leading professionals from Environmental Managers to Communication Officers from a variety of sectors and organizations such as Unilever, Oxford City Council, University of British Columbia and White Stuff Foundation. The outcomes left all delegates with exclusive learning opportunities about Corporate Social Responsibility Strategies, CR legislation, and Sustainability Reporting. The training’s diversity besides proving the significance of CSR within all sectors it also acted as a melting pot and raised different views and best practices about the utilization of CSR initiatives.

Consequently, the region’s professionals, engaged in making CSR vision reality, broaden their horizons and in turn will further expand CSR within their organizations culture. CSE Sustainability Practitioners are making a substantial difference in implementing sustainability to enhance financial and non-financial performances of organizations! Specifically, more than 400 Sustainability Practitioners from five continents and over 30 countries have received this qualification and as a result, career progression!

The next Certified Sustainability (CSR) Practitioner in London will be delivered on the 17th & 18th of October, 2013! You can register now here, or contact Aglaia Ntili – Global Training & Partnership Manager for further information.

CSE is a global Sustainability (CSR) strategic consulting and training organization providing in-house and open trainings that meet the needs and requirements of every industry and the business activities of every organization. In this way, since CSE establishment in 2004, has worked with more than 5.000 high profile professionals from prestigious organizations such as Lloyds Banking Group, World Business for Sustainable Development, Mercedes Benz, EFG, Oracle, Shell, Baker Hughes, ZAIN, Whole Foods, North Face, Vanity Fair and Entrepreneur.

Yesterday, at the Council for Chemical Research 2013 Annual Meeting in Arlington, Virginia, among leaders from industry, academia and the National Labs, The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE: DOW) unveiled the beta version of the Dow Lab Safety Academy, a digital learning environment that shares Dow's best-in-class industrial safety culture and practices in a quick and accessible format. Explore the Dow Lab Safety Academy at safety.dow.com. The Dow Lab Safety Academy includes dozens of videos featuring lab safety guidelines for a variety of real-life scenarios, grouped under four comprehensive lab safety categories. The website also provides a collection of useful resources such as a chemical reactivity worksheet and an incident alert template, which help promote best practices for safety.

In an effort to continually improve the content and usability of the website, Dow will be seeking feedback from partner universities and other users.

“At Dow, our focus on safety is inherent in everything we do and every decision we make,” said Dr. William F. Banholzer, executive vice president and chief technology officer at Dow. “We routinely share safety best practices with our competitors since we all understand improving safety is in everyone’s best interest. The same is true for university research. Our hope is that by broadly sharing what Dow does internally we can help improve university safety as well as our customers’, national labs or anyone conducting materials research.”

Dow's best practices focus on incident prevention and on spurring a high level of engagement in safety awareness. In 2012, thanks to a combination of smart work processes and procedures, and a focus on safe behaviors, 266 out of Dow's 350 sites went completely injury-free.

“With its excellent safety record and well-known best safety practices, Dow is a reliable source for laboratory safety information,” said William Tolman, Distinguished McKnight University Professor and Chair of the Department of Chemistry at University of Minnesota. “The Dow Lab Safety Academy presents material that is highly relevant to academic researchers, with modules that focus on the types of safety issues we all encounter. It is an excellent resource for students and those working in the chemical industry.”

As part of its laboratory safety initiative launched in early 2012, Dow has partnered with premier research universities to improve safety awareness and practices in the departments of chemistry, chemical engineering, engineering and materials. Through pilot programs with U.C. Santa Barbara (UCSB), University of Minnesota and Pennsylvania State University, Dow is working closely with graduate students and faculty to identify areas of improvement and help nurture a sustainable culture of laboratory safety.

About Dow
Dow (NYSE: DOW) combines the power of science and technology to passionately innovate what is essential to human progress. The Company connects chemistry and innovation with the principles of sustainability to help address many of the world's most challenging problems such as the need for clean water, renewable energy generation and conservation, and increasing agricultural productivity. Dow's diversified industry-leading portfolio of specialty chemical, advanced materials, agrosciences and plastics businesses delivers a broad range of technology-based products and solutions to customers in approximately 160 countries and in high growth sectors such as electronics, water, energy, coatings and agriculture. In 2012, Dow had annual sales of approximately $57 billion and employed approximately 54,000 people worldwide. The Company's more than 5,000 products are manufactured at 188 sites in 36 countries across the globe. References to "Dow" or the "Company" mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted. More information about Dow can be found at www.dow.com.

Points of Light’s Civic Accelerator – the first national startup accelerator dedicated solely to investing in civic ventures – announced today the 10 nonprofit and for-profit start-ups selected to participate in its summer program. The ventures participating in the Civic Accelerator all mobilize people to create positive change.

While Points of Light has a 20-year history of engaging people in volunteer service, the launch of the Civic Accelerator marks the first time the organization is investing venture capital funds in social enterprises.

Ten teams, selected from 150 applicants, will gather on May 20 in Atlanta for the start of an intensive, 12-week boot camp which will include mentoring, entrepreneur education, peer support and networking.

Points of Light has offered each startup a $10,000 investment. Additionally, Points of Light will offer two of the most promising ventures – as determined by the entrepreneurs themselves –an additional $50,000 investment at the end of the summer.

The Civic Accelerator is run in partnership with Village Capital, which has launched 22 accelerator programs in the U.S. and emerging markets, serving over 300 enterprises directly addressing poverty alleviation, environmental sustainability and economic development. Founding support for the unique accelerator comes from PwC Charitable Foundation, Inc. and Starbucks Foundation.

The 10 startups participating in the second cohort of the Civic Accelerator are:

 

 

 

EPIC empowers creative professionals to make social change happen.

 

 

 

GenX & Associates helps communities dashboard their social, economic, and environmental data online for local decision-making.

 

 

GraphAlchemist offers Graph as a Service (GaaS) to provide data driven solutions to complex problems.

 

 

 

Neighbor.ly is the funding platform for civic projects.

 

Open Curriculum is an online platform to create, access and share K-12 learning material.

 

 

 

 

Practice Makes Perfect works to narrow the achievement gap in low income U.S. neighborhoods through summer enrichment programs.

 

 

 

Public Lab is a community that develops and applies affordable, open-source environmental monitoring tools to empower citizen scientists.

 

 

 

 

The GREEN Program transforms experiential education around the world, and empowers leaders to break into and disrupt the hottest industries of our time.

 

 

 

 

Jubilee Project makes videos for a good cause that empower, enable, and inspire the next generation of change-makers.

 

 

 

Village Defense provides neighborhoods with a real-time communications system to keep neighbors safe and connected.

"Supporting innovation in the design of sustainable, scalable programs that drive social good is an important part of our giving philosophy," said Chris Simmons, president, PwC Charitable Foundation, Inc. "We are pleased to congratulate the second class of 10 startups selected for the accelerator and look forward to seeing their impact in the areas of education and humanitarianism."

“Innovation is core to what we do at Starbucks, and we are inspired by the work of these entrepreneurs and innovators,” said Adam Brotman, chief digital officer at Starbucks. “We are honored to support this valuable program and are looking forward to witnessing the continued success of the teams as they make a positive impact on their communities.”

“We are excited about the new thinking and innovative models we are seeing – and investing in – across the country. The for-profit and nonprofit ventures, with their shared focus on customers and need for sustainable business models, have a great deal in common,” said Ayesha Khanna, president of the Civic Incubator at Points of Light. “We believe their success will engage people in solving critical social problems and strengthening communities.”

“Over the next three months, these enterprises will get the best support and the toughest criticism they’ve ever received from their peers,” said Ross Baird, executive director of Village Capital. “The program will focus on everything from customer validation to financials, and we expect that the collaboration of these amazingly talented people will be a force multiplier for their success.”

About Points of Light
Points of Light – the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service – mobilizes millions of people to take action that is changing the world. Through affiliates in 250 cities and partnerships with thousands of nonprofits and corporations, Points of Light engages more than 4 million volunteers in 30 million hours of service each year. We bring the power of people to bear where it’s needed most. For more information, go to www.pointsoflight.org.

About Village Capital
Village Capital uses the power of peer review and support to shape enterprises making an impact, and to change the way investment in them is made.  Through tested educational programs worldwide, and through a unique peer-selected model, Village Capital provides innovative risk capital to the world’s highest-potential ventures while expanding the scope and infrastructure of the impact investing industry. For more information, go to www.vilcap.com.

About PwC Charitable Foundation, Inc.
The PwC Charitable Foundation, Inc., a section 501(c)(3) organization, makes charitable contributions to the people of PwC in times of financial hardship, and to nonprofit organizations that support and promote education and humanitarianism.

Since 1997, Nicor employees have dedicated the third Saturday in May for Volunteer Day as their way of giving back to the local communities where they live and work.

On Saturday, May 18, hundreds of employees, family members, and friends will honor their commitment to volunteerism and one the company’s core values – generosity of spirit – by performing a variety of community service activities. From outdoor beautification, to constructing houses for low-income residents, to sorting food at local food pantries, 18 projects will be performed benefitting 15 cities and towns across northern Illinois.

Employees from Nicor Gas, a local natural gas distribution company, will be joined by employees from Nicor Home Solutions, an unregulated provider of appliance protection plans and other home related services and Nicor Enerchange, provider of natural gas to commercial and industrial customers in the Midwest primarily in the northern Illinois market, to complete the community enrichment projects, which are much more than painting fences and raking leaves. 

“Volunteer Day reflects the collective spirit of our Nicor companies,” said Beth Reese, president of Nicor Gas. “For the last 17 years, our employees have dedicated personal time on a Saturday to demonstrate their dedication to our communities and help make our world a better place for everyone.”

Volunteers will complete projects in the following communities:

• Volunteers will spruce up the Hesed House, a homeless shelter at 680 S. River Street, Aurora.
• Volunteers will help beautify the Mooseheart Child City and School in Batavia by planting flowers, cleaning up trails and painting a horse corral.
• A team will tackle energy-efficient renovations alongside McLean County Habitat for Humanity volunteers at a new renovation project in Bloomington.
• More than 50 volunteers will assist with landscaping outdoor spaces and painting marcfirst, group homes for individuals with mental and physical disabilities in Bloomington.
• DeKalb volunteers will return to the Salvation Army Food Pantry at 830 Grove Street to plant a community garden and perform outdoor cleanup.
• Benefiting Downers Grove area women’s shelter, volunteers will take on a painting project to freshen up the common areas. This project is sponsored by the AGL Resources women's group, Inspire.
•  At Connections for the Homeless in Evanston, volunteers will help prepare a home for a new family by performing weatherization tasks and painting.
• Geneva volunteers will sort and organize food at the Northern Illinois Food Bank at 273 Dearborn Court.
• Our volunteers will give a fresh coat of paint to and spruce up The Dixie House on Dixie Highway in Harvey for Restoration Ministries, a group that provides social and human services for underprivileged families and individuals.
• Joliet volunteers will tackle a little spring cleaning and will help organize the Morningstar Mission retail stores and warehouse at 350 E. Washington St.
• Volunteers will clean up the property at Cornerstone Group Home, a short-term, residential group home for boys, ages 13-17, in Lisle.
• Naperville volunteers will pitch in to plant and landscape the property around the 60-acre McDonald Farm run by the Naperville Conservation Foundation.
• At the DuPage Children’s Museum in Naperville, about 25 volunteers will mulch and trim bushes along the property, and plant flowers in large outdoor planters.
• Lending hands to Loaves & Fishes Community Pantry at 1871 High Grove Lane in Naperville volunteers will sort food collected during recent community food drives and distribute them to clients.
• Volunteers at Lake Katherine Nature Center in Palos Heights will plant native trees and plugs and spread prairie seeds harvested from Nicor Gas’ prairie and will help rehabilitate natural areas as part of the eco- and family-friendly project, which includes building an animal mound - a 35-foot long salamander.
• The Rock River Valley Food Pantry will welcome volunteer efforts to help sort food and clean up around the grounds at two locations in Rockford.
• Flowers and mulch will be planted at The Manor at Hearthstone Communities, rehabilitative and nursing care facilities at 920 N. Seminary Ave. in Woodstock.
• Yorkville volunteers will perform outdoor planting and indoor painting at the Kendall County Food Pantry.

To learn more about our community involvement, visit http://nicorgas.aglr.com/Universal/AboutUs/CommunityInvolvement.aspx

About Nicor Gas

Nicor Gas, a wholly owned subsidiary of AGL Resources (NYSE: GAS), is a natural gas distribution company that serves more than 2 million customers in a service territory that encompasses most of the northern third of Illinois, excluding the city of Chicago. For more information, visit www.nicorgas.com.

About AGL Resources

AGL Resources (NYSE: GAS) is an Atlanta-based energy services holding company with operations in natural gas distribution, retail operations, wholesale services, midstream operations and cargo shipping. As the nation's largest natural gas-only distributor based on customer count, AGL Resources serves approximately 4.5 million utility customers through its regulated distribution subsidiaries in seven states. The company also serves approximately 600,000 retail energy customers and approximately 1.2 million customer service contracts through its SouthStar Energy Services joint venture and Nicor National, which market natural gas and related home services. Other non-utility businesses include asset management for natural gas wholesale customers through Sequent Energy Management, ownership and operation of natural gas storage facilities, and ownership of Tropical Shipping, one of the largest containerized cargo carriers serving the Bahamas and Caribbean region. AGL Resources is a member of the S&P 500 Index. For more information, visit www.aglresources.com.