06.06.08
Posted in Environment & Energy, Social Innovation & Mission Driven Entrepreneurship, Wired News & Press Releases at 9:08 am by Oliver
Sorting hotel search results by Price, Hotel Name, or Distance from a Landmark are familiar tools to almost any traveler, but RezHub.com, Orlando, FL based travel site is now providing a sort feature with a conscience: Sort by Green Score.
Customers using the RezHub hotel search are now able to view hotels in order of the way they care for the environment.
RezHub and their Green Travel Hub launched in September of last year with a dedication to providing green travel options to everyone and for every trip. Since their launch, the site has continued to provide innovative tools to help travelers learn that going green does not have to mean going to extremes. The Green Score ratings system for hotels was designed to show customers exactly what steps individual hotels are taking to protect the planet. Hotels earn points and Green Score “Branches” by completing tasks ranging from incorporating recycling programs, to using Energy Star Appliances, to landscaping with native plant gardens. RezHub became the first travel site to include a Green Score in every hotel search, and the launch of their “sort by Green Score” feature is the perfect enhancement. The Sort by Green Score feature works just as a “sort by price” would work. When sorted, hotels appear in order of their Green Score starting with the highest at the top and ranging down to the lowest.
RezHub has already Green Scored almost 1000 hotels in the US, 2000 worldwide, and their list grows daily. Customers are encouraged to keep in mind that although some hotels may only have received one Green Score Branch, that they are making positive changes for the planet.
“It’s important to support the green efforts that each hotel is making because it shows the management that they are doing the right thing. Supporting these programs now will help them grow in the future”
says Marketing Director for the website Melissa Evans. RezHub will continue on its mission to bring Green Travel to the mainstream. The Sort by Green Score is one of many more features to come that will take Green Travel searching to the next level.
In addition to providing Green Travel options, information, and bookings, the website donates 20% of its profits from every trip booked to an environmental non-profit group each quarter. Which non-profit group actually “gets the green” is decided by a vote from their customers. Both the RezHub Green Score and Sort by Green features are Patent Pending.
About RezHub.com
RezHub.com™ is the next generation of online travel, providing innovative research and reservation tools to the traveling public. It is our goal to ensure that you feel good about travel, especially when it comes to making the best choice for your trip.
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Posted in Campaigns, Education, Events, Wired News & Press Releases at 8:42 am by Oliver
Boston based City Year unveiled an expansion of its long-time partnership with Comcast, announcing that Comcast has pledged cross-channel advertising and financial support for City Year totaling $27 million over the next three years. Comcast has had two previous agreements with City Year over the past five years with a total value of $30 million. This expanded agreement will encourage young people to commit to volunteer service by increasing awareness of City Year’s mission and investing in leadership training for City Year corps members and staff.
“Comcast is a tremendous corporate citizen. Its investment in City Year is making it possible for young people to provide vitally needed services to children in schools and communities nationwide. Further, Comcast’s multi-million dollar national public service campaign will call on America’s young people to ‘give a year’ and ‘change the world’ as City Year corps members,”
said Michael Brown, City Year CEO and Co-Founder. Executive Vice President of Comcast Corporation David L. Cohen, who also serves as a member of City Year’s National Board comments:
“By enabling our youth to be more responsible citizens today, and more effective leaders for the future, City Year is making a positive difference in communities across the country – and we are proud to partner with them to promote volunteerism, diversity and youth leadership development.”
Besides the direct financial commitment of $3M, the partnership includes leadership development. media sponsorship, and other joint activities, such as City Year corps members serving alongside Comcast employees and their family members at Comcast Cares Day, the company’s national day of service.
About City Year
City Year is a nonprofit organization that unites young people of all backgrounds for a demanding year of full-time service, giving them the skills and opportunities to change the world. As tutors, mentors, and role models, these dedicated idealists make a difference in the lives of children, and transform schools and neighborhoods in 17 U.S. locations and Johannesburg, South Africa. Founded in 1988, City Year is dedicated to helping children succeed, building stronger communities, breaking down social barriers and developing young leaders. City Year is a proud member of AmeriCorps.
About Comcast
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) is the nation’s leading provider of cable, entertainment and communications products and services. With 24.7 million cable customers, 14.1 million high-speed Internet customers and 5.2 million voice customers, Comcast is principally involved in the development, management and operation of broadband cable systems and in the delivery of programming content.
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06.05.08
Posted in Events, Social Responsible Investing, Wired News & Press Releases at 9:25 am by Oliver
E+Co, the Bloomfield, NJ based non-profit investment company has been officially awarded as the Financial Times’ prestigious Sustainable Investor of the Year.
As one of five categories at the 2008 FT Sustainable Banking Awards, the Sustainable Investor of the Year award highlights groundbreaking achievement in the area of sustainable investment, recognizing programs with outstanding triple bottom-line impact.
“You hear talk about boutique investing, about SME investing, about technology investing; E+Co brings all three together. An inspiration,”
states the 2008 Judging Panel of the Financial Times’ Sustainable Banking Awards.
E+Co creates its direct impact by investing in individual energy enterprises and building a portfolio of companies that provide clean energy products and services. These impacts are then measured across a triple bottom line of financial, social and environmental impacts. To date, E+Co has brought energy to more than 4 million people, offsetting 3.3 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions and mobilizing $172 million of co-financing. With more than 100 active energy investments, E+Co’s portfolio encompasses solar, wind, hydro, biogas, LPG and energy efficient businesses.
It is the combination of services and capital that distinguishes E+Co’s work from others in the clean energy field. E+Co’s approach is to empower local small and medium enterprises that supply clean and affordable energy to households, businesses and communities in developing countries.
SAM Sustainable Asset Management of Switzerland was awarded as runner-up. More information about the FT Sustainable Banking Awards, including judging criteria and award categories, can be found here.
About E+Co
E+Co is a non-profit investment company that provides business support services and capital to energy businesses in Africa, Asia and Latin America. With almost 15 years of experience and offices in Bolivia, Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Ghana, the Netherlands, South Africa, Thailand and the United States, E+Co’s innovative business model provides lasting solutions to climate change and poverty.
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06.03.08
Posted in Education, Events, Wired News & Press Releases at 11:35 am by Oliver
Harry R. Halloran Jr., a Philadelphia energy industry entrepreneur has given $10 million to the Opus College of Business at the University of St. Thomas to support its programs in corporate ethics and responsibility.
Besides his roles at American Refining Group Inc. and Energy Unlimited Inc., Halloran also is the founder of Halloran Philanthropies, an organization that supports efforts to enhance global business ethics, microfinance and community service.
“Over the past decade I have come to know and admire St. Thomas’ scholars and programs devoted to corporate ethics,” Halloran said. “The university and its Opus College of Business are leaders in this critically important field, and I am grateful to be able to support their efforts.”
Halloran’s donation to St. Thomas’ Opening Doors capital campaign will support work in corporate ethics and responsibility undertaken by two organizations in the Opus College of Business: the SAIP (Self-Assessment and Improvement Process) Institute and the Center for Ethical Business Cultures.
In April 2008, Halloran Philanthropies and Kiva.org co-hosted the Microfinance Recepetion in conjunction with the 2008 Penn Microfinance Conference.
About Halloran Philanthropies
The purpose of the Halloran Philanthropies is to create a healthy world community that promotes economic development and human dignity guided by ethical principles. GLOBAL ETHICS Supporting programs that impact the ethical behavior of business and promote corporate social responsibility and interreligious programs MICROFINANCE Ensuring the empowerment of the poor to achieve sustainable and dignified livelihoods COMMUNITY SERVICE Promoting neighborhood revitalization and youth education through entrepreneurial development.
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06.02.08
Posted in Education, Wired News & Press Releases at 2:55 pm by Oliver
The Berkeley, CA based Rockwood Leadership Institute is launching a new program for social entrepreneurs and socially responsible business leaders. Designed to provide a high-intensity learning community for senior executives of socially responsible businesses, it is also open to non-profit leaders with a social venture focus.
“Among Rockwood’s 3,000 alumni and friends are a growing group of entrepreneurs who want to experience our unique approach to leadership development and expand their networks,” says Rockwood’s CEO Akaya Windwood. “Our mission is to encourage social change through transformative leadership development. We are looking forward to providing regular seminars for triple-bottom-line venture individuals and teams”
The growth of enterprises that mix for-profit and non-profit practices in pursuit of social goals has led the organization to refocus its programming to include this growing sector.
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Posted in Reports, Wired News & Press Releases at 1:30 pm by Oliver
Abbott, the Illinois based global health care company today released its 2007 Global Citizenship report. The report titled “Ingenuity at Work” highlights Abbott’s commitment to access to care, innovation, science education and the environment. It is available www.abbott.com/citizenship.
Abbott has received numerous recognitions, including a listing among world leaders in economic, environmental and social performance in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. It consults many resources in developing the report, including SustainAbility, Business for Social Responsibility, the Center for Corporate Citizenship at Boston College, and others.
About Abbott
Abbott is a global, broad-based health care company devoted to the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceuticals and medical products, including nutritionals, devices and diagnostics. The company employs more than 68,000 people and markets its products in more than 130 countries. Abbott’s news releases and other information are available on the company’s Web site at www.abbott.com.
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Posted in Campaigns, Wired News & Press Releases at 1:01 pm by Oliver
MicroPlace, the San Jose, CA based online brokerage specializing in socially responsible investments, today announced the launch of “Small change. Big change.”
Through the campaign (www.smallchange-bigchange.com), everyday people can team up with friends and family to make investments that earn a financial return and help address global poverty by raising funds for global microfinance institutions that provide loans to the world’s working poor.
“If you are like most people, your nickels and quarters go unnoticed and collect dust in a jar or pot. We have launched the “Small change. Big change.” campaign as a way for people to take that small change and make big change by addressing global poverty,” said Tracey Turner, founder and general manager of MicroPlace.
To encourage investors to ask their friends to join them in making a difference, MicroPlace will offer uniquely handcrafted artisan piggy banks from Chile to groups of investors who invest at least $500. Investors can track their impact and the impact of their friends on the campaign website. They can read stories from the people receiving loans and can track how many loans they are enabling to the world’s working poor.
Microfinance empowers the working poor to help themselves through small business loans and is an effective way to address global poverty. According to MicroPlace, approximately 84 percent of microfinance borrowers are women and repayment rates historically average more than 97 percent.
About MicroPlace
MicroPlace (www.microplace.com), launched in 2007, is the world’s first and only online brokerage specializing in socially responsible investments that alleviate poverty. MicroPlace enables everyday people to make investments that earn a return while empowering the poor to work their way out of poverty. Investment dollars are used to provide microfinance loans to the world’s working poor. Unlike charity, investing in MicroPlace offers a rate of return and allows the investor to align their social values with their investment wallet. MicroPlace is a wholly-owned subsidiary of eBay Inc.(Nasdaq:EBAY).
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