These US Companies are Winning at Making the World a Better Place

August 15, 2016 By Mollie Leavitt

Athletes from around the world have come together to compete in Rio in the 2016 Olympics, but they aren’t the only ones winning awards. This summer, we’re also celebrating organizations who’ve been outstanding global leaders.

In the UN’s SDG Industry Index Report, Intel and Caterpillar were just two of the many private organizations recognized for excellent work toward achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that the U.S. was key in developing. And Points of Light, the world’s largest volunteer service organization, released their 2016 Civic 50 list, recognizing for-profit companies like UPS for superior levels of community-mindedness.

Check out how these U.S. organizations have been meeting the challenges of the international community and making a difference in the world.

Goal 3: Good Health

Good HealthUPS uses its expertise in logistics, transportation, and delivery to provide humanitarian aid to countries all over the world. Using airplanes, trucks, warehouses and skilled volunteers, UPS has delivered support for the Ebola and refugee crises as well as recent earthquakes in Nepal, Ecuador and Japan and flooding across the U.S.

 

Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

Clean Water and SanitationIntel has been prioritizing water conservation since 1998, investing more than $220 million in water conservation programs at its facilities around the world. Intel’s factories collect the water they use to clean their devices and prepare it for reuse within its factories, in irrigation systems, and other industrial purposes. In 2014, Intel internally recycled approximately 3.9 billion gallons of water, equivalent to about 47% of its total water withdrawals for the year.

 

Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

Affordable and Clean EnergyIn 2015, Caterpillar collaborated with solar energy company First Solar to develop new technologies that make solar energy easier to harness in remote areas. The technology provides communities that have poor access to energy with clean, sustainable power. Additionally, the company has been developing technology that allows consumers to store surplus energy for later use.

 

Goal 13: Climate Action

Climate ActionCaterpillar’s tractor products compete in an industry where fossil fuels are used constantly. However, the company has been innovating to improve their product’s efficiency, which not only increases the company’s productivity, but also reduces fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emission.

 

Goal 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

Peace, Justice, and Strong InsitutionsAs a technology company, Intel also plays a role in issues of privacy, security and freedom of expression. In terms of its own products, Intel works to ensure that users’ personal information is private and protected against hackers. Further, Intel advocates for global policies and standards to protect individuals’ privacy and security online.

 

Goal 17: Partnerships

Partnerships for the GoalsUPS has partnered with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and other humanitarian organizations to start a program in 2016 that will deliver blood and life-saving vaccines flown via drones to remote clinics throughout Rwanda by the end of the year. The program will help eradicate preventable diseases through cross-sector partnerships, helping to achieve the SGDs.

 

For more information, check out the UN and Civic 50 reports.

Intel, Caterpillar Inc., UPS, and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, are members of the USGLC.

Photo: Source, Flickr