Sodexo demonstrates the most innovative sustainable dining practices on college campuses

SOURCE:Sodexo, Inc.

DESCRIPTION:

GAITHERSBURG, M.d., April 13, 2018 – In honor of Earth Day, Sodexo, a food services and facilities management company, recognizes college campuses demonstrating innovative, sustainable dining practices. From hydroponic greenhouses to reusable container systems, here’s three Sodexo-operated campus dining programs reducing their carbon footprints through sustainable kitchens.

Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA

ZagDining by Sodexo is continuously implementing sustainable practices including their ongoing partnership with LINC Foods (Local Inland Northwest Cooperative) and their commitment to reduce waste through Sodexo’s Choose to Reuse program, a reusable container system. In 2015, ZagDining assisted in the development and began using GU’s hydroponic greenhouse; the greenhouse serves as an integrated educational tool for students, the community and faculty who use the greenhouse insects to combat aphids as opposed to chemical treatment. In addition, to the greenhouse’s educational value, ZagDining is proud to provide roughly 60-70 percent of the dining hall’s lettuce needs and has grown 500 pounds of English cucumbers since the start of the 2018 spring semester.

University of Vermont, Burlington, VT

Sodexo at the University of Vermont is another dining program demonstrating unyielding sustainability initiatives, of those include UVM’s pledge to have 20 percent of food served on campus complying with the Real Food Challenge guidelines. Sodexo at the University of Vermont surpassed this goal three years ahead of schedule by spending 22 percent of its dining dollars on Vermont products in 2016, a total of $1.63 million going to more than 150 local farms and food businesses. The dining program is also committed to the Vermont First initiative, aimed at growing Vermont’s local food economy by committing to buy local food first. Additionally, Sodexo at UVM operates and owns the Discovery Kitchen on campus, a test kitchen for students with lessons focusing on wellness, sustainability and diversity.

Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL

Focusing heavily on reducing food waste and supporting local suppliers, FSU’s dining program is Food Recovery Verified and participates in the Sodexo-led Choose to Reuse program. In addition to the dining program’s commitment to reduce food waste, Sodexo at FSU is dedicated to sourcing local and sustainable food and ingredients on campus through their Floridan Flavors initiative and partnerships with Fresh From Florida (a program by Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services), Chapman Produce, Lucky Goat Coffee and RedEye Coffee, of Tallahassee, FL, and TacoMex, of Doral, FL, where the dining program’s FSUnique garnet and gold tortilla chips are made for games days. Adding to sustainability initiatives, FSU’s dining program also contracted with West Coast Mushrooms located in Quincy, FL, supporting FSU dining’s Adopt-a-Farm program.

Tweet me:.@SodexoUSA showcases three of their most innovative, sustainable kitchens @ @uvmvermont, @GonzagaU and @floridastate http://bit.ly/2GZteh2

Contact Info:

Heidi Marino
Sodexo, Inc.
Heidi.Marino@sodexo.com

KEYWORDS: College, Sustainable, sustainable dining, sustainable kitchens

Highlights from the International Women’s Day Forum

SOURCE:PYXERA Global

DESCRIPTION:

Gender equality benefits everyone. The evidence is abundantly clear that women’s empowerment alleviates poverty, creates jobs, boosts education levels, promotes agricultural productivity, and reduces hunger, among a myriad of other positive outcomes.

Coordinated around International Women’s Day 2018, The US Chamber of Commerce Foundation (USCC) and the US Department of State recently convened the eighth International Women’s Day Forum, titled Partner With Purpose: Business for Gender Equality. The event gathered over 300 leaders from business, civil society, and government to discuss the ways we can advance women’s empowerment around the world. Headlined by former Hewlett-Packard CEO and Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina, the lineup of Forum speakers included inspirational female entrepreneurs and leaders from nearly every industry.

The Forum’s discussion highlighted observations on the state of women in the world and the pressing need for their full integration into the global economy. Conference guests addressed topics such as women in leadership, access to finance for female entrepreneurs, and the implications of the #MeToo movement in business and society.

Continue Reading on PYXERAGlobal.org...

Tweet me:Now in its eighth year, the US Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s International Women’s Day Forum convened 300 women leaders from across sectors to discuss ways to advance women’s empowerment. Read more about this happening here: https://bit.ly/2GHxgGv via @PYXERAglobal #SDGs

KEYWORDS: SDGs, Gender Equality, sustainable development goals, International Women's Day, PYXERA Global

By Julie Nash

SOURCE:Ceres

DESCRIPTION:

Unilever and Nestlé made waves in February when they became the first global food companies to publish their entire palm oil supply chains — both their direct suppliers and the mills that indirectly supply them. Palm oil is a key ingredient for many of the companies’ products, from margarine to candy to soap and shampoo; yet, it has been a thorn in the side of their zero-deforestation commitments.

Despite widespread efforts across many industry players to produce palm oil more sustainability, deforestation in palm-producing regions remains a critical concern. Forest clearing for palm plantations is still a major contributor to climate change and a key driver of biodiversity loss.

By mapping and disclosing their suppliers, Unilever and Nestlé (and a handful of other companies that have since followed suit) aim to shed light on their supply chains. Such transparency and traceability, as outlined in the 2017 Reporting Guidance on Palm Oil, are essential to halting deforestation — not just for palm oil but also for other commodity supply chains such as beef and soy.

But, unfortunately, not enough companies are stepping up.

Ceres recently partnered with Supply Change to analyze the traceability ambitions of companies with deforestation commitments in 2018. Of the 469 manufacturers with commitments to address deforestation, fewer than half (208) had made any statement about traceability intent, and even fewer (98%, or 21%) had made clear and actionable commitments to carry out traceability such as through public disclosure of their suppliers as Unilever and Nestlé have done.

To combat deforestation in commodity supply chains, manufacturers need to address issues not only with their direct suppliers but also in their extended supply chains. As with many other agricultural commodities, the palm oil supply chain is highly complex. Farmers grow the fruit on palm plantations, with 40% of all palm oil estates in Indonesia — the biggest producer globally — being managed by some 2 million smallholder farmers. Those farmers sell their produce to middlemen and agents, who in turn sell to mills, where the fruit bunches are processed. The processed fruits are transported via traders to refineries for further processing. At this point, palm oil and its derivatives enter the direct supply chain of manufacturers like Unilever.

Commitments to deforestation-free supply chains alone are therefore insufficient to ensure change on the ground. Companies like Unilever and Nestle know that. They understand that commitment to reliable traceability is an essential building block for mitigating risks from deforestation.

As more companies step up their traceability commitments, they may want to study what other leading companies have put into practice. Supply Change and Ceres’ research found that, among the companies with the strongest traceability commitments, there were commonalities in their practices. These best practices for traceability commitments include:

Commitments that are quantifiable and time-bound. Publicly declaring a commitment’s target date and establishing milestones can guide the development of an implementation plan and serve to keep traceability on the corporate agenda. Just over half (56%) of all traceability commitments analyzed by Supply Change were found to be time-bound.

Commitments to traceability across all commodities. Committing to traceability for one commodity is a good place to start, but to truly make a difference, companies must implement traceability programs across all major commodities. Currently fewer than 1% of companies have traceability commitment(s) covering each of the big four commodities to which they are exposed.

Commitments to reporting annually or more frequently their progress toward traceability. Demonstrating progress through public reporting is critical for reassuring investors, supply chain actors, NGOs, and other stakeholders that the commitment is alive and well. Just over half (56%) of companies with traceability commitments are communicating publicly about their progress.

Commitments to tracing the supply chain to the “landscape” level (e.g., plantation, forest or ranch). This detailed level of reporting can enable companies to understand where issues are occurring at the most upstream location in their supply chains; however, it may be more practical for traders than for retailers. Currently one-third (36%) of companies with commitments report to the landscape level. More (55%) report to the level of mill or tannery.

On this last score, companies have barely begun to scratch the surface. As Marc Engel, Unilever’s chief supply chain officer, acknowledged when discussing last month’s public disclosure, “This is a big step towards greater transparency, but we know there is more work to be done to achieve a truly sustainable palm oil industry and we will continue our efforts to make this a reality."

Tweet me:.@Unilever and @Nestle recently became the first global food companies to publish their #palmoil supply chains. @CeresNews says it's now time for others to step up. #sustainableag https://bit.ly/2qpMk5x

Contact Info:

Meg Wilcox
Ceres
+1 (617) 247-0700ext. 155
wilcox@ceres.org

KEYWORDS: traceability, Deforestation, CERES

SOURCE:Aflac

DESCRIPTION:

The Academy of Country Music has officially announced a partnership with Aflac for an incredible new award.

The charitable arm of the academy, ACM Lifting Lives, is teaming up with the voluntary insurance company to present the first-ever Aflac ACM Lifting Lives Honor. The award will go to someone for his or her “remarkable and selfless dedication to bringing the healing power of music to those who are in need,” according to a statement released by the charity.

Read the full article on Billboard.com.

Tweet me:.@Billboard - The Academy of Country Music partners with @Aflac to present first ever Aflac #ACMLiftingLives Honor http://bit.ly/2GVnR25 @ChrisYoungMusic @ACMawards

KEYWORDS: Aflac, Academy of Country Music, chris young, Aflac ACM Lifting Lives Honor

SOURCE:Booz Allen Hamilton

DESCRIPTION:

Over the past six years, Booz Allen Hamilton has worked to fuse advanced technical capabilities with its 104-year consulting heritage. That journey has led the company to the intersection of two careers with underrepresentation by women at every level: management consulting and technology. Now, the women of Booz Allen are uniting to achieve gender parity by addressing unconscious bias throughout the employee lifecycle. As part of Women’s History Month, the firm hosted a series of events – such as the Uniting Women in Technology forum and Gender Equality Design-o-thon – intended to embolden and appreciate our incredible female leaders and colleagues.Below, are some reflections by women leaders driving the transformation. 

Purposeful Outreach – Attracting and Hiring Top Women Candidates

“Studies show that unconscious bias permeates every step of the recruiting process—from employer branding to job descriptions, resume selection, interviews, and salary offers. To help address these challenges, we recently hosted an all-inclusive networking and recruiting event focused on hiring women in STEM positions. We had more than 100 women candidates, held 35 formal interviews, and hosted a panel of women leaders to share their journeys in digital, cyber, and analytics. We plan to incorporate our lessons learned throughout our recruiting lifecycle, with the ultimate goal of achieving gender equality in our workforce.”
– Patricia Porter, Vice President and Sr. Recruiting Manager

Tribe Creation – Providing Education, Networking, and Sponsorship Opportunities for Women

“Being a woman data scientist in a field dominated by men can be challenging. While we are fortunate to have a culture at Booz Allen that values diversity and inclusion, we still face issues that cannot be overcome without gender parity. In the meantime, we have networks of women who are banding together to elevate one another in data science, cyber, and technology. These networks give women opportunities to find career mentors, talk through technical challenges, and perhaps most importantly, build friendships within the firm.”
– Dr. Lauren Neal, Principal Data Scientist and founder of Booz Allen Women in Data Science

Intentional Change – Activating Our Culture of Gender Equality

“One of the key pillars of our Innovation Blueprint as that we cannot ‘go it alone,’ and that absolutely applies to our efforts to achieve gender equality. We are active members of the Society of Women Engineers and proud supporters of the Girl Scouts and Girls in Technology. We also host regular events to support girls and women in STEM within and outside of Booz Allen. For instance, during Women’s History Month, we had more than 100 data scientists, technologists, and designers come together for a design-a-thon focused on advancing gender equality. We explored ways data can be used to improve decision making for gender-related workforce issues, and we hope to use insights from the event to conduct a Gender Equality Hackathon this summer.”
– Julie McPherson, Senior Vice President and Leader of the Digital Solutions Business

Courage Ignition – Challenging Women to Go BIG

“The first step toward conquering unconscious bias in our society is to inspire confidence and opportunity for the millions of women and girls who are passionate about STEM careers. That’s why we are challenging women across Booz Allen to go BIG for their careers and for gender equality in our society. BIG is an acronym to describe three reasons we believe women in STEM can change the world: We are Brave. We are Intersectional. And we have the Grit and grace necessary to solve gnarly problems. Together with colleagues of every race, class, gender, and sexual orientation, we can achieve gender parity in our generation.”
– Jacque Myers, Senior Associate and Co-Chair of the Digital Solutions Women’s Network

Booz Allen is incredibly proud and excited to be part of the movement to advance and empower women leaders in STEM and create parity in the workforce. The firm is committed to hiring qualified and diverse candidates who will use their STEM skills to change the world, and it looks forward to hosting more events that bring people together to make a meaningful difference. 

To learn more about how Booz Allen is working to solve gender inequality, click here.

Tweet me:.@BoozAllen Goes BIG for Women in #STEM. Read how female leaders and ambassadors of the firm’s Women’s Agenda resource group are uniting to achieve #genderparity by addressing unconscious bias throughout the employee lifecycle http://bit.ly/2GZJ0s8 #womenofboozallen

KEYWORDS: women in stem, Women In Tech, Booz Allen Hamilton

SOURCE:21st Century Fox

DESCRIPTION:

As part of Twentieth Century Fox’s commitment to environmental sustainability in its film productions, the studio recently led efforts to green the set of The Post, Steven Spielberg’s Academy Award-nominated drama starring Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks about The Washington Post’s role in publishing the Pentagon Papers in 1971. The filming process lasted 52 days and took the cast and crew across dozens of locations in New York and Washington, D.C., with each new site presenting its own unique sustainability challenges. However, the combined efforts of the cast and crew allowed the movie to save 32.5 metric tons of carbon emissions, divert 80% of its waste from landfill, and donate more than 2,600 meals to those in need.

The studio’s standard practice is to encourage sustainability on the set of every new film in its production slate, mandating the use of lumber certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, establishing infrastructure for recycling and composting set materials, and helping crews find access to renewable energy sources. On The Post, Fox hired Emellie O’Brien of Earth Angel to help expand these efforts and supervise daily progress. She worked with every department to set goals and track data, as well as develop new strategies to recycle specialty items such as film stock and camera batteries. She also led the Green Crew Member of the Week program, recognizing those who went above and beyond in their sustainability efforts.

The crew on The Post also devoted its time and energy toward benefiting the communities where they worked. They partnered with the nonprofit Rock & Wrap It Up to donate 3,130 pounds of leftover food to New York area homeless shelters and food banks, amounting to 2,607 meals. The production office also donated more than 8,100 pounds of clothing, furniture, and other household objects to more than a dozen other charities.

The environmental initiative drew on best practices from the Green Production Guide, with Fox developed in collaboration with the Producers Guild of America and other major movie studios, and built on the long history of sustainable production at 21st Century Fox.The company regularly works with production crews across its film and television projects to integrate environmental responsibility into their daily operations, including during the recent eleventh season of The X-Files.

Keep reading at impact.21CF.com.

Tweet me:Go behind the scenes of "The Post" and learn how Fox went green: http://bit.ly/2HwzJoo @21CF_Impact @tomhanks #sustainability

KEYWORDS: 21st century fox, 20th century fox, fox, the post, Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, Steven Spielberg, sustainability, Waste, Recycling

SOURCE:America's Charities

DESCRIPTION:

The Make-A-Wish #ArmWrestleChallenge kicks off in April as part of the Make-A-Wish^® World Wish Day^® campaign, raising awareness and funds online to help grant the wishes of children diagnosed with critical illnesses. A wish experience can give kids the mental toughness they need to fight their illness.

How can companies and their employees celebrate?

Click here for more information.

Tweet me:.@AmerCharities: As a proud sponsor of @MakeAWish, we know wishes take muscle! This April, join us in helping @MakeAWish and @WWE Superstar @JohnCena grant as many wishes as possible. https://impact.ac/2GKAuZS #WorldWishDay

KEYWORDS: America’s Charities, workplace giving, employee giving, Corporate Social Responsibility, csr, Fundraising, Employee Engagement, Make-A-Wish Foundation of America, World Wish Day, #ArmWrestleChallenge, grant wishes

Smith’s Food and Drug Joins Smithfield’s 2018 Helping Hungry Homes® Tour

SOURCE:Smithfield Foods

DESCRIPTION:

This week, Smithfield Foods, Inc. joined forces with Smith’s Food and Drug to donate more than 35,000 pounds of protein to Utah Food Bank. Smithfield also contributed nearly 35,000 pounds of protein to the Maryland Food Bank. Smithfield’s contributions are part of the company’s 2018 Helping Hungry Homes® donation tour. Now in the program’s 10th year, Helping Hungry Homes® is Smithfield’s signature hunger-relief initiative focused on alleviating hunger and helping Americans become more food secure. The donations, equivalent to about 140,000 servings each, will help families fight hunger across Maryland and Utah.

Utah Food Bank - Salt Lake City, UT

Smithfield and Smith’s representatives presented the donation to Utah Food Bank at an event at the food bank this morning. Members of the organizations discussed food insecurity in the local community and the significance of this donation, which will provide protein throughout the food bank’s service area including 149 partner agencies located across all of Utah’s 29 counties.

“At Smith’s, we are dedicated to helping our communities grow and prosper,” said Aubriana Martindale Corporate Affairs Manager for Smith’s. “We are honored to stand with our allies like Smithfield and Utah Food Bank in the fight against hunger and to serve so many of our neighbors in need.”

Maryland Food Bank, Baltimore, MD

“We are thankful for this generous donation of protein from Smithfield because these nutrient-rich options are not always readily accessible to our food-insecure neighbors,” said Carmen Del Guercio, CEO and president of the Maryland Food Bank. “This time of year, in particular, we appreciate the support of partners like Smithfield who recognize that high-quality foods are needed year-round if we truly hope to improve the lives of Marylanders in need.”

This significant donation from Smithfield will provide protein to the more than 682,000 individuals who face hunger in the Maryland Food Bank’s service area, which includes 21 counties and Baltimore City.

For more information about Smithfield Foods’ Helping Hungry Homes® initiative and a list of upcoming donation events, visit helpinghungryhomes.com.

About Smithfield Foods

Smithfield Foods is a $15 billion global food company and the world's largest pork processor and hog producer. In the United States, the company is also the leader in numerous packaged meats categories with popular brands including Smithfield®, Eckrich®, Nathan's Famous®, Farmland®, Armour®, Farmer John®, Kretschmar®, John Morrell®, Cook's®, Gwaltney®, Carando®, Margherita®, Curly's®, Healthy Ones®, Morliny®, Krakus® and Berlinki®. Smithfield Foods is committed to providing good food in a responsible way and maintains robust animal care, community involvement, employee safety, environmental and food safety and quality programs. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com.

Tweet me:.@SmithfieldFoods joined by @MySmithsGrocery to donate 35,000 pounds of protein to local food bank as part of #HelpingHungryHomes tour http://bit.ly/2GWbrqN

KEYWORDS: Smithfield Foods, Smith's Food and Drug, Utah, Maryland, food banks, Helping Hungry Homes

Challenge brings together future leaders seeking to address today’s toughest sustainability issues through innovative financial instruments

SOURCE:Morgan Stanley

DESCRIPTION:

LONDON, April 13, 2018 /3BL Media/ – Morgan Stanley’s Institute for Sustainable Investing and Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management in the U.S. today announced that ASEAN Storm Resilience Fund was named the winner of the 2018 Kellogg-Morgan Stanley Sustainable Investing Challenge. Comprised of students from Lee Kong Chian School of Business, Singapore Management University, the team was one of 12 finalist teams competing in the Challenge at Morgan Stanley’s London offices on Friday. The team proposed a storm resilience fund, with development impact bond enhancement feature, to allow investment in storm resistant structures to help communities withstand extreme weather events in Southeast Asia.

Now in its eighth year, the Kellogg-Morgan Stanley Sustainable Investing Challenge is an annual global competition designed to inspire future leaders to innovate conventional financing vehicles – or even devise new ones – so as to better address environmental, social and governance problems. The 12 finalist teams were selected from 307 students at 65 schools across 34 countries.

“These proposals from students around the world demonstrate a breathtakingly bold ambition to tackle the toughest challenges we face as a global society. That passion is combined with an impressive level of sophistication about how private capital can help create positive change in the world alongside potentially attractive financial returns,” said Audrey Choi, Morgan Stanley’s Chief Sustainability Officer and CEO of the Institute for Sustainable Investing. “We believe these students represent the future of finance. They continue to inspire us and we look forward to what they will accomplish in the future.”

The winning team consisted of Mayoying He, Felicia Shaw and Teng Kai Loh. This year’s runner-up was Resilient Infrastructure Swap Exchange (RISE), who proposed insurance-linked security with parametric triggers to mobilize investment and increase liquidity for resilient infrastructure in Vietnam.

“This year’s finalist teams brought forward creative financial approaches to the most pressing issues of our time: climate change resilience, rural health, equity of opportunity and vulnerable communities worldwide,” said Megan Kashner, Clinical Assistant Professor & Director of Social Impact at Kellogg School of Management. “Today’s students are leading us towards action and solutions. We have but to follow.”

The Challenge seeks to identify the next generation of sustainable investing practitioners, connect emerging leaders with industry professionals, and foster greater emphasis on sustainable forms of finance at graduate schools around the world. More information on this year’s finalists and winner can be found on the Sustainable Investing Challenge website. You can also follow the conversation on social media with #SIChallenge.

About Morgan Stanley

Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) is a leading global financial services firm providing investment banking, securities, wealth management and investment management services. With offices in more than 42 countries, the Firm's employees serve clients worldwide including corporations, governments, institutions and individuals. For more information about Morgan Stanley, please visit www.morganstanley.com. 

About the Morgan Stanley Institute for Sustainable Investing

The Morgan Stanley Institute for Sustainable Investing maximizes capital to build a more sustainable future – seeking both competitive financial returns and positive social and environmental impact. The Institute is dedicated to accelerating mainstream adoption of sustainable investing by developing industry-leading insights and scalable finance solutions to address global challenges. For more information about the Morgan Stanley Institute for Sustainable Investing, visit www.morganstanley.com/sustainableinvesting.

About Kellogg School of Management

The Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University develops brave leaders who inspire growth in people, organizations and markets. Based just outside of Chicago, the school is a global leader in management education, renowned for its distinctive thought leadership and pioneering approach to learning. Kellogg offers an innovative portfolio of programs: four Full-Time MBA programs including leading one-year program and joint degree programs with the engineering, law and medical schools; a Part-Time MBA Program; the premier Executive MBA global network; and extensive non-degree Executive Education programs. To learn more about Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, please visit http://www.kellogg.northwestern.edu.

© 2018 Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC.  Members SIPC.

CRC 2088344 4/2018

Tweet me:#SIChallenge winning team, ASEAN Storm Resilience Fund from @sgSMU http://www.morganstanley.com/ideas/2018-sustainable-challenge-winner

Contact Info:

Sarah Higgins
Morgan Stanley
+1 (212) 296-3648
Sarah.Higgins@morganstanley.com

KEYWORDS: NYSE:MS, Morgan Stanley, Northwestern University, ASEAN Storm Resilience Fund, 2018 Kellogg-Morgan Stanley Sustainable Investing Challenge, esg

New Market Partners Will Support Health and Wellness through Better Buildings on a Global Scale

SOURCE:International WELL Building Institute

DESCRIPTION:

NEW YORK, April 16, 2018 /3BL Media/ – The International WELL Building Institute™ (IWBI™) today announced new market partners with several green building councils and other key organizations, marking an important milestone in the shared global mission to transform buildings to actively promote human health and wellness. Each organization is working with IWBI within their respective markets to accelerate the uptake of building practice that helps improve the health and wellness of people everywhere.

The distinguished group of innovative industry organizations collaborating with IWBI include APTA VITAE (Italy), Blue Building Institute (Netherlands), Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC), Green Building Certification Inc. (GBCI), Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA), Green Building Japan (GBJ) and Polish Green Building Council (PLGBC).

“At a time when we spend most of our lives indoors, it is more critical than ever that our buildings enhance, rather than harm, our health and wellness,” said IWBI Chairman and CEO Rick Fedrizzi. “Through these important international collaborations, we have the opportunity to significantly accelerate our goal to promote human health and wellness through healthy, sustainable buildings around the world. We are proud to partner with such an impressive roster of organizations to work together for a healthier future for our people and the planet.”

Each organization has committed to promote the adoption of WELL Building Standardä (WELLä) within its respective market. Further, the organizations will be responsible for helping to develop and drive educational initiatives through co-branded content and programming. As part of the market partnerships, IWBI will provide educational opportunities for members of each local market, with the goal of preparing them for the WELL Accredited Professional (WELL AP™) program. The WELL AP credential signifies knowledge in human health and wellness in the built environment and specialization in the principles, practices, and applications of WELL. More than 5,000 professionals worldwide are registered or credentialed through the WELL AP process.

WELL is the premier building standard focused on enhancing people’s health and wellness by putting people at the center of decisions about how buildings are designed, constructed and operated. Created through seven years of rigorous research and development working with leading physicians, scientists, and industry professionals, WELL is a performance-based certification system that uses evidence-based scientific research to develop best practices in design and construction.

WELL complements green building rating programs such as LEED, Green Star, and the Living Building Challenge, and is third-party certified by Green Business Certification, Inc. – the same body that administers more than 10 billion square feet of LEED globally. To date, WELL has enrolled more than 780 projects encompassing over 147 million square feet of real estate in 32 countries worldwide.

About the International WELL Building Institute

The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) is leading the global movement to transform our buildings and communities in ways that help people thrive.  IWBI delivers the cutting-edge WELL Building Standard (WELL), the first to be focused exclusively on the ways that buildings, and everything in them, can improve our comfort, drive better choices, and generally enhance, not compromise, our health and wellness. Its work extends to advancing health through design for entire neighborhoods through the WELL Community Standardä and supporting the growing number of professionals who seek WELL accreditation. Certification of buildings and accrediting of professionals is third-party administered by Green Building Certification Inc. www.wellcertified.com

About WELL Standards

The WELL Building Standard™ (WELL) is a performance-based system for measuring, certifying and monitoring features of buildings around the globe that impact the health and wellness of people. It is grounded in evidence-based research that demonstrates the connection between the buildings where people spend approximately 90 percent of their time and those buildings' health and wellness impacts on those who use them. The WELL Community Standard™ is a district-scale rating system that takes into account the interconnectivity between buildings and their surroundings and the overall impact on human health. The WELL Building Standard and the WELL Community Standard are developed and delivered by the International WELL Building Institute™ and third- party certified by Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI). www.wellcertified.com.

Press Contact:

IWBI                                                                          
Callie Stanton                                                         
646.654.3438                                                             
cstanton@nikecomm.com

Tweet me:#IWBI has announced new global partners to support #health and #wellness through #greenbuilding http://bit.ly/2H6OIID #builtenvironment @WELLcertified

KEYWORDS: International Well Building Institute (IWBI)

SOURCE:Arrow Electronics

DESCRIPTION:

Denver – Employees from Arrow Electronics and Salesforce volunteered earlier this month at the Food Bank of the Rockies to support hunger relief efforts. Working in two shifts, the volunteers helped sort, pack and load 70,000 pounds of food that will be distributed throughout Colorado.

Arrow employees have been volunteering at Food Bank of the Rockies since 2011. This is the second year Arrow’s staff has worked alongside Salesforce, as part of a shared commitment to corporate social responsibility.

Extending the company’s collaborative and innovative culture into the broader communities where they live and work, Arrow employees from around the world regularly work with local nonprofits. Last year, Arrow launched Arrow Charitable, a portal to make it easier for employees to learn about volunteer opportunities and take a more active role. Volunteers earn matching funds through the company’s Dollars for Doers program.

In 2017, Arrow employees in the U.S. and Canada participated in 570 volunteer events, donating more than 5,000 volunteer hours. To learn more about Arrow’s Corporate Social Responsibility program, visit:  https://www.arrow.com/en/about-arrow/corporate-social-responsibility.

About Arrow Electronics
Arrow Electronics is a global provider of products, services and solutions to industrial and commercial users of electronic components and enterprise computing solutions. Arrow serves as a supply channel partner for more than 150,000 original equipment manufacturers, contract manufacturers and commercial customers through a global network. The company maintains over 300 sales facilities and 45 distribution and value-added centers, serving over 80 countries. Learn more at fiveyearsout.com.

Tweet me:.@ArrowGlobal teams with @Salesforce to fight #hunger in Colorado http://bit.ly/2EQ1HIV @FoodBankRockies #FiveYearsOut

KEYWORDS: Arrow Electronics, Salesforce, Food Bank of the Rockies, Arrow Charitable, Five Years Out

Award Recognizes Excellence in the Field of Corporate Citizenship

SOURCE:ACCP

DESCRIPTION:

ORLANDO, Fla., April 16, 2018 /3BL Media/ – ACCP granted Laura K. Gallagher, Global Head, Corporate Citizenship, AIG the 2018 ACCP Ignite Award for her exceptional leadership in the corporate citizenship field.

Ms. Gallagher was recognized for her dedication to AIG and her commitment to creating positive impact on environmental, social, end economic outcomes in AIG’s local community and around the world.

Ms. Gallagher’s work at AIG has included highly successful partnerships with global organizations, such as Enactus and Junior Achievement, on initiatives that leverage AIG employee expertise and business knowledge to meet community needs. One of her many successful initiatives, with the help of AIG’s food services team, took an underutilized office coffee shop in partnership with local vendors to generate business and raise funds for a local homeless organization. 

Ms. Gallagher developed the current strategy of corporate giving – moving from a completely decentralized model to one focused on Safety, Security, and Disaster Preparedness and Relief. These themes are strongly aligned with the insurance business, support AIG’s mission to create a better tomorrow, and are exemplified through the Volunteer Time Off and Matching Grants Programs that Laura formalized at AIG.

Ms. Gallagher has been instrumental in driving the success of AIG’s Winter Summit, a signature business event that serves as a fundraising platform for Disabled Sports USA, an organization with the mission to provide national leadership and opportunities for individuals with disabilities to develop independence, confidence, and fitness through participation in community sports, recreation, and educational programs. Over the past 10 years, AIG’s Winter Summit has resulted in millions of dollars raised to help serve over 10,000 wounded warriors and their families, offering hundreds of events in over 30 sports across the country.

Mark Shamley, President and CEO for ACCP, said, “Laura Gallagher represents and exemplifies the best of our profession. Through her work, she has demonstrated that doing good can create positive social impacts and drive business results. ACCP was delighted to present her with the Ignite Impact award in recognition of her outstanding contributions to her company and to the community.”

Ms. Gallagher was recently honored as one of NY City & State’s 2017 Responsible 100. She is also credited with AIG’s 2017 Kemper Lesnick award for Corporate Social Responsibility, which highlighted the company’s support of financial education and workforce readiness through its partnership with Junior Achievement. The Kemper Lesnick recognition was designated by the Insurance Business Awards America as an acknowledgement of the "brightest and best" in the insurance industry. 

The Ignite Impact award is the highest award bestowed on an individual by ACCP. It recognizes an individual’s contribution in the field of corporate responsibility leading to community and business impact.

Founded in 2005, ACCP is the sole membership-based organization chartered to champion the Corporate Philanthropy professional. ACCP connects members to information, peers and resources and cultivates educational opportunities that promote better stewardship of corporate philanthropic resources thereby magnifying social and business impacts. For more information on Ignite Impact or ACCP, please email Maryann Fiala at maryann@accprof.org or visit www.accprof.org.

For more information, contact:

Maryann Fiala
Phone: 407-650-9748
maryann@accprof.org

Tweet me:.@accprof announces the 2018 Ignite Impact Award winner: http://bit.ly/2HCQqi7

KEYWORDS: ACCP, AIG, Ignite Impact Award

SOURCE:Kimberly-Clark Corporation

DESCRIPTION:

ROSWELL, Ga., April 16, 2018 /3BL Media/ — To the Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. sustainability is not simply an initiative, it is integral to every aspect of its operations. The company has won numerous local, state and national awards for its efforts and its Chico, California, headquarters has onsite wastewater treatment and composting facilities as well as the largest solar installation of any craft brewer.

Sierra Nevada has taken another step in its sustainability journey – diverting thousands of pounds of nitrile gloves from its manufacturing waste stream through The RightCycle Program from Kimberly-Clark Professional. Since 2016, the company has diverted more than 6,800 pounds of gloves, equivalent to the weight of more than 450 bowling balls.

The RightCycle Program is the first large-scale recycling program for manufacturers and companies with non-hazardous lab, cleanroom and industrial waste. Since its launch in 2011, the program has diverted more than 500 tons of waste from landfills. As part of the program, used nitrile gloves and single-use apparel are sent to recyclers in the United States and turned into plastic pellets that are used to create new consumer goods such as flowerpots and lawn furniture, totes and storage bins.

“What’s cool about Kimberly-Clark and The RightCycle Program is they were the first to focus on this material,” said Mandi McKay, sustainability coordinator for Sierra Nevada’s Chico headquarters. “Nitrile gloves are not easily recycled. They can’t be comingled with other items. It has to be its own process.”

Sierra Nevada learned about the program from Lundberg Family Farms, an organic food producer that brought the program to its manufacturing facilities in 2015. When employees in Sierra Nevada’s Mills River, North Carolina, facility found out about The RightCycle Program they were so eager to pilot it that they began collecting gloves even before the program was implemented.

The reaction to the program throughout Sierra Nevada has been highly positive. “People think it’s great,” McKay said. “They like that we have an outlet for the gloves. They’re proud. It’s part of our culture, part of their daily job.”

And, she added, “It aligns with our company values. It makes sense for us, by contributing to a more positive environmental impact overall. We tend to pioneer a lot of things and I’m glad we’re part of a program like this.”

For more information about The RightCycle Program, visit www.KCProfessional.com/rightcycle.

About Sierra Nevada
Founded in 1980, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. is one of America’s premier craft breweries, highly regarded for using only the finest quality ingredients. The pioneering spirit that launched Sierra Nevada now spans both coasts with breweries in Chico, California and Mills River, North Carolina. Sierra Nevada has set the standard for craft brewers worldwide with innovation in the brewhouse as well as advances in sustainability. It is famous for its extensive line of beers including Pale Ale, Sidecar® Orange Pale Ale, Torpedo®, Tropical Torpedo®, Hop Hunter® IPA, Nooner® Pilsner, Otra Vez™, Kellerweis®, Porter, Stout and a host of seasonal, specialty and limited release beers. Learn more at https://www.sierranevada.com/.

About Kimberly-Clark Professional
Kimberly-Clark Professional partners with businesses to create Exceptional Workplaces, helping to make them healthier, safer and more productive. Key brands in this segment include: Kleenex, Scott, WypAll, Kimtech and Jackson Safety. To see how Kimberly-Clark Professional is helping people around the world to work better, please visit www.kcprofessional.com.

About Kimberly-Clark
Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB) and its trusted brands are an indispensable part of life for people in more than 175 countries. Fueled by ingenuity, creativity, and an understanding of people’s most essential needs, we create products that help individuals experience more of what’s important to them. Our portfolio of brands, including Huggies, Kleenex, Scott, Kotex, Cottonelle, Poise, Depend, Andrex, Pull-Ups, GoodNites, Intimus, Neve, Plenitud, Viva and WypAll, hold the No. 1 or No. 2 share position in 80 countries. We use sustainable practices that support a healthy planet, build stronger communities, and ensure our business thrives for decades to come. To keep up with the latest news and to learn more about the company's 146-year history of innovation, visit kimberly-clark.com or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

Tweet me:.@SierraNevada brewing adopts @KCPNorthAmerica RightCycle program for #recycling used gloves http://bit.ly/2H27Q6I #sustainability #beer #breweries

KEYWORDS: Kimberly-Clark, Kimberly-Clark Professional, RightCycle, Sierra Nevada, brewery, Recycling

Join us on Facebook Live with Caesars Entertainment: April 18th, 2018

SOURCE:Caesars Entertainment Corporation

DESCRIPTION:

NORTHAMPTON, Mass., April 16, 2018 /3BL Media/ - Caesars Entertainment is partnering with 3BL Media to execute a Facebook Live event called “Raising a Glass to Earth Day” that will showcase some of the CodeGreen cocktails being mixed for  this year’s CodeGreen Cocktail Challenge.

This free online event will take place live from the Alto Lounge at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas at 4:30 PST/ 7:30 EST on Wednesday, April 18^th, 2018

REGISTER HERE

Caesars corporate CodeGreen is an organization-wide strategy to drive environmental awareness and engagement, as well as performance, across the business. It is synonymous with environmental stewardship at Caesars. A data-driven and disciplined environmental program that leverages the passion of our employees, CodeGreen also engages our guests and suppliers.

In addition to a detailed discussion about CodeGreen and the CodeGreen Challenge, we’ll take a look at three signature cocktails now available at Caesars properties, each of which showcase a unique sustainability story.

We’ll explore the ingenuity and creativity behind the CodeGreen Cocktails while also informing viewers about all the amazing work Caesars Entertainment does to support the environment in April and beyond.

About Caesars Entertainment
Caesars Entertainment Corporation is the world's most diversified casino-entertainment provider and the most geographically diverse U.S. casino-entertainment company. Caesars Entertainment is mainly comprised of the following three entities: the wholly owned operating subsidiaries CEOC, Caesars Entertainment Resort Properties, LLC and Caesars Growth Partners, LLC. Since its beginning in Reno, Nevada, in 1937, Caesars Entertainment has grown through development of new resorts, expansions and acquisitions and its portfolio of subsidiaries now operate 47 casinos in 13 U.S. states and five countries. Caesars Entertainment's resorts operate primarily under the Caesars®, Harrah's® and Horseshoe® brand names. Caesars Entertainment's portfolio also includes the Caesars Entertainment UK family of casinos. Caesars Entertainment is focused on building loyalty and value with its guests through a unique combination of great service, excellent products, unsurpassed distribution, operational excellence and technology leadership. Caesars Entertainment is committed to environmental sustainability and energy conservation and recognizes the importance of being a responsible steward of the environment. For more information, please visit www.caesars.com.

About 3BL Media
3BL Media is the world’s leading communications partner for purpose-driven organizations. Through content distribution, multi-media promotion and hands-on learning experiences, we connect organizations to an unrivaled network of sustainability professionals, journalists, bloggers, investors, academics, policymakers and influencers who are passionate about engaging on topics like education, environment, community involvement, supply chain and circular economy, volunteering and the Sustainable Development Goals. 

Tweet me:Join @3BLMedia & @CaesarsEnt for a Facebook live event on April 18th to learn about #CodeGreen & the CodeGreen Challenge http://bit.ly/2H8DKP2 Event to showcase organization-wide strategy to drive #environmental awareness & engagement #EarthDay

KEYWORDS: caesars entertainment, 3bl Media, earth day, CodeGreen, sustainability, facebook live

SOURCE:SiMPACT Strategy Group

DESCRIPTION:

LBG Canada companies encourage volunteering, do you?

Join LBG Canada and advance your volunteering efforts! Get in touch! #CIMatters 

-30-

About LBG Canada

LBG Canada is a network of corporate community investment professionals from many of Canada's leading companies, who work together to apply, develop and enhance the use of the LBG Model and measurement framework in Canada. Participation in LBG Canada encourages companies to focus on strategy, measurement and reporting to demonstrate the business value achieved through investment in community. LBG Canada is facilitated by SiMPACT Strategy Group.

Tweet me:Its #NationalVolunteerWeek! #LBGCanada companies encourage volunteering, do you? http://bit.ly/2qDkPFy #CIMatters #NVW2018

KEYWORDS: LBG Canada, Employer Supported Volunteering, During Work Hours Volunteering, national volunteer week, Community Investment, Corporate Social Responsibility

SOURCE:American Express

DESCRIPTION:

In case you missed it, this afternoon, Angela Fernandez, Esq.(executive director, Northern Manhattan Coalition for Immigrant Rights) and Dan Parks (managing editor, The Chronicle of Philanthropy) held a riveting conversation on leading during times of transition at the American Express Leadership Academy Global Alumni Summit.

With more than 20 years of experience, working in a variety of sectors, Angela has been a true advocate for human and civil rights in the U.S. and internationally. She has devoted her expansive career to educating, defending and protecting the rights of immigrants – driving impactful changes for communities.

Here are the top four leadership lessons from Angela:

• Identify what type of leader you want to become. As the child of immigrants, from a young age, Angela played a critical leadership role in bridging a gap between her parents and America. This experience ultimately led her to take on many of the positions she has. Along the way, she has asked hard questions – both of herself and others, developed her personal voice, and learned to express herself with confidence.

• Transitions are a good thing. Angela has had many – she started her career working as a reporter, then for a U.S. Senator. She later founded two elementary schools, and spearheaded the first of its kind Women’s Studies Program at Riker’s Island. In each role, Angela has been able to translate what she has learned across a variety of sectors.

• Constantly educate yourself. Angela is a life-long learner and reads a great deal about leadership. At the moment she is reading Skin in the Game: Hidden Asymmetries in Daily Life by Nassim Nicholas Taleb. The book delves into why leaders who have “skin in the game” encourage fairness, commercial efficiency and risk management.

• Innovation happens at the margins. The most effective policies are created by people who are directly impacted. Anyone can step up and lead if they do it with integrity and authenticity.

Angela and Dan’s fireside chat has inspired all of us to embrace transition and use it to inspire others – a critical trait of strong leaders.

To hear more, be sure to watch the replay of Angela and Dan’s conversation available at leaderstories.org.

If you have a comment or question, please follow me on Twitter at @timmcclimon and start a conversation there. Thanks for reading and sharing this blog posting with friends and colleagues.  

Tweet me:JOIN US LIVE with Angela Fernandez, Esq. of @NMCIR and @itsdanparks discussion #leadership in times of transition via #amexleads | bit.ly/AELAalum

Contact Info:

Jocelyn F. Seidenfeld
American Express
+1 (212) 640-0555
jocelyn.f.seidenfeld@aexp.com

KEYWORDS: NYSE:AXP, American Express, American Express Leadership Academy Global Alumni Summit, conferences, Leadership, twitter chat, Social Impact

SOURCE:Astellas

DESCRIPTION:

Being away from families and friends during the holidays can be difficult. For a person battling cancer and their loved ones – this can be especially challenging. 

To help brighten the day of these patients and their families, Astellas employees wrote inspirational messages on note cards and decorated them. These note cards were put into 2,000 care packages assembled by Astellas volunteers to give to patients and caregivers staying at the American Cancer Society Hope Lodges and Ronald McDonald Houses. The volunteer event was part of Astellas’ inaugural Patient and Caregiver Week – a series of events to educate employees on the patient’s journey and how Astellas can do more to help them.

“Writing these inspirational messages to children battling cancer was a great way to spend time with my daughters and their cousins,” said Nicole Sasanuma, manager Government Communications. “The girls had so much fun and were disappointed that they didn’t have more cards to decorate.”

Nicole knows first-hand how words of encouragement can go a long way, as her niece was diagnosed with a Wilms’ tumor in her kidney at the age of two.

“Our family is so grateful for the support that we received while my niece was being treated,” said Nicole. “Today she is a happy and healthy teenager, and this opportunity was a way for her to share her personal words of hope with other cancer patients.”

“Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana families were touched by this heartfelt show of support,” said Lisa Mitchell, VP of Programs and Services, RMHC-CNI.  “Having Astellas employees invest time and care to bring comfort is energizing.  We are grateful to have amazing partners like Astellas who are committed to supporting families seeking medical care for their children, as the emotional toll is great.”

Living SMART™ is the Astellas approach to preparing communities today for what can happen tomorrow. The Living SMART framework brings together the strength of the charitable Astellas USA Foundation and our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) work to find the areas where we can make the most impact to improve lives. Astellas USA Foundation and Astellas CSR collaborate to create a positive impact on society through three overarching focus areas: health and well-being; Science WoRx (STEM education); and disaster response. To read more about Living SMART, see the Astellas Americas Corporate Social Responsibility Report Card.

KEYWORDS: astellas, American Cancer Society, Ronald McDonald House Charities, care packages, Cancer

SOURCE:American Express

DESCRIPTION:

And the winner of the 2018 American Express Leadership Academy Alumni Award is… Carlos Lejneiks!

The president and CEO of Big Brothers & Big Sisters (BBBS) of Essex, Hudson and Union Counties took over the then struggling agency in 2008. Within four years, he went from serving approximately 100 youth to serving more than 1,000.  Under his leadership, BBBS has received numerous awards from local, state and national organizations. 

I had the chance to chat with Carlos on how he leads with purpose, check out what he shared with me below:  

What is your organization’s mission?        

To mentor "at risk" youth through professionally supported, one-to-one mentoring relationships. 

What is your average day like?

A little bit of everything - fundraising, programmatic development, staff management, advocacy, cultivation, and partnership development. Jokingly, folks call me the "CEO"– the Chief "Everything" Officer. 

Why did you choose a career in the social purpose sector? 

There is a gap in this country between the aspirations of our foundation and the reality of many in our communities. The social sector fills that gap - it creates a bridge towards our country's potential.

What does leadership mean to you?

To me, leadership means helping others be their very best. That includes:

• Representing and standing up for those who are marginalized in our communities;

• Understanding my colleagues needs and aspirations to best help them achieve their current and future goals; and

• Knowing when to step back and allow another team member to shine or lead a task.

How have you leveraged your experiences at the American Express Leadership Academy to drive change in  your community?

We have extended Leadership Academy fellowships to emerging leaders throughout the BBBS of America network. My current COO is an alum and over a dozen of my BBBS peers are too. All of us our using our experiences to fight for thousands of children in our respective communities. 

As part of the award, BBBS of Essex, Hudson and Union Counties will also receive a $25,000 grant. Carlos plans to use this funding to invest in international service-learning experiences to develop the youth he works with.

Congratulations Carlos – we look forward to following your journey with BBBS!

If you have a comment or question, please follow me on Twitter at @timmcclimon and start a conversation there. Thanks for reading and sharing this blog posting with friends and colleagues.  

Tweet me:Congratulations to Carlos Lejneiks of @BBBS_EHU, winner of the 2018 American Express Leadership Academy Alumni Award. Read more at https://amex.co/2vkJWlf. #amexleads

Contact Info:

Jocelyn F. Seidenfeld
American Express
+1 (212) 640-0555
jocelyn.f.seidenfeld@aexp.com

KEYWORDS: NYSE:AXP, Big Brothers & Big Sisters, American Express, American Express Leadership Academy Alumni Award

SOURCE:Novartis

SUMMARY:

• Company to invest more than USD 100 million to advance research and development of new antimalarials over the next five years
• Commitment includes expanding access to pediatric antimalarials and implementing capacity-building programs to contribute to the WHO’s target of reducing malaria-related child mortality by at least 90% by 2030
• New opinion research in Africa shows 2030 malaria elimination targets are at risk; leaders urge investment in innovative malaria prevention and treatment tools

DESCRIPTION:

BASEL, Switzerland, April 17, 2018 /3BL Media/ - Novartis announces a five-year commitment to the fight against malaria in conjunction with the 7th Multilateral Initiative on Malaria Conference and the Malaria Summit of the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting. Further, the company releases new African research on progress and remaining challenges toward the 2030 malaria elimination targets, together with Elimination 8 and the KEMRI-Wellcome Trust program.

Over the next five years, as part of its commitment, Novartis will invest more than USD 100 million to advance research and development of next-generation treatments to combat emerging resistance to artemisinin and other currently used antimalarials. The company will also implement an equitable pricing strategy to maximize patient access in malaria-endemic countries when these new treatments become available. In order to contribute to the WHO’s target of reducing malaria-related child mortality by at least 90% by 2030, Novartis will further help expand access to pediatric antimalarials and implement healthcare system strengthening programs in 4 sub-Saharan countries.

“Resistance to treatment presents the biggest threat to the incredible progress that has been made in the fight against malaria in the past 20 years. We cannot afford to wait; this is why we are committing to advance the research and development of next-generation treatments,” said Vas Narasimhan, CEO of Novartis. “At the same time, we need to work to ensure that our innovation reaches those most in need, even those in the most remote locations.”

The R&D investment is meant to advance the Novartis malaria pipeline through 2023 and to complete a comprehensive global clinical trial program for our novel antimalarial drug candidates KAF156 and KAE609 (currently in Phase IIb and Phase IIa respectively^[i]). Both are from new classes of medicines that were selected for their ability to treat malaria in different ways from current therapies. The investment also includes new uses of technology to identify areas where the malaria burden is greatest. This information could then be used to support capability- and capacity-building to establish future clinical trial sites, so the medicines can be evaluated in the populations where they are most needed.

In order to enable patients in malaria-endemic countries to afford these new treatments once they become available, the company will implement an equitable pricing strategy based on socio-economic conditions of different population segments. We plan to do so in consultation with our development and funding partners and other stakeholders.

Despite the tremendous progress made in combating malaria, one child still dies from the disease every two minutes. Novartis aims to contribute to the WHO’s target of reducing malaria-related child mortality by at least 90% in 2030. In Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo and at least 2 more countries in sub-Saharan Africa that bear the highest number of malaria-related child deaths, we plan to work with partners to help expand access to our pediatric artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) and drive integrated community case management (iCCM) initiatives. iCCM is recognized as a key strategy for increasing access to essential treatments and reducing child mortality from treatable conditions, such as malaria, pneumonia and diarrhea.

Novartis has been committed to the fight against malaria for the past two decades, launching the first fixed-dose ACT in 1999 and the first dispersible pediatric ACT developed in partnership with Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) in 2009. To date, working with partners, the company has delivered more than 850 million treatments, including 350 million pediatric treatments, without profit to malaria-endemic countries.

The new commitment launches at the same time as results from a new research study (Malaria Futures for Africa, MalaFA) across 14 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. In total, 68 African experts from governments, the research community and nongovernmental organizations expressed their views on progress and remaining challenges toward the 2030 global malaria elimination targets.

Global malaria deaths have fallen by more than 60% between 2000 and 2015. Yet respondents fear progress could stall unless national governments provide more funding and international organizations target their support more effectively.

Many experts also voiced concerns that mosquitoes were increasingly resistant to insecticides and that malaria parasites could become resistant to ACTs in the next 15-20 years. Some feared that resistance would spread faster because of expanding trade and travel between Africa and Asia, where the first signs of drug resistance are emerging. Others thought it was just as likely that resistance could emerge independently in Africa.

Respondents expressed widespread support for making better use of the currently available tools, while stressing that more emphasis should be placed on improving the delivery of existing and new interventions to fight malaria – an area currently underfunded.

The MalaFA study was commissioned by Novartis and co-chaired by Dr Richard Kamwi, Ambassador, Elimination 8 (E8), and Professor Bob Snow, of the KEMRI-Wellcome Trust program, Kenya and University of Oxford, United Kingdom. Research advisers include Roll Back Malaria, Malaria No More UK and the African Leaders Malaria Alliance.

According to the 2017 World Malaria Report, there were 216 million cases of malaria in 2016, up from 211 million cases in 2015. The number of malaria deaths was 445,000 in 2016 vs. 438,000 in 2015. Ninety percent of malaria cases and over 90 percent of malaria deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa. Children under 5 are particularly at risk, and malaria takes the life of a child every two minutes.

To download a copy of the MalaFA report: http://bit.ly/MalaFA-report 

For more information on our work in malaria: www.malaria.novartis.com  

Disclaimer
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by words such as “commitment,” “investing,” “to research and develop,” “to invest,” “to advance,” “to contribute,” “will,” “enable,” “committing,” “meant,” “to complete,” “drug candidates,” “to identify,” “could,” “is developing,” “future,” “can,” “plan,” “aims,” “committed,” “launches,” or similar terms, or by express or implied discussions regarding the potential fulfillment of the commitments described in this release, potential marketing approvals, new indications or labeling for the investigational described in this press release, or regarding potential future revenues from such products. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on our current beliefs and expectations regarding future events, and are subject to significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. There can be no guarantee that the commitments described in this release will be fulfilled, or that they will be fulfilled at any particular time.  Neither can there be any guarantee that the investigational or approved products described in this press release will be submitted or approved for sale or for any additional indications or labeling in any market, or at any particular time. In particular, our expectations regarding such commitments and products could be affected by, among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including clinical trial results and additional analysis of existing clinical data; regulatory actions or delays or government regulation generally; global trends toward health care cost containment, including government, payor and general public pricing and reimbursement pressures; our ability to obtain or maintain proprietary intellectual property protection; the particular prescribing preferences of physicians and patients; general political and economic conditions; safety, quality or manufacturing issues; potential or actual data security and data privacy breaches, or disruptions of our information technology systems, and other risks and factors referred to in Novartis AG’s current Form 20-F on file with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Novartis is providing the information in this press release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About Novartis
Novartis provides innovative healthcare solutions that address the evolving needs of patients and societies. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis offers a diversified portfolio to best meet these needs: innovative medicines, cost-saving generic and biosimilar pharmaceuticals and eye care. Novartis has leading positions globally in each of these areas. In 2017, the Group achieved net sales of USD 49.1 billion, while R&D throughout the Group amounted to approximately USD 9.0 billion. Novartis Group companies employ approximately 122,000 full-time-equivalent associates. Novartis products are sold in approximately 155 countries around the world. For more information, please visit http://www.novartis.com.

Novartis is on Twitter. Sign up to follow @Novartis at http://twitter.com/novartis

For Novartis multimedia content, please visit www.novartis.com/news/media-library

For questions about the site or required registration, please contact media.relations@novartis.com

# # #

Novartis Media Relations

Central media line: +41 61 324 2200

E-mail: media.relations@novartis.com

Novartis Investor Relations

Central investor relations line: +41 61 324 7944

E-mail: investor.relations@novartis.com

Tweet me:Novartis' #malaria commitment for the next 5 years: $100mn investment in R&D, affordable pricing for new meds and programs to help reduce child deaths. #MalariaFuture #NovartisNews http://bit.ly/2GUYzBg

KEYWORDS: Novartis, NYSE:NVS

By Sylvie Abrams, Director of Video Operations, AT&T

SOURCE:AT&T

SUMMARY:

AT&T Editor’s note: This month is National Volunteer Month. We are shining the spotlight on our employees who spend time volunteering for causes they care about. Our employee volunteers make our company and our communities stronger. We are honored to share their efforts to make a difference.

DESCRIPTION:

Earth Day is a reminder of the responsibility I have to ensure future generations can cherish and enjoy our planet. Throughout my life, I’ve had a passion for sustainability and conservation. And as a volunteer, I’m able to do my part.

I’m lucky enough to be able to focus that passion to help preserve the earth every day – and encourage others to join me along the way.

For the last 10 years, I’ve proudly volunteered with the Climate Reality Project, the New England Primate Conservancy and Wildlife Waystation. The Wildlife Waystation is an internationally recognized wildlife and exotic animal rescue center in Los Angeles. It provides passionate care to more than 400 permanent animal residents and develops enrichment and education programs, conservation classes and community events.

At the LA center, I create enrichment activities for small primates, foxes and hyenas; write lesson plans for children on wild and exotic animals; and participate in activities to showcase the positive environmental impact of wildlife and the importance of fighting extinction.

Did you know that prairie dogs play an important role in helping to aerate and fertilize the soil, allowing a greater diversity of plants to thrive? Those plants in turn feed the communities around them.

I have also been able to incorporate my passion of wildlife conservancy into work activities, like leading a presentation on climate change last Earth Day.

Inspired by these presentations, a group of AT&T employees launched a Lunch & Learn series with our local HACEMOS organization, a leading Latino employee group at AT&T (thanks to the support of the amazing Tina Kuse and Aracely Cuadra).

Our mission? Provide engaging learning opportunities that helped employees explore ways to personally contribute their efforts towards AT&T’s sustainability goals.

As part of those presentations, we invited outside speakers, including a water scientist from a local non-profit, a botanist tackling climate change and food production, and the Development and Partnership Director of 5 Gyres in LA, who spoke to us about ocean plastic pollution.

My passion for conservation and sustainability fills my weekends, evenings and even my vacation. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

This meaningful work gives me an irreplaceable sense of well-being, and I warmly encourage everyone to learn about the environment, discuss the many issues that concern it and participate in any climate-related events they can.

Tweet me:.@ConnectToGood "A Lesson in Preserving the Earth" https://soc.att.com/2Htf7js #ATTimpact #EarthDay #NationalVolunteerMonth

KEYWORDS: AT&T, environmental impact, earth day, New England Primate Conservancy, Wildlife Waystation., employee, Volunteering, national volunteer month, sustainability, plastic pollution, NYSE:T