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Hormel Foods Recognized as a Best for Vets Employer for Sixth Year in a Row

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SOURCE:Hormel Foods Corporation

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AUSTIN, Minn., May 8, 2018 /3BL Media/ - Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE: HRL) today announced it has been recognized for the sixth consecutive year on the Military Times Best for Vets Employers list.

The company ranked No. 75 on the list, which evaluates many factors that make a company a good fit for military veterans.

“At Hormel Foods, we are grateful for those who serve and have served our country,” said Janet Hogan, senior vice president of human resources at Hormel Foods. “We are extremely proud to be a great workplace for those who have done so much for all of us, and to be recognized for our efforts for the sixth year in a row.”

In addition to this recognition, Hormel Foods recently received a Beyond the Yellow Ribbon award from the Minnesota Department of Military Affairs for its long tradition of supporting American troops, both in peacetime and war.

Hormel Foods actively recruits veterans and service members each year. In addition, the company has an employee resource group that provides assistance to former and current military members and their families as they integrate into the company’s culture, while providing a platform for continued camaraderie throughout their career.

“The companies on the Military Times Best for Vets list earned their rankings through determined efforts to recruit and support service members, veterans and military families,” said George Altman, the Military Times editor in charge of the rankings. “These efforts deserve recognition from the country and should get the attention of veterans looking for a new career.”

To view the complete Best for Vets list, visit http://rebootcamp.militarytimes.com.

Tweet me:.@HormelFoods recognized as a @MilitaryTimes Best for Vets Employer for sixth year in a row http://bit.ly/2IuiR4q

KEYWORDS: NYSE:HRL, Hormel Foods, Military Times Best for Vets Employers


7 Computational Thinking Strategies to Help Young Innovators Fail Forward

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SOURCE:Discovery Education

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By Karie Huttner, Education Technology Coach, Verona, Wisconsin

The terms “fail forward and computational thinking” are trending recently, but what does that really mean? Computational thinking is a method of reasoning that teaches students how to solve real-world, complex problems with strategies that computers use. Computational thinking and the Design Thinking Process are frameworks for problem-solving to help address the need for 21st century skills across our nation’s K-12 school system.

To make 21st century skills easier to comprehend and teach, Tata Consultancy Services and Discovery Education have teamed up to introduce “Ignite My Future In School,” a free resource offering professional development, educator guides, model lesson plans, and curriculum connector resources that provide educators and students with 24/7 support.

Aligned to national standards, “Ignite My Future in School” provides teachers, including Learning Leaders, with exclusive, cost-free, professional development experiences across the country and the initiative inspires educators to adopt a transdisciplinary approach.

As part of Ignite “My Future In School,” we’ve identified seven effective thinking strategies to equip young innovators with valuable problem-solving skills:

1. Collect Data or Look, Listen, Learn

The first step to solving any problem is to determine what you know. With computational thinking, this means students will figure out from which sources they’ll collect data and decide which data are the most relevant. For example, to solve a math problem, students might collect quantitative data about a phenomenon and use mathematical methods to decide how to approach the problem.

2. Analyze Data or Ask Questions

When data points are analyzed, it’s easier to understand how the information fits into the context of a larger problem. Using visuals such as charts, as well as statistical methods, is a great way to test a hypothesis. Have students create charts and graphics to support their ideas and convey information. Students will need to analyze the data they’ve collected to determine what is relevant in proving their hypothesis or key ideas.

3. Find Patterns or Understand the Problem

An advantage of having data to work with is being able to identify patterns that occur within it. When patterns are discovered, it becomes easier to make predictions and create rules to solve other problems. By recognizing themes and connections, students can create predictions about what comes next.

4. Decompose Problems or Need to Know

Don’t let complicated problems scare students away. If they break problems down into manageable pieces, it’s easier to find solutions. Deconstructing problems into smaller parts is an easier way to digest information – and to classify it accordingly.

5. Abstract

When faced with a problem, have students think bigger picture. By identifying similarities and removing details, they’ll be left with a solution that’ll work for a variety of different problems.

6. Build Models or Create a Prototype

When brainstorming how to create an effective model, encourage students to test, tweak and refine ideas using design software to predict outcomes. This way, they’ll be saving valuable time and gaining full understanding of their modeled ideas prior to building in real life.

7. Develop Algorithms or Highlight and Fix

Look at problem solving as a road map for performing a task. When students are able to develop solutions with step-by-step instructions, they’re in turn creating an algorithm to use for future problems.

Bringing computational thinking into the classroom is a great way to get students prepared for college and the workforce. To explore more resources on incorporating this skill into curricula, view fun classroom activities here: ignitemyfutureinschool.org/resources/curriculum-connectors.

Tweet me:ED INSIGHT: 7 Computational Thinking Strategies to Help Young Innovators Fail Forward: http://bit.ly/2KLuXEX #IgniteMyFuture @TCSs_NA @DiscoveryEd

KEYWORDS: discovery education, tata consultancy services (TCS), Ignite My Future in School, problem-solving, Computational Thinking

FitSpirit and Scotiabank Empower Canadian Girls to Stick with Sports

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Scotiabank donates $1 million to FitSpirit to help build teenage girls' confidence through physical activity

SOURCE:Scotiabank

DESCRIPTION:

TORONTO, May 8, 2018 /3BL Media - Today, Canadian not-for-profit FitSpirit announced the Scotiabank FitSpirit Celebration in Toronto. The Celebration is the culmination of FitSpirit's 10-week program where participating young women run a five or 10 kilometre race, encouraging them to push their limits while having fun being active.

For more than ten years, FitSpirit has inspired teenage girls to rediscover their love of physical activity through fun challenges and programs that foster an empowering environment. Past programs have included school-based running programs, motivational speaker events and student-run charitable fundraisers.

"FitSpirit's work is incredibly important for the future of Canadian girls' physical and mental health," says Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, official spokesperson for FitSpirit. "By encouraging participants to stay active and have fun at a young age, we are empowering them to put their health and wellness first as they mature into adults."

To help support the important work of FitSpirit, Scotiabank is donating $1 million, becoming the title sponsor of the FitSpirit Celebrations. Scotiabank's support will result in an increased number and size of Celebration events in Canada, enabling even more young women to celebrate their accomplishments through sport.

"We understand that staying active is an integral part of young women's physical, mental and emotional health," says Claudine Labelle, Founder and President of FitSpirit. "If girls commit to an active lifestyle in their teenage years, they are more likely to continue to be active in adulthood. The best way to encourage them is to provide a safe and supportive space to pursue the fun of physical activity."

Research shows that half of Canadian girls feel pressure to please others and appear "perfect" when they hit puberty, resulting in them taking on less challenges and avoiding new things.i This coincides with many young women abandoning athletics and other physical activities in high school. By the time they graduate, nine out of 10 girls fail to meet Canadian exercise standards. FitSpirit knows this trend can be reversed by encouraging young women to build their self-esteem and confidence.

"At Scotiabank we are passionate about helping young people reach their infinite potential," says Gillian Riley, Executive Vice-President, Canadian Commercial Banking, Scotiabank. "We believe our donation to FitSpirit is an investment in the long-term security, stability and growth of our communities. We hope our support will help inspire girls to stay involved with sport, gaining further confidence, skills and resources to support their success."

Scotiabank FitSpirit 2018 Celebrations will take place in the following locations:

  • Toronto (May 8)
  • Gatineau (May 10)
  • Montreal (May 15)
  • Quebec (May 17)
  • Rimouski (May 29)
  • Sudbury (June 3)
  • Rouyn-Noranda (June 3)

For more information about the Celebrations, please visit www.fitspirit.ca/participate/celebrations.

About FitSpirit
Founded in 2007 by Claudine Labelle, FitSpirit's mission is to help Canadian girls discover the benefits and fun of being physically active. To do this, FitSpirit partners with schools and community organizations to provide a variety of activities to girls aged 12 to 17 that get them moving and keep them physically active over the long term. It offers tools and services within a holistic approach based on flexible, individualized support to help schools engage girls through physical activities tailored to their challenges and their lives. Supervised by school representatives and FitSpirit ambassadors (athletes-speakers, kinesiologists, mentors), the girls live a rewarding experience in a relaxed atmosphere. No competition, no concern for performance: the only goal is to have fun trying new physical activities.

Scotiabank
At Scotiabank, we aim to support organizations that are committed to helping young people reach their infinite potential. Young people are our future leaders and Scotiabank's goal is to help ensure that they have the necessary skills and resources they need to support their success. Together with our employees, the Bank supports causes at a grassroots level. Recognized as a leader for our charitable donations and philanthropic activities, in 2017, Scotiabank contributed more than $80 million to help our communities around the world.

Scotiabank is Canada's international bank and a leading financial services provider in North America, Latin America, the Caribbean and Central America, and Asia-Pacific. We are dedicated to helping our 24 million customers become better off through a broad range of advice, products and services, including personal and commercial banking, wealth management and private banking, corporate and investment banking, and capital markets. With a team of more than 89,000 employees and assets of over $923 billion (as at January 31, 2018), Scotiabank trades on the Toronto (TSX: BNS) and New York Exchanges (NYSE: BNS). For more information, please visit www.scotiabank.com and follow us on Twitter @Scotiabank.

i Source: Key Canadian Always Confidence & Puberty Wave V Study https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8160351-always-like-a-girl/

SOURCE Scotiabank

For further information: Marie-Noëlle Bouillon, FitSpirit, 514-602-1260, marie-noelle.bouillon@fitspirit.ca; Jillian Pastirik, Edelman Public Relations Toronto, 416-849-1518, Jillian.pastirik@edelman.com; Erin Truax, Scotiabank, 416-578-9659, Erin.Truax@Scotiabank.com

 

Tweet me:.@ScotiabankViews donates $1 million to @FitSpiritGirls to help build teenage girls' confidence through physical activity http://bit.ly/2Iou5aB #CSR

KEYWORDS: Empower Canadian Girls, Sports, girls in sports, Scotiabank, csr

Future Engineers in Action

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by Ruba Borno

SOURCE:Cisco Systems Inc.

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I’ve always been passionate about STEM education and the opportunities it creates for the next generation. I’m proud to be a board member at the San Jose Tech Museum of Innovation given their mission to inspire the innovator in everyone. One of my favorite parts of being a board member is participating in the annual Tech Challenge, and at this year’s event, I was once again reminded why.

For many years, Cisco has been supporting the Tech Museum as part of fulfilling our vision to change the way that people learn, a mission that is reflected at the Tech every day. In partnership with the Cisco Foundation and former Cisco CEO John Morgridge, Cisco has donated resources to help them multiply their impact by taking the wealth of knowledge and inspiration that the Tech has to offer to Silicon Valley and beyond.

I was thrilled to watch future engineers in action!

This year, students in grades 4-12 were tasked with engineering a solution to the “Drop and Dash” – dropping a device 10 feet and moving a payload of materials up a ramp without the use of batteries or electricity.  I was reminded of the importance of the Tech’s mission as I watched future engineers of America in action. As an engineer myself, I was eager to share with more than a thousand students that they were all born engineers with limitless potential.

The Tech Challenge amplifies the three hallmark attributes of an engineer:

  • Curiosity. When these students first started the challenge, they questioned, they asked how and why, and they wondered. It’s curiosity that helps us learn how we can improve.
  • Creativity. When it came to their challenges, students found hundreds of ways that didn’t work, and dozens of ways that did – and it bolstered their creativity.
  • Collaborative. We know that individuals alone who are curious and creative can bring together amazing innovation. But, it is actually teams of people who are curious and creative who come together and solve some of the world’s biggest problems.

Cisco technology leveled the playing field for all participants.

The Challenge has been ongoing since the fall, with a final showcase – held April 28-29 – to demonstrate each team’s solution to the problem. The month before the final showcase, the Tech offered test trials for kids to test their inventions on the competition course with a coach onsite. However, not all teams could be at the Tech in person for these trials, due to limited resources. So, this year, Cisco donated two WebEx video endpoints to the Tech to enable a remote team to participate!

Months of preparation paid off!

During the months leading up to the final event, students learned the process of engineering – doing research, imagining a solution, trying, failing, adjusting and trying again in order to succeed. You could see the dogged determination and emotional investment in their faces and read it in their engineering journals. It was truly inspiring.

It was rewarding to see the wide range of creative solutions that the student engineers brought to life (not to mention the costumes!). One team built a vehicle around a measuring tape that popped open when it hit the ground, then used the force of the measuring tape unwinding to push its payload up the ramp. Another group built a catapult to propel their payload up the ramp. One team even constructed an airplane that shot out when it hit the ground.

The Tech Challenge shows why the world needs a diversity of engineers and business leaders to be sure we are creating technology to benefit everybody.

Thanks to the Tech, our amazing Cisco volunteers and Cisco, these events are possible!

Special thanks to the Tech for creating such a well-run event that can touch the lives of so many. I’m proud of Cisco for supporting this event, for the 75 Cisco employees that have volunteered to coach, mentor, judge or otherwise help run the Tech Challenge; and for the Cisco technology that allowed teams with fewer resources to participate in the Tech Challenge more fully.

Cisco, in partnership with the Tech, plans to scale this event across the US and other countries over the next several years so that we can magnify the inspiration, the lives touched and the lessons learned to a much broader audience.

The San Jose Tech Museum of Innovation is one of the most prestigious institutions in the country for education and innovation. In 2015, it was awarded the National Medal for Museum and Library Service, one of the highest honors a U.S. museum can achieve. For more information about the Museum, please visit their website.

Tweet me:.@CiscoCSR & @TheTechMuseum give #STEM #students a taste of the #engineer life http://bit.ly/2InMmoF

KEYWORDS: San Jose Tech Museum of Innovation, cisco csr

   

3 Volunteering Engagement Lessons Corporations Can Learn from Nonprofits

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SOURCE:Blackbaud Corporate Solutions

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Learn how you can apply three volunteer engagement best practices, taken from organizations who rely on volunteers to accomplish their mission. The result? Higher employee participation rates and employee volunteer engagement.

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So often, we focus on what nonprofits can learn from corporations, whether it’s borrowing marketing best practices, taking an ROI-focused approach to measurement, or segmenting audiences with technology to fuel maximum engagement. But corporations can learn a lot from nonprofits, too, particularly around volunteer engagement. Since nonprofits realize the critical importance of volunteers to help achieve their mission, it’s only natural that they’d have lessons to share about getting the most out of volunteers’ time. Here are three lessons corporations can learn – or reinforce – from nonprofits:

1. Share as much detail as possible, set expectations, and sprinkle in some inspiration. Put another way, avoid the dreaded, “OK, we’re here, what should we do?” kickoff to a volunteering event. Nonprofits know firsthand that by providing comprehensive information early, they can set the right expectations with volunteers and get the most out of their time. When corporations present a volunteering opportunity to employees, it’s important to share as much detail as possible with your employees in advance. Details such as the key point(s) of contact at the nonprofit, background on the organization, descriptions of tasks to be performed, information about any skills that might be required, and most importantly a sense of how their volunteer efforts will specifically help your nonprofit partner reach their programmatic goals, realize their mission, and maximize their long term impact At the end of the day, a positive and inspirational volunteering experience can go a long way toward building a lasting culture of philanthropy & engagement within your organization.

2. Take volunteer feedback to heart. Nonprofits tend to be made up of good listeners. They know they’re most effective when they really listen to the needs of the people they serve and the feedback after initiatives and events. The same goes for volunteers. As Blackbaud’s Tanya Fitzgerald put it, “Volunteers who feel ignored won’t be volunteers for long.” Corporations can embrace this listening lesson by making efforts to hear from employees about what matters most to them, what they hope to get out of a volunteering experience, and feedback about how things went. This will make your employee volunteers feel heard, plus this from-the-field feedback can help to refine your volunteering efforts and the capacities of your nonprofit partners.

3. Boost employee volunteer satisfaction by showing your appreciation. My colleague Rachel Hutchisson once called volunteering “a huge endorphin rush, a positive jolt to the system that helps us truly feel like citizens active in making our world what we want it to be.” To keep that endorphin rush going, nonprofits tend to make a point of expressing appreciation to volunteers, whether that’s through a thank-you letter, throwing a volunteer appreciation party, or anything in between. Corporations should also look for ways to demonstrate appreciation for volunteers. Put them and their volunteerism story front-and-center inside your employee engagement platform or company intranet, send a note of thanks for their participation, or something else that feels true to your corporate culture. Employee volunteers who feel appreciated for their contributions are likely to engage in future volunteer opportunities.

Take it from nonprofits: Make sure your employee volunteers are as informed as possible before heading into an event, listen to their feedback, and show that their time matters.

Want more? See how we’re helping corporations give their employee volunteering programs an endorphin boost.

- Andrew Troup, Director of Corporate Giving and Engagement Strategy (Blackbaud Corporate Solutions)

Tweet me:What do nonprofits know that you don't? Here are three tips that can boost your employee volunteer engagement rates, straight from those that frequently rely on volunteers. http://bit.ly/2FS71vU

KEYWORDS: Employee Engagement, csr, Corporate Responsibility, employee volunteer, Blackbaud Corporate Solutions

Yum! Brands Earns Spot on Corporate Responsibility Magazine’s 2018 100 Best Corporate Citizens List

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SOURCE:Yum! Brands

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LOUISVILLE, Ky., May 8, 2018 /3BL Media/ – Yum! Brands has once again been named to the 100 Best Corporate Citizens list by Corporate Responsibility Magazine (CR Magazine) for its commitment to sustainable business practices.

“We’re proud to be recognized again this year by CR Magazine because it demonstrates our ongoing commitment to building sustainable brands that people trust and champion,” said Jon Hixson, VP of Government Relations and Global Citizenship for Yum! Brands. “As a global franchisor, we take our role as a global citizen and the impact of our brands on society very seriously. We’re on a journey to serve food people trust, grow sustainably and unlock the potential of our people by focusing on what our many internal and external stakeholders truly care about.”

CR Magazine’s 19th annual 100 Best Corporate Citizens list recognizes the standout environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance of public companies across the United States. Companies are evaluated using publicly accessible records and documents and the analysis includes 260 data points on environmental, climate change, human rights, employee relations, corporate governance, philanthropy and financial performance. View the full 2018 list of companies here.

For more information about Yum! Brands’ corporate responsibility efforts, visit www.yum.com.

About Yum! Brands

Yum! Brands, Inc., based in Louisville, Kentucky, has over 45,000 restaurants in more than 135 countries and territories and is one of the Aon Hewitt Top Companies for Leaders in North America. In 2018, Yum! Brands was recognized as part of the inaugural Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index. In 2017, Yum! Brands was named to the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index and ranked among the top 100 Best Corporate Citizens by Corporate Responsibility Magazine. The company’s restaurant brands – KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell – are global leaders of the chicken, pizza and Mexican-style food categories.  Worldwide, the Yum! Brands system opens over seven new restaurants per day on average, making it a leader in global retail development.

Tweet me:.@YumBrands earns spot on #CRMagazine’s 2018 100 Best Corporate Citizens list http://bit.ly/2jFwXC0 #100BestCC

KEYWORDS: NYSE:YUM, Yum! Brands, CR Magazine, Corporate Responsibility Magazine, 100 best corporate citizens, 2018 100 Best Corporate Citizens List

Erb Institute and Ross School of Business Professor, Andy Hoffman Honored with 2017 Aspen Institute "Ideas Worth Teaching Award"

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SOURCE:University of Michigan: Erb Institute | Business for Sustainability

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Professor Andy Hoffman was honored today as a recipient of the 2017 Ideas Worth Teaching Awards for his class on Sustainable Business in Iceland offered through Global Initiatives at the Ross School of Business.

Upon receiving the award Andy Hoffman commented,

“I am truly honored to be receiving this award, both for its own sake, and also for the impressive company of other award winners.

While I’ve taught business sustainability in many formats, being able to bring students to Iceland brought the subject matter to life in a novel and compelling way. Given its location at the fault line between the European and North American tectonic plates, and its unparalleled access to geothermal energy, Iceland finds itself in a uniquely opportunistic position. However, there are tough questions still to grapple with, namely how Iceland can harness this energy in a way that both feeds its economy and helps it reduce its carbon footprint.

It was an absolute pleasure to share the concept and promise of business sustainability with an undergraduate group of students. Their questions and comments were on point, and it was fun for me to see their excitement as they quickly began to grasp the scope of the opportunity and possibilities for business to be a positive force in society.”

Jerry Davis and Chris White, also professors at the Ross School of Business were similarly honored for their course on Intrapreneurship: Leading Social Innovation in Organizations.

Continue reading on the Erb Institute website or read the original press release here.

Tweet me:READ: What are the ideas that will prepare students to tackle society’s largest challenges and support #sustainable business? @erbinstitute @MichiganRoss faculty @HoffmanAndy honored with Ideas Worth Teaching Award by @AspenBizSociety http://myumi.ch/6xlEE #IWTAwards

KEYWORDS: Aspen Institute, Andy Hoffman, Erb Institute, Sustainable Business, university of michigan, ross school of business, iceland, Ideas Worth Teaching

Northern Trust Tempe Partners Used Paid Volunteer Hours and Collaborated with St.Vincent De Paul of Arizona

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SOURCE:Northern Trust

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Our Tempe partners used their paid volunteer hours and collaborated with St.Vincent De Paul of Arizona to make pizzas for those in need in the community!

 

Connect with Northern Trust on LinkedIN

Click here to learn more about CSR at Northern Trust

Tweet me:Pizza making for the community! #NorthernTrust Tempe Partners and St.Vincent De Paul of Arizona collaborate #NTGivesBack #Volunteer @NTCSR #CSR

KEYWORDS: Volunteering, paid volunteer hours, Northern Trust, Northern Trust Tempe Partners, csr


Universal Health Coverage: Filling the Gaps Through International Partnerships

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To Achieve ‘Health For All,’ Everyone Needs a Seat at the Table

SOURCE:PYXERA Global

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Achieving universal health coverage is target 3.8 of United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 3—to “ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.” More than this, providing universal health coverage, which includes access to high quality, affordable health services and essential medicines, is necessary to achieve all 17 of the Sustainable Development Goals. Societies overwhelmed with the burden of disease cannot combat other sources of inequality and injustice. Investing in the local health workforce is a necessary step to reducing the social and economic impacts of injury and illness, and ultimately to achieving universal health coverage.

To that end, Health Volunteers Overseas (HVO) partners with collaborating institutions—including hospitals and universities—to design and implement training programs for health workers in resource-scarce countries. At present, HVO partners with more than 80 institutions worldwide to facilitate short-term volunteer assignments for health professionals to provide education, support, and mentorship to their colleagues in low-income countries. The local partners help establish reasonable, mutually beneficial project goals, and adapt them to meet the changing needs of the project site and the local community over the course of the project life-cycle. This collaborative and flexible approach has enabled HVO to expand health coverage around the world through partnership for more than three decades.

Continue Reading on PYXERAGlobal.org...

Tweet me:Advancing #SDG3 Health and Wellbeing, @HVOUSA partners with local institutions in underserved markets to train and support #HealthWorkers. Read about physical therapy training in #Bhutan from Director Nancy Kelly, MHS: https://bit.ly/2I20jG4 via @PYXERAGlobal #GlobalGoals

KEYWORDS: Asia, Global Health, global pro bono, Preventable Disease, sustainable development goals, Partnership, SDGs, PYXERA Global

More Renewable Energy Helps Fight Climate Change

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SCE named No. 1 energy storage utility and No. 2 solar utility in the U.S.

SOURCE:Edison International

DESCRIPTION:

Ninety-five degrees. That’s the temperature that registered on thermometers across Rosemead on April 9. According to the National Weather Service, cities across Southern California Edison’s service territory experienced similar record-breaking heat.

Temperatures across the globe are rising due to climate change and GHG emissions. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, “Greenhouse gases from human activities are the most significant driver of observed climate change since the mid-20th century.” Climate change and its impacts is one of the reasons SCE has been making the move toward more renewable energy sources, such as solar and battery storage.

The Smart Electric Power Alliance has announced that SCE was No. 1 in battery storage and No. 2 in delivering solar energy to its customers. The alliance’s 11th annual survey, which includes more than 400 utilities, determined the top-10 rankings.

Last year, SCE connected 56 megawatts of battery storage to the grid. This includes residential, commercial and utility-supply energy storage. SCE also connected 547 megawatts of solar energy to the grid through new and expanded residential and commercial solar installations as well as through utility-supply sources. SCE has placed among the top-10 utilities for solar every year since the alliance began publishing its solar rankings in 2007.

SCE has connected more than 252,000 residential and commercial customers to the grid. 

“Our customers increasingly want a more renewable energy supply, one that meets California’s climate change goals and contributes to cleaner, healthier air,” said SCE President Ron Nichols. “SCE is pleased to assist customers to invest in their own renewable energy resources as well as our continued efforts to increase the level of renewable energy and battery storage at a utility scale.”

Last October, SCE shared its vision to deliver more clean energy to its customers, meet California’s GHG reduction goals and reduce air pollution. The vision calls for adding 30 gigawatts of additional renewable capacity, including wind, solar, geothermal and hydro, to California’s electric grid by 2030.

The addition of large-scale renewables, along with more than 3,600 of SCE’s customers adding rooftop solar every month, makes energy storage increasingly important. It stores solar and wind energy for when we need it, like when the sun isn’t shining and wind isn’t blowing. Battery storage is a key part of SCE’s strategy to clean the power system. So is supporting a sustainable solar industry and customers who choose to go solar.

It’s likely that the unseasonably warm April is a preview of what’s to come for Southern California later this spring and summer according to the National Weather’s Service’s prediction center. Every year, the impacts of climate change make it more important to integrate clean energy sources into the grid. Clean energy can help mitigate climate change through GHG reductions and improved air quality.

The entire top-10 listings are available online at sepatop10.org.

SCE Energy Storage Facts at a Glance:

  • SCE’s Mira Loma battery storage facility can store up to 80 megawatt-hours, enough energy to power 15,000 homes for four hours.
  • Last year, SCE had nearly 400 megawatts of energy storage under contract, which is almost double the amount installed in the entire nation in 2015.
  • Last year, SCE connected 56 megawatts of battery storage to the grid, equivalent to removing 15,476 cars from the road for a year or 3,601 garbage trucks worth of waste being recycled instead of going into a landfill.

SCE Solar Facts at a Glance:

  • In July 1998, SCE connected its first residential solar customer to the electric grid.
  • Every year since 2007, SCE has ranked in the top 10 utilities in delivering solar to its customers.
  • SCE connects an average of 3,600 solar customers to the electric grid monthly, equal to a solar customer coming online every 12 minutes.
  • SCE has connected more than 252,000 residential and commercial customers to the grid.
  • Last year, SCE connected 547 megawatts of solar energy to the grid, equivalent to removing 231,839 cars from the road for a year or 16,205 garbage trucks worth of waste being recycled instead of going into a landfill.

Information on SCE’s solar programs can be found at SCE.com/gosolar.

 

Tweet me:Battery storage is a key part of #@SCE’s #cleanenergy strategy. So is supporting a #sustainable #solar industry and customers who choose to go solar. http://bit.ly/2KL94oV #renewableenergy #climatechange

KEYWORDS: Southern California Edison, Edison International, wind, Smart Electric Power Alliance, grid modernization

Smithfield Foods’ Report Recaps Significant Progress, New Initiatives in Environmental Efforts

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SOURCE:Smithfield Foods

DESCRIPTION:

SMITHFIELD, Va., May 8, 2018 /3BL Media/ — Today, Smithfield Foods, Inc. announced the release of the Environment section of its 17th sustainability report. This section, the second installment in the report, highlights the company’s ambitious goal to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and its progress toward its 2020 environmental targets. 

“In 2017, we made meaningful progress toward our goal to reduce our environmental impact while meeting the growing global demand for pork,” said Stewart Leeth, vice president of regulatory affairs and chief sustainability officer for Smithfield Foods. “We continue to address environmental concerns through innovation and ongoing improvement which creates value for our stakeholders and supports the communities where our employees live and work.”

The report provides detailed information about Smithfield’s industry-leading environmental programs and initiatives such as:

  • Innovative practices and platforms, including Smithfield Renewables, to help the company achieve its commitment to reducing GHG emissions 25 percent by 2025 throughout its entire supply chain – the first commitment of its kind by a protein company.
  • Eight certified zero-waste-to-landfill facilities that save the company nearly $273,000 per year, with five more facilities expected to be certified by the end of 2018.
  • Projects recognized by our internal awards program that reduced water use by more than 86 million gallons and diverted more than 30 million pounds of waste from landfills in 2017. These, along with other environmental achievements, helped Smithfield save an estimated $128 million over the past five years in operating costs.
  • Eighty third-party awards recognizing environmental sustainability achievements in 2017.

“Reducing our environmental impact requires bold steps and out-of-the-box thinking. Every day, our people are looking for new opportunities, both large and small, that will allow us to improve our own operations and those of our supply chain partners,” said Kenneth M. Sullivan, president and chief executive officer for Smithfield Foods. “We have and will continue to make meaningful changes that will simultaneously benefit the environment and our business.”

As described in the new report, Smithfield’s environmental efforts extend throughout its supply chain. This includes the farms that grow feed grain for its hogs, the farming operations that raise the animals, the processing facilities, and finally the transportation network that delivers finished products to retail stores and restaurants. The company works within its supply chain to ensure that the products provided to consumers are high quality and produced in a responsible manner.

“In just six short months, we’ve made some exciting steps toward achieving our 25 by ‘25 goal through our new Smithfield Renewables platform,” said Kraig Westerbeek, senior director of Smithfield Renewables. “From projects on our farms that convert manure to renewable natural gas to those at our facilities that power steam boilers by capturing biogas from wastewater treatment systems, we have much to be proud of and look forward to sharing even more projects in the near future.”

The Environment section is the second of a multiphase release of Smithfield’s 2017 Sustainability Report, following Animal Care that was released last week. Smithfield will publish its Food Safety and Quality section next, followed by the Helping Communities and People sections, as well as the full report.

To view an introductory video about Smithfield’s commitment to the Environment, click here. This new section of the report is now available at smithfieldfoods.com/environment.

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’ report recaps significant progress, new initiatives in #environmental efforts http://bit.ly/2KMBwqM #sustainability

Contact Info:

Diana Souder
Smithfield Foods, Inc.
+1 (757) 357-1675
dsouder@smithfield.com

KEYWORDS: Smithfield Foods

SC Johnson Awards $100,000 to Racine-Area Schools, Continuing Commitment to Literacy

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Company Celebrates Winners of Racine Wonders Literacy Program Essay Competition

SOURCE:SC Johnson

DESCRIPTION:

RACINE, Wis., May 8, 2018 /3BL Media/ – SC Johnson today announced the winners of a student essay competition and awarded $100,000 to Racine-area schools as part of the company’s longstanding commitment to literacy. The results were announced at a celebration event for the company’s Racine Wonders literacy program, which kicked off in January 2018 with distribution of the book “Wonder” to 9,000 area students. SC Johnson also surprised the 250 students in attendance with Kindle Fire tablets to further encourage a love of reading.

“At SC Johnson, we recognize that literacy opens up a world of opportunity including the potential for higher education and better jobs,” said Kelly M. Semrau, Senior Vice President – Global Corporate Affairs, Communication and Sustainability at SC Johnson. “We are honored to make a difference in the lives of children in the Racine community by offering literacy programs that help set the stage for their future success.”

At the celebratory event today, the essay winners and their classmates heard from myFace, a nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming the lives of patients with facial differences. The myFace representatives spoke to the importance of kindness and inclusion, themes which are featured prominently in “Wonder.” The students were also treated to a special performance by DJ Livia and the Monster Kids, a hip-hop dance group from Chicago that has been featured on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” “America’s Got Talent” and the “Steve Harvey Show.”

“We value SC Johnson’s commitment to literacy and education in the Racine community,” said Eric Gallien, Interim-Superintendent of the Racine Unified School District. “The impact that a program like Racine Wonders has on students extends far beyond the classroom.”

SC Johnson and Literacy

Believing that literacy is an important step to future success, SC Johnson has long been a proponent of literacy programs in the community. Past programs include Racine Reads, the Racine Public Library Bookmobile, the local Battle of the Books competition and English Fest.

SC Johnson’s most recent literacy program, Racine Wonders, began in January with the distribution of The New York Times bestselling book, “Wonder,” to 9,000 fourth through eighth grade students. A curriculum developed by myFace was shared with teachers to promote discussion and hands-on learning in the classroom. 

As part of the program, students were given the opportunity to submit essays on acts of kindness or superheroes of empathy for a chance to win $10,000 for their school. The essays were judged by students from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside Institute for Professional Educator Development. Ten winners were announced – two for each grade level from fourth through eighth, with one winner in each grade from an area public school and one from an area private/independent school.

In partnership with Marcus Renaissance Cinema, students and teachers were also given the opportunity to bring the story and characters from the book to life with special viewings of the 2017 movie “Wonder,” starring Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson.

The Winners

Navya Agrawal, Walden III Middle School

Darleen Cummings, St. John’s Lutheran School

Amelia Flones, St. John’s Lutheran School

Cheyenne Jones, Gilmore Middle School

Xavier Lopez, Walden III Middle School

Arthur Ramos, The Prairie School

Michael Rempala, Janes Elementary School

William Schaefer, The Prairie School

Ryan To, St. Rita School

Adriana Zavala, Julian Thomas Elementary School

About SC Johnson

SC Johnson is a family company dedicated to innovative, high-quality products, excellence in the workplace and a long-term commitment to the environment and the communities in which it operates. Based in the USA, the company is one of the world's leading manufacturers of household cleaning products and products for home storage, air care, pest control and shoe care, as well as professional products. It markets such well-known brands as GLADE®, KIWI®, OFF!®, PLEDGE®, RAID®, SCRUBBING BUBBLES®, SHOUT®, WINDEX® and ZIPLOC® in the U.S. and beyond, with brands marketed outside the U.S. including AUTAN®, TANA®, BAMA®, BAYGON®, BRISE®, KABIKILLER®, KLEAR®, MR MUSCLE® and RIDSECT®. The 132-year-old company, which generates $10 billion in sales, employs approximately 13,000 people globally and sells products in virtually every country around the world. www.scjohnson.com

Tweet me:.@SCJohnson Continues Longstanding Commitment to #Literacy with #RacineWonders Program http://bit.ly/2wnRN24

KEYWORDS: SC Johnson, literacy, Racine Wonders, community development

  

Novo Nordisk and Discovery Education Announce "Super Health, Super You" National Community Health Challenge Winners

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SOURCE:Discovery Education

SUMMARY:

Indiana, New York and Mississippi Elementary Schools Awarded $10,000 Each to Improve Physical Activity and Healthy Living in their Communities

PS 104Q The Bays Water School Awarded Grand Prize and National Novo Nordisk Recognition Ceremony

DESCRIPTION:

Silver Spring, Md., May 9, 2019 /3BL Media/ – Novo Nordisk, a global health care leader in diabetes care and Discovery Education, the leading provider of digital content and professional development for K-12 classrooms, today announced the 2017 Super Health, Super You Community Health Challenge winners in celebration of thriving, healthy and active school communities across the United States.  

The Super Health, Super You Community Health Challenge, designed to help elementary school teachers incorporate healthy lifestyle education into their curricula, inspired elementary school students to develop new ways to help their school’s community healthfully and holistically flourish. Challenge winners were selected by local educators, Discovery Education, and Novo Nordisk across three categories, and have successfully demonstrated fundamental community health concepts in their submissions. Three Super Health, Super You Community Health Challenge schools, in Indiana, New York, and Mississippi, today were awarded $10,000 each to implement forward-looking healthy lifestyle solutions for their communities. The Grand Prize Winner, PS 104Q: The Bays Water School, will also be nationally recognized by Novo Nordisk and Discovery Education during an in-school assembly.

“Teaching kids at a young age the importance of a healthy lifestyle is so closely aligned with our company’s purpose,” said Craig Bleifer, Corporate Vice President, Legal & Corporate Affairs, Novo Nordisk. “Our mission is more than developing medicine, and that’s why we value our partnership with Discovery Education, so that we can drive change in our communities to ultimately defeat diabetes and other serious chronic conditions.”

The 2018 Community Health Challenge Winners are listed below:

Grand Prize Winner: Nutrition and Gardens

PS 104Q The Bays Water School | Far Rockaway, N.Y.

Grand Prize Concept: Wellness Reading Garden

Award: $10,000 to develop the Wellness Reading Garden and a national recognition ceremony

To address food insecurity, community safety, student literacy, and nutrition and health, PS 104Q will use their prize to create a wellness reading garden – complete with fruits and vegetables that students will plant and harvest themselves. Through the school community garden, local youth will learn about plants, the science behind how they grow, and healthy food options. Students will also have a tranquil place to be mindful.

Physical Activity Winner

Burris Laboratory School at Ball State University | Muncie, Ind.

Winning Concept: Superhero Climbers

Award: $10,000 to develop a student inspired climbing wall 

Burris Laboratory School students designed a climbing wall –inspired by elements from their favorite superhero video games – to encourage their classmates to stay physically fit. Burris Laboratory School will apply their award to build the wall and promote physical activity twice per week.

Title 1 Winner

Eastside Elementary School | Clinton, Miss.

Winning Concept: Hey you – YES, YOU! Get up and Get Movin’!

Award: $10,000 to develop a comprehensive community active lifestyles initiative

To promote active lifestyles, Eastside Elementary School, will engage students, teachers, and parents in physical activity challenges and healthy eating promotions to model ideal behavior for students. The Hey you – YES, YOU! Get up and Get Movin’! program will partner with a local gym to provide Kids Seminars, encourage teachers to leverage their free periods to engage in at least 30 minutes of exercise, and the initiative will encourage family fitness with Fun Fitness party rewards. Eastside Elementary will also leverage their award by kicking off Eastside Eats – an immersive school webpage meant to host healthy family-friendly recipes that are enjoyable and easy. As well, Eastside Eats will invite high school culinary arts students to present healthy food demonstrations to the school’s students.

“We applaud Novo Nordisk’s leadership in championing the future of community health and congratulate this year’s challenge winners for their innovative ideas,” said Lori McFarling, senior vice president and chief marketing officer. “Super Health, Super You helps educators, student and communities understand the power of making healthy lifestyle choices, and Discovery Education is proud to partner with Novo Nordisk to increase health awareness and engagement.”

The Super Health, Super You program activates schools to think critically about the health and wellness of their student population. Exercises and activities present fundamental community health concepts, and the program’s online hub houses downloadable content about diabetes prevention, fitness, nutrition topics, and latest news regarding the Community Challenge.

Online materials for educators and parents include:

  • Lesson Plans and Activities: Six lesson plans are available for upper elementary school students to highlight community health, including addressing external factors contributing to health, and the relationship between food choices and diabetes.
  • Digital Presentation: A student-facing presentation that walks students and teachers through planning and growing a garden. The presentation is available to classrooms.
  • Family Toolkit:  To extend the learnings beyond the classroom, a family toolkit comprised of two community-health based family activities – one family discussion prompt will be available later this year.

For more information about the Super Health, Super You program, visit superhealthsuperyou.com.

For more information about Discovery Education’s digital content and professional development services, visit DiscoveryEducation.com. Stay connected with Discovery Education on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @DiscoveryEd.

###

About Discovery Education
As the global leader in standards-based digital content for K-12 classrooms worldwide, Discovery Education is transforming teaching and learning with award-winning digital textbooks, multimedia content, professional learning, and the largest professional learning community of its kind. Serving 4.5 million educators and over 50 million students, Discovery Education’s services are available in approximately half of U.S. classrooms, 50 percent of all primary schools in the UK, and more than 50 countries around the globe. Inspired by Discovery, Inc., Discovery Education partners with districts, states, and like-minded organizations to captivate students, empower teachers and transform classrooms with customized solutions that increase academic achievement. Explore the future of education at DiscoveryEducation.com.

About Novo Nordisk
Novo Nordisk, a global healthcare company, has been committed to discovering and developing innovative medicines to help people living with diabetes lead longer, healthier lives for 95 years. This heritage has given us experience and capabilities that also enable us to help people defeat other serious diseases including obesity, hemophilia and growth disorders. We remain steadfast in our conviction that the formula for success is to stay focused, think long term and do business in a financially, socially and environmentally responsible way. With U.S. headquarters in New Jersey and production and research facilities in four states, Novo Nordisk employs nearly 6,000 people throughout the country. For more information, visit novonordisk.us, Facebook and Twitter.

Contact:

Erin O’Brien, Novo Nordisk Inc.

erob@novonordisk.com, (609) 751-1470

Charmion Kinder, Discovery Education

Charmion_Kinder@discovery.com, (240) 274-2173

Tweet me:.@NovoNordisk and @DiscoveryEd partnership celebrates healthy, active #school communities via #SuperHealthSuperYou Community Health Challenge. Meet the winners: http://bit.ly/2wqRAev

KEYWORDS: discovery education, Novo Nordisk, Super Health Super You Community Health Challenge, diabetes prevention

  

How to Build an Inclusive Business

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A Business Call to Action Blog Series | May 2018

SOURCE:Business Call to Action (BCtA)

DESCRIPTION:

Read the inspiring stories of Lucky, Nash, Peter and Norihiko taking you on their inclusive business journey. Building an inclusive company from the group up can be a dauting task paved with obstacles but it certainly always ends up being the most rewarding one. Perseverance is key, but knowledge is the sine qua non condition for success. From navigating the investment world to co-creating business models with local communities, four business leaders who are members of the Business Call to Action accepted to share with us how they did it, with candidness and openness, read on.

Bringing Business Back Home: Biomass Energy of Sri Lanka by Lucky Dissanayake, Founder of the Biomass Group

Professionalising African Motorcycle Taxis: from Vitamins to Painkillers by Barrett Nash and Peter Kariuki, Co-Founders of SafeMotos

The Road of Change: Circular Economy in the Automotive Industry by Norihiko Kondo, Founder of Kaiho Sangyo

About Business Call to Action (BCtA)
Business Call to Action is a global joint advocacy platform that works to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by challenging and supporting companies to develop inclusive business models that offer the potential for both commercial success and development impact. It is hosted by the United Nations Development Programme and funded by Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of Finland, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, UK Department for International Development (DFID), US Agency for International Development (USAID). To date, over 200 companies from around the world have signed on to commit to contribute to the SDGs, from large multinational companies to national and small- and medium-enterprises in 67 countries.

Tweet me:Read 3 inspiring stories of the journey toward #inclusivebusiness http://bit.ly/2IrKPxW via @BCtAInitiative #SDGs #socinn

KEYWORDS: inclusive business, business call to action (bcta), social innovation

UPS To Deploy New, State-Of-The-Art Electric Vehicles in London and Paris

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ARRIVAL will supply 35 modular, light-weight EVs with zero tailpipe emissions, 150-mile battery range and advanced safety features

SOURCE:UPS

DESCRIPTION:

LONDON, May 9, 2018 /3BL Media/ - UPS (NYSE:UPS) today announced that it is working with UK-based technology firm ARRIVAL to develop a state-of-the-art pilot fleet of 35 electric delivery vehicles (EVs) to be trialed in London and Paris. These zero tailpipe emission, lightweight composite vehicles have a battery range of more than 150 miles (240 kilometers), which is significantly higher than other EVs currently in service. The vehicles will also come equipped with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) that help to improve safety and reduce driver fatigue. These features, combined with a highly advanced vehicle display provide the driver with an intelligent and connected vehicle.  

“UPS is working with ARRIVAL here in the UK because their smart electric vehicles are helping to reduce dependency on fossil fuel. This is a pioneering collaboration that helps UPS develop new ways to reduce our emissions,” said Luke Wake, international director for automotive engineering in the advanced technology group at UPS. “UPS is marshaling its global scale to encourage innovation within the automotive industry. We are helping to drive demand for these disruptive technologies. The result is a safer and cleaner fleet for the communities in which we deliver.”

ARRIVAL is the first commercial vehicle manufacturer in Europe to provide purpose-built electric delivery vehicles to UPS’s specifications. Since 2016, UPS and ARRIVAL have been developing prototypes of different sizes, and the first vehicles are expected to be deployed on the road before the end of this year.

“We’re excited to collaborate with UPS to create an affordable, modular, fully electric delivery vehicle designed to make deliveries in our busy cities clean and quiet,” said Denis Sverdlov, CEO of ARRIVAL. “With its unique, wrap-around front window the driver has a much wider field of view that improves not only the safety of the driver but also that of cyclists and pedestrians.”

Electromobility and alternative technology vehicles are a priority for UPS. With more than 9,000 vehicles worldwide operating using alternative propulsion methods, UPS possesses one of the largest private and most diverse alternative fuel and advanced technology fleets in the entire logistics industry.

“This initiative will help UPS attain its global carbon reduction goals for the company’s facilities and fleets,”  said Peter Harris, director for sustainability at UPS Europe. “We will continue working with our partners, communities and customers to spark innovation, thus leading the industry toward a more sustainable future.”

Last month UPS announced that it had installed a radical new charging technology at its central London depot in Camden that overcomes the challenge of simultaneously recharging an entire fleet of EVs without the need for an expensive upgrade to the power supply grid.

UPS has a long history with electric vehicles, having first introduced them into its fleet in the U.S. in the 1930s, and reintroduced modern EVs in 2001. Currently, UPS has more than 300 electric vehicles deployed in Europe and the U.S., and nearly 700 hybrid electric vehicles. Recently, UPS announced plans to deploy 50 plug-in electric delivery trucks that will be comparable in acquisition cost to conventional-fueled trucks – an industry first that is breaking a key barrier to large-scale fleet adoption. The company is collaborating with Workhorse Group, Inc. to design the vehicles from the ground up, with zero tailpipe emissions. And, last December, UPS ordered 125 new fully-electric semi-tractors to be built by Tesla in 2019, the largest pre-order to date. Additionally, last September, UPS announced it will become the first commercial customer in the U.S. to start using three medium-duty electric trucks from Daimler Trucks Fuso brand, called the eCanter.

Since 2009, UPS has invested over $750 million in alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles. And, in 2016, a full year earlier than expected, UPS achieved its self-set goal of covering 1 billion miles (1.6 billion kilometers) using its fleet of alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles.

For more information on UPS's sustainability initiatives, please visit www.ups.com/sustainability.

About UPS

UPS (NYSE: UPS) is a global leader in logistics, offering a broad range of solutions including the transportation of packages and freight; the facilitation of international trade, and the deployment of advanced technology to more efficiently manage the world of business. UPS is committed to operating more sustainably – for customers, the environment and the communities we serve around the world. Learn more about our efforts at sustainability.ups.com. Headquartered in Atlanta, UPS serves more than 220 countries and territories worldwide. The company can be found on the Web at ups.com® or pressroom.ups.com and its corporate blog can be found at Longitudes.ups.com. To get UPS news direct, follow @UPS_News on Twitter.

Tweet me:The rolling lab @UPS continues to explore the future of delivery transportation, including a new road test of #electricvehicles in London & Paris in an exciting new partnership with @ArrivalGB http://bit.ly/2H6ffWD

Contact Info:

Kristen Petrella
UPS
+1 (404) 828-4182
kpetrella@ups.com

KEYWORDS: UPS, united parcel service, Arrival, NYSE:UPS


Northern Trust's Barbara Lane & Jackie Jordan Attended the Stand Against Racism Luncheon hosted by The YWCA

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SOURCE:Northern Trust

DESCRIPTION:

Northern Trust's Barbara Lane & Jackie Jordan attended the Stand Against Racism Luncheon hosted by The YWCA in West Palm Beach Florida. The keynote speaker was Judge Marilyn Milian. Milian currently presides over the American TV series The People’s Court. #ywcapbc

Read more about the event: https://ntw.lt/2I6mde4

 

 

Tweet me:#NorthernTrust 's Barbara Lane & Jackie Jordan Attended the Stand Against Racism Luncheon hosted by The YWCA http://bit.ly/2K4bAWi in Florida #CSR #ywcapbc

KEYWORDS: Stand Against Racism, Northern Trust, csr, YWCA, Judge Marilyn Milian

Boeing Details More Than $54 Million in Grants and Philanthropic Investments

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Puts company on path to exceed $200 million in corporate giving in 2018

SOURCE:Boeing

SUMMARY:

Boeing Details More Than $54 Million in Grants and Philanthropic Investments

  • Contribution Part of Previously Announced $300 Million Tax Reform Package
  • Puts Company on Path to Exceed $200 Million in Corporate Giving in 2018
  • Announcement Coincides with Launch of 2018 Boeing Global Engagement Portfolio

DESCRIPTION:

WASHINGTON, May 9, 2018 /3BL Media/ - Boeing (NYSE: BA) today announced details for $54 million in grants and philanthropic sponsorships to nonprofits in the U.S. and around the globe. As part of the company’s pledge to invest in local communities following the enactment of the tax reform legislation, the investments include new or accelerated partnerships with organizations that improve STEM education, enhance transition and health services for veterans and their families, and enrich local communities.

“This investment is yet another example of how Boeing is putting tax reform to work,” said Dennis Muilenburg, Boeing chairman, president and chief executive officer. “Already, we have expanded our 'Dollars for Doers' matching program to reward employees who give their time and resources in support of causes important to them. With these additional charitable and philanthropic contributions, we are on track to surpass $200 million in total community giving in 2018. That’s a significant sum and shows how our company is driving innovation, supporting our people and improving Boeing communities around the world.”

The investment package will help launch Boeing’s new “First to Mars” initiative – a comprehensive experiential learning framework that encourages interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) and inspires the next generation to see the future in space as their future with Boeing. Charitable dollars will also support the national scaling of innovative veterans’ health and wellness programs administered by the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) and the National Center for Veterans Services (NCVS). Funds have also been allocated for The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and TreePeople to assist with tree reforestation efforts on the U.S. West Coast following the devastating 2017 wildfire season.

The accelerated grant and sponsorship payments enabled by this investment will provide the company and recipient organizations with greater flexibility in funding future philanthropic activities.

“Given that Boeing is already an exceptional supporter of the Kennedy Center, these most recent gifts are a welcome and exceedingly generous surprise,” said Deborah F. Rutter, President of the Kennedy Center. “With these gifts, Boeing has signaled its deep belief in the bright future that lies ahead as the Kennedy Center moves towards the opening of The REACH in 2019, and our 50th anniversary in 2021. Through inspired leadership giving, Boeing is a vital and valued supporter in helping the Center to realize its mission as the nation’s cultural center.”

As part of the broader tax reform package, Boeing officials said the company would introduce additional charitable investment and employee benefits programs throughout 2018.

A full list of recipient organizations can be found below.

Today’s announcement also coincides with the launch of the 2018 Boeing Global Engagement Portfolio– the annual document that takes an in-depth look at the company’s philanthropic and charitable impact throughout the year. Within its pages are highlights of Boeing’s numerous activities that inspire tomorrow’s innovators, support veterans and military families, and build dynamic, thriving communities.

“From Seattle to Singapore, Dallas to Delhi and places in between, Boeing and our more than 140,000 employees are building the future and inspiring the dreamers and doers of tomorrow,” said John Blazey, vice president, Boeing Global Engagement. “With the depth and breadth of our employees’ skills and passion for giving, our professional networks and partnerships, and our financial resources, Boeing drives positive and meaningful change in myriad communities around the globe.”

The Global Engagement Portfolio highlights include:

  • In 2017, Boeing employees volunteered 400,000 hours in their communities – the equivalent of more than 16,600 days.
  • More than 400 Boeing employees and retirees mentored more than 10,000 students during the 2018 FIRST Robotics season.
  • Boeing employs more than 20,000 veterans representing ~ 15% of our total workforce.
  • Since 1992, Boeing commercial airplanes have delivered a total of 1.6M pounds of food and supplies worth more than $17M via our Humanitarian Delivery Flight program.

See how Boeing is making a difference for Our Future, Our Heroes and Our Homes by visiting the 2018 Boeing Global Engagement Portfolio at Boeing.com/community.

Boeing Grant Recipients:

A Better Chance, Inc.

Academy for Urban School Leadership

American Bar Association Young Lawyers

Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago

Chicago Cubs Baseball Club LLC – Veterans Home & Away

District of Columbia College Access Program

Engineers Without Borders

Hostage US Inc.

Marine Corps Heritage Foundation

Museum of Science & Industry, Chicago

National Academy Foundation

National Center for Veterans Studies - The University of Utah

Out & Equal Workplace Advocates

The George W. Bush Institute

The HistoryMakers

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

The National Ability Center

The National World War II Museum

The Nature Conservancy

Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors

TreePeople

Tsinghua Education Foundation-Schwarzman Scholars

Washington University in St. Louis

Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts

About The Boeing Company:

Through purposeful investments, employee engagement and thoughtful advocacy efforts, Boeing and its employees support innovative partnerships and programs that align with the company’s strategic objectives, create value and help build better communities worldwide. Boeing’s efforts are focused on improving access to globally competitive learning, contributing to workforce and skills development, and supporting our military and veteran communities.

Chicago-based Boeing is the world’s largest aerospace company and leading manufacturer of commercial jetliners and defense, space and security systems. A top U.S. exporter, the company supports airlines and U.S. and allied government customers in more than 150 countries.

Contact
Jason Capeheart
Boeing Communications
Office: +1 312-544-2568
jason.s.capeheart@boeing.com

Tweet me:RELEASE: #Boeing announces more than $54 Million in grants and philanthropic investments http://bit.ly/2jNx6TX #taxreform #BoeingInspires

KEYWORDS: NYSE:BA, Boeing

Valvoline Releases 2017 Corporate Social Responsibility Report, ‘Voices of Valvoline’

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SOURCE:ReportAlert

DESCRIPTION:

Valvoline Inc. (NYSE: VVV), a leading worldwide supplier of premium branded lubricants and automotive services, today released its 2017 Corporate Social Responsibility Report (CSR). The foundational pillars of corporate social responsibility at Valvoline™ continue to center on its “People, Product and Planet” approach with a strategic focus on achieving greater impact in the areas of citizenship, sustainability, and diversity and inclusion.

“Valvoline is committed to applying the principles of sustainability to every aspect of our operations to maintain our leadership position in the marketplace and as a corporate citizen,” said Sam Mitchell, chief executive officer. “Through our hands-on service, focused generosity and the continuous pursuit of innovative and sustainable solutions, we are working to build communities that have a more promising future.”

This year’s report, titled “Voices of Valvoline,” features perspectives from team members to tell the 2017 CSR story and provide insights into what motivates the Valvoline team worldwide. Key highlights from the report include:

  • Moving into a new sustainably designed world headquarters building that reduces overall environmental impact.
  • Achieving zero-landfill status at 45 percent of Valvoline’s blending and packaging facilities and 30 percent of warehouses.
  • Recycling 5 million pounds of materials.
  • Being named one of “America’s Safest Companies” by EHS Today.
  • Increasing diverse supplier spending 365 percent since 2016.
  • Raising $281,000 for charitable organizations during the U.S. Employee Giving Campaign.
  • Opening two health clinics in India, serving an estimated 40,000 people.

"Our CSR progress at Valvoline is driven by the collective efforts of our team members around the world. We embrace and understand the importance of having a positive impact within the company and the communities where we live, work and play,” said Gary Allen, vice president, environmental health and safety.

Valvoline’s CSR report can be viewed and downloaded at https://csr.valvoline.com.
 

Media Contacts:

Investor Relations:
Sean T. Cornett
+1 (859) 357-2798

Media Relations:
Valerie Schirmer 
+1 (859) 357-3235

Read the Report

Tweet me:The “Voices of Valvoline” are being heard in @Valvoline's 2017 #CSR Report. Team members share their insights about what’s driving the company to have a global impact on people, product & planet http://bit.ly/2rqD55G via @reportalert

KEYWORDS: Valvoline, ReportAlert

IES Unveils Healthy Materials Management System in Partnership With International Living Future Institute

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SOURCE:International Living Future Institute

DESCRIPTION:

NORTH ADAMS, Mass., May 9, 2018 /3BL Media/ - Finding building materials that won’t harm human health is now simpler and easier with the introduction of Red2Green (R2G), a new platform that slashes the time and effort required to pursue the ambitious requirements of the Living Building Challenge by crowdsourcing and documenting key materials health data for building and construction materials.

“Pioneering design teams no longer need to start from scratch identifying Red List materials. With R2G, each project builds on the last, crowdsourcing vital information that will help make healthy buildings and regenerative design the norm,” said Charley Stevenson, IES owner and principal. “R2G was created by architects and construction professionals, for our peers.”

R2G’s interactive platform is organized by product type—from framing and wet-applied finishes to plumbing and electrical equipment – and assesses chemical composition and off-gassing potential; documents sustainably harvested wood parts; determines manufacturing proximity; and weighs manufacturers’ transparency about products. Results are shared among all users, ensuring a growing and constantly improving information library.

R2G was developed by Integrated Eco Strategy (IES), a Massachusetts-based firm that helps institutions, designers, consultants and others achieve sustainable and regenerative building design, renovation and construction. Coinciding with the industry-wide release of R2G, IES has partnered with the non-profit International Living Future Institute (ILFI), which administers the Living Building Challenge (LBC) program—the world’s most rigorous performance standard for buildings. At the Living Future unConference 2018 held May 1-4 in Portland, Oregon, ILFI presented R2G as an important platform for those seeking to build using the healthiest materials available.

“Red2Green helps accelerate our goal of a Living Future by simplifying the materials selection process for Living Buildings,” said James Connelly, vice president of products and strategic growth for ILFI, “It is a platform with potential to transform the marketplace for healthy materials by making the research process clear, simplifying materials selection and organizing project audit documentation, all in one place.”

R2G supports LBC “materials petal” compliance—specifically that buildings use products and materials free of the worst-in-class toxins. ILFI and IES stressed that although IES will license R2G, it is a neutral platform and now available to all project teams, including independent sustainability consultants. IES will train and support other firms to become experts in using it, helping the LBC community grow more quickly.

IES was founded in 2010 to provide client-focused, high-value green building services. Recent IES projects include the Class of 1966 Environmental Center at Williams College, Williamstown; R.W. Kern Center at Hampshire College, and Hitchcock Center for the Environment, both in Amherst; and Yale Divinity School Campus, New Haven CT.

The International Living Future Institute is an environmental NGO committed to catalyzing the transformation toward communities that are socially just, culturally rich and ecologically restorative. ILFI operates the Living Building Challenge, the built environment's most advanced performance standard.

Integrated Eco Strategy provides material/product research support via a proprietary healthy materials database: Red2Green. For additional information, visit materiallybetter.com.

Tweet me:Living Buildings make people + communities healthier because they prioritize nontoxic materials – made easier by the new Red2Green healthy materials database/product assessment software designed for @livingbuilding projects —by @intecostrategy #R2G https://materiallybetter.com/

KEYWORDS: IES, International Living Future Institute, Materials Management

A Family Legacy: Improving Global Public Health

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SOURCE:Pfizer

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When Dr. Charles A. Knirsch, MD, MPH, joined Pfizer more than 20 years ago, planning had just begun for a new partnership to eliminate trachoma, a neglected tropical disease and the world’s leading infectious cause of blindness.

“One of the early programs I worked on was development for Pfizer’s antibiotic that today is used to treat and prevent trachoma,” recalled Dr. Knirsch, vice president, Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, and an infectious diseases researcher. “Given my background in public health, I was asked to be the scientific and regulatory lead for Pfizer for the new trachoma program.”

That program evolved into the International Trachoma Initiative, an independent nonprofit organization co-established by Pfizer in 1998. One of the key components of ITI’s holistic strategy to combat trachoma, known as SAFE (Surgery, Antibiotics, Facial Cleanliness and Environmental Improvements), is treatment with the same antibiotic that Dr. Knirsch worked on when he first joined Pfizer. The global implementation of the SAFE strategy has helped drive dramatic progress toward one day eliminating trachoma, and Pfizer has donated more than 730 million doses of the antibiotic through ITI to date.

Now, Dr. Knirsch and colleagues at Pfizer are supporting new research to explore the same antibiotic’s potential to improve child health. The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) recently published results from a study, led by scientists at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which found that giving a single dose of the antibiotic once every six months to children under five in Niger, Malawi, and Tanzania reduced the overall number of child deaths by 13.5 percent.

Pfizer, which donated the antibiotic and placebo for the study, will continue working with academic investigators, partner organizations and other stakeholders to further understand the antibiotic’s potential role in reducing child mortality around the world.

“Child mortality has been a really difficult area in global health. There are millions of children that die every year from preventable causes,” Dr. Knirsch said. “I think the excitement among the partners about this study speaks volumes to how important these results are, and where potentially they can lead.”

In fact, Dr. Knirsch’s connection to the antibiotic goes back even further. His father, who also worked in research and development at Pfizer, helped to design some of the first studies examining its potential effectiveness.

Since joining Pfizer, Dr. Knirsch has seen firsthand the role that interventions provided through the trachoma program, including antibiotics, can play in improving health in communities around the world. He recalled a trip to a remote village in Senegal, where observing the donation program brought to life the impact of the many individuals and partners who have been involved with ITI over the years.

The NEJM study results represent an exciting new area of research, Dr. Knirsch said, adding that he looked forward to helping find out where additional studies could lead.

“It’s really great to carry on work that was started by others,” Dr. Knirsch said. “Not just my father, but there are hundreds of people who have made this possible.

“It’s all about collaboration. Through public-private partnerships, we have the potential to take what we’ve learned and achieve the level of impact that we’re seeing with trachoma. I think something similar can play out in the future with regards to reducing child mortality around the world.”

Tweet me:.@Pfizer colleague Dr. Charles Knirsch has dedicated his career to exploring how antibiotics can help improve health across the developing world. Learn more about his story: http://bit.ly/2jIVTsp

KEYWORDS: public-private partnerships, Corporate Social Responsibility, Global Health, Corporate Responsibility, Antibiotic, NEJM, new England journal of medicine, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, UCSF, trachoma

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