SCS Awards Certification to U.S. Northeastern Longfin Inshore Squid Fishery

SOURCE:SCS Global Services

DESCRIPTION:

WASHINGTON, May 25, 2018  /3BL Media/ - The U.S. Northeastern Longfin Inshore Squid fishery in the Northwest Atlantic is the first squid fishery in the world to achieve MSC certification as a sustainable and well-managed fishery. The certification was awarded on May 22 by independent certifier SCS Global Services following an 11-month long detailed assessment.

The Longfin inshore squid (Doryteuthis (Amerigo) pealeii), also referred to as Loligosquid, has a lifespan of less than one year. They spawn year-round as they migrate long-distances between inshore and offshore waters. They generally remain inshore during spring and offshore during late fall. As with most squid species, environmental factors such as temperature play a significant role in the timing of migrations, distribution, growth, and spawning. Due to changing water temperatures, squid have been migrating further North up the coast than in past years. It is one species that may benefit from climate change, rather than be negatively impacted by it, according to studies...

...Read more here

Learn about MSC certification here

Tweet me:After an 11-month assessment, SCS congratulates the U.S. Northeastern Longfin Inshore Squid fishery in the NW Atlantic! They are the first squid fishery in the world to achieve @MSCecolabel certification as a #sustainable and well-managed #fishery https://bit.ly/2s4PM6b

Contact Info:

Nikki Helms
SCS Global Services
+1 (510) 452-8009
nhelms@scsglobalservices.com

KEYWORDS: MSC, Marine Stewardship Council, scs global services, SCS, sustainable fisheries, Sustainable Squid, MSC Certified

The technology for the Orange County cameras will help pinpoint wildfire locations and improve response times.

SOURCE:Edison International

DESCRIPTION:

The Orange County Fire Authority is now part of a growing number of fire agencies that use a high-tech approach to monitor wildfire activity. Recently, six cameras and a weather station were installed on a Southern California Edison telecommunications tower located on Santiago Peak, the highest point in Orange County. 

The cameras are being monitored by the fire authority’s watch volunteers and SCE in Orange County. Brian Norton, the fire authority’s division chief, says the technology allows them to investigate potential wildfire activity before firefighters are even dispatched to the scene. 

“Two of the cameras are capable of panning, zooming and tilting which gives us the ability of validating smoke reports,” he said. “We can also put our fire watch patrols in front of a bank of monitors here in Orange County to spot where fires are occurring and respond to the right place.”

SCE installed the cameras and weather station on Santiago Peak and connected them to the High Performance Wireless Research and Education Network. The network is a UC San Diego project based at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the San Diego Supercomputer Center. The network also partners with the Alert Wildfire project hosted by the University of Nevada. Orange, San Diego, Riverside and Santa Barbara counties — including Lake Tahoe and parts of Nevada — all participate in this wildfire camera program.

SCE’s Grid Services handled the technical side of the camera installation, which included the ability to send live images through SCE’s transport network. The images travel through microwave and fiber optic networks that connect with specialized equipment and are streamed on the wildfire camera program. 

“It was critical to facilitate the chain of data transfer from the mountain as soon as possible, since wildfire season is now all year round, and we successfully accomplished that objective,” said Aaron Shearin, an SCE engineer who oversaw this part of the project.

Michael O’Connell lives in a high-fire-risk area in South Orange County. The SCE customer also works for Irvine Ranch Conservancy, a nonprofit that manages 30,000 acres in Orange County and has been a strong supporter of wildfire detection technology.

“We are excited about this project, because it will hopefully make a difference in the ability to prevent large fires, by spotting them early when they do start, and keep them from spreading. Every time the Santa Ana winds blow, we get anxious, so we keep a ‘go bag’ packed at all times,” O’Connell said.  

SCE contributed $100,000 to help expedite the installation of these cameras and to fund similar Orange County projects in the future. In addition, SCE is installing weather stations to monitor high fire risk areas within its service territory and plans to have more than 100 of them operating by this fall.

Donald Daigler, SCE director of Business Resiliency, says the utility is also looking at other funding opportunities to enhance fire prevention and safety efforts to protect customers and employees.

“We understand that environmental changes have substantially increased wildfire activity in California and is now the ‘new normal’ across the state,” he said. “This type of technology is an important resource for firefighters and will help them better locate and gain control of wildfires faster.” 

The Orange County Fire Authority and the utility have had a strong partnership for decades. Norton says SCE’s commitment to this project played an instrumental role.

“Southern California Edison saw the value in this as a regional asset and provided the much-needed infrastructure, specifically the tower access to install the cameras to make this a success,” he said.

Tweet me:#Wildfire monitoring cameras installed on @SCE communication tower in Orange County http://bit.ly/2IHxuT3

KEYWORDS: Southern California Edison, Edison International, wildfires, Conservation, Orange County, Santiago Peak, Irvine Ranch Conservancy

With Nestlé for Healthier Kids, Nestlé, Rutgers, and the YMCA are empowering New Jersey parents with a research-backed curriculum and a network of nurturing peer educators

SOURCE:Nestlé

DESCRIPTION:

Stacey Ragin aims to make busy parents’ lives easier — and healthier — by teaching nutrition classes to parents in Newark, New Jersey. During her courses, offered as part of Nestlé’s Start Healthy, Stay Healthy program, she lays out the benefits of breastfeeding, provides tips for managing picky eaters, and makes suggestions for healthy snacks.

Though she brings her own flair to the classes, the foundation for her work is a scientific, research-backed curriculum. Now, thanks to a partnership with Nestlé and the New Jersey YMCA State Alliance, parents in five New Jersey communities will have access to these free nutrition classes, helping to put more families on a path to good health.

Click here to continue reading

Tweet me:How Nutrition Data Can Be Used to Give Kids a Healthy Start #HealthierKids @NestleUSA http://bit.ly/2LoPmQ9

KEYWORDS: Nutrition Data, Nestle, healthier kids, Nestlé for Healthier Kids

SOURCE:MetLife Inc.

DESCRIPTION:

Mohammed Ali and his siblings had been driving past the vacant gas station on the east side of Saint Paul, Minnesota for years before they finally decided to make an offer to buy it—with the idea of opening a restaurant and grocery store catering to the neighborhood’s vibrant community of immigrants.

“As a Somali in an East African community [in Saint Paul], I felt for the many families here that are new to America. The closest grocery store is a couple of miles away, and it can be hard for some of them to walk there or take the bus,” Mohammed says. “Opening this business in this location was very significant to us—not only as a resource for the East African community, but for the whole east side of Saint Paul.”

Read the full article on the Multipliers of Prosperity website.

Tweet me:#LMI people don't always have access to capital to start a #smallbusiness. Community Reinvestment Fund helps finance businesses like this family-owned store in a Saint Paul, MN East African community http://bit.ly/2KH42ZP @MetLife Foundation @crf_usa #CommunityInvestment

KEYWORDS: metlife foundation, African Development Center, Community Reinvestment Fund, Multipliers of Prosperity, Financial Inclusion

Today 99.9% of the fresh fiber used in Essity’s products are certified or controlled, which means that our suppliers uphold and safeguard principles on biodiversity, forest conservation and indigenous people’s rights.

SOURCE:Essity (Formerly SCA)

DESCRIPTION:

May 29, 2018 /3BL Media/ - Essity has finalized a new Fiber Sourcing Policy, describing the company’s principles, intentions and requirements for its deliveries of fresh wood based fiber materials. The policy sets a target that all fiber raw material in Essity’s products will be certified.

As a global user of both fresh and recycled wood based fiber materials, Essity is committed to sourcing fresh wood based fiber originating from responsibly managed forests. Today 99.9% of the fresh fiber used in Essity’s products are certified or controlled, which means that our suppliers uphold and safeguard principles on biodiversity, forest conservation and indigenous people’s rights.

- Essity aim to play an active part in preventing deforestation and forest degradation, promoting and increasing the use of responsibly managed and certified forests, and increasing the proportion of certified fibers used in all our products, says Kersti Strandqvist, SVP Sustainability for Essity.

The policy encompasses all procurement of fresh wood based fiber materials within Essity. In addition to emphasizing certified forestry the policy also describes some of the other systematic approaches and control measures used by Essity to further strengthen our wood fiber procurement practices and supplier selection.

Essity is committed to continuously increasing the amount of certified fibers in its products, with preference for the Forest Stewardship Council, FSC®, system. To achieve this, the company has set a new corporate fiber target which states that:

• All fresh wood based fiber raw material in our products will be certified according to standards in FSC® or PEFC™ (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification). The share of FSC-certified fibers is to be continuously increased.
• The material must always be accompanied by an FSC Controlled Wood Chain of Custody certificate, irrespective of whether the material complies with PEFC or another non-FSC forest certification scheme.
• The target includes all Essity products and all deliveries containing fresh wood based fiber (timber, pulp, packaging, mother reels and articles supplied by third-parties to Essity production sites)

We will report annually on the outcome in the Essity Annual and Sustainability Report. 

Click here to continue reading.

Find more information on Essity’s new sourcing policy for fresh wood based fiber.

Learn more about Essity’s ambitious sustainability targets.

About Essity

Essity is a leading global hygiene and health company that develops, produces and sells Personal Care (Baby Care, Feminine Care, Incontinence Products and Medical Solutions), Consumer Tissue and Professional Hygiene products and solutions. Our vision is; Dedicated to improving well-being through leading hygiene and health solutions. Sales are conducted in approximately 150 countries under many strong brands, including the leading global brands TENA and Tork, and other brands, such as Leukoplast, Libero, Libresse, Lotus, Nosotras, Saba, Tempo, Vinda and Zewa. Essity has about 48,000 employees and net sales in 2016 amounted to approximately $12 billion. The business operations are based on a sustainable business model with focus on value creation for people and nature. The company has its headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden, and is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm. Essity used to be part of the SCA Group. More information at www.essity.com.

Tweet me:Essity has finalized a new Fiber Sourcing Policy, describing the company’s principles, intentions and requirements for its deliveries of fresh wood based #fiber materials. @Essity_US @torkusa http://bit.ly/2J52ko5

KEYWORDS: OTC:ESSYY, life on land, sustainability, climate action, Responsible Production & Consumption, sustainable development goals, Hygiene, responsible forest management, Clean Water & Sanitation, tork, Essity

SOURCE:Viacom

DESCRIPTION:

Yes, it’s hard to believe, and yes research shows that at least 1 in 6 men have been sexually abused or assaulted in either childhood or adulthood.

1 in 6 is an organization devoted to helping men who have experienced unwanted or abusive sexual experiences live happier and healthier lives. No MORE similarly operates with a goal to create a community with zero gender-based bias and is dedicated to ending domestic violence and sexual assault by creating awareness, inspiring action through movements as such, and fueling culture change.

The moving PSA generated awareness around male sexual abuse and assault, but beyond awareness, the PSA ignited conversation. From conversation came an outpouring of support that sparked a movement and connected male survivors to each other and to a wider support network. 

The PSA surged through social networks and currently has over 2,247,00 views in total, 39,000 shares, 34,000 reactions, and 1,000 comments.

To check out the PSA for yourself click the priority link below: 

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2018/04/prweb15385012.htm

Tweet me:.@Viacom supports the mission of @1in6org and NO MORE to create a community with zero gender-based bias and to end #domesticviolence and sexual assault. Watch the powerful PSA to learn more: http://bit.ly/2J3pDhV

KEYWORDS: 1 in 6, Viacom, NASDAQ:VIA

SOURCE:Ray C. Anderson Foundation

SUMMARY:

We recently set out to calculate our organizational carbon footprint for 2017 so that we could purchase carbon offsets and claim to be carbon-neutral in our operations. That probably sounds complicated…and yes, it is.

DESCRIPTION:

This blog post is going to be about “walking the talk,” but you will have to wait a moment. Shenanigans come first. And this week, your daily recommended dosage of shenanigans comes in the form of a Reddit post centered on a question that is crucial to understanding the meaning of life.

What if the person who named Walkie Talkies named everything?

We aren’t linking to the thread because…well…it turned not-PG in a hurry. But here are some of the best PG answers:

• Microwaves = Heaty Eaties
• Wigs = Hairy Wearies
• Limousines = Roomy Vroomies
• Forks = Stabby Grabbies
• Defibrillators = Hearty Starties

Tweet me:Living your values! Practicing what you preach! Walking the talk! #Ecocentricity addresses all of these opportunities that environmentalists face. @johnalanierRCAF http://bit.ly/2IVbSPa

Contact Info:

Valerie Bennett
Ray C. Anderson Foundation
+1 (770) 317-5858
valerie@raycandersonfoundation.org

KEYWORDS: carbon offset credits, certified carbon offsets, climate neutral, Carbon Neutral, Ray C. Anderson Foundation, #Ecocentricity, John A. Lanier

G&A's Sustainability Highlights (05.24.2018)

SOURCE:Governance & Accountability Institute, Inc.

DESCRIPTION:

There are some interesting new angles to the perennial public dialogues that go on about issues related to executive compensation.  The new news is regarding the compensation packages for the Top Man (in the Fortune 500 universe, there are only 24 companies that have female CEOs) and the relationship of that sum to (1) the employees of the firm and (2) the shareholders, including key fiduciaries managing OPM (other peoples’ money).  The CEO Pay Ratio disclosures of 2018 are now becoming more of a public dialogue.

One thread of conversation that is gaining some momentum in the public square is about the ratio of the CEO’s pay to the median worker pay at various companies in specific sectors.  This disclosure was mandated in 2010 with passage of the Dodd-Frank reform legislation and it took until this year before the final rules were in effect for public company disclosure, and the disclosures began.  The analysis of what this all might mean to investors and stakeholders is now underway.

The CNBC commentator James Thorne, for example, explored the ratio issues in a post on May 13th.  He begins his commentary by noting that for decades, as publicly-traded companies disclosed their CEO’s pay, criticism could rise when investors thought the pay was not justified by the company’s performance.

Now that the CEO-to-Median employee disclosures are being made, Thorne’s initial conclusion was that companies with certain characteristics -- closer CEO pay to workers in the ratio --  may generate a higher profit-per-worker than firms with a wider gap. He began his research with the question:  does the ratio say something about performance?  The CNBC analysis suggested that it did -- with equal pay distribution generating higher profit per worker.

In examining corporate disclosure on the pay ratio to date, the “bunching up” seems to be in the 200-300-400 (200-to-one, etc.) range, with some firms having ratios as high as 800 to 1,000 CEO pay to the median.  The analysis was performed by Calcbench.

The CNBC commentary explains that ratios can vary, depending on factors like company size, geographic distribution and percentage of part-time or seasonal workers; companies also have latitude in deciding how the ratio is calculated (and then disclosed). The Willis Towers Watson firm noted that direct (company-to-company) comparisons can be difficult. The SEC cautioned that firm-to-firm comparisons were not the intent of the disclosure rule.

Touching on something relevant to the investment side is Ric Marshall, MSCI’s executive director of ESG research:  “The investors who will find the most value [in ratio disclosures] are those who have concerns about inequality.”  Here at G&A we are seeing a steady flow now of news and commentary on the ratio issue from investors and other stakeholders focused on inequality and related societal issues.

With fundamental changes in the structure and definition of “worker” the short- and longer-term effects of these changes are being examined by a host of social scientists and pundits. (The familiar “rank and file” has been replaced by part-timers, seasonal workers, contractors, consultants, outsourced workers, and more variations at many firms.  Researchers are closely examining the results).  One extension of this ongoing public discussion is the concept floated for a minimum payment to those displaced or unable to find work in the new normal of “employment.”

We suggest that you check out the flow of related commentary on the topic of “the workplace” from the McKinsey & Company’s Global Institute at: https://www.mckinsey.com/mgi/overview

The Top Story this week from CNBC explores the CEO pay ratio dialogue and provides highlights within industries for you (manufacturing, retail trade, etc.).

The overall public dialogue on “inequality” (steadily rising in tempo and fervor) includes the subset of executive compensation and the CEO pay ratio is becoming a part of the discussion.  The news, commentary and research results to come in the months ahead will be of interest to investors, employees and other stakeholders.

This is just the introduction of G&A's Sustainability Highlights newsletter this week. Click here to view the full issue.

Tweet me:Executive Compensation and the Investor, Worker & Stakeholder: New Corporate Disclosures on CEO Pay Ratios Are Now Part of Public Dialogue http://bit.ly/2KV5TKX

KEYWORDS: business & trade, Corporate Social Responsibility, csr, G&A Institute, GRI, Governance & Accountability Institute, G&A, SRI, SWF, socially responsible investing, Sovereign Wealth Funds, sustainability, Corporate Citizenship, esg

SOURCE:Consumers Energy

DESCRIPTION:

PORT SHELDON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — Two people scaled the stacks of an Ottawa County power plant Friday, in hopes of helping an endangered species rebound in Michigan.

Representatives from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Consumers Energy climbed the JH Campbell Generating Complex in West Olive to band three peregrine falcon chicks.

To watch the video, and read the full story, visit WoodTV.com.

Tweet me:WATCH: Representatives from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and @ConsumersEnergy climbed the JH Campbell Generating Complex to band three #PeregrineFalcon chicks. http://bit.ly/2snhDho @MichiganDNR ‏

KEYWORDS: Consumers Energy, Ottawa County MI, Michigan Department of Natural Resoures

SOURCE:Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption

DESCRIPTION:

This guest blog post is written by Chris Mace, an adoptive father of three. His two sons, Steven and Kota, were adopted through the Foundation’s Wendy’s Wonderful Kids program.

My husband, Brian and I have always wanted a big family. Our oldest daughter, Eira, joined our family at age 14 while we were stationed at Fort Carson, CO. Eira was born as Alex, but felt that she was in the wrong anatomy. She is also on the autism spectrum. When she joined our family, she was dealing with not only internal identity issues, but she also had difficulty expressing herself. Her autism spectrum disorder prevented her from being able to talk on the phone or even order at a restaurant. About a year after she joined our family, we moved to Hawaii. Eira was able to grow and branch out in amazing ways, and we were able to grow stronger and closer as a family of three.

We then moved to MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, FL. It was here at a small local coffee shop that we decided to grow our family again. After some research, we attended an adoptive parent recruiting seminar with Eckerd Kids where we met a Wendy’s Wonderful Kids recruiter. At the time I didn’t really understand what WWK was but later it became clear just how important and amazing this program is. It was through that connection that we were introduced to the two boys who would soon join our family – Kota and Steven.

Kota was 16 at the time and was in dire need of stability and direction. Our WWK recruiter visited our home regularly and helped make it a smooth transition. She attended every meeting and court date and was in the front row at our adoption finalization. After Kota came home to us, we then met 10-year-old Steven. He had been through so much in his short life. Steven has many medical and developmental issues, but our team believed that we were the right fit. Steven was much younger than Kota when we met, so his needs were greater and his voice smaller. His WWK recruiter ensured that every little thing was taken care of for us so we could focus on his needs.

Today, all three of our children have overcome so much that it is hard to put their victories into words. Eira graduated high school, joined the U.S. Army, medically retired honorably and is now a full-time college student working toward a degree in cyber security. Kota, who came to us with two years of high school, but no credits, is now a senior and has dreams of being a firefighter. Together we are working hard to help him cope with his past, but he is growing, in leaps and bounds, as a person and a man. Steven came to us with an IEP goal to count from 1-5 and identify three colors. Today he is at a second grade level, working on reading. He does math, loves art and dreams of being a ninja. We were able to ween him off his mental illness medication, which has allowed Steven to grow and find himself.

Our kids needed three things: a forever family that would never give up on them, no matter the issue; love; and a second chance. Without the Wendy’s Wonderful Kids recruiters, we would have never found Kota or Steven. They would not have been able to grow and be part of a family that gives them that chance, that love and that security. Words cannot express how thankful we are to this program for helping to make our family whole.

To read more blogs written by families who adopted through the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, click here.

Tweet me:Kids in #fostercare need three things: a #foreverfamily that will never give up on them, no matter the issue, love, and a second chance. http://bit.ly/2x8Ympz @DTFA #adoption

KEYWORDS: Dave Thomas, foster care, adoption, Recruiter, forever family, Wendy’s

SOURCE:Ceres

DESCRIPTION:

The 2017 proxy season offered some indelible headlines on climate-related shareholder action: majority votes at ExxonMobil, Occidental Petroleum and PPL Corporation; the first-ever votes in favor of climate shareholder proposals by major investors BlackRock and Vanguard; and the much-anticipated release of initial 2-degree scenario analyses from North American oil and gas and electric power companies.

This year’s narrative is more subtle, but potentially more powerful. In fact, the biggest story of the 2018 proxy season is just how few shareholder proposals are going to a vote. Of the twenty 2-degree scenario analysis proposals that were filed, 12 have been withdrawn as companies, including DTE Energy, Dominion Energy, and Southwestern Energy have committed to conduct the analysis. This underscores that investors are operating from a position of strength.

After last year’s majority votes, companies now know that they will face a public rebuke from shareholders if they don’t embrace 2-degree scenario analysis and articulate a strategy to manage the coming low-carbon transition. In fact, this season we have already seen majority votes on 2-degree scenario analysis at Kinder Morgan and Anadarko, and a doubling of support on a 2-degree proposal at Noble Energy. It is no longer necessary for investors to rely principally on shareholder proposals to move companies forward. Their deepened engagement efforts have brought companies to recognize the imperative to plan for change.

The successes of 2017 have signaled to investors the need to push the envelope further, moving past solely calling for 2-degree scenario analysis and disclosure, and instead demanding real evidence that the companies they own are realigning themselves for resilience in a decarbonizing world.

Investors in Chevron, for example, have called for a transition plan asking the U.S. major to adapt its business model to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels. The shareholders are calling on Chevron to consider innovative, forward-thinking options such as mergers, acquisitions, and portfolio expansions tied to promising renewable energy investments. Regardless of the voting outcome, the proposal represents a key next step for investors to press companies to take as they plan for profitability in the low-carbon economy of the future.

Further, as corporate climate risk disclosure goes mainstream, companies in the electric power sector are moving toward concrete – and in some cases, aggressive – action. AEP, Duke Energy, and Southern Company all have set long-term greenhouse gas reduction goals that, while falling short of what investors are calling for, begin to align those companies’ strategies with the low-carbon transition. In the oil and gas sector, some Europe-based companies, including Shell, Statoil, Repsol and Total, are actively taking steps to realign their long-term strategies with the goals of the Paris Agreement, although they too fall short of committing to the sort of transformational change that will be needed to ensure future growth. There are signs that even the industry’s own executives are pushing for a more aggressive decarbonization approach.

In many respects, this is the year in which oil and gas and electric power companies have begun to sort themselves–between enterprises that are truly serious about adapting to and surviving a rapid clean energy transition–and those that are merely paying the issue lip service. Laggard companies will have to respond to mounting investor concerns soon.

Whereas once companies seemed emboldened to ignore shareholder concerns about climate change, engagements over the past year have taught them to reconsider that approach. In December 2017, investors from around the globe launched Climate Action 100+, which aims to engage with 100 of the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitters to improve governance on climate change, reduce emissions, and strengthen climate-related financial disclosures. Support for the initiative continues to grow, with more than 280 investors with nearly $30 trillion in assets under management signed on.

When the largest and most influential institutional investors are voting against management’s approach to climate risk, and tens of trillions of dollars in invested assets are demanding to know how companies will adapt their business strategies to prosper in a low-carbon world, the time has come for all companies to face a new reality.

Andrew Logan is director of oil and gas at Ceres. Ceres is a sustainability nonprofit organization working with the most influential investors and companies to build leadership and drive solutions throughout the economy.

Tweet me:After high-profile majority votes on #climaterisk at Exxon, PPL, and Occidental last shareholder season, 2018's narrative is more subtle but potentially more powerful, says @CeresNews' Director of Oil and Gas @ALoganCeres https://bit.ly/2L4eJpv

Contact Info:

Mike Keefe-Feldman
Ceres
+1 (617) 247-0700ext. 126
keefe-feldman@ceres.org

KEYWORDS: Climate Proposals, 2018 proxy season, fossil fuels, low-carbon transition, 2-degree scenario analysis, shareholder action, electric power sector, Oil and Gas sector, Climate Action 100+, decarbonization, CERES

SOURCE:Smithfield Foods

DESCRIPTION:

Randleman, N.C., May 29, 2018 /3BL Media/  - Victory Junction, a children’s camp committed to enriching the lives of children with chronic medical conditions or serious illnesses by providing life-changing camp experiences, unveiled the Smithfield Foods Archery Center on May 21st. The camp’s new indoor facility is funded by a $500,000 gift from the Smithfield Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Smithfield Foods, Inc.

“Our partnership with Smithfield is so important to Victory Junction because we simply can’t serve 10,000 kids a year without the help of our generous partners and donors,” said Chad Coltrane, chief executive officer of Victory Junction. “We now have an amazing indoor venue for archery, open in time for the start of the 2018 summer camp sessions. We look forward to watching our campers of all ages and abilities enjoy this fun and popular activity.”

The new and improved facility provides a safe gathering place for campers to learn archery, make friends, and enjoy the adventures and experiences of camp life. The Smithfield Foods Archery Center replaces a former outdoor facility that was subject to flooding and was unavailable during inclement weather.

“Thanks to the vision and compassion of the Petty Family, Victory Junction is changing lives and we’re delighted to be a part of it,” said Kenneth M. Sullivan, president and chief executive officer of Smithfield Foods. “Smithfield is proud to support Victory Junction with the gift of the new archery center. We hope this new facility inspires campers to realize their own unique and incredible abilities.”

Victory Junction was the dream of Adam Petty, a fourth-generation race car driver from the famous Petty Family and a rising star in the sport. After Adam's tragic passing from a racing accident in 2000, the Petty Family realized his dream of a camp to serve children with serious medical conditions through the opening of Victory Junction in 2004.

“The Smithfield Foods Archery Center is a tremendous addition to Victory Junction and we’re grateful to Smithfield for making this new facility a reality for our campers,” said Richard Petty, NASCAR legend and Victory Junction board member. “For nearly 15 years, Victory Junction has been the embodiment of everything Adam dreamed of in a camp to serve children with challenging medical conditions. I know Adam would be proud and gratified to see what Victory Junction has become and to see the indoor archery facility that we celebrate today.”

For more information about Victory Junction and its camp programming, visit victoryjunction.org.

For more information about Smithfield’s charitable efforts, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com/key-outreach-efforts/smithfield-foundation.

###

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.

About Victory Junction

Victory Junction is a year-round camping environment for children, ages six to 16, with chronic medical conditions or serious illnesses. Co-founded by Kyle Petty and his family in honor of their son Adam, the camp is located in Randleman, North Carolina. Victory Junction exists to provide life-changing camping experiences that are exciting, fun and empowering, in a safe and medically-sound environment, always at no charge to children and their families. Since the camp’s inception, thousands of children and families have received not only a circle of support but experiences thought to only be possible by healthy children through a variety of programs; onsite through summer and family weekend camps and offsite through the camp’s outreach program, Reach. Victory Junction is a member of the SeriousFun Children’s Network of Camps founded by Paul Newman, and is accredited by the rigorous guidelines of the American Camping Association. To learn more, please visit www.victoryjunction.org.

Contact:

Diana Souder

Smithfield Foods, Inc.

(757) 357-1675

dsouder@smithfield.com

Tweet me:#Video @SmithfieldFoods Archery Center at @VictoryJunction, a children’s camp committed to enriching the lives of children with chronic medical conditions, Smithfield Foods provides a $500k gift for the funding of this indoor facility http://bit.ly/2LFy1Te #CSR

KEYWORDS: Victory Junction, Smithfield Foods, New Indoor Archery Facility, csr, Donations

When compared to cost and quality, Purpose trumps across majority of consumer behaviors

SOURCE:Cone Communications

DESCRIPTION:

BOSTON, May 30, 2018 /3BL Media/ – Nearly eight-in-10 (79%) Americans say they are more loyal to Purpose-driven brands than traditional brands and nearly three-quarters (73%) are more willing to defend them, according to the 2018 Cone/Porter Novelli Purpose Study. The study, examining consumer expectations and behaviors toward companies that lead with Purpose, finds that Purpose-driven brands can build stronger emotional connections with consumers that go far beyond a transactional relationship.

The research revealed just how deep this emotional connection can go. In fact, 67 percent of Americans feel Purpose-driven companies care more about them and their families than traditional brands. Americans are transforming loyalty to Purpose-driven brands from pride in being associated with that company to willingness to defend that organization if someone speaks badly of it:

• Feel a stronger emotional connection: 77%
• Proud to be associated: 70%
• More willing to forgive if that company makes a misstep: 67%

This enthusiasm to provide multidimensional support is in alignment with Americans’ expectations that companies should lead with Purpose. In fact, more than three-quarters (78%) of consumers believe it is no longer acceptable for companies to just make money, they expect companies to positively impact society as well.

“Purpose-driven brands are able to develop much deeper relationships with consumers by connecting on issues that matter,” says Brad MacAffee, CEO, Porter Novelli. “Consumers of Purpose-driven brands are redefining modern-age loyalty, and brands can seek to benefit from this meaningful personal commitment.”

Purpose helps companies grow the bottom-line and expand their consumer base

Purpose-driven brands are equally well-poised to gain new customers as well as market share. Nearly nine-in-10 (88%) Americans say they would buy a product from a Purpose-driven company and the majority would try new product lines from those brands and would be willing to pay more:

• 88% would buy a product from that company
• 75% would try an entirely new product line from a company they already support
• 66% would switch from a product they typically buy to a new product from that company
• 57% would pay more for a product from that company

Americans are more likely to “endorse” and share content from Purpose-driven brands

The hyper-engaged, loyal group of consumers supporting Purpose-driven brands stand ready to further amplify those brand messages. Three-quarters (78%) of Americans would tell others to buy products from Purpose-driven companies and nearly as many (73%) would share information or stories about that company. Consumers also want to play a role in advancing the positive impact that company seeks to make. Nearly two-thirds (65%) say they would advocate for issues that company supports.

Beyond positive word of mouth, consumers of Purpose-driven companies are taking their megaphones to social media. Sixty-eight percent of Americans say they are more willing to share content from Purpose-driven companies with their social networks over that of traditional companies. But these consumers are willing to share more than just information about commitments to society and the environment (66%), they are just as likely to share product information (66%) as well as promotions and sales (64%) and the company’s overall mission (62%).

“Consumers’ willingness to tell a Purpose-driven brand’s story means that company will have an expanded reach to entirely new audiences,” says Alison DaSilva, EVP, Purpose/CSR, Cone. “They are being introduced and ‘endorsed’ based on their role in society and shared values versus a transactional and transient benefit, further expanding a company’s future loyal consumer base.”

Purpose trumps cost and quality in majority of consumer behaviors

In this new era of heightened consumer expectations, leading with cost or quality is not enough. When asked to choose between supporting Purpose-driven, low-cost or quality brands, Americans leaned in on Purpose. Americans felt strongly that they would have a more positive emotional connection (50%) to a Purpose-driven company when compared with a company leading with low-cost (20%) or quality (30%) and would be more willing to defend (48% vs. 33% quality, 19% cost) over other brands. Purpose also trumped cost and quality when it came to sharing information or stories about that company (45% vs. 33% quality, 23% cost), and being proud to be associated with that company (42% vs. 40% quality, 18% cost).

Yet, shoppers still see the importance of high-quality products. Quality topped Purpose and cost in terms of loyalty (40% vs. 33% Purpose, 27% cost), purchase (41% vs. 20% Purpose, 29% cost) and telling others to buy a product (44% vs. 27% Purpose, 29% cost).

“While quality is a primary factor in deciding what to buy and which brands to recommend to others, Purpose-driven companies stand to gain in the hearts, minds and passion of Americans,” says DaSilva. “This signals a strong message to marketers and business executives – Purpose can be a leading part of the marketing mix, but not the only message. It’s still important to ensure your products are of high-quality and sold at a competitive price.”

Purpose impacts more than just purchase in the eyes of Americans

Purpose-driven companies will gain competitive differentiation across a variety of decisions – the first of which goes straight to a company’s bottom-line. Nearly nine-in-10 (88%) Americans say they would buy products from a company leading with Purpose. Yet, Purpose also impacts a number of other consumer decisions in relation to companies they want to support, from a company’s license to operate to its ability to garner top-tier talent. Americans will support companies that lead with Purpose in the following ways:

• 85% would support that company in their community
• 68% would work for that company
• 54% would invest in that company

Americans believe companies should address hot-button issues through Purpose

Americans expect companies to lead with Purpose and this means supporting issues near and dear to their hearts. In fact, seven-in-10 (71%) Americans expect companies to connect with them emotionally on issues that matter to them personally. Oftentimes, these issues can fall far outside the operational footprint as nearly four-in-five (79%) Americans believe companies should work to address social justice issues. Americans feel companies should have a seat at the table to solve complex and hot-button topics including:

• Privacy and Internet Security: 86%
• Domestic Job Growth: 86%
• Access to Healthcare: 85%
• Sexual Harassment: 83%
• Racial Equality: 81%
• Women’s Rights: 80%
• Cost of Higher Education: 76%
• Climate Change: 73%
• Immigration: 74%
• Gun control: 69%
• LGBTQ Rights: 63%
• Fake News: 56%

“From #MeToo to March for Our Lives, the last year has seen unprecedented levels of support for critical social justice issues that connect with Americans on a far deeper and vastly more emotional level,” says DaSilva.  “While no company should stand for all these issues, organizations should look within and use their unique Purpose to determine which issues they can authentically support.”

Americans believe all industries must lead with Purpose

More than three quarters of Americans feeling strongly that all industries must not only have a deeply rooted sense of Purpose, but must share that Purpose with consumers. This means no company gets a pass when communicating Purpose. When asked among which industries it was most important to have and communicate a sense of Purpose, Health and Wellness (87%) topped the list, followed by Food and Beverage (81%) and Technology (81%). Still, Americans also believe it is important for the following industries to have and communicate a sense of Purpose:

• Manufacturing: 79%
• Retail: 77%
• Financial Services: 77%
• Automotive: 78%
• Professional Services: 76%
• Footwear and Apparel: 76%

When communicating, all companies must make sure to share that Purpose with a surround-sound approach in mind. Six-in-10 Americans (61%) don’t believe that a company has Purpose unless it is clearly stated in places they can easily find, such as on product packaging, the company website or in the employee handbook.

“Purpose is more than a marketing tactic or bolt-on strategy,” says MacAfee. “It must be deeply embedded into the business, the brand and the experience that is delivered. And those companies that integrate Purpose into the very bedrock of the business will stand to build deeper bonds with existing consumers, expand the consumer base and enlist those brand advocates to share the brand message.”

About Cone

Cone is a public relations and marketing agency that is Always Making a Difference℠ for business, brands and society. We help organizations define their authentic Purpose, weaving it into the brand DNA to both grow the business and positively impact the world. Our deep subject matter expertise in Purpose Brand Strategy, CSR, Social Marketing, Social Impact and Brand Communications creates breakthrough work and unforgettable experiences to ignite action around issues that matter. Cone is a Porter Novelli company and part of the Omnicom Public Relations Group.

About Porter Novelli

Porter Novelli is a global public relations agency born from the idea that the art of communication can advance society. Over 45 years ago, we opened our doors – and people’s eyes and minds – for brands driven to make a positive impact. Today, we are a global agency with the entrepreneurial spirit of boutique specialists. We continue to build that bridge between purpose and business imperatives, and believe that a healthy bottom line can also make a remarkable impact. For additional information, please visit www.porternovelli.com. Porter Novelli is a part of the Omnicom Public Relations Group.

About Omnicom Public Relations Group

Omnicom Public Relations Group is a global collective of three of the top global public relations agencies worldwide and specialist agencies in areas including public affairs, marketing to women, fashion, global health strategy and corporate social responsibility. It encompasses more than 6,000 public relations professionals in more than 330 offices worldwide who provide their expertise to companies, government agencies, NGOs and nonprofits across a wide range of industries. Omnicom Public Relations Group is part of the DAS Group of Companies, a division of Omnicom Group Inc. that includes more than 200 companies in a wide range of marketing disciplines including advertising, public relations, healthcare, customer relationship management, events, promotional marketing, branding and research.

Tweet me:Americans More Loyal And Willing To Defend Purpose-Driven Brands, According To New Research By @Cone http://bit.ly/2kwTwtb

KEYWORDS: brand purpose, purpose-driven brand, Purpose company, Cone Communications

SOURCE:Northern Trust

DESCRIPTION:

Around 70 partners in India visited the Institute for Mentally Handicapped Children (IMHC) and gave the T.V. room a makeover! The volunteers put on their mask, tapped newspaper throughout the room, scrubbed the walls with sandpaper and began painting! As a team, they were able to create a more positive environment for the boys! Kudos to our partners!

Connect with Northern Trust on LinkedIN

Click here to learn more about CSR at Northern Trust

Tweet me:Around 70 partners in India visited the Institute for Mentally Handicapped Children (IMHC) and gave the T.V. room a makeover http://bit.ly/2srqKOm @NTCSR #NTGivesBack #Volunteer #Teamwork

KEYWORDS: Mentally Handicapped Children, India, Northern Trust, csr, NTRS

SOURCE:PNC Financial Services Group

DESCRIPTION:

About Engage for Good

Engage for Good, producer of the Engage for Good conference and Halo Awards, helps business and nonprofit executives succeed together by providing practical information and inspiration, opportunities to build valuable relationships and recognition for outstanding work engaging employees and consumers around social good and cause-related marketing efforts.  A wealth of information on cause marketing, corporate social impact programs and Engage for Good’s offerings can be found at http://www.engageforgood.com.

About the PNC Foundation

The PNC Foundation, which receives its principal funding from The PNC Financial Services Group (www.pnc.com), actively supports organizations that provide services for the benefit of communities in which it has a significant presence. The foundation focuses its philanthropic mission on early childhood education and community and economic development, which includes the arts and culture. Through Grow Up Great, its signature cause that began in 2004, PNC has created a $350 million, multi-year initiative to help prepare children from birth to age 5 for success in school and life. To learn more about PNC Grow Up Great, please go to www.pncgrowupgreat.com.

CONTACT:

Robert J. Darmanin

(248) 729-8478

robert.darmanin@pnc.com

Tweet me:.@PNCBank Fdn Named a 2018 Silver Halo Award Winner in Education Category for Grow Up Great/DonorsChoose.Org Initiative http://bit.ly/2IVX7vl @DonorsChoose

Associate Director Nick Martin to Transition into the Role

SOURCE:Beverage Industry Environmental Roundtable

DESCRIPTION:

May 30, 2018 /3BL Media/ - Effective May 31, 2018, Tod Christenson will be formally retiring from his role as Executive Director of the Beverage Industry Environmental Roundtable (BIER). As one of the original founders of the group back in 2006, Tod has been instrumental in the growth and evolution of the roundtable and in the success of its many initiatives.

“I want to offer my thanks and appreciation for the trust you have extended to me, and the sincere friendships that have developed,” says Christenson. “Thank you all for your confidence and for letting me learn through you.” His final BIER meeting occurred last week at the spring gathering in Copenhagen, and his final work product will be the soon-to-be-released update to the Beverage Industry Sector Guidance for Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reporting.

Stepping into the Executive Director role will be current Associate Director Nick Martin, who facilitates our Water and Technology working groups and has been with BIER since its inception. Says Martin, “I’m honored to be stepping into the big shoes Tod will be leaving behind. BIER has some exciting projects on the horizon, and I am excited to play a role in guiding and growing this great group of industry-leading companies.”

We join with all the BIER member organizations and participants (past and present) in thanking Tod for his hard work and dedication. We wish him the best in his retirement and are grateful for his leadership. And we’re thrilled knowing that Nick will lead us in advancing collaboration and accelerating to sustainable impact for the beverage industry and beyond.

About BIER

The Beverage Industry Environmental Roundtable (BIER) is a technical coalition of leading global beverage companies working together to advance environmental sustainability within the beverage sector. BIER aims to affect sector change through work focused on water stewardship, energy efficiency and climate change, beverage container recycling, sustainable agriculture, and eco-system services. BIER members include: American Beverage Association, Anheuser-Busch InBev, Bacardi, Beam Suntory, Brown-Forman, Carlsberg Group, The Coca-Cola Company, Constellation Brands, Diageo, Heineken, Jackson Family Wines, New Belgium Brewing, MillerCoors, Molson Coors, Pernod Ricard, Ocean Spray Cranberries, and PepsiCo. For more information, visit www.bieroundtable.com.

Tweet me:BIER Executive Director Tod Christenson @SustainTodC is retiring and Nick Martin @AnteaSustain is set to transition into the role effective 5/31/18 bit.ly/NewBIERDirector

KEYWORDS: Beverage Industry Environmental Roundtable

SOURCE:Scotiabank

DESCRIPTION:

As Director of Sales Effectiveness at Scotiabank, as well as lead champion for Scotiabank’s Toronto Pride Employee Resource Group, Val Walls is always asking herself: How can I touch, move, inspire and make a difference? She shares how she’s driving change — and creating an inclusive vision of LGBT+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Trans+) rights.

-By Shelly White

For Val Walls, the energy at Toronto’s Pride Parade feels like “arriving at the top of the mountain.”

A long-time participant in Pride festivities, Val says she looks forward to experiencing the spirit of harmony and togetherness that permeates the event each year.

“The day feels like a hum of bees around a blooming cherry tree,” says Val of the annual Pride Parade, happening this year in Toronto on Sunday, June 24. “Sweet smells of food, music vibrating through your body, a patchwork blanket of sounds that fill your senses. As flags wave and people cheer, there is one common denominator — everyone is smiling and standing united.”

Val is Director of Sales Effectiveness at Scotiabank, a position that involves developing strategies to optimize Scotiabank’s sales force and coaching team members for higher levels of performance. She’s also lead champion for Scotiabank’s Toronto Pride Employee Resource Group (ERG), a role she took on because she believes that “if we want to drive change, we cannot just talk about it. We need to be the instrument of change.”

Click to continue reading

Tweet me:Model Behaviour: How Val Walls is Leading By Example To Engage LGBT + Employees, Customers and Allies at @ScotiabankViews http://bit.ly/2LIs8og #CSR

KEYWORDS: LGBT, csr, Scotiabank, model behaviour, Employee Engagement

Though I didn’t always know it was possible, I’ve found a way to thrive in the office as well as at home. It’s time to make sure all employees can do the same. Here’s how we’re leading the movement at Nestlé.

SOURCE:Nestlé

DESCRIPTION:

Tweet me:How to strengthen the (work-life) balance muscle http://bit.ly/2Lrdsd0 via #Nestle #health

KEYWORDS: work life balance, Nestle, family, Health, csr, healthy employees

VMware contributes $15 million to the Lab to focus on research on systemic biases in the workplace in the pursuit of advancing female leadership

SOURCE:VMware

DESCRIPTION:

PALO ALTO, Calif., May 30, 2018 /3BL Media/ -- At the 3rd annual Women Transforming Technology (WT2) Conference in Palo Alto, with the theme “Inclusion in Action,” VMware (NYSE:VMW) announced it is collaborating with Stanford University to create the VMware Women’s Leadership Innovation Lab, in the pursuit of dramatically improving female representation in leadership positions.

The VMware Women’s Leadership Innovation Lab at Stanford University is a collaborative effort to advance women into leadership and positions of power and significance, thus improving society overall. Research shows that teams with diversity are more innovative and creative, and perform better than homogeneous teams. According to McKinsey, companies with diversity on their executive teams are 21 percent more profitable than those who lack diversity.¹

As an innovative company that was one of the first companies to test new models and solutions with Stanford University, VMware has a longstanding commitment to purposely building an inclusive culture and growing female leaders. VMware is taking a leadership role in fostering change for the industry by contributing $15 million² to the Lab.

Translating Research into Action
Women's full participation in leadership is critical to innovation and to solving the most pressing social problems of our time. The Lab focuses on uncovering the barriers to women in leadership and actively testing research-based solutions, in order to change the trajectory of the number of women in leadership positions. The Lab includes an industry affiliates program with over 40 leading companies engaging in translating research into action.

Examples of future focus areas for the Lab include diagnosing the specific mechanisms of bias for women of color and designing solutions; studying how social networks intersect with bias in women's access to critical assignments; and embarking on a longitudinal study of career pathways in engineering careers and leadership. The research also includes a long-term focus on educational research with high school girls across backgrounds in order to provide them with tools to increase leadership identity and resilience, and follow their career trajectory in longitudinal analysis.

¹  According to the January 2018 McKinsey Delivering Through Diversity report
² The investment is being donated through a donor-advised fund.

“Through expanding the relationship with Stanford and creating the Lab, VMware is reinforcing its commitment to elevating gender equality as a business imperative, to accelerate women's leadership in industry, and to create evidence-based solutions for women of all backgrounds,” said 
Betsy Sutter, Chief People Officer, VMware. “VMware looks forward to collaborating with Stanford, and accelerating knowledge sharing between industry and academia in the pursuit of advancing women into leadership.”

“I am most grateful for VMware’s gift to create the Lab, which will work to advance women’s leadership and maximize talent in technology and beyond,” said 
Shelley Correll, Stanford University Professor of Sociology and Director of the Lab.

Extending Progress from the Seeds of Change Program
VMware’s $15 million investment in the Lab will accelerate and scale the Seeds of Change program and create additional opportunities to bridge the gap between academia and industry around women in leadership.  In 2016, VMware invested $1.5 million in the Seeds of Change program to provide high school girls across different backgrounds with the leadership frameworks, skills, and tools they need to persist and become change agents.

About VMware 
VMware software powers the world’s complex digital infrastructure. The company’s compute, cloud, mobility, networking and security offerings provide a dynamic and efficient digital foundation to over 500,000 customers globally, aided by an ecosystem of 75,000 partners. Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, this year VMware celebrates twenty years of breakthrough innovation benefiting business and society. For more information, please visit https://www.vmware.com/company.html.

Media Contact
Ellen Healy                                                      
VMware Global Communications                  
Phone: +1 415 654 2940                                 
healye@vmware.com

Tweet me:.@VMware invests in Women’s #Leadership #Innovation Lab @Stanford in the pursuit of advancing female representation in leadership positions http://bit.ly/2x45G62

KEYWORDS: Stanford, VMware, Leadership

Six organizations in four states awarded over $600,000

SOURCE:Tyson Foods

DESCRIPTION:

SPRINGDALE, Ark., May 30, 2018 /3BL Media/ – As part of Tyson Foods’ (NYSE: TSN) efforts to raise the world’s expectations for how much good food can do and its commitment to support the communities it serves where help is needed most, the company announced today over $600,000 in grants to six community healthcare providers in four states.

The company’s efforts to support its communities include $200,000 to the University of Arkansas Foundation Fund, Inc., for the benefit of University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest Regional Campus (UAMS) in Fayetteville, Arkansas, to improve the health literacy of the community, build healthcare professional cultural competency and empower the Hispanic/Latino and Marshallese/Pacific Islander communities to better navigate healthcare systems.

Material and resources to be developed include educational training videos, cultural competency training events, community health worker training, and diabetes self-management education.

“We are proud to be a part of Tyson Foods’ efforts to address community health issues in their communities,” said Pearl McElfish, Ph.D., M.B.A., associate vice chancellor of UAMS Northwest Regional Campus and director of the UAMS Office of Community Health and Research. “Our research shows that we have better health outcomes through culturally sensitive approaches and Tyson Foods taking this approach will benefit the entire community in a variety of ways.”

Tyson Foods also awarded a total of $305,000 to Kearny County Hospital in Holcomb, Kansas, Midtown Health Center in Madison, Nebraska, Community Clinic in Springdale, Arkansas, and Mercy Health in Rogers, Arkansas. These grants will fund a community health liaison who will seek opportunities to better connect Tyson Foods team members and the communities with healthcare professionals, health education classes and translation of health information.

“We are grateful for Tyson Foods’ generosity and for trusting Mercy with this innovative partnership to improve the health and well-being of Tyson team members,” said Eric Pianalto, president of Mercy Hospital. “Mercy looks forward to working closely with Tyson Foods to assess its team members’ greatest health needs and find ways to deliver meaningful support.”

Logansport Memorial Hospital and Four County Counseling Center in Logansport, Indiana, were awarded $100,000 for substance abuse orientation and treatment, mobile health screenings and community inventory research to identify gaps in health services.

“We’ve taken a close look at healthcare opportunities in Tyson Foods communities and these investments represent our willingness to listen to key stakeholders and understand where we can make the most impact,” said Debra Vernon, senior director, corporate social responsibility for Tyson Foods.

For more on Tyson Foods’ efforts to bolster the communities where it operates, please visit HTTPS://WWW.TYSONFOODS.COM/WHO-WE-ARE/GIVING-BACK/CORPORATE-GIVING.

About Tyson Foods

Tyson Foods Inc. (NYSE: TSN) is one of the world’s largest food companies and a recognized leader in protein. Founded in 1935 by John W. Tyson and grown under three generations of family leadership, the company has a broad portfolio of products and brands like Tyson®, Jimmy Dean®, Hillshire Farm®, Ball Park®, Wright®, Aidells®, ibp® and State Fair®. Tyson Foods innovates continually to make protein more sustainable, tailor food for everywhere it’s available and raise the world’s expectations for how much good food can do. Headquartered in Springdale, Arkansas, the company has 122,000 team members. Through its Core Values, Tyson Foods strives to operate with integrity, create value for its shareholders, customers, communities and team members and serve as a steward of the animals, land and environment entrusted to it. Visit WWW.TYSONFOODS.COM.

Tweet me:.@TysonFoods invests over $600,000 in community healthcare education and access http://bit.ly/2Jjx4la

Contact Info:

Derek Burleson
+1 (479) 290-6466
derek.burleson@tyson.com

KEYWORDS: NYSE:TSN, Tyson Foods, University of Arkansas Foundation Fund, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest Regional Campus, Kearny County Hospital, Midtown Health Center, Community Clinic, Mercy Health, Logansport Memorial Hospital, Four County Counseling Center