Mohawk's Bandy and Groundswell CEO Moore will share best practices for innovative solar partnerships

SOURCE:Mohawk Industries

DESCRIPTION:

Mohawk Industries’ George Bandy Jr., VP of sustainability and commercial marketing, will join Groundswell CEO Michelle Moore for an engaging webcast sharing how their respective organizations built a solar energy partnership geared towards schools and underserved communities. The GreenBiz webcast, titled “Powering Inclusion Through Solar Handprints: An Innovative Partnership,” will take place Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2018, 1-2 p.m. EST. Joel Makower, executive editor of GreenBiz, will serve as moderator. The webcast is free to attend online.

Earlier this year, a “handprint” was made through flooring manufacturer Mohawk’s collaboration with Groundswell, a nonprofit with a mission to bring economic relief through solar programs. The two organizations partnered to install a smartflower solar energy system in the south side of Chicago. This new handprint is bringing clean energy, savings in utilities, educational opportunities and other new beginnings to the underserved community where it has been planted. It is the inaugural system in the program, which consists of a series of 10 smartflowers slated to be installed nationwide over a three-year period.

Attendees will learn how corporate handprints can align social well-being with business strategy, how to choose and work with nonprofit partners, and how to leverage handprints to increase employee engagement. The program will be recorded and made available on-demand through the GreenBiz website.

Click here to register for the free webcast.

Tweet me:.@MohawkGroup @Grndswell #solarenergy handprinting initiative to be featured on @GreenBiz webcast. Join the conversation on 10/30 at 1pm ET: http://bit.ly/2D6wOmY #handprintsoverfootprints

KEYWORDS: NYSE:MHK, mohawk group, George Bandy Jr., webinar, Groundswell, Michelle Moore, Powering Inclusion Through Solar Handprints: An Innovative Partnership

To achieve our long-term sustainability goals, we partnered with Plastic Whale to remove plastic waste from the Amsterdam canals to be recycled into raw material.

SOURCE:Avery Dennison

DESCRIPTION:

To achieve our long-term sustainability goals, we partnered with Plastic Whale to remove plastic waste from the Amsterdam canals to be recycled into raw material. We are aiming to make cities’ waterways plastic-free. Learn more about this sustainability initiative: https://avydn.co/2QoSe1h

*View the original article on LinkedIn.

To learn more about our sustainability efforts, visit www.sustainability.averydennison.com.

Stay up-to-date on all the latest from Avery Dennison. Connect with us on Social Media.

Tweet me:Partnering to Reduce Plastic Waste https://youtu.be/Rqh9LGjJo64 via @YouTube @AveryDennison #sustainability

KEYWORDS: NYSE:AVY, Avery Dennison

Personalization makes us, as consumers, feel more valued and as such we now expect our retailers or brands to provide us with more personalised, memorable experiences.

SOURCE:Avery Dennison

DESCRIPTION:

Anil Kumar Sharma, Vice President and General Manager, AD Label and Graphic Materials, SAPSSA

"Many of us, as consumers, expect the brands we purchase from to be good corporate citizens and fully transparent about the sustainability of the product itself, and the labeling and packaging."

Just over a week ago, I was in Chicago for Labelexpo, the largest trade show for the labeling and packaging industry. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the ongoing impact of the ever increasing demand from consumers for personalized products and experiences, that are more sustainable in their footprint, was evident across the booths at the show.

Personalization makes us, as consumers, feel more valued and as such we now expect our retailers or brands to provide us with more personalised, memorable experiences. Therefore when you, as a company, are able to engage on a deep, personal level with your consumers your brand experience is augmented - your consumers become part of your brand or your business.

The recently launched “My Edition” range of whiskies by Johnny Walker, Diageo, shows not only how the consumer is able to personalize the flavor, but also the labeling for the bottle - creating their very own edition. 

At the show the presence of digital printing, which enables greater opportunities to personalize packaging, was much more apparent this year with a wider range of ink-jet alternatives and additional finishing options for digital presses. The increasing rate of demand and adoption is clear.

The second key influence of sustainability, seen at the show, has been important in the labeling and packaging industry for some time, but has become even more important recently as consumers are more aware of the impact of waste. Many of us, as consumers, expect the brands we purchase from to be good corporate citizens and fully transparent about the sustainability of the product itself, and the labelling and packaging. How the material is made is important, but more so is the impact it has on the overall recyclability of the package and its end of life. Consumers are increasing the pressure on brands to take responsibility and to create more sustainable design.

At the show this year I was encouraged to see a broader discussion on tackling liner waste, and more sustainable materials and print methods being demonstrated across the many companies exhibiting.  

As well as presenting our sustainable solutions - ClearIntent ™ Portfolio - on our own booth, we sponsored the ecovillage by TLMI, as at Avery Dennison we believe the key to creating a more sustainable industry rests in collaboration across our entire value chain and with alternative industries. Our recent partnership with Plasticity is another example of this commitment to collaboration and our desire to learn and progress towards our 2025 goals - as after all sustainability is not just great for our environment, but it is also key for consumers and in turn for our industry!

To view the original article on LinkedIn, click here.

To learn more about Avery Dennison Label and Packaging Materials, visit www.label.averydennison.com.
To learn more about our commitment to sustainability, visit www.sustainability.averydennison.com.

Stay up-to-date on all the latest from Avery Dennison. Connect with us on Social Media.

Tweet me:Personalization and Sustainability Continue to be Strong Influences in the Label and Packaging Industry | @AveryDennison https://shar.es/a1F2Ah

KEYWORDS: NYSE:AVY, Avery Dennison

By Charmion N. Kinder

SOURCE:Discovery Education

DESCRIPTION:

Discovery Education, the leading provider of digital education content and professional development for K-12 classrooms, TGR Foundation, A Tiger Woods Charity, U.S. Chamber of Commerce and University of Maryland panelists yesterday joined 3BL Forum: Brands Taking Stands - The Long View to discuss The Future Workforce and a Pipeline of Talent. Technology has drastically changed the technical skills needed to hold the jobs of today and greater job specializations are the driving force behind the need for a STEM talent pipeline.

Discovery Education’s Vice President of Corporate Education Partnerships Stacie Kronthal, joined President and CEO of TGR Foundation Rick Singer, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Vice President of Strategic Alliances and Outreach Rick Wade, and University of Maryland Associate Director of Professional Preparation Allynn Powell to discuss intersecting pipelines that will advance our United States workforce and the next generation. Below, find key insights from the panel’s proceedings:

Rick Singer, President and CEO, TGR Foundation

"There’s a real opportunity to make a difference in the lives of underserved kids and impact our economy at the same time. TGR Foundation and Discovery Education work together to ensure that kids take advantage of the workforce, not only of tomorrow, but of today."

Stacie Kronthal, Vice President, Corporate Education Partnerships, Discovery Education

“Digital scale is powerful. Discovery Education is transforming teaching and learning with multidisciplinary content and an immersive approach. In partnership with bold innovators like TGR Foundation, it excites me that companies are investing in the CSR space.”

Rick Wade, Vice President of Strategic Alliances and Outreach, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

"If we provide students with meaningful internship experiences, they can visualize themselves in the positions. They will become empowered and maximize their potential. We must not just think about best practices, but next practices to building a diverse workforce if our companies are to remain competitive.”

Allynn Powell, Associate Director, Professional Preparation, University of Maryland

“It’s important to work with industry partners to connect with students early. Success stories make all the difference and influence future students to seek out challenging opportunities. To address the skills and talent needed for the future workforce, we must continue to collaborate by providing students with the resources they need to make a smooth transition into it.”

Launched in a collaboration between TGR Foundation and Discovery Education in 2017, TGR EDU: Explore was created to make possible Tiger Woods' vision to motivate students across the world through innovative education in STEM and college access. Through Discovery Education’s partnership with TGR Foundation, TGR EDU: Explore has provided teachers, students and families with valuable access to digital experiences, lessons, and trainings designed to support college preparation in high-quality STEM career paths. TGR EDU: Explore curriculum and professional development resources are made available to students and teachers at no-cost. Together with the TGR Foundation, Discovery Education seeks to educate students nationwide on how to prepare for a career in STEM, while equipping them with the tools they need to attend college.

TGR EDU: Exploreresources are available at no cost at tgreduexplore.org and are also available through Discovery Education Streaming. 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 the global media company 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.

Tweet me:.@DiscoveryEd @TGRFound @USChamber & @UofMaryland #Changemakers Discuss the Future Workforce and Talent Pipeline at ‘Brands Taking Stands’ 3BL Forum, http://bit.ly/2D5EuWF #TGREDUExplore #BrandsTakingStands #3BLForum

KEYWORDS: discovery education, 3BL Forum

Symantec publishes 11th annual Corporate Responsibility Report

SOURCE:Symantec

DESCRIPTION:

By Debra McLaughlin, Sr Mgr, Corporate Responsibility

We are proud to share our 2018 Corporate Responsibility (CR) Report, which highlights the progress we’ve made in delivering on CR commitments to our people, your information, and the world. In this, our 11th CR report, we share both the progress we’ve made and the areas where we need to improve, as both are a part of our CR journey. 

Our 2018 report also describes how we are contributing to specific UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs represent a unique opportunity to align our core business capabilities with society’s pressing needs and we provide progress updates on efforts towards Goal 4 (quality education), Goal 5 (gender equality), Goal 8 (decent work and economic growth), Goal 10 (reduced inequalities), and Goal 13 (climate action).

Here are a few highlights from this year’s report:

Climate Impacts: In 2016, Symantec set a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) by 30 percent by 2025. We reached our goal seven years early, reducing GHG emissions by 32 percent in just three years, primarily through space consolidation projects that lead to an overall reduced footprint and decreased energy use. We’ve also set a new, more comprehensive GHG reduction goal, and we launched a company-wide, global campaign to inspire employees to become environmental stewards: Going Green in 2018.

Community Engagement: We saw a 28 percent increase in total volunteer hours by employees, putting us close to our 2020 goal of an average of four volunteer hours per employee. We launched a new signature program called FAST (Fostering a Secure Tomorrow), which leverages Norton and LifeLock tools and services to help protect foster youth from identity theft, and continued our software donation program with TechSoup, donating over 440,000 product licenses to 22,000 nonprofits in FY18.

Diversity in Tech: We did not make progress on our employee diversity demographics in FY18. We have a newly expanded strategy focused on building a culture of inclusion and spent a lot of time listening to our employees this year. We conducted five global employee focus groups and have used employee feedback to adjust our priorities. 

We are celebrating diversity progress in our Symantec Cyber Career Connection (Symantec C3) program, which aims to address the significant shortage of qualified cyber security candidates and help change the trajectory of the tech workforce—specifically for women, minorities, and veterans.

Working with nonprofit educational partners like AAUW, NPower and Year Up, we have introduced a total of 10,000+ students to careers in cyber security. We are proud that 71 percent of our graduates are under-represented minorities in technology and 25 percent are female. We also have seen incredible results: in FY18, 82 percent of Symantec C3 graduates were employed in cyber security or pursuing a degree within six months of graduation.

Privacy & the Social Impact of Technology: In conducting our sixth materiality assessment as part of our CR Report, we paid special attention to the evolving privacy landscape and also noted a new material issue: the social impact of technology. 

At Symantec this means building internal policies and practices that ensure Symantec’s compliance with emerging privacy regulations; delivering products and services that enable consumers, businesses and governments to protect their personal information; engaging policy makers and other stakeholders on privacy related issues; managing our products responsibly to reduce the risk that they are used to infringe upon privacy rights or freedom of expression; and supporting global communities through our software product donations. 

We encourage you to read our report and to send us your feedback, which will be used to help shape future programmatic and reporting priorities. We’d also like to thank our employees and partners for all they do every day to help Symantec secure a more sustainable future.

Tweet me:.@Symantec is working every day to secure a more #sustainable future. Learn more about the 2018 Symantec #CR Report here => http://bit.ly/2RdPGU1

KEYWORDS: NASDAQ:SYMC, Symantec, Fostering a Secure Tomorrow, Symantec Cyber Career Connection (Symantec C3), privacy

New Cargo eBike and Custom, Modular Package Delivery Trailers to Operate in the Pike Place Market Area from South Belltown to the Southern End of the Market, Inclusive of Western Avenue

SOURCE:UPS

DESCRIPTION:

SEATTLE, October 25, 2018 /3BL Media/– In an effort to address growing traffic congestion and air quality concerns, UPS (NYSE: UPS) and Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan today announced the deployment of an innovative downtown delivery pilot project using pedal-assist cargo eBikes and customized, modular trailers. The cargo eBikes will operate in the historic Pike Place Market and downtown Seattle area on sidewalks and in designated bike lanes. 

“While we have launched cycle logistic projects in other cities, this is the first one designed to meet a variety of urban challenges,” said Scott Phillippi, UPS’s senior director of maintenance and engineering, international operations. “The modular boxes and trailer allow us to expand our delivery capabilities and meet the unique needs of our Seattle customers. It’s exciting to return to our roots – UPS started in Seattle in 1907 as a bicycle messenger company. We’re looking forward to being able to offer these customizable urban delivery solutions to other cities nationwide.”

Developed in collaboration with Silver Eagle Manufacturing using Truck Trikes, the cutting edge cargo eBike system will have removable cargo containers that are deployed via a specially designed trailer. This unique, “plug and play” design will provide greater flexibility to meet varying delivery needs. It will also be able to make deliveries to areas conventional delivery trucks can’t access directly and currently require that trucks be parked on the periphery for long periods of time. This will reduce congestion in these areas by reducing truck dwell time, instances of double parking and other unintended consequences associated with downtown deliveries.

UPS partnered with the Seattle Department of Transportation to develop plans for the new pilot program. If successful, UPS will expand the route and consider additional cargo eBike deliveries in other areas of the city. This is the first tailored urban delivery solution to address growing traffic congestion in Seattle’s downtown corridor, and is part of UPS’s Cycle Logistics Solutions that help reduce carbon emissions, noise, and traffic.

The UPS^® cargo eBike is equipped with a battery-powered electric motor that can travel longer distances than traditional bikes, carry substantial loads and navigate hills and other terrain. The modular, detachable boxes on the trailer can hold up to 400 lbs. and have a 95 cubic foot capacity. The bikes can be operated with human pedal power or battery power, providing drivers with the flexibility they need to navigate changing terrain and energy efficiency.

“Seattle has always been the city that invents the future, and now we are partnering with one of our hometown companies to help drive innovations in transportation,” said Seattle Mayor Jenny A. Durkan. “As Seattle grows and public and private megaprojects limit capacity on our downtown streets, this pilot will help us better understand how we can ensure the delivery of goods while making space on our streets for transit, bikes, and pedestrians. We are eager to learn how pilots like these can help build a city of the future with fewer cars, more transit and less carbon pollution.”

UPS and the University of Washington Urban Freight Lab will evaluate the cargo eBike’s reliability, design and integration into Seattle’s infrastructure over the next year. The Urban Freight Lab is an initiative that brings together transportation engineers and urban planners who manage public spaces with retailers, freight carriers and technology companies supporting transportation solutions. UPS will share data and analyses from the pilot for assessment against two of the lab’s key objectives: improving first delivery attempts and reducing “dwell time,” both of which should reduce traffic congestion and pollution.    

The success of the UPS eBike was first demonstrated in 2012 in Hamburg, Germany, and serves as a prototype for the company’s newest cargo eBike in Seattle. The company also operates inner-city delivery projects with delivery on foot and by bike in more than 30 major cities worldwide, including Leuven and Mechelen, Belgium; Paris and Toulouse, France; Frankfurt, Hamburg, Herne, Offenbach, Oldenburg and Munich, Germany; Dublin, Ireland; Rome and Verona, Italy; and London, U.K. in addition to the one other eBike previously operating in the United States in Pittsburgh.

Using its “Rolling Laboratory” approach, UPS deploys approximately 9,300  low-emission vehicles worldwide to determine what alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles work best in various routes and duty cycles. This includes all-electric, hybrid electric, hydraulic hybrid, ethanol, compressed natural gas (CNG), liquefied natural gas (LNG) and propane. In Washington, UPS uses 10 electric and hybrid electric vehicles. The cargo eBike is part of a broader UPS strategy to continue to electrify its delivery fleet.

About UPS

UPS (NYSE: UPS) is a global leader in logistics, offering a broad range of solutions including transporting packages and freight; facilitating international trade, and deploying 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 ups.com/sustainability. Headquartered in Atlanta, UPS serves more than 220 countries and territories worldwide. The company can be found on the web at ups.com and its corporate blog can be found at longitudes.ups.com. Our new sustainability eNewsletter, UPS® Horizons, can be found at ups.com/sustainabilitynewsletter. To get UPS news direct, follow @UPS_News on Twitter.

# # #

Tweet me:.@UPS rolls out a first-of-its-kind Cargo eBike in Seattle as part of its urban #logistics solutions. This new modular #EV will deliver to the iconic Pike Place Market area with zero emissions, reduced noise and congestion. See #upscitysolutions in action:http://bit.ly/2O60Ecq

Contact Info:

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

KEYWORDS: UPS, Seattle, eBikes

Using technology to reduce insecurity and train local Case Management System operators in Afghanistan

SOURCE:Tetra Tech

DESCRIPTION:

Through the Justice Sector Support Program (JSSP), funded by the U.S. Department of State, Tetra Tech developed the Case Management System (CMS), which allows the Government of Afghanistan (GOA) to compile and analyze justice sector data quickly and accurately. By gathering statistics on nationwide crime, our team and trained operators can monitor the length of time an accused individual has been held without being granted a court appearance. Before CMS this type of information, which is crucial to government transparency and fighting corruption, was maintained in paper records, making it nearly impossible to quickly access information on crime and prisoner records in Afghanistan.

To maintain accurate and up to date records in the CMS, court employees must enter the information in a precise and timely manner. Our team’s CMS advisors are training local operators to ensure this new system is used appropriately.

Unfortunately, regional insecurity, including ongoing armed conflict in some regions of Afghanistan, makes traditional training methods difficult and potentially dangerous. Recognizing the challenges of CMS offices in remote and insecure locations, our team of CMS advisors based in Kandahar and Helmand piloted and conducted training via Skype for four newly hired CMS operators based at the Uruzgan Appellate court. Using these innovative, remote methods of communication to mentor and train government counterparts has become increasingly necessary given reduced accessibility to the most remote CMS locations in the country, especially those considered unsafe such as Uruzgan Province.

This training highlights Tetra Tech’s commitment to continued advancement of justice sector reform, even in an extremely challenging environment. Currently, four newly-trained CMS operators are equipped with the knowledge and skills to properly input court and case information into the CMS, and the efforts for increased transparency and anti-corruption can continue.

Tweet me:Justice Sector Support Program Overcomes Security Challenges - Using technology to reduce insecurity and train local Case Management System operators in #Afghanistan: http://bit.ly/2yxcWWl

KEYWORDS: Tetra Tech, Anti-Corruption, Government transparency, NASDAQ:TTEK

Up With Trees inspired to re-envision program outreach by Trees Forever

SOURCE:Arbor Day Foundation

DESCRIPTION:

This year, Alliance for Community Trees hosted a mentor exchange program for members through a grant from the U.S. Forest Service. The mentor exchange program paired smaller non-profit groups with larger groups and allowed them to learn by travelling to their location and doing a site visit.

Guest post by Steve Grantham, Executive Director, Up With Trees

Before the Mentor Exchange, I had never been to Iowa.  Everything I knew about the Hawkeye State came from following the Iowa Caucuses, watching The Music Man, and being a fan of Big Ten football (GO BLUE!).  Three days in and around Cedar Rapids gave me a newfound respect and love for the state, the people, and the mission of my host, Trees Forever.

If you ever have the chance to talk to Trees Forever’s Executive Director Shannon Ramsey, do it!  Her passion for her community, her knowledge of our industry, and her love for her organization is infectious. 

She and I had the opportunity to discuss their history, their programs, and their vision — a vision that doesn’t stop in Cedar Rapids or even Iowa.  It now stretches into Illinois and Missouri.  I was awed by the maps that show each of the communities their program's impact.  There is not a single county in Iowa without multiple projects active and they have impacted most counties in Illinois.

Read: Nonprofit Partnerships Lead to Meaningful Projects with Employees

My greatest takeaway was their Community Visioning program.  This program brings together a myriad of partners — local communities, Iowa State University, Trees Forever, and the Iowa Department of Transportation are just a few.  The local community engages in a year-long process to set a vision for what their community can look like, feel like, and be, while guided by Trees Forever staff.

I had the chance to meet with a group of volunteers from Central City, Iowa who went through this visioning process.  They shared their experiences and all the good that has come from their collaboration.  We walked the city’s new trails lined with trees and pollinator gardens.  They expressed their city leaders' excitement about the planning – pointing out the new band shell at one end of the green space and explaining the dances and concerts that now take place in the park.

You might say, “Those are all great programs.  But what about the money?”  That was another great takeaway for me.   A major source of funding for this program is the Department of Transportation Enhancement Funds.  These funds help smaller communities establish or improve alternative transportation plans such as trails, bike lanes, and green space.  And, I looked it up — we have access to that through the Oklahoma Department of Transportation too.

As we, Up With Trees, look for ways to continue to grow our programs and reach, the lessons I was able to bring back with me will be invaluable. 

Thank you to Shannon, her staff, and all the Trees Forever family for being wonderful teachers and hosts. And thanks  to the Arbor Day Foundation’s Alliance for Community Trees program for making this exchange possible.  If you ever have the opportunity to stretch yourself, your programs, and your reach, consider an exchange within our tree network.  You will be better for it — I know I am.

Learn how your organization can become an Alliance for Community Trees member, visit arborday.org.

Tweet me:.@alliance4trees Mentor Exchange Program Connects @upwithtrees and @trees_forever together. http://bit.ly/2ytINad

KEYWORDS: community forests, urban forestry, Arbor Day Foundation, Alliance for Community Trees, non-profit

Electronics leader gives back by helping youth lead more confident, less stressful lives

SOURCE:LG Electronics USA, Inc.

DESCRIPTION:

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., October 29, 2018 /3BL Media/ – Since launching the Life’s Good: Experience Happiness initiative a year ago, LG Electronics USA already has reached 530,000 youth across America with Sustainable Happiness Skills. LG has been working to increase awareness and usage of LG Experience Happiness partner programs across the U.S. with a goal of reaching 5.5 million over five years. 

In Englewood and Englewood Cliffs, where the company’s North American Headquarters is located, LG has partnered with public school districts to provide access to a platform from LG Experience Happiness partner Inner Explorer at no cost.  The Inner Explorer platform equips teachers and students with the six Sustainable Happiness Skills, starting with Mindfulness, through daily audio based lessons. 

The Sustainable Happiness Skills have been proven through over 70 years of research to help youth better cope with the variety of stress that they face each day, leading to higher GPAs, fewer behavioral issues and reductions in teacher stress. The six Sustainable Happiness Skills are: mindfulness, human connection, positive outlook, purpose, generosity and gratitude.

In keeping with its commitment to giving back to the community and in support of Englewood Public Schools cutting edge position leveraging the latest learning tools available to help their students shine, LG collaborated to host a conference for more than 200 teachers.  This event was designed to increase awareness of the benefits of mindfulness for students and teachers as well as continue to encourage increase usage among Englewood teachers.  During this event, Inner Explorer's Laurie Grossman highlighted the benefits and the ease in which teachers can access it.

Over half of teens in the U.S. are affected by stress, and many lack the capabilities to manage the daunting pressures and challenges of today's increasingly fast-paced world. Inner Explorer’s series of daily 5-to-10-minute audio-guided mindfulness practices allows students learn to be present in the moment, calm their minds, make better decisions and reflect on ways to live more focused, productive and positive lives.  

With LG's "Life's Good: Experience Happiness" program, Englewood teachers are creating positive atmospheres to benefit their students, their students' families and the larger community.

About LG Electronics: Experience Happiness

“Life’s Good: Experience Happiness” is focused on extending the reach of partner organizations that bring science-based tools for sustainable happiness to youth in the United States. Drawing on research from UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, an organization dedicated to providing science-based insights for a more meaningful life, the LG Experience Happiness platform will provide resources focused on the six skills key to Sustainable Happiness: mindfulness, human connection, positive outlook, purpose, generosity and gratitude. LG Electronics USA – the “Life’s Good” home appliance, mobile communications and consumer electronics company – is leading this initiative, with a goal of reaching 5.5 million youth over five years.

To learn more about “Life’s Good: Experience Happiness,” please visit the website.

Tweet me: .@LGUS #ExperienceHappiness initiative amplifies awareness of research-backed #SustainableHappinessSkills and introduces @InnerExplorer #Mindfulness to help teachers equip students to lead more confident, less stressful lives http://bit.ly/2O6sSDG

Contact Info:

John I. Taylor
LG Electronics USA
+1 (201) 816-2166
John.taylor@lge.com

Angela Thomas
+1 (201) 503-1333
Angela@pranamarketing.com

KEYWORDS: KRX:066570, LG USA, experience happiness, Sustainable Happiness Skills

SOURCE:Subaru of America

DESCRIPTION:

by Josh Moody

Google isn’t the only major corporation taking the initiative on training its future workforce; car manufacturer Subaru announced in September that it was getting in on the action, launching an associate’s degree in automotive technology with Mt. Hood Community College in Oregon.

Read the full article on Forbes.com.

Tweet me:.@Subaru_USA launches associate's degree in #automotivetechnology with @MtHoodCommunity to help meet #workforce needs http://bit.ly/2NpvEn7 @Forbes #automotive #autocareers

KEYWORDS: subaru, Mt. Hood Community College, automotive technology degree

SII Vantage Point Volume 2, Issue 6: Emerging Practices in Long-Term Plans and Measuring Their Impact

SOURCE:CECP: The CEO Force for Good

DESCRIPTION:

In an effort to update corporate leaders and investors on the latest trends and research, the National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI) and the Strategic Investor Initiative (SII) will hold a joint webinar called “Changing the Conversation: Sharing Your Company’s Long-Term Plans.” The online event will take place on November 15, 2018 at 2:00 PM, Eastern time and will address three central themes:

• Evidence: The webinar will include a presentation of SII's research collaboration with Harvard Business School, in which early evidence shows that long-term plans are economically significant (see more below).
• Practitioner perspectives: Investor Relations Officers at leading companies talk about their experience of developing and delivering a long-term plan, and the benefits and institutional learning that came from it.
• Forecasts: What’s next for long-term capital markets? Scaling the long-term plan.

Speakers include:

• Valerie Haertel, IRC, BNY Mellon, Immediate Past Board Chair, NIRI (moderator)
• Anthony Di Meo, Director Investor Relations, BD
• Professor George Serafeim, Harvard Business School
• Amy Springsteel, AVP Corporate Responsibility, Voya Financial
• Mark Tulay, Managing Director, SII, CECP

The event is free and open to the public although registration is required. Register here today!

Click to read the full newsletter, see past issues, and sign-up to receive future issues.

Tweet me:SII's Vantage Point newsletter, Volume 2, Issue 6 is out now: click to read the latest on CEO Investor Forum 5.0, thought leadership on why CEOs should present their long-term plans, and other industry news: http://bit.ly/2RlhyG7

KEYWORDS: long-term value creation, Paul Polman, CECP

SOURCE:Nestlé

DESCRIPTION:

VEVEY, Switzerland, October 29, 2018 /3BL Media/ - Nestlé today joined forces with other businesses and governments in signing The New Plastics Economy Global Commitment ('Global Commitment') at the Our Ocean Conference in Bali, Indonesia.

The Global Commitment is an initiative of The Ellen MacArthur Foundation and UN Environment. It aims to rethink the future of plastics by applying the principles of circular economy, in which plastics never become waste. The Global Commitment represents a powerful framework to work collectively on solutions that address the root causes of plastics waste and pollution.

Nestlé CEO Mark Schneider said, "This Global Commitment is a step-change we urgently need in order to move from a linear to a circular economy. We want to act and lead by example. We will do our part to ensure that none of our packaging, including plastics, ends up in the natural environment."

Nestlé recognizes the need for preventing packaging material ending up as waste. This is the rationale behind Nestlé’s goal to make 100% of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025.

To achieve this goal, Nestlé has embarked on several exciting research and development projects. One of them is the NaturAll Bottle Alliance, which aims to develop 100% bio-based PET to be used for its water business.

Nestlé also continues to play an active role in the development of well-functioning collection, sorting and recycling schemes across the countries where it operates.

Read more about Nestlé’s efforts to improve packaging performance.

Tweet me:.@Nestle steps up efforts in addressing plastics waste and pollution by signing @NewPlasticsEcon's Global Commitment http://bit.ly/2CNT5ow @circulareconomy @UNEnvironment #OurOcean #BeatPlasticPollution #LineInTheSand

Contact Info:

Christoph Meier
+41-219242200

KEYWORDS: Nestle, NaturALL Bottle Alliance, Our Oceans Conference, The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, UN Environment, The New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, plastic waste

Farmers are hungry for innovation. Consumers and our planet will benefit from supporting them!

SOURCE:Bayer

DESCRIPTION:

Tweet me:Farmers are hungry for innovation. Consumers and our planet will benefit from supporting them http://bit.ly/2OepEOL #farming #innovation

KEYWORDS: Future of Agriculture, farming, Bayer, integration of Bayer and Monsanto

How Interns Informed FCA’s Materiality Diagram

SOURCE:FCA US LLC

DESCRIPTION:

Each year at FCA, we put on our creative hats to explore what matters most to the Company, to our stakeholders and to the world in general. This analysis of “materiality” takes many forms: we conduct an online global survey; we benchmark automotive competitors and leading firms from other sectors; we evaluate input from key stakeholders with whom our employees work on a regular basis; we look at global trends and risks. The information we glean from these efforts helps us prioritize our sustainability activities and reporting, as well as set targets to address the material topics that have been identified.

While many of our stakeholder activities are repeated annually for year-over-year tracking, we often try new, unique ways to probe materiality, with a view toward uncovering potential themes that are not yet fully on our radar.

In fact, right now we are running one of our annual surveys and would welcome your feedback. Click here to start this 5-question survey.  

Earlier this year, we turned to our student interns for a fresh look on two critical topics: the future of mobility and human rights in the supply chain. Workshops held in our U.S. technology center served a two-fold purpose: our interns learned about sustainability at FCA, and we, in turn, furthered our understanding of the economic, environmental and social impacts that the company and its stakeholders are facing.  To make things more interesting for all involved, the two events were structured around role-playing.

“Student interns represent a rich cross-section of constituents:  they are members of our workforce during their internship; they are consumers; they are part of the academic community; and they are future leaders in the public and/or private sectors,” said Bill Hall, Director of Sustainability – FCA US. “Bringing together a roomful of energetic, inspired, and purpose-driven interns resulted in a plethora of impassioned opinions and discussion.”

At the first event, the students broke into teams of five, with each assuming the identity of a major player in the automotive eco-system: manufacturer, technology or mobility service provider, utility company, community leader and consumer.  The challenge? Identify what the business of moving people and goods will look like in 2025 from a variety of perspectives, and evaluate how mobility can more explicitly benefit society. 

The teams presented a diverse set of ideas focused on bringing affordable, accessible, efficient, safe and enjoyable mobility to a broader consumer base, while easing urban congestion.  Among the concepts that were explored were autonomous and connected vehicles, shared rides, partial ownership, electrification and the subscription model.

The second workshop consisted of interns working in our Purchasing and Supply Chain Management organizations, whose challenge was the topic of responsible sourcing, specifically related to the safety and integrity of the global supply chain with respect to potential human rights issues. Our interns learned that FCA believes the responsible procurement of raw materials for our vehicles is essential, even if the source of the raw material is several tiers removed in our supply chain.  By taking on the roles of automaker, Tier 1 supplier, sub-Tier supplier, nonprofit organization and worker, the students examined a multi-stakeholder approach to this issue that involves a collaborative effort among the various industries, regulatory agencies, non-government organizations, customers, and suppliers. 

FCA’s intern sustainability activities concluded with the interns responding to our brief online materiality survey. The results of the survey – combined with the themes we heard in the workshops – will help shape our sustainability direction and targets. If you didn’t do so above, you are invited to complete the survey – we welcome your opinion!  Click here to start this 5-question survey. 

Tweet me:Who Says Materiality Can't Be Fun? How @FiatChrysler_NA #Interns Informed Its Materiality Diagram http://bit.ly/2y0U694

Contact Info:

Mary Gauthier
FCA
+1 (248) 622-8243
mary.gauthier@fcagroup.com

KEYWORDS: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, FCA, materiality, Stakeholder engagement, student interns, sustainable mobility, human rights in the supply chain, responsible procurement, Sustainability Survey

SOURCE:Carnival Corporation & plc

DESCRIPTION:

October 29, 2018 /3BL Media/ - The cruise company AIDA Cruises has once more received the German Fairness Award 2018. In cooperation with the n-tv news station, the German Institute for Service Quality conducted a comprehensive survey among more than 50,000 consumers on the topic of fairness with regard to over 500 companies. AIDA again achieved first place, and is therefore the best-rated company in the cruise sector.

“For AIDA Cruises, transparency is one of the most important considerations in responsible corporate governance. We consequently cultivate an open, respectful interaction with our business partners, our guests and with diverse interest groups, “said Hansjörg Kunze, AIDA Cruises' Vice President Communication & Sustainability.

Companies who are particularly fair to the consumer and who set standards in their industry are honored in this way. The Germany-wide survey focused on such topics as the price/benefit ratio, the reliability of the products, services or company statements as well as the transparency in the information about pricing, product and contractual responsibilities.

Since 2007, AIDA Cruises has documented its commitment to the environment and society in a transparent manner in its annual Sustainability Report “AIDA cares”. The latest report from 2018 can be found online at www.aida.de/aidacares.

Rostock, October 29, 2018

About AIDA Cruises:

AIDA Cruises is one of the fastest growing and commercially most successful tourism businesses in Germany. The company employs about 11,400 people from 40 countries on shore and on board AIDA ships. With currently twelve cruise ships, AIDA operates one of the most state-of-the-art fleets in the world. Three new ships built at the Meyer shipyard in Papenburg (Germany) will join the fleet by 2023. From 2018 on, AIDA Cruises will be the world’s first cruise line capable of powering its new generation of ships with LNG (liquefied natural gas) at shore and at sea. More information at www.aida.de

Tweet me:.@CarnivalPLC and @Aida_de have been awarded the German Fairness Award for the fifth time in a row http://bit.ly/2OdsJ1e

Contact Info:

Claire West
+1 (214) 208-3718
claire@ldwwgroup.com

KEYWORDS: German Fairness Award 2018, Service Quality, Consumer Fairness, responsible corporate governance, price benefit ratio, information transparancy, AIDA Cares, Carnival Corporation & plc

SOURCE:America's Charities

DESCRIPTION:

The number of new cancer diagnoses is increasing. In 2018, more than 1.7 million Americans will be diagnosed with cancer – that’s 46,570 more cases than in 2017. This increase in diagnoses is proof that prevention and early detection are more critical now than ever. And research shows that up to 50 percent of cancer cases and about 50 percent of cancer deaths are preventable with the knowledge we have today.

In addition to the personal health implications, the cost of health care continues to be a looming issue. The implications are staggering, as cancer costs are projected to reach $157 billion per year by the year 2020. 

Addressing this issue is the Prevent Cancer Foundation®, which is working to reduce the cancer mortality rate by focusing on research, education, outreach and advocacy for cancer prevention, and for early detection when cancers are most treatable.

Dedication to Cancer Prevention and Early Detection

It is hard to find someone who has not been impacted by cancer.the Prevent Cancer Foundation® has helped develop a body of knowledge that has led to new vaccines, the understanding of food’s impact on health, new and improved screening options and successful awareness and screening programs. The Foundation continues to educate all populations on reducing their cancer risk and supports research that demonstrates potential for impact on cancer prevention.

Since 1985, the Prevent Cancer Foundation’s peer-reviewed research and fellowship grants have been awarded to nearly 450 early-career scientists from more than 150 of the leading academic medical centers nationwide, and since 2007 the Foundation has awarded grants to organizations in 30 states, tribes and territories, who are doing extraordinary work in at-risk communities to expand education, screenings and vaccinations that are needed to prevent cancer or detect it early. The Foundation has also expanded its reach internationally through grants to programs in Mozambique, Ghana and Kenya.

You have the power to save lives and change the future by supporting the Prevent Cancer Foundation® through workplace giving. There are many ways your donation can help the Prevent Cancer Foundation®. Each dollar you donate helps us to Stop Cancer Before It Starts!®

For example:

• $2 can provide one copy of Stop Cancer Before It Starts!® A Guide to Preventing Cancer (available in five languages)  
• $25 can provide a skin cancer screening
• $35 can cover one Breast Health Education for Young Women Facilitator’s Guide to provide sessions encouraging young women to advocate for their health (in English or Spanish)
• $75 can cover one hepatitis B screening test for an at-risk individual
• $150 can cover one breast cancer screening

Support the Prevent Cancer Foundation® through your employee giving program:

As a donor, you can support the Prevent Cancer Foundation® by donating to them through your employer’s workplace giving program (CFC# 11074 if you're a military or federal employee participating in the Combined Federal Campaign). Payroll pledges made through employer-sponsored charitable giving programs represent a cost effective and near effortless way to support your favorite charities.

As the Prevent Cancer Foundation® workplace giving partner, America’s Charities can help your company design and implement a program centered on supporting their work - through workplace giving campaigns, employee fundraising, cause-focused signature programs, volunteerism, donation drives, matching gifts, Dollars-for-Doers, In-Kind Giving and other employee engagement and philanthropic initiatives. Click here to request a demo and learn how we can help you do this.

Tweet me:.@AmerCharities @PreventCancer: About 50 Percent of Cancer Deaths are Preventable. Here’s How We Can Stop Cancer Before It Starts! https://impact.ac/2AyLk4i #1DollarBringsUsCloser #WorkplaceGiving #ImpactThatMatters

KEYWORDS: America’s Charities, workplace giving, employee giving, Corporate Social Responsibility, charity vetting, payroll deduction giving, Fundraising, Prevent Cancer Foundation

Partnership Will Distribute Free Trees to Texas Residents Affected by Hurricane Harvey

SOURCE:Arbor Day Foundation

DESCRIPTION:

HOUSTON, October 30, 2018 /3BL Media/ – The NASCAR Green Race for Trees Campaign – a sustainability partnership between the Arbor Day Foundation, NASCAR, Texas A&M Forest Service, Texas A&M AgriLife and Harris County Master Gardener Association - will distribute 500 new trees this year to homeowners in Houston.

Texas residents can come out to Hermann Park on Arbor Day, Saturday, November 3, from 9 a.m. until noon, where the NASCAR Green Race for Trees Campaign will be distributing free trees in order to replace those that were damaged and destroyed in the area by Hurricane Harvey.

“We’re excited to be joining the Arbor Day Foundation once again along with our partner’s Hotels for Hope and Safety Kleen to help people negatively affected by Hurricane Harvey,” said Catherine Kummer, Senior Director, Green Innovation, NASCAR. “Over the past five years NASCAR has worked with Arbor Day Foundation to support local communities devastated by natural disasters and we are hopeful this effort helps bring some normalcy and comfort back to the residents in Houston.”

Hurricane Harvey was a category 4 storm that hit Texas on August 25, 2017, and caused $125 billion in damage, according to the National Hurricane Center. Harvey made landfall three times in six days and at its peak, on September 1, 2017, one-third of Houston was underwater. In the first 24 hours, two feet of rain fell and flooding forced 39,000 people out of their homes and into shelters while more than 200,000 homes were damaged during the storm.

“The people of Texas have suffered great personal and physical loss,” said Dan Lambe, Arbor Day Foundation President. “By replanting, we strive to bring healing and hope to the people and the communities in which they live as well as help return the beauty and the value trees bring back to their properties.”

In order to help these communities, the Arbor Day Foundation has their Community Tree Recovery program, a national program underwritten by FedEx and foundation members, which aims to replace trees in communities affected by natural disasters throughout the United States. The program has held more than 775 events, distributing more than 5 million trees since its inception in 2012.

To donate to the recovery efforts supported by this campaign or others across the country please visit www.arborday.org/recovery. 

About the Arbor Day Foundation

Founded in 1972, the Arbor Day Foundation has grown to become the largest nonprofit membership organization dedicated to planting trees, with more than one million members, supporters, and valued partners. Their vision is to help others understand and use trees as a solution to many of the global issues we face today, including air quality, water quality, climate change, deforestation, poverty and hunger. As one of the world’s largest operating conservation foundations, the Arbor Day Foundation educates and engages stakeholders and communities across the globe to involve themselves in its mission of planting, nurturing and celebrating trees. More information is available at arborday.org

About NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States. NASCAR consists of three national series (Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series™), four regional series, one local grassroots series and three international series. The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. Based in Daytona Beach, Fla., with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).

###

Tweet me:.@NASCAR Continues Sustainability Efforts with @arborday. http://bit.ly/2CPtYC5

Contact Info:

Danny Cohn
Arbor Day Foundation
+1 (402) 473-9563
dcohn@arborday.org

KEYWORDS: Arbor Day Foundation, NASCAR, sustainability

SOURCE:World Wildlife Fund

SUMMARY:

• Populations of mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians have, on average, declined in size by 60 percent in just over 40 years.
• The biggest drivers of current biodiversity loss are overexploitation and agriculture, both linked to continually increasing human consumption.
• Given the interconnectivity between the health of nature, the well-being of people and the future of our planet, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) urges the global community to unite for a global deal for nature and people to reverse the trend of biodiversity loss.

DESCRIPTION:

GLAND, Switzerland, October 31, 2018 /3BL Media/ - Humanity and the way we feed, fuel and finance our societies and economies is pushing nature and the services that power and sustain us to the brink, according to WWF’sLiving Planet Report 2018. The report presents a sobering picture of the impact of human activity on the world’s wildlife, forests, oceans, rivers and climate, underlining the rapidly closing window for action and the urgent need for the global community to collectively rethink and redefine how we value, protect and restore nature.

The Living Planet Report 2018 presents a comprehensive overview of the state of our natural world, through multiple indicators including the Living Planet Index (LPI), which examines trends in global wildlife abundance. Tracking 16,704 populations of 4,005 vertebrate species, the LPI finds that global populations of mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians have declined, on average, by 60 percent between 1970 and 2014, the most recent year with available data.

The top threats to species identified in the report are directly linked to human activities, including habitat loss and degradation and overexploitation of wildlife.

“This report sounds a warning shot across our bow. Natural systems essential to our survival – forests, oceans, and rivers – remain in decline. Wildlife around the world continue to dwindle,” said Carter Roberts, President and CEO of WWF-US. “It reminds us we need to change course. It’s time to balance our consumption with the needs of nature, and to protect the only planet that is our home.”

Over recent decades, human activity has also severely impacted the habitats and natural resources wildlife and humanity depend on, such as oceans, forests, coral reefs, wetlands and mangroves. The Earth is estimated to have lost about half of its shallow water corals in the past 30 years and 20 percent of the Amazon has disappeared in just 50 years.

“From rivers and rainforests, to mangroves and mountainsides, across the planet our work shows that wildlife abundance has declined dramatically since 1970. The statistics are scary, but all hope is not lost. We have an opportunity to design a new path forward that allows us to co-exist sustainably with the wildlife we depend upon. Our report sets out an ambitious agenda for change. We are going to need your help to achieve it,” said Prof. Ken Norris, Director of Science at the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), the organization responsible for providing the LPI.

The Living Planet Report 2018 also focuses on the value of nature to people’s health and that of our societies and economies. Globally, nature provides services worth around $125 trillion a year, while also helping ensure the supply of fresh air, clean water, food, energy, medicines and more.

A roadmap for action on nature - for 2020 and beyond

Evidence shows that the two agendas for the environment and human development must converge if we are to build a sustainable future for all. The Living Planet Report 2018 highlights the opportunity the global community has to protect and restore nature leading up to 2020, a critical year when leaders are expected to review the progress made on landmark multilateral pacts to solve global challenges including the Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Climate Agreement and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

Hope is not lost, but urgent action is needed. Recent population increases in giant pandas, mountain gorillas and the critically endangered dolphins of the Mekong River show that sustained conservation efforts work. National-level action like the US Endangered Species Act  - which since enacted in 1973 has helped an estimated 99 percent of listed species avoid extinction – demonstrate what is possible when wildlife conservation and biodiversity are prioritized. A global deal for nature, similar to the Paris Climate Agreement, can ensure that effective conservation methods continue, and more ambitious goals are set.

WWF is calling on people, businesses and governments to mobilize and deliver on a comprehensive framework agreement for nature and people under the CBD. This can galvanize public and private action to protect and restore global biodiversity and nature and bend the curve on the devastating trends highlighted in the report.

The Living Planet Report 2018 is the twelfth edition of WWF's biennial flagship publication. Through indicators such as the LPI, the Species Habitat Index (SHI), the IUCN Red List Index (RLI) and the Biodiversity Intactness Index (BII), as well as Planetary Boundaries and the Ecological Footprint, the report paints a singular disturbing picture: human activity is pushing the planet’s natural systems that support life on earth to the edge.

Tweet me:Populations of mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians have, on average, declined in size by 60 percent in just over 40 years, according to WWF's Living Planet Report 2018 http://bit.ly/2Dbbfl8

Contact Info:

Elizabeth Davis
World Wildlife Fund
+1 (202) 495-4415
elizabeth.davis@wwfus.org

Katie Walsh
World Wildlife Fund
+1 (202) 495-4441
kathryn.walsh@wwfus.org

KEYWORDS: 2018 Living Planet Report, State of the Planet, global deal for nature, species, Wildlife, World Wildlife Fund

RBA 2018 Awards recognize CSR leadership, innovation and implementation

SOURCE:Responsible Business Alliance

DESCRIPTION:

ALEXANDRIA, Va., October 30, 2018 /3BL Media/ -- The Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) today announced the winners of its inaugural Compass Awards program recognizing corporate social responsibility (CSR) excellence across three categories: Leadership, Innovation and Implementation.

The primary objective of the Compass Awards is to recognize efforts of RBA members, their factories and suppliers that lead to meaningful, positive change in line with the RBA's vision and mission. The award submissions will also serve as examples of successful actions that other companies can emulate.

The RBA received 55 entries, nearly 20 in each category, which were reviewed and scored by an independent panel of judges from intergovernmental organizations and civil society. The winners were announced during a ceremony at the RBA’s annual conference, Responsible Business 2018, in Santa Clara, California.

• Leadership Winner: Intel– Eliminating Forced Labor in the ICT Supply Chain
• Innovation Winner: Dell– Innovatively Creating Value From Waste Using Sustainable Materials
• Implementation Winner: Jabil– The Jabil Family Looks After Your Family

“We are grateful to all of the companies that submitted entries to the awards and the independent judges for their thoughtful evaluations,” said Rob Lederer, Executive Director of the Responsible Business Alliance. “The 2018 Compass Awards winners stood out with extraordinary commitments and impact, and we look forward to sharing their stories with the wider membership of the RBA.”

The positive impact reflected in the collective 55 Compass Awards applications is immense, affecting hundreds of thousands of people across at least 15 countries. The RBA plans to publish a compendium in 2019 highlighting many of these best practices, which can serve as inspiration and guidance for like-minded companies as they develop their own programs.
 

About the RBA

The Responsible Business Alliance (RBA), formerly the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition (EICC), is a nonprofit coalition of leading companies dedicated to improving social, environmental and ethical conditions in their global supply chains. RBA members commit and are held accountable to a common Code of Conduct and utilize a range of programs, training and assessment tools to support continuous improvement. The RBA is comprised of more than 140 members with combined annual revenue of greater than $5 trillion and directly employing over 6 million people. For more information, visit ResponsibleBusiness.org and follow @RBAllianceOrg.
 

Media Contact

Jarrett Bens, Director of Communications
Responsible Business Alliance
Phone: +1 571.858.5721
jbens@responsiblebusiness.org

Tweet me:Congratulations @RBAllianceOrg Compass Awards winners! http://bit.ly/2Oe2gRx #SupplyChain #CSR

KEYWORDS: Responsible Business Alliance

SOURCE:World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF)

SUMMARY:

Farmers in Uganda are learning new ways of managing their bees, avoiding conflict and making more money thanks to the help of an ‘innovation platform’.

DESCRIPTION:

by May Muthuri

“When we decided to build a bee house, fellow community members thought it was impractical and unwise. But since we saw a snippet of its advantages during a tour in Western Uganda, nothing would deter us from pursuing this new venture. Why shouldn’t we benefit from the same?” said William Sabila, a Honey Innovation Platform facilitator, during a field visit to Kapchorwa District, Uganda, with representatives from Landcare Australia and the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF).

It was always the norm to construct bee hives but members of this platform, having participated in the tour, were eager to learn more about how to build a house for their hives.

The Developing Value Chain Innovation Platforms to Improve Food Security project, which is funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), and the Kapchorwa District Landcare Chapter carried out training in basic beekeeping, such as siting a hive, characteristics of a good hive, forage, handling pests and diseases, constructing a bee house and the best ways of managing hives for maximum benefits.

The tour and subsequent training served as eye openers to the greater incentives when a group invests in a bee house.

“We have always been at the mercy of hive thieves, honey badgers and pests like ants, wasps, termites, birds and mould that grows inside the hive due to moisture,” explained Sabila. “Most hives are placed at suitable heights for ease of access and management, but this means frequent thefts.”

Bee houses partly came about owing to the advantage of having healthy, strong and rapidly expanding colonies, which translates to high yields. Moreover, having bee hives secured under lock and key in cost-effective structures, assures farmers of quality yields due to reproductive cycles.

Geared up to put their new knowledge into practice, members of the Honey Innovation Platform constructed two bee houses simultaneously on their own volition through member contributions.

“The training was meant to encourage members to take up enterprises as businesses and think of investing in them by themselves. The investment is in the form of equipment and tools as well as business documents. In this case, the investment was a bee house,” explained Clement Okia, the project manager and ICRAF Uganda representative.

The innovation platform members had to be creative in acquiring funds to set up the bee houses by tasking each member with the challenge of raising certain amounts based on their capabilities. The platform members were also categorical when selecting the house locations to ensure they leveraged on other newly discovered innovations: proximity to the forest and river banks, availability of bee forage and plantings of Calliandra calothyrus, an agroforestry tree, and Lavendula augustifolia, popularly known as lavender, to provide nectar.

“The training we received gave us so many options on how to increase the quality and quantity of honey,” said Sabila. “We had no idea that bees would colonise much faster when located near river banks and the forest, because then they have diverse nectar opportunities and water. Neither did we know that Calliandra can improve the quality and increase the quantity of honey. When bees suck the nectar from this tree species, we are assured of pure natural honey as we have seen tremendous transformation when we feed our livestock with Calliandra as fodder.”

These were the first bee houses in the area and they sparked a lot of interest from both neighbouring and far-off communities in Kapchorwa and the greater Sebei region.

“Most beehives are already colonised, only nine hives remain from 135 hives sited,” explained Sabila. “We are about to reap what we have worked hard for. Each hive produces 15 to 20 litres of processed honey on average, and one litre is sold at UGX 4000 [≈ USD 1]. With a total of 135 hives, we are assured of at least 300 litres and UGX 12 million (≈ USD 3165) when we harvest. We will share the knowledge and lessons learned with other innovation platforms and individual farmers because there is a fortune to be made by investing in a bee house.”

Whilst there may be additional costs in maintaining the two structures, the challenges facing the bee farmers have been greatly reduced, they are no longer at loggerheads with the Uganda Wildlife Authority regarding use of the forests, and it will be easier transferring bees to another hive, a step or two away from the other, to commence the harvesting process.

Developing Value Chain Innovation Platform for Food Security is a research-in-development project funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research. The four-year project aims to identify principles and drivers that support scalable establishment of effective and equitable innovation platforms that enhance food security through greater engagement of smallholder farmers with market access in Uganda and Zambia. ICRAF is the lead implementer. Partners include the Copper Belt University in Zambia, Makerere University in Uganda, Adelaide University in Australia, National Forestry Resources Research Institute in Uganda, Zambia Agricultural Research Institute, Kapchorwa District Landcare Chapter in Uganda and Landcare International.

About The World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF)

The World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) is a centre of scientific excellence that harnesses the benefits of trees for people and the environment. Knowledge produced by ICRAF enables governments, development agencies and farmers to utilize the power of trees to make farming and livelihoods more environmentally, socially and economically sustainable at multiple scales. ICRAF is one of the 15 members of the CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food-secure future. We thank all donors who support research in development through their contributions to the CGIAR Fund.

Tweet me:#Farmers in #Uganda are learning new ways of managing their #bees and making more money, thanks to the help of an innovation platform funded by @ACIARAustralia. http://bit.ly/2ODSE7A @ICRAF #foodsecurity #honey

KEYWORDS: World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), bees, Bee Houses, honey, uganda, lavender, food security