Wells Fargo Mobile Response Unit to be stationed in Panama City to provide assistance to consumer and small business loan customers

SOURCE:Wells Fargo & Company

DESCRIPTION:

PANAMA CITY, Fla., November 2, 2018 /3BL Media/ - Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) today announced it has deployed its Mobile Response Unit to provide housing recovery assistance as well as help for auto, credit card, personal lines/loan, student loan and small business loan customers in the Panhandle and surrounding areas impacted by Hurricane Michael.

The Wells Fargo Mobile Response Unit will be stationed at the following location:

• 112 W. 23rd Street, Panama City, FL 32405

Customers can receive in-person assistance from 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. Central time weekdays, and from

9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Central time Saturdays, beginning Wednesday, Oct. 31.

“We want our customers in the Panhandle and surrounding areas who have been impacted by Hurricane Michael to know that we’re here to support them,” said Kelly Smith, Region Bank president for North Florida. “The deployment of our Mobile Response Unit to Panama City reflects our commitment to helping these customers recover as quickly as possible.”

Wells Fargo’s Mobile Response Unit is a 75-foot, heavy-duty commercial “office on wheels” designed to bring valuable information directly to Wells Fargo customers after a disaster. The Mobile Response Unit has private offices and is equipped with computers and cellular data feed with satellite backup. It is powered by self-contained generators. Specialized team members on board are prepared to provide in-person assistance to a variety of customers, including:

• Home mortgage and home equity customers
• Auto loan customers
• Credit card customers
• Personal line of credit/loan customers
• Student loan customers
• Small business loan customers

Wells Fargo’s deployment of its Mobile Response Unit to the Panhandle follows the company’s donation of $1 million to support Hurricane Michael relief efforts, with $500,000 going to the American Red Cross and the remaining $500,000 to be disbursed in the coming weeks to nonprofits located in affected communities.

Disaster Relief Customer Assistance Information

Wells Fargo is committed to providing support to customers and clients affected by Hurricane Michael, including reversing certain fees — such as late fees — for our lending products, including credit cards, auto loans, personal loans and lines of credit, and waiving Wells Fargo fees for customers using non-Wells Fargo ATMs. Customers who want to discuss their financial needs should call 800-TO-WELLS (800-869-3557), available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Wells Fargo Home Mortgage and Home Equity customers can contact Wells Fargo to discuss potential payment and disaster assistance options or access information at Disaster Assistance and Property Damage Support site.

• Home Mortgage: 888-818-9147, Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Central time, and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Central time.
• Home Equity: 1-866-355-1540, Monday through Thursday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central time, and Friday 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Central time.

Auto loan customers can request payment assistance for up to 90 days and discuss available options for the filing of a Guaranteed Asset Protection (GAP) claim, if applicable.

• Auto loan customers: 800-289-8004, Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Central time, and Saturday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Central time.

Wells Fargo Consumer Lending customers (credit card, retail services, student loans, personal loans and lines of credit) who are affected by the Hurricane can request payment assistance and waiving of fees for up to 90 days.

• Personal loans: 877-269-6056, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central time, and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Central time.
• Personal lines of credit: 800-946-2626, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
• Credit cards: Call the number on the back of the card or call Wells Fargo at 800-642-4720 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
• Education financial services: 800-658-3567, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Central time.

Wells Fargo Small Business Lending customers who are affected by the Hurricane can request a payment deferment and waiver of late fees for up to 90 days on their Small Business Line of Credit, Small Business Credit Card, Commercial Loan, Wells Fargo BusinessLoan^® Term Loan, Business PrimeLoan, Equipment Express^® Loan, Commercial Equity Line of Credit, Commercial Real Estate Loan, FastFlex^® Small Business Loan or FastFlex^® Small Business Line of Credit. Customers can contact the National Business Banking Center at 800-225-5935, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Retail small business customers impacted by the hurricane are encouraged to call Wells Fargo, 800-225-5935, for more information and to discuss their options. Wells Fargo Insurance Services has also contacted clients in impacted areas to provide support and expertise.

Customers in the impacted area who participate in an employer-sponsored 401(k) plan provided by Wells Fargo may be eligible to access their retirement savings. For more information, customers should call 800-728-3123.

Customers of Wells Fargo Merchant Services who are in need of assistance with their merchant processing due to the impact of Hurricane Michael can call 800-451-5817. Affected merchant customers who contact Wells Fargo by Nov. 16 can receive a complimentary Clover^® Go card reader that works with a mobile device and, will enable their business to accept card payments. The one-time cost for the card reader is waived; however, payment processing costs from using the card reader will still apply, as will cellular service data rates as described by the provider.

About Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.9 trillion in assets. Wells Fargo’s vision is to satisfy our customers’ financial needs and help them succeed financially. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, investment and mortgage products and services, as well as consumer and commercial finance, through 8,050 locations, 13,000 ATMs, the internet (wellsfargo.com) and mobile banking, and has offices in 38 countries and territories to support customers who conduct business in the global economy. With approximately 265,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 26 on Fortune’s 2018 rankings of America’s largest corporations. News, insights and perspectives from Wells Fargo are also available at Wells Fargo Stories.

Tweet me:.@WellsFargo Deploys Mobile Response Unit to Panhandle to Help Customers Impacted by #HurricaneMichael http://bit.ly/2CWxBGa

KEYWORDS: Wells Fargo, hurricane michael, disaster relief, NYSE:WFC

SOURCE:MilliporeSigma

DESCRIPTION:

The Curiosity Cube™ mobile science lab recently visited Alexander B. Bruce School in Lawrence, Massachusetts. The school captured their experience in this video. Check it out!

Tweet me:.@MilliporeSigma’s #CuriosityCube recently visited students in #Lawrence, #Massachusetts. See the mobile science lab in action, courtesy of @LPS_Education: https://bit.ly/2EW0O6Y #SPARKCuriosity

KEYWORDS: Curiosity Cube, Mobile science lab, STEM Education, MilliporeSigma, Lawrence Public Schools, Bruce School, Boston, Hands-on Learning

By Jessamine Chin, Director, VMware Foundation

SOURCE:VMware

DESCRIPTION:

Technology has the power to unlock amazing new possibilities for our customers and the world. Through pro bono service learning, we translate the incredible potential of digital transformation from the corporate sector to our communities. Recently, I was fortunate to see this potential unfold—and watch a community transform.

Havre sits in the rural plains of Montana. It was built around the Great Northern Railway, which runs through town bringing cargo from coast to coast. Havre is surrounded by both farms and Native American reservations. The nearest regional airport is a two-hour drive west, and the winters are quite harsh. About 40 percent of the Havre Public Schools students qualify for free and reduced lunch, and 35-40 percent of students are of American Indian descent. Without the resources or proximity afforded to many larger and urban school districts, Havre, with a population of roughly 10,000, has one of the most innovative school districts I have encountered.

We initially began working with Havre Public Schools because they were already on the path to digital transformation. As a rural school district with limited resources, they had already reached nearly 1:1 device per student and already ran VMware software. After initial conversations and a more detailed discovery assessment, it became obvious there was significant potential for VMware to accelerate the school district’s digital transformation through a pro bono service learning engagement.

People + Technology: A Winning Combination for Digital Transformation
From June through August, a team of 12 VMware people worked with Havre Public Schools in the rural plains of Montana, in conjunction with the nonprofits Team4Tech and the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN). The team’s objectives were to:

1. Digitally transform the school district’s infrastructure.
2. Accelerate the use of technology to supplement and enhance teacher and student experiences.

As a multi-faceted collaboration, many organizations led to the success of our pro bono engagement with Havre Public Schools. With tight budgets, the school district’s IT staff operated outdated, out-of-warranty versions of VMware software. To bring the district further along its digital journey, the VMware Foundation donated current versions of VMware vSphere, VMware vRealize Operations and VMware vCenter. Dell Corporate Giving donated new servers that enabled the updated software to function. Further extending the ripple effects of our engagement, the CoSN team plans to use the lessons learned in Havre to create resources for similar rural school districts.

As part of their pro bono engagement with Havre Public Schools, the VMware team employed the Solution Development Framework, a phased approach to discover, design, implement and maintain sustainable solutions that meet nonprofit needs. Detailed in research findings published by the VMware Foundation and Taproot Foundation, Transforming Technology Pro Bono, this practical guide to approaching tech pro bono engagements is intended to bridge the gap between tech employees’ and nonprofit staffs’ knowledge and understanding of the potential impacts of nonprofit digital transformation.

Following this methodology, our diverse and cross-functional VMware team used a customer-centric lens to discover the unique needs of Havre Public Schools. By taking the time to learn about the environment in which we were working, getting to know the various stakeholders involved and listening to their unique challenges, we co-designed solutions that fit Havre Public Schools’ needs. Taking the time for proper discovery assessment and design phases led to a much smoother implementation that will have lasting impact and will be more feasibly maintained over time.

Making a Lasting Impact that Changes Lives
By applying their skills and talents in a different setting, the VMware team learned and developed alongside the teachers and administration in Havre. “I learned that you can deliver far more than you could ever imagine when you believe in yourself as much as you believe in the cause. That positive impact is multiplied when you add other like-minded colleagues with diverse skillsets and backgrounds, combined with an excellent support structure,” says California-based Carolyn Taylor, VMware Director, Global Compliance Services.

This was also an opportunity for the VMware team to embody the values, skills and mindsets inherent in the company’s Leadership Code and EPIC2 values. As summarized by Bulgaria-based Miriana Nedeva, VMware Technical Writer, “All of our team members shared the same values: passion for serving others, attention to detail, trying to always be attentive to the quality of the work, having strong moral principles, being customer-centric and having a strong sense of community on a global scale.”

“Ultimately, it is the relationships and personal interaction that makes learning meaningful and lasting. This amazing group of people consistently demonstrated this truth in every interaction they had with our staff, students and community,” says Carlson.

Aligned with VMware’s focus on creating a better future for the company, the planet and the global community, the software solutions utilized in this pro bono effort will enable Havre Public Schools to operate more efficiently so school district staff and administration can focus on creating value for their students versus operating their technology.

Our work with Havre Public Schools is a great example of the potential of pro bono service learning. While nonprofit digital transformation is uniquely aligned with VMware’s capabilities, every organization has the potential to utilize their talents to effect positive change by collaborating with nonprofits in their communities. Across industries, employing a customer-centric approach ensures that we achieve the best and most sustainable solutions.

Tweet me:Through #probono #servicelearning, @VMware translates the incredible potential of #digitaltransformation from the corporate sector to #communities. http://bit.ly/2DhdUdk

KEYWORDS: VMware, Havre Public Schools, Montana, digital transformation

SOURCE:Cisco Systems Inc.

DESCRIPTION:

This post was written by guest blogger Zev Lowe, VP of Growth and Impact at AtmaGo.

Globally, disasters and humanitarian crises are on the rise. In the last 10 years, disasters have caused US$1.4 trillion in damage and affected 1.7 billion people. In the last two months alone, the United States has been hit by Hurricanes Michael and Florence, and Indonesia has been devastated by earthquakes and tsunamis.

Technology can help us prepare for and recover from disasters. In fact, billions of people already have a powerful tool in their hands — mobile phones.

With support from the Cisco Foundation, award-winning nonprofit Atma Connect has created AtmaGo, an app optimized for phones using low-bandwidth connections. AtmaGo has served over 1 million people in Indonesia, providing them with disaster alerts and allowing them to share information about roads and infrastructure, job fairs, entrepreneurship, and government services.

An independently conducted study by the Centre for Innovation Policy and Governance (CIPG) in Indonesia reveals the three ways technology can help in a disaster.

1. Technology helps build community before disaster strikes

Even before the tsunami in Sulawesi or the earthquakes in Lombok, 79% of users found AtmaGo “very” and “extremely” helpful in connecting them with the community. AtmaGo users would regularly share information about road conditions, career and small business opportunities, as well as municipal services.

The app allowed users to build trust and familiarity, so that those social ties existed when they needed them most. As a result, 68% of users report sharing posts from AtmaGo with an average of 28 other people, quickly and efficiently spreading news and information during emergencies.

After natural disasters — from the 1995 heat wave in Chicago to the catastrophic 2011 tsunami in Japan to Hurricane Sandy that hit the Atlantic coast in 2012 — communities with robust social networks had lower mortality and bounced back more quickly from disaster. A study of over 180 municipalities in Japan showed that social ties, interaction, and shared norms created an environment where communities worked effectively to help each other as family, friends, and neighbors.

2. With technology, we can act on critical, trusted information

By integrating emergency alerts into AtmaGo, the app increased the amount of critical and trusted information available to users. As a result of emergency alerts and related disaster recovery information, 93% of survey respondents moved valuable items, 83% evacuated, and 45% warned others in the face of certain catastrophe.

In the quest towards building healthier and more resilient communities, AtmaGo adds a critical piece to the puzzle by providing users with actionable information to more easily evacuate, change their routes, and escape hazards such as flooding. The study calculates that using AtmaGo adds an estimated 643 years of healthy life per 100,000 people.

3. Technology empowers us to be the change

While government bodies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) strive to provide emergency assistance, it can take time to mobilize aid from outside the affected community. In emergencies, mobilizing and organizing from within the community can make a substantial difference.

AtmaGo users turned to the platform to connect with others, offering to share their own resources. The 2018 tsunami in Sulawesi is estimated to have killed 2,256 people, injured another 4,612, and displaced 223,751 people from their homes. In the aftermath of that disaster, AtmaGo user Ella Naila offered her home as a makeshift command center for 50 humanitarian workers .

On the Indonesian island of Lombok, after a series of earthquakes in July 2018, a local resident named Sanisah started using AtmaGo to organize activities to help disaster victims, and to share the latest on community conditions. Ella Naila and Sanisah weren’t alone, though; 31% of users reported using AtmaGo to invite neighbors to pre- and post-disaster activities, such as clearing storm-water drains to reduce flooding.

Ella Naila and Sanisah are just two examples of the strong female presence on AtmaGo. These women, and many others like them, build community before a disaster, and then step into action in the immediate aftermath.

Given that women and children are 14 times more likely to die in a disaster than men, it is particularly important that any disaster relief and resilience effort center the needs of women. As a proud member of the United Nations Women’s Global Innovation Coalition for Change, Cisco is proud of these AtmaGo users who embody the powerful combination of women and technology.

Daryn Kagan, a journalist, once said, “Bad things do happen in the world…but out of those situations always arise stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things.” These ordinary people are AtmaGo users. It is now more possible than ever for ordinary people like these to use the tools at their disposal — like AtmaGo — to help them do extraordinary things to build a more resilient world.

Here are 3 things you can do to join this global movement today:

• Follow Atma Connect on Facebookand Twitter
• Read the study
• Share a link to the study or to this post on social media. 
  • Sample Tweet: How can mobile phones improve disaster preparedness? Find out in a new study released today. #neighborshelpingneighbors @AtmaGoApp @AtmaConnect https://atmaconnect.org/press/

Tweet me:How can mobile phones improve disaster preparedness? Find out in a new study released today. #neighborshelpingneighbors @AtmaGoApp @AtmaConnect @CiscoCSR http://bit.ly/2JBX0q2

KEYWORDS: Cisco, NASDAQ:CSCO, cisco csr

Through a new $21 Million, Four-Year Investment, Amgen Scholars Program to Reach Additional 1,500 Undergraduates

SOURCE:Amgen Foundation

SUMMARY:

Nearly 4,000 Undergraduates From More Than 700 Colleges and Universities Have Participated to Date

Alumni Pursuing Advanced Scientific Degrees and Careers Across the U.S. and Globe

DESCRIPTION:

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif., November 2, 2018 /3BL Media/ – The Amgen Foundation today announced the expansion of the Amgen Scholars Program, a hands-on research program that allows undergraduates to spend a summer at one of many of the world’s premier research institutions. The new four-year, $21 million commitment brings the program to a total of 24 elite institutions across the U.S., Europe, Asia and, for the first time, Australia and Canada. Over the next four years an additional 1,500 undergraduates from hundreds of colleges and universities will have the chance to engage in research opportunities in biomedical and biotechnology fields. This brings the Amgen Foundation’s total investment in the Amgen Scholars Program to $74 million over 16 years, reaching 5,400 undergraduates.

This signature initiative builds upon the Amgen Foundation’s mission to advance excellence in science education and empower tomorrow’s innovators, a goal to which the Foundation has contributed nearly $150 million globally to date. Eight new Amgen Scholars partners—Duke University, Johns Hopkins University, National University of Singapore, Tsinghua University, University of Melbourne, University of Toronto, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and Yale University—will join the already distinguished group of host institutions, which includes Harvard University, National Institutes of Health, University of Cambridge and the University of Tokyo, among others.

“As the pace of innovation increases, so too does the need to educate the scientists of tomorrow,” said Robert A. Bradway, chairman and chief executive officer at Amgen. “We look forward to further expanding the reach of the Amgen Scholars Program, which has already provided research opportunities to thousands of talented undergraduates at premier institutions around the globe, and now has the potential to do much more.”

Since its inception in 2006, the Amgen Scholars Program has made research opportunities at premier institutions possible for more than 3,900 undergraduate students representing 700 colleges and universities. Of those alumni who have completed their undergraduate studies, nearly 900 are currently pursuing an advanced graduate degree in a scientific field, and another 280 have earned their Ph.D. or M.D.-Ph.D. More than 500 are employed in scientific fields across 33 countries, with 99 percent of surveyed alumni saying the program impacted their academic or professional direction. Alumni of the program are beginning to make a growing impact across academia, industry and government, garnering numerous awards and recognitions, such as the Rhodes Scholarship, NIH Director's New Innovator Award and selection to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in Healthcare.

“The Amgen Scholars Program solidified my passion for translational research and made me confident in a laboratory environment. In addition to gaining skills in several experimental techniques, I also learned how to think like a scientist,” said Joy Wolfram, Ph.D., Amgen Scholar Program alum, and Mayo Clinic lead for the Nanomedicine and Extracellular Vesicles Lab. “After completing the program, I have been extensively involved in international research collaborations between the United States, China and Europe.”

Amgen Scholars aims to break down barriers for many students who otherwise would not have the opportunity to engage in science at the world’s top educational and research institutions. Financial support for students is a critical component of the program, which seeks to ensure that eligible students, regardless of their financial status, can participate.

The program provides a unique opportunity for students to engage in the process of discovery and build intellectual connections with some of the most accomplished scientists around the world. Undergraduate participants benefit from undertaking a research project with the mentorship of top faculty, being part of a cohort-based experience, participating in seminars and networking events and taking part in a symposium in their respective region where they meet their peers, learn about biotechnology and hear from leading scientists in both industry and academia.

“The Amgen Scholars Program offers our students a unique opportunity to conduct groundbreaking research under the mentorship of world-renowned scientists,” said Rakesh Khurana, Danoff Dean of Harvard College. “The academic and professional success of so many of the program’s alumni over the past 12 years clearly demonstrates the value of the program, and why this expansion is so exciting.”

The host institutions are now accepting applications for the 2019 Amgen Scholars Program. For more information about the Amgen Scholars Program or to complete an application, visit www.AmgenScholars.com and follow us on Twitter at @AmgenFoundation.

AMGEN SCHOLARS PROGRAM HOST INSTITUTIONS

*Indicates New Host Institution for 2019

• United States
  California Institute of Technology, Columbia University, Duke University,* Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University,* National Institutes of Health, Stanford University, UC Berkeley, UC Los Angeles, UC San Francisco, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center,* Washington University in St. Louis, Yale University*
• Europe 
  ETH Zurich, Institut Pasteur, Karolinska Institute, LMU Munich, University of Cambridge
• Asia 
  Kyoto University, National University of Singapore,* Tsinghua University,* The University of Tokyo
• Australia 
  University of Melbourne*
• Canada 
  University of Toronto*

About the Amgen Foundation 
The Amgen Foundation seeks to advance excellence in science education to inspire the next generation of innovators and to invest in strengthening communities where Amgen staff members live and work. To date, the Foundation has donated over $300 million to local, regional and international nonprofit organizations that impact society in inspiring and innovative ways. For more information, visit www.AmgenInspires.com and follow us on Twitter at @AmgenFoundation.

CONTACT: Amgen, Thousand Oaks: 
Andrea Fassacesia, 805-905-2575 (media)
Jennifer van der Borgt, 805-447-5597 (media)

Tweet me:.@AmgenFoundation announces the #AmgenScholars Program is expanding globally, giving undergrads research opportunities at 24 elite institutions worldwide. Learn more. https://prn.to/2EVjzY9

KEYWORDS: Amgen, Amgen Foundation, Amgen Scholars Program, STEM Education, science education, Undergraduate Research, California Institute of Technology, Columbia University, Duke University, Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, National Institutes of Health, Stanford University, UC Berkeley, UC Los Angeles, UC San Francisco, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Washington University in St. Louis, Yale University, ETH Zurich, institut pasteur, Karolinska Institute, LMU Munich, University of Cambridge, National University of Singapore, Tsinghua University, The University of Tokyo, University of Melbourne, University Of Toronto, Joy Wolfram, Rakesh Khurana, Robert A. Bradway

SOURCE:Accenture

DESCRIPTION:

NEW YORK, November 5, 2018 /3BL Media/ – Companies that embrace best practices for employing and supporting more persons with disabilities in their workforces have outperformed their peers, according to a new research report from Accenture (NYSE: ACN) in partnership with Disability:IN and the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD).
 
The report, entitled “Getting to Equal: The Disability Inclusion Advantage,” analyzed the disability practices and financial performance of the 140 companies participating in the Disability Equality Index(DEI) — a benchmarking tool that gives U.S. businesses an objective score on their disability inclusion policies and practices — over the past four years.
 
The 45 companies that Accenture identified as standing out for their leadership in areas specific to disability employment and inclusion had, on average over the four-year period, 28 percent higher revenue, double the net income and 30 percent higher economic profit margins than the other companies in the DEI. Accenture analysis also revealed that U.S. GDP could get a boost of up to US$25 billion if more persons with disabilities joined the labor force.

Persons with disabilities continue to be underrepresented in corporate America. Despite the strength of the U.S. labor market, only 29 percent of Americans of working age (16-64) with disabilities were employed as of July 2018, compared with 75 percent of those without a disability, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This results in an untapped talent pool of 10.7 million people. Additionally, the unemployment rate in 2017 for persons with a disability was more than twice that for those without a disability — 9.2 versus 4.2 percent.
 
“Persons with disabilities present business and industry with unique opportunities in labor-force diversity and corporate culture, and they’re a large consumer market eager to know which businesses authentically support their goals and dreams,” said Ted Kennedy, Jr., disability rights attorney, Connecticut state senator and chairman of the AAPD board. “Leading companies are accelerating disability inclusion as the next frontier of corporate social responsibility and mission-driven investing.”
 
While previous research has shown that employees with disabilities offer substantial business benefits — including increased innovation, improved productivity and a better work environment — the new research reveals that best-in-class companies participating in the DEI have also performed better financially. For example, the research shows that the 45 leading companies were twice as likely to have higher total shareholder returns than those of their peer group. Furthermore, companies that have improved their inclusion of persons with disabilities over time were four times more likely than others to have total shareholder returns that outperformed those of their peer group.
 
“This groundbreaking research indicates that it pays to be inclusive: When companies create an inclusive culture for persons with disabilities, everyone benefits,” said Chad Jerdee, Accenture’s general counsel & chief compliance officer. “This research is the first to correlate an inclusive workplace for persons with disabilities with financial performance. By making companies aware of the potential gains and sharing success stories, we can get more persons with disabilities into the workforce, where they can thrive.”
 
The study reveals four key actions that organizations can take to attract, hire, retain and advance diverse talent:
 

1. Employ: Organizations must ensure that persons with disabilities are represented in their workplace. Beyond hiring, employers should implement practices that encourage and progress persons with disabilities.
2. Enable: Leaders must provide employees with disabilities with accessible tools and technology and/or a formal accommodations program.
3. Engage: To foster an inclusive culture, organizations must generate awareness-building — through recruitment efforts, disability education programs and grassroots-led efforts (for example, an employee resource group).
4. Empower: Organizations must create empowering environments for employees with disabilities through mentoring and coaching initiatives, as well as through skilling/re-skilling programs, to ensure that they continue to advance and thrive.

“The Disability Equality Index is the most trusted benchmarking tool for businesses to evaluate their approach to including persons with disabilities across the enterprise,” said Jill Houghton, president and CEO of Disability:IN. “This research further validates that companies leveraging the DEI have also achieved significant performance improvements. It’s time for more companies to use this tool to their advantage.”  
 
To learn more about Inclusion & Diversity at Accenture, visit accenture.com/diversity.
 
About the Research
Research for the “Getting to Equal: The Disability Inclusion Advantage” report is based on an analysis of 140 respondents to The Disability Equality Index (see below) between 2015 and 2018. Accenture developed a scoring system to identify companies that stood out for their leadership in areas specific to disability employment and inclusion. Accenture also analyzed two measures of financial performance for all 140 companies: profitability (revenues and net income) and value creation (economic profit margin). 
 
The Disability Equality Index (DEI) is an annual, transparent benchmarking tool conducted by Disability:IN that gives U.S. businesses an objective score on their disability inclusion policies and practices. It measures and weighs a wide range of criteria across key best practice categories: culture and leadership; community engagement and support services; employment practices; enterprise-wide access; and supplier diversity (currently unweighted, and therefore not included in this analysis). Companies participating in the DEI are typically large, with revenues of the total sample averaging US$43 billion.
 
About Accenture 
Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries and all business functions — underpinned by the world’s largest delivery network — Accenture works at the intersection of business and technology to help clients improve their performance and create sustainable value for their stakeholders. With 459,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture drives innovation to improve the way the world works and lives. Visit us at www.accenture.com.

Tweet me:Check out @Accenture and their new research on Disability Inclusion http://bit.ly/2yUPjqI

KEYWORDS: Accenture, disability, pwd, NYSE:ACN

SOURCE:Merck & Co., Inc.

DESCRIPTION:

We're proud to be named a winner of the American Chemical Society's Green Chemistry Challenge Award. The award recognizes companies for innovative processes in reducing waste and the generation of hazardous materials.

Learn more about our green and sustainable science here: https://bit.ly/2OwNFW7 

Tweet me:.@Merck named a winner of the @AmerChemSociety 2018 #Green Chemistry Challenge http://bit.ly/2yVZMCe #sustainability #environment #innovation

KEYWORDS: Merck, American Chemical Society, Green Chemistry Challenge

SOURCE:EDF+Business

DESCRIPTION:

By: Scott Wood 

I remember the exhilaration I felt as my mom and dad drew the curtain to fill out their ballot, and I know I’ll experience a similar sensation tomorrow when I cast a vote for what I believe in: A cleaner, better future.

Findings from last month’s IPCC Special Report show the dramatic effects that climate change is already having and will continue to have on our planet. It’s a world of more extreme storms, rising sea levels and vulnerable global supply chains. It’s a world that looks vastly different from the prosperous, clean energy future so many of us desire.

That’s why tomorrow, I’ll head to the polls with my wife and my 6-month-old daughter, and we’ll vote for candidates who support policies that help stabilize our climate. From there, I’ll head to work where I’ll fight for a low carbon future in another way: By empowering business leaders to make climate action a top priority within and outside of their four walls.

Companies have the power and responsibility to lead on climate, which is why I see business as an ally when it comes to fighting for cleaner policies. But, based on that IPCC report, more companies need to get in the game—and the companies who are already engaged need to do more. Here are two ways that you, whether you are a junior employee or senior director, can engage on climate action.

1. Redefine business as usual

Gone are the days where a company’s sole mission is to turn a profit. Today, consumers believecompanies have a responsibility to take a stand on social and environmental issues, and businesses are responding. They are reducing their carbon footprints by advancing clean energy, scaling efficiency and driving innovation to benefit the environment and their bottom lines. And many are taking it one step further by looking beyond their own four walls to engage suppliers across their value chain.

In her role, Jess provides agronomic and sustainability guidance to AB InBev’s primary suppliers – farmers. She focuses on reducing the environmental footprint of this process by integrating emerging technologies into their activities, such as moisture sensors and precision irrigation and seeding, and advising them on sustainable practices. The result is a cleaner global supply chain, with suppliers that are more sustainable and financially empowered.This new norm is causing a growing demand for talent. Specifically, leaders that are uniquely equipped to reimagine what business should look like through a sustainability lens. Take Jess Newman for example. Jess was an EDF Climate Corps fellow back in 2015, and is now the Director of U.S. Agronomy at Anheuser-Busch.

There is a growing contingent of other professionals like Jess who are making a difference by either driving change from within or starting their own sustainably driven enterprises.

2. Engage in policy

Aside from reducing their carbon footprints, companies can drive climate action by advocating for smart climate and energy policy. In recent years, we’ve seen a surge in the number of companies that are defending critical legislation like the Clean Power Plan, thanking public officials for introducing bills to help fight climate change and helping to increase voter turnout.

Just last week, Walmart, Lyft and Patagonia shared how they are encouraging their employees to vote, and Uber and Lyft are offering free and discounted rides to the polls on Election Day.

Part of getting companies active on climate policies requires action at the individual level. EDF Climate Corps launched a series of educational and capacity building efforts on climate advocacy. Through a combination of in-person workshops and virtual webinars, trainees go on to advocate for climate policies at all levels of business and government.

Katie Walsh, a 2013 Climate Corps fellow with the City of Philadelphia is a Senior Manager at CDP and founder of the nonprofit, Sustain the Vote, which educates and informs candidates for elected office about climate change and sustainability. Last year, Katie participated in our climate advocacy training, which inspired her to run for elected office – and win – in Brooklyn, New York where she will help to influence the direction of important local policy issues.

So, this election season, leverage what you can to make an impact: your vote, your influence within your company, and the individual actions you can take on the issues you care about.

Tweet me:"Tomorrow, I’ll head to the polls with my wife and my 6-month-old daughter, and we’ll vote for candidates who support policies that help stabilize our climate" - @scottwood_ @EDFbiz http://bit.ly/2yW9uEN #vote #climatechange #EDFCC #ElectionDay

KEYWORDS: election day, vote, climate change, sustainability, EDF+Business

SOURCE:Sodexo, Inc.

DESCRIPTION:

GAITHERSBURG, Md. & SIMI VALLEY, Calif., November 5, 2018 /3BL Media/ – Sodexo, a food services and facilities management company committed to improving Quality of Life, today announced it will begin service at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum, effective January 2019. The newly forged partnership will ensure best-in-class restaurant and catering offerings for years to come. The catering operation specifically will be enhanced by James Beard Foundation’s award-winning talents, Chef Suzanne Goin and Restaurateur Caroline Styne, owners and operators of The Lucques Group family of acclaimed hospitality businesses.

"The Reagan Library is one of our nation’s truly special experiences, and we are determined to curate a food service experience that lives up to this high standard,” said Moses DeBord, vice president, Sodexo Sports & Leisure. "In doing so, we will create state-of-the-art dining concepts, upgrade the venue’s technology capabilities and work closely with local California suppliers to bring the spirit of the Reagan legacy to life for visitors through our services.”

In providing diverse menu options and terrific guest service, Sodexo will oversee the transformation of the venue’s dining experience, including its renowned Air Force One Pavilion. New technology upgrades include the installation of innovative new kiosks and mobile ordering platforms, dynamic digital menu boards and signs, pagers for meal delivery, self-ordering POS stations and online ordering for staff and volunteers—all to improve quality and speed of service, and enhance the dining experience.

Sodexo chefs will recreate President and Mrs. Reagan’s favorite items and introduce new offerings to delight guests and celebrate special exhibits and seasonal holidays. A new craft beer and wine bar on the Ruwe Terrace will allow guests to enjoy the outdoor patio overlooking the awe-inspiring hills of the Santa Rosa Valley.

“After an extensive search, we’re happy to be partnering with Sodexo as the exclusive restaurateur and caterer for the Reagan Library,” added John Heubusch, executive director of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute. “They were chosen following a rigorous competitive process. We look forward to working with Sodexo to provide Reagan Library and Museum guests a high-quality dining experience they have come to expect of us and can rely on every single day.”

Sodexo Sports & Leisure is a premier provider to cultural destinations and event venues around the world and in the United States, including the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, Space Center Houston, Seattle Aquarium, Hollywood Bowl and The Jules Verne restaurant at the Eiffel Tower.

In a storied career that spanned more than five decades, Ronald Reagan inspired Americans to act and achieve even more than they imagined. His legacy thrives at The Reagan Library where events and exhibits rediscover his values, actions and spirit of determination. For more, please follow @RonaldReagan40 and @SodexoUSA on Twitter

About the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum

Perched on a mountaintop with sweeping views of the surrounding mountains, valleys and the Pacific Ocean, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum is one of California's most beautiful and unique destinations. The Library's 300-acre site, about 45 miles from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), represents the "shining city on a hill" often referenced by President Reagan and appropriately serves as the final resting place of the nation's 40th President. As a Presidential library administered by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), the Reagan Library, under the authority of the Presidential Records Act, is the repository of presidential records for President Reagan’s administration.  Its holdings include over 60 million pages of documents, over 1.6 million photographs, a half million feet of motion picture film and tens of thousands of audio and video tapes.  

About the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute is the nonprofit organization

created by President Reagan himself and specifically charged by him with continuing his legacy and sharing his principles – individual liberty, economic opportunity, global

democracy and national pride. The Foundation is a non-partisan organization which

sustains the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, CA, the Reagan Center for Public Affairs, the Presidential Learning Center, The Air Force One Pavilion and the award-winning Discovery Center, as well as the Reagan Institute in Washington, D.C.

About Sodexo North America
Sodexo North America is part of a global, Fortune 500 company with a presence in 80 countries. Sodexo is a leading provider of integrated food, facilities management and other services that enhance organizational performance, contribute to local communities and improve quality of life for millions of customers in corporate, education, healthcare, senior living, sports and leisure, government and other environments daily. The company employs 150,000 people at 13,000 sites in all 50 U.S. states and Canada and indirectly supports tens of thousands of additional jobs through its annual purchases of $9.2 billion in goods and services from small to large American businesses. Sodexo is committed to supporting diversity and inclusion and safety, while upholding the highest standards of corporate responsibility and ethical business conduct. In support of local communities across the U.S., the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation has contributed close to $32 million over the past 20 years to help feed children in America impacted by hunger. To learn more about Sodexo, visit SodexoUSA.com, SodexoInsights.com and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube. 

About The Lucques Group 

With the opening of Lucques, their flagship restaurant, in 1998, James Beard award-winning Chef/Author Suzanne Goin and James Beard award-winning Restaurateur Caroline Styne planted the seeds for The Lucques Group, a Los Angeles hospitality company that comprises two other fine dining restaurants – a.o.c. and Tavern – and four marketplace restaurants – The Larder at Maple Drive, The Larder at Burton Way, The Larder at Tavern, and The Larder at Tavern at the Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX. Along with these culinary enterprises, the company also operates Lucques Catering, the Larder Baking Company and, since 2016, comprehensive food services for the Hollywood Bowl. The Lucques Group is dedicated to seasonally influenced cooking and focuses on sourcing local, organic produce from which Goin creates soulful dishes that are bold in flavor, vibrant, layered and complex. 

Contact Info:

Paul Pettas
Centerplate
paul.pettas@centerplate.com

KEYWORDS: Sodexo, Centerplate, Business, Ronald Regan, Presidential, quality of life, OTC:SDXAY, Locally Sourced

Energy efficient, water-saving LG laundry products dominate top rankings by leading U.S. consumer publication

SOURCE:LG Electronics USA, Inc.

DESCRIPTION:

WASHINGTON, November 5, 2018 /3BL Media/ –For the second year in a row, ENERGY STAR^® Partner of the Year LG Electronicsleads the industry in home appliance excellence with top rankings in high-efficiency front-load and top-load washing machines, as well as gas and electric dryers, according to a leading U.S. consumer products publication. Among top major appliance brands, LG models comprise more than 80 percent of the publication’s top 10 products across these categories and reflect the highest scores for reliability.

The recognition adds to LG’s already distinguished reputation in home appliances. LG home appliances earned more 2018 J.D. Power Customer Satisfaction Awards for appliances than any other manufacturer for the second year in a row.* LG home appliances also hold the #1 spot in product quality and service quality in the just-released 2018 American Customer Satisfaction Index® (ACSI) rankings.**

All LG washers and dryers are ENERGY STAR certified, meaning they deliver energy efficiency without sacrificing performance or style. LG also has the most washing machines in the industry designated as “ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2018.”

“Shopping for a new washing machine and dryer is an important decision – but it doesn’t need to be a chore. LG washers and dryers consistently rank highest in performance, quality, reliability and customer satisfaction by leading experts – but don’t just take our word for it. We invite consumers to check the facts for themselves and shop with confidence, knowing that LG laundry appliances deliver superior performance, reliability and energy efficiency,” said Dave Vander- Waal, senior vice president of marketing, LG Electronics USA.

The reportfrom a leading U.S. consumer publication shows LG home appliances performed best in key areas including reliability, performance, overall customer satisfaction and noise. The scoring system combined lab test results with survey data for predicted reliability and owner satisfaction and is biased on a 100-point scale. Real consumers reported on their product experiences over the last 10 years, and the magazine estimated the likelihood that newly purchased models from a given brand, not under a service contract, will break within five years.

To learn more about LG ENERGY STAR certified washing machines and dryers, visit www.lg.com/laundry. 

*J.D. Power ranked LG highest in 2018 customer satisfaction with top-mount freezer refrigerators four years in a row, with top-load washers and free-standing ranges for two years in a row and with side-by-side refrigerators for the first time. LG received the highest numerical score in the respective segments of the J.D. Power 2018 Laundry and Kitchen Appliance Satisfaction Study, based on 18,215 (kitchen) and 8,629 (laundry) total responses, measuring customer opinions about their new appliance purchased in the previous 12 months, surveyed March-April 2018. Your experiences may vary.  Visit jdpower.com.

**According to the 2018 American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) survey of customers rating their household appliance manufacturers.The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) is the only national cross-industry measure of customer satisfaction in the United States. Each year, the ACSI uses data from interviews with roughly 250,000 customers as inputs to an econometric model for analyzing customer satisfaction with more than 380 companies in 46 industries and 10 economic sectors. To learn more about the American Customer Satisfaction Index, visit www.theacsi.org

“LG” and the LG logo are trademarks of LG Corp. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

About LG Electronics USA

LG Electronics USA, Inc., based in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., is the North American subsidiary of LG Electronics, Inc., a $55 billion global innovator in technology and manufacturing. In the United States, LG sells a wide range of innovative home appliances, home entertainment products, mobile phones, commercial displays, air conditioning systems, solar energy solutions and vehicle components. The “Life’s Good” marketing theme encompasses how LG is dedicated to people’s happiness by exceeding expectations today and tomorrow. LG is a 2018 ENERGY STAR^® Partner of the Year-Sustained Excellence. www.LG.com.

Tweet me:.@LGUS @ENERGYSTAR washers and dryers highlighted for their #EnergyEfficiency http://bit.ly/2D5vn7l

Contact Info:

John I. Taylor
LG Electronics USA
+1 (202) 719-3490
john.taylor@lge.com

Taryn Brucia
+1 (201) 816-2187
taryn.brucia@lge.com

KEYWORDS: KRX:066570, LG Electronics, Energy Star, water saving

SOURCE:Booz Allen Hamilton

DESCRIPTION:

Job search website Indeed logs 9.8 new jobs each second and 200 million visitors every month. In October, the company included Booz Allen in its Top 20 Hottest Companies for Job Seekers.

Booz Allen ranked 11th, ahead of companies such as IBM, Lockheed Martin, and NBCUniversal.

“We are proud to receive this recognition,” said Aimee George Leary, officer of talent strategy at Booz Allen. “As a provider of services and solutions, we’ve always understood that our people are what set us apart. We invest in our people and the things that support their growth with training, and structured feedback with a chance to map and build their future.”

For this list, Indeed’s analytics team calculated the average amount of job-seeker interest for all job titles at all companies and compared it to the number of clicks per posting. According to Indeed’s October 18 blog post, the result provides “a snapshot of who’s winning the battle for talent in 2018.”

“There is no single way to attract talent,” according to the blog post. “That said, there are some things that many people find attractive—for instance, the opportunity to perform meaningful or innovative work, high wages, flexible conditions, and the potential for career growth opportunities. If you can provide a mix or all of those, you’re off to a good start.”

Read more about Indeed’s Top 20 Hottest Companies for Job Seekers and how Booz Allen supports employees.

Learn more about what Booz Allen is doing to attract talent and help employees grow, here.

Tweet me:"We invest in our people and the things that support their growth." - Aimee George Leary, officer of talent strategy at @BoozAllen. Learn why the company was named one of @Indeed's Top 20 Hottest Companies for #JobSeekers http://bit.ly/2qtmZr1 #workforce #jobs

KEYWORDS: Booz Allen Hamilton, Careers, Employment, Indeed, awards, Ratings and Rankings, NYSE: BAH

By Sally Crane, Senior Research Associate & Executive Network Manager, Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability

SOURCE:CECP: The CEO Force for Good

DESCRIPTION:

Earlier in 2018, The Conference Board of Canada published the latest in their Canada 2030 series, titled The Defining Forces Disrupting Business. Written with an eye towards helping Canadian businesses and investors understand the disrupting forces likely to affect organizations over the next decade, Canada 2030: The Defining Forces Disrupting Business report encourages readers to address the risks associated with the disruptions ahead and capitalize on the opportunities they may bring.

Ten overarching trends are explored in detail, using findings from government institutions, independent think-tanks, non-profits, consulting firms, academic institutions, and other professional organizations. The ten trends (chapters 2 to 11) include demographic shifts; urbanization; Indigenous reconciliation; climate change; natural capital constraints; technological advances; economic uncertainty; public policy; changing values and expectations; and health and diet.

Read the complete blog post on CECP's Insights Blog: https://cecp.me/2D4QfeZ

Tweet me:Earlier this year, the @ConfBoardofCda (a member of @CECPTweets' Global Exchange) released the latest in their Canada 2030 series: The Defining Forces Disrupting Business. Click to read more about this industry-critical report: https://cecp.me/2D4QfeZ

KEYWORDS: Global, Canada, climate change, indigenous communities, economic uncertainty, CECP

A Major Milestone on Our Journey To Net-Positive Global Impact

SOURCE:VMware

DESCRIPTION:

In 2016, we launched VMware 2020, our global impact vision to serve as a force for good. We committed to clear and ambitious goals for the year 2020, including becoming carbon neutral across our global operations, and I’m incredibly proud that we have reached that target two years ahead of schedule. We did this through a combination of energy-efficiency initiatives, renewable energy projects and purchasing and delivering financing to low-carbon, sustainable development projects. We have also completed the process to become a certified CarbonNeutral® company, in accordance with The CarbonNeutral Protocol. This represents both a significant step toward fulfilling our commitment to long-term sustainability and global impact, as well as our commitment to accountability and transparency in the management of our environmental footprint.

A Milestone, Not the Finish Line
This turning point in VMware’s history is critical, given the urgency of climate change. Yet reaching carbon neutrality is a milestone, not our final destination. Ultimately, the goal is to not only slow down global warming, but to do what we can to reverse the trend. Earlier this year, with 21 other companies, we launched the Step Up Declaration, an alliance harnessing the power of the Fourth Industrial Revolution to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions across all economic sectors, and ensure a climate turning point by 2020. The alliance’s declaration states: “We need to be held, and hold each other, accountable to rise to the greatest challenge the world has ever seen.”

We must work together to create an economy that will enable dramatic reductions in emissions and build resilience. That means a worldwide collaborative effort of transitioning from the old fossil-fuel-based economy to a low-carbon economy. VMware is setting its sights on innovations that not only impact our operations, such as becoming a CarbonNeutral® company, but also have the potential to inspire innovation for others.

Data centers are responsible for two percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions—roughly the same as global air travel. Our virtualization technologies make IT infrastructure dramatically more efficient, fundamentally changing how our customers use power. Through our technologies, we’ve helped customers avoid putting 540 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere—equivalent to powering 68 percent of U.S. households for one year—and a major reason we finished #17 in Fortune’s 2018 Change the World list.

Our long-term goal is to decouple business and IT infrastructure growth from rising carbon emissions, and we relentlessly innovate to further reduce the carbon intensity of IT, including introducing the carbon cost of (infrastructure) growth (CCoG), a new measure we’re developing that estimates the amount of carbon emissions required to sustain an organization’s infrastructure growth rate.

Innovating in Everything We Do
Our commitment to innovating for good extends across our business, in three important dimensions:

• Our Products: Creating innovative technology that contributes lasting net-positive value to our customers and our partner ecosystem.
• Our People: Building platforms for a diverse and inclusive environment that enriches lives at work, at home and in the community, while inspiring our people to give more than they take.
• Our Planet: Doing more than our fair share to be at the forefront of environmental sustainability in our global business practices and operations.

As I reflect on the last two years, I’m proud of our accomplishments and admire how our team is already thinking ahead and developing a long-term strategy to steer us to 2030. Our goal is to leave ahead a better future—to put back more than what we take—because, to me, there’s nothing more important than creating a more innovative, sustainable and equitable world.

Tweet me:.@VMware achieves #carbonneutrality across global operations two years ahead of schedule http://bit.ly/2D4YnMx #sustainability #innovation #renewableenergy

KEYWORDS: VMware, Carbon Neutrality, CarbonNeutral, step up declaration, Clean Energy

SOURCE:MetLife Inc.

DESCRIPTION:

NEW YORK, November 05, 2018 /3BL Media/ – MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET) announced today it has been recognized as a Military Friendly^® Employer and Military Friendly^® Spouse Employer. This is the seventh year in a row MetLife has been recognized for its commitment to supporting veterans and fostering a culture that honors the experiences, traits and skills of those who have served or continue to serve their country. It is the fourth year MetLife has been recognized for its support of Military Spouses.

G.I. Jobs magazine compiles an annual list of Military Friendly Employers to recognize companies with supportive policies, including recruiting efforts, retention programs and support for National Guard and Reserve service.

“We are honored to be selected as a military friendly employer for the seventh consecutive year,” said Marty Lippert, executive vice president, Global Technology & Operations and MetLife Holdings. “MetLife has a longstanding commitment to service members and the veteran community, with our first policies insuring Civil War soldiers against wartime-related disabilities. Today that commitment continues not only through the products we sell but also by actively recruiting veterans for roles across MetLife”.

“With the skills I picked up as an Army officer serving in Special Forces units, I was able to successfully transition to a career as a MetLife data center engineer and to my current role accelerating the veteran’s initiative within the organization.  This is just another example of MetLife’s culture of inclusion that makes space for everyone to bring their whole selves to work,” said Timothy McClain, U.S. initiatives consultant, Global Diversity and Inclusion for MetLife who served in the United States Army for 12years.

Through the support of the MetLife Foundation and other partnerships we have built over 1,250 homes for veterans, transitioned service members through job placement and skills training and funded small business initiatives for veterans. We provide support to our deployed associates and ensure continuation of benefits while serving our country.

MetLife also supports the Military Veterans Network (MVET), an employee-founded and employee-run Diversity Business Resource Network (DBRN) focused on recruiting military veterans and supporting their career growth at MetLife. Members of MVET, which is open to all employees, donate their time to promote the goal of attracting and retaining military veterans, as well as building a working culture that values veterans and their contributions.

For more information on MetLife’s opportunities for veterans, please visit https://www.metlife.com/careers/working-here/veterans/index.html.

About MetLife

MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET), through its subsidiaries and affiliates (“MetLife”), is one of the world’s leading financial services companies, providing insurance, annuities, employee benefits and asset management to help its individual and institutional customers navigate their changing world. Founded in 1868, MetLife has operations in more than 40 countries and holds leading market positions in the United States, Japan, Latin America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. For more information, visit www.metlife.com.

Contacts:        

Meredith Hyland

meredith.hyland@metlife.com

212-578-9415

Tweet me:.@MetLife Recognized as Military Friendly Employer Seventh Year in a Row http://bit.ly/2JIDQP6 #veterans #CSR

KEYWORDS: military friendly employer, MetLife, csr, diversity and inclusion, Veterans

SOURCE:America's Charities

DESCRIPTION:

As the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization, the NAACP has worked successfully with allies of all races who believe in and stand for the principles on which the organization was founded. We are represented in 2,200 branches and units all across this country in 50 states, in every large city, hundreds and hundreds of small towns, and in 60 global military installations, and always welcome new members and supporters.  With over 2.2 million digital activists, we have more young people in the NAACP than any other young person’s civil rights organization in the country combined.

Since 1909, it can be noted that NAACP members marched before marching for civil rights was an acceptable norm; successfully sued for fairness when no one thought to ask courts for equality; appeared before state and federal legislatures with compelling objections to racial abuses; helped internationalize the struggle for civil rights by lobbying the United Nations; and persistently insisted on equality in every aspect of American life in order to make the American charter a true contract of freedom.

From economic and political empowerment, to environmental and climate justice, to education, healthcare and public safety, here's how NAACP is speaking out on policies that count.

>> Continue Reading

Tweet me:.@AmerCharities: From economic and political empowerment, to environmental and climate justice, to education, healthcare and public safety, here's how @NAACP is speaking out on policies that count http://impact.ac/2yoIS0X #1DollarBringsUsCloser #WorkplaceGiving

KEYWORDS: America’s Charities, workplace giving, employee giving, Corporate Social Responsibility, csr, charity vetting, payroll deduction giving, Fundraising, NAACP, Advocacy, Civil Rights, Human Rights, SDGs

See one of UPS's more than 30 pilot projects for city logistics in action

SOURCE:UPS

DESCRIPTION:

UPS is partnering with cities to create sustainable delivery solutions that reduce congestion, pollution, and noise. This project in Dublin is one example of the 30+ collaborations underway in cities around the world.

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

Tweet me:.@UPS is working w/ 30+ cities on #sustainable #logistics solutions projects. See one of the latest projects in Dublin, where UPS partnered with the city and local design college to create an Eco Hub to reduce congestion and noise. #video #upscitysolutions http://bit.ly/2OjStJL

KEYWORDS: UPS, Dublin, Cycle Solutions, video

By Carol Cone, CEO of Carol Cone ON PURPOSE

SOURCE:CECP: The CEO Force for Good

DESCRIPTION:

Arriving on the heels of Hurricane Florence, Hurricane Michael proved again that companies are making significant commitments to relief and recovery efforts in the wake of natural disasters. Our round-up of Hurricane Florence corporate response efforts covered some innovative ways that companies are reacting to disasters. Unfortunately, we’re already revisiting the topic with a snapshot of how companies reacted to Hurricane Michael, and why it’s increasingly critical for any company to have a disaster response strategy in place.

Disaster Relief is on the rise: Last year’s natural disasters set the pace in terms of increasing companies’ contributions oriented towards Disaster Relief. This program area increased by more than 300% in terms of median cash giving in the last three years, as well as in aggregate: 208% in terms of total cash giving, according to CECP’s 2018 Giving in Numbers report.

Direct cash donations can always be put to use – and we are seeing more companies commit $1 million or more to aid organizations. Yet, a recent call coordinated by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce highlighted three critical and often-overlooked needs that certain companies can meet in addition to – or in place of – cash donations:

• Communications: With basic utilities disrupted, including internet and cell connectivity, many people cannot reach loved ones or emergency services.
• Distribution: There is a lack of functional infrastructure to get donated commodities where they are needed.
• Healthcare: Impacted communities face two acute needs: qualified medical professionals available when their own lives are upended, and equipment, supplies and space in which to treat and house patients.

There are scores of companies in these three industries, with some taking significant action — such as Verizon waiving text, call, and data fees; UPS dedicating trucks to move goods into affected areas; or UnitedHealth Group activating mobile health clinics. By tapping into their core competencies, companies can make a significant difference in the speed and quality of recovery.

Read more on the CECP Insights Blog here.

Tweet me:Beyond cash contributions, companies are showing up for disaster relief in innovative ways. Read on the @CECPtweets Insights Blog about the various ways companies acted in response to Hurricane Michael: http://ow.ly/sipr30mvuCu

KEYWORDS: 2018 Giving in Numbers, Google, Apple, CECP

After nearly 30 years of service, top American executive at SIA to retire at the end of 2018

SOURCE:Subaru of America

DESCRIPTION:

LAFAYETTE, Ind., November 6, 2018 /3BL Media/ - At a recent community reception honoring his nearly 30 years of service to Subaru of Indiana Automotive (SIA), retiring top American executive Tom Easterday was presented with distinguished awards from the State of Indiana and the City of Lafayette.

"I'm equally honored and humbled by this recognition," said Easterday. "I've truly been blessed to have the opportunity to work with several outstanding individuals in serving Indiana, the greater Lafayette community and Subaru during my tenure at SIA."

Easterday was selected by Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb to receive the Sagamore of the Wabash. Presented to him by Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, the award is the highest honor an Indiana governor can bestow and is only presented to distinguished Hoosiers who have made significant contributions to the State of Indiana.

Easterday was also presented a Marquis de Lafayette Award by Lafayette Mayor Tony Roswarski. As the highest honor that the mayor of Lafayette can bestow, the award is given to an individual who goes above and beyond with volunteerism, citizenship, and overall dedication and commitment to the community.

After announcing his retirement in February, Easterday transitioned into the role of executive advisor at the beginning of October. He will officially retire from SIA at the end of December, and remain in an advisory role for up to two years.

“For me, the decision to retire was about the best timing for SIA and my family,” said Easterday. “Over the past five years, I’ve had the opportunity to help guide SIA through several significant advancements, including the beginning of production for the Impreza and Ascent, expansion of our facilities, and the hiring and training of over 2,000 new Associates. Now is the right time to pass the torch to other members of our great SIA management team.”

Easterday joined SIA in 1989 as corporate counsel and has been promoted to various positions within SIA. He most recently served as SIA’s senior executive vice president, secretary and chief legal officer; and as a member of the SIA board of directors.

During his time as leader, SIA won several awards for quality, safety, environmental stewardship and community service. Easterday helped direct SIA’s effort to become the first auto assembly plant in the U.S. to have its entire site designated a Backyard Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation and to achieve zero-landfill status.

“Environmental stewardship is one of the top values for which SIA is best known,” said Easterday. “Anyone who went to a coffee shop this morning and threw their cup away, put more into a landfill than our company has for the last 14 years.”

Easterday has also served as a director for a variety of organizations, including the: Indiana Chamber of Commerce (past chairman), Indiana Automotive Council (past chairman), Crossroads of America Council, BSA (past president), Japan-America Society of Indiana (past president), IU Health, Central Indiana Corporate Partnership, National Association of Manufacturers, Indiana Chamber Foundation, March of Dimes of Central Indiana (past chairman), Community Foundation of Boone County (past chairman), Lafayette Parks Foundation and SIA Foundation (president).

Over the course of his career with SIA, Easterday has been the recipient of several awards, including a 2009 Excellence in Manufacturing Innovation, a 2011 Champion of Diversity, and a 2016 Bridge of Friendship. He was most recently named the 2017 Business Leader of the Year by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce and is a 2018 inductee into the Indiana Manufacturing Hall of Fame.

Prior to joining SIA, Easterday served as senior litigation attorney for Mayflower Group. From 1983-86, he was the chief counsel for the Indiana Senate while engaged in private law practice in Indianapolis. Easterday holds a bachelor’s degree in business and a Juris Doctorate from Indiana University. 

“While I’ve truly loved working at SIA, interacting with all of the very dedicated Associates and am proud of our accomplishments, I look forward to spending more time with my family and continuing my work with non-profit organizations,” said Easterday. “SIA is on course to be successful well into the future, both in terms of building high quality Subaru vehicles and in making a significant positive impact on the lives of many Hoosiers.”

###

About Subaru of Indiana Automotive

Subaru of Indiana Automotive (SIA), a subsidiary of Subaru Corp., is the home of North American Subaru production. Models built at the plant include the Subaru Ascent, Impreza, Legacy and Outback. SIA employs over 5,600 Associates who are committed to quality, safety and environmental stewardship. For more information, visit subaru-sia.com.

Contact

Craig M. Koven
Manager, Communications & External Relations
craig.koven@subaru-sia.com
765-449-6269 office
765-414-0703 mobile

Tweet me:#Subaru of Indiana Automotive Executive Tom Easterday receives distinguished awards for his nearly 30 years of service to #Indiana and city of Lafayette http://bit.ly/2Dspbr2 #CommunityEngagement @Subaru_USA #Hoosier

KEYWORDS: NYSE:FUJHF, subaru, Indiana, Sagamore of the Wabash, Environmental Stewardship

SOURCE:EDF+Business

DESCRIPTION:

By: Aileen Nowlan

Leaders from pretty much every country in the world representing current and future customers attended the World Health Organization’s (WHO) inaugural Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health in Geneva last week, along with academics and nongovernmental organizations, but there were no corporate leaders in attendance.

The absence of companies suggests that air pollution isn’t front and center on business leaders’ radars. Here are three reasons why it should be.

1. Air pollution is bad for business

The WHO director general went as far as to suggest that air pollution is “the new tobacco.” But it’s not just our health that suffers: air pollution costs the global economy $225 billion dollars each year in lost labor income. Pollution and traffic congestion can disrupt daily business operations, while a recent study showed that “poor outdoor air quality is likely to have a negative impact on your job performance, even if you work indoors at a desk.”

Poor air quality poses a risk to employee health, too, which can lead to more sick days – air pollution in central London, for example, has been shown to cause the equivalent of over 650,000 sick days each year.  

Furthermore, cities that have severe air pollution problems will increasingly be seen as less desirable places to work and live – thereby negatively impacting talent recruitment. A survey released by Bain & Company and the American Chamber of Commerce in China found that 53 percent of American firms operating in Chinese cities have experienced difficulty in recruiting senior talent, with the majority blaming air pollution.

Pollution can also affect profits: a Yale study found that Spanish consumers spend up to nearly $50 million less on days when ozone pollution is even just 10 percent worse than usual.

2. Transparency, tech, data will soon tie air pollution back to brands

Nearly every business contributes to air pollution via operations and supply chains. Common sources include the emissions from burning fuels used to heat buildings, emissions from cooking, and harmful gases released via distribution and delivery vehicles. The big, scary numbers I just outlined above are easily dismissed as someone else’s problem.

Human rights advocates traced sweatshop abuses to apparel brands using old-fashioned sleuthing. These days, technology for sensing air pollution is more available to citizens, cities, and companies – and new innovations are coming to market almost daily. Open source data analytics is also democratizing insights.

Using these technological advancements, local hotspots can already be detected, and soon the health and economic impacts from air pollution will be traced to fleets and specific locations.

This means taking action now to better understand a company’s air pollution footprint can give that business a competitive edge in accelerating solutions (we need to measure before we can manage). The good news is that hyperlocal air pollution insights already being collected in places like Oakland, Houston, and London can have myriad benefits. For example, block-to-block information on air quality could inform where electric vehicles would provide the greatest return on investment for health and the climate.

3. Tackling air pollution is a two-for-one in meeting corporate sustainability targets

Many business leaders have made commitments to prevent climate catastrophe and set clear science-based emissions reduction targets – all of which is especially important in light of last month’s IPCC report findings.

A common problem I hear from businesses that have set climate targets is that once the ink dries on a commitment, many find it hard to know exactly what to do, how to secure resources and people for action, and how to show impact – especially after the low hanging fruit such as energy efficiency in company-owned facilities is picked.

Seeing as many sources contributing to climate change are also sources of air pollution (transportation, building operations, etc.), targeting health and climate co-benefits together is a way to set priorities, build support and momentum, and demonstrate impact faster. Investing in solutions to address air pollution would also help the climate – and who in business doesn’t love a two for one deal?

In the end, do you want to be the business that found growth opportunities in protecting people and the planet? Or do you want to be left holding the dirty ashtray?

Tweet me:Hyperlocal air pollution insights already being collected in places like Oakland, Houston, and London can have myriad benefits for businesses and communities http://bit.ly/2OvZRS6 via @aileennow @EDFbiz #sustainability #airpollution

KEYWORDS: EDF+Business, sustainability, air pollution, Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health, world health organization

SOURCE:Booz Allen Hamilton

DESCRIPTION:

At its annual conference October 23-25, the Executive Women’s Forum on Information Security, Risk Management and Privacy (EWF) presented Booz Allen with its 2018 Corporate Award for its efforts to advance and promote women within the firm.

“Analogous to EWF’s mission, Booz Allen is committed to developing and sponsoring women, promoting inclusive leadership, and ensuring balanced promotion opportunities,” EWF Founder Joyce Brocaglia said in the EWF awards announcement.

EWF has supported women in information security, risk management, and privacy since 2002. The EWF Corporate Award looks at corporate performance, sustainability, women in key positions, and corporate governance. Booz Allen was chosen from finalists including Target and 3M to join a roster of annual winners that includes Aetna and IBM.

“We are proud to receive this award in recognition of the firm’s commitment to empowering women,” said Booz Allen Chief Transformation Officer and EWF Ambassador Angela Messer. “We recognize how important diversity and women are to our business—and are dedicated to encouraging women to enter STEM professions and even more importantly, succeed in cybersecurity fields.”

Within Booz Allen’s senior leadership team, 55 percent of Booz Allen’s senior leadership team are women, as are 42 percent of the firm’s board of directors. Booz Allen supports current and future women STEM professionals through internal groups for areas such as cyber, data science, and engineering and external collaborations with organizations such as Girls, Inc. and the Society of Women Engineers. Booz Allen has been an EWF Corporate Benefactor since 2015, taking an active role in many conferences, events, and mentoring initiatives.

“It’s been an honor to work with EWF to help women grow personally and professionally in their careers, make connections with leaders across the industry, as well as advocate for equal representation in fields like information security,” said Booz Allen Principal and EWF Champion Leslie Burns. “I’m excited to see what the future brings.”

Learn more about EWF and how Booz Allen was named to Forbes magazine’s 2018 list of Best Employers for Women.

Tweet me:.@BoozAllen receives @ewfusa 2018 Corporate Award for supporting women in #tech and #STEM: http://bit.ly/2D8b1L1

KEYWORDS: Booz Allen Hamilton, NYSE: BAH, Executive Women’s Forum, Ratings and Rankings, gender inclusion, awards