SOURCE:SiMPACT Strategy Group

DESCRIPTION:

Technology has dramatically changed how companies engage employees in CSR. For example:

• Realized Worth's Voyager platform is enabling volunteer leaders to create more impactful and meaningful experiences for volunteers, company-wide.
• The United Way now offers companies and individuals a more personalized giving experience, in partnership with the Salesforce Philanthropy Cloud.

On November 20 Angela Parker, Co-Founder & CEO of Realized Worth and Lesa George, Director of Digital Business Development, United Way of Calgary and Area will share insights into the customer experience and how technology can enable companies to meet impact and engagement objectives. 

To register, please visit: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/csr-employee-engagement-technology-for-impact-registration-51979600384

-30-

SiMPACT (social + impact) Strategy Group Inc. is a niche consultancy leading conversations in social impact, CSR, community investment, employee volunteering and giving practices, and social return on investment (SROI). The LBG Canada Network has been a flagship SiMPACT project since 2005. Since launch, LBG Canada companies and stakeholders have contributed more than $5 Billion to community. For more information, please visit www.simpactsg.com

KEYWORDS: LBG Canada, United Way of Calgary and Area, Realized Worth, Community Investment, employee volunteering, employee giving, Simpact strategy group

The Future of Work, Defined.

SOURCE:Ideagen Global

DESCRIPTION:

November 16, 2018 /3BL Media/ - Ideagen together with the world’s leading companies, NGOs, and public sector organizations assembled at the Gallup World Headquarters in Washington D.C. for the Ideagen 2030 - Future of Work Summit.

Ideagen Global -- A Global Accelerator - Where the world’s leading companies, NGOs, and public sector organizations convene to develop systemic solutions via catalytic collaboration to solve for x.

Leaders and Luminaries from the world's leading brands, companies, trade associations, NGOs and public sector convened at the Ideagen 2030 - Future of Work Summit at Gallup’s World Headquarters in Washington D.C. on October 30th, 2018. Leaders and Luminaries came together to generate new ideas and systemic solutions to the world's most vexing issues via catalytic collaboration.  PowerTalks, PowerPanels and PowerChats included topics ranging from Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cloud, Disruption of Aging, Data for Good, Entrepreneurship, Cloud, Blockchain, Workforce, Finance, Technology, Media, Hospitality, Education, Health, Innovation, Science, Global Policy, and Film, among many other topics.

Karen Kerrigan, the CEO of the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council spoke about the importance of young entrepreneurs and how, “our job is to create a better policy environment which will enable these entrepreneurs to bring their solutions to the marketplace.” Karen also shared three things that are essential to changing the world, “Be Prepared. Be authentic. Take action.” Other highlights included, Professor of Finance and Director of the Frank Hawkins Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise, Greg Brown discussing data on labor productivity, new company formation and entrepreneurship impact on the U.S. economy; “If we want to have a prosperous society, we have to think about creating skill sin the evolving workforce.” Ted Zoller, T.W. Lewis Clinical Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School, stressed the importance of “democratizing entrepreneurship” and that “entrepreneurship is fundamentally about having the gumption to actually build something, but we need leaders that can scale those things.”

The summit focused on these urgent issues among many others and provided a forum for cross-sector collaboration through catalytic impact via leadership can be used to address many of the world’s vexing issues.  Executive Director at the McChrystal Group, Jeff Eggers, ended the day’s events by emphasising the importance of teamwork in leadership and gave the following advice to companies who wish to thrive, “a leader who puts their team forward, celebrates the success of the team.”

Ideagen Power Talks and Ideation sessions were moderated and lead by global leaders and luminaries, including keynote speakers Jim Clifton, CEO of Gallup; Michael Koziol, CEO of Huge; and Jeff Eggers, Executive Director at McChrystal Group. Other speakers included Andy Miller, SVP of Innovation and Product Development at AARP; Christian Lundblad, Richard “Dick” Levin Distinguished Professor of Finance at the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School; Jane Oates, President of Working Nation; Jeff Strohl, Director of Research at Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce; Martha Kanter, Executive Director at the College Promise Campaign; Maggie Koziol, Senior Manager at Deloitte LLC; Stephen Lynch, Vice President of Workforce and Economic Development Solutions, Burning Glass Technologies ; Alastair Fitzpayne, Executive Director of the Future of Work Initiative at The Aspen Institute; Justin Bibb, Senior Consultant at Gallup; Karen Kerrigan, President and CEO of the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council; Dr. Kenneth Moritsugu, Chairman Emeritus at Ideagen; Dr. Saralyn Mark, President and Founder of SolaMed Solutions and iGIANT; Jennifer Taylor, Vice President at the U.S. Jobs Consumer Technology Association; Mushtaq Gunja, Vice President and Chief of Staff at the American Council on Education; Eric Fanning, President and CEO of the Aerospace Industries Association; Dr. Kelly Otter, Dean of the School of Continuing Studies at Georgetown University; Peter Fatelnig, Minister-Counsellor for Digital Economic Policy at the Delegation of the European Union to the United States;  Sean Callinicos, SVP of Cardinal Health; Stephen Taylor, General Manager for the Mid-Atlantic at Lyft, Michael Castellano, Vice President for Government Relations at The Walt Disney Company; Jonathan Mansfield, Labs Manager at WeWork; Ted Zoller, T.W. Lewis Clinical Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School; Greg Brown, Professor of Finance and Director of the Frank Hawkins Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise; Dashon Ridley, Business Analyst at Gallup; among many other leaders and luminaries.

Ideagen’s leadership includes George Sifakis, M.S.P.S., Global Chairman, CEO & Founder of Ideagen Global; Adriana Sifakis, President and CO-Founder of Ideagen and CEO The Italian Place; Dr. Kenneth Moritsugu, Former United States Surgeon General and Chairman Emeritus of Ideagen Board of Directors; Kevin Donnellan, Chairman Impact & Thought Leadership Council; Gretchen O’Hara, Co-Chair of the Ideagen Impact & Thought Leader Council and Dr. Sidhant Gupta, Board Chairman.

The Ideagen 2030 - Future of Work Summit was presented with Gallup at the Gallup World Headquarters in Washington, DC. A special thanks to Gallup, Huge, the Frank Hawkins Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise and Working Nation for serving as presenting organizations. Ideagen presenting and supporting organizations included AARP, Microsoft, Global Good, Johnson & Johnson, IBM, The Walt Disney Company, Viacom, Wells Fargo, BrightFocus Foundation, Auto Alliance, Geoffrey Beene Foundation, Michael Best Strategies, Grant Thornton, PCH Films, Bridgepoint Education, UNCTAD, UNAIDS, National Restaurant Association, Amway, Toyota, and BSA among many other leading Fortune 500 Companies and NGOs.

For more information on Ideagen, visit: www.IdeagenSummits.com

Tweet me:.@IdeagenGlobal 2030 - Summit @Gallup @MarthaKanter @Burning_Glass; @GeorgetownCEW @Oates_Jane @Maggie_Koziol @mkoziol @jennifertaylorm @mgunja @ericfanning @peterfatelnig @cardinalhealth @lyft @ted_zoller @kellyotter @innovationandy @karenkerrigan http://bit.ly/2z8wuAt

Contact Info:

info@idea-gen.com

KEYWORDS: ideagen, Gallop, future of work

SOURCE:Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption

DESCRIPTION:

Since 2000, judges across the country have been opening their courtrooms on the Saturday before Thanksgiving to finalize adoptions from foster care in time for the holidays. The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption is a proud founder of National Adoption day, which has led to the adoptions of nearly 70,000 children on this day over the past 19 years.

This year more than 400 cities are holding National Adoption Day celebrations and more than 4,000 children will be adopted.

The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption works every day to dramatically increase the number of adoptions from foster care and we are so thankful to the judges and families who make this day possible each year.

If you are adopting from foster care, share your story on social media and use #natladoptionday.

To learn more, visit davethomasfoundation.org and consider supporting our mission to find a family for every waiting child.

Tweet me:Today is #NatlAdoptionDay! Founded by the @DTFA, the holiday has led to the adoptions of nearly 70,000 children on this day over the past 19 years: http://bit.ly/2Px78GC #fostercare #adoption #foreverfamily

KEYWORDS: Dave Thomas, foster care, adoption, Recruiter, forever family, Wendy’s, National Adoption Month, Instant Family, Mark Wahlberg, Wendy’s Wonderful Kids, national adoption day

SOURCE:Rebuilding Together

DESCRIPTION:

Did you know a poorly maintained yard causes moisture and pest problems? Both of which can be detrimental to the health of the home and those inside. Rebuilding Together affiliates nationwide help neighbors in need, like Cheryl, protect their homes from these dangers by removing debris, pruning overgrown bushes and trees and installing drain pipes that carry water away from the home’s foundation. 

Join the [Re]Build movement. Help us get a jumpstart on maintaining as many yards as possible: Rebuild a house. Create a home. https://rebuild.rebuildingtogether.org/

Tweet me:Did you know a poorly maintained yard causes moisture and pest problems? Help @RebldgTogthr ‏maintain as many yards as possible: http://bit.ly/2RS1M5u #RebuildAHouse #donations #socialimpact

KEYWORDS: rebuilding together, Rebuild A Home

First ever Access to Seeds Index for South and Southeast Asia evaluated 24 leading seed companies in the region on support for Sustainable Development Goals

SOURCE:Business Call to Action (BCtA)

DESCRIPTION:

Manila, The Philippines, November 20, 2018 /3BL Media/ – Thailand-based East-West Seed outperformed global giants Bayer and Syngenta in the first-ever Access to Seeds Index for South and Southeast Asia, which evaluated the efforts of 24 leading seed companies in the region to support growth in the productivity of smallholder farmers, one of the main targets of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In South and Southeast Asia about 350 million people are undernourished, a number that has barely changed in the past two years, according to a recent United Nations report.[1] Around 30% of the children in the region are malnourished. Smallholders provide up to 80% of the food supply, so helping the 170 million smallholder farmers of South and Southeast Asia to grow more and more nutritious food is key to achieving food and nutrition security.

The Access to Seeds Index found that leading seed companies have seed sales activities in all countries in South and Southeast Asia. However, investments in seed production or breeding tend to be concentrated in a select number of countries, most notably India and Thailand. As a result, the development of local seed industries in Afghanistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia run the risk of lagging further behind as few leading seed companies invest in these countries. Ultimately, 80% of smallholder farmers in South and Southeast Asia have yet to be reached.

“Increasing yields, tackling climate change challenges and reducing the environmental impact of agriculture, it all starts with the seed farmers use,” says Ido Verhagen, executive director of the Access to Seeds Index. “The seed industry plays a key role in improving the accessibility and affordability of quality seeds for smallholder farmers.”

East-West Seed leads the industry with a business model built around smallholders, including breeding for their specific needs, selling seeds in small packages and providing training. Its client base is made up almost entirely of smallholders (98%), indicating that successful business models that work for both small-scale farmers and a company itself are possible. The top 10 of the index further includes three seed companies from India and six global seed companies from outside the region.

The five highest scoring companies are all globally active. Besides East-West Seed (#1), Advanta (#4) has its roots in the region. The others, Bayer (#2), Syngenta (#3) and Corteva Agriscience[1] (#5), have all had breeding, production and distribution activities in the region for a long time. Bayer’s clientele in the region comprises about 95% smallholder farmers.

“The picture that emerges from our data is that of a highly competitive, research-driven seed industry. Companies from the region itself play an important role, especially on research and development, with breeding programs specifically focusing on the needs of smallholders,” Verhagen adds. “Global companies like Bayer and Syngenta placed high in our ranking, indicating that they have become well-rooted in the region.” The Access to Seeds Index research notes that the companies strictly adhere to national laws and/or international treaties concerning genetic resources but could do more to support the conservation and use of agrobiodiversity in the region.

On intellectual property, half of the companies explicitly state that they do not limit the use of their varieties for further breeding or the use of farm-saved seeds. The research adds that few companies have tailored pricing strategies for their patent-protected material in order to ensure affordability for smallholder farmers.

The Access to Seeds Index for South and Southeast Asia is one of the first SDG benchmarks published by the World Benchmarking Alliance. The initiative was launched last September during the UN General Assembly in New York. By measuring and comparing corporate performance on the SDGs it aims to encourage the private sector to step up their efforts towards achieving the SDGs. The Access to Seeds Index was developed with support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Government of The Netherlands. 

[1] United Nations: “Asia and the Pacific – Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition, 2018” (2 November, 2018)

[1] New name of agriculture branch of merged DuPontPioneer and Dow AgroScience

Tweet me:East-West Seeds leads 2019 Access to Seeds Index for South and Southeast Asia with 98% of clientele being smallholder farmers http://bit.ly/2zh8c7s @BCtAInitiative #ATSIndex #SDGs

KEYWORDS: Bayer, Syngenta, smallholders, East-West Seeds, Access to Seeds Index, Business Call to Action, BCtA

CSE is offering its first ever Black Friday discount to the Sustainability Academy

SOURCE:Centre for Sustainability & Excellence (CSE)

DESCRIPTION:

CHICAGO, November 20, 2018 /3BL Media/ - Massive Black Friday sales confirm that consumerism is alive and well.  While we are thankful for an economy that is prospering, we must be ready to deal with the fall-out: waste, corner-cutting supply chains, deeper scrutiny into ethical practices.  The Sustainability Academy has courses which help sustainability practitioners maneuver through these corporate challenges.

One of CSE’s global initiatives, the Sustainability Academy offers affordable, specialized, online education in the field of Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility.

Entrepreneur Magazine lists abandoning a career, team building, being visionary, dealing with the unknown, loneliness and decision making among the biggest challenges faced by new entrepreneurs.  If your vision includes a social mission, you’ll need to address a complicated field of sustainability challenges which include hiring and retention, marketing and supply chain.  CSE’s online Diploma on Social Entrepreneurship addresses each of these challenges and provides tools and a community for strengthening your social enterprise.

The Sustainability Academy has set the ambitious goal to train 100,000 sustainability professionals by 2020.  It is designed to help professionals, entrepreneurs and graduates keep up to date with current legislation, global trends and best practices.  CSE is thankful to have reached hundreds of practitioners this year – we still have more to reach!!

With a critical mass of sustainability practitioners, CSE envisions deep change, enabling corporations, municipal and community organizations to apply principles such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Instilling a common language and understanding helps integrate sustainability in all aspects of corporate and institutional functions.  Specialized group online programs for corporate teams include:

• Online Diploma on Corporate Sustainability
• Online Certificate on Sustainability (CSR) Reporting
• Online Certificate on ESG performance for Investors and Sustainability Professionals
• Introduction to Social Impact Assessment and SROI

Over the holidays and winter months when many experience a lull at work, take the time to invest in yourself and your career.  Courses run 15-20 hours and can be finished over a 30-day period.  Rather than a new widget, take advantage of CSE’s first-time ever Black Friday discounts on Sustainability Academy courses.

Join the Black Friday deals and upgrade your knowledge in Sustainability. For more information and discount coupons, visit our Black Friday countdown page now through November 24, 2018.

Tweet me:.@CSE_network is offering its first ever Black Friday discount to the #Sustainability Academy. Learn more here: http://bit.ly/2QYp4H4

KEYWORDS: cse, Centre for Sustainability & Excellence, black friday, Sustainability Academy, sustainability

SOURCE:Arrow Electronics

DESCRIPTION:

Launched in 2017, the Arrow Charitable platform empowers employees to engage in their local communities. After achieving high engagement during its first year in the United States and Canada, Arrow worked to make its volunteering and giving programs available to all employees in the Americas.

“As a global citizen, Arrow works to create positive impact around the world, and the Arrow Charitable platform is one way employees can do the same,” said Joe Verrengia, corporate social responsibility director at Arrow. “We look forward to empowering more and more employees to give back in a way that’s meaningful to them.”

The November launch, which includes Arrow locations in Argentina, Brazil and Mexico, allows employees to contribute to the impact made to date. Since 2017, that includes nearly 10,000 volunteer hours logged, over 1,000 events participated in and more than 250 charities supported by employees in the United States and Canada.

Arrow believes that purposeful community engagement makes for happier employees and a stronger company, and the Arrow Charitable expansion demonstrates a commitment to taking corporate social responsibility companywide.

About Arrow Electronics

Arrow Electronics guides innovation forward for over 150,000 of the world’s leading manufacturers of technology used in homes, business and daily life. With 2017 sales of $26.6 billion, Arrow aggregates electronics and enterprise computing solutions for customers and suppliers in industrial and commercial markets. The company maintains a network of more than 345 locations serving over 80 countries. Learn more at FiveYearsOut.com.

Tweet me:“As a global citizen, Arrow works to create positive impact around the world, and the Arrow Charitable platform is one way employees can do the same,” said Joe Verrengia, corporate social responsibility director at Arrow. http://bit.ly/2OWn0xg #CSR @ArrowGlobal

KEYWORDS: Arrow Electronics, csr, charitable platform, Giving Programs

There are numerous ways you can become an online shopping victim this holiday season. Here’s how to avoid the traps.

SOURCE:PNC Financial Services Group

DESCRIPTION:

Tweet me:There are numerous ways to become an online shopping victim this holiday season. Here’s how to avoid the traps: http://bit.ly/2zci7LF insights from @PNCBank

KEYWORDS: protect against fraud, online shopping, PNC

The acquisition of the EHS&S Roundtable will meet the changing needs of NAEM’s growing membership

SOURCE:National Association for Environmental Management (NAEM)

DESCRIPTION:

November 20, 2018 /3BL Media/ - The National Association for Environmental Management (NAEM) today announced the addition of the EHS&S Roundtable to its portfolio of benchmarking services for corporate EHS and Sustainability leaders.

With about 5000 members, NAEM is the leader in professional development for mid-level corporate managers of environment, health and safety and sustainability (EHS&S). The EHS&S Roundtable, which was founded 30 years ago, is the longest-running executive network for those at the senior levels of EHS&S leadership within companies. 

Executive Director Carol Singer Neuvelt said the association’s growth among those who have ascended into senior leadership positions made the acquisition of the EHS&S Roundtable a natural fit.

“As our members continue to advance in their careers, they have new responsibilities and challenges unique to those roles,” she said. “Expanding our offerings to include this customized service will allow NAEM to meet the needs of these leaders.”

During the transition period, Ms. Neuvelt said NAEM will collaborate with founder Tom Davis, to develop an agenda that leverages the respective strengths of each organization.  In a note to members, Mr. Davis emphasized that NAEM's reputation and expertise will make the succession seamless. 

“During the course of its history, our conversations have made a tremendous contribution to the health and well-being of the business community, the employees and the environment alike,” he said.  “I am proud that this legacy of excellence will continue."

About NAEM’s EHS&S Roundtable

The EHS&S Roundtable is the longest-running benchmarking forum for senior leaders of environment, health and safety and sustainability management. The agenda provides structured discussions on core topics related to building world-class EHS&S organizations with an emphasis on business risk, public policy, goal-setting and external engagement. To learn more, please visit naem.org.

About NAEM

The National Association for Environmental Management (NAEM) empowers corporate leaders to advance environmental stewardship, create safe and healthy workplaces and promote global sustainability. As the leading business community for EHS and sustainability decision-makers, we provide engaging forums, a curated network, peer benchmarking, research insights and tools for solving today’s corporate EHS and sustainability management challenges. Visit NAEM online at naem.org.

Tweet me:.@NAEMorg acquires the EHS&S Roundtable to better serve the needs of those at the senior leadership levels: http://bit.ly/2S1y0vl #sustainability #ESG #EHS

KEYWORDS: environment, Health, safety, ehs, naem, EHS&S Roundtable, executive networknig, benchmarking EHS, corporate EHS, EHS management, National Association for Environmental Management (NAEM)

SOURCE:Duke Energy

SUMMARY:

• Utility industry must hire 500 lineworkers a year for next five years
• Talent pipeline needed to build smart-thinking electric grid of the future

DESCRIPTION:

GREENVILLE, S.C., November 20, 2018 /3BL Media/ -- Duke Energy is partnering with the S.C. Technical College System to invest $1 million in grants to expand training opportunities for much-needed utility lineworkers across the state.

The company will need this highly-skilled workforce as it builds a smart, secure and flexible electric infrastructure to better serve customers and keep South Carolinacompetitive now and in the years ahead.

As Duke Energy and other utilities build the smart-thinking grid of the future – and the industry adapts to an aging workforce that will retire in the coming years – thousands of jobs will be created and filled.The backbone of the workforce is the certified utility lineworker.

"We are transforming the energy grid – making strategic, data-driven investments to improve reliability, use more solar and clean energy and provide customers with the intelligent information they need to make better energy choices and save money," said Kodwo Ghartey-Tagoe, Duke Energy's South Carolina state president. "These investments will reap benefits both immediately and in the years to come, but we must increase the talent pipeline for lineworkers here in South Carolinatoday to build the smart-thinking power grid of tomorrow."

The Carolinas Energy Workforce Consortium – a partnership of utilities in the Carolinas led by Duke Energy that helps ensure the two states have a sustainable, qualified workforce – is projecting the need for at least 500 lineworker hires every year for the next five years in South Carolina.

The S.C. Technical College Lineworker Grant Program was created to help fill this need and will focus on filling the ranks for existing and new industry demand of certified lineworkers. The grants will fund existing lineworker programs or help create new programs at the state's technical colleges. A committee will award grants twice a year with a maximum grant for any program capped at $200,000.

"Collaborating with industry to meet essential workforce needs is a key tenet of the S.C. Technical College System. This partnership with Duke Energy provides the perfect example of how our system strives to align our degrees and curriculum with community and industry needs," said Dr. Tim Hardee, S.C. Technical College System president. "We look forward to working closely with Duke Energy to address the shortage of much-needed trained lineworkers. Expansion of our offerings will help provide skilled workers who are so important to maintaining our state's infrastructure." 

The utility lineworker
Lineworkers are true heroes in our communities. They daily perform challenging, highly skilled work to provide the energy that drives South Carolina.

The job of a lineworker is critical to the safe and efficient delivery of power for Duke Energy's customers. All lineworkers are trained to respond to major outages in events such as high winds, ice and summer and winter storms.

Lineworkers receive an extensive progression of training over several years. In most cases at each interval, both written and field tests must be successfully completed to demonstrate expertise and job knowledge.

Lineworkers consider it a privilege to serve their communities and they love what they do. The average tenure of a lineworker is between 20 to 30 years, but there are some who've been on the lines for more than 40 years working safe and providing excellent customer service.

About Duke Energy
Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK) is one of the largest energy holding companies in the U.S., with approximately 29,000 employees and a generating capacity of 49,500 megawatts. The company is transforming its customers' experience, modernizing its energy grid, generating cleaner energy and expanding its natural gas infrastructure to create a smarter energy future for the people and communities it serves.

The company's Electric Utilities and Infrastructure unit serves approximately 7.6 million retail electric customers in six states – North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky. Its Gas Utilities and Infrastructure unit distributes natural gas to approximately 1.6 million customers in five states – North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. Its Commercial Renewables unit operates a growing renewable energy portfolio across the U.S.

A Fortune 125 company, Duke Energy was named to Fortune's 2018 "World's Most Admired Companies" list and Forbes' 2018 "America's Best Employers" list.

More information about the company is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center includes news releases, fact sheets, photos, videos and other materials. Duke Energy's illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Contact: 
Ryan Mosier
24-Hour: 800.559.3853

Tweet me:.@DukeEnergy expands lineworker training program with $1M grant to S.C. Technical Colleges http://bit.ly/2zgYbqL #jobtraining #skillsdevelopment #careers #CSR

KEYWORDS: Duke Energy, Carolinas Energy Workforce Consortium, S.C. Technical College, South Carolina, lineworkers, job training, skills development

SOURCE:Sodexo, Inc.

DESCRIPTION:

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. & STAMFORD, Conn., November 20, 2018 /3BL Media/–Centerplate, North America’s leading convention center hospitality provider, and The Miami Beach Convention Center (MBCC) have announced an agreement to extend the food and beverage contract at the Center. The newly signed extension comes as the MBCC reopens after an all-encompassing $620 million renovation.

“By continuing our relationship with Centerplate, we feel confident in the food and beverage that our guests will receive here,” said Jimmy Morales, City Manager for the City of Miami Beach. “As we bring Miami Beach further into the international spotlight as an elite destination for large-scale events of all kinds—I’m excited to have a locally-curated, guest-centric catering offering for everyone to enjoy.”

The Miami Beach Convention Center has undergone an extensive $620 million renovation that has modernized the facility, making it one of the most technologically advanced convention centers in North America. The project, which features 500,000 square feet of exhibit space, includes a 60,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom that is the largest in the region and a 20,000 square foot rooftop sunset view ballroom.

“We are very proud to carry on our long-lasting relationship with the City of Miami Beach as one of the top convention centers in the world enters a new era,” added Sal Ferrulo, Executive Vice President, Centerplate. “This is a world-class facility and we look forward to having a best-in-class culinary program for years to come, led by General Manager Danny Medina and Executive Chef Ismael Lasalle.”

With six acres of green space and canopy trees, the center is committed to sustainability and has invested $7 million in acquiring public art, one of the largest public commissions in the nation. In 2019, the six-acre parking lot right across the street will be converted into a public park, adding 1,287 trees to the city’s landscape. The renovated building is also LEED-certified by the U.S. Green Building Council.

Upcoming event highlights at the MBCC include the annual South Beach Wine & Food Festival and world-renowned Art Basel Miami Beach, which attracts more than 90,000 attendees from around the world.

About the Miami Beach Convention Center

The Miami Beach Convention Center (MBCC) is located on a 52-acre campus in the heart of Miami Beach with easy access to some of South Florida’s best hotels, beaches, shopping, dining and entertainment. The convention center is located 12 miles east of Miami International Airport and within walking distance of the Art Deco District, Lincoln Road and world-famous beaches. For general information, visit www.miamibeachconventioncenter.com or call 786-276-2600.​

About Centerplate

Centerplate is a global leader in live event hospitality, "Making It Better To Be There®" for more than 116 million guests each year at more than 300 prominent entertainment, sports and convention venues. Strategically acquired in December 2017 by world leader in Quality of Life services Sodexo, Centerplate has provided event hospitality services to more than 30 official U.S. Presidential Inaugural Balls, 14 Super Bowls and 22 World Series. Visit the company online at Centerplate.com, connect via Twitter @centerplate, Instagram @Centerplate_ or Facebook.com/centerplate. 

Tweet me:Centerplate and Miami Beach Convention Center Announce Contract Extension @SodexoUSA http://bit.ly/2QZhYlq

Contact Info:

Paul Pettas
Centerplate
Paul.Pettas@Centerplate.com

Sabrina Anico
Miami Beach Convention Center/Spectra Venue Management
Sabrina_Anico@MiamiBeachConvention.com

KEYWORDS: account, win, Sodexo, Centerplate, Business, Miami Beach, OTC:SDXAY, sustainability

By David L. Cohen

SOURCE:Comcast Corporation

DESCRIPTION:

From funding day care so that young, ambitious parents can learn job skills and finish school, to helping veterans and their families find housing, so many of our society’s most pressing issues relate to the basic needs of food, education, and housing. Increasingly, these needs cannot be addressed by the private, public, or nonprofit sectors alone, and that’s why Comcast NBCUniversal is committed, year after year, to partnering with United Way to help make a lasting impact in the communities we serve.

One of the ways Comcast NBCUniversal rallies around our communities is through our annual Employee Giving Campaign – and today we celebrate the incredible generosity of our employees whose contributions this year helped take us beyond $100 million in total historic support to United Way and the millions of individuals and families helped.

In the last several weeks, our employees collectively pledged nearly $8 million to improve communities nationwide. Combined with more than $2 million in matching grants from the Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation, our company this year is providing $10 million in support to dozens of United Way chapters across the country.

We first began partnering with United Way because, like Comcast, United Way has a national presence but also a very strong commitment to local communities which can more effectively address these basic issues and needs. As Comcast Founder Ralph Roberts once said to me, “The healthier and more vibrant the communities are where our employees and customers live and work, then the healthier and more vibrant our company is going to be.”

The important work of United Way makes a life-changing impact on so many individuals. They include Lavelle, a 26-year-old father from Chicago who received job training and mentoring, and the confidence to take care of his family; and Michaela, a young mother of three from Denver now on a path to a medical career after overcoming obstacles faced by so many youth who age out of foster care.

Lavelle and Michaela were among the people we introduced to our employees this year to help them see the impact of the donations they make. Meet them, as well as some of our employees who embody our dedication to giving back, in the video above.

United Way was created more than 130 years ago, in Denver, when a local philanthropist teamed up with the city’s religious leaders and found that by working together, they could embrace new ways to make their community a better place. 

Today, it remains imperative that we all join together, and that’s why Comcast NBCUniversal is proud to partner with United Way to continue to drive positive social change in our communities.

David L. Cohen is Senior Executive Vice President and the Chief Diversity Officer of Comcast Corporation.

Tweet me:.@Comcast employees help communities thrive with $100 million in support to @UnitedWay http://bit.ly/2zl12zj

KEYWORDS: NASDAQ:CMCSA, comcast, United Way

SOURCE:eBay

DESCRIPTION:

Tweet me:Jessie James Decker Partners With eBay to Curate The Ultimate Holiday Toy List for Charity to Benefit Save the Children @eBay http://bit.ly/2OQNHDG #GivingTuesday

SOURCE:GRI

DESCRIPTION:

Sustainability reporting can really help companies of all sizes, and anywhere in the world to improve their own processes and publicly demonstrate their responsible business practices. Through its Competitive Business Program and with with the support of SECO (Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs), GRI helped SMEs in Ghana report for the first time. Participating SMEs and GRI learnt that sustainability reporting can lead to clear business benefits for smaller companies in developing countries, and that digital tools can encourage and facilitate reporting. 

Canned mushrooms are good and readily available in Ghana, but fresh mushrooms, according to Fafape Ama Etsa Foe, are much better. Not only that, they were close to impossible to procure. So Fafape took the business opportunity with open arms and, in 2015, founded E90, that has since then become one of the largest producers of fresh organic mushrooms and mushroom products in Ghana. In 2018, she participated in GRI’s Competitive Business Program, with the intention to “measure, understand and communicate our company’s economic, environmental, social and governance performance and then set goals and manage change more effectively.” 

The resulting sustainability report that E90 produced focused on environmental and procurement practices. It is one of 15 reports produced so far under GRI’s Competitive Business Program in Ghana. With the help of local government agency NBSSI (National Board for Small Scale Industries), interested entrepreneurs ranging from fashion schools to juice producers, and from soap makers to catering services, got a head start to really understand and apply sustainability reporting to identify where they can bring improvements to their small and medium-sized businesses. 

For Fafape and E90, writing a sustainability report had bottom-line effects. As they discovered, “…due to non-disclosures of our procurement practices, raw materials are sometimes over-bought, which increases our production costs…” So in the near future, the company will adopt procurement practices that focus on reducing inefficiencies.

And, as they acknowledge, protecting the environment is important to their own success. And they are engaging with the local community to procure waste from other industries to use as material for growing their mushrooms, as well as participating with government agencies in improving ties with the community and together engage in environmental preservation.

For Fafape and the other participating Ghanaian entrepreneurs, sustainability reporting has allowed them to better understand where their current points of improvement are. They have realized that adopting and documenting their sustainable business practices positively affects their bottom line, as well as their relation to their community and the environment. Armed with this information, they are finding new ways to grow their business and their profits, establishing new processes and procedures that will hopefully enable them to reach new markets.

New to reporting? Check out some of GRI's resources for new reporters. 

Tweet me:Pilot project by @GRI_Secretariat and the Swiss government helped #SMEs produce their first #sustainability reports in Ghana. Learnings? Sustainability reporting can lead to clear business benefits for small companies in developing countries. http://bit.ly/2zm0Pfc

KEYWORDS: GRI, global reporting initiative, GRI Standards, sustainability reporting, SMEs, Small and medium sized enterprises

SOURCE:Antea Group

DESCRIPTION:

For the retail petroleum industry, Oct. 13, 2018 was a landmark day, representing the latest major compliance deadline for new federal underground storage tank (UST) regulations. As a gas station owner/operator, are you ready?

Antea Group provides a brief explanation of the origin and key aspects of the new regulations, and actionable next steps to help you identify gaps in your compliance efforts.

About Antea Group

Antea Group is an international engineering and environmental consulting firm specializing in full-service solutions in the fields of environment, infrastructure, urban planning and water. By combining strategic thinking and multidisciplinary perspectives with technical expertise and pragmatic action, we do more than effectively solve client challenges; we deliver sustainable results for a better future. With more than 3,000 employees in over 100 offices around the world, we serve clients ranging from global energy companies and manufacturers to national governments and local municipalities. Learn more at https://us.anteagroup.com.

Tweet me:.@AnteaGroup Underground Storage Tank Regulation Deadlines Have Arrived: Are You Ready? http://bit.ly/2OjuRov

Contact Info:

katie.nordenson@anteagroup.com

KEYWORDS: Underground Storage Tank Regulation, UST regulation, UST training, UST compliance, UST owner, antea group

Thanksgiving meals were served to 250 local children and families in need at StubHub Center’s American Express Stadium Club

SOURCE:AEG

DESCRIPTION:

November 21, 2018 /3BL Media/ - AEG’s LA Galaxy Foundation and StubHub Center Foundation hosted the 15th Annual Thanksgiving Foundations' Feast at StubHub Center’s American Express Stadium Club on Monday, Nov. 19.

As part of the event, staff from both the LA Galaxy and StubHub Center served a complete Thanksgiving meal to 250 local children and families in need. An annual tradition at StubHub Center since 2003, the event featured a full Thanksgiving buffet, including turkey, stuffing and all the trimmings in addition to arts and crafts, activities, and gift bags.

Both Foundations hosted families from Los Angeles Children and Family Services, The Salvation Army Red Shield, Koinonia Family Services, El Nido Family Services and Peace 4 Kids, among others.

This year’s Thanksgiving Foundations’ Feast was made possible by donations from the LA Galaxy, StubHub Center, Levy Restaurants, Coca-Cola, StubHub, El Super, Marie Callender's Torrance, and LAUSD Homeless Education Program.

ABOUT STUBHUB CENTER FOUNDATION
StubHub Center Foundation a 501c(3) organization was established to provide financial and in-kind support for educational, recreational and social service programs which improve the lives of young people in the Greater Southern California region. The foundation has a particular focus on serving the area immediately surrounding StubHub Center, located in the City of Carson. The StubHub Center staff spends countless hours giving back to our community every year through programs, events, scholarships, and youth ticket donations.

ABOUT LA GALAXY FOUNDATION
The LA Galaxy Foundation, the 501(c)(3) organization associated with the LA Galaxy, is dedicated to assisting the community in which the team lives, works, and plays. LA Galaxy players, coaches, alumni and staff spend countless hours giving back to the community at local schools, hospitals, fields, and events. The LAGF continually strives to aid organizations that meet its mission of supporting and creating education, health, and soccer-related activities and programs for youth in the greater Los Angeles area.

ABOUT STUBHUB CENTER
StubHub Center is southern California’s home of world-class competition and training facilities for amateur, Olympic, collegiate and professional athletes. Managed by AEG Facilities, the $150 million, privately financed facility was developed by AEG on a 125-acre site on the campus of California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) in Carson, California. StubHub Center features an 8,000-seat tennis stadium, a 27,167-seat stadium for soccer, football and other athletic competitions and outdoor concerts; a 2,000-seat facility for track & field and a 2,450-seat indoor Velodrome – the VELO Sports Center – for track cycling.  StubHub Center is home to Major League Soccer’s LA Galaxy, the five-time MLS Cup Champions. StubHub Center is also home of the Los Angeles Chargers, United States Tennis Association’s (USTA) High Performance Training Center, the national team training headquarters for the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) and EXOS, an international training center for elite and professional athletes. For additional information, please visit www.stubhubcenter.com.

Media Contact
Allegra Batista
abatista@aegworldwide.com
213-763-7738

Tweet me:.@aegworldwide’s @LAGalaxy Foundation & @StubHubCenter Foundation host 15th Annual #Thanksgiving Foundations’ Feast for 250 local children and families! http://bit.ly/2zeHcFN

KEYWORDS: AEG, StubHub Center, Thanksgiving, LA Galaxy Foundation, StubHub Center Foundation

SOURCE:Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption

DESCRIPTION:

When you have a family, you can take it for granted.

That will never be the case for Maci Kean. Adopted just 51 days before her 18th birthday she told the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption that she “never thought she’d feel love.”

Everything changed for her after she was adopted by the Kean Family.

Creating families. It’s what the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption does. Every. Single. Day.

​Learn more about our mission at davethomasfoundation.org or support us by donating here.

Tweet me:Just 51 days shy of turning 18, Maci thought she'd never feel love. Everything changed for her after she was #adopted by the Kean Family. http://bit.ly/2DPlgoL @DTFA #fostercare #foreverfamily

KEYWORDS: Dave Thomas, foster care, adoption, Recruiter, forever family, Wendy’s, National Adoption Month, Instant Family, Mark Wahlberg, Wendy’s Wonderful Kids, maci kean

HP and the WONDER Project are working together to make childbirth safer for women everywhere.

SOURCE:HP, Inc.

DESCRIPTION:

Tweet me:#DYK that according to @WHO, about 830 women die every day from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth? Learn how the WONDER Project and @HP are using technology to prevent maternal mortality: http://bit.ly/2OVf2of

KEYWORDS: HP, wonder project, make childbirth safer for women, fight maternal mortality worldwide, technology for good

SOURCE:eBay

DESCRIPTION:

Lindsey West and Kim Smith want the same opportunities other young people want—a job that gives them a sense of purpose, an income that provides independence, and a work environment where they can thrive. At social good snack company, Peaceful Fruits, founder Evan Delahanty has built a successful business model that not only gives Kim, Lindsey and dozens more young people with special needs a job, but an opportunity to make the world and the lives of other people better one rainforest-friendly fruit snack at a time. Peaceful Fruits is an eBay Retail Revival business located in Akron, Ohio.

Learn more about eBay Impact here: ebay.com/everydayheroes

Tweet me:#Video: social good snack company, Peaceful Fruits gives young people with special needs a job http://bit.ly/2zfBfZd @eBay

KEYWORDS: Snacking on Purpose, eBay, Peaceful Fruits, young people with special needs

SOURCE:Hormel Foods Corporation

DESCRIPTION:

AUSTIN, Minn., November 21, 2018 /3BL Media/ - Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE: HRL) announced today that its Hormel^® Cure 81^®ham brand has partnered with Convoy of Hope – a global leader fighting food insecurity – to help feed those in need this holiday season.

Hormel Foods, the maker of the Hormel^® Cure 81^®brand, believes that no one deserves to go hungry, especially during the holidays. The brand team is inspired to do their part to help end hunger and food insecurity.

To raise funds to support Convoy of Hope, the Hormel^® Cure 81^® brand team has announced that for every Twitter post submitted between today and the end of the year using the hashtag #HamsForHunger and tagging @HormelFoods, they will donate $10 (up to $100,000) to support the organization’s children’s feeding program. According to Convoy of Hope, a $10 gift feeds a child in this program for an entire month (a $100,000 donation would feed 10,000 children for a month).

“Hormel Foods is proud to partner with Convoy of Hope to support their passion to feed the world through its various hunger-relief initiatives,” said Stephanie Postma, Hormel^® Cure 81^® brand manager at Hormel Foods. “This donation complements our company’s long-standing Cure 81® Hams for Hunger™ program. We are honored to work together to make such a substantial hunger-relief contribution to those who are in need.”

“We count it an honor and a privilege to partner with Hormel Foods to bring hope and help to people who need it the most,” said Jeff Nene, Convoy of Hope’s national spokesperson.

Since 1994, more than 100 million people have been served throughout the world by Convoy of Hope, whose mission is to feed the world through children’s feeding initiatives, community outreaches and disaster response.

The monetary donation is in addition to the Hormel^® Cure 81^® Hams for Hunger™ program. The program, created in 1989, involves a partnership between Hormel Foods and grocery retailers across the country. Throughout the years, more than $13 million dollars in hams have been donated, feeding tens of thousands of families.

For more information about the Hormel^® Cure 81^® brand, including recipes and its Hams for Hunger™ program, visit www.hormel.com/brands/cure81.

About Hormel Foods — Inspired People. Inspired Food.™

Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minn., is a global branded food company with over $9 billion in annual revenues across more than 80 countries worldwide. Its brands include SKIPPY^®, SPAM^®, Hormel^® Natural Choice^®, Applegate^®, Justin’s^®, Wholly Guacamole^®, Hormel^® Black Label^®, Columbus^® and more than 30 other beloved brands. The company is a member of the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, was named one of “The 100 Best Corporate Citizens” by Corporate Responsibility Magazine for the 10^th year in a row, and has received numerous other awards and accolades for its corporate responsibility and community service efforts. In 2016, the company celebrated its 125^th anniversary and announced its new vision for the future — Inspired People. Inspired Food.™— focusing on its legacy of innovation. For more information, visit www.hormelfoods.com and http://csr.hormelfoods.com/

Tweet me:HORMEL® CURE 81® brand partners with @ConvoyofHope to raise funds to help feed those in need this holiday season http://bit.ly/2RZgaJk @HormelFoods

KEYWORDS: NYSE:HRL, Hormel Foods, Hormel® Cure 81®, Convoy of Hope