Blockchain vs. Opioids: Booz Allen Hosts HACKtheEPIDEMIC for Solutions

December 7, 2018, 7:35 am

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SOURCE:Booz Allen Hamilton

DESCRIPTION:

A blockchain is a shared database that normally records the exchange of information, money, goods, or services. However, can this technology be used in the fight against opioid addiction, an epidemic in which an average of 115 Americans die of overdoses each day?

On October 12-14, Booz Allen partnered with blockchain technology company ConsenSys to host a hackathon and find out. In the first event focused on helping people who struggle with Opioid Use Disorder and not just supply chain issues, HACKtheEPIDEMIC rallied teams to create blockchain solutions that:

Address the postal supply chain of illicit drugs
Coordinate data sharing between pharmacies, healthcare providers and other stakeholders
Help individuals on the road to recovery

“This event brought 75 people together to work on these challenges,” said Jaime Fitzgibbon, a Booz Allen senior associate who works in the Strategic Innovation Group. “It’s less than most major Navy-hosted hackathons but more than our previous data science challenge in San Francisco.”

“The type of people that have showed up at some of our hackathons don’t believe there’s a problem that they can’t fix,” said Brian McCarthy, director of Booz Allen’s San Francisco office. For HACKtheEPIDEMIC, he said, “Participants came from a plethora of backgrounds, including students, economists, health advocates, blockchain experts, and even someone from the clothing industry.

Names and descriptions of the winning projects follow:

RxChain (first place) combines blockchain with RF technology to track the number of pills being given and identify tampering.
YOURine, but you want out (second place) is a blockchain-based private social network aimed to enhance participant engagement during recovery.
Pharma-sign (third place) aims to reduce prescription forgery through applying blockchain to provider-pharmacy-patient communications.

“We’re proud of the excellent work by all our participants, including Doug Grant from Booz Allen’s Washington, D.C., office, who was a member of the first place team,” said Fitzgibbon.

What’s next? The teams with the top three solutions are invited to participate in a Consortium, hosted within ConsenSys Health in partnership with Booz Allen, to further develop their ideas. The goal: Flesh the ideas out into minimum viable products and even spin off a start-up of their own. And more events are in the pipeline for 2019.

“We plan to host another event with ConsenSys in Washington, D.C., next spring and possibly one here on the West Coast,” said Fitzgibbon.

Read about Booz Allen’s blockchain solutions for government agencies.

Tweet me:See how #blockchain can fight #opioid addiction #HacktheEpidemic @BoozAllen http://bit.ly/2E7I6Hd

KEYWORDS: Booz Allen Hamilton, NYSE: BAH, HACKtheEPIDEMIC, blockchain, ConsenSys, opioid epidemic

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Ecolab Foundation Commits $5 Million to Support Sustainability Research and Education at the University of Minnesota

December 7, 2018, 8:15 am

≫ Next: #EmbracingSustainability

≪ Previous: Blockchain vs. Opioids: Booz Allen Hosts HACKtheEPIDEMIC for Solutions

SOURCE:Ecolab

DESCRIPTION:

MINNEAPOLIS and ST. PAUL, Minn.,December 7, 2018 /3BL Media/ - Ecolab Chairman and CEO Douglas M. Baker, Jr., and University of Minnesota President Eric Kaler today announced a $5 million gift from the Ecolab Foundation to the University-wide Driven campaign, in support of environmental sustainability research and education. A cornerstone of the Ecolab Foundation gift is $2 million to establish an endowed chair for the Institute on the Environment.

“Our gift is designed to support sustainability thought leadership for years to come,” said Baker. “Ecolab operates at the nexus of business and sustainability, and this investment from the Ecolab Foundation will encourage collaboration between the University and the business community to ensure a secure, sustainable future for everyone.”

“For decades, University of Minnesota researchers and students have focused on finding scientific and social solutions to tackle the most important challenges facing our state, nation and world,” said Kaler. “Through public-private partnerships, like this one with the Ecolab Foundation, we are able to accelerate research into practices that ensure safe water, clean, renewable energy, healthy landscapes and sustainable food.”

The contribution will count toward Driven: The University of Minnesota Campaign, a comprehensive fundraising effort that has raised more than $3 billion toward its $4 billion goal.

The Ecolab Foundation will also invest more than $1 million in undergraduate scholarships in science, engineering and related environmental and sustainability-focused majors and minors, providing renewable awards of $7,500 for diverse and talented students beginning in their sophomore year. Through the Institute on the Environment, the gift also will support immersive student experiences with global and local partners focused on energy, water quality and supply, sustainable development and public health.

Recognizing that future business leaders will be called on to catalyze sustainability efforts across communities and industries, the Ecolab Foundation’s donation will also support undergraduates in the University’s Carlson School of Management by funding scholarships and international learning experiences that equip students to address the real and growing risks to our environment. Another portion of the Ecolab Foundation gift will underwrite a major conference series to engage top industry and academic experts in collaboratively driving forward progress on major environmental challenges.

“Public-private partnerships are essential to making real progress on sustainability and addressing the impacts of climate change,” said Jessica Hellmann, Ph.D., director of the Institute on the Environment, who will become the first Ecolab Chair for Environmental Leadership. “The global economic impact of climate change and other stressors make this work truly imperative, for Minnesota and around the globe.”

About Ecolab
A trusted partner at nearly three million customer locations, Ecolab (ECL) is the global leader in water, hygiene and energy technologies and services that protect people and vital resources. With annual sales of $14 billion and 48,000 associates, Ecolab delivers comprehensive solutions, data-driven insights and on-site service to promote safe food, maintain clean environments, optimize water and energy use, and improve operational efficiencies for customers in the food, healthcare, energy, hospitality and industrial markets in more than 170 countries around the world.

About the University of Minnesota Institute on the Environment
Founded in 2007, the Institute on the Environment strives to make an impact on our world's most pressing environmental challenges, through supporting innovative research across the disciplines, developing global sustainability leaders, and fostering critical collaboration and partnerships. IonE's current focal areas include a carbon-neutral energy transition, clean, safe drinking water, and sustainable land use. Through work in these areas and across the IonE network, the Institute seeks to lead the way to future in which people and planet prosper together.

Tweet me:.@Ecolab Foundation commits $5 Million to @UMNews in support of the University's Driven Campaign, which accelerates research that supports safe water, clean, renewable energy, healthy landscapes, and sustainable food. #UMNdriven http://bit.ly/2EglK7i

KEYWORDS: NYSE:ECL, Douglas M. Baker Jr., Ecolab, university of minnesota, Driven: The University of Minnesota Campaign

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#EmbracingSustainability

December 7, 2018, 11:45 am

≫ Next: From Problems to Profits: Investors Eye Asia's Environmental Issues

≪ Previous: Ecolab Foundation Commits $5 Million to Support Sustainability Research and Education at the University of Minnesota

SOURCE:Eastman Chemical Company

DESCRIPTION:

Eastman is participating in the Business Roundtable #EmbracingSustainability challenge by sharing this video from Mark Costa. Thank you to Lynne Doughtie for challenging us to share this story. Michael Thaman, it’s your turn to share how Owens Corning is #EmbracingSustainability.

KEYWORDS: Eastman, The Business Roundtable (BRT), NYSE:EMN, Eastman Chemical Company

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From Problems to Profits: Investors Eye Asia's Environmental Issues

December 10, 2018, 5:25 am

≫ Next: Providing American Children and Families With Nourishment and Strength

≪ Previous: #EmbracingSustainability

SOURCE:Bloomberg

DESCRIPTION:

View this clip on bloomberg.com

Ramy Inocencio sits down with the CEO Amit Bouri, the head of the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) during New York's first Sustainable Finance Week and Bloomberg's inaugural Global Responsible Investing Forum to discuss how investors are turning problems into profits.

Tweet me:.@bloomberg @RamyInocencio asked @theGIIN CEO @AmitKBouri at #GRIF2018 why Asia's the world's fastest-growth region for impact investing. #sustainablefinanceweek http://bit.ly/2EmmxDG

KEYWORDS: grif, Bloomberg, sfw, Sustainable Finance Week, Global Responsible Investing Forum, Ramy Inocencio

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Providing American Children and Families With Nourishment and Strength

December 10, 2018, 5:30 am

≫ Next: 6 People Who Make Human Rights Their Everyday Mission

≪ Previous: From Problems to Profits: Investors Eye Asia's Environmental Issues

Viewpoints: With support of civic-minded organizations like Wells Fargo, Feeding America helps hungry families put food on the table during the holidays and throughout the year.

SOURCE:Wells Fargo & Company

DESCRIPTION:

Viewpoints’ invites guest authors from outside of Wells Fargo to share an important perspective related to their work. Today, we welcome Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO of Feeding America.

In America, 40 million people face hunger. This may mean that children in your community are dealing with the pain of an empty stomach instead of playing with friends. Students are skipping meals and struggling to study. Parents are coming home to hungry kids and empty refrigerators. And in many cities and towns, record-breaking natural disasters have caused many families to need food assistance for the first time.

Feeding America is on a mission to feed the hungry and engage our country in the fight to end hunger. As the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization, Feeding America provides more than 4 billion meals each year. Thanks to the generous support of companies like Wells Fargo, our nationwide network of food banks, food pantries, and meal programs provides food to one in seven Americans across the country.

In addition to feeding people today, we focus on helping households achieve long-term food security for tomorrow. We also invest in research, innovation, and technology to continuously improve our work, so we can provide more food to people in need. Our vision is a hunger-free America.

Alleviating child hunger

Child hunger is one of the most urgent problems facing our country. Across the U.S., one in six children face hunger. Research shows that children are more likely to experience challenges with growth, development, and learning when they don’t get the nutrients they need. It’s hard for a child to concentrate in the classroom with a grumbling stomach, let alone earn good grades and prepare to enter the workforce as an adult.

At Feeding America, we believe that no child should struggle with hunger, and we are doing more each day to reach kids in need. One of our child hunger programs, Kids Cafe, provides free meals and snacks to children from low-income households in places that are familiar, like libraries, churches, and schools nationwide.

The Kids Cafe program reaches millions of kids every year, including 10-year-old Maybela. According to Maybela’s mom, Dorothy, “The Kids Cafe is a huge help to me. I’ve skipped meals so Maybela can eat,” she said. “But I’m so grateful we have this place, so we don’t need to go to those extremes often. We can rely on these meals when times get really tough.”

Feeding America also offers a little magic to families in need during the holiday season. Food banks nationwide host special holiday food distributions that reach families like Brittany’s. Brittany and her husband both work and stretch every dollar to feed their two boys — even when it meant going without heat and holiday meals. Last year, Brittany was overjoyed when she discovered that volunteers were giving away groceries for a holiday meal — including turkey, cranberries, and potatoes — at a Feeding America food bank’s mobile pantry near her home.

“For Christmas and Thanksgiving this year, we got to eat meat, and it was such a luxury,” Brittany said. “My son was so excited and kept saying, ‘I love turkey!’ There was something so magical about being able to sit at the dinner table with my family and enjoy that holiday meal.”

Fighting hunger together

By teaming up with businesses like Wells Fargo, Feeding America provides meals to more families like Dorothy’s and Brittany’s every day. This holiday season, Wells Fargo is driving support for Feeding America’s efforts to serve children and families in need. The company is accepting donations to Feeding America at Wells Fargo ATMs, matching monetary donations up to $1 million made to Feeding America, and inspiring its team members to volunteer at Feeding America food banks. By sharing food, dollars, and time with their neighbors in need and encouraging the public to get involved, Wells Fargo is making a meaningful difference in the lives of many hungry families.

Tweet me:40 million people face hunger in America. Help @FeedingAmerica put food on the table http://bit.ly/2Puug3D

KEYWORDS: Wells Fargo, Feeding America, Food Insecurity, Hunger, NYSE:WFC

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6 People Who Make Human Rights Their Everyday Mission

December 10, 2018, 6:05 am

≫ Next: What Does “Green” Mean to CBRE Hong Kong @ MoonTrekker 2018

≪ Previous: Providing American Children and Families With Nourishment and Strength

On the 70th annual Human Rights Day, HP celebrates our partners and heroes working to improve the lives of workers and their families around the world.

SOURCE:HP, Inc.

DESCRIPTION:

By Patrick Roger

Companies have an obligation to operate ethically and treat workers, customers and the general public fairly, and HP is proud to promote respect for human rights in all of the company’s operations. This year, Human Rights Day marks the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the historic proclamation that established the fundamental freedoms of conscience, speech, religion and others belonging to every citizen of the planet, regardless of the laws of the countries where they live. (You can hear then First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who chaired the drafting committee, reading from the moving preamble here.)

To celebrate those words and the efforts of the activists and leaders in public office, corporations and private institutions who make the protection of human rights a reality, we salute six of our partners and heroes in the field, whose everyday work on behalf of others improves the lives of workers and their families all over the world.

Caroline Rees, President and co-founder, Shift

Caroline Rees has a calling: To make human rights a part of how business gets done in every corner of the world. It began in 2004 when she was British diplomat stationed at the United Nations in Geneva and a heated debate about the role of corporations in promoting human rights hit the agenda. “Discussions were highly controversial,” says Rees, who chaired the negotiations that led to the appointment of Harvard professor John Ruggie as the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Business and Human Rights. She then joined his team in drafting what became the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights — the landmark 2011 document that established the pillars of current-day corporate responsibility. That same year, Rees founded Shift, a New York City-based non-profit that works with Fortune 500 companies, NGOs, trade unions and the financial sector to make human rights for workers a reality. “Shift is part of the movement to help people work out what the UN Guiding Principles mean in their daily jobs,” she says. That’s when the policy debates and corporate compliance procedures turn into moments of action. “Suddenly this ceases being the next task I have to complete and becomes something that gets me out of bed in the morning,” she says.

Anjali Kochar, Executive Director, Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation U.S.

You can still hear the excitement in Anjali Kochar’s voice as she describes taking part in the Global March Against Child Labour two decades ago. Thousands of people from dozens of countries traveled through Africa, Asia, Latin America and the U.S. in 1998 in a massive show of support for the 152 million children around the world forced to work. “Being on the march and meeting former child laborers for me just made it so clear that it was just by luck that I had the life that I had,” says Kochar, who was raised in India and the U.S. “Any one of those children could have been me.” Kochar went to work for the march’s organizer, children’s advocate Kailash Satyarthi, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005, and his Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation. She is involved in fundraising for its programs for victims of human trafficking in India, as well as in a worldwide campaign to empower young people to become advocates for children’s rights internationally. She has worked with a group of students who held a screening of a new documentary about Satyarthi for lawmakers at the Massachusetts Statehouse and supported students in Sweden who invited that country’s politicians back to school for a day of education about the global plight of children in 2017. “It’s about providing a space for young people to identify their passions, to give them tools and really allow them to start speaking truth to power,” she says.

Jay Celorie, Human Rights Officer, HP Inc.

Jay Celorie, who heads HP’s human rights efforts worldwide from his office in Corvallis, Oregon, realized he wanted to devote himself to this work in a corporate context after a trip to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2012. He had previously worked on environmental issues, but on this project, he was aiming to to limit the number of players in the supply chain of minerals mined for use in the production of HP laptop computers. “It blew me away,” says Celorie about visiting a mining community and meeting first-hand the people whose contributions to the final product typically go unseen. By cutting out middlemen, “we could pay more money to the miners, and also enable the mining company to do more for the community, including free schooling and a free medical clinic,” he says. “I knew we could do something good for the company and good for the people, and I wanted to be in that role.” Today Celorie leads HP's Human Rights Office and works with all relevant company functions to respect human rights and guide HP's internal human rights strategy and goals.

John Morrison, Chief Executive, Institute for Human Rights and Business

“Businesses are very powerful actors in the world today, particularly the multinationals,” says John Morrison. An anthropologist by training, Morrison worked in refugee protection and human trafficking in the former Yugoslavia and cut his teeth on human rights working as the public affairs director for The Body Shop, the British cosmetics company founded by Anita Roddick that pioneered ethical consumerism. Now the head of the Institute for Human Rights and Business, a London-based human rights think tank (or “think and do tank,” as he likes to call it), Morrison helps global corporations target human rights abuses in countries where they do business. He works on emerging issues in the global supply chain such as migrant workers paying recruitment fees instead of their employers and being treated by unscrupulous brokers as a commodity that can be transferred over international borders. “Millions of workers are having to in effect pay for their jobs by giving huge amounts of money to intermediaries,” he says. "We wouldn't expect our children to have to buy their jobs, why would we expect millions of people to mortgage their houses and their lands to do so?"

Shawn McDonald, Chief Executive Officer, Verité

Verité is an Amherst, Massachusetts-based non-profit that provides research, training and audits for companies dedicated to promoting fair and safe labor practices for fishermen in Thailand, cotton farmers in India and workers on palm oil plantations in Indonesia, to name just a few of the 60 countries where it is active. As CEO, McDonald is enthusiastic about the growing potential of businesses to limit or end child labor; halt discrimination against women; and prevent unethical recruitment and hiring in the workforce. Verité’s Responsible Sourcing Tool, for instance, provides maps and other research to help companies visualize the risk of human trafficking in more than a dozen sectors of the economy in countries throughout the world. “Five years ago people barely even thought about the fishermen, they were concerned with the dolphins caught up in the nets,” he says. “Now, there’s an opening up of everybody’s eyes to how much more complicated workers’ and migrants’ lives are, as well as environmental concerns, and that’s really very satisfying.”

Laura Rubbo, Director, responsible governance and supply chain, The Walt Disney Co.

“My parents lived and worked overseas while I was growing up,” says Laura Rubbo, who is based in Burbank, Calif., “so I always was keenly aware that there was a big world out there with people and communities facing many different challenges.” Today, Rubbo puts her passion for improving the lives of others into ensuring that the nearly 40,000 factories worldwide where The Walt Disney Company’s products are made follow a human rights code of conduct that includes industry-leading occupational health and safety standards and protections against child and forced labor. “Part of it is making sure that the product supply chain remains secure,” she says, “but part of it is also about supporting jobs that are valuable to people and figuring out how global brands can use their leverage to promote better working conditions.”

Learn how HP and its eco-partners achieve sustainability goals.

Tweet me:Meet 6 incredible people who work to improve the lives of others as we celebrate the 70th anniversary of the UN’s Declaration of Human Rights, on the Garage: http://bit.ly/2PtyEQz #HumanRightsDay @HPSustainable

KEYWORDS: HP, Human Rights Day, csr, UN’s Declaration of Human Rights

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What Does “Green” Mean to CBRE Hong Kong @ MoonTrekker 2018

December 10, 2018, 6:15 am

≫ Next: Sharing a Behind-the-Scenes Look at Sustainable Forestry with Consumers

≪ Previous: 6 People Who Make Human Rights Their Everyday Mission

SOURCE:CBRE Group, Inc.

DESCRIPTION:

CBRE Hong Kong has completed its 7th MoonTrekker 2018. 80+ CBRE athletes joined the 30/43k trail run on a Friday night. The event not only strengthened our #EmployeeAdvantage but also gave us an opportunity to raise funds for The Nature Conservancy. A great event to nourish our green planet, to elevate our CBRE green.

Watch on Youtube

Tweet me:Watch CBRE Hong Kong has completed its 7th MoonTrekker 2018. http://bit.ly/2PtLIpe @CBRE #green

KEYWORDS: MoonTrekker 2018, CBRE, Hong Kong, The Nature Conservancy, cbre green

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Sharing a Behind-the-Scenes Look at Sustainable Forestry with Consumers

December 10, 2018, 6:30 am

≫ Next: Visa Named Among Top 100 Just Companies

≪ Previous: What Does “Green” Mean to CBRE Hong Kong @ MoonTrekker 2018

SOURCE:P&G

DESCRIPTION:

From furniture to paper products, we all use forest products every day. And we all share a personal responsibility to protect our forests for the generations to come. Because trees provide the air we breathe, clean water to drink and resources we need to live, as well as playing an important role in combatting climate change through carbon sequestration, it’s important to do what we can to preserve forests today.

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification helps ensure that forests used to source a host of products we consume are managed in a way that takes into account environmental, social and economic concerns. By buying those certified products, we can all contribute to protecting our forests.

That’s why, companies like Procter & Gamble and Domtar are working to raise awareness about the benefit of FSC-certified products.

Recently Procter & Gamble took a different approach to communicating with consumers about the benefit of buying FSC certified products. Indeed, the company and three of its brands – Bounty, Charmin and Puffs – hosted a tree farm visit for influencers near Little Rock, Arkansas. The influencers had the unique and exclusive opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look at a tree farm, to meet the faces and hear the inspiring stories behind the production of paper products. It was also an opportunity for them to learn from leading organizations including Rainforest Alliance and WWF about the importance of buying FSC-certified products to help protect the environment. The influencers then shared their experience on different social media channels including Instagram, YouTube and a blog post.

Learn more:

Instagram

YouTube

HOW ONE SMALL TREE FARM AND A LEADING CORPORATION HELPED FUEL MY HOPE FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

Tweet me:Sharing a Behind-the-Scenes Look at Sustainable Forestry with Consumers http://bit.ly/2EkdaV1 companies like Procter & Gamble and Domtar are working to raise awareness about the benefit of FSC-certified products @ProcterGamble @DomtarEveryday

KEYWORDS: sustainable forestry with consumers, Procter & Gamble, sustainability, FSC International, domtar paper, Charmin

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Visa Named Among Top 100 Just Companies

December 10, 2018, 6:30 am

≫ Next: Four Key Takeaways from a Michigan Utility’s Clean Energy Transition

≪ Previous: Sharing a Behind-the-Scenes Look at Sustainable Forestry with Consumers

SOURCE:Visa

DESCRIPTION:

Visa has been named to the 2019 “JUST 100” list by Forbes and Just Capital, a nonprofit research organization that ranks the largest publicly traded corporations in the United States on responsible business practices, including environment, social impact and good governance. Visa placed at number 43 of 100, up 202 spots from last year’s ranking of 1,000.

Visa was included on this year’s list for its outstanding results on issues including fair pay and good benefits, customer treatment and privacy, beneficial products, environmental impact, job creation, community support in the U.S. and abroad, as well as ethical leadership and long-term financial growth.

“We are proud of this distinction recognizing our leadership across dimensions in how we conduct business,” said Douglas Sabo, vice president, head of Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability at Visa Inc. “The Most Just 100 ranking is a testament to Visa’s work to transform commerce, expand financial access, invest in our people, operate responsibly and sustainably, and strengthen communities around the world.”

Forbes and Just Capital analyzed the largest publicly traded companies in the U.S. to determine which have the best and most just business behavior. According to a survey of 81,000 Americans, criteria for being a “just” company include its treatment of its workers, its customer relations, environmental responsibility, community support and corporate governance.

In this year’s review, Visa scored highest in the areas of corporate governance, customer relations and environmental responsibility. Visa also scored highly on customer privacy and customer service indicators, as well as for disclosure around its carbon and climate, natural resource and environmental risk management practices.

Described best as a report card for corporate America, here is the full list of 100 companies that are setting the standard in just behavior. Visa is proud to join its ranks.

Tweet me:Visa is proud to be included in the 2018 Just 100 by @Forbes and @justcapital_, as one of the nation’s largest publicly-traded companies with the best and most just business behavior. See more: http://vi.sa/2zNkTqU

KEYWORDS: visa, 100 Just Companies, Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability, JUST 100, NYSE:V

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Four Key Takeaways from a Michigan Utility’s Clean Energy Transition

December 10, 2018, 6:30 am

≫ Next: Whirlpool Invites Returning Engineers = WIRE

≪ Previous: Visa Named Among Top 100 Just Companies

By Andy Balaskovitz

SOURCE:Consumers Energy

DESCRIPTION:

In a speech this week to a large, business-friendly crowd in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Consumers Energy President and CEO Patti Poppe presented an economic case for solar power, electric vehicles and moving past coal.

The company closed seven Michigan coal plants in 2016, cutting carbon emissions 25 percent without hurting its workforce. As the company focuses on solar in the coming years, Poppe said electric vehicles will play a growing role in the company’s “triple bottom line” principle of serving people, the planet and prosperity.

Continue reading the article here

Tweet me:Discover the 4 key takeaways from @ConsumersEnergy's plan to embrace #CleanEnergy http://bit.ly/2zTAogY via @energynews_US

KEYWORDS: NYSE:CMS, Consumers Energy, coal, Patti Poppe

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Whirlpool Invites Returning Engineers = WIRE

December 10, 2018, 7:00 am

≫ Next: Corona Becomes First Global Beer Brand to Use Plastic-Free Six Pack Rings

≪ Previous: Four Key Takeaways from a Michigan Utility’s Clean Energy Transition

SOURCE:Whirlpool Corporation

DESCRIPTION:

Because the majority of career returners are female (70% are women), this program has great potential to help increase gender diversity primarily at the senior analyst to senior manager levels. This is a clear talent pipeline challenge today. Another benefit of engaging the returning population, both male and female, is reconnecting with people who bring a fresh, consumer-focused perspective about our products.

The program is open to women and men with relevant engineering and product development experience. Selected individuals will be placed on projects based in Benton Harbor/St. Joseph, Michigan. The returning engineer will be provided with a support system during their project assignment with the possibility for a full-time opportunity at the conclusion of the project. If WIRE does well during this first phase, additional locations may be added.

Tweet me:Whirlpool Corporation has launched a program called "Whirlpool Invites Returning Engineers," aka WIRE. Through the program, recruiters are looking for people with relevant engineering experience who left the workforce and are now interested in returning. http://bit.ly/2RMWvN9

KEYWORDS: whirlpool corporation, hiring engineers, NYSE:WHR, WIRE, Whirlpool Invites Returning Engineers

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Corona Becomes First Global Beer Brand to Use Plastic-Free Six Pack Rings

December 10, 2018, 7:45 am

≫ Next: The Co-op Give Card Campaign | LBG Canada Company Spotlight

≪ Previous: Whirlpool Invites Returning Engineers = WIRE

SOURCE:Cone Communications

DESCRIPTION:

Every year around 18 billion pounds of plastic flows into the ocean, dramatically impacting the health of marine animals and the environment. Forty percent of these plastics are considered ‘single-use plastics,’ (SUPs) with one the most infamous SUPs being six-pack rings. As far back as 1987, these carriers have killed as many as one million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals each year, according to a report from the Associated Press. And even with regulation introduced in 1994 mandating degradable six-pack carriers, companies have still not been able to solve for this growing issue. Now, one company is making huge strides by not only introducing a plastic-free carrier, but incorporating its own byproduct waste in the process.

Last week, Corona brands announced it will trial 100 percent plastic-free six pack rings. The initiative will start in Tulum, Mexico, at the beginning of the year and expand to the U.K. by 2020. Corona is the first global beer brand to announce the use of sustainable six-pack rings. The rings are made with biodegradable, plant-based fibers, beer brewing byproducts (spent wheat and barley) and other compostable materials that are not harmful to wildlife when ingested. The new rings are just a part of Corona’s efforts to address ocean plastic through a partnership with Parley for the Oceans, a collaborative organization that addresses major ocean threats.

To continue reading, click here.

Tweet me:Corona Becomes First Global Beer Brand to Use Plastic-Free Six Pack Rings https://bit.ly/2EcDobg via @Cone

KEYWORDS: sustainability, Cone Communications, Corona

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The Co-op Give Card Campaign | LBG Canada Company Spotlight

December 10, 2018, 8:30 am

≫ Next: The Complete Guide to Creating an EHS Policy

≪ Previous: Corona Becomes First Global Beer Brand to Use Plastic-Free Six Pack Rings

SOURCE:SiMPACT Strategy Group

DESCRIPTION:

Between 2013 and 2017, Co-op contributed over $1 million to the Canadian Red Cross to help with Western Canadian relief efforts. In 2018, Co-op renewed this partnership with an agreement to donate up to $1.5 million over five years to support disaster preparedness in Western Canada.

"It's important to help out communities in any way we can," says Natasha Ford, Federated Co-operatives Limited's Social Responsibility Manager. "The ability of the Canadian Red Cross to respond quickly at the local level is part of what makes it a great fit with Co-op."

While being in a position to increase contributions is a good thing, FCL's social responsibility team faced a dilemma: we know the Canadian Red Cross is going to continue to experience demand. What more can we do, over and above contributed corporate funds, to help them meet their objectives?

The answer was to invite Co-op members, customers and employees to participate in a cause marketing campaign that will lead to increased resources for the organization to operate with.

Learn more about the Co-Op Give Card Campaign here.

-30-

About LBG Canada

LBG Canada is a network of corporate community investment professionals from many of Canada's leading companies, who work together to apply, develop and enhance the use of the LBG Model and measurement framework in Canada. Participation in LBG Canada encourages companies to focus on strategy, measurement and reporting to demonstrate the business value achieved through investment in community. LBG Canada is facilitated by SiMPACT Strategy Group. For more information, please visit: https://www.lbg-canada.ca

Tweet me:Learn about The Co-op Give Card Campaign! Building awareness around Co-op's long-term partnership with the Canadian Red Cross by involving customers directly in their giving. @CoopCRS #LBGCanada #CIMatters http://bit.ly/2EmfdrL

KEYWORDS: LBG Canada, Co-op Retail System, cause marketing, Community Investment, Stakeholder engagement, Simpact strategy group

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The Complete Guide to Creating an EHS Policy

December 11, 2018, 2:45 am

≫ Next: Early Bird Pricing for Living Future 19

≪ Previous: The Co-op Give Card Campaign | LBG Canada Company Spotlight

Everything You Need to Know to Build and Communicate Your Policy

SOURCE:Antea Group

DESCRIPTION:

Companies need to have a strong and effective EHS procedures and be ready to respond to questions that may come from internal and external parties. An EHS policy articulates a company’s commitment to EHS and lays out the guiding principles, expectations, and values around EHS.

Antea Group brings you the complete guide to craft the best EHS policy for your organization!

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 Presents The Complete Guide to Creating an EHS Policy http://bit.ly/2RMjirY

Contact Info:

katie.nordenson@anteagroup.com

KEYWORDS: ehs, EHS policy, EHS program, EHS communication, EHS culture, antea group

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Early Bird Pricing for Living Future 19

December 11, 2018, 4:00 am

≫ Next: A Safe Place to Call Home

≪ Previous: The Complete Guide to Creating an EHS Policy

The industry’s leading event in regenerative design at a great price

SOURCE:International Living Future Institute

DESCRIPTION:

Celebrate innovation with the International Living Future Institute at Living Future 2019 in Seattle, Washington, from April 30-May 3. Register before December 14, 11:59 PM PST, and take $150 off your ticket for this year’s conference highlighting Collaboration + Abundance. Prices go up after midnight and will not be this low again.

Attendees will enjoy unique and out-of-the-ordinary sessions, listen to inspiring keynote speakers Bill McKibben, Mustafa Santiago Ali, and Mary Robinson, and gather with a global community of changemakers in regenerative design. LF19 is where big ideas gain momentum; join the movement today!

To register and to learn more about the conference, speakers, and sessions, visit unconference.living-future.org. Let us know when you’ve registered by using the hashtag #LF19!

Tweet me:Collaboration + Abundance are just around the corner in 2019. #LivingFuture19 prices go up Dec 15, register now! The leading event in regenerative design is where you need to be. Full program: http://bit.ly/LF2019 #lf19 #livingfuture #greenbuilding #sustainability #zerocarbon

KEYWORDS: Green Building, Green design, International Living Future Institute, Responsible Production & Consumption, Sustainable Architecture, sustainable development goals, conference

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A Safe Place to Call Home

December 11, 2018, 4:00 am

≫ Next: Cool Labs From Amgen Scholars: All About the New Science

≪ Previous: Early Bird Pricing for Living Future 19

SOURCE:Rebuilding Together

DESCRIPTION:

Imagine having a front door that doesn’t lock, or a window that’s broken. From the risk of burglary to frigid air creeping inside, these needed repairs become problematic for many, especially our neighbors without the resources to fix them. Rebuilding Together installs windows and doors for people who cannot afford it and need them the most. You can be a part of making their homes safe this holiday season. Join us to #RebuildAHouse today: https://rebuild.rebuildingtogether.org/

Tweet me:Imagine having a front door that doesn’t lock, or a window that’s broken. @RebldgTogthr installs windows and doors for people who cannot afford it and need them the most. #RebuildAHouse today: http://bit.ly/2zKXqGI #holidaygiving #safety #communitydevelopment

KEYWORDS: rebuilding together, safe neighborhoods, holiday giving, #RebuildAHouse

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Cool Labs From Amgen Scholars: All About the New Science

December 11, 2018, 5:00 am

≫ Next: eBay and TIME’S UP Partner to Celebrate the Movement’s One-Year Anniversary

≪ Previous: A Safe Place to Call Home

SOURCE:Amgen Foundation

DESCRIPTION:

We asked Amgen Scholars attending the U.S. symposium at the University of California, Los Angeles, and at the Europe symposium at the University of Cambridge to tell us something cool about their labs this summer. In this video, the scholars answered: the science. Hear students discuss their experiences exploring new areas of science, from bioinformatics and spores to exoskeletons and clinical neuroscience. Featured Amgen Scholars include: Mauricio Garcia (University of California, Los Angeles), Madison McMinn (Harvard University), Tanya Kumar (University of California, San Francisco), Ananda Rankin (Columbia University), Niamh O’Neill (ETH Zurich), Irwin Munoz (National Institutes of Health) and Johanna Hagman (University of Cambridge).

To learn more, visit amgenscholars.com.

Tweet me:Hear #AmgenScholars participants discuss their experiences exploring new areas of science during the Program. More from @AmgenFoundation http://bit.ly/2EehCow

KEYWORDS: Amgen, Amgen Scholars, Amgen Foundation, Amgen Scholars Program, Undergraduate Research, Research, Education, STEM Education, science education, Biotechnology, biotech, Science, NYSE:AMGN

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eBay and TIME’S UP Partner to Celebrate the Movement’s One-Year Anniversary

December 11, 2018, 5:25 am

≫ Next: Driving Change for Diverse Patient Communities

≪ Previous: Cool Labs From Amgen Scholars: All About the New Science

Benefitting the TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund, shoppers can bid on special inventory and experiences from celebrities including Ava DuVernay, Brie Larson, Geena Davis, Margot Robbie, Laura Dern and Reese Witherspoon

SOURCE:eBay

DESCRIPTION:

Today, eBay and TIME’S UP are launching an initiative to raise funds for the TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund in celebration of the movement’s upcoming one-year anniversary. Now through December 20th, shoppers can visit eBay.com/TIMESUP to make an impact through a variety of inventory and once-in-a-lifetime experiences. All funds raised on eBay for Charity will benefit the TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund, which connects those who experience sexual misconduct, including assault, harassment, abuse and related retaliation in the workplace or in trying to advance their careers with legal and public relations assistance.

Together with a star-studded list of celebrities including Ava DuVernay, Reese Witherspoon, Margot Robbie, Brie Larson, Geena Davis, Laura Dern and more, the campaign offers over 35 exclusive, once-in-a-lifetime experiences and unique celebrity memorabilia that will give fans a chance to get up close and personal with their favorite stars, while making a difference.

Some of the VIP experiences include an unforgettable trip to Ava DuVernay’s creative campus ARRAY with a chance to join her during a post-production session of her new Netflix mini-series Central Park 5 , a selfie on the red carpet with Reese Witherspoon at the Big Little Lies Season 2 premiere, a coffee date with Geena Davis, a meet-and-greet with Kerry Washington with the cast of the upcoming Broadway show American Son , and more

Additional highlights include:

Set visit and tickets to the Premiere and After Party of Birds Of Prey Starring Margot Robbie
Exclusive Brie Larson Captain Marvel aviator jacket, hat and autographed poster
Laura Dern’s Roger Vivier purse worn by her at last year’s the Golden Globes
Petra Němcová Skype session to discuss everything from modeling to philanthropy
Portrait Session with celebrity photographer Mark Seliger
Imagine Dragons Meet and Greet with VIP Tickets to their New Year’s Eve Vegas Show
Zac Posen Original Dress & Cape
Tickets and Meet & Greet passes for Sara Bareilles’ launch show
Additional celebrities contributing to the cause include Amber Tamblyn, Ed Sheeran, Coldplay, Diane von Furstenberg, Halsey, Seth Meyers and more

“We are excited to partner with eBay to offer one-of-a-kind experiences and products from our supporters across the entertainment industry and around the world to the public,” said Fatima Goss Graves, co-founder of the TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund and President and CEO of the National Women’s Law Center. “Each contribution will especially help low-wage workers connect to the legal resources they need to fight against sexual harassment. This scourge continues to thrive across all industries—and it’s time to tackle it. We are dedicated to creating a reality where no worker must endure abuse for a paycheck.”

“Equality, safety, diversity, inclusion and purpose are integral to eBay’s culture and business,” said Brenda Halkias, General Manager, eBay for Charity. “As one of the world’s leading marketplaces, we recognize the significant work of TIME’S UP and the TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund, and are leveraging the power of our platform and community to support and celebrate the one-year anniversary of this important initiative."

This is the second-time TIME’S UP and eBay have partnered to raise funds for the TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund. Since launching in January 2018, the TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund has raised more than $22 million, including funds raised from the previous partnership with eBay and Condé Nast, which gave fans a chance to bid on iconic red carpet looks worn as a part of the TIME’S UP’s “Why We Wear Black” campaign at the Golden Globes. To date, the Legal Defense Fund has connected more than 3,750 women and men to legal resources. The eBay community has raised over $810 million dollars on eBay for Charity for various organizations.

Visit eBay.com/charity to see all the ways you can give back every day.

Tweet me:eBay and TIME’S UP Partner to Celebrate the Movement’s One-Year Anniversary http://bit.ly/2EqtmEC @eBay #TimesUp

KEYWORDS: TIME’S UP, eBay, ava duvernay, Brie Larson, geena davis, Margot Robbie, Laura Dern, Reese Witherspoon

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Driving Change for Diverse Patient Communities

December 11, 2018, 5:30 am

≫ Next: The Dave Thomas Foundation Announces Shop for a Cause!

≪ Previous: eBay and TIME’S UP Partner to Celebrate the Movement’s One-Year Anniversary

SOURCE:Bristol-Myers Squibb Company

DESCRIPTION:

Editor’s note: In recognition of Global Patient Week, held annually across Bristol-Myers Squibb to celebrate the company’s patient-focused culture, we’re sharing how our People and Business Resource Groups are driving change for diverse patient populations.

When Priscilla Ko, a manager in the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation and member of the PAN Asian Network People and Business Resource Group, watched her father-in-law lose his battle with an aggressive form of bile-duct cancer at the age of 61, the personal suddenly turned professional.

Ko, who works on the Foundation's Specialty Care for Vulnerable Populations initiative, began looking more closely at health disparities in Asian-Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders and realized there were significant hurdles in access to care.

"Health disparities are often discussed alongside social determinants of health like unaffordable housing, food scarcity or lack of insurance," said Ko, whose father-in-law moved to the United States in 1987 from China. "But for some populations, there are also cultural determinants like language barriers and differing cultural traditions and beliefs."

Another significant challenge that minority patient populations face is often they are underrepresented in critical healthcare conversations. At Bristol-Myers Squibb, members of the company’s eight People and Business Resource Groups – more than 12,500 members in total -- are setting out to ensure diverse perspectives and voices are not only included and heard, but that advances in health equity are made.

PBRGs as Change Agents

“It’s widely understood that our PBRGs are an integral part of Bristol-Myers Squibb’s commitment to the development of a workforce that is global, ethnically diverse and gender balanced,” said Chief Human Resources Officer Ann Powell Judge. “Perhaps even more important is the impact they are having on patients. Our PBRG members are proactive change agents who are directly driving business results and helping the company better meet the needs of patients worldwide.”

Healthcare disparities are striking when it comes to diverse populations, including people of color, women and military veterans. Research shows:

In the U.S., the death rate for all cancers combined is 25 percent higher among patients who are black compared to patients who are white.
Cancer is the leading cause of death for Asian-Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (AANHPIs), namely due to the significant disparities in access to care.
Veterans’ mortality rates for lung cancer are staggeringly high because of higher smoking rates among soldiers and exposure to other carcinogens from the environmental hazards of war.
Women are more likely to die from their first heart attack compared to men often because of symptom presentations.

Inside-Out Approach to Diversity & Inclusion

Members of Bristol-Myers Squibb’s PBRGs are working to improve health outcomes across several disease states and populations through work both inside and outside the company. This includes reaching out and working with policy makers, patient advocacy groups and thought leaders from both academic and medical centers.

Over the past few years alone, PBRGs have worked to support patients in a multitude of ways:

The Black Organization of Leadership & Development recently hosted a roundtable discussion with black oncologists at the 2018 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting to help identify the challenges of enrolling African American patients into clinical trials and other gaps in care.
The PAN Asian Network this year held cultural sensitivity workshops to help U.S. sales force teams better understand the communities where they work.
Senior leaders from the Bristol-Myers Squibb Network of Women have joined forces with other thought leaders in the industry to improve cardiovascular care for female patients.
The Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation is funding lung cancer screening programs at 10 Veterans Affairs locations in the U.S., working closely with the Veterans Community Network PBRG on the implementation and engagement of this initiative.
In the fall, members of the LGBTA will be raising awareness about health disparities among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender patients during a panel discussion for employees with physicians from the LGBT Health Program at Penn Medicine.
As part of Hispanic Heritage Month, the Organization for Latino Achievement (OLA) has challenged its members to come up with new approaches to help recruit Hispanic patients for clinical trials.

“Our PBRGs are helping to build knowledge of different cultures and identify the unique needs of diverse patient populations to ultimately make a difference in their lives,” said Marisa Co, Head of Business Insights & Analytics and executive tri-chair of OLA. “When we talk about working together for patients, our commitment is inclusive of all patients.”

Tweet me:Overall health and healthcare disparities among diverse populations are striking, but there's hope for #patients when companies like @bmsnews take an "Inside-Out" approach to Diversity and Inclusion. Learn more http://bit.ly/2zRG7UF #diversityinclusion #BMSFoundation

KEYWORDS: NYSE:BMY, Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation, Bristol-Myers Squibb, People and Business Resource Group, Priscilla Ko

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The Dave Thomas Foundation Announces Shop for a Cause!

December 11, 2018, 6:00 am

≫ Next: Bristol-Myers Squibb Awards “Golden Tickets” for LabCentral to ReviveMed, Strand Therapeutics

≪ Previous: Driving Change for Diverse Patient Communities

SOURCE:Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption

DESCRIPTION:

The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption recently launched an online boutique filled with items to celebrate adoption. The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption is the only public nonprofit charity in the United States that is focused exclusively on foster care adoption.

The Foundation works closely with child welfare advocates and policymakers, provides free resources about foster care adoption and raises awareness through social media campaigns, public service announcements and events. Purchases of featured items will benefit the Foundation’s mission to dramatically increase the number of adoptions from North America’s foster care systems.

Click here to learn more about The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption and its programs.

Tweet me:The @DTFA announces Shop for a Cause. A unique opportunity to use your spending power to support one of the only public nonprofit charities in the US that is focused exclusively on foster care adoption http://bit.ly/2PyJDIy #FindingForeverFamilies #adoption #fostercare

KEYWORDS: Dave Thomas, foster care, adoption, forever family, Wendy’s, National Adoption Month, Instant Family, Mark Wahlberg, Wendy’s Wonderful Kids, shop for a cause, shop, holiday giving, The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, Rita Soronen