Given the right information, investors will deliver the best climate solutions

SOURCE:Bloomberg

DESCRIPTION:

Originally posted in the Guardian.

By Mark Carney and Michael Bloomberg

From rising sea levels to more severe storms and more intense droughts, climate change will present serious risks to, and create major opportunities for, nearly every industry. Citizens, consumers, businesses, governments, and international organisations are all taking action. And entrepreneurs are developing disruptive technologies that will create and destroy value.

The challenge is that investors currently don’t have the information they need to respond to these developments. This must change if financial markets are going to do what they do best: allocate capital to manage risks and seize new opportunities. Without the necessary information, market adjustments to climate change will be incomplete, late and potentially destabilising.

Click here to read more.

Tweet me:Given the right information, investors will deliver the best climate solutions @MikeBloomberg #TCFDRecs http://bit.ly/2gGBHDq

KEYWORDS: Business & Trade, Environment & Climate Change, JPMorgan, tata steel, Dow Chemical, BlackRock, PGGM, tcfd, tcfdrecs, Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures, Bank of England, Mark Carney, esg, SRI, socially responsible investment, risks, opportunities, disclosures, strategy, trillion, dollars, China, United States, climate change, Global Warming, Markets, stocks, equities, bonds, CEOs, leaders, SEC, 10K, financial statements, Unilever, Financial Stability Board, G20, group of 20, FSB, news, Climate Risk, Carbon, Debt, equity, investors, policy, stranded assets, London, New York, Helen Wildsmith, Nathan Fabian, Paul Simpson, Julian Poulter, Douglas Farquhar, David Cole, Richard Howitt, CCLA, PRI, CDP, Asset Owners Disclosure Project, DNV GL, Swiss Re, IIRC, Mike Bloomberg, Bloomberg, Michael Bloomberg, Opinion

SOURCE:Bloomberg

DESCRIPTION:

Bank of England Governor and Chair of the Financial Stability Board Mark Carney has said the newly released report from the Task Force on Climate Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) represents a breakthrough in managing the risks and opportunities related with climate change.

Speaking this week at the launch of the report, held at the Tate Modern gallery that is housed in a former oil-fired power station, Carney said it provided a disclosure framework that is sufficiently comprehensive for use by all publicly listed companies, whatever their sector, to account for the full set of climate related risks and opportunities they face.

Click here to continue reading the full article.

Tweet me:#TCFDrecs launch: Key comments from #Carney, @mikeBloomberg, Schapiro, Lindeijer http://bit.ly/2hLrVVR

KEYWORDS: Finance & Socially Responsible Investment, Business & Trade, PGGM, tcfd, Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures, Bank of England, Mark Carney, esg, SRI, disclosures, China, United States, Markets, SEC, Financial Stability Board, g20 group of 20, FSB

SOURCE:VolunteerMatch

DESCRIPTION:

By Alice Clarke

Some of the world’s largest companies offer wonderful incentives for their employees who volunteer. Deloitte is one example. According to Deloitte Consulting principal Jonathan Copulsky, more than 40,000 company employees have participated in some kind of volunteer activity. The biggest perk for these professionals? Unlimited hours of paid time off.

Deloitte isn’t the only big business that’s looking for ways to stimulate charity and volunteer projects. NuStar Energy, NetApp, Autodesk, Salesforce, Stryker, and more all offer their employees paid volunteer time off work (VTO) for participating in charity work.

There’s lots of evidence that launching such initiatives will improve your corporate social responsibility image while benefiting your company. Here are a few things you need to know if you want to reward employees with time off for volunteer work.

Understand the Benefits for Your Business

Being socially responsible is important for a lot more than just establishing the right kind of image for your brand.

According to a Fortune study, allowing employees to lead charitable efforts will result in high levels of commitment and loyalty. In addition, such activities create pride among the departments that have launched such initiatives.

The same sentiments aren’t necessarily experienced with corporate donations or other efforts aimed at helping those in need. When workers are involved in the efforts themselves, they tend to experience all of the positive emotions that stem from volunteering. Obviously, these positive attitudes will also have a profound impact on your company as a whole.

Fortune’s research even shows that people working in companies known for their volunteer culture tend to speak positively about their workplace much more than the people employed by “Great Place[es] to Work”.

The morale of the team is obviously one of the keys to enhanced cooperation, boosted productivity, and the long-term growth of the business. The benefits of providing perks for volunteer work, however, don’t end here.

It Takes Time for Great Habits to Form

Most people have an intrinsic need to give back to their community. Many, however, aren’t going to go out there and get the job done. Volunteering requires a change of habit, and many people aren’t keen on doing that.

The right perk may provide just the type of stimulus needed to form new, healthy habits.

Once teams start getting involved in charity initiatives, they’ll feel the need to keep going. Whether they’re building and painting houses or distributing food to the homeless, employees will form a deeper bond with each other. This bond will translate to the manner in which departments interact with each other and communicate on corporate issues.

There’s one more important factor to understand: today’s workforce is dominated by millennials. Many studies suggest this generation are only willing to work for companies whose values they believe in. Giving back to the local community is one of the best ways to engage the millennial workforce and increase employee retention.

How to Offer Perks for Volunteering

Now that the benefits of corporate volunteering have been established, it’s time to take a look at the best ways in which employees can be motivated to give back.

One thing you need to understand is that people who are passionate about volunteering will volunteer no matter what. Thus, in order to get volunteerism at your company going, you don’t need to provide a massive stimulus. It would simply be a nice perk on top of the efforts that people are already willing to put in community improvement. Motivating others may be a more difficult task.

Make sure everybody’s aware of the existence of your corporate volunteering program. Send internal emails to all employees and verbally talk about the causes your brand intends to support. The more you make volunteer work a part of your corporate culture, the more your employees will internalize the opportunity.

To motivate workers to become volunteers, you should give them a range of opportunities. Every person feels passionate about certain causes. It’s a good idea to build partnerships with different nonprofits and charitable foundations responsible for working with vulnerable groups or other people in need.

Learn how the VolunteerMatch Network can bring hundreds of thousands of volunteer opportunities directly to your employees.

Finally, consider the range of incentives you’d be willing to offer.

VTO is a popular pick that employees enjoy tremendously. It’s also a good idea to recognize the accomplishments of the volunteers in the office, as well. Giving these people recognition can stimulate others to get involved as well.

One final thing to remember is that building a corporate culture of volunteerism will require time. Don’t push people too hard. Lead by example and work on establishing your business as a socially responsible one. Build ties to the local community and popularize the available volunteering work. Sooner or later, the inertia will take over.

Tweet me:Paid time off to volunteer (#VTO) is a great employee incentive. Here's what you need to know: http://bit.ly/2hCOPOt via @VM_Solutions

KEYWORDS: Diversity & Human Resources, Positive Change, Volunteer Time Off, Employee Volunteer Program, VolunteerMatch

Walmart has a long history of providing aid in times of disasters

SOURCE:Walmart

DESCRIPTION:

From the Walmart Newsroom 

Walmart and the Walmart Foundation have made a commitment to provide support of $250,000 to organizations helping with relief efforts for those affected by Tennessee wildfires in Sevier County, which includes Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville. The funds will assist coordination efforts with local elected officials and governmental entities to meet the needs of those who need it most.

“We are deeply saddened by these devastating fires and the catastrophic effect it is having on our associates and residents of Sevier County,” said, Lee Siler, Walmart’s Sr. Manager for Global Disaster Response and Preparedness. “Since the initial notification of the fire, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation have been fully committed to the relief efforts donating water and sheltering supplies and we will continue to work with local organizations in offering them our full support.”

Walmart has a long history of providing aid in times of disasters, helping communities prepare and recover by donating emergency supplies, such as food and water, home and personal products. In the last 10 years, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation have donated more than $56 million in cash and in-kind donations in response to disaster events.

About Walmart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) helps people around the world save money and live better - anytime and anywhere - in retail stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Each week, nearly 260 million customers and members visit our 11,528 stores under 72 banners in 28 countries and e-commerce websites in 11 countries. With fiscal year 2016 revenue of $482.1 billion, Walmart employs approximately 2.3 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting http://corporate.walmart.com on Facebook at http://facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/walmart.

About Philanthropy at Walmart
By using our strengths to help others, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation create opportunities for people to live better every day. We have stores in 28 countries, employing more than 2.3 million associates and doing business with thousands of suppliers who, in turn, employ millions of people. We are helping people live better by accelerating upward job mobility and economic development for the retail workforce; addressing hunger and making healthier, more sustainably-grown food a reality; and building strong communities where we operate and inspiring our associates to give back. Whether it is helping to lead the fight against hunger in the United States with $2 billion in cash and in-kind donations or supporting Women’s Economic Empowerment through a series of grants totaling $10 million to the Women in Factories training program in Bangladesh, China, India and Central America, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are not only working to tackle key social issues, we are also collaborating with others to inspire solutions for long-lasting systemic change. To learn more about Walmart’s giving, visit foundation.walmart.com.

Tweet me:.@Walmart and the Walmart Foundation announce $250,000 towards relief and recovery efforts in Tennessee wildfires http://bit.ly/2huO8qL

KEYWORDS: Philanthropy

SOURCE:Booz Allen Hamilton

DESCRIPTION:

This year’s TCO finals attracted sponsors from across the technology and startup communities, including Booz Allen, Cisco, Google, Blizzard Entertainment, WorldQuant, GE, Red Hat and Docker.

Since 2013, Booz Allen and Topcoder have combined to run several crowdsourcing challenges. To learn more, visit the TCO website.

To learn more about Booz Allen’s work as a cutting-edge innovator, visit the Booz Allen Strategic Innovation Group website.

Tweet me:.@BoozAllen @Topcoder @RedHat brought best #coders in the world to DC for #TCO16! Learn more http://bit.ly/2gJJ1 #hackathon #opensource

KEYWORDS: Technology, Booz Allen Hamilton, Topcoder, crowdsourcing, EPA, hackathon, megahack, Innovation

SOURCE:Bechtel

DESCRIPTION:

Who knew that joining a Future City team could land you a visit to the White House? That’s exactly what happened to the Nevada Future City team this year. Future City is a middle school competition that ask students to imagine, design and build cities of the future. After four months of designing a virtual city (using SimCity), they write up their solution to a city-wide issue, build scale models of their city, and then present their vision to a panel of judges. Luckily a team from Nevada was chosen to participate in the U.S. Science Fair Engineering Festival which was hosted by U.S. President Barack Obama, April 16-17, 2016.

In 2016, more than 40,000 students and 1,350 schools participated from 37 U.S. regions and two regions in China. It’s also interesting that 46 percent of Future City participants are girls.

Check out this video to see the Nevada team’s visit to the White House as part of the U.S. Science Fair Engineering Festival. The video was produced by FabLab TV, which is taking a new approach to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education. FabLab, a mix of entertainment and education, is focused on showcasing groundbreaking STEM stories and using digital and social elements to attract youth.

As community stewards, Bechtel has been partnering with DiscoverE (formerly Engineers Week Foundation) since 1990. Future City is one of DiscoverE’s STEM focused programs. Over the years Bechtel has provided funding and Bechtel leaders to serve as judges for the Future City Competition Finals in Washington, DC.

Future City is a shining example of what happens when we unleash the next generation to figure out how to address current environmental and sustainability concerns. “It’s great to see students so enthusiastic about engineering, math, design and even script writing,” said Leslie Collins, Director of DiscoverE.  “The skills they are learning as part of Future City will be beneficial to the students for years to come.”

Learn more about Bechtel's Stewardship Intiatives

Learn more about Future City

Learn more about FabLab TV

Tweet me:.@Bechtel Sponsored @DiscoverEorg #FutureCity Team Visits #WhiteHouse, Appears on @FabLab_tv http://bit.ly/2hOC2cf #BechtelStewardship

KEYWORDS: Education, Business & Trade, Bechtel Stewardship, DiscoverE, Future Cities, White House, FabLab TV

Guest post by Gail McGovern, president and CEO of the American Red Cross

SOURCE:Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)

DESCRIPTION:

Everything the American Red Cross does is powered by the commitment of our volunteers, and the generosity of the public and our corporate partners. As a member of our Disaster Responder program, HPE’s impactful support helps to ensure we stand ready to respond—whenever and wherever we are needed.  

In the U.S., the American Red Cross helps communities prepare for and respond to disasters, teaches people health and safety skills like CPR and first aid, and provides emergency connections and services to the members of our military, veterans and their families. We also supply over 40% of the nation’s blood supply by collecting, manufacturing and distributing lifesaving blood products to patients in need.  

From a global standpoint, the International Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement is active in 190 different countries around the world. The American Red Cross partners with our sister national societies in a number of different areas—including measles vaccination campaigns, disaster response and preparedness education, and connecting families who have been separated by conflict or disaster.  

Volunteers are absolutely critical to the work of the Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement. In fact, around the world, more than 17 million people are actively engaged as volunteers with various Red Cross Red Crescent national societies.  

In total the American Red Cross has nearly 330,000 volunteers in our ranks, and on any given day we have tens of thousands of volunteers actively working to deliver our vital services.  These individuals are true humanitarians. They see a need, and they are committed to working to fill it—often spending weeks at a time away from their friends and family to provide comfort and hope to others in need.   

In the U.S., for example, our volunteers are active in many different ways:

• They respond to calls in the middle of the night to come to the scene of a home fire, give comfort to impacted families, and make sure they have a safe place to stay.
• They install smoke alarms in vulnerable homes during community events.
• They staff our shelters, and distribute vital food and relief supplies to affected people during natural disasters like the recent flooding in Louisiana and Hurricane Matthew.
• They work in military and veterans hospitals, providing comfort items and emotional support to injured service members and veterans.
• They serve as ambassadors at our blood drives to help make our selfless blood donors feel welcomed and appreciated.
• They often help to train others in vital health and safety lessons like CPR, first aid and water safety.

The need is constant, and if you’re interested in engaging in our lifesaving mission I would encourage you to explore volunteer opportunities available in your community at www.redcross.org.

On behalf of those we serve, thanks once again to HPE and its employees for standing with the American Red Cross.

Want to find out more? Listen to this HPE Gives Podcast in which Gail speaks passionately about the critical role volunteers play in the American Red Cross and the International Red Crescent movement.

Tweet me:#Volunteers Ensure the American @RedCross Stands Ready to Respond http://bit.ly/2gJzqaQ @HPE_LivingProg #disasterrelief

KEYWORDS: Health, Business Ethics, HPE, Hewlett Package Enterprise

SOURCE:General Motors

DESCRIPTION:

General Motors’ Maven carsharing service debuted in January 2016 as an alternative mode of transportation for people living in the college town of Ann Arbor, Michigan. It has since grown to 15 more cities and 17,000 users that together have clocked in 40 million miles. Peter Kosak, GM’s executive director of urban mobility, said the company will announce even more locations in 2017.

Is your city next? Kosak says a number of factors go into selecting Maven markets, such as:

• A high concentration of people who use their phones for banking
• Good public transportation solving first-mile/last-mile challenges
• Dense population with high walkability scores
• Strong electric vehicle infrastructure

“We spend a lot of time analyzing psychographics and demographics of a given market,” said Kosak. “We’re not just looking for people to download the app; we’re looking for habitual users who are helping us reinvent mobility.”

Maven is an hourly, keyless carsharing service for people who don’t own a vehicle or need a different car for a few hours, such as making a weekend trip to IKEA.  

The service is already available in Ann Arbor, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, Orlando, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. Maven also recently rolled out one-way services in some markets, such as trips from downtown Detroit to the airport.

Users locate and reserve Chevrolet, Buick and Cadillac vehicles, such as the Chevrolet Volt, one of the most popular Maven cars. Fully customizable and featuring 4G LTE Wi-Fi, users can access their own music collection through Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

“We want to make sharing feel like ownership,” said Kosak.  “Maven is centered on highly personalized, intuitive and on-demand access to vehicles.”

The company also offers Maven Home, an exclusive carsharing program for qualified residents living in a partner residential building. With no additional fees, residents check out Maven vehicles in designated garage locations.  Maven Home is in Jersey City, New York and Washington, D.C.

The third Maven service is Express Drive, which provides short-term vehicle rentals for people who want to drive for Lyft, but don’t own a car. The more trips they complete with Lyft, the less they pay in rental fees. Later this year, Express Drive markets in California can select from the largest fleet of ridesharing EVs, including the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV or 2016 Chevrolet Volt.

Shared use is a natural extension of GM’s business model. It’s been more than 100 years of mobility via purchase and now it’s increasingly becoming mobility via service. What stays the same is providing people with reliable and convenient transportation.

Tweet me:.@GM's Carsharing Service, @DriveMaven, expands. Is your city next? http://bit.ly/2gJLGrL

KEYWORDS: Environment & Climate Change, Technology, GM, General Motors, Maven, Peter Kosak, carsharing, Express Drive, Lyft

SOURCE:Brown-Forman Corporation

DESCRIPTION:

December 16, 2016 /3BL Media/ - In an effort to help prevent drunk driving in Montgomery County, the Montgomery County Department of Liquor Control (DLC) is partnering with a local transportation service, Dryver, to offer $20 gift cards towards a designated driver this holiday season and $5 off the first ten Lyft rides used.

The Dryver program, the nation’s largest designated driver service, is an alternative transportation service that provides professional drivers to drive your vehicle for you. Dryver allows you to ride in the comfort of your own car while leaving the driving to a professional. Fully-screened and fully-insured, Dryver’s employees have more than 10 years of driving experience and arrive dressed in professional attire. With hourly personal driver services from $14-$19.50 an hour (depending on location) and car pickup services for $25 plus mileage, Dryver offers an affordable solution for enjoying a night out or getting a ride home for yourself and your car.

Additionally, Lyft, a reliable taxi service that allows rides to be requested on demand, is offering $5 off the first ten rides.

This promotional program is a partnership between the Montgomery County Department of Liquor Control, Brown Forman’s Jack Daniel’s brand, Breakthru Beverage, Dryver, Lyft, and the Montgomery County Police Department, and aims to prevent drunk driving throughout Montgomery County over the holiday season.

The Holiday Rides program marks a collective effort by all involved to provide safer and more affordable alternatives to drunk driving and DUIs. Liquor stores across Montgomery County will participate in encouraging people to use designated drivers, showcasing educational signs and handing out free $20 gift cards towards a designated driver through Dryver and $5 off the first ten  Lyft rides. Both have smartphone apps.

“Montgomery County Police will be in full force this holiday season, looking to arrest drunk drivers who put us all at risk,” said Montgomery County Police Chief J. Thomas Manager. “This safe ride initiative is another step towards promoting responsible behavior this holiday season. Drunk driving is completely preventable if you have a plan. Using a cab or designated driver service is a far safer and cheaper option than being transported by a police officer.”

“Jack Daniel’s has always encouraged people to drink responsibly,” said Taylor Amerman, North America Region responsibility manager at Jack Daniel's parent corporation Brown-Forman. “We’re proud to be a partner in this campaign and support the Holiday Rides initiative to help the people of Montgomery County make the most of their holiday season.” 

“With everyone traveling and enjoying themselves at holiday parties and get-togethers, the period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s is traditionally a more dangerous time to be on the road,” added Arthur Simanovsky, Dryver CEO and President. “As people enjoy the holidays with family and friends, we want them to realize finding a designated driver can be easy, quick and more convenient than ever before.” 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports there were 1,180 people killed in crashes during the 2013 holiday season, and almost a third (30%) of those were due to drunk driving. In addition to the physical harm drunk driving causes those involved, the average DUI can cost offenders $10,000 in fines, fees, and court costs. 

“The Montgomery County Department of Liquor Control is proud to partner with the Dryver and Lyft to offer a safe alternative to drinking and driving,” says Kathie Durbin, Chief of Licensing, Regulation and Education for the Montgomery County DLC.

The Holiday Rides program will encourage participants to use the Dryver and Lyft mobile apps where customers can reserve a driver through their smartphone, request a car pickup using GPS location, track their vehicle, and call their driver directly.

The Holiday Rides program launches today and will continue through the 2017 winter season.

Media Contacts:  Kathie Durbin, 240-372-1023 or Emily DeTitta, 240-777-1904

Tweet me:#Vermont Dept of Liquor Control giving Discounts for #DesignatedDriving http://bit.ly/2gJTNEP @JackDaniels_US #responsibleconsumption

KEYWORDS: Media & Communications, Health, designated driving, Brown-Forman, department of liquor control, safety

Wellness real estate tech firm aligns with IBM to develop cloud apps that quickly identify connections between health and indoor spaces

SOURCE:Delos

DESCRIPTION:

ARMONK, N.Y., December 16, 2016 /3BL Media/ – IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced that it is collaborating with wellness real estate and technology firm Delos™ to adopt IBM Cloud and cognitive technologies to speed the discovery of new insights in health and wellness and their connections to the design of indoor spaces.” 

Designed to be a multi-year collaboration, Delos will leverage Watson and data analytics services through IBM Bluemix, IBM’s cloud platform, to create cognitive applications that probe the connections between human health and indoor environments in which we live and work. Watson’s work will draw from the terabytes of research data being generated from Delos Labs, Well Living Lab and Delos Applied Research units.

Through apps, co-developed by IBM, Delos expects to realize insights to not only improve the design, construction and management of indoor space, but to identify the potential return on investment that can be achieved by building healthier living and working environments.

“We spend about 90 percent of our time indoors, which is why it is critically important to ensure that indoor spaces are not only livable, but also healthy,” said Peter Scialla, Chief Operating Officer at Delos. “Delos is generating massive amounts of data to measure the impact of the built environment on occupant health. We were looking for a technology partner to deliver a flexible development platform through the cloud, as well as higher value cognitive services that would provide insights we have yet to fully realize to improve indoor environments.”

“IBM’s extensive technology stack and expertise in areas such as Internet of Things (IoT), sensors, and data analytic capabilities, including Watson cognitive computing, made them an ideal cloud partner as all of these areas are critical to the future of Delos,” Scialla continued.

The Well Living Lab, a collaboration between Delos and Mayo Clinic, is a lab that simulates a wide variety of real-world indoor environments – including homes and offices – to enable scientists and researchers to study the many important effects of indoor light, thermal comfort, acoustics, air quality, and more on the health and well-being of building occupants.

In addition to the medical histories of study subjects, researchers capture data from thousands of sensors embedded throughout the Well Living Lab, in the furniture, on the walls and ceilings, as well biometric data from state of the art wearables. In addition, the Lab collects information from numerous surveys and questionnaires from the subjects.

To analyze all this data, Delos and IBM developers, working out of the New York site of IBM’s Bluemix Garage network, are developing cloud apps made possible by the cognitive capabilities of Watson, including Watson Emotion Analysis.

First experiments are under way involving simulations in the built environment that affect stress and productivity for office workers. IBM is working with the Well Living Lab to develop an advanced data analytics platform to parse sensor and IoT data for health and wellness insights. Leveraging this power, Well Living Lab researchers and scientists will have fast access to insights that can be used to create spaces that promote improved human performance and wellness.

“As the healthcare community increasingly recognizes the many factors that impact health, the Well Living Lab is improving our understanding of how indoor environments impact health and wellness,” said Shawn Murray, Worldwide Director, Bluemix Garage, IBM Cloud. “By infusing the Lab with advances in cloud innovation, cognitive computing and the Internet of Things, we believe we can help identify insights that deepen and accelerate this important research.” 

About Delos
As the pioneer of Wellness Real Estate™, Delos is transforming our homes, offices, schools, and other indoor environments by placing health and wellness at the center of design and construction decisions. Delos helps create spaces that actively contribute to human health, performance and well-being by marrying the best innovations in technology, health, science, and real estate. The Delos platform includes programming, consulting, research, and an array of innovative, built-in amenities that research suggests may improve occupant well-being. More information on Delos is available at www.delos.com.

About IBM Cloud
For more on IBM Cloud please www.ibm.com/cloud-computing.

###

Contacts
Mike Zimmerman, IBM Media Relations
(914) 766-4935
mrzimmerman@us.ibm.com

Callie Stanton, Delos
646.654.3438
cstanton@nikecomm.com

Tweet me:.@DelosLiving, IBM partner to Advance Healthy Indoor Environments thru Improved #DigitalIntelligence http://bit.ly/2hPlYqX on @IBMcloud

KEYWORDS: Green Building, Business & Trade, IBM, Delos, the cloud, Well Living Lab, digital intelligence

New Funding Builds on 10 Years of Success with an Estimated 30 Million Lives Saved Against One of the World’s Leading Causes of Preventable Death

SOURCE:Bloomberg

SUMMARY:

​Supported 59 Countries that Successfully Passed Tobacco Control Laws, Targeting Those with the Largest Numbers of Smokers Including China, India, Indonesia, and Bangladesh

DESCRIPTION:

Originally posted on Bloomberg.org

December 16, 2016 /3BL Media/ - Bloomberg Philanthropies today announced a new commitment of $360 million to global anti-tobacco efforts. The grant supports evidence-based policies to curb tobacco use and works to increase awareness of the dangers of tobacco in low and middle-income countries. The new round of funding raises Bloomberg’s total giving on this public health initiative to nearly $1 billion and builds on ten years of support for the implementation of tobacco control laws and policies around the world through the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use. To date the initiative has successfully supported 59 countries in passing laws or policies, reaching nearly 3.5 billion people and saving an estimated 30 million lives.

The additional funds will enable tobacco control advocates and public health officials to expand and accelerate effective MPOWER policy strategies to Monitor tobacco use, Protect the public with smoke-free laws, Offer help to quit smoking, Warn about the dangers of tobacco use through pack labels and public awareness campaigns, Enforce advertising bans, and Raise taxes on tobacco. The funds will go towards holding the tobacco industry accountable and deepening efforts on raising the price of tobacco products.

Over the last ten years, Bloomberg Philanthropies’ investment in tobacco control has contributed to a change in the global trajectory of tobacco use. Global sales of tobacco plateaued in 2012 with about 200 billion fewer cigarettes sold in 2014 than in 2010. The program spans more than 110 countries targeting the world’s heaviest-smoking countries including China, India, Indonesia, and Bangladesh.

With support from Bloomberg Philanthropies, 39 countries have passed comprehensive smoke-free laws, like Turkey, where a survey found that the number of smokers declined by 1.2 million from 2008 to 2012; 32 countries have passed laws requiring graphic warning labels on tobacco packages, like India, which implemented such warnings covering 85% of both sides of cigarette packages; and 22 nations have passed bans on tobacco advertising and sponsorship, like Brazil, which has a strong ban on tobacco advertising including restrictions on advertisements at retail locations. Major cities like Beijing and Shanghai have also passed legislation mandating smoke-free places.

“Reducing tobacco use is one of our greatest opportunities to save lives and prevent suffering, because we know that strong policies really do make a difference. Since we began working ten years ago to pass effective tobacco measures around the world, global sales of cigarettes have declined after a century of steadily increasing,” said Michael R. Bloomberg. “The tide is turning on tobacco, but we still have a long way to go – especially in low- and middle-income countries that are home to 75% of the world’s smokers and where tobacco companies are working harder than ever to find new customers.”

Tobacco use is a significant contributor to life-threatening, noncommunicable diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, chronic lung disease and stroke. As the recently appointed World Health Organization Global Ambassador for Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) and a strong advocate for tobacco control, Michael R. Bloomberg’s leadership aims to help governments address both tobacco control and prevent premature deaths related to tobacco use. NCDs account for 68% of global deaths outpacing deaths associated with other global killers.

“Investment in the tobacco industry is killing millions of people,” said WHO Director-General Margaret Chan. “Investing in tobacco control can help keep those people alive and healthy. I am delighted that Michael Bloomberg is bringing his business expertise to work with the WHO and public health community to beat the tobacco industry, one of the greatest health threats our society faces.”

Reaching Global Scale Through Funding and Partnerships with Government and Aligned Stakeholders

When The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation joined the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use in 2008, the tobacco control movement was in vital need of funding, planning, more technical capacity, and a coordinated strategy among stakeholders.

The program has since changed the landscape of global tobacco control in just 10 years. The Initiative supports the implementation of proven, evidence-based measures to reduce tobacco use. It has scaled the work of leading non-governmental and governmental organizations, attracted major new philanthropic investments, aligned stakeholders around interventions that work, and generated broad awareness and media attention to the cause.

“Mike Bloomberg has spent over a decade leading the fight against the harms of tobacco throughout the world,” said philanthropist and anti-tobacco partner Bill Gates. “Tobacco-caused diseases are one of the greatest health challenges facing low and middle income countries. The good news is Bloomberg Philanthropies and its partners know how to implement proven solutions. Thanks to Mike Bloomberg, millions of lives will be saved.”

By The Numbers: Accelerating Proven Strategies to Combat Tobacco Use

In 2003 as mayor, Michael R. Bloomberg signed the landmark New York City Smoke-Free Air Act banning smoking in bars and restaurants. By 2013, the Bloomberg Administration increased the tax on cigarettes, launched anti-smoking advertising campaigns, and distributed free nicotine patches. As a result of the Bloomberg Administration’s comprehensive approach, the results have been dramatic. Overall smoking declined 28% from 21.5% in 2002 to 13.9% in 2014. There were more than 400,000 fewer smokers in 2014 than in 2002. And teen smoking fell by more than 50% from 2001 to 2013. Many countries have since implemented similar measures to restrict smoking in public places.

The Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use collaborates with several key international partners and, together, the program works to increase awareness of the dangers of tobacco in low- to middle-income countries using the following strategies: creating smoke-free public places, banning tobacco advertising and sponsorship, increasing tax on tobacco products, requiring graphic pack warnings and supporting hard-hitting mass media campaigns. Working with the World Health Organization, the foundation supported the creation of a package of MPOWER policies and initiatives.

When tobacco companies sought to use international trade agreements to threaten Uruguay, trying to prevent it from passing strong tobacco-control laws, Uruguay successfully defended its new laws from this legal challenge thanks in part to support from Bloomberg.

“If we do not take effective measures at the global level, estimated projections show that for the year 2030 more than 8 million people in the world will die annually as a result of tobacco. It’s time for us to propel the WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. We cannot wait any longer to react. Our people’s lives are at stake,” said President Tabare Vázquez.  “With Michael Bloomberg as an ally, Uruguay was able to win one of the most important lawsuits in history against the tobacco industry. However, we must take effective measures to reduce the 8 million annual deaths that are projected for 2030,” President Tabare Vázquez continued. “Michael Bloomberg’s tobacco control reinvestment announcement comes at a critical time in order to help countries implement the WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. For this reason, I hope to motivate all those receiving this message to join us on this mission.”

Additionally, Bloomberg Philanthropies and partners provide evidence and assistance to health and finance ministers to implement tobacco taxes, which have proven to be a strong tool to curb tobacco use. The foundation has also provided rapid response grants to fund pressing tobacco control opportunities or risks. And in 2015 Bloomberg Philanthropies and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation launched the $4 million Anti-Tobacco Trade Litigation Fund to combat tobacco’s efforts.

Partners in the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use include: The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Foundation (CDCF), International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IUATLD), Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (JHSPH), World Health Organization (WHO), and Vital Strategies.

About Bloomberg Philanthropies:
Bloomberg Philanthropies’ mission is to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people. The organization focuses on five key areas for creating lasting change: Public Health, Environment, Education, Government Innovation and the Arts. Bloomberg Philanthropies encompasses all of Michael R. Bloomberg’s charitable activities, including his foundation and his personal giving. In 2015, Bloomberg Philanthropies distributed $510 million. For more information, please visit bloomberg.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter @BloombergDotOrg.

Contact: Bloomberg Philanthropies, Rebecca Carriero, (212) 205-0182, rebeccac@bloomberg.org

Click here to see more.

Tweet me:.@mikebloomberg Commits $360M to Reduce Tobacco Use – Raising Total Giving on #Tobacco Control Efforts to Nearly $1B http://bit.ly/2gJFikq

KEYWORDS: Health, Philanthropy, smoking, tobacco, Truth, mpower, WHO, world health organization, public health, safety, Children, Life expectancy, Sponsorship, Bloomberg, Michael Bloomberg

SOURCE:Capital One

DESCRIPTION:

MCLEAN, Va., December 16, 2016 /3BL Media/ - As part of Capital One’s ongoing efforts to help students develop a greater interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Capital One hosted a closing event for the Capital One C1 Coders program in McLean, VA, on Thursday, December 15th.

For the past 10 weeks, 1,000 sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students across the country have been learning about software engineering alongside Capital One associates, with the final project of developing their own unique apps using MIT University’s App Inventor 2.

At the graduation event, Fairfax County Public School students demoed apps they created during the 10-week curriculum. Mayim Bialik, actress and neuroscientist, addressed the crowd by talking about her personal experience of discovering a passion for science, the importance of STEM and celebrating the students’ achievements. Capital One surprised 90 students with free laptops to encourage them to continue their learning. 

Through its five-year, $150 million Future Edge initiative, Capital One is helping to equip more Americans with the skills, tools and resources they need to succeed in the 21st century economy. One element of the Future Edge initiative is Capital One’s C1 Coders Program, an ongoing educational effort that helps get middle school kids excited about STEM during a critical period in their education. To learn more visit www.capitaloneinvestingforgood.com

Tweet me:Thru @YourFutureEdge #C1Coders learn #STEM skills. Thanks @missmayim for celebrating their work! #InvestedinTechhttp://bit.ly/2gK4rLH

KEYWORDS: Technology, Education, Capital One Investing for Good, Future Edge, Invested in Tech, mayim bialik, C1 Coders, STEM, digital skills, Skills for the 21st Century, Volunteers, Mentors, capital one, coding

The awards were for public education campaigns aimed at reducing drunk driving and under 21 alcohol prevention.

SOURCE:Brown-Forman Corporation

DESCRIPTION:

From Montgomery County DLC: The Montgomery County Department of Liquor Control (DLC) has been awarded two national awards from the National Association of Counties (NACo) for public education campaigns aimed at reducing drunk driving and under 21 alcohol prevention.

The first recognized program collaborated with industry leader Brown-Forman and the “Be My Designated Driver” (Be My DD) service to launch a countywide patron responsibility campaign. 

Read full article.

Tweet me:Montgomery County Department of Liquor Control Wins National Awards http://bit.ly/2gTApFj

KEYWORDS: Awards & Recognition, Brown-Forman, Montgomery County Department of Liquor Control, reducing drunk driving, csr

In preparing for our upcoming Sustainability Symposium, I’ve had the opportunity to speak with sustainability professionals from both sides of the aisle. Their overriding message: progress will continue.

SOURCE:Green Builder Media

DESCRIPTION:

One of the most exciting aspects of planning a big event is the opportunity to speak ahead of time with presenters and participants about the issues that are top of mind.  In planning for the Sustainability Symposium 2017: Ready for Anything, taking place on January 9 at the Dr. Phillips Center for Performing Arts in Orlando, I’ve had the good fortune to speak with some of today’s visionary leaders and most passionate professionals in the sustainability sector.

While most of these individuals are keenly watching with a mixture of hope and apprehension to see if the new Administration will walk away from the Paris Agreement, systematically dismantle the EPA, and lift moratoriums on oil and gas drilling on Federal and protected lands and seas, the overall sentiment is that sustainability, energy efficiency, renewables, and emerging technology solutions that make our built environment greener, cleaner, more efficient, and healthier are now in the hands of the market, and therefore cannot thwarted irrespective of who is in the Oval Office.

These market forces are the same influences that have taken renewables beyond price parity relative to fossil-fuel based energy sources, making solar the least expensive retail form of energy and wind the cheapest wholesale form of energy, and the same powers that have made green buildings more cost-effective and valuable than their conventional counterparts.

The combination of enhanced accountability to shareholders and pull from consumer demand has roused businesses across all sectors to make bold commitments to climate action, blazing the trail to widespread renewable energy adoption, breakthrough technology development, and novel corporate sustainability strategies.

Forward-thinking companies like Carrier and Emerson are developing market-changing technologies that will make our homes and buildings more connected, intelligent, and efficient.  Uponor is pioneering the intelligent water category with innovative solutions that promise to revolutionize the way that we use and monitor water.  Ingersoll Rand has created a new model for employee engagement.  And DuPont continues to enhance products and building science practices that result in more durable, high-performance building envelope systems.

It is largely acknowledged that ongoing progress in the private sector will be augmented by the work of individuals, communities, and elected officials at a grassroots and municipal level.  Pioneering Mayors, such as Republican James Brainard from Carmel, Indiana and Democrat Buddy Dyer from Orlando, Florida, are taking on powerful roles to propel their peers at the Conference of Mayors towards climate action, leading by example by developing green community action plans and smart city initiatives.

The tireless efforts of celebrity advocates like award-winning filmmaker Philippe Cousteau, who is working assiduously to educate the public about the transition to a sustainable economy, and environmental activist turned racecar driver Leilani Munter, who is teaching the NASCAR crowd about renewable energy, electric vehicles, and the environmental benefits of a plant-based diet, are contributing to the mounting interest in and momentum towards enhanced climate action.

Even code experts, like Maureen Guttman, President of the Building Codes Assistant Project, feel optimistic about the future, asserting that building codes are generally protected from Federal rollbacks, since they are developed by code officials, professionals, and related interest groups (rather than policy makers) and implemented at a state level.  Guttman also noted that when developing the 2018 code proposals, there was an unprecedented level of collaboration between industry groups representing a diverse set of interests to develop a solution regarding ERI values and onsite power production that was satisfactory for all parties (with that said, she lamented that the 2018 code did not realize the energy efficiency gains that sustainability advocates were hoping for.)

Based on the multitude of conversations I’ve had recently, one thing is clear: the passion for sustainability and commitment to climate action has only strengthened with the recent election. 

I’m eager to learn more about how these leaders and sustainability professionals believe the market will continue to evolve to support green products, technologies, and solutions.  Fortunately, the opportunity to do so is right around the corner at the Sustainability Symposium 2017: Ready for Anything on January 9 in Orlando.

Want to take part in the dialogue?  There is still time to register, but space is limited, so click here to reserve your space today!

Questions?  Write to me at sara.gutterman@greenbuildermedia.com.

For more information about green building and sustainable living, visit Green Builder Media at www.greenbuildermedia.com, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter for regular updates and breaking news.

Tweet me:Sustainability: Transcending Politics from @SaraGBM http://bit.ly/2hpbeOM

KEYWORDS: Environment & Climate Change, Events, Conferences & Webinars, Green Builder Media, sustainability, Politics, Global Warming

SOURCE:CSX Corporation

DESCRIPTION:

Santa – and Team CSX – brought holiday cheer and presents galore to thousands of children in three states across its network last month. On Saturday, Nov. 19, the Santa Train made its 74^th annual 110-mile run through Kentucky, Virginia and Tennessee, distributing 15 tons of toys along with other gifts, food and winter clothing to families around the route. Both Santa Claus and country music star and native Tennessean Darryl Worley came along for the ride, helping make spirits bright at each of the 14 stops along the route.

Planning and gathering presents for the Santa Train is a year-round effort. In early November, more than 300 CSX employees gathered at the Prime Osborn Convention Center in Jacksonville, Fla. to load 5,000 gift bags of toys and cold weather gear onto the historic train. And at the Santa Train’s annual packing party in Kingsport, Tenn., representatives from Food City joined community volunteers, Santa and other sponsors to assemble gifts for families along the route in preparation for this cherished CSX tradition.

Dating back to 1943, the Santa Train was launched by the Merchants Bureau of Kingsport – now the Kingsport Chamber of Commerce – and one of CSX’s predecessor railroads, the Clinchfield Railroad, in order to express their gratitude to the residents of rural Eastern Kentucky and Southwest Virginia.

Today, CSX works with numerous other sponsors to bring the Santa Train to rural communities each year. CSX donates personnel, equipment, logistics support, gift bags, train cars and track time, while Food City and the Kingsport Chamber of Commerce provide donations and volunteers to staff the train, stuff gift bags, and provide gift storage, and Dignity U Wear provides the winter weather accessories included in each gift bag.

For updates about the Santa Train, visit www.beyondourrails.org/index.cfm/events/santa-train/.

You can also follow Santa Train news on Facebook at facebook.com/santatrain. 

Tweet me:.@CSX Santa Train & special guest @DarrylWorley delivered early Christmas surprises to children last month: http://bit.ly/2hZZPWU

KEYWORDS: Philanthropy, Volunteerism & Community Engagement, CSX, Santa Train, holiday giving

MALDEF’s Parent School Partnership, supported by Sodexo since 2009, expands to six more cities through support from the Walmart Foundation

SOURCE:Sodexo, Inc.

DESCRIPTION:

GAITHERSBURG, Md., December, 19, 2016 /3BL Media/ -  MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund), the Walmart Foundation and Sodexo, world leader in quality of life services, hosted a nutrition workshop at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles on December 17th. The event was part of the Parent School Partnership (PSP) program, a MALDEF initiative that seeks to provide parents the tools they need to become agents of change in their communities.

In 2009, MALDEF expanded the PSP program, with support from Sodexo, to establish a health and wellness initiative. This year, the Walmart Foundation joined the initiative that aims to inform Latino families on the crucial topics of health and well-being, and works with them to improve their eating habits. So far, the health and wellness initiative has worked with families in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Seattle, Houston, and Chicago. It is expanding to other communities in Central Florida, Las Vegas, Washington, D.C., Phoenix, as well as cities in North Carolina and Tennessee.

“Walmart is proud to support the expansion of the Parent School Partnership program because we believe in the initiative’s value in helping parents and their children make positive nutrition choices,” said Javier Angulo, public affairs director for Walmart. “Our support is grounded in the idea that no family should have to choose between food that is good for them and food they can afford.”

The workshop featured a nutrition education program and cooking demonstrations for Latino parents.  A registered dietitian and executive chef led workshops that cover basic concepts of health, nutrition, and healthy cooking techniques. The workshops provided a holistic approach to planning healthy family meals, shopping, and preparation.

“Research shows that Latino children are disproportionately affected by diabetes, obesity, and stress-related disorders,” said Sodexo Executive Chef Sterling Smith.  “The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey estimates that approximately two in five Latino children face nutrition-based challenges that often lead to chronic health disease. The collaborative efforts of MALDEF PSP and Sodexo’s Nutritional Wellness program underscores a shared vision for addressing such issues.”

Since the program was launched, PSP’s innovative health and wellness initiative has worked with more than 6,000 Latino families across the United States.

“MALDEF's health and wellness workshops have had a significantly positive effect on the lives of PSP parents, who report attaining increased nutrition knowledge and improved health behavior in their homes,” said MALDEF National PSP Director Adrian Sandoval. “Integrating a nutritional workshop into parent-engagement programming enables MALDEF to expand participants’ focus to include improving the overall health and wellness outcomes of their families, a critical factor in the overall goal of improving the educational outcomes of the Latino community more broadly. "

MALDEF’s PSP program also equips parents and community leaders with the knowledge they need to become advocates for school-wide reform that will benefit the entire community. Additionally, the program provides parents with the instructional tools necessary to improve their children’s educational achievement. Parents attend a free, 12-session program where immigrant and first-generation Latino parents learn how to overcome language and cultural barriers and gain an in-depth understanding of families’ rights and responsibilities in the public education system. To date, more than 11,000 parents and community leaders in 100 cities have participated in the PSP program since it began in 1989.

Sodexo delivers more than 100 services across North America that enhances organizational performance, contribute to local communities and improve quality of life. The Fortune Global 500 company is a leader in delivering sustainable, integrated facilities management and food service operations.

Learn more about Sodexo at its corporate blog, Sodexo Insights.

Tweet me:.@MALDEF, @WalmartFoundation and #Sodexo, host #nutrition workshop @ChildrensLA http://bit.ly/2i0lazo

Contact Info:

Samuel Wells
Sodexo, Inc.
+1 (301) 987-4893
samuel.wells@sodexo.com

KEYWORDS: Volunteerism & Community Engagement, Business & Trade, Sodexo, Walmart, MALDEF, Latino, community

SOURCE:Pfizer

DESCRIPTION:

At Pfizer, we realize no one organization or corporation can solve all of today’s complex healthcare challenges. That’s why we seek to combine our resources with the expertise of a range of diverse partners – including NGOs, governments and social entrepreneurs – to catalyze creative approaches to accelerating progress and breaking down healthcare barriers. In doing so, we are directly supporting progress toward several of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals.

“Partnerships are critical to Pfizer’s ability to deliver healthcare solutions,” says Caroline Roan, Pfizer’s Vice President of Corporate Responsibility. “We work with our partners in almost 63 countries to provide not only medicines, but to build healthcare capacity on the ground in the areas of the world that are most vulnerable and need the most help.”

Visit our “Individual Voices” site to learn more about Pfizer’s support of the SDGs: http://on.pfizer.com/2gYX1W8 

Tweet me:Find out how @Pfizer is helping achieve @UN #GlobalGoal 17 through entrepreneurial partnerships http://bit.ly/2gTOcfi

KEYWORDS: Health, Healthcare, Corporate Social Responsibility, philanthropy, united nations, Global Goals, sustainable development goals, Devex World 2016, Partnerships

SOURCE:TD Bank Group

DESCRIPTION:

December 19th, 2016/3BL Media/ - For the third year, TD Bank Group (TD) is the top scoring Canadian bank in CDP's report on leadership in carbon reporting and management in Canada. TD is among the top 25 percent highest scoring companies globally, across all sectors.

TD was recognized for:

• Maintaining carbon neutrality across its global operations
• Setting an internal price on carbon, which has contributed to being a carbon neutral bank  
• A high degree of transparency around its carbon performance and management of climate related risks and opportunities

The report shines a light on the efforts of the business community to support the transition to a low-carbon economy. It notes that "despite regulatory uncertainty, companies are recognizing and managing climate risks that are impacting them now."

To read CDP's Canada Climate Change Report, visit http://www.cdpnareport2016.net/#/CanadaReport

Tweet me:TD is top performing Canadian bank in @CDP #Canada #ClimateChange Report http://bit.ly/2gStwUP @TD_Canada

KEYWORDS: Environment & Climate Change, Awards & Recognition, TD Bank

SOURCE:Bloomberg

DESCRIPTION:

Companies should use a range of existing, publicly-available climate-related scenario analysis or develop their own in order to assess the risks posed to their business by climate change, according to the Financial Stability Board (FSB) Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD).

TCFD says companies should consider risks posed to their businesses by the world transitioning, in varying degrees, to a low-carbon economy, as well the physical risks posed by a warmer planet.

Click here to read the full article.

Tweet me:Organisations should use existing climate scenario analysis or develop their own, says @fsb_tcfd http://bit.ly/2hLs23t #tcfdrecs

KEYWORDS: Finance & Socially Responsible Investment, Energy, tcfd, Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures, esg, investors, policy, stranded assets, Bloomberg

A Holiday Card from VolunteerMatch

SOURCE:VolunteerMatch

DESCRIPTION:

‘Tis the season for eggnog lattés, holiday parties, and philanthropic giving. It’s also the season for reflection and giving thanks.

As you spend the next few weeks around family and loved ones, please keep in mind — and in your heart —those who are less fortunate. Think of those who you already help, as well as those who still need your help. Remember them not just during the holidays, but year-round. Then take action to connect with them: by going to VolunteerMatch.org.

If you haven’t done so already, please take the pledge to #GiveTime in 2017. We hope it’ll hold you accountable to volunteer more in the new year. Not only will volunteering make you feel good, it’ll make our world a whole lot better. 

We wish you, your family, and your friends a joyous and reflective holiday season, including a happy and prosperous New Year.

With love,
Your friends at VolunteerMatch

Tweet me:Peace, Love, and #Volunteering: A Holiday Card from @VM_Solutions: http://bit.ly/2gUsx6w

KEYWORDS: Volunteerism & Community Engagement, Diversity & Human Resources, holiday volunteering, happy holidays, VolunteerMatch