In the age of “alternative facts,” John Micklethwait explains how the press should approach the new U.S. president

SOURCE:Bloomberg

DESCRIPTION:

Originally posted on Huffington Post.

LONDON ― John Micklethwait is the editor-in-chief of Bloomberg News. Previously, he served as the editor-in-chief of The Economist. Micklethwait, who I spoke to recently in London, has an extraordinary platform of observation on what’s happening in the world. In the following interview, he gives his personal impression of Russian President Vladimir Putin and answers questions on topics ranging from the freedom of the press under the new Trump presidency to the implications of the new era on economic and international relations. 

Click here to read more.

Tweet me:Journalists Shouldn’t Hold Trump To ‘Special Standards,’ Says Bloomberg Editor-In-Chief http://bit.ly/2lkAt7R

KEYWORDS: Media & Communications, trump, Government, editor, Reporting, Bloomberg

Sustainable Brands’ renewable energy procurement for 2017 supports the Sustainable Development Goals

SOURCE:Sustainable Brands

DESCRIPTION:

Zurich, Switzerland, and San Francisco, Calf., February 14, 2017 /3BL Media/ - The momentum in renewable energy has accelerated and made the transition to a low-carbon economy more inevitable. As more organizations set targets of growing the share of renewable energy in their consumption, being able to trace the origin of energy and the impacts of renewable energy procurement has never been more important.

It is against the backdrop of this global transition that Sustainable Brands® and leading sustainability solutions provider South Pole Group announce their partnership on renewable energy. Sustainable Brands will continue to lead by example with its 2017 event series: it will bring together movers and shakers to help shift the world toward a sustainably flourishing future, but also ensure that the direct impact of hosting these discussions is reduced with South Pole Group’s premium renewable energy solutions.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Sustainable Brands for the second consecutive year,” says Christian Dannecker, Director, Sustainable Supply Chains, South Pole Group.“Our premium renewable energy certificates (RECs) will ensure that the electricity powering Sustainable Brands’ events comes from truly sustainable sources. Sustainable Brands will, for instance, be able to trace the source of the green electricity of their Copenhagen-based event to our PrimePower hydro plant in the Swiss Alps.”

In addition to ensuring that the 2017 event series is powered by renewable energy, Sustainable Brands’ RECs will also support specific Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with renewable energy projects that have an additional eco-label attached to them. For example, through its investment in South Pole Group’s GoldPower-labeled project in Thailand, Sustainable Brands is furthering the creation of multiple skilled job opportunities within local communities, as well as regional infrastructure improvements in direct alignment with Thai national sustainable development goals.

“Sustainable Brands sparks and enables transformational leadership across so many levels creating the right environment for collaborations that ignite new forms of shared value,” says David Fiss, Executive Producer of Live Events at Sustainable Brands. “SB events are designed with greater focus on the participant experience and produced with event management policies and commitments that maximize positive impacts and minimize potential negative ones. We are honored to be participating in South Pole Group’s GoldPower projects this year.”

The South Pole Group and Sustainable Brands partnership will cover the renewable electricity consumption of the following events:

• SB’17 Tokyo, March 8-9, 2017

• SB’17 Detroit, May 22-25,2017

• SB’17 Copenhagen, October 30-November 1, 2017

• SB’17 Bangkok, November 2017

• New Metrics ‘17, November 13-15, 2017

About South Pole Group’s GoldPower project in Thailand 
Innovative solar photovoltaic technology has been recently installed in two agricultural provinces in Thailand, generating over 147K MWh of clean electricity per year. The photovoltaic power plants offer a welcomed support in improving Thailand’s energy security and decreasing dependence on imported fossil fuels and natural gas. Multiple skilled job opportunities have been also created, with the majority of workers coming from local communities.

About South Pole Group’s PrimePower project in Switzerland
PrimePower Guarantees of Origin (GO) provide information for electricity customers on the
source and specific quality of their electricity, and enable companies to reach their energy reduction targets and fulfill reporting requirements. The PrimePower hydro plant in the Swiss Alps offers sustainably generated electricity from a local power plant, selected according to strict ecological criteria.

About South Pole Group
South Pole Group is a leading provider of global sustainability solutions and services. The company has delivered climate-proven solutions to a wide range of public, private and civil society organisations for over a decade. Areas of expertise cover key areas of corporate climate action, climate-related investment risks & impacts, sustainable supply chains, green finance, as well as renewable energy and energy efficiency. A pioneer in emission reduction and renewable energy projects, South Pole Group has been consistently rated by Environmental Finance’s Voluntary Carbon Market Survey as one of the most successful carbon market service providers in the world. For more information, visit www.thesouthpolegroup.com or follow the company @southpolegroup.

About Sustainable Brands
Sustainable Brands^® is the premier global community of brand innovators who are shaping the future of commerce worldwide. Since 2006, our mission has been to inspire, engage and equip today’s business and brand leaders to prosper for the near and long term by leading the way to a better future. Digitally published news articles and issues-focused conversation topics, internationally known conferences and regional events, a robust e-learning library and peer-to-peer membership groups all facilitate community learning and engagement throughout the year. Sustainable Brands is hosted by Sustainable Brands Worldwide, a division of Sustainable Life Media headquartered in San Francisco, CA.

Tweet me:.@SustainBrands and @southpolegroup partner to power next generation of events with #renewableenergy:http://bit.ly/2ldqmRk

KEYWORDS: Energy, Business & Trade, SDGs, sustainable development goals, Global Partnership, Innovative partnership

SOURCE:Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)

DESCRIPTION:

by Lara Birkes, Vice President, Chief Sustainability Officer at Hewlett Packard Enterprise

For many in the U.S., climate change is a political issue. Others simply see it as an environmental issue. No matter your stance, if you’re part of the business sector, then it’s an issue that affects your bottom line. Sustainability is increasingly important for multinational corporations with both investors and customers demanding greater transparency, action and accountability.

As the dust from the U.S. election settles and our nation’s position as a leader on energy and climate change reform becomes uncertain, it’s imperative that businesses take the lead. For one, we have a commitment to other nations as part of a multilateral framework to reduce emissions and increase responsibility. That much was agreed upon in last year’s Paris Climate Change Conference negotiations. It was further cemented during last month’s continued discussions in Marrakech at COP22, where the governing body of the Paris Climate Agreement met for the first time and actively began the process of implementing policy change ahead of the 2020 timeline.

There is clear momentum suggesting climate change is a global challenge that will impact business, and therefore must become integral to all future business considerations. Swimming with this current of change makes good sense as stakeholders worldwide are advancing toward the goals set in the Paris Climate Agreement, irrespective of how new U.S. leadership sets policy on climate. The prevailing opinion indicates much of the progress made will be relaxed. If our businesses follow suit, however, and are no longer consistent with robust international environmental requirements, they risk being passed over by companies that will look to non-U.S. suppliers for their climate leadership.

At HPE, we have a host of global customers requiring high environmental standards of their suppliers, and it is essential to our relationships that we remain aligned with their priorities. We know what is right for people and the planet is also right for business, and will continue to maintain our leadership position in the business community to drive efforts in support of a low-carbon economy.

A large portion of this approach includes our move toward renewables. By 2025, we pledge to operate under a 100 percent renewable energy strategy, with 50 percent of our energy coming from renewable sources. It’s not only a smart business decision, but also a commitment to set a course for a better collective future. 

When I began my work at HPE as Chief Sustainability Officer, I knew there would be challenges to advancing a sustainability agenda in the U.S. This has never been more apparent, though I do see it as an opportunity for HPE to become an even greater industry leader. I urge other businesses to join the conversation and send a clear message to state and federal officials. Support the hundreds of businesses that have pledged their commitment to Low-Carbon USA, and seize the occasion to leverage resource constraints as a driver of reinvigorated economic progress, job creation and renewed infrastructure models in the U.S.

The progress shown by leaders around the world is encouraging, and the demand the market is placing on companies to implement sustainable business practices signals a step in the right direction. The time is now for U.S. businesses to step up or be passed over—we must rally industry leaders around the world.

As we head into the New Year, responsive and responsible leadership is crucial. I am heartened this is the theme of the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos in January; 2017 must catalyze global action around this common challenge. Let us take the prompt of our changing landscape to reboot collective actions that shape a better future for all.

Tweet me:U.S. election results put the heat on businesses to advance #energy & #climateagenda http://bit.ly/2kptS70 @HPE_LivingProg

KEYWORDS: Environment & Climate Change, Business & Trade, Lara Birkes, Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)

SOURCE:Freeport-McMoRan

DESCRIPTION:

February 14, 2017 /3BL Media/ - Freeport-McMoRan Safford Operations recently received the Arizona Voluntary Environmental Stewardship Award from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.

The award is part of a program that recognizes companies that go above and beyond what is required by law from an environmental perspective.

The Safford Operations have demonstrated their continued commitment to the environment and the community through their dust control and habitat conservation work. Moreover, Safford has a robust emissions reduction program that has already seen a 15% improvement since 2014.

This is the first time the award has been given to a mining company.

To learn more about how Freeport-McMoRan cares for the environment surrounding its operations, please visit fcx.com.

Please see the 2015 Working Toward Sustainable Development Report for more information on all of their social, economic and environmental efforts.

Tweet me:Freeport-McMoRan Safford Operations receive Environmental Stewardship Award http://bit.ly/2j1jSnL #copper

KEYWORDS: Environment & Climate Change, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, Arizona Voluntary Environmental Stewardship Award, dust control, habitat conservation, emissions reduction, Freeport-McMoRan

SOURCE:Scotiabank

DESCRIPTION:

Many were left without electricity following ice storms in northeastern New Brunswick. Scotiabank is donating $15,000 to the Canadian Red Cross to help with the relief efforts in the area. If you would like to contribute, visit: http://bit.ly/2jR3zqX. Our thoughts are with all those affected.

Tweet me:.@ScotiabankViews donates $15k to @redcrosscanada in support of the people of New Brunswick from recent ice storms http://bit.ly/2koUYLM

KEYWORDS: Philanthropy, Red Cross, Scotiabank, Support New Brunswick Relief, Donations, csr, ice storms

SOURCE:USCCF Corporate Citizenship Center

DESCRIPTION:

Institute for CSR Alumni Reflections: Interview with David Figliuzzi, Executive Director of Cigna Foundation and Civic Affairs

Why did you choose to participate in the Institute for CSR and what year did you graduate?
I chose the program based on the strength of the program’s course of study. I graduated in 2016.

What was your favorite part of the program?
My favorite part of the program was the opportunity to interact with my peers from a variety of industries. The program participants came from across the country around the world and all offered unique perspectives and inspiring ideas.

How have you used the knowledge and/or connections you gained at the Institute to improve your work?
I regularly refer to the information I learned at the Institute as I work with my team to design programs and grow our CSR presence.

What would you tell prospective participants about the program?
Take advantage of this opportunity to grow and learn! This is a great way to be exposed to new ideas and gain a solid foundation in the essentials of CSR.

Any tips for 2017 registrants on how to get the most out of their participation?
Come ready to participate! The strength of the program is in the participation of those present, so be ready to listen and learn and share.

[Editor's Note: This article originally appeared here.]

Tweet me:Interview with Institute for #CSR alumni shares benefits of earning a professional certificate in CSR @WRAGtweets http://bit.ly/2kLOJmV

KEYWORDS: Education, Business & Trade, Institute for CSR, U.S. Chamber of Comerece Foundation Corporate Citizenship Center, Certificate in CSR, Washington Association of Grantmakers

SOURCE:Antea Group

DESCRIPTION:

The Park City office serves a diverse client base, working within multiple industries and practice areas. Our projects span from traditional environmental liability management support to health and safety consulting.

We have particular depth of experience within the oil & gas segment, providing support with assessment, remediation, due diligence, emergency response, and compliance services at facilities across the intermountain west. Additionally, we have expertise in occupational health and safety. This includes providing regulatory support on OSHA regulations for manufacturers, technology firms, warehouse and distribution, and food and beverage companies. The Park City office is home base for the organization's Health and Safety Practice Leader as well as our Oil & Gas Segment Leader.

Read the rest on the Antea Group website.

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 http://us.anteagroup.com. 

Tweet me:Meet the @AnteaGroup Park City Office! http://bit.ly/2ejnLUJ

Contact Info:

Margaret Uttke
+1 (651) 697-5234
margaret.uttke@anteagroup.com

KEYWORDS: Diversity & Human Resources, antea group, EHS consulting, sustainability consulting, Park City, Utah

by Juliette Gimenez, Co-founder & Chief Executive Officer of Goxip

SOURCE:Cisco Systems Inc.

SUMMARY:

This blog was guest-written by Juliette Gimenez, Co-founder & Chief Executive Officer of Goxip. She’ll be guest-speaking during the “She Started IT” session of the Women Rock-IT series on Wednesday, February 15, 2017.

DESCRIPTION:

According to Moore’s Law, the number of transistors in dense integrated circuits will double every two years, meaning computing power will also double or improve in that time. This exponential increase is making it easier than ever before for anyone to afford faster, smaller, and more sophisticated computers.

Today’s devices are no longer toys for the wealthy or rich, but convenient tools for the general public; everyone can leverage technology to do amazing things. It levels the playing field, where anyone can be a global problem solver no matter their race, gender or age. With digitization comes the freedom for people to focus their efforts on creating innovative solutions for the problems they most care about.

This is, in fact, something we witness every day on the news; an 18-year-old girl designed tiny devices that can charge your mobile phone in 20 seconds and a 19-year-old boy developed an ocean array to remove 7,250,000 tons of plastic from the world’s oceans. Obviously, age is not a barrier for people to create, innovate and solve problems, so why should gender or other biases stop them?

Extraordinary people can tackle many different issues, from health care and pollution to water scarcity and climate change. What are the problems that matter to you, and how can you solve them?

It just so happens that my passion is fashion and beauty, which led me to discover the inefficiency of today’s e-commerce industry. I knew I wanted to create an easier solution for consumers and sellers to buy and sell their products, and I knew it started with technology.

To make things clear, I am co-founder and CEO of a mobile focus technology startup called Goxip. Our tool allows people to snap a photo of any fashion item and find the exact or similar item online, which they can instantly purchase with our image recognition technology. Despite my title, I know very little about coding and networking.

Working in the technology industry does not mean you have to be an expert in programming, and I’m a perfect example; a woman with no coding knowledge who worked in the e-commerce industry for over 10 years. I quickly learned it takes more than the latest technology to make a business successful. Of course, technology is the crucial foundation of most companies, but success also requires the collective efforts of departments like marketing, business development, and manufacturing.

We started Goxip as a tiny, three-person team, and given my lack of expertise in technology programming, I knew I had to find a co-founder and colleague with a background in design and coding. I started by looking through my contact list and pitched my friends a crazy idea; to leave their stable careers and join me in the startup world. Luckily, my plan worked, and soon, we turned my dream of Goxip into a reality.

After long days and nights the next few months, with only a prototype, zero users, and zero real-world testing, we applied for a startup exhibition and competition called RISE, hoping for the best. To our surprise, we won the contest, which helped Goxip gain widespread acclaim. Eventually, that exposure helped us raise US$1.62 million in seed funding, one of the largest totals in Asia Pacific history.

This story may sound simple, but that is far from my own reality. Asking two friends to quit their comfortable careers and join you can place an enormous burden on your shoulders, especially if you are a female founder in Asia. Goxip’s struggles were real, as we faced many challenges together in making our first prototype.

From arguments over user experience to finding a suitable market for our product, I often questioned why I pursued my dream in the first place. I learned quickly, though, that chasing your goal means facing challenges you can’t dodge or avoid like an everyday employee.

That’s why your passion and your beliefs are so important, because, without them, there is no drive to continue. Without them, there is no drive for you to push your limits and keep your dream alive. Passion kills fear and forces you to jump through hurdles you never imagined you’d face. Passion keeps you going, even when giving up is an easy option.

Don’t be afraid. Find a problem you’re passionate about solving. Don’t doubt yourself because you don’t have the technology or networking background of your peers; anyone can be a global problem solver. You can be an expert in your own right, and there are always ways to overcome your obstacles.

The more I work in technology, the more I see women doubting their abilities to make a real difference in the field. What they don’t see is that it takes time, effort and hard work to get to your end-goal; that they can make unique contributions toward the problems they’d like to solve.

A diamond is the most beautiful rock on Earth, but it takes billions of years to become so stunning. And like diamonds, great innovations often take years to form into real-world solutions. I ask you to be patient and work diligently toward your passions; I’m sure it won’t take you a billion years to excel and shine like a diamond in today’s digital economy.

Join us as we profile three young female entrepreneurs who are shaking up the tech world across Asia Pacific. Sign up for Women Rock-IT today! To learn more about Women Rock-IT events visit our website.

Our support of the Cisco Networking Academy is one example of how Cisco is harnessing the power of the digital revolution to accelerate global problem solving, enabling people and societies to thrive in the digital economy. Our goal is to positively impact 1 billion people by 2025.

Tweet me:It’s Time for #Women to Shine Like Diamonds in the #DigitalEconomy http://bit.ly/2l43ZeX #WomenInIT @CiscoCSR @goxips #WomenRockIT

KEYWORDS: Diversity & Human Resources, Business & Trade, Digital Economy, cisco csr, Women RockIT, Women in IT, women in stem

SOURCE:CITGO Petroleum Corporation

DESCRIPTION:

LEMONT, Ill., February 14, 2017 /3BL Media/ - The CITGO Lemont Refinery and Joliet Junior College (JJC) recently announced a new scholarship for STEM students through the establishment of a $250,000 endowment with the Joliet Junior College (JJC) Foundation.

“During 2016 we began discussions with Will County Executive Larry Walsh, Sr. on how CITGO could make a positive impact in Will County by investing in the next generation of leaders in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). We concluded that a scholarship endowment would serve as the best conduit for workforce development and job opportunities for the residents of Will County,” said Jim Cristman, vice president and general manager of the CITGO Lemont Refinery.

The CITGO Scholarship will be awarded annually to a JJC student(s) in one of the following majors: Process Control Instrumentation, Operations Engineering Technology, Industrial Maintenance Technology, Electrical/Electronic Automated Systems, Process Operations Technology or the dual credit high school program ― Advanced Integrated Manufacturing. Applicants can be either part or full time students, but must demonstrate a financial need and exhibit community involvement through volunteer activities. The scholarship is non-renewable, and the number awarded per academic year will be determined by the JJC Foundation based on accrued interest from the endowment. 

The 2017 recipients of CITGO Scholarship are Matthew Lane and Kayla Storme. Lane is currently pursuing two Associates degrees — one in Industrial Maintenance Technology and the other in Electrical/Electronics Automated Systems. Storme is majoring in Operations Engineering with the end goal of a career in chemical engineering. The students will receive their $5,000 scholarship and be recognized by CITGO, the JJC Foundation, and Executive Walsh during a presentation at the college on Wednesday, February 15 at 4:30 p.m.  

According to Walsh, JJC, the nation's first public community college, offers a wide variety of opportunities with regard to STEM education because employment forecasts predict significant growth in technology occupations. 

“CITGO has been an excellent community partner for many years. Through this generous scholarship, students will be able to further their education in various areas of technology. I congratulate Kayla and Matthew as the first recipients, and wish them much luck in their future studies and careers,” said Walsh.

This endowment is part of the CITGO STEM Talent Pipeline program, which partners with educational organizations near the company’s operational areas to increase access to educational opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math. The program promotes the importance of STEM education in the socioeconomic development of our communities and highlights the numerous pathways to rewarding careers, including those in the energy industry. It provides grants to schools and educational organizations to support programs that increase student interest, retention and graduation rates – particularly at the high school and post-secondary levels – and those that prepare students for STEM technical and university level curriculum. The program also provides scholarships for students pursuing higher degrees in STEM fields. In 2016, the CITGO STEM Talent Pipeline benefited 3,000 students and 300 educators across the CITGO operational footprint, strengthening the communities where the company has a presence.

About the CITGO Lemont Refinery
For over 90 years, CITGO Lemont Refinery has employed more than 750 Chicago area residents on a full-time and contract basis in support of the local economy. In addition to producing high quality fuels for a large portion of the network of nearly 5,500 locally-owned CITGO stations across the country, Lemont Refinery employees also make a major positive impact on the community. Each year, more than 2,500 volunteer hours and thousands of dollars are given in support of community programs such as Muscular Dystrophy Association, United Way and a variety of environmental and preservation programs. Operations at the Lemont Refinery began in 1925 with a major expansion, doubling the facility, in 1933. Over the years, new units were added to meet the demand for a better quality of gas for automobiles, aviation fuel for WWII, and the production of asphalt. Petróleos de Venezuela, PDVSA, acquired 100% ownership of the refinery in 1997 and began operations as CITGO Lemont Refinery. For more information, visit www.citgorefining.com/Lemont. 

About CITGO
CITGO, based in Houston, is a refiner, transporter and marketer of transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and other industrial products. The company is owned by CITGO Holding, Inc., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A., the national oil company of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. For more information, visit www.CITGO.com.

Tweet me:.@CITGO & @JolietJrCollege announce a new scholarship for STEM students through a $250,000 endowment: http://bit.ly/2kqk7Wt

Contact Info:

Fernando Garay
+1 (832) 486-1489
fgaray@citgo.com

KEYWORDS: Education, CITGO Lemont Refinery, STEM, Joliet Junior College

SOURCE:GreenMoney Journal

DESCRIPTION:

By Gabriel Anderson, a Certified Financial Planner and founder of Crafted Wealth Management

Let’s take a break from talking about investments. Yeah, yeah. This is article is in a journal about Sustainable Investing, but what is it you’re really after? What’s the reason you’re investing in the first place? Have you thought about where you’d like to end up? How will you know that you accomplished what you’ve set out to accomplish if you haven’t defined your goal? Investments are an important tool but they become more powerful when you view them as a part of your larger financial life strategy.

What I’m talking about is the process of Financial Life Planning and that’s what I do. I help people use money as a tool to accomplish their goals and live their ideal life. It’s what I call becoming a Financial Badass and it all starts with just six basic steps.

These six steps give you a framework to define your values and goals, and then uses those as a basis for your financial decisions. These steps provide a process that you can follow without fail, and help you provide the WHY behind your financial decisions. The WHY is your motivation and knowing that is empowering. Becoming a financial badass is a process of enlightenment and it’s a process where a little knowledge can go a LONG way.

Step #1 – Define Your Vision, Values, and Goals - What do you want to accomplish with your time on this earth? Going through this process may be the start of something bigger. It will take you down the path of breaking down your life and defining what you need to do to get you where you want to go. All you need to do is take the time to be present for yourself and answer these questions...see them in blog post (link below)

Step #2 – Are You a Saver or a Spender? It’s no secret but savers are going to have a gigantic leg up throughout life. They have the funds set aside to execute on opportunities as they present themselves. Or, have reserves available if they happen to lose their source of income. If that happens, the savers won’t need to rely on debt to support their lifestyle until they find another job. Don’t worry! If you’re a spender, all hope is not lost! As long as you realize you are a “spender”, you can take the steps ahead of time to ‘trick’ yourself. To do this, you need to automate a percentage of your paycheck into savings and investments and “theoretically” forget about it. Then you have the other percentage of your paycheck to live your life in whatever way you choose. Just remember to pay yourself first! The percentage you set aside is there for Future You!

Step #3 – The Details - So where do you stand right now? Most of us aren’t starting from Zero. Some of us may be starting this process with debt and some of us may be starting out with assets. Either way, we need to find out where you are now to see what you need to do to get you where you want to be. This statement of your personal financial position is called your Net Worth. What we are going to build to calculate this is called a Balance Sheet.

Step #4 – Your Budget - What’s a budget? A budget is a tool you can use to tell your money where you want it to go instead of leaving yourself wondering where it went at the end of every month. The first part of the budgeting process is about awareness. It’s about figuring out what you’re currently doing with your income. The next step is taking that awareness and making changes with that new knowledge. Setting spending goals for each category will start to free up income. Should you spend less so that you can save and invest more? Can you actually afford to increase your lifestyle? Let’s find out...

Step #5 – Emergency Fund/Cash Reserves. The what, why, and how - So what do you do if you lose your job, have an unexpected medical situation, or you have a friend or family member that needs a boost? Financial life planning is also about preparing yourself for the unexpected.There are two ways to look at this...

Step #6 – Paying Off Debts - Debt sucks. Straight up. It’s an expense that you incurred in the past that you told your future self you’d deal with as you earn more income. Trouble is, you probably didn’t realize how suffocating that concept was until you got into it. Fear not! You can get rid of it. Now that you know where your money is going from doing your budget in step #4, you have an idea of how much extra income you can put toward saving, investing, and paying off debts.

Read more on each Step in his full blog post at- http://www.greenmoneyjournal.com/february-2017/investing-isnt-enough-6-things-you-need-to-do-to-grow-your-wealth

Putting it All Together

Work through these steps one-by-one, remember this is a process and in life things are constantly changing. These processes work whether you’re in debt or you already have a few million dollars of savings and investments under your belt. The contents of this article and the understanding of them will give you a HUGE leg up when it comes to your personal finances. Mastering them and using them to move forward in life is what being a Financial Badass is all about! Get to it!

Tweet me:Hey Millennials - Investing isn’t Enough: 6 Things You Need to do to Grow Your Wealth - http://bit.ly/2kDeJjT | #investing #saving #wealth

Contact Info:

Cliff Feigenbaum, founder and managing editor
GreenMoney Journal and GreenMoney.com
+1 (505) 577-1563
cliffgmj@gmail.com

KEYWORDS: Education, Business & Trade, millennials, money, Investing, Management, financial, Awareness, Enlightenment, Vision, Values, goals, Sustainable, Budget, life, Planning, Decisions, informed, steps, personal, professional, accomplishments, spending, saving, invest, paycheck, Independence, balance sheet, income, expenses, cash reserve, emergency fund, paying off, debts, college debt, cfp, Certified Financial Planner, Wealth, values-based, high interest rates, budgeting, accounts, credit cards, rent, Knowledge

SOURCE:NRG Energy

DESCRIPTION:

by Editorial Team

Last year, renewable energy sources represented more than half the new power capacity around the world.

While this is an important step toward achieving a clean energy future, successfully integrating this large amount of renewable generation into the current U.S. transmission system – in a safe and reliable manner – is currently a monumental challenge. The intermittent nature of both wind and solar challenges our ability to fully depend on these resources. As we see in Figure 1, not only is wind energy variable, but it can also defy forecasting – even “hour-ahead” forecasting. 

To date, no state, company or organization has cracked the code as to how to best fill in the gaps when renewables do not generate power. Therefore, it becomes necessary for all of us – inside NRG and beyond – to think more broadly about ways to move towards a clean energy future.

At NRG, we spend a lot of time thinking about the design of the electricity markets of the future— 

• What technologies will be needed to meet our national carbon emissions reductions targets and simultaneously maintain system reliability and affordability? 

• How can we design today’s energy markets to drive the investments necessary to deploy these advanced green technologies?

• Where should corporations and energy companies invest capital today to maximize returns in the changing, increasingly lower carbon energy economy of tomorrow?  

Thinking comprehensively about long-term solutions to support the clean energy future and decarbonization of energy and our economy at large, we conclude that markets will need to support four broad categories of infrastructure investments and innovation: renewable energy, energy storage, controllable demand, and fast-ramping gas. We refer to this as the “Four Product Future,” and we especially observe these categories and trends in California, a state that often leads  in energy trends.

The Four Product Future provides individual consumers (large and small) and regulators a guiding view for where to direct investment and research dollars in order to drive low-carbon outcomes. The areas include: 

1. Renewables: We believe the bedrock of the future electric grid will be renewable energy.  In fact, the only way we can meet our economy-wide carbon reduction targets is to dramatically increase renewable energy production.  However, renewable generation is, inherently, variable. Already in Texas (figure 1) and California today, we regularly witness several thousand megawatts of renewable energy entering (or leaving) the grid over the course of an hour, or in some cases, minutes. As the percentage of renewable power on our system increases, the fluctuations will increase as well. Balancing these fluctuations will require major investments in each of the other three products.   

2. Energy storage: Improvements in our ability to store energy during times of peak renewable production, and then tap into that power during periods where the wind or sun are not cooperating will be key to the energy system of the future. Energy storage can come in a variety of forms (e.g. thermal, chemical, etc.).  The main challenge for batteries, however, is that they are currently among the most expensive energy technologies. That said, battery technology continues to improve in performance and cost, meaning that energy storage might soon have its own ‘solar’ moment in terms of rapid innovation and deployment.  

3. Controllable demand: Controllable demand will change the way Americans interact with the power grid in both large and subtle ways. Customers will automatically and seamlessly modulate their energy consumption in response to demand – e.g. intermittent renewables and load peaks – thus radically reshaping and reducing the amount of fossil fuel generation needed. Controllable demand could take shape in “smart” appliances that can optimize run time based on grid availability. In the century that brought us the Internet and Nest Thermostats, fantasy football and transportation on command, we can certainly find ways to optimize consumer energy demand to match conditions on the grid in real-time.

4. Fast-ramp gas: New, efficient fast-ramping natural gas facilities complete the picture. Weather patterns are, by nature, uncertain (see again figure 1), so a power generation system entirely tied to weather may not provide the reliability Americans have come to expect and need. The combination of battery storage and controllable demand are unlikely, by themselves, to completely balance the volatility in renewable generation across the entire system. In order to reliably match supply and demand, energy markets will require generation with the ability to turn on, or off, very quickly to adapt to changing conditions. Modern natural gas fired generation meets such high performance requirements, since it can often start and stop multiple times per day and ramp in minutes (unlike with nuclear, coal or older gas-fired power plants which take hours to ramp).

We also spend a lot of time thinking about how market structures should evolve to support the cost-effective deployment of all of these technologies, working in concert. What types of ancillary services market reforms do we need to value fast-ramping natural gas?  How can we utilize competitive forces to drive down energy storage costs? How should markets value and drive controllable demand? 

The ability of these four sets of technologies to interoperate and support one another, successfully managing supply and demand and safely and reliably ensuring customer satisfaction. As forward-thinking businesses know, many of these technologies are ripe for installation today with others coming into their prime in the next few years. 

As an industry, our goal should be to continue honing the regulatory framework, technologies, and business models necessary to bring the Four Product Future further into the mainstream today. At NRG, we’re on it.

Let us know what you think. Is your company ready for onsite renewables and controllable demand as part of its sustainability goals?

[1] IEA raises its five-year renewable growth forecast as 2015 marks record year, October 25, 2016 (https://www.iea.org/newsroom/news/2016/october/iea-raises-its-five-year-renewable-growth-forecast-as-2015-marks-record-year.html)

[2] According to Next 10, compared to all other states, California ranks among the lowest in the nation for both per capita energy consumption and per capita energy spending. http://www.next10.org/ca-energy

Tweet me:.@nrgenergy focuses four product future transforming the energy industry today http://bit.ly/2lhgdAU

KEYWORDS: Energy, Alternative Energy, energy storage, Controllable demand, Fast-ramp gas, NRG Energy, clean energy future

SOURCE:Kimberly-Clark Corporation

DESCRIPTION:

DALLAS, February 15, 2017, /3BL Media/ – As one of the world’s largest buyers of market pulp, Kimberly-Clark knows that protecting forests is critical to addressing climate change, conserving terrestrial biodiversity and ensuring a resilient, healthy supply chain, so sustaining this natural resource through responsible forestry is just one of the ways we care for the planet.

One pivotal area is in the southern region of the United States, where 78 percent of the households in the region have a Kimberly-Clark product in them. Further, this region provides 20 percent of the virgin fiber used by the company globally, which reinforces the importance of safeguarding forest ecosystems in this part of the country.

Enter the Appalachian Woodlands Alliance (AWA), a partnership between Rainforest Alliance and forest products leaders like Kimberly-Clark, including Avery Dennison, Columbia Forest Products, Domtar, Evergreen Packaging, Staples, and the U.S. Forest Service. The partnership eliminates the need for each company to engage with individual landowners in sustainable forestry management, and to help economically source the fiber required to make our products.

“We know our business has a significant impact on the world, and we’re determined to make sure that our customers and consumers know that it’s a positive one,” said Peggy Murphy, Family Care NA Sustainability Strategy Leader. “Building key partnerships with the AWA, Forest Stewardship Council and World Wildlife Fund into our Sustainability 2022 strategy is critical to ensuring our long term business success.”

Launched in 2015, this three-year project educates woodland landowners in the southern U.S. about forest management practices, so landowners can continue to efficiently supply products while applying the best stewardship principles to the natural resource, and ultimately expand the market for sustainably produced wood and paper products.

“The Appalachian Woodlands Alliance is proud to work with forest products industry leaders like Kimberly-Clark to support private woodland owners,” said Andrew Goldberg, AWA project manager. “The decision of thousands of private woodlands owner to responsibly manage their lands is critical to supporting our local economy, beauty, and the globally significant conservation values across the region.”

“By working with AWA, we are improving management practices that create economic benefits across the supply chain, and ultimately, demonstrate the value to landowners in certifying their lands to the FSC standard” adds Skip Krasny, manager of Kimberly-Clark’s Sustainable Forestry Programs. “And by investing in the region and its natural resources right now, we can protect both the ecosystem and the livelihoods of these landowners for generations to come.”

For more information about Kimberly-Clark's commitment to forests and fiber, or to read more about the company’s commitment to sustainability, please visit http://www.kimberly-clark.com/sustainability/. 

About Kimberly-Clark 
Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB) and its well-known global brands are an indispensable part of life for people in more than 175 countries. Every day, nearly a quarter of the world's population trust Kimberly-Clark's brands and the solutions they provide to enhance their health, hygiene and well-being. With brands such as Kleenex, Scott, Huggies, Pull-Ups, Kotex and Depend, Kimberly-Clark holds the No. 1 or No. 2 share position in 80 countries. To keep up with the latest news and to learn more about the company's 145-year history of innovation, visit http://www.kimberly-clark.com or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

About the Rainforest Alliance
The Rainforest Alliance is a growing network of people who are inspired and committed to working together to achieve our mission of conserving biodiversity and ensuring sustainable livelihoods. Through creative, pragmatic collaboration, we aim to rebalance the planet by building strong forests and healthy communities around the world.

Tweet me:.@KCCorp partners with Appalachian Woodlands Alliance to keep #supplychain #sustainable http://bit.ly/2l5lVWB #forestry

KEYWORDS: Environment & Climate Change, Conservation, Kimberly-Clark, Appalachian Woodlands Alliance, rainforest alliance, sustainability, Corporate Social Responsibility, supply chain, forestry

SOURCE:Black & Veatch

DESCRIPTION:

For years, utilities have struggled to define the more responsive operational systems and customer-centric performance models that would trumpet the arrival of Utility 2.0. Lacking a singular event marking the shift, it seems more likely a steady, incremental advance through technology deployments, analytics and a focus on customer engagement represents the path towards a continually evolving future state. As we have seen with the progress to date, further advances will require continuing coordination within utilities, their regulators and customers to ensure a sustainable path forward.

The 2017 Strategic Directions: Smart City/Smart Utility Report finds many service providers wrestling with the need to update aging systems to support the transition to a Utility 2.0 model. From electricity and water to natural gas utilities, service providers have been deploying data collection and transmission sensoring equipment for years. In fact, only 14 percent of respondents indicate they do not include smart infrastructure implementation as part of their repair and replacement programs and/or capital plans.

Download the 2017 Smart City/Smart Utility Report

Driving Operations and Maintenance

Among the various benefits of greater system intelligence, two-thirds of survey respondents indicate they plan to use smart monitoring to inform smart maintenance. A core tenant of Utility 2.0 is the idea that automation and data-driven operational and maintenance decisions become the new norm.

But for many service providers a key question remains: How are system updates prioritized and now that many intelligent assets are in place, what do we do with the information they’re producing? Like many businesses, the opportunities to reduce operational costs inform utility capital deployment planning. Industry leaders and functional groups must look beyond simply the opportunities to create operational efficiencies to examine what customers want, system integrity and security concerns and other key operational factors to understand how to target investments.

Tweet me:Utility 2.0 is based on automation and data-driven O&M decisions. Learn how utilities are adapting: http://bit.ly/2l5zuFq

KEYWORDS: Technology, Business & Trade, Black & Veatch, grid modernization, electric grid, DER, operations & maintenance, utilities

SOURCE:Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption

DESCRIPTION:

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The excitement of running to the family room and seeing presents under the tree; we all remember tearing into the wrapping paper to see what Santa left for us. But families that have recently grown through adoption sometimes strain to provide gifts for their newly-expanded family during the holidays.

This year, the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption was overwhelmed with support from both The Coca Cola Company and The Wendy’s Company employees who wanted to help. On December 13, a team from Coca-Cola came to Columbus armed with a family’s wish list and hit the stores.

“The Coca-Cola team is committed to always looking for ways to support the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption both nationally and locally,” said Erin Byron, VP, Global Marketing & Innovation, Wendy’s International Account Team. “We are continuously inspired by the work done by the Foundation and the children and families touched by its work.”

“The Coca-Cola Company and The Wendy’s Company are amazing friends and generous partners in so many ways. This is just another example in which they have gone out of their way to help families who have opened their hearts and homes to adoption,” said Rita Soronen, President & CEO of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption.

Erin’s team from Coca-Cola put on their elf hats and were able to fulfill the family’s wishes in just one afternoon. A couple of hours spent doing good deeds set their holiday season off right.

“Beyond the work we do with Coca-Cola to support the Foundation, individually many of us often ask, ‘How can we personally help?’” said Erin. “The opportunity to adopt a family, particularly during the holiday season, was a rewarding, hands-on experience that enabled us to personally enhance Christmas for one special local family!”

The Wendy’s Company employees in Dublin, OH adopted 10 families in the Columbus area and the Foundation staff was able to play “Santa” by dropping off the gifts to each house. Upon seeing a minivan full of gifts, one mother exclaimed, “Is that all for my family? Oh my, I won’t have to buy a single thing.” She had a tear rolling down her cheek as she took in the unexpected generosity.

2017 is off to a new and exciting start at the Foundation as we look to the future with plans to grow our Wendy’s Wonderful Kids program. We are so thankful for the support, partnership and friendship from Coca-Cola and Wendy’s. We wish you all a very Happy New Year.

To learn more about how to get involved with the Dave Thomas Foundation for adoption email info@davethomasfoundation.org and our communications team will connect you with the right people.

Tweet me:.@Wendys & @CocaColaCo #adopt @DTFA families during holiday season http://bit.ly/2lhhbwM #fostercare

KEYWORDS: Volunteerism & Community Engagement, Philanthropy, foster care, adoption, Recruiter, forever family, Wendy’s, coke, Coca-Cola, Dave Thomas, Wendy's Wonderful Kids, holidays, children in need, families in need

SOURCE:Sea Change Radio

DESCRIPTION:

There’s no denying that the current moment is grim, for the environment, civil rights, and plain old human decency. But I once heard a wise man say that cynicism is the real enemy of progress. So now more than ever we must find ways to keep ourselves from falling into a cynical frame of mind. One way to do that is to reflect on the accomplishments of the brave people who have come before us to fight for justice and topple seemingly unstoppable Goliaths. This week on Sea Change Radio our guest is Larry Nielsen, a Professor of Natural Resources at North Carolina State and the author of a new book called Nature’s Allies. The book profiles some of the heroes that shaped the modern environmental movement, from famous figures like John Muir and Rachel Carson to lesser known activists like Ding Darling and Billy Frank, Jr. Then we dip into the Sea Change Radio archives to hear from an MIT grad turned knife-maker extraordinaire.

Tweet me:This wk's @SeaChangeRadio: Great recap of some of history's great environmental heroes w/ Prof. Larry Nielsen http://bit.ly/2l68yFK

KEYWORDS: Environment & Climate Change, Media & Communications, sea change radio, Podcast, Larry Nielsen

SOURCE:CITGO Petroleum Corporation

DESCRIPTION:

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas, February 15, 2017 /3BL Media/ -- In an effort to promote science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education in the classroom, the CITGO Corpus Christi Refinery partnered with The National Energy Education Development Project (NEED) to host an all-day hands-on learning workshop for 27 STEM teachers from 10 local middle and high schools. As part of the CITGO STEM Talent Pipeline initiative, the CITGO Energy Workshop used interactive learning games to encourage educators to bring their STEM passion into their classroom and inspire their students to consider STEM careers.
 
The CITGO Energy Workshop took place at Foy H. Moody High School, a longtime CITGO partner committed to providing students with a strong foundation for the pursuit of STEM careers. Teachers who attended the workshop received lessons to enhance their students’ understanding of the oil and gas refining process. In addition to the workshop that took place in mid-December, the CITGO Corpus Christi Refinery hosted a two-hour internal NEED Outreach Training the following day for a group of CITGO engineers, equipping them with the tools needed to pass along their industry knowledge and promote STEM education in local school workshops. 
 
“The NEED workshops offer students insight into viable STEM career paths,” noted CITGO Corpus Christi Refinery Vice President and General Manager Art Klein. “STEM education prepares students for bright futures as engineers and innovative thinkers. In supporting The NEED Project, the CITGO Corpus Christi Refinery hopes to aid our area teachers in their efforts to train these students as the incoming workforce.” 
 
NEED Executive Director Mary Spruill said expanding the skill sets of area teachers to include skills relevant to current career paths is the motivating force behind the NEED Project. “We are partnering with CITGO to enhance curriculum at surrounding schools in order to prepare students for available STEM opportunities,” she said. 
 
Through their partnership, CITGO and NEED strive to bring energy curriculum into the classroom in the hopes of expanding students’ knowledge of and interest in energy, while also encouraging them to explore careers in the oil, gas and transportation sectors. The NEED workshops have also been held near CITGO refineries in Lake Charles, Louisiana and Lemont, Illinois.
 
For many years, CITGO has worked to boost STEM educational and career prospects for Corpus Christi students. The CITGO Innovation Academy for Engineering, Environmental & Marine Science at Moody High School, one of the country’s highest-ranked schools for STEM courses, prepares Corpus Christi students to be the next generation of STEM leaders through exposure to real-world educational experiences like field trips and academic competitions.

About CITGO Corpus Christi Refinery
The CITGO Corpus Christi Refinery, which celebrated 80 years of operations in 2015, provides more than 1,000 jobs locally, while generating more than $345 million per year in support of the local economy through salaries, services and taxes. In addition to producing high-quality fuels for its network of nearly 5,500 independently owned and operated CITGO branded stations across the country, Corpus Christi refinery employees make a major positive impact on the community. In 2015 alone, CITGO employees in Corpus Christi volunteered more than 2,900 hours of their personal time to local and national charities. Since 2013, the CITGO Corpus Christi Refinery and its employees have provided more than 10,000 volunteer hours and approximately $3.3 million in support of community organizations such as United Way, Charlie's Place, Muscular Dystrophy Association, The Miracle League, Catholic Charities, the Special Olympics and a variety of environmental and preservation initiatives, such as the revitalization of the Gateway to Corpus Christi, Hans and Pat Suter Park and Adopt-A-Beach Clean Up. The 80th anniversary of the Corpus Christi Refinery last year was preceded by the 70th anniversary of the CITGO Lake Charles Refinery in 2014 and is being followed by the 90th anniversary of the CITGO Lemont Refinery in 2016, with CITGO facilities marking three significant milestones in three consecutive years. For more information on the CITGO Corpus Christi Refinery, visit www.citgorefining.com/corpus-christi. 

About CITGO
CITGO, based in Houston, is a refiner, transporter and marketer of transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and other industrial products. The company is owned by CITGO Holding, Inc., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A., the national oil company of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. For more information, visit www.CITGO.com.

Tweet me:.@CITGO Corpus Christi Refinery partners with @NEED_Project to host all-day hands-on workshop for 27 STEM teachers: http://bit.ly/2kpxFl0

Contact Info:

Fernando Garay
+1 (832) 486-1489
fgaray@citgo.com

KEYWORDS: Education, Energy, STEM, CITGO Corpus Christi Refinery, NEED Project

SOURCE:Center for Resource Solutions

DESCRIPTION:

Wednesday, March 8, 2017 at 10:00–11:00 AM PT

Register Now

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Power Partnership (GPP) will host "The Value of Certification and Verification for Green Power Purchases Webinar," a free webinar with Center for Resource Solutions (CRS) examining the value of certification and verification in the green power market.

Switching to green power is easy with the right information but it can be difficult for buyers of green power to know whether they are buying credible products from credible suppliers. For this reason, EPA recommends, as a consumer best practice, buying green power products that are third-party certified and verified. Green power products certified by an independent third-party offers consumer a higher level of certainty about the integrity of their purchase.

Center for Resource Solutions’ Green-e Energy program not only certifies green power products, but also independently verifies the products annually.

The webinar will review:

• Why certification is important
• Verification and marketing compliance review process
• How CRS sets Green-e standards

Speakers

• Christopher Kent, Program Manager, U.S. EPA’s Green Power Partnership
• Sarah Busch, Senior Analyst, Market Development, Center for Resource Solutions
• Elliott Engelmann, Analyst, Renewable Energy Purchaser Programs, Center for Resource Solutions

Tweet me:The Value of Certification and Verification for Green Power Purchases webinar March 8 @GreeneMarktplc @EPA bit.ly/2leLKGw

KEYWORDS: Energy, Alternative Energy, Center for Resource Solutions, green power, Green Power Partnership (GPP), EPA, Environmental Protection Agency

Subaru and Regional Flower Show Team Up to Celebrate Nature’s Beauty

SOURCE:Subaru of America

DESCRIPTION:

CHERRY HILL, NJ, February 15, 2017 /3BL Media/ – Subaru of America, Inc has today announced its return for the 16th consecutive year as the premier sponsor of the Philadelphia Flower Show. The regional flower show, whose revenues support the charitable efforts of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS), will run from March 11 through March 19 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. This year’s theme, “Holland: Flowering the World,” will celebrate the flowers, people and culture of the Netherlands by taking attendees on a unique sensorial journey to a land of rich and vibrant horticulture.

“Subaru supports the Philadelphia Flower Show in its continued commitment to cherishing our beautiful natural wonders and we are thrilled this year to share with attendees how they can be more planet-friendly through our Subaru Loves the Earth initiative.” said Thomas J. Doll, president and chief operating officer, Subaru of America, Inc. “We are honored to continue our longstanding sponsorship of the show, and this year’s event is sure to delight attendees and nature lovers from all over the world.”

As part of its sponsorship, Subaru will bring to life it’s environmentally-focused philanthropic platform, Subaru Loves the Earth, to entertain and educate attendees on how they can do their part to preserve Earth’s beauty for years to come.

This year, Subaru has designed a special exhibit in honor of its partnership with the National Wildlife Federation, the largest conservation organization in the United States, aimed at protecting wildlife and inspiring future generations. The main exhibit will educate attendees about the National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitat® program which Subaru and its retailers will be deploying across the country to help reverse the decline of wildlife by bringing habitats back, one garden at a time.

Subaru will also sponsor the following Philadelphia Flower Show exhibits and events:

Gardener’s Studio – Presented by Subaru
The Gardener’s Studio will educate attendees on the latest trends and techniques to enhance their garden at home, while learning skills like composting to be more planet-friendly. Joe Lamp’l, host of “Growing A Greener World,” will provide step-by-step instructions on how to take advantage of certain food and paper goods to enrich their home gardens, while diverting waste to landfills. At the exhibit, visitors can also learn more about Subaru’s zero landfill initiative and its commitment to deploying its expertise in its manufacturing facilities and at select National Parks.

Fido Friday
On ‘Fido Friday’ March 17, at 6 p.m., pet parents are invited to bring along their furry friends for a plethora of pet-friendly activities and learn more about the Subaru Loves Pets initiative at the Bark Park. Pet parents will receive a free custom Subaru Loves Pets dog ID tag.

For Philadelphia Flower Show times and ticket sales, visit: http://theflowershow.com/show-info.

For information on Subaru’s environmental initiatives, visit: http://www.subaru.com/environment.

About Subaru of America, Inc.
Subaru of America, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. of Japan. Headquartered at a zero-landfill office in Cherry Hill, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of more than 620 retailers across the United States. All Subaru products are manufactured in zero-landfill production plants and Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc. is the only U.S. automobile production plant to be designated a backyard wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. For additional information visit media.subaru.com.                                   

Tweet me:.@Subaru_usa is proud to mark its 16th year as a sponsor of the @PhilaFlowerShow http://bit.ly/2l5gvLa #SubaruLovesTheEarth #flowershow

KEYWORDS: Philanthropy

Join RobecoSAM, NASDAQ and G&A Institute's free webinar to learn more about the value of responding to RobecoSAM's Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA) and get the answers to your questions.

SOURCE:Governance & Accountability Institute, Inc.

DESCRIPTION:

NEW YORK, February 15, 2017 /3BL Media/ -- 

EVENT DETAILS
Tuesday, February 28, 2017 @ 11:00 AM EST

Register at: http://tinyurl.com/GA-RobecoSAM-webinar

GUEST SPEAKERS

• Robert Dornau, Senior Manager Sustainability Services, RobecoSAM
• Evan Harvey, , Director of Corporate Responsibility, NASDAQ
• Hank Boerner, Chairman & Co-Founder, Governance & Accountability Institute
• Louis Coppola, EVP & Co-Founder, Governance & Accountability Institute

Here are a few thoughts from leading companies that have respond on a regular basis:

MICROSOFT
“RobecoSAM’s benchmarking provides significant business value to us. It provides a credible external perspective that informs internal discussions of how our ESG performance and transparency compares to others in our industry. This helps us prioritize opportunities and drive to further enhance our efforts and level of transparency. Sustainability benchmarking has helped us to become a better business.” - Dan Bross, Senior Director, Global Corporate Citizenship, Microsoft

HUGO BOSS
“RobecoSAM’s assessment shows us where we stand from an asset manager’s perspective. It helps us identify gaps and advance our in-house sustainability agenda by opening doors to internal decision makers. The quantified results make our progress measurable and we can use them to also demonstrate our achievements toward external stakeholders.” - Dennis Weber, Head of Investor Relations, Hugo Boss

ROCHE (Pharma)
“Improving corporate sustainability is simply good business: it has a direct impact on bottom lines, helps ensure future competitiveness, raises corporate profiles and increases employee and stakeholder engagement with the company." - Dr. Urs Jaisli, Chief Compliance Officer & Head of Corporate Sustainability Committee, Roche

BOMBARDIER 
“We look to RobecoSAM’s Corporate Sustainability Assessment as the key benchmark index of sustainability for our organization, which supports not only improvements in our reporting, but also strategic decisions related to how we manage and anticipate sustainability issues. We greatly appreciate RobecoSAM’s responsiveness and industry-specific approach to the assessment.” - Daniel Desjardins, Senior Vice President, General Counsel, Corporate Secretary & CSR Committee Chairman, Bombardier

For more information go to: http://tinyurl.com/GA-RobecoSAM-webinar

Tweet me:Register for G&A Institute's Feb 28th Webinar: Why 2017 Should Be The Year You Respond to RobecoSAM (DJSI)? http://bit.ly/2l2JwYf

KEYWORDS: Media & Communications, Education, G&A, Governance & Accountability Institute, webinar, RobecoSAM, DJSI, Corporate Sustainability Assessment, CSA, NASDAQ, Robert Dornau, Evan Harvey, Hank Boerner, Louis Coppola, Dow Jones Sustainability Index, sustainability, csr, Corporate Social Responsibility, Corporate Citizenship, Corporate Responsibility

SOURCE:PNC Financial Services Group

DESCRIPTION:

Defend yourself and your family from these tax fraud schemes with the following tips:

• File early! Who would have imagined that you have to race the bad guys to pay your taxes. Play it smart. Submit your legitimate tax return and secure a refund before the identity thief gets one in using your social security number to file a fraudulent claim/refund.
   
• Do not use public Wi-Fi when filing your tax returns. In fact, it’s a good idea to avoid using public networks when conducting any business that involves your finances and personal information such as online banking and job applications. The information you enter can be harvested and used by identity thieves.
   
• Unless notified first in writing by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), hang up on phone callers claiming to be an IRS agent.
   
• Do not open files attached to emails claiming to be from the IRS.
   
• Do not click on links in emails claiming to be from the IRS. The IRS does not make initial contact with taxpayers or request personal information via email.
   
• Ask questions before turning over bank account or credit card information. The IRS also does not ask over the phone for PINs, passwords, or confidential access information for credit cards or bank accounts.
   
• Ask for recommendations and research a tax preparer thoroughly before you hand over financial documents and personal information. Also ask about the preparer’s precautions to protect and secure your files from unauthorized access.

For more information on identity theft, visit the Security and Privacy website on www.pnc.com. Report IRS imposter scams to the FTC at ftc.gov/complaint.

PNC Bank, National Association is a member of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC). PNC is one of the largest diversified financial services institutions in the United States, organized around its customers and communities for strong relationships and local delivery of retail and business banking; residential mortgage banking; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management and asset management. For information about PNC, visit www.pnc.com.

# # #

Contact

Amy Vargo

(412) 762-1535

amy.vargo@pnc.com

Tweet me:.@PNCBank: resources to beware of 5 common scams during tax season http://3bl.me/pdgqd8 #responsiblebusiness

KEYWORDS: Finance & Socially Responsible Investment, tax season, PNC Bank, responsible business, taxpayers, csr