SOURCE:Scotiabank

DESCRIPTION:

Scotiabank believes young people are our future leaders. Congratulations to Enactus Canada’s Western Canada winners of the Scotiabank EcoLiving Green Challenge and the Scotiabank Youth Empowerment Challenge. Good work by the teams at Simon Fraser University, Okanagan College and Mount Royal University. Learn more about their projects and how they are making a difference in their communities here https://lnkd.in/e_J-vjT and here  https://lnkd.in/eaCv87x.

Tweet me:.@EnactusOC and their CANSave project win @Scotiabank Youth Empowerment Challenge #InfinitePotential http://bit.ly/2mKDm26

KEYWORDS: Education, Western Canadian Students, empowering youth, Scotiabank, enactus, csr

SOURCE:America's Charities

DESCRIPTION:

John Leonard, Program Manager at Optimizely, knew his co-workers were very generous, but he didn't realize just how generous until he saw the results of the company's most recent annual employee giving campaign. After working with America's Charities' team of experts to come up with a customized strategic plan to guide the program and putting the recommendations into action, Optimizely's employee giving results increased sevenfold with more than 50% of employees participating. 

Click here to download the case study.

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Tweet me:New @AmerCharities Case Study: How @Optimizely Increased Its #EmployeeGiving Results Sevenfold http://impact.ac/2mqlzfI

KEYWORDS: Volunteerism & Community Engagement, Business & Trade, Employee Giving Strategy, business strategies, Optimizely, America's Charities, Employee Engagement, Fundraising, cause marketing, corporate philanthropy, workplace giving, social responsibility, csr

SOURCE:Pfizer

DESCRIPTION:

“In your pocket, you have a tool that we have employed to map the world’s leading infectious cause of blindness.”
– Dr. Paul Emerson, Director of the International Trachoma Initiative at The Task Force for Global Health.

On Saturday, March 11, a group of experts will lead a panel at SXSW on how digital technology is helping the global fight to end trachoma, the world’s leading infectious cause of blindness. The panel, titled “How to End a Plague: Smartphones, Science & Partnerships,” will explore how a smartphone-based platform has become a critical weapon in the fight against this disease. The panel will also offer insights about how digital technology can be used to eliminate other diseases affecting people living in poverty by capturing and translating real-time data that can show where interventions are needed and help inform policy change.

The Atlanta-based Task Force for Global Health is working with partners, including Pfizer Inc., to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem by 2020. Their work draws on technology, advances in science and strategic partnerships to reach this goal.

Since 2011, the number of people at risk of trachoma has fallen dramatically from 325 million to around 185 million. Integral to the success of this effort has been the ability to track the prevalence of trachoma through a smartphone-based data platform that has been used in extensive surveys of more than 400,000 people in trachoma-endemic communities. Through this platform, trachoma elimination programs have been able to track trachoma prevalence and progress in eliminating the disease in real time. This information has been critical to informing program decisions, including donations of an antibiotic used to treat trachoma, and health policies.

The development and implementation of this smartphone-based platform has been led by a consortium of partners, including the International Trachoma Initiative (ITI) at The Task Force for Global Health, the World Health Organization (WHO), RTI International, and Sightsavers.

Julie Jenson, director of social investments for Pfizer Corporate Responsibility, will participate in the panel, which will be moderated by Dr. Paul Emerson, ITI director. Additional panelists include Beck Willis, ITI data and analytics team leader, and Oumer Shafi, Foege Fellow at the Emory University Rollins School of Public Health who previously worked on trachoma elimination in Ethiopia as a program manager within the Ministry of Health.

Hear from the additional panelists as they describe how important this technology is in the global fight to eliminate trachoma:

Julie Jenson, Pfizer: “We rely on the information gathered about the disease’s prevalence to help determine how much of our antibiotic is needed. We have been able to bring the donation program to scale because we now know where the disease is found.”

Beck Willis, Task Force for Global Health: “Before this smartphone-based system came along in 2012, we relied on paper surveys that were incredibly inefficient and we were often two steps behind the disease. Now we know virtually in real-time, down to the household level where the disease is found.”

Oumer Shafi, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health and former program manager, Ethiopia Ministry of Health: “One of the outcomes of the effort to map trachoma was that it influenced public policy in my home country of Ethiopia. Before mapping, we didn’t have a complete understanding of the scale of the disease in Ethiopia. But after the disease was mapped, our government couldn’t ignore that this disease was a significant public health problem. They had to take action at a national level.”

Learn about the global effort to eliminate trachoma at www.trachoma.org, and find out more about Pfizer’s commitment at http://www.pfizer.com/news/featured_stories/featured_stories_detail/tackling_trachoma   

Tweet me:How can we use smartphones to help #EndAPlague? @Pfizer, @TFGH & @EmoryRollins will discuss at #SXSW2017. http://bit.ly/2irSKNU

KEYWORDS: Events, Conferences & Webinars, Health, Pfizer, SXSW, Partnerships, trachoma, access, medicines, Corporate Social Responsibility, sustainability, Healthcare

Dr. MaryAnn Baenninger, president of Drew University, shares her experience with race and inclusion as a higher education leader in the sixth installment of the President to President series

SOURCE:Sodexo, Inc.

DESCRIPTION:

GAITHERSBURG, Md., March 9, 2017 /3BL Media/- In the latest chapter of the President to President series, published today, Mary Ann Baenninger, Ph.D., president of Drew University in Madison, N.J., describes her role as a leader in higher education as she navigates the various social issues present on campus and in contemporary U.S. culture.  

“The Inclusive Campus: Leading from Within” chronicles Baenninger’s experience as a college president leading a school with a mission of inclusiveness. Despite the University’s progressive nature, Baenninger suggests room for improvement and works to involve students and the campus community to foster a socially and culturally diverse campus environment.

Drawing entirely from personal experience, Baenninger describes the hindrance of white privilege and retells her awakening from observer to participant in the battle against social injustice.

The article is part of the 2016-2017 President to President series, published by Sodexo, world leader in Quality of Life services. The series is written by university presidents for university presidents and focuses on how institutions are developing innovative campus strategies that ensure positive business outcomes while enhancing the student experience.

Each month, a new chapter of President to President is authored by a notable leader in higher education whose institution is at in the forefront of pioneering viewpoints and practices. Sodexo provides publishing support but exerts no editorial influence over the series. Chapters are distributed and promoted electronically and posted on president2president.com. At the end of the ten-part series, all content will be published into a thought-provoking collection and made available online.

Sodexo delivers more than 100 services across North America that enhance 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 foodservice operations.

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

Tweet me:.@DrewUniversity president explains importance of creating an inclusive Campus Community #Sodexo http://bit.ly/2m4qdN3

Contact Info:

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

KEYWORDS: Education, Business & Trade, Sodexo, Drew University

How new leave-sharing policies are helping my family navigate parenthood

SOURCE:Benevity

DESCRIPTION:

By Benevity lawyer Jen Singhal

After combating severe sleep debt, major diaper malfunctions, nap schedules and breastfeeding woes, I thought long and hard about whether I wanted to return to work before the end of my year-long protected leave (yay, Canada!). Did I really want to leave the tiny love of my life in the care of someone else (in this case, Daddy) so I could set my alarm every day, commute through busy morning traffic to sit in meetings and navigate heavy workloads?

The answer was: Hell, yes!

Basic principles of time and space don’t apply in a rapidly growing tech company. I didn’t want to miss out on all the action and my husband, also a lawyer, knew that his workplace would be supportive of him sharing the leave. To top it all off, Benevity had just announced additional support incentives for Benevity-ites sharing a portion of the parental leave with their partner. So, we decided to give it a shot.

It has been revelatory on so many levels. As Patient Zero of Benevity’s new leave-sharing program, this is what we’ve learned so far:

• It is way easier going back to work knowing that your partner is in charge and the baby’s basic routine hasn’t changed. While I still have irrational panicky thoughts about whether the baby is safe or happy, my husband is in a good position to remind me that the baby is fine. Still, NestCams and FaceTime are excellent tools for a quick spot check.
• Work can be downright relaxing. Well, maybe “relaxing” isn’t quite the right term but the fast-paced, client-obsessed environment we have at Benevity feels like "me" time compared to the demands of motherhood. At work, I get to drink coffee while it’s hot, focus on a single task for as long as it takes to complete and talk to grown ups about grown up things. My piping hot coffee tastes like sweet freedom.
• A daily shower is no longer in the “nice-to-have” category. You’re welcome, colleagues.
• Making money again feels sooooo goooood. I am stacking that paper (as the kids would say) and am enjoying the satisfaction that comes with that. And there is nothing sexier than coming home to my man who has dressed the baby in a cute, clean outfit, has dinner cooking, and baked a fresh loaf of bread.
• My husband and I "get" each other on a whole new level. For example, if I say I'm going to be home at a certain time after work, I make sure I am because I know my husband has spent the entire day desperately clinging to the thought that if he just makes it till dinner time, he can hand off the little dictator and finally take a bathroom break.
• On a more serious note, let’s acknowledge that constant, aching pain that sometimes goes along with returning to work after baby. It’s led to many sleepless nights and self-questioning. I wonder whether some of that is conditioning and societal expectations, but it is real regardless. But here it is: I really, really loved wearing sweatpants all day, every day. Something that just isn’t realistic in the modern workplace (unless you’re a web developer). Oh yeah, and I miss my baby a lot too.
• The best part about coming back to work is THIS...

READ THE BEST PART ABOUT COMING BACK TO WORK

Tweet me:Confessions of an aspiring work-life ninja — how reimagined parental leave is creating social change @benevity http://bit.ly/2m3PCan #IWD

KEYWORDS: Business & Trade, Business Ethics, benevity, Gender Equality, gender diversity, International Women's Day, international women's day 2017, #BeBoldForChange, Paid Parental Leave, Parental Leave, Employee Engagement, employee benefit programs, employee benefits

The application deadline has been extended to May 10th, 2017. Webinar training for interested parties will be offered throughout the sign-up period.

SOURCE:Leonardo Academy

DESCRIPTION:

Leonardo Academy, Inc. The Sustainability Experts® announced today that the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has extended the deadline for Certifiers (Certification Bodies or CBs) to sign up for the ANSI Accreditation Pilot Program from March 10th, 2017 to May 10th, 2017.

Through this pilot, CBs apply to become accredited to certify agricultural productions and products according to ANSI/LEO-4000 sustainability criteria.

For those interested in becoming an accredited CB or earning ANSI/LEO-4000 certification as a producer or chain of custody user, Leonardo Academy will host live and on-demand webinar training. The first webinar is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, March 21st at 2 p.m. CST. This two-hour webinar provides a comprehensive introduction to the standard and is free to attend.

Click here to register for the webinar.

CBs may request an application to participate in the pilot program by emailing Leonardo Academy at agstandard@leonardoacademy.org or by contacting the following ANSI contacts: Reinaldo Figueiredo (rfigueir@ansi.org; 202.331.3611), ANSI senior program director for product and process accreditation, or Elizabeth Okutuga (EOkutuga@ansi.org; 202.331.3627), ANSI program coordinator for ANSI's product certification accreditation program.

If you have questions or would like more information, please email agstandard@leonardoacademy.org.

Background

The American National Standards Institute was selected by Leonardo Academy, a nonprofit organization and standards developer dedicated to leveraging the competitive market to improve the environment and advance sustainability, to accredit Certification Bodies (CBs) that intend to operate certification programs in accordance with the ANSI/LEO-4000, American National Standard for Sustainable Agriculture. ANSI is the entity conducting the Pilot CB Accreditation Program.

About the ANSI/LEO-4000 Standard

ANSI/LEO-4000 is a comprehensive sustainable agriculture standard that empowers the entire agricultural supply chain, from producers to consumers, to decisively advance the sustainability of agricultural productions. It provides a metric and a mechanism to clearly communicate environmental, social, and economic sustainability achievements throughout the supply chain. It also provides buyers and sellers with reliable benchmarking through four levels of certification (bronze through platinum), and a certification structure that encourages continuous improvement strategies.

About the Pilot Accreditation Program for CBs

Third-party verification by Accredited Certification Bodies (CBs) ensures quality assurance. CBs assess performance under the standard's requirements and continually monitor adherence to the standard. The main purpose of these procedures is to assure credible, consistent, and reliable implementation of this standard and of the communication of achievements through a third-party accredited oversight process.

Tweet me:Extension announced for @SustainablAgStd pilot program sign up! @ansidotorg @leonardoacademy http://bit.ly/2mU4LPw

Contact Info:

Michael Arny
Leonardo Academy, Inc.
+1 (608) 280-0255
michaelarny@leonardoacademy.org

KEYWORDS: Ethical Production & Consumption, Agribusiness, ANSI/LEO-4000, Leonardo Academy, National Sustainable Agriculture Standard, green supply chain pilot program

By: Elena Victoria

SOURCE:Sodexo, Inc.

DESCRIPTION:

Napoleon has been credited with the saying, “An army marches on its stomach.” An infantryman himself, Napoleon understood first-hand the importance of supplying an army on the move in which it was common practice for each soldier to procure his own food from villages along the campaign trail. (Apparently “locally sourced” and “farm to table” had an entirely different connotation in the early 19thcentury!)  So dire was the need to feed the troops, food-related innovations, such as boiling and canning, were inspired during Napoleon’s infamous campaign to Moscow (Diary of a Napoleonic Foot Soldier, Jakob Walter, 1991).

Fast forward to the 21st Century. Fueling our soldiers to maximize combat readiness and resilience remains a strategic imperative. The military–and the civilians who feed them through garrison food service contracts–continue to explore how “three squares” can be optimized to create an ever better warfighter.

In a survey commissioned by Sodexo, the nation’s largest federal foodservice contractor, in which Marines were asked about their dining preferences, food quality and flavor ranked, as one would expect, number one when choosing to eat in garrison mess halls. But close behind was a second factor: the desire to connect with friends, family and colleagues in a relaxing environment. Survey participants, all Marines, told us that social interaction and physical environment, two pillars of quality of life—the ultimate driver of human performance–are significant factors when considering dining options.

Based on this and other consumer insights work as well as our understanding that today’s soldiers are under greater physical and mental stress than ever before, we might reconsider the in-garrison dining model. While nutrition should, of course, remain at the pinnacle of an effective dining program aimed at driving readiness and resilience, there are numerous, cost effective opportunities to create an environment that drives military members to choose to eat in the dining facilities and promote their overall health and wellness.

For example, mobile technology can accelerate the food ordering process (picture pre-ordering your meal via an app), reducing time wasted waiting on a “chow line. “ Wi-Fi connectivity in a mess hall can help soldiers use their down time to connect to training apps, digital communities, and base resources. Simple physical elements such as comfortable seating and lighting can help create an environment that restores both body and the mind. The Air Force, through its Food Transformation Initiative, has even taken steps to broaden access to dining facilities, expanding nutritious meal options to the entire base community, including families. This was not the case in my days as an active duty spouse, when fast food was the only on-base dining option available to me and my child.

We’ve come a long way from Napoleon’s system of military feeding, but opportunities to drive readiness and resilience through military dining abound. As General Robert Neller, Commandant of the Marine Corps, said, “Marines must dedicate themselves to preparing their bodies and minds for war…You’ve got to look at how you eat; you’ve got to look at how you live your life.” An innovative approach to in-garrison dining can help our soldiers, airmen, sailors and Marines become ever more effective warfighters by helping them make wise nutritional choices and enhancing their quality of military life.

Tweet me:The opportunities to drive readiness and resilience through #military dining http://bit.ly/2mtM7fO @sodexoUSA

KEYWORDS: Health, Nutrition & Well-Being, quality of life, HEALTH AND WELLNESS, military, Marines, Marine Corps, Sodexo

Whirlpool, 100 Women Strong joins forces for gender equality

SOURCE:Whirlpool Corporation

DESCRIPTION:

ST. JOSEPH, Mich., March 9, 2017 /3BL Media/— Shannon Sigmund likes to talk about women’s rights and is the first to explain that feminism isn’t just for one gender.

The St. Joseph resident was among the dozens of women who gathered at Plank’s Tavern on the Water on Wednesday to take part in Tennies & Toasts. The public event was put on by the Women’s Network, a Whirlpool Corp. employee resource group, as a way to celebrate women and raise funds for 100 Women Strong.

Sigmund opted to donate money to make a sign that she could carry during the 2.5-mile march that was part of the fundraising event. Sigmund used several colors to form the statement “Feminist: Any person who believes in the social, political and economic equality of the sexes.”

Continue reading on the Herald Palladium. 

Tweet me:Women from @WhirlpoolCorp celebrate women for International Women's Day, among those to march with community: http://bit.ly/2ms2Xdm

KEYWORDS: Diversity & Human Resources, Women, International Women's Day, Whirlpool women, @WhirlpoolCorp, Women’s Network, 100 Women Strong, Shannon Sigmund, Women's Rights

By C. Wayne Honeycutt, Ph.D.

SOURCE:CSRwire

DESCRIPTION:

Introduction
The current world population of approximately 7.4 billion is projected to increase to approximately 9.7 billion by 2050.  Growing enough food, while also sustaining and improving our natural resources, is one of the greatest challenges of our time.

Recently, the concept of “soil health” has captured wide-ranging interest as a focal point for simultaneously achieving food production and environmental goals.  Peer-reviewed, scientific research has in fact shown that many of the same farming/ranching practices to improve soil health can also reduce nutrient losses to ground- and surface water, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce erosion, increase yield, suppress plant diseases, and provide pollinator and other wildlife habitat.  However, we must recognize that farmers and ranchers are not only land stewards, but are also business men and women. Therefore, the economics of soil health-promoting practices play a critical role in their adoption.

Continue reading on CSRwire

Dr. Wayne Honeycutt is the President and CEO of the Soil Health Institute, where he leads the Institute’s programs to safeguard and enhance the vitality and productivity of soils.  He previously served for 5 years as the Deputy Chief for Science and Technology with USDA-NRCS in Washington, DC, where he led programs in technology acquisition, development, and transfer to ensure NRCS conservation practices reflect the latest scientific advances for conserving our nation’s soil, water, air, plant, animal, and energy resources.
 

Tweet me:Economically viable solutions can be advanced to benefit farmers, society, & natural resources http://bit.ly/2m8mCxj Via @CSRwire

KEYWORDS: Environment & Climate Change, Ethical Production & Consumption, CSRwire, General Mills, soil health, soil health institute, food production, Economics

SOURCE:Albertsons Companies

DESCRIPTION:

LOS ANGELES, March 9, 2017 /3BL Media/ - HoldYou Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to providing financial assistance to families in need who have a child facing a critical illness or injury, today announced The Albertsons Companies Foundation and The Vons Foundation donated $1,500 in support of HoldYou’s ongoing fundraising efforts.

Click here to continue reading.

Tweet me:.@AlbertsonsCos Foundation and The Vons Foundation makes generous contribution to HoldYou Foundation. Learn more at: http://bit.ly/2m8pWsi

KEYWORDS: Philanthropy, Volunteerism & Community Engagement, community giving, Vons Foundation, Albertsons Companies, HoldYou Foundation

SOURCE:Keep America Beautiful

DESCRIPTION:

Keep America Beautiful and its local Flint, Michigan, affiliate Keep Genesee County Beautiful recently announced the launch of an integrated recycling education and awareness initiative for the 10,000 school students affected by the Flint water crisis.

The comprehensive recycling education program, funded by The Coca-Cola Company, Nestlè Waters North America, the PepsiCo Foundation and the Walmart Foundation, brings Keep America Beautiful’s pre-kindergarten through college educational resources and supplemental curriculum materials to Flint schools in an effort to increase the capture of water bottles for recycling.

Designed using Keep America Beautiful’s proven behavior-change methodology, the educational activities and resources teach the fundamentals of litter prevention; preserving our resources; responsible solid waste management; and how to reduce, reuse and recycle.  

Keep America Beautiful had worked in tandem with KGCB to tailor the recycling educational lesson plans, tools and activities for Flint’s students, while ongoing recycling education and program implementation will be conducted by KGCB staff and area educational partners.

The program offers one educational kit per school, which includes ready-to-use classroom lessons, activities and games for each grade that align with state and national educational standards as well as the Flint Community School’s curriculum. Resources include take-home materials in an effort to bring the school education and experience home, reaching families in their residences to also enhance curbside recycling participation.

The educational program was initiated a year after The Coca-Cola Company, Nestlè Waters North America, PepsiCo and the Walmart Foundation began donating up to 6.5 million bottles of safe and clean drinking water to Flint school students in response to the water crisis in that community. From the outset of the program, they have been providing for the storage and delivery of the bottled water, as well as the transporting of the empty water bottles for recycling.

Continue reading here.

Tweet me:#FF @kabtweet Affiliate Stories: @kgcbeautiful & @kabtweet to bring #recycling #education to #Flint schools. http://bit.ly/2m8oCWl

Contact Info:

Mike Rosen
Keep America Beautiful
+1 (203) 659-3008
mrosen@kab.org
http://www.twitter.com/kabtweet
http://www.facebook.com/keepamericabeautiful
http://www.instagram.com/keepamericabeautiful
http://www.youtube.com/kabnetwork

Larry Kaufman
Keep America Beautiful
+1 (203) 659-3014
lkaufman@kab.org

KEYWORDS: Education, Environment & Climate Change, Keep America Beautiful, Keep Genesee County Beautiful, Flint Water Crisis, Recycling, Nestle Waters North America, pepsico foundation, walmart foundation, The Coca-Cola Company

Company lands 3 spots on the Most Powerful Women in Business list

SOURCE:Aflac

DESCRIPTION:

Columbus, Ga., March 10, 2017 /3BL Media/ – Aflac, the leading provider of voluntary insurance at the worksite in the United States, announced today that Aflac U.S. President Teresa White, Executive Vice President and General Counsel Audrey Boone Tillman, and Vice President of Human Resources Brenda Mullins have all been selected to appear on BLACK ENTERPRISE Magazine’s 2017 list of the Most Powerful Women in Business. According to Black Enterprise, a leading business publication with a reported audience of 6 million readers, this is a list of the highest-ranking and most influential African-American female executives. 

“For a company like Aflac, which prides itself on our diverse and talented workforce, we are extremely satisfied to see the work of these very talented women being recognized by BLACK ENTERPRISE Magazine,” Aflac Chairman and CEO Dan Amos said. “Teresa, Audrey and Brenda are at the top of their respective disciplines when it comes to making Aflac the leader of our industry. The entire Aflac family salutes this outstanding accomplishment.”

In compiling this year's list, the BLACK ENTERPRISE research team conducted in-depth research, with the final roster being culled from thousands of potential candidates across numerous industries, including the finance, pharmaceutical and retail sectors. These executives have authority over budgets totaling billions of dollars and control subsidiaries, divisions or departments that affect the fiscal health and direction of their businesses.

"You could not find a better example of women of power than the female executives represented in this issue. Our editorial team developed this list to not only celebrate the black female business elite," said BLACK ENTERPRISE President and CEO Earl "Butch" Graves Jr., "but to demonstrate that it requires unparalleled expertise and resilience to break through barriers that female executives continue to face today."

The full list of the BLACK ENTERPRISE’s 2017 Most Powerful Women in Business can be found on www.blackenterprise.com.

About Aflac

When a policyholder gets sick or hurt, Aflac pays cash benefits fast. For six decades, Aflac insurance policies have given policyholders the opportunity to focus on recovery, not financial stress. In the United States, Aflac is the leading provider of voluntary insurance at the worksite. Through its trailblazing One Day PaySM initiative, Aflac U.S. can receive, process, approve and disburse payment for eligible claims in one business day. In Japan, Aflac is the leading provider of medical and cancer insurance and insures 1 in 4 households. Aflac individual and group insurance products help provide protection to more than 50 million people worldwide. For 10 consecutive years, Aflac has been recognized by Ethisphere as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies. In 2017, Fortune magazine recognized Aflac as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America for the 19th consecutive year and included Aflac on its list of Most Admired Companies for the 16th time. In 2015, Aflac’s contact centers were recognized by J.D. Power by providing “An Outstanding Customer Service Experience” for the Live Phone Channel. Aflac Incorporated is a Fortune 500 company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AFL. To find out more about Aflac and One Day PaySM, visit aflac.com or espanol.aflac.com.

About BLACK ENTERPRISE

BLACK ENTERPRISE, your ultimate source for wealth creation, is the premier business, investing and wealth-building resource for African Americans. Since 1970, BLACK ENTERPRISE has provided essential business information and advice to professionals, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and decision makers. Every month, BLACK ENTERPRISE magazine provides 6 million readers with information on entrepreneurship, careers, and financial management. As a multimedia company, BLACK ENTERPRISE produces television programming, business and lifestyle events, web content and digital media. BLACK ENTERPRISE is the definitive source of information for and about African American business markets and leaders, and- Americans. Since 1970, BLACK ENTERPRISE has provided essential business information and advice to professionals, corporate executives, entrepreneurs and decision-makers. Every month, BLACK ENTERPRISE magazine provides 6 million readers with information on entrepreneurship, careers and financial management. As a multimedia company, BLACK ENTERPRISE produces television programming, business and lifestyle events, web content and digital media. BLACK ENTERPRISE is the definitive source of information for and about African-American business markets and leaders and is the authority on black business news and trends.

Media contact – Jon Sullivan, 706.763.4813 or jsullivan@aflac.com

Analyst and investor contact – Robin Y. Wilkey, 706.596.3264 or 800.235.2667, FAX: 706.324.6330, or rwilkey@aflac.com

Tweet me:Three @Aflac executives honored by @BlackEnterprise as most powerful #womeninbusiness http://bit.ly/2msxxna #aflac

KEYWORDS: Awards & Recognition, Business & Trade, Aflac, Black Enterprise, Most Powerful Women in Business

Three-year agreement will expand local collaboration

SOURCE:Comcast Corporation

DESCRIPTION:

PHILADELPHIA, March 10, 2017 /3BL Media/ – Comcast NBCUniversal and Bunker Labs, a national nonprofit organization for military veteran-led startups, today announced a three-year expansion of its partnership, continuing their mutual support of the military community and veteran-owned businesses.

In June 2015, Comcast NBCUniversal became Bunker Labs’ first National Corporate Sponsor and the Founding Sponsor of its Philadelphia location. The company supports Bunker Labs at many of the organization’s locations, including its headquarters in Chicago and locations in Philadelphia, Nashville, Seattle, Minneapolis, Jacksonville, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C.

“Comcast’s commitment to the military community starts with our roots as a veteran startup more than 50 years ago, and we’re excited to expand our work with Bunker Labs as they continue their successful efforts to accelerate veteran and military spouse-owned businesses,” said Carol Eggert, Brigadier General (Retired) and Vice President, Military and Veteran Affairs for Comcast NBCUniversal. 

Bunker Labs is a model for a successful multi-city incubator program, having grown to 15 U.S. locations in just over two years. Their model of providing educational programming and developing local networks with events and mentors for startups has successfully prepared more than 350 veterans to create and grow their own businesses.

“Comcast NBCUniversal has been a terrific partner, allowing Bunker Labs to continue focusing on what it does best − inspiring, educating and connecting veterans with the right people and resources to thrive as business leaders,” said Todd Connor, Bunker Labs CEO and Navy veteran.  “We look forward to continuing to stand alongside Comcast NBCUniversal as we expand this already successful relationship.”

The Bunker Labs relationship also aligns with Comcast NBCUniversal’s company-wide investment in the next generation of entrepreneurs. Earlier this week, Comcast NBCUniversal announced LIFT Labs for Entrepreneurs, a multi-city program focusing on assisting startups with new innovations in media, entertainment and connectivity.

Comcast NBCUniversal is also committed to hiring 10,000 military community members by the end of 2017, and is well on its way to meeting that goal. The collaboration with Bunker Labs is an extension of that commitment.

Over the next three years, Comcast NBCUniversal teams across the country will work with local Bunker offices in their markets to offer an array of technology solutions and programs to support entrepreneurs. Additionally, local Comcast Business leadership and Entrepreneurial Engagement and Military and Veterans Affairs teams will be involved in Bunker Labs’ “Muster Across America Tour,” which began its 2017 dates in Washington, D.C. on February 23 and will visit 13 other cities before concluding in the San Francisco area on October 26. 

About Comcast Corporation

Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company with two primary businesses, Comcast Cable and NBCUniversal.  Comcast Cable is one of the nation's largest video, high-speed internet and phone providers to residential customers under the XFINITY brand and also provides these services to businesses.  NBCUniversal operates news, entertainment and sports cable networks, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, television production operations, television station groups, Universal Pictures and Universal Parks and Resorts.  Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.

About Bunker Labs

Bunker Labs is a national not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization headquartered in Chicago and built by military veteran entrepreneurs to empower other military veterans to start and grow businesses. Through local chapters organized in cities across the U.S., Bunker Labs provides educational programming, mentors, events, and thriving local networks to help military veterans succeed and thrive as entrepreneurs and innovators.

Tweet me:.@Comcast and @TheBunkerLabs announce partnership expansion in support of veteran entrepreneurs! #BunkerComcast17 http://comca.st/2msDuAx

KEYWORDS: Philanthropy, comcast, Military Veterans, Bunker Labs, military-led startups

2017 Labor Studies Scholarship Recipient Profiles

SOURCE:Major League Baseball Players Trust

DESCRIPTION:

Since 2015 the Major League Baseball Players Trust has annually awarded a Michael Weiner Scholarship for Labor Studies to five deserving law or graduate school students pursuing careers aimed at protecting and defending workers' rights. The Michael Weiner Scholarship for LaborStudies was established by Major Leaguers to honor the life and work of the Major League Baseball Players Association's late executive director.

This is the second of a five-part series that takes a look at each of the 2017 winners.

Colleen Fewer
Colleen Fewer not only shares the values embodied by the labor movement. She lives them.

“As a union organizer, I have always admired the fighting spirit of the MLBPA,” said Fewer. “When I heard about this scholarship through my school, I knew I wanted to apply.”

Fewer, a San Francisco native and a fan of the Giants and their ace pitcher Madison Bumgarner, attends the University of California Berkley School of Law, but studying toward undergraduate degrees in political science and social welfare helped shape her values.

To learn more about Colleen, please click here.

Tweet me:2017 #MichaelWeinerScholarship for Labor Studies recipient Colleen Fewer embraces labor movement values. http://bit.ly/2mJg644

KEYWORDS: Education, Awards & Recognition, Labor Movement, Major League Baseball, philanthropy, labor, law school, scholarship, unions, worker rights

Each day she helps determine which energy sources to use to save customers the most money

SOURCE:Duke Energy

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We’re celebrating Women’s History Month this March by introducing you to 10 women who help power your life at Duke Energy and Piedmont Natural Gas. They advance our company with their vision, talent, hard work and creativity. These trailblazing women – including a nuclear engineer, astrophysicist and lineman – reveal inspiring stories of persistence, pluck and achievement in largely male-dominated fields. A diverse workplace isn’t just a nice idea, it’s a competitive necessity. Today, meet Swati Daji, a senior vice president of fuels & systems based in Charlotte, N.C.

What’s your day-to-day work like?

My days are never the same. What I do has so many moving parts, it’s almost like being an air traffic controller. Lots of things are in flight and in flux. On a daily basis, I am working on plans with traders, dispatchers, meteorologists and our transmission teammates to make fuel commitments for the next seven days. We are constantly updating our seven-day and five-year plans to ensure we have enough generation resources to serve our customer energy needs reliably and cost-effectively. I’m trying to do two things: get the absolute best prices for everything we need and making sure our power plants never run out of fuel. So it’s economics, operations, planning, strategy and logistics all at the same time. It’s never dull I can tell you that.

Why is what you do so important?

Fuel costs are about 30 percent of each customer’s bill. I literally feel the burden of that responsibility every day. I work hard to ensure low costs for our customers by figuring out how to optimize our power generation assets and markets, and purchasing and delivering fuel in the most cost-effective way.

What drives you? 

Status quo is never satisfactory to me. I always want to challenge the norms. I want to make sure we’re doing things the best way possible so it’s cost-effective for our customers.

Why do you do what you do?

I have a great team. They make me want to come to work. Their excellence and passion for creating value for the company and the customer are unparalleled. When you work with people who share your passion, work is not work –  it’s something fun you get to do. It’s an exciting time to be working in the energy sector. Things are changing so fast and it will be very different in future, and we need to figure out how to position the company to succeed in the new future. What is more exciting than that? It’s invigorating.

What advice would you give women?

Seek out challenges. It’s okay to fail as long as you learn from it. Stand up for what you believe in. Be noticed. Have an opinion. A job is something you do, but a career is something you love to do. If it’s something you love, you’ll do better and have fun doing it. We’ve all had positions where we think, “Oh, this is not me.” That’s okay. Find something else. You will never have everything. But you need to make the best of everything you have. A great life has passion, fun and possibility.

What do you love about your job?

I’m always learning. In my career, I’ve always tried to pick roles where I can learn and contribute at the same time. I’m simultaneously adding value and getting value from the role. Luckily, I’ve never had to leave Duke Energy to find new and challenging roles.

Tweet me:"It’s an exciting time to be working in the #energy sector." - Swati Daji, fuel exec @DukeEnergy http://bit.ly/2msQG8z #WomenInPower

KEYWORDS: Diversity & Human Resources, Business & Trade, Duke Energy, #WomenInPower, Women's History Month, Corporate Social Responsibility, sustainability, inclusion, Careers

How one employee's volunteer work around supporting women in tech became a workplace initiative

SOURCE:Benevity

DESCRIPTION:

By Benevity Charity Relations Coordinator Micki Mutch

A few weeks ago, I came home from a meeting at Chic Geek (a Calgary-based community to support women interested in tech) and opened my laptop to find an email from Benevity’s CEO, Bryan de Lottinville. At first, I thought it was an office-wide notice. Then I saw my name alongside a handful of female leaders from different teams, whom I admire. So I re-read the email carefully. Bryan asked us to put our heads together and see how we can partner with Chic Geek, the very same group that I volunteer with and had just returned from a meeting with! He explained how supporting Chic Geek aligned closely with Benevity's goals of improving our local tech landscape, especially for women.

As I added my resounding yes to the thread of positive responses (and ideas already being tossed around), I let them know that my heart was swelling. A few happy tears tumbled down my cheeks, and a gigantic smile radiated from my face out into the universe. 

I don't know if I can describe the feeling of one’s passion outside of work and one’s passion at work colliding. But I think that the "hugging face" emoticon is incredibly accurate.  

Chic Geek is important to me because it is uniquely a beginner-friendly tech community. As someone who was looking to get into tech from an unrelated field, there was a lot of intimidation and lack of diverse representation in the tech space. That’s where Chic Geek fills the gap — it provides programs for women in beginner level tech skills, networking, speaker training and mentorship. It’s a supportive community for beginners to ignite their curiosity in tech and not be turned away. Now, it’s a place that I come to learn, share, and to push my understanding of “possible.”

DISCOVER HOW MICKI'S PASSION CREATED A COMPANY-WIDE MOVEMENT

Tweet me:How one employee’s passion for supporting women in technology created a movement within a company (via @benevity). http://bit.ly/2muL67g

KEYWORDS: Volunteerism & Community Engagement, Business & Trade, benevity, Women In Tech, corporate volunteering

SOURCE:21st Century Fox

DESCRIPTION:

In advance of the upcoming TV premiere of Shots Fired on March 22, FOX has organized a screening series followed by conversations between the producers, cast, and various community leaders, activists, and members of law enforcement across the country. Shots Fired is a new 10-part series that takes an explosive look at the American criminal justice system through the prism of two racially charged shootings in a small North Carolina town.

Created by Gina Prince-Bythewood and Reggie Rock Bythewood, the show begins with an African-American police deputy (played by Mack Wilds) shooting an unarmed white teenager. Before the police department and community has time to process through the aftermath, a Department of Justice-assigned prosecutor and investigator (played by Stephan James and Sanaa Lathan, respectively) unearth another tragic shooting in the town, of an unarmed black teen, followed by an onslaught of twists and turns that threaten to tear apart their case and the community.  The show also stars Academy Award-winners Helen Hunt as the North Carolina governor and Richard Dreyfuss as the wealthy owner of a private prison, as well as Stephen Moyer as Lieutenant Breeland and Jill Henessy and DeWanda Wise as the mothers of two slain teenagers. By skillfully navigating social unrest, media attention, and political debate, Shots Fired untangles and exposes the complexities of race relations in America today. 

Following a screening at New York City’s Paley Center for Media on Thursday, March 9, the cast and creators participated in a moderated discussion about racial tension in America and filming the show in the middle of ongoing violence and tragedy in the country. “Dealing with two different murders allowed us to really get into how victims of violence are treated differently based on race,” said Prince-Bythewood, who also talked about their aim to inspire empathy by creating a show where every character demonstrates layers of complex humanity, rather than being painted as a villain or hero. Dreyfuss added, “This is the most current thing you’ll ever see. This is as current as tomorrow’s news…hopefully this show will start the national conversation that’s so overdue, that we’re still not being honest about.”

The screening series is taking place in 10 cities across the U.S., and each of the screenings is followed by a moderated panel discussion with the cast, creators, and community leaders, including Tony Dixon, president of the DC chapter of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, and Kathy Chaney, managing editor of Ebony magazine in Chicago.  

“I want people to have fun watching it—it’s fun to watch, but it’s also horrible. I hope that people cry, I hope they get mad, and I hope they have discussions and debates and that ultimately, some empathy is created—that people step out of the comfort zone they’re used to thinking within,” concluded Lathan at the New York screening.

Watch the trailer for Shots Fired, which premieres on FOX on Wednesday, March 22 at 8pm ET.

Tweet me:.@FOXTV presents powerful new show #ShotsFiredFOX with screenings & panel discussions on race relations in the U.S. http://bit.ly/2mt3pbx

KEYWORDS: Events, Conferences & Webinars, Diversity & Human Resources, Shots Fired, fox tv, Sanaa Lathan, Helen Hunt, Richard Dreyfuss, Race Relations

Perk Perkins is Joined by 27 Other Outdoor Brands to Urge Support for Legislation to Build Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Reservoir

SOURCE:The Orvis Company

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March 12, 2017 /3BL Media/ - Global outdoor and adventure retailer The Orvis Company has purchased a full-page ad in the Sunday edition of the Miami Herald to publish an open letter from Orvis CEO Perk Perkins, urging Governor Rick Scott and the Florida State Legislature to support legislation to build the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Reservoir. 

“The Everglades ecosystem supports 1.3 million jobs and represents $109 billion dollars to Florida’s economy,” writes Perkins. “But that ecosystem is collapsing and Florida must act now to save it. History will be made here, one way or the other.”

Orvis is working in close partnership with the Everglades Foundation (EF) to achieve a long-term solution to the diversion of freshwater overflows from Lake Okeechobee. These overflows lead to massive toxic algae blooms in the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries, and devastating drought in the Everglades. Building the EAA Reservoir would help redistribute Lake Okeechobee overflows south, stopping the algae blooms and restoring the natural flow of clean freshwater into the Everglades, thereby healing and preserving the ailing ecosystem. 

Annually, The Orvis Company commits 5% of its pre-tax profits to conservation.  Said Perkins, “This year we are focused on total devotion to the Now or Neverglades Campaign. Our customers have the wealth, power, and influence to accomplish far beyond what we as a company could ever do, and our goal is to inspire and focus them on this campaign.”  To date, Orvis has shared this message through more than 6.5 million pieces of direct mail and countless social media impressions.  Media outreach will be ongoing.

On March 14 and 15, Perkins, along with CEOs from other outdoor businesses and organizations, will speak with Florida lawmakers at the state capital building in Tallahassee as part of CEOs for the Glades, an event hosted by the Everglades Foundation.  Perkins, who was the first Executive to sign on for the event, will serve as spokesperson.

To read the letter in its entirety please visit http://www.orvis.com/s/everglades-foundation/14510?dir_id=31746&group_id=31748&cat_id=55405.

Tweet me:Tell Florida’s leaders to support SB 10 to build the EAA Reservoir. Text the word “WATER” to 52886. http://bit.ly/2mMleoA

KEYWORDS: Environment & Climate Change, Conservation, The Orvis Company, Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Reservoir, Florida, CEOs for the Glades, Everglades Foundation

SOURCE:Edison International

DESCRIPTION:

The secret to cultivating perfectly ripe and crisp grapes in a sprawling vineyard is timing and the right amount of water — not too much and not too little.

Columbine Vineyards grows, packs and ships more than 15 varieties of red, black and green table grapes. Third- and fourth-generation Caratan family members have continued their family legacy that began with Marin Caratan, who started harvesting crops in California’s San Joaquin Valley in 1926.

“As we have grown, we have looked for even more efficient ways to do business,” said John Carter, facility manager at Columbine Vineyards. “To continue to be profitable, we need to pursue every avenue.”

Columbine Vineyards worked closely with Southern California Edison to develop sustainable solutions for their expanding company, including a new cold storage facility that spans 200,000 square feet.

To reduce electricity use and their carbon footprint, the company participated in Savings By Design, a program that offers incentives to encourage high-performance, non-residential building design and construction.

By installing energy-efficient features — including improved insulation levels, aggressive refrigeration and fan controls, high-efficiency light fixtures and motion sensors — during the construction of its new cold storage facility, the company received approximately $129,000 in incentives. They also saw an annual savings of 957,000 kilowatt-hours — equivalent to greenhouse gas emissions reductions of nearly 674,000 pounds per year.

“It helped us save money and make the project more energy efficient than it would have been otherwise,” said Carter.

The installation of variable frequency drives, a controller that allows farmers to speed up and slow down their pumps to match flow according to their crops and irrigation needs, is one of SCE’s most popular cost-saving programs for agricultural businesses, according to Frank Yanes, an account manager in SCE’s Tulare Regional Office.

“There are different rate options for the services we offer to agricultural business and residential customers. We help them strategize, look at their rates and help them to understand what best fits their operations,” he said.

The historic drought in California has brought more focus to the different technologies that let farmers have more control over water distribution to get a better yield of crops.

Columbine Vineyards added variable frequency drives on two water pumps, lowering the pumping cost per acre-foot for water delivered to its fields and saving more than $44,000 in incentives for their upgrades.

For them, sustainability is just as important as profitability.

“It’s become second nature,” said Carter. “It’s something we just do.”

Tweet me:.@SCE #energyefficient solutions help Columbine Vineyards save 957,000 kilowatt-hours http://bit.ly/2mR0Um6 #sustainability

KEYWORDS: Energy, Business & Trade, Edison International, Columbine Vineyards, sustainability, Corporate Social Responsibility, WorldAg Expo, agriculture, Southern California Edison

SOURCE:UPS

DESCRIPTION:

ATLANTA, Ga., March 13, 2017 /3BL Media/ -  UPS ​(NYSE:UPS) today announced that it has been recognized by the Ethisphere® Institute as a World’s Most Ethical Company for the eleventh consecutive year. The Ethisphere Institute, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices, honored UPS in the Logistics & Transportation category. 

“At UPS, operating in an ethical manner means standing by our principles and delivering on our word through our business operations, sustainability standards, and, how we impact the lives and communities where we live and work,” said Mohammed Azam, UPS chief compliance officer. “We work hard to have high ethical standards in all our efforts across the globe. It’s part of our culture and shared throughout our organization.”

This year marks the eleventh anniversary of the Ethisphere Institute and the World’s Most Ethical Companies designation, which recognizes those companies that align principle with action, work tirelessly to make trust part of their corporate DNA, and, in doing so, shape future industry standards by introducing tomorrow’s best practices today. The Ethisphere Institute will release best practices and insights from the 2017 honorees, including UPS, later in the year through a whitepaper and infographics.

“Over the last eleven years we have seen the shift in societal expectations, constant redefinition of laws and regulations, and, the geo-political climate. We have also seen how companies honored as the World’s Most Ethical respond to these challenges. They invest in their local communities around the world, embrace strategies of diversity and inclusion, and, focus on long term-ism as a sustainable business advantage,” explained Ethisphere’s Chief Executive Officer, Timothy Erblich. "Congratulations to everyone at UPS for being recognized as a World's Most Ethical Company."

UPS has been honored recently with several other corporate citizenship and sustainability distinctions. The company received a perfect score of 100 from the Corporate Equality Index by the Human Rights Campaign, was a recipient of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) SmartWay Excellence Award, and, was named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World) for the fourth consecutive year.

The World's Most Ethical Company assessment is based upon the Ethisphere Institute’s Ethics Quotient™ framework. Scores are generated in five key categories: ethics and compliance program (35%), corporate citizenship and responsibility (20%), culture of ethics (20%), governance (15%) and leadership, innovation and reputation (10%), and, are provided to all companies who participate in the process.

About UPS

UPS (NYSE: UPS) is a global leader in logistics, offering a broad range of solutions including transporting packages and freight; facilitating international trade, and deploying advanced technology to more efficiently manage the world of business. Headquartered in Atlanta, UPS serves more than 220 countries and territories worldwide. The company can be found on the web at ups.com and its corporate blog can be found at longitudes.ups.com. To get UPS news direct, visit pressroom.ups.com/RSS or follow @UPS_News.

About the Ethisphere Institute
The Ethisphere® Institute is the global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices that fuel corporate character, marketplace trust and business success. Ethisphere has deep expertise in measuring and defining core ethics standards using data-driven insights that help companies enhance corporate character. Ethisphere honors superior achievement through its World’s Most Ethical Companies® recognition program, provides a community of industry experts with the Business Ethics Leadership Alliance (BELA) and showcases trends and best practices in ethics with the publication of Ethisphere magazine. More information about Ethisphere can be found at: http://ethisphere.com.

Tweet me:.@UPS Recognized As One Of World’s Most Ethical Companies For Eleventh Consecutive Year - http://buff.ly/2nfBzmu

Contact Info:

Kristen Petrella
UPS
+1 (404) 828-4182
kpetrella@ups.com

KEYWORDS: Awards & Recognition, Diversity & Human Resources, Ethisphere, Ethics, csr, UPS