by Sarah Murry, HP Newsroom Managing Editor

SOURCE:HP, Inc.

DESCRIPTION:

When HP declared its mission was to make life better for everyone, everywhere, no one likely considered that “everywhere” might extend past boundaries of the Earth’s atmosphere.

But HP’s lineup of high-performance ZBook mobile workstations are among the technology tools that are present in both the International Space Station (ISS), and on the ground at Mission Control.

Now, HP and Intel are joining forces on an innovative new contest, called the “Life in Space” Design Challenge. The contest will tap some of the brightest engineering minds at universities across the US to develop a product that can improve the lives of astronauts in space. 

Undergraduate student teams from prestigious engineering schools across the country will be outfitted with HP ZBook Studio Mobile Workstations, powered by Intel® Core i7® processors, to help them design a manufacture-able product to improve life in space for astronauts.

Maintaining relatively comfortable living and working conditions while on the ISS is something NASA’s been grappling with ever since the first crew arrived in 2000. Questions from how to help astronauts maintain their physical and mental health to the quality and variety of the vacuum-sealed food they subsist upon might spark a revolutionary new product idea.

“We’re looking to the country’s brightest engineering minds to put HP’s ZBook technology to work by designing and prototyping a product that will make life better for the astronauts on the ISS,” said Lisa Baker, Director, Business & Personal Systems Marketing at HP. “ZBook Studio Mobile Workstations will enable their imaginations to soar, while offering the high-performance specs to make their creations come to fruition.”

Tapping the Brightest Engineering Minds to Create Better Space Experiences

HP and Intel are engaging with student teams from Carnegie Mellon University, Georgia Tech, Ohio State, University of Texas, Oregon State University, Arizona State University, Virginia Tech University, and Clemson University for the challenge.

During the first phase of the contest, teams of five students from each school will determine their design and provide a conceptual sketch showcasing their idea as well as a brief team video. They’ll then submit a work-in-progress CAD (computer assisted design) file of their idea. 

In the next and final phase in mid-March, the teams will submit fully-rendered CAD files and a video that explains the design overview and finer points of their product vision.

In late March, a judging panel made up of representatives from HP and Intel will narrow down the participant list to three finalists—and then open up the voting to the public via social media. Winners will be announced in early April. See full contest rules here, and stay tuned to vote on these innovative projects soon. 

Tweet me:#EngineeringStudents Compete to Keep Astronauts Comfortable, Fit + Fed in #LifeInSpace http://bit.ly/2nFHjlj via @GlblCtzn @HP @Intel

KEYWORDS: Innovation & Technology, Responsible Business & Employee Engagement, HP Inc, Intel, International Space Station, LIfe in space design challenge, Technology

Cargill joins first-of-its-kind global initiative to end cocoa supply chain deforestation

SOURCE:Cargill

DESCRIPTION:

Cargill is committed to ensuring a sustainable cocoa supply chain by enabling farmers to produce more and improve their livelihoods. As part of Cargill’s broader commitment to end deforestation, the cocoa supply chain is taking steps to protect forests and focus production on existing farmland.

Traditionally, cocoa farms have been rich in biodiversity because cocoa trees were planted in shade amongst other crops and trees. Over time, this approach has become less common as farmers remove shade trees to make more land available. But by adopting more sustainable landscape approaches, farmers are improving the profitability and productivity of the land they already farm without having to encroach on new land.

To increase more sustainable approaches, 12 of the world’s largest cocoa and chocolate companies, including Cargill, joined on March 16, 2017, to address forest health at a first-of-its-kind global cocoa supply chain meeting organized by the World Cocoa Foundation, IDH-the Sustainable Trade Initiative and The Prince’s International Sustainability Unit, hosted in London by HRH The Prince of Wales.

As part of ongoing efforts to create a more sustainable cocoa sector and empower cocoa farmers economically, senior executives from this group of leading chocolate makers, cocoa buyers, producers and traders signed a statement of collective intent, committing to the development of a cooperative, multi-stakeholder framework to end deforestation and forest degradation in the cocoa supply chain. The initial focus of this collective work will be on Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, which account for close to 60 percent of the world’s cocoa supply.

Cargill’s ambition, outlined in its Cargill Cocoa Promise, is to accelerate progress towards a transparent global cocoa supply chain, enabling farmers and their communities to achieve better incomes and living standards, and deliver a sustainable supply of cocoa and chocolate products.

“We are committed to ending deforestation across our supply chains and are working with partners and governments to build a thriving cocoa sector,” said Taco Terheijden, director of cocoa sustainability for Cargill’s cocoa and chocolate business. “In collaboration with World Resources Institute, we have conducted a baseline risk assessment of over 2.3 million hectares across 5 origin countries with GPS technology to prioritize interventions and advance sustainable landscape approaches to mitigate deforestation and protect biodiversity.”

The March 16 meeting will result in an actionable suite of measures to address deforestation in consultation with the relevant cocoa-producing country governments, civil society organizations and other stakeholders, to be announced at the UNFCCC’s 23rd Conference of the Parties (COP 23) in November 2017.

This suite of measures will include greater investments in more sustainable forms of landscape management; more active efforts, in partnership with others, to protect and restore forests in the cocoa landscape; and significant investments in programs to improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers working in the cocoa supply chain.

Collective action is vital to solving sustainability challenges in the cocoa sector, said Terheijden. “We’re building long-term partnerships to support our sustainability goals and those of our stakeholders,” he said. “We work with a large range of organizations from small, recently formed farmer cooperatives to our customers and suppliers, to financial institutions, national governments and international industry and sustainability organizations. The commitment we made today in London underscores our intent to continue working with a broad, diverse group of entities to end deforestation and forest degradation in our industry.”

Tweet me:.@Cargill joins first-of-its-kind global initiative to end #cocoa #supplychain #deforestation http://bit.ly/2nES48Q #sustainability

KEYWORDS: Supply Chain & the Circular Economy, Responsible Production & Consumption, Deforestation, Ethical Supply Chain, sustainable cocoa farming, Cargill, sustainability, Corporate Social Responsibility

SOURCE:21st Century Fox

DESCRIPTION:

In partnership with the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) in Bangalore, India, National Geographic photographers helped organize and lead a workshop for early career biologists interested in sharing their work through photography. The Shoot for Science workshop, funded by National Geographic Society and run by science photographers Anand Varma and Prasenjeet Yadav, ran for 8 days at NCBS in February 2017 and brought together a cohort of 16 Indian research fellows, Ph.D. candidates, and post-docs to study the art of storytelling in science.

India is currently undergoing increased investment in science and technology, providing a timely opportunity for scientists to communicate their research not just with the academic world, but with the greater public as well. By reducing focus on standard technical jargon and exploring other forms of communication, scientists can demystify their work for a wider audience and inspire young students to embrace scientific literacy. Photography is unique in its ability to help scientists both collect and communicate their data, and doing so without misrepresenting the scientific process lies at the core of Varma and Yadav’s workshop mission.

Using cameras and other equipment provided by Nikon, the 16 participants worked in groups to develop and create a photo narrative around research done by scientists at NCBS. They learned various techniques in basic photography and controlled lighting, received feedback in photo editing sessions, heard from Nat Geo experts, and gave final presentations after being coached in public speaking. “It was a great learning experience. Starting from how to think of communicating a story to how to use a camera—it was all new to me,” said participant Ipsa Jain, a Ph.D. candidate in cellular biology at the Indian Institute of Sciences.

Varma is a regular contributor to Nat Geo; his work tells the story behind the science of everything from primate behavior and hummingbird biomechanics to amphibian disease and forest ecology. Yadav is a trained molecular ecologist turned science-photographer who combines his research experience and photography skills to tell stories of exploration and conservation. He’s represented by National Geographic Creative and is currently producing a story on how mountains play a role in special evolution in India’s Western Ghats. Together, they hope to create a consortium of scientific storytellers in India and are working to expand the Shoot for Science program across the country in the coming years.

Tweet me:.@NatGeo photographers lead workshop in India to train researchers in scientific storytelling http://bit.ly/2orWeU9 @21CF_Impact

KEYWORDS: Social Impact & Volunteering, Media & Communications, National Geographic, India, Science, photography, 21st century fox

SOURCE:CSX Corporation

DESCRIPTION:

CSX’s community investment strategy is supported by a strong group of nonprofit partner organizations who are equally committed to addressing real community needs across four focus areas: Safety, Community, Environment and Wellness. This week, our spotlight is on an organization that provides critical support to communities when they need it the most: The American Red Cross.

CSX and the Red Cross are natural partners with expertise in working with first responders and providing critical support infrastructure.  To adequately protect and respond to the people it serves, the Red Cross needs to be able to mobilize at a moment’s notice, which is where CSX comes into play. For more than 20 years, CSX and its employees have provided financial and in-kind support to the Red Cross.

Some recent highlights of CSX’s partnership with the American Red Cross include:

• Disaster Relief – Following Hurricane Joaquin in 2015, CSX delivered 38 pallets of water to Red Cross chapters in South Carolina. And in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, the Red Cross turned to CSX to help return Emergency Response Vehicles to home chapters across the country.
• Dollar-for-Dollar MatchingCampaigns – CSX frequently matches employee contributions to the Red Cross to support affected communities following natural disasters.
• Helping Before A Disaster Hits – CSX also supports the Red Cross by pre-investing in disaster readiness and response by ensuring the Red Cross can pre-position supplies, secure shelters, maintain vehicles and train volunteers nationwide, so they are always ready to respond, day and night. This support also means Red Cross can remain on hand to assist people as they recover and help become better prepared for the next disaster. In addition, CSX prepositions supplies like water and ice to local communities like Northeast Florida before Hurricane Matthew impacted the First Coast.

To learn more about CSX and the Red Cross’s partnership – along with CSX’s additional partnerships that support and uplift the communities – visit Beyond Our Rails.

Tweet me:.@CSX and @RedCross have worked together to provide disaster relief, prevention and more: http://bit.ly/2oLdp3V

KEYWORDS: Social Impact & Volunteering, CSX, American Red Cross, disaster relief

Appointee of President Obama at FEMA and the Peace Corps to Lead Iconic National Community Improvement Nonprofit

SOURCE:Keep America Beautiful

DESCRIPTION:

STAMFORD, Conn., April 11, 2017 /3BL Media/ -- Keep America Beautiful, the nation’s leading nonprofit that envisions a country in which every community is a clean, green and beautiful place to live, today announced that Helen Lowman, who served as an appointee of President Barack Obama at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Peace Corps, has been named the organization’s new president and CEO. She will assume the role on May 1.

Lowman brings a deep understanding of humanitarian challenges in the U.S. and around the world. She joins Keep America Beautiful with more than 20 years of leadership experience in the areas of international diplomacy and development, youth engagement, environmental education, disaster resilience, global leadership, volunteerism, social justice and human rights,

“Helen has spent her career as a change agent, a team-builder and someone who cares deeply about community,” said Tom Tamoney, Day Pitney LLC, and a member of the Keep America Beautiful Board of Directors who led the hiring committee. “Her experience and vision, along with her personal values and compassion, will advance our efforts to deliver lasting environmental, economic and social impact across America.”

From 2010 to 2017, Lowman served as an appointee of the President of the United States in the senior foreign service and the senior executive service. Most recently, she was Director-Individual and Community Preparedness at FEMA in Washington, D.C., overseeing programs to increase citizen and community preparedness while encouraging disaster and crisis resilience. Previously, she served in a variety of roles with the Peace Corps, directing Peace Corps’ largest U.S. headquarters’ office and working with leadership on strategic reforms related to volunteer recruitment and admittance. She earlier served as Regional Director-Europe, Middle East and Asia, Peace Corps’ largest geographic region.
 
“The work of Keep America Beautiful is now more important than ever. I am passionate in my belief that every American has a right to live in a community that is clean, green and beautiful, and I feel a strong responsibility to help fulfill that vision,” said Lowman. “Keep America Beautiful’s strong grassroots affiliate network reflects the diversity of America, and is engaged in meaningful volunteer work that empowers and enriches the communities we serve. I am deeply humbled and honored to lead this iconic organization into its next phase of innovation, relevance, and strategic growth.”

Earlier in her career, Lowman managed environmental education events and initiatives with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). While in Texas, she served on the Board of Directors of two Keep America Beautiful Affiliates: Keep Austin Beautiful and Keep El Paso Beautiful.

Lowman, who speaks four languages, is a graduate of Austin College and received her Master's degree in International Economics and Development from the University of Denver, Joseph Korbel School of International Studies. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. at Antioch University, Graduate School of Leadership and Change. She is a Board member of PYXERA Global and was a Peace Corps volunteer for three years in Thailand.

About Keep America Beautiful
At Keep America Beautiful, we want to ensure that beauty is our lasting signature. A leading national nonprofit, Keep America Beautiful inspires and educates people to take action every day to improve and beautify their community environment. We envision a country in which every community is a clean, green, and beautiful place to live. Established in 1953, Keep America Beautiful provides the expertise, programs and resources to help people End Littering, Improve Recycling, and Beautify America’s Communities. The organization is driven by the work and passion of more than 620 state and community-based Keep America Beautiful affiliates, millions of volunteers, and the support of corporate partners, municipalities, elected officials, and individuals. To donate or take action, visit kab.org. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, like us on Facebook, or view us on YouTube.

###

Tweet me:.@kabtweet names Helen Lowman new #President and #CEO of Keep America Beautiful. #DoBeautifulThings http://bit.ly/2orbpwv

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

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

KEYWORDS: Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives, Leadership, Keep America Beautiful, Helen Lowman, President & CEO

From the 2016 PNC CSR Report

SOURCE:PNC Financial Services Group

DESCRIPTION:

Q: How has PNC’s strong support of early childhood education been received by educators and nonprofit organizations that are active in early childhood education?

A: It has been amazingly well-received. When we started the program, we thought the grants would be the most important component of the program. While the money is important, the Advisory Council told us that it was our corporate voice that could really make an impact on the issue of early childhood education. They felt that because we were an unexpected advocate for early education, people would listen to us a bit differently. We’ve taken this insight very seriously, promoting early education as an economic and workforce development tool, and have received an incredibly positive response from educators and nonprofits. At the end of the day, our goal is to give children the best start to their education so that they not only grow up, but grow up great!

The full Q&A can be found here

Download the Full 2016 Corporate Social Responsibility report

Tweet me:Q&A with @PNCBank's Sally McCrady http://bit.ly/2oJ8mAP discussing their strong support of early childhood #education programs #CSR

KEYWORDS: Social Impact & Volunteering, Education, pnc financial services group, CSR Report, early childhood education, csr

by Prianka Srinivasan

SOURCE:HP, Inc.

DESCRIPTION:

In both developed and developing markets around the world, the participation of women in the labor force continues to increase. There were an estimated 1.75 billion women in the workforce as of 2015, with a quarter of a billion women entering the global labor force since 2006 alone.

This trend has been steady throughout recent history. The labor force participation rate for women in Australia has increased from 43% in 1978 to almost 60% in 2015. On the other side of the globe, Canada has also seen an increase in women in the labor force. In 2014, women made up 47% of the total Canadian labor force, compared to just 37% in 1976. If you’re a woman living in Uganda, Namibia, or Nigeria, you are three times more likely to run a business than your husband, son, brother or uncle.

Not only is women’s participation in the workforce increasing, their impact on the economy is increasing as well. In 2015, it was estimated that women in the US control approximately $14 trillion of the wealth, and influence 85% of all consumer purchases.

Globally, women control $20 trillion in annual consumer spending, rising to nearly $30 trillion in the next five years. And that number doesn’t just account for products marketed to women. In fact, 50% of products marketed to men are purchased by women.

And that number is only expected to grow worldwide. As business strategist Carolyn Buck points out, close to 1 billion women, mostly in the developing world, are going to enter the formal economy and become new economic contributors in the next decade. The growing pace of urban migration, access to education, better health, mobile technologies, and micro credit will continue to fuel this phenomenon.

Already, the impact of the She-conomy is being felt in three important ways: 
 
Women represent a significant customer base. 
For example, women’s safety in India has drawn worldwide attention following reports of violence against women. The issue has spurred some companies to develop apps and services that make it easier for women to contact emergency services, and in April 2016, India’s telecommunications ministry announced that all mobile phones sold in India will be required to have a panic button starting in 2017.

In China, 61% of women listed fitness the most important factor for a healthy lifestyle in 2015. This has increased the number of women participants in gyms, yoga clubs, as well as outdoor sports activities such as running and excursions, and drives demand for fashionable outfits and leisure services that cater to women’s specific needs.
 
Women are business leaders. 
Women-owned businesses now account for 30% of all privately owned enterprises, employing 7.8 million Americans. The wearables industry is a great example. There are a plethora of wearable companies headed by women, including Vinaya, Wearable Experiments, ElektroCouture, Road for Good, and Bellabeat. According to readwrite, women in wearables include academics, entrepreneurs, female directors, designers, and engineers. These women are responsible for setting the wearables agenda and moving the technology forward.

Recent data shows that women-led technology companies are more capital-efficient, achieving 35% higher return on investment.

Women in the labor force are a significant driver of economic growth. 
Equal pay and economic opportunities for men and women boost growth, promote diversity, reduce economic inequality around the world, and help companies earn more. IMF managing director Christine Lagarde reiterated this thought while speaking at a conference in Washington. “It’s actually good for growth, it’s good for diversification of the economy, it’s good for reducing inequality and from a micro point of view, it’s also good for the bottom line of companies,” Lagarde said. “It’s an economic no-brainer.”

Tweet me:3 Ways the #Sheconomy is Making an Impact http://bit.ly/2nbe4u2 #GenderEquality @HPSustainable

KEYWORDS: Diversity & Inclusion, Responsible Business & Employee Engagement, HP Inc, Gender Equality, sheconomy, megatrends by hp

SOURCE:Aflac

DESCRIPTION:

Whole Foods, REI, and Aflac CEOs Respond: What’s the Single Most Important Thing For Company Culture?

Dan Amos, CEO of Aflac (ranked #91): “With information so accessible you need to be able to keep up with current workplace trends and wherever possible, exceed them. Your employees will know what is available to employees at other companies and if you don’t want them looking for other options you need to provide competitive compensation, good healthcare benefits and a secure, diverse workplace.”

Read the complete article via Fortune.com 

Tweet me:Dan Amos, CEO of @Aflac answers: what’s the single most important thing for company culture? http://bit.ly/2o1rNEH

KEYWORDS: Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Cross-sector leaders will discuss philanthropy’s role in rebuilding social trust to restore societal cohesion

SOURCE:WE Communications

DESCRIPTION:

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 11, 2017 /3BL Media/ – At a time of division and acrimony in the U.S. and beyond, the annual Global Philanthropy Forum (GPF) Conference will convene top philanthropists, social investors, business executives, government leaders and activists to consider ways to rebuild societal trust and cohesion. The conference kicks off next week on April 18-20 in Washington, D.C., and will focus on the theme “Trust & Legitimacy – Solving Problems Together.”

Jim Yong Kim, President of the World Bank Group, and Jane Wales, Founder of the GPF and CEO of the World Affairs Council, will open the conference and kick off discussions about the role of social trust. Former Secretary of State, Madeleine K. Albright, and McNulty Prize laureates will lead a conversation on the components of building trust in communities around the globe.

Additionally, three citizen leaders, including Alaa Murabit, SDG Global Advocate and High-Level Commissioner for The United Nations, Nicola Benyahia, Founder of Families for Life, and Sanam Naraghi-Anderlini, Co-Founder and Executive Director of International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN), will discuss the role individual citizens can play in preventing or ending violent conflict and rebuilding societal trust in the process.

Why does trust matter now?

“Trust is our most valuable asset. It provides the societal glue on which democracy and well-being rely. Without it we can’t solve large problems together,” said Jane Wales in describing the conference themes. “Yet trust is at an all-time low. Philanthropists from the U.S., Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America will be coming together to consider the role that philanthropy and civil society can play in building social capital in their countries,  advancing social cohesion, and empowering communities and citizens to address problems and seize opportunities together.”

How will trust be rebuilt? Break-out sessions will explore some of the below sessions and topics:

• Advancing pluralism: Speakers will discuss ways to combat identity politics in Africa, Asia, Europe and the US.” Included in the roster are:
  
  • Nobel Laureate Ouided Bouchamaoui, member of the Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet
  • David Miliband of the International Rescue Committee
  • David Tolbert of the International Center on Transitional Justice
  • James Goldston of the Open Society Foundations, and
  • Robin Wright of the U.S. Institute of Peace and the Woodrow Wilson Center
• A Healthy Start: Early Childhood Development: Panelists share interventions that contribute to healthy development and address the lasting effects of toxic stress faced by children worldwide. Speakers include:
  
  • Carolyn Miles, President and CEO of Save The Children
  • Randa Grob-Zakhary, Global Head of Education at Porticus Foundation
  • Deogratias Niyonkiza, Founder of Village Health Works
  • Joan Lombardi of the Bernard Van Leer Foundation, and
  • Ashish Karamchandani of FSG
• Strategic Philanthropy: Philanthropic leaders will explore the sources of legitimacy and efficacy of the philanthropic sector, and the ways they work to “get stuff done.” Panelists include:
  
  • Julia Stasch, President of The MacArthur Foundation
  • Dr. Rajiv Shah, President of the  Rockefeller Foundation
  • Her Royal Highness Princess Lamia Al Saud, Secretary General of the Alwaleed Foundation, and
  • Patrick McCarthy, President of the Annie E. Casey Foundation

The full agenda can be found here: https://www.philanthropyforum.org/conference/gpf-2017/agenda/.

Follow the #GPF17 Conversation:

• Livestream: All plenary addresses will be streamed during the event at www.philanthopyforum.org/live
• Twitter: Follow @gpforg and the #GPF17 hashtag
• Facebook: See updates on www.facebook.com/GlobalPhilanthropyForum
• Videos: Daily video highlights will be available at www.philanthropyforum.org/conference

Media interested in covering or attending this event can reach out to Jessica Jeng (email: jjeng@we-worldwide.com, phone: +1.212.551.4818).

About the Global Philanthropy Forum
A project of the World Affairs Council, the Global Philanthropy Forum aims to build a community of donors and social investors committed to international causes, and to inform, enable and enhance the strategic nature of their work. Through an annual conference and special events, the GPF connects donors to issues; to effective strategies; to potential co-funding partners; and to emblematic agents of change from around the world. By building, and continually refreshing a lasting learning community, the GPF seeks to expand the number of philanthropists who will be strategic in pursuit of international causes.

Tweet me:The 2017 Global Philanthropy Forum Conference to focus on trust & civil society: http://bit.ly/2nFe1om #GPF17 @gpforg

KEYWORDS: Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives, Events, Media & Communications, Global Philanthropy Forum, GPF, Jane Wales, philanthropy, societal cohesion, social trust, Madeline Albright, Jim Yong Kim

Transforming a former oilfield land treatment facility into a boreal forest for the benefit of the community

SOURCE:Tetra Tech

DESCRIPTION:

Consulting Engineers of Alberta (CEA) presented Tetra Tech (EBA) with an Environmental Award of Merit at the CEA Showcase Awards Gala, an event attended by more than 500 industry leaders in February 2017. The Showcase Awards recognize excellence in consulting engineering in Alberta and throughout the world. Tetra Tech received the Environmental Award of Merit for its work with Newalta Corporation to design a closure approach for a former oilfield waste land treatment facility south of Drayton Valley, Alberta.

Tetra Tech began working with Newalta in 2009 to design a safe and cost-effective closure approach for the site where oilfield wastes were treated for more than 20 years. Initial estimates to remediate the site using traditional methods exceeded $100 million, which was unrealistic, unrepresentative of the best use of resources, and did not offer an overall benefit to society.

Tetra Tech conducted quantitative risk assessments to evaluate potential human and ecological health risks due to exposure from site residual contamination and identify the most appropriate end land use. Tetra Tech further tailored the ecological risk assessment to site conditions and potential land uses with site-specific ecological toxicity, bioaccumulation, and bioavailability testing for agronomic and boreal forest receptors. Ultimately, a boreal forest conservation area was identified as the most valuable land use, promoting sustainability and returning the land to pre-development conditions.

As part of site reclamation, Tetra Tech implemented an innovative reforestation program, which included applying leaf litter and woody debris to encourage the establishment of ecosystems and reduce weeds. This approach had not previously been used in oilfield reclamation.

The ultimate goal of the boreal forest conservation area was to provide recreational land use and activities that are accessible to area residents. The area now hosts grade five students every year as part of their environmental studies course.

During the closure program, Tetra Tech consulted with land owners, governments, and parks foundations and collaborated with Environment Canada to develop the draft Environment Canada Boreal Forest and Wetland Biological Procedures, which is now used to set site-specific environmental guidelines for future projects.

Tweet me:.@TetraTech is transforming a former #oilfield land treatment facility into a #boreal #forest: http://bit.ly/2ncNvph #reforestation

KEYWORDS: Awards, Ratings & Rankings, Green Awards, reforestation, Tetra Tech, Leading with Science, Consulting Engineers of Alberta, Newalta Corporation

by Brittany Lane

SOURCE:Barclays

DESCRIPTION:

Originally posted on Unreasonable Impact, created with Barclays

One in nine people still go to bed hungry every night. Because of rapid population growth, the demand for livestock is expected to more than double by 2050, making it increasingly difficult to supply enough protein to nourish everyone. This pressure on the planet also amplifies greenhouse gas emissions and water scarcity. We have no choice but to discover alternative ways to feed people.

What most people in western markets fail to realize is that insects have been a staple in many diets for thousands of years. Two billion people eat insects regularly today, including crickets, which require six times less feed than cattle and consume only one gallon of water compared to 2,500 gallons for a single cow. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, edible insects may be the protein source that provides the food security we need to survive.

Bitty Foods makes tasty foods, like cookies and chips, with cricket flour. Cricket flour is a sustainable source of nutrition, packed with protein, healthy fats and micronutrients. Their goal? Make crickets part of the mainstream global diet.

Click here to continue reading

Tweet me:.@UnreasonImpact and @Barclays_cship: Crickets Could Solve Global Protein Scarcity: Q&A with @BittyFoods http://bit.ly/2pa3v7S

KEYWORDS: Responsible Production & Consumption, Food Politics, Barclays, Bitty Foods, Cricket flour

SOURCE:Mohawk Industries

DESCRIPTION:

Through thoughtful product design, dedicated infrastructure and an ongoing commitment to responsible stewardship, Mohawk Group has become a respected leader in sustainable flooring. Learn how the company's new Living Building Challenge Petal Certified Light Lab Design Center has become an integral part of the company’s customer experience. 

Learn more about the Mohawk Group Light Lab Design Center.

Tweet me:.@MohawkGroup Video | Light Lab: #Sustainability Enhances Customer Experience http://bit.ly/2ln7vRl #GreenBuilding #LBC

KEYWORDS: Green Infrastructure, Environment, mohawk group, Light Lab, sustainability, Living Building Challenge Petal Certified

SOURCE:VolunteerMatch

DESCRIPTION:

Giving people opportunities to pursue their interests is key to driving employee engagement. According to Gallup, engaged organizations see a 3.9x earnings per share (EPS) growth rate compared to organizations with lower engagement in the same industry.

How do you develop engaged leaders among your employees? One effective way is through a top-notch employee volunteer program.

We teamed up with our partners at Causecast for a free webinar to share: 

• How meaningful volunteer opportunities can build skills and increase confidence in your employees
• What you can do to help employees use their individual interests to grow
• How your employees can find volunteer opportunities that bring out their best leadership qualities

Join presenters Laura Plato, President and Chief Operations Officer at Causecast and Scott Lohmann, Vice President of Business Development at VolunteerMatch on Thursday April 27, 2017 at 2 pm ET / 11 am PT.

Reserve your spot now!

Tweet me:How to Unlock Your Employees’ Leadership Potential with Your #Volunteer Program [Webinar] http://bit.ly/2oqpU3t via @VM_Solutions

KEYWORDS: Events, Media & Communications, Millennials, webinar, Employee Engagement, Leadership, corporate volunteering, Employee Volunteer Program, VolunteerMatch

By Shin Woo Paik, CCNA, LEED AP

SOURCE:Tetra Tech

DESCRIPTION:

As the building industry changes, architects, engineers, and developers must look forward and plan for the impact of workplace trends and disruptive technology on the commercial real estate industry. So how do you design a building for the future? Our advice: integrate IT services and connectivity infrastructure in the planning process for all commercial developments and redevelopments.

To ensure that buildings under construction today meet the needs of tomorrow’s tenants, Cosentini designs flexible systems with future technologies in mind. Cosentini’s IT group designs integrated building management systems that use Internet of Things (IoT) technology to monitor the building environment and the behavior of inhabitants. These ‘smart buildings’ respond to occupants’ needs and improve tenant experience, but without wireless connectivity and a quality telecom infrastructure in place, this technology cannot be fully integrated into building systems.

Continue reading on WiredScore »

Tweet me:How Do You Design a #Building for the Future? http://bit.ly/2pbRu1X @Cosentini_NYC #SmartBuildings #IoT #SmartCities via @WiredScore

KEYWORDS: Green Infrastructure, Green Building, Tetra Tech, Cosentini

SOURCE:MetLife Inc.

DESCRIPTION:

Watch this video to see how technology is accelerating financial inclusion in Bangladesh. MetLife Foundation's partner BFA is doing ground-breaking work to embed the right technology and technical capabilities in local nonprofit organizations on the ground like Sajida, working with women entreprenuers to help them navigate life's challenges and opportunities.

Tweet me:.@MetLife Foundation's #MultipliersofProsperity is Spurring Small Businesses in Bangladesh http://bit.ly/2nUA8pp

KEYWORDS: Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment, Responsible Business & Employee Engagement, MetLife, metlife foundation

Mitigating the devastating effects of water-related emergencies and building community resilience

SOURCE:Xylem Inc.

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This image was taken in Jakarta, Indonesia after a massive flood, capturing the devastating effects of water-related disasters. Disaster risk reduction offers a new approach to solving the global water crisis by proactively securing water resources before natural disasters happen.

Learn more about Xylem Watermark's commitment to water-related disaster risk reduction 

Tweet me:.@XylemInc mitigates the devastating effects of water-related emergencies http://bit.ly/2mXnHvH #XylemWatermark

KEYWORDS: Health & Healthcare, Environment, Xylem, Watermark, water

De Beers’ Gahcho Kué mine, which has just begun full commercial production, has won its third major award.

SOURCE:De Beers Group

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The Viola R MacMillan Award was presented during the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PADC) Awards Gala earlier this month.

The award, for demonstrating leadership in management and financing for the exploration and development of mineral resources, was accepted by Gahcho Kué mine General Manager Allan Rodel, on behalf of De Beers Canada, and Patrick Evans, Chief Executive of Mountain Province Diamonds.

Gahcho Kué, the world’s largest new diamond mine, 280km northeast of Yellowknife in Canada’s Northwest Territories (NWT), is a joint venture between De Beers (51 per cent – the operator) and Mountain Province Diamonds.

Allan Rodel said: "I am extremely proud of the work done by every member of the team at Gahcho Kué. We work in some of the most difficult conditions found anywhere in the world, and we have achieved so many important milestones safely, without harm to people or the environment."

Last year, the mine received Gold at the 11th Annual Project Management Institute's awards gala as well as the Workplace Health and Safety Award from the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce.

Kim Truter, Chief Executive of De Beers Canada, said: "To build and bring into operation a world-class mine like Gahcho Kué safely, early and ahead of budget is rare in the mining industry today. This award is recognition that we are on the right track and that our employees, community and business partners are also able to deliver on a world-class level."

Read the full article via Building Forever on debeersgroup.com | Be the first to add your comments

About De Beers
De Beers is a member of the Anglo American plc group. Established in 1888, De Beers is the world’s leading diamond company with expertise in the exploration, mining and marketing of diamonds. Together with its joint venture partners, De Beers employs more than 20,000 people across the diamond pipeline and is the world’s largest diamond producer by value, with mining operations in Botswana, Canada, Namibia and South Africa. As part of the company’s operating philosophy, the people of De Beers are committed to ‘Building Forever’ by making a lasting contribution to the communities in which they live and work, and transforming natural resources into shared national wealth. For further information about De Beers, visit www.debeersgroup.com.

Media Contact 
Press office
Tel +44 (0) 20 7430 3434
pressoffice@debeersgroup.com

Tweet me:#GahchoKué #mine has picked up its third #award at this year's #PDAC gala https://t.co/RJm3nrnEsI @debeersgroup

KEYWORDS: Awards, Ratings & Rankings

SOURCE:Las Vegas Sands

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Executive Director of Sales, Ailynn Seah, participated in a corporate social responsibility (CSR) recycling project organized by SCRAP at a Green Meeting Industry Council event two years ago in San Francisco. SCRAP, a non-profit creative reuse center, breathes new life into pre-loved or old objects and reduces waste by diverting over 200 tons of useful materials from landfills annually.  These services are provided to the local community and the center also offers classes, workshops and volunteering opportunities.

Moved by the experience, she came home hoping to start something similar in Singapore.

“I was really impressed with the number of items such as old buttons, ribbons, and greeting cards could be recycled and transformed into beautiful art,” Seah said.  “Something just clicked in my heart that I, too, would want to start a project like this someday.”

The opportunity came sooner than expected. As an active volunteer at the National Cancer Centre (NCC) for many years, Seah often makes hospital rounds to visit patients undergoing treatment.  These patients are often low in spirits and discouraged as treatments can be debilitating.  Inspired by her experience with SCRAP, she decided start a card-making project using recycled materials to encourage these cancer patients.  Many members of her sales team as well as NCC volunteers came on board to assist with creating thoughtful mementos by recycling old calendars, cards, and magazines.  Cards for Hope kicked off in 2015 and volunteers have since made more than 300 pieces.  Not only do NCC patients receive the cards regularly, other cancer sufferers also get them courtesy of NCC volunteers.  Each handmade card is accompanied by a sticker telling recipients which volunteer made them.

“It is great that we are able to recycle materials in line with Marina Bay Sands’ sustainability efforts,”Seah said.  “What’s more as a team, we are giving back to our community together by creating hope for cancer patients!  Some of our Team Members have even made this a family affair.”

Las Vegas Sands is committed to making our communities better places to live through volunteerism, promoting a strong quality of life. 

About Las Vagas Sands

Las Vegas Sands (NYSE: LVS) is the world's leading developer and operator of Integrated Resorts. Our collection of Integrated Resorts in Asia and the United States feature state-of-the-art convention and exhibition facilities, premium accommodations, world-class gaming and entertainment, destination retail and dining including celebrity chef restaurants and many other amenities.

Our properties include The Venetian and The Palazzo resorts and Sands Expo in Las Vegas, Sands Bethlehem in Eastern Pennsylvania, and the iconic Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. Through majority ownership in Sands China Ltd. (HK:1928), LVS owns a portfolio of properties on the Cotai Strip in Macao, including The Venetian Macao, The Plaza and Four Seasons Hotel Macao and Sands Cotai Central, as well as the Sands Macao on the Macao Peninsula.
LVS is dedicated to being a good corporate citizen, anchored by the core tenets of delivering a great working environment for nearly 50,000 employees worldwide, driving impact through its Sands Cares corporate citizenship program and leading innovation with the company’s award- winning Sands ECO360° global sustainability program. To learn more, please visit www.sands.com.

Tweet me:The @MarinaBaySands sales team turns #recycling into Cards for Hope http://bit.ly/2mDZGaq #SandsCares @LasVegasSands

KEYWORDS: Social Impact & Volunteering, Responsible Business & Employee Engagement, Las Vegas Sands, SCRAP, Marina Bay Sands, Cards For Hope

SOURCE:Mary Kay

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The Women LEAD scholarship program is something close to my heart. Serving as a Junior League member on the Women LEAD project committee this year, I had the opportunity to work closely on this transformational program. Through the year, I gained admiration for the enthusiasm and passion demonstrated by students who have overcome unspeakable adversity, as they shared their dreams of attending colleges like Texas A&M, UNT and my alma-mater, UT Austin. The girls were giddy as they shared what careers they wanted to pursue, from medicine and engineering to law and more.

If you’re unfamiliar with the program, let me provide some background. The Mary Kay Women L.E.A.D (Learn Excel Achieve Dream) scholarship program was created in partnership with the Junior League of Dallas as a way to support young women leaders in the community. As the lead sponsor, Mary Kay contributed $25,000 in college scholarships and, with an extra gift from the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, we were able to increase the funds by $15,000, awarding a total of $40,000 to three deserving young women. Working with three participating DISD schools, Emmitt J. Conrad, Thomas Jefferson and South Oak Cliff, the Junior League of Dallas and Mary Kay welcomed all graduating senior girls with a minimum GPA of 3.0 and a passion for giving back to the community, to participate in an essay contest and subsequent 5 minute speech. Eleven finalists were given the opportunity to compete at the 4th annual Women LEAD speech competition on Thursday, March 30th. The grand prize winner was awarded $15,000, second place received $10,000 and three runners up each received $5,000.

As I mentioned, these young women have faced so much adversity in just 17 or 18 short years. Each of our finalists this year came from incredibly difficult circumstances. Some had experienced domestic violence, lost a parent or suffered from a crippling disability. Others had been challenged with caring for young siblings or a sick family member and several were refugees who emigrated from other countries. Despite numerous hardships faced by each, their perseverance, tenacity and optimism were astounding. Each young woman had overcome many barriers and was determined not only to better their own lives through education, but to lift up other women in their communities as well.

As a Mary Kay employee and incoming Women LEAD project chair for 2017-2018, I am so proud to work for a company that invests in future women leaders. These young women will be the change agents in the Dallas community, instilling hope and positivity in whatever careers they pursue and serving as role models for others. To learn more about the program, please visit www.jld.net/community/women-lead/ or feel free to reach out to me if you have interest in attending next year’s speech competition.

View the complete post & see what's new from Mary Kay & the Beauty That Counts blog

Tweet me:.@MaryKayNews > MK partners with the @JuniorLeague to focus on higher education... and beyond! http://bit.ly/2oodPvx #LEAD

KEYWORDS: Education, Mary Kay, The Women LEAD scholarship, junior league

by Andrew Bolwell

SOURCE:HP, Inc.

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As millions of people move into cities every week, this puts a huge strain on space, city resources, energy requirements, and infrastructure cost. Cities are being forced to evolve to meet this increased demand, or collapse under the pressure.

This is leading to an increase in the number of Smart City projects — smart grids, networked LED street lights, public Wi-Fi, water management, etc. — that are being implemented around the world, with the number of initiatives nearly doubling over the past few years.

Technology advancements in sensors, edge computing, networks, data platforms, cloud, and services will drive greater adoption and investment, leading to new huge and growing business opportunities, with a market value of $1.5 trillion by 2020. This will be especially evident in emerging economies, where many of the largest and most populous cities will be in the future.

As more people flock to cities, the demand for housing has also increased — as have prices. For the growing contingent of millennials who are faced with a slowly recovering economy, affordability and availability of housing is a challenge, especially in large cities like New York, San Francisco, London, and Hong Kong. To deal with this supply-demand imbalance, micro-housing has become a key trend in U.S. cities, with San Francisco, Seattle and Boston all passing zoning laws to allow for apartments of 400 square feet or less. In 2016, New York City went so far as to approve legislation that lifted a city ban on apartments smaller than 400 square feet.

And as more people move to cities and cities become more congested, co-working spaces are also on the rise. There are over 11,000 co-working spaces around the world, and that number is expected to reach close to 14,000 by the end of this year. Freelancers, startups and even corporations are using co-working spaces to spark creativity and inspiration, while saving on real estate costs in expensive cities.

However, with more people moving to dense cities and megacities, pollution has also been on the rise. So much so that cities now produce nearly 75% of the world’s greenhouse emissions. Due to global warming, each of the first six months of 2016 set a record as the warmest respective month globally in the modern temperature record, which dates to 1880. As a result, nearly 700 cities around the world recently committed to a 100% renewable energy transition by 2050. Some cities like Dubai fear that if this heat wave continues over the next two decades, it would be uninhabitable for its citizens to stay, let alone work outside. As a result, they are looking at alternatives such as creating the world’s first climate-controlled domed city, which will accommodate the world’s largest shopping center, over 100 hotels, and a wellness district for medical tourists.

Better connectivity, cheaper sensor components, higher levels of artificial intelligence, and data extraction, will allow smart cities of the future to not only reduce traffic congestion and air pollution, but also provide a far more efficient environment. 24/7 high-speed Internet connectivity will allow people to work, learn and play wherever they want. Remote workspaces, outdoor classrooms and always-available learning will create enriched experiences, while reducing dependency on brick and mortar environments.

The Great City being developed outside of Chengdu, China gives us a glimpse into what is possible. The city is designed with a central core of vertical housing offering efficient living space for 80,000 people, and surrounded by greenspace for growing food. The car-less city is entirely walkable, with the outer reaches accessible through mass transit. The design is expected to use 48% less energy and 58% less water than existing cities of comparable size. In addition, it is expected to generate 89% less landfill waste, and 60% less carbon dioxide.

The smart cities of the future will be able to not only adopt, but scale to these exponential technologies and services. Giving birth to the future Silicon Valleys and Wall Streets of the world — many of which will be in emerging markets.

City evolution offers each of us an opportunity to think smarter about products, services, cities, homes, and offices. Making our lives, work, and play richer and more fulfilling.

Tweet me:.@HP Megatrends Blog: City Evolution: Creating Smarter Cities http://bit.ly/2nFLNse @HPSustainable #SmartCities #Sustainability

KEYWORDS: Green Infrastructure, Environment, megatrends by hp, Smart Cities, HP Inc