Part II: SAP Social Sabbatical Partners to Shape Cape Town’s Future

SOURCE:PYXERA Global

DESCRIPTION:

This is part two in a series highlighting the SAP Social Sabbatical for global engagement in Cape Town, South Africa, which focused on bridging the digital divide in the city’s most underserved communities. Stay tuned for part III, out next week. Read part one here.

—

Climbing the wooden staircase to the top of Lookout Hill, one finds sweeping panoramic views of the Cape Flats area skirting Cape Town. Khayelitsha, the second-largest and fastest-growing township in South Africa, sprawls to the east; the township of Mitchell’s Plain rolls to the west. At the base of the hill, strategically situated between these two underserved communities, is the Khayelitsha Bandwidth Barn, a startup incubator and accelerator serving community entrepreneurs.

The Barn is an activity of Cape Innovation and Technology Initiative (CiTi), an almost 20-year-old NGO focused on building digital skills and spurring entrepreneurship throughout Cape Town. CiTi launched the Barn two years ago to foster inclusive economic growth in the Township communities. Twelve years ago, Luvuyo Rani started his digital services business from the back of his car. Today, entrepreneurs like Luvuyo, can launch their business with the support, resources, and facilities offered by the Barn.

Continue reading at The Global Engagement Forum: Online. 

Tweet me:Building a Township Tech hub | Part II: @sap4good Partners to Shape Cape Town’s Future @PYXERAglobal #GEFonline http://bit.ly/2nJVYAH

KEYWORDS: Responsible Business & Employee Engagement, Innovation & Technology, SAP, PYXERA Global, GEFonline, Global Engagement Forum: Online, tech, africa

SOURCE:FSG

DESCRIPTION:

Read the Report>

$9 Billion Dollars

That's how much voluntary entry-level turnover cost the U.S. retail industry in 2016. And turnover rates are rising across industries from healthcare to banking.

Investing in the retention and advancement of your entry-level workforce provides significant benefits to your business—financially, competitively, and culturally. In Investing in Entry-Level Talent: Retention Strategies that Work, we highlight 4 key strategies practiced by companies with track records of success.

Find out how:

• Gap Inc. doubled retention rates
• Southwest Airlines achieved a 2-5% turnover rate
• Cigna's tuition reimbursement program produced a 129% return on investment

When companies invest in the retention and advancement of their entry-level employees, they can improve business outcomes and ultimately contribute to a more economically vibrant and equitable society.

This research was funded by Walmart for the benefit of nonprofits, workforce organizations, and employers.

Read the Report >

Tweet me:Investing in Entry-Level Talent: #Retention Strategies that Work http://bit.ly/2pdWLHh @fsgtweets @walmart #HR #Recruitment

KEYWORDS: Diversity & Inclusion, Millennials, impact hiring, entry-level retention, FSG

SOURCE:Comcast Corporation

DESCRIPTION:

The lasting impression volunteering leaves is often told through the account of one person spending their time making a difference for another. One person showing up on one day could make all the difference in someone else’s life.

This was certainly true for police in Italy, who cooked a meal for an elderly, lonely couple, or this basketball star, who shared lunch with an autistic boy, as it was true for Harry Behrens, a Comcast NBCUniversal employee who built an entire sustainable community farm after a chance encounter with a hungry neighbor.

Rarely, though, do these actions grow to be an entire movement lasting over a decade with tens of thousands of people involved. But that’s what Comcast NBCUniversal has done with its annual celebration of year-round volunteerism. What started with 200 employees in Philadelphia who wanted to take action on the issues in their own backyard is now the largest single day corporate volunteer effort in the US.

Global Citizen spoke with David L. Cohen, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer at Comcast Corporation, to learn more about the history of this massive day of giving back, and its lasting impact.

GC: How has Comcast Cares Day grown since you joined Comcast?

Cohen: It’s really an amazing evolution. In 1996, about 200 Comcast employees volunteered as part of Philadelphia Cares Day. After seeing how much volunteerism resonated with employees in our company’s hometown, Comcast Cares Day in its current form launched in 2001. From then on, it just kept growing. This year, which will be our 16th Comcast Cares Day, we expect to have more than 100,000 volunteers at about 900 projects in more than a dozen countries around the globe. And by joining with Global Citizen and Red Nose Day, we can also amplify the impact of volunteerism to millions of people and help make the world better.

GC: What is the effect of this day throughout the year for Comcast?

Cohen: The idea behind Comcast Cares Day is really rooted in the values of our company founder, Ralph Roberts. Ralph founded Comcast more than 50 years ago, and he always felt strongly that if we do business in local communities, we should give back to those local communities. Of course, while we come together each year on Comcast Cares Day, our efforts to help our communities goes on year-round, from mentoring children to making technology more accessible, Comcast Cares Day really exemplifies our organization at its best, and represents how our employees care 365 days a year. I think Comcast Cares Day is the best day of the year for our employees, and for our company.

GC: What is your most memorable moment from a volunteering experience through Comcast Cares Day?

Cohen: At my first Comcast Cares Day, I joined a group of employees at the YMCA in Chester, a struggling community outside of Philadelphia. We painted a mural and installed a technology lab for after-school and adult education programs. A few weeks later, I was talking to a group of former AT&T Broadbandemployees who had just joined the company about that visit. Afterwards, a woman came up to me and shared how important that same YMCA was to her family, as a safe haven in her community when she was growing up. She told me, with tears in her eyes, how proud she was to work for a company that was doing so much to help the community where she had grown up. That has stayed with me over the years, and I can share dozens and dozens of more stories just like it.

GC: What can other companies learn from Comcast Cares Day?

Cohen: To us, Comcast Cares Day is an opportunity for everyone in our company – from our executives to our frontline employees to our NBCUniversal cameramen and women – to work side by side and directly connect with our communities and customers on a personal level. For our employees, it is a chance for their real families to meet their work families. It’s also one of the important ways we build relationships with local community organizations, helping us stay connected to our roots, and true to Ralph’s values.

GC: As Comcast Cares Day continues to grow, what is your hope for it?

Cohen: Everywhere I go throughout the year, I hear from our employees and so many other volunteers about the positive change we’ve made by improving schools, revitalizing parks and playgrounds, supporting our troops, and so much more. Comcast Cares Day has helped make that happen. It has truly become an annual tradition for thousands of people – our employees, their families and friends, and our community partners. It’s a tradition that makes real impact, and I look forward to its continuation for years to come.

To volunteer during Comcast Cares Day, visit comcastinthecommunity.com and sign up for a project that interests you.

Go here to learn more about Comcast Cares Day.

Tweet me:#DavidLCohen @comcast shares the story behind #ComcastCaresDay and its evolution with @GlblCtzn http://comca.st/2osymQi

KEYWORDS: Social Impact & Volunteering, Responsible Business & Employee Engagement, comcast, comcast cares day, global citizen

Director of patient insights and CFO of global healthcare for Sodexo share three key learnings with attendees of Becker’s Hospital Review 8th Annual Meeting

SOURCE:Sodexo, Inc.

DESCRIPTION:

GAITHERSBURG, Md., April 14, 2017 /3BL Media/ - Sodexo, world leader in Quality of Life services, hosts a discussion forum for healthcare leaders on patient experience management at the Becker’s Hospital Review 8^th Annual Meeting on April 18^th, in Chicago, Ill.  Leveraging expertise developed in working with nearly 3,000 healthcare providers, Sodexo executives will discuss key learnings on how to enhance patient experience and drive patient value through more strategic data collection, careful attention to operational details and quality patient interactions.

The annual conference is hosted by Becker Healthcare, a leading source of business and legal information for healthcare industry leaders. It brings together hospital business and strategy leaders to discuss how hospitals can improve in a changing environment. A platinum sponsor of the event, Sodexo will convene a discussion forum led by Alison Saine, Sodexo’s global healthcare director of patient insights and Dan Bueschel, Sodexo’s CEO for healthcare in North America. They also will explain patient experience management as an integrated service model to drive efficiency and effectiveness.

“We believe that driving patient value at each touch point across the care continuum is critical to making a meaningful impact,” says Saine. “An organization's support services team must be able to leverage every interaction with patients to drive their perception of care, thus giving clinicians and staff the ability to own and improve clinical care outcomes.”

The discussion forum attendees will hear first-hand accounts of how Sodexo’s innovative approach to capture ongoing patient feedback through individualized patient interactions moves beyond surveys or rounds. Sodexo utilizes a proprietary, holistic approach that adapts the pillars of culture, measurement and drive to translate feedback into actionable insights quickly for immediate impact.

Separately, Sodexo’s chief financial officer for global healthcare, Christophe Lamarsaude, will speak on a panel called Key Issues for CFOs Today. This year’s conference runs from April 17 through April 20, 2017.

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:#Sodexo #healthcare shares learnings on improving #PatientExperience @BeckersHR 8th Annual Meeting #BeckersHR17 http://bit.ly/2oyVwUE

Contact Info:

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

KEYWORDS: Health & Healthcare, Sodexo

SOURCE:Rebuilding Together

DESCRIPTION:

According to the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University, less than four percent of single-family homes have three of the most critical accessibility features of universal design, which includes zero-step entrances, extra-wide hallways and single-floor living. Rebuilding Together affiliates nationwide are working to make homes safer and more accessible for homeowners. Find out more: http://bit.ly/1Yb8mBa

Tweet me:Less than 4% of homes have 3 of the most critical accessibility features of universal design http://bit.ly/2ouE3eo #RebuildingMonth

KEYWORDS: Social Impact & Volunteering, Diversity & Inclusion, rebuilding together, National Rebuilding Month, Healthy homes

Whirlpool employees find ways to raise money for Relay for Life

SOURCE:Whirlpool Corporation

DESCRIPTION:

by Tony Witkowski

Larry Ward climbs mountains to combat cancer.

In the last five years, he and his team – who refer to themselves as Climbing for Cancer – have reached the top of the tallest mountains in nearly all 50 states.

Tweet me:.@WhirlpoolCorp employees find ways to raise money for Relay for Life: http://bit.ly/2ov7FZ1

KEYWORDS: Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives, Health & Healthcare, whirlpool, Cancer, Herald Palladium

SOURCE:Points of Light

DESCRIPTION:

Ethan Zohn and Lisa Heywood Zohn kicked-off their marriage with a humanitarian mission to aid Syrian refugees in Northern Greece, raising $45,000 to support a large refugee camp. Ethan, known for his third-season win on CBS’s Survivor reality series, shares how that trip left an impression far more meaningful than honeymooning on a sandy beach every could.

In a small canvas tent inside a warehouse in Vasilika, Greece, five shoeless Americans silently huddled with an 8-year-old Syrian refugee and her mother. We were hiding from the Greek police, who had officially banned foreign visitors from entering the refugee camp, inhabited by 1,200 people stranded here after fleeing their countries. Beside me, my wife of three months, Lisa, was shaking with fear; we’d learned that we would be arrested if found inside, but we couldn’t resist visiting the “home” of our new friend, Helena. Thankfully, we had already made some friends among the refugees, and they hid the five sets of shoes we had politely removed before entering Helena’s tent. When the police finally passed us by, we were smuggled out the back way through a ragged hole in a chain link fence. My wife turned to me and said, half kidding, “I could be on a beach right now, but I married you!”

The term honeymoon typically conjures images of beautiful beaches, swinging hammocks and champagne glasses clinking with the sun setting on the horizon. Our honeymoon was none of those things. We certainly could have been on a beach, but we wanted to do something a little different. After our amazing wedding celebration, we felt the best way to show our gratitude for the well wishes, generous gifts, and our fair share of attention, was to do something to spread all the love that we received.

Since winning “Survivor” and surviving a rare form of cancer, my life has been laser focused on helping to make happiness real for others. I have been fortunate enough to travel the planet and immerse myself in many different humanitarian efforts, and I wanted to share my love for service and volunteerism with my wife. To see each other in a new set of circumstances and a whole new light could only strengthen our vows.

I reached out to the crowdfunding platform Crowdrise to see if there were any opportunities to join an existing campaign. We were put in touch with the amazing Mallory Brown, who created the Crowdrise 24-Hour Impact Project. Mallory travels to a nation in need, sometimes working with a family, a child, or an entire village, and – using video and social media to communicate the issue at hand – raises funds to solve an immediate problem.

The next impact project was headed for Greece, to help Syrians living in a refugee camp. Lisa and I were going along.

Read the rest of Ethan and Lisa’s story on the Points of Light blog.

Tweet me:Ethan & Lisa Zohn kicked-off their marriage with a humanitarian mission to aid Syrian #refugees: http://bit.ly/2ouUKGr #DailyPointofLight

KEYWORDS: Social Impact & Volunteering, Awards, Ratings & Rankings, Daily Point of Light, Points of Light, refugees

Wendy’s ups the ante by tweeting that they’ll donate $100,000 to the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption when Carter’s tweet breaks Ellen’s retweet record

SOURCE:The Wendy's Company

DESCRIPTION:

Last week, 16-year old Reno High School student Carter Wilkerson had a hankering for his favorite Wendy's Chicken Nuggets and proposed a bold idea when he tweeted:

"Yo @Wendy's how many retweets for a year of free chicken nuggets?"

@Wendys responded simply: "18 Million"… a lofty goal considering Ellen's Degeneres Oscars selfie, the most retweeted tweet in Twitter's history, has 3.2 million.

Undaunted by the challenge, Carter recruited his Twitter followers to help him make Twitter history. 

Since Wednesday, April 5, Carter's chicken nugget love has been retweeted more than 2.9 million times, making it the second most retweeted tweet in history.

The response has turned the teenager into a global hero on a mission that many are supporting with the hashtag #NuggsForCarter. The official brand accounts of Amazon, Microsoft, Google, LEGO and more have retweeted - along with celebrities and public personalities like Aaron Paul from Breaking Bad and Houston football player Duane Brown.

This nugget story got even more interesting when Ellen DeGeneres picked up on the media attention around Carter’s quest for nuggets and posed a challenge to Carter: who can get retweeted most!

On her Thursday show, she challenged everyone to help her maintain her status as the all-time retweet leader, while also helping Carter get his nuggets.

And, again, Wendy’s upped the ante by tweeting that they’ll donate $100,000 to the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption when Carter’s tweet break’s Ellen’s retweet record.

To help Carter surpass Ellen for the most retweeted tweet, retweet Carter’s tweet and you will help to raise $100,000 for children in foster care.

TEAM #NuggsForCarter

Tweet me:.@Wendy’s to donate $100K to @DTFA when @carterjwm breaks @TheEllenShow's retweet record http://bit.ly/2ouZSug #NuggsforCarter

KEYWORDS: Media & Communications, Cause Marketing, The Ellen Show, Ellen DeGeneres, Wendy's, Nuggs for Carter, Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption

Pirates star goes to bat for several area causes

SOURCE:Major League Baseball Players Trust

DESCRIPTION:

Pittsburgh Pirates All-Star outfielder, Andrew McCutchen, has become the face of the Pirates franchise over the course of his nine big league seasons.

‘Cutch’ took home the 2013 National League Most Valuable Player honors and has been elected to the NL All-Star team five times in his career, however, perhaps the most significant accolade he has received is the 2015 Roberto Clemente Award. The award, which shows a player’s sportsmanship, community involvement and contributions to his respective team, is voted on by the fans and members of the media.

While all winners of this award are certainly deserving of the recognition, McCutchen sets the bar high.  Find out why by clicking here.

Tweet me:.@Pirates #AllStar @TheCutch22 continues to make an impact on and off the field in #Pittsburgh http://bit.ly/2nNEsLJ

KEYWORDS: Social Impact & Volunteering, Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives, Baseball, Major League Baseball, MLB, MLBPA, union, Major League Baseball Players Association, giving back, player charities

SOURCE:AEG

DESCRIPTION:

Earlier today, AEG’s StubHub Center Foundation and LA Galaxy Foundation hosted the 11th Annual Easter Egg Hunt for more than 1,000 children and families from surrounding communities at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif.

The event took place at the StubHub Center Track & Field Stadium, where guests spent the afternoon hunting for Easter eggs with LA Galaxy II players and team mascot, Cozmo; in addition to LA Galaxy Star Squad members, the StubHub Center Street Team and the Easter Bunny, provided by Southbay Pavilion Mall.

Activities for the sold-out event included music by 102.3 KJLH, arts and crafts, face painting, a balloon artist, a visit from the LA County Fire Department - Engine Co. 116 fire truck, Southbay Pavilion Mall, Wildlife Learning Center, Ramp Tennis, City of Carson Kiwanis Club and Chancho’s Tacos Food Truck.

ABOUT STUBHUB CENTER

StubHub Center is southern California’s home of world-class competition and training facilities for amateur, Olympic, collegiate and professional athletes. Managed by AEG Facilities, the $150 million, privately financed facility was developed by AEG on a 125-acre site on the campus of California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) in Carson, California. StubHub Center features an 8,000-seat tennis stadium, a 27,167-seat stadium for soccer, football and other athletic competitions, outdoor concerts, a 2,000-seat facility for track & field and a 2,450-seat indoor Velodrome – the VELO Sports Center – for track cycling.  StubHub Center is home to Major League Soccer’s LA Galaxy, the five-time MLS Cup Champions. StubHub Center is also home to the United States Tennis Association’s (USTA) High-Performance Training Center, the national team training headquarters for the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) and EXOS, an international training center for elite and professional athletes. For additional information, please visit www.stubhubcenter.com.

ABOUT THE STUBHUB CENTER FOUNDATION

StubHub Center Foundation a 501c(3) organization was established to provide financial and in-kind support for educational, recreational and social service programs which improve the lives of young people in the Greater Southern California region. The foundation has a particular focus on serving the area immediately surrounding StubHub Center, located in the City of Carson. The StubHub Center staff spends countless hours giving back to our community every year through programs, events, scholarships, and youth ticket donations.

ABOUT LA GALAXY FOUNDATION

The Los Angeles Galaxy Foundation (LAGF), the official non-profit of the LA Galaxy, strives to serve the community in which the team works and plays. Through soccer programming that promotes inclusion for all athletes, education opportunities, and a strong spirit of volunteerism LAGF is proud to facilitate over 150 events annually and has donated over $3.5 million dollars to support the local Los Angeles community. For additional information, please visit www.lagalaxy.com

Tweet me:.@aegworldwide’s StubHub Center Foundation & LA Galaxy Foundation host 11th Annual Easter Egg Hunt @StubHubCenter http://bit.ly/2pBInrp

KEYWORDS: Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives, Events, Media & Communications, AEG, StubHub Center, StubHub Center Foundation, LA Galaxy, LA Galaxy Foundation, Easter Bunny, Easter Egg Hunt, StubHub Center Track & Field Stadium, Cozmo

SOURCE:AEG

DESCRIPTION:

Earlier today, AEG’s President of the LA Kings, Luc Robitaille, addressed community leaders and elected officials from every region of Los Angeles at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles as the keynote speaker of the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles’ 59th Annual Good Friday Breakfast.

Robitaille, who learned to swim at the YMCA in Montreal, emphasized the importance of teamwork and character in developing players and staff and reiterated his excitement for the Kings’ partnership with the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles.

Through the partnership, over the next five years, the Kings will donate $1 million to the Los Angeles Chapter of the YMCA. As part of the donation, the team, with the support of Delta Airlines, will distribute 5,000 hockey sticks into the hands of local youth.

Robitaille was praised for the Kings’ work in the community since the announcement of the partnership in October 2016. Kicking off the New Year, the National Hockey League (NHL) and Los Angeles Kings unveiled state-of-the-art renovations to the Crenshaw Family YMCA as part of the 2017 NHL® All-Star Legacy Project in January. 

Renovations included a brand new STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) Lab featuring desks, computers, interactive floor projector video game and LA Kings-themed locker room wall; while the Youth Activity Center, Multi-Purpose Room, and Teen Resource Center also received upgrades with new amenities.

Tweet me:.@LAKings President #LucRobitaille honored as keynote speaker at @YMCALA 59th Annual Good Friday Breakfast http://bit.ly/2ozZf48

KEYWORDS: Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives, Social Impact & Volunteering, AEG, LA Kings, Los Angeles Kings, NHL, Luc Robitaille, YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles, Good Friday

SOURCE:Fair Trade USA

DESCRIPTION:

At Fair Trade USA we have long worked with a diverse range of stakeholders to deliver on our mission to empower farmers and workers around the world. Beyond the producer organizations at the heart of our movement we work with governments, traders, companies, NGOs, foundations, advocacy organizations and a wide range of committed and energized individuals who share our goals in support of justice and sustainability in coffee.

Recently a new ally, the Sustainable Coffee Challenge, has emerged to help build a shared space for organizations to come together, share lessons and build a vision for coffee to become the world’s first sustainable agricultural commodity. This new effort comes at a time when coffee farmers are facing challenges on all fronts – from climate change induced diseases to historically low market prices. Amid these converging difficulties collaboration and renewed commitment are paramount to build real, sustainable change for coffee producers caught in the middle.

We are proud to be joining the Sustainable Coffee Challenge as work begins to develop frameworks for collaboration and a shared vision for the industry. In the coming months and years we will continue to support this effort through a number of avenues, including (as a start) the convening of a collective action network exploring sourcing as a platform for progress at the upcoming Global Specialty Coffee Expo in Seattle.

Stay tuned as we continue with our work to support coffee farmers and workers through collaborative efforts like the Sustainable Coffee Challenge. Meanwhile we encourage you to act by regularly purchasing Fair Trade Certified™ coffee – remember you have the power to vote with your dollar to support responsible companies, empower farmers & workers, and protect the environment. 

Tweet me:Can #coffee become the world’s first sustainable ag product? @ConservOrg #SustainableCoffeeChallenge #fairtrade http://bit.ly/2ouRk6F

Contact Info:

Elise Segars
Fair Trade USA
esegars@fairtradeusa.org

KEYWORDS: Sustainable Development Goals, Responsible Production & Consumption, Fair Trade USA, fair trade, Fair Trade Certified

Volunteers protecting our parks for future generations

SOURCE:Cox Enterprises

DESCRIPTION:

For many people, their happiest childhood memories were experienced at a community park or local playground. Parks and outdoor recreation play a significant role in early childhood development as well as the overall well-being of our eco-system. However, park care and maintenance is an ongoing effort that relies heavily on the involvement of community stewards. The Cox Conserves Heroes are volunteers across the nation – many of who dedicate their resources towards maintenance and improvement of parks, playgrounds and other outdoor spaces in their various communities. Here are five Cox Conserves Heroes who champion efforts towards creating and preserving our nation’s parks.

Angel Poventud, Atlanta’s 2010 Cox Conserves Hero, is an avid volunteer who utilizes his grassroots network to advocate environmental movements and inspire others to become involved. His weekends are spent working on BeltLine clean-up projects and helping the group convert abandoned rail corridors into parks. When not volunteering for the BeltLine, he can be found planting and mulching with Trees Atlanta. Watch his video.

Heidi Ketler, Virginia’s 2015 Cox Conserves Hero, has volunteered more than 2,000 hours with the Blue Ridge Parkway by clearing trails, cleaning overlooks and building community connections. She has engaged more than 200 volunteers and helped remove more than 2,500 pounds of trash and 1,800 pounds of recyclables from the Parkway. Watch her video.

Barbara Palan, California’s 2013 Cox Conserves Hero, has worn a broad range of hats, from answering phones and serving as a native plant docent to leading hikes and planting trees. Barbara is a member of the River Rescue team and San Diego River Park Foundation volunteer corps. Watch her video.

Linda Cotten-Taylor, Atlanta’s 2016 Cox Conserves Hero, believes that park maintenance and improvement is everyone’s duty versus just a few individuals. She brought this belief to life by securing funding to make improvements at Chapel Hill Park that include a playground, fishing pier, fitness stations and signage. In addition to being the park’s lead fundraiser, she facilitates volunteer cleanups and works with the Parks Department on security issues. Watch her video.

Chris Clifford, Virginia’s 2011 Cox Conserves Hero, created new fields and park amenities for Gloucester residents to enjoy. Chris helped construct fifteen athletic fields at local schools and parks, as well as a park entrance road and a wildlife habitat pond. After building the fields, he recruited volunteers to help seed, fertilize and cut the grass to maintain the areas. Watch his video.

Created in partnership between Cox Enterprises and The Trust for Public Land, Cox Conserves Heroes recognizes environmental volunteers and makes donations to local nonprofits on their behalf. The public nominates volunteers using a brief online form. Next, a panel of local environmental leaders selects three finalists who are profiled on video. The public then watches the videos, gets inspired and votes for their favorite. It's our way of honoring the unsung heroes in our communities and supporting the organizations that matter to them.

Cox Conserves Heroes takes place in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Virginia and Washington.

The program is part of Cox Enterprises national Cox Conserves sustainability program, which is celebrating its 10^th anniversary.

Tweet me:#CoxConservesHeroes are protecting #parks 4 future generations #NationalParkWeek http://bit.ly/2oswM09

KEYWORDS: Social Impact & Volunteering, Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives, Cox Conserves, Cox Conserves Heroes, environment, parks, playgrounds, community

SOURCE:PepsiCo

DESCRIPTION:

See what PepsiCo is doing to help bring relief to the families of Flint, Michigan.

Tweet me:.@PepsiCo Supports the Flint, MI Community. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=et5CwqP7PdE

KEYWORDS: Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives, Environment, Pepsico, performance with purpose, water, Flint

The methodology that brings people together around challenges in the commons

SOURCE:PYXERA Global

DESCRIPTION:

The CollaborateUp Formula for forming, managing, and scaling partnerships outlines the deliberative steps needed to approach multi-stakeholder challenges for which there are no obvious responsible parties. The Formula combines a wealth of partnership-building experience, adapted rapid development tools, and elements of the Lean Startup methodology, to give practitioners the agility to identify and pursue a path forward, no matter the context.

The challenges in the commons are particularly problematic because they have no discrete, or readily apparent, owner. Although all members of an impacted community will benefit from a solution, coordinating among diverse stakeholders and determining who does (and perhaps pays for) which aspects of the solution can be a non-starter. Nevertheless, in these cases, a participatory process yields the sustainable solution. So, what is the Formula? While each challenge is distinct and each partnership unique, CollaborateUp uses a step-by-step process to facilitate implementation and improve the all-important trust needed to achieve desired outcomes.

Continue reading at The Global Engagement Forum: Online.

Tweet me:The methodology that brings people together around challenges in the commons @CollaborateUp @rjcrespin @PYXERAglobal http://bit.ly/2nKlQw8

KEYWORDS: Events, Media & Communications, Education, Collaborate Up, Engagement, Partnership, PYXERA Global, learning

Call for nominations; $20,000 to be donated to local environmental nonprofits

SOURCE:Cox Enterprises

DESCRIPTION:

SEATTLE, April 17, 2017 /3BL Media/ — KIRO 7, in partnership with The Trust for Public Land, today launched Seattle’s 2017 Cox Conserves Heroes program to honor local environmental volunteers.

Nominations for volunteers who are creating, preserving or enhancing outdoor spaces are being accepted at CoxConservesHeroes.com and Kiro7.com through 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT on May 22^nd.   

Eligibility Criteria

• Nominee’s activity creates, protects and/or beautifies an outdoor community space; 
• Nominee’s activity is done on a volunteer basis and is not part of his or her paid employment;
• Nominee’s activity inspires others to engage in community conservation.

Local judging panels, comprised of civic and environmental leaders, will select three finalists who then compete to be named Seattle’s 2017 Cox Conserves Hero. The winner, chosen through an online public vote, will receive $10,000 to donate to his or her selected nonprofit beneficiary. The two finalists each will receive $5,000 for their nonprofits of choice.

Nonprofit of Choice Criteria

• The organization must be a public 501(c)(3).
• The organization’s efforts must focus on environmental improvement.

Seattle’s Cox Conserves Heroes Timeline:

• Nominations:  April 17 – May 22^nd.
• Voting:  July - August
• Winner Announcement: Late August

Mike Town, Gary Colley, Jan Holmes, Laura James, and Helen Hoenig are previous recipients of Seattle’s Cox Conserves Heroes award. 

As either a finalist or winner’s nonprofit of choice, the following Washington organizations have received financial support from the Cox Conserves Heroes program: Carkeek Watershed Community Action Project, EarthCorps, Forest Fire Lookout Association – Western Washington, Greater Metro Parks Foundation, Green Tacoma Partnership, King Conservation District, Metro Parks of Tacoma, Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust, North Olympic Land Trust, Northwest Trek Foundation, Sustainable West Seattle, Washington Wilderness Coalition, Thornton Creek Restoration, Keep Island Lake Clean, Good Neighbor Garden Project, Fauntleroy Creek Restoration, Whidbey Camano Land Trust, Puget Creek Restoration Society, Plant Amnesty, King Conservation District and WSU Island County Beach Watchers.

Cox Conserves Heroes was created through a partnership between The Trust for Public Land and Cox Enterprises, the parent company of KIRO 7, to honor local conservation volunteers. 

The national Cox Conserves Heroes program has donated nearly $800,000 to environmental nonprofits, and nearly 200 volunteers have been honored. Cox Conserves Heroes also takes place in Arizona, California, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts and Virginia and is part of the company’s national Cox Conserves sustainability program that is celebrating its 10^th anniversary.

For more information, visit CoxConservesHeroes.com or Facebook.

Social Media: #CoxConservesHeroes and #CoxConservesHero

About KIRO 7 and Cox Media Group:

KIRO 7 is part of the Cox Media Group, an integrated broadcasting, publishing, direct marketing and digital media company. The company’s operations currently include 14 broadcast television stations and one local cable channel, more than 60 radio stations, six daily newspapers and more than a dozen non-daily publications; and more than 100 digital sites and services, like Rare.us, Clark.com, Dawg Nation, SEC Country, Hookem.com, and All22. Additionally, CMG operates the National Advertising Platform businesses of CoxReps - the country’s biggest television rep firm - Gamut, and Videa. CMG currently operates in more than 20 media markets and reaches approximately 52 million Americans weekly, including more than 31 million TV viewers, more than 3.5 million newspaper readers, and more than 14 million radio listeners.  For more information about KIRO 7 and Cox Media Group, please check us out online at kiro7.com and www.coxmediagroup.com

About The Trust for Public Land:

The Trust for Public Land creates parks and protects land for people, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come.  Millions of people live within a one-half mile walk of a Trust for Public Land park, garden, or natural area, and millions more visit these sites every year.  To support The Trust for Public Land and share why nature matters to you, visit www.tpl.org.

About Cox Conserves:

Launched in 2007 by Chairman Jim Kennedy, Cox Conserves is Cox Enterprises' national sustainability program. Cox Conserves focuses on reducing waste and energy consumption, as well as conserving water. The program engages each of the company's major subsidiaries (Cox Communications, Cox Automotive and Cox Media Group) and encourages Cox Enterprises' 60,000 employees and their families to engage in eco-friendly practices.

Media Contacts

• KIRO 7: Jill Wiggins, 206-728-2375, jwiggins@kiro7.com
• Cox Enterprises: Joanna Coker, 678-645-7318, joanna.coker@coxinc.com 
• The Trust for Public Land: Kristen Anderson, 415-495-4014, kristen.anderson@tpl.org

Tweet me:.@KIRO7Seattle, @tpl_org seek nominations for Seattle's #environmental #volunteers http://bit.ly/2nMKdtm #CoxConservesHeroes

KEYWORDS: Social Impact & Volunteering, Awards, Ratings & Rankings, KIRO7, cox media group, Cox Enterprises, volunteerism

Practicing Servant Leadership to Build Skills, Confidence, and Transformational Relationships

SOURCE:PYXERA Global

DESCRIPTION:

In our current political climate, characterized by confusion, vitriol, and disruption, practicing servant leadership is more important than ever. Servant leaders are those who place the needs of the group ahead of their own and use empathy to create environments in which everyone can thrive. At the PIMCO Foundation, this philosophy is visible in our volunteering initiatives and in the focus of our grant making. In our view, an ethos of caring for others is the cornerstone of healthy societies. We firmly believe that volunteering builds this spirit of community empowerment; it can be transformative. In my own experience, it has both moved and molded me. It has been my privilege to work with others who embody these same values.

One of the PIMCO Foundation’s philanthropic focus areas is gender equality, which coincides with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 to “Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.” We combine our approach of servant leadership with our passion to end gender inequality through active mentorship. Women are a powerful force for positive change, and in order to unlock their transformational potential, it’s imperative that we close the persistent gender gap prevalent in schools and the workplace.

Continue reading on The Global Engagement Forum: Online. 

Tweet me:Skating to Success in Harlem w/ @PIMCOfoundation http://bit.ly/2pekYgj @PYXERAglobal #GEFonline #Leadership #girls #mentorship #mentor

KEYWORDS: Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives, Diversity & Inclusion, Mentoring, Servant Leadership, Leadership, PIMCO, Pimco Foundation, PYXERA Global, women, girls

Company honors field force that maintains service for more than 3.5 million customers

SOURCE:National Grid

DESCRIPTION:

WALTHAM, Mass., April 17, 2017 /3BL Media/ – National Grid’s field workers are dedicated to providing reliable electric service to over 3.5 million customers in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and upstate New York. In the aftermath of storms and other emergencies they work diligently to restore power as quickly and safely as possible. Because of their unwavering efforts and commitment to customers, National Grid is proud to recognize the field force on National Lineman Appreciation Day, which falls on April 18. 

“We are proud of the men and women who work in the field to bring energy to life safely and reliably for the customers we serve,” said John Bruckner, senior vice president of US Operations at National Grid. “Many times they also act as first responders in emergencies, working hand-in-hand with public safety officials to protect the public. The commitment of our field force is certainly deserving of such recognition.”

Thousands of National Grid field employees maintain and repair overhead and underground electric lines and substations and perform a host of other essential functions that enable electricity delivery to residential and business customers to power virtually every aspect of their daily lives. They are central to maintaining over 100,000 miles of transmission and distribution lines covering a service area of over 25,000 square miles.  

The US Senate passed a resolution (S. Res. 95) in 2013 designating April 18 as National Lineman Appreciation Day to honor the “brave men and women who protect public safety.” Some organizations, such as the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), recognize the day by celebrating it on the second Monday of April each year.

For more information please visit the Lineman Appreciation Day website and click here to view a video celebrating the historic work done by our nation’s line workers.

About National Grid

National Grid (LSE: NG; NYSE: NGG) is an electricity and natural gas delivery company that connects over 20 million people to vital energy sources through its networks in New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. It is the largest distributor of natural gas in the Northeast. National Grid also operates the systems that deliver gas and electricity across Great Britain.

Through its U.S. Connect21 strategy, National Grid is transforming its electricity and natural gas networks to support the 21^st century digital economy with smarter, cleaner, and more resilient energy solutions. Connect21 is vital to our communities' long-term economic and environmental health and aligns with regulatory initiatives in New York (REV: Reforming the Energy Vision) and Massachusetts (Grid Modernization).

For more information please visit our website: www.nationalgridus.com, or our Connecting website. You can also follow us on Twitter, watch us on You Tube, Friend us on Facebook and find our photos on Instagram.

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MEDIA CONTACT: 781-907-3980 

Tweet me:.@nationalgridus recognizes the field force on National Lineman Appreciation Day http://bit.ly/2ov9sgD on 4.18

KEYWORDS: Events, Media & Communications, National Lineman Appreciation Day, National Grid, csr, National Grid’s field workers

SOURCE:Habitat for Humanity

DESCRIPTION:

Neryann and Javier had long dreamed of someday having a stable place where their kids could make memories and relish their childhoods. They now have that place.

“I think having a house has helped them a lot — having space to do their homework and having stability,” Neryann says. “They like the kitchen, the living room, all of it. We all love it.”

After moving from Puerto Rico a decade ago, Neryann and her family uprooted four times before becoming Habitat for Humanity Pinellas County homeowners, in Florida. At their last rental, she and her husband, Javier, slept in a bedroom that had once been a garage. It had no heat, so the couple slept in the living room when the weather turned cold.

“I remember when we first got to our lot,” Neryann says. Her children each planted themselves in a different corner of their future house. “They were just so happy to know that we were building our home, that we were a part of it,” she says.

The children, Yandell, Janerys and Jarelys, and Carlos, are even happier now that they have moved into their new house. And so is Neryann. It’s hard to keep such a busy house spick-and-span, she says, but she keeps trying. “I clean all the time. I want to keep it like new.”

“We have so many dreams, and one of them is having not only a house where our kids will build experiences, but a place where our grandkids will come visit someday. Our dream is a house that is a home.”

Tweet me:#HomeIsTheKey to stability for Carlos and his family http://bit.ly/2nOIvUM @Habitat_org

KEYWORDS: Social Impact & Volunteering, Habitat for Humanity, Pinellas County, home is the key

Edison Electric Institute (EEI) award recognizes excellence in service to national leading chain store and multi-site companies

SOURCE:Avista Utilities

DESCRIPTION:

April 17, 2017 /3BL Media/ - Avista recently received the Edison Electric Institute’s 2017 National Key Accounts Award for Outstanding Customer Service. The award is given to electric companies that provide superior service to national, multi-site energy customers. Avista was one of only eight recipients chosen by customers in a nationwide open-ballet process. Ann Carey, Avista national account executive, accepted the award on behalf of the company.  

Over 700 companies, encompassing a variety of industries—including national brands such as Microsoft, Walmart, Staples, Marriott Hotels and Costco—were eligible to nominate and vote for utilities that go “above and beyond their expectations.” They were then asked to rate those selected companies on important traits, including innovative offerings, ease of incentive programs, and appropriate communications and customer support before, during, and after outages. Most of the voting companies are in at least 48 states and work with hundreds of different utilities.

“To be one of the few utilities in the country receiving this award is a real honor,” said Dennis Vermillion, president of Avista Utilities, “and an acknowledgment of the incredible service our employees provide to our customers.” 

Visit avistautilities.com to learn more about Avista.

Tweet me:.@AvistaUtilities receives national utility customer service award http://bit.ly/2oz3RaM

KEYWORDS: Awards, Ratings & Rankings, Avista, Energy, Utility, Customer Service, EEI, key accounts