SOURCE:United Nations Global Compact

SUMMARY:

The following is an article by Lise Kingo, CEO & Executive Director, UN Global Compact published on 18 August 2017 on Huffington Post.

DESCRIPTION:

In her 1958 address to the United Nations in New York, Eleanor Roosevelt posed what she called "the great question," saying:

Where, after all, do universal rights begin? In small places, close to home — so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person; the neighborhood he lives in; the school or college he attends; the factory, farm or office where he works. Such are the places where every man, woman, and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination. Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere.

The recent display of racism, bigotry and violence in the city of Charlottesville, Virginia last weekend has raised alarms and drawn condemnation from large swaths of society, from human rights groups and academics to business leaders and concerned citizens. As a group of United Nations human rights experts rightly observed, this disturbing anti-diversity demonstration was only the latest in a string of examples of increased racial tensions and xenophobia in the United States.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres noted to journalists during a press conference this week that this trend transcends borders, saying that “racism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism or Islamophobia are... poisoning our societies,” and that “it is absolutely essential for us all to stand up against them everywhere and every time.”

There was widespread rebuke of the tactics and ideology of the white supremacist protesters in Charlottesville from CEOs and business leaders in the United States. The lack of condemnation from the US Government also drew strong criticism, including from CEOs on the now-disbanded US economic council, several of whom lead companies that participate in the United Nations Global Compact. Before the disbanding, several CEOs of UN Global Compact companies made the decision to step down from the council, citing anti-discrimination concerns, including Kenneth Frazier (Merck), Brian Krzanich (Intel), Denise Morrison (Campbell Soup) and Inge Thulin (3M).

Companies like these who join the UN Global Compact, an organization I am proud and honoured to lead, commit to Ten Principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. The UN Global Compact’s human rights principles are derived from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, of which Eleanor Roosevelt played an instrumental role in drafting. When she gave her “great question” speech, it was nearly 10 years since the proclamation of the monumental Declaration. Now, nearly 70 years since its adoption, the UN Global Compact continues to support companies around the world in meeting their minimum responsibilities to respect human rights.

Business leaders know that diversity and inclusion are the way forward. From driving growth and innovation to promoting better decision-making and enhancing employee engagement, diversity and inclusion improve overall corporate performance. Further, leaders know their employees, customers and shareholders expect it of them.

As a former business executive, it comes as no surprise to me that CEOs are calling out discrimination and making the case for social cohesion. I applaud the business leaders who, in public and in private, are standing up for human rights by disavowing racism and intolerance. Just as importantly, they are also educating their audiences about these issues and integrating solutions into their business models. Rather than simply criticizing, they are actually fostering the change we need.

While Governments bear the responsibility of protecting individuals against human rights abuses, we are living in times where the business community is being called upon to do more. In our role as the United Nation’s centrepiece for responsible business action, the UN Global Compact is increasing our capacity to support companies everywhere in standing up for human rights. As Eleanor noted in her “great question,” the beginning of universal rights is in the small places. We all need to be doing our part to amplify non-discrimination and equality, and to lead as living answers to this timeless question. 

Tweet me:How can CEOs answer this timeless #humanrights question? Read the new blog post by UN @globalcompact's @Lise_Kingo http://bit.ly/2wqj9Ul

Contact Info:

Margaret Fenwick
UN Global Compact
+1 (646) 884-7531
mfenwick@unglobalcompact.org
@globalcompact
www.facebook.com/unglobalcompact
www.linkedin.com/company/united-nations-global-compact

KEYWORDS: Responsible Business & Employee Engagement, Diversity & Inclusion, UN Global Compact, Global Compact, Human Rights, equality, Lise Kingo

SOURCE:Voya Financial, Inc.

DESCRIPTION:

August 21, 2017 /3BL Media/ - Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA), announced today that Paul Gennaro, senior vice president of Brand and Corporate Communications, and chief communications officer (CCO), has been appointed to the board of directors of the US Business Leadership Network (USBLN). USBLN is a national nonprofit that helps the business community drive performance by leveraging disability inclusion in the workplace, supply chain and marketplace.

Paul serves on the board of the Ethisphere Institute and is chairman of its Communications Advisory Board. Additionally, he is a member of the board of advisors for the Emory Center of Ethics.

As an industry leader and advocate for greater retirement readiness, Voya Financial is committed to delivering on its vision to be America’s Retirement Company^® and its mission to make a secure financial future possible — one person, one family, one institution at a time.

¹ U.S. Census Bureau data and respondents’ self-identification.

MediaContact:

Nicole Vasile

Voya Financial

Cell: (860) 839-1589

nicole.vasile@voya.com

About Voya Financial®Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA), helps Americans plan, invest and protect their savings — to get ready to retire better. Serving the financial needs of approximately 13.6 million individual and institutional customers in the United States, Voya is a Fortune 500 company that had $11 billion in revenue in 2016. The company had $517 billion in total assets under management and administration as of June 30, 2017. With a clear mission to make a secure financial future possible — one person, one family, one institution at a time — Voya’s vision is to be America’s Retirement Company^®. Certified as a “Great Place to Work” by the Great Place to Work^® Institute, Voya is equally committed to conducting business in a way that is socially, environmentally, economically and ethically responsible and has been recognized as one of the 2017 World’s Most Ethical Companies^® by the Ethisphere Institute, as well as one of the Top Green Companies in the U.S., by Newsweek magazine. For more information, visit voya.com. Follow Voya Financial on Facebook and Twitter @Voya.

Tweet me:.@Voya Chief Communications Officer Paul Gennaro joins @USBLN board to advance #diversity in business community http://bit.ly/2wqv6JF

KEYWORDS: Social Impact & Volunteering, Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives, Nonprofit Boards, Corporate Responsibility, diversity, inclusion, disability, Disabilities, Special Needs, Voya Financial

Exploring Boeing's top environmental priorities

SOURCE:Boeing

DESCRIPTION:

**This is the 11th article in a series focusing on The Boeing Company's environmental performance and progress in 2016. Visit www.boeing.com/environment for more information.**

Boeing's products connect people, protect nations, explore space and sea and inspire the world. We are committed to making the world’s best airplanes with the smallest environmental footprint and working with industry stakeholders on climate protection.

Reducing the environmental impact of our products starts with good design. We strive to use lightweight materials such as composites, which make up half of the 787 Dreamliner’s primary structure, including the fuselage and wings. We integrate highly efficient engines and incorporate other engineering innovations on all of our airplanes to achieve superior aerodynamics.

Our talented employees design and build the world’s most fuel-efficient commercial aircraft. The 737 MAX reduces fuel use and carbon dioxide emissions by 20 percent compared with the original Next-Generation 737and has a 40 percent smaller noise footprint than today’s single-aisle airplanes. The fastest-selling airplane in Boeing’s history, the 737 MAX had its first deliveries in the spring of 2017.

The revolutionary 787 Dreamliner family improves fuel use 20 to 25 percent compared with the airplanes it replaces. The efficiencies are due to new engines, lightweight composite materials, more efficient systems applications and modern aerodynamics. The 787 Family has saved airlines more than 14 billion pounds (6.4 billion kilograms) of fuel since it was introduced in 2011.

Technologies on the 787 also ensure that no sound louder than 85 decibels—about the level of loud traffic heard from the side of the road—leaves the airport boundaries. The 500th Dreamliner was delivered in 2016 and the first 787-10, the largest model, rolled out in February 2017.

The 777X, which is on track to begin deliveries in 2020, will be the world’s largest and most efficient twin-engine jet. With 12 percent lower fuel consumption than competitor airplanes, the 777X will have the world’s largest composite wing, aerodynamic improvements and a highly efficient GE9X engine.

To speed up development of new technologies that enhance safety and reduce fuel use, emissions and noise, Boeing has completed four ecoDemonstrator flight-test programs since 2012. Some 60 technologies have been tested, most recently in 2016 aboard an Embraer E170 regional jet—the first such collaboration between two airplane manufacturers.

Tweet me:.@Boeing is committed to making the world's best airplanes with the smallest environmental footprint http://bit.ly/2sMuKuk

KEYWORDS: Innovation & Technology, Engineering, Boeing, csr, esg, environment report, ecodemonstrator

SOURCE:3BL Media, LLC

DESCRIPTION:

The socially responsible investment sector is recording unprecedented growth since the Trump administration took office. Since January, Morningstar, a fund-tracking firm, has logged a four-times increase in the use of ESG data in its cloud platform, a base for research by asset managers, advisory firms, and independent wealth managers.

In response to this rise in investor interest, fund companies have opened a dozen new open-end sustainable mutual funds and ETFs, adding to a total of nearly 200 such funds identified by Morningstar as sustainable financial products. The bottom line is rising, too, according to Barron’s.

Morningstar reports that 45% of ESG-focused large-cap blend funds beat the S&P 500 through June 30, compared with 28% percent of US large-cap blend funds overall. It seems that the responsible investment sector is taking its cues from bottom line results rather than from the Trump administration’s retrograde environmental policies. I’m John Howell for 3BL Media. 

Video source: Socially Responsible Investing Gets a Trump Bump

Tweet me: Socially Responsible Investing Gets a Trump Bump #CSRminute @3blmedia http://bit.ly/2xbrTua

KEYWORDS: Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment, Media & Communications, CSR Minute, 3bl Media

SOURCE:KeyBank

DESCRIPTION:

CLEVELAND, August 21, 2017 /3BL Media/ — KeyBank Real Estate Capital has arranged a $6.9 million FHA loan to Millennia Housing Development Ltd., for the substantial renovation of Sherman Thompson Towers Apartments, a 151-unit affordable seniors housing community, located in Ironton, OH. Each of the units are designated for residents earning 30-60% area median income (AMI).  The project was awarded tax credits by the Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA).

The property was built in 1978 and has a 15-year HAP contract that provides rental assistance to 150 of the 151 units.

Jeff Rodman of Key’s Commercial Mortgage Group and Kelly Frank of Key’s Community Development Lending (CDLI) group arranged the financing.

About Millennia Housing Development Ltd.

The Millennia Companies have years of experience in preserving and managing affordable housing for thousands of residents. The Millennia Companies have grown into an economically diverse organization with operations in eighteen states – Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan, Indiana, Iowa, Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and New York. Since 2004, MHD has developed over 7,000 apartment units with a majority of its projects being comprehensive renovation of the apartment communities. MHD has extensive experience as a HUD Developer and Principal, having financed over 3,900 units using HUD/FHA financing.

About Key Community Development Lending and Investment

KeyBank Community Development Lending and Investment (CDLI) helps fulfill Key’s purpose to help clients and communities thrive by financing projects that stabilize and revitalize communities. Experts in complex tax credit lending and investing, Key is one of a handful of affordable housing lenders in the country with a platform that brings together balance sheet, equity, and permanent loan offerings. CDLI has a substantial investment and loan portfolio worth more than $2 billion, 90% of which is Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) projects. For its ability to lend to, invest in, and serve its communities –especially low-to-moderate income communities – KeyBank has earned eight consecutive “Outstanding” ratings on the Community Reinvestment Act exam, from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

About KeyCorp

KeyCorp's roots trace back 190 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation's largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $135.8 billion at June 30, 2017. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, insurance, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of more than 1,200 branches and more than 1,500 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank is Member FDIC.

Contact: Laura Mimura, 216-471-2883 laura.mimura@key.com

Tweet me:KeyBank arranges $6.9 Million in #FHA financing for Ohio seniors #affordablehousing property http://bit.ly/2uZTXE9 @Key_B2B

KEYWORDS: Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment, #affordablehousing, affordable housing, keybank, CDLI, #KeyBank CDLI

SOURCE:Duke Energy

DESCRIPTION:

The self-healing system can automatically detect, isolate and reroute power when a problem occurs. This helps reduce the number of outages, decrease the duration of outages and can even help restore power in a matter of minutes. And the best part, this can be done before anyone reports a power outage.

This is third in a series of three videos explaining how the modernized smart grid will deliver benefits. 

Tweet me:Self-healing #technology means less power outages and faster energy restoration time http://bit.ly/2vhTQ1G @DukeEnergy #innovation

KEYWORDS: Energy, Utilities, Duke Energy, self-healing grid, sustainability, electricity

SOURCE:Bloomberg

DESCRIPTION:

Natalia Adler describes herself as a problem-solver, not a data scientist. When she came to work at UNICEF’s New York headquarters after seven years in Nicaragua and Mozambique, she joined the data research and policy division. “I immediately saw that, even though we do all sorts of data work, we were behind on the data science component,” says Adler, now a data, research, and policy manager at UNICEF (The United Nations Children’s Fund). “And if you want to make progress on that front, you need to access to big data – however, most relevant datasets sit with corporations.”

That insight has been the impetus for Adler to work on a project called data collaboratives, which seeks to better understand how private companies can share their data to help the public good. One of her partners in this initiative is Stefaan G. Verhulst, the co-founder and chief research and development officer of The Governance Lab at New York University’s Tandon School of Engineering, better known as The GovLab. Adler, like Verhulst, is a member of this year’s Program Committee for the Data for Good Exchange, which will take place at Bloomberg headquarters in New York on Sunday, September 24, 2017.

To read the full story, click here. 

Tweet me:Natalia Adler shares how UNICEF uses its data collaborative with @bloomberg to improve children's lives @technology http://bit.ly/2wqPv1j

KEYWORDS: Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives, Events, Media & Communications, d4gx, Bloomberg, bloomberglp, UNICEF, data for good, Tech at Bloomberg

Glen and Alisha Perkins are dedicated to making life better for those with mental illness

SOURCE:Major League Baseball Players Trust

DESCRIPTION:

Around the time of Major League pitcher Glen Perkins’ sixth annual Fifteen’s 5K charity race, the MinnesotaTwins’ veteran closer was nearing the finish line of a nearly 16-month rehabilitation process from major shoulder surgery.

“I’m in a better place mentally than I have been,” the three-time all-star said when he returned to Minneapolis the day before the Aug. 6 race. “I think for the first time in my rehab I’ve been pushing our medical and our front office to say, ‘Hey, let’s go.’ For a long time I didn’t feel good enough to take steps.”

The charity race itself focused on mental health. Proceeds from this year’s event went to the PrairieCare Child & Family Fund, which supports mental health innovations in education, services and research in the Twin Cities through community partnerships and health services innovations.

The race has become an annual summer highlight for fans in Minneapolis as well as Glen, who grew up in Stillwater, Minn., attended the University of Minnesota and has now pitched his entire 12-year MLB career with the Twins, who drafted him in the first round in 2004.

As is the case with a lot of causes with which players become involved, there was a personal connection. Alisha Perkins, Glen’s wife and the person who originally came up with the idea for the annual race, went public in early 2015 with her battle with an anxiety disorder she’s had since childhood.

A year ago, Alisha published a memoir called Running Home in which she chronicled the way she discovered her voice through running and mental health advocacy.

This year approximately 1,200 runners took part in the 8 am run that begins in downtown Minneapolis and finishes near home plate at Target Field. The Twins and Twin Cities in Motion supported the race and several teammates even participated in the event.

Eleven days later, on Thursday afternoon, the 34-year-old left-hander reached his goal by returning to the mound in the Twins’ loss to the Indians at Target Field.

Major Leaguers are #GoingToBat for causes near and dear to them, as they personify the Players Trust’s motto to ‘care, act and inspire.’ To learn more about the charitable interests and activities of Glen Perkins and other Major Leaguers, please click here.

Tweet me:.@glenperkins of @Twins & wife taking strides to improve lives of those w/ mental illness - #MLBPlayers #GoingToBat http://bit.ly/2v9utiM

KEYWORDS: Health & Healthcare, Events, Media & Communications, Major League Baseball Players Trust

$1 million grant funds new programs for students and teachers in 26 schools

SOURCE:Astellas

DESCRIPTION:

INDIANAPOLIS, August 22, 2017 /3BL Media/ – Project Lead The Way (PLTW), a national nonprofit organization that provides transformative educational experiences for K-12 students and teachers, announced today that 26 rural Illinois middle and high schools will begin new computer science, engineering and biomedical science-focused programs this school year, thanks to $1 million in multi-year grant funding made possible by Astellas USA Foundation.  

The grants are part of Astellas USA Foundation’s Rural Spark Project^TM which seeks to change STEM education in targeted rural areas for middle and high school students by supporting teacher training and exciting hands-on learning opportunities in the classroom and the community.

“Project Lead The Way is proud to partner with Astellas USA Foundation to ensure that students and teachers in Illinois’ rural communities have the same access to high-quality STEM education as their urban and suburban peers,” said PLTW President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Vince Bertram. “All students, regardless of race, gender, geography and socio-economic status, need a strong foundation in science and technology. With Astellas USA Foundation’s support, we will help ensure that all students have the in-demand knowledge and skills they need to thrive in our rapidly evolving world.” 

PLTW’s programs in computer science, engineering and biomedical science engage students in hands-on, real-world learning opportunities that empower them to develop essential, in-demand knowledge and skills, while also providing them with real-world connections between what they learn in the classroom and how it applies to the paths they’ll take in the future. Grants made possible by Astellas USA Foundation support implementation of the PLTW Gateway program for middle schools and the PLTW Computer Science, PLTW Engineering and PLTW Biomedical Science programs for high schools.

Access to these types of experiences is critically important as opportunities abound for students, with jobs in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields expected to grow at a rate double those of other fields. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects more than 1.3 million job openings in math and computer-related fields by 2022.

“Since 2015, Astellas USA Foundation has supported STEM programming in over 53,700 schools nationwide. Through the Rural Spark Project, Astellas USA Foundation is impacting young minds by providing STEM-related learning not currently available in their communities,” said Moyra Knight, Astellas USA Foundation president. “By working with Project Lead The Way, we’re able to offer students today the type of skills and thinking needed to become the scientists, mathematicians or coders of tomorrow.”

Grant funds will cover program fees, classroom equipment and supplies, as well as teacher professional development. Each school sent teachers to training this summer to prepare to implement PLTW this school year.

The following 26 schools received grant funding to start a total of 32 PLTW programs:

Project Lead The Way (PLTW) is a nonprofit organization that provides a transformative learning experience for K-12 students and teachers across the U.S. PLTW empowers students to develop in-demand, transportable knowledge and skills through pathways in computer science, engineering, and biomedical science. PLTW’s teacher training and resources support teachers as they engage their students in real-world learning. More than 10,000 elementary, middle, and high schools in all 50 states and the District of Columbia offer PLTW programs. For more information on Project Lead The Way, visit pltw.org.

About Astellas USA Foundation
Astellas USA Foundation is a tax-exempt, nonprofit corporate foundation that awards grants to support charitable, scientific, literary and educational programs. Learn more at www.astellasusafoundation.org. You can also follow us on Twitter at @AstellasFDN or Facebook at www.facebook.com/AstellasFoundation. 

Contact Info:

Jennifer Erbacher
PLTW Senior Director of Media and Public Relations
+1 (317) 669-0871
jerbacher@pltw.org

Tarsis Lopez
Associate Director External and Digital Communication, Astellas US
+1 (224) 205-8833
tarsis.lopez@astellas.com

KEYWORDS: Education, Rural Spark Project, STEM, Project Lead The Way, Astellas USA Foundation

Fairfax Assembly earns ENERGY STAR® certification for energy efficiency

SOURCE:General Motors

DESCRIPTION:

KANSAS CITY, Kan., August 22, 2017 /3BL Media/ — General Motors’ Fairfax Assembly plant, home of the Chevrolet Malibu, earned ENERGY STAR^®certification from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, signifying it meets strict energy performance levels. GM Fairfax is the only manufacturing plant in Kansas to earn such certification in the last nine years. Below are some energy-efficient practices the facility employs.    

Implementing a new paint process. The Chevrolet Malibu, which gets an EPA-estimated 36 highway miles per gallon, gets its glossy shine through a paint process that uses 40 percent less energy per vehicle compared to traditional paint shop processes, saving $4 million a year. GM Fairfax’s new paint shop uses a water-based “three-wet” paint operation that eliminates the need to use a primer bake oven between primer and color-coating layers. GM also recirculates air in paint spray booths, requiring less frequent outdoor air intake and temperature adjustments.

Establishing energy teams. Employees champion simple energy-saving initiatives such as shutting down equipment and turning off lights during non-production times. They also share this knowledge and resources across all departments to help the facility meet non-production energy targets.

“Achieving ENERGY STAR certification at an assembly plant takes the time and dedication of an entire team,” said Al Hildreth, GM global energy manager. “Our Fairfax employees are helping GM build cars more efficiently and reducing our environmental impact in Kansas.”

Optimizing heating and cooling temperatures. An energy management system, Energy OnStar, enables employees to monitor heating and cooling temperatures in real time. Adjusting temperatures by even one degree can immediately realize 3-4 percent in energy savings.

Illuminating with LEDs. More than 3,500 new LED lights in the facility’s administrative and engineering mezzanine save the plant $56,000 in energy costs every year. The team is strategizing to expand the use of LED lighting throughout the plant to make an even bigger impact.   

“Improving the energy efficiency of our nation’s industrial facilities is critical to protecting our environment,” said Jean Lupinacci, chief of the ENERGY STAR Commercial & Industrial Branch. “From the plant floor to the boardroom, organizations are leading the way by making their facilities more efficient and earning EPA’s ENERGY STAR certification.”

Continuing the momentum. While this is GM Fairfax’s first ENERGY STAR certification, the facility met the ENERGY STAR Challenge for Industry in 2010 by reducing energy intensity by 16 percent in just three years. GM Fairfax also recycles or reuses 89 percent of waste from daily operations. This year, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment presented GM Fairfax with the Pollution Prevention award for efforts to reduce energy use, emissions and waste.

GM is committed to reducing energy use per vehicle produced by 20 percent by 2020. Between 2010 and 2016, the company has reduced energy by 16 percent. This year, GM earned ENERGY STAR’s Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence award for continued corporate-wide leadership in protecting the environment through superior energy efficiency. For more information on GM’s environmental commitments, visit its sustainability report or environmental blog.

General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM, TSX: GMM), its subsidiaries and joint venture entities produce and sell vehicles under the Chevrolet, Cadillac, Baojun, Buick, GMC, Holden, Jiefang and Wuling brands. GM has leadership positions in several of the world's most significant automotive markets and is committed to lead the future of personal mobility.

CONTACT:

Mary Padilla
Plant Communications Manager, GM Fairfax Assembly & Stamping
(913) 954-2055
mary.padilla@gm.com

Tweet me:.@GM's Fairfax Assembly & Stamping plant earned @ENERGYSTAR certification from the @EPA. http://bit.ly/2vVrZs5

KEYWORDS: Energy, Energy Efficiency, General Motors, GM, Energy Star, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Fairfax Assembly, Chevrolet Malibu, EPA

Organizers improve on past performance to earn gold level certification from the Council for Responsible Sport for Social and Environmental Initiatives

SOURCE:Scotiabank

DESCRIPTION:

Eugene, OR — The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon (STWM), held October 16, 2016 and hosted by Canada Running Series, has achieved Gold Level Certification from the Council for Responsible Sport (Council) by improving performance from its first certification effort (silver) in 2015. Organizers earned credit on 45 of the best practice standards offered in the Council’s certification program for social and environmental responsibility at sporting events, up from 38 achieved in 2015. The marathon, which hosted over 25,000 participants in 2016, remains the only certified event in Toronto out of over 150 total certified events worldwide.

Click here to continue reading

Tweet me:Green Turns to Gold at the @ScotiabankViews Toronto Waterfront Marathon http://bit.ly/2xpFcHg #sustainability

KEYWORDS: Environment, Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, Scotiabank, sustainability, environmental responsibility

SOURCE:VMware

DESCRIPTION:

The metrics are clear: employee engagement is the key to success in the workplace of the future. And a digital workspace focused on the needs of employees is the platform that will drive that employee engagement.

Prioritizing the Employee Experience
With so much at stake for an organization’s success, and with the data validating the value of improving employee engagement, enterprises are starting to prioritize the needs of their employee experience. Inevitably, that strategy leads to IT.

“IT is best positioned to provide enablement for the workforce,” says Sumit Dhawan, VMware’s senior vice president and general manager, End-User Computing. “Only IT can provide the flexibility and choice the workforce needs, unencumbered by the complexity of setting it up.”

For the enterprise, the challenge becomes understanding employee expectations for improving engagement and the employee experience. Here, again, the data is clear:

• Employees want the ability to work anytime, anywhere, from any device.
• They want the same freedom and flexibility in their workspace technology that they enjoy with their consumer technology.
• They are demanding workplace technology that is designed to put their needs first.

A Common Platform
“We have to change our thinking from mere service delivery to delivering intelligence that helps employees adapt to change,” says Dhawan, “using technology to improve the effectiveness of every employee in many little ways, and some big transformational ways.”

To respond to rising employee demands, the enterprise needs to establish a vehicle that prioritizes employee needs while enabling IT management and control across their end-user computing environment, including devices and apps. The most efficient and cost-effective way to execute this strategy is to provide a single platform that satisfies the needs of both these objectives simultaneously. The digital workspace provides that single platform.

The digital workspace answers the enterprise need for management and control by providing a single platform for governance and security with the elasticity needed to easily manage a diverse, mobile, and transient workforce. At the same time, says Dhawan, “It offers the speed and agility needed for the workforce” to embrace shadow IT: the applications or services that have been added by lines of business (LOBs) independent of IT involvement.

The digital workspace recognizes that end-user computing is “not just another app,” as Dhawan says, but rather the key to elevating employee engagement. “It provides the ‘intelligent enabler,’” says Dhawan, “for users and organizations to do more—and to do things that are not possible today.”

Employee Engagement and Bottom Line
Gallup has been tracking employee engagement in the United States, and though there has been some slight deviation, the one constant is that less than one-third of U.S. employees say they are engaged in their workplaces.The digital workspace offers a solution by focusing the tools needed to encourage employee engagement on the employee experience itself. “The digital workspace provides a consolidated experience across all the apps, from any device, with single identity,” says Dhawan. “But most importantly, it does so in a single platform that can address all user segments, whether it’s bring your own or corporate-owned devices, with the right level of control for the business.”

Another fundamental benefit to the business, says Dhawan, is that “the journey to a digital workspace will transform the business itself.” The journey will see organizations increasingly moving away from managing individual devices, images, and applications. “Businesses will instead invest in efforts that increase value, improve innovation and productivity, and emphasize quality and security,” states Dhawan.

Organizations that implement a single platform digital workspace solution, like VMware Workspace ONE™, are finding that they are enjoying a range of benefits that extend from facilitating higher customer satisfaction to greatly improved productivity and  employee retention. Perhaps most important, companies that report higher employee engagement see the biggest financial gains in their sales growth and shareholder return.

“The digital workspace is the defining model for end-user computing in the mobile cloud era,” concludes Dhawan. “By focusing on the needs of employees first, the digital workspace creates business transformation by empowering the workforce with the consumer-simple, enterprise-secure technology they need—and want—to remain inspired, engaged, and more productive.”

Tweet me:Digital workspace is key driver of #employeeengagement - increasing #productivity & #creativity http://bit.ly/2xpmsrD @VMware #IT

KEYWORDS: Responsible Business & Employee Engagement, Innovation & Technology, VMware, IT, Digital workspace, productivity, Creativity

by Juliet Eilperin

SOURCE:Bloomberg

DESCRIPTION:

NYU School of Law will launch a new center, financed by Bloomberg Philanthropies, aimed at helping state attorneys general fight any federal moves to roll back renewable energy, environmental protections and climate policies.

The grant of nearly $6 million, which will establish the State Energy and Environmental Impact Center, marks a new step in the escalating battle between state attorneys general and the Trump administration over the nation’s energy and environmental trajectory. Although the center will provide assistance to states regardless of party, Democratic attorneys general have been particularly aggressive in challenging the administration’s efforts to unravel regulations and policies that aim to curb fossil fuel production in the United States as well as restrict drilling and mining on federal lands and in federal waters.

“Every day there’s something that goes on that endangers the health and safety of Americans,” Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh (D) said Wednesday. “Attorneys general don’t begin to have the resources to meet these challenges.”

To read the full story, click here. 

Tweet me:NYU Law launches new center to help state AGs fight environmental rollbacks @mikebloomberg @bloombergdotorg http://bit.ly/2vi8bv9

KEYWORDS: Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives, Environment, philanthropy, Bloomberg, bloombergdotorg, Paris Accord, Paris Agreement, We Are Still In, America's Pledge, Mike Bloomberg, Bloomberg Philanthropies, NYU School of Law, State Energy and Environmental Impact Center

SOURCE:VolunteerMatch

DESCRIPTION:

Abraham Lincoln famously said: “You can please some of the people some of the time, all of the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time, but you can never please all of the people all of the time.” As many corporate social responsibility (CSR) professionals will recognize, this rings true when defining your CSR strategy.

Employees who are passionate and driven are a huge asset to any organization, but when so many employees are passionate about so many causes close to their hearts, how can CSR professionals manage this against their core objectives and corporate values?

In this post, we’ll explore a few ways CSR professionals can balance their program and strategy with the demands of one of their most important stakeholders: their employees. We’ll share insights from Jamie Inn, Vice President, Director of Volunteerism and Employee Giving at U.S. Bank about how they managed to achieve a balance by putting frameworks in place.

Read the rest of the full post on Volunteering Is CSR.

Tweet me:How to balance employee passions with a central #CSR strategy: http://bit.ly/2vlSZgC via @VM_Solutions #EmployeeEngagement

KEYWORDS: Social Impact & Volunteering, Responsible Business & Employee Engagement, CSR professionals, VolunteerMatch

This five-day certificate program will provide you with the strategic tools and skills to advance your career, connections, and business success

SOURCE:Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship

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Tweet me:Get #CSR-certified in just 5 days—SAVE $550 this week on @BCCCC's #CorporateCitizenship Management Intensive: http://bit.ly/2xpZ25h

KEYWORDS: Events, Media & Communications, Continuing Education, CSR Course, Executive Education, professional development, career, career development, resume building, Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship

How the shark skin-inspired Neoterix ST casting and release paper can transform surfaces

SOURCE:Sappi North America

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Through a partnership with Sharklet Technologies Inc. we are taking Ultracast to an entirely new application space—instead of aesthetic textures, the patterns used are functional. While invisible to the human eye, the microscopic Sharklet™ texture imparts the unique ability to inhibit bacterial growth. On traditional antimicrobial surfaces, chemicals are used to kill bacteria. Using Neoterix ST, product manufacturers are able to create Sharklet™ textured surfaces which reduce microbial colonization and transfer by 90–95 percent, preventing propagation of microbes without the need for toxic chemicals. These textures can be applied to surfaces in health care environments and high-traffic public spaces (such as restrooms, subways, elevators, etc.) to reduce the potential spread of infection. While the Neoterix texture was inspired by biomimicry, Ultracast’s ability to replicate even microscopic textures at 100 percent fidelity provides the potential for many other functional applications such as water repellency, reflection and refraction of light.

Read more from Sappi North America's 2016 Sustainability Report here: http://bit.ly/SNA-2016SR

Tweet me:DYK the microtexture for @SappiNA's groundbreaking #NeoterixST #release #paper is 1/4 the size of a red blood cell? http://bit.ly/2v6xeRW

KEYWORDS: Innovation & Technology, Health & Healthcare, Sappi, Innovation, Sharklet Technologies, Neoterix ST, Release Paper, paper, Casting, Technology, Health

Newmont Celebrates Diversity through BRG Networking Event

SOURCE:Newmont Mining Corporation

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In May, members of Newmont’s Diversitas Business Resource Group (BRG) hosted an engaging networking event to celebrate the United Nations World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development.

Inclusion is one of our core values, and leveraging the diversity of our talented workforce creates a competitive advantage across our operations.

The Diversitas BRG, based out of our Denver headquarters, has a mission to support diverse views, cross-cultural collaboration, engagement, development and multicultural awareness. As part of its programming, the group facilitates a buddy program to support the onboarding of employees on assignment from different countries.

More recently, the group hosted an interactive experience with a brief introduction on the history of World Day for Cultural Diversity, followed by a cultural networking activity. Various booths were set up where employees learned interesting facts about the countries where we operate, shared their thoughts on what inclusion means to them, and celebrated the company’s diverse workforce by locating and marking the countries of special significance to them with a pin on a map.

“We need dialogue to interact with individuals from different cultures, to ask the right questions and get the best solutions for everybody’s development,” said Francisco Martinez, Sr. Engagement Manager.

During the event, Diversitas showcased the Globesmart tool, which offers valuable insights on how to combine business, emotional and cultural intelligence as the basis for effective interactions and improved performance outcomes.

To learn more about our BRGs around the world, visit the Our People section of our 2016 sustainability report, Beyond the Mine.

Tweet me:.@Newmont celebrated World Day for Cultural #Diversity for Dialogue and #Development with a unique #networking event. http://bit.ly/2ww1ieZ

KEYWORDS: Diversity & Inclusion, Responsible Business & Employee Engagement, Newmont, Denver, Mining

By: John LaVeck

SOURCE:Sodexo, Inc.

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In large organizations, it can be easy for employees to feel a little lost. Among dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of people, employees can lose a sense of individuality, and that can lead to a feeling of disconnection and a lack of engagement at work.

To combat this, it is important for large organizations to create opportunities for employees to make human connections. It’s common for large companies to slice the organization into smaller groups and teams, which can not only help create a logical organizational structure, but also allow employees to feel like part of a smaller group within the organization. But organizations should go further than that, creating multiple ways for employees to engage with smaller, more human-centered groups within the organization. These groups should go beyond work teams to allow employees to connect with others who share similar interests.

Our groups offer many benefits to employees and the broader organization:

• They help employees create meaningful connections with others in the organization
• They offer opportunities for career growth through mentoring and professional development programs
• They hold events and meetings that educate all employees on topics relevant to their particular group purpose
• They provide the company with advice and insights for reaching out to prospective customers or new hires

Our nine EBRGs touch many parts of the organization. Take, for example, our EBRG for military veterans and families, which is called HONOR (Honoring Our Nation’s finest with Opportunity and Respect), is a powerful resource for new employees who have a military connection. Those who are making the transition to civilian life can find mentors or colleagues who have been through a similar experience. In addition, employees without a military connection are welcome in the group and have found it’s a wonderful resource to understand their coworkers who are veterans or have family serving overseas. The group also makes an impact on how we run our business. For example, HONOR works closely with our Talent Acquisition Group to recruit high-caliber talent with military experience.

That’s only one example. Other EBRGs include the Native American and Aboriginal Council, the Sodexo Organization for Disabilities Resources, Sodexo Organization of Latinos, and People Respecting Individuality, Diversity and Equality. All of them welcome any and all Sodexo employees and offer a way for them to feel more connected to the company. They promote employee engagement and make a huge contribution to Sodexo.

What opportunities does your organization offer to allow employees to feel connected? Tell us your answer in the comments.

Tweet me:How Employee Business Resource Groups help employees feel connected https://goo.gl/U8pKJ5 @sodexoUSA #EBRGs

KEYWORDS: Diversity & Inclusion, Employee Resource Group, diversity, Benefits, organization, Engagement, inclusion, employee business resource groups, feel connected, Sodexo

SOURCE:Bloomberg

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Originally posted in www.forbes.com. 

The Environmental Media Association (EMA) has long served as a valuable link between the media and the environmental community and their efforts have attracted some of the biggest names in Hollywood and corporate America. 

Jaden Smith will host the 27th Annual EMA Awards benefit, presented by Toyota and Lexus, on Sept. 23 in Los Angeles to honor those that are leading by example and using their voice to help promote solutions in innovation and activism to combat the current administration’s rollback on funding.

Academy Award and Golden Globe winner Natalie Portman will be honored alongside three-term Mayor of New York City, founder of Bloomberg Media, Bloomberg Philanthropies and author of Climate of Hope, Michael R. Bloomberg. Portman will receive the EMA Ongoing Commitment Award and Bloomberg will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award.

To read the full story, click here. 

Tweet me:Michael Bloomberg To Be Honored For His Environmentalism #forbes @mikebloomberg http://bit.ly/2v3YLIF

KEYWORDS: Awards, Ratings & Rankings, Events, Media & Communications, Bloomberg, mikebloomberg, awards, Forbes, EMA

SOURCE:Voya Financial, Inc.

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Media Contacts:

Nicole Vasile

Voya Financial

Cell: (860) 839-1589                                                   

nicole.vasile@voya.com

About Voya Financial^®

Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA), helps Americans plan, invest and protect their savings — to get ready to retire better. Serving the financial needs of approximately 13.6 million individual and institutional customers in the United States, Voya is a Fortune 500 company that had $11 billion in revenue in 2016. The company had $517 billion in total assets under management and administration as of June 30, 2017. With a clear mission to make a secure financial future possible — one person, one family, one institution at a time — Voya’s vision is to be America’s Retirement Company^®. Certified as a “Great Place to Work” by the Great Place to Work^® Institute, Voya is equally committed to conducting business in a way that is socially, environmentally, economically and ethically responsible and has been recognized as one of the 2017 World’s Most Ethical Companies^® by the Ethisphere Institute, as well as one of the Top Green Companies in the U.S., by Newsweek magazine. For more information, visit voya.com. Follow Voya Financial on Facebook and Twitter @Voya.

Tweet me:.@Voya's Alain Karaoglan Elected to @ScholAmerica Board of Trustees http://bit.ly/2xsx4WD #CSR

KEYWORDS: Education, Awards, Ratings & Rankings, Voya, Scholarship America, csr, Voya Unsung Heroes