CSRWire News

In 1981, members of the Business Roundtable, with the help of corporate-governance guru, Ira Millstein, wrote a “Statement on Corporate Responsibility” that argued “the long-term viability of the business sector is linked to its responsibility to the society of which it is a part.” According to a November 15, 2019 article in The Wall Street Journal, that idea lasted until 1997, when members shifted to a shareholder-first mindset. Today, corporate leaders are shifting back to a socially responsible doctrine. This shift highlights the need for organization leaders to examine CSR trends and establish a roadmap for the future. 

ROI Institute, Inc. is undertaking a project to do just that – assess the current CSR trends of corporations, work to demonstrate the impact and value of CSR programs and initiatives, establish a roadmap for the future, and help other organizations do the same. To help accomplish this task, we are fielding a survey targeting CSR leaders of U.S. organizations.

Please participate in this important research. Survey completion will take approximately 10 minutes. By completing this survey, you will be among the first to receive a summary copy of results and will receive a free copy of Value for Money: How to Show the Value for Money for All Types of Projects and Programs in Governments, Nongovernmental Organizations, Nonprofits, and Businesses (Wiley, 2020).  

To access the survey, please click here.

(GLOBE NEWSWIRE) - ascena retail group, inc. (Nasdaq: ASNA) announced today that through its retail brands, it has raised a total of $6.2 million for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) in support of Breast Cancer Awareness month in October of this year. Since 2005, the company and its brands have funded over $50 million in critical breast cancer research, making it BCRF’s top fashion donor.

For Breast Cancer Awareness Month, several of ascena retail group’s brands activated fundraising campaigns and special collections to help raise funds for BCRF. Ann Taylor and LOFT offered Cares Cards, which gave clients special discounts while giving 90 percent of the cards’ purchase price to BCRF. Lou & Grey collaborated with artist Robin Browne to create two t-shirts with 50 percent of the proceeds being donated to BCRF. New this year, Ann Taylor sold a limited-edition silk scarf collection with 90 percent of the proceeds benefitting BCRF, and LOFT offered a capsule collection of shirts, with $5 of the purchase price benefitting BCRF.

Taking their commitment to the next level, the design team at Lane Bryant’s Cacique Intimates worked diligently with top cancer doctors and hospitals to specially design mastectomy bras, designed with extreme care and medical research. Additionally, Lane Bryant and Catherines offered a BCRF-dedicated collection of intimates, activewear, and accessories, with 10 percent of the purchase price of each item in the collection going to BCRF.

“As an organization, we are committed to our longstanding partnership with BCRF,” said Gary Muto, Chief Executive Officer of ascena retail group, inc. “Thanks to the generosity of our clients and the dedication of our associates, we are able to help fund meaningful research for those impacted by breast cancer.”

The company’s support of BCRF has contributed to significant progress in advancing research in breast cancer cause and prevention, developing new treatments and diagnostic tests and quality of life research. Through its brands, ascena retail group aims to fund 1.2 million research hours by 2022 as part of the company’s commitment to raise and contribute $250 million by 2025 in support of women and girls around the globe.

“Since 2005, ascena retail group has been critical to funding lifesaving research that is seeking to unravel the mystery of breast cancer: why it occurs, how to treat it and ways to prevent it from happening in the first place,” said Myra Biblowit, BCRF President & CEO. “By supporting the highest rated breast cancer organization in the country, ascena retail group has played an important role in propelling breast cancer research forward, toward new preventative and treatment options at a faster speed than ever before.”

To learn more about ascena retail group’s fight against breast cancer and their work to amplify their impact in support of women and girls, visit: https://www.ascenaretail.com/our-company/responsibility/.

About ascena retail group, inc.
ascena retail group, inc. (Nasdaq: ASNA) is a national specialty retailer offering apparel, shoes, and accessories for women under the Premium Fashion (Ann Taylor, LOFT, and Lou & Grey), Plus Fashion (Lane Bryant, Catherines and Cacique), and Value Fashion (Dressbarn) segments, and for tween girls under the Kids Fashion segment (Justice). ascena retail group, inc. through its retail brands operates ecommerce websites and approximately 3,400 stores throughout the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico.

For more information about ascena retail group, inc. visit: ascenaretail.com, AnnTaylor.com, factory.anntaylor.com, LOFT.com, outlet.loft.com, louandgrey.com, lanebryant.com, Catherines.com, Dressbarn.com, and shopjustice.com.

About the Breast Cancer Research Foundation
The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) is dedicated to being the end of breast cancer by advancing the world's most promising research. Founded by Evelyn H. Lauder in 1993, BCRF-funded investigators have been deeply involved in every major breakthrough in breast cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment, survivorship and metastasis. This year, BCRF has awarded $66 million in grants to support the work of nearly 275 scientists at leading medical and academic institutions across 14 countries, making BCRF the largest private funder of breast cancer research worldwide. BCRF is also the highest-rated breast cancer organization in the U.S. Visit www.bcrf.org to learn more.

CONTACT:
Kathrine Dela
Email: kathrine_dela@anninc.com

CONTACT:
Kathrine Dela
Email: kathrine_dela@anninc.com

Innovations in Social Impact Measurement Symposium

Your company is dedicating time and resources to be a responsible corporate citizen. Are those efforts working? Are they having an impact? Does anyone care if they are or aren't? How do you communicate the importance of measurement to stakeholders who don't see the value, and how do you communicate your impact to those who do?

We're bringing together corporate social responsibility and social impact measurement experts to grapple with these questions and more at our upcoming Innovations in Social Impact Measurement Symposium in San Francisco. The symposium will consist of a keynote speaker, panel discussions, and a skills development workshop where we will explore simple and effective ways to improve impact measurement for your organization's CSR programming.

Register now to join the discussion and network with fellow corporate responsibility and social impact professionals. We're looking forward to seeing you there! Lunch and mingling provided.

Date and Time
Thu, September 19, 2019
8:30 AM – 4:30 PM PDT

Location
Marines' Memorial Club & Hotel
609 Sutter Street
San Francisco, CA 94102

Early-Bird Registration (available until Aug. 15th): $95
Standard Registration: $130

Our Innovations in Social Impact Measurement Symposium will include:

Panel Discussions

Our panelists will tackle questions like:

• How do you mainstream impact measurement into your business plan?
• When in the project life cycle do you begin measurement planning?
• What are the current trends in social impact measurement?
• What does the future hold in terms of how we measure social impact?

Skills Development Workshop

You will be given tools and learn skills for:

• Measuring Social Return on Investment
• Pre-Design, Design, and Implementation of Social Impact Measurement
• Adapting SIM tools/templates to your needs and projects

 Points of Light, a global nonprofit dedicated to accelerating people-powered change, is honoring Jason Farmer, a Memphis, Tennessee volunteer for ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®, with the Daily Point of Light Award on the 30th anniversary of the first award.

Farmer has supported St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital all of his life. He was a part of the early childhood assistance program in the 1970s sponsored by St. Jude in the Memphis-area and never forgot its support. About five years ago, he helped conceptualize and launch an annual event in Memphis during Black History Month called the St. Jude Spirit of the Dream to celebrate the achievements of African Americans who also support its lifesaving mission: Finding cures. Saving children.® This year Farmer is vice chair of the Memphis event committee, leading fundraising efforts by securing sponsorships and individual donor support. He also helped launch a similar event in Nashville in 2019.

The Daily Point of Light Award honors individuals who are creating meaningful change in communities; efforts which often lead to long-terms solutions and impact social problems in their local communities. Founded by President George H.W. Bush, the very first Daily Point of Light Award was presented on Nov. 22, 1989, to The Commercial Appeal, a Memphis newspaper that published a series of stories on local “points of light,” volunteers in the Southern United States.

At the event honoring The Commercial Appeal, President Bush said:

“We are nearing the dawn of a new decade. And so let it be a decade with no dark corners, no forgotten people, no forgotten place.

So, if you've got a hammer, find a nail. If you can read, find someone who can't. If you're well, do it like the volunteers I just saw at St. Jude: Help someone who isn't well. If you're not troubled, seek out someone who is.

Because everywhere there is a need in America, there is a way to fill it. And everywhere there is a dream in America, there is a way to make it come true.”

“At Points of Light, we applaud individuals who step up in their communities, take action, and work with others to solve problems, like Jason Farmer,” said Natalye Paquin, president and CEO, Points of Light. “When our founder, President George H.W. Bush, came to Memphis 30 years ago today, he didn’t know the lasting impact that first Daily Point of Light Award would have. Today, we’re a global organization committed to harnessing the power of people to take action and make a positive impact in the world. We’re honored to return to Memphis and honor Jason Farmer with Daily Point of Light Award No. 6,656 for his lifelong commitment to serving St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and being a leader in his community, and inspiring others to do the same.”

“Jason Farmer demonstrates the powerful impact one individual can have on the world when applying heart and tenacity of purpose to making a difference,” said Richard Shadyac Jr., president and CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude. “I applaud Jason for this tremendous honor from Points of Light and express my deep gratitude for his lifelong support of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. As a native Memphian, Jason’s story of triumph over hardship parallels our own origin story. Danny Thomas never wavered even as naysayers doubted his dream to open a research hospital in pursuit of cures to save ‘all’ children with childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. We appreciate the courageous leadership journey exemplified by Jason in the military, business community and nonprofit sector and hope his story inspires future generations to discover the rewards of volunteering.”

Three decades after the first Daily Point of Light was awarded, Points of Light continues the recognition each weekday with more than 6,500 honorees to date. In partnership with Points of Light, the United Kingdom Prime Minister’s office launched a Point of Light Award program in 2014, which has now recognized more than 1,200 honorees. In 2018, Queen Elizabeth began a Commonwealth Point of Light Award program to recognize volunteers across the 53 Commonwealth nations for the difference they are making in their communities and beyond.

Watch: Volunteer Honored for Devotion to St. Jude Children's Hospital

About Points of Light

Points of Light is a global nonprofit organization that inspires, equips and mobilizes millions of people to take action that changes the world. We envision a world in which every individual discovers the power to make a difference, creating healthy communities in vibrant, participatory societies. Through affiliates in 200 cities across 37 countries, and in partnership with thousands of nonprofits and corporations, Points of Light engages 5 million volunteers in 14 million hours of service each year. We bring the power of people to bear where it’s needed most. For more information, visit pointsoflight.org.

About St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Its purpose is clear: Finding cures. Saving children.® It is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to more than 80 percent since the hospital opened more than 50 years ago. St. Jude won’t stop until no child dies from cancer. St. Jude freely shares the discoveries it makes, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live. Join the St. Jude mission by visiting stjude.org, sharing stories and videos from St. Jude Inspire, liking St. Jude on Facebook, following St. Jude on Twitter and Instagram and subscribing to its YouTube channel.

CarbonRATE™ - a unique peer reviewed Embodied Carbon Product Certification Program - has been re-launched under the Global GreenTag International Certification Standard. CarbonRATE™, says Daniel A. Huard, CEO of Global GreenTag Americas, “has been upgraded to strongly challenge the market to design, manufacture and use only products that can scientifically identify carbon impacts and benefits.”

Speaking in more detail about the CarbonRATE™ program this week from the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in Atlanta, David Baggs, Program Director and CEO of Global GreenTag International explained that GreenTag’s new CarbonRATE™  “is deeper detailed to help accelerate a bold climate positive agenda.  Our core mission to help protect and regenerate natural resources firmly sits behind this new set of carbon labelling and metrics,” says Mr. Baggs.

The CarbonRATE program is rolling out for products undergoing GreenTag’s EPD (Environmental Product Declaration) and LCARate certification programs.

Mr. Baggs adds: “What we want is for each CarbonRate TAG issued to tell the whole carbon story behind the full life cycle of each product.” This level of information will be particularly of interest to companies and projects whose policies are now focused on reaching low carbon and zero carbon targets.

The new CarbonRATE TAGS provide products with high visibility carbon performance graphics that include real carbon metrics – instantly communicating the climate performance of products that have been assessed in the program.

“It is vital in this time of climate emergency that we identify for companies and consumers alike the differences between products,” says Mr. Baggs. “By disclosing the proper information and taking products through a program of CarbonLCA (Life Cycle Analysis) we can now show clearly how individual products are reducing climate impacts or providing climate net benefits. We can help quantify carbon offset needs required for specific carbon claims and provide ISO compliant data for robust carbon claims using detailed life cycle analysis.”

Global GreenTag International is a signatory to the World Green Building Council’s (World GBC) bold new #AdvancingNetZero program’s Bringing Embodied Carbon Upfront Vision – an initiative that encourages buildings and infrastructure around the world to reach 40% less embodied carbon emissions by 2030 to achieve 100% net zero emission buildings by 2050.

For more information, please contact:

Daniel Huard, CEO Global GreenTag Americas

Cell: +1 702.604.3359

Email:  ceo@globalgreentag.us

CV: Daniel A. Huard

CV:  David Baggs

Global GreenTag CV: Global GreenTag LLC, Americas

For almost five years, The Ray has worked to transform 18 miles of Interstate 85 in Troup County, Georgia into a zero fatality, zero carbon and zero waste highway. Those 18 miles are home to almost a dozen projects demonstrating technologies and innovation that exist today and that, when scaled, will make our highways safer, smarter, and more sustainable. That work has been recognized in spades these last few months with recognitions from Atlanta Magazine, The Shorty Awards, and Newsweek. 

“I am humbled by these accolades,” said Harriet Anderson Langford, president and founder of The Ray. “When I started The Ray my goal was simple: to honor my father and to live up to his legacy. If he were here today, I know he’d be congratulating us on a job well done, but telling us to get back to work and do more. That’s exactly what we plan to do.” 

The success of The Ray is attributed to the unique partnerships that underpin and enable every future-forward project. This year, The Ray formalized its longstanding relationship with the Georgia Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration through a charter, which designated The Ray as “a user-centered, open-innovation ecosystem that integrates concurrent research and innovation goals and processes within a partnership involving government, philanthropic, private sector and advanced technology organizations.” The Ray, its suite of innovations, and the P4 model that enables the infrastructure, research and testing is a scalable, relevant and transferable blueprint for other states and even other countries.

“We share these awards with all our partners, but most importantly with Commissioner McMurry, former Cong. Lynn Westmoreland and the Georgia DOT. Without them, none of this would be possible. Together we are driving the future and leading not just the southeast, but the country,” said Allie Kelly, executive director of The Ray.

Atlanta Magazine recognized The Ray as one of their 2019 Groundbreakers, which this year focused on Environmental Champions because, “you could argue that no leaders are as critical as the ones working to save our planet.” In their write up about The Ray they stated that, “With so many fresh innovations now rumbling down that 18 miles of highway, the recognition may be only starting.”

The Shorty Social Good Awards selected The Ray for “Best in Energy” at an awards ceremony in New York City last week. The Shorty Social Good Awards honor the social good initiatives brands, agencies & nonprofits are taking to make our world a better place. This competition focuses on efforts made by organizations to improve sustainability and diversity internally, foster globally-minded business partnerships and increase employee community and civic engagement. Winners were selected by members of the Real Time Academy of Short Form Arts & Sciences, comprised of luminaries from advertising, media, entertainment and technology. Check out The Ray’s entry.

Finally, Newsweek selected The Ray as one of their top 100 Smart City Partners as part of their 2019 Momentum Awards. The Momentum Awards are an annual celebration of the people and cities propelling the world toward an environmentally sustainable, socially equitable, economically viable future of autonomous mobility and smart urban environments. They recognize companies and partners around the globe, as well as one city, which will be chosen as the "smartest city in the world."

The 100 Smart City Partners award recognizes “partners taking action, whose initiated projects are enacting real change. Whether it's integrating sustainable infrastructure, taking savvy approaches to micromobility, or using big data analytics to inform legislative policy for the betterment of all, each partner is doing something bold and unique that is leading us into the land unknown.”

ABOUT THE RAY

The Ray is a proving ground for the evolving ideas and technologies that will transform the transportation infrastructure of the future, beginning with the corridor of road that is named in memory of Ray C. Anderson (1934-2011), a Georgia native who became a captain of industry and was recognized as a leader in green business when he challenged his company, Atlanta-based Interface, Inc., to reimagine the enterprise as a sustainable company—one that would pursue zero environmental footprint. Chaired by Ray’s daughter Harriet Langford, The Ray is an epiphany of the Ray C. Anderson Foundation. Learn more.

Breaking News: A new research paper in the scientific journal BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION raises new concerns over the impact of artificial light at night (ALAN) for environmental health. The journal has just published the latest in a series of articles sounding the alarm over declining insect populations. After an initial study (Hallmann, et.al. 2017) in Germany revealed a shocking 76% decline in flying insects within protected area, estimates (UN 2019; Sanchez-Bayo and Wyckhuys, 2019) now suggest that over 40% of all insect species will go extinct within the next several decades. The latest paper ‘Light Pollution is a Driver of Insect Declines’ (Owens, Perkin, Seymour et.al. 2019) raises an alarm over the role of artificial light in the ‘Insect Apocalypse’, summarizing over 200 independent studies that support the findings.

‘Light is the source of all life on this planet…” the authors state, “and anthropogenic [human-caused] changes to the natural light environment should be predicted to affect all life that has evolved within it—that is to say, almost all life on Earth.” And indeed the article recounts the ‘numerous studies [that demonstrate] the ways in which ALAN impacts nocturnal and diurnal insects through effects on development, movement, foraging, reproduction, and predation risk”. The authors also emphasize that the challenge of artificial light at night is not simply a matter of concern for cities and suburbs, but rural and protected areas as well. Artificial lighting follows humans wherever they go, and is directly and significantly contributing to the loss of insects and biodiversity everywhere.

This latest paper indicates that the ecological problems posed by the contribution of artificial light to the Insect Apocalypse go far beyond the conservation of any single species, and indeed have implications for directly related human challenges of hunger and food security. Most recently for example, the coalition 3billionbirds.org released a new study finding that the U.S. and Canada have lost more than 3 billion birds since 1970, a massive reduction in population involving hundreds of species, from beloved backyard song birds to long-distance migrants. These losses are related directly to the loss of insects, a major food source for birds, and the relationship of insects to human food cannot be discounted. Although other threats to insects such as pesticides have a stated intention of producing food en masse, advocates for the applicability of photobiology research suggest that this incidental take of insects from careless artificial lighting has no such justification.

“This is an incredibly important paper”, urges Dr. James Karl Fischer of The Zoological Lighting Institute.“ Just as was the case for early climate change science, we have to take the Insect Apocalypse seriously. If we really hope to prevent a terrible situation from getting worse, these issues should not be avoided. Insects are lynch-pins of the environment and necessary for other kinds of animals to survive; and a diversity of insects is crucial to maintaining our own food supply. The amount of personal control we have here gives us a bit of hope. It is an easy matter to eliminate, reduce or change the ecologically devastating artificial lighting in and on our homes, schools, businesses if we want to, simply by turning off exterior lights. But we have to want to, and be willing to explore alternatives to the functions those lights currently serve.”

The authors of the paper point to several solutions. In addition to simply turning off or reducing reliance upon lighting in areas that simply do not require it, the authors propose that shielding, filtering and dimming light sources offer a good start towards addressing the issue. Monochromatic LED lighting also might be path forward for technological innovation, but current products of this sort have a variety of drawbacks including potential ultrasonic emissions that likewise can disturb insects. Despite being a great improvement over current broadband LEDs commonly found in use today, monochromatic sources might very well be harmless to one species and yet be harmful to another, requiring great care in application. Natural light is best it seems, and minimally impact-full and fully controlled artificial lighting next. What is eminently clear though from the paper, is that artificial lighting and its effects upon life cannot be ignored for much longer, as the Insect Apocalypse is upon us.

About The Zoological Lighting Institute:

A charitable 501 c(3) with a unique mission to ‘Support the Sciences of Light and Life through the Arts for Animal Welfare and Wildlife Conservation,’  ‘ZLI’ provides funding to researchers while advocating for the application of data-driven science to improve environmental and animal care decisions related to light and lighting. ZLI’s Insect Apocalypse Campaign links entomological research to world hunger initiatives and is currently pursuing documentary, educational and design projects to support this research.
Please visit <<www.zoolighting.org/donate>> to take advantage of Matching Gift and Donor Advisory Fund opportunities. Animal advocates can also contribute to ZLI as a Member or Campaign Committee Leader <<https://zoolighting.org/campaigns/>>.

Read the paper "LIGHT POLLUTION IS A DRIVER OF THE INSECT APOCALYPSE" here:
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3378835

Paper Co-Authors:

Avalon Owens Tufts University - Department of Biology, Precillia Cochard, Université Laval, Joanna Durrant University of Melbourne, Elizabeth Perkin, McDaniel College, Brett Seymoure, Washington University; St. Louis University; Colorado State University

Citations:

Sânchez-Bayo, F., Wyckhuys, K.A.G., 2019. Worldwide decline of the entomofauna: A review of its drivers. Biol. Conserv. 232, 8–27.
Published online by ScienceDirect.com
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006320718313636

Caspar A. Hallmann, Martin Sorg, Eelke Jongejans, Henk Siepel, Nick Hofland, Heinz Schwan, Werner Stenmans, Andreas Müller, Hubert Sumser, Thomas Hörren, Dave Goulson, Hans de Kroon, 2017 More than 75 percent decline over 27 years in total flying insect biomass in protected areas
Published online by the journal PLOS One
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0185809

Rosenberg, K. V., A. M. Dokter, P. J. Blancher, J. R. Sauer, A. C. Smith, P. A. Smith, J. C. Stanton, A. Panjabi, L. Helft, M. Parr, and P. P. Marra. 2019.
Published online by the journal Science
https://science.sciencemag.org/cgi/doi/10.1126/science.aaw1313  

#####

 Aramark’s (NYSE: ARMK) team of chefs from its Sports & Entertainment division bested its competitors to win the Inaugural National Finals of the Aramark Culinary Excellence (ACE) Competition – a showcase of the company’s domestic culinary talent and menu innovation – and take home the coveted “Copper Pot.”

Members of the winning team are:

• Chef Stephen Aheimer – FirstEnergy Stadium

• Chef Richard Grab – Philadelphia, Baltimore & Washington, DC District

• Chef Allan Wambaa – Oregon Convention Center

Fifteen Aramark chefs, comprising five teams of three chefs from participating U.S. lines of business (Business Dining, Education, Healthcare Hospitality, Leisure, and Sports & Entertainment), competed in the intense daylong culinary challenge, in accordance with American Culinary Federation competition standards and judged by ACF Master and Certified Executive Chefs, at Aramark’s Global Headquarters in Philadelphia, PA, on November 20, 2019. 

“This is such a great honor and I’m so proud of the effort our team put forth to win the first-ever Aramark Culinary Excellence National Championship,” said Chef Aheimer, on behalf of the Sports & Entertainment team. “The whole experience has been a great opportunity for me, Rich and Allan, and all of the competing chefs, to demonstrate our love of food and passion for cooking.”

Cooking for a Cause

To up the ante, in addition to competing for bragging rights, each culinary team competed on behalf of an Aramark non-profit partner. As a result of Sports & Entertainment winning the ACE Championship “Copper Pot,” Back on My Feet received a $10,000 donation from the Aramark Charitable Fund.

“We’re excited to have been included in this wonderful event celebrating culinary excellence and are grateful for Aramark’s continued support of community initiatives and causes, such as Back on My Feet,” said Ashley Kilpatrick, Senior Vice President of Development with Back on My Feet. “While we’re ecstatic the Sports & Entertainment team won the competition, we are humbled by all the hard work and attention to detail each team put into competing on behalf of their chosen organization. Thanks to Aramark’s generosity, we all walk away winners!”

In the spirit of friendly competition, just for competing, all of the other teams earned a $5,000 donation for their non-profit partner, from the Aramark Charitable Fund. Those organizations and the teams they partnered with are: Boys & Girls Clubs of America (Business Dining); Hope Center for College, Community and Justice (Education); Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (Healthcare Hospitality); and National Park Foundation (Leisure).

Winning 4-Course Menu

The winning team of Chef Aheimer, Chef Grab and Chef Wambaa successfully prepared and presented a four-course menu, utilizing a mystery basket of 16 fresh, seasonal and local ingredients.

 

Appetizer

 

Entrée

Pheasant Ravioli

Pork belly escarole, Sautéed Kennett Square crimini mushrooms, Pheasant demi

 

Seared Black Bass &

Sous vide Gambas

Hominy risotto, Shaved Brussels sprouts, Asian pear slaw, Gochujang fume

 

Soup

 

Dessert

Butternut Squash Puree

Butternut squash, Amish goat cheese, Smoked beef tongue, Wild rice pilaf fluff

 

Chocolate Almond Coconut Macaroon Bar

Ginger beer beet puree, Ruby chocolate sauce, Glass sugar

Aramark Culinary Excellence Competition is a year-long competition, culminating with a national finals, where the top three winners from each business unit form teams to compete for the honor of Aramark Culinary Excellence National Champions.

During the 2019 competition, over 100 chefs, from Aramark’s U.S. Business Dining, Healthcare Hospitality, Education (Higher Education/K12), Leisure, and Sports & Entertainment accounts competed in business sector competitions.

About Aramark
Aramark (NYSE: ARMK) proudly serves Fortune 500 companies, world champion sports teams, state-of-the-art healthcare providers, the world’s leading educational institutions, iconic destinations and cultural attractions, and numerous municipalities in 19 countries around the world. Our 280,000 team members deliver experiences that enrich and nourish millions of lives every day through innovative services in food, facilities management and uniforms. We work to put our sustainability goals into action by focusing on initiatives that engage our employees, empower healthy living, preserve our planet and build local communities. Aramark is recognized as one of the World’s Most Admired Companies by FORTUNE, as well as an employer of choice by the Human Rights Campaign and DiversityInc. Learn more at www.aramark.com or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

Global carbon emissions must drop in half by 2030 and reach net zero in 2050 to avoid catastrophic climate change. A key solution is to replace energy from fossil fuels, which contributes 73% of global carbon emissions, with energy harnessed from the sun and the wind. But the global community must get started now on a decade of action to scale-up green energy and help meet these climate goals.

“Transforming from fossil fuels to green energy to stay within 1.5°C is no longer a question of technical feasibility or financial viability. It is about having the ambition and will to make the necessary decisions sooner rather than later,” writes Henrik Poulsen, CEO of Ørsted, in the white paper Taking action to stay within 1.5°C. 

Transforming the energy system requires building green power twice as fast as projected towards 2030 and tripling the retirement rate of coal-fired power plants. The global share of green energy must rise dramatically, while energy efficiency is increased. This will take three key actions: 

• Green electrification to phase out fossil fuels: Wind and solar are now cheaper than fossil fuels across more than two-thirds of the world. This cost advantage can spur electrification based on green energy of sectors that rely on fossil fuels, such as transport, industry and buildings. The power sector today accounts for just 20% of global energy use but should account for 50% in 2050, through intensified green electrification.

• Speed up the build-out of green power: Solar PV, onshore and offshore wind and other renewable energy technologies are already in use, but the world needs to build new green power at greater pace and scale than today. The global green power share must rise to at least 77% by 2050, as compared with 26% today.

• Accelerate the phase-out of fossil fuels: Policymakers must rapidly phase out fossil fuels, especially coal, which is incompatible with the 1.5°C scenario. Coal-fired plants are also uneconomical: around 35% of coal-fired capacity today has higher operating costs than new renewable power capacity, and that figure could rise to 96% by 2030. 

The white paper adds that limiting climate change will need the global community to act at all levels, from governments and companies to investors and individuals. Read more here: Taking action to stay within 1.5°C. 

About Ørsted
The Ørsted vision is a world that runs entirely on green energy. Ørsted develops, constructs and operates offshore and onshore wind farms and bioenergy plants, and provides energy products to customers. 

• Carbon intensity of the company’s energy generation decreased by 83% in mid-2019, as compared with 2006 levels. By 2025, Ørsted will have reduced its emissions by 98% making the company’s energy production virtually carbon free.

• 83% of Ørsted’s energy generation was from renewable sources as of September 2019. The target is 99% in 2025.

• The company is committed to reducing carbon emissions from end use of its products and in its supply chain by 50 percent by 2032, as compared to 2018.

• Ørsted is ranked the world’s most sustainable energy company and fourth most sustainable company overall in the 2019 Global100 index.
  
  

View PDF here

Texan by Nature (TxN), a Texas-led conservation nonprofit founded by former First Lady Laura Bush, announced that Comerica Bank has been named as an honoree of the first-ever Texan by Nature 20 (TxN20) – an official ranking of 20 companies with Texas operations that have made a demonstrative commitment to conservation.

With the launch of the TxN 20, Texan by Nature aims to recognize the best and most innovative work in conservation coming from Texas-based business and operations. As part of the TxN 20, Texan by Nature will honor 20 companies across 10 industries in the Lone Star State whose ingenuity are forging new, beneficial paths in conservation.

"At Texan by Nature, our firm belief is that our long-term prosperity and health is dependent upon our natural resources. In launching the TxN 20, we aim to spotlight innovation in conservation and inspire more substantial efforts to create a new model of conservation for Texans and our shared future," said Joni Carswell, CEO & President of Texan by Nature. "It is an honor to showcase and celebrate the Texas-led innovation, commitment, and elevated practices spanning industries and our unique state."

The largest bank headquartered in Texas and one of the largest in the country, Comerica has racked up awards in sustainability – The Climate Registry recognized the company for excellence in greenhouse gas management, and its paper shredding days are signature community events in Dallas and Houston, where the company partners with Iron Mountain shredding to collect, shred and recycle paper documents for free.

"In the United States, business will continue to lead on sustainability initiatives," said Scott Beckerman, Senior Vice President and Comerica's Director of Corporate Sustainability. "Our role is to support that leadership through both reductions in our own environmental footprint and perhaps even more importantly, supporting customers as they green their operations and work in new areas which address a greening economy." 

Bolstered by an internal environmental policy statement that looks to every employee and applies to the entire company, Comerica Bank is committed to reducing climate change business risks while identifying opportunities to mitigate the impact of rising global temperatures. Each year, the firm tracks its progress in environmental sustainability areas most relevant to its business, including greenhouse gas emissions, water, waste and paper use, environmentally-beneficial (green) lending, environmentally responsible procurement, and sustainability engagement and communication.

As beautiful as it is big, Texas is home to some of the largest cities in the United States and the world's 10th largest economy. A leader in multiple industries with 11 ecoregions, eight mountain ranges, and over 150 conservation organizations, Texas is a diverse state with the opportunity to model the importance of bringing conservation and business together for the benefit of our people, prosperity, and natural resources.

A catalyst for thought leadership, innovative partnerships and community-led solutions, Texan by Nature has been working with the Texas business community to implement Texas-led conservation practices, partnerships, and resources. Hosting a leadership roundtable series throughout the Lone Star State in 2018, business leaders in each major Texas city and across a spectrum of industries were brought together to engage in timely discussions around current conservation challenges and opportunities, including lack of education, awareness, collaboration, best practices and industry standards. In these sessions, business leaders voiced a desire to know more about the work being done across Texas, to learn the best practices for their industries, and to receive recognition for their efforts.

The final Texan by Nature 20 honorees were selected based upon a stated dedication to conservation, demonstrated commitment to conservation via investment and volunteerism, measurement and reporting of spending and impact on conservation efforts, and employee engagement. Honorees were identified through submissions as well as researched via publicly available information on conservation and sustainability efforts. An esteemed, cross-industry selection committee made the final selection of 20 honorees for the Texan by Nature 20.

Activating new investments, amplifying and accelerating innovations, and connecting partners to the resources they need to succeed, Texan by Nature offers select programs to help engage Texans in stewardship of the state's rich land and diverse communities including the Conservation Wrangler Program, TxN Certification, the Conservation Wrangler Summit and the TxN 20. For more information on TxN partnerships and programs, or to learn how to get involved, please visit www.texanbynature.org.

About TxN: Texan by Nature (TxN) unites business and conservation leaders who believe Texas' prosperity is dependent on the conservation of its natural resources. TxN amplifies projects and activates new investment in conservation which returns real benefits for people, prosperity, and natural resources. Texan by Nature achieves mission goals through the Texan by Nature Certification program, Conservation Wrangler program, Symposia Series, and the Texan by Nature 20. Get involved and learn more at www.texanbynature.org and follow on Facebook @TexanbyNature, Twitter @TexanbyNature, and Instagram @texanbynature.

About Comerica Bank: Comerica Incorporated (NYSE: CMA) is a financial services company headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and strategically aligned by three business segments: The Business Bank, The Retail Bank, and Wealth Management. Comerica focuses on relationships, and helping people and businesses be successful. In addition to Texas, Comerica Bank locations can be found in Arizona, California, Florida and Michigan, with select businesses operating in several other states, as well as in Canada and Mexico. For more information, visit Comerica.com. Follow Comerica on Twitter at @ComericaBank or Facebook at www.facebook.com/Comerica.

Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture honored the recipients of the 2019 Sustainability Leadership Awards on the eve of the fifth annual Sustainable Agriculture Summit. 

Presented as the capstone of the Alliance’s fall meeting, these awards are given to farmers, organizations and individuals who have demonstrated outstanding leadership through their efforts to advance continuous improvement in the sustainability of U.S. commodity crop production. For the first time in 2019, the Alliance expanded its awards program to also celebrate the critical role that trusted advisers—like certified crop advisers, conservation districts specialists, extension agents, Natural Resource Conservation Service field staff and retail agronomists —play in supporting farmers’ journeys of continuous improvement.

The recipients of the 2019 Sustainability Leadership Awards are as follows:

• 2019 Farmer of the Year: Rick Clark, 5th Generation Farmer, Williamsport, Indiana
  

Honoring the outstanding contributions of a farmer who is committed to advancing sustainable agriculture through conservation and stewardship efforts on their farm and sharing best practices with their peers, this year’s Farmer of the Year Award recognizes Indiana corn and soy farmer Rick Clark for his leadership and dedication to conservation. As Field to Market’s highest honor for commodity crop producers, this distinctive award celebrates Clark’s commitment to delivering continuous improvement in soil health and related sustainable outcomes.

Clark’s dedication to soil health has resulted in a powerful impact on the sustainability of his operation, and inspired peers and partners in the supply chain to rally around the critical importance of soil health. His pursuit of innovation and passion for conservation is illustrated by a rigorous, systematic approach to maximizing the health of his soil, delivering tangible benefits on his land which will leave a powerful legacy in sustaining future generations of his family.

• 2019 Collaboration of the Year: USA Rice—Ducks Unlimited’s Rice Stewardship Partnership

  Recognizing outstanding collaboration and cross-sector partnership in advancing continuous improvement in sustainable agriculture at the field and landscape level, this year’s Collaboration of the Year Award honors ten Field to Market members involved in the Rice Stewardship Partnership—USA Rice Federation, Ducks Unlimited, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Walmart.org, The Mosaic Company and the Mosaic Foundation, Nestlé Purina PetCare Company, RiceTec, BASF, Corteva Agriscience and Riceland Foods, Inc.

Representing unparalleled collaboration that spans the entire rice industry, the Rice Stewardship Partnership supports rice farmers in pursuing continuous improvement in water quality, water quantity and waterfowl habitat protection. By coordinating efforts through all six rice producing states—Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Texas—this collaboration brings together partners from each of Field to Market’s five membership sectors to provide conservation services and farmer support that enable participating growers to conserve critical natural resources.

• 2019 Trusted Adviser of the Year: Dr. Andrew Jordan, Consultant and Owner, Jordan Associates

Recognizing outstanding leadership in supporting farmers in their pursuit of continuous improvement, the inaugural Trusted Adviser of the Year Award was awarded to Dr. Andrew Jordan, consultant and owner of Jordan Associates. Widely recognized within the cotton industry as a pioneering sustainability advocate, Dr. Jordan dedicated a 30 year tenure at the National Cotton Council to enabling cotton producers to adopt new technologies and implement more sustainable practices on their farms.  

Translating this expertise, he established himself as a trusted adviser not only to farmers but to the wider industry in 2007, championing the importance of documenting and demonstrating continuous improvement in the sustainability of U.S. cotton, beginning with a pilot project with cotton growers in Louisiana in collaboration with Cotton Incorporated. Most recently, Dr. Jordan has served as a leading adviser on the newly released U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, which leverages Field to Market’s suite of sustainability metrics to enable cotton farmers across the country to deliver sustainable outcomes and contribute to the broader industry’s sustainability story. Dr. Jordan has also contributed significant volunteer efforts overseas to design small scale community water systems for developing countries.

Whether it was by harnessing the power of regenerative practices to harness farming into a force for improving the health of the land and the planet, driving conservation outcomes through unparalleled collaboration to support farmers’ journeys of continuous improvement or dedicating an entire career to supporting cotton farmers to lead on sustainability, this year’s finalists have helped to define leadership in sustainable agriculture and showcase how our food and agriculture system can contribute solutions to pressing environmental challenges.

“Congratulations to our awardees—we know they will continue to be leaders in building an agriculture system that supports resilient ecosystems and enhances farmer livelihoods,” said Rod Snyder, president of Field to Market. “We applaud Rick Clark, Andrew Jordan and the ten Field to Market members involved in the Rice Stewardship Partnership for their deeply rooted commitment to sustainability and for the larger impact they are having in driving conservation at the field, farm and landscape levels.”

The winners of Field to Market’s Sustainability Leadership Awards are selected by the Alliance’s Awards and Recognition Committee. Each recipient demonstrates leadership in the pursuit of continuous improvement, resulting in measurable results and significant impact on both agriculture and the environment.

Learn more about the 2019 Sustainability Leadership Award winners at www.fieldtomarket.org/awards. 

CONTACT
Carter Purcell, Field to Market, (202) 297-8345, cpurcell@fieldtomarket.org

ABOUT FIELD TO MARKET
Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture brings together a diverse group of grower organizations; agribusinesses; food, beverage, restaurant and retail companies; conservation groups; universities and public sector partners to focus on defining, measuring and advancing the sustainability of food, fiber and fuel production. Field to Market is comprised of nearly 140 members representing all facets of the U.S. agricultural supply chain, with members employing more than 5 million people and representing combined revenues totaling over $1.5 trillion. For more information, visit www.fieldtomarket.org and follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/FieldtoMarket

Ceres CEO and President Mindy Lubber has been appointed to the first-ever U.S. federal advisory committee focused on addressing the short and long-term financial and market risks posed by climate change to capital markets and throughout the broader economy.

Lubber was appointed to the Climate-Related Market Risk Subcommittee of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Market Risk Advisory Committee (MRAC). The 35-member body, chaired by Bob Litterman of Kepos Capital, is comprised of a range of experts representing financial market institutions, banking and insurance sectors, data service providers, environmental and sustainability organizations and others, according to a press release issued this week.

“Each member has demonstrated expertise in one or more disciplines in which they have devoted significant time and consideration to the challenges presented by the risks of climate change,” the release stated.

The CFTC received 90 nominations for committee membership.

“I am honored to be selected as a member of the committee and look forward to contributing to this important work, which will encourage financial regulators and market participants to focus on the biggest financial and environmental threat of our time,” said Ceres CEO and President Mindy Lubber. “It is vital to see U.S. financial regulators, including the CFTC, begin to take steps to better understand and address the systemic financial and market impacts of the climate crisis.”

The committee is tasked with developing a public report with recommendations to financial regulators on how to best mitigate climate-related financial and market risks. The committee may consider how investors and companies can better integrate scenario analysis and governance initiatives into risk assessments and reports. It is also expected to identify policy solutions for climate risk management and disclosure that support long-term financial stability.

“Investors have long called for better economy-wide market and corporate data on managing climate-related financial risks and spurring opportunities for low-carbon, sustainable investments,” Lubber added. “The formation of the committee comes at a critical time as calls get louder for increased regulatory and policy action.”

Last month, Ceres launched the Ceres Accelerator for Sustainable Capital Markets to move financial regulators to act on climate change as a systemic financial risk, and work with the world’s most influential asset owners to transition their investment portfolios to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. In its initial phase, Ceres aims to demonstrate that climate change is a systemic financial risk which U.S. financial regulators must address to preserve the stability of the financial system.

Over time, the Ceres Accelerator aims to transform the practices and policies that govern capital markets in order to accelerate action on reducing the worst financial impacts of the climate crisis and other sustainability threats.

Tetra Pak, together with its supplier Braskem, has become the first company in the food and beverage industry to responsibly source plant-based polymers using the Bonsucro standards for sustainable sugar cane. This move is yet another reinforcement of the company’s commitment to drive ethical and responsible business practices across global supply chains, while lowering the carbon footprint of its packaging.

“We’ve seen a growing trend of consumers wanting to do more for the planet, and they look to brands to help. Today 91% of consumers look for environmental logos when shopping, and Bonsucro Chain of Custody Certification can be used to communicate credible information to consumers, thereby helping our customers differentiate their products,” said Mario Abreu, VP Sustainability, Tetra Pak. “Our plant-based polymers are fully traceable to their sugarcane origin. We see plant-based materials as playing a key role in achieving a low-carbon circular economy. In the future all polymers we use will either be made from plant-based materials or from post-consumption recycled food grades.”

The announcement forms part of Tetra Pak’s recently launched Planet Positive initiative, which urges industry stakeholders to take a broader view of sustainability, evolving the concept of circular economy to a low-carbon circular economy, where we go beyond recycling and reuse to include the carbon impact of raw materials and manufacturing. The use of plant-based materials such as paper and polymers, significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions, supporting economic growth that is decoupled from fossil, finite sources. The plant-based polymers used in some Tetra Pak cartons, like their closures, are produced from sugarcane. Plant-based polymer supplier Braskem has now reached 100% Bonsucro certified volumes of sugarcane derived bioethanol for Tetra Pak’s plant-based solutions, establishing full supply chain transparency.

Gustavo Sergi, Renewable Business Unit Leader at Braskem, said “We have been working with Tetra Pak for more than 10 years, and Bonsucro Chain of Custody reinforces the Responsible Ethanol Sourcing Program from Braskem with the assurance and traceability of the entire sugarcane value chain, all the way back to the growers and mills.”

Danielle Morley, CEO, Bonsucro said “Bonsucro provides a global platform for collective action to accelerate sustainability in the production and processing of sugarcane. Working with Tetra Pak to achieve third-party certification and product labelling of their sugarcane-derived packaging is a milestone.  Customers can be assured that our rigorous sustainability standard has been met. We are very excited to continue to support responsible sourcing at Tetra Pak and for the contribution that certified sustainable sugarcane can make to plant-based packaging.”

Tetra Pak remains committed to sustainable sourcing and forging closer ties with organisations that drive this type of positive change, such as the Forest Stewardship Council™ (FSC™). Since 2007 Tetra Pak has delivered more than 500 billion FSC labelled packages, proof of the company’s continuous and long-standing commitment to responsible sourcing.

Driving environmental excellence is one of Tetra Pak’s strategic priorities, not just within its own operations, but across the whole value chain. The company is committed to developing a package that contributes to a low-carbon circular economy – that is a package made entirely from plant-based or recycled materials, fully recyclable, without ever compromising on food safety. The Bonsucro certified labels will be available to place on packaging from Q1 2020.

END

ABOUT TETRA PAK

Tetra Pak is the world's leading food processing and packaging solutions company. Working closely with our customers and suppliers, we provide safe, innovative and environmentally sound products that each day meet the needs of hundreds of millions of people in more than 160 countries. With over 25,000 employees around the world, we believe in responsible industry leadership and a sustainable approach to business.  Our promise, “PROTECTS WHAT’S GOOD™," reflects our vision to make food safe and available, everywhere.

More information about Tetra Pak is available at www.tetrapak.com

PLANET POSITIVE

Tetra Pak recently launched Planet Positive, an initiative which urges industry stakeholders to take a broader view of sustainability, evolving the concept of Circular Economy to a Low-Carbon Circular Economy. It represents a new way of thinking, inspiring suppliers, customers and other businesses to come together to address the pressing global environmental issues of climate and waste, going beyond recycling and reuse to include the carbon impact of raw materials and manufacturing.

Founded on the idea that a package should save more than it costs, sustainability has always been core to how Tetra Pak operates as a business. Recognising the importance of addressing the full impact of the business, Tetra Pak is committed to decarbonising energy, improving energy efficiency, reducing food waste and minimising the impact on resources such as land and water. The company has a long-term ambition to produce packages that are fully recyclable, made only from plant-based or recycled packaging materials, without compromising on food safety requirements. At the same time, Tetra Pak has already committed to reduce operational GHG emissions to the extent of 42% by 2030 and 58% by 2040, from a 2015 baseline.

More information about Planet Positive is available at www.tetrapak.com/sustainability/planet-positive

MEDIA CONTACTS

Jane Jarosz 
Tetra Pak    
Tel: +39 059 89 8954       
jane.jarosz@tetrapak.com     

Hannah Mughal
Edelman for Tetra Pak
Tel: +44(0)2030472323
hannah.mughal@edelman.com

Notes to Editors

• Braskem is the largest thermoplastic resins producer in the Americas. With 36 industrial plants spread in Brazil, the United States and Germany, the company produces over 16 million tons of thermoplastic resins and other petrochemical products annually. As the largest biopolymer producer in the world, Braskem has the capacity to produce 200 thousand tons/ year of  Green Ethylene from sugar cane ethanol. You can find more information at www.braskem.com.

• Bonsucro is a global non-profit organisation that exists to promote sustainable sugarcane production, processing and trade around the world. Bonsucro supports a community of over 500 members in more than 40 countries, from all parts of the sugarcane supply chain, including farmers, millers, traders, buyers and civil society. Its vision is a sugarcane sector with thriving, sustainable producer communities and resilient, assured supply chains.  Bonsucro has multi-stakeholder involvement and is recommended by WWF for sustainable sugar sourcing. It is also a member of ISEAL, the global membership association for credible sustainability standards. You can find more information at http://www.bonsucro.com/.

• Tetra Pak’s Bonsucro certificate code is BONS-C-0119 and our FSC license code is FSC™ C014047.

CONTACT
tetrapak@3blmedia.com

Originally published on The Charlatan website

by Jillian Piper

A study looking into the student debt crisis, by licensed firm Hoyes, Michalos & Associates Inc. which promises to help Ontarians get out of economic distress, found student debt contributed to more than 17.6 per cent of insolvencies, the first step towards filing for bankruptcy, in Ontario as of 2018. The study notes this rate is at a record high since data collection began in 2009, with roughly 22,000 former students unable to pay their debts.

Sponsored by Scotiabank, CUSA and the university’s financial literacy campaign has seven events which range from financial workshops and interview role-playing, to a local food market on campus. 

Read more

The CNH Industrial manufacturing facility in Querétaro was named “Great Place to Work®” by the Great Place to Work® Institute in Mexico. This is the fourth time for CNH de México to be recognized as an excellent workplace in terms of workplace culture.

Thierry Mahé, General Director of CNH de México, “We are very proud that our local employees not only participated in the survey but also ranked CNH Industrial as an excellent workplace. Their passion and commitment drive our corporate culture and help us to further grow and improve. Teaming up with the Great Place to Work® Institute has allowed us to continuously monitor progress and receive valuable feedback from our employees.”

The Great Place to Work® Institute’s research has shown that workplaces with high trust cultures obtain higher returns on results, levels of innovation, customer satisfaction, employee engagement and organizational agility. Thus, the Institute uses its renowned Trust Model© as a standard of what it means to be a great workplace. The model assesses the employee experience based on five core dimensions: credibility, respect, fairness, pride and camaraderie.

CNH de México, a joint venture of Quimmco Group and CNH Industrial, is one of the leading suppliers of agricultural tractors in Mexico. The company manufactures, assembles, markets, and distributes tractors and implements for the agricultural sector. It is the exclusive manufacturer in Mexico of New Holland tractors and exclusive importer of agricultural equipment and construction machinery from almost every brand of CNH Industrial. 

The operations in Mexico are one of the 11 manufacturing plants in CNH Industrial’s North American footprint with 12 research and development centers and a workforce of 9,000. 

In celebration of its annual Season of Giving initiative, AEG, the world’s leading sports and live entertainment company, and the AEG Community Foundation today launched the 2019 #SpreadCheer Challenge, a social media campaign that will provide three charities – Boys & Girls Clubs of America,  Playworks and Special Olympics USA – with an opportunity to earn $25,000 from the AEG Community Foundation.

Beginning today and running through December 16, fans across the world can visit www.aegspreadcheer.com and complete a digital puzzle where they can earn points for one of the three non-profit organizations. The organization with the most points by 11:59 p.m. PT on December 16, will be awarded $25,000.

“At AEG we pride ourselves on supporting our community partners throughout the year and shining a spotlight during the holiday season on the important work they do,” said Martha Saucedo, Executive Vice President, External Affairs, AEG. “The AEG Community Foundation is excited to partner with Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Playworks and Special Olympics USA to engage audiences and raise awareness about these organizations through a fun and entertaining game challenge.”

The 2019 #SpreadCheer Challenge participants are:

• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: For more than 150 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America has provided kids and teens with a safe, affordable place during critical out-of-school time. Boys & Girls Clubs offer life-changing programs to all youth across America, including youth on native lands and on U.S. military installations worldwide.
• Playworks: Playworks is the leading national nonprofit leveraging the power of play to provide schools with support to quickly transform their culture into one of inclusion - where every child has the opportunity to be physically active, feel safe, and returns to class ready to learn. Playworks supports more than 1.25 million kids in 2,500 schools during recess and after school.
• Special Olympics USA: Special Olympics is a global inclusion movement using sport, health, education and leadership programs every day around the world to end discrimination against and empower people with intellectual disabilities. Founded in 1968, the Special Olympics movement has grown to more than 6 million athletes and Unified Sports partners in over 190 countries. Special Olympics USA is the national team that represents the United States at the Special Olympics World Games, when the world transcends the boundaries of geography, nationality, political philosophy, gender, age, culture and religion. Alternating between summer and winter Games every 2 years, this event is the flagship event of the Special Olympics movement.

Over the past 10 years, AEG has contributed more than $120 million in direct financial and in-kind support to community and civic programs with a focus on children and youth in the areas of education, the arts and health and wellness.  To find out more about AEG 1Community and the AEG Community Foundation, click here. 

Since awarding its first grant in December 2018, the AEG Community Foundation has awarded nearly $1.2 million in grants to 75 nonprofit organizations in more than 20 cities throughout the United States.

ABOUT AEG

Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, AEG is the world's leading sports and live entertainment company. The company operates in the following business segments: Facilities, which through its affiliation with ASM Global, owns, manages or consults with more than 300 preeminent arenas, stadiums, convention centers and performing arts venues around the world; Music through AEG Presents, which is dedicated to all aspects of live contemporary music performances, including producing and promoting global and regional concert tours, music and special events and world-renowned festivals such as the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival; Real Estate, which develops world-class venues, as well as major sports and entertainment districts like STAPLES Center and L.A. LIVE, Mercedes Platz in Berlin and The O2 in London; Sports, as the world's largest operator of high-profile sporting events and sports franchises including the LA Kings, LA Galaxy and Eisbären Berlin; and Global Partnerships, which oversees worldwide sales and servicing of sponsorships including naming rights, premium seating and other strategic partnerships. Through its worldwide network of venues, portfolio of powerful sports and music brands and its integrated entertainment districts, AEG entertains more than 160 million guests annually. More information about AEG can be found at www.aegworldwide.com.

Media Contact
Allegra Batista
AEG
213.763.7738
abatista@aegworldwide.com 

Mohawk Industries is once again a premier sponsor of the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo, the largest convening of green building and sustainability leaders. The world’s largest flooring manufacturer continues to press for more sustainable options in flooring—by its support of this important movement and by showcasing innovative solutions that illustrate how sustainability is second nature for the Georgia-based company.

Greenbuild returns to Atlanta Nov. 19–22 at the Georgia World Congress Center. Mohawk’s growing portfolio of residential and commercial flooring solutions designed to minimize environmental footprints while increasing social “handprints” will be exhibited in booth space 805.

“For more than a quarter century, USGBC has been working with partners like Mohawk to advance our goal of green buildings for all and Greenbuild is where we come together to shape the next phase of that journey,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO, U.S. Green Building Council. “Mohawk has been a committed partner of USGBC’s and is a driving force for the green building industry. We are grateful for its support and presence as Greenbuild heads to Atlanta.”

George Bandy Jr., chief sustainability officer of Mohawk Flooring North America, will welcome guests and officially open the second day of Greenbuild ahead of this year’s much-anticipated keynote speaker: President Barack Obama. The Wednesday keynote event will take place Nov. 20 at 8:30 a.m.

“We are incredibly honored to welcome the green building world to our very own backyard. Each year the possibilities for living sustainably grow because of the dedicated people who attend this conference and because of manufacturers and other companies that deliver the most sustainable solutions to the marketplace,” said Bandy. “We at Mohawk are driven by innovation and transparency, so that every day we approach our design and manufacturing processes with the mindset to create better products for a better world.”

Mohawk leads the flooring industry in sustainability with a large portfolio of thoughtfully designed solutions across hard and soft surface, for both the home and the workplace. Attendees at Greenbuild will encounter a number of these floor coverings, including the manufacturer’s latest Living Product collection—a carpet plank system designed by Jason McLennan in collaboration with Mohawk Group and inspired by the plumage of North American owls; as well as Air.o, the first 100% recyclable soft floorcovering that is also hypoallergenic, easy to clean and VOC-free.

To learn more about Mohawk Industries’ corporate commitment to sustainability, visit MohawkSustainability.com.

About Mohawk
Mohawk Industries is a leading global flooring manufacturer that creates products to enhance residential and commercial spaces around the world. Mohawk’s vertically integrated manufacturing and distribution processes provide competitive advantages in the production of carpet, rugs, ceramic tile, laminate, wood, stone and vinyl flooring. Our industry-leading innovation has yielded products and technologies that differentiate our brands in the marketplace and satisfy all remodeling and new construction requirements. Our brands are among the most recognized in the industry and include Mohawk, American Olean, Daltile, Durkan, Eliane, Feltex, Godfrey Hirst, IVC, Karastan, Marazzi, Pergo, Quick-Step and Unilin. During the past decade, Mohawk has transformed its business from an American carpet manufacturer into the world’s largest flooring company with operations in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Europe, India, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Russia and the United States.

About Greenbuild
Greenbuild is the world's largest conference and expo dedicated to green building. It brings together industry leaders, experts and frontline professionals dedicated to sustainable building in their everyday work. Thousands of building professionals from all over the world will attend Greenbuild’s three days of outstanding educational sessions, renowned speakers and special seminars. More than 600 suppliers and top manufacturers of the latest green building equipment, products, services and technology will exhibit at Greenbuild. The green building movement embraces all of humanity by making sustainable buildings and environments accessible to everyone, and in doing so, benefits the natural environment all around us. The future of the human race is interlaced with the future of the planet, and the sustainable practices we celebrate and advance at Greenbuild remind us that our success as sustainability advocates, practitioners and professionals is more than a movement, it is a responsibility.

# # #

CONTACT
Luke Chaffin +1 (762) 204-5607 luke_chaffin@mohawkind.com