CSRWire News

Anchored in knowledge gained in the development of the urban resilience movement, Resilient Cities Catalyst (RCC) formally launched today in the lead-up to the World Urban Forum in Abu Dhabi. Led by former executives of 100 Resilient Cities, RCC is a new nonprofit comprised of urban practitioners and resilience experts with deep experience working in cities around the world.

Through decades of combined experience in urban resilience, RCC staff have seen first-hand the risks and opportunities inherent in the world’s cities. By 2050, more than 70 percent of the world’s population will live in urban areas and already nearly 500 million urban residents live in high-risk coastal areas. RCC will partner with cities to support innovation, leverage existing city resources, and reinforce continuity of effort in the face of these rapid changes.

RCC also announced today the creation of a Board of Directors, including:

• Dr. Judith Rodin: Former President of The Rockefeller Foundation and the University of Pennsylvania, author of The Resilience Dividend, and founder of 100 Resilient Cities. 

• Henk Ovink: Special Envoy for International Water Affairs for the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Principal of Rebuild by Design.

With initial funding support from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation and Facebook, RCC will help cities build partnerships to understand, prioritize, and address their risks and chronic stresses through three core service areas: 

1. Resilience Roadmaps to create enabling environments for action through participatory resilience planning processes.

2. Project Incubators to develop projects that maximize resilience impact, ensuring cities and communities have access to the technical, financial, and project preparation expertise required to move from concept to implementation.

3. Catalyst Labs to facilitate the next generation of solutions and create new communities of practice in the urban resilience field.

“Cities represent our greatest opportunity for impact, while also posing the greatest risks to future shocks and stresses,” said Michael Berkowitz, Founding Principal, RCC and Former President, 100 Resilient Cities. “RCC is proud to launch today with a staff and board comprised of leading thinkers and practitioners in urban resilience, all optimistic about the potential in the world’s cities.” 

"When The Rockefeller Foundation pioneered 100 Resilient Cities, we hoped that it would spark a global movement with many actors. We knew that helping cities better face the threats of the 21st Century would be a decades-long challenge, and I am proud that many of the 100RC leadership team are carrying on this work through the Resilient Cities Catalyst,” said Dr. Judith Rodin, RCC Board Member. 

“Cities are facing extremes of too much or too little water. These extremes are being exacerbated by climate change. Whether it’s chronic flooding, water pollution, or droughts, water challenges are crippling cities’ economies, communities, families, and the natural systems so much needed to support them. Water can be the cities’ leverage for catalytic change, but leveraging water assets requires an empowered enabling environment. In this way, the RCC approach gets right to the heart of the matter. It directs capital and builds capacity where it is needed most: with the city institutions, urbanist professionals, and political and community leaders whose partnership are the necessary foundation for transformational change in the trajectory of our resilient urban future,” said Henk Ovink, RCC Board Member. 

“We are proud to build on our partnership as an early supporter of Resilient Cities Catalyst. In the wake of historic wildfires in 2018, the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation saw the opportunity to partner with Resilient Cities Catalyst to develop innovative approaches to preparing for and managing wildfires in Southern California. We look forward to continuing to collaborate with RCC as they lead the way in helping communities become more resilient,” said Peter Laugharn, President and Chief Executive Officer, Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. 

“We’re excited to see the resilience work that began at The Rockefeller Foundation, thrive across a constellation of different actors, including the Resilient Cities Catalyst, the Global Resilient Cities Network, and the Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center,” said Elizabeth Yee, Managing Director, Climate and Resilience, The Rockefeller Foundation.

"Resilient Cities Catalyst is building on the strength of 100 Resilient Cities to drive needed change in urban policy and planning around the world. We are committed to working together to bring interdisciplinary research and collaborative project development to our partners through the Resilience Accelerator,” said Kate Orff, Director of Urban Design, Columbia University's Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation and Faculty Director, Center for Resilient Cities and Landscapes. 

“Michael and the Resilient Cities Catalyst team played a critical role in elevating the practice of urban resilience worldwide through 100 Resilient Cities. I look forward to building on those efforts with them directly and through their support for a range of city collaborations, including the Global Resilient Cities Network,” said Toby Kent, Chief Resilience Officer, Melbourne, Australia.

RCC is one of a number of important initiatives needed to help cities be more prepared for the 21st Century challenges and hopes to partner with these efforts, across sectors, to leverage our collective muscle to make cities more livable, sustainable, and resilient.

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About Resilient Cities Catalyst

Resilient Cities Catalyst (RCC) joins with cities worldwide to help them better leverage the experience, resources, and energies of their leaders, managers, communities, companies, and urbanists to realize their collective visions. Founded by executives from 100 Resilient Cities, RCC’s work is anchored in the knowledge gained in the development of the urban resilience movement. For more info, please visit: www.rcc.city. 

Points of Light is pleased to announce the addition of three leaders to its board of directors. Each individual shares Points of Light’s vision of creating healthy communities in vibrant, participatory societies, and provides a complement to the current board.

The newly appointed members of the Points of Light board of directors are:

• Emad Bibawi, New York advisory market leader at KPMG, is a risk assurance solution partner with over 25 years of experience in Europe and the U.S. leading complex client relationships, and delivering internal audit and risk management engagements. Emad also functioned as the chief financial officer for a high-tech start-up, and serves as a board member for SeriousFun Children’s Network which was launched in 1988 by founder Paul Newman;

• George A. Kalogridis, president, segment development and enrichment at Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, is responsible for the development of strategic and operational business initiatives while developing and scaling best practices at Disney sites worldwide. In addition to leveraging his nearly 50 years of experience to champion segment initiatives in diversity and inclusion, George has long been active in the Central Florida community, serving on the board of several area nonprofits;

• Susan Molinari, a strategist and former vice president of Google public affairs and former member of Congress, developed a strong record of bipartisanship and effectiveness on issues ranging from transportation and the budget, to child abuse and human rights. In addition to numerous board appointments, including Harvard University Institute of Politics at the Kennedy School and the Toyota North America Diversity Board, Susan was selected as a member of the Sine Institute’s 2020 class of Fellows and Distinguished Lecturers at American University.

“We are excited to welcome Emad, George and Susan to the Points of Light board of directors,” said Natalye Paquin, president and CEO of Points of Light. “They bring both leadership and expertise in their respected fields, but more importantly, they’re committed to improving communities and creating a world where it is easy for every individual to create change. Their joining our board shows their passion for creating a world where it is impossible for people to sit on the sidelines.”

The new cohort of board members began their service on Jan. 1, 2020, and will serve a three-year term.

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: www.pointsoflight.org.

When was the last time you gathered under one roof with 1,500 people who care just as deeply as you do about social impact?

At NI19, you will:

• Connect to changemakers, innovators, sustainability leaders, activists, influencers, students and companies.

• Be inspired to tackle today's biggest challenges.

• Learn how to make an impact from where you are.

We're bringing together an inspiring lineup of keynote speakers, social change activists, corporate visionaries, authors and cutting-edge thinkers this year.

Global leaders like Microsoft, International Paper, and TerraCycle will be part of Career Central to talk shop about employment opportunities and the future of your career. Pioneer programs like REDF and Uncommon Schools will inspire you with their untraditional and innovative approaches to tackling social and environmental issues. Top leaders from companies like Intel, Lime, Campbell’s and The Coca-Cola Company will talk openly about CSR, sustainability, and what it’s like to be a woman growing an enterprise. And our fast-paced networking salons will give you the chance to connect with like-minded activists and leaders who care about the same topics you do. 

We hope to see you in Detroit!

The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) has released its latest Sustainability Report, highlighting achievements in reducing its environmental footprint, increasing the diversity of its workforce and building strong communities.

This is Allstate’s 17th annual report on its accomplishments in corporate governance, ethics, environmental practices, inclusive diversity and community involvement.

“Allstate’s purpose is to create prosperity for all our stakeholders, including employees, investors and the communities in which we live and work. Sustainability is part of Allstate’s DNA,” said Tom Wilson, Allstate Chair, President and CEO. “We are pleased Allstate was once again included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices, demonstrating our strong management of ESG factors, and that our diversity efforts have been recognized by the National Association for Female Executives and DiversityInc. We’re also proud to be named one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies for the fifth straight year.”

The Sustainability Report follows the GRI G4 Core (Global Reporting Initiative) framework and features an Investor Hub that provides metrics for investors interested in environmental, social and governance practices.

Sustainability Accomplishments and Recognition

• Allstate reduced its emissions of greenhouse gases 14% in 2018, on top of an 8% reduction in 2017.

• Allstate earned a spot on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for the second consecutive year, based on the company’s leadership in sustainability.

• This year, Allstate retained its spot on the Top 50 Companies list from DiversityInc for its inclusive diversity efforts. It was the 14th year in a row Allstate made the list.

• Allstate was again recognized as one of the Civic 50, the most community-minded companies in the United States, by Points of Light, the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service.

• Allstate was recognized as one of the 2019 National Association for Female Executives’ Top Companies for Executive Women.

• The Allstate Corporation, The Allstate Foundation, employees and agencies supported thousands of organizations to improve local communities through monetary donations and more than 260,000 hours of employee volunteer service last year.

• The company spent $308 million, or 7.1% of total supplier spending, with diverse suppliers in 2018.

• Corporate governance practices received high marks, with one corporate governance firm giving Allstate the highest numerical rating.

Find the report at www.allstatesustainability.com.

Financial information, including material announcements about The Allstate Corporation, is routinely posted on www.allstateinvestors.com.

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ON Semiconductor (Nasdaq: ON), driving energy efficient innovations, has been included on the Bloomberg Gender Equality Index (GEI). ON Semiconductor was included in this year’s index for scoring above the global threshold established by Bloomberg to reflect a high level of disclosure and overall performance across the framework’s five pillars of female leadership and talent pipeline, equal pay and gender pay parity, inclusive culture, sexual harassment policies, and pro-women brand.

The company is one of 325 companies across 50 industries included in the 2020 GEI. Companies range from a variety of industries, including automotive, banking, consumer services, engineering and construction, and retail.

“It is an honor to be leading a company that continuously strives for gender equality in such a competitive marketplace and in the world that we live in today,” said Keith Jackson, president and CEO of ON Semiconductor. “As the company celebrates its 20 year IPO anniversary, this recognition is not just a goal that we achieved but rather a milestone on our company’s journey.”

“At ON Semiconductor we work every day to embed diversity and inclusion in all levels of our organization,” said Alicia Scott, director, diversity & inclusion and talent management ON Semiconductor. “Being acknowledged on a global scale for our company’s work on gender equality is a privilege and a reminder to our customers, stockholders, communities and most importantly, our employees that we walk-the-talk when it comes to diversity and inclusion.”

Launched in 2016, the GEI, formerly called the Bloomberg Financial Services Gender-Equality Index, tracks the financial performance of public companies committed to supporting gender equality through policy development, representation, and transparency.

"The 325 companies included in the 2020 GEI have shown their commitment to transparency and demonstrated leadership in gender-related data reporting," said Peter T. Grauer, Chairman of Bloomberg. "Disclosure of company statistics and practices is an important first step in supporting gender equality globally."

ON Semiconductor has long remained committed to diversity and inclusion, recognizing that our company is at its strongest when it effectively draws upon the wide variety of experiences, knowledge, culture, customers and backgrounds from all employees. Our company celebrates these differences and promotes an inclusive environment for more than 35,000 employees in more than 160 global locations.

To read more about ON Semiconductor’s Diversity and Inclusion Initiative, read our Corporate Social Responsibility report.

About ON Semiconductor

ON Semiconductor (Nasdaq: ON) is driving energy efficient innovations, empowering customers to reduce global energy use. The company is a leading supplier of semiconductor-based solutions, offering a comprehensive portfolio of energy efficient power management, analog, sensors, logic, timing, connectivity, discrete, SoC and custom devices. The company’s products help engineers solve their unique design challenges in automotive, communications, computing, consumer, industrial, medical, aerospace and defense applications. ON Semiconductor operates a responsive, reliable, world-class supply chain and quality program, a robust compliance and ethics program, and a network of manufacturing facilities, sales offices and design centers in key markets throughout North America, Europe and the Asia Pacific regions. For more information, visit http://www.onsemi.com.

Arrow Electronics, Inc. (NYSE:ARW) has again been named to FORTUNE’s “World’s Most Admired Companies” list, topping the “Wholesalers: Electronics and Office Equipment” category for the seventh consecutive year.

This marks the 20th time Arrow has appeared on the listing that is based on input from industry executives, directors and analysts.
FORTUNE’s World’s Most Admired Companies list recognizes companies based on nine key attributes of reputation, of which Arrow ranked first in six of the categories, including innovation and social responsibility.

“We are honored to be included once again on this esteemed list of top companies and recognized as the most respected in our industry,” said Michael J. Long, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Arrow. “This recognition is a testament to our employees who are committed to guiding innovation forward for our customers and suppliers every day.”

Arrow’s view of CSR goes beyond traditional corporate philanthropy and community relations. It is a business strategy that creates competitive advantages by establishing partnerships around shared values and pursuing innovations that strengthen Arrow’s reputation as an industry leader.

About Arrow Electronics

Arrow Electronics (NYSE:ARW) guides innovation forward for over 200,000 leading technology manufacturers and service providers. With 2018 sales of $30 billion, Arrow develops technology solutions that improve business and daily life. Learn more at FiveYearsOut.com.

Demonstrating continued achievements in environmental stewardship, HanesBrands today announced it earned a leadership level A- score for the second year in the CDP 2019 Climate Change Report.

Hanes has voluntarily reported its carbon emissions data since 2010 to CDP, which was formerly known as the Carbon Disclosure Project.

Hanes, unique in the apparel industry because it owns the significant majority of its manufacturing and supply chain operations, achieved its CDP score – one of only 82 in North America to earn an A- – for its transparency, best practices and coordinated action on climate change issues.

The company, which has also earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star partner of the year/sustained excellence award for 10 consecutive years, has significantly reduced energy use and carbon emissions since implementing an energy management program in 2007. Recent achievements include developing the capability to convert wastewater sludge to energy, retrofitting facilities with LED light tubes and improving water efficiency in boiler operations with reverse osmosis technology.

“Hanes’ superior CDP scores are attributable to our ongoing commitment to be an international business leader in energy management and eco-friendly business operations,” said HanesBrands CEO Gerald W. Evans Jr. “This achievement is a direct result of the efforts and engagement of our 68,000 worldwide employees, and I thank them for their support. By embracing environmental stewardship and the conservation of natural resources, Hanes is creating sustainable value for our company, our investors, our consumers, our employees and our communities.”

The company scored in the top 6% of nearly 8,400 companies that participated in the most recent report and achieved one of the highest scores in the apparel industry. Hanes’ performance was also higher than the average score in the textiles and fabric goods category

HanesBrands Scores a Superior A- Grade for Continued Environmental Stewardship in the CDP 2019 Climate Change Report – Page 2

(C), the North America category (C) and the global category (C). The company received nearly across-the-board scores in the A range, including emissions reduction initiatives, governance and opportunity disclosure.

Among Hanes’ 2020 environmental objectives, which are published on its Hanes for Good corporate social responsibility website, are goals to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions by 40% from its 2007 benchmark. The company has made significant progress on these and its other aggressive commitments, including:

• Renewable energy sources accounted for 41% of the company’s energy usage, surpassing its 2020 goal of 40%. Increased utilization of the company’s biomass facilities in El Salvador and the Dominican Republic, along with use of hydro and geothermal energy, fueled the 8-percentage point increase in use of renewable energy compared to 2017.

• A 23% reduction in energy use per pound of production versus its 2007 baseline and a 2% reduction from 2017. The company’s 2020 goal is to reduce energy use by 40%. To date, the company’s energy-reduction efforts have delivered a total cost avoidance of more than $220 million.

• A 36% decrease in carbon dioxide emissions versus its 2007 baseline, nearly reaching its 2020 goal of a 40% reduction. Bolstered by the significant jump in Hanes’ use of renewable energy, these emissions were down nearly 11% in 2018 versus the prior year.

• A 31% cut in water use against the company’s 2020 goal of 50% compared to its 2007 baseline. Hanes’ water use was down 2% versus 2017.

• An 86% diversion of supply chain waste, or 107 million pounds, from landfills while working toward a 2020 goal of 100%.

Hanes also completed the 2019 CDP questionnaires for water and forest, scores for which will be released in early February.

For more information on the company’s commitment to environmental sustainability, visit Hanes For Good.

HanesBrands

HanesBrands (NYSE:HBI) is a socially responsible leading marketer of everyday basic innerwear and activewear apparel in the Americas, Europe, Australia and Asia-Pacific. The company sells its products under some of the world’s strongest apparel brands, including Hanes, Champion, Bonds, Maidenform, DIM, Bali, Playtex, Bras N Things, Nur Die/Nur Der, Alternative, L’eggs, JMS/Just My Size, Lovable, Wonderbra, Berlei, and Gear for Sports. The company sells T-shirts, bras, panties, shapewear, underwear, socks, hosiery, and activewear produced in the company’s low-cost global supply chain. Hanes takes pride in its strong reputation for ethical business practices. For more information, visit the company’s corporate website at www.Hanes.com/corporate and newsroom at https://newsroom.hanesbrands.com/. Connect with the company via social media: Twitter (@hanesbrands), Facebook (www.facebook.com/hanesbrandsinc), Instagram (@hanesbrands_careers), and LinkedIn (@Hanesbrandsinc).

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News Media, contact:

Carole Crosslin: 336-671-3704 (cell) or carole.crosslin@hanes.com

Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), the world's largest leisure travel company, recently announced it is a charter member of the Ocean Plastics Leadership Network (OPLN), a new global community of retailers, brands, non-governmental organizations and alliances committed to sharing best practices, developing scientific breakthroughs and new business models, and working to develop new approaches, innovations and solutions-based projects to address the impacts of plastic waste.

As part of the company's implementation of broader environmental initiatives, Carnival Corporation recently announced a series of actions being undertaken by each of its nine cruise line brands, including significantly reducing its purchase and consumption of non-essential single-use plastics by the end of 2021. The effort to dramatically reduce single-use plastics across its brands is part of an expansion of Operation Oceans Alive, the corporation's program to further its ongoing commitment to achieve and sustain environmental compliance and excellence. Carnival Corporation and its brands already have plans under way, including initiatives to reduce or eliminate plastic straws, cups, lids and bags, among other single-use items. The brands are also working to potentially eliminate individual servings of select packaged food items and other single-use plastics or decorative items used in food and beverage service as well as in staterooms. Through the ongoing efforts, the company's brands reduced the procurement of single-use plastics by 80 million items in 2019 while also reducing 95 million other single-use items, as compared to 2018.

OPLN officially launched last week with the introduction of its online community and leadership network available at OceanPlasticsLeadershipNetwork.com, an online repository of industry news, tools and research to promote and advance innovative solutions, projects and ideas from experts and advocates that will lead to collectively working to reduce plastic waste. The online network currently includes 50 members committed to collaborative solutions for plastic waste, including organizations representing elements of the development, distribution, purchase and retail use of plastic products.

"Our most important priorities are to operate safely, protect the environment and to be compliant everywhere we operate in the world," said Roger Frizzell, chief communications officer for Carnival Corporation. "Becoming a charter member of the Ocean Plastics Leadership Network is another important step in the many environmental compliance efforts that are under way across the company."

Organized by SoulBuffalo, which curates and produces summits and expeditions for corporate leaders, NGOs and innovators to develop solutions for environmental challenges, OPLN builds upon the company's first-annual Ocean Plastics Leadership Summit held in May 2019, which convened leading organizations in the plastics supply chain in one of the five oceanic gyres – which are large systems of rotating ocean currents – to experience plastic waste firsthand and to develop ideas and collaborations to accelerate solutions.

"The Ocean Plastics Leadership Network will provide an amazing platform for knowledge-sharing, creating amazing firsthand experiences and working together to achieve real change," said Dave Ford, CEO of SoulBuffalo and founder of OPLN. "Companies like Carnival Corporation coming onboard will be such an integral step to having this organization be relevant and effective."

In addition to being a charter member of OPLN, Carnival Corporation recently joined the Getting to Zero Coalition, an alliance of organizations across the maritime, energy, infrastructure and finance sectors committed to accelerating the decarbonization of the international shipping industry. The global coalition will work toward the maritime industry's goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from shipping through innovation and advancement, aspiring to having commercially viable zero emission deep sea vessels (ZEVs) entering the global shipping fleet as early as 2030. The alliance's ambition also includes scalable infrastructure for zero-carbon energy sources, including production, distribution, storage and bunkering.

Carnival Corporation and its cruise line brands are committed to developing solutions that support sustainability and environmentally friendly operations, as part of a broader corporate strategy that includes its commitment to further improve environmental compliance and performance. To date, the company achieved its 25% carbon rate reduction goal and is planning to reduce its carbon intensity by 40% by 2030.

About Carnival Corporation & plc

Carnival Corporation & plc is the world's largest leisure travel company and among the most profitable and financially strong in the cruise and vacation industries, with a portfolio of nine of the world's leading cruise lines. With operations in North America, Australia, Europe and Asia, its portfolio features Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Seabourn, P&O Cruises (Australia), Costa Cruises, AIDA Cruises, P&O Cruises (UK) and Cunard.  

Together, the corporation's cruise lines operate 105 ships with 254,000 lower berths visiting over 700 ports around the world, with 16 new ships scheduled to be delivered through 2025. Carnival Corporation & plc also operates Holland America Princess Alaska Tours, the leading tour company in Alaska and the Canadian Yukon. Traded on both the New York and London Stock Exchanges, Carnival Corporation & plc is the only group in the world to be included in both the S&P 500 and the FTSE 100 indices.

With a long history of innovation and providing guests with extraordinary vacation experiences, Carnival Corporation has received thousands of industry awards – including recognition by the Consumer Technology Association™ as a CES® 2019 Innovation Awards Honoree for OceanMedallion™. A revolutionary wearable device that contains a proprietary blend of communication technologies, OceanMedallion enables the world's first interactive guest experience platform transforming vacation travel on a large scale into a highly personalized level of customized service. The prestigious CES Innovation Awards honor outstanding design and engineering in consumer technology products. 

Additional information can be found on www.carnival.com, www.princess.com, www.hollandamerica.com, www.seabourn.com, www.pocruises.com.au, www.costacruise.com, www.aida.de, www.pocruises.com and www.cunard.com.

Cision View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/carnival-corporation-joins-ocean-plastics-leadership-network-as-charter-member-300990352.html

SOURCE Carnival Corporation & plc

Carnival Corporation Media Contacts: Roger Frizzell, Carnival Corporation, rfrizzell@carnival.com, (305) 406-7862; Mike Flanagan, LDWW, mike@ldwwgroup.com, (727) 452-4538

RESOURCES Carnival Corporation Ocean Plastics Leadership Network CONTACT
Chris Cradduck +1 (214) 893-9119 chris@ldwwgroup.com

Today, at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, an alliance of academia and industry representatives announced the Swiss Data Center Efficiency Label with the initial goal to decarbonize data centers in Switzerland and significantly reduce their overall energy consumption. Initiated by industry association digitalswitzerland and Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), the alliance has founded the Swiss Datacenter Efficiency Association (SDEA), which will own the assessment and award process for the label.

Founding members of SDEA include: École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Green IT Switzerland, HPE, the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU), the Swiss Data Center Association (Vigiswiss) and the Swiss Telecommunications Association (ASUT). The initiative is supported by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy through the program SwissEnergy.

Ten pilot users, including some of the world’s most renowned brands, implemented energy-efficient technologies and procedures to achieve compliance with the criteria of the Swiss Data Center Efficiency Label. This led to energy savings of up to 70 percent, with five of the pilot users employing 100 percent carbon-neutral energy sources. The Canton of Geneva plans to include some of the key requirements of the label into their next energy-efficiency law as a basis for the construction of new data centers. The goal is to drive adoption across Switzerland, and the label will also be presented to the European Commission and the United Nations in an effort to leverage the Swiss model for global impact.

We encourage and support organizations and nations worldwide to undertake similar efforts

“Carbon-neutral energy sources and energy-efficient digital technologies are available today, and it’s through appropriate methodologies, industry commitment and policy enforcement that broad adoption can be driven,” said Benoit Revaz, Swiss Federal Office of Energy. “We welcome projects such as the Swiss Data Center Efficiency Label, which can help to lessen the negative climate impact of one of the digital backbones of our society. We encourage and support organizations and nations worldwide to undertake similar efforts.”

Data centers globally currently account for one percent of global electricity consumption, but the share is much higher in attractive data hosting countries like Switzerland, where the energy use of data centers was estimated to be 2.8 percent of the country’s total electricity consumption in 2015. Considering the exponential growth of data volumes and data traffic in the next years, methodologies for measuring and managing data center efficiency are needed to significantly reduce carbon emissions and energy consumption.

“Today’s methodologies are looking at isolated aspects of data center efficiency and sustainability, none of which capture the overall energy and carbon footprint,” said Christopher Wellise, Chief Sustainability Officer, HPE. “The Swiss Data Center Efficiency Label, on the other hand, takes a holistic approach by considering all sources of energy consumption and energy supply, as well as the reuse of energy consumed. Hence, it provides the missing links to enable data center operators, industry associations and governments to measure and control the real climate impact of digital infrastructures.”

The label provides the missing links to control the real climate impact of digital infrastructures

The Swiss Data Center Efficiency Label is awarded for excellence in energy efficiency and environmental sustainability of data center infrastructures and their containing IT infrastructures. This includes three key components. The data center infrastructure award criteria apply to the entire energy flow, from ingest to output, including recycling capabilities of output energy (such as using thermal discharge to heat other buildings). The IT infrastructure award criteria apply to energy-efficient IT technology and effective IT usage. Depending on their compliance with the efficiency criteria, data centers can be awarded with a gold, silver or bronze label. In case of compliance with the environmental sustainability criteria, which apply to the carbon footprint, a “plus” tag is added to the awarded level.

The SDEA will continuously update the criteria of the Swiss Data Center Efficiency Label to reflect the high pace of change and innovation in the information and communication technologies (ICT) sector. One particular area of focus is the fast-growing space of ICT infrastructure running outside of data centers, which is required to process vast amounts of data in real time in locations such as factories, vehicles or public venues – commonly referred to as the ‘edge’. According to Gartner, around 10 percent of enterprise-generated data was created and processed outside a traditional centralized data center or cloud in 2018. By 2025, Gartner predicts this figure will reach 75 percent.4 Hence, going forward, the Swiss Data Center Efficiency Label will also consider ICT infrastructures at the edge to continue to provide a holistic assessment and control of the energy and carbon footprint of societies' digital infrastructures.

“We are witnessing a paradigm shift in IT, whereby conventional silicon technologies that historically resulted in doubling in chip density and efficiency every two years for five decades have reached their physical limits,” said Babak Falsafi, Professor in the School of Computer and Communication Sciences and founding director of the EcoCloud, an industrial/academic consortium at EPFL. “As a result, sustained IT performance growth can only come from building more infrastructure, including data centers with closer proximity to the data sources at the edge. Hence, this label comes timely to help guide hosts towards energy sustainable IT.”

About Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Hewlett Packard Enterprise is the global edge-to-cloud platform-as-a-service company that helps organizations accelerate outcomes by unlocking value from all of their data, everywhere. Built on decades of reimagining the future and innovating to advance the way people live and work, HPE delivers unique, open and intelligent technology solutions, with a consistent experience across all clouds and edges, to help customers develop new business models, engage in new ways, and increase operational performance.

CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE:CBRE) today announced that it was the top-ranked real estate company on Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Company roster for the second year in a row. It is the eighth straight year that CBRE has been named a Fortune Most Admired Company.

Fortune grades companies on nine attributes related to corporate performance, based on surveys of industry participants. CBRE led the real estate sector on eight key performance attributes – financial soundness, global capabilities, innovation, long-term investment, management quality, people management, service quality, and use of corporate assets – and placed second in corporate responsibility.

“This is a key measure of corporate reputation and we are proud that our people’s strong focus on excellence in every aspect of our business has once again made us the top real estate company on Fortune’s Most Admired list,” said Bob Sulentic, president and chief executive officer of CBRE.

Drawing from a base of some 1,500 companies, Fortune evaluated 680 companies from 30 countries in determining the World’s Most Admired Companies. The real estate sector encompasses REITs, property owners, hotel and health care facility operators, residential firms and other companies. Fortune surveys board directors, executives and financial analysts to determine the individual company scores and rankings.

About CBRE Group, Inc.

CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE:CBRE), a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company headquartered in Los Angeles, is the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm (based on 2018 revenue). The company has more than 90,000 employees (excluding affiliates), and serves real estate investors and occupiers through approximately 480 offices (excluding affiliates) worldwide. CBRE offers a broad range of integrated services, including facilities, transaction and project management; property management; investment management; appraisal and valuation; property leasing; strategic consulting; property sales; mortgage services and development services. Please visit our website at www.cbre.com.

Comerica Bank will host its sixth annual Prom Dress Drive, benefitting Dallas CASA and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas, during the month of February.  Six Dallas-area Comerica banking centers, including its newest location in the Snider Plaza area, will serve as drop-off locations for new or gently-used, cleaned formal dresses and accessories. 

Donations will benefit local teens, who otherwise may not be able to afford formal attire and experience the high school tradition of prom.  Comerica has donated close to 4,000 dresses to Dallas CASA and Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas in the last five years. 

For more information, visit comerica.com/promdress.

Participating Comerica Banking Centers

Cole- Fitzhugh

3202 North Fitzhugh; Dallas

Forest-Inwood

5200 Forest Lane; Dallas

NorthPark

8850 Boedeker Street; Dallas

Parker-Premier

3310 Premier Road; Plano

Preston Center

8225 Preston Road; Dallas

Snider Plaza

6829 Hillcrest Avenue; Dallas

About Comerica

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. 

About Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas

For over 50 years Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas has provided life-changing services to more than a quarter of a million youth in Dallas and surrounding areas. BGCD’s mission is to enable all young people, especially those who need it most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Programming in three core areas meets the diverse needs and interests of their 6,500 Club members, ages 6-18. These core areas include academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. For more information, please visit bgcdallas.org. 

About Dallas CASA

Dallas CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) trains and supervises community volunteers who advocate for the best interests of children who have been removed from unsafe homes. On any given day, more than 2,600 Dallas County children live in the protective care of the state due to abuse or severe neglect.  Supported by professional staff, volunteers gather information and make recommendations to help judges decide the services each child needs to heal from trauma and the best outcome for a safe and permanent home.  For many foster children, a CASA volunteer is the only consistent, caring adult during a frightening, uncertain time. Today, Dallas CASA is serving more than 9 out of 10 Dallas County children in protective care.  More than 1,500 Dallas CASA volunteers were assigned to advocate for children during 2019.  Now in its 40th year, Dallas CASA depends on the generosity and the commitment of the community to make sure every child in need has a CASA volunteer advocate.

The Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth and The Rockefeller Foundation today announced data.org as a platform for partnerships that will continue to build the field of data science for social impact. This is the next chapter of a $50 million commitment Mastercard and the Rockefeller Foundation made last year to launch a transformational model for philanthropy. 

As part of today’s announcement, data.org launched a new $10 million impact challenge to crowdsource scalable and sustainable data science solutions for non-profit, civic and government organizations. 

With the data.org domain name, The Rockefeller Foundation and the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth are building on the success of the original DATA.org—launched in 2002 by a group of innovative social entrepreneurs, including rock star and philanthropist Bono, to alleviate debt, AIDS and trade inequalities in Africa. In what ultimately became the ONE Campaign, they focused on driving evidence-based approaches to development. 

“Our commitment to building the field of data science is rooted in the belief that data-driven insights can deliver transformational change that improves the lives of vulnerable people and helps solve the world’s most pressing challenges,” said Michael Froman, vice chairman of Mastercard. “We must make sure that even as people have unprecedented access to technology, we don’t allow a new digital divide to emerge.”     

“While the private sector has been gathering data and using data science analytics, such as artificial intelligence for many years, most non-profit, civic and public sector institutions still lack the resources to do so,” said Dr. Rajiv Shah, President of The Rockefeller Foundation. “Just as these tools have given businesses competitive edges, enabling them to find nuanced ways to improve productivity and market impact, data science can increase the speed, depth, and accuracy of analyzing a social challenge, pointing to solutions, partnerships, and innovative investments that can provide impact.”

The new data.org seeks to build the capacity of non-profit organizations with training resources, access to data sets and open-sourced tools that help these organizations harness the power of data insights and analytics to enhance their efforts. This will be done in a way that brings more people and organizations together to effect positive social change, all while adhering to principles of responsible data use. Its current partners include DataKind, Benefits Data Trust, Community Solutions and Tableau Foundation. All of these organizations are leveraging data science to help solve complex societal challenges.

For example, in partnership with nonprofit organization DataKind, the John Jay College of Criminal Justice was able to use predictive analytics to identify students at risk of dropping out and intervene with resources to support them, resulting in a dramatic improvement in their graduation rates. Community Solutions, a nonprofit working in more than 80 cities and counties to measurably end homelessness, partnered with Tableau Foundation, to fuel the initiative’s progress through the use of data analytics. And finally, Benefits Data Trust, a national nonprofit organization based in Philadelphia, is helping millions of low-income American families access the safety net benefits available to help them through the use of artificial intelligence and leveraging the power of data.

For more information about the platform for partnerships and future details about the impact challenge go to data.org.

About the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth
The Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth focuses on promoting equitable and sustainable economic growth and financial inclusion around the world. As an independent subsidiary of Mastercard, the Center leverages the company’s data insights, expertise and technology, along with administering Mastercard’s philanthropic investments, to empower a community of thinkers, leaders and innovators on the front lines of inclusive growth.  For more information and to receive its latest insights, follow the Center on Twitter @CNTR4growth or subscribe to its newsletter.

About The Rockefeller Foundation
The Rockefeller Foundation advances new frontiers of science, data, policy and innovation to solve global challenges related to health, food, power and economic mobility. As a science-driven philanthropy focused on building collaborative relationships with partners and grantees, the Foundation seeks to inspire and foster large-scale human impact that promotes the well-being of humanity throughout the world by identifying and accelerating breakthrough solutions, ideas and conversations. For more information, visit www.rockefellerfoundation.org.

Tetra Pak has today unveiled the food and beverage (F&B) industry’s first full-scale virtual marketplace. The new platform, created using Mirakl SaaS Marketplace solutions, will bring convenience and ease to the industry by making purchasing of products faster, more convenient and simpler for producers.

The collaboration is the first time Mirakl will work within the F&B sector, providing a service that will change how buyers and sellers operate. The marketplace will initially host more than 300,000 spare parts and consumables from Tetra Pak, adding an additional 200,000 products for maintenance, repair and operations from vetted sellers, providing customers with access to a large variety of products.

The launch dramatically expands what Tetra Pak offers to its customers. The marketplace, available 24/7, will host several vendors selling products within Safety & Security, Industrial Supplies, Cleaning Solutions and other vital areas for F&B production. The number and variety of products will continue to grow as more vendors join the marketplace.

Klara Svedberg, VP, Part and Consumables Tetra Pak said: “This is a completely new model and way of doing business for our industry. For the first time we have a digital F&B marketplace at our fingertips. This will transform the way we serve our customers by connecting F&B manufacturers with leading sellers across the world. By simplifying and speeding up processes, the virtual marketplace will make purchasing more cost-efficient via a one-stop-shop solution. We invite our customers to take full advantage of this platform and look forward to hearing about their experiences.” 

Phillipe Corrot, CEO of Mirakl commented: “Marketplaces are taking over the world of eCommerce. It’s about creating a shopping destination where buyers can get everything they need. The F&B industry needs a platform that will allow it to catch up with other sectors, and the combination of Tetra Pak’s unparalleled F&B expertise and our digital solutions means we can enhance the way F&B manufacturers do business.”

Iris Schmeckthal, CEO, LAT&SGF GmbH / Schmeckthal Group, one of the vendors on Tetra Pak’s marketplace said: “The marketplace perfectly combines a high-quality trusted company with modern technology. Schmeckthal chose to partner with Tetra Pak in their marketplace initiative as it is an exciting opportunity for us to grow in new areas".

Tetra Pak is attending the World Economic Forum at Davos in collaboration with Mirakl to discuss the launch of the marketplace and its impact on the F&B sector. Germany is the first country to launch the marketplace in January 2020, later expanding in selected countries in Europe, then globally.

ENDS

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 24,000

employees around the world, we believe in responsible industry leadership and a sustainable approach to business.  Our brand 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.

ABOUT MIRAKL

Mirakl is powering the platform economy by providing the technology, expertise, and partner ecosystem needed to launch an eCommerce marketplace. With the Mirakl Marketplace Platform, both B2B and B2C businesses can offer more, learn more and sell more: increase the number of products available for buyers, grow the lifetime value of customers, and anticipate buyer needs and preferences. Committed to ease of use, The Mirakl Marketplace Platform is a turn-key solution that’s easy to integrate into any eCommerce platform and Mirakl Catalog Manager makes managing product data quality simple at marketplace scale. Mirakl’s unmatched marketplace expertise is key to customers’ success.

Mirakl employs a team of 60+ marketplace experts who help clients adopt best practices and client success provides critical long-term strategic guidance. Over 200 customers in 40 countries trust Mirakl’s proven technology and expertise including Urban Outfitters, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Best Buy Canada, Carrefour, Siemens, Toyota Material Handling USA, Inc. and Walmart Mexico.

For more information: www.mirakl.com

Today, When We All Vote's national high school program, My School Votes, in partnership with MTV's +1thevote and support from brand partners, such as Rent the Runway, announced the official launch of the 2020 Prom Challenge - a grant competition that will recognize high schools from across the country committed to boosting voter registration in their communities.

20 high schools with the most creative and impactful voter registration programs will be selected to win up to $5,000 to fund their proms and/or their nonpartisan voter registration efforts.

"With over 4 million Americans turning 18 between now and the 2020 election, When We All Vote and MTV are working to integrate voter registration into the lives of high school seniors, from proms to games, graduations to birthdays," said Crystal Carson, Communications Director for When We All Vote.

By tapping into the power of prom, When We All Vote and MTV are coupling two important milestones in the lives of high school seniors. Students, teachers, administrators and parents are encouraged to apply online at mtvprom.whenweallvote.org, where they can also access important resources to help them get started.

About When We All Vote:
When We All Vote is a national, nonpartisan, non-profit that brings together citizens, institutions, brands, and organizations to increase participation in every election. We are committed to closing the race and age voting gap and empowering all eligible voters to cast their ballot by harnessing grassroots energy, establishing strategic partnerships, and implementing digital organizing strategies.

Launched in 2018 by co-chairs Michelle Obama, Tom Hanks, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Janelle Monáe, Chris Paul, Faith Hill, and Tim McGraw, When We All Vote is changing the culture around voting using a data-driven and multifaceted approach to increase participation in elections.

In the months directly before the 2018 midterm elections, When We All Vote organized 2,500 local voter registration events across the country, engaged 200 million Americans online about the significance of voting, and texted nearly four million voters the resources to register and get out to vote.

In 2019, When We All Vote launched My School Votes a new initiative calling on educators, students and their parents across the country to engage and register their peers to vote. Since the launch in July, thousands of teachers and students have responded by joining When We All Vote and starting voter registration programs at their schools.

About MTV:
MTV is the leading global youth media brand across every platform with operations that span cable and mobile networks, live events, theatrical films and MTV Studios, a unit focused on developing series for SVOD and linear distribution partners.

MTV's +1thevote is encouraging potential first-time voters to register and vote in the November national election with a year-long campaign focused on making voting more social, easier and part of the milestones already happening in their lives, from prom to graduation to birthdays.

 Sodexo, a food services and facilities management company committed to improving Quality of Life, announced today that it received a score of 100 percent on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s  2020 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), the nation’s premier  benchmarking survey and report measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ workplace equality. Sodexo joins the ranks of more than 680 major U.S. businesses that also earned top marks this year.

“Having sustained a 100 CEI rating for more than a decade acknowledges Sodexo as an industry leader for LGBTQ+ equality.  This prestigious recognition affirms our commitment to creating safe space where all people are encouraged to bring their whole selves to work.  In doing so we foster a sense of belonging and further our mission of quality of life,” said Gerri Mason Hall, Chief Diversity and Corporate Responsibility Officer, Sodexo Americas.  “While there’s much more to be done, Sodexo is building stronger teams as evidenced by our 40% increase in Pride Network membership across 13 regions, globally.” 

The results of this year’s CEI showcase how 1,059 U.S.-based companies are not only promoting LGBTQ-friendly workplace policies in the U.S., but helping advance the cause of LGBTQ inclusion in workplaces abroad. Sodexo’s efforts in satisfying all of the CEI’s criteria earned a 100 percent ranking and the designation as a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality.

The CEI rates companies and top law firms on detailed criteria falling under five broad categories:

• Non-discrimination policies

• Employment benefits

• Demonstrated organizational competency and accountability around LGBTQ diversity and inclusion

• Public commitment to LGBTQ equality

• Responsible citizenship

The full report, is available online at www.hrc.org/cei.

Sodexo’s commitment to diversity and inclusion has been consistently recognized by external organizations and notable diversity publications. In January, Sodexo was recognized on Bloomberg’s 2019 Gender Equality Index and FORTUNE’S 2019 list of the World’s Most Admired Companies.

About the Corporate Equality Index (CEI)

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation is the educational arm of America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.

About Sodexo North America

Sodexo North America is part of a global, Fortune 500 company with a presence in 72 countries. Sodexo is a leading provider of integrated food, facilities management and other services that enhance organizational performance, contribute to local communities and improve quality of life for millions of customers in corporate, education, healthcare, senior living, sports and leisure, government and other environments daily. The company employs 160,000 people at 13,000 sites in all 50 U.S. states and Canada, and indirectly supports tens of thousands of additional jobs through its annual purchases of $19 billion in goods and services from small to large businesses. Sodexo is committed to supporting diversity and inclusion and safety, while upholding the highest standards of corporate responsibility and ethical business conduct. In support of local communities across the U.S., in 2018, Sodexo contributed over 159,500 in volunteer hours, and since 1996, the Stop Hunger Foundation has contributed nearly $34.5 million to help feed children in America impacted by hunger. To learn more about Sodexo, visit us.sodexo.com, and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube.

CONTACT Madison Brennan +1 (301) 987-4636 madison.brennan@sodexo.com Sodexo

Getting active for 60 minutes a day is critical as kids who are regularly active have a better chance of a healthy adulthood, but only 20% of kids get enough activity to meet the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans[1]. That’s why the American Heart Association, the world’s leading nonprofit organization focused on heart and brain health for all, and the National Football League (NFL) in production collaboration with Discovery Education, the leading provider of digital curriculum resources, digital content and professional development for K-12 classrooms, are working together to make physical activity fun and inspire healthy lifestyles.

At 1 p.m. EST on Jan. 30, the NFL PLAY 60 Huddle Up and Get Moving! Virtual Field Trip will premier. Broadcast in classrooms across the country, the Virtual Field Trip gives students a behind-the-scenes look at the Miami Dolphins practice facility and stadium, which is home to Super Bowl LIV. Students will also learn ways to strengthen their muscles and hearts with Miami Dolphins players and cheerleaders. The virtual event makes physical activity fun and inspires healthy lifestyles through cardio and strengthening exercises. The livestream encourages classrooms to get active and give back to their community as part of the NFL’s Huddle for 100 initiative, which is asking people to volunteer 100 minutes of their time for a total of 100 million minutes to celebrate the NFL’s 100th season.

“Working together with the American Heart Association on PLAY 60, we’re excited for another Virtual Field Trip that will get youth across the country moving towards a healthier and more active lifestyle,” said Anna Isaacson, SVP of Social Responsibility, NFL. “Encouraging students to volunteer in their communities through this year’s Virtual Field Trip as part of the NFL’s Huddle for 100 emphasizes the importance of giving back which has been a constant theme throughout NFL100.”

Now through Super Bowl LIV, educators and students can Huddle to Play it Forward by getting out and volunteering to improve their school community or neighborhood. Participants are encouraged to share a photo or 15-second video of their classroom demonstrating healthy behaviors in the community on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using #GetMovingPLAY60.

“Starting in childhood, lifelong healthy eating and regular physical activity are key to great cardiovascular health and to preventing heart disease and its risk factors. Engaging children in PLAY 60 is a strategy to make movement fun,” said Eduardo Sanchez, M.D., MPH, the American Heart Association's chief medical officer for prevention. “Active kids learn better. When kids are active, they focus more, think more clearly, react to stress more calmly, and perform and behave better in the classroom. Kids who are physically active as kids will help build healthy kids and future generations of adults with great health.”

The NFL and the American Heart Association have teamed up since 2006 to inspire kids through a fun and engaging way to get physically active. In addition to the NFL PLAY 60 Huddle Up and Get Moving! Virtual Field Trip, the American Heart Association and the NFL offer the free PLAY 60 app, which has been redesigned this year to help kids get more movement throughout the day. The PLAY 60 app allows users to control personalized avatars onscreen with their own physical movement. The app is available for iOS and Android devices.

Registration for the NFL PLAY 60 Huddle Up and Get Moving! Virtual Field Trip is now open at heart-nflplay60.com/register. To learn more about this program and to access the free resources, visit aha-nflplay60.discoveryeducation.com.

###

About the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. We are dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities. Through collaboration with numerous organizations, and powered by millions of volunteers, we fund innovative research, advocate for the public’s health and share lifesaving resources. The Dallas-based organization has been a leading source of health information for nearly a century. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, Twitter or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1. 

About NFL PLAY 60

For a decade, NFL PLAY 60 has brought together the NFL's long-standing commitment to health and fitness with partner organizations to increase physical activity among youth. Since the program was launched in 2007, the NFL has committed more than $352 million to youth health and fitness through programming, grants, and media time for public service announcements. The NFL and its teams have constructed more than 265 NFL Youth Fitness Zones and integrated programs into over 73,000 schools since the campaign launched. NFL PLAY 60 is also implemented locally, as part of the NFL's in-school, after-school and team-based programs. For more information, visit NFL.com/PLAY60.

About Discovery Education

Discovery Education is the global leader in standards-aligned digital curriculum resources, engaging content, and professional learning for K-12 classrooms. Through its award-winning digital textbooks, multimedia resources, and the largest professional learning network of its kind, Discovery Education is transforming teaching and learning, creating immersive STEM experiences, and improving academic achievement around the globe. Discovery Education’s services are available in approximately half of U.S. classrooms and primary schools in the U.K. and reach over 5 million educators and 51 million students in more than 90 countries. Inspired by the global media company Discovery, Inc., Discovery Education partners with districts, states, and like-minded organizations to empower teachers with customized solutions that support the success of all learners. Explore the future of education at DiscoveryEducation.com.

For Media Inquiries:

American Heart Association

Linzy Cotaya: 504-872-3446 or 214-706-1173; linzy.cotaya@heart.org

For Public Inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)

heart.org and stroke.org

NFL

Jordyn White
Jordyn.White@nfl.com

Discovery Education

Jackie Kavege
jkavege@discoveryed.com

 

[1]  Department of Health and Human Services, Physical Activity Guidelines, page 14. Available for download here: https://health.gov/paguidelines/default.aspx

 Wells Fargo & Co. (NYSE:  WFC) and Scholarship America seek applicants for the 2020–21 Veteran Scholarship and Emergency Grant Programs. Wells Fargo is committed to assisting veterans and spouses of veterans with disabilities succeed in getting the education they need for the careers of their choice.

“Scholarship America is proud to collaborate with Wells Fargo on its Veterans Scholarship and Veterans Emergency Grant Programs for the fifth consecutive year,” said Robert C. Ballard, president and CEO of Scholarship America.  “As a veteran myself, I am gratified to hear from recipients how these programs provide essential financial support and help them overcome obstacles on the way to completing their college education.”

Since 2016, Wells Fargo and Scholarship America have awarded 99 scholarships and 177 emergency grants.

Mark Frank, Navy veteran and three-year Wells Fargo Veteran Scholarship recipient, graduated from Louisiana State University in 2019 with a Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering and a minor in Business Administration. He accepted a position that he considers his dream job at a Fortune 100 company. He attributes his success to the program that helped him achieve his career goal.

“I advise veterans starting their collegiate journey to apply for this scholarship,” said Frank. “The Wells Fargo Veteran Scholarship Program directly contributed to my success in and outside of the classroom.”

The Wells Fargo Veterans Scholarship Program

Applications for the scholarship program are being accepted through Feb. 28, 2020. Awards will be made to honorably discharged veterans or spouses of disabled veterans who are high school or GED graduates. Renewable scholarships for up to $5,000 per year will be granted, determined by financial need and consideration of academic performance, work experience, leadership, community service, and challenges with completing a postsecondary program. Visit https://learnmore.scholarsapply.org/wellsfargoveterans/ for more information and to apply.

The Wells Fargo Veterans Emergency Grant Program

Emergency grants are available on an ongoing basis for eligible veterans who are enrolled in postsecondary education and experience unexpected financial difficulties that might cause them to drop out of school. Grants are available for a one-time distribution up to $1,000 based on the cost of the emergency need, such as rent, utilities, daycare and medical expenses. Visit https://learnmore.scholarsapply.org/wellsfargoveteransemergency/ for more information and to apply.

“We have received countless letters from transitioning veterans and spouses of veterans with disabilities who said the Wells Fargo Scholarship and Emergency Grant Programs have provided the resources necessary to complete their education and ultimately help them achieve their career goals,” said Jerry Quinn, head of Military & Veteran Initiatives at Wells Fargo and an Army reservist. “We’re proud to work with Scholarship America to continually offer these programs for those who have bravely served our country and assist in their transition.”

Information about Wells Fargo’s support of service members, veterans and their families is available at wellsfargo.com/military/veterans.

About Scholarship America

Scholarship America is a nonprofit organization that helps students fulfill their college dreams. Since 1958, Scholarship America has distributed $4.2 billion to more than 2.5 million students. The organization works with partners to lower barriers to a college education and give students the support needed to succeed. Learn more at scholarshipamerica.org.

About Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.9 trillion in assets. Wells Fargo’s vision is to satisfy our customers’ financial needs and help them succeed financially. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, investment and mortgage products and services, as well as consumer and commercial finance, through 7,400 locations, more than 13,000 ATMs, the internet (wellsfargo.com) and mobile banking, and has offices in 32 countries and territories to support customers who conduct business in the global economy. With approximately 260,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 29 on Fortune’s 2019 rankings of America’s largest corporations. News, insights and perspectives from Wells Fargo are also available at Wells Fargo Stories.

Additional information may be found at www.wellsfargo.com | Twitter: @WellsFargo.

Media

Lisa Westermann, 415-845-7759
Lisa.b.Westermann@wellsfargo.com
@LWestermannWF

 

Joan Cronson, 952.830.7308

jcronson@scholarshipamerica.org  

@scholamerica

Why has the world’s leading sustainability standard setter launched a new reporting standard on tax – and how can organizations start to understand and use it to disclose their impacts?

To help answer these questions and many more, GRI is holding free webinar sessions on January 29, open to all those with an interest in the new Tax Standard. GRI 207: Tax is the first global standard for public, country-by-country reporting on tax. It also includes disclosures on tax strategy, governance and risk management.

Published in December, the latest addition to the GRI Standards responds to concerns over the impact corporate tax avoidance has on the ability of governments to fund services and support sustainable development. It is now freely available for use by any company, irrespective of location, size or sector.

Tim Mohin, GRI chief executive, said:

“GRI’s Tax Standard can be a game changer. For the first time, we have a global standard that can ensure companies demonstrate effectively how they contribute through taxes in each of the locations where they operate. This crucial information is needed if we are to have a well-informed global debate about corporate tax practices.”

The webinar will introduce the contents of the Tax Standard, overview the benefits for companies of reporting on tax and include a Q&A. Due to the initial high demand, the capacity has been extended. Please note that advance registration is required and places are limited.

Notes to editors

The webinar take place on January 29 (repeated across two time slots to support international participation):

• Session 1: 9:00 – 10:00 am (CET)

• Session 2: 4.30 – 5.30 pm (CET)

The GRI Tax Standard was published on December 5. A launch event at the London Stock Exchange Group took place last week, with an address by Elise J Bean, former United States Senate tax investigator, and a panel discussion on the case for tax transparency. A video recording of this session is now available.

The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) is the independent international organization that helps businesses and other organizations understand and communicate their sustainability impacts. The GRI Standards is the world’s most widely used sustainability reporting framework.

Booz Allen has received its 10th consecutive perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) Corporate Equality Index, a national benchmarking survey assessing an organization’s non-discrimination workplace protections, domestic partner benefits, transgender-inclusive health care benefits, competency programs, and public engagement with the LGBTQ community.

This 100% ranking earns the firm designation as a “Best Place to Work” for LGBTQ Equality.

“For two decades and counting, Booz Allen has dedicated ourselves to the advancement of our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, non-binary, queer, and questioning employees, as well as our allies across the firm,” said Josh Sullivan, who’s executive sponsor of GLOBE, Booz Allen’s LGBTQ employee forum, as well as a senior vice president and artificial intelligence lead with the firm. “We’re proud of 10 consecutive years of recognition by HRC, and of creating a culture where you can come to Booz Allen as you are—and thrive.”

Advancing inclusive policies, practices, and culture

Winner of the 2019 Washington Business Journal Business of Pride award, Booz Allen has been:

• An early activator of same-sex domestic partner recognition and benefits and one of the first firms to enact transgender-inclusive benefits and policies

• A signing member on the business statement for transgender equality

• A business partner of the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce

• A contributor to the United States Chamber of Commerce’s Growing Business through LGBTQ Inclusion

• A developer of LGBTQ talent pipelines through support of organizations such as QueerCon, Lesbians Who Tech, the Modern Military Association of America, and Out in Tech Qorporate (Booz Allen was a founding sponsor)

Supporting and empowering the LGBTQ community

Booz Allen lends its time, resources, and expertise  to a wide range of LGBTQ organizations and causes. This includes:

• Using data science to help the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC assess donation trends and attract new, larger sources of funding

• Delivering data, analytics, consulting, and communications support to Whitman-Walker Health, an award-winning Washington, DC health center specializing in LGBTQ care

• Assisting the Sexual Minority Youth Assistance League in Washington, DC with a new content management system and social media plan

• Sponsoring the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt to raise awareness of the ongoing impact of HIV/AIDS

• Creating intersectional programs and forums around military service, immigration, disability, parenting, and celebrations of Black, LatinX, and Asian Pacific Islander heritage

Learn more about Booz Allen’s legacy of pride.