Month: February 2023

SAN FRANCISCO, February 24, 2023 /3BL Media/ – United Airlines is partnering with Virgin Australia to connect U.S. travelers to the world’s largest celebration of Pride in Sydney with a special flight staffed entirely by members and allies of the LGBTQ+ community. Departing on Wednesday, February 22 from San Francisco International Airport, the festivities will kick off with a celebration at the gate, continue with giveaways and activities onboard the flight and culminate with a welcome party upon arrival in Sydney. While Virgin Australia has offered special domestic flights in Australia for Pride since 2021, this is the first time United is joining this effort. Additionally, United made a $25,000 donation to the Trevor Project to support their mission of helping LGBTQ young people.

“As a proud ally of the LGBTQ+ community and the leading carrier from the U.S. to Australia, United is thrilled to join the party and help people celebrate the upcoming Pride events in Sydney,” said Lori Augustine, Vice President of Operations for United in San Francisco. “At United, we recognize, embrace and celebrate the differences that make our customers and employees unique. We’re committed to creating an inclusive work environment while supporting the diverse communities we serve. Our Pride Flight is yet another example of how at United, Good Leads the Way.”

“Virgin Australia launched our initial Pride Flight in the middle of the pandemic and fast forward to today, we have flights all over Australia, and our very first international Pride Flight from San Francisco with our wonderful partner, United Airlines,” said Jayne Hrdlicka, CEO for Virgin Australia Group. “It’s so important that we use our voice to promote diversity and inclusion in the communities in which we live, work and fly. Our partnership with United Airlines is incredibly important and it’s so wonderful to witness the collaboration between the airlines, and the joy we have brought our guests in spreading pride right across the Pacific and throughout Australia.”

United has an ongoing commitment to LGBTQ+ equality, including a proud history of firsts. United was the first U.S. airline to fully recognize domestic partnerships in 1999 and was the first U.S. airline to offer non-binary gender options throughout all its booking channels in 2019. Also in 2019, the airline became the first public company to be inducted into Pride Live’s Stonewall Ambassador program in recognition of the airline’s commitment to LGBTQ+ equality. Through EQUAL, the airline’s LGBTQ+ Business Resource Group, more than 4,500 members work together to advocate on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community, working with members and leaders companywide to develop ways to deliver resources, education and advocacy.

United continues to be committed to inclusion and supporting employees to be their full selves at work, which is why in 2021, the airline updated its appearance standards, moving away from gender-specific guidance and allowing customer-facing employees to represent themselves authentically through visible tattoos, nose piercings, hair, make-up, nails and more.

United is the Bay Area’s global airline, with more flights to more destinations around the world than any other airline in Northern California. United operates more than 200 daily departures from San Francisco International Airport, taking customers to more than 100 destinations around the globe, including the most international service with flights to 26 different international cities.

United is the country’s leading carrier to Australia and operates flights to three destinations in Australia through SFO including Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. United provides more service to Australia than ever before and offers more seats from the U.S. to Australia than any other airline.

United’s partnership with Virgin Australia gives customers new connecting options to Australia’s most popular destinations, and MileagePlus® members have the ability to earn and redeem miles/points across both airlines’ networks.

United Flight 863 will depart SFO at 10:45 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 22 and arrive at SYD at 9:05 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 24.

About United

United’s shared purpose is “Connecting People. Uniting the World.” From our U.S. hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark/New York, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., United operates the most comprehensive global route network among North American carriers. United is bringing back our customers’ favorite destinations and adding new ones on its way to becoming the world’s best airline. For more about how to join the United team, please visit www.united.com/careers and more information about the company is at www.united.com. United Airlines Holdings, Inc., the parent company of United Airlines, Inc., is traded on the Nasdaq under the symbol “UAL”.

By Doug Segrest

As Mykola and Olena Vyshyvanyuk escort new friends to their car, the stillness of the suburban night is briefly interrupted by an almost imperceptible sound in the distance: the wail of an ambulance siren headed to a nearby hospital.

Yet on this winter evening, no one notices. That itself is a miracle.

For the past year, Mykola and Olena and their three children lived with the constant cacophony of war – sirens, gunfire and missile strikes back home in L’viv, Ukraine.

But now, thanks to a handful of Regions associates, numerous friends and local churches in Birmingham, the Vyshyvanyuks and their three children have started a new life in a quiet, safe suburb of Alabama’s largest city.

“Back home, it’s very, very cold,” Olena said with a soft smile. “I don’t like winter anymore. The Alabama winter is much better.”

“We are still adjusting,” added Mykola. “But not our kids. In two or three weeks, they made new friends and made this home.”

How do you change lives, escape a war and find a new life in a year’s time? For the Vyshyvanyuks, it started with an article in the Wall Street Journal.

Ed Cotter remembers reading about a program called Uniting for Ukraine, a program implemented by the White House, to fast-track immigration from the war-torn nation to the U.S.

“I signed up as a lark,” explained Cotter, Regions’ assistant general counsel. “You set up a profile, then people ping you and you start talking from there.

“I connected with this family – parents and three children, ages, 6, 11 and 13 – from L’viv in Western Ukraine. We agreed we’d help them move to America.”

It sounded so easy. It was anything but.

I made donations, but it didn’t seem like that was what my soul needed. But this – what Ed was doing – felt like a direct impact on someone’s life and I was excited to be a part of that. 

Kate Laminack, Modernization and Transformation Partner at Regions

Making a connection was the first step. Sponsors also had to provide two years of financial support, find housing, jobs, cars, and line up schools. With his wife, Natalie, fully on board, Ed began sharing his plans with friends and church members. It would take a team, and an active GoFundMe, to bring the Vyshyvanyuks to Birmingham.

Inspired by Experience

Irina Pritchett was one of the first co-workers to jump headfirst into the effort.

“Ed suspected I’d be interested after we had a passing conversation in the early days of the war,” Pritchett said. “Weeks later, he reached out about the sponsorship. But what I heard was, ‘My wife and I are thinking of doing this amazing thing but need a community to make it happen.’”

For Pritchett, a Risk Initiative and Integration manager at Regions, the response was immediate. How could it be anything else?

As a child, Pritchett’s family emigrated to the U.S. as political refugees due to growing, institutional antisemitism in the Soviet Union.

I feel grateful to be able to pay forward the help that we received when we came to the U.S. and honor a piece of my parents’ journey in doing so. 

Irina Pritchett, Risk Initiative and Integration manager at Regions

“My parents left behind family, friends – everything they knew – and became ‘traitors to the (Soviet) state’ without knowing where we would end up,” Pritchett said. “Like the Vyshyvanyuks, my parents packed our lives into one suitcase per person and took an indescribable leap of faith motivated by love for their children.

“I feel grateful to be able to pay forward the help that we received when we came to the U.S. and honor a piece of my parents’ journey in doing so.”

Other associates came on board, including Franklin Danley, Payment and Credit Card Operations group manager, and Susan Anderson, Enterprise Reputational Risk administrator. Both jumped in enthusiastically.

Then Kate Laminack of the Transformation team learned of the endeavor. Like Pritchett, it hit close to home.

She was 11 when she first moved to the United Kingdom, then to Birmingham, Alabama. Both of her parents were scientists who found new academic positions at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

“It was ridiculously hard,” Laminack said. “To come at that age, in 6th grade, it was like stepping into a new world – especially as a kid. I looked different, spoke differently and my new classmates had no concept of what we were going through.”

Yet, since the onset of the invasion, she knew she had to help.

“I’d been thinking about what I could do to help since the war started,” Laminack said. “I made donations, but it didn’t seem like that was what my soul needed. But this – what Ed was doing – felt like a direct impact on someone’s life and I was excited to be a part of that.”

An Idyllic Life No More

A year ago, Mykola and Olena had a thriving wedding gown business, a new home, a brick-and-mortar storefront, and a website that made their venture a success not only locally, but across international borders.

But as they settled in for a long Ukrainian winter, rumors of an impending war were soon replaced by the terrifying Russian invasion, and the kind of naked brutality that Europe hadn’t seen since the end of World War II.

Air raids became the norm. Idyllic neighborhoods were turned into rubble. Home became an underground shelter that provided a layer of security but did little to stop the winter’s chill without electricity and gas. Food became a luxury.

As for the business, how do you survive when life has been turned upside down?

“We were in danger from the first day,” Olena said. “So we sent the kids off to their grandparents. And we began helping make uniforms for our soldiers – many of whom didn’t have anything.”

Mykola focused on making vests, but where do you find fabric when all the banks are closed, and you can’t access your money? They used what they had, and what others scrounged, and sewed from morning through night, often by hand. They had a mission and a vision.

But not a future.

“We had to get out for our children,” Olena said.

They found Ed and Natalie Cotter. And plans began formulating.

Back in Birmingham, Cotter now had an army of volunteers of his own. They began meeting regularly at a public library, creating checklists of things they had to accomplish in addition to raising funds – find schools, jobs, housing. Using WhatsApp, Cotter, Pritchett and Laminack began regularly texting the Vyshyvanyuks, forming a friendship while keeping them informed of progress. By August, there was no turning back.

The U.S. was fast-tracking applications, as Uniting for Ukraine was proving to exceed the most optimistic expectations. The family was approved in August. By November, when the Birmingham crew had raised the funds to bring the Vyshyvanyuks to the U.S., the White House had approved more than 100,000 applications.

For Mykola, Olena and their children, the first step was to make it across the border to Poland, where they were placed in refugee housing. Immediately, Oleana noticed a difference.

“We spent two weeks getting processed in Poland – two weeks without air raids,” Olena said. “I knew then we couldn’t go back home.”

A New Start, A New Home

Two months ago, they took their final flight to Atlanta, where they were shuttled to Birmingham in a van supplied by Vestavia Methodist Church. They arrived to find a furnished new home, with a refrigerator filled with their favorite foods, children’s bedrooms stuffed with toys and two automobiles out front.

In the front room, Mykola found a sewing machine to continue his work. And a job at a local wedding boutique. The children were enrolled in school and the family began weekly English as a Second Language (ESL) classes scheduled at another church, Trinity Methodist. When Cotter and Regions associate Tommy McCain went to the local branch to open up a checking account for the family, Kismet followed.

“The relationship manager we talked to, Tatsiana Hall, spoke Russian,” Pritchett recalled. “At first, we thought that was just a crazy coincidence. But it was more than that.”

Hall, who moved to Birmingham from her native Belarus in 2010, agreed.

“I said, ‘Let me be your personal banker,’” Hall said. “God brought me to you.”

This is home and we are safe. My hope is that family and friends can join us here.

Olena Vyshyvanyuk

Just before Christmas, Olena received a call that she was needed at Vestavia East Elementary immediately. Fearing the worst, she headed over only to find a room full of Christmas gifts for 13-year-old Eva, 11-year-old Ioanna and 6-year-old Viktoriia the school had gathered for their first holiday in Alabama.

The winters in Birmingham are mild and the suburban noises are soothing – a stark contrast to the life they left behind.

“This is home,” Olena said, “and we are safe. My hope is that family and friends can join us here.”

And, for the first time in a year, there is security. Both Mykola and Olena have jobs. They pay taxes. And their children are learning safely in school.

What started with a newspaper article and a conversation led to a year of change no one could have imagined prior to war, proving anything is possible. What transpired has forever transformed the Vyshyvanyuks.

And the team that came together to provide a new home.

“The kids are doing great. They have each other,” Laminack said. “They have a support network. And a really good ESL teacher.

“When this started, we didn’t know who we were looking for, only that we just wanted to help someone. But it turned into a real relationship. We’ve made friends for life.”

ROTTERDAM, Netherlands and BILLUND, Denmark and MERSEBURG, Germany, February 24, 2023 /3BL Media/ – LyondellBasell (NYSE: LYB), a global leader in the chemical industry and KIRKBI A/S, the family-owned holding and investment company of the LEGO® brand, announce they have signed an agreement to make an investment in APK, which specializes in a unique solvent-based recycling technology for low density polyethylene (LDPE).

APK aims to increase the recycling of multi-layer flexible packaging materials – which today make up the majority of mixed plastic waste from the consumer sector. To this end, APK has developed the unique solvent-based Newcycling® process, which separates the different polymers of multi-layer packaging materials and produces recycled materials with a high degree of purity suitable for new packaging materials.

Under the agreement, LyondellBasell and KIRKBI will become minority shareholders in APK and together with other co-investors will invest approximately 130 million Euros in APK. Further Newcyling® Plants are planned to be built to increase the production capacity.

“We need to advance the recycling of all types of plastic waste material generated today to support the goal of a circular economy and meet the increasing demand for high quality recycled products,” says Yvonne van der Laan, LyondellBasell Executive Vice President, Circular and Low Carbon Solutions. “Advancing this technology, through our investment in APK, will enable more plastic packaging waste to be reintroduced back into the value chain and will address the demand from consumers and brand owners for more sustainable packaging. Products made using this unique Newcycling® solvent-based technology will be a great complementary addition to our existing Circulen product portfolio, which currently offers mechanical and advanced recycling solutions to our customers.”

“We are happy to announce our investment in APK. KIRKBI believes APK offers a promising scalable technology in LDPE recycling that can help increase the circularity of plastics and minimize plastic waste, to contribute to a more sustainable environment in the future. We look forward to providing strategic, financial and commercial support while APK establishes technology that will compliment mechanical and chemical recycling,” says Damir Hamzic, Head of the Circular Plastics Investment area in KIRKBI, which focuses on investments that contribute to the transition to a more circular plastics economy.

“Our Newcycling® technology makes it possible to close the loop even with complex waste streams and to produce high-quality LDPE recyclates from mixed plastic waste – highly efficient and offering both economic and ecological advantages. We have been proving for years that this is also possible on an industrial scale at our plant in Merseburg,” says Susanne Küppers, Member of the Executive Board of APK AG and Managing Director of APK NCC. “We are pleased to now ignite the next stage and are proud to have LyondellBasell and KIRKBI as two strong supporters at our side, who bring a lot of additional expertise, for example in the areas of polymer design and application know how.”

About LyondellBasell

As a leader in the global chemical industry, LyondellBasell strives every day to be the safest, best operated and most valued company in our industry. The company’s products, materials and technologies are advancing sustainable solutions for food safety, access to clean water, healthcare and fuel efficiency in more than 100 international markets. LyondellBasell places high priority on diversity, equity and inclusion and is Advancing Good with an emphasis on our planet, the communities where we operate and our future workforce. The company takes great pride in its world-class technology and customer focus. LyondellBasell has stepped up its circularity and climate ambitions and actions to address the global challenges of plastic waste and decarbonization. For more information, please visit www.lyondellbasell.com or follow @LyondellBasell on LinkedIn.

About KIRKBI

KIRKBI A/S is the Kirk Kristiansen family’s private holding and investment company founded to build a sustainable future for the family ownership of the LEGO® brand through generations. Our work is focused on three fundamental tasks all contributing to enabling the Kirk Kristiansen family to succeed with the mission to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow: We work to protect, develop and leverage the LEGO brand across all the LEGO branded entities. We are committed to a long-term and responsible investment strategy to ensure a sound financial foundation for the owner family’s activities as well as contributing to a sustainable development in the world. And, we are dedicated to support the family members as they prepare for future generations to continue the active and engaged ownership as well as supporting their private activities, companies and philanthropic work.

About APK 
Plastic waste is one of the most pressing problems of our time. To meet this challenge, APK is developing forward-thinking technologies under its Newcycling® brand that will significantly contribute to reducing CO2 emissions as well as safeguarding raw materials for future generations. At its site in Merseburg, Germany, APK AG is operating a worldwide unique pilot plant, where the industrialization of this technology has already been achieved. Since June 2022, APK AG has also been operating a technical center at the Frankfurt Hoechst location via its subsidiary APK Newcycling Competence Center GmbH(APK NCC).

APK AG, founded in 2008, currently employs almost 220 people. Around 200 of these are employed at the Merseburg site. The two well established plastic recyclate products created in Merseburg are marketed as Mersalen® and Mersamid®.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS FOR LYONDELLBASELL

The statements in this release relating to matters that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon assumptions of management of LyondellBasell which are believed to be reasonable at the time made and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially based on factors including, but not limited to, our ability to meet our sustainability goals, including the ability to increase production of recycled and renewable-based polymers; and the successful construction and operation of the facilities described in this release. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in the “Risk Factors” section of our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, which can be found at www.LyondellBasell.com on the Investor Relations page and on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s website at www.sec.gov. There is no assurance that any of the actions, events or results of the forward-looking statements will occur, or if any of them do, what impact they will have on our results of operations or financial condition. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they were made and are based on the estimates and opinions of management of LyondellBasell at the time the statements are made. LyondellBasell does not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements should circumstances or management’s estimates or opinions change, except as required by law.

As Winter Storm Olive continues to have significant impacts on several areas of the United States including the Northeast and Midwest, our thoughts are with those impacted.

We know how critical connectivity is during these times and our teams are closely monitoring any potential impacts to customers, as well as assessing and monitoring equipment.

Thus far our network has had minimal disruptions. A small number of sites in or around Detroit, Michigan and Chicago, Illinois have been impacted due to commercial power loss, and our teams are working quickly to restore impacted sites as conditions safely allow. In addition, they are engaging with local power companies and preparing additional equipment for recovery if needed.

Our teams continue to work with numerous state and local officials and organizations, first responders and Emergency Operations Centers in the affected region. Agencies needing communications assistance can reach out to our 24-hour emergency hotline at 888-639-0020 or email at ERTRequests@T-Mobile.com.

We’re working hard to keep stores open to serve our customers but there may be some instances of early closures for safety. To check if your local store is open and verify store hours, please use our store locator.

In celebration of Black Heritage Month, AEG’s LA Galaxy and Dignity Health Sports Park Foundation hosted a career exploration panel “The Power of Sports for Inclusion Around the World” for more than 100 students from Lakewood High School at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, CA. The panel, which was developed in partnership with the Black Equity@AEG employee network group, focused on important role that sports undertakes to unite and drive social change in the community.

The discussion was moderated by LA Galaxy legend Cobi Jones and featured such professional athletes as Marquise Goodwin (professional rugby player), Jalen Neal (LA Galaxy II player), Steve Lewis (four time Olympic medalist, US Track & Field), and Denecia Fernandes (former member UC Berkeley Women’s Rugby Team).

During the conversation, the panelists shared their experiences of navigating the professional sports world as Black athletes and discussed the positive changes that are occurring within the industry related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Following the moderated discussion, students had the to ask the athletes questions.

“Sports is a powerful tool that has the ability to bring people together and to inspire positive social change,” shared Cobi Jones. “It can break down barriers and build opportunities for individuals, teams, and communities. I hope our discussion today has empowered these students to chase their dreams and make a favorable and constructive impact on the world.”

The AEG Futures Career Exploration program offers high school and college age students the chance to learn first-hand from industry professionals about career opportunities in sports and live music. Over the years, AEG has hosted multiple in-person and virtual events in conjunction with its music festivals including Goldenvoice’s Day N Vegas, Arroyo Seco Weekend and the BET’s BET Experience Youth Program at L.A. LIVE, among others. To learn more about AEG Futures, please click here.

World Sleep Day, which takes place on March 17th in 2023 (March 15, 2024 and March 14, 2025 for those who like to plan ahead), was founded by the World Sleep Day Committee to educate the public on ways of lessening the burdens of sleep problems.

Many of us know we don`t get enough sleep and think we can make up for lost hours on weekends or holidays – yet few of us prioritize the importance of sleep.

Chronic sleep deprivation can impact multiple aspects of our lives, including health, work performance, and even financial wellness. According to MoneyGeek.com:

Excellent sleepers tend to have more savings: 70% said they saved money to prepare for their children’s college education; 63% saved for unforeseen expenses; 54% saved for medical expenses; 58% saved for retirement. Meanwhile, poor sleepers reported that they struggle with their finances.Sleep disorders contribute approximately $94.9 billion in health care costs in the U.S. every year.Racial and ethnic minorities tend to experience a lack of sleep. Black, Hispanic/Latino and Chinese adults reported shorter sleep duration (less than six hours). They are also likely to report poor sleep quality — at 8.3%, 6.7% and 6.6%, respectively. In comparison, white Americans typically spend 6.05 hours sleeping, with 5% reporting poor sleep quality.

While there are numerous causes that contribute to sleep disorders and low sleep quality, 64% of adults say that money is a significant source of stress in their life. This is something employers can actually help employees address through an Employee Assistance Fund (EAF), also known as an Employee Relief Fund or an Employee Crisis Fund. EAFs can be used to provide financial support to employees impacted by disasters, personal emergencies, and other financial hardships that might be keeping them from getting the rest they need to feel well and perform well at work.

This World Sleep Day, launch an Employees Assistance Fund (or lay the groundwork to start one). If you already have an EAF, don’t forget to remind employees about this incredible employee benefit to show them you care.

Ready to get started or want to learn more? You can learn more about the benefits of working with America’s Charities as your EAF partner here.

Taco Bell Blog

At Taco Bell, we empower our teams to be fearless, embrace different and drive change. We believe that each one of us has a story to tell. 

This year’s nationwide Black History Month’s focus is Black Resistance – meaning how the Black community has resisted historic and ongoing oppression, which you can learn more about on blackhistorymonth.gov.

To honor and celebrate this year’s focus and the Black community, we will continue to amplify their voices. We will share their stories every week in the month of February in hopes that they not only educate but inspire you to drive positive impact within your community.

But first, some Black History background… Black History Month started off as a one-week celebration founded by Carter G Woodson in February 1926. 50 years later the week was transformed into a month-long celebration of Black American history. February is the month we dedicate to celebrate and share stories about our Black team members and communities who triumphed despite ongoing challenges.

Throughout the year, we will continue sharing the incredible stories of our Taco Bell teams; the sharing and celebration doesn’t stop here.

Mardoche C., Franchise Team Member At Desert De Oro Foods, Inc. & Live Más Scholar

As long as he could remember, Mardoche had a great desire to make a difference in people’s lives. This dream, along with several significant moments throughout his life, propelled him to where he is now. Throughout his life, Mardoche grew up loving cars and was fascinated by how the automotive industry has improved throughout the years and wanted to be a part of that change. He is currently studying Mechanical Engineering with the dream of becoming a mechanic and building affordable cars for those in low-income communities.

Mardoche knew that in order to obtain his dreams, he would need higher education. “Education helps pursue dreams that seemed impossible before,” he said. Thanks to the help from the Live Más Scholarship, he can pursue these dreams and plans on doing internships to build a connection with those with a similar mindset.

Despite his championing of higher education, there was a time in Mardoche’s life that he almost gave up his education and aspirations. Before receiving the Live Más Scholarship from the Taco Bell Foundation, Mardoche was forced to take a year off school to work and save money, which consequently had a negative impact on his outlook of the world. “It really drained me that I couldn’t properly continue my education due to money and it crushed my spirit,” he said.

From this hardship, Mardoche explained that failing is not to be taken as a negative experience but to grow from it and to become stronger. Alongside this, Mardoche has come out of it with a greater appreciation for where he is now.

“Continue to lead in every aspect you can even through adversity. You cannot improve if you don’t fail. Failure is only a lesson for what needs to be improved,” he said.

He has used his experiences and learnings and is applying them to his life now, both in school and while working at Taco Bell. He said, “Working at Taco Bell means to be helpful, caring, and respectful. Those traits are what make me feel like I belong.”

Mardoche is inspired by the life lessons he learned, which fuels his passion to keep going, stay motivated and inspire those around him every day.

As a corporate social responsibility leader, you’ve undoubtedly dealt with rapid change since 2020, especially if you’ve tackled the issue of how to engage your remote workforce. One thing has remained constant: the need to drive and scale employee engagement programs throughout your company’s footprint. You may have turned to technology or found models that empower employees to be leaders of social impact work while juggling daily responsibilities. But there are many things to consider when encouraging and scaling engagement.

Get Your Social Impact Questions Answered by a Points of Light Employee Engagement Expert 

Points of Light Vice President of Business Innovation Katy Elder knows employee engagement like the back of her hand. So, when we asked her to analyze the landscape of social impact within the workforce, she came to the table with one central question:

How effective are the people-powered support mechanisms that companies implemented before 2020 to reach their social impact and business goals today? 

Join our upcoming webinar: How Employee Champions Drive and Scale Social Impact Success, March 23, 2023, from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. ET to find answers to this question. Plus, you’ll learn:

Why people-centric models matter – especially in today’s hybrid and remote working environments.How to keep participating employees engaged and empowered.Pitfalls to avoid and lessons learned.

Register Today >>

BONUS! Download our new white paper to learn the answer and all the considerations that come with it. Plus, get eight best practices you can implement today with strategies including:

How to establish expectations and role clarity.Effective ways to support employee champions.How to foster a sense of community.

Register & Download >>

LOS ANGELES, February 24, 2023 /3BL Media/ – SoLa Impact announced a $7.5 million investment by PNC Bank’s Community Development Banking group in SoLa Impact’s Black Impact Fund, also known as SoLa Fund IV. PNC’s equity investment in Los Angeles’ leading, Black-led housing developer will fund the development of new affordable housing units for residents earning well below the Area Median Income (AMI). SoLa’s Black Impact Fund, its fourth fund, expects to add more than 3,000 workforce and affordable housing units in Black and brown communities in Southern California.

“We are excited to partner with PNC Bank to address the crisis of housing affordability in California,” said Martin Muoto, founder and CEO of SoLa Impact. “Investments like these enable us to build more units to serve more residents of communities that are burdened by high costs of living. PNC’s commitment to the intended outcomes of the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) goes beyond investing in minority communities and is further demonstrated by doing so with Black-led operators such as SoLa Impact. This investment allows the Black Impact Fund to continue to scale its production of affordable and workforce multifamily assets, which in turn allows us to reduce the cost of delivering these units. Ultimately, the goal is to deliver superior returns not only to our investors, but also to our community.”

“As a national main street bank, PNC Bank is focused on making a real impact in communities throughout the Greater Los Angeles area,” said Todd Wilson, PNC regional president for Greater Los Angeles. “This investment in the Black Impact Fund enables us to provide solutions to Southern California’s affordable housing shortage and reinforces our commitment to work with leading organizations like SoLa to address the housing affordability gap in the communities we serve.

PNC’s investment stems from its $88 billion Community Benefits Plan, which will provide loans, investments and other financial support to bolster economic opportunity for low- and moderate-income (LMI) individuals and communities, people and communities of color, and other underserved individuals and communities over a four-year period that began Jan. 1, 2022. As part of the allotted $88 billion, PNC has committed to provide at least $14.5 billion in community development loans and investments across all markets, including at least $400 million for Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) that help meet the banking and financial service needs of traditionally underserved communities.

The Community Benefits Plan builds on PNC’s commitment to providing economic opportunity for all individuals and communities, including LMI and minority individuals and communities, as well as women, veterans and LGBTQ+ individuals and businesses. In addition, the Plan reflects PNC’s commitment to addressing systemic racism, promoting social justice and advancing diversity and inclusion, not just within PNC, but within the broader financial system and its communities.

PNC’s investment into SoLa’s Black Impact Fund demonstrates to Los Angeles that PNC is committed to development and reinvestment in its underserved communities. PNC is among several large banks that understand SoLa’s data-driven approach to affordable housing and community engagement, especially in low- and moderate-income areas that have historically been undervalued and overlooked.

In the Black Impact Fund, SoLa Impact has raised $300 million from leading institutional investors and community-focused banks, high net-worth individuals, and family offices. Its unique combination of cost-disciplined, for-profit development, standardization of building processes and community engagement, has made SoLa one of the largest developers of affordable and workforce housing in Southern California with over 1,500 units under management and another 3,000 in the pipeline. More information on SoLa Impact can be found at www.solaimpact.com. 
 

About PNC Bank 
PNC Bank, National Association, is a member of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC). PNC is one of the largest diversified financial services institutions in the United States, organized around its customers and communities for strong relationships and local delivery of retail and business banking including a full range of lending products; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management and asset management. For information about PNC, visit www.pnc.com.

About SoLa Impact 
SoLa Impact is a family of real estate funds with a double bottom line strategy focused on preserving, rehabbing, and building high-quality affordable housing in Black and brown communities. SoLa’s proven track record leverages data-driven social impact strategies to deliver strong financial returns. SoLa Impact’s fourth fund, the Black Impact Fund, is part of an initiative to invest over $1 billion in affordable and workforce housing and related social impact strategies across urban cities in California.

CONTACTS 

SoLa Impact Media Contact: 
Karen Lewis 
(323) 424-9400 
karen@goingpublicpr.com

Black Impact Fund: 
Felicia Allen 
felicia@solaimpact.com

PNC Media Contact: 
Patrice Smith 
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KEY TAKEAWAYS

Sky has partnered with Multiverse, the tech start-up, which aims to provide an alternative to university and corporate training.This investment will fund training for apprentices in skills such as digital marketing and data analytics

Sky has partnered with the tech start-up Multiverse to gift £1 million of its unspent apprenticeship levy to organizations looking to develop digital, data and technical skills within its workforce.

More than £1 billion worth of business apprenticeship levy goes unspent each year. That would be enough to create 115,540 apprenticeships* – the equivalent of almost halving the number of 16-24 year olds not in education, employment or training.

However, through the levy transfer system businesses who pay the Apprenticeship Levy each year have the ability to transfer this money to other organizations.

Sky’s work with Multiverse means that its unspent apprenticeship levy expire can go directly to small businesses who are looking to provide crucial skills within their organization.

This is part of the Sky’s contribution to the UK cultural economy through skills, jobs, and investment, and comes as nine in 10 (88%) UK organizations are facing a shortage of digital skills impacting growth, efficiency and competitiveness.

“There’s a huge demand from small businesses to upskill their workforce, yet many don’t have access to the funding needed to do this. Multiverse’s apprenticeship gifting program enables businesses like Sky to help boost skills and training in our economy,” said Dana Strong, Group Chief Executive Officer at Sky.

Working with Multiverse, we’re supporting apprentices up and down the UK to develop crucial skills that play an important role in the UK economy.

DANA STRONG

Group Chief Executive Officer at Sky

Jeremy Duggan, President at Multiverse, said: “Every organization in the world now needs capabilities like digital marketing, data analytics, and increasingly software engineering. The ability for small businesses to grow is contingent on having the right skills in place.”

“We know that small businesses are crying out for more apprenticeships. Through the levy transfer system, Sky is supporting the growth of these SMEs by ‘donating’ these vital digital skills through apprenticeships – which are simply the best way to build capabilities within an organization.”

SMEs can request to enroll their colleagues onto Multiverse programs with no cost to the business – this can be requested on the Multiverse website.

This announcement follows the recent launch of Sky’s Sky Up Tech Grants initiative which is an investment of £220,000 to provide those leaving the care system with equipment and connectivity so they can access the digital world. This initiative is part of the £10 million Sky Up program, created to ensure that groups who are most at risk of digital exclusion – under 25s in under-served communities and over 65s – are provided with the skills they need to succeed.

All companies with payroll over £3 million are required to pay 0.5% Apprenticeship Levy – which goes into a pot that can be spent on training costs, or transferred to other organizations through the government’s Levy Transfer system.

* Based on average apprenticeship cost calculated by IFATE