Month: February 2023

February 27, 2023 /3BL Media/ – Qualcomm Incorporated released its annual Corporate Responsibility Report today, reporting on the Company’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance in 2022.

Qualcomm has a long history of transparency to stakeholders around its ESG performance. The report features successes achieved this year, including progress made on companywide ESG targets, including goals around environmental sustainability, diversity and inclusion, and power efficiency of our Snapdragon products. It also highlights the recognition received for the Company’s ESG performance, including being included on the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index and Newsweek’s Most Responsible Companies ranking for the fourth consecutive year.

“The past year marked an important evolution in our long-term vision of enabling a world where everyone and everything is intelligently connected. We remain focused on transitioning Qualcomm from a wireless communications company for the mobile industry to a connected processor company for the intelligent edge.” said Cristiano Amon, President and Chief Executive Officer, Qualcomm Incorporated. “Our one technology roadmap is allowing us to efficiently scale and diversify our leading technologies across new industries, applications and experiences – accelerating digital transformation and changing the world for the greater good. 

Qualcomm’s ESG priorities include three areas of focus where the Company believes it can make the greatest impact — Empowering Digital Transformation, Acting Responsibly and Operating Sustainably. 

Key highlights from 2022 include:

The Company continued to invent and develop products that enable customers to make a positive impact— from the individual smartphone experiences to the environment. One of Qualcomm’s 2025 goals is to reduce power consumption by 10 percent every year in the Company’s flagship Snapdragon products. Thus far, year over year, the Company achieved a reduction in power consumption by at least 20 percent in Snapdragon products when averaged across all use cases. Because the Company’s success is rooted in the hard work, dedication, and diversity of the workforce, it has been driving progress towards meeting the 2025 diversity and inclusion goals: Increase Representation of Women in Leadership by 15 percent; Increase Underrepresented Minorities (URM) Leadership representation by 15 percent; Increase overall URM representation by 20 percent. We have so far increased our representation of women in leadership by more than 7%, our representation of underrepresented minorities (URM) leadership by more than 5% and our overall representation of URMs by more than 12%, since 2020.”The Company’s efforts around sustainable supply chain management continue with the 2025 goal of auditing 100 percent of primary semiconductor manufacturing suppliers every 2 years for conformance to its Supplier Code of Conduct. As of 2022, 88 percent of our primary semiconductor manufacturing suppliers have received audits.In line with the Company’s conviction to address the environmental, social, and economic impacts of climate change, this past year the Company set new, ambitious climate goals, including reaching net-zero global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for Scope 1, 2 and 3 by 2040 and committed to the Science Based Targets Initiative’s (SBTi) Business Ambition for 1.5°C. The Company also continued to make progress on its goal to achieve a 2025 emissions reduction goal of 30% from a 2014 base year. The Company has reduced Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions by approximately 28%, and achieved The Climate Registry’s (TCR) Climate Registered Platinum status. Qualcomm engaged with our primary manufacturing suppliers to obtain direct emissions data and collaborate on expectations. The Company continues to work to enrich people’s lives by bringing technology to underserved communities around the world through its Qualcomm Wireless Reach™ Initiative. During this past year, Wireless Reach has launched five new projects and, since 2006, has positively impacted the lives of over 26 million people.The Company remains committed to its goal of inspiring the next generation of inventors by engaging to date over 1.5 million students and teachers across the globe through strategic STEM initiatives. In 2022, the Company achieved its 2025 goal early and met the 1.5 million student and teacher goal.

To learn more about Qualcomm’s progress towards their goals and ESG performance in 2022, read the full report here.

By Yan Tai

In predictions for the new year, many experts and groups are pointing to health and equity as two major focus areas of 2023. And there’s lots of corroborating data supporting those predictions — such as poll data showing 63% of Americans prioritize health over career, traveling, dining out and education, and 60% of American workers consider diversity, equity and inclusion as a critical factor in their company’s ability to drive success. Each figure is illustrative of the rising value we place on health and equity in 2023 and beyond.

Indeed, both of these themes – health and equity – also showed up prominently in the 2023 Trends Outlook, which was released this month by the American Society of Interior Design (ASID). The design profession has long taken notice of the need for healthier and more inclusive places, and the report highlights several of these related trends, including:

Health and wellness as top priorities in the built environment: ASID’s report identified a growing trend towards holistic healthy living, suggesting that interior design will need to address both the mind and body. New design choices can range from the choice of colors, lighting and daylighting, and the use of plants and natural materials to adding spa-like bathrooms and retreat spaces for exercise and meditation. This trend reinforces the fact that our spaces have a profound and measurable impact on our health.Mental health needs are driving a new ethos in design: Modifications to interior environments can better support people’s mental health and can help aid in reducing environmental factors that can contribute to feelings of stress and unease.Multi-model workplaces to optimize the work experience while supporting the hybrid work arrangement: According to the report, as more remote workers return to the office, employers are seeking to make changes to the workplace environment, such as providing more private, quiet workspaces and areas to socialize.Diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility are top of mind: Workplaces are quickly adapting to the diverse needs for equitable spaces, said the report. Making adjustments to support a multigenerational workforce is just one example. The report indicated more and more older adults may opt for “rewirement” instead of retirement as they settle into a hybrid work mode. On the other hand, Generation Z may seek out a more collaborative and social work environment. Employers are more aware that one size does not fit all.Design for Neurodiversity: Offices are becoming more inclusive and accessible for neurodivergent employees, according to the report. Design for neurodiversity is increasingly important as employers look to provide flexible and adaptable work environments that support neurodivergent workforces.Smart technologies to support occupant comfort and well-being in the workplace: The use of smart technologies to improve indoor air quality, personalize thermal comfort and acoustic control, sync lighting systems with circadian rhythms, and facilitate accessibility can positively affect occupant well-being and contribute to more sustainable environments. Opportunities abound to integrate smart technologies to support these workplace designs.

While sustainability and aesthetics also continue to be important design factors, according to the report, the pandemic has crystalized health and equity as top priorities in both commercial and residential design.

“The more insight we gain about the needs of the populations we are designing for, the better we can balance the design approaches to bring about positive impact on people’s mind and body,” said Dr. Angelita Scott, who was a guest speaker at ASID’s event to release the report. Scott, an interior designer by training, leads the WELL Community Concept for the WELL Building Standard at IWBI and served as a principal architect in the development of IWBI’s recently launched WELL Equity Rating. “This report is another reminder of the incredible role that design professionals play and how they can help support physical, mental and social health outcomes through inclusive and equitable design.”

View original content here. 

Originally published on NewAcre.org 

Elizabeth Shirt is the President of GLOBE Series, which brings together innovators and change makers who are accelerating the green economy. With experience in sustainability, innovation, energy and clean technology, Elizabeth has spent her career working with industry, innovators, investors, governments and environmental organizations in pursuit of solutions that will lead to a cleaner, more sustainable future. 
 

Governments, investors and corporate leaders have embraced nature-based solutions as a critical component to meeting carbon targets and achieving net zero. And there’s a good reason why.

“Nature-based solutions make good business and economic sense,” says Elizabeth. “They encourage corporations to take into account how they are impacting the land and what that means for finite resources. That’s going to allow us to have more profitable businesses in the long term.”

This is one of the key undercurrents of GLOBE Series events, which bring together and empower leaders and innovators from business, government and civil society to share knowledge and find solutions for achieving a more sustainable, prosperous and socially just future.

Today, the discussion among market players is increasingly focused on green and blue infrastructure, achieving net zero and the role of investments in accelerating the clean economy.

The key, says Elizabeth, is understanding that achieving a more sustainable future requires a multi-pronged approach that includes not just reducing emissions, but also leveraging nature-based solutions to capture and store carbon.

“We cannot lose sight of sustainability priorities that we need to advance in tandem with achieving net zero,” she says. “It’s not net zero in isolation. It’s not biodiversity in isolation. It’s not nature conservation or adaptation to climate change in isolation. All of these issues and opportunities are intrinsically linked.”

Nature-based solutions can be incorporated into net zero strategies, such as creating and using natural carbon sinks, like wetlands, to sequester carbon. These solutions are particularly important to Canadian sustainability efforts given that the country’s economy has traditionally relied on natural resource extraction, agriculture and forestry, says Elizabeth. These sectors have incredible potential to directly harness nature to achieve overlapping sustainability goals.

“To me, that’s one of the cool things about nature. Nature is a key piece of the puzzle to finding a solution if we can find ways to work with it and harness that power,” says Elizabeth.

Businesses are also increasingly taking notice of how investing in nature-based solutions can be good for their bottom line. Ultimately, nature-based solutions create more long-term sustainable business opportunities that are in line with current trends in global markets. They also offer room for business and corporations to show leadership and innovation.

One challenge that many companies and investors face, Elizabeth notes, is fully understanding how to measure the environmental and economic opportunities offered by nature-based solutions. Business leaders want to be matched with the right nature-based programs that can help meet their specific needs. But they don’t necessarily know how to access those solutions.

“How can they know if the companies or the solutions that they’re investing in represent the right net-zero opportunities?” she says. “You need to know what the metrics are. What reporting is required to really be clear on the net-zero opportunity?”

Policy outcomes from international forums like the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) are critical to the investment landscape, says Elizabeth. The TNFD has released a voluntary framework that provides businesses with better information to incorporate nature-related risks and opportunities into their strategic planning, risk management and asset allocation decisions. The goal is to support an economic shift to nature-positive outcomes, while providing investors certainty around how to value nature-based opportunities and risks.

“Those global initiatives represent a number of corporations and governments coming together to agree on a standard approach. This is so key for driving action. Policy outcomes from the TNFD are critical to the investment landscape because investors are looking for certainty and to mitigate their risk,” says Elizabeth.

“We saw the same thing from the Task Force for Climate-Related Financial Disclosure. It set the global precedent. That trickles down to what corporations are doing in terms of their reporting to investors who are looking to say, ‘Yes, this is a net-zero opportunity.’”

Even when the metrics and data are not clearly available, Elizabeth notes that businesses shouldn’t become paralyzed waiting for direction. Developing targets, making the commitment and taking action are key to progress. Businesses can also show leadership by being first movers and setting examples even before formal frameworks or regulations are in place.

“We can’t wait for the perfect reporting frameworks or the perfect metrics, because of the need to act today,” she says. “Taking action and being part of the conversation is a win-win.”

 

Black innovation has and continues to forge a path forward in American society through creativity and imagination for a better tomorrow. These innovators, both past and present, share the common thread of thinking outside the box and pushing the bounds of norms, laws, and expectations. This month and all year long, Comcast NBCUniversal is honoring Black changemakers by highlighting how innovators of the past have paved the road for culture shifters today and beyond.

The power of our platforms uniquely positions us to amplify the work of Black changemakers in various arenas. By highlighting Black business owners, sharing the stories of civil rights activists, investing in organizations that promote digital equity and economic mobility for Black youth and adults, and much more, we are helping to create a future of unlimited possibilities.

Honoring Black Changemakers

Comcast proudly shines a light on the ways Black changemakers influence and shape our culture through the Black Experience on Xfinity. This first-of-its kind destination features high-quality content from many of Xfinity’s existing network partners and invests millions of dollars in showcasing emerging talent. This month, we are celebrating the two-year anniversary of Black Experience on Xfinity by showcasing our “Evolution of Activism” series, a collection of content exploring the evolution and progression of activism throughout history. The Black History Month curated collection will be available for Xfinity customers from January 30 – February 28 on X1, Flex, Stream, and XClass TV.

Evolution of Activism: The collection will feature content that celebrates the lives and work of activists throughout history including Frederick Douglass, Angela Davis, and John Lewis to current-day activists like Tarana Burke and Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw. In addition to highlighting a new generation of activists, the collection showcases entertainers, writers, and filmmakers who advocate for human rights by using their platforms to educate audiences on a variety of important issues. Featured films and TV shows from the collection include Woke, Black AF, Citizen Ash, Get on the Bus, The Hate You Give, Blackish, and more.

The first week of the “Evolution of Activism” series kicks off with HBO Max feature films: Judas and the Black Messiah, Harriet, and Race; along with REVOLT’s, Forever our FLOTUS. To access “Evolution of Activism” programming and look ahead to what content is going to be ungated in future weeks, customers can simply say “Black History Month” or “Black Experience” into their voice remote. Content availability may vary across platforms (X1, Flex, and the Xfinity Stream app).Free Black Entertainment from Popular Networks and SVODs: Comcast recently announced the launch of “Free This Week,” a new program that delivers Xfinity customers more value by unlocking a new selection of free content each week from top streaming services and premium networks, with no strings attached. To honor Black History Month, Comcast will offer customers with Xfinity X1, Xfinity Flex and Xumo TV free, week-long access to a selection of Black networks and streaming services easily accessible within the Black Experience destination. From January 30 – February 5, the Free This Week collection will feature Aspire TV, REVOLT, TV One, Impact Network, the Africa Channel, Cleo TV, and Afro. February 6 – February 12 will feature allblk, Kweli TV, Brown Sugar, and Black & Sexy.

Voices of the Civil Rights Movement

Later this year, we will celebrate 10 years of Voices of the Civil Rights Movement, Comcast NBCUniversal’s signature multimedia initiative honoring the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s. With more than 18 hours of historical moments and firsthand accounts from America’s civil rights champions, Voices connects audiences to free and accessible programming that educates, informs, and inspires. This month, the platform will publish new original content examining the February 1968 Orangeburg Massacre, 55 years later; and the role of Black activism in expanding civil and human rights for all Americans, including voting rights.

Comcast Newsmakers

Throughout the month, Comcast Newsmakers spotlights changemakers who are committed to elevating and championing Black communities. Featured guests include Maya Wiley of The Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, Marc Morial of the National Urban League and a member of Comcast’s external Corporate DE&I Advisory Council, Spencer Overton of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, activist Adjoa B. Asamoah, and more. Interviews – exploring topics ranging from political representation to race-based hair discrimination – are available to Comcast customers on Xfinity X1, Flex, and Stream using the voice command “Comcast Newsmakers,” and free to the public at ComcastNewsmakers.com.

NBCUniversal

NBCUniversal’s “Discover Black Heritage” campaign will feature events and programming across NBC’s portfolio of brands, as well as the “Who We Are” social campaign highlighting Black employees across the company, to educate and drive cultural awareness. February’s celebrations will pay respect to the dignity and pain of history, giving a deliberate focus to Black joy, allowing employees to (re)discover Black Heritage.

Digital Equity & Social Impact

Through Project UP, our comprehensive initiative to advance digital equity and help build a future of unlimited possibilities, we support numerous leaders and organizations aligned with our commitment. This includes promoting the economic advancement of Black Americans through the launch of the Center for Racial Economic Equity under the leadership of Jobs for the Future Vice President Michael Collins, partnering with The Hidden Genius Project CEO Brandon Nicholson to engage male youth in tech skills and entrepreneurship, and supporting Reboot Representation CEO Dwana Franklin-Davis on their mission to increase computing degrees for Black, Latina, and Native women.

We also invest in digital equity for Black communities through the lens of changemakers focused on entrepreneurship. These efforts include partnering with Black Economic Alliance President Samantha Tweedy to launch the Center for Black Entrepreneurship, which provides an online certificate program for Black entrepreneurs, and investing in Echoing Green’s Racial Equity Philanthropic Fund, which elevates social entrepreneurs focused on racial equity. In 2022, we partnered with the organization, its President, Cheryl Dorsey, and NBCUniversal to support and distribute the documentary, “Unwavering: The Power of Black Innovation.”

This year, we once again collaborated with NBCUniversal to produce a Black History Month program for our NBC local and affiliate stations. The special, “I Am My Brother’s Keeper,” will focus on the Creative Exchange Program between participants from the Obama Foundation’s My Brother’s Keeper Alliance (MBKA) program in the U.S. and Ravensbourne University students in the UK. Check your local listings starting February 15.”

Highlighting Black Startup Founders and Small Business Owners

This month, Comcast NBCUniversal LIFT Labs will release the second season of Founding in Color, a three-part docuseries that spotlights 11 Black and Latino startup founders. The series features the founders’ candid experiences with navigating race, family, identity, mental health, and more, all while building and scaling businesses in America today. Season two of Founding in Color premieres on Thursday, February 16 on Peacock and Black Experience on Xfinity.

Additionally on February 16, The Road to RISE will premiere on the Comcast RISE destination on X1 on Xfinity. The inspiring documentary follows the lives of four small business owners who participated in Comcast RISE – all on a journey to achieve big dreams. From Chicago to Philly, we stop in four different cities to see how underrepresented entrepreneurs find success.

Changemaking through Art and Creative Expression

Our Connection through Creation program highlights content creators who are using art and the Internet to create community, honor culture, and spark positive change. Stay tuned throughout the month to see inspirational artwork from Sabrina Dessalines, Odili Donald Odita, Sabrena Khadija, and Muhammed Yungai across Comcast’s social media and Xfinity platforms.

This post was created in partnership with Aly Sterling Philanthropy.

From enhanced customer engagement to stronger community relationships, the advantages of creating a corporate philanthropy or corporate social responsibility (CSR) program run the gamut. As a business owner or human resources professional, you’ve no doubt heard of these benefits and are ready to start a program of your very own. But with so many directions and initiatives to choose from, where should you start?

Whether you’re starting your program from scratch or looking to improve your existing CSR framework, these steps will put you on the right track:

1. Determine your goals. 
2. Choose your giving avenues. 
3. Reach out to charitable partners. 
4. Gather employee feedback and buy-in. 
5. Measure your impact.

Aly Sterling Philanthropy’s corporate philanthropy guide says it best: “By adopting a robust corporate philanthropy program, your business can remain accountable to all of its stakeholders, not just its shareholders.” This means you can use your CSR program to ensure you’re treating your employees, customers, community members, and shareholders with respect and dignity. Let’s dive in!

1. Determine your goals

What are you hoping to achieve with your corporate philanthropy program? Establishing your goals up front will provide you with a game plan as you choose the initiatives that will compose your corporate philanthropy program.

Your goals might include:

Engaging employees: Employees are increasingly interested in working for companies that offer robust corporate philanthropy opportunities. Creating a corporate philanthropy program can lead to more engaged, satisfied employees, and ultimately boost retention.Establishing nonprofit partnerships: Nonprofit partnerships can be powerful, mutually beneficial relationships that offer your business new marketing opportunities (such as getting your name out there on event t-shirts or banners) and community connections.Boosting your public image: Consumers are growing more and more invested in working with businesses that prioritize leaving a positive impact on society and the environment. Adopting corporate philanthropy initiatives can help establish your business as a socially responsible steward in your community.

As you build out your program, think about how you can address each of your goals in your choices and actions. For example, reference your goals as you’re choosing your giving channels or determining how you’ll engage employees in your ventures.

2. Choose your giving avenues

Now it’s time to choose how you’d like to structure your corporate philanthropy program. Most programs include a combination of giving avenues such as:

Charitable donations: These are direct donations to nonprofits or other community organizations.Matching gifts: In a matching gift program, your business would match donations that your employees make to nonprofit organizations.Volunteer grants: Volunteer grants are donations that your business would make to nonprofits after employees have volunteered with those organizations for a specified amount of time.Volunteer PTO: Many companies offer employees a paid day off each year to spend volunteering with a worthy cause.Sponsorships: You can sponsor a nonprofit event, construction project, or program by donating funds to help the initiative succeed.In-kind donations: In-kind donations are contributions of goods or services, rather than monetary donations.

Review examples of effective corporate social impact programs to generate ideas for your program. It’s always good to choose charitable initiatives that align with your business goals and mission.

For example, if you’re a landscaping company, you can partner with a nonprofit that runs a community garden to combat the issue of food insecurity. You can encourage your employees to volunteer with this nonprofit and contribute their specialized skills or donate leftover supplies you have like tools or fertilizer.

3. Reach out to charitable partners

Establish relationships with one or more nonprofits or other charitable organizations. An ongoing partnership offers mutual benefits: your nonprofit partner receives donations and volunteer support, while your business receives the reputational boost that accompanies ongoing charitable involvement.

Plus, as you maintain relationships with certain organizations, you can provide greater support to them over time as you learn more about their needs and goals.

For instance, let’s say your business strikes up a relationship with the local animal shelter. Over time, you might learn that the shelter receives an overabundance of food donations, but what they really need is more dog beds. You can help spread the word and purchase the necessary supplies using the power of your business and its public platform.

4. Gather employee feedback and buy-in

Your employees are the heart and soul of your corporate philanthropy program. Without their buy-in, it can be challenging to get your initiatives off the ground.

Garner employee support and interest by involving them in the planning process. For instance, ask if they have any existing nonprofit connections or whether they’re interested in having PTO for volunteering.

In addition, gather employee feedback on an ongoing basis using occasional check-in surveys. Inquire whether employees have taken advantage of any of your charitable giving opportunities, such as matching gifts, and ask if they have any feedback on the process.

Involving employees in every step of the process ensures they’ll be more inclined and excited to engage in your charitable activities

5. Measure your impact

Keep tabs on your corporate philanthropy program to assess how it’s growing and changing over time. For instance, you should track:

The total donation amount contributed so far to your nonprofit partnersThe total number of volunteer hoursThe total amount contributed through matching gifts, volunteer grants, and other employee-centric giving initiatives

Keeping track of these statistics can reveal any strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities when it comes to scaling up your program. For instance, if you aren’t seeing as much engagement with your volunteer grant opportunities, you can try simplifying the process of applying for a grant or promoting the opportunity more among your employee base.

Also, you’ll be able to assess your positive social impact over time and use hard data to promote your philanthropy program to potential new employees, community members, and other stakeholders.

With these five steps, you can create the foundation for a long-lasting, sustainable corporate philanthropy program. Adopting corporate social responsibility initiatives allows you to build stronger relationships with all of your stakeholders and realize the true potential of your business. Good luck!