Month: March 2023

Five out of six women have experienced burnout at work43 per cent of female entrepreneurs started a small business for financial opportunitiesWomen overestimate the cost of starting a businessTime constraints, set up costs and childcare the biggest barriers for women entrepreneurs

SYDNEY, March 10, 2023 /3BL Media/ –  Three quarters of Australian women believe they would be better off starting their own small business than working for someone else, a new survey shows.

Research from GoDaddy has found five out of six working women have experienced burnout in their careers and yearn for the financial freedom and flexibility of being their own boss.

The ‘Unstoppable Women’ survey of 1,011 Australian aspiring and current women business owners was conducted ahead of International Women’s Day and found 43 per cent of women started a business or side hustle for the financial opportunities.

Tamara Oppen, GoDaddy Vice President said: “Australian women are seizing the day to pursue financial freedom and flexibility for themselves through small business ventures.

“At a time when unemployment is at historic low levels and cost of living is a challenge, many women are taking their future into their own hands and backing themselves to launch a business.”

The survey also found that many women tend to overestimate the true cost of starting a business or side-hustle by an average of 37 per cent and also underestimate the potential earnings.

Three out of five women business owners surveyed said they started their business for under $1,000, with 19 per cent launching with no start-up costs at all.

Reflecting the incredible rise of ecommerce in the last three years, many aspiring female entrepreneurs were prepared to invest in a website, with 39 per cent planning to build one on their own and 47 per cent anticipating they will need help.

“It’s easier and cheaper than ever before to build your own website and this has significantly lowered the barriers to entry for many women, whether they want to start a side-hustle from their spare room or build a full-time business,’’ Ms Oppen said.

“The growth in our digital economy has inspired many Australians to take a chance on a passion project, with a nearly 10 per cent jump in new sole trader businesses recorded last financial year1.” 

The survey results also revealed time commitments (57 per cent) and set up costs (62 per cent) were the biggest barriers women identified to starting their own business, followed by childcare expectations and costs (35 per cent).

Of the women surveyed, 37 per cent said they were a primary caregiver for children under 18, and 84 per cent of all women said they were responsible for most household duties.

Entrepreneurs Ellie and Elyssa grappled with the challenges of family responsibilities and time constraints before starting their small business Sage + Country selling personalised baby keepsakes.

The business launched in 2022 when Elyssa had an eight-week old baby, and after Ellie had just returned to work from maternity leave.

“Navigating these new chapters of our lives whilst launching a new business along with the outlay of finances was definitely a struggle,’’ Ellie said.

“We had a real passion for what we wanted to create, and we continued to remind ourselves of our goals each day. Through persistence, and the support of everyone around us, we were able to achieve what we set out to do.”

Like Ellie and Elyssa, other Australian women entrepreneurs surveyed credited similar strengths with powering their business success.

Women entrepreneurs ranked confidence and self-belief (37%), adaptability (32%) and persistence (29%) as the highest ranked traits for business success, followed by patience (27%), passion (25%), problem solving/critical thinking and juggling/multitasking (both 24%).

1Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics: Counts of Australian Businesses, including Entries and Exits, 25 August 2022.

Notes to editors:

*Antenna, an independent consumer research agency on behalf of GoDaddy, conducted an online survey of [ADD AU]. The survey was conducted between 23/12/22 – 09/01/23. The survey data collection was national and respondents were sourced using an accredited online research access panel. Data was weighted for representation against country census data.

About GoDaddy

GoDaddy helps millions of entrepreneurs globally start, grow, and scale their businesses. People come to GoDaddy to name their idea, build a professional website, attract customers, sell their products and services, and accept payments online and in-person. GoDaddy’s easy-to-use tools help microbusiness owners manage everything in one place and its expert guides are available to provide assistance 24/7. To learn more about the company, visit www.GoDaddy.com.

 

Reducing emissions and optimizing resources in semiconductor manufacturing is an immensely complex undertaking, with multiple moving parts and several cascading impacts. While semiconductors are key to enabling a sustainable future, fabricating those chips is a notoriously resource-intensive process. Consider: a single fabrication plant can consume up to 10 million gallons of water a day, as much electricity as what’s needed to power 50,000 homes daily, and, over the course of a year, generate 60,000 tons of waste.

An industry-wide consensus has emerged around the importance of driving sustainable practices into semiconductor production, especially as the industry is poised for further growth in the years ahead. Moreover, individual companies are stepping up to do their part. As outlined in our most recent Sustainability Report, Applied Materials has made significant progress in reducing our carbon footprint and powering our operations increasingly with renewable energy. Other industry players are taking similar actions to reduce their Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions (those produced by a company and the energy it consumes).

Yet, as an industry we need to take these efforts to the next level. Decarbonization requires a concerted and collective effort to reduce Scope 3 emissions – those generated across a company’s entire value chain. And this is where things get complicated because it involves working with industry partners, suppliers, and customers to define levels and sources of emissions being generated beyond the control of any individual entity. The issue then becomes one of defining the actions that are most likely to have a meaningful and measurable impact.

High Value Problem

The stakes involved couldn’t be higher. Advancing decarbonization is critical to the future of the semiconductor industry and, ultimately, to the future of the planet. Indeed, in systems engineering terms, it’s perhaps the most significant high-value problem you can imagine.

The good news is we are systems engineers. In our industry, we apply our skills, talents, and methodologies to fuel unprecedented advances and innovation in semiconductor capabilities. These same qualities are needed to untangle the multi-layered complexities involved in creating a more sustainable industry. Specifically, a systems engineering mindset can define the cause-and-effect linkages that tie short-term actions to long-term collective goals. These linkages provide the foundation for the essential task of tracking progress over time and holding individual stakeholders accountable throughout the journey.

Outlined here are three priority areas where – individually as companies, and collectively as an industry – systems engineering practices can move the decarbonization needle in the right direction.

1. More Efficient Products and Production Processes

Decarbonization starts with each company reducing environmental impact through more efficient processes and greater reliance on clean sources of energy. But this goes beyond each company merely taking responsibility for its own footprint. Specifically, the upstream and downstream effects of production practices must be considered.

When calculating a company’s Scope 3 emissions, the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol includes the lifetime emissions generated by the use of products by end users. In Applied’s case, these are the emissions that result from the energy and chemicals required to power our equipment at customers’ fabs over the full product lifespan.

Applied’s analysis of Scope 3 emissions illustrates the impact of product usage – and the extent to which we are all in this together. Based on our 2019 baseline, we estimate that Use of Sold Products (Category 11 in the GHG Protocol) accounts for about 80 percent of Applied’s total Scope 3 impact for our semiconductor products (see chart below). As such, we have a powerful mutual interest in improving our own practices, as well as working with our customers to help them improve theirs. Put simply, “not my problem” is not an option.

Meanwhile, a collaborative approach – particularly where systems engineers are involved – can have a meaningful impact. Applied’s iSystem™ platform leverages intelligent Internet of Things (IoT) capabilities to enhance energy efficiency without impacting production output, and has helped improve efficiencies, reduce emissions and lower energy consumption for chipmakers such as TSMC. The platform’s “energy-saving mode” enables demand-based consumption of electricity by synchronizing energy needs to operation.

2. Grid Decarbonization

Innovative technology solutions enabling more efficient production processes and practices that reduce energy consumption address the demand side of the equation at the fab. Nonetheless, even the most energy-efficient fabs will still require massive amounts of electricity. As such, grid decarbonization is essential to significant and sustainable emissions reduction.

As an industry, we need to invest in scaling renewable forms of energy such as wind and solar, and evaluate other carbon-free energy sources and storage methods. Advocacy, meanwhile, needs to focus on smarter practices – such as ensuring that new fabrication facilities are located in areas supplied by higher amounts of renewable energy and that can accommodate demands for massive amounts of water. In determining the location of new fabs, a systems engineering perspective must be included in decisions traditionally made by economic development authorities and politicians.

3. Enhance Supplier Practices

Systems engineering expertise can also be applied to enhance supplier practices. The opportunity is significant, as Purchased Goods and Services (Category 1) represent about 15 percent of Applied’s estimated Scope 3 emissions and are the second largest contributor to our footprint.

Here, engineers can help procurement teams define emissions-focused metrics and criteria used to select and evaluate suppliers. Contractual clauses that provide financial incentives for suppliers to invest in new technologies or to develop new processes that reduce emissions can be a powerful tool to prioritize sustainable practices. Engineers have the knowledge needed to identify the areas that, for suppliers, are most attractive from a business standpoint, and that will have the most significant environmental impact.

For example, IoT initiatives that leverage smart sensors and networks of connected devices can monitor energy requirements, optimize consumption, and document savings. In addition, such solutions continually collect and analyze data to yield new insights that can inform ongoing improvements. Here again, an engineering perspective can ensure that initiatives find the sweet spot that enhances business results as well as achieves sustainability goals.

Systems engineering thinking can build the foundation needed to define priorities, develop innovative solutions that drive measurable gains and build momentum for continued progress. Cooperation is essential – our company is just one component of a complex ecosystem, where independent actions are inherently limited. Prospects for cooperation, meanwhile, are bright. One recent example of this is the SEMI Climate Consortium or SCC – a group of semiconductor equipment manufacturers and chip makers focused on decarbonizing our industry. Applied is a proud SCC founding member.

The idea of the semiconductor industry collaborating to accelerate its transformation to a lower carbon future is very exciting. It will surely test our systems engineering skills to the limit, but the benefits for society will be more than worth the effort.

MetLife

NEW YORK, /3BL Media/ – MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET) announced that for the eighth consecutive year it has been named to the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index (GEI), which tracks the performance of public companies that report gender-related data.

The reference index measures gender equality across five pillars: leadership and talent pipeline, equal pay and gender pay parity, inclusive culture, anti-sexual harassment policies, and external brand.

“Realizing the potential of women in the workplace by reinforcing an inclusive culture, growing careers and developing leaders is directly aligned to MetLife’s purpose of building more confident futures for all,” said MetLife Chief Human Resources Officer Susan Podlogar. “Our focus on gender equity is part of our company’s broader commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, which we believe creates an environment where our employees are energized to drive innovation for our customers and other stakeholders.”

As part of MetLife’s 2030 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Commitments, MetLife is addressing the needs of the underserved and underrepresented through a mix of investments, products and services, supply chain, volunteering, and community efforts. Gender is among MetLife’s diversity, equity and inclusion focus areas, and in support:

MetLife is a member of the UN Global Compact’s (UNGC) Target Gender Equality Initiative, a gender-equality accelerator program for companies that have signed on to the UNGC.MetLife is executing the UN Women’s Empowerment Principles through time-bound action plans aimed at building a workplace that works for all.MetLife is part of WEConnect International, an organization committed to enabling women business owners to compete in the global marketplace.

For more information on MetLife’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, check out our podcast, Inclusion Begins with Me: Conversations that Matter, available wherever you listen to podcasts, and visit https://www.metlife.com/about-us/global-diversity-equity-inclusion/.

About MetLife
MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET), through its subsidiaries and affiliates (“MetLife”), is one of the world’s leading financial services companies, providing insurance, annuities, employee benefits and asset management to help individual and institutional customers build a more confident future. Founded in 1868, MetLife has operations in more than 40 markets globally and holds leading positions in the United States, Japan, Latin America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. For more information, visit www.metlife.com.

Contact:
MetLife
For Media: Brian Blaser
(212) 578-2415
bblaser@metlife.com

Originally published on Aflac Newsroom

COLUMBUS, Ga., March 10, 2023 /3BL Media/ — Aflac Incorporated, a leading provider of supplemental health insurance products in the U.S., enhanced its hospital insurance product to include income protection for mental health treatment while reducing hospital confinement hour requirements to qualify for benefits. The enhanced product, named “Aflac Choice,” is designed to help customers with expenses associated with doctor visits, hospitalizations and mental health treatment that health insurance doesn’t cover.

Mental illness and/or substance use disorders are a component of 1 in every 8 emergency department visits by an adult in the United States, and mood disorders are the most common cause of hospitalization for all Americans under age 45, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.1 Additionally, 24.7% of all adults with a mental health condition cited insufficient finances as a barrier to seeking treatment.2

“Today many Americans face stress, anxiety, depression and other concerns that can lead to mental health challenges and hospitalization,” said Keith Farley, senior vice president, Aflac Individual Voluntary Benefits. “Amid rising health care costs, seeking appropriate and timely care can be costly, which only contributes to the burden for many who are facing a health crisis. Aflac Choice Hospital Insurance puts healing and recovery at the forefront so that Aflac policyholders can focus on getting better rather than worry about how to help close the gap between what their health care insurance does and doesn’t cover.”

In addition to helping policyholders, Aflac Choice Hospital Insurance can help protect the overall physical, financial and mental health of an employer’s workforce. With a variety of options, employees can tailor coverage to their specific needs and budgets, which helps ensure their employees have the protection they need whenever a health event arises.

“Even with health insurance, an unplanned visit to the hospital may leave individuals and families with unpaid medical bills, which can be devastating to their financial and mental health,” said Kim Rudeen, vice president, Aflac Product Development. “When a hospital stay is necessary, our customers can experience peace of mind knowing that they’ll have hospital coverage to help protect their financial well-being and worry a little less.”

Highlights of Aflac’s strengthened individual hospital product include:

Expanded benefits for covered hospital confinements caused by common mental health conditions, including but not limited to schizophrenia, bipolar disorders, depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, post-traumatic stress, substance and alcohol use disorders.Expanded coverage with no rate increase to policyholders.Decreased minimum number of hours required to qualify for hospital confinement from 23 hours to 18 hours.Optional riders to help further amplify income protection coverage.

For more information visit Aflac.com/business.

ABOUT AFLAC INCORPORATED

Aflac Incorporated (NYSE: AFL) is a Fortune 500 company helping provide protection to more than 50 million people through its subsidiaries in Japan and the U.S., paying cash fast when policyholders get sick or injured. For over 67 years, the insurance policies of Aflac Incorporated’s subsidiaries have given policyholders the opportunity to focus on recovery, not financial stress. In the U.S., Aflac is the number one provider of supplemental health insurance products.3 Aflac Life Insurance Japan is the leading provider of medical and cancer insurance policies in force in Japan, where it insures 1 in 4 households. In 2022, the company was included in the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index and became a signatory of the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI). Also in 2022, Aflac Incorporated was proud to be included as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere for the 16th consecutive year, Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies for the 22nd time and Bloomberg’s Gender-Equality Index for the fourth consecutive year. To find out how to get help with expenses health insurance doesn’t cover, get to know us at aflac.com or aflac.com/espanol. Investors may learn more about Aflac Incorporated and its commitment to ESG and social responsibility at investors.aflac.com under “Sustainability.”

Coverage is underwritten by American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus. In New York, coverage is underwritten by Aflac New York. Benefits and/or premiums may vary based on state and benefit option selected. The policy has limitations, exclusions, and pre-existing condition limitations that may affect benefits payable. Riders are available for an additional cost. The policy may contain a waiting period. Refer to the policy for benefit details, definitions, limitations and exclusions. For more information, ask your insurance agent/producer, call 1.800.992.3522, or visit aflac.com. In Arkansas, Policies B40100AR & B401HAR. In Delaware, Policies B40100DE & B4010HDE. In Idaho, Policies B40100ID & B4010HID. In New York, Policies NYB40100 & NYB4010H. In Oklahoma, Policies B40100OK & B4010HOK. In Oregon, Policies B40100OR & B4010HOR. In Pennsylvania, Policies B40100PA & B4010HPA. In Texas, Policies B40100TX& B4010HTX. In Virginia, Policies B40100VA & B4010HVA. This is a limited benefit, Hospital Confinement Indemnity Insurance.

Media contact: Jon Sullivan, 706-763-4813 or jsullivan@aflac.com

Analyst and investor contact: David A. Young, 706-596-3264, 800-235-2667 or dyoung@aflac.com

1 National Alliance on Mental Illness (2022). Mental Health Statistics. Accessed on Jan. 11, 2023, from https://nami.org/mhstats.

2 Reinert, M, Fritze, D. & Nguyen T. (October 2021). “The State of Mental Health in America 2022.” Mental Health America. Accessed on Jan. 17, 2023, from https://mhanational.org/issues/2022/mental-health-america-adult-data.

3 LIMRA 2021 US Supplemental Health Insurance Total Market Report

Aflac | WWHQ | 1932 Wynnton Road | Columbus, GA 31999

SOURCE Aflac Incorporated