Month: April 2023

BOSTON, April 20, 2023 /3BL Media/ – Sappi North America, Inc., a leading producer and supplier of diversified paper, packaging products and pulp, today announced the call for entries for its 2023 Ideas that Matter grant program, welcoming projects from designers and creatives that positively impact people, communities and the planet. For more than two decades, the grant program has celebrated the power of print design by supporting projects created to address social issues.

Grant applications should focus on addressing social justice, environmental, healthcare and community issues, among other critical and timely societal concerns. Entrants are asked to align submissions with at least one of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and are required to submit projects that incorporate wood-fiber solutions, such as paperboard packaging or graphic papers.

“Sappi’s mission is to harness the power of trees to help build a thriving world, and we believe it’s equally important to work with people and organizations who share our values to drive positive social impact,” said Patti Groh, Director of Communications, Sappi North America. “For over 20 years, our grantees have incorporated sustainable paper-based solutions to support the work of nonprofits around the globe. All projects help advance local communities while aligning with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, which are also key pillars to Sappi’s business and sustainable practices.”

Ideas that Matter is the only grant program of its kind in the paper and packaging industry and is a key part of Sappi’s corporate social responsibility efforts. Since 1999, the program has provided over $14 million to support over 500 projects that change lives, communities and, ultimately, the planet.

Selection Criteria and How to Enter

Ideas that Matter proposals are evaluated on creativity, potential effectiveness and ability for distribution and implementation by an annually selected, independent panel of judges who are influential in the design and design for social impact industries.

The Ideas that Matter call for entries is open to individual designers, design firms, agencies, in-house corporate design departments, design instructors, individual design students and design student groups. Grant awards range from $5,000 to $50,000 USD per project. Each application must include an IRS 501 (c) 3 letter or Canadian equivalent of the applicant’s nonprofit organization.

Entrants have until July 11, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. PST to submit their application via the online portal.

To learn more about Ideas that Matter and view previous winners, visit: https://www.sappi.com/sappi-ideas-that-matter.

About Sappi North America, Inc.

Sappi North America, Inc., headquartered in Boston, is a market leader in converting wood fiber into superior products that customers demand worldwide. Our four diversified businesses – high-quality Graphic Papers, Dissolving Pulp, Packaging, and Specialty Papers deliver premium products and services with consistent quality and reliability. Our high-quality Coated Printing Papers are used for premium magazines, catalogs, books, direct mail and high-end print advertising. We are a leading manufacturer of Dissolving Pulp, which is used in a wide range of products, including textile fibers and household goods. We deliver sustainable Packaging and Specialty Papers for luxury packaging and folding carton applications with our single-ply packaging brands and for the food and label industries with our specialty papers. We are one of the world’s leading suppliers of Casting and Release Papers with lines for the automotive, fashion and engineered films industries.

Sappi North America is a subsidiary of Sappi Limited (JSE), a global company headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, with more than 12,000 employees and manufacturing operations on three continents in seven countries and customers in over 150 countries. www.sappi.com

By Candace Higginbotham

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., April 20, 2023 /3BL Media/ – For the 14th year in a row, Regions Bank is launching Share the Good, an annual outreach program that complements the bank’s year-round community engagement initiatives. This year, teams of Regions volunteers are getting outside and giving back with impactful activities planned throughout April.

“Every year, we look for different ways to make a difference through Share the Good,” explained Wendi Boyen, community advocacy and financial wellness manager for Regions. “Right now, the weather is getting warmer, flowers and trees are blooming, and it’s the perfect time to get our teams together and get out into our neighborhoods, parks, and rivers and join community partners in sprucing things up for the season. It’s a great way of making a visible impact, and it deepens our relationships with organizations that support the quality of life in the communities we serve.”

Share the Good directly complements Regions’ ongoing focus on volunteer service. In 2022, Regions associates provided 74,000 hours of volunteerism through a variety of programs, including Share the Good.

Share the Good initiatives will continue through April 30.

Local highlights include:

Birmingham, Ala.: The Regions Navy is banding together once again to help clean up the Cahaba River, located just outside Regions’ headquarters city. The group of volunteers will hop aboard canoes and walk the riverbanks to pick up debris along this favorite waterway in support of the Cahaba River Society. The river is an important watershed with rich biodiversity, including a unique native water lily – appropriately named the Cahaba Lily.Austin, Texas: Regions associates in Austin are going back to school for Share the Good. A group of volunteers will be helping students learn the benefits of conservation while encouraging STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education. These young scientists will be learning to use water purification kits provided by Elequa, a Regions community partner and winner in last year’s Philanthropitch, a “fast-pitch” competition that provides training, capital and exposure for local nonprofits.Cleveland, Tenn.: Regions associates are spending some quality time at City Fields, where they’ll help plant community gardens and spruce up flower beds. The Alabama-based Regions Foundation, a nonprofit initiative that is funded primarily by Regions Bank, recently presented a grant to City Fields to support access to housing and economic mobility for people who live in the East Cleveland community.Pensacola, Fla.: Regions associates in Pensacola love their beaches (who doesn’t?), and during Share the Good, volunteers will be putting their sunscreen to work in a different way by picking up litter and making sure this coastline, well known for white, sugary sand and clear, blue-green water, keeps its Emerald Coast moniker.Louis, Mo.: Regions Bank Market Executive Scott Hartwig knows how to motivate people! He generously offered to treat a group of Regions volunteers to a tailgate lunch from his RV to show apprecation for their hard work ‘sharing the good.’ The team is all in – and looking forward to a productive morning of removing trash and debris along the Mississippi Greenway at North Riverfront Park.Jonesboro, Ark.: Regions teams are volunteering at Arkansas State University’s Earth Day celebration. The event hosts large crowds, including more than 1,000 elementary school students, and offers programs around recycling, conservation and earth-friendly practices. Regions is also supporting Jonesboro’s Great Outdoors Business Expo.

To encourage participation and provide inspiration, Regions will host a photo contest for associates. Submissions will be featured on the internal RegionsTV each week in April, and winners will be announced at the end of the month. Winning entries will receive a donation to the community partner they collaborated with for their event.

Community engagement is a significant part of the culture at Regions and is fostered through a variety of ongoing programs. For example, every year, Regions offers associates a paid day off to volunteer in their community. Further, as part of its Making Life Better Institute, the bank connects associates with a wide range of ongoing volunteerism opportunities that align with their skills and experience. Examples of the bank’s involvement are available in the annual Community Engagement Report and the Community Engagement section of Regions’ news website, Doing More Today.

About Regions Financial Corporation 
Regions Financial Corporation (NYSE:RF), with $155 billion in assets, is a member of the S&P 500 Index and is one of the nation’s largest full-service providers of consumer and commercial banking, wealth management, and mortgage products and services. Regions serves customers across the South, Midwest and Texas, and through its subsidiary, Regions Bank, operates more than 1,250 banking offices and more than 2,000 ATMs. Regions Bank is an Equal Housing Lender and Member FDIC. Additional information about Regions and its full line of products and services can be found at www.regions.com.

About Regions Foundation 
The Alabama-based Regions Foundation supports community investments that positively impact communities served by Regions Bank. The Foundation engages in a grantmaking program focused on priorities including economic and community development; education and workforce readiness; and financial wellness. The Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation funded primarily through contributions from Regions Bank.