Month: April 2023

NASHVILLE, Tenn., April 18, 2023 /3BL Media/ – AllianceBernstein Holding L.P. (NYSE: AB), a leading global investment management and research firm, and the National Center for Disaster Preparedness (NCDP) at the Columbia Climate School announced today the launch of version 2.0 of the Natural Hazards Index (NHI) map application.

This NHI tool is the latest development of the continued collaboration between AB and the Columbia Climate School, featuring an interactive, publicly available application that examines physical climate hazard data in the United States. Developed by the NCDP and updated under this collaboration with AB, this map is now one of the most up-to-date, innovative tools that examine weather and climate change vulnerabilities, such as extreme heat and natural hazards, in communities and regions across the United States and Puerto Rico. The tool provides census tract-level granularity of these hazards across 14 different hazard layers, including extreme heat, drought, hurricanes, tornados, and more.

NCDP has engaged with AB investors for more than a year to develop the NHI Tool by updating and refining disparate datasets and identifying and adding new data, which resulted in an expanded and improved centralized dashboard. AB is beginning to incorporate the NHI Tool into its investments in municipalities and securitized assets to analyze and better evaluate the various hazards related to physical climate risk and their impact on some of AB’s fixed-income strategies.

“Climate change can present material investment risks and opportunities that we seek to manage on behalf of our clients,” said AB’s Director of ESG Data and Technology John Huang. “The Columbia Climate School continues to be a critical partner in supporting our investment teams’ efforts to integrate material climate factors into the investment process, where applicable. This innovative tool represents AB’s differentiated approach to partnership and data, layering on our internal insights as an active manager when it comes to understanding the potential impact of climate change on asset values and cash flows.”

“Since the launch of version 1.0 of this map, we have been impressed with its utility and depth of reach across many sectors and communities,” said Senior Staff Associate and Project Lead at NCDP Jonathan Sury. “Through this partnership, we are thrilled to be releasing this major upgrade. We have thoughtfully curated the most current publicly available hazard data and compiled them into an easy-to-understand format, taking the guesswork out of navigating complex data from multiple sources.”

“Managing risk in the face of a changing disaster landscape starts with understanding our exposure to hazards. From there, individuals, organizations, and communities can make more informed investments on what steps to take to mitigate against these hazards,” said Director of NCDP Jeff Schlegelmilch. “This updated tool is one part of a broader suite of information that can be used to improve how we invest in resilience at all levels of society.”

“This tool reflects our continued commitment to managing material climate risks and opportunities in partnership with the renowned experts at Columbia Climate School,” said AB’s Chief Responsibility Officer Erin Bigley. “Our work with NCDP highlights the unique research capabilities and synergies of both our investors and Columbia’s leading scientists and how we can use these insights to better prepare our clients for the future.”

The tool will remain publicly available for use.

For more information on the work for NCDP and to visit the dashboard, please click here.

About AllianceBernstein
AllianceBernstein is a leading global investment management firm that offers high-quality research and diversified investment services to institutional investors, individuals, and private wealth clients in major world markets. As of March 31, 2023, AllianceBernstein had $676 billion in assets under management. Additional information about AB may be found on our website, www.alliancebernstein.com.

About NCDP
The National Center for Disaster Preparedness (NCDP), Columbia Climate School, at Columbia University works to understand and improve the capacity to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters. NCDP focuses on the readiness of governmental and non-governmental systems; the complexities of population recovery; the power of community engagement; and the risks of human vulnerability.

Gen Blog

By Vincent Pilette, CEO

We’re honored to share that Gen™ has been recognized for the second year in a row on Newsweek’s list of America’s Most Trustworthy Companies. We do not take for granted the millions of people around the world who trust us to help them safely navigate our complex digital world. Our family of consumer Cyber Safety brands, Norton, Avast, LifeLock, Avira, AVG, ReputationDefender and CCleaner, enable people to take full advantage of the digital world, safely, privately, and confidently.

Here at Gen, our customers are at the heart of everything we do. We’re guided by our principles and purpose, and we feel great responsibility for the trust and confidence our customers, employees, and all stakeholders place in us. With increasing and changing cyberthreats, our products and employees have become more vital than ever.

Whether it’s the products we develop or our community-based initiatives, everything we do is with a people-first mindset with trust at its core. As cyberthreats continue to evolve and the digital landscape becomes more complex, we’re grateful for all our customers who look to us as a reliable, trustworthy resource they can turn to for all their digital safety needs.

America’s Most Trustworthy Companies 2023 were identified in an independent survey based on a vast sample of U.S. residents who rated companies based on the three pillars of trust: Customer, investor and employee trust. All companies headquartered in the US with a revenue over $500 million were considered in the study, resulting in the top 700 Most Trustworthy Companies across 23 industries.

Check out the full list of Newsweek’s America’s Most Trustworthy Companies 2023 at www.newsweek.com.

Originally published by Nation’s Restaurant News on nrn.com

By Alicia Kelso

Investment firm Lafayette Square has signed an agreement with Yum Brands to lend up to $50 million to new and existing underrepresented franchisees in the restaurant company’s system. The deal is part of a new financing program called Franchise Fast Start.

“This program is another step toward our goal of becoming the world’s multi-brand franchisor of choice which strives to create a global franchise system as diverse as the communities we serve,” Wanda Williams, head of Yum! Global Franchising, said in a statement. “Our communities and the industry benefit from diversity of ownership and thought, and Franchise Fast Start will help level the franchising playing field and break down barriers for underrepresented people to become franchise owners.”

Continue reading here

CHARLOTTE, N.C., April 18, 2023 /3BL Media/ – Discovery Education and The Hartford today announced a new edition of the Junior Fire Marshal Training Academy™, a popular educational program preparing students with knowledge about fire safety and prevention. Designed to teach students in grades K-3 how to prevent fires and what to do if they face one, the program offers free resources that help build a fire-safe culture. The Hartford is a leader in property and casualty insurance, group benefits and mutual funds, and Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place.

This new partnership with Discovery Education builds upon The Hartford’s long-standing Junior Fire Marshal program, one of the country’s oldest corporate-sponsored public education programs. Since 1947, more than 112 million children across the country have earned the title of Junior Fire Marshal. Over the next three years, the partnership will help The Hartford meet its goal of educating an additional 1.5 million students.

Expanding upon the success of The Junior Fire Marshal program, The Hartford partnered with Discovery Education to reach more students, educators, and families across the United States with free content through Junior Fire Marshal Training Academy™. A collection of standards-aligned resources – including classroom and family activities, engaging videos, and ready-to-use lesson plans – empower educators and families to connect students to fire safety skills. As students explore the essentials of fire safety, they can earn a Junior Fire Marshal Certificate.

Learn more about Junior Fire Marshal Training Academy™ at JuniorFireMarshal.DiscoveryEducation.com or within Discovery Education’s K-12 learning platform. Connecting educators to a vast collection of high-quality, standards-aligned content, ready-to-use digital lessons, intuitive quiz and activity creation tools, and professional learning resources, Discovery Education provides educators with an enhanced learning platform that facilitates engaging, daily instruction.

“We are proud to stand with The Hartford to provide life-saving lessons for students nationwide,” said Amy Nakamoto, General Manager of Social Impact at Discovery Education. “Connecting students to fire safety today builds knowledge and confidence for lifelong security.”

For more information about Discovery Education’s award-winning digital resources—which can be purchased with federal stimulus funds—and professional learning services, visit www.discoveryeducation.com, and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through Twitter and LinkedIn.

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About Discovery Education 
Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place. Through its award-winning multimedia content, instructional supports, and innovative classroom tools, Discovery Education helps educators deliver equitable learning experiences engaging all students and supporting higher academic achievement on a global scale. Discovery Education serves approximately 4.5 million educators and 45 million students worldwide, and its resources are accessed in over 100 countries and territories. Inspired by the global media company Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. Discovery Education partners with districts, states, and trusted organizations to empower teachers with leading edtech solutions that support the success of all learners. Explore the future of education at www.discoveryeducation.com.

Contacts 
Grace Maliska 
Discovery Education 
gmaliska@discoveryed.com