Month: April 2023

This video from the Biomimicry Institute explores how the surface properties of plants and insects are inspiring functional surface technology that outperforms existing solutions.

Nature has evolved over millions of years to develop ingenious solutions to everyday challenges. By closely examining the different sizes, shapes, and spacing of many biological surface structures, visionary company Fusion Bionic is harnessing these insights to create super-performing materials that mimic the wonders of nature.

The video illustrates how the leaves of lotus plants are covered in rows of nanoscale pillars that repel water and dirt particles, while the eyes of moths have intricate nanopillared surfaces that absorb light, creating a naturally anti-reflective surface. Fusion Bionic’s advanced laser technology engraves micro and nano textures onto human-made materials, efficiently mimicking nature’s surfaces and replacing costly traditional methods of finishing surfaces.

By drawing inspiration from nature, humans can reduce their use of energy and chemicals, and create optimized materials for eyeglasses, smartphones, solar panels, vehicles, and electronic plugs and connectors.

Fusion Bionic was the 2022 Runner Up for the Ray of Hope Prize®.

The strength of Covia is fundamentally rooted in our people and the relationships they create with the communities that they live and work in by investing time, talent, and financial resources. To build an engaging, thriving workplace, Covia makes community engagement a priority.

Covia’s comprehensive community engagement and philanthropic initiatives are overseen by The Covia Foundation, established to formalize our approach to operating as a responsible corporate citizen. The Foundation governs our Community Investment Policy, which guides charitable contributions and volunteerism. Supported by the Community Investment Policy, initiatives are organized under four key pillars where Covia can have the greatest impact:

Health and WellnessEducationEnvironmentSocial Equality

Each pillar represents an area of significance to Covia’s communities, Team Members, and other stakeholders.

Other ways the Community Investment Policy encourages Team Members to give back:

24 hours of annual paid volunteer time;Matching gift program up to $1,000 annually; andProviding grants to tax-exempt organizations where Covia Team Members volunteer at least 20 hours of their personal time and talent

For full details about The Covia Foundation, please see the Positive Social Impact of Covia’s 2021 ESG Report (https://www.coviacorp.com/esg/positive-social-impact/).

Generation Change (GenChange) is an audience-inspired, audience-led initiative at Paramount designed to elevate and empower young people who are driving change around the world. Generation Change creates tailored programming in collaboration with our brands and markets by young agents of change who are passionate about improving their communities.

In direct response to some of the overt transgressive and oppressive acts endured by women in recent times, GenChange is producing a new digital campaign focusing in on the ways society polices the bodies of women for Women’s History Month. The campaign titled, “Hands Off [my body, my rights, my future, my choice] includes a video series, PSAs, and a short documentary profiling gender equality change-makers based in the UK.

Watch the featured video for a showcase of Hands Off! The video series aims to give women a spotlight for sharing personal stories of how they have had to navigate societal pressures. Former England rugby player Heather Fisher bravely shares how society ‘questions’ her womanhood because of her physique and alopecia and highlights the importance of being kinder and considerate to each other.

As part of GenChange’s commitment to provide resources and platforms, the campaign encouraged conversation amongst audiences using the IWD #EmbraceEquity hashtag and signposted people to helplines for information. Additionally, in partnership with our change makers, this campaign will promote local (to the U.K.) organizations for those seeking resources for themselves or others. If you have been affected by any of the issues raised, please visit mtv.co.uk/helpline

KeyBank has officially opened its permanent office in Grand Rapids, Michigan. A commitment to transformative philanthropy and community support is central to KeyBank’s purpose in Western Michigan as well as in all its markets. In 2022, KeyBank invested $10,000 in Mel Trotter Ministries in Grand Rapids, Michigan to support Pathway Home. It also awarded a $15,000 grant from the KeyBank Foundation to Family Promise of Grand Rapids to fill gaps in the community’s emergency response for families that need shelter now.

In addition, KeyBank is proud to serve as Presenting Sponsor for the 2023 Grand Rapids Gran Fondo, an 80-mile bike route follows the picturesque Grand River valley through farm and small villages before reaching the bayous and lake scenery preceding the turn-around point on Lake Michigan. More than 2,000 riders are expected to take part in this year’s event which starts and ends in Downtown Grand Rapids. Gran Fondo benefits West Michigan Trails, which works to enhance the quality of life by advancing the regional trails movement.

The opening of the office, located in The Waters Center at 177 Ottawa Ave., NW, is another step in KeyBank’s expansion and growth in Western Michigan. It will serve as a base for KeyBank’s Commercial Banking, Business Banking, Wealth Management, Small Business Association (SBA) Lending and Residential Mortgage operations in Western Michigan. Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss attended a grand opening celebration that was held on March 22, 2023, along with Angela Mago, President of Key Commercial Bank.

“With the opening of this new office, we are excited to firmly establish KeyBank’s presence in downtown Grand Rapids and Western Michigan,” said Michael Sytsma, KeyBank Western Michigan Market President and Commercial Sales Leader. “We are a Main Street Bank with Wall Street capabilities and look forward to serving Western Michigan while providing financial services and resources that will help our community grow.”

“I am excited to see KeyBank open a permanent location in Grand Rapids,” said Mayor Rosalynn Bliss. “KeyBank has a heart for community and are actively engaged in efforts to make our City a better place for everyone. And I look forward to partnering more with them in the future.”

Learn more about KeyBank’s commitment to helping clients and communities thrive

BEIJING, April 13, 2023 /3BL Media/ – Otis Worldwide (NYSE: OTIS) and the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation (CSCLF) recently announced a partnership to advance career prospects for girls and women in China by supporting education and innovation related to STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering, Math. 

Otis and CSCLF, a highly respected non-governmental organization with a 40-year history of developing youth programs and supporting women, will offer scholarships to outstanding female STEM-focused university students, as well as STEM innovation programs for youth. Some of these programs will be led by Otis experts serving as volunteers. 

“We are deeply committed to serving the communities where we live and work. We believe early and frequent exposure to STEM principles is an exciting way to prepare youth for the modern workplace while encouraging them to contribute to a more sustainable and inclusive society,” Otis Chair, CEO & President Judy Marks said. “We are proud to partner with CSCLF to develop and inspire the next generation of innovators.”

“With a mission to inspire and support innovation by youth, we are pleased to collaborate with Otis to advance STEM talent development,” Song Jian, Director of the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation’s Funding Department said. “With Otis, we share a commitment to accelerating STEM innovation and making an impact in the community for sustainable growth.”

The collaboration with CSCLF supports Otis’s People & Communities ESG goals, which include impacting 15,000 students globally through STEM-focused programming by 2030 and dedicating 500,000 cumulative colleague volunteer hours in support of vibrant communities, STEM education and social equity initiatives by 2030. The new partnership also aligns to “Our Commitment to Change,” an Otis social justice initiative outlining actions Otis is taking to ensure every voice feels welcomed, safe and heard. As part of this initiative, launched in 2020, Otis pledged to amplify its commitment to STEM education to help build a diverse talent pipeline. 

The impact of the CSCLF partnership will also build upon Otis China’s participation in the Made to Move Communities™ annual global student STEM challenge, which has benefited more than 170 university students in China over the past three years, and a scholarship program that has supported 160 female students pursuing STEM-related studies at Chinese universities.

About Otis

Otis gives people freedom to connect and thrive in a taller, faster, smarter world. The global leader in the manufacture, installation and servicing of elevators and escalators, we move 2 billion people a day and maintain approximately 2.2 million customer units worldwide – the industry’s largest Service portfolio. You’ll find us in the world’s most iconic structures, as well as residential and commercial buildings, transportation hubs and everywhere people are on the move. Headquartered in Connecticut, USA, Otis is 69,000 people strong, including 41,000 field professionals, all committed to meeting the diverse needs of our customers and passengers in more than 200 countries and territories.

About China Soong Ching Ling Foundation

The Foundation was named after Soong Ching Ling, the wife of Dr. Sun Yat Sun who founded the new China.  Soong Ching Ling was dedicated to the protection of women’s rights and the development of cultural, educational and welfare facilities for children. She passed away in Beijing in 1981 at the age of 88. To carry on her work, the Foundation was established a year later. The Foundation was proposed and supported by senior officials and Party leaders, including Deng Xiaoping who became CSCLF’s Honorary Chairman, a post he held until his final days.  CSCLF is committed to fostering world peace and wellbeing of youth, through programs related to education, sports, health, culture and arts. They include, to name a few, Award for Children’s Innovation, teachers training, scholarships and cultural exchange in partnership with the United Nations.

JACKSON, Miss., April 13, 2023 /3BL Media/ – What is the perfect menu to commemorate a century of powering Mississippi? Red beans and rice. The healthy and nutritious meal is part of a year-long effort Entergy Mississippi has launched for its 100th anniversary to invest in poverty solutions and activate the power of employee volunteers to support Mississippi communities. The company is teaming with Extra Table to pack meals for families impacted by food scarcity and donating $100,000 to help eliminate hunger in the state.

Entergy volunteers packed 2,500 boxes of red beans, rice and spices—one box for every Entergy Mississippi employee—at the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum. It’s the first event of a multi-phase 100,000-meal commitment by Entergy Mississippi. Along with the $100,000 gift, funded by shareholders, Entergy Mississippi’s support will help Extra Table stock 62 food pantries in the state with nutritious, shelf stable food.

In addition to packing meals, employees throughout Entergy’s four-state service area are donating items to support Entergy’s Mississippi Delta customers devastated by the March tornadoes. The donations will be distributed by Goodwill Industries.

“This significant moment in our company’s history must highlight our communities that particularly need us to be good neighbors right now,” said Haley Fisackerly, Entergy Mississippi president and CEO. “Many of our customers live below the poverty level and struggle to meet the basic needs of their families. On top of that, communities in the Delta have a long road to recovery after last month’s storms. The best way to step into our next century while honoring our community roots is by helping our fellow Mississippians.”

Giving back to communities through philanthropy, volunteerism and advocacy is integral to Entergy Mississippi’s purpose of powering life today and for future generations.

“We’re grateful that Entergy chose to partner with us to celebrate their incredible milestone,” said Martha Allen, Extra Table executive director. “It shows their dedication to solving hunger, and their heart for Mississippi families. With their helping hands and generosity, we will be able to provide half a million meals to families in need.”

Entergy Mississippi, which began as Mississippi Power & Light Company, was founded by Harvey Couch on April 12, 1923. The company began providing reliable, affordable power to Jackson, Vicksburg, Greenville and Columbus. In 1926, the company sold its properties in northeast Mississippi, which moved Columbus outside of its service area. Now Entergy Mississippi serves 461,000 customers in 45 of Mississippi’s 82 counties.  Entergy Mississippi continues to keep rates lower than the national average, even with increases resulting from higher natural gas prices.

Entergy Mississippi is a national leader in customer service, a compassionate corporate citizen, a catalyst for economic development and known for its unprecedented commitment to safety.

To read more about Entergy’s 100-year history in Mississippi, click here.

About Entergy Mississippi
Entergy Mississippi, LLC provides electricity to approximately 461,000 customers in 45 counties. Entergy Mississippi is a subsidiary of Entergy Corporation, a Fortune 500 electric company. Entergy powers life for 3 million customers through our operating companies in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. We’re investing in the reliability and resilience of the energy system while helping our region transition to cleaner, more efficient energy solutions. With roots in our communities for more than 100 years, Entergy is a nationally recognized leader in sustainability and corporate citizenship. Since 2018, we have delivered more than $100 million in economic benefits each year to local communities through philanthropy, volunteerism and advocacy. Entergy is headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, and has approximately 12,000 employees. For the latest news from Entergy, visit the Newsroom.

In honor of Women’s History Month, Stella Tai, Stewardship Investing Impact and Analysis Manager at Praxis Mutual Funds, interviews Lori Scott to reflect on the contributions and achievements of women in the field of investing.

Lori Scott joined Praxis Mutual Funds as a Trustee in 2023, and is the Managing Director, Impact Credit at Lafayette Square. Lori previously worked at the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Anthos Asset Management, Armature Consulting, and Calvert Impact. She brings over 25 years of experience in community development finance and has paved her own way in the impact investment field.

Lori is interviewed by Stella Tai, Stewardship Investing Impact and Analysis Manager. Stella provides primary leadership for the promotion, integration and development of impact investing and reporting. Stella guides the development of financial products that meet the needs of low-to-moderate income communities, helps promote the integration of faith and finances through Everence products and services, and works to grow opportunities for impact investments.

Question #1 – Stella: Why was a focus on underserved women, people and places important to you?

Lori: Reimagining how capital can be used to solve problems is what drew me to this work. Impact investing can be used as a tool to realize human potential by re-channeling capital to support quality basic goods and services like quality health care, affordable housing and quality jobs. It is a tool for making systemic changes increasing the support of underserved women, diverse entrepreneurs and fund managers, further shifting capital to underserved people and places and making strides to bridge the wealth gap. Read the full interview here – https://greenmoney.com/celebrating-women-and-investing.