Month: April 2023

In 2013, SAIC joined forces with Building Homes for Heroes (BHH), which builds and modifies homes and then gifts them — mortgage-free — to veterans and their families. To date, SAIC has helped donate 13 homes to our military heroes and their families and raised more than $500,000 through BHH. SAIC is proud to support BHH’s mission and is committed to supporting our veterans and all those serving in our military.

SAIC employees play a big role in our support of BHH and veterans. Before each new home is gifted to a veteran, our employee volunteers help perform final welcome preparations. They also show their generosity through direct contributions. We continue to raise money for veterans and their families through BHH at our fundraising page.

This year, SAIC is honored to support the gifting of homes to our newest BHH heroes: U.S. Army Sergeant Alberto Montrond, Air Force Technical Sergeant Rahmeka Hopkins and Navy Petty Officer Second Class Anthony Thompson. See our BHH heroes gallery here for their stories.

Learn more about our citizenship partnerships and initiatives at our Citizenship and Community Engagement page.

About SAIC

SAIC® is a premier Fortune 500® technology integrator driving our nation’s technology transformation. Our robust portfolio of offerings across the defense, space, civilian and intelligence markets includes secure high-end solutions in engineering, digital, artificial intelligence and mission solutions. Using our expertise and understanding of existing and emerging technologies, we integrate the best components from our own portfolio and our partner ecosystem to deliver innovative, effective and efficient solutions that are critical to achieving our customers’ missions.

We are approximately 25,000 strong; driven by mission, united by purpose, and inspired by opportunities. SAIC is an Equal Opportunity Employer, fostering a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion , which is core to our values and important to attract and retain exceptional talent. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, SAIC has annual revenues of approximately $7.7 billion. For more information, visit saic.com. For ongoing news, please visit our newsroom.

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! These PSAs emphasize ways to take action for those wanting to get involved with efforts on gender equality being made around the world. Changemaker Evie Muir delivers her message for International Women’s Day 2023 and Women’s History Month, thanking her mother, highlighting the importance of supporting Black queer survivors and addressing the importance of racial equity within the feminist movement.

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

As Earth Day approaches, consumers are seeking ways to reduce their carbon footprint. In an effort to help them adopt sustainable practices to ensure a more healthy life and planet, Chris Fox, chief sustainability officer, HanesBrands Inc. provides the following tips:

Wash your clothes in cold water. Washing clothes in cold water saves money and energy and makes the clothes last longer. Ninety percent of the energy used in hot water washing is to heat the water. Switching to cold significantly reduces carbon dioxide emissions. It is a quick and easy way to reduce your carbon footprint while preserving your clothes’ lifespan and save money! Hanes has teamed up with Tide to educate consumers about the benefits of washing their clothes in cold water as we work to create a healthier planet. To learn more, search the #TurnToCold hashtag on social media.Support brands that are committed to zero-waste and choose environmentally friendly products. At HanesBrands, we believe sustainability can and should be for every body, every day which is why we make about two-thirds of our clothing in facilities we operate, giving direct oversight of sustainable practices.Purchase from companies that are actively reducing single-use plastic. HanesBrands’ goal is to eliminate single-use plastics in our product packaging and reduce packaging weight by 25% by 2025.Change your mindset to align with that of a circular economy. In a circular economy, materials are either kept in use indefinitely, regenerated and remanufactured into new products, or made completely from natural, biodegradable materials. We see this as a huge environmental and business opportunity, which is why HanesBrands set a goal for each of our iconic brands to launch at least one fully circular product or initiative by 2025. In our efforts to use recycled materials at a much larger scale, we’ve partnered with yarn mills to manufacture reclaimed and recycled cotton, which delivers two key benefits – reducing the use of virgin cotton and minimizing manufactured waste.Look for companies that are implementing innovative ways to upcycle, the act of using waste in its current state to create something new. Earlier this year, Champion Australia partnered with HoMie to launch the Reborn collection which features one-of-a-kind garments all developed from recycled Champion garments. One hundred percent of the proceeds from the collection, which reduces textile waste, furthers HoMie’s mission of supporting youth affected by homelessness or other hardships.Buy from companies that focus holistically on sustainability. Anytime you purchase a Hanesbrands product, you can feel confident that product was created with people, planet and product in mind.

Sustainability can be affordable! Somewhere along the way a misconception was born that sustainable apparel must be “expensive.” HanesBrands continue to show that sustainability is an affordable, and highly impactful, option.

Sustainability is not new for HanesBrands, and the strides we’ve taken toward our goal of protecting people, planet and product have resulted in notable cost savings for our business and for our consumer, all while impacting millions of lives.

For more information on HanesBrands Inc. and their sustainability practices, visit https://hbisustains.com/.

About Chris Fox , Chief Sustainability Officer, Hanesbrands Inc. 

Chris leads the HanesBrands global sustainability (ESG) efforts, which includes oversight of the company’s 2025/2030 sustainability goals designed to enhance Hanesbrands’ role as a global sustainability leader across its three pillars of People, Planet and Product.

He is leading the intensive process to reach these goals, including:

a commitment to improve the lives of at least ten million people over the next decadeto set and achieve aggressive science-based targets to further reduce our greenhouse gas emissionsto significantly reduce their packaging footprint and eliminate single-use plastics.

He also oversaw the development and launch of the HBISustains.com website that serves as HanesBrands primary sustainability/ESG reporting tool that includes in-depth information on its People, Planet and Product pillars, as well as its SASB and TCFD disclosures.

KeyBank (NYSE: KEY) debuted its Fair Housing Month poll, which surveyed 1,000 homeowners in households earning less than $75,000 annually regarding their homebuying and lending experiences. The poll found that nearly one-third (31%) of respondents did not seek out any information or resources on home buyer assistance programs. This may be because many homebuyers, particularly those with lower incomes, could be unaware of the existence of these offerings and the important role banks can play in providing access to them. While the Fair Housing Act of 1968 set a precedent to make the sale, rental, and home financing process nondiscriminatory, borrowers in underserved communities are often at a disadvantage when it comes to awareness of tools, resources, and affordable offerings available to help them achieve home ownership.

In recognition of Fair Housing Month this April, KeyBank is further committing to helping all potential homebuyers make their dream of owning a home a reality by expanding its Special Purpose Credit Programs1 for qualifying properties in eligible communities — introducing the Key Opportunities Home Equity Loan and the expansion of the KeyBank Home Buyer CreditSM  to up to $5,000 in value. This follows a commitment to invest more than $25 million in grants, fee waivers, and marketing over five years to increase mortgage lending in majority-minority neighborhoods, as well as more than $1 million to homebuyer education and other community support.

Nearly 1 in 3 Homeowners Surveyed Unsure About Fairness in Their Homebuying Experiences Or Believe They Had an Unfair Experience

A home is one of the largest and most meaningful purchases a person can make and is an important part of building a long-term investment strategy. Access to education, advice and resources (such as Special Purpose Credit Programs and other affordable housing resources) that ease the homebuying process are critically important—particularly for homebuyers and families who may be more likely to face barriers on their path to home ownership.

“When it comes to buying a home, there are many factors to consider – the largest being, can I afford it, and will I get a fair chance,” said Victor Alexander, Head of Key’s Consumer Bank. “Both new and experienced homebuyers are understandably anxious about the state of the market, may feel overwhelmed by the homebuying process and may not be aware of all their bank can do to assist them. We work hard to help our clients understand the tools, resources and home lending offerings that can empower them to affordable home ownership. Owning a home is a foundational step to building generational wealth and we are committed to helping our clients achieve their dream of home ownership and move forward on their financial journey.”

KeyBank’s Fair Housing Month poll found that the homebuyers surveyed may not be aware they may qualify for banking programs that make the home lending process easier and more affordable. Additional findings from the poll include:

Less than half (47%) of homeowners surveyed who purchased their homes in the past five years felt confident they received a fair market value price, pointing to a gap between the factors that are important to those homeowners and the reality of their homebuying experiences. 
 Nearly one-third (30%) of homeowners surveyed are unsure whether they had an unfair experience when buying a home or are certain they had an unfair experience. This means that, among other things, some homeowners are left questioning whether they paid too much for their home. 
 More than one-third of homeowners surveyed listed location (38%) and home price (37%) as their top financial factors when deciding to purchase their homes in the past five years. The desire to be close to friends, family, and communities continues to be one of the strongest factors when deciding to purchase a home.

To learn more about the survey’s findings, as well as what consumers can do to empower their homebuying journey, review the KeyBank State of the Fair Housing Market Executive Summary here.

KeyBank Commits to Assisting Homebuyers by Expanding its Special Purpose Credit Programs 

Healthy and thriving communities are those within which all residents have equal access to homeownership. To do our part, KeyBank is committed to reducing the barriers to homeownership through affordable lending products and services, educational support, and direct investment. For example, KeyBank offers Special Purpose Credit Programs for qualifying properties and other resources to help make purchasing a home attainable:

KeyBank recently increased its KeyBank Home Buyer CreditSM program from $2,500 to $5,000 toward closing costs and other costs that may come with a new home, including mortgage, flood, and hazard insurance, escrow deposit, real estate taxes, and per diem interest for qualifying properties. Since the program began on Sept. 1, 2022, through April 4th, 2023, KeyBank has funded $465,000 in Home Buyer credits, helping 132 clients achieve their dream of homeownership in the qualifying areas where the program is available. Also, as of April 4th, 2023, KeyBank has had $175.2MM in mortgage loan applications for approximately $847,500 in Home Buyer Credits, to assist 244 clients on their path to homeownership in these locations.
 As an additional offering, Key recently introduced the Key Opportunities Home Equity Loan, which provides affordable terms for borrowers with qualifying properties to refinance their primary residence to a lower interest rate, consolidate debt, finance home improvements, or tap into their equity when needed. The Key Opportunities Loan features a fixed rate, with no origination fee, and a first or second lien option for loans up to $100,000.

This Fair Housing Month, learn more about KeyBank’s home lending opportunities and programs, determine whether a property qualifies for Special Purpose Credit Programs or get started on the journey to homeownership by visiting KeyBank’s mortgage center. For details on the current state of local markets and to answer any questions you may have, including whether a property qualifies for Key’s Special Purpose Credit Programs, KeyBank Mortgage Loan Officers are available to help.

For one KeyBank client, the Home Buyer CreditSM and assistance from a KeyBank home lending specialist helped their dream of becoming a homeowner a reality. “[The Mortgage Loan Officer] was absolutely amazing from the beginning; she always was willing to help and made me feel comfortable reaching out …and she made switching lenders a breeze. The lower interest rate, lower closing costs and the [$5,000] closing credit were the deciding factors to switch to KeyBank. Thank you for giving me the keys to my first home.”

Poll Methodology 

The survey, conducted by Survey Monkey, was fielded between February 14 and February 15, 2023. The results are based on a random national survey of 1,014 respondents. The margin of error is +/- 3.142% in the aggregate. To qualify, respondent demographics included:

Age: 18 – 99Country: United States (all regions)Household Income: 0k USD – 75k USDRace: White, Black / African American, American Indian or Alaskan Native, Asian or Pacific Islander, LatinoLiving Arrangements: Own

About KeyCorp

KeyCorp’s roots trace back nearly 200 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation’s largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $200 billion at December 31, 2022. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 1,000 branches and approximately 1,300 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank is Member FDIC. Mortgage and Home Equity Lending products offered by KeyBank are not FDIC insured or guaranteed.

NMLS #399797

Copyright © 2023 KeyCorp®. All Rights Reserved CFMA #230330-1999699

1 Special Purpose Credit Programs are, generally, programs that are established to meet special social needs or the needs of economically disadvantaged persons by extending credit to persons who would probably be denied credit or would receive it on less favorable terms, under certain conditions. See 15 U.S.C. § 1691(c)(1)-(3); 12 C.F.R. § 1002.8(a).

 

IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced the release of its 2022 IBM Impact report, which includes the company’s information about its environmental, social and governance efforts.

In 2022, IBM launched the IBM Impact framework -its strategy on ESG- with its Environmental Impact, Equitable Impact, and Ethical Impact pillars that reflect IBM’s achievements, and strategies to build a future that is more sustainable, equitable, and ethical.

Highlights from the 2022 IBM Impact report include:

IBM exceeded our target to train 1,000 ecosystem partners in technology ethics. We are also launching a new commitment to train 1,000 suppliers in technology ethics by 2025.We are making progress on our commitment to invest $250 million in IBM’s skills-first transformation with a focus on multiple pathways to employment. We have hired over 900 apprentices through our apprenticeship program in the U.S. and more than 90% of past program graduates have become full-time IBM employees. Advancing on our goal to skill 30 million people by 2030, over 7 million learners have enrolled in free IBM courses through our combined education initiatives. For example, we are collaborating with over 20 historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) on IBM Cybersecurity Leadership Centers.IBM’s diversity practices have resulted in a year-over-year increase in representation for women globally and Black, Hispanic, Native American and Pan-Asian employees in the U.S.IBM made progress towards our goal of net-zero operational greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. In 2021, we reported a 61.6% reduction in emissions since 2010. Over the last two years, IBM completed a total of 1,455 energy conservation projects. As a result of the conservation projects implemented in 2022, we avoided 71,000 MWh of energy consumption and 25,600 metric tons of CO2 emissions.IBM diverted 93.8% (by weight) of IBM’s total nonhazardous waste from landfill or incineration.

“While we are proud of the progress we have made, we are mindful that advancing our environmental, social, and governance goals is a continuous journey of improvement,” said Arvind Krishna, IBM Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “I am always inspired by IBMers’ constant dedication to this essential work and their pursuit of a better future for all.”

As a 111 year-old-company, IBM has a long history of commitments that align business goals with broader societal and environmental impact. For example, IBM’s first environmental report was released in 1990, and the company has championed diverse hiring practices for more than 50 years.

The IBM Impact Report 2022 report can be accessed at this link.

Media contact:
Carmen San Segundo
Global Marketing and Communications Director for ESG and CSR at IBM

About IBM
IBM is a leading provider of global hybrid cloud and AI, and consulting expertise. We help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs and gain the competitive edge in their industries. More than 4,000 government and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications and healthcare rely on IBM’s hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to effect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently and securely. IBM’s breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions and consulting deliver open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM’s legendary commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity and service.

Visit www.ibm.com for more information.

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