Month: April 2023

NEW YORK, April 5, 2023 /3BL Media/ – This Spring, The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation (BLHF) and kate spade new york are teaming up to create more accessible mental health resources for women and girls, and together are announcing the launch of ‘She Care Wellness Pods,’ a new program that aims to reach over 25,000 Black women on HBCU campuses with frontline mental wellness care.

This first-of-its kind program was concepted by actor, filmmaker and founder of The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation, Taraji P. Henson, and Tracie Jade Jenkins, Executive Director of The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation. In partnership with trusted community resources, the program will take a multifaceted approach through the opening of ‘She Care Wellness Pods,’ physical structures installed on campuses that offer a range of services, including:

Free mental health virtual and in-person therapy sessions for women students experiencing an exacerbation of stress, anxiety and depression.Hangout spaces will provide psychoeducation sessions that allow students to connect with peers and mental wellness professionals to address students’ specific challenges.Self-regulatory practices including yoga, meditation, art, sound and dance therapy, all provided by certified practitioners.Workshops and seminars on a variety of student requested topics.Rest pods for silence and respite, to reset from daily stressors.

Founded in 2018, The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation’s mission is to eradicate the stigma around mental health in the African American community. As the U.S.’s pioneering Black mental health advocacy group, BLHF provides access to localized and culturally competent therapy and integrated wellness resources through a network of clinicians, practitioners, counselors, and thought leaders. ‘She Care Wellness Pods’ is a part of BLHF’s broader initiative, ‘Meeting You Where You Are,’ offering hassle-free access to mental health resources in traditional and non-traditional spaces where African-Americans convene. The initiative also includes ‘He Care’ and ‘They Care Pods.’

Women’s empowerment has been at the forefront of kate spade new york’s social impact work for over a decade and is a core pillar of the brand. Over the last ten years, kate spade new york and its Foundation have invested $25M in women’s mental health and empowerment partnerships. This year alone, kate spade will invest over $5M dollars to help destigmatize the mental health conversation and provide access to resources for women and girls globally.

“Tracie and I grew up in a community where women were expected to store the pain and struggles of inequities and disparities faced daily in education, healthcare, and the workplace. We believed that mental health was a commodity for the rich and those who didn’t look like us. We are grateful for this partnership with kate spade new york. Together, we are changing the narrative and charting a new course for women who are experiencing the ‘Strong Black Woman Syndrome,” says Taraji P. Henson. Tracie Jade continued, “In this revolutionary endeavor, Black women on HBCU campuses will be afforded the opportunity of empowerment through the modality of self-regulation experiences. Soon they will enter a world, essentially not designed to support them. A world where the value of women and women’s rights are still being challenged. This is a space for respite, preparation, and for actualizing joy.”

“Our social impact mission is to empower women and girls across the globe by putting mental health at the heart of our approach. Women and girls’ mental health has long been underfunded, undervalued and under-acknowledged, and we are so proud of our partnership with Taraji, Tracie and The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation, an organization that shares our commitment to providing mental health resources to communities that need it the most,” says kate spade new york CEO and Brand President, Liz Fraser.

Fraser continued, “Over the past 10 years, we have seen firsthand how interconnected a woman’s positive mental health is to her empowerment, and as we kick off our 30th anniversary this year, we’re doubling down on our commitment to reach more women and girls with direct access to resources and support. Through our partnership, we’ll work with the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation to provide accessible resources to over 25,000 young women across HBCU campuses through the She Care program and make a tangible difference in their everyday lives.”

“The Alabama State University Family is honored and humbled to be selected as the first ever HBCU to partner with two amazing advocates of mental health and wellness such as the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation and kate spade new york,” says Dr. Quinton T. Ross, Alabama State University President. “ASU is synonymous with innovation and history making, working alongside our partners enables us to fulfill our commitment to what we deem as “Communiversity” which allows us to impact not only our campus, but also the broader community by advocating and raising the level of awareness regarding the absolute importance of mental health and wellness.”

“The stress of balancing college life, separation anxiety, relationship issues and depression commonly occur on college campuses,” says Dr. Joyce Loyd-Davis, Alabama State University Sr. Director of Health Services. “The She Care Wellness pods will be impactful for helping students cope with these issues and focus on a healthy mental well-being, ultimately restoring JOY.”

The She Care initiative is a continuation of Henson’s work with the kate spade brand, having served as a member of kate spade new york’s Social Impact Council since its inception in January 2022. Alongside Henson, the Social Impact Council includes women’s empowerment and mental health leaders from around the globe such as Jazz Thornton, Latham Thomas, Elisha London and more, who bring unique expertise and work hand-in-hand with kate spade to propel positive change, and encourage more conversation, education and research around the cause.

Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation and kate spade new york will launch their first ‘She Care Wellness Pod’ at Alabama State University, a public historically Black university in Montgomery, Alabama. The She Care initiative will officially launch in April 2023, ultimately rolling out to additional HBCU campuses.

The She Care Wellness Pods were built by S.I. Container Builds, a woman-owned modular construction company that specializes in repurposing shipping containers and building with sustainable materials.

The She Care Wellness Pods were designed by Saudah Saleem Interiors in collaboration with Kiyonda Powell Design Studio. The design of the She Care Wellness Pods embodies and evokes a sense of joy and empowerment, serving as a haven and place of renewal.

About Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation: 

Founded in 2018, BLHF has built its reputation on providing trusted referrals and demonstrating a deep understanding of the population health of communities of Color. Through timely and relevant programming and awareness campaigns, BLHF encourages mental wellness, raises awareness of the stigma and the use of stigmatizing language when referring to mental illness, and provides mental health resources to the Black community.

The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation is charting a new course that encourages Black individuals to own their history, heritage, and collective wounds in empowering, empathic, and transformative ways.

For more information, visit https://borislhensonfoundation.org/.

About kate spade new york:

Since its launch in 1993 with a collection of six essential handbags, Kate Spade New York has always stood for color, wit, optimism, and femininity. Today, it is a global lifestyle brand synonymous with joy, delivering seasonal collections of handbags, ready-to-wear, jewelry, footwear, gifts, home décor and more. Known for its rich heritage and unique brand DNA, Kate Spade New York offers a distinctive point of view, and celebrates communities of women around the globe who live their perfectly imperfect lifestyles. Kate Spade New York is part of the Tapestry house of brands.

About Alabama State University:

Alabama State University is a public historically black college and university based in Montgomery, Alabama. Founded in 1867, Alabama State University has a history of legacy of perseverance, progress and promise, and a keen focus on developing history makers through its 63 degree programs. Alabama State University Health Services is a full service onsite health clinic meeting the needs of the student population. The clinic manages acute and chronic conditions and referrals are made appropriately to specialists as needed. The health center also treats mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. They work closely with the campus Counseling Center to meet the challenges students face related to stress, anxiety and depression. The staff of healthcare professionals are committed to exceptional customer service that cultivates a healthy community to live, work, and learn.

About S.I. Container Builds: 

The She Care Wellness Pods were built by S.I. Container Builds, a woman-owned modular construction company that specializes in repurposing shipping containers and building with sustainable materials. The company’s mission is to make a positive impact on the health and living conditions of our community and the wellness of our planet. SICBS proudly works with clients across North America. For more information, visit

www.sicbs.com

Media Contacts:

LaForce, katespade@laforce.nyc

Originally published on principal.com

Look up the word “responsible” in the dictionary, and you’ll find definitions you can probably relate to—“accountable for one’s actions,” “having an obligation to do something,” or “reliable, trustworthy.” But what does it mean to be a responsible company? More and more, individuals, institutions, and companies themselves are asking just that.

Sometimes, that answer can be found in internal policies and priorities—a company deciding for itself what it means to be responsible. Insight might also come from outside acknowledgements and awards. In recent years, Principal® has focused on the former, and been recognized with the latter.

An internal focus on responsibility

As a business, Principal has a primary fiduciary responsibility to deliver returns to shareholders. Corporate governance also directs management to do what’s good for customers and shareholders—and to do it with integrity; that’s known as the Global Code of Conduct. “Our strategy is grounded in our purpose,” says Dan Houston, chairman, president, and chief executive officer of Principal. “We are united and inspired by our belief that everyone deserves access to financial security.”

That can (and does) look like a lot of different things in practice, and impacts everything from sourcing to cybersecurity to hiring. For example, when it comes to hiring, integrity ensures a commitment to a diverse, inclusive workplace. Cybersecurity focuses on what Principal can do to protect customer data—training employees, for example.

Our fiduciary responsibility also figures into guidelines for ESG—environmental, social, and governance. Often misunderstood, ESG is very much connected to a company’s integrity as well as the ethical and social choices that support its values.

Take the “E” in ESG: If a company dumps waste illegally, it may be more at risk, legally and financially; that, in turn, may impact its potential for growth. Investing in that company may pose a risk to our goal of maximizing returns for shareholders over time. “S” is found in our commitment to micro-finance that supports businesses owned by women and people of color, or in the dedicated time off provided to employees volunteering in their communities. “G,” in turn, refers not just to transparency in record keeping, but in our promise to build an inclusive leadership team.

“When it comes to investing, there are a lot of factors that figure into an analysis,” says Syd del Cid, senior ESG research analyst for Principal Asset ManagementSM. “Those ESG factors are another way of thinking about how to mitigate risk and maximize return in a holistic way. It’s additional information that’s material to help make those investment choices.”

External recognition of responsibility

All sorts of awards aim to help people substantiate the responsibility claims that companies make. But are they reliable or even relevant? One of the more well-known is the Newsweek list of America’s Most Responsible Companies.

The Newsweek ranking reviews a whole assemblage of data: sustainability and corporate social responsibility reports, a survey asking U.S. citizens about perceptions, and financial report information, to name just a few. The final list of 500 gives a nod to the most responsible companies in the United States, representing 14 industries.

In 2023, Principal made notable progress on this list: Not only did it move up from the 334th position in 2022 to 79th in 2023, but it also moved up 20 spots in its industry and was the highest-ranking investment company on the list.

The Newsweek award is just one step along a continuous journey for Principal: Create more solutions for greater financial inclusion so more people can create their own version of financial security. That includes everything from external efforts like the 2022 launch of the Global Financial Inclusion Index to public promises like our 2020 commitment to double support of small businesses owned by women and people of color by 2025.

“Helping our customers build a strong financial future while increasing financial inclusion within communities worldwide is important work we are deeply passionate about,” Houston says.

Learn more about our corporate responsibility commitments and progress. 

Integration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors is qualitative and subjective by nature. There is no guarantee that the criteria used, or judgment exercised, will reflect the beliefs or values of any particular investor. There is no assurance that any strategy or integration of ESG factors will be successful or profitable.

Global Financial Inclusion Index is a proprietary model output based upon certain assumptions that may change, are not guaranteed and should not be relied upon as a significant basis for an investment decision.

Principal Asset Management is a trade name of principal Global Investors, LLC. Principal Global Investors leads global asset management and is a member of the Principal Financial Group®. ​

Insurance products issued by Principal National Life Insurance Co (except in NY) and Principal Life Insurance Company®. Plan administrative services offered by Principal Life. Principal Funds, Inc. is distributed by Principal Funds Distributor, Inc. Securities offered through Principal Securities, Inc., member SIPC and/or independent broker/dealers. Referenced companies are members of the Principal Financial Group®, Des Moines, IA 50392.​ ©2023 Principal Financial Services, Inc.

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Edison International is leading the transition to a clean energy future. Take a look below to see how we’re putting these words into action this Earth Day and every day.

All-Electric Buildings: Clean Energy’s Next Frontier
SCE’s plan to replace gas-powered appliances can help save the planet – and lower your bill.

Residential and commercial buildings generate significant annual greenhouse gas emissions globally, and their carbon footprint is growing. In California, they’re responsible for roughly 14% of emissions; that number increases to 25% when considering electricity use in homes and businesses. READ MORE

Transportation Electrification Gains Momentum
Edison International and SCE outline plans to seize the “huge opportunity” of preparing the grid for exponential EV growth.

When record-high temperatures brought California’s electric grid to the brink of rotating power outages last September, skeptics of the state’s aggressive efforts to promote the widespread adoption of electric vehicles had a field day. READ MORE

Going Green for St. Patrick’s Day
SCE offers tips on how to reduce your carbon footprint while celebrating the Irish icon.

St. Patrick’s Day is an ideal time to begin, renew or revive your commitment to clean energy and reducing your carbon footprint. With spring just days away, you can volunteer to plant trees or clean up local rivers, lakes and beaches to help reduce pollution. You may even find a lucky shamrock along the way. READ MORE

For more stories on Clean Energy, visit ENERGIZED by Edison.
For more about Edison International’s commitment to a clean energy future, visit edison.com/clean-energy.
For the latest news and information, visit:
Edison.com
SCE.com

The Transformational Tech series highlights Cisco’s nonprofit partners that use technology to help transform the lives of individuals and communities. Toward Cisco’s vision of an inclusive future for all, Cisco is partnering with Trickle Up to help them leverage technology to increase financial inclusion, independence, economic security, and resilience for women living in poverty.

This blog was written by Nathalie Laidler-Kylander, President of Trickle Up. She brings over 30 years of multi-sector experience, including 18 years in international development. Nathalie holds a BS in Biochemistry from Imperial College at London University, an MBA from Harvard Business School, and a PhD from the Fletcher School at Tufts University.

Trickle Up partners with women in extreme poverty to build economic opportunity and drive inclusion. Driven by their talents and dreams, equipped with new skills and assets, and supported through coaching and mentoring, women in our programs start micro-enterprises, build confidence, and save money for the future. They forge their own resilient pathways out of extreme poverty for themselves, their families, and their communities, breaking the intergenerational cycle of poverty.

An estimated 650 million people live in extreme poverty in the world today. Many of them are women facing multiple forms of vulnerability, discrimination, and exclusion. But when women have livelihoods and resources, with the ability to make decisions over those resources, they invest in three things: nutrition, education, and health. Investing in women and their economic inclusion is one of the best ways to interrupt intergenerational poverty.

The Importance of Coaching

Our programs build on the Graduation Approach and offer participants an opportunity to join savings groups with women from their communities as well as access to training, coaching, and seed capital to build sustainable livelihoods. Individual and group coaching is one of the most important elements of our work. It enables us to accompany women as they build their confidence and resilience and create their own sustainable pathways out of poverty.

In our experience, the best coaches are women who are from the same communities that we serve. These community coaches understand the context, experience, vulnerabilities, and challenges facing our participants, They are ideally positioned to share the technical content knowledge the community can’t always access.

That’s where our tablet based Echb’eenink app (meaning “to accompany” in a local Mayan language) comes in. Pre-loaded with audio-visual content, including animated videos in local languages, it enables coaches to deliver important coaching modules to support participants as they build knowledge and confidence. New modules include coaching on gender-based violence, climate change, effective savings groups, and sexual and reproductive health.

Last time I was in Guatemala, I remember how everyone in the community gathered round to see the animated educational videos on the tablet. The children were so excited to watch them with their mothers. And the content from the coaching app sparked important discussion between the community coach and participants.

Trickle Up has benefited from Cisco Foundation’s generous funding which has enabled us to add four new important coaching modules and to translate Echb’eenink into two additional indigenous languages in Mexico (Tzotzil and Mixtec). We are in the process of training 50 community coaches in Mexico and Guatemala on how to effectively use the coaching app and they in turn, will serve over 8,000 women. Our goal is to expand the use of Echb’eenink to all our coaches and participants worldwide, modifying and contextualizing modules and translating them into local and indigenous languages. Not only will this empower and build the capacity of our community coaches, but it also creates consistent and high-quality coaching content that is most relevant for our participants. As we partner with other organizations and scale our work, Echb’eenink will be a key tool helping us coach our partner’s coaches. We will be able to leverage existing modules and content and adapt, contextualize, and translate them to meet the needs of the populations we serve.

Addressing the Gender Digital Divide

The gap in access to digital technology between men and women is substantial. Globally, an estimated 63 percent of women have access to the internet compared to 69 percent of men. For rural women in extreme poverty, the population Trickle Up serves, less than 25 percent are connected. Echb’eenink is part of a portfolio of digital tools and strategies that Trickle Up is developing and implementing to address the lack of digital access and increase both the effectiveness and efficiency of our program delivery.

In India, through our MPOWERED program, we train participants on digital skills and literacy, empowering community coaches and participants with smart phones and an app (the Package of Practice) that supports participants as they build knowledge and skills to enhance their livelihoods. Some of the women I met a few months ago have really leveraged their digital access and new abilities and have started ordering products to be delivered directly to them through digital marketplaces. They also love taking selfies and staying in touch with their friends and family through WhatsApp.

In Kamwenge Uganda, Trickle Up has also been working to increase rural women’s digital connectivity among refugee and host community women. With our partner organization AVSI Foundation Uganda, we piloted a digital literacy curriculum to teach vital digital skills. The curriculum includes a series of animated videos that cover all the basics of owning and caring for a smartphone, and how to leverage these devices to access an application focused on agriculture for the community’s livelihoods. The animations are available in English and in the main languages used by local communities, namely Swahili, Kinyabwisha, and Runyakitara. Partners such as CARE Uganda have adopted our EQUALS curriculum which is available for open-source use here.

Digitization for Scaling

Leveraging digital tools and technology is increasingly important as we scale our work and build the capacity of other organizations and entities to adopt and adapt our programming. Our bold goal is to reach a total of 5 million people in extreme poverty by 2030 through 1 million women. We plan to do this by partnering with others, leveraging their infrastructure and resources, and providing them with the digital tools and technology like the Echn’eenink coaching app and the EQUALS digital literacy curriculum, to take this work to hundreds of thousands of women.

I am so inspired by the smart, brave, resilient women that we have the privilege and honor of serving. I’m grateful for the ability to be, in a small way, part of providing the opportunity that enables them to unlock their potential and change the trajectory of their lives and the lives of their children, families, and communities. There is no other work I want to be doing and no better way to spend my days than investing in women who will change the world.

View original content here.

On March 7th, Paramount Global coordinated with the Partnership for New York City on Career Discovery Week. Career Discovery Week is part of NYC Public Schools Student Pathways, an expansion of career-connected learning that provides work-based learning opportunities and career exposure. More than 85 of the city’s major employers joined forces this year to help build a bridge from the city’s classrooms to the world of business. This year, Paramount partnered with students from the Manhattan Early College of Advertising (MECA) for a day full of career and advertising-focused workshops and employee-led sessions.

The morning kicked off at Paramount’s Times Square headquarters with a Paramount Culture & CSR presentation for the students, followed by an Internship & Skill-building 101 workshop from Rosa Agnello on the Talent Acquisition team. From there, Harold Anderson, Coordinator for Paramount’s Social Responsibility team, moderated a powerhouse executive Career Path Panel + Q&A featuring: Lydia Daly (SVP, Audience Impact & Intelligence), Anne Becker (VP, Trade Marketing & Communications), Daphne Leroy (SVP, Sales Strategy & Culture) and Debbie King (SVP, Sales Strategy), all of whom shared hugely inspirational advice with the class!

The day culminated with an immersive Storytelling workshop utilizing storyboards. Groups of students were paired up with employees from Paramount’s Advertising division to create a 30-second spot for Paramount+ using giant animation-inspired storyboard templates. Each team presented their work at the end of the activity, and the ideas shared were incredible, including spots focused on themes of inclusion, female empowerment and self-expression. 

The teachers and students of MECA expressed great appreciation for the opportunity. The teachers were impressed by how confidently the students presented their storyboards and engaged in insightful conversations with multiple Paramount teams. One student shared the following feedback with their teacher, “I learned that you should be confident and know your worth.”

Another student added, “the most memorable part for me was working with the employees and getting feedback on ideas and questions.”

Paramount looks forward to furthering our commitment to unleashing the power of content for good to inspire change. Our partnership and experience with the MECA students was a great reminder of this commitment.