Month: May 2023

Pat Stebbins is on a mission to tackle homelessness in central Connecticut.

Lovingly named Brian’s Angels, Stebbins founded the organization in memory of her son after the local warming centre closed following a short spring season stint. When Stebbins proposed trying to run a longer-term centre without paid staff, she wasn’t exactly met with confidence.

“I was told at the time that I’d never be able to do it with all volunteers,” says Stebbins.

Her response? “Watch me.”

Today, 25 volunteers—with Stebbins at the helm—operate Brian’s Angels to support about 30 to 40 individuals a day in Bristol, CT.

Brian’s Angels serves community members who are facing homelessness by providing immediate need items such as toiletries, non-perishable foods, and clothing, but their support programs extend further. The organization offers a temporary shelter as well as services for job seeking and helping people set up bank accounts.

“We’ve come a long way in seven years,” says Stebbins. “Historically we have relied mostly on private donations, but we are so happy and grateful for corporations who have been stepping us to help us more recently, too.”

In 2022, Enbridge gave a $2,500 Fueling Futures grant to Brian’s Angels as part of our commitment to maintaining vibrant and sustainable communities. The funding helped to replace an industrial-sized refrigerator for the organization, which stores fresh foods for facility clients.

Brian’s Angels was started on one very hot day in Bristol when Stebbins happened across a line of homeless people at a local fast-food chain. With a few community members, Stebbins purchased some bottled water to pass out, and the rest is history.

“I was looking for a way to express myself in the wake of the loss of my son, who was only 24 and had gone through a few months of homelessness,” says Stebbins. “The most rewarding part of this for me is when I see people doing well after we’ve been able to help them with donations or volunteering.”

After receiving two “fortunate” large donations to get Brian’s Angels off the ground, Stebbins saw the organization shifting quickly from handing out cold water to passing out toiletries and finding a facility to run additional programs and services.

Now, as the organization looks to double its current facility capacity, Stebbins has a simple ask of people across the nation—aside from the various ways to directly help the Brian’s Angels cause.

“I want anyone hearing our story to just be willing to help people—go see what you can do to help support your local homeless center.”

In the #HowIGotHere series, you’ll read about the career paths of some of the world-renowned leaders at Yum! Brands. Learn more about Russ Bendel, Outgoing Chief Executive Officer of The Habit Burger Grill in this installment.

After more than five decades of service in the restaurant industry, Russ Bendel has announced his retirement as chief executive officer from The Habit Burger Grill.

Russ joined The Habit when the brand had just 16 restaurants. Today, with approximately 350 restaurants (and growing), Russ is passing the baton into the capable hands of his successor, Shannon Hennessy.

Bendel is a restaurant industry veteran, and his leadership has made a profound impact on The Habit, Yum! Brands and all who have worked with him.

Keep reading to learn more about his storied career journey.

EDUCATION

William Tennent High School, Warminster, Pennsylvania, United States (1968 –1972)Florida International University BA, Hospitality Management Miami, Florida, United States (1972 – 1976)

If we were to interview your teachers, what would they say about you?

As a student, Russ had a bright imagination, and his mind frequently hopped from one idea to the next.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

In college, I first thought of majoring in accounting, but after one semester, I learned that finance was not for me. That’s when I leaned on my experience working in restaurants as a teen and young adult and pivoted to a degree in hospitality management, which was not that mainstream at the time. This “road less traveled” was integral in launching my career.

WORK

First Job: In high school, I worked at McDonald’s, where I learned workplace responsibility and commitment to QSC: quality, service and cleanliness. Back then, burgers and cheeseburgers cost less than a dollar! Our industry has evolved since 1969, and I’ve been moving, changing and growing with it every step of the way.

Food Concepts, The Copper Door | 1978 – 1982: Restaurant General Manager, Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaMarriott International | 1982: Restaurant General Manager, Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaHost International | 1982 – 1985: District Manager/Director of Operations, Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaEl Torito | 1985 – 1992: President/Chief Operating Officer, Long Beach, CaliforniaPanda Express | 1993 – 1994: President/Chief Operating Officer, Rosemead, CaliforniaOutback Steakhouse | 1994 – 1997: Franchisee, San Diego, California    Roy’s Restaurants | 1997 – 1999: President/Chief Executive Officer, Dallas, TexasMimi’s Café | 1999 – 2007: Chief Executive Officer, Dallas, TexasThe Cheesecake Factory | 2007 – 2008: President/Chief Executive Officer, Calabasas, CaliforniaThe Habit Burger Grill | 2008 – 2023: Chief Executive Officer, Irvine, California

What moments, or who, in your life influenced the way you work?

Restaurant founders: Throughout my career, I’ve had the good fortune of being able to work with founders at El Torito, Panda Express, Outback Steakhouse and Cheesecake Factory. I took away so many learnings from them, most notably, how change is inevitable in this industry and that if you are afraid of it, success will be an uphill battle.

COVID-19 pandemic: The “embracing change” mindset serviced me most during the COVID-19 pandemic, which, in my opinion, has been the most volatile and challenging time the restaurant industry has faced to date. As a brand, The Habit Burger Grill had to pivot and do it immediately. We were lucky enough to have almost completed work on our mobile app when COVID hit, which we were able to push forward and launch at a very critical time. Plus, we introduced a curbside pick-up model, which drastically affected our business in a positive way.

Do you believe in work/life balance?

I wholeheartedly support a schedule that works best for our team members and their families. Within the boundaries of this flexible schedule, it is important to me that we see a team-focused structure, so that in-person collaboration continues to serve the 3Cs that I, and the brand, value so highly: celebration, collaboration and connection.

I adopt this philosophy to my own life, dedicated equally to my work family, my spouse and our kids. Of course, there have been times when I’ve leaned on my family to keep our wheels turning, and I’m so lucky to have the support system I do. But I truly believe in work/life balance and giving myself and others grace as we figure out what that means for each member of our Habit team.

What is the best piece of advice that you’ve been given?

Listen more. In meetings and conversations, many people are waiting for a pause so they can interject. If we’re all doing that, nothing moves forward, nothing gets done and great ideas go unheard.

What makes you happy?

I love to see the growth of others both personally and professionally. You’ll often see me on LinkedIn celebrating and congratulating the success of others. If we don’t cheer each other on and lift each other up, then why are we here? Rooting for everyone around me brings me joy, energy and a sense of connection.

How did you successfully lead The Habit Burger Grill?

I surrounded myself with great people – people who are smart, positive and challenge me to be better.

Leading apparel manufacturing company, Gildan, understands the responsibility that comes with taking care of its global workforce with over 50,000 employees. Ensuring safe working conditions for factory employees has been a longstanding priority at the Company, and a cornerstone of Gildan’s culture. In the garment industry, physical and workplace safety of employees often takes centre stage, and Gildan goes one step further by promoting the holistic well-being of employees, through primary care, and mental health and wellness services. This Mental Health Week, Gildan highlights some of its wellness efforts available to its factory employees.

“On our factory floors, we make it a point that mental health services are made as accessible as physical health services,” says Mike Albright, Vice-President of Human Resources – Manufacturing at Gildan. “We want to provide our employees with the resources they may need to take control of their well-being and lead healthy lives.”

In its North American, Central American, and Caribbean facilities, Gildan runs its Employee Assistance program, offering employees with free, confidential mental health services, and stress management support. Employees in Honduras also have access to personalized counselling. Those in need of the service can directly contact a counsellor through a hotline, paid for and managed by Gildan, and chat, schedule an online appointment, or meet with the counsellor in-person. The hotline is a great success, attracting large numbers of employees and providing them with the support they need during times of difficulty. In addition, some of Gildan’s facilities are also equipped with wellness rooms where workers can take time off to relax and de-stress.

As part of its Rescue the Family program, Gildan organizes need-based virtual discussions, talks, and consultations on topics like stress control, psychological management, work-life balance, mindfulness, and finance and family budgeting. In 2022, over 2,100 consultations were provided to Gildan employees. This program has been very successful in Honduras, and the Company is currently looking at options to roll it out in its Nicaragua facilities as well.

Naturally, Gildan also works to make sure that its factory employees have the resources they need to feel physically healthy. The Company runs on-site medical clinics at its facilities in Honduras, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, and Bangladesh, offering free healthcare services, including check-ups, medication, and basic treatments. These services reduce the additional costs associated with accessing healthcare in these regions, while allowing workers to overcome hurdles such as high transportation times and time off work.

“As we continue our vision of Making Apparel Better®, we are committed to respecting our people and providing them with a space where they feel safe coming to work, both physically and mentally,” continues Mike. “As a manufacturer, health and safety is a priority for us, and we will continue to push onwards to enhance our programs for our people around the world.”

Find out more about Gildan’s Respect for People here.

Are you ready for the tsunami of sustainability disclosure requirements coming this year for European Union-based publicly-traded and private companies? And for North American-headquartered companies with interests in Europe? And for U.S. publicly-traded companies with the coming Securities and Exchange Commission Final Rule on climate-related material disclosures?

The EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive will require an estimated 500,000 EU-based companies to report annually on the impact of corporate activities on the environment and society (with independent verification of report content). This means that many EU peers of North American companies will be under the new rules for greatly-expanded disclosure.

Refinitiv, part of the London Stock Exchange Group, analyzed thousands of companies based outside of the EU to determine if those firms would be subject to new EU rules. According to the Refinitiv analysis, more than 10,000 “foreign” companies with listings on regulated exchanges in EU countries, and more than 100 companies not listed for trade in the EU but having more than 150 million Euros (US$163 million) in local revenues, will be covered by the new rule.

From the Refinitiv analysis:

One third of companies to be required to report under the new rules are U.S. based.Canadian companies are expected to account for 13%.UK companies are expected to account for 11%.Corporations based in other nations expected to be covered by smaller percentages of the total: Japan, Australia, Cayman Islands, Bermuda, China, Switzerland, Turkey.

Important note for non-EU companies: the coming European rules will “likely” be more demanding of companies for disclosures than will be the long-expected SEC climate-related disclosure rules, writes Dieter Holger in The Wall Street Journal, which is our Top Story below.

Holger’s top line: “Thousands of American, Canadian and British companies will have to step up their sustainability reporting under European Union rules set to take effect starting in the next few years.”

He explains that this is an important regulatory move by the European Union (of 27 nations) to increase visibility into corporate GHG emissions and gender pay differences on the European continent. For example, there are 82 annual disclosure requirements proposed in the CSRD, including GHG emissions and related plans aligned with the 2015 Paris Agreement goals, and third-party assurance will be required.

The Wall Street Journal feature provides us with an excellent review of the Refinitiv analysis, and important background on the EU rules (still in final development) that will be in place later this year.

And there are other standards and regulations underway including the climate disclosure rules anticipated from the SEC in the US, and The International sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), working as part of the International Financial Reporting Standards Foundation (overseeing IFRS corporate reporting standards) is close to finishing guidelines for the information that corporations should report to investors. Note that the U.S.-based Sustainable Accounting Standards Board (SASB) is now part of ISSB, which is a non-governmental organization developing IFRS sustainability disclosures.

The G&A Institute team has been working with client companies to help them prepare for these expanded disclosure requirements. If your company has not been preparing the coming tsunami of disclosure regulations, the time to begin is now. Connect with us for more information.

This is just the introduction of G&A’s Sustainability Highlights newsletter this week. Click here to view the full issue.

Samuelle Dilla, a Minneapolis-based makeup artist and GoDaddy customer who is featured in the company’s Icons of Minneapolis series, faced numerous challenges in life fitting into others definition of “the norm.” Growing up in North Carolina as the daughter of Filipino immigrants, she struggled with mental health. Being of Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AANHPI) heritage made her stand out from the other kids in school. Samuelle recalls, “I was one of the few AANHPI female teenagers in my graduating class, and as a teen who wanted to fit in, all I did was stand out.” So, she turned to makeup as a means of self-expression.

One of Samuelle’s fondest childhood memories was watching her mom apply red lipstick and instantly transform into a more powerful and confident person, a feeling that Samuelle struggled to find for herself. After graduating high school, her parents encouraged her to go to college, hoping to provide opportunities they did not have. However, Samuelle had different plans. She loved makeup and wanted to turn that passion into a career and help others feel the same confidence she experienced through makeup. She says, “The effect makeup had on me once applied was transformational. I felt beautiful, elated, and confident. It lit a fire within me to want to help others see their true beauty.”

After some time working for others, Samuelle started her own makeup business as a side gig, with the goal of providing her clients with a Beauty Inspiration Experience. Having struggled for years trying to change the way she looked to blend in, she realized true beauty comes from within, and that is the experience she imparts with her clients.

During her consultations with clients, Samuelle asks: “‘What can I find you doing?’ I listen and create a tailored way for them to recognize how much courage and persistence it took for them to get where they are and understand they should be celebrated!”

Samuelle spent many years behind a makeup counter at a department store, but what she wanted was to find success on her own. And according to GoDaddy’s Venture Forward research initiative, she’s not alone. Of the microbusinesses (those with fewer than 10 employees) surveyed by the company in 2023, Asian owners are 15% more likely to start their business to achieve more success on their own.

And that success will not only help Samuelle create a better life for herself, but also for her daughter, Sloan. As a single mom, there’s a lot of weight on her shoulders to provide for her one-year-old. But Samuelle is unfazed and that is a true testament to her mindset. “Being a single parent while running my business means so much to me because I get to show my daughter that she too can do anything to her heart’s desires,” said Samuelle.

Venture Forward data shows one in three women-owned microbusinesses are run by moms, and single moms are using their businesses to close the earnings gap. Samuelle has her mom to thank for her strong perseverance through tough times. Although she was not a single parent, her mother helped Samuelle’s dad build a business while taking care of four young children. Samuelle hopes that Sloan will one day realize that she came from a long line of strong women who didn’t allow their circumstances to shape their future.

Samuelle takes great pride in being a first generation American and a “mompreneur.” Her family made many sacrifices by leaving the Philippines to move to another continent, leaving all that they knew to pave a new path for their children’s future. And she is proud of her heritage. She says, “I am honored to represent those who have paved their way by relinquishing their dreams and happiness so I could have the opportunity to have mine.”

Watch Samuelle’s story as part of GoDaddy’s Icons of Minneapolis series, streaming now on YouTube.

NEW YORK, May 2, 2023 /3BL Media/ – The UN Global Compact Network USA (Network USA), the American chapter of the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative, is pleased to announce that it now has 1,000 signatories in its network. This milestone reflects the private sector’s commitment to advancing sustainable and responsible business practices in the US and the potential for American companies to drive progress.

Network USA was founded in 2007 as the local chapter of the United Nations Global Compact, a special initiative of the UN Secretary-General that calls on companies everywhere to align their operations and strategies with the UN Global Compact Ten Principles and the ambition of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In the years since, Network USA has grown rapidly and scaled its work in the US market. Its participants now represent more than $5 trillion in revenue.

To help advance its mission, Network USA tapped David Fiss as Head of Engagement and promoted Claudia Herbert Colfer to Head of Programming. Colfer joined Network USA in 2020 and has been instrumental in helping the organization grow and enhance its programmatic offerings.

Fiss brings more than ten years of experience in corporate relations and sustainability. Previously, he served as Director of Corporate Relations, Partnerships & Strategy at Sustainable Brands. While there, Fiss worked with the board, membership and key brands to drive engagement and business transformation. In his new role, Fiss will design and manage Network USA’s engagement strategies with US companies and organizations.

“I’m looking forward to working with the private sector in aligning itself with the mission and principles of the United Nations,” said Fiss. “There are tremendous opportunities for US companies to lead in developing solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges. I’m eager to support their sustainability journey through the multi-stakeholder engagement and programmatic offerings that exist within the UN Global Compact.”

Network USA supports its signatories with the tools, programs, and collaborative space to enable change. Its Accelerator Programs and Peer Learning Groups are specially designed to help companies further their corporate sustainability leadership.

To support this work, Network USA also hired the following specialists: Jessica Tuquero, Communications Manager; Christine Cavallo, Engagement Coordinator; Mallory Cannon, Climate & Environment Associate; and Jessica Feoli, SDGs & Events Associate.

“This is an exciting time to join Network USA,” said Adam Gordon, Interim Executive Director of Network USA. “Our staff, signatories and partners are energized behind our shared mission of mobilizing a global movement of responsible companies to create the world we want. There is no better community to build a practical and ambitious framework for a sustainable world, and there is no better time to do it than now.”

“Since joining the UN Global Compact in 2020, I have seen Network USA impressively increase participation by over 35 percent, which is a testament to the organization’s ability to engage with all industries and sectors of the economy,” said Sanda Ojiambo, Executive Director and CEO of the UN Global Compact. “Strong participation from US companies is crucial in accomplishing the ambitious goals set forth by the UN and aligning on our collective efforts of uniting businesses for a better world.”

About the UN Global Compact USA

The UN Global Compact Network USA is the Local Network chapter of the United Nations Global Compact. As a special initiative of the UN Secretary-General, the United Nations Global Compact calls for companies everywhere to align their operations and strategies with the Ten Principles in human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption. Our ambition is to accelerate and scale the collective global impact of business by upholding the Ten Principles and delivering Sustainable Development Goals through accountable companies and ecosystems that enable change. With over 21,000 signatories based in over 160 countries and 69 Local Networks, the UN Global Compact is the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative — one Global Compact uniting businesses for a better world.

For more information, follow @globalcompactusa on social media and visit our website at https://www.globalcompactusa.org/.

Contact: Jessica Tuquero, +1-646-573-7377, jessica@globalcompactusa.org

On Thursday, April 13, Quest for Health Equity (Q4HE) collaborated with the Health Coalition of Passaic County (HCPC)’s Women’s Health Task Force to host a community walk to raise awareness of health disparities among Black women.

In honor of Black Women’s Maternal Health Week, the event, which was held at East Side Park in Paterson, NJ, was Q4HE’s second community event supporting the HCPC and Black Women’s Maternal Health Week. Volunteers and members of the HCPC’s Task Force walked alongside community members and provided educational materials and resources to support the community.

In addition, Q4HE provided educational resources from other grantees, including Sesame Workshop, the American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association, and March of Dimes.

HCPC’s Healthy Women Task Force teamed up with Q4HE and several other community collaborators including the Partnership for Maternal and Child Health of Northern NJ, Passaic County Department of Health Services, North Hudson Community Action Corporation, Oasis-A Haven for Women and Children, New Destiny Family Success Centers, Passaic County Community College, Heart of Hannah Women’s Center, and St. Mary’s General Hospital.

“Working with the HCPC perfectly aligns with our new Purpose of creating a healthier world, one life at a time,” said Bonnie Reyna, Director, Q4HE at Quest Diagnostics. “We are proud to work with and support important organizations like HCPC’s Healthy Women Task Force to help close gaps in health disparities and raise awareness of the health issues that affect so many.”

To learn more about HCPC’s work in Passaic County, New Jersey, click here.