Month: July 2023

Originally published in Paramount’s 2021-2022 Environmental, Social, and Governance Report

Our ability to offer our employees valuable experience within the company is essential to our overall business mission. We work to create a high-performance culture, including investing in building outstanding managers and teams, strengthening employee development, and helping every member of the Paramount team live up to their full potential.

Employee Engagement 

Keeping our talented workforce engaged and connected is a key imperative for our business. We also recognize the shifts in work and life that we have all experienced since the start of the pandemic. During this unique and challenging period, we have sought to continually improve engagement and respond to employee feedback.

In early 2021, as part of our commitment to continue building a high-performance culture, we introduced a new companywide performance development cycle – a continuous process of goal setting, ongoing one-on-one conversations between managers and their team members, and two required performance check-ins per year. The goalsetting process is designed to help managers and teams connect to our company mission and strategy, identify priorities, measure results, and create a culture of accountability, while the performance check-ins help guide performance, growth, and continuous feedback.

In order to measure our progress on key engagement, inclusion, and well-being metrics and identify areas for improvement, we typically distribute two employee surveys annually. In November of 2021, we conducted a company-wide employee “pulse” engagement survey, and 74% of all employees participated. This survey followed up on a more in-depth survey conducted in March of 2021 and that covered topics like engagement, inclusion, well-being, and return-to-office planning. The survey includes Paramount fulltime, part-time, and union staff employees.

Our November 2021 pulse survey showed improvements across all engagement and inclusion topics. It also revealed an opportunity to improve our focus on employee well-being, which we will continue to prioritize through expanded employee wellness offerings and benefits. Over 80% of respondents reported having a mid-year check-in conversation with their manager, while more than 60% said they participated in an action planning session, in which managers and their teams strategize on how to effectively respond to focus areas surfaced during the last survey.

The overall participation rate in our May 2022 employee engagement survey was 80%. Of note, 76% of employees agreed that Paramount is improving the way it supports diversity, equity, and inclusion within the company.

In 2021, we also expanded the important and ongoing work with the Gallup organization, which allowed us to measure inclusion and engagement overall and helped us to better understand our gender and ethnically diverse populations.

Employee Resource Groups 

Our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are an important outlet for our team members to engage on DE&I issues on both a personal and professional level. They are also a source of direct support for core business initiatives across our brands. We have eight ERGs that serve specific diverse communities; in total, we have 55 ERG chapters across 16 locations world-wide. More than half of our employees are engaged with ERGs. In addition, our Paramount Veterans Network helps connect employees who have served in the military.

In 2021, our ERGs demonstrated their creativity and commitment to advocacy through extensive celebrations of Heritage Months. Over the course of the year, Paramount’s ERGs held over 280 heritage month and cultural events to honor Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Native American Heritage Month, South Asian Heritage Month, and more.

Employee Training 

Regular, accessible opportunities for skill development and learning are a key part of our approach to building an engaged workforce. We seek to empower our employees to guide and grow their career over the long term, through training, executive coaching, and leadership development opportunities. We also provide tuition support for employees pursuing education and encourage employees to learn, develop, and collaborate through mentoring programs.

In July of 2021, we launched a new online learning hub called Propel. The hub offers a diverse and flexible range of programs that allow employees to control their development journey. Options include weekly lightning courses for people managers, multimonth leadership journey cohort experiences, expanded skill-building offerings for employees, and multimonth programs for leaders, as well as customized team trainings. The programs are designed and delivered by world-class experts and thought leaders and are open to all fulltime Paramount employees. As of the end of 2021, there were more than 1,500 employees learning through Propel, just one of our online e-learning resources.

In 2021, we launched a Learning Council, comprised of nearly 40 employees overseeing learning and training programs across the company. The group meets every other month to discuss opportunities for collaboration and to strategize on how to improve the learning experience across all disciplines.

Meanwhile, our mentoring programs allow our employees to share experiences, receive support, and sharpen leadership skills. We offer a six-month, one-on-one mentoring program called Mentoring+ to employees world-wide that provides mentees and mentors the opportunity to build a lasting connection through focused one-on-one support and development. Over 700 employees utilized the Mentoring+ program in 2021. In addition, our Pop-Up Mentoring program allows employees to connect with a mentor for on-demand support in a one-time meeting.

As Paramount prepared to return to the office in 2022, we rolled out specialized learning resources to support managers in leading their teams through the transition to in-office, hybrid, and fully remote work models. We also provided learning to our employees to help them prepare for the transition to new work models.

Employee Benefits 

Offering a comprehensive suite of benefits is one way we attract the best and brightest in the industry and make them feel supported throughout their employee experience.

Paramount continues to provide core benefits like health, life, and disability insurance; matching retirement contributions; tuition reimbursement; and bicycle commuter reimbursement.

We offer 12 weeks of paid parental leave, as well as six weeks of paid caregiving leave. Full-time and part-time eligible staff can access these benefits. In addition, we help support their family with a range of resources, including enhanced fertility, adoption, and surrogacy benefits, along with childcare and eldercare resources, and flexible work hours for full- and part-time employees.

Throughout the ongoing pandemic, we have sought to offer new, relevant resources to all our team members. In 2021, we expanded our offerings around mental health and well-being, including online resources and access to healthcare professionals. We also extended many of these resources to part-time employees and contractors.

ESG-Oriented Investment Option in Our Defined Contribution Plan

We include the Vanguard FTSE Social Index Fund in the Paramount Global 401(k) Plan lineup, consistent with our work to offer a suite of low-cost index fund options to participants, covering the broadest set of asset classes. This passively managed fund excludes stocks of certain companies from industries, including adult entertainment, alcohol, tobacco, weapons, fossil fuels, gambling, and nuclear power.

Further, companies with exposure to controversial weapons, civilian firearms, nuclear power, and fossil fuel industries are always excluded. It also excludes stocks of certain companies that do not meet the labor, human rights, anti-corruption, and environmental standards as defined by the UN Global Compact Principles, as well as companies that do not meet certain diversity criteria.

Learn more in in Paramount’s 2021-2022 Environmental, Social, and Governance Report

July 17, 2023 /3BL/ – A new scorecard released by the Ceres Accelerator for Sustainable Capital Markets shows how 10 federal financial regulators have implemented key actions to address the financial risks of climate change, growing the total number of actions to more than 100 since July 2022. However, U.S. regulators have much more work to do to address these risks with the same level of ambition and urgency as their global counterparts.

The 2023 Climate Risk Scorecard: Assessing U.S. Financial Regulator Action on Climate Financial Risk found most of the assessed regulators have made meaningful strides in producing research and data on climate risk and incorporating climate risk into their supervision of regulated entities, however urgent action is required to improve climate-related disclosures, increase transparency in climate-related risk management practices, including climate risks within regulatory frameworks, implement climate-related scenario analysis, and assess climate risks on financially vulnerable communities.

Among those assessed include the Federal Reserve Bank (the Fed), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB), the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), and the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

“Climate-related financial risks have placed capital markets and financial institutions in an unparalleled state of vulnerability,” said Steven M. Rothstein, Managing Director of the Ceres Accelerator for Sustainable Capital Markets at Ceres. “The interconnectedness of the U.S. financial system means risk and climate events can trigger cascading crises that undermine the integrity of the entire economy. The sector needs to better integrate climate risk into its supervision of financial entities and put stronger practices in place to assess the consequences of the climate-related scenarios that will arise unless we make systemic changes.”

The analysis uncovered several key findings including:

More than 100 regulatory actions since July 2022 to address climate-related financial risks, representing a notable shift beyond foundational actions toward implementing climate-related risk management practices in step with global counterparts.Nine regulators have publicly affirmed climate as a systemic risk to the financial system, sending a strong signal to the market and public that federal regulators understand that climate risk may adversely impact their regulated entities as well as the broader economy. The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board stands alone in not making this affirmation yet.Six of 10 regulators have robust internal climate-related capacities, but this year has seen additional progress from those still developing their staffing and technical expertise.All but two regulators improved transparency regarding their actions to measure and manage climate-related financial risks at their regulated entities.Minimal public progress was made among regulators with authority that encompasses consideration of financially vulnerable communities.

To better document progress and reflect ongoing regulator commitments and areas of need, Ceres expanded the assessment categories from six to nine, drawing from the 35 recommendations within the Financial Stability Oversight Council’s Report on Climate-Related Financial Risk. The full methodology can be found here.

Regulators were assessed on progress achieved from July 2022 through June 2023 across key categories, using previous years as a baseline, measuring whether each regulator has:

Publicly affirmed climate as a systemic riskExpanded internal climate-related capacitiesIncreased transparency regarding climate-related risk management activitiesAssessed climate risks on financially vulnerable communitiesProduced research and data on climate changeConducted climate-related scenario analysisImproved climate-related disclosureIncluded climate risk in supervisory guidanceIncluded climate risk in regulation

The 2023 scorecard is the third of its kind. The 2022 iteration, Assessing U.S. Financial Regulator Action on Climate Financial Risk, assessed nine federal regulators on 6 criteria and identified 230 actions since April 2021 to address climate financial risk.

About Ceres   

Ceres is a nonprofit organization working with the most influential capital market leaders to solve the world’s greatest sustainability challenges. The Ceres Accelerator for Sustainable Capital Markets is a center of excellence within Ceres that aims to transform the practices and policies that govern capital markets to reduce the worst financial impacts of the climate crisis. It spurs action on climate change as a systemic financial risk—driving the large-scale behavior and systems change needed to achieve a net-zero emissions economy through key financial actors including investors, banks, and insurers. The Ceres Accelerator also works with corporate boards of directors on improving governance of climate change and other sustainability issues. For more information, visit ceres.org and ceres.org/accelerator and follow @CeresNews. 

Media contact:  

Diane May, Ceres   
dmay@ceres.org 

Originally published on GoDaddy Life

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your career journey at GoDaddy.

I am a nature lover, dog mom, and Emerging Talent Recruiter. I’m originally from Mexico City, attended college at University of North Texas (Go Eagles!) and graduated with a double major in Communications and Public Affairs. After graduating, I moved to Arizona where I eventually became a part of the GoDaddy family in 2016. Initially, I joined the Spanish Customer Care department as a Bilingual Agent. During my time as a Customer Care Agent, I learned all about our GoDaddy product offerings and had the privilege of interacting with many of our customers from all over the world, helping them with their exciting entrepreneurial ventures. After a year as a Customer Care Agent, I had the opportunity to join the Talent Acquisition team for a three-month “stretch assignment.” During this time, I worked as a Recruiting Coordinator. These three months turned into six months, then nine months, and eventually, I received an offer to permanently join the team full-time! Working as a Recruiting Coordinator helped me develop a strong understanding of the recruitment process and the impact it has on both organizations and individuals. During this time, GoDaddy was experiencing a period of “hyper-growth.” This meant there were many exciting opportunities to take on new challenges — from scheduling complex interview panels for all levels of the company, to cross-training in different areas of recruitment, helping improve processes, testing new CRM and ATS systems, and even training and onboarding new members of our team. All of these learnings built my skill set, which eventually led to me transferring to a role as a Recruiter on our Emerging Talent team. I get to work with a great team that creates opportunities for both internal and external candidates to further their careers. Being able to connect talented individuals with opportunities that align with their skills and aspirations has been extremely rewarding. One of the best parts of my team is that I have an incredibly supportive manager who has allowed me to explore other areas of interest to further my skills. I’m a creative at heart, so being able to utilize those skills to cultivate meaningful experiences for our talent programs has been incredibly fulfilling!

You are actively involved, within the organization. Do you mind sharing more about your involvement and how that has shaped you?

Aside from the job duties of my role, I am also an active member in our Employee Resource Groups. Particularly GDLIT (LatinX in Tech). Being part of this group has allowed me to network with other employees outside of my immediate team, and given me a sense of belonging. GDLIT is a safe space where I can share my heritage and give back to my community through different volunteering events. Some of my favorite events to attend are career exploration fairs. We’re able to talk to younger generations and share our journeys with them, as well as open their minds to different career paths.

GoDaddy empowers their employees to be part of its many Employee Resource groups that serve different demographics and/or affinities. They all have a wide range of events and activities throughout the year. Together, ERGs are one of the many reasons why GoDaddy is such a great place to work.

What has GoDaddy done to support you?

Another reason why GoDaddy is an extraordinary workplace is that employees are encouraged to have work-life balance. This benefit allows me to Live Passionately and spend time doing the things that fuel my spirit. I’m an avid nature explorer and adventurer, so when I’m not working, I’m spending time with my husband and three dogs, either out on a hike, camping, or cooling off in a lake. We also like to hit the slopes in the winter for some snowboarding fun. As a dog lover and dog mom, one of my passions is helping dogs in need find their furever homes, particularly for my favorite breed: the Giant Schnauzer. I have been volunteering and fostering for a local rescue organization for the last two years, and I recently was invited to become a board member to help run the operations of the organization, which I’m really excited about.

Are you enjoying this series and want to know more about life at GoDaddy? Check out our GoDaddy Life social pages! Follow us to meet our team, learn more about our culture (Teams, ERGs, Locations), careers, and so much more. You’re more than just your day job, so come propel your career with us.

Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/GoDaddyLifeInstagram — https://www.instagram.com/godaddylife/LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/godaddylifeTwitter — https://twitter.com/GoDaddyLifeTikTok — https://www.tiktok.com/@godaddylife?Career Page — https://careers.godaddy.com

As part of Gildan’s unwavering commitment to its communities and in alignment with the Company’s Next Generation ESG strategy, Gildan is pleased to share that it has recently completed the construction and furnishing of the Monte San Juan School in Rivas, Nicaragua. With Gildan’s investment in the project totaling USD $128,000, the Company has funded a collection of initiatives with the express objective of strengthening the educational infrastructure for children and teenagers in the region.   

The project, which began in July 2022, included the construction of two new classrooms and accompanying restrooms, drinking fountains, a school pantry, a water tank, and the installation of a perimeter fence surrounding the school. Additionally, the existing preschool classrooms, which were outdated, received essential maintenance. With these updates, Gildan continues to underscore the value it places on furthering education in its communities by improving the classroom environment and promoting the well-being of youth in the Rivas region. 

Gildan’s contributions to the Monte San Juan School were prompted by multiple suggestions from employees through the Company’s Part of Your Life program, which invites workers to propose projects in the community that they would like Gildan to invest in.  

“Gildan is committed to being a responsible corporate citizen, and one of the ways we ensure this is by encouraging our people to speak up about the needs in their community and recommend ways to address them,” says Claudia Sandoval, Vice-President, Global Social Compliance and Environmental Affairs at Gildan. “This way we know that the projects we implement are adding real value to our workers lives.” 

The school was inaugurated by esteemed guests, including representatives from the Ministry of Education and Rivas city hall, as well as administrators, teachers, students, parents, and Gildan representatives. The success of the Gildan Rivas worker’s proposal and the enthusiastic support for the project from local officials demonstrates the collaborative effort invested in shaping a brighter future for communities in Nicaragua.  

“Gildan is very grateful to Rivas’ Ministry of Education for granting us the opportunity to carry out construction on the Monte San Juan School. As an organization, we are always striving to find new initiatives that embody our core values and benefit the people and places that our operations touch, and there is no better way to do this than by furthering the success of the community through education,” finishes Claudia.  

Find out more about Gildan’s respect for communities here.