Month: September 2023

LOS ANGELES and NEW YORK, September 13, 2023 – Crypto.com Arena, one of the most iconic sports and music venues in the world, announced today that it has earned the prestigious WELL Health-Safety Rating. One of the leading sports arenas to receive the WELL Health-Safety Rating, the achievement is a testament to the arena’s commitment to delivering a culture of health, well-being and safety to all employees and visitors. The award was designated by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), the global authority for driving market transformation toward healthy buildings, organizations and communities.

“As an organization dedicated to delivering the most memorable sports and live entertainment experiences, Crypto.com Arena has been at the forefront of adopting stringent cleaning and safety protocols and was the first NBA, NHL and WNBA Arena to receive the GBAC Star Facility Accreditation in June of 2020,” said Lee Zeidman, President of Crypto.com Arena. “This recognition is further evidence of our commitment to ensuring that Crypto.com Arena strives to not only be one of the safest arenas possible, but also promotes an environment that supports the health and well-being of our employees, tenant teams, artists, promoters, guests, and partners.”

To achieve the WELL Health-Safety Rating, AEG, owner and operator of Crypto.com Arena, met rigorous requirements related to its operational policies, maintenance protocols and emergency plans. The WELL Health-Safety Rating includes more than 20 features designed to help organizations keep spaces clean and sanitized; provide essential health benefits and services; communicate health and safety efforts; ensure they have adequate emergency preparations and programs; and assess the facility’s air and water quality.

The rating was awarded by IWBI to Crypto.com Arena following the successful completion of a third-party documentation review to confirm that the arena met the feature-specific requirements for supporting the long-term health and safety needs of everyone who is working at or visiting the venue.

“Sports and entertainment venues like Crypto.com Arena anchor communities large and small, giving us places to cheer on our home-town teams or see our favorite performers,” said Rachel Hodgdon, President and CEO, IWBI. “By achieving the WELL Health-Safety Rating, AEG made sure it’s also a place that enhances our health and well-being. Thanks AEG and congratulations!”

The WELL Health-Safety rating is designed to empower owners and operators across large and small businesses alike to take the necessary steps in order to prioritize the health and safety of their staff, visitors and other stakeholders. Informed by the WELL Building Standard and more than 600 building and health scientists, practitioners, representatives from the business community and other experts, the WELL Health-Safety Rating is a roadmap for driving resilience across both business policies and operational plans. The WELL Health-Safety seal communicates a sense of confidence that a venue is maintaining the most effective and up-to-date practices for safety and wellness.

“Congratulations to AEG for achieving the WELL Health-Safety Rating in parallel with GBAC certification! This is a significant achievement that underscores AEG’s unwavering commitment to fostering healthy, sustainable communities where we work, live, and play. AEG’s dedication to achieving this milestone exemplifies its leadership in sustainability within the sports and entertainment industry, setting a commendable global role model,” stated Roger McClendon, Executive Director of the Green Sports Alliance. “The Green Sports Alliance applauds AEG for its investment, focused operations, and prioritization of the well-being of its staff, fans, athletes, and entertainers in its facilities.”

At McDonald’s, we believe opportunity starts with education – which is why we and many participating Franchisees offer avenues for learning to restaurant employees across the globe. In many regions, McDonald’s and participating Franchisees are combining workplace training and study so people of all ages and at all stages of their educational and professional journey can build a career, regardless of previous experience or qualifications.

Continuing Education Support for Restaurant Staff

One of the ways we achieve this is through Archways to Opportunity®, a comprehensive education program that offers eligible U.S. employees and employees of participating Franchisees the opportunity to grown and learn. The program can help employees on the path to success by improving English skills, earning a high school diploma, working toward a college degree or getting help making an education or career path with advisors.

Since its launch in April 2015 through year-end 2022, the program has:

Increased access to education for more than 82,500 people. Awarded college tuition assistance to more than 65,000 restaurant employees. Helped more than 1,700 people graduate through the Career Online High School program.Reached more than 8,300 graduates from English Under the Arches since 2007.Awarded more than $185 million in high school and college tuition assistance. 

About McDonald’s

McDonald’s is the world’s leading global foodservice retailer with nearly 40,000 locations in over 100 countries. Approximately 95% of McDonald’s restaurants worldwide are owned and operated by independent local business owners.

Originally published in Owens Corning’s 2022 Sustainability Report

With a background in chemistry, Fawn Uhl brings a unique perspective to Owens Corning’s research and development initiatives. As she works to bring innovative products to the market, Fawn also seeks out the unique perspectives of her colleagues. Fawn has been with Owens Corning for nearly 19 years, 16 of them in our Insulation business. In that time, she has worked with a diverse group of people who bring their knowledge and expertise to the product design process. In her years at Owens Corning, Fawn has seen sustainability become an increasingly important part of product innovation, and she talks about the importance of maintaining the connection between the two.

We’re bringing diverse thinking and diverse people together to deliver impactful solutions.

On how product innovation has evolved over time 

We’ve definitely done a lot more to be aware of what we’re putting into our products. We are using the Ecodesign Strategy Wheel to look at the impact of our products, not only for our manufacturing process, but for the environment beyond Owens Corning. We have gone beyond whether we can manufacture it cost-effectively and whether we’re meeting the requirements related to materials of concern. We’ve evolved into asking if we are being better stewards of the environment. It’s been a whole evolution over time, which has been really good.

On the connection between product innovation and sustainability 

Innovation is really where we’re looking at growth opportunities to differentiate ourselves and our product lines, and it has to go hand-in-hand with stewardship. When we do that, we are looking at the impact to Owens Corning, how we’re making the product, and what is it doing to the to the environment. When I look at insulation from a product development perspective, almost everything we’re doing is tied to energy efficiency. And if I’m putting it into a home, we need to think about VOCs and things of that nature. We’re always going to look at that stewardship piece, and really think about those long-term environmental impacts. Owens Corning has the right support systems in place to drive sustainable product innovation.

On what sets Owens Corning’s approach to sustainability apart 

Companies define sustainability in different ways. I think at Owens Corning, it’s really ingrained in what we do. We actually have the processes and procedures in place. We have these tools that we can use, and we are really pragmatic about how we go about doing this. Over the last few years, I’ve gotten more involved with bringing in the building science team and thinking more broadly about how it all plays together. We’re bringing diverse thinking and diverse people together to deliver impactful solutions. That’s really what keeps me here — the people and the ability to leverage their knowledge and try something that could be a game changer or deliver new value or impact people in a different way.

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