Month: May 2024

Originally published on Essity.com

Essity’s Commitment to Sustainability

Essity improves the well-being of people and societies, through leading hygiene and health solutions. Sustainability is integrated into our strategy and is a priority for long-term profitable growth.

As one of the world’s leading hygiene and health companies, we have the reach, and the obligation to contribute to society, and integrating sustainability into business processes. Our offering increasingly becomes a pre-requisite of doing business. As Essity is impacting the environment along the full supply chain, we aim to minimize that impact by decarbonizing our business and maintaining healthy eco-systems, while contributing to a more inclusive society.

Essity is committed to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and has set ambitious Science Based Targets for Scope 1, 2 and 3, covering both our own operations and our suppliers’ value chains. We are working intensively to reach our targets with clear KPIs and various initiatives in all parts of our business. Through innovation, we solve challenges in the value chain and for our products and solutions. Building on our near-term target for 2030, we are scaling up our actions using our expertise and dedication.

Still, no single company can take on the climate crisis or societal barriers alone. Therefore, we cooperate with suppliers, customers, consumers, governments, NGOs, experts, and industry peers to drive the change we urgently need.

This is our commitment and contribution.

Magnus Groth,
President and CEO, Essity

The name Essity stems from the words “essentials” and “necessities”. Hygiene and health are the essence of well-being. As a global, leading hygiene and health company, we offer products and services that are essential to people’s everyday lives. That is why we are called Essity.

Read more about Essity’s strategic priorities, earnings and leading sustainability work in the Annual and Sustainability Report 2023, which can be downloaded at www.essity.com.

Originally published on about.bnef.com

Financial institutions are inadequately prepared to assess and manage nature-related risk, with just 1% discussing the potential threats and opportunities in company filings. This is despite growing awareness of how ecosystems underpin economic value generation and the environmental harm caused by many business operations, with some G-20 countries rolling out voluntary guidance on nature or imposing mandatory regulation. As policymakers incorporate broader environmental considerations into legislation, banks and investors will be compelled to better understand how to manage nature-related risks in their portfolios and processes.

With global biodiversity declining faster than at any point in human history, both physical and transition nature-related risks have become more material to financial institutions’ investing strategies.An April 2024 survey by the Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP) found that the majority of financial institutions lack sophistication in their approach to managing nature-related risk, far behind the equivalent strategic engagement with climate. The same report notes that only 17% of banks and asset managers are using metrics, targets or limits to assess drivers of nature-related risks, while 75% of the same entities are yet to identify nature-related risks or opportunities.

BNEF clients can access the full report here.

About BloombergNEF

BloombergNEF (BNEF) is a strategic research provider covering global commodity markets and the disruptive technologies driving the transition to a low-carbon economy. Our expert coverage assesses pathways for the power, transport, industry, buildings and agriculture sectors to adapt to the energy transition. We help commodity trading, corporate strategy, finance and policy professionals navigate change and generate opportunities.

Originally published on U.S. Bank company blog

For many people, life’s most helpful knowledge comes from learning on the job. Through its support of the California Restaurant Foundation’s “Experience Hospitality” initiative, U.S. Bank is supporting job training for high-school students pursuing a career in the restaurant industry. 

The innovative initiative recently provided 500 students from throughout the state with an opportunity to tour the headquarters of a California-based hospitality company. Each student is enrolled in the ProStart program – a two-year, industry-backed culinary arts and restaurant management program for high school students. The tours included everything from iconic brands like Wienerschnitzel to the California beach hotel brand Pacifica Hotels. 

In addition to the tours, students were treated to lunch and an opportunity to hear from company founders, head chefs, presidents and other executives in finance, marketing, human resources and other areas of operation.  

In Ventura, California, students toured the offices of Urbane Café, a growing fast-casual restaurant chain specializing in hearty salads and sandwiches crafted from a hearth oven. They met with founder and CEO Tom Holt, along with a team of executives and employees. Holt discussed the origins of the company and the founding principles that keep it grounded in service.

“We strive for every customer that walks through our doors to leave with a fulfilling experience,” said Holt. “That includes not only a healthy meal made with quality ingredients, but an experience that makes them feel at home and wanting to come back and see us again.”

Holt stressed the importance of training his employees to pay attention to the little details that make every customer’s experience a memorable one. The sentiment was repeated by nearly all of the employees who spoke, a testament to the company’s customer-centric focus. 

During the tours, students also met with a team of small business specialists from U.S. Bank to learn more about what it takes to start a business, including components of a business plan and different ways to access capital to fund a business. U.S. Bank has proudly supported the California Restaurant Foundation since 2017 and was encouraged by the level of engagement in its inaugural Experience Hospitality event. 

“U.S Bank is proud to support the Experience Hospitality program as part of our efforts to encourage workforce development in California,” said Rockette Ewell, vice president and U.S. Bank community affairs manager for California. “Our team is passionate about sharing financial literacy insights with students and delighted to join them on the immersive and enriching behind the scenes tours that are sure to open new doors and broaden career horizons.”

To learn more about how U.S Bank is making Community Possible through partnering with nonprofits, visit usbank.com/communitypossible. 

May 30, 2024 /3BL/ – VolunteerMatch, the leading platform for volunteer engagement, today announced its partnership with Rayze, a positive social media app founded by former Buccaneers outside linebacker and captain, Carl Nassib.

Designed to celebrate positivity and community, Rayze is on a mission to create a new kind of social media app, and has partnered with VolunteerMatch to help grow volunteer service in local communities nationwide. VolunteerMatch’s API is integrated directly into Rayze, putting thousands of nonprofit opportunities in the hands of Rayze users – inspiring acts of service with a wide array of vetted nonprofit opportunities that can be filtered based on location, causes, skills, and more.

“We are striving to be a catalyst that changes the face of social media and we see VolunteerMatch as a critical partner in this effort,” said Nassib.”I will never forget volunteering with the Buccaneers at a juvenile delinquent center back in 2018 — it was such a powerful experience, it benefited the kids, the community and it changed the trajectory of my life. I have since made it my mission to connect people and communities, leveraging positive social media as a force for good and positive change – particularly among young people. We want to get them off their phones and out into the world.”

Rayze’s partnership with VolunteerMatch comes at a pivotal time. According to the U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy in his report on the healing effects of social connection and community, there is ample evidence that social media can pose a risk of harm to children and adolescents – and up to 95% of 13-17 year olds report using at least one social media platform. But a growing body of research shows that the act of volunteering can help address an epidemic of personal isolation and disconnection that is perpetuated by social media. Put simply, volunteering helps people of all ages engage with their communities and foster meaningful relationships – improving personal well-being and life satisfaction while reducing depression, which benefits the communities where they live and work.

“It is an honor and a privilege to join Carl and the Rayze team in their quest to improve the lives of people through positive connection and community service,” said VolunteerMatch Chief Growth Officer Erika Blaney. “For more than a quarter of a century, VolunteerMatch has served as a bridge to connect millions of people to countless nonprofits – but the pandemic, social media and socio-political forces have created a firestorm of isolation and disconnection. We need to get back out into a world that needs each one of us – our participation in volunteer acts will foster a ripple effect of increased human connection, kindness, and empathy that enriches all aspects of our lives and our communities. Our mission is more critical and urgent than ever before.”

As a VolunteerMatch partner, Rayze joins some of the nation’s most notable organizations promoting impact and change in communities throughout the U.S. and abroad. Notable partners that leverage the VolunteerMatch API include corporate social responsibility platforms Benevity, Bonterra, BlackBaud, Fidelity Charitable, Bright Funds, Percent Pledge, along with numerous digital leaders, including LinkedIn and The Weather Channel. Prospective partners can learn more an get in touch with VolunteerMatch at https://solutions.volunteermatch.org/product/partners 

VolunteerMatch 

Founded in 1998, VolunteerMatch puts the power of technology to good use by enabling the social sector, and has successfully unlocked more than $14 billion worth of volunteer time since its inception. With more than 80,000 volunteer opportunities available at www.volunteermatch.org and delivered via its API, VolunteerMatch connects nonprofits with an average of 105 volunteers per hour. With more than 18 million volunteers to date, the award-winning nonprofit service has become the largest and most popular volunteer recruiting platform at volunteermatch.org.

About Rayze 

Rayze is a mobile platform designed to transform how people and companies give, engage and volunteer with nonprofits. Rayze connects nonprofits with the individuals eager to fund their work, volunteer for their programs and champion their causes. Founded by Carl Nassib, Rayze was created out of a real-life volunteering experience he had during his time in Tampa Bay and promotes only positive engagement. Rayze features nonprofits such as Trevor Project and United Way and can be found on the App Store. New organizations can sign up on Rayze for free at rayzeapp.com!