Month: July 2024

July 8, 2024 /3BL/ – GRI has started the recruitment of an expert working group to guide the development of new reporting standard(s) on pollution.

Pollution of air, water and soil severely impacts the environment, biodiversity, human health, and quality of life. According to the World Health Organization, air pollution alone in cities and rural areas caused an estimated 4.2 million premature deaths worldwide in 2019. Furthermore, pollution can generate large-scale irreversible environmental damage posing serious threats to ecosystems, plus welfare losses that equate to over 6% of global GDP annually.

The working group recruitment process is open until 18 August. The group will comprise representatives from the five GRI constituencies: business enterprise, investment institutions, labor organizations, mediating institutions, and civil society. Experts are being sought with backgrounds in reporting on air and soil pollutant emissions, hazardous substances, and critical incident management.

The project will look at all related impacts from a holistic perspective, including air, soil, water and other pollution-related dimensions. The Pollution Working Group will take forward the revision of existing disclosures, such as those on ozone-depleting substances, nitrogen and sulphur dioxides, and significant spills – as well as developing additional ones. The revised and new disclosures will lead to new Topic Standard(s) related to pollution. Furthermore, a supporting guidance document will be produced to help organizations and stakeholders navigate GRI disclosures on pollution.

Bastian Buck, Chief Standards Officer, said: 

“For decades, there has been a lack of transparency on pollution and its harmful effects on people’s health, the environment and the planet. Against this backdrop, the Global Sustainability Standards Board instigated a review of GRI’s existing pollution disclosures and the creation of new ones, recognizing the need for more effective reporting by governments, businesses and other organizations. 

The next stage in this important and timely project is to recruit members who can bring a wide range of multistakeholder perspectives to join our Working Group and lead the work to create disclosures in support of reporting on pollution. The global call for applicants is now open and I encourage anyone with relevant expertise to apply.”

Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) is the independent, international organization that helps businesses and other organizations take responsibility for their impacts, by providing the global common language to report those impacts. The GRI Standards are the world’s most widely used sustainability reporting standards, which are developed through a multi-stakeholder process and provided as a free public good.

CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 8, 2024 /3BL/ – To care for its Texas teammates, clients and communities, Truist Foundation announced Sunday evening it will donate $100,000, which will be distributed to the Center for Disaster Philanthropy’s Atlantic Hurricane Season Recovery Fund and the American Red Cross, to support relief and recovery efforts in communities impacted by Tropical Storm Beryl, which strengthened to a Category 1 hurricane by landfall.

“We realize 2024 is going to be a devasting storm season, and Truist Foundation is prepared to help minimize the impact of these disasters,” said Lynette Bell, president of Truist Foundation. “This grant is just one example of how the Truist family and our trusted partners come together to provide care to our teammates, clients and communities in times of need, ensuring they are equipped to recover, rebuild and become more resilient.”

A portion of the donation will be focused on medium- and long-term recovery informed by disaster experts in partnership with those in the affected communities. Support will address needs such as rebuilding homes, providing mental health, legal and disaster case management services, and other urgent challenges identified as recovery efforts progress.

Additionally, earlier this year, Truist Foundation donated $1 million to the American Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Program, designed to deploy assistance quickly to communities impacted by events such as Tropical Storm Beryl. Those funds help provide food, shelter, emotional support, comfort kits and other immediate relief supplies to thousands of families and individuals impacted by such disasters.

About Truist Foundation 
Truist Foundation is committed to Truist Financial Corporation’s (NYSE: TFC) purpose to inspire and build better lives and communities. The foundation, an endowed private foundation established in 2020 whose operating budget is independent of Truist Financial Corporation, makes strategic investments in a wide variety of nonprofit organizations centered around two focus areas: building career pathways to economic mobility and strengthening small businesses to ensure all communities have an equal opportunity to thrive. Embodying these focus areas are the foundation’s leading initiatives — the Inspire Awards and Where It Starts. Learn more at Truist.com/Foundation.

# # #

Media Contact: 
Kristen Fraser 
media@truist.com

The Social Impact Partner Spotlight series highlights various Cisco non-profit organization partners that are helping transform the lives of individuals and communities. This blog features Cisco’s partnership with International Rescue Committee and Ocalenie, highlighting the amazing work these organizations are doing to support and empower refugees, migrants, and internally displaced persons worldwide.

World Refugee Day, observed annually on June 20, stands as a solemn reminder of the resilience and courage of millions who have been forced to flee their homes due to conflict, persecution, or natural disasters. This global observance provides an opportunity for us to reflect on the hardships faced by refugees and to reaffirm our commitment to fostering a more inclusive and compassionate world. According to a recent United Nations report, forced displacement rose to 120 million in May 2024 (from 114 million in 2023), marking the 12th consecutive annual increase – a result of ongoing crises and newly emerging and evolving conflicts.

World Refugee Day 2024 emphasizes showing support for refugees in the hopes of creating a more welcoming global community. This blog highlights two of Cisco’s key partnerships that through early-stage investment by the Cisco Foundation, have enabled these partners to design, validate, replicate, and scale tech-delivered solutions that are driving impact to support refugees, migrants, and internally displaced persons.

International Rescue Committee (Signpost and SAFE)

International Rescue Committee (IRC) and Cisco have formed a strategic partnership to help people displaced by conflict and disaster worldwide to survive, recover and rebuild their lives. With support from Cisco’s Global Impact Grant program, IRC is developing technology-based innovations to improve access to life-saving information and provide refugees with a path toward long-term resilience and economic security. Together, IRC and Cisco are working to create more durable, scalable, and sustainable impacts in the lives of some of the world’s most vulnerable populations. This World Refugee Day, we highlight two of IRC’s initiatives, Signpost and Supporting Access to Financial Empowerment (SAFE), that showcase the incredible work being done to support refugees worldwide.

Signpost

“Technology has the power to connect and provide lifesaving information. Enabled by the IRC’s partnership with Cisco, Signpost digital help centers allow people impacted by conflict, disasters, poverty and violence to access essential services, solve complex problems, and make informed decisions on the issues that matter most to them. As we scale the Signpost program and leverage technology for good, we are grateful for Cisco’s continued partnership.” —Andre Heller, Signpost Program Director

Accurate, reliable, and relevant information is vital in times of crisis. However, humanitarian crisis communications are often provider-centric, short-lived and not scalable, limiting people’s ability to make informed decisions. Signpost is a scalable community-led responsive service that delivers life-saving information and links to resources through staff equipped with secure digital tools, digital channels and social media. It provides refugees with timely, actionable, verified information on the platforms they are already using, in their preferred languages, empowering them to make critical decisions on the issues that matter most to them.

Cisco has been supporting Signpost since 2015 when it was first launched as a joint effort between IRC and Mercy Corps. At the time there were 65 million forcibly displaced people worldwide. With the ever-increasing number and severity of crises contributing to a growing number of people on the move, IRC’s work is more critical than ever, and we have continued to support their expansion of Signpost.

By the numbers:

Signpost has now been implemented in more than 30 countries across 5 continents and continues to expand.Signpost has over 16 million unique users and has reached 122M people with information products – and is used by many international and local NGOs and humanitarian aid agencies.Signpost supports more than 15 languages.

SAFE

“Through SAFE, I was connected with a financial coach who helped me navigate the process of securing a car loan, and provided support and advice as I launched my own business in the design and build industry for residential properties. Thanks to the support of the IRC program and my dedicated financial coach, I am now able to see a better route to financial stability and business ownership. I continue to use the IRC program to provide support and guidance to other Afghan refugees in my community, helping them navigate the challenges of starting anew in a foreign land.” —Nazila, SAFE Client

In 2023, US State Department’s refugee program was able to settle 60,000 refugees in the U.S. Meanwhile, an additional 300-500K humanitarian arrivals came to the U.S. in 2023, most of whom speak Spanish.

Most of the financial resources currently available in the U.S. are in English and these resources often assume existing knowledge of U.S. financial systems (for example, how to open a bank account; how to apply for a car loan; when and how to file taxes; and the best ways to build credit) and do not account for some of the barriers immigrant communities face in accessing financial services.

Launched in 2022, the Supporting Access to Financial Empowerment (SAFE) is an initiative of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and IRC’s Center for Economic Opportunity (CEO), a nationally recognized Community Development Financial Institution, to empower newly arrived families as they begin their journey to financial stability and economic security in their new homes across the U.S. It features an online platform and financial coaches to serve the specific financial education needs of refugees, asylees, and vulnerable immigrants. With the initiative’s launch showing tremendous success within the first two years, Cisco made it possible for SAFE to expand from serving Afghan populations to wider demographics, including Spanish-speaking clients and Ukrainian refugees. This partnership has not only made it possible for the IRC to sustain and advance quality financial capability services for diverse new American communities but has also demonstrated consistent commitment to supporting research and learning in this space.

Through its partnership with Cisco, SAFE already has supported more than 2,000 refugees, asylees, and vulnerable immigrants in just under two years – validating both the effectiveness and future potential for scaling this initiative to more newcomers.

By the numbers

Last year alone, the SAFE program saw:

2,342 clients receive financial coaching982 loans approved, totaling approximately $6.9 million, with a 97% repayment rateAs expected for newcomers, 76% of participants had no FICO score, due to insufficient credit history. After coaching, 71% of participants had a FICO score averaging 702.Increased net worth for participants – an average of $5,500 per participant.

Get involved:

We invite you to support the IRC’s mission, amplify refugee voices, and act. Together, we can make a significant impact and support refugees in building a brighter future.

Volunteer: By volunteering with the IRC, you can play a critical role in helping refugees and immigrants thrive in the United States.Act with us: Join thousands of IRC supporters who have called their representatives, written letters, or shared our campaigns.Make a planned gift: A gift through your estate plan will help ensure aid to people displaced by conflict and crisis well into the future.

Ocalenie Foundation

“Building a new life in a foreign country is a complex challenge, especially for those facing language barriers, financial insecurity, and job market discrimination. At the Ocalenie Foundation, we support migrants and refugees in navigating various aspects of life, including securing employment that utilizes their skills and qualifications, allowing them to achieve a dignified standard of living.” —Kalina Czwarnóg, Ocalenie Board Member

Poland has been one of the key transit points for many migration routes among refugees fleeing political and social crises in the region. The Ocalenie Foundation was established 23 years ago with the mission to foster a multicultural, inclusive society rooted in human rights principles and to support migrants, including refugees, in their integration. In response to the growing number of people seeking protection in European countries, Ocalenie, in partnership with Cisco Foundation, is developing digital and skills training courses to help bridge a service gap and empower people to access online services and navigate their new environment and job market. To learn more about the support Ocalenie provides, check out this recent video about career counselling Ocalenie provided to refugees.

By the numbers:

175 refugees served to date80% of participants to complete courses and obtain course certificates, thus increasing competency and employability50% of participants retain or advance in employment, with 20% experiencing wage increases20% of participants secure employment

Get involved:

Donations are a crucial source of funding for Ocalenie Foundation’s ongoing work. Recurring contributions are precious, providing much-needed stability as the cost of integration activities for refugees in Poland largely falls on NGOs.Ocalenie Foundation’s activities are largely supported by our volunteers who teach Polish language courses, help children with their homework, or support refugees in their everyday struggles. Volunteer opportunities can be found on their website.

View original content here.

Originally published on Lowe’s newsroom.

June 28, 2024 /3BL/ – From helping to build a community of safe homes for veterans in South Dakota to transforming a kitchenette into a full-size kitchen to provide nutritious meals for children transitioning into foster care in Tennessee, 100 nonprofits received Lowe’s Hometowns grants to renovate, restore or rebuild their spaces.

The $10 million in Lowe’s Hometowns grants announced today will benefit 88 communities in 44 states and Washington, D.C. The 100 projects, selected from consumer nominations, address needs specific to each community, from access to housing and community services to support for first responders and veterans.

“The support of the Lowe’s Hometowns grant helps us continue our mission to create a path back to stability for those who took the oath to protect this country,” said Bryan Meyer, CEO of nonprofit Veterans Community Project. “Opening this community will not only benefit Sioux Falls by providing much-needed support for local veterans, but it also adds another village to our network, further strengthening our efforts to fix veteran homelessness nationwide.”

Lowe’s Hometowns, the company’s five-year, $100 million community impact program, launched in 2022. 2.5 million people are anticipated to benefit from the first two years of Lowe’s Hometowns projects within one year of project completion.1 

In addition to supporting the 100 grant-funded projects, Lowe’s associates will complete more than 1,700 community revitalization projects as a part of Lowe’s Hometowns. Lowe’s associates contribute tens of thousands of volunteer hours and use Lowe’s products, services and network of Pros to bring the renovations to life.

“Lowe’s Hometowns is all about bringing neighbors together to improve shared spaces and our communities,” said Marvin Ellison, Lowe’s chairman and CEO. “At Lowe’s we are committed to giving our customers a great place to shop, providing our associates with a wonderful place to work, while making the communities where we live and work better. We believe if we can accomplish these three commitments, we will continue to deliver shareholder value.”

Other projects funded by grants will:

kickstart a tiny home community in Lahaina, Hawaii, in partnership with Rebuild Maui, after the devastating wildfiresprovide fresh food for a Detroit neighborhood located in a food desert by transforming an abandoned lot into a vibrant garden and market space with Peace Tree Parksrenovate the Undercliff Volunteer Fire Company’s facility in Pittsburgh to make it more comfortable and welcoming for volunteers and the community

Lowe’s Hometowns is made possible by the company’s innovative partnership with Points of Light. The national nonprofit serves as a trusted community impact adviser and implementation partner.

“Grants that support nonprofits’ infrastructure and ability to provide community services are critical and often the areas that nonprofits find the most difficult to gain funding support for,” said Jennifer Sirangelo, president and CEO of Points of Light. “Lowe’s continues to set a stellar example of community impact by leveraging its resources and assets to deliver, in partnership with community, the best long-term outcomes for millions of individuals.”

Visit Lowes.com/Hometowns and follow #LowesHometowns on social media to learn more about each organization and keep up with the projects.

1 Full program impact data available in the Lowe’s Hometowns Executive Summary linked here.

Digital assets are available to download here.

About Lowe’s 

Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE: LOW) is a FORTUNE® 50 home improvement company serving approximately 16 million customer transactions a week in the United States. With total fiscal year 2023 sales of more than $86 billion, Lowe’s operates over 1,700 home improvement stores and employs approximately 300,000 associates. Based in Mooresville, N.C., Lowe’s supports the communities it serves through programs focused on creating safe, affordable housing and helping to develop the next generation of skilled trade experts. For more information, visit Lowes.com.

Media Contact

Laurel Waller 
Lowe’s Companies, Inc. 
Laurel.Waller@lowes.com