Tag: 3BL

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J., April 9, 2024 /3BL/ – The second cohort of 20 Atlantic City residents has completed the 16-week Atlantic City Infrastructure Program (ACIP), an energy workforce training program for City residents provided by the City of Atlantic City and Atlantic City Electric. The graduation celebration was held today at Stockton University’s Atlantic City Academic Center with graduates, their families and numerous officials from the region.

“I was afforded the opportunity to enter into the Atlantic City Infrastructure Program, where I was able to hone in on specific skills, which have been vital to my success,” said Austin King, graduate of the second Atlantic City Infrastructure Program cohort. “I look forward to my future career and have a true appreciation and attitude of gratitude for how this program has not only affected my life for the better, but as well as my family’s.”

The Atlantic City Infrastructure Program provides residents of Atlantic City a path to careers in the energy field, with a job opportunity for every program graduate with Atlantic City Electric or one of the company’s contractors of choice. The program focuses on members from the under-resourced population in Atlantic City, enabling participants to gain utility training and work-ready skills to prepare them for promising careers in the energy field. Since announcing in September 2022, ACIP has now graduated 46 participants.

“The Atlantic City Infrastructure Program has already opened the doors for dozens of Atlantic City residents to jumpstart their new careers, with some already earning six figures,” said City of Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small. “And we expect our new round of graduates will find similar success as they begin the next chapter in their lives. We’re grateful to continue to be able to work with Atlantic City Electric and Pepco Holdings to help make our residents dreams come true through this program.”

“I am proud of all the graduates today, who completed a rigorous curriculum that has prepared them for not just a job, but an exciting career, in the energy industry,” said Tyler Anthony, President and Chief Executive Officer of Pepco Holdings, which includes Atlantic City Electric. “We have seen first-hand the life-changing impacts ACIP has on the graduates, and they serve as strong example that the talent to power our communities, keep the lights on and transform the future of energy, lies right within their neighborhood.”

Participants in the second cohort took part in the 16-week program, which began on September 27, 2023, and attended sessions two days per week for three hours each. Training took place at Atlantic Cape Community College’s Worthington Campus in Atlantic City, who also provided the program education in partnership with the Atlantic County Workforce Development Board. Participants also received a $1,500 stipend.

The Atlantic City Infrastructure Program builds on a broader six-year, $6.5 million South Jersey Workforce Development Program that Atlantic City Electric launched in 2018 in partnership with seven South Jersey Community Colleges and Workforce Development Boards and builds upon Mayor Small’s vision to provide Atlantic City residents the tools they need to build successful careers and thrive in the workplace.

With a goal of providing every graduate a job opportunity with Atlantic City Electric or one of the company’s contractors of choice, the Atlantic City Infrastructure Program is a leading example of a corporate-community partnership that helps educate the state’s future energy workforce, resulting in positive impact on the livelihoods of individuals and families in Atlantic City while supporting the advancement of South Jersey’s economy. The third cohort is set to begin on April 10, 2024.

“New Jersey has seen an influx of infrastructure projects and investments, and with that comes an increase in quality jobs for our workers, and the Atlantic City Infrastructure Program has created a sustainable talent pipeline to help do just that,” said Robert Asaro-Angelo, commissioner of New Jersey Department of Labor. “We’re grateful to have partners in our municipalities and our employers, such as Atlantic City Electric, who are equally committed to uplifting our workforce and the Garden State.”

“I congratulate all the graduates on the successful completion of this program. These accomplishments entitle them to be candidates for employment opportunities with Atlantic City Electric and their partners,” said Fran Kuhn, Executive Director of the Atlantic County Workforce Development Board. “The graduates are now well-positioned to begin a career in the electric utility sector – which they may not have thought possible before. I wish them much success.”

In addition to these results-focused workforce development programs, Atlantic City Electric has several initiatives that are helping to open doors to new career opportunities for residents and students across South Jersey:

The company recently joined Jingoli Power to provide jobs to 16 Atlantic City young adults as part of its Atlantic City/Brigantine Community Reliability Project.The company’s High School Energy Career Academy is a four-year program focused on preparing students in grades 9 through 12, for entering post-secondary education or moving directly to employment in the energy field.Its Spark Internship Program provides an eight-week summer paid work experience and work-readiness education for rising South Jersey high school juniors and seniors with an interest in engineering, IT, technical services, trades, environmental studies and other energy industry relevant subject areas.Through the company’s Community Scholars Program, hundreds of South Jersey students have received support of up to $5,000 to pursue degrees in various disciplines, including STEM and business-related fields.

Other workforce development programs continuing in Atlantic City under the Small administration in 2024 include the Small Business Academy, a free course that educates Atlantic City residents on how to start their own business, the Investment Cohort, another free program that teaches Atlantic City residents how to become investors and the Ernest Trans Trucking School which prepares residents for a trucking career. This year, the city will also be introducing a free Welding program for Atlantic City students and adults.

Residents of Atlantic City interested in participating in the next Atlantic City Infrastructure Program cohort can contact Rachele Dorsey at Rachele.Dorsey@exeloncorp.com.

To learn more about Atlantic City Electric, visit The Source, Atlantic City Electric’s online newsroom. Find additional information by visiting atlanticcityelectric.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/AtlanticCityElectric, and on X, formerly known as Twitter, at twitter.com/AcEleCconnect. Atlantic City Electric’s mobile app is available at atlanticcityelectric.com/MobileApp.

Follow the City of Atlantic City Government online at acnj.gov, on Facebook at facebook.com/AtlanticCityGov, on Twitter at twitter.com/AtlanticCityGov and on Instagram at instagram.com/atlanticcitynjgov/. And keep up with everything happening in Atlantic City through the city’s monthly newsletter at acnj.gov/pages/great-day-gazette.

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This is the second blog in our three-part series about Cisco Foundation climate grantees working in the Amazon and South America region. You can read our first blog, about how Cisco Foundation Grantees prioritize Indigenous leadership to protect the Amazon Basin. This series will introduce you to eight Cisco Foundation Climate Impact & Regeneration grantees working to support preservation and protection of the Amazon basin through three main avenues, all of which are deeply entangled and in tandem serve to promote enduring environmental protection and preservation: Prioritizing Indigenous Sovereignty, Promoting Sustainable Livelihood Opportunities, and Scaling Innovative Financing Opportunities.

This blog was constructed in partnership with my colleagues at Kara Solar: Nantu Canelos and Oliver Utne; Andes Amazon Conservancy, Rebecca Allen; Terraso, Derek Caelin; and Risaralda Model Forest, John Rodríguez.

The Amazon rainforest is a biodiverse tropical ecosystem that spans nine South American countries, is home to over 500 Indigenous groups, and contains 10% of the world’s biodiversity. Not only does the Amazon bioregion positively impact broader South America, but it supports life around the world by stabilizing global temperatures and rainfall patterns. Yet, the region is facing enormous pressure from industrial practices such as gold mining, oil drilling, and deforestation for timber and agricultural land. It is clear that urgent action is needed to protect the future of the Amazon and its surrounding ecoregions, but to navigate highly complex sociocultural and geopolitical dynamics can be a daunting task.

Fortunately, a pathway through such complexity known as ‘sustainable livelihood opportunities’ or ‘sustainable development’ is rising to the forefront of modern conservation discourse. The term emerged from the United Nations (UN) Conference on Environment and Development summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, often known as the “Earth Summit.” Not only did this summit establish the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, along with several other high-impact commissions, but it prominently highlighted how environmental, social, and economic factors are deeply entangled, and can be pursued in harmony with one another on a global scale.

According to the WWF (formerly World Wildlife Fund for Nature), many of the most important strategies for protecting terrestrial ecosystems in the Amazon combine traditional conservation methods with sustainable landscape management practices. A multitude of opportunities and methods are rising to the forefront of modern discourse around South American ecosystem protection through practices like agroforestry and sustainable fishing. The key for these opportunities is to identify alternatives to destructive practices like intensive logging, and co-create participatory management with local communities.

What does this look like in practice? It’s my pleasure to introduce you to three Cisco Foundation grantees that are working to provide sustainable economic empowerment to local, often Indigenous, communities throughout the Amazon and its connected, neighboring ecosystems across South America.

Transportation sovereignty empowered by Kara Solar

Kara Solar formed in 2018 from an alliance between the Achuar people in Ecuador, and a multi-disciplinary engineering, design, and development team, with a clear vision to empower Indigenous communities in the Amazon with solar energy.

According to Kara Solar’s Executive Director, Nantu Canelos, the “lack of access to electricity in Indigenous communities limits our ability to access technology, improve the health and well-being of our people, and develop business that economically support our communities.” Kara Solar seeks to alleviate these pressures through three interconnected approaches: solar river transport, training Indigenous electrical technicians, and localized community energy grids.

This new model of transportation provides communities with “travel and energy sovereignty,” or the ability for communities to implement and manage resilient transportation and energy systems in their own territories, on their own terms. Nantu illustrates the importance and elegance of travel sovereignty: “it improves the quality of life of Indigenous communities and helps to conserve the environment.”

To bring this to life, Kara Solar provides training programs, localized supply chains, innovative financing mechanisms, and technical implementation. They now support a fleet of 9 boats, and 3 community solar energy grids which currently serve over 3000 people. A critical part of this model is training Indigenous technicians, which ensures the capacity to address mechanical breakdowns is local and therefore more readily available, and it provides a source of income to those who have newly developed technical skills.

“Kara” is an Achuar word for a vision that becomes real. Kara Solar’s vision is clear, ambitious, and in alignment with Cisco’s priority to accelerate the transition to clean energy while supporting resiliency and capacity.

According to Nantu, “Our vision for the future is one in which Indigenous communities move independently and autonomously with solar powered river transportation and use solar energy to illuminate homes and businesses, access technology and information, improve the health and well-being of community members, protect territories, and promote sustainable development. We are working to protect Indigenous culture and ensure that future generations are able to use technology to create new solutions that benefit the environment and humanity. We seek the protection of forests for the well-being of humanity.”

Andes Amazon Conservancy’s Edible Forest Initiative supports food sovereignty

Andes Amazon Conservancy (AAC), and their new sister nonprofit organization Biocorredores Amazónicos, seek to maintain critical connectivity, or “eco-cultural corridors” among the landscapes between the Andes Mountains and the Amazon basin by centering Indigenous-led conservation in Ecuador and innovative land-use planning. AAC currently engages with 75 Indigenous communities.

One of AAC’s flagship programs, the Edible Forest Initiative, contributes to AAC’s overall goal of creating a 175-mile-long corridor and protecting 6 million acres of land.

According to Executive Director Rebecca Allen, “Communities participating in the Edible Forest Initiative are planting 20,000 culturally relevant native fruit and nut trees over 300 acres of carefully chosen land.”

When these trees reach maturity, in an anticipated 5-years’ time, they will not only connect vast swaths of rainforest, but cash crops will also provide an essential foundation for local economies, as well as food security. This is what AAC refers to as “food sovereignty”: a reduced reliance on extractive industries that enables local, sustainable, and self-defined food systems.

The Edible Forest Initiative program is an example of how economic empowerment and food sovereignty are not diametrically opposed to ecosystem and climate resilience. Not only do trees sequester carbon and retain water, but the nurseries are strategically situated in areas that need immediate restoration and are critical for safeguarding biodiversity.

Tree roots along deforested streams and riverbanks provide soil stability, preventing erosion and runoff, and can help address those challenges. According to Rebecca, “With the guidance of conservation land-use planning, Indigenous communities make the deliberate choice to prohibit human development in these riparian areas, thus contributing to the preservation of [ecosystem] quality for both present and future generations.”

Sustainable Landscape Management in Bosque Modelo Risaralda supported by Terraso

*Please note: statements were provided in Spanish, and John Rodriguez’ original quotes can be found at the bottom of the article.

Terraso, a social enterprise from Tech Matters, seeks to put agency back in the hands of people who play a significant role in shaping their local landscapes, such as pastoralists, smallholder farmers or Indigenous people. Though these local landscape leaders can play a crucial role in managing and preserving their land, they often lack the technical instruments to bring together key collaborators, build a shared understanding, or communicate to potential donors. Terraso provides tools for participating landscapes to map and manager their territories, while providing a platform to visually tell stories about their work.

I recently had the opportunity to hear some of these stories directly from one of Terraso’s partners, the Bosque Modelo Risaralda Landscape Partnership (BMR), in Colombia, who have spent the last 25 years leading a participatory landscape management model. Covering an area of 359,000 hectares, the alliance in Risaralda unifies research universities, community organizations, governmental institutions, and donors to promote biodiversity and strengthen livelihoods through sustainable production systems. It is this collaborative effort that, according to Bosque Modelo Risaralda Manager, John Rodriguez, “will provide our socio-ecosystems with resilience in the face of climate change.”1 John affirms their belief “that it is not possible to conserve biodiversity and ecosystem services without simultaneously promoting sustainable livelihoods.”2

One specific example within BMR is the Cuchilla de San Juan coffee growers’ association (story map in Spanish), which promotes maintenance of coffee plantations through environmentally sustainable practices, such as utilizing shade trees alongside coffee bushes. A small group of local producers have restored their plantations with native species, minimized use of agrochemicals, reduced water usage, and included young people in business planning. According to John, these types of “innovations in agricultural sectors can provide flexible finance systems furthering sustainable practices and healthy lives.”3

BMR is one of many examples of integrated landscape management practices within South America that are beginning to use Terraso’s services and platform to share their successful practices with other landscape leaders and attract potential donors. Terraso and the Cisco Foundation both believe that shifting high-quality tools, information, and investments to local leaders to increase their own capacity will lead to better environmental and economic outcomes for us all.

Rather than continuing an aged paradigm of “hands-off” conservation, these three Cisco Foundation partners working in and around the Amazon are prioritizing the integration of economic livelihoods and environmental preservation with community-designed, locally driven, and culturally appropriate programs.

Our partners showcase how stable environments, inclusive societies, and thriving economies can work together to promote resiliency in our changing climate.

Footnotes:

1 – “En el Bosque Modelo Risaralda creemos que este trabajo mancomunado por las sostenibilidad es importante porque es la manera de preparar nuestros socioecosistemas para ser resilientes a los cambios, especialmente el cambio climático y el cambio global.”

2 – “Creemos que no es posible conservar la biodiversidad y los servicios ecosistémicos si al mismo tiempo no garantizamos modos de vida sostenibles”

3 – “La innovación en los sectores productivos agrícolas, la preparación social para el cambio climático, las innovaciones financieras para modos de vida sostenibles”

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How are Georgia-Pacific LLC’s paper products made? Just ask the interns and employees participating in our JumpStart Program – a hands-on program providing learning opportunities in GP’s Consumer Products division for those early in their careers.

Our “Jump Starters” recently toured GP’s Broadway mill in Green Bay, Wisconsin, where we manufacture Angel Soft®, Quilted Northern Ultra Plush®, Dixie®, Vanity Fair®, enMotion® and more brands. The group also stopped by GP Ecosource, a paper recycling operation that recycles nearly 60K tons of wastepaper per year (approximately 1 million trees!).

Based in Atlanta, Georgia-Pacific and its subsidiaries are among the world’s leading manufacturers and marketers of bath tissue, paper towels and napkins, tableware, paper-based packaging, cellulose, specialty fibers, nonwoven fabrics, building products and related chemicals. Our familiar consumer brands include Quilted Northern®, Angel Soft®, Brawny®, Dixie®, enMotion®, Sparkle® and Vanity Fair®. Georgia-Pacific has long been a leading supplier of building products to lumber and building materials dealers and large do-it-yourself warehouse retailers. Its Georgia-Pacific Recycling subsidiary is among the world’s largest traders of paper, metal and plastics. The company operates more than 150 facilities and employs more than 30,000 people directly and creates approximately 89,000 jobs indirectly. For more information, visit: gp.com/about-us . For news, visit: gp.com/news

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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., March 29, 2024 /3BL/ — When the Tampa Bay Rays win this season, so do Floridacustomers. Duke Energy will donate $1,000 to its Share the Light Fund to help families in need for every Rays regular-season game won.

The Share the Light Fund is a customer assistance program to help Florida residents pay for utility expenses, such as electric, natural gas, oil or wood. Employees, retirees, customers and Duke Energy shareholders contribute to these funds. Donations are then matched dollar for dollar, up to $500,000, by the Duke Energy Foundation.

“Year-round we provide this assistance and additional options for our customers facing financial hardship, but we especially look forward to this time of year when we can lean on the Rays and our community agencies to help us reach even more families and individuals in need,” said Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president.

All funds collected are distributed each month to numerous Florida chapters of United Way and other social service agencies assisting Duke Energy Florida customers, based on need. Click here to find a listing of service providers by county.

Last year, approximately $1.2 million in energy bill assistance was distributed to qualifying Florida customers through the company’s Share the Light Fund.

Duke Energy also offers a number of tools and resources to help customers take control of their energy use and save money. Energy and bill management programs, including Usage Alerts, inform customers when their bills may be higher than normal so they can make adjustments before their bill arrives.

Some of the available programs include:

Free Home Assessment: Find ways to reduce your home’s energy use, learn how to lower your bill and see if you qualify for rebates and free energy-saving products at duke-energy.com/FreeHomeCheck.

EnergyWise® Home: Save on your electric bill by getting up to $141 in annual bill credits while helping your community reduce energy use during periods of high demand. Find out if you are eligible at duke-energy.com/EWHSavings.

Budget Billing: Make budgeting easier with predictable monthly bills, regardless of your energy use or the weather. Plus, there are two convenient payment plans to choose from. Learn more at duke-energy.com/BudgetBilling.

Installment Plans/Payment Plans: Pay back balances over longer periods of time. Eligible customers can request flexible plans that give you more time to pay. Learn about the options at duke-energy.com/MoreTime.

Usage Alerts: Get more control over your electricity use and spending. If you have a smart meter, a mobile phone or an email address on file, you’ll automatically be enrolled to receive notifications showing how much electricity you’re using and how much it may cost, in time to adjust. Learn more at duke-energy.com/UsageAlerts.

Pick Your Due Date: With Pick Your Due Date, you can choose the date you want your energy bills to be due each month. Learn more at duke-energy.com/PYDD.

Due Date Extension: If you know ahead of time that you will miss your due date, this payment option may be for you. Extend your payment due date by up to 10 business days to avoid late fees. Learn more at duke-energy.com/ExtendDueDate.

Weatherization: This program is designed to help income-qualified customers save energy and reduce expenses through the installation of energy conservation measures in their homes. The program is available to single-family homes and multifamily units, both owners and renters with owner approval. Eligibility of participation is determined by the weatherization office and an in-home assessment. Learn more at duke-energy.com/Weatherization.

Customer Assistance: Some customers may qualify for financial assistance from various government and nonprofit programs for utility bills and other household expenses. Learn more at duke-energy.com/SpecialAssistance.

To learn more about these programs, including Share the Light Fund, visit duke-energy.com/SeasonalBills or call the Customer Care number listed on your energy bill.

Duke Energy Florida

Duke Energy Florida, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, owns 10,500 megawatts of energy capacity, supplying electricity to 1.9 million residential, commercial and industrial customers across a 13,000-square-mile service area in Florida.

Duke Energy Foundation

The Duke Energy Foundation provides more than $30 million annually in philanthropic support to meet the needs of communities where Duke Energy customers live and work. The Foundation is funded by Duke Energy shareholders.

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America’s largest energy holding companies. Its electric utilities serve 8.2 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 50,000 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas unit serves 1.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The company employs 27,600 people.

Duke Energy is executing an aggressive clean energy transition to achieve its goals of net-zero methane emissions from its natural gas business by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions from electricity generation by 2050. The company has interim carbon emission targets of at least 50% reduction from electric generation by 2030, 50% for Scope 2 and certain Scope 3 upstream and downstream emissions by 2035, and 80% from electric generation by 2040. In addition, the company is investing in major electric grid enhancements and energy storage, and exploring zero-emission power generation technologies such as hydrogen and advanced nuclear.

Duke Energy was named to Fortune’s 2023 “World’s Most Admired Companies” list and Forbes’ “World’s Best Employers” list. More information is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos and videos. Duke Energy’s illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Media contact: Audrey Stasko 
Media line: 800.559.3853

SOURCE Duke Energy

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Dayforce, Inc., a global human capital management (HCM) leader that makes work life better, today released its annual ESG Report, Impact Through Innovation. The report features its performance from the past year across the five pillars of the company’s sustainability strategy: Our People, Governance and Trust, Tech for Good, the Environment, and Our Communities.

“Our industry-leading innovation and ability to deliver quantifiable value to our customers made 2023 a tremendously successful year for Dayforce. This was only possible because we maintained our commitment to operate sustainability, act with integrity, and strengthen the communities we serve,” said David Ossip, CEO and Chair, Dayforce, Inc. “While there’s more work to be done, we are deeply proud of the progress that we’ve made. We will continue to ensure that our company – and our global people platform – remain a force for positive change.”

Key highlights from 2023 include:

Our People

Earned a 50 employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS).Established internal and external pay transparency.Expanded its Achieving Corporate Equity (ACE) program to further empower diverse talent.

Governance and Trust

Implemented an AI Governance Framework to evaluate the potential use of AI from ideation through all stages of the product development lifecycle.Earned best-in-class scores for its robust data security strategy, including from Risk Recon A (9.9/10) and BitSight (790 – Advanced) for the Dayforce Suite.

Tech for Good

Surpassed $2 billion in earned wages delivered through Dayforce Wallet since its launch.Launched Dayforce Career Explorer to empower our customers’ employees to learn new skills and pursue their professional interests through optimized career pathing.Expanded Dayforce Engagement to help organizations better measure and strengthen their employee diversity, wellness, and engagement strategies.

Environment

Reduced Scope 1 & 2 (location-based) emissions by 65% and Scope 3 economic emissions intensity by 30% since 2019.Launched its Responsible Sourcing Initiative (RSI) to advance supply chain sustainability and strengthen vendor performance on labor, human rights, climate change, and diversity.Earned its first-ever B from CDP for its work to address climate change.

Our Communities

Achieved a 50% giving and volunteering rate for its global workforce.Volunteer hours doubled from the previous year to 10,000 hours.

To download the full ESG Report, please click here.

Additional information:

Dayforce Named one of America’s Most JUST Companies by JUST Capital and CNBCDayforce Earned a First-Ever B from CDP for its Climate Change EffortsDayforce Received a Silver Sustainability Rating from EcoVadisDayforce Earned a 51 from S&P Global’s Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA)Dayforce Maintains AA Rating from MSCI ESG ResearchDayforce Strengthens Supply Chain Sustainability with New Responsible Sourcing InitiativeDayforce Strengthens Climate Strategy with SBTi Commitment and Scope 3 Emissions Reduction Target

About Dayforce 
Dayforce makes work life better. Everything we do as a global leader in HCM technology is focused on improving work for thousands of customers and millions of employees around the world. Our single, global people platform for HR, payroll, talent, workforce management, and benefits equips Dayforce customers to unlock their full workforce potential and operate with confidence. To learn how Dayforce helps create quantifiable value for organizations of all sizes and industries, visit dayforce.com.

Media Contact:
Leslie Whitelaw
1-437-224-6993

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CINCINNATI, April 9, 2024 /3BL/ – Fifth Third (NASDAQ: FITB) today announced the launch of Empowering American Cities, the outcome of a collaborative relationship with the Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Empowering American Cities delivers relevant, local economic information tailored for business leaders looking to grow their operations.

“Midsize cities are the heart and soul of our footprint. Unfortunately, there is limited data available to understand why some cities succeed as others fall behind,” said Tim Spence, chairman, chief executive officer and president of Fifth Third. “Empowering American Cities will deliver unique economic insights that put data at the center of decision-making, empowering business owners as they drive investment in their companies, their communities and ultimately our entire country.”

Empowering American Cities is built on proprietary data from the Kenan Institute, part of UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School. The Institute created Extended Metropolitan Areas (EMAs) as a designation for U.S. areas that are connected in economically meaningful ways. The EMAs account for nearly 90% of U.S. gross domestic product and encompass the 150 largest metropolitan areas from New York City, with its $2.5 trillion economic output, to cities such as Wilmington, North Carolina with its own unique economic and industrial traits.

“Pairing the Kenan Institute’s research capabilities and economic expertise with Fifth Third’s insights from its on-the-ground work, this collaborative effort will provide timely measurement of economic conditions, to help determine which policies and business practices are working – and which are not – for business owners, communities and municipalities across the country,” said Gerald Cohen, UNC Kenan Institute chief economist.

Empowering American Cities provides individually created dashboards, based on the Kenan Institute research for all EMAs. Business owners can view information side-by-side allowing for direct comparisons of fiscal characteristics and other economic health indicators. These metrics can help accelerate business decisions that drive sustainable growth.

“Through this relationship, the Kenan Institute and Fifth Third Bank will advance information and knowledge about America’s local economies,” said Jeff Korzenik, Fifth Third Commercial Bank chief economist. “There is a vital, continuing need to understand the economy at a scale that is meaningful to local businessowners and those driving communities forward, and we intend to meet this need head on.”

Together, Kenan Institute economists and Fifth Third Bank leaders developed Regional Economic Snapshots for 30 select areas analyzing drivers that power those communities forward. The Snapshots review developing indicators for labor supply, consumer demand and embedded local growth characteristics.

In the coming months, public events in select markets will feature the Empowering American Cities economist team sharing an in-depth, local economic outlook. For a full schedule, see Empowering American Cities. As the initiative expands, additional research, whitepapers and resources will become available.

About Fifth Third

Fifth Third is a bank that’s as long on innovation as it is on history. Since 1858, we’ve been helping individuals, families, businesses and communities grow through smart financial services that improve lives. Our list of firsts is extensive, and it’s one that continues to expand as we explore the intersection of tech-driven innovation, dedicated people and focused community impact. Fifth Third is one of the few U.S.-based banks to have been named among Ethisphere’s World’s Most Ethical Companies® for several years. With a commitment to taking care of our customers, employees, communities and shareholders, our goal is not only to be the nation’s highest performing regional bank, but to be the bank people most value and trust.    

Fifth Third Bank, National Association, is a federally chartered institution. Fifth Third Bancorp is the indirect parent company of Fifth Third Bank, and its common stock is traded on the NASDAQ® Global Select Market under the symbol “FITB.” Investor information and press releases can be viewed at www.53.com.

# # #

CONTACT        
Adrienne Gutbier (Media Relations)                                                                    
adrienne.gutbier@53.com | 513-534-8038
Matt Curoe (Investor Relations)
matt.curoe@53.com | 513-534-2345

“Entergy’s assistance with my taxes was truly a blessing. The entire process, from arriving at the event to the completion, was incredibly smooth. Thanks to their support, I received a substantial tax refund that I couldn’t have managed on my own, and it didn’t cost me a penny.”

–Entergy customer

An annual sponsorship of free tax preparation services has been a cornerstone of Entergy’s corporate social responsibility initiatives to help customers facing financial challenges and uplift our communities out of poverty. Each year, we sponsor Super Tax Day events and promote Volunteer Income Tax Assistance sites, or VITA, offering free tax filing services and customer assistance across our service area in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.

Last year, our IRS-certified employees contributed more than 2,800 volunteer hours to help vulnerable customers prepare and file tax returns. This dedicated effort led to an outstanding outcome where more than 37,000 Entergy customers benefited from a total of $42.7 million in federal tax refunds facilitated by Entergy-sponsored VITA sites. The positive economic ripple effect of these tax events was significant, resulting in a $64 million economic applied to the total refunds, showcasing the significant impact of our initiatives on the community.

During these events, our customers accessed valuable resources and information on tax credits and deductions they may be eligible for, including the federal Earned Income Tax Credit, or EITC. The EITC program is a crucial tool in lifting low-income individuals and their families above the poverty line. Entergy’s tax preparation volunteers helped our customers determine if they are eligible for this and other tax credits, maximizing their tax refunds.

“Each year, our employee volunteers collaborate with the IRS, United Way affiliates and nonprofits to provide free tax preparation services for our low-income customers living in our service area,” said Patty Riddlebarger, Entergy’s vice president of corporate social responsibility. “Since this service began, we have helped more than 185,000 families access $330 million in EITC refunds. This impactful initiative highlights the importance of supporting and uplifting our customers and communities.”

Since 2011, Entergy has been organizing these free Super Tax Day events to help qualifying customers claim the EITC. Entergy employees have played an important role in the success of Super Tax Day, dedicating thousands of volunteer hours to assist customers in filing taxes and claiming the EITC. By offering services like financial coaching, budget workshops and legal services, Entergy continues empowering our customers to achieve their financial goals and build generational wealth.

The 2024 tax season is still underway, with events and resources to help our customers in need break the cycle of poverty.

Customers can still receive free, in-person tax preparation services by scheduling an appointment at one of the Entergy-sponsored Volunteer Income Tax Assistance sites through April 15.

Get free tax prep help

“Entergy’s assistance with my taxes was truly a blessing. The entire process, from arriving at the event to the completion, was incredibly smooth. Thanks to their support, I received a substantial tax refund that I couldn’t have managed on my own, and it didn’t cost me a penny.”

–Entergy customer

An annual sponsorship of free tax preparation services has been a cornerstone of Entergy’s corporate social responsibility initiatives to help customers facing financial challenges and uplift our communities out of poverty. Each year, we sponsor Super Tax Day events and promote Volunteer Income Tax Assistance sites, or VITA, offering free tax filing services and customer assistance across our service area in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.

Last year, our IRS-certified employees contributed more than 2,800 volunteer hours to help vulnerable customers prepare and file tax returns. This dedicated effort led to an outstanding outcome where more than 37,000 Entergy customers benefited from a total of $42.7 million in federal tax refunds facilitated by Entergy-sponsored VITA sites. The positive economic ripple effect of these tax events was significant, resulting in a $64 million economic applied to the total refunds, showcasing the significant impact of our initiatives on the community.

During these events, our customers accessed valuable resources and information on tax credits and deductions they may be eligible for, including the federal Earned Income Tax Credit, or EITC. The EITC program is a crucial tool in lifting low-income individuals and their families above the poverty line. Entergy’s tax preparation volunteers helped our customers determine if they are eligible for this and other tax credits, maximizing their tax refunds.

“Each year, our employee volunteers collaborate with the IRS, United Way affiliates and nonprofits to provide free tax preparation services for our low-income customers living in our service area,” said Patty Riddlebarger, Entergy’s vice president of corporate social responsibility. “Since this service began, we have helped more than 185,000 families access $330 million in EITC refunds. This impactful initiative highlights the importance of supporting and uplifting our customers and communities.”

Since 2011, Entergy has been organizing these free Super Tax Day events to help qualifying customers claim the EITC. Entergy employees have played an important role in the success of Super Tax Day, dedicating thousands of volunteer hours to assist customers in filing taxes and claiming the EITC. By offering services like financial coaching, budget workshops and legal services, Entergy continues empowering our customers to achieve their financial goals and build generational wealth.

The 2024 tax season is still underway, with events and resources to help our customers in need break the cycle of poverty.

Customers can still receive free, in-person tax preparation services by scheduling an appointment at one of the Entergy-sponsored Volunteer Income Tax Assistance sites through April 15.

Get free tax prep help

April 8, 2024 /3BL/ – Last week, Direct Relief distributed 14,500 Covid-19 vaccines, donated by Pfizer Mexico, that will be administered to patients free of charge as part of an effort to protect people over the age of 12 in the State of Mexico from the Omicron variant.

Of the donation, 12,000 doses were transported to the Centro Nacional de Capacitación y Adiestramiento, or CENCAD, of the Red Cross located in Toluca, State of Mexico. Another 2,500 vaccines will be administered in the Hospital Regional de Alta Especialidad of Ixtapaluca and via a vaccination campaign in the municipalities of Lerma and Huixquilucan.

The State of Mexico has recorded the second-largest number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in the country, only below Mexico City, and the state with the largest number of deaths caused by Covid-19.

“Direct Relief is deeply thankful for the privilege to work with Pfizer Mexico on this important donation, which will benefit those in need in Mexico,” said Eduardo Mendoza, National Director of Direct Relief in Mexico. “With this donation, Direct Relief hopes to have an impact on health and health equality for the Mexican people.”

“Access is the cornerstone of healthy ecosystems, that is why we are thrilled to make this alliance with Direct Relief, which will allow us to get to a sector of the vulnerable population that needs better access paths to the treatment and vaccines that they need,” said Constanza Losada, President and General Director of Pfizer Mexico.

Originally published on HARMAN Newsroom

Digital transformation enabled healthcare organizations to collect and store vast amounts of patient data — but there’s a downside. As much as 90% of this data is unsearchable, and even searchable data is commonly stored in unconnected silos.

The result for healthcare leaders? Inefficiencies, limited collaboration and unnecessary costs. The result for patients and providers? Limited access to information and overall worse outcomes due to delayed diagnosis or errors in treatment.

But now — with the help of AI — things are changing.

Enter, Generative AI

“Generative AI can liberate this data,” said Dr. Jai Ganesh, chief product officer at HARMAN Digital Transformation Solutions. “HealthGPT leverages generative AI to help organizations, clinicians and professionals across the continuum of healthcare do a better, faster job.”

HARMAN HealthGPT is a private large language model (LLM) trained to process and generate human language using vast amounts of data. LLMs will ultimately enable healthcare professionals to provide better care for their patients by making better, more informed decisions.

For example, sepsis is responsible for 20% to 50% of U.S. hospital deaths each year; yet clinicians cannot identify the cause of sepsis in an estimated 30% to 50% of cases. This can leave them struggling with a difficult decision: which treatment should they choose? By applying machine learning to advanced genomics data from both microbe and host, researchers at the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and UC San Francisco were able to identify 99% of confirmed bacterial sepsis cases and 92% of confirmed viral sepsis cases, pointing doctors to the most effective treatment.

Public vs. Private LLMs

Public LLMs are pre-trained on general-purpose data from the open web and then fine-tuned for specific tasks. These models are powerful and versatile, but they may not capture the nuances of healthcare-specific vocabulary, terminology and concepts — not to mention constraints regarding their explainability and cost.

WhereasHealthGPT,a private LLM, is built from scratch or adapted from existing models using an organization’s data sets, such as clinical trial data and medical records. This gives healthcare leaders more control over the model’s performance, quality and security. It also helps enable precise customization, innovation and differentiation, all at an optimized cost.

Responsible AI and the Human Touch

Any AI advancements in healthcare must prioritize data privacy and security. HealthGPT is built on the key principles of responsible AI — the practice of developing and using AI systems in a way that benefits individuals, groups and broader society while minimizing the risk of negative consequences. It has also been tested for accuracy and hallucinations — incorrect, false or misleading results — using HARMAN proprietary automated testing framework. Healthcare experts then step in to validate these results.

“Healthcare is a highly regulated industry,” said Dr. Ganesh. “We have rigorous controls including multiple levels of checks and balances to help ensure against algorithm bias. Every decision has human oversight — what’s known as a human in the loop. Our cross-functional team includes certified experts, physicians and other medical specialists as well as data scientists.”

Breaking Down Healthcare Barriers With a Dose of Data

Gaining access to unsearchable and siloed data can significantly benefit the healthcare industry. But HealthGPT takes it a step further, removing obstacles specific to every domain — from the patient experience to the health insurance process. Here’s how.

Drug and Medical Equipment Manufacturers

From identifying targets through testing to regulatory approval, it is no surprise that developing new drugs is a complex, time-consuming and expensive operation. HealthGPT can accelerate the process and minimize costs with: faster and easier evaluation of drug interactions; identification of disease mechanisms; and extraction of valuable insights from clinical trial data.

In addition, HealthGPT can help manufacturers get medical equipment to market more quickly by optimizing workflows and smoothing the supply chain. It can also speed up FDA compliance with faster, more accurate quality control and streamline all stages of the clinical trials process by searching for appropriate participants and reducing the risk of errors.

Health Insurance Providers

The ability to analyze, understand, organize and apply vast amounts of data gives HealthGPT the power to transform the health insurance domain. Predictive analytics can help determine the cost of premiums by assessing risks, outcomes and likely claims, while streamlined claims processes, precise customization and opportunities for innovative solutions can enhance the customer experience. Deep learning and pattern recognition across massive data sets could also help reduce the losses associated with fraud.

Patients

Patients describe their symptoms and clinicians explain their treatment but often, misunderstandings can lead to poorer outcomes. LLMs like HealthGPT can help break down barriers to good communication by simplifying complex terminology, summarizing notes and providing fast and accurate translations between languages. With this level of understanding, patients can actively participate in discussions and decisions around their treatment.

LLMs can increase patient participation in preventive care by keeping track of routine screenings and sending reminders when they’re due. They can also support early detection by analyzing patient risk, including medical history and current symptoms, and enhance the potential of virtual care.

Healthcare Providers

As we saw in the sepsis example, accurate and timely information impacts medical decisions in real time for healthcare professionals. As well as providing unprecedented access to data, HealthGPT can analyze the unstructured or conversational data created by medical videos, wearable health monitoring devices, diagnostic images, medical charts and clinical notes. It summarizes patient case notes, writes referral letters and answers questions related to medical conditions and clinical practice guidelines. This level of clear, concise, up-to-date information can reduce the risk of human errors that can devastate both doctor and patient, as well as free up time for providers to spend with their patients.

LLMs are also highly effective at the enterprise level, streamlining the management and operational processes of a healthcare facility.

AI Rx: A Prescription for Progress

Dr. Ganesh believes that healthcare is primed for disruption with customized AI technology. “Customization is key,” he said. “One of the reasons we chose healthcare for our first private LLM is the quality of the data available for training the model.”

As AI technology advances, it will open up more opportunities for efficiency, speed, reduced costs and improved patient care.

“HealthGPT can already address complex queries in three clinical trial areas — breast cancer, immune diseases and heart disease — and we’re expanding this capacity to other diseases,” explained Dr. Ganesh. “In the future, we’re confident it will play a significant role in emerging fields such as precision medicine, genomics, and disease prevention.”

Carlos de Paladella Salord, director of clinical solutions at ELSEVIER Health, believes that doctors who integrate AI into their practices will outpace those who don’t.

“All healthcare professionals who integrate AI and data analysis into their practices stand to gain a considerable edge,” he said.

With LLMs revolutionizing how we utilize healthcare data, individuals could manage their medical needs more independently, paving the way for exciting possibilities, such as self-service medicine, and leading to greater convenience in healthcare. While the future is unknown, AI is a prescription for progress in the healthcare industry, offering the promise of improved diagnostics, personalized treatments and more efficient healthcare delivery systems.

Learn more about how you can harness the power of private LLMs like HealthGPT and transform your healthcare organization.

By Domini Stuart