Tag: 3BL

CALGARY, Alberta, February 6, 2024 /3BL/ – Benevity Inc. the leading provider of global corporate purpose software, today released The State of Corporate Volunteering, a report from Benevity Impact Labs that reveals a surge in corporate volunteerism as companies seek ways to address the challenges of employee connection in a hybrid work world. The data revealed a 57% year-over-year increase in the rate of global employee volunteering participation and a 41% year-over-year increase in the total number of volunteer hours dedicated by companies and their people. Since the onset of the pandemic, there has been a 15% increase in the prevalence of companies running volunteering initiatives as part of their employee engagement programs.

The surge in volunteering comes at a time when companies are looking for ways to more effectively engage their employees, both in the office and remotely, while driving social and business impact. The report found in-person volunteering saw a major rise with participation 3.6 times greater than the previous year. At the same time, 51% of hours associated with volunteer opportunities on the Benevity platform were virtual (compared to 23% before the pandemic), allowing remote or hybrid employees to participate and donate their time and skills to nonprofits they care about from anywhere.

As companies increased their investment in employee volunteering programs, there was an influx of new volunteers – 65% of volunteers logged their first hours in the past year – providing a vital source of support for nonprofits who are struggling to attract and retain talent in a volatile economy. The report delivers data-backed insights into how companies can create a culture of sustained volunteering to maximize the social impact of their programs, improve cross-company connections and build team cohesion no matter where teams work. 

Other key findings from the study include:

Companies see 12 times the participation when providing flexibility by promoting both volunteer opportunities created by the company and opportunities initiated by employees.On average, companies that leveraged team volunteering saw 7.5 times the volunteering participation rate; companies that supported employee-created volunteer opportunities averaged 2.7 times the volunteering participation rate and those who promoted company-wide volunteering events saw 2.5 times the volunteering participation rate.Sixty percent (60%) of companies offer rewards, such as dollars employees can donate to the nonprofit of their choice in exchange for volunteer hours; rewards are correlated with further engagement, with the average number of volunteer hours per volunteer 50% higher in companies that offer rewards.While volunteering still encompasses traditional corporate volunteering events, the majority of programs now include Volunteer Acts of Kindness (VAOK), which include mutual aid or positive actions that are not in direct support of a nonprofit, such as helping a neighbor in need, attending a learning session hosted by an employee resource group or participating in a beach or park cleanup; 80% of companies allow VAOK and the category makes up 35% of total volunteer hours. VAOK can act as an entry point for further social action, particularly for Gen Z workers, who are not as engaged in traditional volunteering as their millennial or Gen X counterparts.European and Asia-Pacific countries showed higher rates of participation than those in North America, reflecting how volunteering in those regions is a more common, accessible and culturally valued way of giving back to one’s community.

“As we enter into an election year that is sure to create divides, volunteering offers an antidote to polarization and a way to build bridges. Volunteering alongside people who come from different walks of life broadens our horizons and fosters a compassion and empathy within us that helps to improve us as people while also enhancing teams, companies and communities.”

– Sona Khosla, Benevity’s Chief Impact Officer

“We know that workers who are engaged in company social impact programs are less likely to leave their companies, and a recent study showed that among corporate wellness programs, participation in charity or volunteer work stands out as one of the few interventions that leads to improved well-being,” said Sona Khosla, Benevity’s Chief Impact Officer. “As we enter into an election year that is sure to create divides, volunteering offers an antidote to polarization and a way to build bridges. Volunteering alongside people who come from different walks of life broadens our horizons and fosters a compassion and empathy within us that helps to improve us as people while also enhancing teams, companies and communities.”

The State of Corporate Volunteering report analyzed data from 473 companies with active volunteering programs on the Benevity platform from April 1, 2022 to March 30, 2023, representing 18 countries and 12.9 million users.

To learn more about how companies can expand volunteering programs and support their employees, read The State of Corporate Volunteering here. Additionally, learn more about Benevity and its volunteering solutions here. 
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About Benevity 
Benevity, a certified B Corporation, is the leader in global corporate purpose software, providing the only integrated suite of community investment and employee, customer and nonprofit engagement solutions. Recognized as one of Fortune’s Impact 20, Benevity offers cloud solutions that power purpose for many iconic brands in ways that better attract, retain and engage today’s diverse workforce, embed social action into their customer experiences and positively impact their communities. With software that is available in 22 languages, Benevity has processed more than $14 billion in donations and 72 million hours of volunteering time to support 450,000 nonprofits worldwide. The company’s solutions have also facilitated 1.1 million micro-actions and awarded 1.2 million grants worth $19 billion. For more information, visit benevity.com.

Media Contact: Zamira Tasneem│ Media & Communications Manager │ 1.416.451.6511 │ press@benevity.com

We’ve all experienced huge changes in the workplace over the past few years. We’ve dealt with a global pandemic, an energy crisis, an increasing awareness of climate change, and all this and more has taken its toll. Remote and hybrid working has become widespread, and workers are putting more focus on the things that matter most to them. Sustainability is often near the top of the list.

60% of organisations already have sustainability strategies in place[1], which can make a huge difference when it comes to meeting targets and attracting the best employees. You should never dismiss the impact that an effective sustainability strategy can have on this front – for example, 70% of today’s workforce are more willing to accept positions from companies engaged in sustainability[2].

Technology providers like Lenovo can help your business on its sustainability journey with a tailored approach that can meet the challenges of a modern workplace head on.

Ensuring sustainability is built in from the beginning

There are many challenges when it comes to meeting sustainability targets in the modern workplace. These include supporting hybrid workers, providing energy-efficient end-user devices, accurately measuring carbon footprint, eliminating packaging waste, streamlining deployment, optimising datacentre use, extending device lifecycles, securing end-of-life dispositions, and managing e-waste, among others.

The list can feel overwhelming but aligning your technology and sustainability goals can help. This doesn’t simply begin when devices arrive at your offices; it needs to be integrated into your tech stack right from the beginning.

Consider how your devices are made. Since early 2005, Lenovo’s cumulative total use of recycled plastics in products has reached over 130 million kilograms. We used 75% post-consumer recycled aluminium for the A/C covers of the ThinkPad Z series. Nearly 300 of our products contain closed-loop post-consumer recycled content (PCC) sourced from recycled end-of-life IT and electronics equipment, and that’s just for starters.

We pioneered low-temperature solder technology that improves the reliability, efficiency and cost of manufacturing[3], and have also launched our first packing cushion containing ocean-bound plastic (OBP) in ThinkPad L14 packaging with 30% OBP and 70% other recycled plastics. By combining bamboo fibre technology with other innovative materials, we have accomplished plastic-free packaging on ThinkPad X1 and Z series. As a result, Lenovo eliminated 192 metric tons of plastic in packaging. So, as you can see, we’re committed to implementing sustainable practices and strive to make a positive environmental impact in the world through our business.

Cutting packaging waste and reducing the impact of shipping

Lenovo’s bulk packaging services also help to minimise packaging waste. Benefits include a reduction in waste with less discarded material, lower transit costs, and improved storage and higher pallet utilisation.

We can help when it comes to the packaging of your data centre as well, streamlining your installation and rack integration. We can deliver our servers pre-installed and shipped in the rack, for example, which reduces consumption per rack by 105 pounds of cardboard[4], while also offering a 75% faster time from arrival to production readiness3. Not only does this help with sustainability, it helps from an operational point of view.

There are choices to make when it comes to shipping, and Lenovo can help you to choose the most effective method of transport that minimises emissions. Our Reduced Carbon Transport Service strikes a balance between delivery times and sustainability, shipping by air but also using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) credits. This can provide a minimum 70% CO2 emissions reduction compared to traditional jet fuel emissions[5].

Embracing energy-efficient end-user devices and data centres

Naturally, the devices you choose make a huge difference when it comes to creating a sustainable modern workplace. An on-demand data centre providing a cloud-like experience such as Lenovo TruScale Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) means you only deploy the resources required, eliminating excess capacity and making it easier to manage the provisioning of end-user devices and data centres.

TruScale IaaS metering capabilities also means you’ll be easily able to monitor power consumption, utilisation, and temperature in the data centre, giving you real-time visibility of your infrastructure’s health and energy use. It’s well worth the effort; optimising your datacentre with Lenovo TruScale IaaS can help reduce CO2 and power consumption by up to 20%[6].

Cutting-edge solutions such as Lenovo’s Neptune technology also play a part, providing direct water cooling for data centres, delivering 95% heat removal efficiency and up to 40% lower power consumption[7].

Adding carbon offset services to mitigate unavoidable emissions

Some emissions will always remain unavoidable, but you can still do your bit to mitigate these through carbon offsetting. Lenovo CO2 Offset Services provides a seamless, tangible, transparent process that offsets the estimated carbon emissions associated with our devices

When you choose to opt-in, our service will offset your devices’ emissions by supporting verified United Nations, CDM, Gold Standard®, Climate Action Reserve climate action projects. It will offer an easy and tangible way to show your commitment to sustainability.

Navigating sustainability with the power of AI

AI solutions can help assess carbon footprints, mitigate waste, eliminate duplication, and give access to data to help organisations make more informed decisions around sustainability.

For example, AI can help businesses simulate the carbon impact of different IT purchasing decisions upfront. At Lenovo, we are building an AI-powered Sustainability Engine called Lenovo Intelligent Sustainability Solutions Advisor (L.I.S.S.A) to help enterprises see the impact of their IT purchases and choose the best IT sustainability path that fits their needs. By bringing the carbon impact alongside the dollar value of each decision, businesses can make more informed IT decisions that prioritise sustainability.

Creating a purpose-driven workplace

By working closely with your technology partner, and embracing a tailored approach to sustainability, you can tackle the challenges of implementing a sustainability strategy in the modern workplace head-on.

Not only will this help you to demonstrate your commitment to sustainability and a smarter future, but embracing a more efficient approach to sustainability will help you improve recruitment and retention[8], helping your business to meet its potential.

[1] World Economic Forum, “Why sustainability is crucial for corporate strategy,” June 2022

[2]  IBM, “Balancing sustainability and profitability: How businesses can protect people, planet and the bottom line,” April 2022

[3] Lenovo internal research

[4] Lenovo Internal Source, 2023

[5]  Approximate percentage LCA GHG reduction versus fossil jet based on feedstock used in SAF such as waste and residue lipids, oilseed bearing trees on low-ILUC degraded land or as a rotational oil cover crops. Indirect CO2 emissions reduction benefit is obtained through the purchase of Sustainable Aviation Fuel credits.

[6]  TruScale IaaS accurately reports on power and CO2 emissions allowing managed infrastructures to be designed, implemented and tuned not only for performance and capacity but also for CO2 emissions. Ongoing monitoring of the system using Lenovo XClarity Power Monitor and systems performance figures are used to optimise power consumption by the infrastructure. CO2 emissions will be calculated based on the localised carbon footprint of the power source used

[7]  Lenovo Internal Source, 2023

[8]  IBM, “Balancing sustainability and profitability: How businesses can protect people, planet and the bottom line,” April 2022

February 5, 2024 /3BL/ – AMD is ranked 9th on America’s Most JUST Companies, recognizing the company’s commitment to serving its workers, customers, communities, the environment, and shareholders.

JUST Capital, along with CNBC, released its annual JUST 100 list as part of its 2024 rankings of America’s Most JUST Companies. The rankings measure how the nation’s largest corporations are performing on the business issues that matter most to Americans. The issues – which include paying a fair and living wage, supporting workforce retention and training, providing benefits and work-life balance, addressing human rights in the supply chain, protecting customer privacy, minimizing pollution and more – are defined annually by an extensive nationwide polling process done on a fully representative basis. The top 100 companies – the JUST 100 – are determined by scoring performance across the full range of criteria and comparing companies head-to-head.

“AMD is honored to be recognized by JUST Capital as one of America’s Most JUST Companies. Together with our employees, customers and partners, we are driving innovation in high performance and adaptive computing to advance solutions to the world’s most important challenges. This achievement reflects our company’s increased action and transparency on key issues, while affirming that when we do right by our company’s stakeholders, we can deliver shared value for society and the planet,” said AMD Corporate Responsibility Director, Justin Murrill. “We commend the collective leadership and efforts by JUST 100 companies to enable a more just and sustainable world.”

For the annual Rankings, JUST Capital collects and analyzes corporate data to evaluate the 1,000 largest public U.S. companies across 20 issues identified through comprehensive, ongoing public opinion research on Americans’ attitudes toward responsible corporate behavior. JUST Capital has engaged more than 170,000 participants since 2015. JUST Capital is an independent nonprofit focused on demonstrating how just business – defined by the priorities of the public – is better business.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark., February 5, 2024 /3BL/ – Arkansas Steel Associates is the among the first customers to cover 100 percent of their energy usage with offerings from Entergy Arkansas’ Go ZERO tariff, which gives commercial and industrial customers customizable options for green and clean energy.

Go ZERO, which stands for Zero Emissions Resource Options, allows customers to acquire green and clean energy attributes associated with the output of Entergy Arkansas’ existing emissions-free generation resources, as well as additional renewable energy resources as they come online.

“While Arkansas Steel Associates has been doing business in Newport for 35 years, it’s important to note that we also do business throughout North America, so having this green and clean energy option in Arkansas is really important to us and our customers. Access to carbon-free and affordable electricity is a big advantage for doing business here,” said Tommy Okada, president and chief executive officer of Arkansas Steel Associates.

Go ZERO allows public and private sector customers to utilize regionally-sourced nuclear and renewable resources, including solar, hydro or wind. The new program supports 24/7 hourly matching of green and clean energy with consumers’ electricity needs, blending both existing and new carbon-free power generation. The goal is for Entergy Arkansas customers in both the public and private sector to have a cost-competitive and reliable option for clean energy that matches their electricity consumption for all hours of the day.

Since its approval in August, Go ZERO has been a popular offering with customers. There are currently eleven commercial/industrial subscribers to the program, including the federal government, the nation’s largest energy consumer. The Government Services Administration has the goal of achieving 100 percent clean energy offerings by 2030. Other companies like All Weather Insulated Panels of Little Rock are also taking advantage of the clean energy credits.

“Programs like Go ZERO are a component of providing reliable, sustainable, and affordable electric utility service to all our customers. These programs positively support green and clean energy investment here in the Natural State, and Entergy Arkansas is excited to see Arkansas Steel Associates, one of our largest customers, take advantage of our clean energy options,” said Laura Landreaux, president and CEO of Entergy Arkansas. “We work with our customers to develop options that meet their sustainability goals, and we are delighted to see this partnership succeed.”

Arkansas Steel’s participation in Go ZERO is another example of how Entergy Arkansas’ utility scale resources serve as an economic development tool to help support new investment and employment opportunities to Arkansas.

Our renewable resources provide benefits to all our customers, and offerings such as Go ZERO help our customers meet their renewable and clean energy objectives while maintaining reliable and affordable electric utility service to all our customers.

Providing benefits to all customers with our investments in renewable resources and maintaining a diverse generation portfolio benefits all our customers in contrast to other options that can shift costs to other customers.

Go ZERO provides three options for customers to meet their sustainability goals:

A subscription to Asset-Backed Renewable Energy Credits from renewable resources, with the RECs retired on behalf of the subscribing customerA vehicle for providing customers with Asset-Backed Zero-Emission Alternative Energy Certificates for the customer’s share of existing nuclear and hydro resources, with the AECs retired on behalf of the subscribing customer24/7 Time-Match Reporting of the customer’s Scope 2 emissions associated with the customer’s retail purchases of electricity

To subscribe to Go ZERO or get more information, visit renew.entergy.com. You may also contact the Entergy Business Center at 1-800-766-1648 or email GoZEROArkansas@entergy.com.

About Entergy Arkansas

Entergy Arkansas, LLC provides electricity to approximately 730,000 customers in 63 counties. Entergy Arkansas is a subsidiary of Entergy Corporation, a Fortune 500 electric company. Entergy powers life for 3 million customers through our operating companies in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. We’re investing in the reliability and resilience of the energy system while helping our region transition to cleaner, more efficient energy solutions. With roots in our communities for more than 100 years, Entergy is a nationally recognized leader in sustainability and corporate citizenship. Since 2018, we have delivered more than $100 million in economic benefits each year to local communities through philanthropy, volunteerism and advocacy. Entergy is headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, and has approximately 12,000 employees. For the latest news from Entergy Arkansas, visit the Newsroom and connect with @EntergyArk on social media.

MEMPHIS, Tenn., February 5, 2024 /3BL/ – According to the latest numbers available from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, work-related injury incidents for recycling industry workers has increased. One such injury can occur while loading and unloading baled material from a trailer. If not loaded properly in the final row next to the trailer door, the 2,000-pound bales are prone to shifting and falling, which can cause serious injuries and even death.

International Paper has developed a new tutorial video that demonstrates safe trailer loading requirements for baled material.

“To help ensure the continued safety efforts of our industry, we created a step-by-step video guide demonstrating the safe loading and proper stacking of bales at the door of the trailer,” said Levell Hairston, VP & General Manager, IP Recycling. “The process is a requirement for IP suppliers and the we hope the industry can take advantage of this training tool as well.”

The tutorial covers the acceptable bale-loading patterns and stresses the importance of:

Inspecting the TrailerChecking Bale Integrity and WiringIdentifying Unsafe Door Loads

About International Paper 
International Paper (NYSE: IP) is a global producer of sustainable packaging, pulp and other fiber-based products, and one of the world’s largest recyclers. Headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., we employ approximately 39,000 colleagues globally who are committed to creating what’s next. We serve customers worldwide, with manufacturing operations in North America, Latin America, North Africa and Europe. Net sales for 2023 were $18.9 billion. Additional information can be found by visiting internationalpaper.com.

Poets, writers, visual artists, singers, and dancers historically have served as change agents through their crafts and artistic expression. This Black History Month, we acknowledge the countless works that African American/Black artists have contributed to inspire communities, speak truth to power, and inspire globally. 

T. Rowe Price and its philanthropic arm—the T. Rowe Price Foundation—see possibilities and seek to expand opportunities for all by fostering growth, advancing learning, and lifting one another up in our communities. Our efforts come to life through deep relationships that include pro bono and volunteer opportunities and experiences, grant-making, associate giving, community partnerships, and signature programming. 

As our firm celebrates Black History Month in the U.S., MOSAIC @ T. Rowe Price, one of our firm’s global associate-led business resource groups, and its African Heritage Community are hosting an educational event focused on African Americans and the arts. Here, we also would like to highlight a few of the arts organizations that our firm and Foundation have proudly supported, collectively granting more than $400,000 since 2018. 

Afro House

Afro House is a company of professional musicians, dancers, designers, actors, image-makers, and writers who channel their collective skills, knowledge, and craftsmanship to disrupt normative ideas and push the boundaries of their own disciplines to create something revolutionary. The vision of Afro House is led by Artistic Director Scott Patterson, a pianist, composer, and librettist. Patterson has been recognized as a 2020 Saul Zaentz Innovation Fund Fellow, a Baker Artist Awardee, and a Mary Sawyers Imboden Awardee. His work with Afro House has been featured in the PBS “Great Performances” series.

Baltimore Center Stage 

Founded in 1963 and designated the State Theater of Maryland in 1978, Baltimore Center Stage ignites conversations and imaginations by producing an eclectic season of professional productions and by presenting engaging education programs for community members, including youth and families. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Stevie Walker-Webb and Managing Director Adam Frank, Center Stage leads with its core values—chief among them being access for all—to provide active and open arts and education accessibility for everyone, regardless of barriers.

CityLit Project

CityLit Project nurtures the culture of literature in Baltimore and throughout Maryland by creating enthusiasm for the literary arts, connecting a community of avid readers and writers, and designing opportunities for diverse audiences to embrace the literary arts. CityLit delivers informative and compelling events that are accessible and largely free at unique venues around Baltimore. The nonprofit highlights nationally recognized Black writers, including Kiese Laymon, Nikole Hannah-Jones, Nikky Finney, and Remica Bingham-Risher, in master classes and other events. CityLit Project is also a partner in the One Book Baltimore program, an initiative spearheaded by the T. Rowe Price Foundation and the Enoch Pratt Free Library to encourage reading and community dialogue.

DewMore Baltimore

DewMore fosters civic engagement with historically marginalized peoples through art-focused programming and purposeful partnerships with organizations, schools, and governmental agencies that foster empowerment, capacity for change, and community development. The nonprofit uses poetry as a platform and tool to inspire young people to become leaders, to call out social injustices, and to act as catalysts for the change they want to see in their communities. 

The Pennsylvania Avenue Black Arts & Entertainment District

The Pennsylvania Avenue corridor in West Baltimore was designated as Maryland’s first Black Arts and Entertainment District to highlight and celebrate the cultural contributions of African Americans and to create a new destination centered on and catered to Black arts, entertainment, and culture. The district empowers Black artists and continues community-based revitalization efforts in West Baltimore through events and activities, training and development, and advocacy and education. 

The Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture

As a Smithsonian affiliate, the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture documents, interprets, and preserves the complex experiences, contributions, and culture of Black people. It serves as a catalyst of sustained change by providing robust programs and exhibitions and bold conversations that educate and challenge. Founded in 2005, the 82,000-square-foot facility accommodates over 13,000 square feet of permanent and temporary exhibition space, hosting more than 11,000 objects in its permanent collection, special exhibitions, educational programs, and public events. 

Throughout Black History Month and other celebrations of diversity, we invite you to learn more about our diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and how our differences bring us together at troweprice.com/diversity.

202401-3348793

February 5, 2024 /3BL/ – As part of Lowe’s continued work to make communities better for all, the home improvement company is accepting project nominations for Lowe’s Hometowns. Now in its third year, the five-year, $100 million impact program revitalizes community spaces including food pantries, veteran support programs, first responder facilities, affordable housing services and community gardens.

Watch Lowe’s Hometowns in action. >>

Now through Feb. 19, people across the country are encouraged to go to Lowes.com/Hometowns to nominate a project to be part of Lowe’s Hometowns.

This year, Lowe’s associates will complete nearly 1,800 projects to improve their communities, including 100 signature grant projects selected through nominations and 1,700 selected by Lowe’s associates. Each project is supported by knowledgeable Lowe’s red vest associates, who contribute tens of thousands of volunteer hours and leverage Lowe’s vast product assortment, services and network of Pros to bring the renovations to life.

“We have a responsibility to the communities we serve to be part of the solution to their most critical issues. Giving back is core to who we are and made possible by our associates’ ability to get things done,” said Marvin Ellison, Lowe’s chairman and CEO. “Lowe’s Hometowns projects are helping to improve millions of lives across the country, and I’m excited to see the meaningful impact this program will make in 2024.”

In 2023, Lowe’s partnered with music icon and Tuskegee, Alabama native Lionel Richie to turn an undeveloped plot of land into a vibrant community space across from historic Tuskegee University. “Hello Park” is expected to open this spring.

“This place is so special to me. I grew up in the Tuskegee community. I spent my early years inspired by the Tuskegee Airmen, Booker T. Washington, George Washington Carver, just to name a few,” Richie said. “And now, I want to build something where others can come to reflect on their lives. “Hello Park” will be a destination for light, inspiration and, more importantly, love for everyone who visits.”

Lowe’s associates also helped turn an unused space into a community gathering hub for veterans transitioning out of homelessness at Americans for Independent Living in Waterloo, Iowa; renovated the Wedington volunteer fire station in Fayetteville, Arkansas; and built and landscaped a playground and play space specially crafted for deaf and hard of hearing children with Aid the Silent in San Antonio.

“Deaf children with cochlear implants cannot play on plastic playgrounds because the static electricity wipes out the programming of their implant,” said Emma Faye Rudkin, founder and executive director of Aid the Silent. “Our families are beyond ecstatic about having a safe place for their deaf, hard of hearing and hearing children to play, do homework and hang out.”

Since 2022, with the help of program implementation partner Points of Light, the Lowe’s Hometowns signature grant program has renovated 149 community centers, affordable housing facilities, shelters and food pantries; refurbished 15 first responder, veteran and military family facilities; and built and improved 54 community gardens, parks and playgrounds – among many other impactful projects. More than 2.5 million people are anticipated to benefit from the first two years of Lowe’s Hometowns projects within one year of project completion1.

“We’re proud to work alongside Lowe’s and be their trusted program partner to create an incredible investment that positively impacts communities. Time and time again, we’ve seen Lowe’s Hometowns projects inspire community members to come together to address needs in their own neighborhoods,” said Jennifer Sirangelo, Points of Light president and CEO. “This program creates a powerful and needed platform to build connections that serve to strengthen and benefit communities for years to come.”

Visit Lowes.com/hometowns for complete program terms and to learn more.

About Lowe’s

Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE: LOW) is a FORTUNE® 50 home improvement company serving approximately 17 million customer transactions a week in the U.S. With total fiscal year 2022 sales of over $97 billion, approximately $92 billion of sales were generated in the U.S., where 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.

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

Contact: Laurel Waller 
Lowe’s Companies, Inc. 
laurel.waller@lowes.com

View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lowes-invites-communities-to-nominate-projects-for-lowes-hometowns-grant-program-302041443.html

The Consumer Goods Forum is currently seeking to recruit experts to perform benchmarks for the Sustainable Supply Chain Initiative (SSCI). The present call for experts is open for the recruitment of a new Benchmark Leader with experience in the environmental industry. By participating, your knowledge and experience will greatly support the objectives of the SSCI of providing transparency on credible and robust third-party auditing or certification schemes.

The SSCI promotes good social and environmental practices in global supply chains by benchmarking third-party auditing and certification schemes and recognising robust schemes. By providing an open source list of recognised schemes, the SSCI delivers clear guidance on which schemes cover key sustainability criteria and apply robust verification practices. The initiative will initially focus on social compliance with a view to expanding the scope to environmental compliance.

We are looking for motivated candidates who have excellent knowledge of the environmental industry. The chosen candidates will be required to accompany and manage the benchmarking process of environmental compliance schemes.

The present call for applications will remain open until 16 February 2024.

For more information please take a look at the full position description or you may email us .

APPLY NOW

MetLife

NEW YORK /3BL/ – MetLife Foundation today announced an additional $1 million commitment to its Community Impact Grant Program, which it launched in June of 2023. The program’s success resulted from the dedication and passion of MetLife employees whose efforts expanded the Foundation’s impact and involvement in communities where MetLife has a presence.

MetLife employees will continue to lead the effort as the Foundation issues request for proposal (RFP) opportunities in 2024 to provide immediate assistance to communities across the U.S.

A selection committee of MetLife employee volunteers will award grants to local grassroots organizations who are addressing emergency needs of people with low- to moderate-incomes and communities impacted by the growing income and wealth divide. For this funding round, MetLife Foundation grants will go to organizations who serve one of the seven eligible cities and plan to implement their program in one of the following counties:

Cary, NC (Chatham, Durham, Wake Counties),New York, NY (Bronx, New York, Queens, Kings, Richmond Counties),Omaha, NE (Douglas County),Philadelphia, PA (Philadelphia County),San Francisco, CA (Alameda, San Francisco Counties),St. Louis, MO (St. Louis County) andTampa, FL (Hillsborough County)

“We launched this program to demonstrate employee care and create connectivity and vitality across our communities. Last year’s success resulted from MetLife employees coming together to live our purpose and drive change in our communities,” said Mike Zarcone, Head of Corporate Affairs for MetLife and Chairman of MetLife Foundation. “Our employees continue to be at the center of our effort to reach those in need and provide a source of immediate assistance.”

The grant program will support four focus areas to address acute needs disproportionately impacting people with low- to moderate-incomes. Selected recipients will receive programmatic support through grants between $5,000 – $50,000 in the following focus areas:

Hunger Relief and Nutrition to provide access to healthy food options that address food insecurity, nutrition and healthy eating.Physical and Mental Well-Being to provide access to shelters and affordable housing, social services, mental health and well-being services.Environmental Sustainability to mitigate the impact of changing weather patterns and improve the environment in local communities.Quality of Life to improve access to transportation to increase the accessibility of support for critical needs and services; emergency supplies, clothing and financial support; and access to recreation, arts and cultural experiences.

The RFP for this latest round of funding is now open and available on MetLife Foundation’s website, with another request for proposal opportunity to be issued later in 2024. The Foundation will accept applications to the Community Impact Grant Program until Friday, March 15 at 8:00 p.m. EDT. All organizations who apply will receive a decision on their proposal in May 2024.

For more information on the program, visit www.Metlife.org

About MetLife Foundation

At MetLife Foundation, we are committed to driving inclusive economic mobility for underserved and low-income communities around the world. We collaborate with nonprofit organizations and provide grants aligned to three strategic focus areas – economic inclusion, financial health and resilient communities – while engaging MetLife employee volunteers to help drive impact. MetLife Foundation was established in 1976 to continue MetLife’s long tradition of corporate contributions and community involvement. Since its inception, MetLife Foundation has contributed over $1 billion to strengthen communities where MetLife has a presence. To learn more about MetLife Foundation, visit www.metlife.org.

Contact:

MetLife 
Olivia Janicelli 
(212) 578-3547 
olivia.janicelli@metlife.com

Frito-Lay, in partnership with PepsiCo and the PepsiCo Foundation, proudly celebrate their continued support of Dallas College students and their collaboration with the college’s Advanced Transportation Technology Division to create workforce readiness opportunities to prepare students for the next stage of their career. On January 18, 2024, PepsiCo donated a much-needed international Class 8 Heavy-Duty tractor to Dallas College Cedar Valley campus. This donation will enhance hands-on learning opportunities for students in the Diesel Preventative Maintenance Program and symbolizes a broader commitment to supporting education and job creation within the Southern Dallas community.

Leaders from Dallas College, including Dr. Veronique Tran, Vice Provost of the School of Manufacturing & Industrial Technology, and Dr. Joe Seabrooks, President of Dallas College Cedar Valley Campus, were also present at the event. Notable alumni from the Advanced Transportation Technology Division, who are also recent PepsiCo hires, had the chance to share their experiences transitioning from classroom to field. As Dr. Veronique Tran, Vice Provost of the School of Manufacturing & Industrial Technology at Dallas College, aptly puts it, “The PepsiCo Tractor Truck will provide invaluable hands-on learning opportunities for our students.”

In addition to the truck donation, Frito-Lay announced a $20,000 donation to the South Dallas Driving Academy, a local non-profit. Nikki Jolly, Senior Manager of Corporate Citizenship and Social Impact at PepsiCo Foods North America remarks, “At Frito-Lay, community is at the heart of everything that we do. We’re proud to invest in impactful programs that support the students at Dallas College and help create opportunities that break systemic barriers and lead to meaningful career pathways. Our goal is to open doors for these students and help them achieve their dreams.” This donation will facilitate driver’s license training and CDL support for Dallas College students, further reinforcing PepsiCo’s dedication to creating a talent pipeline, especially in high-need job growth areas like Automotive Technician.

Since 2021, the PepsiCo Foundation has provided $600,000 to Dallas College, benefiting nearly 200 students pursuing associate degrees or trade certificates in high-growth industries, including Automotive. Additionally, $1.5 million has been allocated to Dallas College graduates for pursuing bachelor’s degrees at 4-year universities. With a remarkable 90% of scholars on track to graduate, the impact of this support is evident.