Tag: 3BL

NEW ORLEANS, October 4, 2023 /3BL/ – Hancock Whitney today announced a strategic relationship with Entergy focusing on supporting entrepreneurial and small business success for diverse and local business owners. The initiative brings together Hancock Whitney’s Small Business Matters program and Entergy’s supplier diversity and inclusion team to enhance financial resilience and business development opportunities for diverse and local businesses.

Hancock Whitney Small Business Matters is a no-cost, comprehensive entrepreneurship program that extends the financial services and small business banking knowledge and experience of in-house experts with many community and business development partnerships offering small businesses more access to essential resources, including small business training, technical assistance, business capital and networking.

“Small Business Matters was developed to help meet the business needs of our communities with a focus on minority- and women-owned businesses, who too often face challenges accessing the guidance and support needed to thrive,” said Hancock Whitney Vice President Community Development Programs Ashley Aubrey Harrison. “Partnering with Entergy to extend Small Business Matters to its supplier diversity program is a win for both small businesses and our communities who benefit from the innovation diverse businesses bring.”

Serving four states across the Gulf South — Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and Arkansas — Entergy’s supplier diversity and inclusion program aims to identify and promote the use of third-party-certified diverse and locally based companies for needed products and services across the region. The program’s intent is to foster economic development and grow a world-class energy business that creates sustainable value for Entergy’s four stakeholders — customers, employees, communities and owners. This partnership with Hancock Whitney will help enhance business capabilities in the supplier network.

“In working with our diverse and local supplier network, we see the challenges businesses face,” said Kya Moller, Entergy senior manager of supplier diversity, inclusion and sustainability. “This relationship with Hancock Whitney will allow us to support our network even further. This program will help connect businesses, no matter what stage they are in, with a local financial partner that can guide them and identify ways to grow, fund or manage their business for ongoing success.”

Moller shares that working with Hancock Whitney on this initiative made sense because of three distinct intersection points — both organizations serve overlapping geographies, are community-minded and understand the impact of diverse and local business success on local economies and wealth creation in underserved communities.

Harrison agrees. “We know that communities thrive when businesses thrive, so we are committed to being the conduit for entrepreneurs and small businesses to find opportunities for growth. Whether we are sharing guidance for a viable business plan, business management and technical assistance, training, and research to improve profitability and stimulate growth, international trade expertise, or small business banking services, our efforts are to help businesses sustain success.”

Entergy’s diverse and local suppliers that expressed an interest in access to capital services were invited to attend Capitalize 2023 New Orleans, an event hosted at the University of New Orleans by the Louisiana Small Business Development Center and sponsored by Hancock Whitney. Hancock Whitney and Entergy will continue to make virtual and in-person training opportunities available to program participants throughout the fall.

For more information on Hancock Whitney Small Business Matters, visit hancockwhitney.com/small-business-matters. To learn more or apply as an Entergy diverse supplier, visit entergy.com/operations/supplier-diversity.

About Hancock Whitney

Since the late 1800s, Hancock Whitney has embodied core values of Honor & Integrity, Strength & Stability, and Commitment to Service, Teamwork, and Personal Responsibility. Hancock Whitney offices and financial centers in Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Texas offer comprehensive financial products and services, including traditional and online banking; commercial and small business banking; private banking; trust and investment services; healthcare banking; and mortgage services. The company also operates loan production offices in Nashville, Tennessee, and the greater metropolitan area of Atlanta, Georgia. More information is available at hancockwhitney.com.

About Entergy

Entergy is a Fortune 500 company that 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. Learn more at entergy.com and follow @Entergy on social media. #WePowerLife

As originally published by GoDaddy’s Venture Forward research initiative

National Microbusiness Survey Results

Since 2019, Venture Forward has surveyed over 30,000 online entrepreneurs. Ahead are highlights from the survey of U.S. microbusinesses in February 2023. It also features highlights from a fresh GoDaddy survey of small businesses on their perceptions of the American Dream.

2023 National Survey

In February 2023, Venture Forward completed its sixth national survey of 3,600+ entrepreneurs who own microbusinesses. These are a few highlights, and the full report can be found here.

95% of microbusinesses have less than 10 employees1 in 7 microbusinesses started since the pandemic were founded by black women (fastest-growing segment)73% have positive outlook for their business (compared to only 32% for the broader economy)

U.S. Survey Key Takeaways

EMPLOYEE COUNT

“How many employees do you have, including yourself?”

62%: 1 Employee33%: 2-9 Employees5%: 10+ Employees

INCOME BREAKDOWN

“What’s your average monthly revenue?”

30%: Revenue <$50040%: Revenue $500 – $5K30%: Revenue $5K+

LAUNCH YEAR

“What year did you start?”

60%: 2019 or Before11%: During 202011%: During 202118%: 2022 or After 

Getting a Microbusiness Started

69%: REQUIRED LESS THAN $5K TO START

69%: <$5K11%: $5K – $10K13%: $10K – $50K6%: $50K+

“How difficult was it for you to access the capital you needed to start?”

Very Easy: 22%Easy: 6%Moderately Easy: 8%Not Difficult: 34%Moderately Hard: 8%Hard: 7%Very Hard: 15%

Twenty-eight percent of microbusiness owners invest their first dollars into creating a website.

Can Microbusinesses Support a Household? 
1 in 3 microbusinesses contribute 51% or more to household income*

“Approximately what proportion of your household income comes from your microbusiness?”

% of Household Income: 0%-25%

Entire Sample: 54%Pre-Pandemic: 43%Post-Pandemic: 67%

% of Household Income: 26%-50%

Entire Sample: 17%Pre-Pandemic: 19%Post-Pandemic: 14%

% of Household Income: 51%-75%

Entire Sample: 10%Pre-Pandemic: 13%Post-Pandemic: 6%

% of Household Income: 76%-100%

Entire Sample: 19%Pre-Pandemic: 25%Post-Pandemic: 13%

Half of those contributing 51% or more to household income are generating around $60K+/year.

49%: Women make up almost half of those contributing over 51% to household income.

Are microbusinesses financially stable?

Cash on hand

48%: 1 Month+*38%: 1 Month or Less

*Source: GoDaddy Venture Forward National Survey. February 2023 (N=3,609)

TAKEAWAYS

Entrepreneurs tend to have a more positive outlook on the next 6 months for their own businesses than the economy as a whole. This finding has been true since we started asking in 2020.

Another positive trend emerged as shown on the right: the monthly revenue from a typical microbusiness grew over the last year.

Upward Trajectory in Outlook and Revenue Performance 

Positive outlook for my business vs. the economy1

Jul ’20

Business: 52%Economy: 28%

Jul ’21

Business: 69%Economy: 51%

Feb ’22

Business: 73%Economy: 48%

Aug ’22

Business: 60%Economy: 37%

Feb ’23

Business: 73%Economy: 32%

Aug ’23

Business: 72%Economy: 34%

Population of respondents reporting monthly revenue earned from their  microbusinesses2

Revenue $ <5K

Aug ‘22 Survey: 72%Feb ’23 Survey: 71%Aug ’23 Survey: 67%

Revenue $5K – $15K

Aug ‘22 Survey: 15%Feb ’23 Survey: 16%Aug ’23 Survey: 77%

Revenue $15K+

Aug ‘22 Survey: 14%Feb ’23 Survey: 13%Aug ’23 Survey: 15%

Source: GoDaddy Venture Forward National Surveys: July 2020-August 2023. 
1. “What is your overall expectation for your business or organization over the next 6 months?”; “What is your overall expectation for the national economy over the next 6 months?” 
2. “What is the average monthly revenue for this business?”

A Positive Outlook Is Directly Related to Long-Term Ambition

Optimists are less rattled by recent revenue performance when it comes to long-term aspirations. They also tend to dream bigger.

Optimistic Entrepreneurs’ Aspirations

Stay Solo: +4%Grow: Small-Mid: -3%Grow: Large: 0

Pessimistic Entrepreneurs’ Aspirations

Stay Solo: +16%Grow: Small-Mid: -17%Grow: Large: 0

Original question: “Which of the following statements best describes your ambitions for your business in the long term?” Source: GoDaddy Venture Forward National Survey. February 2023 (N=3,609).

Do Microbusinesses Differ From Small Businesses?

Motivations for entrepreneurship are consistent regardless of size of business or long-term goal.

39% said “being my own boss” is achieving the American Dream, yet just 6% started for that reason.

Comparison

“What are your long-term aspirations for your business?”

LESS THAN 10 EMPLOYEES

Small Business (33%)Mid-Size (16%)Corporate (8%)

GREATER THAN 10 EMPLOYEES

Small Business (30%)Mid-Size (38%)Corporate (22%)

“What are the top reasons you started your business?”

Fewer than 10 Employees

42%: I wanted to be my own boss32%: Support a cause/hobby I’m passionate about23%: Always dreamed of owning own business31%: Wanted/needed flexibility28%: Can have more success on my own26%: Looking for extra money

More than 10 Employees

50%: I wanted to be my own boss1%: Support a cause/hobby I’m passionate about35%: Always dreamed of owning own business30%: Wanted/needed flexibility29%: Can have more success on my own26%: Looking for extra money

GoDaddy Venture Forward Report | Summer 2023 | U.S. Edition

This report is powered by the latest data from Venture Forward, a GoDaddy research initiative to quantify the presence and impact of over 21 million online microbusinesses on their local economies, while shining a light on the entrepreneurs behind them. Our goal is to empower anyone who advocates for entrepreneurs with robust data and insights that can’t be found elsewhere.

Originally published by Pepco

Each summer, we welcome a new cohort of interns. Eager to learn, connect, and grow. We consider it a success when our interns join the company full time and begin building their careers in energy. One such intern was Danielle Powell, who today works with us as general engineer. Danielle’s journey began seven years ago, following her freshman year at the University of Maryland, College Park, where she majored in electrical engineering with specializations in power systems and microelectronics.

Danielle admitted to feeling nervous before starting her internship. After all, her freshman year was focused on completing her general education requirements and her work experience to date including helping customers at her local ice cream shop. Pepco employees take seriously their job to lead, coach, and engage those around them – including our greenest interns. So, with the courage to take her first steps as an engineer and with the support of her supervisor, she not only succeeded, but thrived. She attributes her success to the collaborative learning environment cultivated by her manager. Tasks were assigned to her strategically, designed to build her foundational understanding of engineering. This experience not only enriched her academic career at the University of Maryland, but also helped her secure another internship with our company. In 2020, amid the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, Danielle transitioned to a full-time employee. Despite the challenges presented by working within pandemic guidelines, she managed to establish a strong network with her former internship peers and new colleagues. The relationships she formed during her internships played a pivotal role in her growth as a general engineer. Some of her now colleagues had known her since she was an 18-year-old student. Danielle explains, “During times when I needed encouragement, guidance, or simply found myself overthinking and being overly critical of myself, they knew how to reassure me.” The unwavering support from her teammates eased her transition into her new role and work environment.

Now, three years into her position, Danielle has been a key contributor on several projects within the company. Most importantly, she leveraged her internship experiences to share her journey with the class of 2023 summer interns. Danielle’s hope is to inspire them to consider joining our organization upon their graduation. Her advice to the interns is to cultivate connections and meaningful relationships with their colleagues and leaders. During her speech, she emphasized, “Take chances and step out of your comfort zone. Above all, as you progress on your journey, wherever it may lead you, when times get tough, take a moment to reflect on how far you’ve come; it will help you envision how far you can go.” We eagerly anticipate Danielle’s continued growth and success with Pepco!

Originally published on September 28, 2023 on Houston Food Finder

It was all smiles as rap star and Houston fan-favorite Bun B (aka Bernard Freeman) and chef Mike Pham of Trill Burgers walked into Sysco Corporation Headquarters. It was a special lunchtime to celebrate a mutually beneficial partnership that had existed ever since Trill Burgers was still a fledgling company existing as a series of burger pop-ups. Trill Burgers’ owners — which includes publicist Nick Scurfield and restaurateur Andy Nguyen — had arranged to serve 200 Trill Burgers and fries to a long line of Sysco employees that day. Employees and executives alike politely grabbed any opportunity possible for selfies with Bun B, who stayed at the celebration event for about an hour.

Trill Burgers, now in a permanent location at 3607 South Shepherd, is defined as much by the fans who wait in line — even in searing Houston heat — as by its burgers. The greatest allure is the meat patties, smashed into a searing hot flattop until the edges are crisp and lacy. It’s a burger worth waiting for, and I joined the line around 3:30 p.m. on a 100-degree summer afternoon. The Trill Burgers employees were incredibly efficient, and it was only about 25 minutes later when I snagged a table in the blissfully air-conditioned dining room, ice-cold fountain drink in hand. The fries are good, but the burger, topped with American cheese that melds with the patty, is great. Those patties come from Sysco’s Buckhead Pride division. 

“Our kitchen staff realized that we needed a bigger partner for sourcing all this meat as the Trill Burgers brand was growing exponentially,” explained Bun B. “We said, ‘Look, we really need to lock in with a supplier that can help us and consistently keep the product in-house at a high quality. We don’t want to be bouncing around shopping from different vendors.’ So, when Sysco approached us with the opportunity to partner with them, we felt like they could meet our needs and make it work with them. Everything we threw at them, they knocked out of the park. Everything we asked of them, they gave above and beyond.” One example Bun B gave of unexpected supply needs was hosting a pop-up expecting 500 people, and instead, 750 showed up. When Trill Burgers existed only as pop-ups, freezer storage was also an issue, and that was something else that Sysco was able to provide. 

According to the website, Buckhead Pride supplies “meats of the highest quality and trim standards.” In the case of Trill Burgers, Pham said the quality he was looking for was steak-like. “We wanted the best quality we could possibly get with a lot of beefy flavor. I really wanted guests to experience something reminiscent of having a juicy steak.” Pham believes that ground beef on the leaner side is ideal for smash-burgers. “They should be smashed really thin. You don’t want it to reduce in size too much, so we use an 80/20 blend [80% lean and 20% fat].” Pham says that Sysco has accommodated Trill Burgers’ specifications even down to preferred ranches for sourcing beef. 

Now that Trill Burgers has a brick-and-mortar restaurant, the staff is making 2,000 to 3,000 burgers a day. Because of the volume, Buckhead is supplying patties that are preformed and ready to be smashed and seared on the flattops in the restaurant. “We’re honored and thrilled to partner with them and be the exclusive supplier for a great concept. We are blown away by the success that they’re having. One thing that Sysco can provide is the ability to scale a concept as fast as they want to grow and wherever they want to grow. We’re coast-to-coast and in all 50 states,” said Kevin Hourican, CEO and President of Sysco. 

Some of that growth is already evident. Trill Burgers is operating a stand at Shell Energy Stadium, home of the Houston Dynamos, and four stands at NRG Stadium during the Houston Texans’ home games. Conversely, it’s clear that Trill Burgers is still a growing business that requires some concessions to manage the demands of its burgeoning fame and popularity. Anticipating a crush of fans during the recent Beyoncé concerts, hours were shortened at the restaurant and only the beef burgers were served at NRG Center. (Usually, a vegan burger is also available.)  

Growing pains aside, Trill Burgers seems to have a solid supply chain in place and a brick-and-mortar restaurant model that’s been refined under the most demanding conditions since opening in June. It seems not just likely but inevitable that more of Trill Burgers’ striking black-and-yellow storefronts will be popping up around Houston — and beyond. 

Continue reading here. 

Originally published on Built From Scratch

Born and raised in sunny Los Angeles, Roberto Barragan Jr. is a first-generation Mexican American. His parents immigrated to the United States from Mexico when they were in their early 20s. Roberto remembers growing up with his three siblings in a lively, dynamic household, where they spoke both Spanish and English.

“At a very young age, I learned from both of my parents just how much hard work pays off,” says Roberto. “They instilled in me a strong work ethic that’s shaped who I am today.”

A tradition that stands out to Roberto was their annual family trip to downtown Los Angeles to celebrate Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. “We would see all the traditional dances, costumes and food,” he remembers. “It really showed me how rich in culture I am and how bright and festive all the traditions we have can be.”

While searching for a new job opportunity 10 years ago, Roberto wanted to find a company where the culture paralleled his upbringing. He joined The Home Depot as a part-time merchandising execution team (MET) associate, hoping it would turn into something long term. Roberto became a full-time associate two years later and has been a MET supervisor for the past three years. He works in the Palm Springs, California, store leading a team responsible for making sure the aisles are organized, shelves are stocked and everything is in the right place for customers.

“Not only has my culture molded me into who I am today, but my career has been a big part of that as well. I thought this was going to be a part-time summer job, but it’s now blossomed. I only see it progressing into more from here.”

–Roberto Barragan Jr.

His store is a close-knit group that showcases their support for each other when it’s needed most. “I remember selling slices of pizza and hot dogs to raise money for two of our associates who had families impacted by the Maui wildfires,” he says. “It was great seeing the whole store come together to raise funds to help out these individuals.”

Roberto sets professional goals for himself, but he says his main goal in life is just to be happy. “I always try to find something to be thankful for every day,” says Roberto. “I know I’ve succeeded when I make my parents, those who have helped me in my career and myself proud.”

Interested in a career at The Home Depot? Visit careers.homedepot.com.

Keep up with all the latest Home Depot news! Subscribe to our bi-weekly news update and get the top Built from Scratch stories delivered straight to your inbox.

Originally published on HARMAN Newsroom

From sports and entertainment to cooking, daily news, and beyond, there’s a podcast out there for everyone! In fact, studies show that 75% of the U.S. population over 12 years old have listened to online audio in the last month, and podcasting has reached its highest numbers ever, with 90 million Americans reporting that they listen to podcasts weekly.

As a leader in connected audio technologies, we started sharing our expertise about all things audio by inviting legends of the music business – including JBL Ambassadors Martin Garrix, A.R. Rahman, and many others – to join us on our Audio Talks podcast and share an insider’s look at the music industry. After seven seasons, we’ve covered everything from the potential of immersive audio to social media’s impact on music, AI in audio, the resurgence of vinyl, and more. Before diving into our 8th season, check out our top five episodes below…

A.R. Rahman, A Life in Music

Meet one of the greatest names in modern music, a creative giant whose work has moved the hearts of millions with his countless hits like Slumdog Millionaire’s Jai Ho: A. R. Rahman is a Grammy and Academy Award-winning composer and performer. Host Oisin Lunny speaks to him about his (spiritual) way to success, his career, biggest projects, what inspires him most, and why it’s so important to open the way to music for upcoming generations at an early age.

Martin Garrix, On Creativity, Inspiration & Working with JBL

Tune in for a refreshing and inspiring talk with worldwide sensation Martin Garrix, one of the most dynamic DJs of our time. He tells us about his latest projects, how he used the time in lockdown for his creative work, and the story behind his recent collaboration with Zedd. As a global JBL ambassador he also shares which JBL products he can’t live without!

Moody Jones, Going Viral: Social Media in the Music Business

In this episode we explore the fast-paced world of social media in the music industry with a master of the art: Moody Jones, SVP, Digital & Creative, EMPIRE & Founder, Everybody Knows. Tune in as Oisin and Moody discuss what it means for artists and songs to go viral and how new platforms change the industry.

Yogetsu Akasaka, Sacred Songs: Is Music a Mind-Altering Substance?

Here is a little dive into the world of sacred music. Oisin speaks to someone who gives a fresh new perspective on the matter: beatboxer, zen music artists and buddhist monk, Yogetsu Akasaka.

Xylo Aria, Empowering Women in Music

From accountant to founder of a music school that empowers women to produce music – Music Production for Women (MPW), tune in for a fascinating podcast with Xylo Aria. She’s a talented musician, songwriter, engineer and producer in addition to her work for MPW. It’s an inspiring episode not only for women seeking their place in the music industry, but also for men who want to be their champions.

New episodes are uploaded every Thursday. Catch up on every season of Audio Talks on Podigee as well as major podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Nasdaq

Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) is necessary to achieve any corporate net zero commitment

If CDR efforts expect to leverage the voluntary carbon market (VCM) as a financing vehicle for both conventional and novel CDR, a deeper analysis of company buying preferences is critical. This led the Nasdaq ESG Advisory team to get answers to questions that explored key themes necessary to scale the VCM and CDR:

Corporate carbon credit purchase strategiesCorporate net zero alignmentCarbon market dynamics

Key Findings:

88% of companies feel internal and external pressure to set a net zero target as a part of their climate change effortsEducation is one of the biggest hurdles that companies face in developing a carbon credit strategyNearly 25% of companies have set a net zero target and another 25% expect to within the next two yearsCompanies do not distinguish strong differences between nature-based credits and engineered credits

Download the report to discover more insights about where companies stand in their net zero journeys.

CLEVELAND, October 4, 2023 /3BL/ – KeyBank Community Development Lending and Investment (CDLI) provided a $31.7 million construction loan and KeyBanc Capital Markets provided a floating-to-fixed interest rate swap for the development of an affordable multifamily housing property in Petaluma, California.

Petaluma River Place includes a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom layouts for a total of 50-units available to households earning no more than 20%, 30%, and 60% of the area median income (AMI). Situated on 1.78-acres, the garden-style apartment community will offer amenities such as a community room with an office, maintenance room, bike room, laundry facility, a community garden, and a dog run. An on-site manager will also be available for residential assistance. The property will receive 12 project-based Section 8 vouchers from the Sonoma County Housing Authority.

The project sponsor, Burbank Housing Development Corporation (BHDC), is an established nonprofit public benefit corporation founded in 1980. Since then, BHDC has led the region in creating and maintaining quality, sustainable housing and rental opportunities, inspiring understanding, and acceptance of affordable housing initiatives, fostering community development and revitalization, and providing opportunities for affordable housing. They have developed over 70 properties in Sonoma and Napa County, creating over 3,400 units of affordable rental housing, as well as building and selling over 950 affordable homes.

The project received local support in the form of $23.7 million in financing from the California Department of Housing and Community Services (HCD) and its California Housing Accelerator Program (CHAP), $4.3 million from the HCD No Place Like Home (NPLH) Funds, and $5.7 million from the HCD Joe Serna Farmworker Housing Funds. Additional financing included $550,000 from the Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) Capital Magnet Funds, $492,000 from the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) DR Funds, $700,000 in capital contributions from Providence Funds, and $200,000 in General Partner (GP) Capital Contribution.

Petaluma River Place is located in a residential community with easy access to nearby schools, medical offices and clinics, social services, churches, retail, and employment opportunities. The community of Petaluma is approximately 40 miles north of San Francisco.

Matthew Haas and Karen Roche of KeyBank CDLI structured the financing. Sam Donzelli of KeyBanc Capital Markets provided the interest rate swap.

About KeyBank Community Development Lending and Investment

KeyBank Community Development Lending and Investment (CDLI) finances projects that stabilize and revitalize communities across all 50 states. As one of the top affordable housing capital providers in the country, KeyBank’s platform brings together construction, acquisition, bridge-to-re-syndication, and preservation loans, as well as lines of credit, Agency and HUD permanent mortgage executions, and equity investments for low-income housing projects, especially Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) financing. KeyBank has earned 10 consecutive “Outstanding” ratings on the Community Reinvestment Act exam, from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, making it the first U.S. national bank among the 25 largest to do so since the Act’s passage in 1977.

About KeyBanc Capital Markets

KeyBanc Capital Markets is a leading corporate and investment bank providing capital markets and advisory solutions to dynamic companies capitalizing on opportunities in changing industries. Our deep industry expertise, broad capabilities and unique ideas are seamlessly delivered to companies across the Consumer & Retail, Diversified Industries, Healthcare, Industrial, Oil & Gas, Real Estate, Utilities, Power & Renewables, and Technology verticals. With over 800 professionals across a national platform, KeyBanc Capital Markets has more than $50 billion of capital committed to clients and an award-winning Equity Research team that provides coverage on nearly 600 publicly traded companies. Securities products and services are offered by KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc., member FINRA/SIPC, and its licensed securities representatives, who may also be employees of KeyBank N.A. Banking products and services, are offered by KeyBank N.A.

About KeyCorp

KeyCorp’s roots trace back nearly 200 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation’s largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $195 billion at June 30, 2023. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 1,000 branches and approximately 1,300 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications, and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank is Member FDIC.

Since its founding in 2008, Workiva has prioritized a people-first culture guided by the belief that you can’t build transformative technology without a strong, highly engaged team. One way the company’s people-first culture is brought to life is its flexible approach to workplace location, “Work Where You Work Best,” which enables and supports individuals and teams to work from offices around the globe at whatever frequency they choose.

“Workiva wins when our team members are in environments that fuel their creativity and productivity. Our approach to remote work is about recognizing that good work is not about a place, it’s about people and teams,” said Julie Iskow, president and chief executive officer, Workiva. “We continue to see the positive impact of ‘Work Where You Work Best’ on our team’s engagement scores, talent acquisition, employee and revenue retention, and the value we bring to our customers every day.”

Putting Workiva’s Culture to Work

Workiva’s “Work Where You Work Best” approach is grounded in five key principles developed by its leadership team and closely tied to the company’s culture. They are:

Flexibility is inclusive. Team members require flexibility for a variety of reasons and have responsibilities outside of work. Offering flexibility allows all team members to balance and care for their well-being. Additionally, Workiva recognizes and embraces that offering flexibility helps recruit and retain talent across diverse and otherwise harder-to-reach talent pools. 
 Lead with trust. Workiva defines trust as the ability to rely on each other. As such, Workiva relies on employees to determine the work location that best suits their needs. Workiva equips managers with tools and resources to create an environment where all team members, regardless of work location, are set up for success. Workiva trusts those managers to lead inclusively. 
 Productivity is driven by accountability. At Workiva, high-performing teams are driven to meet and exceed their goals and are held accountable. Employees and managers continually discuss individual performance expectations, and information is shared openly and transparently across functions and teams to ensure that all team members understand company objectives. 
 Frequently bring people together. Some things are better delivered and experienced in person. Large and small teams regularly meet in person for innovative, collaborative, and meaningful work events throughout the year. Workiva offices offer collaboration, and training spaces are filled with amenities designed to help spark innovation, share information, and build camaraderie. 
 Connectedness. Team members are encouraged to build and solidify connections with one another. Office management teams routinely plan and host events, volunteer opportunities, and social activities, remote team members are encouraged to meet up with other Workivians in their local areas, and fun is always on the agenda when dispersed teams come together.

In addition to its “Work Where You Work Best” approach to remote work, Workiva offers several measures meant to expand employees’ location flexibility, including being able to relocate to another area within their country of residence at will, work outside of their country of residence for up to 25 business days per year, and request to relocate to another country where Workiva operates. All new employees receive a remote work allowance upon hire to offset setting up home office expenses.

“Trust and accountability are key to offering location flexibility successfully and enabling employees to balance their professional commitments with their personal well-being,” said Emily Forrester, senior vice president of human resources, Workiva. “Whether teams are side-by-side or working remotely across the globe, Workiva strives to uphold an environment where team members are equipped and empowered to do their best work, regardless of location.”

WASHINGTON, D.C., October 4, 2023 /3BL/ – In recognition of International Day of the Girl on Oct. 11, Plan International USA is releasing a new report on the impact of activism on girls and young women, and launching a series of activities highlighting the importance of passing girls the microphone.

One in five (17%) girls and young women activists have feared for their safety while carrying out their work, according to a new report titled “Turning the world around: Girl and young women activists leading the fight for equality.”

The report, which features girls and young women from 26 countries, also highlights that 25% say they have felt emotionally unwell or anxious while in engaging in activism and that 27% cite negative views from their family or friends as a barrier to their work.

Blessing, 17, is a campaigner from Sierra Leone who helped pass a law to increase female representation in Parliament last year. “Girls have so much potential, but they’re not given the platform to exhibit this potential,” she says. “I’m ready to let them see what we have as females. To let society know what we can contribute and to show each and every person out there in the world that there must be no discrimination or less regard for females.”

Despite these challenges, nearly all young female activists (95%) say campaigning for what they believe in has had a positive impact on their lives, making them feel proud, empowered and capable. A clear call to action is to create safe spaces and remove the barriers that prevent girls from speaking out and sharing their views at all levels of society.

A key way Plan is clearing barriers with girls is through Girl Takeovers, where youth leaders step into leadership positions at businesses, governments and organizations around the world. As girls get a seat at the table, they provide a youth voice and perspective, and get a hands-on leadership experience.

“This year, I joined hundreds of leaders globally in elevating girls to a position of power by stepping out of my role as CEO for a day,” Shanna Marzilli, president and chief executive officer at Plan International USA, said. “As a girls’ rights organization, the opportunity for Plan to receive valuable input and insights directly from girls is of immeasurable importance. I want all girls to have the opportunity to be heard and respected.”

National Grid joined Plan in a Girl Takeover by inviting 16-year-old Leela to take over Rudy Wynter’s role as president of National Grid – New York. In her role for the day, Leela experienced firsthand National Grid’s commitment to achieving net zero and to deliver a fair, affordable and clean energy future for its customers and communities. Leela’s Takeover encompassed everything from approving work on the ground at an on-site operations facility to taking the stage at a team summit focused on clean energy achievements and goals.

“It was an honor to partner with Plan International USA and learn from Leela during her Takeover of National Grid’s New York operations for a day,” Wynter said. “As part of our work to achieve a smarter, stronger, cleaner energy future for all, National Grid is committed to helping drive gender equality in the energy industry and empowering talented young people like Leela to become the energy leaders of tomorrow — advancing opportunities for girls and women to pursue STEM careers and assume senior leadership positions across our business.”

Among other engagements, Plan will be supporting a Girl Takeover with a major U.S. political figure and is partnering with UNICEF to co-host an event titled “Invest in Girls’ Rights: Our Leadership, Our Well-being.” The event is open to the public and will be a celebration of the importance of girls’ voices.

Everyone has a role to play in elevating the voices and role of girls in society. To join Plan in celebrating girls on International Day of the Girl, and year-round, learn more about actions you can take, ranging from taking a quiz to attending events, at planusa.org.

For more information or interviews, please contact:

Maria Holsopple 
Director, Communications and Creative Services 
Email: maria.holsopple@planusa.org 
Mobile: 540.383.3628

NOTES TO EDITORS

Turning the World Around: Girl and young women activists leading the fight for equality is part of Plan International’s State of the World’s Girl’s Report series. Since 2007, the State of the World’s Girls Report has been produced annually by Plan International, with the aim of highlighting key issues affecting girls’ lives through original research.The 26 countries included in this year’s report, released on Oct. 3 at 20.00 BST, are Ethiopia, Jordan. Kenya, Lebanon, Malawi, Somalia, Zimbabwe, Burkina Faso, Togo, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Australia, Bangladesh, Japan, Nepal, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Brazil, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Paraguay and Canada.Our methodology includes a survey of 840 female activists aged between 15-24, one of the biggest to date. More than 200 additional girl and young women activists took part in a series of peer-to-peer interviews led by other girl and young women activists and 57 girls attended focus groups, bringing the total number of girls and young women involved to over a thousand.

About Plan International USA

Powered by supporters, Plan International USA partners with girls and their communities around the world to overcome oppression and gender inequality. We provide the support and resources that are unique to their needs and the needs of their communities, ensuring they achieve their full potential with dignity, opportunity and safety. Founded in 1937, Plan is an independent development and humanitarian organization that is active in more than 80 countries.

For more information, and to learn about our commitment to safeguarding, please visit www.PlanUSA.org.