Tag: 3BL

By Doug Segrest and Kyndle Huey

Lisa Harless works with the biggest names in the music industry, and has for 38 years.

But if you really want to get Harless excited, ask her about working with the W.O. Smith Music School in Nashville.

“The premise, since the very beginning, is that children from some of the least advantaged areas of Nashville come in and take music lessons for 50 cents from volunteer teachers,” said Harless, a longtime wealth advisor. “Those teachers come from the music industry – many of whom are clients are mine. Or they’re retired teachers or members of the (Nashville) Symphony.

“As important as the learning is, most of these students come from unfortunate circumstances. So the W.O. Smith Music School becomes a safe place where they have an ally who teaches and encourages them.”

William Oscar Smith was a noted African American jazz musician. In 1984, Smith, Music Row executive Buddy Killen and newspaperman Frank Sutherland met to forge a vision for what would become a nonprofit that provides lessons, instruments, sheet music and a future for thousands of Nashville youth.

Jonah Rabinowitz has been the executive director of the school since 1995. Trained at the Manhattan School of Music and the New England Conservatory of Music, he still gets excited when the school calendar turns to a new academic year.

Each year is different, but what remains the same is exhilarating: being creative, taking chances and opening yourself to new experiences that will change your world.
Jonah Rabinowitz

“Each year is different, but what remains the same is exhilarating: being creative, taking chances and opening yourself to new experiences that will change your world,” Rabinowitz said.
“But, more than anything, it’s about developing trust. We build community, a place where our students feel safe and know they are cared about.”

Rabinowitz pointed out that volunteers commit to weekly lessons for 35 weeks for a minimum of an hour each lesson.

“The diversity (of volunteers) is scary in a good way,” he added. “We have professional musicians, about 25 percent of our teachers, as well as people who came to Nashville to be musicians or free lancers, then others who moved on to other things. We have a magistrate judge who teaches violin. And we rely on musicians at local colleges. They’re closer to the age of students, so they have a similar perspective.”

Harless remains a fixture at the school, as well, serving on the advisory council and helping ensure the school’s future through fundraisers.

“Lisa was not only a fantastic president, but she’s also the one you go to when you truly need something because she’s there with a solution,” Rabinowitz. He pointed to a time where they had to hurriedly vacate the original school. “Before I knew it, I had an office at Regions for two or three months.”

For Harless, it’s one of many nonprofits she works closely with. But this one will forever be special.

“There’s purpose here,” Harless said. “I’ve seen how these students are positively impacted for the rest of their lives.”

Honoring Life Through Service

Lee and Jeff Taylor
Executive Administrative Assistant for Community Affairs | Head of Commercial Fraud Forensics

“The Bell Center was a huge blessing at a time when we didn’t know where to turn,” said Lee Taylor.

When Lee and Jeff’s son Clay was born with a need for early intervention services at a time when those services were even more scarce than they are today, a friend connected them with The Bell Center, a Homewood, Alabama-based organization dedicated to maximizing the potential of children from birth to three years of age who are at risk for developmental delay.

Founder Betty Bell was a family friend, and when Clay’s struggles multiplied, she became an extended part of the family and was beside their side at the end.

“Betty spent many nights with us at the hospital, and at home,” Jeff said. “Her legacy is being fulfilled by the work and service being done by the ladies of the Service Guild of Birmingham and the dedicated staff at the Bell Center.”

September is a melancholy moment for Jeff and Lee. It’s the month Clay was born and the month he passed away a year later. Lee also lost her mom in September.

But their experience has led them to remain involved. Jeff is in his second year on the Bell Center board and Lee continues to support the organization by giving her time and resources.

On a recent visit to Unless U, a community organization which fosters the growth of adults with disabilities, Lee ran into a young man she recognized. He had received early intervention services from the Bell Center years earlier when she was a volunteer. He told Lee that he was at Unless U to learn life skills. Lee believes it is because of the services he received when he was young that he is able to live a fuller life today. “Early intervention can make all the difference in the world,” she stated.

“The Need to help is huge – especially from birth – and there aren’t a lot of places that offer the kind of help or early intervention that the Bell Center does,” Lee said.

We support the Bell Center not just for what they did for us but because of what they do for so many other families.”

Racing to Build Homes

Teresa Walker
Administrative Assistant with the R2 Transformation Team

Teresa Walker looks back at her time working in Gadsden, Alabama, with a smile.

“Without lifting a hammer, I helped build six houses,” she said.

For six of her 10 years, Walker participated in the annual Habitat for Humanity Dragon Boat Festival, plying the Coosa River with 20 friends on various teams, including Rock the Boat Bankers, the Green Oarnets and the Regions Banccaneers.

“It’s the epitome of team effort and team building because you have to watch your front two oarsmen, match their timing, and everyone has to be in sync. And you only get one practice.”

The annual fundraiser is one of this North Alabama city’s biggest events due to the numbers of volunteers it produces and the fun that ensues. Each rower must raise $100, so it’s a great event for the Habitat team, especially when there are 30-plus teams competing.

“In Gadsden, we had the Gadsden Main, Rainbow City and Eastside branches, and we pulled others from branches in Anniston and Centre,” Walker explained. “We even had some people come in from Birmingham.

It’s a great way to get to know each other out of the office, because there’s so much more than the race. You set up and decorate the tent, get the refreshments ready and watch all the other races.

“And, when you’re on the water, it’s pretty cool when you get in a rhythm and feel the boat surging forward. And not once did we tip the boat over. That’s a good thing!”

Sharing the Joy of Success

Kalie Stephens
Senior Relationship Banker at the Hammond, Louisiana, Main Branch

Every customer is Regions’ favorite. But In Hammond, Louisiana, there a few that Kalie Stephens holds near and dear to her heart.

“I know all of our OPTIONS customers by name, and most of their caregivers,” says Stephens.

OPTIONS is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to provide people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, daily activities that help them to live and work in the community, build self-esteem and enjoy life.

“My best friend’s brother and my husband’s oldest sister are both disabled. They are both near and dear to my heart, so having an organization that we help support as a bank means the world to me,” explains Stephens.

She looks forward to seeing customers who are in OPTIONS programs visit the branch. “I love seeing the joy when they come into our branch and talk with all of our associates. Their faces light up when they speak about the special events the organization hosts.

“One of my favorite customers recently invited me to go see Ballin’ for OPTIONS, when he will be playing in a charity basketball tournament here in Ponchatoula.”

Associates in the branch know when OPTIONS customers have events coming up, when they have birthdays, get promotions at work and even when they are elected as officials within OPTIONS organizations.

“We share that common joy in watching them succeed in their endeavors.”

Hammering for Habitat

Laura Withers
Loan Servicing Specialist for Real Estate Servicing

How do you make new friends, help a growing family and vent frustrations all in one fell swoop?

It’s simple. You demolish a house.

Withers and her husband moved to Brandon, Mississippi from Georgia last March. Having worked at another bank that had no offices in Greater Jackson, she immediately pivoted to apply to Regions.

“I’m from Birmingham originally, so I was already aware of Regions’ reputation for being involved in the community and volunteerism,” Withers said. “When I got the job, I immediately looked for an opportunity to get involved.”

That opportunity would come with a Habitat for Humanity build just 20 minutes away. And since Withers works remotely with teams based in Hattiesburg, it offered a great opportunity to meet her new (and more local) fellow associates in person.

“In Georgia, we bought furniture from the Habitat for Humanity store, and I already loved the fact they were a Christian organization.

“When we met up, I was the only one that works in the loan operations center. Everyone else I met worked in Treasury Management or as financial advisors in the Jackson area. Most of them had done this with Regions for years. I met some awesome people and got to hear their stories, which only reinforced that I made the right decision.”

For this build, the local Habitat organizers bought an abandoned house. So the first order of business was to tear it down to the studs.

“The building part is exciting, seeing everything come together,” she said. “But the demolishing is fun because I like to bust stuff up with a sledgehammer. But I was so sore the next day, I couldn’t lift my shoulders for days.”

There were other hardships: the temperature was 100 degrees when they started and 104 when they finished. Then there was an encounter with a backed-up toilet that sent everyone scurrying outside for fresh air.

“We were the first to go in,” she said. “We tore down cabinets and walls and took out the old appliances. But we probably shouldn’t have messed with the toilet.”

These stories were sourced from associates who chose to share their answers to the question “Do you have a story about a community group that Regions supports that made a difference in your life?” A big thank you to the associates who shared their experiences.

Today, less than 8 percent of hockey players in the U.S. identify as Hispanic or Latinx. To recognize Hispanic Heritage Month and help make the sport of hockey more inclusive, AEG’s LA Kings teamed up with 24 Degrees of Color, a diversity skate program, to transform the Toyota Sports Performance Center (TSPC) in El Segundo, CA into a hub of cultural immersion for Hispanic and Latinx youth hockey players.

Sixty Hispanic youth from across Los Angeles, CA had the chance to participate in a skate session led by Al Montoya, a former NHL goaltender and the first Cuban American in the league. Expressing their cultural heritage, the kids decorated their skates and outfits and participated in a Hispanic Heritage Month celebration that included listening to traditional music performed by a local Mariachi band and tasting authentic cuisines from seven regions in Latin America

“Whether it is due to financial difficulties or language barriers, not all children get the same opportunity to participate in sports and hockey is one of the most expensive sports to play,” said Celia Garth, Coordinator, Kings Care Foundation. “By partnering with 24 Degrees of Color we are hoping to break down some of those barriers and to make the sport of hockey more inclusive to all kids from different backgrounds.” 

After the skating session, Montoya spent time with the young skaters, sharing his experiences, answering their questions, and providing valuable insights into the world of professional ice hockey. To make the encounter even more memorable, he took polaroid photos with the kids, which he personally signed on-site.

24 Degrees of Color aims to diversify ice skating and ice hockey in LA County by making these sports more accessible financially and introducing young people of color to recreational ice sports. To learn more about 24 Degrees of Color, please click here.

IBM has joined the UN Energy Compact through the IBM Sustainability Accelerator Clean Energy cohort. IBM technology and expertise will be used to help address clean energy issues, such as energy transition and renewables strategies for communities.

The IBM Sustainability Accelerator’s Clean Energy cohort was launched in 2022 with a focus on addressing issues such as electricity access, energy usage, energy transition, and renewable strategies for communities, tied to the UN SDG 7 of ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy by 2030. The partner organizations are using IBM technology and expertise to have an impact across Africa, Japan, Canada and more, with a focus on vulnerable communities.

By uniting experts and technology, IBM is committed to helping find a way to scale and speed up solutions for underrepresented communities most vulnerable to environmental threats.

Learn more about the IBM Energy Compact here

In a world where equality and empowerment are paramount, some individuals rise above and beyond to create a lasting impact. Enter Sherri Farris, a driven professional with over two decades of experience in child and family well-being.

Throughout her career spanning the public and non-profit sectors, Sherri has emerged as a beacon of innovation and leadership, adept at spearheading transformative initiatives. Currently holding the position of Impact and Data Strategy Director at YWCA, Sherri embodies the unwavering commitment to equity and the urgent imperative of transforming systems for the betterment of communities, families, and children.

Since 1858, YWCA has been at the forefront of combating racism and empowering women. The organization has supported women’s rights, played a pivotal role in championing suffrage, organizing the first interracial conference in the South during the early 20th century, and advocating for civil rights and affirmative action. With an impressive membership of over 25 million individuals across 106 countries, including 2.6 million members and participants in 300 local associations solely within the United States, YWCA stands as an influential global force driving positive change.

Every year, hundreds of volunteers from our community give their time, energy, and skills to support our mission of eliminating racism and empowering women…skills-based volunteering brought us expertise that enabled us to think strategically about our technology needs as we grow.

You are a driven professional with over 20 years of experience in child and family well-being in both public and nonprofit sectors. What drives you to do this work? 

I have always had the fiery heart of a radical activist and the analytical mind of a researcher. My work reflects different combinations of those two things. The activist in me believes that every human being should be able to thrive and that we have enough resources for that to be possible. Our economic systems, history of racism and colonialism, and current public policies prohibit that from happening. The analyst in me sees patterns in data, research, and the potential of new policy approaches. My path has included work that attempts to address the symptoms of our current system. I am lucky to be in an organization – YWCA Evanston/North Shore – and a network of organizations – YWCA USA – whose explicit goal is to end racism and empower women.

YWCA Evanston North Shore believes that all women have the right to be safe and choose the direction of their lives. YWCA proactively transforms individual lives through direct service and education and changes institutions through training and advocacy. How has skills-based volunteering empowered your organization to overcome any challenges and further its mission?

Every year, hundreds of volunteers from our community give their time, energy, and skills to support our mission of eliminating racism and empowering women, from handing out water at the Ricky Byrdsong Memorial Race Against Hate to helping in our retail shops to working with survivors in our residential shelter. We know the value of eager hands when we have practical needs! However, skills-based volunteering brought us expertise that enabled us to think strategically about our technology needs as we have grown and to create roadmaps to enhance our technology infrastructure’s safety, performance, and efficiency. At this point in our evolution and growth as an organization, the soundness of our operational infrastructure is critical to our ability to drive our mission forward.

You recently participated in a Common Impact skills-based volunteering project with The Allstate Foundation. Tell us about the challenge you were collaborating on and the outcome. 

We were seeking advice and strategy to enable us to optimize the Salesforce platform as an organization-wide database. Our goal is an integrated system that allows us to measure impact better, monitor fidelity to program models, and maintain operational integrity. We currently use the platform for case management for our Domestic Violence Services, to track outcomes for Economic Advancement participants, and to manage contracts for our Equity Institute. The team that worked with us developed recommendations to build an early-stage roadmap for expanding our use of the platform to include other functional areas, such as development, marketing, and volunteer engagement. They asked many good questions and transformed the information into a laid-out strategic approach. The level of knowledge and skills they brought to the project far exceeded our expectations.

What would you tell nonprofit leadership new to skills-based volunteering? Why should they give it a try? 

I would tell them there are many benefits of engaging in skills-based volunteering, and they might be surprised at the value of the experience and the quality of the deliverable. Why not try it?

What’s one leadership lesson you have for current or aspiring nonprofit changemakers? 

Sherialyn Byrdsong said something recently that has stuck with me, especially as someone whose role includes measuring impact. She said that it is hard to measure the impact that you are having, and all you can do is show up and do your best at what you are called to do. It is helpful to have roadmaps towards clear goals and markers along the way so we move in the direction we want, but we can overemphasize measuring impact in the short term. Keep showing up and doing your best at what you are supposed to do.

Consider supporting the YWCA by donating, volunteering, or getting involved. 

Originally published in Quest Diagnostics Corporate Responsibility Report 2022

I’m pleased to share our 2022 Quest Diagnostics Corporate Responsibility Report. 

Quest’s Purpose—Working together to create a healthier world, one life at a time—is our North Star, underpinned by our Strategy (how we grow) and our Culture (how we work). Together, these 3 elements make up The Quest Way, informing our business decisions and priorities, how we operate as responsible corporate citizens, and the ways we create and maintain a growth-driven and inclusive workplace.

In 2022, we made progress on our Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategy. We set goals under our 4 ESG pillars and enhanced our ESG governance structure. We also built on the important work we are doing to address healthcare gaps in underserved communities through our Quest for Health Equity (Q4HE) initiative. To date, Quest and the Quest Diagnostics Foundation have committed approximately $30 million to 65 programs across the US and Puerto Rico.

Throughout 2022, we continued to deliver industry-leading diagnostic services and grow our base business while maintaining critical national capacity for ongoing COVID-19 testing services. We processed 208 million test requisitions and expanded our offerings by introducing 74 new tests. Our robust performance would not have been possible without the commitment and compassion of our approximately 49,000 colleagues, and I’m incredibly proud of how our team has worked together.

A key focus for us in 2022 was listening to and supporting our colleagues. We instituted the Stay Interview program to provide a new way for managers to engage proactively with their employees to build trust and more meaningful connections. We also launched our healthyMINDS approach to emotional well-being, partnering with Spring Health to provide high-quality and affordable mental health support to our employees and their dependents.

I’m excited about what lies ahead for us. Quest is well-positioned to play a significant role in the evolving healthcare ecosystem, and our investments in the areas of molecular genomics/oncology and consumer health are taking us into new and energizing territory. I look forward to sharing our achievements as we deliver on our commitment to helping to make this a healthier world.

In good health,

Jim Davis

Read more

Originally published on Aflac Newsroom

COLUMBUS, Ga., October 3, 2023 /3BL/ — Aflac, a leading provider of supplemental health insurance in the U.S.,1 is unveiling a new initiative with writer, mom, actress, former Telemundo host and breast cancer survivor Adamari Lopez for their “Remission with a Mission” campaign. Kicking off in October in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, this effort aims to foster improved health and wellness practices within the U.S. Hispanic community by promoting the importance of proactive health care habits.

Aflac’s “Remission with a Mission” campaign confronts a stark reality — 1 in 4 adults have chosen to forgo essential health screenings due to a perception of good health, according to Aflac’s Wellness Matters survey, conducted specifically among Hispanics. The survey also unveiled that 72% of Hispanic respondents diagnosed with cancer became aware of their condition during routine medical exams or regularly scheduled annual screenings, compared to 46% among the general population. Additionally, an alarming 31% of Hispanics reported they encounter language barriers that hinder their access to preventive care resources. These findings highlight the urgent need to bridge language gaps and amplify health education initiatives within the U.S. Hispanic community.

“Joining forces with Aflac for the ‘Remission with a Mission’ campaign holds a personal significance for me. I discovered the importance of wellness checkups firsthand when I was diagnosed with breast cancer at the young age of 33. My journey has shown me the critical role that early detection and proactive health care play in saving lives,” said Lopez. “The troubling statistics regarding health habits within the Hispanic community deeply moved me — I want to urge my community to prioritize regular screenings to identify potential health concerns early and take charge of our well-being.”

“The ‘Remission with a Mission’ campaign will blend Adamari’s popularity with her authentic and inspiring journey to encourage proactive health care practices within the Hispanic community,” said Ines Rodriguez Gutzmer, senior vice president and chief communications officer, Aflac Incorporated. “We need to bridge gaps, break down language barriers and empower individuals to take charge of their health. Together we will emphasize the value of early detection and promote regular health screenings. Like Adamari, Aflac is on a mission to help patients and families create better health habits.”

Aflac’s Wellness Matters Survey examined attitudes, habits and opinions about health and preventive care, uncovering that many adults are skipping wellness appointments and screenings that can help save their lives, including mammograms, blood tests, pap smears, STDs, skin cancer, and colonoscopies. These findings underscore the need for increased engagement and education within the U.S. Hispanic community, transcending language barriers and advocating for proactive health care practices.

Additional insights from Aflac’s Wellness Matters Survey:

Loved ones carry high impact on promoting health: Many U.S. Hispanics (67%) say they benefit from friends and family who encourage them to go to the doctor for routine visits. Individuals are more likely to schedule checkups and prioritize wellness screenings as adults if their parents or caregivers demonstrated good habits, such as scheduling childhood wellness appointments, early in life.Gender dynamics: Hispanic men exhibit a more positive outlook on their current and future health compared to women.Generational divide: Younger generations, including Gen Z, feel less control over their health but are more likely to skip annual wellness visits.

Aflac’s collaboration with Adamari Lopez exemplifies its commitment to fostering a healthier future for the U.S. Hispanic community. Together, Aflac and Adamari are working to break down barriers, inspire positive change and prioritize wellness for all. Learn more at Aflac.com/Adamari.

ABOUT THE STUDY

The 2023 Wellness Matters Survey was conducted among a nationally representative sample of 2,001 employed U.S. adults ages 18-65 in June 2023 by Kantar Profiles on behalf of Aflac. As part of the Hispanic population report, 200 Spanish-speaking respondents were added for a total of 580 respondents to ensure a robust understanding of this population. The additional 200 are not included in the general population report in order to maintain the nationally representative sample. Learn more at Aflac.com/WellnessMatters.

ABOUT AFLAC INCORPORATED 
Aflac Incorporated (NYSE: AFL), a Fortune 500 company, has helped provide financial protection and peace of mind for more than 67 years to millions of policyholders and customers through its subsidiaries in the U.S. and Japan. In the U.S., Aflac is the No. 1 provider of supplemental health insurance products.1 In Japan, Aflac Life Insurance Japan is the leading provider of cancer and medical insurance policies in force. In 2021, the company became a signatory of the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI). In 2022, the company was included in the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index for the ninth year, the World’s Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere for the 17th consecutive year, Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies for the 22nd time and Bloomberg’s Gender-Equality Index for the fourth consecutive year. To find out how to get help with expenses health insurance doesn’t cover, get to know us at aflac.com or aflac.com/espanol. Investors may learn more about Aflac Incorporated and its commitment to corporate social responsibility and sustainability at investors.aflac.com under “Sustainability.”

Media contact: Darcy Brito, 706-505-9762 or dbrito@aflac.com

Analyst and investor contact: David A. Young, 706-596-3264, 800-235-2667 or dyoung@aflac.com

1 LIMRA 2021 US Supplemental Health Insurance Total Market Report

SOURCE Aflac

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., October 3 2023 /3BL/ – Black & Veatch Chairman and CEO Mario Azar has been named to United Way of Greater Kansas City’s governing board of trustees.

Azar’s appointment furthers the longstanding collaboration with United Way by Black & Veatch, which in recent decades has contributed more than $28 million to the charitable aggregator.

“For more than a century, our company has focused as a critical infrastructure solutions provider on building a world of difference, and that begins with giving back to the communities in which we live and work,” said Azar, who also serves on United Way’s governance committee. “United Way is fundamental to uplifting those in need by supporting thousands of community groups through the power of the collective, and that aligns with our culture of compassion.”

“Black & Veatch has a long tradition of consistently being among our most philanthropic corporate partners, and we are delighted to have this strong representation continue with the addition of Mario Azar to our board of trustees,” said Chris Rosson, president and CEO of United Way of Greater Kansas. “We are excited about the leadership he’ll bring to our team and look forward to creating even more impact, together.”

Editor’s Notes: 

For more about the Black & Veatch Foundation’s charitable giving, click here.Black & Veatch’s 2023 Sustainability Report highlights our commitment to the United Way and other charitable efforts.Black & Veatch was the United Way of Kansas City’s corporate spotlight in January.For a high-resolution image of Mario Azar, click here.

About Black & Veatch 
Black & Veatch is a 100-percent employee-owned global engineering, procurement, consulting and construction company with a more than 100-year track record of innovation in sustainable infrastructure. Since 1915, we have helped our clients improve the lives of people around the world by addressing the resilience and reliability of our most important infrastructure assets. Follow us on www.bv.com and on social media.

About United Way of Greater Kansas City 
At United Way of Greater Kansas City, our mission is to inspire and enable a movement of Waymakers (what we call our change agents) to fight for the health, education and financial stability of every member of our community. We do this by mobilizing people and resources and investing them in the highest-impact nonprofits and programs addressing community need in all six counties, and by engineering smart, sustainable solutions both short- and long-term community challenges in collaboration with the public, private and philanthropic sectors. Every year, one in three Kansas Citians find help through the United Way, and we continue to develop new and innovative ways to connect residents to the services, support and resources they need.

Media Contact Information:

JIM SUHR | +1 913-458-6995 P | SuhrJ@BV.com 
24-HOUR MEDIA CONTACT | Media@bv.com

At its core, entrepreneurship serves as the heart of the Carolinas. Rich in culture and ambition, this region offers not only breathtaking landscapes, but also a sanctuary for dreams to take root and flourish. Lenovo takes pride in calling the Triangle home alongside neighboring businesses that uplift their communities through their products and services.

From delicious delicacies to hidden local gems, these small businesses give our cities that sense of belonging and provide us with an experience that will make anyone feel right at home. These establishments started as ideas to enrich their communities, and we are grateful that we can take part in turning dreams into reality.

Evolve Small and Empowering the Carolinas

At Lenovo, we believe smarter technology is the key to unlocking new possibilities, and entrepreneurs are no different. For that reason, Lenovo partnered with the Carolina Panthers to create the Empowering the Carolinas program as part of our Evolve Small initiative.

Evolve Small began in 2021 with the mission to support small business owners and close the gap for obstacles they may experience. With a focus on women and minority-owned businesses, Evolve Small aids entrepreneurs looking to take their business to the next level through grants and technology donations, mentorships, and community engagement events.

We asked Panthers fans and North and South Carolinians to nominate their favorite local businesses that have contributed to better their communities for this year’s Empowering the Carolinas contest for a chance to be one of the 10 deserving businesses to be honored.

The prize includes $5,000 worth of technology solution upgrades on behalf of Lenovo and tickets to a Carolina Panthers’ preseason game against the Detroit Lions on August 25, where they were honored on-field at the end of the first quarter.

In addition to the technology upgrades, one of the winners was selected for the grand prize: a $100,000 advertising package with the Panthers during the NFL season to amplify their impact across the region and beyond.

The Winners

With an impressive 650 nominations, this year’s 10 winners stand out:

180 Productions from Charlotte, NC – A black-owned full-service videography and photography company that offers an array of services for all your production needs.Amalfi LLC from Fayetteville, NC – A Latinx-owned bookstore focused on providing bilingual children’s books to their neighboring communities.Ashbellz Organizing Solutions from Charlotte, NC – A black-owned at-home cleaning business specializing in decluttering, closet organizing, and laundry service.Blush Cowork from Cary, NC – A woman-owned, woman-focused co-working space with a mission to make networking and childcare simple.Carolina Cotton Company from Kings Mountain, NC – A woman-owned fabric storefront that provides premium quality cotton fabric for crafting and quilting, and a variety of textile accessories.Mak & Cheesecakes from Simpsonville, SC – A mother sharing her passion for delicious, NY-style cheesecake and the inspiration behind the name, her son Makai.Miri Nadler Cake Design from Charlotte, NC – A woman-owned bakery inspired by the owner’s food blog and a journey of discovering her unique cake-decorating style.Mr. GroomRoom Barbershop LLC from Raleigh, NC – A Black-owned barbershop heavily involved in their local community and makes house calls to elderly and home-bound clients.Perkins Orchard from Durham, NC – A Black-owned produce market whose mission is providing high-quality produce to the Durham area.The Barn at Blue Sky Farm from Dallas, NC – A woman-owned barn venue specializing in weddings, and available for corporate events and other celebrations.

The Big Game

After the first quarter of their preseason game against the Detroit Lions on August 25, the Carolina Panthers recognized the Top 10 winners, who were joined on the field by Lenovo’s Megan Bornemann, Lead of the Lenovo Evolve Small Initiative and Melinda Douglass, Lenovo Evolve Small Ambassador, as well as Panthers Team President Kristi Coleman and Panthers Legend Jonathan Stewart.

It is always an honor to highlight the businesses making a positive impact within their communities. We were thrilled to announce Blush Cowork as this year’s Empowering the Carolinas grand prize recipient.

The Empowering the Carolinas contest is more than a celebration of local businesses; it is a tribute to the spirit of entrepreneurship, community, and dreaming bigger. As the ten winning businesses stood proudly on the field and received praise for their achievements, they represented what makes the Carolinas’ business landscape dynamic and inspiring.

Once again, congratulations to all our 2023 Empowering the Carolinas winners; Lenovo and the Carolina Panthers are excited to see what the future holds for you!

Check out the Lenovo Evolve Small site to see how Lenovo and our partners are supporting deserving small businesses this year.

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. and DEERFIELD, Ill., October 3, 2023 /3BL/ – Humanitarian organization Direct Relief and the Baxter International Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Baxter International Inc. (NYSE:BAX), today announced the winners of the 2023 Transformative Innovation Awards in Community Health: Incorporating Nutrition to Improve Diabetes Health Outcomes. The Transformative Innovation Awards program, which is managed by Direct Relief and funded by the Baxter International Foundation, launched in 2019 to support community health centers, free and charitable clinics, and diabetes organizations that incorporate nutrition to help improve health outcomes for noncommunicable diseases, including diabetes.

“The Baxter International Foundation is delighted to partner with Direct Relief to support the 2023 award recipients as they work tirelessly to expand nutrition education and support and improve diabetes care for patients and families in their local communities,” said Verónica Arroyave, executive director of the Baxter International Foundation and vice president of corporate responsibility and global philanthropy at Baxter.

People with diabetes often experience nutrition-related challenges in managing their condition, including a lack of access to high-quality healthcare and healthy foods and the high cost of diabetes medications. Each 2023 awardee will receive a $115,000 grant supporting an 18-month project to develop novel nutrition-integrated approaches aimed at enhancing health outcomes for patients with diabetes.

The five 2023 awardees plan to use their funding to support a variety of initiatives:

Asociación Puertorriqueña de Diabetes, San Juan, Puerto Rico: Nutrition and healthy lifestyle education, counseling and exercise programs.St. Vincent De Paul Charitable Pharmacy, Cincinnati: A pharmacist-led nutrition program for low-income and uninsured patients with diabetes, including nutritional and diabetes self-management education, free pre-packaged healthy meals and cooking demonstrations.Faith Community Pharmacy, Newport, Ky.: Nutrition education, cooking demonstrations and free healthy food to help patients better manage their diabetes.Fundación Pediátrica de Diabetes, San Juan, Puerto Rico: Education, nutrition and psychological counseling, staff training, diabetes-focused summer camps and diabetes discharge kits to support youth diagnosed with diabetes and help them live a diabetes-friendly lifestyle.Finger Lakes Community Health, Penn Yam, N.Y.: Development of a diabetes task force to strengthen infrastructure and treatment protocols, host provider education, expand community partnerships and improve patient support resources, focusing attention on cultural dietary differences to customize meal planning to each patient.

“These 2023 awardees exemplify how innovation and empathy can transform the lives of those most in need,” said Thomas Tighe, CEO and president of Direct Relief. “It’s a privilege for Direct Relief, in collaboration with the Baxter International Foundation, to support their efforts and help them do even more for the patients they serve.”

The Transformative Innovation Awards program has awarded grants totaling more than $1 million to 12 community health centers, free and charitable clinics, and diabetes-focused organizations, empowering them to advance nutrition education, improve access to diabetes care, address health disparities related to noncommunicable diseases, boost specialty care access, and tailor patient and community-specific approaches to care.

About the Baxter International Foundation

Every day, Baxter strives to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those who depend on Baxter products and in the communities where employees live and work. The Baxter International Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Baxter International Inc., helps advance the company’s mission to save and sustain lives. Baxter partners with organizations around the world to increase access to healthcare for the underserved, to develop the next generation of innovators who will lead the way in advancing healthcare and to create a long-lasting impact in communities globally. Baxter is proud to support initiatives and organizations that make a positive, lasting impact in these critical areas. For more information, please visit Baxter’s Corporate Responsibility page.

About Direct Relief

A humanitarian organization committed to improving the health and lives of people affected by poverty and emergencies, Direct Relief delivers lifesaving medical resources throughout the U.S. and the world to communities in need—without regard to politics, religion, or ability to pay. For more information, visit https://www.DirectRelief.org

Driving circular solutions4

Since 2015, the global population has grown by roughly 10%5 whilst the global economy has consumed 70% more new materials than the Earth can safely replenish6. Making matters worse, more than 90% of all materials extracted are wasted, with only 8.6% being repurposed in our economy7. This highlights a concerning trend of overconsumption, as we are not only failing to preserve the limited – and often non renewable – resources we rely on, but our traditional “take-make-waste” model8 is also failing to get the most out of them, with resources being extracted, used, and then disposed of. Following this model, exacerbates the detrimental effects of waste and resource mismanagement on human and ecosystem health. The current model must shift to a circular economy, based on three principles set out by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation (EMF): eliminate waste and pollution, circulate products and materials (at their highest value) and regenerate nature9. In 2022, the European Union took an important step by publishing a revised proposal for the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which provides an opportunity for the entire packaging industry to promote the development of innovative solutions to reduce the amount of packaging waste and ensure that all packaging is either recyclable or reusable in Europe by 2030.

Why it matters 

The global population has grown by 10% since 2015, while the global economy has consumed 70% more new materials than the Earth can replenish. Over 90% of extracted materials are wasted, indicating overconsumption and a “take-make-waste” model that harms human and ecosystem health.

Ambition 

Drive circular solutions by designing recyclable food and beverage packaging, using recycled and renewable materials, and expanding collection and recycling to keep materials in use and out of landfills.

Targets

Design our equipment for food processing and packaging to be maintained, leased, reused, repaired, and upgraded to extend their lifespanDesign packaging that is attractive to paper recyclers by increasing paper content and by offering effective recycling solutions for the non-fibre component10Further drive the collection and recycling of carton packages worldwide by investing up to €40 million11 annually in the next years.

Tetra Pak’s role

We believe that a circular economy should consider not just recycling and reuse, but also the nature and climate impacts of raw materials and manufacturing.

We have set an ambition to improve circularity of our equipment for food processing and packaging by designing them to be maintained, leased, reused, repaired, and upgraded to extend their lifespan.

For packaging, our ambition is to create the ‘world’s most sustainable food package’12, which means creating cartons that are fully made of renewable or recycled materials, that are responsibly sourced, thereby helping to protect and restore our planet’s climate, resources, and biodiversity; contributing towards carbonneutral production and distribution; are convenient and safe, therefore helping to enable a resilient food system; and are fully recyclable. We focus on enabling the use of renewable materials, maximising the value of recycled material, minimising waste, and making sure the package of the future is designed for recycling. In 2022, through both operational and capital expenditures13, we invested nearly €30 million in collection and recycling projects around the world in support of our targets for paper-based carton packages’ collection and recycling. Going forward, we are increasing our contribution to the collection and recycling of food and beverage paper-based carton packages worldwide, investing up to approximately €40 million annually14.

Our progress in 2022

Food packaging

World’s most sustainable food packaging15 
We continue to work towards our ambition to develop the world’s most sustainable food packaging: a carton package made of renewable or recycled materials, that are responsibly sourced, therefore helping protect and restore our planet’s climate, resources and biodiversity; contributing towards carbon-neutral production and distribution; convenient and safe, therefore helping to enable a resilient food system; fully recyclable. We are investing €100 million annually over the next five to ten years in the research and development of packages that are made with a simplified material structure to strengthen recyclability and increase renewable content, while never compromising food safety. As part of this, we are looking to raise the share of paper and reduce the amount of fossil-based plastic and aluminium. We are also introducing the use of certified recycled polymers16 in our packaging.

Innovating to increase use of renewable materials 
Since 2015, with the launch of the Tetra Rex® plant-based package – conventional plastics made from plant-based oil. We have steadily increased the use of plant-based plastics over fossil-based plastics which contributes to an even lower carbon footprint of our packaging17. We continued this development and sold 24% more packages (8.8 billion)18 and 12% more caps (11.9 billion) made with plant-based plastic in 2022, compared to 2021.

In 2022 Tetra Pak moved to the next level of development – testing a fibre-based barrier to substitute the aluminium foil layer that is a first within food carton packages distributed under ambient conditions. In addition, in collaboration with MAX IV, we have embarked on ground-breaking research towards advancing fibre-based sustainable food packaging. The research aims to uncover fresh insights into the nanostructure of fibre materials, with the first application to optimise the composition of materials used for paper straws, helping to uncover fresh insights into plant-based materials as a basis for future innovations. This is the very first industrial research and development experiment at ForMAX, a brand new research station dedicated to studying materials from the forest, located at the MAX IV Laboratory in Lund, Sweden.

The experiment conducted at ForMAX is a milestone for both academia and industry. The research station is the first of its kind and will facilitate both fundamental and applied industrial research on how new, sustainable materials19 can be used going forward. We are proud to support Tetra Pak in its development of sustainable packaging for the future. 

Kim Nygård, 

Manager, ForMAX beamline, MAX IV

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Replacing virgin polymers with certified recycled polymers We have introduced certified recycled polymers from the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) and the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC)20 in our packaging, to support our targets of increased use of recycled materials. Since 2020, two of our production sites in Europe have been certified by RSB to produce packaging material and additional materials with certified recycled polymer. This means that the plastics are made of a mix of recycled and non-recycled materials, with the corresponding mass of recycled materials tracked throughout the Tetra Pak supply chain. This is verified by a third-party auditor according to the RSB Chain of Custody Procedure, which forms part of the RSB Advanced Products certification. In 2021, our packaging material factory and additional materials factory in Mexico were certified by the ISCC PLUS system. In 2022, we have started the ISCC PLUS certification process for a number of our European production sites.

In collaboration with Elvir, a subsidiary of Savencia Fromage & Dairy – a world-leading milk processor – Tetra Pak has become the first carton packaging player in the food and beverage industry to launch a cap using certified recycled polymers. Elle & Vire chose the HeliCap™ 23 cap solution to complement its cream products, which are distributed in Tetra Brik® Aseptic 1L Slim carton packages. This one-step resealable screwcap is manufactured at Tetra Pak’s Châteaubriant plant in Loire-Atlantique, France – one of the sites that has been awarded the RSB Advanced Products certification. 
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Swiss dairy Emmi launched Tetra Top® carton package with certified recycled polymers for its Emmi’s Good Day Milk Drink. The Tetra Top® 1000 Base carton package is made with recycled polymers manufactured under the RSB chain of custody attribution method. 
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Tethering caps to prevent litter To help prevent litter and meet the requirements of the EU directive on tethered caps which will come into effect in July 2024, deployment of Tetra Pak® tethered caps started in 2022 with the following customers.

April 2022: Borrisoleigh Bottling Ltd in Ireland, Cido Grupa in the Baltics, Group Lactalis Spain and LY Company Group in Spain in different product categories – a market first for these geographies.September 2022: Coca-Cola Tria Epsilon, Greece, started using Tetra Pak® tethered caps on carton packaging across its juice drink range.November 2022: Danone Alpro has become the first plant-based drinks producer to switch from LightCap™ 30 Air cap to the newly released tethered cap LightWing™ 30 cap on Tetra Brik® Aseptic Edge 1000 carton package, with a self-locking hinge. The product is being launched in coffee shops in Germany and the UK, before being rolled out to retailers in several European markets.

As we are accelerating the deployment of tethered caps, in 2022 we released the cap C38 Pro for Tetra Top® carton packages, which is based on a screw opening mechanism and, like other tethered caps, stays attached to the package to help prevent litter. 
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Learn more about what is next for Tetra Pak here.

1 The research aims to uncover fresh insights into the nanostructure of fibre materials, with the first application to optimise the composition of materials used for paper straws. Source: https://www.tetrapak.com/about-tetra-pak/news-and-events/newsarchive/Tetra-Pak-commences-first-of-itskind-research-into-fibre-based-food-packaging 

2 For the reported carton packages collected for recycling we use, where available, official publicly available data from renowned sources such as governmental agency, registered recovery organization, nationwide industry association, NGO etc. reported on a regular basis using a consistent approach. 

3 Paper-based carton packages are recyclable where adequate collection, sorting and recycling infrastructures are in place

4 In line with the circular economy definition of Ellen Mac Arthur Foundation. “The circular economy is a systems solution framework that tackles global challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, waste, and pollution”. Source: https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/topics/circular-economy-introduction/overview 

5 From 7.3 billion to 8 billion. Source: Population | United Nations 

6 Circularity Gap Report: FIVE YEARS of the Circularity Gap Report (2022). Source: https://www.circularity-gap.world/2022 

7 Circularity Gap Report: FIVE YEARS of the Circularity Gap Report (2022). Source: https://www.circularity-gap.world/2022 

8 Reference to linear economy as defined by EMF: “An economy in which finite resources are extracted to make products that are used – generally not to their full potential – and then thrown away (‘take-make-waste’)”. Source: https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/topics/circular-economy-introduction/glossary 

9 Ellen MacArthur Foundation. https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/topics/circular-economy-introduction/overview 

10 The non-fibre component of carton packages is known as polyAl, which designates the layers of polyolefins and aluminium being used as barrier against oxygen and humidity to protect the food content in aseptic carton packages. 

11 Both operational and capital expenditures

12 A carton package made of renewable or recycled materials, that are responsibly sourced, therefore helping protect and restore our planet’s climate, resources and biodiversity; contributing towards carbon-neutral production and distribution; convenient and safe, therefore helping to enable a resilient food system; fully recyclable. 

13 Capital expenditures are a company’s major, long-term expenses while operating expenses are a company’s day-to-day expenses. Examples of CapEx include physical assets, such as buildings, equipment, machinery, and vehicles. Examples of OpEx include employee salaries, rent, utilities, and property taxes. Source: https://www.investopedia.com/

14 Both operational and capital expenditures

15 A carton package made of renewable or recycled materials, that are responsibly sourced, therefore helping protect and restore our planet’s climate, resources and biodiversity; contributing towards carbon-neutral production and distribution; convenient and safe, therefore helping to enable a resilient food system; fully recyclable.

16 The recycled polymers used in Tetra Pak carton packages are produced under the RSB attribution model of chain of custody (RSB Advanced Products Category III, Recycled feedstock – 100% attributed). This means that the plastics are made of a mix of recycled and non-recycled materials, with the corresponding mass of recycled materials tracked throughout the Tetra Pak supply chain. This is verified by a third-party auditor, according to the RSB Chain of Custody Procedure, which forms part of the RSB Advanced Products certification.

17 In 2022, the amount of plant-based plastic used by Tetra Pak resulted in 131 kilo tonnes of CO2 saved compared to the amount of CO2 which would have been emitted if using fossil-based plastic. Based on climate accounting internal calculations (volume x emission factor) considering 72.7 kilo tonnes of plant-based plastic purchased in 2022. To calculate the avoided emissions number, we use a third-party emission factor for the plant-based polymers from public available lifecycle assessment by Braskem. Source: https://www.braskem.com.br/portal/imgreen/ arquivos/LCA%20PE%20I’m%20green%20bio-based_FINAL%20EN.pdf

18 Volumes exclude Blend in BIO (BiB) sold in Brazil. BiB is a mix of 75% LDPE and 25% plant-based LDPE

19 In this context, sustainable materials are referred to as renewable, paper-based materials. Examples include wood, hemp, wool, and bamboo.

20 Both ISCC PLUS and RSB rely on mass balance certification for attributed recycled polymers, with annual third-party verification of the integrity of the respective chain of custody.