Tag: 3BL

RE100, the global campaign set up to accelerate change towards a net zero future by driving the renewable energy transition, has recently implemented important updates to its guidance for corporate buyers.

The updates establish new parameters for corporate renewable electricity procurement, potentially impacting your renewable energy strategy. In this article, we delve into these changes and their anticipated implications.

Setting the bar for renewable energy ambition

Launched in 2014, RE100 is a global climate action initiative, set up by CDP and Climate Group, whose 400+ influential members across the commercial and industrial sectors commit to sourcing 100% of their electricity from renewable sources by 2040 at the latest.

In a bid to increase ambition, RE100 has recently revised its guidance on corporate renewable electricity procurement. According to the latest updates to the technical criteria, which ‘define what counts as renewable electricity for the purpose of participation in the RE100 campaign’, as of 1 January 2024, members will need to observe a 15-year date limit on commissioning or repowering when purchasing renewable electricity to cover 85% of their total annual electricity demand. Therefore, this change will stimulate the construction of new and additional renewable capacity by directly increasing members’ demand for new projects.

Unbundled EACs and the impact on hydropower procurement

The majority of the volume (39%) of renewable electricity procured by RE100 members in 2021 was delivered through unbundled energy attribute certificates (EACs). Unbundled EACs are an accounting instrument that reliably tracks megawatt-hours of renewable electricity from the point of origin to the final consumer. They are traded separately from the underlying electricity and are considered to be the easiest measure a company can implement to reduce the emissions derived from the electricity they purchase.

The new regulations will particularly impact the purchase of unbundled EACs from hydropower plants, which are regarded as the industry benchmark, due to their operational history exceeding 15 years. Notably, Norway, Europe’s primary unbundled EAC supplier, derives around 45% of its electricity from hydropower. However, the changes will also reverberate across hydropower nations like Austria and Switzerland, the USA, Brazil and China. As a consequence, market experts expect increased demand for “newer” technologies such as wind and solar, fostering bullish unbundled EAC markets in certain regions.

Next steps: hedging against procurement risks

Given this scenario, both RE100 members and non-members can potentially benefit from engaging in multi-year unbundled EAC forward contracts. These contracts act as hedging instruments which allow companies to secure volumes and prices for the next three to five years today but disburse money only after delivery of the unbundled EACs in the respective years. Engaging in such agreements empowers companies to mitigate the risk of higher future prices for technologies like wind and solar, which will be in higher demand from RE100 members in the future.

How can South Pole help?

There are many reasons why you should not wait on renewable energy. With global experience and explicit regional knowledge of electricity markets, our experts enable tailored consulting and solutions to help companies around the world achieve their renewable energy goals.

If you would like to know how multi-year unbundled EAC forward contracts can help you achieve your climate action goals in the most cost-efficient way, we invite you to contact our renewable energy experts.

Originally published on DICK’S Sporting Goods Sideline Report

She first hit the links with her dad at just 3 years old. Earlier this month, Golf Galaxy teammate Krissy Ortiz set her sights on the USGA Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship title!

Ortiz is no stranger to golf tournaments. She played in her first one when she was 8 years old and placed in the top five. “That’s when I got the competitive golf bug,” Ortiz said. She continued to play competitively all through school, including during her time at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida, where she helped her team win an NCAA Regional Championship.

The summer before her senior year of college, Ortiz’s parents moved from Puerto Rico to the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area. That same summer she got a job at Golf Galaxy store 3078 in Langhorne and has worked there ever since, along with her father. “I started out as a cashier, then went to the sales floor before becoming a fitter,” Ortiz said.

After graduating from Lynn University in 2019, Ortiz decided to take a break from competitive golf. Recently, her Golf Galaxy teammates encouraged her to get back into it. “We’re a tight knit group and a lot of us like to play golf together on our off days,” Ortiz said. “They would say Krissy, you’re the best golfer in the store. You should be competing!”

“Krissy is always ready for the challenge,” said Keith Straka, assistant store manager at Golf Galaxy store 3078. “She enjoys every aspect of the game.”

Her first tournament back was the 2023 Mercer Oaks Women’s Club Championship in Princeton, New Jersey in July. She won by 15 strokes, along with posting the lowest scores in both the Men’s and Women’s championship flights.

In mid-August, Ortiz played in the qualifier for the USGA Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship. She placed second and earned a spot in the tournament. A feat she achieved without much practice. “I had no expectations when I went into the qualifier, but I got the job done,” she said.

This year’s USGA Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship was played at Stonewall Links in Elverson, Pennsylvania, not far from her Golf Galaxy store in Langhorne. Her teammates were watching and cheering for her from the store. “They were following the live scoring from their phones and sharing it in the store’s group chat,” Ortiz said.

Ortiz made it to the round of 64 but lost the match on the 18th hole. Despite the outcome, Ortiz said she had fun. “I enjoyed every moment of this. Playing in a USGA championship is really a top-notch experience.”

DALLAS, September 28, 2023 /3BL/ – CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE:CBRE) announced a strategic partnership with Emitwise, a leading carbon accounting software provider, to collect greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) data from its supply chain and provide carbon accounting capabilities to its suppliers.

As part of the partnership, CBRE will make a strategic investment in Emitwise.

“Decarbonizing supply chains requires breakthroughs in using technology and data in new ways to simplify the challenges of managing complex value chains,” said Robert Bernard, CBRE Chief Sustainability Officer. “We are excited to partner with Emitwise to help our clients reduce their carbon impact and support our efforts to decarbonize our own supply chain.”

The partnership with Emitwise enables suppliers to calculate more accurate carbon impacts and learn where to focus efforts to accelerate decarbonization. In addition, CBRE clients will gain better insight into their value chain at scale by having exclusive access to precisely accurate data and high-impact decarbonization opportunities.

“Emitwise equips companies with the data they need to make critical procurement decisions that de-risk their supply chain in a world transitioning to net zero,” said Mauro Cozzi, Co-founder and CEO of Emitwise. “We are thrilled to partner with CBRE on their efforts to reduce emissions across their supply chain.”

Emitwise will play a key role in advancing CBRE’s net zero strategy by helping to track and reduce Scope 3 emissions in both the company’s and its clients’ supply chains.

About CBRE Group, Inc. 
CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE:CBRE), a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company headquartered in Dallas, is the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm (based on 2022 revenue). The company has approximately 115,000 employees (excluding Turner & Townsend employees) serving clients in more than 100 countries. CBRE serves a diverse range of clients with an integrated suite of services, including facilities, transaction and project management; property management; investment management; appraisal and valuation; property leasing; strategic consulting; property sales; mortgage services and development services. Please visit our website at www.cbre.com. We routinely post important information on our website, including corporate and investor presentations and financial information. We intend to use our website as a means of disclosing material, non-public information and for complying with our disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Such disclosures will be included in the Investor Relations section of our website at https://ir.cbre.com. Accordingly, investors should monitor such portion of our website, in addition to following our press releases, Securities and Exchange Commission filings and public conference calls and webcasts. 

Forward-Looking Statements 
Certain of the statements in this release regarding the partnership with Emitwise that do not concern purely historical data are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are made based on our management’s expectations and beliefs concerning future events affecting us and are subject to uncertainties and factors relating to our operations and business environment, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond our control. Accordingly, actual performance, results and events may vary materially from those indicated in forward-looking statements, and you should not rely on forward-looking statements as predictions of future performance, results or events. Numerous factors could cause actual future performance, results and events to differ materially from those indicated in forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the ability to integrate Emitwise’s databases with CBRE’s global procurement platform and to use Emitwise’s data to reduce supply chain emissions as well as other risks and uncertainties discussed in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release. We assume no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking information, except to the extent required by applicable securities laws. If we do update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that we will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements. For additional information concerning factors that may cause actual results to differ from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements and other risks and uncertainties to our business in general, please refer to our SEC filings, including our Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 and Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2023. Such filings are available publicly and may be obtained from our website at www.cbre.com or upon request from the CBRE Investor Relations Department at investorrelations@cbre.com.

Originally published by The Job & Open Campus Media, Inc. on the-job.beehiiv.com

By Paul Fain

No corporation has been more committed than IBM in trying to create career opportunities for workers without four-year college degrees. The global tech company’s ambitions include becoming a major player in the issuing of alternative credentials and working with other companies on their hiring strategies.

IBM created its U.S. apprenticeship program in 2017. It grew faster than the company anticipated and has expanded to 35 job roles. IBM has hired roughly 1K apprenticeships through its U.S. program, where more than 90% of graduates become full-time employees.

The company partnered with Franklin Apprenticeship to create its IBM Z Mainframe Apprenticeship program. It says an intermediary can help ease a company’s administrative burden with apprenticeships while shaping the experience for participants.

“This is what they do. This is their core competency,” says Lydia Logan, IBM’s vice president of global education and workforce development and corporate social responsibility.

Logan acknowledges that efforts by companies to change how they hire and develop talent are a “slow burn.” The progress IBM has made was possible, she says, because it took on the challenge as part of a “complete agenda” ranging from policy priorities to apprenticeships and consulting to SkillsBuild, the company’s free online course and credential platform, which is a big part of its goal to upskill 30M people this decade.

Continue reading here

September 28, 2023 /3BL/ – Victor Sandifer is the creative genius behind Run The World, a groundbreaking product and experience company that seamlessly merges fashion and events to share captivating stories of history, culture, and radical thought. With a deep passion for storytelling and an innate understanding of the impact of narratives, Victor embarked on a mission to connect people with the world’s most compelling stories in innovative and immersive ways.

His journey of entrepreneurial success is a testament to the power of mentorship and determination.

Reflecting on his journey, Victor shared, “I was born and raised in Oakland. Growing up, I did not see many businesses in my community owned by people who looked like me. Consequently I did not think entrepreneurship was an option for me until I entered the workforce and realized that a traditional job wasn’t for me. Entrepreneurship has given me true freedom and purpose. I decided to join SkysTheLimit.org because I know how important it is to have like minded people in your circle to help you become successful.”

In his pursuit of transforming Run The World into a thriving enterprise, Victor Sandifer found an exceptional mentor through Sky’s the Limit, Dr. Jennifer Bailey, an expert in risk management at PNC. Jennifer’s career in the financial services sector and her commitment to community engagement made her the perfect match for Victor’s vision.

Jennifer’s background, including roles at renowned firms such as EY and PwC, as well as her experience at PNC, equipped her with valuable insights into strategy, culture, and analytics. Her previous involvement with franchise ownership and non-profit organizations added depth to her mentorship capabilities. As an adjunct professor at a local university’s school of business, Jennifer also excelled in sharing knowledge and guiding aspiring entrepreneurs.

The collaboration between Victor Sandifer and Jennifer Bailey has been transformative. Together, they embarked on a mission to enhance Run The World’s marketing efforts and pave the way for growth.

A pivotal moment in their mentorship journey involved brainstorming and crafting a groundbreaking marketing strategy for an upcoming Run The World collection. Jennifer’s insights and guidance played a crucial role in developing a comprehensive marketing plan.

“Jennifer helped brainstorm and conceptualize a new marketing strategy for a new collection I was releasing. Creating and executing a fully flushed out marketing plan helped me increase my sales by 60%,” said Victor.

Victor attributes a significant part of his entrepreneurial success to Sky’s the Limit, the organization that brought him together with Jennifer, and connected him with other mentors and resources. Victor received invaluable assistance in developing and refining his business plan and pitch deck for various competitions.

Bo Ghirardelli, Co-Founder & CEO of Sky’s the Limit, commends Victor’s achievements, stating, “Victor’s journey embodies the essence of what Sky’s the Limit stands for – empowering aspiring entrepreneurs to realize their full potential. We’re immensely proud of Victor’s accomplishments and the impact he’s making through Run The World.”

As he continues on his path to unlocking Run The World’s full potential, Victor expresses heartfelt gratitude to his mentors, particularly Jennifer Bailey, for their unwavering support and guidance. With their collective efforts, Victor and Run The World have transcended boundaries, making history, culture, and radical thought accessible to all, while achieving remarkable business success.

Read more about Victor’s inspiring success story and Run The World here.

Sky’s the Limit offers opportunities for traditionally marginalized entrepreneurs – typically those who identify as LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, women, veterans, disabled people, and people from low-income backgrounds – to connect with mentors to come together to foster, grow, and shape modern and future enterprise. The organization has also provided over $450,000 in startup grants and educated tens of thousands of diverse entrepreneurs.

For more information about partnerships and how to get involved, please visit skysthelimit.org/partnerships.

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About SkysTheLimit.org: SkysTheLimit.org is a digital platform that connects young, historically excluded entrepreneurs with one-on-one support from experienced business advisors and mentors, entrepreneurship training, and community-voted startup grants. SkysTheLimit.org is a 501(c)3 nonprofit. 

WASHINGTON, D.C. and NEW YORK, September 28, 2023 /3BL/ – The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) and the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) today announced extensive interest and adoption of the streamlined pathway to LEED and WELL Certification. Since the launch of the streamlined certification pathway, 335 projects in 38 countries, accounting for 82 million square feet, have opted-in to the process.

“It’s exciting to see how quickly the market has embraced the LEED and WELL pathway,” said Rachel Hodgdon, President and CEO, IWBI. “It shows just how much global demand there is to demonstrate leadership on both human health and planetary health.”

Announced in April of this year, the joint undertaking between IWBI and USGBC supports streamlined review and documentation for projects that are pursuing both certifications at the same time, or that have already earned one certification and are looking to add the other. “This new pathway strengthens synergies between LEED and WELL, supporting projects pursuing both gold standard certifications. This strategic partnership underscores that human health and planetary health are inextricably linked,” said Rachel Hodgdon, President and CEO, IWBI, when the new pathway was first introduced.

“The collaboration between USGBC and IWBI is imperative to confront today’s challenges and shape a future that will benefit generations to come,” said Peter Templeton, president & CEO, USGBC and GBCI.

The LEED and WELL pathway also includes a suite of alignment resources, including a LEED + WELL Crosswalk, Submittal Form, Streamlined Certification Process Guide and FAQs.

TVS became the first organization to achieve both LEED and WELL Certification through the streamlined pathway. Its 33,000 square-foot office in Atlanta achieved LEED Platinum and WELL Certification at the Platinum level, the highest tiers for both certifications.

The dual achievement aligns with TVS’ belief that long-term gains in human health and a sustainable world rely on high performance design, as well as policies that drive thoughtful day-to-day strategies to support the health and well-being of the people inside the space. LEED and WELL, in combination, demonstrate leadership in both. As the design progressed, TVS prioritized actions that had the best long-term impact for its people and the planet.

“We challenged ourselves to achieve both LEED and WELL certifications in a fluctuating construction climate knowing that our budget was incredibly tight. We wanted to demonstrate to ourselves and to our clients that unwavering commitment and innovative thinking would lead to lasting positive impact for our people and the planet. We are enormously proud of the results and are re-inspired to carry this message to our clients,” said Janet Simpson, President and CEO, TVS.

Connection was of the utmost importance to the team at TVS, as the office provided the opportunity for all staff to meet in a single space. However, with the benefit of in-person interaction came concerns over sound and volume control – with the Sound concept of WELL becoming an area of special focus. According to the TVS team, WELL’s Movement, Nourishment and Water concepts also resonated, helping increase awareness and inspire new behaviors.

“What is healthy for people, is healthy for our planet. That’s why we were excited to leverage the new LEED + WELL streamlined pathway that enabled us to work between the systems with greater ease resulting in achievement of dual certification at the highest level for our client, TVS,” said Allison Cunningham, Managing Director, Sustainability Consulting.

For more information on the LEED and WELL certification pathway, please visit this link.

About the International WELL Building Institute

The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) is a public benefit corporation and the world’s leading organization focused on deploying people-first places to advance a global culture of health. IWBI mobilizes its community through the administration of the WELL Building Standard (WELL) and WELL ratings and certifications, management of the WELL AP credential, the pursuit of applicable research, the development of educational resources and advocacy for policies that promote health and well-being everywhere. More information on WELL can be found here.

International WELL Building Institute pbc is a wholly owned subsidiary of Delos Living LLC. International WELL Building Institute, IWBI, the WELL Building Standard, WELL v2, WELL Certified, WELL AP, WELL Portfolio, WELL Score, The WELL Conference, We Are WELL, the WELL Community Standard, WELL Health-Safety Rating, WELL Health-Safety Rated, WELL Equity, WELL Performance Rated, WELL Performance Rating, Works with WELL, WELL and others, and their related logos are trademarks or certification marks of International WELL Building Institute pbc in the United States and other countries.

About USGBC

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. USGBC works toward its mission of market transformation through its LEED green building program, robust educational offerings, an international network of local community leaders, the annual Greenbuild International Conference & Expo, the Center for Green Schools and advocacy in support of public policy that encourages and enables green buildings and communities. For more information, visit usgbc.org and connect on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

About Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI)

GBCI is the world’s leading sustainability and health certification and credentialing body. Established in 2008, GBCI exclusively administers project certifications and professional credentials and certificates within the framework of the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating systems, as well as the PEER standard for power systems, the WELL Building Standard, the Sustainable SITES Initiative (SITES), EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies), TRUE certification for zero waste and Investor Confidence Project (ICP) for energy efficiency retrofits. Visit gbci.org.

Media contact: 
media@wellcertified.com

BELLEVUE, Wash., September 28, 2023 /3BL/ – What’s the news: T-Mobile (NASDAQ: TMUS) named its next 25 Hometown Grant recipients, bringing the total to 225 communities since the Un-carrier announced its massive five-year commitment to small towns in April 2021. The company has now given more than $10 million to kickstart community development ideas across 42 states, with projects like upgrading tech at local libraries, building new hiking trails and revitalizing historic buildings.

Why it matters: T-Mobile is committed to being a force for good, and Hometown Grants is one way the Un-carrier is making a big difference in small towns. With $25 million set aside through 2026 to fund community projects, T-Mobile is empowering more people with digital connections that create a more sustainable future for all. Beyond Hometown Grants, T-Mobile is helping small town America thrive through initiatives like Project 10Million, which offers free internet connectivity to eligible students to help close the digital divide in education and T-Mobile 5G Home Internet, which gives millions of Americans access to more affordable home broadband.

Who it’s for: Anyone who wants to make a positive impact on their community.

How it works: To select Hometown Grant recipients, T-Mobile works with Main Street America and Smart Growth America — two organizations with expertise in building stronger, healthier and more connected communities. Applications are evaluated based on their level of detail and completeness, community need and impact, feasibility and other considerations. T-Mobile awards 25 Hometown Grants each quarter to small towns with a population of 50,000 or less.

To apply for a Hometown Grant for your town, visit here.

The recipients: Here are the next 25 Hometown Grant recipients and their projects:

Springville, Ala.: Renovate the Main Street Farmers Market Pavilion, including a new pergola, concrete pad, concrete stage, exterior lighting, planter boxes and AstroTurf area for community events and gatherings.Kingsburg, Calif.: Install restrooms, solar lighting, landscaping, and Wi-Fi access points at Athwal Park as part of a multi-year, master-planned recreation project to add new amenities, including improved digital access.Mount Shasta, Calif.: Launch the Fire Toolkit Project through the Mount Shasta Bioregional Ecology Center, aimed at providing fire prevention and safety resources, equipment, and training to communities across Siskiyou County, including a fully equipped mobile trailer.Calhoun, Ga.: Revamp the Cyber Café at the Boys & Girls Clubs serving Chattooga, Gordon, Murray and Whitfield Counties, by updating technology with routers, tablets with a portable charging station, touchscreen televisions and an interactive virtual educational system for youth to have a dedicated space for homework help and program engagement.Colfax, Iowa: Beautify Downtown Colfax with the addition of a pocket park, including brick pavers, tables, chairs, bicycle racks, planter boxes, a sculptural partition, and other public art, to provide an outdoor community gathering space.Independence, Iowa: Put in artificial turf at all five fields at the Independence Baseball/Softball Complex to expand youth sports programs and create jobs across northeast Iowa.Highland, Ill.: Install a new, unique playground this fall at Highland’s Silver Lake Park with ropes, logs, boulders, and other elements of nature incorporated into it that will inspire imagination.Rantoul, Ill.: Preserve the area’s rich railroad, agriculture and military history by incorporating and installing interactive sculptures and murals around Downtown Rantoul, as a part of the Downtown Streetscape Project.Peru, Ind.: Revive seven city blocks of downtown Peru, installing benches, bike racks and trash receptacles to increase walkability and gathering at downtown events and farmers market activities.Iola, Kan.: Create four murals depicting historical industries and landmarks that represent the area, in partnership with local designer Max Grundy that will be seen from U.S. Route 54 and 169.Hagerstown, Md.: Support an interactive life safety education program for youth, addressing critical issues like traffic and pedestrian safety, fire and water safety and more at the Children’s Village Skills Training Building, taught by emergency responders and retired educators.Skowhegan, Maine: Build The Kitchen at 185, a shared commercial kitchen and business incubator, aimed to support food producers, purveyors and restaurateurs by cultivating a business ecosystem, including flex spaces for food vendors to market their products and a food hall area for the community.Marshall, Minn.: Create a career and technical workforce training center for youth, available to all students throughout the public school system to provide more opportunities for hands-on and skills-based learning.Historic Village of Gold Hill, N.C.: Replace worn out wooden boardwalks in the village and add ADA accessibility to areas, increase public safety as well as install benches dedicated to our local veterans throughout the village.Franklin, N.C.: Construct a bilingual community health center out of an acquired 16,000 square foot warehouse, including integrated primary/behavioral healthcare and pharmacy, dental care, social services agencies, meeting spaces, health and fitness classes, community groups and arts to provide needed resources for the community.Lovington, N.M.: Revamp the historic art-deco style Lea Theatre, including updates to the building’s roof, exterior, electrical and plumbing, to provide the community with an entertainment venue.Pahrump, Nev.: Install a water splash pad at Simkins Park, providing a way for children in the community to cool off and a sustainable, economical water solution in a water-restricted desert climate.Anadarko, Okla.: Beautify the historic downtown Miller Theater by adding an outdoor greenspace area, including a raised stage and amphitheater, restrooms, outdoor seating, concession stand and mural honoring the town’s rich history of the Native American community.Guthrie, Okla.: Renovate the Hope House, a temporary haven for families and individuals, including updates to living resources like laundry services, bathrooms and storage, and an updated surveillance system, security doors and fencing to help ensure the safety of residents.McMinnville, Ore.: Transform a high traffic alley passageway into the McMinnville Community Art Alley, a beautiful, safe culture focal point in the downtown area, with the partnership of 10 local businesses.Warm Springs, Ore.: Create the Warm Springs Commissary, reclaiming a 125-year-old former Bureau of Indian Affairs commissary building and turning it into a sustainably built co-working space with retail (barber shop, café, art store), food carts, outdoor pavilion and community gathering spaces supporting 40 aspiring or current tribal small businesses.DuBois, Pa.: Launch the Dubois Area Middle School esports program, providing technology equipment like gaming computers and consoles, wall-mounted televisions and seating to encourage esports competitions across the region.Derry Township, Lewistown, Pa.: Build two new playgrounds (Tot Lot and Youth), remodel restrooms and add native plantings to provide the community with much needed outdoor family recreational space.Dyersburg, Tenn.: Repair the Dyersburg Farmers Market, a highly attended outdoor space, by replacing uneven concrete floor slabs, metal siding and installing handrails to improve public safety.Mount Carmel, Tenn.: Create an outdoor classroom in City Park for students from Mount Carmel Elementary, Mount Carmel Library summer reading program, and area homeschool groups, to have a dedicated, creative space to learn ecology, gardening and crafts.

Check out how Hometown Grants are positively impacting small towns nationwide here.

For more information about T-Mobile’s commitment to small towns, visit www.t-mobile.com/hometowngrants.

Follow @TMobileNews on X, formerly known as Twitter, to stay up to date with the latest company news.

To download b-roll, click here.

About T-Mobile 
T-Mobile US, Inc. (NASDAQ: TMUS) is America’s supercharged Un-carrier, delivering an advanced 4G LTE and transformative nationwide 5G network that will offer reliable connectivity for all. T-Mobile’s customers benefit from its unmatched combination of value and quality, unwavering obsession with offering them the best possible service experience and undisputable drive for disruption that creates competition and innovation in wireless and beyond. Based in Bellevue, Wash., T-Mobile provides services through its subsidiaries and operates its flagship brands, T-Mobile, Metro by T-Mobile and Sprint. For more information please visit: https://www.t-mobile.com

PHILADELPHIA, September 28, 2023 /3BL/ – PNC celebrated 15 years of making arts and cultural programs more accessible through PNC Arts Alive with the announcement of the initiative’s latest grant recipients. A total of $1 million will be awarded to nearly two dozen local arts organizations in the current grant cycle.

Funded projects highlight various cultural traditions and art forms from their earliest roots to contemporary culture.

Programs include celebrations of African American art, dance and film, community festivals in the heart of Philadelphia’s Chinatown, theatrical productions spanning continents, culturally informed artmaking and more.

“It’s amazing to see what the PNC Arts Alive initiative has delivered for our region’s arts and cultural organizations, and our neighbors throughout the past 15 years,” said Joe Meterchick, PNC regional president for Philadelphia, Delaware and Southern New Jersey. “The current cycle of Arts Alive grant recipients represents not only a diverse range of programming but also the amazing cultural influences that make our region a terrific place to live, work and play. We look forward to gathering with our neighbors and welcome everyone to join us and be a part of art.”

With the latest funding cycle, the impact of the PNC Arts Alive initiative in the region has resulted in:

More than $15 million in funding to local arts and culture organizations;A total of 300 programs supported; andAccessible programming that reached more than two million community members.

PNC Arts Alive is a multi-year initiative of PNC and the PNC Foundation dedicated to supporting visual and performing arts groups with the goal of increasing arts access and engagement in new and innovative ways. The PNC Foundation, which receives its principal funding from The PNC Financial Services Group, actively supports organizations that provide services for the benefit of communities in which it has a significant presence. The foundation focuses its philanthropic mission on early childhood education and community and economic development, which includes the arts and culture. For more information, visit www.pncartsalive.com.

2023 GRANT RECIPIENTS 
PHILADELPHIA, SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY, DELAWARE

African American Museum in Philadelphia 
Asian Arts Initiative 
Barnes Foundation 
BlackStar Projects 
The Clay Studio 
Da Vinci Art Alliance 
Delaware Art Museum 
Expressive Path 
FringeArts 
Grand Opera House 
Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance 
Mann Center for the Performing Arts 
The Philadelphia Orchestra and Kimmel Center, Inc. 
Peoples Light & Theatre Co. 
Perkins Center for the Arts 
Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Arts 
PHILADANCO: Philadelphia Dance Company 
Philadelphia Museum of Art 
Samuel S. Fleisher Art Memorial Inc. 
Taller Puertorriqueño, Inc. 
Theatre Horizon 
Walnut Street Theater 
Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center Inc.

CONTACT: 
Jason Beyersdorfer 
(201) 988-1201 
jason.b@pnc.com

A Fresh Perspective On ESG Ratings

Most investors who use ESG data seem to do so because they want to satisfy a regulatory or marketing requirement. They aren’t based their buy/sell decisions on ESG-driven signals. We recently started working with a new source of ESG ratings—InvestVerte. This group targets investors who want to use ESG data to improve their investment returns.

Like some of the other sources we work with, InvestVerte uses machine learning to scan a range of sites and sources for ESG-related information. It is seeking to improve the results for investment purposes, by using a range of validation tools, robustness-checking algorithms, and AI methods.

We analyzed the ratings for 414 entities that both InvestVerte and CSRHub covers. The plot below shows there is little correlation between InvestVerte’s view of how entities are performing on ESG issues and CSRHub’s consensus-driven rating.

See Low Correlation Between Our Overall Ratings

We also looked at E, S, and G (Environment, Social, and Governance) sub-ratings from InvestVerte. There were no strong correlations with CSRHub’s lower level ratings.

CSRHub’s objective is to capture how entities are generally viewed by ESG ratings groups. We incorporate millions of insights from 900 different data sources. We don’t average these insights—we go to the bottom level of detail and build up our consensus view, using a big data algorithm.

Some of our sources have high correlations with our consensus view. Part of this is that some of our larger, better-known sources release their data broadly enough that it influences how entities are generally viewed. Other sources have lower correlations because they are using methodologies that are specialized to their perspective or because they give more weight one aspect of sustainability than to another.

InvestVerte may be different because it seeks to be different. By going against consensus, InvestVerte seems to be trying to show its users where there are opportunities to profit from flaws in the “market view” of an entity’s ESG performance. While we will be including InvestVerte’s signal in our system, its low correlation will give it only a small weight in our scores. This will ensure that this source remains an outlier—and a fresh way of looking at ESG ratings.

About CSRHub 
CSRHub offers one of the world’s broadest and most consistent set of Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) ratings, covering 50,000 companies. Its Big Data algorithm combines millions of data points on ESG performance from hundreds of sources, including leading ESG analyst raters, to produce consensus scores on all aspects of corporate social responsibility and sustainability. CSRHub ratings can be used to drive corporate, investor and consumer decisions. For more information, visit www.CSRHub.com. CSRHub is a B Corporation.

Originally published on GoDaddy Life

What’s your story? Tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do here at GoDaddy.

I absolutely LOVE the culture and creativity here at GoDaddy — I’m never leaving. My passion for small businesses was ignited during my time at my parents’ cafe, aptly named Emma’s Cafe after yours truly. There, I witnessed their remarkable ability to forge deep connections with customers, their unwavering commitment to sourcing quality ingredients, and their imaginative vision that transported the essence of Key West to a quaint Indiana town.

From my very first job to my employment during graduate school, I remained dedicated to working exclusively for small businesses. It was during this time that I had the privilege to immerse myself in the success stories and challenges of each business owner. My experiences, whether it was serving up bagels, crafting sandwiches as a sandwich artist, scooping ice cream, or brewing coffee as a barista, were a wellspring of inspiration.

What resonates most with me about GoDaddy is its genuine appreciation for customers and their unique stories. This resonates deeply with me, as it mirrors my own passion for small businesses and the connections they create within their communities.

I’ve had a few different roles here, and I’ve been on a few different teams, but my love for the every-day entrepreneur has been unwavering. I joined the team through the Main Street Hub acquisition in 2018 when my primary role was managing a webinar team and lead generation. I had a thirst for expanding my video talent past webinars and warm leads, so I auditioned for the GoDaddy YouTube series, The Journey. We created 340+ videos to educate entrepreneurs on various topics (e.g., branding your business, how to list your domain names for sale, how to rank in search), and that sparked a thirst for MORE video initiatives. Now, I am a full-time Video Educator at GoDaddy. I enjoy crafting content (especially short-form videos) that entertains, educates, and helps our customers — empowering everyday entrepreneurs at every stage in their businesses. My interests lie in exploring the ever-changing landscape of marketing trends, video production, and creativity.

As for life outside of work, I live in San Diego! I have a scary movie club and we meet (virtually) every Monday. I play tennis and I love to stay active! My girlfriend and I enjoy travel and culinary escapades. I am a very social person and love filling my calendar up with Padres games, dinner dates, golfing, park hangs, beach chills, holding my friends’ babies, you name it!

You are a part of the Corporate Marketing team. Do you mind sharing more about the current projects you’re working on?

Absolutely! Within Corporate Marketing, I sit on the Content & Education team, which is led by our fearless leader, Alycia Leno. My team is so awesome and hard-working. I also have been fortunate to work closely with Geoffrey Brown since 2015!

I’m currently working on several video projects, including:

GoDaddy Courses: In just eight lessons that are about five minutes each, we’ve designed courses to help SMB owners grow their business. We’ve already filmed seventy-two lessons in the past few months, and it has been amazing to be back in our studio in Kirkland filming. I love being on set! The videos cover the building blocks of business growth, marketing, business processes, technical skills, and so much more.Short-form videos for GoDaddy’s YouTube, TikTok & Instagram: Not only do I get to bring talent on video, it’s also an opportunity for me to review scripts, participate in pre-production, take a big part of post-production, work closely with legal review, and strategize content creation, etc. I get to do a little bit of everything in the true spirit of entrepreneurialism!Customer shoots: In these shoots, we focus on going deeper with customers where we can learn alongside them, seeing what it takes to have a successful commerce business. We join them for the journey, focusing on the nitty gritty — from idea all the way to order fulfillment — to capture content that can be syndicated across internal and external channels to show the life of an entrepreneur. I recently filmed with our customer Michel of Nerdwax Candle Co in Seattle!

What’s the most challenging, yet rewarding thing you’ve worked on at GoDaddy?

Video projects! Since 2019, I have had the remarkable opportunity to be a part of GoDaddy’s video projects, including GoDaddy Open, AI Surge, the YouTube series The Journey, How-To videos for Care, and various social media posts. I started as a talent; however, my role has evolved and I’ve had the opportunity to manage video projects from conception to completion. This has encompassed a range of tasks from engaging scriptwriters and editing scripts to assembling the talent, spearheading pre-production efforts, consulting in post-production, and initiating legal reviews. Moreover, I ensure our content is released in a timely manner and strategize on the channels and data analysis. While the role presents its challenges, the excitement and fulfillment it brings are incomparable. Working at GoDaddy has given me a sense of purpose and invigoration that I had never experienced before in a job. I eagerly look forward to each day, ready to dive into this dynamic and creative world. Some days are dedicated to communication and strategy, while others involve filming on location. The diverse range of experiences this role offers is incredibly rewarding, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world! My challenge and reward? To empower our customers and budding entrepreneurs with knowledge (and a dash of fun), all wrapped up in engaging video content!

How has GoDaddy helped you grow as an individual?

GoDaddy has significantly contributed to my growth both professionally and personally. The company has provided me with numerous opportunities to challenge myself and step out of my comfort zone, particularly through my involvement in video projects. This has not only honed my project management and strategic planning skills, but also fostered my creativity and ability to think outside the box. On a personal level, interacting with diverse talents here, as well as some of our customers, has broadened my perspectives and enriched my understanding of people. GoDaddy has been instrumental in shaping me into a more well-rounded and adaptable individual. Which is a constant hope and interest of mine. Forever growing!

What does work-life balance mean for you? How does GoDaddy’s culture help with this?

For me, work-life balance means being able to effectively manage my professional responsibilities and personal commitments without feeling overwhelmed or sacrificing one for the other — it’s about finding a harmonious integration of work and personal life that allows me to maintain my physical and mental well-being, nurture my relationships, and pursue my interests outside of work. GoDaddy’s culture has been incredibly supportive of this! The company understands the importance of employees having a fulfilling personal life and provides various resources and initiatives to help achieve this balance. One of the ways is through flexible work arrangements. This includes options for remote work, flexible hours, and unlimited PTO. And get this…GoDaddy ENCOURAGES employees to take time off. We even have company-wide wellness days. Furthermore, GoDaddy fosters a culture of trust and autonomy, which allows employees to manage their workload and prioritize tasks in a way that aligns with their personal needs. The company values open communication and collaboration, which helps foster a supportive and understanding work environment. This all leads to greater job satisfaction and overall well-being.

What’s your motto or personal mantra?

My mantra is “Embrace the adventure!” Life is filled with plot twists and surprises. It’s about embracing every moment, whether it’s exhilarating, challenging, or simply joyful. This mantra encourages me to approach life with a sense of excitement and curiosity, always ready to embrace new experiences and seize opportunities. It reminds me to step out of my comfort zone, stay open-minded, experiment, and continuously grow as an individual.

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