Tag: 3BL

Constant and rapid technological innovation has resulted in astounding growth in the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), and with it, changes to both today’s and tomorrow’s workplaces and workforces. Studies illustrate the ability of AI to automate tasks and increase efficiency across all sectors. While not fully mature or integrated within every industry, AI is advancing quickly, making it more important that young people and adults alike embrace critical thinking models to adapt to this important new technology. 

Given these developments, here are five trends changing the way people will work in the future:

New ways to know: Digital twins – virtual replicas of physical objects, processes, or systems that are used to simulate real-world activities – are revolutionizing research, predictions and planning. This technology will be key to identifying and overcoming  challenges related to business, health, urban planning, and more. Increased need for individual agility:  Both businesses and individual employees need to become more agile to ensure they can produce new ideas under pressure. They will need to take advantage of new technologies to respond quickly and effectively to opportunities and threats.Higher expectations for efficiency: As advances in AI reduce the time needed to handle repetitive and routine tasks, expectations for greater efficiency will only grow. This will put pressure on knowledge workers to become more efficient.Ever-increasing demand for innovation: In a world where technology is changing so rapidly,  the business sector will need to continuously drive innovation in response to changes in their industries.New roles to reach for: As technology changes the shape of the workforce, current and future workers will need to gain new skills to adapt – and ensure they’re ready to pursue the most promising opportunities.

“There’s no doubt that 21st century skills like design thinking, digital literacy, and computational thinking will help people cultivate the mindsets needed to pursue careers of the future,” said John DiChiara, global manager, goIT, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). “These skills become more important everyday as AI and other technologies continue to evolve.”

On Tuesday, September 12, 2023, DiChiara and guest speakers will share information in a forum about the role of STEM education in equipping women, youth, and marginalized groups to be competitive in a rapidly changing world. Hosted by Digital Empowers, TCS’ Corporate Social Responsibility thought leadership program, along with partners Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose (CECP) and Pyxera Global, the event will encourage meaningful dialog and understanding of key skills for these changing times.

During the event, a design thinking workshop will offer participants a perspective on how they can develop skills needed to succeed in the AI era.

“It’s a great opportunity for parents, teachers, school administrators and adult continuous learners to begin getting ready for the changes ahead,” said DiChiara. “Learners of all ages can use these models to become innovators of technology rather than merely its consumers. Given the speed of innovation today, it’s a good strategy.”

For more information or to register, click here.

International Olympic Committee news

The International Olympic Committee (IOC), the French Development Agency (AFD) and the Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024 have signed a new tripartite agreement, with the goal of extending the social legacy left by Paris 2024 at international level.

The tripartite agreement is aimed at extending the “Impact 2024 International” programme initiated by AFD and Paris 2024. It is fully in line with the IOC’s Olympism365 strategy, which brings together organisations and networks across sectors to advance the contribution of sport and Olympism 365 days a year in four priority areas: health and active communities; more equitable and inclusive communities; peace and safer communities; and education and livelihoods.

In the past three years, Impact 2024 International has helped to extend the legacy of Paris 2024 beyond the host territory of the event, in keeping with the Games’ slogan of “Games Wide Open”, supporting initiatives that harness sport for development in Africa. Some 45 projects in 19 African countries have been funded for a total investment of EUR 1.4 million, with more than 77,000 beneficiaries. The new tripartite agreement will ensure continued funding of up to 10 of the programme’s most impactful sport for development projects. The IOC will match AFD’s investment in the projects supported through this initiative.

In addition to increasing investment in the local projects and helping to sustain and scale their social and environmental impact, the agreement between the IOC, the AFD and Paris 2024 seeks to:

Support knowledge exchange and capacity building among Impact 2024 International projects and with other Olympism365 partners;Promote the contributions of AFD and Paris 2024 to advancing Olympism365; andFurther monitor and evaluate the impact of the projects.

Through its additional investment, the IOC aims to scale the impact, insight and innovation generated from these projects over the past three years, while providing opportunities for participants to connect with and learn from each other.

A blueprint for future Olympism365 collaboration

Olympism365 is the IOC’s strategy to strengthen the role of sport as an important enabler for the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and ensure that more people, from more diverse backgrounds, benefit from participating in community sports programmes and accessing Olympism “365 days a year”.

Since working collaboratively across different areas is an essential delivery mechanism for Olympism365, the new tripartite agreement between the IOC, AFD and Paris 2024 has the potential to inspire future partnerships while offering a valuable blueprint for how sports organisations and development banks can work together to support the social impact of sport around the world.

For more information about Olympism365 and its work across the globe, go to olympics.com/ioc/olympism365.

Originally published in Kohler’s 2022 Believing in Better Impact Report

By Laura E. Kohler, Chief Sustainability and DEI Officer

The past year was a pivotal one for Kohler. We continued to build on our efforts in environmental sustainability; diversity, equity, and inclusion; social impact; and integrate our Believing in Better® framework into the business at every level. That’s because at Kohler, we believe we should be held accountable for the promises we make.

In 2023 we are celebrating our 150-year anniversary and the values and legacy that made Kohler into the lifestyle and manufacturing company it is today. Throughout our history, we have challenged our associates to think boldly and differently. This commitment to reimagining what’s possible is what leads Kohler associates to become catalysts for change—at work and in their communities.

That’s why we are constantly looking for ways to strengthen our culture and create an environment where our associates can thrive. In 2022 we added two new business resource groups, launched an Inclusive Leader Program and made progress toward our diversity, equity, and inclusion goals while maintaining gender pay equity. Additionally, we saw record participation in the annual Kohler Run/Walk for Safe Water challenge with over 100,000 participants from 182 countries and launched a paid volunteer time off program in the U.S. with associates contributing over 2,000 hours to support community organizations a cross the country. 

Last year was also a record-breaking year for Kohler I-Prize, our Innovation for Good® incubator that fosters innovation with a social purpose among Kohler associates. Participation in the 2022 Kohler I-Prize more than doubled from the previous year and exemplified diversity, with six countries represented and women associates making up 25% of all participants. For the first time, we brought our culture of innovation with a social purpose to an external audience by hosting the inaugural M-Prize in partnership with Marquette University where students were asked to develop and pitch their own unique ideas for how to design more inclusive kitchen and bathroom products. 

In 2022 we expanded our approach to our signature Kohler Safe Water for All initiative to move from a focus on access to a more holistic view that encompasses access and innovation for water, sanitation, and hygiene, while also keeping in mind impact on watersheds, conservation, and more. Last year also proved to be a pivotal year in breaking down silos to engage our partners and customers in our Believing in Better® journey. Through our new Responsibility of Design ambition, we’ve been engaging the architecture and design community in discussions on the role we can play in helping to preserve the world’s limited natural resources and be responsive to changing societal expectations. We hosted discussions with leading architects and designers at Climate Week NYC as well as at leading design events in Toronto, Miami, and Milan. 

As we look forward, it will be important to turn these conversations into action and continue to provide opportunities for Kohler associates to engage in innovation and with their communities. Our world is changing and so are the challenges we face—from extreme weather to dwindling water resources— and it is important that we adapt our business and general mindset to meet these challenges. With every challenge comes an opportunity, and looking back at the past year, I am confident we are prepared for what comes next.

Read the full 2022 Kohler Believing in Better Impact Report here.

NEW YORK, September 6, 2023 /3BL/ – A study published this month in Building & Environment found organizations that achieved WELL Certification experienced higher-performing workplaces than their non-certified peers, underscoring the importance of prioritizing employee health and well-being in buildings.

The study, “The potential of high-performance workplaces for boosting worker productivity, health, and creativity: A comparison between WELL and non-WELL certified environments,” published in the September edition of Building & Environment, analyzed the largest data set of occupant responses to date comparing performance between WELL Certified and non-certified workplaces across the Asia-Pacific region, including New Zealand, Australia and Hong Kong.

“Our findings show that benefits related to satisfaction, health, productivity, and creativity may be achieved by following the WELL Building Standard,” the study’s authors conclude.

The researchers found that employee satisfaction across various building aspects improved significantly in WELL Certified offices compared to non-WELL Certified offices. “In general, satisfaction with 20 of 23 aspects related to the physical environment were significantly higher in WELL [Certified] offices,” says the study.

Specifically, respondents in WELL offices were 18% more satisfied with access to sunlight, 17% more satisfied with acoustical privacy, 16% more satisfied with connection to the outdoor environment, 12% more satisfied with lighting, 11% more satisfied with thermal comfort, and 10% more satisfied with both indoor air quality and air movement.

In addition, WELL Certified offices also had 12% lower Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) complaints, and 6% lower musculoskeletal complaints than non-WELL projects.

WELL Certified offices also reported higher levels of satisfaction with their organization’s culture of health, with significant differences found in levels of satisfaction around inclusive culture, health promotion programs, a positive environment, and engagement.

“We’re excited to see the release of this signature study, the largest of its kind, showing the tremendous benefits of WELL Certification,” said Rachel Hodgdon, President and CEO, International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), the developers of the WELL Building Standard. “This peer-reviewed study provides robust evidence that WELL can have a transformative effect on employee health, productivity and creativity — an imperative that organizations globally are not just recognizing, but actively prioritizing.”

The paper, utilizing the robust Sustainable Healthy Environments (SHE) survey methodology developed by the University of Melbourne, as well as interviews and on-site visits, compares WELL Certified vs non-WELL Certified projects for significant differences in occupant satisfaction across four factors the authors identified as characteristic of high-performing workplaces: layout and interior design; indoor environmental quality (IEQ), privacy and outdoor connection, and organizational aspects

“I’m thrilled to take the lead on this paper and provide the much-needed evidence about actual performance of WELL Certified spaces. This study also demonstrates the opportunities and importance of leveraging the quality of interior design and its effect on people.,” said Samin Marzban, the paper’s lead author.

“We are seeing an important focus on monitoring and evaluation of healthy building interventions globally. While a focus on financial benefits and the return on investment is important, so too are the responses of the occupants and the health outcomes associated with these interventions,” said Jack Noonan, Vice President, Asia-Pacific, IWBI. “This study, using the world-leading SHE survey, begins to answer the pivotal questions: do people in WELL Certified spaces feel healthier and do they respond differently to their indoor environments. This study firmly establishes the benefits of WELL, and I’m proud to see that such distinguished research organisations in Australia are leading this work.”

Among the WELL Certified spaces, researchers were able to isolate and identify the specific design interventions involved in creating healthier work environments. In looking at metrics for productivity, they found that acoustic and visual privacy and connection to the outdoor environment were the strongest predictors.

In relation to creativity, layout and interior design were the strongest predictors, while acoustic privacy and connection to the outdoors was the strongest predictor of overall health – a clear nod to the extensive research already undertaken in regards to access to nature.

“It is a pleasure pioneering this work within APAC and seeing the results of the survey showing the value-add from WELL-certified spaces. By continuing to expand our understanding of high-performance workplaces, we can push the baseline up and deliver spaces where people can thrive in” said Prof. Christhina Candido, Director of the Sustainable and Healthy Environments Lab and project lead.

The study is especially relevant as more organizations see their workforces returning to the office in a larger capacity, not to mention stronger, more intense market demand for higher quality, better performing workplaces that boost productivity and help attract and retain top talent.

This study also aligns with earlier findings from another peer-reviewed study in Building & Environment released last year. That study, based upon pre- and post-occupancy survey data, found WELL Certification showed a series of statistically significant occupant benefits, including a near 30% improvement in overall satisfaction with the workplace, which jumped from 42% to 70%; a 26% overall increase in reported well-being scores; a 10% increase in perceived mental health and a 2% increase in perceived physical health; and a 10-point jump in median productivity scores.

WELL Certification indicates verified application of the WELL Building Standard, which includes a set of strategies—backed by the latest scientific research—that aim to advance human health through design interventions and operational protocols and policies and foster a culture of health and well-being.

To learn more about WELL Certification, and how investing in health pays back, please visit here.

Media contact: 
media@wellcertified.com

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.

We recently added Integrum ESG’s data set to CSRHub. Nearly 900 sources of ESG opinion now contribute to our consensus ratings.

Integrum ESG has from inception committed to total transparency with their ESG ratings. Each rating’s data point is tied to underlying data drawn from company disclosures or information gathered using a natural language processing (NLP) system. The company calls this transparent approach “glass box” as Integrum ESG users can see through the scores they are presented with and interrogate all underlying raw data themselves.

Integrum ESG presents its data via an easy-to-use platform that allows users to upload their portfolios of choice. Users can even customize the weights given to each ESG factor and create proprietary ESG or Impact scores at the sub-factor level. Their platform also includes a number of useful reporting features that help fund and portfolio managers comply with many of the new regulations that have been hitting the ESG data marketplace.

We were able to connect more than 2,500 of Integrum ESG’s ratings to the scores in our CSRHub rating set. We found a 26% correlation between our top level scores and the top level ratings from Integrum ESG.

See Strong Correlation Between Integrum ESG and CSRHub Company Ratings

This is a better correlation than we normally find between CSRHub’s scores and those from a source that relies primarily on self-reported data. Integrum ESG combines machine learning technology with a review by human analysts. This “human-in-the-loop” approach may help bring its scores in line with the views held by CSRHub’s aggregation of the scores of other experts.

The strongest relationships were in areas such as Human Rights & Supply Chain, Compensation & Benefits, Training Health & Safety, Environment Policy & Reporting, and Resource Management. These are areas of high interest to investors and ones where companies are actively disclosing useful information.

Integrum ESG also offers ratings on all countries. This gave us an opportunity to see how CSRHub’s consensus ratings of country ESG performance compared with an outside analysis. With just 180 matched entries, this analysis had an extremely strong r-squared of 0.77.

See Strong Correlation Between Integrum ESG and CSRHub Country Ratings

Integrum ESG will soon include CSRHub’s ratings in its platform. When this happens, its users will be able to immediately compare Integrum ESG’s transparent, data-driven ratings with CSRHub’s aggregation of the market’s consensus view of an entity and see a true consensus of ESG assessments.

We hope the contrast between these viewpoints will help fund and portfolio managers better understand how to use ESG data.

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.

From staff stationed at manufacturing plants and retail outlets to call centers, night shifts and those on the move, engaging employees who don’t sit at a computer most of the day can pose unique challenges. Join us on Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2023, from 1 – 2 pm ET, for Innovative Approaches to Engaging All Employees in Social Impact. This free, interactive webinar is centered around the universal topic of involving employees traditionally referred to as “hard-to-reach” in your company’s social impact initiatives.

Our panelists will delve into the various obstacles faced when attempting to connect with these frontline and other “non-wired” employees and explore ways to overcome them. Together, we’ll uncover successful practices and innovative solutions that have proven effective in fostering meaningful engagement.

By the end of the session, you will gain valuable strategies and actionable ideas to integrate into your social impact strategy, ensuring a more inclusive and impactful approach for your diverse workforce.

The lineup of speakers includes:

Gary Levante – senior vice president, corporate responsibility & communications, Berkshire Bank

Sylvia Stevens-Edouard – senior director, community relations, Liberty Mutual

Megan Zamora – senior manager, global responsibility, Starbucks

Your fellow social impact practitioners will be there, so register today to reserve your spot.

Register Now

RALEIGH, N.C., September 6, 2023 /3BL/ – To support carbon-conscious enterprise customers in their sustainability journeys, Lenovo is offering a Reduced Carbon Transport Service, a distinct offering that gives enterprises the option to lower their carbon impact when IT devices are air shipped. Through Reduced Carbon Transport Service, customers can purchase Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) credits and attribute the resulting emissions reduction benefit to their IT purchase, achieving a minimum of 70 percent CO2 emissions reduction1.

A cleaner substitute for conventional jet fuel, SAF has potential2 in reducing CO2 emissions from airfreight transportation and enables organizations to realize targets for Scope 3 emissions. The Greenhouse Gas Protocol defines Scope 3 emissions—which account for 70 percent of the average corporate total emissions3—as those that occur outside a company’s walls, including emissions tied to the purchase and disposal of products. While less than 10 percent of organizations accurately measure their Scope 3 emissions4, Lenovo’s Reduced Carbon Transport Service provides customers a tangible way to reduce emissions from airfreight. Customers receive a confirmation of emissions reduction that can be used for reporting against their own Scope 3 targets, ensuring greater transparency throughout the process.

“We’re embedding sustainability deeper into the technology value chain with innovations like Reduced Carbon Transport so that customers have a pathway to more sustainable IT decision-making,” said Claudia Contreras, Executive Director of Global Sustainability Services for Lenovo. “At Lenovo, we are committed to more than just our own Net-Zero vision. Net-Zero is achieved through a collection of sustainable choices. We are happy to be the trusted business partner and solution provider that helps customers achieve both digital transformation and sustainability success.”

Enterprise customers across North America, EMEA, and Asia Pacific have the option to add Reduced Carbon Transport Service to their device purchases. As part of its service-led transformation, Lenovo continues to innovate by delivering solutions that help customers meet their own sustainability goals. In addition to its new Reduced Carbon Transport Service, Lenovo is enabling customers to meet their climate action goals and implement more circular and responsible IT practices with several sustainability focused services including Lenovo CO2 Offset Service and Asset Recovery Services.

Reduced Carbon Transport Service is the latest offering from Lenovo’s Solutions and Services Group (SSG) which brings together all of Lenovo’s IT solutions and services across PC, infrastructure and smart verticals including support, managed, project and solution service offerings. With a network of over 20,000 technicians across 180 markets, SSG helps customers transform their businesses on a global and local scale by delivering practical innovation to strengthen their competitive advantage. Lenovo TruScale customers can deploy services on a “subscription” basis, using only what they need and curbing waste.

Learn more about Lenovo’s Sustainability Solutions.

1 Approximate percentage LCA GHG reduction versus fossil jet based on feedstock used in SAF such as waste and residue lipids, oilseed bearing trees on low-ILUC degraded land or as a rotational oil cover crops. Indirect CO2 emissions reduction benefit is obtained through the purchase of Sustainable Aviation Fuel credits. 
2 https://www.icao.int/environmental-protection/pages/SAF.aspx 
3 https://www.bloomberg.com/professional/blog/closing-the-scope-3-ghg-emissions-data-gap-2/ 
4https://www.bcg.com (Boston Consulting Group) per https://www.terrascope.com/blog/overcoming-challenges-in-understanding-and-quantifying-scope-3-emissions-for-large-enterprises

About Lenovo 
Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) is a US$62 billion revenue global technology powerhouse, ranked #217 in the Fortune Global 500, employing 77,000 people around the world, and serving millions of customers every day in 180 markets. Focused on a bold vision to deliver smarter technology for all, Lenovo has built on its success as the world’s largest PC company by further expanding into growth areas that fuel the advancement of ‘New IT’ technologies (client, edge, cloud, network, and intelligence) including server, storage, mobile, software, solutions, and services. This transformation together with Lenovo’s world-changing innovation is building a more inclusive, trustworthy, and smarter future for everyone, everywhere. To find out more visit https://www.lenovo.com, and read about the latest news via our StoryHub.

Originally published on U.S. Bank company blog

Lisa Gutierrez is a Nor Cal resident to the core, but her passion for communities across the country in her day-to-day work is second to none.

“I love my job because of the lives and communities we get to transform with our financing,” said Gutierrez, who serves as the director of business development, affordable housing, for U.S. Bancorp Impact Finance.

Lisa earned her degree from California State University Sacramento in communications and public relations in 2001 and never dreamed she would be where she is today, leading a team of 12 and developing affordable housing projects that serve individuals earning 60% or below the annual median household income in a particular area.

Gutierrez started out working at a local U.S. Bank branch in Folsom, California, during college and has since grown her career in the banking industry living and working in the town where she was raised, Sacramento.

“In 2006, I took a position in our commercial real estate group to underwrite retail, hospitality, office and the full realm of product types. But, on my first day, I was handed a small book entitled, “How to Finance Multi-Family Housing with Tax Exempt Bonds,” because our community lending group needed help. I have not looked back in 17 years.”

And she has flourished since. Recently, Gutierrez received a phone call from the executive director of the California Housing Consortium (CHC), Ray Pearl, to let her know she is the recipient of a 2023 Hall of Fame Award in the private sector.

“Hall of Fame feels like something you get inducted to at the end of an esteemed career, so receiving this honor now is so exciting,” she said. “I am humbled to be recognized by the folks I work alongside with every day to create more affordable homes in California and advocate for policy within this state and beyond. Our industry is a fierce group of competitors, vying for the attention of our clients, competing for public funding awards, or an RFP to win the development rights of a specific project, but we are amazing collaborators when it comes to advocating for new housing policy and sharing new and innovative ways to build and finance more housing.”

The California Housing Hall of Fame Awards honor leaders who have taken a role in advancing affordable housing development, financing and advocacy. Pearl and Gutierrez have worked together for several years, including in her recent role serving on the organization’s board.

“CHC is proud to honor Lisa as one of the recipients of this year’s California Housing Hall of Fame Awards,” said Pearl. “Lisa was nominated this year because she has become one of the state’s go-to experts on affordable housing and impact financing, while also helping modernize our industry by promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in all the work we do. Her deep knowledge of tax credit and lending programs is helping connect affordable housing providers across California with the critical resources they need to build safe, affordable homes for the state’s most vulnerable households. Millions of Californians are depending on CHC and our members to produce a lot more affordable housing in every community, and leaders like Lisa are helping ensure affordable housing providers have all the tools to do the job.”

According to California Housing Partnership, California is facing a shortfall of 1.2 million homes affordable to the state’s lowest-income households.

“The work that Impact Finance is doing in California is key,” said Gutierrez. “On average, 40% or more of the dollars we lend and invest nationwide annually for affordable housing are deployed right here in California.”

Gutierrez’ award comes at a time when U.S. Bank has made a material commitment in California and is building continued relationships with the clients from the bank’s recent acquisition of Union Bank.

“Although this is an individual award, it truly represents our company’s commitment to the market, affordable housing, and the support they have afforded me to not only carry on day-to-day duties but be a community leader in this space.”

When she’s not talking about affordable housing, Gutierrez loves spending time with her family, including their Labradoodle Duke. They enjoy traveling, live music, and Gutierrez is a devout Peloton enthusiast, a passion she discovered during the pandemic.

Gutierrez’s career spans financing a Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) development serving the LGBTQ+ community, one of the first of its kind in the nation, to financing housing of varying resident income levels, from the unhoused to workforce housing for teachers and public service providers to veterans.

“I have had the privilege of being a part of adding thousands of affordable homes in the communities we serve, and that is the real reward,” she said.

September 6, 2023 /3BL/ – The Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR) announces its HACR Inclusión Gala Corporate Honoree along with three exemplary corporate leaders, receiving Corporate Director of the Year Honoree, Executive of the Year Honoree and Inclusión Champion Honoree. The honorees will be recognized at the non-profit organization’s inaugural HACR Inclusión Gala in Times Square, New York City on October 11.

The HACR Inclusión Gala takes place during Hispanic Heritage Month and celebrates Hispanic excellence in driving inclusion in the corporate sector. The three individual honorees are Monica C. Lozano, a board member on three corporate boards: Apple, Bank of America, and Target Corporation; Cesar Conde, Chairman of NBCUniversal News Group; and Yvonne Garcia, Chief of Staff to Chairman and CEO, Global Head of Internal Communications, and Global Head of the CEO Experience Program, State Street.

“We’re delighted to honor those who exemplify outstanding achievement in driving Hispanic inclusion in Corporate America,” said HACR President and CEO, Cid Wilson. “All have made strides in the communities they serve and have set high standards for themselves and their companies. We couldn’t be prouder.”

The event will feature fine dining and entertainment in the city’s most iconic location as well as a ceremony honoring outstanding achievement in the following categories:

Corporate Honoree – PwC

The Corporate Honoree is a company that has prioritized Latino/Hispanic inclusion through its demonstrated support. PwC, a leading professional services firm, is making significant strides in advancing inclusion through its longstanding commitment as part of the firm’s strategy and involvement as a co-founder of the CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion initiative. The initiative is the largest CEO-driven business commitment to advancing diversity and inclusion in the workplace with a roster of more than 2,400 CEOs who have pledged to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in their workplaces through a commitment to four key actions:

Creating a culture of trust and openness for dialogue on diversity and inclusion issuesProviding and expanding unconscious bias education and trainingSharing best practices and lessons learned from diversity and inclusion initiativesDeveloping and sharing strategic diversity and inclusion plans with their boards of directors

Corporate Director of the Year Honoree – Monica C. Lozano, Board Director for Apple, Bank of America, and Target Corporation

The Corporate Director of the Year Honoree is a Hispanic board director who has not only demonstrated exemplary service as a director, but who has generously shared their journey both publicly and privately with other high-potential Hispanic corporate leaders to increase the ranks of Latinos on corporate boards.

Monica C. Lozano is the former President and Chief Executive Officer of College Futures Foundation, a position she held for five years until August 2022. College Futures Foundation is a California-based private foundation committed to closing equity gaps in California’s institutions of higher education by supporting underserved students to meet their postsecondary aspirations that provide greater opportunity for social and economic mobility.

Prior to joining College Futures Foundation, Lozano spent thirty years in media, twenty of these as editor, publisher, and Chief Executive Officer of La Opinión, the country’s leading Spanish language daily newspaper. She went on to become CEO and Chair of the Board of the parent company, ImpreMedia, and subsequently Chair of US Hispanic Media, Inc until she retired in 2015. Lozano serves on the Board of Directors of Apple, Bank of America, and Target Corporation as Lead Independent Director. Lozano has received multiple awards and distinctions and has been named one of Fortune Magazine’s 50 Most Influential Latinas. Lozano was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2016.

Executive of the Year Honoree – Cesar Conde, Chairman of NBCUniversal News Group

The Executive of the Year Honoree is an accomplished Hispanic executive who has excelled in their role and risen through the ranks to achieve notable success. The individual demonstrates a commitment to bringing other Hispanic stakeholders along, both within the organization and through service to the community.

Cesar Conde is Chairman of NBCUniversal News Group. In this role, Conde has oversight of NBC News, CNBC, MSNBC, NBC News NOW, Telemundo Enterprises and NBCUniversal Local. Under Conde’s leadership, NBC News Group has increased its position as the most-viewed news organization in America, reaching about seven in 10 American adults each month across its broadcast, cable, streaming, and digital platforms. Shortly after arriving at the News Group in 2020, he announced a bold initiative to build trust among audiences by increasing diversity among team members by gender, race, geography, socio-economic background, and perspective. Central to that initiative is the award-winning NBCU Academy, a journalism training program for university and community college students, which partners with 45 academic institutions serving traditionally underrepresented communities.  
    
Previously, Conde was Chairman of NBCU International Group and Telemundo Enterprises. Prior to NBCU, he was President of Univision Networks. He is credited with transforming the Spanish-language media company into a leading global, multi-platform media brand. HACR is proud to count Conde among the graduates of the HACR Young Hispanic Corporate Achievers™ program in 2007, the first year of the program.

Inclusión Champion Honoree – Yvonne Garcia, Chief of Staff to Chairman and CEO, Global Head of Internal Communications, and Global Head of the CEO Experience Program, State Street.

The Inclusión Champion Honoree demonstrates excellence and high achievement in driving inclusion and belonging throughout their company by their example and commitment to equitable and inclusive practices from within.

Yvonne Garcia, Chief of Staff to Chairman and CEO, Global Head of Internal Communications, and Global Head of the CEO Experience Program, State Street, is responsible for the setting and execution of the Chairman and CEO’s firmwide strategic priorities, the internal communications strategy for State Street, including over 40,000 employees and executive leadership platforms, and the engagement of the firm’s most strategic clients representing over $9B in revenue. Prior to State Street, Garcia served as Director of Marketing and Distribution Strategy for Liberty Mutual and as Vice President for Bank of America’s China Construction Bank Strategic Assistance Program.

She is an active leader of local and national communities. She served as Chairwoman for the largest Latino professional organization in the country, ALPFA. She is also the cofounding Chair of Milagros para Niños, a board at Children’s Hospital in Boston, which has raised more than $20 million in funds for Hispanic children who can’t afford medical care. She has been recognized by Boston Business Journal’s Women Who Mean Business and by Yahoo Finance four years in a row on their top 20 HERoes list, which showcases national leaders who champion women in business and drive change for gender diversity in the workplace. She was recently appointed to the Board of Directors of Reading Cooperative Bank and the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation.

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About the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR):

The Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR) is one of the most influential advocacy organizations in the nation, representing 14 national Hispanic organizations in the United States and Puerto Rico. Founded in 1986, HACR’s mission is to advance the inclusion of Hispanics in Corporate America at a level commensurate with our economic contributions. For more information, visit www.hacr.org.

Tequila has been manufactured for over 250 years. The Cuervo family began commercially distilling tequila in 1758, followed by the Sauza family in 1873. Mexican-made tequila remains unmatched with its artisanship. Yet, modern-day food and beverage reporting requirements, which require process standardization and optimization, are challenging this age-old craft.

Tecno Productos—a Mexico-based machine builder and gold-level member of the Rockwell Automation (NYSE: ROK) PartnerNetwork™—is helping tequila manufacturers meet these requirements while bringing efficiency, sustainability, and compliance to the tequila industry.

For Sauza Tequila, Tecno Productos relies on Rockwell technology to visualize and control the entire tequila production process from recipe and batch management through equipment cleaning. The solution automatically generates reports that meet U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requirements. In addition to facilitating compliance, the increased visibility and data have led to valuable insights and improvement opportunities.

In just one year, Tecno Productos has helped Sauza Tequila reduce water consumption by 75% and increase production by 16% – that’s an increase of about 107 million liters of tequila.

Automation and artisanship can co-exist. Learn more about how automation can enhance productivity help achieve sustainability goals.