Tag: 3BL

*FRENCH VERSION TO FOLLOW / VERSION FRANÇAISE À SUIVRE

With gratitude, we acknowledge that we live, work, and play on the traditional territories of many Indigenous Peoples across Turtle Island and we affirm our ongoing commitment to principles and processes of reconciliation and to the TRC 94 Calls to Action.

TORONTO, September 6, 2023 /3BL/ – Social Value Canada (SVC), the Digital Governance Standards Institute (DGSI), and the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) announced the release of the first ‘Technical Specification (TS) for Impact Statements’ issued by for-profit entities seeking to report credibly on impact and sustainability performance.

Moving Canada Forward on Sustainability Reporting Practices

With the increasing demand for credible non-financial reporting within ESG and sustainability reporting, this Technical Specification (TS) for Impact Statements for Profit- Oriented Entities offers essential guidance for all companies seeking to report credibly on the social, environmental, and financial impact linked to their operations, goods and services, and relationships.

Developed by a technical committee of leading Canadian experts in sustainable finance, impact measurement, and reporting, the technical specification is aligned with international standards and norms in the field of non-financial reporting. This includes UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UN DRIP), Impact Management Project Norms hosted by Impact Frontier, the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the SDG Impact Standards, the Social Value International Principles and Standards, the European Union Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR), the Corporate Sustainability Responsibility Directive (CSRD) regulations, and the Draft Canadian Sustainable Finance Taxonomy.

“The Digital Governance Standards Institute is happy to lend our expertise to the development of the Technical Standard”, said Darryl Kingston, Executive Director of the Digital Governance Standards Institute. “Canadian companies face an increasing demand to produce credible sustainability reports and we hope the reporting process outlined will be of great benefit to those tasked with creating those reports.” 

“A major challenge to companies is to develop a process to consistently report on impact”, said Chantal Guay, CEO of the Standards Council. “This Technical Specification offers guidance in an area that is an increasing corporate priority.” 

Aligning with Global Leadership

With federal net zero and the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals clearly in mind, Canada joins other nations, including Britain, France, New Zealand, Taiwan, and Japan, in raising expectations for corporate non-financial disclosure. “The development of this TS was an opportunity for technical experts in impact reporting to come together and share expertise to the benefit of sustainability reporting”, said Stephanie Robertson, Acting Executive Director, Social Value Canada and International Co-Chair of Social Value International. “The TS benefited greatly from the combined efforts of the Technical Committee which included experts from Rally Assets, Raven Capital Partners, The Common Approach, and impak Analytics, and from the highly valuable feedback received through public consultation.” 

By providing a clear structure for transparent and high-quality impact statements that avoids greenwashing and ensures relevant data is included, the TS will serve as a cornerstone for Canada’s non-financial reporting for listed and private companies.

“This giant step towards corporations’ sustainable accountability is also the very first step towards a transition plan and the generation of more positive impacts. This pioneering initiative will not only help the Canadian financial sector’s sustainable transformation, but its entire economy,” explains Paul Allard, CEO of impak Analytics.

For more information or any questions about the standards development activities, please contact Darryl Kingston.

More about the Lead Organizations

The Digital Governance Standards Institute develops digital technology governance standards fit for global use. The Institute works with experts, as well as national and global partners and the public to develop standards that reduce risk to communities, business and governments adopting and using innovative digital technologies in today’s digital economy. The Institute is an independent division of the Digital Governance Council. Learn more at dgc-cgn.org.

Social Value Canada is Canada’s professional network for social value and maximizing impact. As part of a global movement transforming how the world captures and assigns value in decision-making, the network extends across all sectors of the Canadian economy and throughout Canadian society. New tools and methods are developing, and assurance standards and practices are emerging, all toward the goal of maximizing the well-being of people and the planet.  Learn more at socialvalue-canada.org.

About The Standards Council of Canada
The Standards Council of Canada (SCC) was created by the Government of Canada as a Crown corporation in 1970. SCC leads and facilitates the development and use of national and international standards and accreditation services in order to enhance Canada’s competitiveness and well-being.
scc.ca/en 

For media inquiries: 

Adam Pillsbury 
Social Value Canada 
adam@socialvalue-canada.org

Darryl Kingston 
Executive Director 
Digital Governance Standards Institute 
darryl.kingston@dgc-cgn.org

*en français

Nouvelles directives publiées visant les entreprises canadiennes pour la comptabilité de leur impact durable 

TORONTO, Canada, 6 septembre, 2023  

Avec gratitude, nous reconnaissons que nous vivons, travaillons et jouons sur les territoires traditionnels de nombreux peuples autochtones de l’île de la Tortue et nous affirmons que notre engagement continu en faveur des principes et processus de réconciliation et des 94 appels à l’action de la Commission de vérité et réconciliation. 

TORONTO, Canada, le 6 septembre 2023 – Social Value Canada (SVC), l’Institut des normes de gouvernance numérique (INGN) et le Conseil canadien des normes (CCN) ont annoncé la publication de la première « Spécification technique pour Bilans d’impact » pour les entités à but lucrative cherchant à comptabiliser de manière crédible leur impact et leur performance en matière de durabilité.  

Élever le Canada dans les pratiques en matière de rapports de durabilité 

Face à la demande croissante de rapports non-financiers dans le cadre ESG et de durabilité, cette spécification technique (ST) pour Bilans d’impact pour les entités à but lucratif offre des directives essentielles. Ceci vise à guider toutes les entreprises qui cherchent à évaluer de manière crédible les impacts sociaux, environnementaux et financiers de leurs activités, biens et services, ainsi que de leurs relations. 

Développée par un comité technique composé d’éminents experts canadiens en matière de finance durable, de mesure d’impact et de rapports, la ST est conforme aux normes et standards internationaux dans le domaine des rapports non-financier. Il s’agit notamment de la Déclaration des Nations Unies sur les droits des peuples autochtones (UN DRIP), des Impact Management Project Norms de la part de Impact Frontier, des objectifs de développement durable des Nations Unies (ODD), des normes d’impact pour la réalisation des objectifs de développement durable du PNUD, des principes et normes de Social Value International, de la régulation de l’Union européenne sur la divulgation d’informations en matière de finance durable, la directive de la Responsabilité sociétale des entreprises (RSE) issue de l’Union eurpéenne  et du projet de taxonomie canadienne en matière de finance durable. 

« L’Institut des normes de gouvernance numérique (INGN) est heureux de mettre son expertise au service du développement de la norme technique, » a déclaré Darryl Kingston, directeur exécutif de l’INGN . « Les entreprises canadiennes sont de plus en plus exigées de pouvoir produire des rapports crédibles en matière de durabilité et nous espérons que le processus décrit sera d’une grande utilité pour les personnes chargées de créer ces rapports. » 

« L’un des principaux défis pour les entreprises est de développer un processus permettant de comptabiliser l’impact de manière constante », a déclaré Stephanie Robertson, directrice exécutive de Social Value Canada et co-présidente internationale de Social Value International. « Cette ST offre des conseils dans un domaine qui constitue une priorité croissante chez les entreprise. » 

S’aligner sur les normes mondiales  

Ayant clairement à l’esprit la carboneutralité fédérale et les objectifs de développement durable des Nations Unies d’ici 2030, le Canada se joint à d’autres pays, dont la Grande-Bretagne, la France, la Nouvelle-Zélande, Taïwan et le Japon, pour accroître les attentes en matière de divulgation non financière des entreprises. « L’élaboration de cette spécification technique a été l’occasion pour les experts techniques en matière de rapports d’impact de se réunir et de partager leur connaissance au profit des rapports de durabilité », a affirmé Stephanie Robertson. « Les ST ont grandement bénéficié des efforts combinés du comité technique, qui comprenait des experts de Rally Assets, Raven Capital Partners, l’Approche commune et impak Analytics, ainsi que des commentaires très utiles reçus dans le cadre de la consultation publique. » 

En fournissant une structure claire pour des déclarations d’impact transparentes et de haute qualité, qui évite l’écoblanchiment et garantit l’inclusion de données pertinentes, la ST servira de pierre angulaire pour les rapports non-financiers du Canada, notamment pour les sociétés cotées et privées.  

« Ce grand pas vers la responsabilisation des entreprises par rapport à la durabilité est aussi le tout premier pas vers un plan de transition et vers une génération d’impacts plus positifs. Cette initiative pionnière contribuera non seulement à la transformation durable du secteur financier canadien, mais aussi à celle de l’ensemble de l’économie », explique Paul Allard, PDG d’impak Analytics.   

Pour plus d’informations ou pour toute question concernant le développement des normes, veuillez contacter Darryl Kingston.  

Plus d’informations sur les Organisations Leaders 

L’Institut des normes de gouvernance numérique (INGN) élabore des normes de gouvernance de technologies numériques adaptées à une utilisation mondiale. L’Institut travaille avec des experts, des es partenaires nationaux et mondiaux, ainsi qu’avec le public pour développer des normes visant à atténuer les risques liés à l’adoption des technologies numériques. Dans notre actuel économie numérique, ces normes sont conçues pour protéger les communautés, les entreprises et les gouvernements engagés dans cette transition technologique. Pour en savoir plus, consultez le site dgc-cgn.org.  

Social Value Canada constitue le réseau professionnel canadien dédié à la valorisation sociale et à l’optimisation de l’impact. Dans le cadre d’un mouvement mondial qui révolutionne la manière dont le monde saisit et mesure la valeur dans le processus décisionnel, notre réseau s’étend à tous les secteurs de l’économie canadienne ainsi qu’à l’ensemble de la société du pays. De nouveaux outils et de nouvelles méthodes sont en cours d’élaboration, des normes et des pratiques d’assurance voient le jour, le tout dans le but de maximiser le bien-être des personnes et de la planète. Pour en savoir plus, consultez le site socialvalue-canada.org.    

À propos du Conseil canadien des normes
Le Conseil canadien des normes (CCN) est une société d’État créée par le gouvernement du Canada en 1970. Dans le but d’améliorer la compétitivité économique et le bien-être collectif du Canada, le CCN dirige et facilite l’élaboration et l’utilisation de normes nationales et internationales.
scc.ca/fr

Pour les demandes de renseignements des médias :  

Adam Pillsbury   
Directeur de la communication 
Social Value Canada  
adam@socialvalue-canada.org 

Darryl Kingston  
Directeur exécutif  
Institut des normes de gouvernance numérique   
darryl.kingston@dgc-cgn.org  

As we celebrate World Entrepreneurs’ Day on August 21, it is interesting to reflect on how an established company like Cisco—a Fortune 500 company with more than 80,000 employees—relates to entrepreneurship.

Innovation is at the heart of everything we do at Cisco. In fact, the qualities that define an entrepreneur such as risk taking, creativity, perseverance, and passion are foundational to the way we operate and pursue opportunities to serve our customers and communities. In fact, the very reason Cisco started in 1984 was born from personal desire to solve an urgent issue and need for personal connection.

Len Bosack and Sandy Lerner were not able to email each other from their respective offices at Stanford University because they were on different networks with different local area protocols. They developed the multiprotocol router, and that’s how Cisco was born!

Their entrepreneurial spirit lives on in a company that strives to solve business challenges for our customers today. Not only that, but Cisco also helps businesses large and small to seize the opportunities of tomorrow.

Training future entrepreneurs

For more than 25 years, Cisco Networking Academy has trained people to build and maintain networks utilizing the latest technology. But it has done so much more than that. As part of the process, learners are encouraged to work collaboratively, and the program fosters a mindset of identifying and solving problems.

These are core entrepreneurial skills. Numerous Networking Academy learners have gone on to use those skills, not only in networking, but in business too.

Antonius, from Indonesia, had never encountered a computer until a tsunami brought rescue workers to his hometown, where he saw the value—and opportunity—in tech. He went on to study at Networking Academy and earn CyberOps Associate certification. In one of his first jobs after studying, Antonius used his problem-solving skills to conclude that the network of the large organization where he worked had been hacked, and that rebuilding the system from scratch was the best solution.

Niels, in Belgium, took a different path. After working in kitchens from a very young age, Neils decided to embark on Networking Academy study. “I have been in love with tweaking computers all my life,” he says. While he found the study challenging at times, with support from the Networking Academy community, he went on to attain CCNA certification. Niels credits the program with giving him the self-belief necessary to start his own penetration testing company.

Doing more

Obviously, the tech revolution has seen a vast increase in the demand for the sort of hard skills that are the basis of Cisco Networking Academy, and those skills continue to be indispensable.

The World Economic Forum found over 85% of organizations surveyed for the 2023 Future of Jobs Report identified increased adoption of new technologies and broadening digital access as the trends most likely to drive transformation in their organization.

The same report, however, finds that technological literacy is only the third in the list of skills businesses see as growing in importance over the next five years. Creative thinking and analytical thinking rank as numbers one and two, respectively.

Recognizing that technical skills alone are not enough for success in today’s business environment, Networking Academy has recently launched several new courses on our Skills For All platform:

Engaging Stakeholders for Success provides essential skills for any professional, regardless of the industry. Learning to effectively engage with stakeholders is a core skill in any workplace. In this course, learners gain the insights and tools to identify, prioritize, and engage with stakeholders for success.Discovering Entrepreneurship offers a solid foundation for anyone interested in developing entrepreneurial skills. The course covers entrepreneurship fundamentals, including the entrepreneurial perspective, identifying opportunities, and crafting an entrepreneurial story.

The big idea

Obviously, no course can teach the entrepreneurs of tomorrow how to have the big idea that drives a new business or industry. But by helping learners recognize that idea and teaching them the analytical and personal skills to make that idea grow, we can help them along that journey.

A problem as simple as being unable to send your partner an email saw the founding of the company that would grow into the Cisco we know today. What’s your big idea?

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Saundra Gilliard started her business in early 2020, just weeks before COVID-19 would officially become a pandemic. It turns out, she was far from alone. A few years later, one trend is emerging from the pandemic’s economic shock: more Black women-owned businesses are being founded and growing quickly, outpacing other businesses. In fact, Gilliard and her woman-coaching business Femininely Free! are part of a surge in new Black women-owned businesses, which grew 32.7% between 2019 and 2023. That’s compared with the 12.1% growth of all women-owned businesses during the same period, according to the upcoming 2023 Wells Fargo Impact of Women-Owned Businesses report to be released in November.

“I was trying to make a business out of a hobby that I had for about 20 years,” said Gilliard, who’s based in Philadelphia. “I think that sometimes you have a dream and you’re not really sure how to get the business going.”

To help her launch Femininely Free! Gilliard turned to Milestone Circles, a mentoring program for women entrepreneurs offered by the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center (NEC) and funded by Wells Fargo Foundation support. Participants, 86% of which have been Black, African American, and/or Afro-Caribbean, learn to improve their business alongside a “circle” of fellow entrepreneurs.

Milestone Circles, now entering its third year, has connected nearly 2,000 women business owners to powerful peer networks that help them hit their business milestone. Wells Fargo and the NEC plan to double the number of graduates to 4,000 by the end of 2024 to better meet the needs of the thousands of women entrepreneurs who’ve already applied to the free program, which is part of Wells Fargo’s Connect to More program.

“[Milestone Circles] helps women entrepreneurs like myself to know that, listen, you’re not by yourself,” said Cynthia Hurley, a Brooklyn, New York-based entrepreneur and founder of Make Cent$ With Your Money, which promotes financial literacy to women and young people. “This is a community of women who are facing challenges, who are all looking to do the same thing: grow their business.”

Black women-owned businesses are growing

Black women-owned businesses aren’t just increasing in number after the pandemic, they’re growing faster, too. While the average revenue among Black women-owned businesses is still lower than others, it’s catching up, increasing 35.3% between 2019 and 2023 compared with 7.1% and 4.1% for women-owned and Black-owned businesses, respectively, according to the Wells Fargo report.

Tamika Chance of Waldorf, Maryland, has grown her IT support firm T12 Technologies by learning to better market herself and her services, which helped her win new contracts. It’s a skill she picked up in her Milestone Circle.

“As a woman entrepreneur, it’s very difficult to have people speak to you and sometimes take you seriously in the services that you do,” Chance said. “With Wells Fargo, they’re providing the tools, information, and paths to reach those tools and resources you need to grow.”

One reason for growth: support

One factor behind the recent growth in Black women-owned businesses is that these business owners are harnessing new opportunities and resources.

While Black women are more likely to earn less, get less financing, and not have networks to rely on, the past few years have brought new investment from banks to support small businesses and a renewed push from consumers to support Black-owned businesses, according to the report. For example, Wells Fargo, the Bank of Doing, launched the $420 million Open for Business Fund in 2020 to help small businesses impacted by the pandemic with a focus on expanding financing opportunities for women- and Black-owned businesses through community development financial institutions, or CDFIs.

Through the Milestone Circles program, thousands of women entrepreneurs have built their own community and made their business ideas into a reality.

“It’s important that banks help the communities in which they serve. Wells Fargo has been a partner in the community ever sense I can remember,” Gilliard said. “If you’re in the community, you should be a part of the community. That’s my motto.”

Company ranks within top 15% of environmentally conscious companies

For its successful adoption of environmentally responsible business practices and its prioritization of investments and initiatives related to climate change, Bread Financial™ was recently named to USA Today’s America’s Climate Leaders 2023 list. The inaugural list showcases U.S. companies that had the most dramatic reductions of greenhouse gas emissions from 2019 to 2021.

Of the 400 industry leaders included on the list, Bread Financial ranked in the top 15%, cutting its emissions by 23.9%. Additionally, from 2021 to 2022, the company cut its emissions by an additional 22% and secured more than a quarter of its energy from renewable sources.

“As we continue to advance our environmental policies, strategies and reporting, our inclusion on USA Today’s list is reflective of the great strides we’ve already made to reduce our carbon footprint and mitigate the risks of climate change,” said Dana Beckman, head of sustainability, Bread Financial. “Our deliberate integration of environmentally sound business practices across the company ensures we’re able to fulfill our commitments to and continually advance our Environment, Sustainability and Governance (ESG) initiatives.”

In addition to its 2022 ESG Report which highlights Bread Financial’s Climate Action Roadmap and progress to date, the company recently released its first Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) Report for improved and increased reporting on climate-related risks and exposures.

To determine the top 400 companies, USA Today, in partnership with market research partner Statista, Inc., evaluated 2,000 U.S. companies with revenues of more than $50 million in 2021 on a variety of factors such as emission intensity, reductions in emissions intensity and carbon disclosure rating.

For more information, visit Bread Financial’s sustainability page.

About Bread Financial 
Bread Financial™ (NYSE: BFH) is a tech-forward financial services company providings simple, personalized payment, lending and saving solutions. The company creates opportunities for its customers and partners through digitally enabled choices that offer ease, empowerment, financial flexibility and exceptional customer experiences. Driven by a digital-first approach, data insights and white-label technology, Bread Financial delivers growth for its partners through a comprehensive suite of payment solutions that includes private label and co-brand credit cards and Bread Pay™ buy now, pay later products. Bread Financial also offers direct-to-consumer products that give customers more access, choice and freedom through its branded Bread Cashback™ American Express® Credit Card and Bread Savings™ products.

Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Bread Financial is powered by its 7,500+ global associates and is committed to sustainable business practices. To learn more about Bread Financial, visit BreadFinancial.com or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram.

CHARLOTTE, N.C., September 6, 2023 /3BL/ – The pressure to align with environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles has become a top concern in global supply chain management, according to a new survey-driven report by DP World and Supply Chain Dive’s studioID. 

“Supply Chains Prepping for a Greener, More Agile Future” polled nearly 160 leaders from across the supply chain, logistics, operations and technology sectors to reveal that ESG concerns now rank alongside “demand and supply variability” and “lack of agility in adapting to change” as the top three challenges facing the industry. 

DP World, in collaboration with studioID, discovered a reshuffling of priorities and investment strategies as supply chains work to address these top issues. Many organizations are altering course to implement strategies that reduce carbon emissions, enhance efficiency, improve agility, and mitigate risk. This includes optimizing supply chain activities and investments to align with ESG objectives, while also taking a closer look at vendor relationships, with sustainability credentials now playing a significantly larger role in vendor selection than before. Download the report here.

“Over the past few years, we have seen businesses become increasingly proactive when it comes to evaluating their suppliers’ environmental impact, particularly as they seek to lower the carbon footprint of their products,” said Brian Enright, CEO of DP World, Americas. “Service providers that can prove significant carbon reduction – perhaps through the application of renewable energy or operational enhancements that boost efficiency and productivity – can gain an advantage in the selection process.”

Key findings of the survey include:

Supply chain pain points have shifted. Top concerns for supply chains are now led by demand and supply variability (cited by 41%), followed by inflexibility/inability to adapt quickly to change (34%). ESG and regulatory and compliance challenges tied for third place (28%). Confidence in supply chain investments is high. More than 9 in 10 respondents anticipate very or somewhat significant impacts from their chosen supply chain strategies. Top expectations include increasing efficiency (97%), increasing value to business partners and other stakeholders (93%) and making the organization more agile (89%). ESG importance has risen considerably — and respondents expect real payoff from investments. Ninety percent of respondents report the priority they place on supply chain sustainability/decarbonization has increased compared with three years ago. Benefits respondents see their ESG investments returning “very or somewhat significant” outcomes, including lowering carbon emissions (89%), lowering supply chain costs (85%) and increasing efficiency (83%).Supply chain optimization leads ESG strategies. Three in five respondents are turning to supply chain optimization, such as reducing transportation distances, consolidating shipments, and optimizing inventory levels to support ESG goals. Other strategies include employing fuel-efficient driving practices, such as reducing idling time and optimizing routes (38%) and using more energy-efficient transportation methods like electric or hybrid vehicles (37%).ESG is now a key part of vendor strategy. More than a third (37%) of respondents are consolidating their number of product vendors, and 33% are diversifying their transportation and logistics partners. The majority of supply chain executives (84%) report that prospective supply chain partners’ decarbonization and sustainability capabilities are extremely or very influential in their organization’s selection processes.

Quality data and access to the efficiency and scalability of a ready network have become two common reasons organizations outsource supply chain management to an end-to-end service provider, says Morten Johansen, chief operating officer of DP World, Americas. 

“With the increased focus on ESG and emissions reporting, companies would be best served to partner with an end-to-end supply chain service provider, which can generate a more comprehensive dataset for each link in the supply chain,” Johansen said. “This will become increasingly more valuable as companies continue to move their decarbonization and ESG pledges forward.” 

Download the report here.

SURVEY METHODOLOGY:

DP World collaborated with Supply Chain Dive to conduct the online survey, polling 155 respondents in supply chain, operations and IT roles in a series of multiple-choice questions to understand their current supply chain pain points and priorities. Respondents represent a broad variety of industries, led by industrial manufacturing (21%), retail/wholesale and transportation (13% each). The largest group of respondents work for organizations with annual revenue of $101M-$500M (33%), followed by $51M-$100M (19%) and $501M – $1B (17%). Respondents were based in the United States or Canada. 

– END –

DP WORLD AMERICAS MEDIA CONTACT:

Melina Vissat, Head of Communications, North America
M: (+1) 704-605-6159
E: melina.vissat@dpworld.com

ABOUT DP WORLD:

Trade is the lifeblood of the global economy, creating opportunities and improving the quality of life for people around the world. DP World exists to make the world’s trade flow better, changing what’s possible for the customers and communities we serve globally. 

With a dedicated, diverse and professional team of more than 103,000 employees spanning 75 countries on six continents, DP World is pushing trade further and faster towards a seamless supply chain that’s fit for the future. 

We’re rapidly transforming and integrating our businesses — Ports and Terminals, Marine Services, Logistics and Technology – and uniting our global infrastructure with local expertise to create stronger, more efficient end-to-end supply chain solutions that can change the way the world trades.

What’s more, we’re reshaping the future by investing in innovation. From intelligent delivery systems to automated warehouse stacking, we’re at the cutting edge of disruptive technology, pushing the sector towards better ways to trade, minimising disruptions from the factory floor to the customer’s door. 

WE MAKE TRADE FLOW TO CHANGE WHAT’S POSSIBLE FOR EVERYONE.

Follow DP World on Twitter and LinkedIn.

As an elementary school student, Nohely Peraza took a bus from her home in East Palo Alto to a school several miles away in another city. The local commute program sought to address the lack of diversity in schools in high-income neighborhoods and create educational opportunities for those in lower-income areas. For Nohely, it felt like a different world – the houses were bigger, and the surrounding area was far less racially diverse than the neighborhood she lived in.

“I would tag along with my mom at her job cleaning houses, and they were all in the neighborhoods where I went to school,” recalls Nohely. “I also had the provided brown paper bag lunch unlike others who had homemade lunches. It was my first time feeling very different.”

Eastside Supports First-Generation Students

But as Nohely approached high school, everything changed. Without knowing, she’d been passing Eastside College Preparatory School, a small private high school and Gilead Foundation grantee in East Palo Alto, every day on the bus. While students have to apply to get in, Eastside prioritizes accepting low-income students and those who will be of the first generation in their families to attend college, and tuition is free. Nohely learned about Eastside through a friend’s mom, and when she discovered there was an opportunity to continue her education in her own neighborhood, surrounded by students with similar life experiences, she jumped at the chance.

“I convinced my mom to take me to an open house for the school. I fell in love, as I was drawn in by how college-oriented it was,” she says. “My parents didn’t get a high school diploma or college degree, but they would always tell me ‘I don’t know how you’re going to do it, but you’re going to go to college.’”

Nohely got into Eastside, where she excelled, and four years later was accepted to Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts. When she graduated in 2020, she wanted to give back and continue to be a part of the community that meant so much to her – so she decided to return to Eastside as a teacher. Today, she teaches freshman World History as well as a class to help students gain research skills in preparation for college.

Preparing Students for College

For Chris Bischof, who cofounded Eastside, Nohely’s path epitomizes his hopes for the students – with a focus on getting first-generation students from low-income families ready for college. When Eastside opened in 1996, 65% of students in East Palo Alto didn’t finish high school, and less than 10% of high school graduates made it to college.

“I believed we could create greater opportunities for students in our community,” says Chris. “Everything we’ve done since day one of starting the school has been aimed at achieving that goal.”

This evolving process has included creating a rigorous environment to help get students on the same educational levels when they enter the school and to build their confidence to succeed. The school days are long, running from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. There’s ample time for one-on-one tutorials between students and teachers, and programs continue throughout the summer. There’s also an option to be a residential boarder at the school, so students can fully immerse themselves in the learning experience.

“Our students come in with a wide range of academic backgrounds,” Chris says. “But we meet students where they are, providing many layers of support to help every student reach their potential and go on to be successful in college.”

Despite navigating the individual needs and challenges of around 65 students per grade, today more than 99% of Eastside’s students go on to college – and that number was 100% for the Class of 2023.

Making a Positive Impact

Today, Nohely finds joy watching students participate in rituals that meant a lot to her when she was younger. “We have a graduation tradition where students are given roses to present to their family members and supporters,” she says. “It’s very beautiful, because just one student graduating touches so many lives.”

As part of its commitment to improve health equity through promoting educational equity, the Gilead Foundation supports Eastside’s efforts to continue to grow in unique and innovative ways. And the school is planning to expand what it offers students each year.

“We’re continuously learning about how we can improve,” Chris says. “We want to make sure that as long as the students put forth the effort, it’s a guarantee that they’re going off to college.”

Originally published by Gilead Sciences

CAMDEN, N.J., September 6, 2023 /3BL/ – Subaru of America, Inc. announced that as part of its Subaru Loves Learning® initiative to give all students an equal opportunity at a quality education, the automaker will adopt all classrooms at high schools on the Camden High Campus.

Achieved in partnership with AdoptAClassroom.org, the adoptions by Subaru of America will put funds in teacher’s hands to provide critical learning materials for students at Camden High School, Charles Brimm Medical Arts High School, Creative Arts Academy and Camden Big Picture Learning Academy. As the largest corporate partner of AdoptAClassroom.org, Subaru and its retailers have supported more than 470,000 students nationwide through the Subaru Loves Learning initiative since 2021.

In addition to the classroom adoptions, Subaru will support the development of a graphic arts lab at Eastside High School with funding and materials donations, allowing the students to learn valuable technical skills and concurrently serve as a revenue generator for Eastside by creating branded gear for the school store. This new lab further enhances a grant from the Subaru of America Foundation to support career and technical efforts (CTE), partnership with 12Plus, that connects students to a range of meaningful workforce development opportunities.

“The heart of our Subaru Loves Learning initiative is showing support for the students in our communities, and here in our own Camden community we want every student to get the education that can help them achieve their dreams,” said Jeff Walters, President and Chief Operating Officer, Subaru of America, Inc. “We’re honored to once again team up with our close friends at the Camden City School District and wish every student, teacher and faculty member an outstanding school year.”

To celebrate the announcement and help the Camden City School District (CCSD) kick off the school year, more than 170 volunteers from Subaru of America (SOA) headquarters visited 15 schools across the district during its largest off-site volunteer day. SOA volunteers assisted teachers with preparations for the year, including helping them to set up classrooms for more than 80 teachers.

“Our number one focus is providing the very best education for students in Camden, and learning materials play a critical role in achieving the quality schooling they deserve,” said Katrina McCombs, Superintendent of the Camden City School District. “We thank Subaru for taking some of the burden off of our teachers, parents and students to keep our classrooms well-prepared for the school year.”

As the largest corporate supporter of AdoptAClassroom.org, Subaru of America adopted all kindergarten through fifth (K-5) grade classrooms in the CCSD in 2021, and in 2022, the automaker adopted all sixth through eighth (6-8) grade classrooms in the CCSD, as well as Eastside High School.

For information about Subaru Loves Learning and to find out more about the partners that Subaru supports, visit subaru.com/learning.

About Subaru of America, Inc. 
Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Subaru Corporation of Japan. Headquartered at a zero-landfill office in Camden, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru vehicles, parts, and accessories through a network of more than 630 retailers across the United States. All Subaru products are manufactured in zero-landfill plants and Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc. is the only U.S. automobile manufacturing plant to be designated a backyard wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. SOA is guided by the Subaru Love Promise, which is the company’s vision to show love and respect to everyone, and to support its communities and customers nationwide. Over the past 20 years, SOA and the SOA Foundation have donated more than $300 million to causes the Subaru family cares about, and its employees have logged nearly 88,000 volunteer hours. As a company, Subaru believes it is important to do its part in making a positive impact in the world because it is the right thing to do. For additional information visit media.subaru.com. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

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Diane Anton  
Subaru of America, Inc. 
856-488-5093   
danton@subaru.com   

Adam Leiter 
Subaru of America, Inc. 
(856) 488-8668 
aleiter@subaru.com

From humble beginnings as a vendor in Seattle’s Pike Place Market more than 30 years ago, Cucina Fresca Gourmet Foods is now a leading U.S. producer of natural, prepared pastas and sauces. Inspired by fresh, high-quality ingredients like vine-ripened tomatoes, premium cheeses, and garden-picked basil, the Cucina Fresca line of prepared foods has grown to more than 130 products that are available in more than 1,500 grocery stores, specialty shops and food service channels nationwide.

Owned and operated by executive chef Brad Glaberson since 2005, Cucina Fresca strives to create great tasting products while staying true to a philosophy of sustainability—a position that further endears the company and its products to a wide range of consumers. According to Brad, “If we don’t do it at home, we don’t do it at work,” which means company initiatives include everything from composting food waste to choosing more sustainable packaging materials.

Fans of Cucina Fresca products and the company itself have come to appreciate this approach, so when the company started expanding its line of retail, handcrafted pastas and sauces, some began to express concerns that the products came in plastic packaging.

According to company president Patrick Clingman, “We were getting emails from some of our customers with concerns that our packaging was plastic. We knew we needed plastic modified atmosphere packaging to keep the products fresh, but we also wanted to address their concerns. We’d been talking to SEE® (formerly Sealed Air) about plant-based rollstock but weren’t sure it was right. Once we understood how it took regular plastic out of the equation it was a no-brainer. Now we’re excited to share this change with our customers.”

Cucina Fresca is so enthusiastic about the packaging change, they have re-designed product labels to call out the use of CRYOVAC® brand plant-based rollstock, and they will be developing content on their website to help educate their customers on the benefits of using renewable resources in plastic packaging.

“To us, it’s pretty simple. We want to leave this world a better place, not just for us, but for our kids, our customers, and our customers’ kids,” Glaberson said. “We want to make sure the plastic we use leaves the least environmental impact, and that’s what we’ve got with CRYOVAC.”

Original content posted on SEE’s website.

In a swiftly changing business landscape, profit is no longer the sole driving force behind an organization. A growing number of companies are recognizing the urgency to address global challenges and align their initiatives with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The 17 Goals are a call to action for businesses to address pressing issues – ranging from ending hunger, ensuring quality education, providing affordable energy and clean water, etc. – by 2030. As companies embrace their role as a catalyst for driving this progress, they are embedding the SDGs into their operations and their corporate communication.

The sustainability and social impact content businesses are publishing serves as a vital bridge to connect their progress to customers, employees, and other key stakeholders. To mark the United Nations General Assembly and Climate Week later this month, the 3BL team has compiled 17 stories that showcase the powerful yet effective communication strategies businesses are using to convey their commitment to the goals. 

See what these strategies are and how companies are driving meaningful change on a global scale. 

To put more attention on our environment and explore the ways we can advance progress across our organization and in our communities, our colleagues participated in sessions of Climate Fresk, a three-hour group workshop led by trained facilitators that helps facilitate understanding and develop collective intelligence around the causes and consequences of climate change. These workshops are making their mark in our European locations, kickstarted by our offices in France and the U.K. and facilitated by our sustainability and marketing directors who both have been officially trained for the program.

The Climate Fresk Workshops (a French initiative known as La Fresque du Climat) have emerged as a dynamic platform to raise awareness about one of the most pressing global challenges of our time: climate change.

With the help of cards based on Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports, participants are able to actively learn scientific facts about global warming. Our initial workshops witnessed enthusiastic participation and sparked meaningful conversations among the teams. This dialogue allowed our employees to realize how important it is to reduce environmental and carbon footprints and were provided with the right tools to do so, thus empowering them to take actions in both their private and professional lives.

Having Crown join the Climate Fresk adventure is part of our continuous effort to raise awareness of environmental issues, create cohesion around environmental concerns and be more proactive in the fight against climate change. It aligns with our Twentyby30TM sustainability program and is a step toward achieving our 20 measurable goals by the end of 2030 or sooner.

The success of these workshops has driven us to extend this initiative across other European locations. Our goal is clear: to empower our team with knowledge and insights that will equip us to become active contributors to a more sustainable future.

Learn more about the Climate Fresk initiative at this link: https://climatefresk.org/

View original content here.