Tag: 3BL

ekō Solutions, a division of Land Betterment, offers a full array of dwelling solutions for commercial, recreational, residential and crisis recovery using customized up-cycled shipping containers. These sustainable and energy-efficient structures combine contemporary design with practicality.

Commercial

ekō Solutions offers a variety of designs which are customizable to meet both mobile and fixed needs. The up-cycled shipping container units range from 10 to 40 feet in size. Some uses include:

Mobile Merchant ContainersTemporary OfficesPorto-containers – mobile and permanent restroomsMulti-UseKitchens

Recreation

ekō Solutions recreational units comprise of tiny homes, campsite and park models, hunting blinds, and beyond. The Gateway model can be rented through Airbnb and provides all the amenities of home in a small footprint. This model is perfect for the tiny home lover or on the go camper who wants the amenities of a home away from home.

Residential 

ekō homes are designed to be high quality, sustainable, durable and affordable to live in from one to ten years and are highly customizable. The sustainable craftsmanship of the homes is what separates ekō homes from the alternatives. Details about the available models include:

Agora and Tide models measure 320 square feet with an open floor plan including a studio or 1 bedroom with a bathroom, kitchen and sitting areaTwo Company model measures 480 square feet with 2 stories and includes 2 bedrooms with upstairs deck, bathroom, kitchen and sitting areaLoggia model measures 640 square feet with 2 studio bedrooms, bathroom and custom built kitchen islandAtlas model measures 1,280 square feet and includes 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, a kitchen and living space

Crisis Recovery

Following a natural disaster, beyond medical, food & water, housing is the most essential and complex issue. ekō works with local community representatives, churches, charitable foundations and sponsors to efficiently deploy ekō Villages of Hope to communities in need of temporary housing solutions. The Villages of Hope provide a safe and efficient housing solution for victims in times of need so that they can begin to rebuild their lives and move forward.

The building process of ekō Solutions dwellings adheres to strict national and state building codes ensuring that the dwellings comply with standard code while being high quality. With a standardized approach and rigorous quality control measures, these structures are manufactured in a controlled environment at an impressive rate of up to seven per week. During the construction process close attention is paid to details, from the faucets used to the placement of electrical outlets. By virtue of their previous life as ocean shipping containers, ekō homes are built to withstand transportation, ensuring they meet building standards and codes.

To learn more about ekō Solutions’ products you can visit – ekosolutionsllc.com

About ekō Solutions

ekō Solutions, a Land Betterment Company, is a sustainable development company utilizing innovative, low-cost, up-cycled shipping container structures to provide durable, high-end solutions to the building marketplace while also maintaining the ability to be utilized in a mobile environment. ekō Solutions uses innovative ecological structures to replace legacy inefficient and ineffective methods of living, growing and working. The sustainable craftsmanship of our up-cycled shipping container structures is what separates us from the alternatives. Our structures are suitable for residential, crisis recovery, commercial and recreation use. For more information visit ekosolutionsllc.com and connect with ekō Solutions on LinkedIn and Twitter.

About Land Betterment Corporation

Land Betterment Corporation, an Indiana Benefit Corporation and Certified B Corp, is an environmental solutions company focused on fostering a positive impact through up-cycling former coal mining and industrial sites to create sustainable community development and job creation. The Company utilizes a complete solution-based lifecycle program to restore and rehabilitate the environment and revitalize communities in need of change and opportunity. Land Betterment accomplishes this by identifying un-reclaimed, run-down and neglected coal mining sites, fixing the environment through reclamation and remediation, and then repurposing the land to support a sustainable business that serves the community. Land Betterment firmly believes that with real solutions it is possible for restoration of impacted areas to live side-by-side long term employment, while building sustainable and safe surroundings for communities and our planet. For more information visit landbetterment.com or connect with the Company on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

**Media Contacts:**

Mark LaVerghetta 
Chief Governance Officer, Corporate Finance 
Land Betterment Corporation 
Phone: 317.537.0492 ext. 0 
Email: info@landbetterment.com

Stephanie Conzelman 
Stakeholder Engagement Director 
Land Betterment Corporation 
Phone: 207.205.0790 
Email: info@landbetterment.com

DAVIDSON, N.C., August 14, 2023 /3BL/ – Marissa Community Unit School District 40 and Trane® – by Trane Technologies (NYSE: TT), a global climate innovator, announce energy-saving infrastructure upgrades and the debut of an innovative industry-recognized certification program that is the first of its kind to be offered in Illinois K-12 schools. The program gives high school seniors real-world data analytics experience and an advantage when entering the STEM workforce after graduation.

The district chose Trane to implement the infrastructure upgrades in their junior and senior high school buildings as part of their commitment to improving student learning environments. The upgrades, which include HVAC equipment and new state-of-the-art building automation controls, will help to create a more comfortable academic environment, reduce rising energy and operational costs, replace outdated systems and address deferred maintenance.

In addition to comfort and efficiency, the equipment upgrades will make a direct impact on student learning. Beginning in the 2024 school year, high school seniors will be able to take part in a data analytics education program that is the first of its kind in Illinois. The program will leverage the energy usage data from the controls system to offer hands-on STEM learning experiences that will be woven into curriculum of two science electives. The real-world projects will give students practical skills that will help bridge the gap between classroom instruction and the needs of the workforce.

The program also prepares students for two Data Analytics Certifications through the National Coalition of Certification Centers (NC3), which allows students to earn additional, third party, industry recognized credentials. Trane will fund students’ testing costs as part of its commitment to creating pathways to green and STEM careers in support of Trane Technologies’ Sustainable Futures program.

“When we started collaborating with Trane on the infrastructure upgrades, we were excited to see how that investment could help us make an even deeper commitment in our students’ future success,” said Jeff Strieker, superintendent, Marissa CUSD. “The data analytics certification program will give our students a leg up when it comes time to enter the workforce. We are thrilled that we can make such a big difference thanks to our partnership with Trane.”

The environmental sustainability benefits resulting from the upgrades are also compelling. The district is expected to realize a reduction in energy usage of roughly 72,000 kWh in electricity annually. This equals nearly 51 metric tons of reduced carbon emissions, the equivalent of more than 130 thousand miles driven by an average passenger vehicle or more than 10 homes’ electricity use each year.

“We are proud to work with Marissa CUSD 40 on these two initiatives to support the local community,” said Jessica Gagliarducci, account manager, Trane Commercial. “As part of Trane Technologies, Trane is committed to environmental sustainability and to uplifting our communities and to STEM student education. Our collaboration with the district is the perfect convergence of the two.”

Supporting the surrounding community was very important to the district and an effort was made to use local labor on the equipment installation. Neal’s Heating and Cooling, the local contracting company chosen shares that commitment and has deep roots in Marissa.

“We are so proud to collaborate with the school district and Trane on this project,” said Travis Mittendorf, owner, Neal’s Heating and Cooling. “It is especially rewarding to know that the work we’re doing will have a lasting impact on future generations, and even on my family. My son helped with the equipment installation over the summer and is pursuing his love of STEM this fall as a Marissa high school senior.”

The $1.3 million energy-savings project was funded through a grant from local utilities, Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds and facilitated through Trane’s exclusive contract with the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) Education Purchasing Program (EPP).

# # #

About Marissa CUSD 40 
The Marissa School District is a small Illinois school located at the southernmost part of St. Clair County, approximately 40 miles southeast of St. Louis, MO, where IL Highway Routes 13 and 4 meet. The district is comprised of two attendance centers: 1) a PreKindergarten through 6th Grades, with approximately 40 part-time students and 230 full-day students; and 2) a Junior-Senior High School, with approximately 200 students in Grades 7 through 12. With two sections of each grade at the Elementary, the student-to-teacher ratio is typically less than 20:1. Similarly, the Jr. Sr. High, with its technology driven curriculum, a hi-tech R.I.S.E. (Rural Illinois Shared Education) classroom, membership in Career Center for Southern Illinois, and a focus on providing dual credit courses to college-bound students, ensures smaller class sizes, enabling students and teachers to establish positive working relationships in the classrooms and while participating in the many after-school programs. Marissa has a beginner, Jr. High, High School, and Marching Band, participates in the very competitive Cahokia Conference, offering the sports of Baseball, Basketball, Cheerleading, Cross Country, Golf, Softball, and Volleyball at the high school level, and the same at the Jr. High level, with the addition of Track. The district provides its own transportation and both facilities have their own food service staff, providing a free nutritious breakfast and lunch to all students of the district each day!

About Trane 
Trane – by Trane Technologies (NYSE: TT), a global climate innovator – creates comfortable, energy efficient indoor environments for commercial and residential applications. For more information, please visit www.trane.com or www.tranetechnologies.com.

About Trane Technologies 
Trane Technologies is a global climate innovator. Through our strategic brands Trane® and Thermo King®, and our portfolio of environmentally responsible products and services, we bring efficient and sustainable climate solutions to buildings, homes and transportation. Visit tranetechnologies.com.

When it comes to sustainability, Bath & Body Works’ values and ethics serve as the foundation for how we are approaching our environmental, social and governance (ESG) impacts.

With dedication, heart and collaboration, together we aim to take care of the things that really matter: Engaged People, Thoughtful Products and Brighter Places. The second in a four-part series, we’re explaining what our Engaged People pillar means to us.

Our ESG pillar of Engaged People focuses on how we’re going to do more for all the people who touch our business, and we’re working together with openness and inclusivity to create meaningful and positive changes in our business, communities and society. Focused on people and culture as well as diversity, equity and inclusion, we have set both near and longer-term commitments.

From now to 2025, we’re working toward increasing racial and ethnic diversity in Director and above roles and creating programs focused on retaining associates from underrepresented minority groups. We also look to developing and communicating defined career pathways for opportunities and ensuring fair, flexible and healthy workplaces with inclusive benefits. Finally, we want to enhance our supplier diversity program to provide diverse companies with additional business opportunities.

As we look to 2030, we are working toward accelerating diversity across all levels of the business and into our supply chain. This also includes working to ensure racial and ethnic diversity at all levels of the organization and continued focus on retaining and advancing diverse associates within the organization. Finally, we’re also committed to continuous review and update of our compensation and benefits with evolving best practices.

In subsequent articles, we will share our new near and longer-term ESG commitments for the other two pillars of our ESG strategy: Thoughtful Products and Brighter Places. Our commitments are intentionally ambitious yet grounded in where we are as a company today, and we look forward to reporting on future progress toward these goals in our annual ESG reports. As we move forward, we are reminded that ESG is a journey, not a destination. We proudly present these initial goals and recognize that as our ESG strategy matures and evolves, so will our ambitions.

For more information about this work, visit bbwinc.com/people.

Gildan is pleased to share that it has signed an agreement with World Vision to roll-out a joint women’s empowerment program at its facilities in Honduras, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic. As part of this program, Gildan has committed to donating over U.S. $460,000 to support its female employees and support them in reaching their full potential.

The program will be a 24-month long training program, helping more than 4,000 women build competencies in topics such as finance, gender, and entrepreneurship, empowering them to grow both personally and professionally with Gildan.

Gildan has been partnering with World Vision Honduras for over a decade, running an education program for children in the community and preparing them to be well-rounded citizens of tomorrow. Last year, the Company also extended its partnership with World Vision Bangladesh to increase financial literacy for women in the region. With this latest agreement, Gildan’s contribution to World Vision totals approximately U.S. $1M to date.

“We are proud of our work with World Vision so far, which has allowed us to create meaningful, long-term value for our communities,” says Claudia Sandoval, Vice-President, Global Social Compliance and Environmental Affairs. “We hope the next phase of this partnership will positively impact a large portion of our female workforce and support their growth and development.”

Respect for communities has been a longstanding priority for the Company, and Gildan’s Next Generation ESG strategy further strengthened this as a key area of focus. The Company is committed to driving positive economic development through meaningful investments and volunteerism in the regions where it operates, and this latest agreement is a significant addition to Gildan’s efforts to foster healthy and resilient communities.

By Jon Freier, President of Consumer Group

Our mission at T-Mobile is to be the best in the world at connecting our customers to their world.

While our leading 5G network provides the foundation for that connectivity, we set ourselves apart by harnessing the heart of our people to provide great experiences for our customers … in a way no other company can deliver.

A year ago, we introduced Total Experience – an integrated model that aligned our Retail, Care and Network teams geographically and operationally. This enhanced our ability to work at scale more efficiently, streamlining issue resolution and eliminating pain points as we work to deliver our highest customer satisfaction ever.

One of the ways we encourage our teams to strive for excellence is by tapping into their competitive spirit.
They are passionate about taking care of our customers, and they’re also active members of the communities where they work and live. With the Difference Maker Award, we’re bringing these motivations together. We’re rewarding our top performing team each quarter with $50,000 to donate to community projects of their choice so they can make a positive impact right where they serve their customers. That healthy competition is great for our culture … and the bottom line!

Our first Difference Maker Award went to our team in Puerto Rico. For years they have led the way in showing how local partnerships can provide unmatched opportunity to strengthen our brand and build lasting relationships in their community. In fact, their cross-functional approach to managing their business provided the prototype for our Total Experience model that’s been so successful.

Our Puerto Rico team chose to distribute its winnings to five local organizations for $10,000 each. The projects include youth programs, a children’s hospital, food relief and an animal shelter (Spanish version). I am excited to see how these community organizations drive local impact with their Difference Maker Award funds.

Just last week, we announced our second quarter winning team – Virginia! They have been consistent in their metrics but stood out this quarter by reducing their issue resolution to less than one business day. I am so proud of them and can’t wait to find out their choice for the $50,000 donation.

Making meaningful investments in our customers and the communities around us is a winning combination. And we won’t stop in our relentless pursuit to take care of our customers, and at the same time, create good in their world.

Energized by Edison

By Mary Ann Milbourn ENERGIZED by Edison Writer

Clay Lacy Aviation will break ground this summer on a new terminal and hangar facility at Orange County’s John Wayne Airport with an eye toward an electrified future. 

The state-of-art facility will be the first in the world to be certified to the ISI Envision Gold Standard for sustainable infrastructure. It will include all the traditional needs for the fixed-base operator to provide maintenance, fueling, charters, flight training, hangar space and tie-downs for private aircraft. 

But the company is also moving forward with plans to meet the future mobility needs of its customers. The facility will include infrastructure for 48 electric vehicles and the next generation of aviation — electric aircraft. 

This isn’t just a wild idea out of “The Jetsons.” Electric aircraft have been in development and testing for some time. The industry is expecting the first electric passenger aircraft to start being certified to fly as soon as next year.

Clay Lacy Aviation will break ground this summer on a new terminal and hangar facility at Orange County’s John Wayne Airport with an eye toward an electrified future. 

The state-of-art facility will be the first in the world to be certified to the ISI Envision Gold Standard for sustainable infrastructure. It will include all the traditional needs for the fixed-base operator to provide maintenance, fueling, charters, flight training, hangar space and tie-downs for private aircraft. 

But the company is also moving forward with plans to meet the future mobility needs of its customers. The facility will include infrastructure for 48 electric vehicles and the next generation of aviation — electric aircraft. 

This isn’t just a wild idea out of “The Jetsons.” Electric aircraft have been in development and testing for some time. The industry is expecting the first electric passenger aircraft to start being certified to fly as soon as next year.

Clay Lacy Aviation will break ground this summer on a new terminal and hangar facility at Orange County’s John Wayne Airport with an eye toward an electrified future. 

The state-of-art facility will be the first in the world to be certified to the ISI Envision Gold Standard for sustainable infrastructure. It will include all the traditional needs for the fixed-base operator to provide maintenance, fueling, charters, flight training, hangar space and tie-downs for private aircraft. 

But the company is also moving forward with plans to meet the future mobility needs of its customers. The facility will include infrastructure for 48 electric vehicles and the next generation of aviation — electric aircraft. 

This isn’t just a wild idea out of “The Jetsons.” Electric aircraft have been in development and testing for some time. The industry is expecting the first electric passenger aircraft to start being certified to fly as soon as next year.

While the federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program offers energy bill payment assistance, the typical application process is cumbersome, paper based and error prone – meaning it can take days, weeks or even months for qualifying individuals to receive the help they need.

Statewide online applications are limited within our service areas spanning Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Consequently, applying often requires traveling to community action agencies, which leaves many people in need yearning for faster and less burdensome financial assistance options.

The pandemic exacerbated these frictions, introduced health and safety concerns and widened the scope of LIHEAP-eligible households due to unemployment and rising need. We quickly recognized that the status quo was no longer acceptable. The LIHEAP application process was primed for improvement.

Our digital LIHEAP application tool

Our service areas encompass some of the country’s largest pockets of poverty. This stark reality drives us to do more for our customers. To ease the burden, and in collaboration with external partners, we assembled a multi-disciplinary task force to explore solutions to connect customers to LIHEAP and simplify the application process.

Through this effort, our digital LIHEAP application tool was born. The user-friendly platform empowers our customers to apply at getLIHEAP.com from anywhere, on any device – thus no longer requiring their physical presence at community action agencies. The platform also offers community action agency-specific modules that simplify caseworkers’ application reviews and determinations.

Using a phased innovation approach, we first launched a limited pilot at one community action agency with 15 customers in Arkansas. Using what we learned, we have continuously built, measured and enhanced the application tool to better meet customer and caseworker needs. The platform is now operational at five Arkansas community action agencies. It has helped thousands of low-income Arkansas households with accessing federal funds to cover their energy bills.

We have also leveraged the technology to solve other customer needs. In the summer of 2022, soaring natural gas prices, peak inflation rates, extreme weather events, record temperatures and mounting energy usage plagued the U.S. power and utilities sector – producing some of the highest electric bills our nation has ever seen. As a result, thousands of Entergy-powered households faced financial strain. In a matter of weeks, we adapted the digital LIHEAP application platform to help administer a novel direct bill payment assistance program to low- to moderate-income customers, including those who do not qualify for programs like LIHEAP.

ChallengesEarly outcomesThe traditional LIHEAP application process is cumbersome, paper based and error prone – meaning it can take days, weeks or even months for qualifying individuals to receive financial assistance.LIHEAP applicants have received determinations up to 24 days faster by using our digital platform, which has modernized the traditional application process for participating community action agencies in Arkansas.Many customers were in need, and federal funds were available, but those funds weren’t efficiently getting to all who qualified for them.Due to growing platform adoption, the number of approved Arkansas applications – and total approved funds – more than doubled during our winter heating season program compared to the summer cooling season.Not all eligible customers were aware of the financial assistance available to them, and many were unable to access it due to LIHEAP application process limitations.28% of approved Arkansas applicants in our summer cooling season program were first-time LIHEAP recipients – indicating our modernized, digital process is linking new customers to federal funds.

 

We are continuously exploring new opportunities to help our customers thrive. To learn more about how we’re innovating to make customers more successful, visit keystringlabs.entergy.com.

Originally published on NRG Energy Insights

By Peter Johnson

NRG lands on Forbes’ Best Lists

We are honored to be included in Forbes lists for America’s Best Midsize Employer and America’s Best Employers for Diversity 2023. To have our workplace and culture recognized by our own employees and peers across our industry is demonstrative of the amazing workplace and work we have cultivated at NRG. Our team’s number of talented, ambitious, creative, and dedicated people speaks volumes, but I will take every opportunity to laud and celebrate them.

We believe our success begins and ends with the people we employ. They are our most important asset; as such, we continuously evolve to best meet their needs. We attract and retain standout talent by developing programs and approaches that ensure our people feel valued and connected, all while fostering a culture centered on safety and well-being.

To achieve this ambition, we prioritize four key elements of the employee experience:

Finding new and creative ways to draw in new talent and open avenues for recruitment to ensure we have a diverse applicant pool.Deploying and maintaining programs and initiatives to improve the employee experience by ensuring benefits remain competitive and by cultivating meaningful career progression and development opportunities.Prioritizing employees’ physical, mental, and financial well-being through holistic wellness programs and comprehensive safety standards.Building a unified and inclusive culture where a strong sense of belonging leads to better teamwork and business performance.

Over the years, these priorities have led us to implement a variety of new initiatives that have strengthened our workplace and corporate culture. While we have many initiatives to be proud of – here are some I’d like to share:

Our employee-led Business Resource Group program creates safe and collaborative spaces for individuals from all backgrounds to share their experiences.Our Emerging Leaders Program affords high-potential employees the opportunity to work on business-critical projects and mentor the next generation.The NRG Business Learn from Leaders program helps employees enhance their skill set, get to know our leaders, and broaden their NRG network.The summer intern and graduate rotational programs allow students and recent college graduates to gain experience from NRG employees and cultivate skills crucial to their future careers.Our inclusive hiring process helps mitigate unconscious bias and build a well-rounded workforce by removing degree requirements, where appropriate, as well as resume details that may convey a candidate’s gender identity, race, religion, or socioeconomic background.Our policies and programs support employees’ work-life balance, including backup child and elder care services, and the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) which offers free support to manage finances, obtain legal guidance, and locate counseling. We also increased paid parental leave to six weeks, regardless of gender.

These efforts do more than make us competitive –they make employees excited to be part of NRG.

We envision a workplace defined by a sense of camaraderie and teamwork that values diversity and fosters inclusion, encourages collaboration, supports individual and team growth, and ensures work-life balance. Our employees are bringing that vision to life, creating, and retaining a vibrant and engaging corporate culture that allows all of us to thrive. While we grow and evolve, we continue to improve our approach and find new ways to make NRG a great place to work and build your career. I am excited to work alongside our employees as we continue our journey together.

Originally published by Ericsson

By Lyon Solnstev Senior Transformation Consultant and Akbar Ali Improvement & Performance Director

In Ericsson’s ongoing quest to be an employer of choice, a specific need was identified to create an avenue for Early Career Professionals (ECPs) to connect, exchange knowledge, and share their career journeys and voice with the broader Ericsson community. As a result, in 2018, the D&I team in Market Area North America (MANA) founded a small group of 5-7 individuals with a passion to bring people together. That group ultimately formed the MANA GenNext ERG (Employee Resource Group).

Fast forward to 2023, and the GenNext ERG Core Team is now 16 people strong, with an extended execution team of 200+ active volunteers and an overall membership of 450+ individuals across the US and Canada. Through their initiatives, the GenNext ERG will grow and shape the next generation of Ericsson as well as equipping the current generations with the tools they need to succeed in their career at Ericsson.

GenNext is united around three pillars:

1. Attraction and retention toward Ericsson by supporting the internship programs and new college graduate program by providing companions, events, and opportunities for these employees to have a positive onboarding experience and stay informed, connected and engaged.

2. Growth & Upskilling by hosting quarterly learning sessions as well as an annual Competence Development Summit to grow the critical skills needed to deliver on the Ericsson Business Strategy.

3. Community and Support by hosting multiple networking, mentorship, and volunteer events as well as the annual Tech Camp, which is focused on spreading STEM knowledge to employee’s children and extended non-profit partnerships.

As a result of the GenNext ERG’s success with key organizational programs tied to these pillars and the impact of the change created by its passionate members, the GenNext ERG was recognized as the Top 3 ERG at the 2022 Diversity Impact Awards.

The GenNext ERG’s success was built upon several factors that have been developed on its journey of growth.

1. Have a clearly defined North Star from the beginning

As its organic growth started picking up steam, the GenNext ERG partnered with the D&I team to clearly defined the missions, pillars, and programs needed to align to Ericsson’s goals.

The GenNext ERG mission is to “Promote career development and motivate Ericsson’s emerging talent, provide a platform for elevating the voice of early career professionals and create a positive impact for our community.” And the three pillars are “Attraction & Retention, Growth & Upskilling, and Community & Support.”

2. Start small, find champions, and organize

As a voluntary group, creating change must be done organically and with purpose. When the GenNext ERG was founded, it started with 7 Core Team members who led ad hoc projects as time allowed. As more people wanted to get involved, the GenNext ERG found leaders who could take on larger projects and responsibilities.

Once membership reached 200 individuals, the Core Team organized into targeted verticals to ensure priorities were purpose-driven and organized. For members with limited bandwidth, the GenNext ERG pioneered an Execution Team layer created to support the Core Team when bandwidth was available. The Core Team evolved into individuals focused on specific passions and organizational priorities to grow the knowledge, network, and inclusivity of ECPs.

3. Have involved executive leaders focused on the mission of inclusivity

The GenNext ERG’s executive sponsors and the D&I team were instrumental in guiding the ERG and giving constant feedback, as well as being receptive to the feedback provided by the ERG’s leadership. Through the partnerships with key organizational leaders, the GenNext ERG received strategic direction, created a channel of two-way feedback, and received sponsorship for the ERG’s key initiatives.

4. Find niches within the company

Through partnerships and discussions with executives, company leaders, and its members, the GenNext ERG found key areas in which there was the most need and could create the most impact. Some examples of these include GenNext partnerships with the People Team (ex. University Relations, Talent Management, and Talent Acquisition, Learning & Development and People Business Partners) to create impactful internship experiences, companionship program and leadership development opportunities.

5. Track Key Performance Indicators

While the GenNext ERG does track companywide metrics like ECP promotions, employee counts, etc., the ERG is focused more on the People aspect of the members that it could directly influence, such as how many learning hours we established, the number of new connections created at networking events, and how much engagement was created on social media.

The GenNext ERG also contributes significantly to the Workplace of the Future (better known as the Imagine Possible) initiative, whose goal is to increase the number of intern conversions, embracing new college graduates into the business while simultaneously supporting the upskilling and reskilling of the entire Ericsson workforce.

The GenNext ERG is heavily involved in the Workplace of the Future initiative, which has the goal to significantly increase the number of interns converted and new college grads brought into the business while also upskilling the entire workforce. Going forward, the ERG plans to expand its reach across middle management and executive leadership while spreading chapters around the globe to support early career professionals’ development across the company through its mission-focused initiatives.

As originally published by GoDaddy’s Venture Forward research initiative

Based on business start date, the number of Generation Z and millennial microbusiness owners increased more rapidly pre 2020 compared to Generation X and baby boomers. This is especially true for those based in Pittsburgh, where microbusiness owners under the age of 40 more than doubled (21% to 47%) since 2019. Venture Forward, a GoDaddy one-of-a-kind research initiative established in 2018 to quantify the impact of online microbusinesses on their local economies, defines microbusinesses as businesses with fewer than 10 employees, a unique domain, and an active website.

The big fact: There’s a generational shift happening between the long-term desires of Gen Z and millennial and baby boomer microbusiness owners. Less than half (47%) of baby boomers hope to turn their business into their primary source of income, while a whopping 77% of Gen Z and millennials want to turn their business into their primary source of income.

The research: GoDaddy’s Venture Forward research initiative provides a unique view into the attitudes, demographics, and needs of microbusiness entrepreneurs. The initiative’s U.S. national survey started in 2019 and occurs twice a year, typically capturing responses from over 3,500 entrepreneurs per instance to identify and explore trends, as well as deliver insights to advocates of microbusiness entrepreneurs.

GoDaddy analyzes more than 20 million online microbusinesses in the U.S. with a unique domain and active website. They are often too small or too new to show up in government statistics. While these microbusinesses may be small, their impact on the U.S. economy is outsized. For example, for every one online microbusiness entrepreneur an additional 6.7 jobs are created at the county level. 

Entrepreneurial spirit: Younger generations may be more entrepreneurial than most. 31% of Gen Z and millennials always dreamed of starting their own businesses, versus the 22% of Gen X and 14% of baby boomers.

According to ZenBusiness, the Class of 2023 is expected to become the most entrepreneurial generation in U.S. history. And this should come as no surprise, considering the rise of globalization, technological advancements, and the gig economy.

Financial stability: Despite the desire to turn their microbusiness into their primary source of income, Gen Z and millennials find themselves in a more difficult position to turn that dream into a reality. 9% of Gen Z and millennial microbusiness owners experience stress from environmental challenges, compared to 4% of baby boomers. And 46% of Gen Z and millennials have less than one month of cash on hand for their business, while 50% of Gen X and 64% of baby boomers have more than one month of cash on hand to support their business.