Tag: 3BL

July 17, 2023 /3BL/ – With the Decade of Action in support of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) well underway, every day businesses all over the world make significant contributions towards ending poverty, protecting the planet and ensuring people can live in peace and prosperity by 2030. But how close are we to reaching the Global Goals, and how can companies make sure that they do their best to support them?

A new podcast has been launched – The SDG Insider – which not only aims to answer these key questions, but also help companies navigate the overlaps between the 17 SDGs. The series provides a clear link between corporate reporting and the global sustainability agenda, with insights from experts from both the private and public sectors.

Peter Paul van de Wijs, GRI Chief of Policy, said:

“Achieving the SDGs is a collective responsibility for the entire global community and a challenge that cannot be met without buy-in and collaboration involving the private sector. Our new podcast series will look beyond the theory, with practical insights and actions on how companies can help accelerate progress for the Global Goals and the role of transparency in unlocking benefits for all.” 

Episode 1: Minding your own business – how can human rights due diligence create a better future for all?

The first episode delves into policies on human rights due diligence, which set expectations for businesses to actively consider risks and impacts on people and places. New rules will mean companies increasingly need to take account of their own operations but also their investments, products, business agreements and partnerships. This is significant, given that most of the SDGs are contingent upon upholding of human rights – with over 90% of the targets directly reflecting elements of international human rights and labor standards.

This episode shares views from:

Elin Wrzoncki, Department Director for Human Rights and Business at the Danish Institute for Human RightsDante Pesce, Senior Strategic Adviser on Business and Human Rights to the International Organization of EmployersKees Gootjes, Business and Human Rights Advisor, ABN AMRO Bank

They discuss where a company should start when conducting a human rights assessment, emphasizing the importance of mapping out the value chain and business partners as well as understanding risks associated with the sector in which a company operates.

Margarita Lysenkova, GRI Senior Manager – International Policy, added:

“When it comes to human rights due diligence, sustainability reporting helps ensure that all steps of the due diligence process have been effectively followed. The GRI Standards allow organizations to communicate their impacts by demonstrating how they identify and manage them. Moreover, communication in itself is an integral step in the due diligence process, which means that compliance with due diligence requirements is not possible without robust reporting.”

The SDG Insider can be accessed on Spotify and Apple podcast. The series will include an initial six episodes on topics ranging from climate change to agriculture and food to tax. All 18 episodes of the earlier GRI podcast series on the topic – SDGs: The Rising Tide – are also available.

Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) is the independent, international organization that helps businesses and other organizations take responsibility for their impacts, by providing the global common language to report those impacts. The GRI Standards are the world’s most widely used sustainability reporting standards, which are developed through a multi-stakeholder process and provided as a free public good.

GRI provides a range of freely accessible resources and tools to help companies understand and report their contribution to the SDGs.

PORCARI (LU), Italy, July 5, 2023 /3BL/ -The Lucca Film Festival is going green. Sofidel, a Tuscan company which is one of the world leaders in the production of paper for hygienic and domestic use, best known in Italy and Europe for its Regina brand, is a sponsor of the 2023 Festival and, in particular, of the first edition of Lucca Film Festival for Future, the competition reserved for short films dealing with green issues related to environmental protection as part of the Lucca Film Festival (LFF), to be held in Lucca from September 23 to October 1.

Film makers and directors from Italy and abroad can submit their work until Friday, July 28, 2023, sending it as a video link to future@luccafilmfestival.it or by registering on the Filmfreeway and Festhome platforms. The short films must be no longer than 29 minutes, represent the first showing in Italy and must have been made no earlier than 2021. Of the films submitted, 15 will be selected from around the world, which will be screened during the festival and compete for the awards. The selection aims to showcase the most innovative and interesting modes of narrative, documentary and interactive storytelling.

Sofidel has made sustainability a strategic lever of growth, succeeding in concretely integrating it into its industrial development policies. From this commitment comes the desire to spread the culture of sustainability through educational projects aimed particularly at the younger generation and, as of this year, also through the language of the Seventh Art. The first edition of the Lucca Film Festival for Future competition aims in fact to raise awareness of the need for a new culture of enhancement and protection of the environment and nature.

Elena Faccio, Group Creative & Communication Director at Sofidel comments: “Lucca Film Festival is a prestigious event, eagerly anticipated by national and international film enthusiasts and many more: we are very proud to be present with this initiative dedicated to green cinema. We have been committed to spreading the culture of sustainability for over 15 years, believing that it is a theme that can be expressed in multiple languages. Illustrating it through the art of film makes it possible to reach new audiences and raise their awareness about urgent issues that affect everyone.”

Nicola Borelli, President of the Lucca Film Festival adds: “Sofidel joins the family of festival supporters for an ambitious but not impossible goal that falls under the larger theme of sustainability. Film is first and foremost a form of communication, and our common interest is to promote environmental protection by concretely involving young people and counteracting the ‘drop in the ocean’ effect of perceiving one’s contribution as minuscule compared to the total support needed. But we are convinced that the ocean is made up of drops and that each of them can make a difference.”

The competition reserved for short films focusing on green issues also stems from a collaboration with festivals in the “Film For Our Future” international network and the EURASF network (European Network of Science Communicators, Filmmakers, Film Producers and Festival Organizers).

A jury consisting of representatives from the 10 festivals in the “Film For Our Future” network will evaluate the works and announce the results by September 15, 2023. During the final evening of the festival on Saturday, September 30, which will be held at the Astra cinema in Lucca, the winners will be announced and the first prize of € 1,000 will be awarded.

During the week of the festival, the entire final selection of the competition will be screened both in the morning for schools and in the afternoon and evening for the public. It will also be possible to watch the short films for free on demand on the dedicated page of the Festival Scope portal.

All information on how to submit your short film is available on the dedicated page https://www.luccafilmfestival.it/iscrizione-lff-for-future-2023/

Sofidel Group 

The Sofidel Group is one of the leading manufacturers of paper for hygienic and domestic use worldwide. Established in 1966, the Group has subsidiaries in 13 countries – Italy, Spain, the UK, Ireland, France, Belgium, Germany, Sweden, Poland, Hungary, Greece, Romania and the USA – with more than 6,500 employees, net sales of 2,801 million Euros (2022) and a production capacity of over one million tonnes per year (1,440,000 tonnes in 2022). “Regina”, its most well-known brand, is present on almost all the reference markets. Other brands include: Sopalin, Le Trèfle, Hakle, Softis, Nalys, Cosynel, KittenSoft, Lycke, Nicky, Papernet. A member of the UN Global Compact and the international WWF Climate Savers programme, the Sofidel Group considers sustainability a strategic factor with regards to growth and is committed to reducing its impact on natural capital and maximising social benefits, setting as objective the creation of shared added value for all stakeholders. Sofidel’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets to 2030 have been approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) as consistent with reductions required to keep warming to well-below 2°C, in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement.

www.sofidel.com

Sofidel Press Office 

Silvia Colleoni – +39 349 3457751 – silvia.colleoni@bcw-global.com

Giorgia Desimini – +39 389 2019708 – giorgia.desimini@bcw-global.com

Andrea Robuschi – +39 327 365 8485 – andrea.robuschi@bcw-global.com

Climate claims is an exciting, evolving space.

July 17, 2023 /3BL/ – This report emphasises why corporations need to become more savvy about communicating their corporate climate actions. Learn how to move away from vague and broad-sweeping statements, and strive for transparent and consistent communications that will lead to true green impact.

Access our latest report and gain an understanding of:

A global snapshot of the disclosure of corporate climate commitmentsThe need for a Paris-aligned climate claim ‘Funding Climate Action’An overview of international best practice and guidance on corporate climate claimsHow to build credible claims, with interviews from South Pole’s expertsIntroduction to South Pole’s new ‘Funding Climate Action’ label

For World Environment Day we wanted to add to the global celebration by lifting up the stories of several of our Cisco Foundation Climate Impact and Regeneration Portfolio grantee partners working in the realm of Nature-based Solutions (NbS). The good folks at Capital for Climate outline how critical such solutions are for meeting our shared climate goals, and say that when done well, NbS should “deliver climate mitigation, safeguard biological diversity, ensure healthier diets for all, improve food security and create more inclusive and resilient rural economies.”

As you read the stories below you can begin to see a picture developing of what such deeply thoughtful, heartfelt, and well-structured nature-based solutions can look like in practice. They prove that it is indeed possible to deliver on multiple social benefits including the ways outlined by Capital for Climate. We invite you to lift up such stories of active co-creation widely, as we continue to move towards the shared regenerative and inclusive future we all want.

Vesta enhances the ocean’s natural ability to sequester and store CO2

“Vesta‘s climate solution Coastal Carbon Capture (CCC) is a nature-based process that enhances the ocean’s natural ability to sequester and permanently store CO2.

CCC works by adding natural carbon-removing sand to coastal areas & marshlands. As the sand dissolves in seawater, it generates new alkalinity, resulting in the conversion of carbon dioxide for safe and permanent ocean storage.

Within three years, Vesta has been able to move decades of promising but stalled academic research out of the lab and into the real world.

In 2022, Vesta deployed the world’s first Coastal Carbon Capture field pilots in a salt marsh in Massachusetts and on a coastline in New York state.

Since then, we’ve continued to generate positive results on our most important scientific questions.

The Cisco Foundation has played a pivotal role in bringing Coastal Carbon Capture to field trials as the crucial next step to unlock gigatonne scale impact.

Ultimately, CCC has the potential to be a billion-tonne-per year carbon removal solution with co-benefits such as lowering ocean acidity and helping to protect vulnerable coastal communities from sea level rise and erosion. Thanks to the Cisco Foundation’s support, Vesta can continue to develop this process with climate-saving potential.”

PlantVillage makes progress in its quest for a better environment for food production

“PlantVillage has made tremendous strides in its resolve to help farmers in Africa grow more food through planting trees as a climate change mitigation strategy.

With the help of a pool of resources from its partners, including the Cisco Foundation’s $300,000 grant, PlantVillage planted 1.5 million trees in Kenya in just a year.

The planting trees initiative created green job opportunities for 20 youths employed as part of the PlantVillage’s vibrant unit, the ‘Dream Team,’ as well as 275 youths from local communities who participated in setting up and managing 47 nurseries.

PlantVillage Kenya has developed a unique system-change approach using technology from smartphone artificial intelligence found in the PlantVillage Nuru application and satellite data via cloud software.

The trees planted in borders across 12,756 farms reduce water loss from the soils, increase nutrient uptake by the soils, and increase income for farmers through the carbon capture initiative, in which each farm will draw down 3 to 5 metric tons of carbon per year.

‘The carbon market offers a mechanism by which we could scale up climate change adaptation for African farms, resulting in climate change mitigation at scale,’ said David Hughes, founder of PlantVillage, Huck Chair in Global Food Security at Penn State, and director of the USAID Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Current and Emerging Threats to Crops.

‘PlantVillage plans to scale up the program to benefit 200 million farmers, which will pull down 1 gigatonne of carbon (IV) oxide each year. To reach this goal, PlantVillage will draw down 3 million tonnes per day for 365 days a year,’ he added.”

AAC safeguards ancient wildlife migration corridors through trusting relationships with Indigenous communities

“The Andes Amazon Conservancy (AAC) collaborates with 4 Indigenous Nations in Ecuador in an Indigenous-led conservation program that maintains connectivity between the Andes and Amazon and safeguards ancient wildlife migration corridors.

Contiguous habitats that support wildlife migration are vital to preserving and sustaining the region’s increasingly endangered biological diversity.

The effectiveness of AAC’s work is rooted in the trusting relationships we have established with more than 70 Indigenous communities.

We integrate traditional knowledge and modern conservation technology to foster sovereign Indigenous land stewardship and sustainable land conservation while planning for 100 years of human population growth.

Funding from the Cisco Foundation is augmenting this collaborative capacity-building work for ecological connectivity and restoration.

Cisco’s support provides necessary resources to more than 135 Indigenous people who are spearheading this conservation project, provides numerous iterations of GIS maps that reflect the unique conservation choices of each community, and supports the legal documentation and registration of those conservation choices.

The result will be a 175-mile long, 6-million acre Indigenous-planned and implemented eco-cultural corridor and will pave the way for a new model for conservation in an era where 80% of the world’s remaining biodiversity is in Indigenous territories.”

Seacology connects communities to conservation through a unique deal

“Seacology protects island habitats and assists local communities by offering villages a unique deal: if they agree to create a forest or marine reserve, we’ll provide something the village needs, like a schoolhouse, health clinic, water system, etc. Since 1991, we’ve launched 392 projects, working with villages on islands in 68 countries, helping to protect approximately 1.4 million acres of some of the world’s most vulnerable ecosystems.

In 2021, we launched our second largest project to date: The Dominican Republic National Mangrove Initiative. This ambitious project aims to protect the country’s critical mangrove forests through a nationwide mangrove pride campaign while supporting economically vulnerable coastal residents by developing mangrove-related eco-businesses.

In addition, we are engaging coastal youth with a new initiative called Play for the Mangroves, which provides free sports equipment to under-resourced Dominican youth in exchange for their participation in mangrove education and hands-on conservation activities.

Seacology is incredibly grateful to the Cisco Foundation for supporting this initiative. With Cisco’s help, Seacology and our local partner Grupo Jaragua have hosted talks and webinars, funded a mangrove-themed mural project, organized a photography exhibit, visited schools and universities, helped establish 5 new businesses, and distributed baseball and volleyball equipment and mangrove-branded uniforms to youth throughout the country.

Mangroves, so critical to climate change mitigation and adaptation, are becoming a source of pride throughout the country, ensuring their future protection.”

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Columbus Business First held its inaugural Women of Influence Awards reception at the Westin Great Southern Hotel in Columbus this week. The reception celebrated 27 Central Ohio businesswomen who are having an impact on their organizations, bettering the community by giving back and helping foster the next generation of leaders by acting as advisers and mentors.

Bath & Body Works CEO Gina Boswell served as keynote speaker at the sold-out event and participated in an interview hosted by Columbus Business First Assistant Managing Editor Eleanor Kennedy. During her talk, Boswell highlighted her more than 30 years of experience in the personal care industry and offered advice to other women leaders seeking to take the next step in their careers.

See the full list of the 27 honorees below and get more information about this year’s inaugural Women of Influence Awards here.

Businesswoman of the year

Karen Jefferson Morrison, president, OhioHealth Foundation; senior vice president, OhioHealth

Community champion

Amy Albery, CEO, Wallick CommunitiesCorrine Burger, managing director, JPMorgan ChaseDarci Congrove, managing director, GBQNatalie Pantalos, director of external relations and community affairs, Ohio Chamber of Commerce

Entrepreneur

Bhakti Bania, CEO, BBCOSheri Chaney Jones, founder and president, Measurement Resources Company; founder and CEO, SureImpact Inc.Merry Korn, CEO, Pearl Interactive Network Inc.Catherine Lang-Cline, president and co-creator, Portfolio Creative

Mentor

Lisa Banks, director, ECDI Women’s Business Center of Central OhioNichole Dunn, CEO, Flying Horse FarmsEmily Foote, area manager, Bechtel Corp.Rachel Kleit, associate dean of faculty affairs, College of Engineering / Professor of City and Regional Planning, Knowlton School of Architecture, Ohio State University

Nonprofit leader

Rebecca Butler, executive vice president, Columbus State Community CollegeLisa Courtice, CEO, United Way of Central OhioRachel Finney, CEO, Columbus HumaneKari Jones, CEO, Down Syndrome Association of Central OhioLark Mallory, CEO, Affordable Housing Trust for Columbus and Franklin CountyTammy Wharton, CEO, Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland

Trailblazer

Lori Bongiorno, managing principal, studio lead – mixed use, MA DesignMichelle Crandall, city manager, city of HilliardLindsay Karas Stencel, partner, Thompson Hine LLPVinita Mehra, director and leader, Global Business Practice, Kegler Brown Hill + RitterSarah Perez, firm managing partner, Perez Morris LLCChristina Perry, senior vice president of finance and investor relations, Forge BiologicsJo Ann Quinif, chief client officer, Diamond Hill

Rising star

Amanda Reed, senior consultant, Centric Consulting

Suppliers of Whole Foods Market are empowering microentrepreneurs with economic opportunity. These generous brands fund microloans for entrepreneurs living in poverty so they can start or expand a small business, often home-based. With a small loan of around $200, an entrepreneur can purchase essential needs for their small ventures, such as products for a food stand, equipment for a sewing business, or tools for a small-scale farm.  Profits from their microbusinesses provide these entrepreneurs the opportunity to lift themselves and their families out of poverty, one loan at a time. 

Supporting brands are invited to help further our mission by funding additional microloans. Brands that donate $25,000 in July to fund microcredit are recognized as members of Whole Planet Foundation’s Poverty Is Unnecessary Fund. This month’s generous donors include Ben & Jerry’s and So Delicious Dairy Free. 

So Delicious Dairy Free

Since 2015, So Delicious Dairy Free has been committed to funding opportunity through Whole Planet Foundation. As a repeat 2023 donor, their $50,000 commitment this year will help fund an additional 270 microloans for entrepreneurs living in poverty. With a small microloan, microentrepreneurs can start or develop a business, often home-based, to support themselves and their families. “So Delicious Dairy Free is on a mission to show what’s possible when everyone has an equal seat at the table. This means advocating for a more inclusive economy and creating economic opportunities for marginalized communities. We are proud to support Whole Planet Foundation and their mission to alleviate global poverty through microfinance”, says Virginia Kelly, VP of Marketing for So Delicious Dairy Free.

Ben & Jerry’s

Since 2020, Ben & Jerry’s has a business model of linked prosperity. Their social mission is to work towards their goal to create positive change in the world from inside the pint out, starting with responsible sourcing and support of their suppliers. As a $25,000 Poverty is Unnecessary Fund member in 2023, they extend that support in the form of microloans to microentrepreneurs living in poverty all around the globe. 

Whole Planet Foundation’s $25,000 donors believe Poverty is Unnecessary. That’s why they support our mission to empower microentrepreneurs with income-generating opportunities, like Margaret a microcredit client from Uganda. Watch the video about Margaret’s inspiring story and how you can help support our work here.

UNITED STATES, July 14, 2023 /3BL/ – The Council for Latino Workplace Equity (CLWE), an initiative under the National Diversity Council, will host the Eighth Annual National Latino Leadership Conference virtually via Whova on Tuesday, Sept. 19th and Wednesday, Sept. 20th, from 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. CT. This year’s theme is “Escalando y Superando (Rising and Overcoming): The Stories of Our Leaders.”

The 2023 National Latino Leaders list highlights individuals who have achieved success in their careers while paving the way for other Latinos to advance in the corporate arena. These individuals contribute to creating and promoting a culture where Latino talent is supported and leveraged for organizational success. They demonstrate leadership excellence and high visibility in the Latino community and maintain a record of professional accomplishments.

“We must recognize and honor our National Latino Leaders for rising in leadership and overcoming various obstacles in their workplaces and communities,” said Anika Rahman, CEO of the National Diversity Council. “The honorees represent the diversity and strength of the Latino culture and are exemplary individuals paving the way for the Latino community at large.”

2023 National Latino Leaders Award

Marco Martinez 
Director, Vendor Risk Management 
CenterPoint Energy

Omar Guzman 
Emergency Medicine Physician 
Vituity

Julio Cruz 
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Specialist 
Saint Joseph Health System

James Sanchez 
Director of Business Development & Senior Commercial Lender 
WeStreet Federal Credit Union

Gilbert Alonzo 
Vice President, Performance Excellence and Reporting 
PSCU

Jesús Trivino 
Senior Director, Industry Relations & Global Latin 
TIDAL 

Pedro Turushina 
Vice President 
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando

Mark Delp 
Branch Manager 
Impact Wealth Management

Jesse Gutierrez 
Founder & CEO 
Hymn Consulting LLC

Dr. Armando Orduna 
Executive Director 
Latinos For Education-Texas

Rudy Garza 
CEO 
CPS Energy 

Dr. Yerko Sepulveda 
Director of Community Engagement and Belonging 
Porter-Gaud School

Brigitta Toruño 
CEO and Founder 
UNO Translations and Communications, LLC

Christy Pacini 
Vice President, Global Human Resources 
SBA Communications 

Niki Tapia 
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer 
City of Chandler | City Manager’s Office

Melissa Mendez 
Director of Early Childhood Programs 
Wheeler Health 

Keila Lopez 
Associate Professor, Pediatrics Director, Transition Medicine, 
Division of Pediatric Cardiology 
Texas Children’s Hospital

Ellen Flores 
Senior Operations Manager 
One Call

Sineria Ordóñez 
Vice-President, External Affairs Market Manager and 
National Hispanic Business Development Manager 
Comerica Bank 

Cristina Lopez 
Senior Vice President – Human Resources 
VillageMD

Yazmin Castellano 
Center for Autism and Related Disabilities (CARD-USF) 
Consultant & DEI Program Coordinator

Lori Castillo Martinez 
Executive Vice President and Chief Equality Officer 
Salesforce 

Suzanne Ruiz 
Vice President and Editor in Chief 
Sorenson 

Camila Casale 
Chief Marketing Officer 
Sorenson 

Martha Pretelt 
SVP, COO Business Management & Strategic Initiatives 
FIS 

Registration for The 8th Annual Latino Leadership Conference is currently open and can be purchased starting at $249 for non-partners and $299 for partners at www.clwe.org. For more information about this event please contact: Emily Pfister at emily.pfister@nationaldiversitycouncil.org.

About The National Diversity Council

A non-profit organization committed to fostering a learning environment for organizations to grow in their knowledge of diversity. The council affords opportunities for organizations to share best practices and learn from top corporate leaders in the areas of diversity, equity and inclusion. More information about the National Diversity Council is available at: www.nationaldiversitycouncil.org.

About the Council for Latino Equity Council 

The Council for Latino Workplace Equity is a resource and platform to foster workplace equity for Latino talent. It highlights the pertinent issues concerning Latinos in the workplace in order to advance equal opportunities and incite change within organizations. For information about the CLWE is available at www.clwe.org.

Media Contact 

Kamaria Monmouth 
Sr. Communications Specialist 
National Diversity Council 
kamaria.monmouth@nationaldiversitycouncil.org

By Kim Borges and Jeremy King

You’ve seen the stories. Disaster strikes. People, businesses and nonprofits respond.

Immediate recovery is fueled in equal parts by adrenaline and goodwill.

But what about later – when the news crews have left? What about when the initial recovery money is exhausted?

This is a story about long-term support … long after the skies have cleared … but also long before the community could ever return to normal.

To set the stage, Doing More Today spoke with Matthew Allen of Mayfield, Kentucky.

If the town sounds familiar – there’s a reason.

“I was in the path of the tornado just an hour before it passed through, and I returned within a couple hours to check on family,” said Allen. “The very place I’d stood before was completely changed. The streets were pitch black with power lines and debris everywhere.”

Dozens of families were at the beginning of a heart-breaking journey. People urgently looked for survivors. They were not always successful.

James Potter wasn’t far away. He remembers the sequence. First, the sirens. Then silence. Then the roar.

“Earlier that night, I remember thinking, ‘This seems different, this isn’t a normal storm,’” recalled Potter. “Later, I couldn’t really fathom what I was seeing. I’ve seen this in the movies. We were in the eye of the storm.”

While Potter was on the first floor of the house, his partner, Tanya Jackson, was huddled in the basement with a friend.

“You could see the house shift,” said Jackson. “It was just horrific. I’d never been in a tornado.”

But they survived. Other houses nearby were simply wiped away.

“We were lucky,” said Potter.

To help people in Mayfield, the Regions Foundation, a nonprofit funded primarily by Regions Bank, immediately pledged $100,000 for tornado recovery.

“When our Western Kentucky neighbors experienced the unimaginable, the Regions Foundation and our colleagues at Regions Bank immediately deployed financial resources and volunteer support to help,” said Marta Self, executive director of the Regions Foundation. “It was clear the widespread, catastrophic damage would require an extended focus. Nonprofits like the Mayfield Graves County Long-Term Recovery Group have been leading the way. We’re incredibly proud to support the organization’s commitment to rebuilding the area’s homes and restoring the hope of so many people.”

Mayfield looks a lot better today than 18 months ago – but it’s still a world away from what it was.

So, the final $15,000 of the Regions Foundation’s funding is going toward the Mayfield Graves County Long-Term Recovery Group (MLTRG). In addition to the Foundation’s support, local Regions Bank associates are lending their own assistance – because they’re invested in seeing Mayfield made whole.

Remember Matthew Allen? He works for Regions Bank’s Consumer Banking team. And his commitment to Mayfield runs deep.

“When I had the chance to come back to Mayfield as the branch manager last May, I knew I wanted to get involved in a meaningful way to help our community with the recovery and rebuilding,” he said. “After hearing about the collaboration that was happening to help our survivors – and the need for volunteers – I decided to make myself available in any way I could.”

That includes being part of MLTRG’s Unmet Needs Committee. Help is still available. People are not forgotten.

Of course, the most immediate need for people like James Potter and Tanya Jackson was shelter.

“I was at a loss; I had no clue where to go or what to do,” said Potter after living in a temporary trailer and motel for several months following the storm. “The only sane thing was going to work to not think about it.”

Then, Potter and Jackson met Shanna Bradley, a case manager with Catholic Charities in Graves County, who works with MLTRG, too.

“Once we met Shanna, things just seemed to fall into place,” said Potter. “She led us in the right direction and helped us complete applications. She helped us with food. She’s got a good heart and goes out of her way for people.”

With Bradley’s help, Potter and Jackson first moved to a camper in June of 2022 and then into a formerly vacant home remodeled by volunteers. Matthew Allen and several of his Regions Bank teammates were part of the “New Lease on Life” renovation project.

Jackson said moving in was a full-circle moment. Turns out, she’d lived in the exact same house years before meeting Potter – and even raised her son there.

“I can still remember seeing the swing set in the backyard,” she said. “It’s coming home, but better this time. This is about the nicest place I’ve ever lived.”

Potter is equally thankful.

“I’m just grateful for everything that’s happened … for a roof over my head, for food in my belly,” he said. “Now, I have a peace of mind. We’re blessed.”

It may not make headlines anymore. But the story is just as powerful.

Because support for survivors didn’t fade away after the skies cleared.

“The experience has taught me to have a little more faith in people,” Potter concluded. “There are good people out there still.”

See how another Mayfield family has created their new sense of home thanks to Regions Bank.

About Regions Foundation 
The Alabama-based Regions Foundation supports community investments that positively impact communities served by Regions Bank. The Foundation engages in a grantmaking program focused on priorities including economic and community development; education and workforce readiness; and financial wellness. The Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation funded primarily through contributions from Regions Bank.

About Regions Financial Corporation 
Regions Financial Corporation (NYSE:RF), with $154 billion in assets, is a member of the S&P 500 Index and is one of the nation’s largest full-service providers of consumer and commercial banking, wealth management, and mortgage products and services. Regions serves customers across the South, Midwest and Texas, and through its subsidiary, Regions Bank, operates more than 1,250 banking offices and more than 2,000 ATMs. Regions Bank is an Equal Housing Lender and Member FDIC. Additional information about Regions and its full line of products and services can be found at www.regions.com.

As we reflect on the significance of the Juneteenth holiday in the United States, I am reminded of the time that I was honored to hold one of the last few remaining copies of the Emancipation Proclamation signed by President Abraham Lincoln while visiting the Union League House in Philadelphia.

In 1864 President Lincoln traveled to Philadelphia and hand signed 40 copies of the Proclamation as part of a fund raising effort. The copies were sold for $20 each, a hefty sum in 1864, to raise money for the Sanitary Commission — an organization which helped provide support services for soldiers returning from the Civil War. A small number of the signed copies are known to have survived.

Holding the document that Lincoln referred to as “…the great event of the 19th century” was a moving, transformative experience for me.

As Dr. Martin Luther King described during his 1963 “I have a Dream” speech “…this momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope for millions of negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.”

With this document and the stroke of a pen, President Lincoln declared that “…all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free; and the Executive Government of the United States, including the military and naval authority thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of such persons, and will do no act or acts to repress such persons, or any of them, in any efforts they may make for their actual freedom.”

On Juneteenth, we commemorate the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. We feel the gravity of the revelation that news of the proclamation was kept from so many — the last of whom learned that they were “finally free” in Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865. We honor those who endured withering injustice and we celebrate the dignity, the perseverance, and the courage of the African American culture.

“Holding the document that Lincoln referred to as ‘…the great event of the 19th century’ was a moving, transformative experience for me.” 

I believe the best way to preserve the legacy of Juneteenth and the power of the Emancipation Proclamation is to continue to shine that “great beacon light of hope” on the next steps of our journey.

The power of proclamation is something I reflect on every day in my work as Cisco’s Chief Social Impact Officer. Proclamations are more than words. They have the power to change the course of history. Cisco’s purpose — to Power an Inclusive Future for All — is a proclamation. So are our Social Justice Beliefs and the 12 actions we’re taking to drive lasting, generational change by addressing inequities, breaking down barriers, and creating more inclusive opportunities for people to thrive. Our actions are making substantial impact. Now, we’re exploring new ways to go further — faster.

“I believe the best way to preserve the legacy of Juneteenth and the power of the Emancipation Proclamation is to continue to shine that ‘great beacon light of hope’ on the next steps of our journey.”

Many of Cisco’s leaders are sharing their perspectives on “Freedom Day” — including Maria Martinez on Empowering Historically Black Colleges and Universities through our Social Justice commitments and the impact we’re making at Clark Atlanta University.

Here’s wishing Cisco — the African American community — and the country a Happy Juneteenth.

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LAUSANNE, Switzerland and NEWARK, Calif., July 14, 2023 /3BL/ – Logitech International (SIX: LOGN) (Nasdaq: LOGI) announced that it has been awarded the coveted Red Dot Design Team of the Year 2023 award. Each year, Red Dot recognizes a team that has been consistently innovative with outstanding achievements in the area of product design and sustainable design policy. Members of Logitech’s design team accepted the award onstage last night at the prestigious Red Dot Gala in the Red Dot Museum in Essen, Germany. In addition to the award ceremony, a Logitech Design exhibition showcasing Logitech products and its history of design will run at the museum through mid-August.

In 2013, Alastair Curtis joined the company to transform Logitech into a design company. Since then, some of the best design talent from around the world have joined Logitech and have designed incredible Logitech experiences across the company’s diverse portfolio. Logitech’s primary focus was to design with the consumer in mind and designing with purpose, to help all people pursue their passions; and to do it in a way that is good for the planet. This work took on many forms, from reinventing the traditional mice and keyboards to pioneering materials research and introducing recyclable plastics across Logitech, with 1:3 products now incorporating recycled materials.

“We are incredibly grateful to Red Dot for selecting us as this year’s recipient for one of the highest honors in the design industry,” said Alastair Curtis, chief design officer at Logitech. “Our journey over the past 10 years has been an incredible one, going from no design team to a multiple award-winning one. This last year for us has been exceptional in being recognized for our work and I believe everyone at this company has contributed to that. Our goal has always been to create a great user experience for people all over the world and we will continue our commitment to build and design products with a focus on sustainability and accessibility for all.”

The Red Dot Design Team of the Year recognition concludes a record year of design awards for Logitech. In fiscal year 2023 the company was honored with 116 awards across a number of categories including gaming, music, video and computing, with 42 of these being in the fourth quarter alone. Logitech was recognized by top design award organizations including International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA), Fast Company’s Innovation by Design, Good Design, International Design Awards (IDA) and iF Design Awards.

About Logitech

Logitech helps all people pursue their passions and is committed to doing so in a way that is good for people and the planet. We design hardware and software solutions that help businesses thrive and bring people together when working, creating, gaming and streaming. Brands of Logitech include Logitech, Logitech G, ASTRO Gaming, Streamlabs, Blue Microphones and Ultimate Ears.

Founded in 1981, and headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, Logitech International is a Swiss public company listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (LOGN) and on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (LOGI). Find Logitech at www.logitech.com, the company blog or @logitech.

Logitech and other Logitech marks are trademarks or registered trademarks of Logitech Europe S.A. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. For more information about Logitech and its products, visit the company’s website at www.logitech.com

Editorial Contacts:
Smita Rode, Corporate Communications – USA, srode@logitech.com
Ben Starkie, Corporate Communications – Europe, bstarkie1@logitech.com

Source: Logitech International