Tag: 3BL

As a young gay man growing up in Detroit, Joe Hawkins witnessed the stigma and discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community. And when he entered the military in the 1980s, during the early years of the HIV epidemic, he again faced anti-gay fervor.

“It was terrifying, and it became a witch hunt in many ways,” Joe says.

After he left the military and arrived in Bay Area, Joe found a supportive Black gay culture. But he was surprised to discover that Oakland had far fewer resources for LGBTQ+ individuals than nearby San Francisco.

“When areas are not sufficiently resourced, we fail our communities,” he says. “My whole life has been dedicated to changing this.”

With support from partners, including Gilead, Joe went on to co-found the Oakland LGBTQ Community Center, which opened its doors in 2017. The center is focused on enhancing the wellbeing of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer individuals, as well as families and allies. They do this by offering a welcoming gathering spot and providing educational, social, and health related services, such as HIV care, mental health support, food and transportation assistance.

“It’s really important we have a humane approach to helping our community,” Joe says. “Without sounding too corny, love is the answer.”

Gilead Sciences

Gilead Sciences, Inc. is a research-based biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops and commercializes innovative medicines in areas of unmet medical need. The company strives to transform and simplify care for people with life-threatening illnesses around the world. Gilead has operations in more than 35 countries worldwide, with headquarters in Foster City, California.

Originally published by Gilead Sciences

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RADNOR, Pa., June 21, 2023 /3BL Media/ – Avantor, Inc. (NYSE: AVTR), a leading global provider of mission-critical products and services to customers in the life sciences, advanced technologies, and applied materials industries, today announced the global launch of the company’s Responsible Supplier Program designed to help reduce environmental impact and accelerate sustainable practices across the supply chain.

Avantor’s Responsible Supplier Program was piloted with a small cohort of supplier partners in 2022 and launched more broadly this week. The program focuses on six priorities: climate change, deforestation, human rights, responsible packaging, waste, and water. These priorities were selected based on their relevance to Avantor and to suppliers’ businesses, enabling collaboration with supplier partners to identify sustainability challenges and solutions.

“Our supplier relationships are a critical part of Avantor’s business, and working together to improve sustainability across the supply chain is important to our long-term goals,” said Sheri Lewis, EVP of Global Supply Chain Operations, Avantor. “We recognize that one size doesn’t fit all and are taking a deliberate approach to assessing each of our supplier partners’ capabilities and needs, and identifying ways that we can together improve sustainability.”

Avantor’s Responsible Supplier Program includes three pillars: Performance, Collaboration, and Recognition.

Performance: Measuring suppliers’ sustainability performance by collecting data and assessing progress on priorities. Avantor has selected the EcoVadis® and Kodiak Hub platforms to collect and synthesize relevant supplier sustainability data. 
 Collaboration: Partnering with suppliers to identify and progress solutions for current and future sustainability challenges. Based on performance data, Avantor and suppliers will together identify the best path forward to prioritize and address opportunities to improve sustainability across their supply chains and proactively share sustainability solutions resulting from these efforts to accelerate sustainability progress. 
 Recognition: Rewarding suppliers for exceptional sustainability performance and collaboration. Recognition criteria will be established and rolled out following performance data collection.

In May, the 2023 Avantor Sustainability Report detailed progress in the company’s principles-based approach to responsible business, including the introduction of a new packaging system at two distribution plants that saved more than 18,000 pounds of packaging and 60,000 pounds of filler material in 2022. In spring 2023, Avantor became a signatory of the United Nations Global Compact and committed to setting near-term emissions reduction targets in line with climate science in support of the Science Based Targets initiative.

For more information about Avantor’s Responsible Supplier Program, visit https://www.avantorsciences.com/pages/en/responsible-supplier-program.

About Avantor
Avantor®, a Fortune 500 company, is a leading global provider of mission-critical products and services to customers in the biopharma, healthcare, education & government, and advanced technologies & applied materials industries. Our portfolio is used in virtually every stage of the most important research, development and production activities in the industries we serve. Our global footprint enables us to serve more than 300,000 customer locations and gives us extensive access to research laboratories and scientists in more than 180 countries. We set science in motion to create a better world. For more information, visit avantorsciences.com and find us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

Avantor Global Media Contact 
Emily Collins 
Vice President, External Communications 
332-239-3910 
Emily.Collins@avantorsciences.com

 

By Jodie Pimentel

There are a lot of things I miss about working at a law firm – contributing to deals covered by leading financial media, collaborating with brilliant colleagues and starting each day with perfectly prepared steel-cut oatmeal from the firm’s onsite cafeteria. Providing nutritious food options was one way my firm helped to support my health and fuel my energy during long workdays. I didn’t realize it at the time, but the office cafeteria also provided a sense of community for all of us at the firm, sparking interactions among associates, partners and staff that helped us build a culture and bond as a team.

Among the many lessons gleaned from the pandemic, law firms and corporations alike learned that health-first factors (healthy food options in the cafeteria being just one of many) are more than just perks – they are essential ways to support employee well-being. We also learned that employees can be productive while working at home. In-office “face time” (as it’s often referred to in law firms) does not need to be an uncompromising part of the culture. These lessons, along with previous calls from the legal industry to prioritize well-being and clients’ growing focus on ESG initiatives – are sparking law firms to take action to improve well-being within their organizations.

The legal community commits to well-being with the ABA Pledge
This focus on well-being by law firms predates the pandemic. In 2017, the National Task Force on Lawyer Well-being published The Path to Lawyer Well-Being: Practical Recommendations for Positive Change, which highlights studies showing that too many lawyers and law students experience chronic stress, high rates of depression and substance abuse, threatening the success and sustainability of the profession. In 2018, the American Bar Association launched the ABA Pledge and Campaign for promoting well-being in the legal profession, as organized by the ABA Working Group to Advance Well-Being in the Legal Profession. The ABA pledge called upon legal employers to recognize and acknowledge these challenges and take action to support the campaign.

Currently, over 200 organizations including law firms, law schools, corporate legal departments, government agencies and bar associations have signed on to the ABA Pledge. U.S. state court systems and associations have also taken action to promote well-being in the industry. The Colorado Supreme Court Well-being Recognition Program promotes its mission “to formally recognize and incentivize legal employers seeking to adopt significant, ongoing and purposeful lawyer well-being strategies and initiatives within their organizations.” The Massachusetts Recommendations for Legal Employers Post-Pandemic encourages legal employers to improve well-being by considering flexible work arrangements and rethinking organization culture.

Return to office, ESG and client interests further drive people-first strategies in the legal sector
In addition to addressing challenges of substance abuse and overly high stress levels in the workplace, firms are motivated to adopt lessons learned during the pandemic about flexible hours, working remotely and digital connection to help recruit new talent and retain their employees. Law firms are also working to advance their ESG initiatives as well as demonstrate leadership in ESG when advising their clients. Many law firm clients, as part of their vendor and supplier compliance practices and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, are pushing law firms to take tangible steps to promote DEI and other ESG initiatives.

Many of these drivers have led law firms to the International WELL Building institute’s (IWBI) WELL Building Standard as a guide to meet their well-being and other organizational goals. IWBI has seen an uptick in law firms pursuing WELL Certification, WELL ratings for individual offices and other WELL programs and promoting their enrollment and achievement as a demonstration of innovation and leadership in their respective regions. In fall 2022, Shearman & Sterling became the first global law firm to participate in WELL at scale, enrolling all 25 of its global offices in the program. This trend among law firms coincides with growing evidence that health strategies can benefit larger company goals. A recently published peer-reviewed study in Building and Environment found that occupants in WELL Certified spaces report improved workplace satisfaction, increased levels of productivity and gains in their health and well-being.

How the legal workplace and way of working has changed from the perspectives of a tenant, landlord, broker and attorney
Given the momentum among law firms, IWBI hosted a webinar earlier this year focused on the legal sector, with speakers representing viewpoints from a landlord, broker, an ESG attorney, a tenant law firm and WELL at scale participant, Shearman & Sterling. The panelists noted the ways that implementing health and well-being strategies and pursuing WELL programs can and have impacted their business and the ways they advise clients.

One panelist, Arsha Cazazian-Clement, who at the time of the webcast was Shearman & Sterling’s Director of Global Real Estate, explained that during Shearman & Sterling’s New York City global headquarters renovation, the firm took a human-centric approach to design. The renovation factored in firm values when deploying strategies to enhance air quality, understand water quality, select artwork from diverse global artists, facilitate movement within the space, engage with the landlord and enhance overall well-being and safety, accessibility, diversity and inclusion. The design also looked at ways spaces within the office could facilitate collaboration and bring in the community.

According to Michael Daschle, Senior Vice President, Sustainability at Brookfield Properties, incorporating well-being features in Class A offices buildings was important before 2020, but now third-party certifications in health and well-being are even more important to their tenants to demonstrate and verify how health and well-being are prioritized in the building. Daschle explained that incorporating health and well-being in the property adds value to tenants and in turn adds value to property owners and investors. There has been a “fundamental shift in the competitive landscape” such that “we’re not only competing with the office building across the street, we’re also competing with that home office,” explained Daschle, leading office building operators to incorporate more health and well-being features to help bring people back to the office.

In fact, when evaluating real estate, tenants including law firms are intentionally looking for buildings with sustainability and health promoting attributes, according to Wendy Feldman Block, Executive Managing Director, Savills North America, who advises many law firms evaluating real estate. She noted that while corporate and other sectors have embraced health and well-being, the legal community has been slower to adopt these strategies.

But the pandemic proved a disruptor. Recognizing that how people work at law firms is radically different from before the pandemic and that organizations are looking at how to bring their “most important asset”, their employees, back to the community emotionally and physically, law firms are employing strategies to rethink their spaces by enabling flexibility, designing collaborative zones, supporting physical and mental health, incorporating biophilia and leveraging technology. The change in how people work has altered how Savills advises law firms, which now increasingly evaluate a space’s sustainability and health and well-being features and how those spaces can help measure and report on important metrics such as an office’s carbon footprint. Following the webinar, Savills recently issued a report addressing law firm leasing activity in the first quarter of 2023, finding that a rise in leasing activity mostly comprised of law firms staying in their current buildings (although in some cases reducing the amount of space), and that landlords are actively working to retain tenants prioritizing quality spaces by implementing updates such as enhanced outdoor space. The 2023 first quarter results contrast with the fourth quarter of 2022 where Savills found “tepid” leasing activity but with a retained search for quality as evidenced by law firm tenants looking to relocate to buildings with WELL, LEED or other sustainability certifications and active landlord investment.

Danielle Reyes, Partner and Co-chair, ESG & Impact at Goodwin Procter, shared the many ways that health and well-being certifications and interest in ESG are impacting how they advise clients. The certification process can help clients gather data needed to make sustainability disclosures, and sustainability certifications can be referenced in disclosures made in ESG, sustainability and corporate social responsibility reports. Investor engagement and interest in ESG initiatives has increased as investors review public disclosures or send surveys focused on ESG to assess target companies’ ESG performance, and third-party certifications can be part of a response to investors. Further, firm fund clients may recommend their portfolio companies pursue third-party sustainability certification. Responding to many companies’ concerns around constrained capital, she is hearing that rather than turning away from ESG initiatives, many investors are only investing in sustainable projects and are looking at sustainability and well-being of people when evaluating investments. Clients are also interested in taking their DEI efforts to the next level.

Impact of implementing well-being strategies on ESG performance
I spoke about similar themes at the Fourth Annual Employee Wellness for Legal Professionals Virtual Summit in February, when I presented how implementing human health and well-being strategies can impact ESG initiatives. I explained the role of examining nonfinancial indicators to identify potential risks and opportunities by recalling my own experience working at a law firm and conducting comprehensive due diligence exercises for private equity firm clients, going beyond financial statements to how target companies ran their business. I shared perspectives IWBI has learned about the various business motivations to pursue health strategies in the WELL Building Standard to support their people, meet retention and recruitment goals and support their ESG reporting and performance.

Based on internal reviews, IWBI has found alignment between the WELL Building Standard and several ESG frameworks. Because the WELL Building Standard takes a comprehensive approach to health and well-being across 10 concept areas, many WELL strategies can support companies’ larger ESG goals. For example, WELL strategies address ESG indicators such as diversity, equity and inclusion; employee health and safety; sustainability and resilience; and employee engagement and performance. The relationship between WELL strategies and ESG performance is further illustrated by the growing number of IWBI customers referencing WELL achievements in their own reporting and disclosures. To help gain support within their organizations, law firm staff and others advocating for implementation of well-being strategies at their offices may look to the newly issued Investing in Health Pays Back report, which summarizes research findings that investing in health strategies can benefit companies through enhanced performance and increased financial returns.

This year’s gathering of well-being professionals from legal employers at the summit demonstrated the growing priority of health and well-being at law firms. The fact that many firms, including some of the largest law firms in the world, have dedicated roles focused on well-being, such as a Chief Wellness Officer, is encouraging.

As an attorney, health and well-being in the legal industry is personal. When I joined IWBI, I learned the evidence backing up some of the things I had come to notice instinctively during previous roles, such as how access to nutritious food helped to fuel my day. Digging into the 10 concepts of the WELL Building Standard, I started to think about some of the workplace strategies at former employers and how they impacted my own well-being, thereby impacting my loyalty to the company, sense of purpose and overall productivity. It led me to wonder why more legal employers were not taking more tangible steps to enhance the well-being of their people. Now with a host of internal and external motivations driving more definitive action, I’m thrilled to see my profession taking a larger leadership role in enhancing the health and well-being of its people.

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NEW YORK and LONDON, June 21, 2023 /3BL/ – AccountAbility, a trusted global ESG Consulting and Standards firm with a three-decade history in guiding leaders to build better companies, today released the AccountAbility 7 Sustainability Trends 2023 Report. Leveraging the firm’s global consulting, research, and standards experience, the report provides timely data, comprehensive insights, and action-oriented guidance to help organizations across industries and geographies make informed sustainability decisions towards meeting their business objectives.

“Consumers and society, as a whole, are expecting more (and different) from business – in an atmosphere of low trust and high expectations,” comments AccountAbility CEO Sunil (Sunny) A. Misser. “Today, the sustainability agenda is central to business competitiveness. Leaders recognize the financial imperatives of moving to a more sustainable economy and the business potential this presents. With this 7 Sustainability Trends 2023 Report, we enable organizations to navigate the fast-changing ESG landscape and focus on the meaningful trends that are shaping the business agenda.”

The AccountAbility 7 Sustainability Trends 2023 Report provides organizations and businesses with timely and valuable insights into the most pressing environmental, social, and governance issues. In identifying and analyzing these latest trends, challenges, and opportunities in sustainability, the report enables strategic planning, informed decision-making, and effective stakeholder engagement. This report helps organizations align their strategies with evolving sustainability priorities, anticipate future developments, and address risks and opportunities proactively.

Furthermore, the report is designed to enhance investor confidence, supporting sustainability reporting, facilitate knowledge sharing, and promote policy and regulation alignment. The AccountAbility 7 Sustainability Trends 2023 Report is an important tool to help organizations stay at the forefront of these important developments, drive positive change, position themselves as leaders in sustainability, and deliver on their business agenda.

The AccountAbility 7 Sustainability Trends 2023 Report was researched and compiled by the firm’s Global Leadership, Consulting, Research, and Standards teams and benefits from the firm’s extensive work with prominent global organizations across Industries, including Financial Services, Energy & Extractives, Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals, Real Estate, Consumer Packaged Goods, Telecom & Technology, Foundations, Governments, and others, in jurisdictions including the US, UK, EU, Mid-East, and Asia.

The AccountAbility 7 Sustainability Trends 2023 – Highlights

Navigating The Net Zero Landscape: Against an unprecedented volume of net zero commitments, what are the risks for those that fail to act, and the opportunities for transparent leaders?Stakeholder Activism Is Getting Louder: As businesses face increasing pressure to take a stance and demonstrate actionable progress on a range of ESG issues, how best can leaders balance this with the imperative to maximize shareholder value?Geopolitics: The New “G” In ESG: In an era of increasingly globalized business operations, how can organizations address the outsized role that the new G (Geopolitics) is playing in the business landscape?Building an Effective, Future-Focused Board: As demands and expectations shift, how best to equip future-focused Boards to meet the requirements of the evolving business environment?Next Generation ESG Disclosure and Reporting: A shift from voluntary to mandatory ESG Disclosure is set to heighten attention on corporate sustainability disclosure practices. How will these changes impact ESG Reporting?The Road to a Sustainable Value Chain: How can the integration of sustainability criteria into supply chains drive organizational shifts towards a more context-aware and competitive value chain?Nature Based Assets Will Drive Valuations: As nature-based assets are increasingly recognized for their significant impact on valuations, what steps can companies take to achieve nature-based performance goals?

To download the Report, visit: AccountAbility 7 Sustainability Trends 2023 Report

About AccountAbility 

AccountAbility is a global Consulting and Standards firm that works with businesses, investors, governments, and multilateral organizations to innovate and advance the global Sustainability / ESG agenda by improving the practices, performance, and impact of organizations. The firm focuses on delivering practical, effective, and enduring results that enable our clients to succeed. AccountAbility is a Public Benefit Corporation, operating globally through a highly qualified team from offices in New York, London, Riyadh, and Dubai. The firm is the recipient of multiple business awards from the Financial Times, Forbes, and Capital Finance International. Learn more at www.accountability.org.

Contact: 
Mr. Jon Packer 
AccountAbility 
Head of Marketing & Communications 
Phone: +1 416 543 9179 
Email: jon.packer@accountability.org 
Web: www.accountability.org

As Fifth Third marked the occasion of Juneteenth on Monday, June 19, Bank employees reflected on the importance of the holiday. Juneteenth, the oldest-known celebration marking the end of slavery in the United States, was first recognized by the state of Texas. 

“As I reflect on the importance of Juneteenth, I’m overcome with a sense of pride, responsibility, awareness and profound gratitude. For me, it is equal parts celebration of the triumphs after centuries of unimaginable suffering, yet remembrance that we are the living manifestation of our ancestor’s wildest dreams, and that we all have a duty to continue the fight against injustice and systemic racism that remains prevalent today. I believe President Barack Obama framed it best when he stated, ‘Juneteenth has never been a celebration of victory or an acceptance of the way things are. It’s a celebration of progress. It’s an affirmation that, despite the most painful parts of our history, change is possible – and there is still so much work to do.’ What we observe and celebrate matters. My hope for this holiday is that we all find ways to observe Juneteenth in community with others, embracing it as an opportunity to learn about and celebrate our individual cultures as well as our shared humanity.” 

– Brittany Hughes, Commercial relationship manager, Chicago. 

“For me, Juneteenth is a reminder of a time when many Blacks were unaware of their freedom simply because they were denied access to the knowledge that they were, indeed, free! That drives me to share, educate, expose and nurture the uninformed and underrepresented so that they may all have access to the resources they need to live rich and fulfilling lives.” 

– Robert McGhee, community impact territory manager, north region, Chicago. 

“Let’s commemorate Juneteenth by acknowledging the past, embracing the present and preparing for the future. I would like to encourage each employee to take this time to read literature related to the history of Juneteenth by authors like Frederick Douglass, Toni Morrison and others. Engage in activities that will educate our youth. Volunteer and attend any community-organized programming and support a Black-owned business.” 

– Samantha Rogers, line of business lead business analyst in Cincinnati. 

Fifth Third Bank is celebrating Juneteenth throughout the month of June with customer-, community- and employee-focused events. 

SANTA CLARA, Calif., June 20, 2023 /3BL/ – Applied Materials, Inc. today announced the publication of its latest Sustainability Report, detailing its ESG (environmental, social and governance) initiatives and results over the past year. The report highlights the impact of the company’s ESG efforts within its own organization, with its suppliers and customers and on the global electronics ecosystem.

“Applied Materials is at the forefront of semiconductor technologies that play an ever-increasing role in our lives,” said Gary Dickerson, President and CEO of Applied Materials. “As we bring transformative new innovations to market, we are working closely with our suppliers and customers to minimize our environmental impact by reducing our products’ resource consumption and carbon emissions. We are also continuing our strong commitment to a culture of inclusion at Applied where everyone has an equal opportunity to contribute and grow in their careers.”

Driven by the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and a sharp increase in the number of smart, connected devices, the market for semiconductors is projected to approximately double and reach $1 trillion over the next decade. It is imperative for the chip manufacturing ecosystem to work collaboratively to decouple this expected growth from the industry’s carbon emissions.

In 2022, Applied continued to make progress in reducing its carbon footprint, achieving 100-percent renewable electricity use in the U.S. and 69 percent globally, resulting in a 3-percent reduction from its 2019 baseline in the company’s Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions – those produced directly by the company and by the energy it purchases. During the same period, Applied’s energy consumption rose by approximately 13 percent, which demonstrates the company’s progress in decoupling emissions growth from business growth. Recognizing the need to redouble its efforts in the future, Applied submitted science-based reduction targets for its Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions – those generated across the entire value chain – to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), and the company set a new goal to reduce its Scope 3 – Category 11 (use of sold products) emissions per wafer across new semiconductor products by 55 percent by 2030 (from its 2019 baseline).

To help drive global demand for renewable electricity across the industry and expedite the transition to a low-carbon future, Applied is collaborating with key customers and engaging in industry coalitions. Applied is a founding member and governing council member of the Semiconductor Climate Consortium as well as a member of imec’s Sustainable Semiconductor Technologies and Systems (SSTS) Program, the RE100 and the Clean Energy Buyers Alliance (CEBA).

At the core of Applied’s commitment to build a culture of inclusion is the belief that having a workforce representing different perspectives, backgrounds and experiences is essential to delivering world-class innovations. Over the past year, Applied took steps to instill diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) best practices across the company, made progress towards its DEI goals, and set new 2030 targets to further increase the representation of women globally and underrepresented minorities (URM) in its U.S. workforce.

Applied Materials has been reporting on social responsibility and environmental matters since 2005. The company’s latest Sustainability Report and Annex reflect activities and results through the end of fiscal year 2022. To access the full reports and learn more about Applied’s environmental actions as well as the company’s efforts to advance its culture of inclusion and human rights initiatives, please visit the Reports and Policies page of our website.

About Applied Materials
Applied Materials, Inc. (Nasdaq: AMAT) is the leader in materials engineering solutions used to produce virtually every new chip and advanced display in the world. Our expertise in modifying materials at atomic levels and on an industrial scale enables customers to transform possibilities into reality. At Applied Materials, our innovations make possible a better future. Learn more at www.appliedmaterials.com.

When Todd Gillenwater and his wife adopted two children from Bulgaria, there was a lot to learn – from the kids’ favorite foods to how to help them acclimate to life in the U.S.

Thanks to Medtronic paid leave benefits, Gillenwater could take 12 weeks away from work to learn those details and bond with Ani, 4, and Plamen, 8. He even learned to cook their favorite dishes, including tarator, a cold cucumber soup, and moussaka, a Bulgarian casserole made from potatoes and ground beef.

“I think I’ve been doing OK,” joked Gillenwater, a senior government affairs program director. “Actually, I think I’ve been doing better than OK on the food front.”

The gift of time

Last year, Medtronic enhanced its parental leave benefits for U.S. employees, including offering up to 24 weeks paid leave for birthing mothers. Non-birthing parents, like Gillenwater, who adopt or add a child through surrogacy can get up to 12 total weeks of paid leave.

Todd said the time away from work has “meant the world” to his family as everyone got acclimated to the new living situation — and to each other.

“I don’t know how we would have done it without that,” Gillenwater said of the policy.

Part of Gillenwater’s leave was covered by Medtronic global family care leave, which is available to all eligible employees globally and provides up to six weeks paid leave for a variety of reasons.

“We want to support employees at every career and life stage,” said Vice President of Global Benefits and Payroll Denise King. “In addition to supporting new parents taking time away, we’re equally committed to supporting employees who need to step away to care for an aging parent.”

Intentions and serendipity

The Gillenwaters have been married for 29 years. The couple always knew they’d like to adopt children and about eight years ago, they started the laborious journey of background checks, meetings with social workers, and mountains of paperwork. The financial lift of adopting children was lessened thanks to adoption reimbursement offered by Medtronic in the U.S. The policy also helps with donor and surrogacy costs as employees grow their family.

When the couple finally received a call from the adoption agency in May 2022 that a pair of siblings in Bulgaria was up for international adoption, they reviewed the documents and a few photos of Ani and Plamen — it was love at first sight.

“It was a relief knowing the company was providing that time off and again, really putting the Mission into action,” Gillenwater said.

Now at home for six months, Gillenwater said the foursome is finding their groove of doing “regular family things.”

Plamen plays soccer and Ani always comes home from preschool with dirty knees from playing in the sandbox. The kids do homework, and practice English together, and Gillenwater toils in the kitchen perfecting one Bulgarian dish after the next for his family.

Gillenwater said he’s “very much looking forward to Father’s Day” on June 18 — his very first.

Support in moments that matter

Family Care Leave (Global): Up to six weeks paid leave every 24 months. This can be used for things such as caring for a family member with a serious health condition, or bonding with a new child.Enhanced Parental Leave (U.S.): The Medtronic enhanced parental leave provides up to 24 weeks paid leave (previously 14-16 weeks) for birthing mothers. Non-birthing parents and employees who adopt or add a child through surrogacy can get up to 12 total weeks of paid leave. (Includes time via Family Care Leave)Adoption (U.S.): Medtronic offers reimbursement for adoption, surrogacy and third-party reproduction expenses. Up to 12 weeks paid leave for bonding (via Family Care Leave and Enhanced Parental Leave)Fertility (U.S.): Allows employees enrolled in a U.S. Medtronic medical plan to receive three fertility cycles, including medication, nutrition, mental health support, and 24/7 virtual care during that process. Family Care Leave allows for six weeks at 100% pay for miscarriage or pregnancy loss.

Learn more about Medtronic here.

In the aftermath of Cyclone Gabriele that caused significant damage to farming communities on New Zealand’s east coast, an inspiring initiative called “Commence the Re-Fence” has been launched to provide support to the most affected farmers in rebuilding their fencing. This collaborative effort brings together CNH Industrial brands Case IH and New Holland, who have generously donated two tractors to facilitate the reconstruction process.

Over the next five months, the Federated Farmers “Farmy Army” volunteers, under the leadership of Terry Copeland, CEO of Federated Farmers, will work alongside the donated tractors to rebuild fencing on 100 farms that Cyclone Gabriele severely impacted. Federated Farmers has a strong track record of uniting volunteers and providing invaluable assistance to rural communities during times of crisis.

Stevenson Taylor, represented by Robby Smith, General Manager, will provide essential post rammers to ensure efficient and effective fence installations.

The primary objective of the Re-Fence initiative is to restore critical infrastructure, enabling affected farmers to resume their agricultural activities and rebuild their lives. To support the materials required for the fencing reconstruction, a dedicated donation page has been set up. This platform allows individuals, businesses, and organizations to contribute and make a meaningful impact on recovery efforts by providing much-needed resources.

At the end of the five-month initiative, Case IH and New Holland will demonstrate their commitment to the farming communities by gifting the two tractors to two farmers in the most heavily affected areas. This gesture recognizes the resilience and determination displayed by the affected farmers and aims to provide long-term support for their agricultural endeavors.

“We are deeply moved by the challenges faced by the farmers affected by Cyclone Gabriele,” said Aaron Bett, Case IH Australia/New Zealand General Manager. “By donating our tractors and actively participating in the Re-Fence initiative, we aim to assist the farmers in rebuilding their fencing infrastructure and restoring their farms. It is an honor to contribute to their recovery and provide them with the necessary tools for future success.”

Bruce Healy, New Holland Agriculture Australia/New Zealand General Manager, expressed solidarity with the affected farmers.

“New Holland has always been committed to supporting farmers in times of need. We recognize the vital role that fencing plays in protecting livestock and securing farmland. Through our donation of tractors, we hope to contribute to the recovery efforts and support the farmers as they rebuild their lives,” he said.

The “Commence the Re-Fence” initiative invites individuals, businesses, and organizations to join in supporting the recovery of Cyclone Gabriele-affected farmers. Contributions to the donation page, whether financial or in-kind, will make a significant difference in rebuilding the fencing infrastructure and helping farmers reclaim their livelihoods.

Originally published on Aflac Newsroom

COLUMBUS, Ga., June 20, 2023 /3BL Media/ — Trailblazing University of Virginia basketball legend and South Carolina women’s basketball head coach Dawn Staley teamed up with Aflac Incorporated, a leading provider of supplemental health insurance in the U.S., to deliver My Special Aflac Ducks, a free-of-charge resource created for children ages 3 and up with cancer and sickle cell disease, to patients at UVA Children’s in Charlottesville, Virginia. Coach Staley, Aflac U.S. President Virgil Miller and UVA women’s basketball coach Amaka “Coach Mox” Agugua-Hamilton participated in a special event where 5 patients each received their own social robot as part of Aflac’s 28-year, $168-plus million philanthropic commitment supporting children with cancer and blood disorders.

“The past year working with Aflac confirmed for me that caring on purpose is in Aflac’s DNA and I am honored to continue working with the organization to help close the gaps on and off the court,” Coach Staley said. “Aflac and I have a shared passion for giving back to our communities, particularly when it comes to cancer, sickle cell and children. It was great to be back in Charlottesville to deliver My Special Aflac Duck and bring joy to these patients.”

In consultation with more than 100 children, families and medical professionals, Aflac teamed up with Empath Labs to create My Special Aflac Duck, a social robot that helps provide social-emotional support to pediatric cancer and sickle cell patients above the age of 3 through interactive technology. Designed to help comfort kids during their cancer or sickle cell disease journey, My Special Aflac Duck uses medical play and lifelike movement, and it mimics emotion to help children cope with their treatments.

The event comes following the release of “Dawn’s List” this past March. Created by Aflac in collaboration with Coach Staley, the list aims to address some of the equity issues in women’s college sports, including investment equity, fan experience and community engagement. Aflac committed to several actions to address these gaps for female athletes, their fans and their communities, including efforts to bring awareness to coach and player achievements, enhancements to the on-site experience and the creation of opportunities that help athletes and coaches further establish themselves as role models by helping communities. The My Special Aflac Duck event is one example of how Aflac and Coach Staley are giving back.

“Aflac started the My Special Aflac Duck program five years ago to bring comfort and joy to young patients and their families when they need it the most,” said Aflac U.S. President Virgil Miller. “Our steadfast commitment to support children with cancer and blood disorders has resulted in the delivery of more than 23,000 ducks to children in the U.S., Northern Ireland and Japan. We are honored to continue that legacy by delivering these social companions to patients at UVA Children’s.”

Recipients at the Charlottesville event participated in a My Special Aflac Duck demonstration before taking part in an exciting scavenger hunt — including a clue reveal with Coach Staley — to meet their very own robotic companion. Following the hunt, patients and their families enjoyed various activities like creating a birth certificate and beaded necklace for their duck, coloring and more.

“Spending a lot of time in the hospital can be overwhelming for our patients and emotional for their families,” said Dr. Michael Engel, UVA Children’s Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Division Chief. “My Special Aflac Duck will surely bring happiness to children during their treatments and help comfort them at home. We are thankful that Coach Staley, UVA’s own Coach Mox and Aflac were here with us today to deliver this free-of-charge resource.”

Additional features of My Special Aflac Duck include an interactive mobile app that allows children to virtually bathe and feed their duck, customizable soundscapes that provide soothing visuals and sounds, smart sensors that enable touch and awareness of light and sounds, and a calming heartbeat and breathing vibrations. To help children express themselves, the duck comes with seven feelings emoji discs that, when tapped to a sensor on the duck’s chest, prompt My Special Aflac Duck to emulate each emotion.

Health care providers, support organizations and families can order My Special Aflac Duck for children 3 years or older who have been diagnosed with cancer or sickle cell disease at https://myspecialaflacduck.com.

ABOUT AFLAC INCORPORATED 
Aflac Incorporated (NYSE: AFL), a Fortune 500 company, has helped provide financial protection and peace of mind for more than 67 years to millions of policyholders and customers through its subsidiaries in the U.S. and Japan. In the U.S., Aflac is the No. 1 provider of supplemental health insurance products.1 In Japan, Aflac Life Insurance Japan is the leading provider of cancer and medical insurance policies in force. In 2021, the company became a signatory of the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI). In 2022, the company was included in the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index for the ninth year, the World’s Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere for the 17th consecutive year, Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies for the 22nd time and Bloomberg’s Gender-Equality Index for the fourth consecutive year. To find out how to get help with expenses health insurance doesn’t cover, get to know us at aflac.com or aflac.com/espanol. Investors may learn more about Aflac Incorporated and its commitment to corporate social responsibility and sustainability at investors.aflac.com under “Sustainability.”

ABOUT UVA CHILDREN’S 
UVA Children’s provides primary and specialty care in more than 30 specialties throughout the commonwealth and beyond. Located within UVA Medical Center, UVA Children’s includes 111 beds, a dedicated pediatric emergency department, a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for infants and a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit for children younger than 18. The UVA Children’s Ambulatory Clinics at the Battle Building, which opened in 2014, provide integrated outpatient care to families from throughout the region.

Media contact: Amy Persons, apersons@aflac.com

Analyst and investor contact: David A. Young, 706-596-3264, 800-235-2667 or dyoung@aflac.com

1LIMRA 2021 US Supplemental Health Insurance Total Market Repor

SOURCE Aflac

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