Tag: 3BL

Originally published on Wesco.com

Thank you to Latino Leaders Magazine for naming Wesco as one of the best companies for Latinos to work. We celebrate the talent and accomplishments of our Latino team members, suppliers, and community members around the world.

Each year, Latino Leaders magazine compiles a list of best companies for Latinos, using such criteria as employee diversity, programs to recruit, promote and retain Latinos, ERG programs, and Latino representation in the boardroom and C-Suite level.

At Wesco, we are on a mission to build, connect, power and protect the world. To achieve this mission and have the largest impact, we must embrace the vast diversity of our team, our suppliers and our customers by creating inclusive products and environments. So, we are doing what it takes to infuse inclusion and diversity into every aspect of our business and won’t stop until the impact is felt across the globe.

Learn about our commitment to creating an inclusive work environment for all employees here.

Originally published on U.S. Bank company blog

Doors recently opened to an unprecedented home serving a population of young people in the Dallas-Fort Worth area who may have had the doors closed on them at home.

Earlier this year, the nonprofit Dallas Hope Charities debuted a newly refurbished home for LGBTQ+ ages 18-24, aiming to provide a safe place and sense of community. The eight-bed home, called Dallas Hope Center, provides residents with a 12-month program that provides a secure, welcoming environment where they can learn important life skills necessary to successfully lead independent lives.

LGBTQIA+ youth are overrepresented among young people experiencing homelessness in the U.S., according to a 2022 report by The Trevor Project. Some 28% of LGBTQIA+ youth reported experiencing homelessness or housing instability in their lives, and those who did had two to four times the odds of reporting mental health challenges such as depression, self-harm or attempting suicide compared to those with stable housing. About 16% of LGBTQIA+ youth reported they ran away from home, with the majority saying they ran away because of mistreatment due to their identity, and another 14% reported they were kicked out or abandoned by their parents or caregivers.

“The consequences of homelessness for LGBTQIA+ youth are devastating,” said Doug Whittemore, senior vice president, head of consumer & mortgage default operations at U.S. Bank. “This program is designed to help young people who are often forced to leave their homes due to rejection, discrimination and abuse from their families and communities. They are left without a support system, without a safe and stable place to call home.”

U.S. Bank provided the funding to rehabilitate the fixer-upper home Dallas Hope Charities purchased in 2020, partnering with other companies including property services company MCS and landscaping company SHINEscapes for home renovations that ranged from stabilizing the foundation to installing new appliances. The transformation was perfected with design and personalization of the interior living spaces from Dwell with Dignity and Mercedes-Benz Financial Services USA. Telling the stories of how people spoke up and the positive impact it makes is important. So that’s one of the projects we’re working on with that team.

U.S. Bank has further teamed up with Dallas Hope Charities to offer internships to Hope Center residents during their journey through the 12-month program. The internships will provide the opportunity to practice the crucial life and soft skills required for a successful career. Interns will have the potential for permanent employment.

U.S. Bank over the past decade has completed over 100 donations to military families, including 24 mortgage-free homes through Housing Opportunities after Military Engagement, and the partnership with Dallas Hope Charities, a first of its kind for the bank, likely won’t be the last, Whittemore said.

The need for this kind of transitional housing is tremendous: there are currently more than 300 young adults on the waitlist seeking housing through Dallas Hope Charities.

“We are just one organization, but we’re doing everything that we can,” said Tamika Perry, Dallas Hope Charity’s CEO.

For more information, visit here.

As an organization, we have so much to be proud of and many accomplishments that need to be celebrated. The hard work, dedication, and teamwork that went into each program and initiative truly demonstrates how we are creating a strong, sustainable future for Covia.

We are proud to say, to date, we are on track to meet our Goals that Inspire: ESG 2030. A few initiatives that created this strong foundation, include:

Safety: Decreased our all-incidence rate by 10% versus the prior yearEnvironmental: Began the phased rollout of our new Environmental Management System (EMS)Community: Contributed 10,800 volunteer hours and investing approximately $1.2 million in local communities to support meaningful causesCorporate Responsibility: Became a signatory to the UN Global Compact

We are building on our long legacy of corporate responsibility through ambitious goals aimed at accelerating our ESG progress and performance through 2030. Below are our Goals That Inspire.

Goals that Inspire: ESG 2030

GOALS THAT INSPIRE: Environmental Stewardship

Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20% on a per-ton basis 
SLOW PROGRESS (working to address)Protect essential water supply by reporting consumption at all sites and recycling 90% of water within stressed areas 
GOOD PROGRESS (on pace)Preserve, restore, and improve biodiversity through conservation and reclamation practices 
SLOW PROGRESS (working to address)

GOALS THAT INSPIRE: Positive Social Impact

Ensure the safety and health of our Team Members by improving our all-incidence rate and reducing potential exposures to respirable silica 
GOOD PROGRESS (on pace)Build a culture of diversity and inclusion by improving representation among our workforce and leadership, and fostering a greater sense of belonging among Team Members 
SLOW PROGRESS (working to address)Support our communities through $10 million in donations and 50,000 Team Member volunteer hours 
GOOD PROGRESS (on pace)Expand our sustainable product offerings while articulating their inherent benefits on society 
GOOD PROGRESS (on pace)

GOALS THAT INSPIRE: Responsible Governance and Ethics

Engage with our Team Members and communities through employee engagement activities and Community Action Plans at all locations 
GOOD PROGRESS (on pace)Emphasize ESG in the supply chain by instituting a Business Partner Code of Conduct and implementing an ESG assessment program 
GOOD PROGRESS (on pace)Increase corporate transparency by joining the UN Global Compact and aligning our ESG reporting with prevailing frameworks 
GOOD PROGRESS (on pace)

Click for more information about Covia’s ESG performance.

By Mel Campbell 

The sun is out. Flowers are blooming. School is winding down.

Many a weary worker or parent or ordinary citizen casts their eyes to the sky and begins to think of … vacation.

You’ve saved all winter for that trip. You want to make sure that you make the most of your down time.

So, Doing More Today asked the experts at Regions Next Step for some ideas for saving money when it’s time to unplug and, maybe, stick your toes in the sand or visit that city you’ve wanted to see.

6 Tips for Saving on Your Next Vacation:

Consider mass transit. Many of the largest cities have affordable, safe and reliable mass transit that goes to places that vacationers want. Cities like Chicago, Washington D.C., Boston, New York and others. Also, many cities have hop-on/hop-off shuttle services that let you see things at your own pace.Hit the local grocery stores. Sampling local cuisine is part of the travel experience. But hitting local grocery stores also gives you local flavor, helps trim your food cost and gives you the opportunity to ask locals about the best places to visit.Take advantage of the free breakfast. If you choose a hotel or lodging that offers a breakfast, this can be an easy to way to not only take care a meal, but also offer a simple snack – like fruit or a yogurt bar – that can tide you over until mealtime.Map out explorations plans. Do a little digging before you leave. Most cities and destinations have things to do that are free, or have free or discounted days/times. These can include museums, parks, local gardens and walking tours.Be in the know of discounts. Discounts are not just for the off season. Rates vary by day of the week. If you have flexibility in your timing, traveling mid-week is often less expensive. Also, many restaurant and destinations feature daily deals. Do research ahead of your adventure.Build or bring your own drink. While the convenience is certainly there, buying your cocktail or beverage of choice from a cute tourist spot or bar is a lesson in markup. No fooling, you could buy your own blender, mix and spirits for the price of a round or two. So where and when you can, BYOB.

Staycation: Another Great Savings Option

One of the best ways to save on a trip? A staycation!

Regions Next Step has some great ideas that can help you plan a great staycation and keep that money closer to home, and maybe more of it in your wallet.

Visit Regions Next Step online at www.regions.com/nextstepvacationbudget for more advice and guidance on vacations, saving for trips and more. It’s free and available to Regions associates and customers.

Originally published on bloomberg.com

Bloomberg today announced that it has introduced a solution for US Treasuries that enables diverse broker-dealers to provide their clients liquidity using Bloomberg’s technology. The offering adds new minority-owned broker-dealers for US Treasuries, including CastleOak Securities, Mischler Financial Group and Tigress Financial, with additional firms soon to be on-boarded and integrated.

The Treasury offering builds on Bloomberg’s existing D&I Dealer program, which was introduced in 2017 with CastleOak Securities, a leading boutique investment bank. Bloomberg supported the launch of DirectPool, CastleOak’s platform for US corporate bond (both investment grade and high yield) electronic trading, providing all-to-all services for clients.

The offering, which was recently expanded to include US Treasuries, is used by many of the nation’s largest investment managers and bond dealers and provides a reliable pool of liquidity. Through the offering, diverse broker-dealers will be on-boarded to Bloomberg’s electronic trading solution to serve as liquidity providers for US Treasuries. The diverse broker-dealers can then engage traditional liquidity providers to make markets for incoming client RFQs. As a result, a client can easily include a diverse broker-dealer in an RFQ, which is routed to one or more traditional liquidity providers, and delivers pricing back to the client that initiated the RFQ. The offering delivers a seamless process that expands the liquidity pool while supporting minority-owned broker-dealers.

“We approached Bloomberg in 2016 about an innovative idea using Bloomberg BOLT that would not only help us provide liquidity to our clients, but also level the playing field. The combination of Bloomberg’s technology prowess with our trading capabilities has resulted in a lower cost alternative for clients while still fulfilling best execution requirements,” said David R. Jones, CEO of CastleOak Securities.

“Our partnership with Bloomberg has helped us build our fixed income trading business , which in turn has meant measurable revenue growth for CastleOak. DirectPool’s trading volumes continue to grow year over year; the marketplace has realized that this is not only an efficient way to trade, but also a transparent way for clients to achieve their D&I goals. We recently expanded our relationship to include US Treasury electronic trading capabilities and continue to work with Bloomberg to develop new solutions for our clients.”

“The US Treasury white label solution enables us to provide liquidity to buy-side firms to help them with their best execution requirements, while concurrently helping them expand their ESG impact by working with diverse broker-dealers,” said Michael Lindley, Head of Fixed Income Trading at Tigress Financial Partners. “The launch of this solution was made possible by Bloomberg’s commitment to the project, and the resources it provided to get it done. The white label offering enables us to provide clients a service that meaningfully adds value to their business and is part of a seamless workflow. The Bloomberg team have prioritized the democratization of their offerings and have been great partners throughout this process. We look forward to continuing to grow our relationship in the future.”

“Being a part of this Bloomberg initiative is exciting for Mischler Financial Group. It allows us to better support our trading partners by delivering a best in class offering to clients who rely on us to help meet their best execution needs in addition to their diversity goals and mandates,” said Glen Capelo, Head of Rates at Mischler Financial Group. “We’ve already seen firms over 10 trillion in AUM collectively signed up through the US Treasury white label initiative and look forward to what’s ahead. We are extremely excited to be at the forefront of the e-trading revolution in the diversity broker-dealer space, and this offering gives us the ability to be more competitive. It’s crucial to have active robust partners like Bloomberg, who share our ambition to excel and our vision of creating a comprehensive solution for the everyday transaction requirements of our clients.”

“We’re excited and proud to work with such an impressive group of firms as we continue to build our D&I initiative,” said Derek Kleinbauer, Global Head, Fixed Income & Equity E-Trading at Bloomberg. “We remain committed to continually supporting diverse broker-dealers, and the US Treasury solution is a perfect example of innovation and partnership coming together to deliver an efficient and effective offering.”

Bloomberg Electronic Trading Solutions (ETS) are used by leading financial institutions to trade efficiently in over 175 markets around the world. More than 9000 client firms use Bloomberg ETS to access industry-leading depth and breadth of liquidity across asset classes from over 1,500 dealers globally. Bloomberg ETS provides market participants with comprehensive solutions across the trading lifecycle, including robust price transparency, analytics, automation and execution, powered by Bloomberg’s high-quality, multi-asset class data and tools.

About Bloomberg
Bloomberg is a global leader in business and financial information, delivering trusted data, news, and insights that bring transparency, efficiency, and fairness to markets. The company helps connect influential communities across the global financial ecosystem via reliable technology solutions that enable our customers to make more informed decisions and foster better collaboration. For more information, visit Bloomberg.com/company or request a demo.

Bloomberg Press Contacts:
Europe – Anna Schoeffler, aschoeffler1@bloomberg.net, +33 6 75 54 70 92
US – Gauri Andriks, gandriks@bloomberg.net, +1 (212) 617-6361

As a company grounded in science, Henkel is proud to support education and connect with the next generation of scientists. When members of our Adhesive Technologies team were asked to speak to chemistry students during the spring semester at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, the invitation held special meaning.

Back in 1953, Trinity College became the birthplace of Henkel’s iconic LOCTITE® brand. The game-changing adhesive was created when retired chemistry professor Vernon Krieble developed anaerobic threadlocking adhesives in a basement laboratory at the college. His revolutionary invention offered a more reliable, non-mechanical solution to bond, seal and lock metal parts.

In preparation for the campus visit, members of the Henkel Adhesive team helped restore Trinity College’s 50-year-old permanent display highlighting Krieble’s work. Previously, Henkel donated to the college a scrapbook documenting the origins of LOCTITE through memoranda, news articles and photos dating back to the 1950s and ’60s.

After extensive planning and preparations, the event kicked off with one-on-one meetings with professors to ensure the college’s chemistry curriculum aligns with the needs of industrial employers.

Later, students and faculty from Trinity College’s chemistry and engineering departments gathered to hear Henkel experts talk about the making of LOCTITE, the evolution of anaerobic chemistry, and the different roles that chemists play in adhesives — from product development to application engineering. Throughout the day, Henkel Human Resources representatives were on hand to talk to students about internship and career opportunities at Henkel.

Our students really enjoyed the presentations and meeting the Henkel representatives afterwards. They don’t often get to hear about the industrial side of things, so it was a great learning experience for them.

Professor Maria Parr, Trinity College

“We received fantastic feedback about the event, and the students were engaged and curious. For many, it was eye-opening to see the opportunities available in the industrial adhesives sector,” says John Borden, Director, Global Sales and Channel Activation. “It was a great opportunity to introduce students to Henkel and what makes LOCTITE so great.”

As a special treat, students learned how alumnus Tomoyo Wakamatsu, an Analytical Research Chemist, leveraged what she learned at Trinity College into a 30-year career at Henkel.

The Henkel team also introduced students to LOCTITE®XPLORE, a free e-learning platform for Henkel’s adhesive solutions.

“At the university level, traditional mechanical solutions are taught and have been for decades. Students don’t typically learn about non-mechanical solutions,” says Borden. “LOCTITE®XPLORE is a tool to educate college students about adhesive solutions before they go out into the workforce.”

During the event, Henkel executives met with university leadership and a very special guest. Retired chemistry professor Henry DePhillips, who worked alongside Vernon Krieble, provided unique insight into the early days of LOCTITE.

“We were excited to partner with Trinity College on this special event and support the next generation of chemists,” says Borden. “In terms of our origin story, it felt right to reconnect with the birthplace of LOCTITE. Henkel would not be the adhesives leader it is today without the ingenuity and entrepreneurship of Vernon Krieble.”

Vernon Krieble & LOCTITE® Seal Their Place in History

In the early 1950s, at the urging of his son Robert, retired chemistry professor Vernon Krieble quietly set out to create “anaerobic” threadlocking adhesives — adhesives which would cure quickly in the absence of air — in his basement laboratory at Trinity College.

In 1953, Vernon’s persistence and passion for chemistry paid off. His revolutionary adhesive, branded LOCTITE®, offered a more reliable (non-mechanical) solution to prevent machine parts from loosening or leaking.

Professor Krieble’s invention helped to usher in a new era of mechanical reliability and safety. LOCTITE’s impact on the safety of products — ranging from cars to medical devices to roller coasters — is impossible to measure.

Henkel fully acquired the LOCTITE Corporation in 1997. Today, LOCTITE is Henkel’s largest and most iconic brand, marketed in 130 countries around the world. Learn more at: The LOCTITE story: A close-up of Henkel’s biggest brand and 25 years of LOCTITE at Henkel (YouTube).

This World Refugee Day, discover Gildan’s refugee program activated at some of its yarn-spinning facilities in North Carolina. This program supports individuals from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Lebanon, Ethiopia, Egypt, Syria, Iran, Uganda, Congo, Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda, Morocco, and Guyana, who have left their homes due to challenging conditions and are building their lives in a new place.

Launched in 2022, this employee-initiated program was first mobilized by the Human Resources team in Salisbury in search of new talent. Given the refugee community in the region and individuals’ interest in finding employment, Gildan turned to this group through partnerships with local organizations and NGOs and began recruiting interested candidates.

“Within a short span of time, what began as a recruitment strategy grew into an initiative that strengthens our workforce locally,” says Jim Powers, Director, Human Resources at Gildan. “More importantly, it allows us to meaningfully support and guide this group of individuals as they settle into their new lives in the U.S.”

As part of this program, interested applicants are invited to Gildan’s facilities to fill out job applications, participate in an interview, and tour the yarn-spinning facility. If hired, individuals then undergo Gildan’s regular employee onboarding, accompanied by rigorous health and safety trainings. Individuals leading this initiative locally are also given cultural sensitivity training to ensure that respect for different backgrounds is upheld and inclusivity is fostered in the workplace.

In partnerships with NGOs and several regional organizations, Gildan also lends a hand to these individuals beyond work to help smoothen their transition to a new country. For instance, Gildan assists in securing housing, a valuable support in cases where individuals don’t have an existing credit history. Another offering is increased access to English language courses.

By far, one of the most beneficial aids the Company provides to this group of employees, as well as to those who may have migrated from other countries, is transportation assistance, increasing their ability to commute long distances, because acquiring a drivers’ license in a foreign country can often pose a barrier. Finally, Gildan helps this group of employees with other areas of life, including providing food vouchers, and partnering with local banks to improve employees’ access to financial services in the U.S.

“I am incredibly proud of my HR team for bringing this initiative to life that has made a positive impact on both our organization and the individuals hired through it,” continues Jim. “Navigating one’s way through a foreign country is difficult, and we are glad that this program can help our employees feel both welcome and supported as they go through this big life change.” 

Find out more about Gildan’s respect for people here.

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil; William Ruto, President of Kenya; Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados; and Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank To Join ‘Power Our Planet: Live in Paris’ on Thursday, June 22

Rajiv Shah, President of The Rockefeller Foundation; Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director General of the World Health Organization; and Climate Activists Elizabeth Wathuti and Wawa Gatheru also set to participate

Power Our Planet: Urgent Call for Countries and Development Banks to Deliver on $100 Billion Promise, Introduce Debt Clauses, Provide Extra Resources for Developing Nations 

Tune in around the world on Apple Music & the Apple TV app, the Amazon Music channel on Twitch, TikTok, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Associated Press, Brut, iHeartRadio, 9Now, France Télévisions, CSTAR, Evil Geniuses Creator Collective, Mediacorp, Reuters, SABC, TimesLIVE, TNT, Veeps, YouTube, globalcitizen.org and the Global Citizen app

Join the movement and take action on the Global Citizen App

PARIS and NEW YORK, June 20, 2023 /3BL Media/ – Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil; William Ruto, President of Kenya; Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados; and Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank will address 20,000 people gathering for ‘Power Our Planet: Live in Paris’ on the iconic Champ de Mars in Paris this Thursday, June 22. Rajiv Shah, President of The Rockefeller Foundation; Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director General of the World Health Organization; and Climate Activists Elizabeth Wathuti and Wawa Gatheru are also set to participate, as well as José Ramos-Horta, President of Timor-Leste, who will represent the world’s Least Developed Countries.

The sold out event is hosted by Global Citizen, the world’s leading international advocacy organization on a mission to end extreme poverty NOW, and will feature performances from Lenny Kravitz, Billie Eilish, H.E.R., Jon Batiste and special guests Ayra Starr, FINNEAS, Joé Dwèt Filé, and Mosimann. The event will rally global leaders attending the New Financial Pact Summit, chaired by President Macron.

The Power Our Planet campaign, which is co-chaired by Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados, is calling for a seismic shift in the way the world’s financial systems work to give the world’s poor and developing nations access to the financing they urgently need to quicken their transition to clean energy, strengthen their resilience against natural disasters, and address their most urgent needs.

“The Summit for a New Global Financial Pact presents world leaders with a pivotal opportunity to acknowledge the flaws in our global financial system, and to disrupt and modernize them in light of the climate crisis,” said Hugh Evans, Co-Founder & CEO, Global Citizen. “This week could be a turning point for our planet and a step toward equity and justice for poor and developing countries. The question is, will Macron and his summit act with the bold and decisive leadership this hour demands? The world is watching.”

“I’m looking forward to joining ‘Power Our Planet: Live in Paris’ beneath the iconic Eiffel Tower, along with 20,000 activists and fellow music fans,” said Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil. “We only have today, and it’s possible to act on climate change, hunger and poverty, and update our financial systems to build the world that we want, with peace and without hunger.”

‘Power Our Planet: Live in Paris’ will also feature appearances by John Boyega, Rémy Buisine, Common, Connie Britton, Sabrina Dhowre Elba, Cyril Dion, Danai Gurira, Diane Kruger, Padma Lakshmi, Aïssa Maïga, Berla Mundi, Norman Reedus and Michelle Yeoh and the world’s leading youth climate activists, including Xiye Bastida, Dean Bhekumuzi Bhebhe, Camille Etienne, Jerome Foster II, Brianna Fruean, Wawa Gatheru, Helena Gualinga, Wangari Kuria, Mitzi Jonelle Tan, and Elizabeth Wathuti.

Viewers around the world can participate during the broadcast by downloading the Global Citizen app and taking action.

‘Power Our Planet: Live in Paris’ event is hosted in partnership with the City of Paris, and is produced by Live Nation.

WHEN: Thursday, June 22, 8:00pm CEST/ 2:00pm EST

WHERE: Champ de Mars, Paris, France

HOW TO WATCH: ‘Power Our Planet: Live in Paris’ will be broadcast and streamed to the world on Apple Music & the Apple TV app, the Amazon Music channel on Twitch, TikTok, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, iHeartRadio, Associated Press, 9Now in Australia, France Télévisions, CSTAR and Brut in France, Evil Geniuses Creator Collective Twitch Channels, Mediacorp in Singapore, Reuters, SABC and TimesLIVE in South Africa, TNT in Latin America and the Caribbean, Veeps, YouTube, globalcitizen.org and the Global Citizen app from 8:00pm CEST on Thursday, June 22, 2023.

ADDITIONAL DETAILS: 
Global Citizen’s Power Our Planet campaign is galvanizing millions of people around the world to take action, raise their voices and demand urgent changes from governments, multilateral development banks, and major corporations, including:

Keep Promises Already Made: Deliver the outstanding $16.7 billion of the committed $100 billion in climate financing for lower-income countries; transfer $100 billion in IMF Special Drawing Rights from wealthy countries to poor countries; increase foreign aid budgets; and enact global carbon emissions taxes.Free Up Funding: Make up to $1 trillion in financing available to countries in need through policy reforms at the World Bank and other multilateral development banks; and include natural disaster and pandemic clauses in loans to poorer nations.Transition to Clean Energy: Corporations should commit to join the United Nations’ Race-to-Zero by setting science-based targets; publish time-bound action plans for climate transitions; and make transformative investments for a lower-carbon transition in emerging economies.

An alliance of world leaders representing both Global North and Global South countries has joined the Power Our Planet campaign alongside Global Citizen and Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley, including supporters Emmanuel Macron, President of France; Julius Maada Bio, President of Sierra Leone; Pedro Sánchez, Prime Minister of Spain; José Ramos-Horta, President of Timor Leste; Biman Prasad, Deputy Prime Minister of Fiji, the Government of Ghana, the Government of Namibia, the Government of Zambia, and the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS).

Power Our Planet’s coalition of supporters also includes leading activists, philanthropic foundations, nonprofit organizations, and private sector leaders, including Dr. Rajiv Shah, President, Rockefeller Foundation; Mark Malloch Brown, President, Open Society Foundations; Benedict Oramah, President of AfreximBank; Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization; Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi; Kate Higgins, CEO, Cooperation Canada; Jennifer Jones, President of Rotary International; Ban Ki-Moon, Former Secretary-General of the United Nations; Eloise Todd, Executive Director & Co-Founder, Pandemic Action Network; and Ineza Umuhoza Grace, Co-Founder of the Loss and Damage Youth Coalition and 2023 Global Citizen Prize winner. 

The Power Our Planet campaign is supported by: African Climate Reality Project; Aspire Artemis Foundation Inc.; Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens; BASICS International; Bays Planet Foundation; Beyond Bretton Woods; Blended Finance Taskforce; Brave Foundation; Center for Environmental Peacebuilding; Chanja Datti; Climate Finance Group for Latin America and the Caribbean; Common Good Marketplace; Connected Development; Don’t Gas Africa; E3G; Earth For All; ECB Sustainable Youth Foundation; Education Cannot Wait: The UN Global Fund for Education in Emergencies; Extinction Rebellion (XR) Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB); Focus 2030; Friends of the Global Fund Europe; GAIN; Gender and Economic Research Center; Germanwatch; Glasgow Actions Team; Global Alliance for a Green New Deal; Global Education and Leadership Foundation (Values 20 India); the Global Fund; Global Health Advocates; the Global Kid; Global Nation; Green Republic Farms; Hungry for Action; International Climate Change Development Initiative; International Climate Financing WG; International Electrotechnical Commission; International Fund for Agricultural Development; JA Africa; Jane Goodall Institute France; Jara; Lagos Food Bank; LEAP Africa; Loss and Damage Youth Coalition; Malala Fund; Marafiki United Green Youths Initiative; Millennials Movement; Moody’s; the ONE Campaign; ONG Jeunes Volontaires pour l’Environnement (JVE); Only One; OurCause; OWIT Brussels – Organization of Women in Trade; Oxfam France; Plastic Punch; Power to Girls Foundation; Primavera Zur; Project Everyone; Recycling Scheme for Women and Youth Empowerment (RESWAYE); Restless Development; Re:Wild; Save the Children; SDG2 Advocacy Hub; Shamba Centre for Food and Climate; Sharing Strategies; She Leads Climate Action; Stage For Change; Strategic Youth Network for Development; Sungulo Comm NPC; Support Humanity Cameroon (SUHUCAM); Sustainable Development Solutions Network; Sustainability and Climate Podcast; UN Joint SDG Fund; United Nations Foundation; Uniting To Combat NTDs; Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative (WPDI); Women At Risk International Foundation.

The Power Our Planet campaign and the ‘Power Our Planet: Live in Paris’ event is hosted in partnership with the City of Paris, is produced by Live Nation, and supported by Cisco and Citi, as well as Afrexim Bank, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Open Society Foundations, The Rockefeller Foundation, and the Seadream Family Foundation. ​​A series of thought leadership events focused on driving action from the private sector is being supported by Cisco, Citi and Accenture. The ‘Power Our Planet: Live in Paris’ broadcast will be produced by Done and Dusted.

Global Citizen is grateful for the support of leading media companies across the world including: AIM Group, Arena Holdings, Bandsintown, Bella Naija, Branded Cities, Brut, Clear Channel Outdoor, Dysturb, EIB Network, Europe 2, Executive Channel Network, Fun Radio, JC Decaux (France), Mediatransports, NRJ Group, OUI FM, OUTFRONT Media, Pass Culture, Politico, RFM, RTL2, Seen Media, Trooh, Vanguard Media, Wall Street Journal and Zikoko.

For more information visit globalcitizen.org/powerourplanet, download the Global Citizen app, and follow Global Citizen on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

– Ends –

About Global Citizen 
Global Citizen is the world’s leading international advocacy organization on a mission to end extreme poverty NOW. Powered by a worldwide community of everyday activists raising their voices and taking action, the movement is amplified by campaigns and events that convene leaders in music, entertainment, public policy, media, philanthropy and the corporate sector. Over the past 10 years, $43.6 billion in commitments announced on Global Citizen platforms has been deployed, impacting nearly 1.3 billion lives. Established in Australia in 2008, Global Citizen’s team operates from New York, Los Angeles, London, Paris, Berlin, Melbourne, Toronto, Johannesburg, Lagos and beyond. Join the movement at globalcitizen.org, download the Global Citizen app, and follow Global Citizen on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok and Twitter.

Press Kit 
Click here for artwork 

Contact 
Global Citizen media inquiries: media@globalcitizen.org

Smart Talks with IBM

Hosted by Malcolm Gladwell

A podcast featuring the visionaries who are creatively applying technology in business to drive change.

This season, we’re exploring the stories of New Creators — developers, data scientists, CTOs and other visionaries creatively applying technology in business to drive change. From more responsible AI to transforming business with hybrid cloud, hear first-hand how they are using their expertise to develop more creative and effective solutions to tackle today’s most pressing challenges.

IBM and HBCUs: Fueling a New Generation of Cybersecurity Experts

Education has the power to show students a path they had never considered before. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Malcolm Gladwell and Dr. Laurie Santos take on tech education at HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) with Dr. Derrick Warren, Associate Dean at the Southern University College of Business. They talk about the partnership between IBM SkillsBuild and Southern University to co-create a cybersecurity leadership center for HBCU students, and discuss how exposure to first-experiences inspires creativity.

Connect with the IBM SkillsBuild community here.

The $211 billion global digital health market continues to leap forward as healthcare organizations capitalize on the increasing demand for telehealth and adopt the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) to improve care outcomes. In the digital age, the potential for improved patient outcomes is profound. However, as we charter this new territory, one fast-growing demographic requires our focused attention – our senior citizens. To them, these digital advancements, rather than being second nature, often pose technical obstacles that can be daunting to navigate. A pivotal part of the solution lies in refining the digital experience of healthcare software.

In this article, we will delve into the key obstacles to digital health for senior citizens, the challenges of user experience (UX) testing, and explore how AI can optimize UX testing, ultimately boosting the accessibility of digital health for all.

Why User Experience Testing is Critical to Accessible Digital Healthcare

By 2060, adults over 65 will make up a quarter of the US population, according to the US Census Bureau’s projection as shown in the attached video. Among this demographic, over half of a million will be centenarians. This demographic shift underscores a crucial imperative: the design of patients’ digital experiences must accommodate the unique needs of an aging demographic.

However, recent research has shown barriers to digital health persist for senior citizens. 2 out of 5 adults over 65 reported that their telemedicine visit was worse than in‐person care, with only 5% considering it was better.1 Despite the promised convenience of digital health technologies, senior citizens reported frustrating technical challenges. Nearly three-quarters of those over 65 said they needed help using new electronic devices.

Taking the patient portal app as an example, this platform often serves as the first point of contact for patients seeking digital health services. Yet, even something seemingly straightforward, like the login screen, can become frustrating for seniors if not adequately tested. Be it forgotten passwords, pesky program bugs, and difficult-to-read content.

Thorough UX testing is essential to effectively remove these technical barriers and deliver a more user-friendly, seamless digital experience to our senior citizens.

Key Challenges of User Experience Testing in Healthcare

User experience (UX) testing in healthcare is increasingly complex due to the involvement of multiple modules and services from different vendors across different platforms. For instance, Electronic Medical Record (EMR) systems and other healthcare applications undergo more frequent update cycles, with each change impacting one another. Traditional manual testing becomes time-consuming and costly. The need to address key areas such as functionality, localization, performance, accessibility, and user experience further prolongs the QA process.

Functionality testing ensures the healthcare software performs reliably and securely, handling protected health information (PHI), medication, and insurance claims correctly.Localization testing makes sure that the software can adapt to different language settings so the content remains accessible after language changes.Performance testing is essential to examine the system’s stability under heavy data loads. By simulating peak scenarios, it identifies potential bottlenecks and helps prevent system downtime, ensuring uninterrupted care delivery.Accessibility testing assesses the software’s compatibility with assistive technologies and evaluates its usability for all users, particularly those with disabilities like vision impairment.User experience testing captures real user behavior and feedback to fine-tune every step of the digital healthcare experience.

With the extensive list of testing requirements, QA teams often find themselves constrained by time and resources. As a result, they may only evaluate a few critical scenarios, leaving many potential user journeys unexamined.

The Power of Digital Twin in Healthcare Software Testing

This is where AI and digital twin technology enter the picture, poised to redefine user experience testing in healthcare.

A “digital twin,” as described by McKinsey, is a virtual representation of a physical asset, person, or process.2 Healthcare leaders are increasingly recognizing the power of digital twins to improve care quality as shown in Figure 1.

In the context of software testing, we define “digital twin” as a simplified model that encompasses all possible user journeys through the application under test. By leveraging digital twin models, intelligent test automation tools like Eggplant make comprehensive testing of various user journeys possible, addressing scenarios that may have been overlooked due to limited manual testing capacity.

For example, consider the testing of a patient portal app’s login screen. Using traditional approaches, a resource-constrained QA team may only test two cases—correct and incorrect username credentials—before moving on. However, using a digital twin approach, exploring numerous user behaviors and variations becomes possible with time constraints. Within one model in Eggplant, testers can easily introduce additional steps, change the order of the actions, and incorporate mobile user experiences like “rotate screen” as shown in Figure 2.

The number of possible user journeys that can be extracted from a single digital twin model is staggering. A typical mobile application model can yield over 9 billion separate cases to explore all combinations fully. To efficiently navigate this vast testing landscape, test automation tools employ machine learning (ML) algorithms to enhance testing coverage efficiently. By analyzing historical patterns, prioritized cases, and real-user insights, ML algorithms can auto-generate test cases and rigorously scrutinize each user interaction, ensuring optimal digital experiences. The attached video displays Eggplant’s AI-driven software testing for healthcare.

Benefits of AI-Driven User Experience Testing

At Keysight, we are proactively exploring the full potential of digital twin technology and helping healthcare organizations maximize the benefits AI-driven software testing.

Increased testing coverage across platforms

One primary advantage of AI-driven UX testing is significantly increased test coverage. Traditional testing methods are often limited in scope, focusing on predetermined scenarios. However, AI-powered testing tools leverage machine learning algorithms to analyze vast amounts of data and identify historical patterns. Software testing teams can efficiently cover a broader range of user scenarios and reuse test cases across different platforms, leading to a more thorough testing of the holistic digital experience.

Accelerated testing speed

Traditional manual testing processes are time-consuming and often cannot keep up with the pace of modern healthcare software’s development cycles. However, AI-driven UX testing tools can autonomously simulate user interactions, generate test cases, and execute tests, freeing up testers’ time from repetitive processes. With faster test execution, software development teams can also detect defects earlier and meet user expectations promptly.

Optimized digital experiences for all

Digital healthcare applications need to be user-friendly, accessible, and capable of catering to diverse user needs. AI-driven UX testing can simulate realistic user interactions from different demographic and predict how specific user groups will interact with the application. These simulations can effectively capture potential pain points and fix usability flaws for senior citizens.

Conclusion

As the global digital health market expands, ensuring a positive user experience becomes paramount. Digital healthcare for all is more than just a buzzword—it’s a mission statement. By leveraging AI and digital twin technologies, healthcare organizations can evaluate how their applications perform for senior citizens. With advancements in AI, we look to collaborate with healthcare organizations of all sizes to optimize user experiences beyond our wildest dreams, making digital healthcare inclusive and accessible for everyone.

Take our guided product tour today to unlock the power of AI-driven UX testing.

References

1 Older adults’ perspectives on primary care telemedicine during the COVID‐19 pandemic. The American Geriatrics Society, 2022. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9538237/

2 Digital twins: From one twin to the enterprise metaverse. McKinsey Digital, 2022. https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/mckinsey-digital/our-insights/digital-twins-from-one-twin-to-the-enterprise-metaverse

3 Digital twins: From one twin to the enterprise metaverse. McKinsey Digital, 2022. https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/mckinsey-digital/our-insights/digital-twins-from-one-twin-to-the-enterprise-metaverse