Tag: 3BL

Originally published on GoDaddy Life

Tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do at GoDaddy?

I’m Rachel, a Principal Product Manager on GoDaddy’s Identity team specializing in products that relate to Profile and Consent. I’m based in the UK working remotely. However, I get to join forces with my team and colleagues in Asia, Europe and the US, making us a truly global team!

My day-to-day work is to ensure that our customer experience relating to their consent and PII is as secure and seamless as possible. I own the full stack — both the UI and the backend. This keeps the challenges varied between experimentation and platform architecture.

I joined GoDaddy in May of 2021 after a career in Financial and Professional Services, as I wanted to work more with the latest technologies and support small businesses. In my spare time, you can find me riding my horse, Zu, doing yoga, and weightlifting.

What advice would you give to young women starting at GoDaddy or entering into the Tech Industry?

My advice would be to: apply for the job, ask to be part of opportunities, embrace the fear of the new, and never feel worried about asking for help or advice. There are fantastic women in tech groups, including the GDWIT group, here at GoDaddy, where support and advice is freely available. No question or feeling is too silly or small.

Regardless of the sector or the company, imposter syndrome strikes us all. Studies have shown that women are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet 100% of the requirements on the job description. This typically means that we don’t go for the same opportunities as our counterparts, even if we are equally qualified.

What I’ve learned through my career (and would encourage young women to think about when it comes to new opportunities) is to be open to learn, remain curious, and to continue with critical thinking skills. Additionally, you should be willing to take on new challenges. Hone your narrative through these skills, and how you would apply it to these new challenges. Then, use it to overcome any imposter syndrome you may have.

As a woman, what appeals to you about working in a rather male-dominated industry?

I’ve always worked in male-dominated industries — financial services, professional services, and now tech. For me, it’s just been how it landed rather than a specific target to work in male-dominated industries. The sectors and work have always appealed to me due to their complexity, being delivery orientated, and fast-paced.

I was incredibly lucky to have been taught that there is nothing women can’t do by my awesome family. For me, the work is interesting and challenging. It doesn’t matter whether the sector is male-dominated, female-dominated, or equally split.

What’s something you’re actively trying to unlearn at work?

Throughout my career, I have wanted to give additional value by always being the glue (i.e., the person who always gets people together to solve an issue, follows up on actions, and push for resolution). I know that this is valuable, but I’m trying to unlearn that this role should always be done by me. By always fulfilling this role, I’m not only stopping others from giving value, I’m also stretching resources — my time and brain capacity.

This is a key personal development point for me this year as my remit has become wider and more complex. It’s important for me to learn that others can be the glue, so I can give the best version of myself in the aspects I am managing.

What motivates you at work?

My motivation comes from my three P’s: People, Pride and Possibilities.

People — always, every time. I’ve worked in roles where the work wasn’t super interesting, but I had a great team and a great boss. I’ve also worked in roles where the work was fascinating, but I didn’t have that bond with the people. I found it much easier to leave the roles where the work was great, but the people were not, than the other way round. In my current role, I have the best of both worlds including some truly fabulous women!

Pride — always wanting to execute well, and on time i.e., Getting Stuff Done! This doesn’t mean I’m a perfectionist, I am far from it. I believe there is a careful balance between perfection and being on time. The pride I get from delivering to our customers, and getting better, is a great motivator.

Possibilities — I am incredibly driven to open new doors and new opportunities. This doesn’t mean new jobs or new roles necessarily. It simply means the opportunity to learn something new, meet new people or take on a new project. The motivation for these possibilities inspire me to network, listen to what other people are doing, and most importantly, improve my day-to-day, so I’m as efficient as possible.

Are you enjoying this series and want to know more about life at GoDaddy? Check out our GoDaddy Life social pages! Follow us to meet our team, learn more about our culture (Teams, ERGs, Locations), careers, and so much more. You’re more than just your day job, so come propel your career with us.

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OVERLAND PARK, Kan., June 7, 2023 /3BL Media/ – Black & Veatch, a global leader in critical infrastructure solutions, has been selected and will be named among Kansas City’s Best Companies to Work For by Ingram’s Magazine.

Ingram’s Magazine’s “Best Companies to Work For” recognizes workplaces of the highest quality in the Greater Kansas City area—those whose management practices, educational and advancement opportunities, benefits and spirit of teamwork set them apart from tens of thousands of other companies.

“Our inclusion in Ingram’s list is yet another testament to Black & Veatch’s stellar reputation built by a world-class team of global professionals,” said Patrick Hogan, Chief Client Officer at Black & Veatch. “Our portfolio of infrastructure solutions and expertise — combined with our collaborative, inclusive and innovative culture — enables our clients to deliver on goals such as decarbonization, water security and broader access to digital communications.”

The recognition comes on the heels of several accolades that further demonstrate Black & Veatch’s top-rated culture and its position as an industry leader. Most recently, the company was ranked among the world’s leaders in power, telecommunications and water by Engineering News-Record. In addition, Black & Veatch recently announced that Newsweek named it as one of “America’s Greatest Workplaces for Diversity” in 2023.

“As employee-owners, we each play a role in creating, cultivating and upholding our culture,” said Joy Johnson, interim Chief Human Resources Officer at Black & Veatch. “The result is a workplace we can all feel proud to be a part of. We are excited to continue to work together to be the invaluable difference we make to each other, our communities and our clients.”

The annual “Best Companies to Work For” list features companies that have created the best workplaces in the region through a strategic mix of compensation, benefits and organizational culture.

Contact Black & Veatch for more information.

About Black & Veatch 
Black & Veatch is a 100-percent employee-owned global engineering, procurement, consulting and construction company with a more than 100-year track record of innovation in sustainable infrastructure. Since 1915, we have helped our clients improve the lives of people around the world by addressing the resilience and reliability of our most important infrastructure assets. Our revenues in 2022 were US$4.3 billion. Follow us on www.bv.com and on social media.

Media Contact:

Susan Rivera | +1 781 565 5819 | RIVERAS1@BV.COM

24-HOUR MEDIA EMAIL | media@bv.com

Jacky Bransome is neither a scientist nor a teacher. But she happens to know that fireflies aren’t the best way to explain chemiluminescence to students living in her part of the world. Turns out that fireflies aren’t a thing in Gillingham, UK.

It’s one of many fun facts she has picked up over the years through SPARK™, a volunteer program developed by her employer, the Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, which operates as MilliporeSigma in the U.S. and Canada. The company launched the program in 2016 to provide its 25,000+ employees an opportunity to volunteer and share their expertise with students around the world with an engaging invitation to experience hands-on science and consider careers in STEM.

Bransome is all in. She works in commercial services and also serves as a SPARK™ Lead, charged with supporting her colleagues participation at the company’s Gillingham facility to volunteer for its Curiosity Labs™ and Curiosity Cube programs. Both experiences are aimed at providing students with access to hands-on science learning, particularly those in under-represented populations.

“My favorite lesson is the one on chemiluminescence,” she says. “It has that wow factor. It’s not just watching adults do stuff. The best science teacher I had was one who had exciting lessons that ignited my interest.”

Getting to say yes on volunteering is a lot easier once potential volunteers discover just how much support they’ll have. Scientists and non-scientists across the globe receive thorough training, opportunities to observe sessions led by more experienced peer volunteers and turnkey – kits that take the guesswork out of the process.

Each Curiosity Labs™ lesson is created, tested and retooled by MilliporeSigma’s Curiosity Labs™ Coordinator Maite Nogales and Institute for School Partnership’s Instructional Specialist Lauren Ashman. 

They’ve thought of everything.

Testing, testing, testing

Should the water be hot or room temperature? Are the instructions clear? What’s the best tool for applying a sticky substance to paper? When is the right time to ask a question? 

These were just a few of the questions Nogales and Ashman batted back and forth throughout a recent spring morning at Life For Life Academy in St. Louis where they’re piloting Green Chemistry, a new lesson that will eventually reach thousands of students throughout the world. But first, there’s work to do. Nogales and Ashman rely on students in their own backyard for critical input.

“The goal for each pilot is to work out the kinks so the classroom experience is as seamless as possible for the SPARK™ volunteers and impactful for students,” explains Ashman, who writes the lessons.

Ashman is no stranger to science or the classroom. In fact, she taught seventh grade science in that very Lift For Life classroom and serves as a leader with ISP’s mySci program, a comprehensive K-8 science curriculum/resource that serves 245+ schools across the St. Louis region each year.

Before students don their lab coats, gloves and goggles, Ashman tees up the conversation by explaining why she and Nogales are there: to test a lesson.

“Put yourselves in the shoes of product designers,” she says. “We’re doing a lesson today about Green Chemistry, but you’re also helping us create something that makes sense for students like you, who will be doing this lesson all over the world.”

While Ashman sets the stage for the lesson, she tests the waters about what they already know about the word adhesive. They’ve got it. It means, sticky–like tape, glue and velcro. Next, she asks them to consider that these products and countless others, are inspired by examples from nature, specifically silk from spiders, blue mussels and geckos. The process, known as biomimicry, is where product designers start when creating all kinds of things we use every day.

Meanwhile, Nogales works to set up the lab space at the back of the room for maximum efficiency. She’s making sure the students have everything they need to concoct a nontoxic glue using natural products. Each table has containers of powdered milk, baking soda, flour, vinegar and cornstarch. They have vials and cups for mixing, brushes and wooden tongue depressors for stirring and written directions for following.

As the mixing begins, both Nogales and Ashman circulate from lab to lab, taking notes, asking students questions, clarifying along the way. They’ll change the instructions for the next lesson. Tongue depressors are better than paint brushes. They need signage on each lab table to make sure students understand which glue recipe they are following. The role is twofold: student engagement and anticipating hurdles/questions/fears that volunteers might have with a lesson.

“We try to give SPARK™ volunteers what they need,” explains Nogales. “But we also tell them, ‘Be yourself. You don’t have to teach like a teacher. Talk about yourself. Share with students something you wish you would have known when you were younger.’”

Since 2016, the Curiosity Labs™ program has reached more than 45,000 students in 25 countries. Internal surveys indicate that 78 percent of students reported an increase in content knowledge; 80 percent demonstrated confidence in science and 81 percent stated that they enjoy science.

The Curiosity Labs™ program offers a menu of lessons that are updated on a continual basis with support from ISP to ensure that they are aligned with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), a foundational perk unique to the U.S., but considered a model to follow by countries around the globe to inform their own standards.

Nogales says the team works to ensure that the Curiosity Labs™ content is as globally applicable as possible, with translations in 10 languages and ongoing efforts to tweak language that’s more neutral. For instance, Sharpies are understood more broadly as permanent markers. Measurements are done differently. Some materials needed for kits are not readily available in all parts of the world, or even easily shipped.

“The end goal is to inspire the next generation of scientists,” she adds. “We’re working against that equity gap, which exists everywhere. In each country, those gaps look a little different, but the gaps are there. Even the notion of volunteering has nuances that translate differently across cultures.”

Curiosity, Inspiration and an Invitation

The chemiluminescence lesson is also a favorite for Paula Fernández, a chemist and quality manager at the company in Madrid, Spain.

“The faces of the kids and the sounds of their voices when they see the light appearing due to the chemical reaction is great. It blows their minds,” she says. “It’s amazing how that motivates them.”

Fernandez, who serves as the SPARK™ Lead for all of Spain, recalls learning science herself and even making the commitment to pursue it as a career, without having experienced a wow factor until she was in college. She likes to imagine how many more scientists the world could have if students are wooed by the wow of science earlier.

“I really like working with small kids because their minds are so open, but I also like working with older kids who are closer to the moment when they have to make a life decision about what they are going to study,” she says. “At those moments, I can talk to them about my science career, and what different STEM jobs they could do. To be honest, when I was a teen, I didn’t have a clue of the career options that were available, so I like helping them think about all the possibilities.”

It’s that kind of thinking and willingness to bring science to life that stocks the STEM pipeline with scientists who have been inspired and equipped to take on global challenges in the future.

The ripple effect isn’t lost on ISP Executive Director Victoria May.

“Partnering with MilliporeSigma to develop science lessons that are shared to inspire budding scientists all over the world is pretty incredible,” May says. “Together, we’re harnessing the two most essential ingredients to bridge science learning and science as practiced in the real world: curiosity and inspiration. What better way to invite more people to the world of STEM?”

John Boyega, Connie Britton, Sabrina Dhowre Elba, Cyril Dion, Danai Gurira, Diane Kruger, Aïssa Maïga, Norman Reedus, Michelle Yeoh, and Climate Activists Xiye Bastida, Camille Etienne, and Helena Gualinga join Global Citizen’s ‘Power Our Planet: Live in Paris’ on Thursday, June 22, 2023

Featuring performances from Lenny Kravitz, Billie Eilish, H.E.R., Jon Batiste, with special guests FINNEAS and Mosimann

‘Power Our Planet: Live in Paris’ to be broadcast and streamed globally on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, the Amazon Music channel on Twitch, Apple Music & the Apple TV app, Brut, iHeartRadio, 9Now, CSTAR, SABC, TNT, Veeps, and the Global Citizen app

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

PARIS and NEW YORK, June 7, 2023 /3BL Media/ – Today Global Citizen, the world’s leading international advocacy organization on a mission to end extreme poverty NOW, announced John Boyega, Connie Britton, Sabrina Dhowre Elba, Cyril Dion, Danai Gurira, Diane Kruger, Aïssa Maïga, Norman Reedus and Michelle Yeoh will join ‘Power Our Planet: Live in Paris’ on Thursday, June 22, taking place at the historic Champ de Mars in Paris. The free, ticketed event will provide a platform for calls to action from the world’s leading youth climate activists, including Xiye Bastida, Camille Etienne, Jerome Foster, Brianna Fruean, Helena Gualinga, and Mitzi Jonelle Tan, among others.

‘Power Our Planet: Live in Paris’ will feature performances from Lenny Kravitz, Billie Eilish, H.E.R., Jon Batiste and special guests FINNEAS and Mosimann to drive commitments from world leaders and the private sector to confront the climate crisis head on.

Under the high patronage of Mr. Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic, ‘Power Our Planet: Live in Paris’ will rally global leaders attending the New Financial Pact Summit in Paris on June 22 and 23, convened by President Macron in order to build a green economy worldwide that leaves no one behind. 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.

‘Power Our Planet: Live in Paris’ will be broadcast and streamed to the world on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, the Amazon Music channel on Twitch, Apple Music & the Apple TV app, Brut, iHeartRadio, 9Now in Australia, CSTAR, SABC in South Africa, TNT in Latin America and the Caribbean, Veeps, and the Global Citizen app.

“I’m thrilled to be joining Global Citizen at Power Our Planet: Live in Paris as we come together to call for climate justice,” said Michelle Yeoh, Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Development Programme (UNDP). “Those who are currently suffering the most from climate change have done the least to cause it. Let’s raise our voices and make sure our leaders take urgent action and preserve our planet for future generations. I hope you’ll join me on June 22 as we demand action.”

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.

Increased access to financing would help bolster governments’ ability to resist climate change by, for example: helping 1.5 million farmers in Zambia withstand climate disasters like droughts and floods; protecting 1.8 million hectares of land in Ghana by 2030; ending deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon by 2030; and strengthening the resilience of national electric grids in island nations like Antigua and Barbuda to withstand Category 5 hurricanes.

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); 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 France, Clear Channel Outdoor US, EIB Network, Europe 2, Executive Channel Network, Fun Radio, JC Decaux (France), Mediatransports, NRJ Group, OUTFRONT Media, Pass Culture, Politico, RFM, RTL2, 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

Media Credentials

Applications are now open for media credentials to attend and cover ‘Power Our Planet: Live in Paris’. Please complete the application form here.

Contact

Global Citizen media inquiries: media@globalcitizen.org

The Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) today announces a media partnership with FashionUnited, the world’s largest business-to-business cross media fashion platform for fashion professionals and companies. This collaboration will see both organizations working in close partnership in the development and promotion of content highlighting the SAC’s initiatives and efforts to engage with stakeholders in the textile and apparel industry to drive positive change.

As part of this partnership, FashionUnited is partnering with the SAC on two upcoming training sessions, the Higg Facility Environmental Module (FEM) 4.0 Training and Science-Based Target (SBT) Training, both of which will be hosted on June 14 in Milan, Italy, following on from Planet Textiles on June 12-13.

Ahead of the launch of the updated Higg FEM 4.0 and following the recent launch of the SAC’s Decarbonization Program, the trainings will provide opportunities for business professionals from across the value chain to participate in a set of in-person trainings to optimize their knowledge on using the facility-dedicated tool and how to set and implement science-based targets.

Sponsored by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and Fabric Asia, the trainings will be led by SAC’s Angela Ng, Director of Facility Tools; Joyce Tsoi, Director of Collective Action Programs; Yasotharan Manivel, Manager of Collective Action Programs; and Executive Director of The Circular Institute, Michael Sadowski.

Registration for the trainings is open. Register Now.

Marion grew up very healthy, never even getting colds or the flu – but that changed as she got older. 

In her late 50s, Marion’s doctor found a cancerous wart that required an intense six weeks of radiation therapy, coupled with chemotherapy. Then nearly five years later, she was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), a rare form of blood cancer that often occurs in people previously treated with radiation or chemotherapy.

A stem cell transplant is usually key to surviving MDS, but due to Marion’s age and chronic conditions, she wasn’t a good candidate for a transplant. Instead, her hematologist put her on a medication and she responded well.

Today Marion visits her doctor every four weeks for blood testing and has been treatment-free for more than 18 months.

“I don’t look back,” she says of her experience. “The disease does not define me. I am still me.”

Originally published by Gilead Sciences

 

Statement by Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) Steering Committee Co-Chairs Mark Fryling and Howard Popoola on the occasion of World Food Safety Day celebrated today.

June 7, 2023 /3BL Media/ From farm or factory to the dinner table, the wellbeing of billions around the world depends upon food safety standards. But when we eat, how do we know those standards are followed and our food is safe?

That question should never have to be asked.

The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), a Coalition of Action from The Consumer Goods Forum, has a mission of safe food for people everywhere. GFSI addresses food safety by setting benchmarks for those producing, processing and selling food around the world. Codex standards form a key part of GFSI benchmarks as well as industry best practices shared among all in a pre-competitive form. For six decades, Codex standards have guided GFSI, governments and other stakeholders towards a path to safe food for everyone everywhere.

People in food safety work extremely hard to reach and uphold these standards and transform them into best practices, called “food safety management systems”, conscious that the wellbeing of millions depends upon doing their job well. When standards are absent or poorly respected, the consequences are grave. Foodborne diseases affect 1 in 10 people worldwide each year.

Those who make, distribute and sell food face a daunting task to uphold these standards in a world subject to all sorts of unforeseen events. Supply chain woes, fragile and limited energy sources, as well as cost hikes and little time or tools can make these standards hard to reach and maintain, especially for people in developing countries. That’s why the GFSI has just announced a Capability Building framework. It helps companies of all shapes and sizes build in-house capability no matter where they do business.

USAID sees the potential of the GFSI framework, partnering with us to help roll out the framework in Africa and other developing areas where compliance with standards remains weak. Food-related businesses, including women-owned firms and farms, will gain much, building up their knowhow. This will not just help reduce sickness and workdays lost, locally, but also improve the security of complex international supply chains as the global trade in food expands. The 1.4 billion people who call Africa home will notice when nutritious, abundant food keeps them not just alive, but healthy and safe.

As the world strives to end hunger, implementing high food standards everywhere will play a vital part in reducing suffering, and ensuring a better life for all.

Howard Popoola 
Co-Chair, GFSI Steering Committee; 
Vice President, Corporate Food Technology and Regulatory Compliance 
The Kroger Co.

Mark A. Fryling 
Co-Chair, GFSI Steering Committee; 
Vice President, Global Food Safety and Quality 
General Mills

Notes to editors: 

See the statement at the GFSI news room. 

About the Global Food Safety Initiative

The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI; the Coalition) is a CEO-led Coalition of Action from The Consumer Goods Forum, bringing together 44 retailers and manufacturers and an extended food safety community to help oversee food safety standards for businesses and help provide access to safe food for people everywhere. As one of the world’s largest networks to help achieve safe food , GFSI is committed to making food safety everyone’s business and the Coalition members are addressing challenges facing food safety systems in their supply chains and the markets they operate in, and are helping to raise the food safety bar globally. Its ambition is to strengthen and harmonise food safety systems so they are able to feed the growing, global population and develop markets that can deliver food safely, no matter where in the world the consumer is. Learn more at: www.mygfsi.com

For further information: Contact James Pieper, Senior Manager, Communications, GFSI, The Consumer Goods Forum, at j.pieper@theconsumergoodsforum.com or on +33 627 37 64 60.

– ends / all –

Originally published on Tampa Bay Wave

Tampa Bay Wave is proud to announce that our longtime sponsor, the Nielsen Foundation, has committed to an additional three years of funding for the TechDiversity Accelerator, which supports diversity and inclusion in the tech startup industry across Tampa Bay and beyond. Powered by the Nielsen Foundation since its inception in 2018, this unique 90-day program supports high-growth early-stage tech startups that are 51% owned, controlled, and operated by underrepresented founders.

This multi-year commitment will continue to build the program and support the high-growth diverse-led tech startups participating in the 2023, 2024, and 2025 TechDiversity Accelerator cohorts. This extremely competitive program selects participants among hundreds of applications from across the United States and abroad; previous TechDiversity members hailed from over 120 cities, representing nearly all 50 states and 30 countries!

Thank you to the Nielsen Foundation for their generous support! We look forward to seeing how this multi-year commitment will continue to drive social and economic change by advocating for diversity, equity, and inclusion within the entrepreneurial tech ecosystem. To commemorate this ongoing partnership with the Nielsen Foundation, we would like to recognize several successful TechDiversity startups that embody the mission of this program. Join us in celebrating the achievements of innovative founders disrupting their respective industries and solving real-world problems to create a brighter future for all!

LunaJoy (2022 TechDiversity Accelerator)

Women-led healthtech startup, LunaJoy, is breaking down barriers and disrupting women’s healthcare! The digital care clinic supports women through their lifespans by providing in-network therapy, medication management, and coaching. Co-founders Sipra Laddha, MD, and Shama Rathi are psychiatrists, mothers, and problem-solvers. Having experienced firsthand the lack of mental health resources available for mothers, they created a solution that ensures women receive accessible and affordable care. After launching the clinic in 2021, they joined the Y Combinator accelerator program, closed an oversubscribed seed round, and the pair will soon start raising funds for a Series A round! 

Home Lending Pal (2020 TechDiversity Accelerator)

Home Lending Pal (HLP), the first-ever AI-powered mortgage advisor, is mitigating bias for underrepresented home buyers. CEO Bryan Young built the platform to make homeownership a possibility for everyone, regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation. On a mission to disrupt the mortgage industry, the fintech company partnered with tech giant IBM, which has been integral to their growth and expansion, helping to stabilize the technology and focus on data security. New York Times bestseller, Malcolm Gladwell, interviewed HLP on Smart Talks with IBM to discuss how they are utilizing blockchain technology to close the homeownership gap and facilitate systemic change within the home buying process by concealing social identifiers from lenders. In 2022, HLP acquired tech startup, Horizons, to further simplify the home buying process and strengthen their approach to connecting customers with lenders. The AI and digital ledger technology was also recognized on UNESCO’s Global Top 100 list of projects achieving the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals!

SoLo Funds (2020 TechDiversity Accelerator)

SoLo Funds, the first ever Black-owned fintech startup to obtain B Corp Certification, creates opportunities for underserved communities to partake in an equitable economy. The mobile and online lending platform is an innovative new model for peer-to-peer lending, which provides microloans with terms set by the borrower. Co-founders Rodney Williams and Travis Holoway (featured by Forbes on the Next 1000) created SoLo Funds to serve and empower underrepresented communities by offering financial solutions in emergencies and raising financial literacy. In 2020, SoLo Funds won Startup of the Year at the 8th Annual Startup of the Year Summit! The FinTech company also partnered with Habitat for Humanity International and United Way to give users the ability to donate a portion of their revenue to non-profits.

Learn more even more of the TechDiversity Accelerator startups that embody the mission of this program here.   

 

Originally published in Key’s 2022 Environmental, Social, and Governance report

Giving back to communities is central to who we are. KeyBank teammates  generously gave their time and talent by serving their neighbors and neighborhoods throughout 2022.

Neighbors Make the Difference Day®

Our annual Neighbors Make the Difference Day – a designated day for employee volunteerism – first launched in 1991. It is the hallmark of Key’s commitment to its communities and a leading corporate volunteerism effort in America.

On Tuesday, June 7, 2022, more than 5,000 teammates volunteered in-person and online, with health and safety precautions, in communities for Neighbors Make the Difference Day. Team members completed 554 projects in 348 communities from Maine to Alaska, helping to make our 31st annual day of volunteerism one of our best yet.

Thirty-one years of Neighbors Make the Difference Day success relies on a coordinated and targeted team approach. From a national director to regional site coordinators, there are many partners who coordinate and execute Key’s day of volunteerism.

Volunteerism at Key is not limited to one day; our teammates bring our values-forward and purpose-driven culture to life every day in their communities. In large part because of their commitment, Key was named a Civic 50 Financial Sectors leader for volunteerism and civic engagement.

In 2022, our teammates:

Spent nearly 90,000 hours volunteering in their communities, including participating in more than 550 events during our 31st annual Neighbors Make the Difference DayServed as board members with 913 nonprofitsContributed more than $4.5 million through the 2022 United Way Campaign and other nonprofit donations, including matching gift donations from Key; special programs in 2022 included support of tragedies in Buffalo and Colorado Springs, the war in Ukraine, and natural disaster relief in Florida and California

To learn more about Key’s teammates commitment to volunteerism, read the 2022 Environmental, Social, and Governance Report here.

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On Tuesday June 13, 2023, thousands of KeyBank teammates across the country will leave their bank offices to volunteer for various local community organizations, projects, and causes for Neighbors Make the Difference Day. 

This year marks the 32nd annual Neighbors Make the Difference Day and is one of KeyBank’s most visible community volunteer projects. The number of volunteer hours on June 13 is expected to be more than 16,0000.

Originally published in SEE’s Global Impact Report

SEE® (formerly Sealed Air) is creating an overall culture of health, safety, and well-being for our people. As a manufacturing company, protecting the health, safety and well-being of our people is critical. Our goal is to be free of accidents with zero harm, and we have structured our operations to provide employees with a safe and healthy working environment.

SEE’s Zero-Harm Performance for 2021

Total recordable injuries reduced by 8%64% of SEE manufacturing plants achieved zero recordable incidents in 2021 

Environmental, Health and Safety Policy

SEE’s Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) policy outlines the company’s commitment to integrate EHS principles in all aspects of the business, including products, operations, and supply chain. 

The policy requires SEE’s employees and contractors to conduct business in accordance with applicable environmental, health and safety laws and understand and comply with company procedures and guidelines to protect the environment, health and safety of themselves and their co-workers.

The policy includes SEE’s commitment to:

Provide training programs for employees to perform their jobs safely and in an environmentally responsible manner, and to understand their role in complying with policies, procedures and guidelinesFocus on the design and development of products that enable customers to reach their EHS goals by reducing waste, increasing operational efficiency, protecting human health, and improving food safety and securityConserve raw materials, water and energy in our operations through source reduction, process improvement, use of alternative materials, and waste recoveryActively pursue programs to reduce the overall GHG intensity of our operations Share our EHS policy with customers, suppliers, shareholders, and the local communities in which we operate, where applicableEstablish targets and be transparent in reporting publicly on our progress towards improving our EHS performanceDevelop sustainable solutions that make our world better than we find it

Health and Safety Audits

Health and safety audits are conducted at each of SEE’s manufacturing sites minimally every three years by teams comprised of local, regional and global resources. In 2021, 28 health and safety audits were conducted. In addition to the audits, machine risk assessments based on ISO standards, have been administered throughout our operations with support from external safety consultants.

EHS standards are reviewed minimally on an annual basis to verify relevance and completeness and to identify opportunities for improvement. The EHS standards are updated as part of an ongoing continuous improvement process in response to changing regulation and audit finding trends. Every SEE facility is required to implement the relevant elements of the company’s EHS standards. The Audit Committee of SEE’s Board of Directors regularly reviews EHS matters.

Investing in Safety

SEE’s commitment to safety includes capital investments that improve the safety of our existing equipment and the design of new machines. Early in the design process, our global engineering team conducts risk assessments in accordance with ISO standards to ensure that all machines function to the highest safety standards.

Training Programs

SEE’s global EHS program includes behavioral-based safety training, hazard identification and risk assessment, and several other preventive trainings. In addition to on-site training, in 2021 SEE implemented an online safety training program that includes topics such as lockout and tagout, machine safety, arm’s length, hand and power tool safety, and job hazard analysis. More than 19,000* training sessions were completed in 2021 achieving 94% overall completion rate for targeted employees. 

*Some employees attended more than one topic training.

Emergency Preparedness Procedures

SEE sites are required to establish, implement, and maintain procedures to identify the potential for emergency situations, choose the methods for responding to those situations, and periodically test the emergency response plan.

Operation Clean Sweep

SEE is a signatory of Operation Clean Sweep®, an international program designed to prevent the release of plastic granules into the environment and water streams. By signing the Operation Clean Sweep pledge, SEE recognizes the importance of preventing spillages into the environment and commits to the following six actions: 

Improve worksite set-up to prevent and address spillsCreate and publish internal procedures to achieve zero industrial plastic material lossProvide employee training and accountability for spill prevention, containment, clean-up, and disposalAudit performance regularlyComply with all applicable state and local regulations governing industrial plastics containmentEncourage partners (contractors, transporters, distributors, and others) to pursue the same goals

COVID-19

Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, SEE has followed the recommendations and guidance of health authorities and local governments across the globe. The company instituted precautionary measures for employees at all its facilities worldwide, including enhanced cleaning procedures, quarantine and testing protocols, temperature checks, face masks, engineered social distancing, remote work arrangements for non-location-dependent employees, restricted visitor access, and travel limitations.

Read Sealed Air’s Global Impact Report here.

Learn More About Sealed Air’s ESG efforts here.