Tag: 3BL

LINCOLN, Nebraska, May 18, 2023 /3BL Media/ – The Arbor Day Foundation has helped plant trees in more than 50 countries worldwide, but will plant in Laos this spring for the first time in the organization’s history. The Foundation will partner with the Global EverGreening Alliance and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) to revive forests of greatest need in the Southeast Asian country.

“By combining efforts with some of the world’s most respected environmental organizations on the planet —Global EverGreening Alliance and WWF — we ensure the benefits of trees reach the areas of the globe where they’re needed most,” said Dan Lambe, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “Restoring forests in Laos is vital to establishing a healthy environment for people and wildlife in Southeast Asia and our team is excited to help serve this urgent need.”

The project will consist of 30,000 trees planted in two National Protected Areas, Xe Sap and Xe Pian. Both unique ecosystems serve as a home to a variety of plant and animal species—many of which cannot be found anywhere else on Earth. Xe Sap and Xe Pian also provide critical support to their surrounding communities which rely on natural resources.

This reforestation project will cover nearly 250 acres of land in Laos and is expected to be completed in August 2024.

The effort in Laos aligns with the Arbor Day Foundation’s goal to plant 500 million trees with a focus in forests of greatest need by 2027.

“Together, we can work towards restoring degraded forests, recover the lost biodiversity and protect the species at risk of extinction and the areas at risk of degradation. Together, we can build a future where people can thrive and live in harmony with nature,” said Loris Palentini, Country Director, WWF-Laos. “In Laos, we have lost so much forest and wildlife in the last few decades, but there is still hope. If we act now, we can inspire people to protect Lao forest.”

“Forest restoration, including planting a diversity of native tree species in the protected areas where we work, like Xe Sap and Xe Pian, is part of how we have been supporting the Lao Government to reach 70% of national forest cover goal by 2030, while simultaneously creating a healthy ecosystem that benefits local communities,” Palentini added.

WWF first began its conservation efforts in Laos in the late 1980s. The forest has been one of the key conservation programs of WWF in Laos – aiming to strengthen protected area management and promote the sustainable use of forest resources for the benefit of local communities and wildlife.

“We are shifting the paradigm on restoration efforts to benefit small-scale farmers and our environment. By collaborating with trusted and committed organizations like Arbor Day Foundation and WWF-Laos we are making a significant impact,” said Chris Armitage, CEO of the Global EverGreening Alliance.

About the Arbor Day Foundation

Founded in 1972, the Arbor Day Foundation is the world’s largest membership nonprofit organization dedicated to planting trees. With a focus in communities and forests of greatest need, the Foundation — alongside its more than 1 million members, supporters and valued partners — has helped to plant nearly 500 million trees in more than 50 countries. Guided by its mission to inspire people to plant, nurture and celebrate trees, the Arbor Day Foundation is committed to unlocking the power of trees to help solve critical issues facing people and the planet. Learn more about the impact of the Arbor Day Foundation at arborday.org. 

About the Global EverGreening Alliance

The Global EverGreening Alliance is an NGO that brings together leading research, technical, environmental and development organisations to build on our shared vision of restoring degraded lands. Functioning as a collaborative platform, the Alliance harnesses our members and partners’ collective strengths, capacities and networks to coordinate, develop and implement massive-scale land restoration programmes. Learn more at evergreening.org

About WWF

The World Wide Fund for Nature has had a presence in Laos since the late 1980s, when it contributed to some of the first biodiversity surveys that established Laos’ protected area system. The office in Laos (WWF-Laos) was officially established in 2001. WWF-Laos works with government, civil society, and private sector partners to address the threats to biodiversity and to move towards a greener nature-based future. Learn more at www.wwf.org.la

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International Olympic Committee news

To mark the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, which is celebrated globally on 17 May, IOC Young Leader Javier Raya speaks about the role that sport can play in promoting inclusion, and reflects on his own experience as an openly gay athlete.

Javier Raya competed at the highest level of international figure skating for over 15 years, taking to the ice at the Olympic Winter Games Sochi 2014, as well as at numerous World and European Championships.

The Spaniard came out publicly in 2016, two years after competing in Sochi, and credits sport for helping him to feel more accepted. After retiring from competitive skating in 2018, Raya is now part of the International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s Young Leaders programme – an initiative that provides budding social entrepreneurs with mentorship, learning opportunities and seed-funding to launch projects that leverage the power of sport to make a positive difference in their communities.

Having experienced sport’s ability to foster inclusion and diversity, Raya was keen to focus on this issue with his own project, and so “Compete Proud” was born. This digital platform features inspirational stories and experiences of LGBTQI+ athletes, while also providing supportive tools and resources to help make sport more diverse and inclusive.

Here, Raya talks about the launch of Compete Proud, the role sport can play in inclusion efforts, and his own experiences.

What does the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia mean to you?

For me, it’s an important day to observe that there’s still a lot to be done, not only in sport but in general, with regard to the LGBTQI+ community. It’s a day on which we need to raise awareness about the ongoing discrimination of the community.

How can sport help to fight discrimination and promote inclusion?

Sport can be a powerful tool and a driver towards greater inclusion, accepting and respecting everyone in our society for who they are despite differences, embracing their diversity.

How does Compete Proud help promote inclusion for LGBTQI+ athletes?

Compete Proud provides not only the first-hand experiences of athletes and Olympians as a DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) community platform, it also provides educational tools and resources through webinars and workshops on specific topics, showcasing these to sports organisations or corporate companies. It also brings forward the conversation around Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in sport so that every minority group is represented.

What themes are addressed through Compete Proud, and what services are provided to tackle these themes? 

Ten themes are covered, ranging from the history of LGBTQI+ athletes in sport through to the coming-out journey for athletes, competing “proud”, sponsorship and career transition. Through the themes, we approach the different stages of an athlete’s life, as a competitor or as a retired athlete, and how – as part of the LGBTQI+ community – we can help these athletes or sports organisations to increase awareness and implement inclusive tools. The ultimate goal of Compete Proud is to push forward inclusion in sport, whether that is helping athletes directly or improving the DEI strategies of sports organisations, from grassroots to the Olympic stage.

How can we ensure that sport is inclusive for the LGBTQI+ community?

Each person, on an individual level, can have a significant impact on someone else’s life, including in their experience in sport as an LGBTQI+ athlete. For example, it is important to set an inclusive tone at the beginning of activities with a group of athletes, such as stating that: “This class/team is a safe space for the LGBTQI+ community/individuals, and it’s free of discrimination.” This already ensures that everyone is on the same page, as part of the community or as allies.

Did you have to face any challenges as an openly gay athlete?

For me, my biggest challenge was during high school, as I struggled to deal with bullying from other classmates. They would discriminate against me because the sports I practised, figure skating and ballet, were not commonly practised by boys. Thankfully, I pursued my sports career and moved to the national training centre at a young age, where I felt accepted, which in turn helped me reach my dream of becoming an Olympian. That’s why I believe that sport can be such a powerful tool, because for me it did change my life.

Who has been an ally to you during your career? 

My family, friends and coaches were all allies. There’s no doubt that I would have not become an athlete without my parents’ support. They supported me in many ways, including emotionally, whenever I struggled. I know I’m very lucky, because not everyone’s story as part of the LGBTQI+ community is the same. Not everyone can have their parents’ support to practise the sport they love, especially when the chosen sport doesn’t fit conventional stereotypes of a society one lives in.

Even beyond that, my parents were there every step of the way when I suffered bullying at school, intervening when necessary. They did everything they could to protect me from suffering and to enable me to continue figure skating and progressing in life. When I came out, I felt comfortable sharing with them who I was fully, as they had very openly educated both my brother and me to respect everyone and to accept each other.

The International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia was created in 2004 to draw attention to the violence and discrimination experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex people, and all of those with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities or expressions, and sex characteristics.

IOC Young Leaders Programme is contributing to Olympism 365 days a year

Launched in 2016, the IOC Young Leaders Programme empowers young people to leverage the power of sport to make a positive difference in their communities, and therefore contributes to the Olympism365 strategy aimed at strengthening the role of sport as an important enabler of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in direct response to the IOC’s Olympic Agenda 2020+5.

So far, with the support of the IOC, these inspiring young people have delivered over 140 sport-led projects in communities across the globe, promoting education and livelihoods, equality and inclusion, health, peace building and sustainability, directly benefitting more than 30,000 people. Learn more about the IOC Young Leaders Programme and the Olympism365 strategy.

Worldwide Olympic Partner Panasonic’s continued support

The IOC Young Leaders Programme has been supported by Worldwide Olympic and Paralympic Partner Panasonic since 2017, and this will continue through to 2024. Panasonic, as the programme’s founding partner, is committed to supporting the IOC Young Leaders through different initiatives, for example providing its creative and technological expertise, along with its network of influencers and ambassadors, to inspire the Young Leaders and equip them with the skills and tools they need to enhance their projects.

Find out more about Panasonic’s support for the programme.

WASHINGTON, May 17, 2023 /3BL Media/ – This week, SaverLife, a national fintech nonprofit and advocacy organization, announced a new research initiative called “The Downpour.” This initiative highlights the impacts of climate change on the financial health of individuals earning less than $50,000 per year. With support from the Wells Fargo Foundation, Saverlife will publish a series of reports that identify how individuals with low-to-moderate income are currently navigating climate-related events, as well as determine how well existing policies to mitigate climate change support them.

SaverLife reaches more than 600,000 members across the country working to achieve financial stability and build wealth. Through its financial technology platform, SaverLife provides members with financial content, savings rewards and incentives, online community support, and opportunities to engage with research efforts and policy work.

“Climate change is a major threat to the financial well-being of all Americans, but the impacts are disproportionately felt by those living paycheck to paycheck,” said Leigh Phillips, President and CEO of SaverLife. “If we are to ensure families can navigate both weather related disasters and the increasing chronic financial stressors associated with a warming planet, we must first understand how households are experiencing these challenges today and work together to design solutions that are inclusive of everyone.”

The initiative will leverage a panel of advisors from across the climate, community organizing, and financial health fields. Project advisors will include representation from organizations such as Inclusiv, NRDC, NEADA, the University of Michigan, and the Greenlining Institute. It will also generate actionable recommendations that the financial sector can use to better support low-to-moderate income households as they adapt to climate change.

“Wells Fargo is pleased to support financial health and resiliency in our communities through The Downpour initiative with our partners SaverLife,” said Robyn Luhning, chief sustainability officer at Wells Fargo. “This research will ultimately help our most vulnerable communities be more resilient when facing the impacts of climate change.”

SaverLife will publish the research on its website as it is released later this year. To learn more about this project, and to be notified of future research initiatives, sign up here.

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About SaverLife 
SaverLife is a 501(c)3 nonprofit on a mission to inspire, inform, and reward the millions of Americans who need help saving money. Through engaging technology, strategic partnerships, and effective public policy, we give working people the methods and motivation to take control of their financial future.

by BIANCA GONZALEZ

The COVID-19 pandemic dealt a heavy blow to small businesses, but a silver lining emerged amidst the shuttering of storefronts: a clearer understanding of the types of support small businesses need to survive, grow and compete in today’s digital economy.

While access to lending tends to top small-business owners’ list of challenges — and receive the most analysis — the pandemic shed light on other key types of support that build economic resilience among small businesses. We talked to researchers about two of those less obvious factors: strong networks and digital capacity.

The hidden role of “social capital”

The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) was the most notable federal support for small businesses to come out of the pandemic, but not all businesses benefited equally.

In the initial round of funding for PPP, 42% of loans went to small businesses with 10-499 employees — even though those businesses accounted for only 4% of all U.S. small businesses. These loans were risk-free, positive net-present-value, and forgivable. So why didn’t all small businesses take advantage of this opportunity?

One likely contributor was that micro-businesses with fewer than 10 employees were less likely to have an established relationship with a bank, and later phases of PPP targeted other lenders, including CDFIs, to reach a more diverse set of businesses. In addition to the role of banking relationships, however, economist Vojislav Maksmovic of the University of Maryland says there could also be another, more subtle, answer to the disparity.

He recently studied how social capital — essentially people’s network of relationships in the society they run in — impacted who seized the opportunity of PPP loans. By measuring the uptake in PPP loans, Maksmovic found that four measures of social capital — civic capital, social connections, local pride and trust of banks — explain 25% of the variation of PPP uptake at the zip code level.

Maksmovic views the pandemic-spawned PPP loans as a natural experiment, or a real-life version of the “helicopter drop” economic thought experiment, which considers how a community responds when everyone is given a sudden, one-time opportunity to obtain funds that seemingly “fell from the sky.”

“The government is giving everyone these loans — but who takes them?” asks Maksmovic. “There are big differences across the country as to who takes them — at a county level, zip code level, and even a little at the neighborhood census block level.”

While the PPP program has wrapped up, the study highlights the role of what some economists call civic capital: how engaged and collaborative residents, business owners, nonprofits and other community members contribute to the success of their community. Embracing inclusion, collaboration and a shared vision can have wide-reaching and economic effects for cities.

“Civic capital breaks away from this idea that one side wins and the other side loses,” Maksmovic says.

How going digital impacts local economies

We’ve long known that internet access is an equity issue, and cities ranging from NYC to Detroit to Colorado Springs have launched initiatives to bridge the digital divide. Small businesses with limited internet access and usage need to compete with those already taking advantage of online tools that increase discoverability, streamline communications, and collect data that can be used to inform business decisions.

“Putting digital tools into the hands of small business owners is critical for unlocking the full potential of today’s economy,” says Shamina Singh, president of the , whose program invests in digital capacity building. “Going digital can help small business owners gain timely insights to grow revenue, improve financial resilience, compete with larger businesses, and strengthen the economic foundation of the communities in which they operate.”

A recent study on digital economic activity and resilience for small and micro-businesses during COVID-19 illuminates just how website presence in a region affects not only businesses’ own resilience, but also that of the local economy as a whole. The study found that metropolitan areas “with higher concentrations of businesses with an online presence” saw “more positive economic perceptions and outcomes from April to December 2020.” The study was conducted by Karen Mossberger, a researcher and professor at Arizona State University, who argues that broadband use is a form of digital human capital. “Whether the community is online and connected makes a difference in terms of fostering an ecosystem of innovation,” she says.

The study mapped business website domains and broadband usage by zip code. Researchers were able to measure local economic impact using anonymized and aggregated commercial data on consumer spending and small business openings and revenue, as well as U.S. Census Bureau data. They found that lower-income areas had lower rates of internet use and that areas with a higher concentration of registered websites saw positive economic benefits. The presence of business websites in combination with broadband usage had an even more significant effect.

The pandemic underscored the importance of businesses having an online presence, and digital access will become increasingly advantageous. For instance, “technology can connect rural communities and tribal communities,” Mossberger says. “If someone has a niche business, you don’t have to rely on the neighborhood. You can get customers from around the country.”

Mosberger says developing digital skills and tools will become increasingly important for small business development programs. From the study: “Local economic development strategies often focus on attracting technology firms when considering the digital transformation of the economy; but addressing the digital needs of small business may be one path toward a more inclusive and equitable recovery for communities.”

Stepping into that gap is Strive USA, which aims to strengthen the ecosystem by enabling organizations that can support small businesses in accessing capital, growing their networks and know-how, and operating in a digital economy.

“The pandemic taught us a lot about what small businesses need to survive and thrive, and the opportunities that come with inclusive digital transformation,” Singh says. “Now, we need to bring together knowledge and assets from across financial services, non-profit, government, and technology sectors to deliver equitable solutions at scale.”

Continue reading .

May 17, 2023 /3BL Media/ – Sappi North America, Inc., a leading producer and supplier of diversified paper, packaging products and pulp, today released its 2022 Sustainability Report, highlighting its commitment to science-based targets in creating sustainable products and business practices. The company also secured the EcoVadis Platinum sustainability rating for the third year in a row, keeping Sappi at the top 1% of companies rated for sustainability.

In 2022, the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG) continued to play an integral role in shaping Sappi’s business practices. The UNSDGs not only provide a global benchmark for sustainability, but also help guide Sappi’s approach to new sustainable product development; achieve record-breaking employee safety; elevate diversity in senior management; collaborate with partners on forward-trending projects; and more.

“I am proud of Sappi North America’s ongoing commitment to sustainability,” said Mike Haws, President and CEO, Sappi North America. “During fiscal year 2022, we reached important milestones in employee safety, financial performance and sustainability. The hard work by all of our employees resulted in one of our company’s most successful years. This success allowed us to reduce debt, continue investing in our facilities and provide resources for the research and development of innovative and sustainable new processes and products.”

Sustainability Achievements

Highlights from the report include:

Significant strides in reducing emissions with science-based solutions: Sappi joined the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) in 2020, and its targets were officially approved by the organization in June 2022. These targets represent a key step in Sappi’s commitment to decarbonization transition across its manufacturing regions.Elevating women in senior management roles: For the second consecutive year, the company exceeded its goal and positioned 22% of women in senior management roles. Of note, Sappi hired Bakul Wadgaonkar as Director of Sustainability. Bakul comes to Sappi with many years of experience in environmental health and safety, sustainability, manufacturing and quality management at Apple, Bose Corporation and DSM Coating Resins.A milestone year in safety: In 2022, Sappi recorded its safest year ever. Through diligent efforts, employees and contractors collectively reduced the combined lost time injury frequency rate (LTIFR) from 0.34 in 2021 to 0.18 in 2022, equaling its best year ever for employees and second-best year when including contractors. Additionally, the lost time injury severity rate came down from 11.5 to 7.3.Driving local impact through forestry programs: Sappi has forest management programs in both Maine and the Upper Midwest that offer a wide range of services to landowners to help them manage their forests and ensure that harvests are sustainable – ultimately supporting the local circular economy.Launch of new products with clearly defined sustainability benefits: Inspired by the UNSDG 12, Sappi set a goal of creating and launching new products with defined sustainability benefits by 2025. In line with this goal, the company released Arrio™, a decorative laminate surface solution that delivers remarkable aesthetics, and will soon launch Proto Blister, a new board packaging grade for use in point-of-purchase product blister.Discovering new uses of texturing paper and film: Sappi, in collaboration with the University of Maine’s Dr. Caitlin Howell and the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, continued studying the use of Sappi’s Ultracast® texturing to build mass-manufactured, low-cost microfluidics that also have a low environmental impact.Overcoming supply chain woes, improved delivery rate and driving down emissions: Despite supply chain distributions at the ports and rail networks, Sappi shipped its products with an improved on-time delivery rate, from 90% in the first quarter to 96% in the fourth. Further, the company reduced emissions by 2% during the year while also reducing costs by collaborating with customers to change transport modes from truck to rail.

“As I reflect on the content of our 2022 sustainability report, I am reminded how central sustainability is to Sappi’s business strategy, which outlines, among other things, our role in building a more circular economy,” said Beth Cormier, Vice President of Research, Development and Sustainability, Sappi North America. “Our strong achievements, together with our high-quality products serving customer demand, allowed Sappi to meet or beat all of our 2022 sustainability goals.”

To read more of Sappi North America’s 2022 Sustainability Report and request a copy, please visit: https://www.sappi.com/sustainability-and-impact.

About Sappi North America, Inc.

Sappi North America, Inc., headquartered in Boston, is a market leader in converting wood fiber into superior products that customers demand worldwide. Our four diversified businesses – high-quality Graphic Papers, Dissolving Pulp, Packaging, and Specialty Papers deliver premium products and services with consistent quality and reliability. Our high-quality Coated Printing Papers are used for premium magazines, catalogs, books, direct mail and high-end print advertising. We are a leading manufacturer of Dissolving Pulp, which is used in a wide range of products, including textile fibers and household goods. We deliver sustainable Packaging and Specialty Papers for luxury packaging and folding carton applications with our single-ply packaging brands and for the food and label industries with our specialty papers. We are one of the world’s leading suppliers of Casting and Release Papers with lines for the automotive, fashion and engineered films industries.

Sappi North America is a subsidiary of Sappi Limited (JSE), a global company headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, with more than 12,000 employees and manufacturing operations on three continents in seven countries and customers in over 150 countries. www.sappi.com

Originally published on Rayonier.com

For years, Resource Land Manager Neris Biciunas puzzled over how to get rid of an invasive plant that was harming trees on Rayonier’s Washington land. Called Scotch Broom, it is difficult to spot and nearly invisible from the air, except for a small window of time each year when it blooms with bright yellow flowers.

Then Neris, who’s based in Forks, Washington, became one of Rayonier’s drone pilots. He flew his drone as soon as the Scotch Broom plants bloomed, collecting aerial photos so he could develop a precise map of the plant locations across miles of forestland. Once the plants were located, his team was able to develop a treatment plan to get rid of them.

There are countless success stories like this that show how drone flights are impacting Rayonier for the better. They’re used to take a quick initial look at a stand of trees, to monitor a contractor’s work, to more safely assess the devastation during and after a forest fire, and even to create 3-D images.

After a preliminary “pilot” team tested how the company could use drones in 2017, Rayonier saw the potential and launched the program nationwide, encouraging at least one forester in every U.S. location to get their FAA drone pilot’s license. There are currently 30 pilots on our U.S. team.

In New Zealand, our first employee pilots were trained in early 2018 after a couple years of working with contractors to test the impact of drones. Now we have a drone in each of the five regions in which we operate, with 15 trained pilots. The New Zealand team typically refers to their drones as UAVs, which stands for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.

“We have some clever, motivated people who are determined to leverage this technology—and technology in general—to do existing work better and, even more exciting, find new ways to do more than we could previously,” says Forest Information Manager Joanna Drabsch, who’s based out of Auckland, New Zealand.

A New Perspective

“A drone allows us to see something we wouldn’t have been able to see any other way. It’s a tool that gives us a whole new perspective,” says Technical Analyst Sara Bellchamber, a self-described gamer who organized the U.S. program.

Based in Wildlight, Florida, Sara says one way she uses her drone is to help Rayonier’s land resources team measure the depth of fill dirt pits using a program called Drone Deploy. The software uses images taken in a grid pattern and stitches them together into a 3-D image.

Sara says she has seen drones save costs, increase safety and save time throughout Rayonier’s ownership. In the South, for example, they minimize the gap in time between the harvest of a forest and the preparation of that forest for replanting during Florida’s hot summers.

“After a harvest, you’d normally have to fly a plane to estimate what it will take to prep the site [for replanting],” she explains. “In high summer, there’s a haze in the sky and planes can’t take clear photos through it. But drones can fly below the haze, getting us the imagery we need much sooner.”

While planes are still the preferred option for imagery collection, work doesn’t have to grind to a halt if a plane is not an option.

Working with Drones in the Forest

Blake McMichael and Dan Hildebrand, both Resource Land Managers based in Jesup, Georgia, use their drones when they’re in the field assessing forests.

“One of the best uses I’ve found is for site-specific management,” says Blake. “It helps me delineate where treatments are needed and where they’re not. It’s not replacing boots on the ground, it’s giving us a birds-eye view we’ve never had before.”

Eliminating Hours of Work

For Dan, who’s been a Rayonier forester for more than 30 years, his drone eliminates hours of work tromping through the forest to locate pre-commercial thinning candidates, trees with flaws such as forking that should be removed to make room for the optimal trees to grow.

When he first became a forester, “it used to be all boots on the ground,” Dan says. “But I’ve always been open to new possibilities.”

In hazardous conditions such as difficult terrain, drones can make a task much safer. Neris, the forester in Forks, used his drone to save himself from a long, cold walk to determine whether snowy roads would be drivable or not after a heavy snowstorm (they weren’t).

“It took me 10 minutes to do with a drone what would have taken me 2 hours to do on foot,” Neris says.

That sentiment is echoed by many drone pilots across many tasks: work can be done quickly, accurately and more safely by incorporating a drone.

“My favorite way to use the drone is by using the Maps Made Easy software to quickly map a large area in high definition, then be able to convert that to a file which can directly be transferred to our GIS system,” says Graduate Forester Patrick Dravitzki, who’s based in Whangarei, New Zealand. “This is great for doing harvest reconciliation mark ups as we get an accurate measurement of the area which has been harvested, then compare that with the volume recovered to get a volume recovered per-hectare.

“This also solved a problem, as previously we had to walk the perimeter with a GPS or hand draw on a map. This method is a lot safer, faster and accurate.”

Using Drones to Prepare for the Future

The drone pilots share files and tips with each other and come together for a regular cross-country phone call, hearing new ways fellow foresters have discovered to use their drones in the field and helping each other expand their skills. The team is continuously trying to prepare for what’s next: several of the pilots are even part of a Rayonier “super users group” tasked with staying on top of any future technological advances that could benefit the company.

Neris gives Rayonier leadership credit for supporting the program from the start.

“They were receptive, asked hard questions, listened thoughtfully, and let us check it out,” he says.

The result is a program that not only benefits Rayonier now (one forester said the information gleaned in a single flight saved more money than the cost of his drone), but it’s also positioning Rayonier for the future.

“Having a team of drone pilots, the infrastructure for the program, the experience and understanding how to use the data we’re collecting puts us in a very strong position for when the next development rolls along,” Neris says. “We’ll be ready.”

Small actions do add up.

In the six years since Dow launched its PullingOurWeight campaign, tens of thousands of colleagues, family members and stakeholder volunteers have collected more than 2.1 million pounds of waste from waterways to neighborhoods as part of the largest single-cause volunteer effort in the company’s history.

“It’s remarkable what has been accomplished,” said Justin Land, global citizenship program officer at Dow. “Through PullingOurWeight, we are catalyzing employee volunteerism, business partnerships and community connections to inspire a circular ecosystem through the removal, transformation and prevention of waste in the environment.”

Critical to the success of PullingOurWeight are the countless project leaders who serve as vital links between our employee volunteers and the community. Project leaders inspire, recruit and rally Team Dow volunteers, support the coordination of volunteer projects, and serve as champions for site participation. For example, for Earth Day, project leaders across Dow sites have organized more than 30 cleanup and collection events in April and an employee educational session about how a circular economy is a good path for people, businesses and the planet, among other activities.

Here’s a look at how Team Dow is inspiring people in communities across the globe to address waste in the environment and lead more sustainable lives.

Saudi Arabia

Partnering with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) and manufacturing partner Napco National, more than 300 volunteers removed waste alongside a highway. The goal is to construct a green road at KAUST using sustainable road material developed with plastic recycled from the waste collected. This initiative was designed to raise awareness around responsible waste management and creating plastics for a circular world.

Thailand

Team Dow joined forces with over 3,300 volunteers for International Coastal Cleanup Day to pick up more than 6,500 kilograms of garbage around the coastal area and put the recycling waste to use. In Bangkok, Dow colleagues also joined several other project partners to maximize reuse and recycling efforts by hosting a seminar and open house aimed at supporting waste sorting in households. Ideas were compiled into Koh Klang Waste Management Guidelines. Available in a free pocketbook and e-book, the guidelines offer a practical and sustainable approach to urban waste management.

United States

Dow volunteers in Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan and Texas are partnering with municipalities and nonprofits to keep waste, such as e-waste and hazardous materials, out of the environment through residential collection events and processing of collected items. Additionally, sites are joining forces with strategic business partners such as Kelly Services and Jacobs Solutions to engage and build connection with broader workforces.

May 17, 2023 /3BL Media/ – Campaigns that raised millions for Ukraine relief, inspired young people to learn about conflict mitigation and moved employees to cycle across the country for cancer research – all while building stronger businesses – were among the initiatives honored at the 21st annual Halo Awards.

Eighteen category-specific winners were selected out of more than 140 entries by Engage for Good at its annual conference in Atlanta, GA.

In addition, ESPN and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America each received a Golden Halo Award, Engage for Good’s highest honor, for their long records of achievement at the intersection of profit and purpose.

Case studies of each winning campaign and profiles of the Golden Halo Award winners can be found at http://engageforgood.com/halo-awards.

“This year’s winners reflect the tremendous diversity of causes and strategies that companies embrace to sustainably build a better world,” said Engage for Good President David Hessekiel. “It’s an honor to recognize programs that fight disease and hunger, support education and mental health, offer aid to those in Ukraine and so much more.”

A collaboration between Dunkin’ and the Dunkin’ Joy In Childhood Foundation, dubbed “2022 Iced Coffee Day,” was recognized as the “Best Of The Best,” an award presented by social impact agency For Momentum. In 2022, Dunkin’ franchisees united for a nationwide one-day charitable event, whereby one dollar from each iced coffee sold at participating outlets was given to the foundation. The initiative increased restaurant traffic and raised  $1.8 million, 100% of which was given to hospitals near Dunkin’ restaurants.

“I’m honored to present this year’s prestigious ‘Best Of The Best’ Halo Award to Dunkin’ and the Dunkin’ Joy In Childhood Foundation. This award shines a spotlight on their ‘2022 Iced Coffee Day’ campaign, where best-in-class strategy, franchisee participation and execution allowed them to raise $1.8 million for children’s hospitals nationwide in one day. They should feel incredibly proud of this special recognition. On behalf of For Momentum, I want to extend a heartfelt congratulations to the Dunkin’ team – we are thrilled to support your partnership success,” said Mollye Rhea, President and Founder of social impact agency For Momentum.

Please join us in congratulating this year’s Halo Award-winning campaigns:

Best Consumer-Activated Corporate Donation Initiative
Gold: 2022 Iced Coffee Day – Dunkin’ & Dunkin’ Joy In Childhood Foundation
Silver: Bringing Communities Together In Nature – Sun Outdoors & National Park Foundation

Best Consumer Donation Initiative
Gold: PetSmart + PetSmart Charities 10 Millionth Adoption Supported By Pet Parents – PetSmart & PetSmart Charities
Silver: JOANN and Susan G. Komen Integrated Partnership To Drive Point-Of-Sale Donations – JOANN & Susan G. Komen

Best Education Initiative
Gold: Subaru Loves Learning – Subaru Of America, Inc. & AdoptAClassroom.org
Silver: MLK Scholars Program – John Hancock

Best Emergency/Crisis Initiative
Gold: Stand With Ukraine All-for-Charity Initiative – Humble Bundle, Razom For Ukraine, International Rescue Committee, International Medical Corps & Direct Relief
Silver: PayPal’s Response To The Humanitarian Crisis In Ukraine – PayPal & Multiple Nonprofits

Best Employee Engagement Initiative
Gold: Employee Empowerment Thru Volunteering – FedEx & Operation Warm
Silver: Coast 2 Coast 4 Cancer – Bristol Myers Squibb & the V Foundation for Cancer Research

Best Health Initiative
Gold: Bloom: Growing Kids’ Mental Well-Being – Nationwide Foundation, Nationwide Children’s Hospital & On Our Sleeves
Silver: iHeart National Recovery Month – iHeartMedia & The Voices Project

Best JEDI Initiative
Gold: Leveling The Playing Field – U.S. Women’s National Team Players Association & Kiva
Silver: Nespresso x Ali Forney Center – Nespresso USA & The Ali Forney Center

Best Social Impact Video
Gold: Teen Tech Center “Mentor Moments” – Best Buy & The Best Buy Foundation
Silver: Peace Builders – Microsoft, Minecraft Education, Games For Change & The Nobel Peace Center

Best Social Service Initiative
Gold: ​​Meals With Meaning – HelloFresh & Partners
Silver: Lowe’s Hometowns – Lowe’s & Points of Light

Best Of The Best
2022 Iced Coffee Day – Dunkin’ & Dunkin’ Joy In Childhood Foundation

 

About Engage for Good
Engage for Good, producer of the Engage for Good conference and Halo Awards, is a professional development organization that helps corporate social impact leaders at businesses and nonprofits access the resources and community they need in order to build a better world and the bottom line. While best known for its annual conference and the Halo Awards, Engage for Good provides year-round resources, trainings and events to help corporate social impact professionals advance their careers, campaigns and organizations.  A wealth of information on cause marketing, corporate social impact programs and Engage for Good’s offerings can be found at http://www.engageforgood.com

Media Contact
Alli Murphy
Director, Events & Program Development
am@engageforgood.com

Over the years, thanks to united efforts by public health experts, doctors, government officials and advocates, the U.S. has made significant progress to promote mental health, increase availability to support services and reduce the stigma surrounding behavioral mental health issues.

As part of these efforts, since 1949, May has marked Mental Health Awareness Month in the U.S. It’s a time to raise awareness, reduce stigma and look to solutions and policies to support mental health issues. Notably, 1 in 5 U.S. adults grapple with mental illness, and the pandemic further thrust the need for solutions into the spotlight. The WELL Mind concept promotes mental health through policy, program and design strategies that seek to address the diverse factors that influence cognitive and emotional well-being.

IWBI sat down with Dr. Renee Christensen, our Mind concept lead, to discuss the intersection of mental health and the indoor spaces where we spend the vast majority of our time. With more than 20 years in the field, Dr. Christensen has also served as an instructor helping support Mental Health First Aid since 2017, a global training program focused on helping people identify, understand and respond to signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges.

Can you tell us a little bit about your background, including what led you to focus on the relationship between the built environment and mental health?
I have spent a majority of my career working in public and private mental health organizations. From the Department of Mental Health under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to regional Community Mental Health Centers, I witnessed many changes to how we understand mental health and the political landscape that affected mental health services, and my research background helped direct my path to focus on the impact of the built environment on mental health.

Deinstitutionalization, which began in the U.S. in the 1950s, coincided with a broader definition of mental health and the shift in the responsibility of services from the federal government to individual states. The converging factors combined to create an environment in which states had to scramble to develop a system of care which not only included proactive approaches that embraced a new definition of mental health but also provide intensive services for individuals with severe and persistent mental illnesses. What emerged from these circumstances was a new model that combined housing and care. My research has focused on how these new models provided the required supportive services. Through that research, I identified multiple elements in the built environment that could negatively affect a resident’s prognosis such as privacy, security of tenure, territoriality and institutional routines. For example, both of the studied residential facilities included communal areas shared by at least one other resident, so residents are forced to display all behavior publicly. Self-care happens as a public display. During meal-times, residents line up to receive their meals on trays and their daily activities revolve around medication times. These institutional practices interfere with the resident’s ability to engage in home-like activities, increase institutionalized behaviors and contribute to learned-helplessness.

How do you see the built environment impacting mental health, and what can we do to promote better mental health through design and policy?
Historically, there was not an imminent need to study the impact of the built environment on mental health because our ancestors did not spend as much time indoors as we do today–which is approximately 90% of our lives! However, as people are increasingly living in urban areas–and spending more time indoors–our built environment is having an even greater impact on our mental health. That being said, we still do not have a holistic understanding of the interaction between mental health and the built environment. We have been successful in identifying some environmental elements that impact our mental health, and progress has been made to incorporate that knowledge into how we design our buildings.

For example, we understand the benefits of spending time in natural environments, so we have worked to do more to incorporate biophilia into building design. Other human needs, such as connection, privacy and restoration continue to be areas that could be addressed more in how we design and operate our buildings. Understanding basic human needs and translating them into environmental design is a difficult task that requires a multidisciplinary approach. In addition, policies, which guide practices within the built environment, play a major role in how it supports mental health. My previous work in institutions illuminated how someone’s environment can provide opportunities, but organizational policies often play a stronger role governing the interaction between the building and the occupants. For instance, if an employer’s policy regarding breaks during work hours is inadequate, employees are not likely to engage in restorative activities.

Could you discuss some specific features of the WELL Mind concept, and how they work to promote mental health in buildings and spaces?
Restorative Spaces (M07) is a good example of how building design should be supported by policies to support mental health. The design of the restorative space provides occupants an opportunity to unwind and recharge; however, if policies interfere with the use of that space, then that could complicate the potential benefits. Mental Health Education (M04) is another good example of efforts to promote mental health through increasing awareness, revealing misconceptions, decreasing stigmatization and normalizing conversations regarding mental health issues.

In your opinion, what are some of the biggest challenges to overcome in order to create truly people-first, spaces that support mental health?
Historically, the cause of mental health conditions have been attributed to supernatural, genetic or hereditary factors. More recently, other social and cultural factors have been included. Technological advances have allowed researchers to measure the impact of the built environment on mental health. Emerging studies are linking environmental elements with neuroinflammation and damage to brain structures. Elevating studies like these, which indicate the impact of the built environment on mental health, is the biggest challenge. Creating spaces that promote mental health and well-being require intentional design strategies, which support a broad range of basic human needs.

IWBI’s 2023 State of Workforce Well-Being Poll, conducted by The Harris Poll, found more than half of full-time employees (54%) acknowledge that their mental or physical health could be negatively impacted by their physical work environment. How do you see the role of the workplace influencing mental health?
Most adults around the world spend a majority of their time ‘at work’ and, for many workspaces, efficiency or economy controls the design decision-making process. Often, too little effort is placed on understanding the needs of the people who were expected to be productive in these spaces. This status quo reigned for many decades. In a sign of progress, this poll illustrates that people understand the role of their workplaces in their ability to achieve their full potential. With increased awareness, I think people, more and more, will demand healthy work environments, or gravitate to employers that ensure healthy workplaces.

What advice do you have for building owners, developers, and designers who want to prioritize mental health in their projects? What steps can they take to create healthier spaces for everyone?
Providing healthy spaces should no longer be considered a ‘nice to have.’ Healthy spaces are not a luxury; healthy spaces are a basic human right. Building owners, developers and designers have a moral imperative to provide places, which at the bare minimum, do no harm to their occupants. WELL’s evidence-based features provide many strategies that contribute to the health and well-being of the people who spend time there and, holistically, they can provide environments in which people thrive, make positive contributions to their communities and create a more sustainable world.

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BOSTON, May 17, 2023 /3BL Media/ – Vanguard Renewables is proud to announce that CFE Seafoods, located in Auburndale, MA, is the latest New England food and beverage manufacturer to join the Farm Powered Sustainability Heroes Program (FPSH). The program aims to collaborate on eliminating food waste from landfills by recycling it into renewable energy on regional dairy farms via Farm Powered® anaerobic digestion. CFE Seafoods joins New England Natural Bakers, Fancypants Baking Co., and Sloop Brewing Co. in a shared mission to redirect food waste, fight climate change, and help to support dairy farmers across the region.

“We are thrilled to have CFE Seafoods join our Farm Powered Sustainability Heroes program,” stated Neil H. Smith, Chief Executive Officer, Vanguard Renewables. “With a long history of providing grocers and some of the top restaurants around the world with Saltfish, they are committed to the environment and community throughout their business verticals and are a great addition to our Farm Powered movement.”

For more than 50 years, CFE Seafoods has met the discriminating needs — and tastes — of some of the top restauranteurs and seafood grocers in the world. From salting cod following the traditional dry-salting technique to grilled salmon on cedar planks, their long seafaring heritage is a part of every seafood product they offer.

“As a leader in the salted fish industry we believe in sustainability at every level – from how we source our products to our manufacturing process,“ stated Justin McAloon, Director of Operations and Compliance, CFE Seafoods. “Joining the Farm Powered Sustainability Heroes Program is a natural extension of our company’s sustainability goals and we look forward to working with our peers in the food and beverage industry to do our part to help mitigate the climate crisis.”

CFE Seafoods credits their employees, the majority of whom have been with the company for more than 20 years, with their success. Each is deeply committed to fulfilling the Company’s mission to provide the industry’s highest quality salted fish products, along with outstanding customer service.

The FPSH program, launched in 2022, is a regional chapter of the Farm Powered Strategic Alliance (FPSA) for regional and single-location food and beverage manufacturers throughout New England who are dedicated to repurposing food and beverage waste into renewable energy. It is a pre-competitive collaboration to share best practices to the benefit of the environment. The FPSA was launched in 2020 with Vanguard Renewables, Dairy Farmers of America, Starbucks, and Unilever as founding partners. It has now grown to include more than 15 large food and beverage manufacturers.

Vanguard Renewables is dedicated to ensuring that all businesses in the food and beverage industry, regardless of size, can be a part of the Farm Powered movement to mitigate climate change.

About Vanguard Renewables

Vanguard Renewables, based in Weston, Massachusetts, is a national leader in developing food and dairy waste-to-renewable energy projects. The Company owns and operates on-farm anaerobic digester facilities in the northeast and currently operates manure-only digesters in the south and west for Dominion Energy. Vanguard Renewables plans to expand nationwide to more than 150 anaerobic digestion facilities by 2026. Vanguard Renewables is committed to advancing decarbonization by reducing greenhouse gas emissions from farms and food waste, generating renewable energy, and supporting regenerative agriculture on partner farms via Farm Powered® anaerobic digestion. Vanguard Renewables is a portfolio company of BlackRock Real Assets. To learn more visit www.vanguardrenewables.com

About CFE Seafoods

For the past 50 years, CFE Seafoods have met the discriminating needs — and tastes — of some of the top restauranteurs and seafood grocers in the world. From salting cod following the traditional dry-salting technique to grilled salmon on cedar planks, our long seafaring heritage is a part of every seafood product they offer. The company has expanded its offerings from the original Gaspé Cured™ Cod, they now offer three other popular brands: Cristobal® Salted Cod and Salted Pollock, Buena Ventura® Salted Pollock, BacalaRico® Salted Pollock, and Good Neighbor Seafood Co.®. To learn more about CFE Seafoods, visit www.cfeseafoods.com.