Tag: 3BL

To understand the future of corporate purpose, we need to look to the data. Kari guides you through the numbers, insights, and new trends revealed by CECP’s 2022 Giving in Numbers and Investing in Society reports. 

About Kari

Kari Niedfeldt-Thomas is the managing director of corporate insights & engagement for Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose (CECP). She leads some of the premiere studies into the current state and future of corporate purpose and philanthropy, including CECP’s annual “Giving in Numbers” reports.

More episodes packed with practical insight

To hear more from industry leaders – including Jen Carter of Google, Patricia Toothman of Splunk, Carmen Perez of Better Next, and Angela Parker of Realized Worth – on how to create blueprints for navigating a CSR career, building a social impact program, and adapting to changing times, visit Submittable’s Impact Studio. You’ll hear six episodes revealing a number of practical insights you can use in your mission.

Papa Johns recently released its Corporate Responsibility Highlights report, sharing progress on our People, Pizza, Planet framework and commitments. From pledging to donate 10 million meals to those in need over the next five years through a partnership between Papa Johns and The Papa John’s Foundation for Building Community, to partnering with our franchisees to award nearly $1.6 million to almost 180 organizations through the Foundation’s Building Community Fund grant program, in 2022 Papa Johns showed the world what it means to be “Better, Together.”

People:
Our top strategic priority as a company is to build a culture of leaders who believe in diversity, inclusivity and winning. All flavors are welcome at our table, where last year we gathered to celebrate milestones and recognitions such as:

Being named #1 pizza company on Forbes 2022 list of World’s Best Employers and the only pizza company featured on Forbes 2022 list of Best Employers for DiversityEarning a 100 percent score on Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index for the second consecutive yearExpanding Dough & Degrees, our fully funded tuition program, to team members working as few as 10 hours per week

Pizza:
Better Ingredients. Better Pizza.® isn’t just our tagline – it’s our promise. As part of our journey to Better in 2022, Papa Johns:

Invested more than $56 million with diverse and small suppliers across our value chainIntroduced oven-baked Papa Bowls, a crust-less option that combines pizza toppings, cheese and our signature sauces, the newest way we are meeting our customers’ wide range of dietary needs and preferencesDonated 190,000 meals to more than 200 community organizations through our Harvest Program, through which we donate incorrect or uncollected orders that would otherwise go to the landfill

Planet:
In our restaurants, Quality Control Centers, Corporate Hubs and fleet, last year we ramped up efforts to monitor and reduce our environmental impacts, including:

Diverting 197,000+ pounds of waste from landfills by reusing and recycling 65,000+ dough trays, avoiding the use of single-use packaging to deliver our fresh, never-frozen original doughIncrease transparency and reporting our Scope 1 and 2 emissions, an important step in our environmental journeyInvesting in an energy management system, installing smart thermostats and expanding our Shore Power Electric program, which uses electricity to refrigerate our delivery trucks during loading and unloading, which reduces diesel fuel consumption

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Media Contact: 
Harrison Sheffield
Senior Communications Manager
Papa John’s International
470-751-4483

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During Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day in March, Aramark employees organized a packed calendar of events to celebrate women across the company while finding ways to learn from, engage with, and inspire together.

Many of the efforts were led by Aramark’s employee resource group (ERG) EMPOWER, which works during the year to accelerate the advancement of women leaders throughout the company while advocating for women in the workplace and beyond.

Launched in 2011, EMPOWER now has more than 2,000 members around the world.

“In addition to being part of our overall Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion strategy, ERGs are a critical element in how we help our people grow. They offer professional development, mentorship, support, and more,” said Lauren Harrington, Senior Vice President and General Counsel at Aramark. “I am fortunate to serve as executive sponsor of EMPOWER and proud of all of the programming the highly engaged team put together to shine a light on and inspire women throughout our company.”

Kick-Off Celebration

EMPOWER kicked things off with a high-energy webinar March 6 that embraced the “Inspire Together!” theme.

Attended by more than 250 employees around the world, the webinar featured presentations from Harrington and EMPOWER ERG leads, along with a keynote address by Chef Grace Ramirez, an Aramark partner.

Chef Ramirez is a highly respected culinarian, philanthropic activist, author, television personality, and an ambassador of Latin food culture who continuously uses her skills to bring people together.

Chef Ramirez offered some advice for women just entering the culinary field.

“You have to absolutely love the culinary industry. Being in hospitality, it’s hard. There are long hours. But being able to serve others joyfully is the most gratifying feeling,” said Chef Ramirez.

Chef Ramirez, who volunteers for World Central Kitchen, among other charitable endeavors, said she draws strength from mentoring others and working within the community.

“It’s what keeps me going,” she said. “When I’ve been at low points and had the least, I have taken those opportunities to give back to the community, and that’s when I got the most in return. It is humbling and helps keep me grounded.

Chef Ramirez went on to offer more advice to participants: “Always leave the room better than you found it. If it’s a dish, learn to make it a little better every day. Make your space your own—as if it’s your home—and ask questions. You don’t have to know all the answers.”

Also during the webinar, EMPOWER teamed up with members of the PRIDE and IMPACTO ERGs to host a presentation on intersectionality and how social categories like race, class, sexual orientation, and gender can affect how people are perceived and treated in the continued fight for equality.

International Women’s Day

March 8th has been designated by the United Nations as International Women’s Day, a day to celebrate the achievements of women and to address inequality around the globe.

To commemorate the day, Aramark dropped the latest episode of the Mark This! podcast highlighting exceptional Aramark leaders who happen to be women.

In the podcast, Barbara Flanagan, President and CEO of Aramark Student Nutrition, and Brisbane Vaillancourt, Regional Vice President, Aramark Collegiate Hospitality, shared insights about their leadership paths, vision, and motivation in a celebration of trailblazing women.

Women’s Foodservice Forum

The annual, industry-wide Women’s Foodservice Forum (WFF) Leadership Conference took place in Dallas, Texas, March 12-14, at which more than 130 Aramark team members participated either in person or virtually in sessions that were designed to develop women leaders and provide connection, growth, and inspiration.

EMPOWER Leadership Panel and Networking Event

Aramark’s EMPOWER ERG hosted a leadership panel discussion and networking opportunity March 13th.

Moderated by Flanagan, panelists included Abigail Charpentier, Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, Aramark; Shannon Heard, Regional Vice President, Aramark Healthcare+; Octavia Matthews, Vice President of Operations – Southeast Region, Aramark Facilities Management; and Amy Mellides, Senior Vice President of Finance, Aramark.

The panel and audience focused on digging deeper into what inspires them, discussing how they handled setbacks, how they’ve grown personally and professionally, and offered ideas to drive career advancement, maintain motivation, and meet the demands of—and thrive in—their personal and personal and professional lives. The audience submitted questions through a QR code during the panel.

Community of Interest Session: LGBTQ+

Also on March 13th, Shenelle Brooks, Aramark DEI Manager, participated as a panelist on one of WFF’s Community of Interest sessions. During the discussion, she spoke to the challenges and needs of the LGBTQ+ community and shared with audience members ways to be an ally to LGBTQ+ colleagues to create a more inclusive and welcoming work environment.

WFF Change Makers Award

One of the highlights of the WFF Leadership Conference each year is the presentation of the Change Maker Awards.

The WFF Change Makers program helps build a strong pipeline of women leaders eager to propel their personal career advancement and champion the professional growth of others in the foodservice industry.

Congratulations to May Limbach, Brand Marketing Director, Aramark Convenience Retail, who was one of 50 people to be recognized as a 2023 Change Maker.

“It’s an incredible recognition for all the work over the past few years, but also it’s a jumping-off point for me because I recognize that so much more work has to be done,” said Limbach, who is also co-chair of Aramark EMPOWER. “So many people have been integral in helping me along the way—and I’m determined and motivated with my work and in my life to mentor others and to fan the flame I have inside me.”

EMPOWER Hour: Influencing with Impact

Aramark ERGs have regional centers—called Hubs—around the world where employees gather to organize and activate their Hub’s local interests and members.

EMPOWER’s newest Hub, Florida’s Sunshine Hub, engaged members by hosting their first EMPOWER Hour, a dynamic and exciting webinar on “Influencing with Impact” on March 21st. They also held a live watch party at the University of South Florida.

Mark Walker, Vice President, Convenience Retail, Aramark, opened the session by sharing a personal story about why he is involved in EMPOWER.

“One evening, my 9-year-old daughter stunned me by declaring, ‘All the bosses are men! You know, dad, like you and your boss, Chris Hackem [President of Aramark Education at the time.]’ Mady didn’t realize Chris Hackem was a woman,” recounted Walker.

The next week, Walker took Mady on a business trip to Aramark’s headquarters.

“She was able to meet many of the remarkable women I work with and report to,” said Walker. “She was impressed and inspired! I think I learned more that week than she did—and that’s why I am so excited to be part of EMPOWER. As a leader and a dad, I don’t have all the answers. But I believe that identifying and discussing concerns, and working together, is a great place to start.”

Also on the call were representatives from Feeding Tampa Bay and Dress for Success Tampa Bay, who shared stories about the impact the Sunshine Hub has had in the community.

Nourish the Body + EMPOWER Award Winners

To close out Women’s History Month, EMPOWER held a webinar March 29th. Members from EMPOWER and the Dietitian-led NOURISH ERG co-hosted a powerful discussion on diet culture and finding ways to balance health and wellness, entitled Nourish the Body.

Participants explored what it means to be an intuitive eater, were introduced to the principles of Health at Every Size® (HAES), and learned about diet myths fabricated by the wellness industry.

Following the discussion, EMPOWER held their annual awards ceremony recognizing women leaders for their work in the ERG and their commitment to driving diversity, equity, and inclusion among ERG members and beyond.

Congratulations to the following winners of the 2023 EMPOWER Awards!

Katie Beattie, Senior Marketing Manager, Sports + Entertainment, won the Workplace Impact Award for delivering sustainable impact to the organization through powerful programming, development of others, and taking initiative to bring innovative solutions to support women at Aramark.Virlene Tyler, IT Portfolio Manager, Facilities was recognized with the Workforce Ally Award, for going above and beyond to engage various stakeholders and groups to support EMPOWER and ongoing DEI Initiatives to make Aramark a more diverse and inclusive workplace.Emily Mellon, Data Management Analyst, Global Supply Chain and Procurement, winner of the Marketplace Service Award, was recognized for their role as a community leader. Mellon exemplifies dedication, integrity and honorable service to their local community, suppliers, colleagues, and clients of Aramark.UK/Ireland Hub won the Hub of the Year Award for delivering EMPOWER’s mission to the workplace, workforce, and marketplace in which they serve.

Thonie Borowiak, Senior Director of Growth, Harvest Table, and Co-Chair of EMPOWER’s Sunshine Hub, was recognized with the EMPOWER Leadership Award for achieving extraordinary outcomes related to empowering others through leadership development, mentoring, networking, community outreach—and for exemplifying the very best of the EMPOWER ERG.

 

More About Aramark ERGs

Through a growing network of ERGs, Aramark is giving voice to the diverse communities that make up its workforce and help create a more inclusive workplace.

Find out more about Aramark ERGs and their impact.

 Josette Gbemudu is motivated to ensure everyone has the chance to be as healthy as possible.

As an executive director of health equity and social determinants of health for Merck, Gbemudu draws on her health policy and public health backgrounds — and her strong moral compass and lived experience.

“I grew up in Nigeria and witnessed the health care and public health system crumble,” she said. “Populations that were already underserved faced even further barriers to care.”

She takes pride in giving a voice to those who may not traditionally have had a seat at the table.

“The work we do is very exciting and important — it’s challenging, it’s not easy, there’s a lot you have to do to navigate — but it’s all fulfilling,” she said.

A ‘first mover’

Gbemudu is the first person from Merck to participate in the Aspen Institute’s First Movers Fellowship program.

The program equips leaders across industries to be intrapreneurs, meaning they work to advance societal value while also positioning their companies for sustained success.

“The global community is increasingly asking, and frankly, requiring, organizations to have a clear position around what they are doing to tackle the world’s most pressing and imminent challenges.”
— Josette Gbemudu

“This fellowship has provided a tremendous opportunity to home in on what it takes to be a corporate social intrapreneur, and how to incorporate that intrapreneurial drive and mentality into my day-to-day,” Gbemudu said.

At the nexus of health equity

Fellows are challenged to lead change and create new opportunities within their business to help redefine how business is done and how success is measured. At Merck, Gbemudu and her colleagues are developing and implementing company-wide strategies to help close gaps in care for underserved populations.

“It’s fantastic to be at the nexus of the efforts to embed a health equity mindset across our core business strategies and functions,” Gbemudu said. “Big problems won’t be solved overnight. But historically, we’ve risen to the challenge in addressing a lot of pressing public health issues. It’s interwoven into our DNA.”

Learn more about Merck’s Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) approach by visiting merck.com/company-overview/esg.

View original content here.

In this episode of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition’s Drivers of Change podcast, we speak to Baptiste Carriere-Pradal, Founder and Director of 2B Policy, and Chair of Policy Hub, about the recent publication of the Substantiating Green Claims Directive from the EU Commission. We talk about the ambition of the Directive, what companies can do and where the Directive may have come up short, as well as what needs to happen next.

Listen to the podcast, titled The EU Commission & the Green Claims Directive on the SAC website. To read our full statement, check out this page.

NEW YORK, April 6, 2023 /3BL Media/ – Common Impact, a leader in skills-based volunteering, will host its flagship event, Skills for Cities, on April 20. This signature event will bring together Texas-based nonprofits working to further social equity with volunteers from leading corporations to find ways to solve their most critical capacity-building challenges.

Texas is home to an exciting growing hub of nonprofit innovators, social entrepreneurs, and community builders fighting for social equity. However, like many nonprofits nationwide, they lack the resources and tools to build these capacities needed to deliver on their missions. On average, nonprofits spend less than 10% on essential infrastructure like finance, human resources, technology, strategy, and marketing, while corporations tend to spend double or even triple this amount.

Skills for Cities is an opportunity to utilize cross-sector collaboration to address pressing capacity changes faced by nonprofit organizations. This signature skills-based volunteering event will join dozens of volunteers from companies across sectors, with large and growing footprints in the region, such as PayPal, Ameriprise, Truist, Wayfair, and PIMCO, with the leaders of several nonprofits, for an intensive, one-day virtual flash consulting event.

“Common Impact has done tremendous work with our skills-based volunteering initiatives, which has helped to build strong cross-sector partnerships and create lasting impacts in communities across the country. We are very excited to bring our signature event, Skills for Cities, to Texas, a region that is seeing a new wave of innovation in entrepreneurship and technology,” said Leila Saad, CEO of Common Impact. “Our event will aim to apply this wealth of corporate knowledge, skills, and enthusiasm to help advance the remarkable efforts these key nonprofits have made to advance social equity throughout the state and beyond.”

Four nonprofits with mission areas focused on social equity and community improvement will participate, including Inclusive Communities Project, Austin Recovery Network, Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston, and Financial Health Pathways. Teams of volunteers across companies will work together with nonprofit leaders on initiatives that will help improve website usability and boost audience engagement; develop financial visualizations to help with program planning and grant pitching initiatives; create a framework for a holistic employee wellness plan; and identify best strategic growth and expansion practices.

Skills for Cities will also feature a special Community Conversation with local Texas nonprofit leader Zion Escobar, the first Executive Director of the Houston Freedmen’s Town Conservancy, which aims to preserve and protect Freedmen’s Town for future generations. Zion will discuss what the past, present, and future can teach you about equitable development and partnerships.

Nonprofits and corporate volunteers have noted the transformational impact of Skills for Cities events on their team members, organizations, and communities. Nonprofits have benefitted by learning new strategies and approaches to serve their communities better. Corporate volunteers have been able to grow their professional skills and gain a better understanding of the nonprofit sector. More details on Skills for Cities results can be found in the most recent report here.

For more information on Skills for Cities, please visit Common Impact’s site here.

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About Common Impact 
Common Impact is a national nonprofit that works to build a society in which individuals and businesses invest their unique talents towards a shared purpose: strengthening the local communities in which we live and work. Founded in 2000, Common Impact has partnered with Fortune 500 companies and hundreds of the country’s leading nonprofit organizations to create transformational change through skills-based volunteering. Learn more about Common Impact’s services, impact, and clients.

Media Contacts 
Chris Sullivan/Rosa Sobrino 
Craft and Capital  
rosa@craftandcapital.com 
+1 (212) 473-4442 

Originally published by Southern Company

April 6, 2023 /3BL Media/ – TOUR Championship officials announced a record $5.5 million charitable donation from the 2022 tournament, up from $3.7 million in 2021. The announcement was made during Atlanta Land Trust’s groundbreaking for The Trust at East Lake, a 40-townhome development that is being aided by the TOUR Championship’s charitable donation and will provide permanently affordable homeownership for East Lake residents beginning in the fall of 2025.

With the support of its Proud Partners Coca-Cola, Southern Company and Accenture, the TOUR Championship has now raised more than $48 million for local nonprofits since the event was first staged at East Lake Golf Club in 1998, including its five charitable beneficiaries: East Lake Foundation, Focused Community Strategies, Grove Park Foundation, Purpose Built Schools Atlanta and First Tee – Metro Atlanta.

“To be in a position each year to further invest in our local community through the TOUR Championship is a testament to the commitment of our incredible partners, the local business community and our loyal fans,” said TOUR Championship Executive Director Alex Urban. “Charitable giving is at the heart of what we do at the PGA TOUR and here at the TOUR Championship; to be able to give back in this manner is what it’s all about. And without the support of so many people, we would be unable to make such a positive and tangible impact in East Lake and across the Greater Atlanta Metro area. Today’s groundbreaking with the Atlanta Land Trust is just one example of how we’re helping those in our community who need it most.”

The East Lake Foundation, with the support of the TOUR Championship, is a philanthropic partner of The Trust at East Lake project, which will help further the Foundation’s efforts to expand affordable housing availability in the East Lake community and empower families to pursue economic vitality for themselves and future generations through affordable homeownership.

”The generous charitable contribution from the 2022 TOUR Championship has allowed us to close the remaining gap in our fundraising commitment to the Atlanta Land Trust,” said Ilham Askia, President and CEO, East Lake Foundation. We’re thrilled that the CF Foundation’s donation of the land and the East Lake Foundation’s support has enabled the Atlanta Land Trust to offer all 40 townhomes at an affordable price for families looking to purchase a home in East Lake.”

The TOUR Championship will also continue its support of First Tee – Metro Atlanta and the annual “HOPE Tee Shot,” a tournament tradition that selects one boy and one girl from First Tee – Metro Atlanta to hit the opening tee shots at the tournament. In 2022, the TOUR Championship announced the creation of the HOPE Shot Scholarship, which is funded by Accenture and provides $5,000 for each HOPE Tee Shot honoree to help achieve their dreams in golf and in life.

In addition to the 2022 tournament’s $5.5 million charitable total, the event raised $1.385 million through the TOUR Championship Charity Challenge – a nine-hole exhibition staged on the eve of the 2022 TOUR Championship – that featured former NFL wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald; former Atlanta Braves pitcher Tom Glavine; former Atlanta Braves outfielder Andruw Jones; and 2022 Payne Stewart Award recipient Billy Andrade. The match, which was broadcast live on GOLF Channel, was supported through the efforts of Coca-Cola, Southern Company, and Accenture, along with several Atlanta-based corporations.

The 2023 TOUR Championship returns to East Lake Golf Club, August 23-27. Tickets are now on sale at TOURChampionship.com/tickets.

For more information about the TOUR Championship, please visit TOURChampionship.com. Fans are encouraged to follow the TOUR Championship on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for tournament updates.

About the TOUR Championship

The TOUR Championship is the culmination of the PGA TOUR season and the FedExCup Playoffs where the TOUR’s top 30 global stars compete for the sport’s ultimate prize, the FedExCup. Since their inception, the Playoffs have concluded in Atlanta at East Lake Golf Club, which has an undeniable aura and historical significance as the place where the legendary career of Bobby Jones was born. The 2023 tournament will be played Aug. 23-27. The tournament has raised more than $42 million in charitable funds since 1998 and proudly supports the East Lake Foundation; Focused Community Strategies; the Grove Park Foundation; Purpose Built Schools Atlanta; and First Tee – Metro Atlanta. Accenture, The Coca-Cola Company and Southern Company are the exclusive Proud Partners of the TOUR Championship.

About Accenture 
Accenture is a leading global professional services company that helps the world’s leading businesses, governments and other organizations build their digital core, optimize their operations, accelerate revenue growth and enhance citizen services—creating tangible value at speed and scale. We are a talent and innovation led company with 738,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Technology is at the core of change today, and we are one of the world’s leaders in helping drive that change, with strong ecosystem relationships. We combine our strength in technology with unmatched industry experience, functional expertise and global delivery capability. We are uniquely able to deliver tangible outcomes because of our broad range of services, solutions and assets across Strategy & Consulting, Technology, Operations, Industry X and Accenture Song. These capabilities, together with our culture of shared success and commitment to creating 360° value, enable us to help our clients succeed and build trusted, lasting relationships. We measure our success by the 360° value we create for our clients, each other, our shareholders, partners and communities. Visit us at www.accenture.com.

About The Coca-Cola Company

The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world’s largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands and nearly 3,900 beverage choices. Led by Coca-Cola, one of the world’s most valuable and recognizable brands, our company’s portfolio features 21 billion-dollar brands, 19 of which are available in reduced-, low- or no-calorie options. These brands include Diet Coke, Coca-Cola Zero, Fanta, Sprite, Dasani, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply, Del Valle, Georgia and Gold Peak. Through the world’s largest beverage distribution system, we are the No. 1 provider of both sparkling and still beverages. More than 1.9 billion servings of our beverages are enjoyed by consumers in more than 200 countries each day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. Together with our bottling partners, we rank among the world’s top 10 private employers with more than 700,000 system associates. For more information, visit Coca-Cola Journey at www.coca-colacompany.com, follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/CocaColaCo, visit our blog, Coca-Cola Unbottled, at www.coca-colablog.com or find us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/the-coca-cola-company.

About Southern Company

Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is a leading energy provider serving 9 million residential and commercial customers across the Southeast and beyond through its family of companies. Providing clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy with excellent service is our mission. The company has electric operating companies in three states, natural gas distribution companies in four states, a competitive generation company, a leading distributed energy distribution company with national capabilities, a fiber optics network and telecommunications services. Through an industry-leading commitment to innovation, resilience and sustainability, we are taking action to meet customers’ and communities’ needs while advancing our goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Our uncompromising values ensure we put the needs of those we serve at the center of everything we do and are the key to our sustained success. We are transforming energy into economic, environmental and social progress for tomorrow. Our corporate culture and hiring practices have earned the company national awards and recognition from numerous organizations, including Forbes, The Military Times, DiversityInc, Black Enterprise, J.D. Power, Fortune, Human Rights Campaign and more. To learn more, visit www.southerncompany.com.

New capabilities include personalized patient access to Quest’s national network of 2,100 patient service centers and 5,000 mobile and at-home phlebotomists, to support patient-compliant pre- and post-transplant testing and nationwide access, regardless of surgical center location

SECAUCUS, N.J., April 6, 2023 /3BL Media/ – Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX), the nation’s leading provider of diagnostic information services, unveiled a comprehensive suite of advanced diagnostics and support services designed to broaden access to laboratory tests for transplanting solid organ, human cells and tissue.

Quest Advanced® Specialized Transplant Services features a comprehensive menu of over 170 specialized transplant and infectious disease tests, longitudinal trends analysis of test results in the physician’s electronic medical record (EMR), and round-the-clock support services that include medical consultation to ensure appropriate test selection and results interpretation affecting care.

The specialized services are available to recipients and living donors across the United States (excluding Alaska and Hawaii), broadening access for candidates for transplant and their donors. While living donors and recipients commonly travel long distances for transplant surgery at a specialized center, access to specialized pre- and post-testing and results reporting may be absent in their local community, potentially impeding living donation and a successful long-term outcome for recipients.

To address these limitations, the new services expand on Quest’s prior offering in transplant testing with new capabilities, including:

New patient-customized information packets to help educate patients on the process and help Quest’s phlebotomists fast-track testing–for results within 8-24 hours for some tests–for patients visiting one of Quest’s 2,100 patient service centers.The option for at-home specimen collection from one of 5,000 mobile phlebotomists through ExamOne, a Quest Diagnostics company, for both transplant recipients and living donors.Apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1) Renal Risk Variant Genotyping, an advanced genetic test to help evaluate kidney disease risk for donors.Longitudinal tracking of viral loads test results according to specimen type within the EMR.

“Access to fast and convenient transplant testing services is so vital for these vulnerable patient populations,” said Elizabeth A. Cohen, PharmD, BCPS, Clinical Pharmacist and Manager of Transplant Quality, Compliance & Research at Yale New Haven Hospital in New Haven, Conn., which has piloted the Quest offering. “Creating a better transplant testing journey means that we can meet the patients where they are and show that we are invested in their care. Given the barriers to testing we know some patients experience, working with Quest has expanded access through its national scale and improved the level of care we have been able to provide, to help us serve that mission.”

Organ and tissue transplantation requires a battery of tests to identify infectious diseases in donors and recipients, determine match compatibility, such as through human leukocyte antigen (HLA) typing, monitor transplant therapy response and identify rejection. As certain transplant therapies may suppress the immune system, testing is also crucial to identify pathogens to help prevent transmission from a donor. Transplant recipients can undergo as many as 500 tests over the course of their lifetime, while living donors may also receive several tests before and after a donation.

Enabling the Growth of Living Donation
In 2021, over 6,500 transplants were performed in 2021 from living donors – an increase of 14.2 percent over 2020.1 Medical advances and less restrictive medical guidelines have opened opportunities for more individuals, including those diagnosed with hepatitis C or HIV, to act as living donors (for transplant recipients already infected).

Transplants from living donors versus cadavers are associated with more favorable outcomes, including lower risk of complications and shorter hospital stays post-surgery, and associated cost savings.

“Our transplant solutions draw from Quest’s differentiated strengths in advanced diagnostics, specialized service and nationwide patient access to address a pressing clinical need for accessible, expert testing in the growing field of transplantation,” said Karthik Kuppusamy, Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Clinical Solutions, Quest Diagnostics. “In collaboration with Quest, transplant centers, hospital health systems and other providers can ensure living donors, recipients and care teams can access the advanced and personalized transplant diagnostics they need, even if the center performing the transplant surgery is many miles away. With greater access, more people can come together to potentially save lives.”

A record-breaking 41,000+ transplants were performed nationwide in 2021, more than doubling the rate from 25 years ago.2

For more information, please visit Quest Advanced® Specialized Transplant Services.

About Quest Diagnostics
Quest Diagnostics empowers people to take action to improve health outcomes. Derived from the world’s largest database of clinical lab results, Quest’s diagnostic insights reveal new avenues to identify and treat disease, inspire healthy behaviors, and improve health care management. Quest Diagnostics annually serves one in three adult Americans and half the physicians and hospitals in the United States, and our nearly 50,000 employees understand that, in the right hands and with the right context, our diagnostic insights can inspire actions that transform lives. www.QuestDiagnostics.com.

1 All-time records again set in 2021 for organ transplants, organ donation from deceased donors – OPTN (hrsa.gov)
2 U.S. reaches historic milestone of 1 million organ transplants – The Organ Donation and Transplantation Alliance (organdonationalliance.org)

Originally published by Ericsson

Welcome to the latest edition of our Diversity & Inclusion News Round Up. Today we are talking about a new workplace survey looking at flexibility, the importance of psychological safety, ethnic profiling in the Netherlands, and a new STEM educational series.

Well being

Future Forum, a consortium founded by tech company Slack, just released the results from its latest workplace survey, and mental and physical exhaustion are at an all-time high. Insightful findings, especially about the benefits of flexibility!

Psychological safety

Very interesting HBR article about psychological safety, why it is so important and how we can create it in our work environments.

Ethnic profiling

A Dutch appeal court has now prohibited the Netherland’s military police to use ethnic profiling at the borders, saying it was a particularly serious form of discrimination. Read more here.

Girls in STEM

Representation matters! The number of women graduating in STEM is small, and even smaller for women of colour. Well-known STEM organizations Black Girls CODE and GoldieBlox have now launched CODE Along, a free educational series hosted by Black women.

For Global Recycling Day this year, P&G brands, suppliers and partners continue to collaborate on a range of sustainable solutions so that more material, including plastic, is collected, recycled and reused.

Global plastic production has doubled over the past 20 years, and global consumption has quadrupled over the past 30 years. But what if more packages are recycled, keeping items in use? That advances a circular system where materials have lasting use instead of becoming waste. At P&G, we believe we can help unlock more worth from the materials we use every day, long after their first use.

Partnering for Progress 
For almost 10 years, P&G has been partnering with a US-based NGO, The Recycling Partnership, to help advance a circular economy by building a better recycling system. Packaging is made of different types of materials, and not all of them can be recycled together. P&G is working with experts at The Recycling Partnership to recycle more types of material, improve collection with more access to recycling and increase amounts of recycled content. And with programs like The Recycling Inclusion Fund, we are helping provide equal access to recycling services and education to improve collection rates.

Did you know many of your kitchen, bathroom, and laundry packages can be recycled? Simply check the recycling instructions on the packaging.

Your recycling adds up and…

becomes new things.protects natural resources and reduces wastebenefits future generationsreduces litter and keeps communities clean

TIP: Keep a recycling bin next to each trash can.

Our History with The Recycling Partnership

2014 — P&G becomes an early member of The Partnership.2017 — P&G contributes to outreach campaign, along with Ohio EPA, to work on infrastructure, optimization and education project with many Ohio communities and Materials Recovery Facilities.2019 — P&G is an early supporter of The Recycling Partnership’s Film and Flexibles Task Force, which ultimately became Film and Flexibles Recycling Coalition. P&G remains a steering committee supporter of the Coalition to date.2021 — P&G makes a two year commitment to support the Recycling Inclusion Fund to provide grants to improve recycling infrastructure and education, offer training and leadership through its Fellowship Through Partnership program and research the challenges that prevent a more equitable recycling system.2021 — P&G joins the Polypropylene Recycling Coalition. Polypropylene plastic (#5) is used in many deodorant packages and bottle caps. These coalitions help improve collection, sorting and recycling of polypropylene.2022 — P&G is a founding steering committee member of the PET Recycling Coalition. P&G uses PET plastic (#1) — Polyethylene Terephthalate — in many packages in our Beauty and Oral Care business.

For more information about our packaging and waste sustainability program, progress and goals, please visit our 2022 Citizenship Report Environmental Sustainability section.