Tag: 3BL

Energized by Edison

When Paul Chhay puts on his hard hat each day, he is reminded of the lineman who took the time to introduce him to a long, rewarding career. Chhay had been a meter reader at Southern California Edison for six months when he became intrigued about how linemen help keep the lights on.

Lineman Craig Blair took Chhay to SCE’s pole yard behind the Westminster Service Center and showed him how to climb poles. That’s when Chhay knew he had found his calling. “Craig took the time to show me the ropes. I didn’t have a hard hat, so he let me use his,” Chhay said. “After two weeks of training, he told me to keep the hard hat. That’s the one I still wear to this day.”

Chhay says he has encountered few Asian Pacific Islanders in this line of work. “It’s a trade that wasn’t really shown to us growing up in our culture. It’s usually passed on by relatives, like a father, grandfather or uncle,” said Chhay, who is Cambodian American. He hopes that through Edison International’s Lineworker Scholarship, more diverse candidates will pursue a career at SCE.

“If you like to work in the elements, work outdoors and feel a sense of pride in your work, I highly recommend giving it a shot,” he said.

Edison International is now accepting applications for the 2023 Lineworker Scholarship Program, in partnership with IBEW Local 47, to provide opportunities for people from underrepresented communities. The program launched in 2021, focusing on attracting Black participants for the first two years. So far, five scholarship recipients have been hired by SCE as groundmen. This year, the focus has been expanded to attract Asian Pacific Islander, Native American or female candidates.

“We are inspired by what our scholars have accomplished and proud that some of them have already been hired at Southern California Edison,” said Heather Rivard, SCE’s senior vice president of Transmission & Distribution. “Expanding the eligibility criteria will continue to increase representation in the lineworker skilled trade and build a workforce that reflects the communities and companies we serve.”

Nicole Taylor was working in a chiropractor’s office in El Segundo while participating in an apprenticeship readiness program, which is how she learned about the Edison scholarship. Today, Taylor is a lineworker scholarship recipient attending the Powerline Mechanic Training course at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College.

“There are mental barriers you have to go through during training. The encouragement and camaraderie through group climbing sessions or a simple group text has been helpful,” she said.

The scholarship program is funded by Edison International shareholders and IBEW Local 47, awarding up to $25,000 per recipient. The scholarship program provides tuition, tools and support services needed to complete required training at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College. Program graduates will be eligible to qualify for a job at SCE as a groundman.

“My advice to women considering applying is to ensure your body strength is on point. Get in shape, both mentally and physically,” said Taylor. “At the end of the day, when I take off my pole climbing gaffs, I think it is getting easier every time. There is fear, yet it can be conquered.”

To apply and obtain additional eligibility information, visit edison.com/lineworkerscholarship. The deadline to apply is May 5.

March 21, 2023 /3BL Media/ – The latest report from Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which lays out the current and growing impacts of the global climate crisis, is “devastating and harrowing—and yet it holds out hope,” said Ceres CEO and President Mindy Lubber.

“The sobering takeaway of the report is that we are headed to exceed 1.5 degrees of global warming within the next decade. However, the world’s leading scientists also tell us in the same report that we have the power to avert more catastrophic damage,” added Lubber. “Taking bold action right now could result in transformational change essential for a more stable climate and water-secure future. The next few years will determine if we can achieve this future and every major investor, company, and policymaker has a profound role to play.”

The report dramatically underscores the negative effect the climate crisis continues to have on our economic and national security, and the clear urgency for financial, technological and governmental coordination to spur meaningful change. It points out that embracing deep, rapid, and sustained transformative action to reduce emissions can help pave the way for a clean future. A record number of institutional investors and corporations have already been expanding and deepening their climate commitments in the past few years. However, they are moving too slowly to show how they are going to achieve these commitments. Key to demonstrating progress and improving transparency and accountability are Investor Climate Action Plans (ICAPs) and Climate Transition Action Plans (CTAPs).

“Every investor should have an ambitious action plan in place by the end of the year, and every company should be implementing their transition plans by early 2024,” Lubber added. “Policymakers should build upon the landmark Inflation Reduction Act, the largest federal investment in climate action, to make further progress towards cutting emissions in half by 2030. Private sector action plans coupled with historic investments and incentives are essential to building a stronger, more resilient economy as quickly and as equitably as possible.”

“The transition is already reducing shareholder exposure to billions of dollars’ worth of climate risk, unlocking the potential for trillions of dollars of investment in clean energy, creating good paying jobs and building sustainable infrastructure including the construction of offshore wind farms, installing solar panels, manufacturing electric vehicles, and creating net zero buildings,” Lubber added. “Moving forward, we need to provide opportunities for everyone, especially populations which have too often been left behind. And we have seen that vulnerable communities, including low-income and communities of color, are the ones most adversely affected by climate pollution.”

The IPCC report joins the steady drum beat of reminders over the fast past few years that our window of opportunity to prevent further damage is closing fast. By working together, the world can ensure future reports highlight historic emission reductions and transformative progress. Ceres will continue to engage investors to raise their ambition and support investment aligned with a zero emissions economy through the Net Zero Asset Managers Initiative and the Paris Aligned Investment Initiative. Ambition 2030 builds on this global effort as it works to decarbonize the full value and supply chains of six of the heaviest-emitting sectors—banking, electric power, food and agriculture, oil and gas, steel, and transportation.

About Ceres

Ceres is a nonprofit organization working with the most influential capital market leaders to solve the world’s greatest sustainability challenges. Through our powerful networks and global collaborations of investors, companies, and nonprofits, we drive action and inspire equitable market-based and policy solutions throughout the economy to build a just and sustainable future. For more information, visit ceres.org and follow @CeresNews.

Media Contact: Reginald Zimmerman

Originally published by TU-Automotive News

Many automakers plan to transform their fleets to electric power over the next decade, with some announcing goals for fully electric lineups within five years. Automakers are making products that meet evolving industry standards for safety, emissions testing, and energy efficiency. They require electric powertrains, hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), and electric vehicle (EV) solutions addressing safety, regulatory, and environmental issues. This significant transformation represents a seismic shift in thinking and operations and introduces several challenges like pressure on the power grid and a need for sustainable, environmentally friendly material.

Last year, electric vehicle (EV) sales surpassed 6.7M worldwide, a 108% increase from the previous year. That number will likely grow over the next decade, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), a Paris-based intergovernmental organization that monitors the global energy sector. The IEA anticipates that more than 300M electric cars will be on the road, accounting for 60% of new vehicle purchases. While the electric vehicle marketplace continues to expand, the recent sharp increases in oil prices further highlight this coming change.

Challenges of managing the battery power needs of electric vehicles 

Along with the surge in electric vehicles come infrastructure, manufacturing, and regulatory challenges that will impact the automotive industry. The stark difference between the century-old combustion engine technology and a battery-powered electric vehicle presents enormous obstacles, none more important than the power grid.

Electric vehicles require an electric charge and recharging stations, and both use a tremendous amount of energy. Although some experts say that the expected volume of electric cars added to the current grid presents a recipe for disaster, others believe EVs will strengthen the power grid and make it more resilient. Only time will tell.

The existing electric grid has operated primarily on coal-fired plants that offer a minimum level of sustained power that provides energy certainty. Electric utilities know how to use the current power usage pattern. Moving from coal to renewable energy sources such as solar and wind in the power grid might create a less consistent power supply. Electric vehicles plugged into this grid will upset the traditional power use schedule with increased demand that could help push demand over supply, leading to system-wide failures.

Modernizing power grid standards critical to electric vehicle (EV) adoption

The power grid is the most complex machine on Earth. It combines power plants, an extensive network of transmission lines, and distribution centers that transport power across the country. The power grid is near its capacity and requires modernization to improve efficiency and resilience. With this complexity, power grid stakeholders must operate in a standardized, more imaginative fashion to manage the influx of electric vehicles in the next decade.

The world must create standards allowing vehicles to interact directly with the power grid. That includes meeting existing grid standards for pulling and pushing charge, so the car owns that connection point. Vehicles currently must employ an intermediary to charge, which reduces efficiency and further strains the grid. Instead, new power-converting technology, such as a built-in vehicle-to-grid (V2G), would allow cars to connect directly to the grid. They could charge but also disperse excess power back to the grid, improving overall resilience. Additional support must be given to power providers to make it easier for them to change production frequency to meet shifting demands.

Global battery demand hampers electric vehicle progress

Traditional automobiles feature significant amounts of metal in their construction, both in their body and engine parts. Electric vehicles require large amounts of other elements, including nickel, manganese, carbon, and lithium, for batteries.

These materials are in short supply, both from existing global supply chain challenges and the need for more resources to support something as significant as the global automotive industry. Crucial to the changes in manufacturing and materials are the car batteries themselves. Battery cells account for about 30% of an electric vehicle’s cost and feature a level of complexity mainly unknown to most manufacturers regarding testing, cell measurement, and other factors.

Lithium-ion car batteries have performed better than experts originally predicted. Early tests pushed many manufacturers away, feeling it would not become a viable technology. While some companies, like Tesla, forged ahead, others played catchup.

Electric vehicle batteries must not only operate the vehicle but also avoid becoming a scourge on the environment. The car batteries must remain safe for use but also safe 30 years after a second life. The goal is 50 years, although that will be difficult to reach. That still requires testing, measuring, standardization, and data and analytics to perfect these technologies.

The goal of electric vehicle and cell manufacturers should be to take emission-emitting vehicles off the road and improve manufacturing processes to create a green sustainable product. Along with production, these batteries and other car components must feature highly recyclable elements to ensure long-term sustainability.

Technology innovations pave the road to sustainable electric vehicles

Electric vehicles offer a tremendous opportunity to reshape transportation and lessen the automotive industry’s impact on the planet. Stakeholders must continue to find innovative solutions to solve the numerous ancillary concerns that come with the influx of EVs into the marketplace. Electric vehicle technology is still emerging, and standardizing energy use, updating manufacturing processes, and battery creation will go a long way toward creating a sustainable industry.

To find electronic vehicle (EV) solutions, start here.

To learn more about EV and EVSE charging testing, visit Kesight University.

By Jessica Wells

Thinking about what’s possible, Laurel Meeks said, is one of her favorite parts of her job.

As director of renewable energy development, based in Charlotte, N.C., her team is responsible for adding battery storage in Duke Energy’s six states.

“It gets me excited every morning. Every day, we ask ourselves, ‘How do we get to that clean energy future?’” she said. “It’s going to take a lot of bright minds and strategic thinking to get to the future we know we’re going to realize.”

Batteries will help Duke Energy add significantly more carbon-free energy sources, like solar, while improving reliability in a cost-effective way. By 2035, the company expects to have 30 gigawatts (GW) of renewables on its system and plans to accelerate its investment in batteries to support these resources and its goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Meeks was raised in North Carolina by parents who are also interested in making energy more sustainable. They own a company that performs energy audits and install insulation and sealing. She worked with them, earned two degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and continued with a career in sustainable energy.

She joined Duke Energy four years ago and said the role is the perfect combination of her interests.

“Energy is a resource we all count on. We need it to power our lives. We need it to power our communities and economy,” Meeks said. “It’s an area that’s undergoing rapid transformation, and we need to transform to become more sustainable as an industry. That sustainability aspect really keeps me going in my role every day.”

Meeks used green and orange markers on a whiteboard to sketch how batteries benefit the grid.

Like the batteries in your phone or laptop, the ones connected to the energy grid allow operators to charge the grid when power plants are generating more electricity than needed. Then, when customers need more energy than power plants are producing, the battery will be ready.

“It’s a balancing mechanism,” she said.

Batteries will be more important as Duke Energy and other companies add renewables because they will help smooth the swings in generation from intermittent sources like solar.

“(Solar) only produces when the sun is up, so you can use battery energy storage to charge during that time – from clean energy resources – then dispatch when customers need to turn on their lights and their coffee machines,” she said, “for instance, during winter mornings and evenings when the sun is not shining.”

This growing importance is why Duke Energy and others are exploring advanced battery technologies that address two major challenges – duration and cost. For example, Duke Energy is testing a battery technology that can store and discharge electricity up to three times longer than today’s technology.

But batteries can do more than store energy. In addition to being a backup source of power, batteries can help strengthen the grid by managing the flow of electricity. The swings in solar generation as the sun shifts causes fluctuations in voltage and frequency, which can result in flickering lights or power outages. Grid-connected batteries can stabilize it.

“Grid operations are complex,” she said, “so we’re adding more renewables and less carbon while maintaining the same affordability and reliability that customers count on.”

Meeks recently worked on Duke Energy’s most advanced solar-and-battery microgrid, in Hot Springs, N.C.

The 2-megawatt solar installation is paired with a 4.4-megawatt battery that provides backup power and reliability for the remote mountain town of 500 people in Pisgah National Forest.

Hot Springs receives electricity from power lines that run through about 10 miles of rugged terrain. That means there are limited options for rerouting electricity and frequent, extended outages until repairs are made.

“Duke Energy has numerous smaller microgrids on our system, but this is our first microgrid that can power an entire small town if its main power line experiences an outage,” said Jason Handley, general manager of Duke Energy’s Distributed Energy Group.

The Hot Springs microgrid, Meeks said, will help the team continue to learn how to integrate similar systems in Indiana and Florida.

As part of its net-zero carbon emissions goal, Duke Energy plans to have nearly 30 gigawatts of energy storage operating by 2050. Much of that will be battery storage.

Meeks’ team is continuously looking for potential battery sites to make that goal a reality. Once they find a site that meets environmental and logistical requirements, her team takes the project from construction to completion.

It requires working with residents and teams from across the company including engineering, construction, grid operations and planning.

“It takes a creative mindset,” she said. “You’re never static in your role if you’re working in the energy industry today.”

As the investments in grid modernization, renewable energy and emerging technologies like batteries grow, Meeks said she would encourage others – especially women – to consider a career in energy.

She looks forward to finding new sites to deploy batteries but also the idea of reimagining retired coal-fired power plants as new homes for batteries and microgrids. These sites could be a good fit for new, carbon-free power sources since they already have a community familiar with the company and infrastructure to transmit electricity, which means lower construction costs.

“It’s a really exciting concept to not only reimagine the grid of the future but reimagine the sites that have been utilized traditionally for power plants as a part of the clean energy transition,” she said. “We really are planting the seeds of the future.”

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Mindy and Justin Jefferson live with their four children on a 1,400-acre File Family Farms in Bond County, Illinois, that’s been part of her family for five generations.

In many ways, their farm serves as a model in their region thanks to the family’s climate-friendly approach to cultivating crops through practices known as strip-tilling and no-tilling. Both reduce the labor and energy needed to grow corn and soybeans, and their methods limit the amount of carbon released by breaking up the soil through traditional tilling.

Between seasons, they plant cover crops — grasses, legumes, oilseed radishes or cereal ryes — that aren’t traditionally grown for sale. Cover crops limit erosion, keep valuable nutrients from blowing away and even help reduce the frequency of some pests. Think of it as a living mulch.

“We get really excited to think that some of the things that we’re doing on our farm if they were implemented on other farms, could be a huge part of solving the problem of climate change.” 
Mindy Jefferson, Owner of File Family Farms LLC

Beyond the good it does for the soil, cover crops can also reduce the amount of money farmers spend on fertilizers and pest control, which is as good for the bottom line as it is for the soil.

What holds some farmers back from enjoying cover crops’ potential long-term and financial benefits are the upfront costs and the lack of financial incentive to plant something that doesn’t generate revenue.

The U.S. government is trying to incentivize the practice through grants that would encourage farmers to adopt the practice. Recent USDA data shows that farmers reported planting 15.4 million acres of cover crops in 2017, which marked a 50-percent increase compared to 2012. The government wants to double the number of corn and soybean acres using cover crops by 2030.

What else is changing is how companies like CoverCress are bioengineering crops planted between seasons that give farmers a financial incentive to use them in addition to the proven benefits to their soil.

“It’s about turning a species that pretty much was a weed into something that can produce oil and therefore biodiesel, and therefore sustainable aviation fuel with a much lower footprint compared to the other alternatives.”

Leo Bastos, SVP Global Commercial Ecosystems at Bayer

People rarely think of field pennycress as a profitable crop. It’s more or less a weed found along roadsides. However, it has potential as a winter oilseed crop that farmers could plant between seasons and sell. Doing so could decrease nitrogen loss, help store carbon in the soil and improve soil health, while its seeds produce oils used in biofuel production and high-protein meal for animal feed.

“CoverCress can grow during a time of year where you’re not growing anything, you’re not using new land, you’re not using new equipment or new resources, and you are utilizing a lot of the available nutrients that are left over from prior crop,” said geneticist Ratan Chopra, vice president of research at CoverCress.

Mark Messmer, nearing his retirement, was brought into the startup that would later become CoverCress to help develop the idea.

There were challenges to making it viable for farmers due to the early limitations of technology. Messmer said his early field research resembled traditional breeding, using 900 varieties of pennycress collected from around the country. The company hired geneticist Chopra from the University of Minnesota to help domesticate pennycress and allow it to grow within current Midwestern crop cycles.

For farmers like the Jefferson family, eco-friendly farming isn’t just about preserving the climate. It’s also about ensuring the soil they farm today is there when the next generation takes over.

“I’m optimistic that we can change because of the people. I don’t have to look far,” Justin said. “My kids are already changing the mindset that I have and opening my mind to different resources, to different ways of thinking about what the solution to this problem might be and the stuff that I should know. Sometimes it takes somebody else’s eyes, like my children, that I can listen to hear some of those replies and answers.”

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Two athletes sit facing one another on gym mats inside the Suncor Community Leisure Centre, better known as Mac Island by those who live in Fort McMurray, Alta. They don’t wear uniforms or protective gear, but they are about to enter a battle of strength and endurance. They lock fingers, brace themselves and begin to pull with all their might as they compete in the finger pull event at the 2023 Arctic Winter Games (AWG).

For Katelyn Fujii and Roderick MacDonald, a husband and wife volunteer duo with the 2023 AWG, watching the finger pull—a traditional Dene game used to strengthen fingers in preparation for the fishing season—was an enlightening experience.

“How would you even train for that?” says Roderick, a contract coordinator in Mining and Upgrading at Suncor’s Base Plant. “It was neat to watch these sports that I didn’t know existed.”

Both the AWG and the Dene Games, which were part of the AWG, attracted 2,000 athletes from countries in the circumpolar north including Alaska, Northern Alberta, Yukon, Nunavut, Nunavik, Northwest Territories, Greenland, Finland and Norway to the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (RMWB) to compete in 21 sports ranging from alpine skiing to two foot high kick.

“It was great to see so many people visit our community and come together for the games,” says Katelyn, who is pension coordinator at Suncor and ran the merchandise stores for the games. “One of our merchandise booths was near the front door of the Suncor Leisure Centre, so we saw people’s faces light up when they entered the building. Mac Island is an incredible facility and many of the athletes and their families don’t have access to such facilities.”

Put a pin in it

Pin collecting and trading was a favourite activity among athletes, spectators and volunteers alike. Both Katelyn and Roderick were able to hold on to some unique pins including a Suncor pin.

“The Orange Shirt pin is one of my favourites,” explains Roderick. “I went to the Generations of Lost: Healing the Legacy of Residential Schools exhibit. While there, I was given different pieces of string to braid together—I put my Grade 3 friendship bracelet-making braiding skills to the test and learned more about residential schools. Once the braid was done, I was given an Orange Shirt pin to attach to the braid.”

While Katelyn didn’t take part in the Orange Shirt pin activity, she did visit the exhibition that ran during the games and was surprised to learn how much she didn’t know about the long history of residential schools in Canada.

“I know the history of the residential schools, but I didn’t realize the depth of that history,” she admits. “To have that display lay out the lasting impacts and timelines of everything was a big eye opener for me.”

As the 2023 host society, the RMWB incorporated the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC) Calls to Action into the games. As part of that, a Truth and Reconciliation pin series was created for the games: the TRC pin, Orange Shirt pin and the Red Dress pin were only available at events and activities honouring Truth and Reconciliation.

“From my perspective, the games were really successful,” says Katelyn. “The volunteers we encountered were absolutely incredible. You couldn’t have asked for a better group of people.” And Katelyn, as the merchandise committee chair, would know as she’s been working with the games committee for the last three years. Even her dad flew in from Ontario to volunteer for the games.

As seasoned volunteers, Katelyn and Roderick knew their time and efforts supporting the games would be rewarding, but they also came away with something else: education on the national story of the Indigenous athletes’ history.

Learn more about how Suncor employees contribute to communities and support the causes that are important to them.

PORCARI (LU), Italy /3BL Media/ – Sofidel, one of the world’s leading paper groups for the production of paper for hygienic and domestic use known particularly in Italy and Europe for its Regina brand, has again this year received Platinum recognition from EcoVadis for its approach to sustainability and therefore confirming its place among the top 1% of companies in its sector worldwide.

Founded in 2007 and now operating in more than 150 countries, EcoVadis is among the world’s largest providers of corporate sustainability assessments. More than 100,000 companies worldwide use its platform, which is also one of the benchmarks for large retail chains.

The EcoVadis sustainability risk and performance assessment is based on globally-recognized standards – including the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the United Nations Global Compact, and ISO 26000 – and is overseen by an international scientific committee. Environment, Labor and Human Rights, Ethics, and Sustainable Procurement are the four macro-areas covered by the analyses.

In its benchmark category (Manufacture of other articles of paper and paperboard), Sofidel achieved ratings above the average for the companies assessed, with outstanding results for Environment and Sustainable Procurement. A combination that has allowed the company to obtain Platinum recognition, the highest level EcoVadis rating.

“Sustainability ratings are a very useful tool in addressing the path of ecological transition,” commented Francesco Pastore, Sofidel Chief Marketing & Sales Officer. “For Sofidel, this confirmation of the Platinum rating from EcoVadis is important because we once again see the quality of our efforts recognized from the outside, and because it is a valuable aid in transparently and comparably sharing what we are working on and the results we have achieved.”

The Platinum rating from EcoVadis adds to Sofidel’s recent placement in the Leadership band of the Carbon Disclosure Project’s (CDP) Climate Change 2022 and Forests 2022 ratings for its commitment to combating climate change and deforestation.

On the environmental front, Sofidel is committed to reducing the impact of its activities on natural capital by encouraging the transition to a low-carbon, renewable energy-oriented economy. The Group’s 2030 emission reduction targets of -40% per ton of paper by 2030 compared to the 2018 base year were approved by Science Based Targets (SBTi) as consistent with the reduction standards required by the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to well below 2°C.

Download the press release

About The Sofidel Group

The Sofidel Group, a privately held company owned by the Stefani and Lazzareschi families, is a world leader in the manufacture of paper for hygienic and domestic use. Founded in 1966, the Group has subsidiaries in 12 countries – Italy, Spain, the UK, France, Belgium, Germany, Sweden, Poland, Hungary, Greece, Romania, and the USA – with more than 6,400 employees. A member of the UN Global Compact and the international WWF Climate Savers program, the Sofidel Group considers sustainability a strategic imperative and is committed to promoting sustainable development.  For more information, visit www.sofidel.com.       

Media Contact:  

Brianna Fitzpatrick

Mulberry Marketing Communications

bfitzpatrick@mulberrymc.com 

West Columbia, South Carolina will welcome the first new house to be built on Monticello Street in nearly 60 years, thanks to Central South Carolina Habitat for Humanity, Aflac and other community organizations. For new homeowner, Jazenia, it’s more than a house. It’s a home built on promise, hope and the legacy of women.

On March 8, International Women’s Day, Aflac employees in Columbia joined Jazenia, her family and community leaders to celebrate the groundbreaking for her new home, a Habitat for Humanity Women Build project. Women Build empowers women, offers them the opportunity of affordable homeownership and puts a spotlight on equity. A Yale University School of Management study1 shows women pay more to buy a home and earn less when they sell it — and that “overall, gender differences in housing explain up to 30% of the gender gap in wealth accumulation.”

Amplifying equity, one nail at a time

Melody Hodge, director of Account Management at Aflac, is a longtime resident of West Columbia. At the groundbreaking celebration, Melody welcomed Jazenia and her family to the neighborhood and offered words of support and encouragement.

“As women, we are stronger than we realize, and with the help of friends, neighbors and organizations like these, we manage to find a way forward, even when every obstacle is thrown into our paths. It gives me hope to be part of events like these and part of organizations like Aflac and Habitat for Humanity that empower people to open gateways toward progress. It gives me hope because this is our chance to make a real, tangible difference in the lives of families, one home at a time. Thank you, Jazenia, for allowing Aflac to be part of your family story,” said Melody.

Before Jazenia was selected as a Habitat for Humanity homeowner, she immersed herself in the organization’s service projects so she could learn new skills, serve her community and help revitalize neighborhoods. Jazenia has logged more than 400 volunteer hours to build homes for others. Now, she will help build her own home and looks forward to teaching her children about the responsibility of home ownership.

Tearing down barriers to build walls 

Aflac employees will join Jazenia and others to build her new home in late March. With every wall they put up together, they’ll tear down barriers to new home ownership while shining a light on equity for women.

“Aflac is proud to support Habitat for Humanity’s efforts to provide affordable and equitable homeownership for women like Jazenia and her family,” said Bob Ruff, senior vice president, Aflac Group Voluntary Benefits. “On International Women’s Day, Aflac celebrates the contributions and accomplishments of women, and it reminds us of the importance of diversity and equality. Our Aflac team is honored to help build Jazenia’s home through sponsorship support and our many volunteers working alongside the great team at Habitat for Humanity.”

1 “The housing gender gap: Why women still face roadblocks in homeownership, home equity and home values” https://www.bankrate.com/home-equity/women-and-homeownership/ | Yale University School of Management study, “The Gender Gap in Housing Returns.” https://paulgp.github.io/papers/Gender_Gap_in_Housing_Returns.pdf

 

Aflac | WWHQ | 1932 Wynnton Road | Columbus, GA 31999

Z2300190 EXP 3/24 

 

On International Women’s Day, kate spade new york shared this CNBC segment of its CEO and Brand President Liz Fraser, speaking on the importance of mental health in women’s empowerment, a subject near and dear to its brand.

About kate spade’s Involvement with Mental Health Initiatives:

Our mission is to empower women and girls around the world by putting mental health at the heart of our social impact work. Our goal is simple: we’re committing to provide 100,000 women and girls with empowerment and mental health support by 2025.

Empowering Her Whole Self

Women’s mental health has long been underfunded, undervalued and under-acknowledged in empowerment work. We believe in the intersectional role a woman’s and girl’s mental health plays in her life and empowerment journey.

This year, we’re investing $5m dollars in women’s empowerment and mental health resources globally.

Learn more about kate spade’s holistic approach

Whirlpool Corp. announced two partnerships supporting students at Florida A&M University as they pursue their education journey. The company announced a partnership with Florida A&M University / Florida State University’s Educating Engineering Students Innovatively (EESI pronounced “Easy”) program, where students will be supported through scholarships and mentorship.

Whirlpool Corp. has also partnered with the Southern Scholarship Foundation to sponsor the housing of 51 Florida A&M University students studying diverse majors across three houses on the school’s campus. The Southern Scholarship Foundation provides rent-free housing and cooperative living opportunities for students to help them attend their dream university, and Whirlpool Corp. is pleased to play a part in this program to help these students achieve their ambitions.

“We couldn’t be more excited to officially establish this relationship,” said Doug Haaland, vice president of global talent management at Whirlpool Corp. “The future of innovation lives in places like the classrooms at Florida A&M University, and we are excited to play a role in the education for these aspiring students.”

The EESI program, led by Dr. Charmane Caldwell, is designed to inspire and motivate undergraduate engineering students — allowing students to practice engineering, while exploring one of four different tracks: industry, entrepreneurship and innovation, community engagement, and research.

Whirlpool Corp.’s work with the Southern Scholarship Foundation will help alleviate part of the annual cost of higher education for students of diverse backgrounds and academic disciplines.

Both partnerships align with Whirlpool Corp.’s multi-year racial equality and fairness pledge announced in 2020, creating opportunities to employ interns and graduates of diverse backgrounds.

Whirlpool Corp. was recently named to Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies, CNBC and Just Capital’s list of America’s most JUST companies, and the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index. The company is also regularly recognized for its strong culture of volunteerism and corporate social responsibility, with awards such as America’s Most Responsible Companies from Newsweek, and for its commitment to House+Home with multiple charitable organizations, including the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, United Way, and a 23-year relationship with Habitat for Humanity International.

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