Tag: 3BL

SAN JOSE, Calif., March 9, 2023 /3BL Media/ – Cadence Design Systems, Inc., (Nasdaq: CDNS) announced that it is making a $50 million USD purpose-driven investment in an impact investment program managed by RBC Global Asset Management (RBC GAM) to address racial wealth inequities in affordable housing, homeownership and small business. In partnership with RBC GAM, Cadence will invest in an impact investment strategy that seeks to positively support underserved Black and Latinx individuals and communities nationally, including those in the San Francisco Bay Area, CA; Austin, TX; Columbia, MD; the New York Metropolitan Area; Boston and Burlington, MA; Research Triangle Park in Raleigh, NC; and Pittsburgh, PA—locations where Cadence has significant operations and a community presence. Additionally, a portion of Cadence’s investment will be focused internationally on projects aimed at supporting women and people of color as well as climate justice initiatives.

“Fostering diversity, equity and inclusion is at the core of who we are as a company, and collaborating with RBC GAM to advance racial equity and community development was a very easy choice,” said Dr. Anirudh Devgan, president and CEO of Cadence. “We are dedicated to making a difference and look forward to seeing the impact that our partnership will have on Black and Latinx communities across the United States as well as on the international initiatives focused on supporting women, people of color and climate justice.”

“Following Black History Month, we’re taking a proactive approach to address the racial income gaps and racial homeownership inequality that exist throughout the United States in commemoration of this important period of reflection,” said KT Moore, vice president, Corporate Marketing at Cadence. “At Cadence, we are committed to supporting diversity and revitalizing communities where we operate and are proud to call home.”

Cadence’s investment will be allocated in RBC GAM’s Access Capital Community Investing Strategy, which will invest in U.S. government-backed securities to support lending in historically underserved communities.

Access Capital has a quarter century of history of supporting investments in underserved communities and was founded in 1998 by Ron Homer, Chief Strategist of U.S. Impact Investing at RBC Global Asset Management, who is a pioneer of impact investing in the U.S. Mr. Homer, who held executive roles at several Black-owned banks before joining RBC GAM in 2008, has dedicated the entirety of his six-decade career to supporting community development and homeownership in Black communities through impact investing.

“We are excited to work with Cadence on this initiative aimed at reducing racial disparities in income and wealth within the United States,” said Mr. Homer. “Through Access Capital’s 25-year history of impact investing, doors have opened that facilitated more people of color to enjoy the benefits of the American dream of wealth, homeownership and income appreciation. On the heels of Black History Month, we must understand the importance of building racial equity across America.”

To learn more, please read our blog at www.cadence.com/go/rbcracialequity.

About Cadence Design Systems, Inc.

Cadence is a pivotal leader in electronic systems design, building upon more than 30 years of computational software expertise. The company applies its underlying Intelligent System Design strategy to deliver software, hardware and IP that turn design concepts into reality. Cadence customers are the world’s most innovative companies, delivering extraordinary electronic products from chips to boards to complete systems for the most dynamic market applications, including hyperscale computing, 5G communications, automotive, mobile, aerospace, consumer, industrial and healthcare. For eight years in a row, Fortune magazine has named Cadence one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For. Learn more at cadence.com.

About RBC Global Asset Management

RBC Global Asset Management (RBC GAM) is the asset management division of Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) and includes money managers BlueBay Asset Management and Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management. RBC GAM is a provider of global investment management services and solutions to institutional, high-net-worth and individual investors through separate accounts, pooled funds, mutual funds, hedge funds, exchange-traded funds and specialty investment strategies. The RBC GAM group of companies manage approximately $525 billion CAD in assets and have approximately 1,500 employees located across Canada, the United States, Europe and Asia.

© 2023 Cadence Design Systems, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Cadence, the Cadence logo and the other Cadence marks found at www.cadence.com/go/trademarks are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cadence Design Systems, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Category: Featured

Cadence Media Relations Contact:
Cadence Newsroom
408-944-7039
newsroom@cadence.com

RBC Global Asset Management Media Relations Contact:
Tony Catinella
Sr. Manager, Communications, RBC Global Asset Management
617-722-4711
Anthony.Catinella@rbc.com

Source: Cadence Design Systems, Inc.

At Peloton, Black History Month is an especially important moment for us to come together as a community to uplift Black heritage. We celebrate and explore the transformational influence of Black communities, and make space for the reflection and action required to become an anti-racist organization and society.

On February 15th, 2023, we were honored to host and invite our team members and Member community to participate in a panel discussion exploring the intersection of anti-racism and mental wellness. The panel featured speakers from our valued Peloton Pledge partner, the Center for Antiracist Research of Boston University, and was moderated by Peloton Instructor Tunde Oyeneyin.

The Center’s mission is to build an antiracist society that ensures racial equity and social justice. Joining Tunde in conversation were the Director and Founder of the Center and Andrew W. Mellon Professor in the Humanities at Boston University, Dr. Ibram X. Kendi; Policy Office Chair and Professor at Boston University (BU) School of Law, Professor Jasmine Gonzales Rose; and Narrative Office Chair and Professor of Community Health Sciences at BU School of Public Health, Dr. Monica Wang.

A spotlight on mental health 

Much of the conversation centered on insights gleaned from the Center research study Peloton supported in 2022, titled: “Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) activism and organizing as a mental health intervention for Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) youth”.

The study aimed to identify effective ways to promote mental health among BIPOC youth and approaches to empower them through political education and organizing.

“So much research is about understanding risk factors and negative consequences. This research team wanted to ask, what is positive…what can build resilience?” – Dr. Monica Wang, Narrative Office Chair at The Center for Antiracist Research and Professor of Community Health Sciences at Boston University School of Public Health

Participants in the study identified as 72% Black – the remainder LatinX and Asian – 43% as LGBTQIA+ – and the primary age range was 14 to 19.

As part of the research, BIPOC youth were brought together to talk openly about politics, activism, and health. These political education sessions revealed that when young people of color come together to talk about these topics, they feel more equipped to handle both system-level and personal challenges.

Following the study, participants identified as:

More able to identify healthy relationships;More confident and able to navigate mental health challenges;More empowered to give back to the community and make a difference.

At Peloton, we have always believed in the generative power of social connection and community. And the study’s findings showed just that – for young people of color, connecting with supportive peers, positive mentors, and being part of a larger community is key to improving their physical and mental wellbeing.

Healing as a foundation from which to build an anti-racist society

Expanding upon the findings from the research, the Center’s experts provided many of their own compelling insights, including Dr. Kendi’s views on the power and process of healing, and why it will be instrumental in building an anti-racist society.

From his perspective, healing society means building a world where no one is without housing or lives with food insecurity. It is a world where everyone is safe from race-based persecution and where all ethnicities, cultures, skin colors, and hair textures are celebrated. It is a kinder society in which we understand, respect, and appreciate one another.

Yes, getting there means “smashing the glass ceiling” – and that can leave scars – but it also creates opportunities to pull up those who come after us. Scars can be permanent, but so can the power of positive change. It might be hard and require the courage to act, but the end result is a better, more empathetic world.

“Courage is so important for healing.” – Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, Director and Founder of The Center for Antiracist Research at Boston University 

But as we do the work to undo systems of oppression and their effects, the panel made clear how essential it is to hold space for oneself. Dr. Wang discussed the importance of self-nurturing, and how something as simple as a morning workout can help us become better at tackling each day, and empowers us to be the best we can be because we’ve taken care of our needs.

She also shared empowering words from author Nic Stone that she draws on for inspiration: “we can do hard things and live softly.”

Taking it to the leaderboard

In true Peloton style, we took this message (and our partners) to the leaderboard. That evening, Tunde led Center staff members, the Black@Peloton employee resource group, and Members of the Peloton #BlackGirlMagic group on a live ride at Peloton Studios New York. Check out the 30 minute BHM Hip Hop Ride here.

Forward, together

Peloton remains honored to partner with the Center for Antiracist Research and support their life-changing work. Looking ahead, we are energized by the opportunity to continue bringing conversations like this to our communities and teams. Support from our Members and partners is what makes this possible. Thank you for being a part of the transformation and positive change.

Learn more about our journey to becoming an anti-racist organization and our community partners by visiting the Peloton Pledge website and reading our 2022 ESG report.

From electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles to ESG reporting and sustainability goals, the energy transition now influences a significant portion of the transportation industry’s day-to-day. And while the long-term benefits of transitioning to cleaner and greener energy sources and operations are plentiful, successfully getting from our current state of energy and transportation to a more sustainable future state will be a long and sometimes arduous journey. This will be especially true for smaller fleets with tighter budgets and fewer resources. 

The energy transition poses several challenges for fleets, many born from the need to balance cost-effective and reliable transportation with the growing demand for sustainable and low-emission vehicles. Luckily, convenient, efficient solutions can be found in mobile fuel delivery, data analysis, and technological advancements. 

As fleet managers prepare for a smooth transition, here are some of the key challenges they should look out for:

1. Upfront costs

One of the biggest challenges fleets face in the energy transition is the upfront costs associated with adopting zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs).  For example, electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles tend to be more expensive than traditional fossil fuel vehicles. This cost is compounded by the added expenses of fueling at different (and often rarer) stations or building the right charging and fueling infrastructure on-site, as well as the costs associated with training drivers on new vehicles with different maintenance and repair needs. 

While the total cost of ownership of ZEVs may be lower over time due to lower operating costs, the initial investment can be a significant barrier for fleets, especially smaller fleets with fewer resources. To mitigate the budgetary barrier, fleets may be best served by taking a mixed-energy fleet approach, in which they slowly phase in clean vehicles, shifting the ratio of their ICE vehicles to ZEVs over time. 

In the meantime, they can turn to mobile fuel delivery to save money and fuel a range of vehicle types with one simple system. Mobile fuel delivery is the ideal solution for mixed energy fleets due to its adaptable nature and ability to service customers with a vast selection of fuel options. It also saves fleets money over time — on average, mobile fueling saves fleets $1,600 per vehicle annually. 

2. Infrastructure

The need for charging and refueling infrastructure for alternative fuel vehicles poses another significant challenge to developing sustainable fleets. While governments and private companies are actively investing in expanding infrastructure, it remains challenging for fleets to find charging or refueling stations nearby or on route, especially in rural or remote areas. This can impact the range and flexibility of alternative fuel vehicles, making it harder for fleets to adopt them.

Again, mobile fuel delivery stands ready to help. The mobile fueling model is infrastructure-light, meaning it does not rely on fixed infrastructure to fuel vehicles. This is a large contributor to the adaptability of the fueling model because there is no construction, permitting, upfront investment, or route change associated with fueling a vehicle with a new energy source. Want to switch to renewable diesel by next week and add hydrogen FCEVs the week after? Mobile fuel delivery has you covered with on-site fueling for all your needs.

3. Maintenance and repair

Building and maintaining a sustainable fleet entails much more than simply onboarding the vehicles into your operations — you also must relearn many things you thought you knew about maintenance and repair. In most cases, ZEVs require different maintenance and repair procedures compared to traditional vehicles. It may be challenging for fleets to find qualified technicians and repair facilities. This can impact the reliability and uptime of ZEVs, which, in turn also impacts the overall efficiency of fleet operations.

Making careful use of data analytics can help. With telematics and fueling data, fleet managers can easily track what maintenance procedures may be needed and when. Predictive fleet maintenance leverages real-time analytics and long-term fleet data trends to optimize the timing of fleet maintenance activities, keeping fleets running in tip-top shape with their best fuel economy. 

Booster’s data portal offers one piece of the holistic data puzzle by providing easy-to-understand insights into fuel type, gallons, pricing detail, cost savings, labor hours saved, miles reduced, emissions prevented, and more, so you can always have the best information about your fleet’s status. 

Easing into Sustainable Fleets

As fleets transition to more sustainable, cleaner vehicles, they can overcome these challenges and more with innovation and creativity. Fleet operators, manufacturers, governments, and other stakeholders must all collaborate to support and drive the adoption of sustainable and low-emission transportation solutions. By overcoming these barriers with mobile fuel delivery, data analysis, and an iterative approach to transition, fleets can contribute to a more sustainable and secure energy future while meeting their transportation and budgetary needs.

CINCINNATI, March 9, 2023 /3BL Media/ – Cintas Corporation (Nasdaq: CTAS) is nearing completion of a multi-year companywide LED lighting transition project to help reduce facility-focused energy use and support the company along its Path to Net Zero.

Cintas’ 475 facilities throughout the United States and Canada fulfill the needs of its four business divisions. These field locations, distribution centers and corporate facilities combine for about 23 million square feet of space that requires heating, cooling and appropriate lighting.

Cintas identified an opportunity to decrease energy use by installing LED lights at its older, more energy-intensive locations, and initiated the company-wide LED transition project in FY’19.

Cintas’ Quality and Engineering Team completed LED installations at more than 125 locations by the end of the company’s fiscal year 2022, and entered the current fiscal year with fewer than 50 target facilities remaining in the current phase.

“We’ve already installed LED lighting in over 6 million square feet of space in our facilities, which is poised to reduce our annual energy use by almost 23.3 million kilowatt hours going forward,” said Christy Nageleisen, Cintas’ Vice President of ESG.

More than 27,000 incandescent and fluorescent lighting fixtures have been swapped out, and the energy savings generated by the LEDs represents more than 16,500 metric tons of CO2 emissions averted annually.

>> VIDEO (YouTube): Cintas Uses LED Lighting Conversions to Reduce Energy Requirements

A Strategic Plan

The lighting transition project is part of Cintas’ strategic ambition to achieve Net Zero GHG emissions by 2050.

“We’re not waiting until 2050 to start,” said Mark Bolen, Cintas Vice President of Quality & Engineering. “We’re looking at all avenues to see where it makes the most sense, where our dollar has the best return, and it’s not just lighting. It’s being better environmental stewards.”

Cintas reduced its energy consumption intensity by 7.9% from FY’21 to FY’22, which included the expanding impact of the LED lighting transition project.

A Comprehensive Approach

Cintas’ facility-focused energy reductions go beyond LED lighting conversions.

“Sustainability and energy efficiency plays a key role for us, primarily because our products are delicate and they require a lot of attention that we provide to our customers,” Bolen said. “Engineering is constantly looking at ways to find equipment that is more reliable – more energy efficient – to ultimately reduce our reliance on energy.”

To that end, Cintas is exploring opportunities to test solar technology. Working with the state of New Jersey, Cintas identified the opportunity to install its first solar-powered system at the company’s Rental location in Piscataway, N.J.

The project is underway and is expected to be fully installed and operational in the late spring of 2023. Once online and connected to the energy grid, Cintas’ first solar system installation will allow the company to evaluate its year-round performance and compare the costs with traditional utility-based energy sources.

Cintas’ Engineering Team and its Facility Team area also evaluating other energy- and water-reduction capabilities for its existing and future facilities.

Some Cintas facilities currently have various energy-reduction technologies installed, including entrances with multiple doors, timing mechanisms on the HVAC and lighting systems, water-flow reducers and thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) roofs and ceilings made of lighter-colored materials to reflect radiant heat.

Additionally, all new Cintas buildings constructed since 2017 have been built with LED lighting systems installed. This includes external LED lighting configurations that create zero light spillage (also known as photometric pollution) at Cintas’ property boundaries.

As a result of the Path to Net Zero and the company’s overall Operational Excellence and Reliability initiatives, Cintas is also investigating the potential benefits of standardizing facility plans that incorporate a consistent set of energy-reducing technologies across all Cintas operations.

Learn More about Cintas’ ESG Journey

Cintas 2022 ESG Reportcintas.com/esgESG is Central to CintasThe Spirit is the Difference

About Cintas Corporation

Cintas Corporation helps more than one million businesses of all types and sizes get Ready™ to open their doors with confidence every day by providing products and services that help keep their customers’ facilities and employees clean, safe, and looking their best. With offerings including uniforms, mats, mops, towels, restroom supplies, workplace water services, first aid and safety products, eye-wash stations, safety training, fire extinguishers, sprinkler systems and alarm service, Cintas helps customers get Ready for the Workday®. Headquartered in Cincinnati, Cintas is a publicly held Fortune 500 company traded over the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol CTAS and is a component of both the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index and Nasdaq-100 Index.

Media Contacts:

Lizz Summers, Cintas Director of Corporate Affairs | summerse2@cintas.com, 513-972-2859

Originally published in Tapestry’s 2022 Corporate Responsibility Report Report

Since its launch in 1993 with a collection of six essential handbags, kate spade new york has always been colorful, bold and optimistic. Today it is a global lifestyle brand that designs extraordinary things for the everyday, delivering seasonal collections of handbags, ready-to-wear, jewelry, footwear, gifts, home décor and more. Known for its rich heritage and unique brand DNA, kate spade new york (ksny) offers a distinctive point of view and celebrates communities of women around the globe who live their perfectly imperfect lifestyles.

We believe that women’s mental health is a critical component of their empowerment. Our work in women’s mental health started in 2013 with our work in Rwanda through on purpose and since that time we have expanded our partnership working to empower women and girls with mental health resources globally.

We aim to reach 100,000 women and girls globally with access to empowerment and mental health resources by 2025.

At kate spade new york we believe that good mental health is a fundamental human right for everyone and we are uniquely positioned to make positive change and impact for women and girls’ mental health. With our social impact work, we aim to address a truer, fuller spectrum of a woman’s joy by putting mental health at the heart of our women’s empowerment work.

In 2021, kate spade new york and its Foundation invested $3 million to support the empowerment and mental health of women and girls with 25 partners globally. In addition, we have continued to use our brand platform to help destigmatize the topic of mental health and bring resources to our employees, customers and community. We aim to reach 100,000 women and girls with access to empowerment and mental health resources by 2025.

SUPPORTING THE BROADER COMMUNITY 

For the second year running, ksny partnered with The Trevor Project, the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ+ identifying young people. The partnership included: 

A global shopping event, which reached a maximum donation goal of $157,275. An internal employee Thank-A-Thon, where employees wrote thank you cards to Trevor Project volunteers, who provide direct support to 150,000+ LGBTQ+ identifying youth each year. ksny matched donations during the Trevor Project’s end-of-year campaign, aiding the non-profit in reaching its goal of raising $100,000. For more on the reach and impact of ksny social impact work, please read the 2021 Social Impact Report.

On World Mental Health Day, ksny launched a co-branded text line with our partners at Crisis Text Line and Kids Help Phone Canada. To connect with Crisis Text Line or Kids Help Phone Canada for free, 24/7, text-based mental health support, text KSHELPS to 741741 in the U.S. or 686868 in Canada.

PARTNERSHIP SPOTLIGHT: ON PURPOSE RWANDA 

Since 2013, ksny has partnered with Abahizi Rwanda, an independent, employee-owned, B Corp-certified handbag manufacturer based in Masoro, Rwanda. Abahizi Rwanda employs more than 250 women, providing full-time employment, health benefits and a full spectrum life skills program including access to mental health support for all employees.

In April 2021, ksny continued to broaden its impact in the community of Masoro, Rwanda, through our on purpose initiative by partnering with Isooko Community Development, a Rwandan non-profit dedicated to women’s and youth health, education, and economic access. In 2021, ksny contributed $177,000 to Isooko, which in part helped to fund the construction of the Masoro Sport and Learning Center. Abahizi Rwanda is located in Masoro. It’s important to not only invest in women but also the communities they call home, for sustainable, long-term impact.

Read more about ksny’s social impact work 

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., March 9 2023 /3BL Media/ – The Water Research Foundation (WRF) has awarded Black & Veatch a grant to investigate per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in biosolids that pose a potential risk for the agricultural industry, food supply and ultimately, human health.

The research project, Understanding the Value Proposition for Thermal Processes to Mitigate PFAS in Biosolids, will address the presence of these “forever chemicals.” Utilities across the U.S. produce nutrient-rich biosolids as fertilizers in agriculture and for other beneficial uses. In California alone, over 480,000 metric tons of biosolids are used annually on farms. The presence of the PFAS chemicals in the biosolids, however, pose a potential risk for the agricultural industry and ultimately the food supply.

“PFAS chemicals are used everywhere from food packaging and nonstick pans to cosmetics,” said Dr. Patrick McNamara, Black & Veatch’s principal investigator for the study. “Many of these chemicals are toxic, potentially carcinogenic and don’t break down easily in water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs). This research is an important step to further our understanding of how our treatment technologies can mitigate the impact of these forever chemicals in our communities.”

The research will determine whether PFAS are removed, transformed or destroyed through thermal biosolids processes that can be used at WRRFs. Black & Veatch is collaborating with California State University at Bakersfield and Eurofins Environment Testing (USA). The project builds on research conducted by the Black & Veatch Innovation Platform Team, which evaluated the impact of thermal processes to eliminate PFAS in biosolids.

“Water resource recovery facilities are integral to regional circular economies that include farms, industries and the food we consume,” said Dr. Sandeep Sathyamoorthy, Black & Veatch’s global practice leader for innovation and applied research. “Our team’s objective is to build a comprehensive life cycle assessment toolkit, which will help utilities address the challenges posed by PFAS in biosolids.”

Preliminary results from the project will be available starting in 2024. Stay up to date on project progress by visiting the project page of the WRF website.

Editor’s Notes: 

WRF is the leading research organization advancing the science of all water to meet the evolving needs of the water sector. For more information, visit www.waterrf.org.Learn more about how Black & Veatch can help identify, evaluate and manage PFAS-related risks and liabilities.California State University at Bakersfield is designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI).

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

Media Contact: 
Susan Rivera | +1 781 565 5819 | RIVERAS1@BV.COM 
24-HOUR MEDIA EMAIL | media@bv.com

We believe that investments in our people and communities are investments in our success.

Our approach to employee well-being begins with safety. Above all else, it is our highest responsibility.

Our diversity and inclusion framework — Workforce, Workplace, Marketplace — embraces diversity within our workforce and across our supply chain. Our comprehensive diversity and inclusion strategy drives our efforts to develop our employees’ capabilities, ensure diverse talent pools, improve retention and increase engagement. Paired with our training and development programs, and employee benefits, we aim to create a culture where all individuals are valued, engaged and contributing to our success.

Our community engagement and giving strategy mobilizes our people, products and resources to address critical needs in the communities where our employees live and work. We implement initiatives to address our signature causes — education, hunger, health and wellness, and disaster relief — through a combination of locally driven support, grant funding and national and global collaborations.

About International Paper

International Paper (NYSE: IP) is a leading global supplier of renewable fiber-based products. We produce corrugated packaging products that protect and promote goods, and enable worldwide commerce, and pulp for diapers, tissue and other personal care products that promote health and wellness. Headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., we employ approximately 38,000 colleagues globally. We serve customers worldwide, with manufacturing operations in North America, Latin America, North Africa and Europe. Net sales for 2021 were $19.4 billion. See how we’re building a better future for people, the planet, and our company at internationalpaper.com/Vision-2030.

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NEW YORK, March 9, 2023 /3BL Media/ – Today, Silver Lining announces that its small business technical assistance program, SLAP™ (Silver Lining Action Plan) is now available in Spanish. The initiative, funded by Wells Fargo, makes goal setting and business planning more accessible for small business owners who want to grow their revenue and their profit.

Silver Lining has supported 14,000+ English-speaking small business owners since it started in 2005. In the last 18 years, the company has dedicated millions of dollars and countless hours to understanding the real needs that small business owners, especially those from marginalized communities, have. Based on those insights, the company has constantly innovated its tech-enabled, data-driven, behavior-change science-based SaaS platform to meet those needs.

Eduardo Placer, Founder and CEO of Fearless Communicators, is a proud son of Cuban immigrants who grew up in Florida speaking Spanish as his primary language. He has been using the SLAP™ Program in English for 5 years and has grown his business revenue by over 500% in that time. When told that SLAP™ was being launched in Spanish his immediate reaction was pure excitement. “I am so proud to be part of a community that is making a serious investment to support Spanish-speaking small business owners like me.” “Estoy muy orgulloso de ser parte de una comunidad que está haciendo una inversión seria para apoyar a los propietarios de pequeñas empresas de habla hispana como yo.”

While there was an outpouring of support for so many marginalized small business owners during Covid-19, the significant majority of the resources made available were in English. It became increasingly clear that the most pressing product priority for Silver Lining, and the community of business owners it supports, was not to add the next set of features into the program but to ensure that the program was fully available in Spanish to help the 4.4+ million Spanish-speaking small business owners in the US who face many challenges but have limited support in their language.

“According to the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the approximately 4.4 million Spanish-speaking SMBs in the United States contribute more than $700 billion to the American economy every year. It is a true testament to the resilience and creativity of these business owners to know that they accomplish so much with so few resources available to them. It is an honor to know that we have created something that can give them access to more structure and support so that they can increase their success. When Spanish-speaking small business owners succeed, so do our communities and the economy. ” says Carissa Reiniger, Silver Lining’s Founder & CEO.

The launch of SLAP in Spanish is one element of the larger American Small Business Growth Program which is a multi-pronged program focused on changing the US-economy one small business at a time. The program has brought the SLAP™ Program to over 700 US-based small business owners from marginalized communities in addition to implementing multiple innovation projects and public engagement campaigns to address larger systemic issues that face diverse and underserved small businesses. Launching SLAP in Spanish was a major objective of the first phase of the American Small Business Growth Program and thanks to the catalytic capital from Wells Fargo, Silver Lining has gone through a comprehensive process to translate all elements of the SLAP experience and build the infrastructure to not just make SLAP available in Spanish, but to more easily and efficiently release SLAP in additional languages in the future.

“Having access to a trusted expert in business and financial planning can be a game-changer for a small business owner,” said Jenny Flores, head of small business growth philanthropy at Wells Fargo. “At Wells Fargo, we’re working to expand the capacity of organizations like Silver Lining to reach more entrepreneurs and accelerate their growth.”

Thanks to additional support from Wells Fargo, the first 100 Spanish-speaking small business owners who apply for a spot in the American Small Business Growth Program will get the full program, valued at over $5,000 USD, at a Pay-What-You-Can rate. Organizations that support Spanish-speaking SMBs and small business owners are encouraged to apply now for these spots.

To learn more about The American Small Business Growth Program, please visit: https://smallbizsilverlining.com/wellsfargo

###

About Silver Lining
Since 2005, Silver Lining has been helping small business owners worldwide build more profitable and sustainable businesses through their proprietary tech-enabled and data-driven small business growth program – SLAP™ – the Silver Lining Action Plan. Their proven behavior change science methodology is the modern approach to the age-old problem of growing a small business. Additionally, as part of their commitment to do everything “Small Business First,” they created Thank You Small Business – a Global Movement to thank, celebrate and support all small businesses globally, as well as Impact5X, an economic justice initiative to decrease barriers to access for small business owners from marginalized communities. To learn more about Silver Lining, please visit: http://smallbizsilverlining.com

Moe Escario
Silver Lining
moe@smallbizsilverlining.com
Visit us on social media:
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A nationwide employment programme for women has been launched by two organisations to address the gender imbalance in the construction workforce. 

Women into Construction is collaborating with The Home Builders Federation (HBF) to encourage more women to join the construction workforce, which currently sees just 16% female representation. 

The initiative will offer a unique programme that will overcome some of the current obstacles including childcare and training costs to make the opportunity more accessible. 

It hopes to attract more women into site management roles and will work closely with Barratt Developments, Bellway Homes, St Modwen, Cala Homes, The Hill Group, Redrow, Persimmon Homes, Keepmoat and Vistry Group to enable a greater female presence across a variety of employers. 
 

How the programme will boost women in construction

The employment programme will offer participants first-hand experience of the site manager role and demonstrate how the position can support the industry in delivering in-demand new homes. 

It will include site visits, a week of insight and development sessions online with access to site managers and employers for questions and answers and will cover health and safety training. There will also be a two-week on-site work placement offering as well as one-to-one coaching and support from the Women into Construction organisation. 

For further details on access to this opportunity, women are invited to attend an online information session at 11am on Tuesday 31 January for registration and to obtain more information about the programme. Here they will have the opportunity to meet the employers involved, including current site managers from across the country.

Building a better future for women​

According to the McKinsey report Diversity Wins, companies with more than 30 per cent women executives were more likely to outperform companies where this percentage ranged from 10 to 30. And the latter firms were more likely to outperform those with even fewer women executives, or none at all. 

Jacqui Wordsworth, Women into Construction’s Business Development Director, said: “With women representing just 4% of site managers, we want to inspire and encourage more women to take up a career in home building – helping us and our employer partners to change the face of construction.” 

Jenny Herdman, Director for HBF’s Home Building Skills Partnership, said: “The home building industry is facing a significant skills shortage. If we are to build the new housing this country desperately needs, it is vital that we attract a broad range of entrants into the industry. 

“HBF is delighted to be working with Women into Construction to increase the number of female site managers in the industry and show that there are opportunities for people of all backgrounds and talents to develop a rewarding career in home building.” 

Chloë Hunt, Global Director of Research & Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at Acre, said: “It’s good to see this commitment from these nine major home builders. How this is promoted and circulated into the wider workforce is integral to the initiative’s success in attracting new talent and more women into the sector”.

Greg Walker, Senior Consultant – Sustainable Business for Acre UK, said: “Last year Acre saw a significant increase in the number of diversity & inclusion and social impact positions in the construction sector. 
“These hires, along with the excellent work Women into Construction is doing will go a long way to tackling the skills shortages that the home building sector is facing; along with opening the door to a diverse career for a previously overlooked portion of society.”

Ed Wyeth, Senior Development Coach at Acre Frameworks, the leadership and talent development organisation for health & safety and sustainability professionals, said: “Research tells us that diverse workforces increase engagement, drive innovation and ultimately deliver results. An initiative that seeks to promote better representation in a sector that clearly needs it can only be a good thing.”

At Acre, we work with the most aspirational businesses with potential to make real change; from those who are just starting out to those who are well on the journey to crafting a legacy. Our 18 years’ experience in sustainability recruitment, combined with our extensive global network, enables us to provide talent solutions that are designed to deliver this change. Through our unique behavioural assessment technology, we understand the types of people, skills and behaviours required to create impact. We can develop these qualities within your existing teams too. We find talented people and develop their skills to ensure they make a true impact in ambitious, progressive organisations. Acre. Making companies ready for tomorrow.

Originally published on TriplePundit.com

In 2020, Meta achieved net zero greenhouse gas emissions for our global operations and today, we are supported by 100 percent renewable energy. These are good first steps, but we have so, so much work still to do to become a fully sustainable company.

That was my thought as I arrived in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, for the 27th annual U.N. climate conference, or COP27. Held in November 2022 and dubbed the Climate Implementation Summit, the event gathered leaders from the public, nonprofit and private sectors — the global sustainability community — to debate, celebrate and negotiate global climate action.

Going in, “implement” was the word top of mind as leaders were expected to follow up on ambitious goals set the year before in Glasgow, Scotland. By day eight, however, the word on my mind was “mired.” As in: Are we, collectively, moving fast enough?

This year’s event had its high points — President Joe Biden’s address to world leaders, in which he affirmed the United States’ commitment to a low-carbon future, was certainly one. But COP27 missed the mark in some key ways, such as creating financing for developing countries struggling under the financial burden of climate change and creating mechanisms to help more countries reduce emissions. It is also clear we can all do more to measure and report on yearly progress.

At Meta, we believe the private sector has a critical role to play in our global ambitions to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change. During a challenging period for the company, focusing on the “true north” of measurable climate action and building climate resilience remains essential to our future and our bottom line.

Year-over-year, our net zero goal remains fixed even as we grow — both in terms of our users today and our plans for the metaverse tomorrow. And along with our net zero ambition, we are progressing related goals, including our aim to restore more water than we consume in our global operations.

Bringing all of this back to COP27, it’s clear that we can’t do it alone. No one can and, in fact, this is one of my favorite things about working in sustainability: collaboration. As we embark on a new year, Meta remains committed to collaborating with those committed to climate change and continues to expand our network of global partners. Most recently, we’ve:

Helped launch the Asian Clean Energy Coalition to advance renewable energy procurement in Asia with the World Resources Institute and other technology companies.Joined with the U.S. State Department, USAID, and other companies in PREPARE Call to Action to the Private Sector on Adaptation.Announced a new partnership with Stripe, Alphabet, Shopify and McKinsey Sustainability to launch Frontier, an advanced market commitment to help scale emerging carbon removal technologies that are crucial to tackling climate change.Embraced an Emissions First accounting framework that moves beyond the current approach of megawatt-hour matching and focuses on emissions impact.And during COP27 itself, were honored to support The Resilience Hub, an inclusively-built virtual and physical space that served as the home to the Race to Resilience campaign. Representing more than 1,500 non-state actors taking action on resilience around the world, the hub hosted more than 60 sessions each with incredible speakers offering their expertise and perspectives as well as live performances, art and culture.

Importantly, too, Meta is supporting and amplifying changemakers on the front lines of the climate fight. After our largest-ever global survey about climate change this past spring painted a picture of deep concern among respondents, we’re already seeing meaningful change happen when communities come together. More than 40 million people around the world are part of at least one of the 24,000 Facebook Groups dedicated to the discovery, protection, and appreciation of the earth and our environment.

In the meantime, Meta Sustainability continues to report on its work across our enterprise. As the U.N. High-Level Expert Group report clearly states, integrity matters, which is why our net zero commitments are not only public but are relentlessly tracked and reported each year.

But as the U.N. report notes, a net zero pledge “must contain steppingstone targets for every five years” in line with Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) or International Energy Agency (IEA) pathways as well as “prioritize urgent and deep reduction of emissions across their value chain.”

We agree. That’s why I look forward to sharing our own specific decarbonization plans in early 2023. And while I look forward to seeing my sustainability peers at COP28 next November as well, I encourage those in the private sector — companies big, small and every size in between — to join us in the climate fight.

Time is literally running out — and we need all of you, and all of your solutions, to make this work.

This article series is sponsored by Meta and produced by the TriplePundit editorial team.

Image credits:Nicholas Doherty/Unsplash and Meta