Tag: 3BL

Today, women and allies are coming together to celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD) and the many achievements made by women in our society and the workplace. It also is a time to learn and raise awareness of gender equality.

In celebration of IWD, MPC Director of Finance and Administration for Latin America Antinea Reyes Galvan shares about her experiences working in the finance industry and career lessons. 

How she got started in finance

Growing up, Antinea enjoyed studying math and problem-solving. After graduating high school, she decided to pursue a bachelor’s degree in finance. She has over 20 years of experience working for multinational companies in different roles within finance. Before joining MPC in 2022, Antinea served as Regional Finance Director for a top personal care and product manufacturing company. 

What she enjoys about her role and lessons learned 

In her current role, Antinea enjoys the opportunity to act as a financial business partner to cross-functional teams and is grateful for the lessons she’s learned throughout her career, “I have navigated several challenges such as financial crises, operating in hyperinflationary markets, and, more recently, the disruption of the retail market during the height of the pandemic. These experiences have taught me that it’s important to be innovative and find ways to make things happen within a regulatory and ethical framework.” 

Advice to women pursuing a career in finance

Antinea’s advice to women pursuing a career in finance is simple – trust yourself. “Some women may experience imposter syndrome and feel as though they are not fit for the role. I would encourage women to trust themselves and always strive for their goals,” she said. “Having a strong support network has helped me to face challenges and celebrate accomplishments. I try not to compare myself to others and give myself grace. After all, everyone is running their unique race, and that race looks different to each person.”

Learn more about our commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Cummins

In April of 2022, Columbus Mid-Range Engine Plant (CMEP) Materials Manager, Sven Creutz and Continuous Improvement Leader, Clayton Johnson, implemented a nitrile glove recycling program to divert waste from landfills.

Since the program launched, the plant has gathered and shipped 1 ton of gloves to the Kimberly-Clark Professional RightCycle facility. If the plant continues to use an average of 530 cases of gloves they typically go through in a year, they could expect to divert almost 3.75 tons of waste from landfills each year.

What are nitrile gloves?

Nitrile gloves are a standard PPE practice in many food, industrial, and chemical lab environments. Made from the compound nitrile, these synthetic, rubber gloves are particularly popular due to their chemical and abrasion resistance. They are water, grease, and oil proof, often making them the top choice in gloves, over others like latex, for occupations working long hours and exposed to harmful substances.

How are nitrile gloves used at CMEP?

For plant employees, nitrile gloves work as a second barrier to protect Cummins employees from exposure to harmful chemicals and injury as they inspect the Cummins 6.7-liter diesel engine.

Every hour, plant employees switch their gloves as a requirement to adhere to strict product quality standards. While use of the gloves protects employees and products, the waste produced can be large.

Nitrile gloves are a single-use PPE item; after first use, they cannot be worn again for protection against harmful substances potentially left on the surface.

In one year, 800 Columbus Mid-Range Engine Plant employees can go through over 530 cases of nitrile gloves, equating to roughly 875,000 gloves.

The impact of the nitrile glove recycling program

Kimberly-Clark Professional, global corporation dedicated to producing consumer and company safety, healthiness, and hygienic products, and one of the first manufacturers to offer a recycling program for non-hazardous PEE, partnered with the plant to recycle and repurpose their biodegradable nitrile gloves.

The Columbus Mid-Range Engine Plant is able to achieve key 2030 goals included in Cummins’ PLANET 2050 strategy by creating a circular lifecycle for materials as well as generating less waste in facilities and operations through the recycling program.

-END

Read the full story on cnhindustrial.com

Find out what happened when volunteers representing CNH Industrial’s brand CASE Construction Equipment joined forces with non-profit housing charity Habitat for Humanity in Racine, Wisconsin, USA.

At the charity’s inaugural Women Build event held in the city, 20 female employees volunteered to help construct new, safe, and affordable homes for single mothers in Racine.

“It was especially powerful because we created a strong, sister-like bond while also helping other women,” said Jessica Klein, Marketing & Communications Manager at CASE in Racine.

This was a great example of how CNH Industrial empowers the women in its workforce to make a difference.

Read the full article here

And visit to discover more about how CNH Industrial is dedicated to creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive work environment.

About CNH Industrial 
CNH Industrial is a world-class equipment and services company. Driven by its purpose of Breaking New Ground, which centers on Innovation, Sustainability and Productivity, the Company provides the strategic direction, R&D capabilities, and investments that enable the success of its global and regional Brands. Globally, Case IH and New Holland Agriculture supply 360° agriculture applications from machines to implements and the digital technologies that enhance them; and CASE and New Holland Construction Equipment deliver a full lineup of construction products that make the industry more productive. The Company’s regionally focused Brands include: STEYR, for agricultural tractors; Raven, a leader in digital agriculture, precision technology and the development of autonomous systems; Flexi-Coil, specializing in tillage and seeding systems; Miller, manufacturing application equipment; Kongskilde, providing tillage, seeding and hay & forage implements; and Eurocomach, producing a wide range of mini and midi excavators for the construction sector, including electric solutions. Across a history spanning over two centuries, CNH Industrial has always been a pioneer in its sectors and continues to passionately innovate and drive customer efficiency and success. As a truly global company, CNH Industrial’s 37,000+ employees form part of a diverse and inclusive workplace, focused on empowering customers to grow, and build, a better world.

The strides taken by female trailblazers, such as Else Schulze, P&G’s first female PhD hired in 1926, are part of our collective history and lead us to today where we see the impact being made by countless organizations that are deeply committed to advancing gender equality. Else’s spirit from nearly 100 years ago is also alive and well in today’s young leaders, who share a bias for action to create meaningful change.

By learning from and coming together with these gamechangers who share our commitment to gender equality, we are working towards a world where everyone sees, acts and leads equal.

That’s why throughout Women’s History Month, on International Women’s Day and every day, we recognize the women who have created a legacy of impact. We’re sharing our platforms with our longstanding gender equality partners, including CARE, Girl Up, Seneca Women, TIME and Vital Voices, throughout March and beyond. And we’re also lifting up the voices of young women and girls around the world.

Showing Women Know How with CARE

CARE — an organization that for over 75 years has been stepping up to save lives, defeat poverty and act for social justice — knows that when the world faces its toughest challenges, women know how to step forward.

To spark more conversations and to help increase investment in female leaders, we’re supporting CARE’s #WomenKnowHow campaign that features fearless leaders and future entrepreneurs. This year’s campaign spotlights how women know how to lead and achieve success, despite the obstacles the world throws in front of them.

In March, we ask you to help CARE spread the word that #WomenKnowHow and to see how they are urging U.S. leaders to act for future female changemakers by investing in gender equality and women’s leadership.

Learn more by tuning into CARE’s two virtual Speaker Series — #WomenKnowProsperity on March 15, 2023, and #WomenKnowCompassion on March 28, 2023. Click here for more details on how to tune in.

Raising Up the Voices of Young Female Leaders

By uniting with and spotlighting courageous young women leaders, P&G aims to inspire more dialogue and catalyze action. We believe that when we do this, we help create a more equal world that makes our business, our communities and our world stronger.

One such young leader is activist, storyteller and filmmaker Zuriel Oduwole. At 12 years old, Zuriel partnered with us to direct a film showcasing how girls can be Unstoppable and how to stay confident during puberty and beyond. Her film was part of our iconic Always campaign aimed to help change norms and culture around the world, and which made “Like A Girl” mean amazing things.

Today, she advocates for equal education, employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for women and girls around the world and is bringing her passion and experience to her humanitarian non-profit organization — Dream Up, Speak Up, Stand Up — as well as serving as a member of the CARE Global Advisory Council.

Follow us on Instagram to hear from Zuriel and to follow along as we spotlight young female leaders throughout the month here.

Recognizing Women of the Year with TIME

The images we see, the voices we hear and the changemakers we follow matter. As one of the world’s largest advertisers we have a responsibility to lift up under-represented voices to deepen their impact today, inspire the future women leaders of tomorrow and achieve a higher standard for gender equality now and for generations to come.

Now in its fourth year, TIME magazine’s Women of the Year project recognizes the pivotal women who are building bridges — across generations, communities and borders — and who are working toward a more equal world. Presented by P&G, TIME’s 2023 Women of the Year will celebrate these remarkable women leaders, innovators, activists, entertainers, athletes and artists on March 8th.

The annual TIME Women of the Year list is an extension of the special project, launched by TIME in 2020 in partnership with P&G, that highlighted 100 influential women from the past century, as a way of correcting the record and addressing the legacy of the Man of the Year franchise, which only became known as Person of the Year in 1999.

Click here to learn more about this year’s honorees.

Throughout March, Meet More Partners Who See Equal, Act Equal and Lead Equal

There’s never been a better time to come together, step forward and choose equal in the pursuit of gender equality. Because when we choose equal, economies grow, communities are healthier, businesses can thrive and the world is a better place for everyone.

Click here to learn more about the work we are doing with our partners, through our brands and in the communities we serve to advance gender equality.

Leroy Clarke speaks with pride as he describes how his student experience at Johnson C. Smith University more than two decades ago still influences his current job at Wells Fargo. “I gained confidence to believe I have a voice and belong at the table,” recalled Clarke about his time at the Charlotte-based historically Black college in the ‘90s. “You learn how to create an inclusive environment, how to build grit and integrity, and how to show up strong as your authentic self.”

Clarke, Wells Fargo’s global head of University Programs Recruiting and North America Targeted Sourcing leader, said his HBCU experience set him up for success by helping him become an expert at forging relationships. Now, he’s paying it forward by recruiting HBCU students for early career talent programs at Wells Fargo, including the Junior Leaders Conference, the #ChangeMakers Summit, and the HBCU Freshman Summer Experience in Corporate and Investment Banking.

A long-standing partnership with HBCUs

Since the murder of George Floyd and the racial reckoning that followed, more companies have turned to HBCUs to help diversify their workforce.

“Over the last two years we’ve seen a lot of firms putting more support toward HBCUs,” said Dewey Norwood, senior lead Diversity & Inclusion consultant. “We’re seeing some new partners that may not have been engaged before but are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion within their respective industry.”

Wells Fargo’s engagement with HBCUs goes back decades, but it was in 2005 when Wachovia, now Wells Fargo, dedicated resources and expanded partnerships with the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) and Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF). These national organizations provide scholarships to students and financial support to member HBCUs.

“What makes me smile is our long-standing commitments and significant investments in HBCUs,” Norwood said. “Wells Fargo has provided more than $34 million to support HBCU students over the last 10 to 12 years.”

The company also sponsors events that create ways to engage future leaders and support HBCU students on their higher-education journeys. One such event is the TMCF Leadership Institute, a national conference that develops HBCU students’ leadership skills and prepares them to compete in today’s global workforce. Shantae Joseph, senior vice president for External Engagement, said Wells Fargo extended nearly 50 job offers to students on-site at last year’s event.

“It’s knowing that we are able to show up for talent we might recruit in the future,” Joseph said. “It’s about investing in their development and investing the time for them to see leaders that look like them. In return, we’re able to showcase what we offer as a company.”

Working to diversify wealth management

In the United States, the median Black family owns just 2% of the wealth a median white family owns. Even though a recent report from the McKinsey Institute for Black Economic Mobility found more than half of Black survey respondents were looking to financial services to help build long-term wealth, only 1.8% of certified financial planners are Black or African American.

“If we don’t look more like the communities we serve, it will be to our detriment,” said Shannon Tolbert, Wealth & Investment Management’s head of External Engagement and Program Development. “The wealth gap is large. If we increase diversity in financial advising, specifically in the Black and African American population, we will experience even more passion around reducing that wealth gap.”

In an effort to address this shortage, Wells Fargo has created Building Diverse Pathways, a program that creates a path for students to build a career in wealth management. The program paves the way toward wealth gap reduction, said Tolbert.

Building Diverse Pathways aims to increase the diversity of the company’s financial advisor population by engaging with HBCUs and national partners to produce a pipeline of candidates interested in entering the financial services industry.

Investing in HBCUs and their communities

In Florida, Wells Fargo’s Philanthropy and Community Impact team is highly engaged and continues its long-standing partnership with the state’s HBCUs, including Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, or FAMU, and Bethune-Cookman University, supporting everything from student engagement activities to financial health sessions.

“HBCUs should be viewed and leveraged as anchor institutions in the community,” said Candice Simmons, senior business execution consultant. “Some of the things we’ve done in Florida are positioning them as such.”

Recently, Wells Fargo provided more than $280,000 in grants to FAMU to support several initiatives. In Tallahassee, the grant funded the launch of a small business incubator to assist women- and minority-owned businesses in the community.

Wells Fargo has supported the FAMU Small Business Development Center since 2013. “When we support small businesses, we support local jobs,” said Valerie Jenkins, senior community relations specialist and the proud mother of an HBCU graduate. “An investment in the FAMU Small Business Incubator is an investment in our community.”

The pandemic created new challenges for the business community, said Jenkins. The opening of the Small Business Incubator allows FAMU the opportunity to expand their core business sessions that focus more on sustainability, growth, and resilience to help small businesses pivot during times of uncertainty.

The funds also supported FAMU’s College of Law Economic Justice Initiative, which aims to provide free legal services to Black and minority-owned small businesses in Orlando. With the funding, the university’s College of Law announced its second cohort of Economic Justice and Advocacy Fellows. Both initiatives give students an opportunity to work with underserved communities in Central Florida.

In 2022, Wells Fargo celebrated the historic statue honoring civil rights pioneer Mary McLeod Bethune, educator and founder of a school for girls, which would eventually grow into Bethune-Cookman University. The life and legacy of Mary McLeod Bethune received global and historic recognition on July 13 when the influential educator and civil rights activist became the first Black person to have a state-commissioned statue inside of the U.S. Capitol’s National Statuary Hall.

Along with sponsoring events during the statue dedication at the U.S. Capitol, Wells Fargo also funded the creation of educational materials about Bethune’s life. At a reception for the statue unveiling, Bill Daley, vice chairman of Public Affairs, recognized Bethune as a “trailblazer, educator, and civil rights hero” who “worked tirelessly for humanitarian and women’s rights” throughout her life.

Simmons said Wells Fargo’s reputation of investing in HBCUs can incentivize others to follow — both outside and inside of the company.

“It gives me joy and pride to be a Black woman advocating for HBCU students,” she said. “I am thankful that I work with an organization that allows me to show up and fight for my community. But I don’t fight because it’s Wells Fargo’s mission, I fight because it’s my community.”

CINCINNATI, March 8, 2023 /3BL Media/ – Cintas Corporation (Nasdaq: CTAS) has recently been honored with a host of awards that celebrate the company’s workplace environment and the support it provides for its diverse, female and military-affiliated employee-partners.

Cintas has recently been recognized with the following honors:

Forbes’ America’s Best Large Employers 2023Newsweek’s America’s Greatest Workplaces for Diversity 2023Newsweek’s America’s Greatest Workplaces for Women 2023Military Friendly Company, which includes separate awards as a Military Friendly Employer with a Bronze Designation, Military Spouse Friendly Employer, Military Friendly Supplier Diversity and Military Friendly Brand

“Cintas is fortunate be honored for our workplace practices frequently, and when third-party awards are the result of the personal opinions and experiences of both our own employee-partners and others who are familiar with how we operate our business, these recognitions are more meaningful to everyone here,” said Max Langenkamp, Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Chief Diversity Officer. “We’re appreciative of the positive response that these awards generate, especially when they reinforce so many of our corporate values.”

Cintas is frequently recognized for its business, corporate social responsibility and diversity initiatives.

In recent years, Cintas’ honors have included five straight Fortune 500 placements, as well as multiple Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies and Newsweek’s America’s Most Responsible Companies honors. The company has also earned bronze recognition from EcoVadis and has earned a spot on the FTSE4Good Index.

Other recent employment awards include Forbes’ America’s Best Employers for Diversity, DiversityPlus Magazine’s Top 30 Champions of Diversity, Influencer Award from Autism Speaks, and the Disability Equality Index’s Best Places to Work for Disability.

“We believe we’ve fostered a tremendous workplace experience that provides opportunities, support and advancement for all. Our goal is to sustain an environment where everyone feels their contributions help empower our collective success. We’re committed to an overall culture that values everyone and perpetuates a safe and healthy workplace so that all of our employee-partners can have a sense of belonging and purpose while they’re on the job at Cintas,” Langenkamp added.

More information about Cintas’ approach to human capital and its workforce, including its overview and approach to DEI, talent recruitment and retention, compensation and benefits, performance and advancement, training and development and employee-partner engagement, is available in the 2022 Cintas ESG Report.

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 Contact

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

Logitech Blog

As Logitech celebrates International Women’s Day, we join the rest of the world in recognizing women’s incredible achievements around the globe, while raising awareness and encouraging organizations and people everywhere to advocate for gender equality. This year’s global theme to “Embrace Equity” resonates very strongly with us, as we join others to get the world talking about why equal opportunities are no longer enough.

At Logitech, we have strived to make important gains in women’s representation, both in leadership roles and throughout the company, but we know there is always more work to be done. Like most in the industry, we continue our work towards equal gender representation for STEM and technical roles within the walls of Logitech and in our community through multiple partnerships and programs.

Logitech remains committed to building a more equitable workplace by pushing back against bias, practicing allyship and embracing sponsorship. We also seek to address barriers and defy stereotypes through various initiatives, including:

Women Who Master Campaign: Logitech has taken action to drive gender balance, diversity and equality in technology. The #WomenWhoMaster campaign was created to ignite an industry and community movement to close the gender gap in STEM careers worldwide. Through a series that celebrates the achievements of women leaders who are impacting and innovating in STEM fields, each month Logitech spotlights a woman who has mastered their field, sharing inspirational stories of their experiences, concerns, and solutions to provide the next generation of makers, creators, and doers with powerful aspirations and career tips.Girls Who Code: As part of the #WomenWhoMaster campaign, Logitech conducts a series of educational initiatives with Girls Who Code, an organization dedicated to closing the gender gap in technology and computer science, while inspiring more girls to become computer scientists and engineers. As part of the Girls Who Code’s Summer Immersion Program and webinars, we aim to play a small part in connecting young girls with real-life role models who can support and encourage their passion for tech.Coalition for Gender Fair Procurement: In June 2022, Logitech co-founded the Coalition for Gender Fair Procurement with an organization called Gender Fair. The coalition is an alliance of like-minded organizations seeking to promote Gender Fairness. Based on The UN Women’s Empowerment Principles, the coalition is working to inspire sustained positive progress towards UN SDG 5 (Gender Equality) by leveraging the trillions of corporate spending power around the globe as a lever to deliver urgent progress towards gender equality.Logitech G: Logitech continues to rethink the design of gaming products to be more inclusive of all audiences, breaking stereotypes of the past. Logitech G’s Aurora Collection is a gender-inclusive collection centered around comfort, approachability and playfulness that supports our long-term commitment to enabling everyone to experience the joy of play. In setting out to design principally for women gamers, we achieved not only that, but created a collection we hope is meaningful for an even larger segment of gamers beyond gender and stereotypes. Additionally, for the month of March, Logitech G will feature women and femme presenting creators on our #CreatorSpotlight streams on Twitch to #EmbraceEquity by recognizing the value of gender equity and actions needed to continue to create a gender equal world, while raising money for Girls Who Code.Lastly, for this International Women’s Day, the Logitech Cares Fund, together with LogiWomen, has made a donation to She’s the First, who works together with grassroots organizations to make sure girls everywhere are educated, respected, and heard.

At Logitech, we celebrate the achievements and successes of women everywhere today and everyday, and remain committed to do our part in building a more equitable workplace and advocating for gender equality around the world.

By Candace Higginbotham

Growing up in Montgomery, Alabama, Judge Vanzetta Penn McPherson was reared in a household that valued education. Her parents were educators, and she was an exceptional student.

Yet despite an “extremely exhilarating childhood,” she was aware at a very early age that the Jim Crow laws of the South, enforcing segregation, made her different. It meant she was not permitted to go to the Paramount Theater and was allowed only to sit in the Black section on the city bus – behind demarcation signs that read “Whites” and “Colored.”

She was just eight years old when the Selma to Montgomery march for voting rights occurred, and she remembered how she and her brother “stole away” to hear Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speak. One by one, those early experiences made a deep impression on her, ultimately influencing her decision to go to law school.

“It became clear to me that I was going to improve life, if at all, one person at a time,” McPherson said.

Regions Bank’s celebration of Black History Month culminated in a true grand finale Monday evening, by recognizing McPherson’s commitment.

During its annual History in Motion program, the bank honored McPherson for her lifetime of service defending civil rights, upholding justice for all and cultivating knowledge and understanding throughout her community.

In private law practice, McPherson specialized in the enforcement of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and represented many clients in employment discrimination cases based on race.

She was sworn in as the first Black Federal Magistrate Judge in Alabama in 1992 and served 14 years on the bench.

But her service to the community hasn’t been limited to the legal system. She and best friend and fellow judge, Delores Boyd, opened a bookstore to help address the lack of available African-American literature in retail bookstores and local libraries.

McPherson also served as a widely acclaimed columnist for the Montgomery Advertiser, where she provided political, racial and social commentary.

Her voice outside the courtroom has been just as influential as it was when upholding civil rights legislation. McPherson has used journalism as a platform to be a beacon for her community, in addressing issues that are critical to our society.

“She gets righteously indignant about all forms of racism,” Boyd said. “She is fearless in speaking out.”

Because she witnessed first-hand many significant events and milestones in history, McPherson acknowledges how important it is to make sure young people – especially young African Americans – understand “what happened, why it happened and what difference it makes.”

“I’m very proud of having lived through the time I lived through,” she said. “I am proud that I have served as a private practitioner and a judge. I’m proud that I can look around me and see the difference I have made.”

See and hear more of Judge McPherson’s inspiring story in the video above.

International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the historical and cultural achievements of women. But in tandem with International Women’s Day, the celebration of women should be an important reminder of women who struggle daily with housing costs and honor those who have overcome overwhelming obstacles to gain access to proper shelter, as well as the women who continue to seek adequate shelter for their families.

On average, women are disproportionately impacted by inadequate and unsafe housing. Nearly one in three single mothers live below the poverty line. In the U.S., one in six families must choose between having a place to call home, pay for food, health care, childcare, education or reliable transportation.

Meet Jannetta

Jannetta’s home in Kansas City, Missouri was unsafe and unhealthy for her and her family. “The roof caved in six times. It was drafty and poorly insulated. My bathroom pipes would freeze every time it was below 30 degrees, so I would have to crawl under the house with a hairdryer to thaw them. If I waited for the landlord, it would be days before he’d fix it.”

Beyond high energy bills and ever-increasing rent, Jannetta’s home was too small to fit her family’s needs. Her grandchildren, who visited on the weekends didn’t have room to play, and there was no space for her mother, for whom Jannetta provides daily care.

Jannetta applied to the Habitat for Humanity of Kansas City homeownership program and was approved. In 2022, with the help of a team of volunteers comprised solely of women, Jannetta built her new home. She said, “I’m through with paying rent. The cost is always going up and you’re not getting anything for it.” Her new home has enabled Jannetta to achieve her dream of providing a safe home for her family.

Women, families and Habitat for Humanity’s mission

Women and families are an integral part of Habitat for Humanity’s mission, with housing at the center of well-being for individuals and families, which is why Habitat is a steadfast advocate for women, and particularly minority women, in their journeys to homeownership.

With the support of partners like Whirlpool Corporation, Habitat reduces barriers to home ownership around the world through the following programs:

Habitat Builds serve women and families by increasing access to affordable housing. The majority of U.S. households served by Habitat for Humanity are female-led and most of these households are led by a woman who identify as Black or African American. In response to this need, new home construction and repair work for female-led households has steadily increased over the last five years. This work is also impacting family members in need, as female-led households are more likely to have dependents, a person over 65 and/or a person with disabilities living in the household.

Outside the U.S., the Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter (TCIS), part of Habitat for Humanity International, expands low-income families’ access to innovative housing products, services and financing. TCIS is currently working with Whirlpool Corporation in Mexico to explore washing machine solutions for families in rural areas where access to electricity and clean water is limited. Whirlpool Corp. is proud to partner with Habitat and TCIS on what could potentially be another innovative solution that empowers women and provides the tools needed to break these cycles of poverty.

In Kenya, a housing microfinancing project through TCIS is creating positive impact on women’s livelihoods, health, and standards of living, while building confidence, skills and decision-making power. The financial stability of participating women improved, from using their property as a productive asset, to freeing up previous rent payments, to having more time for business activity through improved water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and energy solutions. Together with the increased income, having a decent and stable home enabled the women’s children to pursue education longer and the investment in clean energy, cooking and WASH facilities led to improved diets, cleaner homes and reduction in water-borne and respiratory diseases.

Habitat’s Women Build was developed in 1991, in recognition of the overwhelming power of women to make a difference in their communities and for one another. The program empowers women to help families build strength, stability and independence by offering them the opportunity to take a proactive step in serving and changing their communities through hands-on learning. In developing countries, this is done through partnerships with organizations to assist in bringing the full rights and responsibilities of homeownership to women.

Women Build also supports Habitat’s advocacy programs by collecting information on the challenges, particularly with property rights, that women face worldwide. Through Women Build, Habitat is increasing advocacy efforts on these important issues and demonstrating the many benefits of female ownership.

Thanks to partners like Whirlpool Corporation, together, we are making the cost of a house something women, like Jannetta, around the world can all afford and the reality of a home possible to achieve.

View original content here

International Women’s Day ­– March 8, 2023 – is devoted to celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women around the world. It marks a call to action for advancing equality by ending the gender bias and discrimination experienced by women and girls globally. This International Women’s Day, M·A·C Cosmetics is joining this year’s call to accelerate equality.

Embracing one’s authentic self and quality of life for All Ages, All Races and All Genders has been at the core of the M·A·C VIVA GLAM mission for almost three decades – with sexual and reproductive rights among its key pillars. VIVA GLAM is the only Lipstick that gives back 100% by supporting a wide array of charitable partners every day – year after year. This includes organizations such as Grassroot Soccer that are committed to providing young women with comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education, access to contraception and health services, and the means to exercise one’s sexual and reproductive rights.

More than 68% of sexually active young women in Southern Africa have an unmet need for contraception. Since 2002, Grassroot Soccer has been using the power of sport to empower more than 18 million adolescents (more than 55% of whom are girls) with the life-saving information, services and mentorship they need to live healthier lives. Grassroot Soccer has affiliate sites in South Africa and Zambia, and fosters partnerships with organizations in more than 60 countries. The organization trains near-peer mentor “Coaches” from the community to deliver its evidence-based SKILLZ programs that combine soccer with high-impact health information on topics including contraception, early pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, gender-based violence, mental health and COVID-19 in a safe, fun culture.

“Since 1994, M·A·C VIVA GLAM has had a simple mission – to support equal rights for all,” says Aïda Moudachirou-Rébois, SVP/Global Chief Marketing Officer, M·A·C Cosmetics.”All thanks to our consumers purchasing VIVA GLAM Lipsticks, we are able to give 100% of that money to organizations like Grassroot Soccer who are working hard to ensure that young women and girls have the tools and resources they need for an equitable future. That is how the true power of community can transform society.”

“We are proud to be a long-standing partner of M·A·C VIVA GLAM, and we are united in our aligned values to empower adolescent girls and young women to take control of their health and build a more equitable world,” says Dr. Tommy Clark, Grassroot Soccer founder and CEO. “With the support of M·A·C Cosmetics, Grassroot Soccer programs are empowering girls and their male counterparts across sub-Saharan Africa to embrace equity, challenge harmful gender roles and stereotypes, and gain access to life-saving sexual and reproductive health information and services,” he continues. “I’m proud to be celebrating International Women’s Day with M·A·C Cosmetics and look forward to our continued impact together in the years to come.”

The most compelling proof of the impact that Grassroot Soccer and the support of M·A·C has come from the girls themselves:

“In the past, it was very shameful for me to get contraceptives, but now I know that I have the right to visit any health facility to get health services. And if I am denied, I can always call [a Grassroot Soccer Coach] to help me out.” ––Elizabeth, Grassroot Soccer Participant, Zambia

“I know that I can do anything — nothing can stop me from going for my goals. I can be an independent woman, never misuse my body and be successful in life. I know that my body is mine.” ––Gertude, Grassroot Soccer Participant, Zimbabwe

“Young adolescents do not have that [desire] to get contraceptives in health facilities due to the fear of being judged by nurses or health workers. Since I’m an adolescent as well, it’s easy for me to communicate with them about contraceptives. Girls don’t have the fear of being judged.” ––Norah, Grassroot Soccer Coach, Zambia

Visit https://www.maccosmetics.com/vivaglam to learn more about how you can get involved with M·A·C VIVA GLAM today.

About M·A·C Cosmetics

M·A·C (Make-Up Art Cosmetics) is a leading brand of professional cosmetics and part of The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. Since its creation in Toronto, Canada, over 30 years ago, the brand’s popularity has grown through a tradition of word-of-mouth endorsement from Makeup Artists, models, photographers and journalists around the world. M·A·C is now sold in over 130 countries/territories worldwide. Follow M·A·C on TikTok, Twitter, Snapchat and Pinterest (@M·A·Ccosmetics); become a M·A·C fan on Facebook (facebook.com/MACcosmetics); follow M·A·C on Instagram (instagram.com/maccosmetics) and watch M·A·C videos on YouTube (youtube.com/maccosmetics). For a M·A·C location near you, visit maccosmetics.com.