Tag: 3BL

October 16, 2024 /3BL/ – AMD has been recognized by 3BL as one of the 100 Best Corporate Citizens of 2024. This ranking acknowledges the company’s commitment to environmental, social and governance (ESG) transparency and performance among the 1,000 largest public companies in the United States.

This year, AMD placed #67 in the overall ranking, recognizing the company’s ongoing efforts to address ESG-related issues across its operations, supply chain and products. This award highlights the progress AMD has made over the past year in partnership with employees and suppliers, and in key areas such as the environment and human rights.

“We are honored to be recognized by 3BL as one of the 100 Best Corporate Citizens. This achievement reflects our continued commitment to corporate responsibility practices and our dedication to making a positive impact on the environment, society, and our stakeholders,” said Senior Vice President and General Counsel at AMD, Ava Hahn. “We commend the leadership and collective efforts of the 100 Best companies in advancing a more sustainable world.”

The 100 Best Corporate Citizens ranking evaluates Russell 1,000 companies based on 223 ESG factors across seven pillars, including climate change, employee relations, environment, governance, human rights, and stakeholders and society. The 2024 methodology developed by 3BL and ISS ESG introduced new factors to measure progress on key issues such as greenhouse gas emissions, energy and water use, and workforce diversity to reflect modern best practices for performance and disclosure.

“Celebrating 25 years of the 100 Best Corporate Citizens, it’s clear the competition for leadership has never been tougher, and the stakes for progress have never been higher,” said CEO of 3BL, Charlie Wilkie. “With new metrics this year addressing critical areas like emissions and workforce diversity, the 2024 list highlights companies that are setting new standards for transparency and delivering measurable outcomes. As expectations for corporate action grow, these companies are not just setting ambitious goals — they’re also achieving tangible results. Looking ahead, we’re committed to evolving this index, pushing businesses to demonstrate even greater accountability and impact.”

For access to the complete 100 Best Corporate Citizens of 2024 ranking and methodology visit: https://100best.3blmedia.com/

For more information on AMD Corporate Responsibility programs and initiatives, please visit its website.

CINCINNATI, October 16, 2024 /3BL/ – Fifth Third broke ground yesterday on a new financial center in the West Englewood neighborhood on the storied South Side of Chicago, one of five centers the Bank is opening in a low- and moderate-income (LMI) or high minority (HMT) population census tract this year. With the next gen branch, Fifth Third will help increase financial access to residents while contributing to the revitalization of the Western Avenue corridor.

At a groundbreaking ceremony held yesterday, Alderman Stephanie Coleman remarked:

“Collectively we are grateful, honored and blessed that one of our leading banking institutions has chosen the 16th Ward as its new home. Prior to my election as Alderman, residents had often made their disappointments known of being forced to travel outside of the ward to have their banking needs accomplished. Fifth Third Bank not only responded positively but also made a firm commitment to the people of the ward with this investment.”

José Peña, SVP, Retail Executive for Chicago at Fifth Third, said “Fifth Third is one of Chicago’s largest banks and we are excited to serve more neighborhoods and open our first branch in West Englewood.”

Mark Heckler, President of the Chicago Region at Fifth Third, added “A strong bank contributes to a strong community, and every neighborhood has the potential to thrive. Our goal with this branch is not only to serve the banking needs of the community, but to continue to build long-lasting relationships and help the residents and businesses of Englewood achieve greater economic mobility and opportunity.”

Fifth Third continues to prioritize financial access as it strategically expands and opens next gen financial centers across the country. In 2025, 35% of new branches in development will be in LMI and/or HMT areas. In addition to new centers, Fifth Third offers its eBus and Banking to Go kiosks to address gaps in financial services in underserved communities.

Set to open in the spring of 2025, the Englewood financial center will be a model for innovation and sustainability, occupying a modest 1,900 square feet. The center will have the added convenience of a drive through and ATM. Inside, the center’s open design will make it easy for customers to get quick digital service or discuss more complex banking products, like college savings plans, mortgages, or retirement solutions. The new, streamlined building will feature flexible meeting and seating areas that offer adjustable layers of privacy. Construction for the center is being managed by the minority-owned MZI Group.

Fifth Third has been strategically growing the Chicago market since its acquisition of MB Financial in 2019. Since then, the Bank has been investing in developing underserved communities in the region, heralded by its Empowering Black Futures Neighborhood Investment Program, which creates and implements innovative place-based strategies to effect positive change in nine historically disinvested neighborhoods across the Bank’s 11-state footprint, including South Chicago.

The three-year-old neighborhood program is pioneering a new way to do community development by partnering with local organizations to build ecosystems that drive real change through both financial and social investments. This collective ecosystem approach is focused on identifying solutions to key challenges in partnership with the community, with the goal of creating lasting, transformative change.

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About Fifth Third

Fifth Third is a bank that’s as long on innovation as it is on history. Since 1858, we’ve been helping individuals, families, businesses and communities grow through smart financial services that improve lives. Our list of firsts is extensive, and it’s one that continues to expand as we explore the intersection of tech-driven innovation, dedicated people and focused community impact. Fifth Third is one of the few U.S.-based banks to have been named among Ethisphere’s World’s Most Ethical Companies® for several years. With a commitment to taking care of our customers, employees, communities and shareholders, our goal is not only to be the nation’s highest performing regional bank, but to be the bank people most value and trust.

Fifth Third Bank, National Association is a federally chartered institution. Fifth Third Bancorp is the indirect parent company of Fifth Third Bank and its common stock is traded on the NASDAQ® Global Select Market under the symbol “FITB.” Investor information and press releases can be viewed at www.53.com. Deposit and credit products provided by Fifth Third Bank, National Association. Member FDIC.

Our purpose is to power a better media future for all people! Watch Nicolina Marzicola and Sandra Sims-Williams share how Nielsen’s inclusive practices drive a healthy and resilient business. 

Learn more in our annual global corporate sustainability report. 

What do you think is unique about Nielsen’s culture? 

Sandra: What makes Nielsen special is our focus on inclusion and representation, ensuring that everyone’s voices are heard as decisions are made in the media and advertising industries. These industries are powerful forces that help all of us understand other people and experiences. Nielsen and its employees around the world continue to have a central role to play—using our insights to foster that understanding externally, and making business decisions to drive a representative and inclusive culture internally.

What drew you to join Nielsen as Chief People Officer in February 2024? What do you see as Nielsen’s advantages and challenges related to our people? 

Nicolina: I was excited to join Nielsen for two primary reasons: its integrity and its history. For over 100 years, Nielsen has been a global leader in audience measurement, data and analytics, shaping the future of media. And to do that well, Nielsen has to operate as a high-integrity company, committed to its values and ideals. As we transform our business and shift our geographic footprint where our employees are based, we are working to ensure that we continue to infuse that sense of history, integrity, passion and purpose within all our employees, no matter how long or short a time they’ve been with Nielsen.

How does Nielsen’s approach to inclusion, both internally and externally, continue to evolve?

Sandra: When we operate in a culture that is inclusive, innovation flourishes, our clients win and employees are engaged and collaborate to bring the best that Nielsen can offer to the communities we measure. Diversity, equity and inclusion are truly harnessed when they are fully integrated into the work we do every day—from the programs we create to support and develop our teams, to the ways in which we serve our clients and communities. This year, as we’re transforming, we’re dialing up our focus on inclusion and belonging even more, to ensure that everyone feels they can bring their full selves to their work. We recently renamed our team from DE&I to Business Inclusion, Impact and Belonging (BIIB), which better captures all that our team delivers for the benefit of our people, our clients and our communities. And with our team now working as part of the People team, we’re excited for our business leaders to see how this work connects to our employee experience and the cultural transformation we need to drive.

How is Nielsen supporting its people—especially managers—through continuous transformation and transitions? 

Nicolina: We’re on a journey to transform not just our business model, but also transform our culture and the employee experience, so that we can continue to do our best work. Our people managers play a key role in Nielsen’s success, especially with employee retention, engagement and overall satisfaction. Our managers have access to many different training pathways depending on what they need and when—from on-demand People Leader Essentials training pathways in Degreed, to application-based development cohorts like Lead for new people leaders and Boost for experienced people leaders.

How are Nielsen’s responsibility and sustainability practices integrated into Nielsen’s core business strategy? 

Sandra: We are committed to counting everyone in our audience measurement data—across race, ethnicity, gender identities, income and geographies—through our approach of using big data validated by representative panels. These panels help us to identify real audiences and also represent their demographic profile.

And when we have the ability to provide granular audience data, Nielsen can provide advanced audience analytics—well beyond age and gender—to drive insights we share with the media industry through thought leadership like our Diverse Intelligence Series, as well as client-specific insights to help grow their own business.

We can’t do any of this without a commitment to trust, integrity, inclusion and responsibility, from how we handle the data that our panelists trust us with, to how we deliver the data more efficiently and sustainably.

Nicolina: Driving an inclusive culture for and with our people is a critical part of our business strategy. I’m very proud that two professional development programs, the Diverse Leadership Network and GROW, have expanded beyond the United States to include applicants from around the world. The work of our Business Resource Groups and diverse thought leaders connecting with their communities is also very special. Educating all Nielsen people while sharing Nielsen’s insights to amplify underrepresented groups within media and marketing—only Nielsen can do that.

Read the report to learn more about Nielsen’s progress on its 2024 ESG goals.

October 16, 2024 /3BL/ – Bath & Body Works is included on TIME’s first-ever list of the World’s Best Brands. Bath & Body Works was recognized as the number one brand in the male cosmetics category, receiving a perfect 100 score.

Created in partnership with market research firm Statista, TIME identified brands through a comprehensive survey of more than 49,000 consumers. Survey respondents ranked companies based on their brand awareness, social buzz, likability, usage and loyalty. The publication recognized the top five brands across 66 different categories for consistently creating loved and well-known products.

Bath & Body Works offers more than 200 personal care and grooming products in their award-winning men’s line, ranging from cologne and beard oil to hair and skincare. It’s one of the brand’s most successful and fastest growing categories in their portfolio today and Bath & Body Works continues to engage this key demographic by leveraging consumer insights to anticipate demand, introducing newness and on-trend product innovations to the category.

To further engage and introduce new customers to the men’s line, Bath & Body Works embarked on a multi-city pop-up tour at high profile NBA, NCAA, NFL, and college football games across the country. As a result, more than 1 million new men sampled the products with strong response.

In parallel, the brand partnered with some of the biggest voices in professional sports including Christian McCaffrey, Nick Bosa, D’Angelo Russell and Tyrese Haliburton, tapping into their audiences to drive awareness and excitement for this collection.

“Bath & Body Works is the global leader in fragrance with an appeal and fandom that reaches every demographic,” says Maurice Cooper, Chief Customer Officer of Bath & Body Works. “We’re proud to be ranked as one of the World’s Best Brands and especially honored to have earned the top spot for our men’s line. This achievement reinforces our successful engagement strategy, the brand love from our loyal fanbase, and it invites new customers to discover our compelling range of the highest quality fragrances to take their self-care rituals to the next level.”

For more information about Bath & Body Works, visit bbwinc.com.

ABOUT BATH & BODY WORKS

Home of America’s Favorite Fragrances®, Bath & Body Works is a global leader in personal care and home fragrance, including top-selling collections for fine fragrance mist, body lotion and body cream, 3-wick candles, home fragrance diffusers and liquid hand soap. Powered by agility and innovation, the company’s predominantly U.S.-based supply chain enables the company to deliver quality, on-trend luxuries at affordable prices. Bath & Body Works serves and delights customers however and wherever they want to shop, from welcoming, in-store experiences at more than 1,870 company-operated Bath & Body Works locations in the U.S. and Canada and more than 490 international franchised locations to an online storefront at BathandBodyWorks.com.

ST. PAUL, Minn., and CHARLOTTE, N.C., October 16, 2024 /3BL/ – 3M (@3M) and Discovery Education (@DiscoveryEd) named Sirish Subash, a 9th grader at Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology in Snellville, Georgia, the winner of the 2024 3M Young Scientist Challenge, the nation’s premier middle school science competition. Sirish set himself apart with an AI handheld pesticide detector. As the grand prize winner, he received a $25,000 cash prize and the prestigious title of “America’s Top Young Scientist.”

Sirish spent the last four months competing against nine other finalists and secured his win during final Challenge events at 3M global headquarters in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Oct. 14 and 15. Finalists navigated a series of interactive challenges and were evaluated on their ingenuity and innovative thinking, application of STEM principles, demonstration of passion and research, presentation skills, and ability to inspire others.

“This year’s Young Scientist Challenge finalists have demonstrated an incredible ability to develop creative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges,” said Torie Clarke, EVP & chief public affairs officer at 3M. “I am beyond impressed and inspired by their intelligence and their scientific minds. Congratulations to this year’s Top Young Scientist, Sirish Subash, and all the finalists for their phenomenal work.”

Sirish Subash’s project, Pestiscand, is a handheld device designed to detect pesticide residues on produce using a non-destructive method. It employs spectrophotometry, which involves measuring how light of various wavelengths is reflected off the surface of fruits and vegetables. A machine learning model then analyzes this data to determine the presence of pesticides. Pestiscand consists of a sensor, a power supply, a display screen, and a processor. During testing, the device achieved an accuracy rate of identifying pesticide residues on spinach and tomatoes of greater than 85%, meeting the project’s objectives for effectiveness and speed.

3M Young Scientist Challenge finalists are paired with a 3M scientist who mentors and works with them one-on-one over the summer to transform their idea from concept to prototype. This year’s winner was paired with Aditya Banerji, Senior Research Engineer of 3M’s Corporate Research Process Laboratory.

The second and third place winners from the Young Scientist Challenge each receive a $2,000 prize. These exceptional students are:

In second place, Minula Weerasekera from Beaverton, Oregon, a 9th grader at Mountainside High School. Minula developed a solution for storing energy for longer through organic compounds and a sulfur-based terhiophene.In third place, William Tan from Scarsdale, New York, an 8th grader at Scarsdale Middle School. William developed an AI Smart Artificial Reef that encourages coral, seashells, kelp and other marine life to grow in a safe and controlled environment.

The fourth through tenth place winners each receive a $1,000 prize and a $500 gift card. These finalists, in alphabetical order by last name, are:

Ankan Das from Sanford, Florida, a 9th grader at Oviedo High School in the Seminole County School DistrictSteven Goodman from Lake Mary, Florida, an 8th grader at Milwee Middle School in the Seminole County School DistrictAakash Manaswi from Orlando, Florida, a 9th grader at Lake Highland Preparatory SchoolPrince Nallamothula from Frisco, Texas, a 9th grader at Centennial High School in the Frisco Independent School DistrictRonita Shukla from Acton, Massachusetts, an 8th grader at RJ Grey Junior High School in the Acton Boxborough Regional School DistrictRithvik Suren from Ellington, Connecticut, a 9th grader at Academy of Aerospace & Engineering in the CREC School DistrictHanna Suzuki from Bedford, Massachusetts, a 9th grader at Bedford High School in the Bedford School District

“Discovery Education is incredibly proud to support student innovation over the past 17 years through the 3M Young Scientist Challenge,” said Amy Nakamoto, Executive Vice President of Corporate Partnerships at Discovery Education. “It is more important than ever that future generations are given the tools needed to tackle real-world problems. Each remarkable participant has embodied the curiosity that will fuel these discoveries, and we congratulate them all.”

In its 17th year, the 3M Young Scientist Challenge continues to inspire and challenge middle school students to think creatively and apply the power of STEM to discover real-world solutions. America’s Top Young Scientists have gone on to give TED Talks, file patents, found nonprofits, make the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, and exhibit at the White House Science Fair. These young innovators have also been named TIME Magazine’s Kid of the Year, featured in The New York Times Magazine, Forbes, and Business Insider, and have appeared on national television programs such as Good Morning America, The Kelly Clarkson Show, and more. In addition, a 3M Young Scientist Challenge Alumni Network was formed in fall 2022 and welcomed more than 100 former challenge finalists and winners for networking opportunities.

The award-winning competition supplements the 3M and Discovery Education program Young Scientist Lab, which provides free dynamic digital resources for students, teachers, and families to explore, transform, and innovate the world around them. All its resources are also available on Discovery Education Experience, the company’s award-winning K-12 learning platform.

To download images from the 2024 science competition, click here. To learn more about the 3M Young Scientist Challenge and meet this year’s winners and finalists, visit youngscientistlab.com.

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About 3M 
3M (NYSE: MMM) believes science helps create a brighter world for everyone. By unlocking the power of people, ideas and science to reimagine what’s possible, our global team uniquely addresses the opportunities and challenges of our customers, communities, and planet. Learn how we’re working to improve lives and make what’s next at 3M.com/news.

About Discovery Education 
Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place. Through its award-winning multimedia content, instructional supports, innovative classroom tools, and corporate partnerships, Discovery Education helps educators deliver equitable learning experiences engaging all students and supporting higher academic achievement on a global scale. Discovery Education serves approximately 4.5 million educators and 45 million students worldwide, and its resources are accessed in over 100 countries and territories. Inspired by the global media company Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. Discovery Education partners with districts, states, and trusted organizations to empower teachers with leading edtech solutions that support the success of all learners. Explore the future of education at www.discoveryeducation.com.

Contacts 
Tim Post 
3M 
Email: tpost3@mmm.com

Grace Maliska 
Discovery Education 
Email: gmaliska@discoveryed.com

Campaign Includes Launches of a Number of Initiatives including “From Me To You” Digital Series, Partnership With BORN THIS WAY and THROUGHLINE, 2024 MTV EMA’s Creators House’s Mental Health Program, and more. 

80 projects funded so far across 10 countries as part of the partnership with ChangeX.

NEW YORK, October 16, 2024 /3BL/ – Mental health is health – and it’s time we treat it that way. This principle lies at the heart of World Mental Health Day (October 10), and Paramount is fully embracing it to raise global awareness of mental health issues and mobilize support efforts. Today, Paramount announces the international expansion of its ‘Mental Health is Health’ campaign, dedicated to providing essential resources to support mental well-being worldwide.

As part of its longstanding commitment to mental health, Paramount is introducing a series of initiatives designed to help individuals care for their mental well-being, which began rolling out in May 2024. Leveraging Mental Health Action Day as a catalyst, the initiatives aim to provide valuable resources that raise awareness about often overlooked mental health issues, offer tools to support oneself and loved ones, and celebrate those who are actively making a difference in the field of mental health.

These initiatives Include:

From Me To You, a short form video series featuring local music artists, celebrities and influencers sharing their personal experiences and mental health journeys to raise awareness, challenge stigma and inspire action for international MTV audiences. The series was produced in France, Brazil, South Africa, UK to amplify the Mental Health is Health initiative using local voices, and to direct audiences to the www.mentalhealthishealth.tv website for support and services wherever they are. The series will start rolling out on 10th October across local MTV Social Media Channels. Local artists featured in the series include:
Poppy Ajudha, Thom Rylance from The Lottery Winners and Henry Moodie from the UK;
Dana and Jessy from Germany, both from Germany Shore;
Music Producer Yo Soy Matt from Mexico;
Influencer Leandrinha Du Art from Brazil;
A bunch of artists from South Africa, including radio deejay and presenter “Fresh by Caddy”, speaker and content creator Lerai Rakoditsoe, Award Winning Musician Dee Koala, Award Winning Hip Hop artist Gigi Lamayne, recording artist Thando Nje and award-winning dance choreographer and TV personality Hope Ramafalo.
 World Mental Health Day Public Service Announcement: A cross-brand Public Service Announcement rolled out across Paramount’s global channels and platforms, centering World Mental Health Day as a moment to encourage audiences to take action on their mental health, addressing audiences to www.mentalhealthishealth.tv to find support and services. The PSA is available across international markets on Pluto TV, Comedy Central, MTV, BET International, Network10 in Australia and My5 in the UK, and in the US across MTV Entertainment brands, including MTV Instagram, X and Facebook social accounts, as well as Comedy Central and CMT social handles.
 Partnership with Change X to launch the World Mental Health Day Community Fund, a multi-region mental health and well-being focused community fund supporting communities to start or expand projects that positively impact mental health and well-being in the UK, Australia, Canada, Singapore, Mexico, Argentina, Germany, Netherlands, France and Chile. 80 projects have been funded so far across 10 countries.
 Partnership with Born This Way Foundation to promote the Be There Certificate. This free, online mental health course, developed by Jack.org in partnership with Born This Way Foundation, is available in English, French, and Spanish. It educates individuals on how to recognize signs of mental health struggles, understand their role in providing support, and connect those in need with appropriate help.
 Partnership with Throughline to promote Throughline’s Find A Helpline platform and widget, empowering audiences to find vetted mental health services and resources worldwide.
 MTV EMAs Creators House. Part of Paramount’s Content for Change event series, this company-wide social impact-led initiative will take place across the 7th, 8th and 9th November with a packed slate of programming and networking opportunities aimed at Manchester’s creative community. The Creators House in Manchester will feature a full day dedicated to Mental Health, including panel discussions, activations and networking moments.
 Mental Health Storytelling Roundtable: On September 26, 2024, Paramount Global and Prospira Global hosted a roundtable discussion in New York to catalyze global partnerships between the international media and mental health sector from to discuss the role of the media and storytelling for good mental health globally.
 

About Paramount 
Paramount Global (NASDAQ: PARA, PARAA) is a leading global media, streaming and entertainment company that creates premium content and experiences for audiences worldwide. Driven by iconic consumer brands, Paramount’s portfolio includes CBS, Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, BET, Paramount+ and Pluto TV. Paramount holds one of the industry’s most extensive libraries of TV and film titles. In addition to offering innovative streaming services and digital video products, the company provides powerful capabilities in production, distribution, and advertising solutions.

For more information about Paramount, please visit www.paramount.com and follow @ParamountCo on social platforms.

Authored by Jeffrey Haynes, Daniel A. Hedden, Ben Pennick

Lake County, Indiana sits on the southern shore of Lake Michigan and is home to about half a million residents. The community has a strong industrial presence, producing 25% of the nation’s steel and housing BP’s largest refinery. Lake County went live on Oracle Cloud in 2022 and immediately struggled with the new software leading to process breakdowns and audit failures. In late 2023, Lake County engaged Baker Tilly to take over the managed services of the Oracle Cloud platform, optimize and reimplement software, and with municipal advisory accounting service, return the County to compliance and auditability.

At a recent conference, Baker Tilly’s Jeff Haynes, Director; Ben Penick, Program Manager and Dan Hedden, Principal sat down with Scott Schmal, Director of Finance at Lake County to delve into the challenges the County faced in its initial Oracle Cloud implementation, the steps taken to optimize the system and the key outcomes of the Baker Tilly Lake County collaboration.

Q: What were the challenges that Lake County faced before its Oracle Cloud transformation with Baker Tilly?

Schmal: One of the major hurdles was the rushed implementation without proper buy-in or understanding from staff. Our initial training was insufficient, and many people were unfamiliar with their new roles and responsibilities within Oracle Cloud. This confusion contributed to a significant delay in payroll processing and left us struggling to maintain accurate financial reporting. By the time we realized the depth of the issues, we had already been flagged by the State Board of Accounts, making the situation even more urgent.

“After the County struggled with the initial implementation, we knew we needed a partner with both strong municipal advisory experience and Oracle Cloud expertise. Baker Tilly met all the criteria we were looking for, including their ability to work on recovery efforts of failed implementations, which was crucial in our situation.” – Scott Schmal, Director of Finance, Lake County

Q: What specific issues were uncovered during the initial assessment?

Schmal: One of the most significant findings was that the County’s new system wasn’t taking full advantage of Oracle’s capabilities. There was also a lack of formal closing processes for transactions and journals, causing discrepancies in financial reporting. Data accuracy was another major issue, particularly with reports that either didn’t exist or contained incorrect information. The most alarming discovery was that there was a $350 million variance between the ledger and the treasury.

Q: What was Baker Tilly’s approach to optimization for Lake County?

Penick: A big part of our approach was the collaboration between the Municipal Advisors and Oracle groups to ensure that we were mitigating gaps across process, technology, and compliance reporting. With Lake County being flagged by the State Board, data corrections and reporting were our top priorities, but Baker Tilly also identified significant challenges and pain points within Benefits and HR that needed to be addressed. Baker Tilly also emphasized continuous knowledge transfer and education throughout, keeping the County system admins very close to the redesign efforts. This emphasis ensured that the employees who oversee the system understood what changes were being made, why they were being made, and how they were being made, so that they could maintain the system following the conclusion of the project.

Q: What are some of the key outcomes of the optimization process so far?

Schmal: The biggest win has been bringing the County back to an auditable status. This required a lot of work on the part of the Baker Tilly team, especially in straightening out our 2022 financials. The lift-and-shift approach during the initial implementation left us with data integrity issues and a lack of proper controls, which made it challenging to carry over accurate balances between systems. Baker Tilly did an excellent job addressing these issues and having them partner with our auditors really helped restore the County’s credibility. The state is nearly done with the 2022 audit, and it looks like there won’t be any material adjustments, which is a huge relief after the challenges we faced in 2023.

Hedden: The resubmission of the County’s financial statements for 2022 has been a huge win so far. The team was able to largely identify and correct all of the material variances and get the County back on track for a Regulatory Audit for CY2022. However, returning to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) reporting has always been the goal. In the next phase, we’ll be working closely with both the County and our Oracle team to ensure their system can generate accurate GAAP-compliant financial statements by the end of the year. ensure their system can generate accurate GAAP-compliant financial statements by the end of the year.

Penick: Additionally, the County has hired a new controller of finance to assist with cloud governance, which is helping to drive change internally. While there’s still work to be done in bringing additional resources on board, we’re moving in the right direction. Another big win was the successful relaunch of several Oracle modules, including EPM Workforce Planning. This has allowed the County to shift their budgeting and planning processes from manual spreadsheets in Excel to Oracle, integrating data from both HCM and ERP systems.

Q: What’s next for Lake County and its Oracle Cloud system?

Schmal: We’re looking forward to continuing our optimization efforts, particularly with dashboards for real-time financial reporting and planning. This will allow County officials to make more informed decisions with better data visibility. Another key focus will be improving payroll processes and expanding our use of Oracle Cloud’s financial and HR capabilities.

Baker Tilly’s knowledgeable enterprise solutions professionals bring forward leading practices from years as Oracle implementers to collaborate with federal agencies, state and local governments, municipal utilities and other public sector organizations to help them achieve the modernization and optimization of back-office strategies, processes and technologies. With a focus on enhancing their software investment and improving their business practice, Baker Tilly’s approach is designed to drive adoption and sustainability. Baker Tilly helps public sector entities achieve their digital transformation initiatives.

Contact a Baker Tilly specialist to learn more

Changemakers from One Young World Series

In this debut episode, the first in an exclusive series from the One Young World Summit, Paul Polman, former CEO of Unilever and co-author of Net Positive, joins host Carol Cone to discuss the urgent need for courageous leadership in today’s world. Paul shares insights on how businesses must adopt regenerative, restorative practices to address climate change and inequality, and how young leaders are key to driving this transformation. He also explores how companies can move beyond corporate social responsibility to embrace a “net positive” approach, where they give back more than they take.

This episode is part of our multi-episode series featuring some of the world’s most influential changemakers who attended the 2024 One Young World Summit, a global forum that brings together young leaders from 190+ countries to accelerate social impact.

Listen to this and other episodes of Purpose 360 Podcast here.

Purpose 360 Podcast is a masterclass in unlocking the potential of purpose to ignite business and social impact. Hosted by Carol Cone, CEO of Carol Cone ON PURPOSE, Purpose 360 illuminates the impact of purpose, from engaging employees and fostering deeper consumer loyalty to inspiring product innovation and increasing market share.

Carol Cone ON PURPOSE (CCOP) is a pioneering social impact consultancy helping companies, brands, and nonprofits harness the power of purpose to advance their business and societal impact. CCOP’s proven approach, developed over decades and hundreds of purpose assignments, meets clients at any point on their purpose journey to unlock opportunities to build reputation, inspire and engage employees, ignite organizational culture for innovation and growth, while supporting the greater good.

At Griffith Foods, we believe in the power of community and collective efforts to create positive change. In FY23, the European and African Griffith Cares team organized the “One Day Griffith Cares Challenge,” engaging our entire workforce in supporting vital community initiatives.

This standout event in Europe was a 24-hour challenge where participants bicycled and walked, raising donations for each kilometer covered.

Our European team made a remarkable contribution by organizing a sponsored virtual tour. Exceeding the initial challenge of traveling virtually from Dublin to London, they continued on back to the start in Dublin covering an impressive 5200km and raised €39,000 (almost $42,000) for the Ronald McDonald House Foundation. This organization provides essential support and resources to families with hospitalized children, ensuring they can stay close during critical times. The route took cyclists and walkers through major cities including Edinburgh, Amsterdam, Brussels, and Paris, creating widespread awareness and impact.

This initiative not only supported communities, but also energized and unified our workforce. Employees could contribute without spending their own money, raising awareness about Griffith Cares and bringing our purpose into action.

At Griffith Foods, our commitment to community impact is unwavering. The success of our “One Day Challenge” showcases our dedication to making a difference, and we are excited to continue making a positive impact together.

Our Sustainability Journey 
At Griffith Foods, we are committed to driving positive impact through a regenerative mindset. Sustainability is connected to everything we do as a business, and by 2030, we are dedicated to significantly improving the future with a singular sustainable business strategy that we call our 2030 Aspirations. To learn more about Griffith Foods and its current sustainability efforts, visit them online and download the 2023 Sustainability Report. 

About Griffith Foods 
At Griffith Foods, our purpose defines who we are, what we do, and why we exist, highlighting what makes us distinct and authentic in the marketplace. We help our partners meet the evolving needs and desires of consumers in ways that respect and sustain the planet. Our care and creativity mean we’ll find the right mix of global reach and local impact to serve the earth and nourish all of us who call it home.

View original content here.

Originally published in ScottsMiracle-Gro’s 2024 Corporate Responsibility Report

R&D FIELD TRIALS OF MIRACLE-GRO ORGANIC RAISED BED & GARDEN SOIL

In preparation for the launch of our next generation organic products in 2024, including the new Miracle-Gro Organic Raised Bed & Garden Soil, the Gardens R&D team led one of the largest biology trials in company history. Within this trial the team studied the quality and performance of the product on over 300 plants. The study was carried out across various growing platforms, including 138 raised beds and six garden rows. With a major focus on developing products that are locally crafted*, this test also included soil mixes representing various regions in the U.S., as product efficacy and performance needed to be consistent across geographic locations. 

The importance of these trials is further magnified by the fact that organic growing media tends to be more complex to design than its conventional counterparts. For example, the soil blend contains a quick release fertilizer to help grow plants. These organic fertilizer ingredients have a tendency to interact with other ingredients, such as aged bark and compost. Therefore, it becomes even more imperative to ensure we are screening quality input materials and accounting for these complex interactions.

Large-scale trials like these help us deliver quality products to new and experienced gardeners with resources for successful planting and outcomes. In addition, we went head-to-head with several major competitors in the market and proved once again that consumers rely on Miracle-Gro products to deliver  superior performance. 

*Manufactured less than 150 miles on average from where the product is sold, excluding AL & HI

To learn more about ScottsMiracleGro’s commitment to corporate responsibility, visit our webpage.

For full details about ScottsMiracle-Gro’s 2024 Corporate Responsibility Report, visit here.