Tag: 3BL

Congratulations to Jackee de Lagarde, VP, Global Licensing at Kate Spade New York on being named to Crain’s New York Business Notable Black Leaders! The list celebrates talented and accomplished Black individuals whose professional and communal achievements enhance New York City. Tapestry and Kate Spade New York are so proud that Jackee has been recognized – we can’t wait to see what she does next!

Tapestry connected with Jackee, and she shared a little more about her team and experience at Tapestry:

Q: Can you share your role, how long you’ve been at Tapestry and a few details about what your team oversees?

I am VP of Global Licensing at Kate Spade New York and have been with the brand since 2014. My team and I are responsible for setting and implementing strategies to maximize the brand’s licensing program. Since I’ve joined, my team and I have launched numerous categories within women’s, men’s, and kids’ apparel and accessories, as well as home and pet accessories.

Q: What is your proudest moment/achievement at Tapestry? 

Finalizing a licensing agreement is always a fulfilling achievement, and I was so fortunate to have executed five agreements in my first year at Kate Spade New York. More recently, I really enjoyed the work my team and I did when we launched the Kate Spade New York collaboration with Starbucks in November 2020. The partnership offered a curated merchandise collection, available for a limited time at select Starbucks stores and online in Asia. The partnership was such a huge hit that we did a second collaboration in 2022 in 14 countries!

Q: What words would you use to describe our culture?

Our Tapestry culture and how we support our employees is truly best in class. I was lucky enough to serve as the co-chair of Black Alliance, Tapestry’s first Employee Business Resource Group, for three years and be part of a movement that helped shape some of Tapestry’s EI&D efforts. Our vision for Black Alliance was to build a dedicated forum for Tapestry’s Black community and its allies within the business to share vision, cultivate Black talent, and promote Black diversity throughout the year.

Learn more about what it’s like to work at Tapestry and our brands here.

The Leave No Trace Spotlight program brings together our shared love for the outdoors with a dedication to preserving its well-being and beauty.

Spotlights are designed to energize local Leave No Trace efforts by rallying the community, connecting partners, and inspiring continued action. This free program provides opportunities for Leave No Trace training, community outreach, and volunteer stewardship.

Selected spaces range from National Parks and Forests, to state or municipal sites, to local non-profits and organizations.

Nominate a Spotlight

How It Works

Sites nominate themselves for the program.We hand-select nominated outdoor spaces that need our community’s care and attention.Leave No Trace and selected sites work together closely to plan and promote the Spotlight.Our Subaru/Leave No Trace team(s) travel to Spotlight locations to host free educational workshops, community cleanups, restoration projects, and more!You attend the Spotlight to support conservation efforts in your community.These Spotlight locations benefit from Leave No Trace education, awareness, and community engagement, leading to a better-than-we-found-it outdoors where preservation and conservation are in full force.

Download the Spotlight Host Guide

2024 Spotlights

Spotlights take place across the country at every type of natural area. Each location receives three days of Leave No Trace education and fun for the whole community!

So mark your calendars, spread the word, and get ready to roll up your sleeves for some conservation work. We will see you out there!

Find a Spotlight Near You! 
View All

Spotlights in Action

Wheat Ridge, CO

The Wheat Ridge Spotlight directly educated 213 members of the community with 48 volunteers planting wildflowers, 72 youth campers learning Leave No Trace, 45 community members participating in a trivia night, and 54 people reached in other outreach programs.

Red Rock Canyon NCA, NV

The Red Rock Canyon Spotlight had 33 volunteers work to repair fences and rehabilitate social trails. 24 staff and partners received Leave No Trace training. The coverage of the program by NPR reached over 4,000 community members. Red Rock Canyon NCA is now working toward Gold Standard Site designation.

Biscayne Bay, FL

Four local organizations came together in a joint effort for the Spotlight with 19 stakeholders trained in Leave No Trace, 45 community members participating in Leave No Trace Trivia Night, and 55 volunteers removing litter and handing out trash bags to boaters.

“The Leave No Trace Spotlight at the Mohonk Preserve became the catalyst our partnership needed to elevate our Leave No Trace work to the highest standard. The event brought our staff and community together for stewardship projects, community engagement, educational experiences, and fun! The weekend taught us many things we immediately applied to our work. For our organization it was an eye opening experience that will benefit the land and community in perpetuity.”

Andrew Bajardi 
Mohonk Preserve

“The Leave No Trace Spotlight program brought exposure and excitement to our hidden treasure of Clear Creek Natural Heritage Area in Denton, TX. The Leave No Trace Spotlight team were organized and thorough in the planning to ensure our Spotlight event went extremely well. The marketing packet was perfect for our marketing avenues and gave us sample content.”

Carin Zeman 
Denton Parks and Recreation

“Coordinating the Leave No Trace Spotlight event at Red Rock Canyon NCA in 2022 was very enjoyable and enlightening! The training really changed the discussion we have as a partner with BLM Red Rock Canyon to how we message better about the impact of Leave No Trace. We are now working on becoming a Gold Standard location.”

Terri Janison 
Friends of Red Rock Canyon

On the Ground Impact

Since the program launched in January 2023, Spotlights have:

Reached 29 natural areasDirectly educated 9,714 peopleEngaged 65 community groupsProvided 3,067 volunteer hours

Get Involved

Nominate a Spotlight

Are you a land manager, outdoor educator, or part of a non-profit or group that could benefit from free Leave No Trace educational programs?

Nominate a Spotlight

Attend a Spotlight

Are you a Leave No Tracer, outdoor enthusiast, volunteer, or nature lover interested in getting involved?

Attend a Spotlight

New Holland, a brand of CNH, was the big winner of the ABX (Automotive Business) Award 2024 in the “Collaborative Innovation” category with the Accessible TL5, the world’s first accessible tractor.

The award highlighted projects with high potential for positive impact, with an innovative proposal and capable of delivering new value to the automotive industry, mobility and society.

“It is with great honor and pride that we receive this award. People with reduced mobility in the lower limbs, including those who live and work in the countryside, want to have autonomy to be able to carry out their activities on their own. And the Accessible TL5 meets the main premise of inclusion, which is to enable people to exercise their numerous skills and abilities, eliminating barriers that today make it impossible for many farmers to access the operating station of a machine”, says Eduardo Kerbauy, vice president of New Holland for Latin America.

As a brand that cares about improving the customer experience, this accessible tractor arose from the real need of many farmers. The development of the Accessible TL5 even had the participation of a New Holland customer, who is a wheelchair user.

Read more here at: New Holland is winner of the 2024 ABX Award (cnh.com)

October 22, 2024 /3BL/ – Ceres welcomes a long-awaited agreement between both chambers of the Massachusetts Legislature to advance critical energy legislation that builds on the state’s legacy of leading climate action. The legislation, which both chambers are expected to vote on this week, includes essential reforms to the state’s permitting and siting procedures to responsibly accelerate the buildout of clean energy infrastructure and secure new investments in clean power, transportation, and buildings.

“Ceres and the businesses we work with are grateful that House and Senate negotiators were able to reach a deal and today advance legislation that fortifies Massachusetts as a climate leader,” said Rishi Reddi, senior advisor for Northeast state policy at Ceres. “By investing in clean power, clean transportation, and clean buildings while protecting ratepayers and communities, this legislation will position the Commonwealth to fully capitalize on the nationwide clean energy boom by deploying the crucial technologies that will support our economy and protect our climate.”

Ceres helped organize business support for the climate omnibus throughout 2024. In July, Ceres joined an effort led by the Environmental League of Massachusetts to convene 28 leading businesses and institutions to call for passage of the climate omnibus bill in a letter to lawmakers. In the letter, companies including Akamai Technologies, Amalgamated Bank, Eastern Bank, Form Energy, Trillium Asset Management, and VHB joined institutions such as Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston Medical Center, the Museum of Science, and UMass Lowell urged legislators to pass the law and “enable communities across the Commonwealth to take action to meet our statutory clean energy and emission-reduction goals for 2025 and 2030.”

And in September, Ceres CEO Mindy Lubber published an op-ed on WBUR’s Cognoscenti website, calling on lawmakers to hold a special legislative session to pass the climate bill, as well as economic development legislation that would include $1 billion in clean technology investment. The two bills, she wrote, would capitalize on the nationwide boom in clean energy and allow Massachusetts to harness “strong economic tailwinds that the high-tech and life science sectors delivered the state in previous generations.”

About Ceres

Ceres is a nonprofit advocacy organization working to accelerate the transition to a cleaner, more just, and sustainable world. United under a shared vision, our powerful networks of investors and companies are proving sustainability is the bottom line—changing markets and sectors from the inside out. For more information, visit ceres.org.

Media Contact: Helen Booth-Tobin, booth-tobin@ceres.org

Veolia North America Sustainability Report 2024

In many parts of the U.S., seasonal drought and water scarcity are creating problems for communities, and water scarcity is expected to accelerate over time due to the impact of climate change. 

We work to protect water resources in the communities in which we operate through efficient use of water, smart growth strategies and implementing water reuse and recycling technologies.

ORADELL RESERVOIR DAM CELEBRATES ITS CENTENNIAL

In 2023 we celebrated the Centennial of the Oradell Reservoir Dam. Constructed in 1923 to serve a growing population, the dam continues to ensure that Northern New Jersey thrives. Over 885,000 residents and businesses depend on the 35 billion gallons of drinking water drawn from the reservoir every year. Because superior-quality water begins with a clean environment, the company’s watershed team is promoting biodiversity projects and pioneering water management methods to protect 4,162 acres of watershed at its reservoirs in New Jersey. Meanwhile, the company’s lab ensures the water pulled from the Oradell and treated at the Haworth Plant meets or surpasses all water quality measures. A trusted water provider in New Jersey for 154 years, we continue to make substantial improvements on behalf of residents and businesses.

MILWAUKEE WATER REUSE PROJECT CONSERVES 350 MILLION GALLONS PER YEAR

Veolia North America operates and maintains the Jones Island Reclamation Facility in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in partnership with the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District. The public-private wastewater partnership is one of the largest of its kind in the United States, serving a population of 1.1 million and treating up to 630 million gallons per day. The facility has been reengineered to use treated wastewater effluent to cool the site’s power generation facilities, eliminating the need to draw Milwaukee River water into the cooling water system. Using treated effluent for cooling eliminated the use of 350 million gallons of raw river water each year and reduced heat discharges back into the Milwaukee River, helping to protect the aquatic environment. The Jones Island water reuse project also eliminates the need to chlorinate the river water, significantly reducing chemical use at the facility.

Continue reading the full report

October 22, 2024 /3BL/ – Lenovo is pleased to announce that it maintains its AA score in the 2024 Hang Seng Corporate Sustainability Index (“HSSUS”). Among 550 Hong Kong-listed companies, Lenovo received the strongest score in the IT industry for its environmental achievements, which have also been recognized by CDP for leadership in climate change and supplier engagement.  This index is based on a robust process that includes consideration of the results from a sustainability assessment undertaken by Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency (HKQAA), an independent and professional assessment body, using its proprietary sustainability assessment and rating framework. 

HSSUS evaluates a company’s performance on seven subjects under the categories of Environmental, Social and Governance: Corporate Governance, Human Rights, Labour Practices, The Environment, Fair Operating Practices, Consumer Issues and Community Involvement and Development. The methodology behind the sustainability assessment is reviewed annually to incorporate developments within the evolving ESG landscape, with reference to both international and local protocols. The assessment framework is designed to capture both general and industry-specific criteria across the three E, S and G core aspects; each rated equally as a base, with additional industry-specific materiality factors applied.  

Inclusion in the Hang Seng Corporate Sustainability Index demonstrates Lenovo’s long-term commitment to driving a more sustainable future for all. Lenovo is on-track to reach its 2030 emissions reduction goals and is in the first group of companies to have its net-zero by 2050 targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative’s Net-Zero Standard. Lenovo continues to increase its participation in the circular economy, increasing use of sustainable materials and asset recycling and disposal, as well as core innovations and sustainability services to support customers’ goals and participation. Since 2017, Lenovo has reused or recycled more than 94,000 metric tons of products¹ through PELM programs² – the same weight as 87 million ThinkPads. Lenovo is focused on sharing its smarter technology with the community and has invested more the US$50M in communities around the world since 2022. With its focus on “Smarter AI for All” and the creation of its Responsible AI Committee, Lenovo is proactively governing its innovation against principles that promote the responsible, ethical, and safe development, deployment, and utilization of AI.

Learn more about Lenovo’s ESG performance on Lenovo StoryHub and in the FY 2023/24 ESG Report.  

¹ Based on CY 2022 product recycling data: https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/sustainability-product-recycling/   
² Consumer and commercial take-back programs 

About Lenovo

Lenovo is a US$57 billion revenue global technology powerhouse, ranked #248 in the Fortune Global 500, and serving millions of customers every day in 180 markets. Focused on a bold vision to deliver Smarter Technology for All, Lenovo has built on its success as the world’s largest PC company with a full-stack portfolio of AI-enabled, AI-ready, and AI-optimized devices (PCs, workstations, smartphones, tablets), infrastructure (server, storage, edge, high performance computing and software defined infrastructure), software, solutions, and services. Lenovo’s continued investment in world-changing innovation is building a more equitable, trustworthy, and smarter future for everyone, everywhere. Lenovo is listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange under Lenovo Group Limited (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY). To find out more visit https://lenovo.com and read about the latest news via our StoryHub.

KeyBank and the KeyBank Foundation announced an investment of $400,000 in the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Toledo to boost its Core City Program.

Using grant funds for the next four years, LISC Toledo and the Core City Program will help cover a development cost gap of up to $40,000 to support development of approximately 15 homes.

The Core City Program focuses on the rehabilitation of previously vacant single-family homes in Toledo’s downtown neighborhoods to:

Address blightIncrease homeownership, especially among families of colorIncrease property values and narrow the appraisal gap 

The program allows more Toledo families to enjoy safe, stable housing and reap the wealth-building benefits of homeownership. 

“At KeyBank, we are committed to investing in initiatives that create lasting, positive change in our communities,” said Dan Dower, KeyBank Norwest Ohio Market President. 

“Our investment in LISC Toledo’s Core City Program is about more than just housing – it’s about empowering families, increasing homeownership opportunities, and helping build stronger, more resilient neighborhoods. By addressing the development cost gap, we’re working to ensure that Toledo’s downtown communities continue to grow, thrive and offer opportunities for wealth-building, particularly for families of color. We’re proud to support LISC Toledo in this transformative work, and together, we will continue to create more equitable, inclusive communities for all.”

In 2023, the Core City Program beneficiaries were 73% Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) and 58% female heads of households, with an average income of $40,000. Notably, the target neighborhoods at the beginning of the program had average home sale prices of $25,000; over time, the average sale prices have risen to $70,000. While still affordable, the increase in price is critical to improving neighborhood conditions.

“LISC Toledo is excited for the opportunity to continue enhancing and building our core city program while strengthening our ongoing partnerships,” said Tom Kroma, LISC Toledo executive director. “We are thankful for KeyBank’s participation and support since Core City’s inception and look forward to continued collaboration as we provide high-quality, stable housing for Toledo residents. We aim for this investment to serve as a catalyst for additional investment and significant impact for Toledo’s affordable housing and neighborhood development.” Together with partners, LISC Toledo has invested more than $1.4 million in the Core City Program. The program has renovated and sold 29 homes to owner-occupants, most of whom are people of color with low-to-moderate incomes, with 13 more homes in the pipeline and more being added throughout the year.

KeyBank and LISC Toledo have a longstanding partnership. Over the last 20 years, KeyBank and the KeyBank Foundation have granted LISC Toledo more than $2 million to help create resilient and inclusive communities across the greater Toledo area.

ABOUT KEYCORP

KeyCorp’s roots trace back nearly 200 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation’s largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $187 billion at June 30, 2024. 

 Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 1,000 branches and approximately 1,200 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank Member FDIC.

ABOUT LISC TOLEDO

LISC is one of the country’s largest community development organizations, helping forge vibrant, resilient communities across America. LISC works with residents and partners to close systemic gaps in health, wealth, and opportunity and advance racial equity so that people and places can thrive. Since its founding in 1979, LISC has invested $32 billion to create more than 506,000 affordable homes and apartments, develop 82.5 million square feet of retail, community, and educational space, and help tens of thousands of people find employment and improve their finances.  In Toledo, LISC has focused on a comprehensive approach to community development, investing nearly $275 million since 1989 and leveraging nearly $400 million to fuel economic opportunity and build stronger, healthier neighborhoods. For more information, visit www.lisc.org.

This post was contributed by Giselle Villa, financial analyst at Cadence.

As a member of Cadencia, the Latinx Inclusion group at Cadence, I found the Latinx Mercado Fiesta to be a meaningful and enriching experience, especially working in a tech company where Latinx representation can sometimes feel limited. This event created a much-needed space for us to celebrate our diverse cultures and share the beauty and richness of our traditions with our coworkers.

Walking through the market, I felt a sense of pride seeing the familiar candies I grew up eating, a reminder of my childhood that I was able to explain and share with colleagues from different backgrounds. It was heartwarming to see their genuine interest and curiosity as they learned about the significance of something that held such a special place in my life. The connection made through something as simple as a childhood treat was a reflection of how powerful these cultural exchanges can be.

One vendor that particularly stood out to me was selling a sweater with the phrase “Vaquera Ingeniera,” which translates to “cowgirl engineer.” This unique design resonated with me because it perfectly blended elements of Mexican culture with a professional identity, celebrating both our cultural roots and the ambition we carry into our careers. On the back, it said in Spanish, “Sé la ingeniera de tu vida” (“Be the engineer of your life”), which was a beautiful reminder that we can craft our own paths and futures, all while honoring where we come from. It was a wonderful example of how our heritage can coexist with our professional identities, and seeing that representation in such a creative way filled me with pride.

It’s events like these that remind me of the strength and beauty of our Latinx community. This wasn’t just about enjoying the food, vendors, and performances, like the Aztec dance and empanadas, but also about creating a space for cultural exchange and connection. It reinforced the importance of groups like Cadencia, where we can come together, find common ground, and celebrate our roots in an environment that may not always reflect our cultural experiences.

As we look forward to upcoming holidays and events like Día de los Muertos and Posadas, I’m filled with gratitude to be part of our One Cadence – One Team culture that not only celebrates our traditions but also gives us the space to support each other and share our stories.

Learn more about life at Cadence.

October 22, 2024 /3BL/ – Our hearts continue to be with everyone in the Southeast states impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. As of late last week, T-Mobile operations are almost completely back to normal. Our network is fully operating, and our Customer Experience Centers and all stores are open. We were proud to have been on the ground supporting communities in their rebuilding and remain committed to supporting our customers and communities as they continue to recover in the Southeast.

Here are a few stats about our response efforts:

Activated over 600 emergency crew members, field engineers, technicians and others who mobilized as quickly as possible and navigated extremely challenging conditions and destruction.Recovered all but 4% of network sites and restored connectivity for all but 2% of customers within 72 hours of each hurricane.Completed over 3,400 reconnaissance missions to identify site-specific restoration needs.Deployed and maintained over 800 generators and an expansive fleet of connectivity solutions — including SatCOLTs and SatCOWs, Mobile Emergency Operations Centers, heavy-duty Wi-Fi and charging vehicles, VSATs and microwave technology — to rapidly recover impacted sites and restore coverage.Configured around 5,000 real-time performance and congestion mitigation changes and 230 spectrum layer management actions to extend site back-up power run-time and customer service at sites in impacted areas.Conducted 121,000 antenna tilts to continuously and iteratively optimize signals and expand coverage.Visited 46 different Red Cross shelters and points of distribution across the Southeast to provide free Wi-Fi to over 17,000 people who used 9.0 terabytes of data, offer device charging and hand out nearly 5,600 power packs with device charging equipment and other supplies.Broadcast Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) and delivered SMS messages via satellite.Deployed drones to assist local law enforcement and agencies in Western North Carolina with high-resolution and thermal imagery and risk identification and assessment of debris, possible landslides, structure and infrastructure damage and more.Prioritized restoration requests from federal, state and local officials and emergency management agencies to best support critical operations for first responders and public safety agencies, as well as customers, communities and others.

We’re continuing to encourage everyone to donate to our partner, the American Red Cross, which is providing comfort, support and relief. We are also matching our employee donations 2:1 through Benevity.

For more information on T-Mobile’s response following Hurricane Helene, visit https://www.t-mobile.com/news/network/hurricane-helene, and for Hurricane Milton, visit https://www.t-mobile.com/news/network/hurricane-milton.

See more on T-Mobile’s emergency response efforts and tips to stay connected at https://www.t-mobile.com/news/emergency-response. Follow @TMobileNews on X, formerly known as Twitter, to stay up to date with the latest company news.

Media Relations Contact 
T-Mobile US, Inc. 
MediaRelations@t-mobile.com

Investor Relations Contact 
T-Mobile US, 
Inc.Investor.Relations@t-mobile.com 
https://investor.t‑mobile.com

Cassie Ross is a champion of inclusion, with a passion for fostering an accessible and accommodating workplace for people with disabilities. Over the past 10 years, Cassie has translated her local advocacy with community organizations to driving awareness within Henkel.

Our purpose is what unites us at Henkel North America: Pioneers at heart for the good of generations. Our pioneering spirit is reflective of the diverse backgrounds, experiences and talents of our employees and partners. They dare to make an impact on the world by collaborating to tackle challenges, find solutions and open new perspectives.

Their contributions allow us to deliver products, services and innovations that enrich and improve everyday life. We invite you to “meet” our pioneers in our series, “Pioneers for Good.”

Introducing Cassie

Cassie Ross is a Senior Customer Marketing Manager for Henkel Consumer Brands but her most important role is being a mother to a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Daily she ensures that her son is happy, healthy, and loved while advocating for disability awareness and inclusion in all parts of her life, including the workplace.

Cassie’s personal experiences color her approach across her endeavors.

“For those who ‘live’ disabilities it’s an ongoing conversation. In every context I can, I focus my efforts on making people aware of the importance of inclusion for all.”

Cassie Ross, Senior Customer Marketing Manager for Henkel Consumer Brands

Navigating the Unknown with Compassion

While Cassie has always anticipated challenges, little can prepare you for life-changing moments. Cassie’s moment was when her then-four-year-old son was diagnosed with nonspeaking autism. Cassie immediately knew this was her hard moment, this is what she was meant to advocate for.

“My husband and I were so lost,” she says about the years leading up to her son’s diagnosis. “I was a mess for almost two years, looking for every piece of information I could find to help give him a means of communication and deciding how our family would navigate his diagnosis alongside the pandemic.”

Cassie enrolled her son at Sunshine School & Development Center, an education center that provides a range of services to enable children touched by disability. Here, she knew her son would thrive. What she didn’t know was that it would become a home for her, a place where she could put her passion for advocacy into action and encourage her to push for disability awareness and inclusion at work.

Charting a Path of Support for Families

Today, Cassie is a Board Member for Sunshine School & Development Center. “I’ve made it a personal mission to ensure no other family that I come into contact with feels as lost as we did during those first two years.” With support from Henkel, Cassie has been able to further her mission through two grants received from Henkel’s Make An Impact on Tomorrow (MIT) initiative to help fund playground equipment for the school.

Cassie also serves as Vice President and Board member at Autism Involves Me (AIM), a local organization that empowers and supports individuals with autism and their families. In this role, she brings her business experience and financial acumen to help the organization build long-term stability.

Working with AIM and the Sunshine School & Development Center gives Cassie the opportunity to connect with others whose lives are affected by disability. At AIM’s annual AIM Fest in September, Cassie instantly recognized a mother who was experiencing the same struggle her family faced.

“I gave her a hug, then she started crying and I started crying. And I was reassured, ‘This is why I’m here.’”

Transforming a Challenge into a Triumph

Cassie’s experiences as a mother of a child with autism have fueled her passion for promoting disability awareness and inclusion in the workplace. When she wanted to start an employee resource group (ERG) dedicated to this subject, she connected with her colleagues Angie Parker and Patricia Tucker, to bring it to life. 

The Awareness of Visible and Invisible Disabilities (AVID) ERG works to foster an inclusive and supportive environment for employees with disabilities or employees who may be caregivers for a family member with a disability. Cassie appreciates the collaborative nature and the ability to connect with Henkel employees outside of her department who have been affected by disability.

“It is the coolest experience to bring people together from different areas of the company who have common goals and objectives. The AVID ERG has opened this ecosphere of Henkel employees all over the globe who collaborate to drive disability awareness and inclusion in the workplace, in the community and in product design.”

Cassie Ross, Senior Customer Marketing Manager for Henkel Consumer Brands

Cassie also appreciates the overwhelming support from AVID’s executive sponsor, Robert McNamee. “He shows up to every call, is active and very involved in the work we are doing. Our entire executive leadership team members are active participants – they’re in it with you.”

Promoting an Accommodating and Respectful Workplace

Whether at home, in the office, or in the community, Cassie pioneers empathy, compassion, and understanding. She strives to build a more inclusive workplace culture for people with disabilities and their caregivers, for today’s workers and for future generations.

“I want my son to enter a workforce that has jobs with a career path for people with disabilities and a physical work environment that makes it accessible for them to thrive.” Cassie is proud to work for an organization who is well on that journey as Henkel was recently named a Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion by Disability: IN and The American Association of People with Disabilities.

In the end, Cassie’s message to us on being a pioneer at heart for the good of generations is simple:

“Practice kindness. Everyone is carrying something with them. Try to get to know your coworkers, what they struggle with, and how you can help them.”

Cassie Ross, Senior Customer Marketing Manager for Henkel Consumer Brands