Tag: 3BL

The 2024 goIT Student Challenges at the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon and the TCS New York City Marathon encouraged students to design concepts for apps that address gender equality and universal availability of sports opportunities. On the Friday before each marathon, teams of K-12 students presented their digital innovations and business plans, demonstrating how their ideas would create new pathways for all student athletes.

At the goIT Student Challenge in Toronto, five 6th grade students from McMurrich Junior Public School won with their app pitch “Proud Sports,” supporting rights, access and equality for all athletes. Along with three other teams, Marley, George, Elena, Paris and Yishai pitched their ideas to judges from the University of Toronto, the Toronto District School Board, TCS, and members of the Toronto business community. They were selected as the competition’s top innovators among almost 90 student entrants.

In New York City, a team of 7th and 8th grade students from John Adams Middle School in Edison, New Jersey, won the challenge with their pitch for “Equitiger.” They presented an app designed to match youth athletes with sports teams that align with their individual talents and interests. Their innovation was one of seven featured at the event judged by TCS Team Teachers ambassador and member of the Brooks Running Team, Susanna Sullivan, and Kelly Perez, head of Diversity, Equity and Social Responsibility for New York Road Runners, along with special guests from TCS’ global Sports Sponsorship team and Tata International, Ltd.

The events, and the global goIT Monthly Challenge for November, sought to engage youth in support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of Gender Equality.

To learn more about goIT, visit https://tcsempowers.tcsapps.com/amer/goIT. To learn more about TCS’ marathon sponsorships in North America, visit https://www.tcs.com/who-we-are/sports-sponsorships/running.

About TCS goIT Digital Innovation and Career Readiness Program 

TCS’ Go Innovate Together program (goIT) is TCS’ flagship STEM education program. Focusing on digital innovation and career readiness, goIT engages students from diverse backgrounds with Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) subjects and computer science, design thinking and digital innovation. The program offers an industry-developed, customizable curriculum that teaches students the 21st century skills necessary for a career in technology. Lessons cover topics including design thinking, rapid prototyping, artificial intelligence, machine learning and more.

Since the launch of the goIT Monthly Challenge in 2020, thousands of students across the globe have used key principles from goIT to design tech-based solutions and submit pitch videos based on a Monthly Challenge theme. Each month, TCS co-hosts the event with a Sustainable Development Goal ambassador, globally minded nonprofit or a TCS client. The Challenge has engaged a growing number of teachers and students every month, exploring topics ranging from gender equality and systemic racism to protecting life under water.

Visit the goIT Monthly Challenge competition website to learn how to enter — or get your students involved — with this or upcoming challenges: https://on.tcs.com/goIT-ENG. 

About Tata Consultancy Services(TCS)

Tata Consultancy Services is an IT services, consulting and business solutions organization that has been partnering with many of the world’s largest businesses in their transformation journeys for over 56 years. Its consulting-led, cognitive powered, portfolio of business, technology and engineering services and solutions is delivered through its unique Location Independent Agile™ delivery model, recognized as a benchmark of excellence in software development.

A part of the Tata group, India’s largest multinational business group, TCS has over 612,700 of the world’s best-trained consultants in 55 countries. The company generated consolidated revenues of US $29 billion in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024, and is listed on the BSE and the NSE in India. TCS’ proactive stance on climate change and award-winning work with communities across the world have earned it a place in leading sustainability indices such as the MSCI Global Sustainability Index and the FTSE4Good Emerging Index. For more information, visit www.tcs.com

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The Clorox Change Makers initiative spotlights people who actively celebrate diversity, promote inclusion and practice allyship, making a positive impact on our business and culture. 

In this installment, we focus on Danielle Chan, a senior analyst on our Burt’s Bees sales team. Danielle was nominated by McKenna Knapp, a capabilities associate manager also on our sales team. We spoke with them to learn more about what Danielle’s allyship looks like in action.

Why did you nominate Danielle as a Change Maker? What makes her an ally?

McKenna: I nominated Danielle as a Change Maker because of her outstanding leadership in the NextGen organization, where she is constantly thinking of ways to develop and spotlight young professionals at the company. She has led the team to a successful launch of year two of the Reverse Mentorship Program, which is changing how young people are perceived in the organization and reminding leaders the value in listening to young voices.

How has Danielle’s allyship made an impact for you and others at Clorox?

McKenna: Danielle’s allyship has made a significant impact at Clorox through creating a culture where young professionals feel empowered to use their voice. Her support has strengthened our community, encouraging collaboration and innovation across all levels. The Reverse Mentorship Program has helped us build meaningful relationships and is bridging the gap between generations in our workforce.

What does IDEA, and specifically allyship, mean to you?

Danielle: To me, IDEA means building a diverse and inclusive workplace by encouraging everyone around you to share their opinions and their perspectives, regardless of what level they are.

Allyship is crucial to our IDEA strategy. By being an ally, you’re helping those around you feel supported and valued, and you’re really providing them opportunities for their voices to be heard. The more connected and the more supported we feel, the easier it is for us to bring our true selves to work and to create inclusive environments both in and outside of work.

What tips do you have for others to put allyship into action in their day-to-day lives?

Danielle: One of the first steps to being an ally and practicing allyship is to listen and really try to understand those around you. Then, it’s important to take action by following through with your commitment to creating a safe and inclusive environment.

You can check in with those around you, give them opportunities to share their perspectives, and help create safe spaces for them. Doing this is going to help them feel respected and feel that they can really make a difference.

To live our purpose and values, we must build a workplace where every person can feel respected and valued, and fully able to participate in our Clorox community. We aim to lead by example, at every level within the company, and to continually challenge ourselves to do better.  Learn more about our inclusion and diversity efforts here.

MilliporeSigma, the U.S. and Canada Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, is the recipient of the 2024 Sustainability Leadership Award in Business Intelligence Group’s (BIG) ninth annual Sustainability Awards program. This recognition acknowledges MilliporeSigma’s prioritization of sustainability as a core element of its business practices.

MilliporeSigma aims to embed sustainability in every aspect of its business, across its entire product life cycle, operations, and functions. To accomplish this, it uses a design-thinking approach, connecting tangible actions to business priorities. This results in industry-first innovations and re-engineering efforts that answer the needs of the global science community, while setting the pace for sustainability innovation in the industry.

The company operationalizes its sustainability approach through three cornerstone initiatives—which have helped it achieve a 37% reduction in Scope 1+2 emissions, on track for climate neutrality by 2040:

The Design for Sustainability (DfS) framework, which prioritizes sustainability at every stage of a product’s lifecycle. DfS has significantly contributed to the 51% increase in MilliporeSigma’s Greener Alternative Products portfolio since 2022, reaching 2,800-plus products.The proprietary SMASH packaging plan, introduced in 2019, which drives sustainability improvements in the company’s product packaging. In 2023, MilliporeSigma launched SMASH Packaging 2.0 to further maximize systematic and data-driven packaging sustainability improvements. The program avoids 400-plus metric tons of packaging annually.SHIFT, the company’s circular recycling strategy, which aims to neutralize the company’s plastic footprint in their products and packaging and developing recycling programs for customers. The SHIFT strategy has led to the recycling of 11,000-plus metric tons of biopharma waste to date through its pioneering Biopharma Recycling Program for single-use and disposable plastics.

Also, for a more sustainable life science industry, MilliporeSigma actively involves customers, suppliers, and partners in its sustainability journey. Notably, its multi-million-dollar, multi-year commitment to green chemistry education nonprofit Beyond Benign aims to help train the next generation of scientists in green chemistry and sustainability best practices. The expanded partnership has already engaged over 4,200 faculty members at 194 Green Chemistry Commitment signing institutions (a 28% increase from 2023) and reached more than one million students globally.

The BIG Sustainability Award judges were impressed with MilliporeSigma’s initiatives, stating the innovative programs “highlight substantial contributions to circular design, waste recycling and green chemistry education.”

To discover more about how MilliporeSigma is leading the way in advancing sustainability, visit the company’s Sustainability and Social Business Innovation webpage.

A complete list of 2024 BIG Sustainability Awards winners is available on the BIG website.

November 14, 2024 /3BL/ – More than a thousand Trane Technologies employees from around the world came together to make a positive impact in their communities through Global Time of Service.

Held from October 18 to November 1, this inaugural initiative saw remarkable engagement, with employees dedicating approximately 3,200 volunteer hours to dozens of causes and activities.

Among the highlights were the assembly of nearly 98,000 meal kits at sites in the United States, India, Malaysia and the Philippines, as well as the distribution of 900 literacy kits to students at 5 different locations in the U.S.

“Global Time of Service has truly exemplified the power of collective action within Trane Technologies,” said Deidra Parrish Williams, Global Corporate Citizenship Leader at Trane Technologies. “By dedicating their time and energy, our employees have made a tangible difference in their communities. Together, we are building a brighter future and challenging what’s possible for a sustainable world.”

This initiative also advanced Sustainable Futures, Trane Technologies’ corporate citizenship strategy aimed at leveraging the company’s resources to support young, under-represented learners.

Additionally, it contributed to Opportunity for All, a key pillar of the company’s 2030 Sustainability Commitments, which focuses on uplifting its culture and communities through an inclusive approach centered on education and career development.

As part of these 2030 Sustainability Commitments, Trane Technologies is investing $100 million and 500,000 employee volunteer hours over the next decade to support a generation of learners with the potential to transform our way of life and our world.

STAMFORD, Conn., October 30, 2024 /3BL/ – Webster Bank is expanding its Finance Lab collaborations with three new partners to provide financial empowerment programs to hundreds of students in low- to moderate-income (LMI) areas. Webster is providing grants of $100,000 each to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence, R.I. and Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester, Mass., and SCO Family of Services on Long Island, N.Y.

The Finance Labs are part of Webster’s multi-year, multi-billion-dollar Community Investment Strategy designed to help nonprofit partners in LMI communities create opportunities for young people to gain skills needed for economic empowerment and financial success. The initiative launched in June 2022 and to date has invested $1.7 million through partnerships with nine nonprofits.

“We’re proud to work with organizations so deeply rooted in the communities we serve and whose missions align with ours,” said Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer Marissa Weidner. “These partnerships enable us to expand our Finance Lab initiative, supporting our commitment to creating economic vitality in the neighborhoods where we live and work.”

To date, Webster has launched Finance Labs with these nonprofit partners:

Yonkers Partners in Education, Yonkers, N.Y.Eagle Academy Foundation, with six locations in New York and New JerseyWakeman Boys & Girls Club of Bridgeport, YWCA of Greater Hartford and The Hispanic Coalition of Greater Waterbury, all in ConnecticutTaunton Area School to Career Finance Lab in Massachusetts

Webster will celebrate the opening of the Taunton location in October.

The newest Finance Lab partners shared their thoughts on how the Webster grants will support their organizations’ work:

“We are so grateful to Webster Bank for this transformational grant to establish a Finance Lab for the members of Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester. This investment enhances the educational opportunities at our Clubs and fosters the ability to build up our communities by teaching our youth to be fiscally responsible adults and build brighter futures. Thank you for your generosity and partnership.” — Bob Scannell, President & CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester“Financial literacy is a crucial skill and an important step in preparing our members for success and supporting their economic stability in the future. We are thrilled to partner with Webster Bank to bring this opportunity to our teens and help foster the skills needed to achieve their financial goals. This is a great example of a local business investing in the lives of our youth and in their community.” — Nicole Dufresne, CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence“We are grateful to Webster Bank for empowering the youth we serve with the gift of financial literacy. We know that with the right tools and support our young people can and will successfully transition to adulthood. Financial literacy plays an essential role in their success and ongoing financial stability. This first-of-its-kind Finance Lab on Long Island will equip young people with the power and knowledge to thrive emotionally, socially and financially.” — Suzette Gordon, President and CEO of SCO Family of Services

Learn more about Webster Bank’s commitment to good corporate citizenship. Click here for more about our Office of Corporate Responsibility.

About Webster

Webster Bank (“Webster”) is a leading commercial bank in the Northeast that provides a wide range of digital and traditional financial solutions across three differentiated lines of business: Commercial Banking, Consumer Banking and Healthcare Financial Services, one of the country’s largest providers of employee benefits and administration of medical insurance claim settlements solutions. Webster is a values-driven organization headquartered in Stamford, CT, with $77 billion in assets. Its core footprint spans the northeastern U.S. from New York to Massachusetts, with certain businesses operating in extended geographies. Webster Bank is a member of the FDIC and an equal housing lender. For more information about Webster, including past press releases and the latest annual report, visit the Webster website at www.websterbank.com.

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Indigenous communities often face significant healthcare challenges due to remote living conditions and historical mistrust. Boehringer Ingelheim’s PATHWAYS – Indigenous Health Collaborations is a groundbreaking initiative aimed at closing this health gap. 

By partnering with Indigenous leaders and focusing on culturally sensitive care, PATHWAYS empowers local healthcare providers and leverages technology to improve outcomes for chronic illnesses like diabetes. This initiative has already impacted over 50,000 people across 30 communities in Canada, with plans to expand further.

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Explore more about how PATHWAYS is making a difference and several other global sustainability initiatives from Boehringer Ingelheim ranging from creating more sustainable healthcare solutions and community engagement with impact to environmental stewardship in Imagine: our sustainability story hub

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World Diabetes Day, celebrated annually on November 14th, aims to raise awareness about diabetes and its impact on individuals and communities. Established in 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation and the World Health Organization, the day coincides with the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting, the co-discoverer of insulin. Each year, events are held worldwide, including public health campaigns, screenings, educational workshops, and fundraising activities. Organizations also play a vital role in supporting World Diabetes Day. They invest not only in research to develop new treatments and technologies, but also provide patient support programs, partner with healthcare providers and advocacy groups, sponsor events, and contribute to public health campaigns. These efforts help raise awareness, improve access to care, and enhance the quality of life for people with diabetes.

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Originally published on HBISustains.com

“Sheridan is the first Australian homewares brand to offer a recycling program to local communities – providing consumers with a way to consciously dispose of their pre-loved bed linen and towels.”

– Jemma Simpson, head of marketing at Sheridan

To help consumers play their part in reducing textile waste, HanesBrands’ Australian homewares brand, Sheridan, has established a new partnership with BlockTexx, a global industry leader in textile resource recovery, for its in-store recycling program.

According to BlockTexx, the average household is estimated to have more than 30 pounds of worn linen that’s at the end of its life.

The Sheridan Recycling Program encourages consumers to return their pre-loved quilt covers, sheets and towels – of any brand – to the in-store bins at a Sheridan boutique or outlet store.

The items are collected, sorted, decommissioned, and then sent to BlockTexx’s facility in Loganholme, Queensland, where their proprietary S.O.F.T. (Separation of Fiber Technology) process breaks down hard-to-recycle textile and clothing blends, helping to divert old sheets, towels and quilt covers from landfills.

BlockTexx’s pioneering technology works to see that textiles are not just recycled but renewed – converting them into high-grade raw materials that can be repurposed into new products for use in many industries, including textiles. 

“We’re thrilled to be partnering with BlockTexx to inspire responsible end-of-life solutions for our products and drive innovative circular strategies for textile waste,” said Sheree Maguire, general manager – HanesBrands Sustainability.

At HanesBrands, we understand we have both a responsibility and unique ability to make sustainability accessible for all. As annual global textile waste is estimated to possibly reach more than 150 million tons by 2050, initiatives like the Sheridan Recycling Program are more important than ever.

Learn more about our ambitious sustainability goals.

Originally published in Mary Kay’s 2024 Sustainability Report

In 2019, Mary Kay joined forces with six United Nations agencies to form a groundbreaking multi-stakeholder partnership: the Women’s Entrepreneurship Accelerator also known as “WEA” with a mission focused on alleviating the barriers to women’s entrepreneurship. Learn more.

IMPACT OF THE WOMEN’S ENTREPRENEURSHIP ACCELERATOR 

Since the launch, WEA has engaged:

600,000+ WOMEN through 32 programs, trainings and activities and sensitized over seven million people to its mission.110+ PARTNERS in global and regional high-level events and programs.

Did you know?
In March 2019, Mary Kay took the first step in its Women’s Empowerment Principles journey, becoming a global signatory during the Commission on Status of Women (CSW63).

MARY KAY JOINS WEPS IN THE ASIA PACIFIC

On 2023 International Women’s Entrepreneurship Day, Mary Kay Asia Pacific region joined the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs). The WEPs provide a holistic framework for companies to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment in the workplace, marketplace, and community and drive positive outcomes for society and business. In celebration, Mary Kay China released its first-ever WEPs report titled, “Thinking Like a Woman.”

Recognition: In November 2023, Mary Kay received a Gender Equality Award from the Central Asian Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) for the SDG Pilot Village Project in Waipula, China, launched in partnership with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in 2017.

WEA DIGITAL INNOVATION CHALLENGE

The objective of the WEA Digital Innovation Challenge was to build an enabling context for women entrepreneurs by addressing the barriers to women’s entrepreneurship, including the digital gender divide, complementing the theme of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW67) on innovation and technology from a gender perspective.

In March 2023, on the sidelines of CSW67, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and Mary Kay Global, announced the ten winning companies of the Women’s Entrepreneurship Accelerator (WEA) Digital Innovation Challenge at a packed event hosted at the New York City MetLife headquarters.

In attendance were representatives of the United Nations, the private sector, investors, and civil society organizations.

By the numbers:

250 submissions from women-owned and -led startups received by International Telecommunication Union54 countries represented10 digital best practices selectedThree special winners announced by Mary Kay during the Commission on Status of Women (CSW67)

Three startups, Tiny Totos, Gwiji for Women, and Health Innovation Exchange (HIEx), were awarded Special Recognition status for their best-practice innovations.

“Tiny Totos is a Kenyan social enterprise solving Africa’s childcare crisis by turning informal babysitters into profitable childcare entrepreneurs. The recognition and platform provided by the WEA Digital Innovation Challenge provides us with invaluable endorsement of our business model at the highest levels of global community practice. As female founders, membership of a community of like-minded digital entrepreneurs fuels our creativity and drive to transform Africa’s informal childcare market, achieve exponential growth in our network of low-income childcare entrepreneurs and help working women lift themselves out of poverty.”
Emma Caddy, CEO and Founder, Tiny Totos

“The WEA Digital Innovation Challenge is a great platform to showcase our work towards female empowerment and to help women entrepreneurs expand their knowledge and networking opportunities. This is particularly needed in the health arena, since still today 1 in 2 people, or half the world, lack access to essential health care, and less than 2 percent of venture capital funding globally goes to women, despite the evidence that their ventures generate stronger returns. Women-owned/led startups face several barriers to success, including limited access to funding, networking opportunities, gender bias, and work-life balance issues. However, the rise of digital entrepreneurship presents real opportunities for women innovators to overcome such barriers, including access to global markets, support networks, and increasing awareness and recognition.”
Paula Navajas, Chief Operating Officer (COO), Health Innovation and Investment Exchange (HIEx)

“The WEA Digital Innovation Challenge gives women-led ventures a voice in a male-dominated space. The program is practical and tailor-made to suit the needs of early-stage ventures that address our society’s most pressing challenges. With every session, I feel more confident in my abilities as an entrepreneur and as a woman.”
Elizabeth Mwangi, Founder and Director, Gwiji for Women

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE WEA DIGITAL CHALLENGE

Eastman

Eastman’s Solus™ additives have co-created a flexible, food-safe packaging solution with UPM Specialty Papers. This unique approach combines the compostable1 and biobased Solus™ portfolio with BioPBS™, which can be extrusion coated onto UPM’s barrier base papers. These coatings offer heat sealability and enhanced adhesion at low coat weights. Designed for recyclability, this solution is ideal for food applications such as confectionery, that need oxygen and grease barriers. Discover more about Solus and stay tuned for the full story.

1 UPM barrier base papers: industrially (EN13432:2000) and home (NFT51-800:2015) compostable

Eastman SolusTM: Industrial: TUV Austria and BPI certification

Home: Passed ISO 14855-1, certification pending

Originally published on U.S. Bank company blog

On a stretch of land on the east side of St. Paul, Minnesota, where people used to swing golf clubs, thousands of volunteers recently swung hammers instead. And among them were 150 U.S. Bank employees who participated in Habitat for Humanity’s 2024 Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project, which aimed to build 30 homes over the course of five days and bring the dream of homeownership to local residents.

The homes are part of a new affordable housing development called The Heights, located on a former golf course, that eventually will include 1,000 housing units, community greenspaces and amenities and create 1,000 jobs. The homes in this all-electric community will feature solar panels or shingles, heat pumps, water conservation measures and more. The Carter Work Project launched Habitat’s construction efforts, and U.S. Bank served as a diamond sponsor for the event, with support provided by U.S. Bank and U.S. Bancorp Impact Finance.

“Supporting homeownership is both a business and philanthropic focus at U.S. Bank. Safe and affordable housing helps support thriving communities,” said Reba Dominski, chief social responsibility officer at U.S. Bank and president of the U.S. Bank Foundation.

When the first group of U.S. Bank volunteers arrived at the build site, they were greeted with piles of lumber, tools and construction professionals ready to help them begin work. Over the course of the five days, volunteers built and framed walls, put in windows, installed sheeting and drywall and helped raise roofs. Some were newcomers to the event, and others, such as Impact Finance Senior Vice President Bill Carson, were repeat Carter Work Project participants and eager to put on their hard hats again.

“It really changes everyone’s perspective on what it takes to give back to the community. It’s a great way of team building, it’s a great way of getting your hands literally dirty, and not looking at a community in terms of a spreadsheet or dollars and cents, but really thinking about how this brand-new community is going to have an impact on the future of St. Paul and its residents,” Carson said.

This year’s Carter Work Project held special significance. 2024 marks the project’s 40th anniversary, and President Carter celebrated his 100th birthday on the event’s second day.

“Habitat’s vision is a world where everyone has a decent place to live, but we cannot reach that goal alone,” said Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International. “The Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project serves not only as a way to honor the Carters’ legacy, but also as a reminder of what is possible when people from all walks of come together to work toward one common goal.”

U.S. Bank has a longstanding relationship with Habitat for Humanity affiliates across the U.S. through investments, philanthropy and volunteering. Since 2013, Impact Finance has completed four investments with Twin Cities Habitat through the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) Program – a federal program that encourages job creation and economic development in distressed and underserved communities – investing more than $8.9 million in both housing and in TCH’s headquarters building. And since 2008, Impact Finance has provided more than $137.6 million through the federal NMTC Program to Habitat affiliates coast to coast for affordable homeownership projects and created over 3,901 units.

In 2023, U.S. Bank provided more than $1.9 million in corporate contributions, U.S. Bank Foundation giving and employee matching gifts nationally to Habitat. Many U.S. Bank employees have participated in Habitat projects in their communities over the years, with more than 6,000 hours volunteered last year.

Among the volunteers were other Twin Cities residents who bought their homes with the help of Habitat for Humanity. LeAndra Estis, who moved into her home in another St. Paul neighborhood in 2019, knows firsthand how owning a home can help families set a strong foundation for future success, and she jumped at the chance to be part of the Carter Work Project.

“To be here and to have this groundbreaking opportunity here in St. Paul, Minnesota – this is what we dream of. I’m very proud and happy to be a part of this,” Estis said. “Homeownership builds you spiritually, it builds you financially. It teaches you about valuing yourself and valuing the things you have.”