Tag: 3BL

Event will be held at The Nest Climate Campus at The Javits CenterThe partnership strives to inspire and equip the next generation of emerging leaders with authentic perspectives from young professionals working in climateEvent will feature sustainability leaders from The Estée Lauder Companies

NEW YORK, September 17, 2024 /3BL/ – The Estée Lauder Companies (ELC), Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business Responsible Business Center, and Net Impact will co-host an event at The Nest Climate Campus, the official event partner of Climate Week NYC, on Thursday, September 26, 2024 from 2:00 to 4:00 pm ET.

The climate action event is designed to inspire and equip future industry leaders who seek to pursue climate-related careers. Harnessing the excitement of Climate Week NYC, it aims to enlighten and engage those who will play an instrumental role in shaping our climate future: emerging business leaders.

Titled “A New Generation of Climate Careers: Leading Change as a Young Professional,” the event will feature young experts who have a demonstrated track record of driving climate action through their careers. The event will be part of The Nest Climate Campus’ new Education focus which will also include a Green Jobs Pavilion and free Green Jobs Coaching from LinkedIn.

“There’s no question that Millennials and Gen Z-ers, who are 18-35, want to pursue careers that are in line with their values, and there’s also no question that companies are eager to hire fresh “green talent” that can support their climate initiatives. But the journey that takes place between graduating university to landing that first job is hard to navigate. This event will be a window into the experiences of the people who have walked that road successfully and the knowledge they’ve acquired along the way. It will demonstrate the ways we can continue to grow, accelerate, and equip the green talent pipeline,” noted Leigh Anne Statuto, Executive Director of the Gabelli School of Business Responsible Business Center.

“We are thrilled to support this event and provide a platform for emerging talent to explore careers in climate across various organizational contexts,” said Al Iannuzzi, Vice President, Sustainability at The Estée Lauder Companies. “We recognize that ELC’s commitment to climate action extends beyond our company walls. We strive to lead in nurturing and developing talent in this vital field, while sharing our insights and experiences along the way.”

Net Impact, a global community organization that serves over 250 global chapters of students and emerging professionals who work to use the tools of business as a force for good, reports that climate change, corporate social responsibility, and career development, are the top 3 topics amongst their global community this year. “We are meeting the moment,” Karen Johns, CEO of Net Impact, said. “This partnership has enabled us to showcase what it means to be a responsible corporate citizen while addressing a real need for next-gen leaders: landing climate jobs.”

For more information and to register for the joint event please visit NetImpact.org.

Media inquiries can be addressed to Hilary Manzo at hmanzo@netimpact.org.

About The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. 
The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. is one of the world’s leading manufacturers, marketers, and sellers of quality skin care, makeup, fragrance, and hair care products, and is a steward of luxury and prestige brands globally. The company’s products are sold in approximately 150 countries and territories under brand names including: Estée Lauder, Aramis, Clinique, Lab Series, Origins, M·A·C, La Mer, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, Aveda, Jo Malone London, Bumble and bumble, Darphin Paris, TOM FORD, BALMAIN BEAUTY, Smashbox, AERIN Beauty, Le Labo, Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle, GLAMGLOW, KILIAN PARIS, Too Faced, Dr.Jart+, the DECIEM family of brands, including The Ordinary and NIOD.

About Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business Responsible Business Center 
Founded in 1920, the mission of the Fordham University Gabelli School of Business is to inspire and empower positive global change, developing students into compassionate business leaders and supporting faculty members and students in the ongoing generation of new knowledge. The Gabelli School has become a driver of social innovation by equipping graduates to be business leaders who understand and meet the need for sustainability in business and who are able to harness the power of social responsibility for both financial success and societal impact. The Gabelli School of Business is home to the Responsible Business Center, a platform for interdisciplinary engagement in ESG and sustainability that fosters cross- industry collaboration and action towards ESG, advances research, and supports business school learnings Visit Fordham.edu/rbc.

About Net Impact 
Over 30 years, Net Impact has built a diverse community in 40+ countries committed to using business to advance social and environmental action. Net Impact mobilizes its global community of more than 100,000 emergent change agents to leverage their careers to drive transformational environmental and social change. Through a strategic set of initiatives aimed to engage and benefit its core stakeholders, Net Impact is committed to advancing climate action and building the capacity of the next generation of workforce members. Visit www.netimpact.org.

What you need to know: 

Verizon Innovative Learning, Verizon’s premier education initiative, announces the opening of 18 new Verizon Innovative Learning Labs this school year, bringing the total number of Labs nationwide to 161. Many of these state-of-the-art Labs in Title 1 middle schools have also been outfitted with Verizon’s 5G network.Freely available for all on verizon.com/learning, the new Verizon Innovative Learning Lab: STEM Exploration augmented reality app gives students the opportunity to work with a group of scientists to solve an environmental disaster.This Fall, the Verizon Innovative Learning STEM Achievers program is offering full-day workshops for middle schoolers at 44 HBCUs, HSIs, and community colleges, including campus tours for parents and students. For more information, visit: https://verizon.nacce.com/

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., September 17, 2024 /3BL/ – Verizon Innovative Learning announces the opening of 18 new Verizon Innovative Learning Labs, a new augmented reality app to make the Lab experience accessible to students nationwide, and free STEM workshops for middle school students on college campuses across the country.

Donna Epps, Verizon’s Chief Responsible Business Officer, said, “Through our flagship education initiative, Verizon Innovative Learning, we are committed to equipping students and educators with the tools they need to thrive in a digital world. As technology evolves and expands, so too does Verizon Innovative Learning. Through our new offerings, including new state-of-the-art Labs with connectivity to Verizon’s 5G network, free STEM workshops on college campuses, and a new web-based AR app, we are working with our nonprofit partners to utilize next-gen technology and curriculum to ensure educators and students not only have access to technology but can also use it effectively.”

18 new Verizon Innovative Learning Labs launching this school year

Verizon Innovative Learning, with its nonprofit partners, is launching 18 new Verizon Innovative Learning Labs in Title I middle schools, bringing the total number of Labs across the country to 161. Labs are opening in: Atlanta, GA; Bristol Township, PA; Compton, CA; Fulton County, GA; Glendale, CA; Irving, TX, Jefferson County, KY; Little Rock, Arkansas; Polk County, Tennessee; Saint Louis, Missouri; San Antonio, TX; Wichita, KS; and Winston-Salem, NC.

Select Labs will host ribbon cutting ceremonies. Media are encouraged to attend to tour the space and technology, learn about the curriculum, and interact with students and teachers.

More about the Verizon Innovative Learning Lab program:

The Lab program combines emerging technology with an innovative, project-based curriculum, created in partnership with the J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute at Arizona State University, to spark real-world problem solving, all in a custom-designed, experiential learning space within the school’s campus. The Lab program provides a full space transformation created by the nonprofit Heart of America.Verizon outfits its 5G connectivity in select Labs to enable immersive learning at scale and to meet the demands of future technology. The 5G connectivity is now in over 70 Title I schools.The Verizon Innovative Learning Lab curriculum offers tech-focused courses such as immersive media (AR/VR), 3D printing, AI and more, and is freely available to all educators via Verizon Innovative Learning HQ.Third party surveys show that 92% of students are more engaged in school after participating in the Lab program. Teachers from the Lab program receive ongoing professional development from Arizona State University.

Verizon Innovative Learning launches new, free web-based augmented reality app 

Verizon Innovative Learning HQ now offers a new, free, web-based application to help bring the Lab experience to all educators and students. Five other AR learning applications are also available on Verizon Innovative Learning HQ.

Through the new Verizon Innovative Learning Lab: STEM Exploration augmented reality app, students can take on the role of an Oceanographer, Chemist and Microbiologist, and leverage atomic structures, microorganisms and bioremediation to help protect a vibrant island ecosystem.

Verizon Innovative Learning launching free STEM workshops on college campuses 

This Fall, the Verizon Innovative Learning STEM Achievers summer program will host a full-day workshop at 44 HBCUs, HSIs, and community colleges in 27 states and Washington, DC. Programming is open to middle school students and includes campus tours for parents and students.

In the workshop, students will have access to similar emerging technology from the Labs, and will learn about design thinking, 3D printing, augmented reality and social entrepreneurship. Third party surveys show that, following the program, 83% of students said they can use STEM to impact issues affecting their communities, nation and the world. To register, visit here.

Verizon Innovative Learning STEM Achievers, in partnership with the National Association of Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE), provides a free STEM-intensive summer program to middle school students in under-resourced communities to explore STEM subjects, learn problem-solving skills and gain exposure to career opportunities in technology fields. This most recent summer, the program supported 6,500 students in 44 locations.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) powers and empowers how its millions of customers live, work and play, delivering on their demand for mobility, reliable network connectivity and security. Headquartered in New York City, serving countries worldwide and nearly all of the Fortune 500, Verizon generated revenues of $134.0 billion in 2023. Verizon’s world-class team never stops innovating to meet customers where they are today and equip them for the needs of tomorrow. For more, visit verizon.com or find a retail location at verizon.com/stores.

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VERIZON’S ONLINE MEDIA CENTER: News releases, stories, media contacts and other resources are available at verizon.com/news. News releases are also available through an RSS feed. To subscribe, visit www.verizon.com/about/rss-feeds/.

Media contact: 
Hope Arcuri Armanus 
hope.arcuri.armanus@verizon.com 
336-813-4673

Originally published on Essity

At Essity, collaboration is key to constantly improving our products, services, and solutions to provide a more sustainable choice for our consumers. One example of how we collaborate with policymakers is that the European Commission has selected Essity in making a voluntary pledge to support sustainable consumption Sustainable Consumption Pledge – European Commission (europa.eu). The initiative sets actions beyond what is required by law. It is part of the European Commission’s New Consumer Agenda, which presents a vision for EU consumer policy, for example, underlining that consumers rightly expect to be empowered to make informed choices and play an active role in the green and digital transition whenever and wherever they are in the EU.

Essity’s Sustainable Consumption Pledge covers carbon emissions reductions, improved circularity of our packaging, and gender balance targets.

Read Essity’s Sustainable Consumption Pledge pledge here

Over the past several years, the healthcare industry has witnessed remarkable technological transformations. Innovations such as biosensors, wearables, and mobile applications have revolutionized patient care. These solutions empower healthcare providers with real-time access to patient health data, enabling timely interventions and personalized care. As families around the world look for better healthcare options, these advancements offer hope to address aging and unexpected health crises that hit close to home. I’m appreciative to be part of a company that enables these developments.

The rise of the Internet of Things (IoT), in particular, has been a game-changer for healthcare. Medical devices now communicate seamlessly, generating valuable data that has transformed patient monitoring and treatment. Additionally, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are no longer futuristic concepts; they are actively integrated into the healthcare ecosystem. AI-driven applications assist in robot-assisted surgeries, virtual nursing, and administrative tasks.

However, progress comes with complexity. The architecture of IoT devices has become more intricate. Engineers grapple with electromagnetic interference, stringent medical regulations, and the need for robust hardware. Rigorous testing ensures these devices withstand real-world challenges.

IoT device manufacturers face the critical task of ensuring their products meet design and test parameters. In life-critical applications, reliability is non-negotiable. As such, comprehensive testing — covering hardware, wireless communication, battery life, and security — is essential. In addition, maintenance and supportability become paramount as well to ensure devices perform optimally throughout their service life.

The industry’s future, and opportunity to improve lives, hinges on effective integration and seamless device connectivity. That is where Keysight Technologies comes into play. Keysight offers comprehensive design, test, and monitoring solutions for healthcare IoT. Helping support the effective implementation of the connected healthcare system, and ultimately better patient outcomes for us all.

By Ken Garfield | illumination Contributor

A missing South Carolina man was reunited with his family thanks to the sharp eyes of a drone soaring above Spartanburg, S.C.

Magno Alvarez Ruiz, 68, wandered away from home on July 28, prompting a 911 call that mobilized rescuers to find him. Ruiz has dementia, his family said, and was last seen in a blue shirt and black shorts.

Under the supervision of Sgt. Dylan Davis of the Spartanburg Police Department, 40 officers from three agencies fanned out. Search-and-rescue canines were brought in. From up above, drones joined the search for the 5-foot-7-inch, 130-pound man.

A drone was first to spot Ruiz, who’d lost his shoes navigating a heavily wooded area about a mile from home.

“The cameras, the zoom, the clarity … we were fortunate to get some of the best technology out there,” said Robbie Swofford of Spartanburg County Emergency Services. “This was huge for us, thanks to Duke Energy.”

The emergency management coordinator was quick to share the news with the Duke Energy Foundation, whose $20,000 grant enabled the county to purchase not one but two drones in 2023.

“Without your contribution, we would have struggled on numerous local and regional response efforts,” he wrote in an email to Amanda Dow, Foundation director in South Carolina.

“To hear that the drones helped save a man, that was icing on the cake,” Dow said. “It was beyond words.”

Creating resilient communities

Over five years, the Duke Energy Foundation has donated more than $17.6 million across North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky to enhance emergency preparedness and response. This funding covers the costs for things like training, lifesaving equipment and new technology that aids in disaster planning and recovery operations.

In South Carolina alone, the Foundation has awarded 99 grants totaling $1.5 million over the past three years to help communities prepare for weather emergencies and bounce back when the storms come.

In Cherokee County, a 2024 microgrant paid for additional cots that doubled Emergency Management’s sheltering capabilities. Further south, the city of Sumter is using the funds to help employees prepare for potentially hazardous weather.

“Being storm-ready is crucial for us,” said Mayor David Merchant, “so that we, as a city, can best serve and protect our citizens … and invest in equipment that will allow us to better serve the people of Sumter in a safe and timely manner.”

Swofford, too, is grateful for the two high-quality drones that Spartanburg County Emergency Services has used to pinpoint areas hit hardest by severe weather. The more they know, the faster emergency personnel can respond. Fast-growing Spartanburg County is home to 360,000 people about 75 miles southwest of Charlotte.

Drones also maximize safety and efficiency because, in some instances, they can keep emergency workers from having to go up in a helicopter to do the same job.

After Ruiz’s rescue, Swofford said, “These drones can do a lot of things.”

Family thanks rescuers

Speaking for her family, Luimar Alvarez is grateful to everyone who had a hand in bringing her father home. A native of Venezuela, Ruiz worked as an engineer in the oil industry. He came to the United States in 2021 to be with family in Spartanburg. He enjoys sitting in the backyard, watching his granddaughters jump on the trampoline.

It was the first time he had wandered from home. In his mind, Ruiz had good reason. On the day he disappeared, his wife mentioned that the presidential election was underway in their native Venezuela. That’s why he decided to walk to the school: to cast a ballot. Back home, they vote at a school.

His daughter recounted their conversation after he was rescued. “I asked him, ‘Did you vote?’ He said ‘No, I didn’t find the school. But I enjoyed the adventure.’ I told him that the next time he wants an adventure, tell me. We’ll go together.”

View original content here.

NAPLES, Fl., September 17, 2024 /3BL/ – Neighborhood Health Clinic was awarded a $20,000 charitable grant from KeyBank Foundation and Key Private Bank in support of the nonprofit organization’s ongoing efforts to meet the dental needs of Collier County’s uninsured workers, and also create awareness among community partners and residents.

“This grant from the KeyBank Foundation ensures Neighborhood Health Clinic has the resources to meet our patients’ dental needs by allowing us to purchase more dental tools, equipment and supplies, as well as provide training for new volunteer hygienists and dental assistants,” details Chief Executive Officer Leslie Lascheid. “Generous supporters like KeyBank help ensure the Clinic continues to provide the highest quality comprehensive care for our community.”

This $20,000 grant will help support the Clinic’s “Promoting Wellness through Positive Impact on Overall Dental Health and Education for the Underserved” program, an initiative designed to dramatically improve the health and wellbeing of the nonprofit organization’s patients.

“As a community-minded bank, KeyBank believes in doing our part to improve the lives of disadvantaged populations in the communities we serve,” said Michael T. Schneider, Key Private Bank Florida Market President. “ We are proud to partner with Neighborhood Health Clinic to help provide resources and oral care to their clients in an effort to positively impact the overall health and well-being of the community.”

KeyBank Foundation grants are part of a $40 billion commitment for lending and investments across Key’s national footprint established in 2017 and supporting affordable housing and community development projects, home, and small business lending in low- and-moderate income communities, and philanthropic efforts targeted toward education, workforce development, and safe, vital neighborhoods.

Neighborhood Health Clinic opened the Dental Suite in 2019 to improve the overall health and wellbeing of patients by addressing the link between oral health and chronic illness, providing Collier County’s uninsured workers comprehensive care on one campus to reduce the amount of time spent away from family and work. The Dental Suite features four dental operatories, dental lab, dental sterilization room and a classroom for one-on-one patient education.

Collier County is home to more than 50,000 uninsured workers who could qualify for Clinic services if they became ill. Founded in 1999, the Neighborhood Health Clinic provides comprehensive medical and dental care to working, uninsured adults (aged 19-64) residing in Collier County:

Offers access to general medical practitioners, specialty clinics for complex and chronic conditions; dental care; an onsite laboratory for basic tests for established patients and Radiology servicesProvides patient education and research projectsHouses an onsite medication room which allows patients to leave appointments with their non-narcotic medications, increasing adherence and improving health outcomesProvided over 12,000 patient visits and 30,000 patient procedures in 2023Delivered more than 120,000 patient procedures since 1999Volunteer driven 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization with approximately 250 physicians, 50 dentists, 100 nurses and 300 non-medical personnel donating their expertise and supported by 13 fulltime and 5 part-time paid staff94 cents of every dollar goes directly to patient services

To learn more about Neighborhood Health Clinic, or support the charity’s programs, please call 239.261.6600, or visit www.NeighborhoodHealthClinic.org.

KeyBank provides banking and financial services to full-time and seasonal residents throughout Collier, Lee, and Palm beach counties through Key Private Bank’s offices at 3777 Tamiami North Suite 100, Naples; 3507 Kyoto Gardens Drive Suite 100 Palm Beach Gardens; and 12830 University Drive Fort Myers. For more information on Key Private Bank’s services in Florida, contact Michael T. Schneider, Key Private Bank Florida Market President at (239) 659-8803, or michael_t_schneider@keybank.com.

Neighborhood Health Clinic is a volunteer driven 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization with approximately 250 physicians, 50 dentists, 100 nurses and 300 non-medical personnel donating their professional expertise to provide Collier County’s working, uninsured residents with medical and dental care. Neighborhood Health Clinic holds the coveted 4-star ranking by independent evaluator Charity Navigator (since 2013) and the highest-level rating, Platinum from GuideStar for seven consecutive years. For more information on volunteer opportunities, eligibility and services, please call 239.261.6600, or visit www.NeighborhoodHealthClinic.org.

KeyBank Foundation serves to fulfill KeyBank’s purpose to help clients and communities thrive, and its mission is to support organizations and programs that prepare people for thriving futures. The Foundation’s mission is advanced through three funding priorities – neighbors, education, and workforce – and through community service. To provide meaningful philanthropy that transforms lives, KeyBank Foundation listens carefully to understand the unique characteristics and needs of its communities and then backs solutions with targeted philanthropic investments. KeyBank Foundation is a nonprofit charitable foundation, funded by KeyCorp.

About Key Private Bank

Key Private Bank is a leading provider of wealth management solutions and advice for high-net worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients, including wealth advisory, investment management, trust administration, customized credit, and private banking services. Key’s wealth management platform combines the market insights of local advisors with a national team of wealth and investment strategists to deliver proactive and personalized advice and expertise to clients. Advisors also leverage partnerships with Key’s business banking and capital markets teams to build wealth plans tailored to meet each client’s specific need. Key Private Bank’s wealth management platform is delivered across 15 of the United States. Key Private Bank has $17.3 billion in AUA at June 30, 2024.

Client background

The organization is a public academic health science center whose entities include hospitals, clinics, teaching facilities and a research center.

The business challenge

The organization was looking to adopt a modern human capital management (HCM) system to replace their current 20-year-old fragmented system and had engaged Baker Tilly, in collaboration with a prime contractor, to jointly migrate its human resource system to Oracle HCM Cloud to support planned growth and future challenges. The new enterprise solution was the first of many IT modernization initiatives planned in support of the five-year strategic vision.

Looking beyond the immediate benefits a modernized system would bring, the organization capitalized on the opportunity to reengineer their HCM processes including the way they were going to recruit, train and manage performance going forward. With these incoming changes, the organization realized a need to clearly articulate the process changes that were going to be experienced across their organization as a result of the new technology.

The communication work for the new HCM solution was led by the organization’s internal change team with support from Baker Tilly’s Organizational Readiness team, however they found that developing a strong value proposition to drive support and buy-in for both the new technology as well as their reformed processes would be best supported by a dependency to the higher-level strategic priority. The organization further engaged Baker Tilly’s Organizational Readiness team to construct an overarching and integrated messaging framework and execution plan designed to build strategic alignment between the system and process changes for this initiative and their organizational goals.

Strategy and solution

Baker Tilly worked with the organization’s change team to identify a change network that would be essential in driving support for this strategic-level initiative and setting the stage for the upcoming digital transformation initiatives. The Baker Tilly team began by interviewing senior leadership responsible for the success of this project as well as business leaders across each of their four entities (hospital, clinic, teaching and research) to assess the existing support and level of effort that would be required to adapt to the new HCM processes.

Through this risk and readiness assessment the team was able to engage key stakeholders in the development of impactful messaging that would foster support of the incoming changes and equip leadership with the tools needed to educate staff and begin to socialize the value proposition downstream. Because each entity has a different mission specific to the work they do, Baker Tilly further tailored the messaging to connect their unique perspectives to the strategic vision and goals so that employees across the organization would understand why the change was necessary and have a clear motivation for why they should care and support the new system and processes.

In addition to constructing the messaging, Baker Tilly developed talking points, toolkits and a communication plan, outlining the steps required to build awareness and rally support for a unified and consistent HCM system across the organization. This plan empowered leadership to work as change agents to generate support for the change. As a result, the organization was equipped with the tools to drive the change forward during the system go-live and laid the foundation to cultivate support for the upcoming digital transformation initiatives.

Interested in learning more? Connect with the Baker Tilly team today.

IBM

The role of AI in the classroom is evolving rapidly. When students and teachers embrace this technology, it has the ability to democratize access to education through programs like IBM SkillsBuild. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Dr. Laurie Santos, host of Pushkin’s The Happiness Lab podcast, spoke with two innovators in the space. Justina Nixon-Saintil is Vice President and Chief Impact Officer, IBM Corporate Social Responsibility, and April Dawson is an Associate Dean of Technology and Innovation and a professor of law. They discuss the importance of lifelong learning, upskilling, and the ethical implications of AI in education.

Originally published on Aflac Newsroom

When you hear the phrase, “the joys of childhood,” it may evoke memories of chasing butterflies in the backyard, baking cookies with grandma or maybe a crafts table stacked high with items handmade with love.

Sadly, for the 10,000 kids diagnosed with cancer each year, childhood may also carry other memories — machines, medications and, in many cases, isolation become a part of their day-to-day lives.

That’s why Sunrise Association offers day camp programs throughout the country that give children with cancer and their siblings the opportunity to participate in a full-summer experience while continuing their treatments and enjoying the comfort and safety of their homes at night. And they provide this gift, free of charge.

With a shared mission, Aflac paired up with Sunrise Association this summer to deliver more than 75 My Special Aflac Ducks®, also free of charge, to children at Horizon Day Camp — Metro DC, a project between the Pozez JCC and the Sunrise Association. Campers were given a demonstration of the duck and an overview of their new companion’s features that provide additional delight through innovative technology to help children prepare for medical procedures, communicate their feelings, practice distraction techniques and more. This is the third year the two organizations have worked together to deliver the cuddly companion to campers.

Watch this video to hear what Ann Marie Tilias, mother of three campers, has to say about her family’s experience. 

In 2024, Aflac contributed $70,000 to Sunrise Associates to help support children with cancer and their siblings to go to camp which, like My Special Aflac Duck, is completely free of charge.To date, Aflac has given $190,000 to help support Sunrise Association, a part of Aflac’s nearly 30-year and more than $184 million commitment to the pediatric cancer and blood disorder initiative.

Since 2018, Aflac has distributed more than 32,000 My Special Aflac Ducks to children ages 3 and up with a pediatric cancer or blood disorders like a sickle cell diagnosis. The robotic companion was designed in consult with more than 100 children, families and medical professionals in conjunction with Empath Labs to produce the comforting, lifelike movements, and many more features that bring cheer. My Special Aflac Duck was recently the focus of a three-year clinical study spearheaded by researchers at Emory University and conducted at eight hospitals across the country. The study, which included 160 patients, their families and health care professionals, was released in April, showing that My Special Aflac Duck helps pediatric patients with cancer cope with treatment-related distress and anxiety.

Health care providers, support organizations and families can order My Special Aflac Duck free of charge for children 3 years or older who have been diagnosed with cancer or sickle cell disease at myspecialaflacduck.com.

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DP World and Rumo’s strategic partnership enhances Brazil’s agricultural exports, strengthening supply chains and advancing global efforts toward UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Brazil plays a critical role in global food security through its agricultural exports, which feed about 11% of the world’s population. As climate change, population growth, and geopolitical tensions intensify, Brazil’s position as the “breadbasket of the world” becomes increasingly vital.

A recent article in The Wall Street Journal, “Feeding the World: From the Brazilian Heartland by Rail and Sea” explores the how the Port of Santos, Latin America’s largest port and a key hub for Brazil’s agricultural exports, stands at the center of this effort. 

DP World, in partnership with Brazil’s leading railroad company, Rumo, is spearheading a major infrastructure expansion at Santos, including a new state-of-the-art terminal for grains and fertilizers. This project is designed to enhance the port’s capacity and competitiveness, benefiting Brazilian farmers and strengthening global food supply chains.

Rail transportation is emphasized as a solution to the logistical challenges posed by the vast distances between Brazil’s agricultural heartland and its ports, with environmental benefits like reduced CO2 emissions and road congestion. 

The collaboration aims to create economic opportunities, reduce supply chain costs, and increase production capacity, while boosting exports and ensuring sustainable, efficient logistics.

The expansion of Brazil’s agricultural export infrastructure aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 2, which aims to end hunger, achieve food security, and promote sustainable agriculture. By improving the efficiency of Brazil’s food supply chains through strategic investments in ports and railroads, the country is better positioned to meet the growing global demand for food, especially in regions facing food insecurity. 

Enhanced logistics and reduced costs contribute to more equitable food distribution, addressing both economic and environmental challenges. This collaboration between DP World and Rumo not only supports Brazilian farmers but also plays a crucial role in advancing global efforts to ensure food security for all, in line with the UN’s vision for a sustainable future.Top of Form

Read the full story here: Feeding the World: From the Brazilian Heartland by Rail and Sea

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