Tag: 3BL

Originally published on Aflac Newsroom

Personal health and fitness have always been important to Nigel Graham — volunteer firefighter, Northern Ireland native, Spartan® race veteran and key member of the Aflac flock in Columbia, South Carolina.

Since moving to the U.S. and working for Aflac in 2016, Nigel has made it a point to schedule annual wellness checkups.

It was at one of these routine appointments when his prostate cancer was discovered. Nigel had no symptoms or any indications that something was wrong, but by keeping up with his wellness checks, his cancer was found in its earliest stage. Nigel’s treatment involved a surgical procedure, but he was able to avoid chemotherapy and radiation.

“I consider myself a health-conscious person, so for years, my wife and I have made it a point to keep regular wellness exams. That one appointment made all the difference for my family,” said Nigel. “Now, I make it a point to encourage as many people as I can — urging my family, colleagues, fellow firefighters and strangers — to stay on top of their annual wellness checkups.”

Nigel also knows men who shy away from prostate exams, whether because of embarrassment or not wanting to experience the procedure, but he is now a champion for men to not avoid the procedure, because it can be lifesaving. September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, and it is a great reminder to schedule your exam and/or encourage a loved one to do the same.

In 2022, Nigel signed up for a Spartan Ultra race as a way of saying, “I’ll be here, and I’ll be healthy enough to do it.” In November 2023, he completed the race and checked that item off his bucket list.

Today, Nigel is cancer free and bears a tattoo on his wrist that not only represents his journey, but it also serves as a conversation starter to encourage others to advocate for themselves and take charge of their health.

Nigel believes that your wellness matters. Learn more about his story, get tips for how to take control of your health, and review important findings from the 2024 Aflac Wellness Matters Survey at Aflac.com/WellnessMatters.

This article contains the opinions of an Aflac policyholder, who is also an Aflac employee. It is not intended to portray any specific benefits or details of Aflac cancer insurance (also known as specified-disease insurance) in some states. Aflac refers to the following companies: American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus, American Family Life Assurance Company of New York, Continental American Insurance Company, and Continental American Life Insurance Company.

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AllianceBernstein is proud to host the Emerging Markets Investors Alliance (EMIA) 8th Annual ESG Engagement Conference, at our London office on September 16.

Join investors and experts for insightful panels and discussion. Professional Investors only: https://39534789.hs-sites.com/registration

AllianceBernstein

AllianceBernstein (AB) is a leading global investment management firm that offers diversified investment services to institutional investors, individuals, and private wealth clients in major world markets. We believe corporate responsibility, responsible investing and stewardship are intertwined. To be effective stewards of our clients’ assets, we strive to invest responsibly—assessing, engaging on and integrating material issues, including environmental, social and governance (ESG), and climate change considerations in most of our actively managed strategies (approximately 70% of AB’s total assets under management as of March 31, 2024). We also strive to hold ourselves as a firm to similar practices that we ask of issues. Our stewardship practices, investment strategy and decision-making are guided by our purpose, mission and values.

Our purpose—pursue insight that unlocks opportunity—inspires our firm to act responsibly. While opportunity means something different to each of our stakeholders; it always means considering the unique goals of each stakeholder. AB’s mission is to help our clients define and achieve their investment goals, explicitly stating what we do to unlock opportunity for our clients. We became a signatory to the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) in 2011. This began our journey to formalize our approach to identifying responsible ways to unlock opportunities for our clients through integrating material ESG factors throughout most of our actively managed equity and fixed-income client accounts, funds and strategies. AB also engages issuers when it believes the engagement is in the best financial interest of its clients.

Because we are an active manager, our differentiated insights drive our ability to deliver alpha and design innovative investment solutions. Material ESG and climate issues are important elements in forming insights and in presenting potential risks and opportunities that can affect the performance of the companies and issuers that we invest in and the portfolios that we build.

Our values provide a framework for the behaviors and actions that deliver on our purpose and mission. Values align our actions. Each value emerges from the firm’s collective character—yet is also aspirational.

Invest in One Another means that we have a strong organizational culture where diversity is celebrated and mentorship is critical to our success. When we invest in one another, we empower our employees to reach their potential, so that they can help our clients realize theirs. This enables us to partner with clients to design and deliver improved investment outcomes.Strive for Distinctive Knowledge means that we collaboratively identify creative solutions to clients’ economic, ESG and climate- related investment challenges through our expertise in a wide range of investment disciplines, close collaboration among our investment experts and creative solutions.Speak with Courage and Conviction informs how we engage our AB colleagues and issuers. We seek to learn from other parts of our business to strengthen our own views. And we engage issuers for insight and action by sharing ideas and best practices.Act with Integrity—Always is the bedrock of our relationships and has specific meaning for our business. Unlike many other asset managers, we’re singularly focused on providing asset management and research to our clients. We don’t engage in activities that could be distracting, or create conflicts—such as investment banking, insurance writing, commercial banking or proprietary trading for our own account. We are unconflicted and fully accountable.

As of March 31, 2024, AB had $759B in assets under management, $528B of which were ESG-integrated. Additional information about AB may be found on our website, www.alliancebernstein.com.

Learn more about AB’s approach to responsibility here.

AllianceBernstein is proud to host the Emerging Markets Investors Alliance (EMIA) 8th Annual ESG Engagement Conference, at our London office on September 16.

Join investors and experts for insightful panels and discussion. Professional Investors only: https://39534789.hs-sites.com/registration

AllianceBernstein

AllianceBernstein (AB) is a leading global investment management firm that offers diversified investment services to institutional investors, individuals, and private wealth clients in major world markets. We believe corporate responsibility, responsible investing and stewardship are intertwined. To be effective stewards of our clients’ assets, we strive to invest responsibly—assessing, engaging on and integrating material issues, including environmental, social and governance (ESG), and climate change considerations in most of our actively managed strategies (approximately 70% of AB’s total assets under management as of March 31, 2024). We also strive to hold ourselves as a firm to similar practices that we ask of issues. Our stewardship practices, investment strategy and decision-making are guided by our purpose, mission and values.

Our purpose—pursue insight that unlocks opportunity—inspires our firm to act responsibly. While opportunity means something different to each of our stakeholders; it always means considering the unique goals of each stakeholder. AB’s mission is to help our clients define and achieve their investment goals, explicitly stating what we do to unlock opportunity for our clients. We became a signatory to the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) in 2011. This began our journey to formalize our approach to identifying responsible ways to unlock opportunities for our clients through integrating material ESG factors throughout most of our actively managed equity and fixed-income client accounts, funds and strategies. AB also engages issuers when it believes the engagement is in the best financial interest of its clients.

Because we are an active manager, our differentiated insights drive our ability to deliver alpha and design innovative investment solutions. Material ESG and climate issues are important elements in forming insights and in presenting potential risks and opportunities that can affect the performance of the companies and issuers that we invest in and the portfolios that we build.

Our values provide a framework for the behaviors and actions that deliver on our purpose and mission. Values align our actions. Each value emerges from the firm’s collective character—yet is also aspirational.

Invest in One Another means that we have a strong organizational culture where diversity is celebrated and mentorship is critical to our success. When we invest in one another, we empower our employees to reach their potential, so that they can help our clients realize theirs. This enables us to partner with clients to design and deliver improved investment outcomes.Strive for Distinctive Knowledge means that we collaboratively identify creative solutions to clients’ economic, ESG and climate- related investment challenges through our expertise in a wide range of investment disciplines, close collaboration among our investment experts and creative solutions.Speak with Courage and Conviction informs how we engage our AB colleagues and issuers. We seek to learn from other parts of our business to strengthen our own views. And we engage issuers for insight and action by sharing ideas and best practices.Act with Integrity—Always is the bedrock of our relationships and has specific meaning for our business. Unlike many other asset managers, we’re singularly focused on providing asset management and research to our clients. We don’t engage in activities that could be distracting, or create conflicts—such as investment banking, insurance writing, commercial banking or proprietary trading for our own account. We are unconflicted and fully accountable.

As of March 31, 2024, AB had $759B in assets under management, $528B of which were ESG-integrated. Additional information about AB may be found on our website, www.alliancebernstein.com.

Learn more about AB’s approach to responsibility here.

Throughout the last year, we have continued to pursue and secure new Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) certifications as we strive to uphold high standards for responsible sourcing–but what does the full scope of our work with ASI look like, and how is it intersecting with our other sustainability efforts? Click the link in ASI’s post here to learn from Jennifer Bogs, Director of Global Sustainability at Crown, about the breadth of our ongoing partnership with ASI and its comprehensive impact.

About Crown Holdings, Inc.

Crown Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiaries, is a leading global supplier of rigid packaging products to consumer marketing companies, as well as transit and protective packaging products, equipment and services to a broad range of end markets. World headquarters are located in Tampa, Florida. For more information, visit www.crowncork.com.

View original content here.

Throughout the last year, we have continued to pursue and secure new Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) certifications as we strive to uphold high standards for responsible sourcing–but what does the full scope of our work with ASI look like, and how is it intersecting with our other sustainability efforts? Click the link in ASI’s post here to learn from Jennifer Bogs, Director of Global Sustainability at Crown, about the breadth of our ongoing partnership with ASI and its comprehensive impact.

About Crown Holdings, Inc.

Crown Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiaries, is a leading global supplier of rigid packaging products to consumer marketing companies, as well as transit and protective packaging products, equipment and services to a broad range of end markets. World headquarters are located in Tampa, Florida. For more information, visit www.crowncork.com.

View original content here.

PepsiCo Foods North America (PFNA) is spearheading transformative change in the agricultural industry through its innovative Planting Pathways initiative. By forging partnerships with two industry-leading nonprofits, Farm Foundation and Practical Farmers of Iowa, PFNA is piloting programs that aim to drive sustainable and systemic change across the agricultural supply chain. These efforts are a testament to PepsiCo’s commitment to building a more equitable and sustainable food system, an essential component of the company’s pep+ (PepsiCo Positive) strategy.

The Planting Pathways initiative underscores PFNA’s dedication to fostering equitable access within the agriculture industry. By leveraging the company’s vast scale, influence, and expertise, PFNA is working to create a positive agriculture system that uplifts the communities PepsiCo serves. This approach addresses the most pressing global food system challenges, positioning PFNA as a driving force for positive and measurable change.

In Segment Three of the Agriculture of America podcast, Margaret Henry, VP of Sustainable and Regenerative Agriculture at PepsiCo, dives into the launch of the Planting Pathways initiative. She discusses the program’s potential to drive sustainable impact across the agricultural industry and highlights how PepsiCo is leading the way in creating a more equitable food system. Tune in here to learn more about how PepsiCo’s innovative approach is set to transform the future of agriculture.

New Holland, a brand of CNH, and Bluewhite, a leading autonomous technology company enabling AI-driven autonomous farming, has announced a multi-phase partnership.

The companies will collaborate on distribution, manufacturing and integration of Bluewhite’s autonomous solutions for New Holland tractors in North America. This partnership will enable New Holland tractors to operate fully autonomously in orchards, vineyards and other specialty crop operations.

Bluewhite’s AI-driven autonomous farm solution leverages AI, sensor fusion, advanced vehicle integration and precision. It also helps growers to manage their fleets and data — and, ultimately, produce more with less. Bluewhite works with over 20 leading permanent crop growers, enabling autonomous farming on multiple crops and tractor models across 150,000 acres in the U.S.

The proven capabilities of Bluewhite in orchards and vineyards bolsters New Holland’s strategy to bring autonomous solutions across all segments it serves, especially in the specialty crop market.

This unique technology helps New Holland customers address immediate challenges, such as labor shortages and rising operational costs in the specialty crop market. Depending on the specific use case, the technology has proven to reduce operational costs by up to 85% through a combination of savings in inputs, labor and maintenance costs.

“With this tech, we’re not only helping address the financial aspect of an operation by freeing up an operator to tackle other tasks; we’re alleviating some of the biggest pain points growers contend with every day that slow them down during the most critical times in the growing season,” stated Paul Welbig, precision product marketing director for New Holland Agriculture North America.

Key points:

The new children’s museum in El Paso, Texas, focuses on interactive experiences that incorporate science, technology, engineering, art and math.La Nube includes four floors of hands-on exhibits that explore fundamental principles of subjects such as meteorology, veterinary science, 3D printing and robotics.The museum resulted from a public-private collaboration, including a foundational investment from Marathon Petroleum to support project funding and future programs.

The new children’s museum in El Paso, Texas, La Nube (noo-beh) – Spanish for ‘the cloud’, recently opened with four stories and more than 70,000 square-feet of interactive spaces and learning zones that incorporate science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM).

“The museum’s name reflects a theme about the sky being limitless and how clouds can take any shape, representing infinite possibilities,” said V.J. Smith, Principal Corporate Social Responsibility & Community Relations Representative with Marathon Petroleum Corporation (MPC). “We are proud to support this kind of inspiration through a community resource that is likely to motivate generations of young El Pasoans to dream big.”

MPC was among several local stakeholders that joined the city of El Paso and the El Paso Community Foundation in advancing the project. As a leading sponsor, MPC provided a foundational investment to aid project funding and the development of future interactive programs, making possible one of La Nube’s nine themed learning zones, called Flow.

“Flow uses play to introduce children to concepts about water, including how machinery harnesses its power and the importance of conservation,” Smith said. “Among the features are a pump room that shows how water is treated and recycled as well as fun elements like water noodles and hoses.”

La Nube’s other STEAM-oriented learning zones explore fundamental principles of subjects such as meteorology, geometry, veterinary science, music, coding, acoustics, 3D printing and robotics. Some of the larger elements include a 50-foot-tall climber that’s part art installation and part jungle gym, a glow-in-the-dark cavern and a green screen system to provide backdrops for creating videos.

All museum visitors receive radio frequency identification bracelets called Discovery Bands. These devices wirelessly connect to exhibits to provide an even more immersive experience, allowing children to track their learning progress and save digital data. After they leave the museum, visitors receive emails with links that allow them to download records of their activities.

Several days before La Nube’s Aug. 10 grand opening, the museum hosted a facility preview for about 400 employees and family members from MPC’s El Paso refinery. The refinery’s Education and Outreach Committee plans to host programs at the museum in partnership with local schools.

In this four-part series, learn how our diversity, equity & inclusion (DEI) volunteer community impacts culture, career, company and community. Be sure to check out parts one and two of the series, Empowering Inclusion Through Culture and Empowering Inclusion Through Career, if you missed them.

Motorola Solutions’ DEI initiatives are closely aligned with our business objectives, enhancing our ability to serve customers more effectively while building both the business and cultural acumen of our employees. Our business councils offer diverse opportunities for employees to engage in our company’s strategy and how our DEI initiatives ladder up to this strategy and our business overall.

Here are some highlights from spring:

Our LatinX Business Council and Young Professionals Group (YPG) led sessions on the use and impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI), demonstrating how AI technologies drive innovation and improve efficiency. LatinX also created virtual opportunities for employees around the world to engage in a three-part series on empowering AI within our business. The sessions focused on the introduction and impact of AI tools, harnessing ChatGPT and Motorola Solutions-specific generative AI tools, which provided a strong understanding of how our customers leverage our technology to help keep their communities safer.YPG organized two sessions to further build the acumen of our employees. The group hosted a product blitz session – an overview of 30 Motorola Solutions products in 30 minutes – ensuring all employees, regardless of function, are equipped with knowledge about our leading-edge technologies.YPG led a session on our narrative, “Solving for safer,” designed to explore the essence of the Motorola Solutions brand and empower employees to share our story about who we are, what we do and the value we deliver to the world. Importantly, the session highlighted the vital role every employee individually plays in bringing our brand to life and reminded all about the absolute importance of our work.

Motorola Solutions is dedicated to creating a workplace where every employee feels valued and empowered. Through our impact on culture, career, company and community, we build a strong foundation for an inclusive and innovative future. Read more about our impact in our 2023 DEI Annual Report, and stay tuned for the fourth installment in this series – Empowering Inclusion Through Community – coming soon!

August 27, 2024 /3BL/ – Action Against Hunger is sounding the alarm around a growing nutritional emergency after the latest Survey Monitoring and Assessment of Malnutrition (SMART) revealed the prevalence of child malnutrition in Mali far exceeds critical thresholds set by the World Health Organization (WHO). In camps for people displaced by the conflict in Gao, in the north-east of the country, 30.1% of children aged 6-59 months are suffering from moderate acute malnutrition, twice the rate considered “severe” by the WHO. The national rate of severe acute malnutrition, which is the deadliest form of hunger, rose from 4.2% last year to 11% today (Rapid SMART June 2024), the highest level in a decade.

“We haven’t seen such severe data on the prevalence of acute malnutrition in children since famine was declared in Somalia in 2011,” said Action Against Hunger’s Africa Operations Manager, Paloma Martín de Miguel. “The conflicts unfolding in Mali since 2012 have unleashed a chain of food and nutrition crises with devastating consequences for the population, forcing people to flee affected areas, leaving behind their homes and all their resources without being able to meet their most basic needs.”

UN data suggests nearly 1.5 million children were acutely malnourished nationally between June 2023 and May 2024.

Conflict, food insecurity, lack of access to health services, poverty and forced displacement, coupled with a lack of knowledge about good nutritional practices, contribute to persistently high levels of malnutrition. This is further exacerbated by the lean season, the period between planting and harvesting crops, when food stocks are at their lowest. This time is particularly hard on vulnerable households which, without assistance, have no means of securing their food supply.

“The nutrition emergency in Mali is a complex and multifaceted problem that requires concerted action by the international community,” said Action Against Hunger’s Country Director in Mali, Mamadou Diop. “This crisis requires a comprehensive response that addresses both immediate and structural needs, including improving food security, strengthening health systems, access to water and promoting hygiene and nutrition practices.”

Action Against Hunger, present in Mali since 1996, is responding to this crisis with a multi-sectoral approach. Darsalam, a camp for people internally displaced by the conflict in Ménaka, is home to more than 4, 000 people who have fled the fighting in the region. In this camp, Action Against Hunger teams are screening for moderate and severe acute malnutrition in children aged 6-59 months and in pregnant and lactating women. The nonprofit is treating this health emergency through a community-based approach combined with mobile clinics, while providing food aid to vulnerable households. There are also plans to rehabilitate and construct water, hygiene and sanitation infrastructure in the camps, and support the distribution of hygiene and livelihood kits to households in need. Unclean water is a significant risk for malnourished children who are vulnerable to diarrheal diseases.

In the face of this emergency situation, Action Against Hunger and more than 40 other NGOs are calling for immediate action to prevent an increase in malnutrition rates in the most affected areas, as well as urgent mobilization of funds to cover the urgent nutritional needs of 517,695 people in high priority areas during the lean season.

About Action Against Hunger

Action Against Hunger leads the global movement to end hunger. We innovate solutions, advocate for change, and reach 21 million people every year with proven hunger prevention and treatment programs. As a nonprofit that works across 59 countries, our 8,900 dedicated staff members partner with communities to address the root causes of hunger, including climate change, conflict, inequity, and emergencies. We strive to create a world free from hunger, for everyone, for good.