EKOS Communications, Inc.

Luxury hotel InterContinental Miami today announced that it has partnered with Greenlight Energy to purchase 15,467,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of wind power in 2012.  The purchase is part of a broader corporate-wide sustainability strategy and makes InterContinental Miami the largest green power purchaser in Florida to be named to the most recent 100% Purchaser’s List maintained by the EPA’s Green Power Partnership.  The purchase also earns the luxury hotel membership in the Partnership’s prestigious Leadership Club.

The EPA's Green Power Partnership is an industry-government partnership that helps increase the use of green power among leading U.S. organizations.  Currently, there are over 1,300 EPA Green Power Partners that are collectively buying nearly 21 billion kWh of green power annually. 

Beyond the use of renewable energy, InterContinental Miami has a broader sustainability focus that covers design, operations and technologies that reduce energy, water and waste, cut carbon emissions, improve guest health and comfort, reduce operating and maintenance costs and raise guest and staff awareness of sustainability issues.

“Our decision to go green was another way to reduce the environmental impacts associated with conventional electricity”, says Robert Hill, InterContinental Miami’s General Manager.  “Our Hotel has a reputation as an active member of the community and part of that social responsibility lies in making green and sustainable operating decisions that set an example for others to follow.” 

InterContinental Miami has partnered with New York-based green power supplier Greenlight Energy to provide renewable energy certificates (RECs) sourced from wind farms across the U.S.  Because RECs are not tied to the physical delivery of electrons, they allow organizations to purchase green power from suppliers other than their local electricity provider.  RECs help overcome a major barrier to renewable energy development - the fact that the best renewable resources may not be located close to population centers. 

“We commend InterContinental Miami’s environmental leadership,” says Kelly Bennett, CEO of Greenlight Energy. “InterContinental Miami not only has incredible amenities and accommodations, but now they should be known as a hotel of choice in south Florida and in the U.S. for anyone with a focus on sustainability,” adds Bennett.  All of the wind supplied by Greenlight Energy is certified by Center for Resource Solutions’ Green-e Energy certification program, ensuring that the purchase is sourced from new renewable generators that meet strict environmental and consumer protection standards.

The EPA estimates that InterContinental Miami’s purchase avoids an estimated 10,665 metric tons of carbon dioxide, which is the equivalent to the greenhouse gas emissions from 2,091 passenger vehicles each year or the carbon dioxide emissions from the electricity use of 1,330 average American homes for one year. 

About InterContinental Miami
Celebrating 25 years as an icon of the Downtown Miami skyline, the InterContinental Miami is located at the crossroads of Miami's Business and Arts & Entertainment districts. A beacon for business and leisure travelers alike, the hotel rises 34 stories over the city with breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean, Biscayne Bay and the Port of Miami. The hotel features 641 luxury guest rooms, including 34 suites; 33 meeting rooms with over 101,000 square feet of meeting and exhibition space, including a spectacular Grand Ballroom and a 196-seat theater; 3 restaurants, including Table 40, the only Chef's Table in Downtown Miami; full-service fitness center and spa at mySpa Miami; and rooftop pool deck with gardens. The InterContinental Miami is a proud corporate citizen of the Miami-Dade community, invested through its annual InterContinental Miami Make-A-Wish Ball, Chefs With A Purpose, and other charitable events. For more information or to make reservations, contact the InterContinental Miami, 100 Chopin Plaza, Miami, Florida 33131, at 305-577-1000 or by visiting www.icmiamihotel.com.

About Greenlight Energy
Greenlight Energy is the first and only woman-owned renewable energy marketing company in the U.S.  Industry pioneers since 2003, our founders have transacted over 5 billion kWh of RECs over their careers with some of the world's most recognizable brands.  Helping clients support renewables, reduce emissions and drive sustainability throughout their operations is core to Greenlight Energy’s mission.  Rethink. Go green.  For more information, call (518) 499-3555 or go to www.gltenergy.com.

** APPLICATIONS CLOSING SOON! ***

Are you looking to gain widespread recognition for your program in global health? GBCHealth’s Business Action on Health Awards highlight innovative and results-oriented corporate achievements in tackling global health challenges.

Award-winning companies will enjoy many great benefits.

• An opportunity to showcase their program at GBCHealth’s conference with an audience of business and global health leaders.
• Visibility on our website and social media platforms.
• Placement in a major international newspaper.

Applications close February 8 - so we urge you to get started soon!

The application process is simple - just log on to our online application form and tell us why your program deserves a GBCHealth Business Action on Health award: http://action.gbchealth.org/Awards/Application.php 

You can find out more about the awards and the application process here: http://conference.gbchealth.org/awards.php

(Marketwire) - Following its fifth consecutive listing as an index component on both the Dow Jones Sustainability World and the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Indexes, Bombardier (TSX: BBD.A)(TSX: BBD.B) was awarded SAM Sector Mover and SAM Gold Class in this year's SAM Sustainability Yearbook 2012.

As the SAM Sector Mover, Bombardier ranks within the top 15% of its sector, Aerospace & Defence, and has achieved the largest proportional improvement in its sustainability performance over last year. Additionally, Bombardier received the SAM Gold Class award, ranking within 1% of the Sector Leader's score.

"These awards represent international recognition of our sustainability practices and are a testament to our performance over the past year. These results are a significant achievement in CSR at Bombardier and our commitment to continue moving forward responsibly," said Me Daniel Desjardins, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Social Responsibility Committee Chairman, Bombardier Inc.

Sustainable Asset Management (SAM) provides benchmark indicators of sustainability. SAM has been assessing and documenting th sustainability performance of over 2,000 corporations on a yearly basis since 1999, and currently holds one of the largest global databases on corporate sustainability. The world's 2,500 largest companies (based on the Dow Jones Global Total Stock Market Index) are invited to participate in SAM's Corporate Sustainability Assessment every year. The survey results determine inclusion in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes. Only the top 15% from each of the 58 SAM sectors qualify for inclusion in the Sustainability Yearbook.

The Corporate Sustainability Assessment evaluates criteria within the Economic Dimension, the Environmental Dimension and the Social Dimension. SAM assessed 19 of the total 31 companies within the Aerospace and Defence sector.

For more information about CSR at Bombardier, visit our dedicated website www.csr.bombardier.com For more information about the SAM Sustainability Yearbook 2012, visit: http://www.sam-group.com/int/sustainability-insight/the-sustainability-yearbook.jsp

About Bombardier

A world-leading manufacturer of innovative transportation solutions, from commercial aircraft and business jets to rail transportation equipment, systems and services, Bombardier Inc. is a global corporation headquartered in Canada. Its revenues for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2011, were $17.9 billion, and its shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD). Bombardier is listed as an index component to the Dow Jones Sustainability World and North America indexes. News and information are available at www.bombardier.com or follow us on Twitter @Bombardier.

The Ethical Performance 2012 CSR Professional Services Directory will be published in early February, and you can pre-order your copy for £29.95 ($47, €35). This is the directory’s seventh year and the print version is the only one of its kind.

This year's 84-page full-colour edition contains details of 593 organisations worldwide that provide services in the corporate responsibility field.

With listings under 57 categories, the directory is an indispensable guide to what's on offer. So whether you're searching for consultants, academic institutions, rating agencies, ethical auditors, training providers or research organisations, you should find them here.

To order your copy, visit ethicalp.com/dirpre12a

Alternatively, you can email us on directory@ethicalperformance.com or call us on
+44 (0)1227 720 900

On a snowy Saturday in January, more than 350 attendees, 60 viewing parties, and 9,000+ online viewers attended and tuned in to watch 17 leaders in the world of sustainable agriculture and food speak about the state of agriculture, challenges to our food system, and innovative advances in the field.  Most of the speakers have several advanced degrees, awards and impressive resumes.  But it was the teacher from the South Bronx, Stephen Ritz, who brought the house down and earned the only standing ovation of the day with his talk on Growing a New Kind of Green Economy.

“The South Bronx is the poorest Congressional district in the country” he said, “and my hope is that my reach will exceed my grasp.”  Working with his “kids,” underserved teenage students in the South Bronx, he developed the first “indoor edible wall” in New York City.  Attendance in his class has jumped from 40 percent to over 90 percent, and his students are graduating and going to college.  His “kids” have been asked to help share their technology and expertise with other schools, have helped put an edible garden on the John Hancock building in Boston and spent the summer in the Hamptons building a rooftop garden.  “It’s simple,” says Ritz, who is teaching his third generation of students in the Bronx.  “just show your Passion.”

Be inspired.  Watch Stephen Ritz’s video and start changing the way your community eats – and thinks. 

TEDxManhattan, an independently organized event licensed by TED, will be releasing the remaining talks from its January 21 event in the next couple of weeks at www.tedxmanhattan.org/2012talks/.  Learn from speakers that include Consumer Reports Urvashi Rangan, who oversees their Consumer Safety and Sustainability Group and discusses problems with food labeling; Wayne Pacelle, President and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States who shares his thoughts on the feelings and lives of farm animals, and President of Stone Barns Fred Kirschenmann, whose talk teaches us that soil is so much more than just dirt.  

A DVD of the talks will be released in the Spring and photos of the event can be found on Flickr.  For more information, please email TEDxManhattan@gmail.com;  media can contact geralyn@resourcescommunications.com or telephone her at 281. 980.6643. 

The Glynwood Institute for Sustainable Food and Farming is the lead sponsor and host for TEDxManhattan 2012.

About TEDx, x = independently organized event

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like* experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for

the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized. *TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. Started as a four-day conference in California 25 years ago, TED has grown to support those world-changing ideas with multiple initiatives. For more information about TED and TEDx, please visit www.ted.com.

About TED

TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. Started as a four-day conference in California 25 years ago, TED has grown to support those world-changing ideas with multiple initiatives. The annual TED Conference invites the world's leading thinkers and doers to speak for 18 minutes. Their talks are then made available, free, at TED.com. TED speakers have included Bill Gates, Al Gore, Jane Goodall, Elizabeth Gilbert, Sir Richard Branson, Nandan Nilekani, Philippe Starck, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Isabel Allende and UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

Follow TED on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TEDTalks, or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TED.

The Kohl’s Department Stores (NYSE: KSS) Kohl’s Cares® Scholarship Program will award more than $420,000 in scholarships and prizes, ranging from $50 Kohl’s gift cards to $10,000 scholarships, to more than 2,200 young volunteers who have made a positive impact on their communities. Nominations for kids ages six to 18 will be accepted February 1 – March 15 at kohlskids.com. Kohl’s is helping promising youth further their education at a time when college tuition continues to increase yearly – a challenge to many American families who face high unemployment and stagnant incomes.*

“Through the Kohl’s Cares®  Scholarship Program, Kohl’s recognizes young volunteers who dedicate their time, energy and passion to helping others and bettering the communities we live in,” said Julie Gardner, Kohl’s executive vice president and chief marketing officer. “During a time of economic uncertainty and high tuition costs, it’s important to support extraordinary kids by investing in their future. We encourage parents, teachers, neighbors and friends to nominate outstanding young volunteers at kohlskids.com.”

To nominate volunteers ages six to 18 for a Kohl’s Cares scholarship, visit kohlskids.com. Nominations are accepted February 1 through March 15, and nominators must be 21 years or older. Two nominees from each of the more than 1,100 Kohl’s stores nationwide will win a $50 Kohl’s gift card, and more than 200 will win regional scholarships worth $1,000 toward post-secondary education. Ten national winners will be awarded a total of $10,000 in scholarships for post-secondary education and Kohl’s will donate $1,000 to a nonprofit organization on each national winner’s behalf.

Through the Kohl’s Cares Scholarship Program, Kohl’s aims to honor young volunteers who have made a positive impact on their communities. Since the program began in 2001, Kohl’s has recognized more than 15,000 kids with more than $3 million in scholarships and prizes. In 2012, Kohl’s celebrates its 12th year of rewarding young volunteers.

In 2011, Kohl’s honored national winner Sarah Kladar, 12, who sold approximately 5,000 dishtowels and with the nearly $50,000 raised, helped financially-burdened families pay for surgery-related expenses that were not covered by insurance. Regional winner Jaimus Ready, 8, was recognized for assembling and sending more than 350 care packages to soldiers in Afghanistan filled with candy, clothing and homemade cards from local school children.

The Kohl’s Cares® Scholarship Program is part of Kohl’s Cares®, Kohl’s philanthropic program focused on improving the lives of children. Kohl’s Cares® benefits children’s health and education initiatives nationwide through its merchandise program, featuring special books and plush toys where 100 percent of net profit benefits children’s initiatives; fundraising gift cards for schools and youth serving organizations and the Associates in Action associate volunteer program. For more information or a list of past Kohl’s Cares Scholarship Program winners, visit kohlskids.com.

About Kohl’s Department Stores

Based in Menomonee Falls, Wis., Kohl’s (NYSE: KSS) is a family-focused, value-oriented specialty department store offering moderately priced, exclusive and national brand apparel, shoes, accessories, beauty and home products in an exciting shopping environment. With a commitment to environmental leadership, Kohl’s operates 1,127 stores in 49 states. In support of the communities it serves, Kohl’s has raised more than $180 million for children’s initiatives nationwide through its Kohl’s Cares® cause merchandise program, which operates under Kohl's Cares, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kohl's Department Stores, Inc. For a list of store locations and information, or for the added convenience of shopping online, visit www.Kohls.com.

*Justin Pope. “College Prices Up Again As States Slash Budgets.” The Associated Press. 2011.

Our 3rd annual social and environmental risk management conference provides best practice insight for oil, gas, mining and heavy industry. Robust debate, interactive discussion and problem solving with BP, Chevron, Rio Tinto, De Beers, ICMM and many more. In depth focused agenda covering, capacity building, stakeholder engagement, human rights and revisions to the IFC performance standards. A global event boasting 25+ speakers from Africa, Europe and North America. Gain months’ worth of research and valuable knowledge over a mere two days. For more information about speakers, agenda, discounts and delegate prices please click here.

Applications for the seventh annual Dannon Next Generation Nutrition® grants are now available on the Dannon website under the ‘Dannon Cares’ section http://dannon.com/dannoncares.aspx. Applications are due by March 30, 2012.

Dannon will award grants of $30,000 to four nonprofits for programs that promote healthy eating and support nutrition education for children within each of the four communities where a Dannon facility is located – Salt Lake County, Utah; Tarrant County, Texas; Westchester County, New York; and Shelby, Mercer, Darke, and Auglaize counties in Ohio. To qualify for funding, organizations must be designated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and must already be engaged in a nutrition education program for children up to age 18, or be able to launch such an initiative in 2012.

Dannon established the Dannon Next Generation Nutrition® grant program in 2006 to promote childhood nutrition education in communities.  Each organization that receives a grant creates a program that helps children develop life-long habits for good nutrition and exercise.

In 2011 alone, $120,000 in grants benefited nearly 4,000 children and families nationwide; and since the inception of the Dannon Next Generation Nutrition® grant program, more than $700,000 has benefited nearly 18,000 children and their families.

For questions about Dannon’s grant application process, please call 914-872-8672.

About The Dannon Company, Inc.

The Dannon Company is America’s founding national yogurt company and continually leverages its expertise to develop and market innovative cultured fresh dairy products in the United States.  Headquartered in White Plains, NY, Dannon has plants in Minster, OH, Fort Worth, TX, and West Jordan, UT and produces approximately 100 different types of flavors, styles and sizes of cultured fresh dairy products.  Dannon is a subsidiary of Danone, one of the world’s leading producers of packaged foods and beverages, and Dannon is the top-selling brand of yogurt products worldwide, sold under the names Dannon and Danone.

With a strong commitment to high-quality, wholesome, nutritious, and innovative products, The Dannon Company is committed to encouraging people to eat a balanced diet and live a healthy lifestyle. In 2010, for the tenth year in a row, Danone was listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, a worldwide reference for socially responsible businesses.  Danone is a recognized leader for its contributions to nutrition and health and was ranked best in class in a 2008 JPMorgan & Insight Investment study about the response of the world’s largest food companies to obesity and health-related concerns. This commitment is also illustrated through The Dannon Company’s support of the Dannon Institute, an independent, non-profit foundation dedicated to promoting research, education, and communication about the links between nutrition, diet and health.  For more information, please visit www.dannon.com.

On the evening of January 25th, 2012, the Centre for Sustainability and Excellence (CSE), in partnership with CSRwire and the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, hosted a Sustainability Roundtable Discussion and reception at the Hotel Monaco in Chicago. An engaged audience featuring some of Chicagoland’s largest and most sustainable companies and organizations, including Allstate Insurance, Illinois Tool Works, and R.R. Donnelley, came out for a discussion on the topic “Using Sustainability to Mitigate Risk During Economic Turbulence.”

The evening’s first presenter was Karen Weigert, Chief Sustainability Officer for the City of Chicago. Ms. Weigert communicated to the audience the City’s push for more efficient systems of transportation, waste reduction, and natural resource protection & restoration. She also reinforced the position of Mayor Emanuel’s administration to adhere to the Chicago Climate Action Plan.

Following Ms. Weigert was Doug Widener, Executive Director of the U.S. Green Building Council – Illinois Chapter who articulated the fiscal and environmental advantages of implementing the suite of rating systems known as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings, homes, and neighborhoods. Mr. Widener also noted that Chicago had more LEED certified buildings than any other city on the planet with 47.

Herbert Lust, Director of Strategy, Global Corporate Citizenship at Boeing provided examples to dispel the myth of any conflict between environmental stewardship and economic growth. Mr. Lust touted Boeing’s use of biofuels as an alternative to petroleum-based jet fuels, and the company’s mentality of engineering products and systems (R&D goes toward benefitting and addressing environmental performance).

The evening’s final presenter, Menno Enters, Director of Energy and Sustainability at Walgreen's, began with personal anecdotes from his childhood that gave rise to his enthusiasm for sustainability today. Mr. Enters touched on many of Walgreens’ initiatives including the use of geothermal energy, solar panels, and internal training and education on sustainability.

“We are at a critical juncture where integrating sustainability into the corporate and governmental strategy and framework must be addressed as priorities,” stated Nikos Avlonas, President of CSE and moderator for the Roundtable. “We facilitate events such as tonight’s Roundtable not to pat ourselves on the back for the work we’ve done, but to engage with our peers in sharing best practices, addressing challenges, and pushing the sustainability movement forward.”

CSE is an international advisory, coaching and training organization with offices in the U.S., Greece, and Belgium. CSE specializes in sustainable development solutions and works with private and public sector clients for the advancement of sustainability, within their operations and organizational framework.

Sustainability Education from CSE

The Centre for Sustainability and Excellence has hosted Roundtable Discussions on various topics of Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in cities across the U.S., including New York, Atlanta, and Washington, DC. CSE Roundtables have featured panel members from the Global Reporting Initiative, the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, Sustainable Atlanta, and the Sustainable Business Network of Washington (SB NOW), among others.

On March 8-9, 2012, CSE will be hosting its Certified Sustainability (CSR) Practitioner Training in Chicago, IL. CSE will also be hosting its Certified Carbon Footprint Practitioner Training on April 26-27, 2012 in Chicago. Early registration discounts are applicable one month prior to training date.

At present, more than 250 CSR Practitioners in over 25 countries are certified under the CSE. To view CSE’s complete 2012 training schedule, visit us on the web at www.cse-northamerica.org.

First Peoples Worldwide (FPW), a global indigenous nonprofit dedicated to strengthening Indigenous Peoples, today announced a new partnership with Trillium Asset Management.  Under the terms of the partnership, Trillium is undertaking custom research and shareholder advocacy focused on how corporate policies and programs can better protect and enhance Indigenous Peoples’ rights.

Founded in 1997 by widely acclaimed advocate Rebecca Adamson, FPW supports projects that preserve biodiversity, identify contemporary applications for traditional knowledge, mitigate the impact of climate change, and advocate free prior informed consent.

Adamson, a Cherokee, has developed creative, mutually beneficial economic models since 1970 and was just interviewed for the 2013 PBS series entitled “Women Who Make America.” Her work includes creating the first microloan fund in the United States, the first tribal investment model, a national movement for reservation land reform, and legislation that established new standards of accountability regarding federal trust responsibility for Native Americans.

First Peoples’ new small grants fund, Keepers of the Earth, makes grants directly to communities in ways that ensure capital is engaged to reflect cultural values.  It is an effective platform for donors who want 100 percent of their monies directed to some of the most remote grassroots communities in the world. FPW is the only organization worldwide that distributes global grants using the collaborative intelligence of indigenous wisdom to address contemporary challenges in areas of wealth, environment and cultural preservation.

In keeping with Rebecca’s ongoing focus on innovation, she looked to Trillium to help build a new partnership to promote Indigenous voices in the corporate boardroom.

Trillium is the oldest independent investment firm focused exclusively on Sustainable and Responsible Investing. Under this partnership, Trillium is leveraging its expertise in corporate responsibility research and advocacy as well as its deep ties within the sustainable investing community. This collaboration culminates in a FPW publication called “Corporate Engagement Strategies: Indigenous Partnerships for Best Practice Solutions.”

As part of this publication, Trillium is providing FPW with regular research updates examining best practices in corporate America and reviewing new developments in legal cases and local and national legislation.

Trillium is also helping FPW engage in broader policy discussions around corporate responsibility.  For example, Trillium helped FPW provide formal input into the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Guidelines’ next generation framework. A recent letter signed by Rebecca Adamson, and supported by Trillium, makes the case that the current GRI reporting guidelines can be significantly improved by developing indicators that more explicitly address the reporting organizations’ impact on Indigenous communities and how well companies are equipped to anticipate, forestall and mitigate negative impacts.

According to CEO Matt Patsky, “We believe Trillium Asset Management is uniquely positioned to work with First Peoples in developing cutting edge research and advocacy on Indigenous peoples’ issues. We have been integrating these issues into our investment process since our founding in 1982.”

Rebecca Adamson said of the partnership, “Our partnership with Trillium signifies one of the first genuine platforms for Indigenous grassroots voices to be heard by corporate America. Trillium’s deep understanding of research and advocacy related to corporate sustainability policies is a powerful springboard that drives grassroots voices into the boardroom.”

This partnership illustrates well Trillium’s ability to provide custom research and advocacy services on behalf of other groups of investors.  Trillium believes there may be a strong demand for such a service from a variety of investor groups.

This partnership is a natural extension of the work Trillium has undertaken for some time to address Indigenous peoples’ rights. Trillium was one of the first investment companies to explicitly reference Native American and Indigenous peoples’ rights as a specific area of focus in its sustainable investment criteria. Trillium also addresses these issues through dialogue and shareholder proposals with some of the largest companies in America.

First Peoples Worldwide is a global development nonprofit based in Fredericksburg, VA with expertise in indigenous management principles and solutions for best practice in corporate strategies. The FPW flagship fund Keepers of the Earth links donors directly with communities all over the world by making small grants in ways that successfully apply indigenous intelligence and support economically effective platforms for positive change.

Trillium Asset Management, LLC is the oldest independent investment advisor devoted exclusively to sustainable and responsible investing. With over $950 million in assets under management, Trillium has been managing equity and fixed income investments for high net worth individuals, foundations, endowments, religious institutions, and other non-profits since 1982. A leader in shareholder advocacy and public policy work, Trillium's goal is to deliver both impact and performance to its investors.

The Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF), a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit working to eliminate energy poverty through the use of solar power, today announced that it is launching “Energy is a Human Right,” a campaign to provide a voice to the nearly 1.5 billion people around the world living without access to electricity and other forms of modern energy. It is also calling upon the international development community and general public to join the campaign by visiting www.EnergyIsAHumanRight.com to show their support for those living in energy poverty, and to learn how they can help provide energy access to assist in their economic, education, health and agricultural development.

“For the last 15 years, SELF has always believed and said that energy is essential for life,” says Bob Freling, Executive Director, SELF. “Access to energy is foundational to achieving a broad range of basic human rights and all of the Millennium Development Goals. Without it, life is very, very difficult as I’m sure 1.5 billion people can attest to.”

Through its Whole Village development model, SELF works hand-in-hand with communities to create and implement innovative solar energy solutions to improve people’s health and education, ensure food and water security, and spur economic development. Recently, it made a commitment to the United Nation’s Sustainable Energy for All Initiative to continue scaling up this model in Benin, West Africa by installing solar systems to power water systems, schools, health clinics, community centers, and street and household lighting systems. Mr. Freling is also co-chairing the initiative’s Working Group on Energy and Health, which will be examining ways to provide access to renewable energy sources for hospitals and health care clinics to support medical services.

“We proudly support the U.N. initiative and look forward to closely working with them to provide universal access to energy to those in need,” says Freling. “Our hope in launching this human rights campaign is to call attention to the critical role energy can play in helping people lift themselves out of poverty and create a better life.”

About SELF

The Solar Electric Light Fund is a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit whose mission is to implement solar energy solutions in developing countries to assist rural communities with economic, education, health and agricultural development.  Its “Whole Village” development model takes an innovative approach in using integrated solar systems to improve the lives of the 1.5 billion people living in energy poverty throughout the world. Since 1990, SELF has completed projects in more than 20 countries, pioneering unique applications of solar power for drip irrigation in Benin, health care in Haiti, telemedicine in the Amazon rainforest, online learning in South Africa, and microenterprise development in Nigeria. Connect with SELF on the web at www.SELF.org; on Twitter @solarfund; and at www.Facebook.com/solarelectriclightfund.

/PRNewswire/ - Frustrated with the slow pace of implementation of newborn screening for Severe Combined Immune Deficiency (SCID), Vicki and Fred Modell decided to coordinate and fund the effort themselves. Today, they announced a multi-million dollar commitment to screen every baby born in every state for this life threatening condition, often referred to as "bubble boy disease."

The Modells established the Jeffrey Modell Foundation (JMF) 25 years ago in memory of their son Jeffrey, who lost his battle with Primary Immunodeficiency (PI) at the age of 15. There are more than 150 genetic defects that are classified under the umbrella of PI. The NIH estimates that at least 500,000 Americans are affected and most are undiagnosed. SCID is the most serious of the disorders and is characterized by experts as a "Pediatric Emergency."

Babies born with SCID fail to develop a functional immune system. They appear normal and healthy at birth, causing delayed diagnosis until they are repeatedly hospitalized for life threatening infections. Undetected and untreated, SCID leads to death before the baby's first birthday. But with Newborn Screening, they can now be diagnosed and then cured with a bone marrow transplant. The cost of the screening test, called TRECs, is $4 per baby. To date, the Jeffrey Modell Foundation has contributed over $3 million towards programs of Newborn Screening. Affected babies with SCID are already being identified, transplanted, and cured in several states, including California, New York, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, and Louisiana. Overall, only 50 percent of all babies born in the United States live in states that screen for SCID or have stated their intention to screen if funding is available.

Mike and Missy Bornheimer were lucky enough to have lived in Wisconsin (the first state to screen). Her baby, Dawson, was born with SCID and was screened, diagnosed, treated, and cured and now is a healthy three and half year-old boy. Missy offered Testimony to the Secretary's Advisory Committee on Heritable Disorders in Newborns and Children in Washington, D.C. on January 21, 2010. The Committee voted the same day to recommend adding the SCID test to the core panel of newborn screening tests. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius approved the recommendation shortly thereafter.

"Two years later, we are just approaching halfway to completing our mission so that every baby in every state can be screened for this fatal disease and those afflicted can be cured," according to Fred Modell. "We have not raised all of the funds as yet, but we are confident."

Vicki Modell added, "We have heard from too many grieving parents whose babies were tragically lost to SCID. But now that we can screen and cure babies that are affected, we just can't stand by for another day, and watch precious babies die. We will be offering funding to every state that implements a Population Screening Program for SCID. This is an historic journey and we hope to wipe out this fatal disease forever."

About Jeffrey Modell Foundation

Vicki and Fred Modell established the Jeffrey Modell Foundation in 1987, in memory of their son Jeffrey, who died at the age of fifteen from complications of Primary Immunodeficiency – a genetic condition that is chronic, serious, and often fatal. JMF is a global nonprofit organization dedicated to early diagnosis, meaningful treatments and, ultimately, cures through research, physician education, public awareness, advocacy, patient support, and Newborn Screening.

For more information about PI, visit www.info4pi.org or email the Jeffrey Modell Foundation at info4pi@jmfworld.org.

Preserve is proud to have become a Certified B Corporation™, a new framework to evaluate corporations based on their social and environmental policies and performance. Preserve, the leading maker of sustainable household products including toothbrushes, razors, tableware and kitchen tools, is in good company. Preserve joins a committed community of over 500 other Certified B Corporations coming from over 60 industries from Biotechnology to Education, representing $3 billion in collective revenues and $6.5 billion in capital under management.  This third party certification asserts Preserve’s continued commitment to social responsibility and a ‘better’ way of doing business.

"Becoming a B Corporation was a fabulously rewarding experience for us.  It gave us the process and format to put structure around our social mission and affirm for our entire team the essential components of the underlying mission driving Preserve since our founding,” states Eric Hudson, Founder and CEO of Preserve.

Since forming in 1995, Preserve has stayed true to its mission – using recycled and sustainable materials to create products that have strong design and functionality, but are fundamentally safe for consumers and less impactful on the Earth. Preserve believes in empowering its employees, customers and all the people involved with the Preserve brand to approach purchases more responsibly. For example, Preserve products, which are made of recycled #5 plastic, are also designed for recyclability. Furthermore, Preserve encourages recycling by creating take back systems for its products at their end of life. Preserve is best known for recycling Stonyfield yogurt cups and making them into toothbrushes, and then encouraging its customers to send the brushes back to be recycled again. Preserve’s mission directly supports the corporate accountability implicit in becoming a Certified B Corporation including commitment to social impact and environmental stewardship.

Preserve worked on the certification process with B Lab, the non-profit organization who conceived of the methodology in 2006 and has been administering it ever since with companies seeking to bring social and environmental issues to the forefront. The process for Preserve to become certified involved undergoing the B Impact Assessment. This is an evaluation of the company in five key areas which provides a comparable measure across companies of social and environmental performance. The areas measured include accountability, employees, consumers, community and environment. Companies undergoing this assessment must earn an established minimum total of points to receive certification. Preserve passed this level, receiving high marks in accountability driven by strong governance and transparency. The impact of these measures is to drive these companies to have accountability for their social and environmental performance which in effect strengthens the greater community.

Preserve is coming together with other like-minded consumer products companies including Seventh Generation, Patagonia and Method to become Certified B Corporations. These companies are setting themselves apart and providing both clarity and transparency to consumers so they can make the informed choices about the brands they purchase.

“Preserve is ‘proof of concept’ for a new way of doing business.  Preserve is a model for other companies due to its pioneering work in creating sustainable consumer products and bringing together like-minded companies to create recycling systems for their products,” says Jay Coen Gilbert, B Lab co-founder. “We created B Lab to inspire a new breed of company and set a new standard for corporate accountability. Preserve has done this since its inception, and we are proud to have certified Preserve as a B Corporation.” 

To learn more about B Corp and see Preserve’s B Corp profile, visit www.bcorporation.net/preserve

About Preserve

Preserve is the leading sustainable consumer goods company and producer of stylish 100% recycled household products. Preserve turns yogurt cups into toothbrushes and take-out containers into tableware. Through innovations in recycled materials and sustainable design, Preserve has been creating more resourceful ways to make everyday products for the kitchen, table, and bath since 1996. The company is powered by the recycling efforts of individuals and companies via its Preserve Gimme 5 program. This program accepts #5 plastics, 98% of which are not normally recycled—such as yogurt cups and other common household containers— transforming them into new Preserve products. All recycling and manufacturing is done in the USA. Preserve pioneers partnerships with premier product design, manufacturing, and sales and marketing firms to bring together thought leaders to drive industry change. Preserve empowers people to make everyday choices that are better for the earth while offering real solutions without compromise. Preserve products can be found at forward-thinking retailers like Whole Foods Market, Amazon.com, Trader Joe’s, Wegman’s, and a variety of grocery and natural food stores. Visit us online at www.preserveproducts.com

About B Corp

Certified B Corporations 1) meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance; 2) legally expand their corporate responsibilities to include consideration of stakeholder interests; and 3) build collective voice through the power of the unifying B Corporation brand.  As of January 2012, there are over 515 Certified B Corporations from over 60 industries, representing a diverse multi-billion marketplace.

About B Lab

B Lab is a nonprofit organization dedicated to using the power of business to solve social and environmental problems.  B Lab drives systemic change through three interrelated initiatives: 1) building a community of Certified B Corporations to make it easier for all of us to tell the difference between “good companies” and just good marketing; 2) accelerating the growth of the impact investing asset class through use of B Lab’s GIIRS impact rating system by institutional investors; and 3) promoting supportive public policies, including creation of a new corporate form and tax, procurement, and investment incentives for sustainable business. 

As energy becomes scarcer innovative forms of extraction have emerged. Most prominent among these due to their controversy are fracking and oil sands. 

Obama in his State of the Union address backed fracking alongside additional regulation requiring companies disclose the chemicals used in the process.

Keystone XL did not receive the Presidents backing amid claims the Congress imposed deadline did not give sufficient time to weigh the social and environmental impact. The more cynical might suggest it was simply too controversial a decision to take in an election year. 

Regardless of the motives behind each decision the question must be posed, has the extractives industry ability to operate in increasingly complex and difficult environments been matched by implementation of a sufficiently robust social and environmental policy?  

Fracking in the USA is seen as a potential holy grail on the road to diversifying energy supply and reducing foreign energy dependence. Environmentalists remind us of the potentially devastating harm fracking can cause to drinking water. Deepwater Horizon serves as a poignant reminder of failed risk mitigation as BP struggled to contain a leak occurring thousands of feet below the ocean floor. 

The risk versus opportunity conundrum extends well beyond energy extraction. In the mining sector operations now take place in extreme environments ranging from the Canadian Arctic right through to conflict affected zones such as DR Congo and Liberia. Here risk mitigation isn't just environmental but also social. Infrastructure and regulatory capacity is often minimal whilst mining operations have a major impact on national GDP.

De Beers through its diamond mining activities generates 30% of GDP and 50% of government revenue in Botswana. Resource rich countries are become increasingly protective of their natural assets as energy and precious materials become scarcer. South Africa, Zambia, Australia, Zimbabwe and Columbia have all put forward plans to secure a greater slice of the pie.

  The challenge is for extractives companies to engage with local and national stakeholders and develop positive long term relationships in order to retain all important community consent for operations and overcome resource nationalism . Resources are finite and the onus is on mining companies to develop sustainable social investment initiatives which will survive long after mine closure. 

For a more in depth rundown of key social and environmental risk challenges including the keystone xl debate and resource nationalism download a free 15-page briefing pack. 

You can get your copy here. 

For  further advice and best practice on social and environmental risk management for oil, gas and mining  take a look at the conference on "How to manage social and environmental risk for oil, gas and mining". With 25+ expert speakers and about 100 corporate attendees expected, it's the leading conference dealing with this topic in Europe with BP, Chevron, De Beers, Anglo American and IFC among the participants.

Click here for more info. - http://j.mp/socialenvironmentalriskmanagement

UPS (NYSE:UPS) today announced almost 120 grants totaling more than $6 million to non-profit organizations around the world that champion diversity and support diverse communities.

For more than 60 years, UPS’s philanthropic arm has funded organizations that support under-served and under-represented members of society.  This year’s grants will support a wide range of programs, including those for wounded veterans, the hearing and visually-impaired, women and girls and culturally distinct populations.

“Supporting diversity is the largest area of our funding,” said Ken Sternad, president of The UPS Foundation.  “We have long sought to help bridge opportunity gaps in areas like economic empowerment, education, leadership, mentorship and advocacy.  Through these grants, we are helping many great organizations improve lives and create opportunities.”

The grants being awarded include (in part):

• More than $800,000 to the National Urban League to support Entrepreneurship Centers in several cities and other programs.
• $750,000 to the National Council of La Raza toward the continued implementation of a regional strategy that focuses on capacity building for Hispanic community organizations.
• $655,000 to the NAACP for educational programs and other events.
• More than $450,000 in grants to organizations that support people with disabilities, primarily for programs around economic empowerment and transition into the workforce.  Grant recipients include the National Organization on Disabilities, Paralyzed Veterans of America and National Federation of the Blind.
• More than $450,000 to organizations that provide youth leadership and mentorship opportunities, including the 100 Black Men of America, Girls Inc., National Hispana Leadership Institute and the Japanese American Citizens League.
• $250,000 to the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) and the UNCF Atlanta.
• $235,000 toward college scholarships for Native American students through the American Indian College Fund and Brigham Young University.
• $200,000 to the Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA), primarily to support the OCA-UPS Gold Mountain Scholarship program for “first-in-family” Asian American college students.
• $185,000 to the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights for its education reform work.
• $150,000 to three Atlanta-based historically Black colleges and universities (Spelman College, Morehouse College and Clark Atlanta University) for the UPS Community Service Scholars Program, a unique effort that combines academics with community service.
• $150,000 to the Hispanic Scholarship Fund.
• $100,000 to the Human Rights Campaign Foundation for its Workplace Project.

The UPS Foundation, which is responsible for facilitating community involvement to local, national and global communities, has led UPS’s corporate citizenship efforts for more than 60 years.  In 2010, UPS and its employees, active and retired, invested more than $95 million in charitable giving around the world.  The UPS Foundation can be found on the web at UPS.com/foundation.  To learn about UPS's sustainability program and commitment to the environment, go to www.ups.com/sustainability.

Small business owners say their main concern is weak customer demand, not regulations, according to independent opinion polling released today.  In fact, when asked what would do the most to create jobs, small business owners’ top response was eliminating incentives to move jobs overseas. Reducing regulation came in fifth place.

Small business owners see government standards as an important tool to level the playing field with big business. In addition to protecting small businesses the vast majority of owners view regulations as a necessary component of a modern economy.  Click here to read the report, based on a national survey of 500 small business owners, released today by the American Sustainable Business Council, Main Street Alliance and Small Business Majority.

“These survey results underscore what Main Street small business owners have been saying all along: we need more customers, more demand, not deregulation,” said Jim Houser, owner of Hawthorne Auto Clinic in Portland, Oregon, and a leader with the Main Street Alliance. “In fact, I’ve seen first-hand from over 35 years in the auto industry that smart standards help create jobs and promote innovation in the U.S. economy.”

“Despite the heated rhetoric, regulations simply aren’t small businesses’ top concern,” said John Arensmeyer, founder and CEO of Small Business Majority. “Small businesses can be the jobs engine we need to jumpstart the economy, but not if legislators are focusing on something that isn’t their top problem. Policymakers should listen to what real small businesses are saying and act accordingly.”

"With football at the top of everyone's mind, if we played the game with no rules the Super Bowl winner would come down to which team was bigger or willing to play dirtier," said Frank Knapp, Jr., Vice Chair of the American Sustainable Business Council and president and CEO of the South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce.  "Well, regulations are the rules of the game we call private sector competition. An overwhelming percent of small business owners agree that without fair regulations creating a level playing field, small businesses won't be able to compete against big businesses. From our perspective, the effort to kill regulations is big businesses’ way of rigging the game in their favor."

Key findings from the survey include:

• Small business owners see their top problem as weak customer demand, not regulations: 34 percent cited weak customer demand as the most important problem for their business, while only 14 percent named government regulations.
• On the question of what would do the most to create jobs, cutting regulations came in low on the list: the top response was eliminating incentives to move jobs overseas at 24 percent; reducing regulation was fifth at 10 percent.
• Small business owners see an important role for standards and safeguards: 78 percent believe some standards are important to protect small businesses from unfair competition, and 76 percent believe regulations on the books should be enforced.
• Small business owners see regulations as necessary for a modern economy: 93 percent agree their business can live with some regulation if it is fair, manageable and reasonable.
• Small business owners express strong support for specific rules and standards: 78 percent support rules to prevent health insurance companies from increasing rates excessively, 84 percent support food safety standards, 80 percent support product safety standards and 80 percent support disclosure and regulation of toxic materials.
• Small business owners support clean energy policies: 79 percent support ensuring clean air and water, and 61 percent support moving the country towards energy efficiency and clean energy.
• Small businesses believe in streamlining government processes: 73 percent of respondents believe we should allow for one-stop electronic filing of government paperwork.

For more information on these poll findings, visit:
http://www.asbcouncil.org/poll_regulations.html

http://mainstreetalliance.org/5511/poll-regs-economy/

http://smallbusinessmajority.org/small-business-research/downloads/020112_Regulations_Poll_Report.pdf

Poll results reported in this statement represent findings from an Internet survey of 500 small business owners nationwide, commissioned by the American Sustainable Business Council, Main Street Alliance and Small Business Majority, and conducted by Lake Research Partners. The survey was conducted between December 8, 2011, and January 4, 2012. It has a margin of error of +/- 4.4%.

The American Sustainable Business Council is a network of business organizations representing over 100,000 companies and 200,000 business leaders. ASBC advocates for public policies that meet the realities of the 21st century global economy including strategic investments in workforce and infrastructure; standards and safeguards that promote innovation, prevent abuse and protect critical resources; and a new sustainable economic model that fosters a growing, economically-secure middle class. www.asbcouncil.org

The Main Street Alliance is a national network of state-based small business coalitions. MSA creates opportunities for small business owners to speak for themselves on issues that impact their businesses and local economies. www.mainstreetalliance.org

Small Business Majority is a national nonpartisan small business advocacy organization, founded and run by small business owners, and focused on solving the biggest problems facing America’s 28 million small businesses. We conduct extensive opinion and economic research and work with small business owners, policy experts and elected officials nationwide to bring small business voices to the public policy table. www.smallbusinessmajority.org

The Hershey Company announced yesterday that it will make its first commitment to sourcing independently certified cocoa for its Bliss line by the end of 2012.  The announcement was made days before International labor Right Forum was scheduled to run a Super Bowl ad highlighting Hershey’s use of child labor and follows a multi-year campaign that generated over 100,000 letters to Hershey, including from 50,000 supporters on Change.org, asking Hershey to improve its cocoa sourcing practices.

The “Raise the Bar, Hershey Coalition,” a group of responsible cocoa advocates led by Global Exchange, Green America, and International Labor Rights Forum, started the campaign after identifying Hershey as behind its competitors on addressing child labor, forced labor, and other abuses in the cocoa industry.

"It’s great to see Hershey's take this first step towards accountability in their supply chain.  We will continue to push them to ensure a better price for cocoa farmers so they can stop depending on forced child labor," said Judy Gearhart, Executive Director of the International Labor Rights Forum.  "The threat of a Super Bowl ad certainly increased the pressure, but Hershey’s new agreement is really the result of thousands of consumers, students, church congregations and community groups writing to them over the past two years.”

The Raise the Bar, Hershey Coalition has been increasing pressure on Hershey, including launching a petition on Change.org, creating “brand-jamming” photos and videos of Hershey products, blanketing the company’s Facebook wall in messages, organizing rallies at Hershey’s flagship stores, and delivering more than 100,000 letters from concerned consumers to Hershey’s corporate headquarters on Halloween.

“The Raise the Bar, Hershey! Coalition is excited to see Hershey listening to consumer demand for ethically sourced cocoa,” said Elizabeth O’Connell, fair trade campaigns director for Green America, “but we also recognize there is much more work to be done to fight child labor and other abuses in the cocoa industry, and we will continue to encourage Hershey to develop ethical sourcing practices.”

“The growth and ultimate success of Raise the Bar, Hershey’s petition on Change.org is incredible,” said Change.org Director of Organizing Amanda Kloer. “Hershey responded to consumer pressure with a significant improvement in cocoa sourcing transparency. It’s been empowering to watch this group of concerned organizations and individuals use Change.org’s tools to fight for changes at the Hershey Company.”  

In response to Hershey’s announcement, eighth grader Jasper Perry-Anderson has created a follow-up campaign on Change.org, asking the Hershey Trust to ensure the Hershey Company expands its commitment to certified cocoa to all its products in the future.

Live signature totals from Raise the Bar, Hershey’s campaign:
http://www.change.org/petitions/hershey-raise-the-bar

Journalists interested in contacting Hershey’s public relations staff should try:
Andy McCormick, Vice President, Public Affairs
(717) 534-5739
amccormick@hersheys.com

Kirk Saville, Spokesperson
(800) 468-1714
ksaville@hersheys.com

The Raise the Bar, Hershey! Coalition is led by the following organizations: 

GREEN AMERICA is the nation’s leading green economy organization. Founded in 1982, Green America (formerly Co-op America) provides the economic strategies, organizing power and practical tools for businesses and individuals to solve today's social and environmental problems. www.GreenAmerica.org

GLOBAL EXCHANGE is a membership-based international human rights organization dedicated to promoting social, economic and environmental justice around the world. www.GlobalExchange.org

INTERNATIONAL LABOR RIGHTS FORUM is an advocacy organization dedicated to achieving just and humane treatment for workers worldwide. www.LaborRights.org

For more information on Change.org, please visit:
http://www.change.org/about
Change.org is the world’s fastest-growing platform for social change — growing by more than 500,000 new members a month, and empowering millions of people to start, join, and win campaigns for social change in their community, city and country.

As energy becomes scarcer innovative forms of extraction have emerged. Most prominent among these due to their controversy are fracking and oil sands. 

Obama in his State of the Union address backed fracking alongside additional regulation requiring companies disclose the chemicals used in the process.

Keystone XL did not receive the Presidents backing amid claims the Congress imposed deadline did not give sufficient time to weigh the social and environmental impact. The more cynical might suggest it was simply too controversial a decision to take in an election year. 

Regardless of the motives behind each decision the question must be posed, has the extractives industry ability to operate in increasingly complex and difficult environments been matched by implementation of a sufficiently robust social and environmental policy?  

Fracking in the USA is seen as a potential holy grail on the road to diversifying energy supply and reducing foreign energy dependence. Environmentalists remind us of the potentially devastating harm fracking can cause to drinking water. Deepwater Horizon serves as a poignant reminder of failed risk mitigation as BP struggled to contain a leak occurring thousands of feet below the ocean floor. 

The risk versus opportunity conundrum extends well beyond energy extraction. In the mining sector operations now take place in extreme environments ranging from the Canadian Arctic right through to conflict affected zones such as DR Congo and Liberia. Here risk mitigation isn't just environmental but also social. Infrastructure and regulatory capacity is often minimal whilst mining operations have a major impact on national GDP.

De Beers through its diamond mining activities generates 30% of GDP and 50% of government revenue in Botswana. Resource rich countries are become increasingly protective of their natural assets as energy and precious materials become scarcer. South Africa, Zambia, Australia, Zimbabwe and Columbia have all put forward plans to secure a greater slice of the pie.

  The challenge is for extractives companies to engage with local and national stakeholders and develop positive long term relationships in order to retain all important community consent for operations and overcome resource nationalism . Resources are finite and the onus is on mining companies to develop sustainable social investment initiatives which will survive long after mine closure. 

For a more in depth rundown of key social and environmental risk challenges including the keystone xl debate and resource nationalism download a free 15-page briefing pack. 

You can get your copy here. 

For  further advice and best practice on social and environmental risk management for oil, gas and mining  take a look at the conference on "How to manage social and environmental risk for oil, gas and mining". With 25+ expert speakers and about 100 corporate attendees expected, it's the leading conference dealing with this topic in Europe with BP, Chevron, De Beers, Anglo American and IFC among the participants.

Click here for more info. - http://j.mp/socialenvironmentalriskmanagement

/PRNewswire/ - Continuing its mission to give back to the science community, the VWR Charitable Foundation raised $75,000 in an auction on January 16, 2012 benefiting Children's National Medical Center of Washington D.C.

The VWR Foundation hosts its annual auction during VWR International, LLC's North American Sales Meeting as a way to give back to the meeting's host city.  This year, the Foundation chose Children's National Medical Center for its natural fit with all three pillars in the VWR Foundation's mission: research, health and well-being and science education.  A check for $75,000 was presented to Children's National on January 17, 2012.

In addition to fundraising, auction attendees donated over 1,000 books for both patients and their parents to enjoy during hospital visits.  The book drive was organized by VWR International, LLC's Women's Affinity Group.

"We are so grateful to the VWR Foundation and everyone who participated in this incredibly successful auction," said Pam King Sams, Executive Vice President for Development for Children's National. "These funds will support important research and care for so many children in the nation's capital, and help make their stay with us more comfortable."

About VWR Foundation

The VWR Charitable Foundation was established in January 2009 by a group of VWR International, LLC associates.  In July 2009, the VWR Foundation distributed its first grant.  Since then the organization has donated nearly $200,000 to various organization across America that are aligned with its mission.  More information about the VWR Foundation, including a grant application can be found at www.VWRfoundation.org.

About VWR International, LLC

VWR International, LLC, headquartered in Radnor, Pennsylvania, is a global laboratory supply and distribution company.  With 150 years of industry experience, VWR offers a well-established distribution network that reaches thousands of specialized labs and facilities spanning the globe. In addition, VWR further supports its customers by providing onsite services, storeroom management, product procurement, supply chain systems integration and technical services.

For more information on VWR, phone (800) 932-5000, visit www.vwr.com, or write, VWR International, LLC, Radnor Corporate Center, Building One, Suite 200, 100 Matsonford Road, Radnor, PA 19087.

VWR and design are registered trademarks of VWR International, LLC.

UPS (NYSE:UPS) today announced almost 120 grants totaling more than $6 million to non-profit organizations around the world that champion diversity and support diverse communities.

For more than 60 years, UPS’s philanthropic arm has funded organizations that support under-served and under-represented members of society.  This year’s grants will support a wide range of programs, including those for wounded veterans, the hearing and visually-impaired, women and girls and culturally distinct populations.

“Supporting diversity is the largest area of our funding,” said Ken Sternad, president of The UPS Foundation.  “We have long sought to help bridge opportunity gaps in areas like economic empowerment, education, leadership, mentorship and advocacy.  Through these grants, we are helping many great organizations improve lives and create opportunities.”

The grants being awarded include (in part):

• More than $800,000 to the National Urban League to support Entrepreneurship Centers in several cities and other programs.
• $750,000 to the National Council of La Raza toward the continued implementation of a regional strategy that focuses on capacity building for Hispanic community organizations.
• $655,000 to the NAACP for educational programs and other events.
• More than $450,000 in grants to organizations that support people with disabilities, primarily for programs around economic empowerment and transition into the workforce.  Grant recipients include the National Organization on Disabilities, Paralyzed Veterans of America and National Federation of the Blind.
• More than $450,000 to organizations that provide youth leadership and mentorship opportunities, including the 100 Black Men of America, Girls Inc., National Hispana Leadership Institute and the Japanese American Citizens League.
• $250,000 to the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) and the UNCF Atlanta.
• $235,000 toward college scholarships for Native American students through the American Indian College Fund and Brigham Young University.
• $200,000 to the Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA), primarily to support the OCA-UPS Gold Mountain Scholarship program for “first-in-family” Asian American college students.
• $185,000 to the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights for its education reform work.
• $150,000 to three Atlanta-based historically Black colleges and universities (Spelman College, Morehouse College and Clark Atlanta University) for the UPS Community Service Scholars Program, a unique effort that combines academics with community service.
• $150,000 to the Hispanic Scholarship Fund.
• $100,000 to the Human Rights Campaign Foundation for its Workplace Project.

The UPS Foundation, which is responsible for facilitating community involvement to local, national and global communities, has led UPS’s corporate citizenship efforts for more than 60 years.  In 2010, UPS and its employees, active and retired, invested more than $95 million in charitable giving around the world.  The UPS Foundation can be found on the web at UPS.com/foundation.  To learn about UPS's sustainability program and commitment to the environment, go to www.ups.com/sustainability.