As businesses realize the benefits of bringing more people into the financial fold, ideas to improve diversity, equity and inclusion, known as DEI, emerged throughout the year. But amid the progress, it also became clear that transforming promising slogans into reality is not easy.

There are no quick fixes to leveling the playing field for women, people of color or the LGBTQ community. Real change requires deliberate steps that start with discovering what people need and then helping them reach those goals.

Here are six stories that showcase how technology, innovative partnerships and the will to think differently can strengthen communities.

Making a pitch for First Nation entrepreneurs

When Harlan Kingfisher, a Plains Cree from Canada’s Sturgeon Lake First Nation, tried to turn his passion for ice hockey into a sports clothing brand, he struggled, like many Indigenous entrepreneurs, to find the capital needed to grow.

He decided to enter the Pow Wow Pitch competition and scored the $25,000 top prize, and now his Smudge the Blades is one of the fast-growing number of First Nation businesses that together contribute $30 billion to the economy.

A $500,000 investment by Mastercard will enable Pow Wow Pitch to reach more Indigenous entrepreneurs in First Nation communities across Canada to help combat generations of discrimination.

Stitching together Egypt’s digital future

When the Egyptian women who sew garments for international fashion brands at factories in Port Said got paid in cash, they often had to turn over their hard-earned wages to family members, and also ran the risk of getting robbed on payday.

But then BSR, a global sustainability organization, partnered with Levi Strauss & Co., Mastercard, Commercial International Bank and the Center for Development Services to launch the HERfinance Digital Wages initiative to pay its workforce digitally, unlocking a whole new world for the women there. By combining the payments with financial training, women can manage their money and increasingly build their independence.

Now Mastercard is helping scale up the initiative by working with employers and financial service providers to extend digital payrolls for thousands of female factory workers in Egypt to improve their long-term financial security and help them become more resilient.

Teaching ways to scrub out AI’s racial slant

Despite AI’s potential to improve our lives, racial bias can seep into algorithms and prevent people of color from getting equal access to finance, health care and even justice.

It’s a problem Howard University, the historically Black university in Washington, D.C., is determined to weed out by working with future developers at its Center for Applied Data Science and Analytics.

Funded in part by a $5 million grant from the Mastercard Impact Fund, the program is teaching students how to fix AI distortions to open up more opportunities for Black consumers and business owners.

Cards that say your name

Like many transgender or nonbinary people, Asher DiGiuseppe often felt embarrassed — or, worse, threatened — when he paid for items using cards that bore the name he used before transitioning.

He’s not alone. A Mastercard survey shows more than half of transgender or nonbinary people in North America and Europe feel unsafe shopping and want companies to do more to recognize their identities.

Mastercard’s True Name feature is letting cardholders like Asher use their chosen name on their bank card to help reduce anxiety and make financial services more inclusive. The feature is now available in 33 countries on four continents.

Thinking differently about diversity

When software developer Alecia Thomas, who has autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, applies for jobs, she finds the standard interview process harrowing.

So she turned to nonprofit Neurodiversity in the Workplace to find the best way to showcase her skills and experience, and interviewed with Mastercard, which is piloting a program to employ more neurodiverse people. Instead of a short, intense interview, she was assessed for a week and snared the job she wanted.

“Recruiting neurodiverse talent is also just the smart thing to do, as the diversity of our employee base and different perspectives lead to greater innovation,” says Arlene Gonzalez-Pagan, vice president of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Mastercard. Ultimately, it’s better for business.”

Turning the page for Black businesses

When Egypt Otis decided to follow her literary dreams and open a bookshop in Flint, Michigan, she turned to crowdfunding to open Comma Bookstore & Social Hub.

While businesses owned by people of color were hit disproportionately hard by the pandemic, Black entrepreneurs like Otis are now setting up record numbers of new businesses. But getting mainstream financing remains a barrier.

A shift to digitized credit applications and technologies such as open banking to make loan decisions is finally beginning to democratize access to finance and reduce the racial opportunity gap.

While we have made headway in 2022, true diversity, equity and inclusion for many is still a long way off. But there are plenty of groups committed to looking for innovative, authentic and impactful solutions in the year ahead.

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We can all make decisions every day that can reduce energy use and increase sustainability. Here are the five simple measures you can take to save energy this month and all year long.

1. Install LEDs. Replace incandescent bulbs in your home with high-efficiency LEDs. LEDs use 80% less energy than conventional bulbs and last much longer. Remember to turn off lights whenever you’re the last one to leave a room.

2. Adjust the thermostat to save energy at night or when no one’s at home. If you have a programmable thermostat and you’re not using it, now’s a great time to start. Smart thermostat models include advanced features, such as remote control.

3. Pull the plug on standby power. Many electronic devices continue to use power when they’re turned off. Unplug chargers and other electronic devices when it’s convenient. Advanced power strips and smart plugs automatically shut off power to plugged-in devices when they’re not being used.

4. Go low flow. The typical shower sends more than 25 gallons of hot water down the drain. Save water and energy by installing low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators. Also, take shorter showers and reduce the temperature on your water heater to 120°F.

5. Run full loads. Your dishwasher and clothes washer use a lot of water and energy. Make the most of it by waiting until you have a full load to operate them. Air dry clothes when you can. It reduces energy use for drying and is easier on fabric, making your clothes last longer.

Energy conservation is a year-round commitment. Little things, such as taking the time to turn things off when you’re not using them, can make a big difference.

Learn more about PSE&G here

Marathon Petroleum Corporation (MPC) works diligently to prevent incidents throughout its operations and maintain robust preparedness to enable an effective response if an emergency event occurs. This commitment to response readiness is reflected through its continuous training, including 20 multi-agency, worst-case oil spill exercises in 2022 alone as well as numerous smaller drills and tabletop exercises that were regulatorily required. MPC demonstrated its capabilities for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the fall during one of the year’s largest drills, a regional response exercise in which MPC teams successfully collaborated with 125 participants from 14 federal, state and local agencies, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and the Three Affiliated Tribes, and BNSF Railway.

The two-day drill at MPC’s Mandan, North Dakota, refinery was organized by EPA Region 8, which covers North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Utah and Colorado. Planning with MPC began in the spring to allow time to address the event’s size and scope. It was a full-scale exercise, meaning it simulated an actual emergency with containment and recovery equipment, an incident command post and ongoing updates in real time that prompted decisions and actions intended to help validate preparedness. 

“By working together with our response partners, we can reduce impacts of both natural and humanmade disasters on people, the economy, and the environment” said Betsy Smidinger, Director of U.S. EPA Region 8’s Superfund and Emergency Management Division. “Partnering with Marathon, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, the state of North Dakota and city and county emergency management entities in the full-scale exercise allowed us to work through, and evaluate the effectiveness of, our response protocols in a setting that simulates the real-world challenges we could face in a true emergency.”

Teamwork leads the way

Under the exercise scenario, drill participants acted as if they were responding to an oil spill at the refinery’s tank farm that led to oil reaching the nearby Missouri River. On the drill’s first day, the refinery fire department’s emergency response team deployed booms on the river to demonstrate how spill containment would look.

“Showcasing the Mandan team’s ability for all the agencies was priceless,” said MPC Emergency Preparedness Coordinator Servil Hoff. “This is an aspect that most people don’t ever see, including the process of boom deployment with recovery and all the equipment and resources that are required.”

The second day involved running an incident command post and organizing a unified command team to manage the response. Refinery General Manager Chris Staats was the incident commander. Other refinery personnel, MPC employees from across the company and agency members also filled roles. The unified command team included federal, state, local and tribal on-scene coordinators.

“EPA wanted to make sure Standing Rock was involved to show them the ability of the refinery to respond and to ensure them that we are all united if an incident were to happen,” Hoff said.  

Mandan Refinery Fire Chief Jamie Reinholt pointed to this emphasis on cooperation as a major factor behind the drill’s overall success. He noted the positive feedback from third-party evaluators who were on site throughout the exercise.

“All observers had great comments from both days. The planning teams worked great together, groups were engaged and well-prepared, and it showed,” Reinholt said. “I think everyone that participated took something back to their locations.” 

Tetra Tech and Running Tide discuss how a leading with nature approach can help offshore wind clients to make a positive impact on ocean health and can support regional and corporate sustainability goals.

Tetra Tech’s sustainability and nature-based solutions experts Rachel Bigby and Jason Coccia and co-author Adam Baske, Running Tide’s director of aquaculture and restoration, discuss the case for nature-based solutions for offshore wind projects.

Leading with nature

Carbon has led the sustainability conversation for many years now, though a focus on nature is swiftly gaining momentum globally. The business case for focusing on leading with nature to manage risks and opportunities and realize measurable impact with a wealth of co-benefits is becoming clearer. The creation of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) and the focused effort to build global standards around enhanced management of natural capital assets—in addition to carbon management—are quickly rising as priorities. A sustainability strategy with an amplified focus on biodiversity and nature-based solutions demonstrates an organization’s ESG maturity, as well as its ability to adapt and build resiliency to climate and nature-related challenges, with both people and planet in mind. At Tetra Tech, we’re supporting our clients across the globe by leveraging our science and engineering expertise to design bespoke solutions for their unique sustainability challenges and opportunities.

The science is clear

In today’s environment, habitat degradation and biodiversity loss are most starkly visible among coral reefs in the tropics. More temperate regions are just as vulnerable, if not more so, to climate impacts, wide-scale development, and increasing demands on wild fisheries. In the northeastern United States, fish distribution patterns, natural recruitment variability, and climate change pressures may all work to constrain the productivity of many marine resources and the people who rely on them.

“The science and funding are clear—nature-based solutions offer a mechanism to proactively manage risks and achieve climate targets.”

The latest report from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) clearly outlines several well-known impacts of anthropogenic activity across global oceans. Some leading governments see potential in using nature-based solutions to reverse these human-caused effects. Solutions that protect, sustainably manage, and restore modified ecosystems must be inspired and supported by nature so that they are resilient, adaptable, and cost-effective. Such solutions simultaneously provide environmental, social, and economic benefits to stakeholders.

Nature-based solutions enhance ecosystems and improve sustainability outcomes for offshore wind

In partnership with ocean health company Running Tide, Tetra Tech is supporting the deployment of innovative nature-based solutions for our offshore wind clients at speed and scale. These interventions use technology, engineering, data, and real-time monitoring to provide a measurable, positive impact to oceanic and coastal ecosystems. They also improve coordination and collaboration among ocean-based operators and stakeholders. One example of a solution we offer is shellfish, seagrass, and/or macroalgae planting for scour protection and surrounding cable-crossing areas, providing habitat enhancement and biodiversity benefits. The solution also helps developers meet project-level mitigation requirements and their corporate sustainability goals.

Tetra Tech brings decades of experience supporting clients to meet their restoration and biodiversity goals. As an example, Tetra Tech supported the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority of Louisiana on its Living Shoreline Demonstration Project to evaluate products to establish a living shoreline along 21 miles of coastal fringe marsh in the Gulf of Mexico. The project resulted in enhanced coastal resiliency to wind-wave action, stimulated oyster growth, increased biodiversity in the area, and obtained permits on schedule to complete project construction within the grant funding period.

Leveraging our suite of Tetra Tech Delta technologies, we provide our clients with coastal and climate change modeling, artificial intelligence, GIS, and remote sensing to simulate the impact of a changing climate on our environment. Our holistic approach to using technological, biological, and engineered solutions enables us to support our clients from project design through implementation.

Running Tide designs and implements nature-based interventions that rebalance Earth’s carbon cycle, decarbonize global supply chains, restore marine ecosystems, and revitalize coastal communities. Running Tide’s fleet of mobile shellfish nursery systems automate production of multiple bivalve species and are capable of providing commercial and ecosystem service value to nearshore and offshore areas. This solution requires a fraction of the space, labor, and materials of conventional farming. These systems use state-of-the-art technology, including machine vision and automated sorting systems, for constant monitoring and adaptation. Running Tide also cultures a range of macroalgae that offer significant ecological value and encourage enhanced biodiversity and ecosystem resilience, as well as deploys a multi-pathway system for carbon removal.

Together, Tetra Tech and Running Tide are supporting our clients to move beyond carbon and take a leading with nature approach to improve ecosystem health, manage climate risks, and realize measurable operational and community-wide impacts.

Global funding for nature-based solutions is growing rapidly

As the deadline to meet Paris Agreement targets approaches, private and government funding has grown rapidly. The Council of the European Union (EU) recently endorsed a new EU strategy on adaptation to climate change, calling for more nature-based solutions to help build resilience to climate change and enhance biodiversity. The Council backed this up by pledging an increase in spending for biodiversity in the Multiannual Financial Framework to 10 percent in 2026.

In the United States, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act has dedicated $47 billion for climate resiliency projects, including nature-based infrastructure. At COP27, the Biden administration released the first strategy of its kind, the Nature-Based Solutions Roadmap, to scale up solutions to address habitat loss and climate change.

“Together, Tetra Tech and Running Tide are supporting our clients to move beyond carbon and take a leading with nature approach to improve ecosystem health, manage climate risks, and realize measurable operational and community-wide impacts.”

The science and funding are clear—nature-based solutions offer a mechanism to proactively manage risks and achieve climate targets.

Early movers can frame future standards

Integrating nature-inclusive design in the early stages of offshore wind development provides an opportunity for developers to build holistic projects that support positive economic, environmental, and social impacts. Early movers can set precedent for nature-based solutions standards for offshore wind and establish themselves as leaders in sustainability.

Tetra Tech’s and Running Tide’s solutions will help our clients proactively meet key business and regulatory sustainability objectives, including net-zero commitments, climate mitigation, resiliency, and nature-positive targets that enhance the value and impact of offshore wind projects.

Rachel Bigby is an ESG and sustainability manager with Tetra Tech. She brings 12 years of experience as a corporate social responsibility professional working in sustainability and social impact across the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. As a program and project manager, she supports commercial and government clients to manage climate risks and opportunities to advance their sustainability maturity. She has extensive experience doing materiality assessments and stakeholder engagement, crafting ESG and social impact policies, and designing bespoke sustainability strategies and programs to aid clients in their unique sustainability journey. She earned her Master of Arts in Sustainable Development from the School for International Training and has certificates in Corporate Social Responsibility, Greenhouse Gas Accounting, and Permaculture Design.

Jason Coccia, Tetra Tech’s director for sustainability and nature-based solutions, helps clients achieve sustainability goals while managing risk tied to climate change and biodiversity loss. He focuses on developing comprehensive solutions that meet adaptation, resiliency, and mitigation needs while enhancing co-benefits of ecosystem services and human well-being. He represents Tetra Tech on the international Taskforce for Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) Forum and is professionally certified by the IUCN on its nature-based solutions standard. He has helped Fortune 500 companies implement carbon sequestration projects and other resource mitigation through large-scale ecosystem restoration. An actively licensed certified public accountant, he holds a Master of Business Administration in Sustainable Enterprise and Master of Environmental Management in Resource Ecology.

WALNUT CREEK, Calif., January 3, 2023 – Through Del Monte Foods’ Choose Good Do Good program kicking off this month in retailers nationwide, the company is working with Alliance for a Healthier Generation (Healthier Generation) to help Americans reach their nutrition goals in the new year. The program furthers the organizations’ joint initiative “Nourishing Families by Nourishing Schools” to support the well-being of youth and communities across the U.S.

Through the Choose Good Do Good program, consumers can purchase Del Monte Foods products at a greater value, while supporting nutrition programming for youth across the U.S. Throughout January and February, each qualifying purchase of Del Monte Foods products at participating retailers receives a discount and supports an automatic donation to support Healthier Generation’s mission of providing nutrition resources to students at 3,000 schools across the U.S.

Participating retailers include Ahold, Military, Publix, Shipt, Target, UNFI/Cub Foods, Wakefern, and Walmart.

Living healthier is among the top New Year’s resolutions each year. However, according to research from Edith Cowan University, the average American gives up on their resolution just one month into the new year. The Choose Good Do Good program aims to help Americans reach their goals by making nutritious eating both enjoyable and affordable.

“It’s so important that youth and families have the resources they need to choose nutritious food options,” said Bibie Wu, Chief Marketing Officer for Del Monte Foods. “The Choose Good Do Good campaign is designed to support kids and adults alike in turning their New Year’s resolutions into empowering experiences that support their own, and others’ well-being.”

Del Monte Foods’ collaboration with Healthier Generation supports its Growers of Good™ purpose to grow a healthier and more hopeful tomorrow by making nutritious foods more accessible to all. In September 2022, Del Monte Foods pledged to nourish the physical, mental, and social-emotional well-being of youth and communities through a $5 million commitment over the next ten years.

“Supporting nutrition access is key to our goal of promoting health equity,” said Kathy Higgins, Healthier Generation’s Chief Executive Officer. “That’s why we’re thrilled to collaborate with Del Monte Foods to provide nutrition resources for millions of youth and their families nationwide.”

About Del Monte Foods
For more than 135 years, Del Monte Foods, Inc. has been driven by our mission to nourish families with earth's goodness. As the original plant-based food company, we're always innovating to make nutritious and delicious foods more accessible to consumers across our portfolio of beloved brands, including Del Monte®, Contadina®, College Inn®, Joyba®, Kitchen Basics®, and S&W®. We believe that everyone deserves great tasting food they can feel good about, which is why we grow and produce our products using sustainable and earth-friendly practices for a healthier tomorrow.

Del Monte Foods, Inc. is the U.S. subsidiary of Del Monte Pacific Limited (Bloomberg: DELM SP, DELM PM) and is not affiliated with certain other Del Monte companies around the world, including Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc., Del Monte Canada, or Del Monte Asia Pte. Ltd. For more information about Del Monte Foods and our products, please visit www.delmontefoods.com or www.delmonte.com.

Media Contact:
Courtney Mains
Edelman
Courtney.Mains@edelman.com
408-835-5323

Related Links
http://www.delmontefoods.com
SOURCE Del Monte Foods, Inc.

HOUSTON, January 3, 2023 /3BL Media/ - NRG Energy, Inc.’s (NYSE:NRG) fifteenth annual positiveNRG week brought nearly 900 NRG employees across 13 states and provinces together for the organization’s week of employee volunteerism. Between November 7-11, the NRG family donated over 3,000 hours to help alleviate the impacts of food insecurity in their communities, packing and preparing over 100,000 pounds of food as well as sorting over 90,000 pounds of food.

“The past few years have been incredibly difficult for communities, and many of our neighbors continue to struggle to put food on their tables and provide their families with nutritious meals,” said Gin Kirkland Kinney, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Communications, and Philanthropy. “Our 15th annual positiveNRG week gave employees the opportunity to alleviate some of the struggles many in our communities are facing.”

Throughout the week, employees volunteered at 46 organizations focused on alleviating food insecurity, including:

• Mercer Street Friends

• Houston Food Bank

• Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank

• North Texas Food Bank

• FeedMore WNY

According to Feeding America, in 2021, 53 million people turned to food banks and other food initiatives to help feed their families. With continued instability, these numbers continued to soar in 2022.¹ At Mercer Street Friends, between 2020 and 2021, more than six million pounds of food, equaling five million meals, were provided to the community. This is a microcosm of the rising food insecurity that continues to be seen across the United States and Canada.²

Courtney Matlock, Chief Development and Marketing Officer at Mercer Street Friends, said, ”Mercer Street Friends (MSF) and NRG have a longstanding partnership, so it was a pleasure that we were able to partner for the 15-year anniversary of positiveNRG week. MSF has great staff and a team of ambassadors, but we simply can’t fill the gaps without volunteers. Princeton NRG volunteers were an immense help as they packed hundreds of weekend groceries for children, families, and seniors – and helped us with a new book bank initiative. We are grateful for the amazing work and effort of NRG’s employees. Their work will touch the lives of many.”

Heather Incengole, Director of Annual Giving and Philanthropy Operations at the Houston Food Bank, shared, “The Houston Food Bank is so grateful to corporate partners like NRG for their financial and volunteer contributions toward providing food for better lives. Since 2021, their support has provided more than 502,000 meals to our neighbors in the greater Houston area.”

PositiveNRG will continue to contribute to the causes that are important to helping our communities thrive and to recognize and support the organizations that work hard every day to alleviate hunger.

To learn more about positiveNRG.

About positiveNRG

PositiveNRG is NRG Energy’s charitable giving arm, focused on creating a positive impact for employees, customers and communities. The program is reflective of our company’s values by empowering healthy choices, enabling community resilience and supporting environmental health. PositiveNRG establishes long-term relationships with non-profits and organizations that help our communities to flourish, co-creating a better future for everyone.

About NRG

At NRG, we’re bringing the power of energy to people and organizations by putting customers at the center of everything we do. We generate electricity and provide energy solutions and natural gas to millions of customers through our diverse portfolio of retail brands. A Fortune 500 company, operating in the United States and Canada, NRG delivers innovative solutions while advocating for competitive energy markets and customer choice, working towards a sustainable energy future. More information is available at www.nrg.com. Connect with NRG on Facebook, LinkedIn and follow us on Twitter @nrgenergy.

Media:
Laura Avant
713.537.5437

Investors:
Kevin L. Cole, CFA
609.524.4526

¹https://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america

²https://mercerstreetfriends.org/msf-impact-report-2020-2021/

CENTENNIAL, Colo., January 3, 2022 /3BL Media/ - This holiday season, Arrow Electronics employees contributed to organizations providing children with seasonal gifts, as well as serving essential goods to families in need.

From its headquarters, Arrow employees conducted a toy drive for A Precious Child. The metro-Denver nonprofit distributes donated new toys, gift cards and other high need items to underserved children and families through its own Resource Center, as well as 500 agency partners across the state.

Arrow’s Colorado-based staff collected toys, hygiene kits, and clothing and brought them to the charity’s central warehouse in north Denver, where the gifts were sorted and staged for delivery. A group of employees spent an afternoon volunteering at the warehouse to help with distribution. Other employees purchased gifts online and donated them to the charity online to facilitate delivery.

The nonprofit delivered gifts to 13,750 children in metro Denver in its Christmas campaign. Gifts included toys, winter clothing, hygiene kits, headphones, and sporting goods.

Other employees organized drives to support the homeless, animal shelters and food banks. Arrow also hosted a meal packing kit day through Rise Against Hunger, resulting in 10,000 ready-made meals.

In branch offices around the world, Arrow employees donated to a variety of nonprofits that address local needs.

In Asia-Pac:

• Employee teams in Singapore and Malaysia donated and volunteered at local food banks.
• In South Korea, employees participated in a Compassion Walk to raise money for children and families affected by drought in Kenya through Compassion International.
• The Australia/New Zealand branch contributed food and collected money for a food bank in Sydney.
• In India, employees participated in a blood donation drive.

In Europe:

• Employees collected gifts and essentials for the small contingent of Arrow employees who are living in difficult conditions this winter during the ongoing war in Ukraine.
• In Poland, employees worked with Noble Gift, a charity that matches donors with families in need. Support can include gifts, food, housewares, and money to cover essential bills. In 2021, Noble Gift assisted 700,000 people to help 17,000 families.
• In the United Kingdom, EMEA Components employees donated children’s gifts through Mission Christmas, an online campaign to provide disadvantaged children with holiday gifts. The largest toy appeal in the UK, the campaign provided holiday gifts to 252,352 children on Christmas Day last year.
• In Germany, employees selected to support the Leukemia Foundation, which funds research into the treatment of blood cancers, as well as helps patients with unmet needs.

About Arrow Electronics
Arrow Electronics guides innovation forward for over 220,000 leading technology manufacturers and service providers. With 2021 sales of $34 billion, Arrow develops technology solutions that improve business and daily life. Learn more at fiveyearsout.com.

Purpose is under pressure.

Last year, we said 2022 would bring a “great reckoning” for corporate purpose – and it did. ESG made headlines and came under fire. Urgency around climate action accelerated, as progress failed to cool our planet. Employees shuffled between companies in search of greater meaning, pay, and balance. Twelve months later, we’re left feeling unsettled, but sure of one thing: When a strategy like purpose causes this much tension and change throughout the global economy, it’s for a good reason.

It is now a new year, bringing new opportunities for change, commitments, and action. But what challenges will purpose face this year? And how will purpose guide us to transformative change and progress?

We invited four great minds and leaders in purpose to answer these questions. Damon Jones, Chief Communications Officer at P&G; Shannon Schuyler, Chief Purpose and Inclusion Officer at PwC; Artis Stevens, President and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America; and Martin Whittaker, CEO of JUST Capital have joined Carol to share their insight, predictions, and advice for acting with purpose and succeeding in 2023.

CINCINNATI, January 3, 2023 /3BL Media/ - Fifth Third Bancorp (Nasdaq: FITB) today announced that its 2021 Environmental, Social and Governance Report, published in June 2022, has earned five MarCom Awards. The 2021 ESG Report won platinum awards, the highest honor possible, in five categories: Annual Reports (Corporate Social Responsibility), Annual Reports (Writing), and Annual Reports (Design), Annual Reports (Cover Design) and Annual Reports (Interior Design).

The MarCom Awards is an annual, international competition that honors excellence in marketing and communication. Since its inception in 2004, MarCom has evolved into one of the largest, most-respected creative competitions in the world. Each year, about 6,500 print and digital entries are submitted from dozens of countries. MarCom is administered by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals.

"As a Purpose-driven company our 2021 ESG Report reflects who we are and what we value,” said Tim Spence, president and CEO, Fifth Third Bank. “I congratulate all of our team, especially those in our Corporate Responsibility Office and Communications and Marketing departments, who produce our report and who move our commitment to corporate sustainability forward.”

Fifth Third’s 2021 ESG Report featured key actions and progress reports within the Bank’s five Board-approved sustainability priorities, which include addressing climate change, promoting inclusion and diversity, delivering on our commitment to employees, keeping the customer at the center, and strengthening our communities.

About Fifth Third

Fifth Third is a bank that’s as long on innovation as it is on history. Since 1858, we’ve been helping individuals, families, businesses and communities grow through smart financial services that improve lives. Our list of firsts is extensive, and it’s one that continues to expand as we explore the intersection of tech-driven innovation, dedicated people, and focused community impact. Fifth Third is one of the few U.S.-based banks to have been named among Ethisphere's World’s Most Ethical Companies® for several years. With a commitment to taking care of our customers, employees, communities and shareholders, our goal is not only to be the nation’s highest performing regional bank, but to be the bank people most value and trust.

Fifth Third Bank, National Association is a federally chartered institution. Fifth Third Bancorp is the indirect parent company of Fifth Third Bank and its common stock is traded on the NASDAQ® Global Select Market under the symbol “FITB.” Investor information and press releases can be viewed at www.53.com.

We’re thrilled to welcome you to Expedia Group, Kathy! For our readers, please could you tell us a bit about yourself and your career journey?

I come from a large family of LatinX heritage. My parents did not have much formal education, and their English skills were still poor when I was growing up. When I was eight months old, they discovered that I’d probably never be able to see. Both parents felt an overwhelming sense of self-blame, guilt, helplessness and fear for their child. This reaction is almost inevitable given the social stigma, isolation, and misinformation about disabilities in the larger society. Additionally, like many parents from communities of color, my parents knew instinctively that as a Latina and a person with a disability I would experience many layers of barriers to thrive in mainstream society.

While a teenager, I was involved in a variety of political/social movements. Experiences in these social justice environments began to shape my sense of purpose in life – meaning that many of my values were formed and I learned a lot about working with different types of people on a daily basis.

I had the opportunity to live in Japan for two months as part of a youth exchange program, to travel to Nicaragua to do organizing for disability rights, and to live in Mexico for three years when my partner and I adopted our son. These experiences exposed me to the realities of most disabled people in developing countries: few sidewalks, no transportation, no services, and no awareness of disability as a social issue. The opportunity to get out of the States and experience different cultural values, beliefs and approaches to disability helped me understand my own struggle in the United States where so much emphasis is placed on individuality and independence, and further developed my commitment to disability rights.

In 1988, I entered college at San Francisco State University. I became the first in my family to pursue postsecondary education and graduated with a degree in Speech and Communication Studies. Through my experience in community organizing I had found that I was good at connecting people, communicating with people, and I really enjoyed it. I found meaning in bringing about change through bringing people together.

Subsequently I had many jobs where I was able to advocate for people with disabilities including leading two nonprofits, serving as an Assistant Secretary of Labor and led the disability/accessibility initiatives for Wells Fargo bank and now here I am at Expedia.

What about Expedia Group (EG) appealed to you?

I was very happy in my previous job position in a disability advocacy non-profit and wasn’t necessarily looking for another role. But during my interviews with EG, I was convinced that I wanted to work here. I had travelled a lot in my life and travel is an experience that is very meaningful to me. I knew that joining EG meant helping people with disabilities have better travel experiences and I loved the idea of contributing to EG’s mission that travel is a force for good.

What impact are you wanting to have as you step into your role as VP, Disability Inclusion?

First and foremost, I want people in the travel industry to understand that disability is a natural part of the human condition, and that people with disabilities are travelling more and more. Within EG, I want to build a bench of advocates and allies around disability and accessibility awareness both internally and externally, whether that’s towards our employees, travelers, or partners.

We are currently at the beginning of launching strategies to make EG more welcoming to people with disabilities. We are, for example, streamlining our accommodations/adjustments processes to offer better interviewing experiences to candidates and equipping our recruiters and Hiring Managers with the tools to effectively recruit and hire people with disabilities. We are also working on Self ID processes to allow employees to safely disclose their disability. On the employee side, we know that the biggest obstacle to disclosing is fear. The more conversations we have around weaving disability into our consciousness, practices and processes, the more people will feel comfortable coming out as being disabled and together we will build a more welcoming workplace and travel experience.

What are your thoughts on the current state of travel for people with disabilities?

Travel destinations are becoming more and more accessible due to various laws and rules in countries. But there is still a lot of opportunity – we have an aging population with a strong willingness to travel. There is a tremendous opportunity to work with travel partners to identify accessibility features, and share information on properties that offer specific accessibility options, therefore allowing travelers to make better-informed travel decisions.

What advice do you have for people with disabilities seeking to advance in their careers?

My advice to people with disabilities is to understand that companies are very interested in your point of view and perspective and my advice to companies is that people with disabilities bring so much innovation and creativity to the workforce, which makes us worth hiring.

Disability crosses every other identity so it’s important that we are able to contribute to and participate in all aspects of the workplace and travel market. As we do, awareness will increase, attitudes will change and people of all abilities will avail themselves of the opportunity that both work and travel offers.

We are hiring! Check out our Expedia Group roles here.