3BL Media Social Action

SOURCE: CVS Caremark

• CVS Caremark Charitable Trust to donate $100,000 to One Fund Boston
   
• CVS/pharmacy® stores in Greater Boston to hold customer donation campaign for the Fund 

WOONSOCKET, R.I., April 18, 2013 /3BL Media /PRNewswire/ -- CVS Caremark (NYSE: CVS) announced today that it will come together with the Boston business community to support The One Fund Boston, established by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino to raise money for victims and families who have been affected by the Boston Marathon tragedy.

Tweet me: CVS Caremark Supports The One Fund Boston's Mission to Raise Money for Those Affected by the Boston Marathon Tragedy http://3bl.me/ekearz

KEYWORDS: Community, People, Social Actions, boston marathon, cvs caremark, Boston, Massachusetts

SOURCE: United Nations Global Compact

In an op-ed in The Guardian, UN Global Compact Executive Director Georg Kell calls for companies to help end child labour, which is a key theme of the Children's Rights and Business Principles: Child labour will end only if businesses respect children's rights.  

Read the full article in the The Guardian.

About The United Nations Global Compact

Launched in 2000, the United Nations Global Compact is both a policy platform and a practical framework for companies that are committed to sustainability and responsible business practices. As a multi-stakeholder leadership initiative, it seeks to align business operations and strategies with ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption and to catalyze actions in support of broader UN goals. With more than 7,000 corporate signatories in over 135 countries, it is the world’s largest voluntary corporate sustainability initiative.www.unglobalcompact.org

Tweet me: Georg Kell of @globalcompact calls for companies to improve support of #childrensrights in @guardian op-ed http://3bl.me/dvmtsf

KEYWORDS: Business & Trade, People, Social Action & Community Engagement, children's rights, united nations, UN Global Compact, The Guardian

SOURCE: Business4Better

SAN FRANCISCO, April 18, 2012 /3BL Media/ - UBM plc, a global provider of events, media and marketing services, and Freeman, the  premier partner for integrated marketing solutions for live engagements, have announced a strategic partnership to produce Business4Better (B4B), the non-commercial community partnership movement, conference and expo.  The inaugural event will be held May 1 & 2, 2013 in Anaheim, CA. More information can be obtained at www.business4better.org.

The focus of Business4Better is to inspire business professionals to action, connect them with like-minded nonprofit organizations and create better-than-ever partnerships that are redefining social purpose and transforming business impact on societal causes.

“The Business4Better Conference and Expo is staffed primarily by employee volunteers, exemplifying the meaning behind doing business with a purpose,” said Joshua Dome, UBM’s director of Business4Better. “This movement is good for our employees, great for the communities where we operate, and smart for business.”

“Freeman is honored to be designated by UBM as one of the producing partners for the inaugural B4B event and looks forward to an impactful experience for all stakeholders,” said Dan Steenstrup, Senior Vice President, Strategic Accounts, at Freeman. “B4B is a great example of how the face-to-face industry can give back to our communities and aligns well with the Freeman family and employee owners values.”

Both UBM and Freeman have clear social responsibility and sustainability initiatives that are core to how these organizations do business.  UBM’s social responsibility and engagement can be reviewed at http://sustainability.ubm.com .  Freeman’s corporate responsibility and sustainability programs can be found at http://www.freemanco.com/freemanco/freeman/aboutfreeman/corporateRespons....

For more information on the Business4Better Conference and Expo or to register, please go to www.business4better.org.

About Business4Better Movement

Business4Better (B4B) aims to build a movement of successful corporate and nonprofit partnerships that have a positive impact on communities and expand the meaning of being a better business. It is the platform that enables both businesses and nonprofits to thrive, share, inspire, educate and form partnerships that prove Business4Better benefits both communities and businesses. The B4B movement is centered on an annual industry-leading, non-commercial conference and exhibition featuring high-level keynotes, educational content, relationship building and dynamic complimentary exhibition space for nonprofit organizations. The event is part of a larger Responsible Business initiative and movement being led by UBM employees in the communities in which they live and work. Events are currently held in Brazil, India, the United Kingdom and the United States. The Business4Better Conference and Exhibition will take place May 1-2 in Anaheim, CA. For more information, please visit www.business4better.org.

About Freeman

Since 1927, Freeman has been the premier provider of integrated experiential marketing solutions for live engagements including expositions, conventions, corporate events and exhibits. Headquartered in Dallas, with 70 offices in North America, Freeman produces more than 4,300 expositions annually, including 135 of the 250 largest U.S. trade shows, and 11,000 other events worldwide. Customer-driven, Freeman offers a total package of solutions, with a scope of products and services unmatched by the competition. An employee-owned company, Freeman places an emphasis on respect for people and providing unparalleled customer service. Freeman has received numerous trade show industry awards for excellence in leadership, creative design, community service, innovation and customer-driven partnerships. For more information, visit www.freemanco.com.

Tweet me: Join us at the 1st conference for #midsize companies looking to do #business4better, held by @UBM & @Freemanco! http://bit.ly/Z5S801 #CSR Contact Info:

Kristen King
Fenton
+1 (212) 584-5000
kking@fenton.com

KEYWORDS: Business & Trade, Events, Conferences & Webinars, People, Social Action & Community Engagement, Corporate Social Responsibility, csr, corporate community involvement, corporate community engagement, Social Good, non-profit partnerships, corporate philanthropy, Orange County

SOURCE: FSG

April 18, 2013 /3BL Media/ - Collective impact – when nonprofits, governments, businesses, and the public are brought together around a common agenda to focus on a specific social problem – has been enthusiastically embraced by organizations around the world. However, many participants pursuing collective impact have become frustrated with their inability to make progress tackling complex social problems. One of the greatest obstacles has been that practitioners have been expecting predetermined solutions.

Predetermined solutions are better suited for discrete programs but rarely work under conditions of complexity. Collective impact works differently – the process and results are emergent rather than predetermined. It is an entirely new model of social progress.

Please join us to explore how to address complexity in collective impact and create an intentional process that allows for effective solutions. John Kania, coauthor of SSIR’s “Embracing Emergence: How Collective Impact Addresses Complexity,” will discuss this next phase in the collective impact dialogue and define “emergence,” a term that describes events that are unpredictable and which no one organization or individual can control. He will be joined by Blair Taylor, who share from experience the implications of complexity and emergence in Memphis Fast Forward’s work, and Mark Cabaj, who will cover developmental evaluation in collective impact.

This lively discussion, moderated by SSIR Managing Editor Eric Nee, will focus on why collective impact is a relevant approach for complex problems and how leaders of successful collective impact initiatives have embraced a new way of collectively seeing, learning and doing that marries emergent solutions with intentional outcomes. The webinar will help participants understand the implications of complexity and emergence in their work and how developmental evaluation can advance collective learning to reach better and more robust outcomes.

We hope you’ll join us and tweet along using the hashtag #collectiveimpact.

About FSG:
FSG is a nonprofit consulting firm specializing in research, strategy, and evaluation, founded in 2000 as Foundation Strategy Group. Today, FSG works across all sectors in every region of the globe – partnering with foundations, corporations, nonprofits, and governments – to develop more effective solutions to the world's most challenging issues. FSG helps organizations, individually and collectively, achieve social impact by discovering better ways to solve social problems. For more information on FSG, visit us online at www.fsg.org

About SSIR:

Stanford Social Innovation Review is an award-winning magazine and website that covers cross-sector solutions to global problems. SSIR is written for and by social change leaders in the nonprofit, business, and government sectors who view collaboration as key to solving environmental, social, and economic justice issues. Published at the Stanford Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society at Stanford University, SSIR bridges academic theory and practice with ideas about achieving social change. SSIR covers a wide range of subjects, from microfinance and green businesses to social networks and human rights. Its aim is both to inform and to inspire. Visit www.ssireview.org for more information.

Tweet me: Join @SSIReview & @FSGtweets for the 5/1 #CollectiveImpact Embracing Emergence webinar. Register now! http://ow.ly/jW833

KEYWORDS: Business & Trade, Events, Conferences & Webinars, People, Social Action & Community Engagement, Collective Impact, Collaboration/Partnerships, Stanford Social Innovation Review, FSG

SOURCE: Crossroads

by Mike Swenson, President of Crossroads

The era of consumer participation has clearly arrived. With enough blog posts daily to fill The New York Times for the next 19 years, consumers have a voice — and social, digital and mobile technologies will continue to enable their participation.

Nielsen reports that smartphones now account for more than 50 percent of the U.S. mobile phone market and of course that number continues to climb.

This has big implications for marketing communications, especially when it comes to cause marketing campaigns, and it’s just one of three core reasons Cause Marketing is more important than ever before:

• Consumers Have a Voice – As noted above, consumers are adopting social technologies in record numbers. They can connect directly to other consumers and the brands, which wasn’t possible 20 years ago. They are expressing themselves both online and in their shopping patterns. According to a recent Nielsen Global Online Survey on Business Ethics and Fair Trade, well over 80 percent of the world’s Internet users think it is very or somewhat important that companies implement programs to improve the environment (88 percent) and/or society (84 percent).
• It’s the Economy, Stupid – Consumers care about the companies that support the causes that matter to them. More importantly, many consumers are less financially secure and are looking for brands they purchase to join them in making contributions to charitable causes. Brands that do will be rewarded. Studies continually find that anywhere from three out of four to four out of five consumers will consider a brand they don’t normally buy if it supports a cause. And two out of three say they will pay more for a brand that supports a cause.
• Commoditization and Lack of Differentiation – As more copycat brands appear and the functional benefit gaps decrease between brand innovators and followers, the emotional connections that brands can create with participants become even more critical. The best way to create those emotional connections is with cause marketing.

Let’s look at the seven rules of cause marketing:

Rule #1: Start by Listening to Your Core Audience (Participants)
Companies should start by taking a look at what matters most to their core customer, not their CEO. It’s not that the CEO shouldn’t have a voice, but good old-fashioned research should be your top priority. Most customers will be with the company longer than the CEO.

In addition to your ongoing consumer research, conduct a comprehensive social media audit to find out what is being said about your brand online. This audit will provide insights that will help you determine which causes really resonate with your consumer.

Once you have your baseline audit, begin regular social media monitoring to stay on top of consumer conversations. At this juncture, you should also develop a strategy for engaging with customers in social media proactively as well as reactively.

Rule #2: The Cause Program Must Connect Emotionally
As most CMOs have seen, competitors will always try to copy your products’ functional attributes and benefits. Gatorade and Powerade might have similar hydration capabilities, but the brands may have completely different emotional connections with their consumers. An effective cause marketing program can cement these brand connections, creating stronger consumer loyalty. Two out of three (66 percent) of American consumers claimed they would purchase a brand that supported a worthy cause, according to the Nielsen Global Online Survey on Business Ethics and Fair Trade.

Rule #3: If Your Program Is in a Silo, It Will Likely Fail
Too often companies put cause marketing on a checklist without looking at how they will integrate it into their marketing efforts, employee communications or even packaging. The best programs communicate with the appropriate audiences in the appropriate channels and don’t sit in a separate team that isn’t integrated into the core brand activity. Corporate leadership is essential in making sure that support and marketing of the cause permeate the entire organization.

Don’t forget that your employees can be the most valuable advocates you have in promoting your cause initiatives. Make sure they are well informed and invested in the program. People want to work for companies that care. Cause marketing is becoming a critical strategy to create a motivated workforce.

Rule #4: Start with ROI Metrics
Before you launch your cause marketing program, you must have a conversation about ROI. Not everything you do will impact the bottom line, but increased customer loyalty clearly matters. Companies utilize many measurements for their cause programs, and these three often bubble to the top:

• Purchase intent
• Brand preference
• Employee engagement

No matter what kind of cause program you ultimately choose, it is vital to discuss and formalize your metrics before you can engage in a thorough planning process.

Rule #5: Consumers Want to Participate
Pepsi Refresh was a great example of a program that enabled a high level of low-effort consumer participation.

Here are five tips for ensuring consumer participation:

1. Toot your own horn. Don’t hesitate to promote your cause program and let your customers know how they can get involved. Make sure you spread the word via all your available marketing channels.
2. Empower consumers. Let consumers guide you in developing a program that resonates with them and makes sense for your brand. Make them aware they have a stake in the success of the program.
3. Keep it simple. The more steps you add to the process, the fewer consumers will follow through.
4. Help consumers spread the word. Word of mouth can be your most powerful ally. Give consumers the ability to tell their friends about their participation via one click e-mail, Facebook, Twitter and other means.
5. Be transparent. Consumers want to know where the funds are going and how they will be used.

Rule #6: Mirror Images, Not Mere Images
You must be a mirror image of your brand’s truths, not a mere image.

Creating mirror images is a lot easier than trying to make mere images hold up over time. If you aren’t sure that what you are saying will be true about your brand in five years, then you’d better rethink whether it is a truth. Consumers have enough tools to kill a program that isn’t built on “being real.”

If you are going to play in the cause space, then walk the walk. It’s vital you choose a cause that is compatible with your known business practices, corporate culture and reputation. Consumers will be alert to any disconnect between your cause message and the realities of your business, and they won’t hesitate to speak up.

Rule #7: A One-Size-Fits-All Approach Will Not Work
A cause branding program that works well in the United States has no guarantee of being equally successful in China or Italy. Consumers in different markets are markedly different in their use of social media and their interest in cause marketing.

An article in the Harvard Business Review quoted data from the Trendstream Global Web Index that spelled out significant differences in online behavior between various cultures. For example, Chinese and Indian Web users are three times more likely to microblog than American users and twice as likely to share videos, whereas Western users (North America, Europe and Australia) are more active when it comes to photo sharing and managing social network profiles.

The fact of the matter is that a successful cause program in the United States may need to be materially different to impact consumers in other regions of the world.

Summary
A carefully planned and executed cause marketing program can have significant tangible and intangible benefits for a brand.

Tweet me: 'Cause Marketing Works' by Crossroads President @MikeSwenson http://3bl.me/pb6794 Contact Info:

Mike Swenson
Crossroads
mswenson@crossroads.us

KEYWORDS: Marketing, Media & Communications, Branding, Cause Marketing, Crossroads, Mike Swenson

SOURCE: ANN INC.

NEW YORK, April 18, 2013 / 3BL Media /PRNewswire/ -- Kay Krill, President and CEO of ANN INC. (NYSE: ANN), the parent Company of Ann Taylor and LOFT, was honored for her outstanding leadership in the fight against breast cancer with the Sandra Taub Humanitarian Award from The Breast Cancer Research Foundation® (BCRF) at the annual Hot Pink Party today in New York City. BCRF bestows its annual Humanitarian Award to recipients who have demonstrated a unique passion for the cause through their work, inspirational courage or individual commitment.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130417/NY96902 )

Kate Hudson, award-winning actress and Ann Taylor brand ambassador, presented the distinguished award to Krill at the Foundation's cornerstone charity event. This year, the event raised over $5 million. "I am honored to take part in recognizing Kay and ANN INC. for their support of lifesaving breast cancer research," said Hudson. "As CEO of ANN INC., Kay has made it her mission to care about the full lives and well-being of women. That's why much of their charitable work supports women who need it most – including those battling cancer."

Since 2005, ANN INC. has been a committed partner to BCRF, donating a record-breaking contribution of $13.4 million in an effort to help make a positive difference for women who have been or will be touched by this horrid disease. In 2012 alone, ANN INC. donated nearly $4 million to BCRF through its Ann Taylor Cares and LOFT Cares Card programs and products. ANN INC.'s annual contribution currently fully funds 13 BCRF research projects that support lifesaving science across the U.S. and in Canada.

"I am truly honored to receive the Sandra Taub Humanitarian Award on behalf of ANN INC. As a company with a nearly 95 percent female employee base and all-female client base, we're deeply committed to helping women put their best selves forward," said Krill. "Breast cancer touches the lives of so many women, and through our support of BCRF, we are helping to make a positive difference for all of those who have been affected by this horrible disease. I promise to continue to do everything I can to support the work of this amazing organization in the hopes of finding a cure in our lifetime."

BCRF's mission is to achieve prevention and a cure for breast cancer in our lifetime by providing critical funding for innovative clinical and translational research at leading medical centers worldwide, and increasing public awareness about good breast health. 

"As a result of ANN INC.'s contributions and the money raised through the Hot Pink Party, BCRF is able to continue its mission to fund vital breast cancer research," said Myra Biblowit, President of BCRF. "One in eight women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime, so we are especially proud to recognize Kay and ANN INC.'s hard work for helping us make an impact in these women's lives."

Founded by Evelyn H. Lauder in 1993, BCRF has raised more than $425 million to date to fund scientific research to achieve prevention and a cure for breast cancer.

In recognition of Mother's Day on May 3, ANN INC. is proud to support BCRF through the sale of Ann Taylor Cares Card at Ann Taylor and Ann Taylor Factory stores. In addition, a set of three shades of pink nail polish will be available for purchase at Ann Taylor stores. 90 percent of the purchase price of the Ann Taylor Cares Card and 50 percent of the purchase price of the nail polish set will be donated to BCRF.

About ANN INC.
ANN INC. is the parent Company of Ann Taylor and LOFT, two of the leading women's specialty retail fashion brands in North America. The Company operates 984 Ann Taylor, Ann Taylor Factory, LOFT and LOFT Outlet stores in 47 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Canada as of February 2, 2013. Our Ann Taylor and LOFT brands are available in more than 100 countries worldwide online at AnnTaylor.com  and LOFT.com.  Visit ANNINC.com for more information (NYSE: ANN).

About The Breast Cancer Research Foundation®
The Breast Cancer Research Foundation®, founded by Evelyn H. Lauder in 1993, is an independent not-for-profit organization committed to funding scientific research to achieve prevention and a cure for breast cancer in our lifetime. In October 2012, BCRF awarded $40 million to 197 scientists across the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Australia, and China. With 91 cents of every dollar spent by BCRF directed towards breast cancer research and awareness programs, BCRF remains one of the most fiscally responsible charities in the country. For the tenth time since 2002, it has earned 4 stars from Charity Navigator. Additionally, BCRF is the only breast cancer organization rated an "A+" by CharityWatch. For more information about BCRF, visit www.bcrfcure.org.

Copyright 2013 PR Newswire. All Rights Reserved.

Tweet me: ANN INC. President, CEO Kay Krill Honored w/ Humanitarian Award for Company's Support of Fight Against Breast Cancer http://3bl.me/dev3w9

KEYWORDS: ANN INC, Kay Krill, breast cancer, Humanitarian Award, Sandra Taub Humanitarian Award, Breast Cancer Research Foundation, BCRF, Hot Pink Party

SOURCE: Keep America Beautiful

This spring, Keep America Beautiful affiliates across the country are participating in a variety of activities during this year’s Great American Cleanup that help support our 2013 Vibrant Communities Impact Goals.

Last month, 1,200 Keep Little Rock Beautiful volunteers picked up litter and storm debris and raked leaves in 23 neighborhoods and nine parks, and at six schools. The efforts of Keep Little Rock Beautiful support our goal of cleaning and restoring 200,000 public acres and sites to build and sustain safer, cleaner communities.

During KAB’s National Day of Action on April 6, Keep Ohio Beautiful partnered with the Ohio Department of Transportation and the Ohio Turnpike Commission for their annual State Roadway Cleanup. Hundreds of volunteers comprised of neighborhood groups, businesses and organizations took to the area roadways to pick up thousands of pounds of litter, recyclables and debris throughout the state of Ohio. The results are still being tallied, but the hard work of our affiliates across Ohio will play a large role in achieving KAB’s goal of cleaning 100,000 miles of roads and highways.

In two weeks, I Love A Clean San Diego will be hosting its Creek to Bay coastal cleanup event, one of the largest in the country. As part of the national Great American Cleanup, an estimated 6,000 San Diego area volunteers will gather at 92 cleanup sites countywide. Participants will help preserve the local environment by cleaning up local outdoor areas, including beaches, bays, creeks, canyons, parks and urban areas. These efforts will be instrumental in KAB’s successful achievement of cleaning and restoring 10,000 miles of rivers, lakes and shorelines in 2013.

How can you help us reach our Vibrant Communities Impact Goals? Get involved! Visit KABcleanup.org to get more information about how you can volunteer in your community.
 

Tweet me: #EarthDay is everyday for #KeepAmericaBeautiful volunteers during the #GreatAmericanCleanup! http://3bl.me/sg799x Contact Info:

Larry Kaufman
Keep America Beautiful
+1 (203) 659-3014
lkaufman@kab.org

Emily Bond
Keep America Beautiful
+1 (203) 659-3026
ebond@kab.org

KEYWORDS: Environment, Conservation, Recycling, Trees, Water, Non-Profit, Philanthropy, Volunteering, Cause Marketing, Community, Engagement, Positive Change, People, Social Change, Social Actions, Teen Action, Volunteerism, Youth Action, Keep America Beautiful, Great American Cleanup, Vibrant Communities Impact Goals, I Love A Clean San Diego, Keep Little Rock Beautiful, Keep Ohio Beautiful

SOURCE: Business4Better

Business4Better (B4B) Conference & Expo is a few weeks out, taking place on May 1 & 2 in Anaheim, CA. More than a thousand business leaders and professionals will come together to explore and learn how nonprofit partnerships, corporate social responsibility (CSR), community involvement or other corporate charitable efforts can support their work – achieve greater commercial success while positively impacting your community.

Tweet me: Are you a mid-sized company? Register for @Business4Better and increase profits through community involvement. http://bit.ly/Z5S801

KEYWORDS: Business & Trade, Events, Conferences & Webinars, People, Social Action & Community Engagement, Corporate Social Responsibility, mid-sized, mid-market, middle market

SOURCE: The Adventure Capitalists

Pasadena, Calif., April 17, 2013 /3BL Media/ - Darrell Park, author of Better Than We Found It, has launched a new app with the Apple App store called PowerfulME. Created for consumers of all types, PowerfulME allows people to spend their money on products, and companies, that are aligned with their own specific beliefs and dietary needs.

“Consumers have the money. They should have the power, “ states Darrell, Creator of PowerfulME.

The goal of PowerfulME is to help consumers shape marketplace behavior, and not be duped by good advertising by providing instantaneous ‘buy or don’t buy’ feedback at the very moment a purchase decision is being made.

Darrell came up with the idea of PowerfulME through his years of inquiry and observation regarding persistent societal issues. He kept finding that he, his family, friends, and colleagues were all buying products made by corporate giants that they did not respect or want to line the pockets of. With the smart phone age upon us, Darrell saw a natural solution to empower consumers by providing product and company details to help them make informed buying decisions.

First and foremost, PowerfulME is a community that empowers any user to create lists that can be used by millions of other consumers.  For instance, if you have Celiac disease and follow a gluten free diet, PowerfulME can assist you in purchasing such products, and you can assist the community by adding your knowledge of products and companies to the data that the community has already collected.  It will also help you avoid purchasing products that might be harmful to your dietary requirements. Through PowerfulME’s list building process you can find or make a list, for example, that drills down on the packaging details per item and reveals products made in allergen free factories.

Any user can create a list focused on issues they care about.  Want to take money out of politics?  Create a list of the companies that have injected their money into the political process and provide alternative companies that haven’t as alternatives.  Then other users can subscribe to you list and with the help of a very supportive community, you can document the exact dollar amount that each company lost due to their political follies, and show clearly how other businesses products were purchased instead.  There has never been a better way to punish bad companies and support good ones in the only language the marketplace really understands -- your hard earned dollars.

How is this possible? PowerfulME uses your Smartphone as a bar code scanner and a product info source. It enables you to read about the company creating the item and supports your buying decisions right there in the store or in any kitchen.

After installing the app on your phone, you are prompted to create or download lists that you support. Its like Wikipedia, its created and maintained by the people, for the people.

If you scan a product that should be avoided, your list will present substitutes; you can record what you bought, and didn’t buy, with the touch of a button. The dollar amounts of your purchases, and avoided purchases, are aggregated and can be viewed and used by you to directly help change marketplace behavior.  

Consider this, if you are the CEO of a sugary, caffeine-ridden multinational beverage company and more and more people using PowerfulME start connecting with one another and buying a more natural, health oriented beverage, your sales are going to decrease, your market share is going to decrease, and you may even be inspired to look more closely at your mission, your ingredients, and your impacts on society.

PowerfulME will create more conscious consumers. Conscious consumers will require better products from companies that have taken their market share for granted.

Darrell Park, PowerfulME’s Creator, says, “We recognize that there is a knowledge gap between consumers, the products they buy, and the companies they buy them from.  We are striving to close that gap and inform consumers, empowering them to make their own decisions with their dollars, without having to be an expert or blindly follow what companies marketing messages are telling them.”

The PowerfulME team has more than a 100 years of combined experience in the private and public sectors.  They understand both, and will do everything they can to use their knowledge and experience to expand the power of every consumer and actively work to make companies and industries more responsive to the needs and wishes of their customers.  

Park is most excited about the PowerfulME community.  “This has been a labor of love and we welcome you to the PowerfulME community.  As your use the app and the website, please give us feedback and suggestions for improvement.  We have worked hard to make PowerfulME easily to use, but we need your help to make it better.  We are really hoping you will help us change the world for the better and give consumers back their power”, said Park, as he fought back tears.

To see a demo of the App, click here.

To find the App on the Apple App Store, click here.

www.powerfulme.net

Tweet me: The @PowerfulMEapp has officially launched on the #Apple @AppStore http://3bl.me/m877nn

KEYWORDS: Eco-Living, Consumption & Travel, Environment, Health and Wellness, Human Resources, People, Social Action & Community Engagement, Technology. Innovation & Solutions, conscious consumer, app, csr, consumer empowerment, Powerful Me, The Aventure Capitalists

SOURCE: 3BL Media, LLC

Tantalum and Section 1052: these two very obscure terms are getting a lot of attention from over 6,000 U.S. and global companies these days, especially from those in the electronics sector. Section 1052 is the clause of the Dodd-Frank Act that requires the SEC to issue disclosure and audit requirements for publicly traded companies that manufacture products containing conflict minerals. Under the new rules, companies must disclose whether tantalum, tin, tungsten, and gold mined in the Democratic Republic of Congo or an adjoining country are necessary to the functionality or production of the products they manufacture. Tantalum, along with gold, tin, and tungsten, is a metal essential to electronics. It has properties of corrosion resistance and conductivity that make it perfect for very small, very light, but very high-powered capacitors that power our laptops, tablets, and smartphones, our cars and medical devices.

There’s one big problem with tantalum: an increasing amount of its sourcing comes from the Democratic Republic of Congo. That links the metal to the worst documented conflict since World War II, a civil war that has resulted in over five million deaths since 1998. This compromised sourcing complicates the already difficult job of building a sustainable supply chain. Those issues include the global scope of manufacturing, the fragmentation of suppliers through multiple layers of subcontracting, corruption private and governmental, the costs involved, and an overall lack of transparency.

Sustainalytics, a responsible investment research firm that specializes in sustainable analysis, reports that the IT industry is well positioned to take the lead in addressing the problem of sustainable sourcing of conflict minerals, The evidence is compelling: companies like HP, Apple, Intel, Microsoft, Cisco, and Dell have introduced new, aggressive sustainability strategies to ensure compliance with the new SEC rules, and to underline their commitment to ethical sourcing practices. A common connection among them is participation in the Electronics Industry Citizenship Coalition and the Global e-Sustainability Initiative. GeSI has established the Conflict-Free Smelter program, a process for suppliers to become certified.

HP has just published a list of its supply chain’s 195 smelters who turn ore into metal, and that smelter identification process has been independently reviewed. Apple has identified 211 smelters and refiners from which its suppliers source tantalum, tin, tungsten, and gold. The company has also joined the Public-Private Alliance for Responsible Minerals Trade, a joint initiative among governments, companies, and civil society to support supply chain solutions to conflict minerals in the DRC. Intel has manufactured a microprocessor that is conflict-free for tantalum, and is working to manufacture the world’s first microprocessor validated as conflict-free for the four principal metals by the end of this year. The company has mapped 90% of its microprocessor supply chain, identifying 140 smelters. Besides the EICC and the GeSI, Intel also participates in the Conflict-Free Tin Initiative.

Cisco is active in the EICC and is requiring its suppliers to certify according to the CFS Compliant Smelter List. Dell is also engaged with the EICC and its CFS program. The company has hosted an international multi-stakeholder event on conflict minerals that convened leaders from the IT industry, NGOs and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development to encourage other industries to take action on responsible sourcing. And this year, Microsoft will include a summary of Environmental Social and Governmental information from its vendors in its annual Citizenship Report. The company is asking its suppliers to use Global Reporting Initiative guidelines in their sustainability reporting to ensure rigorous benchmarking of its supply chain.

We’re used to getting cutting edge products from the electronics industry. Now, they’re also delivering pioneering models of global CSR and sustainability strategies.

I’m John Howell for 3BL Media.

For more information on this and other stories, go to 3blmedia.com

Video Source: Tech Corps Lead the Way with New Sustainable Sourcing Strategies

Tweet me: Tech Corps Lead the Way with New #Sustainable Sourcing Strategies http://3bl.me/sg5wd6

KEYWORDS: tantalum, Conflict Minerals, sustainability, Democratic Republic of Congo, Microsoft, Sustainalytics, HP, Apple, Intel, Cisco, Dell

SOURCE: The Home Depot

What do a dot com illustrator, garden associate and construction specialist have in common? In the case of Joey Young, they’re all the same person.

Joey is a garden associate in Atlanta, Ga., an illustrator for homedepot.com and a specialist in construction and concrete acid staining.

So how does someone like Joey take gardening, drawing and concrete staining and turn it into a career? It all started in high school when he drew a cartoon rendition of Macbeth for an English assignment. Joey, and others, began to realize he had a talent.

Working with his hands to create products of the imagination, Joey found an obvious fit in construction after high school. While working in construction, Joey taught himself the art of concrete acid staining.

Then, the economy took a nosedive and the demand for decorative concrete went with it. Joey moved from Michigan to Atlanta to be with family and took a job at The Home Depot as a garden associate at the Brookwood store (#6978).

For nearly four years Joey kept his artistic talent to himself while pursuing an art degree from SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design). Soon after graduating in 2010, Joey’s secret was discovered...

Visit BeyondtheApron.tumblr.com to read the rest of Joey's story.

Tweet me: What do a dot com illustrator, garden associate and construction specialist have in common? http://beyondtheapron.tumblr.com/post

KEYWORDS: Business & Trade, design, illustrator, Home Depot, homedepot, DIY, SCAD, joblove, job, garden, spring

SOURCE: Recyclebank

NEW YORK, APRIL 17, 2013—Recyclebank®, the company that rewards people for taking everyday green actions with discounts and deals, is celebrating Earth Month this April with its Eco Time Capsule, looking back at how far we’ve come since the first Earth Day in 1970. The company also announced the beneficiaries of the Recyclebank® Green Schools Program, which awards schools grant money for unique student projects that will make a positive environmental impact on their communities.

“For 43 years, Earth Day has provided a forum for people everywhere to show support and take action for a sustainable future,” said Jonathan K. Hsu, chief executive officer at Recyclebank. “At Recyclebank, we believe it’s also important to reflect on how far we’ve come and what we’ve learned. With our Eco Time Capsule we hope to share a story of change and ultimately teach and motivate our members to continue making green choices. Inspiring greener behavior is the core of what we do at Recyclebank, and to that end we’re also celebrating our Green Schools Program, which enables us to empower schools across the country to create a more sustainable future for their communities.”

Debuts Eco Time Capsule Initiative

Mixing pop culture and green milestones, Recyclebank is taking its members back in time to learn green facts and lessons from the past in an engaging and shareable way. As users navigate through each decade they have the opportunity to make pledges and interact with facts and timelines to earn more than 500 Recyclebank Points.

To become a time traveler, simply visit https://www.recyclebank.com/eco-time-capsule and start your educational journey to earn points. Throughout the month, Recyclebank and its Earth Month partners, including Kids Konserve®/U•Konserve®and Domtar, will unlock new decades and themes, giving members the opportunity to both learn and submit their own green tips and take pledges and quizzes that will earn them up to 500 Recyclebank Points.

The Eco Time Capsule is part of Recyclebank’s yearlong initiative to launch monthly themed campaigns that educate and engage consumers around everyday green actions. Throughout the year, members can explore everything from greener transportation to responsible use of plastics and aluminum. Using its innovative formula of education, incentives, rewards and impact, Recyclebank and its partners will continue to engage its more than 4.5 million members around specific themes that are most relevant to their daily lives.

Announces Green School Grant Recipients

Each year, the Recyclebank Green Schools Program awards environmental project grants to schools in Recyclebank communities. Together, these schools, their students and their communities work to encourage residents to donate Recyclebank Points that the company then transfers into real dollars for schools—turning a community’s green actions into funds for a local school. This year, Recyclebank made up the balance on any school that did not reach its project goal, ensuring all 27 participants received complete funding. Recyclebank partner Domtar, the environmentally responsible paper company, awarded $500 to each participating school that reached 50 percent of its donation goal. The paper company also provided a year's supply of EarthChoice® Office Paper to Henry County Middle School in McDonough, Ga., which was deemed the school with the most imaginative project for its idea to transform used books into “book trees” and create community art to underscore the importance of literacy and recycling.

ABOUT RECYCLEBANK

Recyclebank helps create a more sustainable future by rewarding people for taking everyday green actions with discounts and deals from more than 4,000 local businesses and national brands. Through its online platform and partnerships with municipalities, haulers, small businesses and corporate brands, Recyclebank empowers individuals to make a collective impact on the environment by increasing household recycling and taking other environmentally-friendly actions. A Certified B Corporation, Recyclebank has been recognized as a Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum, a Champion of the Earth by the United Nations Environment Program and for Outstanding Excellence in Public/Private Partnerships from the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Recyclebank is headquartered in New York City. For more information, visit www.Recyclebank.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS

Jeff Harse | Recyclebank

(212) 659-6491 | jharse@recyclebank.com

Elissa Davis | Bateman Group for Recyclebank

(718) 355-8722| recyclebank@bateman-group.com

Tweet me: .@Recyclebank Celebrates Earth Month with Time Travel and #Green Schools http://3bl.me/qn6kpn #CSR

KEYWORDS: Environment, Marketing, Media & Communications, People, Social Action & Community Engagement, Technology. Innovation & Solutions, recyclebank, earth month, time travel, Green Schools, eco time capsule, csr, sustainability

SOURCE: Business4Better

In these tough economic times, when companies are already pinching pennies, finding the funds for corporate giving can be difficult. But donations don’t have to come in the form of dollars, as one company has discovered.

Give Something Back (GSB), a commercial office products company based in Oakland.Like Staples and Office Depot, the company sells supplies such as paper, pens, and staplers, but unlike its competitors, GSB doesn’t distribute its earnings to owners or shareholders.

Instead, the company literally gives its profits back to the communities where it does business.  Since its founding in 1991, GSB has donated more than $5 million—around 85 percent of its profits—to nonprofit organizations working in its service areas throughout California. Each year, the company distributes ballots to its employees and customers, who vote on which eligible 501(c)(3) groups receive the funds.

“Every company gives its profits away to owners or shareholders,” says Mike Hannigan, president and cofounder of GSB. “We’ve just eliminated those stakeholders and replaced them with nonprofits.”  But while distributing its profits to charities serving the community is the company’s purpose, Hannigan acknowledges that money isn’t the only way to give back.

Read the full story of how GSB is serving the community while doing good business in this new case study from Business4Better: Beyond Cash: Giving Back and Boosting the Bottom Line.

Interested in increasing your company's positive impact on the community? Attend Business4Better on May 1 and 2 in Anaheim, CA. Use promotional code ADV to register for only $49. www.business4better.org 

Tweet me: What if a company gave its profits to the community, instead of shareholders? @GiveSomethingBack shares at http://3bl.me/yvpsp8 #B4B

KEYWORDS: Business & Trade, People, Social Action & Community Engagement, business4better, Donations, nonprofit, csr, sustainability, Shareholders

SOURCE: Allstate Corporation

Allstate CEO Tom Wilson joined First Lady Michelle Obama, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and a coalition from Chicago's business and philanthropic communities to support successful community-based programs that serve at-risk youth. The effort, which is being chaired by Allstate's Chief Executive Officer Tom Wilson and Loop Capital Chief Executive Officer Jim Reynolds, called on Chicago's business sector to raise $50 million to support proven programs that serve at risk youth across the city

A copy of Tom Wilson's remarks and the video that aired during the event, featuring the stories of impacted families and crime prevention experts, is available for download on www.allstatenewsroom.com

Contact:

Kyle Donash
Kyle.donash@allstate.com
847-402-5600

Tweet me: Allstate CEO Tom Wilson Joined First Lady Michelle Obama and Rahm Emanuel for Conversation on Anti-Violence www.allstatenewsroom.com

KEYWORDS: Allstate, michelle obama, anti-violence, csr, sustainability, at-risk Youth, crime prevention

SOURCE: Allstate Corporation

April 16, 2013 /3BL Media/ - Allstate Insurance Company will build upon its efforts to bring awareness around distraction-free driving with a new national campaign tour, called "Reality Rides℠." Allstate Reality Rides will travel to more than 20 American cities to bring a driving simulator that demonstrates the dangers of distracted driving. From community events to high school assemblies and safe driving advocacy programs, Reality Rides will tour a variety of venues in an effort to reach a wide range of drivers.

"The Allstate Reality Rides tour is an innovative, engaging approach to raising awareness about the importance of distraction-free driving," said Sanjay Gupta, executive vice president of marketing, innovation and corporate relations at Allstate Insurance Company. "We'll be going to communities across the country to gain awareness about the dangers of cell phone use and texting behind the wheel. Advocating for driver safety is an important part of Allstate's legacy and this outreach effort will build on our commitment to keep our kids and all drivers safer on the roads."

Reality Rides consists of a driving simulator that utilizes a real - but stationary - vehicle equipped with virtual reality technology, including a headset that displays an animated environment and reacts to the driver's motions. Using the car's steering wheel, gas and brake pedals, the driver is tasked with driving while also attempting to text and talk on the phone.

These simulations demonstrate the potential consequences distracted drivers could face while on the road. To add impact to the simulations, participants are given traffic "tickets" that reveal potential infractions a driver could receive if the experience happened in real life. Participants will also have the opportunity to take the Allstate X the TXT™ pledge that promises to not text and drive.

Allstate continues to advocate for distracted driving prevention because in 2010 and 2011 more than 3,000 deaths from crashes with a distracted driver occurred each year. Studies have shown drivers who text are 23 times more likely to crash, and texting while driving is the equivalent to driving impaired after drinking four beers.

Car crashes are the number one cause of death for everyone in the U.S. ages 1-34, with teens crashing four times more often than any other age group. Stronger teen driving laws, referred to as Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL), have been shown to reduce traffic fatalities by as much as 40 percent in the states where they have been adopted. Additionally, recent research from The Allstate Foundation's License to Save report found that comprehensive GDL laws could save an estimated 2,000 lives and $13.6 billion annually.

To track the Allstate Reality Rides tour and see photos of participants, visit facebook.com/xthetxt. While there, check out information and resources, engage in the conversation and invite family and friends to take action in support of stronger teen driving laws.

The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation's largest publicly held personal lines insurer, serving approximately 16 million households through its Allstate, Encompass, Esurance and Answer Financial brand names and Allstate Financial business segment. Allstate branded insurance products (auto, home, life and retirement) and services are offered through Allstate agencies, independent agencies, and Allstate exclusive financial representatives, as well as via www.allstate.com, www.allstate.com/financial and 1-800 Allstate®, and are widely known through the slogan "You're In Good Hands With Allstate®." As part of Allstate's commitment to strengthen local communities, The Allstate Foundation, Allstate employees, agency owners and the corporation provided $29 million in 2012 to thousands of nonprofit organizations and important causes across the United States.

Tweet me: .@Allstate launches new distracted driving campaign will visit more than 20 cities across America http://www.allstatenewsroom.com Contact Info:

Kate Hollcraft
Allstate
+1 (847) 402-5600
kate.hollcraft@allstate.com

KEYWORDS: Allstate, Reality Rides, driving distractions, distraction free driving

SOURCE: WorldVentures Foundation

PLANO, Texas, April 16, 2013 /3BL Media /PRNewswire/ - More than 100 WorldVentures Foundation™ volunteers beautified Las Vegas' Boys & Girls Club on Thursday, April 11. The volunteers, in partnership with Boys and Girls Clubs (B&GC) of Las Vegas, painted the exterior walls and contributed financially and through their time and talents to the club.

Tweet me: WorldVentures Foundation's Volunteers Beautified Las Vegas Boys & Girls Club http://3bl.me/4qk7qc

KEYWORDS: WorldVentures Foundation, Boys & Girls Clubs of Las Vegas, Volunteers, csr, philanthropy

SOURCE: Kenneth Cole Productions, Inc.

On April 13th during Shift Series, the annual conference of The Compass Fellowship in Washington, DC, AWEARNESS, The Kenneth Cole Foundation and Compass Partners announced the three university students selected for the AWEARNESS Grants.  Winners included:

The Dynamic Speaking Label, from Adrian Rodriguez of Stanford University

Clothes Connection, from Rachel Acree of Georgetown University

The Smart Girls Group, from Emily Raleigh of Fordham University

The Grants were given to support these student-led social enterprises.  Shift Series brings together nearly 150 students from across the United States to share their social venture ideas and network with mentors who will help accelerate their entrepreneurial work.

ABOUT AWEARNESS:
AWEARNESS, The Kenneth Cole Foundation, promotes, encourages and inspires positive and meaningful social change, and supports like-mined individuals to make a difference. As part of each partnership, we create products and host events in support of their important causes, and select a “Change Agent” to share their story of social activism to help educate and inspire others to get involved. Interviews and products can be seen on the AWEARNESS website awearness.com <http://awearness.com/> .

Tweet me: Congratulate Adrian Rodriguez, Emily Raleigh and Rachel Acree on receiving @kennethcoleprd @compasspartners #AWEARNESS Grant

KEYWORDS: Education, Events, Conferences & Webinars, Fashion & Apparel, Marketing, Media & Communications, People, Social Action & Community Engagement, Kenneth Cole, Kenneth Cole Foundation, AWEARNESS, The Kenneth Cole Foundation, AWEARNESS The Kenneth Cole Foundation, Rachel Acree, Adrian Rodriguez, Emily Raleigh, Compass Partners, Shift Series

SOURCE: School of Visual Arts - Design for Social Innovation

Can you remember the last time you had an amazing conversation?

Tweet me: Check out @SVADSI's new blog, "Designing Better Conversations" http://3bl.me/nhq3zq #communications

KEYWORDS: Events, Conferences & Webinars, People, Social Action & Community Engagement, Technology. Innovation & Solutions, good.is, Social Impact, Innovation, design for good, Conversation, #communications

SOURCE: Eckrich

LISLE, Ill., April 16, 2013 /3BL Media /PRNewswire/ - Thousands of U.S. military personnel and their families are currently requesting assistance due to financial distress, injury, or physical or mental impairment as a result of their military service. To help meet this growing need, Eckrich, part of the John Morrell Food Group, a subsidiary of Smithfield Foods, has partnered with Operation Homefront to launch "Operation Inspiration," a campaign designed to honor, thank and support the military families who inspire us.  

"With help from partners like Eckrich, Operation Homefront met more than 151,000 needs for military families from all branches of service in 2012," said Jim Knotts, CEO of Operation Homefront, a non-profit organization headquartered in San Antonio, Texas.

"Eckrich is proud to support Operation Homefront for a second year, and we are extremely excited about initiating 'Operation Inspiration' as a way to help us continue to provide assistance to inspiring military families," said Charles Gitkin, vice president, marketing, innovation and R&D for the John Morrell Food Group. 

Through the "Operation Inspiration" campaign, Eckrich will donate 5 cents for every purchase of specially marked products from May 1 through July 4, 2013, up to $250,000. The company will also share the "Operation Inspiration" message via a broad-based marketing campaign that features television, radio, online, out-of-home advertising and social media to tell military families' stories.

Furthermore, Eckrich is underwriting an "Operation Inspiration" half-hour television special, hosted by NBC's Al Roker and featuring NASCAR's legendary "The King" Richard Petty, #43 driver Aric Almirola, and other celebrities.  The special will air in major markets across the country this summer.

"John Morrell Food Group and Eckrich are dedicated to assisting and honoring our military families," said Jennifer Zmrhal, Senior Brand Manager, Eckrich. "This campaign is aimed to further raise awareness of our military veterans, wounded warriors and their families' needs.  We are committing as many resources as possible to help spread the message and make a difference in these people's lives."

Also, people can text "INSPIRE" to 27722 to give money to Operation Homefront*.  "We want to make it easy for people to help, too," said Zmrhal. "This gives people everywhere an easy, direct way to get involved."

For more information on Operation Inspiration, visit www.facebook.com/eckrichmeats orhttp://www.eckrich.com/promotions/operationinspiration.   

About Eckrich 
Founded by Peter Eckrich in 1894, Eckrich has a rich heritage starting from a small meat market in Fort Wayne, Ind. Through it all, Eckrich meats have been recognized for their great taste and supreme quality, craftsmanship, care and pride. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/eckrichmeats.  

About Operation Homefront
A national nonprofit, Operation Homefront leads more than 6,500 volunteers with nationwide presence who provide emergency and other financial assistance to the families of service members and wounded warriors. Operation Homefront has met more than 741,000 needs of military families since its inception in 2002.  A four-star rated charity by watchdog Charity Navigator, nationally, 94 percent of total revenue donated to Operation Homefront goes directly to programs that provide support to our military families. For more information, go to www.OperationHomefront.net.

About John Morrell Food Group 
With over a century and a half of experience, John Morrell Food Group brands have become respected and well known for providing premium-quality meat products to families across the United States. With products ranging from lunchmeat and franks to smoked sausage, bacon and pepperoni, the John Morrell Food Group is an important part of consumers' mealtimes. The John Morrell Food Group offers several national and regional brands including Armour®, Eckrich®, John Morrell®, Curly's®, Patrick Cudahy®, Carando®, Healthy Ones®, Margherita® Kretschmar® and LunchMakers®.

About Smithfield Foods 
Smithfield Foods is a $13 billion global food company and the world's largest pork processor and hog producer. In the United States, the company is also the leader in numerous packaged meats categories with popular brands including Smithfield®, Eckrich®, Farmland®, Armour®, Cook®, Gwaltney®, John Morrell®, Kretschmar®, Curly's®, Carando®, Margherita®, and Healthy Ones®. Smithfield Foods is committed to providing good food in a responsible way and maintains robust animal care, community involvement, employee safety, environmental, and food safety and quality programs. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com andwww.smithfieldcommitments.com.

*Charges will appear on your wireless bill, or be deducted from your prepaid balance. All purchases must be authorized by account holder. Must be 18 years of age or have parental permission to participate. Message and Data Rates May Apply. Text STOP to 27722 to STOP. Text HELP to 27722 for HELP. Full Terms: mGive.org/T. Privacy Policy: mGive.org/P.

Tweet me: Eckrich® and Operation Homefront® Launch "Operation Inspiration" Campaign http://3bl.me/ygn8xh

KEYWORDS: Smithfield Foods, Eckrich, U.S. Military, operation home front, John Morrell Food Group

SOURCE: StartSomeGood

April 16, 2013 /3BL Media/ - StartSomeGood has partnered with leading financial services provider ING DIRECT to launch Dreamstarter, a groundbreaking CSR/crowdfunding initiative to boost the social enterprise sector.

Tweet me: #CSR meets #crowdfunding: ING Direct and @StartSomeGood launch Dreamstarter - #funding opportunity for #socent http://3bl.me/fkmmne

KEYWORDS: Corporate Social Responsibility, Sustainability Professionals, Sustainable Enterprises, Fund Raising, Philanthropy, Branding, Social Media, Sustainable Marketing, StartSomeGood, ing direct