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Dine Brands Global, Inc. (NYSE: DIN), the parent company of Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar®, IHOP®, and Fuzzy’s Taco Shop® restaurants, released its 2023 ESG report which speaks to priorities and progress within the focus areas of People, Planet, Food, and Governance. 
“Dine Better, Together is how we describe our intention to combine business growth and competitive strength with our ESG commitments,” says John Peyton, CEO of Dine Brands. “At Dine we remain motivated to provide more than an exceptional dining experience, and we recognize the opportunities to make meaningful impact in the communities that we serve.” 
The 2023 Dine Better, Together report highlights include the following:

<ul><li>Achieved the Great Place to Work Certification™ for the second consecutive year.</li>
	<li>13.6 metric tons of food donated by Dine’s Glendale and Pasadena Restaurant Support Center as well as Applebee's and IHOP U.S. Franchisees and their Distribution Centers.</li>
	<li>$1.7 million raised by Applebee's U.S. franchisees to support Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation.</li>
	<li>$708,471 raised by IHOP Puerto Rico and Mexico franchisees as of 2023 to support children's charities.</li>
	<li>$627,000 raised by Fuzzy’s since 2014 for No Kid Hungry.</li>
	<li>565,362 free meals served to U.S. active-duty military and veterans on Veterans Day at Applebee's and IHOP.</li>
	<li>100% Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) free achieved at Applebee’s and IHOP, one year ahead of goal.</li>
	<li>11 million Applebee’s gift cards transitioned from plastic to paper stock, certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).</li>
	<li>48 million pieces of IHOP to-go packaging transitioned away from carbon black pigment, which prevented the containers from being recycled.</li>
	<li>35.2% of eggs for U.S. restaurants were cage-free, exceeding the 33% target set for 2023. The company is on track to achieve 100% cage-free eggs in the U.S. by the end of 2025.</li>
</ul> 
The report showcases Dine’s momentum in operating with ESG at the core, driven by our strong partnership with team members, franchisees and their restaurant employees, suppliers, and communities. This year’s publication highlights Dine’s progress and emphasizes the integration of these efforts in alignment with our business operations. 
For more information on the 2023 Dine Better, Together report, please visit <a href="https://www.dinebrands.com/en/social-good" target="_blank">https://www.dinebrands.com/en/social-good</a>. About Dine Brands Global, Inc. 
Based in Pasadena, California, Dine Brands Global, Inc. (NYSE: DIN), through its subsidiaries and franchisees, supports and operates restaurants under the Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar®, IHOP®, and Fuzzy’s Taco Shop® brands. As of December 31, 2023, these three brands consisted of over 3,500 restaurants across 18 international markets. Dine Brands is one of the largest full-service restaurant companies in the world and in 2022 expanded into the Fast Casual segment. For more information on Dine Brands, visit the Company’s website located at <a href="https://www.dinebrands.com/" target="_blank">www.dinebrands.com</a>.

###

Media Contact: 
Lauren Costabile 
Dine Brands Communications <a href="mailto:MediaInquiries@dinebrands.com" target="_blank">MediaInquiries@dinebrands.com</a>

Dine Brands Releases 2023 Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Report

<img alt="SR23 Report cover collage" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="cdfc7ad2-92ea-4b40-89fa-c771e308cb03" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/SR23-report-alert-visual-final.png" width="640" class="align-center" height="1584" loading="lazy" />At Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, we are committed to tackling some of the most critical global challenges facing us today. Our efforts to create a fairer, healthier and more sustainable world center around three main goals: achieving human progress for more than one billion people through sustainable science and technology, fully integrating sustainability into our value chains, and becoming climate neutral while reducing resource consumption. Our <a href="https://www.emdgroup.com/en/sustainability-report/2023/" target="_blank">2023 Sustainability Report</a> details our encouraging progress toward meeting these goals. Our ongoing commitments to climate and environmental action 
In 2023, we continued on our path toward achieving <a href="https://www.emdgroup.com/en/sustainability-report/2023/environment/climate-action.html" target="_blank">climate-neutral operations</a> across our value chain by 2040. We decreased our direct and indirect emissions across scopes 1 and 2 by 17% compared to the previous year. At the same time, we increased the global share of electricity we procured from renewable sources to over 50%, progressing toward our target of 80% by 2030. The Virtual Power Purchase Agreements (VPPAs) we have in place mean that by 2025, renewable energy certificates will cover 100% of our electricity purchases in Europe, 90% in North America and 70% in all other regions. 
In addition, we enhanced our <a href="https://www.emdgroup.com/en/sustainability-report/2023/strategy-management.html" target="_blank">sustainability strategy</a> by intensifying our focus on biodiversity and a circular economy. For example, we conducted comprehensive biodiversity impact assessments for our sites, which will provide a baseline for further quantitative analysis. These efforts help us to more effectively prioritize future biodiversity initiatives and restore our natural environment. As part of working toward a circular economy, we have set a new target of achieving a 70% circularity rate across our entire Group by 2030. Diversity, equity and inclusion – empowering women in management positions 
We remain committed to fostering <a href="https://www.emdgroup.com/en/sustainability-report/2023/employees/diversity-equity-inclusion.html" target="_blank">diversity and equity</a> and creating a genuinely inclusive culture for all employees. We reinforced this commitment with our goal to achieve gender parity in management positions globally by 2030. In this year’s report, we are pleased to announce we increased the share of women in management roles to an all-time high of 39%. Sustainability in our supply chains – driving change across the industry 
We are continually working to make our <a href="https://www.emdgroup.com/en/sustainability-report/2023/business-ethics/suppliers/supply-chain-management.html" target="_blank">value chains</a> more sustainable. One of the key first steps has been gaining a better understanding of our global supplier network. Two-thirds of our suppliers now have a valid sustainability assessment, a significant improvement compared to 46% the previous year. Additionally, in 2023, we began including primary greenhouse gas emission data from service providers (scope 3.1) in our calculations. We also continuously strive to create more sustainable innovations and technologies for our customers. For example, in our Life Science business sector, we grew our Greener Alternative Products portfolio to 2,500 products in 2023, a 34% increase from the previous year. Access to medicines – continuing the fight against schistosomiasis 
For the last 15 years, we have been on a dedicated mission to eliminate the neglected tropical disease <a href="https://www.emdgroup.com/en/sustainability-report/2023/products/health-for-all/global-health.html" target="_blank">schistosomiasis</a>. In 2023, we donated over two billion Praziquantel tablets and supported various programs that combat this dangerous parasitic illness in Sub-Saharan Africa and other tropical areas. In addition, we treated 84 million patients and secured approval for an innovative pediatric treatment designed for young children aged three months to six years. Thanks to these milestones and our ongoing collaboration with strong, long-term partners, we are steadily progressing toward eliminating schistosomiasis as a public health concern by 2030. Sharing sustainability insights 
Transparently communicating our sustainability efforts helps to maintain the trust of our patients, customers, partners, employees and suppliers. Therefore, our 2023 Sustainability Report provides an interactive experience using a variety of digital formats. In <a href="https://www.emdgroup.com/en/sustainability-report/2023/stories.html" target="_blank">a unique story section</a> of the report, we highlight a broad range of hands-on topics and projects on issues such as Green Chemistry, digital ethics in AI, sustainability in R&amp;D and access to health, illustrating our commitment to sustainable progress. 
We prepared our 2023 Sustainability Report in accordance with the 2021 GRI Standards. The report also reflects the requirements of the <a href="https://www.emdgroup.com/en/sustainability-report/2023/facts-figures/sasb-index.html" target="_blank">SASB standards</a> and the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (<a href="https://www.emdgroup.com/en/sustainability-report/2023/facts-figures/tcfd-index.html" target="_blank">TCFD</a>). Our <a href="https://www.emdgroup.com/en/annualreport/2023/management-report/non-financial-statement.html" target="_blank">non-financial statement</a>, in accordance with the German Commercial Code (HGB) and applicable <a href="https://www.emdgroup.com/en/annualreport/2023/management-report/non-financial-statement/further-topics/reporting-in-accordance-with-the-eu-taxonomy-regulation.html" target="_blank">EU Taxonomy Regulation disclosures</a>, forms part of our 2023 Annual Report. About Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany 
Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a leading science and technology company, operates across life science, healthcare and electronics. Around 63,000 employees work to make a positive difference to millions of people’s lives every day by creating more joyful and sustainable ways to live. From providing products and services that accelerate drug development and manufacturing as well as discovering unique ways to treat the most challenging diseases to enabling the intelligence of devices – the company is everywhere. In 2023, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, generated sales of € 21 billion in 65 countries. 
The company holds the global rights to the name and trademark “Merck” internationally. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the business sectors of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, operate as MilliporeSigma in life science, EMD Serono in healthcare and EMD Electronics in electronics. Since its founding in 1668, scientific exploration and responsible entrepreneurship have been key to the company’s technological and scientific advances. To this day, the founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed company. Social Media: 
Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/emdgroup" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/emdgroup</a> 
Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/EMDGroup" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/EMDGroup</a> 
LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/emd-affiliates-of-merck-kgaa-darmstadt-germany" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/company/emd-affiliates-of-merck-kgaa-darmstadt-germany</a> 
YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/MerckKGaADarmstadtGermany" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/c/MerckKGaADarmstadtGermany</a> Media Contact Info: <a href="mailto:judith.rahner@merckgroup.com" target="_blank">Judith Rahner</a>: 
+49 6151 72 7694 <a href="mailto:timo.breiner@merckgroup.com" target="_blank">Timo Breiner</a>: 
+49 151 1454 2512

<a href="https://www.emdgroup.com/en/sustainability-report/2023/" rel=" noopener" target="_blank">Read More</a>

Harnessing Science and Technology for a Fairer, Healthier and More Sustainable World

<img alt="Woman in a glass window putting up an Open, Come in sign." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="781f5d7f-4eb1-46c7-80c7-222f53893250" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Microbusiness-Resource-Contraints_GoDaddy_3.27.24A.jpg" width="640" class="align-center" height="630" loading="lazy" /><a href="https://www.godaddy.com/ventureforward/microbusinesses-drive-job-creation-reduce-unemployment/" target="_blank">As originally published by GoDaddy’s Venture Forward Research Initiative</a>

Since 2020, GoDaddy Venture Forward findings have consistently proven that microbusiness entrepreneurship makes an outsized impact on the economy, promoting job creation, boosting annual household median income growth and driving down unemployment. Every year, when the U.S. Census releases its most recent data, GoDaddy Venture Forward runs new analyses to capture the latest economic impacts.

Venture Forward is a research initiative that GoDaddy launched in 2018 to quantify the presence and impact of online microbusinesses on their local economies, providing a unique view into the attitudes, demographics and needs of these entrepreneurs.

This year, in partnership with UCLA Anderson Forecast economists led by William Yu, we’ve uncovered the following impacts made by microbusinesses (those having 10 or fewer employees, a domain and an active website).

<ul><li>At the county-level, every additional microbusiness entrepreneur adds about seven jobs, which has continued to grow based on data through 2023. 
	 </li>
	<li>Analysis of data from 2018 to 2022 found the effect of microbusiness entrepreneurship to be two or more new jobs for every additional entrepreneur, and from 2020 to 2022, about six new jobs. 
	 </li>
	<li>Adding 1,000 new microbusiness entrepreneurs in a county is associated with a drop of 0.11 percentage points in the unemployment rate. 
	 </li>
	<li>This means that studying Miami-Dade County in Florida, with almost 430,000 microbusinesses and 2.1 million people over the age of 18, adding just 1,000 entrepreneurs would reduce the region’s unemployment rate by almost 7% (from 1.6% to 1.49%).</li>
</ul><img alt="Chart showing impacts on a county level." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4d4ac4c7-aac3-4b10-b7f4-77e4be53048a" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Microbusinesses-Have-Major-Impact_GoDaddy_3.29.24B_0.png" width="640" class="align-center" height="673" loading="lazy" />Our research shows that entrepreneurship has only continued to grow in importance – from acting as a backstop during economic downturns like the pandemic, to being a catalyst for greater prosperity in current times, and the historically low unemployment rates we’re experiencing.

“We’ve learned that online businesses with 10 or fewer employees are creating more jobs than before – up to seven jobs for every one entrepreneur, compared to only two just a few years ago,” said Alexandra Rosen, senior director of Venture Forward. “Our findings show how even the smallest of businesses can significantly drive down unemployment rates in communities across the country.”

For more information about the state of microbusinesses across the country, visit the Venture Forward <a href="https://www.godaddy.com/ventureforward/microbusiness-datahub/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Microbusiness Data Hub</a>.
<img alt="Chart showing real world examples of economic Impacts." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="6304c6f4-f909-4bc1-8c21-3e9fca58bc4c" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Economic-Impact_GoDaddy_3.29.24A_0.png" width="640" class="align-center" height="396" loading="lazy" />About GoDaddy Venture Forward

GoDaddy’s Venture Forward research initiative analyzes more than 20 million online businesses with a digital presence (measured by a unique domain and an active website). Most of these businesses employ fewer than ten people, categorizing each as a microbusiness. While these microbusinesses may be small, their impact on economies is outsized even though they are often too informal or too new to show up in traditional government statistics. 

Since 2018, Venture Forward surveyed more than 36,000 small business owners with a digital presence, making it the source for microbusiness data and insights.

New Results: Microbusinesses Drive Job Creation, Reduce Unemployment

IBM announced the release of its 2023 IBM Impact report. The report summarizes the company’s ESG initiatives, partnerships and investments in 2023, making a lasting positive impact. 
Over the last year, the world experienced widespread adoption of AI and other emerging technologies. IBMers have leveraged these technologies, creating new ways to address rising ethical challenges, empowering communities with skills, and protecting our environment while supporting our clients. 
A few highlights from the 2023 IBM Impact report include:

<ul><li>Released watsonx.governance, a component of watsonx designed to accelerate responsible, transparent and explainable AI workflows, and leading the creation of the AI Alliance, an open community to accelerate responsible AI innovation.</li>
	<li>Trained more than 600 suppliers in technology ethics, which is on track to meet our commitment to train 1,000 technology suppliers in technology ethics by 2025.</li>
	<li>Engaged over 11 million learners with free IBM training content through our combined education initiatives since 2021, which is on track to meet our commitment to skill 30 million people by 2030.</li>
	<li>Invested over $100 million towards apprenticeships and new-collar programs, since 2022.</li>
	<li>Reduced operational greenhouse gas emissions by 68.5% against base year 2010, ahead of our goal of 2025 and on track to meet our operational net zero emissions goal by 2030.</li>
	<li>Completed, since 2021, 2,130 energy conservation projects, avoiding an estimated 256,000 MWh of energy consumption.</li>
</ul>“At IBM, we believe that technology is a catalyst to unlock new and more powerful ways to make a positive impact. Innovation can address evolving demands and create a better future as new ethical, societal, and environmental challenges arise,” said Justina Nixon-Saintil, Vice President and Chief Impact Officer, IBM. “We continue to focus on making a lasting impact by using the power of technology, such as AI.” 
IBM leverages its resources and expertise to live its purpose of being a catalyst that makes the world work better. We have a long-standing commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, and service, in which technology and innovation play a critical role in taking our positive impact further. 
The IBM Impact Report 2023 report can be accessed <a href="https://www.ibm.com/impact/2023-ibm-impact-report" target="_blank">here</a>. Media Contact: <a href="mailto:Carmenssg@ibm.com" target="_blank">Carmen San Segundo</a> 
Global Marketing and Communications Director for ESG and CSR at IBM

IBM Releases 2023 IBM Impact Report

Ancestry®, the global leader in family history, published its third annual <a href="https://www.ancestry.com/corporate/annual-impact-report" target="_blank">Impact Report</a>, outlining the company’s corporate responsibility approach and highlighting progress in three core areas: ethical business practices; diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI); and community impact. Aligned with Ancestry’s mission to empower journeys of personal discovery to enrich lives, the company is committed to enhancing its products and leveraging its resources to build a more connected, resilient and sustainable future for generations to come. 
“We recognize that the actions we take today have a profound impact on future generations, and we are committed to ensuring we operate our business in a manner that is good for both people and the planet,” said Deborah Liu, Ancestry President and CEO. “While we are proud of our progress, we know more work is ahead. We remain steadfast in ensuring our corporate responsibility efforts not only meet but exceed the goals outlined in our report.” 
Building on the goals set in the previous two annual reports, the 2023 Impact Report reaffirms Ancestry’s commitment to transparent, equitable, and inclusive business practices, including:

<ul><li>Launched a new AncestryDNA kit made of recycled materials to cut waste-to-landfill.</li>
	<li>Reduced carbon emissions by 21% across Ancestry’s scope 1, 2, and largest scope 3 contributors.</li>
	<li>Embarked on our second HistoryMakers National College Tour and Scholarship at four HBCUs, TCUs, and HSIs across the United States.</li>
	<li>Added four new DNA ethnicity regions and 910 new DNA communities to serve more diverse customers globally.</li>
	<li>Made 3.3M records available for free as part of Ancestry's $3M pledge through 2025 to preserve history that is at-risk of being forgotten or overlooked.</li>
	<li>Provided 10.5M+ students across five countries access to Ancestry records through AncestryClassroom at no cost, surpassing the 2025 target.</li>
</ul>To read the full report, view Ancestry’s SASB metrics and UN SDG goals, and learn more about the key initiatives within each impact area, visit <a href="https://www.ancestry.com/corporate/annual-impact-report" target="_blank">https://www.ancestry.com/corporate/annual-impact-report</a>. About Ancestry 
Ancestry®, the global leader in family history, empowers journeys of personal discovery to enrich lives. With our unparalleled collection of more than 60 billion records, over 3 million subscribers and over 25 million people in our growing DNA network, customers can discover their family story and gain a new level of understanding about their lives. Over the past 40 years, we’ve built trusted relationships with millions of people who have chosen us as the platform for discovering, preserving and sharing the most important information about themselves and their families.  Media contact: <a href="mailto:mediarelations@ancestry.com" target="_blank">mediarelations@ancestry.com</a>

Ancestry® Underscores Corporate Responsibility Progress & Commitments in Annual Impact Report

<a href="http://www.dayforce.com/" target="_blank">Dayforce</a>, Inc., a global human capital management (HCM) leader that makes work life better, today released its annual ESG Report, <a href="https://www.dayforce.com/who-we-are/corporate-responsibility" target="_blank">Impact Through Innovation</a>. The report features its performance from the past year across the five pillars of the company’s sustainability strategy: Our People, Governance and Trust, Tech for Good, the Environment, and Our Communities.

“Our industry-leading innovation and ability to deliver quantifiable value to our customers made 2023 a tremendously successful year for Dayforce. This was only possible because we maintained our commitment to operate sustainability, act with integrity, and strengthen the communities we serve,” said David Ossip, CEO and Chair, Dayforce, Inc. “While there’s more work to be done, we are deeply proud of the progress that we’ve made. We will continue to ensure that our company – and our global people platform – remain a force for positive change.”

Key highlights from 2023 include:

Our People

<ul><li>Earned a 50 employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS).</li>
	<li>Established internal and external pay transparency.</li>
	<li>Expanded its Achieving Corporate Equity (ACE) program to further empower diverse talent.</li>
</ul>Governance and Trust

<ul><li>Implemented an AI Governance Framework to evaluate the potential use of AI from ideation through all stages of the product development lifecycle.</li>
	<li>Earned best-in-class scores for its robust data security strategy, including from Risk Recon A (9.9/10) and BitSight (790 – Advanced) for the Dayforce Suite.</li>
</ul>Tech for Good

<ul><li>Surpassed $2 billion in earned wages delivered through Dayforce Wallet since its launch.</li>
	<li>Launched Dayforce Career Explorer to empower our customers’ employees to learn new skills and pursue their professional interests through optimized career pathing.</li>
	<li>Expanded Dayforce Engagement to help organizations better measure and strengthen their employee diversity, wellness, and engagement strategies.</li>
</ul>Environment

<ul><li>Reduced Scope 1 &amp; 2 (location-based) emissions by 65% and Scope 3 economic emissions intensity by 30% since 2019.</li>
	<li>Launched its Responsible Sourcing Initiative (RSI) to advance supply chain sustainability and strengthen vendor performance on labor, human rights, climate change, and diversity.</li>
	<li>Earned its first-ever B from CDP for its work to address climate change.</li>
</ul>Our Communities

<ul><li>Achieved a 50% giving and volunteering rate for its global workforce.</li>
	<li>Volunteer hours doubled from the previous year to 10,000 hours.</li>
</ul>To download the full ESG Report, please click <a href="https://www.dayforce.com/who-we-are/corporate-responsibility" target="_blank">here</a>.

Additional information:

<ul><li><a href="https://www.dayforce.com/ca/who-we-are/newsroom/dayforce-named-one-of-americas-most-just-companies-by-just-capital-and-cnbc" target="_blank">Dayforce Named one of America's Most JUST Companies by JUST Capital and CNBC</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.cdp.net/en/scores" target="_blank">Dayforce Earned a First-Ever B from CDP for its Climate Change Efforts</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ecovadis.com/solutions/ratings/" target="_blank">Dayforce Received a Silver Sustainability Rating from EcoVadis</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.spglobal.com/esg/scores/results?cid=6546101" target="_blank">Dayforce Earned a 51 from S&amp;P Global’s Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA)</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.msci.com/our-solutions/esg-investing/esg-ratings-climate-search-tool/issuer/dayforce-inc/IID000000002716388" target="_blank">Dayforce Maintains AA Rating from MSCI ESG Research</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.dayforce.com/blog/responsible-sourcing-initiative" target="_blank">Dayforce Strengthens Supply Chain Sustainability with New Responsible Sourcing Initiative</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.dayforce.com/blog/ceridians-latest-actions-on-climate-crisis" target="_blank">Dayforce Strengthens Climate Strategy with SBTi Commitment and Scope 3 Emissions Reduction Target</a></li>
</ul>About Dayforce 
Dayforce makes work life better. Everything we do as a global leader in HCM technology is focused on improving work for thousands of customers and millions of employees around the world. Our single, global people platform for HR, payroll, talent, workforce management, and benefits equips Dayforce customers to unlock their full workforce potential and operate with confidence. To learn how Dayforce helps create quantifiable value for organizations of all sizes and industries, visit <a href="http://www.dayforce.com/" target="_blank">dayforce.com</a>.

Media Contact: <a href="mailto:leslie.whitelaw@dayforce.com" target="_blank">Leslie Whitelaw</a> 
1-437-224-6993

Dayforce Highlights Impact Through Innovation in Annual ESG Report

Dine Brands Global, Inc. (NYSE: DIN), the parent company of Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar®, IHOP®, and Fuzzy’s Taco Shop® restaurants, released its 2023 ESG report which speaks to priorities and progress within the focus areas of People, Planet, Food, and Governance.

<img alt="A group of people posed in front of the side of a building &quot;Our House&quot; sign above them. Some holding a large check made to &quot;Our House&quot;." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fedf09ae-99a8-414e-a027-8351ac3f0086" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/ourhousedonation_regionsbank_040824.jpg" width="640" class="align-center" height="618" loading="lazy" />By Kim Borges

An EF-3 tornado ripped a path of destruction and despair six football fields wide across Little Rock, Arkansas, last March 31.

The compassion and support that followed the devastation stretched even wider.

One year later, we’re sharing perspective from a Little Rock nonprofit leader whose team immediately sprang into action to help people and families in their greatest time of need. It’s what Our House does – not only when natural disaster strikes, but every day. Learn more about this Regions Bank and Regions Foundation community partner.

“It’s a universal thing; everyone needs support at some point in their lives.”
<img alt="Exterior of a building &quot;Career Center&quot;" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ba17a6cf-471f-45f9-99f4-915943f86778" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/careercenter_regionsbank_040824.jpg" width="640" class="align-center" height="800" loading="lazy" />Ben Goodwin knows. At age 10, his family home burned down. And, in 2009, Goodwin and his wife faced the crisis of their newborn daughter needing significant medical care, bringing their family to Little Rock, and subsequently bringing him to Our House.

“I needed flexible work because we spent a lot of time at the hospital,” he explained. “I had volunteered at Our House before joining the team as a part-time grant writer. I knew the mission, loved the mission – but the hard time I was going through helped the mission resonate even more for me.”

While Goodwin’s trials have offered him greater understanding and empathy, the now-executive director of <a href="https://ourhouseshelter.org/" id="modal-toggler-373638169-3" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Our House, which provides housing assistance, career services, child education programs and more</a>, is the first to say the personal challenges by no means compare to the challenges their clients face.

“In most cases, the families we serve don’t have a deep and strong safety net,” he said. “We want to be that support network for people when they need it. We work really hard to help them build a cushion to weather the storms in their lives.”

Meaning, when the actual storm came, Goodwin and team were ready.
<img alt="Ben Goodwin" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="be9d50b5-4141-49b5-a7b7-d17c419cbcce" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/BenGoodwin_regionsbank_040824.jpg" width="640" class="align-center" height="375" loading="lazy" />“We’re always mobilized for things like this,” he said. “It felt like a dramatic example of the types of things we deal with every day. We’re in the business of helping people who don’t have homes.”

<a href="https://regions.doingmoretoday.com/tag/regions-foundation/" id="modal-toggler-943545315-4" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Regions Foundation</a>, a nonprofit primarily funded by Regions Bank, <a href="https://doingmoretoday.com/support-after-the-storms/" target="_blank">provided a $10,000 grant to Our House last April</a> to assist with shelter and childcare services for people impacted by the tornado. Regions Bank in Little Rock recently contributed $5,000 to assist with Our House’s operational support and team members also teach financial education classes to the organization’s career center clients.

“Support from Regions Bank and the Regions Foundation is important because, ultimately, we’re all in this together as a community,” said Goodwin. “We’ve worked to build our value proposition at Our House by focusing on what we do best as an organization. Regions Bank and the Regions Foundation care about the community and want to make an impact. There are a lot of deep connections here that mean a lot to us.”

<blockquote>
Regions Bank and the Regions Foundation care about the community and want to make an impact. There are a lot of deep connections here that mean a lot to us.
</blockquote>

Those connections also mean a lot to <a href="https://doingmoretoday.com/lynn-wright-retires-from-regions-bank-rodney-abston-to-serve-as-central-arkansas-market-executive/" target="_blank">Regions Bank Commercial Banking leader and Little Rock market executive Rodney Abston</a>, who’s seen how the organization’s work has lifted the community.
<img alt="Children playing in a courtyard outside a building." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="89e4e2b9-ac7f-4313-a1d1-b53eaee5cd0b" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/playground_regionsbank_040824.jpg" width="640" class="align-center" height="647" loading="lazy" />“Our House has bridged the divide between homelessness and homeownership in Greater Little Rock for more than 35 years,” said Abston. “The team offers care in many forms and extends a helping hand to their clients facing crisis moments, so it was natural they extended that same care and helping hand to our larger community impacted by the storm.”

While Our House’s immediate tornado response resembled the usual measures of checking on personal safety and assessing physical damage, it marked only the beginning of their efforts to help their Little Rock neighbors get back on their feet.

“It’s our team’s job to help our clients navigate resources, so we quickly took on the mantle for the larger community by serving as the go-to resource for sharing what support was available,” said Goodwin. “We had our hotline people could call, but we took it a step further with a web-based portal allowing them to learn what support was available such as access to food pantries, clothing, financial assistance, even the schedule when trucks would come by to pick up tree branches from their yard.”

And the support didn’t end there. Several Our House staff members, some personally impacted by the tornado themselves, stepped up to do even more.

“One of our team members went out and bought a chainsaw to help cut tree limbs,” said Goodwin. “Another joined someone for breakfast each day to check in and offer emotional support. There’s a bunch of stories like that of people banding together, working long hours to do what needed to be done.”

Consider it the normal course of business for an organization fielding more than 1,000 calls each month and serving 500 onsite clients daily.
<img alt="A single-story building &quot;Our House&quot; sign in front with arrows pointing to different buildings." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1c044316-de8f-4a07-be94-cc0ee4b4147f" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/ourhouse_regionsbank_040824.jpg" width="640" class="align-center" height="800" loading="lazy" />“It’s always a beehive of humanity here,” said Goodwin. “Whatever role you have on our team, if you’re part of this work, you’re getting to know our clients, you’re learning their stories.”

The only thing better than learning those stories? Celebrating their clients’ successes.

“Our House is a home to new beginnings,” said Goodwin. “We say, ‘This is your place, this is your chance, this is where everything hopefully aligns to an inflection point in your lives.’ We know and see people are capable of great things every day.”

Our House will soon have its own new beginning of sorts as well when it opens the doors of its expanded campus in April, allowing the organization to double it housing space and service capacity. The milestone marks quite a journey from Goodwin’s part-time grant writing days.

“We have a great team that really does the hard work and I’m privileged to lead them,” he said. “I feel very fortunate to do this work and be a steward of this organization and the work it does. I see it as the best our community has to offer.”
<img alt="Aerial view of tornado damage in a residential area." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c7aa18a7-3aa8-498d-ab6f-eca2ef38736a" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/tornado_regionsbank_040824.jpg" width="640" class="align-center" height="679" loading="lazy" />About Regions Foundation  
Regions Foundation supports community investments that positively impact the communities served by Regions Bank. The Foundation engages in a grantmaking program focused on priorities including economic and community development; education and workforce readiness; and financial wellness. The Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation funded primarily through contributions from Regions Bank.

The Regions Foundation, a nonprofit primarily funded by Regions Bank, provided a $10,000 grant to Our House last April to assist with shelter and childcare services for people impacted by the tornado.

A Shelter From Life’s Storms

<figure role="group" class="align-center"><img alt="&quot; &quot;" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ecbcb597-4767-4cd0-aad7-d91c2f726fc7" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/efleet_henkel_041124.jpg" width="640" height="801" loading="lazy" /><figcaption>The new program supports Henkel’s suppliers to take action on decarbonization.</figcaption></figure><ul><li>New supplier engagement program to record and reduce Scope 3 emissions from suppliers worldwide</li>
	<li>Support for partners through transparent data collection, trainings and targeted actions for decarbonization</li>
	<li>Important step for Henkel's ambition of a net-zero pathway</li>
</ul>DÜSSELDORF, Germany, April 15, 2024 /CSRwire/ - In order to bring the evaluation of its CO2 emissions in the upstream supply chain to the next level, Henkel has launched a comprehensive engagement program for its worldwide suppliers called “Climate Connect”. The program aims to advance decarbonization along the value chain through the collection of emissions data, jointly defined actions for reduction and continuous upskilling.

Henkel will cooperate with “Manufacture 2030”, a partner in the field of carbon reduction, to address its raw material and packaging suppliers as well as contract manufacturers and suppliers of traded goods worldwide, where a total of more than 90 percent of Henkel’s Scope 3 upstream emissions occur. The program, which will record key figures on energy, water consumption and waste volumes, shall be rolled out and adapted gradually to an increasing number of suppliers in the different scope 3 categories in the future. With the help of the data generated as well as corresponding trainings, Henkel and “Manufacture 2030” will offer participating suppliers individual support in assessing their baseline and setting measures for climate actions.

“Compared to large companies, our small- and medium-sized partners often find it difficult to record their CO2 emissions as they lack the capacity to do so. Yet this data is hugely relevant, as it is the only way to define targets and measures to reduce these emissions. For us at Henkel, this in return is the basis for reducing our Scope 3 emissions and achieving our climate protection targets,” said Bertrand Conquéret, Chief Procurement Officer at Henkel. “The 'Climate Connect' program is therefore designed as a long-term partner project with which we want to support our suppliers directly and as individually as possible.”
<figure role="group" class="align-center"><img alt="&quot; &quot;" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0cab83ae-8b88-44f8-b356-4e336f96b5de" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/climateconnect_henkel_041124.jpg" width="640" height="681" loading="lazy" /><figcaption>Henkel launches an engagement program on climate action for its worldwide suppliers.</figcaption></figure>In addition to trainings, the program offers suppliers to regularly track their progress in environmental key figures and to make data that is generated in “Manufacture 2030” visible for other customers as well. Suppliers can also export relevant data for the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), a global disclosure system to manage environmental data, which many companies have joined. The data overview can also serve them to gain access to business partners and green finance opportunities.

Through the “Together for Sustainability (TfS)” initiative, which Henkel co-founded in 2011 together with other partners in the chemical industry, the company is already working closely with other members on the collection of Product Carbon Footprint data from strategic suppliers. With the new “Climate Connect” program, this approach is now to be extended to an even larger supplier base with various maturity levels.

Reducing emissions along the value chain

Henkel is pursuing clear goals to reduce its carbon footprint in line with the Paris Climate Agreement. The company has set targets for Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, which include reducing emissions by 67 percent by 2030 (base year: 2017). Henkel will also develop a net-zero pathway for its Scope 3 emissions along the value chain, in line with the “Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)” standard. This implies emissions caused by raw materials and packaging, which currently account for around a quarter of the emissions in Henkel's value chain. By 2030, Henkel aims to reduce its CO2 emissions from raw materials and packaging by 30 percent.

In order to bring the evaluation of its CO2 emissions in the upstream supply chain to the next level, Henkel has launched a comprehensive engagement program for its worldwide suppliers called “Climate Connect”. 

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