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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO

Eco Buildings 2020 Report by Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Eco preneur and founder of Edanaro News briefings

Uganda Manufactures First Solar-Powered Bus In Africa Kiira Motors Corporation is set to launch the first solar-powered bus ‘Kayoola’ in Africa in the corporation’s vision to spearhead the automotive industry in Uganda. Read More Posted in Climate Action Trail blazers By Hugo Hernandez

Principles For Unveiling

During a webinar at 1pm ET on May 7th, the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council will unveil a set of principles that define organizational leadership in sustainable purchasing. By providing a common reference point for excellence, the Principles will enable greater alignment and benchmarking of sustainable purchasing efforts across all types of organizations operating in the multi-trillion dollar institutional purchasing marketplace. The Principles will serve as a “moral compass” for the Council as it launches, in May, the development of a multi-sector program for guiding, benchmarking and recognizing leadership in sustainable purchasing. Read More Posted in Climate Action Trail blazers By Hugo Hernandez

Guidance V1.0 & Pilot Launch

WASHINGTON DC – Eighty organizations with more than $100 billion in purchasing power have signed up to pilot the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council’s Guidance for Leadership in Sustainable Purchasing v1.0, which will be released to the public on February 5th at 11AM ET via webinar. Read More Smart sources and green business insights on the web:

Find Green Sources about eco projects and sustainable business on the web: Green insights www.egreenews.com l Smart money and alternative financing Edanaro.com Packaging vendors in North America l Ideas and supplies for lean factories www.superindustrialonline.com

Reporte de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Eco empresario y fundador de Edanaro

Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO Posted in Climate Action Trail blazers By Hugo Hernandez

2015 Awards For Leadership In Sustainable Purchasing Announced Friday, February 5, 2016

WASHINGTON DC – The Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council (SPLC) announced on Wednesday, May 27th, the 2015 Awards for Leadership in Sustainable Purchasing. Recipients included a Federal agency, a county government, an office products supplier, and a consulting firm. Read More Posted in Climate Action Trail blazers By Hugo Hernandez

Recycle Your Way Of Thinking Wednesday, February 3, 2016

We are all concerned about the quality of our community's environment, from clean air to clean water. MARTA is proud to be more socially and technically competent in raising our community's awareness for sustainable development and a cleaner Atlanta environment. Read More Posted in Climate Action Trail blazers By Hugo Hernandez

Mountain Sky Guest Ranch Fund Distributes More Than $255,000 In Grants To Montana Nonprofits Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Emigrant, MT, June 1, 2015 –The Mountain Sky Guest Ranch Fund (the Fund), an affiliated fund of The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, has approved more than $255,000 in grants to Montana--based nonprofit organizations. Grants focused on the needs and opportunities in rural communities such as land and wildlife education, early childhood development, and professional development for existing nonprofits. The organizations and projects receiving grants were selected by volunteer Fund committee members made up of ranch associates living and working in the community. Read More Posted in Climate Action Trail blazers By Hugo Hernandez

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO

First Education Day To Reach Everyone At Cop21 Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Because climate change education is a powerful tool to help people understand the causes and consequences of climate change, prepare learners to live with its impacts, and empower them to take action on its causes, for the first time during a UN climate change conference, the young and not-so-young generations enjoyed an Education Day at COP 21 in Paris. Read More Posted in Climate Action Trail blazers By Hugo Hernandez

Secretary-General’S Remarks At The Opening Session Of The Third International Conference On Small Island Developing States Wednesday, January 6, 2016

I am delighted to be here in this beautiful country. Talofa.I thank the government and people of Samoa for their hospitality, and for hosting this important Conference in the International Year for Small Island Developing States. Read More Posted in Climate Action Trail blazers By Hugo Hernandez

Small Islands Need Partnerships To Battle Climate Change, Address ‘Unique Vulnerabilities,’ Says Ban Wednesday, January 6, 2016

The global challenges facing the small island developing States (SIDS) are the international community’s collective responsibility, today stated the top United Nations official at the Security Council. Read More Posted in Climate Action Trail blazers By Hugo Hernandez

Three Reasons Small Businesses Must Play A Large Role In Climate Change Resilience Smart sources and green business insights on the web:

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO Wednesday, January 6, 2016

World Resources Institute research analyst Lisa Dougherty-Choux explores the role of small business in helping mitigate and adapt to climate change, especially in developing countries. Read More

Car manufacturers continue milestones for Landfill-Free Operations DETROIT, Dec. 15 - General Motors has achieved a new record number of landfill-free facilities in 2016, exceeding its commitment four years early. The company now operates 152 global facilities that recycle, reuse or convert to energy all waste from daily operations. These 52 non-manufacturing sites and 100

manufacturing sites contribute to GM’s top and bottom lines by driving efficiencies, generating revenue and saving money. “GM is fully committed to manufacturing cars and trucks for our customers in the most responsible way,” said Alicia Boler Davis, GM executive vice president, Global Manufacturing. “While GM continue to increase the reuse of byproducts, our vision is to eliminate waste by applying the most advanced manufacturing processes and technologies in our plants globally.” Whether it’s recycling Flint water bottles into engine cover insulation or turning Mississippi River tires into air-deflecting baffles, the company is working together with its suppliers to advance a more circular

economy where materials are kept in use. GM champions matchmaking efforts, such as the Materials Marketplace, where one company’s trash can be another’s raw material.

Altogether, GM recycles or reuses 2 million metric tons of byproducts a year. If someone were to place that material into the beds of Chevrolet Silverado extended-cab pickup trucks and park them end to end, they would stretch around the world. GM has generated up to $1 billion from recycling in recent years. The company reinvests that money into the business, including the development of fuel-efficient vehicles and new technologies shaping the future of personal mobility. Landfill-free facilities result in greater operational efficiency and eliminate

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO waste-hauling fees. Repurposing waste into vehicle components or plant supplies means the company doesn’t have to buy virgin material. “We view sustainability as a business approach,” said John Bradburn, GM global manager of Waste Reduction. “We look at ways we can grow and strengthen our business for the long term, and that often means reducing our environmental footprint while maximizing social benefit.” About a third of GM’s total landfill-free sites are technical centers, warehouses and offices. While in the midst of a major renovation at three Michigan facilities, GM partnered with Herman Miller and Green Standards to repurpose surplus office assets into $1 million of in-kind donations to about 100 Michigan-based community organizations.

Landfill-free sites added this year are in Asia, Africa, North America and South America: ●

Engine, parts distribution center and stamping operation in Talegaon, India

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Powertrain plant in Romulus, warehouse in Flint, aftersales operation in Madison Heights, storage facility in Grand Blanc, Michigan

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Distribution center in Charlotte, North Carolina

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Parts distribution center and assembly plant in Quito, Ecuador

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Assembly plant in Cairo, Egypt

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Two assembly plants and two distribution centers in Port Elizabeth, South Africa

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GM Canada headquarters in Oshawa, Canada

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Foundry in Toluca, Mexico

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An assembly plant, stamping plant, technical center, engineering facility and support office in São Caetano do Sul, Brazil

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Assembly plant in Bogota, Colombia

With the Toluca, Mexico foundry now on the list — a site that melts and molds metal to make auto components — none of GM’s manufacturing operations in Mexico send waste to landfills. All GM European Opel/Vauxhall manufacturing plants have been landfill-free since 2015. GM mentors about 25 companies a year, from small businesses to large multinational corporations, on how to manage challenging waste streams. The company outlines best practices in a landfill-free blueprint.

Eco Business Sources

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO For more information about Green projects and enviromentals news you can visit www.egreenews.com and Edanaro.com For a full list of reliable Green vendors in North America on the web www.superindustrialonline.com

Report by Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Eco preneur and founder of Edanaro

San Francisco becomes The Nation’s Greenest City The third Annual Green Building Adoption Index Shows Percentage of U.S. Office Space “Green” Certified Tops 40%

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 12 /CSRwire - Today’s some of the most sustaintable trends include that Institutional owners of office buildings continued to pursue green building certifications in the 30 largest U.S. markets during 2015. Continuing an upward trend over the past decade, green certifications are now held by 11.8 percent of all surveyed buildings, representing 40.2 percent of all commercial office space. Both figures are slightly above last year’s results, according to the third annual Green Building Adoption Index study by CBRE Group, Inc. and Maastricht University. “Green” office buildings in the U.S. are defined as those that hold either an EPA ENERGY STAR label, USGBC LEED certification or both.

After placing second on the Green Building Adoption Index the two prior years, the San Francisco market claimed the top spot with 73.7 percent of its space qualified as green certified. Chicago claimed the second spot, narrowly trailing the leader at 72.3 percent and Minneapolis fell from the top into third spot at 60.6 percent. Houston, Atlanta and Los Angeles all also achieved more than 50 percent green certification in their office markets.

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO “While the rate of growth in ‘green’ buildings has slowed modestly, our latest study underscores that in most major markets, sustainable office space has become the ‘new normal,’” said David Pogue, CBRE’s Global Director of Corporate Responsibility.

The overall results of the study do show that the while the uptake of green building practices in the 30 largest U.S. cities continues to be significant, the rate of adoption is slowing. In 2014 the total sq. ft. of green office space in the top 30 markets was 39.3 percent compared to the latest rate of 40.2 percent. “This likely reflects the fact that only a certain fraction of the building stock can obtain a green or energy-efficiency certification,” said Dr. Nils Kok, associate professor in Finance and Real Estate, Maastricht University (NL). “Additionally, we believe that some buildings that were previously certified did not renew their certification in 2015. This does not necessarily mean that the energy use of these buildings has changed, but that some owners and managers may choose not to spend the time or expense to reapply for certification every year.” A new feature of the 2015 study is a geographic mapping platform that highlights the name, location and details of the specific green certification for each building in all 30 markets. Executed in close collaboration with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and CBRE Research, this is the third release of the annual Green Building Adoption Index. Based on a rigorous methodology, the Index shows the growth of ENERGY STAR- and LEED-certified space for the 30 largest U.S. office markets, both in aggregate and in individual markets, over the previous 10 years. View the study’s findings HERE. About CBRE Group, Inc. CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE:CBG), a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company headquartered in Los Angeles, is the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm (based on 2015 revenue). The company has more than 70,000 employees (excluding affiliates), and serves real estate investors and occupiers through more than 400 offices (excluding affiliates) worldwide.

TAIPEI 101 becomes now the World’s Greenest Tall Building

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO HONG KONG, Jul. 15 /CSRwire/ - Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a green building rating system developed by the US Green Building Council (USGBC) that has gained prominence on a global scale. And now, across Asia some 6,700 projects of varying types, from interior fit outs to neighborhood developments, have been registered to-date. More than 2,100 projects have gone on to be LEED-certified as green buildings.

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CBRE and TAIPEI 101 have created a new era for international green buildings, becoming the highest scoring LEED v4 project in the world to-date, and the first to reach the 90 points threshold. TAIPEI 101 appointed CBRE’s Sustainability Asia team to act as LEED consultant to guide them through the process of recertifying its existing LEED v2009 Platinum certification in September 2014. And while green buildings are increasingly common in Asia and around the world, the newer, more stringent v4 version of LEED—that was achieved by TAIPEI 101—has been slow to be adopted by the industry. “The majority of projects continue to pursue the now familiar LEED v2009 rating system. However, LEED v4 has significantly raised the bar to help the real estate industry move towards the levels of green building performance we need to achieve. TAIPEI 101 management’s keenness to embrace the challenge of this higher standard; to looking at new ways of integrating sustainability into real estate, and the leadership shown by their property management and engineering teams truly sets a new benchmark for the industry,” said Tim Shen, Head of Sustainability, CBRE Asia. Since the launch of LEED v4 in 2013, 66 buildings around the world have been certified with the system and of those, 24 have used the LEED O+M (operations and maintenance) rating system. In that time in Asia, LEED v4 projects represented around 17% of new registrations. “We continue to see a strong increase in demand for green building and sustainable real estate practices from institutional investors, and the third-party verified performance that LEED O+M provides helps meet that. TAIPEI 101’s achievement is especially significant given the size and scale of the building, the number of tenants, and the fact that this has taken place in Asia. We believe that this will encourage others to make the leap from LEED v2009 to LEED v4, and marks a turning point in the greening of buildings worldwide. This could have a truly transformative impact on cities,” Mr Shen has added.. “LEED v4 O+M Platinum re certification in the height of our financial performance is solid evidence that excellent management is able to bring landlord and tenant interest in perfect alignment to further the cause of sustainable leadership. It is also the ethically right thing to do to mitigate the impact of built landscape on our global climate,” commented Joseph Chou, Chairman of TAIPEI 101.

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO CBRE was able to help TAIPEI 101—a supertall building with more than two million sq. ft. gross floor area, 101 floors and 126 different tenants—increase their LEED score from the original 82 points achieved in 2011, with 100% of submitted points being awarded and no points being procured through the purchase of renewable energy offsets, despite the use of the harder system, which was a key requirement set out by the project team initially “TAIPEI 101 now is playing a crucial role in the global green building movement and is a shining example of LEED projects that are consistently raising the bar for our built environment,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, Chief Operating Officer, US Green Building Council and President of Green Business Certification Inc. “Through achieving LEED v4 certification at the Platinum level—the highest green building standard in the word—TAIPEI 101 has demonstrated their commitment to remaining at the forefront of the green building movement and created a space that is better for the environment and healthier to live, work and play in. TAIPEI 101 truly embodies the excellence in performance that LEED v4 is all about and by re-certifying, TAIPEI 101 has become the best-known LEED v4 Platinum project in the entire world.” “Through our industry-leading sustainability programs and long-established track record of LEED for Existing Building certification, CBRE has helped clients realize approximately USD 358 million in asset value enhancements,” said Gary Thomas, Global Director of Sustainability, CBRE. “Our detailed knowledge of the system, and particularly our unparalleled experience with LEED recertification, made CBRE a perfect partner for this unique project.“ CBRE’s global Sustainability teams have successfully certified almost 500 buildings with the LEED O+M rating system since 2008. Encompassing more than 143 million sq. ft. of property, CBRE has helped its clients achieve annual savings of 228 million gallons of water and 283,000 Metric Tons of CO2 emissions. . About the US Green Building Council The US Green Building Council (USGBC) is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. USGBC works toward its mission of market transformation through its LEED green building program, robust educational offerings, an international network of local community leaders, the annual Greenbuild International Conference & Expo, the Center for Green Schools and advocacy i n support of public policy that encourages

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO and enables green buildings and communities. For more information, visit usgbc.org, explore the Green Building Information Gateway (GBIG) and connect on Twitter, Facebook a nd LinkedIn.

Sustainable Innovation Must Impact and Convert Traditional Industry DUNDEE, Scotland, Jul. 05 /CSRwire/ - Thomas Schuler, President and CEO of Solidia Technologies®, a cement and concrete technology startup, addressed leading engineers, academics and innovators in cement and concrete at the 9th Annual International Concrete Conference. In his talk, entitled

“Sustainable Innovation on the Road to Market: Moving from the Lab to Global Impact for the Cement and Concrete Industries,” Schuler discussed the trials of bringing new technology to an industry that hasn’t changed in nearly 200 years and explained how Solidia’s solution was inspired directly by the industry’s CO2 challenge.

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Solidia Technologies CEO Tom Schuler presents roadmap for commercialization of CO₂-reducing and water-saving cement and concrete

“The road to market for innovative technologies is paved with risk and potholed with failure. To succeed, you must fail quickly…and recover," explained Schuler. “The quickest way to introduce change into a market with longstanding traditions is to work especially hard at making it simple. Simple is hard, really hard. Such a change demands a solution that minimizes cost, maximizes impact and adds value.”

Solidia Technologies makes it easy and profitable to use CO2 to create superior and sustainable building materials. Its patented technology starts with a sustainable cement, cures concrete with CO2 instead of water, reduces carbon emissions up to 70 percent, and recycles 60 to 80 percent of the water used in production. Using the same raw materials and existing equipment as traditional concretes, the resulting CO2-cured concrete products are higher performing, cost less to produce, and cure in less than 24 hours, compared to the 28-day curing cycle required for traditional concrete products.

Recounting how the initial technological approach was off-course, Schuler shared how gathering market intelligence is critical for developing a technology that can meet industry where it exists today. "It takes a village to shepherd innovation to market: a cast of players, from start-ups to industry giants, investors to academics, all acting out distinct roles based on their resources, market knowledge, technological prowess, and tolerance for risk. The role of the start-up is to learn and then use that understanding to reduce the industry’s exposure to risk by rapidly managing the innovation process.”

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Featuring the theme “Environment, Efficiency and Economic Challenges for Concrete,” this year’s International Concrete Conference addressed the many diverse aspects of concrete technology, including materials, sustainability, techniques, research and development, design, practice and economics. Papers drawn from all over the world brought together many disciplines, reflecting concrete’s importance, versatility and adaptability. About Solidia Technologies® Solidia Technologies® is a cement and concrete technology company that makes it easy and profitable to use CO2 to create superior and sustainable building materials. Based in Piscataway, N.J. (USA), Solidia’s investors include Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Bright Capital, BASF, BP, LafargeHolcim, Total

Energy Ventures, Bill Joy and other private investors. Honors include: 2016 Sustainia100, 2015 NJBiz

Business of the Year; 2014 Global Cleantech 100; 2013 R&D Top 100; 2014 Best Place to Work in NJ; 2014 CCEMC Grand Challenge First Round finalist; 2013 Katerva Award finalist; and MIT’s Climate

CoLab shortlist. Follow Solidia Technologies at www.solidiatech.com and on LinkedIn, YouTube and Twitter: @SolidiaCO2.

About the International Concrete Conference Now in its ninth year, the International Concrete Conference gives all who are involved with concrete, be it a provider, user, researcher, designer, contractor or student, an opportunity to learn about the latest

materials developments and understanding, to network and make contacts with experts and practitioners from around the world. Presentations of current trends and developments coupled with critical discussion and debate together with social interactions are the hallmark of the conference.

Solidia Technologies Named in the 2016 Sustainia100 CO2-reducing cement and concrete technology earns recognition as an innovative solution for climate change

PISCATAWAY, N.J., Jun. 07 /CSRwire/ - Solidia Technologies®, a cement and concrete technology startup, today announced it was named in the Sustainia100 for its systems that reduce the carbon

footprint of cement and concrete up to 70 percent. Solidia was selected to the Sustainia100 from nearly 6,000 nominated companies from 60 countries.

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“We are very honored by the acknowledgment of Sustainia and to join a cohort of 100 disruptive

innovators with scalable solutions that can solve challenges and positively impact industry, society and markets," commented Thomas Schuler, President and CEO of Solidia Technologies. "The cement and

concrete industry hasn’t seen significant change in 200 years. Our scalable, easy-to-adopt CO₂-curing system can transform sustainability into a competitive edge across the globe.”

Solidia Technologies makes it easy and profitable to use CO2 to create superior and sustainable building materials. Its patented technology starts with a sustainable cement, cures concrete with CO2 instead of water, reduces carbon emissions up to 70 percent, and recycles 60 to 100 percent of the water used in production. Using the same raw materials and existing equipment as traditional concretes, the resulting CO2-cured concrete products are higher performing, cost less to produce, and cure in less than 24 hours.

Featuring the theme “systemic opportunity,” this year’s Sustainia100, an annual publication that presents the most innovative, available, scalable and sustainable solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges, sets out 100 solutions that respond to the interconnected global challenges addressed through the Sustainable Development Goals—from health solutions that tackle climate change, to renewable energy products that alleviate gender inequality.

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“The term ‘systemic’ often brings to mind intractable problems, such as systemic poverty or systemic corruption. The global goals give us focus and pace, so we think it’s time to reclaim the word and talk about systemic opportunity, instead. The Sustainia100 shows us that the most compelling and successful solutions tackle multiple challenges, and global goals, in one go,” said Morten Nielsen, Managing Director of Sustainia, which publishes the Sustainia100.

In her foreword to the Sustainia100, Lise Kingo, the Executive Director of United Nations Global Compact, reflects on the pace and direction set by the Sustainable Development Goals: “The Sustainia100 offers us 100 reasons to be hopeful and inspired as we embark on this 15-year journey. The innovative thinking needed to accomplish the SDGs by 2030 already exists today. Now our task is to spread the word about these transformative solutions in order to help them scale and inspire new actors to take part in forging the path to a more sustainable future.”

Now in its fifth year, the Sustainia100 has tracked more than 4,500 solutions to date from all over the world. This year’s edition features solutions deployed in 188 countries, with more than half from the SME sector. The innovations are screened and selected by independent sustainability experts from 20 international research organizations, including Yale University, WWF, Acumen, Ellen MacArthur Foundation, and Cleantech. About Solidia Technologies® Based in Piscataway, N.J. (USA), Solidia’s investors include Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Bright

Capital, BASF, BP, LafargeHolcim, Total Energy Ventures, Bill Joy and other private investors. Honors include: 2015 NJBiz Business of the Year 2014 Global Cleantech 100; 2013 R&D Top 100; 2014 Best Place to Work in NJ; 2014 CCEMC Grand Challenge First Round finalist; 2013 Katerva Award finalist;

and MIT’s Climate CoLab shortlist. Follow Solidia Technologies at www.solidiatech.com and on LinkedIn, YouTube and Twitter: @SolidiaCO2. About Sustainia Sustainia helps public and private organizations create a more sustainable tomorrow, building on the solutions available today. As a world leader in navigating the new market opportunities for the Sustainable Development Goals and with a database of more than 4,500 cutting-edge innovations, Sustainia‘s

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO mission is to innovate the business models of the future. Sustainia is supported by strategic partners R20 and UN Global Compact..

Greenplay Tops Off the Benedetti Diamond

SAN FRANCISCO, May 23 /CSRwire/ - Greenplay Organics LLC, the manufacturer and distributor of Greenplay® second generation organic infill, comprised of a unique blend of specially sourced coconut fibers and cork, is extremely proud to be part of the revolutionary new synthetic turf playing surface at Benedetti Diamond.

This isn’t just another ballfield, this is the pride of the Division 1 baseball legends of the University of San Francisco dating back to the 1950’s. It was time to finally look toward synthetic turf for consistency of play and ease of maintenance. A leap of faith was taken along with extensive research and the goal of installing the best performing and most grass-like baseball field in the entire USA. This leap of faith was based on extensive research on a national level to determine what would be the absolute best surface for this and proceeding generations of USF Athletics.

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO The decision was to identify and integrate the most advanced and trusted technologies that would shape the future of the finest athletic turf surfaces. USF Athletics identified the respective industry leaders of each component with the most proven experience and greatest success. AstroTurf Diamond Series 3D turf with grass-like, high micron monofilament fibers combined with durable slit-film fibers was identified as the best possible choice for the grass component. This latest generation of performance turf technology is the ultimate evolution of the very first synthetic turf introduced at Houston’s Astrodome in 1966. Brock International was identified as the leader of shock pad technology with the most comprehensive development and testing to provide the ultimate GMAX, HIC and concussion safety. The Brock PowerBase beneath the turf will provide the field with a firm, consistent surface while also guaranteeing safety and security for the life of the field. With special attention being paid to the latest discussions about the safety of synthetic infills utilized between the blades of grass, the typical choices of SBR crumb rubber, plastics or sand left too many unanswered questions in regards to safety. As for playability, none came close to the performance required for a true game of baseball. The benchmark was natural grass, so the replacement field surface had to be even better than natural grass. Their attention was then directed to a second generation alternative infill material consisting of a specially sourced blend of coconut fibers and cork to complete the system. Domenic Carapella, the “father” of organic infill and founder of Greenplay Organics, was brought in to develop a unique organic infill blend for this very special athletic turf system. Not only is Domenic the leading expert on organic infill, the first to introduce and champion organic infill in North America back in 2006, he and his team have persevered in the ten years since by installing many successful turf fields around the country with organic infill. These installations have been met with the highest acclaim by athletes, coaches, parents and officials. The success of these fields have provided the motivation and practical basis for the growing number of referendums around the nation, such as the Montgomery County MD Resolution 18-58 adopted in February of 2015 mandating the use of plant-based organic infills for all future synthetic turf installations. The result of this team effort is a source of pride for all involved, especially the Athletic department of USF with all of the praise heaped on them from players and coaches. Reviews range from “extremely true ball roll and bounce with no variances throughout the field” to “truer than a pristine natural grass field”. As for safety, “foot stability and traction are better than grass…completely predictable” and “it’s not hard like dirt, it’s just right”. The inherent organic properties and low

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO abrasiveness of Greenplay® enhance the turf to play and react like the best natural grass fields, which is the benchmark for which all of the Greenplay® testing and data results meet or exceed. Another most important benefit the players won’t realize until the heat of the summer is that the turf temperature will be on par with natural grass due to the evaporative effect of the organic infill as it releases the cool moisture absorbed from the early morning fog. Domenic states that “we have

never seen turf temperatures exceed twenty degrees Fahrenheit above natural grass in any of our installations the last ten years.” The lower field temperatures in conjunction with the inherent low bulk density of the material will result in prolonged turf fiber life. There are no end of life disposal costs since the material is 100% recyclable and can be utilized on site as a dressing for natural grass or soil. Grooming is typical to the turf manufacturer’s specifications with standard maintenance procedures. Greenplay® is guaranteed to last the life of the field in accordance with the turf manufacturer’s warranty. Greenplay® resists mold, rot and fungus due to naturally occurring tannins. The USF Benedetti Diamond turf field is truly a benchmark for the next generation of athletes and the word is quickly spreading through the leagues and around the country for all who are thinking about a new turf field. Greenplay® is currently being specified and installed in the finest turf fields for schools, universities and municipalities. Greenplay® puts the nature back into turf for ultimate performance, safety and environmental

responsibility. It is the perfect infill for all sports applications, recreational areas, playgrounds and landscapes. Please be aware that not all organic infills are the same, Greenplay® stands alone, so be sure to specify correctly. About Greenplay Organics Greenplay® is a second generation organic, alternative infill that is the result of ten years of experience of working exclusively with organic. No company in North America has the depth of knowledge or passion for this type of product. Gen 2 Greenplay® is tested against the best and is proven to be the most durable organic infill product available. With quality control as its top mandate, Greenplay Organics specifically sources materials from pesticide free crops and blends by utilizing proprietary natural processing methods. Greenplay® is sold as being non-proprietary in

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO the market and available for all turf specifications. Quality, performance and durability are vertically integrated starting with the control of the raw materials through processing and distribution and backed by a decade of specialized experience.

Spectrum Health Recognized for Excellence in Community Service with 2016 Foster G. McGaw Prize

DEERFIELD, Ill., and GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Jan. 18 /CSRwire/ - In recognition of its cutting-edge programs and services to reach the underserved residents of Western Michigan, Spectrum Health is awarded the 2016 Foster G. McGaw Prize for Excellence in Community Service and will receive $100,000 for programs creating healthier and stronger communities.

As one of the most revered community service awards in healthcare, the Foster G. McGaw Prize is sponsored by the Baxter International Foundation, the American Hospital Association (AHA) and its non-profit affiliate Health Research & Educational Trust. First awarded in 1986, the annual prize recognizes the achievements of hospitals and health systems and inspires strong partnerships that significantly improve the health and well-being of their communities.

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO Spectrum Health is a non-profit, integrated health system in Western Michigan providing a full continuum of care. Its community outreach arm, known as Healthier Communities, responds to the most pressing needs by formulating innovative programs to address specific health challenges and then collaborating with other organizations to address them. “Since 1997, Spectrum Health Healthier Communities has built the infrastructure, resources, community-based programs and services to reach the people who need care the most,” said John O’Brien, chair of the Foster G. McGaw Prize Committee. “Through impactful alliances with community organizations, Spectrum Health has shown incredible perseverance, patience and a vision to dramatically improve the health of individuals in their communities and reduce healthcare costs.” “We are honored to be recognized by the Baxter International Foundation and the American Hospital Association for our work to empower vulnerable populations and increase access to care,” said Richard C. Breon, Spectrum Health President & CEO. “The Foster G. McGaw Prize represents significant national recognition of our mission to improve the health of the communities we serve. The award also recognizes the power of collaboration. Healthier Communities is successful due to dozens of community partners coming together to carry out this challenging yet tremendously rewarding work.” Spectrum Health Healthier Communities’ three areas of focus include maternal and infant health, children’s health and preventing and managing chronic disease through such initiatives as: ●

Strong Beginnings Program – Eight area agencies work together to improve

maternal-child health and eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in birth outcomes. The program, which offers outreach, case management, education, mental health services and a fatherhood program, has helped to significantly reduce the infant mortality rate in the county. ●

Community Partnerships for Wellness and Access to Healthy Food – Programs

specifically tailored to children and minority populations offer health screenings, coaching, fitness and nutritional support. In addition, four independent community agencies collaborate to provide healthy foods to underserved and impoverished individuals. ●

School Health Advocacy Program – A partnership with seven local school districts serving nearly 29,000 students to provide first aid, medication administration,

tracking/facilitating immunizations, care for chronic health conditions and communicable disease prevention. In less populated areas, telemedicine services are provided. ●

Core Health Program – A chronic disease management program for underserved

individuals, reaching more than 2,500 community members to date, that has demonstrated

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO a measurable impact by achieving the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s Triple Aim goals – a framework that describes an approach to optimizing health system performance. Through programs like the Foster G. McGaw Prize, the Baxter International Foundation continues to recognize and celebrate health organizations that support an integrated approach to better and more easily accessible care. “The Foster G. McGaw Prize recognizes healthcare organizations that serve as role models for taking a synergistic approach to improve the health of the people in their communities. This year’s winner and finalists offer wide-ranging programs to meet the needs of their vulnerable populations,” said Stacey Eisen, president of the Baxter International Foundation and vice president, global communications at Baxter. “Through involved leadership, dedicated staff and community collaboration, they significantly improve the lives of the patients they serve and the communities in which they operate.” 2016 Finalists Three Foster G. McGaw finalists also were recognized for their significant community health programs and will each receive $10,000. These finalists include: ●

Children’s HealthSM, the leading pediatric health system in North Texas, for its unique approach in using a cross-sector coalition to improve the health and well-being of children in the community.

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ProMedica in Toledo, Ohio, for establishing numerous community health programs for low-income residents, including collaborative approaches to tackling hunger and peer abuse.

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White Memorial Medical Center in Los Angeles, Calif., for its dedicated prevention

programs, including healthy eating and interventions for pregnant and post-partum women, as well as advancing a health careers program to ensure sustainable health among all members of the community. Spectrum Health Spectrum Health is a not-for-profit health system, based in Western Michigan, offering a full continuum of care through the Spectrum Health Hospital Group, which is comprised of 12 hospitals, including Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital; about 180 ambulatory and service sites; more than 3,200 physicians and advanced practice providers, including about 1,400 members of the Spectrum Health Medical Group; and

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO Priority Health, a health plan with about 752,000 members. Spectrum Health is West Michigan’s largest employer, with 25,200 employees. The organization provided more than $326 million in community benefit during its 2016 fiscal year. Spectrum Health was named one of the nation’s 15 Top Health Systems—and in the top five among the largest health systems—by Truven Health Analytics™ for 2016. This is the fifth time the organization has received this recognition. The Foster G. McGaw Prize Celebrating more than 30 years of honoring excellence in community service, the Foster G. McGaw Prize recognizes healthcare organizations that are committed to community service through a range of programs that demonstrate a passion and continuous commitment to making communities healthier and more vital. The prize, first awarded in 1986, inspires hospitals, health systems and communities to assess and implement programs that improve their communities.

Mission Waco Receives Grant for Sustainability Project Sun Club® partners with Mission Waco on community greenhouse

WACO, TEXAS, Jan. 18 /CSRwire/ - Mission Waco will soon be known as one of Texas’ sustainability leaders thanks to a new partnership. Green Mountain Energy Sun Club has selected the Waco-based

nonprofit to receive a $234,000 donation to support a unique sustainability project dubbed Urban REAP for “Urban Renewable Energy and Agriculture Project.”

The Sun Club will fund the majority of the project, which will feature an aquaponics greenhouse, solar energy array, rainwater catchment and purification system, plus a commercial composting system and training center for educating school groups. The innovative greenhouse will be built adjacent to Mission Waco’s recently-opened Jubilee Food Market. Mission Waco, the Sun Club and members of the community broke ground on the new site on January 18, 2017.

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Project rendering of Mission Waco's Urban REAP community greenhouse, funded by Green Mountain Energy Sun Club.

Mission Waco was founded in 1992 to empower low-income residents by providing support through a variety of assistance programs. The organization seeks to assist the poor through education, training, rehabilitation, housing and more. “The Green Mountain Energy Sun Club strives to partner with organizations that focus on making a real difference in their community,” said Mark Parsons, president of Green Mountain Energy Sun Club and general manager of Green Mountain Energy Company. “Mission Waco is a force for good in the Waco area, and we’re proud to help support them in becoming more sustainable.” The Urban REAP project will be constructed next to the new Jubilee Food Market, a nonprofit grocery store that opened November 2016 to provide fresh, healthy food to the local neighborhood. The fruits, vegetables and fish that are raised with the new aquaponics system in the greenhouse will be sold in the food market. Engineering students in Baylor’s School of Engineering and Computer Science are also getting involved in the project by helping design the solar and rainwater catchment components. “Mission Waco is so thankful to the Sun Club for donating the funds needed to build our greenhouse and help s implement sustainable solutions,” said Jimmy Dorrell, co-founder and executive director of Mission Waco. “This donation will help us feed the neighborhood and educate the community on sustainability.” To date, the Sun Club, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, has donated more than $4 million to support over 90 nonprofits across the country through solar and sustainability project donations. To learn more about the Sun Club and how to nominate a worthy nonprofit for a sustainability grant, visit www.gmsunclub.com

2017 Goals for American Job Growth and Community Investment

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WASHINGTON, DC, Jan. 18 /CSRwire/ - Walmart, the nation’s largest private employer with nearly 1.5 million associates in the U.S., today will discuss company plans to create American jobs and invest in local communities across the country. The investments in the coming year will support an estimated 34,000 jobs through continued expansion and improvement in the company’s store network, as well as e-commerce services, while providing specialty training for more than 225,000 of the company’s frontline associates. The company and the Walmart Foundation, in conjunction with The U.S. Conference of Mayors, are also announcing grants through the U.S. Manufacturing Innovation Fund to advance sustainability and innovation in textile manufacturing.

34,000 jobs, training for over 225,000 associates and grants for innovation in textile manufacturing

"Walmart is investing to better serve customers,” said Dan Bartlett, Walmart executive vice president for corporate affairs. “With a presence in thousands of communities and a vast supplier network, we know we play an important role in supporting and creating American jobs. Our 2017 plans to grow our business – and our support for innovation in the textile industry – will have a meaningful impact across the country.” Walmart is planning $6.8 billion of capital investments in the U.S. in the coming fiscal year, which includes construction and remodeling of stores, clubs and distribution centers, as well as the expansion of new services such as Online Grocery Pickup. Walmart’s fiscal year begins Feb. 1; the company’s capital plans were first shared in October. Bartlett will discuss the company’s investments in job creation and associates -- and announce Innovation Fund grants to support the U.S. textile sector -- at the 85th Winter Meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Washington, D.C. Details are highlighted below. American Jobs ●

Approximately 10,000 retail jobs created through the opening of 59 new, expanded and relocated Walmart and Sam’s Club facilities as well as e-commerce services.

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An estimated 24,000 construction jobs supported through the opening of those facilities, plus the remodeling and improvement of existing U.S. facilities.

Workforce Investment ●

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By July of this year, Walmart will open 160 new training Academies around the country, bringing the total number of Academies to 200. More than 225,000 associates will receive up to six weeks of specialty training and graduate from the academies in 2017. The Walmart Academies are a network of facilities where frontline hourly supervisors and assistant store managers receive hands-on training in retail fundamentals, leadership skills and the specifics of how to run individual store departments. The training is designed to help associates be successful in their careers and in meeting the changing needs of customers.

U.S. Manufacturing Jobs The company’s investment in American jobs includes a 2013 commitment to purchase an additional $250 billion in American-made, grown, assembled and sourced products through 2023, estimated to help create one million jobs.* Under the initiative, Walmart works with thousands of suppliers to help them gain access to the retailer’s shelves in stores and online. In the coming year, the program will continue to provide job-creating opportunities. Examples include: ●

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California Innovations, producer of the Ozark Trail “super cooler.” The Canadian company with U.S. operations is moving production of the cooler from China to a factory in Atlanta, Ga., creating 350 jobs. Edgewell Personal Care, a maker of personal hygiene products, which is bringing production from Canada to Dover, Del., creating 272 jobs. Renfro Corporation, which will create a total of 442 jobs as a result of a deal to produce athletic socks in Fort Payne, Ala.

Textile Industry Innovation This year, the Walmart Foundation will provide $3 million in grants through the U.S. Manufacturing

Innovation Fund to six leading universities working to advance sustainability and innovations in textile manufacturing, which has proven to be one of the most challenging industries to reshore to the U.S. Through the U.S. Manufacturing Innovation Fund, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation have funded $10 million in grants since 2014. The 2017 Innovation Fund grant recipients will be announced as part of Bartlett’s remarks to U.S. mayors: ●

Washington State University: to establish a sustainable process to recycle cotton waste by fiber regeneration using a wet spinning technique.

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North Carolina State University: to create a universal and sustainable commercial textile dyeing method that doesn't use salt or alkali; doesn’t produce effluent; and produces more than 95 percent savings of both energy and water. Clemson University: for development of sustainable polyester fibers that achieve a high level of water and oil repellency. Oregon State University: to develop a sustainable, cost-effective dyeing and printing of smart fabrics process. Texas Tech University: to support research on various aspects of textile manufacturing, dyeing efficiency and specialty finishes. University of Massachusetts Lowell: to develop magnetic dyeing technology to address the technical and environmental issues of current dyeing techniques.

Pact Ventures Appoints New President

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO Miguel Granier

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17 /CSRwire/ - Pact has appointed veteran impact investment fund manager Miguel Granier to lead Pact Ventures, a Pact business unit serving communities across the world through impact investing and social enterprise development. Granier brings more than 13 years of experience in social enterprise. He joins Pact from Invested Development, a successful impact investing management firm that he founded in Boston in 2009. “With his experience and impressive accomplishments, Miguel is a proven leader in impact investing and social enterprise,” said Mark Viso, Pact’s president and CEO. “We see these as critical tools to help us achieve our vision of a world where all people own their future. We know Miguel will help us tremendously as we continue to strive to create the most impact possible.” Pact established Pact Ventures in 2015 as part of a strategic expansion toward innovative funding mechanisms. Pact Ventures builds partnerships with the private sector, including traditional corporations, social enterprises and impact investors, to create both social and financial returns that improve people’s lives around the world. A leader in the emerging impact investing space, Pact also in 2015 launched a new impact investing

forum for INGOs, along with Mercy Corps, GOAL, InsideNGO and the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs. The forum helps organizations collaborate and learn from one another. “Pact has built global scale by focusing on local solutions to local problems, and that is exactly what impact investing needs,” Granier said. “I’m excited to join a team with a proven ability to build sustainable solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges.” Prior to Invested Development, Granier was the founding investment manager for First Light Ventures and founder of MCAP Consulting. He began his career in social enterprise as a loan officer for Accion New York in 2003. His earlier positions include time at Fidelity National Financial. Granier began in his new role at Pact on Jan. 9. He can be reached at mgranier@pactworld.org. Learn more about Pact Ventures here. Go here to read Amplify Impact Investing: The INGO Value Proposition for Impact Investing, an in-depth study of the current impact investing landscape in the international development sector.

About Pact – Pact, an international nongovernmental organization, is the promise of a better tomorrow

for all those who are poor and marginalized. Working in partnership to develop local solutions that enable

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO people to own their own future, Pact helps people and communities build their capacity to generate income, improve access to quality health services, and gain lasting benefit from the sustainable use of the natural resources around them. At work in more than 30 countries, Pact is building local promise with an integrated, adaptive approach that is shaping the future of international development. Pact is a top 10 implementing partner of U.S. Agency for International Development and serves several other national aid agencies, as well as private funders such as the Gates Foundation and The Coca-Cola Foundation, and corporations including

Fox Station Group Extends STEM-Themed ‘Xploration Station’ TV Block through 2020

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 17 /CSRwire/ - Xploration Station, a weekend morning block of live-action,

educational and informational TV shows primarily airing on FOX TV stations around the country, has been extended by the Fox Station Group through 2020. The announcement was made today by Steve Rotfeld, president of Steve Rotfeld Productions (SRP), who produces and distributes Xploration Station. Aimed towards kids 13-16, the entire block focuses on the “ STEM fields” (Science, Technology,

Engineering and Mathematics). The critically acclaimed block has received five Emmy nominations, and is seen in 95% of U.S. homes, plus HULU, Amazon Prime, Yahoo View, and Roku. The six current series are: ●

Xploration Awesome Planet – Hosted by Emmy nominated Philippe Cousteau, Jr.,

grandson of the legendary Jacques Cousteau, this riveting earth science series explores the most spectacular places on the earth, inside the earth and above the earth.

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Xploration Earth 2050 – This series, which has earned three Daytime Emmy Award

nominations over the past two years, features emerging technologies and predicts what the world will be like in 2050. It is hosted by inventor/artist/ futurist Charles “Chuck” Pell. ●

Xploration Outer Space – Hosted by MIT graduate, Emily Calandrelli, this series focuses on various aspects of space exploration, such as life beyond earth, the prospects of a

manned mission to Mars and the emerging space tourism industry. In 2016, it won the Cynopsis Kids Imagination Award for Best STEM series. ●

Weird But True – Hosted by siblings and science lovers Charlie and Kirby Engelman, Weird But True is an extension of Nat Geo Kids’ “Weird But True” franchise.

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Xploration DIY Sci – This interactive, do-it-yourself, pop-science series follows television personality, author, science teacher and show host Steve Spangler as he uses everyday items to turn the world into a fun and unexpected laboratory.

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Xploration Nature Knows Best – Hosted by multi-talented marine biologist Danni

Washington, Nature Knows Best chronicles how experts are drawing inspiration from both plants and animals to create incredible advancements - from airplanes to eco-friendly buildings to robots. ABOUT STEVE ROTFELD PRODUCTIONS Steve Rotfeld Productions (SRP) is an Emmy Award winning television production and broadcast syndication company. Since its inception in 1985, its programs have appeared in national broadcast syndication, on TLC, ESPN, ESPN Classic, Animal Planet, Travel Channel, History Channel, FOX and other outlets around the world. Steve Rotfeld formed SRP after six years of working for his father’s TV production company, Greatest Sports Legends, Inc., where he won a National Sports Emmy Award for Writing on the series’ Jackie Robinson 740 Haverford Road, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010 Phone: 610-520-0671 Fax: 610-520-0681 www.rotfeldproductions.com documentary. In 2014, SRP launched Xploration Station, an innovative new take on E/I programming. Xploration Station is the first and only broadcast destination dedicated exclusively to STEM-based programming for tweens, teens and their families. In its first two years on the air, Xploration Station received a total of five Daytime Emmy nominations. In addition to Xploration Station, SRP and its sister companies have produced shows including The Haney Project and Donald Trump’s Fabulous World of Golf for Golf Channel, Wild Weddings for TLC, Wild About Animals, Awesome Adventures, Whaddyado, The Lighter Side of Sports for ESPN, and Greatest Sports Legends.

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO For media questions or requests to interview the show hosts, please send an email to Stephanie Wolf at Stephanie@rotfeldproductions. Other questions should be directed to Steve Rotfeld at Steve@rotfeldproductions.com.

Business Efforts to Advance Gender Equality will be Recognized at The Gender Equality Awards 2017

TORONTO, Jan. 17 /CSRwire/ - The Gender Equality Awards 2017, hosted by the Global Compact Network Canada (GCNC), will recognize the efforts of businesses who are helping to advance Sustainable Development Goal #5 (gender equality). The GCNC, the Canadian Network of the UN Global Compact (UNGC), has been active in promoting the 7 globally recognized Women Empowerment Principles (WEPs) and UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To further spearhead action, the GCNC is now launching the first ever Gender Equality Awards to create awareness and award businesses who are committed to helping and achieving gender equality. By participating in The Gender Equality Awards 2017, businesses will receive the opportunity to showcase commitment and leadership, and accelerate action. The Gender Equality Awards 2017 also aims to use received submissions as case studies to help inspire other businesses in Canada and beyond. To enter, businesses can submit their existing gender equality initiatives and efforts to 7 different

categories based on the 7 Women Empowerment Principles. The winner of each category will be determined through a public voting process. The deadline to submit entries into the Awards is February 8, 2017 and public voting opens on February 10, 2017. The Awards will also provide the GCNC with the opportunity to identify barriers and challenges to achieving gender equality within the private sector. This is crucial in the organization’s efforts to solidifying a clear strategy and action plan that will be announced during The Gender Equality Forum 2017.

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO Winners will be announced and awarded at The Gender Equality Forum 2017 in Toronto, on April 3rd and 4th.

This high-level forum will bring together leaders from businesses, civil society, government and the UN to scale up efforts to advance gender equality. The forum will also provide attendees with the opportunity to witness a historical moment where an “Action Agenda” will be set to help achieve SDG #5 Gender Equality. Registration for the forum is now open. About the Global Compact Network Canada The Global Compact Network Canada (GCNC) is the Canadian Network of the United Nations Global

Compact - the world's largest voluntary corporate sustainability initiative. The GCNC supports Canadian businesses in the implementation of the 10 Principles of the UNGC and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The GCNC unifies and builds the capacity of the Canadian private sector to embrace sustainable business practices by convening and accelerating opportunities for multistakeholder collaboration.

Consumers Energy, Partners Provide Additional $5 Million to Help Michigan Families Stay Safe and Warm Assistance This Winter Providing Help to Over 50,000 Households

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Help is available: CALL 2-1-1: Dial 2-1-1 first to find out what resources are available in your community. Learn more about Consumers Energy’s CARE program at www.ConsumersEnergy.com/CARE

JACKSON, Mich., Jan. 17 /CSRwire/ - Consumers Energy and five nonprofit organizations are again helping Michigan families stay warm, announcing $5 million in new contributions that will help

households manage their energy bills. In all, the energy provider and nonprofit agencies are teaming up to help over 50,000 households across Michigan this winter. “We are committed to doing our part to help Michigan residents who are facing hardship to stay warm, even on the coldest days of the year,” said Garrick Rochow, Consumers Energy’s senior vice president of distribution and customer operations. “We want people to know that help is available and as close as a phone call away.” In October, Consumers Energy and nonprofit organizations announced $12 million in funding. The nonprofit agencies provide the funding directly to people who need help managing their energy bills. They are The Salvation Army, Michigan Community Action, The Heat and Warmth Fund (THAW), the St. Vincent DePaul Society and TrueNorth Community Services.

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO The Company encourages anyone who is looking for available assistance in their community to start by calling 2-1-1, a free service that can refer people to local assistance programs, or by visiting www.ConsumersEnergy.com/assistance.

Consumers Energy is helping Michigan residents in other ways this winter. Its CARE program is currently enrolling households in long-term payment plans to manage their energy bills. CARE provides customers with monthly bill credits, along with the opportunity to receive forgiveness of past-due balances and to receive free in-home energy efficiency upgrades that reduce energy costs. Consumers Energy, Michigan’s largest utility, is the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS), providing natural gas and electricity to 6.7 million of the state’s 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.

Emerald Brand Provides the Princeton Day School with a Cost Saving Sustainable Solution

SYOSSET, N.Y., Jan. 17 /CSRwire/ - Emerald Brand and the Princeton Day School are proud to announce their sustainability partnership in providing and utilizing a complete sustainable solution throughout their campus. Princeton Day School successfully launched this environmental initiative through Emerald Brand directly following the winter break, now providing Tree-Free bathroom tissue, recycled garbage liners, green-seal certified chemicals and soap, as well as environmentally friendly hand towels campus wide. Princeton Day School is a private, co-educational day school located in Princeton, New Jersey, serving students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. The highly-rated school is a member of the “Green Schools Alliance”, an international non-profit organization that advances student success and saves schools’ resources by fostering whole school sustainability. Princeton Day School is emerging as a leader for the Green Schools Alliance as well as the GSA Purchasing Solution, the rapidly growing tool to save schools money, improve their access to quality products, and simplify their purchasing. The GSA Purchasing Solution matched Princeton Day School to Emerald Brand’s sustainable disposable solutions to take further strides towards health, wellness, and sustainability in the educational system.

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO “These are really functional products - some are even better than what we used before. We aren’t sacrificing quality because they’re green and sustainable. I haven’t heard a complaint from any of my staff - I’d hear if there was a problem” states Gene Hartway, Custodial Foreman of Princeton Day School.

Hartway also appreciated that the Green Schools Alliance staff identified products and queued up the school’s ordering list to get exactly what the staff and students need. “The Alliance is very helpful in pointing me in the right direction and suggesting products that have a similar, if not better, cleaning capability.” In addition to providing the New Jersey school with a cost saving sustainable solution, Emerald Brand consolidated Princeton Day School’s SKU count on all of their cleaning chemicals by a third, and is providing an easy to use Green Seal certified cleaning dilution system and environmentally friendly cleaners. Through their partnership, Emerald Brand and PDS will track and measure their environmental savings while creating an educational foundation to strengthen awareness and education surrounding sustainability for their student and faculty community. “Our partnership with Princeton Day School is an example of two institutions with very similar missions and mindsets; to educate and to communicate the importance of sustainability in the every-day life of our stakeholders by ‘walking the walk.’ We are very proud to work with such a well-renowned and forward thinking institution and look forward to educating the talented student body and faculty that makes Princeton Day School a leader in the education field,” states Ralph Bianculli Jr., Managing Director of Emerald Brand. Princeton Day School is anticipating to save approximately 38 trees, 4,426 pounds of virgin fiber, 12,209 gallons of water, and 4,428 pounds of plastic material within the first year of converting to Emerald’s sustainable program.

Greenplay® Organics Partners with Target Technologies

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White House specifies Greenplay Organic Infill

WASHINGTON, D.C., Jan. 17 /CSRwire/ - Domenic Carapella, President and Founder of Greenplay Organics, LLC was the first person to introduce plant-based organic infill for synthetic turf into North America in 2006. Based on a strong belief that “natural always makes things better” he set on a mission to make organic infill the best possible alternative option for synthetic turf. Working exclusively with

organic turf infill for over a decade now, his depth of knowledge and practical experience with organics remains unparalleled in the turf industry. Through his steadfast determination and dedication to quality and service, organic infill is finally a popular option and widely accepted for use in sports fields, recreational and landscape turf applications. Universities, high schools, private schools, playgrounds, luxury resorts and even The White House have upgraded their synthetic turf with Greenplay® organic infill (Domenic is pictured on the South Lawn). Through experience and constant development, the original blend of coconut fibers and cork has been improved into the new second generation Greenplay® Corkonut that is proven superior. Greenplay

Organics now also offers a pure, highly durable and resilient granular cork option called ProFormance Cork, or PFC, for environments that have little or no access to moisture, but still require a performance based and environmentally harmonious natural infill. With the increased demand for organic infill options, Greenplay Organics, LLC was ready for the right distribution partner to take the business to the next level. The mandate from the beginning was to be able

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO to provide non-proprietary alternative organic infills to all of the turf manufacturers and the public in general. Domenic believes that a customer should not be forced to buy a specific brand of turf just to enjoy the benefits of a better infill. “The infill must be available to everyone, especially when concerns for health and safety are factored into the decision of installing turf.”

For these reasons Domenic partnered with like-minded industry dynamo John B. Giraud and his awesome team at Target Technologies International, INC. (TTII). TTII, owned by QUIKRETE, based in Atlanta, is widely recognized as the industry leader for synthetic turf infill through steadfast integrity and by providing world class logistical services. John alone has over 44 years of expertise in the supply of silica sands for synthetic turf and has since firmly established Target Technologies as the premium supplier of sand for the turf industry, expertly serving contractors and manufacturers for decades. As a true steward of nature, John has received government recognition for his work in protecting the environment and supplying environmentally conscience products. Providing organic Greenplay® products through the powerhouse that is TTII provides the opportunity to finally achieving the ultimate goal of offering the best possible infill choices to anyone who wants it….anytime…anywhere. Believing now more than ever that “natural always makes things better”, it was natural for Greenplay Organics to partner with Target Technologies!

John B. Giraud states; “TTII’s business model is only to offer the very best products with respect to the environment and safety of the player of all ages and Greenplay Organics LLC meets and exceeds TTII criteria for a reliable infill for every application for synthetic turf.” This combined team remains poised to provide the absolute best industry liaison with architects, designers, consultants, turf manufacturers, contractors and the public with constantly updated safety, environmental and performance testing on all products offered to assist with design and specifications.

Major Stakeholders Co-Create Unifying Strategy to Address Post-Harvest Loss in Nigeria PYXERA Global Convenes 22 Local and International Stakeholders in the Nigerian Tomato Value Chain

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO WASHINGTON D.C., Jan. 16 /CSRwire/ - Major stakeholders in the Nigerian tomato value chain came together from across the globe for the first-ever YieldWise Partner Planning Session last month.

YieldWise, a $130 million dollar initiative launched in 2016 by The Rockefeller Foundation, seeks to demonstrate how the world can halve food loss by 2030, one of the UN’s Global Goals.

The 22 partners in attendance included international and Nigerian non-government organizations, government representatives from Kano and neighboring states, input providers, agro-technology manufacturers, domestic processors and other large-scale tomato buyers. P YXERA Global, implementing partner of the $6 million dollar YieldWise initiative in Kano, Nigeria facilitated this convening so that all of the major players in the tomato value chain could discuss and align individual program and business plans to develop a single overarching strategy to address post-harvest loss in northern Nigeria. “Collectively, these organizations are investing millions of dollars each year in the tomato value chain in Nigeria, and this session provided a platform for them to align those resources to maximize impact,” said Maggie DeLorme, Senior Program Manager at PYXERA Global who led the session. “This is the first time all of these stakeholders have been around the same table at the same time. The fact that 22 different organizations and companies from across sectors attended this session is a testament to how serious of an issue post-harvest loss for tomatoes is in this region, and to the tangibility of the solutions at-hand.” There are three YieldWise post-harvest loss pilots in Sub-Saharan Africa, and PYXERA Global implements the initiative in Nigeria focusing specifically on loss along the tomato value chain. The initiative targets major contributors to loss in the areas of farmer aggregation and training, market linkages, access to finance, access to post-harvest loss mitigating technologies, and the enabling environment. “We also encouraged attendees to put aside competitive differences and aim for collaboration and sustained conversation in order to continue to get the most impact from collective efforts,” said Adam Suleiman, Project Director for PYXERA Global in Kano. “The session focused on ensuring efforts were not being duplicated or undermined by organizations working within the tomato value chain, while supporting the achievement of individual organizational targets and objectives.” The session enabled attendees to share work plans, specific activity targets and approaches, and discuss opportunities and challenges associated with implementation in an open and collaborative way. While not all attendees are direct partners of the YieldWise initiative, they are all engaged in activities aimed at reducing post-harvest loss in the region and with the goal of strengthening and diversifying the tomato

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO value chain. Following this first session, attendees will be participating in quarterly working group meetings to continue the spirit of collaboration and collective impact. PYXERA Global is continuing the post-harvest loss discussion at its G lobal Engagement Forum: Live on April 4 and 5 in Washington, D.C. This interactive forum will bring together leaders, innovators, and

resources to collaborate on three solvable problems: post-harvest loss, preventable diseases, and youth employability.

Cargill’s Progress on Building Deforestation-Free Supply Chains Outlined in New Report

MINNEAPOLIS, Jan. 16 /CSRwire/ - In a report issued today, Cargill presented progress on its efforts to meet its commitment to eliminate deforestation from its supply chains. The first Cargill Report on Forests covers on-the-ground actions within six priority supply chains and global collaborations to advance

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO In the lead up to the 2017 World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Cargill’s inaugural report is intended to spark broader discussion of the issues driving deforestation and the policies and practices that can prevent it. “Ending deforestation is critical to curb climate change,” said Cargill CEO and Chairman David MacLennan. “Today, we are at an important crossroads as we work to nourish the world and protect the planet. Sustainable agriculture must be a part of the solution.” The report highlights Cargill’s progress on: ●

Creating and enacting action plans to protect forests in priority supply chains: palm oil globally, soy in Brazil and Paraguay, cocoa globally, cotton and maize in Zambia, and fiber-based packaging. In support of these action plans, Cargill issued a new Policy on Sustainable Fiber-based Packaging.

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Developing and implementing programs and trainings for more than 148,000 farmers and suppliers to promote sustainable land use, including 15,000 small- and large-scale soy farmers in Brazil, 21,000 palm oil smallholder farmers in Indonesia, 1,000 soy farmers in Paraguay and 90,000 cocoa farmers and cooperatives in West Africa.

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Completing an analysis, in partnership with World Resources Institute and Global Forest Watch, of nearly 2,000 sourcing locations, both Cargill-owned and third-party operated, across its global footprint. The analysis served to establish a preliminary baseline, which is necessary for measuring progress toward no-deforestation targets. The project spanned a sourcing area encompassing 166 million hectares, including 119 million hectares of tree cover. The analysis found approximately 1.7 million hectares, or 1.4 percent, of tree cover loss in 2014 in these areas. This assessment illustrates the landscape context of land use change in the vicinity of Cargill’s sourcing areas, but these forest impacts cannot be interpreted as directly related to Cargill’s sourcing itself. The next step will be to identify how Cargill’s operations relate to the sources contributing to tree cover loss and develop solutions to protect those forest areas.

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Extending the Brazilian Soy Moratorium in the Amazon and the implementation of the Brazilian Forest Code and the Rural Environmental Registry, or CAR, through supplier training and education, and partnerships with cross-sector and multi-sector organizations. Cargill soy contracts in Brazil now require farms to comply with the Brazilian Forest Code and CAR.

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO Cargill also outlined clear challenges and new approaches necessary to drive continued progress, including: ●

Building consensus around definitions and standards of measurement to effectively monitor progress.

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Encouraging engagement with local and national governments to advance more effective institutional frameworks and jurisdictional approaches.

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Managing redundancy in initiatives to drive scalable solutions by coordinating at sectoral and landscape levels.

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Engaging suppliers to implement changes from the point of origin.

“We realize the private sector can lead in making agriculture and supply chains more sustainable,” said Cargill global leader of business operations and supply chain Ruth Kimmelshue. “But we can’t do it alone. We want to work with customers, governments, NGOs and others to apply scalable approaches and deploy technology and practices that will give farmers the tools they need to create a more food-secure world.” In support of its purpose to be the leader in nourishing the world in a safe, responsible and sustainable way, Cargill has led and supported a number of sustainability initiatives over the last decade to put its voice and influence behind public-private efforts aimed at mitigating key drivers of deforestation and climate change. Among these efforts are the Brazilian Soy Moratorium, the Sustainable Palm Oil Manifesto, the New York Declaration on Forests, the United Nations’ Scaling Up Nutrition Movement and the Sustainable Development Goals, and the American Business Act on Climate Pledge. Cargill is advancing sustainability across four focus areas: land use, including forests; water resources; climate change; and farmer livelihoods. Learn more at cargill.com/forests.

MilliporeSigma Kicks Off Year-Long ‘Curiosity Cube™’ Tour Mobile Science Education Lab will reach 350,000 students across America

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 13 /CSRwire/ - Recognizing that tomorrow’s discoveries depend on the next generation of scientists—and that breakthroughs begin with curiosity—MilliporeSigma has kicked off a year-long “Curiosity Cube™” tour. The tour builds on MilliporeSigma’s successful Curiosity Labs™ program, in which MilliporeSigma

employees volunteer their time to deliver hands-on, interactive science lessons to inspire students to explore a career in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The Curiosity Cube™—a 22x10-foot, retrofitted shipping container that has been transformed into a mobile science lab—will visit more than two dozen stops across the United States in 2017, aiming to reach 350,000 students. “Through our Curiosity Labs™ program, we have brought leading edge science technology and experiments to tens of thousands of students around the globe—inspiring them to seek a career in science and pave a road to a future filled with innovative breakthroughs,” said Udit Batra, Member of the Executive Board, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany and CEO, MilliporeSigma. “We are excited to bring similar experiences to even more curious minds, of all ages, through the Curiosity Cube™ tour.”

Equipped with the latest technology, the Curiosity Cube™ provides a learning environment that allows visitors of all ages to become immersed in specific science topics—from learning about how DNA works to building their own, custom microbe using a 3D printer. All Curiosity Cube™ experiments will be staffed by MilliporeSigma employees—allowing visitors to ask questions and discuss the possibilities of a future career in STEM. Cities on the Curiosity Cube’s™ tour across the United States include Boston, Austin, St. Louis, Milwaukee and Washington, DC. To follow the Curiosity Cube™ tour and other efforts of MilliporeSigma, follow the #SPARKCuriosity hashtag on Twitter and Facebook. All Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany news releases are distributed by email at the same time they become available on the EMD Group website. In case you are a resident of the U.S. or Canada please go to www.emdgroup.com/subscribe to register again for your online subscription of this service as our newly introduced geo-targeting requires new links in the email. You may later change your selection or discontinue this service.

Center for Financial Inclusion at Accion, Institute of International Finance and MetLife Foundation Launch Project to Help Banking Industry Overcome Barriers to Financial Inclusion

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO Project will help mainstream financial institutions overcome barriers to reaching unserved and underserved populations with quality financial services

Washington, D.C., Jan. 13 /CSRwire/ - The Center for Financial Inclusion at Accion (CFI), the Institute of International Finance (IIF) and MetLife Foundation, together with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) as a technical partner, announced today a two-year initiative to help advance the financial services industry’s ability to reach unserved and underserved populations. The project, titled Mainstreaming

Financial Inclusion: Best Practices, will facilitate learning and action on how financial institutions can respond to the specific challenges of reaching lower income market segments. Through research,

knowledge exchange, best practices, real world examples and expert insights, the project will identify and transmit practical guidance that financial institutions can use to expand quality services to the poor. Building on findings from CFI and IIF’s previous joint study, “The Business of Financial Inclusion: Insights from Banks in Emerging Markets,” the project will explore six topics that financial institutions identified as key challenges when serving customers at the base of the economic pyramid: 1) Partnering with fintech startups, 2) Building financial capability of low income populations, 3) Extending insurance coverage, 4) Improving agent banking models, 5) Opening bank accounts remotely, and 6) Utilizing data analytics. For each topic, CFI and IIF will conduct in-depth research, lead participatory workshops amongst mainstream financial institutions and disseminate research findings, including a white paper, to the industry. Financial technologies and digital financial services are revolutionizing the way customers access and use financial services, opening the way for banks, insurance companies, payment providers and other financial institutions to serve millions of underserved customers. Yet globally, there are still 2 billion people who are completely “unbanked,” and even more who have an account, but use it only rarely or not at all. Financial institutions face hurdles achieving the long-term business viability and sustainability needed to expand and deepen their reach with this customer segment.

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO IIF, the global association of the financial industry, will provide expertise, co-host events, and engage its membership—500 financial institutions from 70 countries—which constitutes the primary audience for this project. “Inclusion of the under and unbanked populations into the financial ecosystem has become an important piece of banks’ strategic plans. Many firms are harnessing new technologies and leveraging partners to create sustainable programs to reach these populations,” said Tim Adams, President and CEO of the IIF. “With more progress to be made, we look forward to working with the Center for Financial Inclusion at Accion on building best practices and developing practical solutions to the challenges firms face in bringing the financial system to the underserved.” As an industry thought-leader, CFI lends its experience helping financial institutions serve low-income customers and its connection to fintech companies in emerging markets. “The partnership between CFI and IIF provides a unique opportunity to engage some of the most important financial institutions operating in developing countries in practical learning, and through this process, it will help accelerate and deepen financial inclusion,” said Elisabeth Rhyne, Managing Director, CFI. “Our approach is to build communities of knowledge and commitment and to hold the industry responsible for progress. Our intent with this project is to provide financial institutions with practical knowledge to overcome their business challenges and successfully serve the base of the pyramid, providing the poor with better products, service, reliability, and quality.” IFC will play a technical advisory role in collaboration with CFI and IIF. “This partnership will contribute to achieving the World Bank Group’s Universal Financial Access goals, and leverage IFC’s experience in investment and private sector development,” said Martin Holtmann, Manager of IFC’s Microfinance and Digital Financial Services.

In keeping with their commitment to financial inclusion, MetLife Foundation has provided nearly $400,000 over two years to support this project. “MetLife Foundation is pleased to support efforts that improve the availability of high-quality financial services for low-income people around the world,” said Dennis White, president & CEO, MetLife Foundation. “Mainstream financial institutions have many tools and services that help people manage their daily financial lives, grow their businesses and assets and save for the future. We look forward to seeing additional solutions that can help low-income people improve their financial health in the same way.”

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO MetLife Foundation has made a $200 million dollar, five year commitment to improve financial inclusion worldwide.

51 Public Schools Named State Winners in $2 Million* Samsung STEAM Learning Contest Samsung Awards State Winners with $25,000* in Technology to Compete in Next Phase of the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Contest

RIDGEFIELD PARK, N.J., Jan. 13 /CSRwire/ - Samsung Electronics America (SEA) announced the 51 state winners of the 7th annual Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Contest – a nationwide competition that challenges students to use STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) skills to affect real-world change. Teachers from schools across the country submitted lesson plans detailing how their students will use STEAM skills to solve a problem in their local community – from building a solar farm to reduce coal energy dependence, to developing an app to prevent children from being left behind in hot cars, and designing a sensory-stimulating outdoor playground for fellow students with Autism. Selected from a pool of thousands of schools who entered, only 51 were named state winners – representing every state and the District of Columbia. State winners were chosen based on the creativity of their overall concept and plan for execution, in addition to effectively piquing student interest in STEAM subjects. As state winners, each of the schools will receive $25,000* in technology to compete in the next phase of the contest. Furthermore, to ensure students and teachers have the necessary materials to bring their projects to life, Samsung is collaborating with Indiegogo to help schools raise funds online. To kick off the crowdfunding campaigns, Samsung will provide a seed donation of $250 toward each school project, and match up to an additional $250. In addition, students will be able to effect even greater change in their local communities by selecting and advocating for a local charity of choice, inspired by their project’s purpose, in an effort to win a donation on its behalf. “Each Solve for Tomorrow state winner school has presented a challenge unique to their hometowns, but most of those challenges have implications across the globe.” said Ann Woo, director of corporate

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO citizenship, Samsung Electronics America. “While others might see the threats posed to environmental conservation, health and wellness, and sustainable living as insurmountable problems, these students and teachers see an opportunity for change. We’re delighted to support each school as they take these complex challenges head-on with STEAM learning.” In the next phase of the contest, using their Samsung ATIV Book 9 Pro, state winners will submit a three-minute video that demonstrates their project– from planning to execution – to affect tangible change and solve a local community issue using STEAM. Teachers at each school will have until mid-February to submit their video for review by a panel of judges, and for the opportunity to proceed in the following phases of the contest: ●

Next, from the pool of 51 state finalists, 10 schools will be selected as national finalists to present their projects live to a panel of judges in New York City in early 2017.

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And finally, three national grand prize winners and one community choice winner will be selected in the spring of 2017.

The Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Contest was created in 2010 to encourage innovation while addressing the technology gap in classrooms across the country. Each year, the competition inspires more active, hands-on teaching and learning among schools nationwide. Since 2004, Samsung has provided more than $19 million in technology to more than 1,000 public schools in the United States.

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CS wire Renewable energy Mission Waco Receives Grant for Unique Sustainability Project from Green Mountain Energy Sun Club Sun Club® partners with Mission Waco on community greenhouse

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Project rendering of Mission Waco's Urban REAP community greenhouse, funded by Green Mountain Energy Sun Club.

WACO, TEXAS, Jan. 18 /CSRwire/ - Mission Waco will soon be known as one of Texas’ sustainability leaders thanks to a new partnership. Green Mountain Energy Sun Club has selected the Waco-based

nonprofit to receive a $234,000 donation to support a unique sustainability project dubbed Urban REAP for “Urban Renewable Energy and Agriculture Project.” The Sun Club will fund the majority of the project, which will feature an aquaponics greenhouse, solar energy array, rainwater catchment and purification system, plus a commercial composting system and training center for educating school groups. The innovative greenhouse will be built adjacent to Mission Waco’s recently-opened Jubilee Food Market. Mission Waco, the Sun Club and members of the community broke ground on the new site on January 18, 2017. Mission Waco was founded in 1992 to empower low-income residents by providing support through a variety of assistance programs. The organization seeks to assist the poor through education, training, rehabilitation, housing and more. “The Green Mountain Energy Sun Club strives to partner with organizations that focus on making a real difference in their community,” said Mark Parsons, president of Green Mountain Energy Sun Club and general manager of Green Mountain Energy Company. “Mission Waco is a force for good in the Waco area, and we’re proud to help support them in becoming more sustainable.” The Urban REAP project will be constructed next to the new Jubilee Food Market, a nonprofit grocery store that opened November 2016 to provide fresh, healthy food to the local neighborhood. The fruits, vegetables and fish that are raised with the new aquaponics system in the greenhouse will be sold in the food market. Engineering students in Baylor’s School of Engineering and Computer Science are also getting involved in the project by helping design the solar and rainwater catchment components.

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO “Mission Waco is so thankful to the Sun Club for donating the funds needed to build our greenhouse and help us implement sustainable solutions,” said Jimmy Dorrell, co-founder and executive director of Mission Waco. “This donation will help us feed the neighborhood and educate the community on sustainability.” To date, the Sun Club, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, has donated more than $4 million to support over 90 nonprofits across the country through solar and sustainability project donations. To learn more about the Sun Club and how to nominate a worthy nonprofit for a sustainability grant, visit www.gmsunclub.com.

FCA US Dealers to Brighten the Night for Customers

-Lighting upgrade to brighten dealership showrooms, service bays and lots -Initiative expected to slash dealer energy and maintenance costs

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Jan. 09 /CSRwire/ - FCA US LLC dealerships are brightening the night for their customers who shop for new cars and trucks after sundown.

FCA US has launched its “FCA Bright Initiative” that will not only provide customers and dealership employees with a brighter and safer environment at night, but also slash a dealership’s total electricity costs by up to 50 percent through the installation of new Light-Emitting Diode (LED) lighting.

This program supports the Company’s sustainability approach, by working with business partners to develop responsible and sustainable development practices.

FCA US has already tested the new LED lighting at a California Chrysler, Jeep®, Dodge, Ram Truck and FIAT dealership and is rolling out the initiative to its entire network of 2,600 dealerships in the U.S.

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO “This new wave of lighting is a win for both the dealership and its customers,” said Al Gardner, Head of

Network Development, FCA – North America. “Converting traditional lighting systems to eco-friendly LED lighting enhances the customer experience in the showroom, service and parts departments and on dealership lots, while the dealership immediately begins to save on lighting costs.”

FCA US has partnered with Revolux LED Solutions and GE Lighting to plan and install the new lights and fixtures.

The Houston-based Revolux already has completed more than 375 lighting upgrade projects, including 40 FCA US dealerships nationwide. In addition to saving on energy costs, Revolux notes that with LED lighting, dealerships can reduce their fixture count by up to 25 percent, maximize light distribution, reduce placement costs, showcase inventory in true colors, and improve productivity in service and parts departments.

FCA US and Revolux introduced the initiative in a pilot at San Leandro Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram, in San Leandro, California.

“When we considered the Revolux upgrade to LED, I was skeptical at first,” said Carlos Hidalgo, dealer principal at the San Leandro dealership. “But when customers come up and ask, ‘Wow, what have you done to the facility?’, then you know you’ve done something right.”

The LED lighting design creates a more inviting shopping experience at night, Hidalgo said. “We literally shine all over the boulevard.”

While savings will vary by dealership, the pilot installation saved the San Leandro dealership more than 50 percent in total electricity costs since installing the LED lights in August.

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO FCA US dealers interested in the LED lighting upgrade should contact Revolux in Houston at 1-800-FCA-BRIGHT, or email at FCABRIGHT@RevoluxLED.com.

Consumers Energy to Finish Installing Upgraded Meters in 2017 Homes, Businesses Can Participate in New Programs, Services

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO “By the end of the year, these customers will be able to access their energy use information and sign up to take advantage of money-saving programs,” Rochow said. Consumers Energy began installing electric meters in 2012 in the Grand Rapids area. In 2015, the energy provider started adding communication modules on natural gas meters of customers who also receive electric service. Those combination customers are able to access both their hourly energy use and their daily natural gas use via the Smart Energy web portal. Midland, Bay, Ingham and Eaton counties will begin receiving upgrades in the spring. Clinton, Clare, Gladwin, Gratiot, Isabella and Shiawassee counties are scheduled for summer.

Shining a Light on Off-Grid Communities Little Sun joins the Business Call to Action with a pledge to bring solar light to remote areas off the electricity grid

BERLIN, Dec. 16 /CSRwire/ - Germany-based solar energy provider Little Sun has joined the Business Call to Action (BCtA) by committing to provide clean and affordable solar lighting to 5 million people in

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO Africa while bringing livelihood opportunities and training to at least 4,000 local micro-entrepreneur distributors until 2020. Launched in 2008, the Business Call to Action (BCtA) aims to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by challenging companies to develop inclusive business models that engage people with less than US$8 per day in purchasing power as consumers, producers, suppliers and distributors. It is supported by several international organizations and hosted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Today there are 1.1 billion people worldwide without access to electricity. These ‘off-grid’ communities are not able to light their homes, charge mobile phones or access other basic services. Education levels in these areas remain low since children cannot study after sunset. Working hours are limited to the daytime, which decreases incomes. Providing medical care – and delivering babies – becomes much more risky at night. Founded in 2012, Little Sun’s mission is to bring affordable solar light to the over 1 billion people worldwide living without electricity. The company seeks to strengthen communities from the inside by creating local income opportunities through a distribution network comprised of local entrepreneurs. Its products’ price point is affordable for consumers while still allowing for profits to be made by these local distributors. Little Sun is a social business operating with a unique global model, providing affordable energy access units in off-grid areas as well as selling lamps and solar powered phone chargers in the global north to fund the project, to share a strong symbol of renewable energy, and to create a more interconnected world. “In remote areas without access to the electricity grid, lack of lighting is a major barrier to economic and social development, further marginalizing already struggling families,” said Paula Peleaz, BCtA Programme Manager. “Little Sun is not only providing these communities with a source of light. It is enhancing their livelihoods, furthering their education and improving their health – all with simple and affordable solar-powered lanterns”. The company’s inclusive business strategy focuses on developing its local distributors’ businesses through training and support with marketing and sales. Little Sun is also tackling the challenge of limited logistics and retail opportunities in remote areas through strategic partnerships with local businesses, NGOs and community-based organizations.

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO In addition to producing solar lights, Little Sun creates targeted training materials to guide its partners in addressing customers’ needs and evolving their business strategies. Its Berlin-based team gets involved at the local level by delivering workshops on solar technology, sales and distribution planning, financing, accounting and recruitment. While funding is a major challenge for scaling up solar solutions in rural areas, Little Sun is developing innovative flexible-payment and credit models, and forging strategic partnerships with village savings and loan associations. And since the company is able to achieve greater margins in higher-income areas, it can offer realistic payment terms, deferred financing and subsidies in lower-income communities. Amid growing awareness of the risks of kerosene and the financial benefits of sustainable lighting, the company’s management expects demand for its solar products to expand significantly. Already active in over ten sub-Saharan African countries, Little Sun is planning to expand its operations in these countries before moving to other regions in order to ensure a strong distribution network. “In producing and distributing our solar products, we are keeping an eye towards the Sustainable Development Goals,” said Felix Hallwachs, Little Sun’s CEO. “This requires fostering local small business opportunities and building a scalable delivery system – as well as building global awareness of the importance of clean, renewable energy.”

3Degrees Joins RECS International Deepening our commitment to European renewable energy markets.

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 15 /CSRwire/ - 3Degrees is pleased to announce that we have joined RECS International, an organization committed to building global renewable energy markets that are standardized, transparent and most importantly, consumer-driven. “3Degrees – through its work with Green-e and WRI - has a proven commitment to building high-integrity renewable energy markets,” says Jared Braslawsky, Secretary General of RECS International. “We are proud to have them join RECS International and support our mission of creating reliable attribute tracking markets in Europe and around the world.” Since its founding, 3Degrees has helped customers with needs for international renewable energy certificate (REC) and carbon offset products. Today, we offer comprehensive international offerings

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO including GOs, I-RECS, TIGRs, carbon offset products, as well as PPAs, VPPAs and consulting services. We have done business in over 40 countries and are proud to be a CDP Global Renewable Energy Partner.

“More and more of our customers are looking to us to help them address their global needs around renewable energy and greenhouse gas emissions,” according to Steve McDougal, CEO of 3Degrees. “Joining RECS International allows us to stay plugged into the nuances of the European renewable energy markets and better serve our customers.” 3Degrees will be speaking at the upcoming RECS International conference in March of 2017, providing a perspective on the US RECs market.

An Historic Achievement – National Grid Customers Are the First in the U.S. to Receive Offshore Wind Power

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PROVIDENCE, R.I., Dec. 12 /CSRwire/ - After just 11 months of construction on its “sea2shore: The Renewable Link” project, National Grid today announced that it is now officially delivering electricity generated by the offshore Block Island Wind Farm to the electricity grid in Rhode Island and to customers – a first-in-the-nation milestone. Beginning in January 2016, National Grid oversaw construction of the majority of the infrastructure needed to connect the wind farm to the electric system on mainland Rhode Island. The company will

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO continue to own and maintain the infrastructure, which includes approximately 20 miles of submarine cable, five miles of underground cable, and two new substations (one on Block Island and one in Narragansett). “We’re really a leader in renewables and National Grid has been a great partner for us at every step of the way,” said R.I. Governor Gina Raimondo. “We’re moving ourselves to a more resilient, sustainable, cleaner, more affordable energy source, and that’s a win for everybody.” “National Grid has significant experience with submarine cable projects and has completed several others in the past, but connecting to the country’s first offshore wind farm has made it a unique experience for everyone involved,” said Timothy F. Horan, president and COO of National Grid in Rhode Island. “We are incredibly grateful to the project team, the state of Rhode Island, and all of our partners who helped make this possible, and to the residents, business owners, and community leaders of Block Island, Narragansett and South Kingstown who showed great patience and collaboration as we worked to make this historic effort a reality.” “This is an historic achievement for our country, our customers and our company,” said Rudy Wynter, president and COO of National Grid’s FERC-Regulated Businesses. “We know that transmission is the key to unlocking and delivering the large amounts of renewable power our region needs to meet its clean energy goals, and we look forward to other developing projects that will support that endeavor.” The Block Island Wind Farm is expected to supply approximately 30 megawatts of electricity, more than enough to meet Block Island’s entire current demand of 3 to 4 MW. The excess will be re-directed to mainland Rhode Island via the submarine cable running between Block Island and the town of Narragansett. National Grid is a world leader in the installation of submarine cables and transmission interconnectors that deliver large amounts of renewable energy to densely populated areas. Its two cables that serve the island of Nantucket enabled that community to virtually eliminate reliance on dirty, unreliable diesel generators for power. National Grid also built, operates and jointly owns an interconnector that delivers up to 2,000 MW of Canadian hydropower to New England. National Grid’s UK business jointly developed, owns and operates interconnectors to France and the Netherlands and is developing proposals for additional projects that would interconnect with other European countries. For additional information about the project, please visit www.ngrid.com/sea2shore or click the following

link for a brief video about the project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cF-f-cxGxVg. National Grid has

made a press kit available to members of the media, which includes video footage and photos that can be

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO used for print and broadcast coverage. The media kit can be accessed through Google Chrome using the following link: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B9ZHEBX7rfiAcXNUNjJXWmJEMHM?usp=sharing. WHAT INDUSTRY AND ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERS ARE SAYING ABOUT sea2shore: American Wind Energy Association “The importance of seeing the Block Island Wind Farm come online to produce power cannot be overstated for the residents of Rhode Island or the nation. This is more than a ribbon cutting; it is the dawn of an entirely new source of homegrown U.S. energy. Paired with transmission infrastructure, American offshore wind can deliver vast amounts of clean energy directly to the nation’s largest population centers. In doing so, we can create jobs for generations, bring opportunities for American workers that are currently only available overseas, rehabilitate aging port and highway infrastructure, and help make America energy independent” - Nancy Sopko, Manager, Advocacy and Federal Legislative Affairs, AWEA CERES "We commend National Grid for recognizing the critical role that offshore wind can play in tackling the climate challenge and investing capital in the new infrastructure needed to make the clean energy economy a reality” - Dan Bakal, CERES Director of Electric Power New England Clean Energy Council "NECEC applauds National Grid for its contribution to delivering the clean energy generated by the nation’s first offshore wind project – the Block Island Wind Farm – to customers,” "Offshore wind will play a critical role in advancing the clean energy economy of the Northeast, and National Grid is providing the connection vital to that advancement” - NECEC President Peter Rothstein WIRES “The hallmark of the modern electric system is deployment of diverse sources of electricity and advanced technology. The age of offshore wind is just starting. A more robust and integrated transmission network will enable clean wind power from projects like Sea2Shore to be provided more reliably and cost effectively to consumers” - Jim Hoecker, former Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and Counsel to WIRES, an international business group that promotes energy infrastructure investment

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO

Birmingham Mayor William A. Bell (right) and Jason Bingham (left), vice president for energy services and controls at Trane, signed a commitment to sustainability and an energy-efficient environment, launching energy saving upgrades to 125 buildings that

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Oct. 14 /CSRwire/ - In partnership with Trane, the city of Birmingham, Alabama, formalized its commitment to sustainability and launched energy saving upgrades to 125 city buildings at an Oct. 5 event at Titusville Public Library. Trane is a leading global provider of indoor comfort solutions and services and a brand of Ingersoll Rand. Slated for completion in 2018, the $61.3 million project is expected to cut annual energy and operational costs by more than 30 percent, saving more than $100 million over the next two decades. “The energy upgrades these 125 city buildings will undergo are truly needed by the community,” said Birmingham Mayor William A. Bell. “We are pleased that we will fund the improvements using future energy and operational savings at no additional cost to taxpayers.” The improvements are funded with a performance contract, which is a project delivery method that provides measurable business results to support strategic business objectives. During the event, Mayor Bell and Jason Bingham, vice president of energy services and controls at Trane, signed a pledge formalizing the city’s commitment to sustainability and energy efficiency and officially launching the upgrade project.

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO “The City of Birmingham provides a real-life example of how governments can partner to deliver best-in-class operations and dramatic energy cost reductions,” said Bingham. At the project outset, before identifying energy conservation measures, city leaders directed completion of an energy audit of all city owned and occupied buildings, which identified opportunities to increase energy efficiency and cut utility costs across 125 buildings. The selected facility improvements are designed to assist city facilities teams with managing and operating efficient and sustainable buildings that help the city better serve the community. The updated buildings will provide a more comfortable environment for visitors and other occupants and a more productive and healthy working environment. Energy conservation measures will include: ●

Water upgrades in 119 buildings

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Lighting upgrades in 117 buildings

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Energy and heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) controls for 108 buildings

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Building envelope improvements in 59 buildings

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HVAC/mechanical upgrades in 45 buildings

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Roof replacements in 31 buildings

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Transformer upgrades for 12 buildings

The updated city, police departments, fire departments, museums, libraries, parks and recreation centers and buildings will provide more comfortable environments for visitors and other occupants to deliver more productive and healthy working environments. The City of Birmingham project partnership includes a workforce development program in which Trane will work with Lawson State Community College and the Birmingham Construction Industry Authority on a professional development job-training program for Minority Business Enterprise contracting partners. The program focuses on expanding participants’ skills and expertise to help achieve the energy savings for this and future projects. The partnership also will provide Birmingham city schools’ students with science, technology, engineering and mathematics educational opportunities to prepare for future “green” careers.

CBRE Study Finds San Francisco The Nation’s Greenest City Third Annual Green Building Adoption Index Shows Percentage of U.S. Office Space “Green” Certified Tops 40%

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LOS ANGELES, Oct. 12 /CSRwire/ - Institutional owners of office buildings continued to pursue green building certifications in the 30 largest U.S. markets during 2015. Continuing an upward trend over the past decade, green certifications are now held by 11.8 percent of all surveyed buildings, representing 40.2 percent of all office space. Both figures are slightly above last year’s results, according to the third annual Green Building Adoption Index study by CBRE Group, Inc. and Maastricht University. “Green”

office buildings in the U.S. are defined as those that hold either an EPA ENERGY STAR label, USGBC LEED certification or both. After placing second on the Green Building Adoption Index the two prior years, the San Francisco market claimed the top spot with 73.7 percent of its space qualified as green certified. Chicago claimed the second spot, narrowly trailing the leader at 72.3 percent and Minneapolis fell from the top into third spot at 60.6 percent. Houston, Atlanta and Los Angeles all also achieved more than 50 percent green certification in their office markets. “While the rate of growth in ‘green’ buildings has slowed modestly, our latest study underscores that in most major markets, sustainable office space has become the ‘new normal,’” said David Pogue, CBRE’s Global Director of Corporate Responsibility.

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO Executed in close collaboration with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and CBRE Research, this is the third release of the annual Green Building Adoption Index. Based on a rigorous methodology, the Index shows the growth of ENERGY STAR- and LEED-certified space for the 30 largest U.S. office markets, both in aggregate and in individual markets, over the previous 10 years. View the study’s findings HERE.

Science Barge Gets Power Boost From Green Mountain Energy Sun Club

The Science Barge in Yonkers, NY has received a power boost from Green Mountain Energy Sun Club with new solar panels and an updated battery bank to power the sustainable urban farm.

YONKERS, N.Y. , Oct. 06 /CSRwire/ - On Thursday, October 6, at 4 p.m., Mayor Mike Spano will flip the switch on a new, more efficient energy system for the Science Barge, located on Yonkers’ waterfront. The system, donated by Green Mountain Energy Sun Club at a value of $50,000, will modernize the off-grid solar electric system aboard the Science Barge. “This donation from the Sun Club® propels the Barge into the next era, totally updating the energy system that powers our hydroponic farm. We will now have double the solar power and double the energy

reserves,” said Bob Walters, director of the Science Barge, a program of Groundwork Hudson Valley. The

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO grant includes 12 new LG solar panels that produce a total of 3,420 watts and an Iron Edison 48 volt battery bank that is significantly more efficient than the outdated system it is replacing. “The Sun Club loves working with unique nonprofits, and the Science Barge is an excellent demonstration of renewable energy and environmental education,” said Mark Parsons, president of Green Mountain

Energy Sun Club and general manager of Green Mountain Energy Company. “We’re proud to support the Science Barge by helping the sustainable urban farm operate completely off the grid.” Thanks to an anonymous donor, the Science Barge was recently purchased by Groundwork, freeing the organization from a long-time lease obligation. “Now, with the new energy system, the Barge is positioned to demonstrate and teach sustainable farming for the future, with zero carbon emissions, zero pesticides, and zero runoff,” notes Walters. Accompanying Mayor Spano at the press event will be representatives from the Sun Club and Green

Mountain Energy Company, Science Barge staff and volunteers, local elected officials, and members of Groundwork Hudson Valley’s youth Green Team. There will be refreshments and giveaways for attendees. The Science Barge educators are also rolling out new climate change curricula this fall, thanks to a grant from the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Association (NOAA). Groundwork was one of only six organizations in the country to receive this grant to provide cutting-edge education in climate change and resiliency to Yonkers school students. New signs and exhibits will be installed on the Barge, spreading awareness about climate change among thousands of visitors each year. Since its founding in 2002, the Green Mountain Energy Sun Club has donated more than $4 million to nonprofits focusing on renewable energy, energy efficiency and resource conservation in numerous communities in Texas and in the Northeast. To learn more about the Sun Club, visit www.gmsunclub.com.

Besides Green Mountain Energy Sun Club, the Science Barge is funded by grants from the City of Yonkers, ConEdison, Domino Sugar, NOAA, the EPA, and the Hudson River Foundation. The Barge is located at 99 Dock Street, Yonkers, NY 10701.

Green Mountain Energy Sun Club Donates $300,000 to SEARCH Homeless Services SEARCH becomes a model and teacher of environmental best practices

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The Green Mountain Energy Sun Club donated $300,000 to SEARCH Homeless Services in Houston, Texas. As part of the donation, SEARCH's House of Tiny Treasures received a 1,000 gallon rainwater cistern.

HOUSTON, Sep. 22 /CSRwire/ - Texas sunshine and rain are now helping SEARCH Homeless Services power their facilities and conserve water thanks to a $300,000 donation from Green Mountain Energy Sun Club. SEARCH is a Houston-based nonprofit dedicated to

providing hope, creating opportunity and transforming the lives of homeless men, women and children. The Sun Club® donation equipped the nonprofit with solar panels, a rainwater cistern and other sustainable energy solutions. As a result of SEARCH’s “Of Course We Can”

capital campaign, the nonprofit opened the doors on two new buildings this summer, both of which have been outfitted with sustainable energy solutions. At SEARCH’s new headquarters, the Sun Club’s donation is helping slash the building’s annual energy costs by 50 percent.

“Green Mountain Energy Sun Club is proud to support SEARCH Homeless Services and partner with an organization that has such a consistently profound impact in our

community,” said Mark Parsons, president of the Green Mountain Energy Sun Club and vice president and general manager of Green Mountain Energy Company. “The Sun Club

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO donation to SEARCH will free up funds used to power the facilities, allowing the nonprofit to transform and re-build more lives.” At the new SEARCH Employment Services and Care Hub, which serves as the nonprofit’s headquarters, the Sun Club donated a 65-kilowatt rooftop solar array, LED lights and

insulation. The sustainable additions are expected to save the nonprofit more than $342,000 over the 25-year life of the solar array. SEARCH also opened a second House of Tiny Treasures, its early childhood education program. The new school features a 1,000 gallon rainwater harvesting system that will serve as irrigation for the landscape and lawn. The cistern will also be incorporated into the education curriculum so the children can learn about the importance of sustainability from a young age. “SEARCH is so thankful for the support and investment from the Green Mountain Energy Sun Club,” said Thao Costis, president and CEO of SEARCH Homeless Services. “We are

proud of our commitment to sustainability and hope to inspire other nonprofits to look for ways they can do more to be better stewards of our environment.”

National Grid Pursues Smart Energy Solutions Extension Worcester, Mass. program key to company’s grid modernization learnings

WORCESTER, Mass., Sep. 06 /CSRwire/ - Encouraged by customer satisfaction, positive results, and the opportunity to learn more about how smart grid investments may improve electric service and reliability across the Commonwealth, National Grid is seeking to extend the Smart Energy Solutions (SES) pilot program in Worcester for an additional two years. Eager to build upon the program’s successes and help the state evaluate the benefits of grid modernization, the company filed a request yesterday with the Department of Public Utilities to continue the most comprehensive smart grid pilot in the Northeast. The program’s 15,000 customers have access to pricing plans designed to help them save on their monthly electric bills and prepare for days when energy usage is highest. Additionally, infrastructure investments including advanced communications and automation enhancements have enabled faster outage identification and faster system restoration, while also being able to test integration of renewable resources and electric vehicle charging stations in the city.

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO Several monitors are installed at solar and wind distributed generation locations within the SES program area to help the company study the impact of distributed generation on the electric system. “We are excited about the opportunity for program participants to continue benefiting from new pricing plans and in-home technologies that let them take control of their energy use and costs,” said Carlos Nouel, vice president of New Energy Solutions at National Grid. “Our investments in smart grid infrastructure, and what we’re learning from this program, will ultimately help us improve service for all of our customers as we strive to offer them a 21st century experience.” Launched in January 2015 with the DPU’s approval as a two-year pilot under the 2008 Green Communities Act, SES has sustained a high retention and satisfaction rate, and resulted in peak and average load reduction and measurable customer bill savings. Findings from a mid-program evaluation revealed that in 2015 the SES program achieved a 98 percent retention rate, a 72 percent customer satisfaction rate and total customer savings of $1.25 million on their electric bills. Additionally, the average customer reduced their usage by nearly 4 percent during peak periods of electricity demand. Now in its second year, the pilot has helped inform the company’s grid modernization filing in Massachusetts. National Grid submitted a plan last summer in response to the DPU’s request for proposals to modernize the grid and enhance customers’ utility experiences. That proposal is pending review by the DPU. The company’s filing requests permission to continue Smart Energy Solutions as it exists today, with features including advanced metering infrastructure, time varying rates, Conservation Days, Peak Event hours, customer in-home technology, and continued community access to the Sustainability Hub at 912 Main St., which opened to the public in the fall of 2013. “Not only does SES help us with ways to better serve our customers through technology, tools and enhanced infrastructure, it has given us an opportunity to innovate and work directly with the Worcester community,” said Nouel. “We are looking forward to continuing to grow our relationship with the city, the schools and universities, and the greater community as we work to engage our customers. This is not just National Grid’s program; it is the community’s.” Operated with full-time support from Clark University and WPI students, the Sustainability Hub has served as a place for residents to learn about participation in SES and energy efficiency programs, join together for community gatherings, charge their electric vehicles, attend educational programs, and more. If approved, Smart Energy Solutions will be extended from its current end date of Dec. 31, 2016 to the end of 2018.

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Renewable Choice Energy Joins Infocast as Corporate Renewables 2016 Platinum Sponsor Firm to share expertise on renewable energy landscape for corporate buyers at premier industry event

BOULDER, Aug. 23 /CSRwire/ - Renewable Choice Energy announced today that it has joined leading event producer Infocast as a Platinum Sponsor for the upcoming Corporate Renewables 2016 conference. Billed as an event “by corporates, for corporates,” the conference will be held September 26-28 in Washington, D.C. Renewable Choice was invited to join the Infocast event team to share its expertise on renewable energy procurement among corporate & industrial (C&I) buyers. To date, the firm has supported its clients in signing over a gigawatt of new wind and solar via power purchase agreement (PPA). Renewable Choice will co-host the pre-conference workshop with law firm K&L Gates and will speak on several panels throughout the event. Renewable Choice has also been involved in helping to shape the broader event’s agenda and is a member of the conference’s advisory board. “We are delighted to include Renewable Choice among our collaborators for Corporate Renewables 2016. Their team’s expertise in the corporate renewables space has been invaluable,” said Ron Henderson, Event Designer at Infocast. “Renewable Cvhoice has played a key role in helping us shape this conference to be the premier industry event of its kind. It’s not to be missed.” Since 2001, Renewable Choice has been a pioneer in the commercial renewable energy marketplace. In 2006, the company assisted Whole Foods Market in brokering what was, at that time, the largest purchase of renewable energy by a corporation to date. Since that landmark deal, Renewable Choice has partnered with thousands of C&I buyers and transacted on millions of kilowatt hours of renewable energy across more than 30 countries. The company has been recognized repeatedly for its leadership by the Environmental Protection Agency and is a certified B Corporation. “Our partnership with Infocast on Corporate Renewables 2016 has been positive,” said Amy Haddon, VP of Communications & Engagement for Renewable Choice and a featured speaker at

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO the Infocast event. “It has allowed us to showcase our leadership in a new venue, and we’re excited about the final result. The conference promises to be the best-in-class event of 2016 on C&I renewable purchasing.” To learn more about Corporate Renewables 2016, or to register, visit: http://infocastinc.com/event/corporate-renewables/.

Massachusetts Energy Efficiency Efforts Providing Unprecedented Savings to Customers Massachusetts Energy Efficiency Efforts Providing Unprecedented Savings to Customers

WALTHAM, Mass., Aug. 12 /CSRwire/ - Massachusetts utilities and energy efficiency service providers[1] have filed their 2013-2015 Term Reports with the Department of Public Utilities, showing unprecedented energy savings and dollar benefits statewide over the three-year period. For each of the three years, Massachusetts was also ranked number one on the American Council for An Energy Efficient Economy’s State Energy Efficiency Scorecard. Through the nation-leading Mass Save programs, Massachusetts customers saved 3,924,746 annual megawatt-hours of electricity from electric programs and 78,733,649 annual therms of natural gas from gas programs. The results confirm the commonwealth’s energy efficiency programs deliver innovative, cost‑effective programs, resulting in combined economic benefits of more than $9.3 billion to Massachusetts customers during the term, or $4.69 in benefits for every program dollar spent. “We applaud our customers for embracing these opportunities to improve their energy productivity and make their homes and businesses more affordable and comfortable,” said Terry Sobolewski, Chief Customer Officer at National Grid. “We’re thankful to these customers for helping make Massachusetts the most energy-efficient state in the nation. We look forward to continued advancements in energy efficiency, both for our customers and the environment, as we continue to strive toward providing a modern, 21st century experience to our customers.” The results of the reports also show that during the same three-year period, the energy efficiency programs contributed to cleaner air and significant job growth. Based on the energy savings between 2013 and 2015, the resulting reductions in greenhouse gas emissions include a reduction

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO of 2,221,558 Short Tons of CO2, or the equivalent of taking 423,961 cars off the road - helping the commonwealth’s efforts to meet the environmental goals set forth in the Clean Energy and Climate Plan. Additionally, a report issued by the Northeast Energy Efficiency Council found that the energy efficiency programs have helped spur significant job growth and identified more than 7,000 companies participating in the Massachusetts energy efficiency industry today. “It’s extremely gratifying to see that programs developed through the successful collaboration of program administrators and state officials are helping our customers and our environment in such a significant way,” said Penni Conner, Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer at Eversource. “As the top-ranked state in the country, Massachusetts continues to set a very high bar with its statewide energy efficiency efforts.” During the 2013-2015 timeframe, the program included striking success in programs directed at lower‑income customers, helping Massachusetts’ most vulnerable residents lower their energy costs. The low-income program delivery goals were met or exceeded, thanks to the innovative and collaborative partnership between the Mass Save Program Administrators and the Massachusetts Low-Income Service Provider Network, better known as LEAN. “This represents permanent cuts in low-income utility bills,” said LEAN Chairman Elliott Jacobson. “These savings make it possible for families to feed their children adequately and keep them warm, and for seniors to stay in their homes.” The Mass Save Program Administrators work cooperatively and collaboratively with the Department of Energy Resources, the Massachusetts Attorney General, and the Energy Efficiency Advisory Council, and appreciate their efforts in advancing energy efficiency in the commonwealth. Building on thirty years of success, the Mass Save programs continued to deliver on increasingly challenging savings goals. For the 2013-2015 term, the Program Administrators developed nation-leading programs that included the incorporation of state-of-the-art new technologies and measures to achieve deeper savings; addressed barriers to participation; and utilized sophisticated data analysis and research techniques including third-party evaluations and the development of a comprehensive, statewide database for energy efficiency data (www.MassSaveData.com). Working together, the Program Administrators look forward to continuing to achieve nation-leading energy savings goals during the ongoing implementation of the third three-year

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO plan following the passage of the Green Communities Act in 2008. In the 2016-2018 plan, the Program Administrators have committed to the nation’s most aggressive savings goals to further the commonwealth’s energy objectives. For more information about the Mass Save energy efficiency programs, visit www.masssave.com/.

Black & Veatch: Technology Brings Risk, Reward, Uncertainty to Electric Industry Annual Strategic Directions Report reflects on a decade of transformation, and what’s next

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., Aug. 10 /CSRwire/ - Distributed generation, the low price of natural gas and modern customer information systems (CIS) represent growth opportunities for the electric industry even as security concerns are on the rise and legacy power generation sources cede their prominence to new technology. Those are the top findings in Black & Veatch’s 2016 Strategic Directions: Electric Industry Report, the company’s annual review of the issues affecting the industry.

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO A decade ago, security ranked 10th on the industry’s top 10 issues list, while renewable energy was viewed as unlikely to have a material impact on the future plans for the industry. Since that initial Strategic Directions report, microgrids, electric vehicles and energy storage technologies have become strategic imperatives for utility leaders who see distributed energy resources and renewables as potential sources of revenue. According to the report, reliability remains a perennial concern with respondents ranking it as their number one issue for the past five years. “Utility leaders around the world recognize that solar energy, wind power, microgrids and distributed generation are prominent in the new discussion around resource efficiency, and customers are compelling their infrastructure providers toward sustainability,” said Ed Walsh, President of Black & Veatch’s power business. “But some providers are expressing uncertainty about whether they can meet the expectations of an always-on, always-connected society that demands 100 percent up-time.” The report examines how distributed generation, better informed customers and advanced technologies are ushering a new era of opportunity and uncertainty for the electric industry. The analysis also considers the impact of natural gas, the U.S. Clean Power Plan and the effects of coal retirements on balanced power generation portfolios. Additionally, the analysis draws an important comparison between the state of today’s electric utilities and the sweeping change that recast the telecommunications landscape with the advent of customer demand for mobile technology. Engaging electric utility customers through new services, such as community solar or on-bill financing of distributed energy resources systems and maintenance, enables providers to evolve and meet customer demand by using existing infrastructure to expand beyond conventional core services. “Today, you see (mobile carrier) retail stores under each brand selling the very equipment that has made their traditional model obsolete,” John Chevrette, President of Black & Veatch Management Consulting, writes in the report’s closing commentary. “They evolved to offer new services, such as broadband to the home and cellular services, among others, by leveraging their existing infrastructure and shared networks. These same opportunities exist for the power industry.”

Renewable Choice Energy Expands International Portfolio of Products & Services

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO Award-winning firm advances global presence

BOULDER, Colo., Jul. 28 /CSRwire/ - Renewable Choice Energy announced today that it has expanded its global portfolio of clean energy products and services to include international onsite and offsite power purchase agreements (PPAs). The company already supplies global energy attribute certificates (EACs) and carbon offsets (emissions reductions) to its commercial, industrial, and institutional (C&I) customers. The firm has also partnered with green building projects in more than 30 different countries to help them earn their LEED® certification. Renewable Choice began its rise as a leading green power supplier in 2006, when it helped Whole Foods Market become 100% wind powered. The deal was the largest corporate purchase of renewable energy to date. Since that time, hundreds of multinational corporations have followed suit. In 2015, corporate purchasers were responsible for purchasing more than 3,000 megawatts of new wind and solar capacity, many with Renewable Choice’s help. The company began advising clients on long-term renewable energy contracting via PPA in 2011. The PPA mechanism allows organizational buyers to participate more directly in the renewable energy market, while locking in stable prices to hedge against market volatility. The company’s expanded international division will support C&I buyers looking to purchase PPAs in countries such as Mexico, India, and the Netherlands where such deals have favorable terms and economics. “What we’ve seen over the past year is an explosion of C&I interest in PPAs, both domestic and abroad,” said James Lewis, Renewable Choice’s Sr. Director of Strategic Renewables for International Markets. “Favorable conditions—including the deregulation of the Mexican energy market and the aggressive renewable energy target set by India’s Modi government—means that it’s more feasible than ever for multinational corporations and their suppliers to execute onsite or offsite wind and solar PPAs in a number of global markets.” In addition to international PPAs, the company will continue to provide customized EAC and carbon offset procurement options to C&I buyers. Renewable Choice’s deep experience in transacting internationally has helped it build relationships with reputable, credible projects in more than 30 countries—with more being added all the time as renewable energy trading schemes

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO advance in developing markets. International EACs, in particular, are of high value to C&I buyers who may report to CDP. Under the new Scope 2 guidance, published in 2015 by WRI, entities must match the region of their EACs to the region of their operational electricity load. “EACs are the worldwide standard for tracking and trading renewable energy—even PPAs rely on EACs for their clean generation attributes,” said Amy Haddon, VP of Communications & Engagement for Renewable Choice. “However, it can be difficult to obtain credible EACs. For C&I buyers with operations in developing markets like Singapore, Brazil, and China, a procurement partner like Renewable Choice is invaluable.”

2020 SUSTAINTABILITY REPORT

Fox Station Group Extends STEM-Themed ‘Xploration Station’ TV Block through 2020

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 17 /CSRwire/ - Xploration Station, a weekend morning block of live-action,

Engineering and Mathematics). The critically acclaimed block has received five Emmy nominations, and

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO is seen in 95% of U.S. homes, plus HULU, Amazon Prime, Yahoo View, and Roku. The six current series are: ●

Xploration Awesome Planet – Hosted by Emmy nominated Philippe Cousteau, Jr.,

grandson of the legendary Jacques Cousteau, this riveting earth science series explores the most spectacular places on the earth, inside the earth and above the earth. ●

Xploration Earth 2050 – This series, which has earned three Daytime Emmy Award

nominations over the past two years, features emerging technologies and predicts what the world will be like in 2050. It is hosted by inventor/artist/ futurist Charles “Chuck” Pell. ●

Xploration Outer Space – Hosted by MIT graduate, Emily Calandrelli, this series focuses on various aspects of space exploration, such as life beyond earth, the prospects of a

manned mission to Mars and the emerging space tourism industry. In 2016, it won the Cynopsis Kids Imagination Award for Best STEM series. ●

Weird But True – Hosted by siblings and science lovers Charlie and Kirby Engelman, Weird But True is an extension of Nat Geo Kids’ “Weird But True” franchise.

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Xploration Nature Knows Best – Hosted by multi-talented marine biologist Danni

Washington, Nature Knows Best chronicles how experts are drawing inspiration from both plants and animals to create incredible advancements - from airplanes to eco-friendly buildings to robots.

Emerald Brand Provides the Princeton Day School with a Cost Saving Sustainable Solution

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO recycled garbage liners, green-seal certified chemicals and soap, as well as environmentally friendly hand towels campus wide. Princeton Day School is a private, co-educational day school located in Princeton, New Jersey, serving students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. The highly-rated school is a member of the “Green Schools Alliance”, an international non-profit organization that advances student success and saves schools’ resources by fostering whole school sustainability. Princeton Day School is emerging as a leader for the Green Schools Alliance as well as the GSA Purchasing Solution, the rapidly growing tool to save schools money, improve their access to quality products, and simplify their purchasing. The GSA Purchasing Solution matched Princeton Day School to Emerald Brand’s sustainable disposable solutions to take further strides towards health, wellness, and sustainability in the educational system. “These are really functional products - some are even better than what we used before. We aren’t sacrificing quality because they’re green and sustainable. I haven’t heard a complaint from any of my staff - I’d hear if there was a problem” states Gene Hartway, Custodial Foreman of Princeton Day School.

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO Princeton Day School is anticipating to save approximately 38 trees, 4,426 pounds of virgin fiber, 12,209 gallons of water, and 4,428 pounds of plastic material within the first year of converting to Emerald’s sustainable program.

Cargill’s Progress on Building Deforestation-Free Supply Chains Outlined in New Report

sustainable agriculture. Cargill worked with numerous global partners to engage more than 148,000 farmers and established a baseline for measuring tree cover loss by mapping the sourcing areas of nearly 2,000 locations across 14 countries. In the lead up to the 2017 World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Cargill’s inaugural report is intended to spark broader discussion of the issues driving deforestation and the policies and practices that can prevent it.

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO “Ending deforestation is critical to curb climate change,” said Cargill CEO and Chairman David MacLennan. “Today, we are at an important crossroads as we work to nourish the world and protect the planet. Sustainable agriculture must be a part of the solution.” The report highlights Cargill’s progress on: ●

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Cargill also outlined clear challenges and new approaches necessary to drive continued progress, including:

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Building consensus around definitions and standards of measurement to effectively monitor progress.

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Encouraging engagement with local and national governments to advance more effective institutional frameworks and jurisdictional approaches.

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Managing redundancy in initiatives to drive scalable solutions by coordinating at sectoral and landscape levels.

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Engaging suppliers to implement changes from the point of origin.

Global Sustain Annual Integrated Report 2015 You can download the Report online

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Global Sustain Annual Integrated Report 2015

ATHENS, Greece, Jan. 10 /CSRwire/ - Global Sustain proudly presents its first Global Sustain Annual

Integrated Report 2015, in line with the company's vision and commitment to growth, sustainability and transparency. This integrated report is the next step in Global Sustain journey towards reporting its corporate performance with special reference to its social and environmental performance, in line with global developments and stakeholders' expectations. This year’s Report is in English and designed by Global Sustain member Sympraxis Team. It was prepared considering the International Integrated Reporting Council standard, the GRI-G4 guidelines (In accordance “Core”), the principles of the United Nations Global Compact and the AA1000 AccountAbility Principles Standard 2008. For the first time, there is a special reference to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that are linked to the GRI indicators. The content of the Report relevant to sustainability has been assured by the company TÜV Austria Hellas, while the financial figures of this report have been assured by RSM Greece S.A.

FCA US Dealers to Brighten the Night for Customers

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AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Jan. 09 /CSRwire/ - FCA US LLC dealerships are brightening the night for their customers who shop for new cars and trucks after sundown.

This program supports the Company’s sustainability approach, by working with business partners to develop responsible and sustainable development practices.

“This new wave of lighting is a win for both the dealership and its customers,” said Al Gardner, Head of

FCA US has partnered with Revolux LED Solutions and GE Lighting to plan and install the new lights and fixtures.

The Houston-based Revolux already has completed more than 375 lighting upgrade projects, including 40 FCA US dealerships nationwide. In addition to saving on energy costs, Revolux notes that with LED

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO lighting, dealerships can reduce their fixture count by up to 25 percent, maximize light distribution, reduce placement costs, showcase inventory in true colors, and improve productivity in service and parts departments.

FCA US and Revolux introduced the initiative in a pilot at San Leandro Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram, in San Leandro, California.

The LED lighting design creates a more inviting shopping experience at night, Hidalgo said. “We literally shine all over the boulevard.”

While savings will vary by dealership, the pilot installation saved the San Leandro dealership more than 50 percent in total electricity costs since installing the LED lights in August.

FCA US dealers interested in the LED lighting upgrade should contact Revolux in Houston at 1-800-FCA-BRIGHT, or email at FCABRIGHT@RevoluxLED.com.

US EPA Includes SCS Global Services' Standards, Ecolabels and Certifications in its Recommendations to Federal Purchasers Calif., Jan. 06 /CSRwire/ - SCS Global Services is pleased to announce that its suite of indoor air quality certification standards for the built environment are now recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in its Recommendations of Specifications, Standards and Ecolabels to federal purchasers. SCS has provided leadership in third-party environmental and sustainability certification, auditing, testing, and standards development for more than thirty years.

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO SCS Indoor Advantage and Indoor Advantage Gold were included among the standards recommended for federal purchasing for a wide range of low-emitting furniture and building materials, such as

adhesives, carpet, acoustical ceiling tile, fiberboard, gypsum panels, wallboard, flooring products, insulation, and interior latex paint. In addition, the FloorScore® standard, developed by SCS for the

Resilient Floor Covering Institute, was among the standards recommended for federal purchasing for low-emitting flooring and carpet. “The EPA has undertaken a herculean task in evaluating the tremendous variety of ecolabels, standards, and specifications available in the marketplace today,” said Linda Brown, SCS Senior Vice President. Ms. Brown participated on the Governance Committee during the EPA’s pilot project to develop Guidelines for Environmental Performance Standards and Ecolabels, which ran from March 2015 through December 2016. “The pilot project and resultant findings represents a great start to this effort.” During the pilot phase, which focused on three categories – paints and coatings, furniture, and flooring – product-focused stakeholder panels and the Governance Committee grappled with a wide range of issues related to environmental standards setting processes, effectiveness of standards in protecting human and environmental health, conformity assessment approaches, and ecolabel program management. In addition to earning the recommendation for its indoor air quality standards, SCS was found to meet the EPA’s guidelines for Conformity Assessment Bodies for services provided in connection with the following standards: ●

level®, ANSI/BIFMA e3 – 2014, Certification for Sustainable Furniture

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Green Squared®, ANSI A138.1 – 2011 v2, Certification for Sustainable Ceramic Tiles, Glass Tiles and Tile Installation Materials

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facts®, NSF/ANSI 336 – 2011, Certification for Sustainable Commercial Furnishings Fabric

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NSF/ANSI 140 – 2015 Sustainability Assessment for Carpet

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NSF/ANSI 332 – 2015 Sustainability Assessment for Resilient Floor Coverings.

With expertise spanning a wide-range of industries, SCS is one of the few certification bodies with the ability to assess companies, domestic and international, for a number of multi-attribute and indoor air quality standards recommended so far by the EPA. “We are pleased to have been included among EPA’s initial round of recommended standards, and to have been able to demonstrate our competence as a third-party certifier,” said Steve Kooy, SCS’ Director

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO of Sales and Marketing. “We look forward to helping our customers meet federal procurement mandates, and where applicable, achieve multiple certifications simultaneously.” The pilot project was an outgrowth of U.S. Presidential Executive Order 13963, Planning for Federal Sustainability in the Next Decade, which directed the EPA to provide federal purchasers with

recommendations of specifications, standards, and ecolabels to use in identifying and procuring environmentally preferable products and services. The EPA’s goal was to develop a transparent, fair and consistent approach to using private sector standards and conformity assessment programs to support sustainable acquisition within the federal government, resulting in greater marketplace clarity overall.

Bloomberg Named Outstanding Corporate Leader of 2016

(Left to right) Jim Boyle – CEO & Chairman, Sustainability Roundtable Inc, Jason Shulman – Sustainability Manager- Reporting & Analysis, Bloomberg, Paul Hawken – Author & Executive Director, Project Drawdown at the Summit for Sustainable Operations

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Jan. 05 /CSRwire/ - Sustainability Roundtable, Inc. ("SR Inc"), the leader in Sustainability Program support services, recognized Bloomberg as the Sustainable Business &

Enterprise Roundtable's (SBER) Outstanding Corporate Leader for 2016. SR Inc recognized Bloomberg

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO at the Summit for Sustainable Operations V in DC December 8th because of its industry leading best practices in driving greater sustainability throughout Bloomberg’s global real estate and operations

portfolio. SR Inc has been recognizing Outstanding Corporate Leaders of the Year since 2010 and Bloomberg, first recognized in 2014, is the first company to be recognized a second time. Year over year, SR Inc confidentially scores and assists dozens of world-leading companies in developing and managing strategies to move their operations to greater sustainability. Bloomberg warranted the Outstanding Corporate Leader Award for a second time because of its leading success in driving continuous innovation and optimization throughout its operations to advance the company’s long-term business success in a world of rising resource constraints. Bloomberg continues to achieve leadership scores on SR Inc’s annual assessment, which evaluates the strength of a company’s sustainability strategy for real estate and operations, even as the diagnostic survey it is based on raises the bar to stay aligned with current industry leading best practices. The comprehensive, aggressive, and effective nature of Bloomberg's sustainability efforts support the award, including: ●

Explicit and visible commitment driven from Chairman's office

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Integration of sustainability information sharing into the company's core business products, helping advance more sustainable industry practices

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Transparency and depth of sustainability reporting beyond SR Inc scoring

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Breadth and depth of employee engagement in virtually all aspects of corporate sustainability

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Leadership commitment sufficient to positively influence renewable energy and quality REC markets

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Robust participation across leadership development and engagement programs, with 80+% of employees engaging with at least 1 of Bloomberg’s social impact groups

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Continued investments to bring Sustainable Finance into Bloomberg products and services, media outlets and industry vertical groups (e.g. Portfolio Carbon Footprint Tool, Water Risk Valuation Tool)

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Continued level of financial investment in sustainability projects, funded by calculated avoided cost savings per FTE of sustainability initiatives over time (a featured Member-Client best practice), resulting in $23.8M in net savings between 2007 and 2015 for facilities-related initiatives that reduce CO2e emissions at offices, data centers and warehouses

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A commitment to reduce emissions 20% while achieving 20% IRR, by 2020 – proving that a focus on reducing environmental impact is good business.

“I’m pleased to, for the first time, recognize a repeat SBER Outstanding Corporate Leader of the Year in Bloomberg,” noted SR Inc CEO & Chairman Jim Boyle. “Bloomberg has earned it – they have continued to perform at the highest level in driving an exceptional worldwide sustainability program throughout all of their operations. Their approach to scoring and accounting for the full benefit of sustainable operations is a breakthrough best practice that every corporation interested in sustainability should examine.” “Sustainability is a core component of Bloomberg’s culture. Through our environmental strategy we scrutinize every aspect of our business and operations with the aspiration of creating a fully sustainable Bloomberg. Since 2007, the company has achieved cost savings of $83M, increased operating efficiencies by 35%, and is on target to achieve 35% direct renewable energy by 2020. “ – Michael Barry, Head of Sustainable Business Operations

Tiffany & Co. Premieres the Cinematic Journey of a Tiffany Diamond Film Highlights Tiffany’s Leadership in Sustainability

Click here to watch video.

NEW YORK, Jan. 05 /CSRwire/ - Tiffany & Co. (NYSE: TIF) has unveiled a short film on its world

renowned diamonds, the method by which Tiffany artisans bring those diamonds to life in the company’s own workshops, and their positive impact around the world.

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO The film, which features unprecedented access inside three critical junctures of Tiffany’s vertically integrated supply chain – Antwerp, Belgium, Mauritius and New York – takes the viewer from responsible mining to sorting, marking, cutting, polishing, grading, setting – and finally, the famous Tiffany Blue Box®. “This is truly a story only Tiffany can tell. We are unique among luxury jewelers in that we obtain our diamonds through direct sourcing relationships, and that those diamonds never leave the precise hands of our highly skilled artisans,” said Andy Hart, senior vice president, Diamond & Jewelry Supply, Tiffany & Co. “By our own exacting standards, fewer than 0.04% of the world’s gem quality diamonds are chosen to become Tiffany diamonds.” Tiffany owns and operates diamond workshops in New York, Belgium, Botswana, Mauritius, Vietnam and Cambodia. Tiffany’s jewelry making facilities are also located in New York, as well as Kentucky and Rhode Island, along with a jewelry polishing operation in the Dominican Republic. By crafting the majority of its products in-house at its own diamond and jewelry workshops in the U.S. and across the globe, Tiffany can ensure a positive livelihood for its employees, and for the greater communities in which the company operates. “With an uncompromising commitment to transparency and traceability throughout our supply chain, we developed an industry-leading approach to responsible sourcing and manufacturing,” said Anisa Kamadoli Costa, chief sustainability officer, Tiffany & Co. “We are able to trace the path of a majority of our raw materials from origin to finished product, which is our best means of ensuring social and environmental responsibility.” To watch the film, click here. To learn more, visit Tiffany.com/Sustainability and follow #TiffanyCSR. Tiffany is the internationally renowned jeweller founded in New York in 1837. Through its subsidiaries, Tiffany & Co. manufactures products and operates TIFFANY & CO. retail stores worldwide, and also engages in direct selling through Internet, catalog and business gift operations. For additional information, please visit Tiffany.com TIFFANY, TIFFANY & CO., T&CO. and the TIFFANY BLUE BOX are trademarks of Tiffany and Company and its affiliates.

Sodexo Challenges Students Nationwide to Reduce Food Waste to Landfills with Spark 101 STEM Skills Video

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO Real-world case studies help students connect STEM coursework to environmental and sustainability career pathways

GAITHERSBURG, Md., Jan. 04 /CSRwire/ - With the support of Sodexo, world leader in Quality of Life services, teachers nationwide now have a new resource specifically designed to help students explore applications of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) in real-world food waste and environmental sustainability challenges. Teachers are invited to use a new Spark 101 STEM Skills Video to engage students in an example of authentic problem-solving based on actual challenges faced by

employers. In Sodexo’s Spark 101 challenge, students are asked to apply their environmental science and analytical skills to help Sodexo’s client reduce food waste typically sent to the landfill.

In 2015, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimated that while nearly 60,000 job openings become available in the U.S. annually, only 35,000 qualified graduates are projected to fill them. Of those openings: ●

50% will be in management and business

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27% will be in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields

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12% will be in education, communication, and governmental services

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15% of the jobs will be in food and biomaterials production

Students who are passionate about global sustainability may be unaware of both the relevant career paths and the relationship between food waste and food service. With an eye toward increasing that awareness, Sodexo turned to Spark 101 to engage diverse students in STEM coursework and strengthen pathways to potential careers in these fields. “Spark 101 STEM skills videos use a format proven to be effective in schools. An independent evaluation found that they increase STEM career awareness and skills, with significant positive effects on STEM engagement among students,” said Sodexo’s CEO for Schools in North America, Stephen Dunmore. “Surveys also showed that 80 percent of students want teachers to integrate case study challenges into classwork and want employers to provide more case studies.”

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO In 2016, Sodexo awarded the nonprofit a grant to increase STEM engagement for 20,000 students through Spark 101’s free, short, career-based case study videos connecting high school coursework to STEM careers, specifically those in food service and sustainability. “Each year four million students graduate high school without having had an opportunity to tackle a real-world problem. And employers need options other than internships to introduce students to viable careers and critical skills,” said Jane Kubasik, founder and president of the 114th Partnership. “We are very excited to add Sodexo’s real workplace challenges to our library to help more learners connect passions to facilities management and food service career pathways while cultivating the necessary STEM skills to drive future innovation.” Spark 101 STEM skills videos, presented by employers like Sodexo, use an online interactive video format to let students work on real challenges faced by professionals in business, government, nonprofit, and academic institutions. The 10-minute classroom videos—co-developed by educators, employers, and Spark 101 design experts—engage students in authentic STEM problem solving, aligned to curriculum and educational standards for easy classroom integration. Secondary teachers can access more than 50 free Spark 101 STEM skills videos and curriculum-aligned teaching materials online at www.spark101.org. Spark 101 is a program of the 114th Partnership, a national nonprofit that helps students navigate education and career pathways. By connecting classwork to professional pathways, the organization will equip one million students with the knowledge they need to connect their personal passions to high opportunity careers. Sodexo delivers more than 100 services across North America that enhance organizational performance, contribute to local communities and improve quality of life. The Fortune Global 500 company is a leader in delivering sustainable, integrated facilities management and foodservice operations.

The Wendy’s Company Celebrates the New Year by Reporting on Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability Progress Company updates on key initiatives and announces brand purpose: To Create Joy and Opportunity through Food, Family and Community

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DUBLIN, OHIO, Jan. 03 /CSRwire/ - Today, The Wendy’s® Company released a 2016 annual update on significant Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives and announced plans for continued progress in 2017. Since 1969, Wendy’s has worked to be a best-in-class company that is socially responsible, transparent, and committed to sustainable business practices. In 2016, the Company continued this journey, reaffirming past commitments, creating new goals in the areas of environmental and social responsibility, and embracing a brand purpose for all Wendy’s restaurants and teams around the world. “Forty-seven years after Dave Thomas founded Wendy’s, we remain passionately committed to his ideals and values,” said President & CEO Todd Penegor, who assumed the Company’s top leadership position in 2016. “We came together strongly with our employees and franchisees in 2016 to bring Dave’s vision to life: to serve food we are proud of, provide thousands of people with employment opportunities, and raise funds and awareness to help the 130,000 children waiting in foster care find their forever families through adoption. “We embrace our role as a responsible corporate citizen and believe that the purpose of Wendy’s is, ‘To Create Joy and Opportunity through Food, Family and Community.’ And it is through this lens that we will continue to communicate regularly and transparently to our customers about the topics that matter to all of us.”

Consumers Energy to Finish Installing Upgraded Meters in 2017 Homes, Businesses Can Participate in New Programs, Services

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JACKSON, Mich., Jan. 03 /CSRwire/ - From Mackinaw City to Monroe, Consumers Energy will have installed 1.8 million new meters across Michigan by the end of 2017. The completion of the five-year statewide project will allow electric customers to track their energy usage more closely online and identify ways to save energy and money. “We’ve already installed more than 1.3 million electric meters and 350,000 gas communication modules, allowing our customers to use new programs and services,” said Garrick Rochow, Consumers Energy’s senior vice president of distribution and customer operations. “These upgraded meters provide a clear customer benefit, giving homes and businesses a powerful tool to better manage their energy usage.” The new meters offer customers the ability to choose their billing date, sign up and receive automated alerts when their energy use is trending higher than usual, and review their energy use by hour, day or month to identify ways to save energy and money on their energy bill. More benefits of the upgraded meters can be found at www.ConsumersEnergy.com/smartenergy. “By the end of the year, these customers will be able to access their energy use information and sign up to take advantage of money-saving programs,” Rochow said. Consumers Energy began installing electric meters in 2012 in the Grand Rapids area. In 2015, the energy provider started adding communication modules on natural gas meters of customers who also receive electric service. Those combination customers are able to access both their hourly energy use and their daily natural gas use via the Smart Energy web portal.

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO Midland, Bay, Ingham and Eaton counties will begin receiving upgrades in the spring. Clinton, Clare, Gladwin, Gratiot, Isabella and Shiawassee counties are scheduled for summer. Consumers Energy, Michigan’s largest utility, is the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS), providing natural gas and electricity to 6.7 million of the state’s 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.

King Khalid Responsible Competitiveness Award Gala Held in Riyadh

Responsible Competitiveness Award

NEW YORK and LONDON, Jan. 02 /CSRwire/ - AccountAbility is proud to partner with the King Khalid Foundation for the King Khalid Award on Responsible Competitiveness (RC) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The King Khalid Foundation aims to be a leader in philanthropic and development work by providing innovative solutions to critical socio-economic challenges in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO The annual RC Awards Gala was recently held on December 13th, 2016, in Riyadh. Under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz, the annual Gala event honored companies that demonstrated excellence in sustainability performance. The Winners of the 2016 RC Award were: Overall Winners 1. 2. 3.

The Saudi Investment Bank Saudi Iron and Steel Company (HADEED) and Cisco Saudi Arabia Support Limited *tied for the second place Special Direction

Core Area Winners ●

Workforce: Saudi Yanbu Petrochemical Company (Yanpet)

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Innovation for Development: Tamer Group and Saudi Arabian Mining Group (Ma’aden) *tied for the second place

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Local Suppliers: Middle East Paper Company (MEPCO)

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Governance: Saudi International Petrochemical Company (SIPCHEM)

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Environmental Management: Saudi European Petrochemical Company (IBN ZAHR)

Since its inception in 2008, the annual RC Award has been an important driver of improving the social, economic, and environmental performance of companies in the KSA. AccountAbility’s partnership in the RC Award, now in its 8th consecutive year, focuses on assessing the sustainability performance of organizations and empowering firms to integrate and embed social and environmental issues into their core management decisions and operations. The King Khalid Awards are the most prestigious awards focused on socially responsible and sustainable practices in Saudi Arabia. They are effective tools for social change and are designed to recognize, encourage and support exceptional achievements by companies, NPOs, and Saudi citizens. About The King Khalid Foundation King Khalid Foundation aims to be the leader and role model in the philanthropic and development work in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and to positively impact peoples' lives by providing innovative solutions to critical socio-economic challenges in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. KKF has a legacy

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO of managing high impact programs in the Kingdom, in partnership with business and government. Examples of these programs include: No More Abuse, a public awareness campaign in partnership with Memac Ogilvy, after which the “Women and Child Abuse Prevention Law” was adopted; Our Youth Our Future, a large-scale youth training and employment program in partnership with HRDF aimed at providing training and employment for over 3,500 youths; The King Khalid Awards, annual awards for Non-Profit Excellence, Development Partners, and Responsible Competitiveness. About AccountAbility AccountAbility is a leading global “not-for-profit” organization focused on research, standards, and consulting, providing innovative solutions to the most critical challenges in sustainability and CSR. Since 1995, we have been helping corporations, nonprofits and governments embed ethical, environmental, social and governance accountability into their organizational DNA.

Agricultural Innovator Jim Knutzon Joins SCS Global Services in Senior Position

EMERYVILLE, Calif., Dec. 28 /CSRwire/ - SCS Global Services is pleased to announce that Jim Knutzon has joined its corporate management team as the new Vice President for Special Projects. Mr. Knutzon brings decades of agricultural experience to the position, including pioneering work in sustainable and organic production, product development, food safety, and standards development. He will play a pivotal role in the continued expansion of SCS’s certification, auditing, and testing services. “Jim is one of the most energetic people I know, with a deep curiosity, a lifelong passion for problem-solving, and the ingenuity to translate insights into action,” said Dr. Stanley Rhodes, SCS President. “Our clients and staff alike will benefit greatly from his expertise.” Mr. Knutzon recently retired as the first President and CEO of Farm Fresh Direct, LLC, where he has been working since 2000. Under his leadership, Farm Fresh Direct, a coalition of family farms, has grown to become one of the most respected potato providers in the U.S. Potatoes are grown in seven states, and shipped across the country and to Mexico to major retailers and foodservice distributors. During his

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO tenure at Farm Fresh, Knutzon spearheaded many “firsts”, including development of the ready-to-eat baked potato, identification of the most antioxidant-rich purple potatoes, and much more. Mr. Knutzon started his career in the agricultural chemical business, then transitioned into vegetable farming. In 1979, he co-founded Valley Fresh Distributing, the first major organic vegetable grower/shipper in the United States. In 1988, his organic carrots caught the attention of SCS and Raley’s Supermarket in California, when they were tested and shown to contain exceptional levels of beta-carotene. Mr. Knutzon later joined SCS, and served as Chief Operating Officer for a decade, managing programs in agriculture, forestry, fisheries and life cycle assessment before leaving to take the reins at Farm Fresh Direct. Since that time, he has kept close tabs on the working of SCS’s international certification business, serving as Chairman of the SCS Board of Directors. “SCS has been at the forefront of the sustainability certification business for over three decades, with services now spanning industry sectors ranging from forestry, mining, and fishing to agricultural production, manufactured goods, and the built environment,” said Mr. Knutzon. “I’m looking forward to rolling up my sleeves to support the innovative companies and organizations at the heart of these efforts.” About SCS Global Services SCS Global Services has provided global leadership in third-party safety and sustainability certification, auditing, testing, and standards development for three decades. Our programs span a wide range of industries, recognizing achievements in food and agriculture, green building, product manufacturing, forestry, climate, and more. We are accredited under a wide range of nationally and internationally recognized certification standards. Consistent with our mission, we are a California Benefit Corporation, reflecting our commitment to socially and environmentally responsible business practices.

AccountAbility Launches New Website

NEW YORK, and LONDON, Dec. 26 /CSRwire/ - AccountAbility is pleased to announce the launch of its newly redesigned website – www.accountability.org. The website is positioned to be a leading source for cutting-edge insights, solutions, and interactive features for the sustainability and CR community. The new site has been optimized to ensure visitors are provided a "user-friendly" experience across all digital devices, including desktop and mobile. In addition to highlighting the firm’s extensive geographical reach and the AA1000 Standards, the site showcases the firm’s Advisory Services offerings. “In the past

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Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO year, AccountAbility has placed an emphasis on developing and deploying digital products and solutions for our clients. We wanted to ensure that the firm’s renowned capabilities in the digital arena were accurately reflected via an enhanced online presence,” said Navi Brar, who leads the Middle East Practice for AccountAbility. The website has a specific section devoted to the AA1000 Series of Standards. Visitors can download the suite of standards at no-charge and an extensive publication repository is also embedded into the website for the benefit of the sustainability community at-large. “AccountAbility is currently revising and improving the AA1000 Series of Standards to reflect the evolving sustainability landscape, highlight the core AA Guiding Principles, and ensure the Standards are practical, useful and implementable for organizations wishing to apply them and embed them within their management and reporting practices”, commented David Pritchett, the Global Head of Research at AccountAbility. The website was developed with social capabilities at the forefront, offering users a 1-click ability to share News & Insights across their social networks. About AccountAbility AccountAbility is a global consulting and standards firm that works with business, governments and multi-lateral organizations to advance responsible businesses practices and improve long term performance. Since 1995, we have been helping corporations, non-profits and governments embed ethical, environmental, social and governance accountability into their organizational DNA.

Best Practice: Autumn 2016 A collection of exemplary CR and sustainability case studies

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NORTHAMPTON, Mass., Dec. 21 /CSRwire/ - The Autumn 2016 issue of Best Practice includes CSR and sustainability case studies from thought leaders across several industries: ●

Visa supports financial education for youth - Visa

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The global payments business partners with Junior Achievement Europe to create innovative e-commerce and personal finance programmes.

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Using the power of communications for social impact - Dentsu Aegis

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Dentsu Aegis directs its employees’ skills toward community-based charities.

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The National Lottery operator takes proactive approach to player safety - Camelot

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Innovative software tracks data to identify online problem play.

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MSD lends its best employees to NGOs around the world - MSD

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The Fellowship for Global Health programme matches skills to needs.

JLL Partners with UN-Habitat to Address Smart Urbanization in Finance for City Leaders Handbook

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Reporte de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Eco empresario y fundador de Edanaro

Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO

CHICAGO, Dec. 20 /CSRwire/ - As urbanization and “smart cities” become increasingly important topics for both public and private sector attention, global real estate services company JLL continues to showcase its leadership on the topic. Most recently, JLL Vice President Doug Carr, an expert in the Public Institutions advisory practice, coauthored one of the chapters of the UN-Habitat's just published handbook titled: Finance for City Leaders. The handbook presents an up-to-date, comprehensive, and in-depth analysis of the challenges posed by rapid urbanization and the various financing tools municipalities have at their disposal. Dr. Joan Clos, Executive Director, UN-Habitat, describes the handbook as a “landmark publication that draws on the combined expertise of over 30 contributing authors from more than 15 public, private, and multi-lateral institutions all working toward equipping cities with tools they need to build and sustain urban prosperity.” Carr, along with Gregg Clark, Chair of JLL Cities Research Center, and Tim Moonen, Director of Intelligence at The Business of Cities, wrote Chapter 10 of the handbook, entitled “The Role of Real Estate Development in Urbanizing Cities.” In this chapter, Carr, Clark, and Moonen explain that cities today do not have the luxury of choosing whether they will grow, but rather how they will grow. A proactive approach to planning and development management strategies are key factors in ensuring growth can be managed effectively to minimize stresses to existing infrastructure and natural environments. “By 2050, close to 70 percent of the world’s population is projected to live in cities. Not surprisingly, that poses quite a challenge with spiralling demand for space juxtaposed against a limited supply. As we point out in our chapter, employing a coordinated and disciplined approach to urban planning offers a number of important benefits and advantages with respect to sustainable urban development. Specifically,

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Reporte de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Eco empresario y fundador de Edanaro

Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO collaboration across public and private sectors is critical in tackling the challenges posed by rapid urbanization and maximizing development opportunities,” said Carr. Carr points out that property and infrastructure development cuts across many government and private sector entities, and often these entities do not share aligned goals. This misalignment can lead to an ad-hoc approach to real estate development with a short-term vision, making it difficult to incorporate long-term sustainability and planning objectives. Unplanned and unmanaged urbanization can have serious consequences. For example, according to the UN-Habitat World Cities Report 2016, it can lead to increased inequality, the growth of slums, and disastrous impacts on climate change and the environment. Managing and planning for growth is a central theme in Chapter 10 of the handbook. The publication offers concrete guidance for city leaders on how to use a master planning process to achieve cost effective and sustainable development and how to utilize innovative tools and financing methods to fund this growth. For example, one such tool discussed is Value Capture Financing (VCF), also known as Land Value Capture, is an instrumental tool for spurring sustainable urban development. VCF allows the private and public sectors to share in the risk and rewards of urban projects— increasingly via Public-Private Partnerships—by identifying ways to create, capture and leverage increases in land and property values. Although the handbook is geared toward city leaders, planners, and policymakers, the approach and guidance found in Chapter 10 along with the entire handbook is applicable to other organizations who are responsible for and committed to supporting sustainable urban developments, such as non-profit organizations, economic development authorities, universities and business innovation incubators. In fact, the issue of creating liveable environments that enable inclusive economic activity and foster environmentally sustainable urban development touches us all. The UN estimates that approximately $3 trillion to $4 trillion annually is needed to achieve the various Sustainable Development Goals related to sustainable cities and communities. Making the most of these investments requires thoughtful preparation, strategic planning and development frameworks, as well as experienced oversight. JLL’s authorship of Chapter 10 in the UN-Habitat’s Finance for City Leaders Handbook represents another milestone in JLL’s collaboration with the UN, which began in 2009 when JLL became a signatory of the United Nationals Global Compact (UNGC), an initiative aimed at supporting responsible business activities by helping businesses align with the ten principles on human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption. JLL has also become a signatory to the UNGC’s Women Empowerment Principles, a set

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Reporte de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Eco empresario y fundador de Edanaro

Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO of principles for business offering guidance on how to empower women in the workplace, marketplace, and community. For more information about the JLL’s contribution to the UN-Habitat Finance for City Leaders Handbook, visit http://www.us.jll.com/united-states/en-us/industries/public-institutions/real-estate-development-urbanizingcities.

$8 Billion Gained from Sustainability Efforts in 2015, by Respondents in Pure Strategies’ Latest Research Top businesses find evidence of a strong business case for sustainability

GLOUCESTER, Mass., Dec. 19 /CSRwire/ - Over $8 billion was earned in 2015 from sustainability efforts by respondents in the latest Pure Strategies survey of how leading companies are integrating

sustainability into their businesses. In addition, the survey found that top-performing companies are generating twice as much value from their sustainability efforts as their peers, indicating that sustainability is re-defining the source of business value. “Our research demonstrates that sustainability brings strong dividends of brand enhancement, increased sales, motivated employees and reduced risks and costs,” says Tim Greiner, Pure Strategies Managing Director. “We also found that leading companies that are earning more, plan to further invest in their sustainability programs, signaling a strong business case for sustainability.” While 43% reported at least $1 million in increased sales from sustainability efforts, a larger portion of the sample, 45%, reported manufacturing cost savings, typically through resource efficiency and productivity projects. The Clorox Company found that cost savings from sustainability improvements delivered an average of $15 million annually since 2008. Respondents identified product innovation, design, and development, activating a sustainability purpose in the business, and sustainable sourcing as the most valuable program approaches. Unilever reported

30% faster growth for its brands with a sustainability purpose, compared to the rest of its business, with

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Reporte de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Eco empresario y fundador de Edanaro

Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO these more sustainable products contributing nearly half of the firm’s total growth in 2015. Three of the top five brands driving this value are engaged in sustainable agriculture, including Knorr, Lipton, and Hellman’s. Jonathan Atwood, VP, Sustainable Business, notes “The strong performance of our brands shows that there doesn’t need to be a trade-off between sustainability and profitable growth.” Pure Strategies’ market research included telephone interviews with 153 sustainability leads in global companies with revenue of at least $250 million in these industries: food and beverage, apparel and footwear, life sciences and medical products, electronics and appliances, home care and cleaning, personal care and cosmetics, and general merchandise. Pure Strategies conducted similar studies in 2015 and 2013 that also informed the report. Additional details on the 2016 research can be found in this pureInsight report and this article.

New Business In Society Video Heralds Young People Vs. Corruption

Click here to watch video.

NEW YORK, Dec. 09 /CSRwire/ - Marking United Nations International Anti-Corruption Day (December

9), Business In Society today posted its new video, “Fighting Global Corruption – the Multi-Trillion-Dollar

Global Mission” featuring young people around the world taking up that mission. Added views available at BIS website http://bit.ly/2gf5a7k

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Reporte de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Eco empresario y fundador de Edanaro

Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO The program centers on Secretary of State John Kerry’s recent estimate that corruption costs the global economy trillions of dollars annually. “Imagine” he has written, “the difference that would make to all those kids … yearning for jobs and opportunity, for electricity, for education.” The program also presents the International Youth Network Against Corruption, headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya and Professor Carolyn Predmore, Director of Global Business Studies at Manhattan College, Riverdale New York. Professor Predmore describes how she has emphasized the significance of corruption – and what can be done about it – to her students. This IYNAC call to action concludes the program: “Youth should be involved individually and actively in the fight against corruption, pledging not to engage in corruption and ensuring they participate in championing for a corrupt-free world and speaking against corruption.” Business In Society @Biz_in_Society executive producer John Paluszek: “Even as we recognize the

diligent anti-corruption work being done by business, civil society, academic and government leaders we hope to generate a spark among college students and other young people on this global- society scourge. After all, they will inherit the earth.”

Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. Announces New 2020 Environmental Targets

BETHESDA, Md., Dec. 09 /CSRwire/ - Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: HST) announced yesterday new 2020 greenhouse gas emissions, energy, water and waste targets after meeting its 2017 goals ahead of schedule. Based on the success of its programs to date, the Company elected to increase and expand its efforts to reduce the environmental footprint of its portfolio. The Company is one of the first Fortune 500 companies and the first hospitality company to have their emissions target approved by the Science Based Targets initiative, which aims to have companies

commit to bolder emissions targets in line with science to keep global warming below the 2 degree threshold.

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Reporte de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Eco empresario y fundador de Edanaro

Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO

2020 Environmental Targets: ●

Reduce Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions per square foot by 28%*

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Reduce energy consumption per square foot by 15%*

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Reduce water consumption per occupied room by 25%*

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Divert waste from at least 50% of major renovation projects (new metric)

*All metrics are based on improvements from the Company’s baseline of 2008. “We are delighted that our strategic decision to invest in fiscally responsible sustainability projects resulted in exceeding all of our goals two years ahead of schedule,” said Rick Werber, Senior Vice President, Engineering and Sustainability. “The Company is committed to researching and executing on sustainable systems and technologies that will help us reduce the environmental impact on our communities.” Environmental Performance at a glance: Greenhouse Gas Emissions ●

Reduced Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 24.0% per square foot from 2008-2015

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Avoided an estimated 35,000 metric tons of emissions compared to 2014, which is equivalent to taking over 7,000 cars off the road or providing electricity for over 5,000 homes for one year according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Energy Efficiency ●

Reduced energy use per square foot by 12.8% from 2008-2015

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Avoided an estimated 86,000 megawatt hours of energy compared to 2014 through energy efficiency improvements

Water Efficiency ●

Reduced water consumption per occupied room by 22.2% from 2008-2015

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Avoided an estimated 72.8M gallons of water compared to 2014 despite increased occupancy through water efficiency upgrade initiatives

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Reporte de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Eco empresario y fundador de Edanaro

Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO For additional information on Host’s Corporate Responsibility Program, visit www.hosthotels.com.

Businesses Leaders Must Lead Fight In Battle Against Climate Change TD Bank serves as founding sponsor for first corporate sustainability event to convene industry leaders since the U.S. Presidential Election

Fort Lauderdale, FL , Dec. 07 /CSRwire/ - The Inaugural Companies Vs. Climate Change Conference closed Friday December 2nd Fort Lauderdale, FL with a decisive call to action that businesses must lead the charge to tackle climate change, as the U.S. move towards the presidential transition. The consensus of conference attendees was clear. The time is now for business to lead the charge --- bring all stakeholders to the table, while engaging with government, to effectively amplify their work and commitments. Sponsors included: founding sponsor - TD Bank; premier sponsors – Ingersoll Rand and Enernoc; gold sponsors – Sealed Air, Green Trees, GZA and The Spinnaker Group and networking reception sponsor – Renewable Choice Energy. This first-ever conference brought together 200 U.S. and international business leaders to discuss climate change and how they can work together to address it. The event included heads of sustainability for leading global companies as well as other senior corporate leaders. Companies

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Reporte de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Eco empresario y fundador de Edanaro

Smart negocios 2020 Report de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Ecopreneur and founder of EDANARO represented included JM Family Associates, Hertz, Office Depot, SAP, Avery Dennison, Subway, Amtrak, United Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Walgreens and Citi. The conference hashtag, @cvcc17 was trending on Twitter throughout the week and the

conference received important press attention from The Guardian, The Sun Sentinel, Triple Pundit and The Street.

“We are proud to have convened this first corporate conversation since the election to discuss innovative solutions to tackle the climate crisis,” said Jason Youner, CEO, Companies Vs. Climate Change. “This inaugural event kicks off a series of annual conferences where we will convene leaders to find business-driven solutions to tackle climate change.” For more information on the conference, please visit: www.solveclimatechange.com.

Eco Business Sources For more information about Green projects and enviromentals news you can visit www.egreenews.com and Edanaro.com For a full list of reliable Green vendors in North America you can also go to www.superindustrialonline.com

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Reporte de Hugo Hernandez Gusther, Eco empresario y fundador de Edanaro