blogs.vault.com/ Wed, 18 April 2018 15:08:00 Wed, 18 April 2018 15:08:00 /blog/in-good-company-vaults-csr-blog/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-social-sector-entrepreneur/#detailed_comment Karim Abouelnaga is the founder and CEO of a social sector organization known as Practice Makes Perfect. Its mission: to expand access to education for people in high need communities. As you might imagine, that kind of undertaking requires a lot of drive and energy, and a seriously impressive background. Here's how Karim--who is 26--describes himself on his LinkedIn profile : "Karim is the founder & CEO of Practice Makes Perfect. He received over a quarter million dollars in scholarships to make his education possible. Karim founded PMP at 18, writes for Entrepreneur and Forbes, is a TED Fellow, Echoing Green Fellow, Global Good Fellow, Global Shaper, at 23 was named to Forbes’ 30 under 30 list in Education, and at 24 was named to Magic Johnson’s 32 under 32 list. In 2016, he was ranked in the top 5 most powerful young entrepreneurs under 25 in the world by Richtopia. Karim graduated from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration in 2013." Are you feeling like an underachiever yet? Wait until you've seen what a typical day in Karim's life looks like, courtesy of this video from Forbes: Yep: you're definitely an underachiever. Of course, we have no way of knowing if what we're seeing in the video is a  typical  day in the life of Karim Abouelnaga. And I'm certainly not suggesting that everyone out there try to follow Karim's model--I certainly don't have that kind of energy, and would burn out on that kind of schedule very quickly. However, I get the impression that he is someone we have not heard the last of--assuming, of course, that he can keep pace with the standards he's set for himself. /blog/in-good-company-vaults-csr-blog/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-social-sector-entrepreneur/ /blog/in-good-company-vaults-csr-blog/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-social-sector-entrepreneur/ Wed, 18 April 2018 15:08:00 /blog/in-good-company-vaults-csr-blog/volunteer-jobs-intentional-communities/#detailed_comment A year ago, two of my best friends—a married couple, in their 30s, with children—decided to quit their jobs and spend some time doing volunteer work. After a lot of research and deliberation, they chose an intentional community in Georgia where they would be able to work with refugees. Last July, they sold most of their belongings, packed the rest into their car and a storage unit, and headed south from Long Island for the last time. I raise their story here because I recently had the opportunity to visit them, to see how and where they've been living, and the kind of work they've been doing. During the few days I spent with them, I got to participate in some of the work (for me: farm work and teaching English language), meet the other volunteers they're working with, and some of the people they're all trying to help. Along the way, I thought a lot about the experience from a career perspective—what it took for my friends to make that commitment, whether I could do the same thing (spoiler: I don't think I could), and a number of issues related to everything from the pros and cons of taking a career break to the inevitable money questions. Here then, are some of the issues related to volunteer work that I've been thinking about. If you're considering a stint as a volunteer yourself, they may come in handy for your own preparation: What’s the right age to do volunteer work? I'm putting this first simply because, in my late 30s, with a family of my own, it's an issue that was on my mind the entire time I was in the community. For good reason: most volunteers tend to be either fresh out of college, or looking to give something back at the end of their careers. Which makes sense, when you consider the typical life trajectory and the reluctance of people to leave jobs, mortgages and the like during their prime earning years. What my friends are doing—taking time out in the middle of their careers—is definitely a more unusual choice in terms of timing, but not that unusual. Even within the small community I visited, there were several other people—individuals and couples—who had decided to dedicate a year or two of their 30s and 40s to serving others. The bottom line here: there's no real "ideal age" to spend time volunteering. Sure, your best chance of having time to do so might be when you're young and have fewer major responsibilities to take care of. But life experience counts for a lot as a volunteer too: the range of ages in volunteers that I met went from people in their early 20s to those who were beyond retirement age, and they were all able to contribute different skills, abilities and knowledge to their community—from manual labor to parenting to providing support and empathy for a group of refugees whose age range was as wide as the volunteers. What's the Career Impact of Volunteering? One of the biggest hurdles that most people who are below retirement age will face when thinking about postponing or taking a break from their career is the issue of being able to find a job afterwards. Obviously, there's no easy answer to this, as it depends on everything from the industry and role that you're in to the underlying economic picture at the point where you decide to resume your career. Indeed, several of the people I met were using their time as volunteers as a breathing space to rethink their future and figure out what came next. Broadly, I'd venture that a negative career impact is likely to be lower very early in your career (i.e. in your early 20s)—in fact, a spell as a volunteer might even help you to stand out as a candidate. However, even as you progress in age and career seniority, a career break doesn't have to be about making a complete life change—your corporate skills don't disappear just because you took some time out, and you might even find yourself picking up new abilities or leadership experience that you can highlight when your hunt resumes. What about money? This is the other major question for many people who are considering a lengthy period of volunteering—and again, it will depend on your individual circumstances. If the thought of student loans, retirement contributions or starting a college fund for your kids keeps you up at night, an unpaid volunteer position is unlikely to be at the top of your list. Other financial items to consider might include health insurance, housing, and food. Many volunteer organizations provide some of these for volunteers (the community I visited provided housing and food for free), so it's definitely worth looking into before making a firm commitment. What can you bring? I'm not talking about possessions here, but rather what you can contribute to the organization you're hoping to help out. For example, while the community I visited was based on a farm—which implied a lot of manual labor—there was also a strong demand for people with backgrounds in everything from medicine and teaching to plumbing, carpentry and mechanics. So whatever skills and interests you have, you'll be able to find a use for them. What can you learn? I'll admit it: I went to visit my friends thinking that it would be a one-way transaction—that I'd be helping out, but not necessarily gaining anything in return. After less than a day, I realized how misguided that was: sure, I did a little farm labor, but realized in the course of doing it that I knew nothing whatsoever about growing food beyond a handful of vegetables. Likewise, my lack of practical skills was reinforced every time I saw a volunteer working on fixing a house, or a car, or working with a refugee to not only teach English, but literacy at the same time. Were I to spend more time in that community, the opportunities for learning would be abundant. What can you not live without? I mentioned before that my friends sold most of the possessions before they took off for their volunteer stint. What I haven't mentioned is that the community they moved to has no TV or regular internet access, and a very poor cellphone reception. For someone who was only there for 5 days, that was no problem—it was actually refreshing to be disconnected for that period of time. But when I try to imagine being in that kind of situation for a full year, it seems more problematic—especially as someone who grew up on another continent, and still has family there. While that specific scenario won't be true for many volunteer opportunities, it does demonstrate the importance of doing your research in advance to find out what the conditions will be like. Ideally, you'd want to talk to existing volunteers, and visit as well, if possible. There are more opportunities out there than you might think Perhaps the biggest surprise for me during my visit was learning just how many similar communities are out there—several volunteers I spoke to noted that they had spent time, or were planning to, at other intentional communities both throughout the US and further afield. If you're interested in pursuing this further, one resource for finding these communities is the Fellowship for Intentional Community , which maintains a directory of intentional communities, including contact details. And, for more on volunteer and nonprofit careers in general, you could also check out this guide , from a well-respected career information provider! /blog/in-good-company-vaults-csr-blog/volunteer-jobs-intentional-communities/ /blog/in-good-company-vaults-csr-blog/volunteer-jobs-intentional-communities/ Wed, 11 April 2018 16:26:00 /blog/in-good-company-vaults-csr-blog/will-pulling-out-of-the-paris-agreement-create-energy-jobs/#detailed_comment Job creation is one of the key reasons cited by President Trump for pulling out of the Paris Agreement. Specifically, coal jobs: "The current agreement effectively blocks the development of clean coal in America," the President said in his remarks announcing the decision. "China will be allowed to build hundreds of additional coal plants. So, we can't build the plants, but they can, according to this agreement. India will be allowed to double its coal production by 2020. Think of it. India can double their coal production. We're supposed to get rid of ours. Even Europe is allowed to continue construction of coal plants. "In short, the agreement doesn't eliminate coal jobs. It just transfers those jobs out of America and the United States, and ships them to foreign countries. This agreement is less about the climate and more about other countries gaining a financial advantage over the United States." Now, there may be some perfectly good economic reasons for pulling out of the agreement (I've yet to see one, but I'm prepared to concede that there's a possibility), but creating coal jobs isn't one of them. These two charts explain why:    Source: The Washington Post Source: I nside Climate News As you can see, there are approximately 10 times as many jobs in renewable energy in the United States as there are in coal. Even if pulling out of the Paris Accord doubles the number of coal jobs in the country, we'll be looking at an industry with around half as many employees as General Electric, and one with around a sixth of the headcount of the renewables sector. For further scale, consider that the US economy needs to create around 120,000 jobs per month --around 1.5 times as many as the entire coal sector currently employs--just to keep up with population growth. Whatever else the decision may be about, raw numbers of jobs in energy production is nothing like a sufficient rationale—especially well-paying jobs where employees can develop transferable skills that will protect them in the event of a downturn. Neither is the idea of protecting US companies from overseas competitors: renewables are going to assume ever-greater importance in the years ahead. Ceding the development of those to overseas competitors is a much greater threat to existing American energy jobs than anything in the Paris agreement. /blog/in-good-company-vaults-csr-blog/will-pulling-out-of-the-paris-agreement-create-energy-jobs/ /blog/in-good-company-vaults-csr-blog/will-pulling-out-of-the-paris-agreement-create-energy-jobs/ Thu, 01 June 2017 17:14:00 Lauren Pezzullo /blog/in-good-company-vaults-csr-blog/where-to-find-a-green-career/#detailed_comment In recent years, green has proved a popular concept among consumers,with many buyers, especially the millennial set, ready and willing to pay more for sustainable, environmentally friendly products. That’s contributed to the rise of careers in corporate sustainability, with employees who hold these jobs managing production and facilities to ensure the least wasteful business practices are used.  Additionally, stellar growth in the renewable energy sector is making it an employment standout. By some estimates, solar jobs represented one in every fifty new jobs added in 2016, making this field an investment for the future. If you want to join the ranks of the millions of green collar workers across the US, here’s what you need to know.    Most Companies Will Eventually Employ Sustainability Teams As concern for sustainability has grown--driven both by consumer concern and the realization that reducing waste and emissions can actually reduce costs--many companies have been taking proactive steps to earn themselves a good environmental report card. One result of this evolution has been the germination of a new corporate role: Sustainability Managers, who oversee facilities, transportation, and production for large organizations.  Some labor analysts predict massive growth for this field; some experts predict that most public institutions and Fortune 1000 companies will eventually have a sustainability officer on their payroll, so training for this position now could get you ahead of the curve. Experience with facilities management is particularly desired, since many sustainability positions will spring out of these roles. Education-wise, an MBA is a smart move for these positions, especially if it comes with a specialization in sustainability/CSR. You’ll also help your case if you’re familiar with the requirements for sustainable building programs, such as LEED.   The New Sustainability Field Will Also Need Engineers and Scientists, Too As more corporate sustainability initiatives emerge, there should be technical positions available for scientists and engineers that develop waste and management solutions. Those roles will cover a wide range of specialties—the Bureau of Labor Statistics says that there will be new opportunities for biologists and environmental scientists, as well as chemists and atmospheric scientists working on the climate side of the equation. But you’ll need a master’s or a doctorate for many of these positions—especially if you’ll be working on the teams that develop new products.  On the engineering side, corporations will need chemical engineers, civil engineers, environmental engineers, health and safety engineers, and industrial engineers to create waste reduction processes and develop safer, less harmful business practices. A bachelor’s degree in engineering is often sufficient, but a professional engineering certification (PE) looks great on a resume.   Solar Energy Is a Massive Field—And It’s Only Getting Bigger You may not know anyone with solar panels on their home, but that doesn’t mean solar hasn’t taken off. According to a recent article in Business Insider , solar jobs are growing 12 times faster than the rest of the US economy. Solar notoriously requires more employees per watt than other energy sources—as of this month, the photovoltaic industry employs more than twice the amount of workers as coal.  And there’s plenty of variety in this field, as well. Solar jobs span a huge range of roles, from mechanical engineers to sales positions to residential solar installers . Here’s how it all breaks down: Demand-side solar employment: Over two thirds of solar jobs are held on the retail side of solar—that is, the project managers, solar installers, sales and development teams, and distributors that make installations possible for homeowners and businesses across the US. In some ways, the purchasing process for solar panels is a lot more complex than other renovations. On the residential side, homeowners must be guided through a network of decisions. First there’s the size of the unit and the number of panels, but they also need to be walked through local and federal incentives, loans, and other purchasing options that can help them afford their array. Research and development: A smaller slice of the job makeup belongs to the scientific and engineering fields—physicists, chemists, and materials scientists, as well as a number of mechanical, industrial, and electrical engineers. In particular, as utilities respond to the surge of interest in solar, there is a new need for software developers and inventors who can respond to the demands of distributed energy networks. Specifically, the field needs developments in solar storage equipment and grid management if it is to evolve as proponents hope.  What You Need to Be a Solar Standout At its heart, solar is an electrical process, so as an installer, generally some kind of electrical background is helpful. As far as solar-specific certificates and training, there are currently no official credentials required to be an installer—certificates program participation is 100 percent voluntary. However, the North American Board of Certified Energy Professionals, or NABCEP, offers a training and certification program for both PV Technical Sales Professionals and Installers. Having that on your resume will definitely set you apart from the competition.  For most solar jobs, you’ll need at least a bachelor’s degree. The Solar Foundation’s 2016 Solar Job Census shows that just 13 percent of positions require only an associate’s. However, if you hope to work on the teams developing new solar technology, you’ll generally need a doctorate, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics . For many roles, computer skills are a necessity—especially if you want to do data analysis, integration, modeling, and testing.  Overall, your best asset for many of these roles is a forward-looking perspective and a desire to change how the world manages its resources. Onward and upward!  Lauren Pezzullo is a writer, editor, and musicophile who's passionate about vegetarianism and sustainable eating. As an editor for Modernize , she writes about energy-efficient living in the home. She's currently writing her debut novel. /blog/in-good-company-vaults-csr-blog/where-to-find-a-green-career/ /blog/in-good-company-vaults-csr-blog/where-to-find-a-green-career/ Mon, 06 March 2017 16:30:00 /blog/in-good-company-vaults-csr-blog/5-fashion-companies-leading-the-sustainability-movement/#detailed_comment Although the fashion industry is glamorous, its business practices sometimes aren’t. With New York and London Fashion Week wrapping up, environmental experts are examining the sustainability of the fashion industry. Environmentally harmful practices—such as using toxic chemicals in tanneries and polluting water with textile dye—are commonplace and contribute to the fashion industry’s damaging footprint. With this in mind, those fashion companies that surmount environmental obstacles inherent to the industry in order to create sustainable looks deserve attention. Here are five companies that are engaging in socially responsible behavior and leading the sustainability movement. Stella McCartney A force in the green fashion movement, Stella McCartney has made CSR an integral component of her brand by incorporating sustainable practices into every aspect of her company’s operations. A distinguishing factor of her clothing line is that it does not use animal products, including both fur and leather—two mainstays of the luxury fashion industry. A lifelong vegetarian, Stella cites livestock production as a major contributor to environmental issues such as land degradation, global warming, and pollution. Her Autumn/Winter 2015 collection featured show-stopping faux-fur coats, making a statement about the fact that high fashion and sustainability do not need to be mutually exclusive. Adidas Adidas is another company currently at the forefront of sustainable fashion. In fact, the brand partnered with Stella McCartney to create the sportswear line “Adidas by Stella McCartney,” which focuses on minimizing waste and repurposing leftover fabrics. Adidas emphasizes sustainability throughout its business model, from creating eco-friendly products, to making its supply chain greener, to having a positive human-rights impact. Herbert Hainer , Adidas Group CEO, reveals that he is particularly proud of Adidas’ partnership with Parley for the Oceans, an organization that raises awareness to stop ocean pollution. This collaboration resulted in Adidas releasing the first shoe in the world made from plastic waste from the ocean—it features a 3D-printed midsole of plastic debris. H&M Ranked No. 20 on Forbes’ “ The World’s Most Sustainable Companies 2016 ,” H&M strives to offer customers fashionable items that are not only high quality and affordable but also sustainable. The company’s Conscious Exclusive Collection features modern and stylish pieces that are made from sustainably sourced materials. These include fabrics such as Denimite—made of recycled denim—and embellishment materials such as recycled glass and rhinestones. H&M also increased its use of organic and recycled cotton in clothing, to account for 31 percent of the company’s total cotton use. In addition to reducing the environmental impact of its products, H&M’s Conscious line emphasizes establishing better working conditions and respecting human rights across the value chain. TOMS From its nascence, TOMS Shoes has built CSR into its business model. Sustainability plays a key role in the company’s social responsibility, as TOMS crafts shoes from sustainable and vegan materials such as hemp and organic cotton. All TOMS shoe boxes are comprised of 80 percent recycled post-consumer waste, and they are printed with soy ink. While environmental impact is an important consideration at TOMS, having a positive social impact is fundamental to the company’s mission. TOMS’ business hinges on its “One for One Movement,” in which the company matches every pair of shoes purchased by a customer with a new pair of shoes for a child in need. Calvin Klein Calvin Klein recently collaborated with Eco-Age, a brand sustainability consultancy, for the 2016 Met Life Gala. Embracing the Eco-Age Green Carpet Challenge , the designer created three sustainable looks that Emma Watson, Lupita Nyong’o, and Margot Robbie wore to the event. Calvin Klein created Emma Watson’s five-piece gown from three different fabrics, all woven from yarn engineered from recycled plastic bottles. The dress marries repurposed waste with high fashion, proving that sustainability and fashion can have a powerful aesthetic and ethical impact when working in tandem. /blog/in-good-company-vaults-csr-blog/5-fashion-companies-leading-the-sustainability-movement/ /blog/in-good-company-vaults-csr-blog/5-fashion-companies-leading-the-sustainability-movement/ Thu, 22 September 2016 09:32:00 Aman Singh Das /blog/in-good-company-vaults-csr-blog/thats-a-wrap-edf-climate-corps-fellow-at-humana-reflects-on-results/#detailed_comment John-Paul Fontelo is a 2011 EDF Climate Corps Fellow at Humana and an MBA Candidate at University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business Upon returning to Notre Dame this fall to kick off my second year of business school, I found myself reflecting on the real value of my summer fellowship as an EDF Climate Corps fellow at Humana. So to round out the series of blogs I wrote this summer about my experience, below are the key results and takeaways of my EDF Climate Corps fellowship. First, the results: I helped identify significant cost savings for Humana through analyzing Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) and airflow management solutions; the Johnson Controls Inc. (JCI) engineers we worked with suggested that Humana take advantage of free cooling in the data centers*, which could allow for the data center operators to shut down the Computer Room Air Conditioners (CRACs) for 6000+ hours a year; and We identified an added benefit from the VFDs in that they would help the cooling operate so efficiently that a few CRAC units could be shutdown indefinitely.     All in all, the projects I helped identify could save nearly 16 million kWh or $620,000 in electricity costs per year, which translates to about 11 metric tons of carbon emissions. And along the way of identifying these energy-saving solutions, I learned a few things. My key takeaways are: Even though much of the “low-hanging fruit” has been picked, one can always find more efficiency projects.  A common theme I’ve noticed is the importance of influencing human behavior as well as proposing recommendations.  No one gets that more than Humana, where the HR organization is huge.  In a field as vast and people-oriented as health and wellness, this company realizes that the key to success lies in engaging its employees on a meaningful level. Louisville is a place where any civic-minded person who wants to get involved in the community can easily make an impact.  I had the privilege to meet with the CEO of a Fortune 100 company (Mike McCallister) and the Mayor back-to-back, and there are not a lot of cities where that would be possible.     The outgoing dean of the business school at Notre Dame, Carolyn Woo, told us when we first arrived in South Bend last August that business should not be thought of as a “necessary evil.”  Rather, it is a “necessary good” because it can be a force in solving society’s problems, such as over-pollution.  I have seen that on display this summer, with engaging people at Humana, Johnson Controls and other sustainability partners who possess the courage and moral imagination to “ask more of business.”  *Note: The free air cooling project we worked on with JCI is quite interesting. For more information on free-air cooling, see this EDF-produced video about how the practice could cut the energy needed to cool AT&T’s buildings by up to 50 percent. /blog/in-good-company-vaults-csr-blog/thats-a-wrap-edf-climate-corps-fellow-at-humana-reflects-on-results/ /blog/in-good-company-vaults-csr-blog/thats-a-wrap-edf-climate-corps-fellow-at-humana-reflects-on-results/ Thu, 01 December 2011 11:41:00 Aman Singh Das /blog/in-good-company-vaults-csr-blog/a-day-in-the-life-carleen-haas-chief-talent-officer-humana-inc/#detailed_comment Editor’s Note: This is Part five in a series of blogs by Humana associates on how CSR is integrated into their daily work. These posts give us valuable insights into how one company is implementing responsibility as a key business strategy and a core function of every associate’s job. For jobseekers and career changers, these posts will provide not only insights into alternative career paths, but also tips on how you can pursue a career that aligns with your values as well as those of your employer's. I came to Humana 11 years ago thinking the company would provide an interesting experience and a unique location. I had never lived in what I considered the Midwest (my job assignments in the recent past had taken me to Washington D.C. and San Diego), but much to my surprise, my husband and I fell in love with Louisville. We learned about the company and the city simultaneously, growing more enamored with each as years passed. My role at Humana has changed and grown, and I am currently the chief talent officer for the company. My days are filled with variety, and no two are ever the same—a wonderful benefit. Today, my focus was on a case competition that Humana is organizing for the first time. We started putting this together in August and have invited teams of students from MBA, MPH, MD, MPP and MAH programs around the country to join us in Louisville to show off their thinking. 8 a.m.: The first order of business today is to welcome all of the teams, talk to them about Humana and our journey from being a health insurer to a well-being company. As a Baby Boomer, I love our desire to create a better world. Helping people to belong, have financial security, [work in] a good environment and improve their health is certainly part of that higher purpose. 9 a.m.: Back to the desk to process some of the work done earlier in the week. We spent time at the Learning Innovations Laboratory sponsored by Harvard University. There, member companies grappled with the question, “How do we weave wisdom into organizations?” We discussed things like: What is wisdom? What are the conditions that can be created in corporations to generate it? With those questions as the backdrop, what kinds of practical things do we need to think about in our quest to hire and retain the right talent? Can some corporations act wisely–or is it only about individuals? 11 a.m.: Return to the case competition to announce the morning finalists and talk to the judges. The lunch provided includes water in non-petroleum-based bottles and compostable plates, and we also made sure that our lunch selections gave choices to a variety of dietary preferences. I love the inclusion message that sends to all of the students and associates who joined us for lunch. 11:30 a.m.: Get the senior leadership team situated and familiar with their judging responsibilities for the afternoon presentations. Only two teams to present, with cash prizes as the reward. The two presentations were energizing and fun. Our executive team was engaged and excited about the talent they saw and the rigor of the research presented–all completed over the last 48 hours. Go team! 1:30 p.m.: Basking in the glow of a new idea successfully launched, it's back to the desk to catch up on emails and other projects awaiting my attention. Kudos to the team for attention to detail and splendidly representing Humana. 2 p.m.: Review news outlets to stay abreast of what’s going on in the marketplace. 2:30 p.m.: Attend a senior leadership CSR meeting. This group, which represents various business functions, meets quarterly and provides strategic guidance to the core CSR team and the CSR Council on how we achieve Healthy People, Healthy Planet, and Healthy Performance at Humana. This meeting is also an opportunity for our CSR team to update leadership on its successes, like Humana’s ranking of No. 72 in Newsweek Green Rankings–up from No. 317 in 2010 and 392 in 2009. 5 p.m.: Prepare for the following day. I can’t wait to see what we get to do tomorrow. In the meantime, I get to review what we have in mind to drive more inclusion and diversity results here. It just doesn’t get much better than this. 5:30 p.m.: Head to Humana’s on-site fitness center for a quick workout, then home to my family. Carleen Haas is Chief Talent Officer at Humana Inc. Related: Day in the Life: Tom Noland, Sr. VP of Corporate Communications, Humana Day in the Life: Virginia Kelly Judd, Executive Director, /blog/in-good-company-vaults-csr-blog/a-day-in-the-life-carleen-haas-chief-talent-officer-humana-inc/ /blog/in-good-company-vaults-csr-blog/a-day-in-the-life-carleen-haas-chief-talent-officer-humana-inc/ Thu, 10 November 2011 17:34:00 Aman Singh Das /blog/in-good-company-vaults-csr-blog/day-in-the-life-tom-noland-sr-vp-of-corporate-communications-humana-inc/#detailed_comment In my role as a senior leader at Humana, I have the privilege of communicating on all of the activities in which the company is engaged; we’re doing so much these days to be excited about. To advance corporate social responsibility (CSR) at Humana, we are engaging stakeholders and companies alike on our efforts and integrating CSR throughout our business. Our leadership and our associates demonstrate a commitment to our CSR platform --Healthy People, Healthy Planet, Healthy Performance-- and I am proud of the progress we’re making . The efforts we’re making now will continue to strengthen that foundation and enhance the positive impact we have on our members and associates, in the communities we serve and on our planet. But we want you to conclude that for yourself. That’s why, later this year, we will issue our CSR report following the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the leading CSR reporting framework. This comprehensive commentary tracks our progress in dozens of categories defined by GRI. Personally, I am amazed at the strides we have made in becoming a leader in responsible stewardship, especially on the wellness and environmental fronts. In September, Humana sponsored Wellness Week activities in New York City–and in our interactive tent, we featured several of our novel Innovation Center programs. A highlight was our Urban Fit Bike prototype that adds a dashboard to bikes for tracking metrics. The Environmental Protection Agency awarded our Louisville headquarters with an ENERGY STAR® certification. Last Spring, we celebrated the designation with a ceremony attended by Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer and Kentucky First Lady Beshear. This summer, we partnered with the Environmental Defense Fund’s Climate Corps Program and brought in an EDF Fellow to help us identify energy- and cost-efficient opportunities in our data centers. We continue to pack our CSR agenda with fresh initiatives.With the following breakdown of a typical day for me here at Humana, I hope you gain a sense of what it’s like to communicate our CSR program and platform.  ------------- 8 a.m.: Arrive in the office and brush up on the news to make sure I’ve captured the pulse of what’s happening around the world. Staying atop the news has always been a priority, so taking that bit of time to get up to speed is critical. 9 a.m.: Participate in a team meeting to consider the marketing and communications events of the week. Here I review the press releases we’ve queued up for the week and make sure they are accurate and timely. I approve messaging for an upcoming media tour. This also is when I troubleshoot with our team members around the country, answering questions and providing feedback on any materials or issues. 10 a.m.: This particular day, I review the draft CSR report – Humana’s first, formal one – with a fine-toothed comb and provide feedback to our greater corporate communications team. This report is a major milestone, and we want to ensure we highlight all of our hard work. Fortunately, great content throughout the report articulates the steady growth and success of our CSR platform. Noon: Get a recap from the team on Wellness Week in New York City. We discuss the outcomes and feedback of the week. I learned that the event reached nearly 6,000 direct participants, generated 120,000 walk-by impressions and drew 1,100 on-site bike riders who burned 245,000 calories, generating the equivalent of 27,500 watts-hours of power. 1 p.m.: Grab lunch on the go and attend a meeting with the corporation communications team. We discuss the design concepts and layout of our CSR report to ensure they align with Humana’s new branding and represent our company’s focus on health and well-being. 2 p.m.: I like to check our internal communications site, Humana Today, as often as I can to make sure I have a handle on all the latest enterprise-wide happenings. This is a time to catch up on news and take a look at what our associates are involved in. 2:30 p.m.: I participate in a scheduled meeting to brief Humana’s CEO and chief marketing and innovation officer on upcoming events, media tours, messaging and the latest media coverage. This is a time to get feedback on media received and strategies moving forward. 3 p.m.: At this point of the day, I usually am in back-to-back meeting on a host of items, which could cover a recently released press release, deal with fielding calls from reporters and producers on a story on which they’re working and preparing for an upcoming quarterly earnings report. 4 p.m.: A meeting with senior leadership involves our plan of action around how best to illuminate to our internal and external audience the hard and important work we’re doing at Humana on CSR. In addition, we are scheduling the CSR Stewards meeting that focuses on 2012 planning and future energy, water and waste reduction targets. 5 p.m.: Meet with one of Humana’s NGO partners to discuss the strategy and rollout of pilot program we’re working on in Eastern Kentucky that addresses how best to combat preventable diseases. 5:30 p.m.: Get on a call with the Clinton Foundation to get a status update and rundown on the Humana Challenge PGA Tour and the annual symposium. This is the first year of Humana’s eight-year sponsorship of the event. 6:00 p.m.: I check tomorrow’s calendar and create a to-do list. I e-mail myself any articles of note to read at home on issues surrounding the CSR landscape, healthcare, our industry, and Capitol Hill. 6:30 p.m.: I head home to spend time with my family.    Tom Noland, Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications, Humana Inc. /blog/in-good-company-vaults-csr-blog/day-in-the-life-tom-noland-sr-vp-of-corporate-communications-humana-inc/ /blog/in-good-company-vaults-csr-blog/day-in-the-life-tom-noland-sr-vp-of-corporate-communications-humana-inc/ Fri, 28 October 2011 15:44:00 Aman Singh Das /blog/in-good-company-vaults-csr-blog/shifting-the-ebay-mindset-for-a-more-naturally-integrated-energy-management-system/#detailed_comment By Gabrielle Maguire, 2011 EDF Climate Corps Fellow at eBay, MIB Candidate at The Fletcher School at Tufts University My EDF Climate Corps at eBay is coming to a close, and amid the flurry of project deadlines and presentations, I’m taking a moment to reflect on the past 2.5 months. I’ve been tasked with analyzing the best way to make our on-campus data rooms more efficient, and I outlined many of the barriers in my last post (How do you shrink while you grow?). I’ve found that my colleagues have been making the best decisions based on their given parameters determined by silo-ed ownership and a shorter-term focus—even though they desire a better overall solution. In short, the system is forcing them to make less than optimal decisions from both a cost and energy efficiency perspective. Ultimately, my analysis focused as much on proposed efficiency changes as on the larger operational process changes that should occur. In my analysis and recommendations, I compared “business-as-usual” to incremental changes in the business model. To make a case for a process change, I expanded the financial analysis beyond savings from simple energy efficiency investments to some other critical components in this system: Operational Risk – By incorporating the financial costs of continuing at business-as-usual, I was able to demonstrate that the current situation cannot hold. eBay is growing too quickly to maintain the status quo. These risks were compared to the varying investments that the changes would involve, and the risks quickly outstripped the initial costs. Budget Allocation – I looked at the overall costs to eBay Inc., rather than to each business unit. This would allow us to find the best decision for eBay, regardless of where the cash from investment would come from. As a secondary step, I considered how the future decisions would be affected by aligning budget, expenses and responsibility. This is where a process change would promote energy efficiency decisions for years to come. Employee Experience – In an industry that heavily competes for top developers, the employee experience is a critical part of eBay’s culture, and impacts on this experience must also be included in the analysis. Certain changes I analyzed would negatively impact developers’ daily functions. By calculating this impact in terms of potential losses in retention and recruitment, it is clear that although they may be financially sound from an efficiency point of view, they are too expensive overall. On the flipside, other investment decisions would enhance the employee experience and lead to higher returns on investment. With these aspects in mind, I worked to quantify the previously uncalculated risks and returns that play into eBay’s current model and compare them to costs of creating a process change. With this information eBay will be able to inform (and shift) a larger process mindset so that subsequent efficient energy decisions from here on out will occur within a more naturally integrated system. /blog/in-good-company-vaults-csr-blog/shifting-the-ebay-mindset-for-a-more-naturally-integrated-energy-management-system/ /blog/in-good-company-vaults-csr-blog/shifting-the-ebay-mindset-for-a-more-naturally-integrated-energy-management-system/ Tue, 27 September 2011 16:50:00 Aman Singh Das /blog/in-good-company-vaults-csr-blog/whiskey-data-centers-and-power-strips-oh-my-humanas-edf-climate-corps/#detailed_comment By John-Paul Fontelo, 2011 EDF Climate Corps Fellow at Humana, MBA Candidate at University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business My task this summer is to help the Louisville-based healthcare company Humana save on energy, focusing on its data centers. In my last blog, I discussed data centers from a high level, but in this edition, I’d like to get a bit more technical about quick-win projects companies can implement in data centers. Before I alienate the non-engineers out there, let me share with an anecdote from my visit to the Maker’s Mark distillery in Loretto, KY – about an hour and fifteen minutes’ drive south of Louisville. On the tour, the guide mentioned that Maker’s actually recycles waste generated in the distillation process and converts it into biogas to supplement energy to the company’s operations. I looked around at the property with its gorgeous Whisky Creek, majestic oak trees, and Bill Samuels, Sr.’s quaint original house and thought, “21st century renewable energy in Bourbon country. I believe it!” In this case, when we’re talking sweet Kentucky Bourbon, it’s pretty easy to listen. When we’re talking cost savings and the bottom line, company execs should listen too. You don’t have to be an engineer to get involved in the technical side of energy efficiency. All you need is keen interest, a general understanding of energy, and an ally who is skilled in that area. Humana’s ally in this case is Johnson Controls, Inc. (JCI), which Humana engaged as its energy efficiency partner. JCI is fronting the engineering muscle and getting under the floor (literally) to identify energy efficiency solutions on which I hope to run the numbers and assess economic value. A couple projects we’re looking into for Humana so far: • Installing Variable Speed Drives (VSD’s): Server racks, when they’re all bundled together in a room, tend to get pretty hot. They need to be cooled or else they’ll overheat and shut down, which isn’t an option when you’re storing clients’ vital healthcare information. We have specialized air-conditioners to provide this cooling known as CRAC’s (Computer Room Air Conditioners). Typically, the fans inside these units are running at a constant speed unless there is something to tell them to slow down when they’re not needed --- that’s what a VSD does. • Implementing hot and cold aisle containment: Continuing with the cooling theme, setting an intact airflow that swiftly carries cold air to the servers and removes hot air away from them is a good opportunity for cost savings. Solutions range from as simple as installing blanking panels to as complex as creating an entire enclosed room. • Utilizing smart power strips: One of our data centers has significant area of office space where I have noticed a lot of monitors and task lighting on when no one is around. This could be addressed through a power strip that either: (a) has a motion sensor that senses when an employee is not present and turns off or (b) can be calibrated to turn off certain plugs when it senses that a certain control device is off. It’ll be interesting to see what comes through, but I’m sure that with the partnerships Humana is forming in its sustainability efforts, this company is positioning itself to be an odds-on favorite for success. Stay tuned –I’ll report my findings in my next blog! EDF Climate Corps matches trained students from leading business schools with companies to develop practical, actionable energy efficiency plans. Sign up to receive emails about EDF Climate Corps, including regular blog posts by our fellows. You can also visit our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter to get regular updates about this project. /blog/in-good-company-vaults-csr-blog/whiskey-data-centers-and-power-strips-oh-my-humanas-edf-climate-corps/ /blog/in-good-company-vaults-csr-blog/whiskey-data-centers-and-power-strips-oh-my-humanas-edf-climate-corps/ Thu, 04 August 2011 16:24:00