Geovanny Vicente – Página 240

Alberto Bazbaz Sacal Makes Donation To Encourage Financial Learning In Mexican Youth

MEXICO CITY, Jan. 25, 2021 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Former university professor and financial intelligence specialist Alberto Bazbaz Sacal has made a sizable donation to Fundacion EDUCA Mexico, an organization that empowers low-income children with positive reinforcement and education. Alberto Bazbaz Sacal is a fintech expert and the former President of GALIFAT.

EDUCA was founded in 1995 to contribute to the education of young people with limited resources. EDUCA is implemented in more than a dozen schools in 6 states throughout Mexico. The charity helps nearly 3,300 children each year to strive for greatness and access better education.

«Access to quality education is a cause that is very near and dear to my heart,» Alberto Bazbaz Sacal said. «The good work and opportunities that the EDUCA organization provides low-income youth in this country is extraordinary. I am happy to help in any way that I can to support this cause and boost the confidence of children struggling to thrive in the education system.»

The organization teaches children to believe in themselves and to develop their natural talents. The program focuses on the many benefits of being a self-starter and the importance of perseverance.

According to UNICEF, more than 4.5 million children and adolescents live in poverty in Mexico. These dismal numbers have long-term consequences, both for the country and the wider world. Banking institutions in Mexico are not designed to help those in the lowest socioeconomic categories. Less than half of all Mexicans even have a bank account. Not only is it difficult to access services for those who don’t live in an urban area, but those without sufficient income are generally excluded. Organizations like EDUCA support the hard to reach populations who typically would not have access to the resources required to build success.

Mr. Sacal’s donation will go towards increasing the availability of EDUCA classes that help students leverage their assets later on in life. To combat the lack of financial inclusion and incohesive banking structure throughout the country, EDUCA classes are being made more widely available to Mexican schools. It is one-step towards finding a solution to the broader consequences of the economic divide and its effect on the quality of education.

For more information on how to donate to the EDUCA organization visit https://www.globalgiving.org/donate/1476/fundacion-educa-mexico/

About Alberto Bazbaz Sacal
Alberto Bazbaz Sacal is a former professor who has also worked in various public offices in the Mexican government. He has served as the Head of the Center for Research and Natural Security at the Ministry of the Interior. Bazbaz Sacal attended the Anahuac University School of Law, where he would make several important relationships that would help advance his country’s career and influence.

Media Contact – albertobazbazsacal@gmail.com

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SOURCE Alberto Bazbaz Sacal

Eight Challenges to Big Alcohol’s Power in 2021

SAN RAFAEL, Calif., Jan. 25, 2021 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Big Alcohol is a term for the most powerful and profitable alcohol corporations of the world. Most Americans have little idea of the true size and scope of the global businesses behind the big brand names, let alone the way their practices endanger public health and safety.

<img id="prnejpg6ab3left" title="Alcohol Justice logo. (PRNewsFoto/Alcohol…

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), alcohol consumption annually causes 3 million deaths around the world. It is the most harmful drug to both drinkers and nondrinkers. Alcohol is the third leading cause of preventable death in the United States, accounting for an estimated 95,000 deaths annually. Nearly 5,000 people under age 21 die every year from injuries caused by drinking alcohol. Alcohol use is associated with physical and sexual assault, unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), violence, vandalism, crime, overdose, substance use disorder (SUD), and high-risk behavior.

Yet Big Alcohol global players like Anheuser-Busch InBev, Molson Coors, Diageo, Heineken, Kirin, Asahi, Pernod Ricard, Constellation Brands and Brown-Forman inflict more than $249 billion dollars of alcohol-related harm annually in the U.S. with virtually no accountability for their actions. Alcohol producers and their well-financed trade associations and front groups including DISCUS, Wine Institute, Beer Institute, American Beverage Institute, and the National Restaurant Association use aggressive lobbying practices and questionable research to kill or roll back alcohol regulations, reduce taxes, proliferate youth-enticing marketing, and, of course, push a drug that hurts or kills many with immediate, chronic, and/or addictive results.

Alcohol Justice envisions healthy communities free of the alcohol industry’s negative impact. Its mission is to promote evidence-based public health policies and organize campaigns with diverse communities and youth against the alcohol industry’s harmful practices. «But we cannot do it alone,» stated Bruce Lee Livingston, Executive Director, CEO of Alcohol Justice. «This is why you are needed: to mobilize and to limit the impact of Big Alcohol on the next generation. That’s why we commit at this time to a new year of ongoing campaigns to reduce Big Alcohol’s negative influence.»

In 2021 Alcohol Justice invites the public to join in challenging the power of global alcohol corporate titans in eight critical ways:

1) Tell your Senators, Representatives, and the Biden administration to stop subsidizing the alcohol industry by raising the federal alcohol excise tax and indexing it to the annual cost of living. This tax hasn’t been raised since 1991. It’s time to Charge for Harm by collecting billions of dollars of new revenue.

2) Tell your Governor and state legislature that COVID-19 alcohol deregulation should not become the new normal. COVID-19 alcohol deregulations are dangerous and place alcohol industry profits above public health and safety.

3) Tell the U.S. Treasury Department’s Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) and Congress to update the government health warning on alcoholic beverages and include a cancer warning statement: WARNING: According to the Surgeon General, consumption of alcoholic beverages can cause cancer, including breast and colon cancers.

4) Tell your state legislature to reduce the illegal blood alcohol content level from .08 to .05 BAC. This will not succeed unless we insist that law enforcement end biased policing in traffic stops and checkpoints. Enforcement against alcohol-impaired driving cannot be an excuse for stopping and arresting people of color. Most of the rest of the world has adopted this standard to prevent DUI deaths and injuries. It’s time the U.S. does too — .05 SAVES LIVES.

5) Tell the NFL, NBA, MLB, and all other professional and amateur sports associations worldwide to end alcohol branding, sponsorship, ads, and celebrity endorsements. Alcohol and sports are a toxic mix for athletes and young viewers alike, fueling injuries, violent behavior, and other alcohol-related harm.

6) Tell your state legislature to raise the state alcohol excise tax and index it to the annual cost of living. Alcohol lobbyists persuaded Congress to reduce the federal alcohol excise tax and have prevented state alcohol tax increases for generations, resulting in billions of dollars of lost revenue annually and a virtual state subsidization of alcohol-related harm.

7) Tell your social networks to ban all alcohol-related ads, tweets, and posts. Ineffective age-gating and voracious, profit-driven alcohol advertisers are drowning youth in seductive, harmful alcohol ads and other branded content.

8) Tell your local transit agencies and state legislatures to ban alcohol ads on public property. More exposure to alcohol ads influences youth to start drinking earlier, to drink more, and leads to more alcohol-related problems later in life.

Alcohol Justice is not against alcohol consumption, but we strongly oppose well-funded, deceptive marketing by the alcohol industry. It promotes harmful consumption, alcohol use at an early age, cheap products, and expanded bar and retail access.

«You can help hold Big Alcohol accountable by challenging its power in the eight ways outlined above,» Livingston said. «Just as there are bans on tobacco ads and effective sales restrictions, there can be stronger controls on alcohol advertising and sales to reduce the enormous public health and safety harm, and the catastrophic costs of that harm.«

Alcohol Justice invites you to join their renewed public effort to rein-in Big Alcohol. Sign up to receive Alcohol Justice Action Alerts and eNews. That’s a great first step. Big Alcohol may have the power to advertise in every media, at every sporting event, and to every age, but the public does not have to sit back and take it. If possible, make a tax-deductible contribution to Alcohol Justice. This too will help add strength in 2021. «Together, we can successfully challenge Big Alcohol and advocate for public health and safety over industry profits,» added Livingston.

For more information on Alcohol Justice campaigns and projects: https://alcoholjustice.org

Contact: Michael J. Scippa 415 548-0492
Jorge Castillo 213 840-3336

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/147418/alcohol_justice_logo.jpg

SOURCE Alcohol Justice

Emerging From a «VUCA» World – How Sales Leaders Can Set a Course for Less Stress in 2021

GREENSBORO, N.C., Jan. 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — The year 2021 has already rattled our collective cages – but with some insights and a little bit of planning, sales leaders can smooth out the wrinkles and prepare for sales success. Understanding how to manage through a VUCA world – one that is volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous – is the subject of a free webinar being hosted by sales training and leadership experts <a target="_blank"…

The webinar, titled «The Virtual Happy Half Hour – Creating Your Sales Advantage Through Agility,» will be presented via Zoom at 2 p.m. EST on Friday, January 29, 2021. On the call will be special guest Tom O’Shea, Principal and Organizational Agility Practice Leader in Agility Consulting & Training (ACT) based in Greensboro, NC, and an expert on the VUCA concept.

«2020 was a definite example of VUCA on steroids,» O’Shea says. «2021 hopefully will be less turbulent and disruptive, but we can expect it to continue to accelerate and separate the agile from the fragile.»

During the webinar, which will be cohosted by The Brooks Group’s Vice President of Sales Performance Research, Michelle Richardson, and Russ Sharer, Director of Strategic Sales Excellence, attendees also will dive into how an agile posture can help sales organizations be better poised for the challenges of the year ahead.

Prospective attendees may register for the webinar here: https://thebrooksgroup.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_5wWtSqRGR_C-XMjpsM4pDA

About The Brooks Group
Founded in 1977, The Brooks Group is a corporate sales training and sales management training company focused on helping companies build top-performing sales teams. Its training systems provide street smart, actionable strategies that help salespeople sell more effectively and sales managers coach and lead more successfully. Our no-nonsense, customizable approach skips the fluff and focuses on what will actually get results for your team. Go to www.BrooksGroup.com for more information.

About Tom O’Shea
Tom is a Principal and Organizational Agility Practice Leader in Agility Consulting & Training (ACT) based in Greensboro, NC. Agility Consulting was founded in 2001 and is a recognized leader in the field of leadership, team and organizational agility – helping hundreds of organizations and thousands of leaders become more focused, fast and flexible (agile) in an increasingly turbulent and time-pressed world. Tom specializes in strategic business development, leadership coaching and organizational improvement practices. He has more than 20 years’ industry experience working in consumer products, retailing and the apparel trade with industry leading companies. Tom has held senior leadership roles in human resources, strategic planning and general management.

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SOURCE The Brooks Group

Eight Challenges to Big Alcohol’s Power in 2021

SAN RAFAEL, Calif., Jan. 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Big Alcohol is a term for the most powerful and profitable alcohol corporations of the world. Most Americans have little idea of the true size and scope of the global businesses behind the big brand names, let alone the way their practices endanger public health and safety.

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In 2021 Alcohol Justice invites the public to join in challenging the power of global alcohol corporate titans in eight critical ways:

For more information on Alcohol Justice campaigns and projects: https://alcoholjustice.org

Contact: Michael J. Scippa 415 548-0492
Jorge Castillo 213 840-3336

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SOURCE Alcohol Justice

Akamai Technologies Publishes 2020 Sustainability Report

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Jan. 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Akamai Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: AKAM), the intelligent edge platform for securing and delivering digital experiences, today publishes the company’s year-end repor t on its global sustainability practices. By instituting a number of efficiency initiatives, Akamai has continued to decouple its platform growth from energy usage. While 2020 traffic on the Akamai platform increased, driven by COVID-19 quarantine mandates, Akamai’s greenhouse gas emissions also decreased through platform efficiency and the use of renewable-sources of power.

Akamai is proud to be a part of the essential fabric of the internet. It believes that operating its business with a small environmental footprint is important to unlocking the potential of the internet and is an essential value for its customers and the communities in which it operates. In 2015, the company implemented a five-year plan focusing on reducing energy intensity across its global intelligent edge platform, investing in net-new renewable energy projects, reducing and managing greenhouse gas output, and responsibly managing e-waste. The sustainability report summarizes Akamai’s innovative efforts to reach those goals.

«The internet poses challenges for the environment and is responsible for what is said to be about 2% of global energy usage. And it emits as much CO2 as the airline industry,» said Mike Mattera, director, corporate sustainability, Akamai Technologies, Inc. «As a leading performance, security, and delivery provider, we share the responsibility for reducing the internet’s carbon emissions. That’s why back in 2015, we set goals to lessen our emissions by 30%, power our edge platform with 50% renewable energy, and recycle 100% of our e-waste all by the end of 2020. I am proud that we have met each of these goals.»

Highlights of the Akamai 2020 sustainability report

The company reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by over 30% since 2015.

The 50% renewable energy goal was met through investments in net-new grid-connected renewable energy projects. Akamai’s three projects are now fully online: a wind farm in Texas, a solar array in Virginia, and a wind farm in Illinois. The renewable energy produced from those projects covers about 23% of Akamai’s global power needs.

Akamai’s intelligent edge platform used ten times less energy per unit of capacity than it did in 2015, even while the available capacity of the edge platform grew by more than 350%.

In 2020, available capacity on the Akamai global platform grew by over 60% while the company was still able to reduce its scope 2 emissions by more than 50% from 2019 levels.

To help customers meet their own sustainability goals, Akamai provides a customized report that details their unique global emissions as a result of their server and energy usage on our platform.

Akamai established meaningful supply-chain education by partnering with sustainability organizations, engaging in public advocacy, and, with like-minded companies, to focus on expanding the benefits of a carbon-free internet.

Akamai was an active proponent in key sustainability legislation in the commonwealths of Massachusetts and Virginia. The company was a vocal member of a coalition of clean energy businesses, environmental groups, grassroots groups and lawmakers that came together in support of the passage of the Virginia Clean Economy Act and Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

Sustainability at Akamai
Akamai strives to take a leadership role in minimizing the environmental impact of information technology systems. The company’s sustainability initiatives are designed to measure and mitigate the impact of our business operations while maximizing and enhancing the benefits from sustainable business practices. Sustainable programs focus on several key areas – network carbon efficiency, electronic waste management, renewable energy procurement and an environmentally lower-impact corporate office selection and renovation program. #GreenwithAkamai

About Akamai
Akamai secures and delivers digital experiences for the world’s largest companies. Akamai’s intelligent edge platform surrounds everything, from the enterprise to the cloud, so customers and their businesses can be fast, smart, and secure. Top brands globally rely on Akamai to help them realize competitive advantage through agile solutions that extend the power of their multi-cloud architectures. Akamai keeps decisions, apps and experiences closer to users than anyone – and attacks and threats far away. Akamai’s portfolio of edge security, web and mobile performance, enterprise access and video delivery solutions is supported by unmatched customer service, analytics and 24/7/365 monitoring. To learn why the world’s top brands trust Akamai, visit www.akamai.com, blogs.akamai.com, or @Akamai on Twitter.

Media Relations

Gina Sorice
(646) 320-4107
gsorice@akamai.com

Investor Relations

Tom Barth
617-274-7130
tbarth@akamai.com

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SOURCE Akamai Technologies, Inc.

EY announces ambition to be carbon negative in 2021

LONDON, Jan. 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — EY today announces an ambition to be carbon negative in 2021 by setting targets to significantly reduce its absolute emissions and removing and offsetting more carbon than it emits. In a new statement on sustainability, published today, EY set out the seven key components of its plans to not only become carbon negative but to reduce total emissions by 40% – consistent with a science-based target – and achieve net zero in 2025.

The EY commitment to sustainability is an integral part of its NextWave strategy and ambition to create long-term value for all stakeholders. Launched in FY20, the NextWave strategy supports the EY purpose of building a better working world.

This new ambition builds on the global organization’s achievement of carbon neutrality in December 2020 and underscores the EY commitment to the environment and to driving long-term, sustainable growth. Key elements of the ambition include:

Reducing business travel emissions by 35% by FY25 against a FY19 baseline.
Reducing overall office electricity usage and procuring 100% renewable energy for remaining EY needs, earning membership to the RE100, a group of influential organizations committed to renewable power, by FY25.
Structuring electricity supply contracts, through virtual power purchase agreements (PPAs), to introduce more electricity than EY consumes into national grids.
Providing EY teams with tools that enable them to calculate, then work to reduce, the amount of carbon emitted when carrying out EY client work.
Using nature-based solutions and carbon-reduction technologies to remove from the atmosphere or offset more carbon than EY emits, every year.
Investing in services and solutions that help EY clients profitably decarbonize their businesses and provide solutions to other sustainability challenges and opportunities.
Requiring 75% of EY suppliers, by spend, to set science-based targets by no later than FY25.

Carmine Di Sibio, EY Global Chairman and CEO, says:

«We believe that combatting climate change is a vital element of building a better working world. While this challenge is unique and different for each organization, we are inspired by those that are setting ambitious targets despite the difficulties they face. EY people are passionate about tackling big challenges and with the power of 300,000 of them, we will not only transform EY to become a leader in sustainability, but also help EY clients do the same.»

New sustainable solutions to help EY clients reach their goals

Alongside the work it is undertaking to become more sustainable, EY teams are developing a new set of global sustainability solutions for EY clients aimed at helping them on their own sustainability journeys. The solutions will be focused around value-led sustainability, helping EY clients capture the business opportunities from sustainability and decarbonization, while also protecting and creating value. This follows the approach EY teams have taken to achieve these sustainability targets and carbon negative ambition.

Steve Varley, EY Global Vice Chair – Sustainability, says:

«EY has set this ambition because it is increasingly clear that, collectively, we need to do even more to help avert a climate change disaster. EY people are proud that we met our ambition to become carbon neutral in 2020. Inspired by them and others undertaking major steps, we challenged ourselves to go further, faster. We are deeply concerned about the science and what that means for our planet. We believe that becoming carbon negative in 2021 and net zero in 2025, reducing our emissions in line with a science-based target, is the right ambition to have. We realize that these challenges are different and more difficult for certain industries. That is why there are also investments in new solutions and services to help EY clients protect and create value from becoming more sustainable too.»

EY is continuing to invest in technology and transform its business, which was accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is expected that many of the changes that have been implemented as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic will help EY achieve its sustainability ambitions by helping EY teams learn and implement new ways of working, and EY will continue to innovate and utilize the best of these. For example, during the pandemic EY teams worked with both clients and EY organizations to help implement workplace changes, including flexible working and increased use of remote working technologies, which are expected to contribute to reductions in business travel. EY is also working closely with airline and hospitality clients to achieve this goal and find innovative solutions.

Today’s announcement follows other actions EY has taken to reduce the organization’s environmental impact and drive sustainable growth. These include two recent initiatives in collaboration with HRH The Prince of Wales’s Sustainable Markets Initiative; The S30, a group of 30 of the world’s leading C-suite sustainability leaders focused on accelerating business action on sustainability and joining the «Terra Carta» – a charter that puts sustainability at the heart of the private sector. The EY organization is also playing a leading role in the World Economic Forum’s International Business Council, which has developed a core set of common metrics and disclosures on non-financial factors for investors and other stakeholders.

Notes to Editors

About EY

EY exists to build a better working world, helping to create long-term value for clients, people and society and build trust in the capital markets.

Enabled by data and technology, diverse EY teams in over 150 countries provide trust through assurance and help clients grow, transform and operate.

Working across assurance, consulting, law, strategy, tax and transactions, EY teams ask better questions to find new answers for the complex issues facing our world today.

EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. Information about how EY collects and uses personal data and a description of the rights individuals have under data protection legislation are available via ey.com/privacy. EY member firms do not practice law where prohibited by local laws. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com.

This news release has been issued by EYGM Limited, a member of the global EY organization that also does not provide any services to clients.

Definition of terms

Science-based target (SBT). A greenhouse gas reduction target to reduce an organization’s emissions in line with climate science and the Paris Agreement goal to limit global warming to 1.5˚C above pre-industrial levels.

Carbon neutral. The result of an organization removing and offsetting emissions equivalent to its carbon footprint each year.

Carbon negative. The result of an organization both reducing its emissions in line with its 1.5˚C SBT and investing in nature-based solutions and carbon technologies to remove and offset more carbon than it emits each year.

Net zero. The point at which an organization has achieved its 1.5˚C SBT and removed its residual emissions from the atmosphere.

Alasdair Gee
EY Global Media Relations
+44 (0) 20 7980 0612
Alasdair.Gee@uk.ey.com

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SOURCE EY

Blue Pacific Flavors Introduces Kilimanjaro Vanilla

CITY OF INDUSTRY, Calif., Jan. 25, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Blue Pacific Flavors, an established leader in natural and organic fruit flavors, compounded flavor formulations and sustainably sourced food ingredients, today unveiled its unrivaled and majestic Kilimanjaro Vanilla™.

«Reflecting decades of dedication, partnership and innovation to bring true, sustainable vanilla back to the food and beverage industry, the Kilimanjaro Vanilla story is one of people, passion, pride, and purpose,» said Donald Wilkes, President and CEO of Blue Pacific Flavors. We are making the highest-quality vanilla truly accessible to responsible brands as they strive to align with consumer demand for natural, clean-label, sustainably produced products that also taste amazing.»

Blue Pacific Flavors’ consistent commitment to responsible sourcing and sustainability has led a path to a partnership with Natural Extracts Industries (NEI) to put programs in place to help improve quality of life for farmers, and drive sustainable agricultural practices. Blue Pacific and NEI share a common goal of reintroducing premium, natural vanilla to the world while supporting a sustainable future for the people and wildlife of Tanzania. Operating a social enterprise that educates Tanzanian farmers on vanilla agriculture, champions fair trade wages, and provides full traceability, they are working to empower local communities towards sustainable success. The partnership also provides improved financial security for farmers, and incentive to follow strict quality standards that help to ensure that Kilimanjaro Vanilla retains its unrivaled flavor and quality.

«The synergies that we have and the value that this partnership creates is something that benefits us all,» said Juan Guardado, Managing Director for NEI. «No other flavor is able to impact on so many different levels: livelihood, product quality, and conservation. It’s a really unique value proposition and one NEI is excited to be a part of.»

«The quality of Kilimanjaro Vanilla is unlike any vanilla in recent memory,» said Jessica Morton, Sensory & Consumer Insights Manager at Blue Pacific Flavors. «This vanilla is incredibly complex and full-bodied, from the first aromas of rich, creamy florals that excite your senses to the long, tapered finish of sweet caramel, spiced rum, and pipe tobacco. Kilimanjaro Vanilla is what the world’s finest vanilla tastes like.»

Kilimanjaro Vanilla achieves exceptional quality through a true Farm to Flavor® approach. The complexity of sweet and creamy botanical resins layered over exotic hardwood and hints of terroir can only be achieved through the most thoughtful vanilla cultivar selection, vanilla flower hand pollination, and unyielding patience throughout vanilla bean harvesting and curing. This traditional, handcrafted approach yields a premium vanilla flavor unlike any in the world today.

Through its fully vertically integrated production, Blue Pacific Flavors maintains consistency in quality, ensures cost stability, and enables a fully secure and traceable supply chain. Extracts of Kilimanjaro Vanilla are produced locally in Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, delivering increased value and enabling more lucrative opportunities for local farmers.

Conservation is a major part of the Kilimanjaro Vanilla story. Blue Pacific Flavors is committed to donating 3% of net sales of Kilimanjaro Vanilla to the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF). Purchase of this product helps support AWF’s mission to ensure the continent’s wildlife and wild lands thrive in a modern Africa.

Visit KilimanjaroVanilla.com to journey through Tanzania and explore the empowering story of Kilimanjaro Vanilla.

# # #

About Blue Pacific Flavors
Blue Pacific Flavors employs a unique blend of creativity, passion and innovation to develop some of the world’s most authentic fruit and sweet flavors for global food and beverage brands. Blue Pacific is an established leader in natural and organic fruit flavors. With a product line of more than 30,000 compounded flavor formulations and sustainably sourced food ingredients. Blue Pacific has the resources and expertise to help turn innovative ideas into iconic products. For more information, visit: bluepacificflavors.com.

About Natural Extracts Industries
Natural Extracts Industries (NEI) is a social enterprise established in 2011, with its headquarters in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Its two-fold mission is to satisfy global demand for sustainably-sourced natural extracts and flavor ingredients, and to ensure long-term socio-economic benefits for local communities. NEI provides sustainable social, economic and environmental solutions to rural communities, currently supporting an outgrower network of over 5,000 farmers and women’s groups in Tanzania by promoting and adding value to their crops and providing access to global markets. It provides education and expert guidance in sustainable farming practices, and employs advanced methods and technologies to ensure complete traceability throughout the supply chain. For more information, visit: nei-ltd.com.

PR Contact:
Heidi Rosenberg
Heidi Rosenberg Communications
http://www.mightymopr.com
mightymopr@gmail.com
435-841-2171

Media Contact

Heidi Rosenberg, Blue Pacific Flavors, +1 435-841-2171, mightymopr@gmail.com

SOURCE Blue Pacific Flavors

Fundamental Research Corp Initiates Investment Analysis Coverage on THC BioMed

THC.CSE
THCBF – OTC
TFHD.F

VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ – THC BioMed Intl Ltd. («THC BioMed» or the «Company«) is pleased to announce that Fundamental Research Corp. has initiated independent investment analysis coverage on THC BioMed.

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THC.CSE
THCBF – OTC
TFHD.F

Fundamental Research Corp. is an issuer-paid independent research house. THC BioMed notes this development for information only and does not endorse the contents of Fundamental Research Corp.’s report.

About THC

THC BioMed is a Cannabis Act Licensed Producer of medical and recreational cannabis. It is licensed to cultivate and sell dried, extract, edible and topical cannabis. The Company is on the leading edge of scientific research and the development of products and services related in the medical cannabis industry. Management believes THC BioMed is well-positioned to be in the forefront of this rapidly growing industry.

Forward-Looking Information:
This press release may include forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, concerning the business of THC BioMed. Forward-looking information is based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the management of THC BioMed. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the use of words such as «will,» «may,» «would,» «expect,» «intend,» «plan,» «seek,» «anticipate,» «believe,» «estimate,» «predict,» «potential,» «continue,» «likely,» «could» and variations of these terms and similar expressions, or the negative of these terms or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date of this press release and include that THC BioMed will be on the forefront of this rapidly growing industry. Although THC BioMed believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking information is based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking information because THC BioMed can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. THC disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, other than as required by applicable securities laws.

The Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or the accuracy of the contents of this release.

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SOURCE THC BioMed

Ocho desafíos al poder de la industria del alcohol (Big Alcohol) en 2021

SAN RAFAEL, California, 25 de enero de 2021 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — «Big Alcohol» es un término que designa a las corporaciones fabricantes y distribuidoras de alcohol más poderosas y con mayores ganancias en el mundo. La mayoría de los estadounidenses tienen poco conocimiento de la real envergadura y el alcance de los negocios globales que hay detrás de los grandes nombres de marcas, y menos aún de la forma en que sus prácticas dañan la salud y la seguridad públicas.

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Según la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS), el consumo de alcohol es la causa de 3 millones de muertes en el mundo anualmente. Es la droga más perjudicial tanto para los bebedores como para el resto de las personas. El alcohol es la tercera causa en importancia de muertes evitables en los Estados Unidos, que da cuenta de un estimado de 95,000 muertes anualmente. Cerca de 5,000 personas menores de 21 años mueren cada año debido a lesiones ocasionadas por la ingesta de alcohol. El uso de alcohol se asocia con agresiones físicas y sexuales, embarazos no deseados, enfermedades de transmisión sexual, trastornos del espectro alcohólico fetal (FASD), violencia, vandalismo, crímenes, sobredosis, trastorno por consumo de sustancias (SUD) y comportamientos de alto riesgo.

Sin embargo, los grandes actores de la industria del alcohol como Anheuser-Busch InBev, Molson Coors, Diageo, Heineken, Kirin, Asahi, Pernod Ricard, Constellation Brands y Brown-Forman ocasionan anualmente más de $249 billones de dólares en daños relacionados con el alcohol en los Estados Unidos sin asumir prácticamente ninguna responsabilidad por sus acciones. Los productores de alcohol y sus asociaciones gremiales y organizaciones de fachada muy bien financiadas, que incluyen a DISCUS, Wine Institute, Beer Institute, American Beverage Institute y National Restaurant Association usan prácticas agresivas de lobby e investigaciones cuestionables para anular o retrotraer regulaciones sobre el alcohol, reducir impuestos, proliferar el seductor marketing para jóvenes y, por supuesto, impulsar una droga que daña o mata a muchos de manera inmediata y ocasiona resultados crónicos y/o adictivos.

Alcohol Justice tiene en su visión comunidades saludables, libres del impacto negativo de la industria del alcohol. Su misión es promover políticas de salud pública con base en evidencia y organizar campañas con distintas comunidades y jóvenes en contra de las perjudiciales prácticas de la industria del alcohol. «Pero no podemos hacerlo solos», señaló Bruce Lee Livingston, director y presidente ejecutivo de Alcohol Justice. «Esta es la razón por la que lo necesitamos: movilizar y limitar el impacto de Big Alcohol en la siguiente generación. Esa es la razón por la que estamos comprometidos en este momento con un nuevo año con campañas permanentes para reducir la influencia negativa de la industria del alcohol».

En este 2021, Alcohol Justice invita al público a unirse para desafiar el poder de los titanes mundiales de la industria del alcohol en ocho formas cruciales:

1) Diga a sus senadores, representantes y a la administración Biden que dejen de subvencionar a la industria del alcohol mediante el incremento del impuesto federal específico para el alcohol y la incorporación del alcohol en el índice para el cálculo del costo de vida anual. Este impuesto no ha sufrido variación desde 1991. Es hora de cobrar por el daño mediante la recaudación de billones de dólares de nuevos impuestos.

2) Diga a su gobernador y al poder legislativo que la desregulación del alcohol por la COVID-19 no debería convertirse en la nueva normalidad. Las liberalizaciones del alcohol por la COVID-19 son peligrosas y ponen las utilidades de la industria del alcohol por encima de la salud y la seguridad públicas.

3) Diga a la Agencia de Impuestos y Comercio de Alcohol y Tabaco del Departamento del Tesoro (TTB) y al Congreso de los Estados Unidos que actualicen la advertencia de salud del gobierno sobre las bebidas alcohólicas y que incluyan una advertencia sobre el cáncer: ADVERTENCIA: de acuerdo con lo señalado por las autoridades sanitarias, el consumo de bebidas alcohólicas puede producir cáncer, incluidos los de mama y colon.

4) Diga al poder legislativo que reduzca el nivel ilegal de contenido de alcohol en la sangre de .08 a .05 BAC. Esto no tendrá éxito a menos que insistamos en que las fuerzas del orden pongan fin a la actuación policial sesgada en los controles de tránsito y en los puestos de control. La aplicación de la ley en contra la conducción bajo los efectos del alcohol no puede ser una excusa para detener y arrestar a las personas de color. La mayoría de los países en el mundo han adoptado este estándar para prevenir muertes y heridos por conducción bajo la influencia del alcohol. Es momento de que los Estados Unidos lo haga también; .05 SALVA VIDAS.

5) Diga a organizaciones como NFL, NBA, MLB, y otras asociaciones de deporte profesionales y de aficionados en el mundo que terminen con las exhibiciones publicitarias, los patrocinios, los avisos y la aprobación del alcohol por parte de las celebridades. El alcohol y los deportes son una combinación tóxica para los atletas y jóvenes espectadores por igual, alimentando lesiones, comportamiento violento y otros daños relacionados con el alcohol.

6) Diga a sus legisladores que suban el impuesto estatal específico al alcohol y que lo incorporen al alcohol en el índice para el cálculo del costo de vida anual. Los miembros de los grupos de presión en favor del alcohol persuadieron al Congreso para que redujera el impuesto federal específico al alcohol y han evitado el aumento de los impuestos estatales al alcohol por generaciones, lo han dado como resultado billones de dólares de pérdida de ingresos públicos anuales y una virtual subvención estatal a los daños relacionados con el alcohol.

7) Diga a sus redes sociales que prohíban los avisos, tweets y publicaciones relacionados con el alcohol. Las barreras por edad ineficientes y los voraces anunciantes de alcohol impulsados por las ganancias están ahogando a la juventud con avisos seductores y perjudiciales sobre el alcohol y otros contenidos de sus marcas.

8) Diga a sus agencias de tránsito locales y legisladores que prohíban la publicidad de alcohol en propiedades públicas. La mayor exposición a avisos relacionados con el alcohol influencia a la juventud para comenzar a beber a temprana edad, beber más y lleva a más problemas relacionados con el alcohol en etapas posteriores de la vida.

Alcohol Justice no está en contra del consumo de alcohol, pero se opone enérgicamente al marketing engañoso y bien financiado que realiza la industria del alcohol. Promueve el consumo perjudicial, el uso de alcohol a temprana edad, productos baratos y acceso ampliado a bares y comercios minoristas.

«Ustedes pueden ayudar a que el Big Alcohol rinda cuentas, desafiando su poder de las ocho maneras que señalamos anteriormente», indicó Livingston. «Así como existen prohibiciones para la publicidad del tabaco y restricciones de venta eficaces, podría haber controles más rigurosos sobre la publicidad y las ventas de alcohol para reducir el enorme daño a la salud y seguridad públicas y los costos catastróficos de este daño».«

Alcohol Justice los invita a ser parte de su renovado esfuerzo público para mantener bajo control al Big Alcohol. Inscríbase para recibir notificaciones de acciones y eNews de Alcohol Justice. Ese es un gran primer paso. Big Alcohol podrá tener el poder para hacer publicidad en todos los medios, en todos los eventos deportivos y para todas las edades, pero el público no tiene por qué sentarse y aceptarlo. Si es posible, haga una contribución deducible de sus impuestos a Alcohol Justice. Esto también ayudará a fortalecernos en 2021. «Juntos, podemos desafiar con éxito al Big Alcohol y defender la salud y seguridad públicas de las de la industria», concluyó Livingston.

Para obtener más información sobre las campañas y proyectos de Alcohol Justice, visite https://alcoholjustice.org

Contacto: Michael J. Scippa 415 548-0492
Jorge Castillo 213 840-3336

Logotipo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/147418/alcohol_justice_logo.jpg

FUENTE Alcohol Justice

Duke Energy, Attorney General, Public Staff and Sierra Club reach agreement on N.C. coal ash costs

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Jan. 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — In a milestone settlement that resolves the last remaining major issues on coal ash management in North Carolina, the North Carolina Attorney General, North Carolina Public Staff, Sierra Club and Duke Energy have reached an agreement on costs related to coal ash management and safe basin closure.

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The proposed settlement, to be filed with the North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC) today, details a plan for coal ash management cost allocation between 2015 and 2030. Over this time frame, Duke Energy will reduce North Carolina customers’ costs by approximately $1.1 billion.

The company will also maintain its ability to earn a return on the remaining balance, providing greater confidence in achieving its long-term financial goals and its transition to cleaner energy sources.

«This agreement addresses a shared interest in putting the coal ash debate to rest as we work toward building the cleaner energy future North Carolinians want and deserve,» said Stephen De May, Duke Energy’s North Carolina president. «We were able to reach a balanced compromise that will deliver immediate and long-term savings to customers and provide greater certainty to the company over the next decade.»

The groups had a mutual interest in resolving the outstanding litigation in the current rate cases before the NCUC, as well as the N.C. Supreme Court-ordered review of the 2018 coal ash rate case decisions.

This settlement would reduce coal ash costs included in the pending rate requests by 60%, which would provide immediate customer savings if approved.

Duke Energy is in the process of permanently closing the remaining coal ash basins in the state, with support from the public, regulators, the environmental community and elected officials. This settlement affirms that the current closure strategy remains prudent and in the best interests of customers and communities in the Carolinas.

The NCUC will make the final decision on the proposed rate requests and the proposed settlement agreement.

Duke Energy

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of the largest energy holding companies in the U.S. It employs 30,000 people and has an electric generating capacity of 51,000 megawatts through its regulated utilities, and 3,000 megawatts through its nonregulated Duke Energy Renewables unit.

Duke Energy is transforming its customers’ experience, modernizing the energy grid, generating cleaner energy and expanding natural gas infrastructure to create a smarter energy future for the people and communities it serves. The Electric Utilities and Infrastructure unit’s regulated utilities serve approximately 7.7 million retail electric customers in six states – North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky. The Gas Utilities and Infrastructure unit distributes natural gas to more than 1.6 million customers in five states – North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The Duke Energy Renewables unit operates wind and solar generation facilities across the U.S., as well as energy storage and microgrid projects.

Duke Energy was named to Fortune’s 2020 «World’s Most Admired Companies» list, and Forbes’ 2019 «America’s Best Employers» list. More information about the company is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos, videos and other materials. Duke Energy’s illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Contact: Meredith Archie
24-Hour: 800.559.3853

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SOURCE Duke Energy