Categoría: Geovanny Vicente

NEW YORK, Dec. 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — On behalf of the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) and the American Society of Nephrology (ASN), we thank the trainees, clinicians, and the public—particularly people with kidney diseases, kidney failure, and kidney transplants—for their ongoing support of the NKF-ASN Task Force on Reassessing the Inclusion of Race in Diagnosing Kidney Diseases. The task force will issue its interim report in January 2021 and its final report in spring 2021.

When announcing the establishment of the task force earlier this year, NKF and ASN affirmed that race is a social, not a biological, construct. As the largest organizations representing kidney patients and professionals, we remain committed, as we asserted, to ensuring that racial bias does not affect the diagnosis and subsequent treatment of kidney diseases.

For four months, the task force has received expert testimony and assessed the scientific literature (including several articles that were published this fall). The task force is now deliberating to meet its charge and «ensure that GFR estimation equations provide an unbiased assessment of kidney function so that patients, clinicians, laboratories, and public health officials can make informed decisions to ensure equity and personalized care for patients with kidney diseases.»

To help the task force draft its final report, NKF and ASN encourage trainees, clinicians, and the public—particularly people with kidney diseases, kidney failure, and kidney transplants—to testify (or provide written comments) during open forums in January. Sign up before Tuesday, December 29, 2020, at 5:00 p.m. EST to register for one of the open forums.  Please note that these forums are not open to members of the press. 

Health inequities in the United States are present for Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian American, and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander people. These inequities are particularly disturbing in kidney medicine:

• People who are Black or African American comprise 13% of the US population but 33% of the nation’s population on dialysis for kidney failure.¹
• Kidney failure prevalence is about 3.7 times greater in Black or African American people, 1.5 times greater in Hispanic or Latino people, 1.4 times greater in American Indian or Alaska Native, and 1.5 times greater in Asian Americans than in White Americans.²
• Inequities begin long before kidney failure: Black or African American and Hispanic or Latino people are significantly less likely than their White counterparts to receive any kidney care before kidney failure, missing key opportunities for intervention.³
• Black or African American and Hispanic or Latino people on dialysis are significantly less likely than their White counterparts to receive a kidney transplant and are also less likely to receive a living donor kidney transplant (the optimal type of transplant) than Whites.^4,5
• Black or African American people have disproportionately high rates of kidney transplant (allograft) failure compared to Whites, with up to a 60% higher risk of allograft failure.⁶
• When compared to White Americans, people who are Black or African American are less likely to be placed on the transplant waiting list and, once on it, experience disparities in the time it takes to receive a kidney.^7,8
• Every racial/ethnic minority group in the United States is significantly less likely to be treated with home dialysis than White Americans, and demographic and clinical characteristics are insufficient to explain this differential use: Home dialysis is 40% to 50% lower amongst Black or African American and Hispanic or Latino people compared to Whites.^9,10

NKF and ASN are committed to reversing these longstanding inequities, through efforts that address both health care delivery and social determinants of health. Working with other members of the kidney community, other patient and health professional organizations, entities focused on ending racism, and government, we will address the overall health of the entire population, tackle health disparities and social determinants of health, and confront racism (which includes tackling how the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated racism). To eliminate disparities, NKF, ASN and other stakeholders must develop multi-faceted initiatives beyond an examination of estimating equations.

About Kidney Diseases
In the United States, 37 million adults are estimated to have chronic kidney disease (CKD)—and approximately 90 percent don’t know they have it.  1 in 3 adults in the U.S. is at risk for chronic kidney disease.  Risk factors for kidney disease include: diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, and family history. People who are Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian American, or Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander are at increased risk for developing the disease. Black or African American people are almost 4 times more likely than Whites to have kidney failure. Hispanic or Latino people are 1.3 times more likely than non-Hispanic or non-Latino people to have kidney failure.

About National Kidney Foundation
The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) is the largest, most comprehensive, and longstanding patient-centric organization dedicated to the awareness, prevention, and treatment of kidney disease in the U.S. For more information about NKF, visit www.kidney.org.

About American Society of Nephrology
ASN leads the fight to prevent, treat, and cure kidney diseases throughout the world by educating health professionals and scientists, advancing research and innovation, communicating new knowledge, and advocating for the highest quality care for patients. ASN has more than 21,000 members representing 131 countries. For more information, please visit www.asn-online.org or contact the society at 202-640-4660.

¹ https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-statistics/kidney-disease
² https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-statistics/kidney-disease  
³ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5469551/
⁴ https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2667722
⁵ https://jasn.asnjournals.org/content/27/7/2123
⁶ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5373991/
⁷ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5827936/  
⁸ https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamasurgery/fullarticle/2729436
⁹ https://jasn.asnjournals.org/content/27/7/2123
¹⁰ https://jasn.asnjournals.org/content/27/7/2123

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SOURCE National Kidney Foundation

WASHINGTON, Dec. 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Today, the Council on Competitiveness, through its National Commission on Innovation and Competitiveness Frontiers, issued a call to action and roadmap for America to increase its innovation capacity tenfold (10X). This goal is set in the firm belief that the nation’s long-term growth in productivity and inclusive prosperity requires placing greater attention on innovation to confer a competitive advantage.

The 10X goal, and the roadmap of 50 specific recommendations to achieve it, are the product of 15 months of diligent collaboration and effort from nearly 60 National Commissioners and their teams. The National Commission represents the diverse U.S. innovation ecosystem, including national leaders from industry, academia, labor and the national laboratories. Organized across four working groups, teams met during 100 plus virtual workshops to develop the 50 recommendations. These recommendations were released during the 2020 National Competitiveness Forum at 12:00pm EST on December 17, 2020, as a living and evolving report titled, Competing in the Next Economy.

«America is at a crossroads. Competitor nations are making strategic investments in research and technology to close the gap of our leadership. We are entering a new age of innovation where we must excel,» said Deborah Wince-Smith, president and CEO of the Council on Competitiveness. «To be successful, we need to out imagine, out innovate, and out compete other countries.»

Competing in the Next Economy raises the alarm that «warning lights are flashing» in terms of America’s historic position as the world leader in innovation, threatening the nation’s competitive future in the global economy. The report also serves as a roadmap for local, state and national policymakers to come together with the private sector to focus in a bold and transformational way on all efforts to optimize the United States for a new, unfolding, challenging innovation reality. The 50 specific recommendations in the report will support the following four objectives:

1. Increasing U.S. leadership and national strategies for innovation
2. Increasing the number of innovations developed in and deployed by the U.S.
3. Increasing the speed at which the U.S. innovates
4. Increasing the number and diversity of Americans engaged in innovation

«The challenge to America is so great that we can do no less than strive to increase our innovation tenfold. We must have world-leading capabilities to ensure our economic and national security, our geopolitical leadership, and our place as the world’s beacon of progress and problem-solving,» said Dr. Mehmood Khan, CEO, Life Biosciences, Inc., and Chairman, Council on Competitiveness.

The full report is here: Compete.org/Reports

About the Council on Competitiveness

For more than three decades, the Council on Competitiveness (Council) has championed a competitiveness agenda for the United States to attract investment and talent and spur the commercialization of new ideas. While the players may have changed since its founding in 1986, the mission remains as vital as ever—to enhance U.S. productivity and raise the standard of living for all Americans.

The members of the Council — CEOs, university presidents, labor leaders and national lab directors — represent a powerful, nonpartisan voice that sets aside politics and seeks results. By providing real-world perspective to policymakers, the Council’s private sector network makes an impact on decision-making across a broad spectrum of issues — from the cutting-edge of science and technology, to the democratization of innovation, to the shift from energy weakness to strength that supports the growing renaissance in U.S. manufacturing. The Council firmly believes that with the right policies, the strengths and potential of the U.S. economy far outweigh the current challenges the nation faces on the path to higher growth and greater opportunity for all Americans.

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SOURCE Council on Competitivenes

SAN DIEGO, Dec. 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — PriceSmart, Inc. (NASDAQ: PSMT) today announced that it plans to proceed with the construction of its 48^th warehouse club in Guatemala City, Guatemala, expected to open in the fall 2021, and its 49^th warehouse club in Portmore, Jamaica, expected to open in spring of 2022.

In June 2019, the Company acquired nearly 150,000 square feet of  land in Cayalá (Zone 5 municipality), southeast of Guatemala City, Guatemala, where it plans to build its fifth club in Guatemala. In September 2019, the Company acquired approximately 218,000 square feet of land in Portmore, a suburb west of the capital of Jamaica, where it plans to build its second club in Jamaica.

«Despite the roller coaster we rode with most of the world in this last year, we are ready to proceed with the construction of two new clubs, one each in Guatemala and Jamaica. We expect to open these clubs in the next fiscal year. The Cayalá Guatemala club, our fifth club in Guatemala, follows the successful opening and solid performance thus far of our fourth club opened in Guatemala last year. We also believe there is strong demand for expansion of our business model and warehouse clubs in Jamaica. As I’ve frequently mentioned before, new club openings are likely to initially adversely impact our comparable net merchandise sales. However, as we move forward with new club openings, as in this case, when we believe that in the long run, such expansion provides opportunities for growth by way of incremental membership, growth in net merchandise sales and services, and a better shopping experience for our members. Thanks to the incredible commitment of our employees, we are nearing the end of this calendar year excited about future possibilities,»  commented Sherry S. Bahrambeygui, CEO of PriceSmart, Inc.

About PriceSmart

PriceSmart, headquartered in San Diego, owns and operates U.S.-style membership shopping warehouse clubs in Latin America and the Caribbean, selling high quality merchandise and services at low prices to PriceSmart Members. PriceSmart operates 47 warehouse clubs in 12 countries and one U.S. territory (eight in Costa Rica and Colombia; seven in Panama; five in the Dominican Republic, four in Trinidad and Guatemala; three in Honduras; two each in El Salvador and Nicaragua; and one each in Aruba, Barbados, Jamaica and the United States Virgin Islands). The Company also plans to open new warehouse clubs in Cayalá, Guatemala and Portmore, Jamaica in the fall of 2021 and the spring of 2022, respectively. Once these two new clubs are open, the Company will operate 49 warehouse clubs. 

This press release may contain forward-looking statements concerning the Company’s anticipated future revenues and earnings, adequacy of future cash flows, omni-channel initiatives, proposed warehouse club openings, the Company’s performance relative to competitors, the outcome of tax proceedings and related matters. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements containing the words «expect,» «believe,» «will,» «may,» «should,» «project,» «estimate,» «anticipated,» «scheduled,» and like expressions, and the negative thereof. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially including, but not limited to: adverse changes in economic conditions in the Company’s markets, natural disasters, compliance risks, volatility in currency exchange rates, competition, consumer and small business spending patterns, political instability, increased costs associated with the integration of online commerce with our traditional business, whether the Company can successfully execute strategic initiatives, breaches of security or privacy of member or business information, cost increases from product and service providers, interruption of supply chains, COVID-19 related factors and challenges, including among others, the duration of the pandemic, the unknown long-term economic impact, the impact of government policies and restrictions that have limited access for our Members, and shifts in demand away from discretionary or higher priced products to lower priced products, exposure to product liability claims and product recalls, recoverability of moneys owed to PriceSmart from governments, and other important factors discussed in the Risk Factors section of the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, and other factors discussed from time to time in other filings with the SEC, which are accessible on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov, including Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date that they are made, and the Company does not undertake to update them, except as required by law.

For further information, please contact Michael L. McCleary, EVP, Chief Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer (858) 404-8826 or send an email to ir@pricesmart.com.

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SOURCE PriceSmart, Inc.

BELFAST, Northern Ireland, Dec. 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Gunvor Group, one of the world’s largest physical energy commodities traders, has made an investment in Artemis Technologies as a part of the company’s commitment to developing nonhydrocarbon solutions to maritime transportation. The investment by Gunvor follows the recent award of a £33 million UK Government innovation grant to the Artemis Technologies-led Belfast Maritime Consortium, which aims to develop zero-emission high-speed ferries.

Artemis Technologies, founded in 2017, is an applied technologies spin-off of the Artemis Racing sailing team, which competed in the 34th and 35th editions of the America’s Cup—the most technologically demanding sailing competition in the world. Artemis Technologies is a purely commercial endeavour that draws on the team’s world-class designers, engineers, and boat builders to develop practical applications for its advancements in speed and efficiency.

«Artemis Technologies is working on a number of compelling innovations that will help decarbonise the maritime sector at a time when there is growing demand for low-carbon alternatives,» said Torbjörn Törnqvist, Chairman of Gunvor Group. «Gunvor has committed to reduce the carbon footprint of the commodities we’re trading and our industrial processes, as well as to explore relevant commercial opportunities. There is no silver bullet to the climate change issue. Many solutions are needed.»

Gunvor’s investment will aid Artemis Technologies’ development of a transformative electric hydrofoiling propulsion system, the Artemis eFoiler™ that will power «green» vessels of the future. The vessels developed as a part of the Belfast project will operate with up to 90% less energy than traditional ferries, with the capability of carrying up to 350 passengers and produce zero emissions during operation.

This Artemis eFoiler™ system combines technologies from the 13-partner Belfast syndicate, which includes a mix of companies within the maritime, aerospace, energy, and automotive industries, as well as academic institutions and public bodies.

«With approximately 30% of ship emissions coming from domestic voyages, the maritime sector is under pressure to develop and adopt new disruptive innovations,» said Double Olympic sailing gold medallist and CEO of Artemis Technologies, Dr. Iain Percy OBE. «This means that reducing emissions on smaller domestic fleets, which typically make these shorter journeys, will be key in meeting net zero goals.»

Artemis Technologies was recently profiled in the «Future of Everything» podcast.

The Belfast Consortium was recently profiled by BBC News.

About Gunvor Group

Gunvor Group is one of the world’s largest independent commodities trading houses by turnover, creating logistics solutions that safely and efficiently move physical energy from where it is sourced and stored to where it is demanded most. With strategic investments in industrial infrastructure—refineries, pipelines, storage, and terminals—Gunvor further generates sustainable value across the global supply chain for its customers. More information can be found at GunvorGroup.com.

Mr. Seth Thomas Pietras
stp@gunvorgroup.com
+41 79 870 6290

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1388271/Gunvor_Artemis_Sailing.jpg  
Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1388284/Gunvor_Artemis_eFoiler.jpg  
Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1358699/Gunvor_Logo.jpg

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SOURCE Gunvor Group

NEW YORK, Dec. 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — GTIS Partners LP («GTIS»), a real estate private equity firm headquartered in New York City, with offices in São Paulo, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Atlanta, Paris and Munich, today announced that the GTIS Brazil Real Estate Fund («GTIS Brazil Real Estate Fund I») has been recognized as 2020’s most sustainable private equity real estate investment fund in South America by the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark («GRESB»). This is the sixth consecutive year the fund has taken the top ranking.

GTIS Brazil Real Estate Funds III and II took second and third-place honors, respectively, rounding out the top three. Additionally, all three GTIS Brazil funds received five out of five stars and ranked first in their respective peer groups based on property type concentration.

GRESB reviewed in 2020 more than 1,200 property companies, real estate investment trusts (REITs), funds, and developers, finding that GTIS consistently outperformed its peers, in part due to an investment process and company culture that centers around ESG considerations.

As one of the largest foreign real estate investors in Brazil, GTIS has committed more than $2.4 billion of equity to its Brazil platform. The firm has been actively investing in Brazil real estate since 2005, and has been participating in the GRESB survey for its Brazil funds since 2012, making it one of the first institutional investors in Brazil to recognize the importance of sustainability and governance. 

«We are extremely honored to receive this recognition from GRESB for the sixth year in a row.  We consistently implement ESG processes at GTIS in the same way we build real estate – from the ground up,» said Josh Pristaw, Senior Managing Direction, Head of Capital Markets and Co-head of Brazil. «GTIS has dedicated many resources over the years to ensuring our investment process takes into consideration all material ESG components. We have found that what makes for good social impact directly correlates with strong investments and subsequently, strong returns.»

«As a leader in real estate investing, we must take into consideration the effects of our capital deployment on ESG issues,» said João Teixeira, Senior Managing Director and Co-Head of the Brazil Office. «We have a duty not only to our investors, but to the communities and people with whom we interact who have entrusted us with their money, their property, and their time. I have witnessed firsthand the positive outcomes in Brazil that have come from a conscientious investment process and know that GTIS will continue to put ESG efforts at the forefront.»

«We are proud to recognize the 2020 GRESB ‘Sector Leaders’ and ‘Most Improved’ for their clear commitment and meaningful action to improve their ESG performance,» said Paul van Tongeren, Co-Founder of GRESB.  «Your efforts continue to shape the future of sustainability leadership and play a critical role in driving the transition towards sustainable real assets.»

In addition to real estate, GTIS employs ESG principles in its renewable energy investments in its state-of-the-art industrial/logistics center outside São Paulo.  The development has been outfitted with a rooftop solar farm with a 2.5-megawatt capacity that exceeds the approximately 1.5 million square foot center’s energy needs. The firm is also in the process of migrating five office assets and seven hotel assets to providers of free market renewable energy sources instead of the local utility provider, thereby acquiring nearly 35,000 kWh of annual energy from renewable sources over the next 5-7 years. 

GTIS also employs rigorous ESG processes in its US investments which include multifamily and single family projects located in growth markets. The firm also invests in US Opportunity Zones, most recently in Phoenix, with the mission of stimulating economic development in underserved areas while focusing on sustainability and socio-economics.

For more information on GTIS’ approach to ESG see here: https://www.gtispartners.com/our-firm-sustainability

About GTIS Partners
GTIS Partners is a leading real asset investment and development firm headquartered in New York with offices in São Paulo, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Paris and Munich. The firm was founded in 2005 by Tom Shapiro and is managed by President Tom Shapiro and Senior Managing Directors Thomas Feldstein, Josh Pristaw, João Teixeira, Rob Vahradian and Amy Boyle. The firm manages over $4 billion in gross assets and is active across a wide range of real estate sectors including single family and multifamily housing, office, industrial/logistics and hospitality as well as renewable energy infrastructure and opportunity zone investments. The firm invests at various points in the capital structure including credit, common equity and structured equity. In the US, GTIS has invested in over 130 assets across 40 unique markets including growth areas such as Phoenix, Dallas, Houston, Denver, Atlanta, Tampa and Charlotte. In Brazil, GTIS is among the largest real assets private equity firms with holdings including office, residential, logistics, hospitality and renewable energy investments. Marquee assets in São Paulo include the Infinity office building and Palácio Tangará, a five-star resort style hotel.  For more information, please visit www.gtispartners.com.

About GRESB
GRESB is a mission driven and investor led organization providing standardized and validated Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) data to the capital markets. Established in 2009, GRESB has become the leading ESG benchmark for real estate and infrastructure investments across the world. The 2020 real estate benchmark covers more than 1,200 property companies, real estate investment trusts (REITs), funds, and developers. Our coverage for infrastructure includes more than 540 infrastructure funds and assets. Combined, GRESB represents US $5.3 trillion in real asset value. The reported ESG data is used by more than 100 institutional and financial investors to monitor investments across portfolios and understand the opportunities, risks and choices that need to be made as the industry transitions to a more sustainable future. For more information, please refer to www.GRESB.com.

Media Contacts
Steve Bruce / Mary Beth Grover
ASC Advisors
(203) 992-1230
sbruce@ascadvisors.com / mbgrover@ascadvisors.com

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SOURCE GTIS Partners

PROVO, Utah, Dec. 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Nu Skin was recognized with multiple awards by the U.S. Direct Selling Association (DSA) this week at the 2020 DSA Virtual Awards Ceremony. The company’s sustainability efforts won in the Vision for Tomorrow category, and its Velocity sales performance plan won in the Excellence in Business category. Nu Skin was also recognized as part of the DSA Top 25, noting the 25 largest DSA member companies.

The annual DSA Awards recognize the exceptional programs that direct selling companies have incorporated into their business practices. Finalists were selected by a committee, and the winners were voted on by more than 1,800 individuals within DSA member companies.

«We are honored to be recognized by the DSA for our efforts in sustainability as well as our sales performance plan,» says Ryan Napierski, president. «Nu Skin is committed to embracing sustainable practices today that will enhance a more resource rich tomorrow. We also strive to be bold innovators in every corner of our business, and we’re proud to see that innovation integrated within our sales performance programs.»

Nu Skin’s sustainability commitments focus on improvements in three key, impact areas: people, planet and product. These improvements include assessing environmental impact scores, building a global network of zero-waste facilities, and investing in communities and people that are providing essential resources for our planet. The Velocity by Nu Skin sales performance plan offers fast rewards (daily and weekly pay) and empowers sales leaders with the opportunity to build their own business in a flexible, fulfilling way.

About Nu Skin
Founded more than 35 years ago, Nu Skin develops and distributes innovative consumer products, offering a comprehensive line of premium-quality beauty and wellness solutions. The company builds upon its scientific expertise in both skin care and nutrition to continually develop innovative product brands that include the Nu Skin® personal care brand, the Pharmanex® nutrition brand, and most recently, the ageLOC® anti-aging brand. The ageLOC brand has generated a loyal following for such products as the ageLOC LumiSpa skin cleansing and treatment device, ageLOC Youth nutritional supplement, the ageLOC Me® customized skin care system, as well as the ageLOC TR90® weight management and body shaping system. Nu Skin sells its products through a global network of sales leaders in Asia, the Americas, Europe, Africa and the Pacific. As a long-standing member of direct selling associations globally, Nu Skin is committed to the industry’s consumer guidelines that protect and support those who sell and purchase its products through the direct selling channel. Nu Skin International is a wholly owned subsidiary of Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc., which is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol (NYSE: NUS). More information is available at nuskin.com.

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SOURCE Nu Skin