(NYSE: JPM) Chase recently launched the opening of the voting period for the 2012 American Giving Awards (AGAs). Fans of Chase Community Giving can cast their vote for their favorite participating charity on Facebook, and Chase online customers can also vote on www.chase.com/chasegiving during the voting period, which runs until December 4.

Chase will grant a total of $2 million to the five charities with the most votes in their respective categories. Of the five top vote-getters from each category, the charity with the most votes will receive a $1 million grant, the runner-up will be granted $500,000, a third organization will receive a $250,000 grant and two will be given $125,000 grants.

The voting results will be revealed during a star-studded event hosted by Joel McHale (NBC’s “Community” and “The Soup”) on NBC December 8, Saturday 8/7c from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, CA.

The twenty-five participating charities will represent one of five categories recognizing the “building blocks” of communities. The nominees are:

Educators & Mentors: For empowering our communities through education

• Sprout Up – Goleta, CA
• Fugees Family – Scottdale, GA
• More Than Me Foundation – Bernardsville, NJ
• She’s the First – New York, NY
• Worldreader – Seattle, WA

Heroes & Leaders: For outstanding community contributions to human rights and social services

• Restore NYC – New York, NY
• Team Rubicon – Inglewood, CA
• The Tiziano Project – Calabasas, CA
• Women Make Movies – New York, NY
• Youth Service America – Washington DC

Champions of Health & Wellness: For improving health and well-being in our communities

• Active Minds – Washington DC
• Timmy Global Health – Indianapolis, IN
• Gwendolyn Strong Foundation – Santa Barbara, CA
• One Heartland – Minneapolis, MN
• Surfers Healing Foundation, Inc. – San Juan Capistrano, CA

Community Builders: For excellence in serving our communities

• An Angel in Queens – Woodhaven, NY
• Architecture for Humanity – San Francisco, CA
• Half the Sky Foundation – Berkeley, CA
• Krochet Kids intl. – Costa Mesa, CA
• Samasource – San Francisco, CA

Youth Developers: For inspiring and nurturing our youth that will help build stronger communities.

• Art Feeds – Joplin, MO
• Break the Cycle – Los Angeles, CA
• GLSEN – New York, NY
• YouthBuild Philly – Philadelphia, PA
• Together We Rise – Chino, CA

For more information on each of the 25 selected participants, please visit www.nbc.com/americangivingawards or www.facebook.com/ChaseCommunityGiving/app. Votes can be cast on Facebook or Chase.com/ChaseGiving, if you are a Chase online customer. 

For the full program rules, visit apps.facebook.com/americangivingawards/pages/program-rules

About Chase

Chase is the U.S. consumer and commercial banking business of JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM), a leading global financial services firm with assets of $2.3 trillion and operations in more than 60 countries. Chase serves more than 50 million consumers and small businesses through more than 5,500 bank branches, 18,000 ATMs, mortgage offices, and online and mobile banking as well as through relationships with auto dealerships. More information about Chase is available at www.chase.com.

About Chase Community Giving

Chase Community Giving leverages the power of social media to decide how some of Chase’s charitable dollars are allocated. This program was developed by Chase to complement its charitable giving, which totals over $150 million annually. Chase Community Giving relies on its more than 3.8 million fans on Facebook and customers to help decide which local nonprofits receive grants. Since its inception in 2009, Chase Community Giving has helped direct over $28 million to thousands of charities across the country representing causes such as building schools in Africa, providing food and shelter to the homeless, and supporting the performing arts.

PLEASE NOTE NEW DATES DUE TO HURRICANE SANDY POWER OUTAGES

Global ESG Regulatory Academy™ 2012 Webinar Series: SEC ESG COMPLIANCE—WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD: Requirements, Liabilities, and Challenges for Public Companies, Boards, Auditors, and Institutional Investors

Webinars are limited to 100 participants; early registration is recommended.

THE 2012 WEBINAR SERIES, DESIGNED FOR ALL CAPITAL MARKET PARTICIPANTS AND STAKEHOLDERS, WILL BE PACKED WITH PRACTICAL, MUST-HAVE ACTIONABLE INTELLIGENCE AND GUIDANCE NOT AVAILABLE ANYWHERE ELSE.

This Webinar Series will get you quickly up to speed on how the SEC regime applies to ESG issues, and explain the associated liabilities and risks for noncompliance for these four large market sectors and for a broad range of capital market transactions. The Webinars are conveniently accessible from your office computer or mobile device. All Registrants, whether or not you can attend the live Webinars, will receive the presentation handout materials and access to the archived recording for the Webinars. Those who attend the live Webinars will be able to ask questions during the live Q&A sessions.

The 2012 Webinar Series will establish your essential knowledge foundation, and will explain the dimensions and impacts of the widespread global SEC ESG noncompliance problem—an estimated 80% of large public company SEC filers are non-compliant on ESG issues, according to the landmark CSR Insight™ Study. "All capital market participants and stakeholders now need to be knowledgeable about ESG financial regulatory reporting requirements, and why this widespread global SEC ESG noncompliance exists and how it can be fixed, because this systemic regulatory noncompliance on ESG issues is producing rising financial and economic risks for all concerned,” states Linda Lowson, Esq., CEO of CSR Insight™ and Founder of the Global ESG Regulatory Academy™.

PLEASE JOIN US FOR THESE EXCITING EVENTS! Click here for full event info and to register: http://www.cvent.com/d/lcqs49?refid=csrws.

FOR SPEAKER, SPONSOR, AND REGISTRATION QUERIES: Contact Ms. Lowson at inquiry@csrinsight.com.

(Marketwire) - Just in time for the howl-idays, Great Wolf Lodge has unveiled newly renovated, life-size gingerbread houses featuring delightful details from HGTV lifestyle expert Carter Oosterhouse. During Great Wolf Lodge's annual Snowland celebration, families can dine inside the enchanted gingerbread houses, which seat up to six guests, with proceeds benefitting local Big Brothers Big Sisters chapters.

With Carter's savvy eye for design, all 11 Great Wolf Lodge resorts incorporated ideas and inspiration, including button-candy wallpaper, gum drop poinsettias in the window flower boxes, rock candy icicles and a sugary sled for added curb appeal. Features of each gingerbread house were painstakingly baked, iced, candied and sugared on the grandest of scales -- taking more than 400 hours to complete.

"At Great Wolf Lodge we create an experience for our guest that is all about seeing the wonderment of the holidays through the eyes of a child," said Tim Black, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Great Wolf Lodge. "Each Snowland detail, from the gingerbread house to caroling in the Grand Lobby, is meant for families to enjoy this special time of year -- together."

Carter, a Traverse City, Mich. native, visited his local Great Wolf Lodge to contribute his design expertise to the sugary homes, providing his favorite holiday DIY tips. Guests can get inspired and recreate the spirit of Snowland in their own homes with one of Carter's family-friendly craft ideas -- a candy photo frame using traditional favorites like peppermints. Printable, detailed directions for the photo frames are available at greatwolf.com/snowland. 

"The holidays are a special time for my family as we look forward to traditions like trimming the tree and decorating our home," said Carter Oosterhouse. "Getting your home ready for the season does not have to be costly and elaborate, but can be as simple as creating meaningful DIY crafts with your children like a picture frame decorated with candy, or colorful holiday-themed pillowcase chair covers."

Each December, Great Wolf Lodge indoor waterpark resorts completely transform into winter wonderland destinations complete with an hourly snowfall in the Grand Lobby and loads of entertaining activities. Snowland festivities begin with the official tree-lighting ceremony in the Grand Lobby on Saturday, December 1, and include a special appearance by Santa Claus and the resort's own Rowdy the Reindeer. Great Wolf Lodge guests who visit Snowland can discover the splendor of the season complete with caroling, participation in North Pole University throughout the resort, holiday-themed Cub Club activities that are perfect for kids to complete alongside parents and gorgeous holiday decor -- all within the warm confines of an 84-degree, indoor waterpark.

Snowland opens December 1 and continues through December 25. Guests of Great Wolf Lodge resorts will enjoy these family-friendly activities:

• Writing letters to Santa Claus at the Writing Depot
• Participating in holiday-themed crafts in the Cub Club
• Caroling and a special Snowland Clock Tower show
• Nightly story reading in the Grand Lobby with Rowdy the Reindeer
• Photo opportunities with the Gingerbread House and Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus

For more information about Snowland festivities or to plan a visit at Great Wolf Lodge, visit greatwolf.com/snowland.

About Cater Oosterhouse
Carter Oosterhouse is one of America's most recognized lifestyle experts. As host of HGTV's Million Dollar Rooms, Carter Can, Celebrity Motor Homes and a regular contributor to the Emmy® Award-Winning Rachael Ray Show, Carter's unique combination of skill, passion and charm have given him widespread appeal for families and individuals alike seeking to improve the quality of their lives by enhancing their surroundings.

About Great Wolf Resorts, Inc.
Great Wolf Resorts, Inc.®, Madison, Wis., is North America's largest family of indoor waterpark resorts, and, through its subsidiaries and affiliates, owns and operates its family resorts under the Great Wolf Lodge® brand. Great Wolf Resorts is a fully integrated resort company with Great Wolf Lodge locations in: Wisconsin Dells, Wis.; Sandusky, Ohio; Traverse City, Mich.; Kansas City, Kan.; Williamsburg, Va.; the Pocono Mountains, Pa.; Niagara Falls, Ontario; Mason, Ohio; Grapevine, Texas; Grand Mound, Wash.; and Concord, N.C. Great Wolf's consolidated subsidiary, Creative Kingdoms, LLC, is a developer and operator of technology-based, interactive quest adventure experiences such as MagiQuest®.

Additional information may be found on Great Wolf's website at www.greatwolf.com/media.

Realities of the Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Landscape are changing towards knowing your supply chain, reporting on due diligence risk factors and increasing legislation. This new reality is making it more important than ever for companies to have a corporate wide strategy for sustainability with support across multiple departments.

Through hands-on workshops and interactive panel discussions led by industry experts and best practice leaders, ESF 2013 will equip participants to proactively drive preemptive solutions, mitigate risks, improve performance and move beyond compliance with leap frog innovations and solutions. ESF 2013 provides practitioners tools and knowledge to break barriers and discover innovative new products and approaches, as well as business models designed for making sustainability work within your business.

Participants can expect key solutions to the following questions proliferating the CSR landscape

• How will the trends in disclosure of supply chain non-financial due diligence impact my company? 
• With increasing expectations towards traceability and knowing the origins of products, how can I better identify, manage and report on risks in my entire supply chain?
• How do I scale up capacity building models to ascertain a deeper reach into my supply chain?
• What can supply chain professionals do to better manage sourcing in high risk hotspots like Myanmar, Pakistan or various African nations?
• What are peer companies doing about the growing expectation to have adequate visibility and assurance for chemical/wastewater management within the supply chain?
• From the Twitterverse to global social movements, what impact could social media have on my business and the CSR industry?

Visit http://www.ethicalsourcingforum.com/esf-2013/ for the complete agenda.

Register now!

PLEASE NOTE NEW DATES DUE TO HURRICANE SANDY POWER OUTAGES

Global ESG Regulatory Academy™ 2012 Webinar Series: SEC ESG COMPLIANCE—WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD: Requirements, Liabilities, and Challenges for Public Companies, Boards, Auditors, and Institutional Investors

Webinars are limited to 100 participants; early registration is recommended.

THE 2012 WEBINAR SERIES, DESIGNED FOR ALL CAPITAL MARKET PARTICIPANTS AND STAKEHOLDERS, WILL BE PACKED WITH PRACTICAL, MUST-HAVE ACTIONABLE INTELLIGENCE AND GUIDANCE NOT AVAILABLE ANYWHERE ELSE.

This Webinar Series will get you quickly up to speed on how the SEC regime applies to ESG issues, and explain the associated liabilities and risks for noncompliance for these four large market sectors and for a broad range of capital market transactions. The Webinars are conveniently accessible from your office computer or mobile device. All Registrants, whether or not you can attend the live Webinars, will receive the presentation handout materials and access to the archived recording for the Webinars. Those who attend the live Webinars will be able to ask questions during the live Q&A sessions.

The 2012 Webinar Series will establish your essential knowledge foundation, and will explain the dimensions and impacts of the widespread global SEC ESG noncompliance problem—an estimated 80% of large public company SEC filers are non-compliant on ESG issues, according to the landmark CSR Insight™ Study. "All capital market participants and stakeholders now need to be knowledgeable about ESG financial regulatory reporting requirements, and why this widespread global SEC ESG noncompliance exists and how it can be fixed, because this systemic regulatory noncompliance on ESG issues is producing rising financial and economic risks for all concerned,” states Linda Lowson, Esq., CEO of CSR Insight™ and Founder of the Global ESG Regulatory Academy™.

PLEASE JOIN US FOR THESE EXCITING EVENTS! Click here for full event info and to register: http://www.cvent.com/d/lcqs49?refid=csrws.

FOR SPEAKER, SPONSOR, AND REGISTRATION QUERIES: Contact Ms. Lowson at inquiry@csrinsight.com.

PLEASE NOTE NEW DATES DUE TO HURRICANE SANDY POWER OUTAGES

Global ESG Regulatory Academy™ 2012 Webinar Series: SEC ESG COMPLIANCE—WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD: Requirements, Liabilities, and Challenges for Public Companies, Boards, Auditors, and Institutional Investors

Webinars are limited to 100 participants; early registration is recommended.

THE 2012 WEBINAR SERIES, DESIGNED FOR ALL CAPITAL MARKET PARTICIPANTS AND STAKEHOLDERS, WILL BE PACKED WITH PRACTICAL, MUST-HAVE ACTIONABLE INTELLIGENCE AND GUIDANCE NOT AVAILABLE ANYWHERE ELSE.

This Webinar Series will get you quickly up to speed on how the SEC regime applies to ESG issues, and explain the associated liabilities and risks for noncompliance for these four large market sectors and for a broad range of capital market transactions. The Webinars are conveniently accessible from your office computer or mobile device. All Registrants, whether or not you can attend the live Webinars, will receive the presentation handout materials and access to the archived recording for the Webinars. Those who attend the live Webinars will be able to ask questions during the live Q&A sessions.

The 2012 Webinar Series will establish your essential knowledge foundation, and will explain the dimensions and impacts of the widespread global SEC ESG noncompliance problem—an estimated 80% of large public company SEC filers are non-compliant on ESG issues, according to the landmark CSR Insight™ Study. "All capital market participants and stakeholders now need to be knowledgeable about ESG financial regulatory reporting requirements, and why this widespread global SEC ESG noncompliance exists and how it can be fixed, because this systemic regulatory noncompliance on ESG issues is producing rising financial and economic risks for all concerned,” states Linda Lowson, Esq., CEO of CSR Insight™ and Founder of the Global ESG Regulatory Academy™.

PLEASE JOIN US FOR THESE EXCITING EVENTS! Click here for full event info and to register: http://www.cvent.com/d/lcqs49?refid=csrws.

FOR SPEAKER, SPONSOR, AND REGISTRATION QUERIES: Contact Ms. Lowson at inquiry@csrinsight.com.

WORLD CONFERENCE CENTER BONN, GERMANY

For the third time SusCon – the International Conference on Sustainable Business and Consumption – will bring together decision-makers from businesses, NGOs, governments and UN organisations in the UN city of Bonn, November 27th & 28th.

CENTRAL THEME

In the year of the Rio+20 conference – and true to its motto “Green economy – from intention to action” – the main focus of SusCon 2012 is to investigate solution-oriented approaches. In addition, this business meeting will look at how sustainable solutions can be implemented to foster long-term sustainable development.

KEY EVENT FEATURES

• Real-world case studies that show first-hand, successfully implemented solutions.
• High level plenary presentations and panel discussions. 
• Thematic sessions that will delve into subjects that interest you most.
• Extensive networking opportunities with professionals and leading decision makers.
• SusCon Expo will showcase sustainable solutions, stakeholders and actors.

SPEAKERS

Be inspired at SusCon 2012 – with an outstanding lineup of world renowned speakers such as:

• Prof. Dr. Ernst Ulrich von Weizsäcker, Vandana Shiva,
• Dr. Auma Obama or Helmy Abouleish

This is a chance to network for change.

PARTICIPANTS

Participants will be from financial institutions, consumer goods industries and retailers, small to multinational businesses, scientific and technology providers, governmental and UN organisations, NGOs, campaigns and initiatives.

REASONS TO ATTEND 

• Develop practical approaches for sustainable solutions
• Discover the role of business within the emerging Green Economy
• Benefit from the visions and insights of world class speakers
• Acquire valuable information for making responsible and innovative decisions
• Learn how to create transparency for stakeholders on the value chain

BENEFIT FROM AN EXCELLENT SUSCON NETWORK

SusCon will provide an excellent opportunity to network with international partners and supporting organisations, all of whom are trend setters in developing a greener economy. Use this occasion to exchange knowledge and best-practices; and to learn from the experts how to think “sustainably”.

CLASSICAL CONCERT “AQUA-PHONY AND NATURE SOUNDS”

A unique concert has been organised to celebrate the occasion of the 3rd International Sustainability Conference (SusCon) and the 40th anniversary of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM). The concert will take place at the impressive “Post Tower” in Bonn, Germany on November 26th 2012.

PLEASE NOTE NEW DATES DUE TO HURRICANE SANDY POWER OUTAGES

Global ESG Regulatory Academy™ 2012 Webinar Series: SEC ESG COMPLIANCE—WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD: Requirements, Liabilities, and Challenges for Public Companies, Boards, Auditors, and Institutional Investors

Webinars are limited to 100 participants; early registration is recommended.

THE 2012 WEBINAR SERIES, DESIGNED FOR ALL CAPITAL MARKET PARTICIPANTS AND STAKEHOLDERS, WILL BE PACKED WITH PRACTICAL, MUST-HAVE ACTIONABLE INTELLIGENCE AND GUIDANCE NOT AVAILABLE ANYWHERE ELSE.

This Webinar Series will get you quickly up to speed on how the SEC regime applies to ESG issues, and explain the associated liabilities and risks for noncompliance for these four large market sectors and for a broad range of capital market transactions. The Webinars are conveniently accessible from your office computer or mobile device. All Registrants, whether or not you can attend the live Webinars, will receive the presentation handout materials and access to the archived recording for the Webinars. Those who attend the live Webinars will be able to ask questions during the live Q&A sessions.

The 2012 Webinar Series will establish your essential knowledge foundation, and will explain the dimensions and impacts of the widespread global SEC ESG noncompliance problem—an estimated 80% of large public company SEC filers are non-compliant on ESG issues, according to the landmark CSR Insight™ Study. "All capital market participants and stakeholders now need to be knowledgeable about ESG financial regulatory reporting requirements, and why this widespread global SEC ESG noncompliance exists and how it can be fixed, because this systemic regulatory noncompliance on ESG issues is producing rising financial and economic risks for all concerned,” states Linda Lowson, Esq., CEO of CSR Insight™ and Founder of the Global ESG Regulatory Academy™.

PLEASE JOIN US FOR THESE EXCITING EVENTS! Click here for full event info and to register: http://www.cvent.com/d/lcqs49?refid=csrws.

FOR SPEAKER, SPONSOR, AND REGISTRATION QUERIES: Contact Ms. Lowson at inquiry@csrinsight.com.

Join thousands of new leaders making an impact through their work at the 2012 Net Impact Conference in Baltimore, Maryland. With more than 350 speakers and 100 sessions covering topics from sustainability to social innovation, be there to share ideas and tools, meet thought leaders, and build collaborative relationships.

This year's all-star keynote line-up includes Wendy Kopp of Teach for America, Seth Goldman of Honest Tea, and Jonathan Hsu of Recyclebank, amongst other visionary leaders. Are you ready to accelerate your impact? It all happens this October 25-27 in Baltimore, Maryland. Learn more at netimpact.org/conference.

The Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC), a project of sustainability nonprofit GreenBlue, is pleased to announce additional participants in the soft launch of its pioneering How2Recycle on-package recycling labeling system. Major brand names, including Best Buy, Clorox, and Minute Maid, will be joining 10 other leading companies already participating in the soft launch, including Costco Wholesale, General Mills, Seventh Generation, and REI, in implementing the label on select packaging available nationwide in early 2013. Additionally, the SPC has announced its five-year plan for the labeling system.

How2Recycle was developed to reduce consumer confusion around recycling in the United States with a clear and consistent recycling label and corresponding informational website, how2recycle.info. It provides companies with an easy way to conform to the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) “Green Guides” while using nationwide recyclability data. While several other recycling labels and symbols exist, the How2Recycle Label is the only one that communicates recyclability across all material types and gives explicit directions to consumers to influence their recycling behavior. It also specifies when a package component is not recyclable.

The How2Recycle Label will be appearing on a new juice product from Minute Maid, Clorox’s Scoop Away products, and select Exclusive Brands products from Best Buy.

“Reducing our environmental footprint is important to Clorox. One way we can do this is to encourage consumers to recycle our packages. Consumers understand the concept of recycling but are frequently confused on what packages can or can’t be recycled. They want the process to be easier and we think the recovery label does just that,” said Gwen Lorio of Clorox. “As we enable consumers to recycle correctly, we ensure more quality recycled material is available for us to use, our consumers send less waste to landfill, and we can reduce the energy needed to create new packages. Overall, this can be a win for us all.”

The How2Recycle Label can already be found on numerous products available (or soon to be available) in the marketplace, including Esteé Lauder’s Aveda Outer Peace Acne Pads; a variety of Kirkland products from Costco Wholesale; General Mills’ Yoplait yogurt brand; Microsoft computer accessories; REI’s Novara bicycle accessories, multi-towels, and hang tags; most Seventh Generation products; and Sealed Air’s Fill-Air inflatable packaging. A photo gallery of the packages carrying the label that are currently in the market is available here.

The soft launch of the label will run through the first quarter of 2013. Full implementation of the label will begin thereafter and will incorporate feedback gathered during the soft launch period from consumers, retailers, participating companies, local governments, trade associations, and recyclers. The SPC plans to add up to 20 additional participants after the soft launch phase and aims for the label to appear on the majority of consumer product packaging by 2016.

Companies interested in using the label on their products after the soft launch period can contact GreenBlue Senior Manager Anne Bedarf for more information at 434.817.1424 ext. 314 or anne.bedarf@greenblue.org.

“We look forward to taking this long-term SPC project to the next level,” said Bedarf, who along with GreenBlue Project Associate Danielle Peacock has shepherded the process. “With the revision of the FTC’s Green Guides now out, attention again has turned to accurate and transparent recyclability messaging, and the SPC’s How2Recycle Label is quickly becoming the industry standard. We designed the business model with a tiered structure to encourage participation by businesses of all sizes, and we look forward to working with a diverse group of forward-thinking companies as we enter the next phase.”

About GreenBlue and the Sustainable Packaging Coalition
GreenBlue® is a nonprofit that equips business with the science and resources to make products more sustainable. GreenBlue currently works in three program areas: chemicals, packaging, and forest products, as well as working one-on-one with companies through GreenBlue Advisory Services. The Sustainable Packaging Coalition®, a project of GreenBlue, is an industry working group of approximately 200 companies from across the packaging supply chain. Through strong member support, a science-based approach, and supply chain collaborations, the SPC endeavors to build packaging systems that encourage economic prosperity and a sustainable flow of materials.

PLEASE NOTE NEW DATES DUE TO HURRICANE SANDY POWER OUTAGES

Global ESG Regulatory Academy™ 2012 Webinar Series: SEC ESG COMPLIANCE—WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD: Requirements, Liabilities, and Challenges for Public Companies, Boards, Auditors, and Institutional Investors

Webinars are limited to 100 participants; early registration is recommended.

THE 2012 WEBINAR SERIES, DESIGNED FOR ALL CAPITAL MARKET PARTICIPANTS AND STAKEHOLDERS, WILL BE PACKED WITH PRACTICAL, MUST-HAVE ACTIONABLE INTELLIGENCE AND GUIDANCE NOT AVAILABLE ANYWHERE ELSE.

This Webinar Series will get you quickly up to speed on how the SEC regime applies to ESG issues, and explain the associated liabilities and risks for noncompliance for these four large market sectors and for a broad range of capital market transactions. The Webinars are conveniently accessible from your office computer or mobile device. All Registrants, whether or not you can attend the live Webinars, will receive the presentation handout materials and access to the archived recording for the Webinars. Those who attend the live Webinars will be able to ask questions during the live Q&A sessions.

The 2012 Webinar Series will establish your essential knowledge foundation, and will explain the dimensions and impacts of the widespread global SEC ESG noncompliance problem—an estimated 80% of large public company SEC filers are non-compliant on ESG issues, according to the landmark CSR Insight™ Study. "All capital market participants and stakeholders now need to be knowledgeable about ESG financial regulatory reporting requirements, and why this widespread global SEC ESG noncompliance exists and how it can be fixed, because this systemic regulatory noncompliance on ESG issues is producing rising financial and economic risks for all concerned,” states Linda Lowson, Esq., CEO of CSR Insight™ and Founder of the Global ESG Regulatory Academy™.

PLEASE JOIN US FOR THESE EXCITING EVENTS! Click here for full event info and to register: http://www.cvent.com/d/lcqs49?refid=csrws.

FOR SPEAKER, SPONSOR, AND REGISTRATION QUERIES: Contact Ms. Lowson at inquiry@csrinsight.com.

This World AIDS Day, Chief Executives from some of the world’s largest companies are calling for an end to travel restrictions for people living with HIV.

More than 40 CEOs have signed an unprecedented pledge urging the repeal of laws and policies in 45 countries that still deport, detain or deny entry to people solely because they are living with HIV.

The CEOs represent nearly 2 million employees in industries from banking to mining, travel to technology. They include companies like Johnson & Johnson, The Coca-Cola Company, Pfizer, Heineken, Merck, the National Basketball Association, Kenya Airways and Thomson Reuters.

“HIV travel restrictions are discriminatory and bad for business,” said Chip Bergh, President & CEO of Levi Strauss & Co. “Global business leaders are coming together to make sure we end these unreasonable restrictions.”

The CEO pledge is an initiative of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), Levi Strauss & Co. and GBCHealth, a coalition of companies that address global health challenges.

“Restrictions on entry, stay and residence for people living with HIV are discriminatory and a violation of human rights,” said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “Every individual should have equal access to freedom of movement. I urge all countries to remove all such restrictions based on HIV status.”

CEOs oppose HIV travel restrictions because they are discriminatory and because, to succeed in today’s globalized economy, companies must be able to send their employees and best talent overseas, regardless of their HIV status.

“It’s time to send HIV travel restrictions packing,” said Kenneth Cole, CEO of Kenneth Cole Productions. “Using our collective might, I believe we can use our influence to eliminate these discriminatory practices."

The U.S. lifted its 22-year HIV travel ban in 2010. Other countries, including Armenia, China, Fiji, Moldova, Namibia and Ukraine, have also recently removed such restrictions. However, 45 countries still deny entry, stay, residence or work visas for people living with HIV. These countries include major hubs for international business.

“Travel restrictions on individuals with HIV are unnecessary and hinder the ability for individuals and companies to operate in a truly global workforce,” said Mark Bertolini, Chairman, CEO & President of Aetna.

Most HIV travel restrictions were imposed by governments in the 1980s when less was known about the transmission of HIV, and treatment didn’t exist. Since then, we’ve learned how to effectively prevent, manage and treat HIV.

Travel restrictions vary in different countries and can include preventing people living with HIV from entering altogether or deporting foreigners once their HIV status is discovered. Restrictions also include denying work visas, prohibiting short-terms stays for business trips or conferences and blocking longer-term stays or residence for work relocations and study abroad programs.

The World AIDS Day call to end HIV travel restrictions coincides with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s release this Thursday of a blueprint that outlines the goals and objectives for the next phase of the United States’ effort to achieve an AIDS-Free Generation.  Also on Thursday, GBCHealth Managing Director and Co-President Michael Schreiber will speak out against HIV travel restrictions at a 1:15 p.m. panel on addressing HIV-related stigma and discrimination at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City and a 12:30 p.m. press conference at the U.N. Press Center. The CEO pledge was first launched at the 2012 International AIDS Conference in Washington, D.C.

“Eliminating HIV travel restrictions is a win-win,” Schreiber said.  “It’s the right thing to do from a humanitarian perspective and the right thing to do from a business perspective.”

Participating CEOs:

Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Group Managing Director/CEO, Access Bank Plc;  Mark Bertolini, Chairman, CEO and President, Aetna; Cynthia Carroll, Chief Executive, Anglo American plc; Vincent A. Forlenza,  Chairman of the Board, CEO and President, BD; Debra Lee, Chairman & CEO, BET Networks;  Andy Burness, President, Burness Communications; Lamberto Andreotti, CEO, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company; Muhtar Kent, Chairman of the Board and CEO, The Coca-Cola Company;  Richard Edelman, President & CEO, Edelman;  Mark R. Kramer, Founder and Managing Director,  FSG;  Glenn K. Murphy, Chairman and CEO, Gap Inc.; Jonathan D. Klein, CEO and Co-Founder, Getty Images;  John C. Martin, PhD, Chairman and CEO, Gilead Sciences, Inc.;  Karl-Johan Persson, CEO, H&M Hennes & Mauritz AB;  Dr. Chris Kirubi, Chairman, Haco Tiger Brands;  Jean-Francois van Boxmeer, Chairman of the Executive Board/CEO, HEINEKEN NV;  Victor Y. Yuan, Chairman, Horizon Research and Consultancy Group;  Bong Yong Dam, CEO, Hub One International Company Ltd;  Jena Gardner, President & CEO, JG Black Book of Travel;  Alex Gorsky, Chief Executive Officer, Johnson & Johnson;  Kenneth Cole, CEO, Kenneth Cole Productions; Dr .Titus Naikuni, MD and CEO, Kenya Airways Ltd;  Chip Bergh, President & CEO, Levi Strauss & Co.;  Kaushik Shah, CEO/Director, Mabati Rolling Mills Ltd;  Kenneth C. Frazier, Chairman and CEO, Merck;  Heather Bresch, CEO, Mylan; David J. Stern, Commissioner, National Basketball Association (NBA); Blake Nordstrom, President, Nordstrom, Inc.;  Ji Yong, General Manager, Northeast Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd; Douglas A. Michels, President & CEO, OraSure Technologies, Inc.; Ian C. Read, Chairman and CEO, Pfizer Inc.; Tzameret Fuerst, CEO, Prepex;  Bob Collymore, CEO, Safaricom; Hiromasa Yonekura, Chairman, Sumitomo Chemical;  Liam E. McGee, Chairman, President and CEO, The Hartford;  James C. Smith, CEO, Thomson Reuters; Mikkel Vestergaard Frandsen, CEO, Vestergaard Frandsen;  Philippe Dauman, President & CEO, Viacom; Dominique Limet, CEO, ViiV Healthcare; Richard Branson, Founder, Virgin Unite;  Melissa Waggener Zorkin, CEO, President & Founder,  Waggener Edstrom Worldwide;  Andy Payne, CEO, Wilderness Holdings Ltd;  David Sable, CEO, Y&R;  William H. Roedy, AIDS Activist and former Chairman, MTVN International

About GBCHealth
GBCHealth represents over 200 private sector companies leading the business fight for improved global health. Through work that includes developing comprehensive workplace policies; supporting community programs; leveraging core competencies; facilitating leadership and advocacy by business leaders; and brokering public-private partnerships, GBCHealth helps members achieve their global health goals. GBCHealth also manages the private sector delegation to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, serving as an entry-point for corporate collaboration and engagement with the Fund and its recipients worldwide. GBCHealth has offices in New York, Johannesburg, Beijing, Nairobi and Moscow. For more information on GBCHealth, please visit www.gbchealth.org.

 About UNAIDS
The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners to maximize results for the AIDS response. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

PLEASE NOTE NEW DATES DUE TO HURRICANE SANDY POWER OUTAGES

Global ESG Regulatory Academy™ 2012 Webinar Series: SEC ESG COMPLIANCE—WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD: Requirements, Liabilities, and Challenges for Public Companies, Boards, Auditors, and Institutional Investors

Webinars are limited to 100 participants; early registration is recommended.

THE 2012 WEBINAR SERIES, DESIGNED FOR ALL CAPITAL MARKET PARTICIPANTS AND STAKEHOLDERS, WILL BE PACKED WITH PRACTICAL, MUST-HAVE ACTIONABLE INTELLIGENCE AND GUIDANCE NOT AVAILABLE ANYWHERE ELSE.

This Webinar Series will get you quickly up to speed on how the SEC regime applies to ESG issues, and explain the associated liabilities and risks for noncompliance for these four large market sectors and for a broad range of capital market transactions. The Webinars are conveniently accessible from your office computer or mobile device. All Registrants, whether or not you can attend the live Webinars, will receive the presentation handout materials and access to the archived recording for the Webinars. Those who attend the live Webinars will be able to ask questions during the live Q&A sessions.

The 2012 Webinar Series will establish your essential knowledge foundation, and will explain the dimensions and impacts of the widespread global SEC ESG noncompliance problem—an estimated 80% of large public company SEC filers are non-compliant on ESG issues, according to the landmark CSR Insight™ Study. "All capital market participants and stakeholders now need to be knowledgeable about ESG financial regulatory reporting requirements, and why this widespread global SEC ESG noncompliance exists and how it can be fixed, because this systemic regulatory noncompliance on ESG issues is producing rising financial and economic risks for all concerned,” states Linda Lowson, Esq., CEO of CSR Insight™ and Founder of the Global ESG Regulatory Academy™.

PLEASE JOIN US FOR THESE EXCITING EVENTS! Click here for full event info and to register: http://www.cvent.com/d/lcqs49?refid=csrws.

FOR SPEAKER, SPONSOR, AND REGISTRATION QUERIES: Contact Ms. Lowson at inquiry@csrinsight.com.

Proving that holiday cheer can come from the most unexpected of places, today EARTH University (www.earth.ac.cr) released a music video for an original holiday song written and performed by six of its agronomy students.

But then again, this isn’t your ordinary agricultural school. Nestled in the rainforest of Costa Rica’s Caribbean lowlands, EARTH is an international, non-profit university with 400 students, recruited primarily from economically-disadvantaged communities in more than 30 countries to become leaders in sustainable agriculture, conservation, ethical entrepreneurship and community development. 

With its catchy roots-reggae beat, “Christmas Feelings” is the first recorded song by Tribu (which means “Tribe” in Spanish), a student band with a self-described “Afro-Reggae-Caribbean” sound.   The six students, all in their first and second year of study at EARTH, come from Haiti, Nigeria, Guatemala and Costa Rica, and feel the powerful connection between their art and agriculture.

One of the members of Tribu, Grégory Laforest (’14, Haiti), passionately explains how upon graduation he wants to promote cultural enrichment in Haiti and the agricultural knowledge needed for food sovereignty: “I want to work with agriculture, but my music will be the ambassador, the thing that I’ll be using to get people involved in all the process.”

The music video starts with an introduction in the University’s open-air cafeteria where vocalist Niyi Sunday Omidire (’15, Nigeria) taps a spoon on a glass. The screen splits, and Niyi is joined by students who shake beans on a drying rack in the peri-urban garden, tap pencils against textbooks in a classroom, and run pens up and down spiral notebooks in the library—creating a rich and organic blend of sounds.  With a charismatic performance, EARTH’s president, José Zaglul quiets the groups, making way for the official version of “Christmas Feelings” and glimpses of this extraordinarily lush, diverse and captivating campus. The video ends with hundreds of dancing students and staff gathered on a picturesque plaza on the University’s campus.

The holiday video will be shared with shoppers of EARTH University bananas, which are grown sustainably on EARTH’s campus and sold exclusively at Whole Foods Market to generate much-needed resources for the Institution’s scholarship program.  During December, a special holiday sticker will be placed on every bunch of bananas inviting customers to view the video.

“This is a gift that our students and staff have created with much love. We hope it will put a smile on the face and a groove in the step of all of our customers, supporters and friends around the world this holiday season,” commented EARTH president, José Zaglul.  He adds that EARTH hopes that apart from spreading the joy of the holidays in the tropics, this video and song will help raise awareness for the Institution and its alumni’s contributions to build a better world. 

The music video for “Christmas Feelings” is also available at www.earth.ac.cr/mygift. To express their appreciation, Tribu will share the downloadable music file of the song with anyone who donates online to EARTH University Foundation between today and January 1, 2013.

About EARTH University

Since 1990, EARTH University’s innovative educational approach has been preparing young people from Latin America, the Caribbean and other regions, including Africa and Asia, to contribute to the sustainable development of their countries and construct a prosperous and just society.  EARTH offers a rigorous four-year undergraduate program in agricultural sciences and natural resources management and a prestigious, international faculty, providing a world-class education that emphasizes science and technology, values, ethical entrepreneurship and environmental and social commitment.  Students graduate from EARTH with a licenciatura degree in the Agricultural Sciences, which is between a bachelor’s and a master’s degree of science.  For more information, visit www.earth.ac.cr.

About EARTH University Foundation

EARTH University Foundation was formed to support the educational vision of Costa Rica-based EARTH University through generous gifts from the global community and other programs and initiatives. The Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) public charity headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.  Tax-deductible contributions through EARTH University Foundation will help to provide a quality agricultural and entrepreneurial education to future leaders who would not otherwise have such opportunities.  To give a gift to EARTH through the EARTH University Foundation, visit www.earth.ac.cr.

About Tribu

Tribu is an African-Reggae-Caribbean band created by EARTH University students. The group formed two years ago, bringing together music and voices from around the world. These musicians are students of agronomy who see and feel the powerful connection between their art and agriculture.  Its members include: Fabián Calvo (’14, Costa Rica) on percussion; Gina Beauzil (’14, Haiti) on vocals; Grégory Laforest (’14, Haiti) on vocals, guitar, bass guitar, and drums; Issa Daniela Secaira (´14, Guatemala) on the rainstick; Niyi Sunday Omidire (’15, Nigeria) on vocals and the conga; and, Yamileh Jean Pierre (’14, Haiti) on vocals.  For quotes, photos and biographical information visit www.earth.ac.cr/mygift.

PLEASE NOTE NEW DATES DUE TO HURRICANE SANDY POWER OUTAGES

Global ESG Regulatory Academy™ 2012 Webinar Series: SEC ESG COMPLIANCE—WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD: Requirements, Liabilities, and Challenges for Public Companies, Boards, Auditors, and Institutional Investors

Webinars are limited to 100 participants; early registration is recommended.

THE 2012 WEBINAR SERIES, DESIGNED FOR ALL CAPITAL MARKET PARTICIPANTS AND STAKEHOLDERS, WILL BE PACKED WITH PRACTICAL, MUST-HAVE ACTIONABLE INTELLIGENCE AND GUIDANCE NOT AVAILABLE ANYWHERE ELSE.

This Webinar Series will get you quickly up to speed on how the SEC regime applies to ESG issues, and explain the associated liabilities and risks for noncompliance for these four large market sectors and for a broad range of capital market transactions. The Webinars are conveniently accessible from your office computer or mobile device. All Registrants, whether or not you can attend the live Webinars, will receive the presentation handout materials and access to the archived recording for the Webinars. Those who attend the live Webinars will be able to ask questions during the live Q&A sessions.

The 2012 Webinar Series will establish your essential knowledge foundation, and will explain the dimensions and impacts of the widespread global SEC ESG noncompliance problem—an estimated 80% of large public company SEC filers are non-compliant on ESG issues, according to the landmark CSR Insight™ Study. "All capital market participants and stakeholders now need to be knowledgeable about ESG financial regulatory reporting requirements, and why this widespread global SEC ESG noncompliance exists and how it can be fixed, because this systemic regulatory noncompliance on ESG issues is producing rising financial and economic risks for all concerned,” states Linda Lowson, Esq., CEO of CSR Insight™ and Founder of the Global ESG Regulatory Academy™.

PLEASE JOIN US FOR THESE EXCITING EVENTS! Click here for full event info and to register: http://www.cvent.com/d/lcqs49?refid=csrws.

FOR SPEAKER, SPONSOR, AND REGISTRATION QUERIES: Contact Ms. Lowson at inquiry@csrinsight.com.

PLEASE NOTE NEW DATES DUE TO HURRICANE SANDY POWER OUTAGES

Global ESG Regulatory Academy™ 2012 Webinar Series: SEC ESG COMPLIANCE—WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD: Requirements, Liabilities, and Challenges for Public Companies, Boards, Auditors, and Institutional Investors

Webinars are limited to 100 participants; early registration is recommended.

THE 2012 WEBINAR SERIES, DESIGNED FOR ALL CAPITAL MARKET PARTICIPANTS AND STAKEHOLDERS, WILL BE PACKED WITH PRACTICAL, MUST-HAVE ACTIONABLE INTELLIGENCE AND GUIDANCE NOT AVAILABLE ANYWHERE ELSE.

This Webinar Series will get you quickly up to speed on how the SEC regime applies to ESG issues, and explain the associated liabilities and risks for noncompliance for these four large market sectors and for a broad range of capital market transactions. The Webinars are conveniently accessible from your office computer or mobile device. All Registrants, whether or not you can attend the live Webinars, will receive the presentation handout materials and access to the archived recording for the Webinars. Those who attend the live Webinars will be able to ask questions during the live Q&A sessions.

The 2012 Webinar Series will establish your essential knowledge foundation, and will explain the dimensions and impacts of the widespread global SEC ESG noncompliance problem—an estimated 80% of large public company SEC filers are non-compliant on ESG issues, according to the landmark CSR Insight™ Study. "All capital market participants and stakeholders now need to be knowledgeable about ESG financial regulatory reporting requirements, and why this widespread global SEC ESG noncompliance exists and how it can be fixed, because this systemic regulatory noncompliance on ESG issues is producing rising financial and economic risks for all concerned,” states Linda Lowson, Esq., CEO of CSR Insight™ and Founder of the Global ESG Regulatory Academy™.

PLEASE JOIN US FOR THESE EXCITING EVENTS! Click here for full event info and to register: http://www.cvent.com/d/lcqs49?refid=csrws.

FOR SPEAKER, SPONSOR, AND REGISTRATION QUERIES: Contact Ms. Lowson at inquiry@csrinsight.com.

President Barack Obama will meet with 15 small business owners to discuss the impact of tax policies today, Tuesday, November 27. Four of the participants are affiliated with the American Sustainable Business Council and Business for Shared Prosperity:

• Mandy Cabot, CEO and co-founder of Dansko Inc, an award-winning footwear company headquartered in West Grove, Penn.;
• Lew Prince, managing partner and co-founder of Vintage Vinyl in St. Louis, the largest independent music store in the Midwest;
• David Bolotsky, CEO and founder of the award-winning UnCommonGoods in Brooklyn NY;
• Nikhil Arora, co-founder of Back to the Roots, an urban mushroom farm in Oakland, Calif., recognized in Forbes 30 Under 30, BusinessWeek’s Top 25 Entrepreneurs Under 25 and CNN’s 10 Next Gen Entrepreneurs. (Bios below.)

Cabot, Prince, Bolotsky and Arora are among more than 600 business owners and executives who signed a letter sent by the American Sustainable Business Council (ASBC) and Business for Shared Prosperity (BSP) calling on Congress to end costly Bush tax cuts for the top 2 percent and reinvest in America.

“We’re not here asking for anything for ourselves,” Mr. Prince said. “We’re here because we want the best for our country. I’ve run a small business for more than 30 years. Expecting high-income tax cuts to trickle down as job creation is like pouring gas on your hood and expecting it to fuel your engine. It’s time to stop giving tax breaks to wealthy households and big corporations, and reinvest in America.” Prince is a leader in Business for Shared Prosperity.

“The record is clear that lower tax rates for the highest incomes don’t generate better job creation,” said David Levine, CEO of the American Sustainable Business Council. “We should seize this unique moment to end these tax cuts and drive investment in our infrastructure, education and other critical areas that strengthen our economy for long-term job creation.”

In the Letter to Congress, the business leaders said, “In the last decade, we have been cutting taxes on the wealthiest Americans and underfunding vital programs to pay for them. Large and growing budget cuts have had a severe impact on business, particularly micro and small business and job creation – reducing funding for infrastructure improvements, community economic development programs, housing, job training and much more. America’s failing infrastructure is starved of funds and falling further behind our global competitors. … The high-end tax cuts are hurting our economy. It’s time to end them, not extend them. This would be an important step in rebuilding an economy that grows our small businesses and middle class.”

To schedule an interview with White House meeting attendees and other business owners who signed the Letter to Congress, please contact Bob Keener, bkeener@asbcouncil.org, 617-610-6766

Nikhil Arora

Nikhil Arora is co-founder of Back to the Roots, an urban mushroom farm in Oakland, California. Back to the Roots has been recognized in Forbes 30 Under 30, BusinessWeek’s Top 25 Entrepreneurs Under 25 and CNN’s 10 Next Gen Entrepreneurs. Back to the Roots grows gourmet mushrooms and mushroom kits sustainably on 100% recycled coffee grounds. Back to the Roots diverted 1 million pounds of coffee ground waste from Peet’s Coffee in 2011, has grown its team to 24 people, and now sells its Grow-Your-Own Mushroom Gardens at more than 1,500 retailers nationwide, including Whole Foods and Home Depot.

Offers in hand, Nikhil Arora and co-founder, Alejandro Velez, were headed into the corporate world during their last semester at UC Berkeley in 2009 when they came across this idea in class a couple months before graduation, fell in love with the waste-to-food model, and decided to forego careers in investment banking and consulting to become full-time urban mushroom farmers. Nikhil and Alejandro are working to build a movement that can connect everyone with their food again – green thumb or not! Arora is a member of the Social Venture Network, a partner in the American Sustainable Business Council.

David Bolotsky

David Bolotsky is the founder and CEO of UncommonGoods, an award-winning online marketplace headquartered in Brooklyn, NY, offering creatively designed, high-quality merchandise at affordable prices. Dave spent twelve years as a retail research analyst for Goldman, Sachs & Co after graduating from the State University of New York at Binghamton, where he managed the school's record store. Finding the retail landscape of the late 1990s homogenized by mass-produced merchandise, Dave recognized an opportunity. Out of his interest in artistic creativity, individuality and social responsibility, he founded UncommonGoods in 1999, which now has more than 100 employees. UncommonGoods is a member of the American Sustainable Business Council and Business for Shared Prosperity.

Dave is personally committed to improving education for less-advantaged young people. He is a member of the Board of Advisors of Comprehensive Development, Inc. (CDI), a non-profit organization that works with an innovative NYC public high school to provide tutoring, legal and medical advice, job placement and homelessness prevention to its student body.

Mandy Cabot

Mandy Cabot Co-founded Dansko, Inc. in 1991 with a single shoe design and now serves as its Chief Executive Officer. A single shoe launched a comfort phenomenon. Dansko now offers sandals, boots, heels, flats and many, many types of clogs, with all-day comfort infused into every design. In 2012, Dansko announced a transaction in which all shares of the company were redeemed, including those of the founders, Mandy and Peter. All of the shares in the company are now held by a new ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan), resulting in a 100% employee-owned company. Dansko is a business member of the American Sustainable Business Council.

A founding B Corporation, Dansko believes people, community and planet should be right up there with the bottom line. That’s why Dansko gives their staff paid time off for volunteering and uses only renewable sources to power their LEED® Gold Certified Pennsylvania-based headquarters. The Dansko Foundation is dedicated to giving back to the community through employee sponsored grants and service projects to charitable organizations that demonstrate in word and in deed, a benefit for human kind.

Lew Prince

Lew Prince is managing partner of Vintage Vinyl in St. Louis. Vintage Vinyl is the largest independent music store in the Midwest and one of the largest in the country. In 1979, Lew and his business partner, Tom Ray, pooled about 300 records from friends and got a $20 booth at the local farmer’s market. 33 years later, their current store (records, CDs, DVDs and more) is 7500 square feet and occupies an old movie theater in the Delmar Loop, the most economically and racially diverse neighborhood in the St. Louis metropolitan area. They host about 150 live in-store performances a year. They have been selling internationally since 1984 and were one of the first record stores with a website.

Vintage Vinyl now has two full-time people who handle their mail order business. Lew and Tom have 24 employees, always pay more than minimum wage, offer fully paid healthcare to the families of their 15 full-time employees and think it’s only fair that employers share their success with the people who do the heavy lifting for the company. Lew is a leading member of Business for Shared Prosperity.

###

The American Sustainable Business Council (ASBC) and its member organizations represent more than 150,000 businesses nationwide, and more than 300,000 entrepreneurs, executives, managers and investors. ASBC informs and engages policy makers and the public about the need and opportunities for building a vibrant and sustainable economy. www.asbcouncil.org

Business for Shared Prosperity (BSP) is a national network of forward thinking business owners, executives and investors. BSP produced the report, The Business Case for Restoring Tax Rates for High-Income Taxpayers to Pre-Bush Levels. BSP is a member of the American Sustainable Business Council. www.businessforsharedprosperity.org

Liquid Learning is delighted to present the Stakeholder and Community Engagement for Major Projects Forum 2012 – a cutting-edge event featuring practical case studies and expert insights that will help you drive project success with essential tools and strategies for effective stakeholder engagement and community relations.

Explore: Developing Effective Stakeholder and Community Engagement Strategies Building Trust and Long-Term Partnerships for Project Success Managing Stakeholder and Community Perception Towards Projects Leveraging New Media Tools to Engage in Proactive and Robust Communication

PLEASE NOTE NEW DATES DUE TO HURRICANE SANDY POWER OUTAGES

Global ESG Regulatory Academy™ 2012 Webinar Series: SEC ESG COMPLIANCE—WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD: Requirements, Liabilities, and Challenges for Public Companies, Boards, Auditors, and Institutional Investors

Webinars are limited to 100 participants; early registration is recommended.

THE 2012 WEBINAR SERIES, DESIGNED FOR ALL CAPITAL MARKET PARTICIPANTS AND STAKEHOLDERS, WILL BE PACKED WITH PRACTICAL, MUST-HAVE ACTIONABLE INTELLIGENCE AND GUIDANCE NOT AVAILABLE ANYWHERE ELSE.

This Webinar Series will get you quickly up to speed on how the SEC regime applies to ESG issues, and explain the associated liabilities and risks for noncompliance for these four large market sectors and for a broad range of capital market transactions. The Webinars are conveniently accessible from your office computer or mobile device. All Registrants, whether or not you can attend the live Webinars, will receive the presentation handout materials and access to the archived recording for the Webinars. Those who attend the live Webinars will be able to ask questions during the live Q&A sessions.

The 2012 Webinar Series will establish your essential knowledge foundation, and will explain the dimensions and impacts of the widespread global SEC ESG noncompliance problem—an estimated 80% of large public company SEC filers are non-compliant on ESG issues, according to the landmark CSR Insight™ Study. "All capital market participants and stakeholders now need to be knowledgeable about ESG financial regulatory reporting requirements, and why this widespread global SEC ESG noncompliance exists and how it can be fixed, because this systemic regulatory noncompliance on ESG issues is producing rising financial and economic risks for all concerned,” states Linda Lowson, Esq., CEO of CSR Insight™ and Founder of the Global ESG Regulatory Academy™.

PLEASE JOIN US FOR THESE EXCITING EVENTS! Click here for full event info and to register: http://www.cvent.com/d/lcqs49?refid=csrws.

FOR SPEAKER, SPONSOR, AND REGISTRATION QUERIES: Contact Ms. Lowson at inquiry@csrinsight.com.

(Marketwire) -  For the second consecutive year, Wyndham Worldwide (NYSE: WYN), one of the world's largest hospitality companies, is ranked number one among hotels and restaurants by Newsweek magazine in their annual Greenest Companies survey. The rankings evaluate the environmental performance of the largest publicly traded companies in the U.S. and around the world.

Ranked among the top 100 greenest companies in the U.S., Wyndham Worldwide was evaluated on a number of criteria including its environmental footprint and management, environmental policies, programs and initiatives. The survey also considered the Company's reporting and disclosure practices, including the Carbon Disclosure Project and its 2011 Sustainability Report, which align with the Global Reporting Initiative.

"We are proud to be recognized once again for our work in sustainability, which is the result of tremendous collaboration and innovation by our associates, franchisees, suppliers, business and community partners," says Stephen P. Holmes, chairman and chief executive officer, Wyndham Worldwide. "As one of the world's largest hospitality companies, with over 100,000 locations in nearly 100 countries, these collaborative efforts work to leverage the versatility of our unique hospitality portfolio of hotels, vacation exchange network, vacation rentals, and vacation ownership club resorts to drive sustainable, profitable growth."

One of the initiatives credited in the Company's ranking is its Wyndham Green Toolbox, a proprietary designed, state-of-the-art eco-software program that allows both owned and managed properties, as well as independently owned and franchised properties within the Wyndham Worldwide portfolio, to track and measure their environmental footprint. The Toolbox provides users with resources and tools to reduce energy use, and advance the Company's global sustainability efforts. Earlier this year, the Company reported a five percent reduction in its carbon footprint of its owned, managed and leased properties over 2010 based on energy per square foot measured by the custom Toolbox.

Wyndham Worldwide sustainable practices are created and driven by the Company's Wyndham Green program, which is in its sixth year, remains one of the top five strategic priorities at Wyndham Worldwide. The program, which is focused on education and innovation, is a way of living and working based on the Company's vision and core values, enhancing customers' lives by improving the environment, supporting global and local communities, and developing sustainable programs that deliver economic benefits.

"With a sustainability focus to deliver 'triple bottom line' results for our people, planet and profits, Wyndham Green works to drive leadership in the industry, encourage engagement among all our key stakeholders and provide the mechanism to turn innovative ideas into achievable results," said Faith Taylor, senior vice president sustainability and innovation, Wyndham Worldwide. "Wyndham Green continues to be the successful program that it is because of our innovative associates who have helped create, grow and support our vision. We are incredibly proud of all of our sustainability efforts at Wyndham Worldwide."

For more information on sustainability programs at Wyndham Worldwide, please visit www.WyndhamGreen.com

About Wyndham Worldwide

One of the world's largest hospitality companies, Wyndham Worldwide (NYSE: WYN) provides a wide range of hospitality products and services through its global portfolio of world-renowned brands. The world's largest hotel company based on the number of properties, Wyndham Hotel Group is home to many of the world's best-known hotel brands, with approximately 7,260 franchised hotels and 618,100 hotel rooms worldwide. Wyndham Exchange & Rentals is the worldwide leader in vacation exchange and the world's largest professionally managed vacation rentals business, providing more than 5 million leisure-bound families annually with access to approximately 100,000 vacation properties in 100 countries through its prominent exchange and vacation rental brands. The industry and timeshare ownership market leader, Wyndham Vacation Ownership develops, markets, and sells vacation ownership interests and provides consumer financing to owners through its network of over 180 vacation ownership resorts serving more than 915,000 owners throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and the South Pacific. Based in Parsippany, NJ, Wyndham Worldwide employs approximately 27,800 associates globally.

For more information, please visit www.wyndhamworldwide.com.