Podcasts about most ethical companies

This is Derek Miller, Speaking on Business. Recognized with numerous accolades for exceptional service to both customers and employees, U.S. Bank is dedicated to helping individuals across the United States manage their finances, investments, and everyday banking needs. West Regional Executive, Brittany Westover, joins us with more. Brittany Westover: U.S. Bank serves customers and companies around the world and has been right here in Utah for the last 30 years. We're not just a bank – we're part of the community, committed to building meaningful, long-term relationships. Hundreds of us live, work, and volunteer in the area. We support local businesses. We're invested in helping Utah grow and succeed. I think our clients see that. They often talk about their high level of trust in us and how secure they feel having U.S. Bank as their financial partner. We were recently named one of the World's Most Ethical Companies and Fortune's most admired superregional bank. We work to earn those distinctions every day. Whether you need a personal checking account, financing to expand your business, or advice on managing an investment portfolio, we're ready to help. To learn more, please visit USbank.com and click on “About Us.” Derek Miller: U.S. Bank is all about offering great service and making a real impact here in Utah. From their wide range of financial services to their active role in the community, they continue to make a meaningful difference. I'm Derek Miller, with the Salt Lake Chamber, Speaking on Business. Originally aired: 5/14/25

Ever wondered how a chemical engineering mindset can supercharge financial leadership? Join host Adam Larson as he sits down with Kingsley Afemikhe, CFO of Shield AI, for a refreshingly candid conversation about bringing engineering problem-solving to the finance table. Kingsley shares his unique journey from a family of chartered accountants in the UK to leading finance at one of the most innovative defense tech companies in the U.S. Listen in as Kingsley breaks down how first-principles thinking helps solve complex accounting and finance challenges, reveals what it's like to manage rapid growth in the high-stakes world of AI-driven national security, and offers practical tips on building strong, agile finance teams. Whether you're curious about operating at the intersection of finance, technology, and defense—or just want to hear firsthand how AI is reshaping finance—this episode is packed with insights, stories, and actionable advice. Don't miss Kingsley's take on earning your seat at the table, embedding finance across organizations, and fostering a culture of curiosity and empathy in fast-paced environments. Sponsor:Today's episode is brought to you by U.S. Bank. U.S. Bank is a trusted financial partner for our clients, businesses and communities. We believe in doing the right thing and putting people first. It's an honor to be recognized as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies® by the Ethisphere Institute for the tenth consecutive year. From commercial credit cards and program management tools to innovative payment technologies and transportation offerings, U.S. Bank Corporate Payment Systems has the right solution to help your organization reduce payment costs, enhance control and streamline your entire payment processing function. We'll partner with you to uncover your challenges and provide smart, clear and honest guidance to help you meet the financial goals for your business. Visit usbank.com/corporatepayments to learn more.

Join host Adam Larson in this engaging of the Count Me In, as he sits down with Deirdre Ryan, the Global Finance Transformation Leader at EY, for an insightful conversation on the evolving role of CFOs in the digital age. With over 30 years of experience advising financial executives, Deirdre shares the pivotal challenges CFOs face today—balancing short-term value with long-term investment, driving innovation while mitigating risk, and building future-ready finance teams. Discover Deirdre's expert insights on aligning digital strategies with business goals, leveraging data analytics, and retaining top talent in finance. Whether you're a finance professional or simply curious about the digital transformation in financial roles, this episode offers valuable perspectives you won't want to miss. Tune in for a refreshing and knowledgeable discussion that promises to leave you thinking about the future of finance. Sponsor:Today's episode is brought to you by U.S. Bank. U.S. Bank is a trusted financial partner for our clients, businesses and communities. We believe in doing the right thing and putting people first. It's an honor to be recognized as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies® by the Ethisphere Institute for the tenth consecutive year. From commercial credit cards and program management tools to innovative payment technologies and transportation offerings, U.S. Bank Corporate Payment Systems has the right solution to help your organization reduce payment costs, enhance control and streamline your entire payment processing function. We'll partner with you to uncover your challenges and provide smart, clear and honest guidance to help you meet the financial goals for your business. Visit usbank.com/corporatepayments to learn more.

In this episode of The Ethics Experts, Nick welcomes Leigh Mulholland. Leigh Mulholland serves as the Chief Compliance Officer at the Kansas City Board of Public Utilities (BPU), where she oversees regulatory compliance, regulatory, environmental policy and compliance, enterprise risk management, insurance, and internal audit for both water and electric operations. Before joining BPU, Leigh spent 16 years at Capital Power Corp (TSE:CPX), a Canadian-based independent power producer, where she served as Chief Compliance Officer from 2015 to 2023. Under her leadership, Capital Power earned Ethisphere's prestigious World's Most Ethical Companies designation from 2018 to 2023. Her prior roles at Capital Power spanned Corporate Strategy, Business Planning, M&A and Asset Valuation, Commercial Management, Real-time Operations, and Finance, showcasing her breadth of expertise in the energy sector.

Get ready for an enlightening chat with Alissa Vickery, the newly appointed interim CFO and the Chief Accounting Officer, SVP Accounting and Controls at Corpay, on Count Me In! In this episode, Alissa, who's appeared with us twice before, sits down with host Adam Larson to tackle the complex world of ESG reporting challenges and operations. At Corpay, Alissa's been knee-deep in this evolving landscape, and she's here to shed light on the hurdles finance teams face in adapting to new SEC regulations. Join us as Alissa shares her firsthand experiences navigating the maze of global standards and how her company learned to prioritize and adapt. From figuring out double materiality to streamlining ESG operations with tech and third-party expertise, it's all discussed with practicality and insight. Whether you're in finance or just curious about the future of corporate sustainability, this episode is packed with valuable takeaways and a unique industry perspective. So plug in and grab your notepad—it's a conversation you won't want to miss! Sponsor:Today's episode is brought to you by U.S. Bank. U.S. Bank is a trusted financial partner for our clients, businesses and communities. We believe in doing the right thing and putting people first. It's an honor to be recognized as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies® by the Ethisphere Institute for the tenth consecutive year. From commercial credit cards and program management tools to innovative payment technologies and transportation offerings, U.S. Bank Corporate Payment Systems has the right solution to help your organization reduce payment costs, enhance control and streamline your entire payment processing function. We'll partner with you to uncover your challenges and provide smart, clear and honest guidance to help you meet the financial goals for your business. Visit usbank.com/corporatepayments to learn more.

MONOLOGUE Fortress America vs. The European Fantasy: Why Mark Carney's Globalist Delusions Will Fail NEWSMAKER Pfizer's ‘Most Ethical Companies' award ignores fraud and misconduct https://www.rebelnews.com/pfizers_most_ethical_companies_award_ignores_fraud_and_misconduct   Tamara Ugolini is Senior Editor with Rebel News OPEN LINES THE CULT OF CLIMATE CHANGE REPLAY From Feb. 26th, 2025 NOAA Admits they “Adjust” Their Historical Weather Data Tony Heller, Geologist, weather historian and founder of www.realclimatescience.com MONOLOGUE "Elon Musk vs. The Woke Mob: Why They Fear Him, Why They Hate Him, and Why He Won't Back Down" NEWSMAKER Trump prefers to 'deal' with Carney rather than Poilievre https://torontosun.com/news/local-news/warmington-trump-prefers-to-deal-with-carney-rather-than-poilievre   Leighton Grey is a constitutional Lawyer and the host of The Grey Matter Podcast OPEN LINES THIS DAY IN ROCK HISTORY In 2015, Ed Sheeran's second album x (aka multiply) equaled a feat held by Adele, Emeli Sandé, Take That, and Michael Bublé during the same decade by racking up two million UK sales.   In 1982, Randy Rhoads – a founding member of Quiet Riot and guitarist with Ozzy Osbourne, died in a plane crash. While he was only 25 at the time of his death, Rhoads was considered to be one of metal's most innovative musicians, who popularized a variety of techniques, including two-handed tapping and dive bombs.    1962, Bob Dylan‘s self-titled debut album was released in the US by Columbia Records. Produced by the legendary John Hammond – who discovered Billie Holiday, Aretha Franklin, and Bruce Springsteen – it was largely ignored on its release. Its disappointing sales saw Columbia executives describe it as “Hammond's Folly.”   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

World's Most Ethical Companies. And… see six companies that have been honored for 19 years! Plus, terrific alternative energy picks. By Ron Robins, MBA Transcript & Links, Episode 150, March 21, 2025 Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to my podcast episode 150, published March 21, 2025, titled “World's Most Ethical Companies. And...” It's presented by Investing for the Soul. Investingforthesoul.com is your site for vital global ethical and sustainable investing mentoring, news, commentary, information, and resources. Remember that you can find a full transcript and links to content – including stock symbols and bonus material – on this episode's podcast page at investingforthesoul.com/podcasts. Also, a reminder. I do not evaluate any of the stocks or funds mentioned in these podcasts, and I don't receive any compensation from anyone covered in these podcasts. Furthermore, I will reveal any investments I have in the investments mentioned herein. Additionally, quotes about individual companies are brief. Please go to this podcast's webpage for links to the articles and more company and stock information. ------------------------------------------------------------- World's Most Ethical Companies. And... Now, The 2025 World's Most Ethical Companies® listing by Ethisphere is where I'm beginning this podcast. It's always a great listing to review for ethical and sustainable investors. The following information is gleaned from Ethisphere's website and has been re-ordered for presentation here. Also, note that companies are not ranked. So, some quotes. “The World's Most Ethical Companies is an annual recognition… Earning this recognition involves a comprehensive application and evaluation of your Ethics and Compliance program through Ethisphere's proprietary Ethics Quotient® (EQ), which assesses a company's ethics and compliance program, culture, and governance practices. The listed 2025 World's Most Ethical Companies Honorees outperformed a comparable index of global companies by 7.8 percent from January 2020 to 2025. In 2025, 136 organizations are recognized for their unwavering commitment to business integrity. The honorees span 19 countries and 44 industries, and include 11 first-time honorees and 6 organizations that have been named to the honoree list 19 times, marking every year since its inception. The six organizations that have been recognized by Ethisphere as honorees for 19 consecutive years, since the inception of the World's Most Ethical Companies® list in 2007, are: Aflac (AFL), Ecolab (ECL), International Paper (IP), Kao Corporation (KAOOY), Milliken & Company (private), and PepsiCo (PEP).” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- Alternative Energy Stocks (1) This next article takes us to our ethical and sustainable investors' favorite sector. It's titled 4 Alternative Energy Stocks to Buy Amid Growing Investment Trends. It's by Aparajita Dutta and seen on finance.yahoo.com, though originally published on zacks.com. Here are some quotes from her article on her picks. “1. OPAL Fuels Inc. (OPAL) Based in Boston, MA, the company is a vertically integrated renewable fuels platform involved in the production and distribution of renewable natural gas for the heavy-duty truck market… The company currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). 2. Expand Energy Corporation (EXE) Based in Oklahoma City, OK, the company is an independent natural gas producer, principally in the United States… Expand Energy Corporation currently holds a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).  3. Bloom Energy Corporation (BE) Based in San Jose, CA, the company generates and distributes renewable energy… The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #2.  4. Constellation Energy Corporation (CEG) Based in Baltimore, MD, the company provides electric power, natural gas and energy management services to 2 million customers across the continental United States… The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #2.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- Alternative Energy Stocks (2) Now another article on our top sector. It's titled Top 4 Wind Energy Stocks to Consider. It's by Avisekh Bhattacharjee and seen on finance.yahoo.com though again first published on zacks.com. Here are some quotes from the article by Mr. Bhattacharjee. “1. OGE Energy (OGE) is the largest electric utility in Oklahoma. The company has been investing steadily to expand its renewable generation assets. As of Dec. 31, 2024, the company owned the 120 megawatts (MW) Centennial, 101 MW OU Spirit and 228 MW Crossroads wind farms. This Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) company offers the Renewable Energy Credit purchase program, the Green Power Wind Rider and the Utility Solar Program, which are rate options that make renewable energy resources available as a voluntary option to all OG&E (wholly-owned subsidiary of OGE Energy) Oklahoma retail customers. 2. NextEra Energy (NEE) is a public utility holding company engaged in the generation, transmission, distribution and sale of electric energy. The company's competitive energy business NextEra Energy Resources LLC (“NEER”) is the world's leading generator of renewable energy from wind, based on 2024 MWh produced on a net generation basis… This Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company's major capital projects continue to proceed as per plan and the addition of new renewable projects continues to boost its renewable portfolio. 3. American Electric Power Company (AEP) has been investing steadily to enhance its renewable generation portfolio. Exiting 2024, wind, hydro and solar energy represented 21% of American Electric's generating capacity compared with 4% in 2005… As of Sept. 30, 2024, this Zacks Rank #3 company received regulatory approvals from various state regulatory commissions to acquire approximately 2,505 MWs of owned renewable generation facilities for roughly $6 billion. 4. DTE Energy (DTE) The company aims to invest more than $11 billion in clean energy transition over the next 10 years. Through this solid investment, DTE Energy aims to add 1,000 megawatts (MW) of new wind and solar energy annually, powering approximately 5.5 million homes with renewable energy by 2042… This Zacks Rank #3 company plans to reduce carbon emissions of its electric utility operations by 65% in 2028, 85% in 2032 and 90% within 2040 from the 2005 levels.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- Alternative Energy Stocks (3) Again on the subject of alternative energy is this article titled 11 Best Alternative Energy Stocks to Buy Now. It's by Fahim Tahir and can be found on fool.com. Here's some of what Mr. Tahir says about each of his picks. “We first picked companies operating in the alternative energy sector with market capitalization surpassing the $5 billion mark… The shortlisted stocks were then ranked using Insider Monkey's Hedge Fund Database as of Q4 2024, as per the number of hedge funds invested in them. The companies with the highest hedge fund interest were ranked in ascending order… our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. 11. Centrais Elétricas Brasileiras S.A. – Eletrobrás (NYSE:EBR) Number of Hedge Funds Holders: 28 [The company] is a top company in Brazil's power industry. [It] produces electricity using hydro, thermal, nuclear, wind, and solar energy sources. It holds operations of 44 hydroelectric plants, five thermal plants, and two nuclear plants, as well as an extensive transmission network of over 66,000 kilometers… [The company] is well-positioned to capitalize on Brazil's renewable energy expansion. 10. Ormat Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:ORA) Hedge Funds Holders: 28 Ormat Technologies, Inc. is one of the top players in the geothermal and renewable energy industry. The company operates assets globally, including the U.S., Indonesia, Kenya, Turkey and other international markets… Its strategy [is] to capitalize on the increasing clean energy demand, as well as its expertise in geothermal and energy storage. 9. Clearway Energy, Inc. (NYSE:CWEN) Hedge Funds Holders: 28 Clearway Energy, Inc. is a leader in clean energy with a diversified portfolio including wind, solar, and battery storage assets across the U.S. Its renewable energy capacity of around 9 GW plays an important role in its transition toward sustainable energy solutions… While investors must be wary of potential market variability, the company's strong fundamentals and dedication to clean energy expansion make it one of the Best Clean Energy Stocks. 8. Enphase Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENPH) Hedge Funds Holders: 39 Enphase Energy, Inc. is one of the top global companies in microinverter-based solar and battery solutions, catering to residential and commercial demand globally. The company designs and manufactures advanced home energy systems, including IQ Microinverters, IQ Batteries, and energy management software, optimizing solar power usage and storage for homeowners. With its strong fundamentals and strategic partnerships, Enphase Energy, Inc. has the prospects of further growing its share price. 7. Nextracker Inc. (NASDAQ:NXT) Hedge Funds Holders: 41 Nextracker Inc. is one of the top providers of solar tracker and software solutions. The company focuses on energy production optimization for utility-scale solar projects globally. Its flagship products include NX Horizon and NX Horizon-XTR, enhancing solar efficiency through the adjustment of panel positioning based on site conditions… Its stock rose by 21.49% year-to-date, indicating investor confidence in its potential for growth. 6. NRG Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NRG) Hedge Funds Holders: 53 NRG Energy, Inc. is a dominant energy supplier in the U.S. and Canada, offering home services, power generation, and retail electricity. With a portfolio covering solar, natural gas, and battery storage solutions, the company runs across multiple segments, including East, West, Texas, and Vivint Smart Home. Furthermore, NRG Energy reinforced its dedication to shareholder value by increasing its quarterly dividend by 8% to $0.44 per share… NRG continues to remain strongly positioned to implement its prolonged growth strategy. 5. First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR) Hedge Funds Holders: 65 First Solar, Inc. is a top solar technology company, specializes in photovoltaic (PV) solar energy solutions. The company provides a lower-carbon alternative to conventional silicon-based modules as it manufactures thin-film cadmium telluride (CadTel) solar modules. First Solar caters to utilities, independent power producers, and commercial system owners, with operations spanning various international markets, including France, Chile, India, and the United States… First Solar, Inc. remains a key player in the renewable energy transition due to its innovative solar technology, firm market positions, and growing manufacturing footprint. 4. Talen Energy Corporation (NASDAQ:TLN) Hedge Funds Holders: 77 Talen Energy Corporation a stand-alone power producer and infrastructure company, sells and generates electricity across the United States. Talen Energy has a broad portfolio consisting of solar, fossil, nuclear, and coal power plants and is expanding its battery storage initiatives to solidify its clean energy transition… [The company] maintains its position as one of the best clean energy stocks and remains a prominent player in the evolving energy landscape with reaffirmed 2025 EBITDA guidance of up to $1.175 billion. 3. Constellation Energy Corporation (NASDAQ:CEG) Hedge Funds Holders: 85 Constellation Energy Corporation a prominent producer of emissions-free energy, provides nuclear, hydro, wind, natural gas, and solar power across the U.S. The company is at the front line of the clean energy transition with a generating capacity of 31,676 megawatts. Its position among the best clean energy stocks is strengthened by its robust financial growth and strategic investments… The company continues to lead the clean energy sector with major investments in solar, wind, hydroelectric power, and nuclear, and a strategic expansion plan. 2. GE Vernova Inc. (NYSE:GEV) Hedge Funds Holders: 111 GE Vernova Inc. an international energy company, offers a variety of products and services for electricity generation, transmission, and storage. The company functions through three segments: Power, Wind, and Electrification. Wind segments focus on onshore and offshore wind turbines, whereas the Power segment centers around gas, hydro, nuclear, and steam technologies. The Electrification segment, on the other hand, facilitates grid solutions, solar, storage, and electrification software… GE Vernova remains one of the best clean energy stocks for prolonged growth with its robust financial performance and continued investments in clean energy. 1. Vistra Corp. (NYSE:VST) Hedge Funds Holders: 120 Vistra Corp. a prominent integrated retail electricity and power generation company, continues to diversify its clean energy portfolio while retaining robust financial performance. Vistra Corp. is strategically positioned to meet the increasing demand for sustainable power solutions in the U.S. with a diverse generation capacity of nearly 41,000 megawatts.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- Additional article links 1. Title: Watch Faith-Based Investing on bloomberg.com. 2. Title: Investing in Nature: How Natural Capital Delivers Strong, Stable Returns on dividend.com. By Aaron Levitt. 3. Title: 7 Green Investments to Transform Your Retirement Funds on moneytalksnews.com. By MTN Staff. 4. Title: Explore These 30 Leading Water Funds and Water Stocks in the US and Europe on morningstar.com. By Boya Wang and Hortense Bioy. ------------------------------------------------------------- Ending Comment These are my top news stories with their stock and fund tips for this podcast, “World's Most Ethical Companies. And...” Please click the like and subscribe buttons wherever you download or listen to this podcast. That helps bring these podcasts to others like you. And please click the share buttons to share this podcast with your friends and family. Let's promote ethical and sustainable investing as a force for hope and prosperity in these troubled times! Contact me if you have any questions. Thank you for listening. I'll talk to you next on April 4th. Bye for now.   © 2025 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul

In this episode of The Ethics Experts, Nick welcomes Gary Ballesteros. Gary Ballesteros is Vice President, Law, Chief Compliance Officer and Ombuds. He leads the team of compliance professionals who oversee Rockwell Automation's compliance with regulatory requirements around the globe. Under his leadership, Rockwell has been named one of the World's Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere Magazine. As the Company's Ombuds, Gary serves a critical role in the Company's culture of ethics and integrity. The Ombuds has a direct reporting authority to the Board of Directors and is empowered to investigate any claims or allegations of misconduct within the Company. The Ombuds maintains a variety of hotline reporting mechanisms that can be accessed anonymously by any employee worldwide; and he also manages a staff of investigative personnel and counsel who investigate any reported violations of our Code of Conduct.

Join host Adam Larson in an engaging conversation with John Hewitt, a remarkable figure in the accounting world. Despite never taking an accounting course, John has built multi-million dollar companies like Jackson Hewitt and Liberty Tax. In this episode, he shares how his father inspired his entrepreneurial journey and offers insights into franchising and self-employment. Whether you're considering entrepreneurship or curious about building a billion-dollar business, John provides valuable advice on risk-taking, differentiation, marketing, and delivering exceptional customer service. Tune in for actionable insights and inspirational stories on this episode of the Count Me In Podcast Sponsor:Today's episode is brought to you by U.S. Bank. U.S. Bank is a trusted financial partner for our clients, businesses and communities. We believe in doing the right thing and putting people first. It's an honor to be recognized as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies® by the Ethisphere Institute for the tenth consecutive year. From commercial credit cards and program management tools to innovative payment technologies and transportation offerings, U.S. Bank Corporate Payment Systems has the right solution to help your organization reduce payment costs, enhance control and streamline your entire payment processing function. We'll partner with you to uncover your challenges and provide smart, clear and honest guidance to help you meet the financial goals for your business. Visit usbank.com/corporatepayments to learn more.

Welcome to the award-winning FCPA Compliance Report, the longest running podcast in compliance. In this episode, Tom welcomes Erica Salmon Byrne, Chief Strategy Officer at Ethisphere, on an exciting launch day for the 2025 World's Most Ethical Companies honoree list.  The World's Most Ethical companies list features 136 companies from 44 industries across 19 countries, the episode delves into the significance, process, and celebration behind this prestigious designation. Byrne discusses the impressive Ethics Premium, revealing that publicly traded honorees have outperformed a comparable index by 7.8%, underscoring the profitability of ethical business practices. Listeners will gain insights into the rigorous application process, the importance of cross-functional relationships, and the global nature of the honoree list. Byrne also previews the upcoming Global Ethics Summit and emphasizes the critical role of talent acquisition and retention in corporate success. Key Highlights  ·       What is Launch Day? ·       Ethics Premium Highlights ·       Overview of Honoree Companies ·       Global Ethics Summit Preview ·       Deep Dive into the Ethics Premium Resources Erica Salmon Bryne on LinkedIn Ethisphere World' Most Ethical Awards for 2025 Tom Fox Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter LinkedIn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this eye-opening episode, we're joined by Erica Salmon Byrne, a leading expert in business ethics and compliance. Erica shares her fascinating journey from litigation attorney to becoming a key figure in shaping ethical business practices worldwide at Ethisphere. We dive deep into the upcoming announcement of the 2025 World's Most Ethical Companies, exploring what sets these organizations apart and why ethical behavior is not just good for society, but also for the bottom line. Whether you're a small business owner or part of a large corporation, this episode offers practical advice on how to integrate ethics into your daily operations and long-term strategy. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from one of the foremost experts in the field and discover how your organization can join the ranks of the world's most ethical companies. Erica is Chief Strategy Officer and Executive Chair of Ethisphere. Previously serving as CEO, she's now responsible for ensuring continuous and strong growth for the company while maintaining the key principle that good businesses do better. She's also the Chair of their Business Ethics Leadership Alliance, which serves ethics and compliance practitioners around the globe. You'll discover: The link between ethical practices and financial performance Why effective leadership skills are crucial in maintaining a strong, compliant company cultureThe importance of defining and communicating your organization's “why” to all stakeholdersThe criteria Ethisphere uses to select winners for the World's Most Ethical Companies awardHow to integrate ethics into your daily operations and long-term strategyCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedInFollow Meredith on TwitterDownload the free ebook Listen Like a Pro

Join Adam Larson on today's episode of Count Me In as he welcomes dynamic guest Razzak Jallow, the CFO of FloQast, who is anything but your typical CFO. Uncover how his unique path through tech and finance has shaped his perspective on finance transformation. Razzak shares insights on the evolving role of CFOs in today's tech-driven landscape and what it really means to drive a financial transformation. Discover his thoughts on the vital mix of systems, people, and culture in reshaping business processes and how crafting a future-driven vision can empower companies. If you're ready to see the exciting opportunities in finance transformation, Razzak's passionate insights will inspire you to jump in. Tune in to explore the future of finance with Razzak Jallow! Sponsor:Today's episode is brought to you by U.S. Bank. U.S. Bank is a trusted financial partner for our clients, businesses and communities. We believe in doing the right thing and putting people first. It's an honor to be recognized as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies® by the Ethisphere Institute for the tenth consecutive year. From commercial credit cards and program management tools to innovative payment technologies and transportation offerings, U.S. Bank Corporate Payment Systems has the right solution to help your organization reduce payment costs, enhance control and streamline your entire payment processing function. We'll partner with you to uncover your challenges and provide smart, clear and honest guidance to help you meet the financial goals for your business. Visit usbank.com/corporatepayments to learn more.

Tune in to an enlightening chat with Alan Lazaros, CEO, Founder & Co-Host at Next Level University, on this episode of Count Me In Podcast. Join host Adam Larson as he and Alan explore the transformative power of personal responsibility in personal and business growth. Alan shares insights from his own journey, illustrating the nuances of emotional intelligence, self-belief, and the balance of fitting in versus standing out. With his captivating storytelling, including anecdotes from popular films and real-life experiences, Alan offers listeners valuable life strategies. Whether you're looking to level up in your career or personally, this conversation is packed with actionable takeaways. Perfect for those eager to reflect, take responsibility, and unlock their full potential. Don't miss out! Sponsor:Today's episode is brought to you by U.S. Bank. U.S. Bank is a trusted financial partner for our clients, businesses and communities. We believe in doing the right thing and putting people first. It's an honor to be recognized as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies® by the Ethisphere Institute for the tenth consecutive year. From commercial credit cards and program management tools to innovative payment technologies and transportation offerings, U.S. Bank Corporate Payment Systems has the right solution to help your organization reduce payment costs, enhance control and streamline your entire payment processing function. We'll partner with you to uncover your challenges and provide smart, clear and honest guidance to help you meet the financial goals for your business. Visit usbank.com/corporatepayments to learn more.

Join host Adam Larson for an enlightening chat with business consultant Mike Straza of Straza Consulting as they tackle the ins and outs of strengthening accounting teams amidst today's market challenges. Mike shares his secrets on balancing financial responsibilities with genuine team support, emphasizing the power of effective communication and tailored leadership. Discover how identifying each team member's unique motivations and strengths can lead to happier employees and a healthier company. Hear real-life success stories, practical tips, and down-to-earth advice on navigating the modern work environment. Whether it's about mentoring, improving workplace culture, or handling restructuring gracefully, Mike serves up wisdom with a side of humor, making this episode a must-listen for leaders and team members alike. Tune in for a casual yet impactful conversation that's packed with insights you can apply right away. Sponsor:Today's episode is brought to you by U.S. Bank. U.S. Bank is a trusted financial partner for our clients, businesses and communities. We believe in doing the right thing and putting people first. It's an honor to be recognized as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies® by the Ethisphere Institute for the tenth consecutive year. From commercial credit cards and program management tools to innovative payment technologies and transportation offerings, U.S. Bank Corporate Payment Systems has the right solution to help your organization reduce payment costs, enhance control and streamline your entire payment processing function. We'll partner with you to uncover your challenges and provide smart, clear and honest guidance to help you meet the financial goals for your business. Visit usbank.com/corporatepayments to learn more.

In this episode of Count Me In, join host Adam Larson as he chats with Stacey Chazin, Founder and Principal Coach at I-Factor Leadership. Stacey, a passionate advocate for introverts in the workplace, shares eye-opening insights on why introverts excel in presenting, debunking common myths about their roles in meetings, and how the post-COVID shift is impacting them. Get practical tips from Stacey's "meeting playbook for introverts" and discover strategies to manage energy in office environments designed for extroverts. Whether you're an introvert looking to thrive or a leader aiming to understand your diverse team better, Stacey's advice on leveraging introverted strengths in leadership roles is a must-listen. Plus, hear about her online course aimed at preventing burnout and the importance of setting boundaries and communicating work style needs. Don't miss out on this enlightening conversation!Follow the below links to find important infomration about today's topic:A Conference Survival Guide for IntrovertsMeeting Playbook for Introverts: 10 Strategies to Have Your Voice Heard and Your Ideas ShineDaily Productivity Hacks for Introverts: Achieve More with Less StressThe Introvert's Edge: 10 Tips for Winning Negotiations Sponsor:Today's episode is brought to you by U.S. Bank. U.S. Bank is a trusted financial partner for our clients, businesses and communities. We believe in doing the right thing and putting people first. It's an honor to be recognized as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies® by the Ethisphere Institute for the tenth consecutive year. From commercial credit cards and program management tools to innovative payment technologies and transportation offerings, U.S. Bank Corporate Payment Systems has the right solution to help your organization reduce payment costs, enhance control and streamline your entire payment processing function. We'll partner with you to uncover your challenges and provide smart, clear and honest guidance to help you meet the financial goals for your business. Visit usbank.com/corporatepayments to learn more.

Join us on this exciting episode of the Count Me In Podcast, where Adam Larson sits down with Mike Dion, an expert in FP&A and automation. Mike shares his fascinating journey from finance intern to automation advocate, revealing the transformative power of streamlining processes. Get ready to learn how simple tools like Excel can save hours in your workweek, and discover actionable insights on balancing work-life with smart automation. Whether you're a finance pro or just love a good productivity hack, Mike's insights are a game-changer. Tune in for practical tips, engaging stories, and a fresh perspective on working smarter, not harder Sponsor:Today's episode is brought to you by U.S. Bank. U.S. Bank is a trusted financial partner for our clients, businesses and communities. We believe in doing the right thing and putting people first. It's an honor to be recognized as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies® by the Ethisphere Institute for the tenth consecutive year. From commercial credit cards and program management tools to innovative payment technologies and transportation offerings, U.S. Bank Corporate Payment Systems has the right solution to help your organization reduce payment costs, enhance control and streamline your entire payment processing function. We'll partner with you to uncover your challenges and provide smart, clear and honest guidance to help you meet the financial goals for your business. Visit usbank.com/corporatepayments to learn more.

Join us for an insightful chat with Siqi Chen, CEO of Runway and a visionary in AI and finance, on this episode of Count Me In! Host Adam Larson sits down with Siqi to explore the incredible potential of AI in streamlining our work, making complex tasks more intuitive. Discover the fascinating world of prompt engineering and how Runway, Siqi's brainchild, is redefining tools for strategic thinking.Siqi shares his unique journey from working on Mars rovers to revolutionizing financial planning. Dive into a discussion on the democratization of data, the evolution of finance from a backward-looking to a forward-thinking strategy, and the shortcomings of traditional tools like spreadsheets. This episode is full of compelling insights on making financial models accessible and integrating context seamlessly into complex projects. Sponsor:Today's episode is brought to you by U.S. Bank. U.S. Bank is a trusted financial partner for our clients, businesses and communities. We believe in doing the right thing and putting people first. It's an honor to be recognized as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies® by the Ethisphere Institute for the tenth consecutive year. From commercial credit cards and program management tools to innovative payment technologies and transportation offerings, U.S. Bank Corporate Payment Systems has the right solution to help your organization reduce payment costs, enhance control and streamline your entire payment processing function. We'll partner with you to uncover your challenges and provide smart, clear and honest guidance to help you meet the financial goals for your business. Visit usbank.com/corporatepayments to learn more.

Join host Adam Larson as he chats with Court Watson, Partner in Deloitte Advisory's Controllership services practice. Discover the future of accounting through Court's insights on data science, generative AI, and modernizing financial practices. From tackling manual journal entry inefficiencies to exploring AI-driven dynamic account closures, this episode offers plenty of real-world takeaways. Gain practical tips on integrating innovative tech, fostering continuous learning, and upskilling for the evolving landscape. Whether you're curious about AI's potential or seeking new ways to enhance your role, this engaging conversation is packed with inspiration and actionable advice. Tune in to elevate your accounting game with invaluable insights from Court Watson. Don't miss out! We also invite you to listen and subscribe to Deloitte's Resilient Controller podcast featuring controllers and financial executives who put the attributes of authenticity, determination, trust and grit into action. Sponsor:Today's episode is brought to you by U.S. Bank. U.S. Bank is a trusted financial partner for our clients, businesses and communities. We believe in doing the right thing and putting people first. It's an honor to be recognized as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies® by the Ethisphere Institute for the tenth consecutive year. From commercial credit cards and program management tools to innovative payment technologies and transportation offerings, U.S. Bank Corporate Payment Systems has the right solution to help your organization reduce payment costs, enhance control and streamline your entire payment processing function. We'll partner with you to uncover your challenges and provide smart, clear and honest guidance to help you meet the financial goals for your business. Visit usbank.com/corporatepayments to learn more.

Join us in an exciting conversation with Alexandre Louisy, the co-founder and CEO of Upflow, as he and host Adam Larson tackle the challenges of ensuring timely payments in the B2B world. Alexandre shares his insights on modernizing payment methods, stressing why online payments are crucial for both vendors and customers. Learn why manual invoices and checks are becoming outdated and how automation can save time and money. Alexandre's passion for integrating finance and customer experience shines through as he discusses the future of digital payments and what it means for your business. Plus, get practical advice on how finance teams can drive effective change and simplify the payment process. Don't miss this engaging and informative episode that promises to change how you think about B2B payments! Tune in now and stay ahead of the curve. Sponsor:Today's episode is brought to you by U.S. Bank. U.S. Bank is a trusted financial partner for our clients, businesses and communities. We believe in doing the right thing and putting people first. It's an honor to be recognized as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies® by the Ethisphere Institute for the tenth consecutive year. From commercial credit cards and program management tools to innovative payment technologies and transportation offerings, U.S. Bank Corporate Payment Systems has the right solution to help your organization reduce payment costs, enhance control and streamline your entire payment processing function. We'll partner with you to uncover your challenges and provide smart, clear and honest guidance to help you meet the financial goals for your business. Visit usbank.com/corporatepayments to learn more.

Join us on the latest episode of Count Me In as Adam Larson sits down with Jeremy Earnshaw, a seasoned executive coach and mentor, to talk about the transformative power of continuous coaching and mentoring. Jeremy breaks down the misconceptions around coaching, explaining why it's not just a quick fix but a vital, ongoing journey. Listen as Jeremy shares his unique "no fault" policy and underscores the importance of having genuine, systemic changes within organizations. Discover how Jeremy's extensive experience as a CFO and his passion for coaching and mentoring have driven effective leadership and long-term organizational success. Whether you're in leadership, HR, or just curious about enhancing professional development, this is one conversation you won't want to miss. Tune in to understand why coaching can be a strategic game-changer for your career and your company. Sponsor:Today's episode is brought to you by U.S. Bank. U.S. Bank is a trusted financial partner for our clients, businesses and communities. We believe in doing the right thing and putting people first. It's an honor to be recognized as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies® by the Ethisphere Institute for the tenth consecutive year. From commercial credit cards and program management tools to innovative payment technologies and transportation offerings, U.S. Bank Corporate Payment Systems has the right solution to help your organization reduce payment costs, enhance control and streamline your entire payment processing function. We'll partner with you to uncover your challenges and provide smart, clear and honest guidance to help you meet the financial goals for your business. Visit usbank.com/corporatepayments to learn more.

In this riveting episode of Count Me In, host Adam Larson sits down with Renata Serban, founder of Highly Elevated CPA and a powerhouse in the cannabis accounting industry. Renata's journey from Kazakhstan to the US, her academic pivot from chemical engineering to accounting, and her role as a strategic advisor in the cannabis sector promise to keep you hooked. Together, they chat about everything from the potential rescheduling of cannabis legislation to the vital medical benefits of cannabis, especially for cancer patients. You'll also hear about the uphill battles faced in cannabis accounting, the importance of voting for transformative change, and the historical propaganda that still colors perceptions today. Whether you're curious about the practical challenges in the weed industry or the optimistic future of cannabis reform, Renata's insights provide a compelling look into the regulatory landscape. Tune in for a candid conversation that's both enlightening and inspiring! Sponsor:Today's episode is brought to you by U.S. Bank. U.S. Bank is a trusted financial partner for our clients, businesses and communities. We believe in doing the right thing and putting people first. It's an honor to be recognized as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies® by the Ethisphere Institute for the tenth consecutive year. From commercial credit cards and program management tools to innovative payment technologies and transportation offerings, U.S. Bank Corporate Payment Systems has the right solution to help your organization reduce payment costs, enhance control and streamline your entire payment processing function. We'll partner with you to uncover your challenges and provide smart, clear and honest guidance to help you meet the financial goals for your business. Visit usbank.com/corporatepayments to learn more.

Join us on Count Me In for an insightful chat with Justin Smith, CFO at FinQuery! Justin tackles pay disparities that accountants face at Big Four firms and envisions a future where salaries rise to reflect their true value. He also shares how FinQuery's robust learning budget helps employees dive into AI and product development.We explore the importance of transparency, mission-led organizations, and celebrating achievements to boost morale. Justin's advice on balancing empathy with organizational goals is a must-hear for leaders navigating post-pandemic challenges. Hosted by Adam Larson, this episode is packed with valuable insights on accounting, leadership, and employee engagement. Don't miss it! Sponsor:Today's episode is brought to you by U.S. Bank. U.S. Bank is a trusted financial partner for our clients, businesses and communities. We believe in doing the right thing and putting people first. It's an honor to be recognized as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies® by the Ethisphere Institute for the tenth consecutive year. From commercial credit cards and program management tools to innovative payment technologies and transportation offerings, U.S. Bank Corporate Payment Systems has the right solution to help your organization reduce payment costs, enhance control and streamline your entire payment processing function. We'll partner with you to uncover your challenges and provide smart, clear and honest guidance to help you meet the financial goals for your business. Visit usbank.com/corporatepayments to learn more.

Join us on the latest episode of the Count Me In Podcast as host Adam Larson chats with Sheila Rondeau, the CEO of MOGXP and an introverted powerhouse who's mastered the art of networking and personal branding. Discover Sheila's top strategies for making networking less intimidating, including her unique plan of connecting with five quality contacts per event. She also offers invaluable tips on maintaining authenticity in personal branding, balancing social media efforts, and the crucial distinction between reputation and brand. Learn how to build genuine connections, engage thoughtfully on LinkedIn, and offer real value in your professional interactions. Whether you're an introvert or an extrovert, Sheila's insights on making networking work for you, understanding thought leadership, and respecting others' time are game-changers. Tune in and get ready to transform the way you approach networking and personal branding, one meaningful connection at a time. Sponsor:Today's episode is brought to you by U.S. Bank. U.S. Bank is a trusted financial partner for our clients, businesses and communities. We believe in doing the right thing and putting people first. It's an honor to be recognized as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies® by the Ethisphere Institute for the tenth consecutive year. From commercial credit cards and program management tools to innovative payment technologies and transportation offerings, U.S. Bank Corporate Payment Systems has the right solution to help your organization reduce payment costs, enhance control and streamline your entire payment processing function. We'll partner with you to uncover your challenges and provide smart, clear and honest guidance to help you meet the financial goals for your business. Visit usbank.com/corporatepayments to learn more.

Join host Adam Larson as he chats with the insightful Rachel Kourakos, transition and leadership coach at Rachel Kourakos Coaching & Consulting, about the art of human interactions and mastering self-awareness. Rachel shares impactful stories and practical tips on understanding others' needs, handling feedback constructively, and managing emotions consciously. They discuss the beauty and opportunities within change, the power of self-talk, and how to approach life's transitions with positivity. Rachel emphasizes that everyone makes choices that shape their experiences—whether we realize it or not. Tune in to learn how adopting a leadership mindset, practicing empathy, and embracing curiosity can transform both personal and professional lives. Packed with heartfelt anecdotes and engaging dialogue, this episode promises valuable takeaways for anyone looking to enhance their communication skills and emotional intelligence. Listen and get inspired to lead your life with intention and awareness!  Sponsor:Today's episode is brought to you by U.S. Bank. U.S. Bank is a trusted financial partner for our clients, businesses and communities. We believe in doing the right thing and putting people first. It's an honor to be recognized as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies® by the Ethisphere Institute for the tenth consecutive year. From commercial credit cards and program management tools to innovative payment technologies and transportation offerings, U.S. Bank Corporate Payment Systems has the right solution to help your organization reduce payment costs, enhance control and streamline your entire payment processing function. We'll partner with you to uncover your challenges and provide smart, clear and honest guidance to help you meet the financial goals for your business. Visit usbank.com/corporatepayments to learn more.

Join us on the Count Me In Podcast for an enlightening conversation with Daniel Paik, CEO of Curowork, as he shares powerful insights on transforming back office roles into vital growth engines. With 20 years of experience in corporate finance and accounting, Daniel discusses how enhancing efficiency, automating processes, and completing long-pending projects can supercharge your business. You'll hear practical tips on managing unplanned tasks, avoiding the pitfalls of partial task visibility, and the importance of prioritization. Discover how renaming back offices to "value centers" can shift mindsets and drive growth. Daniel's passion for elevating your team's role is both inspiring and actionable. Don't miss Adam Larson and Daniel Paik's deep dive into creating supportive, clear, and efficient work environments that lead to remarkable business outcomes. Tune in for this must-listen episode! Sponsor:Today's episode is brought to you by U.S. Bank. U.S. Bank is a trusted financial partner for our clients, businesses and communities. We believe in doing the right thing and putting people first. It's an honor to be recognized as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies® by the Ethisphere Institute for the tenth consecutive year. From commercial credit cards and program management tools to innovative payment technologies and transportation offerings, U.S. Bank Corporate Payment Systems has the right solution to help your organization reduce payment costs, enhance control and streamline your entire payment processing function. We'll partner with you to uncover your challenges and provide smart, clear and honest guidance to help you meet the financial goals for your business. Visit usbank.com/corporatepayments to learn more.

** Named “Best Podcast” for 3 Consecutive Years! 2022-2024 Apex Awards of Publication Excellence. In our award-winning “Automation Chat" podcast, “Automation & Manufacturing News, October 2024,” learn about the $2 million IEEE Medal of Honor, and Food Traceability Innovator and World's Most Ethical Companies award winners; and the ISO and UNDP's international guidelines for organizations to expedite contributions to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. She also dives deep into automotive, industrial PC, industrial wireless device, robotics, and AI trends. As always, get your family-friendly, silly Joke of the Day. Resources from this episode: Register to watch the February 2025 IEEE Medal of Honor Live-Stream Press Conference. Download The Journal's "2024 Trends in OEM & Control Design" eBook. To subscribe to our 4 print magazines (Feb., May, July and Oct.), e-mail Anna Hicks at ahicks@endeavorbusinessmedia.com. Subscribe to our 4 digital magazines at http://rok.auto/thejournal-subscribe.   Please share this episode with someone else who would benefit from it. And leave us a 5-star rating and a review — it helps other industrial automation professionals find us, and we really appreciate it. “Automation Chat" is brought to you by The Journal From Rockwell Automation and Our PartnerNetwork magazine.

Tune into this episode of Count Me In, where host Adam Larson sits down with Rohit Kharbanda, Head of Hotel Finance Services & Growth at IHG Hotels & Resorts. With a 20+ year career at top companies like Hewlett-Packard, General Electric, and Oracle, Rohit shares vital insights into sustainable sourcing, reducing carbon footprints, and how green practices drive customer loyalty.Get the scoop on the challenges of ESG reporting, the strategic role of finance in sustainability, and the regulatory complexities of AI and data privacy. Rohit's mix of wit and wisdom offers practical advice for anyone curious about how sustainable practices are reshaping business.Don't miss this engaging conversation packed with forward-thinking strategies to protect our planet while achieving business success! Sponsor:Today's episode is brought to you by U.S. Bank. U.S. Bank is a trusted financial partner for our clients, businesses and communities. We believe in doing the right thing and putting people first. It's an honor to be recognized as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies® by the Ethisphere Institute for the tenth consecutive year. From commercial credit cards and program management tools to innovative payment technologies and transportation offerings, U.S. Bank Corporate Payment Systems has the right solution to help your organization reduce payment costs, enhance control and streamline your entire payment processing function. We'll partner with you to uncover your challenges and provide smart, clear and honest guidance to help you meet the financial goals for your business. Visit usbank.com/ima to learn more.

Top Eco-Friendly Stocks are from the Corporate Knights rankings. Plus, Reddit's best ethical companies and an article listing Shariah-compliant stocks. By Ron Robins, MBA Podcast: Top Eco-Friendly Stocks Transcript & Links, Episode 137, September 6, 2024 Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to this podcast episode 137 published September 6, 2024, titled “Top Eco-Friendly Stocks.” It's presented by Investing for the Soul. Investingforthesoul.com is your site for vital global ethical and sustainable investing mentoring, news, commentary, information, and resources. Now, remember that you can find a full transcript and links to content – including stock symbols and bonus material – on this episode's podcast page at investingforthesoul.com/podcasts. Also, a reminder. I do not evaluate any of the stocks or funds mentioned in these podcasts, and I don't receive any compensation from anyone covered in these podcasts. Furthermore, I will reveal any personal investments I have in the investments mentioned herein. Additionally, quotes about individual companies are brief. Please go to this podcast's webpage for links to the articles for more company and stock information. ------------------------------------------------------------- 7 Best Ethical Companies To Invest In According to Reddit The first article I'm reviewing is titled 7 Best Ethical Companies To Invest In According to Reddit. It's by Affan Mir and found on insidermonkey.com. Here are some quotes. “Our Methodology The companies are listed in ascending order of the number of hedge fund holders as of the second quarter of 2024. The hedge fund data was taken from our database of over 900 elite hedge funds… Our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. 7. HA Sustainable Infrastructure Capital, Inc. (NYSE:HASI) Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 16 The company invests in behind-the-meter (BTM) building or facility-specific distributed energy projects, which are tailored to reduce energy consumption or costs for specific buildings or facilities. 6. Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL) Hedge Fund Holders: 42 Ecolab Inc. … initially, the company focused on innovative cleaning products but has since become a major player in the water, hygiene, and energy sectors. The company serves various industries, including food processing, healthcare, hospitality, and manufacturing, by offering technology and services that ensure water quality and safety… In 2024, it was recognized as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere for the 18th consecutive year. 5. Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM) Hedge Fund Holders: 49 Waste Management, Inc. … Over the years, the company has evolved into a comprehensive waste management company with a vast operational footprint. 4. First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR) Hedge Fund Holders: 66 First Solar is an American company in the solar energy industry that specializes in manufacturing solar panels and developing utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) power plants. 3. Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) Hedge Fund Holders: 71 Costco Wholesale Corporation is a warehouse club that operates on a membership basis, offering a wide range of products. 2. NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NEE) Hedge Fund Holders: 73 NextEra Energy, Inc. … company operates a diverse portfolio through its subsidiaries, which include Florida Power & Light (FPL), NextEra Energy Resources (NEER), and NextEra Energy Partners. 1. NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) Hedge Fund Holders: 179 NVIDIA Corporation is a California-based prominent tech company… recognized for its groundbreaking advancements in graphics processing units (GPUs) and AI.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- Top 25 Eco-Friendly Companies in 2024 Now this next article should interest most of you. It's titled Top 25 Eco-Friendly Companies in 2024. It's by Meerub Anjum and found on finance.yahoo.com. Due to my time restrictions, the 25 companies are covered briefly. Go to the link on this episode's podcast page for the full article. Here are my brief quotes. “Methodology To compile our list of the top 25 eco-friendly companies in 2024, we utilized the sustainable investment ratio data for the global 100 companies from Corporate Knights. We then used the purchasing power parity revenue of companies as of 2023 to calculate the absolute sustainable revenue of companies. Finally, we ranked the top 25 eco-friendly companies in 2024 in ascending order of their absolute sustainable revenue. At Insider Monkey we are obsessed with the stocks that hedge funds pile into… Our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter's strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here). 25. Henkel AG & Co. (OTC:HENOF) In 2023, over 20% of its revenue was from sustainable products or services. 24. Risen Energy Co. Ltd. (SHE:300118) In 2023, Risen Energy Co Ltd generated 100% of its revenue from sustainable products and services. 23. Yadea Group Holdings Ltd. (OTC:YADGF) is an investment holding company engaged in the manufacturing and sale of two-wheeled electric vehicles and related accessories in China. 22. Kering SA (OTC:PPRUF) in 2024… it generated 26.5% of its revenue from sustainable products in 2023. 21. Nordex SE (OTC:NRXXY) The company is involved in the manufacturing and distribution of onshore wind turbines. 20. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company (NYSE:HPE) is one of the most sustainable companies, boasting a sustainable revenue of 33.1%. 19. Li Auto Inc. (NASDAQ:LI) In 2023, Li Auto Inc generated 100% of its revenue from sustainable products. 18. Ricoh Company, Ltd. (OTC:RICOY) Ricoh Company, Ltd.'s sustainable revenue was 50.8% of its total revenue in 2023. 17. NIO Inc. (NYSE:NIO) is involved in the manufacturing and sale of smart electric vehicles in China. 16. Ørsted A/S (OTC:DNNGY) 65% of its revenue was from sustainable products and services in 2023. 15. SAP SE (NYSE:SAP) SAP SE generated nearly 30% of its revenue from sustainable products and services. 14. Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) In 2023, 46.8% of its revenue was generated from sustainable services and products. 13. Banco do Brasil S.A. (OTC:BDORY) generated 28.6% of its revenue from sustainable products and services in 2023. 12. Neste Oyj (OTC:NTOIY) Its renewable products include renewable diesel, sustainable aviation fuel, renewable solvents, and feedstock for bioplastics. 11. Sanofi (NASDAQ:SNY) In 2023, 27.2% of its revenue was from eco-friendly products and services. 10. Alstom SA is involved in the manufacturing of monorails, light rails, metros, commuter trains, regional trains, high-speed trains, and locomotives. 9. Samsung SDI Co. Ltd. (KRX:006400) provides lithium-ion batteries used in smartphones, tablets, laptops, and other devices including electric bikes and scooters. 8. Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO) aims to achieve net zero emissions by 2040 and also incorporate circularity in 100% of its new products and packaging by 2025. 7. Vestas Wind Systems (OTC:VWDRY) 100% of its revenue is generated from eco-friendly products. 6. Bank of China Limited (OTC:BACHF) Nearly 17% of its revenue, which amounts to $25.9 billion, was from sustainable sources in 2023. 5. XPeng Inc. (NYSE:XPEV) 100% of its revenue is generated from sustainable products and services. 4. Schneider Electric S.E. (OTC:SBGSY) is involved in the production of inverters, solar panels, solar equipment, wind farm microgrids, power metering systems, and smart monitoring solutions, among others. 3. HP Inc. (NYSE:HPQ) reduced its Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 62% in 2023. 2. Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) In 2023, 100% of its revenue was generated from sustainable products and services. 1. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) In 2023, it generated nearly 70% of its revenue from sustainable products and services.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- Top 10 Shariah Compliant Stocks by Market Cap Many ethical investors might not know that Shariah investing has similarities to ethical investing. This article briefly explains Shariah-based investing and the ethical stocks favored by the article's authors. It's titled Top 10 Shariah Compliant Stocks by Market Cap. Author(s) not mentioned, but found on amalinvest.com. Here are some quotes. “Islamic finance has grown significantly in recent years, with more investors seeking stocks that align with Shariah principles. Let's explore the top 10 Shariah compliant stocks by market capitalization, examining what makes them attractive to ethical investors and how they stack up in the global market… Shariah law prohibits investment in companies involved in certain activities, such as alcohol, gambling, pork products, and conventional financial services. Additionally, there are financial ratios that companies must meet to be considered compliant. Compliance vs. Halal It's crucial to note that ‘Shariah compliant' doesn't necessarily mean ‘halal.' Compliant companies may still have some activities that aren't permissible under Shariah law, but they don't exceed certain thresholds that would make them impermissible for investment. Now, let's examine our top 10 list: 1. Apple Inc. (AAPL) Compliance: Halal The tech giant Apple leads our list with an impressive market cap of $3.45 trillion. 2. NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) Compliance: Halal NVIDIA, a leader in GPU technology and AI computing, comes in second with a market cap of $3.11 trillion. Its focus on cutting-edge technology and strong financial position contribute to its Shariah compliant status. 3. Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) Compliance: Doubtful Google's parent company, Alphabet, holds the third spot. Despite its massive market cap, its compliance status is marked as doubtful. This could be due to its diverse range of services, which may include activities not fully aligned with Shariah principles. Bottom of Form 4. Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) Compliance: Doubtful E-commerce giant Amazon is fourth on our list, but also carries a doubtful compliance status. This might be related to its involvement in streaming services that could include content not aligned with Shariah principles, or its financial services offerings. 5. Meta Platforms Inc. (META) Compliance: Doubtful Facebook's parent company, Meta, rounds out our top five. Its doubtful status could be due to concerns about content moderation and potential involvement in activities not fully aligned with Shariah law. 6. Eli Lilly and Co (LLY) Compliance: Halal Eli Lilly, a pharmaceutical company, is the first non-tech firm on our list. Its focus on healthcare and strong financial position contribute to its Shariah compliant status. 7. Broadcom Inc. (AVGO) Compliance: Halal Broadcom, a designer, developer, and global supplier of semiconductor devices, maintains a Shariah compliant status due to its focus on technology and solid financials. 8. Tesla Inc. (TSLA) Compliance: Halal Electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla is Shariah compliant, likely due to its focus on sustainable transportation and energy solutions, as well as its financial structure. 9. Walmart Inc. (WMT) Compliance: Doubtful Retail giant Walmart makes the list but with a doubtful compliance status. This could be due to the sale of products not permissible under Shariah law, such as alcohol or pork products. 10. Visa Inc. (V) Compliance: Halal Rounding out our top 10 is Visa, a financial services company. Its Shariah compliant status might surprise some, but it's likely due to its business model focusing on payment processing rather than traditional banking activities.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 3 Green ETFs With Promising Upside And Long-Term Potential Now an article from Canada. It's titled 3 Green ETFs With Promising Upside And Long-Term Potential. It's by Pierre Raymond and seen on theglobeandmail.com. Here's some of what Mr. Raymond says about his picks. “1. iShare Climate Conscious & Transition MSCI USA (USCLi) One of the key objectives of the fund is to track the performance and investment results of large and mid-cap U.S. companies that are actively contributing to the low-carbon economy transition. Overall, the fund has delivered a one-year return of 23.10%, slightly below the benchmark of 23.16%. 2. Carbon Transition U.S. Equity ETF (JCTR) provides investors exposure to the broader U.S. market by positioning the fund to benefit from companies that invest in the low-carbon economy transition… The fund delivered one-year quarterly returns of 24.40%, similar to that of the JPMAM Carbon Transition U.S. Equity Index. 3. Xtrackers Net Zero Pathway Paris Aligned US Equity ETF (USNZ) which seeks to track the performance of the Solactive ISS ESG U.S. Net Zero Pathway Enhanced Index… The current one-year return is 24.44% versus 24.54% of the underlying index, and 24.56% of the S&P.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- One other great article that time didn't allow me to review here. 3 Franklin Templeton Mutual Funds for Sustainable Returns. It's by Zacks Equity Research and was found on finance.yahoo.com.  ------------------------------------------------------------- Ending Comment These are my top news stories with their stock and fund tips for this podcast “Top Eco-Friendly Stocks.” Please click the like and subscribe buttons wherever you download or listen to this podcast. That helps bring these podcasts to others like you. And please click the share buttons to share this podcast with your friends and family. Let's promote ethical and sustainable investing as a force for hope and prosperity in these troubled times! Contact me if you have any questions. Thank you for listening. Now my next podcast will be September 20th. I'll talk to you then! Bye for now.   © 2024 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul  

In this episode of Great Women in Compliance, Hemma visits with Erica Salmon Byrne, Chief Strategy Officer and Executive Chair of Ethisphere. Having long admired Ethisphere for its commitment to advancing business integrity in a meaningful way, Hemma invites Erica to share how her organization backs that up with research, data from industry benchmarking and culture assessments, and the creation of a strong compliance community. Erica shares her ethics and compliance origin story and critical insights on building a legacy of ethical value and business integrity. Highlights include the compliance value creation story and how not to be merely a cost center, how to stay outcome-driven rather than activity-based, what we can learn from decades of data on measuring culture, the crucial role of managers in ethics and compliance, the meaning of an employee-centered approach and treating employees as tangible assets, and the power of community in compliance. Erica is the Chief Strategy Officer and Executive Chair for Ethisphere, the global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices that fuel corporate character, marketplace trust, and business success. In this role, Ms. Salmon Byrne oversees product strategy and M&A initiatives for the company while advancing Ethisphere's founding ethos—that businesses that focus on the long term, commit to doing business with integrity, and invest in their stakeholder communities will outperform their peers. Erica is also the Chair of the Business Ethics Leadership Alliance (BELA), where she works with the BELA community to advance dialogue, collaboration, and best practices around ethics and governance. Over her tenure at Ethisphere, Erica has held several roles, including overseeing Ethisphere's products and solutions, including data-driven program assessments; The Sphere, which offers benchmarking against peers and best practices, along with expertise and related regulatory guidance; ethical culture assessments; and the World's Most Ethical Companies. To learn more about Ethisphere's work, visit www.ethisphere.com A prolific public speaker, Erica is known throughout the ethics and compliance industry as a leader, educator, and advocate for ESG, values-based leadership, and business integrity. In 2022, she was recognized as a Modern Governance 100 Leader by governance firm Diligent. Erica has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Fast Company, Forbes, SXSW, and various ethics and compliance publications and podcasts. You can join the LinkedIn podcast community. Join the Great Women in Compliance podcast community here. Resource: 2024 Ethical Culture Report: Closing the Speak Up Gap

The first half of today's episode is a discussion on why "rural America" is the political and cultural order of the day. Topics include Yellowstone, Beyonce's new album "Cowboy Carter," and a new book entitled "White Rural Rage." The second half of the episode is a look at some of today's Most Ethical Companies, as reported on in a fascinating article for The Nation by writer Jess McAllen, linked here: https://www.thenation.com/article/economy/the-dubious-ethics-of-the-worlds-most-ethical-companies/ Please support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/trillbillyworkersparty

Transcript & Links, Episode 125, March 8, 2024 Hello, Ron Robins here. So, welcome to this podcast episode 125 titled “Top Ethical Companies and ESG Dividend Stocks.” It's presented by Investing for the Soul. Investingforthesoul.com is your site for vital global ethical and sustainable investing mentoring, news, commentary, information, and resources. Now, remember that you can find a full transcript, and links to content – including stock symbols and bonus material – on this episode's podcast page located at investingforthesoul.com/podcasts. Also, a reminder. I do not evaluate any of the stocks or funds mentioned in these podcasts, nor do I receive any compensation from anyone covered in these podcasts. Furthermore, I will reveal to you any personal investments I have in the investments mentioned herein. Additionally, quotes about individual companies are brief. Please go to this podcast's webpage for links to the actual articles for more company and stock information. Also, some companies might be covered more than once and there are also 5 article links below that time didn't allow me to review them here. ------------------------------------------------------------- 1. World's Most Ethical Companies in 2024 The first article for this episode is another great company ranking I've been following for many years. A press release titled World's Most Ethical Companies in 2024 best describes this ranking. It was found on finance.yahoo.com. Here are some quotes from it. “Ethisphere, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices, today announced the 136 companies that have earned the coveted designation of the World's Most Ethical Companies in 2024. This year's honorees span 20 countries and 44 industries. 2024 marks the 18th annual World's Most Ethical Companies recognition. As in previous years, honorees have demonstrated a commitment to ethical business practices through robust programs that positively impact employees, communities, and broader stakeholders, as well as contributing to sustainable, long-term business growth. The full list of the 2024 World's Most Ethical Companies can be found on Ethisphere's website. There are also six companies—Aflac (AFL), Ecolab (ECL), International Paper (IP), Kao Corporation (KAO0.MU), Milliken & Company (Private), and PepsiCo (PEP)—that have been recognized 18 times, every year since the inception of the World's Most Ethical Companies® in 2007… The Ethics Premium: Integrity Outperforms Ethisphere's Five Year Ethics Premium for 2024 is 12.3% This represents the margin by which publicly traded companies recognized in this year's World's Most Ethical Companies outperformed a comparable index of global companies over a five-year period from January 2019 to January 2024… Methodology The World's Most Ethical Companies assessment is grounded in Ethisphere's proprietary Ethics Quotient®, an extensive questionnaire that requires companies to provide over 240 different proof points on their culture of ethics; environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices; ethics and compliance program; diversity, equity, & inclusion efforts; and initiatives that support a strong value chain. That data undergoes further qualitative analysis by our panel of experts who spend thousands of hours vetting and evaluating each year's group of applicants. This process serves as an operating framework to capture and codify truly best-in-class practices from organizations across industries and from around the world…” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 2. 13 Best Environmental Dividend Stocks To Invest In According To Analysts The next two articles are by Vardah Gill who does a terrific job of identifying the top ESG dividend-paying stocks from two perspectives. This first article focuses on dividends from stocks that also have at least a 15% stock price gain potential according to analysts. It's titled 13 Best Environmental Dividend Stocks To Invest In According To Analysts and found on finance.yahoo.com. Here are some quotes from this first article by Ms. Gill, starting with how she conducted her research. “We scanned the holdings of Vanguard ESG U.S. Stock ETF (ESGV), which is a market capitalization-weighted index composed of large-, mid-, and small-cap stocks of companies located in the United States that are screened for certain environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) criteria by the index provider, which is independent of Vanguard. From the index, we picked 13 stocks that pay dividends and have a projected upside potential of over 15% based on analyst price targets. The stocks are ranked according to their upside potential, as of February 23. Note: the quoted upside potentials and dividend yields are as of February 23. 13. S&P Global Inc. (NYSE:SPGI) Upside Potential: 15.2% S&P Global Inc. is a leading provider of financial market intelligence, including credit ratings, indices, data, and analytics… (It) currently offers a quarterly dividend of $0.91 per share…  The stock's dividend yield: 0.83%. 12. Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) Upside Potential: 15.4% An American biotech and pharmaceutical company… The company offers a quarterly dividend of $0.42 per share and has a dividend yield of 6.05%. 11. Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc. (NYSE:MAA) Upside Potential: 15.9% Mid-America Apartment Communities is a real estate investment trust company that focuses on the acquisition, development, redevelopment, and management of multifamily apartment communities… The stock has a dividend yield of 4.65%. 10. Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) Upside Potential: 16.4% Morgan Stanley is a global financial services firm that provides a wide range of related services to its consumers… Morgan Stanley…  currently offers a quarterly dividend of $0.85 per share and has a dividend yield of 3.93%. 9. Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX) Upside Potential: 16.5% Becton, Dickinson and Company is a global medical technology company that specializes in the development, manufacturing, and sale of medical devices, instrument systems, and reagents… The stock's dividend yield… came in at 1.54%. 8. Realty Income Corporation (NYSE:O) Upside Potential: 16.69% It currently pays a monthly dividend of $0.2565 per share and has a dividend yield of 5.81%. 7. Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) Upside Potential: 16.8% Microsoft Corporation… pays a quarterly dividend of $0.75 per share and has a dividend yield of 0.73%. 6. Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (NYSE:ADM) Upside Potential: 17.04% The global food processing and commodities trading company… currently pays a quarterly dividend of $0.50 per share and has a dividend yield of 3.74%. 5. NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE) Upside Potential: 17.60% NIKE is a multinational corporation that designs, develops, markets, and sells athletic footwear, apparel, equipment, accessories, and services worldwide… currently pays a quarterly dividend of $0.37 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.40%. 4. Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (NYSE:APD) Upside Potential: 18.16% Air Products and Chemicals is an American gases company that specializes in producing and distributing atmospheric gases, process gases, and specialty gases… the stock has a dividend yield of 3.04%. 3. Albemarle Corporation (NYSE:ALB) Upside Potential: 22.08% Albemarle Corporation is a global specialty chemicals company that develops, manufactures, and markets a wide range of chemicals and chemical-based products… The stock's dividend yield: 1.33%. 2. AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) Upside Potential: 22.3% AT&T is an American multinational telecommunications conglomerate… It currently pays a quarterly dividend of $0.2775 per share and has a dividend yield of 6.61%. 1. American Tower Corporation (NYSE:AMT) Upside Potential: 26.6% An American real estate investment trust company, American Tower Corporation tops our list of the best environmental dividend stocks… The company… currently pays a quarterly dividend of $1.70 per share… the stock offers a dividend yield of 3.58%.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 3. 12 Best ESG Dividend Stocks to Buy According to Hedge Funds This second article by Ms. Gill is titled 12 Best ESG Dividend Stocks to Buy According to Hedge Funds. The companies – though also derived from the Vanguard U.S. Stock ETF – are ranked by hedge fund ownership. The only duplicate company in the two lists is Microsoft. So, here's Ms. Gill's description of her methodology and edited brief quotes about the selected companies. “We scanned the holdings of Vanguard ESG U.S. Stock ETF (ESGV) which is a market capitalization-weighted index composed of large-, mid-, and small-cap stocks of companies located in the US that are screened for certain environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) criteria by the index provider, which is independent of Vanguard. From the index, we picked 12 stocks that pay dividends and have garnered the most attention from hedge fund investors by the conclusion of Q4 2023, using data from Insider Monkey's database. The stocks are ranked in ascending order of the number of hedge funds having stakes in them. Hedge funds' top 10 consensus stock picks outperformed the S&P 500 Index by more than 140 percentage points over the last 10 years (see the details here). Note: quoted dividend yields are as of February 28. 12. The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG) Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 71 The Procter & Gamble Company is an Ohio-based multinational consumer goods company… (It) currently offers a quarterly dividend of $0.9407 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.36%. 11. AbbVie Inc. (NYSE:ABBV) Hedge Fund Holders: 76 The global biopharmaceutical company's… dividend yield: 3.46%. 10. Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) Hedge Fund Holders: 91 Broadcom is a multinational technology company that designs, develops, and supplies a broad range of semiconductor and infrastructure software solutions. The company pays a quarterly dividend of $5.25 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.62%. 9. Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) Hedge Fund Holders: 98 Merck & Co. is an American multinational pharmaceutical company… The company currently offers a quarterly dividend of $0.77 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.39%. 8. Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) Hedge Fund Holders: 102 An American pharmaceutical company, Eli Lilly… offers a quarterly dividend of $1.30 per share… The stock's dividend yield came in at 0.68%. 7. JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) Hedge Fund Holders: 103 JPMorgan Chase & Co. provides a wide range of banking services to individuals, businesses, and institutions… it pays a quarterly dividend of $1.05 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.29%. 6. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) Hedge Fund Holders: 113 UnitedHealth Group Incorporated… offers a per-share dividend of $1.88 every quarter… the stock has a dividend yield of 1.52%. 5. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) Hedge Fund Holders: 131 Apple declared a quarterly dividend of $0.24 per share on February 1… The stock's dividend yield: 0.53%. 4. Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) Hedge Fund Holders: 141 The global financial tech company… offers a quarterly dividend of $0.66 per share… with a dividend yield of 0.56%. 3. Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) Hedge Fund Holders: 162 It offers a quarterly dividend of $0.52 per share and has a dividend yield of 0.74%. 2. NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) Hedge Fund Holders: 173 On February 22, the company announced a quarterly dividend of $0.04 per share… The stock has a dividend yield of 0.02%. 1. Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) Hedge Fund Holders: 302 Microsoft Corporation tops our list of the best ESG dividend stocks… The company… pays a quarterly dividend of $0.75 per share. The stock's dividend yield: 0.74%.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 4. 4 Clean Energy Stocks That Have Defied the Odds Now, since clean energy stocks have had such a hard time recently, I thought that this article would interest many of you. It's titled 4 Clean Energy Stocks That Have Defied the Odds. It's by Avi Salzman and seen on barrons.com. Here's a key chart from the article. “Clean energy stocks had a miserable 2023… The WilderHill Clean Energy Index is down 47% in the past year… It's worth understanding what has set the handful of winning stocks apart. Several of them help facilitate clean energy projects, without being on the hook for financing them. Green Energy Winners Company / Ticker Recent Price Market Value (billion) YTD Price Change 2024 P/E Nextracker / NXT $57.94 $8.4 23.7% 20 MYR Group / MYRG 163.66 2.7 13.2 25 Quanta Services / PWR 234.39 34.2 8.6 28 Gentherm / THRM 55.68 1.8 6.3 21 Source: FactSet” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- Other Honorable Mentions – not in any order. 1. Title: 12 Best Wind Power and Solar Stocks To Buy on yahoo.com. By Fahad Saleem. 2. Title: 7 Renewable Energy Stocks That Could be Overlooked Gems on investorplace.com. By Chris Markoch. 3. Title: 5 Biggest Clean Energy ETFs in 2024 on nasdaq.com. By Melissa Pistilli. 4. Title: 8 Best Green Stocks and ETFs to Buy for 2024 on money.usnews.com. By Matt Whittaker. 5. Title: The Top 3 Infrastructure Stocks to Buy in March 2024  on investorplace.com. By Charles Munyi. ------------------------------------------------------------- Ending Comment Well, these are my top news stories with their stock and fund tips -- for this podcast titled: “Top Ethical Companies and ESG Dividend Stocks.” Now, please be sure to click the like and subscribe buttons on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or wherever you download or listen to this podcast. That helps bring these podcasts to others like you. And please click the share buttons to share this podcast with your friends and family. Let's promote ethical and sustainable investing as a force for hope and prosperity in these deeply troubled times! Contact me if you have any questions. Thank you for listening. I'll talk to you next on March 22nd. Bye for now.   © 2024 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul

Welcome to the award-winning FCPA Compliance Report, the longest-running podcast in compliance. In this special Thursday edition of the FCPA Compliance Report, Tom welcomes back Erica Salmon Byrne, Chief Strategy Officer and Executive Chair, at Ethisphere to discuss the announcement of the 2024 World's Most Ethical Designations and the new Ethics Premium. Erica Salmon Byrne is a renowned figure in the realm of ethical business practices, recognized for her significant role in the annual announcement and recognition of the world's most ethical companies. Byrne views this list as a crucial acknowledgement of companies globally that are making a positive impact, with representation across 20 countries and 44 industries. Her experiences in leading changes to the program's methodology, such as the introduction of a third-party management category and a heightened focus on governance and culture, have shaped her perspective on the continuous evolution and improvement of the evaluation process. She sees the list as a valuable tool for companies to demonstrate their commitment to ethics and compliance, and as a source of inspiration for others in the compliance community to strive for ethical excellence. Key Highlights: Global Recognition for Ethical Business Practices Enhanced Scoring System Emphasizing Governance and Culture Global Representation of Ethical Industry Leaders Ethics Quotient Evaluation for Recognized Companies Resources: Erica Salmon Byrne on LinkedIn Ethisphere World's Most Ethical Companies for 2024 Tom Fox Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter LinkedIn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ron Robins, MBA Podcast: The World's Most Sustainable Corporations Transcript & Links, Episode 122, January 26, 2024 Hello, Ron Robins here. So, welcome to this podcast episode 122 titled “The World's Most Sustainable Corporations.” It's presented by Investing for the Soul. Investingforthesoul.com is your site for vital global ethical and sustainable investing mentoring, news, commentary, information, and resources. And look at my newly revised website at investingforthesoul.com! Tell me what you think. Now, remember that you can find a full transcript, and links to content – including stock symbols and bonus material – on this episode's podcast page located at investingforthesoul.com/podcasts. Also, a reminder. I do not evaluate any of the stocks or funds mentioned in these podcasts, nor do I receive any compensation from anyone covered in these podcasts. Furthermore, I will reveal to you any personal investments I have in the investments mentioned herein. Additionally, quotes about individual companies are brief. Please go to this podcast's webpage for links to the actual articles for more company and stock information. Also, some companies might be covered more than once and there are also 6 article links below that time didn't allow me to review them here. ------------------------------------------------------------- The Global 100 list: How the world's most sustainable corporations are driving the green transition I'm beginning this episode highlighting my favorite sustainable' Corporations ranking. You can find their just released 2024 ranking in this post titled The Global 100 list: How the world's most sustainable corporations are driving the green transition. The introduction is by Shawn McCarthy and posted on corporateknights.com. Here are some quotes. “Now in its 20th year, Corporate Knights' Global 100 ranking of the world's most sustainable companies reveals the top firms that are increasing their investments in green solutions such as renewable energy, energy efficiency and the circular economy. ‘When we launched the Global 100 in 2005, the green economy was a quaint idea. Many companies didn't publish in-house sustainability reports. There were no standardized key performance indicators, and none of the companies were reporting the percentage of their revenue or investments that were green,' says Corporate Knights co-founder and CEO Toby Heaps… In the 2024 Global 100 ranking, the top-ranked firms allocated 55% of their investments to sustainable projects, up from 47% the year prior. That compares with sustainable investments at a paltry 17% among the broader universe of publicly traded companies with more than US$1 billion in annual revenue… The 2024 Global 100 companies earned 51% of their revenues from sustainable sources in the fiscal year 2022, up from 50% the prior year. That compares with just 16% for the broader universe of companies… Top Companies Two Australian companies, Sims Ltd. (SMSMY) and Brambles Ltd. (BMBLF) top the 2024 ranking. Sims, this year's number one company, recycles scrap metal in 30 countries, and Brambles rents reusable pallets and containers around the globe. Both companies score 100% on sustainable revenue and sustainable investment… The Global 100 also awarded a ‘pivot prize' to Italian energy firm ERG SpA (ER9.BE), which completed its multiyear transition from black to green halfway through 2023… The Global 100 rates companies in 38 industry groups… based on 25 metrics. It applies different weighting to certain metrics given the nature of the sector. Sustainable revenue and sustainable investment are key measures… The Global 100 score far better on overall environmental, social and governance (ESG) metrics than do their peers. For example, 79% of Global 100 firms had sustainability-linked pay; only 30% of the broader corporate universe linked executive pay to the achievement of environmental or social sustainability targets… Between February 1, 2005, and December 15, 2023, the Global 100 saw a return of 287% on a U.S. dollar basis, while the MSCI ACWI had a return of 272%. The Dow Jones Sustainability World Index posted a return of 254% over that period.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- Franklin Templeton Positive On Green, Social Bonds In 2024 This second article features a green bond fund by a firm who was one of the pioneers in mutual funds. The article is titled Franklin Templeton Positive On Green, Social Bonds In 2024. It's by Amanda Cheesley and found wealthbriefing.com. Now some quotes from Ms. Cheesley. “David Zahn, head of European fixed income at Franklin Templeton, believes that sustainable investing will be a dominant investment trend, with structural tailwinds that could help improve financial returns… Zahn thinks that green and social bonds, which are typically issued to fund longer-term projects, are a good source of longer-duration investments… Zahn also believes that an expanding and increasingly diverse sustainable finance market means that attractive returns can go hand in hand with a positive impact on the environment and our communities… Zahn manages the Franklin Sustainable Euro Green Bond UCITS ETF (FLRG:SWX:EUR) which aims to provide exposure to the European green bond market whilst maximising total returns. It… invests mainly in bonds that are labelled green and denominated in European currencies. The fund… has outperformed the index over a three to five-year period.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- Top 10: Wind Power Companies Now this next article has an interesting ranking of the top global wind companies. It's titled Top 10: Wind Power Companies and is by Maya Derrick and seen on energydigital.com. Here are some quotes on the findings of Ms. Derrick's research. “Ranked by the latest available annual revenue stats, from year ending 2022, we run through the top 10 leading companies in the wind power industry. 10. Suzlon Revenue: US$403 million Country: India Indian multinational wind turbine manufacturer Suzlon is among the world's leading renewable energy solutions providers revolutionising and redefining the way sustainable energy sources are harnessed. The Suzlon Group has a presence in 17 countries across Asia, Australia, Europe, Africa and the Americas. 9. Renewable Energy Systems Americas Revenue: US$1.6 billion Country: USA Renewable Energy Systems Americas (RES) constructs renewable energy projects for its worldwide customer base. Renewable Energy Systems Americas now has an ever-growing portfolio, made up of 110 solar, wind, transmission and energy storage projects in the US alone and more than 1,000 miles of transmission line. 8. EDP Renewables North America Revenue: US$2.6bn Country: USA Owned by Spanish company EDP Renewables… With 59 wind farms and 12 solar parks in North America alone, EDP Renewables North America works to fulfil its mission of ‘leading the energy transition to create superior value for all'. 7. Avangrid Revenue: US$7.9bn Country: USA A part of the Iberdrola Group, Avangrid provides onshore and offshore wind power and solar power to clients across 20 US states… it has a footprint in 24 states with US$41 billion in assets… The company has… been named one of the World's Most Ethical Companies for five consecutive years by the Ethisphere Institute. 6. Vestas Revenue: US$15.5bn Country: Denmark Vestas designs, manufactures, installs and services wind turbines in 83 countries and has a workforce of more than 25,000 employees globally. The company has installed in excess of 66,000 wind turbines in its portfolio. 5. NextEra Energy Revenue: US$21bn Country: USA The American energy company that is one of the world's largest wind and solar energy generators and also operates nuclear power and natural gas plants. 4. RWE Renewables Revenue: US$41.7bn Country: USA Working toward a goal of being carbon-neutral by 2040, RWE is a key driver of the energy transformation, working across data networks, mobility, competitive industries and building infrastructure. The 125-year-old company works to balance the need to meet the growing demand for power while mitigating negative effects of climate change… It has 27 wind farms in operation across the country. 3. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Revenue: US$30.3bn Country: Japan Since Mitsubishi Heavy Industries delivered the first equipment for commercial use in Japan in 1982, the group has supplied more than 4,200 units, around 4.4GW, of wind power generators globally… It has a focus on on-shore wind turbines. 2. General Electric Revenue: US$76.6bn Country: USA GE is the largest renewable energy company by a significant margin… GE has installed more than 49,000 wind turbines and enough renewable energy sources to produce 400GW of energy worldwide… As well as this, GE's battery energy storage solutions can store and deliver electricity produced by their wind turbines. 1. Siemens Revenue: US$78bn Country: Germany (Siemens is) a more than 175-year-old technology company which played a major role in the early years of electricity, Siemens' wind power offering is extensive. The company established the world's first offshore wind power plant in 1991 and continues to be a large player in both the onshore and offshore spaces… Siemens Gamesa… is well-known for its SG 14.0-222 wind turbine… the largest wind turbine in the world.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 3 EV Stocks Cementing Their Status as Top Long-Term Market Picks Many ethical and sustainable investors are buying EV stocks. Here's an article on that sector by Dmytro Spilka and found on investorplace.com. It's titled 3 EV Stocks Cementing Their Status as Top Long-Term Market Picks. Here are some quotes by Mr. Spilka on his picks. “1. Li Auto (NASDAQ:LI) At the core of Li's strong year was an astonishing 182.2% total deliveries growth to 376,030. Cumulative deliveries surpassed 600,000 vehicles. This makes the firm the most prolific among China's emerging new energy automakers.  With the upcoming launch of Li MEGA, the firm's flagship new MPV set to roll out in February 2024, the firm appears to be leading the charge to become China's EV market leader. Li Auto's recently announced partnership with semiconductor giant Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) will see Nvidia's DRIVE Thor centralized car computer power Li's future EV fleets.  2. Rivian (NASDAQ:RIVN) has endured a fairly torrid time on Wall Street since its debut in late 2021… The news that the auto manufacturer will be supplying its vehicles for AT&T's (NYSE:T) fleet represents a significant coup for the firm… In perhaps its biggest statement of intent, Rivian produced 17,541 vehicles in Q4 alone… Rivian's management has boldly predicted that the firm will begin turning gross profit positive, making Rivian a solid pick for investors with a long-term outlook.  3. Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) Tesla… deliveries in Q4 alone hit a total of 484,507.  On top of this, the highly anticipated launch of the Cybertruck has helped to keep the stock in the spotlight. Tesla's commitment to autonomous driving is likely to ensure that it stays at the forefront of innovation… One of the stock's biggest supporters is Cathie Wood, CEO and CIO of Ark Invest (ARKK)… Wood claimed that Tesla stock could reach the $4,600 mark. That would be a price target of $1,533.33 when adjusted for the split.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- The Top 3 Stocks to Benefit from Next-Gen Energy Solutions My final article for this episode is titled The Top 3 Stocks to Benefit from Next-Gen Energy Solutions. It's by Steve Booyens and also found on investorplace,com. Due to limited space I'm just quoting Mr. Booyens briefly. “1. Brookfield Renewable Energy Partners (NYSE:BEP) A company with diversified renewable energy exposure with significant scale in store. 2. First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) Economies of scale and continuous capacity sequencing place First Solar best-in-class. 3. Enphase Energy (NASDAQ:ENPH) A buy-the-dip opportunity highly touted by Wells Fargo.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- Other Honorable Mentions – not in any order. 1. Title: 3 Top Renewable Energy Stocks to Power Up Your Portfolio on investorplace.com. By Muslim Farooque. 2. Title: 3 Alternative Energy Stocks to Watch Amid Rising Material Cost on finance.yahoo.com. By Aparajita Dutta. 3. Title: Morgan Stanley a Top Socially Responsible Dividend Stock With 3.7% Yield on nasdaq.com. By BNK Invest.   Articles from the UK and Canada 1. Title: Top 200 Ethical Businesses on thegoodshoppingguide.com. 2. Title: The top 20 ESG funds of 2023 on trustnet.com. By Matthew Cook. 3. Title: 2024 Responsible Funds Guide Canada on corporateknights.com. By Tim Nash. ------------------------------------------------------------- Ending Comment Well, these are my top news stories with their stock and fund tips -- for this podcast titled: “The World's Most Sustainable Corporations.” Now, please be sure to click the like and subscribe buttons on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or wherever you download or listen to this podcast. That helps bring these podcasts to others like you. And please click the share buttons to share this podcast with your friends and family. Let's promote ethical and sustainable investing as a force for hope and prosperity in these deeply troubled times! Contact me if you have any questions. Thank you for listening. And, again, please look at my new totally revised website at investingforthesoul.com. Tell me what you think! I'll talk to you next on February 9th. Bye for now.   © 2023 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul

How can we build a culture that motivates people to do the right thing? In this episode of Corruption, Crime and Compliance, Michael Volkov and guest Steve Naughton, explore crucial questions about fostering ethical cultures within companies and practical steps compliance leaders can take to transform performance. Steve shares insights from his journey, detailing the evolution of compliance leadership roles and offering a glimpse into PepsiCo's growth in this area during his tenure as Chief Compliance Officer. For those considering careers in compliance, he emphasizes that expertise in this field can be developed without a law degree. Steve Naughton currently oversees Compliance and Enterprise Risk Management programs at Loyola University Law School. He previously served as Pepsi's Chief Compliance Officer, guiding the growth of their compliance program over 8 years. He is passionate about making sure compliance functions can work independently.You'll hear Michael and Steve discuss:Steve began his career at major law firms before going in-house to manage litigation and M&A deals during pivotal moments at Quaker Oats and Snapple.PepsiCo's iconic GC Larry Thompson asked Steve to build a new compliance program starting with just 3 people. Over 8 years, Steve grew Pepsi's program from 3 to over 40 employees with global reach.Larry saw compliance as preventative and empowered Steve with independent reporting to the Board. Steve remarks, “[Larry] viewed [compliance] as much more preventative than reactionary … his take on compliance has always been, to the extent that we can prevent something or to the extent that as soon as we detect it, we'll go in and check it out instead of waiting till everything was fully investigated.”Pepsi has been on the World's Most Ethical Companies list for 15 years in a row, showcasing its success in following ethical practices.Pepsi has never faced serious enforcement actions, and this is attributed to turning ethical practices into a value-add for the business.Not every company has the resources or leadership seen at Pepsi, making it challenging to bring others along in the compliance profession.Steve emphasizes the importance of a risk-based approach in compliance and recommends developing a strategic five-year plan to address top risks progressively.He encourages companies to be disciplined and follow a plan, citing the Department of Justice's emphasis on showing work prospectively, not retroactively, to defend actions and maintain a strategic plan.Michael and Steve discuss the challenges of implementing change in compliance programs, emphasizing the importance of building a team and garnering support from other functions.They recommend a realistic 3 to 5 year timeframe for implementing changes.Cultures where people feel safe speaking up are foundational to compliance. This can aid in preventing and addressing ethical lapses and compliance challenges.Steve cites examples from Wells Fargo, Volkswagen, General Motors, and Boeing. In these organizations, where you would expect people to be skilled and ethical, employees often didn't speak up. This was because they thought their concerns wouldn't be listened to, or the culture didn't encourage open communication.Compliance is not just about following rules; it's about changing the culture in companies. We need to think differently and work towards making a culture where doing the right thing is not just accepted but encouraged. Steve runs a highly respected compliance curriculum at Loyola University which has prepared many future Chief Compliance Officers. However, compliance expertise doesn't strictly require legal training.ResourcesSteve Naughton on LinkedIn | Loyola School of Law | EmailMichael Volkov on LinkedIn | TwitterThe Volkov Law Group

In this unique moment in human history, the climate emergency is increasingly defining our lives. While artificial intelligence is unlocking potential positive impact on a scale never seen before. So what does the future hold for us and our children? How will technology help us show up more responsibly to people and the planet? And what does that look like in practical terms– so that our individual efforts compound in ways that will course correct our future? Faith Taylor is the Global Sustainability and ESG Officer at Kyndryl, the world's largest provider of IT infrastructure services, with a goal of powering human progress through strong, purpose-driven practices that deliver value to employees, customers, stakeholders, and communities. In this episode, she explains how IT infrastructure and AI can address your sustainability ambitions in ways that will serve your business, and how the power of collaboration and its ripple effect can ensure we address the climate crisis for all of our futures. Lead With We is Produced by Goal 17 Media - https://goal17media.com Faith Taylor:  Faith Taylor is Global Sustainability Officer at Kyndryl, a $19 Billion and 90,000 employee spin-off from IBM. Prior to Kyndryl, she was the Global Environmental Social Governance (ESG) leader at Tesla where she worked with their Board of Directors, investors and leadership teams to develop their strategies, structures and targets. Before joining Tesla, Faith served as the Senior Vice President, Corporate Social Responsibility and Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) of Wyndham Worldwide from 2005 to 2018. Under her leadership, she helped to build their sustainability program leading to the company's recognition by the Dow Jones Sustainability Index as a World and North American hospitality leader. In addition, Ethisphere recognized Wyndham as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies. As the CSO, Taylor was responsible for the company's global environmental, social and governance (ESG) programs including policies, strategies and risk management. Prior to her role as CSO, Faith was a brand marketing and new business development leader managing businesses that delivered $100 million to $600 million in revenues. She helped to restructure brands and developed innovative products and markets to deliver rapid growth. Faith was a professor at the Feliciano School of Business at Montclair State teaching Corporate Social Responsibility, Brand Marketing and Sustainability and was a co-founder of the University's Global Human Trafficking and social entrepreneurship center. She is currently President of the Women's Association of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center and a member of their board. She is also a member of the Executive Women of New Jersey and served on the boards of the World Travel and Tourism Council, and the United States Green Building Council. In 2022, Business Chief and Sustainability magazines ranked Taylor among the top 10 U.S. women of the inaugural Top 100 Women in Sustainability list. Raised in Seattle and born in Japan, Taylor earned a B.A. from Stanford University and an M.B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School. She and her husband have two children and live in West Orange, N.J. Faith is an avid gardener. Resources: Learn more about Kyndryl at: https://www.kyndryl.com/us/en/about-us Connect with Faith on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/faithlouisetaylor/ Visit leadwithwe.com to learn more about Simon's new book or search for "Lead With We" on Amazon, Google Books, or Barnes & Noble.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Top Lithium and Hydrogen Stocks. Prepare for a carbon-free future with these lithium and hydrogen stocks. Investors like these socially responsible ESG ETFs and funds. Transcript & Links, Episode 114, September 22, 2023 Hello, Ron Robins here. So, welcome to this podcast episode 114 titled “Top Lithium and Hydrogen Stocks.” It's presented by Investing for the Soul. Investingforthesoul.com is your site for vital global ethical and sustainable investing mentoring, news, commentary, information, and resources. And look at my newly revised website at investingforthesoul.com! Tell me what you think. Now, remember that you can find a full transcript, and links to content – including stock symbols and bonus material – on this episode's podcast page located at investingforthesoul.com/podcasts. Also, a reminder. I do not evaluate any of the stocks or funds mentioned in these podcasts, nor do I receive any compensation from anyone covered in these podcasts. Furthermore, I will reveal to you any personal investments I have in the investments mentioned herein. Additionally, quotes about individual companies are brief. Please go to this podcast's webpage for links to the actual articles for more company and stock information. Also, some companies might be covered more than once and there is also 1 article link below that time didn't allow me to review here. ------------------------------------------------------------- 1) Top Lithium and Hydrogen Stocks Now many ethical and sustainable investors are excited about investing in battery metals, so I thought to begin this podcast with this article. It's titled What are the top five largest lithium companies in the world? It's by Joseph Morton and found on mugglehead.com. Here's some of what he has to say. “1. Ganfeng Lithium (SZSE: 002460) (SEHK: 1772) Largest lithium salt producer in China, and third in the world Ganfeng Lithium is a global company specializing in the production of lithium, lithium-based products, various metals and batteries. Established by Li Liangbin in the year 2000, the company is headquartered in Xinyu, Jiangxi, China and operates both domestically and internationally… With a market capitalization of approximately $35 billion, it holds a significant presence in the lithium industry. The company doesn't just have one property, but instead actively engages in overseas investments in lithium companies and projects as part of its strategy to secure long-term competitive resources. The company holds ownership of three lithium brine projects located in Argentina and serves as the largest shareholder of Lithium Americas (TSX: LAC) (NYSE: LAC). 2. Albemarle (NYSE: ALB) World's largest supplier of lithium for EV Albemarle Corporation is a U.S.-based specialty chemicals manufacturing company headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. The company operates in three main divisions: lithium, bromine specialties, and catalysts… When it comes to global lithium and lithium storage product production, Albemarle, along with lithium companies SQM  Sociedad Quimica y Minr de Chile SA  (NYSE: SQM) and Livent Corporation (NYSE: LTHM), collectively account for slightly over half of the total production. Meanwhile, just under half of the world's lithium supply is produced by various entities within China. Greenbushes in Western Australia is one of Albemarle's largest projects. It's a joint venture mine shared with Talison Lithium, a subsidiary of the Tianqi Lithium Corporation (SZSE: 002466) (SEHK: 9696)… Albemarle's market capitalization is roughly $30 billion. 3. SQM (Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile SA) Largest lithium producer in the world (SQM) is a Chilean chemical company renowned for its role as a prominent supplier of plant nutrients, iodine, lithium and various industrial chemicals… For the fiscal year 2019, SQM reported lithium-related revenues amounting to USD$505 million. Notably, in 2021, the company witnessed a substantial increase in its lithium revenues, reaching a total of USD$936.1 million. 4. Tianqi Lithium Controls over 46 per cent of global lithium production The Tianqi Lithium Corporation hails from Sichuan, China, and operates primarily in mining and manufacturing… The company has a market cap of approximately $16.5 billion. 5. Mineral Resources (ASX: MIN) Operates two significant properties in Western Australia In recognition of its significant market presence and capitalization, Mineral Resources earned a coveted spot in the S&P/ASX 50 in June 2022, designating it as one of the 50 largest companies trading on the ASX. Its market capitalization is in the range of $11 billion. Mineral Resources operates primarily in the iron ore sector, but is also actively engaged in the mining of hard rock lithium, with operations in two significant locations within Western Australia: Mount Marion in the Goldfields and Wodgina in the Pilbara.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 2) Top Lithium and Hydrogen Stocks A second article with a related theme is this one titled EV Stocks vs. Battery Metal: Which Green Investment Should You Choose? It's written by Adam Othman and seen on fool.ca. Here's some of what Mr. Othman says. “1. Lion Electric (TSX:LEV) … is a $559.76 million market capitalization vehicle manufacturer, primarily focusing on the production of electric school buses, trucks, and other commercial vehicles. With little competition in the EV space in Canada, its focus on commercial EVs gives it a niche it can enjoy without competing against industry giants… That said, it is not a profitable company right now… Despite its small presence, this EV stock can deliver stellar long-term returns as the broader industry grows. 2. American Lithium (TSXV:LI) … is a metals and mining company primarily engaged in the exploration stage. The Canada-based company focuses on acquiring, exploring, and developing lithium deposits. A small name in the mining industry, it has a $450.78 million market capitalization. American Lithium stock is not the biggest Canadian lithium stock, but it's worth watching closely.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 2 Canadian ESG Stocks for Ethical Investors Diversifying internationally is often considered a good idea, hence I bring these articles from Canada, for investors both inside and outside Canada. This article is titled 2 Canadian ESG Stocks for Ethical Investors. It's by Christopher Liew and also found on fool.ca. These are some comments by Mr. Liew. “1. Capital Power Corporation's (TSX:CPX) mission is to provide responsible energy to the world. The $4.7 billion growth-oriented company is well-positioned to support the low-carbon energy system. Its thermal and renewable assets have a combined generating capacity of around 7,500 MW. On March 13, 2023, Ethisphere named the Edmonton-based power producer one of the World's Most Ethical Companies for the fifth straight year… In the first half of 2023, revenue and net income rose 76.9% and 88.7% year over year respectively to $2.1 billion and $370 million. Capital Power has raised dividends for 10 consecutive years and provided dividend growth guidance of 6% annually through 2025. Capital Power pays a hefty 6.12% dividend. 2. Magna International Inc. (TSX:MG) is at the front and centre in the automotive industry's drive to deliver more electric vehicles (EVs). The Canadian auto parts maker raised its sales forecast for fiscal 2025 because of the sustained, if not increasing, demand for parts, sensors, and electrified powertrain systems. The $22.8 billion company's primary goal is to create a better world of mobility and achieve net-zero by 2050. According to its CEO, Swamy Kotagiri, Magna can achieve the target by addressing the emissions in their manufacturing facilities and the entire supply chain… Magna will use 100% renewable electricity in Europe and globally by 2025 and 2030, respectively… In the first half of 2023, Magna's sales rose 14% year over year to US$21.7 billion, while income jumped 128% to US$548 million… Magna also pays a decent 3.06% dividend.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 3) Top Lithium and Hydrogen Stocks Now this next article talks about the opportunities in the hydrogen industry. It's titled These 2 Dividend Stocks Are Investing in This Niche Industry. Should You Do the Same? It's by James Brumley and found on fool.com. Now here are some quotes from Mr. Brumley. “Market veterans will likely recall that hydrogen fuel cell stocks like Plug Power (PLUG) and Ballard Power Systems (BLDP) were all the rage at one time. This alternative energy was going to change the world, after all. And then, nothing happened. As it turns out, the world wasn't quite ready for fuel cells. This industry's stocks have mostly struggled for the past couple of decades. You might want to put these tickers back on your radar, though. A couple of major oil companies recently made investments in hydrogen-based power solutions, thinking the movement will eventually displace the oil and gas business… Chevron (CVX) recently acquired a majority stake in a young company called ACES (Advanced Clean Energy Storage) Delta, while BP (BP) just led a wave of funding for Advanced Ionics, which develops energy-efficient electrolyzers that ultimately generate hydrogen, which can then be converted into electricity… Carmakers are on board, too, and have been for a while. They're ramping up development, and Toyota (TM) is leading the way. With its hydrogen engine technology now well refined, the company hopes to sell 200,000 such vehicles by 2030. If the concept proves successful, look for other automakers to augment their current EVs with yet another alternative to carbon-fuel cars. Pragma Market Research estimates the world's hydrogen-powered vehicle market will swell from last year's $1 billion to more than $43 billion by 2030… One hydrogen fuel cell stock to buy now So if hydrogen fuel cells and hydrogen power in general are finally moving into the mainstream, which of the related stocks are worth owning? The aforementioned Ballard Power Systems and Plug Power are two tickers at least worth adding to your long-term watch list. Anyone interested in jumping into the hydrogen power movement at its current stage, however, might do best with… Bloom Energy (BE) It's not one of the more familiar names in the business, although it arguably should be. It's a $3.5 billion organization, and while not currently profitable, it's nearing that point. In fact, the analyst community is calling for a swing to a per-share profit of $0.39 on revenue growth of 30%. Then things are projected to really start to take off… Bloom's systems are also readily scalable, meaning their users can fine-tune the amount of power they're producing, and then add or subtract capacity as needed. Its customers include Honda Motor (HMC), Alphabet's Google (GOOG), Walmart (WMT), and IBM (IBM). The advent of artificial intelligence and the giant data centers it requires is proving a particular boon for Bloom. Although most of its customers only need these fuel cells for backup power now, as hydrogen production initiatives like BP's Advanced Ionics and Chevron's ACES Delta gain traction, don't be surprised to see hydrogen fuel cells evolve into a primary power source… The only catch with Bloom or its rivals? Buckle up for plenty of continued volatility, and be prepared to hang on to any of these stocks for a while. Hydrogen power is here to stay, but it's hardly on a reliably firm footing yet.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 7 Best Socially Responsible Funds Now our last article brings us back to familiar territory. It's titled 7 Best Socially Responsible Funds. It's by Jeff Reeves and found on money.usnews.com. Here is a quote from Mr. Reeves and his picks. “There are no easy answers when it comes to how to invest in a world like this. But thankfully, there are a group of socially responsible funds out there that try to focus your cash behind some of the better companies and leave out some of the bad actors. It's not perfect, of course, and the goal of most investors remains to make money and not just feel good about their portfolio. That said, the following investments are well-established and diversified ways to invest with environmental, social and governance priorities in mind – or ESG for short. FUND ASSETS EXPENSE RATIO iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF (ticker: ESGU) $12.8 billion 0.15% Vanguard ESG U.S. Stock ETF (ESGV) $6.8 billion 0.09% Nuveen ESG Large-Cap Growth ETF (NULG) $1.3 billion 0.26% Nuveen ESG Large-Cap Value ETF (NULV) $1.6 billion 0.26% iShares ESG Aware MSCI EAFE ETF (ESGD) $7.3 billion 0.20% iShares Global Clean Energy ETF (ICLN) $3.5 billion 0.41% Parnassus Core Equity Fund (PRBLX) $27.4 billion 0.82%” End quotes ------------------------------------------------------------- One Other Honorable Mention Title: Solar Power Stocks: The Winners and Losers of 2023 So Far on barrons.com. By Avi Salzman. ------------------------------------------------------------- Ending Comment Well, these are my top news stories with their stock and fund tips -- for this podcast titled: “Top Lithium and Hydrogen Stocks.” Now, please be sure to click the like and subscribe buttons on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or wherever you download or listen to this podcast. That helps bring these podcasts to others like you. And please click the share buttons to share this podcast with your friends and family. Let's promote ethical and sustainable investing as a force for hope and prosperity in these very troubled times! Contact me if you have any questions. Thank you for listening. And, again, please look at my new totally revised website at investingforthesoul.com. Tell me what you think! Talk to you next on October 6th! Bye for now.   © 2023 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul

Does learning actually occur as a result of ethics and compliance training, or are employees just paying lip service when they take courses? How can you tell the difference? Today, the E&C community is focused on program impact and effectiveness rather than checking boxes—in part because regulators have made it clear that E&C programs must show impact from their activities. On the season 9 finale of the Principled Podcast, Susan Divers discusses how compliance teams can ensure they're getting the right insights to improve their programs with Kristi Kevern, the senior managing director at Dell Technologies. Listen in as Kristi shares how her team collects and analyzes data to better manage and enhance Dell's E&C program—particularly in the training area.  For a transcript of this podcast, visit the episode page at LRN.com.   Guest: Kristi Kevern Kristi Kevern is an innovative thought leader with 20+ years of experience in internal controls design, implementation, management, and assurance. At Dell Technologies, Kristi drives enterprise-wide risk management and governance activities, conceptualizes and implements global programs aimed at mitigating FCPA, AML, SOX, ESG and other key risks, turns findings into fixes with post-investigation remediation, and experiments with AI/ML for further prevention and insights using data. Prior to Dell, Kristi served as a founding member of the Coca-Cola Company's Ethics Office, where she investigated allegations of fraud and served as ethics advisor to the credit union. As a former Big 4 manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Kristi led assurance and attestation engagements for Fortune 500+ clients. Kristi is a recipient of TRACE International's Innovation Award, and she has led Dell Technologies to an Ethisphere World's Most Ethical Company designation 10 times. She is membership chair of the Conference Board's Global Business Conduct Council and a frequent speaker at conferences and universities. Kristi graduated with honors from Auburn University and is a Certified Public Accountant residing in Austin, Texas. Host: Susan Divers Susan Divers is a senior advisor with LRN Corporation. In that capacity, Ms. Divers brings her 30+ years' accomplishments and experience in the ethics and compliance area to LRN partners and colleagues. This expertise includes building state-of-the-art compliance programs infused with values, designing user-friendly means of engaging and informing employees, fostering an embedded culture of compliance and substantial subject matter expertise in anti-corruption, export controls, sanctions, and other key areas of compliance. Prior to joining LRN, Mrs. Divers served as AECOM's Assistant General for Global Ethics & Compliance and Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer. Under her leadership, AECOM's ethics and compliance program garnered six external awards in recognition of its effectiveness and Mrs. Divers' thought leadership in the ethics field. In 2011, Mrs. Divers received the AECOM CEO Award of Excellence, which recognized her work in advancing the company's ethics and compliance program. Mrs. Divers' background includes more than thirty years' experience practicing law in these areas. Before joining AECOM, she worked at SAIC and Lockheed Martin in the international compliance area. Prior to that, she was a partner with the DC office of Sonnenschein, Nath & Rosenthal. She also spent four years in London and is qualified as a Solicitor to the High Court of England and Wales, practicing in the international arena with the law firms of Theodore Goddard & Co. and Herbert Smith & Co. She also served as an attorney in the Office of the Legal Advisor at the Department of State and was a member of the U.S. delegation to the UN working on the first anti-corruption multilateral treaty initiative. Mrs. Divers is a member of the DC Bar and a graduate of Trinity College, Washington D.C. and of the National Law Center of George Washington University. In 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 Ethisphere Magazine listed her as one the “Attorneys Who Matter” in the ethics & compliance area. She is a member of the Advisory Boards of the Rutgers University Center for Ethical Behavior and served as a member of the Board of Directors for the Institute for Practical Training from 2005-2008. She resides in Northern Virginia and is a frequent speaker, writer and commentator on ethics and compliance topics. Mrs. Divers' most recent publication is “Balancing Best Practices and Reality in Compliance,” published by Compliance Week in February 2015. In her spare time, she mentors veteran and university students and enjoys outdoor activities.

You can quickly make up for years of experience.Get inspired by Kaycee Kalpin, Chief Marketing Officer for Premier Inc, where she shares her story of accelerating from Manager to CMO in just 8 years. Some thought she was too young to become an executive, but she relied on one strategy to make up for multiple decades of experience that many of her coworkers had.Now Kaycee's even hand picked a team of over 50 marketing professionals.Before joining Premier Inc, she spent over a decade in Washington, D.C. There she grew her health tech and marketing experience as a leader with the American College of Cardiology. She led the development of a suite of digital apps that empower cardiovascular patients to take control of their health.Kaycee's a graduate of Florida State University with a MBA from American University.Premier Inc is a leading healthcare improvement company headquartered in Charlotte, NC. They work with more than 4,000 U.S. hospitals and health systems, approximately 175,000 other providers and organizations, and other industry stakeholders to co-develop solutions that support high-quality, efficient and sustainable care delivery models. They've also been named one of the World's Most Ethical Companies® 14 years in a row, LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaycee-kalpin-b928bb33/Company Link: https://www.premierinc.com/What You'll Discover in this Episode:A tip for fast-tracking your way to executive leadership.Why becoming the note-taker can lead to becoming decision-maker.The key trait she'd instill every employee should have.Powerful advice she'd give her younger self today.The art of storytelling: Lesson from from the C-Suite.-----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

Erica Salmon Byrne, CEO of Ethisphere discusses: 1) How does a company become one of the World's Most Ethical Companies? 2) What are the top ethics issues facing companies? 3) How can businesses create a more ethical environment? 4) What questions should businesses ask about ethics and AI? 5) Proof that being ethical is good business

Principal Financial Group® recently released the results of an extensive survey it conducted asking advisors and employers their expectations for the future of retirement. Among the key trends it identified were an aging workforce with evolving financial planning needs. At the other extreme, Gen Z workers are beginning their careers with investment and planning preferences that differ markedly from older generations. Other findings included the anticipated need for personalization, financial wellness monitoring and counseling, and better services for retirement planning. - Principal Financial Group® (Nasdaq: PFG) is a global financial company with 19,000 employees passionate about improving the wealth and well-being of people and businesses. In business for more than 140 years, we're helping more than 62 million customers plan, protect, invest, and retire, while working to support the communities where we do business, and build a diverse, inclusive workforce. Principal® is proud to be recognized as one of the 2023 World's Most Ethical Companies® by Ethisphere, a member of the Bloomberg Gender Equality Index, and a “Best Place to Work in Money Management.” Retirement and Income Solutions serves more than 46,000 employers and nearly 12 million participants. Total account value as of December 31, 2022, was $447 billion. Learn more about Principal and our commitment to building a better future at principal.com Insurance products issued by Principal National Life Insurance Co (except in NY) and Principal Life Insurance Company®. Plan administrative services offered by Principal Life. Principal Funds, Inc. is distributed by Principal Funds Distributor, Inc. Securities offered through Principal Securities, Inc., member SIPC and/or independent broker/-dealers. Principal Global Investors leads global asset management. Referenced companies are members of the Principal Financial Group®, Des Moines, Iowa 50392. © 2023 Principal Financial Services, Inc. 2836360-042023 - Introducing AP Premium! Download and brand thousands of articles, summaries & commentaries in minutes. Unlock Premium today and receive $10 off your first monthly or annual payment with promo code PODCAST2022.

Welcome to the award-winning FCPA Compliance Report, the longest running podcast in compliance. In this episode, I am joined Erica Salmon Byrne, President of Ethisphere, to discuss the World's Most Ethical Companies awards. Byrne explains the evaluation process and what types of areas are investigated. She highlights how the list has fluctuated over the years and the importance of a company's people practices. Through the cross functional scorecard, companies can measure their performance compared to a global index.   We discuss the importance of "ethics premium" and the scorecard process. To measure the value of a company's people practices, the survey demonstrated an outperformance of 13.6% against a comparable global index. Byrne also gives information to listeners on where to find more information on the world's most ethical companies. Tune into this episode of the FCPA Compliance Report and learn more about the World's Most Ethical Companies.  Key Highlights What is the World's Most Ethical Companies® recognition? How long has Ethisphere recognized the World's Most Ethical Companies? What are criteria Ethisphere considers during the evaluation process? What is the evaluation framework. What are the benefits of applying for the World's Most Ethical Companies? Even if a company is not selected, what are some of the benefits? What is the Ethics Premium and what was the 2023 Ethics Premium?   Notable Quotes  "What does the recognition itself mean? So, you know, it's  really interesting, Tom. Because I I've asked a lot of honorary companies about that. And I  particularly liked the way 1 company phrased it to me when I was talking to them last week, and they said, look, there are lots and lots of times that companies get recognized for messing up." "We're looking at the ways you are thinking about, your impact on the communities in which you operate. We are looking at your ethics and compliance program initiatives. We're looking at the way you are governing your programs both at the board level and at the C suite level. We're looking at your leadership and your reputation." "I've had multiple compliance officers tell me that their best self-assessment work is just reading the red line of our survey every year and asking themselves would I answer this new question from Ethisphere?" "Are there questions on this survey I can't answer without going and speaking to somebody else? Do I know who that person is? And if not, why not? Because all of those relationships are critical relationships to operating your program well."  Episode Links World's Most Ethical Companies Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The World's Most Ethical Companies podcast includes these articles: “The 2023 World's Most Ethical Companies®,” by Ethisphere; “Top 10: Brands for Diverse Corporate Social Responsibility,” by Tom Swallow; and “12 Best Renewable Energy Stocks to Buy Now,” by Fahad Saleem. Find a full transcript, links to content, including stock symbols and bonus material here. Plus Podcast: The World's Most Ethical Companies Transcript & Links, Episode 102, March 24, 2023 Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to podcast episode 102 and published on March 24, 2023, titled “The World's Most Ethical Companies.” It's presented by Investing for the Soul. Investingforthesoul.com is your site for vital global ethical and sustainable investing mentoring, news, commentary, information, and resources. Remember that you can find a full transcript, and links to content – including stock symbols and bonus material – on this episode's podcast page located at investingforthesoul.com/podcasts. Now if any terms are unfamiliar to you, simply Google them. Also, a reminder. I do not evaluate any of the stocks or funds mentioned in these podcasts, nor do I receive any compensation from anyone covered in these podcasts. Furthermore, I will reveal to you any personal investments I have in the investments mentioned herein. Additionally, quotes about individual companies are brief so that I can get as many companies covered as possible in the time allowed. Please go to this podcast's webpage for links to the actual articles for more company and stock information. Also, some companies might be covered more than once and there are also 4 article links below that time didn't allow me to review them here. ------------------------------------------------------------- The World's Most Ethical Companies I'm going to start with a great ranking analysis titled The 2023 World's Most Ethical Companies® The most frequent companies to appear on the list at 17 times are Aflac Incorporated, Ecolab, International Paper, Kao, Milliken & Company, and PepsiCo, Inc. If there is a weakness in this list it's that the companies have to apply to be rated. Hence, this process could leave out some great companies. Here are some quotes from their website. “At the heart of the evaluation and selection process for the World's Most Ethical Companies® is Ethisphere's proprietary rating system, the corporate Ethics Quotient (EQ). The EQ framework features more than 200 multiple-choice and text questions that capture a company's performance in an objective, consistent, and standardized way. In 2023, 135 organizations are recognized for their unwavering commitment to business integrity. The honorees span 19 countries and 46 industries, and include 8 first-time honorees.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- Top 10: Brands for Diverse Corporate Social Responsibility Next is this article titled Top 10: Brands for Diverse Corporate Social Responsibility by Tom Swallow on sustainabilitymag.com. Though not strictly investment recommendations, this list will appeal to many listeners of this podcast. Here are some comments by Mr. Swallow on each of his chosen brands. “To highlight the diverse approaches to corporate social responsibility (CSR) we're looking at some of the leading organisations for both their commitments and innovative stance on developing business sustainably… 10. Bosch (BOSCHLTD.BO) Backing climate-neutrality, Bosch is a major provider of high-quality, reliable electronics, along with other solutions to support sustainable developments. The company is committed to reducing emissions both upstream and downstream in its supply chain.  From an electric vehicle (EV) standpoint, Bosch enables electrification through its electric drive solutions, providing scalable propulsion solutions to the industry. 9. TOMS (private company) The popular footwear brand, TOMS is built on social impact as the primary mission of the company is to donate a pair of shoes for every new pair sold.  8. Wells Fargo (WFC) The financial services organisation, Wells Fargo donates up to 1.5% of its annual revenue to charities—a percentage of revenue that exceeds US$18.7bn. These funds reach more than 14,500 non-profit organisations, including those supporting efforts to provide food, and renewable energy and science development programmes. 7. Pfizer (PFE) In times of crisis, healthcare assistance is critical, which is where Pfizer provides extensive support through its three pillar strategy to meet corporate social responsibility (CSR) objectives. These pillars include donation, grant funding, and providing aid when disaster strikes.  Such efforts were seen after Hurricane Matthew ripped through Haiti and the ongoing crisis plaguing refugees in Europe and the Middle East. 6. Netflix (NFLX) The online on-demand streaming platform, Netflix enables relationships by offering its staff members 52 weeks paid parental leave, which can be taken any time within a child's early years.  The average technology firm provides parents with 18 weeks paid leave during the maternity/paternity phase. 5. Ford Motor Company (F) One of the largest automotive brands with heritage dating back to 1903, Ford Motor Company is on a mission to ‘build a better world' through electrification. One of the key employment mechanisms backed by Ford is pay equity as part of its wider diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) strategy—balancing discrepancies in the pay gap between employees. 4. Coca-Cola Company (KO) The environment is a primary focus for Coca-Cola Company and one of its most significant adaptations will come from 100% plant-based packaging. In 2021, the business announced the first ever bottle made in this way and has since been refining its product and understanding how it will align with the wider manufacturing process. 3. Starbucks (SBUX) Representing CSR in the cafe business is Starbucks, which is openly committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, in the workforce.  Starbucks has taken steps to address racial and social inequality by introducing a mentorship scheme designed to link people from black and indigenous backgrounds to senior executives and cultivate partnerships. By 2025, the company hopes to reach its target to achieve 30% black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) representation in corporate roles and 40% in retail and manufacturing. 2. Alphabet (GOOG) As the parent of Google, Alphabet's CSR strategy aims to indirectly support communities and address their concerns. However, Google is already well-acquainted with climate strategy and is taking action to reduce the impact of the search engine and supported devices.  1. Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) A leading organisation in the pharmaceutical industry, Johnson & Johnson (J&J) acts as a great example of CSR in action. For more than 30 years, J&J has dedicated many of its efforts to minimising its ecological footprint.  Its support spans various aspects, including wind energy usage and delivering clean water to communities globally.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 12 Best Renewable Energy Stocks to Buy Now Now back to a popular theme with this article titled 12 Best Renewable Energy Stocks to Buy Now. It's by Fahad Saleem and was found on news.yahoo.com. Here's some of what Mr. Saleem has to say about each of his stock picks. “For this article, we scanned Insider Monkey's database of 943 hedge funds and picked the top 12 renewable energy stocks. That means these are the most popular renewable energy stocks among the elite hedge funds in the world. With each stock we have mentioned the number of hedge fund investors as of the end of the fourth quarter of 2022. 12. Canadian Solar Inc. (NASDAQ:CSIQ) Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 16 Canadian Solar sells solar PV modules… For the fourth quarter, Canadian Solar expects its revenue to come in at $1.97 billion, better than its guidance range of $1.8 billion to $1.9 billion. Analyst consensus estimate for this figure was $1.86 billion.  For the first quarter of 2023, Canadian Solar expects its revenue to come in the range of $1.6 billion to $1.8 billion, which is below the analyst consensus estimate of $2.04 billion. 11. Avangrid, Inc. (NYSE:AGR)  Hedge Fund Holders: 18 Avangrid is an energy company serving millions of customers in the US. Avangrid has a strong renewable energy portfolio consisting of wind and solar energy projects… In February, Avangrid declared a per share dividend of $0.44, in line with the previous dividend. Forward dividend yield at the time came in at 4.34%. 10. SunPower Corporation (NASDAQ:SPWR) Hedge Fund Holders: 21 SunPower Corporation makes photovoltaic solar energy generation systems and battery energy storage products, primarily for residential customers. In February, SunPower Corporation posted strong Q4 results that crushed analyst estimates. Adjusted EPS in the quarter came in at $0.15, beating estimates by $0.01. Revenue in the quarter jumped about 43% YoY to reach $497.4 million, beating estimates by $16.4 million. 9. Plug Power Inc. (NASDAQ:PLUG) Hedge Fund Holders: 25 Hydrogen fuel cell company Plug Power is one of the best renewable energy stocks to buy now. Recently, Citi analyst P.J. Juvekar decreased his price target for Plug Power stock to $20 from $21 but kept a Buy rating on the shares.  The analyst said that Plug Power has a first mover advantage to capture the benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act. 8. Clearway Energy, Inc. (NYSE:CWEN) Hedge Fund Holders: 27 Clearway Energy has significant wind and solar energy operations across 26 states in the US. Clearway Energy has a PE ratio of 5.94 which makes it an attractive option for those looking for undervalued plays in the renewable energy space. In February, Clearway Energy declared a quarterly dividend of $0.3745 per share, which was a 2% increase from its previous dividend. Forward dividend yield at the time came in at 4.48%. 7. Sunnova Energy International Inc. (NYSE:NOVA) Hedge Fund Holders: 27 Residential solar company Sunnova Energy International… recently posted Q4 results which were better than expected. GAAP EPS in the quarter came in at -$0.18, beating estimates by $0.26. Revenue in the quarter increased by 200.8% to reach $195.6 million, beating estimates by $55.84 million. 6. SolarEdge Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:SEDG) Hedge Fund Holders: 43 Israel-based SolarEdge Technologies… gained about 15% through March 8. SolarEdge Technologies makes solar inverters widely used in the solar energy industry… In February, SolarEdge Technologies posted strong Q4 results. Adjusted EPS in the quarter came in at $2.86, beating estimates by $1.27. Revenue in the quarter increased by about 61% on a YoY basis to reach $890 million, beating estimates by $11.64 million. 5. First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR) Hedge Fund Holders: 44 First Solar (stock) jumped earlier this month after UBS upgraded the stock to Buy from Neutral with a $250 price target…UBS believes First Solar is ‘the most significant beneficiary' of the Inflation Reduction Act. 4. Constellation Energy Corporation (NASDAQ:CEG) Hedge Fund Holders: 51 Baltimore, Maryland-based Constellation Energy… says it's the largest producer of carbon-free energy in the country. Earlier this month, Constellation Energy Corporation announced that it has started hydrogen production at its Nine Mile Point Nuclear Plant in Oswego, New York. Alger Capital made the following comment about Constellation Energy Corporation in its Q3 2022 investor letter: ‘Shares outperformed during the third quarter primarily due to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)… the bill provides a nuclear production tax credit of approximately $43.75 per megawatt hour of energy generated. This credit favorably impacted earnings.' 3. NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NEE) Hedge Fund Holders: 61 NextEra Energy is one of the most popular renewable energy stocks among elite hedge funds… In February, NextEra Energy rolled out a 10% increase in its quarterly dividend when it announced a per-share dividend of $0.4675. 2. Enphase Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENPH) Hedge Fund Holders: 63 Enphase Energy is one of the most versatile renewable energy companies, making several solutions in the industry, including solar micro-inverters, battery energy storage, and EV charging stations for homes. In late February, Enphase Energy shares jumped after Janney Montgomery analyst Sean Milligan upgraded the stock to Buy from Neutral with a $282 price target. 1. Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) Hedge Fund Holders: 91 Tesla, Inc. makes it to our list of the best renewable energy stocks because the company's electric vehicles are playing key role in deploying the renewable energy sources in the auto industry in addition to its Powerwall and solar roof products for homes. Recently, Jefferies upped its price target for Tesla, Inc. to $230 from $180 and kept a Buy rating on the shares… Jefferies also upped its 2023 and 2024 operating earnings estimates for Tesla, Inc. by 10% and 8%, respectively.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- Now some Other Honorable Mentions – no particular order 1) Title: 11 Stocks to Examine Through a Sustainability Lens on morningstar.ca. By Adam Fleck. Articles From Outside the US 1) UK Title: Six ethical investment IFISAs on p2pfinancenews.co.uk. By Hannah Gannage-Stewart. 2) UK Title: ‘We've lost the right to be pessimistic': Patagonia treads fine line tackling climate crisis as for-profit company on theguardian.com. By Lauren Aratani. 3) UK Title: Could these 3 renewable energy stocks surge as lithium demand grows? Found on uk.finance.yahoo.com. By Christopher Ruane. ------------------------------------------------------------- Ending Comment Well, these are my top news stories with their stock and fund tips -- for this podcast number 102 titled: “The World's Most Ethical Companies.” Now, please be sure to click the like and subscribe buttons on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or wherever you download or listen to this podcast. That helps bring these podcasts to others like you. And please click the share buttons to share this podcast with your friends and family. Let's promote ethical and sustainable investing as a force for hope and prosperity in these terribly troubled times! Contact me if you have any questions. Thank you for listening. Talk to you next on April 7th. Bye for now. © 2023 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul

L'Oréal, the world's leading beauty brand was awarded in 2019 for the 10th time as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies. They've positioned themselves as an inclusive beauty brand focusing on diversity, transparency, and authenticity in a social landscape where being canceled is one negative comment away. How do they do it? What does it look like regarding campaigns, brand reputation management, positioning, and customer segmentation? To answer all these valid questions, we have L'Oréal Nordic Digital Media Manager Shirley Nordenskiöld with us where we'll also uncover the following... The no-photoshop trend. Nordic brands are behind in community management. The worst thing about social media. L'Oréal's brand positioning strategy. Making the world a better place vs. selling products. Shirley's cat reached 25K followers on social. Thank you for listening to the Social Media Sucks podcast

The Most Ethical US Companies includes coverage of the following articles: “22 Most Ethical Companies in the US,” by Habib Ur Rehman at Insider Monkey; “Top 15 Infrastructure Companies in the US,” by Ty Haqqi, also at Insider Monkey; and “Caterpillar Leads 5 Stocks To See Infrastructure Spending Boost,” by Harrison Miller. Plus much more Podcast: The Most Ethical US Companies Transcript & Links, Episode 96, December 16, 2022 Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to my podcast episode 96 published on December 16, 2022, titled “The Most Ethical US Companies” — and presented by Investing for the Soul. Investingforthesoul.com is your site for vital global ethical and sustainable investing mentoring, news, commentary, information, and resources. Remember that you can find a full transcript, and links to content – including stock symbols and bonus material – on this episode's podcast page located at investingforthesoul.com/podcasts. Now if any terms are unfamiliar to you, simply Google them. Also, a reminder. I do not evaluate any of the stocks or funds mentioned in these podcasts, nor do I receive any compensation from anyone covered in these podcasts. Furthermore, I will reveal to you any personal investments I have in the investments mentioned herein. Additionally, quotes about individual companies are brief so that I can get as many companies covered as possible in the time allowed. Please go to this podcast's webpage for links to the actual articles where you'll find much more great company information. Also, note several companies are covered more than once and there are also six article links below that time didn't allow me to review them here. Also, I'm taking some time off over the holidays, so my next episode of this podcast will be Friday, January 13, 2023! ------------------------------------------------------------- The Most Ethical US Companies The first article I'm covering today is titled 22 Most Ethical Companies in the US. It's by Habib Ur Rehman at Insider Monkey and found on yahoo.com. Mr. Rehman describes how they arrived at choosing these companies and then offers commentary on each one. “For our list of the 22 most ethical companies in the US, we've ranked them based on how many times they've been hailed as honorees for being ethical up until 2022 by Ethisphere Institute, a global leader in assessing ethical businesses. We've also mentioned each company's ESG-risk scores from Sustainalytics, a premier ESG grader… It assigns quantitative risk scores between 0 and 50 to corporations… and classifies them into any of… five risk categories: Negligible (0-10) Low (10-20), Medium (20-30), High (30-40), and Severe (40-50). 22. V.F. Corporation (NYSE:VFC) Ethisphere Honoree: 6 Times / ESG-Risk Score: 12.9 21. Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE:OSK) Ethisphere Honoree: 7 Times / ESG-Risk Score: 19.4 Oshkosh Corporation is a… machinery company that manufactures military vehicles, fire apparatus and truck bodies among others. 20. Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) Ethisphere Honoree: 7 Times / ESG-Risk Score: 17 19. The Allstate Corporation (NYSE:ALL) Ethisphere Honoree: 8 Times / ESG-Risk Score: 19.1 The Allstate Corporation is one of the biggest insurance companies in the United States. 18. Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE:BBY) Ethisphere Honoree: 8 Times / ESG-Risk Score: 14.2 17. CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE:CBRE) Ethisphere Honoree: 9 Times / ESG-Risk Score: 6.9 CBRE is a… commercial real-estate investment company based in Dallas, Texas. 16. Dell Technologies Inc. (NYSE:DELL) Ethisphere Honoree: 10 Times / ESG-Risk Score: 16.5 15. Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) Ethisphere Honoree: 10 Times / ESG-Risk Score: 15.6 14. Henry Schein, Inc. (NASDAQ:HSIC) Ethisphere Honoree: 11 Times / ESG-Risk Score: 13.5 Henry Schein is a… multinational supplier of healthcare products and services. 13. Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ:HAS) Ethisphere Honoree: 11 Times / ESG-Risk Score: 7.1 12. Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) Ethisphere Honoree: 12 Times / ESG-Risk Score: 17 11. Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) Ethisphere Honoree: 12 Times / ESG-Risk Score: 15.2 10. ManpowerGroup Inc. (NYSE:MAN) Ethisphere Honoree: 13 Times / ESG-Risk Score: 10 ManpowerGroup is… the third largest staffing company in the world. 9. Teradata Corporation (NYSE:TDC) Ethisphere Honoree: 13 Times / ESG-Risk Score: 17.4 Teradata Corporation is a… software corporation that provides analytics software. 8. Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM) Ethisphere Honoree: 13 Times / ESG-Risk Score: 16.8 7. Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM) Ethisphere Honoree: 13 Times / ESG-Risk Score: 13.2 Salesforce is a major… software company based in San Francisco, California. 6. Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE:ROK) Ethisphere Honoree: 14 Times / ESG-Risk Score: 17.7 5. Premier, Inc. (NASDAQ:PINC) Ethisphere Honoree: 15 Times / ESG-Risk Score: 19.9 Premier is a… healthcare company. 4. Cummins Inc. (NYSE:CMI) Ethisphere Honoree: 15 Times / ESG-Risk Score: 19.4 Cummins is a… machinery company. 3. Deere & Company (NYSE:DE) Ethisphere Honoree: 15 Times / ESG-Risk Score: 16.6 2. Aflac Incorporated (NYSE:AFL) Ethisphere Honoree: 16 Times / ESG-Risk Score: 16.9 1. Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated (NYSE:JLL) Ethisphere Honoree: 15 Times / ESG-Risk Score: 6.8 Jones Lang LaSalle… has provided its Science-Based-Target-initiative (SBTi) aligned to the 1.5 degrees Celsius goal of the Paris Agreement.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- Top 15 Infrastructure Companies in the US Here's another analyst from Insider Monkey, Ty Haqqi, with his analysis titled Top 15 Infrastructure Companies in the US. Also, on yahoo.com. Again, the writer explains how they picked these companies. He then follows with brief outlines of each company. All market caps are as of December 3, 2022, and dollar numbers are millions of dollars. I start at #13 due to duplication of data for #'s 14 and 15. “The top infrastructure companies in the U.S. are giants of the industry… To determine these companies, we have considered their market cap, revenue, profit and assets, assigning 30% weightage to the first three criteria and 10% to the last one. 13. Construction Partners, Inc. (NASDAQ:ROAD) Total market cap: $1,559 Total assets: $4,809 Construction Partners is one of the fastest-growing civil infrastructure companies. 12. Uniti Group Inc. (NASDAQ:UNIT) Total market cap: $1,770 Total profits: $124 Uniti Group is involved in the acquisition as well as construction of infrastructure pertaining to critical communication. 11. SBA Communications Corporation (NASDAQ:SBAC) Total market cap: $31,877 Total profits: $238 SBA Communications is one of several real estate investment trusts which owns and also operates wireless infrastructure. 10. Crown Castle Inc. (NYSE:CCI) Total market cap: $60,700 Total profits: $1,158 Crown Castle is a real estate investment trust and also provides shared communication infrastructure. 9. Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. (NASDAQ:PAA) Total market cap: $8,548 Total profits: $593 Plains All American Pipeline is engaged in pipeline transport. 8. Sempra (NYSE:SRE) Total market cap: $52,157 Total profits: $1,318 Sempra is an energy infrastructure company. 7. Kinder Morgan, Inc. (NYSE:KMI) Total market cap: $42,707 Total profits: $1,784 Kinder Morgan is the biggest energy company in the U.S. 6. Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE:NSC) Total market cap: $58,821 Total profits: $3,005 Norfolk Southern operates more than 19,000 miles (of railways) in 22 states in the Eastern side of the U.S. and Norfolk Southern Corporation is also responsible for the maintenance of 28,400 miles. 5. American Tower Corporation (NYSE:AMT) Total market cap: $102,140 Total profits: $2,568 American Tower provides wireless and broadcast communications infrastructure in the United States and several other countries worldwide. 4. CSX Corporation (NASDAQ:CSX) Total market cap: $67,382 Total profits: $3,781 CSX is one of the biggest railroad companies in the U.S. 3. Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) Total market cap: $132,016 Total profits: $6,523 Union Pacific is the biggest railroad company in the U.S. as well as among the top infrastructure companies in the U.S. 2. Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA) Total market cap: $155,037 Total profits: $14,159 Comcast is one of the biggest conglomerates in the world and is the second largest broadcasting and cable television company in the world in terms of revenue. 1. AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) Total market cap: $135,556 Total profits: $20,081 AT&T (is) the largest telecom company in the world.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- Caterpillar Leads 5 Stocks To See Infrastructure Spending Boost Continuing on the theme of infrastructure is this article Caterpillar Leads 5 Stocks To See Infrastructure Spending Boost, by Harrison Miller, found on investors.com' Here are some quotes from Mr. Miller on each of his picks. “All of the companies should see a boost from the recent infrastructure bill and the Inflation Reduction Act. The infrastructure spending plan… will dole out more than $500 billion for various projects. And the Inflation Reduction Act includes $369 billion to expedite mining projects and build out renewable energy infrastructure. 1. Caterpillar Stock (CAT) The construction giant has rallied nearly 50% since bottoming in late September, and saw positive earnings and revenue growth the past two quarters. 2. United Rentals (URI) Earnings growth for the world's largest equipment rental company fluctuated over the past seven quarters, averaging roughly 40% gains during that time. 3. Terex Stock (TEX) Materials processor and machine maker Terex… earnings and revenue jumped 79% and 13%, respectively, for the most recent quarter after three periods of decelerating gains. 4. Deere Stock (DE) Agriculture equipment manufacturer Deere's… shares are way up after a big run going back to late September. 5. Martin Marietta Stock (MLM) The building materials and concrete supplier shed 19% from its stock price so far this year, but started to recover at the beginning of the summer.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 3 Alternative Energy Stocks to Buy Amid U.S.-EU Trade Rift Now back to our old familiar sector, alternative energy, with this article titled 3 Alternative Energy Stocks to Buy Amid U.S.-EU Trade Rift. It's by Zacks analyst Aparajita Dutta. And found on sports.yahoo.com. (Note, some of you might have concerns about the designation of ‘alternative energy' being applied to two of the stocks.) Now some quotes from Ms. Dutta. “The forerunners in the U.S. alternative energy industry are Texas Pacific Land, HF Sinclair and Clearway Energy. 1. HF Sinclair (DINO) Based in Dallas, TX, this company is an energy company, which produces and markets light products such as gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, renewable diesel and other specialty products… HF Sinclair currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). 2. Texas Pacific Land (TPL) Based in Dallas, TX, Texas Pacific Land is one of the largest landowners in the State of Texas operating under two business segments: Land and Resource Management and Water Services and Operations… Texas Pacific Land currently carries a Zacks Rank #1. 3. Clearway Energy (CWEN) Based in San Francisco, CA, Clearway Energy owns, operates and acquires renewable and conventional generation and thermal infrastructure projects.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- Now some Other Honorable Mentions – no particular order 1) From Canada, Title: 3 Best-in-Class Stocks to Build Long-Term Wealth on fool.ca. By Robin Brown. 2) Title: 14 Best Environmental Stocks to Buy Now on yahoo.com. By Omer Farooq. 3) Title: 10 Most Responsible Retailers of 2023 on risnews.com. By Liz Dominguez. 4) Title: 8 Best Solar Power Stocks Of 2022 on forbes.com. By Cory Mitchell. 5) Title: 7 Best Socially Responsible Funds | Investing on money.usnews.com. By Jeff Reeves. UK article Title: Best ESG ETFs to Buy UK in 2022 on investingreviews.co.uk. By Antonia Medlicott. ------------------------------------------------------------- Ending Comment Well, these are my top news stories with their stock and fund tips -- for this podcast: “The Most Ethical US Companies.” Now, please be sure to click the like and subscribe buttons on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or wherever you download or listen to this podcast. That helps bring these podcasts to others like you. And please click the share buttons to share this podcast with your friends and family. Let's promote ethical and sustainable investing as a force for hope and prosperity in these terribly troubled times! Contact me if you have any questions. Thank you for listening. Now I'm taking some time off over the holidays, so my next episode of this podcast will be Friday, January 13, 2023! I wish you and your family and friends a most joyous, healthy, and fulfilling holiday period! Bye for now. © 2022 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul

Hon. Jim Carroll has substantial experience as a legal advisor to two White House administrations, federal government agencies, and a Fortune 25 company. He counsels clients on complex and sensitive issues involving government and internal investigations, corporate ethics and compliance programs, and white collar defense. In his 30-plus years as an attorney and a Washington insider, Jim has also built a reputation as a go-to choice for strategic business and policy counseling. In addition to his role as a Partner at Michael Best, Jim is also a principal at Michael Best Consulting LLC. Previously, Jim was a co-founder and principal of DC Consulting LLC, a consulting firm specializing in public health, pharmaceutical and substance abuse and regulatory risk involving law enforcement issues. Earlier in his career, Jim spent a decade as in-house counsel at Ford Motor Company where for many years he was the Company's Global Director of Compliance. Jim also served as the nation's “Drug Czar” for three years, following his unanimous confirmation by the United States Senate. Jim's significant federal government and legal experience include the following: - Starting in 2018, served for three years as the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy after being unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate. Under Jim's leadership as the “US Drug Czar”, the U.S. saw its first year-over-year decrease in overdose deaths in 30 years. - Served in a number of high-profile posts at the White House between 2016 to 2018, including roles as Deputy Chief of Staff and Deputy White House Counsel. - Appointed General Counsel of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget. - Spent 10 years as a legal advisor to the Ford Motor Company. Jim served as the automaker's Washington Counsel and Global Director of Compliance. During Jim's tenure there, Ford was named one of the “World's Most Ethical Companies” for three consecutive years by Ethisphere Institute. Jim was also General Counsel to the Ford Motor Company Fund, the company's philanthropic arm. - Served as Deputy General Counsel and Acting General Counsel to the U.S. Department of the Treasury. - Served as Associate Counsel and Special Assistant to the President between 2002 to 2004. - Attorney at  the Department of Justice, Office of Legal Policy. Selected as Assistant Ethics Counsel in the White House Office of Counsel to the President. - Served as Attorney Advisor to the Department of Justice, Executive Office for United States Attorneys. Jim began his legal career as a prosecutor in the Virginia Commonwealth Attorney's Office in Fairfax, VA. He went on to serve as Assistant Bar Counsel for the Virginia State Bar before transitioning his career to the federal level.

Bill Coffin is Editor in Chief of Ethisphere. Ethisphere is dedicated to promoting standards of ethical business practice, specifically those which encourage marketplace trust and business success and is known for its annual report on the World's Most Ethical Companies, and its 100 Most Influential People in Business Ethics.Bill was previously Editor in Chief of Compliance Week and has a special understanding of finance having worked for some of the largest insurance companies in the world.His writing has appeared in all the major financial publications, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and Fortune, and he has received an arm load of journalistic awards, but intriguingly Bill also has a second career - he's a successful fantasy author, most notably of the Dark Britannia Trilogy and is the creator of a number of fantasy role play games.On this episode of Outside In, Bill talks with Jon about compliance and the science of ethics, his double life as a successful fantasy author, his marvellous gesture for an injured comic book writer and role-playing the impossible moments that we face in life. They also discuss the cross pollination between the fantasy role-playing worlds and morals, ethics and power in the real world.

In this episode of the FCPA Compliance Report, I am joined by Erica Salmon Byrne, President of Ethisphere and Chair of the Ethisphere's Business Ethics Leadership Alliance. Some of the highlights include: 1.     Ethisphere announces the 2023 World's Most Ethical application process.  2.     What is the application process? 3.     What is the Ethics Quotient and why is it such a useful measure?  4.     What are the 5 categories of evaluation? 5.     Why is going through the application process itself so useful? 6.     How can a company use it as a benchmarking exercise? 7.     How does the Ethisphere “The Sphere” interact with the application process? 8.     What are the 6 archetypes of value creation? Resources Erica Salmon Byrne Ethisphere World's Most Ethical Companies application process, here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest is Mathaeus Dejori, Chief Data Scientist at Premier Inc. Premier Inc. is a healthcare improvement company uniting an alliance of approximately 4,400 U.S. hospitals and health systems, and more than 225,000 other providers and organizations. As an industry leader, Premier has created one of the most comprehensive databases of actionable data, clinical best practices and efficiency improvement strategies. Premier's award-winning and revolutionary technologies enables members to collaborate more easily and efficiently. Their goal is to improve our members' quality outcomes, while safely reducing costs. By engaging members and revealing new opportunities, we empower the alliance to improve the performance of healthcare organizations, helping them do what they do best, Heal First™. Named one of the World's Most Ethical Companies® 13 years in a row, Premier are well-equipped to help health systems thrive. In the episode, Mathaeus will discuss: Interesting roles he has held through the years, How Premier are embracing automation in healthcare, The data science team's impact within clinical decision support, How the team is structured for success, Upcoming trends within AI in Healthcare that excite him, & Why Premier is a great place to work

This week we have a very rich conversation about leading and living in the now with Susan DeVore, former CEO of at Premier Inc. Susan & Jeanie discuss different types of leaderships philosophies and styles including “Leading from Within”, to discover a style that allows us to be productive and confident in our careers. Susan also shared invaluable advice and wisdom from the many successes and low points in her 40 year career. Susan DeVore is the Former CEO, and ongoing Advisor to Premier with approximately 40 years of experience. DeVore's tenure with Premier has centered on driving innovation in healthcare and leading the industry through profound change by engaging stakeholders to co-develop solutions that support high-quality, efficient, and sustainable care delivery models.DeVore is an industry-leading thinker who has consistently been named multiple times to Modern Healthcare's 100 Most Influential People and Top 25 Women in Healthcare lists. She is the recipient of the Charlotte Business Journal's 2018 Women in Business Lifetime Achievement Award, was named to Becker's Hospital Review's 2017 100 Great Healthcare Leaders to Know and was recognized as a 2016 UNC Charlotte Distinguished Alumnus.DeVore serves on the board of directors of Advent Health, Unum Group and the Anthem, Inc. board of directors. In addition, DeVore also serves as the chair of the UNC Charlotte Board of Trustees. Previously she served on the board of directors of Premier Inc. and served as the chair and member of the board of trustees of the Healthcare Leadership Council, a DC based policy organization.Under DeVore's leadership, Premier has been named as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies for the past 14 years and received the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.Please join us again next week as we continue our conversations with other “Fierce Females”.(5:08) Susan shares her “continuously distributed” leadership style and how other styles can lead to unwanted results(7:30) At what point in Susan's life did she realize that leadership and becoming a CEO was her goal(11:07) A conversation about facing fears and how to overcome them(14:35) The importance of proving your worth through actions and not just words(15:32) Susan shares how to “love the issue, love the problem, love the challenge” instead of fighting against the unpredictable experiences in career and life(18:57) Becoming the “smarter big sister” to colleagues and gaining respect(23:16) “Making rules that work for you” - a belief that Susan shares to help deal with the challenges in finding a balance between work & life (28:15) Say “Yes” and often as you can and “No” when you really need to(32:56) Life is short, live in the moment!(37:15) Susan shares the highs and lows over her 40 year careerConnect with Susan DeVorehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-devoreSubscribe: Warriors At Work Podcasts Website: https://jeaniecoomber.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/986666321719033/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeanie_coomber/Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeanie_coomber LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeanie-coomber-90973b4/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbMZ2HyNNyPoeCSqKClBC_w

The World's Most Ethical Companies. Articles covered:  “The 10 most innovative companies in corporate social responsibility of 2022”; “5 Must-See Picks Just Added to RBC's ESG Darlings List”; “3 Top Artificial Intelligence Stocks to Buy in March”; and more! Stocks covered include Sweetgreen, Lululemon, SolarEdge Technologies Inc., Johnson Controls PLC, Enphase Energy Inc., and more PODCAST: The Most Ethical Companies and Best Renewables Transcript & Links, Episode 79, March 25, 2022 Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to podcast episode 79 published on March 25, 2022, titled “The Most Ethical Companies and Best Renewables” — and presented by Investing for the Soul. Investingforthesoul.com is your site for vital global ethical and sustainable investing news, commentary, information, and resources. Remember that you can find a full transcript, links to content – including stock symbols, quotes, and often bonus material – at this episode's podcast page located at investingforthesoul.com/podcasts. Now, just a reminder. I do not evaluate any of the stocks or funds mentioned in this podcast. The opinions given are purely those of the article's author or authors or sponsoring entity. Also, if any terms are unfamiliar to you, simply Google them. ------------------------------------------------------------- 1. The Most Ethical Companies and Best Renewables Hey, I'm always happy to report on this list, The World's Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere. Here's some of their commentary about the list. Quote. “The World's Most Ethical Companies historically outperform their peers and competitors financially, demonstrating a tangible ROI for doing the right thing. The connection between good ethical practices and financial performance, called the Ethics Premium, has been tracked for 16 years… In 2022, 136 organizations are recognized for their unwavering commitment to business integrity.  The honorees span 22 countries and 45 industries.” End quote. Among the top companies are Apple, IBERDROLA, Accenture, ADM, and Aptiv. ------------------------------------------------------------- 2. The Most Ethical Companies and Best Renewables Next. Following on the theme of great ethical companies is an article titled The 10 most innovative companies in corporate social responsibility of 2022. It's by Morgan Clendaniel. It appeared on fastcompany.com. However, only 3 of the 10 companies are public. Here are the public companies with brief quotes from Mr. Clendaniel on each one. “1) SWEETGREEN (SG) The fast-casual salad chain Sweetgreen set an aggressive goal to be carbon-neutral by 2027, assessing its entire supply chain to look for places to cut emissions. That information has allowed it to label some of its menu offerings as having the lowest emissions to produce, letting customers make climate-friendly choices when they order—all of which have seen increased popularity. 2) LULULEMON (LULU) On top of initiatives to help recycle and reuse its clothing, Lululemon, the athletic apparel company, has taken big steps to re-create the process of making them entirely. Last May, it debuted its Earth Dye collection, relying on plant waste from beets and oranges rather than synthetic dyes. It's partnered with companies to experiment with using lab-grown polyester made out of carbon emissions and to incorporate lab-grown leather—Lululemon is a founding member of the Mylo Consortium devoted to using mycelium, a mushroom's root structure, as a viable material alternative—into its fashions. In July 2021, the company made yoga accessories such as a mat and bags incorporating Mylo. Lululemon also invested in the bioengineering company Genomatica to find new ways to create plant-based fabrics such as a plant-based nylon. 3) ZOETIS (ZTS) COVID-19 hasn't just infected millions of humans; it's also been found in household pets, livestock, and wild animals. While scientists raced to find a vaccine to protect humans from the virus, animal health company Zoetis was working on a similar process, resulting in an animal vaccine, first used on the great apes at the San Diego Zoo in January 2021. Last summer, the company donated more than 11,000 doses of its animal vaccine to help protect 100 mammalian species living in over 80 zoos, conservatories, and sanctuaries. The company delivered its strongest year in its history in 2021, growing annual revenue 15%.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 3. The Most Ethical Companies and Best Renewables This next article is by RBC analyst Paul Ausick and is titled 5 Must-See Picks Just Added to RBC's ESG Darlings List. The article is found on 247wallstreet.com. Here are Mr. Ausick's picks followed by some quotes of his. “1) SolarEdge Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: SEDG) … is one of two solar electronic components makers that RBC added to its ESG Darlings list. The company makes and sells direct current inverter systems and other solar-related products, including electricity storage systems. Its current market cap is around $16.6 billion, and its share price has increased by a third since February 23. The stock is owned by 21% of ESG funds, the most of any of the newly added Darlings. SolarEdge's relative return compared to the S&P 500 index for the year to date as of March 15 is 25%. Since the beginning of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24, the relative return is 35%. 2) Johnson Controls PLC (NYSE: JCI) Building products and systems maker Johnson Controls International has a market cap of $45.46 billion. The company is headquartered in Ireland but was founded in Milwaukee in 1885 by the inventor of the electric room thermostat. Johnson Control stock is owned by 16% of ESG funds, according to RBC's report. The stock's relative return for the year to date was negative 11.9%. Since the start of Putin's war, the relative return has been sliced to negative 2.4%. 3) Estée Lauder Companies Inc. (NYSE: EL) Cosmetics icon Estée Lauder has a market cap of $97.7 billion and is included in the portfolios of 15% of dedicated ESG funds. As with the other funds on this list, the stock trades down for the year to date, although the share price has improved since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. For the year to date, Estée Lauder's relative return is negative 17.6%. Since the invasion, the relative return is negative 9.8%. 4) Enphase Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: ENPH) The other solar-related stock added to the ESG Darlings is Enphase. The company's principal product is a microinverter that converts solar energy from direct to alternating current at the individual module level, and couples that with technology to monitor and control solar-generated power. Enphase's market cap is $24.22 billion. The stock is included in the assets of 15% of sustainable equity funds but not traditional actively managed funds. Its year-to-date relative return is 2.4%, and its return since the invasion of Ukraine is 31.3%. 5) Ansys Inc. (NASDAQ: ANSS) Engineering simulation software provider Ansys has a market cap of $27.01 billion, and the stock posted an all-time high in early November of last year. The company's simulation tools in a variety of fields include aerospace, automotive, construction and consumer products. The stock is also included in 15% of RBC's ESG Darlings. Its relative rate of return for the year to date is negative 13.2%, but since the invasion of Ukraine, the relative rate of return is 1.7%.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 4. The Most Ethical Companies and Best Renewables My next article is titled 3 Top Artificial Intelligence Stocks to Buy in March by Keithen Drury on fool.com. AI stocks are often bought by ethical and sustainable investors. Here are some quotes from Mr. Drury on each one. “1) Nvidia Corporation (NVDA) As one of the leading technology companies, Nvidia's 2022 fiscal year (ending Jan. 30, 2022) results were strong. Revenue grew 61% to $26.9 billion over last year, but quarterly revenue growth slowed to 53% year over year. Its AI sales are wrapped into its data center division, which grew faster than overall revenue at a 71% year-over-year pace. In its fourth-quarter presentation, Nvidia highlighted its data center growth was led by strong demand for AI products. Nvidia's AI technology is being used by many firms, including Meta Platforms, which recently announced it was building its AI research SuperCluster with Nvidia's products. A broad approach to AI investing can be taken by purchasing Nvidia's stock. 2) CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. (CRWD) Changing to a more application-based investment, CrowdStrike provides cybersecurity solutions with its cloud-based offering. Through its Falcon platform, customers are protected by software that sees more than 1 trillion events per day. CrowdStrike then uses AI to learn from these attacks and continuously evolves the program, so when a customer in France sees an attack, a different company is protected from a similar threat in the U.S… Some of the most important companies in the world utilize CrowdStrike, with 15 of the top 20 banks and 65 of the Fortune 100 companies deploying CrowdStrike's software… With customers growing 65% year over year to 16,325 and annual recurring revenue up 65% to $1.7 billion, CrowdStrike's business is executing on all levels. The company represents a great way to invest in the application of AI, and the cybersecurity industry has never been more relevant. 3) C3.ai, Inc. (AI) C3.ai's tools allow data scientists to deploy prebuilt and configurable AI applications to support a business in many ways, such as supply chain management, energy efficiency, and customer engagement. The company's tools are recognized as some of the best available. Omdia ranked C3.ai top on its list of machine-learning development platforms. It was also found to increase developer productivity by 26 times, by cutting the amount of code required by nearly 99% on Amazon Web Services (AWS) when deploying AI solutions. C3.ai is a young company founded in 2009 and only has 218 customers as a result. Still, this is up 82% year over year and drove Q3 (ending Jan. 31, 2022) total revenue to $69.8 million, increasing by 42% over the prior year. It also landed a five-year, $500 million contract with the U.S. Department of Defense. The company has a long way to go before turning a profit, as its operating margin was negative 22%, although this was an improvement from last year's Q3 number of negative 24%. It will take C3.ai some time, but if its best-in-class solutions are adopted across the industry, it could be a fantastic investment.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 5. The Most Ethical Companies and Best Renewables Now here are a group of articles related to Renewable Energy Stocks and Funds. Many of which have caught fire recently with the advent of higher oil prices. (For article links to these and in other categories that follow, please go to investingforthesoul.com/podcasts and scroll down to this episode and section.) 1) Title 2 Best Renewable Energy Stocks for 2022 (NASDAQ:ON) | Seeking Alpha by Stephen Cress. 2) Title Alternative Energy ETFs Shine as Oil Prices Rally Amid War - Zacks.com by Sweta Jaiswal. Sweta recommends five solar ETFs. 3) Title 4 Renewable Energy Stocks To Watch In March 2022 | National | fwbusiness.com by Josh Dylan. 4) Title 3 Wind Stocks to Grab Global Growth | Kiplinger by Shrilekha Pethe. 5) Title 10 Best Performing Energy ETFs: 2022 | ThinkAdvisor by Michael S. Fischer. 6) Title Fossil Fuels Rise, Profit With Alternative Energy Investments | Seeking Alpha by Enterprising Investors. Other Honorable Mentions 1) Title Rosy Prospects for This ESG ETF | ETF Trends by Tom Lydon. 2) Title 7 Best Socially Responsible Funds | Investing | US News by Jeff Reeves. Recommendations Related to UK and Australian Stocks and Funds 1) Title Telegraph's top 10 ethical funds to grow your money – Plainsmen Post (UK) by George Holan. 2) Title What are ethical ETFs? Check out these ASX-listed funds (kalkinemedia.com) (Australia) by Ashish and Shaghil Bilali. ------------------------------------------------------------- Ending Comment Well, these are my top news stories with their stock and fund tips -- for this podcast: “The Most Ethical Companies and Best Renewables.” To get all the links, stock symbols, or to read the transcript of this podcast -- and more -- go to investingforthesoul.com/podcasts and scroll down to this episode. Also, be sure to click the like and subscribe buttons in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or wherever you download or listen to this podcast. And please click the share buttons to share this podcast with your friends and family. Let's promote ethical and sustainable investing as a ‘forceful hope' in these troubled times! Contact me if you have any questions. Thank you for listening. Talk to you next on April 8. Bye for now. © 2022 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul

Since 1923 Hasbro has delighted generations with beloved toys, games and brands that are synonymous with childhood. Kathrin Belliveau is the first Executive Vice President and Chief Purpose Officer of the self-described "global play and entertainment company," where she is charged with bringing their purpose to life in ways that make the world a better place for children, fans, and families. In this episode, Kathrin talks about why it's critical for companies in all sectors to embrace sustainability and lead with purpose to drive growth, relevance and impact. From innovative packaging to building a purposeful culture, Kathrin explains the strategies Hasbro has used to be recognized as one of "the World's Most Ethical Companies" eleven years in a row.  Simon Mainwaring:  Simon Mainwaring is a brand futurist, keynote speaker, and bestselling author. He is best known as the author of We First: How Brands and Consumers Use Social Media to Build a Better World and Lead With We: The Business Revolution That Will Save Our Future; as the Founder and CEO of We First, an award-winning strategic consultancy that works with purpose-led companies to build their brand strategy, company culture, and impact storytelling; and as the author of the influential 'Purpose At Work' column in Forbes and host of the podcast, Lead With We.   Kathrin Belliveau: As Executive Vice President and Chief Purpose Officer, Kathrin Belliveau leads Hasbro's Global Purpose Organization. Her responsibilities include Global Government and Regulatory Affairs, Global Communications, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) & ESG, Climate & Sustainability, Philanthropy & Social Impact, Human Rights, Ethical Sourcing, and Health & Safety. She is responsible for leading Hasbro's ESG strategy and for embedding purpose across the business to advance Hasbro's positive impact on the world. She reports to the CEO and is a member of the company's executive leadership team.   She was also instrumental in creating Hasbro's CSR function, leading the establishment of the company's CSR practice in 2011 and it's evolving ESG strategy to support the company's growth and transformation as a global play and entertainment company. Under her leadership, Hasbro has been recognized for its corporate citizenship, including being named, for the past ten consecutive years, at the top of the 100 Best Corporate Citizens list by CR Magazine and also for the tenth consecutive year as a World's Most Ethical Company® by Ethisphere Institute. Resources: Learn more about Bayer at https://www.bayer.com/en/us/bayer-united-states-of-america Connect with Kathrin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathrin-belliveau-97572491/ Visit leadwithwe.com to learn more about Simon's new book or search for "Lead With We" on Amazon, Google Books, or Barnes & Noble.

Infosys has been recognised as one of athe World's Most Ethical Companies for 2022, the second year in a row, by Ethisphere Institute, which works in the area of defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices. A clarification on disallowing offset of loss against profit in crypto transactions in India has caused much consternation among startups, TechCrunch reports. Plus, ecommerce automation SaaS company CommerceIQ turns unicorn. Infosys has been recognised as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies for 2022, the second year in a row, by Ethisphere Institute, which works in the area of defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices. It is also the only company from India, and one of four such honourees globally, in the software and services industry, the company said in a press release. In 2022, 136 honourees were recognised from 22 countries and across 45 industries. India's proposed taxation law of virtual digital assets won't permit individuals to offset the loss from one asset against the profit of another, the Ministry of Finance said on Monday, causing dismay among the country's crypto startups, TechCrunch reports. This move is “detrimental for India's crypto industry and the millions who have invested in this emerging asset class,” Ashish Singhal, co-founder and CEO of CoinSwitch, one of India's largest crypto exchanges, said in an email. CommerceIQ, which helps retailers automate various ecommerce processes, has raised $115 million in a funding round led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2, at a value of more than $1 billion, making it the 12th Indian startup unicorn of this year, Economic Times reports. Qualcomm has launched a Snapdragon Metaverse Fund, established to invest up to $100 million in developers and companies building unique, immersive XR experiences, as well as associated core augmented reality and related artificial intelligence technologies, the company said in a press release. nurture.farm, a digital platform for sustainable agriculture, has generated and forward-sold 20,000 carbon credits through its alternate wetting and drying and dry seeded rice project, the company said in a press release. Its benefits included 15-30 percent of water savings, according to the release. Snowflake, a data cloud provider, has launched a healthcare and life sciences data cloud to offer customers a single, integrated, and cross-cloud data platform that eliminates technical and institutional data silos. PhonePe, a payments platform provider that is part of Walmart's Flipkart unit, has acquired GigIndia, a network for freelancers, to help corporates and enterprises acquire more customers and scale up their distribution channels, the company said in a press release. Bizongo, a B2B trade enablement platform provider, has acquired Mumbai based IoT and location services provider Clean Slate Technologie. Bizongo aims to equip more than 100 Indian factories with its IoT powered cloud factory solution by 2023. PolygonLEAP 2021 Accelerator has announced its first cohort of 31 startups. It will support the 31 solutions, selected from over 270 applicants globally, in building their innovative decentralised ideas in the boot camp phase. Theme music courtesy Free Music & Sounds: https://soundcloud.com/freemusicandsounds

In this episode of the FCPA Compliance Report, I am joined by Erica Salmon Byrne, President of Ethisphere. We discuss the announcement of Ethisphere's 2022 World Most Ethical Companies awards. This year's most stunning announcement is a 5-year Ethics Premium of 24.6%. Other highlights in include: A deep dive into the Ethics Premium, including the reasons for the dramatic growth of the past 5 years. 2022 had the highest number of new companies on the list. Who were some of these first-time honorees? The non-US centric number of honorees. The Ethics Quotient-how is it calculated?    Why is the Ethics Quotient such a powerful tool for the compliance professional? How to get your company involved in the World's Most Ethical Companies process.          Resources Ethisphere 2022 World's Most Ethical Announcement Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's edition of Daily Compliance News: ·      Ethisphere announces 2022 World's Most Ethical Companies. (Ethisphere Press Release) ·      Interpol has new center to fight financial crimes.   (OCCRP) ·      SEC Commissioner Lee to step down.  (Reuters) ·      Big 4 under regulatory scrutiny.  (WSJ) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

ABC Shark Tank Star Barbara Corcoran on Georgia Business Radio “Shark Tank” Co-Host and entrepreneur Barbara Corcoran is teaming up with Catherine Hernandez-Blades of Aflac to examine some important ways that small businesses especially businesses owned by women and consumers can stretch their dollars and stay competitive in the marketplace. They'll also share information about new Aflac small-business solutions designed to help ease the burden of benefits administrators. Barbara Corcoran | Catherine Hernandez-Blades Barbara Corcoran's credentials include straight D's in high school and college and twenty jobs by the time she turned twenty-three. It was her next job that would make her one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the country when she took a $1000 loan to start The Corcoran Group. As one of the “Sharks” on ABC's hit TV show, SHARK TANK, Barbara has ponied up her own money and invested in twenty-two businesses, competing to make those deals for all to see, then shepherding them to success. Her newest book, SHARK TALES, takes you behind the scenes of her life and business and her ‘seen on TV' venture capitalism. Barbara is famously brash and blunt, bold and courageous, and a brilliant identifier of opportunity and talent (often invisible to others). Shark Tales How I Turned $1,000 into a Billion Dollar Business The inspiring true story of Shark Tank star Barbara Corcoran--and her best advice for anyone starting a business. After failing at twenty-two jobs, Barbara Corcoran borrowed $1,000 from a boyfriend, quit her job as a diner waitress, and started a tiny real estate office in New York City. Using the unconventional lessons she learned from her homemaker mom, she gradually built it into a $6 billion dollar business. Now Barbara's even more famous for the no-nonsense wisdom she offers to entrepreneurs on Shark Tank, ABC's hit reality TV show. Shark Tales is down-to-earth, frank, and as heartwarming as it is smart. After reading it don't be surprised if you find yourself thinking, "If she can do it, so can I." Nothing would make Barbara happier.   About Catherine Hernandez-Blades: Hernandez-Blades is SVP, chief brand and communications officer at Aflac, a company which has made the Ethisphere list of the World's Most Ethical Companies list 12 times and counting. HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE AFLAC SMALL BUSINESS HAPPINESS REPORT: INSURANCE: 27% of employees would like more affordable health care coverage FINANCES: 55% think the greatest challenge when working at a small business is financial (related to salary and health care expenses) HAPPINESS: 87% think working at a small business is more fun than a large business BARBARA – YOU TURNED A THOUSAND-DOLLAR LOAN INTO A BILLION-DOLLAR REAL ESTATE EMPIRE. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE LESSONS YOU'VE LEARNED ABOUT RUNNING A SMALL BUSINESS? CATHERINE – IT APPEARS SMALL BUSINESSES ARE IN A GOOD POSITION. CAN YOU TELL ME MORE ABOUT SOME OF THE KEY FINDINGS FROM THE HAPPINESS REPORT? BARBARA – WHAT IS YOUR BEST PIECE OF ADVICE FOR A WOMAN STARTING A SMALL BUSINESS? CATHERINE – WHAT SHOULD COMPANIES FOCUS ON WHEN DECIDING WHAT BENEFITS TO OFFER? BARBARA – DOES OFFERING HEALTH CARE BENEFITS MAKE FINANCIAL SENSE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES? For More Information, Visit: http://www.Aflac.com/HappinessReport Georgia Business Radio Interviewing industry and thought leaders with compelling stories. Relevant content on current business trends live from the Pro Business Channel studios in Atlanta. In addition to the live broadcast, content is distributed across multiple syndicated platforms with more than 500,000 downloads. Show Hosts: Rich Casanova, Chief Visionary Officer Pro Business Channel Rich Casanova began his broadcasting career in California's central valley at KSKS-FM. While in California he also ran a successful entertainment company whose staff and crew entertained over 100,000 people.

Abstract: Values have the power to guide behavior, shape culture, and strengthen businesses—empowering them to outperform. But what exactly does it mean to take a “values-based approach” to ethics and compliance? In this episode of the Principled Podcast, Emily Miner, Senior Ethics & Compliance Advisor, speaks with fellow LRN colleague Susan Divers, Director of Thought Leadership and Best Practices, about the difference between rules and values in the context of E&C. Listen in as the two discuss how companies can leverage core values to build effective ethics and compliance practices that drive better business outcomes.   Featured guest: Susan Divers is a senior advisor with LRN Corporation. In that capacity, Ms. Divers brings her 30+ years' accomplishments and experience in the ethics and compliance area to LRN partners and colleagues. This expertise includes building state-of-the-art compliance programs infused with values, designing user-friendly means of engaging and informing employees, fostering an embedded culture of compliance and substantial subject matter expertise in anti-corruption, export controls, sanctions, and other key areas of compliance. Prior to joining LRN, Mrs. Divers served as AECOM's Assistant General for Global Ethics & Compliance and Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer. Under her leadership, AECOM's ethics and compliance program garnered six external awards in recognition of its effectiveness and Mrs. Divers' thought leadership in the ethics field. In 2011, Mrs. Divers received the AECOM CEO Award of Excellence, which recognized her work in advancing the company's ethics and compliance program. Mrs. Divers' background includes more than thirty years' experience practicing law in these areas. Before joining AECOM, she worked at SAIC and Lockheed Martin in the international compliance area. Prior to that, she was a partner with the DC office of Sonnenschein, Nath & Rosenthal. She also spent four years in London and is qualified as a Solicitor to the High Court of England and Wales, practicing in the international arena with the law firms of Theodore Goddard & Co. and Herbert Smith & Co. She also served as an attorney in the Office of the Legal Advisor at the Department of State and was a member of the U.S. delegation to the UN working on the first anti-corruption multilateral treaty initiative.  Mrs. Divers is a member of the DC Bar and a graduate of Trinity College, Washington D.C. and of the National Law Center of George Washington University. In 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 Ethisphere Magazine listed her as one the “Attorneys Who Matter” in the ethics & compliance area. She is a member of the Advisory Boards of the Rutgers University Center for Ethical Behavior and served as a member of the Board of Directors for the Institute for Practical Training from 2005-2008.  She resides in Northern Virginia and is a frequent speaker, writer and commentator on ethics and compliance topics. Mrs. Divers' most recent publication is “Balancing Best Practices and Reality in Compliance,” published by Compliance Week in February 2015. In her spare time, she mentors veteran and university students and enjoys outdoor activities.   Featured Host:  Emily Miner is a Senior Advisor in LRN's Ethics & Compliance Advisory practice. She counsels executive leadership teams on how to actively shape and manage their ethical culture through deep quantitative and qualitative understanding and engagement. A skilled facilitator, Emily emphasizes co-creative, bottom-up, and data-driven approaches to foster ethical behavior and inform program strategy. Emily has led engagements with organizations in the healthcare, technology, manufacturing, energy, professional services, and education industries. Emily co-leads LRN's ongoing flagship research on E&C program effectiveness and is a thought leader in the areas of organizational culture, leadership, and E&C program impact. Prior to joining LRN, Emily applied her behavioral science expertise in the environmental sustainability sector, working with non-profits and several New England municipalities; facilitated earth science research in academia; and contributed to drafting and advancing international climate policy goals. Emily has a Master of Public Administration in Environmental Science and Policy from Columbia University and graduated summa cum laude from the University of Florida with a degree in Anthropology.   Transcript:  Intro:   Welcome to the Principled Podcast, brought to you by LRN. The Principled Podcast brings together the collective wisdom on ethics, business and compliance, transformative stories of leadership and inspiring workplace culture. Listen in to discover valuable strategies from our community of business leaders and workplace changemakers. Emily Miner:   Rules are good, but values are better. Values have the power to guide behavior, shape culture and strengthen businesses, empowering them to outperform. But, what exactly does it mean to take a values-based approach to ethics and compliance? Hello, and welcome to another episode of LRN's Principled Podcast. I'm your host, Emily Miner, senior ethics and compliance advisor. Today, I'm joined by my colleague Susan Divers, director of thought leadership and best practices. We're going to be talking about how companies can leverage core values to build effective ethics and compliance practices that drive better business outcomes. Susan brings more than 30 years experience in both the legal and ENC spaces to this topic area. With subject matter expertise in anti-corruption, export controls, sanctions and other key areas of compliance. Susan, thanks for joining me on the Principled Podcast. Susan Divers:  It's my pleasure, Emily. It's always so nice to talk to you. Emily Miner:   Yeah. So Susan, your background has given you a unique perspective on this topic of rules versus values. You're a former chief ethics and compliance officer, a member of the DC bar and you're a qualified solicitor to the High Court of England and Wales. Having sat on both the legal and ethics and compliance sides of the table, can you break down the idea of rules are good, values are better for our listeners? What does that really mean? What are values and why are they "better?" Susan Divers:  Well, that's a great place to start, Emily. There are a couple of really key points to make in this area. The first is that it's not an either or choice. It's not like you have values but you don't have rules, and you should never have rules without values. One way to think about it is that rules provide the structure for an organization in its compliance area, but values provide the motivation and are what actually lead people to do the right thing, even if it's not required. Values are positive and aspirational. If, in our dealings with each other, we think about treating each other with respect, then there's not a rule for every occasion where we interact but there is a value, which is respect. Even if I disagree with you or you disagree with me, we're going to accord each other that basic respect. It's a really fundamental difference. Another way to think about it that I like as an analogy is that rules are the skeleton, if you will, but values are the blood and the heart in our own natural systems. So, why are values better? Values ask people to live their values, in a sense, and make them real. They ask people to consider much more than whether they're breaking a rule or going to break a law, because that's a pretty minimal standard. When you do that, you're encouraging people to do the minimum, but we can talk about that a little bit later. Does that make sense? Emily Miner:   Yeah, it does. Maybe to put it another way too, what I'm hearing from you, rules are what you can and can't do, whereas values might be what you should and shouldn't do, so to your point about there not being a rule for every occasion. Although, I do appreciate your skeleton analogy, as we're coming into the Halloween season, so apropos. Susan Divers:  Great. Emily Miner:  Following up on that, can you share some real world examples where you've seen this, as you put it, it's not an either or, it's a both and, but where you've seen the rules are good, values are better premise play out? Susan Divers:  Sure. Well, I'm going to start with actually a family example and then give one or two corporation, organization examples. When I talk about this in front of compliance conferences and all, I usually ask people in the audience to raise their hand if they've ever raised teenagers and a large number of people do. To just take that example, if you say to teenagers, "You can't do this. You can't have people over if we're not home. You can't have an unauthorized party. You can't do this, you can't do that," it tends to sound like blah, blah, blah. And then, they think about ways to get around that, in my experience. But if you say to them, "This is our family and we're all in this together. We all depend on each other's behavior to make it work. If you do things behind our back that could trigger bad consequences for all of us, that affects the family as a whole. And, it also means we can't trust you. We're asking you not to do these risky things." That's a much more motivating and respectful way to approach it. In companies and organizations, approaching people with respect and saying, "The rules are there as guidance, but we don't want you to meet the minimum. We want you to think of the organization as a whole, and to think of our brand and what we're trying to do, our mission and our purpose, and tailor your behavior to that. Not to arguing about whether it's not okay to spend $1000 a person on an elaborate dinner but it is okay to spend $1000 on an elaborate golf outing." It's really a very profound difference in focus. Emily Miner:   Yeah. That idea of leading with your values and that being a demonstration of respect and an extension of trust to employees, I think is really powerful. As you know, a lot of my work at LRN centers around understanding organizational culture and what motivates employee behavior. When I have conversations, focus groups and interviews with people in our client-partner walls, that's such a big theme, always. This idea of feeling respected and feeling trusted, "Treat me like an adult," so going back to your example of the teenagers. Just being real and talking about it openly, there's no smoke and mirrors behind it. Yeah. Thanks for sharing that. Good tips as well, for when my children become teenagers. Susan Divers:  Yeah, fasten your seatbelt. Emily Miner:   Yeah. We're talking about ethics and compliance. The global regulators are obviously key stakeholders in the design and implementation of an ethics and compliance program. Regulators being the ones that set out the policy requirements, IE the rules for organizations. But, we're seeing now that regulators around the world are also talking about the "culture of compliance," to quote the Department of Justice, and they're talking about the role of values. Which is really a shift from the language that was used, even just a few years ago. When did you notice that shift? And, what do you think catalyzed it? Susan Divers:  It definitely started happening as early as 2012. I think it was Mary Jo White, when she was the Chairwoman of the SEC, gave a speech and she said, "You have to focus on your culture." That was shocking at the time, because up to that point ... There's some very interesting things written in this area. There's a BSR white paper from 2017, for example, that talks about how, up until around then, compliance and ethics had been criminalized in the sense that there was a criminal justice approach. "This is the rule, you can't break it. If you do, you can go to jail and get fired." Okay, but that doesn't encourage me to do the right thing, if there's no rule. Or, to err on the side of doing the right thing, even if it's legitimately gray. And as I mentioned before, it encourages gaming the system, arguing, "Well, I didn't actually breach that rule. My behavior may have been bad, it may have been terrible even, but it didn't actually breach a rule so you can't do anything to me." So regulators finally caught up with that idea, because even though Sarbanes-Oxley, which was put in place after the Enron scandal largely, and other very detailed laws ... I think Sarbanes-Oxley, I saw somewhere, weighs 30 pounds if you put it all in one place, in terms of printed pages. Emily Miner:  Wow. Susan Divers:  Yeah, it's kind of scary. Sarbanes-Oxley didn't really change behavior. We then had the financial crisis and regulators started realizing that the answer to better behavior, preventing misconduct and generally being more effective might not be just layering on more rules and more rules. Ethics and compliance officers realized that the more effective approach might not be always getting up and screaming about penalties and all the bad things that could happen. But again, taking a much more positive approach and saying, again, "We're all in this together. We're going to trust you to do the right thing, even if it costs you and the company an opportunity. We're not going to rely strictly on your having to look up pages and pages of complex policies to try to figure out what you're actually supposed to do. We're going to encourage you to seek guidance, and we're going to have a welcoming attitude towards questions. We're not going to say, 'What did you do, why are you asking that?'" As a former senior executive at AECOM once put it, it's a shift from being a cop to a coach. Emily Miner:   I love that, a cop to a coach. One of the other trends or shifts in the regulator space has been around accessibility. I'm coming back to that, in listening to what you were just saying, because values, when shared and understood across an organization, allow for a more simplified, accessible approach to how we govern our behavior. To your point, not having to look up pages and pages, and parse out whether this crosses that line versus this other line. But really, just more fundamentally, is this aligned with who we are, what we believe in, what we stand for, so it's a powerful tool from an accessibility and simplification standpoint, too. Susan Divers:  Yeah. It's your North Star. It's a lot easier to look up and see the North Star than it is to read a policy on Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Emily Miner:  You mentioned AECOM. You were in-house for a long time, as a chief ethics and compliance officer, starting up two ethics and compliance programs including at AECOM. Were you always oriented towards this idea of rules and values? Or, were there certain experiences in your professional career, or your personal life with your teenage sons, that impressed upon you the value, the benefit of a values-based approach? Susan Divers:  Well, I was really lucky when I started at AECOM because I had amazing colleagues. It was a perfect storm of goodness. The head of corporate communications, who later went on to win every imaginable award including having his picture up in Times Square because he won the Arthur Page Award. And then, the head of internal audit who came on, the three of us really worked together. We quickly got it, that making good ethics part of our brand and our mission was very feasible at AECOM. Our mission was to enhance the world's natural built and social environments in which we operate, and that was back in the early 2000s before people were even thinking about ESG. The company really lived up to that. They did a lot of very creative and very far-seeing work on a pro bono basis of what does a sustainable look like. We said, rather than, again, make this the cop shop, let's make it part and parcel of what we do. We did, in terms of communication and in terms of the way we ran the program. And then as a result, we won, unexpectedly, World's Most Ethical Company on our first year of trying. I think we got it five years thereafter. That became part of our brand. We had a little toolkit that you could put into a bid, an RFP response, that said, "This is what we've won and this is what our program looks like," and we really walked the walk as well as talked the talk. That really resonated at AECOM, people liked that. And we had a great ethics and compliance web page, if I do say so myself. It was interactive, it was engaging, it was kind of fun. We'd have quizzes, we'd do profiles of people who did the right thing, even if was difficult. That kind of momentum tends to breed more momentum in that direction. Occasionally, I found myself talking people out of abandoning a bid or something. I'd say, "Well, there's a way to mitigate that risk effectively." That was a nice place to be. It really was a good illustration of how values can be the life, and the blood and the heart of an organization's program. Emily Miner:   Yeah. Thank you for sharing that. I think, just when you were talking about the ethics and compliance web page and the interactivity, and quizzes and stories, those are all such powerful engagement techniques. You're right, it's catalytic, where there's a spark and then it leads more rippled effect, if you will. People want to be highlighted for doing the right thing. How great to say, "My company is globally recognized as one of the most ethical companies. I've got to make sure that I help us live up to that standard." Thank you for those specific examples. Getting into specific examples, we encourage our client partners to take a values-based approach to ethics and compliance. What are some of the other ways that that looks like in practice? Susan Divers:  As you know, every year we publish a Program Effectiveness Report, which is really our flagship piece of research every year. Last year, we highlighted stories of companies really using values to keep it together during the pandemic crisis that unfolded last year. The stories are very inspiring. I'd urge everyone listening to go download our most recent Program Effectiveness Report 2021 off our website. But, one in particular really struck me and that was Braskem. Wherein they needed to keep plants operating in order to keep the electrical grid in the United States healthy and fully operating. There's no law or rule in the world that would allow you to compel employees in those circumstances to self-isolate at a plant for 30 days at a time. But, what they did is ask employees if they would do that and people volunteered. They went and slept, ate at the plants, for 30 days at a time. Of course, the company paid them extra and ensured that they had facilities, and lodging and food. But, they're very proud of that experience and it was something that brought the company together. And again, just as we were talking about AECOM, people were proud of the fact that they had an ethical company. At Braskem, the same thing happened. There wasn't a rule that says, "You must do this," because then people would have resisted it, most likely. But, it was a value that this is what we do, this is consistent with our mission and this is consistent with doing the right thing by the social environments in which we operate in our communities. It's really a great example. I could go on and on, there are many other examples, too. But generally, during the pandemic people really rose to the occasion. Used values such as making programs much more people centered. In the past, it's part of the legacy of a very legalistic approach, programs have been way too legalistic. There's not been that much regard for the impact on people, or as you were talking about, simplicity. So for example, Dell moved big chunk of its program onto our Catalyst app and is even moving more onto Catalyst app because employees had limited bandwidth. They needed to be able to take training, if they were standing in a grocery line with a mask on, rather than be chained to a desktop. Again, it's the most powerful way to really motivate people and to change behavior for the better. Emily Miner:   Yeah. The Braskem example, it's so inspiring. I know that there are so many other examples out there, of organizations and people that really rose to the occasion and demonstrated the best of humanity as the COVID crisis was first unfolding, and still today. You also talked about our flagship research. I think we can probably put a link to the report in this podcast page so that people can access it. But, as director of thought leadership for advisory, you lead this research and have for many years. What does the data tell us about the prevalence of values, or values orientation, or values-based approach in ethics and compliance, or the impact of such an orientation? Susan Divers:  Good question and that's something we look at every year as you know, Emily. What it shows is that the most effective programs, there's a very strong correlation between having an effective ethics and compliance program and being values-based, it just works better. If you look at our report, and we ask questions about organizational justice, which is just a key plank of having an effective ethics and compliance program, having a values-based approach is just much more effective than relying simply on rules. It's also, as we've talked about, much more consistent with the epiphany that regulators had, I guess almost 10 years ago, where they realized that the regulation heavy approach had its limitations. We see this all the time in our research, that a values-based approach simply works better. Emily Miner:   Yeah. I think one of the data points that was really compelling for me in our research that we did this year was how the percentage of organizations who said that they relied on their values to help them navigate the COVID crisis. I don't know that I was necessarily expecting it to be such an overwhelming percentage. It was incredibly gratifying to see that. I think it's one of those situations where we could have all gone in one direction or another, and it's really encouraging that so many organizations, COVID has been a catalyst for them to really connect more deeply with their values. I know that you've already talked about how it seems as if this is shaping how ethics and compliance programs are evolving, beyond just the crisis response. But really, what is a new normal moving forward, such as the example of Dell bringing so much of their program onto a mobile app. That way, it's accessible to employees any time, anywhere. Susan Divers:  Yeah. And interestingly, I just looked at our report last year, and 79% of all of our respondents, who were about 600 respondents worldwide, said that their ethical culture got stronger as a result of their response to the pandemic. I don't think we're respecting that really, but it's very encouraging and very heartening because people came together and helped each other through the crisis. Our data shows that boards rose to the occasion, senior leaders rose to the occasion and largely, managers rose to the occasion. And again, it was an effort to pull together and help each other. It's really an inspiring story. Emily Miner:   Yeah, absolutely. So Susan, for our listeners who might be just starting to build out an ethics and compliance function in their organizations, what key steps would you recommend they take to ensure their program leads with core values? What's square one? Susan Divers:  Well, square one is to realize that you can do it, that it's not an either or choice. I think the first thing is to avoid what I would call blind benchmarking, where a lot of times, I think people when they start out, they want a compliance program in a box, so that means a checklist. The regulators are pretty adamant that that's the wrong approach because every company has different needs and different risks. You can be small and high risk, you can be large and be relatively low risk. You can have data privacy risks but other companies don't. You can have corruption risks but other companies don't. So what you need to do first start with your risks. And then say, "Okay, what are the values-based approaches we can take to mitigate those risks?" And then, you still have your infrastructure but you gear your training towards encouraging people to act with integrity in every circumstance that they encounter. We recommend, in our policy simplification work, that you make that very explicit, very simple. You can say, "We act with integrity everywhere, every time, in every circumstance." Instead of parsing through to see if you can offer a grease payment to jump the queue at customs, you rely on that principle. And that actually is easier for new programs, in some ways. Because if you get that right, you've got a really good basis to build on. And then, you incorporate those values in the infrastructure that you build out, whether it's communications, whether it's training, and even audit and assurance can be infused with values as well as policies. So you're starting from the right place, you're not building up some elaborate scaffolding. I saw one of the airlines bragging about a five page rule book, but they're also the airline that's had major scandals with people following procedures blindly and dragging people off of airplanes. So get it right from the very beginning and first, you'll be more effective. And then secondly, you'll save yourself a lot of grief down the line. Emily Miner:   Yeah, absolutely. It's a gift, in some sense. Maybe this is a tougher question. For those organizations that have more mature ethics and compliance programs, that might already have that scaffolding in place, what steps should they think? Or, what would you recommend they take to keep their program on the right track and centering their values? Susan Divers:  Well, to go back to the old maxim, "What gets measured, gets done," and really looking at your ethical culture. You just can't leave it on autopilot. You can't leave your risk analysis on autopilot, either. Your ethical culture and your risks are very inter-related. So spend time, of course, you work in that area and I do too, to some degree, of looking at ethical culture and saying, "What are the levels of trust and respect in the various business units or areas of the world? Are there hot spots? Are there places where there are lagging indicators that we can delve deeper into and really understand what some of the dynamics are?" Places where organizational justice isn't strong or retaliation is high. You have to spend time on it. It's like watering the roots of the plant. And then, you have to be willing to really talk about values. Again, a lot of companies, they get it right in the code of conduct. And, they put the code of conduct out there but they don't really talk about values. I know you did some work a couple of years ago in this area, with a values jam for the UN Global Compact, which was able to be done online. People appreciate that. People across the company like it when they're asked meaningful questions about values and whether the company's living up to that. I think that's absolutely fundamental to keeping it going, and keeping it real and keeping it alive. Emily Miner:   Yeah. It creates more ownership too, when people are involved in the process and their perspective is invited, or their invited to share their perspective. So that it's not this top down talking point mandate, but really is something that is discussed and explored at all levels of the organization. Susan Divers:  I couldn't agree more. Emily Miner:   Well, Susan, it is always such a pleasure to talk to you about these topics. Thank you for joining me on this episode. Susan Divers:  It was my pleasure, Emily. I feel the same way, it's always nice for us to get a chance to talk about important issues. Emily Miner:   To all of you listening, thank you. My name is Emily Miner and we will see you next time on the Principled Podcast by LRN. Outro:  We hope you enjoyed this episode. The Principled Podcast is brought to you by LRN. At LRN, our mission is to inspire principled performance in global organizations by helping them foster winning ethical cultures rooted in sustainable values. Please visit us at lrn.com to learn more. And, if you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or wherever you listen. And, don't forget to leave us a review.  

Make It Happen with Will Polston - Episode - 104 - The Principles Of Clarity with Jamie Smart Episode Notes Make It Happen with Will Polston - Episode - 104 - The Principles Of Clarity with Jamie Smart Make It Happen with Will Polston is a weekly podcast that consists of a combination of episodes with Mindset Strategist Will Polston and episodes with Will's guests from around the world providing you with insights on how you can transform your excuses into results to benefit yourself, your family, your friends, your community, society, humanity and the universe, what he calls - The Ripple Effect. Jamie Smart is a Sunday Times bestselling author, speaker and executive coach who presents regularly at major conferences worldwide. He shows individuals and organizations the unexpected keys to clarity; the ultimate leverage point for creating profound transformation and meaningful results. Jamie's primary focus is in showing transformation professionals and business leaders how to bring the principles behind clarity into their work with clients, into their own businesses and into every aspect of their lives. In addition, he works with a handful of 1:1 coaching clients and leads selected corporate programmes. Jamie has keynoted conferences for organizations ranging from Hewlett Packard to the Council of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries. His corporate clients range from a Fortune 500 business designated by Ethisphere as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies to an SME ranked as one of The Sunday Times 100 Best Small Companies to Work For to. He has appeared on Sky TV and on the BBC, as well as in numerous publications including The Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Huffington Post and Psychologies Magazine. As well as The Little Book of Results, he is also the author of the books RESULTS: Think Less, Achieve More, CLARITY: Clear Mind, Better Performance, Bigger Results and The Little Book of Clarity. Jamie lives in the UK. When he's not working, he loves spending time with his daughters, travelling, walking, drinking coffee and exploring. In this episode, Will has Jamie as his guest and they talk about: - The principles behind clarity - The benefits of having clarity - How clarity helped him grow his business - The subtraction theory and how it can help you achieve your goals To find out more about Jamie, click here. Join the free Make It Happen Community Facebook group by clicking here. Take the 5-Minute Quiz that Reveals What's Preventing You from Living a Purposeful, Inspired and Energised Life You Love by clicking here.

Managing Director of Ethisphere, Doug Allen and Erica Salmon Byrne, EVP of Governance and Compliance, join Tom Fox on this week's episode to talk about the World's Most Ethical Companies award put on by Ethisphere every year.  Origins Ethisphere was created to advance the standards of ethical practices. Doug says that their three tenets are “to define what's good in terms of how businesses do business with integrity; ...to measure and improve in all facets of integrity and then curating and convening organizations of like cultures and nature…” WMEC is the “purest manifestation of all these key tenets,” he continues, as it was established 16 years ago to “celebrate and recognize organizations that were doing business the right way.” The application process is rigorous, but it helps companies measure and assess their performance as well as give them a roadmap on how to improve. Erica comments that it “pulls the practical out of the theoretical… We spend a lot of our time taking those very broad strokes of guidance that we see from the regulators... and saying ‘What does this look like in practice?'” How WMEC Has Evolved The main survey applicants have to fill out for WMEC has become more expansive, as it is updated yearly. Doug and Erica tell Tom about some topics that were added as the survey evolved, including questions about supply chain compliance, human rights, culture and stakeholder engagement. Being a WMEC awardee is a powerful tool: companies who keep their purpose and ethos at the forefront outperform their competitors, Erica says.  Applying for WMEC Applications for WMEC open in early August. Doug describes the timeline for the review process and when they announce the awardees. Tom comments that applying for WMEC is more important than winning. “Just by engaging with the application process itself,” Doug remarks, “you get a very clear and detailed description of where trends are going…” Tom adds that it can also be seen as a gap analysis. Erica agrees and walks through the application and review process. Survey scores, validating documents, and Ethisphere's independent reputation analysis are all used to determine the ultimate winners, she explains. Tom asks who should apply. Doug responds, “This is a process we developed intentionally to be applicable to organizations around the world of any sector and industry, ...of just about any size as well.” Erica re-emphasizes the benefits of applying even if you don't think you are ready. The feedback you receive from your application, as well as the access to great resources, is worth so much, she points out.  Resources WorldsMostEthicalCompanies.com  MWEApplications@ethisphere.com Application Process Application Guide Methodology Why Apply 2022 Interest Form Erica Salmon Byrne on LinkedIn Doug Allen on LinkedIn Texas Tax rate at 80% of 8.25%

Nick Gallo welcomes Waste Management's VP and chief compliance and ethics officer, Charles Schwager to the show for our Most Ethical Company series! In this episode, Nick and Charles chat about the importance of integrity, operationalizing ethics, the concept of structure collaboration, and so much more!

SUMMARY While Part 1 of this podcast targets trailblazing research and regulatory approaches to workplace mental health, Part 2 chronicles the evolution of organizational policies, practices, and programs at two very different and unique organizations. Join Quentin Steen (CLAC Labour Relations Representative) and Trever Amendt (AECOM Site Safety Lead, Energy Operations & Maintenance in Lacombe, Alberta) as they share their personal mental health stories and their groups' commitments to building cultures of compassion with strong leadership, workplace-wide peer support, regular training, and ongoing employee communication and engagement. They also touch on the impacts of stigma and the challenges and opportunities presented by COVID-19. TAKEAWAYS This podcast will help you understand: The evolution of workplace mental health policies, practices, and programs in both union (CLAC) and engineering (AECOM) environments Union approach focused on cooperation rather than confrontation Corporate culture that cultivates employees' social and emotional well-being The importance of authentic peer support throughout organizations Types of training needed to optimize workplace mental health Impacts of COVID on workplace mental health What's been learned from COVID that will guide future polices, practices, and programs Return-on-investment for businesses that do workplace health and safety right Types of stigma existing in various workplaces   SPONSORS WorkSafeBC is a provincial agency in British Columbia, Canada that promotes safe and healthy workplaces for more than 2.3 million workers. Serving more than 230,000 employers, WorkSafeBC's services include education, prevention, compensation and support for injured workers, and no-fault insurance to protect employers and workers. WorkSafeBC is committed to creating a province free from workplace injury or illness. By partnering with workers and employers, WorkSafeBC helps British Columbians come home from work safe every day. CLAC is the largest independent, multisector, national union in Canada, representing more 60,000 workers in almost every sector of the economy including construction, education, emergency services, healthcare, retail, service, transportation, manufacturing, and more. CLAC has 14 member centres in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and BC, along with 25 active, independent, affiliated locals. Based on values of respect, dignity, and fairness, CLAC is committed to building better lives, better workplaces, and better communities.  AECOM is a global engineering firm whose infrastructure services for public- and private-sector clients include transportation, water, energy, and environmental projects. Employing about 87,000 people, AECOM was ranked #1 in Engineering News-Record's ‘2020 Top 200 Environmental Firms,' and named one of Fortune magazine's ‘World's Most Admired Companies' for the sixth consecutive year. Transforming the ways it works through technology and digital platforms, AECOM leads the engineering world in environmental, social, and governance solutions… leading to the Ethisphere Institute naming it one of ‘2021 World's Most Ethical Companies.'   RESOURCES National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace and the resulting Case Studies Research Report Addressing the mental health effects of COVID-19 in the workplace: A guide for workers Managing the mental health effects of COVID-19 in the workplace: A guide for employers    Guarding Minds@Work   Antidepressant Skills@Work    Psychological Health and Safety: An Action Guide for Employers    Mental Health Commission of Canada    Canada's Workplace Mental Health    Canadian Mental Health Association    Government of Canada/Mental health in the workplace      Wellness Works Canada        Wellness Together Canada: Mental Health and Substance Use Support provides free online resources, tools, apps, and connections to trained volunteers and qualified mental health professionals.      Workplace Mental Health Playbook for Business Leaders (CAMH)     Workplace Mental Health Research     Deloitte research reveals significant return on investment for workplace mental health programs.   GUESTS  Quentin Steen Quentin Steen is a Labour Relations Representative with the CLAC labour union, who works out of the Kelowna Member Centre and specializes in the transportation, manufacturing, and healthcare sectors. He is also the CLAC Provincial Member Education Coordinator for BC and facilitates numerous workshops for various signatory companies and shop stewards working in BC. Being a certified Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) instructor for the Mental Health Commission of Canada, Quentin is passionate about delivering the MHFA course because of his experience with mental health issues, personally and professionally. Quentin's personal life's mission is to educate others about mental health issues and provide them with the tools/skills they need to recognize changes (possible signs) to the mental well-being in self and others, to help those who may be in a mental heath crisis by offering comfort and support, and to reduce the stigma that surrounds mental health in our workplaces and society.  Phone: 250-868-9111 Email: qsteen@clac.ca Website: www.clac.ca Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clacunion Twitter: https://twitter.com/clacunion Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/quentin-steen-23249326/ Trever Amendt Trever Amendt has been the Site Safety Lead for AECOM at the NOVA Joffre Plant in Lacombe, Alberta, Canada for five years. AECOM is the capital projects group on site and completes all project-based work, including pipefitting, electrical, iron work, insulation and scaffolding. AECOM made mental health its number one priority in 2020, and it became an even greater priority when COVID-19 hit in March of last year. To that end, Trever has an open door on site and is always ready to listen to what someone is going through to support them and build trust. The Mental Health First Aid course he took from CLAC in 2019, opened Trever's eyes and gave him a new desire to support and be there to help people when it comes to their mental health. Trever has a real passion for organizations that support people with addictions: the Dream Center in Calgary and Teen Challenge in Allan, Saskatchewan. Red Deer, Alberta is just raising money to redesign a building downtown to start a Dream Center. These centers address the physical, mental, and spiritual components of addiction.  Phone: 780-983-4966 Email: trever.amendt@aecom.com Website: www.aecom.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AecomTechnologyCorporation Twitter: https://twitter.com/aecom   HOST Jo de Vries is a community education and engagement specialist with 30 years of experience helping local governments in British Columbia connect with their citizens about important sustainability issues. In 2006, she established the Fresh Outlook Foundation (FOF) to “inspire community conversations for sustainable change.” FOF's highly acclaimed events include Building SustainABLE Communities conferences, Reel Change SustainAbility Film Fest, Eco-Blast Kids' Camps, CommUnity Innovation Lab, Breakfast of Champions, and Women 4 SustainAbility. FOF's newest ventures are the HEADS UP! Community Mental Health Summit and HEADS UP! Community Mental Health Podcast. Website: Fresh Outlook Foundation Phone: 250-300-8797   PLAY IT FORWARD The move toward optimal workplace mental health becomes possible as more people learn about the challenges, successes, and opportunities. To that end, please share this podcast with anyone who has an interest or stake in the future of workplace mental health and wellness. FOLLOW US For more information about the Fresh Outlook Foundation (FOF) and our programs and events, visit our website, sign up for our newsletter, and like us on Facebook and Twitter.   HELP US As a charity, FOF relies on support from grants, sponsors, and donors to continue its valuable work. If you benefited from the podcast, please help fund future episodes by making a one-time or monthly donation. Quentin Steen, Trever Amendt Interview Transcript You can download a pdf of the transcript here. The entire transcript is also found below: INTRO  0:10 Welcome to the HEADS UP! Community Mental Health Podcast. Join our host Jo de Vries with the Fresh Outlook Foundation as she combines science with storytelling to explore a variety of mental health issues with people from all walks of life. Stay tuned! JO  0:32 Hey, Jo here. Welcome to part two of our podcast on workplace mental health, where we'll build on what we learned in Part 1 about trailblazing research and regulatory approaches. This time around, we'll explore groundbreaking union and business solutions thanks to our co sponsors WorkSafe BC, CLAC, and AECOM. You'll meet Quentin Steen, Labor Relations Representative at CLAC, a Canadian labor union, and Trevor Amendt, Site Safety Lead for AECOM, Energy Operations & Maintenance at the Joffre chemical plant in Lacombe, Alberta. First, let's meet Quentin from CLAC, which represents more than 60,000 workers in almost every sector of the Canadian economy. Based on values of respect, dignity, and fairness, CLAC aims to build better lives, better workplaces, and better communities. The union also helps members reach their full potential by finding their own versions of everyday greatness. Hi, Quentin... thanks for joining us. QUENTIN  1:41 Thank you so much for the invite. It's my pleasure, Jo. JO  1:45 Can you give us an overview of CLAC's approach to mental wellness, and how that differs from that of other labor unions?  QUENTIN  1:56 I'm sure most of the unions out there are tracking some of the similar directions, but CLAC has been a labor union who's pretty proud of their progressive labor relations model, like a collaborative approach between the employer, employee, and the union. It's built on cooperative versus confrontational encounters... we've always believed that it's the most effective model when dealing with workplace issues. And among some of these issues, for sure, is the physical and mental safety and well-being of workers in the workplace. And it all sort of started with us in terms of the weight of this, about three-and-a-half or four years ago. It became a national mandate for the mental health of our CLAC staff and our shop stewards, where we made a huge investment into it. So, this mandate included things like working with our signatory companies in their management to address mental health safety of their employees at the workplace. In CLAC, we have a My Health & Wellness department where you can go to our CLAC website where our members can get the knowledge and tools they need to take charge of their own health and well-being by adopting good habits and a healthy lifestyle, and they can live a better and perhaps a longer life. This site is very interactive, and it's got like several health and wellness tools... like mental health is a specific area. Substance-use case managers are part of that, to financial wellness, workplace wellness. We also have EFAP programs like a lot of companies do, where we have an Employment and Family Assistance Program... that's what it stands for... where we have resources that are available to our members and their families to reach out for free. And they receive confidential help. If they or their loved ones are struggling, then we encourage them not to hesitate on that. We also have a quarterly magazine called The Guide that includes mental health articles and resources for our members and is really ramped up since the pandemic outbreak. Those are sort of our approach the some of the things that are kind of in our toolboxes that we provide for our members and how our organization looks at it. We're very aggressive with it. We think it's really important. We easily put it on par with the physical safety and wellness and well-being of employees at the workplace. Absolutely, one hundred percent. JO  4:14 Quentin... you're a labour relations representative with CLAC. Tell us about the mental health-related work you do specifically. QUENTIN  4:23 I've had a recent change in my role from not just rep but where I do that 50% of my role, but also the other 50% is member education coordinator for BC. Part of my role as the coordinator, and has actually been as a rep for the last three years, is providing Mental Health First Aid courses to our signatory companies, to our staff, and to our stewards. And I've done I think, in the last few years about 23 or 24 in total, and these Mental Health First Aid courses are designed by the Mental Health Commission of Canada, and basic courses are about 12 hours. So over two days, generally speaking, and then a blended virtual course that came online as of the pandemic, that's about eight hours. And I deliver these courses throughout BC and Alberta. Part of my role, too, in the last year-and-a-half has been creating Mental Health Moments. And that started of course with the onset of the pandemic, when I was tasked to write Mental Health Moments that were published on a weekly basis to our membership and staff about 60,000 people plus, and now they're published monthly. And they hit a variety of different subjects. The reason I started writing them is because I realized at the beginning of the pandemic, that once the virus comes and goes, or it's no longer on our minds because we've had these vaccinations, and herd [immunity], really what we're left with is really going to be the damage that's caused to our mental health. And so, I started seeing it in our representatives and I asked our national office if I could begin to write some articles for our reps, and they took that and decided it needs to be published to the rest of our membership. And we've gotten a lot of responses from a lot of people sharing their stories. And so that's been very, very great part of my journey in this last year-and-a-half in my role. JO  6:14 And I think in this difficult time, people are just craving that kind of information. QUENTIN  6:20 Oh, absolutely. The reality is, what I've seen anyways, from my perspective, the pandemic did a few things. And I would kind of categorize that impact on three different types of or kinds of experiences out there. The first being someone who has never had mental health-related issues, and they might be anxious, and they might worry from time to time, but never a diagnosable thing. And then all of a sudden, three weeks, four weeks, four months into it, they're now sitting across from a therapist or an EFAP program, and they're talking about an anxiety disorder. And then there's other people that have had them lying in the weeds, like myself for years, but I just kept myself busy, or didn't pay attention to it, or sort of deflected it, or pretended it wasn't there. And with the pandemic, I mean, it just bubbled to the surface for so many people. And then the third category of people, like where I'm at right now, where I have two diagnosable mental illnesses that I've lived with for most of my life. They've just been amplified... I've had to really dig down and really learn how to manage them in the middle of this pandemic, much differently than maybe prior to the pandemic. It is affecting people. JO  7:32 Thank you for being so vulnerable about that. Can you share your story? QUENTIN  7:37 Absolutely love to. I'm 51 years old. And my personal journey with mental health issues goes way, way back. I just didn't realize how far back the rabbit hole really went. But like I said, one of my diagnosable illnesses is clinical depression. I had it from early childhood into adulthood. It was seasonal at first... September was the start of new school year or work year, or January... the start rebooting of that. So, it would come like that, and it was kind of like this cloud that would come over me. And then it started to develop in a year-round in about 2008. It was nonstop, and some weeks were worse than others. Some of the darkest times I battled with suicidal ideations. In fact, those go back to grade four, where I first tried to take my life by suicide. And fortunately, I'm still here. In 2012 it got really bad for me, and those ideations came back again, and I had to pull over to the side of road, while I was traveling between two different cities, and call for help. I didn't realize that I had a clinical depression, until actually I took our Mental Health First Aid course, about five years ago, or four years ago. The irony of this all is I'm married to a former therapist, and three of my friends out of the top four are therapists. And so, they've known this for a long, long time. But like they said to me, you know, you weren't ready to hear it. And so when you're not ready to hear you just shut everything down. So that was kind of ironic the way it came about. I also have an anxiety disorder that I believe just comes from my being an infant... I was adopted... and at an early age I spent my first number of months going between wet nurse to wet nurse. And one particular time I was dropped on my head on the cement sidewalk, and that just changed my brain, physiologically, from that day forward. I didn't know that was an issue, until like I said, about 15 years ago when I was in therapy, and it was brought up as something that that's actually a big impact. And then into early childhood, my attachment issues that come from the adoption, like abandonment, emotional depravations, where the need to feel loved, significant, valued, like us all. But that just added to the anxiety part of it. In the early school years, I was bullied horribly physically because I was adopted. We're from a low-end family, and I was really the runt of the school. And emotionally, for sure, the bullying continued where, you know, I was always picked last or assigned to a group, which is even worse, because no one would pick you. And then it increased into high school where I was routinely held down by a group of guys that were popular, and jocks, and in woodwork shop, for at least by Grade 10 year anyways, and pinned to a table at some point during the class and they poured linseed oil down my throat until I threw up. Then I was sent to the principal's office because I was the troublemaker. And then it just continued on like that throughout high school and I even had a cancer scare. And so, I developed a phobia of death, which added to my anxiety. And then to my adult years was just even harder, in the sense that I made these vows that I would never, ever get rejected or bullied again, which, if you look at life, those are ridiculous, right? Because it happens every time we turn around. But those vows actually turned into my curses, and my default setting... my racket as a human being, I like to call it... is to get big, loud, critical, and overwhelm people. You know, in the midst of that, I developed panic attacks, too. And they started back in 1999. And I occasionally still have them. Last one happened to me was in Costco. And all that to say, though those are my issues, I've learned how to manage them much more effectively now that I know what they are, and how I function inside of them, and how I function with them. I've had a lot of therapy in the last number of years, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, to look at my attachment issues, my anxiety and panic attacks, and ways to deal with that neurofeedback, which is a recalibrating of your brain, Alpha-Stim, which was a big step in adding to my Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. I've taken a lot of education and emotional intelligence in why I do the things I do. And then type theory, understanding my personality type. There's been this very robust sort of knowledge that I've gained once I understood what was in front of me. That's kind of my story. I don't think they'll ever go away... I don't expect them to. But that's not the issue. For me, the issue is, how do I function with them? They're part of my life, and they are who they are, and I am who I am. So, how do I learn how to manage them? That really is the issue, not hoping and wishing they would go away, because that's probably not going to help. JO  12:37 Thank you so much for sharing so many very personal experiences. Quentin. One of the things I'm learning through this podcast is just how resilient people can be. And those stories of resilience, and your particular story of resilience, are not only so informative, but inspiring. And people like yourself, they tend to take what they've learned about themselves, and then move that into an area where they can help other people who have similar challenges. I'd like to know, how has your personal experience helped you better understand and serve CLAC members who are struggling? QUENTIN  13:24 That's a great question. Well, let me start with this. One in five Canadians live with a mental health issue... and that figure only actually includes people seeking treatment. And you know what Joanne, I would say the last three years in my classes, it's more like one in three… it's not one in five, I think it's more like one in three. But that's just from what I've seen. And almost 50% of people will develop a mental health illness in their lifetime. Psychological health problems and the illnesses are the number one cause of disability in Canada, according to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety in 2016 survey. The Mental Health Commission of Canada, as well as the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, report that one in five workers experience fatigue, sleeping problems, headaches, and anxiety, and 23% of workers experienced physical health problems caused by stress, anxiety, or major depression, and 20% of all sick leaves are related to mental health. So, nationally, in Canada, an estimated 35 million workdays are lost to mental health conditions amongst our 10 million plus workers. That's astonishing. So, it's not fake. It's real. JO  14:34 Well, not only that, but also the impact on our economy. They say that the impacts of mental health on our economy are at least $55 billion a year. And by the year 2030, or 40, I believe, they expect it to be more than $300 billion a year. QUENTIN  14:55 Yeah... so it's not going away. So, because it's not going away, then my next thing is… it's about promotion. And what I like to say in my discourse with people, whether it's the workplace or wherever else... and what I actually alluded to earlier.... that it's entirely possible to be diagnosed with a serious illness or disorder, and then learn to live with your life, coping well with it and have a positive mental health about it. So, my mental health issues, like I said, might never go away, but it's how I learn to manage them that can make all the difference in terms of a person's resilience. JO  15:26 How has your personal experience helped you serve your members better? QUENTIN  15:32 I just teach them what I know. The reality is that it's a part of my personal mission in life to educate others of the prominence and importance of addressing mental health issues, not just in our society, but in our workplaces... in providing them with the skills and tools necessary in the way that I can, because I got to stay in my lane. I'm not a professional therapist, or a doctor, but I have a lane. And my lane is to be able to help our workers in our workplaces recognize the changes, or possible signs, of the decline of mental health, well-being in their selves first, and then maybe others around them. And then to assist those who might be in a mental health crisis by offering the proper comfort and support. And that's a key. And then probably one of the biggest things outside of that... and connected to this, and sort of the driver of it... is helping reduce the stigma that surrounds mental health in our society and workplaces. And it's there, and it's big. JO  16:29 Thanks, Quentin... we'll dig deeper into that a little later, but now let's bring Trevor from AECOM into the conversation. AECOM is an award-winning infrastructure consulting firm of planners, designers, engineers, consultants, and construction managers. Its Energy Operations & Maintenance Division provides best-in-class maintenance, turnarounds, construction, and fabrication services to North American oil, gas, and chemical industries. Hello, Trevor, and thanks so much for being here. TREVER  17:04 Thanks a lot, Jo. I'm very excited to be part of this conversation with you and with Quentin. Just a side note... Quentin has become probably one of my biggest mentors in the last year-and-a-half. His attitude towards mental health and the way he opens up people is just huge for me. So, thanks again. JO  17:20 You are a site safety lead for AECOM, which is an international engineering firm... which I mentioned earlier. Can you tell us a little bit about your work?  TREVER  17:32 I'm a safety professional here at Joffre NOVA Chemicals. We're about half-an-hour from Lacombe, [Alberta]. We deal with a lot of different trades out here... we've got pipe fitters, iron workers, electricians. And then we have a couple of CLAC groups with our insulators and scaffolders. We have a multiple trade group that does a lot of projects on site, deals with a lot of different, stressful environments... a lot of stuff that can go wrong, day to day. People is a key to our industry. Having people fit for duty, making sure that they're healthy, when it comes to the physical and mental state of their body and their mind, is so important to us. It's really changed I think, too, in the last couple of years of how we support people. We look at them in a different way. And I really put a lot of the onus onto the Mental Health First Aid course that we started two years ago that really changed the way we look at [being] fit for duty. JO  18:22 I understand that AECOM is zealous in its approach to optimizing mental health for its 47,000 workers around the world. What does that look like from your perspective, as the site safety lead in Lacombe? TREVER  18:39 Whatever safety I can give to somebody... when it's procedures, policies, site safety rules... if they're not fit for duty, and they're not healthy to come in, we can achieve that. We just had a milestone last week Wednesday, we've done a full year without any incidents, no injuries, no first aids. And through a time of COVID, it's a huge announcement... it's exciting to have that happen on our site. We've had so much diversity, so much isolation, where people come to work, go home, go to grocery store, go to the mall... there's not much left to do outside of that. We've really tried hard to make sure that people still feel that they're getting that support. Digging deeper… when you see someone who looks off, or just isn't firing on all cylinders, so to speak, that's such an important thing that we don't just push them off or put them in a corner. I like to talk to individuals and find out how they're made inside, and what they like and dislike... how they're wired. Every individual is created in a special unique way, and that's the message I give in every orientation. So, of course the safety guy sits there and 90% of people think the safety guy is just going to pump safety and policies and procedures. But the first interaction I get with every worker... if it's a subcontractor or it's an AECOM person on site... is just that individuality of each person, so we understand that we build that relationship right from the ground level... so they feel that respect built right away, they feel that connection built right away. So, you start that relationship. My safety director, Dale Hartery, he always talks about hand on shoulder... that's one of his favorite lines. That's something I really try to show to people when they come in, it's very clear in our company to see that right from our VP, down to all our corporate, our site managers, and all our safety that work in the service industry. One of the biggest things we use is our human performance tools, that gives them the tools to see obvious things that can cause things to go better, to help them slow down. It gives them triggers to do what's right and not be rushing, not be causing something to cause an accident or an incident on site. We give them the tools that we put in front of them, the traps too, that could cause things to go wrong. So, we make it very clear, you know what, these are common things, stuff that cause problem, but it gives them that opportunity to see what's right. And then of course, we have all the different organizations in our company, through HR, through Morneau Shepell, through the counseling groups, that we can help them to treat anything that's going on. It's not just the physical things that go wrong. It's more the internal, the mental stuff, the mental health issues that people have, that now we can put them into the right place to get that help and get treatment. And I like what Quentin said earlier, a lot of things that we deal with in life, if it's a mental health issue, they don't go away. We need to treat them and figure out a way to manage them. And I think AECOM is getting way better at managing this part of mental health and being able to deal with it. JO  21:36 That's amazing. Trevor, you too have a personal story with mental health challenges. Can you share your story? TREVER  21:43 AbsoluteIy. Mental health challenges, feel like it's part of who you are. It's part of your fiber of your being. And sometimes it's so embedded, you don't know what it is. I grew up on a mixed farm Saskatchewan, had seven siblings, and we all had a part to play on the farm. When I was about 11 years old, my brother Emile, who was 18, passed away from cystic fibrosis. He was born with this disease, and it goes after your digestive and you're breathing. When he passed away, I had to grow up in a big hurry, and I was by no means ready for it at that time. And now I had to take over responsibility for the farm, I was the next person up to do the work and didn't really understand why. Wasn't a lot explained to me why I needed to step up. My dad wasn't very understanding with this specific issue and didn't have time for me to make mistakes along the way. After about five years of trying to figure out where I belonged, I ended up quitting school and moving out... basically running away. We never talked about things at home when it came to how we were feeling or going through. Usually there was a lot of hollering with teaching... very physical aspects to life. There was no point to make mistakes, I guess. When you made mistakes that wasn't looked on as a learning experience. When I can look back on things now, my mental health, my own issues were never dealt with. It was embedded so deep inside me that I never got a chance to talk to anybody about it, And I thought that was a dark part of my life that I didn't dare bring up. My opinion of mental health at that time was someone who was born with the physical disorder. You talk about stigma! To me, mental health wasn't something that you could even have in everyday life. It wasn't something you could deal with. And, in my opinion, it couldn't be corrected or dealt with. This was a huge stigma. I went to drinking and smoking fairly heavy, and at 14 basically became an alcoholic. I didn't know how else to deal with what was going on inside, didn't feel like it was going good enough for my own family, and really struggled for the next seven to eight years with where I belonged and what I should be doing. Feeling like I wasn't good enough really drove me to always try and be the best at anything I tried to accomplish, and not in a good way. I would go on to different jobs and different work jobs, and if I would learn a task, or a school, I would drive until I could be better than anybody on that site. Failure, when I did make a mistake, wasn't a learning experience. So, it basically crushed me. So went from getting into drinking and heavy smoking, into basically working every second of my life. I felt the more I could work, the better I would feel and wouldn't have to deal with those internal mental health embedded hurts and hang-ups which were just always there gnawing at me. I had a son at the age of 19. We were both in the party scene and didn't want to grow up and take care of responsibility. We got married before the baby was born and I ended up working away, of course...  workaholic... work before anything else, and she got into an affair and left me basically a year after the baby was a year old. After a couple of years of back and forth with our son trying to figure out where we could be in life... again, I was working like crazy because I thought that was the way to fix everything. I met a great young lady who had her life together. She was beautiful and really smart young lady who was going to college at the time, taking care of her two young boys. The moment we went on a blind date, set up by one of our cousins, I stopped smoking and drinking all the same night... so I got rid of something that was really causing a problem. This felt like the right thing to do. A year later we were married. As soon as we started out, my mom started to dictate how we lived and especially picked on my new wife, Cindy... on how she was doing everything completely wrong. My old hurts and hang-ups kicked in, and I went straight back into a workaholic... the stress of life knocked me down again. And I hadn't figured out a way to deal with my own mental health, and didn't dare talk to Cindy about it because, again, this was something that I thought you didn't dare bring out... you didn't talk about. And the stigma to me was, this has no value, I've got to somehow bury that and move on. Cindy and I now have been married for 24 years, and it's because of her love and patience and perseverance that have taken us this far. And I have to say very clearly, a year-and-a-half ago, when I went through this Mental Health {First Aid] course, there was so many things that opened my eyes to my own mental health issues that I dealt with. And Cindy and I... she's had an opportunity to see a part of me 23 years after we were married that she'd never seen before. The vulnerability that I've been able to bring to her has changed our marriage. And by no means is it 100%... there's still lots it has to be dealt with, but it's amazing. And what I've gone through in my life, I turned 50 this year, so I'm not quite caught up to Quentin yet, but passion for mental health and people, who I rub shoulders with every day, so not just at work... works very important... but anywhere I go. So, through COVID a big thing I always tried to do if I was out shopping, I keep my eyes up and I try to get eye contact. And if you just say, "Hello, how's it going?" You could just feel that isolation and the hurts of people. We couldn't rub shoulders. We can't hug anymore. We can't shake hands. But man, whatever I could do to show people that you care, and the expressions and the excitement, sometimes in people's voice to get that interaction was just amazing. JO  26:49 You both exemplify the power of vulnerability with the stories that you've shared. Quentin, first, when you're dealing with people in your union who are struggling with mental health challenges, do you share your story? And if so, how does that help those people? QUENTIN  27:09 It's funny that you should say that because when I first started mental health courses, teaching them, I was with a very good friend and colleague at the time, Dave Phillips, who is a family therapist for 30 years. My wife actually worked underneath him in Abbotsford. I remember getting into the weeds of it the very first time and feeling very nervous, because the initial platform was to our entire staff. And I'm about to open my life up in front of my colleagues, which means... and again, attached to stigma... what are they going to think? Here's a guy who's like completely unstable, and should we actually think about promoting him? Or should keep an eye on him? Or maybe we should send someone to visit all these things that kind of going through my brain. And so, the very first course I did, after we were debriefing, Dave just said to me, "Quentin, you got to jump in with both feet, man." I said, "Dave, you know my story, we're very good friends, and I'm not comfortable. What will people think?" He's like, "What have you got to lose? We're not just talking about you, we're talking about other people, and they can learn from your narrative." Your narrative is nothing to run from. It's everything for you to embrace and walk into. I do that... I am not afraid of speaking my story. I'm not afraid of saying I have clinical depression...that I have anxiety disorders... that I get panic attacks every so often. And sometimes I feel like I'm losing my mind. Some days are better than others. Not every day is filled with rainbows and ponies. For me, it becomes very vital that the first sort of entry into mental health is me, at least telling my story when I'm given the opportunity to. And so, every class, I start with my story, and then I turn it over and say, "Why are you here?" Jo, you would not believe the reaction that people have, once you step into that arena and say it's okay to tell me and to tell us, and for you to vocalize who you really are, and where you're really at. And it's amazing. There are people in there that in my 23 classes across the last number of years who have said to me, "I'm going to say something I've never said... I have bipolar." Or, "I live with schizophrenia." That's the first words out of their mouth. I'm telling you right now, Jo, there was a time, and not too long ago, where that was never your entering comment. And so, at the workplace, do the same thing... exactly what Trevor does. I try to maintain eye contact, and I know I can feel it when something's off. I don't necessarily ask a lot of questions, but I do take the opportunity to talk about, "Man looks like you guys got a pretty difficult job here. That must be really wearing on the brain. I know what it would do for me." I think those type of things, just to recognize what they're experiencing and what they're feeling. For me, it's an essential critical step. If you don't have that step, if I'm not sharing my story, my narrative... and my narrative doesn't have to work for everyone, it's not about everyone, it's about me.... but when I do that, it changes the environment. It lightens the air, and it allows people the permission to say, "You know what, things aren't really great... haven't been for a while. Here's what I'm dealing with." JO  30:27 What it does is it really engages people emotionally. And that's where things really start to happen. A personal example of mine is, when I was initially fundraising for the HEADS UP program, I would talk to people about what the program was and what our objectives were, and what our plans were. But when I shared my story of chronic anxiety... and like you, I have an anxiety disorder... when I share that story, people would lean into me. I could see their body language change and their interest in what I was talking about, just increase exponentially. I agree that that vulnerability is so critical. Trevor, how have you found the use of vulnerability to either help or hinder your work? TREVER  31:23 So, first off, when I did this course with Quentin, and I've been in safety now for seven years, but we did this course a year-and-a-half ago, we sat down at the course, I'll be very honest, I was pretty nervous. I was a little stressed about where's this was going to go. I've never gone through that before. Like Quentin said, he tells a story right from the beginning. It's like it knocks your socks right off. And everybody in the room, their eyes are wide open, and they want to speak, it just opens the room. He's not asking them to speak, he's not telling them to speak. People want to tell him their story and open up.  The vulnerability he gives to people… it's such a huge reaction. And I've been involved now with two of his courses, we did that one and three of us from our site went. And then we had a full course here on site with a very mixed group. And it's a true story. Like he says, it's real life. This is real, this isn't something made up. And people, just they want to tell their story. I had so many texts and phone calls that da, ye did it here on site, they couldn't believe that this is actually something that was happening. It opened up such a new part to our site that we've never had before. And it's still there. After COVID, we've had trouble getting training back, but it's slowly coming again. But for me, on a daily basis, this year not as much because we're a lot slower. But in 2019, we had 200 people on site, and almost on a daily basis people would come down and sit in my office, and some would be in tears when they show up... some would be having stresses going on. They would say, "You know what... this is what's going on in my life... this is what's happening at home... this is what's happened to me... my wife isn't doing good... my wife got cancer... I had a family member pass away." And they understand that because I've opened up with my story, what's going on in my life, that they can come to me and say, "Hey, this is what's going on." And they feel like I'm going to be able to either direct them, or just listen to what they have to say. And it completes them for that day. And either I give them the right that they should go home, or they should take a break. It's just that conversation. I don't tell them it's okay. But they have that feeling that now I've been able to open up. And it's part of a treatment that they feel good about, hey, somebody listened. I'm by no means a counselor. But that feeling they get when they leave, it is really good. JO  33:35 They feel they're not alone. And I think that's huge. And particularly during the time of COVID when people are feeling so isolated, people are feeling lonely. That sharing of stories and emotions, and solutions, and all of that great stuff becomes an antidote for isolation and loneliness. And people just realize that they're not alone. TREVER  34:04 I know when COVID hit last year, we had a quite a big group on site. And, of course, we had the COVID payments come from the government, and it was quite a disaster to start off. And I became an in-between person working with HR and payroll, trying to get these ROEs done and trying to get people paid. And some of them it took sometimes a month to almost a month-and-a-half to get there first cheque. And the stress that was caused by that was something we haven't seen for a long time because it happened so quick. The government wasn't ready. And there was a lot of dotted I's and crossed T's that weren't done. So, it took a long time to get people the right help they needed, just financially. So, to be part of that really helped to build a lot more relationships and build a lot more respect for people to be part of that. Again, it had to do with financial, but sometimes they'd be on the phone for 45 minutes just talking to somebody, just taking the time to listen and see what I could to just support that person, and it built again relationships. To me, really, relationship is so important with any mental health issues people are having, because then they feel comfortable to be vulnerable. It's just such a big key. QUENTIN  35:08 Not only that, but going, hey, you know what, no matter what the issue is, not only are there resources, but I can have a preferred future. I don't have to live under the weight of this. I can learn it is manageable. And for some disorders, some mental health issues are harder than others, you can live with them. And there's many examples out there of normal people living with significant issues, learning to manage them, and having good mental health, even though they have a significant mental health issue. JO  35:40 That's just such a good point, Quentin. And I know that, Trevor, you mentioned earlier about how every one of us is unique. And that's why every one of us needs to have a very special management plan. And for me, that includes medication, getting good sleep, good nutrition, regular exercise, support from my family, and my friends. As this unfolds in front of you, you will learn what those management strategies are for yourself. QUENTIN  35:56 And some work better for others. For me, I check all those boxes off too, Jo, maybe in different ways, but those are the boxes that I use as well. What's comforting is to know that there are resources, and that there is a way through these weeds, and that's a God send. When somebody in front of me not only feels comfortable telling me their story about issues they're dealing with, but also how they're dealing with it, that goes a long ways. TREVER  36:43 I understand that there's treatment, I think when that's the key. When you bring on the course, yes, now they have a mental health issue that they've been dealing with their whole life, or it's just come to light, like you said. Now it's out there, but all of a sudden, there's a way to treat this that they never knew was possible before. It's not just being open and vulnerable, but going through whatever avenue we can give them to get that treatment and living a normal life, still having that mental health issue. We talked about Speak Up when it came to mental health, quite a few years ago, and it was so short lived, that there wasn't really any help for it that we could see. And now, with this Mental Health First Aid course that we do, that you've been running for the last year-and-a-half, the treatment is there. We're treating this Mental Health First Aid course just like first aid when it comes to physical injury or when you're born with something that's physical. Stigma, we talk about. We take that away now and say, "You know what, it's no different than going to the doctor when you have cancer, or you've got anything that you have to deal with through life." At certain ages, as men, we've got to go ahead and get tested to make sure we don't have cancer for colon, all these different wonderful fun things we get done. But that's part of life on the physical side. Now we show up and say, "Hey, mental health is the same way. We've got to treat it just like physical illness or injury." And we can live life healthy, dealing with and treating our mental health. And I think that's something when we did these courses, people came out of it, looking at it saying, "Wait a minute, this isn't just some dark thing that we have to hide and put in the past. It's something we need to bring out and talk to people about to help them." But then we can treat this because it's a condition. It's real. It's a fibre of our being. We are born this way, or something pushed us that way. But it's part of our life. I think that's the exciting part of bringing mental health out the open is the treatment side of it. Because now we can help people. And because they have this mental health issue doesn't mean they can't live a healthy life, a good life, and be involved and do all the normal things that everybody else is doing, because we can take care of that. I'm so excited about the learnings I have for mental health. QUENTIN  38:42 There's no discrimination with mental health. It doesn't care who you are. It doesn't care how your status... doesn't care about your sexuality. It doesn't care about your worldview. It doesn't care about your ethnicity. It doesn't care about your social or economical background. It doesn't care, your gender, your religion, it really doesn't. There's no discriminatory pieces to this. It goes after everyone. It's a predator. It's a predator, though, that we not only know more about than ever before, but we're naming it more than we ever have. And we're calling it out. And we're saying, "Enough is enough. You've wreaked havoc long enough. And this is where I draw the line." And we can help people draw the line and go, "That's it." It's like Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings, when he's being chased by the fire demon, and he's across this bridge and he slams down his staff and he says, "You shall not pass." That's the picture of a resilient person who understands the issues, who has the resources and support and goes, "That's it. You have a corner… you stay in that room. That's all I'm giving you. You do not have access to the rest of my life, the way that you have in the past. I am the one, you are not." If we can deliver that, however it is that we do, not only will our workplaces transform, but our families, our relationships, our community, and most of all, with ourself... empathy for self, love for self, compassion for self. When we make those things available to us, even with significant mental health issues... that it's not a character defect, that it's not a problem with whatever it is with me, that there's nothing wrong with me... but when I can actually give myself the permission to feel those things and to accept those things, that is then much easier to give out.  JO  40:39 Wonderful input, thank you. I'd just like to step back for a minute. Quentin, in the union environment, how has people's interest in, and response to, mental health challenges changed over the years you've been doing this work? QUENTIN  40:57 Trevor and AECOM is a classic example. It's the acknowledgement that there's been this increased level of acceptance that mental health issues are real and common, and they're here to stay. And then it's a subject that's influenced lawmakers, HR departments, policies, lunchrooms. It's not as demonized as it used to be, the ones we shall not speak of, that's gone. That kind of mentality is making a quick exit, and it's increased the resources around us to assist people. Those are probably the top markers. JO  41:33 You both mentioned stigma... and you really can't talk about mental health without discussing stigma. So, Quentin, I'm really interested to know how stigma manifests in your members' work environments. Nowadays, I know that great progress is being made, but what are you noticing that still has to be dealt with? QUENTIN  41:57 Let me back it up for a second and just set this as the foundation. The Mental Health Commission of Canada and the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety report that, nationally, an estimated, like I said...  35, and I refer to this early because it's really important... 35 million workdays are lost to mental health conditions amongst our 10 million plus workers. So, it's an estimated cost to Canadian employers of $51 billion [annually]. And like you said, Jo, it's going to just catapult after that. But this is the cost of direct services and loss of productivity. So, that's the stage it's on. What are the manifestations? Here's the ones that are most prominent, from my experience of what I've seen, is that there's this sort of denial and apathy... that, "I don't have an issue. It's not that big. Like, for years I didn't know I actually had an issue, or issues." I think language, there's stigmatizing words and ideas and statements and stereotypes and categorizations and interactions based on ignorance and insensitivity. Those are the two things... either you know, and don't care, or you don't know, at all. Not just language, but I just think of fear in general, that we fear what we don't know or what we don't understand.... ones we do not speak of. I think there's fear of repercussions. Actually, the Conference Board of Canada said that 65% of Canadian workers in the survey said they would not disclose a mental health problem to their employer for fear of repercussions, which could look like job loss or lack of promotion, or keeping an eye on somebody, you know, that little extra because you just in case they snap, or discrimination. A Health Canada survey said that 54% of people reported facing discrimination for their mental problems in the workplace. This is all workplace related. There's embarrassment and shame. [In the] Health Canada survey, 54% of respondents who met the criteria of anxiety-related disorders or mood-related disorders, or substance dependence, felt embarrassed about their mental health problems. And then there's a kind of dismissal. I found this astonishing when I came across this, but according to Benefits Canada, there's a survey that was done based on malingering rates in Canada's workplaces, which means you're faking it or exaggerating your issue, your workplace-related health issue. So, the national board for psychological safety in the workplace, they approximate that the malingering rate in Canada workplaces is about 15%, which means, Jo and Trevor, that 85% of the people that are expressing health-related or mental health-related issues are in fact not faking it. It's real. That's significant. But stigma goes, "There's Johnny again, got to pull the slack because he's got an anxiety disorder. Really, what it's code for is he just wants more time off." JO  44:53 So, before we go into how we're going to actually tackle these stigma-related issues, I just want to chime in with you, Trevor, about stigma within the energy industry. And I may be assuming too much, but it would seem to me that that's likely a male-dominated industry. And men in particular, have a hard time expressing their feelings. And perhaps there's the macho thing going on. Can you tell us about that? TREVER  45:28 Absolutely. I think that's a key thing. In oil and gas, especially in construction, it is still mainly men dominated. It's changed a lot in the last couple of years... you see a lot more women in this culture, in this industry... but it is still a lot of men. And I think, as men, we don't want to talk about this stuff. And we really single people out, we build even on a whole crew. You'll go into the lunchroom. and, you know, these guys work together, and all of a sudden Johnny's sitting over there, he's by himself, and yet he's a good worker out there. But there's something different about him that everybody has pushed him out. Or he does have anxiety issues, or things like that, that are slowing him down and he can't keep up with a group. And you see those guys singled out. And it's so important that when that happens for me, especially when I've been in safety, because I have this opportunity now to do that. Those are the people that I warm up to... those are the people that I want to find out their story. I don't want to use that to beat up the other crew. But I want to find out how I can start to deal with this, make it more open. So, everybody sees, you know what, there's nothing wrong with this person. They've got something they're dealing with, but you guys have to accept them for who they are. QUENTIN  46:35 It's really been helped out in the workplace... guys like Trevor and their companies and HR departments and management. There's lots of government legislation out there that helped minimize it in the sense that there's laws that govern the physical safety of the workplace. Those same laws also govern the mental health safety of each worker in their respective workplaces. Some of that stuff comes with other fines, or it could even include jail time. It's serious. We're not just making this up. There's laws that are helping us work through this issue. And like Trevor said, the idea that AECOM is actually celebrating it, normalizing it as a way that can help minimize stigma. Stigma is never going to go away, but the onslaught of further education continues to say, "Here's what's really going on. You break the ice behind here and this is the thing." Part of education for some employers also includes discipline, for those people that continue to be offenders by using these kinds of silos and stigmatizing phrases and sort of nasty behavior. There's discipline in the workplace for that, which is also governed by legislation, that a lot of contracts have 'respect in the workplace' articles, and what that looks like. And if you don't toe the line, this is what you can expect. So, all those things, I think, do help minimize stigma. But like I said, with mental health issues, I don't think stigma will ever go away. We can get the upper hand on it, which is what AECOM is working towards, which is what I'm working towards, but will never completely defeat it. It'll still be there to some extent because we're people, and it's a people thing, it's not some nebulous force. It's something that's part of who we are, unfortunately. JO  48:18 We heard from Trudy and Lisa earlier about key components of mentally healthy workplaces. And there were four primary ones. And this is where we bring part two of this episode into alignment with part one, we're going to talk about those four components... leadership, culture, peer support and training. Starting with leadership, Quentin, how does good leadership set the stage for a mentally healthy workplace?  QUENTIN  48:54 Buy-in at all levels. So, from the owner, to the manager, to the workers themselves, you have to have that buy-in. It starts with the owner. It starts with the CEO. It starts with whoever's at the top. If they own it, it's disseminated much better than if it's not. Proactive HR departments where they make progressive workplace policies, on things like bullying, harassment, or zero-tolerance policies... on behaviors that would stigmatize the workplace and its employees. There's occupational health and safety committees... them using their platform to make mental health an actual regular agenda item for the promotion, or the education, of mental health. And it's awareness. Things like celebrating Mental Health Day. There's the education thing like 'mental health first date' as Trevor's attested to a number of times. It's a powerful, powerful thing for education in the workplace. Education on what is bullying. I'm doing actually a course a couple of weeks from now talking about what is bullying and harassment in the workplace, and what it's not. Respect in the workplace is along the same kind of lines... respect for each other. And on site, companies that take toolboxes, they do their toolbox in the morning just to brief everybody. But some of those toolboxes now are starting to add in Mental Health Moments. That's another great place. And of course, I'm an advocate of proper discipline in the workplace. And what I mean by proper discipline is not just the discipline that's rendered, but it's how they arrive at what discipline we rendered. For instance, I've been advocating into our companies... to our signatories and HR departments... listen, you need to be adding mental health as part of the framing of your investigation. In other words, "Is there a potential mental health issue at play that we need to consider as a factor?" I can remember dealing with a health care unit... a company... and this person had patterns in absenteeism around Christmas for the last three years. This is a number of years ago, going back a number of years ago. And I asked the HR department, the directors, "Have you ever asked this individual why that is? Because you've made a bunch of assumptions here. And maybe there's something going on that we're not aware of?" They said, "I don't think that's my place." I said, "It is absolutely your place to ask." It's the same thing as if you suspect one of your employees might have an addiction to alcohol, you have to ask the questions… "Do you have a problem? Are you in need of assistance?”... these types of things. And I just said, “Listen, do you mind if I approach the individual and ask them?" And so, I did. And I said, "Hey, listen, I just came out of a meeting. They're concerned about this timeframe... every year for the last three years you take it off, or you don't bother phoning in, and then you just go to kind of AWOL." I said, "If there's something going on, that would help me explain the situation to them, that we might be able to reconcile this in a different way than just discipline. And this lady told me that, "Yeah, I'll tell you what it is... I have an anxiety disorder, and it peaks. And it started three years ago, when my aunt and my niece were coming to visit me, and they went through Rogers Pass and got in a head on, and both died instantly on impact. So, every year, the week before Christmas, my brain shuts down, and I can't handle it." I said, "Do you mind if I share this with the HR department, because this is significant, and we can get you help." Long story short, went in there and said, here's the reason. And what we ended up doing is that we're not going to discipline her, what we're going to do is you're going to give her a hall pass for the next couple of years. “We're going to give you the time off, just let us know if you need it. But we'll just make sure that you're off the schedule, so that you can work through this issue, not worrying about leaving us behind.” And within that two years, we also got her some help dealing with a cognitive behavioral therapist about her anxiety disorder  around it. You know what, two years later, different lady and learning how to manage it. And now it's like, every so often, every Christmas since then, maybe a day, if that at all, couple days, but a significant difference. That's what I'm talking about. That's very, very helpful. Or including mental health days as part of the definition of sick days. That's an important piece to put in there. And of course, I think, personally speaking, that the inclusion of personal days, either paid or unpaid, preferably paid into the collective agreement, covering off mental health days, including mental health days, like I said, as definitions of sick days. I think that's huge. I am a big advocate of that. JO  53:25 Trevor, what are AECOM leaders doing to build more mentally healthy environments for its workers? TREVER  53:33 I think a big thing with our leaders, for our VP Shawn Jubinville, he has made this such a big mission of his for the last two years to talk about mental health. So, it's coming down from above, to our corporate guys, to our site managers, to our project managers, to our directors. He is such a key part to our industry. And in that same breath, he's serving the people, coming to the same level so that servant leadership is so important, because then people feel like they can come to you. I've worked for a few different companies in my life, and usually a VP or a director, usually you feel like he's above you, he's so far away that you can't connect, or you can't contact him. When our VP comes to site, or he comes to talk to people, they feel open to talk to him. If they've got an issue, they want something resolved, they'll bring it up to him... he has such a good way to represent our company in that servant way. And it's so easy for me as a site safety, to serve the people here to show them that we want to take care of any mental health issues that come up. And Quentin talked about harassment, and people that get beat up, and we don't see it. They're getting harassed by words... are getting picked on. We've had quite a few different occasions on site where that came to my attention. And we do have the tools to discipline and deal with that very quickly, even quicker than sometimes an instant, because when it comes to harassment, and somebody is getting pushed to the side, getting bullied, we do not allow that. And you don't always get to see it right away, so that's where, when you come in as a servant, you come in at the same level as people, you don't come from above, it's easy for somebody to come over and say, "Trevor, this is what's going on, what do we do?"... because they're at a loss... they feel like they're up against the wall. We need to show anybody in our group that it's very important to speak up. JO  55:16 So, it looks like AECOM is doing a number of really incredible things to foster better mental health. What else could they be doing? You're down in the trenches doing this work every day. What else can they do to help in that move toward minimizing stigma and mental health issues? TREVER  55:38 I think a big thing is we just need to keep pushing and keep speaking up to make sure that our leadership hears that the sites need this. And the importance of it is the same as safety. It's the same as practices, procedures, all the stuff we deal with already this has to be pushed that same level. And I like what Quentin said, when it comes to benefits, we need to get sick days, we need to get things that support mental health, as well as they understand that this is something we need time to deal with. We need to pull away and take that break to recharge, reset, and get that special treatment.  QUENTIN  56:10 If I'm an owner of a company and I have a problem with absenteeism, or even presenteeism, it's a lot more cost effective, to be honest, to provide that in a contract, than for people to take two three weeks off and collect either medical EI or short-term disability. The numbers make sense from a fiscal

‘Feel Good’ Investments That Make Money! Include 3M, Aflac, Best-Buy, Colgate-Palmolive, Kimberley-Clark, Microsoft, Pepsico, Salesforce, U.S. Bancorp, Weyerhaeuser, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Beyond Meat, Tesla, Ecolab, International Paper, Apple, Wex Inc, Unilever PLC, Home Depot, Toyota Motor, Alibaba, Pax Large Cap Fund, SmartETFs Sustainable Energy II, ON Semiconductor, Infineon Technologies, Aptiv, Trane Technologies, NextEra Energy PODCAST: ‘Feel Good’ Investments That Make Money! Transcript & Links, Episode 55, April 9, 2021 Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to podcast episode 55 published on April 9, titled “‘Feel Good’ Investments That Make Money!”— and presented by Investing for the Soul. investingforthesoul.com is your site for vital global ethical and sustainable investing news, commentary, information, and resources. Remember that you can find a full transcript, links to content – including stock symbols, quotes, and bonus material – at this episode’s podcast page located at investingforthesoul.com/podcasts. And Google any terms that are unfamiliar to you. ------------------------------------------------------------- 1. ‘Feel Good’ Investments That Make Money! I start with a list of recommendations that originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com. It’s titled 15 Investments That Make You Feel Good While You Make Money and is by John Csiszar. As usual, I’ll mention the company name followed by some brief comments by Mr. Csiszar. “1) 3M (MMM) International conglomerate 3M views its Code of Conduct as not just a representation of its values but a competitive advantage as well… 3M… provides a number of well-known products, from Post-It notes to Scotch tape. Over the past year, the stock is up about 52%. 2) Aflac (AFL) The company believes that acting ethically and responsibly is an important part of its business and is the only insurance company to make Ethisphere’s list every year since 2007, including 2020. 3) Best Buy (BBY) The threat of competition from the likes of Amazon and other online retailers drove Best Buy’s stock below $12 in 2012 before it executed an amazing turnaround that pushed it to new highs in 2020… In 2020, Best Buy made Ethisphere’s list of Most Ethical Companies for the sixth time. 4) Colgate-Palmolive (CL) Colgate-Palmolive is a leading global consumer products brand… In addition to operating by a Code of Ethics, Colgate-Palmolive has an Ethics Line that employees can contact to get advice or ask questions about potential violations of the company’s policies. It also operates a Sustainability website. 5) Kimberly-Clark (KMB) In 2017 alone, the maker of Huggies, Kleenex, Scott and other leading brands conducted 238 social compliance audits across its supply chain… Its board of directors includes 11 independent members and has 31% minority representation. 6) Microsoft (MSFT) The software giant is well known for the charitable work of the founder, former CEO and current board member Bill Gates. Microsoft also has placed on Ethisphere’s list of most ethical companies nine years in a row. 7) PepsiCo (PEP) PepsiCo is now one of the world’s leading providers of food and beverages, with brands ranging from Quaker and Gatorade to Frito-Lay and Tropicana. In terms of sustainability, diversity and engagement, PepsiCo has earned numerous awards. 8) Salesforce.com (CRM) Salesforce is much loved on Wall Street, with analysts slapping an average ‘strong buy’ rating on the stock… Salesforce… (says it) ‘brings customers and companies together’ through customer relationship management solutions… 9) US Bancorp (USB) In 2021, U.S. Bank was named to the Ethisphere’s world’s most ethical list for the seventh year in a row… U.S. Bank also has committed to reducing its operational greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2029 and 60% by 2044, using 2014 as a baseline. 10) Weyerhaeuser (WY) The company is one of the largest private landholders in the U.S. It has used that land for more than a century, primarily to produce wood products. Weyerhaeuser has placed on the Ethisphere list 11 times. 11) Wyndham Hotels & Resorts (WH) In 2020, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts was tagged by Ethisphere for the second year in a row as one of the world’s most ethical companies… Analysts see good things ahead with an average ‘strong buy’ rating. 12) Beyond Meat (BYND) Beyond Meat was one of the most noteworthy IPOs of 2019, skyrocketing from an initial offering price of $25 to a high of $72.75… One reason for the excitement around the stock is that its main products are plant-based alternatives to meats. 13) Tesla (TSLA) Tesla stock in 2020 was particularly volatile, skyrocketing over 740% by year’s end. In terms of trying to be an ethical company and advancing the human race, Tesla has made some extraordinary gestures. In 2014, for example, Musk announced that he was no longer protecting Tesla patents on electric vehicle technology, making them open-source and available to any interested parties. 14) Ecolab (ECL) Ecolab has been on Ethisphere’s most ethical list since its inception in 2007, marking 14 consecutive years of receiving the honor… Ecolab keeps striving to improve in the future, setting sustainability goals of halving its carbon emissions by 2030. The stock has been a huge winner, rising more than 80% over the past five years. 15) International Paper (IP) International Paper is considered a cyclical stock… For now, analysts are lukewarm on the company, with an average ‘buy’… From an ethical standpoint, International Paper is a standout, having appeared on Ethisphere’s list for 15 straight years.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 2. ‘Feel Good’ Investments That Make Money! Here’s another group of stock picks for ethical and sustainable investors from investorplace.com. It’s titled 7 ESG Investments to Buy for Ethical Investing and it’s by Will Ashworth. Again, first, the company name followed by brief comments from the article’s author. “1) Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) Apple became the world’s most profitable company earning $59 billion, more than any other public company on the planet… Apple’s planning to launch its iPhone 13 lineup in late September or early October. Wedbush Securities estimates that it will produce 25% more phones for the iPhone 13 than it did for last year’s models.     I would continue to expect big things from Apple. The fact that it meets ethical investing standards is a bonus. 2) Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) (Yes, again!) Microsoft is said to be in discussions to buy invite-only chat platform Discord for more than $10 billion. In December, after obtaining new funding, Discord had an enterprise value of $7 billion. Although Microsoft and other interested parties are having discussions with the platform, it’s thought that the company would prefer to go public.  3) Wex Inc. (NYSE: WEX) If you’ve got a fleet to run, lots of corporate payments, or looking to improve the way you administer your company’s health and benefit plans, Wex is there to help… WEX stock is up about 96% in the past year. 4) Unilever PLC (NYSE: UL) Unilever… continues to be a bit of a mystery from a performance perspective. Down 6.23% year-to-date through March 29, but up almost 15% over the past 52 weeks, it’s hard to know which stock will show up over the long haul. 5) Toyota Motor (NYSE: TM) On March 24, Toyota announced a partnership with Isuzu Motors (OTCMKTS: ISUZY) and Hino Motors (OTCMKTS: HINOY) to develop small commercial trucks powered by both electric batteries and hydrogen fuel cells… Investors can be sure that Toyota will do what it takes to remain relevant in the automotive industry. 6) Home Depot (NYSE: HD) Home Depot’s stock’s continued its momentum so far in 2021… Over the past year, it’s up 58%.  As the housing bull continues to roar, there is no doubt that Home Depot will continue to outperform the markets as a whole. 7) Alibaba (NYSE: BABA) It’s been a year of controversy for China’s largest e-commerce company.  The latest issue involves the Chinese government pushing the company to sell some of its media assets, which includes the South China Morning Post because it fears Alibaba holds too much influence over public opinion in the country.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 3. ‘Feel Good’ Investments That Make Money! Due to limited space, I’m just going to mention the names of the funds and companies recommended in this article titled Opinion: Top money managers expect these green-energy companies to benefit most from Biden’s infrastructure plan. It’s by Michael Brush. Go to this podcast’s page for more information at https://investingforthesoul.com/podcasts/. 1) Pax Large Cap Fund (PAXL) 2) SmartETFs Sustainable Energy II (SULR) 3) Tesla (TSLA) 4) ON Semiconductor (ON) 5) Infineon Technologies (IFNNY) 6) Aptiv (APTV) 7) Trane Technologies (TT) 8) Ameresco (AMRC) 9) Hubbell (HUBB) 10) NextEra Energy (NEE) 11) Ormat Technologies (ORA) ------------------------------------------------------------- 4. ‘Feel Good’ Investments That Make Money! My next article is titled: These infrastructure stocks could rise up to 41% in a year on Biden’s massive spending plan, analysts say. By Philip van Doornin on MarketWatch. Quote. “Here is an updated list (see table on this podcast’s page) of Wall Street analysts’ favorite U.S. infrastructure stocks. Starting with the 100 stocks held by PAVE, there are 75 covered by at least five analysts polled by FactSet.” (FactSet) Also, quote, “Only four have 100% ‘buy’ or equivalent ratings: Columbus McKinnon Corp. (CMCO) Builders FirstSource Inc. (BLDR) Herc Holdings Inc. (HRI) Minerals Technologies Inc. (MTX)“ End quote. ------------------------------------------------------------- Ending Comment Well, these are my top news stories with their stock and fund tips -- for this podcast: “‘Feel Good’ Investments That Make Money!“ To get all the links, stock symbols, or to read the transcript of this podcast -- and more -- go to investingforthesoul.com/podcasts and scroll down to this episode. Also, be sure to click the like and subscribe buttons in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or wherever you download or listen to this podcast. And please click the share buttons to share this podcast with your friends and family. Let’s promote a better post COVID world through ethical and sustainable investing! Contact me if you have any questions. Stay well and healthy—and conscious about the ethical and sustainable values of your investments! Thank you for listening. Talk to you next on April 23. Bye for now. © 2021 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul.  

Randy Reid discusses Barbara Horton retiring from HLB Lighting Design, Innovative Bioanalysis validates Signify's UVC claims, IALD releases a video with Peter Hugh and Darren King, Hubbell is named one of the World's Most Ethical Companies, and Meteor Introduces the Bolt Series.

This week we talk to UWO's Director of Risk and Safety Kimberly Langolf about the university's vaccine distribution plans, cover the recent announcement by the Oshkosh Corporation that it was named one of the 'World's Most Ethical Companies' by Ethisphere and more.Week in Review is a production of 90.3 WRST-FM Oshkosh. The show is hosted by Andrew Hansen and Andrew Haese. Additional reporting this week was provided by Patrick Caine. Music for this episode was produced by Abbot Manecke.

As Ethisphere announces its World’s Most Ethical Company awards for 2021, Tom and Jay look at this week’s stories top compliance and ethics stories which caught their interest on This Week in FCPA. Ethisphere announces 2021 World’s Most Ethical Company awards. In CCI. In Radical Compliance. Data Privacy under Biden. Colin Rahill in Jolt. What the NDAA did regarding the SEC and disgorgement. David Levintow in the FCPA Blog.  SFO wants companies to invest more in compliance. Dylan Tokar in the WSJ Risk and Compliance Journal.  Board lessons from a crisis. Stephen Davis and Sandra Guerra in the Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance. A Texas transplant reflects on weather and lessons learned. Dick Cassin in the FCPA Blog. Of Citibank and Black Swan events. Tom Explores in a 3-part blog post series on the FCPA Compliance and Ethics blog. Tom and Matt take a deep dive in Compliance into the Weeds. On The Compliance Life, Natalia Shehadeh, CCO at ABB joins me this month. In the first episode, Natalia explained why she choose the compliance profession. Check out the Episode 1 and Episode 2. In Episode 3, Natalia discussed moving into the CCO chair. This week is Episode 4. The Compliance Handbook, a podcast on the nuts and bolts of compliance premiered this month. In Episode 1, Tom is joined by Stephen Martin to talk about how to best think through a comprehensive compliance program. In Episode 2, Tom was joined by Mike Volkov to discuss the Board’s role in Compliance. In Episode 3, Ronnie Feldman and Ricardo Pelleton talked about training and communications from their own very unique perspective. It is also available on the traditional audio formats. A new AMI podcast is out, Integrity Through Compliance. It has AMI’s expert observations and guidance in the fields of ethics, antitrust, healthcare, government contracting, corporate governance, cybersecurity, construction, telecommunications, consumer protection and more. In the Episode 1, AMI founder Vin DiCianni visited with AMI MD Jerry Coyne the future of telehealth & home healthcare during a pandemic and beyond. In Epsiode 2, Brenda Morris and Dionne Lomax visited with Jennifer Newton. In Episode 3, Joseph K. West, Partner & Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Duane Morris joined the podcast to talk about the benefits of D&I. Interested in podcasting? Want to be a part of a Guiness World Record attempt? PodFest Global Summit is a gathering for those who are passionate about sharing their voice and message with the world through audio and video. Join Tom and others at Podfest Global Summit at any time during March 1-5. Best all of listeners to this podcast can attend at no charge. Register here, using promo code CPN. Tom announces his latest book, The Compliance Handbook, 2nd edition is available for presale purchase. Use the code FOX25 and go here. The Compliance Handbook 2ndedition will be available in both print and eBook editions. Tom Fox is the Compliance Evangelist and can be reached at tfox@tfoxlaw.com. Jay Rosen is Mr. Monitor and can be reached at jrosen@affiliatedmonitors.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Compliance Life details the journey to and in the role of a Chief Compliance Officer. How does one come to sit in the CCO chair? What are some of the skills a CCO needs to success navigate the compliance waters in any company? What are some of the top challenges CCOs have faced and how did they meet them? These questions and many others will be explored in this new podcast series. Over four episodes each month on The Compliance Life, I visit with one current or former CCO to explore their journey to the CCO chair. This month, my guest is Louis Sapirman, Vice President, Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer and Chief Compliance Counsel for Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal North American subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation. He oversees the company's regulatory and compliance function, maintaining a culture of ethics, and ensuring all employees are upholding Panasonic's longstanding values in their work.   Louis previously served as Associate General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer for the Dun & Bradstreet Corporation. During his tenure as CCO, the company was recognized as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute. Prior to moving in-house, Louis worked in private practice with several law firms including Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr and Buchanan Ingersoll. Throughout his career, Louis has been recognized for his work. In both 2015 and 2016, the Ethisphere Institute named him to their list of Attorneys Who Matter in Compliance and Ethics, and in 2010 he was named International Employment Lawyer of the Year by the Association of Corporate Counsel. In this final episode, going forward Sapirman says it will all be about the data, data and more data and the metrics to go along with it. However, it is not enough to simply track data, both from the government's perspective and from the business case, your business unit folks need actionable insights. There will be greater scrutiny of both CSR and the Supply Chain and that 3rd party compliance is not just about due diligence on your suppliers and finally the role of procurement in compliance. Sapirman believes there will be more professional in the field of compliance with schools having Ethics & Compliance. Compliance professionals will be more challenged with privacy issues, trade control challenges and economic sanctions as well the cultural realities of movements such as #MeToo and Black Lives Matter. We concluded with thoughts on the convergence of compliance and risk – the importance of compliance professionals understanding their position in an organization's risk universe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Compliance Life details the journey to and in the role of a Chief Compliance Officer. How does one come to sit in the CCO chair? What are some of the skills a CCO needs to success navigate the compliance waters in any company? What are some of the top challenges CCOs have faced and how did they meet them? These questions and many others will be explored in this new podcast series. Over four episodes each month on The Compliance Life, I visit with one current or former CCO to explore their journey to the CCO chair. This month, my guest is Louis Sapirman, Vice President, Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer and Chief Compliance Counsel for Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal North American subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation. He oversees the company's regulatory and compliance function, maintaining a culture of ethics, and ensuring all employees are upholding Panasonic's longstanding values in their work.    Louis previously served as Associate General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer for the Dun & Bradstreet Corporation. During his tenure as CCO, the company was recognized as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute. Prior to moving in-house, Louis worked in private practice with several law firms including Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr and Buchanan Ingersoll. Throughout his career, Louis has been recognized for his work. In both 2015 and 2016, the Ethisphere Institute named him to their list of Attorneys Who Matter in Compliance and Ethics, and in 2010 he was named International Employment Lawyer of the Year by the Association of Corporate Counsel. In this Episode 3, Sapirman discusses how communications can be used to help drive a more ethical culture. Sapirman believes that communication as a driver of culture. But more than simply being a great communicator, a compliance practitioner must use skill to help others communicate the messages of ethics and compliance. He discusses the concept of 360-degree communications. He is a big fan of social media and the power of non-verbal communications. He concludes with an example of how he used training as an effective tool of communications. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Compliance Life details the journey to and in the role of a Chief Compliance Officer. How does one come to sit in the CCO chair? What are some of the skills a CCO needs to success navigate the compliance waters in any company? What are some of the top challenges CCOs have faced and how did they meet them? These questions and many others will be explored in this new podcast series. Over four episodes each month on The Compliance Life, I visit with one current or former CCO to explore their journey to the CCO chair. This month, my guest is Louis Sapirman, Vice President, Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer and Chief Compliance Counsel for Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal North American subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation. He oversees the company's regulatory and compliance function, maintaining a culture of ethics, and ensuring all employees are upholding Panasonic's longstanding values in their work.    Louis previously served as Associate General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer for the Dun & Bradstreet Corporation. During his tenure as CCO, the company was recognized as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute. Prior to moving in-house, Louis worked in private practice with several law firms including Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr and Buchanan Ingersoll. Throughout his career, Louis has been recognized for his work. In both 2015 and 2016, the Ethisphere Institute named him to their list of Attorneys Who Matter in Compliance and Ethics, and in 2010 he was named International Employment Lawyer of the Year by the Association of Corporate Counsel. In this Episode 2, we explore the qualities of thesuccessful CECO. Some of the key leadership attributes Sapirman sees as critical are Great Communication, a skill that should be practiced constantly, to ensure you remain successful. You should engage in Servant Leadership and your success lies solely in the success of others. Why you need to be flexible and even be a Chameleon. You must be innovative because if you keep doing the same thing over and over, eventually it becomes stale and is destined to fail. Success in E&C requires the ability to be creative and see the novel solutions and change necessary to keep your program successful. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Compliance Life details the journey to and in the role of a Chief Compliance Officer. How does one come to sit in the CCO chair? What are some of the skills a CCO needs to success navigate the compliance waters in any company? What are some of the top challenges CCOs have faced and how did they meet them? These questions and many others will be explored in this new podcast series. Over four episodes each month on The Compliance Life, I visit with one current or former CCO to explore their journey to the CCO chair. This month, my guest is Louis Sapirman, Vice President, Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer and Chief Compliance Counsel for Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal North American subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation. He oversees the company's regulatory and compliance function, maintaining a culture of ethics, and ensuring all employees are upholding Panasonic's longstanding values in their work.    Louis previously served as Associate General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer for the Dun & Bradstreet Corporation. During his tenure as CCO, the company was recognized as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute. Prior to moving in-house, Louis worked in private practice with several law firms including Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr and Buchanan Ingersoll. Throughout his career, Louis has been recognized for his work. In both 2015 and 2016, the Ethisphere Institute named him to their list of Attorneys Who Matter in Compliance and Ethics, and in 2010 he was named International Employment Lawyer of the Year by the Association of Corporate Counsel.  In this first episode, we consider Louis' personal and professional journey into the field of compliance. We get to know Sapirman through his family and why he is so passionate about compliance, institutional justice and institutional fairness. We learn about two experiences growing up that helped informed his views on diversity and the wider world. He talks about his experience as a member of a service fraternity in college and then moves into his professional career. His legal work as a Generalist into Employment Attorney, moving to Employment and Litigation work at D&B and then revamping the investigations process at D&B. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode features Louis Sapirman, chief ethics and compliance officer at Panasonic North America, who talks with LRN’s Ben DiPietro about the need for empathy by companies during the pandemic, the ways companies can help address racial injustice, and what it means to be the white parent of an adopted Black teen-aged son in 2020 America.   “Corporate America is a great Petri dish for building the type of society that we actually want externally. I would challenge all companies to take the time, not just to talk, not just to communicate...but to take the time to look within themselves and say what can we do to strengthen our own cultures...so that it reflects the way we want society as a whole to be.” - Louis Sapirman   Louis A. Sapirman is the chief ethics and compliance officer and chief compliance counsel for Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal North American subsidiary of Panasonic Corp. He oversees the company’s regulatory and compliance function, maintaining a culture of ethics, and ensuring all employees are upholding Panasonic's values in their work.   Sapirman previously served as associate general counsel and chief compliance officer for the Dun & Bradstreet Corp. During his tenure, the company was recognized as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute. Prior to moving in-house, Louis worked in private practice with several law firms, including Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr, and Buchanan Ingersoll.   He earned his bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the State University of New York-College at Geneseo, and his Juris Doctorate from Rutgers School of Law in Newark, N.J. Outside of work, Sapirman is an avid volunteer, including his work with the Giving Network, and as a former member of the Board of Trustees of Rutgers University.   What You’ll Learn on This Episode:   [1:06] What sparked Sapirman’s interest in ethics and compliance and how has his career path led him to his current role?   [3:43] What are some of Panasonic’s core values?   [4:41] What were Sapirman’s goals after joining the company and how has Covid affected their progress?   [6:50] What are some of Sapirman’s concerns from a ethics and compliance perspective as it relates to reopening post-Covid?   [8:23] How can employers handle employees who are reluctant to return to in-office work?   [13:38] How has Sapirman’s experience with his own son shaped how he views the current climate?   Find this episode of Principled on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Sound Cloud, Podyssey, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.  

004 - Isabel was born and raised in the East New York section of Brooklyn, NY and is the daughter of immigrants from the Dominican Republic. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from Polytechnic Institute of New York University in 1988 and in 2007 a Master of Science Information Technology degree in Information Security & Assurance from Carnegie Mellon University.Isabel started her career as a Structural Design Engineer for the F-14 at Grumman Aerospace in Bethpage, NY. Also, she worked for United Technologies’ Pratt and Whitney military division designing structural components for military and space engines.Isabel spent most of her career at Alcoa, starting as an Automotive Design engineer where she designed aluminum structures for vehicles such as Ferrari’s Modena 360 and Chrysler’s Prowler. She also worked for General Motors.Isabel’s achievements included the successful design and implementation of a global intermediary (third party) management tool and securing recognition for Alcoa as one of Ethisphere’s 2012 Most Ethical Companies. At General Motors as a member of the Standards for Technology in Automotive Retail organization, Isabel worked with other Automotive OEMs to create and publish the Dealer Data Security Standards for the automotive industry.Isabel is committed to causes that advance education and awareness of children and young adults – especially those who are underserved. Throughout her career, Isabel has always held leadership roles in corporate employee resource groups promoting diverse workforces and helping surrounding communities. She has led recruiting efforts at universities, volunteer efforts at local middle and high schools. She also held leadership roles in African heritage employee groups both at Alcoa and General Motors. Isabel and her husband, Todd, live in the Atlanta area. They are the proud parents of young adult children.

Every crisis carries an obligation. The obligation to put principles into practice. The obligation to put your people and your community first. How do we lead ethically in times of crisis? How do we meet the needs of our customers while safeguarding the health of our colleagues and our community? The Butler University Lacy School of Business presents its new podcast channel and a three-part Ethics Series presented by Old National Bank. Join us in conversations with top business leaders as they explore how COVID-19 has affected the way they work and the communities they serve. We’ll talk with leaders from Ethisphere’s World’s Most Ethical Companies. Leaders like: Jim Ryan – Old National Bank Chairman and CEO Andrew Penca – Cummins Executive Director of Supply Chain, Engine Business Melissa Stapleton Barnes – Eli Lilly and Company Senior Vice President, Enterprise Risk Management, and Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer In our journey to become the Midwest's leader in Business Ethics Education and Ethical Leadership, the Lacy School of Business is launching its yearlong ethics series, including podcasts, offering free educational events to students, alumni, and the business community. Our goal is to continue to exemplify ethical practice and leadership development for our students, future leaders, and the community as a whole. Credits: Production Team - Bram Sheckels & Kelly SchmidtMusic by Ronak Raval

Board members, business owners, employees, and even customers should all be interested in a company’s compliance policies and adherence to them. Why? Because there is much at stake. Join us for this episode when we ask two compliance experts about the greatest challenges in creating a strong compliance program and establishing a corporate culture that supports it. We welcome Ivan Fong, Senior Vice President of Legal Affairs and General Counsel at 3M. In 2018, 3M was named to Forbes’ list of Most Reputable Companies, Ethisphere’s list of World’s Most Ethical Companies, and Glassdoor’s list of Best Places to Work, among other honors. We are also pleased to have Lori Martin, Partner at WilmerHale, join us. Lori has an extensive compliance practice, where she helps numerous clients audit and strengthen their current compliance programs.

In this episode, I chat with Erica Salmon Byrne, the EVP and Executive Director of Business Ethics Leadership Alliance for Ethisphere. We visit on Ethisphere’s 2018 World’s Most Ethical Company awards. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ethisphere had a chance to catch up with Andrea Illy, Chairman of illycaffè a five-time World’s Most Ethical Companies to discuss ethics, sustainability and its link to performance.

Day 22-10 Questions to Better Operationalized Compliance I conclude this month’s series inspired by an article in the Harvard Business Review, entitled “Does Management Really Work?” by Nicholas Brown, Raffaella Sadun and John Van Reenen. I found the article very useful because it gave succinct advice about what a business can do to improve its management practices and determined that this advice can be applicable to a compliance program. Based upon this article I have developed 10 questions which you might want to put use as a starting point for operationalizing your compliance initiatives going forward. I would challenge you to think about some of the answers to these questions in the context of your compliance program. Interconnectedness of Targets - How are compliance goals cascaded down to individual workers? Everyone recognizes the importance of ‘tone-at-the-top’ as it is enshrined in every description of a best practices compliance program. However, operationalizing compliance means moving towards an appropriate tone in the middle and at the bottom. As stated in the Department of Justice (DOJ) Evaluation of Corporate Compliance Programs (Evaluation), under Prong 1, “How have senior leaders, through their words and actions, encouraged or discouraged the type of misconduct in question? What concrete actions have they taken to demonstrate leadership in the company’s compliance and remediation efforts? How does the company monitor its senior leadership’s behavior? How has senior leadership modelled proper behavior to subordinates?” Clarity and Comparability of Goals - Does anyone complain that your compliance targets are too complex? Certainly the initial role out of a compliance program can be quite a large undertaking. Perhaps another approach might be to focus on high risk areas and remediate them by rolling out initiatives to manage those risks first and then move to other areas. Many companies have reviewed and remedied the third party sales side of their business but are only now looking at the Supply Chain or Procurement side of the equation. If you work on one such problem at a time, it can help move the overall process forward in a more orderly fashion. Consequence Management - How do you deal with repeated compliance failures in a specific business segment or compliance program area? This is certainly one question that you would want to consider carefully. Do you have problems with one business unit or one geographic area from the compliance perspective? Are gifts in China, for example, an ongoing issue for your company? What about travel and entertainment? Consider this carefully as the DOJ asks the following about accountability in the Evaluation, “What disciplinary actions did the company take in response to the misconduct and when did they occur? Were managers held accountable for misconduct that occurred under their supervision? Did the company’s response consider disciplinary actions for supervisors’ failure in oversight? What is the company’s record (e.g., number and types of disciplinary actions) on employee discipline relating to the type(s) of conduct at issue?” Instilling a Mind-Set - How does your company show that attracting and developing talent who will engage in ethical business conduct is a top priority? This is a key part of operationalizing your compliance program and one where your Human Resources (HR) Department should take the lead. If top management will make a commitment to this, you should work to create the appropriate mind-set of doing business the right way throughout your organization. Removing Poor Performers - How long is compliance underperforming tolerated? The DOJ asks in the Evaluation, “Has the company ever terminated or otherwise disciplined anyone (reduced or eliminated bonuses, issued a warning letter, etc.) for the type of misconduct at issue?” I think that many companies would clearly say that they will discipline, up to and including discharge, any employee who engages in practices that violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). But this question drills deeper and forces a more rigorous analysis on not just FCPA failures by employees but poor ethical choices which may be less than full FCPA violations. Unique Employee Value Proposition - What makes it distinctive to work at your company? What is the culture of your organization? Is it to do business ethically or simply make your numbers no matter how unrealistic they are aka Wells Fargo? More pointedly, how can your compliance challenges be turned into business leadership opportunities? Ethisphere annually shows that its top list of the Most Ethical Companies out performs the Standard & Poor (S&P) 500. If you more fully operationalize your compliance program into your company, it could well make your business not only more efficient but at the end of the day, more profitable. Continuous Improvement - How do compliance programs that are not working typically get exposed and remediated? There is a difference between auditing and monitoring. Monitoring is a commitment to reviewing and detecting compliance programs in real time and then reacting quickly to remediate them. A primary goal of monitoring is to identify and address gaps in your program on a regular and consistent basis. Auditing is a more limited review that targets a specific business component, region or market sector during a particular timeframe in order to uncover and/or evaluate certain risks, particularly as seen in financial records. A robust program should include separate functions for auditing and monitoring. While unique in protocol, the two functions are related and can operate in tandem. Monitoring activities can sometimes lead to audits. For example, if you notice a trend of suspicious payments in recent monitoring reports from a country in the Far East, it may be time to conduct an audit of those operations to further investigate the issue. Performance Tracking - What key compliance indicators do you use for compliance tracking? What metrics have you developed around the operationalization of compliance. A good starting point can be with your hotline or helpline. What can you determine from the calls or reports submitted through these systems? What if you have not had any reports for several years, what should that be telling you about your communication to your employee base? Or does it mean that people have not been properly and effectively trained that a hotline or helpline exists and is available for their use or, more ominously, are afraid to make any reports for fear of retaliation or even losing their jobs? This is certainly something you should consider, whichever way the metrics are going for your company. Root Cause - For a given compliance problem, how do you identify the root cause? The DOJ asked in Root Cause Analysis – “What is the company’s root cause analysis of the misconduct at issue? What systemic issues were identified? Who in the company was involved in making the analysis?”Clearly the reason is that if you do not know what the cause of a problem is, you cannot successfully work towards remedying that problem. This does not simply mean firing any persons involved in a potential FCPA violation. You need to dig down and found out what allowed this issue to arise. I once heard that the difference between Japanese and American post-incident investigations is that in the US there is an attempt to assess blame, conversely in Japan there is an attempt to find a solution to the problem. This is the approach that I believe compliance practitioners should take, to try and find a solution by determining the root cause of a compliance failure. Retaining - What are you doing to retain your top employees from the compliance perspective? This is not a question that is typically asked in the compliance department, however it fully encapsulates the entire concept of operationalization. Have you considered what your company is doing to retain, promote and take to senior management those employees who do business in an ethical manner and in compliance with your company Code of Conduct? I found the article to be very useful when applied to the compliance practitioner by not only using the triumvirate of targets, incentives and monitoring as a management practices but also the questions that the authors posed in the context of your company’s own compliance program. Compliance practitioners continually face the challenge of keeping up with the ever-evolving compliance best practices with little or no budget increase. By asking yourself and of your compliance program these questions you may create a road map to more fully operationalize your compliance regime. Three Key Takeaways What are the unique compliance targets you have set and how interconnected are they to your business unit goals? Use a root cause analysis to determine why compliance initiatives are not successful. Retraining employees in compliance is an under-utilized tool. This month’s series is sponsored by Advanced Compliance Solutions and its new service offering the “Compliance Alliance” which is a three-step program that will provide you and your team a background into compliance and the FCPA so you can consider how your product or service fits into the needs of a compliance officer. It includes a FCPA and compliance boot camp, sponsorship of a one-month podcast series, and in-person training. Each section builds on the other and provides your customer service and sales teams with the knowledge they need to have intelligent conversations with compliance officers and decision makers. When the program is complete, your teams will be armed with the knowledge they need to sell and service every new client. Interested parties should contact Tom Fox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  In this episode, Jay and I have a wide-ranging discussion on why good compliance and is good for business. We discuss:  LRN Ethics and Compliance Program Effectiveness Report. Click here for Report. Ethisphere’s 2017 World’s Most Ethical Companies. Click here for Report. Why good compliance is good for business. See Tom’s blog post. Women in compliance: A key to organizational diversity. See article in the FCPA Blog. ECI Podcast: Engaging With Your Monitor: Best Practices from ECI’s Independent Monitor Benchmarking Group. To listen to the podcast, click here. Jay previews his weekend report. Tom previews a presentation he will give with Jenny O’Brien and Roy Snell at the SCCE European Ethics and Compliance Institute in April. Jay previews a presentation at the same event by Eric Feldman of Affiliated Monitors. For more information on the event, check it out by clicking here.  Jay Rosen new contact information: Jay Rosen, CCEP Vice President, Business Development Monitoring Specialist  Affiliated Monitors, Inc. Mobile (310) 729-6746 Toll Free (866)-201-0903 JRosen@affiliatedmonitors.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  In this episode, Jay and I have a wide-ranging discussion on why good compliance and is good for business. We discuss:  LRN Ethics and Compliance Program Effectiveness Report. Click here for Report.Ethisphere’s 2017 World’s Most Ethical Companies. Click here for Report.Why good compliance is good for business. See Tom’s blog post.Women in compliance: A key to organizational diversity. See article in the  FCPA Blog.ECI Podcast: Engaging With Your Monitor: Best Practices from ECI’s Independent Monitor Benchmarking Group. To listen to the podcast, click here.Jay previews his weekend report.Tom previews a presentation he will give with Jenny O’Brien and Roy Snell at the SCCE European Ethics and Compliance Institute in April. Jay previews a presentation at the same event by Eric Feldman of Affiliated Monitors. For more information on the event, check it out by clicking here. Jay Rosen new contact information: Jay Rosen, CCEP Vice President, Business Development Monitoring Specialist  Affiliated Monitors, Inc. Mobile (310) 729-6746 Toll Free (866)-201-0903 JRosen@affiliatedmonitors.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today is the penultimate day of my 30 days to a better compliance program. Just as compliance programs sprang up, grew and began to evolve and mature in the middle of the last decade; the sophistication of the regulators has also increased. We most clearly see this in the appointment of the Department of Justice (DOJ) Compliance Counsel, Hui Chen.  With her initial public remarks, Chen provided insight into how she would consider the effectiveness of a compliance program. Her key point was companies should operationalize their compliance program by tying it to functional disciplines within your company. This means that Human Resources (HR), Payment, Audit, Vendor Management and similar corporate disciplines should be involved in the operation of your compliance program in their respective areas of influence. Then in April 2016 under the remediation prong, with the initiation of the DOJ Pilot Program around FCPA enforcement, the DOJ once again emphasized the operationalization of a company’s compliance program as a key metric in determining benefits under the program. You must actually be doing compliance going forward.  This evolution in the DOJ’s thinking and its sophistication of compliance program analysis is in clear response to how the market initially responded to the requirement to have a compliance program back in the 2004-time frame. More recently, each Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA), in Schedule C under the details of a best practices compliance program, has required the company to take “into account relevant developments in the field and evolving international and industry standards” in upgrading their compliance program. This requirement has led companies to keep abreast of best practices and continually evolve their compliance program forward. The DOJ in turn, has upped its game and now requires companies to operationalize compliance.  Compliance is a service within your organization, yet under the operationalized model, compliance is a profit generator for a business. Just as law departments generate business by doing transactions, compliance can be viewed as delivering services not only to the business unit but also third parties with whom the company does business. This means not only traditional transaction partners such as sales agents, representatives and distributors but also joint venture (JV) partners, teaming partners and others. Compliance can deliver compliance related services to these third parties as a profit center.  Doing compliance means doing business. There are multiple types of risks in a business; operational, regulatory and reputational, just to name a few. The effort to measure and then manage each of these risks can be led by the compliance function. The more efficiently these risks are measured (i.e. assessed) the more easily and efficiently these risks can be managed. This means that the business is not faced with a binary 1/0 or Go/No Go decision on risk but if compliance moved into measuring and the managing risk through the operationalization of compliance into the business unit; the process would help you to do business more efficiently and with greater profitability.  Compliance is a platform to make your company not only a better run organization but can also demonstrate the thoughtfulness and effectiveness of your compliance program should a regulator ever come knocking. This is because if you operationalize compliance into the fabric of your organization, compliance internal controls will touch every aspect of the employment experience in a way that is not obtrusive and will not slow down what you are trying to achieve.  Take compliance as a platform in HR. At every point in talent management, HR can insert compliance into the cycle. Those points include the pre-employment interview and screening, the interview process with progressively higher senior management, the initial on-boarding process, the quarterly, semi-annual or annual performance review, annual bonus review, assessment and award, promotions and even exiting of an employee. The platform of compliance can record each of these touch points and you now have an internal control burned into HR which is a compliance internal control. Further, if there is any attempt to circumvent or over-ride one of these HR internal controls involving the hiring of a son or daughter of a foreign governmental official, a red flag can be raised and sent to the compliance function for further review.  Compliance is a marketing platform. Some attention has been paid to the use of compliance as a recruiting and hiring tool for millennials. One of the facts of their generation is they want to work at companies which are seen to be doing business ethically, all the while making money. Moreover, as Ethisphere demonstrates annually with its World’s Most Ethical Company awards, businesses which win those awards, on average, exceed the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) blue chip average for profitability. It will be interesting to see the results of ISO 37001 certification on financial profitability.  Compliance embraces public advocacy. The Volkswagen (VW) emissions-testing scandal is one of the largest corporate scandals of the past few years. One thing that makes the VW scandal so unique is that it is one of the few scandals where a company’s actions were so transgressive they damaged the reputations of its competitors. As a response to the VW scandal, Ulrich Grillo, President of the German industry association BDI, recognized that compliance is the answer. He urged companies to check their management processes, including compliance and control systems. He suggested one of the key questions to ask should be “Are we doing everything right?” When you have the President of a national industrial association saying compliance is the answer, you need to sit up and take notice. Three Key Takeaways  You must work to operationalize your compliance program. You must keep you program evolving in light of regulatory change and industry practices. Compliance is a business process.  For more information, check out my book Doing Compliance: Design, Create and Implement an Effective Anti-Corruption Compliance Program, which is available by clicking here.         Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices