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LevLane Announces Hiring of Chief Talent Officer, Adam Heagy

LevLane

LevLane announced today that it has hired Adam Heagy as its new Chief Talent Officer. Heagy is an experienced leader in HR and talent acquisition and development, and a veteran of the advertising talent world. Prior to joining LevLane, Heagy was President of Interactive Recruiting Consultants for nearly 10 years where he led all recruiting and talent efforts. “We’ve worked with Adam for years as our contract recruiter and he’s always been a true partner, providing reliable guidance and sending us fantastic talent,” said Josh Lev, SVP Brand Engagement at LevLane. “It was a natural fit to bring Adam into the LevLane family full-time to help us find the best talent for our future growth.” While at Interactive Recruiting Consultants, Heagy worked with a wide range of advertising and marketing agencies to source and recruit top talent. “LevLane has a phenomenal culture that is truly unique in the advertising world, said Heagy. “So, when the opportunity arose to join the team full-time, it was a no-brainer. I’m excited to be part of such a talented team and can’t wait to find that next generation of LevLane talent.” Heagy will be responsible for all talent acquisition and will head up the Human Resources Department, reporting to Chief Financial Officer, Nicole Landau. --- About LevLane LevLane is an award-winning, full-service, independent advertising agency in Philadelphia, PA that has been building brands people love for nearly 40 years. Contact Details LevLane Liz Weir +1 610-401-4825 lweir@levlane.com Company Website https://www.levlane.com

May 12, 2021 07:56 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Norwegian Cruise Line Celebrates Teacher Appreciation Week By 'Giving Joy' to Educators Across the U.S. and Canada

YourUpdateTV

In recognition and celebration of the countless teachers who have spent the last 15 months giving their all to students across the U.S. and Canada during these unprecedented times, Norwegian Cruise Line, the innovator in global cruise travel, announced this week the relaunch of its "Norwegian's Giving Joy TM" contest, which provides educators with free cruises and a chance to win up to $25,000 for their schools. Recently, Christine Da Silva, Vice President of Communications and Events at Norwegian Cruise Line, participated in a nationwide satellite media tour to discuss this exciting initiative. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/_QgnTvXUAvQ "Norwegian's Giving Joy" acknowledges the often-undervalued work of educators and highlights the intersection between travel and education. First launched with astounding success in 2019, with over 1.4 million votes for more than 46,000 teachers, and a total prize of over $100,000 for schools across North America, the contest heralds these selfless warriors. This year's campaign is especially significant given the elevated demands of this profession under pressure. For more information and to vote and nominate for a deserving teacher, visit nclgivingjoy.com About Christine Da Silva: Christine Da Silva is the vice president of Communication for Norwegian Cruise Line, responsible for the development and execution of the brand’s global external and internal communication strategy. Overseeing the Communication and Events teams, she leads the development of the brand narrative; is responsible for reputation, crisis and issue management; and has been instrumental in the launch of engagement initiatives including the game-changing Giving Joy and Encore Moments campaigns as well as the debut of the Company’s latest vessels. Da Silva has over 20 years of experience guiding brands and businesses in delivering authentic and impactful messages through integrated communication and marketing strategies that drive growth, sales and awareness. She is based in the Company’s head office in Miami, Florida About YourUpdateTV: YourUpdateTV is a social media video portal for organizations to share their content. It includes separate channels for Health and Wellness, Lifestyle, Media and Entertainment, Money and Finance, Social Responsibility, Sports and Technology. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

May 06, 2021 01:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Graphic novel tackles disinformation around COVID-19 Vaccine and critical 5G infrastructure

Stockwood Strategy

Sophisticated social media campaigns sponsored by bad state actors are responsible for creating and spreading disinformation around the critical Covid-19 Vaccine and emerging infrastructure such as 5G technology for communications. Erly Stage Studios has today published Bug Bytes, the digital graphic novel, which sheds a light on the disruptive forces at work. This book is the second installment of the graphic novels that are a part of the Resilience Series commissioned by the US Cyber Infrastructure and Security Agency (CISA). Bug Bytes will inform and educate people on the dangers and risks associated with dis- and mis- information through fictional stories inspired by real-world events. In Bug Bytes, readers will meet the protagonist Ava Williams, a journalist and academic, patriot and member of Symous - a group fighting disinformation and foreign interference in elections as polling day approaches. Ava’s life gets tangled up in a web of lies as her father, a 5G technician gets hurt and she works to understand what a seemingly innocent poll online related to 5G technology has to do with the 5G Vaccine? Ava is surprised by the reaction of the anti-vaccination community at what is proven to be engineered data and has the unenviable task of making the case to the public at large for how they can be weary on data online with unproven provenance. Farid Haque, founder and CEO of Erly Stage Studios commented: “We’re delighted to have been commissioned by CISA to create a practical and engaging communication tool that highlights the existential threat of disinformation in the context of bad state actors. While the story is fictional many of the approaches shown are very much grounded in the reality of the technology we live with and are exposed to almost daily.” Bug Bytes provides a unique education for the reader about the world of social media and how digital resources can be hijacked to serve a more nefarious agenda. The ability for foreign bad state actors to weld this kind of influence on another nation is unprecedented as is their ability to twist and manipulate a narrative to use domestic groups to do their bidding. The work helps the reader understand the need to exercise care when it comes to consuming news and information via social media platforms and online sources of information. In the story, Ava Williams and a team of patriots are racing against the clock to shine a spotlight on the source of disinformation engineered to hurt critical communication infrastructure and damage the Vaccine roll-out efforts. Ava’s investigative journalism leads her through the metaverse to find allies and discovers through hard graft that foreign actors are tinkering with public data to maliciously mislead and influence perceptions of 5G as a communications technology and its fabricated link to vaccine effectiveness. “Bug Bytes is the culmination of the wealth of experience that Clint Watts brings in cyber warfare and disinformation and our studio’s creative direction and storytelling style. We spent months researching the real life incidents and then wrapped them into a fictional story” added Farid Haque. The graphic novel is being made available by CISA to the general public online as a free resource as the Covid19 vaccine roll out continues to have an impact across the United States and the world at large. The work is available for free for the public and media to read at the following URL: https://www.cisa.gov/cfi-resilience-series-graphic-novels. A first title in the series was released a few months earlier last year ahead of the US elections titled Real Fakes. Watch this space and log back into https://publishing.erlystagestudios.com/ to learn more. Contributing artists to Bug Bytes include: Jose Niño Galenzoga, Patricia Beja, Mona Shan and Joel Santiago. Lettering and layouts by Komal N. and Haroon M. Story by Clint Watts and Farid Haque, supported by the script writing team which includes Michael Gianfrancesco and Kabir Sabharwal. Edited by Tolly M. and Laila Khan. Special thanks to Randall Heather and Max Brooks. Erly Stage Studios is an indie publisher, headquartered out of London, United Kingdom, capturing iconic stories in serious graphic novels. We are an expert team of educators, storytellers, and artists working to create awareness about important topics using the graphic novel medium. The team loves shining a spotlight on stories that are yet to see the light of graphic novels. As an expert team of teachers, researchers and designers the team works with innovative organisations and policymakers around the world to deliver soft power through engaging and creative projects. Contact Details Erly Stage Studios Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://publishing.erlystagestudios.com/

May 06, 2021 05:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Gojek Pledges to Achieve Zero Emissions, Zero Waste & Zero Barriers by 2030 in First Annual Sustainability Report

Gojek

JAKARTA, INDONESIA - Media OutReach - 30 April 2021 - As part of its sustainability mission to create positive impact and long-term value for people and the planet, Gojek, Southeast Asia's leading mobile on demand services and payments platform, today announced commitments to Three Zeros: Zero Emissions, Zero Waste and Zero Barriers, to be achieved by 2030. Gojek unveiled these pledges in its first annual Sustainability Report, which detailed its progress to date and way forward in implementing thorough environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices. Focusing on where the company can make the biggest impact for all of its stakeholders in line with pressing environmental and social issues, Gojek's approach will be structured around three specific areas: environmental sustainability (GoGreener) to achieve Zero Emissions and Zero Waste, as well as socio-economic progress (GoForward) and equality and inclusion (GoTogether) to achieve Zero Barriers. Gojek's ESG report is the first to be compiled by a Southeast Asian Internet company in alignment with international standards. [1] Select disclosures relating to the relevant material issues have been assured by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Indonesia [2]. Gojek is leading the region's tech industry in integrating ESG best practices across its business and voluntarily disclosing its performance on material ESG issues. Kevin Aluwi, Co-CEO, Gojek, said, "We have always been a company that is focused on finding the intersection of what is good for society and company growth. It is part of our DNA and the reason people come to work at Gojek. As we've grown, it has become more important to develop a way to make sure we hold ourselves to account and are constantly pushing forward and leading the industry on issues that are so important to us and society as a whole. That's why we are scaling our efforts to embed environmental and social considerations into the very heart of our organization. In doing so, we hope to create lasting, impactful change for our communities, partners and the world we live in, ensuring we can live up to our mission for the long term." Andre Soelistyo, Co-CEO, Gojek, added, "There is a pressing need for the private sector to take action and help address the most critical environmental and social issues that plague our planet and communities today. As Gojek continues to grow in size and strength, with millions relying on our platform daily, we have a responsibility to do so sustainably. Through the integration of industry-leading ESG practices, we are ensuring we do business better across our entire ecosystem, while paving the way for other companies in the region to do the same. These are issues that are of increasing importance to stakeholders everywhere and we are determined to exceed their expectations for the good of Indonesia, Southeast Asia and the rest of the world." Gojek is already making significant strides towards its targets, which will be reviewed and disclosed annually: The report embodies Gojek's commitment to supporting the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To ensure greater accountability, the company is also forming a Sustainability Advisory Council, comprising impartial external experts from various organizations including UN Women, ASEAN Centre of Energy, University of Indonesia and more. "With less than 10 years to achieve the SDGs, we have to act now. By using the best available science, aligning with global standards and accreditations and applying a data-driven approach to our methodology, we are ensuring our strategy is as robust, relevant and impactful as possible. We also know we cannot achieve this alone and will leverage our network of like-minded partners to accelerate our progress through innovative and transformative expertise and capabilities," said Tanah Sullivan, Group Head of Sustainability, Gojek. Dr. Allinnettes Adigue, Head of the ASEAN Regional Hub of GRI, said: "Corporate sustainability is good for the people, planet and long-term profitability of a company because in the end, no one can do business in a dead planet. It is no longer a question of whether companies should report on their sustainability impact. Sustainability reporting is here to stay. It is now a question of whether what companies report are accurate and relevant, and clearly communicates their impact on the economy, environment and society. These issues matter to a wide range of stakeholders, not just the narrow interests of a few. "GRI Standards, as the most widely used reporting standards in the world, is not just a reporting blueprint but more importantly, it provides organisations a global common language to set their sustainability goals and regularly measure, analyse and report on their progress. In turn, this allows them to continuously improve their sustainability performance. The GRI Standards encourages companies to focus on material topics that reflect their most significant sustainability impact through the use of quantitative data, narrative assessments and indicator-based systems." Protecting livelihoods and sustaining the community amid COVID-19 Gojek also helped to minimise the impact of COVID-19 across its ecosystem, ensuring the health and safety of stakeholders, developing new products and services to meet changing needs and creating alternative income opportunities for merchants and driver partners. In 2020, Gojek founded the Anak Bangsa Bisa Foundation (YABB) to support its partners and the wider community affected by the pandemic, raising IDR 100 billion from senior leadership and GoTroops and IDR 20 billion from corporate donations and other donation programs [6]. Gojek also protected consumers and the wider community, leveraging the scale of its network to keep consumers up to date on health and safety guidelines as well as launching several app features and initiatives to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and support frontline workers. The full Sustainability Report can be found here. [1] Gojek's first Sustainability Report is aligned with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB). [2] KAP Tanudiredja, Wibisana, Rintis & Rekan, the Indonesian member firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers' global network, has undertaken a limited assurance engagement on the selected disclosure according to the relevant GRI standards in response to Gojek's material ESG issues. [3] The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol defines Scope 1 emissions as all direct GHG emissions, Scope 2 emissions as indirect GHG emissions from the consumption of purchased electricity, heat or steam and Scope 3 emissions as all other indirect emissions that are not covered in Scope 2. [4] The collaboration with PromoGo enables two-wheel driver partners to earn additional income by carrying advertisements on their vehicles while GoCek is an in-app feature that enables Gojek driver partners to work on additional tasks (such as validating the onboarding of new GoFood merchants) in their spare time to earn more income. [5] Employee Resource Groups are voluntary, employee-led groups that provide a safe, supportive space for individuals with shared experiences. [6] Equivalent to approximately US$6.9 million from senior leadership and GoTroops and US$1.4 million from corporate donations and other donation programs, at time of reporting. About Gojek’s Sustainability Report This is Gojek's first annual Sustainability Report, to disclose its performance on material ESG topics to all stakeholders. Following this year, the report will be published on an annual basis as part of the company's ongoing voluntary disclosure of ESG performance and related metrics.This report has been externally assured by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and prepared in accordance with the GRI Standards as it represents the global best practice for sustainability reporting. Gojek has also applied two sector-specific reporting standards by SASB, 1. Internet Media and Services and 2. Road Transportation, to guide its disclosures on the financial materiality of sector-specific ESG issues.More information about the different disclosures presented in the report and how they align to GRI and SASB standards can be found in pages 42 and 46 of the Sustainability Report. About Gojek Gojek is Southeast Asia's leading on-demand platform and a pioneer of the multi-service ecosystem model, providing access to a wide range of services including transportation, food delivery, logistics and more. Gojek is founded on the principle of leveraging technology to remove life's daily frictions by connecting consumers to the best providers of goods and services in the market.The company was established in 2010 focusing on courier and motorcycle ride-hailing services, before launching the app in January 2015 in Indonesia. Since then, Gojek has grown to become the leading on-demand platform in Southeast Asia, providing access to a wide range of services from transportation, to food delivery, logistics and many others.Gojek now operates across main cities in four Southeast Asian countries. As of March 2021, Gojek's application and its ecosystem have been downloaded more than 190 million times by users across Southeast Asia.Gojek is dedicated to solving the daily challenges faced by consumers, while improving the quality of life for millions of people across Southeast Asia, especially those in the informal sector and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).The Gojek application is available for download via iOS and Android.#Gojek Contact Details Reisha Nagrani Gojek reisha.nagrani@gojek.com

April 30, 2021 05:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Sixty-Nine BIPOC-Owned Small Businesses In Washington To Receive Free Computer Equipment and Internet Services or Advertising from Comcast RISE

Comcast Washington

Comcast today announced it will award technology, and, or marketing resources to 69 Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC)-owned small businesses statewide as a part of the company’s latest round of grants from its Comcast RISE program. These recipients are part of roughly 2,500 entrepreneurs nationwide who have been selected as awardees since the program’s inception in November, including approximately 100 in Washington state. According to a National Bureau of Economic Research study, the number of Black business owners plummeted last year from 1.1 million to 640,000 in four months — a 41% loss. Other communities of color also experienced deep losses, including immigrant (a 36 percent drop), Latinx (32 percent), and Asian (26 percent) business owners. Comcast RISE was formed in 2020 to give BIPOC-owned small businesses the tools needed to not just survive, but thrive. The program provides grants to Black and BIPOC-owned small businesses nationwide, which includes Hispanic and Asian American-owned businesses, among others. Comcast also announced a goal to support 13,000 small businesses by 2022 through the program with a TV campaign, production of a TV commercial or consulting services from Effectv; or computer equipment, internet, voice or cybersecurity from Comcast Business; or a monetary grant. “Our small businesses are incredibly resilient, and have adapted to constant change over the past year. Seattle is a technology hub, however, we quickly realized that some small businesses—many of which are owned by Black, Indigenous and other people of color—did not have the same level of technological infrastructure that other businesses had when it was time to quickly pivot to an online based business model” said Pamela Banks, Interim Director of the Seattle Office of Economic Development, and Director of Recovery and Equitable Investments. “Comcast has been a critical partner for OED, as we have worked together to respond to the digital divide that is impacting our small businesses owned by people of color, immigrants, and refugees. These grants will be a game changer, as we move forward in a world so heavily reliant on technology and marketing capabilities.” Through Comcast RISE, the company creates sustainable impact and meaningful support for communities that have been hit hardest by the global pandemic and the BIPOC-owned small businesses that shape them. More BIPOC-owned small businesses throughout Washington are encourage d to apply now and take advantage of this opportunity Eligible businesses can apply directly online at www.comcastrise.com/apply/. Eligible businesses can apply for the following: Marketing Services: The following services from Effectv, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable, and its creative agency, Mnemonic, are designed to help recipients with their marketing and media campaigns, including: Media: A linear TV media campaign to run over a 90-day period. Creative Production: Turnkey 30-second TV commercial production, plus a media strategy consultation and a 90-day linear TV media campaign. Consulting: Advertising and marketing consultations with local Effectv marketing, research and creative teams to gain insights on how to drive business. Technology Makeovers: The state-of-the-art equipment and technology upgrade from Comcast Business includes computer equipment as well as internet, voice and cybersecurity services for up to a 12-month period. (Taxes and other fees may still apply for tech makeover services.) Monetary Grants: The Comcast RISE Investment Fund will provide $5 million in grants to 500 BIPOC-owned small businesses in five cities: Philadelphia/Chester, Houston, Atlanta, Chicago and Detroit. Comcast plans to expand that monetary support to other cities across the country over the next year. “Congratulations to all of the grant recipients across our state today. Comcast Business is dedicated to lifting up businesses and providing a human touch that offers them the support they need, and we are truly proud to be able to support these owners through Comcast RISE,” said Robert Brenner, VP of Comcast Business in Washington. “We have now been able to offer 100 grants to businesses across our state since we launched this program in November, and we’ve seen firsthand how marketing and technology resources can have a true impact on owners and help them bounce forward into 2021.” Quotes from Comcast RISE Winners Across the Puget Sound Region “It was a pleasant surprise to be chosen as one of the first Comcast RISE winners in Washington! Comcast gave Your Money Matters Mentoring technology and equipment that will be a tremendous help for our organization. Being a nonprofit mentorship program for youth this support helped us tremendously as we have had to go digital to continue to provide our financial training programs. The work we do in the community is about empowering youth, particularly young people from communities of color, by helping them understand how to set themselves up for a better financial future. Change can’t come for our underserved youth and for minority-owned businesses without people and organizations in our community coming together to support one another. It is great to see a big public company like Comcast helping in this effort, and we are grateful for their support.” – Clinton Taylor, Founder and Executive Director of Your Money Matter Mentoring in Auburn “When COVID-19 hit, I found myself starting over. I made the tough decision to close a consulting business I had led for 20 years. But challenges like this bring new beginnings, and I set out to create a new business over the last year that combines my Latinx roots and my passion for creating something that our community loves. I'm honored to share Komadre Kombucha with friends and neighbors in Tacoma. It has been a fantastic journey, and community partnerships and support from organizations like Comcast have helped turn this dream into a reality. We are excited to open our doors this year, and I know that the technology resources from Comcast will help us serve the community con sabor (with flavor).” – Julie Davidson, Owner-Operator of Komadre Kombucha in Tacoma “As a Black-owned business, we are honored to be selected by Comcast to receive this award. We plan to use this award to continue providing world-class service at our client-focused firm.” –KD Hall, the CEO and Principal Consultant at KD Hall Communications in Federal Way. “COVID continues to make it difficult for our staff to meet with each other and clients in-person, so technology is essential to help us get work our done and keep everyone collaborating from afar. “We greatly value our clients and the technology makeover from the Comcast Rise program will help us be able to communicate with them and each other better than ever. And that’s good for business.” – Janelle Bailey, owner of Washington Injury Law in Seattle. "Blessings is so grateful to be a recipient of the Comcast Business Grant! This grant provided exactly what Blessings needed and just in the nick of time!" – Delphia Brewton, Blessings From My Heart to your Table in Tukwila Comcast RISE also invests in ongoing mentorship and resources to help businesses succeed over the long-term. The program has partnered with Ureeka, an online platform for entrepreneurs, to provide grant recipients with business coaching to help build skills in company foundation, growing customers and financial stability. All Comcast RISE recipients will also have a specialized online networking community within Ureeka with access to educational resources, sources of capital, and vetted experts such as U.S. Black Chambers, National Asian Pacific Islander Chamber of Commerce & Entrepreneurship, U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Association for Enterprise Opportunity, Walker’s Legacy and Operation Hope. A key part of Comcast RISE is ensuring business sustainability. As such, Comcast has already invested more than $2 million in more than 20 community-based organizations and diverse chambers of commerce to provide additional support to BIPOC-owned small businesses. About Comcast Business About Comcast Business Comcast Business offers Ethernet, Internet, Wi-Fi, Voice, TV and Managed Enterprise Solutions to help organizations of all sizes transform their business. Powered by an advanced network, and backed by 24/7 customer support, Comcast Business is one of the largest contributors to the growth of Comcast Cable. Comcast Business is the nation’s largest cable provider to small and mid-size businesses and has emerged as a force in the Enterprise market; recognized over the last two years by leading industry associations as one of the fastest growing providers of Ethernet services. For more information, call 866- 429-3085. Follow on Twitter @ComcastBusiness and on other social media networks at http://business.comcast.com/social. About Effectv Effectv, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable, helps local, regional and national advertisers use the best of digital with the power of TV to grow their business. It provides multi-screen marketing solutions to make advertising campaigns more effective and easier to execute. Headquartered in New York with offices throughout the country, Effectv has a presence in 66 markets with nearly 30 million households with video service. For more information, visit www.effectv.com. About Comcast Corporation Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company that connects people to moments that matter. We are principally focused on broadband, aggregation, and streaming with over 56 million customer relationships across the United States and Europe. We deliver broadband, wireless, and video through our Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky brands; create, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Universal Studio Group, Sky Studios, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, multiple cable networks, Peacock, NBCUniversal News Group, NBC Sports, Sky News, and Sky Sports; and provide memorable experiences at Universal Parks and Resorts in the United States and Asia. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information. Contact Details Comcast Nick McDonald +1 425-977-5565 Nick_McDonald@Comcast.com Comcast Andy Colley +14252485438 Andy_Colley@Comcast.com

April 27, 2021 06:03 AM Pacific Daylight Time

Industries look at transition opportunities as they work towards decarbonization

Morgan Marketing & Communications

In recognition of Earth Day, Purify Fuel’s CEO, John Carroll, reports that the company’s nanO2 fuel additive catalyst is proving to be a significant contributor to companies seeking to reduce their emissions in order to meet corporate and ESG (environmental, social, and governance) goals that stakeholders and shareholders are demanding. Use as a tool for decarbonization by the mining, fracking, power generation, offshore and maritime industries using diesel fuel is accelerating leading to wholescale adoption of the technology. “In this period of increased concern about climate change impacts, industrial companies are seeking interim measures to reduce their emissions while they examine long term energy alternatives,” Carroll stated. “Purify Fuel’s nanO2 fuel additive is proving to be an effective tool to reduce emissions today, without making large capital investments in new engines or infrastructure. It is not yet clear what technologies will be adopted to reach the United Nation’s goals for limiting climate change. Until that clarity is achieved, and large-scale investments made, Purify Fuel’s nanO2 can support their desire to reduce emissions and achieve ESG goals today.” Purify Fuel’s nanO2 technology is a proprietary combustion catalyst which causes diesel fuel to accelerate its combustion process, creating 8% more power using an average of 9.2% less fuel and producing up to an average of 17% lower CO and 20% Nitrous oxide. Further, usage tests have demonstrated a 50& decrease in opacity. “We are partnering with our customers to help them achieve immediate ESG goals through reduced emissions from their diesel fueled engine use,” stated Carroll. “Especially on Earth Day, we are honored to be a transitional solution to reducing emissions and helping reverse the effects of climate change to achieve global goals.” Purify Fuel’s nanO2 is a game changing product scientifically proven to optimize fuel combustion to save fuel, reduce emissions, and protect engines without equipment modification or disruption in operations. With nanO2 fuel optimization, a practical, scalable solution to diesel energy challenges is available now. For more information, go to Purify Fuel nanO2 ESG technology. Contact Details Purify Fuel Carleen Lyden Walker +1 203-260-0480 c.walker@purifyfuel.com Company Website https://morganmarketcomm.com/

April 21, 2021 03:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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NAMEPA’s Maritime Sustainability Program Receives Global Recognition

North American Marine Environment Protection Association

Green4Sea has announced that the North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA) has won the 2021 Green4Sea Initiative Award for its CSR/ESG (Corporate Social Responsibility/Environment, Social and Governance) Maritime Sustainability Program. The Green4Sea award is given to an organization that has sparked, realized, or significantly contributed with a specific initiative towards greener shipping. NAMEPA is extremely proud of its contribution to the maritime industry with its CSR/ESG Program being the first known standards program of its kind developed especially for the maritime industry. Successful participants of NAMEPA’s CSR/ESG Program receive the Maritime Sustainability Passport and MSP Seal, signifying a participant has met, or exceeded benchmarks set by the program. The program encompasses the three strategies of CSR/ESG: environment, corporate governance, environment and the human element. “After reviewing the global maritime landscape, and verifying with The Governance and Accountability Institute, we have learned that NAMEPA’s CSR/ESG is the only ESG accreditation standard for maritime,” stated Carleen Lynden Walker, NAMEPA’s Co-Founder and Executive Director. “We are honored that we can provide this opportunity for the industry to be credibly recognized for its high standards on these measures which are important to the public as well as investors in shipping and the industry at large.” The first companies to qualify for NAMEPA’s Maritime Sustainability Passport were Cargill, The American Club and Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC). These three exemplary companies successfully completed all three phases of the program, including supplying supporting documentation for their claims. Their submissions were then evaluated by a team of independent assessors to determine whether they met the criteria of the CSR/ESG Program and were eligible to receive NAMEPA’s MSP Certificate and Seal. Cargill, The American Club and MSC successfully demonstrated to the assessors their qualifications to receive the Maritime Sustainability Passport, and have proven their dedication and continuing efforts to Save Our Seas. “The maritime industry is rapidly recognizing the importance of demonstrating its commitment to sustainability” stated NAMEPA Chairman Joe Hughes, CEO and President of the Shipowners Claims Bureau. “NAMEPA identified the need to provide the industry with a standard guideline of expectations relating to a company’s efforts in CSR/ESG. We are pleased to provide this tool for the industry to support its efforts towards sustainability.” To learn more about NAMEPA’s CSR/ESG Program, visit NAMEPA's CSR/ESG Maritime Sustainability Program - NAMEPA or email CSR-ESGProgram@nameapa.net with any relevant questions. The program is offered to NAMEPA members at no cost to qualify for the Maritime Sustainability Passport and receive the MSP seal. Non-members are welcome to apply to participate at a cost of $2000 or become NAMEPA members and have the fee waived. To protect the proprietary information of the qualifying companies, NAMEPA offers a non-disclosure agreement. The North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA) was officially launched in 2007. NAMEPA is a marine industry-led organization of environmental stewards preserving the marine environment by promoting sustainable marine industry best practices and educating seafarers, students and the public about the need and strategies for protecting global ocean, lake and river resources. For more information, go to www.namepa.net. Contact Details NAMEPA Carleen Lyden Walker +1 203-255-4686 executivedirector@namepa.net Company Website https://namepa.net/

April 21, 2021 12:01 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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CMMC Center of Excellence Announces Engagement Agreement with CICER ONE TECHNOLOGIES

Interoperability Clearinghouse

The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification Center of Excellence ( CMMC COE ), hosted by the Information Technology Acquisition Advisory Council (IT-AAC), a public-private partnership serving the public and private sectors for more than 15 years, is excited to announce a partnership with Cicer One Technologies, an innovative company with a suite of communications and data management and protection tools that are specifically designed to end 3rd party exposure of sensitive information, to protect CUI, intellectual property and sensitive financial, customer, and employee data. Decentralized Autonomous Edge Computing by Cicer One Technologies Inc provides turn-key compliance solutions for CMMC, NIST 800-171, ITAR and Federal or State level privacy requirements. Zero-trust, jurisdictionally controlled management of users, documents, and chat communications enables non-technical business owners the confidence and ease-of-use required to achieve compliance in a cost-effective manner. This unique partnership will extend efforts to identify and include proven capabilities within the CMMC COE Marketplace to improve cybersecurity protection and resilience for the global defense industrial base network of contractors, vendors, and suppliers. The executed Engagement Agreement establishes a collaborative engagement between Cicer One Technologies and the CMMC COE to partner in the furthering of their respective and complementary missions and objectives regarding the adoption, use, and expansion of CMMC based cybersecurity practices, risk management, and compliance for the DIB contractor, vendor, and supplier community of providers creating a broader CMMC ecosystem globally to improve security and resilience. Specific actions will include: The co-development of CMMC advisory services, cyber training and education programs to accelerate CMMC certification, increase cyber adoption and improve cyber protection & resilience. Co-sponsor symposiums, training programs and podcasts leveraging their combined cyber and IT expertise. Host regular working groups, with other partners, to enable collaboration and communications. Establish an independent Industry Cyber Security Advisory Council with peer organizations to advise and educate leaders across government and industry on the continued evolution and effectiveness of CMMC. The CMMC-COE ( http://cmmc-coe.org ) and Cicer One Technologies ( https://ciceronetech.com ) partnership will focus on bringing together the many disparate cyber and national security communities of interest to reduce complexity, improve awareness, and accelerate industry effort to become more cyber resilient against the growing threats from nation states and criminal enterprises. “We are excited to embark on this journey with Cicer”, said John Weiler, Chairman of the Board at CMMC Center of Excellence, “The foundation of CMMC starts with visibility into devices in the network and the risks they bring. This new partnership will further help advance the goals and objectives for improving the supply chain security and resilience for the US Department of Defense (DoD)”. Cicer One Technologies adds to the growing list of recognized technology providers contributing to the growth and advancement of the CMMC compliance knowledge base, product refinement, and education collateral. Together we share the responsibility to accurately disseminate knowledge and education thereby building cyber resiliency across the DIB supply chain. “This new partnership further enables important and critical discussions regarding cybersecurity and the protection of the DIB supply chain. We are excited to contribute in the development and education of policy, products, and services throughout the adoption of the CMMC protocol supporting contractors across the country,” said Robert Embleton, CEO. The CMMC-COE establishes both a Market Place and Knowledge Clearinghouse that will include resources that support the overall effort, including white papers; tutorials; recorded webcasts; presentations; and more that will help reduce the cost and burden on small and medium size contractors already struggling from the impact of COVID. For more information on the CMMC Center of Excellence, please visit http://cmmc-coe.org, email info@cmmc-coe.org or call 703-863-3766 For more information on Cicer One Technologies, please visit https://ciceronetech.com/ email info@ciceronetech.com or call 512-582-7009 About Us ---------- CMMC-COE.ORG is a unique non-profit public-private partnership, with a vision to accelerate Cybersecurity Maturity Model (CMM) adoption, and reduce time & cost for security compliance for our partners by leveraging commercial best practices, CMMC standards, and innovative solutions for a measurable success. Our mission, focused on DOD mission objectives, cost containment and expeditious CMMC compliance, is to help the DIB improve cyber posture and resilience, and simplify its acquisition. The CMMC-COE is hosted by the Information Technology Acquisition Advisory Council (IT-AAC), a public/private partnership (P3) chartered in 2007 as an honest broker to reach outside the confines of the Federal IT advisories that lack dynamic reach into the Global IT Market, and dedicated to the adoption of commercial IT management standards of practice and innovations emanating from the Global IT market. Team IT-AAC has already demonstrated the value of its decade long investment, and provides a unique value to agencies seeking to achieve accelerate the transformation of legacy processes and systems. Our Just-in-Time SMEs apply an innovative suite of Technology Business Management and Agile Acquisition Processes needed to assure the business value of commercial IT. The Interoperability Clearinghouse (ICH), is the managing partner that make up the 24 NGO/SDO organizations that make up the IT-AAC. ICH provides the contract vehicles, clearances, and critical resources proven to guide sustainable, measurable and repeatable processes needed to drive better investment decisions as the speed of mission need, while aligning existing processes, methods and workforce with IT reform mandates contained in Clinger Cohen Act, FITARA, IT MGT Act, EO13838. Contact Details Bob Dix +1 703-975-6633 bob.dix@it-aac.org Company Website https://cmmc-coe.org

April 20, 2021 06:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

XA Network expands and appoints senior advisory board, as Southeast Asia digital economy races ahead

XA Network

The XA Network [the X denotes any tech firm with $1b+ valuation and the A refers to Alumni], the leading member-based investment network of executives from prominent tech firms in Southeast Asia, has today appointed an advisory board. The appointments signal the organisation's growth and reach, as the Southeast Asian digital economy proves resilient and is racing ahead at full velocity. John Wood (ex-Microsoft, Room To Read), Steve Chen (co-founder of YouTube), Maya Hari (Twitter) and David Thevenon (Balderton Capital, ex-Google) have been appointed to advisory board positions. They will work directly with the members as the organisation scales and will champion the new purpose - to be an organisation that fosters inclusive innovation for the benefit of start-ups across Southeast Asia. On his appointment, John Wood, advisory board member at XA Network commented: “I’m delighted to join this esteemed board to support and drive the ambitious community of investors. The XA Network brilliantly embodies Metcalfe's law – e.g., the value of a network rises exponentially as the number of users grows. I believe this generation of technology leaders, by working together to support the start-up ecosystem in Southeast Asia, will have an immense impact on the region. We are all very committed to the power of smart capital, intense mentoring and fuelling inclusive innovation. This approach resonates with me on many levels and I look forward to helping XA Network scale to the next level”. The XA Network is made up of 100 tech leaders from companies including Alibaba, Gojek, Grab, Google, Amazon, Netflix, YouTube amongst others. These investors offer an unmatched array of skills and counsel to their portfolio companies from engineering advice, product management, to marketing and partnership building experience. As a collective, this is embodied in their purpose to foster inclusive innovation beyond simply investing in start-ups. The XA Network exists to empower the tech community in Southeast Asia with its inclusive innovation approach. The Southeast Asia digital economy is forging new ground every year* and 2020 was no different, despite COVID-19. Over 70% of the region is now online, accounting for 400 million people (of a total population of 580 million). Digital adoption of consumer-service businesses increased as more people spent time online during lockdowns. HealthTech and EdTech based companies are earmarked to take-off in the coming years. Overall, the digital economy added USD $100 billion to the region and is poised to grow to over USD $300 billion by 2025. The XA Network portfolio businesses are making a positive impact across the region such as Indonesian startups, Sampingan who enable access to the gig economy and Bukukas who enable small businesses to digitize their operations. Meanwhile, Singapore-based mentor platform Tigerhall is connecting the world’s most successful people with young professionals. Nellie Wartoft, CEO at Tigerhall commented: "We raised $2m in 2020, it was a huge milestone for the company but we had a lot to do. The XA Network members are some of the absolute most supportive investors I've ever had on my cap table. They're never afraid of rolling up their sleeves and doing real work either, which is rare to find amongst investors. They feel much more like an extended team than just financial investors to me, and have been key to Tigerhall's success." The appointments come at an exciting time for XA Network as they achieved their first exit. Lomotif, Singapore’s video-sharing service, was acquired by a syndicate for US$125 million. The deal is said to be one of the biggest exits by a tech startup in Singapore in recent years. XA Network highlights (last 12 months) Membership base increased from 50 to 100 people in March 2021 XA Network portfolio includes 30 start-ups in a range of sectors including mobility, healthtech, foodtech, edtech, adtech, fintech, social commerce, proptech Portfolio companies have also gone on to raise $82m in follow-on capital Notes to the editor * e-Conomy SEA 2020 Report About the XA Network The XA Network [the X denotes any tech firm with $1b+ valuation and the A refers to Alumni] is an investment network comprising senior executives from prominent tech companies including Alibaba, Gojek, Grab, Google, Amazon, Netflix and Twitter amongst others. Its mission is to invest and empower early-stage companies across Southeast Asia through their inclusive innovation approach, by exposing these businesses to the wide array of skills in the network. Since 2018, they have made 30 investments and expanded their member base to 100 people. XA Network has invested in a wide variety of promising companies including Bukukas, Tigerhall, Sampingan, Neuron, and Infradigital as well as the Vertex Southeast Asia and India fund. Contact Details XA Network Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 press@xanetwork.co Company Website https://xanetwork.co/

April 19, 2021 08:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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