Wednesday, December 11, 2013

International Leaders Close CGI Latin America Meeting with a Focus on Fortifying the Region’s Progress

CGI Latin America attendees announced 27 Commitments to Action valued at more than $222 million, which aim to positively impact the lives of more than 500,000 people

President Clinton convened Top business, government, and NGO leaders, including President Dilma Rousseff of Brazil, NIKE President and CEO Mark Parker, Inter-American Development Bank President Luis Alberto Moreno, Grupo Omnilife CEO Angélica Fuentes, Mayor of Rio de Janeiro Eduardo Paes, Mayor of Municipalidad Metropolitana de Lima Susana Villarán de la Puente, Natura Chief Executive Officer Alessandro Carlucci, Pro Mujer President and CEO Rosario Pérez, Gerdau Chairman of the Board of Directors Jorge Gerdau Johannpeter, and BTG Pactual Chief Executive Officer André Esteves, convened December 8-10 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to promote successful efforts already underway in the region and advance new solutions to the social and economic challenges that remain

Chelsea Clinton, Vice Chair of the Clinton Foundation, hosted the sixth Clinton Foundation Day of Action on December 8, bringing people together for a day of volunteering, giving back to the local community in Rio de Janeiro by transforming a community day care center in the Morro do Vidigal neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro – Today, the Clinton Global Initiative Latin America (CGI Latin America) meeting concluded in Rio de Janeiro, where leaders from across Latin America and around the world explored how to carry Latin America’s social and economic progress into the future. Government leaders, top CEOs, and executives from leading NGOs focused on developing human capacity, designing for green growth, and harnessing innovation and technology in the region.



Participants developed and announced 27 Commitments to Action - new, specific, and measurable plans to address a challenge facing Latin America. These 27 commitments, valued at more than $222 million, will positively impact the lives of more than 500,000 people in Latin America and beyond. Overall, CGI members have made more than 2,500 commitments, which are improving the lives of more than 430 million people in over 180 countries. When fully funded and implemented, these commitments will be valued at $87.9 billion. Of these, CGI members globally had already made 616 commitments around the world that directly impact the Latin American region since the Clinton Global Initiative launched in 2005. More than 250 of these commitments are specifically designed to improve lives throughout Latin America exclusively, and have an estimated value of $4.6 billion dollars when fully funded and implemented.

As part of the event, Chelsea Clinton, Vice Chair of the Clinton Foundation, hosted the sixth Clinton Foundation Day of Action on December 8, bringing people together for a day of volunteering in Rio de Janeiro. Volunteers helped transform the Mini Creche Santo Amaro – a community day care center in the Morro do Vidigal community of Rio de Janeiro. Started by Chelsea Clinton in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, the Clinton Foundation ‘Day of Action” program seeks to create service opportunities and mobilize thousands of volunteers to give back to their respective communities. This was the sixth Day of Action, which all together has mobilized a total of 3,000 people donating more than 15,000 volunteer hours.  This was the first Day of Action outside of the United States.

This meeting reflects President Clinton's ongoing efforts through the Clinton Foundation to mobilize philanthropy and corporate social responsibility in all parts of the globe. Since leaving office, President Clinton has made many trips to Latin America. CGI Latin America built on President Clinton’s years of dedication to the region, from his time in government to the Clinton Foundation’s work in Latin America.

  • Since 2007, the Clinton Climate Initiative and C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group have been empowering cities in Latin America to invest in green technologies and fight climate change— including Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paolo’s deployment of low-carbon transportation, Bogotá, Colombia’s retrofitting of traffic lights, and Mexico City’s improvement of waste management systems.
  • Since 2007, the Clinton Giustra Enterprise Partnership (Enterprise Partnership) empowers individuals across Latin America to work themselves out of poverty. The Enterprise Partnership creates distribution, supply chain and programs training social enterprises, including the Acceso Training Center in Colombia that will place 20,000 people in jobs and the Chakipi Distribution venture that will train 3,000 women for distribution jobs in Peru.
  • The Clinton Foundation, since 2010, has raised a total of $34 million for Haiti, including relief funds and also conducts projects focused on supporting Haiti’s small and medium businesses, improving livelihoods, enhancing education and exploring the nexus of agriculture, energy and environment.

Sponsors for the CGI Latin America meeting included: Amil, Andrade Gutierrez, CCR, CNI, ExxonMobil, Grupo ABC, Grupo Contax, Grupo Puntacana, Inter-American Development Bank, InterEnergy, Itaú Unibanco, Laureate Education, Light, OAS, Oi, PWC, Rockefeller Foundation, Santander, The Coca-Cola Company, The Dow Chemical Company, and Valor Econômico.

New CGI Commitments to Action made at the meeting include:

L!VE-Brazil: Healthy Kids, Improved Lives
Commitment By:  SHE Foundation; Fundació Fútbol Club Barcelona; Inter-American Development Bank
Partner(s):  Sesame Workshop; Fundación Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares; Nike, Inc.; Mount Sinai Foundation; Neymar Foundation
In 2013, SHE Foundation, Futbol Club Barcelona Foundation, and the Inter-American Development Bank committed to develop L!VE-Brazil, a school-based intervention program that utilizes new technologies and interactive activities to engage children and promote behavioral changes necessary to prevent the rise of chronic disease. L!VE-Brazil will adapt Sesame Workshop content for use in Brazilian pre-schools, developing materials to promote a reduction of sedentary behavior and adoption of a healthier lifestyle.

Teaching Retrofitting to Foster Safer Housing in Colombia
Commitment By: Build Change
Partner(s): Servicio Nacional de Aprendizaje; SwissContact; Risk Management Solutions, Inc.
In 2013, Build Change committed to develop the capacity of Colombia's Servicio Nacional de Aprendizaje and other Colombian organizations by providing Training-of-Trainers in retrofitting techniques. Build Change will design two targeted courses: the first course will teach Colombian engineers, architects and construction technicians to conduct seismic evaluations, produce retrofitting designs and provide supervision during retrofitting; the second course will train builders in retrofitting techniques. Those trained will in turn train other implementing organizations in Colombia.

The Water for São Paulo Movement
Commitment By:  The Nature Conservancy
Partner(s):  FEMSA; Ambev; Kimberly-Clark Corporation; Itaú Unibanco S/A; Sotreq; Town of Extrema; Grupo ABC
In 2013, The Nature Conservancy committed to mobilize a broad coalition of businesses, government agencies, water utilities, nonprofit organizations and watershed committees over a two-year period to fund, implement and manage green infrastructure conservation and restoration projects in São Paulo's most important watersheds. This commitment will create the enabling conditions to restore 30,000 acres of priority water-provision areas, conserve 370,500 hectares of standing forests and control erosion on 5,434 hectares over the following ten years.

Generating Employment Opportunities for Youth in LAC
Commitment By: Inter-American Development Bank
Partner(s): Microsoft Corporation; Caterpillar Inc.; WalMart Stores, Inc.; International Youth Foundation; CEMEX Corporation; Arcos Dorados; Confederação Nacional da Indústria (CNI)
In 2013, The Inter-American Development Bank committed to roll out the implementation of the New Employment Opportunities program in 10 Latin American countries. These programs will build multi-stakeholder alliances to design effective youth employability strategies to achieve the common goal of significantly boosting job entry for 500,000 disadvantaged youth across Latin America, at least 50% of which will be women and girls. Ultimately, the NEO seeks to incorporate the most effective job skills programs into public education systems, national employment services and job training institutions, building the capacity to respond to the growing demands of both businesses and poor and low-income youth.

New Social Finance Tools to Impact 100,000 Lives in Brazil
Commitment By: SITAWI
Partner(s): Mais Unidos Group; WalMart Stores, Inc.; The Dow Chemical Company; Instiglio; Família C
In 2013, SITAWI committed to expanding its loan and donor-advised fund offering by $3.5 million to now total $5 million in new funds and mechanisms to transform the social and philanthropic sector in Brazil. SITAWI and its partners will develop tools, raise funds and operate them in sector-specific or community-based funds. This will create a tool to support long-term collaborations between social sector organizations, allowing them to achieve economies of scale and more transformational outcomes. By supporting ongoing efforts to create social impact bonds in Brazil; these new mechanisms will be open to new donors and partners creating the opportunity to engage multiple stakeholders.

Leveraging Opportunities for Amazonian Indigenous Youth
Commitment By: IKEA Foundation
Partner(s): Forest Trends; Associação Metareilá do Povo Indígena Surui; Equipe de Conservação da Amazônia (ECAM); Yawawaná Cultural Association; Acre Pro-Indian Commission; Kanindé Association
In 2013, the IKEA Foundation committed to creating opportunities for indigenous youth and women in the Surui and Yawanawa territories in the Brazilian Amazon, increasing their income generating capacity and improving their livelihoods from the sustainable management of their forests. This will be done through agroforestry training; sustainable renewable energy installation and training; peer youth learning exchanges, and women's empowerment. The objective of this initiative is to provide youth with the long-term prosperity and sustainable management of their land while continuing to financially support generations to come. The programs aim to affect 160 youth and 200 women by 2016.

Scaling Social Impact Bonds in Latin America
Commitment By: Instiglio
Partner(s): SITAWI
In 2013, Instiglio committed to launch two Social Impact Bonds (SIBs) in Latin America over a three year period. This not only marks the launch of the first SIB in Latin America, but potentially the first SIB in a low or middle income country. SIBs will provide up-front capital to scale early interventions in areas as diverse as early childhood development and diabetes management; with governments or international donors paying based on the achievement of measured results.

Communities and Kids Bite Back to Control Dengue
Commitment By: UBS AG
Partner(s): University of California, Berkeley; CIET International; Brandeis University; Municipality of Rio de Janeiro; Redes de Desenvolvimento da Maré; Federal University of Rio de Janeiro; RedeTrel
In 2013, the UBS Optimus Foundation committed to fund an initiative to curb the spread of dengue in Latin America. The foundation will expand on Camino Verde's successful pilot project to develop protocols for pesticide free interventions and a cluster randomized control trial, will conduct a trial to determine the capacity for the municipal and state governments to collaborate with community-led prevention efforts in Mexico, and pilot Dengue Torpedo, a mobile-application in Rio de Janeiro, which will be used as community platform to map mosquito breeding sites and provide low-cost education in health literacy.

Crafting Security: Advancing Artisan Incomes
Commitment By: Global Goods Partners
Partner(s): New York University; Swaziland Fair Trade Organization; Kiej de los Bosques, S.A.
In 2013, Global Goods Partners committed to develop and implement a well-structured, custom designed training and mentoring program that will match training and expertise to its partners' needs, thereby providing the critical components needed to develop sustainable craft enterprises. Over a three year period, GGP committed to train and mentor 20 organizations from Asia, Africa and Latin America, impacting the live of 3,000 craft makers that make a living from their craft enterprises.

Turning Waste into Opportunities: Dominican Republic & Haiti
Commitment By: Ciudad Saludable
Partner(s): ECORED; Ministry of Environment, Dominican Republic; CCN Giresol
In 2013, Ciudad Saludable committed to support the integration of waste pickers to the formal sector through the launch and implementation of five solid waste management projects in the Dominican Republic and Haiti. These projects will improve the working and living conditions of waste pickers by developing micro-enterprises, strengthening waste pickers' capacities, and creating a market for recycling materials. Over a three year period 140 waste pickers will enter the formal work sector, indirectly benefiting thousands through improved waste management and decreased CO2 emissions.

High-Impact Agriculture for Colombia's Small-Scale Farmers
Commitment By: Fairtrasa
Partner(s): Ashoka: Innovators for the Public; Endeavor Global; abc* Foundation
In 2013, Fairtrasa committed to partner with 3,000 small-scale banana, avocado, and lime farmers and 300 packers in Colombia to bring their local produce to global markets at fair prices in a $1.5 million program over a four-year period. Fairtrasa will implement its three-tier development model to support farmers at all development stages, by providing them with seeds, capital, tailored training programs and technical support, helping them obtain export certifications, and connecting them to Fairtrasa's global sales network.

Active Kids Do Better: Reshaping Brazil's Decade of Sport
Commitment By: Nike, Inc.
Partner(s): United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); Inter-American Development Bank; Natura Cosméticos S.A.; Municipality of Rio de Janeiro; Caixa Econômica Federal; Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale (GIZ); BMZ (German Federal Ministry for Econ Cooperation and Dev't); Instituto Bola Pra Frente; Central Única das Favelas
In 2013, NIKE, Inc. committed to join an unprecedented partnership of over 25 international and Brazilian organizations in the first effort to operationalize a global program, 'Designed to Move' in Brazil. The first component, the Active Schools Pilot, will increase both the quantity and quality of physical activity during school hours by building capacity of teachers and shifting school culture to value the overall benefits of physical activity. In the second component, Active Communities, Nike along with Caixa and Natura, will lead the private sector in funding grassroots sports and physical activity programs by embracing Brazil's innovative corporate tax credit system. Combined, these two components will directly impact the lives of 44,500 children in Brazil over a four year period, with plans to significantly scale impact over the next five years.

Team Brazil Social Legacy Fund
Commitment By: streetfootballworld
Partner(s): SITAWI; Ashoka: Innovators for the Public
In 2013, streetfootballworld committed to create the Team Brazil Social Legacy Fund, a unique funding mechanism that leverages the 2014 FIFA World Cup and 2016 Olympics in Brazil that will directly impact over 25,000 youth and children in Brazil. This fund will pool financial resources from partners all over the world to provide long-term sustainable support for sport-based development projects in Brazil. The overall aim of the fund is to be an inclusive investment opportunity for actors across the globe to contribute to a positive social legacy of the mega events in Brazil, and empower young, disadvantaged Brazilians with the skills necessary to create a better future for themselves and their communities

Bananeira Gera Renda- Generating Income for Women in Brazil
Commitment By: OAS S.A.
Partner(s): Municipality of Novo Lino
In 2013, OAS committed to certifying 200 women, from a community in Northeastern Brazil, in developing craft techniques using banana tree fibers. Teaching this technique will open new fronts of opportunity for these women, who will also receive training in entrepreneurship and cooperative management skills. By continuing to produce handmade goods in a sustainable way, they will improve the living conditions of local families.

Scaling Up STEM Brasil: Empowering Science and Math Teachers
Commitment By: Worldfund
Partner(s): Credit Suisse; Federative Republic of Brazil
In 2013, Worldfund committed to replicate and expand the STEM Brasil program by training an additional two-hundred teachers, consequently improving educational opportunities for 20,000 students in the state of São Paulo. By incorporating project-based training methods that develop 21st century skills into the state-mandated curriculum, Worldfund provides innovative methodology and pertinent activities that result in long-term improvements in teacher instructional methods and student learning outcomes.

Spreading Knowledge: Micro MBA for BOP Entrepreneurs
Commitment By: Frogtek
In 2013, Frogtek committed to develop a free mobile based application which will provide a micro MBA education to 10,000 entrepreneurs at the bottom of the pyramid in Colombia and Mexico. By educating these shopkeepers with fundamental business administration principles, Frogtek seeks to increase the sustainability and success of small businesses as they face heightened competition from larger businesses. Frogtek will also recruit experts in gaming, behavioral change techniques, and best business practices to develop a user friendly, innovative curriculum and coordinate the technical production of the mobile app.

Responsible Artisanal Fishing Systems: Restoring Ecosystems
Commitment By: AgroFrontera
Partner(s): Counterpart International; MacArthur Foundation; FoProBim
In 2013, AgroFrontera committed to work with artisanal fishing communities, fish and seafood companies, and other stakeholders in the northern border region of the Hispaniola Island to design, test and implement innovative cross-border value chains that link products from responsible fishing systems to high-value markets through the new SMART Association artisanal fishing certification program. Over two years, 500 fishers and 1200 fish workers will be directly impacted by the implementation of this commitment and an additional 28,400 family members, eco-tourism companies, local students and farmers, will indirectly benefit from the productivity or protective services provided by the marine ecosystems.

Nestlé Nutrir Crianças Saudáveis (Nestlé Healthy Kids)
Commitment By: Nestlé
Partner(s): International Assocation of Athletics Federations; Instituto Bola Pra Frente; Instituto Fernanda Keller; Casa do Zezinho; Bairro da Juventude
In 2013, Nestlé committed to expand its Nestlé Healthy Kids Program in Brazil (Nestlé Nutrir Crianças Saudáveis) with the objective of raising nutrition and health knowledge and promoting physical activity among 1 million more school-age children in Brazil. Nestlé will evaluate the performance and progress of each participating school, and provide positive incentives by presenting the annual Nestlé Nutrir award to the best school boasting outstanding progress.

Coca-Cola Coletivo: Scaling Sustainable Communities
Commitment By: The Coca-Cola Company
Partner(s): Inter-American Development Bank
In 2013, The Coca-Cola Company (TCCC), in partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank, committed to refine and expand the Coca-Cola Coletivo platform through a $16 million investment across three countries in Latin America and 12 cities in Brazil. This will impact more than 34,000 people in Brazil alone by 2017. This commitment, which is integrated into TCCC's value chain and is co-funded by the Inter-American Development Bank's Multilateral Investment Fund, will enhance opportunities to find employment, create new business enterprises and strengthen the self-confidence of low income residents in affected communities.

Water and Cities: Sharing Challenges and Solutions
Commitment By: Conservation International
Partner(s): Municipality of Rio de Janeiro; City of Bogota; Mexico City
In 2013, Conservation International committed to promote and facilitate a partnership among the cities of Bogota, Mexico City, and Rio de Janeiro to address the issue of ecosystem degradation resulting from urban growth and land use change, and the effects of climate change. Conservation International will help each city create a local alliance between local, state and/or national level governments, academia, the private sector, development agencies and civil society organizations and support the coordination, funding and management of local programs to protect ecosystems as well as to scale up ongoing activities in each city.

The Amapá Initiative
Commitment By:  Conservation International
Partner(s):  Amapá State Government; Fundo Vale; Global Conservation Fund
In 2013, Conservation International (CI) committed to supporting the two-year start-up phase of the Brazilian Amazon conservation project Amapá Initiative, an integrated approach for development that builds the capacity of civil society, promotes enabling policies and a strong governance system, and bolsters sustainable production chains in the protected forests. The initiative will help communities access markets and create their own associations with trainings in forest and watershed management. After the start-up phase, CI will implement these activities more broadly across the state of Amapá with the goal of an autonomous, stakeholder-led initiative with a fully capitalized endowment by 2020.

Investing in English Teacher Training Programs in Mexico
Commitment By:  Worldfund
Partner(s):  Dartmouth College; Credit Suisse; Google Inc.; Marshall Wace Asset Management
In 2013, Worldfund and Dartmouth College committed to expand their successful program, the Inter-American Partnership for Education (IAPE) to improve teacher quality in Mexico through an intensive two-week U.S.-based pedagogical training program. The program brings high-quality English language training to Mexican teachers and ensures language retention, enthusiasm, and learning outcomes in their students. With the opening of a second training site in Mexico, IAPE will double its training to 720 teachers per year in 2016 and will have impacted an estimated 700,000 students per year. After 2016, the program will continue to add an additional 160,000 students per year.

Responsible Fans: Stopping Violence in Football
Commitment By:  Republic of Colombia
Partner(s):  Fundación Colombianitos; streetfootballworld; Tiempo de Juego; Contexto Urbano
In 2013, the Colombian Ministry of Internal Affairs committed to bring together leaders from barras (football club supporters) and communities most affected by violence associated with football, in an effort to reduce conflict. This project will identify and promote six community engagement initiatives developed in partnership with the young barristas and community leaders, providing conflict resolution training, capacity building and business development skills to support them to develop a joint business plan. Six projects will be selected for implementation by the Ministry and provided with seed funding. The project will be rigorously monitored and evaluated to pave the way for future replication throughout Colombia.

Supporting the Growth of Brazil's Women-Led SMES
Commitment By:  Itaú Unibanco S/A
Partner(s):  Inter-American Development Bank; IFC
In 2013, Itaú committed to develop tailored financial products and services to directly meet the needs of women entrepreneurs in small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Over a two year period, Itaú will recruit 1,500 female entrepreneurs in partnership with the Goldman Sachs Foundation's ‘Ten Thousand Women’ Program and other businesses. Itaú will work closely with the selected clients to develop products and services that cater directly to their needs. They will also develop and implement an innovative decision-making matrix for risk assessment of women-led SMEs and the lessons learned will be used to adapt the model for future replication in Brazil.

TAKTAKTAK.COM: Learning by Playing
Commitment By:  Innova y Moderniza tu Aprendizaje AC (INOMA)
Partner(s):  United Mexican States; Grupo BBVA Bancomer; Nacional Monte de Piedad
In 2013, INOMA committed to significantly expand the reach and content of TAKTAKTAK.COM, an online platform that offers free educational games for children, ages 6 to 10. Over a two year period, INOMA will reach 120,000 in Mexico City and in the State of Puebla. Additionally, INOMA will complement the platform with 40 new games that will cover a broader spectrum of the basic education curriculum. Finally, INOMA will develop and implement a predictive algorithm that monitors each user's learning progress, collecting crucial feedback to improve the games platform and provide educational authorities and institutions with aggregated data which may inform and improve national education strategies.

Social Entrepreneurs Positively Transforming Communities
Commitment By:  FEMSA
Partner(s):  Ashoka: Innovators for the Public; Technology University of Monterrey; United Mexican States; Universidad del Valle de Mexico; Universidad de Monterrey; Colegio Nacional de Educación Profesional Técnica; Impact Hub; The Pool; GreenMomentum
In 2013, FEMSA committed to promote social entrepreneurship and job creation in Mexico by supporting 520 social entrepreneurship projects over the course of 4 years, with a total investment of $4.5 million dollars. FEMSA will do this by strengthening and expanding the scope of key programs and alliances, including Ashoka's Youth with Value program, which promotes a social entrepreneurship culture among young students, providing them with tools, counseling, and seed capital. FEMSA will develop a comprehensive entrepreneurship development strategy, which encompasses all stages from idea generation through the launch and early growth of the new companies.

Clean Energy for Latin America and the Caribbean
Commitment By: InterEnergy
In 2013, InterEnergy committed to invest $100 million dollars in equity capital toward renewable energy projects in Latin America and the Caribbean over the course of the next two years. With a focus on solar and wind power, as well potential for some biomass, the combined size of the projects is ultimately expected to surpass $300 million dollars. Using a market-based approach, the commitment will drive sustainable development in the region by both decreasing carbon emissions as well as lowering the price of power for consumers.

Progress on CGI Commitments to Action announced on stage at the meeting include:

Unlocking the Power of Microalgae: A New Source of Sustainable Oil
Commitment By: Solazyme
Partner(s): Unilever, Mitsui, AkzoNobel, Bunge, Sasol
In 2013, Solazyme committed to scaling the production of a new source of sustainable renewable algal oil for use in consumer products.  Solazyme will use one of the world's smallest microbes, microalgae, to help alleviate pressure and environmental damage in fragile equatorial ecosystems through the replacement of palm oil in products with algal oil.  Their technology divorces geography from natural oil production so this oil can be produced anywhere at any time, thus alleviating deforestation pressures around the fragile equator band. With its partner in Brazil, Solazyme is building the world’s first fit for purpose renewable oil plant, which, when at full capacity, will have a greenhouse gas reductions impact equivalent to planting 10 million trees a year.

Scaling Up PESCA
Commitment By:  PUNTACANA Resort & Club (PCRC)
Partner(s):  Dominican Republic; Club Med; University of Miami; Reef Check Foundation; Cap Cana; Counterpart International; Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute; Dominican Council of Fishing and Agriculture (CODOPESCA); Hotel Association of the La Altagracia Province; Juanillo Fishermen’s Association
In 2011, Puntacana Resort & Club, through the Partnership for Ecologically Sustainable Coastal Areas (PESCA), committed to significantly scale up its coral restoration efforts by developing restoration programs in strategic areas throughout the Dominican Republic in order to protect key coral species and to rehabilitate the local reef ecosystems that the tourist industry in Punta Cana depends upon. As of March 2013, 6 coral nurseries have been established in the Dominican Republic totaling more than 1.1 km of linear tissue and more than 1,300 staghorn coral fragments encompassing, 21 distinct traceable genotypes; representing the largest genotypic diversity being tracked for this species in the Caribbean, excluding Florida. In April 2012, the Puntacana Ecological Foundation (PCEF) signed a collaboration agreement with the Inter-American Development Bank to promote coral gardening as a more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional tourism and in August 2012, established the Puntacana Marine area as a protected Habitat and Species area. By November 2012 an additional 104 new lobster houses were deployed in a pre-designated 60,000 m2 no fishing zone, on the back reef area of Punta Cana.

A Financially Sustainable Model to Empower Poor, Rural Girls
Commitment By:  Fundación Paraguaya
Partner(s):  Nike Foundation; Teach a Man To Fish; Teach a Man To Fish; The MasterCard Foundation; Moises Bertoni Foundation (MBF); Sega School
In 2008, Fundacion Paraguay and its partners made a commitment to transform the lives of impoverished girls in rural environments by addressing access to education alongside the environmental degradation in their communities. This was achieved by the piloting of a financially self-sustaining agro-forestry school in Paraguay which transformed girls from poor, farming families into ‘rural entrepreneurs,’ giving them the skills and tools necessary to compete in the market while sustainably managing their land. The goal of this commitment was to expand this successful pilot program worldwide. There are now four girls’ schools replicating this model: one in Paraguay as well three additional countries in East Africa with a total of 501 students enrolled.

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About The Clinton Global Initiative 
Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), an initiative of Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation, convenes global leaders to create and implement innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges. CGI Annual Meetings have brought together more than 150 heads of state, 20 Nobel Prize laureates, and hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations and NGOs, major philanthropists, and members of the media. To date, CGI members have made more than 2,500 commitments, which are already improving the lives of more than 430 million people in over 180 countries. When fully funded and implemented, these commitments will be valued at $87.9 billion.

CGI also convenes CGI America, a meeting focused on collaborative solutions to economic recovery in the United States, and CGI University (CGI U), which brings together undergraduate and graduate students to address pressing challenges in their community or around the world, and, this year, CGI Latin America, which will bring together Latin American leaders to identify, harness, and strengthen ways to improve the livelihoods of people in Latin America and around the world. For more information, visit clintonglobalinitiative.org and follow us on Twitter @ClintonGlobal and Facebook at facebook.com/clintonglobalinitiative.


Monday, November 18, 2013

Wild Turkey 101 Rye

                    WHISKEY LOVERS REJOICE: WILD TURKEY® 101 RYE MAKES
                                     ITS HIGHLY-ANTICIPATED RETURN
 
                                   
Back by Popular Demand, the Spicy, High-Proof Bartender Favorite
Flies Back Into Select Markets this Month
 
LAWRENCEBURG, KY (November 18, 2013) – Ask and you shall receive. That’s the mantra from the Wild Turkey® team, as the brand brings back its highly-coveted Wild Turkey 101 Rye. After an absence from the market for about a year due to unexpected high demand, Wild Turkey 101 Rye is making its way back into the hearts and back bars of the best whiskey accounts in the country beginning this month.

In this day and age, it’s no surprise that Wild Turkey’s loyal fans took to Facebook and Twitter to express their disappointment with 101 Rye’s vanishing act.  Earlier this year, a group of 101 Rye fanatics banded together and demanded the return of their beloved Rye. Bartender Erick Castro led the charge on Facebook by creating the group “Bring Back Wild Turkey 101 Rye.”

"It was definitely a tough blow to the cocktail world when Wild Turkey 101 Rye disappeared. I always found it worked beautifully in cocktails, both stirred & shaken,” said Castro. “Because of this, I am elated to hear that it will be available again for craft bartenders looking for a quality rye that shines in drinks we serve across the bar."

Wild Turkey is eager to bring its bold 101-proof Rye back to the bartending community and ardent Rye drinkers alike. Due to very limited stock, the brand will re-introduce one liter bottles targeting on-premise accounts in 21 markets across the country with the same peppery, bold flavor that cuts through any cocktail.

What one could call a perfect storm of events led to the temporary disappearance of Wild Turkey 101 Rye. Increased demand for Rye Whiskey and growing enthusiasm for classic cocktails played a role in the depletion of 101 Rye’s aged stock. As a whole, the Rye Whiskey category has exploded faster than distillers have been able to keep up - jumping 41 percent in the past 52 weeks (according to Nielsen data). Due to the time and care it takes to craft all Wild Turkey products, distillers Jimmy and Eddie Russell could not simply turn a tap to release more liquid as the unexpected demand grew.

“I have been working in this business for 60 years and if someone told me just five years ago Rye Whiskey was going to be one of the hottest categories in the spirits industry, I would have balked at the notion,” said Jimmy Russell. “To be completely frank, we didn’t realize bartenders had such a passion for it.  Given the bartending community can be directly attributed for the current resurgence in Rye and classic cocktails, we had to listen and take the necessary steps with our available aged stock to bring 101 Rye back.”

The Wild Turkey Distillery will continue to make Wild Turkey 81 Rye, a distinct Rye whiskey launched in March 2012 made from a mingling of four to five year old Rye whiskey that is available nationally. 

Saturday, November 2, 2013

 
A TRUE ITALIAN DIVA SETS SAIL FOR THE CARIBBEAN WITH CAMPARI® AND APEROL®

MSC Divina’s Exclusive New Partnerships Bring the Best of Italy on Board

 
SAN FRANCISCO (October 31, 2013) - Ahead of MSC Divina’s upcoming season in the Caribbean, MSC Cruises is delighted to announce a series of exclusive partnerships with some of the world’s most popular Italian brands, including Campari® and Aperol®.

In addition to the unique Mediterranean way of life already enjoyed by travelers across the MSC fleet, the Divina’s “Made in Italy” partnerships will bring an extra touch of class to an already entirely original and distinctive cruise experience.
MSC Divina will be the first Fantasia class ship to sail from the US and the first MSC cruise ship to offer year-round Caribbean sailings. With her sleek Italian design and sophisticated new partnerships, she will embark on her Caribbean adventures as a true Italian ambassador, bringing the best of Italy to the diverse mix of international and US travelers on board.

Savor a Signature Campari or Aperol Cocktail
For swank, sophistication and super-stylish cocktails, MSC Cruises has partnered with iconic drinks brands Campari and Aperol.

With its signature bitter-sweet flavor and bright red color, Campari is a symbol of intrigue and pleasure.  Aperol is the bright orange Italian aperitivo that is taking Europe and the world by storm.  As the famous Caribbean sunset stains the sky red and orange, travelers in the Divina Bar on deck 5 can sit back and savor a chic Campari or Aperol cocktail to the soothing sound of the waves.  And, with Campari Classics, Campari Sweet Cocktail,s and the famous Aperol Spritz to choose from, there’s a unique bitter-sweet moment for every taste!

The exclusive signature cocktail Campari Dolce Vita, made with one part Campari and three parts orange juice, will be a favorite with cruise goers.  As mixologists say, Campari Dolce Vita is the perfect drink for everyone because of its slight sweetness and explosive taste combination. Once per cruise, there’s a special Campari-themed evening, Dolce Vita, for those who can’t get enough of its original taste!
About Campari

Campari is a contemporary and charismatic classic. The secret recipe, which has remained unchanged, originated in Novara in 1860 and is the base for some of the most famous cocktails around the world. Campari is an alcoholic spirit obtained from the infusion of bitter herbs, aromatic plants and fruit in alcohol and water. With its vibrant red colour, intense aroma and inspiring flavour, Campari has always been a symbol of intrigue and pleasure, which unfurls itself into a captivating drinking experience. These are the values that have made the Campari brand famous throughout the world as an icon of passionate Italian style and excellence.
 About Aperol

Aperol was launched in 1919 at the Padua International Fair. Created by the Barbieri brothers, Aperol soon became one of the Italians’ favourite liqueur. It is light on alcohol at only 11 per cent by volume and 15 per cent by volume in France and Germany, but has a rich, complex taste deriving from the infusion of a blend of high-quality herbs and roots. The original recipe has remained unchanged and a secret to this day. Aperol is a lively drink that evokes the Italian lifestyle, from the aperitif hour to an evening in the piazza (square). Sunny and best enjoyed with friends, the unique Aperol taste is deliciously Italian but with a totally international appeal. Mixed with Prosecco and a splash of soda, Aperol makes the      perfect Aperol Spritz, the irresistible drink that has taken Italy by storm and fast becoming a cult outside of Italy, extending to neighbouring countries and even across the continent.

 About Gruppo Campari

Davide Campari-Milano S.p.A., together with its affiliates (‘Gruppo Campari’), is a major player in the global beverage sector, trading in over 190 nations around the world with leading positions in Europe and the Americas. The Group was founded in 1860 and today is the sixth-largest player worldwide in the premium spirits industry. The Group’s portfolio, with over 50 brands, spans spirits, the core business, wines and soft drinks. Internationally-renowned brands include Aperol, Appleton, Campari, Cinzano, SKYY Vodka and Wild Turkey. Headquartered in Sesto San Giovanni, Italy, Campari owns 16 plants and 4 wineries worldwide and has its own distribution network in 16 countries. The Group employs over  4,000 people. The shares of the parent company, Davide Campari-Milano S.p.A. (Reuters CPRI.MI - Bloomberg CPR IM), are listed on the Italian Stock Exchange since 2001. For more information: http://www.camparigroup.com=m

Please enjoy our brands responsibly

 

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Wednesday, October 30, 2013

WILD TURKEY® BOURBON UNLEASHES ITS #NEVERTAMED SPIRIT WITH NEW ADVERTISING Campaign

Revered Bourbon Brand Breaks from Rough-and-Tumble Past

with Marketing Platform Focused on Unwavering Quality and Craftsmanship

 LAWRENCEBURG, KY (October 30, 2013) – After nearly 100 hundred years, one of America’s most storied brands is ready to tell a new story.  In a move designed to bring the brand squarely into the hearts and minds of the Millennial consumer, this week Wild Turkey® Bourbon – reputedly a brand of choice for notable American icons, such as Hunter S. Thompson and John Wayne - kicked off its largest marketing program in the brand’s history - #Nevertamed.  In this wide-reaching campaign, Wild Turkey is turning its attention to the unsurpassed quality in the bottle, a quality that has never wavered since the brand’s inception in the heart of Bourbon country – Lawrenceburg, Kentucky.

#Nevertamed refers to the fact that while the spirit that’s at the heart of Wild Turkey Bourbon can be bottled, it has never been tamed.  Wild Turkey refuses to change the production process of its award-winning Bourbon, even when it might be cheaper or easier to do so.  When others in the industry turned to using genetically modified grains (GMO), Wild Turkey refused. Though it could legally age its Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey just four years, it ages it five years or more.  And instead of using a less expensive char on its barrels, Wild Turkey uses a Number 4 Alligator Char to get the deepest, richest flavor. Others don’t do that.

Those points of differentiation are highlighted in the far-reaching #Nevertamed marketing platform, a multi-channel, digitally-led eco-system which debuts as a :60 second TV spot with corresponding OOH and a major focus on digital and social media, followed by print advertising and off- and on-premise point of sale. The advertising’s core quality message and inherent brand image cues are delivered in the creative by focusing on five uncompromising individuals who clearly exhibit the same Wild Turkey #Nevertamed spirit. 

They include:

Michael Sharp: An Alaskan outdoorsman who surfs in the arctic waters every single day.

·        Chris Davenport: A mountaineer who not only skied all of Colorado’s 54 tallest peaks in one year, but hiked up the mountains himself.

·         Rosie Napravnik: A trailblazing female horseracing jockey. 

·         Caleb Siemon: An artist and designer who bucked convention to chase his dream and became America’s premier glass blower.

·         Tim Rigby: A legendary Hollywood stunt man.

Wild Turkey boasts one of the most respected distilling teams on the planet – the legendary father/son duo Jimmy and Eddie Russell, who have more than 90 years of experience between them – and is now experiencing its most significant brand transformation to date. Aimed at discerning, confident males ages 25 to 35, who stay true to themselves and their passions through their own lives, #Nevertamed is designed to evolve the image of the brand, while keeping one eye on its deep-rooted heritage. The campaign also represents the most significant investment in Wild Turkey’s marketing since the brand was acquired by Gruppo Campari in 2009.

“The American Whiskey category is experiencing a profound resurgence in popularity as Millennial consumers start searching for spirits with more flavor and character,” said Andrew Floor, Group Marketing Director, Campari America. “There is a genuine interest in well-crafted American spirits that are steeped in history and have legacies all their own – our response to this movement is something only Wild Turkey can own, and that’s the #Nevertamed spirit.”

The #Nevertamed campaign will include visually-stunning and emotionally-moving :15, :30 and :60 second commercials; robust social media activations around the #Nevertamed hashtag; and a standalone website Nevertamed.com housing the :60 second commercial and long-form video profiles of the #Nevertamed icons.   
The #Nevertamed strategy, concept and full 360-campaign was developed by VITRO of San Diego. For additional information, please visit us at Nevertamed.com, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @WildTurkey.

About Campari America

Campari America is a wholly owned subsidiary of Davide Campari-Milano S.p.A. (Reuters CPRI.MI – Bloomberg CPR IM).  At the heart of Campari America are two legends in the American spirits industry.  The first, Skyy Spirits, was founded in San Francisco back in 1992 by the entrepreneur who invented iconic SKYY Vodka.  The second is the world-famous Wild Turkey Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, where they have been making the world’s finest whiskies since the 1800’s.  Both companies were purchased by Davide Campari-Milano and together they form Campari America, which has built a portfolio unrivaled in its quality, innovation and style, making it a top choice among distributors, retailers and consumers.  Campari America manages Gruppo Campari’s portfolio in the US with such leading brands as SKYY® Vodka, SKYY Infusions®, Campari®, Wild Turkey® Straight Kentucky Bourbon, American Honey®, Russell’s Reserve®, Glen Grant® Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Cabo Wabo® Tequila, Espolón® Tequila, Appleton® Estate Rum, Wray & Nephew® Rum, Coruba® Rum, Ouzo 12®, X-Rated® Fusion Liqueur®, Frangelico®, Cynar®, Carolans Irish Cream®, Irish Mist® Liqueur, Sagatiba® Cachaça and Jean-Marc XO Vodka®.  Campari America is also the exclusive US distributor of Bowmore® Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Auchentoshan® Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Glen Garioch® Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky, McClelland’s® Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Flor de Caña® Rum, Midori® Melon Liqueur, Hibiki® Whisky, Hakushu® Single Malt Whisky, and The Yamazaki® Single Malt Whisky.

Campari America is headquartered in San Francisco, California.  More information on the company can be found at www.campariamerica.com, www.facebook.com/campariamerica, Twitter: @CampariAmerica and www.camparigroup.com.  Please enjoy Campari America brands responsibly and in moderation.

About Gruppo Campari

Davide Campari-Milano S.p.A., together with its affiliates (‘Gruppo Campari’), is a major player in the global beverage sector, trading in over 190 nations around the world with leading positions in Europe and the Americas. The Group was founded in 1860 and today is the sixth-largest player worldwide in the premium spirits industry. The Group’s portfolio, with over 50 brands, spans spirits, the core business, wines and soft drinks. Internationally-renowned brands include Aperol, Appleton, Campari, Cinzano, SKYY Vodka and Wild Turkey. Headquartered in Sesto San Giovanni, Italy, Campari owns 16 plants and 4 wineries worldwide and has its own distribution network in 16 countries. The Group employs over 4,000 people. The shares of the parent company, Davide Campari-Milano S.p.A. (Reuters CPRI.MI - Bloomberg CPR IM), are listed on the Italian Stock Exchange since 2001. For more information: http://www.camparigroup.com

Please enjoy our brands responsibly. Media images are available at http://www.camparigroup.com/en/press_media/image_gallery/campari_download.jsp

Thursday, October 10, 2013

SKYY Named Treasure Island Music Festival’s Official Vodka


 

SAN FRANCISCO (October 9, 2013) – First Coachella, then Governor’s Island, now SKYY’s festival cocktail experience is coming to its home turf – the City by the Bay   SKYY® Vodka, the number-one domestic premium vodka, announces its official partnership with Treasure Island Music Festival in San Francisco, October 19th – 20th, 2013. SKYY Vodka will serve as the official vodka during the Bay Area’s most progressive music event, which will host dance music and indie-rock talent including Atoms for Peace, Beck, Major Lazer and Animal Collective.

The 7th annual Treasure Island Music Festival brings together a diverse lineup of cutting-edge musicians, who will perform under the backdrop of the new majestic Bay Bridge. Embodying the charismatic, innovative qualities of its California roots, SKYY Vodka will create perfect cocktails to accompany the popular Bay Area musical event. During the festival, SKYY Vodka cocktails will be poured at various bars throughout the weekend that will help to keep the beats fresh and the grooves deep.


“After our successful partnership with Governors Ball Music Festival, we’re delighted to sponsor Treasure Island in our hometown of San Francisco,” said Kathleen Schuart, Senior Marketing Director, SKYY Vodka. “Music festivals and cocktails go hand in hand and SKYY Vodka’s continued presence at major music events demonstrates our commitment to our fans – key tastemakers and music enthusiasts.”

Inspired by the festival, SKYY has created the SKYY Vodka Salty Kitten and “Live” Mule cocktails:

Salty Kitten

1.5 oz. SKYY Vodka

.5 oz. Campari

2 oz. Grapefruit Juice

.5 oz. Honey Simple Syrup

2 oz. Cava Sparkling Rosé

In an empty shaker glass, pour SKYY Vodka, Campari, Grapefruit Juice and Honey Simple Syrup. Add ice to shaker and shake. Open shaker and add Cava Rosé. Strain over fresh ice in a Collins glass. Finish with sliced grapefruit and a pinch of hibiscus & rosemary infused Himalayan Pink Salt.

Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/51475565@N08/9969381885/in/photolist-gbXFUz)

“Live” Mule

1.5 oz. SKYY Vodka

3 oz. Ginger Beer

In a rocks glass full of ice, pour SKYY Vodka and Ginger Beer. Stir and finish with sliced lime wedge and 4-5 drops of bitters. 

Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/51475565@N08/9969449926/in/photolist-gbY38G

For more information, please visit http://www.facebook.com/SKYYVodka or Twitter: @SKYYVodka.

ABOUT TREASURE ISLAND MUSIC FESTIVAL

Produced by Noise Pop and Another Planet Entertainment, Treasure Island Music Festival has grown to become one of the west coast’s most-loved festivals capping out the festival season, not just for the fans who attend, but for the artists themselves. With no overlapping sets, Bay Area cuisine, and the gorgeous, panoramic views of the San Francisco Bay serving as the festival’s backdrop, Treasure Island Music Festival is like no other festival experience in the U.S. When the festival began in 2007, it quickly became one of the premiere music events of the fall concert season thanks to its consistently fresh and exciting lineups, selling out year after year. The festival has played host to a number of music’s most incredible names, including Girl Talk, The xx, LCD Soundsystem, Death Cab For Cutie, The Flaming Lips, Deadmau5, She & Him, MGMT, Girl Talk, Vampire Weekend, Belle & Sebastian, M.I.A., Die Antwoord, Modest Mouse, The Raconteurs, Beach House, and more.

About Campari America

Campari America is a wholly owned subsidiary of Davide Campari-Milano S.p.A. (Reuters CPRI.MI – Bloomberg CPR IM).  At the heart of Campari America are two legends in the American spirits industry.  The first, Skyy Spirits, was founded in San Francisco back in 1992 by the entrepreneur who invented iconic SKYY Vodka.  The second is the world-famous Wild Turkey Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, where they have been making the world’s finest whiskies since the 1800’s.  Both companies were purchased by Davide Campari-Milano and together they form Campari America, which has built a portfolio unrivaled in its quality, innovation and style, making it a top choice among distributors, retailers and consumers.  Campari America manages Gruppo Campari’s portfolio in the US with such leading brands as SKYY® Vodka, SKYY Infusions®, Campari®, Wild Turkey® Straight Kentucky Bourbon, American Honey®, Russell’s Reserve®, Glen Grant® Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Cabo Wabo® Tequila, Espolón® Tequila, Appleton® Estate Rum, Wray & Nephew® Rum, Coruba® Rum, Ouzo 12®, X-Rated® Fusion Liqueur®, Frangelico®, Cynar®, Carolans Irish Cream®, Irish Mist® Liqueur, Sagatiba® Cachaça and Jean-Marc XO Vodka®.  Campari America is also the exclusive US distributor of Bowmore® Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Auchentoshan® Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Glen Garioch® Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky, McClelland’s® Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Flor de Caña® Rum, Midori® Melon Liqueur, Hibiki® Whisky, Hakushu® Single Malt Whisky, and The Yamazaki® Single Malt Whisky.

Campari America is headquartered in San Francisco, California.  More information on the company can be found at www.campariamerica.com, www.facebook.com/campariamerica, Twitter: @CampariAmerica and www.camparigroup.com.  Please enjoy Campari America brands responsibly and in moderation.
Clinton Health Matters Initiative Launches in Northeast Florida and Reveals Blueprint for Action in Central Arkansas

(New York, NY)—Today, the Clinton Health Maters Initiative (CHMI), an initiative of the Clinton Foundation that works to improve health and wellbeing, announced its expansion into the Northeast Florida Region, and revealed its Blueprint for Action for Central Arkansas.  These two announcements mark the next stage for CHMI, following a year of rapid growth after its launch in November, 2012. 

Now operating in four communities, CHMI works at the national and community levels to encourage corporations, communities, and individuals to contribute to the health and wellness of others by building strategic partnerships, working across sectors to develop and implement systemic approaches to creating healthier communities, and hosting a digital platform to feature strategies for replication.  To engage individuals, CHMI has joined with global associates, including Verizon, which serves as CHMI’s technology partner. Verizon is committed to using its technology and expertise to help improve overall health and well-being, increase access to healthcare, and lower medical costs. 

CHMI currently works in the Coachella Valley, Central Arkansas, and Greater Houston.  In partnership with the PGA TOUR and the PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP, the Clinton Foundation selected Northeast Florida as its next community.  Expanding CHMI to the Northeast Florida Region will bring great health benefits to the community, whose senior population is projected to double by 2020, which will create a greater need for health care services for both seniors and their caretakers.    In addition, there is great geographic disparity in health across the region—while one county, St. Johns, ranks first in Florida for the health outcomes measured by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, another, Baker County, ranks 62nd of 67 counties. 

The measurable health outcomes for communities working with CHMI include improvement in key preventable disease measures and health and well-being indicators; reduction in health care costs associated with preventable disease; reduction in health disparities; and increased investments in commitments made by individuals, corporations, and organizations to contribute to the health and well-being of others.

“Health and wellness are key concerns of our organization, from the Commissioner on down,” said Matt Rapp, Executive Director of the PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP.  “Northeast Florida being our home, we also see it as critical for our area and its future growth and wellbeing.  We look forward to working with the Clinton Health Matters Initiative not only through our support but in helping to facilitate any necessary changes that will bring about a healthier and happier Northeast Florida.”

Each community in which CHMI works develops a Blueprint for Action, outlining bold actions to improve health.  Today, CHMI released its Blueprint for Action for Central Arkansas, which establishes bold actions to promote health and wellness in the region.  The Blueprint, created in collaboration with more than 175 members of the Central Arkansas community, builds on existing community efforts and enhances existing community infrastructure to address health and wellness for all generations. 

“We are grateful to our partners for working together to create an actionable road map that will bring about better health for the Central Arkansas community,” said Ginny Ehrlich, CEO of the Clinton Health Matters Initiative.  “We do have challenges to address, but we are optimistic that together with leaders from all sectors of the Central Arkansas community, this vision can become a reality.”

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Clinton Foundation, and Leslois Shaw Foundation join La Colombe Torrefaction to Help Revitalize the Haitian Coffee Sector

In support of Haiti’s redeveloping coffee culture, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, the Clinton Foundation, Leslois Shaw Foundation, and La Colombe Torrefaction announce that Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts will begin serving Haitian Coffee in two locations this fall. Four Seasons Hotel New York and Four Seasons Hotel Toronto will serve Haitian coffee, featuring an heirloom typica variety, grown semi-wild in the mountains surrounding Thiotte, directly sourced by La Colombe Torrefaction co-founders Todd Carmichael and Jean Philippe Iberti. 

Expanding upon this partnership, the parties plan to bring quality Haitian coffee to more locations as well as collaborate on future initiatives to introduce Haitian coffee to new markets, thereby creating jobs and improving livelihoods.  To that end, the Clinton Foundation and La Colombe, with support from the Leslois Shaw Foundation, have also launched the Haiti Coffee Academy – a model coffee farm and teaching center in one of Haiti’s primary coffee growing regions, providing skills training, seedlings, tools and resources, helping to improve the quality and quantity of  yields.

“The Haiti Coffee Academy will carry on the tradition of Haitian coffee by teaching a new generation the skills of the trade,” said President Clinton. “This agreement with La Colombe, the Leslois Shaw Foundation, and Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts will not only showcase one of Haiti’s finest exports, but will also provide access to new markets for Haitian coffee farmers.”

Coffee has played a significant role throughout Haiti’s history. An ecologically and economically significant crop, it is not only the main source of income for more than 100,000 farmers, but the coffee ‘ecosystem’ also sustains a large part of the remaining tree cover (currently at less than 1.5 percent of land) of the country. One of the world’s leading coffee exporters only a century ago, Haiti has seen its gradual decline in production accelerate dramatically in recent years. The Academy will work with Haitian coffee farmers to help reverse this trend and bring new energy to Haiti’s coffee sector.

“Quality coffee is an important part of a hotel visit for many of our guests.  By procuring coffee from La Colombe and partnering with the Clinton Foundation and Leslois Shaw Foundation, we hope that Four Seasons can play a part in the revitalization of Haiti’s coffee trade.” said Christopher Hunsberger, Executive Vice President, Global Product and Innovation.

This new partnership builds on a previous initiative by Four Seasons in support of Haiti. In the wake of the devastating 2010 earthquake, Four Seasons employees sprung to action, raising over $300,000 for the cause. The funds were donated to Doctors Without Borders and the Canadian Red Cross to provide medical attention and vital resources to those affected by the disaster.

Friday, September 27, 2013

LavAzza's New York Coffee Party

It was a crowded and fun event on the roof of Mario Batali's fabulous Eataly last night where Italian coffee maker Lavazza held its New York event. Coffee all around including the delicious Lavazza Passion caviar - YUMM!



Stars and other VIPS were treated to music, desserts and a wodnerful New York CIty night by all these fine folks below.


Thank you Lavazza!!! 

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Alliance for a Healthier Generation and McDonald’s Announce Groundbreaking CGI Commitment to Promote Balanced Food and Beverage Choices


McDonald’s Commits to Leveraging Menu and Marketing Power to Increase Access to Fruits and Vegetables to Help Families Make Informed Choices

(NEW YORK) September 26, 2013— McDonald’s is partnering with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, founded by the Clinton Foundation and American Heart Association, to increase customers’ access to fruit and vegetables and help families and children to make informed choices in keeping with balanced lifestyles. President Bill Clinton, founder of the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation, Don Thompson, President and CEO of McDonald’s, and Dr. Howell Wechsler, CEO of the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, announced the groundbreaking Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Commitment today at the 2013 CGI Annual Meeting in New York City.


McDonald’s worked with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation to develop a comprehensive plan for 20 of the restaurant chain’s largest markets.*

McDonald’s specifically commits to:

  • Provide customers a choice of a side salad, fruit or vegetable as a substitute for French fries in value meals. (Salad, fruit or vegetable option will vary per participating market.)

The commitment also includes the following related to the promotion and advertising of Happy Meals:

  • Promote and market only water, milk, and juice as the beverage in Happy Meals on menu boards and in-store and external advertising
  • Utilize Happy Meal and other packaging innovations and designs to generate excitement for fruit, vegetable, low/reduced-fat dairy, or water options for kids
  • Dedicate Happy Meal box or bag panels to communicate a fun nutrition or children’s well-being message
  • Ensure 100 percent of all advertising directed to children to include a fun nutrition or children’s well-being message

“We’ve seen voluntary agreements with industry have profound impact—including our work with the beverage industry to limit the amount of calories shipped to schools. Those agreements resulted in a 90 percent reduction in total beverage calories shipped to schools between 2004 and 2010,” said President Clinton. “If we want to curb the catastrophic economic and health implications of obesity across the world, we need more companies to follow McDonald’s lead and to step up to the plate and make meaningful changes. I applaud them for doing it."

McDonald's will retain an independent, reputable third party organization to verify progress on the commitment in a clear and transparent manner as part of the agreement. All pieces of this commitment will be implemented in 30-50 percent of the 20 major markets within three years and 100 percent of the 20 markets by 2020.

“This commitment reflects McDonald’s progress regarding nutrition and well-being,” said Thompson. “Our partnership with the Clinton Foundation and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation is another important step in our journey. And we know there’s more to do. We will continue to use our size and scale around the world to help educate, empower and encourage our customers to make informed choices so they can live a balanced and healthy lifestyle.”

This global commitment builds on the nutrition initiatives underway in many countries where McDonald’s does business. Today, McDonald’s USA announced progress related to nutrition goals set in 2011; that report can be found here.

Working with industry has been a critical strategy for the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a national nonprofit working to reduce the prevalence of childhood obesity. The Alliance has brokered voluntary agreements with more than 100 industry leaders in school food and healthcare to ensure children have access to healthier foods and beverages and healthcare benefits to prevent and treat childhood obesity.

“This is an essential step in the fight against obesity. Effective promotion of healthier choices can have a substantial impact on the food and beverage choices that get made,” said Dr. Howell Wechsler, CEO of the Alliance for a Healthier Generation. “It is imperative for McDonald’s and other industry leaders to leverage their market share and cultural relevance to help inform and influence the way families eat outside the home.”

*McDonald’s will take these actions in 20 major markets representing more than 85 percent of global sales.  The markets are Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, China (includes Hong Kong market), France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom, and United States.

About the Alliance for a Healthier Generation

The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, founded by the American Heart Association and the Clinton Foundation, works to reduce the prevalence of childhood obesity and to empower kids to develop lifelong, healthy habits. The Alliance works with schools, companies, community organizations, healthcare professionals and families to transform the conditions and systems that lead to healthier children. To learn more and join the movement, visit www.HealthierGeneration.org.

About The Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation

The Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation builds partnerships of great purpose between businesses, governments, NGOs, and individuals everywhere to deliver lasting solutions and empower people to live better lives. Because of our work, 18,000 American schools are providing kids with healthy food choices in an effort to eradicate childhood obesity; 21,000 African farmers have improved their crops to feed 30,000 people; 248 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions are being reduced in cities worldwide; more than 5,000 people have been trained in marketable job skills in Colombia; more than 5 million people have benefited from lifesaving HIV/AIDS medications; and members of the Clinton Global Initiative have made nearly 2,300 Commitments to Action to improve more than 400 million lives around the world.

Learn more at http://www.clintonfoundation.org, and on Twitter @ClintonFdn.

About the Clinton Global Initiative

Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), an initiative of Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation, convenes global leaders to create and implement innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges. CGI Annual Meetings have brought together more than 150 heads of state, 20 Nobel Prize laureates, and hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations and NGOs, major philanthropists, and members of the media. To date CGI members have made more than 2,300 commitments, which are already improving the lives of more than 400 million people in over 180 countries. When fully funded and implemented, these commitments will be valued at $73.5 billion.

CGI also convenes CGI America, a meeting focused on collaborative solutions to economic recovery in the United States, and CGI University (CGI U), which brings together undergraduate and graduate students to address pressing challenges in their community or around the world, and, this year, CGI Latin America, which will bring together Latin American leaders to identify, harness, and strengthen ways to improve the livelihoods of people in Latin America and around the world. For more information, visit clintonglobalinitiative.org and follow us on Twitter @ClintonGlobal and Facebook at facebook.com/clintonglobalinitiative.

About McDonald’s

McDonald's is the world's leading global foodservice retailer with over 34,500 locations serving more than 69 million customers in more than 100 countries each day. More than 80% of McDonald's restaurants worldwide are owned and operated by independent local men and women. To learn more about the company, please visit:www.aboutmcdonalds.com and follow us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/mcdonaldscorp) and Twitter (http://twitter.com/McDonaldsCorp)

Media Contacts:

Heidi Barker Sa Shekhem
McDonald's
heidi.barker@us.mcd.com
630-623-3791

Becca Hary
McDonald's
becca.hary@us.mcd.com
630-623-7293

Megan McIntyre
Alliance for a Healthier Generation
megan.mcintyre@healthiergeneration.org
917-399-5250

Monday, September 23, 2013

President Clinton Announces Recipients of 7th Annual Clinton Global Citizen Awards

Queen Rania Al Abdullah of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Vice President Joe Biden, Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, The Roots, and Elvis Costello among those set to honor newly revealed recipients of 2013 Clinton Global Citizen Awards

2013 honorees include New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, 16-year-old girls’ education activist Malala Yousafzai, social entrepreneur Bunker Roy, and South Sudanese bishop Elias Taban

New York, NY – Today, President Bill Clinton announced the recipients of the 7th annual Clinton Global Citizen Awards, where he, former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Clinton Foundation Vice Chair Chelsea Clinton, and a newly announced lineup, including Vice President Joe Biden, will honor seven people from the public, private and non-profit sectors for their vision and leadership in addressing global problems. Available online in October, the awards will be presented in a special ceremony on Wednesday, September 25 during the Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting in New York City, where more than 1,000 top business, government, and civil society leaders will convene to address some of the world’s most pressing challenges.

2013 Clinton Global Citizen Award honorees include 16-year-old Malala Yousafzai, who, after being shot by the Taliban less than a year ago for her outspoken support for girls’ education, has co-founded the Malala Fund to continue advocating for universal access to education. For his efforts in the areas of health and the environment, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg will receive an award for leading the city's response to Hurricane Sandy.

In addition to Vice President Biden, Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan; Nicholas Kristof, columnist, The New York Times; Mary Robinson, former president of Ireland and president, Mary Robinson Foundation for Climate Justice; and M. Sanjayan, lead scientist, The Nature Conservancy are slated to make appearances.

The awards show will also feature performances by The Roots, Elvis Costello, Malian musician Fatoumata Diawara, and the musical producer Randy Jackson.

Each year, honorees are nominated by the CGI community based on their visionary leadership, demonstrated impact, and sustainable and scalable work in solving global issues. The 2013 Clinton Global Citizen Award recipients include the following outstanding leaders from government, civil society, the private sector, and philanthropy:

Leadership in Public Service

Michael R. Bloomberg, Mayor, City of New York
Michael R. Bloomberg was elected the 108th mayor of the City of New York in 2001. He began his career in 1966 at Salomon Brothers, and after being let go in 1981, he began Bloomberg LP, a startup financial news and information company that now has more than 15,000 employees around the world. As mayor, Bloomberg has cut crime by 35 percent, revitalized the waterfront, implemented ambitious public health strategies, including the successful ban on smoking in restaurants and bars, and expanded support for arts and culture. His education reforms have driven graduation rates up by more than 40 percent since 2005. The Mayor’s economic policies have helped New York City avoid the level of job losses that many other cities experienced during the national recession. In fact, New York City has gained back more than 260 percent of the jobs lost during the national recession, and even surpassed the previous record for the number of private-sector jobs, which had been set in 1969. Mayor Bloomberg attended Johns Hopkins University and Harvard Business School, and is the father of two daughters, Emma and Georgina.


Leadership in Civil Society

Malala Yousafzai, Campaigner for Girls’ Rights, The Malala Fund
Malala Yousafzai, an educational campaigner from Swat Valley, Pakistan, came into the public eye by writing for BBC Urdu about life under the Taliban. Under the pen name Gul Makai, Yousafzai often discussed her family’s fight for girls’ education in her community. In October 2012, Yousafzai was targeted by the Taliban and shot in the head as she was returning from school on a bus. However, she miraculously survived and continues her campaign for education. In recognition of her courage and advocacy, Yousafzai was honored with the National Peace Prize in Pakistan in 2011 and nominated for the International Children’s Peace Prize in the same year. The youngest person to be nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize, Yousafzai was shortlisted for TIME magazine’s Person of the Year and has received numerous other honors. She continues to champion universal access to education through The Malala Fund, a nonprofit organization investing in community-based education programs in disadvantaged communities.


Elias Taban, National Bishop, Evangelical Presbyterian Church of South Sudan and Uganda
Elias Taban, a former child soldier, grew up during Sudan’s civil wars. Despite great hardships, Taban was educated in Africa, receiving diplomas in civil engineering and theology, but returned to Sudan to pastor devastated churches. His courage and selfless efforts saved many lives, and after the war, Taban became known throughout South Sudan as he built schools, orphanages, and hospitals in the region. He and his wife adopted four orphans and currently oversee three orphanages. In addition to leading the Sudan Evangelical Alliance, he organized Tent Makers International to help with challenging construction and transportation needs. Taban also partnered with Water is Basic and became its general director, leading efforts to drill 433 water wells while also providing employment for citizens devastated by the war. He continues to lead peace negotiations among the tribes and provides aid and education for those internally displaced by the tribal violence.


Bunker Roy, Founder, The Barefoot College
Bunker Roy is the founder of the Barefoot College, which has been providing solutions to problems in rural communities for more than 40 years. The Barefoot Approach is a proven community-based model, providing basic infrastructure for power and water in remote, rural areas, as part of an integrated solution to alleviating global poverty. The Barefoot model of community-owned, managed, and financially sustained household solar light systems is today replicated in more than 54 countries, empowering more than 600 Women Barefoot Solar Engineers and providing clean energy access to 450,000 people in nearly 1,650 communities throughout India, Africa, Latin America, the Pacific, and Asia. As a result of Barefoot’s work, one million litres of rainwater have been harvested to provide clean drinking water to over 239,000 school children in more than 1,300 communities worldwide. Roy has been named one of the 50 environmentalists who could save the planet by the Guardian and one of the 100 most influential people in the world by TIME magazine.


Leadership in the Private Sector

Jessamyn W. Rodriguez, Founder and CEO, Hot Bread Kitchen
Jessamyn Waldman is the founder and CEO of the award-winning Hot Bread Kitchen—a nonprofit bakery often referred to as the “United Nations of Bread.” Since 2008, Waldman has grown the organization from a visionary idea to a thriving workforce development program that blends business and social outcomes. Through this work, Hot Bread Kitchen has become a nationally recognized brand that is sold in over 50 outlets, including Wholefoods and Dean and Deluca, and it’s business model has been recognized by Echoing Green, the Eileen Fisher Company, and the Social Venture Network’s Innovator Award. Before starting Hot Bread Kitchen, Waldman worked around the world in NGOs, government, and the United Nations, focusing on human rights, education, and immigration issues. Waldman holds a Master in Public Administration from Columbia University. In addition, she has a Master Baker certificate from the New School University and was the first woman to be hired as a baker at Chef Daniel Boulud’s renowned restaurant Daniel.


Adam Lowry, Co-Founder and Chief Greenskeeper
Eric Ryan, Co-Founder, Method Products PBC
Adam and Eric make soap. Really nice smelling soap that’s non-toxic and good for the planet. In 2000, Adam Lowry and Eric Ryan co-founded Method Products, the leading innovator in stylish and sustainable personal and home care products. Today, Method has over 100 planet-friendly products in stores across North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. Method has been ranked #7 on the Inc 500, and #16 on Fast Company’s list of the world’s 50 most innovative companies. As chief greenskeeper at Method, Lowry focuses on bringing sustainable innovations to the Method business through product design, sourcing, production, and marketing. Ryan is the design and marketing side of the duo, working as chief brand architect to leverage Method’s creativity to create a new generation of environmentally-conscious consumers. He has been named an eco-leader by Vanity Fair, a Food & Wine Tastemaker, an eco-revolutionary by Time Magazine, and PETA’s Person of the Year. Lowry and Ryan both reside in San Francisco, California.


About the Clinton Global Citizen Awards
The Clinton Global Citizen Awards were launched in 2007 to honor outstanding individuals for their visionary leadership, demonstrated impact, and sustainable and scalable work in solving global issues. Recipients were chosen from government, civil society, the private sector, and the philanthropic community. Last year’s recipients include: Carlos Slim Helú, founder of Fundación Carlos Slim; Luis A. Moreno, president of Inter-American Development Bank; Denis O’Brien, chairman and founder of Digicel Group; Pepe Julian Onziema, programme director and advocacy officer of Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG); The Right Reverend Christopher Senyonjo, executive director of St. Paul’s Reconciliation and Equality Centre; and Katie Stagliano, founder and chief executive gardener of Katie’s Krops. Previous awardees include President of Rwanda Paul Kagame, President of the Dominican Republic Dr. Leonel Fernández, businessman and Mo Ibrahim Foundation chair Dr. Mo Ibrahim, Avon Chairman and CEO Andrea Jung, legendary music producer and jazz performing artist Quincy Jones, TNT CEO Peter Bakker, Voice of Women Organization Executive Director Suraya Pakzad, Rainforest Fund founders Trudie Styler and Sting, and others. Past event performers include Seal, Alicia Keys, Sting, James Taylor, Tony Bennett, K’NAAN and Juanes, among others.

The awards show is open to press, but has limited capacity. To indicate interest, please complete the form here: http://cgilink.org/1auAdVl

Photos of the Clinton Global Citizen Awards will be available on CGI’s Flickr account at http://flickr.com/cgiphotos. Please visit http://www.clintonglobalinitiative.org/ourmeetings/2013/ regularly for the latest program details and list of participants.

The hashtag for the Annual Meeting is #CGI2013. Follow CGI on Twitter @ClintonGlobal and Facebook at facebook.com/clintonglobalinitiative for meeting news and highlights, and watch the live webcasts at live.clintonglobalinitiative.org.

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About the Clinton Global Initiative
Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), an initiative of Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation, convenes global leaders to create and implement innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges. CGI Annual Meetings have brought together more than 150 heads of state, 20 Nobel Prize laureates, and hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations and NGOs, major philanthropists, and members of the media. To date CGI members have made more than 2,300 commitments, which are already improving the lives of more than 430 million people in over 180 countries. When fully funded and implemented, these commitments will be valued at $76.7 billion. CGI also convenes CGI America, a meeting focused on collaborative solutions to economic recovery in the United States, and CGI University (CGI U), which brings together undergraduate and graduate students to address pressing challenges in their community or around the world, and, this year, CGI Latin America, which will bring together Latin American leaders to identify, harness, and strengthen ways to improve the livelihoods of people in Latin America and around the world. For more information, visit clintonglobalinitiative.org and follow us on Twitter @ClintonGlobal and Facebook at facebook.com/clintonglobalinitiative.