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IT Shades
Engage & Enable
I-Bytes
Retail & Consumer Goods
July Edition 2021
Email us - marketing@itshades.com
Website : www.itshades.com
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About Us
Who We are Aim of this IByte Reasons to talk to us
ITShades.com has been founded with
singular aim of engaging and
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learnings, best practices,
collaboration and innovation from IT
industry.
This document brings together a set
of latest data points and publicly
available information relevant for
Retail & Consumer Goods Industry.
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Table of Contents
1. Financial, M & A Updates...................................................................................................................................1
2. Solution Updates.................................................................................................................................................11
3. Rewards and Recognition Updates...................................................................................................................23
4. Partnership Ecosystem Updates.......................................................................................................................34
5. Environment & Social Updates.........................................................................................................................61
6. Miscellaneous Updates.......................................................................................................................................78
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Financial, M & A Updates
Retail & Consumer Goods Industry
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Financial, M&A Updates
IT Shades
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Barry Callebaut (Switzerland) to acquire Europe Chocolate Company in Belgium
The Barry Callebaut Group, the world’s leading manufacturer of high-quality
chocolate and cocoa products, has signed an agreement to acquire Europe Chocolate
Company a Belgian privately-owned B2B manufacturer of chocolate specialties and
decorations. This strategic acquisition expands the Group's value adding specialties
capabilities, allowing Barry Callebaut to cater to the increasing demand of Food
Manufacturers for highly customized specialty chocolate and decorations. The
integration of ECC expands Barry Callebaut’s specialized chocolate molding
capabilities and allows the Group to offer tailor-made solutions thanks to ECC’s
advanced inhouse developed technology. ECC has been manufacturing specialty
chocolate ingredients since 1993. ECC produces a wide range of industrial specialty
chocolate and decorations in multiple taste and color variations including batons,
curls, chunks, leaves, and shavings. Its flexible production setup allows it to supply a
wide variety of customers such as biscuit, bakery, dairy, ice-cream, confectionery,
and food service industries. The company operates a chocolate factory and a
warehouse in Malle, close to Antwerp, Belgium.
Executive Commentary
“We have a long-standing relationship with ECC and strongly believe in the
growth opportunities of highly customized industrial specialty chocolate
ingredients. The acquisition will help us to further broaden our market position
thanks to ECC’s unique know-how and its highly flexible manufacturing facility
in Belgium.” Said Vice President Food Manufacturers Western Europe at Barry
Callebaut.
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Description
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Financial, M&A Updates
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Australian hygiene company Asaleo Care becomes Essity (Sweden)
Hygiene and health company Essity has finalized its acquisition of
the remaining 63.8% of the shares in the Australian hygiene
company Asaleo Care. Essity AustralAsia, which is the name of the
regional unit going forward, will be consolidated into Essity’s
accounts as of July 1st, 2021. In 2020, Asaleo Care reported sales of
AUD 419m and underlying EBITDA of AUD 89m. Based on this,
Asaleo Care would have contributed to Essity's net sales and
EBITDA by approximately 2% for 2020.
Executive Commentary
“It is with great pleasure we welcome our new colleagues in
Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands to Essity.
Together we will continue to improve well-being through our
leading products and solutions and facilitate the opportunity for
profitable growth in this region”, says President and CEO Essity.
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Description
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Financial, M&A Updates
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Hershey (USA) Completes Acquisition of Lily's Confectionery Brand
The Hershey Company announced the completion of its acquisition
of Lily's, the high-growth maker of low-sugar, better-for-you (BFY)
confectionery products, for a purchase price of $425 million. Lily's
mission is to offer consumers a range of great tasting, low sugar
treats. Launched with four chocolate-style bars nationally in Whole
Foods Market, the expanded line of bars, baking chips and other
confections can be found across the country at key retailers.
Executive Commentary
"Lily's is a great addition to Hershey's growing portfolio of
better-for-you snacking brands, and we are excited to add this
high-growth, leading BFY brand and to get to work with its
talented and innovative team," said President U.S. "Lily's
popular low-sugar products are a great strategic fit with our
multi-pronged better-for-you snacking strategy and will
perfectly complement our existing iconic Hershey's BFY
offerings."
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Description
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Hershey (USA) To Acquire Lily's Confectionery Brand
The Hershey Company announced it has entered into a definitive
agreement to acquire Lily's, the high-growth, better-for-you (BFY)
confectionery brand. Lily's low-sugar products include dark and milk
chocolate style bars, baking chips, peanut butter cups and other
confection products that fit Hershey's multi-pronged better-for-you
snacking strategy. Lily's will add a key better-for-you confection
brand to Hershey's portfolio of iconic chocolate and candy favorites.
BFY snacking continues to grow faster than mainstream segments
across snacking categories such as potato chips, ice cream and
cookies. BFY offerings, however, are still under-developed in
confection and the Lily's acquisition would enable Hershey to
accelerate this growth and reimagine the future of the candy aisle in
partnership with retailers.
Executive Commentary
"Cynthia had the vision that consumers wanted a better-for-you
option in confections and 80% of adults want to cut back on their
sugar intake," said CEO Lily's. "By joining the Hershey's family of
brands, Lily's will become a platform confection brand making
BFY options easily accessible to all consumers."
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Description
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JBS (Brazil): Pilgrim's to Expand Prepared Foods and Branded Products Platform
by Acquiring Kerry Consumer Foods’ Meats and Meals Business
Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation announced that it has executed an
acquisition agreement to acquire the Meats and Meals business of
Kerry Consumer Foods in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Following the Acquisition, Pilgrim’s will be a leading food
company, with a significant value-added protein and integrated
prepared foods business anchored by a portfolio of strong brands.
The Acquisition, which was unanimously approved by Pilgrim’s
Board of Directors, values the acquired businesses at a £680 million
enterprise value. The purchase amount represents an 8.5x multiple
on implied expected standalone EBITDA for 2021.
Executive Commentary
“We are pleased to have the opportunity to position Pilgrim’s as
a leading prepared foods and branded products player through
the acquisition of Kerry Consumer Foods’ Meats and Meals
business,” said Chief Executive Officer. “The transaction
enhances our value-added portfolio by adding market-leading
brands such as Denny, Richmond and Fridge Raiders, which we
expect to deliver a higher and more stable margin profile.”
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Description
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JBS (Brazil) Australia to Acquire Pork Producer Rivalea
JBS Australia Group is pleased to announce an agreement to acquire
100% of Rivalea Holdings Pty Ltd and 100% of Oxdale Dairy
Enterprise Pty Ltd (together, “Rivalea”) from Singapore-based food
and agricultural company QAF Limited. Rivalea Holdings owns
two subsidiaries incorporated in Australia namely Rivalea
(Australia) Pty Ltd (held as to 100%) and Diamond Valley Pork Pty
Ltd (held as to 80%).
Executive Commentary
“Our acquisition of Rivalea will enable us to expand into the
breeding, growing, fattening and finishing of pigs, an area where
JBS Australia does not currently operate. We intend to grow the
use of domestic pork in JBS Australia’s operations, particularly
within our Primo business, through further value-adding and
processing, while unlocking new opportunities for Australian
pork in international export markets.
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Description
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Mondelēz International (USA) Acquires High-Growth European Snacking Company,
Chipita S.A.
Mondelēz International, Inc. announced an agreement to acquire
Chipita S.A., a high-growth key player in the Central and Eastern
European croissants and baked snacks category. First established in
Greece over 40 years ago, Chipita S.A. generated approximately
$580 million of revenue in 2020 and has a proven track record of
consistent growth from its portfolio of croissant and baked snack
brands, including 7Days, Chipicao, and Fineti. Chipita S.A. has
been at the forefront of the development and growth in the sector
across multiple countries driven by its strong innovation and
manufacturing capabilities.
Executive Commentary
“Welcoming Chipita S.A.’s delicious pastry products into the
Mondelēz International family advances our strategy to become
the global leader in broader snacking,” said Chairman & CEO of
Mondelēz International. “Their iconic brands and significant
scale across so many attractive geographies make them a strong
strategic complement to our existing portfolio and future growth
ambitions in Europe and beyond.”
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Description
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Financial, M&A Updates
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Philip Morris International (USA) Announces Agreement to Acquire Fertin Pharma
Philip Morris International Inc. announced it has entered into an
agreement to acquire Fertin Pharma A/S (Fertin Pharma), a leading
developer and manufacturer of innovative pharmaceutical and
well-being products based on oral and intra-oral delivery systems, for
an enterprise value of DKK 5.1 billion.
Executive Commentary
“The acquisition of Fertin Pharma will be a significant step forward
on our journey toward delivering a smoke-free future—enhancing
our smoke-free portfolio, notably in modern oral, and accelerating
our progress in beyond nicotine,” stated Chief Executive Officer.
“Both PMI and Fertin share a commitment to science and
consumer-centric innovations for better living, and I am delighted
we have reached this agreement. Fertin’s diverse portfolio of
technologies, evolving business mix, and world-class expertise will
enrich our innovation pipeline and capabilities, providing speed
and scale in oral delivery to support our 2025 goals of generating
more than 50% of our net revenues from smoke-free products and
at least USD 1 billion from products beyond nicotine.”
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Description
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Richemont (Switzerland) acquires Delvaux
Richemont is pleased to announce that it has acquired 100% of
Delvaux, the renowned Belgian luxury leather goods Maison, in a
private transaction. Established nearly two centuries ago in 1829,
Delvaux is the oldest luxury leather goods Maison in the world. It has
a unique heritage, expressed through the richness of its archives, and
distinguishes itself through its exceptional savoir faire and creativity.
In 1908, Delvaux was the first to file an official patent for a leather
handbag and can thus be called the inventor of the modern luxury
handbag.
Executive Commentary
“Delvaux is authentic European luxury leather goods Maison with
strong heritage, distinctive savoir faire and exceptional
manufacturing capabilities. The Maison’s rich archives and
creative momentum over the last 10 years represent a solid
foundation from which to grow the company for the long term,
strengthening Richemont’s presence at the pinnacle of the leather
goods category. We are delighted to welcome Delvaux’s
management and teams to Richemont, and look forward to working
closely with them to enable the Maison to reach its full potential
under the Group’s stewardship.”
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Description
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Saputo (Canada) Announces Two Strategic Acquisitions in the Dairy Alternatives
and Value-Added Ingredients Segments
Saputo Inc. announces two strategic acquisitions in each of the dairy
alternatives and value-added ingredients segments, representing a
combined investment of approximately CDN$187 million. The
Company is pleased to have completed the acquisition of Bute Island
Foods Ltd., an innovative manufacturer, marketer and distributor of a
variety of dairy alternative cheese products for both the retail and
foodservice market segments under the award-winning vegan Sheese
brand, alongside private label brands. The business is located on the
Isle of Bute, off the West Coast of Scotland (United Kingdom) and
employs approximately 180 people, including its founders.
Executive Commentary
“We are delighted to welcome the Bute Island Foods team and the
wealth of knowledge they bring to our global family. Our
commitment remains to expand our footprint in the dairy
alternatives space to meet the changing demands of our customers
and consumers. This investment marks an important milestone that
will allow us to accelerate our growth in this area globally, putting
innovation at the forefront of our priorities,” said Chair of the
Board and Chief Executive Officer, Saputo Inc.
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Description
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Solutions Updates
Retail & Consumer Goods Industry
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Solution Updates
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Bed Bath & Beyond (USA) Launches Wild Sage™--A New, Eclectic,
Free-Spirited Collection for the Home
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Solution Description
Bed Bath & Beyond launched Wild Sage™, a new Owned Brand line of stylish, eclectic, free-spirited bedding, decor, furniture, bath
products and table linens created for young adults (and the young at heart) who want to express their unique personality in their space.
Just in time for 'back to college,' Wild Sage's globally inspired designs bring a world of inspiration to customers' doorsteps and into their
homes or dorm rooms. Available only at Bed Bath & Beyond, Wild Sage was designed for the fashion-forward shopper who believes that
their home is a palette of self-expression. Every item in their space should reflect their personal preferences and their respective
experiences, allowing them to home, happier™. From bedding to bathmats, decorative accents to table linens, Wild Sage is an always
evolving, whole home collection of stylish finds that help customers bring to life their personal story — whatever their story may be. Wild
Sage is affordably priced, with prices ranging from $20-$80 for bedding, $5-$25 for table linens, $25-$200 for decor, $4-$40 for bath and
$50-$150 for furniture. Wild Sage offers a range of inspired products that allow customers to put their own creative stamp on any space,
making it perfect for students heading back to campus into a dorm room or college apartment, moving into a new house or just refreshing
their current style.
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Solution Updates
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Bed Bath & Beyond (USA) Launches Our Table™ -- a New Collection of Modern Kitchen
and Dinnerware Designed to Inspire Sharing More Memorable Meals Together
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Solution Description
Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. announces the launch of Our Table™, a new collection of modern kitchen and dinnerware designed to help every home cook share more
great meals together. Available only at Bed Bath & Beyond, Our Table features a modern and durable assortment of cookware, bakeware, dinnerware, table linens,
kitchen tools, kitchen linens and more. The launch of Our Table celebrates an exciting time where many customers are preparing to welcome guests back into their
homes, share recipes, and gather together at the same table. Our Table has all the essentials needed to create a new or favorite dish, elevate any table setting, and
make cleaning the kitchen easier. The collection is derived from natural materials like wood and marble, and updated classics like metal finishes. Thoughtful
updates, clean lines, and function-first essentials speak to contemporary food trends while performance materials like silicon and stainless steel are used for quality,
heat-resistant, stain-resistant, and antimicrobial properties. Our Table is affordable and competitively priced. Products range from $5 for silicone whisks, $30 for
acacia wood cutting boards, $5 - $40 for table linens, to $120 for the 10-piece stainless steel cookware set, allowing for hosts to create a welcoming atmosphere
for gatherings with family and friends. To celebrate this launch, Bed Bath & Beyond created its first virtual cooking series "From Our Table to Yours," bringing
communities across the country together around one table by way of three renowned hometown chefs hailing from Chicago, New York City, and North Carolina.
Joe Flamm, Vivian Howard, and JJ Johnson bring us into the kitchen to make some of their favorite dishes, exhibiting local flavors and aromas, alongside renowned
chef, Joel Gamoran, of the virtual culinary institute Homemade. "From Our Table to Yours" encourages people to cook along, find new flavors and share fresh
ideas, because it isn't just the people gathered in our homes, but the collective community that inspires our love of food and cooking.
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Solution Updates
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Carlsberg Group (Denmark) supports IARD global standards for online
sale and delivery of alcohol as e-commerce booms during pandemic
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Solution Description
The launch of the first-ever global standards for the online sale and delivery of alcohol beverages. This international initiative is focused on supporting consumers’
increasing demands for greater convenience with enhanced standards of responsibility to prevent sale to those underage and to reduce harmful drinking. Although
the COVID-19 pandemic and the closure of hospitality venues in most countries throughout 2020 resulted in global alcohol sales volumes declining by more than
6% year on year in 2020, there has been an acceleration in the shift to e-commerce with the sale and delivery of alcohol online increasing by 33% globally. In
response to this trend, a global partnership of the 12 leading beer, wine, and spirits companies that form the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD)
and 14 prominent global and regional online retailers, and e-commerce and delivery platforms have identified five key safeguards to help ensure that robust
standards are in place throughout the entire supply chain and customer journey to combat harmful drinking. The standards outlined in the document launched
include:
• Improving safeguards and security measures that aim to prevent minors from being able to buy alcohol
• Putting in place mechanisms to prevent beer, wine, and spirits being delivered to minors, to individuals showing visible signs of intoxication, or where
prohibited by law
• Providing tools, information, and education, or other support to drivers to empower them to deny delivery
• Enhancing consumer information and control
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Solution Updates
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CPF (Thailand) launches plant-based “MEAT ZERO”, eyeing to make it
world's Top 3 alternative meat brand in 3-5 years
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Solution Description
Charoen Pokphand Foods PLC unveils “MEAT ZERO”, the meat that is made from plants and manufactured to feel, taste, and appear like real
meat thanks to “PLANT-TEC”nnovation. The new product, expected to appeal to health-conscious consumers, is affordable and available as
ready-to-cook material and ready-to-eat menu through 7-Eleven and modern trade outlets across Thailand. Under the goal to attain the top
alternative meat brand in Asia within 2022 and the world’s top 3 within 2026, “MEAT ZERO” will simultaneously penetrate markets in Asia,
Europe and the United States, taking advantage of CPF’s customer base worldwide. As plant-based meats are gaining popularity across the globe,
CPF, a leading agro-industrial and food business operator in Thailand and worldwide, has been inspired to throw huge supports on the research and
development of alternative meats for more than 2 years. In collaboration with world-renowned experts from the United States, Japan and Taiwan
as well as food scientists of Chulalongkorn University and Mae Fah Luang University, CPF RD Center eventually discovered the “PLANT-TEC”
innovation that creates the perfect texture, taste, smell and feel of real meat. Vegans and flexitarians are numbered about 29% of global population.
With a world-wide customer base, CPF will use it as the springboard to market “MEAT ZERO” in Asia, Europe and the United States. Asia will
be first to be penetrated in 2021. The distribution in Europe and the United States, will start later on.
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Heineken (Netherlands): Amstel ULTRA® Launches “Choose Your Way
to Live” Campaign with Tennis Legend Rafa Nadal
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Solution Description
Amstel ULTRA®, the premium low-carb, low-calorie light beer, is launching a new global campaign with tennis legend, Rafa Nadal,
titled ‘Choose Your Way to Live’. The campaign highlights the importance of finding balance in life and the benefits of selecting a beer
that works for you. The ‘Choose Your Way to Live’ campaign shows Rafa embracing an active, but balanced lifestyle, enjoying the
simpler moments with friends and family. The two hero films in the campaign - ‘True Luxuries’with Amstel ULTRA® and the ‘Rafa Side
of Nadal’ for Amstel 0.0, show the unexpectedly understated ways Nadal likes to spend his time away from the court. Launching first in
Mexico and Spain, with an additional 10 markets following later in 2021, the campaign demonstrates how Amstel ULTRA® and Amstel
0.0 are high quality, refreshing alternatives for those occasions where low calories or zero-alcohol beers are a great fit. The films illustrate
Rafa’s choices to make the most out of every situation, such as enjoying the ‘nightlife’ with a late-night run or camping out with friends
in '6* luxury' under the stars. The campaign was developed by the independent creative shop hello_ and the film was directed and
produced by Igor Borghi of Central Films in Mallorca, Spain and followed local COVID-19 guidelines. Over the next three years, Nadal
will feature in Amstel ULTRA® and Amstel 0.0 TV spots, digital and out of home advertising.
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McCormick (USA): OLD BAY® Announces “The Great OLD BAY Crab
Hunt,” Starting
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Solution Description
OLD BAY has launched its six-week long augmented reality game: “The Great OLD BAY Crab Hunt.” From now through July 12, the
brand will share clues on Twitter, leading players to local organizations and businesses to #CaptureTheCrab. Each participating location
will feature a QR code displayed outside. Fans scan the code, capture a unique AR crab, and enter to win prizes from OLD BAY and its
partners. Just in time for summer, the seasonal staple for all things crab, dips, cocktails, and more, hopes to get Marylanders outside,
playing the game and visiting Baltimore icons, regional restaurants, and more. The goal is to drive fans, in a safe way, to places that would
benefit from the extra foot traffic after a difficult year. With each solved clue, participants are entered for a chance to win unique prizes
weekly, ranging from fun to flavorful. A grand prize winner will be awarded their very own OLD BAY Electric Scooter and Helmet,
announced after “The Great OLD BAY Crab Hunt” concludes in July. Players can look for clues on OLD BAY Twitter and follow along
in the fun with #CaptureTheCrab on Facebook, and Instagram. More details are available at OLDBAYCrabHunt.com and official rules
can be found here. Fans can also enter the sweepstakes by sending their name, address, city, state, and zip code via email to
OldBaySweeps@kpicentral.com. No purchase or payment is necessary to enter or win.
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McCormick (USA): Grill Mates® Joins Forces with Actor Mark Consuelos to
Launch #GirlDadGrillDad Social Media Challenge to Fight Food Insecurity
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Solution Description
McCormick® Grill Mates® announced the launch of its month-long #GirlDadGrillDad social media challenge in partnership with actor Mark
Consuelos and Feeding America® to celebrate girl dads while fighting food insecurity. Leading up to Father's Day, Grill Mates is highlighting
proud dads and father figures who are passing down grilling traditions and empowering the young women in their lives. To kick off the challenge,
Mark posted a grilling selfie with his daughter, Lola, using #GirlDadGrillDad, and is encouraging grillers everywhere to do the same. On behalf
of all the grilling dads and daughters taking the challenge and raising awareness for food insecurity, Mark and Grill Mates are helping provide 1.5
million meals* to Feeding America to serve families in need. Mark Consuelos, who learned to grill from his father and spends as much time as he
can outdoors entertaining with his family, has taken this opportunity to show off his grilling skills with a new and exclusive recipe, Garlic & Herb
Grilled Halibut Skewers. This quick and healthy grilled fish recipe features some of Mark's favorite ingredients and delivers the perfect balance of
flame and flavor with a bold garlic seasoning, a mild heat from shishito peppers and sweetness from the cherry tomatoes. As part of the campaign,
limited-edition #GirlDadGrillDad merchandise, including men's and women's t-shirts, tank tops, sweatshirts and more, will be available via
Amazon beginning June 1 through June 25, with all the net proceeds** from those sales benefiting Feeding America.
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Solution Updates
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PepsiCo (USA): Doritos® Launches "SOLID BLACK™," An Initiative to
Amplify the Voices of Black Innovators and Creators
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18
Solution Description
Black voices and stories are too often unheard. In its 2020 #AmplifyBlackVoices work, Doritos recognized this and is now
launching SOLID BLACK™, a new multi-platform initiative backed by action and funding designed to bolster the voices
of Black innovators and creators and provide them with resources to continue driving change. In total, Doritos will invest
more than $5 million as part of the SOLID BLACK campaign to amplify stories of Black joy, strength, and resilience. The
SOLID BLACK initiative kicks off this summer with the introduction of Doritos' inaugural class of Changemakers:
members of the Black community using innovation and boldness to drive culture and give back to their communities. Each
Changemaker will receive $50,000 in monetary support to continue this work, and their stories will be spotlighted across
all of Doritos' public channels, including its website, social media, packaging, and TV advertising. Starting July 2, fans
can tune in every Friday to Doritos' social channels to watch a new SOLID BLACK Friday segment highlighting a
different Changemaker's story.
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Solution Updates
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Qurate Retail (USA): QVC & HSN Streaming Service Launches on
Comcast's Xfinity X1 & Xfinity Flex
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19
Solution Description
QVC® and HSN®, world leaders in multiplatform video commerce have launched the QVC and HSN Streaming Service on Comcast’s X1 and Xfinity Flex
as the first video shopping app on either platform. The QVC and HSN Streaming Service offers millions of X1 and Flex customers a wider selection of QVC
and HSN content, together in one easy-to-use app. While viewers are currently able to learn about products and watch original content on the app, QVC and
HSN also plan to make their streaming service shoppable by early 2022, enabling viewers to sign into their accounts and complete purchases within the same
experience. In addition, this is the first time that a pay TV and internet provider has launched the QVC and HSN Streaming Service, strengthening the brands’
leadership in video commerce on both traditional and emerging video platforms. QVC and HSN are part of Qurate Retail, Inc. Through the QVC and HSN
Streaming Service, X1 and Flex customers will enjoy access to QVC and HSN’s six linear channels (including QVC and HSN at launch and QVC2, QVC3,
QVC Now, and HSN2 shortly thereafter), along with an extensive catalog of video on-demand and original programming designed specifically for streaming,
such as “Travel, Cook, Repeat with Curtis Stone,” “One on Wine” with QVC foodie/host Mary DeAngelis, “Mally Makes It Better” featuring make-up
maven Mally Roncal, and more. X1 and Flex customers can access the streaming service by saying “QVC HSN Streaming Service app” into their Xfinity
Voice Remote or find it within the app section of either platform. To raise awareness of the streaming app more broadly among Comcast users, QVC and
HSN’s linear channels are promoting the app, and QVC and HSN videos may have editorial opportunities to appear in Comcast video on-demand collections.
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Solution Updates
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WalMart (USA) Launches McClaren Farms, Bringing High-Quality Beef Options
and Added Transparency to Customers through Its Angus Supply Chain
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Solution Description
Grilling season has officially kicked off, and Walmart is celebrating with the launch of McClaren Farms beef — high-quality beef
that will deliver tremendous value to shoppers in nearly 500 stores across five southeastern states, including Alabama, Florida,
Georgia, Mississippi and South Carolina. McClaren Farms is the first launch from Walmart of its end-to-end Angus beef supply chain
program. The new innovation aims to deliver quality beef options to Walmart customers while also meeting heightened demand for
added transparency and sustainability. With McClaren Farms, Walmart is bringing its customers a new, high-quality product that also
delivers on the added transparency they’re looking for through collaboration with fourth-generation rancher, Bob McClaren, of Prime
Pursuits. The new supply chain model delivering McClaren Farms to customers supports ranchers, too, by creating steady demand
and stability in the marketplace. All McClaren Farms beef products are U.S. rancher raised with no hormones added, so shoppers can
trust that each cut of meat will be among the best — and most delicious — they can get, including a selection of specialty items like
USDA Choice Angus Filet Mignon, T-Bone, Porterhouse, Ribeye, Short Ribs, Chuck Roast and more at everyday low prices.
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Solution Updates
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WalMart (USA) Launches Site to Help Veterans and Military Spouses
“Find-a-Future”
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21
Solution Description
Walmart launched a site to help veterans and military spouses, whether early career, mid-career or experienced professionals, “Find-a-Future” and
achieve their goals. Walmart associates and non-associates can register for free on the platform, use tools to audit their current skills and experience and
connect to the right partners to help future seekers build a roadmap across three paths, which include:
• Finding an employment opportunity veterans love at Walmart
• Gaining the education veterans need to help achieve future goals
• Growing veteran businesses and bringing their product or service to market as an entrepreneur
The platform builds on Walmart’s previous commitment to creating opportunities for veterans and military spouses. In July 2020, Walmart achieved its
Veterans Welcome Home Commitment of 250,000 veterans hired since 2013. In fact, Walmart hired more than 49,000 veterans and 27,000 military
spouses in 2020 alone. Walmart’s external partnerships with the Institute for Veterans and Military Families, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Hiring our
Heroes programs and Student Veterans of America, serve as additional connection resources for veterans. Internal programs, including Live Better U,
offer frontline associates access to degree attainment and upskilling coursework for just $1 a day. By bringing all of these resources together through
the “Find-a-Future” platform, we can help veterans and military spouses advance their economic opportunities and well-being in so many ways.
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Solution Updates
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VF (USA) Corporation Launches New Innovation Pillar to Support its Brand
Portfolio Strategy, Called Venture Platforms
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Solution Description
VF Corporation a global leader in branded lifestyle apparel footwear and accessories, announced its launch of Venture Platforms, an innovation
pillar that will focus on identifying and investing in new, future-focused opportunities. Venture Platforms is the newest component to VF’s overall
brand portfolio strategy and complements the company’s two existing brand portfolio pillars: Core Brands, which are VF’s large, global brands,
including Vans®, The North Face® and Timberland® and Emerging Brands, which comprise the remaining 10 brands in the company’s portfolio.
Venture Platforms has two, reinforcing arms:
• VF Venture Foundry: VF established this internal business model incubator to focus on new or evolving business models, platforms,
experiences, and services within VF’s existing brand portfolio, as well as to address disruptive opportunities outside of its current operations.
• BaseLayer Ventures: VF has provided the anchor investment into this new venture capital fund, which tightly aligns with VF Venture Foundry
and will provide critical seed and a stage capital to concepts that originate inside VF, as well as external start-ups.
Venture Platforms is led by a small team of existing VF associates who work in close coordination with VF’s brands and Entrepreneurs in
Residence. It is supported by a venture advisory board that includes representatives from VF brands and functions in addition to select external
venture experts.
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Rewards & Recognition Updates
Retail & Consumer Goods Industry
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ADM (USA) Named to 100 Best Corporate Citizens of 2021 List for
Second Year in a Row
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3BL Media has named ADM to its annual 100 Best Corporate Citizens ranking, recognizing outstanding
environmental, social and governance (ESG) transparency and performance among the 1,000 largest U.S. public
companies. The 100 Best Corporate Citizens ranking is based on 146 ESG transparency and performance factors in
eight pillars: climate change, employee relations, environment, finance, and governance, human rights, stakeholders
and society, and ESG performance. Using a methodology developed by 3BL Media, all Russell 1000 Index companies
are researched by ISS ESG, the responsible investment research arm of Institutional Shareholder Services. There is no
fee for companies to be included in 100 Best Corporate Citizens. To compile the ranking, corporate data and
information is obtained from publicly available sources only, rather than questionnaires or company submissions.
Companies have the option to verify data collected for the ranking at no cost.
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AutoZone (USA) Vendor Partner Summit Recognizes Contributions of
Top Suppliers
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AutoZone recognized 17 of its top suppliers at its virtual AutoZone Vendor Partner Summit on June 8, 2021. The awards honor companies who provided
exceptional performance and demonstrated a strong commitment to customer satisfaction during the past year. Eight vendors received AutoZone
WITTDTJR® awards (“What It Takes to Do the Job Right”): ATI; CRC; Cryomax Cooling Systems; Energizer; Shell Oil; Torin; Type S WinPlus and
Vege. These vendors partnered with AutoZone to consistently ensure that AutoZone’s Do-It-Yourself (“DIY”) and professional customers had the parts
and products needed to best fix vehicles and keep them running smoothly. AutoZone recognized 17 of its top suppliers at its virtual AutoZone Vendor
Partner Summit on June 8, 2021. The awards honor companies who provided exceptional performance and demonstrated a strong commitment to
customer satisfaction during the past year. Eight vendors received AutoZone WITTDTJR® awards (“What It Takes to Do the Job Right”): ATI; CRC;
Cryomax Cooling Systems; Energizer; Shell Oil; Torin; Type S WinPlus and Vege. These vendors partnered with AutoZone to consistently ensure that
AutoZone’s Do-It-Yourself (“DIY”) and professional customers had the parts and products needed to best fix vehicles and keep them running smoothly.
AutoZone named Bosch Braking its 2021 Vendor Partner of the Year. A previous Vendor of the Year Award winner, Bosch was recognized for its
innovation, ability to execute and commitment to delivering “the best merchandise at the right price” for AutoZone’s customers and business. Bosch is
a tremendous vendor partner in all aspects of the business from merchandising and supply chain processes to engineering and sales.
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CPF (Thailand) wins Asia's top sustainability awards on human rights
and supply chain transparency
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Charoen Pokphand Foods PLC Sustainability Report 2020 won two awards from Asia Sustainability Reporting Awards (ASRA) - Gold class in Asia' Best
Workplace Reporting category and Bronze Class in Asia's Best Supply Chain Reporting category. While the first award recognized CPF’s exemplary care and
engagement with employees through respect to human rights principles and international labor standards, the latter reflected the Company’s transparent
communications throughout the supply chain for responsible sourcing and mutual growth with its business partners. Executive officer of CPF, said that CPF was
honored that its sustainability reporting won the ASRA awards for 2 consecutive years, as they mirrored the Company's strict commitment to human rights
principles, fair practices as well as maximum adherence to safety, occupational health and environment standards, as shown through the preventive measures
against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Thanks to the measures, CPF's workers have remained safe and sound, able to work and support the country's food
security policy continously. Aside, CPF has emphasized collaboration with business partners, leading them towards the sustainable development path. Supports
have been thrown to partners across the supply chain to ensure their compliance with international standards and governance practices, in terms of transparent
reporting, public accessibility to information and accreditation by a third party. ASRA is the region's most prestigious recognition for sustainability reporting,
organized by Singapore-based CSRWorks International Pte Ltd which is a certified training partner of Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). This year, nearly 500
companies from 17 countries submitted their entries to win awards in 19 categories. A number of 102 companies from 14 countries entered the final round.
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Coca-Cola (USA) Europacific Partners recognised for its transition to
100% rPET in Australia
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26
CCEP in Australia has been awarded Gold in the Beverage category, as well as receiving a Special Award in the Sustainability category at The
WorldStar Global Packaging Awards. The awards are an international packaging design competition that continues to evolve and shape the
packaging design community by highlighting the global trends and challenges within the packaging industry. Each year, WorldStar receives more
than 300 entries from more than 34 countries around the world. In 2019, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Australia was the first beverage
manufacturer and Coca-Cola bottler in the world to have all single serve packs produced from 100% rPET. This includes plastic packaging for
water, soft drinks, aseptic dairy and warm-fill sensitive beverages, and equates to 7 out of 10 bottles sold in Australia. By converting all plastic
single serve packs to 100% rPET packaging, CCEP in Australia reduced the amount of virgin fossil-based plastic used in our PET bottles by an
estimated 10,000 tonnes per year. CCEP is committed to playing our part in creating a circular economy for the PET packaging we use through
increasing collection once our drinks have been consumed, supporting the development of recycling capacity to ensure they are recycled, and by
using the recycled plastic, alongside plastic from renewable sources, to make new bottles. In Western Europe, our markets are also accelerating the
reduction of virgin fossil-based plastic, working towards using 100% recycled or renewable content in our PET bottles by 2030, to help create a
low carbon circular economy for PET bottles.
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Conagra Brands (USA) Recognized As One Of The 50 Most Community-Minded
Companies In The United States For The Third Consecutive Year
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Conagra Brands announced that for the third consecutive year it has been named an honoree of The Civic 50, which recognizes the 50 most community-minded
companies in the nation. An initiative by Points of Light, the world's largest organization dedicated to volunteer service, The Civic 50 provides a national standard for
superior corporate citizenship and showcases how companies can use their time, skills, and resources to impact their communities. In fiscal year 2020, Conagra Brands
provided more than $45 million in cash and in-kind corporate and Foundation donations and awarded 680 grants. Conagra employees donated more than $700,000 to
organizations addressing issues such as arts and culture, civil rights, social justice and equality, community development, environment, health and wellness or nutrition
education, hunger relief, and post-secondary education. In addition, Conagra employees volunteered more than 2,700 hours of their time, talent, and effort to improve
and strengthen their communities. Conagra Brands takes a holistic approach to address food insecurity through a variety of actions, including product donations, financial
contributions, and employee volunteerism. Below are key initiatives and nonprofit partners the company has supported to ensure the communities where their employees
live and work have continued access to healthy and nutritious food:
• Nourish our Community Grants: Each year, Conagra Brands employees can directly nominate effective nonprofits for grants, which are then reviewed by an
all-employee panel. This year, the Conagra Brands Foundation awarded $350,000 to 22 organizations in 11 states.
• Ongoing Food Product Donations: Throughout the entirety of its fiscal year 2020, Conagra donated more than 30 million pounds of food to Feeding America and its
network of food banks, which is the equivalent of 25 million meals.
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Hershey (USA) Named To the Civic 50 and Recognized As Consumer
Staples Leader for Commitment to Empowering Communities
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The Hershey Company has been named a 2021 honoree of The Civic 50 by Points of Light, the world's largest organization dedicated to volunteer service.
In addition to being recognized as one of the 50 most community-minded companies in the United States, Hershey was named the Consumer Staples Sector
Leader. The Civic 50 provides a national standard for corporate citizenship and showcases how companies can use their time, skills and resources to drive
social impact in their communities and company. The honorees are companies with annual U.S. revenues of at least $1 billion and are selected based on four
dimensions of their corporate citizenship and social impact programs – investment of resources, integration across business functions, institutionalization
through policies and systems and impact measurement. In 2020, Hershey dedicated time, resources, and money to support various COVID-19 relief efforts
and racial justice causes. To address the devastating impacts of COVID-19, the company invested over $1 million to produce and donates more than 1.5
million masks for its employees, community nonprofits, healthcare organizations and school districts; provided relief grants to local food banks and
nonprofits supporting basic needs; and launched a product-donation care package program for more than 200 hospitals. In addition, Hershey committed more
than $2 million to advance racial equity in the United States through a scholarship endowment with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and support to
organizations such as the Equal Justice Initiative. Hershey has received the Civic 50 award every year since it was created in 2012. The Civic 50 has provided
a roadmap for good corporate citizenship and showcases how committed companies are moving social impact, civic engagement and community to the center
of their business.
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BAT (USA) recognized as a Climate Leader by the Financial Times
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BAT has been named as a 2021 Climate Leader by the Financial Times in an inaugural European ranking. FT Europe Climate Leaders
2021 recognizes the top 300 of more than 4,000 companies across Europe that achieved the highest reduction in core greenhouse gas
emissions in relation to revenues for the period between 2014 and 2019. BAT has set ambitious climate targets including being carbon
neutral in its own operations by 2030. In 2020 alone, BAT achieved a 30.9% reduction in emissions from its operations, contributing to a
37.4% reduction against a 2017 baseline. In March this year, BAT announced a further ambition to be carbon neutral across its value chain
by 2050, representing around 90% of its total carbon footprint. Minimizing impacts on the environment, increasing climate change
resilience and protecting the natural resources on which society depends are key parts of BAT’s ESG strategy. Some examples include:
• Improving the energy efficiency of factories, such as by upgrading to more efficient and lower-impact equipment.
• Increasing the use of renewable energy through renewable energy purchases and on-site energy generation projects.
• Optimizing logistics and fleet, such as through improving vehicle performance and
fuel efficiency.
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KT&G (South Korea) received the Prime Minister's Commendation
Award on the 56th Invention Day
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KT&G was awarded the Prime Minister's Commendation on the 31st in recognition of its contribution to the development of national
industry at the 56th Invention Day commemoration ceremony. Being hosted by the Korean Intellectual Property Office and organized by
the Korea Invention Promotion Association, this event was prepared to reward individuals and organizations that contributed to the
promotion of inventions in Korea. The purpose of this event is to encourage people to create increasingly innovative inventions and to
contribute more toward the development of the country’s industry by promoting the creation and utilization of excellent inventions. In
this award, KT&G was recognized for its contribution to protecting national industrial technology and for the development of the
intellectual property system through its unique technology development and job invention promotion policy. Previously, KT&G CEO
Baek Bok In, who took office in 2015, emphasized the importance of convergence technology in the tobacco industry and focused on
intellectual property-oriented strategies for technology development. Accordingly, KT&G strengthened the support for the policy by
establishing a division in charge of intellectual property in 2016 and expanding the Employee Proprietary Information and Inventions
Agreement for researchers to encourage patent applications.
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Rakuten (Japan) consecutively selected for FTSE4Good Index Series and
FTSE Blossom Japan Index
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Rakuten Group, Inc. is pleased to announce that, for the third consecutive year, it has been selected as a constituent for the FTSE4Good
Index Series and FTSE Blossom Japan Index, the global leading ESG indices comprising companies demonstrating strong ESG practices.
The rating of Rakuten’s sustainability performance by FTSE is above the average of the consumer services industry and above the
average of Japanese companies. In recent years, ESG investments that take into account not only financial performance such as revenues
and profits, but also ESG factors, like climate change, diversity, human rights, have grown in importance globally. Rakuten has been
proactively answering investors’ demand by addressing related challenges and communicating on its progress with transparency, in line
with its mission to contribute to society by creating value through innovation and entrepreneurship. Our continuous efforts have resulted
in the inclusion in the leading ESG indexes used as global references for ESG investment by many institutional investors worldwide,
including Japan's Government Pension Investment Fund. Rakuten is currently selected for the followings: FTSE4Good Index Series,
FTSE Blossom Japan Index, MSCI Japan Empowering Women Index (WIN), and MSCI Japan Empowering Women (WIN) Select Index,
Dow Jones Sustainability World Index, Dow Jones Sustainability Asia Pacific Index, and S&P/JPX Carbon Efficient Index.
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Sumitomo Corporation (Japan): Global Partnership for Ethiopia welcomes
licence award to operate telecom services in Ethiopia
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Sumitomo Corporation has been a member of a consortium together with Vodafone Group Plc and it has been awarded a licence to operate
telecom services in Ethiopia. The impact investment consortium aspires to support Ethiopia’s digital transformation and positively
enhance the lives of its citizens. The consortium, named the Global Partnership for Ethiopia, will establish a new operating company in
Ethiopia and aims to start providing telecommunications services from 2022. The Partnership includes: Vodafone Safaricom
Plc(“Safaricom”) Vodacom Group Ltd(“Vodacom”) Sumitomo Corporation and CDC Group Plc(“CDC”). Ethiopia is home to over 112
million people, making it the second largest country in Africa by population. It is one of the last countries in the world to introduce
competition in the telecom industry, a rigorous process started by the government in 2019 as part of its Economic Reform Agenda, with
the support of the International Finance Corporation. The reforms aim to increase jobs, reduce poverty and grow the local economy in an
inclusive and sustainable manner. The Global Partnership for Ethiopia was created to bring about transformational economic and social
impact in the country. The provision of accessible, affordable and high quality mobile and internet connectivity by the Partnership will
enable greater social inclusion as millions more Ethiopians access quality telecom services.
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"2020 China Top 100 Chain Companies" list released, Yonghui (China)
rises to fourth place
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The China Chain Store & Franchise Association released the list of the “Top 100 Chain Stores in China in 2020” based on the results of the “Basic
Situation of the Industry and Top 100 Chain Stores in 2020”. The list shows that Yonghui Supermarket's sales in 2020 will be 104,5315 million yuan,
with a sales growth rate of 12.2%, ranking fourth in the list, up 2 places compared to 2019. According to the China Chain Store & Franchise
Association's announcement, although the overall sales of the top 100 companies have shown negative growth for the first time since the association’s
statistics in 1997, from the perspective of companies’ new store openings in 2020, the confidence of the top 100 chain stores in bucking the trend is still
unabated, with 2/3 The total number of corporate stores has increased over the previous year, and the total number of stores of the top 100 companies
has increased by 8.2% over the previous year. According to Yonghui's 2020 financial report data, Yonghui opened 114 new bravo stores last year. As of
the end of 2020, the business has entered 29 provinces and cities with 1,017 stores. Provinces with more than 50 stores are Fujian, Chongqing, Sichuan,
Anhui, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Guangdong. At the same time, the newly entered provinces include Tibet, Shandong, Gansu, Inner Mongolia and
Qinghai, and the first stores in each province have received enthusiastic responses, especially Tibet that made profits that year. In addition, it is worth
noting that the epidemic has promoted the trend of online shopping. Through the online layout of recent years, the top 100 chain companies have
developed home-to-home, live broadcast, and group group businesses.
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Alibabagroup (China): Cainiao and Hainan Government Enter Strategic
Partnership to Develop Hainan Global Smart Supply Chain Pilot Zone
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34
Cainiao Smart Logistics Network the logistics arm of Alibaba Group Holding Limited, announced at its annual Global Smart Logistics Summit 2021 that it has entered
a strategic partnership with the Hainan government to support the development of the Hainan global smart supply chain pilot zone, an important first step in contributing
to the success of the free trade port. This was jointly announced by CEO Lin WAN and Hainan Provincial Bureau of International Economic Development’s Director at
the summit. As part of the partnership, Cainiao will be leveraging its global logistics capabilities and technology to establish Hainan as a trade center and pilot model for
the digital economy. Here, Cainiao will be working closely with Hainan to provide holistic smart logistics services to merchants from around the world. The
public-private partnership includes four key areas:
• Establishment of a comprehensive smart logistics infrastructure on Hainan’s main and outlying islands to attract duty-free merchants: Cainiao will be developing
customized central warehouses tailored for luxury goods, pharmaceutical products, fragrances and cold chain products to establish Hainan as a duty-free haven. The goal
is to leverage the highly efficient customs clearance system and smart logistics innovation to attract over 1,000 duty-free merchants, especially those that have yet to enter
the China market, to bring imported goods, new product launches and exclusive items into Hainan. This will allow consumers in Hainan to access goods from around the
world.
• Launch of Hainan free trade port merchant smart service center: Cainiao will be committing technological resources and expertise to develop a smart service platform
comprising logistics and supply chain management system, digitized customs platform, and the store and delivery point management system.
Description
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Bed Bath & Beyond (USA) Strengthens Same Day Delivery Services In The
U.S. With DoorDash Partnership
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Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. announced that it has strengthened its Same Day Delivery services in the U.S. through a partnership with DoorDash making
it easier and more convenient than ever to shop online for products from Bed Bath & Beyond® and buybuy BABY®. Same Day Delivery service will
be powered through DoorDash Drive – DoorDash's white-label fulfillment platform that powers direct delivery for any business. The DoorDash launch
arrives right on time to shop essentials, must-haves, and amazing deals ahead of the Memorial Day holiday. Through DoorDash Drive, Bed Bath &
Beyond and buybuy BABY websites will expand same day delivery to over 3,000 additional zip codes across the country. With the added coverage same
day delivery is now available in 99% of their store locations and allows customers the convenience to shop an array of different delivery options.
Customers can utilize the service by going to bedbathandbeyond.com and buybuybaby.com and selecting the option for Same Day Delivery at checkout.
Once the order is placed, a Dasher will pick up the items at the local store and deliver them to the customer's home via contactless delivery. Customers
are also now able to place order just hours before closing and still receive it the same day and track packages live. Bed Bath & Beyond continues to
move ahead in its transformational journey by helping customers to realize the potential in every room, introducing new and exciting brands, tools, and
services to inspire customers to "Home, Happier™." The Same Day Delivery partnership with DoorDash follows a successful launch in Canada last
month, which was accelerated in response to pandemic-induced lockdowns in Ontario.
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Bunge (USA) Partners with Elevate Network to Advance Diversity, Equity
and Inclusion Efforts
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36
Bunge joins the number of elite organizations working with Ellevate Network who are committed to expanding career
development opportunities for their employees, and will be a gold sponsor for Ellevate’s Mobilize Women Week.
Through this partnership, Bunge expands its commitment to diversity and inclusion by providing its employees access
to Ellevate’s programs, which create safe spaces to share career stories and develop critical skills in the face of an
ever-changing business world. Bunge also joins as a gold sponsor for Ellevate Network’s 2021 Mobilize Women Week,
dedicated to furthering the conversation around equality in the workplace and beyond. Deborah Borg, Chief Human
Resources and Communications Officer, joins the feature session “The Great Comeback” as a speaker. Ellevate
Network works with businesses of all sizes and in all industries to help engage their workforces, attract diverse talent,
and deliver on their diversity and inclusion goals.
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The Ocean Cleanup and the Coca-Cola (USA) Company Announce New
Partnership
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37
The Coca-Cola Company and The Ocean Cleanup announced that Coca-Cola will become a Global Implementation Partner for
The Ocean Cleanup’s river project. The unique partnership brings the international company and technological non-profit
together behind a clear objective: to stem the tide of plastic pollution entering the world’s oceans, by first intercepting waste in
rivers. Partnering Coca-Cola’s scale and global network with The Ocean Cleanup’s technology and data solutions, the initiative
will help to expedite the deployment of cleanup systems across fifteen rivers around the world over the next 18 months, including
the introduction and implementation of The Ocean Cleanup’s semi-autonomous solar-powered Interceptor™ river cleanup
solutions. It also aims to engage and mobilize both industry and individuals around the world to address plastic pollution,
eliminating plastic waste entering the world’s oceans and supporting ecosystems, species and water resources. The Interceptor
was unveiled in 2019 and is the first scalable solution to prevent plastic from entering the world’s oceans from rivers. It is 100%
solar-powered, extracts trash autonomously, and is capable of operating in the majority of the world’s most polluting rivers.
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Conagra Brands (USA) Forms Multi-Year Partnerships with Thurgood Marshall
College Fund and Hispanic Scholarship Fund
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38
Conagra Brands announced new partnerships with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF), the nation's largest organization exclusively
representing the Black college community, and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF), one of the nation's leading nonprofit organizations supporting
higher education, to support Black and Brown students. The partnerships will help ensure students receive equitable access to quality higher education
opportunities and reinforce Conagra's commitment to supporting the communities where its employees live and work. Conagra will make donations to
each organization to fund several college scholarships. Additional resources will be provided to each institution to support scholarship recipients as they
navigate internships and other services that prepare them for their future careers. Conagra employees will also actively engage with scholarship
recipients to provide unique professional development opportunities that strengthen career prospects for students' post-college, including resume
building assistance, job interview preparation, and additional workplace readiness experiences. Key components of Conagra's comprehensive diversity
and inclusion strategy include building a strong entry-level pipeline; providing development opportunities for underrepresented groups internal and
external; and committing to develop and advance talent in order to increase the amount of racial, ethnic and gender diversity and representation within
the company. This scholarship initiative will help ensure Black and Brown talent are supported in their pursuit for academic excellence and as they enter
workforce.
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Constellation Brands (USA) and Modelo Partner to Help Empower Hispanics to
Achieve the American Dream Through $500,000 Contribution to Unidosus
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39
Constellation Brands, Inc. a leading beverage alcohol company in partnership with Modelo, the beer brewed for those with The Fighting Spirit™ announced a
collective $500,000 contribution to UnidosUS, the nation's largest Latino civil rights and advocacy organization. The contribution will provide UnidosUS with
resources to strengthen Hispanic families’ financial security through financial empowerment and homeownership programs. In the last year, the economic
downturn brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted the systemic barriers that put Hispanic communities at a disadvantage across the U.S.
The median wealth of a Hispanic household is five times lower than that of a white counterpart (1). And within the last year alone, nearly 60 percent of Hispanic
households have reported lower incomes, which is nearly twice as much as their white counterparts. Homeownership is a key indicator of financial mobility, and
UnidosUS believes reaching this goal is key to an individual’s ability to build wealth. Constellation and Modelo’s contributions will support financial literacy
programs by providing funds to the UnidosUS National Homeownership Network, which has provided more than 590,000 families with housing counseling. In
addition, more than 30,000 people have been able to buy their own homes and 90,000 families have avoided foreclosure. To identify the right programs and
organization, Constellation tapped into its ¡SALUD! Business resource group – standing for Supporting and Attracting Latinos United for Diversity and
Development. The ¡SALUD! team helped to identify financial literacy and housing empowerment as areas of support that could truly make long-term impact in
the economic development and prosperity of the Hispanic community and played a role in vetting organizations that could best deliver impact in these areas.
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KPN (China) and Johan Cruijff ArenA have been innovation partners for 25
years
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40
KPN has been the stadium's technology and innovation partner since the construction of the Amsterdam ArenA in 1996. It is the largest
stadium in the Netherlands and home to the Orange squad during the upcoming European Football Championship. In the past 25 years,
KPN and the ArenA, together with various partners, including the Municipality of Amsterdam, NS and the Police, have worked on
innovative projects in which technology is used to continuously improve the visitor experience and safety of the tens of thousands of
visitors, law enforcement officers and stadium stewards. KPN installed 5G in the stadium and the ArenA became the first football stadium
in Europe with a 5G network. The ArenA has long been a FieldLab where people experiment to their heart's content with new solutions
and technology. The ArenA is much more than just a stadium. The area around the Johan Cruijff ArenA is actually a complete city in
miniature. In addition to the stadium, there are concert halls, shops, restaurants, businesses, residences and a train station, each with
millions of visitors each year. Sometimes there are multiple events in the area at the same time and up to 100,000 people attend. Thanks
to 5G technology, information from camera images can be used directly in the future to allow visitors to come to the stadium via a
different route, to get them into their stadium seat faster or to guide them to the train station.
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KPN (China) APG announce the start of fiber optic company "Glaspoort"
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41
KPN and APG completed the transaction for the establishment of a fiber optic joint venture. After signing on March 23, 2021 and the approval of the
Netherlands Authority for Consumers & Markets, the joint venture – called Glaspoort and located in Amsterdam – will start rolling out fiber in villages,
small centers and business parks as of. The scope of the joint venture has expanded slightly, increasing by ~75,000 households. As a result, Glaspoort
plans to connect ~750,000 households and ~225,000 businesses to fiber. Glaspoort will invest more than €1 billion in the roll-out of fiber over the next
five years. The required construction capacity and external financing are guaranteed in such a way that Glaspoort can quickly start the roll-out of fiber
optic. More than 70,000 fiber connections are expected this year. The past year has shown the importance of reliable, safe and fast internet for Dutch
society. Glaspoort will further accelerate the digitization of the Netherlands by also rolling out fiber optics in more remote areas. In the coming years,
the company will offer nearly 1 million customers the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of a fiber optic connection. The construction capacity required
to realize this ambition will provide more than 1,000 jobs and the investment will provide an attractive return for APG's pension fund clients and their
participants. The new network company has an open network strategy. Although KPN acts as the main tenant on the network, Glaspoort offers access
to external operators who choose to do so. As a result, end users can select a telecom company of their choice, thereby promoting competition and
innovation in the Netherlands.
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Givaudan (Switzerland) leads fine fragrance digital innovation through
first-of-its-kind partnership with Tmall in China
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42
Givaudan, the global leader in fragrance creation, has entered into an industry-first partnership with Tmall, the Alibaba group's open business-to-consumer
(B2C) platform, to launch the T-Lab source innovation laboratory and capture digital opportunities for fragrance creation in China. The T-Lab source
innovation laboratory will leverage Givaudan's leading creative fragrance solutions and production capabilities in China, powered by Tmall's consumer
behaviour data capabilities and ecosystem of partners. As Tmall’s inaugural fragrance innovation partner, Givaudan will receive fragrance brief opportunities
at the ideation stage, gain access to Tmall’s brand ecosystem and tap into data-led capabilities such as the Tmall Innovation Center’s online research module.
This unique offering will not only stay on top of Chinese consumer trends, but will also shorten end-to-end product development for fine fragrances from 40
weeks to just four weeks, a timeline optimised for capturing digital opportunities. The exclusive partnership will enable Givaudan to co-build new product
development proposals with e-retailers like Tmall and its ecosystem partners before offering the solutions to brand customers. The first-of-its-kind
collaboration has already produced a new series of fragrances inspired by the Chinese classic novel ‘Journey to the West’, comprising two Eaux de Parfum,
a reed diffuser, and hand and body creams. The products have been developed with the accelerated nine-step process from data mining through to end-product
prototype manufacturing, setting a new industry benchmark for collaborative source innovation.
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H&M (Sweden) Teams Up With L.A.-Based Brock Collection for a Romantic
Yet Sophisticated Womenswear Collaboration
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43
H&M announces collaboration with the L.A.-based women’s brand Brock Collection. The focus is on modern romance — approachable opulence
mixed with streetwise ease and a hint of past decades. Country florals, tie-up shoulder straps and corset-like details emphasise the craftsmanship, while
the feminine silhouettes and contrast with denim pieces are flattering and exude a city edge. The range of charming dresses, separates, denim and
accessories are made from more sustainable materials. Available from 1 June, the Brock Collection x H&M collection will be available in selected
H&M stores worldwide as well as online on hm.com. The collaboration features signature Brock Collection pieces, a softly romantic yet city-ready
range of dresses, blouses, tops, denim jeans and denim shorts, plus shoes, jewellery, handbags and sunglasses. Fitted shapes and dreamy ruffle details
effortlessly mingle with flowing fabrics, voluminous skirts and statement balloon sleeves. The colour palette consists of black, pale pinks, off-white,
and cream and washed denim. The collection is made from more sustainable materials – organic linen, organic cotton, recycled cotton, recycled
polyester and Tencel™ Lyocell. To celebrate the launch of the Brock Collection x H&M collection, H&M has partnered up with choreographer Sherrie
Silver to create a modern dance routine. The concept of the choreography is “pure joy” with a selected cast of eight talents starring in the campaign:
Julia Campbell, Patricia Manfield (Heir), Alva Claire Mc Kenzie, Dulcie Gibbons, MaryGrace Tropeano, Dohuyn Kim, Ajok Daing and Sherrie Silver.
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Hershey (USA): Amplify And Austin Fc Announce Multi-year Partnership
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44
Amplify Snack Brands, the leading better-for-you snacking company responsible for SkinnyPop Popcorn and Pirate’s
Booty, announced a multi-year partnership with Austin FC. The relationship will make Amplify the “Official Better for
You Snacking Partner” of Major League Soccer’s expansion club, Austin FC. Amplify is Austin’s largest consumer
packaged goods company and is currently one of the fastest growing better-for-you Salty Snacking players across
measured channels. The company has a vision to become the largest BFY snacking company overall, with its flagship
brand, SkinnyPop Popcorn, leading the charge. As part of the partnership, Amplify will receive in-stadium marketing
opportunities, in-game digital advertising across more than 300 televisions during home contests, and “Grab and Go”
locations for its portfolio of brands, including SkinnyPop Popcorn, Pirate’s Booty and Paqui.
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The Home Depot (USA) Foundation Partners with Girl Scouts of the USA To
Launch Skilled Trades Training Program For Young Women
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45
The Home Depot Foundation announced a new strategic partnership with Girl Scouts of the USA to provide introductory trades training experience and
career education for young women. The Foundation and GSUSA will host the first-ever joint construction workshops for Cadette, Senior and
Ambassador Level Girl Scouts (8th – 12th grades). This pilot program, launching in fall 2021, will engage troops throughout Atlanta, Denver and
Houston, providing hands-on experience with carpentry and other building construction trades. These skilled trades’ workshops will be led by female
industry professionals and will offer career guidance and additional education touch points for young women seeking trades training opportunities. In
2020, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported data showing only 11% of construction workers and 27% of architecture and engineering
professionals are women. Furthermore, the National Association of Home Builders’ 2019 Builder Member Census shared just 9% of their members are
women and less than 0.5% are Black. To deepen this initiative, The Home Depot Foundation will extend scholarship opportunities to select high school
senior Girl Scouts as part of its recently announced $250,000 Path to Pro scholarship program. This program grants financial assistance to eligible
candidates for trade college or postsecondary programs. Earlier this month, the Foundation announced trades training partnerships with 100 Black Men
of America, Inc. and The Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs (RICE) to focus on eliminating racial and social inequities through education and
workforce development for Black youth and Black entrepreneurs.
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Hormel Foods (USA): Applegate Announces Proud Partnership with the New York Yankees and
Reveals Which of Its 100% Natural Meat Products Made the Roster for Concession Menus
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46
Applegate, the nation’s leading natural and organic meat brand has been named a Proud Partner of the New York Yankees. As a Proud Partner,
Applegate will be stepping up to the plate with 100% natural deli meats, pizza toppings, and snacking options. Here’s where you can enjoy
Applegate® products at Yankee Stadium in 2021:
• Sandwiches will now be crafted with Applegate Naturals® Oven Roasted Turkey Breast and Black Forest Ham, which will be available at
select “Grab & Go” areas.
• Pepperoni pizza toppings will be made with Applegate humanely raised meat and available at the Pizza Concession stand on the Field Level
at Section 125 and at the “Grab & Go” on the Main Level at Section 211.
• Applegate Naturals® Genoa & Cheddar Charcuterie Plate and Applegate Naturals®Turkey Pepperoni & Cheddar Snack Pack will be
available at select “Grab & Go” areas.
All Applegate® products are made without GMO ingredients, artificial ingredients and preservatives, and are made with meat sourced from
animals Applegate humanely raised without antibiotics, added hormones, or growth promotions.
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Unilever Japan and Kao (Japan) Launch a Collaborative Plastic Recycling
Program
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47
Unilever Japan and Kao Corporation will launch a collaborative recycling program to help create a circular economy for plastic packaging. the
companies will collect used bottles of personal and home care products in Higashi-Yamato City, Tokyo, which will then be recycled to make new
bottles. This city, which has signed a collaborative agreement with Unilever Japan, has been chosen due to its renowned recycling initiatives. As a part
of its growth strategy Unilever Compass, Unilever aims to help creating a waste-free world. By 2025, the company is aiming to halve its use of virgin
plastic and help collect and process more plastic packaging than it sells. Since 2019, Unilever Japan has been using recycled plastic in its product
packaging including LUX, Dove, and CLEAR. In addition, Unilever Japan launched the UMILE Program in November 2020, where used packaging is
collected at retail stores, and then recycled to make novelties that are then given back to consumers to support sustainable living. In April 2019, Kao
launched its new ESG strategy—the Kirei Lifestyle Plan—which helps reduce the impact on the environment throughout the product lifecycle of its
range of products. The Japanese word 'kirei' describes something that is both clean and beautiful. For Kao, Kirei not only encapsulates appearance, but
also attitude—to create beauty for oneself, other people, and for the world around us. With this in mind, Kao is striving to reduce the amount of plastic
used to make packaging, with the adoption of the 4Rs: Reduce, Replace, Reuse, and Recycle. In September 2019, Kao announced that it was aiming to
help realize a plastic resource circulating society through "Innovation in Reduction" and "Innovation in Recycling."
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JBS (Brazil) USA to Partner with the MontCo Anti-Hunger Network Through
Hometown Strong Initiative
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48
Building on its ongoing sustainability and social responsibility efforts, JBS USA announced a $216,627 contribution to the MontCo
Anti-Hunger Network to purchase a distribution truck for the Food Resource Program, as well as provide financial support for the
organization to operate for one year. This donation is part of the company’s Hometown Strong program, which includes a
commitment to invest $1.1 million in Souderton, Pa., to support the community’s future. JBS Souderton has been working with local
leaders and various organizations to determine how the funds can best help meet immediate and longer-term community needs. The
JBS USA Souderton beef production facility employs more than 1,400 people with an annual payroll of more than $62 million. The
facility supports more than 1,100 local producers, paying them more than $505 million per year for their livestock. Through MAHN,
JBS Souderton donates roughly two tons of high-quality beef products per month to local food pantries. Hometown Strong is a
national $50 million initiative that adds to commitments JBS USA has made to protect employees and ensure their job security amid
the global pandemic. Hometown Strong is one of the largest community investment programs of its kind in the country.
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Marubeni (Japan), NYK, and TDG Agree on Joint Promotion of Electronic
Money Platform Business for Seafarers
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49
Marubeni Corporation NYK Line and Transnational Diversified Group (TDG) have agreed on Marubeni’s acquisition of a stake in MarCoPay Inc., an
electronic money platform business founded by NYK Line and TDG. Nowadays, on oceangoing vessels around the world, approximately 80 billion yen
is speculated to be kept as cash on board because salary payments to crew members have traditionally occurred in cash. However, cash on board vessels
leads to additional workloads and costs, such as fees to transport cash to the vessels and remittance fees when seafarers send the received cash to their
families. Moreover, seafarers spend long periods of time on vessels in a specialized working environment, so the need for health management support
and convenient online services between sea and land has existed. Also, in countries such as the Philippines, where most crew members call home,
seafarers are often not fully accorded the best credit conditions when applying for loans and can have difficulty obtaining proper insurance services that
suit their labor environment and lifestyle. This is said to be due to the term contracts of the seafarers, even though they generally earn much more than
average in their home countries. Thus, cost reduction for cash handling by vessels and improvement of the working and living environment of seafarers
has been issues within the shipping industry for some time. MarCoPay Inc. has developed an electronic money platform named “MarCoPay” that has
been designed to enable digital salary receipt, remittances, cash withdrawals, loan applications, and insurance and investment product purchases
through a smartphone application.
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Marubeni (Japan): MoU Signed with EGCB for the Joint Development of the
Feni Solar PV Power Plant Project in the People’s Republic of Bangladesh
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50
Marubeni Corporation signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Electricity Generation Company of Bangladesh Limited electricity and
utility company owned by the Bangladesh Development Board. The MoU is regarding the joint development of the 100MW Solar PV Power Plant
Project in Chittagong, Feni, southeast of People’s Republic of Bangladesh. In line with its strong economic growth, the generation capacity of
Bangladesh is continuously increasing and the government aims to expand its renewable energy capacity to 10% of the country’s total generation
capacity. The MoU was also approved by the Bangladesh Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, an organization operating above
EGCB and BPDB. Marubeni has a track record of installing approximately 1,300MW of gas-fired power plants and hydropower plants in
Bangladesh. If this Project is realized, it will become one of the largest scale solar power plants in the country, and the first Independent Power
Producer project for Marubeni in the country. Marubeni owns stakes in power projects across 19 countries (including Japan) for a total net capacity
of about 12GW. Also, as part of the company’s activities for enhancing sustainability, Marubeni issued the Notification Regarding Business
Policies Pertaining to Sustainability in Relation to Coal-Fired Power Generation Business and Renewable Energy Generation Business in
September 2018, and set the Marubeni Long-Term Vision on Climate Change in March 2021 for the purpose of contributing to solving global
climate change.
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Pernod Ricard (France) Erasmus Student Network and HOTREC call for
more responsible togetherness and solidarity
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51
Responsible Party partners with HOTREC the association of hotels, restaurants, bars, and cafés in Europe, in order to ensure the opening of safe venues which
respect the measures in place and bring conviviality back in a responsible way. They encourage all individual organizations to join and sign this Declaration and
become part of this movement to enjoy convivial moments in Europe safely and responsibly. Created in partnership with the Erasmus Student Network, a European
non-profit organization, Responsible Party is a prevention programme which actively fights against the misuse of alcohol. Born from the idea that events are even
better if they are enjoyed responsibly, Responsible Party implements a peer-to-peer approach that has been highly successful, reaching over 450,000 students in 33
countries since the start of the program in 2009. Aspiring to “make good times unforgettable”, Responsible Party focalizes on water distribution to reduce alcohol
related harm, empowering young adults to make more responsible choices that raise awareness among their peers. Given the current context, Responsible Party
extended its activities to both on-the-field activations and impactful digital campaigns. Since launching in April 2020, and thanks to their first “Sharing Good
Vibes” digital campaign, Responsible Party's online presence amassed a reach of 6 million people in 30 countries. With the world put on hold for the past year, the
pandemic has drastically changed the dynamics of our society. The COVID-19 pandemic has also hit livelihoods and businesses hard, throwing Europe’s wider
mobility and hospitality sectors into a deep crisis. Supporting the hospitality sector in keeping customers and staff safe across the extraordinary diversity of
convivial settings and experiences they offer is more than ever paramount for the businesses still standing.
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PVH Corp. (USA) Expands Pride Partnerships to Focus on Year-Round Education
and Awareness of the LGBTQIA+ Community
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52
PVH Corp. announces this year’s support of global Pride will focus on education and awareness, community engagement and creating inclusive products
throughout the year. Pride is an important celebration and educational moment for our global associates to rally around, with activations planned in many of
the company’s top regions and markets. PVH continues to support NYC Pride 2021 as a Gold Sponsor for six events throughout the year including two in
June: Human Rights Conference and Black Queer Townhall. New this year, PVH is expanding its community engagement through support of the Human
Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) program. The company is also partnering with PFLAG National
on education and awareness opportunities for associates. Partnering with PFLAG National, the first and largest organization in the U.S. for lesbian, gay,
bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) people, their parents and families, and allies, will enable PVH to continue fostering education and awareness
opportunities for its associates with an LGBTQIA+ Allyship Training in June and additional programming to celebrate and support the LGBTQIA+
community beyond Pride month. In partnership with WERK, the company’s LGBTQIA+ business resource group with chapters in North America, Europe,
Asia and Australia, associates will have the opportunity to participate in virtual events, content series and a community giving campaign during Pride month.
PVH will continue its “Let’s Talk” series with a discussion on Pride, the LGBTQIA+ community and the importance of both celebration and education. The
series further supports PVH’s efforts to become a more diverse and inclusive organization.
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Toyota Tsusho (Japan) Mitsui Chemicals and Neste collaborate to start Japan's first
production of renewable plastics from 100% bio-based hydrocarbons
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53
Toyota Tsusho Corp. Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. and Neste announced that they are joining forces to enable Japan's first industrial-scale
production of renewable plastics and chemicals from 100% bio-based hydrocarbons. In this collaboration, Mitsui Chemicals will use
Neste RE™, 100% bio-based hydrocarbons produced by Neste, to replace a part of the fossil feedstock in the production of a variety of
plastics and chemicals at its crackers within Osaka Works during 2021. In doing so, Mitsui Chemicals will become Japan's first company
to use bio-based feedstock in its crackers. The collaboration between Neste, Mitsui Chemicals and Toyota Tsusho will enable brand
owners and other potential clients in the Asian market, particularly in Japan, to start incorporating renewable plastics and chemicals into
their products and offerings. For this collaboration, Neste, a forerunner in producing renewable and recycled feedstock alternatives for
the plastics and chemicals industry, will produce its Neste RE feedstock entirely from renewable raw materials, such as bio-based waste
and residue oils, without any fossil oil. By using Neste RE, Mitsui Chemicals is able to produce plastics and chemicals with significantly
reduced greenhouse gas emissions over their life cycle – spanning from the raw materials stage all the way through to product disposal –
when compared to products made using fossil feedstock, such as petroleum naphtha.
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UNFI Makes Company’s Largest Investment in Renewable Energy
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54
United Natural Foods, Inc. announced that in collaboration with solar project developer, Pine Gates Renewables as well as U.S. Bank, it
is investing in Trent River Solar, a 108.5 megawatt (MW) solar facility located in Jones County, North Carolina. The site, which sits on
640 acres, will contain over 800,000 solar panels and create enough energy to provide power to over 14,000 homes. The solar project will
support 300 local and regional jobs and is expected to be completed and placed in service later this month. UNFI will not acquire the
energy created at Trent River nor the renewable energy certificates. Pine Gate is a leading renewable energy company focused on project
development and strategic financing of utility-scale solar and storage sites throughout the United States. It currently manages 770MW of
operational assets, with more than 12GW in active development and has raised over $2 billion in project capital to date. The company’s
Pine Gate Impact initiative contributes to multiple non-profit organizations aimed at improving the environment and local communities.
Headquartered in Asheville, NC, Pine Gate Renewables was awarded a top spot on Inc. magazine’s Best Workplaces list in 2021, named
to Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies list in 2021, awarded the gold medal in the energy category for Inc.’s Best in Business
2020 list and ranked #6 on Inc. 500’s list of “Fastest Growing Energy Companies” in 2018.
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Citi Retail Services and Tractor Supply (USA) Company Extend 20+ Year
Credit Card Relationship
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55
Tractor Supply Company, America's largest operator of rural lifestyle retail stores, and Citi Retail Services, one of North America's largest
and most experienced retail credit solution providers, announced a multi-year extension of their long-standing credit card relationship.
The new agreement more closely aligns the two organizations in their desire to grow the program and provide cardholders a unique and
rewarding “Life out Here” experience. It also marks a continued commitment to further expand the Tractor Supply Company (TSC)
Personal Credit Card portfolio, a key strategic area of focus that has realized significant growth in recent years. Citi Retail Services issues
the TSC Personal Credit Card, which offers cardholders Preferred Plus status in TSC’s Neighbor’s Club, 5% back in rewards on
qualifying purchases, and access to special financing. The two companies also offer the Tractor Supply Business card which provides
both net and revolving terms for business customers. Citi, the leading global bank, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and
does business in more than 160 countries and jurisdictions. Citi provides consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a
broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities
brokerage, transaction services, and wealth management.
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Retail & Consumer Goods July 2021
Retail & Consumer Goods July 2021
Retail & Consumer Goods July 2021
Retail & Consumer Goods July 2021
Retail & Consumer Goods July 2021
Retail & Consumer Goods July 2021
Retail & Consumer Goods July 2021
Retail & Consumer Goods July 2021
Retail & Consumer Goods July 2021
Retail & Consumer Goods July 2021
Retail & Consumer Goods July 2021
Retail & Consumer Goods July 2021
Retail & Consumer Goods July 2021
Retail & Consumer Goods July 2021
Retail & Consumer Goods July 2021
Retail & Consumer Goods July 2021
Retail & Consumer Goods July 2021
Retail & Consumer Goods July 2021
Retail & Consumer Goods July 2021
Retail & Consumer Goods July 2021
Retail & Consumer Goods July 2021
Retail & Consumer Goods July 2021
Retail & Consumer Goods July 2021
Retail & Consumer Goods July 2021
Retail & Consumer Goods July 2021
Retail & Consumer Goods July 2021
Retail & Consumer Goods July 2021
Retail & Consumer Goods July 2021

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Retail & Consumer Goods July 2021

  • 1. IT Shades Engage & Enable I-Bytes Retail & Consumer Goods July Edition 2021 Email us - marketing@itshades.com Website : www.itshades.com
  • 2. IT Shades Engage & Enable For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com About Us Who We are Aim of this IByte Reasons to talk to us ITShades.com has been founded with singular aim of engaging and enabling the best and brightest of businesses, professionals and students with opportunities, learnings, best practices, collaboration and innovation from IT industry. This document brings together a set of latest data points and publicly available information relevant for Retail & Consumer Goods Industry. We are very excited to share this content and believe that readers will benefit from this periodic publication immensely. 1. Publishing of your company’s solutions/ announcements in this document. 2. Subscribe to this and other periodic publications i.e. I-Bytes, Solution Letters from ITShades.com. 3. For placement of your company's click-able logo and advertisements. 4. Feedback for us to improve the content and format of these periodic publications.
  • 3. IT Shades Engage & Enable Feel free to contact us at marketing@itshades.com for any queries Sponsoring Companies for this Edition LOGO 1 LOGO 2 LOGO 3 LOGO 4 LOGO 5
  • 4. IT Shades Engage & Enable For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com Table of Contents 1. Financial, M & A Updates...................................................................................................................................1 2. Solution Updates.................................................................................................................................................11 3. Rewards and Recognition Updates...................................................................................................................23 4. Partnership Ecosystem Updates.......................................................................................................................34 5. Environment & Social Updates.........................................................................................................................61 6. Miscellaneous Updates.......................................................................................................................................78
  • 5. IT Shades Engage & Enable For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com Financial, M & A Updates Retail & Consumer Goods Industry
  • 6. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consec- tetuer Financial, M&A Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable Barry Callebaut (Switzerland) to acquire Europe Chocolate Company in Belgium The Barry Callebaut Group, the world’s leading manufacturer of high-quality chocolate and cocoa products, has signed an agreement to acquire Europe Chocolate Company a Belgian privately-owned B2B manufacturer of chocolate specialties and decorations. This strategic acquisition expands the Group's value adding specialties capabilities, allowing Barry Callebaut to cater to the increasing demand of Food Manufacturers for highly customized specialty chocolate and decorations. The integration of ECC expands Barry Callebaut’s specialized chocolate molding capabilities and allows the Group to offer tailor-made solutions thanks to ECC’s advanced inhouse developed technology. ECC has been manufacturing specialty chocolate ingredients since 1993. ECC produces a wide range of industrial specialty chocolate and decorations in multiple taste and color variations including batons, curls, chunks, leaves, and shavings. Its flexible production setup allows it to supply a wide variety of customers such as biscuit, bakery, dairy, ice-cream, confectionery, and food service industries. The company operates a chocolate factory and a warehouse in Malle, close to Antwerp, Belgium. Executive Commentary “We have a long-standing relationship with ECC and strongly believe in the growth opportunities of highly customized industrial specialty chocolate ingredients. The acquisition will help us to further broaden our market position thanks to ECC’s unique know-how and its highly flexible manufacturing facility in Belgium.” Said Vice President Food Manufacturers Western Europe at Barry Callebaut. For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com Description 1
  • 7. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consec- tetuer Financial, M&A Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable Australian hygiene company Asaleo Care becomes Essity (Sweden) Hygiene and health company Essity has finalized its acquisition of the remaining 63.8% of the shares in the Australian hygiene company Asaleo Care. Essity AustralAsia, which is the name of the regional unit going forward, will be consolidated into Essity’s accounts as of July 1st, 2021. In 2020, Asaleo Care reported sales of AUD 419m and underlying EBITDA of AUD 89m. Based on this, Asaleo Care would have contributed to Essity's net sales and EBITDA by approximately 2% for 2020. Executive Commentary “It is with great pleasure we welcome our new colleagues in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands to Essity. Together we will continue to improve well-being through our leading products and solutions and facilitate the opportunity for profitable growth in this region”, says President and CEO Essity. For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com Description 2
  • 8. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consec- tetuer Financial, M&A Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable Hershey (USA) Completes Acquisition of Lily's Confectionery Brand The Hershey Company announced the completion of its acquisition of Lily's, the high-growth maker of low-sugar, better-for-you (BFY) confectionery products, for a purchase price of $425 million. Lily's mission is to offer consumers a range of great tasting, low sugar treats. Launched with four chocolate-style bars nationally in Whole Foods Market, the expanded line of bars, baking chips and other confections can be found across the country at key retailers. Executive Commentary "Lily's is a great addition to Hershey's growing portfolio of better-for-you snacking brands, and we are excited to add this high-growth, leading BFY brand and to get to work with its talented and innovative team," said President U.S. "Lily's popular low-sugar products are a great strategic fit with our multi-pronged better-for-you snacking strategy and will perfectly complement our existing iconic Hershey's BFY offerings." For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com Description 3
  • 9. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consec- tetuer Financial, M&A Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable Hershey (USA) To Acquire Lily's Confectionery Brand The Hershey Company announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Lily's, the high-growth, better-for-you (BFY) confectionery brand. Lily's low-sugar products include dark and milk chocolate style bars, baking chips, peanut butter cups and other confection products that fit Hershey's multi-pronged better-for-you snacking strategy. Lily's will add a key better-for-you confection brand to Hershey's portfolio of iconic chocolate and candy favorites. BFY snacking continues to grow faster than mainstream segments across snacking categories such as potato chips, ice cream and cookies. BFY offerings, however, are still under-developed in confection and the Lily's acquisition would enable Hershey to accelerate this growth and reimagine the future of the candy aisle in partnership with retailers. Executive Commentary "Cynthia had the vision that consumers wanted a better-for-you option in confections and 80% of adults want to cut back on their sugar intake," said CEO Lily's. "By joining the Hershey's family of brands, Lily's will become a platform confection brand making BFY options easily accessible to all consumers." For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com Description 4
  • 10. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consec- tetuer Financial, M&A Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable JBS (Brazil): Pilgrim's to Expand Prepared Foods and Branded Products Platform by Acquiring Kerry Consumer Foods’ Meats and Meals Business Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation announced that it has executed an acquisition agreement to acquire the Meats and Meals business of Kerry Consumer Foods in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Following the Acquisition, Pilgrim’s will be a leading food company, with a significant value-added protein and integrated prepared foods business anchored by a portfolio of strong brands. The Acquisition, which was unanimously approved by Pilgrim’s Board of Directors, values the acquired businesses at a £680 million enterprise value. The purchase amount represents an 8.5x multiple on implied expected standalone EBITDA for 2021. Executive Commentary “We are pleased to have the opportunity to position Pilgrim’s as a leading prepared foods and branded products player through the acquisition of Kerry Consumer Foods’ Meats and Meals business,” said Chief Executive Officer. “The transaction enhances our value-added portfolio by adding market-leading brands such as Denny, Richmond and Fridge Raiders, which we expect to deliver a higher and more stable margin profile.” For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com Description 5
  • 11. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consec- tetuer Financial, M&A Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable JBS (Brazil) Australia to Acquire Pork Producer Rivalea JBS Australia Group is pleased to announce an agreement to acquire 100% of Rivalea Holdings Pty Ltd and 100% of Oxdale Dairy Enterprise Pty Ltd (together, “Rivalea”) from Singapore-based food and agricultural company QAF Limited. Rivalea Holdings owns two subsidiaries incorporated in Australia namely Rivalea (Australia) Pty Ltd (held as to 100%) and Diamond Valley Pork Pty Ltd (held as to 80%). Executive Commentary “Our acquisition of Rivalea will enable us to expand into the breeding, growing, fattening and finishing of pigs, an area where JBS Australia does not currently operate. We intend to grow the use of domestic pork in JBS Australia’s operations, particularly within our Primo business, through further value-adding and processing, while unlocking new opportunities for Australian pork in international export markets. For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com Description 6
  • 12. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consec- tetuer Financial, M&A Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable Mondelēz International (USA) Acquires High-Growth European Snacking Company, Chipita S.A. Mondelēz International, Inc. announced an agreement to acquire Chipita S.A., a high-growth key player in the Central and Eastern European croissants and baked snacks category. First established in Greece over 40 years ago, Chipita S.A. generated approximately $580 million of revenue in 2020 and has a proven track record of consistent growth from its portfolio of croissant and baked snack brands, including 7Days, Chipicao, and Fineti. Chipita S.A. has been at the forefront of the development and growth in the sector across multiple countries driven by its strong innovation and manufacturing capabilities. Executive Commentary “Welcoming Chipita S.A.’s delicious pastry products into the Mondelēz International family advances our strategy to become the global leader in broader snacking,” said Chairman & CEO of Mondelēz International. “Their iconic brands and significant scale across so many attractive geographies make them a strong strategic complement to our existing portfolio and future growth ambitions in Europe and beyond.” For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com Description 7
  • 13. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consec- tetuer Financial, M&A Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable Philip Morris International (USA) Announces Agreement to Acquire Fertin Pharma Philip Morris International Inc. announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire Fertin Pharma A/S (Fertin Pharma), a leading developer and manufacturer of innovative pharmaceutical and well-being products based on oral and intra-oral delivery systems, for an enterprise value of DKK 5.1 billion. Executive Commentary “The acquisition of Fertin Pharma will be a significant step forward on our journey toward delivering a smoke-free future—enhancing our smoke-free portfolio, notably in modern oral, and accelerating our progress in beyond nicotine,” stated Chief Executive Officer. “Both PMI and Fertin share a commitment to science and consumer-centric innovations for better living, and I am delighted we have reached this agreement. Fertin’s diverse portfolio of technologies, evolving business mix, and world-class expertise will enrich our innovation pipeline and capabilities, providing speed and scale in oral delivery to support our 2025 goals of generating more than 50% of our net revenues from smoke-free products and at least USD 1 billion from products beyond nicotine.” For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com Description 8
  • 14. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consec- tetuer Financial, M&A Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable Richemont (Switzerland) acquires Delvaux Richemont is pleased to announce that it has acquired 100% of Delvaux, the renowned Belgian luxury leather goods Maison, in a private transaction. Established nearly two centuries ago in 1829, Delvaux is the oldest luxury leather goods Maison in the world. It has a unique heritage, expressed through the richness of its archives, and distinguishes itself through its exceptional savoir faire and creativity. In 1908, Delvaux was the first to file an official patent for a leather handbag and can thus be called the inventor of the modern luxury handbag. Executive Commentary “Delvaux is authentic European luxury leather goods Maison with strong heritage, distinctive savoir faire and exceptional manufacturing capabilities. The Maison’s rich archives and creative momentum over the last 10 years represent a solid foundation from which to grow the company for the long term, strengthening Richemont’s presence at the pinnacle of the leather goods category. We are delighted to welcome Delvaux’s management and teams to Richemont, and look forward to working closely with them to enable the Maison to reach its full potential under the Group’s stewardship.” For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com Description 9
  • 15. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consec- tetuer Financial, M&A Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable Saputo (Canada) Announces Two Strategic Acquisitions in the Dairy Alternatives and Value-Added Ingredients Segments Saputo Inc. announces two strategic acquisitions in each of the dairy alternatives and value-added ingredients segments, representing a combined investment of approximately CDN$187 million. The Company is pleased to have completed the acquisition of Bute Island Foods Ltd., an innovative manufacturer, marketer and distributor of a variety of dairy alternative cheese products for both the retail and foodservice market segments under the award-winning vegan Sheese brand, alongside private label brands. The business is located on the Isle of Bute, off the West Coast of Scotland (United Kingdom) and employs approximately 180 people, including its founders. Executive Commentary “We are delighted to welcome the Bute Island Foods team and the wealth of knowledge they bring to our global family. Our commitment remains to expand our footprint in the dairy alternatives space to meet the changing demands of our customers and consumers. This investment marks an important milestone that will allow us to accelerate our growth in this area globally, putting innovation at the forefront of our priorities,” said Chair of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Saputo Inc. For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com Description 10
  • 16. IT Shades Engage & Enable For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com Solutions Updates Retail & Consumer Goods Industry
  • 17. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consec- tetuer adipisc- ing elit, sed diam nonum- my nibh euis- mod tincid- unt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nib Solution Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable Bed Bath & Beyond (USA) Launches Wild Sage™--A New, Eclectic, Free-Spirited Collection for the Home For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com 11 Solution Description Bed Bath & Beyond launched Wild Sage™, a new Owned Brand line of stylish, eclectic, free-spirited bedding, decor, furniture, bath products and table linens created for young adults (and the young at heart) who want to express their unique personality in their space. Just in time for 'back to college,' Wild Sage's globally inspired designs bring a world of inspiration to customers' doorsteps and into their homes or dorm rooms. Available only at Bed Bath & Beyond, Wild Sage was designed for the fashion-forward shopper who believes that their home is a palette of self-expression. Every item in their space should reflect their personal preferences and their respective experiences, allowing them to home, happier™. From bedding to bathmats, decorative accents to table linens, Wild Sage is an always evolving, whole home collection of stylish finds that help customers bring to life their personal story — whatever their story may be. Wild Sage is affordably priced, with prices ranging from $20-$80 for bedding, $5-$25 for table linens, $25-$200 for decor, $4-$40 for bath and $50-$150 for furniture. Wild Sage offers a range of inspired products that allow customers to put their own creative stamp on any space, making it perfect for students heading back to campus into a dorm room or college apartment, moving into a new house or just refreshing their current style.
  • 18. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consec- tetuer adipisc- ing elit, sed diam nonum- my nibh euis- mod tincid- unt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nib Solution Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable Bed Bath & Beyond (USA) Launches Our Table™ -- a New Collection of Modern Kitchen and Dinnerware Designed to Inspire Sharing More Memorable Meals Together For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com 12 Solution Description Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. announces the launch of Our Table™, a new collection of modern kitchen and dinnerware designed to help every home cook share more great meals together. Available only at Bed Bath & Beyond, Our Table features a modern and durable assortment of cookware, bakeware, dinnerware, table linens, kitchen tools, kitchen linens and more. The launch of Our Table celebrates an exciting time where many customers are preparing to welcome guests back into their homes, share recipes, and gather together at the same table. Our Table has all the essentials needed to create a new or favorite dish, elevate any table setting, and make cleaning the kitchen easier. The collection is derived from natural materials like wood and marble, and updated classics like metal finishes. Thoughtful updates, clean lines, and function-first essentials speak to contemporary food trends while performance materials like silicon and stainless steel are used for quality, heat-resistant, stain-resistant, and antimicrobial properties. Our Table is affordable and competitively priced. Products range from $5 for silicone whisks, $30 for acacia wood cutting boards, $5 - $40 for table linens, to $120 for the 10-piece stainless steel cookware set, allowing for hosts to create a welcoming atmosphere for gatherings with family and friends. To celebrate this launch, Bed Bath & Beyond created its first virtual cooking series "From Our Table to Yours," bringing communities across the country together around one table by way of three renowned hometown chefs hailing from Chicago, New York City, and North Carolina. Joe Flamm, Vivian Howard, and JJ Johnson bring us into the kitchen to make some of their favorite dishes, exhibiting local flavors and aromas, alongside renowned chef, Joel Gamoran, of the virtual culinary institute Homemade. "From Our Table to Yours" encourages people to cook along, find new flavors and share fresh ideas, because it isn't just the people gathered in our homes, but the collective community that inspires our love of food and cooking.
  • 19. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consec- tetuer adipisc- ing elit, sed diam nonum- my nibh euis- mod tincid- unt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nib Solution Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable Carlsberg Group (Denmark) supports IARD global standards for online sale and delivery of alcohol as e-commerce booms during pandemic For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com 13 Solution Description The launch of the first-ever global standards for the online sale and delivery of alcohol beverages. This international initiative is focused on supporting consumers’ increasing demands for greater convenience with enhanced standards of responsibility to prevent sale to those underage and to reduce harmful drinking. Although the COVID-19 pandemic and the closure of hospitality venues in most countries throughout 2020 resulted in global alcohol sales volumes declining by more than 6% year on year in 2020, there has been an acceleration in the shift to e-commerce with the sale and delivery of alcohol online increasing by 33% globally. In response to this trend, a global partnership of the 12 leading beer, wine, and spirits companies that form the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD) and 14 prominent global and regional online retailers, and e-commerce and delivery platforms have identified five key safeguards to help ensure that robust standards are in place throughout the entire supply chain and customer journey to combat harmful drinking. The standards outlined in the document launched include: • Improving safeguards and security measures that aim to prevent minors from being able to buy alcohol • Putting in place mechanisms to prevent beer, wine, and spirits being delivered to minors, to individuals showing visible signs of intoxication, or where prohibited by law • Providing tools, information, and education, or other support to drivers to empower them to deny delivery • Enhancing consumer information and control
  • 20. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consec- tetuer adipisc- ing elit, sed diam nonum- my nibh euis- mod tincid- unt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nib Solution Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable CPF (Thailand) launches plant-based “MEAT ZERO”, eyeing to make it world's Top 3 alternative meat brand in 3-5 years For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com 14 Solution Description Charoen Pokphand Foods PLC unveils “MEAT ZERO”, the meat that is made from plants and manufactured to feel, taste, and appear like real meat thanks to “PLANT-TEC”nnovation. The new product, expected to appeal to health-conscious consumers, is affordable and available as ready-to-cook material and ready-to-eat menu through 7-Eleven and modern trade outlets across Thailand. Under the goal to attain the top alternative meat brand in Asia within 2022 and the world’s top 3 within 2026, “MEAT ZERO” will simultaneously penetrate markets in Asia, Europe and the United States, taking advantage of CPF’s customer base worldwide. As plant-based meats are gaining popularity across the globe, CPF, a leading agro-industrial and food business operator in Thailand and worldwide, has been inspired to throw huge supports on the research and development of alternative meats for more than 2 years. In collaboration with world-renowned experts from the United States, Japan and Taiwan as well as food scientists of Chulalongkorn University and Mae Fah Luang University, CPF RD Center eventually discovered the “PLANT-TEC” innovation that creates the perfect texture, taste, smell and feel of real meat. Vegans and flexitarians are numbered about 29% of global population. With a world-wide customer base, CPF will use it as the springboard to market “MEAT ZERO” in Asia, Europe and the United States. Asia will be first to be penetrated in 2021. The distribution in Europe and the United States, will start later on.
  • 21. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consec- tetuer adipisc- ing elit, sed diam nonum- my nibh euis- mod tincid- unt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nib Solution Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable Heineken (Netherlands): Amstel ULTRA® Launches “Choose Your Way to Live” Campaign with Tennis Legend Rafa Nadal For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com 15 Solution Description Amstel ULTRA®, the premium low-carb, low-calorie light beer, is launching a new global campaign with tennis legend, Rafa Nadal, titled ‘Choose Your Way to Live’. The campaign highlights the importance of finding balance in life and the benefits of selecting a beer that works for you. The ‘Choose Your Way to Live’ campaign shows Rafa embracing an active, but balanced lifestyle, enjoying the simpler moments with friends and family. The two hero films in the campaign - ‘True Luxuries’with Amstel ULTRA® and the ‘Rafa Side of Nadal’ for Amstel 0.0, show the unexpectedly understated ways Nadal likes to spend his time away from the court. Launching first in Mexico and Spain, with an additional 10 markets following later in 2021, the campaign demonstrates how Amstel ULTRA® and Amstel 0.0 are high quality, refreshing alternatives for those occasions where low calories or zero-alcohol beers are a great fit. The films illustrate Rafa’s choices to make the most out of every situation, such as enjoying the ‘nightlife’ with a late-night run or camping out with friends in '6* luxury' under the stars. The campaign was developed by the independent creative shop hello_ and the film was directed and produced by Igor Borghi of Central Films in Mallorca, Spain and followed local COVID-19 guidelines. Over the next three years, Nadal will feature in Amstel ULTRA® and Amstel 0.0 TV spots, digital and out of home advertising.
  • 22. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consec- tetuer adipisc- ing elit, sed diam nonum- my nibh euis- mod tincid- unt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nib Solution Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable McCormick (USA): OLD BAY® Announces “The Great OLD BAY Crab Hunt,” Starting For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com 16 Solution Description OLD BAY has launched its six-week long augmented reality game: “The Great OLD BAY Crab Hunt.” From now through July 12, the brand will share clues on Twitter, leading players to local organizations and businesses to #CaptureTheCrab. Each participating location will feature a QR code displayed outside. Fans scan the code, capture a unique AR crab, and enter to win prizes from OLD BAY and its partners. Just in time for summer, the seasonal staple for all things crab, dips, cocktails, and more, hopes to get Marylanders outside, playing the game and visiting Baltimore icons, regional restaurants, and more. The goal is to drive fans, in a safe way, to places that would benefit from the extra foot traffic after a difficult year. With each solved clue, participants are entered for a chance to win unique prizes weekly, ranging from fun to flavorful. A grand prize winner will be awarded their very own OLD BAY Electric Scooter and Helmet, announced after “The Great OLD BAY Crab Hunt” concludes in July. Players can look for clues on OLD BAY Twitter and follow along in the fun with #CaptureTheCrab on Facebook, and Instagram. More details are available at OLDBAYCrabHunt.com and official rules can be found here. Fans can also enter the sweepstakes by sending their name, address, city, state, and zip code via email to OldBaySweeps@kpicentral.com. No purchase or payment is necessary to enter or win.
  • 23. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consec- tetuer adipisc- ing elit, sed diam nonum- my nibh euis- mod tincid- unt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nib Solution Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable McCormick (USA): Grill Mates® Joins Forces with Actor Mark Consuelos to Launch #GirlDadGrillDad Social Media Challenge to Fight Food Insecurity For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com 17 Solution Description McCormick® Grill Mates® announced the launch of its month-long #GirlDadGrillDad social media challenge in partnership with actor Mark Consuelos and Feeding America® to celebrate girl dads while fighting food insecurity. Leading up to Father's Day, Grill Mates is highlighting proud dads and father figures who are passing down grilling traditions and empowering the young women in their lives. To kick off the challenge, Mark posted a grilling selfie with his daughter, Lola, using #GirlDadGrillDad, and is encouraging grillers everywhere to do the same. On behalf of all the grilling dads and daughters taking the challenge and raising awareness for food insecurity, Mark and Grill Mates are helping provide 1.5 million meals* to Feeding America to serve families in need. Mark Consuelos, who learned to grill from his father and spends as much time as he can outdoors entertaining with his family, has taken this opportunity to show off his grilling skills with a new and exclusive recipe, Garlic & Herb Grilled Halibut Skewers. This quick and healthy grilled fish recipe features some of Mark's favorite ingredients and delivers the perfect balance of flame and flavor with a bold garlic seasoning, a mild heat from shishito peppers and sweetness from the cherry tomatoes. As part of the campaign, limited-edition #GirlDadGrillDad merchandise, including men's and women's t-shirts, tank tops, sweatshirts and more, will be available via Amazon beginning June 1 through June 25, with all the net proceeds** from those sales benefiting Feeding America.
  • 24. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consec- tetuer adipisc- ing elit, sed diam nonum- my nibh euis- mod tincid- unt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nib Solution Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable PepsiCo (USA): Doritos® Launches "SOLID BLACK™," An Initiative to Amplify the Voices of Black Innovators and Creators For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com 18 Solution Description Black voices and stories are too often unheard. In its 2020 #AmplifyBlackVoices work, Doritos recognized this and is now launching SOLID BLACK™, a new multi-platform initiative backed by action and funding designed to bolster the voices of Black innovators and creators and provide them with resources to continue driving change. In total, Doritos will invest more than $5 million as part of the SOLID BLACK campaign to amplify stories of Black joy, strength, and resilience. The SOLID BLACK initiative kicks off this summer with the introduction of Doritos' inaugural class of Changemakers: members of the Black community using innovation and boldness to drive culture and give back to their communities. Each Changemaker will receive $50,000 in monetary support to continue this work, and their stories will be spotlighted across all of Doritos' public channels, including its website, social media, packaging, and TV advertising. Starting July 2, fans can tune in every Friday to Doritos' social channels to watch a new SOLID BLACK Friday segment highlighting a different Changemaker's story.
  • 25. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consec- tetuer adipisc- ing elit, sed diam nonum- my nibh euis- mod tincid- unt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nib Solution Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable Qurate Retail (USA): QVC & HSN Streaming Service Launches on Comcast's Xfinity X1 & Xfinity Flex For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com 19 Solution Description QVC® and HSN®, world leaders in multiplatform video commerce have launched the QVC and HSN Streaming Service on Comcast’s X1 and Xfinity Flex as the first video shopping app on either platform. The QVC and HSN Streaming Service offers millions of X1 and Flex customers a wider selection of QVC and HSN content, together in one easy-to-use app. While viewers are currently able to learn about products and watch original content on the app, QVC and HSN also plan to make their streaming service shoppable by early 2022, enabling viewers to sign into their accounts and complete purchases within the same experience. In addition, this is the first time that a pay TV and internet provider has launched the QVC and HSN Streaming Service, strengthening the brands’ leadership in video commerce on both traditional and emerging video platforms. QVC and HSN are part of Qurate Retail, Inc. Through the QVC and HSN Streaming Service, X1 and Flex customers will enjoy access to QVC and HSN’s six linear channels (including QVC and HSN at launch and QVC2, QVC3, QVC Now, and HSN2 shortly thereafter), along with an extensive catalog of video on-demand and original programming designed specifically for streaming, such as “Travel, Cook, Repeat with Curtis Stone,” “One on Wine” with QVC foodie/host Mary DeAngelis, “Mally Makes It Better” featuring make-up maven Mally Roncal, and more. X1 and Flex customers can access the streaming service by saying “QVC HSN Streaming Service app” into their Xfinity Voice Remote or find it within the app section of either platform. To raise awareness of the streaming app more broadly among Comcast users, QVC and HSN’s linear channels are promoting the app, and QVC and HSN videos may have editorial opportunities to appear in Comcast video on-demand collections.
  • 26. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consec- tetuer adipisc- ing elit, sed diam nonum- my nibh euis- mod tincid- unt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nib Solution Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable WalMart (USA) Launches McClaren Farms, Bringing High-Quality Beef Options and Added Transparency to Customers through Its Angus Supply Chain For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com 20 Solution Description Grilling season has officially kicked off, and Walmart is celebrating with the launch of McClaren Farms beef — high-quality beef that will deliver tremendous value to shoppers in nearly 500 stores across five southeastern states, including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi and South Carolina. McClaren Farms is the first launch from Walmart of its end-to-end Angus beef supply chain program. The new innovation aims to deliver quality beef options to Walmart customers while also meeting heightened demand for added transparency and sustainability. With McClaren Farms, Walmart is bringing its customers a new, high-quality product that also delivers on the added transparency they’re looking for through collaboration with fourth-generation rancher, Bob McClaren, of Prime Pursuits. The new supply chain model delivering McClaren Farms to customers supports ranchers, too, by creating steady demand and stability in the marketplace. All McClaren Farms beef products are U.S. rancher raised with no hormones added, so shoppers can trust that each cut of meat will be among the best — and most delicious — they can get, including a selection of specialty items like USDA Choice Angus Filet Mignon, T-Bone, Porterhouse, Ribeye, Short Ribs, Chuck Roast and more at everyday low prices.
  • 27. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consec- tetuer adipisc- ing elit, sed diam nonum- my nibh euis- mod tincid- unt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nib Solution Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable WalMart (USA) Launches Site to Help Veterans and Military Spouses “Find-a-Future” For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com 21 Solution Description Walmart launched a site to help veterans and military spouses, whether early career, mid-career or experienced professionals, “Find-a-Future” and achieve their goals. Walmart associates and non-associates can register for free on the platform, use tools to audit their current skills and experience and connect to the right partners to help future seekers build a roadmap across three paths, which include: • Finding an employment opportunity veterans love at Walmart • Gaining the education veterans need to help achieve future goals • Growing veteran businesses and bringing their product or service to market as an entrepreneur The platform builds on Walmart’s previous commitment to creating opportunities for veterans and military spouses. In July 2020, Walmart achieved its Veterans Welcome Home Commitment of 250,000 veterans hired since 2013. In fact, Walmart hired more than 49,000 veterans and 27,000 military spouses in 2020 alone. Walmart’s external partnerships with the Institute for Veterans and Military Families, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Hiring our Heroes programs and Student Veterans of America, serve as additional connection resources for veterans. Internal programs, including Live Better U, offer frontline associates access to degree attainment and upskilling coursework for just $1 a day. By bringing all of these resources together through the “Find-a-Future” platform, we can help veterans and military spouses advance their economic opportunities and well-being in so many ways.
  • 28. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consec- tetuer adipisc- ing elit, sed diam nonum- my nibh euis- mod tincid- unt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nib Solution Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable VF (USA) Corporation Launches New Innovation Pillar to Support its Brand Portfolio Strategy, Called Venture Platforms For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com 22 Solution Description VF Corporation a global leader in branded lifestyle apparel footwear and accessories, announced its launch of Venture Platforms, an innovation pillar that will focus on identifying and investing in new, future-focused opportunities. Venture Platforms is the newest component to VF’s overall brand portfolio strategy and complements the company’s two existing brand portfolio pillars: Core Brands, which are VF’s large, global brands, including Vans®, The North Face® and Timberland® and Emerging Brands, which comprise the remaining 10 brands in the company’s portfolio. Venture Platforms has two, reinforcing arms: • VF Venture Foundry: VF established this internal business model incubator to focus on new or evolving business models, platforms, experiences, and services within VF’s existing brand portfolio, as well as to address disruptive opportunities outside of its current operations. • BaseLayer Ventures: VF has provided the anchor investment into this new venture capital fund, which tightly aligns with VF Venture Foundry and will provide critical seed and a stage capital to concepts that originate inside VF, as well as external start-ups. Venture Platforms is led by a small team of existing VF associates who work in close coordination with VF’s brands and Entrepreneurs in Residence. It is supported by a venture advisory board that includes representatives from VF brands and functions in addition to select external venture experts.
  • 29. IT Shades Engage & Enable For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com Rewards & Recognition Updates Retail & Consumer Goods Industry
  • 30. R & R Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable ADM (USA) Named to 100 Best Corporate Citizens of 2021 List for Second Year in a Row For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com 23 3BL Media has named ADM to its annual 100 Best Corporate Citizens ranking, recognizing outstanding environmental, social and governance (ESG) transparency and performance among the 1,000 largest U.S. public companies. The 100 Best Corporate Citizens ranking is based on 146 ESG transparency and performance factors in eight pillars: climate change, employee relations, environment, finance, and governance, human rights, stakeholders and society, and ESG performance. Using a methodology developed by 3BL Media, all Russell 1000 Index companies are researched by ISS ESG, the responsible investment research arm of Institutional Shareholder Services. There is no fee for companies to be included in 100 Best Corporate Citizens. To compile the ranking, corporate data and information is obtained from publicly available sources only, rather than questionnaires or company submissions. Companies have the option to verify data collected for the ranking at no cost. R&R Description
  • 31. R & R Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable AutoZone (USA) Vendor Partner Summit Recognizes Contributions of Top Suppliers For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com 24 AutoZone recognized 17 of its top suppliers at its virtual AutoZone Vendor Partner Summit on June 8, 2021. The awards honor companies who provided exceptional performance and demonstrated a strong commitment to customer satisfaction during the past year. Eight vendors received AutoZone WITTDTJR® awards (“What It Takes to Do the Job Right”): ATI; CRC; Cryomax Cooling Systems; Energizer; Shell Oil; Torin; Type S WinPlus and Vege. These vendors partnered with AutoZone to consistently ensure that AutoZone’s Do-It-Yourself (“DIY”) and professional customers had the parts and products needed to best fix vehicles and keep them running smoothly. AutoZone recognized 17 of its top suppliers at its virtual AutoZone Vendor Partner Summit on June 8, 2021. The awards honor companies who provided exceptional performance and demonstrated a strong commitment to customer satisfaction during the past year. Eight vendors received AutoZone WITTDTJR® awards (“What It Takes to Do the Job Right”): ATI; CRC; Cryomax Cooling Systems; Energizer; Shell Oil; Torin; Type S WinPlus and Vege. These vendors partnered with AutoZone to consistently ensure that AutoZone’s Do-It-Yourself (“DIY”) and professional customers had the parts and products needed to best fix vehicles and keep them running smoothly. AutoZone named Bosch Braking its 2021 Vendor Partner of the Year. A previous Vendor of the Year Award winner, Bosch was recognized for its innovation, ability to execute and commitment to delivering “the best merchandise at the right price” for AutoZone’s customers and business. Bosch is a tremendous vendor partner in all aspects of the business from merchandising and supply chain processes to engineering and sales. R&R Description
  • 32. R & R Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable CPF (Thailand) wins Asia's top sustainability awards on human rights and supply chain transparency For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com 25 Charoen Pokphand Foods PLC Sustainability Report 2020 won two awards from Asia Sustainability Reporting Awards (ASRA) - Gold class in Asia' Best Workplace Reporting category and Bronze Class in Asia's Best Supply Chain Reporting category. While the first award recognized CPF’s exemplary care and engagement with employees through respect to human rights principles and international labor standards, the latter reflected the Company’s transparent communications throughout the supply chain for responsible sourcing and mutual growth with its business partners. Executive officer of CPF, said that CPF was honored that its sustainability reporting won the ASRA awards for 2 consecutive years, as they mirrored the Company's strict commitment to human rights principles, fair practices as well as maximum adherence to safety, occupational health and environment standards, as shown through the preventive measures against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Thanks to the measures, CPF's workers have remained safe and sound, able to work and support the country's food security policy continously. Aside, CPF has emphasized collaboration with business partners, leading them towards the sustainable development path. Supports have been thrown to partners across the supply chain to ensure their compliance with international standards and governance practices, in terms of transparent reporting, public accessibility to information and accreditation by a third party. ASRA is the region's most prestigious recognition for sustainability reporting, organized by Singapore-based CSRWorks International Pte Ltd which is a certified training partner of Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). This year, nearly 500 companies from 17 countries submitted their entries to win awards in 19 categories. A number of 102 companies from 14 countries entered the final round. R&R Description
  • 33. R & R Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable Coca-Cola (USA) Europacific Partners recognised for its transition to 100% rPET in Australia For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com 26 CCEP in Australia has been awarded Gold in the Beverage category, as well as receiving a Special Award in the Sustainability category at The WorldStar Global Packaging Awards. The awards are an international packaging design competition that continues to evolve and shape the packaging design community by highlighting the global trends and challenges within the packaging industry. Each year, WorldStar receives more than 300 entries from more than 34 countries around the world. In 2019, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Australia was the first beverage manufacturer and Coca-Cola bottler in the world to have all single serve packs produced from 100% rPET. This includes plastic packaging for water, soft drinks, aseptic dairy and warm-fill sensitive beverages, and equates to 7 out of 10 bottles sold in Australia. By converting all plastic single serve packs to 100% rPET packaging, CCEP in Australia reduced the amount of virgin fossil-based plastic used in our PET bottles by an estimated 10,000 tonnes per year. CCEP is committed to playing our part in creating a circular economy for the PET packaging we use through increasing collection once our drinks have been consumed, supporting the development of recycling capacity to ensure they are recycled, and by using the recycled plastic, alongside plastic from renewable sources, to make new bottles. In Western Europe, our markets are also accelerating the reduction of virgin fossil-based plastic, working towards using 100% recycled or renewable content in our PET bottles by 2030, to help create a low carbon circular economy for PET bottles. R&R Description
  • 34. R & R Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable Conagra Brands (USA) Recognized As One Of The 50 Most Community-Minded Companies In The United States For The Third Consecutive Year For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com 27 Conagra Brands announced that for the third consecutive year it has been named an honoree of The Civic 50, which recognizes the 50 most community-minded companies in the nation. An initiative by Points of Light, the world's largest organization dedicated to volunteer service, The Civic 50 provides a national standard for superior corporate citizenship and showcases how companies can use their time, skills, and resources to impact their communities. In fiscal year 2020, Conagra Brands provided more than $45 million in cash and in-kind corporate and Foundation donations and awarded 680 grants. Conagra employees donated more than $700,000 to organizations addressing issues such as arts and culture, civil rights, social justice and equality, community development, environment, health and wellness or nutrition education, hunger relief, and post-secondary education. In addition, Conagra employees volunteered more than 2,700 hours of their time, talent, and effort to improve and strengthen their communities. Conagra Brands takes a holistic approach to address food insecurity through a variety of actions, including product donations, financial contributions, and employee volunteerism. Below are key initiatives and nonprofit partners the company has supported to ensure the communities where their employees live and work have continued access to healthy and nutritious food: • Nourish our Community Grants: Each year, Conagra Brands employees can directly nominate effective nonprofits for grants, which are then reviewed by an all-employee panel. This year, the Conagra Brands Foundation awarded $350,000 to 22 organizations in 11 states. • Ongoing Food Product Donations: Throughout the entirety of its fiscal year 2020, Conagra donated more than 30 million pounds of food to Feeding America and its network of food banks, which is the equivalent of 25 million meals. R&R Description
  • 35. R & R Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable Hershey (USA) Named To the Civic 50 and Recognized As Consumer Staples Leader for Commitment to Empowering Communities For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com 28 The Hershey Company has been named a 2021 honoree of The Civic 50 by Points of Light, the world's largest organization dedicated to volunteer service. In addition to being recognized as one of the 50 most community-minded companies in the United States, Hershey was named the Consumer Staples Sector Leader. The Civic 50 provides a national standard for corporate citizenship and showcases how companies can use their time, skills and resources to drive social impact in their communities and company. The honorees are companies with annual U.S. revenues of at least $1 billion and are selected based on four dimensions of their corporate citizenship and social impact programs – investment of resources, integration across business functions, institutionalization through policies and systems and impact measurement. In 2020, Hershey dedicated time, resources, and money to support various COVID-19 relief efforts and racial justice causes. To address the devastating impacts of COVID-19, the company invested over $1 million to produce and donates more than 1.5 million masks for its employees, community nonprofits, healthcare organizations and school districts; provided relief grants to local food banks and nonprofits supporting basic needs; and launched a product-donation care package program for more than 200 hospitals. In addition, Hershey committed more than $2 million to advance racial equity in the United States through a scholarship endowment with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and support to organizations such as the Equal Justice Initiative. Hershey has received the Civic 50 award every year since it was created in 2012. The Civic 50 has provided a roadmap for good corporate citizenship and showcases how committed companies are moving social impact, civic engagement and community to the center of their business. R&R Description
  • 36. R & R Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable BAT (USA) recognized as a Climate Leader by the Financial Times For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com 29 BAT has been named as a 2021 Climate Leader by the Financial Times in an inaugural European ranking. FT Europe Climate Leaders 2021 recognizes the top 300 of more than 4,000 companies across Europe that achieved the highest reduction in core greenhouse gas emissions in relation to revenues for the period between 2014 and 2019. BAT has set ambitious climate targets including being carbon neutral in its own operations by 2030. In 2020 alone, BAT achieved a 30.9% reduction in emissions from its operations, contributing to a 37.4% reduction against a 2017 baseline. In March this year, BAT announced a further ambition to be carbon neutral across its value chain by 2050, representing around 90% of its total carbon footprint. Minimizing impacts on the environment, increasing climate change resilience and protecting the natural resources on which society depends are key parts of BAT’s ESG strategy. Some examples include: • Improving the energy efficiency of factories, such as by upgrading to more efficient and lower-impact equipment. • Increasing the use of renewable energy through renewable energy purchases and on-site energy generation projects. • Optimizing logistics and fleet, such as through improving vehicle performance and fuel efficiency. R&R Description
  • 37. R & R Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable KT&G (South Korea) received the Prime Minister's Commendation Award on the 56th Invention Day For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com 30 KT&G was awarded the Prime Minister's Commendation on the 31st in recognition of its contribution to the development of national industry at the 56th Invention Day commemoration ceremony. Being hosted by the Korean Intellectual Property Office and organized by the Korea Invention Promotion Association, this event was prepared to reward individuals and organizations that contributed to the promotion of inventions in Korea. The purpose of this event is to encourage people to create increasingly innovative inventions and to contribute more toward the development of the country’s industry by promoting the creation and utilization of excellent inventions. In this award, KT&G was recognized for its contribution to protecting national industrial technology and for the development of the intellectual property system through its unique technology development and job invention promotion policy. Previously, KT&G CEO Baek Bok In, who took office in 2015, emphasized the importance of convergence technology in the tobacco industry and focused on intellectual property-oriented strategies for technology development. Accordingly, KT&G strengthened the support for the policy by establishing a division in charge of intellectual property in 2016 and expanding the Employee Proprietary Information and Inventions Agreement for researchers to encourage patent applications. R&R Description
  • 38. R & R Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable Rakuten (Japan) consecutively selected for FTSE4Good Index Series and FTSE Blossom Japan Index For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com 31 Rakuten Group, Inc. is pleased to announce that, for the third consecutive year, it has been selected as a constituent for the FTSE4Good Index Series and FTSE Blossom Japan Index, the global leading ESG indices comprising companies demonstrating strong ESG practices. The rating of Rakuten’s sustainability performance by FTSE is above the average of the consumer services industry and above the average of Japanese companies. In recent years, ESG investments that take into account not only financial performance such as revenues and profits, but also ESG factors, like climate change, diversity, human rights, have grown in importance globally. Rakuten has been proactively answering investors’ demand by addressing related challenges and communicating on its progress with transparency, in line with its mission to contribute to society by creating value through innovation and entrepreneurship. Our continuous efforts have resulted in the inclusion in the leading ESG indexes used as global references for ESG investment by many institutional investors worldwide, including Japan's Government Pension Investment Fund. Rakuten is currently selected for the followings: FTSE4Good Index Series, FTSE Blossom Japan Index, MSCI Japan Empowering Women Index (WIN), and MSCI Japan Empowering Women (WIN) Select Index, Dow Jones Sustainability World Index, Dow Jones Sustainability Asia Pacific Index, and S&P/JPX Carbon Efficient Index. R&R Description
  • 39. R & R Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable Sumitomo Corporation (Japan): Global Partnership for Ethiopia welcomes licence award to operate telecom services in Ethiopia For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com 32 Sumitomo Corporation has been a member of a consortium together with Vodafone Group Plc and it has been awarded a licence to operate telecom services in Ethiopia. The impact investment consortium aspires to support Ethiopia’s digital transformation and positively enhance the lives of its citizens. The consortium, named the Global Partnership for Ethiopia, will establish a new operating company in Ethiopia and aims to start providing telecommunications services from 2022. The Partnership includes: Vodafone Safaricom Plc(“Safaricom”) Vodacom Group Ltd(“Vodacom”) Sumitomo Corporation and CDC Group Plc(“CDC”). Ethiopia is home to over 112 million people, making it the second largest country in Africa by population. It is one of the last countries in the world to introduce competition in the telecom industry, a rigorous process started by the government in 2019 as part of its Economic Reform Agenda, with the support of the International Finance Corporation. The reforms aim to increase jobs, reduce poverty and grow the local economy in an inclusive and sustainable manner. The Global Partnership for Ethiopia was created to bring about transformational economic and social impact in the country. The provision of accessible, affordable and high quality mobile and internet connectivity by the Partnership will enable greater social inclusion as millions more Ethiopians access quality telecom services. R&R Description
  • 40. R & R Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable "2020 China Top 100 Chain Companies" list released, Yonghui (China) rises to fourth place For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com 33 The China Chain Store & Franchise Association released the list of the “Top 100 Chain Stores in China in 2020” based on the results of the “Basic Situation of the Industry and Top 100 Chain Stores in 2020”. The list shows that Yonghui Supermarket's sales in 2020 will be 104,5315 million yuan, with a sales growth rate of 12.2%, ranking fourth in the list, up 2 places compared to 2019. According to the China Chain Store & Franchise Association's announcement, although the overall sales of the top 100 companies have shown negative growth for the first time since the association’s statistics in 1997, from the perspective of companies’ new store openings in 2020, the confidence of the top 100 chain stores in bucking the trend is still unabated, with 2/3 The total number of corporate stores has increased over the previous year, and the total number of stores of the top 100 companies has increased by 8.2% over the previous year. According to Yonghui's 2020 financial report data, Yonghui opened 114 new bravo stores last year. As of the end of 2020, the business has entered 29 provinces and cities with 1,017 stores. Provinces with more than 50 stores are Fujian, Chongqing, Sichuan, Anhui, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Guangdong. At the same time, the newly entered provinces include Tibet, Shandong, Gansu, Inner Mongolia and Qinghai, and the first stores in each province have received enthusiastic responses, especially Tibet that made profits that year. In addition, it is worth noting that the epidemic has promoted the trend of online shopping. Through the online layout of recent years, the top 100 chain companies have developed home-to-home, live broadcast, and group group businesses. R&R Description
  • 41. IT Shades Engage & Enable For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com Partner Ecosystem Updates Retail & Consumer Goods Industry
  • 42. Partner Ecosystem Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable Alibabagroup (China): Cainiao and Hainan Government Enter Strategic Partnership to Develop Hainan Global Smart Supply Chain Pilot Zone For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com 34 Cainiao Smart Logistics Network the logistics arm of Alibaba Group Holding Limited, announced at its annual Global Smart Logistics Summit 2021 that it has entered a strategic partnership with the Hainan government to support the development of the Hainan global smart supply chain pilot zone, an important first step in contributing to the success of the free trade port. This was jointly announced by CEO Lin WAN and Hainan Provincial Bureau of International Economic Development’s Director at the summit. As part of the partnership, Cainiao will be leveraging its global logistics capabilities and technology to establish Hainan as a trade center and pilot model for the digital economy. Here, Cainiao will be working closely with Hainan to provide holistic smart logistics services to merchants from around the world. The public-private partnership includes four key areas: • Establishment of a comprehensive smart logistics infrastructure on Hainan’s main and outlying islands to attract duty-free merchants: Cainiao will be developing customized central warehouses tailored for luxury goods, pharmaceutical products, fragrances and cold chain products to establish Hainan as a duty-free haven. The goal is to leverage the highly efficient customs clearance system and smart logistics innovation to attract over 1,000 duty-free merchants, especially those that have yet to enter the China market, to bring imported goods, new product launches and exclusive items into Hainan. This will allow consumers in Hainan to access goods from around the world. • Launch of Hainan free trade port merchant smart service center: Cainiao will be committing technological resources and expertise to develop a smart service platform comprising logistics and supply chain management system, digitized customs platform, and the store and delivery point management system. Description
  • 43. Partner Ecosystem Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable Bed Bath & Beyond (USA) Strengthens Same Day Delivery Services In The U.S. With DoorDash Partnership For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com 35 Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. announced that it has strengthened its Same Day Delivery services in the U.S. through a partnership with DoorDash making it easier and more convenient than ever to shop online for products from Bed Bath & Beyond® and buybuy BABY®. Same Day Delivery service will be powered through DoorDash Drive – DoorDash's white-label fulfillment platform that powers direct delivery for any business. The DoorDash launch arrives right on time to shop essentials, must-haves, and amazing deals ahead of the Memorial Day holiday. Through DoorDash Drive, Bed Bath & Beyond and buybuy BABY websites will expand same day delivery to over 3,000 additional zip codes across the country. With the added coverage same day delivery is now available in 99% of their store locations and allows customers the convenience to shop an array of different delivery options. Customers can utilize the service by going to bedbathandbeyond.com and buybuybaby.com and selecting the option for Same Day Delivery at checkout. Once the order is placed, a Dasher will pick up the items at the local store and deliver them to the customer's home via contactless delivery. Customers are also now able to place order just hours before closing and still receive it the same day and track packages live. Bed Bath & Beyond continues to move ahead in its transformational journey by helping customers to realize the potential in every room, introducing new and exciting brands, tools, and services to inspire customers to "Home, Happier™." The Same Day Delivery partnership with DoorDash follows a successful launch in Canada last month, which was accelerated in response to pandemic-induced lockdowns in Ontario. Description
  • 44. Partner Ecosystem Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable Bunge (USA) Partners with Elevate Network to Advance Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Efforts For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com 36 Bunge joins the number of elite organizations working with Ellevate Network who are committed to expanding career development opportunities for their employees, and will be a gold sponsor for Ellevate’s Mobilize Women Week. Through this partnership, Bunge expands its commitment to diversity and inclusion by providing its employees access to Ellevate’s programs, which create safe spaces to share career stories and develop critical skills in the face of an ever-changing business world. Bunge also joins as a gold sponsor for Ellevate Network’s 2021 Mobilize Women Week, dedicated to furthering the conversation around equality in the workplace and beyond. Deborah Borg, Chief Human Resources and Communications Officer, joins the feature session “The Great Comeback” as a speaker. Ellevate Network works with businesses of all sizes and in all industries to help engage their workforces, attract diverse talent, and deliver on their diversity and inclusion goals. Description
  • 45. Partner Ecosystem Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable The Ocean Cleanup and the Coca-Cola (USA) Company Announce New Partnership For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com 37 The Coca-Cola Company and The Ocean Cleanup announced that Coca-Cola will become a Global Implementation Partner for The Ocean Cleanup’s river project. The unique partnership brings the international company and technological non-profit together behind a clear objective: to stem the tide of plastic pollution entering the world’s oceans, by first intercepting waste in rivers. Partnering Coca-Cola’s scale and global network with The Ocean Cleanup’s technology and data solutions, the initiative will help to expedite the deployment of cleanup systems across fifteen rivers around the world over the next 18 months, including the introduction and implementation of The Ocean Cleanup’s semi-autonomous solar-powered Interceptor™ river cleanup solutions. It also aims to engage and mobilize both industry and individuals around the world to address plastic pollution, eliminating plastic waste entering the world’s oceans and supporting ecosystems, species and water resources. The Interceptor was unveiled in 2019 and is the first scalable solution to prevent plastic from entering the world’s oceans from rivers. It is 100% solar-powered, extracts trash autonomously, and is capable of operating in the majority of the world’s most polluting rivers. Description
  • 46. Partner Ecosystem Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable Conagra Brands (USA) Forms Multi-Year Partnerships with Thurgood Marshall College Fund and Hispanic Scholarship Fund For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com 38 Conagra Brands announced new partnerships with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF), the nation's largest organization exclusively representing the Black college community, and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF), one of the nation's leading nonprofit organizations supporting higher education, to support Black and Brown students. The partnerships will help ensure students receive equitable access to quality higher education opportunities and reinforce Conagra's commitment to supporting the communities where its employees live and work. Conagra will make donations to each organization to fund several college scholarships. Additional resources will be provided to each institution to support scholarship recipients as they navigate internships and other services that prepare them for their future careers. Conagra employees will also actively engage with scholarship recipients to provide unique professional development opportunities that strengthen career prospects for students' post-college, including resume building assistance, job interview preparation, and additional workplace readiness experiences. Key components of Conagra's comprehensive diversity and inclusion strategy include building a strong entry-level pipeline; providing development opportunities for underrepresented groups internal and external; and committing to develop and advance talent in order to increase the amount of racial, ethnic and gender diversity and representation within the company. This scholarship initiative will help ensure Black and Brown talent are supported in their pursuit for academic excellence and as they enter workforce. Description
  • 47. Partner Ecosystem Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable Constellation Brands (USA) and Modelo Partner to Help Empower Hispanics to Achieve the American Dream Through $500,000 Contribution to Unidosus For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com 39 Constellation Brands, Inc. a leading beverage alcohol company in partnership with Modelo, the beer brewed for those with The Fighting Spirit™ announced a collective $500,000 contribution to UnidosUS, the nation's largest Latino civil rights and advocacy organization. The contribution will provide UnidosUS with resources to strengthen Hispanic families’ financial security through financial empowerment and homeownership programs. In the last year, the economic downturn brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted the systemic barriers that put Hispanic communities at a disadvantage across the U.S. The median wealth of a Hispanic household is five times lower than that of a white counterpart (1). And within the last year alone, nearly 60 percent of Hispanic households have reported lower incomes, which is nearly twice as much as their white counterparts. Homeownership is a key indicator of financial mobility, and UnidosUS believes reaching this goal is key to an individual’s ability to build wealth. Constellation and Modelo’s contributions will support financial literacy programs by providing funds to the UnidosUS National Homeownership Network, which has provided more than 590,000 families with housing counseling. In addition, more than 30,000 people have been able to buy their own homes and 90,000 families have avoided foreclosure. To identify the right programs and organization, Constellation tapped into its ¡SALUD! Business resource group – standing for Supporting and Attracting Latinos United for Diversity and Development. The ¡SALUD! team helped to identify financial literacy and housing empowerment as areas of support that could truly make long-term impact in the economic development and prosperity of the Hispanic community and played a role in vetting organizations that could best deliver impact in these areas. Description
  • 48. Partner Ecosystem Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable KPN (China) and Johan Cruijff ArenA have been innovation partners for 25 years For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com 40 KPN has been the stadium's technology and innovation partner since the construction of the Amsterdam ArenA in 1996. It is the largest stadium in the Netherlands and home to the Orange squad during the upcoming European Football Championship. In the past 25 years, KPN and the ArenA, together with various partners, including the Municipality of Amsterdam, NS and the Police, have worked on innovative projects in which technology is used to continuously improve the visitor experience and safety of the tens of thousands of visitors, law enforcement officers and stadium stewards. KPN installed 5G in the stadium and the ArenA became the first football stadium in Europe with a 5G network. The ArenA has long been a FieldLab where people experiment to their heart's content with new solutions and technology. The ArenA is much more than just a stadium. The area around the Johan Cruijff ArenA is actually a complete city in miniature. In addition to the stadium, there are concert halls, shops, restaurants, businesses, residences and a train station, each with millions of visitors each year. Sometimes there are multiple events in the area at the same time and up to 100,000 people attend. Thanks to 5G technology, information from camera images can be used directly in the future to allow visitors to come to the stadium via a different route, to get them into their stadium seat faster or to guide them to the train station. Description
  • 49. Partner Ecosystem Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable KPN (China) APG announce the start of fiber optic company "Glaspoort" For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com 41 KPN and APG completed the transaction for the establishment of a fiber optic joint venture. After signing on March 23, 2021 and the approval of the Netherlands Authority for Consumers & Markets, the joint venture – called Glaspoort and located in Amsterdam – will start rolling out fiber in villages, small centers and business parks as of. The scope of the joint venture has expanded slightly, increasing by ~75,000 households. As a result, Glaspoort plans to connect ~750,000 households and ~225,000 businesses to fiber. Glaspoort will invest more than €1 billion in the roll-out of fiber over the next five years. The required construction capacity and external financing are guaranteed in such a way that Glaspoort can quickly start the roll-out of fiber optic. More than 70,000 fiber connections are expected this year. The past year has shown the importance of reliable, safe and fast internet for Dutch society. Glaspoort will further accelerate the digitization of the Netherlands by also rolling out fiber optics in more remote areas. In the coming years, the company will offer nearly 1 million customers the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of a fiber optic connection. The construction capacity required to realize this ambition will provide more than 1,000 jobs and the investment will provide an attractive return for APG's pension fund clients and their participants. The new network company has an open network strategy. Although KPN acts as the main tenant on the network, Glaspoort offers access to external operators who choose to do so. As a result, end users can select a telecom company of their choice, thereby promoting competition and innovation in the Netherlands. Description
  • 50. Partner Ecosystem Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable Givaudan (Switzerland) leads fine fragrance digital innovation through first-of-its-kind partnership with Tmall in China For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com 42 Givaudan, the global leader in fragrance creation, has entered into an industry-first partnership with Tmall, the Alibaba group's open business-to-consumer (B2C) platform, to launch the T-Lab source innovation laboratory and capture digital opportunities for fragrance creation in China. The T-Lab source innovation laboratory will leverage Givaudan's leading creative fragrance solutions and production capabilities in China, powered by Tmall's consumer behaviour data capabilities and ecosystem of partners. As Tmall’s inaugural fragrance innovation partner, Givaudan will receive fragrance brief opportunities at the ideation stage, gain access to Tmall’s brand ecosystem and tap into data-led capabilities such as the Tmall Innovation Center’s online research module. This unique offering will not only stay on top of Chinese consumer trends, but will also shorten end-to-end product development for fine fragrances from 40 weeks to just four weeks, a timeline optimised for capturing digital opportunities. The exclusive partnership will enable Givaudan to co-build new product development proposals with e-retailers like Tmall and its ecosystem partners before offering the solutions to brand customers. The first-of-its-kind collaboration has already produced a new series of fragrances inspired by the Chinese classic novel ‘Journey to the West’, comprising two Eaux de Parfum, a reed diffuser, and hand and body creams. The products have been developed with the accelerated nine-step process from data mining through to end-product prototype manufacturing, setting a new industry benchmark for collaborative source innovation. Description
  • 51. Partner Ecosystem Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable H&M (Sweden) Teams Up With L.A.-Based Brock Collection for a Romantic Yet Sophisticated Womenswear Collaboration For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com 43 H&M announces collaboration with the L.A.-based women’s brand Brock Collection. The focus is on modern romance — approachable opulence mixed with streetwise ease and a hint of past decades. Country florals, tie-up shoulder straps and corset-like details emphasise the craftsmanship, while the feminine silhouettes and contrast with denim pieces are flattering and exude a city edge. The range of charming dresses, separates, denim and accessories are made from more sustainable materials. Available from 1 June, the Brock Collection x H&M collection will be available in selected H&M stores worldwide as well as online on hm.com. The collaboration features signature Brock Collection pieces, a softly romantic yet city-ready range of dresses, blouses, tops, denim jeans and denim shorts, plus shoes, jewellery, handbags and sunglasses. Fitted shapes and dreamy ruffle details effortlessly mingle with flowing fabrics, voluminous skirts and statement balloon sleeves. The colour palette consists of black, pale pinks, off-white, and cream and washed denim. The collection is made from more sustainable materials – organic linen, organic cotton, recycled cotton, recycled polyester and Tencel™ Lyocell. To celebrate the launch of the Brock Collection x H&M collection, H&M has partnered up with choreographer Sherrie Silver to create a modern dance routine. The concept of the choreography is “pure joy” with a selected cast of eight talents starring in the campaign: Julia Campbell, Patricia Manfield (Heir), Alva Claire Mc Kenzie, Dulcie Gibbons, MaryGrace Tropeano, Dohuyn Kim, Ajok Daing and Sherrie Silver. Description
  • 52. Partner Ecosystem Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable Hershey (USA): Amplify And Austin Fc Announce Multi-year Partnership For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com 44 Amplify Snack Brands, the leading better-for-you snacking company responsible for SkinnyPop Popcorn and Pirate’s Booty, announced a multi-year partnership with Austin FC. The relationship will make Amplify the “Official Better for You Snacking Partner” of Major League Soccer’s expansion club, Austin FC. Amplify is Austin’s largest consumer packaged goods company and is currently one of the fastest growing better-for-you Salty Snacking players across measured channels. The company has a vision to become the largest BFY snacking company overall, with its flagship brand, SkinnyPop Popcorn, leading the charge. As part of the partnership, Amplify will receive in-stadium marketing opportunities, in-game digital advertising across more than 300 televisions during home contests, and “Grab and Go” locations for its portfolio of brands, including SkinnyPop Popcorn, Pirate’s Booty and Paqui. Description
  • 53. Partner Ecosystem Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable The Home Depot (USA) Foundation Partners with Girl Scouts of the USA To Launch Skilled Trades Training Program For Young Women For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com 45 The Home Depot Foundation announced a new strategic partnership with Girl Scouts of the USA to provide introductory trades training experience and career education for young women. The Foundation and GSUSA will host the first-ever joint construction workshops for Cadette, Senior and Ambassador Level Girl Scouts (8th – 12th grades). This pilot program, launching in fall 2021, will engage troops throughout Atlanta, Denver and Houston, providing hands-on experience with carpentry and other building construction trades. These skilled trades’ workshops will be led by female industry professionals and will offer career guidance and additional education touch points for young women seeking trades training opportunities. In 2020, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported data showing only 11% of construction workers and 27% of architecture and engineering professionals are women. Furthermore, the National Association of Home Builders’ 2019 Builder Member Census shared just 9% of their members are women and less than 0.5% are Black. To deepen this initiative, The Home Depot Foundation will extend scholarship opportunities to select high school senior Girl Scouts as part of its recently announced $250,000 Path to Pro scholarship program. This program grants financial assistance to eligible candidates for trade college or postsecondary programs. Earlier this month, the Foundation announced trades training partnerships with 100 Black Men of America, Inc. and The Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs (RICE) to focus on eliminating racial and social inequities through education and workforce development for Black youth and Black entrepreneurs. Description
  • 54. Partner Ecosystem Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable Hormel Foods (USA): Applegate Announces Proud Partnership with the New York Yankees and Reveals Which of Its 100% Natural Meat Products Made the Roster for Concession Menus For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com 46 Applegate, the nation’s leading natural and organic meat brand has been named a Proud Partner of the New York Yankees. As a Proud Partner, Applegate will be stepping up to the plate with 100% natural deli meats, pizza toppings, and snacking options. Here’s where you can enjoy Applegate® products at Yankee Stadium in 2021: • Sandwiches will now be crafted with Applegate Naturals® Oven Roasted Turkey Breast and Black Forest Ham, which will be available at select “Grab & Go” areas. • Pepperoni pizza toppings will be made with Applegate humanely raised meat and available at the Pizza Concession stand on the Field Level at Section 125 and at the “Grab & Go” on the Main Level at Section 211. • Applegate Naturals® Genoa & Cheddar Charcuterie Plate and Applegate Naturals®Turkey Pepperoni & Cheddar Snack Pack will be available at select “Grab & Go” areas. All Applegate® products are made without GMO ingredients, artificial ingredients and preservatives, and are made with meat sourced from animals Applegate humanely raised without antibiotics, added hormones, or growth promotions. Description
  • 55. Partner Ecosystem Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable Unilever Japan and Kao (Japan) Launch a Collaborative Plastic Recycling Program For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com 47 Unilever Japan and Kao Corporation will launch a collaborative recycling program to help create a circular economy for plastic packaging. the companies will collect used bottles of personal and home care products in Higashi-Yamato City, Tokyo, which will then be recycled to make new bottles. This city, which has signed a collaborative agreement with Unilever Japan, has been chosen due to its renowned recycling initiatives. As a part of its growth strategy Unilever Compass, Unilever aims to help creating a waste-free world. By 2025, the company is aiming to halve its use of virgin plastic and help collect and process more plastic packaging than it sells. Since 2019, Unilever Japan has been using recycled plastic in its product packaging including LUX, Dove, and CLEAR. In addition, Unilever Japan launched the UMILE Program in November 2020, where used packaging is collected at retail stores, and then recycled to make novelties that are then given back to consumers to support sustainable living. In April 2019, Kao launched its new ESG strategy—the Kirei Lifestyle Plan—which helps reduce the impact on the environment throughout the product lifecycle of its range of products. The Japanese word 'kirei' describes something that is both clean and beautiful. For Kao, Kirei not only encapsulates appearance, but also attitude—to create beauty for oneself, other people, and for the world around us. With this in mind, Kao is striving to reduce the amount of plastic used to make packaging, with the adoption of the 4Rs: Reduce, Replace, Reuse, and Recycle. In September 2019, Kao announced that it was aiming to help realize a plastic resource circulating society through "Innovation in Reduction" and "Innovation in Recycling." Description
  • 56. Partner Ecosystem Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable JBS (Brazil) USA to Partner with the MontCo Anti-Hunger Network Through Hometown Strong Initiative For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com 48 Building on its ongoing sustainability and social responsibility efforts, JBS USA announced a $216,627 contribution to the MontCo Anti-Hunger Network to purchase a distribution truck for the Food Resource Program, as well as provide financial support for the organization to operate for one year. This donation is part of the company’s Hometown Strong program, which includes a commitment to invest $1.1 million in Souderton, Pa., to support the community’s future. JBS Souderton has been working with local leaders and various organizations to determine how the funds can best help meet immediate and longer-term community needs. The JBS USA Souderton beef production facility employs more than 1,400 people with an annual payroll of more than $62 million. The facility supports more than 1,100 local producers, paying them more than $505 million per year for their livestock. Through MAHN, JBS Souderton donates roughly two tons of high-quality beef products per month to local food pantries. Hometown Strong is a national $50 million initiative that adds to commitments JBS USA has made to protect employees and ensure their job security amid the global pandemic. Hometown Strong is one of the largest community investment programs of its kind in the country. Description
  • 57. Partner Ecosystem Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable Marubeni (Japan), NYK, and TDG Agree on Joint Promotion of Electronic Money Platform Business for Seafarers For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com 49 Marubeni Corporation NYK Line and Transnational Diversified Group (TDG) have agreed on Marubeni’s acquisition of a stake in MarCoPay Inc., an electronic money platform business founded by NYK Line and TDG. Nowadays, on oceangoing vessels around the world, approximately 80 billion yen is speculated to be kept as cash on board because salary payments to crew members have traditionally occurred in cash. However, cash on board vessels leads to additional workloads and costs, such as fees to transport cash to the vessels and remittance fees when seafarers send the received cash to their families. Moreover, seafarers spend long periods of time on vessels in a specialized working environment, so the need for health management support and convenient online services between sea and land has existed. Also, in countries such as the Philippines, where most crew members call home, seafarers are often not fully accorded the best credit conditions when applying for loans and can have difficulty obtaining proper insurance services that suit their labor environment and lifestyle. This is said to be due to the term contracts of the seafarers, even though they generally earn much more than average in their home countries. Thus, cost reduction for cash handling by vessels and improvement of the working and living environment of seafarers has been issues within the shipping industry for some time. MarCoPay Inc. has developed an electronic money platform named “MarCoPay” that has been designed to enable digital salary receipt, remittances, cash withdrawals, loan applications, and insurance and investment product purchases through a smartphone application. Description
  • 58. Partner Ecosystem Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable Marubeni (Japan): MoU Signed with EGCB for the Joint Development of the Feni Solar PV Power Plant Project in the People’s Republic of Bangladesh For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com 50 Marubeni Corporation signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Electricity Generation Company of Bangladesh Limited electricity and utility company owned by the Bangladesh Development Board. The MoU is regarding the joint development of the 100MW Solar PV Power Plant Project in Chittagong, Feni, southeast of People’s Republic of Bangladesh. In line with its strong economic growth, the generation capacity of Bangladesh is continuously increasing and the government aims to expand its renewable energy capacity to 10% of the country’s total generation capacity. The MoU was also approved by the Bangladesh Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, an organization operating above EGCB and BPDB. Marubeni has a track record of installing approximately 1,300MW of gas-fired power plants and hydropower plants in Bangladesh. If this Project is realized, it will become one of the largest scale solar power plants in the country, and the first Independent Power Producer project for Marubeni in the country. Marubeni owns stakes in power projects across 19 countries (including Japan) for a total net capacity of about 12GW. Also, as part of the company’s activities for enhancing sustainability, Marubeni issued the Notification Regarding Business Policies Pertaining to Sustainability in Relation to Coal-Fired Power Generation Business and Renewable Energy Generation Business in September 2018, and set the Marubeni Long-Term Vision on Climate Change in March 2021 for the purpose of contributing to solving global climate change. Description
  • 59. Partner Ecosystem Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable Pernod Ricard (France) Erasmus Student Network and HOTREC call for more responsible togetherness and solidarity For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com 51 Responsible Party partners with HOTREC the association of hotels, restaurants, bars, and cafés in Europe, in order to ensure the opening of safe venues which respect the measures in place and bring conviviality back in a responsible way. They encourage all individual organizations to join and sign this Declaration and become part of this movement to enjoy convivial moments in Europe safely and responsibly. Created in partnership with the Erasmus Student Network, a European non-profit organization, Responsible Party is a prevention programme which actively fights against the misuse of alcohol. Born from the idea that events are even better if they are enjoyed responsibly, Responsible Party implements a peer-to-peer approach that has been highly successful, reaching over 450,000 students in 33 countries since the start of the program in 2009. Aspiring to “make good times unforgettable”, Responsible Party focalizes on water distribution to reduce alcohol related harm, empowering young adults to make more responsible choices that raise awareness among their peers. Given the current context, Responsible Party extended its activities to both on-the-field activations and impactful digital campaigns. Since launching in April 2020, and thanks to their first “Sharing Good Vibes” digital campaign, Responsible Party's online presence amassed a reach of 6 million people in 30 countries. With the world put on hold for the past year, the pandemic has drastically changed the dynamics of our society. The COVID-19 pandemic has also hit livelihoods and businesses hard, throwing Europe’s wider mobility and hospitality sectors into a deep crisis. Supporting the hospitality sector in keeping customers and staff safe across the extraordinary diversity of convivial settings and experiences they offer is more than ever paramount for the businesses still standing. Description
  • 60. Partner Ecosystem Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable PVH Corp. (USA) Expands Pride Partnerships to Focus on Year-Round Education and Awareness of the LGBTQIA+ Community For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com 52 PVH Corp. announces this year’s support of global Pride will focus on education and awareness, community engagement and creating inclusive products throughout the year. Pride is an important celebration and educational moment for our global associates to rally around, with activations planned in many of the company’s top regions and markets. PVH continues to support NYC Pride 2021 as a Gold Sponsor for six events throughout the year including two in June: Human Rights Conference and Black Queer Townhall. New this year, PVH is expanding its community engagement through support of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) program. The company is also partnering with PFLAG National on education and awareness opportunities for associates. Partnering with PFLAG National, the first and largest organization in the U.S. for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) people, their parents and families, and allies, will enable PVH to continue fostering education and awareness opportunities for its associates with an LGBTQIA+ Allyship Training in June and additional programming to celebrate and support the LGBTQIA+ community beyond Pride month. In partnership with WERK, the company’s LGBTQIA+ business resource group with chapters in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia, associates will have the opportunity to participate in virtual events, content series and a community giving campaign during Pride month. PVH will continue its “Let’s Talk” series with a discussion on Pride, the LGBTQIA+ community and the importance of both celebration and education. The series further supports PVH’s efforts to become a more diverse and inclusive organization. Description
  • 61. Partner Ecosystem Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable Toyota Tsusho (Japan) Mitsui Chemicals and Neste collaborate to start Japan's first production of renewable plastics from 100% bio-based hydrocarbons For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com 53 Toyota Tsusho Corp. Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. and Neste announced that they are joining forces to enable Japan's first industrial-scale production of renewable plastics and chemicals from 100% bio-based hydrocarbons. In this collaboration, Mitsui Chemicals will use Neste RE™, 100% bio-based hydrocarbons produced by Neste, to replace a part of the fossil feedstock in the production of a variety of plastics and chemicals at its crackers within Osaka Works during 2021. In doing so, Mitsui Chemicals will become Japan's first company to use bio-based feedstock in its crackers. The collaboration between Neste, Mitsui Chemicals and Toyota Tsusho will enable brand owners and other potential clients in the Asian market, particularly in Japan, to start incorporating renewable plastics and chemicals into their products and offerings. For this collaboration, Neste, a forerunner in producing renewable and recycled feedstock alternatives for the plastics and chemicals industry, will produce its Neste RE feedstock entirely from renewable raw materials, such as bio-based waste and residue oils, without any fossil oil. By using Neste RE, Mitsui Chemicals is able to produce plastics and chemicals with significantly reduced greenhouse gas emissions over their life cycle – spanning from the raw materials stage all the way through to product disposal – when compared to products made using fossil feedstock, such as petroleum naphtha. Description
  • 62. Partner Ecosystem Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable UNFI Makes Company’s Largest Investment in Renewable Energy For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com 54 United Natural Foods, Inc. announced that in collaboration with solar project developer, Pine Gates Renewables as well as U.S. Bank, it is investing in Trent River Solar, a 108.5 megawatt (MW) solar facility located in Jones County, North Carolina. The site, which sits on 640 acres, will contain over 800,000 solar panels and create enough energy to provide power to over 14,000 homes. The solar project will support 300 local and regional jobs and is expected to be completed and placed in service later this month. UNFI will not acquire the energy created at Trent River nor the renewable energy certificates. Pine Gate is a leading renewable energy company focused on project development and strategic financing of utility-scale solar and storage sites throughout the United States. It currently manages 770MW of operational assets, with more than 12GW in active development and has raised over $2 billion in project capital to date. The company’s Pine Gate Impact initiative contributes to multiple non-profit organizations aimed at improving the environment and local communities. Headquartered in Asheville, NC, Pine Gate Renewables was awarded a top spot on Inc. magazine’s Best Workplaces list in 2021, named to Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies list in 2021, awarded the gold medal in the energy category for Inc.’s Best in Business 2020 list and ranked #6 on Inc. 500’s list of “Fastest Growing Energy Companies” in 2018. Description
  • 63. Partner Ecosystem Updates IT Shades Engage & Enable Citi Retail Services and Tractor Supply (USA) Company Extend 20+ Year Credit Card Relationship For any queries, Please write to marketing@itshades.com 55 Tractor Supply Company, America's largest operator of rural lifestyle retail stores, and Citi Retail Services, one of North America's largest and most experienced retail credit solution providers, announced a multi-year extension of their long-standing credit card relationship. The new agreement more closely aligns the two organizations in their desire to grow the program and provide cardholders a unique and rewarding “Life out Here” experience. It also marks a continued commitment to further expand the Tractor Supply Company (TSC) Personal Credit Card portfolio, a key strategic area of focus that has realized significant growth in recent years. Citi Retail Services issues the TSC Personal Credit Card, which offers cardholders Preferred Plus status in TSC’s Neighbor’s Club, 5% back in rewards on qualifying purchases, and access to special financing. The two companies also offer the Tractor Supply Business card which provides both net and revolving terms for business customers. Citi, the leading global bank, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 160 countries and jurisdictions. Citi provides consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, transaction services, and wealth management. Description