Awards & Rankings

Trane®, a leading global provider of indoor comfort systems and services and a brand of Ingersoll Rand, presented its annual Energy Efficiency Leader Award on Aug. 29 to the University of Florida. The award recognizes the university’s commitment to providing a healthy, productive learning environment with minimal impact on the environment.

Sodexo, a food services and facilities management company, was named as a top-scorer in the 2017 Disability Equality Index® produced by the US Business Leadership Network® (USBLN®) and the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD). Sodexo, which received a 90 out of 100 percent, was among 110 companies who were evaluated on culture, leadership, community engagement and support services.

“In elementary school, my best friend, Kale, was in a wheelchair and I didn’t know why,” said Bailey Walter, of North Tonawanda, New York. “It took me a long time to ask about it, but in fourth grade I talked to his mom and found out he was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy at 18 months old.” Bailey told her mom she wanted to help Kale. Her goal? For them to dance together by the sixth-grade dance.

Sydney Lawrence was working as a scribe in the emergency department of a hospital and just about to begin graduate school to pursue a certificate in public health when, in a chance meeting, she heard about an organization called HOLA – a nonprofit dedicated to providing sustainable healthcare solutions to developing countries in Latin America.

The recognition was for the work done during the last more than three years through the Manos al Agua app, which manages relevant information that enables to monitor and control activities. The app gets real-time information on training and implementation activities on farms and in coffee river basins.

Aflac—the well-known insurance organization with the famous duck mascot—takes its corporate social responsibilities seriously. The organization recently passed the $110 million mark in support for childhood cancer treatment and research, and has appeared on Ethisphere’s “World’s Most Ethical Companies” list 11 years in a row. Yet a Reputation Institute report found that consumers weren’t aware of its good works. That revelation led to a multifaceted effort to raise awareness of Aflac’s CSR efforts. It also led to Aflac winning first place for “Campaign of the Year” in PR Daily’s 2017 Corporate Social Responsibility Awards.

Country music legend Lee Greenwood has a voice, and a heart, for service. As the national ambassador for Helping a Hero, he flies all over the country to perform and present wounded soldiers with keys to new, handicap-accessible homes. He is also a spokesperson for Disabled American Veterans, “Products for Good” and the Honor 1 Campaign. Lee has performed his iconic 1983 hit, “God Bless the USA,” at numerous charitable events throughout his career, including a performance at New York City’s Yankee Stadium just a few days after 9/11.

Hormel Foods has been recognized with a Communitas Award for its Project SPAMMY® efforts. Communitas Awards recognize exceptional businesses, organizations and individuals that are giving of themselves and their resources, and those that are changing how they do business to benefit their communities.

China is catching up to the US in global ad revenue - $180 billion of the $533 billion spent in 2016. In 2017, digital advertising will exceed television advertising for the first time. Google is at the top with $79 billion with Facebook second at $27 billion.

Habitat has created a $100 million “MicroBuild Fund” to finance longer-term loans to people without access to traditional credit sources so they can afford to upgrade their housing.