Category Archives: Awards

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Retail marketing solutions company Firebolt Group recognized for its sustainability efforts

LONDON, 5-Jan-2021 — /EPR RETAIL NEWS/ — Firebolt Group, an innovative software, and hardware marketing solutions company for leading global brands, earned the prestigious Platinum EcoVadis Medal. The platinum medal is the highest distinction awarded by EcoVadis, an independent platform that assesses companies’ social and environmental performance. This recognition places the Firebolt Group among the top 1 percent of companies assessed by EcoVadis.

“We are thrilled to earn this distinction and to be recognized alongside an elite group of companies. Innovation is in our DNA, and our continued focus on integrating sustainability into everything we do has had a tremendous impact. I am proud of our team’s efforts to help ensure a better tomorrow,” said Philip Ochtman, CEO.

Philip was recently a guest speaker at the Sustainability Forum 2020 where he was invited to share Firebolt’s story. Firebolt’s efforts on sustainability started many years ago with their introduction of energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly LED signs, an alternative that uses 85% less power than traditional neon or fluorescent tube lighting. Additionally, Firebolt works to ensure that products can be easily dismantled and recycled at the end of the product’s life. The company also redesigned its packaging materials reducing the use of plastic drastically and having the rest recyclable. Firebolt will continue to reduce its carbon footprint with the goal of being carbon neutral by the year 2030.

Along with the EcoVadis Platinum medal, Firebolt was recently recognized as one of the Top 50 POS companies by Creative Magazine. Firebolt continues to reinvent itself. When the pandemic hit, Firebolt pivoted to manufacture PPE and ventilator parts for the GE program, and recently retooled its successful live event platform to be an online virtual event platform.

SOURCE: EuropaWire

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CVS Health recognized with 2018 PBMI Excellence Award for Care Management Strategies

WOONSOCKET, R.I., 2018-Mar-09 — /EPR Retail News/ — CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) announced today (March 7, 2018) that the Pharmacy Benefit Management Institute (PBMI) awarded the company the 2018 PBMI Excellence Award for Care Management Strategies. The award recognizes the ScriptPath Prescription Schedule, which was developed by CVS Health to help provide a consolidated view of a patient’s current CVS Pharmacy prescriptions with an easy-to-understand schedule showing how and when to take each medication.

“We are pleased to be recognized with this award for our industry-leading work to bring the ScriptPath Prescription Schedule to patients as we help them on their path to better health,” said Troyen A. Brennan, MD Chief Medical Officer, CVS Health. “For CVS Health, this award validates our efforts to develop innovative programs that improve patient engagement and medication adherence, better manage chronic diseases like diabetes and help clients keep their health care costs down.”

The average American adult fills nine prescriptions annually, with people older than 65 filling an average of 20 prescriptions a year. Unfortunately, approximately half of patients report being confused about how and when to take their medications, contributing to the 50 percent of patients with chronic conditions who stop taking their medications within the first year of diagnosis. Further, studies show a 5.7 percent to 6.8 percent decrease in adherence for each dose added to a medication regimen. For patients who are not optimally adherent to prescribed therapies, hospital readmission rates increase by as much as 69 percent, which can result in annual U.S. health care costs between $100 to $300 billion.

The ScriptPath Prescription Schedule offers patients with chronic conditions and complex regimens a personalized prescription schedule with easy-to-understand icons explaining which medication to take, when it should be taken and how much should be taken in each dose. It is designed to improve patient understanding and safety and help simplify how patients take their medications. The schedule is generated by our proprietary Clinical Engine, a robust scientific system created by CVS Pharmacy, which automatically reviews all of a patient’s current CVS Pharmacy prescription information and prescribers’ instructions. Using clinical data, the Clinical Engine slots a patient’s medications into up to four dosing times per day morning, midday, evening and bedtime and recommends dosing times for each medication based on the most effective times of day for the medications to be taken. Deborah Adler, a designer known for her past work on Target’s ClearRx prescription packaging system and the inventor and lead designer of the new ScriptPath system, worked with the CVS Health team to develop the easy-to-understand icons and an intuitive layout for each of the ScriptPath offerings.

In addition to the Prescription Schedule, CVS Pharmacy is in the process of rolling out the ScriptPath Prescription Label and Prescription Overview to all stores nationwide this spring. This will extend the use of the easy-to-understand design of the Prescription Schedule to the label on the prescription bottle as well as the prescription bag tag.

About CVS Health
CVS Health is a pharmacy innovation company helping people on their path to better health. Through its more than 9,800 retail locations, more than 1,100 walk-in medical clinics, a leading pharmacy benefits manager with more than 94 million plan members, a dedicated senior pharmacy care business serving more than one million patients per year, expanding specialty pharmacy services, and a leading stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug plan, the Company enables people, businesses and communities to manage health in more affordable and effective ways. This unique integrated model increases access to quality care, delivers better health outcomes and lowers overall health care costs. Find more information about how CVS Health is shaping the future of health at https://www.cvshealth.com.

Media Contact: 
Christina Beckerman
CVS Health
401-770-8868

SOURCE: CVS Health

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Intershop client Alko named Digital Leader of Nordics brands in e-commerce

  • Finnish food retail sector still in beginner phase of digital maturity
  • Alko exceeds expectations with precise digital product information
  • Top positions in Finnish food retail, e-commerce and Nordics e-commerce

Jena, Helsinki, 2018-Mar-08 — /EPR Retail News/ — Finnish state owned monopoly for retailing alcoholic drinks, Alko, was announced Digital Leader of Nordics brands in  e-commerce. Additionally, the Intershop-based web shop was granted more top positions for the industry sectors “food retail” and “e-commerce” in Finland.

In comparison to other Finnish brands, Alko’s web shop offers dedicated product information, relevant pictures and adjoining data to the catalogs in the most appealing way. Basic but crisp e-commerce functionality resulted in superior customer satisfaction. A wish list, a detailed shopping basket, a real-time chat service and feedback form have proved to be beneficial to sell alcoholic products in a challenging environment of government regulations.

The shop was already awarded “IT project of the Year 2017” for its omnichannel initiative. Paula Kujansivu, Vice President, Online and Supply Chain at Alko Oy: “We see our customers appreciating our offering well in our daily business and we will improve the online shopping experience based on our customers’ feedback. Getting it acknowledged also by standards of sophisticated scale is additionally motivating for us in terms of exceeding those expectations.”

Axel Köhler, COO at Intershop, adds: “A state-of-the-art technology, combined with skilled implementation talents, resulted in a successful e-commerce business. Intershop´s software is built to deliver exactly this.”

About Intershop

Intershop Communications AG (founded in Germany 1992; Prime Standard: ISH2) is the leading independent provider of omni-channel commerce solutions. Intershop offers high-performance packaged software for internet sales, complemented by all necessary services. Intershop also acts as a business process outsourcing provider, covering all aspects of online retailing up to fulfillment. Around the globe more than 300 enterprise customers, including HP, BMW, Würth, and Deutsche Telekom run Intershop solutions. Intershop is headquartered in Jena, Germany, and has offices in the United States, Europe, Australia, and China. More information about Intershop can be found online at www.intershop.com.

This news release contains forward-looking statements regarding future events or the future financial and operational performance of Intershop. Actual events or performance may differ materially from those contained or implied in such forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties that could lead to such difference could include, among other things: Intershop’s limited operating history, the unpredictability of future revenues and expenses and potential fluctuations in revenues and operating results, significant dependence on large single customer deals, consumer trends, the level of competition, seasonality, risks related to electronic security, possible governmental regulation, and general economic conditions.

Contact:

Intershop Public Relations

HEIDE RAUSCH
Head of Corporate Communication
Phone: +49 3641 50-1000
Fax: +49 3641 50-1309
mailto:pr@intershop.de

Source: Intershop Communications AG

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Walgreens granted with URAC accreditation in Specialty Pharmacy

The designation demonstrates the highest level of commitment to quality healthcare

Deerfield, Ill., 2018-Mar-07 — /EPR Retail News/ — Walgreens has earned URAC accreditation in Specialty Pharmacy at select Walgreens community-based specialty pharmacy sites across the United States. URAC is the independent leader in promoting healthcare quality through accreditation, certification and measurement. By achieving this status, Walgreens has demonstrated a comprehensive commitment to quality care, improved processes and better patient outcomes.

“We are honored to have been granted this prestigious and respected accreditation from URAC in communities from Honolulu and Sacramento to Wilmington, Boston, and New York, and other markets in between, covering a majority of the nation,” said Rina Shah, PharmD, vice president of pharmacy operations, Walgreens. “Receiving accreditation from URAC, the independent not-for-profit leader in healthcare quality, is a true symbol of excellence in specialty pharmacy.”

For a list of Walgreens specialty pharmacy locations that have been accredited by URAC for Specialty Pharmacy, please visit www.urac.org.

“It’s necessary for specialty pharmacies to provide a higher level of treatment for patients so desired outcomes are achieved,” said URAC President and CEO Kylanne Green. “Walgreens shows a dedication to patient education and safety through the recognition of quality it received with URAC’s independent accreditation. With URAC accreditation, people know that Walgreens strives to adhere to industry best practices.”

Walgreens community-based specialty sites on hospital campuses and in communities throughout the country are unique to the industry and offer unparalleled access to medications and personalized service.

About Walgreens
Walgreens (walgreens.com), a provider of trusted care in communities since 1901, is included in the Retail Pharmacy USA Division of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (NASDAQ: WBA), the first global pharmacy-led, health and wellbeing enterprise. Approximately 8 million customers interact with Walgreens in stores and online each day, using the most convenient, multichannel access to consumer goods and services and trusted, cost-effective pharmacy, health and wellness services and advice. Walgreens operates 8,100 drugstores with a presence in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, along with its omnichannel business, Walgreens.com. Approximately 400 Walgreens stores offer Healthcare Clinic or other provider retail clinic services.

About URAC
Founded in 1990, URAC is the independent leader in promoting healthcare quality through accreditation, certification and measurement. URAC is a nonprofit organization developing evidence-based measures and standards through inclusive engagement with a range of stakeholders committed to improving the quality of healthcare. Our portfolio of accreditation and certification programs span the healthcare industry, addressing healthcare management, healthcare operations, health plans, pharmacies, telehealth providers, physician practices, and more. URAC accreditation is a symbol of excellence for organizations to showcase their validated commitment to quality and accountability.

Contact(s):
Scott Goldberg
Walgreens
(847) 315-7649

Source: Walgreens

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Maxi named Serbia’s favorite supermarket brand at the eighth annual “My Choice” awards

Maxi named Serbia’s favorite supermarket brand at the eighth annual “My Choice” awards

Belgrade, Serbia, 2018-Mar-06 — /EPR Retail News/ — Our great local brands in Serbia got some great news last week with the selection of Maxi as Serbia’s favorite supermarket brand. Maxi received a “My Choice 2018″ award in the retail category during a ceremony in Belgrade, while Tempo came in second.

Organized by the “My Serbia” association and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, the eighth annual “My Choice” awards honor the best domestic products and brands based on a survey of consumers. The survey included more than 1,900 people in 10 cities in Serbia who voted for their favorites in 24 categories.

“When consumers recognize you as their first choice and confirm that Maxi is their first recommendation, you have greater responsibility and an obligation to be even better. At the same time, this is a sign that they truly recognize our efforts to become an even better place to shop and to be an even better neighbor to them every day,” said Quentin Royer, COO of Delhaize Serbia. “We will continue to improve our offer so customers can choose from a broad assortment of quality products, allowing them to make the healthiest choices for themselves and their families.”

Contact:
Ellen van Ginkel
Director External Communications
media.relations@aholddelhaize.com
+31 88 6595134

Source: Ahold Delhaize

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Carrefour Poland’s C4 Retail Lab incubator recognised at the 2017 Heart Open Innovation Awards

Carrefour Poland’s C4 Retail Lab incubator recognised at the 2017 Heart Open Innovation Awards

Boulogne-Billancourt, France, 2018-Feb-27 — /EPR Retail News/ — Carrefour Poland’s C4 Retail Lab incubator, which started up in 2017, has got through to the finals of the Open Innovation Awards in the “Initiative” category.

The C4 Retail Lab was set up last year as part of Carrefour Poland’s omnichannel strategy. Its purpose is to look for and implement innovations for the whole mass merchandising sector, as well as supporting the development of entrepreneurship in Poland and fostering young talent. The incubator already has 12 start-ups and five projects are in the test phase.One of the first companies to join the C4 Retail Lab was Smart Cart – a Polish company which has developed a system that involves traditional shopping trolleys and self-service checkouts. The award given by the Heart Warsaw is the first that Carrefour’s incubator has received.

The 2017 Heart Open Innovation Awards is a competition for companies which innovate in collaboration with start-ups. Their aim is to showcase companies which use sources of external innovation, setting up partnerships and implementing the best solutions. The competition was organised by The Heart Warsaw, the European centre for cooperation between major groups and start-ups.

SOURCE: Carrefour Group

MEDIA CONTACT

Switchboard: +33 (0)1 41 04 26 00
For journalists: +33 (0)1 41 04 26 17
By e-mail: presse_groupe@carrefour.com

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Meijer’s advertising team won 30 awards at the American Advertising Federation (AAF) of West Michigan’s annual ADDY® Awards

Retailer’s 2017 ad campaigns lauded by West Michigan’s advertising community

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., 2018-Feb-27 — /EPR Retail News/ — Meijer announced today that its advertising team won big at the American Advertising Federation (AAF) of West Michigan’s annual ADDY® Awards with a record 30 awards.

The retailer’s in-house creative team earned accolades for a variety of 2017 creative advertising campaigns in multiple categories, including The Hambassador social media campaign, Grocery Store Love Songs radio commercial, and its Come Home television commercial.

“I am incredibly proud of our talented Meijer creative team who delivered such a range of outstanding work that engaged and inspired our customers in 2017,” said Lisa Henriksen, Senior Vice President of Marketing. “It’s quite a testament to their talent, collaboration and hard work to be recognized to that extent by our industry colleagues.”

Meijer received the following ADDY Awards, which is the industry’s largest and most representative competition:

  • Gold, Photography Campaign: Halloween Food
  • Gold, Social Media Campaign: The Hambassador
  • Silver, Illustration Series: Holiday Gift Cards
  • Silver, Photography Campaign: Easter Ham Photography
  • Silver, Photography Campaign: Halloween Cocktail Photography
  • Silver, Social Media Single Execution: Coach McCarthy – Cans
  • Silver, Social Media Single Execution: Coach McCarthy – Garbage
  • Silver, Social Media Single Execution: The Hambassador – Basket
  • Silver, Social Media Single Execution: The Hambassador – Tablescape
  • Silver, Social Media Campaign: Coach McCarthy
  • Silver, Out-of-Home Multiple Installation: Halloween In-Store
  • Silver, Regional/National Television Commercial: Come Home
  • Silver, Regional/National Television Commercial: Meijer Beer – Founders
  • Silver, Regional/National Television Commercial: Meijer Beer – Leinenkugel’s
  • Bronze, Social Media Single Execution: Farmer to Table – Cabbage
  • Bronze, Social Media Campaign: Come Home
  • Bronze, Social Media Campaign: Halloween Scary Candy Scenes
  • Bronze, Social Media Campaign: Meijer Basket(ball)
  • Bronze, Social Media Campaign: Style for Every BODY
  • Bronze, Copywriting: Tender Meat Matching
  • Bronze, Website-Based App: Tender Meat Matching
  • Bronze, Point of Purchase: Purple Cow Display
  • Bronze, Branded Content & Entertainment: ArtPrize Palate
  • Bronze, Out-of-Home Multiple Installations: Meijer Little Caesars Arena
  • Bronze, Out-of-Home Multiple Installations: Mercato Italiano
  • Bronze, Print Campaign: Never Saw the Light of Day – Purple Cow
  • Bronze, Regional/National Radio Commercial :30 Seconds or Less: Grocery Store Love Songs Radio
  • Bronze, Integrated Advertising Campaign – Regional/National – Consumer: Mercato Italiano
  • Bronze, Integrated Advertising Campaign – Regional/National – Consumer: Oh My Gourd
  • Bronze, Cinematography: Farmer to Table: Cabbage

About Meijer:

Meijer is a Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer that operates 235 supercenters and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin. A privately-owned and family-operated company since 1934, Meijer pioneered the “one-stop shopping” concept and has evolved through the years to include expanded fresh produce and meat departments, as well as pharmacies, comprehensive apparel departments, pet departments, garden centers, toys and electronics. For additional information on Meijer, please visit www.meijer.com. Follow Meijer on Twitter @twitter.com/Meijer and @twitter.com/MeijerPR or become a fan at www.facebook.com/meijer.

SOURCE:  Meijer

Contact: Christina Fecher, 616-735-7968, christina.fecher@meijer.com

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The Lipsey Company named CBRE the top global brand in commercial real estate for the 17th consecutive year

Los Angeles, 2018-Feb-23 — /EPR Retail News/ — CBRE Group, Inc. today (February 21, 2018) announced that The Lipsey Company has named CBRE the top global brand in commercial real estate for the 17th consecutive year.

Lipsey, a training and professional development firm specializing in commercial real estate, has surveyed commercial real estate professionals on their perceptions of the industry’s leading brands since 2002. CBRE has been ranked number one every year that Lipsey has conducted its brand survey. In 2018, more than 150,000 U.S. and international professionals participated in the survey, including property owners, investors, lenders, occupiers, brokers and property managers.

“The business environment has changed significantly in 17 years, but one constant has been the intense focus of CBRE’s professionals in delivering exceptional outcomes for our clients,” said Bob Sulentic, president and chief executive officer of CBRE. “The Lipsey survey results provide another testament to their efforts.”

Earlier this month CBRE was recognized as one of the 100 Most Sustainable Companies in the U.S. by Barron’s and was named one of the 2018 World’s Most Ethical Companies® for the fifth year in a row. Both FORTUNE and Forbes also recently named CBRE one of the best U.S. workplaces for diversity.

About CBRE Group, Inc.
CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE:CBG), a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company headquartered in Los Angeles, is the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm (based on 2017 revenue). The company has more than 80,000 employees (excluding affiliates), and serves real estate investors and occupiers through approximately 450 offices (excluding affiliates) worldwide. CBRE offers a broad range of integrated services, including facilities, transaction and project management; property management; investment management; appraisal and valuation; property leasing; strategic consulting; property sales; mortgage services and development services. Please visit our website at www.cbre.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Robert McGrath
212.984.8267
robert.mcgrath@cbre.com

SOURCE: CBRE Group, Inc.

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CBRE Group, Inc. named to The 2018 Global Outsourcing 100® by IAOP®

Los Angeles, 2018-Feb-23 — /EPR Retail News/ — CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE: CBG) today (February 21, 2018) announced that the company has been named to The 2018 Global Outsourcing 100® by IAOP®. This marks the twelfth consecutive year that CBRE has been named among the world’s elite outsourcing firms across all industries.

The 2018 Global Outsourcing 100 and The World’s Best Outsourcing Advisors recognizes the world’s best outsourcing service providers and advisors. These lists are based on applications received, and judging is based on a rigorous scoring methodology that includes an independent review by an independent panel of IAOP customer members with extensive experience in selecting outsourcing service providers and advisors for their organizations.

“CBRE’s continued recognition by IAOP as a premier global outsourcing company highlights the quality of our professionals, our service offering and our ability to attract and build advantages for first-rate, global organizations,” said Bill Concannon, CEO of Global Workplace Solutions for CBRE.

CBRE’s suite of integrated outsourcing services for occupiers of commercial real estate spans transaction services, facilities management, project management, and strategic consulting. CBRE continues to enhance these services through technology, talent recruitment, mergers-and-acquisitions and other strategic initiatives. It also has bolstered its capabilities within specific industry sectors, including: financial services, healthcare, and life sciences.

“In today’s economy, it is more important than ever for outsourcing buyers to be able to easily identify and select the right company for their outsourcing needs,” said Debi Hamill, IAOP CEO. “The Global Outsourcing 100 and World’s Best Advisors lists are the essential tools companies reference to make smarter decisions. They provide companies with valuable insights into the outsourcing industry, leading and emerging service providers and advisors, and key developments to watch.”

About IAOP

IAOP is the global association that brings together customers, providers, and advisors in a collaborative, knowledge-based environment that promotes professional and organizational development, recognition, certification, and excellence to improve business service models and outcomes. Our members and affiliates worldwide are digging deep at IAOP conferences, learning at IAOP chapter meetings, getting trained and certified at IAOP courses and workshops, and connecting through IAOP social media, all with one goal: better business results. Whether you are a customer, provider or advisor, new to collaborative business models like outsourcing, or you are an experienced professional, IAOP connects you and your organization to our growing global community and to the resources you need to get the results your company deserves and demands. For more information and how you can become involved, visit www.IAOP.org.

About CBRE Group, Inc.
CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE:CBG), a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company headquartered in Los Angeles, is the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm (based on 2017 revenue). The company has more than 80,000 employees (excluding affiliates), and serves real estate investors and occupiers through approximately 450 offices (excluding affiliates) worldwide. CBRE offers a broad range of integrated services, including facilities, transaction and project management; property management; investment management; appraisal and valuation; property leasing; strategic consulting; property sales; mortgage services and development services. Please visit our website at www.cbre.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Robert McGrath
212.984.8267
robert.mcgrath@cbre.com

SOURCE: CBRE Group, Inc.

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Fast Company names Starbucks as one 2018’s Most Innovative Companies

Fast Company names Starbucks as one 2018’s Most Innovative Companies

 

Seattle, 2018-Feb-21 — /EPR Retail News/ — Starbucks has been chosen as one 2018’s Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company, which released its annual rankings on Tuesday. In recognition of the Starbucks FoodShare program, Starbucks is included among the Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in Social Good.

In 2016, Starbucks entered into a unique partnership with Feeding America to create the innovative Starbucks FoodShare program – a leading a national effort to provide nourishing, ready to eat meals to people in need. To-date, Starbucks has rescued and donated more than 3 million meals. The program has also diverted 1.1 million pounds of food from landfills.

No traditional brick-and-mortar retailer is better positioned than Starbucks to continue leading the fight against hunger, by driving awareness, encouraging customers and partners to be advocates and creating a playbook for other companies to step up and help make a difference.

Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies List honors leading enterprises and rising newcomers that exemplify the best in business and innovation. More than three dozen Fast Company editors, reporters, and contributors identified the most notable innovations of the year among submissions from thousands of pioneering companies.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Global
Phone: 206 318 7100
Email: press@starbucks.com

SOURCE: Starbucks Corporation

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CVS Health recognized as one of the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies List for 2018 by Fast Company

WOONSOCKET, R.I., 2018-Feb-21 — /EPR Retail News/ — CVS Health (NYSE: CVS), the nation’s largest pharmacy innovation company, was recognized today (Feb. 20, 2018) by Fast Company as one of the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies List for 2018. CVS Health was also honored as No. 7 on Fast Company’s Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in Health.

Fast Company’s 50 Most Innovative Companies List recognizes leading enterprises and rising newcomers that exemplify the best in business and innovation. The list was curated from Fast Company’s Top 10 lists, which recognize pioneering companies across 36 categories, including health. More than three dozen Fast Company editors, reporters, and contributors surveyed thousands of companies to create these lists.

“CVS Health is honored to be included by Fast Company on their 50 Most Innovative Companies list and as one of the Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in Health,” said Larry J. Merlo, CVS Health President and CEO. “As a pharmacy-innovation company, we are committed to finding new ways of delivering on our purpose of helping people on their path to better health and I am very proud that our enterprise achievements are being recognized.”

In 2017, CVS Pharmacy introduced a first-of-its kind prescription management system, ScriptPath. Using easy to understand icons, the new system was designed to improve patient understanding and enhance patient safety by simplifying how patients take medications and how caregivers give them. The personalized prescription schedule is generated by a proprietary scientific system which automatically reviews all of a patient’s current CVS Pharmacy prescription information and prescribers’ instructions and uses clinical data to provide a schedule of the most effective times of day to take the medications.

In addition, CVS Caremark, the pharmacy benefit management (PBM) business of CVS Health, launched Transform Diabetes Care in 2017 to help the company’s PBM members with diabetes lower A1C levels and better manage their condition. The program integrates PBM cost management strategies with personalized, high touch support including in-person pharmacist counseling, diabetes-specific coaching and care by a nurse practitioner at MinuteClinic. Enrolled members are also offered a connected glucometer, which shares their blood glucose levels with their pharmacist-led team via a health cloud, enabling the team to identify potential issues and intervene with one-on-one coaching.

CVS Pharmacy has also introduced a reimagined, health-focused store design with an expanded offering of health, beauty and better-for-you food options. As part of this effort, the company removed artificial trans-fats from all store brand products 18 months ahead of the requirement to do so and announced that chemicals of concern would be eliminated from nearly 600 store brand beauty and personal care items by 2019.

To address the rising costs of prescription drugs, the company began offering a less expensive epinephrine auto-injector, generic Adrenaclick, for patients with life-threatening allergies in January 2017. CVS Pharmacy also introduced same-day, free prescription delivery in Manhattan in December 2017 and announced plans for nationwide next-day prescription delivery in 2018.

To strengthen the health of communities across the country, CVS Health announced that it would enhance opioid utilization management protocols, install 750 new drug disposal collection units in its retail pharmacies to collect unwanted medication and continue the Pharmacist Teach program, which brings CVS pharmacists into schools to educate students on the dangers of prescription drugs.

This recognition is the latest in a series of third-party acknowledgments for CVS Health, including FORTUNE’S Most Admired Companies, DiversityInc’s Top 50 Companies for Diversity, Points of Light’s Top 50 Community-Minded Companies, Corporate Responsibility Magazine’s 100 Best Corporate Citizens, Human Rights Campaign’s Top Places to Work for LGBT Equality and the Disability Equality Index’s Top Places to Work.

For more information about Fast Company’s 50 Most Innovative Companies List, please visit: www.fastcompany.com/most-innovative-companies/2018.

About CVS Health

CVS Health is a pharmacy innovation company helping people on their path to better health. Through its more than 9,800 retail locations, more than 1,100 walk-in medical clinics, a leading pharmacy benefits manager with more than 94 million plan members, a dedicated senior pharmacy care business serving more than one million patients per year, expanding specialty pharmacy services, and a leading stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug plan, the Company enables people, businesses and communities to manage health in more affordable and effective ways. This unique integrated model increases access to quality care, delivers better health outcomes and lowers overall health care costs. Find more information about how CVS Health is shaping the future of health at https://www.cvshealth.com.

Media Contact:
Erin Pensa
Director of Public Relations
401-770-4786
Erin.Pensa@CVSHealth.com

SOURCE: CVS Health

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Build-A-Bear Workshop named to the FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For list for the tenth consecutive year

ST. LOUIS, 2018-Feb-20 — /EPR Retail News/ — For the tenth year running, Build-A-Bear Workshop has been named to the FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For list, according to global research and consulting firm Great Place to Work and Fortune.

Build-A-Bear Workshop ranked No. 55 on the list, which is based on survey responses from more than 310,000 employees rating their workplace culture on 50-plus elements of the workplace. These include trust in managers, compensation, fairness, camaraderie and workplace traits linked to innovation. The ranking accounted for the experiences of all employees including women, people of color, LGBT individuals, older team members, and disabled employees.

Great Place to Work research shows that list winners keep beating industry rivals when it comes to talent retention and demonstrating higher levels of productivity than peers.

In the most recent Associate Experience Survey, 95 percent of U.S. Build-A-Bear Workshop associates said they understand how their work supports the mission of Build-A-Bear—to “Add a Little More Heart to Life.” Build-A-Bear associates also indicated that they believe in the company’s core value of “Give” by making their communities a better place to live, work and play through contributions of time and talent.

“For a decade, our associates have attested to Build-A-Bear Workshop being a highly-engaged and satisfying workplace,” said Sharon Price John, president and chief executive officer, Build-A-Bear Workshop. “The well-being of our employees and opportunities for career growth are priorities for us. In fact, in 2017, more than 50 percent of our store management positions were filled by internal promotions. Our inclusion on this esteemed list wouldn’t be possible without our associates, and we thank them for their continued dedication to our mission every day.”

The 100 Best Companies is one of a series of rankings by Great Place to Work and FORTUNE based on employee feedback from Great Place to Work-Certified™ organizations. Build-A-Bear Workshop also ranked as a best workplace on the following lists by Great Place to Work® and FORTUNE: 2017 Best Workplaces for Women list (third consecutive year); the 2017 Best Workplaces in Retail list (fourth consecutive year); the 2017 Best Workplaces for Millennials list (third consecutive year); and the 2017 Best Workplaces for Diversity list (third consecutive year).

About Build-A-Bear
Build-A-Bear is a global brand kids love and parents trust that seeks to add a little more heart to life. Build-A-Bear Workshop has over 400 stores worldwide where guests can create customizable furry friends, including corporately-managed stores in the United States, Canada, China, Denmark, Ireland, Puerto Rico, and the United Kingdom, and franchise stores in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, Mexico and the Middle East. The company was named to the FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For® list for the 10th year in a row in 2018. Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. (NYSE:BBW) posted a total revenue of $357.9 million in fiscal 2017. For more information, visit the Investor Relations section of buildabear.com.

About The FORTUNE 100 Best Companies To Work For®
Great Place to Work based its ranking on a data-driven methodology applied to anonymous Trust Index™ survey responses from more than 310,000 employees at Great Place to Work-Certified organizations with more than 1,000 employees. To learn more about Great Place to Work Certification and recognition on Best Workplaces lists published with FORTUNE, visit Greatplacetowork.com.

About Great Place to Work®
Great Place to Work is the global authority on high-trust, high-performance workplace cultures. Through its certification programs, Great Place to Work recognizes outstanding workplace cultures and produces the annual Fortune “100 Best Companies to Work For®” and Great Place to Work Best Workplaces lists for Millennials, Women, Diversity, Small & Medium Companies, industries and, internationally, countries and regions. Through its culture consulting services, Great Place to Work helps clients create great workplaces that outpace peers on key business metrics like revenue growth, profitability, retention and stock performance.

Learn more at Greatplacetowork.com and on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Contact:

Maria Lemakis
Build-A-Bear Workshop
(314) 423-8000, ext. 5367
MariaL@buildabear.com

SOURCE: Build-A-Bear Workshop

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REI ranks 43 on Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” 2018

Co-op has been honored as one of Fortune’s top employers every year in the ranking’s history

SEATTLE, 2018-Feb-20 — /EPR Retail News/ — For the 21st consecutive year, REI was recognized as one of the nation’s top employers, ranking 43 on Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” list. The honor celebrates the co-op’s more than 12,000 employees that work every day to connect REI members and customers with life outdoors.

Placement on the list is based on survey responses from a sampling of employees asked to rate their workplace culture. Final ranking is determined by more than 50 elements of the workplace, including trust in managers, compensation and camaraderie.

“It’s an incredible honor, in our 80th year as a co-op, that our employees feel so strongly about the work we do,” said Raquel Karls, REI senior vice president of human resources. “REI’s culture is built around the idea that a life outdoors is a life well lived, and our teams bring that to life every day for our millions of members in the communities across the country.”

A Great Place to Work
REI is a purpose-led organization that prioritizes stewardship of the outdoors. The co-op invests 70 percent of its profits annually in the outdoor community, including 400 nonprofits that create access to the outdoors for all.

In addition, REI remains committed to caring for the long-term health of the outdoors. The co-op continues to source 100 percent renewable energy for all REI locations and operates a LEED Platinum and Net Zero Energy distribution center in Goodyear, Arizona. REI also plans to incorporate sustainable design into its new campus in Bellevue, Washington.

Employees share in the co-op’s commitment to the outdoor community. According to REI’s annual employee survey, 96 percent of employees fully support the co-op’s values and believe REI has a great reputation for its products and services. The co-op’s combined pay and benefits lead the retail industry and employees enjoy a number of unique perks:

  • Days off to play outside: Every year, co-op employees receive two paid “Yay Days” that allow them to enjoy their favorite outdoor activity, learn a new skill or help to maintain outdoor spaces through a stewardship project.
  • #OptOutside: Employees also receive an additional paid day off on Black Friday to spend time outdoors with family and friends. In 2017, thousands of employees chose to #OptOutside and more than 8 million people joined the movement.
  • Increased parental leave: In 2018, REI enhanced its parental leave policy so employees can continue to balance their life at home with their life at work. Parents now receive up to six weeks of paid leave when welcoming a new child into the family.
  • Deals on gear: REI employees enjoy deep discounts on gear and experiences making it easier for them to try new products and build expertise to share with members.  Through our Challenge Grant program, employees can also receive up to $300 in REI private brands products for any outdoor activity, as long as it’s deemed a challenge for them.

Join the REI Team
As the co-op continues to grow, REI is looking to add passionate individuals to its team, including staff for its new stores opening later this year in Chattanooga, Tennessee and Cleveland. REI looks for candidates who embody its values and have a genuine love for the outdoors. Interested candidates can visit http://rei.jobs/.

About the REI Co-op
REI is a specialty outdoor retailer, headquartered near Seattle. The nation’s largest consumer co-op, REI is a growing community of more than 17 million members who expect and love the best quality gear, inspiring expert classes and trips and outstanding customer service. REI has 151 stores in 36 states. If you can’t visit a store, you can shop at REI.com, REI.com/rei-garage or the free REI shopping app. REI isn’t just about gear. You can take the trip of a lifetime with REI Adventures, a global leader in active adventure travel that runs more than 170 custom-designed itineraries worldwide. The REI Outdoor School is run by professionally-trained, expert-instructors who teach beginner to advanced-level courses about a wide range of activities. To build on the infrastructure that makes life outside possible, REI invests millions annually in hundreds of local and national nonprofits that create access to—and steward—the outdoor places that inspire us all.

About The FORTUNE 100 Best Companies To Work For®
Great Place to Work based its ranking on a data-driven methodology applied to anonymous Trust Index™ survey responses from more than 310,000 employees at Great Place to Work-Certified organizations with more than 1,000 employees. To learn more about Great Place to Work Certification and recognition on Best Workplaces lists published with FORTUNE, visit greatplacetowork.com.

About Great Place to Work®
Great Place to Work is the global authority on high-trust, high-performance workplace cultures. Through its certification programs, Great Place to Work recognizes outstanding workplace cultures and produces the annual Fortune “100 Best Companies to Work For®” and Great Place to Work Best Workplaces lists for Millennials, Women, Diversity, Small & Medium Companies, industries and, internationally, countries and regions. Through its culture consulting services, Great Place to Work helps clients create great workplaces that outpace peers on key business metrics like revenue growth, profitability, retention and stock performance. Learn more at greatplacetowork.com and on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Media Requests:

For more information or to request an interview, please contact REI Public Affairs at
prrequests@rei.com

Source: REI

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Sheetz named as one of the 2018 Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For

Sheetz named as one of the 2018 Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For

 

ALTOONA, Pa., 2018-Feb-20 — /EPR Retail News/ — Sheetz, one of America’s fastest growing, family-owned and operated convenience store chains, is pleased to announce that it is one of the 2018 Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For, according to global research and consulting firm Great Place to Work® and Fortune Magazine. This list, now in its 21st year, recognizes companies that have exceptional workplace cultures.

Sheetz was ranked 66th, improving upon its 2017 standing by 21 positions. Companies opt to participate in a selection process, which includes an employee survey and an in-depth questionnaire regarding their programs and employee practices. Great Place to Work® then evaluates each company using a unique methodology based on five dimensions, including credibility, respect, fairness, pride and camaraderie.

“This is the fourth time in five years we have been named to this very distinguished list,” said Sheetz President/CEO Joe Sheetz. “That certainly would not have happened without the hard work of our employees—from those who work in our stores, to our distribution centers, Sheetz Bros. Kitchens, corporate offices, along with our truck drivers and maintenance teams. We strive to create a working environment where people feel valued, have the opportunity to grow, and recognize how the work they do helps our company as a whole and the customers we serve, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We are committed to building on the investments we’ve made in our people for years to come.”

In 2017, Sheetz announced plans to hire 3,400 employees companywide, in addition to raising $150,000 for hurricane relief efforts. Sheetz also reaffirmed its status as an innovator in its industry by offering ordering through Amazon Alexa, and was the first two-time winner of Convenience Store Decision’s Chain of the Year.

Current Sheetz, Inc. Snapshot

Headquarters in Altoona, Pa.
Operates 565+ store locations in six states
In fiscal year 2019, Sheetz is projected to operate 600 stores
Serving 1.5 million customers per day
Family owned—66th anniversary in 2018
40 new and rebuilt stores in 2017
On the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For list in 2014/2016/2017/2018
Named by Fortune in 2016/2017 as a Best Workplace for Women
Named by Fortune in 2016/2017 as a Best Workplace for Millennials
Named by Fortune in 2015/2016/2017 as one of the Best Workplaces in Retail (Top 10)
Convenience Store Chain of the Year/Convenience Retailer of the Year
Locations in six states:  Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio and Maryland
Total yearly sales of more than $5.6 billion
More than 18,200 employees
Employee bonuses paid in 2017:  More than $50 million

Corporate Charities Supported

Sheetz For The Kidz™, a Sheetz employee-driven charitable organization, provided more than $1.5 million in 2017 to ensure approximately 9,300 children in need had gifts at Christmas. Through this program, Sheetz For The Kidz has helped more than 110,000 children living in the communities Sheetz serves.

Through a partnership with Make-A-Wish®, Sheetz For The Kidz granted wishes for 55 children with life-threatening medical conditions in 2017. Since 2005, Sheetz has been able to grant more than 518 wishes!

Special Olympics®:  In 2017, with the help of its generous customers, Sheetz donated more than $1 million to the Special Olympics. Sheetz was Pennsylvania’s largest contributor as well as an inductee into the Special Olympics Hall of Fame.

In addition, Sheetz donates millions of dollars in cash and products to worthwhile community endeavors each year.

“The 2018 100 Best are true leaders,” said Michael C. Bush, CEO of Great Place to Work. “In the face of competition, change, and financial constraints, they consistently prioritize building the trust, pride, and camaraderie that fuels business performance. And they’re doing it at scale for everyone, regardless of who they are or what they do for the organization.”

Organizations named on the list see many benefits that include better financial performance, less employee turnover, higher levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty, more innovative and creative thinking, higher productivity and enhanced public perception.

About Sheetz, Inc.
Established in 1952 in Altoona, Pennsylvania, Sheetz, Inc. is one of America’s fastest-growing, family-owned and operated convenience store chains, with more than $5.6 billion in revenue and more than 18,200 employees. The company operates more than 565 store locations throughout Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Ohio and North Carolina. Sheetz provides an award-winning menu of M•T•O® sandwiches and salads, which are ordered through unique touch-screen order point terminals. All Sheetz convenience stores are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Recognized by Fortune as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For, Best Places to Work for Women, Best Workplaces for Millennials and by Forbes as one of America’s Best Employers, Sheetz is committed to offering employees sustainable careers built on an inspiring culture and community engagement. For more information, visit www.sheetz.com or follow us on Twitter (@sheetz), Facebook (www.facebook.com/sheetz) and Instagram (www.instagram.com/sheetz).

About Great Place to Work®
Great Place to Work® is the global authority on high-trust, high-performance workplace cultures. Through proprietary assessment tools, advisory services, and certification programs, including Best Workplaces lists and workplace reviews, Great Place to Work provides the benchmarks, framework, and expertise needed to create, sustain, and recognize outstanding workplace cultures. In the United States, Great Place to Work produces the annual Fortune “100 Best Companies to Work For®” and a series of Great Place to Work Best Workplaces lists, including lists for Millennials, Women, Diversity, Small and Medium Companies and over a half dozen different industries. Great Place to Work® provides executive advisory and culture consulting services to businesses, non-profits, and government agencies in over 50 countries across six continents.

Follow Great Place to Work online at www.greatplacetowork.com and on Twitter at @GPTW_US.

For further information:
Nick Ruffner
nruffner@sheetz.com
814-941-5183

SOURCE: Sheetz, Inc.

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Nugget Markets ranked in FORTUNE Magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” list for the 13th year in a row

Woodland, CA, 2018-Feb-20 — /EPR Retail News/ — For the 13th year in a row, Nugget Markets has claimed a spot on FORTUNE Magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” list, ranking #70 in 2018. Noted for its dynamic culture and work-life balance, the local, family-owned company has also earned recent recognition as a top workplace for women, millennials, parents and diversity.

“The dynamic personalities and talents of our associates and leadership create our spirited culture of family and fun, and by extension, provide our guests an extraordinary grocery experience,” said Eric Stille, President and CEO of Nugget Markets. “We’re proud of our unique and diverse culture, and honored to be ranked among the best in the country.”

With roughly 1,900 associates companywide (a 5% increase in the past year), 28% of Nugget Markets’ new hires were referred by current associates in the past 12 months—further demonstrating the love that associates have for their company. As a specialty grocery store with gourmet offerings created in-house, Nugget Markets has a variety of positions ranging from entry level roles to experienced chefs and bakers, and is always looking to grow their world-class team.

Dedicated to investing in their associates, Nugget Markets offers a variety of professional development opportunities to help their team members reach their goals and grow in their career, along with fun celebrations and events like a companywide whitewater rafting trip. Their industry-leading benefits include a 401k with company match, flexible work schedule and zero healthcare premiums for full and part-time associates, and they’ve never had a layoff in their 90-year history.

Family owned and operated since 1926, Nugget Markets is a full-line grocery store in Northern California that provides high-quality perishables and organics, chef-prepared foods, specialty grocery items and conventional goods. The Nugget Market, Inc. family of stores includes 12 Nugget Markets in Northern California, Fork Lift by Nugget Markets in Cameron Park, Food 4 Less in Woodland and Sonoma Market and Glen Ellen Village Market in the Sonoma Valley. For more information about Nugget Markets’ ranking, read the Great Place to Work review.

METHODOLOGY

To identify the 100 Best Companies to Work For, each year Fortune partners with Great Place to Work to conduct the most extensive employee survey in corporate America. Each company’s score is based on Trust Index survey feedback from a random sample of employees. People anonymously assess their workplace, including the quality of their leaders, support for their personal and professional lives, and their relationships with colleagues. Survey results are compared with peer organizations of like size and complexity and are highly reliable statistically. In addition, Great Place to Work scores a Culture Audit management questionnaire from each company, which reports details such as compensation and benefits, hiring practices, recognition, training, and diversity programs.

Press Contact:

Kate Stille
VP of Marketing and Communications
Nugget Market, Inc.
Mobile: (530) 219-1573
Office: (530) 669-3350

Source: Nugget Market, Inc.

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CarMax ranks No. 34 in FORTUNE magazine’s 2018 100 Best Companies to Work For®

Company Now Offering Enhanced Benefits Including Paid Parental Leave

RICHMOND, Va., 2018-Feb-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — For 14 consecutive years, CarMax, Inc. (NYSE: KMX), the nation’s largest retailer of used cars, has been named by FORTUNE magazine as one of its 100 Best Companies to Work For®. CarMax ranks No. 34 for 2018.

“This award recognition is a direct result of the culture created by our associates,” said Bill Nash, CarMax CEO. “Their commitment to delivering an exceptional customer experience, transforming the communities around us, and caring and supporting one another is what makes CarMax a great place to work.”

The 2018 FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For® list is based on survey responses from more than 310,000 employees rating their workplace culture on 50-plus elements of the workplace such as fairness, camaraderie, development and trust in leadership.

“Our associates are our number one focus, and we want to have their backs during life’s moments that matter most,” said Diane Cafritz, chief human resources officer at CarMax. “That is why we are launching newly enhanced benefits this year that are a direct result of associate feedback on what benefits are most meaningful to them.”

CarMax is now offering four weeks of paid parental leave for hourly and salaried full-time associates following the birth or adoption of a child. This parental leave applies to both non-birth and birth parents. Birth mothers are eligible to add the four weeks of paid parental leave at the end of their approved six to eight weeks of paid medical leave.

Additionally, CarMax associates will enjoy the enhanced benefit of additional vacation time based on length of service. The company will continue to look for opportunities to provide pay and benefits for associates in the areas that are important to them.

CarMax employs nearly 25,000 people nationwide and continues to grow and hire for new positions. The company is opening a total of 15 new stores in 2018, including the company’s first locations in the states of Maine and New Hampshire. Some of the areas with a large number of job openings include: Baltimore, MD; Boston, MA; Dallas, TX; Denver, CO; Houston, TX; Los Angeles, CA; and San Francisco, CA.

The majority of open full and part-time job positions among CarMax stores are in sales and service (including detailers and experienced technicians). The company is also hiring for several customer service positions at CarMax Auto Finance in Atlanta, GA and for digital and technology positions at the CarMax Home Office and CarMax Shockoe locations in Richmond, Virginia.

In addition to being recognized for 14 consecutive years as one of FORTUNE magazine’s 100 Best Companies to Work For®, FORTUNE has also recognized CarMax as one of the 20 Best Workplaces in Retail and 100 Best Workplaces for Millennials in 2017. CarMax is also one of TRAINING Magazine’s “Training Top 125” companies in America.

CarMax is committed to hiring people with strong values of integrity, transparency, and respect. Job seekers are encouraged to apply for open positions online at jobs.carmax.com.

About CarMax

CarMax is the nation’s largest retailer of used cars and operates more than 185 stores in 41 states nationwide. CarMax revolutionized the auto industry by delivering the honest, transparent and high-integrity car buying experience customers want and deserve. For nearly 25 years, CarMax has made car buying more ethical, fair and stress-free by offering a no-haggle, no-hassle experience and an incredible selection of vehicles. CarMax makes selling your car easy too, by offering no-obligation appraisals good for seven days. At CarMax, we’ll buy your car even if you don’t buy ours®. CarMax has nearly 25,000 associates nationwide and for 14 consecutive years has been named as one of the FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For®. During the 12 months ending February 28, 2017, the company retailed 671,294 used cars and sold 391,686 wholesale vehicles at its in-store auctions. For more information, access the CarMax website at www.carmax.com.

 

Source: CarMax, Inc.

Media Contact

Lindsey Duke, CarMax Public Relations, 855-887-2915

pr@carmax.com  • @CarMax • facebook.com/CarMax

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Alshaya brands Starbucks and Babel recognised for their world-class customer service in Kuwait’s Public Relations Association’s annual awards

Alshaya brands Starbucks and Babel recognised for their world-class customer service in Kuwait’s Public Relations Association’s annual awards

Shuwaikh, Kuwait, 2018-Feb-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — Two brands operated by retail franchise operator M.H. Alshaya, Starbucks and Babel, have been recognised for their commitment to providing world-class customer service in Kuwait’s Public Relations Association’s annual awards.

The awards, under the patronage of HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, saw Starbucks win awards for ‘Excellence in Customer Service’, for best practices in providing customer service in the café category; and ‘Excellence in Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility’. Babel won an award for ‘Excellence in Website Services.’ The awards highlight the brands’ ability to follow up on customer feedback in a quick and effective way.

An Alshaya representative received the award from Her Excellency Hind Al-Sabih, Minister of Social Affairs and Labour and Minister of State for Economic Affairs, at a ceremony also attended by Sheikh Khalid Al Abdullah Al Sabah, Head of Amiri Protocols, and Jamal Al Nasrullah, Head of Kuwait’s Public Relations Association.

Kuwait’s Public Relations Association aims to recognise excellent customer service across the public and private sectors.

Mona Dabbah, Alshaya’s Customer Service Director, said: “We’re proud and delighted that our efforts to put our customer at the heart of our business have been recognised in this way. Our culture at Alshaya is built on listening to our customers and ensuring their satisfaction. Delivering the highest levels of customer service at every touchpoint is our top priority.”

Alshaya operates more than 3,900 stores for nearly 90 of the world’s best-known and best-loved brands, including Starbucks, H&M, Mothercare, Debenhams, The Cheesecake Factory, Victoria’s Secret, and Boots, and Pottery Barn across the Middle East, North Africa, Russia, Turkey and Europe. The company’s Contact Centre manages a broader customer service offering that builds connections with the customers of all the brands that the company operates, 365 days a year.

SOURCE: M.H. Alshaya Co.

Media

If you are a journalist and want some information about Alshaya or one of our brands, please contact our Corporate Communications team:

+965 2224 2475
+965 2224 3626
communications@alshaya.com

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Carrefour Italia earns Top Employer certification for 2018

Carrefour Italia earns Top Employer certification for 2018

 

Boulogne-Billancourt, France, 2018-Feb-13 — /EPR Retail News/ — On 1 February 2017, the Top Employers Institute announced the results of its annual investigations into a wide selection of Italian employers and the conditions that they provide for their employees. We are delighted to inform you that our company is one of the successful organisations to be awarded the exclusive Top Employers Italia certification for 2018.

The Top Employers Institute is an independent organisation which looks into the conditions provided for employees by major employers around the world and measures them against an international standard. As such, only the world’s leading employers become certified as Top Employers.

Crucial to the Top Employers procedure is that participating companies must undergo stringent analysis – the Top Employers Institute’s international HR Best Practices Survey – and meet the required high standard in order to be awarded the certification. To further reinforce the validity of the process, all answers were independently audited, confirming that this investigation has verified our outstanding employee conditions and earned us a coveted spot among a select group of certified Top Employers.

The Top Employers Institute assessed our practices in accordance with the following criteria:

• Talent Strategy

• Workforce Planning

• On-boarding

• Learning & Development

• Performance Management

• Leadership Development

• Career & Succession Management

• Compensation & Benefits

• Culture
Carrefour Italia earned Top Employer certification because our employee offerings across all measured criteria surpassed the required thresholds for certification.

For all request about the Carrefour Group (sales, financial results, governance, international,…), please contact the Carrefour Group media relations office:

. By phone:

Switchboard: +33 (0)1 41 04 26 00

For journalists: +33 (0)1 41 04 26 17

. By e-mail: presse_groupe@carrefour.com

Source: Carrefour Group

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Great Place to Work and FORTUNE recognize Old Navy as one of the 2018 Best Workplaces for Giving Back

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, 2018-Feb-13 — /EPR Retail News/ — Great Place to Work and FORTUNE have honored Old Navy as one of the 2018 Best Workplaces for Giving Back. The ranking considered more than 385,000 employee surveys from companies across the U.S. Great Place to Work, a research and consulting firm, evaluated more than 50 elements of team members’ experience on the job. These included employee pride in the organization’s community impact, belief that their work makes a difference, and feeling their work has special meaning. The ranking also accounted for how women, people of color, Baby Boomers and LGBT individuals experience giving back in the workplace.

“We’re thrilled to be recognized for our efforts around giving back to the community, as it’s embedded in the DNA of our brand,” said Jamie Gersch, Old Navy Chief Marketing Offer. “Through our cause marketing platform, ONward!, we partner with nonprofits to empower the next generation with real-world skills, training, and job opportunities to make a difference in our communities. We’re passionate about taking the next generation to the next level and helping youth blaze a path towards a brighter future. “

For over a decade, Old Navy has partnered with Boys & Girls Clubs to help turn learners into leaders, donating $2 million in 2017 alone to support the organization. In 2016, Gap Inc. committed to hiring five percent of all entry-level store employees from graduates of the company’s This Way Ahead paid store internship program by 2025, and Old Navy announced plans last year to expand the employment program to Boys & Girls Club youth. Learn more at OldNavy.com/ONward.

“Giving back to the communities where we live and work has always been a fundamental part of who we are as a company. In fact, we hear time and time again that volunteering is one of the reasons so many people come to Gap Inc. and why they stay. We’re proud of our employees, who so generously lend their time, creativity, and talents to our communities,” said David Hayer, president of Gap Foundation and SVP of Global Sustainability at Gap Inc.

The Best Workplaces for Giving Back stand out for their consistent leadership and generosity in giving at the individual and organization level. 

The Best Workplaces for Giving Back is one of a series of rankings by Great Place to Work and FORTUNE based on employee feedback from Great Place to Work-Certified™ organizations. Old Navy was also ranked as a Best Workplace for Retail and Diversity by Great Place to Work and FORTUNE.

Want to know what it’s like to work for Old Navy? Learn more about careers at Old Navy on LinkedIn and the Old Navy Careers Blog, and visit the Old Navy YouTube channel.

About Old Navy

Old Navy is a global apparel and accessories brand that makes current American essentials accessible to every family. Originated in 1994, the brand celebrates the democracy of style through on-trend, playfully optimistic, affordable and high quality product. A division of San Francisco-based Gap Inc. (NYSE: GPS), Old Navy brings a fun, energizing shopping environment to its customers in more than 1,000 stores around the world. For more information, please visit www.oldnavy.com.

About the Best Workplaces for Giving Back

Great Place to Work based its ranking on a data-driven methodology applied to anonymous Trust Index™ survey responses from more than 385,000 employees at Great Place to Work-Certified organizations. To learn more about Great Place to Work Certification and recognition on Best Workplaces lists published with FORTUNE, visit Greatplacetowork.com.

About Great Place to Work

Great Place to Work is the global authority on high-trust, high-performance workplace cultures. Through its certification programs, Great Place to Work recognizes outstanding workplace cultures and produces the annual Fortune “100 Best Companies to Work For®” and Great Place to Work Best Workplaces lists for Millennials, Women, Diversity, Small & Medium Companies, industries and, internationally, countries and regions. Through its culture consulting services, Great Place to Work helps clients create great workplaces that outpace peers on key business metrics like revenue growth, profitability, retention and stock performance.

Learn more at Greatplacetowork.com and on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram

MEDIA CONTACT:
press@gap.com

SOURCE: Gap Inc.

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SSP UK names its new Charity of the Year Macmillan Cancer Support

SSP UK names its new Charity of the Year Macmillan Cancer Support

 

LONDON, 2018-Feb-08 — /EPR Retail News/ — SSP UK, a leading provider of food and drink concessions in travel locations, has named Macmillan Cancer Support as its new Charity of the Year. Macmillan provides emotional, practical, financial and medical support to people and their friends and families living with cancer.  During 2018, SSP colleagues across the company’s c.700 UK outlets will be raising much needed funds for the charity.

Colleague fundraising will take place across hundreds of SSP sites up and down the country, as well as its Birmingham and London offices.  SSP colleagues will join together to raise funds for the charity as part of four dedicated fundraising events throughout the year, including Macmillan’s well-known annual Coffee Morning.  Macmillan will also receive a third of the donations received into the SSP Foundation’s till-point collection tins, and a £100,000 grant from the SSP Foundation will give a further boost to the fundraising.

Gini Smith, Macmillan Cancer Support Corporate Partnership Manager, said, “We’re delighted to welcome SSP UK on board as a new corporate partner. Almost one in two of us will receive a cancer diagnosis by 2020, and Macmillan’s aim is to be there for everyone living with cancer when they need it most.  We rely on much-needed donations from companies such as SSP to be able to provide support during treatment or help with work and money worries.”

Simon Smith, CEO of SSP UK & Ireland, added, “We’re pleased to be working together with Macmillan to fund expert cancer support. We have around 10,000 colleagues across the country, which means that unfortunately, cancer will have affected many of us. But Macmillan is there to help people live life, and by fundraising for this important charity, our colleagues will help people get the support they need to face cancer. We are looking forward to a year of fun charitable events and hope to raise thousands for Macmillan in the process.”

MEDIA CONTACT:

Templemere Public Relations
+44 (0) 1306 735574
press.office@ssp-intl.com

Source: SSP

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Barnes & Noble unveils the six finalists for its 2017 Discover Awards

  • Barnes & Noble Announces Finalists for the 27th Annual Discover Awards
  • Winners to Be Announced at a Special Ceremony in New York City on Wednesday, March 7
  • Prize Pool for Winning Writers and Finalists Is More Than $100,000 with Winners Receiving a Year of Promotion from Barnes & Noble

New York, NY, 2018-Feb-03 — /EPR Retail News/ — Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS), the world’s largest retail bookseller, today (February 1, 2018) announced the six finalists for its prestigious 2017 Discover Awards.

The Discover Great New Writers program, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2015, recognizes great fiction and nonfiction books from authors at the start of their careers. Since its debut, the program has introduced readers to nearly 1,900 extraordinary literary talents, many of whom have gone on to become household names, including Matthew Desmond, Junot Díaz, Anthony Doerr, Zadie Smith, Cheryl Strayed, Colson Whitehead and many more.
The six winners of the Discover Great New Writers Awards will share a cash prize totaling $105,000 and will be announced on Wednesday, March 7, at a private awards ceremony in New York City. The top winners in each category, fiction and nonfiction, will receive a $30,000 prize and a full year of promotion from Barnes & Noble. Second-place finalists will receive $15,000 each, and third-place finalists $7,500 each.

The finalists for the 2017 Discover Great New Writers Awards are: 

Fiction:

The End We Start From by Megan Hunter (Grove/Atlantic) – A haunting and poetic parable about change and renewal, chaos and survival.

The Leavers by Lisa Ko (Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill) – The bonds between parents and children are tested in all directions in this timely and beautiful exploration of love and loyalty.

Sorry to Disrupt the Peace by Patty Yumi Cottrell (McSweeney’s) – A darkly comic and unforgettable story about a young woman trying to make sense of her place in the world.

Nonfiction:

The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the Old South by Michael Twitty (Amistad Press/HarperCollins) – A culinary historian traces his family’s roots and the politics that surround the origins of Southern cuisine in this unique memoir.

Down City: A Daughter’s Story of Love, Memory, and Murder by Leah Carroll (Grand Central Publishing) – A brave and wrenching memoir of a broken family and a portrait of gritty, 1980s Providence, Rhode Island.

Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century by Jessica Bruder (Norton, W.W. & Company) – An insightful and heartbreaking narrative that follows a growing community of itinerant workers: older Americans.

Books by the finalists can be purchased at any Barnes & Noble store, online at Barnes & Noble.com (www.bn.com/discover) or instantly downloaded on any NOOK® eReader or tablet.

The Judges

Two panels of distinguished judges selected the finalists and will also select the winners.

Serving as this year’s fiction judges are:

Lauren Groff is the author of four books, including Fates and Furies, which was a finalist for the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award. Her fifth book, Florida, is forthcoming in June 2018. Her short fiction has won the Pushcart Prize and the PEN/O. Henry award, has been in journals including the New Yorker, The Atlantic, and Tin House, and has appeared five times in the Best American Short Stories anthology. In 2017, she was named one of Granta’s Best of Young American Novelists.

Tayari Jones is the author of the novels Leaving Atlanta, The Untelling, Silver Sparrow, and An American Marriage. Her writing has appeared in Tin House, The New York Times, and elsewhere. She is a recipient of the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award, an NEA Fellowship and Radcliffe Institute Bunting Fellowship among other prizes and fellowships. An Associate Professor in the MFA program at Rutgers-Newark University, she is spending the 2017-18 academic year as the Shearing Fellow for Distinguished Writers at the Beverly Rogers, Carol C. Harter Black Mountain Institute at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

David L. Ulin is the author or editor of 10 books, including Sidewalking: Coming to Terms with Los Angeles, shortlisted for the PEN/Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award for the Art of the Essay, and the Library of America’s Writing Los Angeles: A Literary Anthology, which won a California Book Award. A 2015 Guggenheim Fellow, he spent 10 years as book editor and book critic of the Los Angeles Times, and is assistant professor of English at the University of Southern California.

This year’s nonfiction judges are:

Dana Goodyear is a staff writer at The New Yorker and the author of two collections of poetry, “Honey and Junk” and “The Oracle of Hollywood Boulevard,” both of which were published by W.W. Norton. Her food writing has twice been honored by the James Beard Foundation, and she is the author of Anything That Moves: Renegade Chefs, Fearless Eaters and the Making of a New American Food Culture, a 2013 Discover Great New Writers selection.

Darin Strauss is the bestselling author of the novels Chang & Eng (a 2000 Discover Great New Writers selection), The Real McCoy, More Than It Hurts You and the memoir Half a Life. His books have been named New York Times Notable Books, Entertainment Weekly Must-Read Books of the Year, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Chicago Tribune, and NPR Best Books of the Year, among others. He is a Clinical Associate Professor at NYU’s creative writing program and a recipient of a Guggenheim fellowship among other honors and awards. His next novel, The Queen of Tuesday, is forthcoming.

Rob Sheffield is a columnist for Rolling Stone, where he has been writing about music, TV, and pop culture since 1997. He is bestselling author of five books, including Love Is A Mix Tape (A 2007 Discover Great New Writers selection), Talking To Girls About Duran Duran: One Young Man’s Quest for True Love and a Cooler Haircut, and Turn Around Bright Eyes: The Rituals of Love and Karaoke. His most recent books are On Bowie and Dreaming the Beatles: The Love Story of One Band and the Whole World.

Books by the judges can be purchased at any Barnes & Noble store, online at Barnes & Noble.com (www.bn.com/discover) or instantly downloaded on any NOOK® eReader or tablet.

The Discover Awards

Since 1990, the Discover Great New Writers program has connected readers with incredible, unforgettable stories which they may have otherwise missed.  In addition to helping customers find their next great read, the program has helped many emerging authors find their audience.

The Discover program’s selection committee is comprised of Barnes & Noble booksellers from across the company and around the country. They are voracious readers who meet weekly throughout the year to look for compelling voices, extraordinary writing and indelible stories from literary talents at the start of their careers.

Forty-two books were handpicked for the program in 2016 from the 1,000+ submissions from publishers of all sizes, and from these, the judges select the shortlist and the winners of the Discover Awards.

Past winners of the annual Discover Great New Writers Award include: Matthew Desmond for Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City and Abby Geni for The Lightkeepers (both 2016); Mia Alvar for In the Country: Stories and Jill Leovy for Ghettoside: A True Story of Murder in America (both 2015); Evie Wyld for All the Birds, Singing (2014); Anthony Marra for A Constellation of Vital Phenomena and Justin St. Germain for Son of a Gun (both 2013); Cheryl Strayed for Wild and Amanda Coplin for The Orchardist (both 2012); Joshua Ferris for Then We Came to the End (2007); Ben Fountain for Brief Encounters with Che Guevara (2006); Alison Smith for Name All the Animals (2004); Anthony Doerr for The Shell Collector (2002); Hampton Sides for Ghost Soldiers (2001); Elizabeth McCracken for The Giant’s House (1996); and Chang-rae Lee for Native Speaker (1995).

For more information on the Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers program, please visit www.bn.com/discover or ask one of the knowledgeable booksellers at any of Barnes & Noble’s 632 stores nationwide.

About Barnes & Noble
Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS) is the world’s largest retail bookseller, and a leading retailer of content, digital media and educational products.  The Company operates 632 Barnes & Noble bookstores in 50 states, and one of the Web’s premier e-commerce sites, BN.com (www.bn.com).  The Nook Digital business offers a lineup of popular NOOK® tablets and eReaders and an expansive collection of digital reading and entertainment content through the NOOK Store®. The NOOK Store features more than 4.5 million digital books in the US (www.nook.com), plus periodicals and comics, and offers the ability to enjoy content across a wide array of popular devices through Free NOOK Reading Apps™ available for Android™, iOS® and Windows®.

General information on Barnes & Noble, Inc. can be obtained by visiting the Company’s corporate website at www.barnesandnobleinc.com.

Barnes & Noble®, Barnes & Noble Booksellers® and Barnes & Noble.com® are trademarks of Barnes & Noble, Inc. or its affiliates. NOOK® and the NOOK logos are trademarks of Nook Digital, LLC or its affiliates.

For more information on Barnes & Noble, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Snapchat (bnsnaps), and like us on Facebook. For more information on NOOK, follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

All Contacts:
Mary Ellen Keating
Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications
Barnes & Noble, Inc.
(212) 633-3323
mkeating@bn.com

Alex Ortolani
Director, Corporate Communications
Barnes & Noble, Inc.
(212) 633-3379
aortolani@bn.com

Source: Barnes & Noble, Inc.

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Costa names Inside the Wave by the late poet and author Helen Dunmore 2017 Book of the Year

London, 2018-Feb-03 — /EPR Retail News/ — Inside the Wave by the late poet and author Helen Dunmore has been named winner of the 2017 Costa Book of the Year. The collection, Dunmore’s tenth, explores the borderline between the living and the dead – the underworld and the human living world – and the exquisitely intense being of both, and includes her final poem, ‘Hold out your arms’, written shortly before her death in June 2017, aged 64.

Dunmore is the second writer to take the overall prize posthumously in the Award’s 46-year history. Ted Hughes posthumously won the Poetry Award and Book of the Year in 1998 for Birthday Letters.

The announcement was made this evening (Tuesday 30th January) at an awards ceremony held at Quaglino’s in central London where Dunmore’s son, Patrick Charnley, accepted a cheque for £30,000, from Dominic Paul, Managing Director of Costa.

Wendy Holden, Chair of the final judges, said: “We all felt this is a modern classic; a fantastic collection, life-affirming and uplifting. The poems carry powerful messages that speak to all of us.”

Holden chaired a final judging panel that included Contributing Editor to British Vogue, Laura Bailey; author and presenter, Fern Britton; actor Art Malik; BBC presenter and journalist Sophie Raworth; writers Piers Torday, Freya North and Simon Garfield; and poet Moniza Alvi.

Inside the Wave, published by Bloodaxe Books, is the eighth collection of poetry to take the overall prize. Poetry has a strong record in the Costa Book Awards, often winning the overall prize several times in a row. Most recently, Christopher Reid won in 2009 with A Scattering, followed by Jo Shapcott with Of Mutabilitya year later in 2010. The 2016 Costa Book of the Year was Days Without End by Sebastian Barry, the first novelist ever to win the Book of the Year twice.

Inside the Wave beat the bookmakers’ favourite, Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by bestselling debut novelist Gail Honeyman, family memoir, In the Days of Rain by author and academic Rebecca Stott, Reservoir 13 by novelist Jon McGregor and The Explorer by children’s author Katherine Rundell for to win the overall prize and a cheque for £30,000 at the awards ceremony.

The Costa Book Awards is the only major UK book prize that is open solely to authors resident in the UK and Ireland and also, uniquely, recognises the most enjoyable books across five categories – First Novel, Novel, Biography, Poetry and Children’s Book – published in the last year.

Originally established in 1971 by Whitbread Plc, Costa announced its takeover of the sponsorship of the UK’s most prestigious book prize in 2006. 2017 marks the 46th year of the Book Awards.

Since the introduction of the Book of the Year award in 1985, it has been won twelve times by a novel, five times by a first novel, six times by a biography, eight times by a collection of poetry and twice by a children’s book.

Luan Goldie wins 2017 Costa Short Story Award

Also announced at the ceremony was the winner of the Costa Short Story Award. Primary school teacher and former business journalist, Luan Goldie from Newham in East London, won the public vote and £3,500 for her story, Two Steak Bakes and Two Chelsea Buns. Two runners-up, civil servant Chris Hunter from Teddington in South-West London and poet and short story writer, Frances Ainslie from Dunblane, Perthshire, received £1,000 and £500 respectively.

Established in 2012, this Award – run in association with the Costa Book Awards but judged independently of the main five-category system – is judged anonymously (ie without the name of the author being known throughout the process). It is for a single, previously unpublished short story of up to 4,000 words written in English by an author aged 18 years or over, and is open to both published and unpublished writers.

A shortlist of three stories was selected by a panel of judges – Sarah Franklin, Joe Haddow, Adele Parks, Simon Trewin and Kit de Waal – and then made available on the Costa Book Awards website for the public to download and vote for their favourite. Costa Managing Director, Dominic Paul, announced the winner and runners-up and presented them with their cheques.

For more information please visit www.costabookawards.com.

Notes for Editors:

About the Costa Book Awards:

The Costa Book Awards, formerly the Whitbread Book Awards, were established in 1971 to encourage, promote and celebrate the best contemporary British writing.

The total prize fund for the Costa Book Awards – including the Costa Short Story Award – stands at £60,000.

The award winners from the five categories – Novel, First Novel, Biography, Poetry and Children’s Book – each receives £5,000.

The overall Costa Book of the Year is selected from the five category Award winners with the winner receiving a further £30,000.

The 2016 Costa Book of the Year was Days Without End by Sebastian Barry (Faber).

For further information, please contact:

Amanda Johnson
Costa Book Awards Press and Publicity
Telephone: 07715 922 180
Email: amanda@amandajohnsonpr.com

Source: Costa Coffee

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Dunkin’ Donuts again tops Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index for the 12th consecutive year

Dunkin’ Donuts again tops Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index for the 12th consecutive year

 

CANTON, MA, 2018-Feb-01 — /EPR Retail News/ — Dunkin’ Donuts can now boast an impressive dozen in customer loyalty. For the 12th consecutive year, Brand Keys has honored Dunkin’ Donuts as a coffee leader in providing guests with a superior customer experience. According to the 2018 Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index®, Dunkin’ Donuts is once again a top brand for consumer loyalty in the out-of-home coffee category. Dunkin’ Donuts was also named a #1 brand for customer loyalty in the packaged coffee category for the sixth straight year.

Brand Keys’ 23rd annual Customer Loyalty Engagement Index, conducted by the New York-based brand engagement and loyalty research consultancy, paints a picture of the category drivers that drive in-market behavior and engender loyalty, identifying brands that are best able to engage consumers by meeting or exceeding their expectations. Brand Keys’ Customer Loyalty Engagement Index recognizes the brands that receive the highest loyalty and engagement assessments and surpass competitors by “delighting” customers. In the coffee restaurant and packaged coffee categories, consumer preferences were based on consistently meeting customer expectations for taste, quality, service and brand value.

According to David Hoffmann, President of Dunkin’ Donuts U.S. and Canada, “In support of our goal to be America’s most loved beverage-led, on-the-go brand, we maintain an unrelenting focus on coffee excellence, convenience, speed and restaurant excellence. We are delighted that our guests have recognized our efforts and are proud to be honored by Brand Keys as a #1 brand in earning customer loyalty for 12 years running. We have exciting plans for our brand in 2018, including new coffee choices and technology innovations to make running on Dunkin’ better than ever, and we look forward to continuing to delight customers with exceptional service each and every day.”

“Brand Keys congratulates Dunkin’ Donuts for its 12th year in a row being acknowledged by consumers as #1 in the out-of-home coffee category. That’s a tremendous feat given the rapid changes in consumer tastes, category values, and customer-experience expectations,” said Robert Passikoff, founder and president, Brand Keys. “These changes have altered the way brands need to deliver against exceptionally high expectations and, once again, Dunkin’ has done just that. The bottom line: customers expect the best, and Dunkin’ has delivered just that.”

Dunkin’ Donuts is America’s favorite all-day, everyday stop for coffee and baked goods, selling approximately 2 billion cups of hot and iced coffee and espresso-based beverages per year. The brand’s coffee lineup includes hot and iced coffees, Cold Brew coffee, lattes, macchiatos and Frozen Dunkin’ Coffee. Dunkin’ Donuts’ packaged coffee is also available at participating Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants in a 16-oz. bag for brewing at home, in flavors such as Original Blend, Dunkin’ Decaf® and Rainforest Alliance Certified™ Dark Roast.

Dunkin’ Donuts continues to reward loyal customers through its DD Perks Rewards Program, which has surpassed seven million members and remains one of the fastest growing loyalty programs in the quick service restaurant industry. With DD Perks, guests already earn five points for every dollar they spend on qualifying purchases at Dunkin’ Donuts when they pay using an enrolled Dunkin’ Donuts Card, either plastic or via the Dunkin’ Mobile® App. Once a member accrues 200 points, he or she receives a coupon for a free, any-size beverage of their choice, redeemable at participating Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants. DD Perks members also receive a coupon for a free, any-size beverage upon enrollment and on their birthday.

DD Perks members can also use On-the-Go Mobile Ordering, giving them an opportunity to order ahead and speed pass the line in-store. With On-the-Go Mobile Ordering, DD Perks members can place a mobile order up to 24 hours in advance, select their desired location, and then simply confirm via the Dunkin’ Donuts Mobile App when they are ready to pick up their order inside the restaurant, or at the drive-thru.

To enroll in DD Perks, download the Dunkin’ Mobile App or visit www.DDPerks.com. To learn more about Dunkin’ Donuts, visit www.DunkinDonuts.com or subscribe to the Dunkin’ Donuts blog to receive notifications at https://news.dunkindonuts.com/blog.

About Dunkin’ Donuts

Founded in 1950, Dunkin’ Donuts is America’s favorite all-day, everyday stop for coffee and baked goods. Dunkin’ Donuts is a market leader in the hot regular/decaf/flavored coffee, iced coffee, donut, bagel and muffin categories. Dunkin’ Donuts has earned a No. 1 ranking for customer loyalty in the coffee category by Brand Keys for 12 years running. The company has more than 12,400 restaurants in 46 countries worldwide. Based in Canton, Mass., Dunkin’ Donuts is part of the Dunkin’ Brands Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: DNKN) family of companies. For more information, visit www.DunkinDonuts.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Justin Drake
Phone: 781-737-5200
Email: justin.drake@dunkinbrands.com

Source: Dunkin’ Donuts

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Hannaford’s “Time-Saving Meals from Your Hannaford Dietitian” initiative honored with Gold Plate Award at the FMI Foundation’s 2018 “Stir It Up!” event

Zaandam, the Netherlands, 2018-Jan-31 — /EPR Retail News/ — A healthy-eating initiative from Hannaford, “Time-Saving Meals from Your Hannaford Dietitian,” gained national recognition on January 28 when it received a Gold Plate Award honorable mention at the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) Foundation’s 2018 “Stir It Up!” event. The annual competition, held at FMI’s midwinter conference in Miami, shines a spotlight on the most creative ways the food industry champions the power of family meals.

Hannaford’s initiative, which ran in September and early October 2017, helped shoppers focus on healthy meals by offering inspiration and guidance on how to plan, shop and cook on a budget. It recognized the challenges families face gathering for healthy meals during back-to-school time.

Subtitled “Good Ideas for Busy Families,” the program was one of just seven nationally that earned honorable mention recognition from the FMI Foundation.

“We’re honored to receive a Gold Plate Award,” said Sue Till, Hannaford’s Healthy Living Manager. “We strive to help our customers meet their wellness goals by offering free dietitian services, online nutrition support and in-store guidance on how to easily shop for the most nutritious choices using Guiding Stars. We support FMI’s mission to champion feeding families and enriching lives with nutritious, safe and affordable food and look forward to future collaborations.”

“Time-Saving Meals from Your Hannaford Dietitian” ran in all 181 of the brand’s stores and was marketed extensively during National Family Meals Month. It was promoted through social media, fresh magazine, Hannaford’s website, in-store signage and the weekly sales flyer.

Contact:
Ellen van Ginkel
Director External Communications
media.relations@aholddelhaize.com
+31 88 6595134

Source: Ahold Delhaize

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Kevin Davis and Robert (Bob) Kelly to be inducted into the California Grocers Association Educational Foundation Hall of Achievement

SACRAMENTO, CA, 2018-Jan-30 — /EPR Retail News/ — Kevin Davis, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Bristol Farms, and Robert (Bob) Kelly, Executive Vice President, Hidden Villa Ranch, will be inducted into the California Grocers Association Educational Foundation Hall of Achievement on March 21, 2018, at the Hilton Costa Mesa in Costa Mesa, Calif.

Proceeds from the event help fund the Foundation’s college scholarship and tuition reimbursement programs. For the 2018-19 academic year, the Foundation will award over 300 scholarships totaling more than $500,000. The Foundation will disburse more than $200,000 in tuition reimbursement in 2018.

The Hall of Achievement was created in 1992, to recognize grocery retailers and suppliers who have contributed substantially to the advancement of the grocery industry. Well-wishers from throughout the industry will be on hand to honor these individuals for their contributions to the California food industry.

“Both Kevin and Bob definitely meet the criteria for this very prestigious honor,” said Ronald Fong, President of the CGA Educational Foundation. “Their lifelong commitment to the grocery industry and the communities they serve is unquestionable. They have also been tremendous supporters of the Foundation. We are honored to have them join the such an elite group of grocery professionals.”

For 26 years the CGA Educational Foundation has provided financial assistance to advance the educational goals of CGA-member employees and their dependents and offers educational programs for the grocery industry. Since that time, more than $7 million in college scholarships and tuition reimbursement grants has been awarded to grocery employees and their families.

ABOUT OUR HONOREES

Kevin Davis
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Bristol Farms

Kevin Davis is Chairman & CEO of Bristol Farms; Chairman of Lazy Acres, the preeminent specialty food and natural food stores in Southern California; and CEO of Good Food Holdings, their holding company.

Kevin started in the food industry in 1970 as a box boy. He joined Ralphs Grocery Company in 1974 and worked all store level jobs through promotion to Store Manager in 1980. In 1985, Kevin was promoted to Assistant District Manager and one year later to District Manager. That same year he was promoted to Director of Sales and Advertising. In 1988, he was promoted to Vice President of Sales and Advertising, and later to Senior Vice President of Marketing.

Kevin left Ralphs after 21 years to become Executive Vice President of Bristol Farms. He was promoted by the Board of Directors to President in July of 1996 and less than one year later was promoted to Chairman of the Board, President and CEO.

Kevin is a past Chair of the California Grocers Association, President Emeritus of the Western Association of Food Chains and Past Chair of Unified Western Grocers and currently serves as the Chair of Food Marketing Institute. He was also a Director and Past Chair of California Hospital Medical Center Foundation Board, and Past President for the Food Industry Circle at City of Hope.

Supported by full scholarships from the food industry’s Western Association of Food Chains, Kevin graduated from the USC Food Industry Management Program in 1978 and later graduated as Class President of the Executive Program in the Graduate School of Business at UCLA.

In 1986, Business Week name him one of the 50 “Fast Track Kids” in American business and, in 1998, was named by the Los Angeles Business Journal as one of their 30 “Up and Comers” in Los Angeles business. Kevin was named Alumnus of the Year by the USC Food Industry Management Program in 1999 and Executive of the Year in 2011.

Married for 35 years, Kevin and his wife, Cindy, have seven children and three grandchildren.

Robert (Bob) J. Kelly
Executive Vice President
Hidden Villa Ranch

Robert “Bob” Kelly is Executive Vice President of Hidden Villa Ranch. He grew up in rural San Diego County on a small family poultry farm and graduated in 1975 from San Diego State University with a degree in Microbiology. After graduation Bob held several positions in different industries. Eventually, he became the Sales Manager with Embly Ranch in San Diego. In 1996, Hidden Villa Ranch bought Embly Ranch and the Pine Hill division was born. Bob is Executive Vice President for the Pine Hill division and is responsible for all operations, sales and marketing.

His professional organizations include board position with the Orange County Council Boy Scouts and an officer with the Illuminators, one of the largest industry trade organizations in the retail food business. Past association involvement has included board positions with Pacific Egg and Poultry Association, California Egg Commission, Embly Ranch, Sunshine Foods and Coast Packaging.

Bob also devotes a large amount of time to several charitable organizations including City of Hope, Boy Scouts of America, Easter Seals, Illuminators Educational Foundation, CGA Educational Foundation, and Olive Crest, where he has received the “Ambassador for The Children” award.

Bob and his wife, Linda, live in Upland, Calif., and have been married for over 26 years. They have one daughter. Bob has a son from a previous marriage and has two grandchildren.

CGA EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION HALL OF ACHIEVEMENT

The CGA Educational Foundation Hall of Achievement provides the food industry with the opportunity to recognize the achievements of those individuals who, through their foresight and dedication, have enhanced California’s food distribution industry. Proceeds from the event help fund the Foundation’s college scholarship and tuition reimbursement programs.

“The Foundation appreciates the tremendous support it has received from the grocery industry over the last 26 years,” said Shiloh London, Executive Director, CGA Educational Foundation. “Their generous donations allow the Foundation to achieve its mission of providing financial assistance to advance the educational goals of CGA member company employees and their dependents and offers educational programs for the grocery industry.”

For more information on the Hall of Achievement, visit www.cgaef.org, or call 916.448.3545.

The CGA Educational Foundation was created under the direction of the California Grocers Association Board of Directors in 1992. Its mission is to provide financial assistance to advance the educational goals of CGA member company employees and their dependents and offer educational programs to advance the grocery industry. For more information, visit www.CGAEF.org.

Contact:
Communications Staff
DAVE HEYLEN
Vice President, Communications
Editor
Media Relations

COREY GERHARD
Advertising Sales Manager
Associate Editor
Tel: (530) 665-8055

Source: CGA

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REI recognized top vendor partners during the 2018 Outdoor Retailer Winter Market trade show

NEMO, NRS, Osprey and Oboz recognized for their leadership and innovation

DENVER, 2018-Jan-30 — /EPR Retail News/ — Each day, leading outdoor retailer REI offers top gear and apparel from thousands of established and up-and-coming outdoor brands. During the 2018 Outdoor Retailer Winter Market trade show this week, REI recognized vendor partners who have made a significant impact to the co-op’s mission with its Vendor Partner of the Year awards. This year, the co-op also recognized the second winner of the REI Root award, which celebrates industry-leading sustainable product design.

REI Vendor Partner of the Year Awards
NEMO Equipment, headquartered in Dover, New Hampshire, received the co-op’s overarching Vendor Partner of the Year award.
“With products like the Stargaze™ Recliner, NEMO continues to bring innovative product design to the outdoor industry,” said Susan Viscon, REI senior vice president, merchandising. “Not only did NEMO have one of the most popular products on the shelf in 2017, they kept up with increased customer demand and showed amazing leadership throughout our partnership.”

The following vendor partners were also named divisional winners for the year:

  • Action sports: NRS (Moscow, Idaho)
  • Outdoor wear: Oboz (Bozeman, Montana)
  • Camp/travel: Osprey (Cortez, Colorado)

The Vendor Partner of the Year awards program was established by REI in 1993. Each year, companies are nominated by the co-op’s three merchandising divisions – camp/climb, Action sports and outdoor wear – for partnering with REI to meet customer needs, raise the bar for product quality and drive sustainable business practices.

REI Root Award
The co-op’s Root Award was created in 2016 to celebrate the gritty, below-the-surface determination that drives sustainability innovation in the outdoor industry.

This year, REI recognized the La Sportiva Mythos Eco climbing shoe for its use of 95 percent pre-and post-consumer recycled materials (including the sole, laces and webbing) and its reduced impacts in manufacturing (including metal-free leather tanning and water-based adhesives). In addition, the Mythos Eco can be re-soled, allowing customers to use them for an extended period of time.

“The Root Award honors outdoor products that break down barriers and move the industry toward more sustainable ways of making gear,” says Alex Thompson, REI brand stewardship and impact vice president. “La Sportiva has shown it’s possible to make a climbing shoe almost entirely of recycled materials, and to use a lower-impact process for manufacturing leather, all while maintaining excellent performance and durability.”

About the REI Co-op
REI is a specialty outdoor retailer, headquartered near Seattle. The nation’s largest consumer co-op, REI is a growing community of more than 16 million members who expect and love the best quality gear, inspiring expert classes and trips, and outstanding customer service. REI has 152 stores in 36 states. If you can’t visit a store, you can shop at REI.com, REI.com/rei-garage.com or the free REI shopping app. REI isn’t just about gear. You can take the trip of a lifetime with REI Adventures, a global leader in active adventure travel that runs more than 170 custom-designed itineraries worldwide. The REI Outdoor School is run by professionally-trained, expert-instructors who teach beginner-to advanced-level courses about a wide range of activities. To build on the infrastructure that makes life outside possible, REI invests millions annually in hundreds of local and national nonprofits that create access to—and steward—the outdoor places that inspire us all.

Media Requests:

For more information or to request an interview, please contact REI Public Affairs at
(253) 395-5958, prrequests@rei.com

Source: REI

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Walgreens Connected Care® Oncology Program receives U.S. patent

Proprietary technology enables and helps guide specialty pharmacist interactions with patients prescribed oral oncology medications

DEERFIELD, Ill., 2018-Jan-30 — /EPR Retail News/ — Walgreens has received a U.S. patent for new proprietary technology that its Walgreens community specialty pharmacists and AllianceRx Walgreens Prime’s specialty pharmacists will use to facilitate communication with and counseling of patients prescribed oral oncology medicines. Through Walgreens Connected Care® Oncology, an evidence-based, patient-centered process focused on driving medication adherence and improving patient outcomes, this newly patented technology helps guide interactions with patients, helping them stay on their treatment and manage any possible side effects.

Historically, chemotherapy and other cancer medicines have been administered under the direct supervision of a medical professional in an outpatient clinic or in-patient hospital. However, more recently medical science has created oral cancer medicines called oncolytics that patients can take from the comfort of their home. While oncolytics offer convenience, they are still powerful medicines designed to treat cancer in accordance with complex treatment plans that are critical to patient outcomes.

“As more and more cancer patients are self-administering oral oncolytic medications without medical supervision, there is no way for providers to know if the patient is taking the medication as prescribed or what side effects they may be experiencing,” said Rick Miller, senior director, specialty clinical services at AllianceRx Walgreens Prime and one of the patent developers. “This is where our interaction guiding system, coupled with pharmacy experts, becomes extremely valuable as it drives communication with our patients, and allows our pharmacists to gather important information about their treatment.”

The patented technology arms Walgreens and AllianceRx Walgreens Prime specialty pharmacy teams with a set of questions and informational scripts to guide conversations with Connected Care Oncology patients. Branching logic within the technology adapts the set of questions and informational scripts in real time. Each patient interaction is customized to focus on patient specific variables – including prescribed medication, adverse events and adherence – and provides the proper support to the patient based on their current situation. Walgreens and AllianceRx Walgreens Prime captures the data and provides it to the patient’s oncologist for informational purposes and continuity of care.

“Oral oncology is a growing area of cancer care, one that requires appropriate patient management and support to maximize the best potential outcomes and make our patients lives easier,” said Matt Farber, senior director, patient care and advocacy at Walgreens. “The complexity of managing patients on oral oncolytics led us to develop this technology, that when coupled with pharmacists’ clinical expertise, helps us to deliver the best care to our patients as they go through their cancer treatment. We are honored to be awarded this patent as it demonstrates our continued commitment to patient care and innovation.”

About AllianceRx Walgreens Prime

AllianceRx Walgreens Prime delivers maintenance medicines and specialty medicines through its mail service and central specialty pharmacies. Formed in 2017 through a strategic alliance between Walgreens, one of the nation’s largest chain drug stores, and Prime Therapeutics, a leading pharmacy benefit manager (PBM), the company offers tools and resources to help patients improve medication adherence, 24/7 pharmacy support for exceptional care. The company is headquartered in Orlando, Fla. and its pharmacies are accredited by several national pharmacy accreditation services. Visit www.alliancerxwp.com for more information.

About Walgreens

Walgreens (walgreens.com), a provider of trusted care in communities since 1901, is included in the Retail Pharmacy USA Division of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (NASDAQ: WBA), the first global pharmacy-led, health and wellbeing enterprise. Approximately 8 million customers interact with Walgreens in stores and online each day, using the most convenient, multichannel access to consumer goods and services and trusted, cost-effective pharmacy, health and wellness services and advice. Walgreens operates 8,100 drugstores with a presence in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, along with its omnichannel business, Walgreens.com. Approximately 400 Walgreens stores offer Healthcare Clinic or other provider retail clinic services.

Contact(s):
Walgreens
Scott Goldberg
(847) 315-7649
http://news.walgreens.com
@WalgreensNews
facebook.com/Walgreens

Source: Walgreens

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Alshaya restaurants wins 18 awards at Kuwait’s leading food and beverage competition HORECA Awards

Alshaya restaurants wins 18 awards at Kuwait’s leading food and beverage competition HORECA Awards

 

Kuwait, 2018-Jan-26 — /EPR Retail News/ — Restaurants operated by M.H. Alshaya Co. – including Asha’s, Dean & Deluca, IHOP and Bouchon Bakery – helped themselves to 18 awards at Kuwait’s leading food and beverage competition, Hotel, Restaurant and Catering Awards (HORECA), last week.

Asha’s signature flair won them one gold, two silver and five bronze medals in the Asian and Mystery Basket categories, while first-time entrants IHOP won a gold medal in fresh pasta category. Dean & Deluca collected silver in the traditional Kuwaiti dish category, along with four bronze medals. Presenting an array of freshly baked goods, first-time participants Bouchon Bakery won four bronze medals in various categories, including bread creation, morning goods, best eclairs and themed celebration cake.

In all, more than 300 chefs from some of Kuwait’s best-known restaurants participated across 17 categories. They were judged by a jury comprising 12 international cooking experts, including Head of the World Association of Chef Societies (WACS) Chef Thomas Gugler, former Le Notre’s head chef Samaan Hilal (the head of the largest culinary and restaurants advisory company in the region), TV cooking show presenter Chef Maroun Chedid, and the ambassador of the French Academy in the Middle East, Chef Charles Azar.

“The awards are a testimony to our teams’ passion and commitment to culinary excellence, and their dedication to providing a memorable dining experience to our guests,” said Ian Toal, President of Alshaya’s Food Division. “Awards like these are also testimony to our commitment to promoting the advancement of the culinary arts and the development of culinary professionals in the industry.”

If you are a journalist and want some information about Alshaya or one of our brands, please contact our Corporate Communications team:

+965 2224 2475
+965 2224 3626
communications@alshaya.com

Source: Alshaya Co.

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CBRE named to the 2018 America’s Best Employers For Diversity list by Forbes

Los Angeles, 2018-Jan-26 — /EPR Retail News/ — CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE:CBG) has been named to the 2018 America’s Best Employers For Diversity list by Forbes. The company earned a #45 ranking on the list of 250 organizations and is the only commercial real estate company to receive this honor.

The Forbes ranking is the result of employee responses to surveys that asked about diversity, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age and disability. Other factors considered were the gender split of management teams and boards, and the company’s proactive communication about diversity.

“CBRE prides itself on creating a work environment that supports all of our employees and values the differences of each individual,” said Bobby Griffin, Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion for the Americas at CBRE. “We are honored to be named to this list and we will continue our efforts to celebrate the unique qualities that our employees bring to our company.”

Forbes and the research firm Statista surveyed 30,000 U.S. employees in companies that have at least 1,000 employees.

Click here to review the full list on forbes.com.

In December 2017, FORTUNE magazine also named CBRE one of the best U.S. workplaces for diversity.

About CBRE Group, Inc.
CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE:CBG), a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company headquartered in Los Angeles, is the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm (based on 2016 revenue). The company has more than 75,000 employees (excluding affiliates), and serves real estate investors and occupiers through approximately 450 offices (excluding affiliates) worldwide. CBRE offers a broad range of integrated services, including facilities, transaction and project management; property management; investment management; appraisal and valuation; property leasing; strategic consulting; property sales; mortgage services and development services. Please visit our website at www.cbre.com.

Media Contacts:

Robert McGrath
Senior Director
+1 212 9848267

Source: CBRE

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RILA announces the winners of the (R)Tech Retail CEO Innovation Awards

Three Companies Spurring The Future Of Retail Showcase Technologies For Industry’s Most Recognized CEOs

Tucson , AZ, 2018-Jan-25 — /EPR Retail News/ — ​The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA), the trade association for America’s most recognized and innovative retailers, today (1/23/2018) announced the winners of the (R)Tech Retail CEO Innovation Awards. The three winners, IamBot, Multifold, and Persado, selected by RILA’s Board of Directors, the CEOs and heads of innovation for America’s largest retail brands, were featured in a showcase at RILA’s Retail CEO Forum this week in Tucson.

“It’s an incredible opportunity to have CEOs and chief innovation officers from America’s most well-known brands interacting directly with emerging companies that, through their own commitment to innovation, are enabling the future of our industry,” said RILA Senior Vice President of Research, Innovation, and Sustainability Adam Siegel. “We’re excited to recognize these three companies, who have embraced the charge from our consumers to deliver ubiquitous and ultra-personal shopping experiences and in turn, have developed game-changing technologies.”

RILA’s (R)Tech Center believes that one trend is driving change in the industry more than any other: the trend toward ubiquitous and ultra-personal shopping. The winners were hand-picked by America’s leading chief executives for their groundbreaking work in promoting the industry’s move towards shopping wherever, whenever through artificial intelligence and augmented reality.

Details on the winners:

IamBot helps brands and retailers sell directly to customers through messaging platforms. It is the comprehensive conversational commerce solution based on the state-of-the-art artificial intelligence. It seamlessly integrates with stores’ messaging channels to provide customers with the ubiquitous and super convenient shopping experience.

“We’re honored that IamBot was selected by this prestigious group of executives. We believe that conversational commerce is a key element of the industry’s future, and we are glad that these CEOs see that as well.”

Multifold Retail believes that Augmented Reality will change the way that consumers shop. They offer all the tools retailers need: content creation (3D model creator, editor & library), viewers (Augmented Reality & 360 degrees), marketing and advertising tools (social media, catalog, in-store/OOH campaigns) and tracking/analytics.

“We are so honored to have been selected for this award by such a distinguished group of CEOs. Multifold aims to make it easier for companies to create, manage and launch Augmented Reality experiences for their customers. Our patent-pending web-based AR solution results in a more streamlined user experience and works across the majority of smart devices. We look forward to sharing our story with RILA members.”

Persado is the Marketing Language Cloud; AI generated language that resonates the most with any audience, segment or individual. Imagine having a data scientist and a copywriter for each person in your audience; you get the language that performs and the analytics explaining why, resulting in more business and unseen insights. Comprised of the world’s largest database, with over a million words and phrases tagged and scored for consumer marketing, Persado’s Marketing Language Cloud enables brands to increase acquisition and retention while building long term consumer relationships.”Persado is proud to be selected as a winner of the inaugural (R)Tech Retail CEO Innovation Awards. We’re excited for the opportunity to showcase our technology and challenge retail leaders to introduce data driven decision-making in new areas of their organizations, specifically within marketing content creation. Today’s consumers seek to build lasting relationships with their favorite brands –– at Persado, we’re helping brands navigate these relationships and shape the future of marketing through the effective use of AI-generated language that resonates with any audience or individual.”

RILA is the trade association of the world’s largest and most innovative retail companies. RILA members include more than 200 retailers, product manufacturers, and service suppliers, which together account for more than $1.5 trillion in annual sales, millions of American jobs and more than 100,000 stores, manufacturing facilities and distribution centers domestically and abroad. RILA, in partnership with Accenture, launched the (R)Tech Center for Innovation in 2017 to help retailers navigate the industry’s transformation.

Contact:

Christin Fernandez
Vice President, Communications
Phone: 703-600-2039
Email: christin.fernandez@rila.org

Source: RILA