The Santa Fe Ministry of Security has awarded Motorola Solutions (NYSE: MSI) to deliver a state-of-the-art, integrated end-to-end emergency management system for multi-agency coordination and to shorten response times to emergency calls from the public.

Comprising advanced software, voice communication and video security technologies, the new integrated system, called Control, Attention and Dispatch System for Police Emergencies (SiCAD), will provide 17,500 police officers of the Province of Santa Fe to be fully coordinated and connected across 10 cities including Rafaela, Reconquista, Rosario, City of Santa Fe and Venado Tuerto.

“Modernizing our 911 emergency system is an important step in further reducing our crime rate and achieving our community’s goal of building a safer environment,” said Omar Perotti, Santa Fe Province Governor. “Our police officers rely on clear real-time communication to keep people safe and we are confident that the new deployment will enable faster and more informed decisions.”

Motorola Solutions will manage the integration of all technologies within the police agency’s command and control room center, creating a single, comprehensive real-time viewpoint of incidents, collating data from multiple sources including 911 calls, emergency dispatch functions, video analytics, evidence and community inputs.

Included within the new emergency management system are Motorola Solutions’ DIMETRA TETRA Consoles, which provide always-on digital radio voice communication and constant connection between police officers in the field and the command and control center. As the ‘eyes and ears’ over any operation, command and control center workers can dispatch additional resources wherever they are needed for quick and effective emergency response. 

Police officers can also establish interoperable communication instantly and over any network or device, including communication between radios and smartphones with Motorola Solutions’ WAVE PTX On Premises.

Motorola Solutions’ VB400 body-worn cameras provide objective evidence when an incident occurs and increase the transparency of interactions between officers and citizens. The footage is securely uploaded via VideoManager evidence management software and integrated into the new emergency system.

“Motorola Solutions’ global experience in deploying a unified ecosystem of technologies enables us to package together the essential solutions that public safety agencies depend on every day. Used together, these technologies help to increase incident awareness, visibility across entire operations and safety for every frontline users as well as citizens,” said Henry Bateson, territory director South of Latin America, Motorola Solutions.

About Motorola Solutions
Motorola Solutions is a global leader in public safety and enterprise security. Our solutions in land mobile radio communications, video security & access control and command center software, bolstered by managed & support services, create the most integrated technology ecosystem to make communities safer and help businesses stay productive and secure. At Motorola Solutions, we’re ushering in a new era in public safety and security. Learn more at www.motorolasolutions.com.

By Dan Leberman, SVP, Head of SMB and Partner, PayPal

The pandemic has catalyzed millions around the globe to rethink personal and professional priorities, short- and long-term goals, where we want to live and work, and what we want out of our personal relationships.

_{BestSelf.co CEO and Founder Cathryn Lavery}

Many of us have recently taken the time to reflect on our evolving aspirations, but achieving them can, of course, still be quite difficult. As serial entrepreneur Cathryn Lavery put it, people often turn to self-development books to improve their lives and figure out what they want their personal and professional lives to look like, but reaching new goals is difficult without a structured way to approach them. Seeing a need for products that can help people break down their goals into daily, actionable steps, Cathryn came up with the idea for BestSelf.co.

Cathryn’s company has already driven over $40 million in sales, and has expanded to include products from productivity tools and planning journals to relationship conversation decks. We spoke with Cathryn to learn more about how she got her start, how she’s overcoming challenges she faces in her pursuits, what advice she has for other entrepreneurs, and how PayPal has helped her business.
 

Dan Leberman: Can you tell us a bit about BestSelf? And what inspired you to start the business?

Cathryn Lavery: I became interested in personal development in 2011, when I emigrated from Ireland to the U.S. As important as personal wellness and development is, we don’t really learn about it in school. So, people often turn to self-help and self-development books, but in my experience, I could never find any products that actually helped me put the things I was learning from these books into an actionable structure.

_{BestSelf Products}

I wanted to create a structure for myself around things like effectively planning my day, time-boxing and breaking down my goals into actionable steps, so I created the “Self Journal,” a 13-week planner. You set a goal, break it down, and you know exactly what you need to do each day to accomplish that goal.

I designed the first Self Journal for myself. When I showed it to my friends, they all wanted a copy. I quickly realized that other people were dealing with the same issues as I was, and if I could create the tools and frameworks to enable other people to plan and organize their days and set and achieve their goals, I could turn it into a business. I launched my business on Kickstarter in 2015. It got funded within a day. And that’s how BestSelf got started. 

DL: You’ve been a PayPal customer from the beginning. Can you share a bit about how has PayPal helped your business?

CL: I’ve used PayPal Checkout as our checkout solution from the very beginning. I use PayPal Checkout because both my customers and I feel secure using it. From my customers’ perspective, they have two lines of defense when using PayPal – they know they can leverage our customer service, but they also have PayPal’s Buyer Protection on eligible transactions. From my side as a business owner, PayPal Checkout is fast, secure and I know eligible transactions are protected with PayPal’s Seller Protection. I’ve also used PayPal Working Capital, which in my experience is so much faster, more reasonable and affordable than the alternatives.
 

DL: You do a great job balancing both purpose and profit. Can you talk about that?

_{Self Journal}

CL: Because BestSelf started really organically, I wasn’t focused on the profit side unlike other businesses that I’ve founded. BestSelf was more of a passion project for me, and I wanted to help other people who were dealing with the same issues that I was — achieving my personal development goals, progressing in my career and improving my relationships. At BestSelf, our mission is to connect and inspire humanity to think bigger and achieve more, while enjoying today. 

Running a small business is really hard work and you’re constantly faced with new challenges – from supply chain issues to finding new customers to managing cash flow – but when we hear from our customers about the positive impact our products have had on their personal development, on their careers and on their relationships — that’s what keeps us going.

Now, BestSelf has to generate profit for me to be able to continue. But not being able to rely on external funding just means that I know I have to create a lasting and impactful product and business. 

DL: Speaking of challenges that small businesses are faced with, how are the supply chain issues impacting your business? And how are you managing that?

CL: Shipping containers have increased by four to six times in price. They used to cost around $3,700 and now cost closer to $20,000. Not only are the prices higher, but there are so many shipping delays. We had a container, which contained many of our out-of-stock items, sitting at the port for six weeks. There was demand for the products, but we had no supply, and therefore lost those sales. It was a serious drain on cashflow. To get around some of the supply chain issues, we recently opened production facilities in Columbia, and we’re getting our supplies much quicker from Columbia than we were from China.

DL: This month we’re celebrating Pride Month. Can you speak to what this month means for you?

CL: I’m married to a woman, and we had a baby together three months ago, so the rights of the LGBTQ+ community is really important to me. We recently watched the documentary “Nuclear Family” about these two women who had children together, but one of the parents wasn’t considered a legal parent, which resulted in lot of issues when the sperm donor came back into their lives suing for paternity and visitation rights. I’m so grateful that gay marriage was legalized in 2015 and that gay parents have protected rights now. But there’s clearly a lot more work to be done.
 

DL: As a serial entrepreneur, what advice do you have for other entrepreneurs looking to start their own business? 

_{Core Values Journal}

CL: First, don’t get overwhelmed trying to understand everything at the beginning. Practice “just in time learning” — figure out the first step and go from there. Too often, people get stuck feeling like they need to figure out everything in the beginning and then they’re too overwhelmed to even start. Second, make sure you make a great product that people actually have a use for and want to buy. You can only know this if you talk to people – to friends, to potential customers. They’re the ones who will be buying your product so if they like the idea, then you’re on to something and if they don’t, be open to their feedback – it can only help you rethink and improve your product.

• The World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series will take place in Santiago, Chile on 12-14 August, 2022 with a standalone combined event
• 12 women’s and 12 men’s teams representing all six World Rugby regions will compete over three days at Estadio Santa Laura
• The draw sees teams in three pools of four teams, replicating the Olympic tournament format
• The tournament winners will achieve core status on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2023
• The Challenger Series was introduced in 2020 to boost rugby sevens’ development across the globe and provide a pathway for promotion to the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series

The World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series will return with a standalone, combined event in Santiago, Chile on 12-14 August, 2022, following a one-year break due to the global pandemic.

The 12 women’s and 12 men’s teams from all six World Rugby regions qualified via regional competitions and will compete over three days at Estadio Santa Laura with the tournament winners achieving the highly coveted core status on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2023.

The competition format replicates the Olympic Games, which sees the 12 teams drawn in to three pools of four teams each. The top two from each pool along with the two best third-placed teams will qualify for the quarter-finals, before the semi-finals and final will decide the winners who gain the ultimate prize of promotion to the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.

The draw for the men’s pools sees hosts Chile paired with South Korea, Papua New Guinea and Georgia in Pool A. In Pool B Hong Kong will take on Tonga, Jamaica and Zimbabwe. While a strong Germany outfit who produced impressive performances as an invitational team on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series in 2021 and 2022 are in pool C with Uruguay, Uganda and Lithuania.

In the women’s competition hosts Chile are in pool D where they will face opposition from China, Kenya and South Africa, who played as an invitational team in the final event of the 2022 Series in Toulouse in May.

Poland and Belgium represented themselves with distinction as invitational teams at the 2022 Series events in Malaga and Seville and will face each other in pool E alongside Argentina and Papua New Guinea. Japan have plenty of experience in the Series, including in Langford this year, and they will take on Kazakhstan, Colombia and Mexico in pool F.

VIEW MATCH SCHEDULE >>

The World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series was launched in February 2020 to boost rugby sevens’ development across the globe. The competition acts as the promotion pathway for the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series with the men’s and women’s Challenger Series winners becoming a core team on the World Series for the following season.

The men’s Challenger Series 2020 featured two rounds, both played in South America. Japan’s men’s team gained promotion following the inaugural pair of events. This year’s event will see the debut for women’s teams in the Challenger Series after the planned inaugural women’s Challenger Series event scheduled to take place in March 2020 in Stellenbosch, South Africa, was unable to take place due to the pandemic.

Rugby sevens players and fans can look forward to a very busy and exciting rest of 2022 with the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham on 29-31 July, followed by the Challenger Series, the grand finale of the men’s HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2023 on 26-27 August before Rugby World Cup Sevens in Cape Town on 9-11 September.

World Rugby Chief Competitions and Performance Officer Nigel Cass said: “The World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series is a vital component of our ambitious plans to develop the sport further across the globe, and with the prize of promotion to the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2023 at stake for the winners, the competition across the three day event will be intense from start to finish.

“Rugby sevens is a key driver of global growth for our sport, particularly in emerging nations, and it firmly remains a top priority for World Rugby. Following the highly impactful Olympic competition in Tokyo last year, which caught the imagination of many new fans worldwide, the short format game continues to expand and captivate audiences with its dynamic, skillful and exciting nature.

“We thank the Federación de Rugby de Chile for their partnership in delivering this important event for the first time since the inaugural event in 2020, and we are working very closely together to ensure a high performance environment for players and teams to showcase their talents.”

Federación de Rugby de Chile President Cristian Rudloff said: “As Chile Rugby we are very proud of the confidence that World Rugby places in us again for the realisation of a world mega event. This is undoubtedly a result of the serious and professional work that we have developed in the last three years. As a country, we are preparing to receive our guests with our usual warmth, and we are preparing to have a world sports festival.

“The dispute for promotion to the World Series will be the maximum motivation for athletes who also dream of qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

“We will continue to work so that all rugby players in Chile have the opportunity to experience first-hand the best World Rugby events, such as the men’s 7’s Condors playing the Challenger Series again, and it makes us tremendously proud that our female Condors also have the opportunity to compete at the highest international level.”

Report key findings:
• $1.5 billion Sustainability-Linked Loan (SLL) secured
• 21.4m kWh renewable energy generated across Majid Al Futtaim
• 45 assets with a LEED, BREEAM or equivalent certification in 2021 
• Majid Al Futtaim – Retail has entirely phased out single-use plastic bags in seven countries
• Majid Al Futtaim – Properties’ greenhouse gas emissions targets are validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 5 July 2022: Majid Al Futtaim, the leading shopping mall, communities, retail and leisure pioneer across the Middle East, Africa and Asia, made significant strides toward environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) issues in 2021, according to its latest ESG report ‘Dare Together’. 

In alignment with the UAE Government’s national strategic Net Zero targets, the Company advanced towards its target to be Net Positive in carbon by 2040 – becoming one of the first three signatories to the World Green Building Council’s Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment. 

Key achievements across the year include securing a $1.5 billion Sustainability-Linked Loan (SLL), a first in the region, dependent on measurable improvements on specific yearly targets that seek to positively impact people and the planet. As part of the SLL, Majid Al Futtaim will work to ensure its entire shopping mall portfolio is certified by 2026, with non-certified malls achieving a minimum of LEED Gold or equivalent. 

Sustainable buildings remain a focal point in the Company’s ambitions; the report notes it holds the world’s first LEED Platinum certification for its hotel portfolio, and Mall of Oman is its first superregional mall to be LEED Platinum certified. Total assets with a LEED, BREEAM or equivalent certification in 2021 are 45 (up from 35 in 2020), while total assets in the process of being certified in 2021 are 20 (up from 12 in 2020).

As climate change continues to rank highly on the global agenda, Majid Al Futtaim Properties’ near and long-term greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) targets have been validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) to support its transition to Net Positive. The Company also signed up to the Business Ambition for 1.5°C Commitment, requiring emissions reductions of 50% by 2030 and to reach net-zero by 2050 at the very latest. This target covers all GHG emissions across the Majid Al Futtaim business. 

Ibrahim Al-Zu’bi, Chief Sustainability Officer, Majid Al Futtaim – Holding, said: “The rise of ESG on the corporate agenda has transitioned quickly from a niche interest to a mainstream requirement for companies seeking to lead across all industries today. With ethical buying and sustainability gaining importance for consumers, we want to create a positive impact in everything we do, from our local communities and the organisations we partner with, to the products we procure, and sell.

“In that regard, our 2021 report reveals our most recent accomplishments and represents a milestone in our journey to become Net Positive in carbon by 2040. Our team is unified in its vision with a tenfold growth ambition over the next decade, focussed on discovering new opportunities, expanding consciously towards a more connected, sustainable, and equitable future for all.”

With the ever-increasing need for clean energy solutions worldwide, Majid Al Futtaim also notably advanced its renewable energy progress during 2021, with its shopping malls, communities and retail assets growing their renewable energy generation to 21.4 million kWh compared to 17 million kWh in 2020, an increase of 26%. Furthermore, a new solar park in Jordan became operational last year, comprising more than 49,000 solar panels and providing 100% of the energy use of 35 Carrefour stores across the country with renewable supply. A second agreement was also signed, which will provide the largest private solar plant in the Kingdom of Bahrain once developed, spanning over 40,000 m² and generating 50% of the shopping mall’s energy consumption needs.

Creating a future free of single-use plastic waste remains a priority for companies around the world – including Majid Al Futtaim, as the report highlights progress in the roll-out of the Single-Use Plastics Phase-out Policy. The latest figures show that Carrefour Armenia phased out all single-use plastic bags in 2021, offering customers a variety of reusable alternatives. Majid Al Futtaim – Retail has also completely phased out single-use plastic bags in seven countries of operation. Additionally, a Dubai-based air-to-water pilot began in 2021 to explore hydro-panel technology and solar power to generate clean drinking water from air. Ten hydro-panels are now installed, each producing an average of four litres of water per day using solar energy and having the capacity to store 40 litres of water. 

Majid Al Futtaim continued to progress in various existing areas of ESG importance, including a series of initiatives focused on the professional advancement of its local talent, namely the Company’s commitment to recruit 3,000 Emiratis seeking to build their careers in the private sector throughout the coming years, and the launch of region’s first private sector women coders programme seeking to reach over 5,000 women in tech in the next five years. A pledge has also been made to increase the representation of women in leadership positions to 30% by 2025 and to employ over 35% of women in advanced technologies and digital roles by 2023. 

As the first company in the Middle East and the first of 62 organisations worldwide to sign up to the World Economic Forum’s Stakeholder Capitalism Metrics, Majid Al Futtaim adheres to its transparent reporting on performance against a globally aligned set of environmental, social and governance indicators.

You can access the full report here.

Cedar Rose has entered into a strategic alliance with CIEMS, a research, advisory and consulting firm providing reliable market intelligence to maximize business capabilities. The partnership is aimed at reinforcing Cedar Rose’s presence in Morocco.  

Antoun Massaad, Co-Founder and CEO of Cedar Rose, commented, “We are excited to collaborate with CIEMS that has a proven track record in providing a wide range of business and market intelligence solutions and services dedicated to boosting performance while thwarting risks. We are keen to expand our footprint in Morocco, supporting government, financial and corporate organisations that have a focus on regional and international markets. Our strategic partnership will help shorten the path to relevant data insights which in turn will improve business outcomes. The immediate focus of our collaboration is to offer credit and compliance risk management solutions for government and financial service sectors. The unique expertise of our companies will enable us to deliver the very best solutions to our shared customers with access to the latest tools and technologies.”

Mourad Oubrich, Co-Founder and Partner of CIEMS stated, “We are a research-driven consulting firm working to improve the effectiveness and impact of research on businesses. With best-in-class services, we cover the broadest spectrum of markets in Africa. This new agreement will help our customers gain significant business advantages with a unique mix of industry strengths and expertise. Cedar Rose is a trusted partner to have a local presence in Morocco.”

Since its foundation, Cedar Rose has been at the forefront of providing world-class business intelligence and credit risk solutions to leading firms in over 230 countries and jurisdictions globally. Its comprehensive array of credit risk, compliance and identity verification solutions help companies, government agencies and individuals deal with escalating regulatory and compliance requirements while reducing their exposure to risk.

To find out more call +971 4 374 5758 or visit www.cedar-rose.com

Eric was homeless for more than 10 years in Seattle. A lifelong alcoholic, he’d spend his days outside a Starbucks store in north Seattle, along a busy stretch of highway notorious for crime. He’d use the free WIFI and chat with the store manager, Ryan Butler, when he stepped out during breaks.

“He was cool with me, he’d talk to me, gave me some coffee a couple times,” Eric recalls. “Starbucks is one of the few places you can go when you’re on the street, and they don’t chase you away.”

Through an innovative partnership called the Starbucks Outreach Worker program – that connects Starbucks stores across the country with local organizations focused on homelessness – Butler was able to refer Eric to a social worker named Denver Hanson, the Starbucks outreach worker with Catholic Community Services in Seattle.

During weekly meetings over an eight-month period, Hanson helped Eric get identification and apply for housing, tracking down hard-to-find documents he needed from out of state. In January, Eric moved off the streets, into his own apartment.

The Starbucks Outreach Worker Program, which launched in 2020 and recently expanded into its eighth U.S. city, is a unique partnership between Starbucks and nonprofits that have street outreach expertise. The goal is to support retail partners (employees) while also addressing societal issues like homelessness, mental health and substance use disorder. The program was designed in response to partners sharing the challenges they face in high complexity markets. It’s currently in in Seattle, Los Angeles, New York City, Washington, D.C., San Diego, Philadelphia, Chicago and Denver.

In each city, outreach workers dedicated to the program regularly visit Starbucks stores in high-incident areas (for example, near a homeless encampment). They walk around the nearby neighborhood and engage people who are marginalized or at-risk – identifying and responding to immediate needs, making referrals and trying to build long-term relationships. They check in with store partners to help address issues on the spot (if there was a shoplifting incident, for example, or if someone is not getting out of the bathroom) and follow up with the homeless customers they already know, who might be nearby.

In some cities, they also design curriculum and training experiences with Starbucks leaders and store partners around issues like mental and behavioral health and crisis de-escalation.

Nationwide, outreach workers through the program have engaged approximately 16,000 people experiencing homelessness. Of those, about 3,000 have been referred into a “stabilizing program” such as transitional housing, mental health resources or case management.

Meeting customers’ needs with empathy and compassion

Starbucks often is used by many customers as their third place – the place they go that’s not their home or work – but “we know many of our customers who are homeless use Starbucks as their first place,” says Julissa McWashington, Starbucks social impact manager overseeing the program. “And we know that partners who wear the green apron want to meet the needs of their customers with empathy and compassion.

“So how might we support Starbucks partners, and also connect our customers to critical need resources, and positively impact our communities?… It’s the responsibility of us all to hold hands and figure out how to do this collectively. We’re all one community. The public and private sector can do more together and do it in a way where we’re thinking about the person and the human behind all of this.”

Expanding partnerships is key. Starbucks is working with Arizona State University to help scale and evolve the Outreach Worker program – by testing out new organizational structures, engaging in policy advocacy and developing broader, industry-wide training and curriculum opportunities.

Bringing public and private advocates together

In June, Starbucks also held two “convenings,” in Seattle and New York City, bringing together dozens of key stakeholders to meet in the same space and talk frankly about homelessness – police departments, public libraries, boots-on-the-ground outreach organizations, elected officials, philanthropic funders and other companies. Two more convenings are planned for later this year in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.

One of the featured panelists at the New York convening was Carley Medley with Breaking Ground, a homeless outreach organization which also runs the largest supportive housing program in the country. As an outreach supervisor, she and her team are responsible for checking in and around 15 Starbucks stores throughout Manhattan, focusing especially on several n Midtown. Daily, she crisscrosses a different kind of overlay map than the usual tourist-oriented spots nearby.  

On a recent summer day, next to a methadone clinic near Times Square, across the street from a Starbucks, she gives socks to a man she recognizes – recently discharged from a hospital, stitches still fresh in his head – and asks about the status of a transitional housing application he was working on.

At a subway stop near Madison Square Garden, a man recognizes her green Breaking Ground jacket and says he needs detox, rehab and shelter. She takes his information – where he hangs out, what kinds of services he’s used before, what hospitals he’s gone to – and then makes plans to take him to a temporary shelter.

Earlier in the day, next to a church shelter nearby, she did her weekly check in with a woman in her 60s, who’s in a wheelchair. She brought some ointment for the woman’s leg injury and lent her a cell phone to call a family member.

“Getting to know our clients is a good portion of my day, getting to know their stories, building those relationships,” Medley says. “I just want to be helpful, getting somebody a shirt or shoes, getting people connected with substance abuse programs, treatment programs, counseling, transitional housing. This is impactful, even though the problem is still huge.

“Some of these clients have been in the system their entire lives,” she says. “Everyone is a person. Everyone has a story. Whether or not it’s similar to yours, we need to be a little more empathetic and understanding.”

‘We are a people business’

Eric, the formerly homeless man in Seattle, is thankful for that kind of perspective and effort, and for the program.

“I almost gave up,” Eric says. “Somebody stole my backpack, and it had my birth certificate that I’d just got (that he needed for his state-issued identification application). I was crushed. I wanted to give up. It was gone, and Denver was like, ‘We’ll get it again. Let’s keep doing this.’ Because of this program, I was able to get my ID, and an apartment. I’m super grateful.”

Butler, the Starbucks store manager who first referred Eric, still meets with him occasionally at a public library near his store.

“We are a people business, and the coffee is secondhand,” Butler says. “If we don’t take the time to acknowledge the community’s needs and give back to the community, then why are we here?”