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Thirty high school students representing 29 counties across Georgia have built their leadership skills and knowledge through a statewide youth leadership program run by the University of Georgia.

The students graduated from the inaugural Youth LEAD Georgia class on Nov. 4 at Trilith Studios near Atlanta.

“This was a very insightful program,” said Erin Stanford of Swainsboro. “It made me more confident and helped me understand what I need to do for my community.”

A partnership among UGA’s J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development; Chick-fil-A, Inc.; and The Same House organization, Youth LEAD Georgia is designed to equip youth with the skills and knowledge necessary to be the future leaders of the state.

A generous $1.5 million pledge from Chick-fil-A to the UGA Fanning Institute is providing financial support for Youth LEAD Georgia and an annual youth leadership summit. Thanks to the support from Chick-fil-A, Youth LEAD Georgia is available at no cost to participants.

“Chick-fil-A’s investment in Youth LEAD Georgia represents our continued commitment to developing and empowering the next generation of leaders,” said Brent Fielder, Vice President of Global Impact, Chick-fil-A, Inc. “We congratulate the inaugural graduates of this program and look forward to seeing how the skills and connections they have fostered will help them enact meaningful change in their communities in the years ahead.”

These 30 students began the program in January as 10th and 11th graders. Now 11th and 12th graders, they have attended four weekend retreats held in different communities across the state and a four-day summer bus tour of south Georgia.

“It was great to see some places for the first time and also learn things about communities I had been to that I never knew before,” said Mary Burke Smith of Rome.

At graduation, the program also announced the inaugural class of Bullard Community Champions. This generous gift from Rodney Bullard, CEO of The Same House, to UGA enables Youth LEAD Georgia participants to take on service projects in their local communities, offering them the chance to put their leadership and citizenship skills into action.

“The Same House extends much deserved congratulations to the 2024 Youth LEAD Georgia graduates and to the Fanning Institute for its leadership in developing this program that will pay incredible dividends for the participants and their communities,” said Bullard. “We are looking forward to supporting and working with the graduates as they undertake projects as Bullard Community Champions.”

Bullard, fellow Georgia business leader Fred Hicks and faculty at UGA’s Fanning Institute collaboratively designed the concept of the program. UGA Fanning Institute faculty developed the programming and curriculum and are facilitating Youth LEAD Georgia.

“Through Youth LEAD Georgia, these youth have had a chance to develop the leadership skills, build the connections and gain the understanding to engage in their communities as future leaders,” said Lauren Healey, UGA Fanning Institute senior public service faculty. “We appreciate these young people for their efforts, and we are grateful for the partnership with Chick-fil-A and The Same House.”

Along with the leadership training, the youth participated in experiential learning activities and in-depth dialogue on current issues and challenges facing Georgia. They also had the opportunity to interact with prominent business and community leaders.

The 2024 Youth LEAD Georgia class is:

• Amelia Claire Anderson, Trenton

• Ethan Barlay, Stockbridge

• Samantha Barrera-Morales, Lilburn

• Jake Bennett, Thomson

• Louden Busbee, Macon

• Evan Cornish, Athens

• Gabrielle Culbreath, Atlanta

• Presley Douglas, Metter

• Addie Drinnon, Americus

• Grayson Faircloth, Carrollton

• Elizabeth Ann Hobby, Moultrie

• Claire Jefferson, Byron

• Mason Johnson, Albany

• Hannah Kelly, Hephzibah

• Riley Kennard, Acworth

• Kailyn King, Statesboro

• Lilly Lanier, Newton

• Christina Mack, Stone Mountain

• Jawhon Moye, Atlanta

• Owen Osborne, Newnan

• AAshi Patel, Cordele

• Mary Hollis Pugmire, Madison

• Mary Burke Smith, Rome

• Erin Stanford, Swainsboro

• Grayson Taylor, Douglas

• Carolyn Thomas, Eatonton

• Tierney Walton, Valdosta

• Walker Woolard, Leesburg

• Carrie Wright, Sandersville

• Ethan Yang, Cumming

Meanwhile, the 2025 Youth LEAD Georgia class will be announced later this month and will begin the program in January. Nominations for the 2026 Youth LEAD Georgia class will open in May 2025.

For more information on Youth LEAD Georgia, click here.

Nearly half of women ages 20 and older are living with some form of cardiovascular disease (CVD), the No. 1 killer of women. 1 Because of her passion for improving women’s heart health in metro Atlanta, Julia Houston, Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer for Equifax will serve as the 2024-2025 volunteer chair of Go Red for Women in metro Atlanta. Launched more than two decades ago to increase women’s heart health awareness, Go Red for Women is the American Heart Association’s global movement designed to serve as a catalyst for change to improve the health of women.

CVD is the leading cause of death in women, claiming more lives than all cancers combined, and continues to be women’s greatest health threat. 2 According to the American Heart Association, devoted to a world of healthier lives for all, as women grow and change so does their risk for CVD. Unique life stages like pregnancy and menopause can affect that risk. The good news is the majority of cardiovascular disease incidents can be prevented through lifestyle changes and education. Through Go Red for Women, the Association calls on all women to take charge of their health and encourage other women to do the same. Because when it comes to their health, women have the best resource: they have each other.

“I was inspired to chair Go Red for Women this year because heart health is deeply personal to me—it affects so many women in our community, including the ones we love,” said Houston. “As women, we often put everyone else first, but it’s so important to remember that our own health matters, too. Go Red for Women is about encouraging us to prioritize our heart health while supporting and empowering each other. Together, we can raise awareness, share knowledge, and take action to help women of all ages take control of their heart health. It’s a mission I’m proud to lead, and I look forward to making a difference in the lives of so many.”

The 2024-25 Atlanta Go Red for Women Campaign focuses on meeting the evolving needs of women now, and at every age, every stage, and every season of their lives as their trusted, relevant source for credible, equitable health solutions. Driven by the strength of community support, the Association has successfully expanded postpartum Medicaid benefits in Georgia, launched farm fresh markets to

combat nutrition insecurity, and enacted smoke-free ordinances in Atlanta and across the state of Georgia. Additionally, initiatives like distributing health resources to new moms and inspiring high school girls to pursue STEM careers are driving equity and transforming women’s health across metro Atlanta.

“We are incredibly grateful for Julia and her unwavering passion and dedication to the Go Red for Women movement,” said Carla Smith, Metro Atlanta American Heart Association region senior vice president and executive director. “She leads by example through her commitment to raising awareness and advocating for women’s heart health, and because of this she has made a significant impact on our community.”

Go Red for Women is a global movement with impact across the United States and in more than 50 countries around the world. This year’s Go Red for Women movement and its local achievements will be celebrated on Thursday, May 22 during the Atlanta Go Red for Women luncheon at the JW Marriott in Buckhead.

Go Red for Women is nationally sponsored by CVS Health and the Atlanta Go Red for Women luncheon is locally sponsored by Atlanta Braves, Cox Enterprises, Encompass, Northside Hospital, PwC, Wellstar Health System, Southern Company,

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Corporate America is under growing scrutiny over its sustainability initiatives, facing more shareholder proposals from anti-ESG groups, state-level anti-ESG legislation, and rising pressure from stakeholders concerned about corporate environmental impact. The pressure shows no signs of abating going into 2025.

This landscape reinforces the importance of companies being able to prove the financial value of their sustainability initiatives. Yet many executives have doubts about their firm’s ability to do so: Indeed, a new survey of roundtable participants by The Conference Board reveals that about 40% of executives say their company’s assessment of sustainability investments is either underperforming or uncertain.

The study, produced with Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, also explores why executives want to measure and communicate their company’s sustainability ROI—with a top reason being the ability to address ESG backlash.

Additional findings include:

1—Measuring the ROI of Sustainability

Executives are far more skeptical about their company’s ability to measure the return on sustainability investments vs. traditional investments.

Q: How confident are you in your ability to measure the ROI of traditional and sustainability investments?

• Sustainability investments: 41% of executives say their company’s measurement of the return on sustainability investments is either underperforming or uncertain.

• Traditional investments: 17% express similar concerns about measuring traditional financial ROI.

“Companies have robust systems for evaluating the financial returns of investments. However, a similar level of maturity is not always present for sustainability investments. Closing this gap is essential for long-term value creation, and doing so requires stronger collaboration between finance and sustainability teams—starting with aligning the ROI of sustainability with the CFO’s traditional financial metrics,” said Anuj Saush, coauthor of the report and Leader of The Conference Board EU ESG Center.

Half of executives believe measuring sustainability’s ROI can mitigate ESG backlash—which will likely stay in the national spotlight for US companies in 2025. 

Q: Why are you interested in the ROI of sustainability?

• Helps address backlash: 49% say they are interested in measuring the ROI of sustainability because it helps address ESG backlash.

• Strengthens their sustainability story: 76%

• Helps integrate sustainability into the business: 69%

When presenting sustainability initiatives and investments for approval, executives say the most important consideration is its ability to improve operational performance.

Q: What key factors are most important when presenting sustainability initiatives and investments for approval?

• Improved operational performance: 72% say that improving operational performance is a key factor when presenting sustainability initiatives and investment for approval.

• Increased market share: 50%

• Business continuity and resilience: 44%

“When measuring sustainability ROI, companies often focus on tangible benefits—such as operational performance and market share growth—while giving less attention to intangible advantages like employee recruitment, retention, and engagement. To fully capture the impact of their sustainability efforts, organizations should evaluate the full spectrum of benefits,” said Nathalie Risse, coauthor of the report and former Sustainability Researcher at The Conference Board.

2—Communicating the ROI of Sustainability

Just 30% of surveyed executives say their company is effectively communicating the results and ROI of its sustainability initiatives.

Q: How effectively does your company communicate its sustainability performance and ROI to stakeholders?

• Very or somewhat effective: 30% of executives say their company communicates its sustainability results and ROI in a very or somewhat effective manner.

• Ineffectively: 22%

• Unsure: 48%

Executives say the top reason—by far—for communicating sustainability ROI is to ensure internal alignment and financial support.

Q: What are the most important reasons for communicating the ROI of sustainability initiatives?

• Securing internal alignment and financial support: 82% say that securing internal alignment and financial support are important reasons for communicating the ROI of sustainability.

• Building stakeholder trust: 43%

• Meeting investor expectations: 39%

“Companies that communicate effectively will unlock financial value and gain stronger internal support. To make progress, they should consider tailoring sustainability communications to their different audiences, ensuring accurate reporting, and aligning messaging with evolving business goals, stakeholder priorities, and regulations,” said Rebecca Grapsas, Partner and co-leader of the ESG & Sustainability practice at Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP.

Note: Insights come from a series of Chatham House Rules meetings on the ROI of sustainability. Findings are based on polls of ESG executives that attended such meetings, with up to 45 respondents.  

Southeastern Grocers gives customers extra jingle in their pockets with over $50,000 in free groceries

Grocer distributes free gift cards at surprise events for users of its award-winning Rewards program

Southeastern Grocers Inc. (SEG), parent company and home of Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie grocery stores, surprised local customers by hosting pop-up giveaways throughout the Southeast following GivingTuesday. Today, on “WinningWednesday,” the grocer distributed $50,000 in gift cards, plus free private label products across five store locations to thank loyal customers for saving with its award-winning Rewards program.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241204715076/en/

Southeastern Grocers brightened the holiday season today for its shoppers with festive freebies, including $100 gift cards and reusable tote bags stuffed with items from the grocer’s award-winning line of Own Brand products. The jolly giveaway spread holiday cheer across five Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket locations in the Southeast. (Photo: Business Wire)

The first 100 customers that arrived at each of the designated Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie locations received a free $100 gift card and reusable tote bag stuffed with items from the grocer’s award-winning line of Own Brand products. The giveaway events delighted customers in Jacksonville, South Pasadena, Hallandale and Kenner, Louisiana, to help them fill their stockings – and their grocery carts – just in time for the holidays.

Adam Kirk, Chief Customer & Digital Officer for Southeastern Grocers, said, “The holiday season brings abundant joy and celebration, but we know it can also present challenges for families navigating extra costs. That’s why we are proud to spread holiday cheer today, making the season brighter and budgets lighter for our valued customers. Year-round, we are committed to helping neighbors stretch every dollar further while putting delicious, nourishing meals on the table. With our Rewards program, customers can unwrap exclusive savings right at their fingertips – because at Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie, loyalty truly pays off!”

Included in Newsweek’s list of America’s Best Loyalty Programs for the fourth consecutive year, the grocer’s Rewards program provides customers with exclusive digital coupons and personalized rewards, including a free birthday gift and special percent back offers. Accessible through the grocer’s mobile apps and online, the Rewards program also gives access to weekly deals and allows customers to earn points for every shopping trip, which can be redeemed for money off groceries. The average Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie customer saves more than 19% by utilizing the grocer’s award-winning Rewards apps.1

The Harveys and Winn-Dixie Rewards apps also provide additional benefits to plan ahead of time with the ability to view weekly ads, build shopping lists and view recipe inspiration. Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie stores also offer delivery and curbside pickup, making the grocery shopping experience simple and more convenient than ever. Customers can shop online with the same great deals and have their orders delivered right to their doors in as little as two hours, or opt for easy curbside pickup at participating stores.

SEG is committed to helping neighbors save significantly more time and money on their grocery shopping, recognizing that every minute and dollar counts during the holiday season. For more details on the Harveys and Winn-Dixie Rewards programs and to sign up, visit www.harveyssupermarkets.com/rewards and www.winndixie.com/rewards.

Aon plc (NYSE: AON), a leading global professional services firm, today released results from its 2024 North America Pay Transparency Readiness Study, revealing that 75% of employers are not ready for pay transparency laws, which are currently or will be in effect in 14 U.S. states and four provinces in Canada by the end of 2025 and in all EU countries by the end of 2026.

Pay transparency laws aim to close the gender wage gap, and the study highlights the challenges in reaching that goal. The study, which includes survey results from 626 U.S. employers with employees based both inside and outside North America, shows only 51% of employers have conducted an independent pay equity analysis. Of those that conducted this analysis, 84% identified pay equity gaps and disparities. Only 34% of those employers that found pay inequities have added additional funding to correct them.

“The rise of pay transparency and pay equity initiatives reflects a broader cultural shift, particularly among younger employees,” said Brooke Green, Head of Talent Solutions for North America at Aon. “What was once considered impolite to publish salary information has increasingly been recognized as a practice that reinforces and exacerbates pay gaps. Employers who align with these new regulations sooner rather than later will be better positioned to address wage disparities, promote fairness and empower employees to make informed career decisions.”

Additional findings from the report include:

• 18% of employers say they feel ready for pay transparency.

  • The industries with higher levels of readiness include: retail & e-commerce (33%); financial institutions (21%); manufacturing (20%); and professional & business services (20%).

• 63% of employers do not currently communicate salary ranges to their employees.

  • Of the 37% that communicate salary ranges, 61% only do so where required by law, 23% throughout the U.S. and 16% globally.

• 81% of employers publish salary ranges on job postings, indicating a gap in how employers communicate with their employees and prospective talent.

  • Of these 81%, 34% publish a portion of the salary range where legally required, 20% list the full salary range by location, 18% provide a portion of salary range by location and 10% publish the full salary range by location.

• 69% of employers have not implemented a pay transparency communication strategy.

“More than half the U.S. population lives in places with some form of regulation, and more than 60% of Europe will be covered by the EU Pay Directive,” said Kelly Voss, head of rewards and career advisory, North America at Aon. “This, coupled with the growing compliance concerns and the social movement toward pay transparency, is spurring more employers to act and become more transparent with their total rewards strategies. Those organizations that are out in front will have a more compelling employee value proposition. This will not only increase engagement among their current workforce but will be more attractive to prospective employees.”   

To support employers in navigating pay transparency and developing effective total rewards strategies, Aon recently announced new features to its integrated Radford McLagan Compensation Database. These enhancements expand the platform’s data and analytics capabilities, empowering HR and total rewards leaders to benchmark compensation, evaluate plan design practices and access actionable talent insights to drive better decision-making.

“To keep pace, companies must have access to data and intelligence to properly and consistently benchmark, evaluate and define jobs around the world,” Voss added. “This intelligence readies organizations for pay transparency and helps them to both remain competitive in local, regional and global job markets as well as differentiate themselves among their competitors.”

As pay transparency rises in importance, employers are making plans for 2025 employee raises, portions of which may be used by some companies to address pay inequities. Average overall salary increase budget* for 2025 is predicted to be 4.6%, roughly the same as 4.7% reported this year in the U.S., according to data from Aon’s Salary Increase and Turnover Study. This includes merit increases, promotions and market adjustments. Aon also reported 20.7% of U.S. employees left their jobs, of which 11.8% departed voluntarily in the first six months of 2024.

Following an average expectation for national home price growth of 5.2 percent in 2024, a panel of over 100 housing experts forecasts home price growth to decelerate to 3.8 percent in 2025 and 3.6 percent in 2026, according to the Q4 2024 Fannie Mae (OTCQB: FNMA) Home Price Expectations Survey (HPES), produced in partnership with Pulsenomics, LLC. The panel’s latest estimates of national home price growth represent an upward revision from last quarter’s expectations of 4.7 percent for 2024, 3.1 percent for 2025, and 3.3 percent for 2026, as measured by the Fannie Mae Home Price Index (FNM-HPI).

The Economic & Strategic Research (ESR) Group also surveyed panelists on their general housing outlook for 2025. On average, the panelists expect existing home sales to remain sluggish for another year, new home sales to trend slightly upward, and mortgage rates to remain elevated but modestly decline over the course of the year to 6.3 percent. Additionally, depending on their expectations for accelerating or decelerating home prices in 2025, the ESR Group also asked for the major factors driving their home price forecast. The largest group, which represents roughly 80 percent of respondents, expects home price growth to decelerate, citing continued high mortgage rates, rising for-sale housing inventory, and slower wage growth as the main drivers. The minority of panelists who expect faster home price appreciation most commonly cited strong pent-up demand from first-time homebuyers, continued tightening of inventory of homes for sale, and easing mortgage rates. Complete results of the Q4 2024 HPES can be found here.

“While home price growth is expected to ease next year, HPES panelists’ big-picture view for 2025 appears to be little changed compared to 2024, with most seeing another year of elevated mortgage rates and weak home sales,” said Mark Palim, Fannie Mae Senior Vice President and Chief Economist. “We share our panelists’ view that home price growth is likely to decelerate next year, as the mix of continued elevated mortgage rates and the run-up in home prices of the past four years will likely continue to strain affordability and remain an impediment to many would-be homebuyers.”

Terry Loebs, founder of Pulsenomics, added: “Although a significant majority of experts expect the nationwide home value appreciation rate will diminish from recent levels, the panelists’ annual average projected price increase through 2029 is still well above expectations for economy-wide inflation, suggesting that they expect affordability problems to persist well beyond 2025.”

To receive email updates regarding future HPES updates and other economic and housing market research from Fannie Mae’s Economic & Strategic Research Group, please click here.

Opinions, analyses, estimates, forecasts, beliefs, and other views of Fannie Mae’s Economic & Strategic Research (ESR) Group, Pulsenomics, LLC, and the surveyed experts included in these materials should not be construed as indicating Fannie Mae’s business prospects or expected results, are based on a number of assumptions, and are subject to change without notice. How this information affects Fannie Mae will depend on many factors. Although the ESR Group bases its opinions, analyses, estimates, forecasts, beliefs, and other views on information it considers reliable, it does not guarantee that the information provided in these materials is accurate, current, or suitable for any particular purpose. Changes in the assumptions or the information underlying these views could produce materially different results. The analyses, opinions, estimates, forecasts, beliefs, and other views published by the ESR Group represent the views of that group as of the date indicated and do not necessarily represent the views of Fannie Mae or its management.