Partnership for a Healthier America Recognizes Mercedes-Benz USA, Laureus USA and Honest Tea Co-Founder with Catalyst for Change Award
Washington, D.C. – Today, Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) announced that this year’s Partner of the Year will be presented to Mercedes-Benz USA and Laureus USA, and the CEO of the Year award will be presented to Seth Goldman, Co-Founder & TeaEO Emeritus of Honest Tea® and Executive Chair of Beyond Meat.
Each year, PHA’s Catalyst for Change Awards recognizes organizations and community leaders who exemplify positive change by developing solutions to create a healthier generation.
“Mercedes-Benz USA and Laureus USA have positively impacted the lives of hundreds of thousands of children and young adults across the country,” said PHA President and CEO Nancy E. Roman. “Their commitment to invest in communities that are most impacted by our nation’s obesity crisis is incredibly important to ensure the next generation grows up to be adults free from obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic conditions.”
To date, Mercedes-Benz USA and its dealer network have invested $12.6 million in Laureus USA as part of multi-year commitments to improve the health and development of young people living in under-resourced communities across the country. Mercedes-Benz USA supported projects have improved the health of 771,000 young people and have trained more than 16,000 coaches. Last year, 82 percent of young people reached by Laureus USA community grant partners demonstrated indicators of improved physical health.
“It is a tremendous honor to be recognized with this award, particularly alongside our dedicated partner, Mercedes Benz USA,” said Benita Fitzgerald Mosley, CEO of Laureus USA and Olympic Gold Medalist in Track and Field. “Laureus is committed to advancing the use of sport for social change by driving collaboration. To truly change the world through sport, we will continue to work together as a team to make sure every child has access to high-quality sports programs right in their own community.”
Goldman is Co-Founder & TeaEO Emeritus of Honest Tea and Executive Chair of Beyond Meat. Honest Tea is the nation’s top selling organic bottled tea, specializing in beverages that are organic and use Fair Trade Certified™ ingredients.
“Seth and Honest Tea epitomize innovation for good, and we couldn’t be more excited to honor his work,” said Roman.
In March 2011, Honest Tea was acquired by The Coca-Cola Company, becoming the first organic and Fair Trade brand in the world’s largest beverage distribution system. Honest Tea and Honest Kids® is sold in more than 130,000 stores in the United States and Europe. He also serves on the board of Ripple Foods, the Yale School of Management, the American Beverage Association, and Bethesda Green.
“As an activist disguised in an entrepreneur’s body, I’m honored to receive this award. We’ve been on a 20-year journey to democratize organic and Just a Tad Sweet® tasting beverages,” said Goldman. “I’m excited about the impact we’re starting to make, and look forward to working with our partners across the food and health community to help Americans improve their diets.”
PHA also announced that Brighter Bites and The Walking Classroom Institute are recipients of its 2018 Impact Award. All winners will be recognized at the PHA Fit to Celebrate Gala at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center (1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, D.C.) on September 27, 2018. Visit http://www.ahealthieramerica.org/gala for more information and to purchase tickets.
About Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) PHA’s mission is to leverage the power of the private sector to bring lasting systemic changes that improve the food supply, increase healthy choices, increase physical activity and contribute to a culture of health. In 2010, PHA was created in conjunction with – but independent from – Former First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! effort. PHA identifies, accelerates and celebrates voluntary business practices that improve or increase choice or lead to new norms and behavior around food and physical activity. For more information about PHA, please visit www.aHealthierAmerica.org and follow PHA on Twitter @PHAnews.
About Mercedes-Benz USA Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA), headquartered in Atlanta, is responsible for the distribution, marketing and customer service for all Mercedes-Benz products in the United States. MBUSA offers drivers the most diverse lineup in the luxury segment with 15 model lines ranging from the sporty CLA-Class four-door coupe to the flagship S-Class and the Mercedes-AMG GT R. MBUSA is also responsible for Mercedes-Benz Vans and smart products in the U.S. MBUSA’s community partnerships are focused on creating a sustainable future for youth and educating and empowering the next generation of leaders by helping them reach their full potential. More information on MBUSA and its products can be found at http://www.mbusa.com, http://www.mbsprinterusa.com and http://www.smartusa.com. Accredited journalists can visit our media site at http://www.media.mbusa.com. Follow us on Twitter @MBUSAnews
About Laureus Sport for Good Foundation USA (Laureus USA) Laureus USA believes in the power of sport to change the world, as proclaimed by our founding patron Nelson Mandela. We are committed to using sport and physical activity to address the most challenging problems facing children and youth in America’s diverse cities. In 2017, our efforts positively impacted over 428,000 youth across 110 U.S. cities. We currently support the growth of 50 programs using sport to unite communities and empower youth. Laureus USA is a proud member of the global Laureus network, which includes 9 National Laureus Sport for Good Foundations, the Laureus World Sports Academy, and the Laureus World Sports Awards. Learn more about Sport for Good at www.LaureusUSA.com.
About Seth Goldman Seth Goldman is Co-Founder & TeaEO Emeritus of Honest Tea and Executive Chair of Beyond Meat. Honest Tea is the nation’s top selling organic bottled tea, specializing in beverages that are organic and Fair Trade Certified™. In March 2011, Honest Tea was acquired by The Coca-Cola Company, becoming the first organic and Fair Trade brand in the world’s largest beverage distribution system. Honest Tea and Honest Kids is sold in more than 130,000 stores in the USA and Europe, including Wendy’s, Subway and Chik-fil-A. Seth also serves on the board of Ripple Foods, the Yale School of Management, the American Beverage Association, and Bethesda Green.