We believe it’s important for people to have a safe, clean place to live.

Since the Amway One by One Campaign for Children partnered with Habitat for Humanity last year, distributors and employees across the Americas have worked hard to make that happen.

Here are three examples where our distributors and employees are building hope for others.

In Guatemala, Amway employees and distributors from the United States, Mexico, Barbados, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Honduras, Colombia and El Salvador built a dozen homes. They also raised half a million dollars, matching a $250,000 gift of Tim Foley, longtime Amway distributor and Amway Founders Council member. These  funds will finance construction of more than 40 homes throughout Latin America over the next five years.

In São Paulo, Brazil, Amway distributors and employees raised nearly $5,000, and used it to renovate two homes. Their next  project? Already they are evaluating how to apply their time and talents to help people affected by the devastating floods in Rio de Janeiro.

Finally, after raising $16,000,  more than 25 Amway Colombia distributors, employees and their families constructed two homes in only two days.

Visit our Amway One by One blog to learn how we’re making a difference in 2012. Make your own difference, too, at Habitat for Humanity.

Amway President Doug DeVos was on the road this weekend, visiting Thailand for our affiliate’s 25th anniversary celebration.

During Amway Thailand’s National Convention in Muang Thong Thani near Bangkok, more than 40,000 distributors gathered to celebrate their success in their Amway businesses as well as the affiliate’s milestone.

Doug was there to not only commemorate the achievements of the employees and distributors at Amway Thailand, but also to pay tribute to Preecha Prakobkit, who is retiring as Amway Thailand’s managing director this year. 

Preecha led Amway Thailand to become one of Amway’s top markets during his 23 years with the company. Always innovating, he explored new ways to connect with distributors and customers, in recent years using social media personally and professionally.

A major milestone, an incredible career and the success of many - definitely reasons to celebrate!

The results are in! We’re pleased to report that our Nutrilite brand ranks as the top-rated vitamin and supplement brand within the direct selling category in a consumer satisfaction survey by ConsumerLab.com.

More than 10,000 ConsumerLab.com subscribers participated in the survey, rating more than 1,500 brands.

Our Nutrilite brand continues to be a fan favorite around the world — also chosen by consumers as one of the top three health supplement brands in the AsiaOne People’s Choice Awards.

We appreciate the public votes of approval. Earning our customers’  loyalty is the best reward of all.

Are you eating a variety of fruits and vegetables in your diet? You’re in the healthier minority if you are, according to the latest research by the Nutrilite Health Institute.

The findings were published today as the lead story in the peer-reviewed Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, following its online debut in November. In fact, this month’s entire issue is devoted to research on phytonutrient intake in the U.S.

The study, “Phytonutrient Intake by Adults in the United States in Relation to Fruit and Vegetable Consumption,” was co-authored by Nutrilite scientist Keith Randolph.

The findings show that the majority of U.S. adults get key phytonutrients from only four sources: oranges, tomatoes, strawberries and carrots. But to receive important health benefits, you need a variety of these natural nutrients.

 We’re proud of Keith and his colleagues, and look forward to news on their next discoveries. In the meantime, you can learn more about their work in this brief video.

True entrepreneurs just keep trying until they find the idea that works. That’s the spirit of “fluid determinism” that Amway President Doug DeVos described when asked how Jay Van Andel and Rich DeVos finally arrived at the business start-up idea that today is a $9.2 billion global enterprise.

During the Detroit Public TV (PBS) program, “Leaders on Leadership,” Doug provided insight on how Amway has changed due to its growth. But he also emphasized how the fundamental values that have created a common culture – and that continue to attract like-minded distributors and employees around the world – have remained the same at Amway for more than 50 years.

Doug cited the traits of entrepreneurs – being optimistic, willing to take risks –  that are still are part of our culture. However, as Amway continues to grow, he says it’s important to find “great people to help us” change, adapt and grow.

Don’t have time to exercise?  Don’t sweat it. Ten minutes of stretching, along with cardiovascular and strength exercises, can do the trick.

Studies show that a healthy diet combined with a short exercise routine can have a positive impact on our overall health.

At Amway, we encourage employees to be physically active throughout the day to achieve their own Optimal Health. In our California and Michigan facilities, for example, Amway offers the “Take 10” exercise program, a routine modified from the breakthrough 4321 program developed by Sean Foy, a lead fitness consultant for the Nutrilite Health Institute.

The program is simple. For 10 minutes, an employee volunteer leads a non-sweat exercise routine that helps with flexibility, coordination, strength, rejuvenation and counter-repetitive motions. Exercises include overhead reach, chin drops, shoulder rolls, elbow butterfly and chair squats.

It only takes a short time to make a long-term investment in feeling better and living longer.

Three Amway leaders recently shared their experiences and tips on what helped make their markets successful.  Responding quickly to the needs of a specific market is a common thread, but what that looks like in different markets is, well, different.

At Amway Russia, it meant quickly expanding the support network – stores and staff included – to provide distributors with products as their businesses grew exponentially when this market opened, general manager of Amway Russia Richard Stevens told The Voice of Russia.

For Amway Malaysia, where more than 60 percent of distributors are age 35 or younger, success required providing them with meaningful ways to interact with the company and its products, said Amway Malaysia’s Paul Yee in an interview with the radio station BFB 89.9. For example, Amway opened experience centers and stores so distributors could get the “touch and feel” experience they prefer.

Amway Vietnam has focused its efforts in educating the public, government officials and the media about the direct selling business model, which until recently was largely unknown in that country, general manager Kam Chiong told BaoMoi.com. The market also has provided continuous training to its distributors to ensure they have the best tools to successfully build their business.

Leveraging these differences supports active entrepreneurs and helps our businesses grow stronger together. How has innovative thinking helped your business transform?

We are delighted to announce our partnership with Australian screen actress, Teresa Palmer, as the new Global Face of ARTISTRY skincare and color, effective December 2011. Teresa will work exclusively with the ARTISTRY brand through 2014.

She is best known for her work in the box office hit, “I Am Number Four” with Alex Pettyfer, and has appeared in the “Sorcerer’s Apprentice” alongside Nicolas Cage, “Bedtime Stories” with Adam Sandler, and “Take Me Home Tonight” with Topher Grace.  Her most recent film, “Wish You Were Here,” will premiere at the Sundance Film Festival this month. She will also star in “AWOL” with Liam Hemsworth this year and “Warm Bodies” with Nicholas Hoult, which is slated for release in August 2012.

“I’m delighted to work with a brand like ARTISTRY that provides independence to so many women around the world, and does so with amazing products that help us look good and feel good about ourselves,” said Teresa Palmer.

 The decision to align with a celebrity face marks the emergence of ARTISTRY as a global competitor in the prestige beauty space with a revamped aesthetic, signature packaging and new product collections emphasizing innovation and performance, designed to meet the unique skin care needs of different ethnicities around the world.

Teresa Palmer will make her global debut in Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa as the face of ARTISTRY’s fall 2012 color collection, Escape to Paradise.

For now, here’s a glimpse of Teresa from our latest photo shoot. We hope you think she’s as stunning as we do!

Fulton Innovation made a big splash at the Consumer Electronics Show this month in Las Vegas. The eCoupled wireless power technology that is making all this innovation possible comes from an Amway core product — our eSpring water treatment system. And Consumer Reports has an article on our product this month. Click here for more information.