Month: March 2023

WASHINGTON and NEW YORK, March 13, 2023 /3BL Media/ – The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), the global authority for driving market transformation through healthy buildings, organizations and communities, opened registration today for its 2023 WELL Summit, to be held in Washington, D.C., September 25-26, 2023.

“With a bold, new take on how we gather in person, including a dynamic, open-air experience at D.C.’s vibrant Union Market, the WELL Summit is all about connecting and energizing leaders across our global network,” said Rachel Hodgdon, President and CEO, IWBI. “Throughout the two days, we’ll feature the movement’s top thought leaders on our MainStage, provide unique networking and technical education opportunities and showcase the latest in products and services supporting the healthy building industry, all the while prioritizing attendee health with curated wellness activities and outdoor programming.”

The Summit takes place in the days leading up to the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo, the largest annual event for green building professionals.

“We’re very excited that the WELL Summit will lead into Greenbuild, helping deepen our collaboration with USGBC as it celebrates its 30th anniversary and underscoring our shared belief that human health and planetary health are inextricably linked,” added Hodgdon.

Registration for the WELL Summit is now open at wearewell.com/well-summit.

Building on the momentum of the inaugural WELL Summit in Scottsdale, Ariz. in 2022, this year’s event will offer continuous MainStage programming, showcasing speakers such as physician and New York Times best-selling author Dr. Mark Hyman and a panel convened by IWBI Governance Council member Dr. Richard Carmona, 17th Surgeon General of the United States, who will engage some of his former Surgeons General colleagues about their perspective on the state of public health today.

“We know that convening in unique, engaging ways inspires our global community and brings opportunities to continue the momentum of the healthy building movement,” said Kimberly Lewis Inkumsah, Executive Vice President, Equity, Engagement and Events, IWBI. “I’m eager to advance IWBI’s mission of creating people-first places through the WELL Summit experience, including outdoor programming, technical training and presentations that will earn attendees CEUs and tapping into the overall power of face-to-face engagement.”

“I am thrilled to join IWBI at the WELL Summit this September, an important moment to gather together and build momentum for people-first places,” said Dr. Richard Carmona. “The need to focus on human health across all the places where we spend most of our time has never been more critical. By transforming our buildings to better support health and foster well-being, we can deliver positive health outcomes at scale.”

About the International WELL Building Institute 
The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) is a public benefit corporation and the world’s leading organization focused on deploying people-first places to advance a global culture of health. IWBI mobilizes its community through the administration of the WELL Building Standard (WELL) and WELL ratings and certifications, management of the WELL AP credential, the pursuit of applicable research, the development of educational resources and advocacy for policies that promote health and well-being everywhere. More information on WELL can be found here.

International WELL Building Institute pbc is a wholly owned subsidiary of Delos Living LLC. International WELL Building Institute, IWBI, the WELL Building Standard, WELL v2, WELL Certified, WELL AP, WELL Portfolio, WELL Score, The WELL Conference, We Are WELL, the WELL Community Standard, WELL Health-Safety Rating, WELL Health-Safety Rated, WELL Equity, WELL Performance Rated, WELL Performance Rating, Works with WELL, WELL and others, and their related logos are trademarks or certification marks of International WELL Building Institute pbc in the United States and other countries.

Media Contact: 
media@wellcertified.com

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March 13, 2023 /3BL Media/ – An international authority in corporate and public sector reporting is to lead the Global Sustainability Standards Board (GSSB), the independent body that sets the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards. Carol Adams, who for 30 years has worked in sustainability research and leadership roles and is Professor of Accounting at Durham University Business School, has been confirmed as the next GSSB Chair.

Judy Kuszewski, who has served as GSSB Chair since 2017, completes her second and final term at the end of March, with Carol starting on 1 April. The GSSB has an increasingly significant role, at a time when global attention on an organization’s impacts on sustainable development and mandatory accountability requirements are higher than ever before.

Carol Adams is an internationally renowned researcher in sustainability accounting and reporting, its role in driving change and its implications for practice and policy. She advises the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy on sustainability reporting, and is a member of the Australian Accounting Standards Board’s Sustainability Reporting Advisory Panel. She is also a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland and chairs their Sustainability Panel.

Carol recently advised the UNDP in creating SDG Impact Standards, and the UK Government’s Implementation Taskforce on Impact Investing. A past chair (2017-19) of the GRI Stakeholder Council, she has for many years been an active contributor to GRI’s mission.

Carol Adams said:

“With a growing recognition of the importance of sustainability reporting, GRI has a huge part to play. I am looking forward to working closely with the GSSB’s expert members, to further widen usage of GRI’s multi-stakeholder standards, which are the global blueprint for quality and comprehensive impact reporting.

Identifying and measuring impacts on the economy, environment and society is an essential step in managing an organization’s risks and opportunities, as well as assessing positive and negative impacts on achieving the SDGs. Beyond that, accountability for management approach, strategy, governance oversight and impacts through use of the GRI Standards is critical in driving change, ensuring sustainable development is not side-lined by a narrow focus on financial considerations.”

Helena Barton, Chair of the GRI Independent Appointments Committee (and Partner at Deloitte), said:

“Once we had explored a very high calibre group of candidates for the role of GSSB Chair, Carol Adams was a clear first choice. Given her expertise in corporate and public sector transparency and sustainability strategy, her evidence-based approach and her passion and belief in the importance of impact reporting, I believe she will continue the excellent work of Judy Kuszewski in leading GRI’s standard setting priorities in the years to come.”

Judy Kuszewski (who is also Chief Executive of Sancroft International Ltd) said:

“Over the past six years, I have seen the GRI Standards go from strength to strength, with significant increases in adoption and usage, and new standards launched, such as our Sector Program. I am pleased to be able to hand the baton on to someone as capable and committed as Carol, who I have every confidence will continue to advance the GSSB remit to deliver world-class sustainability reporting standards.”

Eelco van der Enden, CEO of GRI, added:

“I am delighted that Carol has accepted the position of GSSB Chair, which is a crucially important role in ensuring the effective governance of the GRI Standards. I am confident that under her direction the GSSB’s influential position in the reporting landscape, including engagement with EFRAG and the ISSB, will continue to increase. I also want to put on record my enormous gratitude to Judy Kuszewski, who has provided myself and the organization with such excellent guidance and leadership during her period as chair.” 

Professor Carol Adams MSc PhD CA FAICD has served in advisory roles in the finance and investment sectors, for the United Nations (UNDP, UNCTAD), the International Integrated Reporting Council, and the Commonwealth Education Trust. Carol has held professorship roles in Australia and the UK, including at Monash University and Glasgow University. She started her career as a financial auditor and has led the development of sustainability reporting and strategy in a public sector organization. Carol is a dual British-Australian national residing in Melbourne.

The GSSB has sole responsibility for the development and approval of the GRI Standards and works exclusively in the public interest, according to a formally defined due process. This 15-member body reflects a balance of technical expertise, global diversity and multi-stakeholder perspectives. For a detailed overview, read the GSSB FAQs.

The GSSB Chair must bring evidence based and practical knowledge related to sustainability reporting and its broader context, as well as proven ability to facilitate international multi-stakeholder consensus-seeking processes, and expertise in public interest standard-setting. The Chief Standards Officer (Bastian Buck, who leads the GRI Standards Division) reports directly to the GSSB Chair.

The GRI Standards, the leading global standards for sustainability reporting, are provided as a free public good. They are used each year by more than 11,000 organizations in over 100 countries, including 78% of the world’s largest 250 companies. The GRI Standards were downloaded by users around one million times in 2022, a 45% increase on the previous year.

Established in 1997, Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) is the independent, international organization that helping businesses and other organizations take responsibility for their impacts by providing the global common language to report those impacts.

Energized by Edison

Shulie Tornel, ENERGIZED by Edison Writer

Stacey Gordon has trained more than 2 million people through her unconscious bias LinkedIn Learning courses focused on incorporating diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in human resources and recruiting. Yet, she still questions whether she is making any significant impact.

Gordon, executive director and workplace culture consultant at Rework Work and author of “Unbias: Addressing Unconscious Bias at Work,” delivered the keynote address at Southern California Edison’s 21st Black History Month Celebration. During the event, she explained how she is making a difference in the corporate community by rethinking how companies recruit and hire professional women and people of color.

At the event, Gordon asked attendees to act by identifying a community they could directly impact. Whether you are a small business owner, an employee or a family member, you can keep showing up to make the connection between the impact you provide and the community you serve.

“You can’t have an impact if you don’t show up. It is not good enough to simply take in the information; you must want to be part of the solution. There must be a genuine desire to be the change you want to see in the world,” she said.

Edison International, the parent company of SCE, saw an opportunity to act by focusing resources on the areas that will provide the greatest impact — increasing workforce diversity to reflect the communities the company serves. In 2021, Edison International launched the Lineworker Scholarship Program to expand diversity in the skilled craft workforce pipeline, initially focusing on attracting Black participants.

The Edison International Lineworker Scholarship served as an influence for the Los Angeles Urban League’s Construction Career Academy, which prepares candidates with the skills and knowledge for trade union entrance exams and union apprenticeships. Edison has been a long-standing partner with the Los Angeles Urban League in philanthropy, workforce development, policy engagement and recognized the organization with the community partnership award.

“We are very grateful for Southern California Edison’s support for the Los Angeles Urban League. The $10,000 grant we have received from them is going toward training people for jobs and entrepreneurship to encourage economic empowerment,” said Michael Lawson, Los Angeles Urban League president and CEO. “We are working with kids to learn what entrepreneurship is all about. What we are here to do is not just train people but be an advocate for them.”

“You can’t have an impact if you don’t show up. It is not good enough to simply take in the information; you must want to be part of the solution. There must be a genuine desire to be the change you want to see in the world.”
Stacey Gordon, Rework Work Executive Director and Workplace Culture Consultant

The celebration also honored Millionaire Mind Kids for its achievements in clean energy and presented Imperial Electric Service with the Gwen Moore Diversity award.

The livestream celebration included musical performances by Bridgette Bentley (B Ready Productions) and Ashley Keiko (Keiko Studios Music Academy) and cooking demonstrations at SCE’s Foodservice Technology Center in Irwindale, using induction cooktops and energy-efficient ovens by Chef Cherie Beasley (Kitchen Food Ventures).

Click here to view the recorded event.