Month: April 2023

Provides educators and students with one-stop access to lab resources, measurement analysis tools, and industry-relevant learning resourcesEnables educators to deliver meaningful educational experiences across a spectrum of learning modelsEmpowers educators to deliver industry-ready training for the leaders of tomorrow

SANTA ROSA, Calif., April 18, 2023 /3BL Media/ Keysight Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: KEYS) introduces the Keysight Digital Learning Suite, a new unified digital learning platform that provides university engineering educators and students with lab tools, resources, and courseware through a single, secure web interface.

In response to demands for flexible learning options, universities are moving from in-person education to digital and hybrid learning models. Although these new models provide unprecedented flexibility for time and location, there are still challenges for engineering educators. They often find themselves pressured to compete against each other to provide the highest quality education for their universities. Many educators also find themselves trying to balance their own research work against teaching demands that require time spent on curriculum development, administrative activities, and managing engineering resources.

The Keysight Digital Learning Suite addresses these challenges by delivering a unified, web-based digital learning platform that provides secure, one-stop access to university engineering lab resources, measurement data analysis tools, and industry-ready learning resources.

The digital learning platform offers educators the following benefits:

Powerful Engineering Lab Management – The platform streamlines and simplifies lab management allowing educators to focus more time on teaching and collaboration tools to interact with students in real time. The software suite integrates with popular learning management systems (LMS) such as Blackboard, and Canvas.Remote Test Instrument Control and Data Analysis Tools – The software provides direct access to the soft front panel of lab instruments to perform measurements remotely, take screenshots, plot measurement data to XY plot, perform math functions to XY plot, and more. The platform connects and links to instruments in-lab or on a local network.World Class Learning Resources – The platform provides access to premium lab exercises and courseware from Keysight University through a single sign-on from an integrated LMS.

Keysight is at the forefront of providing innovative learning solutions to the education industry that advance teaching with hardware and software tools that transform academic teaching labs. As part of the local and global community, Keysight is committed to STEM education by supporting programs that encourage students from all backgrounds to pursue careers in science and engineering. To date, the company has partnered with more than 30 universities worldwide to provide industry-ready certification with more than a thousand students receiving certification.

Mary Gross, Vice President of Partnerships at Anthology, Inc., said: “We are pleased to have Keysight’s new Digital Learning Suite fully integrated into Anthology´s learning management system, Blackboard Learn. Through this integration with Keysight, engineering students now can have full access to education and lab resources within the LMS so they can graduate with industry-ready skills.”

Tan Boon Juan, Vice President and General Manager of General Electronics Measurement Solutions for Keysight said: “At Keysight, we are dedicated to empowering engineers with the latest knowledge and tools to tackle the constantly evolving technology landscape and drive innovation. Our innovative Digital Learning Suite represents our commitment to providing educators with a comprehensive platform for delivering cutting-edge industry-ready training that prepares future leaders for success in their respective industries.”

Resources

Keysight Digital Learning SuiteKeysight UniversityKeysight Innovation Challenge

About Keysight Technologies

At Keysight (NYSE: KEYS), we inspire and empower innovators to bring world-changing technologies to life. As an S&P 500 company, we’re delivering market-leading design, emulation, and test solutions to help engineers develop and deploy faster, with less risk, throughout the entire product lifecycle. We’re a global innovation partner enabling customers in communications, industrial automation, aerospace and defense, automotive, semiconductor, and general electronics markets to accelerate innovation to connect and secure the world. Learn more at Keysight Newsroom and www.keysight.com.

From March 23rd to March 29th, a total of 206 Illumina colleagues in Greater China walked to support the recovery of the endangered species, finless porpoise population, and the healthy development of the Yangtze River ecosystem by donating their walking steps.

A total of 8,090.38 kilometers were walked virtually, and over $16,000 was raised to support the project. The charity walk was selected by employees following a survey asking which endangered species they would most like to support.

For 25 years, Illumina has been dedicated to innovation and has continued to spearhead the creation of cutting-edge technology. Our groundbreaking technology unlocks the potential of genomics in the study of biodiversity and research on endangered species conservation and ecosystem protection. We are also active in deepening our impact on local communities and driving meaningful change through community investment and employee volunteerism.

Learn more about our sustainability initiatives and how we engage employees.

When people think about climate change and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, food may not be the first thing that comes to mind.

However, what people eat, and how that food is produced, are substantial contributors to climate change.

According to World Resources Institute (WRI), more than one quarter of the world’s GHG emissions come from food production, including how it is grown, processed, transported, distributed, prepared, consumed, and disposed of.

“We estimate that over half of Aramark’s carbon footprint comes from the food being purchased and served throughout our operations,” said Alan Horowitz, Vice President, Sustainability at Aramark. “Cutting carbon emissions is a critical component of Aramark’s environmental, social, and governance (ESG) plan, Be Well. Do Well., and a reason we have embarked on several initiatives to be able to hit our environmental targets.”

One of those important initiatives was announced in October 2021 when Aramark became the first food service provider to adopt Coolfood meals, an initiative of WRI that helps companies reduce the climate impact of food and label meals that are better for the environment.

In June 2022, Aramark became the first contract foodservice provider in the U.S. to sign WRI’s Coolfood Pledge, making a commitment to reduce the GHG emissions associated with the food the company serves in the U.S. by 25 percent by 2030.

Healthy, Delicious Climate Action

What are Coolfood meals?

“We are proof that meals can be climate-friendly, healthy, and delicious,” said Edwina Hughes, Head of Coolfood at WRI. “We help organizations like Aramark analyze their recipes to make sure meals fit within certain carbon and health parameters—and then certify those meals may be assigned a Coolfood badge at points of service. Coolfood makes it easy for consumers to find dishes they love and to participate in climate action at the same time.”

Working with Aramark experts, WRI analyzes recipe ingredients to establish a dish’s carbon footprint, including the land used to produce that meal.

Dishes that contain beef, lamb, and dairy generally have a higher carbon footprint than vegetables, legumes, and grains.

However, that doesn’t mean Coolfood meals are strictly vegetarian or vegan.

A recipe might be what Aramark calls, “plant-forward,” in which vegetables, beans, and whole grains are more prominent on a plate while small amounts of meat are used almost as a garnish.

Eating plant-forward can often be better for a person’s health, as well.

To make sure Coolfood meals are nutritionally sound, WRI analyzes a dish’s calories, saturated fat, sugar, sodium, fiber, protein, and fruit/vegetable levels.

Each Coolfood recipe must meet both the established per-meal carbon threshold and the nutritional safeguards.

Coolfood Meals Take Off!

College students in particular are interested in finding ways to reduce their personal carbon footprint.

Starting in spring 2022, Aramark piloted Coolfood meals at 10 U.S.-based universities, making it easier for students on those client campuses to make climate-friendly choices.

During the pilot program, Aramark managers and chefs learned how Coolfood meals work in a real-life environment. Among the findings, the team learned the following:

Awareness of the Coolfood meals badge quadrupled pre-pilot to post-pilot;Two-thirds of consumers said the badge would likely affect their meal choice; andClient requests to participate increased across Aramark lines of business.

One of those pilot accounts was University of Virginia (UVA).

“Coolfood meals fit in really well on campus,” said Caroline Baloga, Aramark Sustainability Manager at UVA. “The University is working toward several sustainability goals, one of which is carbon neutrality. Coolfood meals has helped us realize which items are more climate-friendly—and pass that awareness along to the students.”

“The program was relatively easy to implement, and the students seem to respond well to the menu items,” said David Mason, Aramark Senior Executive Chef at UVA. “We now offer eight Coolfood meals for both lunch and dinner every day at three residential dining halls. A lot of the items are plant-forward so there’s synergy there in terms of student preferences. As long as we are satisfying customers with great items, it all works out.”

Some popular items at UVA include the Chicken Tikka Masala Rice Bowl, Margherita Flatbread, and Greek Vegetable Ciabatta.

Based on the success of the pilot, Aramark expanded Coolfood meals to customers in Aramark Healthcare+, Aramark Workplace Experience Group, and Aramark Collegiate Hospitality in January 2023.

As of March 2023, Coolfood meals were available at more than 1,000 locations in the U.S. and Canada, making climate-friendly dining options available and convenient for guests.

“We have been going through the recipes and trying items to figure out what works best in our retail cafe,” said Karina Radziak, Aramark General Manager at Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia.

Because Coolfood meals also fit into nutrition parameters, they often meet Aramark’s guidelines for Eat Well healthy menu items.

As part of National Nutrition Month in March, Aramark Healthcare+ dietitians at Einstein Medical Center hosted a sampling table for hospital staff and visitors to demonstrate how meals can be tasty, healthy, and climate-friendly. Customers enjoyed samples of Spicy Chicken and Portobello Pasta and Mango Quinoa Salad.

“The hospital is focused on sustainability overall, and we are also part of the Philadelphia Good Food, Healthy Hospitals initiative,” said Radziak. “Einstein Medical Center is part of a larger health system, so we think Coolfood meals will fit in well here and might get expanded to other hospitals in the future.”

To date, more than 1,500 Aramark recipes have been certified as Coolfood meals, including tasty and popular items such as Pesto Cavatappi and Vegetables, Tofu-Potato Hash, California Taco Salad, Spicy Shrimp and Penne, and Eggplant Meatball Marinara.

“The evidence is clear. Our customers crave more climate-friendly meals—and Coolfood meals are one way we can deliver that,” said Horowitz. “If we make it easier for our chefs and easier for our guests, we can make low carbon meal choices available to everybody at almost all of our accounts.”

Aramark is working to continue to expand the availability of Coolfood meals through additional lines of business and geographies.

The 10-year supply agreement covers the plant in Buñuel, in the autonomous community of Navarra, and will save the paper group 12,870 metric tons of CO2 per year.

PORCAR (LU), Italy, April 17, 2023 /3BL Media/ – Sofidel, one of the world’s leading paper groups for the production of paper for hygienic and domestic use known particularly in Italy and Europe for its Regina brand, has signed a long-term supply agreement in Spain with ACCIONA Energía, one of the main players in Spain for renewable energy.

The agreement, a 10-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), will provide the Buñuel plant in the autonomous community of Navarra with 90 gigawatt hours per year of renewable electricity from ACCIONA Energía’s renewable facilities in Spain. This will save the paper group 12,870 metric tons of CO2 emissions per year.

The agreement provides for the supply of electricity with 100% renewable origin accreditation certified by Spain’s National Commission for Markets and Competition (CNMC), as well as access to ACCIONA Energía’s GREENCHAIN® application, a platform based on blockchain technology that allows the renewable origin of energy to be tracked in real-time. Using this tool, Sofidel will know which ACCIONA Energía production plant and which renewable source supplied each MW to its plant.

“In line with its path toward a low-carbon economy, Sofidel is pursuing a multi-option energy procurement policy, linked to the different legislative, infrastructural and environmental contexts in which it operates” explains Riccardo Balducci, Sofidel Energy & Environment Director. “The signing of the PPA with ACCIONA Energía fits into this pattern and represents a decisive step toward achieving our goals.”

Javier Montes, Commercial Director from ACCIONA Energía, comments: “PPAs represent a valuable ally for companies committed to energy transition and emissions abatement. With this agreement, ACCIONA Energía consolidates its partnership with Sofidel and helps support the Group in achieving its sustainability goals.”

Sofidel’s 2030 CO2 emission reduction targets have been approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) as consistent with the reductions needed in order to limit global warming to well below 2°C under the Paris Agreement. These objectives include a 40% reduction in Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3 CO2 emissions in relation to its suppliers’ pulp production activities;in addition to a further objective of a 24% reduction in Scope 3 CO2 emissions per metric ton of paper.

A commitment to fight climate change that has enabled Sofidel to once again, in2022, rank in the Leadership band of the Climate Change rating of the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP),among the leading independent international organizations measuring environmental performance, and obtained for the second consecutive year the Platinum recognition from EcoVadis for its approach to sustainability confirming its place among the top 1% of companies in its sector worldwide.
 

About The Sofidel Group     
The Sofidel Group, a privately held company owned by the Stefani and Lazzareschi families, is a world leader in the manufacture of paper for hygienic and domestic use. Founded in 1966, the Group has subsidiaries in 12 countries – Italy, Spain, the UK, France, Belgium, Germany, Sweden, Poland, Hungary, Greece, Romania, and the USA – with more than 6,400 employees. A member of the UN Global Compact and the international WWF Climate Savers program, the Sofidel Group considers sustainability a strategic imperative and is committed to promoting sustainable development.  For more information, visit www.sofidel.com.         

Media Contact:     
Brianna Fitzpatrick  
Mulberry Marketing Communications  
bfitzpatrick@mulberrymc.com