Month: May 2023

THE RAY

USDOT selects The Ray as Capacity Builder for 15 communities in launch of national Thriving Communities Program 
The Ray announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has awarded $5.1 million to The Ray and partners Arcadis, InfraStrategies, and Beverly Scott Associates to support 15 communities as a Networked Communities capacity builder within the USDOT’s Thriving Communities Program. The 15 communities matched with The Ray are located near ports, airports, freight, and rail facilities. Community infrastructure needs and priorities will drive The Ray’s capacity building strategy and focus on mobility, access, housing, economic issues, workforce development, and environmental justice. Read the full story.

The Ray Has Published its 2022 Annual Report 
Click here to download it.

Biomimicry on The Ray 
The Ray and the Biomimicry Institute are both key funding initiatives for the Ray C. Anderson Foundation. With that in mind, we are extremely proud that The Ray has collaborated with a team of biomimicry practicioners. A recent announcement by The Ray says: “By designing transportation technologies like nature, human designs can create conditions that are conducive to life.” 
Read the story and download the report.

BIOMIMICRY INSTITUTE

Ray of Hope Prize Finalists Featured in Video Series 
The Biomimicry Institute has been featuring a series of videos highlighting the innovations of the 2022 finalists for the Ray of Hope Prize®. The Foundation is a funder for the program, and we are proud of the work that is being done to celebrate nature-inspired solutions addressing the world’s biggest environmental and sustainability challenges. Learn more in the Ask Nature Gallery, which features all of the project videos and the biological strategies behind them. Click here to view the video about Biome Renewables.

Wild Creativity Opens at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry 
Creatividad silvestre | Wild Creativity invites visitors of all ages to explore fundamental concepts of biomimicry through hands-on design challenges, spotlighting the interplay between the art and science of nature and how it continues to inform our world.

This OMSI-made, Spanish-language forward exhibit reveals how animals and nature work in unique, sustainable, and efficient ways. The Biomimicry Institute is a collaborator in this traveling exhibit that could be coming soon to a museum near you. Learn more.

RAY C. ANDERSON CENTER FOR SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS

Students Win Startup Seed Funding in First Sustainable-X Showcase 
Startup founders from Georgia Tech presented their business ideas at the first Sustainable-X Showcase in March, and the top three teams won seed funding. Sustainable-X is a partnership of CREATE-X and the Center, and a Sustainability Next Georgia Tech Strategic Plan initiative. Sustainable-X Co-director Andre Calmon said, “We hope to accelerate the Georgia Tech ecosystem that supports the development of innovative ventures aligning profits with positive social and environmental impact.” Read the article about the Showcase and a spotlight on WheelChariot, which won first prize.

Meet Scholarship Winner Meghana Embar

Georgia Tech business administration major Meghana Embar believes in “conscious decision making” when it comes to sustainability. Following a plant-based diet and problem solving for supply chain efficiency are just two ways Meghana is making a positive impact. The Center and Scheller College are pleased to announce that Meghana has been selected as the 2023 recipient of the Vivian Nora Lukens Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship was established to support undergraduate students who are pursuing the certificate in sustainable business. Read the article.

Scheller College MBA Students Attend ClimateCAP

ClimateCAP 2023 was a summit for MBA students, focused on the business sense of climate action. Thomas Rickabaugh said, “The conference increased my excitement for sustainability and interest in actions businesses must take to combat climate change.” The Center provided small grants to 14 Scheller College MBA students to help cover conference and travel expenses. Read students’ reflections.

DRAWDOWN GEORGIA

Georgia’s Changing Carbon Footprint: Drawdown Georgia Reports on Progress and Opportunities

Georgia’s overall greenhouse gas emissions are declining, experts and researchers from the Drawdown Georgia Research Team announced. The researchers report that, while the Covid-19 pandemic may have been the impetus for some of the emission decline measured from 2017 to 2021, most emission reductions come from the use of cleaner fuels to generate electricity in the state. Researchers also posit that the opportunity to more quickly deploy Georgia’s most effective climate solutions is supported by investments that are newly available under recent federal policy, such as the Inflation Reduction Act. Read the press release.

Drawdown Georgia Offers County by County GHG Emissions Reports 

Drawdown Georgia unveiled “Drawdown Georgia by the Numbers” this week at the Georgia Climate Conference in Athens, GA. This new tool enables Georgians to subscribe to receive localized data on greenhouse gas emissions in their counties. Learn more here.

2023-24 Drawdown Georgia Climate Solutions and Equity Grant Recipients Featured

In 2022, Drawdown Georgia launched its inaugural Drawdown Georgia Climate Solutions & Equity Grants program with four other Georgia-based family foundations. Grantees for the 2023-24 cohort were announced in December 2022, and two of the grantees and co-applicants have been featured in the Drawdown Georgia blog. Read more about Athens Land Trust grant. Read about the Gwinnett Housing Corporation‘s grant with the Georgia Hispanic Construction Association and the Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance (SEEA).

Congratulations to Blair Beasley

The Foundation staff and trustees offer their most heartfelt congratulations to Blair Beasley who has been named managing director, Environment for the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. Blair has served as Director of Climate Strategies for the Foundation since 2021, and she was an original research team member for Drawdown Georgia before it was launched. Blair has played an instrumental role in the growth of that initiative. She will definitely be missed, but we are excited about all of the great things she will accomplish in her new role!

ECOCENTRICITY BLOG

Ecocentricity Blog: How a Breakthrough Anode Technology Is About to Level-Up Lithium-Ion Batteries

By: John A. Lanier

In recent years, multiple companies have made promising progress on replacing graphite with silicon in the anodes of lithium-ion batteries. In doing so, they are primed to significantly increase the performance of the battery type that is currently driving the transition to electrified transportation. Read the blog.

Ecocentricity Blog: Reflections on the 2023 Georgia Climate Conference

By: John A. Lanier

The most recent edition of the Georgia Climate Conference was a resounding success. All of us at the Ray C. Anderson Foundation are grateful for the work that went into convening it. We came away inspired and reminded of how important it is to gather as a climate community. Read the blog.

WEST CHESTER, Pa., May 31, 2023 /3BL Media/ – Qurate Retail GroupSM has been named to the Fortune list of America’s Most Innovative Companies 2023. This prestigious award – in its very first year – is presented by Fortune and Statista Inc., a world-leading statistics portal and industry ranking provider. The awards list, comprised of 300 US-companies who scored the highest in a holistic evaluation of innovative activity, was announced on March 29, 2023, and can currently be viewed on the Fortune website. Qurate Retail Group is part of Qurate Retail, Inc. (Nasdaq: QRTEA, QRTEB, QRTEP).

Qurate Retail Group is comprised of six leading retail brands – QVC®, HSN®, Ballard Designs®, Frontgate®, Garnet Hill® and Grandin Road® – all dedicated to providing a more human way to shop. The company is a global leader in video commerce (“vCommerce”), which includes video-driven shopping across linear TV, ecommerce sites, digital streaming and social platforms. Qurate Retail Group has a long record of innovation on new and emerging video platforms, creating live and live-like video shopping experiences that gather large audiences of passionate shoppers. Qurate Retail Group’s newest division, vCommerce Ventures, is working to accelerate the company’s leadership and innovation in streaming.

“This recognition from Fortune honors the inventive spirit at the heart of our team and our business,” said David Rawlinson, President and CEO of Qurate Retail, Inc. “We’re always experimenting. We recently introduced an app to redefine how younger generations discover products and shop through video. We’re adding new original content to our streaming service every week, blending shopping, entertainment and pop culture in new ways. We continue to place our linear TV channels on more FAST (free ad-supported streaming TV) outlets. We just never stop pushing the boundaries to create better experiences for our customers.”

Fortune and Statista selected America’s Most Innovative Companies 2023 based on three pillars: product innovation, process innovation and innovation culture. Three hundred US-companies with the highest score were awarded as America’s Most Innovative Companies.

For the evaluation of the innovation culture and the internal view of process innovation, Statista deployed online surveys where employees could score their own company on a scale system.For the evaluation of the external view of process innovation as well as product innovation, Statista surveyed experts in various fields – from recruiters to management consultants and patent attorneys.For the evaluation of the IP portfolio, Statista cooperated with LexisNexis PatentSight and used their platform to analyze the quantity and value of a company’s patents.

About Qurate Retail Group

Qurate Retail GroupSM comprises six leading retail brands – QVC®, HSN®, Ballard Designs®, Frontgate®, Garnet Hill® and Grandin Road® – all dedicated to providing a more human way to shop. Qurate Retail Group is the largest player in video commerce (“vCommerce”), which includes video-driven shopping across linear TV, ecommerce sites, digital streaming and social platforms. The retailer reaches more than 200 million homes worldwide via 14 television channels, which are widely available on cable/satellite TV, free over-the-air TV, and digital livestreaming TV. The retailer also reaches millions of customers via its QVC+ and HSN+ streaming experience, websites, mobile apps, social pages, print catalogs, and in-store destinations. Qurate Retail Group combines shopping and entertainment to curate products, experiences, conversations and communities for millions of highly discerning shoppers. Headquartered in West Chester, Pa., Qurate Retail Group has team members in the U.S., the U.K., Germany, Japan, Italy, Poland and China. For more information, visit qurateretailgroup.com or follow Qurate Retail Group on YouTube or LinkedIn.

Qurate Retail, Inc. (NASDAQ: QRTEA, QRTEB, QRTEP) is a Fortune 500 company that includes the Qurate Retail Group portfolio of brands as well as other minority interests and green energy investments.

ORLANDO, Fla., May 31, 2023 /3BL Media/ — Habitat for Humanity Greater Orlando & Osceola County is proud to announce a new partnership with Wesco International. The leading global supply chain solutions provider with a distribution center in Orlando recently donated $35,000 to support Habitat Orlando & Osceola’s Home Preservation Program. This critical initiative provides essential education, inspections and repairs to ensure residents can stay in safe, affordable homes through the upcoming hurricane season and for many years to come.

“Natural disasters like hurricanes can have devastating effects on people and families, and it is crucial that we take preventative measures to ensure homes are as safe and secure as possible,” said Chris Wolf, Wesco Chief Human Resources Officer and executive sponsor for Wesco Cares. “We encourage other organizations to support Habitat for Humanity Greater Orlando & Osceola County to create and maintain affordable housing in our community.”

The donation will specifically support education and free Wind Mitigation and 4-Point Inspections to those who qualify. These inspections are vital in assessing the structural integrity and safety features of homes. In addition to the financial donation, Wesco team members volunteered to help build homes in Orlando’s Silver Pines Pointe community on May 19.

“We are incredibly grateful to Wesco for their generosity and commitment to our mission,” Habitat for Humanity Greater Orlando & Osceola County President and CEO Catherine Steck McManus said. “Their contribution will significantly strengthen our Home Preservation Program that makes lasting impacts on the lives of homeowners and help create stronger, more resilient communities.”

About Habitat for Humanity Greater Orlando & Osceola County

Driven by a vision that everyone deserves a safe, affordable place to live, Habitat for Humanity Greater Orlando & Osceola County builds and repairs homes and strengthens communities. Families and individuals in need of a hand up partner with Habitat Orlando & Osceola to build or improve places to call home. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. Working together by donating, volunteering or becoming an advocate, everyone can help members of our community live in safe, affordable homes. Founded in 1986, Habitat Orlando & Osceola is one of Habitat for Humanity International’s over 1,100 affiliates working in communities throughout the United States and in more than 70 countries. To learn more, visit HabitatOrlandoOsceola.org.

About Wesco

Wesco International (NYSE: WCC) builds, connects, powers and protects the world. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Wesco is a FORTUNE 500® company with more than $21 billion in annual sales and a leading provider of business-to-business distribution, logistics services and supply chain solutions. Wesco offers a best-in-class product and services portfolio of Electrical and Electronic Solutions, Communications and Security Solutions, and Utility and Broadband Solutions. The Company employs approximately 20,000 people, partners with the industry’s premier suppliers, and serves thousands of customers around the world. With millions of products, end-to-end supply chain services, and leading digital capabilities, Wesco provides innovative solutions to meet customer needs across commercial and industrial businesses, contractors, government agencies, institutions, telecommunications providers, and utilities. Wesco operates approximately 800 branches, warehouses and sales offices in more than 50 countries, providing a local presence for customers and a global network to serve multi-location businesses and multi-national corporations.

Morrisville, PA – Danielle, a single mother of three, always dreamed of being able to provide her family with a home of their own. In 2018, she contacted Habitat for Humanity of Bucks County, and after investing countless hours of sweat equity and study in Habitat’s financial workshops, her dream became a reality on May 23, 2023. That is the day she received the keys to a new, three-bedroom home on Hillcrest Avenue in Morrisville, PA — the 126th Habitat house built in Bucks County.

As one of the lead sponsors of this home, KeyBank market leaders and volunteers participated in the dedication ceremony and witnessed the proud moment when the house they helped build became the new home of Danielle and her family. In addition to providing funding from KeyBank Foundation, KeyBank employees also contributed to the 1,218 volunteer hours spent building the house. KeyBank’s most recent build day was in April, with volunteers Ryan Bradley (Spring House branch), Suzanne Cody (North Broad branch), Lesley Jun (Skippack branch) and Laura Smith (Harrleyville branch) doing painting and other projects.

“KeyBank has shown exceptional leadership as a champion of affordable housing initiatives within the Morrisville community,” said Florence Kawoczka, executive director, Habitat Bucks. “Their commitment to the well-being and prosperity of families like Danielle’s is commendable. Through their financial support and volunteer build days, they have helped make affordable homeownership a reality for Danielle and have set an example for others to follow.”

To learn more about Key’s teammates are giving back to communities, read the 2022 Environmental, Social, and Governance Report here.

Fun fact: 70% of Habitat homes are built by volunteers!

About Habitat Bucks:

Founded in 1990, Habitat for Humanity of Bucks County’s mission is Building Communities, Empowering Families. Since then, it has built or fully renovated 125 homes that are affordable in Bucks County through its Homeownership Program, which provides an opportunity for low-income families to build strength, stability, and self-reliance by partnering with Habitat. Its low-cost Home Repair program makes interior and exterior repairs, including critical repairs, to help individuals improve accessibility and safety in their own homes. Revenue from Habitat Bucks ReStores provides a source of sustainable funding for the construction and repair of homes. Habitat Bucks has an open-door policy: All who believe that everyone deserves a decent, affordable place to live are welcome to volunteer to lend a helping hand. For more information, call 215.822.2812 or visit habitatbucks.org.