Month: May 2023

Originally published on TriplePundit

For large companies intent on gathering the full scope of greenhouse gas emissions data to meet their climate goals, working together with suppliers is the only way to assess the crucial Scope 3 emissions. These are the indirect emissions produced both upstream and downstream across the value chain that account for 75 percent of companies’ GHG emissions on average.

While Scope 3 is hugely important for corporate climate risk disclosure, companies have the least control over these emissions compared to Scope 1, direct emissions from owned or controlled sources, and Scope 2, indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity.

That’s where collaboration comes into play — recognizing that every supplier, no matter the size, is part of the bigger picture. Small- to- medium-sized enterprises may seem less consequential than the large companies they supply, but collectively, they have a huge impact: SMEs make up 90 percent of businesses worldwide and affect the livelihoods of over 2 billion people. Together, they rack up emissions (63 percent of business emissions in Europe, for example), and the way they choose to conduct business impacts ecosystems and people’s quality of life in all corners of the world.

As larger businesses make commitments to track, disclose and reduce their environmental impacts — particularly their Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions — they also have a responsibility to source from more sustainable suppliers and to work with their suppliers to change their practices if needed.

An approach that emphasizes collaboration and partnership — rather than top-down edicts and demands for data without context or time to prepare — will be far more successful in winning over most suppliers, says Andy Bastien, senior product manager for water and supplier transparency at the ESG and sustainability software company FigBytes.

“If you are asking someone for this information — for data on emissions you don’t control — you should make sure they understand that ask,” Bastien explains. “Your suppliers might be large organizations or small mom-and-pop shops. And if you want them to provide specific Scope 3 data, that will require a level of engagement and transparency for both company and supplier to work together to become better stewards of the climate together.”

Growing pressure for Scope 3 data

The demand for Scope 3 emissions data will not lessen any time soon. In fact, it is likely to increase, given changing regulatory requirements on how companies disclose their climate risks and a trend of standardized climate and environmental reporting.

That includes a forthcoming climate risk disclosure rule from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that, as TriplePundit has reported, few companies are prepared to meet. Regulatory scrutiny on company climate performance is part of a global trend: In the European Union, the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive entered into force this year, broadening the entities that need to report to some 50,000 companies, including SMEs.

On the standardization side, the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) will soon require the companies using its reporting framework to disclose a range of information to assess climate risks and climate resilience. Its first two IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards are set to be released in June 2023 and become effective as of Jan. 1, 2024.

Not least, investors want to see Scope 3 emissions data as they try to understand the climate-related risks of their investments — and many have supported the push for the SEC disclosure rules.

Even if Scope 3 emissions are not included in the final SEC climate disclosure rule for large companies, other regulations — such as the proposed disclosure rule for U.S. federal contractors — underscore why companies need to raise their game on supplier relationships.

Best practices for engaging suppliers 

With fewer resources at their disposal, many SMEs are wondering how they can meet their customers’ demands for Scope 3 emissions data. While half of SMEs surveyed by the U.N.-backed SME Climate Hub calculate emissions and 60 percent have plans to reduce carbon impact, two-thirds are worried they don’t have the right skills and knowledge to tackle climate change.

Clearly, collaboration and partnership to overcome those types of barriers would be welcome. Bastien has found the most success with companies that understand their own house and what they are trying to achieve.

The companies that are successful at supplier data-gathering “look at it as an engagement policy, not an enforcement policy,” Bastien says. “Some large organizations may be able to command some leverage with their suppliers due to size alone, but most organizations don’t have that kind of leverage. The best approach is when companies look to adopt the role of an educator or enabler of their suppliers, rather than being prescriptive with top-down demands.”

Collaborative approaches that companies may want to consider include putting together a supplier code of conduct, if they don’t already have one, so suppliers have a clear understanding of expectations. Some organizations might use a survey to gauge the level of knowledge among their suppliers on Scope 3 and other climate risk information, or hold webinars or information sessions to raise awareness. Technology of course, serves a critical role too. Climate management software solutions help ease the burden of Scope 3 emissions data gathering for both companies and their suppliers.

Industry sectors can also look to join forces to support one another on meeting the increased demand for climate data. “There is power in numbers,” Bastien says.

Yet despite well-intentioned efforts, some suppliers may be reluctant to share their data, he acknowledges. Some organizations may see revealing their climate-related data as a negative rather than a positive, posing a risk that they might lose a contract if their performance is seen as lacking.

“That’s where engagement has to go hand-in-hand with transparency, so that suppliers can see this collaboration on improving climate and ESG performance as an asset rather than a liability,” Bastien explains.

No avoiding the downward pressure

For SMEs that may be hesitant to open up about their emissions to their customers, regulatory scrutiny on climate risk disclosure will soon make this everyone’s business.

“SMEs should understand that when these bigger players are mandated and regulated to report, it will put downward pressure on everyone to have their house in order,” Bastien says. “Whether you are a small supplier and don’t think you are affected by these regulations, if you are working for a bigger supplier, it is trickling down to you at the end of the day, and your own suppliers as well.”

Seeing the opportunity rather than the risk

Knowledge is power, and SMEs that fully understand their emissions performance can not only keep a positive relationship with their customers, but also pass that knowledge down to their own suppliers. In this way, Scope 3 emissions data becomes just another line in the accounting ledger, all along the value chain.

“Scope 3 GHG emissions are becoming part of the new reality, of every company’s bottom line, so putting yourself ahead of that risk and helping your suppliers reduce their risk is just a smart way to run your business,” Bastien says.

“The more we can ensure everyone takes the importance of doing their part to heart, the more we can get better data and have everyone across the value chain improve in terms of bringing down emissions,” he adds. “The entire chain gets a better lift when everyone does their part.”

And again, given the changing regulatory and reporting landscapes, there is no way around it. As Bastien puts it: “Achieving the desired outcome around Scope 3 is a matter of everyone raising their games together, because that is how we ultimately will be successful on this path to decarbonization.”

This article series is sponsored by FigBytes and produced by the TriplePundit editorial team.

Image credit: Tom Fisk/Pexels

What do we talk about in Episode 4: The Future of the CSO – APAC?

As the role of the chief sustainability officer (CSO) continues to evolve at pace, we are working closely with our network of sustainability leaders to share practical insights into the skills, knowledge and expertise that will be required for the future of the profession, and to inspire the next generation of sustainability change makers. This year, we’ve teamed up with Patricia Dwyer, Founder and Director at The Purpose Business and former CSO for the Shangri-La Hotels, to interview sustainability leaders across Asia, and gather their insights on what it takes to be a CSO in the region. ‘The Future of the CSO – APAC’ series will bring you an in-depth understanding of how the role has changed, how it will continue to evolve, the skillsets required and the challenges that will be faced. It is important that we keep learning, sharing and developing. 

Who is Dr Darian McBain?

​Dr Darian McBain is the CEO at Outsourced Chief Sustainability Officer (OSCO) Asia, an organisation she founded in 2023. Prior to this, she was Chief Sustainability Officer for the Monetary Authority of Singapore and is the former Global Director of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability for Thai Union, a global food producer. She has over 20 years of experience in sustainability, working for corporates, government, the UN, academia and NGOs. She is highly awarded for her work, including being named one of Asia’s Top Sustainability Superwomen in 2019, one of Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business 2020, and a UN Sustainable Development Goal Pioneer in 2021.

At the time of filming, Dr Darian McBain was Chief Sustainability Officer at the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).

Who is Patricia Dwyer?

​Joining us as the host for the ‘Future of the CSO – APAC’ is Pat Dwyer, an internationally-respected sustainability expert, passionate about sharing her 20+ years of experience and leadership to help businesses in Asia thrive through responsible growth. She has guest lectured, spoken and moderated across global platforms including The Obama Foundation, The World Economic Forum, The Thomson Reuters Foundation, The University of Cambridge and The Climate Competent Boards Certificate Program, sharing her insights in sustainability, purpose, leadership and governance.

Pat and her team of globally-experienced sustainability and business practitioners across industry, academia, NGOs and government at The Purpose Business, guide companies to activate purpose, address ESG impacts and scale sustainability responsibly, in order to future-proof their business. Pat has advised and worked with blue chip companies including MTR, The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Marsh Asia, Cathay Pacific, Jardine Matheson, Swire Properties, Universal Robina, Metro Pacific Investment Corporation, and Ayala.

Who is Greg Brittian?

​Joining the episode as our host and Acre representative is Greg Brittian, Head of Sustainable Business – APAC. Greg leads Acre’s work in sustainable business, focused on the APAC region, with a particular emphasis on senior-level executive searches. Greg has been with Acre for over seven years and during this time, worked globally with some of the biggest names in the consumer goods, manufacturing, extractives, infrastructure and power generation industries. Greg holds a BSc degree in Environmental Science, Economics and Anthropology, and was previously involved in the studies of the emerging carbon credit trading sector in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, environmental consultancy work in the fishery sector of Caborra Bassa, Mozambique, and worked as a countrywide sales manager in Zimbabwe.

About Acre

At Acre, we work with the most aspirational businesses with potential to make real change; from those who are just starting out to those who are well on the journey to crafting a legacy.

Our 18 years’ experience in sustainability recruitment, combined with our extensive global network, enables us to provide talent solutions that are designed to deliver this change.

Through our unique behavioural assessment technology, we understand the types of people, skills and behaviours required to create impact. We can develop these qualities within your existing teams too.

We find talented people and develop their skills to ensure they make a true impact in ambitious, progressive organisations.

Acre. Making companies ready for tomorrow.

Originally published in GoDaddy’s 2022 Diversity and Pay Parity Annual Report

Investing in our people is an ongoing pursuit.

Building an inclusive and equitable workforce requires accountability. That’s why we report our progress publicly. For eight years, we’ve published our diversity and salary data to show where we’ve done well — and to spotlight areas where we can continue to improve.

It’s an ongoing journey, and we’re in it for the long haul.

Visit GoDaddy’s 2022 Sustainability Report for more information on related efforts to mitigate unconscious bias and enable equity across all phases of the employee lifecycle.

“Diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging isn’t just about influencing behaviors—it’s equally important to integrate these priorities into the fabric of what we do as a company every day. GoDaddy knows real change can only be sustained if it’s built into our processes and culture simultaneously.”

– KRISTY L., VICE PRESIDENT OF DIVERSITY, INCLUSION AND BELONGING

Pay Parity

A critical part of building a more inclusive and equitable company is ensuring that employees are paid fairly for doing the same kind of work, regardless of demographics. Reporting pay parity data shows current and prospective employees that we are committed to equal pay for equal work.

While GoDaddy’s pay parity target is $1.00 for $1.00, a few cents on either side of a dollar is considered an equitable result. This is due to the analysis being a single point in time data set, which includes total compensation awarded such as annual bonuses and equity grants, all of which are variable and impacted by employee performance.

Starting in 2022, we partnered with a third- party expert to execute a rigorous multivariate regression analysis that accounts for variables like performance and length of time in a role, which are considered reasonable explanations for differences in pay. This ensures that we are applying appropriate and accepted methods and standards to our analysis and mitigations.

While the results are similar year over year for our company-wide pay parity analysis despite the enhancements in our methodology, we can now proactively review pay recommendations during our annual compensation cycles to ensure pay decisions are equitable.

Methodology

All data is based on end-of-year global employee population data and includes total direct compensation received in 2022, such as base salary, company bonuses and equity awards. Additionally, through our new partnership with a third-party expert, we can broaden our definition of “similar work.” For example, our previous analysis required at least one man and one woman in the same geography, job family and job level to be included in the analysis. Now, with the use of enhanced statistical analyses, we only require one man and one woman in the same job level, which increases the total population represented globally.

In addition to the change in our definition of “similar work,” we also expanded our representation data to include employees with unknown demographics. Previously, we excluded any employee who selected “Declined to Identify” when providing personal demographic data at the time of hire as they could not be accounted for in the pay analysis. Starting in 2022, this segmentation is part of the representation data, so we can evaluate our whole organization and identify where opportunities emerge to make progress in representation. With these improvements, we now capture a more complete picture of our employee population, including 98% of our global workforce and our non-binary employees for the 2022 results.

2022 Salary Data – Global Gender

For every $1.00 a man makes at GoDaddy company-wide, a woman makes the same. This is the eighth year in a row that GoDaddy achieved pay parity for men and women globally. Delving further into the numbers, women in leadership roles (defined as director level or higher) make $0.03 less than their male counterparts. In technical positions, women make $0.99 for every $1.00 that men make in similar roles. Women in non-technical roles make the same as their male counterparts.

Compensation Data — Gender 
For every dollar a man makes at GoDaddy, a woman makes:

All Company: 

Women 2022: $1.00Women 2021: $.99

Leaders (Directors +):

Women 2022: $.97Women 2021: $.98

Technical Roles:

Women 2022: $.99Women 2021: $1.00

Non-Tech Roles

Women 2022: $1.00Women 2021: $.99

Non-Binary

Non-Binary 2022: $1.01Non-Binary 2021: N/A

2022 Salary Data – U.S. Race/Ethnicity 

Our U.S. pay data shows us that for every $1.00 a white employee earns at the company level, an employee of color earns $1.01. 

The data also reveals that employees of color in the U.S. earn $0.02 more than their white counterparts in tech roles and are at parity for non-tech positions. The data also shows us that for every $1.00 a white employee makes in a leadership position at GoDaddy, an employee of color makes $1.03. 

High growth and turnover, which many tech companies have experienced in the past few years, are likely responsible for these results. For example, we welcomed new executive leaders who increased our underrepresented population in 2021, and the data has since flattened after that bump.

Compensation Data — U.S. Race/Ethnicity 
For every dollar in the U.S. someone white makes, someone of color makes:

All Company:

People of color 2022: $1.01People of color 2021: $1.01

Leaders (Directors +):

People of color 2022: $1.03People of color 2021: $1.10

Technical Roles:

People of color 2022: $1.02People of color 2021: $1.01

Non-Tech Roles

People of color 2022: $1.00People of color 2021: $1.00

2022 Salary Data – U.S. Race/Ethnicity 

We continue to study the data to understand how we pay employees from different underrepresented groups in the U.S. to ensure fairness across each. We found that for every $1.00, Black employees earns $0.98; Asian American employees earn $1.04; Hispanic or Latino/ a/x employees earn $1.00; American Indian employees earn $0.97; Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander employees earn $1.02; and multiracial employees earn $0.99 in the U.S.

A Closer Look at Compensation Data — U.S. Race/Ethnicity 
For every dollar in the U.S. someone white makes, someone of color makes:

American Indian

Race/Ethnicity 2022: $.97Race/Ethnicity 2021: $.97

Asian

Race/Ethnicity 2022: $1.04Race/Ethnicity 2021: $1.03

Black

Race/Ethnicity 2022: $.98Race/Ethnicity 2021: $.99

Hispanic or Latino/A/X

Race/Ethnicity 2022: $1.00Race/Ethnicity 2021: $1.00

Pacific Islander

Race/Ethnicity 2022: $1.02Race/Ethnicity 2021: $.99

Multiracial

Race/Ethnicity 2022: $.99Race/Ethnicity 2021: N/A

Please read our 2022 Diversity and Pay Parity Annual Report for more information.

BALTIMORE, May 11, 2023 /3BL Media/ – Truist Foundation announced a $1.5 million commitment to Accion Opportunity Fund, a certified nonprofit community development financial institution (CDFI), which offers responsible capital, coaching and networks to small businesses owned by people of color, women and/or low-to-moderate income entrepreneurs. With the grant funds, Accion Opportunity Fund will pilot a Down Payment Assistance Fund to help more Black and Latine individuals as well as women become first-time truck owners and entrepreneurs in Maryland and Georgia, part of its overall strategy to close gender and racial wealth gaps by investing in and supporting overlooked, underestimated entrepreneurs nationwide.

Maryland Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller, Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott, Truist Financial Chairman and CEO Bill Rogers, and Accion Opportunity Fund CEO Luz Urrutia gathered at Coppin State University—a historically Black university in Baltimore, Md.—to formally announce the grant and explore the impact of this work in Baltimore and beyond.

“Truist Foundation recognizes the need for more tangible resources for women and people of color entrepreneurs,” said Lynette Bell, president of Truist Foundation. “Truck drivers quite literally drive our economy, and we are honored to partner with Accion Opportunity Fund to ensure that more first-time truck owners have a path towards affordable capital. This new Down Payment Assistance Program will help create quality job opportunities in our communities and propel our local economies forward.”

Entrepreneurs of color and women have historically experienced larger barriers to obtaining finance to start or expand their businesses. Through the Down Payment Assistance Fund, more people will be able to participate in the trucking industry with support to fund their truck down payment costs, sustain their businesses and establish a path to economic mobility.   

“We are grateful for this new relationship with Truist Foundation, which will provide critical support for women and people of color in the trucking industry,” said Urrutia. “Access to capital and resources should not be a barrier for first-time truck owners looking to drive wealth creation for themselves and our broader economy. The Down Payment Assistance Program will provide new opportunities for economic mobility for these entrepreneurs who are too often shut out of the traditional financial system.”

In the past year, Accion Opportunity Fund disbursed 2,422 loans totaling $113.2 million in capital to small businesses, primarily to entrepreneurs of color, women, and/or low- to moderate-income entrepreneurs. Since launching trucking lending in 2010, Accion Opportunity Fund has invested over $360 million in trucking through more than 6,300 loans, including loans to more than 5,700 first-time truck buyers.

“As a transportation engineer, I know the strong opportunities for entrepreneurship and greater financial capital that exist in the transportation industry. We must ensure historically disadvantaged communities are included in these opportunities for growth,” said Lt. Governor Miller. “Today, Accion Opportunity Fund and Truist Foundation are taking meaningful steps to level the playing field and the Moore-Miller administration is grateful for their partnership as we work to create pathways to work, wages and wealth for all Marylanders across all sectors.”

Over half of Baltimore’s privately held businesses are owned by Black, Indigenous and people of color individuals. And while people of color are leading the nation’s small business boom, they are more likely to be denied credit or approved for smaller amounts than white business owners. Small business ownership, which includes self-employed truckers, is a proven path to building household wealth and financial security. On average, business-owning households earn more than twice the wealth of their wage-earning peers—and this impact is even more pronounced for business owners of color. Accion Opportunity Fund aims to help create equal opportunities and grow this revenue.

“The collaboration between Accion Opportunity Fund and Truist Foundation aligns with our commitment to financially empowering our minority and women entrepreneurs in the trucking industry,” said Mayor Scott. “A few months ago, we announced a $10,000 hiring and retention bonus to eligible existing and new City employees who require a Commercial Drivers License (CDL) to work. Now, through the Accion Opportunity Fund, we are equitably providing access to affordable capital that allows truck drivers to establish wealth for themselves and scale their business. It is the gift that keeps on giving.”

Truist Foundation’s support in Baltimore goes beyond its work with Accion Opportunity Fund. Previously, the Foundation also granted $600,000 to Baltimore Community Lending, a CDFI nonprofit that provides loan capital to small business owners by offering funding and training to help entrepreneurs break through systemic barriers.

About Truist Foundation 
Truist Foundation is committed to Truist Financial Corporation’s (NYSE: TFC) purpose to inspire and build better lives and communities. Established in 2020, the foundation makes strategic investments in nonprofit organizations to help ensure the communities it serves have more opportunities for a better quality of life. Truist Foundation’s grants and activities focus on building career pathways to economic mobility and strengthening small businesses. Learn more at Truist.com/Foundation.

About Accion Opportunity Fund 
Accion Opportunity Fund works to create an inclusive, healthy financial system that supports the nation’s small business owners by connecting entrepreneurs to affordable capital, educational resources, coaching, and networks. Through innovative partnerships and outreach strategies, we reach entrepreneurs of color, low-income entrepreneurs, and women, who often lack access to the financial services they need to build and grow their businesses. Accion Opportunity Fund Community Development is the lending arm of Accion Opportunity Fund, California Finance Lender license #6050609. Visit the organization at aofund.org to learn more about their business growth resources and funding opportunities.

SOURCE Truist Foundation

For further information: Kristen Fraser, Truist, media@truist.com; Janel Knight Trulear, Accion Opportunity Fund, janel@emccommunications.com

The Morningstar folks are on top of monitoring and reporting on investment trends, including embracing sustainable investing as a major trend to track. They acquired the Sustainalytics ESG ratings firm and over the years have rated hundreds of sustainability-labeled mutual funds and ETFs. For the 2023 celebration of Earth Day, which was first held in 1970. 

In our Top Story below, Morningstar’s Tom Kuh looked at six pioneering funds that launched as much as a half-century ago and reports on where they are now.

Early societal movements in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries focused on preserving and protecting natural resources (forests), open land (leading to today’s national and state parks), and ocean treasures (coral reefs). This was first labeled as “conservation” but that evolved over time to include “environmental protection” as American and European industries liberally poured waste and toxins into land, air, and bodies of water.

The first Earth Day was organized by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin, to raise public awareness of the significant damage being done to our environment. An estimated 20 million people attended events on April 22, 1970, which was shortly after President Richard Nixon in his first term exerted pressure to help the 91st Congress pass the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (becoming the law of the land on January 1, 1970).

“NEPA” created the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Council on Environmental Quality (“CEQ”) within the White House. The legislative momentum paved the way for passage of significant legislation such as the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act. This wave of 1970s legislative and administrative action helped to raise public awareness of the importance of environmental protection. Savvy, prescient players in the investment community responded by creating investable products that initially addressed environmental issues.

The Morningstar analysis of early mutual funds categorized as “socially responsible investments” (SRI), evolving over time to “sustainable and responsible” and then to “impact” investments. SRI was new in the early 1970s and the pioneer funds were small in comparison to where they are today.

The six pioneering mutual fund complexes analyzed by Morningstar are:

Pax World Funds (now, Impax Asset Management);Calvert Research and Management (now part of Eaton Vance Management);Parnassus Investments;Domini Impact Investments;Trillium Asset Management (founder Joan Bavaria was one of the founders of Ceres);Boston Trust/Walden Asset Management.

As Tom Kuh points out, “the firms stand out as authentic, staying true to their purpose at a time when investors are alert to the potential for greenwashing.” Although Earth Day 1970 began “with an exclusive focus on the environment,” Kuh points out, “we can view sustainable investment as the investment legacy of Earth Day.”

These funds stayed true to their original purpose. Many more mutual funds and ETFs and other investable products (green bonds are an example) have come to market. While claims of “greenwashing” are sometimes made, the SEC has standards and rules in development for the asset managers of climate-related investment products.

Of value for us: Tom Kuh explains the comprehensive process that Morningstar uses to help guide investors seeking sustainable portfolios with such resources as its Sustainable Investing Framework, Morningstar Sustainable Ratings, and ESG Commitment Level. The G&A team closely follows the ESG ratings firms and will continue to keep you updated on trends in sustainable investing.

This is just the introduction of G&A’s Sustainability Highlights newsletter this week. Click here to view the full issue.

The Healthcare Plastics Recycling Council (HPRC) has published an updated version of our Design Guidelines for Optimal Hospital Plastics Recycling. This guidance aims to influence the design of plastic healthcare products and packaging for improved recyclability without deteriorating product integrity or performance.

This guidance has been recently revised based on current trends, technological advancements, and the expanded membership and knowledge base of HPRC. This work provides recommendations for preferred materials for mechanical recycling processes and briefly describes potential future opportunities for the use of advanced recycling technologies.

“The HPRC Design Guidance is unique in the way that it focuses on designing healthcare products and packaging to be more compatible with current recycling infrastructure,” says Rachel Hogan, R&D Sustainability Engineer – Healthcare at Amcor and Design Guidance project co-lead. “There are many barriers to recycling healthcare products and packaging today, but it is through resources like this that we can start to shed some light on the possibilities for recycling these materials. The HPRC project team involved in this work was extremely collaborative and I continue to be impressed with both the amount of expertise this group holds and the willingness of the HPRC community to put forth their time and effort to create resources that benefit the entire industry.”

“This is an extensive update compared to the last revision of the Design Guidelines in 2016 and provides more in-depth detail for packaging engineers and product developers,” says Cristina Van Loy, Senior Manager – Environmental Sustainability at Thermo Fisher Scientific and Design Guidance project co-lead. “The updated guidance represents input across all HPRC members and consensus for how we can make improvements to healthcare plastics for greater recyclability. Additionally, we were able to include highlights from other organizations working diligently in this space, including Association of Plastic Recyclers, RecyClass, Circular Economy for Flexible Packaging and Sustainable Packaging Coalition, resulting in a comprehensive guidance document.”

Download Here.

HPRC will continue to revise and update the guidance on a regular basis as technology advances and trends in hospital plastics recycling evolve.

HPRC is currently engaged in multiple initiatives aimed at enabling the recycling and circularity of healthcare plastics, including research into advanced recycling technologies to recycle mixed-stream healthcare plastics and a study of reverse logistics processes for collecting, segregating, and preparing healthcare plastic waste for transport.

About HPRC 

HPRC is a private technical coalition of industry peers across healthcare, recycling, and waste management industries seeking to improve the recyclability of plastic products within healthcare. Made up of brand-leading and globally recognized members, HPRC explores ways to enhance the economics, efficiency, and ultimately the quality and quantity of healthcare plastics collected for recycling. HPRC is active across the United States and Europe working with key stakeholders, identifying opportunities for collaboration, and participating in industry events and forums. For more information, visit www.hprc.org and follow HPRC on LinkedIn.

In celebration of Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month, on May 3, 2023, AEG hosted a virtual conversation “Inside the Grind” with the New England Patriots wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster who discussed his experience navigating the professional sports world as a Samoan-American athlete.

The panel was presented by AEG’s Asian Pacific Islander employee network group and was moderated by Serafina Maulupe, one of the employee network group leaders. The session explored Juju’s journey to the National Football League, how his culture and community have shaped him as an athlete and the importance of promoting inclusivity in sports. 

During the conversation, Juju recalled his experience winning the Super Bowl in 2023 and discussed why it was important for him to represent his Polynesian heritage on field after the game by wearing an ulā fala, a Samoan ceremonial leia, and a Samoan flag. 

“It’s important that you never forget where you came from,” said Smith-Schuster. “You start from the bottom, and you have to remember who brought you to where you are today. Without the Poly community and their support, I wouldn’t be who I am today.”

AEG’s Asian Pacific Islander employee network creates a sense of belonging among the company’s employees by empowering them to celebrate their heritage and highlights the contributions of those who identify as Asian Pacific Islander.