Month: June 2023

DAVIDSON, N.C., June 28, 2023 /3BL/ – Trane® – by Trane Technologies (NYSE: TT), a global climate innovator, and Santikos Entertainment announce that the theater has achieved an annual 30% energy savings as a result of comprehensive energy and infrastructure upgrades on six Santikos theaters in the San Antonio area.

The annual savings involve 3,800,000 kWh in electricity. Using the EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Equivalency Calculator to convert to carbon metrics, this is equivalent to the annual energy consumption of approximately 340 households. The impact of these improvements can be felt year round, even during the peak summer season of 100+ degree temperatures and extreme humidity. Santikos guests enjoy a comfortable indoor environment, with more closely controlled temperatures and better indoor environmental quality (IEQ) from well-ventilated air and consistent humidity, while keeping costs low.

“We are excited to welcome people back to the theaters and provide a comfortable viewing environment,” said Andrew Brooks, Santikos Entertainment. “Working with Trane, we were able to enhance the experience in our theaters: it’s the sound you hear, the movie you watch, the popcorn you eat and the air you breathe–all of it’s important to us. To deliver on our promise while reducing energy consumption is especially impactful.”

To meet Santikos’ needs and high standards across a range of IEQ measures, including thermal comfort, air quality and acoustics, the new Trane HVAC equipment features advanced ventilation and filtration, and a web-based building management system that can be adjusted in real time from a central location to optimize efficiency and adapt to changing needs posed by the sub-tropical climate and the dramatic changes in theater occupancy throughout the day.

“We are honored to collaborate with Santikos Entertainment to help make the San Antonio area a better place,” said Jared Lambert, account manager, Trane. “Their commitment to the community is only equaled by their commitment to guest comfort. We are proud to support both with highly efficient solutions that help create a better indoor environment while reducing energy use, all of which will benefit the community for years to come.”

In addition to maintaining steady temperature and humidity levels, the Trane system features variable speed technology which eliminates the noise created when traditional equipment switches on and off to maintain temperature. This is especially beneficial in movie theaters where sound is as important as comfort in the overall guest experience.

Trane presented Santikos Entertainment with an Indoor Environment Quality Award for implementing three of the essential elements of IEQ in its theaters, including indoor air quality, thermal comfort, and acoustics.

“The Trane Indoor Environment Quality award seal symbolizes the importance we place on the customer experience and the spirit of collaboration, solutions, and responsiveness of our Trane team to help us deliver on that promise,” said Brooks.

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About Santikos Entertainment 
For over 100 years, Santikos Entertainment has been dedicated to creating extraordinary experiences for moviegoers of all ages. As a premier entertainment company, we have delighted audiences since our founding in 1911. With state-of-the-art theaters, luxurious amenities, and a commitment to exceptional customer service, we strive to provide the ultimate cinematic journey. From the latest blockbusters to independent films, our theaters offer diverse screenings to cater to every taste. But we’re not just about movies – we also host special events, private screenings, and corporate gatherings, ensuring unforgettable moments for our guests. Beyond our commitment to entertainment, Santikos is deeply rooted in our community. We actively support local charities, education initiatives, and other philanthropic endeavors by donating over 80 million dollars since 2015 through the San Antonio Area Foundation. Join us as we continue to redefine the movie-going experience and bring the magic of the big screen to life. Visit Santikos.com for more info.

About Trane 
Trane – by Trane Technologies (NYSE: TT), a global climate innovator – creates comfortable, energy efficient indoor environments for commercial and residential applications. For more information, please visit www.trane.com or www.tranetechnologies.com.

About Trane Technologies 
Trane Technologies is a global climate innovator. Through our strategic brands Trane® and Thermo King®, and our portfolio of environmentally responsible products and services, we bring efficient and sustainable climate solutions to buildings, homes, and transportation. Visit tranetechnologies.com.

Clorox’s ESG goals are integrated into our IGNITE strategy because we believe they drive growth and create positive value for our brands, people and communities. We’ve focused on where we can make the biggest impact — Clean World, Healthy Lives and Thriving Communities — and have 20 public-facing ESG goals in these areas. Through this “Steps to … ” series, we’re sharing how we’re making progress every day against the goals and showcasing the people who are making it all possible. This month we talk to Shanique Bonelli-Moore, chief diversity and social impact officer, about our goal around inclusion.

People talk a lot about diversity, but why does inclusion matter?

Let me start by sharing that at Clorox we have a multidimensional approach we call IDEA. Along with inclusion, we also focus on diversity, equity and allyship. When we can tackle challenges in a holistic way, we can unlock positive impact for our people, business and community.

Inclusion is the crucial foundation for all other aspects of our IDEA strategy. That’s why we lead with the “I” before anything else. After all, how can you attract and build a diverse talent community without first having a culture that supports and respects individuals’ unique differences? We can live our purpose and drive growth better when we have an inclusive workplace where every person feels respected, valued and fully able to participate in our community.

How do you measure if Clorox has an inclusive culture?

The primary way we measure and track inclusion is through our Clorox experience survey. As part of this annual survey, we get our teammates’ perceptions of how inclusive their experience is at Clorox — from their manager, to their teams, to their leaders, to our overall culture. We ask them to assess to what degree they believe that all employees have the opportunity to be successful, regardless of diversity characteristics; if teams openly discuss differing opinions in reaching decisions; if managers and senior leadership visibly champion diverse perspectives as a key to Clorox’s business success; and if they are able to be their authentic selves at work.

Working with a third party, we then calculate our inclusion index score, take input from other listening forums, and benchmark our findings against prior years and the broader industry. We are transparent about our results, sharing key findings with teammates and then acting on areas of opportunity.

How is Clorox tracking? Are there any opportunities to improve?

We measure ourselves by looking at change over time and external benchmarks as well as the strength of the absolute scores. Like all surveys, results fluctuate year over year as they’re impacted by internal and external events and pressures that, in turn, impact teammates’ perceptions and expectations.

Some takeaways:

There are opportunities for improvement but also areas where we’re gaining traction. For example, women have historically scored above our overall company average while People of Color score below.People have expressed a desire for more access to and transparency around career development processes. We’ve acted on this feedback by rolling out internal job postings so all teammates can have greater visibility of and access to career opportunities, and we’ll continue to do more.Teammates are in very different places along the IDEA journey. There is not one right answer that will satisfy all people, but we are committed to continuing to build an inclusive culture.

The work of IDEA is never done. We won’t reach a goal and walk away. This work requires a continual push to maintain inclusive momentum and get better as people and as a company.

How does Clorox foster a culture of inclusion?

We have a number of programs and initiatives to promote a culture of inclusion. Let me share some:

Our 14 employee resource groups play a big role in fostering an inclusive culture, creating communities around shared identities and their allies to connect, grow and make an impact. They do amazing programming to bring people together to celebrate, engage and educate as well as to talk about intersectionality that helps create a strong sense of belonging and connectedness among all participants.We know managers have an outsized impact on creating an inclusive culture. Recently senior Clorox leaders participated in inclusive leadership trainings. We got great feedback, and, as a result, we’re rolling it out to all people managers this spring and companywide over the next year. We also working to provide dedicated IDEA-related trainings through our new manager development initiative.We conduct experiential trainings like Breaking Bias that help people recognize and minimize bias to avoid roadblocks. We also host open, candid discussions around topical issues such as environmental justice and allyship through our “Cups of Understanding” meeting series and “What’s the DiversiTea?” podcast.I’m proud that Clorox also focuses on allyship. While inclusion is the act of valuing someone’s idea or contribution, allyship is an evolution of inclusion into action. It’s all about taking an active role in decentering yourself to make space for and to center others.

What are some ways anyone can help create an inclusive culture?

It could be as simple as giving someone praise, adding your pronouns to your email signature, asking for someone’s opinion who you normally wouldn’t ask or just listening more. The work around inclusion is especially impactful when done by local teams and managers, with learnings practiced daily.

Our ESG commitment is driven by our purpose to champion people to be well and thrive every single day. Learn more about our ESG goals here. Want to make a positive impact on the world? Learn about Clorox careers here.

Originally published by TriplePundit

Rice is the most commonly eaten food in the world, but conventional rice production has a hefty environmental impact. Growing rice is incredibly water-intensive, and flooded fields are ideal growing conditions for methane-emitting bacteria.

For Jim Whitaker, proprietor of Whitaker Farms and a fifth-generation Arkansas rice farmer, the environmental challenges of conventional rice production were also economic concerns. “I grew up farming,” Whitaker said. “My dad struggled through a historic drought in the ‘80s. I remember coming home on my dad’s birthday, and he had gotten a foreclosure letter from the bank and was going to lose the farm. I was 16 years old, and I could not get that out of my brain.”

When Whitaker and his brother Sam started farming, they began again from scratch with a new plot of land and a loan from the U.S. Farm Service Agency. “We had a beginning farmer FSA loan and the worst piece of ground, but we knew that we had to adapt and change. Doing things the old way was not going to work,” he said.

The brothers decided to add irrigation to their land and level it off, which vastly improves water efficiency and reduces methane emissions. “We got lucky out of the gate,” Whitaker remembered. With a good crop and some income, they were able to further develop their land and rent another farm, which they also leveled.

“We went zero-grade and leveled the rice field completely flat. At the time, it is the gold standard for water conservation and greenhouse gas emissions reduction,” Whitaker explained. Over time, the brothers acquired more and more farmland and transitioned it to regenerative and water-smart practices — growing their operation from 90 acres in 1993 to as many as 9,000 acres today.

Scaling up sustainable rice production 

In 2010, Whitaker attended the Rice Leadership Development Program, where he met a rice buyer for Mars, Incorporated. “We became great friends, and that started the journey of Whitaker Farms growing rice for the Ben’s Original brand,” Whitaker said. Today, Whitaker Farms produces over a third of the rice that Mars uses in Ben’s Original Ready-to-Heat pouches in the U.S. and Canada.

Whitaker Farms has also built up its sustainable rice practices over the years and now uses water sensors to monitor in field water levels. This allows them to conserve water through precision irrigation, providing water to fields at just the right times and in just the right amounts, and maximize yield at the same time.

Whitaker also uses a third-party verifier to track and monitor greenhouse gas emissions. The farm specializes in a technique called “alternate wetting and drying,” which means they allow rice fields to dry out before irrigating, a method which is making major waves in an industry that has long relied on perpetually flooded fields.

The wetting and drying method not only saves water and emissions, but it also has financial benefits: By adopting these methods, Whitaker Farms has been able to reduce their fertilizer input by 20 percent and irrigation by 50 percent. They have even been able to sell carbon credits to other companies for reducing emissions through regenerative practices.

A longstanding supplier relationship opens doors for sustainable rice practices 

Whitaker said the relationship with Mars is critical to the farm’s sustainable rice success story. “Rice is a unique market,” he told us. “It is highly controlled globally, and there isn’t a mechanism that allows farmers to trade in the market in the U.S. Our contract with Mars is a good relationship, because it gives me the ability to plan. I know how many acres to work and the budget to work within.”

Mars is committed to sourcing 100 percent of its rice from farmers working toward more sustainable and climate-smart rice production practices, aimed at reducing GHG emissions, reducing unsustainable water use and increasing profitability for farmers. Mars is also a member of the Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP), a global alliance dedicated to helping small farmers grow rice sustainably and increase their resilience to climate change.

Mars is the first company in the consumer goods industry to commit to sourcing 100 percent of its rice from farmers working toward the SRP. It’s also helping other farmers learn about the environmental and economic benefits of wetting and drying rice production.

“We don’t have a lot of choice as farmers,” Whitaker said. “The equipment is getting bigger and more expensive every year. As the farms get bigger, underserved farmers are getting left behind. There is a huge opportunity for the government to provide tax incentives to retiring farmers to transition their farms to new, historically underserved farmers, through a transition period and an apprenticeship. Historically underserved farmers can’t get into regenerative agriculture if they can’t make ends meet. We need to meet them where they are.”

Kristen Campos, VP of corporate affairs at Mars Food North America, said the company is eager to keep this conversation going. “Ben’s Original mission to create opportunities that give everyone a seat at the table,” she said. “So we are looking at different ways and pursuing partnerships to support underserved farmers and bring more people into the farming profession.”

A slow but steady move toward sustainable rice production

Whitaker reflected on his early career, noting that the buzzwords he heard around sustainability planted a seed in his mind. “I could sense the industry was moving in this direction and there was a demand for it,” he said. “People want to do business with folks who are doing the right thing.”

He now realizes that doing the right thing was good for his land as well as his business. Whitaker Farms uses 50 percent less water than the mid-South average and emits 50 percent less methane through alternate wetting and drying, compared to farms of equivalent size using flooding methods. The farm also has 20 percent higher land use efficiency, with yields 20 percent higher than the average for the area.

But Whitaker doesn’t want to stop at the environmental and economic impacts. “From a social standpoint, we are trying to make farming halfway fun,” he said. “It wasn’t fun when I grew up. Nobody aspired to be a farmer.” He now strives to make his farm a place where people want to work and foster a more creative and inviting agricultural industry that will attract “sharp young people” looking for a career.

“We hope to train other farmers, and we want to make a difference in their operations,” he concluded. “When it comes to regenerative or climate-smart practices, well, folks need to realize that farmers only get one chance a year to make a mistake. If we plant the wrong variety or put out the wrong fertilizer, we mess up the crop. So, these practices can be scary if they’ve never done it. If we can help people use less water and farm a few more acres economically, then perhaps there is a social benefit to that.”

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

Image courtesy of Mars Incorporated 

Originally published on Built From Scratch

“There are few things in life that bring a greater sense of satisfaction and purpose than the act of giving,” says Arthur Blank, Home Depot cofounder, in his book Good Company.

To that end, giving back has always been a core part of The Home Depot’s culture.

Team Depot was created in 1993 as a way of organizing associates who were eager to volunteer in their communities. Not only did associates jump in to help following Hurricane Andrew the year before, but they were giving back to their communities for years. The Home Depot’s associates are an integral part of the communities they serve.

For 30 years, Team Depot associates have worked side by side with non-profit partners around the United States. In addition to remodeling and landscaping projects, other early Team Depot focus areas were spending time with the elderly and participating in activities with at-risk youth. Today, together with The Home Depot Foundation, Team Depot improves the homes and lives of veterans and helps communities impacted by natural disasters. Associates in Canada and Mexico also participate in Team Depot community projects.

Retiree Nancy Bussan spent 22 years at the store in Mt. Prospect, Illinois, and was her store’s first Team Depot captain. One of her favorite memories is when her store renovated a playground at a nearby apartment complex. “Being a captain was a lot of work, but the projects helped our store do good for the community,” Bussan recalls. Team Depot impacted Nancy’s family, too. “My kids helped with several projects when they were teenagers, and we are so proud of how they turned out as adults, often helping their neighbors with projects or whatever they need.”

“There is one constant with Team Depot: Our associates have always been eager and willing to step up in times of need.”
– Mike Cartozzo

Customer Service Training Manager Mike Cartozzo has participated in Team Depot projects throughout his 31-year career at The Home Depot. “While the specific projects and organizational partnerships might change over the years,” he reflects, “there is one constant with Team Depot: our associates have always been eager and willing to step up in times of need. They give back to our communities and customers outside of our stores, often when they themselves have been impacted. I can’t think of a better way to bring our values to life.”

View highlights from 30 years of Team Depot here.

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