Month: June 2023

Covia is the responsible steward of approximately 75,000 acres of land across our global footprint. Planning for responsible land use is embedded throughout the life cycle of our operations – from our careful approach to early development and operational planning, to our production phase, all the way through our collaborative reclamation process aimed at protecting, restoring and nurturing the land and biodiversity. Over the decades, we have helped restore a wide variety of diverse ecosystems including wetlands, forests, ranch lands, shorelines and more.

One example is the reclamation of Covia’s mine and plant site in Huntingburg, Indiana. In 2017, we began our work to reclaim a former clay pit spanning approximately seven acres at this site. We solicited feedback from the local community, and together determined that the best use for the land would be agriculture, which required elimination of steep slopes and removal of all water features. In 2022, Team Members backfilled and graded the land, applied soils to replicate the original horizon and layers, implemented vegetation and erosion control measures, and safely sprayed for invasive species. In 2023, the site will be assessed for improvement opportunities, and a water control structure will be constructed to help mitigate erosion. Approximately five miles south of this site, Huntingburg Team Members also cleaned out the sedimentation pond, which will be stocked with several fish species. In addition, the area was seeded with winter grasses and habitat structures have been placed around the pond, including bird boxes. The pond and surrounding area will become the center of the plant’s 2023 WHC-certified site. “I am very pleased to work for a company that listens to its communities and prioritizes addressing their needs and wishes. I am proud of this property, as it is a clear example of Covia doing the right thing for our neighboring communities.” – Kevin Heckel, Plant Manager, Huntingburg, IN.

To hear more from Kevin Heckel about this reclamation project, please watch this video.

AUSTIN, Minn., June 27, 2023 /3BL/ – Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE: HRL), a Fortune 500 global branded food company, is one of the best companies to work for in America, according to a list compiled by U.S. News & World Report. 

The publication measured workplace factors —including quality of pay and benefits, work-life balance and flexibility, job and company stability, physical and psychological comfort, belongingness and esteem, and career opportunities and professional development.— in determining its inaugural list of 200 companies.

“We are honored to be counted among the best companies to work for in America,” said Jim Snee, chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer of Hormel Foods. “This recognition serves as a testament to the enduring values and strong culture that have shaped our organization over our 132 year history. At Hormel Foods, we have always believed that our success stems from the passion and commitment of our remarkable team members, and our dedication to fostering a culture of respect, collaboration, and continuous growth. Our team members are the bedrock of our company, and we take immense pride in creating an atmosphere that nurtures their talents, empowers their voices, and supports their overall well-being.”

Already considered one of the most trusted and admired companies in the world, Hormel Foods places a great importance on the growth, development and engagement of its team members, providing competitive pay and benefits while also ensuring a safe, inclusive workspace for everyone.

“This recognition is a testament to our unwavering commitment to providing competitive pay, comprehensive benefits, fostering a collaborative culture, and prioritizing the overall well-being of our team members,” said Katie Larson, senior vice president of human resources for Hormel Foods. “We understand the significance of attracting and retaining top talent in today’s competitive landscape, and our focus is on how we will continue to build a workplace that not only attracts top talent but also fosters a sense of fulfillment, belonging, and shared success. We are proud of this recognition and excited for the future as we continue to prioritize our employees’ satisfaction and well-being.”

Hormel Foods has a long-standing reputation as one of the most successful food companies in the world and has received numerous honors and accolades in that regard. The company has been named one of the World’s Most Admired Companies by Fortune, America’s Most Responsible Companies for a fourth consecutive year by Newsweek, one of the World’s Top Female-Friendly companies by Forbes, and one of America’s Most Trustworthy Companies by Newsweek for the second straight year.

To view the full list of U.S. News’ best companies to work for, visit https://www.usnews.com/.

The Good Stuff Podcast delves into inspiring stories of success and perseverance. Through well-crafted story monologues, we showcase individuals who have made a positive impact through their acts of kindness, successful careers, businesses, and military service. Hosted by Jacob and Ashley Schick.

“Believe the Unbelievable with Jon Freier,” is a podcast episode featuring T-Mobile president of Consumer Group, Jon Freier. Jon’s story is about how a challenging childhood shaped him not only as a person, but the leader he is today. He talks about his personal tragedies and struggles and ties them to the culture at T-Mobile … and how he tries to help others break out of their own difficult cycles to be successful.

Jon joins Jacob and Ashley Schick of One Tribe Foundation for the conversation on their new podcast, The Good Stuff, airing on iHeart as of June 27, 2023.

Listen to Jon’s full episode here.

June 27, 2023 /3BL/ – The Ray, in partnership with the Biomimicry Institute, today published an innovative regenerative-design study addressing some of the most critical challenges in the U.S. transportation and mobility sector, including safety, congestion, emissions, and waste streams. Biomimicry on The Ray findings suggest that solutions to these
challenges can be improved upon and informed by designs that are observable in nature.

Biomimicry leverages nature’s “big picture” design frameworks and processes to influence human engineering and design. Biomimicry on The Ray identifies biomimetic and bio-inspired technologies that have not yet scaled in use or funding in infrastructure, and provides regenerative design solutions that align with The Ray’s goal of achieving net-zero in transportation. By mimicking the resilient capabilities of natural systems, The Ray can consider new infrastructure concepts and projects that minimize environmental impact and promote efficient, sustainable technologies within transportation.

For example, insect sensing and self-organization functions can inform efficiencies in connected vehicle (V2X) technology by creating mathematical optimization processes that provide drivers with real-time information on the best resources available for battery charging, fuel, or other services. Incorporating synthetically biomineralized materials into infrastructure projects, mimicking the design patterns of stony coral, can capture and sequester transportation carbon emissions as well as reduce the waste streams of carbon dioxide that come from the production of traditional cement. In fact, the nation’s newest advanced research program, ARPA-I, has identified bio-inspired road materials as a promising area of infrastructure research, development and investment, and highlighted North Carolina-based Biomason during its White House launch event this month.

To prevent erosion, reduce flood risk, and filter particulates, The Ray can take inspiration from the North American Beaver to create self-renewing processes for filtering and recapturing tire particles and other toxic materials from roadway runoff.

“The Ray’s three primary goals are zero deaths, zero waste, and zero carbon,” said Harriet Langford, founder of The Ray. “What better example do we have than nature to mimic? Biomimicry provides a lens of how we can use nature’s solutions to work in harmony with the built environment.”

The study also includes an inventory of regenerative advancements and social innovation initiatives that can be made using biomimicry.

“Nature is the only model we have for designing regeneratively and has been conducting R&D for billions of years,” said Deborah Bidwell, the Biomimicry Team’s education manager and biology research facilitator with the College of Charleston. “We want to encourage the growing community of biomimicry practitioners – as well as communities, corporations, and local and state governments – to consider the role that living laboratories like The Ray play as amplifiers of nature-based regenerative innovations and holistic sustainable design solutions.”

The Biomimicry Research Process
Biomimicry on The Ray was an 18-month study that used a multi-phase approach to support the net-zero mission of The Ray. The study started with a three-month scoping initiative that involved interviewing internal and external stakeholders, and reviewing The Ray’s publications, articles, and strategic planning documents to identify areas of focus. The Ray’s staff and Board completed a 15-week professional biomimicry training to understand the biomimicry design methodology in-depth. As a result, The Ray is now uniquely positioned to engage with and implement high-level biomimetic practices.

“Biomimicry offers us the ultimate source of hope for the future, by drawing upon the natural world’s boundless innovations and limitless possibilities,” said Asha Singhal, Co-founder of the Futuring Collective, Lead Designer and Researcher of Hybrid Futures. “It is through the lens of nature’s wisdom that we can envision a world where our technological advancements are in harmony with the planet, and where hope is not just a distant dream, but a tangible reality.”

Read the full report here.

About The Ray
The Ray is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity and net-zero highway testbed, located on 18 miles of Interstate 85 between Lagrange, Georgia and the Georgia-Alabama state line. This stretch of interstate is named in memory of Ray C. Anderson (1934-2011), a Georgia native recognized as a leader in green business when he challenged his company, Interface, Inc., to pursue a zero environmental footprint. Our mission is to reimagine how we connect our communities, our lives and the world in a way that is safer, more responsive to the climate, more regenerative to the
environment, and more capable of creating economic opportunity through innovative ideas and technologies that will transform transportation infrastructure. The Ray Highway is paving the way for a zero carbon, zero waste, zero deaths highway system that will build a safer and more prosperous future for us all. Learn more at www.TheRay.org.

About the Biomimicry Institute
The Biomimicry Institute is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization founded in 2006 that empowers people to seek nature-inspired solutions for a healthy planet. To advance the solution process, the Institute offers AskNature.org, a free online tool that contains strategies found in nature and examples of ways they are used in design. It also hosts a Biomimicry Global Design Challenge and Youth Design Challenge to support project-based education; a Biomimicry
Launchpad startup accelerator program; a Ray of Hope Prize® for developing companies to bring designs to market; and a Biomimicry Global Network that connects innovators across the world. Learn more at https://biomimicry.org.

The Biomimicry Team
Asha Singhal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/asha-singhal/
McCall Langford: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mccalllangfordbmy/
Deborah Bidwell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborah-bidwell-76219b11/
Rich Altherr: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richaltherr/

MEDIA CONTACT
Dallen McLemore, Communications Specialist, The Ray
229.449.6168 | dallen@theray.org | @TheRayHighway