Month: July 2023

Five years ago, Robert Ray thought using virtual reality (VR) to train specialized technicians on nylon spinning machines would be a waste of time.

“This isn’t going to work,” he thought.

But these days, Robert’s career is focused on implementing and finding valuable new applications for VR training and other extended reality (XR) technologies, such as augmented reality, inside Koch companies’ manufacturing facilities.

Robert was introduced to VR training when he was a spinning technician trainer for Koch subsidiary INVISTA, one of the world’s major nylon producers.

To Robert, going from actual to virtual seemed unrealistic. He believed the technology was too complicated for people to learn — much less the spinning equipment — in a timely manner. He also thought that not having the opportunity to work directly with the machines would mean new hires would struggle to grasp the nuances of spinning.

But that was all before he had a chance to experience the technology himself.

“The first time they showed us what it’s like, I was just blown away,” he says. “I thought, ‘This literally feels like I’m on the floor running a spinning machine.’”

Robert was excited by the immersive experience of the VR training program and recognized its potential benefits for himself and his colleagues, including shorter training times, less waste and safer training conditions inside a training room versus on the manufacturing floor. With his expertise as a technician and trainer, he soon began not just using the new VR training regimen, but helping to develop it.

Robert was transforming his career right along with the training program. He now works as an innovation specialist and has become XR’s biggest advocate inside INVISTA Camden — looking for ways to integrate new technologies so that training can occur anywhere there’s a mobile device. 

His natural aptitude for problem-solving helps him teach others to enhance and build their skills while overcoming challenges. He works to help his fellow employees turn fear of new technology into opportunities to evolve their own roles.

“Change is difficult. It’s scary!” Robert says. “But change is a part of growth. If you stay the same, you’re going to stagnate and you’re going to get left behind.”     

Robert’s “aha” moment with VR led to other revelations about what the new technology could do outside the spinning room, across INVISTA and for other Koch companies. Robert says it has started a domino effect of other INVISTA employees exploring how virtual technology can help them transform their own jobs in valuable ways. He predicts that soon, more XR tools will be used by technical and process engineers, as well as in capital projects.

“People wonder, ‘How do I make a change? How do I also implement transformation or how do I innovate?’” he says. “I try to help and then it starts a ripple effect.”

Robert advises coworkers to stop holding themselves back.

“Stop thinking, ‘I may not be the right person to do this,’” he says. “Who better knows that process than you, the person doing that process?”

He also urges colleagues to embrace new technologies, to see them as “tools in our toolbox” that will help them be more effective and efficient in their jobs. Having once been reluctant to step into the unknown, Robert understands his coworkers’ hesitation. But while the journey to self-actualize will often be challenging, it will always be worth the trip, he says.    

Robert happily credits his colleagues, like his supervisor Daphne Fulmer, for encouraging and supporting his transformation.

He says through this process they’ve built a strong relationship. She played a key role in his transformation by taking the time to talk with him and change his mentality from focusing on what his tasks as a trainer currently were, to helping him open his mind to what they could be.

“We need to have hard conversations, but we also need to have conversations about what really excites us,” Daphne says. “It all boils down to, ‘Do my employees know me and do I know them?’”

From someone who once wondered how he could make real change in his role, Robert has evolved to a leader in applying technology to discover new ways to do things. Rather than turn away from the unknown, he now leans into new challenges. His willingness to be open about his fears also has made him a champion for others, helping them, too, discover how to not only survive but thrive in a constantly changing environment.

Originally published on Packaging sites

Beverage cans are the most sustainable drink packaging format on the market, claims Florian Combe, new product development and graphics manager at Crown Bevcan EMEA. We discuss the current beverage industry trends and challenges with Combe, exploring metal cans’ green credentials.

Aluminum is hailed for its infinite recyclability. “This places the beverage can at the center of the circular economy and as the most environmentally friendly option for consumers,” says Combe.

Continue reading here

Since its inception over 100 years ago, the makers of Quilted Northern® have been on the cutting edge of bath tissue. It was among the first brands to be sterilized (1920s), to be “splinter-free” (1930s), to use two layers (1960s), and to offer a three-ply option (2008).

Our latest innovation – Quilted Northern Ultra Soft & Strong® recyclable paper packaging – just landed on retailers’ shelves and online and is expected to eliminate nearly 500K pounds of plastic waste each year. We’ve responded to consumers looking for a product that combines sustainability + comfort and is easy to recycle at home in the curbside bin.

Our brand team conducted more than 50 tests on the packaging, considering the impacts of manufacturing, shipping, production, stocking, and more, and we’re proud to be the first toilet paper brand to offer this packaging.

Recently, the brand’s paper packaging won a 2023 SEAL Environmental Initiatives Award in the Sustainable Materials Usage category. SEAL is an environmental advocacy organization that celebrates companies and leaders across the globe that make measurable contributions to sustainability.

Paper packaging marks the latest in a series of sustainability initiatives for Quilted Northern®. In 2012, the brand invested in state-of-the-art paper making technology for Quilted Northern Ultra Soft & Strong® bath tissue. This groundbreaking technology saves 30% more water and uses 30% less energy vs. other premium national two-ply brands in the drying process on a per sheet basis.

Additionally, the Quilted Northern® brand has partnered with the Arbor Day Foundation® since 2020 to further sustainability efforts and restore national forests by planting two trees for each for each one used to manufacture Quilted Northern Ultra Soft & Strong® bath tissue. A third tree is replanted by the brand’s suppliers. Since the partnership began, more than 5 million trees have been planted to restore forests and rehabilitate habitats.

Learn more about our new recyclable paper packaging here: Quilted Northern Ultra Soft and Strong® Toilet Paper | Quilted Northern®

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Quiet giving is on the rise 

The global economic downturn is placing pressure on companies to tighten budgets and consider pullbacks across areas of spend, with financial investment in corporate programs related to purpose and impact being put to the test. 

In spite of this pressure, companies remain committed to being a force for good — but more quietly than in the past two years. In 2023, we expect fewer bold statements from companies on every hot-button issue and more compassionate action and communications focused on their employees and the local communities where they can make a more pronounced impact — a trend we’re calling “quiet giving.”

Qui•et Giv•ing 
[ kwī-ət giv-iŋ ] verb 

How companies will demonstrate their corporate purpose during difficult times, characterized by turning their focus inward to center investments on their employees and local communities

Companies are investing close to home 

Companies will be leaning in to support those closest to them, namely employees who are experiencing personal challenges related to the economy — increased costs of living, decreased well-being, plunging productivity, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and difficulty maintaining a sense of connection to their colleagues, communities and company.

90% of CSR leaders say companies should spend more time acting on social justice issues through their own practices and programs versus making bold statements.

This new inward focus will manifest through different types of social investments than in years past. In 2023, companies are forecasting the largest increase in investment in employee climate action programs, followed by employee learning and social action programs; diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives; employee resource groups (ERGs) and volunteering. 

Volunteering, which was a bright spot for corporate purpose programs in 2022, will move further into the limelight in 2023 because it offers an answer to many of the challenges facing employees, communities and companies right now. Company-led volunteering initiatives provide an opportunity for employees to meaningfully connect with each other and make an impact in local communities that sorely need support. Doubling down on employee volunteering programs can help to address the labor shortage nonprofits are currently experiencing.

And research in the Journal of Happiness Studies has shown that spending time in service to others can improve well-being, which can come as a restorative reprieve for many during difficult times.

Upward investment in employee programs:

1. Employee climate action programs

2. Employee learning & social micro-actions

3. DEI initiatives

4. Employee resource group budgets

5. Employee volunteering

While companies will prioritize the needs of their people, they will also remain resolute in maintaining their social investments — serving as a critical source of support through grants and partnerships with nonprofits serving vulnerable populations.

Top 5 areas with increase granting focus:

1. Locally focused causes and nonprofits where employees live and work.

2. Black, Indigenous, and other people of color-led organizations and causes focused on equity and justice.

3. Grants aligned with the strengths of the business.

4. Initiatives mitigating the negative impacts of the economy on underserved populations.

5. Organizations addressing systemic problems like homelessness and food insecurity. 

Despite the downturn, we can take comfort in knowing that most companies are maintaining their investments to support key populations and issues and causes close to home while continuing to back their people in making a positive impact at work and out in the world in the ways that matter most to them. Companies who have been committed to purpose for the long term understand the resilience and value it brings to their stakeholders and communities, and they know that now is not the time to pull back.

Discover the top five emerging societal and industry trends shaping the future of CSR, DEI and ESG in The State of Corporate Purpose 2023.

VMware released its 2023 Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) Report, sharing progress and demonstrating its commitment to creating a more sustainable, equitable and secure digital world. The report provides benchmarks toward the goals outlined in its 2030 Agenda, a decade-long ESG commitment that guides business actions across VMware.

As VMware’s technology services and solutions have grown, so too has its commitment to driving ESG results, prioritizing smarter and more focused actions that can help achieve desired outcomes for employees, customers and all stakeholders. This includes engineering a more sustainable multi-cloud experience for our customers, reducing VMware’s emissions to achieve net zero, empowering diverse and distributed workforces, and being a trusted supplier that ships secure, privacy-aware solutions built on a responsible supply chain.

“Throughout our ESG journey, we have continually pushed ourselves to implement a smarter, systemwide approach while staying true to our core intent of serving the needs of our customers while growing our own resiliency,” shared Nicola Acutt, Chief Sustainability Officer and VP of ESG at VMware. “We remain laser-focused on achieving our 2030 commitments and continuing forward by prioritizing innovation and impact.”

The theme of this year’s report is ‘Smart Impact’, reflecting VMware’s strategy to focus on where the company can deliver the most significant results and drive outcomes for customers, partners, employees and the world. Some of these results include:

Launched the Green Score feature in VMware Aria Operations Cloud, which provides recommendations for customers to further optimize energy and carbon in their cloud environments Expanded the VMware Zero Carbon Committed initiative by adding 24 VMware Cloud Services Provider™ partners committed to renewable energy, reaching a total of more than 50 partnersEnhanced VMware Anywhere Workspace solutions with VMware Workspace ONE® Mobile Threat Defense™ to provide customers with added security for their distributed workforceMet near-term science-based targets as of fiscal year 2023 to reduce Scope 1 & 2 and Scope 3: Employee Commute absolute emissionsImproved diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) representation with 33 percent of global hires self-identifying as a woman, and 16 percent of U.S. hires self-identifying as an underrepresented minorityAchieved a 100 percent malware protection score with VMware Carbon Black Cloud Endpoint™ Standard in an independent cybersecurity test by AV-Comparatives1Added company-wide DEI goals as a component of funding for all bonus-eligible employees

Read VMware’s full 2023 ESG Report
Media Contact: corporatepr@vmware.com

1 AV-Comparatives. “Business Security Test 2022 (March–June).” July 10, 2022.

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Synergies Work was started by Aarti Sahgal six years ago when she noticed no other incubators or accelerators were supporting entrepreneurs with disabilities. Since its launch, Synergies Work has supported more than 200 entrepreneurs with disabilities in launching more than 50 startups.

To further propel our world to be a place where people living with disabilities can thrive, Synergies Work submitted its ideas to the Inspire Awards Challenge, sharing how its framework provides financial capital, social capital, education and mentorship to bridge the gaps between the business and disability communities.

On this episode of Inspiring Conversations, Truist Foundation’s audio series with nonprofit leaders doing the work, Truist Foundation President Lynette Bell and Aarti discuss the impact recent grant funding will have on the disability community.

Today is National Disability Independence Day—a day commemorating the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the U.S. law prohibiting discrimination against those with disabilities—and the perfect time to listen to Lynette’s conversation with Aarti.

To learn more or apply to this year’s Truist Foundation Inspire Awards Challenge, click here.

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, Truist 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.

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