Month: August 2023

Originally published on HARMAN Newsroom

Since 2022, the list of industry accolades for HARMAN’s Automotive division has continuously grown — with no signs of stopping.

We are thrilled to announce that HARMAN has received multiple prestigious awards in recognition of our unwavering commitment to manufacturing and quality excellence within the automotive industry. These accolades serve as a testament to the hard work, dedication, and innovative spirit of our team, as we continue to push boundaries and deliver exceptional products to our valued customers. Join us as we celebrate these achievements that propel us forward on our journey towards automotive excellence.

Below is an overview of the awards and certifications HARMAN Automotive has achieved since July 2022:

Excellence in Energy Management Award: HARMAN’s Pune, India facility was recognized as an “Energy Efficient Unit” by a panel of judges at the 23rd National Award for Excellence in Energy Management. Nearly 70 automotive and engineering companies were in the running while only 30 companies walked away with an award.

GM Customer Care & Aftersales On-Time Shipping Award: Our distribution center in El Paso, Texas, USA was recognized by GM for its dedication and commitment to consistently performing above expectations and shipping on time.

GM Supplier Quality Excellence Awards: GM has awarded HARMAN with three Supplier Quality Excellence Awards in Queretaro & Juarez, Mexico. This award recognizes GM’s top performing supplier manufacturing locations that have met or exceeded very stringent quality performance criteria and have also received cross-functional support by the entire GM organization for the 2022 calendar year.

Golden Peacock National Quality Award: For two years in a row, this coveted recognition was awarded to HARMAN’s Pune, India facility. Companies are assessed based on zero pollutant discharge, monitoring & measurement, employee & leadership commitment, and more.

Subaru of Indiana Commodity Leader Award for High Content: In Queretaro & Juarez, Mexico, we were awarded for our ability to deliver products at high volume with high complexity. This is our second time and second year in a row that we have won this award.

ATA Motors Resilient Supply Chain Award: For two consecutive years, TATA Motors awarded HARMAN its Resilient Supply Chain Award based on an outstanding evaluation of launch, supplier, process, and customer quality.

Toyota Best Supplier Logistics Award: In Manaus, Brazil, we received recognition from Toyota for being among the best logistics companies in the country with 100% deliveries and zero logistical incidents.

Volvo Cars Quality Excellence (VQE) Certification: HARMAN’s Dandong, China facility earned VQE certification, which recognizes suppliers that deliver high-quality goods & services, while being a supportive business partner.

From our state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities to our skilled workforce, these accolades affirm our commitment to setting new benchmarks and driving innovation within the industry. We owe this success to the passion and dedication of our employees, who consistently strive for excellence and deliver outstanding results. Thank you and congratulations to our employees globally for your hard work and collaboration!

Originally published on Rayonier.com

RED HILLS, Ala., August 2, 2023 /3BL/ – The extremely rare Red Hills Salamander is so elusive, no one knew it existed until 1960.

Even then, it was discovered by accident: Biologist Leslie Hubricht found the salamander while searching for snails in Butler County. It was not only a new salamander, but it belonged to a new genus and species all its own. Leslie named it Phaeognathus hubrichti.

As researchers tried to learn more about the long, dark amphibians, it soon became clear why they were so elusive: they prefer to live their entire lives in the safety of burrows in steep cliff sides. The heavily-shaded slopes in Alabama’s Red Hills region provide the perfect setting. The cool, wet environment keeps the salamanders moist, which is essential to their survival. They have no lungs and must breathe through their skin.

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, there are about 60,000 acres of land on earth that would make a suitable Red Hills Salamander habitat. Within the range of potential habitat, about 20,000 acres where the habitat could exist is on Rayonier land. The area lies between the Alabama and Conecuh Rivers, as shown in this U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service map.

Identifying Red Hills Salamander Habitat

For many years, our foresters have played a role in protecting the federally-threatened species. Using advanced technology like LiDAR mapping, we examine the topography of our forest tracts in the region to ensure all potential Red Hills Salamander habitats are protected.

We also walk the properties, looking for what are called “indicator species.” These species also thrive in the area where the salamander lives and help us to identify the habitat. The Big Leaf Magnolia, which has massive, tropical-looking leaves, is an especially noticeable indicator. There are also certain ferns and mosses that indicate a strong likelihood of Red Hills Salamander habitat.

“We take a lot of pride in protecting this species to ensure it does not become endangered. We are very focused on identifying these areas and providing a protected, shaded buffer,” says Senior Timber Marketing Manager Billy Geier, who was once fortunate enough to see a salamander poke its head out of a burrow in one of our forests.

Protecting the Habitat

Once a habitat is located, our foresters ensure the area is protected.

In the forest, they’ll mark trees so everyone working near the area knows where the boundaries are. They will also digitally block off the habitat in our mapping system. This ensures no one plans forestry activities in that location.

Within the boundary, there will be no chemical applications, no heavy equipment, and no tree harvests within at least a 50-foot perimeter from the habitat in all directions. This ensures the salamander will continue to be shaded, cool and moist.

Our foresters are empowered to decide if measures beyond the recommended guidelines are required to protect this federally-listed species. For example, Timber Marketing Forester Tyler Baxter says his team has chosen to not even thin the trees within the habitat boundary to ensure sunlight doesn’t dry it out. When marking the areas, if the recommended 50-foot boundary doesn’t provide adequate shade for the habitat, they will expand the area to a 75- or 100-foot buffer.

“When we put these buffers in, we don’t allow any cutting behind it. None at all. We want to leave as much shade in the habitat as possible,” he says.

Just look at the photo below. The island of tall trees in the center is a protected Red Hills Salamander habitat.

What Researchers Have Learned So Far

While there is still much to be learned about the Red Hills Salamander, researchers have discovered everything it needs to survive is provided without leaving its burrow. The salamanders rarely venture out because they can eat small bugs at their burrows’ openings. Their diets include snails, insects, spiders and earthworms, according to this U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service article. They even breed underground: their burrows stretch several feet back in a maze of interconnected tunnels.

In addition to the habitats protected on our land, special properties have been set aside to protect the salamanders by entities including the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the Forever Wild Land Trust and the Alabama Chapter of the Nature Conservancy. You can learn more about their efforts and what they’ve learned about the salamanders in the online Encyclopedia of Alabama.

To learn more about Rayonier’s responsible stewardship, visit our website here.

At Common Impact, managing and navigating corporate and nonprofit partnerships is one of our specialties. We’ve learned valuable lessons about creating collaborative partnerships. Collaboration between companies and nonprofits can lead to transformative outcomes. By leveraging our expertise, corporate-nonprofit partnerships can accelerate solutions to our most pressing social challenges. Maintaining successful partnerships requires ongoing effort and attention. That’s why we’ve identified three key strategies that have contributed to the longevity and effectiveness of these partnerships.

Establish Clear Expectations and Goals: 

By actively listening to our corporate and nonprofit partners, we can understand what they need out of their skills-based volunteering programs with us. This allows us to align our efforts with their goals while ensuring the programs deliver tangible impact. In a successful nonprofit-corporate partnership, the nonprofit and corporate partners should share the same goal: delivering results and strengthening communities.

Establishing clear expectations and goals is fundamental to the success of these partnerships. By openly communicating the partnership’s purpose, desired outcomes, and individual roles, we set the stage for a collaborative and impactful relationship.

Remain Flexible and Adaptable: 

Each partner brings a unique set of perspectives, priorities, and approaches. By actively seeking areas of alignment, partners can devise solutions that benefit everyone involved.

Driving forces of creativity and innovation have played a pivotal role in propelling our organization forward. Our clientele is comprised of corporations from a variety of industries, including consumer goods, finance, insurance, energy, technology, and more. We constantly seek opportunities to engage with corporate clients from various sectors who share the goal of making a positive impact. For example, through these strategic collaborations, we have helped enhance the nonprofit sector’s technical, operational, marketing, and managerial capabilities through pro bono consulting Programs. Navigating and establishing open lines of communication has been pivotal in paving the way for successful skills-based volunteering initiatives. Embracing flexibility and openness to innovative approaches has ensured mutually beneficial outcomes for everyone involved.

Celebrate Successes and Milestones: 

Celebrating successes and milestones is essential for maintaining engagement, motivation, and a positive partnership dynamic, but it also strengthens the bond between nonprofit and corporate partners. Recognizing and acknowledging achievements reinforces the impact of the partnership and inspires others, attracting additional support and solidifying the commitment to long-term collaboration.

We understand the importance of sharing stories of impact to showcase our partnerships’ transformative power and how corporate volunteers help nonprofits build capacity. For instance, we recently highlighted the remarkable outcomes for nonprofit leaders and their organizations, such as Zion Escobar, CEO and President of Freedmen’s Town Community Investment Project. By sharing success stories like Zion’s, we demonstrate the tangible wins and the positive change that can result from our collaborations.

We also celebrate with our audience by amplifying skills-based volunteering through our signature event, Skills for Cities, held twice a year. This event serves as a cross-sector and cross-company collaboration platform, enabling companies to build nonprofit capacity.

If you would like to learn more about how we help companies achieve their employee engagement and social impact goals, we invite you to visit our events page.

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About Common Impact 
Common Impact is a national nonprofit that works to build a society in which individuals and businesses invest their unique talents towards a shared purpose: strengthening the local communities in which we live and work. Founded in 2000, Common Impact has partnered with Fortune 500 companies and hundreds of the country’s leading nonprofit organizations to create transformational change through skills-based volunteering. Learn more about Common Impact’s services, impact, and clients.

KeyBank celebrated its new full-service branch in Colorado Springs’ Northgate neighborhood July 28-29 with a celebration that included a ribbon cutting ceremony, family-friendly activities with prize giveaways and the distribution of $20,000 in grants to two local nonprofits. Located at 27 Spectrum Loop, Northgate is KeyBank’s first new branch in Colorado in over a decade.

To commemorate the new branch opening, KeyBank invested in two local nonprofit groups. Tri Lakes Cares and Mt. Carmel Veteran’s Center each received a $10,000 donation from Key to further their missions to help the Colorado Springs community.

“We are excited about the opportunity this new branch provides for us to become an integral part of the community in the Springs,” said Michael Katz, KeyBank’s Colorado market president. “Colorado Springs is a wonderful place to live, work and even start a business. This new location is our fifth branch here, and highlights Key’s continued investment in Colorado. We are excited to work more closely with our neighbors, clients and community partners.”

CONTACT: 

Laura Suter | Regional Communications Manager | 206.551.9000 | laura_suter@keybank.com

As the Medtronic Switzerland campus expanded in 2001 and again in 2009, its oil-fired heating and cooling equipment became obsolete and needed replacement.

François Monory, who led manufacturing at the site, saw this as the ideal opportunity to introduce a unique renewable energy concept he learned about years earlier: using water from nearby Lake Geneva to help heat and cool the buildings.

The hydrothermal energy project — dubbed ENERLAC — would pull water from the lake through underground pipes to a nearby site where heat pumps could convert energy from the water temperature to warm or cool the air in buildings across the campus. The water would then be returned to the lake with no impact to the local ecosystem while simultaneously reducing CO2 emissions.

The science behind the concept was simple, but planning and executing the complex initiative would take more than 14 years. Watch this video to learn more about how it happened.

“We studied this project with one ambition, that the cost of this investment must not exceed the cost of using fossil fuels over the next few years,” said Monory. “I underestimated the complexity of dealing with various state entities. Fortunately, I was surrounded by some talented people who helped make this very cool idea a reality.”

A small team at Medtronic worked with local contractors and government agencies to come up with a plan that everyone could agree on. In the Summer of 2020, during the global pandemic, crews began the three-year process of bringing ENERLAC to life without disrupting operations at the Medtronic facility.

By eliminating dependence on fossil fuels, ENERLAC reduced and stabilized energy costs at the site for the next 30 years while also drastically decreasing CO2 emissions by more than 80% — from 820 tons per year to approximately 150 tons per year. The project is an important step in helping Medtronic reach carbon neutrality in its operations by FY30 and achieving a net zero emissions target across the business by FY45.

In Tolochenaz, community leaders praised Medtronic and heralded the innovative project as an important part of the area’s ecological transition.

“Today with hindsight we can say this project was the right thing to do, but 10 years ago there weren’t many people who thought like that,” said Dr. Stéphane Genoud, Head of Energy Management at HES-SO Valais-Wallis University in Switzerland. “To have a company that decides over ten years to carry out a project like this means they really have a long term vision, and that’s quite original.“

Learn more about how Medtronic is minimizing our environmental footprint.