Month: September 2023

As businesses begin to open their doors or develop plans for future re-openings following COVID-19-related closures, they face a range of new challenges. From sourcing essential supplies and meeting the increased demand for cleaning to adjusting building capacities and employee schedules, businesses will need to adapt to new standards while protecting their brand image. Three elements – hand hygiene, clean surfaces and environmental responsibility – can all support brand protection during a delicate reopening process, because they all reduce risk in some way.

In Good Hands

To make sure employees and visitors feel like they are in good hands, providing everything they need for proper and frequent hand hygiene is crucial. Here are steps businesses should take:

Consider enhancing hygiene with additional products. The new normal will require businesses to make guests and employees more comfortable in their facilities with a greater focus on hygiene. Companies should implement new cleaning protocols to address this need. Restaurants may ask waiters and kitchen staff to wear masks, and offices may require visitors to do that same. Facilities like airports and hotels can consider offering single-use sanitizing wipes, antibacterial wipes or other highly effective sanitizing products. A must-have new product is the so-called door tissue: to reduce touch points in facilities, businesses can install door tissue and a garbage bin near elevator panels, door handles and other high-touch surfaces so visitors or guests can securely protect themselves.Stock paper towels, toilet paper and soap. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) encourages frequent soap-and-water handwashing for at least 20 seconds, especially after sneezing, coughing or blowing your nose. To meet the need for occupants to wash hands more often, facility managers maintain a consistent stock of hand soap and paper towels in restrooms and kitchens.

Because wet hands can attract unwanted microbes, hand-drying is also vital. The most effective method is with paper towels since the friction from using a paper towel helps remove more germs than handwashing alone. Therefore, facilities should carefully weigh whether paper towels or jet air dryers are better for this new era of cleanliness. For facilities that opt for paper towels, managers can consider dispensers made from antibacterial plastic that add another layer of protection from pathogens.

Install hand sanitizer stations. In addition to making effective handwashing easy in restrooms and kitchens, businesses should strategically install hand sanitizer dispensers. This helps patrons reduce the spread of germs throughout the facility and offers added assurance that your business is prioritizing health and safety. Make sure to use a product with at least 60% alcohol, as recommended by the CDC. Consider placing automatic dispensers at entrances, exits, corridors or break rooms that see the most foot traffic.

Research shows improved handwashing can curb the spread of infectious disease, especially in public facilities. One study at MIT found increased handwashing at just 10 major airports could decrease the risk of a global pandemic by as much as 37%. In short, facilities should prioritize hand hygiene to support occupant and employee health.

Comprehensive Cleanliness

The CDC and other authorities have been urging businesses and those in quarantine to clean and disinfect surfaces frequently to help slow the spread of coronavirus. Therefore, the public is increasingly attuned to the key role of these processes. Before businesses open after a hiatus, they should conduct a thorough cleaning, create a plan for maintaining the building each day and stock the appropriate solutions.

In restrooms, cleanliness should always be a top priority. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, customers cared about the state of restrooms. For example, a survey found 60% of Americans decide to visit specific businesses because of their clean, well-maintained restrooms. Implementing a new maintenance schedule can help facilities meet customers’ expectations of their restrooms. Meanwhile, managers should train staff to respond quickly to lapses in cleanliness, such as clogged toilets. Clogs are unsightly, cause odors and 86% of Americans say a clogged toilet would negatively impact their perception of a brand.

Addressing restrooms is critical, but it is not enough. Businesses should frequently clean and disinfect all high-touch surfaces throughout the facility. A few examples include door handles, check-in and customer service counters, elevator buttons and credit card payment terminals. Employees should clean first and disinfect second, as pathogens can hide underneath stubborn soils that only an effective cleaner can remove.

Supporting Sustainability

At first glance, COVID-19 and climate change may seem like disconnected topics. However, as the World Economic Forum points out, studies show climate change-fueled phenomena including deforestation and loss of wildlife lead to increased infectious disease – in other words, global warming and increased disease are not unrelated. Climate change and environmental degradation aren’t going away, but the pandemic – by forcing countless greenhouse gas-emitting vehicles off the streets and out of the skies – has revealed glimmers of hope environmentally. Businesses can show they haven’t forgotten to take their environmental responsibility seriously by integrating it into their reopening plans.

Before the pandemic, a survey showed 77% of Americans would prefer to purchase from brands who prioritize efforts to fight global warming over those that do not. This growing concern on the part of consumers will not simply dissipate after COVID-19’s impact lessens. Businesses can protect their brand image by selecting products that minimize environmental impact. These include absorbent paper towels, toilet paper and napkins that can help reduce paper waste.

Additionally, there are innovative toilet tissue options designed to dissolve after being flushed, reducing the risk of clogs and helping keep pipes clean. This helps limit the use of environmentally harmful chemicals for sewage system maintenance. Choosing products wrapped in paper packaging, rather than plastic, can help the environment as well, since plastic waste is a major cause of air pollution.

Reopen Responsibly

Deciding whether to reopen a facility when COVID-19 is still circulating will be difficult for many businesses. As some facilities choose to reopen in accordance with government requirements, they should have a heightened focus on health and cleanliness. Offering hand hygiene essentials and routinely disinfecting surfaces limit the spread of disease and put customers and employees at ease. Meanwhile, integrating sustainability into reopening plans helps brands further protect reputation during a challenging time.

Fabio Vitali is Vice President of Marketing for Sofidel, a world leader in the manufacture of paper for hygienic and domestic use, including its Papernet brand. For more information, visit www.papernet.com/americas.

About The Sofidel Group

The Sofidel Group, a privately held company owned by the Stefani and Lazzareschi families, is a world leader in the manufacture of paper for hygienic and domestic use. Founded in 1966, the Group has subsidiaries in 12 countries – Italy, Spain, the UK, France, Belgium, Germany, Sweden, Poland, Hungary, Greece, Romania, and the USA – with more than 6,400 employees. A member of the UN Global Compact and the international WWF Climate Savers program, the Sofidel Group considers sustainability a strategic imperative and is committed to promoting sustainable development.  For more information, visit www.sofidel.com. 

Media Contact: 

Brianna Fitzpatrick 

Mulberry Marketing Communications 

bfitzpatrick@mulberrymc.com 

Read the full MetLife 2022 Sustainability Report

Each year, thousands of colleagues participate in our employee engagement program to promote environmental stewardship, called “Our Green Impact.” The program offers colleagues on-site and virtual environmental education, as well as volunteer opportunities. In addition to location-based “green teams” that drive initiatives at the office level, every MetLife line of business, function and region has a climate goals champion responsible for helping the enterprise achieve our short- and long-term goals. Over 20 champions gather bimonthly to set objectives for their function, drive action, collect metrics and share progress with their senior leaders and colleagues.

2022 MetLife EcoChallenge

More than 4,300 colleagues from 40+ markets participated in the 2022 MetLife EcoChallenge, an annual two-week competition to encourage colleagues to adopt green habits. Participation in the challenge has tripled since 2020, making 2022 our most impactful challenge to date.

MetLife Extraordinary Litter Pickup

Following the success of the Great EMEA Litter Pickup in 2021, we introduced our first global litter pickup campaign—an effort centered around Earth Day during which colleagues around the world picked up trash to beautify their communities. The program engaged over 2,700 stakeholders in 35 markets, completing over 4,200 volunteer hours.

Volunteerism for Environmental Causes

We encourage a culture of year-round volunteering in which MetLife colleagues live our purpose by lending their time, talent and passion for their communities to educational, environmental, mentoring, coaching, skills based and pro-bono initiatives. Supporting building environmental resiliency in communities around the world is a focus of volunteerism at MetLife. Through MetLife Foundation partners, employees are helping Planet Water in Mexico build AquaTowers to provide access to clean, safe water, sanitation and education on water health and hygiene across Mexico. In Asia, colleagues are working with Shakti Foundation to help green the urban roads of Shaka City in Bangladesh through a focus on planting and maintain plants and trees to help mitigate the adverse effects of decreasing greenery.

Abbott recently released its 2022 Global Sustainability Report, highlighting efforts to help the greatest number of people live better, healthier lives. The comprehensive report details disclosures on the company’s performance and impact across all areas of its 2030 Sustainability Plan. This includes a focus on how Abbott is intentionally innovating for access and affordability to make their life-saving technologies available to more people who need them worldwide.

Transforming Health by Innovating Technology Today

In 2022, Abbott introduced new health technologies that are connecting people with the care they need:

Abbott’s next-generation continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system is available at the same price as previous versions, which is about one-third the cost of other CGM systems available today. It also uses 40% less plastic and requires 43% less carton paper than previous systems.A new version of Abbott’s digital health app was launched to improve communication between patients and their care teams as they trial Abbott neurostimulation devices.To make HIV testing more accessible, Abbott launched its HIV self-test, an over-the-counter, fingerstick blood test that delivers results in 15–20 minutes.Innovating for Access and Affordability Design Principles have been integrated into the company’s R&D processes, guiding how Abbott brings its technologies and products to more people in more places around the world.

Progress Across Abbott’s 2030 Sustainability Plan

Abbott’s 2022 Global Sustainability Report also details the key steps the company has taken toward its 2030 goals across other key areas of sustainability:

Building the diverse, innovative workforce of tomorrow by providing an environment that helps all employees learn and grow in careers that matter, and offering innovative programs like Freedom 2 Save, which helps U.S. employees save for retirement while repaying student loans.Responsibly connecting data, technology and care to help people learn more about themselves and take action, help doctors understand how to better treat people, and fuel new innovation that can help unlock the power of health for future generations.Creating a resilient, diverse and responsible supply chain that amplifies Abbott’s positive impact on the world and reduces shared sustainability impacts.Protecting a healthy environment by taking targeted actions, including a 5% absolute reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions (vs. 2018 baseline) and Scope 1, 2 and 3 targets approved by the Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTi). Six Abbott sites were certified as zero waste to landfill (bringing total to 51 sites globally), and the company diverted approximately 90% of operational waste from landfills.

Looking ahead, Abbott is already working to deliver even more progress by 2030. You can read more in Abbott’s full 2022 Global Sustainability Report here.

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Originally published in Crown Holding’s 2022 Sustainability Report

I am thrilled to present to all of Crown’s stakeholders our 2022 Sustainability Report. Crown, like many companies, has transitioned through some significant changes— particularly since we rolled out the Twentyby30™ program in 2020. While we anticipate that we will continue to face challenges on our journey, I am proud to state that we are on target to meet our goals and initiatives set forth in the program.

Since our baseline year of 2019, we have added almost 18 billion cans of capacity into our system, opened 5 new plants and started up 14 new production lines, expanding both our beverage and food can manufacturing businesses. This has been an exciting time to be part of an industry that delivers the most sustainable packaging on the market. Seeing the growth of the infinitely recyclable aluminum beverage can demonstrates an increasing consumer and customer preference for more circular options that minimize carbon footprint. We are committed to continuing to work with this eco-friendly format, along with steel food cans and other tinplate packaging, which can also be recycled infinitely.

We began our formal sustainability journey well over 15 years ago, but expanded it to be more fully encompassing and detailed in recent years with our Twentyby30™ program. This kind of bold strategy launch is always inspiring, but it is especially motivating when that action plan is centered on products that are inherently sustainable. The credentials of aluminum beverage cans and steel food cans are unmatched in the market. Both materials truly represent circularity in the fact that they can be recycled over and over again without any loss of properties, meaning they are not just recyclable in the short term but well into the future. Additionally, our other business units have similar sustainability credentials— from the steel used in our aerosol cans and metal closures, to our promotional tins that house specialty items. Furthermore, our Transit Packaging Division offers its own benefits by using high levels of recycled content in the manufacturing of its paper, plastic and steel protective components used for safely transporting essential goods to market.

The advancement of sustainability and consumers’ personal desires to utilize greener products not only fuels the growth we have seen since 2019 but also creates additional challenges for us to meet many of our Twentyby30™ goals. With every new plant or line we install, we require more electricity and water, all of which needs to be offset by continued efficiency within our systems. Amid this expansion, we continue to work toward our goal of reaching 100% renewable electricity by 2040. This effort supports our pledge to RE100, a global corporate renewable energy initiative with a mission to accelerate change toward zero carbon grids at scale. It is also in line with our commitment to The Climate Pledge to become Net Zero carbon by 2040—a decade ahead of The Paris Agreement’s goal of 2050—and work with other signatories to address the climate crisis and solve the challenge of decarbonizing our economy. While utilizing alternative energy resources and implementing innovative solutions helps us track toward these goals, it is really the efforts of everyone in our manufacturing facilities that yields the largest impact.

To that end, we strive to energize our global teams to keep sustainability top-of-mind as they execute their roles each day. Finding new efficiencies, adapting to new best practices and exercising creativity are all steps our employees take that create real, measurable impact on our footprint. Instilling this collaboration is our responsibility—and our exciting opportunity—to make a difference in our environment, our communities and our industry as a stronger, unified force. We extend our appreciation to the individuals at our plants worldwide who keep us moving forward and keep us inspired about what we can achieve next.

Thank you,

Dr. John M. Rost

Vice President – Global Sustainability and Regulatory Affairs

To learn more about Crown Holdings’s commitment to sustainability, visit our sustainability webpage.

For full details about Crown Holdings’s 2022 Sustainability Report, visit here.

Did you know 15% of global GHG emissions come from heating and cooling buildings? The great news is that technology exists today to significantly decarbonize the built environment. How will we get there? We start with crucial conversations like this one.

In this episode of the Healthy Spaces podcast, Trane Technologies Chair and CEO Dave Regnery and VP of Sustainability Scott Tew join us live from Climate Week New York to talk about the role of climate technology in building a healthier and more sustainable future. We are also joined by Avipsa Mahapatra, the Climate Campaign Lead at the Environmental Investigation Agency, who offers her perspective on what credible corporate action on climate looks like.

“I don’t want someone to think that HVAC has not changed in the last hundred years,” Dave said. “It’s changed in the last five to seven years, pretty dramatically. And we all need to be able to take notice of it. And to start scaling technologies that exist today that will dramatically have an impact on the built environment.”

Listen to the full episode as they talk about accelerating the decarbonization of the built environment, as well as empowering a skilled workforce. And discover why they’re optimistic about a net-zero future.

Guests: 
Dave Regnery, Chair and CEO, Trane Technologies 
Scott Tew, Vice President, Sustainability, Trane Technologies 
Avipsa Mahapatra, Climate Campaign Lead, Environmental Investigation Agency Host: Dominique Silva, Innovation Initiatives Leader, Trane Technologies

Subscribe: Find all episodes on your favorite podcast platforms: 
Apple Podcasts 
Spotify 
Google Podcasts

Learn more about the Healthy Spaces with Trane Technologies podcast.

A newly renovated McDonald’s restaurant in Hong Kong is setting an example for how more sustainable design can come to life in unexpected places. The Tai Wo location recently became Hong Kong’s first LEED Zero Carbon restaurant certified by the U.S. Green Building Council, and the design is expected to save 848.22 metric tons of CO2 at the restaurant, which is equivalent to planting more than 36,000 16-foot-tall trees.

It’s not hard to see why the building achieved LEED status: There are more than 20 sustainability efforts at work throughout the space. Thanks to a collaboration with eco-social startup HK TIMBERBANK, the exterior façade is crafted from local trees that have fallen due to typhoons or old age. Inside, furniture and décor are made with recycled materials.

To save energy, McDonald’s partnered with CLP Power Hong Kong to install a solar power system on the rooftop. Throughout the space, smart devices monitor energy consumption and indoor air quality to encourage staff and guests to be more eco-friendly. This McDonald’s restaurant has also signed a “green lease” with its landlord, Link Asset Management Limited, committing to sharing sustainability-related data and establish low-carbon operational guidelines.

The restaurant is also paying it forward by educating the next generation. Families can ride phone-charging bikes or play in the new education corner, which is stocked with sustainability-themed books. A new line of Happy Meal books and coloring games help young diners learn about environmental protection – from conserving energy to reducing carbon emissions.

This isn’t McDonald’s Hong Kong’s first foray into more sustainable practices. The business recycles used cooking oil, deploys more sustainable packaging, introduces more sustainable food choices, and actively reduces plastic use in restaurants and McCafés.

Many of these initiatives are on full display in the newly remodeled restaurant in Tai Wo. Take a look around the beautiful space above.

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They grow our food. They fuel our growth. Now it’s our time to listen.

The Farmer Voice survey is the response of 800 farmers in 8 different countries. In our biggest survey of modern agriculture to date, what farmers said was both surprising and inspiring to us all.

They face soaring temperatures, erratic weather, relentless pests and devastating droughts. And yet, the data is clear that farmers all over the world are optimistic about the future.

About the Farmer Voice Survey

Farmers and Climate Change

Growers are putting solutions in the field. Climate change is increasing pressure on growers to respond to hotter temperatures, intense rains and other extreme weather patterns. Thanks to the variety of solutions available to them, farmers are already doing a lot to adapt — 71% of farmers say that climate change has already had a large impact on their farm. This highlights the need for more innovative approaches and technologies. 

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Key Takeaways from the Farmer Voice Survey

Better seeds will help with unpredictable weather 

90% of farmers surveyed said they have experienced an increase in changes in the weather. Half the farmers we spoke to said better seeds, traits and crop protection were the best solutions for coping with changes in weather patterns.

Cover crops are growing across the globe

84% of farmers said they already apply or intend to apply practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. As far as practices, cover crops were the most popular answer with 43% saying they either plan to implement the practice, or are already using it on their farm. A quarter of the farmers we spoke to are using digital farming techniques to reduce fertilizer use, and the same number practice low or no-till farming.

Pollinators are a key priority for many farmers

Pest and disease pressures have risen over the past three years, according to 73% of the farmers we surveyed. More than half (54%) are already working to improve biodiversity by using measures like insect hotels.

Farmers see a bright future for growing food 

In spite of the challenging conditions farmers are experiencing across the globe, 71% of farmers surveyed feel positive about the future of farming. Over half, 54% have been in farming for three or more generations.

Farmers need solutions to cope with extreme weather patterns

One third of farmers put extreme weather in their top three challenges. Additionally, of the growers we surveyed, farmers in India reported the highest percentage of farmers wanting seed and traits designed to cope with changing weather patterns.

Digital farming is a promising tool for growers

1 in 3 farmers believe access to better digital technologies would be among the top three factors beneficial to operations. Furthermore, a quarter of these farmers, approximately 25%, have either already adopted, or are planning to use digital tools to reduce fertilizer and crop protection use.

Indian Smallholders Optimistic and Mitigating Risk

In addition to the 800 farmers surveyed from the seven other countries, we also connected with 2,056 smallholder farmers in India. These farmers were associated with the Better Life Farming ecosystem, farmers of Bayer-supported Farmer Producer Organizations, and farmers enrolled in Bayer’s Sustainable Rice Program. These interviews were conducted between May and June 2023.

To cope with a volatile environment, the Indian smallholders we spoke to are prioritizing financial security through insurance (26%), infrastructure (21%) and modern inputs (20%) as pests and changing weather threaten yields.

When asked about the future, 60% said they would benefit most from access to digital technologies and modern crop protection. 43% of the smallholders mentioned digital marketing tools to manage farm outputs as well as planning and mapping tools.

Despite facing numerous challenges, smallholder farmers remain overwhelmingly optimistic about their future, with 82% expressing positivity.

The Voice of Farmers

A Closer Look at Farmers Around the Globe

Australia is most concerned by economic pressures

78% say energy costs are among their top three concerns for the next three years – higher than any other country surveyed. Australia has enacted new environmental laws to propel the country to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. Interim greenhouse gas emission reduction targets have also been set for 2030. Nearly three-quarters (72%) of Australian farmers said they have plans to shift toward renewable energy or biofuels.

Brazil is most open to new technologies to adapt to climate change

Brazilian farmers stand out with their strong focus on soil health. In terms of digital adoption, there’s a notable diversity across countries – a significant 70% of Brazilian farmers opt for online input purchases. Pest pressures are a shared concern among 7 in 10 farmers surveyed in Brazil, reflecting the challenges they anticipate in managing these issues. Interestingly, Brazilian farmers perceive diversifying crops as a prime avenue for growth, suggesting their keen understanding of the benefits and opportunities this strategy holds. Additionally Brazilian farmers are most likely to agree that they’re open to implement new tech, including new genome techniques, to adapt to climate change (88%).

China prioritizing renewables and biofuels to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

Only behind Australia, 61% of farmers in China answered that they are using or planning to use renewable energy or biofuels. 81% say they are open to implementing new technologies, including new genome techniques, to adapt to climate change. 65% of farmers surveyed in China say that access to the latest crop protection is most needed to tackle the risks of extreme weather – more than any other country surveyed.

Germany is concerned about access to better crop protection

Both Germany and the USA share a common priority in seeking improved crop protection technology. In particular, German farmers also showcase a distinctive inclination toward promoting biodiversity through practices like crop rotation. This emphasis on sustainable farming techniques aligns with German farmers’ preference for crop rotation, underscoring their commitment to fostering a more diverse and ecologically balanced agricultural landscape.

India is most likely to prioritize soil health for future success

In India, a significant 72% of farmers are considering diversifying their crops and 64% think they need to improve the health of their soils. The majority of small-scale farmers in India maintain an optimistic outlook on the future of agriculture, with an impressive 82% expressing positivity.

Kenya is most concerned about the effects of climate change

73% of farmers in Kenya have experienced increased droughts in recent years, highlighting the impact of changing weather patterns. More than half of farmers surveyed in Kenya (53%) are using cover crops to reduce greenhouse gasses, or plan to in the future. This combination of innovative efforts to reduce emissions and the harsh reality of more frequent droughts underscores the importance of addressing extreme weather in Kenya.

Ukraine is facing similar challenges as global peers, on top of the war

In Ukraine, 70% of farmers named fertilizer costs as one of the top three challenges, showing that the concrete materialized consequences of the war pose big pressures on farmers in the country. In addition, 40% named general disruption due to the war as a top challenge. Apart from that Ukrainian farmers share many of the same characteristics of their global peers, for example more than three-quarters (77%) state that climate change has already largely impacted their farm.

USA expects to diversify crops to succeed in the future

Nearly half of US farmers, at 48%, view diversifying crops as their top opportunity for future revenue growth on their farms. Energy and fertilizer costs topped the list of near term challenges for farmers here. And farmers in America are focused on efficiency, with over half (51%) saying they need to be more efficient on existing land to be successful in the future.

Listening to those that nourish the world

At Bayer, we set out to listen and learn as much as we can about the challenges, desires and unique voices of farmers around the globe. When we better understand the diverse range of farmer perspectives, we can develop more effective and relevant solutions in seed, crop protection and technology.

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