Month: September 2023

In recent years, global demand for sustainable and responsibly sourced wood products has surged, fueled by increasing awareness of deforestation, climate change, and a growing desire among consumers to support ethical, conscious brands. To address this demand and demonstrate their commitment, major retailers such as Wayfair, Costco, H&M, The Home Depot, and Target have embraced third-party certifications in their supply chains. These certifications have become essential for suppliers wishing to access the expanding global market for responsibly sourced and sustainable goods.

Among these certifications, the forestry Chain of Custody (CoC) certifications, including those from Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®), SFI, and PEFC, have emerged as a key and recognizable option for suppliers of wood and paper products.

What is CoC Certification? 

CoC certification, provided by accredited third-party certification bodies, ensures that wood and paper products meet strict responsible sourcing standards and ensures traceability throughout the supply chain. Product manufacturers, brokers, distributors, wholesalers, and retailers can all participate by obtaining CoC certification. This certification signals their dedication to supporting responsible forestry management practices, biodiversity conservation, and the well-being of local communities.

Consumer Demand for Sustainable Products

Consumer research, such as the 2021 Global Sustainability Study, shows increased preference for more sustainable products. Consumers are also deeply troubled about climate change and deforestation. In another 2021 study conducted by GlobeScan for FSC, which surveyed 12,000 consumers in 15 countries, consumers listed climate change as their second-most important global concern, after disease and health. In addition, with respect to forests specifically, the participants identified the loss of plant and animal species, and the link between deforestation and climate change, as their top two concerns.

Clearly, many of today’s consumers are more environmentally aware than ever before and prefer brands that align with their values. As a result, they seek products that have more accountability, transparency, and purpose. It is also worth noting that surveys consistently suggest that a large majority of consumers are willing to pay a premium for products that come from sustainable and ethically sourced materials, though in practice, this purchasing behavior is often contingent on other factors, such as the scale of mark-up and the product’s perceived competitive performance. As a result, large retailers recognize the importance of catering to these consumer preferences to maintain their competitive edge and brand loyalty.

The Pivotal Role of Retailers in Driving Sustainability

The largest retailers, responding to consumer demand, are beginning to require adoption of certifications such as CoC. This helps to create a brand halo for the retailers themselves, communicating their commitment to environmental and social responsibility and establishing themselves as leaders, while simultaneously giving a leg up to suppliers who can comply. Such mandates have a ripple effect through the entire supply chain and send a strong message that responsible practices are not only preferred, but necessary for doing business in today’s retail climate.

The retail landscape is ever-changing, with sustainability rapidly becoming a differentiating factor for success. Suppliers that fail to meet the evolving market demands for ethically and environmentally sourced goods may find themselves at a disadvantage. By keeping pace, suppliers avoid risks, reduce supply chain uncertainty, and increase investor confidence.

Benefits and Opportunities for Suppliers

While obtaining CoC certification may require an initial investment in time and resources in order to adhere to stringent sustainability criteria, the long-term benefits for suppliers are significant. Apart from gaining access to the growing market for sustainable products, certification enhances a supplier’s reputation, strengthens relationships with conscious consumers, and attracts business from eco-minded distributors.

There are hidden benefits of certification, too. For example, regular document review and external scrutiny by a neutral third-party provides a clear roadmap for internal improvements in areas that might otherwise go unnoticed. Suppliers that undergo certification frequently note that the process helps them improve their practices, promoting better management of forest resources and responsible supply chain operations. This, in turn, positively impacts the environment and local communities while fostering a more resilient and robust supply chain.

The adoption of CoC certification by major suppliers and retailers is indicative of a broad shift toward more accountability for positive environmental and social impacts. As consumers continue to prioritize eco-friendly products, the demand for CoC-certified goods will continue to rise. According to FSC, there has been increased adoption of certification within key industries including textiles, packaging, natural rubber, and furniture. In addition, FSC-certified products are now accepted in Amazon’s Climate Pledge Friendly program, giving suppliers with FSC-certified products an additional advantage in the global marketplace.

Beginning the CoC Certification Process with SCS 

As the focus on sustainability intensifies, FSC, SFI and PEFC CoC certifications will continue to play a decisive role in shaping the supply chains of major retailers and companies, and in driving positive change across industries. For suppliers, obtaining CoC certification is not only a means of meeting market demand but also an opportunity to enhance their reputation, attract eco-conscious customers, open new markets, and contribute to a greener future.

SCS offers many other certifications as well as CoC. As a wood products producer or trader, your company may be interested in pursuing more than just CoC certification. If you would like more information about the other certifications SCS offers, please download our corporate brochure.

To begin the chain of custody certification process, please contact forestrysales@scsglobalservices.com.

If you enjoyed this article, be sure to visit our site here and subscribe to be alerted whenever we publish new articles.

AUTHOR

Lindsey Mauldin 
Sales Executive, Forestry 
SCS Global Services 
Email: lmauldin@scsglobalservices.com

With a commitment to reducing the environmental impact of packaging and collaborating with colleagues and customers to achieve sustainability goals, Dustin Andre, product and packaging sustainability specialist at the Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, which operates in the U.S. and Canada as MilliporeSigma, has been named to GreenBiz’s 30 Under 30 List.

“Young leaders in the sustainability field are rare—being chosen among many professionals across various fields who are paving a path toward a greener future is a great honor,” said Andre. “I am also happy my team’s work receives recognition and that GreenBiz is showcasing the need for continuous packaging improvement.”

GreenBiz recognized Andre’s passion and appreciation for the environment, including his most impactful contribution to helping MilliporeSigma find more sustainable packaging solutions in his awardee profile. 

“What interests me is how fast the sustainable packaging industry is evolving,” said Andre. “There are new findings every day concerning materials, methods and manufacturing enabling me to be a continuous learner about the latest innovations, such as the applications of replacement sustainable materials.”

Paving the way toward a greener future, Andre led the launch of MilliporeSigma’s Greener Cooler pilot, which introduces a more sustainable alternative for cold chain shipments. Judges particularly acknowledged this effort. “I have been working on this project for roughly three years, and it’s taken many twists and turns. At the start of the program, I was not a cold-chain specialist, but now, after what I have learned and the challenges my team and I have overcome, I feel confident as a subject matter expert in the area,” said Andre. “Though challenging, we have kept great momentum to find a solution for more sustainable shipments for our Life Science business without sacrificing any quality from our products”

The Greener Cooler program is soon to expand to major distribution centers in the U.S. and Europe. The program is expected to replace 130,000 pounds of expanded polystyrene, known to be difficult to recycle, which is equivalent in volume to over four jumbo jets shipped from U.S. distribution centers annually. “I am dedicated to investigating ways of improving packaging to expand our sustainability impact. In addition to working on projects within the company, I serve as an internal packaging sustainability consultant and meet with teams regularly to guide them on further improvements,” said Andre.

Continuously seeking to hone MilliporeSigma’s competitive edge, a part of his everyday routine, Andre makes it a point to devote a portion of his day to reading the latest sustainability change articles—and recommends aspiring sustainability leaders do the same.

“Keep learning, investigating what developments are out there or emerging in the sustainable packaging space and then spread your knowledge,” said Andre.

To learn more about how MilliporeSigma holistically integrates greener solutions into every stage of a product’s life cycle and drives improvement in the sustainability of its packaging, visit the company’s Sustainability & Social Business Innovation webpage.

INDIANAPOLIS, September 14, 2023 /3BL/ – The KeyBank Foundation has awarded Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnership (INHP) a $300,000 grant to continue its efforts to create or preserve affordable housing opportunities near Indianapolis transit lines as part of the city’s first Equitable Transit-Oriented Development (ETOD) program. Through this program, INHP acquires and holds properties within a half mile of IndyGo’s 15-minute frequency routes to give developers time to prepare optimal site plans that will offer affordable housing for families earning low and moderate incomes.

The funding will support costs to maintain and hold the properties in this land bank. Since 2018, INHP has acquired 17 ETOD properties and has sold seven to developers as it works to reach its goal of providing 1,000 affordable units to Indianapolis residents.

”INHP is grateful for KeyBank’s generous support as a partner in the ETOD program,” said Gina Miller, president and CEO of INHP. “These funds will allow us to sustain this strategy and achieve positive outcomes for the people and neighborhoods we serve.”

Studies show Indianapolis’ families spend an average of 46 percent of their income on housing and transportation. Through the ETOD program, INHP is promoting housing choice and affordability while also providing access to jobs, education, healthcare, food and cultural amenities – all needed for economic mobility.

“INHP plays a pivotal role in the Indianapolis community connecting people to the necessary resources for affordable housing,” said Juan Gonzalez, KeyBank’s Central Indiana Market President. “Key is incredibly proud to support INHP and follow through on our commitment to help the organizations and residents we serve thrive. This partnership will not only strengthen our community, but it will provide equitable access to jobs, education, healthcare and more.”

Since 2017, Key has made community investments totaling more than $930 million in Central Indiana which supports low to moderate income individuals and neighborhoods through lending for affordable housing, small businesses, mortgage and transformative philanthropy.

September 14, 2023 /3BL/ – For decades, tiger biologists have dreamt of a “smart” camera-alerting system capable of detecting a tiger on the prowl and sending images instantly to a cell phone. Whether at dawn, dusk, or midnight, through monsoon rains or stifling heat, the remote unit would function 24/7, with long battery life, to protect and monitor this charismatic species, or detect tigers occupying buffer areas close to villages, and send only images of tigers, elephants, or other conflict prone-species. This wished-for technology could not come at a more important juncture: Over the past 12 years, India has managed to double its wild tiger population, perhaps the greatest conservation success story in the first half of the 21st century. Almost seventy percent of the world’s tigers occur in India, but 26% of that total is found outside protected areas. In fact, many pass their entire lives beyond the boundaries of India’s 53 designated tiger reserves. The potential for conflict with communities that live along the borders or in these corridors and rely on the multi-use buffer areas for livestock grazing is a cause of concern and can result in tigers frequently killing livestock, or in rare occasions attacking humans, leading to retaliation by villagers. From this scenario emerges the major wildlife challenge of our time: how can the recovery of endangered large mammal populations continue, bolstered by the introduction of new technologies, enabling policies, and innovative community–driven programs that promote coexistence of tigers, elephants, and other large mammals in human-dominated landscapes?

Today, the Global Tiger Forum, National Tiger Conservation Authority, the NGO RESOLVE, and Clemson University are excited to announce a major breakthrough in conservation technology: for the first time ever, wild tigers and elephants have been detected by an AI-powered, cryptic camera-alert system, TrailGuard AI, that transmits the images to the cell phones and computers of park managers and other concerned entities in real-time. The elapsed time from the motion sensor triggered by the passing tiger, to loading and performing inference by the AI algorithm on four images, to transmission to the cell network, to the Internet, and to designated authorities is less than 30 seconds, making this technology a true alerting system. To complete the wish list, using cellular communication, the technology can transmit more than 2,500 images on a single battery charge. In short, the dream has come true.

These results are made widely available in a new publication, Mitigating Human-Wildlife Conflict and Monitoring Endangered Tigers Using a Real-time Camera-Based Alert System in the journal BioScience. Since May of 2022 and continuing through the present, TrailGuard AI has been placed in and around five tiger reserves in sections of two of the most productive tiger landscapes in the world: the Kanha-Pench Landscape in Madhya Pradesh, India and the Terai-Arc Landscape in north India and overlapping into lowland Nepal.

This new paper covers the first few months of the field deployment from the monsoon period of 2022. The technology proved its worth almost immediately, detecting tigers moving close to villages and using the same trails as wildlife poachers.

The new technology was prototyped effectively in Africa for the past four years, before being trialed in India. This tiny AI-embedded camera-alert system runs powerful computer models on-board the camera to weed out false positives before transmission of data, thus saving precious battery life, and sending only what the end user requires. Intel and CVEDIA played a critical role in supplying the necessary computer chips and AI software, respectively, to make this innovation possible. First designed to detect poachers, the camera becomes a wildlife detector simply by updating the AI model to detect a range of endangered wildlife species. A new AI algorithm to be used in India, the rest of Asia, and Africa, detects eight output classes: felids; canids; elephants; rhinos; bears; wild pigs; humans; and a catch-all class of other mammals and large birds. Where cell connectivity is excellent, as in much of India, TrailGuard AI takes advantage of the strong signal. Where there is no cell service, this system transmits images over long-range radio (LoRa) or satellite.

The technology cannot come soon enough. While tiger numbers are in ascendance in India, Nepal, and Bhutan, they are declining in much of the rest of the range. Landscape-scale conservation is the most effective way to save area-sensitive, wide-ranging top predators like tigers. The deployment centered on Kanha-Pench, the most important of the 76 Tiger Conservation Landscapes in this predator’s range. The twin anchors of this landscape, Kanha National Park and Pench National Park, and their surrounding habitats, hold more than 500 tigers, the most anywhere. The co-authors of the study are some of the world’s leading experts on tigers and tiger conservation.

“TrailGuard AI has moved from proof-of-concept to becoming part of the tool box to reduce human-wildlife conflict. This technology can be spread to the other tiger-range states as it is so easy to deploy.” — Dr. H.S. Negi, former additional chief of wildlife in Madhya Pradesh and Senior Advisor, Global Tiger Forum and senior adviser to Nightjar, the company that produces the system

“AI technology can be a boon for wildlife protection and generating forecasts and alerts in human-wildlife interface areas.” — Dr. S.P. Yadav, Additional Director General (Project Tiger) and Member Secretary, National Tiger Conservation Authority

“Technology can aid park managers and communities in reducing conflict and promoting coexistence. Staffing is limited both inside and outside tiger reserves. TrailGuard AI provides the 24/7 coverage over multiple hotspots of conflict, thus enabling forest management to offset these staffing limitations. We truly have now eyes on the forest and its wildlife and a device that can give us the situational awareness officials desperately need.” — Dr. Ramesh Krishnamurthy, landscape ecologist, and professor, Wildlife Institute of India

“Seeing is believing. Besides the real-time transmissions of conflict-prone wildlife species, TrailGuard AI offers park protection that led to the detection and arrest of poachers in Dudhwa.” — Sanjay Kumar Pathak, Former Field Director, Dudhwa Tiger Reserve

Holding workshops involving local communities allowed the team to show how TrailGuard AI could alert villagers gathering firewood or grazing livestock in the multi-use areas to the presence of tigers.

“Integrating communities is essential for co-existence to work and we have gained valuable experience in explaining the technology and listening to how to improve their safety when they use the buffer zone.” — Hrishita Negi, co-author and facilitator of the community-driven workshops that accompanied the tech deployments

Research in Indian tiger reserves also shows that tiger population recovery depends heavily on prey populations, so being able to monitor the status of prey species is vital information to predict recovery.

“Saving tigers requires effective monitoring of the wild population and the prey base. AI-based camera trap technology gives managers that tool, and the said tool detects a wide range of species important to Asian wildlife managers, especially when dealing with human-tiger interface areas. The Global Tiger Forum is committed to foster new technology for furthering the cause.” — Dr. Rajesh Gopal, Secretary General, Global Tiger Forum

Cutting-edge tools can assist tiger range countries in fast and long-term monitoring and protection.

“The technology has also been showcased in range country level events, and several Tiger Range Countries have shown their interest for piloting the same in the near future” — Mohnish Kapoor, Head of Programme and Partnerships, Global Tiger Forum

TrailGuard AI has big ambitions. Now being manufactured in India, it is the first AI-based camera-alert system technology designed by biologists for field biologists and conservationists.

“We follow the guidelines of the government’s directive to ‘Make in India.’ We are trying to make our technology long-lasting and affordable, and simple to install. You only need to remove the lens cap and, as long as end-users are designated as recipients, they start seeing alerts on their cell phones immediately. This can be a game-changer, to be used by Indian conservationists to protect people and wildlife, and around the world wherever wildlife and human populations interact.” – Piyush Yadav, lead engineer and lead of Nightjar, the company producing TrailGuard AI in India

“Our partnership with RESOLVE allows us to bring state-of-the-art AI algorithms, created from synthetic data, to benefit wildlife conservation.” — Mijail Benitez, CVEDIA

“As we take TrailGuard AI to scale, this real-time alerting system for parks and wildlife can become a widespread tool to protect endangered nature. Being part of the evolution of this technology has been gratifying.” — Eric Dinerstein, RESOLVE and Nightjar

The Global Tiger Forum (GTF) is an international, inter-governmental body exclusively set up for the conservation of tigers in the wild in the range countries. The forum is working with range country governments, conservation organizations, and research/academic institutes across the globe for utilizing co-operative policies, evolving common approaches, providing technical expertise, developing scientific modules and other appropriate conservation programs.

Contact: Mr. Mohnish Kapoor, mkapoor@globaltigerforum.org

The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is a statutory body under India’s Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change. Its mandate to strengthen tiger conservation in the country by retaining an oversight through advisories/normative guidelines, based on appraisal of tiger status, ongoing conservation initiatives and recommendations of specially constituted Committees. NTCA has been at the forefront of tiger conservation work in India. Its work domain extends from on-the-ground protection initiatives to science-based monitoring of tigers and their habitat using latest technological tools, independent assessment of tiger reserves with MEE framework, financial and technical support to tiger reserves, creating inviolate space for wildlife while ensuring community development to international co-operation are the few thrust areas of NTCA.

Clemson University, a leading public research institution in South Carolina, USA, initiated the Tigers United University Consortium with three other institutions — Auburn University, Louisiana State University and The University of Missouri. Through the consortium, the four universities combine their expertise in academic disciplines important to tiger conservation and protection—wildlife management, engineering, environmental science, conservation social science, veterinary medicine, communications and eco-tourism, to name a few. With more than one university approaching the problem, the odds of success increase.

Contact: Dr. Brett Wright, wright@clemson.edu

RESOLVE is a Washington, DC-based non-profit organization that forges sustainable solutions to critical environmental, social, and health, challenges by creating innovative partnerships where they are least likely and most needed. RESOLVE’s Biodiversity and Climate Program tackles the most pressing conservation problems of our time – the approaching extinction of endangered wildlife and threats to habitats, including tropical forests where most of the world’s species reside – through technological innovation, ambitious global agreements, and targeted land protection.

Contact: Dr. Eric Dinerstein, edinerstein@resolve.ngo

Nightjar is a limited liability social benefit company organized and funded to achieve the social and environmental objectives of developing durable, long-lasting, high technology devices—including the trademarked TrailGuard AI—to facilitate protection and monitoring of endangered species, reducing human-wildlife conflict, and to stop wildlife poaching and illegal logging. Nightjar emerged from the Biodiversity and Wildlife Solutions program at RESOLVE Inc. (RESOLVE), which is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

Contact: Dr. Eric Dinerstein, edinerstein@resolve.ngo

CINCINNATI, September 13, 2023 /3BL/ – Cintas Corporation (Nasdaq: CTAS) has been named to Forbes’ America’s Best-in-State Employers 2023 list for the second year in a row.

The award distinguishes the best employers in the United States, based on criteria such as working conditions, diversity, salary, potential for development and company image, and the likelihood of employees recommending their employers to friends and family.

“Our 44,500 employee-partners across North America are central to our success,” said Max Langenkamp, Cintas Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Chief Diversity Officer. “We know that without our employee-partners, we wouldn’t have customers or even a business. Our culture is the foundation upon which we run our business. 

“We believe in treating our employee-partners well, providing both professional and personal support, and creating an environment where they are respected and confident so they can thrive and achieve success. Awards like this mean a lot to us since they reaffirm our belief that Cintas is an employer of choice.” 

Forbes’ America’s Best Employers By State 2023 list was determined in partnership with global research firm Statista. They surveyed 70,000 full- and part-time employees in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia who work at companies with more than 500 workers nationwide. Surveys asked if the participants would recommend their employer to friends and family and asked them to evaluate their employer on criteria including working conditions, diversity, compensation packages, potential for development and company image.

Recently, Cintas has been widely recognized for its employment practices and for its outstanding workplace environment: 

Newsweek’s America’s Greatest WorkplacesNewsweek’s America’s Greatest Workplaces for DiversityNewsweek’s America’s Greatest Workplaces for WomenForbes’ Best Large Employers Forbes’ Best Employers for DiversityForbes’ Best Employers for Women

The company has also been honored for its employment and business practices supporting disabled employee-partners; early-career employee-partners; military-affiliated employee-partners, spouses, and suppliers; and the LGBTQ+ communities. 

More information about Cintas’ approach to human capital and its workforce, including its overview and approach to talent recruitment and retention, compensation and benefits, performance and advancement, training and development, employee-partner engagement and DEI is available in the 2022 Cintas ESG Report.

About Cintas Corporation
Cintas Corporation helps more than one million businesses of all types and sizes get Ready™ to open their doors with confidence every day by providing products and services that help keep their customers’ facilities and employees clean, safe, and looking their best. With offerings including uniforms, mats, mops, towels, restroom supplies, workplace water services, first aid and safety products, eye-wash stations, safety training, fire extinguishers, sprinkler systems and alarm service, Cintas helps customers get Ready for the Workday®. Headquartered in Cincinnati, Cintas is a publicly held Fortune 500 company traded over the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol CTAS and is a component of both the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index and Nasdaq-100 Index.

Cintas Media Contact:
Michelle Goret, Vice President of Corporate Affairs | goretm@cintas.com, 513-972-4155

Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the U.N., Anne Beathe Tvinnereim, Minister of International Development of Norway, and José Ramos-Horta, President of Timor Leste and Advocates Helena and Nina Gualinga and Moj Mahdara to lead calls for and end to extreme poverty

Watch the 2023 Global Citizen Festival on ABC, ABC News Live, Apple Music and the Apple TV app, Prime Video and the Amazon Music Channel on Twitch, Hulu, iHeartRadio, Mediacorp, SABC, TimesLIVE, TNT, TV3, Veeps, YouTube and more

Proudly Presented by Citi and Cisco, and Supported by Global Partners Accenture, Delta Air Lines, P&G, TimesLIVE, and Verizon; Campaign Partners Bridgewater Associates and World Wide Technology; with Live Nation and iHeartMedia

Join the Global Movement Ending Extreme Poverty: Earn tickets to Global Citizen Festival by taking action on the Global Citizen app and at www.globalcitizen.org

NEW YORK, September 14, 2023 /3BL/ – The 2023 Global Citizen Festival will broadcast live to the world on Saturday, September 23 from New York City’s Central Park, where 60 thousand global citizens, along with the world’s leading artists and advocates, will gather for a day of action and advocacy for equity, for the planet, for food and for jobs, to end extreme poverty NOW, as world leaders gather for the UN General Assembly.

Charlize Theron, Chris Rock, Daymond John, Eddie Izzard, Katie Holmes, Liza Koshy, Natasha Lyonne, Nomzamo Mbatha, and Vladimir Duthiers are set to join the line-up that will take the stage on Central Park’s Great Lawn. Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the UN; Anne Beathe Tvinnereim, Norwegian Minister of Development and Cooperation; Gilbert Houngbo, Director-General, International Labour Organisation; José Ramos-Horta, President of Timor Leste; Dr. Tariq Al Gurg, CEO, Dubai Cares; Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization; Yasmine Sherif, Executive Director, Education Cannot Wait; and leading advocates Brianna Fruean, Helena and Nina Gualinga and Moj Mahdara will lead the charge, calling for systemic change for the world’s most marginalized populations.

The 2023 Global Citizen Festival will be headlined by Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Jung Kook and Anitta, with performances from Conan Gray, D-Nice, Sofia Carson and Stray Kids. Previously announced participants include: Governor Helder Barbalho and State Secretary for Indigenous People Puyr Tembé from the Brazilian State of Pará, Bill Nye, Bridget Moynahan, Busy Philipps, Carmelo Anthony, Common, Connie Britton, Danai Gurira, Gayle King, Jordan Fisher, Lewis Pugh, Padma Lakshmi, Phoebe Gates, Rachel Brosnahan, Sophia Bush, and renowned advocates Barbie Izquierdo, Deja Foxx, Ineza Umuhoza Grace, Jerome Foster II, Nkosana Butholenkosi Masuku, Sophia Kianni, Pashtana Durrani, Xiye Bastida and Wangari Kuria.

“To have a powerhouse of broadcasters and streamers taking the Global Citizen movement to the whole world on September 23 presents a significant opportunity to drive action in this critically important year for social change,” said Hugh Evans, Co-Founder & CEO of Global Citizen. “We couldn’t be happier to have truly inspiring world leaders taking the stage alongside Charlize Theron, Chris Rock, Katie Holmes and Eddie Izzard and this year’s sensational line up. It’s going to be an unforgettable day in Central Park.”

WHEN: Saturday, September 23, 2023, 4:00pm EST

WHERE: The Great Lawn of Central Park, New York City

HOW TO WATCH: The 2023 Global Citizen Festival will be broadcast and streamed to the world on ABC News Live, Apple Music and the Apple TV app, Prime Video and the Amazon Music channel on Twitch, Facebook, Hulu, iHeartRadio, Instagram, Mediacorp, SABC, TikTok, TimesLIVE, TNT, TV3, Veeps, YouTube, the Global Citizen app and www.globalcitizen.org. A primetime special, Global Citizen Festival 2023, will air on ABC on Sunday, September 24 at 7:00 pm EST.

Viewers can join the movement and take action on the most urgent issues facing humanity and our planet by downloading the Global Citizen app or visiting at www.globalcitizen.org.

Global Citizen Festival is presented by Citi and Cisco. Global Partners are Accenture, Delta Air Lines, P&G, TimesLIVE and Verizon; Campaign Partners Bridgewater Associates, Motsepe Foundation and World Wide Technology; with Live Nation, iHeartMedia, and Location Partner New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. The Global Citizen Festival broadcast is produced by Done and Dusted.

Global Citizen is grateful for the support of leading media companies across the world including: AIM Group, Altermark, Arena Holdings, Atmosphere TV, Bandsintown, Bella Naija, Billboard, Billboard Mexico, Branded Cities, Captivate, Digital Mobile Media, EIB Network, Grocery TV, Grupo De Haro, GSTV, Interstate Outdoor, MX Location, New Tradition, Orange Barrel Media, OUTFRONT Media, Penske Media, Rolling Stone, Seen Media, Six Flags Theme Parks, Spotify, Trooh Media, Vanguard Media, Variety, VIBE, Vox Media, The Wall Street Journal and Zikoko; and the support of in-kind partners: Impossible Foods and PATH Water.

For more information visit globalcitizenfestival.com, download the Global Citizen app, and follow Global Citizen on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, X and LinkedIn.

– Ends –

About Global Citizen

Global Citizen is the world’s leading international advocacy organization on a mission to end extreme poverty NOW. Powered by a worldwide community of everyday activists raising their voices and taking action, the movement is amplified by campaigns and events that convene leaders in music, entertainment, public policy, media, philanthropy and the corporate sector. Over the past 10 years, $43.6 billion in commitments announced on Global Citizen platforms has been deployed, impacting nearly 1.3 billion lives. Established in Australia in 2008, Global Citizen’s team operates from New York, Los Angeles, London, Paris, Berlin, Melbourne, Toronto, Johannesburg, Lagos and beyond. Join the movement at globalcitizen.org, download the Global Citizen app, and follow Global Citizen on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, X and LinkedIn.

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