Month: February 2024

Our Georgia-Pacific LLC team recently hosted members from the American Forest & Paper Association at the Savannah River Mill for a tour of our recycled wastepaper operation. Our facility has five of the world’s 12 largest tissue paper machines and we use mostly recycled fiber to make the products our customers want, need and use every day.

Marc Forman from GP RECYCLING LLC was on hand to share our recycling story, including the impacts of wastepaper usage on the papermaking process and how GP manages wastepaper inputs to achieve specific customer product specifications.

During the visit, the AF&PA team also learned about our Wildlife Habitat Council Conservation Certification and the ways we support local wildlife on 1K+ acres.

Thank you to the AF&PA for your collaborative partnership, and to our team at Savannah River Mill for hosting this informative visit!

Georgia-Pacific

Based in Atlanta, Georgia-Pacific and its subsidiaries are among the world’s leading manufacturers and marketers of bath tissue, paper towels and napkins, tableware, paper-based packaging, cellulose, specialty fibers, nonwoven fabrics, building products and related chemicals. Our familiar consumer brands include Quilted Northern®, Angel Soft®, Brawny®, Dixie®, enMotion®, Sparkle® and Vanity Fair®. Georgia-Pacific has long been a leading supplier of building products to lumber and building materials dealers and large do-it-yourself warehouse retailers. Its Georgia-Pacific Recycling subsidiary is among the world’s largest traders of paper, metal and plastics. The company operates more than 150 facilities and employs more than 30,000 people directly and creates approximately 89,000 jobs indirectly. For more information, visit: gp.com/about-us . For news, visit: gp.com/news

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Originally published in Crown Holding’s 2022 Corporate Responsibility Report

The efforts of our global workforce throughout 2022 enabled us to make progress across numerous areas of our business, including achieving several notable milestones and setting us up for further advancement in our sustainability strategy. As we look ahead to the remainder of the decade, we will strive to maintain this momentum and strengthen our ESG performance. In the spirit of accountability and transparency, we will continue to communicate internally and externally about our priorities and the steps we are taking to work toward them.

While we are proud of our sustainability progress to date, we know there is more work to do. As we move further into the implementation of our Twentyby30™ program, we will focus on several key topics:

The Energy Transition 

In 2022, energy prices saw unprecedented fluctuations. We are committed to increasing our renewable electricity usage through both on-site renewable power generation and contracting with renewable energy providers. We have a plan in place to achieve 75% renewable electricity by 2030 and 100% by 2040, in line with our RE100 commitment. To help address Scope 1 emissions, we are optimizing all gas used in our facilities through proper heat recovery and electrification of heating equipment where possible.

We plan to implement additional electrification strategies to close the gap, including setting a Net Zero science-based target with SBTi and publishing a formal Net Zero plan within the next two years. These plans come on the heels of the aluminum and steel sectors finalizing their own roadmaps, allowing us to align with and support larger industry initiatives. We have also committed to a dedicated sustainability capital budget to invest in improving our facilities’ energy efficiency.

The Future Water Supply

It is hard to argue against water ranking as the most important resource to exist on the planet—it serves a critical function in nearly every aspect of life. Unfortunately, water is also projected to become increasingly scarce, with existing and future populations at risk.

When we consider what it means to be a steward of water, we factor in our larger value chain and our communities. It is important that we support our peers’ and customers’ water goals as well as be aware of how our operations affect our neighbors and environments. This sensitivity encourages us to be even more proactive about water preservation in the years to come.

Our Twentyby30™ goals have put us on the right course, positioning us to reduce water usage, meet wastewater quality standards, increase employee access to safe water and replenish high-stress sources from which we withdraw water. Still, we intend to further prioritize water projects—including hosting a Company-wide Water Summit, identifying more replenishment projects and conducting water mapping in our facilities to better understand our operational uses. We are also working to establish Companywide water standards and to formalize our WASH-inspired “safe access to water” assessment across our 200+ facilities.

Ramping Up Water Replenishment 

Our ongoing work with TNC in São Paulo, Brazil is helping improve the biodiversity and livelihood of one local ecosystem, but the project does not serve as a standalone initiative. We are committed to expanding our water replenishment partnerships and have identified additional global projects that we will provide an update on by our next formal sustainability report.

Spreading Inspiration at the 2023 Water Summit 

In 2023, we will host the inaugural Crown Water Summit, which aims to centralize discussions around our Company’s Twentyby30™ Best Practices and the successful steps taken by our individual plants toward reducing our water footprint. Employees can look to key takeaways from several teams across our global footprint for water efficiency inspiration. These will include topics such as updates on North American Greenbelt projects from Owatonna, Minnesota (U.S.) and Conroe, Texas (U.S.); learnings from an Adiabatic Cooling Tower System installation in Mexico; and the adoption of washer efficiencies in the Asia Pacific plants in Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand and reuse ideas from our European teams. These projects and others happening at our sites around the world help illustrate our commitment to set higher water efficiency standards Company-wide – in both new builds and in existing plants. Setting these guidelines also brings us closer to our goal of reaching 20% water reduction by 2025.

Plants Creating a Ripple Effect 

We rely on the ingenuity and tireless work of our global teams to help us uncover minor operational changes that can yield major impact. To date, several plants have made noteworthy contributions to our water conservation efforts: 

Crown TCP, Thailand: Recognized as a Twentyby30™ Best Practices winner for installing a reverse osmosis reject water pipe system to deliver water for its restroom, cleaning and gardening use, reducing reliance on local water supply and overall water consumption.Silvassa, India: Named a Twentyby30™ Best Practices finalist for installing rainwater conservation pits and recharging the rainwater into the ground, significantly increasing groundwater levels. In addition, the plant reduced its water consumption by effectively treating wastewater and using it for gardening and drinking water on-site.La Crosse, Wisconsin (U.S.) and Fort Bend, Texas (U.S.): Acknowledged for notable efforts to reduce water consumption in various areas of their operations. The facilities each took steps such as recycling vacuum pump cooling water into processing water; installing new controls on washers to prevent excess water consumption (a project which on its own will reduce the La Crosse plant’s total water usage by 17%); and implementing new counterflow meters to monitor water consumption levels.Korinthos, Greece: Identified for exceptional water conservation results due to a unique water recirculation system implemented in the plant. By collecting water throughout the pre-wash stages of can production and sending it through a water treatment process, the plant is able to recycle water for further cleaning stages and reduce reliance on local municipality water sources.

“We intend to prioritize water projects with even more frequency moving forward”

To learn more about Crown Holding’s commitment to corporate responsibility, visit our sustainability webpage.

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

CHARLOTTE, N.C., February 20, 2024 /3BL/ – Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK) has been named one of America’s Most JUST Companies for the second consecutive year, ranking 57th overall, up from 79th in 2023. The JUST 100 recognizes U.S. corporations that outperform on issues that matter most in defining just business behavior today.

“Our long-term success is deeply intertwined with the health and well-being of the communities we serve, and it’s an honor to be recognized by JUST Capital as a JUST 100 company,” said Katherine Neebe, Duke Energy’s chief sustainability & philanthropy officer and senior vice president, national engagement and strategy. “We are committed to a future that offers reliable, accessible and affordable clean energy. Achieving this vision requires us to transition to low- and zero-emissions energy, invest in our communities and develop and prepare a diverse workforce.”

To determine the annual ranking, JUST Capital, along with CNBC, collects and analyzes corporate data to evaluate how the nation’s largest companies are performing on the business issues that matter most to Americans. For 2024, companies were scored on issues such as paying a fair wage, creating jobs in the U.S., supporting workforce training and retention, providing benefits and work-life balance, minimizing pollution and protecting customer privacy.

In its flagship Impact Report, Duke Energy details the company’s clean energy transition, as well as its goals, performance and progress on strategic business priorities.

Recent company performance highlights

Economic Impact: Duke Energy will invest $145 billion over the next decade to fund the critical energy infrastructure necessary to meet customers’ needs and support our path to net zero. An EY study found this planned investment will lead to $250 billion in economic output throughout the U.S. economy. It will also generate approximately $5 billion in property taxes over the next 10 years to support schools, community programs and infrastructure, and support 20,000 direct and indirect jobs annually.Human Capital Management – We are working to increase diversity across our workforce and recently established new aspirational goals of 23% people of color and 28% women. Just Transition – As the energy sector transitions, the company is working to ensure its workforce and the communities where it operates are set up for long-term success. As part of this commitment, we released our Just Transition Approach. These principles outline our company’s strategy as it retires coal, with a complete exit, pending regulatory approval, by 2035.Supply Chain Resiliency – In 2022, we spent $14 billion overall on supplier goods and services, more than $5 billion with local suppliers and over $1.8 billion with diverse suppliers.

Duke Energy

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America’s largest energy holding companies. Its electric utilities serve 7.9 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 51,000 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas unit serves 1.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The company employs 27,500 people.

Duke Energy is executing an aggressive clean energy strategy to create a smarter energy future for its customers and communities – with goals of at least a 50 percent carbon reduction by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The company is a top U.S. renewable energy provider, on track to own or purchase 16,000 megawatts of renewable energy capacity by 2025. The company also is investing in major electric grid upgrades and expanded battery storage, and exploring zero-emitting power generation technologies such as hydrogen and advanced nuclear.

Duke Energy was named to Fortune’s 2023 “World’s Most Admired Companies” list and Forbes’ “America’s Best Employers” list. More information is available at duke- energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos and videos. Duke Energy’s illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

24-hour media line: 800.559.3853 

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Today is Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Action Day and our team members are on Capitol Hill to meet with representatives and advocate for policies that protect funding for LIHEAP and support vulnerable households in South Jersey.

What is LIHEAP?

LIHEAP is a federally funded program that helps limited-income households with their home energy bills. Don’t wait for winter heating bills to arrive before applying for help – LIHEAP is a first come, first serve program. Grants are provided in varying amounts up to $1,200, with no payback required. Requirements include a household’s income, type of fuel and type of dwelling. Homeowners, renters, roomers, and subsidized housing tenants may also be eligible. Customers do not have to be behind on their bills to receive a grant.

South Jersey customers can apply for LIHEAP energy assistance through the Department of Community Affairs website, by contacting their local LIHEAP Agency or by calling 800-510-3102. Residents also can access the Department of Community Affairs self-screening tool to help determine what energy assistance benefits they may qualify for.

Additional Payment Assistance Is Available

We also work with our customers to help those who may be facing difficulties paying their energy bill by offering payment arrangements and helping customers secure grants and other support from several available energy assistance programs. In 2023, we helped more than 37,000 customers secure more than $50 million in energy assistance, including more than $8.3 million in LIHEAP funding.

If you do not meet LIHEAP requirements and are having difficulty paying energy bills, we are here to help. Contact our Atlantic City Customer Care team at 800-642-3780 or visit atlanticcityelectric.com/EnergyAssistance for more information.

Atlantic City Electric is a unit of Exelon (Nasdaq: EXC), a Fortune 250 company and the nation’s largest utility company, serving more than 10 million customers. Atlantic City Electric provides safe and reliable energy service to approximately 572,000 customers in southern New Jersey.

 To learn more about Atlantic City Electric, visit The Source, Atlantic City Electric’s online newsroom. Find additional information by visiting atlanticcityelectric.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/AtlanticCityElectric, and on X, formerly known as Twitter, at twitter.com/AcEleCconnect. Atlantic City Electric’s mobile app is available at atlanticcityelectric.com/MobileApp.

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As one of the founding members of the SAC, TAL Apparel Limited, has evolved over the years. Throughout its journey, sustainability has changed from one of the eight company value drivers three years ago to become the long-standing purpose of the company today.

In a recent blog post, Dr. Delman Lee, Vice Chair of TAL Apparel Limited and Immediate Past Chair of the SAC Board, reflects on the importance of collective action and the strategic role that the SAC plays in bringing together stakeholders across the value chain to collaborate on charting a path for a more sustainable future. You can read his blog post titled Board Interview; Delman Lee on Why Fashion needs a New ‘Mindset’.

What do handbags, crayons, and car tires have in common? They are all everyday products that can be created using U.S. Soy. Soy materials are a more sustainable alternative to traditional materials and they often create products that perform better. A few examples:

Clothing and accessories made from soy fiber have proven to be durable and can be considered more durable than some other fabrics, such as wool.Crayons made from soybean oil provide a creamy finish for easier application on paper and other surfaces than those made with paraffin.Soy-based tires demonstrate superior traction on slippery roads, compared to traditional tires.Increasing use of soy materials in everyday items is great news for U.S. soybean farmers, who employ innovative agricultural practices that have helped U.S. Soy achieve the lowest carbon footprint — including land use change — compared with soy of other origins.

Download the infographic for a closer look at the many everyday applications, superior performance, and origins of sustainable U.S. Soy.

Whirlpool Corporation has once again been recognized by Fortune as one of the World’s Most Admired Companies. The list includes the most respected and reputable companies around the world, as ranked by peers within their respective industries. Whirlpool Corporation was the second-highest ranked company in the home equipment and furnishings industry.

“We are honored to be recognized by Fortune as one of the most admired companies,” said Marc Bitzer, chairman and CEO of Whirlpool Corporation. “As a company committed to improving life at home, this recognition is a testament to our people and the passion they have for helping consumers around the world.”

The Most Admired Companies survey is conducted annually by Fortune and Korn Ferry, a global organizational consulting firm. Top executives, directors and financial analysts are asked to identify the companies with the strongest reputations across nine criteria, including quality of management, social responsibility and investment value. Within the home equipment and furnishings industry, Whirlpool Corporation ranked number one in use of corporate assets, social responsibility, financial soundness and quality of products/services.

Click here to see the full list of World’s Most Admired Companies.

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