Month: February 2024

Good things come in trees! Have you ever thought of trees as solutions for climate and ecological resilience, health and well-being, and economic inclusion?

That was the business case presented by the Arbor Day Foundation at a roundtable hosted by Mary Kay that gathered sustainability & ESG leaders of 15 companies from North Texas at the end of January.

Recognizing the critical role companies play in conservation, Mary Kay is deeply involved in reforestation initiatives through our partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation. Guided by its mission of inspiring people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees, the Foundation has planted more than 500 million trees since it was founded in 1972. Last year, the Foundation committed to the ambitious goal of planting another 500 million trees alongside its members, partners, and supporters by June 2027.

Ryan Rogers, Mary Kay Chief Executive Officer, and Deborah Gibbins, Mary Kay Chief Operating Officer, greeted Dan Lambe, Arbor Day Foundation Chief Executive Officer and Foundation team members and welcomed the group by highlighting the brand’s sustainability journey with women empowerment at its core.

Did you know:

The partnership between Mary Kay and the Arbor Day Foundation started in 2008 with a corporate recycling program, where one tree was planted for every old reusable compact recycled. The program exceeded the brand’s goal of 200,000 trees planted in the U.S.Mary Kay also supported the Foundation’s Nature Explore Classrooms in domestic violence shelters from 2009 to 2012, providing safe natural spaces for survivors.From 2013, Mary Kay supported large-scale reforestation projects globally, and in 2018, celebrated the planting of its one-millionth tree.

Milestone: 

By the end of 2024, Mary Kay will have supported the planting of more than 1.4 million trees in the U.S. and around the world. 

Dan Lambe said, “Trees are the connectors for people across generations and cultures. Trees, we believe, can be the cornerstone of any scalable sustainability initiative.”

Deb Gibbins emphasized the unique value of the partnership. “Tackling the vast scale of climate change requires collective effort, that’s why we engage in impact-focused partnerships with change-makers like the Arbor Day Foundation. The work of the Foundation enables us to keep on learning about climate and biodiversity, but also about urban forestry and forestry carbon. Their network of partners allows both local and global engagement while the dashboard allows us to measure our impact in real time.“

Notable speakers from AT&T and Marriott International contributed to the business case while influential leaders from 15 companies across various industries from the North Texas business hub shared their sustainability journeys.

The meeting concluded on a high note with a visit to the Mary Kay Museum and Mary Kay Ash’s office.

Mary Kay Ash once said: “We must have a theme, a goal, a purpose in our lives. “The Arbor Day Foundation has helped to plant over 500 million trees in 50 years and has cultivated the largest tree planting network in the world. What’s next? Planting another 500 million trees in 5 years – and we are rooting for it!

Paramount Global (NASDAQ: PARA; PARAA), alongside its brands, industry affiliates, and community partners, orchestrated a series of impactful events in Las Vegas leading up to this past Sunday’s game to shine a light on important societal issues.

Through its Content for Change (CFC) initiative, Paramount Global seeks to harness the power of content to combat bias and harmful stereotypes, transforming how the world sees people. Over the last week, Paramount Global collaborated with artists, executives, athletes and storytellers from all backgrounds to produce compelling content and host impactful conversations aimed at educating, inspiring and driving lasting change.

CFC x CBS x NFL Vignettes: In partnership with CBS Sports and the NFL’s Inspire Change program, Content for Change launched a series of six vignettes, highlighting the social good of underrepresented NFL coaches, teams and players, on and off the field. Airing on CBS’ pregame show, The NFL Today, as well as Paramount+ and CBS Sports platforms last month, these vignettes leveraged BIPOC creators and athlete voices to champion topics like mental health, diversity in education, women in the NFL and social justice. The final vignette – narrated by Co-Founder of The Roots, critically acclaimed solo artist and actor, Black Thought – aired on game day and can be viewed on the Content for Change website, along with the others.Murals for Change: Recognizing the power of art to spark meaningful conversations, Content for Change also unveiled its Murals For Change initiative. Four public artworks by Indigenous American artists and activists Danielle SeeWalker , Gregg Deal and Fawn Douglas were unveiled in the Las Vegas Arts District in collaboration with Native-led non-profit organization Tribal Minds. This initiative celebrates the Indigenous community and their untold stories within Nevada and beyond, aligning with Paramount’s broader mission to champion underrepresented voices and reshape global perspectives. Content for Change is also providing philanthropic support to Tribal Minds via a grant for their 2024 summer arts program, supporting the long-term inspiration and artistic development of young indigenous voices.Paramount Creators House: This event series brought together industry executives, talent and creatives in an exclusive, invitation-only event in Las Vegas. Featuring companies like the NFL, Microsoft and presenting partner, United Way, the event facilitated curated conversations on crucial topics such as mental health and wellness, LGBTQIA+ community inclusion, inclusive marketing, and voter engagement, addressing challenges facing the media and entertainment industry. Notable panelists included Solomon Thomas (New York Jets), Jonathan Jones (New England Patriots), 2023 Walter Payton Man of the Year nominees and Dr. Nyaka NiiLampti (VP of NFL Wellness and Clinical Services), among others.

“Our commitment to shape content rooted in diversity, equity, and inclusion goes beyond business, leveraging our core strengths to create inspiring cultural moments and reach global audiences,” says Crystal Barnes, Paramount Global’s EVP of Social Impact and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG). “Through initiatives like Creators House, Murals for Change, and our powerful vignettes, we aim to redefine narratives, amplify underrepresented voices, and drive meaningful impact in Las Vegas and beyond.”

For more information on the Content for Change program and initiatives, please visit Paramount’s Content for Change website.

About Content for Change: 
Paramount’s Content for Change is a global company-wide, cross-brand initiative that seeks to harness the power of content to counteract racism, bias, stereotypes, and all forms of hate. Informed and inspired by BET’s groundbreaking campaign, Content for Change applies scientific research, rigor, and data to transform the entire creative ecosystem across three pillars – the content the company produces, the creative supply chain that powers it, and the culture that underpins everything Paramount does. For more information, visit contentforchange.paramount.com.

About Paramount 
Paramount Global (NASDAQ: PARA, PARAA) is a leading global media, streaming and entertainment company that creates premium content and experiences for audiences worldwide. Driven by iconic consumer brands, Paramount’s portfolio includes CBS, Showtime Networks, Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, BET, Paramount+ and Pluto TV. Paramount holds one of the industry’s most extensive libraries of TV and film titles. In addition to offering innovative streaming services and digital video products, the company provides powerful capabilities in production, distribution, and advertising solutions.

For more information about Paramount, please visit www.paramount.com and follow @ParamountCo on social platforms.

Eastman

KINGSPORT, Tenn., February 14, 2024 /3BL/ – Eastman (NYSE: EMN) today announced a long-term agreement with Nord Pal Plast SA part of Dentis Group, a leading Italian multinational company specializing in the recovery and mechanical recycling of PET packaging waste. Through their mechanical recycling sites in France (Nord Pal Plast SA), Spain (PET COMPAÑÍA PARA SU RECICLADO) and Italy (Dentis Recycling Italy Srl), Dentis will provide 30,000 metric tonnes per year of rejected PET post-consumer waste to Eastman. These materials, which currently lack a circular solution, will be recycled at Eastman’s molecular recycling facility in Port-Jérôme-sur-Seine, Normandy (France).

This partnership underscores the importance and complementary nature of both mechanical and molecular recycling processes in creating a more sustainable future. By combining their expertise and resources, both companies aim to achieve true circularity in the recycling process, maximizing the value of waste materials and reducing environmental impact.

“We are very pleased to enter into this agreement with Eastman since our group is strongly committed to promoting a continuous transition from a linear to a circular economy in the packaging market,” said Corrado Dentis, Dentis/Nord Pal Plast’s chief executive officer. “This partnership contributes to create a standing valuable platform towards PET waste reduction making mechanical and chemical recycling effectively complementary towards the achievements in European Plastic recycling rates.”

“We are very happy to enter into this agreement with Dentis/Nord Pal Plast, which exemplifies Eastman’s commitment to collaboration and our dedication to working alongside mechanical recyclers to tackle the plastic waste crisis,” said Brad Lich, Eastman’s executive vice president and chief commercial officer. “This partnership is a testament to our shared goal of reducing plastic waste and advancing the circular economy. With over 70% of the feedstock secured for our upcoming recycling plant in Normandy, including materials typically rejected by mechanical recyclers, this agreement represents a significant element of our feedstock availability and reinforces our commitment to sustainable solutions.”

Eastman’s announced molecular recycling facility in Normandy is set to become the world’s largest material-to-material molecular recycling plant. At full capacity, after phase 1 and phase 2, the facility will have the capacity to recycle more than 200,000 tonnes of hard-to-recycle polyester waste annually. This significant investment in France marks a milestone in Eastman’s commitment to sustainable solutions and supports the company’s efforts to establish a more circular economy.

Eastman’s molecular recycling technologies allow for the breakdown of hard-to-recycle waste into its molecular building blocks. These building blocks are then reassembled to create first-quality materials without compromising performance. Eastman’s process enables the potentially infinite value of materials, keeping them in production cycle after cycle.

About Eastman

Founded in 1920, Eastman is a global specialty materials company that produces a broad range of products found in items people use every day. With the purpose of enhancing the quality of life in a material way, Eastman works with customers to deliver innovative products and solutions while maintaining a commitment to safety and sustainability. The company’s innovation-driven growth model takes advantage of world-class technology platforms, deep customer engagement, and differentiated application development to grow its leading positions in attractive end markets such as transportation, building and construction, and consumables. As a globally inclusive and diverse company, Eastman employs approximately 14,000 people around the world and serves customers in more than 100 countries. The company had 2023 revenue of approximately $9.2 billion and is headquartered in Kingsport, Tennessee, USA. For more information, visit www.eastman.com.

About Dentis, Nord Pal Plast

Founded in 1987, Dentis nowadays is a multi-national Group specialized in the recovery and recycling of PET packaging waste, leader in the European R-PET market. At its production site and group headquarters in Sant’ Albano Stura (Cuneo), the company produces recycled PET bottle flakes with the brand name PETALO® and bottle-grade rPET pellets with the brand name REPETER® which it provides to Italian and international brand owners.

Focused on new challenges, in 2010s, Dentis opened at a season of PET market expansion by the acquisition of a recycling plant in Spain in 2013 (PET COMPAÑÍA PARA SU RECICLADO in Valencia, Spain) and a second one in France in 2018 (NORD PAL PLAST in Lille, France). Thanks to its mission and innovation policy, nowadays, Dentis Group ranks it as one of the largest mechanical RPET producer in Europe, having achieved the goal of a total recycling capacity of more than 270,000 tons of post-consumer PET bottles per year.

Media contact

Kristin Parker
1-423-229-2526
kristin@eastman.com

Media contact

Lidia Soria
Eastman Corporate Communications, EU
3-110-240-2831
lidia.soria@eastman.com