Month: March 2024

Eastman

Defining the plastic waste problem

Imagine all the items you’ve bought, used and discarded in your lifetime. How much space would they take up? What about the items discarded by your neighbors, friends and family? From cars to toys to electronics, appliances, textiles, building materials, packaging, household goods and decorations, we buy, use and discard a lot of things — many made with plastic.

And because we can place them in a trash bin or drop them at a dump, and they seem to disappear, we might not give much thought to their journey after that. Unfortunately, most will end up in a landfill, doomed forever to be “trash” or “waste” — a concept that is foreign to the natural world. And humans make so much of this waste that we are running out of landfill space around the world.

What if we could turn our old, discarded, no-longer-useful plastic into new things?

We would reduce our strain on natural resources and avoid digging giant holes and using our land to bury waste. We would reduce pollution and chemicals leaching into local environments. We would reclaim and repurpose valuable materials and reduce our carbon footprint.

Reducing our waste in these ways would do us a lot of good.

But how?

The change needed for material circularity

To change our waste story, we need to adopt a circular mindset. Our perception of what end of life means for plastic needs to change. Instead of seeing the plastic we’ve used as mere waste, we should recognize its inherent value and reuse it accordingly. Molecular recycling technologies allow us to unlock this value.

The potential of molecular recycling of plastic is immense. By embracing it, we can reduce our dependency on fossil fuels, mitigate the prevalence of plastic waste in our environments and landfills, create value for end-of-life plastics, and transform existing plastic back into molecular building blocks for future products. This transition would create a circular economy, reducing our dependence on natural resources and minimizing our negative impact.

Right now, mechanical recycling is the dominant method for recycling plastic, but it’s limited to certain types of plastic. Others that aren’t recycled or landfilled may be burned for fuel. Mechanical recycling has the lowest carbon footprint and is the most cost-effective and efficient recycling option. Wherever possible, this is the best solution.

But mechanical recycling has limitations, starting with the very narrow range of simple plastics it can process, such as clear plastic water bottles and clear gallon milk jugs. Also, plastics that are mechanically recycled degrade each time they’re processed until they can’t be mechanically recycled anymore. Mechanical recycling is finite. Molecular recycling is infinite because the plastics do not degrade, no matter how many times they’re processed. And the vast types and amounts of plastic items that cannot be mechanically recycled — colored plastic bottles, eyeglass frames, food containers and polyester carpet are just a few — can be processed by molecular recycling.

To achieve true material circularity, we need material-to-material molecular recycling. To create a circular economy, we need to invest in better access, collection and sorting within the mechanical recycling system. We also need to build an infrastructure that supports molecular recycling to revolutionize materials.

The complexity of advanced recycling

The phrase “advanced recycling” doesn’t really tell us much about the process. The general term covers any technology that transforms waste to be used again and isn’t traditional mechanical recycling. Technologies that some characterize as advanced recycling might in fact be transforming waste materials into fuel. We would argue that these technologies should not be characterized as recycling.

However, there are other technologies that are truly circular and produce building blocks identical to those produced from fossil resources, so they can then be used to make new high-performance materials. This is referred to as material-to-material recycling and is preferred. It keeps existing materials in use, reducing our need to create more from fossil resources. It’s also what we mean when we refer to Eastman molecular recycling.

But even within material-to-material molecular recycling, there are a range of technologies with varying environmental benefits or consequences. The most sustainable processes can repurpose an extremely high percentage of the processed waste with very little yield loss. They use the least amount of hazardous chemicals and have lower carbon emissions while producing useful feedstock from waste.

We know consumers are looking for recycled content. And that means businesses are looking for recycled materials. So why aren’t we doing more material-to-material molecular recycling?

The problem is most of these recycling technologies are relatively new. Recycling technologies and facilities are expensive and take time to build. With failing perception of recycling and confusion around accepted materials, more and more people are giving up on putting plastic in their recycling bins. Mechanical recycling, which our current infrastructure is built for, accepts limited types of plastics. And the range of accepted plastics varies by municipality.

One advantage of Eastman molecular recycling is that it recycles a wide range of materials that cannot be mechanically recycled. These technologies provide a means to recycle not just more plastic but more types of plastic — meaning less ends up in landfills.

This is the promise of molecular recycling. The challenge is that we don’t have a clear and consistent approach to collecting and recycling more plastics. To activate material circularity through molecular recycling, we need to aggressively pursue:

Design for recyclabilityImproved access to recycling for a majority of householdsInfrastructure for collecting and sorting waste and transporting it to proper recycling facilitiesMolecular recycling facilities that operate at scalePolicies that enable the development of effective recycling technologies

What’s Eastman doing for a circular economy?

We’re working closely with waste management companies to create new feedstock streams. We’re also supporting take-back programs and collection efforts. That includes The Recycling Partnership’s PET Recycling Coalition, which offers grants to fund viable research, infrastructure and knowledge sharing to help capture more PET waste for recycling. We’re engaging in meaningful partnerships that are critical for scaling the circular economy.

Beyond that, we’re making significant investments in facilities that can implement molecular recycling and turn hard-to-recycle plastic waste into feedstock for new materials and products.

We’ve developed two technologies that can greatly expand plastic recycling: polyester renewal technology (PRT) and carbon renewal technology (CRT). These technologies complement mechanical recycling by accepting a wider range of plastics like those prevalent in plastic packaging, other single-use plastics, textiles and more. Our PRT facility in Kingsport, Tennessee, is nearing completion, and we’re targeting the facility to be operational by the end of 2023. It will be one of the largest material-to-material recycling facilities in the world, processing 110,000 metric tonnes of polyester waste annually and producing high-quality, new products that perform just like virgin materials.

We’ve also announced a similar PRT recycling facility in France. A partnership with Interzero will supply 20,000 metric tonnes of plastic waste to our facility to be turned into first-quality feedstock. When operational (expected by 2026), the first phase of the facility will be able to recycle 110,000 metric tonnes annually, with that growing to over 200,000 metric tonnes with the completion of the second phase.

With many companies looking for recycled content, these innovative and invaluable technologies can turn would-be waste into valuable materials and drive the circular economy forward.

A circular economy not only supports a more responsible approach to materials and business but also has countless positive impacts for society. Keep reading  to learn how molecular recycling contributes to a circular economy and how circularity can improve the quality of life for billions around the world.

Eastman

Defining the plastic waste problem

Imagine all the items you’ve bought, used and discarded in your lifetime. How much space would they take up? What about the items discarded by your neighbors, friends and family? From cars to toys to electronics, appliances, textiles, building materials, packaging, household goods and decorations, we buy, use and discard a lot of things — many made with plastic.

And because we can place them in a trash bin or drop them at a dump, and they seem to disappear, we might not give much thought to their journey after that. Unfortunately, most will end up in a landfill, doomed forever to be “trash” or “waste” — a concept that is foreign to the natural world. And humans make so much of this waste that we are running out of landfill space around the world.

What if we could turn our old, discarded, no-longer-useful plastic into new things?

We would reduce our strain on natural resources and avoid digging giant holes and using our land to bury waste. We would reduce pollution and chemicals leaching into local environments. We would reclaim and repurpose valuable materials and reduce our carbon footprint.

Reducing our waste in these ways would do us a lot of good.

But how?

The change needed for material circularity

To change our waste story, we need to adopt a circular mindset. Our perception of what end of life means for plastic needs to change. Instead of seeing the plastic we’ve used as mere waste, we should recognize its inherent value and reuse it accordingly. Molecular recycling technologies allow us to unlock this value.

The potential of molecular recycling of plastic is immense. By embracing it, we can reduce our dependency on fossil fuels, mitigate the prevalence of plastic waste in our environments and landfills, create value for end-of-life plastics, and transform existing plastic back into molecular building blocks for future products. This transition would create a circular economy, reducing our dependence on natural resources and minimizing our negative impact.

Right now, mechanical recycling is the dominant method for recycling plastic, but it’s limited to certain types of plastic. Others that aren’t recycled or landfilled may be burned for fuel. Mechanical recycling has the lowest carbon footprint and is the most cost-effective and efficient recycling option. Wherever possible, this is the best solution.

But mechanical recycling has limitations, starting with the very narrow range of simple plastics it can process, such as clear plastic water bottles and clear gallon milk jugs. Also, plastics that are mechanically recycled degrade each time they’re processed until they can’t be mechanically recycled anymore. Mechanical recycling is finite. Molecular recycling is infinite because the plastics do not degrade, no matter how many times they’re processed. And the vast types and amounts of plastic items that cannot be mechanically recycled — colored plastic bottles, eyeglass frames, food containers and polyester carpet are just a few — can be processed by molecular recycling.

To achieve true material circularity, we need material-to-material molecular recycling. To create a circular economy, we need to invest in better access, collection and sorting within the mechanical recycling system. We also need to build an infrastructure that supports molecular recycling to revolutionize materials.

The complexity of advanced recycling

The phrase “advanced recycling” doesn’t really tell us much about the process. The general term covers any technology that transforms waste to be used again and isn’t traditional mechanical recycling. Technologies that some characterize as advanced recycling might in fact be transforming waste materials into fuel. We would argue that these technologies should not be characterized as recycling.

However, there are other technologies that are truly circular and produce building blocks identical to those produced from fossil resources, so they can then be used to make new high-performance materials. This is referred to as material-to-material recycling and is preferred. It keeps existing materials in use, reducing our need to create more from fossil resources. It’s also what we mean when we refer to Eastman molecular recycling.

But even within material-to-material molecular recycling, there are a range of technologies with varying environmental benefits or consequences. The most sustainable processes can repurpose an extremely high percentage of the processed waste with very little yield loss. They use the least amount of hazardous chemicals and have lower carbon emissions while producing useful feedstock from waste.

We know consumers are looking for recycled content. And that means businesses are looking for recycled materials. So why aren’t we doing more material-to-material molecular recycling?

The problem is most of these recycling technologies are relatively new. Recycling technologies and facilities are expensive and take time to build. With failing perception of recycling and confusion around accepted materials, more and more people are giving up on putting plastic in their recycling bins. Mechanical recycling, which our current infrastructure is built for, accepts limited types of plastics. And the range of accepted plastics varies by municipality.

One advantage of Eastman molecular recycling is that it recycles a wide range of materials that cannot be mechanically recycled. These technologies provide a means to recycle not just more plastic but more types of plastic — meaning less ends up in landfills.

This is the promise of molecular recycling. The challenge is that we don’t have a clear and consistent approach to collecting and recycling more plastics. To activate material circularity through molecular recycling, we need to aggressively pursue:

Design for recyclabilityImproved access to recycling for a majority of householdsInfrastructure for collecting and sorting waste and transporting it to proper recycling facilitiesMolecular recycling facilities that operate at scalePolicies that enable the development of effective recycling technologies

What’s Eastman doing for a circular economy?

We’re working closely with waste management companies to create new feedstock streams. We’re also supporting take-back programs and collection efforts. That includes The Recycling Partnership’s PET Recycling Coalition, which offers grants to fund viable research, infrastructure and knowledge sharing to help capture more PET waste for recycling. We’re engaging in meaningful partnerships that are critical for scaling the circular economy.

Beyond that, we’re making significant investments in facilities that can implement molecular recycling and turn hard-to-recycle plastic waste into feedstock for new materials and products.

We’ve developed two technologies that can greatly expand plastic recycling: polyester renewal technology (PRT) and carbon renewal technology (CRT). These technologies complement mechanical recycling by accepting a wider range of plastics like those prevalent in plastic packaging, other single-use plastics, textiles and more. Our PRT facility in Kingsport, Tennessee, is nearing completion, and we’re targeting the facility to be operational by the end of 2023. It will be one of the largest material-to-material recycling facilities in the world, processing 110,000 metric tonnes of polyester waste annually and producing high-quality, new products that perform just like virgin materials.

We’ve also announced a similar PRT recycling facility in France. A partnership with Interzero will supply 20,000 metric tonnes of plastic waste to our facility to be turned into first-quality feedstock. When operational (expected by 2026), the first phase of the facility will be able to recycle 110,000 metric tonnes annually, with that growing to over 200,000 metric tonnes with the completion of the second phase.

With many companies looking for recycled content, these innovative and invaluable technologies can turn would-be waste into valuable materials and drive the circular economy forward.

A circular economy not only supports a more responsible approach to materials and business but also has countless positive impacts for society. Keep reading  to learn how molecular recycling contributes to a circular economy and how circularity can improve the quality of life for billions around the world.

Maximus’ Corporate Communications team is finding ways to embody the company’s values of compassion and collaboration through its Communications for Good project in partnership with the Maximus Foundation. “This initiative aligns with the Foundation’s goals to build transformational partnerships by providing our nonprofit partners support beyond the grant,” said Arvenita Washington Cherry, Ph.D., Maximus Foundation President and Chairperson and Vice-President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. “We are grateful and hope this will inspire similar skills-based volunteerism across the business.”

This initiative harnesses the expertise of the Corporate Communications team to provide support, guidance, and communications services to Maximus Foundation grantees. FACETS, an outreach program that has cared for children and families in Fairfax County, Virginia, since 1988, is the first organization to participate in the team’s Communications for Good project.

“I had a desire to find meaningful ways for my team to contribute to the organizations supported by the Maximus Foundation. Communications for Good is not just about offering our expertise; it’s a heartfelt commitment to the communities where we live and work where we can make a tangible difference,” said Jared Curtis, Director of Corporate Communications.

Jerry Caruso, Senior Vice President of Tax Management, is a Maximus Foundation donor and serves as a FACETS board member.

“I thought it was an exceptional concept to assist organizations that would benefit from the expertise of the Corporate Communications team,” he said. “This project is a unique opportunity for FACETS to tap into a program that helps expand their communications toolkit. The Communications for Good program is evidence of the impact an organization such as Maximus can have on a community by partnering with organizations who may not have access to the type of resources we have.”

The team met with FACETS during their on-site team meeting on February 8. FACETS employees explained their communications needs, which included social media engagement, public awareness, and storytelling to highlight programs and employees. The Maximus team’s 13 employees offered expertise on topics including social and digital media, writing and editing, strategy, and marketing. As part of this program, the team will work with FACETS to provide agency-style services free of charge.

Tessa Robinette, FACETS Resource Development Manager, said the FACETS team was thankful for the communications support.

“Our resources and capacity are often so stretched that it is difficult to find the time to develop or execute a communications strategy with the intention to detail and innovation it deserves,” she said. “It is incredible to be receiving extra support from professionals in the field. With it being a large and experienced team, we were looking forward to how they could advise us.”

The FACETS team was looking for outside perspective and analysis of their communications plan for some of their upcoming events and insight on the new website and branding they planned to launch this year, Tessa said. Corporate Communications also provided some existing materials to assist with FACETS’ rebranding and content creation processes.

“They were able to provide specific fine-tuning and executive advice for each step of the proposed plans,” Tessa explained. This included social media support, internal and external communications support, and guidance for an effective brand rollout and storytelling.

With a comprehensive look at FACETS’ current and future strategies, the team walked away with a new point of view, excited to implement recommendations and tools the Corporate Communications team provided, said Katie Davenport, FACETS Chief of Staff.

“The FACETS team left there so refreshed and ready to use some of the tools that were shared,” she said. “I’m not only energized about the recommendations but also validated on some of the pain points we get hung up on as a small team.”

Robinette agreed, adding that the team’s outside perspective was “the most valuable aspect of this initiative.

“The team at Maximus was incredibly eager to delve into what we already had going on and offer changes to improve effectiveness,” Robinette said. “Working with Maximus thus far has been such a pleasure and we have already begun using a couple of their suggestions.”

This project is a collaborative effort between the team, partner organizations, and the Maximus Foundation, Curtis added. Each employee is encouraged to volunteer their time and leverage their expertise.

“In addition to giving their time, the team can provide insight, recommendations, and support to address the specific communications needs of these organizations,” he said. “Our hope is through this program, we can help empower these organizations to effectively convey their mission, amplify their impact, and encourage more support in the community.”

Maximus’ Corporate Communications team is finding ways to embody the company’s values of compassion and collaboration through its Communications for Good project in partnership with the Maximus Foundation. “This initiative aligns with the Foundation’s goals to build transformational partnerships by providing our nonprofit partners support beyond the grant,” said Arvenita Washington Cherry, Ph.D., Maximus Foundation President and Chairperson and Vice-President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. “We are grateful and hope this will inspire similar skills-based volunteerism across the business.”

This initiative harnesses the expertise of the Corporate Communications team to provide support, guidance, and communications services to Maximus Foundation grantees. FACETS, an outreach program that has cared for children and families in Fairfax County, Virginia, since 1988, is the first organization to participate in the team’s Communications for Good project.

“I had a desire to find meaningful ways for my team to contribute to the organizations supported by the Maximus Foundation. Communications for Good is not just about offering our expertise; it’s a heartfelt commitment to the communities where we live and work where we can make a tangible difference,” said Jared Curtis, Director of Corporate Communications.

Jerry Caruso, Senior Vice President of Tax Management, is a Maximus Foundation donor and serves as a FACETS board member.

“I thought it was an exceptional concept to assist organizations that would benefit from the expertise of the Corporate Communications team,” he said. “This project is a unique opportunity for FACETS to tap into a program that helps expand their communications toolkit. The Communications for Good program is evidence of the impact an organization such as Maximus can have on a community by partnering with organizations who may not have access to the type of resources we have.”

The team met with FACETS during their on-site team meeting on February 8. FACETS employees explained their communications needs, which included social media engagement, public awareness, and storytelling to highlight programs and employees. The Maximus team’s 13 employees offered expertise on topics including social and digital media, writing and editing, strategy, and marketing. As part of this program, the team will work with FACETS to provide agency-style services free of charge.

Tessa Robinette, FACETS Resource Development Manager, said the FACETS team was thankful for the communications support.

“Our resources and capacity are often so stretched that it is difficult to find the time to develop or execute a communications strategy with the intention to detail and innovation it deserves,” she said. “It is incredible to be receiving extra support from professionals in the field. With it being a large and experienced team, we were looking forward to how they could advise us.”

The FACETS team was looking for outside perspective and analysis of their communications plan for some of their upcoming events and insight on the new website and branding they planned to launch this year, Tessa said. Corporate Communications also provided some existing materials to assist with FACETS’ rebranding and content creation processes.

“They were able to provide specific fine-tuning and executive advice for each step of the proposed plans,” Tessa explained. This included social media support, internal and external communications support, and guidance for an effective brand rollout and storytelling.

With a comprehensive look at FACETS’ current and future strategies, the team walked away with a new point of view, excited to implement recommendations and tools the Corporate Communications team provided, said Katie Davenport, FACETS Chief of Staff.

“The FACETS team left there so refreshed and ready to use some of the tools that were shared,” she said. “I’m not only energized about the recommendations but also validated on some of the pain points we get hung up on as a small team.”

Robinette agreed, adding that the team’s outside perspective was “the most valuable aspect of this initiative.

“The team at Maximus was incredibly eager to delve into what we already had going on and offer changes to improve effectiveness,” Robinette said. “Working with Maximus thus far has been such a pleasure and we have already begun using a couple of their suggestions.”

This project is a collaborative effort between the team, partner organizations, and the Maximus Foundation, Curtis added. Each employee is encouraged to volunteer their time and leverage their expertise.

“In addition to giving their time, the team can provide insight, recommendations, and support to address the specific communications needs of these organizations,” he said. “Our hope is through this program, we can help empower these organizations to effectively convey their mission, amplify their impact, and encourage more support in the community.”

The Georgia Tech sustainability community and its partners gathered from March 4-8 for Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Action and Awareness Week. The United Nations SDGs are 17 areas where progress is essential for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future.

SDG Action and Awareness Week is an initiative of the University Global Coalition, led by Georgia Tech President, Ángel Cabrera. Its purpose is to increase awareness, showcase the work universities are doing to address the SDGs, and encourage action.

Georgia Tech’s SDG Week was sponsored by the Georgia Tech Office of Sustainability, in collaboration with the Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems (BBISS), the Ray C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business, and other campus partners. 

The Center is pleased to share highlights from panels in which affiliated faculty, students, staff, and partners shared expertise, insights, and opportunities for engagement.

Click here for the full story.

The Georgia Tech sustainability community and its partners gathered from March 4-8 for Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Action and Awareness Week. The United Nations SDGs are 17 areas where progress is essential for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future.

SDG Action and Awareness Week is an initiative of the University Global Coalition, led by Georgia Tech President, Ángel Cabrera. Its purpose is to increase awareness, showcase the work universities are doing to address the SDGs, and encourage action.

Georgia Tech’s SDG Week was sponsored by the Georgia Tech Office of Sustainability, in collaboration with the Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems (BBISS), the Ray C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business, and other campus partners. 

The Center is pleased to share highlights from panels in which affiliated faculty, students, staff, and partners shared expertise, insights, and opportunities for engagement.

Click here for the full story.

The Global Inclusive Growth Summit returns on April 18, 2024. As we look forward to coming back together in person and virtually, we offer these highlights from the 2023 event, hosted by Mastercard and the Aspen Institute. The Global Inclusive Growth Summit 2023 brought together private sector, social impact and government leaders to share ways to make economies more equitable.

The 2024 Global Inclusive Growth Summit, hosted by the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, advances real solutions to today’s most pressing challenges through collaboration and candid conversation among entrepreneurs, innovators, policymakers and emerging changemakers. First held in 2019, the Summit assembles a dynamic group of cross-sector leaders who collectively address topics including financial inclusion, data science for social impact, emerging technology such as artificial intelligence, climate and the environment, women’s economic empowerment and place-based development. After a decade of impact, we’re excited to continue the great dialogue and work focused on driving and creating inclusive growth for all.

Get more information about the 2024 Global Inclusive Growth Summit here.

To learn more, visit: globalinclusivegrowthsummit.com

Originally Published July 14, 2023 by Mastercard:

Social impact and development funding are continuing to evolve, employing a full spectrum of innovative tools and approaches to get resources in the hands of the people who need it most. Think impact investing, market-based solutions, and trust-based philanthropy.

Our panel of expert commentators, Mark Malloch-Brown. president of Open Society Foundations, Donald Kaberuka, former chair of Glbal Fund and ex-president of AfDB, Chetna Sinha, founder and chair of Mann Deshi Foundation, and Mastercard’s Shamina Singh, president of the Center for Inclusive Growth explored how these models can scale and work in concert to achieve measurable impact in an ever more demanding and challenging landscape.

Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth

The Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth advances equitable and sustainable economic growth and financial inclusion around the world. The Center leverages the company’s core assets and competencies, including data insights, expertise and technology, while administering the philanthropic Mastercard Impact Fund, to produce independent research, scale global programs and empower a community of thinkers, leaders and doers on the front lines of inclusive growth.

Aspen Institute

The Aspen Institute is a community-serving organization with global reach whose vision is the creation of a free, just, and equitable society. For 70 years, the Institute has driven change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve the world’s greatest challenges. With headquarters in Washington, DC, the Institute has offices in Aspen, Colorado and New York City, as well as an international network of partners. Learn more at www.aspeninstitute.org.

Devex

Devex is the world’s leading independent news organization covering global development. Devex journalists deliver insider reporting from front lines of the fight to achieve the SDGs – driving the most important debates, providing the most critical analysis, and backing it all up with the events, career information, and funding opportunities professionals require. To keep up to date with the must-read global development coverage, join their global community.

About Mastercard (NYSE: MA)

Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments industry. Our mission is to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere by making transactions safe, simple, smart and accessible. Using secure data and networks, partnerships and passion, our innovations and solutions help individuals, financial institutions, governments and businesses realize their greatest potential. With connections across more than 210 countries and territories, we are building a sustainable world that unlocks priceless possibilities for all.

www.mastercard.com

Originally published by The Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth

Follow along the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth’s journey to advance equitable and sustainable economic growth and financial inclusion around the world

The Global Inclusive Growth Summit returns on April 18, 2024. As we look forward to coming back together in person and virtually, we offer these highlights from the 2023 event, hosted by Mastercard and the Aspen Institute. The Global Inclusive Growth Summit 2023 brought together private sector, social impact and government leaders to share ways to make economies more equitable.

The 2024 Global Inclusive Growth Summit, hosted by the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, advances real solutions to today’s most pressing challenges through collaboration and candid conversation among entrepreneurs, innovators, policymakers and emerging changemakers. First held in 2019, the Summit assembles a dynamic group of cross-sector leaders who collectively address topics including financial inclusion, data science for social impact, emerging technology such as artificial intelligence, climate and the environment, women’s economic empowerment and place-based development. After a decade of impact, we’re excited to continue the great dialogue and work focused on driving and creating inclusive growth for all.

Get more information about the 2024 Global Inclusive Growth Summit here.

To learn more, visit: globalinclusivegrowthsummit.com

Originally Published July 14, 2023 by Mastercard:

Social impact and development funding are continuing to evolve, employing a full spectrum of innovative tools and approaches to get resources in the hands of the people who need it most. Think impact investing, market-based solutions, and trust-based philanthropy.

Our panel of expert commentators, Mark Malloch-Brown. president of Open Society Foundations, Donald Kaberuka, former chair of Glbal Fund and ex-president of AfDB, Chetna Sinha, founder and chair of Mann Deshi Foundation, and Mastercard’s Shamina Singh, president of the Center for Inclusive Growth explored how these models can scale and work in concert to achieve measurable impact in an ever more demanding and challenging landscape.

Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth

The Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth advances equitable and sustainable economic growth and financial inclusion around the world. The Center leverages the company’s core assets and competencies, including data insights, expertise and technology, while administering the philanthropic Mastercard Impact Fund, to produce independent research, scale global programs and empower a community of thinkers, leaders and doers on the front lines of inclusive growth.

Aspen Institute

The Aspen Institute is a community-serving organization with global reach whose vision is the creation of a free, just, and equitable society. For 70 years, the Institute has driven change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve the world’s greatest challenges. With headquarters in Washington, DC, the Institute has offices in Aspen, Colorado and New York City, as well as an international network of partners. Learn more at www.aspeninstitute.org.

Devex

Devex is the world’s leading independent news organization covering global development. Devex journalists deliver insider reporting from front lines of the fight to achieve the SDGs – driving the most important debates, providing the most critical analysis, and backing it all up with the events, career information, and funding opportunities professionals require. To keep up to date with the must-read global development coverage, join their global community.

About Mastercard (NYSE: MA)

Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments industry. Our mission is to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere by making transactions safe, simple, smart and accessible. Using secure data and networks, partnerships and passion, our innovations and solutions help individuals, financial institutions, governments and businesses realize their greatest potential. With connections across more than 210 countries and territories, we are building a sustainable world that unlocks priceless possibilities for all.

www.mastercard.com

Originally published by The Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth

Follow along the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth’s journey to advance equitable and sustainable economic growth and financial inclusion around the world

RAHWAY, N.J., March 26, 2024 /3BL/ – The Merck Foundation, a private charitable organization funded by Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, has made an $11 million, six-year (2023 – 2028) commitment to University of New Mexico Health (UNM Health) in support of its new initiative to bring high-quality care to an estimated 11 million people living with cancer in underserved communities throughout India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam. The new initiative aims to train and mentor more than 33,000 local health workers and is being led by Project ECHO® at UNM Health, a global movement to democratize knowledge and expand access to best-practice care.

This support builds on a $7 million, five-year commitment the Merck Foundation made to UNM Health in 2017. Project ECHO used that funding to help improve access to high-quality specialty care for complex chronic conditions, such as hepatitis C, HIV and tuberculosis, and non-communicable diseases, like diabetes, in underserved areas across India and Vietnam.

The Merck Foundation is committed to advancing global health equity and will continue to support innovative initiatives that aim to improve the health and well-being of people around the world.

About the Merck Foundation

The Merck Foundation (Foundation) is a U.S.-based, private charitable organization. Established in 1957 by Merck, a leading global biopharmaceutical company, the Foundation is funded entirely by the company and is Merck’s chief source of funding support to qualified non-profit charitable organizations. Since its inception, the Foundation has contributed more than $1 billion to support important initiatives that address critical global health and societal needs that are consistent with Merck’s purpose: to save and improve lives around the world. For more information, visit www.merck.com/company-overview/sustainability/philanthropy/.

Media Contact:

Robert Josephson
(203) 914-2372

View original content here.

RAHWAY, N.J., March 26, 2024 /3BL/ – The Merck Foundation, a private charitable organization funded by Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, has made an $11 million, six-year (2023 – 2028) commitment to University of New Mexico Health (UNM Health) in support of its new initiative to bring high-quality care to an estimated 11 million people living with cancer in underserved communities throughout India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam. The new initiative aims to train and mentor more than 33,000 local health workers and is being led by Project ECHO® at UNM Health, a global movement to democratize knowledge and expand access to best-practice care.

This support builds on a $7 million, five-year commitment the Merck Foundation made to UNM Health in 2017. Project ECHO used that funding to help improve access to high-quality specialty care for complex chronic conditions, such as hepatitis C, HIV and tuberculosis, and non-communicable diseases, like diabetes, in underserved areas across India and Vietnam.

The Merck Foundation is committed to advancing global health equity and will continue to support innovative initiatives that aim to improve the health and well-being of people around the world.

About the Merck Foundation

The Merck Foundation (Foundation) is a U.S.-based, private charitable organization. Established in 1957 by Merck, a leading global biopharmaceutical company, the Foundation is funded entirely by the company and is Merck’s chief source of funding support to qualified non-profit charitable organizations. Since its inception, the Foundation has contributed more than $1 billion to support important initiatives that address critical global health and societal needs that are consistent with Merck’s purpose: to save and improve lives around the world. For more information, visit www.merck.com/company-overview/sustainability/philanthropy/.

Media Contact:

Robert Josephson
(203) 914-2372

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