Month: March 2024

As a part of Alliance for a Healthier Generation and Del Monte Foods’ “Nourishing Families by Nourishing Schools” program to advance children’s nutrition and food access, students at Pittsburgh Minadeo PreK-5 participated in a special taste test led by the district’s chef, Chef Missy, featuring Del Monte canned sliced pears.

Volunteers from the Del Monte Foods’ Pittsburgh team, along with volunteers from the UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and Adagio Health, facilitated the tasting in early March and collected feedback from the students for the school district to implement this recipe across the district.

“What better way than to show children that fruit and veggies are good for you, but taste really good too. So that’s what’s really exciting about volunteering to support the student taste test, said John Fusco, Senior Director Commercial Operations at Del Monte Foods.

Initiatives like this help schools qualify for recognition as one of America’s Healthiest Schools, Healthier Generation’s annual award program that honors schools for the key role they play in advancing the health and well-being of students, staff, and families. Del Monte Foods proudly sponsors the Improving Nutrition & Food Access topic area, aligning with its commitment to advancing the health of youth and communities nationwide.

“Healthy choices in the cafeteria support success in and out of the classroom. Connecting students, staff and families to nutrition resources from partners like Del Monte Foods helps make it happen,” said Kathy Higgins, Chief Executive Officer, Alliance for a Healthier Generation.

Pittsburgh Minadeo PreK-5, a 2023 recipient of the America’s Healthiest Schools award in the “Supporting School Health Services” category, aims to earn the title in the “Improving Nutrition and Food Access” category this year.

The America’s Healthiest Schools award application is open through April 16. To learn more, visit https://lnkd.in/gq2uFQpE.

About Del Monte Foods  
For more than 135 years, Del Monte Foods, Inc. has been driven by our mission to nourish families with earth’s goodness. As the original plant-based food company, we’re always innovating to make nutritious and delicious foods more accessible to consumers across our portfolio of beloved brands, including Del Monte®, Contadina®, College Inn®, Kitchen Basics®, JOYBA®, Take Root Organics™ and S&W®. We believe that everyone deserves great tasting food they can feel good about, which is why we grow and produce our products using sustainable and earth-friendly practices for a healthier tomorrow.

Del Monte Foods, Inc. is the U.S. subsidiary of Del Monte Pacific Limited (Bloomberg: DELM SP, DELM PM) and is not affiliated with certain other Del Monte companies around the world, including Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc., Del Monte Canada, or Del Monte Asia Pte. Ltd. For more information about Del Monte Foods and our products, please visit www.delmontefoods.com or www.delmonte.com.

March 18 spotlights natural gas employees’ role in serving nearly 189 million Americans with safe, reliable natural gasNatural gas technicians play vital role in modernizing the natural gas delivery system for growing communities and in helping to meet the company’s net-zero methane emissions goalsB-roll: Natural gas employees

CHARLOTTE, N.C., March 28, 2024 /3BL/ – Duke Energy and Piedmont Natural Gas celebrate the ninth annual Natural Gas Utility Workers’ Day on March 18, 2024. The annual celebration spotlights natural gas workers’ role in providing nearly 189 million Americans with safe, reliable and affordable natural gas service every day.

More than 2,800 Duke Energy/Piedmont and contract workers are responsible for the construction, operation and maintenance of more than 35,000 miles of natural gas infrastructure in Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina and Tennessee.

Technicians are often first responders and on the front lines when natural gas emergencies occur. Their work expanding and modernizing the natural gas delivery system will help meet the service needs of customers and growing communities, while also providing the infrastructure needed to replace higher-carbon fuels.

“Duke Energy and Piedmont’s employees take pride in their commitment to our customers and to doing their jobs safely. Their willingness to go above and beyond to serve others and help keep communities safe is remarkable,” said Sasha Weintraub, senior vice president and president of Duke Energy’s natural gas business.

“From working long hours during an outage to restore our customers’ heat on a cold night to taking active roles in organizations that support the communities where they live and work, our natural gas workers truly are inspiring,” Weintraub said.

Read more about Duke Energy’s and Piedmont’s natural gas employees at Duke Energy’s illumination website.

Natural Gas Utility Workers’ Day, established by the American Public Gas Association in 2015, is intended to build public awareness about the hard work done by the employees of natural gas utilities and educate residents on the environmental, safety and cost benefits of using clean, reliable and affordable natural gas. It is celebrated March 18 to commemorate the date of a 1937 incident in New London, Texas, that led to the widespread odorization of natural gas and an increased emphasis on safety.

More information on natural gas safety can be found at duke-energy.com/NaturalGasSafety and piedmontng.com/safety.

Duke Energy Ohio/Kentucky

Duke Energy Ohio/Kentucky, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, provides electric service to 900,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in a 3,000-square-mile service area, and natural gas service to 550,000 customers in a 2,650-square-mile service area, in Ohio and Kentucky.

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 8.2 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 50,000 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 27,600 people.

Duke Energy is executing an aggressive clean energy transition to achieve its goals of net-zero methane emissions from its natural gas business by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions from electricity generation by 2050. The company has interim carbon emission targets of at least 50% reduction from electric generation by 2030, 50% for Scope 2 and certain Scope 3 upstream and downstream emissions by 2035, and 80% from electric generation by 2040. In addition, the company is investing in major electric grid enhancements and energy storage, and exploring zero-emission 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’ “World’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.

Piedmont Natural Gas

Piedmont Natural Gas, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, distributes natural gas to more than 1.1 million residential, commercial, industrial and power generation customers in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Piedmont Natural Gas earned the No. 1 spot in customer satisfaction with residential natural gas service in the South among large utilities for the second year in a row, according to the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Gas Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study, and has been named by Cogent Reports as one of the most trusted utility brands in the U.S. More information: piedmontng.com. Follow Piedmont Natural Gas: Twitter, Facebook.

Media contact: Jason Wheatley 
Media Line: 877.348.3612 
jason.wheatley@duke-energy.com 
Twitter: @PNG_JasonW

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Vaccines are one of the most significant public health achievements in modern history, playing a vital role in helping to prevent certain infectious diseases and protect communities across the globe.

Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic brought forth a new set of challenges in sustaining vaccination efforts for other preventable diseases — highlighting existing disparities and inequalities in access to health care and underscoring the urgent need for action.

In two op-eds for Devex, an independent news organization covering global development, Drew Otoo, Pharm.D., president of global vaccines, Merck, and Alfred Saah, M.D., executive director of scientific affairs, Merck, highlighted some of the ways the company is working to address these challenges at the global, national and local levels.

Collaborating to help increase health equity

Otoo said collaboration across sectors is key to building trust, enabling equity and establishing stronger, more resilient vaccination programs.

“Now more than ever, we have an opportunity to evaluate and strengthen our approach… Together, we can help create a more equitable future where vaccines are available to and accepted by all who can benefit from them.”

— Drew Otoo, Pharm.D.
President of global vaccines, Merck

Otoo shared examples of Merck’s work with local and global stakeholders to develop tailored approaches to improve vaccine confidence and supply vaccines for communities that might otherwise be without them:

Local organizations and community leaders have a deep understanding of the issues contributing to inequities and low routine vaccination rates in their communities, and they’re essential to identifying and executing solutions. We know this to be the case from our efforts through ImmUNITY Chicago, an initiative we helped catalyze with local stakeholders to address lower vaccination rates among neighborhoods in the Southwest Side of Chicago, predominantly among communities of color.Strategic global collaborations are also critical to enabling stronger, more sustainable vaccination programs. We work with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance — a global alliance that has helped to vaccinate nearly half of the world’s children in low-income countries.

Combating vaccine hesitancy and building trust

Saah emphasized Merck’s commitment to addressing vaccine hesitancy (the reluctance or refusal to vaccinate despite the availability of vaccines) and building confidence at local, national and global levels.

“By understanding the knowledge gaps and prioritizing strategies that strengthen how we communicate…we can potentially combat vaccine hesitancy, improve vaccine confidence and make a difference in global public health.”

— Alfred Saah, M.D.
Executive director of scientific affairs, Merck

Despite the well-documented benefits of vaccines, hesitancy is a longstanding public health issue that can result in under-vaccination and global disease outbreaks. The reasons behind vaccine hesitancy are often connected to the 3Cs Model, defined by a World Health Organization strategic advisory group:

Complacency: The perception that vaccine-preventable diseases pose little risk to individuals.Convenience: The degree to which vaccination services are accessible.Confidence: The degree to which an individual believes vaccines work, are safe and effective and are part of a trustworthy public health and medical system.

Saah shared some of Merck’s efforts to improve vaccine confidence, which include:

Working with collaborators to reach the global population and engage communities through mediums that resonate, such as social media, and through messages that can be delivered by trusted community members.Building capabilities for colleagues in local markets to better understand the strengths and vulnerabilities of vaccination programs on a global and national scale.

Continuing to improve vaccine access

Despite the challenges ahead, both Saah and Otoo are optimistic about the future.

“Combating vaccine hesitancy is not an easy feat and has been a challenge our global society has faced for centuries,” wrote Saah. “However, these challenges bring new opportunities to improve our approach and be better advocates for ourselves, our families and our communities.”

“By going where the need exists and continuing to invest in innovative, strategic and diverse collaborations, I’m confident we’ll find new ways to solve complex public health problems.”

— Drew Otoo

Learn more about how collaborations can help yield stronger vaccination programs.

View original content here.

Eastman

KINGSPORT, Tenn., March 28, 2024 /3BL/ – Eastman (NYSE: EMN) announced it has achieved on-spec initial production and is generating revenue from its new molecular recycling facility in Kingsport, Tennessee. The company expects to ramp up production of the new facility over the coming months and enable growth across a wide range of markets. Achieving this critical milestone enables the company’s pathway to deliver approximately $75 million of incremental EBITDA in 2024 from this facility as it builds momentum in its circular economy platform.

“We are thankful for the hard work and dedication of our Eastman team members who have worked tirelessly to build and bring this new facility online,” said Mark Costa, Board Chair and CEO. “By demonstrating molecular recycling at this scale, we have solidified our position as a leader in the creation of a circular economy. Demand for recycled material at virgin-quality levels from our new facility remains strong, and we are excited to announce this significant next milestone in our journey.”

Eastman’s proven polyester renewal technology recycles hard-to-recycle plastic waste bound for landfill or incineration today. The company’s technology allows this waste to be broken down into its molecular building blocks and then reassembled to become virgin-quality material without compromising performance. Eastman is enabling the potentially infinite use of materials by keeping these valuable molecules in production, in a material-to-material high-yield loop. Eastman can transform waste plastic into virgin quality food contact polyesters with lower greenhouse gas emissions than traditional methods.

In addition to this recently completed facility in Kingsport, Eastman plans to invest in two additional molecular recycling plants, one in France and another U.S. site.

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.

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

Investors contact 
Greg Riddle 
1-212-835-1620 
griddle@eastman.com

Originally published by Pepco

WASHINGTON, March 28, 2024 /3BL/ – Pepco has received national recognition for the significant impacts its energy efficiency programs are having in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and providing billions of dollars in energy bill savings for Maryland customers. The company was honored with the 2024 ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year: Sustained Excellence Award for Energy Efficiency Program Delivery award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). This is the ninth year Pepco has received this recognition.

“Energy efficiency programs play a critical role in supporting Maryland’s climate goals, while also driving affordability for our customers,” said Valencia McClure, Pepco Region President. “These programs provide core tools and resources to help our customers make informed decisions to reduce their energy use and ultimately lower the cost of powering their home or business.”

The Sustained Excellence designation is awarded to companies that continue to exhibit exceptional leadership year after year in the ENERGY STAR program while remaining dedicated to environmental protection through superior energy efficiency achievements.

“President Biden’s Investing in America agenda creates unprecedented opportunity to build a clean energy economy, and private sector partners through programs like ENERGY STAR are leading the way,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “I congratulate this year’s ENERGY STAR award winners for their innovation and leadership, in delivering cost-effective energy efficient solutions that create jobs, address climate change, and contribute to a healthier environment for all.”

Pepco’s energy-saving programs have produced 4,284,536 megawatt-hours in energy savings and more than $4.1 billion in savings on customer bills since the program’s inception in 2009. Customers can visit pepco.com/WaysToSave to learn more about these programs.

Each year, the ENERGY STAR program honors a group of businesses and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to protecting the environment through superior energy achievements. ENERGY STAR Award Winners lead their industries in the production, sale, and adoption of energy-efficient products, services, and strategies. These efforts are essential to fighting the climate crisis and protecting public health.

Winners are selected from a network of thousands of ENERGY STAR partners. For a complete list of 2024 winners and more information about ENERGY STAR’s awards program, visit energystar.gov/AwardWinners.

To learn more about Pepco, visit The Source, our online newsroom. Find additional information by visiting pepco.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/PepcoConnect and on X, formerly known as Twitter, at twitter.com/PepcoConnect. Pepco’s mobile app is available at pepco.com/MobileApp.

Pepco is a unit of Exelon (Nasdaq: EXC), a Fortune 250 company and the nation’s largest utility company, serving more than 10 million customers. Pepco provides safe and reliable energy service to approximately 944,000 customers in the District of Columbia and Maryland.

About ENERGY STAR

ENERGY STAR® is the government-backed symbol for energy efficiency, providing simple, credible, and unbiased information that consumers and businesses rely on to make well-informed decisions. Since 1992, ENERGY STAR and its partners helped American families and businesses avoid more than $500 billion in energy costs and achieve more than 4 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas reductions. More background information about ENERGY STAR’s impacts can be found at www.energystar.gov/impacts.