Month: May 2024

FORT WORTH, Texas, May 14, 2024 /3BL/ – American Airlines proudly announces a historic endeavor to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy, France. On May 31, American will fly 70 World War II veterans to France on a donated charter flight to honor them for their service and sacrifice.

“We’re honored to play a part in helping this group of heroic veterans return to Normandy,” said David Seymour, American’s Chief Operating Officer and a veteran of the U.S. Army. “This special journey is not only an expression of our gratitude for these heroes and the sacrifices they made for our freedom, but we hope to help shine a light on their extraordinary stories and preserve their legacies for generations to come.”

D-Day marks a pivotal moment in history, and this trip reaffirms American’s commitment to supporting veterans and preserving their stories 80 years later.

Among the many heroes who will return to Normandy with American is U.S. Navy veteran Felix Maurizio, who was on a landing craft that deployed troops onto Omaha Beach on D-Day. One of the soldiers he dropped off was his brother, Sal, who served in an Army medical unit.

Also taking the trip is Frank Perry, who served in the Army Air Corps as a turret gunner in central Europe in March 1945, and recalls staying on high alert for enemy fighter aircraft. After being discharged from service, he pursued his dream of a career in aviation with nearly 40 years of service at Piedmont Airlines. Piedmont is one of the many heritage airlines that came together to form today’s American Airlines.

The journey will begin with a kickoff dinner at the American Airlines headquarters in Fort Worth the night before, followed by a send-off parade at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport before the group boards a chartered flight to Paris.

The veterans will spend two days in Paris before traveling to the Normandy region for commemorative events. The trip will include visits to key historical sites, concerts and special ceremonies to honor the courage and sacrifice of all who served during World War II. The trip will culminate with a June 6 ceremony at the Normandy American Cemetery, where more than 9,000 U.S. service members have been laid to rest.

American has a long history of supporting those who have sacrificed to serve our nation and has formed partnerships with many organizations to support their mission. This historic trip includes partners like TriWest Healthcare Alliance, Gary Sinise Foundation, Robert Irvine Foundation and Old Glory Honor Flight.

Bookmark www.aa.com/dday80 for updates surrounding the trip.

[Photos and interviews with veterans participating in the journey are available upon request. Please contact mediarelations@aa.com for further information.]

About American Airlines Group
To Care for People on Life’s Journey®. Shares of American Airlines Group Inc. trade on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol AAL and the company’s stock is included in the S&P 500. Learn more about what’s happening at American by visiting news.aa.com and connect with American @AmericanAir and at Facebook.com/AmericanAirlines.

CALGARY, Alberta, May 14, 2024 /3BL/ – Enbridge Inc. (Enbridge or the Company) (TSX: ENB) (NYSE: ENB) published its 2023 Sustainability Report. This report provides an overview of the Company’s strategy and approach on sustainability, and details progress towards achieving its environment, social and governance goals.

These goals include reducing operational greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to achieve net-zero by 2050, achieving industry-leading safety performance and improving diversity of the Company’s Board of Directors and throughout its workforce.

“Across Enbridge, our employees are advancing a sustainable business strategy,” said Pete Sheffield, Enbridge Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer. “We’ve set ambitious goals that align our teams in common-purpose and shared accountability to deliver the best possible solutions for a broad set of stakeholders.

“This integrated approach continues to yield positive results as we maintain a focus on continuous improvement and long-term value,” Sheffield adds. “In our 23rd Sustainability Report, we update stakeholders on our progress against the sustainability goals we set in 2020 and the work remaining. We also outline the actions we’re taking to deliver reliable, affordable energy to as many people as possible sustainably. And we acknowledge the steps we’re taking to overcome challenges of yesterday and those before us today, with an eye towards securing opportunities tomorrow.”

Highlights from the 2023 Sustainability Report Include:

Environment

Emissions

Achieved a 37% reduction in GHG emissions intensity and a 20% reduction in absolute GHG emissions from our 2018 baseline.Reduced methane emissions in the Company’s natural gas operations by 40% from the 2018 baseline.Continued the Company’s robust GHG emissions disclosures, expanding the categories of Scope 3 emissions that are reported on and enhancing the transparency of Scope 3 emissions reporting.Provided an updated analysis of Enbridge’s business under different climate-related scenarios, in alignment with the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD).

Social

Safety

Achieved a 16% reduction in work-related injuries and safety incidents among employees and contractors, surpassing the Company’s goal of achieving a 10% safety improvement over the previous three-year average.

Indigenous

Advanced Indigenous reconciliation by meeting 10 of the 22 goals set out in the Company’s Indigenous Reconciliation Action Plan.Reached $2 billion in Indigenous procurement and labour spending and committed to an additional $1 billion in cumulative Indigenous spending by 2030.

Workforce Representation

Increased workforce representation of underrepresented ethnic and racial groups, U.S. veterans, women, Indigenous peoples and persons with disabilities.

Governance

Diversity & Inclusion

Exceeded Company’s Board of Directors diversity goals, with 50% representation from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups and 50% women.

Enbridge’s 2023 Sustainability Report was developed in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Universal Standards and GRI 11 Oil and Gas Sector Standard. Sustainability data disclosed in the Report uses the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) standards for Oil and Gas Midstream, and Gas Utilities and Distributors and the 2023 ESG Datasheet includes the Company’s response to the recommendations of the TCFD.

Click to read the full Enbridge 2023 Sustainability Report and the 2023 ESG Datasheet, including the TCFD.

About Enbridge

At Enbridge, we safely connect millions of people to the energy they rely on every day, fueling quality of life through our North American natural gas, oil, and renewable power networks and our growing European offshore wind portfolio. We are investing in modern energy delivery infrastructure to sustain access to secure, affordable energy and building on more than a century of operating conventional energy infrastructure and two decades of experience in renewable power. We are advancing new technologies, including hydrogen, renewable natural gas, and carbon capture and storage, and are committed to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Enbridge’s common shares trade under the symbol ENB on the Toronto (TSX) and New York (NYSE) stock exchanges. To learn more, visit us at enbridge.com.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Media 
Toll Free: (888) 992-0997 
Email: media@enbridge.com

Investment Community

Toll Free: (800) 481-2804 
Email: investor.relations@enbridge.com

SOURCE Enbridge Inc.

Pepco | The Source

We recently hosted several Howard University Students who are 2024 Pepco Power Scholars. They were left speechless after Pepco provided a power surge toward their tuition.

Pepco Power Scholars program funds need and merit-based scholarships as well as internships, mentorships, and networking to engineering, computer science and finance students.

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., May 14, 2024 /3BL/ — Designed and built by global infrastructure solutions leader Black & Veatch, a newly unveiled, technology-driven “smart grid” for the power utility serving Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, has won the Innovation Excellence Award by the Electricity Distributors Association (EDA).

The prestigious award to PUC Distribution Inc. — the local electricity distribution utility in Sault Ste. Marie — recognizes the “Sault Smart Grid” project the EDA says “represents a groundbreaking solution for sustainable energy, pioneering Canada’s first community-wide smart grid system.”

The more intuitive grid enhances the grid’s resilience, reliability and efficiency while improving outage management and producing energy savings for its 35,000 customers. The smart grid is also leading to an annual reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 2,804 tons of carbon dioxide — a significant step by PUC toward addressing environmental concerns and contributing to sustainability goals.

“Today, the Sault Smart Grid is the first of its kind in Canada and is already showing results around reliability and energy savings that have exceeded our original expectations,” said Robert Brewer, PUC’s CEO and president. “The Smart Grid will help to make Sault Ste. Marie an attractive destination for businesses looking to locate or relocate in an environment that is rich in renewable energy, has a modern and reliable grid, and an industrial base supporting green initiatives. We thank Black & Veatch and all our partners for their dedication and hard work to turn this dream into a reality.”

The successful project also serves as a model for other utilities in the region looking to modernize their grid.

“Black & Veatch brings a level of innovation to our clients that helps set them apart as a leader in the industry,” said Gary Johnson, a regional general manager for Black & Veatch’s operations in Canada. “Witnessing PUC receive this award for their commitment to resiliency, sustainability and ultimately their customers affirms the work we do and our goal in supporting clients in impactful, beneficial projects.”

Contact Black & Veatch for more information.

Editor’s Notes: 

To learn more about PUC, click here.

About Black & Veatch 
Black & Veatch is a 100-percent employee-owned global engineering, procurement, consulting and construction company with a more than 100-year track record of innovation in sustainable infrastructure. Since 1915, we have helped our clients improve the lives of people around the world by addressing the resilience and reliability of our most important infrastructure assets. Follow us on www.bv.com and on social media.

Media Contact Information:

MEGHAN LOCKNER | +1 201-977-1628 | locknerm@bv.com 
24-HOUR MEDIA CONTACT | Media@bv.com

Four decades ago the United Nations projected that the travel and tourism industry would be ranked very high among the world’s top industry categories for economic impact. Last year, Bloomberg News reported that the World Travel & Tourism Council’s data projects the industry’s contribution to the world’s gross domestic product (GDP) to be about US$16 trillion by the end of the decade, or 12% of total GDP (with $3 trillion of those annual revenues within the United States).

The COVID-19 pandemic did slow down domestic and global travel for two years, but the revenues for the industry are climbing once again. Categories used to assemble the global data for travel and related expenditures included airline travel, hotels and resort stays, train travel, and local spending by tourists in 160 nations.

The economic boom in travel tourism certainly benefits local destinations in both developed and developing countries. But there is a downside cost: it was estimated that the travel and tourism industry’s contribution to global GHG emissions was about 8% of the total from 2009 to 2013, based on study results published in Nature Climate Change in July 2018.

One major component was airline travel; the industry returned to profitability in 2023, with the global industry enjoying revenues of almost US800 billion last year, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The airline industry’s energy-related emissions have also slightly increased (more revenues=more flights=more emissions), and a growing number of airlines have responded by committing to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

To help business travelers address their travel-related carbon emissions and make a contribution to GHG reduction, a start-up company – Airwise Travel – is launching a new software dashboard that will enable corporate travel managers to book travel and purchase carbon credits to offset emissions from airline flights, hotels, and other arrangements.

Does it matter to travelers that their business or personal journeys are contributing to the growing volume of carbon emissions? We found interesting survey results out of Germany from Booking.com. One-of-three German travelers apparently do not count “sustainability” as a primary concern when planning or booking flights. These respondents are “tired of constantly hearing about climate change.”

The good news: 60% of German travelers do want to travel more sustainably in the next year. Many German travelers, says Bookings.com, feel that their sustainable travel experiences add value to their trips. Almost half of those surveyed feel they become the best version of themselves when they travel sustainably and carry the positivity back home.

We are sharing these survey results in our Top Stories. What are your considerations when you book travel for yourself, or your company travel department makes the arrangements? Are you a sustainable traveler? No doubt travel and tourism will be highlighted in the months ahead as disclosure of carbon emissions becomes mandatory for many large companies.

This is just the introduction of G&A’s Sustainability Highlights newsletter this week. Click here to view the full issue.