Month: July 2024

CINCINNATI, July 1, 2024 /3BL/ – In pursuit of its goal to be the one bank people most value and trust, Fifth Third surpassed its commitments to the communities it serves and to the environment last year, according to its recently-published 2023 Sustainability Report.

In 2023, Fifth Third outperformed its commitment to accelerating equity and inclusion, supporting communities with a history of disinvestment, and financing affordable housing. Fifth Third also made considerable progress toward its priorities in environmental and social finance and supplier diversity.

“Our sustainability priorities are guided by our intention to provide leadership across a range of critical, interconnected issues,” said Executive Vice President and Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer Kala Gibson. “At our core, we are a relational company, which means our success begins and ends with personal connection—how we interact with our shareholders, our customers, our communities and each other. We’re applying our head, heart and hustle to make an impact and drive positive change across our footprint.”

Fifth Third’s 2023 Sustainability Report provides an update on the company’s progress against its five corporate responsibility and sustainability priorities: strengthening our communities, promoting inclusion, delivering on the Bank’s commitment to employees, keeping the customer at the center, and addressing climate change.

“Our approach to corporate sustainability is rooted in our purpose: to improve the lives of our customers and the well-being of communities,” said Chief Sustainability Officer Pratik Raval. “We believe in the philosophy of doing well by doing good and focusing on generating long-term sustainable value for our stakeholders, including shareholders, customers, employees, communities and regulators.”

Highlights of Fifth Third’s actions include:

Surpassed its $2.8 billion commitment to the Accelerating Racial Equity, Equality and Inclusion (AREEI) initiative, which provides underserved communities with funding for strategic investments, access to capital, economic inclusion, and financial education.Delivered $199.1 million through its Neighborhood Investment Program, surpassing the original $180 million financial commitment in the second year of the three-year program. Fifth Third is extending technical assistance for the program to a fourth year to ensure the work done in the nine historically disinvested neighborhoods is sustainable. Fifth Third’s innovative approach focuses on place-based collaboration, with local community organizations driving the work, and collaborating with Fifth Third as a partner and catalyst to execute the community’s vision.Funded a total of $734 million in Community Development Banking loans or investments, achieving 160% of the program’s commitment. This created 3,684 units of affordable housing last year, many that provided homes to low- and moderate-income individuals and families and allowed senior citizens to age in place.Increased Tier 1 and Tier 2 spend with diverse suppliers to $189.2 million last year. Fifth Third’s spending with Tier 1 diverse suppliers has grown by more than 1,500% since 2014, and its program was named “Best of the Decade” by Minority and Multicultural Business News.Achieved 37.6% toward its target of $100 billion in environmental and social finance by 2030. This included $1.3 billion in lending and capital-raising for renewable energy projects in 2023 alone. Fifth Third also continued to make progress towards its operational sustainability priorities, including 100% renewable power purchase and offsetting all GHG emissions from its operations.Invested time and resources to support communities. In 2023, Fifth Third employees spent 110,697 hours volunteering in their communities, and the Bank’s philanthropic giving totaled $35.3 million.

Fifth Third’s corporate responsibility and sustainability efforts were recognized by several leading national organizations in 2023, including: Ethisphere’s World’s Most Ethical Companies; JUST 100: America’s Most Just Companies; Newsweek’s America’s Most Responsible Companies; Forbes’ Best Employers for Diversity; and a 100% rating on the Corporate Equality Index.

As part of the bank’s commitment to provide transparency and data aligned to industry standards for all its stakeholders, Fifth Third has published its sustainability data in conjunction with the 2023 Sustainability Report, including the GRI Index, the SASB Index and the Stakeholder Capitalism Metrics index. The data is publicly available on Fifth Third’s Investor Relations website.

About Fifth Third

Fifth Third is a bank that’s as long on innovation as it is on history. Since 1858, we’ve been helping individuals, families, businesses and communities grow through smart financial services that improve lives. Our list of firsts is extensive, and it’s one that continues to expand as we explore the intersection of tech-driven innovation, dedicated people and focused community impact. Fifth Third is one of the few U.S.-based banks to have been named among Ethisphere’s World’s Most Ethical Companies® for several years. With a commitment to taking care of our customers, employees, communities and shareholders, our goal is not only to be the nation’s highest performing regional bank, but to be the bank people most value and trust.

Fifth Third Bank, National Association is a federally chartered institution. Fifth Third Bancorp is the indirect parent company of Fifth Third Bank and its common stock is traded on the NASDAQ® Global Select Market under the symbol “FITB.” Investor information and press releases can be viewed at www.53.com. Deposit and credit products provided by Fifth Third Bank, National Association. Member FDIC.

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LEEDS, England, July 1, 2024 /3BL/ – Antea Group UK, a leading environment, health, safety, and sustainability (EHS&S) consulting firm, today announced the appointment of Alex Ferguson as Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Ferguson will lead the company’s growth strategy and operations in the United Kingdom.

“We are thrilled to welcome Alex to Antea Group UK,” said Keith Knoke, Interim Chief Operating Officer at Antea Group UK. “His proven track record of success in leading environmental and sustainability consulting businesses, combined with his deep understanding of the UK market, makes him the ideal candidate to lead our team forward.”

Mr. Ferguson is a highly respected environmental and sustainability consultant with extensive experience running UK-based consultancy businesses as part of an international network. Having spent over two decades at Delta-Simons, he has worked closely with investors, developers, and construction professionals on a wide range of geo-environmental, ecological, and environmental planning projects. More recently, his focus has shifted to ESG and biodiversity, where he helps clients develop and deliver on their sustainability commitments.

“I am excited to join Antea Group UK at this pivotal time in the company’s start-up and growth,” said Mr. Ferguson. “The demand for EHS&S expertise is rapidly increasing, and I am confident that Antea Group UK is well-positioned to capitalise on this opportunity. I look forward to working with the talented team, many of whom I have decades of personal experience with, at Antea Group UK to deliver exceptional service to our clients and make a positive impact on the environment.”

About Antea Group UK

Antea Group UK is a leading environment, health, safety, and sustainability consulting firm. The company provides a comprehensive range of services to help clients manage their environmental risks, improve their operational efficiency, and achieve their sustainability goals. Antea Group UK is part of Antea Group, an international engineering and environmental consulting firm with over 3,200 employees in more than 70 locations worldwide. Learn more at www.anteagroup.uk.

Media Contact:

Alison Bryant
alison.bryant@anteagroup.us

Joint solution tests the energy efficiency of smartphones and tablets to meet labeling requirementsSolution allows designers to use the SmartViser viSer software with any Keysight UXM 5G Wireless Test Platform configuration to determine a device’s Energy Efficiency Index

SANTA ROSA, Calif., July 1, 2024 /3BL/ – Keysight Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: KEYS) and SmartViser have teamed up to provide device makers with a solution to test the Energy Efficiency Index (EEI) of smartphones and tablets to meet the European Union’s energy labeling mandate. With this joint solution, the SmartViser viSer test automation software for mobile devices can be used with any configuration of the Keysight UXM 5G Wireless Test Platform.

Under the Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/1669, all smartphones and tablets sold in the EU after June 20, 2025, must have an EEI label. In order to meet this EU requirement, manufacturers must test these devices using the procedures described in the regulation to determine their battery consumption index. However, device makers need a plug-and-play EEI testing solution that works with their existing test setups.

To meet this need, Keysight and SmartViser have verified the integration of the two platforms to enable UXM 5G Wireless Test Platform users to use the viSer software to run automated test to thoroughly evaluate the battery consumption performance of a device.

The Keysight UXM 5G wireless test solution is a highly-integrated signaling test platform with multiformat stack support, rich processing power, and abundant radio frequency (RF) resources. Supporting 3GPP Release 15 and beyond, the UXM 5G wireless test solution enables engineers to establish a 5G call with a device under test in different 5G New Radio deployment modes. It also supports LTE, eMTC, Wi-Fi®, and C-V2X signaling formats.

Gilles Ricordel, CEO for SmartViser, said: “Since 2021, SmartViser has collaborated closely with EU authorities and policymakers to establish the criteria for EEI verification on smartphones and slate tablets, and SmartViser is proposing the viSer Application fulfilling such testing requirement. The integration of viSer with the Keysight UXM 5G Wireless Test Setup enables us to cater to the cellular ecosystem that uses Keysight for its device testing needs.”

Muthu Kumaran, General Manager for Keysight’s Device Acceptance Solutions, said: “This collaboration with SmartViser allows us to continue adding value to the equipment investments our customers make by providing valuable new features. With a quick upgrade, device makers can begin conducting EEI testing immediately to meet these EU labeling regulations with the equipment they already have on their bench. Not only will this help device makers achieve superior performance that will drive consumer preference for their products, but it will also address key sustainability challenges. As a company, we are pleased to facilitate this testing.”

Resources

E7515B UXM 5G Wireless Test PlatformviSer Test Automation

About Keysight Technologies

At Keysight (NYSE: KEYS), we inspire and empower innovators to bring world-changing technologies to life. As an S&P 500 company, we’re delivering market-leading design, emulation, and test solutions to help engineers develop and deploy faster, with less risk, throughout the entire product life cycle. We’re a global innovation partner enabling customers in communications, industrial automation, aerospace and defense, automotive, semiconductor, and general electronics markets to accelerate innovation to connect and secure the world. Learn more at Keysight Newsroom and www.keysight.com.

We’ve announced that we have been named one of The Washington Post’s 2024 Top Workplaces in the Washington, D.C. area. The company was named to the list as a first-time participant based solely on anonymous, third-party survey data of employees conducted by Energage, LLC. The questions measured several aspects of workplace culture, including how employees feel the culture aligns and connects with their personal goals. This year’s list featured a mix of technology companies, government contractors, and real estate firms.

“People are at the center of everything Maximus does, and our employees are the heart and soul of our company,” said Bruce Caswell, President and CEO, Maximus. “As a company, we succeed because of our dedicated, talented employees, both in the Washington area and beyond. Each day, our core values bring focus to the employee experience. This recognition from The Washington Post reinforces that our approach is working, and we appreciate employees taking the time to share their personal experiences working at Maximus.”

In the past year, Maximus has been lauded with a number of top employer awards, including being named a Top Employer for Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives and earning Handshake’s Early Talent Award 2023 for the company’s efforts recruiting and developing Gen Z talent. Additional workplace culture accolades include being named a Military.com Top Veteran Employer for 2024 and winning a 2024 Disability Matters North America Award for hiring and supporting employees with disabilities.

“For more than a decade, The Washington Post’s Top Workplaces list has served as an essential resource for D.C.-area professionals, equipping them with unparalleled insight into the best local companies to work for, as heard directly from their employees,” said Bronwen Latimer, the editor for Special Initiatives at The Washington Post.

Maximus is focused on being an employer of choice and a place where employees are proud to work. Our employees connect to our mission of enhancing public service and enriching lives by participating in programs that contribute to meaningful change. As a leading regional employer, Maximus offers competitive pay and benefits, has a deep commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, including a robust Employee Resource Group program, and invests in the development and advancement of our employees through training, mentorship, and growth opportunities.

The Washington Post hosted an awards ceremony on Thursday, June 20, to recognize the top-ranked companies. For more about The Washington Post’s Top Workplaces and to see the full list of this year’s honorees, visit the Washington Post Top Workplaces 2024.

To learn more about Maximus initiatives for its employees and the communities it serves, visit maximus.com/impact.

Originally published by Franchising.com

Summer Worful was 15 when she landed her first job as a crew member at McDonald’s. Despite being painfully shy, she came out of her shell as she fell in love with her weekend side hustle. Still, when she left her small hometown of Smithfield, Kentucky, for the University of Louisville, Worful knew nothing about franchising and had never envisioned a future that included owning a business. 

Everything changed when Worful took a business course on the fundamentals of the franchise model offered through the University of Louisville’s Yum! Center for Global Franchise Excellence.

Part of the center’s undergraduate franchise management certificate track, the class opened Worful’s eyes to the world of franchising and the depth and breadth of what it offers. This spark of enlightenment was ignited in real-world ways when the 22-year-old senior, a business administration major with a minor in management, joined three fellow students at the 2024 International Franchise Association (IFA) Annual Convention in February. 

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