Month: September 2024

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About Regency Centers Corporation (NASDAQ: REG)

Regency Centers is a preeminent national owner, operator, and developer of shopping centers located in suburban trade areas with compelling demographics. Our portfolio includes thriving properties merchandised with highly productive grocers, restaurants, service providers, and best-in-class retailers that connect to their neighborhoods, communities, and customers. Operating as a fully integrated real estate company, Regency Centers is a qualified real estate investment trust (REIT) that is self-administered, self-managed, and an S&P 500 Index member. For more information, please visit RegencyCenters.com

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As companies work to address the challenge of sustainability, they face a secondary challenge along the way: How do they capture and share that work? Effective communications are essential in transforming sustainability from a buzzword into a movement.

In this episode of the Healthy Spaces podcast, host Scott Tew facilitates a conversation between Suzanne Shelton, Founder of Shelton Group and Senior Partner with ERM Shelton, and Carrie Ruddy, Chief Communications and Marketing Officer at Trane Technologies, about the role of strategic communications in addressing climate on a broader, more impactful scale.

Listen to the full episode to learn more from two communications and marketing experts about the stories that connect, the importance of authenticity and audience, and why sustainability communications are at their most effective when they make the complex simple, the abstract tangible, and the global, personal.

Episode Guests 

Host: Dominique Silva, Marketing Leader EMEA, Trane Technologies 
Host: Scott Tew, VP Sustainability, Trane Technologies 
Suzanne Shelton, Founder of Shelton Group and Senior Partner, ERM Shelton 
Carrie Ruddy, Chief Communications and Marketing Officer, Trane Technologies

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Transcript 

[00:00:02] Dominique: Storytelling is not just a tool. It’s a superpower in the world of sustainability. But in a world where data is abundant, how do we cut through the jargon and then communicate the urgency and impact of sustainable practices? How do we make the complex simple, the abstract tangible, and the global, personal?

[00:00:22] Carrie: One thing that I’ve seen in a lot of research and our own communications is plain speak and real language. You know, when you use terms that people don’t really understand or may not relate to, it just becomes easier to say like, oh yeah, all that stuff. That’s you know, not me. That’s not important. But if you come down to again what people care about, it’s using less water, using less energy, saving on energy cost. It’s about taking care of our people.

[00:00:52] Suzanne: One of the things we do is we survey people all around the world twice a year. We have for 18 years to understand their beliefs and expectations around a whole range of people and planet issues.

[00:01:02] Suzanne: And what I can tell you is the average human is not all caught up in all that political stuff. The average human wants big companies to take care of the planet. The average human feels a little freaked out about climate change and the impacts on not only their lives, but their children’s lives.

[00:01:16] Dominique: You just heard from Carrie Ruddy, Chief Communications and Marketing Officer for Trane Technologies. And Suzanne Shelton, founder of Shelton Group and senior partner at ERM Shelton.

[00:01:29] Dominique: I’m Dominique Silva, and you’re listening to Healthy Spaces, the podcast exploring how technology and innovation are transforming the spaces where we live, work, learn, and play. In today’s episode, we’re going straight to the experts on how to turn sustainability from a buzzword into a movement that everyone can feel part of.

[00:01:49] Dominique: We’ll discuss the evolution of communicating in the sustainability space, how to deal with skepticism, and how drilling down into data and what people really care about helps craft narratives that connect with customers on a deeper level.

[00:02:11] Dominique: Our VP of Sustainability, Scott Tew, starts the conversation by asking Carrie how she counsels leaders in her role as Chief Communications and Marketing Officer.

[00:02:22] Carrie: The role of a communicator or a marketer is all about really understanding the audience and sharing a story or a message that is relevant to that audience and that can help meet a need.

[00:02:34] Carrie: For us, I think what’s critical is really being able to link it to strategy and show how sustainability is embedded in the business and the strategy of the company. I think that makes it really much more compelling. And the other thing is around really being authentic. And, you know, I think that has been, you know, a real currency of ours at Trane Technologies.

[00:02:59] Carrie: We have such depth in terms of our action and our data that we’re able to tell a really authentic and compelling story. It’s not just words. It’s also what we’re doing every day and the stories and data to back that up. And I think that helps us make it more real. So, I think those are two things that chief communications officers should really be bringing to leadership.

[00:03:23] Scott: Yeah, it’s nice that this whole evolution of making it real and yet keeping it focused on the right priorities. Suzanne, you and I have known each other for like 15 years or so. And you’ve seen this evolution happen from another perspective.

[00:03:39] Suzanne: Maybe in some ways y’all it’s a little bit like politics.

[00:03:41] Suzanne: It feels like the pendulums just swing this way or that way in the aughts, companies were like, what do you mean? I’m going to talk about sustainability. I’m not spending money on that. And then when it became popular and surveys kept coming back going, no, people really want to hear about it. Then everybody started talking about it, but maybe Carrie, in a way that was not aligned with purpose, was not aligned with strategy, and therefore was not authentic.

[00:04:04] Suzanne: So, we saw a lot of greenwashing happen through the, through the teens. And so, it has created this new phenomenon. So, swinging back the other way, called, that we call green hushing. So, we see a lot of chief communication officers that are in kind of a vice grip, like, oh my gosh, I see the data.

[00:04:20] Suzanne: I see that people want us to talk about it, but I’m so afraid we’re going to get in trouble. We’re going to step in a hole. Maybe the better thing to do is just stay quiet.

[00:04:28] Scott: Well, let’s talk about the skepticism though, Suzanne, because, you know, there are pockets of skepticism out there from investors to employees, to shareholders. So how do you counsel companies who have leaders that are wondering how to deal with skepticism?

[00:04:43] Suzanne: I’m going to go back to what Carrie said. It really is about understanding who are your stakeholders, who are your most important audiences, and what do they care about. One of the things we do is we survey people all around the world twice a year. We have for 18 years to understand their beliefs and expectations around a whole range of people and planet issues.

[00:05:00] Suzanne: And what I can tell you is the average human is not all caught up in all that political stuff. The average human wants big companies to take care of the planet. The average human feels a little freaked out about climate change and the impacts on not only their lives, but their children’s lives. So, this is not abstract anymore.

[00:05:15] Suzanne: It’s not about future generations. It’s about my kids. Like, what are we leaving behind for them?

[00:05:21] Carrie: You know, one thing that I’ve seen in a lot of research, and I’ve seen work in a lot of our own communications is plain speak and real language. And I think, you know, when you use terms that people don’t really understand or may not relate to, it just becomes easier to say like, oh yeah, all that stuff. That’s, you know, not me. That’s not important. But if you kind of come down to again, what people care about and talk about things like using less water, using less energy, saving on energy costs, it’s about taking care of our people. It’s about good jobs and good careers and good income, right?

[00:06:00] Carrie: Those are things that we can all get behind. And so, I think there’s a shift right now in how we talk about ESG and really putting that kind of plain language around it will help us be more effective.

[00:06:13] Scott: Carrie, you have two feet in the communications world, one’s for an internal employee audience, the others for audiences outside the company.

[00:06:21] Scott: How do you make sure that you’re hitting all of those audiences with the messaging and storytelling that is most important to them?

[00:06:29] Carrie: I think it is really understanding all those different audiences, understanding their needs and what’s important to them and really balancing that. But at the same time, staying true to the purpose, the strategy and really the values of the company. Then that is sort of your guide rails, it keeps things focused. You know, I think there’s opportunities to turn up the dial on messages for some audiences and turn it down for others as you know what, what resonates with them. And so, I think that’s what our team, you know, really thinks about as we’re communicating, whether it’s investors, customers, employees, or potential of all of those audiences.

[00:07:13] Carrie: We’re really trying to understand what matters and how we can help them with what matters most.

[00:07:19] Suzanne: What we do have in common is there’s a lot of concern. Like there are a lot of issues to be concerned about right now and we track a variety of different issues, and we see the same kinds of concerns every year.

[00:07:28] Suzanne: Some things change like immigration or inflation or guns or like we see something that might have been in fourth place last year moves up to second place but broadly like it’s not like people are like, oh I’m only concerned about that one thing of the 20 things we test. People are like, you know, top box on all of them.

[00:07:44] Suzanne: Like I’m so concerned about all these things. So, what holds us together is we’re all pretty freaked out about a lot of things.

[00:07:50] Suzanne: So, you really do need to try to understand your audience to see, do I need to skew my messaging a little bit more? Like we’re doing this great thing and it’s not such a new idea.

[00:7:59] Suzanne: We were doing this 20, 30 years ago. We’ve just made it better. Or do you go, we’re doing this great thing and let me tell you what it’s going to mean for the future.

[00:8:07] Suzanne: That said, again, remember what we have in common is we’re concerned about a lot of things. So, I think as companies are coming forward and talking about what are they doing, and that authentically relates to their purpose, their brand, and their strategy, you’re going to be just fine.

[00:8:23] Dominique: People are worried about a lot of different things. And while those concerns might change, the overall worry is always there. And for companies, being authentic and addressing these concerns is what will really resonate with their audience. So, we asked Suzanne, what kind of content is really clicking with different audiences these days?

[00:8:50] Suzanne: So, I’m going to use the consumer word. We’ve conditioned consumers to care most about recycling because that’s the message we’ve given for 40 years. Be green, recycle! So, when you can talk about recyclability, recycled content, consumers really care an awful lot about that. I can tell you what all humans care about the most is how do companies treat their employees.

[00:9:09] Suzanne: We’ve seen it for years and we saw it spike during COVID. Like they cannot consider a company to be good, meaning a company that they would want to buy from or work for. They can’t consider them to be good if they have a bad track record on how they take care of their employees. No matter what other good things in the world they might be doing.

[00:9:25] Suzanne: So that is thing number one. You got to take care of your employees, and you got to tell that story.

[00:9:29] Suzanne: So, what people care about, how you treat your employees, they care about recycling, they care about the content of materials. They do care about climate. They are less sophisticated in their understanding of how does their energy use contribute to climate change and what can I do as a person? So, I think there’s a lot more messaging and education and communications that that companies like Trane Technologies can actually take a lead on to help folks understand what are the ways in which we can increase efficiency and therefore decrease the impacts of climate change.

[00:9:56] Carrie: Suzanne, I’m glad you hit on that because, you know, one thing that we’re thinking about in our marketing is how we can educate the market around what’s possible. And so, you know, one big area that we’re working on and very excited about is electrification of heating. Traditionally, if you look at heating and cooling in large buildings, you’ve got a chiller plant for cooling.

[00:10:22] Carrie: You’ve got a boiler for heating, which is fossil fuel powered. And today, you know, we’ve got technology that can bring all that together into one electrified thermal system. And it’s so much more efficient, three to four times more efficient than traditional ways of heating and cooling.

[00:10:38] Carrie: And so, it’s got just real power to help our customers be more environmentally responsible, but also, you know, save on their own energy and operations. But today if a customer has a problem with their heating, they might be thinking like, oh, I got to go get a new boiler. So, how do we educate the market on what’s possible and make sure that they’re thinking about Trane Technologies and innovation like we have when they have a need.

[00:11:07] Suzanne: And I’m going to drill further on your example because we’ve done a lot of work in the space. And what we see is there is a segment of the market out there that wants to hear about how moving to an electric, all electric source of heating and cooling, how that’s better for the planet.

[00:11:21] Suzanne: But it’s a little piece of the market. What plays a lot better is what you just said. It’s two for one. Like you get both heating and cooling in one system. It’s more efficient. It saves you money in the long run. Those are actually the messages that work better. So sometimes companies have a tendency to only focus on those messages and then not talk about the planet.

[00:11:37] Suzanne: Our point of view is, you do need to get that, that impact message in there. It’s just not your lead message. But it does need to be part of the story because then that’s how people will communicate the story to their friends and family is, oh, I did this thing and it’s awesome. It’s more efficient. It’s going to save me money.

[00:11:50] Suzanne: And you know what? It’s actually better for the planet. People want to be able to portray themselves as good actors.

[00:11:56] Scott: Let’s talk about the formal work of that. Companies have, for a hundred years, have been putting out annual revenue reports, sort of their financial progress. But about two decades ago, companies started putting out an environmental report, and some companies put out a two-page one, some had a 20-page one.

[00:12:13] Scott: Suzanne has probably, in her firm, helped a lot of companies put out their reports over the years. And Carrie, you’ve certainly been part of those. Now companies are all putting out reports. We call them all different things. So, where’s all this headed? These extra reports companies put out. Some call it ESG. Some call it impact. Where are we headed on these disclosures?

[00:12:37] Suzanne: Because of the regulations, I’m thinking specifically of CSRD coming out of Europe. I think we are going to see the, I’m going to put it in air quotes, the “sustainability report,” sort of go the way of the 10K. It will be charts and tables and numbers.

[00:12:52] Suzanne: And I actually think that’s a good thing because I think a lot of companies conflate disclosure and communications, like as if our report is communications. And the report is a disclosure document. It only really becomes communications if we do it as you do it, which is let’s take all those great stories and let’s leverage them all year long.

[00:13:12] Suzanne: Let’s put them out on social media. Let’s put them in sales presentations. Let’s put them on conference stages. So, if we think about the report really as a content hub that allows us to get stories out, that piece isn’t going to change. It’s just, it might not be that there’s a report document. The report may become a bunch of tables and charts.

[00:13:31] Suzanne: But there will still be all those stories because companies are doing amazing things all year long, and people want to hear about that. So, we’ll just have to rethink of these of reporting, not as disclosure so much as no, this is a communications program, and we need to think about it that way. How do we want to communicate the good things we’re doing beyond the charts and tables that we’re going to be required to put forward?

[00:13:56] Dominique: A big thank you to Carrie and Suzanne for joining us on today’s episode, where we discussed the power of authenticity to connect with audiences about creating a more sustainable future. At Trane Technologies, we believe that every job is a sustainability job, and every role provides an opportunity for impact.

[00:14:16] Dominique: That’s why each week on the podcast, we’ll feature how someone is building healthy spaces in their organization or community. This week, we’re sharing a submission from Philip V. Ray, proposal support manager in Markham, Ontario. Philip is helping create a more sustainable workplace by streamlining the proposal process with innovative digital solutions.

[00:14:40] Dominique: He’s ensuring that navigating massive documents is faster, more focused and minimizing distraction. Philip is also applying lean methods to identify and eliminate inefficiencies. His approach not only boosts productivity, but also contributes to a more effective and mentally engaging work environment.

[00:15:01] Dominique: Thank you, Philip, for your innovative approach to reducing waste. Would you like to share how you’re building healthy spaces too? To share your story, visit us at TraneTechnologies.com/Healthy Spaces Podcast. Thank you for listening to the Healthy Spaces Podcast, where we explore how climate technology and innovation are transforming the spaces where we live, work, learn and play.

[00:15:27] Dominique: If you want to find out more about our conversation today, make sure you check out the show notes and remember to rate and review us on your favorite podcast app. That’s it for today’s episode. We’ll see you next time.

Originally published on U.S. Bank company blog

Rebecca Boyer has seen firsthand how the U.S. Bank Community Possible giving and engagement program makes a difference in the Chico, California, area, where she works as a U.S. Bank branch manager. As the president of the Chico community leadership board of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the North Valley (BGCNV), she knows what a valuable role the clubs play in helping local youth and families thrive through programs like the Triple Play health and well-being initiative. The program gives students the chance to experience the camaraderie and joy of intramural sports and recreation, stay active and acquire healthy habits, and develop interpersonal skills.

“Organized sports may not be affordable and accessible to many kids at the club, but Triple Play is all-inclusive – everyone is welcome. Being there gives these students the opportunity to grow and build confidence and learn the concept of being on a team,” Boyer said. “Being involved with the Boys & Girls Clubs means so much to me because I see how it truly changes lives. I am so excited that U.S. Bank gives me the opportunity to be part of this nonprofit.”

“We are incredibly grateful for Rebecca’s dedication and leadership. Her involvement, along with the support from the U.S. Bank Community Possible program, has made a real difference in the lives of the local youth we serve,” said Rashell Brobst, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of the North Valley. “Programs like Triple Play are crucial in providing kids with opportunities they might not otherwise have, helping them to stay active, build confidence and learn valuable life skills. Rebecca’s passion for our mission and her commitment to our community truly help us change lives every day.”

The U.S. Bank Community Possible program supports local communities throughout the country. By listening and learning from the people who live, work and play in these communities, U.S. Bank and the U.S. Bank Foundation* strive to help meet each community’s unique needs through volunteerism and financial support, including 500+ Community Possible grants totaling more than $11.5 million that the foundation provided to nonprofit organizations in its most recent round of giving.

Many Community Possible grants go toward nonprofits that provide opportunities for people to play, create and enjoy the richness and diversity of arts and cultural experiences. Halfway across the country from the Northern California community where Boyer lives, the Puerto Rican Arts Alliance (PRAA) brings the magic of music and art to Chicago students and families.

With funding from the U.S. Bank Foundation, PRAA’s Latin Music Project offers enrichment programs in 10 Chicago public schools located in low- to moderate-income communities. Regardless of musical background or experience, participating students learn to play instruments while immersing in the culture and heritage of Puerto Rico, and many get the chance to perform with professional musicians at special events, including the National Cuatro Festival in November.

“At the Puerto Rican Arts Alliance, we believe that every student deserves the opportunity to explore their cultural heritage through the arts. Thanks to the support from U.S. Bank and the U.S. Bank Foundation, we’re able to provide Chicago’s youth with enriching musical instruction that not only nurture their talents but also connect them to the rich traditions of Puerto Rico. This partnership has been instrumental in empowering our students to express themselves, build confidence and dream big,” said PRAA Executive Director Ignacio Lopez.

JeNyce Boolton, a U.S Bank community affairs manager based in Chicago, PRAA board member and self-professed “huge music fan,” appreciates how music and arts programs provide students with a safe, creative outlet outside school hours and empower them to gain new skills and cultural acumen.

“My kids are musical, and I know becoming a better musician requires resources, so the ability to offer this kind of programming to kids who live in underserved and under-resourced communities is really meaningful,” Boolton said.

U.S. Bank employees don’t have to go far to see the impact of this support – the company has donated space in one of its Chicago branch buildings for PRAA to use as a classroom and performance facility.

So far in 2024, the U.S. Bank Foundation has provided more than $23 million in Community Possible grants, and giving will continue through the rest of the year.

*U.S. Bank Foundation is a tax-exempt private foundation described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The Foundation is funded primarily through contributions from U.S. Bank National Association and its affiliates and subsidiaries. The Foundation’s mission is to close the gaps between people and possibility in the areas of work, home, and play.

BOSTON, Mass., September 18, 2024 /3BL/ – Sappi North America, Inc., a leading producer and supplier of diversified paper, packaging products and pulp, today released its 2023 Sustainability Report, highlighting its EcoVadis Platinum sustainability rating for the fourth year in a row an award-winning water-savings project and the second-lowest number of combined lost-time injuries (LTIs) for Sappi employees and contractors working at its facilities.

In 2023, Sappi’s business and sustainable practices continued to be shaped by the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG), aiding in defining its business strategy, with priorities across categories such as clean water and sanitation, renewable and clean energy, economic growth, responsible consumption and production, climate action, and more.

“We’ve continued to work towards our sustainability goals at Sappi North America (SNA), and we always prioritize employee safety, even in times of economic uncertainty and global market challenges. Our teams had unparalleled safety records, earned numerous awards for the Cloquet Mill Effluent TSS Reduction project, saving over 2 million gallons of water, and more,” said Mike Haws, President and CEO at SNA. “The commitment from our teams has ensured we continue to move towards our long-term goals and spread positive social and environmental impact within our communities, and globally.”

Highlights from the report include:

Remarkable safety performance: In 2023, Sappi recorded its second-best combined lost time injury frequency rate (LTIFR) at 018. By the end of 2023, the Somerset Mill achieved nearly 5 million hours without an LTI, and the Cloquet Mill had reached 1 million safe work hours without an LTI for the eighth time in 15 years.Elevating women in senior management roles: Sappi increased its percentage of women in senior management roles to 22%, even despite unprecedented labor shortages. This year, Bakul Wadgaonkar stepped into her role as Director of Sustainability, helping the company to pursue its long-term sustainability milestones, leaning into the conservation efforts that have been ingrained in Sappi for decades.Promoting employee engagement: Sappi significantly increased participation across all regions in its fiscal 2023 employee engagement survey. Based on the comprehensive feedback, Sappi has already begun implementing dozens of initiatives to improve the SNA experience for employees. Additionally, Sappi’s Employee Ideas that Matter (EITM) program increased in participation by over 118% and has awarded over $189,000 to date for local nonprofits and grant funds.Participating in local forestry initiatives: The Maine SFI Implementation Committee (SIC), of which SNA is an active member and supporter, won the 2023 SIC Achievement Award for implementing SFI standards and programs locally, making a difference on the ground to advance sustainable forestry and promote the benefits of SFI-certified forests and forest products.Successful diversification and return on business: Sappi’s long-term return on net operating assets (RONOA) trajectory demonstrates that we have successfully diversified and transformed our business by making strategically sound investments and then delivering returns on those investments. Combined with strong cost management and operational performance, Sappi maintained a high level of profitability.

“We are committed to sustainability as a cornerstone of our operations, and the 2023 Sustainability Report reminds us of that pillar of our work,” said Wadgaonkar. “A challenging year in our market did not curtail Sappi’s dedication to improving, learning and driving change. Our long-term goals remain strong, and I’m eager to see SNA teams continue to reach incredible milestones into 2024 and beyond.”

To read more of Sappi North America’s 2023 Sustainability Report and request a copy, please visit: https://www.sappi.com/sustainability-and-impact.

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About Sappi North America, Inc.

Sappi North America, Inc., headquartered in Boston, is a market leader in converting wood fiber into superior products that customers demand worldwide. Our four diversified businesses – high-quality Graphic Papers, Dissolving Pulp, Packaging, and Specialty Papers deliver premium products and services with consistent quality and reliability. Our high-quality Coated Printing Papers are used for premium magazines, catalogs, books, direct mail and high-end print advertising. We are a leading manufacturer of Dissolving Pulp, which is used in a wide range of products, including textile fibers and household goods. We deliver sustainable Packaging and Specialty Papers for luxury packaging and folding carton applications with our single-ply packaging brands and for the food and label industries with our specialty papers. We are one of the world’s leading suppliers of Casting and Release Papers with lines for the automotive, fashion and engineered films industries.

Sappi North America is a subsidiary of Sappi Limited (JSE), a global company headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, with more than 12,000 employees and manufacturing operations on three continents in seven countries and customers in over 150 countries. www.sappi.com

Contact

Haley Sinacole

Account Executive

Matter Communications

1 978 518 4508

sappi@matternow.com

If you are finding it hard to keep track of all the U.S. holidays inundating your calendars or timelines, you are not alone. But this one is worth taking the time to appreciate and reflect on. Women’s Equality Day recognizes a milestone that has profoundly shaped many aspects of our lives in the U.S. and around the world.

Taking the Time to Reflect

On August 26, 1920, the 19th Amendment, granting women the right to vote, was finally ratified in the U.S. Constitution after decades of tireless advocacy by women’s suffragists. It is telling that by 1980, and onward, women’s voter turnout in U.S. presidential elections surpassed that of men. Women were eager for change and innovation, and this amendment was a catalyst for just that.

104 Years Have Passed…

And we have so much to show for it. The ripple effects of women’s voting power are evident in countless culturally relevant and societal changes. Without women being a part of the U.S. electorate, we might not have seen laws and bills passed that allow women to buy homes, open bank accounts independently, continue working after having children, or take on significant roles in politics. This impact extends beyond women, benefiting our society.

In 2024, women continue to drive change and innovate on a global scale

You have interacted with several applications, technology, brands, and legislation that are female founded, sponsored, and led. Do any of these leaders and their lifelong work ring a bell?

Jane Fraser, CEO of Citi, a global financial institution, and investment bank.Naomi Osaka, founder of Kinlo (and Japanese pro tennis player!), a skincare brand formulated especially for melanated skin.Adi Tatarko, co-founder and former CEO of Houzz, a home design company.Julia Hartz, CEO and co-founder of Eventbrite, an easy-to-use ticketing system for events.Leah Busque, founder of TaskRabbit, makes any household task a quick ask.Payal Kadakia, founder of ClassPass, a global platform for booking fitness classes.Kamala Harris, current U.S. Vice President and newly confirmed Democratic candidate for U.S. President, the highest elected office of any female politician in U.S. history.

This list begs the question: ‘What can’t she do?’ Please know this list is short for brevity purposes only, and not because there is any shortage of incredibly accomplished women to shout out!

Increasing Diversity in Innovation with WIN++

In 2019, the US Patent and Trademark Office reported that women are named inventors on only 13% of patents. In 2020, Cisco launched WIN++, a guided mentorship program matching small teams of diverse employees with an experienced mentor, with the goal of submitting an invention disclosure by the end of the program for consideration by one of Cisco’s patent committees.

Since its launch, the number of unique Cisco women inventors listed on original U.S. patent filings has increased more than 30%, and the percentage of approved submissions with at least one female inventor has jumped 67%.

Recognizing Women’s Equality Day and the opportunity ahead

The progress and pioneers we celebrate today are a testament to the resilience, innovation, and determination of countless women who have paved the way. As we look to the future, let us be inspired by their legacy to continue advocating for change, breaking down barriers, and creating opportunities for all.

Want to get involved? Check out this Cisco newsroom article to learn more about our WIN++ program, and head on over to https://www.cisco.com/go/win to meet some of the incredible women fighting for our future.

View original content here.

Previously published by TriplePundit

By Riya Anne Polcastro

National parks are an integral part of our country’s landscape. They preserve valuable habitats and provide sanctuary for endangered and threatened species. They also offer endless recreational and educational opportunities for hundreds of millions of visitors each year. On the flip side, the abundance of people in the parks means a lot of waste bound for landfills, with visitors creating almost 70 million pounds of trash in 2022. But the Zero Landfill Initiative, a nearly 10-year collaboration between Subaru of America, the National Park Service, the National Parks Conservation Association, the National Park Foundation and other park stakeholders, proves that doesn’t need to be the case.

“Our customers absolutely love the national parks,” Denise Coogan, environmental partnership manager for Subaru of America, told TriplePundit. “They put their faith in our product, and it’s such an honor when somebody does that, so we thank them by helping to conserve these places they love and the places they like to take their Subaru.”

Lessons from zero-landfill auto plants inform success at national parks

The Zero Landfill Initiative, also known as Don’t Feed the Landfills, aims first to reduce the amount of waste entering parks — followed by reusing, recycling and composting what is brought in. The initiative is built on the lessons learned by Subaru’s own zero-landfill program, which is implemented in all of the automaker’s manufacturing plants globally. Instead of utilizing a top-down approach where executives who aren’t as unfamiliar with the day-to-day processes dictate sustainability measures, Subaru went straight to employees for ideas on eliminating waste.

For example, employee input played an integral role in the sustainability transition at Subaru of Indiana Automotive, a 5.5 million square foot auto assembly plant where thousands of cars are produced each year. “We got all of the 4,700 associates who worked there at the time together to say, ‘This is where we want to go, and how can we get there?’” Coogan said. The plant achieved zero-landfill status 20 years ago, making it the first auto manufacturing facility in the U.S. to do so.

Coogan credited the thousands of ideas supplied by production employees for the achievement, calling them the stars of the program. The plant once generated 459 pounds of waste for each vehicle that left the line. By the time the last load was sent to a landfill on May 4, 2004, plant employees reduced the total to 210 pounds — all of which is recycled and reused or, in the case of restroom waste that can’t be recycled, is converted into energy.

“It was an amazing thing to witness, to see everyone taking so much pride in their ideas,” she said. “I had worked in production for many years when I was much younger. And I know how humbling it can be to go in on Jan. 1, knowing what you’re going to be doing on Dec. 31, and nothing’s going to change. We were able to go to our associates at [Subaru of Indiana Automotive] and say, ‘What are your ideas? Can you give us what you think would work the best?’ and then come together and work together to bring their ideas to life. That’s what we did at the national parks, too.”

A movement to change environmental behavior in U.S. national parks

The Don’t Feed the Landfills Initiative began nearly a decade ago with three pilot parks: Denali, Grand Teton and Yosemite. Using lessons learned at the pilot parks, Subaru and the National Parks Conservation Association set out to develop a roadmap for more national parks to implement successful sustainable practices. The initiative has since expanded to Big Bend, Zion and a handful of other national parks across the United States, Coogan said.

“The successes and long-term impact of the waste reduction initiative can be attributed to the collaborative community-based approach,” said Karen Hevel-Mingo, director of sustainability for the National Parks Conservation Association. “With Subaru’s shared expertise, and through the challenging work that began at Denali, Yosemite and Grand Teton, we learned quickly that the communities surrounding our parks were as important as the parks themselves. Our many partners were so important in not only helping us reduce waste, but in educating millions of park visitors about how they can help and do their part.”

In spearheading the initiative, Subaru sought to take the same all-inclusive approach it used in its plants and expanded it to national parks and their gateway communities. “These parks are behemoths in these areas. But usually, the population around the parks is not very big — meaning everyone relies on that park, so everyone has a piece of the puzzle,” Coogan explained. “Getting everyone in the same room and saying, ‘Here’s where we want to go, what do you need?,’ it opens up a kind of synergistic communication and team building. What gets recycled, how it gets recycled, where it gets put, how it gets picked up — all of that stuff is just details that can be worked out relatively easily. But getting everyone to buy in and creating a movement where you change environmental behavior? That’s a little harder.”

A lot of that work boils down to educating visitors with messaging in the park and online that encourages them to reduce what they use and bring into the parks. Tourists are encouraged to bring refillable water bottles, which can be filled at stations in the parks, along with reusable coffee mugs. They’re directed to downloadable brochures instead of paper ones and asked to bring their own totes for any souvenirs they might purchase. And with 40 percent of park waste comprised of food, visitors can be mindful of food waste and utilizing reusable containers that will be packed out.

“We’re really trying to get that message out to people. Don’t just reduce waste, think about what you’re doing. Think about the impact on the national park. You might just be one family, but when there are 337 million people that go to the national parks every year and everyone uses a plastic water bottle or everyone brings plastic bags and throws them in the trash, it adds up,” Coogan said. “But once you remind them, 99.999 percent of the people really want to do the right thing.”

Sharing the Love is business as usual for Subaru

Subaru’s support of the National Park Service and its role in spearheading the Zero Landfill/Don’t Feed the Landfills Initiative is another example of how it Shares the Love by giving back. Not only is the automaker the largest corporate donor to the National Park Foundation, thanks in part to its annual Subaru Share the Love Event charity campaign, but it’s also helping the parks reach their sustainability goals through innovation grants. These grants allow individual parks to improve infrastructure by purchasing equipment like balers and forklifts that make recycling more feasible, as well as hiring staff to handle marketing, education, and community outreach.

Between the Share the Love Event and Subaru Loves the Earth month that we do every April, we’re getting the word out to our retailers too so that they can be more than a car dealer,” Coogan said. “We really do want to be more than a car company. And this is just one way we show it.”

A scalable approach

Twenty-two million pounds of visitor waste from national parks have been diverted away from landfills through source reduction, composting, and recycling since the initiative’s inception in 2015, Coogan said. Overall, participating parks are seeing a steady decrease in the amount of waste generated per visitor — a clear sign they’re meeting their objectives, she said.

“The lesson that transcends both the national parks and Subaru plants has been involving everyone in the project and that sense of community,” Coogan added. “I honestly believe that people want to be part of something bigger than themselves. And if you allow them the honor and you give them the tools they need to do it, they will rise to the occasion.”

It’s an approach that could be applied to sustainability in just about any industry. And it saves money too — both by using fewer materials and generating less waste in need of disposal. Subaru has saved $1.5 million at its Indiana automotive plant alone, Coogan said. And she’s confident that by giving associates and community stakeholders the voice they need to make real change, this method of waste reduction can be scaled anywhere, to any size.

“The work we’ve accomplished together will live on in our parks, and all who visit them will have cleaner, healthier experiences because of it,” added NPCA’s Karen Hevel-Mingo.

by Marian Macindoe, Robert Klaber and Lori Keith, Parnassus Investments 

Weather events and the impacts from natural disasters pose risks to individuals, businesses and financial markets. Strong company management teams anticipate such events as potential business risks and have established robust plans to address them and mitigate their impacts. There will be both leaders and laggards in how companies withstand, respond to and adapt to a changing and more volatile climate. We are working with our portfolio companies to evaluate their plans for climate resilience, to share best practices in navigating climate risks and to collaborate with them to improve in these areas through our engagements as well as through proxy voting.

As the increase in extreme weather incidents is unlikely to abate, we, at Parnassus Investments, are building portfolios of leading companies that are more likely to be resilient in a changing climate through quality management, foresight and long-term strategic planning. We believe these leaders are not only working toward a low-carbon world but are best positioned to address extreme weather events in the meantime. 

Risk Assessment in an Era of Climate Change – When our firm evaluates potential investments for climate risks, we consider each company relative to its industry. Certain industries inherently have more risk than others. For example, companies with a lot of real estate and/or manufacturing facilities will have more risk than companies offering business services that don’t produce physical goods. The “footprint” in terms of where the offices and manufacturing plants are located is an important consideration as well as how that affects the entire supply chain.

In assessing a company’s climate resilience, we look at how well they can handle the risk of a climate event and can shift operations to other locations, considering both the impact to operations and their employees. Worker safety is paramount for the companies we consider for our portfolios. Evaluating impacts on the supply chain is also critical, as is understanding the potential effects on all contributors to the company’s operations.

Read the full article, including a look at Physical Risks and Transition Risks as companies move towards a low carbon economy – all here – https://greenmoney.com/investing-in-an-era-of-extreme-weather

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September 18, 2024 /3BL/ – The International Living Future Institute (Living Future) is honored to have been selected to support the Inflation Reduction Act’s efforts to decarbonize the built environment. As announced by the U.S. EPA in July, Living Future was one of the 38 grant recipients selected to receive part of the federal government’s $160 million investment to “report and reduce climate pollution from the manufacturing of construction materials and products.” With the support of this grant, Living Future will deepen its industry collaborations to assess the environmental performance of building materials and streamline the specification of more climate-friendly options.

The built environment is a major contributor to planetary warming. It’s estimated that buildings and construction account for 37% of all energy-related carbon dioxide emissions and, according to the EPA, “construction materials used in buildings and other built infrastructure account for more than 15% of annual global greenhouse gas emissions.” Living Future recognizes that the built environment community can also play a key role in securing a safe and healthy future, integrating resilience and emissions-drawdown strategies into all design, construction, and operating decisions.

Through its building programs, Living Future promotes a multi-pronged approach that addresses both embodied and operational carbon reduction. Once seen as a nearly insurmountable challenge, these programs are now utilized by the largest architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) firms, multiple Fortune 500 companies, major global universities, and innovative developers. These clients are building corporate offices, laboratories, multi-family residences, retail spaces, warehouses, and some of the most innovative projects around the world aligned with Living Future standards.

To scale the decarbonization of buildings, one area that needs greater attention is the ability of owners and project teams to easily specify climate-friendly products and materials. Thankfully, Living Future has a roadmap to address this need.

Since 2012, Living Future’s Declare program has helped disclose ingredients and translate complex material health data into accessible and actionable information. More than 370 manufacturers, ranging from small craft producers to Fortune 500 corporations, currently participate in Living Future’s building materials programs. They publicly disclose ingredient information down to 100 parts per million and screen against our Red List, ensuring a commitment to human and ecological health. The free Declare database boasts nearly 1,500 labels representing 16,000+ products, and is visited by approximately 100,000 people annually. This platform facilitates easy specification of products that contribute to healthy indoor environments and align with various rating systems, including the Living Building Challenge, LEED, WELL, and Enterprise Green Communities.

Slated to receive $4.7 million over five years from the EPA grant, Living Future intends to leverage the model of Declare to accelerate market transformation of climate-friendly products. A new label focused on emissions will include translation and evaluation of environmental product declarations (EPDs) — third-party verified reports of a product’s environmental impacts across its life cycle, such as global warming potential, primary energy use, and ozone depletion potential. Living Future views this as a crucial step to drive the widespread adoption of EPDs and to motivate manufacturers to continue investing in optimized environmental performance.

“We are designing this label program to help accelerate EPD adoption in our industry,” says Lindsay Baker, CEO of Living Future. “We know that distilling data and making it digestible to design teams and owners will empower them and move the market.”

Living Future plans to work with partners and stakeholders to develop industry-aligned technical requirements and structure for the program, as well as grow awareness and action in the community. One such partner is mindful MATERIALS (mM), a non-profit that aligns the building industry around a common language, clear market signal, and connected data to drive demand for material transparency and optimization. Living Future’s new label will align with mM’s Common Materials Framework, which organizes more than 650 relevant sustainability factors into five sustainability topics. CEO of mM, Annie Bevan says, “We are thrilled to partner with Living Future to accelerate towards a world where extensive, verified EPD and other sustainability data is digitized and flowing — and supporting project-level decisions and scaling the holistic impact reduction of the built environment.”

A manufacturing partner, Armstrong World Industries, makes ceiling and wall systems. Anita Snader, the company’s Senior Sustainability Manager, says, “Our company is committed to offering feedback to guide the development and be an early adopter to pilot the new label. We believe Living Future has proven to be highly successful at meaningful market transformation.”

Selections are contingent upon completion of legal and administrative requirements and grantees are tentatively expected to begin receiving their funding in Q4 2024.

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ABOUT the International Living Future Institute

The mission of the International Living Future Institute (Living Future) is to cultivate a society that is socially just, culturally rich, and ecologically restorative. To do this, the organization envisions a living future and shows that it works better in practice and policy. Living Future is premised on the belief that providing a compelling vision for the future is needed to reconcile humanity’s relationship with the natural world. Living Future’s programs have shaped more than 55 million square feet of real estate development across the United States and around the world. Learn more at http://www.living-future.org.

Media Contact: 
Kira Gould | kiragould@kiragould.com

– UNDP and IBM developed two new interactive models for UNDP’s Data Futures Exchange’s GeoHub: the AI model Electricity Access Forecasting and the statistical geospatial model Clean Energy Equity Index.

-The organizations collaborated through the IBM Sustainability Accelerator program using technologies such as IBM watsonx, IBM Cloud and IBM Environmental Intelligence.

-The new models will be made available for free to the general public through UNDP’s GeoHub dashboards, helping users access data and insights to interpret complex clean energy challenges and opportunities.

ARMONK, N.Y., September 18, 2024 /3BL/ – IBM (NYSE: IBM) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) today launched new interactive models on energy within UNDP’s global GeoHub platform. These innovative solutions use technologies such as the IBM watsonx AI and data platform to enable users — from policymakers at the national and community level to the general public — to analyze complex energy issues through advanced artificial intelligence (AI) technology and access a wide range of resources, helping support data-driven decision-making toward a just energy transition.

“Bringing together UNDP’s knowledge and global leadership in sustainable development and IBM’s breakthrough innovations in AI and hybrid cloud, we are proud to unveil solutions that demonstrate the power of technology to make a lasting, positive impact on our environment and in our communities,” said Justina Nixon-Saintil, IBM Vice President and Chief Impact Officer. “By making innovative models freely accessible to the public, we aim to empower leaders, organizations and community members alike with the insights to make impactful energy decisions around the world.”

As part of UNDP’s Data Futures Exchange (DFx), GeoHub is a centralized ecosystem of geospatial data and services. It provides a platform to easily upload, visualize and analyze datasets, combining time-oriented and geographic data with satellite imagery. GeoHub supports a granular, localized, and evidence-based approach to development challenges and integrated policy making— from determining subnational distribution of electricity access, to assessing levels of vulnerability to the effects of climate change for communities over time.

“UNDP’s innovative collaboration with IBM helps countries leverage development data and technology innovation to improve lives and protect the planet. The solutions we’ve co-created provide a credible evidence base to help countries make meaningful and practical progress towards a just energy transition. Net-zero investment and people-centered development strategies are fundamental to accelerate the SDGs,” said Laurel Patterson, Head of the UNDP SDG Integration Team, UNDP Bureau for Policy and Programme Support.

UNDP and IBM worked together over two years through the IBM Sustainability Accelerator program. This project started with a collaborative engagement through the IBM Garage, and resulted in the enhancement of UNDP’s GeoHub with two innovative models: the AI model Electricity Access Forecasting and the statistical geospatial model Clean Energy Equity Index.

The Electricity Access Forecasting AI model uses the IBM watsonx AI and data platform, IBM Cloud, and an open-source machine learning library to provide future forecasts at scale of electricity access through 2030 by evaluating a set of factors including population, infrastructure, urbanization, elevation, and satellite data in addition to land use data provided by IBM Environmental Intelligence. By modeling these factors to make a future forecast, the Electricity Access Forecasting model provides a distinct advantage compared to more commonly available, current-day estimates of electricity access. The model will contain data from 102 countries across the Global South, including in Africa, Asia Pacific, Latin America and the Middle East.The Clean Energy Equity Index, developed by IBM and UNDP together with Stony Brook University, is a first-of-its-kind statistical geospatial model combining geospatial analytics with environmental, economic and social factors – such as education, greenhouse gas emissions, and relative wealth — to generate a Clean Energy Equity score of 0-1. This score reflects both opportunities for clean energy development as well as urgency, through the lens of equity and a just transition. In this dashboard, GeoHub users can also individually view and customize each environmental, economic, or social factor analyzed in the model, to evaluate which factors have the greatest impact on equitable access to clean energy, empowering better decision making. The model will provide data from 53 African countries.

Historically, advanced models like these have not always been freely accessible and applicable to all users. Together, IBM and UNDP set out to co-create solutions that would strengthen free public access to complex clean energy information and advanced technology, while simultaneously providing essential energy resources for policymakers, governments, journalists and decision makers.

About the IBM Sustainability Accelerator 
Launched in 2022, the IBM Sustainability Accelerator is a social impact program that addresses environmental threats impacting vulnerable communities around the world. Each year, the program selects about five projects to scale technology and AI solutions within a new sustainability topic area. To date, the IBM Sustainability Accelerator has supported 15 global projects across three active cohorts, focused on sustainable agriculture, clean energy and water management. For more information: https://www.ibm.com/impact/initiatives/ibm-sustainability-accelerator/

About United Nations Development Programme 
UNDP works in about 170 countries and territories, helping to eradicate poverty, reduce inequalities and exclusion, and build resilience so countries can sustain progress. As the UN’s development agency, UNDP plays a critical role in helping countries achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

Media Contact: 
Carmen San Segundo 
IBM Global Communications Director, ESG and CSR 
carmenssg@ibm.com

SOURCE IBM

By Jeff Krull

Originally published by Corporate Compliance Insights

CrowdStrike’s July outage caused widespread chaos around the world with flights grounded, broadcasts interrupted and 911 lines disrupted. That a regular software update from a leading provider could cause such issues highlights the growing complexity of interconnected and third-party risks.

Before memory of the outage event fades (and until the next one occurs), all businesses should take the time to carefully evaluate their business continuity and recovery plans, particularly with mission-critical third-party vendors.

Continue reading here

Learn more in Baker Tilly’s ransomware prevention guide