Month: January 2025

Originally published on GEC’s New Feed

The Global Electronics Council (GEC) is proud to announce its membership in the Clean Energy Buyers Association (CEBA), a leading coalition of energy buyers, suppliers, and stakeholders committed to accelerating the transition to a carbon-free energy future.

CEBA’s more than 400 members include institutional energy customers of every type and size, from corporate and industrial companies to universities and cities. Together, CEBA members represent one-fifth of the Fortune 500 and account for more than $20 trillion in market capitalization. By joining this influential network, GEC strengthens its commitment to advancing sustainability across the global electronics industry.

CEBA’s mission to empower energy customers and scale clean energy solutions aligns seamlessly with GEC’s vision of achieving 100% sustainable electronics by 2050 for everyone, everywhere. GEC is honored to join CEBA alongside a distinguished group of new members, including Netflix, Chick-fil-A, and Waters Corporation. Together, these organizations represent a broad coalition united by the shared goal of advancing clean energy solutions and reducing carbon emissions.

As part of the CEBA community, GEC will collaborate with like-minded organizations to overcome barriers to clean energy adoption and contribute to innovative solutions that benefit the planet. Together with CEBA’s diverse membership, GEC aims to drive impactful change by supporting initiatives that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote renewable energy integration.

“Joining CEBA is a natural extension of our mission to enable sustainable practices within the electronics industry,” said Bob Mitchell, Chief Executive Officer of GEC. “We look forward to leveraging this partnership to amplify our efforts in driving systemic change and supporting our stakeholders in meeting their sustainability goals.”

CEBA’s robust network includes influential organizations from various sectors, all united by a shared vision of a clean energy economy. GEC is excited to contribute its expertise and collaborate on achieving measurable progress toward a more sustainable future.

Visit cebuyers.org to learn more about CEBA and its vision for a carbon-free energy future. Explore gec.org to stay updated on GEC’s sustainability initiatives, partnerships, latest updates and more.

Together, we’ll advance innovation, collaboration, and action for a sustainable future.

CHARLOTTE, N.C., January 15, 2025 /3BL/ – Truist Foundation today announced it will partner with Center for Disaster Philanthropy to provide over $20 million in disaster recovery grants in Western North Carolina as part of the Truist Cares for Western North Carolina initiative. Flooding in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which hit in September 2024, destroyed or damaged more than 250,000 homes across 39 counties in Western North Carolina with economic impacts reaching $53 billion. The grants will provide resources to help support and sustain critical housing and small business recovery and long-term resiliency in the region.

“Truist Foundation is dedicated to helping communities after disasters strike, and this collaboration represents a significant step forward in our effort to help Western North Carolina recover from the impacts of Hurricane Helene,” said Lynette Bell, president of Truist Foundation. “By joining forces with Center for Disaster Philanthropy and other trusted partners, we can leverage our collective resources and expertise to address critical areas of need, including supporting families with rebuilding homes and entrepreneurs with restoring their businesses. Together, we are committed to making community-driven grants to create an even stronger, more resilient region.”

Through the Truist Foundation Western North Carolina Recovery and Resiliency Fund, CDP will provide grants over the next several years to address medium- and long-term needs to help strengthen the region’s housing and small businesses. Grantmaking decisions will be guided by CDP’s assessment of damages as well as community capacity and unmet needs to support the area’s recovery. Nonprofit organizations will be invited to apply for funding based on the results of CDP’s assessments. To learn more or to submit a nonprofit organization interest form, click here.

“We are incredibly grateful to Truist Foundation for its commitment to the recovery needs of communities devastated by Hurricane Helene,” said President and CEO of the Center for Disaster Philanthropy Patricia McIlreavy. “This significant investment in the people of Western North Carolina allows us to strategically support the long-term needs of the area through comprehensive solutions that address the many aspects of recovery so that survivors can rebuild stronger. In taking this approach, we also ensure that communities are better positioned to withstand the next disaster.”

As part of the Truist Cares for Western North Carolina initiative, Truist Foundation will also provide significant grants to The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina for its Emergency and Disaster Response Fund, which will help nonprofits mitigate impacts of Hurricane Helene, and the American Red Cross for its long-term recovery program, which helps families and communities continue to rebuild in the months and years after disasters, including hurricanes.

Truist Cares for Western North Carolina is a three-year, $725 million commitment to support critical small business, housing and infrastructure needs in Western North Carolina as communities impacted by Hurricane Helene recover and rebuild. The commitment includes new, dedicated loan capital for local small businesses, residents and municipalities from Truist Bank, impact capital from Truist Community Capital, philanthropic giving from Truist Foundation and additional on-the-ground humanitarian support from Truist teammates to help establish long-term resiliency in this devastated region. For more information on this initiative, visit Truist.com/TruistCares.

About Truist Foundation

Truist Foundation is committed to Truist Financial Corporation’s (NYSE: TFC) purpose to inspire and build better lives and communities. The foundation, an endowed private foundation established in 2020 whose operating budget is independent of Truist Financial Corporation, makes strategic investments in a wide variety of nonprofit organizations centered around two focus areas: building career pathways to economic mobility and strengthening small businesses to ensure all communities have an equal opportunity to thrive. Embodying these focus areas are the foundation’s leading initiatives — the Inspire Awards and Where It Starts. Learn more at Truist.com/Foundation.

About Truist

Truist Financial Corporation is a purpose-driven financial services company committed to inspiring and building better lives and communities. As a leading U.S. commercial bank, Truist has leading market share in many of the high-growth markets across the country. Truist offers a wide range of products and services through our wholesale and consumer businesses, including consumer and small business banking, commercial banking, corporate and investment banking, wealth management, payments and specialized lending businesses. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Truist is a top-10 commercial bank with total assets of $523 billion as of Sept. 30, 2024. Truist Bank, Member FDIC. Learn more at Truist.com

SOURCE Truist Foundation

Media Contact: Kristen Fraser, media@truist.com

Las Vegas Sands

On December 5, the United Nations celebrated International Volunteer Day, established by the U.N. in 1985 to honor volunteers and the spirit of volunteerism promoted at the local, national and international levels. The U.N.’s annual commemoration acknowledges the critical contributions volunteers make in their communities to support sustainable development.

Volunteerism comprises one of Sands’ core community engagement initiatives, and the company has set an ambition to contribute 250,000 Team Member volunteer hours from 2021-2025. The goal was initially set at 150,000 hours, but was surpassed in just two years.

“We achieved our original volunteer target through the tireless efforts of Team Members who accelerated their hours with pandemic-related service, as well as our ongoing community volunteer programs,” Ron Reese, senior vice president of global communications and corporate affairs, who spearheads corporate responsibility initiatives, said. “Thanks to their continued energy, enthusiasm and commitment, we’re on track to reach the updated mark. We have a tremendous volunteer spirit in every region of the company.”

As of the end of 2023, Team Members have contributed 222,823 volunteer hours and regularly support a broad array of volunteer engagements, including global signature events that cross Sands’ geographies along with each region’s hallmark events and community partnerships.

Global Volunteer Programs

Sands has two volunteer initiatives that take place in each region around the world – the Sands Cares Global Food Kit Build and the Sands Cares Global Hygiene Kit Build with Clean the World. The company launched these programs under its focus on hardship relief to provide people in need with essential food and hygiene supplies.

The third annual Sands Cares Food Kit Build took place this past spring, with a series of builds that kicked off in March at Marina Bay Sands when more than 330 Team Members, retail tenants and representatives from food beneficiary organizations assembled 5,200 food kits. The Food Bank Singapore distributed kits to nine local service organizations.

The corporate food kit build in Las Vegas followed in April with Team Members assembling more than 41,000 shelf-stable meals in partnership with The Pack Shack to benefit Three Square Food Bank. Sands China completed the 2024 series in June when more than 280 Sands China Team Members and volunteers prepared 3,000 food kits that encompassed 21 tons of food supplies for Caritas Macau.

The 2024 Sands Cares Global Hygiene Kit Build with Clean the World followed in the fall, with the series also beginning at Marina Bay Sands on October 2 and netting 30,000 kits in Singapore. Marina Bay Sands Team Members assembled Sands’ 1 millionth kit for Clean the World since the inception of the annual global kit build in 2014.

Sands China followed with a build event at the end of October, when 350 Team Members and community volunteers assembled 30,000 hygiene kits in just three hours for people facing hardships in Macao, Hong Kong and the Philippines. Corporate Team Members concluded the 2024 series in early November when they created 10,000 kits to aid homeless youth and adults, veterans and victims of domestic violence.

Signature Events in the Regions

Sands’ regions have also cultivated large-scale community initiatives with significant volunteerism components. Marina Bay Sands held its 10th Sands for Singapore Charity Festival in August. The cornerstone of the resort’s community engagement program, the festival encompassed 10 weeks of community events, entertainment and innovative fundraising efforts.

More than 4,000 Marina Bay Sands Team Members participated in over 20 volunteer activations and contributed more than 6,600 volunteer hours.

Sands China’s annual Sands Shopping Carnival, which offers a free platform for Macao businesses, especially SMEs, to showcase their goods and services to the community, also integrates the company’s community service organizations, and the company’s Team Member volunteer corps play a large role in their involvement. Sands Cares Ambassadors accompanied beneficiaries of community organizations to experience the carnival’s variety of attractions and facilitated participation of parents and children from the Macau Child Development Association in a cooking workshop.

Local Volunteer Traditions

Sands’ regions also have a number of cherished volunteer traditions for long-time community partners. Marina Bay Sands’ Team Members continued to provide regular volunteer service to The Singapore Food Bank by sorting donations and managing inventory at its warehouse throughout this year. In addition, Team Members undertook a third engagement for Care Singapore’s youth mentorship program, which has included bonding with mentees through workshops, volunteer activities and property tours.

Sands China Team Members continued support of the Macau Special Olympics with Sands Cares Ambassadors accompanying athletes at competitions and other enriching events and activities. Cleaning the homes of elderly residents before Lunar New Year is another of Sands China’s annual volunteer initiatives. Additionally, Team Members assembled 1,500 emergency response kits with the Macau Red Cross and helped create and distribute gift packs to children’s service providers in Macao for International Children’s Day on June 9.

Corporate Team Members in Las Vegas participated in a number of volunteer engagements through Sands Cares as well as the Uni+ed and EmpowHER Team Member resource groups. Efforts included sorting donations and clothing inventory for Dress for Success Southern Nevada, joining a fundraising walk to support Aid for AIDS Nevada, assembling kits of hygiene and personal care supplies for clients of The LGBTQ+ Center of Southern Nevada, and stocking Project 150’s boutique, which offers support to homeless and disadvantaged youth.

Team Members also participated in the annual 5K Santa Run for Opportunity Village, an organization that provides services to people with disabilities, on Dec. 7 and are gathering holiday gifts for scholars attending the Young Women’s Leadership Academy in Las Vegas.

Sands’ volunteer programs are aligned around the company’s four community engagement priorities: relieving hardship, advancing community partners, preserving local culture and heritage, and supporting education. 

To learn more about Sands Cares community initiatives, read the company’s latest ESG Report: https://www.sands.com/2022-environmental-social-and-governance-report/

Artificial intelligence (AI) bias is known to be AI’s ability to present biased results based on human biases that were incorporated in the training data or AI algorithm, leading to unfair and distorted outcomes. Bias in AI is the reflection of the broader biases that exist in society. As we increasingly rely on AI systems for decision-making in various domains and industries, there is a growing imperative to prevent biases and ensure fair outputs.

At IFS Unleashed 2024, a global customer conference that brings together business leaders, technology experts and industry innovators, a women’s leadership panel including Baker Tilly’s Cindy Bratel, led a discussion on how AI can exhibit bias. Data lies at the heart of AI bias. Historical data used to train AI models often reflects societal inequalities. One example of this emerged in the talent management space, where historical data reflected a societal bias favoring a single demographic, mostly men, for promotion due to traditional working patterns. The bias in the algorithm leads to skewed outcomes that disadvantage underrepresented groups. The challenge extends beyond gender bias and segments like economic conditions, geographical locations and age, significantly impacting AI decision-making.

The role of transparency and governance in preventing AI biases

Considering the biases we encounter across various sectors, the importance of transparency in AI algorithms cannot be overstated. As most industries continue adopting AI and digital systems continue becoming more complex, the need for training models to justify their decision-making becomes paramount. In sectors where decisions can impact an individual’s life, like banking and insurance sectors, it is essential to challenge the status quo while ensuring data models are assessed rigorously. This involves the broader context of the decisions that are being made by AI, such as the implications of lending money to individuals with specific financial history.

The solution lies in governance and continuous monitoring. If the biases are not caught within the systems, it can impact business growth and affect the ability of individuals to participate in the economy and society. Today’s organizations need robust frameworks to oversee the training models and deployment of AI in their systems. This would not mean slowing down innovation, which is crucial to ensure growth, but to bring a balance between governance and digital evolution.

How can businesses avoid bias?

The path forward requires continuous vigilance. Organizations must be prepared to pause or reevaluate AI systems that do not align with ethical standards or business values. Regular testing and monitoring should be encouraged as AI evolves and context changes over time.

Building diverse teams can emerge as a game changer in developing unbiased AI solutions. The focus on building such a team requires a shift from purely technical considerations to include broader skill sets and perspectives. This approach ensures that AI systems are developed with consideration for potentially diverse users and their needs.

Education and awareness at all levels within an organization are crucial in addressing bias. One of the ways to do this is by implementing mandatory training programs for employees as well as leadership teams. There is a growing recognition that sector knowledge combined with AI competency promotes ethical and diverse solutions.

How can Baker Tilly help

IFS Cloud integrates AI technology to help businesses like yours unlock new opportunities by turning data into smarter, faster and more reliable decisions. Baker Tilly is proud to be the No. 1 Top 20 – IFS Certified Partner. The team of Value Architects believes an ‘industry-first’ approach allows us to deliver maximum value to our customers with efficient and uncomplicated IFS solutions. Contact a Baker Tilly specialist to learn more.