Month: January 2025

RenuCore™ by CertainTeed, a leader in sustainable paving solutions, is thrilled to announce its partnership with Mark II Transfer Station LLC of Kansas City, Missouri, a new licensee of RenuCore’s innovative process for recycling asphalt shingles into high-performance pavement products.

This collaboration reinforces CertainTeed’s commitment to environmental responsibility and aligns with its parent company Saint-Gobain’s mission to advance a circular economy in the construction industry.

“Our partnership with Mark II Transfer Station LLC represents a significant step forward in our efforts to build a circular economy for asphalt shingles,” said Carmen Bodden, President of CertainTeed Roofing. “This partnership will provide partners like Mark II with technology to produce high-value products, and also aligns with the Asphalt Roofing Manufacturer Association’s 2035 goal of 50% waste reduction.”

RenuCore’s cutting-edge technology enables the recycling of asphalt shingles by transforming shingle waste into a valuable component in asphalt paving. The process offers a cost-effective solution for contractors by providing a method to soften the shingle asphalt back into a paving grade level product. By processing shingles into pellets that can be stored for up to one year, RenuCore is helping to extend the useful life of asphalt shingles. The paving pellets to be produced by Mark II Transfer Station LLC will be made available to hot mix asphalt producers in the Kansas City metro area, bringing the innovative RenuCore technology to a new market.

“We’re so excited to announce this innovative partnership with CertainTeed, which will position the Kansas City region as a leader in cutting edge waste management solutions,” said Jenny Monheiser, Owner of Mark II Transfer Station LLC. “Our family-owned business is proud to be part of efforts like this that increases environmental responsibility and keeps more materials out of landfills.”

RenuCore Environmental Benefits:

Recycled Content Benefit: This new technology solves earlier problems with recycling asphalt shingles into Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) by pre-treating the shingle, which shows more resistance to rutting and shoving; making storage easy as the pellets can be stored for up to one year, and does not require specialty equipment to incorporate into HMA, building a viable reuse pathway for post-industrial and post-consumer shingles. By incorporating recycled shingles into HMA, RenuCore technology reduces the need for virgin asphalt materials. HMA producers can use this technology to increase the amount of recycled asphalt product in hot mix asphalt.

Landfill Diversion and Circular Economy: Annually in the United States, 13 million tons of asphalt shingles are discarded in landfills. RenuCore’s technology repurposes the materials in the shingle, making them available as replacements for virgin materials in HMA. This circular economy approach not only conserves natural resources but also mitigates the environmental impact of shingle waste disposal.

Equitable Performance to “Virgin” HMA Materials: The RenuCore process improves the PG grade of the recycled asphalt.

About Mark II Transfer Station LLC

Mark II Transfer Station LLC is a small, family and woman-owned collection site in Kansas City, Missouri. They work with roll-off companies, roofing companies, demolition companies, construction companies, and more to handle their construction and demolition debris disposal needs.

About RenuCoreTM by CertainTeed

RenuCore, by CertainTeed, is an innovative pelletizing technology that diverts asphalt shingle waste from landfills, repurposing it into valuable reclaimed asphalt for paving. RenuCore technology is for sale by CertainTeed as a partner. The licensee will then produce RenuCore pellets, either selling them to local hot mix asphalt producers, C&D Recyclers, or use the pellets directly in their HMA mixes, saving money and promoting a circular shingle economy. Visit www.certainteed.com/renucore.

About Saint-Gobain

Worldwide leader in light and sustainable construction, Saint-Gobain designs, manufactures and distributes materials and services for the construction and industrial markets. Its integrated solutions for the renovation of public and private buildings, light construction and the decarbonization of construction and industry are developed through a continuous innovation process and provide sustainability and performance. The Group’s commitment is guided by its purpose, “MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER HOME”.

€47.9 billion in sales in 2023 
160,000 employees, locations in 76 countries 
Committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050

In its 15th edition, US SIF Foundation’s Report on US Sustainable Investing Trends identified climate action as the number one sustainable investing priority over the long- and short-term. The report, release in December 2024, documents $6.5 trillion in total US sustainable investment assets under management at the beginning of 2024. This represents 12 percent of the total US assets under professional management.

The 2024 US SIF Trends Report provides data on the US asset management firms and institutional asset owners using sustainable investment strategies and examines the environmental, social and corporate governance issues they consider in managing their portfolios. The report details the size of the US sustainable investment market, the Trends Survey findings, and emerging trends in the industry.

In addition to using advanced data analytics and AI tools, US SIF surveyed more than 250 — doubling responses to the 2022 survey — and found that addressing climate change and the clean energy transition were top priorities for respondents. Additionally, 73% of respondents expect the sustainable investment market to grow over the next one to two years, while only 39% of respondents expect their own organizations to increase sustainable investing, indicating that this growth is anticipated to come from broader market participants.

Read the full article here – https://greenmoney.com/us-sif-trends-report-documents-sustainable-investment-assets/

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In its 15th edition, US SIF Foundation’s Report on US Sustainable Investing Trends identified climate action as the number one sustainable investing priority over the long- and short-term. The report, release in December 2024, documents $6.5 trillion in total US sustainable investment assets under management at the beginning of 2024. This represents 12 percent of the total US assets under professional management.

The 2024 US SIF Trends Report provides data on the US asset management firms and institutional asset owners using sustainable investment strategies and examines the environmental, social and corporate governance issues they consider in managing their portfolios. The report details the size of the US sustainable investment market, the Trends Survey findings, and emerging trends in the industry.

In addition to using advanced data analytics and AI tools, US SIF surveyed more than 250 — doubling responses to the 2022 survey — and found that addressing climate change and the clean energy transition were top priorities for respondents. Additionally, 73% of respondents expect the sustainable investment market to grow over the next one to two years, while only 39% of respondents expect their own organizations to increase sustainable investing, indicating that this growth is anticipated to come from broader market participants.

Read the full article here – https://greenmoney.com/us-sif-trends-report-documents-sustainable-investment-assets/

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Originally published in Nielsen’s 2024 ESG report, available to download here

At Nielsen, we know our employees are also moms, dads, caregivers, brothers, sisters, neighbors, community members and more — juggling work and personal responsibilities. We have benefits developed specifically to help our people manage their busy lives and support their ever-evolving needs. We continue to invest in programs and benefits that support the physical, emotional, financial, and social and environmental well-being of our employees.

We maintain a highly flexible and collaborative approach to remote and in-office work. We believe in the power of bringing our employees together — whether in person or virtually — to encourage learning and creativity, but we also view flexibility as a key part of our culture.

In early 2024, we relaunched our well-being program, The Whole You, as Nspired Wellness, and expanded many of our offerings. We also added the Nspired Wellness Lifestyle Spending Account Reimbursement Program in the United States for everything from gym memberships to personal development courses to national/ state/local park entrance fees to financial advisors. Full-time employees can access $150 per quarter ($600 per year), and part-time employees can access $50 per quarter ($200 per year). In 2024, we are continuing our global rollout of Nspired Wellness across the regions in which we operate.

Enhancing mental health resources

In 2023, we expanded access to Spring Health, a mental health services platform, to employees globally, in all but three countries where Nielsen has a presence.1 Spring Health offers counseling sessions to all employees and their family members ages six and up. These folks have access to eight sessions at no cost to them in the United States, and those outside the United States have access to six free sessions. Spring Health also provides coaching, mindfulness training, crisis support and group sessions, all at no cost. Additionally, we continue to offer our company-wide “Mental Health Day Away” to allow employees a chance to rest and recharge.

Expanding our inclusive benefits

Through our company transformation, our commitment to providing comprehensive benefits has not wavered. In fact, we continue to broaden the range of inclusive benefits offered to our employees so we can meet people where they are. In 2022, we launched our LGBTQ+ Concierge Program with Included Health. This program provides confidential support for finding in-network providers for HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention services, scheduling appointments with gender-affirming care providers, access to board-certified physicians with the Doctor On Demand program, and more. Following the successful launch of this program, we expanded the support of our diverse employee populations through the launch of Black Health in 2023. Black Health is designed to connect employees and their family members who identify as Black with affirming, vetted and high-quality providers.

Both LGBTQ+ Concierge Program and Black Health include maternal care and other coverage for the family-building journey. These programs are focused on providing employees and dependents culturally competent, high-quality care for all of their healthcare needs.

Additionally, in 2023, we expanded reimbursement benefits for employees or family members using birth and end-of-life doulas. And, in 2024, we introduced new benefits to support women from the first signs of perimenopause through post-menopause. In every country where we operate, employees have access to health care, paid time off and parental leave. Lactation rooms are available at every Nielsen office location.

Discover how Nielsen’s responsible and inclusive practices continue to build a healthy and resilient business in our annual global corporate sustainability report. Download the Nielsen 2024 Report here.

1In the three countries in which Spring Health is not offered, we provide alternative emotional health support programs.