Month: May 2025

In recognition of Financial Literacy Month, Webster Bank, together with Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester, Massachusetts, (BGCD) celebrated the opening of the Webster Bank Finance Lab, a program created to provide local students the skills needed for financial empowerment and future financial well-being. This program, funded by a $100,000 grant from Webster, is the second collaboration in Massachusetts. To date, Webster has invested over $1.7 million in nine Finance Labs throughout its footprint.

The Webster/Dorchester Finance Lab is part of a signature initiative designed to help Webster’s partners in low- to moderate-income (LMI) communities expand financial empowerment and improve financial literacy for youth. Through financial education tools, learning experiences, interactive workshops and engaging programs for children, teens, families, and staff, BGCD aims to provide the community with the knowledge and skills needed for financial confidence.

“We are proud to partner with Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester to open the second Finance Lab in Massachusetts,” said Marissa Weidner, Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer at Webster Bank. “Webster continues to invest in programs that broaden financial empowerment opportunities, while supporting our commitment to creating economic vitality in the neighborhoods where we live and work.”

Program participants also will engage in hands-on learning opportunities including internships and financial literacy workshops with volunteers from Webster Bank.

“We are incredibly grateful to Webster Bank for their generous support in funding our new Financial Literacy Lab. This investment will empower our youth with essential financial knowledge and skills to help them build a strong foundation for their future. Thanks to Webster Bank, we can continue to provide transformative opportunities that prepare our members for lifelong success,” said Bob Scannell, President & CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester.

In October 2024, Webster celebrated the opening of a Finance Lab with partners in Taunton, Massachusetts. Other Finance Lab partners are in Hartford, Bridgeport and Waterbury, Connecticut; Providence, Rhode Island; Metro New York, Long Island and Yonkers, New York.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester

Established in 1974, Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester (BGCD) is dedicated to making a positive impact on the youth and families of the Dorchester community and beyond. Inside BGCD’s three clubhouses is a place for Dorchester’s young people to learn, explore talents, play, and make friends. A beacon of hope, BGCD is known for welcoming and connecting young people and families to opportunities that embrace diversity, nurture growth, and inspire success. Today, as always, members between ages five and 18 have access to 200+ activities for just $5 a year.

About Webster

Webster Bank (“Webster”) is a leading commercial bank in the Northeast that provides a wide range of digital and traditional financial solutions across three differentiated lines of business: Commercial Banking, Consumer Banking and Healthcare Financial Services, one of the country’s largest providers of employee benefits and administration of medical insurance claim settlements solutions. Webster is a values-driven organization headquartered in Stamford, CT, with $77 billion in assets. Its core footprint spans the northeastern U.S. from New York to Massachusetts, with certain businesses operating in extended geographies. Webster Bank is a member of the FDIC and an equal housing lender. For more information about Webster, including past press releases and the latest annual report, visit the Webster website at www.websterbank.com.

Media Contact:
Elaine K. Ficarra
eficarra@websterbank.com
203-913-2716

Investor Contact:
Emlen Harmon
eharmon@websterbank.com
212-309-7646

View original content here.

Download the Saint-Gobain 2025 Sustainable Construction Barometer Report here.

A greater awareness for sustainable construction

At the crossroads of demographic, social, energy, and climate challenges faced by societies, the construction sector must accelerate its transformation towards a more sustainable model. This involves designing a built environment that positively contributes to the health and well-being of individuals, is resilient to climate hazards, has low carbon emissions, and provides accessible housing for all—without compromising on quality or performance.

This transition cannot happen without the collective commitment of all industry stakeholders. It is with this goal in mind that Saint-Gobain launched the Sustainable Construction Observatory in 2023. As part of this initiative, the 3rd edition of the Sustainable Construction Barometer, a global study conducted with Occurrence–IFOP, measuring the progress made on this essential topic.

This study is structured around 24 questions, asked to 4,000 stakeholders representative of the sector, along with an additional 27,000 citizens who responded to four specific questions. The responses helped identify key levers to accelerate sustainable construction in The United States  and globally. 

Four key learnings

• Greater awareness, a shared sense of urgency, and strong public support.
• A general, shared desire to go further. Across the board, private actors are seen as the most legitimate driving force, though regional priorities differ.
• A notion still centered on the environment, but resilience is gaining ground, while residents’ well-being remains secondary.
• Well-informed but insufficiently trained stakeholders, which hinders concrete commitments.

To learn more, download the 3rd edition of the Sustainable Construction Barometer here.

MUMBAI and NEW YORK, May 1, 2025 /3BL/ – Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) (BSE: 532540, NSE: TCS), a global leader in IT services, consulting, and business solutions, reported that its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programming resulted in 8.9 million global hours of employee volunteerism during its 2025 fiscal year, which concluded on March 31, 2025, a growth of over 30% compared to the prior fiscal year. Immediately benefiting the communities where its employees live and work, TCS volunteers in the U.S. and Canada donated their time to advance the missions of national and local nonprofits; facilitated STEM education programs for K-12 students; and mentored women, veterans, and youth to open doors to digital opportunity and careers of the future.

“We are grateful to our team members who took part in our programs to achieve meaningful change. Their efforts align TCS’ social and environmental efforts with our core business values,” said Lina Klebanov, Head, CSR, North America, TCS. “Thanks to last year’s intentional and impactful results, we’ve started FY26 with momentum and I look forward to TCS’ further contributions to sustainability.”

Volunteerism and pro bono services

During the 2025 fiscal year, TCS’ North America CSR team graduated its sixth Leaders with Purpose (LwP) class and started a seventh. Members of the cohort, , who competed for entry into the highly competitive nine-month learning program, finished the program after completing intense online and classroom learning about nonprofit operations and ending with a capstone project demonstrating local impact for a nonprofit in their region. The team also curated hundreds of volunteer opportunities and offered them through TCS’ myPurpose employee volunteerism app, which helps employees find volunteer opportunities and keep track of them. This helped thousands of TCS North America employees activate for positive social and environmental change and contribute to TCS’ global HOPE campaign.

Generous employee volunteers gave their time, talents, and expertise to local and national nonprofits, scientific research organizations, and to TCS community engagement programs including Go Innovate Together (goIT), Ignite My Future, and Tech4Hope, TCS’ pro bono consulting and service program for selected nonprofits. In the past fiscal year, TCS’ Tech4HOPE supported the following North America-based nonprofits: Council for Responsible Sport, Global Giving, Marici, NAF, PAN Foundation, Pathway to Tomorrow and Sports Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA).

Student empowerment

During the 2025 fiscal year, TCS’ two STEM education initiatives reached almost 2 million K-12 students in North America, providing them with skills they’ll need now, in the age of artificial intelligence and later, in their future careers. Ignite My Future, a teacher-focused initiative, uses computational thinking as a catalyst for transforming education. By the end of the last TCS fiscal year, it had reached nearly 32,000 teachers and more than 1,825,543 students in all 50 US states and multiple provinces in Canada with such activities as training teachers to implement the program, Family STEM Nights, and Career Day events.

goIT (Go Innovate Together), which celebrated 15 years last year, prepares students with the skills, confidence, and mindset necessary to pursue careers of the future. The goIT program is a digital innovation experience that introduces students from all backgrounds to STEM, computer science, design thinking, and product innovation. Since its launch in Cincinnati, Ohio in 2009, goIT has engaged about 83,882 students in 207 cities across the US and Canada, reaching and engaging more than 310,000 students across 49 countries. In North America, in the 2025 fiscal year, goIT:

• Reached more than 16,172 students (56% young women) through goIT curricula, summer camps, and participation in the goIT Global Innovator of the Year program or goIT’s popular Monthly Challenge
• Delivered goIT opportunities to students, teachers and other program facilitators in 83 North American cities through offerings including its two student challenges and:
  • goIT Live
  • goIT Online Experience
  • goIT Work Experience
• Piloted a Generative AI curriculum – soon to be added to learning pathways — that includes machine learning, mobile app design and the Internet of Things
• Reimagined its goIT Monthly Challenge to increase access and create greater flexibility for educators, parents, and students
• Delivered more than 253,981 hours of high-impact skill building and computer science programming for students under the age of 18 in North America, many of whom are members of groups or communities that are often underrepresented in Computer Science

Digital opportunity 

TCS’ Digital Empowers initiative brings together practitioners, thought leaders, local government, and industry leaders to explore how to advance skills, resources, and mindsets for individuals to find a prosperous role in the digital economy. During the past fiscal year, Digital Empowers:

• Held its Together Toward Inclusion Digital Equity Summit with 10 corporate or social sector event co-designers contributing
• Continued the momentum with the TCS Digital Empowers Sustainathon
• Embarked on two deep research projects with business, government, and nonprofit leaders in Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Toronto, and New York
• Published insights and recommendations from a report, “The Digital Skills Imperative in Canada”
• Embarked on a soon-to-be-published Digital Opportunity Playbook outlining best practices and next steps for key digital opportunity stakeholder collaborations

These activities, all in pursuit of opening pathways to digital inclusion and opportunity to underserved communities, have resulted in the strong collective thought leadership that has grown Digital Empowers’ community to nearly 12,000 practitioners, thought leaders, local government, and industry leaders.

About Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) (BSE: 532540, NSE: TCS) is a digital transformation and technology partner of choice for industry-leading organizations worldwide. Since its inception in 1968, TCS has upheld the highest standards of innovation, engineering excellence and customer service.

Rooted in the heritage of the Tata Group, TCS is focused on creating long term value for its clients, its investors, its employees, and the community at large. With a highly skilled workforce of over 607,979 consultants in 55 countries and 180 service delivery centers across the world, the company has been recognized as a top employer in six continents. With the ability to rapidly apply and scale new technologies, the company has built long term partnerships with its clients – helping them emerge as perpetually adaptive enterprises. Many of these relationships have endured into decades and navigated every technology cycle, from mainframes in the 1970s to Artificial Intelligence today.

TCS sponsors 14 of the world’s most prestigious marathons and endurance events, including the TCS New York City Marathon, TCS London Marathon and TCS Sydney Marathon with a focus on promoting health, sustainability, and community empowerment.

TCS generated consolidated revenues of over US $30 billion in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025. For more information, visit www.tcs.com

Follow TCS on LinkedIn| Instagram | YouTube| X

TCS media contacts:

Corporate Communications & India	Email: corporate.communications@tcs.com Email: saxena.kritika@tcs.com| Phone: +91 22 6778 9999 Email: kimberly.solomon@tcs.com | Phone: +91 22 67789098
U.S.	Email: james.sciales@tcs.com | Phone: 917 981 7651
Canada	Email: tiffany.fisher@tcs.com | Phone: +1 416-999-2140

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The international environmental and social due diligence (ESDD) process can be challenging for even the most seasoned professionals, particularly in Asia Pacific (APAC). The location is unfamiliar, the risk profile is unclear, and challenges are amplified by complex regulatory landscapes, diverse cultural context, language barriers, and varying levels of market maturity. Collaborating with a local partner is an effective strategy to mitigate risks and navigate uncertainties. The selection of an appropriate partner is a critical component of a successful due diligence process.

Many multinational firms offer environmental due diligence services, and these experts offer different kinds of assessments in many countries around the world. Although their geographical coverage is vast, many of these firms lack a key ingredient to success: a true, genuine local perspective. This article highlights how a local perspective can help provide unique insight for the environmental and social due diligence process in mergers and acquisitions.

Why Local Expertise Matters in Environmental and Social Due Diligence (ESDD):

1. Knowledge of Local History and Market Insights

An EHS consultant with a local perspective will understand the specific historical circumstances surrounding an identified issue, and their team of specialists will turn the typical “snapshot” of the due diligence process into a complex analysis. Local businesses understand the history of the country, the reputation of the different stakeholders, and the previous history of the acquisition target in an intimate way.

Besides acting as a historical reference, local consultants can also use their historical knowledge to contribute to the implementation of the diligence process in several ways. They can help identify possible issues which are not clearly apparent, like tensions between different groups of stakeholders. They can suggest areas to focus the process more effectively by considering what other issues have come up in past investigations. They can help identify priorities for compliance actions based on their relationship with and understanding of local regulators. This historical knowledge, when combined with their company’s technical expertise, offers unique value and insight to due diligence professionals that will help ensure a more accurate and successful examination of the target.

In APAC, historical circumstances can significantly impact business operations and stakeholder relations. Local consultants possess a deep understanding of the nuances surrounding past political events and economic shifts. Countries like Japan and South Korea have long industrial histories, while emerging markets like Vietnam and Indonesia have undergone rapid economic transformation. These dynamics create unique challenges and opportunities that local consultants are well-equipped to navigate.

Local consultants have intimate knowledge of the country’s history, the reputation of various stakeholders, and the acquisition target’s previous history.

2. Appropriate Mindset and Operating Experience

A local consultant offers unique insights into regional challenges, unlike foreign professionals working remotely. A potential risk identified while due diligence will be analyzed using a broad understanding of the impact on the client, the local risk profile, the regulatory environment, and the operational challenges present in the region. The due diligence exercise will incorporate many of the unique insights that can be gained only by working locally in the region, which provides significant value to clients, especially those operating in parts of the world where they’re unfamiliar.

In Asia Pacific, this is vital due to the diversity of business practices, regulatory standards and cultural norms across different countries. For example, due diligence in Australia might focus on strict environmental compliance, while in developing economies, risks could stem from inconsistent regulatory enforcement or informal practices that may pose reputational risks.

3. Cultural, Social and Language Proficiency

Cultural, social, and language barriers can significantly impact successful completion of due diligence. Some countries cultures prioritize relationship-building and trust, such as Thailand and Malaysia; while others such as Japan emphasize consensus-driven decision-making. Understanding these nuances is crucial to ensure a communications and management approach will be well received.

Understanding of the social context provided by the local partner can support and guide a foreign investor to successfully complete the due diligence. This can include recognizing the importance of community engagement in regions where local communities strongly influence environmental and business decisions, such as parts of India, Indonesia, or the Philippines. Local consultants can gather complex social intelligence and assess factors like community sentiment, labour dynamics, and local stakeholder priorities.

Language barriers are a frequent challenge, with documents available only in local languages and critical discussions requiring interpretation. Without skilled local partners who are fluent in both technical and conversational language, foreign professionals risk missing important details or encountering miscommunication.

4. Practicalities around Regulatory Climate

Qualified local consultants intimately understand the regulatory climate of their countries. They understand which current regulations are most important, the intent behind those regulations, and how the regulations are enforced in practice. Some regulators take a very strict stance on certain issues and a more collaborative approach on others. This insight requires a long history of operational experience in-country and cannot be effectively gained by foreign personnel who are visiting only for a short-term project. A proper risk analysis also considers potential future changes to the regulatory climate, and local experts are best positioned to offer this kind of advice.

APAC’s regulatory landscape is both dynamic and fragmented, presenting a complex environment for businesses. Some countries, like Singapore, offer transparent and predictable regulatory frameworks, making it easier to navigate compliance requirements. Other countries are growing in maturity, reflecting updates in regulations and evolving requirements for compliance. Concurrently, APAC is influenced by other countries’ regulatory requirements as well as global trends in best practices.

Local EHS consultants play a crucial role in this environment. They offer guidance on current rules and anticipate changes, helping businesses remain compliant and strategic. Their deep understanding of local regulations and ability to foresee regulatory shifts are invaluable.

5. More Effective Post-Transaction Support and Services

After the due diligence process is completed, local partners continue to support in a crucial role. Post-transaction integration requires careful consideration of cultural, operational, and linguistic factors. Maintaining business continuity after a merger or acquisition is particularly challenging in a foreign country. A misalignment of expectations around working hours and methods, cultural practices, compensation, or other relevant issues can damage a company. New employees must be onboarded into the acquirer’s business using a method that creates buy-in and a feeling of ownership. All of these services are done more effectively by partnering with an effective local partner who understands the history, culture, and politics of the country.

Local partners assist in implementing integration strategies, managing cultural differences, and ensuring compliance with local regulations. This support is essential for achieving a seamless transition and long-term success in the new market.

Looking for support with an international merger or acquisition? Check out our global network of over 6,000 local experts on the ground who can support you in Environmental and Social Due Diligence Services!

Inogen Alliance is a global network made up of over 70 of independent local businesses and over 6,000 consultants around the world who can help make your project a success. Our Associates collaborate closely to serve multinational corporations, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations, and we share knowledge and industry experience to provide the highest quality service to our clients. If you want to learn more about how you can work with Inogen Alliance, you can explore our Associates or Contact Us. Watch for more News & Blog updates, listen to our podcast and follow us on LinkedIn.

Originally published by Sustainability Magazine
By Chloe Williment

Henkel, the company behind Persil, Schwarzkopf and Purex, recognises that a substantial share of its emissions originate from its value chain, including raw materials, packaging, logistics and end-of-life activities (Scope 3 emissions).

As a result, it is implementing strategies to address these emissions by sourcing sustainable materials, optimising logistics and promoting circular economy practices.

Henkel has reduced CO₂ emissions in production per ton of product by 64% compared to 2017.

Henkel’s ongoing leadership in sustainability has been recognised with a Schneider Electric Sustainability Impact Award.

Continue reading here.

Despite today’s shifting geopolitical and economic landscape, the case for investing in supply chain sustainability remains stronger than ever, according to a recent article published in Supply and Demand Chain Executive. 

In her article, “The Business Case for Sustainability Despite Global Uncertainty,” Sarah Mouriño, head of sustainability for DP World Americas, makes a compelling argument that sustainability is not a luxury but a necessity for companies aiming to build efficient, safe, and resilient operations.

“Uncertainty might drive decision making, but it does not change the facts: companies that invest in sustainability will continue to see benefits such as improved efficiency, creation of business value, and market access growth,” Mouriño writes.

Citing the Trade in Transition report by Economist Impact and DP World, the article highlights how global companies are pivoting toward non-aligned trade partners to enhance resiliency. In this context, sustainability becomes a strategic imperative, not just an environmental one. Companies that invest in workforce development, women’s participation, and social well-being are also contributing to long-term business competitiveness.

Mouriño emphasizes the financial risks of ignoring sustainability. Climate-related supply chain disruptions could cost the global economy up to $24.7 trillion by 2060. Meanwhile, companies that act now can reduce operational risks, stabilize energy costs by investing in renewables, and improve customer trust and brand value.

“Sustainability is a basket of diverse disciplines, most of which cannot be packaged into a commercial offering,” she states, calling for a broader view beyond carbon metrics.

Ultimately, the article challenges businesses to move beyond short-term uncertainty and instead view sustainability as a core strategy to drive innovation, protect against risk, and secure long-term profitability. Integrating sustainability across all business functions will not only support resilience, but position companies to thrive in an increasingly complex global trade environment.

Read the full article here: The Business Case for Sustainability Despite Global Uncertainty

Authored by Adrienne Larmett

Higher education is at a crossroads. Public trust is eroding. Demographic and enrollment shifts are accelerating. Revenue models are under pressure. The cost to operate, and to attend, continues to rise. If institutions are going to persist, thrive and continue serving the public good, transformational change isn’t optional, it’s essential.

And yet, in so many institutions, meaningful change feels impossible.

Why is that? What’s standing in our way? And what can we learn from sectors that have embraced change management as a strategic advantage?

The reality: Change in higher ed is hard

Higher education is a uniquely complex ecosystem, and that’s part of the challenge. Change doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It’s negotiated across decentralized departments, shared governance bodies, accreditors, regulatory frameworks and deeply rooted traditions.

Some of the key barriers include:

• Distributed authority: Decision-making power is intentionally diffused, making alignment difficult
• Cultural resistance: Institutions value tradition, deliberation and academic freedom, which can make innovation feel risky
• Misaligned incentives: Leaders are often rewarded for stability and stewardship, not bold transformation
• Siloed operations: Academic and administrative functions frequently operate independently, with little infrastructure for coordinated change

The contrast: What industry gets right

In the private sector, change management is not an afterthought — it’s a built-in capability. Organizations invest in people, frameworks and systems to help navigate change deliberately and effectively.

A colleague of mine, a seasoned university leader, recently said something that stuck with me:

“Higher ed needs to adopt a change management mindset. The private sector has figured this out; they have entire offices dedicated to it. But we can’t seem to get out of our own way.”

That tension is real. While higher education remains mission-driven and values-based, its operational habits often lag. In contrast, many businesses have embraced change as a continuous competency — and it shows.

Private companies tend to do the following, which higher education can learn from:

• Dedicated change management roles: Not just project managers, but professionals trained in the art and science of change
• Executive sponsorship: Senior leaders actively lead and communicate around change efforts
• Structured methodologies: Frameworks like ADKAR and Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model guide the journey from resistance to adoption
• Employee engagement: Communication, involvement and recognition reduce resistance and foster buy-in
• Metrics and accountability: Progress is tracked, outcomes are measured and strategies are adapted in real time

What does that look like in practice?

Two widely used change management frameworks, both adaptable in the higher education environment, offer structured, people-focused approaches to change: the Prosci ADKAR Model and Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model.

The ADKAR Model breaks change down into individual experiences, outlining five key building blocks:

1. Awareness of the need for change
2. Desire to support and participate in the change
3. Knowledge of how to change
4. Ability to implement the change
5. Reinforcement to sustain the change over time

It’s a practical tool for helping faculty, staff and leadership adopt new ways of working, whether it’s implementing new systems, realigning services or rethinking academic delivery.

Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model offers a road map for organizational transformation, emphasizing leadership, momentum and cultural reinforcement:

1. Create a sense of urgency
2. Build a guiding coalition
3. Form a strategic vision and initiatives
4. Enlist a volunteer army
5. Enable action by removing barriers
6. Generate short-term wins
7. Sustain acceleration
8. Institute change

It’s especially relevant for higher ed because it integrates structure with inspiration. Both are needed to move institutional culture.

But can higher ed actually do this?

Yes, but it requires courage and a mindset shift.

Real, sustainable change in higher ed is absolutely feasible, but only if leaders embrace the fact that colleges and universities are no longer insulated from public pressure, workforce expectations or fiscal consequences.

We don’t need to abandon the values that make higher education unique, but we do need to modernize the way we manage change to uphold them.

What must happen next?

If higher education wants to reclaim trust, deliver on its mission and remain viable into the future, leaders must:

• Acknowledge the imperative: Stability is not the same as sustainability
• Invest in change capabilities: Hire or upskill staff in change management practices
• Lead from the top: Executive sponsorship must be visible and vocal
• Break down silos: Cross-functional collaboration is essential to create shared ownership
• Pilot and adapt: Use small, structured pilots to prove change can work — and learn along the way
• Track and reinforce: Define success, monitor progress and celebrate meaningful wins

And critically:

• Engage and align the board: For meaningful change to take root, institutional boards must be aligned around clear priorities and long-term goals and consistently support their president or chancellor in carrying them out. Change is hard, and it takes time. Boards need to exercise discipline, stay engaged and avoid micromanagement. Instead, their focus should be on evaluating progress, holding leadership accountable and scaffolding change with encouragement and strategic support.

Final thought: Higher ed doesn’t need to become a business, but it must become more change-capable

The mission of higher education is too important to let inertia hold it back. Colleges and universities exist to transform lives. But that mission is at risk if we don’t also transform ourselves.

The question isn’t whether change is possible. The question is: will we lead it — or let it happen to us?

Baker Tilly is here to help

For more information, or to learn how Baker Tilly’s higher education specialists can support your institution on its change management journey, contact our team.

CLEVELAND, May 1, 2025 /3BL/ – As part of its bicentennial celebration, KeyBank (NYSE: KEY) held a grand opening at its new Heritage Center in Cleveland. As part of the celebration, KeyCorp Chairman and CEO Chris Gorman took part in a ribbon cutting with Key teammates and local dignitaries.

“The opening of the KeyBank Heritage Center is a centerpiece of our bicentennial celebration. It is a visual representation of our cherished and storied history, and commitment to our clients and the communities we call home,” said Gorman. “We invite everyone to come explore the KeyBank Heritage Center and see that yesterday, today, and tomorrow, KeyBank will be here to help our clients, our colleagues, and our communities thrive.”

Located in KeyBank’s Public Square branch at its headquarters in Key Tower, the state-of-the-art museum houses interactive exhibits featuring artifacts and visual displays dating back to its founding in 1825 in Albany, New York. The center highlights KeyBank’s storied, 200-year history and countless contributions to the communities it proudly serves across the country.

The KeyBank Heritage Center will be open during branch hours and our teammates, clients and the public are welcome to visit. It will remain open after 2025 and is intended to be a permanent tribute to Key’s legacy.

“Ohio is proud to be the home of outstanding financial institutions like KeyBank, which help make our residents’ business and personal dreams come true every day,” said Ohio Governor Mike DeWine. “We congratulate KeyBank representatives on the company’s 200th anniversary and wish them every future success as they continue to do business within the state.”

“For 200 years, KeyBank has been a true partner in building a stronger Cuyahoga County and Northeast Ohio region,” said Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne. “Through investments, loans, and community service, KeyBank has contributed to the growth of our families, businesses, and neighborhoods. We are proud to celebrate this milestone and grateful for KeyBank’s ongoing commitment to the success of our community.”

“KeyBank’s 200th is a remarkable milestone that highlights its unwavering commitment to communities like Cleveland,” said Cleveland Mayor Justin M. Bibb. “From fueling economic growth to supporting housing and education initiatives, KeyBank continues to be a trusted partner in building a brighter future for all. Congratulations on two centuries of making a difference—and here’s to many more years of impact and success!”

Mayor Bibb recently issued a proclamation declaring April 12, 2025, Key’s birthday, as “KeyBank Heritage Day” in Cleveland.

“For more than a century, KeyBank’s exceptional stewardship and enduring partnership have been central to advancing our mission,” said Cleveland Foundation President and CEO Lillian Kuri. “As the largest trustee bank of the world’s first community foundation, KeyBank plays a pivotal role in managing our financial resources and partnering with us to make game-changing investments in our region –– bettering the lives of Clevelanders and setting a national standard for community philanthropy.”

The KeyBank Heritage Center in Cleveland complements the digital KeyBank Heritage Center that was unveiled in January. The site gives visitors an interactive look at KeyBank’s two centuries of history, highlighting important milestones and events that have shaped the bank from its founding in 1825 to its presence today, as one of the nation’s largest bank-based financial services companies.

Additional details about KeyBank’s Bicentennial Celebration will be released throughout the year. With 17,000 teammates, millions of clients, and a presence spanning from Maine to Alaska, KeyBank is positioned to serve its clients and communities for generations to come.

ABOUT KEYCORP

In 2025, KeyCorp celebrates its bicentennial, marking 200 years of service to clients and communities from Maine to Alaska. To learn more, visit KeyBank Heritage Center. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation’s largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $189 billion at March 31, 2025.

Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 1,000 branches and approximately 1,200 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank Member FDIC.

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By Kirtee Yadav, Julie Rose

Cisco and the Cisco Foundation’s distinctive approach to supporting nonprofit organizations often begins with funding, but it rarely ends there. Our aim is always to bring the best of all that Cisco has to offer to the organizations we support—and the skills, time, and expertise of our people are our proudest offering of all.

For many years, our social investment sector managers have provided consulting and advisory support to the organizations they select for funding, emphasizing the unique power of strategy, technology, and data to facilitate operational success and scaling. Now, a new skill-based volunteering program is deepening our consultative contribution to our social impact partners by matching them with expert technologists within Cisco.

“Bringing everything Cisco has to the table to assist our nonprofit partner organizations is a key element of our social impact investing framework. Our engaged employees are an incredible resource to help increase our nonprofit partners’ impact around the world.”
—Charu Adesnik, Executive Director of the Cisco Foundation and Director of Cisco Social Impact Investments

An extra layer of support for Cisco nonprofit partner organizations

Known as Tech for Social Good, this innovative program empowers Cisco employee volunteers to harness their professional skills and knowledge to assist grantee organizations that have already been vetted and selected as especially high-potential by Cisco’s Social Impact Investment and Cisco Foundation teams.

Working collaboratively with each organization to address pressing social and environmental challenges, our volunteers help our grantees with consulting and strategic advice around digitization, data architecture, data science, AI, operational efficiency, and more. They also provide tech career mentorship to individuals who use the services of Cisco’s nonprofit partners.

Kirtee Yadav leads the Tech for Social Good program, with Sandeep Milar serving as executive sponsor. Kirtee works at Cisco as a Customer Experience Product Manager, while Sandeep serves as executive vice president of Cisco’s CX Product Management organization.

“The Tech for Social Good Program leverages Cisco’s technological expertise to address critical social and environmental challenges. By empowering tech professionals to collaborate with nonprofits and community organizations, we are not only driving innovation but also fostering a more inclusive future for all.”
—Sandeep Milar, SVP of Cisco’s CX Product Management organization and Tech for Social Good executive sponsor

Enabling a win—win situation

Why would Cisco employees dedicate their time to tech consulting with nonprofits? According to Taproot Foundation, which connects nonprofits with volunteers who donate their professional expertise in support of nonprofit missions, skills-based volunteering is a win for all involved. Volunteers get to support causes they are passionate about—and nonprofits gain access to the specialized resources needed to achieve their vision. Plus, it’s a great opportunity for employees to use their professional skills (and learn new ones); build deeper networks and community; and find personal fulfillment. And Cisco’s employee base is deeply engaged. For the last five years, over 80% of our employees have volunteered, donated, or participated in other forms of community impact. Our employees have always been genuinely passionate about giving back—and especially aware of the power of technology to connect and uplift people at unprecedented scale.

Abhishek Kumar, an engineering leader in the CX Engineering organization, drives innovation around AI and Generative AI while leading a team of data scientists. He notes, “I’m honored to contribute to the Tech for Social Good program. My advisory role focused on empowering organizations to navigate the AI landscape effectively, enabling them to make informed decisions about technology adoption that would best serve their unique missions.”

Gops Sukumar, a technology leader and product innovator working on AI with a doctoral specialization in Generative AI, also loves helping community organizations think through the best approaches to enhancing success via artificial intelligence. “As a technologist, I wanted to put my digital skills and experience towards solving problems for humanity in my own small but meaningful way. Through Tech for Social Good, I’ve helped organizations navigate complex AI challenges, where large AI systems had to be built, or else allied ecosystems had to be developed.”

Read on for two examples of what we have achieved by combining our strategic grantmaking process with high-skill volunteers within Cisco who are looking to share the best of their professional skillsets with outstanding social impact organizations.

Entrepreneurship for All

Accelerating economic and social impact in communities nationwide by opening more pathways to entrepreneurship, EforAll is investigating how AI can support their operations and programming. The Tech for Social Good program connected the organization with an expert Data Scientist and Cisco volunteer, DivyaJyoti Rajdev, to great effect. “Our volunteer was very, very helpful,” said Gary Chamberlain, EforAll’s Chief Technology Officer. “She provided feedback about the overall approach and some very creative suggestions for improving it, avoiding bias, and steering the results toward our entrepreneurs’ needs.”

AnnieCannons

AnnieCannons trains, prepares, and connects individuals who have experienced human trafficking to sustainable careers in tech. Recently, six Cisco and Splunk employees participated in AnnieCannon’s Career Week presentations, providing information and inspiration. Feedback from the participants was universally positive:

“Hearing the guest speakers’ journeys gave me a fresh perspective on career growth and adaptability.”

“It was so reassuring to hear that even industry leaders faced setbacks and still built successful careers.”

“I never considered certain career paths before, but now I see how I can use my skills in different ways!”

Real Skills, Real Impact

We are always proud to respond as “one Cisco” in support of our social impact partners—reaching across programs and departments to offer all that we can in support of a nonprofit’s health, growth, and long-term success. Through such collaborations, we can achieve exponential impact—together.

For more information and to get involved:

• Cisco Foundation
• Cisco Social Impact Investments
• Taproot Foundation Resources on Skills-Based Volunteering

To learn more about the impact Cisco employees are making, check out our “What We Accomplished” eBook about how we have supported our employees’ giving back efforts and transformed our collective contributions in the process.

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