Month: July 2025

As a long-standing partner of The Children’s Inn at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Leidos proudly served as a platinum sponsor of this year’s annual gala, an inspiring evening dedicated to advancing care, comfort, and discovery for children and families navigating complex medical journeys. The event brought together a community committed to advancing The Inn’s mission and ensuring families have the support they need during some of life’s most difficult moments.

For over three decades, The Children’s Inn has provided a free, residential “place like home” for families with children, teens, and young adults participating in cutting-edge research studies at NIH Clinical Center. While the NIH offers hope for a cure through world-class care, The Inn meets families where they are, addressing their everyday needs through housing, meals, and a caring community – all at no cost. This compassionate model eases the financial burden of illness, allowing families to focus fully on what matters most: their child’s health and recovery.

Leidos’ partnership with The Inn spans over 20 years, growing from grassroots volunteerism into a robust corporate executive sponsorship. In 2024, Leidos deepened this commitment with a $2.5 million donation to The Inn’s Building Extraordinary Capital Campaign. This critical investment supports a 25% increase in the Inn’s capacity, expanding access to care for up to 3,000 patients annually.

The gala served as a powerful reminder of what’s possible when compassion, commitment, and community come together. With the help of Leidos and fellow partners, the event raised more than $1.83 million to help sustain and grow The Inn’s vital programs.

Leidos was represented by senior leaders, including Tom Bell, CEO; Liz Porter, president of the Health and Civil Sector; and Milad Bahrami, senior vice president of Health Solutions and board member for The Children’s Inn. The featured video below highlighted Leidos leaders and the many employees who have supported The Inn through hands-on volunteerism, from serving family dinners to leading donation drives and bringing joy through holiday decorating. These efforts demonstrate a strong culture of service and a commitment to supporting families facing serious illness, both clinically and emotionally.

“This work goes beyond any one partnership,” Porter said. “It’s about showing up with heart, being part of a community, and doing what we can to lift each other up. That’s why we continue to stand alongside The Inn, not just with funding, but with time, care, and a deep sense of respect for the families.”

As The Children’s Inn continues to grow its impact, the support of committed partners remains essential. For Leidos, this partnership is a direct reflection of who we are as a company. As an innovation company rapidly addressing the world’s most vexing challenges in national security and health, we are honored to stand alongside The Inn, helping make it possible for every family seeking treatment at NIH to be met with world-class care–and with comfort, dignity, and a place to call home. A place free of financial burden and full of hope.

Originally published on Nielsen News Center

Throughout the month of April, Nielsen employees celebrated Global Volunteer Month with volunteering and environmental activities, culminating with our twelfth annual Earth Day call-to-action on April 24th, 2025.

For the second year in a row, Global Volunteer Month provided an ongoing opportunity for Nielsen to achieve together through community engagement. All employees have 24 hours of annual volunteer time to participate in volunteering events with nonprofit and non-governmental organizations throughout the year, and many Nielsen employees took advantage of this benefit in April.

790 employees across 26 countries led and participated in optional volunteer and educational events throughout April. Our people volunteered at the Mumbai and Bangalore offices to make seedballs for planting in local forests, participated in river and beach cleanups in Warsaw and the Tampa Bay area, learned to make recycled watering pots in Mexico City, virtually gathered from around the world to learn about zero waste cooking and to reduce our digital trash footprints, and much more. 

In partnership with the Corporate Citizenship team, our Green Business Resource Group (BRG) organized events around the world throughout the month of April, totalling more than 2,600 volunteer and engagement hours across 140 events and individual activities.

During two information sessions for global employees, the Corporate Citizenship team also invited people managers and BRG leaders from Australia, Brazil, India and Mexico to share about the benefits of volunteering for team building and engagement. One of the leaders shared:

“Volunteering unites us around a common goal and powers team-building for our people,” shared Ana Lucía Álvarez Parra, Team Lead for Rich Media LatAm and Cares BRG Leader in Mexico. “It also offers our people opportunities to take on leadership roles. And it’s a fun and rewarding way to break up our regular work routines while creating a shared sense of pride and connection to our community and the Nielsen organization.”

Volunteering opportunities are a powerful way to drive team-building and engagement across the globe while connecting with our local communities and contributing to a more sustainable future for all people. We look forward to continuing the momentum with volunteering events throughout the year, especially in the lead-up to Nielsen’s thirteenth annual global day of service in October 2025. To learn more about Nielsen’s commitment to responsibility and sustainability, click here. 

Originally published on SIA

By Renee Thompson, Wesco; Chair, SIA Environmental, Social and Governance Advisory Board

Sustainability is a concept influencing future developments; however, some of its terminology can be confusing or misused, which can result in misunderstandings.

Whether you are a business aiming to make genuine efforts or an individual wanting to make informed decisions, understanding these nine terms is essential.

1. Offsets – a Complement, Not a Solution

Offsets represent investments in projects that reduce emissions elsewhere, such as reforestation or renewable energy initiatives. While they can help balance unavoidable emissions, relying excessively on offsets can hinder necessary systemic changes.

Key takeaway: Offsets from certified projects should be used strategically to compensate for unavoidable emissions. The focus should remain on reducing emissions at their source for lasting impact.

2. Carbon Neutral: It Doesn’t Mean Zero Emissions

Carbon neutrality means balancing emissions through offsets like renewable energy projects, not eliminating pollution entirely. A “carbon-neutral” product still produces emissions during manufacture and transport.

Key takeaway: Carbon neutrality is a step forward but underscores the need to continue reducing emissions directly.

3. Net Zero: Prioritize Reduction Before Offsets

Net zero requires significant emissions reductions internally before relying on offsets to get to zero. Think of it as doing the work before asking for extra credit.

Key takeaway: Net zero demands serious efforts to reduce emissions within a company’s operations first, ensuring long-term sustainability beyond superficial measures.

4. Carbon Sequestration: Not a Magic Solution

Carbon sequestration involves capturing and storing CO₂ through natural methods (like plants and soil) or technology-based approaches. While helpful, it’s only one tool and doesn’t replace reducing emissions in the first place.

Key takeaway: Carbon sequestration is valuable but should complement broader efforts to address the root causes of emissions.

5. Carbon Leakage: Outsourcing Pollution

Carbon leakage occurs when companies shift operations to countries with weaker environmental regulations to avoid stricter domestic laws. This simply relocates emissions rather than mitigating them.

Key takeaway: Moving pollution elsewhere doesn’t eliminate it.

6. Biodegradable Doesn’t Mean Immediate Breakdown

For businesses, understanding that a product labeled as biodegradable won’t instantly decompose under typical conditions is crucial. These products often require specific environments, such as exposure to oxygen and certain microbes, to break down effectively. Without these conditions, they can remain intact for years, undermining sustainability goals.

Key takeaway: Businesses should assess whether biodegradable products align with their environmental strategies and disposal infrastructure.

7. Compostable: Industrial vs. Home Friendly

Not all compostable products are created equal. Many, such as certain cups, require industrial composting facilities to break down properly, while only items marked “home compostable” can decompose in backyard setups. Companies need to determine whether they or their clients have access to such facilities before committing to compostable materials.

Key takeaway: Businesses should verify compostable claims and ensure their supply chain or end users can handle such materials effectively.

8. Carbon Footprint: More Than Just Operations

A company’s carbon footprint goes beyond its direct operations – it includes the energy consumed in manufacturing processes, the environmental impact of its supply chain and even the carbon emissions tied to its products’ lifecycle, from production to disposal. Every corporate decision, whether regarding logistics, sourcing or packaging, contributes to the larger environmental picture.

Key takeaway: A company’s carbon footprint reflects the sum of its operational and strategic choices.

9. Greenwashing: Misleading Corporate Sustainability Claims

Greenwashing occurs when companies use eco-friendly buzzwords, visuals or vague claims to appear more sustainable than they truly are. This can mislead stakeholders into believing the organization is making environmentally responsible decisions when its practices may lack genuine sustainability. For instance, a “green” packaging campaign might serve as a marketing strategy rather than a true commitment to environmental impact reduction.

Key takeaway: Scrutinize corporate sustainability claims for transparency and authenticity.

The Bottom Line

Understanding sustainability terms is crucial for inspiring action and making informed choices. By using these terms correctly, we can encourage meaningful environmental progress and empower ourselves and our communities to create a lasting impact.

View more resources from SIA’s ESG Advisory Board here!

Renee Thompson, director of global sustainability and environmental compliance at Wesco, serves as chair of SIA’s Environmental, Social and Governance Advisory Board.

ST. PAUL, Minn., July 21, 2025 /3BL/ – Inogen Alliance had four Associate experts contribute to an insight report by Environment Analyst – Europe in Focus, drivers, opportunities and challenges in the environmental and sustainability consulting sector in Northern Europe. Our experts included Holger Hillen, HPC AG Germany; Dieuwke Martens-Bakker, Antea Group Netherlands; Beatrijs Lambie, Antea Group Belgium; and Nan Kjellberg, DGE Sweden.

The full report, available here, provides a high-level overview of economic and environmental situations along with the political backdrop. Some common themes that emerged were competition, skill shortages, rollback on certain EU rules, and challenging political impacts.

Germany:

Holger Hillen, HPC AG, believes there are lots of investments to be made in Germany, for construction of infrastructure and other facilities, and this is what drives their core business. This makes him hopeful for the next five years. He expects strong growth in energy connections, water infrastructure, and for sustainability to heat up again in two years, as CSRD requirements come in for more companies.

Netherlands:

Right now, one of the biggest sources of work for Antea Group’s 1,700 staff in the Netherlands is working with companies to achieve their energy savings obligations in line with the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED). This sets legally binding targets for energy efficiency across different industries in the EU. Last updated in 2023, the directive now applies to more companies, Dieuwke Martens-Bakker says.

One big challenge ahead for the Netherlands, like many other European countries, is a congested electricity grid. This is hindering the ability to meet increasing electricity demands and the integration of sustainable energy production, Martens-Bakker explains. This is making decentralised energy solutions, which do not rely on the central grid, more popular in the Netherlands, and something which Antea Group is increasingly involved in. The company helps organisations analyse their energy mix and look at alternatives like local grids and recycling waste heat, she says.

Belgium:

Antea Group Belgium offers E&S services in areas including permitting, environmental studies, ecology, mobility studies, and energy. The company’s projects range from: making infrastructures more sustainable, climate adaptive (blue-green) urban developments, industrial decarbonisation projects, soil and groundwater remediation with nature-based solutions. Also it undertakes more traditional tasks of permitting for industrial and real estate developments.

“Despite the importance placed on EHS by the government and businesses, procedures are perceived as burdensome. Therefore a good guide is currently in high demand,” Beatrijs Lambie

Sweden:

The EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) has had a significant impact, but as the rules have been eased, based on the Omnibus package, demand for ESG work is lessening. Clients are questioning whether sustainability will still be a priority going forward. Nan Kjellberg, DGE Sweden notes: There is “a bit of confusion right now” among companies as they try to balance eased CSRD requirements with their wider sustainability ambitions. “Many companies have focused heavily on the CSRD, using much of their time and resources. This focus has slowed progress on broader sustainability goals,” she adds. On the other hand, Kjellberg notes steady demand for compliance work linked to Swedish legislation, as these rules “have been in place for some time”.

Our local Associate expertise gives us unique insight into the local trends and business environments across the globe which is especially critical during times of uncertainty and change. We leverage these local insights to give our clients tailored, high-quality services wherever they operate.

Read the full report for more industry insights across Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark and Sweden, or check out our bonus podcast episode with Antea Group UK – Energy Transition and Security in Europe.

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 on Aflac Newsroom

Aflac employees displayed 15 tons of heart when they took part in Curing Kids Cancer’s 12^th annual Fire Truck Pull held in downtown Columbia, South Carolina, to raise funds to support the Gamecocks Curing Kids Cancer Clinic at Prisma Health Children’s Hospital — Midlands.

Each year, Aflac employees join teams honoring or in memory of children with cancer, and they dress according to a special theme chosen by their sponsored child to highlight their favorite things. This year, teams included hippies, princesses, superheroes and cartoon dogs.

Curing Kids Cancer was founded in 2005 by Grainne and Clay Owen to honor their son Killian, who was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia, which tragically took his life in 2003. Since its first fundraising season, Curing Kids Cancer has raised over $30 million for pediatric cancer research.¹

Bob Ruff, senior vice president, Group Voluntary Benefits, attended the event and pulled for one of the four teams sponsored by Aflac employees. He wore a T-shirt featuring a crew of famous toys as he participated in the event and expressed his excitement for Aflac’s partnership with Curing Kids Cancer.

“Aflac and Curing Kids Cancer have an unwavering commitment to help children with cancer, their families and the medical professionals who care for them,” Ruff said. “That’s why Aflac has been a longtime supporter of Curing Kids Cancer and presenting sponsor of the Fire Truck Pull for six years, with nearly $40,000 in funding. We are excited to help advance the mission of Curing Kids Cancer.”

The Fire Truck Pull raised $64,000 for Prisma Health Children’s Hospital — Midlands, which is triple the amount raised at the event last year. Everyone involved in this event were inspired by incredible kids, and the Aflac teams raised $4,730 in total. Team Greyson raised the most with $1,400.

Learn more about Curing Kids Cancer, including upcoming fundraisers, by visiting CuringKidsCancer.org.

Source: ¹https://curingkidscancer.org/about/our-story

Aflac herein means American Family Life Assurance Company and/or American Family Life Assurance Company of New York and/or Continental American Insurance Company and /or Continental American Life Insurance Company.

Aflac WWHQ | 1932 Wynnton Road | Columbus, GA. 31999 Continental American Insurance Company | Columbia, South Carolina

AGC2500627

EXP 6/26

DETROIT, July 21, 2025 /3BL/ – KeyBank held a grand opening and ribbon cutting for its new, full-service, state-of-the-art branch in Detroit’s Belmont neighborhood. The new branch is located at 1900 East 8 Mile Road and several leaders from KeyBank and the Detroit community attended the celebration.

As part of the grand opening, KeyBank made three donations of $10,000 awarded to:

• RacquetUp Detroit
• Matrix Human Services
• Detroit Phoenix Center

“KeyBank is excited at the opportunity this new branch provides for us to become an integral part of the Belmont neighborhood,” said David Mannarino, KeyBank’s Michigan market president and commercial banking leader. “This new location highlights KeyBank’s continued investment in Michigan. We are excited to work more closely with our neighbors, clients and community partners.”

In addition to high-touch banking services, this new state-of-the-art branch offers full-service banking capabilities including touch screen monitors to enhance the client experience. This branch also features a community room that can double as an area for financial seminars and group presentations with clients and the public, as well as a drive-up teller line, ATM and free parking. Longtime banker Cynitra Oliver is serving as branch manager at the new location.

“KeyBank’s new branch in the Belmont community is uniquely designed to give our clients a more personal banking experience, with even better access to a full suite of products and services,” said Oliver. “We are excited to bring this more consultative approach to the neighborhood and demonstrate our commitment to helping our clients move forward on their financial journey.”

In addition to helping individuals and families achieve their financial goals, the new Belmont branch is also serving clients seeking to develop and grow businesses in the area.

ABOUT KEYBANK
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. CFMA #250624-3297778