Complimentary Webinar: Elevating Food Safety: Strategic Planning for 2026

Complimentary Webinar

Elevating Food Safety: Strategic Planning for 2026

October 16, 2025 | 12 PM ET / 9 AM PT

REGISTER

As the year draws to a close, it’s an ideal time to reflect on your food safety journey and overall performance of the systems.

By evaluating key learnings and challenges from the past year, we can position ourselves to be more proactive, effective, and resilient in driving success into 2026.

Join SCS Global Services for a forward-thinking webinar designed to help food safety leaders evaluate performance, identify areas for improvement, and align their teams around mission-critical approach to ensure compliance.

This session will explore:

  • Tips to assess your current Food Safety Systems (BRCGS, SQF and others)
  • Ways to challenge the status quo to drive continuous improvement
  • Refine KPIs to better measure impact and progress
  • Food Safety Culture – Inspire your team to embrace innovation and accountability

Whether you’re looking to strengthen your food safety systems or build a roadmap for next-level performance, this webinar will provide actionable insights to help you lead your team with confidence.

REGISTER HERE FOR THE WEBINAR

By registering, you will get access to the webinar recording.

For inquiries, contact:

Shyama Devarajan 
Senior Marketing Analyst, SCS Global Services 
sdevarajan@scsglobalservices.com

Posted in UncategorizedTagged

BofA Commits $12 Million for Western North Carolina Residents and Small Businesses Impacted by Hurricane Helene

Funding to Support Housing, Home Repairs and Small Business Loans as Hurricane Recovery Continues

ASHEVILLE, N.C., Sept. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — As the Western North Carolina community continues its efforts to rebuild, Bank of America is announcing $12 million in zero-interest loans to Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) to support homeowner recovery  and small business assistance. The loans will be managed through three CDFIs integrally involved in the region’s disaster recovery efforts following the devastating impact of Hurricane Helene.

  • Self-Help Ventures Fund (SHVF) will receive $8 million to provide flexible home loans through its credit union network in the region and in partnership with other home lenders.
  • Mountain BizWorks will receive $2 million to provide low interest small business funding assistance loans with no principal repayments during for the first year; and
  • Partner Community Capital will receive $2 million to provide zero-percent interest loans for the first year focused on small business assistance.

“As we in Western North Carolina continue our long-term recovery, these disaster loan funds will make a meaningful difference in the lives of our families and business owners,” said David Dowd, president, Bank of America Asheville. “This is part of Bank of America’s continued commitment to keeping Western North Carolina strong. We encourage people to join us in being part of our region’s comeback story by visiting, supporting small businesses, and enjoying all that our beautiful mountains have to offer.” 

The funding builds on previous support Bank of America has provided to Western North Carolina through organizations helping families and small businesses, including: $1 million donation for immediate support to organizations providing hurricane relief in the southeast that included $200,000 in funding to both the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation and Manna Food Bank. 

Bank employees have spent thousands of hours volunteering to assist with Hurricane Helene recovery.  In the initial weeks following Helene, nearly 500 bank teammates were on the ground across the Western North Carolina region completing more than 5,000 damage assessments for the American Red Cross, which allowed financial assistance to flow to families more quickly.  Additionally, bank volunteers partnered with Habitat for Humanity building tiny homes as well as rebuilding homes for families whose homes were destroyed, among other necessary activities.

Bank of America is the largest private CDFI investor in the U.S., with more than $2 billion in loans, deposits, capital grants and equity investments across more than 250 CDFI partners. Bank of America partners with CDFIs in all 50 states and the District of Columbia to fund projects that strengthen families, businesses and entire communities.

CDFIs helping to rebuild Western North Carolina
Self-Help Ventures Fund’s mission is to create economic opportunity for all. With a 34-year presence in Western North Carolina, SHVF operates an array of community development programs– that includes an affordable home loan secondary market purchasing program that has supported $1.4 billion in responsible home loans.

Mountain BizWorks aims to build a vibrant entrepreneurial community in Western North Carolina by helping entrepreneurs grow strategically and create jobs. Its WNC Strong: Helene Business Recovery Fund was created to provide rapid recovery loans to small businesses suffering economic losses related to the hurricane’s impacts. More than 700 recovery loans have been provided since the hurricane.

Partner Community Capital is committed to providing flexible capital and advisory services to small businesses, non-profits, and farms with a strong market presence in Western North Carolina. Alongside loans, Partner Community Capital connects its clients with valuable business advisory services aimed at empowering them to thrive. 

Bank of America
Bank of America is one of the world’s leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 69 million consumer and small business clients with approximately 3,700 retail financial centers, approximately 15,000 ATMs (automated teller machines) and award-winning digital banking with approximately 59 million verified digital users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 4 million small business households through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories and more than 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: BAC).

For more Bank of America news, including dividend announcements and other important information, visit the Bank of America newsroom and register for news email alerts.

Reporters may contact
Catherine Page, Bank of America    
Phone: 1.704.519.7314
catherine.page@bofa.com

 

Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bofa-commits-12-million-for-western-north-carolina-residents-and-small-businesses-impacted-by-hurricane-helene-302564325.html

SOURCE Bank of America Corporation

Winners of the Futur/io CSO Awards North America 25 Announced 

Images available on Futur/io Press Folder.

NEW YORK, September 23, 2025 /3BL/ – The names of the most important Chief Sustainability Officers of North America were announced at the Futur/io CSO Awards on Monday night. The celebration took place at a gala dinner at the newly opened and stunning vitra design showroom, during New York Climate Week.

Erik Hansen, Chief Sustainability Officer at Workday received the CSO Award /25 in Gold.

The Silver Award went to Jackie Jung, Vice President, Global Operations Strategy & Planning, Corporate Sustainability at Western Digital, while the Bronze Award was granted to Susan Uthayakumar, Chief Energy and Sustainability Officer of Prologis.

The Grand Jury also granted two Special Honour CSO Awards to Annika Dubrall from Tiffany & Co., and Ann Tracy from Colgate-Palmolive.

Ara Erickson from Weyerhaeuser received a special Sustainable Supply Chain Award presented by Simon Jaehnig, Co-Founder & President of IntegrityNext Inc.

The Peer Award, chosen by the live audience of the CSO Awards gala ceremony, went to Jennifer Motles, Chief Sustainability Officer at Philip Morris International, and was presented by jury members Livio Scalvini, Co-Founder and executive director of the Leonardo Centre on Business for Society at Imperial College London and Daniel Erasmus, Founder of ClimateGPT.

Among the speakers of the evening were Sandrine Dixson-Declève, of the Club of Rome, Magnus Drewelies, of CEEZER Software, Nina Eisenman, of NASDAQ, Raphael Gielgen, of vitra and jury members among others.

“Our mission is to shine a light on the role of Chief Sustainability Officers, we hope to inspire others to be ambitious and work on building the desirable futures we want to live in,” said Harald Neidhardt, CEO & Curator of the Futur/io Institute. “These years winners and 20 nominees are exemplary in their commitment towards keeping the pace needed to solve for the Sustainable Development Goals and higher ambition for NetZero, e.g. a goal of 2040 or better.”

In the three months of data collection and analysis, Futur/io and its partners recognized delay in reporting compared to 2024, and some companies even retracted their earlier reporting on sustainability. The business climate can be characterized by geopolitical headwinds, economic pressures and potential “greenhushing”. Also, the participation in our annual survey –that was sent to big name corporations you might expect as leaders in their field and missing among the 20 nominees – lacked support by some CSOs.

The final winners were selected from the 20 Nominees list by a Grand Jury that includes some of the most influential and inspiring voices in sustainability.

Members include John Elkington, known as “the Godfather of Sustainability”, Sandrine Dixson-Declève, honorary president of the Club of Rome, Michael Kobori, former Chief Sustainability Officer for Starbucks, and winner of the CSO Awards Gold in 2024. Additional members are Niyanta Spelman, CEO of Rainforest Partnership, and Nina Eisenman, Vice president at NASDAQ, and Vandinika Shukla, Deputy Director of Global Programs (USA Lead), Obama Foundation. The Chair of the Jury is Harald Neidhardt, CEO and Curator of the Futur/io Institute.

This is the second edition of the CSO Awards North America, an initiative of the Futur/io Institute, a pioneering organisation dedicated to nurturing and inspiring leadership in sustainable innovation and building the most impactful network of Chief Sustainability Officers globally. The European edition of the CSO Awards took place in Davos, parallel to the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2025.

The CSO Awards North America is a collaboration with partner Made in Sustainability, and supported by premium partner Integrity Next, together with scientific partner the Leonardo Centre on Business for Society at Imperial College Business School, knowledge partners Denominator, Rainforest Partnership, Climate GPT, and Economist Impact, and also Gold Partner CEEZER Software. The complete list of community partners and supporting brands is available online.

Award Winners 

Gold Award Winner – Erik Hansen 

Chief Sustainability Officer at Workday

 

Silver Award Winner – Jackie Jung

Global Operations Strategy & Planning, Corporate Sustainability of Western Digital

 

Bronze Award Winner – Susan Uthayakumar

Chief Energy and Sustainability Officer for Prologis

 

Special Honour – Annika Dubrall

President of The Tiffany & Co. Foundation / Director and Head of Sustainability – Tiffany & Co.

 

Special Honour – Ann Tracy

Chief Sustainability Officer – Colgate-Palmolive

 

Sustainable Supply Chain Award Winner – Ara Erickson

Vice President Corporate Sustainability – Weyerhaeuser

 

Peer Award Winner – Jennifer Motles

Chief Sustainability Officer at Philip Morris International

 

Awards Criteria 

The 20 CSO Awards North America Nominees have been drawn from the Top100 CSOs of North America 2025 list, compiled by Futur/io using an extensive database including all the major companies with a headquarter in the USA or Canada. The shortlist was defined using a four-quadrant model criteria, developed by Futur/io and scientific partner the Leonardo Centre on Business for Society at Imperial College Business School, and supported by knowledge partners Denominator, specialized in human-centric data, Rainforest Partnership, focused on biodiversity and ClimateGPT by Erasmus.ai adding a balanced public sentiment on the Top 100 CSOs.

The four quadrant model takes into consideration the maturity of corporate behaviours, regulatory performance on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) criteria, net zero goals, environmental and human impact and also a self-assessment survey.

CSO Awards North America Grand Jury

  • Sandrine Dixson-Declève, co-president of the Club of Rome; Author & Chair of Earth4All
  • John Elkington, Founder & Chief Pollinator at Volans, known as “the Godfather of Sustainability”
  • Livio Scalvini, co-founder and executive director of the Leonardo Centre on Business for Society at Imperial College London
  • Vandinika Shukla, Deputy Director of Global Programs (USA Lead), Obama Foundation
  • Michael Kobori, former Chief Sustainability Officer for Starbucks, and winner of the CSO Awards Gold in 2024
  • Niyanta Spelman, CEO of Rainforest Partnership
  • Nina Eisenman, VP, Head of Sustainability Strategy & Reporting at NASDAQ
  • Daniel Erasmus, Chief Executive Officer, Erasmus.AI and Creator of ClimateGPT
  • Harald Neidhardt, CEO and Curator of the Futur/io Institute, as the Chair of the Grand Jury

About Futur/io Institute

We believe in co-creating desirable futures where ideas and innovation drive a regenerative economy that benefits people and the planet within the planetary boundaries.

The Futur/io Institute is a pioneering organisation to serve the most impactful network of Chief Sustainability Officers dedicated to transforming businesses to drive positive impact for people, planet and prosperity. We do this through publications, podcasts and convening at inspiring locations like Davos, Basel, Lisbon, Venice and New York.

With a mission to inspire ambition, action and cross-pollination to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the institute provides a platform for thought leaders, innovators, and change-makers to shape the futures of business and society.

Futur/io works with organisations like the UNFCCC or corporations in leadership training and curates Executive Programmes to inspire future leaders in sustainable innovation. Each year in Davos, the institute organizes executive receptions and recently debuted the annual CSO Awards to shine a light on the leadership role of Chief Sustainability Officers.

Futur/io is based in Hamburg and works as a think-tank with a selected international and diverse faculty of 100+ leaders in sustainability. The most recent book “Leadership for Sustainable Futures” was published in May 2024 with Murmann Publishers. CEO & Curator Harald Neidhardt hosts the CSO Impact Podcast.

futur.io

Additional Info

https://www.csoawards.org/north-america
Images of the winners, the jury and the ceremony are available in our Press Folder.

Media Contact

Luciana Prestes
Chief of Staff & Head of Marketing 
luciana@futur.io

Posted in UncategorizedTagged

Meet the Father and Daughter Tracking Heartbeats of the Wild

Researcher Tim Laske was in Kenya’s Amboseli National Park when he felt the weight of time collapse.

Flanked by a troop of baboons and Cape buffalo grazing in the distance, he quietly walked the ancient landscape with the footsteps of his daughter, Noelle, beside him.

“It could have been a million years ago, walking across the savannas in the middle of wildlife,” said Tim Laske, vice president of research in the Cardiac Ablation Solutions Operating Unit at Medtronic. “It was surreal. To be able to do that together was amazing.”

The father-daughter duo has traversed continents — from the icy climates of North America, to the dense forests of Thailand, to the plains of Africa — in pursuit of something quiet and profound: understanding. As scientists with Medtronic, they implant heart monitors in vulnerable species to study stress and survival, blending cutting-edge technology with a reverence for the natural world.

At home in the wild

Tim has long marveled at nature.

As a teenager, his family visited the rugged, remote island of Isle Royale National Park in Michigan, where he learned of the Wolf-Moose Project, a long-standing effort to better understand interactions between the two species. He later was hired as a field assistant on the project and it unlocked a lifetime of close encounters with animals around the globe in the pursuit of science.

“I loved wildlife and the outdoors, I loved engineering and medicine,” Tim said. “And so it all worked out perfectly that I was able to combine the two.”

Noelle inherited the same adoration for the wild.

When his daughter was a little girl, Tim deliberately taught her about the woods near their home. Noelle was “fearless,” always bucking the trail to explore through the bushes, Tim said. He taught her how to use a compass, and together they named areas of the forest so that Noelle always had reference points.

“The more you learn about the plants and animals, the more the wilderness feels like a home,” Tim said.

Noelle accompanied Tim on his research projects, curling up with cubs while her dad checked on the hibernating bears in northern Minnesota he monitored, or to Isle Royale, where Tim tracked wolves and moose. She joked she “could sit and watch a moose drink water for four hours” and be content.

“Growing up, I always thought he was the coolest person ever,” said Noelle of her father. “He’s always been my role model.”

While Tim has two other daughters who are quick to hold bear cubs and wolf pups and love the outdoors, Noelle embraced the science of the research and over time evolved from an eager witness to her dad’s work to an active contributor. She now works as an associate clinical specialist in the Cardiac Rhythm Management Operating Unit at Medtronic. The opportunity to work closely with her dad isn’t lost on Noelle.

“These are experiences most father-daughter relationships don’t get to have,” Noelle said. “Traveling with him, learning so much, is really cool and it’s something that’s unique to us.”

Not all glitz and glamour 

Tim and Noelle’s work around the world may seem glamorous to an outsider, but seeing an animal in the wild — and oftentimes, they don’t — is the culmination of months of research and prep work, often grueling hikes, bugs, extreme temperatures and sometimes sleeping on floors and under tables in remote places.

Collaborations have included a partnership called The Rhythm of Life Project with the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute including the team’s recent work on giant anteaters, where Noelle previously spent two summers studying the behavior and physiology of maned wolves as an intern.

“We’re there as scientists to help,” Tim said of his work around the globe.

It’s part of our Mission to be good global citizens and provide good quality of life for both humans and animals on the planet, he said.

Tim publishes all learnings in scientific articles through his appointment as an adjunct assistant professor at the University of Minnesota.

What’s next 

The father-daughter pair has worked together on numerous species including grizzly bears, American black bears, gray wolves, mountain lions, clouded leopards, Indian elephants, scimitar-horned oryx, maned wolves, and baboons.

The research program is made possible by Medtronic volunteers working behind the scenes and hundreds of donated devices. The conservation work is entirely extracurricular, done beyond the confines of their regular jobs. But it’s worth it, said Noelle, whose favorite wild encounter involved an elephant wrapping its trunk around her waist.

“Anything we can do to help understand species and how they interact both in captivity, and also in the changing environments, is really the least we can do,” she said. “And the fact that I enjoy every second of it really helps.”

Read more: At the heart of giant anteater conservation is a medical device

Posted in UncategorizedTagged

Carbon Data Open Protocol (CDOP) Coalition Unveils Open-Source Data Model at Climate Week NYC to Facilitate and Scale Carbon Markets

  • 37 organizations including Isometric, Verra, South Pole, and Kita commit to continue supporting the adoption and development of the Carbon Data Open Protocol (CDOP) Version 1.0 
  • Open-source data schema for project location, details & approach addresses carbon market fragmentation
  • Developed in alignment with, and building upon, other data standardization initiatives, including the G20-led Common Carbon Credit Data Model (CCCDM), the CAD Trust, and the UNFCCC (relating to Article 6)

NEW YORK, Sept. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Today at Climate Week NYC a growing coalition of carbon market participants announced the release of Version 1.0 of the Carbon Data Open Protocol (CDOP) structure to help facilitate and scale carbon markets by standardizing rules and definitions that describe carbon crediting projects and carbon credits across markets, geographies and activity types. The new structure provides a collaborative, cross-industry schema for project location, project details, and project approach.

Today’s CDOP Version 1.0 structure, with its harmonized data schema, marks a critical breakthrough in addressing data fragmentation that has hindered the carbon market’s development into a mature, investable asset class capable of mobilizing the capital needed for global climate action. It is the first result of the international coalition of leading businesses, nonprofits and public sector organizations that launched in mid-March of this year, co-chaired by The Global Carbon Market Utility (GCMU), SylveraRMI, and S&P Global Commodity Insights.

Solving critical market fragmentation

Carbon credits are defined by complex attributes spanning project type, methodology, location, and vintage – variability that has resulted in dozens of incompatible data schemas across the market. This fragmentation results in inconsistent data quality, limited interoperability, and slows down the investment of crucial capital into the market. 

The CDOP Version 1.0 structure – starting with pre-issuance – provides standardized definitions for five foundational data categories: location; project details and approach; disclosures; and issuances, helping support technical alignment across registries, platforms, buyers, project developers, and institutional investors on these key data points where no or little common guidance had previously existed. Future iterations will cover the full lifecycle in terms of data categories, with the aim to bring in-depth technical guidance for implementing common data practices in various contexts.

“This is one of the most significant collaborative steps toward carbon market standardization we’ve seen to date,” said Nikodem Lacki, Data as a Product Head, S&P Global Commodity Insights. “Establishing common data foundations across voluntary and compliance markets, removes structural barriers that have prevented institutional capital from flowing efficiently into climate solutions.”

Built as a public good

CDOP Version 1.0 structure also marks a pivotal technical moment, where the CDOP’s Technical Working Group analyzed and harmonized – according to the CDOP Principles – more than 15 distinct data schemas submitted by market participants, identifying over 1,600 unique data fields under location alone. The resulting standardized structure captures the full complexity of carbon credit attributes while maintaining simplicity for implementation and has already been tested with real data by multiple committee members.

Unlike proprietary data solutions, CDOP is designed as an open-source public good. The complete structure, supporting documentation, and CDOP Principles are freely available online, to ensure broad accessibility and continued evolution. This approach reflects the coalition’s commitment to scaling carbon market integrity through basic infrastructure collaboration rather than competition.

“Carbon markets are too important to global climate goals to be hindered by data silos,” said Allister Furey, CEO, Sylvera. “By open sourcing these standards, we’re ensuring that innovation can build on a stable, shared foundation.”

To access the data schema, technical specifications and documentation, follow this link.

Global alignment and coordination

CDOP is designed to complement and strengthen existing carbon data initiatives, creating a coherent ecosystem of standardization. Specifically, CDOP recognizes and welcomes such as:

  • The G20-led Common Carbon Credit Data Model (CCCDM), as a common foundation on which market participants can build and innovate.
    • The G20 Sustainable Finance Working Group, the first multilateral policy forum to address carbon market data standardization – with its request that the Climate Data Steering Committee (CDSC), as its Lead Knowledge Partner, build a CCCDM to serve as a common foundation for data standardization across the carbon credit life cycle, for voluntary use by the public and private sector.
    • Building on the CCCDM’s fields, CDOP will progressively add layers of technical depth and rigor needed by sophisticated market participants – to ensure implementation readiness for registries, platforms, carbon credit rating agencies and institutional investors. Recognizing the need for data schema to evolve over time, over time, CDOP and CDSC will regularly engage to ensure ongoing alignment.
  • The Climate Action Data (CAD) Trust’s objectives of increasing transparency and accessibility in carbon markets. It aims to support its key role as a global public data infrastructure helping avoid double counting and support transparent accounting in line with the Paris Agreement. CDOP will embed its updated 2.0 schema into the first round of updates, providing a robust open-source baseline for global post-issuance data to support technical alignment. This is to increase data interoperability across systems and ultimately enable greater public access to standardized data and its use for increasing market integrity.

“Standardizing data in carbon credit markets is critical to scaling and unlocking their financing potential,” said Alice Carr, Managing Director of the Climate Data Steering Committee (CDSC) Secretariat. “We welcome CDOP’s efforts to build on the Common Carbon Credit Data Model (CCCDM), developed in support of this year’s G20 priorities, as a step toward greater technical alignment across the market.”

How to get involved in CDOP Version 1.0

 CDOP invites market participants to begin adopting the Version 1.0 structure and contributing to its continued development, especially those involved in data-heavy workflows. CDOP is intended to be an iterative and collaborative initiative, in which the schema will update over time, and will evolve with the data underpinning its use. To adopt, please view CDOP’s Version 1.0 structure, its data schema, adoption guidance and documentation here.

“This is just the beginning,” said Chris Canavan, CEO at GCMU. “The real impact comes from widespread adoption. We invite every carbon market participant to join this movement toward transparent, efficient, and scalable climate finance infrastructure.”

CDOP is supported by 54 leading organizations from the private, nonprofit, and public sectors. To find out more about CDOP and become a member, or submit your organization’s data schema to be included, visit the CDOP website.

“Transforming global systems requires market infrastructure that works at scale,” said Bonnie Lei, Principal, Climate Intelligence – Carbon Markets at RMI (founded as Rocky Mountain Institute). “CDOP represents exactly the kind of collaborative, market-driven solution needed to unlock capital flows for climate and clean energy projects worldwide. We’re enabling the efficiency that the market transition demands.”

SIGNATORIES:
AirCarbon Exchange
AlliedOffsets
Artio
BeZero Carbon
Biocare Projects Pty Ltd
BlueLayer Ltd
CarbonAI
Carbon HQ
CDR.fyi
Centigrade Inc.
Climate Impact X Pte. Ltd. (CIX)
Demia
EcoRegistry
Elimini
Equitable Earth
Evident
Global Blockchain Business Council (GBBC)
GCMU
Herzog Law Firm
Infrablocks Technologies
Isometric
Kana Earth
Kita
Klimate.co
Offstream
oneshot.earth inc.
Plan Vivo
Puro.Earth
Remove
Resilient LLP
Revalue
RMI
S&P Global Commodity Insights
South Pole
SustainCERT S.A.
Sylvera
Verra

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Benjamin Carr (Sylvera), benjamin.carr@mhpgroup.com
Monica Greco (GCMU), monica.greco@gcmu.net
Chris Potter (RMI), cpotter@rmi.org
Kathleen Tanzy (S&P Global Commodity Insights), kathleen.tanzy@spglobal.com 

About CDOP
The Carbon Data Open Protocol (CDOP) is a cross-industry, multi-stakeholder collaboration to standardize data describing carbon crediting projects and carbon credits across markets, geographies, and activity types.

More than 50 leading organizations have collectively endorsed the CDOP Principles for data, disclosure, and protocol governance, and have committed to integrating or evaluating CDOP’s standardized definitions for data on location, project details, and project approach into their own data models, as well as CDOP’s future expanded data structure. Their commitments are a testament to the collective recognition that shared data standards and practices are critical for scaling market trust, efficiency, and liquidity. 

About Sylvera
Sylvera, a leading provider of carbon ratings, tools and data, is on a mission to incentivize investment in real climate action. Global corporations, financial institutions, and governments rely on Sylvera to develop and execute their carbon credit strategies, drive measurable progress toward net zero goals, and optimize returns on investment. Co-founded in 2020 by Dr. Allister Furey and Sam Gill, the company is headquartered in London with additional offices in Belgrade, New York, and Singapore. To date, Sylvera has raised over $96 million from investors such as Balderton Capital, Index Ventures, Insight Partners, LocalGlobe, and Salesforce Ventures. 

About GCMU
The Global Carbon Market Utility (GCMU) is a public utility with a mission to transform the carbon market into a fully developed financial market. The GCMU serves as a central book of record, offering best-in-class financial market infrastructure and registry services. This infrastructure will enable financial intermediaries, like banks and insurance companies, to enter the market, provide project financing, and house risk for end-buyers. The GCMU was launched at COP27 in 2022. 

About RMI
RMI, founded as Rocky Mountain Institute, is an independent nonprofit founded in 1982 that transforms global energy systems through market-driven solutions to align with a 1.5°C future and secure a clean, prosperous, zero-carbon future for all. We work in the world’s most critical geographies and engage businesses, policymakers, communities, and NGOs to identify and scale energy system interventions that will cut greenhouse gas emissions at least 50% by 2030. RMI has offices in Basalt and Boulder, Colorado; New York City; Oakland, California; Washington, D.C.; and Beijing. 

About S&P Global Commodity Insights
At S&P Global Commodity Insights, our complete view of global energy and commodity markets enables our customers to make decisions with conviction and create long-term, sustainable value.  

We’re a trusted connector that brings together thought leaders, market participants, governments, and regulators and we create solutions that lead to progress. Vital to navigating commodity markets, our coverage includes oil and gas, power, chemicals, metals, agriculture, shipping and energy transition. Platts® products and services, including leading benchmark price assessments in the physical commodity markets, are offered through S&P Global Commodity Insights. S&P Global Commodity Insights maintains clear structural and operational separation between its price assessment activities and the other activities carried out by S&P Global Commodity Insights and the other business divisions of S&P Global.  

S&P Global Commodity Insights is a division of S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI). S&P Global is the world’s foremost provider of credit ratings, benchmarks, analytics and workflow solutions in the global capital, commodity and automotive markets. With every one of our offerings, we help many of the world’s leading organizations navigate the economic landscape so they can plan for tomorrow, today. For more information visit https://www.spglobal.com/commodityinsights

 

Cision View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/carbon-data-open-protocol-cdop-coalition-unveils-open-source-data-model-at-climate-week-nyc-to-facilitate-and-scale-carbon-markets-302563293.html

SOURCE S&P Global Commodity Insights; RMI; The Global Carbon Market Utility; Sylvera

BOE launches sustainable development strategy and joint initiative, mapping out a new blueprint for high-quality and sustainable development

BEIJING, Sept. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — At the just-concluded BOE Global Innovation Partner Conference 2025 (BOE IPC 2025), BOE unveiled its sustainable development strategy, and joined forces with key partners to release the Joint Initiative for Sustainable Development, making it an important component of the Group’s strategy. BOE, a world-leading IoT innovation company, has consistently integrated sustainable development into its organizational DNA. The display giant has not only pursued sustainable development as a key strategy but also embedded the concept in every aspect, ranging from technological innovation and green and low-carbon practices to corporate governance and social impact initiatives. All these serve to ensure stable operations and high-quality and sustainable development.

Over the past year, BOE has doubled down on building its sustainable development system and made active moves in the field of sustainable development. In December 2024, the company established a three-level organizational structure for sustainable development, which comprises the governance, management, and execution levels. This reflects the unprecedented importance that BOE has attached to sustainable development. In April this year, BOE launched the industry’s first sustainability brand “ONE” (Open Next Earth) in an effort to build a win-win ecosystem, marking another milestone in brand building. At BOE IPC 2025, BOE released the Group’s sustainable development strategy, which is based upon six strategic pillars: Open Innovation, Environmental Sustainability, Society, Humanity, Responsible Company, and Genesis Field, spurring the company to move from leadership in technology to leadership in sustainability. Furthermore, together with the China Electronics Chamber of Commerce, the China Video Industry Association, the China Optics and Optoelectronics Manufacturers Association LCB, the Society for Information Display, the China-BRICS Artificial Intelligence Development and Cooperation Center, and the China Software Testing Center, BOE and its ecosystem partners like Hisense, Meta, E Ink, Lenovo, 3M, and DNP launched the Joint Initiative For Sustainable Development:

Co-expansion – Embracing open collaboration to jointly expand the innovation pathways;

Sharing – Taking people-centric approaches to share the benefits of technological empowerment.

Win-Win – Implementing green practices as the foundation for a win-win ecosystem;

Build together – Sticking to long-term, responsible strategies to build a sustainable future.

With a full-fledged sustainable development system, BOE will stick to the path of market-oriented, international, and professional development, further solidify its leadership in the semiconductor display sector, and embed sustainable development in every aspect of corporate operations and management, thus underpinning its global business growth.

Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/boe-launches-sustainable-development-strategy-and-joint-initiative-mapping-out-a-new-blueprint-for-high-quality-and-sustainable-development-302564291.html

SOURCE BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.

Zoomlion Extends “Love Changes Destiny” Program into 23rd Year, Driving Global Community Development

Company donates over US$ 280,000 in 2025, with total contributions surpassing US$5.3 million

CHANGSHA, China, Sept. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Following the recent International Day of Charity, Zoomlion Heavy Industry Science & Technology Co., Ltd. (“Zoomlion”; 1157.HK) reaffirmed its long-standing commitment to social responsibility by donating RMB 2 million (approx. US$ 280,000) to this year’s “Love Changes Destiny” scholarship initiative.

Since its launch in 2003, the program has continued for 23 consecutive years, with cumulative donations now exceeding RMB 38 million (approx. US$5.3 million), providing vital support for hundreds of thousands of students to pursue their education. This enduring effort highlights Zoomlion’s responsibility in its home market while also reflecting the company’s broader commitment to community development across the globe.

The 2025 “Love Changes Destiny” ceremony was held in Changsha, bringing together government, charity, and business representatives to support students in need. Attendees heard stories from beneficiaries who shared how the program inspired them to persevere and contribute back to society. Zoomlion also contributed an additional RMB 800,000 through the Hunan Charity Federation to assist students from ethnic minority backgrounds in rural regions, reinforcing its focus on inclusive development.

Over more than two decades, the program has raised billions of yuan and helped support nearly 255,000 students, with Zoomlion recognized as a key contributor and recipient of major national charity awards.

Zoomlion’s dedication to social responsibility extends well beyond China’s borders. In Vietnam, the company supported post-disaster recovery in Bac Ha County following Typhoon Yagi in 2024 by donating essential supplies and helping rebuild infrastructure for highland villages. In the Philippines, its local subsidiary recently organized a charity event at the Rehoboth Sampaloc orphanage in Rizal Province, delivering food, baby care items, and toys for 27 children. The company has also participated in agricultural cooperation projects in countries such as Cambodia, Laos, and the Dominican Republic, providing equipment and training to support modernization and sustainable development.

Zoomlion combines local action with global responsibility, linking its growth as a leading equipment manufacturer with long-term contributions to education, disaster relief, and agricultural advancement. As the company expands its global footprint, it remains committed to initiatives that foster community resilience and sustainable development, demonstrating that corporate responsibility and global citizenship are central to its long-term vision.

 

Cision View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/zoomlion-extends-love-changes-destiny-program-into-23rd-year-driving-global-community-development-302564231.html

SOURCE Zoomlion

Mars Snacking Factories in Europe now Fully Powered by Renewable Energy

  • All ten Mars Snacking factories in Europe are now powered by renewable energy.
  • This covers the annual production of around 900,000 tonnes of some of the region’s favourite brands, including SNICKERS®, TWIX®, M&M’S®, SKITTLES® and ORBIT/EXTRA®.
  • This is one of the examples of the €1.5 bn investment Mars has been making in its EU manufacturing network to modernise facilities, increase production capacity and accelerate efforts to decarbonise its value chain.

BRUSSELS, Sept. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Mars today announced that all ten of its Mars Snacking factories in Europe are now fully powered by renewable energy.1

This milestone was achieved after years of investments into its European manufacturing footprint, including €1.5 bn invested over the past five years. The company invested in its first European windfarm in 2016, and over the past decade has transitioned all confectionery manufacturing sites across Europe to renewable electricity. In addition to investments to reduce and convert energy consumption, Mars has purchased Guarantees of Origin (GO) certificates for the remaining renewable electricity and biomethane equivalent to the amount of electricity and natural gas used in the company’s direct operations for confectionery in Europe.

Located in Czech Republic, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland and the UK, these ten factories produce 900,000 tonnes of some of Europe’s favourite brands each year, including SNICKERS®, TWIX®, M&M’S®, SKITTLES® and ORBIT/EXTRA®, of which 85% is consumed locally in the region.

“At Mars, we believe that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. Therefore, we measure our success not only by financial results, but also by the positive impact we have on people, the planet, and society. Sustainability makes good business sense and is at the heart of our strategy, and we are committed to making a meaningful difference ensuring that today’s actions create lasting benefits for future generations,” commented Marc Carena, Regional President for Mars Wrigley.

This is a significant milestone on the company’s global journey to net zero by 2050, and is an example of the investment Mars is making in its EU manufacturing (€1.5 billion over the past five years and another €1 billion by the end of 2026) to support consumer-driven innovation, economic growth, resilience, and modern, energy-efficient infrastructure.

Learn more about Mars Sustainable in Generation Plan here and details of recent announcement about an additional €1bn investment in its European manufacturing footprint. 

Media Contact:
Julie Lovell, Regional Corporate Affairs Director, Mars Wrigley
MarsWrigleyCE@webershandwick.com 
+44 79710 09722

1This applies to renewable electricity and direct gas use through certificate market-based instruments in each market of operation. These certificates are issued under European schemes and retired annually to match our consumption, rather than representing direct physical supply to our sites. This renewable energy coverage applies for the duration of current contracts and will be reviewed annually.

About Mars, Incorporated

Mars, Incorporated is driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. As an approximately $55bn family-owned business, our diverse and expanding portfolio of leading pet care products and veterinary services support pets all around the world and our quality snacking and food products delight millions of people every day. We produce some of the world’s best-loved brands including ROYAL CANIN®, PEDIGREE®, WHISKAS®, CESAR®, DOVE®, EXTRA®, M&M’S®, SNICKERS® and BEN’S ORIGINAL™. Our international networks of pet hospitals, including BANFIELD™, BLUEPEARL™, VCA™ and ANICURA™ span preventive, general, specialty, and emergency veterinary care, and our global veterinary diagnostics business ANTECH® offers breakthrough capabilities in pet diagnostics. The Mars Five Principles—Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom—inspire our 150,000 Associates to act every day to help create a better world for people, pets and the planet.

For more information about Mars, please visit www.mars.com. Join us on FacebookInstagramLinkedIn and YouTube.

Notes to editors

  • The company’s journey to renewable electricity in the region began in 2016 with an investment in the Moy wind farm in the UK. Over the past decade, Mars has transitioned all confectionery manufacturing sites across Europe to renewable electricity, purchasing GO and REGO certificates equivalent to its annual electricity use in each market.
  • Moving away from natural gas was a more difficult challenge, as it is used to run intensive infrastructure such as boilers and ovens. After reviewing a number of options, the company opted to purchase biomethane as the preferred approach to support delivery of its decarbonisation plan across Mars Snacking European manufacturing sites.
  • To ensure the biomethane it purchases is produced responsibly, Mars has made it a contractual requirement that the biomethane must comply with strict international standards (International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC) or Biomass Biofuels Sustainability voluntary scheme (2BSvs), which ensure compliance with the European Renewable Energy Directive. Among other things, it requires that the producer of the biomethane does not increase its land usage and ensures its gas is generated from waste feedstocks.

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2779411/Mars_Peanut_M_M_Bags.jpg
Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2779410/Mars_Incorporated_Logo.jpg

 

Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mars-snacking-factories-in-europe-now-fully-powered-by-renewable-energy-302564107.html

SOURCE Mars

Xinhua Silk Road: E. China powerhouse enhances standards-led sustainable dev’t zones to deepen green transition

BEIJING, Sept. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — East China economic powerhouse Zhejiang released recently a set of group standards on sustainable development zones to further expedite provincial high-quality green development.

On September 12, local governmental officials, experts, and representatives from industry associations and businesses gathered for the standards-releasing conference held in Anji County of Huzhou City, exploring ways of propping more green industries clustering.

In Zhejiang, development zones of different levels have been the main arena of provincial reform and opening-up and remained for years forerunners in the green transition of the province.

Hu Zhenfang, deputy head of Department of Commerce of Zhejiang Province stressed the local adherence to guidance of the “two mountains” concept in development of development zones in the province.

While focusing on green, innovative and open development, Zhejiang’s development zones valued at the same time industry, ecology and development sustainability and added vigorous, sustainable impetus to provincial high-quality economic development, said Hu.

The group standards for Zhejiang’s sustainable development zones not only depict the practical means of their differentiated sustainable development, but also offer a meaningful “Zhejiang Sample” for development zones elsewhere, noted Zheng Ninghai, deputy head of Zhejiang Association of Development Zones.

In a wider scale, China Economic Information Service (CEIS), an economic information arm of Xinhua News Agency, will research over the “global sustainable development zones index” to scientifically appraise the green, innovative and coordinated development of development zones, introduced Pan Haiping, CEIS chairman.

Vowing to help aid high-quality and sustainable development of global development zones with the index, CEIS is dedicated to building a green development stories telling regime to share Chinese solutions with the world, added Pan.

Upon releasing of the group standards came on September 12 start of the global standards compiling for sustainable development zones and settling of the sustainable development zone think tank base in Anji Economic Development Zone.

In the picturesque county, the philosophy behind “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets” has been proactively practiced and a high-quality development path driven by advanced manufacturing and modern services has been in shape there, said Yang Weidong, Party chief of Anji County.

Co-hosted by Department of Commerce of Zhejiang Province and CEIS, the conference also set thematic sessions probing into topics such as mutual-recognition of related international standards.

Original link: https://en.imsilkroad.com/p/347654.html

Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/xinhua-silk-road-e-china-powerhouse-enhances-standards-led-sustainable-devt-zones-to-deepen-green-transition-302563940.html

SOURCE Xinhua Silk Road

WuXi Biologics Selected as Constituent of FTSE4Good Index Series for Fifth Consecutive Year

SHANGHAI, Sept. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — WuXi Biologics (2269.HK), a leading global Contract Research, Development, and Manufacturing Organization (CRDMO), today announced it has been selected as a constituent company of the FTSE4Good Index Series, marking the fifth consecutive year the company has been recognized by FTSE Russell for outstanding sustainability performance.

The FTSE4Good Index Series, launched in 2001 by FTSE Russell (now part of the London Stock Exchange Group), is a family of equity indices designed to measure the performance of companies demonstrating strong Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices. The Series serves as a benchmark for investors seeking to align their portfolios with sustainability goals.

Inclusion in the FTSE4Good Index Series is based on independent analysis of data from over 23 developed countries and 20 emerging countries. WuXi Biologics has consistently demonstrated exceptional performance in its FTSE Russell ESG ratings over the past five years, most specifically in the areas of corporate governance, anti-corruption, labor standards, and water security.

Dr. Chris Chen, CEO of WuXi Biologics and Chairman of its ESG Committee, commented, “We are very pleased to be selected again as a constituent of FTSE4Good Index Series, an acknowledgement that further inspires our steadfast dedication to driving sustainability. As a global leader in Green CRDMO, we consistently deliver ESG excellence, enable partners worldwide with end-to-end solutions, and work together with all stakeholders to promote sustainable practices.”

In line with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, WuXi Biologics has been actively engaged with United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) and Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Initiative (PSCI) to deliver positive impacts. Recently, the company’s new near-term and net-zero greenhouse gas emissions reduction target matrix has been approved by Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

Over the past few years, WuXi Biologics has earned widespread recognition for its dedicated efforts in sustainability. The company was awarded EcoVadis Platinum Medal; listed in Dow Jones Sustainability Indices; named to CDP Water Security “A List” and Supplier Engagement Assessment “A List”, and awarded a CDP Climate Change leadership-level “A-”  score; given the highest negligible-risk rating by Sustainalytics, and recognized as Sustainalytics industry and regional ESG top-rated company; listed in Hang Seng ESG 50 Index; and rated as Prime by ISS ESG Corporate Rating.

About FTSE4Good Index Series

Created by the global index and data provider FTSE Russell, the FTSE4Good Index Series is designed to measure the performance of companies demonstrating strong Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices. The FTSE4Good indexes are used by a wide variety of market participants to create and assess responsible investment funds and other products. 

FTSE Russell evaluations are based on performance in areas such as Corporate Governance, Health & Safety, Anti-Corruption and Climate Change.  Businesses included in the FTSE4Good Index Series meet a variety of environmental, social and governance criteria.

For more information, please visit: https://www.lseg.com/en/ftse-russell/indices/ftse4good.  

About WuXi Biologics

WuXi Biologics (stock code: 2269.HK) is a leading global Contract Research, Development and Manufacturing Organization (CRDMO) offering end-to-end solutions that enable partners to discover, develop and manufacture biologics – from concept to commercialization – for the benefit of patients worldwide.

With over 12,000 skilled employees in China, the United States, Ireland, Germany and Singapore, WuXi Biologics leverages its technologies and expertise to provide customers with efficient and cost-effective biologics discovery, development and manufacturing solutions. As of December 31, 2024, WuXi Biologics is supporting 817 integrated client projects, including 21 in commercial manufacturing (excluding COVID CMO projects).

WuXi Biologics regards sustainability as the cornerstone of long-term business growth. The company continuously drives green technology innovations to offer advanced end-to-end Green CRDMO solutions for its global partners while consistently achieving excellence in Environment, Social and Governance (ESG). Committed to creating shared value, it collaborates with all stakeholders to foster positive social and environmental impacts and promote responsible practices that empower the entire value chain.

For more information about WuXi Biologics, please visit: www.wuxibiologics.com

Contacts

ESG
esg@wuxibiologics.com

Media
PR@wuxibiologics.com

Cision View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/wuxi-biologics-selected-as-constituent-of-ftse4good-index-series-for-fifth-consecutive-year-302563765.html

SOURCE WuXi Biologics