Month: September 2025

CNH brand, CASE Construction Equipment is heading to The Utility Expo 2025, October 7-9, to showcase a full lineup of proven machines built to help utility crews take on their toughest jobsite challenges. From zero-emissions electric models to highly compact equipment and heavy-duty workhorses, CASE will feature solutions that help teams work smarter, swifter and more profitably at booth K277.

Leading the Charge with Electric Equipment

Municipal crews, maintenance teams and utility contractors often work in special environments where noise and emissions need to be kept to a minimum. Whether maintaining infrastructure in residential neighborhoods, trenching for pipes in indoor environments or operating in environmentally sensitive areas, CASE’s wide-ranging EV lineup gives teams smarter ways to work while meeting complex jobsite requirements.

For larger tasks in urban or sensitive environments, the four-wheel-drive, 580EV electric backhoe loader combines strength with sustainable, emissions-free operation. With the same performance and breakout forces as the popular 97-horsepower CASE 580SN diesel model, the 580EV provides productivity-boosting capabilities along with all the advantages of electrification — clean, quiet operation, instant torque and lower daily operating costs. The 14-foot electric backhoe is also compatible with many of the same attachments the 580SN supports and includes an Extendahoe to boost reach. Features like ProControl swing dampening, PowerLift/PowerBoost and electrohydraulic controls improve precision and ease of use.

Read more here.

For 22 years, the team at our Hephzibah plant has provided special support for Eastern Bluebirds. There are currently 12 nesting boxes on site, and during the nesting season each box will be checked once a week— and a second time if there is nesting activity. This allows the team to more accurately record the dates when eggs are laid and when the fledglings leave the nest. This information is reported to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. I believe it is important in our field of work to be good stewards of the land and environment and the Bluebird Box Project is a way that I get to contribute to that. I have really enjoyed being a part of it since 2019, and am proud that our program has been successful at providing nesting places for not only Eastern Bluebirds, but other native species such as Carolina Chickadees and Carolina Wrens. 

-Sara Alden, Quality Control Supervisor (Hephzibah)

Explore our latest Corporate Responsibility Report to see how we’re driving positive change for our people, our communities, and our planet.

In recognition of the September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance, AEG’s LA Kings joined forces with Blue Shield of California to participate in 9/11 Day’s Meal Pack Program in Los Angeles, an initiative that honors those lost on 9/11 by giving back to the local community.

On Wednesday, September 11, volunteers from the LA Kings and Blue Shield of California gathered at the LAFD Frank Hotchkin Memorial Training Center to assemble meal kits for families in need. Joining more than 1,200 volunteers, the group helped pack 450,000 meals, which will be distributed by the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank to help those experiencing hunger across Southern California.

Launched in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, 9/11 Day has become the nation’s largest annual day of service. This year’s Meal Pack program spanned 21 cities and mobilized tens of thousands of volunteers nationwide to prepare more than nine million meals for vulnerable communities – continuing the legacy of unity and compassion that defined the days following 9/11.

“The LA Kings are committed to serving our community and honoring the resilience that September 11 represents,” said Amanda Apel, Senior Director of Community Relations, LA Kings. “Through our G.O.A.L.S. program, we are proud to partner with Blue Shield of California and 9/11 Day to provide meals to families who need them most. Coming together in service reminds us that acts of kindness—big and small—have the power to create lasting change.”

The date also holds a personal significance for the Kings organization. On September 11, 2001, two members of the team’s scouting staff, Garnet “Ace” Bailey and Mark Bavis, were among those who tragically lost their lives aboard United Airlines Flight 175, which was flown into the South Tower of the World Trade Center. Their memory continues to inspire the team’s community work and commitment to service.

Through initiatives like the Meal Pack program, 9/11 Day encourages people of all ages to pay tribute to the victims, survivors, and first responders by engaging in acts of service that strengthen communities and spread compassion.

Originally published on Tork Newsroom

As fans return to Lambeau Field this week for the home opener, the Green Bay Packers are teaming up with Tork, the professional hygiene brand of leading global hygiene and health company Essity, for the 5th Annual Tackle Hygiene with Every Catch campaign.

The campaign, which kicks off this weekend and runs through the first five home games of the Packers season, aims to raise awareness and promote the benefits of proper hygiene. Each year, the Packers and Tork provide selected community partners with essential hygiene products that help reduce environmental impact and improve hygiene. This year, for every catch the Packers make during the first five home games of the season, Tork will donate $250 worth of sustainably produced hygiene products, such as paper towel rolls and toilet paper (up to $30,000 in products) to Rawhide Youth Services.

“We’re proud to partner again with Tork on the Tackle Hygiene campaign,” said Justin Wolf, director of corporate partnerships sales & activations for the Packers. “For years, we have relied on Tork hygiene products on gameday and every day and we look forward to making a positive impact in the community while cheering for Packers catches. Throughout the campaign, our fans can learn about the importance of hygiene and sustainability, all while supporting their favorite team. We look forward to another great season of Tackle Hygiene with Every Catch.”

To date, in partnership with the Packers, Tork has donated $111,750 worth of sustainable hygiene products to local charities in Northeast Wisconsin. This year’s recipient, Rawhide Youth Services, is a nonprofit organization that helps at-risk youth and their families through residential care, education, behavioral job training, community and school based-counseling programs. Celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2025, Rawhide serves thousands of children across the state by providing a safe, structured environment where young people can build life skills, address behavioral and mental health challenges, and work toward a positive future. The organization was originally founded with the help of Packers Hall of Fame quarterback Bart Starr and his wife, Cherry, whose tireless dedication to Rawhide’s mission included fundraising, public advocacy, and personal mentorship to the youth it serves. Their legacy of compassion and commitment continues to inspire Rawhide’s work today, making the connection between the Packers and the organization even more meaningful.

“Maintaining a clean and hygienic environment is critical at stadiums like Lambeau Field – which can hold more than 80,000 fans – as well as within our communities,” said Cindy Stilp, Marketing Communications Director at Essity. “Together with the Packers, we are proud to spearhead community initiatives like Tackle Hygiene with Every Catch, in order to deliver hygienic experiences to fans, while giving back to those in the community who rely on programs like Rawhide Youth Services.

Tork is the proud product provider of towels, tissue, napkins and sanitizer to Lambeau Field.

About Tork
The Tork brand offers professional hygiene products and services to customers worldwide, ranging from restaurants and healthcare facilities to offices, schools and industries. Our products include dispensers, paper towels, toilet tissue, soap, sanitizers, napkins, wipers, but also software solutions for data-driven cleaning. Through expertise in hygiene, functional design and sustainability, Tork has become a market leader that empowers customers to think ahead and improve business outcomes through sustainable hygiene management. Tork is a global brand of Essity, and a committed partner to customers in over 110 countries. To keep up with the latest Tork news and innovations, please visit www.torkglobal.com/us/en

About Essity
Essity is a leading global hygiene and health company. We are dedicated to improving well-being through our products and services. Sales are conducted in approximately 150 countries under the leading global brands TENA^® and Tork^®, as well as other strong brands, such as Actimove, JOBST, Knix, Leukoplast, Libero, Libresse, Lotus, Modibodi, Nosotras, Saba, Tempo, TOM Organic, Vinda and Zewa. Essity has about 36,000 employees. Net sales in 2023 amounted to approximately $14B. The company’s headquarters are located in Stockholm, Sweden, and Essity is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm. Essity breaks barriers to well-being and contributes to a healthy, sustainable and circular society. Learn more at essity.com and connect with us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.

Essity in North America
Essity employs nearly 3,700 employees across the United States and Canada. Its North American headquarters are in Philadelphia. In addition to Pennsylvania, Essity operates offices as well as manufacturing and distribution locations across the following U.S. states: Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Kentucky, Ohio, Oklahoma, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin. In the U.S., Essity makes, sells and distributes professional hygiene products under the leading global brand Tork®; personal care and incontinence products under the TENA® brand; and medical solutions—such as orthopedic, compression and wound-care products—from world-renowned trademarked brands such as Leukoplast, JOBST, Cutimed, Actimove and Delta-Cast.

Essity has approximately 760 employees in the Fox Cities, including more than 640 between its Menasha mill and Neenah converting facility, which manufacture the Tork® brand of toilet paper, napkins and paper towels, and nearly 120 at its Service Excellence Center in Appleton. In addition to Wisconsin, Essity has U.S. operations in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Kentucky, Ohio, Oklahoma, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas and Washington.

About Rawhide Youth Services
Since 1965, Rawhide Youth Services has served thousands of at-risk youth and their families throughout Wisconsin as a premier mental and behavioral health agency. As a faith-based 501(c)(3) charity, we provide comprehensive family-centered care, treatment, and education through residential and community-based services. Our mission, “Being dependent on God, we inspire and equip at-risk youth and their families to lead healthy and responsible lives,” guides us along with our core values of unconditional love, unwavering faith, eternal hope and relentless perseverance. Through professional, personalized support services, we empower individuals to overcome their challenges and thrive. Visit www.rawhide.org for more information.

Media Contact:

Mara Allen
Green Bay Packers
920/569-7212
AllenM@packers.com

Artificial intelligence (AI) holds great promise for climate innovation, but its effectiveness depends on access to diverse, high-quality data — something that can be difficult and costly to obtain in the climate sector. This data challenge further complicates an already complex financial environment for climate tech, which is supported by a blend of public, philanthropic, and private funding.

Specifically, Cisco Foundation’s grants and investments, via the Regenerative Future Fund (RFF), support quality, open source, foundational data availability and innovative AI applications for climate through blended finance for the industry. Our latest blended finance engagements —with partners across regenerative agriculture and wildfire resilience — serve as case studies.

Aligning capital and data to value regenerative agriculture practices

U.S. farmers seeking to adopt regenerative agriculture practices face many challenges, such as limited access to capital and inadequate data infrastructure. In fact, the USDA has reported 21% and 17% declines in farm working capital in 2023 and 2024 respectively. These economic trends can limit farmers’ ability to invest in regenerative transitions, and challenge long-term sustainability and growth.

To address this, we provided investment capital to the Fractal Farmer Agriculture Regenerative Management (FARM) Fund, which introduced a pioneering financial model that supports farmers while maintaining their land control. Offering 10-year contracts inclusive of incentives tied to regenerative practice adoption, Fractal provides an alternative to conventional debt or majority equity funding structures.

The success of this model is reflected in Fractal’s work with 14 farms, which the organization says have reported a 6.5% higher crop yield compared to local benchmarks and maintained stronger income rates relative to market averages.

For Jesse Hough, the general manager and financial strategist of Hough Farms in East Central Nebraska, Fractal’s long term minority investment approach has helped him consistently outperform county yields. He can continue making on-farm decisions and, unlike short-term programs, Fractal supports regenerative practices for the full ten years, aligning incentives so both farmer and investor share in the long-term gains.

Fractal uses AI and machine learning to analyze underlying land productivity and create more accurate land valuations for its investments. Its models incorporate climate risk and soil health, a more sophisticated approach than traditional static measures that can under- or overvalue a farm’s long-term potential. For Fractal to continue to implement its work best and support farmers like Jesse, it needs improved data infrastructure to support underwriting and incentive processes for the company.

“When regenerative practices improve yield resilience, the cash flow impacts ripple from land value to crop insurance. Through Open Ground, we’re partnering with Earth Genome to make the climate and agronomic data behind those benefits open source — ensuring it can drive meaningful impact across the entire sector.” — Dr. Emma Fuller, Co-Founder, Fractal

To accelerate the development of these vital datasets, the Cisco Foundation also provided an early-stage cash grant to Earth Genome. Their new, open-source Open Ground initiative, developed in collaboration with Fractal, will integrate historical climate data, localized extreme weather models, and advanced crop failure classifications to deliver precise field-level insights. Their open access helps stakeholders like researchers, startups, insurers, lenders, and public good entities unlock the potential for AI applications in agriculture. It also helps them to confidently invest in, integrate and reward regenerative agricultural practices in their operations.

The AI edge in wildfire management: Mapping a resilient future

Another example of our blended finance approach is our support of Vibrant Planet and Vibrant Planet Data Commons to address wildfire and land management.

Cisco Foundation’s investee, Vibrant Planet PBC, operates on the core thesis that “you can’t understand what you can’t see”— a concept increasingly crucial as more extreme weather, outdated fire suppression policies, and fragmented restoration efforts make U.S. forests more susceptible to catastrophic wildfires.

The lack of open-source, high-quality data has hindered restoration, management, and community engagement, and has especially excluded Indigenous stewardship and perspectives.

Addressing these challenges requires advanced technology. Vibrant Planet leverages satellite imagery, remote sensing, AI-powered modeling, and cloud-based data integration to capture a comprehensive, real-time picture of forest health, fire risk, and ecosystem change with unmatched granularity.

While these technologies enable the collection, analysis, and sharing of vast datasets —spanning millions of acres — they provide it at an incredibly localized level. This makes actionable insights and informed recommendations via their wildfire resilience platform available to land managers, scientists, and policymakers.

Vibrant Planet Data Commons, the nonprofit arm of Vibrant Planet PBC, makes forest science and data meaningful and accessible to drive wildfire and ecosystem resilience. With Cisco Foundation grant support since 2022, they’ve built core infrastructure and released novel open-access data packages — including a wildfire ignition probability model  —alongside story-driven tools for public engagement.

Their work prioritizes Indigenous knowledge sharing, with protocols co-developed alongside Tribal partners. These packages are used by scientists and practitioners across the American West, with a growing focus on tracking how this knowledge informs management and infrastructure decisions.

As Dr. Chelsey Walden-Schreiner, Director of Science Development at Vibrant Planet Data Commons shared, “Together, Vibrant Planet PBC and VPDC form a hybrid engine for change — where science meets scalable systems, and where public good and market-driven innovation reinforce one another. Our success is not parallel, but interdependent — unlocking a model for how mission-aligned for-profits and nonprofits can co-create transformative climate resilience.”

Together, these examples illustrate how blended finance and open data can help inform AI-driven approaches to climate resilience, such as supporting more adaptive agricultural practices and informing forest management strategies.

This blog was written with assistance from Ryan Jones, Cisco Chief Sustainability Office, TekSystems.

View original content here.

The AMD PYNQ™ Bootcamp, now in its sixth year, is an annual hackathon-style event for middle and high school students, held in collaboration with the St. Vrain Valley School District. Hosted at the Innovation Center in Longmont, Colorado, a facility dedicated to technology and innovation, the bootcamp provided students with hands-on experience using AMD Kria™ starter kits to explore AI and machine learning.

During the weeklong bootcamp, students were introduced to artificial intelligence focusing on real-world applications of machine learning. They were introduced to topics such as computer vision powered by AMD technology and learned about data collection using various sensors to train AI models.

AMD Longmont interns developed and hosted the event, creating training materials, facilitating the hackathon and supporting the students’ project pitches at the showcase. Many of them returned from previous terms here, and some even participated in PYNQ Bootcamps themselves in years prior to their internship. This highly successful event not only introduces students to AMD technology but may also inspire them to pursue engineering, fostering a future talent pipeline that could lead them to AMD one day.

Read more about community impact at AMD: https://www.amd.com/en/corporate/corporate-responsibility/community.html.

Originally published in AMD 2024-25 Corporate Responsibility Report

By Candace Higginbotham

Back-to-school season is more than a circled date on the calendar. In August and September there’s a new energy and excitement in our neighborhoods as communities gather to celebrate students, teachers and families. For many of us, it brings back memories of seeing old friends and making new ones, having fun new school supplies and being eager to learn.

Education is an important part of Regions’ community engagement strategy, and bank associates understand back to school can also be a difficult time for many families. So, each fall, teams across the bank’s footprint eagerly take part in volunteer activities to help students have a strong, fresh start to another successful year.

I’m proud that our teams engage in this tradition of volunteerism each year that helps prepare students in our communities for the exciting year ahead.
Leroy Abrahams, head of Community Engagement at Regions.

Regions’ back-to-school efforts are not limited to K-12 students. Associates also support back-to-campus activities for college and university students, offering financial education, career guidance and doing some heavy lifting on move-in day.

“It’s important that students get off on the right foot at the start of the school year, to ensure academic success,” said Leroy Abrahams, head of Community Engagement at Regions. “I’m proud that our teams engage in this tradition of volunteerism each year that helps prepare students in our communities for the exciting year ahead.”

Here are some highlights from back-to-school events across the bank’s footprint:

Florida

• What better way to make a fresh start to the school year than with a fresh car wash? Tampa Bay area Regions associates teamed up with United Way Suncoast, Academy Prep Center of Tampa and Academy Prep Center of St. Petersburg to treat teachers and staff to a fun surprise – a back-to-school car wash.
• “The Leadership Circle for the Orlando/Space Coast market had a great idea for a fun and meaningful back-to-school volunteer activity that everyone could participate in,” said Community Engagement Officer Stephen Ponzillo. “And it was a huge success!” The market team collaborated with five area schools to share appreciation with hand-written thank-you notes for teachers and staff as they head back to campus to start the new academic year. A whopping 125 Regions associates participated.
• Associates from all 37 Miami branches, representing several lines of business, participated in the annual Back-to-School Supply Drive and Backpack event. More than 500 backpacks were filled and donated to Branches, an organization supporting local families in need.
• Regions Commercial Banking associates in Fort Lauderdale took part in United Way of Broward County’s school supply drive, filling backpacks with colored pencils, crayons, notebooks and more

North Carolina
Regions’ Inclusion, Belonging & Impact, Learning & Development and Talent Acquisition teams hosted a back-to-campus event at Johnson C. Smith University in August. Around 25 students attended the program, which included a presentation about Regions’ Emerging Talent Program, a Regions Next Step Reality Check workshop and a panel discussion about careers in banking. Charlotte Market Executive Thad Walton was impressed with both the university’s commitment to supporting practical life skills for freshmen and with the students themselves. “I was really struck by how well-rounded these students are—the number who work part-time or are student-athletes, and all the expectations and demands they face. They’re being asked to grow up quickly, even as college freshmen.”

Illinois
Taylorville Branch Manager Alex Evrley and his team helped North Elementary School students head back to school as part of Back 2 School America, an organization that addresses the inequities in educational opportunities for children in Illinois and across the country. To reduce the financial burden on families and teachers, the B2SA program has supplied more than 400,000 children with their own school supply kits, distributing over 12 million supplies to those who need them most.

Alabama

• United Way of Central Alabama hosted their annual Back-to-School Backpack Drive and several Regions teams joined in on the fun, including Internal Audit. According to Tasha Branch, who leads the team’s community engagement efforts, 16 associates stuffed backpacks with folders, pencils, erasers, index cards and other necessities. “Supporting students and teachers is a shared commitment across the Audit team,” Branch said. “We feel a responsibility to support the communities the bank serves. And helping students and teachers prepare for a successful school year is a meaningful way for us to give back, connect beyond our daily work and help enrich lives where it truly counts.”
• Recently, Lawson State Community College in Birmingham hosted a group of rising high school seniors who are part of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund’s SOAR Program. The students participated in a one-week residential stay at the HBCU and as part of their program, around 60 of them came to Regions Center for an afternoon of financial education, career networking sessions – and lunch. The students took part in a Regions Next Step Reality Check budget simulation and Regions volunteers spent time with them talking about their roles at the bank.
• Other students also went “back to school” during summer break. Regions associates Natasha Burnett and Josh Green, from the Homewood branch, delivered three financial wellness sessions for rising high school juniors and seniors attending Samford University’s Alabama Governor’s School. Regions is a longtime supporter of the program, which hosts high-achieving student leaders from across the state. 90 students participated in the Regions Next Step Banking Basics for Freshmen course. “I’m so pleased we were able to deliver practical, financial wellness information to these future leaders as part of the Alabama Governors School,” said Mark Senter, Experiential and Sponsorship Marketing Program Manager at Regions. “The bank has supported this impactful program for more than 25 years and it’s exciting to be part of this special experience.”
• Several Birmingham-area teams helped local schools welcome students back by sprucing up classrooms and campuses. Associates volunteered at Ephesus Academy, Dolly Ridge Elementary, Glen Iris Elementary, Henry J. Oliver Elementary and Brock’s Gap Intermediate School.
• Students at First Light, an organization providing safe and supportive environment for homeless women and children, were treated to back-to-school hair services and Regions associates were on hand to help out.

Tennessee
Each year, the Regions Nashville team takes part in the United Way of Nashville Stuff the Bus Day of Action, which ensures that 15,000 students in the nine-county area have the tools they need to start the school year off right. Once again, the event featured a crayon challenge and according to Community Relations Officer Yolanda Hollingsworth, Regions teams donated 16,605 boxes of crayons, surpassing last year’s total by 103 boxes. The top donating branch was Rivergate. “I am so proud of this team,” said Denise Vazquez, branch manager and Nashville Impact Network Workplace co-chair. “We delivered 4,300 boxes of crayons!” The strong showing earned the team an outing at a Nashville Predators game.

Texas
In August, Regions Bank branch manager Jason Escobedo and his teammates visited Texas Southern University (TSU) to teach the Class of 2029 – all 1,200 of them – Regions’ “Banking Basics for Students” financial education course during Welcome Week. Read more about Escobedo’s and Regions Stadium Branch relationship manager Maranda Alix’s inspiring day with TSU students on Doing More Today.

Louisiana
Regions teams supported the successful Stuff the Bus program organized by Salvation Army of Baton Rouge. 30 single-parent households with K-12 students received backpacks, calculators, pencils, pens, notebooks and other supplies donated by bank teams and the community.

Georgia
Regions bankers took part in the New Teacher Orientation in Gwinnet County, which is the largest school system in the state. Around 1,500 new teachers, counselors and school psychologists attended the event. Watch this video to see how associates showed their support and helped equip school staff for a great school year.

Arkansas
Jonesboro Main branch manager Joey Pettit organized a team of 15 associates from three branches and across several business groups to assist students and parents on move-in day at Arkansas State University. Hear from Pettit about the fun (and exhausting) experience on Doing More Today.

From packing backpacks to mentoring and organizing events, these efforts reflect a shared commitment to education and community. Together, Regions is working closely with schools, colleges, universities and local nonprofits to help pave the way for a successful year ahead.

Equal Opportunity Employer/including Disabled/Veterans

Authored by Baker Tilly’s Darren R. Jones, Mark Scallon, Mike Vanderbilt

In a rapidly evolving digital world, life sciences data privacy is becoming a top priority as life sciences companies are under increasing pressure to safeguard personal data while meeting a growing array of local, national and international privacy obligations. With every advancement in digitalization, from virtual clinical trials to cross-border data collaborations, the need for robust, compliant privacy practices becomes even more critical.

Navigating today’s global privacy landscape

Life sciences organizations face unique data privacy challenges due to the nature of their work. From handling sensitive data on healthcare professionals (HCPs) to managing multinational product development pipelines, companies must ensure personal information is processed lawfully across multiple jurisdictions. The fragmented legal landscape only heightens this complexity.

In the absence of a U.S. federal data privacy law, states continue to pass individual privacy laws, resulting in a patchwork of obligations. Meanwhile, international laws like the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) remain highly influential, even for companies headquartered elsewhere due to its extraterritorial scope and principle-based approach to ensuring personal data is processed lawfully, fairly, and transparently.

Key developments currently shaping the regulatory environment include:

• GDPR: Applies to organizations within and outside of the EU that process personal data of EU residents, setting a high bar for personal data processing standards including explicit informed consent and data subject rights.
• The California Consumer Protection Act (CCPA): The first major U.S. state data privacy law which grants residents enhanced rights over their personal data and which opened the flood gates to some 20 other U.S. state privacy laws to date. The CCPA applies to certain businesses that collect personal data from California residents, regardless of where the business is located. The CCPA was strengthened by the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), which added new rights and limiting the use of sensitive personal information.
• The California Online Privacy Protection Act (CalOPPA): An earlier California privacy law requiring websites that collect personally identifiable information from California residents to post their privacy policy online and may apply to smaller business that do not meet the CCPA’s applicability thresholds. Additionally, this policy must detail the information collected and with whom the information is shared.
• The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) updates (2025): Updates to the HIPAA Security Rules include mandatory risk analysis, formal incident response plans, vendor oversight, updated technical safeguards and more. Additional protections for reproductive health data have also been added.
• U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) restrictions: As of April 2025, the DOJ, through the Data Security Program (DSP), prohibits the transfer of sensitive personal data, to include personal health data, amongst other categories like human ‘omic data and biometric identifiers, to certain foreign entities. The DSP’s definition of “bulk U.S. sensitive personal data” includes data that has been anonymized, pseudonymized, de-identified, or encrypted, provided it meets the specified bulk thresholds.
• U.S. state law expansion: U.S. state data privacy laws are rapidly expanding, granting consumers significant control over their data; the Washington My Health My Data Act notably creates specific, strict protections for “consumer health data” falling outside of traditional HIPAA protections.
• The European Health Data Space (EHDS): Adopted in early 2025, EHDS is a major EU initiative establishing a single, secure framework for sharing health data across borders, aimed at empowering individuals with control over their data while facilitating its reuse for research, innovation and policy-making under strict safeguards.

Implications for life sciences companies 

These developments represent more than a compliance checklist — they require a shift in how companies collect, manage, share, secure or otherwise process personal data. The key impacts include:

• Compliance complexity: The proliferation of state-level privacy laws in the U.S. necessitates a comprehensive approach to compliance, ensuring adherence to varying requirements across jurisdictions.
• International data transfers: The DOJ rule, as well as the GDPR and the myriad of other international data protection regulations, impose stringent restrictions on how and when person data can be transferred, requiring companies to assess and potentially restructure international collaborations involving both personal and sensitive personal data.
• Enhanced security measures: Updates to HIPAA and safeguards requirements established by other regulations underscore the need for organizations to have a thorough understanding of how they are protecting the confidentiality, availability, and integrity of personal data and assessing if those controls are adequate based upon the sensitivity of the data and potential negative impact the data could have if exposed.
• Data minimization and purpose limitation: Laws like Maryland’s Online Data Privacy Act emphasize the importance of establishing a data privacy program built upon data privacy best practices such as only collecting the personal data that is reasonably necessary and proportionate to provide the specific product or service and using that data solely for the specific purpose for which it was originally collected.

Building privacy resilience for the future

At Baker Tilly, our life sciences professionals help organizations stay ahead of the curve by designing and implementing tailored privacy programs that go beyond compliance. Our team of Value Architects™ builds scalable frameworks that align with evolving regulatory expectations, business operations and the unique needs of the life sciences industry.

Baker Tilly supports life sciences organizations in building sustainable privacy programs that meet today’s standards and anticipate tomorrow’s requirements. Our solutions include:

• Privacy assessments
• Policy and procedure development, including privacy manuals and training programs
• Website and digital infrastructure risk reviews
• Data mapping and repository creation for efficient rights response (GDPR/CCPA)
• Clinical trial privacy advisory services
• DPO advisory support
• Privacy procurement protocols and checklists

We also recommend periodic program reviews to account for regulatory and operational changes. Our experienced professionals understand that privacy compliance is not one-size-fits-all. That’s why we design programs tailored to your size, operations and privacy maturity.

With the regulatory environment continuing to evolve, life sciences companies need a proactive alliance to manage risk and maintain trust. Baker Tilly’s life sciences team helps companies navigate complexity, build internal capability and establish the data privacy resilience organizations need to thrive. Connect with a Baker Tilly specialist today.

Originally published on newsroom.marykay.com

What happens when you trade your desk for a different one – or even the production floor – for a few weeks? At Mary Kay, the #1 Direct Selling Brand of Skin Care and Color Cosmetics in the world^[1], it leads to sharper insights, greater teamwork, and a more connected supply chain.

Job shadowing is said to be less common in supply chain innovation. Mary Kay has proven otherwise. The Mary Kay Operations and Scheduling teams at the Richard R. Rogers Manufacturing and R&D Center (R3) in Texas recently embarked on a cross-functional job shadowing initiative designed to foster better collaboration and innovation. In the fast-paced world of manufacturing, efficiency and coordination are everything. While data and dashboards offer valuable insights, nothing compares to the clarity gained from seeing the work firsthand. That’s where job shadowing comes in – a simple, yet powerful tool that can transform how operations and scheduling teams perform seamlessly and in unison.

“For us at Mary Kay, job shadowing isn’t just a learning tool – it’s a strategic advantage,” said Chaun Harper, Mary Kay’s Chief Supply Chain Officer. “Cross-functional job shadowing connects teams more closely to the heart of manufacturing, sparking insights that lead to smarter decisions, stronger problem-solving, and greater agility. My mission is to build a world-class Supply Chain organization, and every step we take is aligned to that bold goal.” 

By stepping into each other’s daily workflows, both operations and scheduling teams gained a new appreciation for the complexities, demands, and pressures each role faces. More importantly, it opened the door for richer communication and smarter collaboration moving forward. While the primary focus was on supporting the cell manufacturing re-rollout, the benefits extended well beyond any single project.

“The experience was a masterclass in curiosity meeting continuous improvement, allowing both teams to literally and figuratively ‘walk in each other’s shoes.’ From this specific shadowing experience, the most valuable lesson I learned was how our changes impact our partners. It was a powerful lesson in empathy and broadened my understanding of how interconnected our roles are across the company,” said Haley Buckley, Manager, Production Operations.

Over the course of several weeks, team members temporarily swapped spaces, trading office time for hands-on experience on the production floor and vice versa. For a full day, scheduling team members shadowed their operations colleagues, observing the fine details of packaging lines, participating in team meetings, and getting face time with on-site personnel. The reverse also happened, allowing operations team members to sit with schedulers and understand the intricacies behind production planning. 

“Although our two roles work toward the same end goal, they’re very different. It was interesting to see just how complex the production process is and the types of challenges that can arise. It’s not as simple as setting things up and hitting ‘start.’ Operations constantly must adapt as new issues come up, all while managing staffing, equipment, and other variables. It was eye-opening and gave me a new level of appreciation and respect for the work they do. It’s a tough job,” said Monique Ordonez, Analyst, Supply Chain. 

“Something unexpected I experienced while job shadowing was realizing how different assumptions can be from actual understanding. Before shadowing, I tended to make quick judgments about what other departments were doing, and at times, I was inclined to assign blame. However, by learning more about their processes firsthand, my perspective changed significantly. I became much more empathetic and understanding of the challenges they face, which has positively influenced how I collaborate with them moving forward,” said Bernard Filic, Manager, Packing Operations.

As teams peel back the curtain on each other’s day-to-day realities, they’re discovering that the power of collaboration lies in understanding – not just what others do, but why they do it. With renewed respect and fresh insight, these supply chain partners are now better equipped to tackle challenges and innovate together.

At Mary Kay, this kind of cross-team learning is more than a one-off; it’s a model for building a more agile, connected, and high-performing organization.

To learn more about corporate jobs at Mary Kay in the U.S.A., please visit us at Mary Kay Careers.

Did You Know:

• Mary Kay’s state-of-the-art Richard R. Rogers (R3) global Manufacturing/Research & Development Center is located in Lewisville, Texas, and has a production capacity of up to 1.1 million products per day.
• 57% of products manufactured at R3 are exported to Mary Kay’s international markets.
• The 453,00 square-foot facility boasts 20 product-packaging lines and 21 processing vessels and mixing tanks.
• Renewable energy powers 100% of our R3 manufacturing facility.

From Observation to Optimization: The Impact of Job Shadowing & Cross Training on Supply Chain 

Benefits for Operations Teams

• Improved Process Understanding: Shadowing helps operations staff see how their decisions impact production on the floor, leading to more informed and practical process improvements.
• Enhanced Communication: It fosters better communication between frontline workers and operations managers by building empathy and shared context.
• Problem-Solving Insight: Observing real-time challenges helps operations teams identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, or safety concerns that may not be visible in reports or dashboards.
• Realistic Time Estimates: By seeing how long tasks take, schedulers can create more accurate and achievable production schedules.
• Better Resource Allocation: Shadowing reveals how labor, equipment, and materials are used, helping schedulers optimize resource planning.
• Stronger Collaboration: It builds trust and understanding between schedulers and production teams, reducing friction and improving responsiveness to changes.

Benefits for Scheduling Teams

• Realistic Time Estimates: By seeing how long tasks take, schedulers can create more accurate and achievable production schedules.
• Better Resource Allocation: Shadowing reveals how labor, equipment, and materials are used, helping schedulers optimize resource planning.
• Stronger Collaboration: It builds trust and understanding between schedulers and production teams, reducing friction and improving responsiveness to changes.

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About Mary Kay

One of the original glass ceiling breakers, Mary Kay Ash founded her dream beauty brand in Texas in 1963 with one goal: to enrich women’s lives. Learn more at marykayglobal.com. Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, or follow us on X.
 

^{[1] “Source Euromonitor International Limited; Beauty and Personal Care 2025 Edition, value sales at RSP, 2024 data”}