Month: November 2025

Originally published on Guiding Stars Health & Nutrition News

by Allison Stowell

Welcome to holiday season 2025! The weeks ahead will bring wonderful family time and social gatherings. They will also bring the potential for chatting about hot topics like health, diet, and nutrition. These challenging subjects may not be easy to discuss at the holiday table. Let’s think of some ways to navigate conversation to a better place.

Redirect Conversation

“I love that there are so many opportunities for people to find something that works for them.”

With this simple statement, we remember that we all benefit from making our way to better health. It highlights the importance of finding a path that helps us meet and sustain wellness goals to reduce our risk of developing chronic disease. The path that works is personal. This is important to remember, both for us and for our loved ones.

“What’s your favorite thing that you cooked or ate recently?”

Food is wonderful, delicious, and enjoyable. Moving the focus here diffuses diet-focused conversation. You can highlight some wonderful cooks or restaurants you love. Or chat about the meaningful holiday dishes you look forward to sharing together.

“I’m so happy things are going well for you!”

While you may not completely understand or agree with a loved one’s lifestyle choices, you can still celebrate their happiness. Acknowledge their energy and enthusiasm rather than question how they got there. Creating new habits and putting our health first is not easy (though well worth it). Honoring another’s success at adopting a new lifestyle is kind and thoughtful.

“What does 6–7 mean anyway?”

Or “what do you think about Taylor Swift’s new album?” Put questions out to the holiday table, especially a multigenerational group, to spur conversation. While it may leave the adults confused about some trends, it will likely bring up lots of laughs and quiet any other conversation.

Additional Considerations

If a family member is on a journey toward better health, they’re likely protective of their path. And if previous attempts haven’t been successful, they may be so protective that they come across as defensive. It helps to have compassion and remember they may be coming from a place of fear—that the success they’re experiencing will wane or disappear altogether. Keeping this in mind may lead to a more peaceful conversation (or at least a more understanding one).

You may be concerned about a family member. Maybe they have lost too much weight, or seem weak or unwell. Or possibly you’re worried about supplements or other methods they’re using. If this is the case, it may be very difficult to address. Instead, consider asking questions about how their doctor feels about their health status. This keeps the focus on their medical team and the experts they trust. Continue to stay in touch with loved ones you’re worried about and let them know you are thinking about them.

If you leave a gathering with questions or concerns about a dietary approach or wellness concept, please use hospital and university websites for your research. And consider professional sites for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, American Medical Association, and National Institute of Health for expert, science-based information.

Image by Freepik

As volatility becomes structural – not episodic – global organizations are rethinking how strategy, execution, and leadership connect across their supply networks. To help leaders navigate this inflection point, international port and logistics company DP World and global management consulting firm Kearney are hosting a forward-looking webinar on how enterprises are redesigning their supply chains for the next three years.

This timely discussion brings together real-world data, executive insights, and commercial perspectives from across the Americas and global Fortune 500 operations. Attendees will gain an inside look at the systemic forces reshaping supply chains worldwide – from geopolitical friction and shifting trade flows to AI-driven operating models and evolving C-suite expectations.

Register now for the December 2 webinar

A Framework for the Next Generation of Global Supply Chains

During the session, experts from DP World and Kearney will break down four forces reshaping global supply chains:

• Disruption: How leaders are navigating structural volatility – from cost pressure to geopolitical friction – and where boardrooms are focusing attention.
• Structure: The shift from linear supply chains to diversified, multi-node networks powered by real-time data and AI.
• Leadership: The expanding role of COOs and C-suites as operational risk becomes strategic risk – and the new capabilities required.
• Predictive Insights: How tools like Kearney’s Supply Chain Navigator help leaders anticipate risk, accelerate decisions, and protect performance.

Meet the Speakers

• Brittany Caskey, Chief Commercial Officer, DP World in the Americas: Based in Atlanta, Brittany leads commercial growth across freight forwarding, contract logistics, and end-to-end supply chain solutions. A former UPS leader and the voice behind “Lady in Logistics,” she brings a human-centered leadership style and deep expertise in integrated logistics transformation.
• Glen Clark, CEO, DP World in the U.S. and Mexico: Glen oversees one of DP World’s fastest-growing logistics portfolios and brings a unique background spanning HR, operations, and commercial strategy. Known for his people-centric leadership approach, he focuses on building high-trust cultures and agile logistics networks across the region.
• Suketu Gandhi, Partner, Kearney; Chair, Global Strategic Operations Practice: A globally recognized expert on supply chain transformation and digital acceleration, Suketu helps Fortune 500 leaders build operations that balance growth, resilience, cost, and sustainability. He brings unmatched clarity to complex topics, turning disruption into long-term competitive advantage.

Reserve Your Spot

Don’t miss this opportunity to hear first-hand how the world’s most influential companies are preparing for the next era of global supply chain strategy – and what it means for your organization’s competitiveness.

Register now to join DP World and Kearney for this high-impact conversation.

SWORDS, Ireland, November 25, 2025 /3BL/ – Trane Technologies plc (NYSE: TT), a global climate innovator, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a 49% minority stake in Kieback&Peter Group (K&P), a European leader in building automation software and solutions headquartered in Berlin, Germany. The investment marks a pivotal step in advancing Trane Technologies’ digital and controls strategy and expands opportunities to accelerate climate innovation in the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region.

Kieback&Peter, founded in 1927, specializes in intelligent building technology that supports the company’s vision to make buildings more comfortable, energy-efficient, and environmentally responsible. With proprietary hardware, software, and energy management solutions, and more than 1,700 employees across 50 locations worldwide, Kieback&Peter helps governments, businesses, healthcare providers, and industries reduce energy waste and achieve their sustainability goals.

Under the terms of the agreement, Trane Technologies will acquire a 49% interest in Kieback&Peter, with an option to assume full ownership after a three-year period. The strategic partnership includes a commercialization agreement enabling the two companies to offer highly complementary solutions to their respective customers across the region.

“This agreement underscores Trane Technologies’ ongoing commitment to climate leadership, digital innovation and delivering exceptional value to our customers,” said Jose La Loggia, Group President – EMEA, Trane Technologies. “By leveraging our scale and leading sustainable building solutions alongside Kieback&Peter’s advanced controls and building management systems, we will be uniquely positioned to accelerate climate innovation, reduce wasted energy and shape the future of intelligent buildings.” 

The investment and commercialization agreement are expected to close in the coming months, subject to regulatory approvals. Kieback&Peter will continue to operate independently, led by Managing Partner Christoph Ritzkat.

“For nearly a century, Kieback&Peter has stood for premium quality, exceptional customer dedication, and sustainable innovation that helps make our world a better place – values shared by Trane Technologies,” said Christoph Ritzkat, Managing Partner, Kieback&Peter. “I am confident our work with Trane Technologies will help us build upon our legacy and drive long-term growth through expanded capabilities, offerings and customer-focused solutions. We are excited to embark on this new chapter together.”

# # #

About Trane Technologies
Trane Technologies is a global climate innovator. Through our strategic brands Trane® and Thermo King®, and our portfolio of environmentally responsible products and services, we bring efficient and sustainable climate solutions to buildings, homes and transportation. For more on Trane Technologies, visit tranetechnologies.com.
 

About Kieback&Peter
Kieback&Peter GmbH & Co. KG combines intelligent building technology, data-driven services, and nearly a century of expertise to deliver sustainable solutions. With approximately 1,700 employees and 50 locations worldwide, Kieback&Peter is trusted on prestigious projects such as Berlin’s Cube, Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, and the Mercedes-Benz engine plant in Beijing. Learn more at kieback-peter.com.
 

Investors:
Zachary Nagle, Trane Technologies
+1-704-990-3913 
InvestorRelations@tranetechnologies.com

Media:
Travis Bullard, Trane Technologies
+1-919-802-2593 
Media@tranetechnologies.com

Regina Del Prete, Kieback&Peter GmbH & Co. KG
030 60095-200
presse@kieback-peter.de

The weeks leading up to the holiday seasons bring a sharp uptick in activity across retail and warehouse operations. Order volumes rise, timelines compress, and teams move quickly to keep products flowing. That pace puts added strain on the people, spaces, and processes that keep workplaces safe.

Warehouses, stockrooms, and back-of-house areas feel this shift first. With so much happening at once, small oversights can add up fast.

To help EHS leaders stay ahead, we’ve framed five common peak-season challenges through a few Thanksgiving-inspired scenarios. The metaphors may be light, but the risks behind them are real, and each one offers a practical reminder of where to focus as holiday operations ramp up.

 

1. The Family Member Who Freestyles the Potluck

You’ve designed a thoughtful Thanksgiving menu and assigned dishes to each family. But there’s always one relative who ignores the plan, grabbing something entirely different on their way over because “it felt right.” The act isn’t malicious (that you know of…), but it does disrupt the balance you were aiming for.

How it shows up at work

Warehouses see the same tendency during peak season. When the floor is busy or new hires are still finding their footing, people often default to what feels familiar instead of following formal steps. Cross-functional teams might jump in to help and improvise their way through tasks they rarely perform. Those small deviations can stack up quickly in environments where product flow, equipment, and layout vary from zone to zone.

How to stay ahead

Clear responsibilities and accessible SOPs help anchor teams when pace and volume accelerate. Short, focused micro-trainings give workers quick reminders of the right approach, reducing the chance that well-intentioned improvising turns into avoidable exposure.

 

2. The Overflowing Table

A Thanksgiving table only has so much space. When every dish comes out at once, the setup gets crowded fast: bowls hovering near the edge, serving spoons competing for room, and very little space left to maneuver. Even a well-planned meal becomes harder to manage when everything lands in the same place at the same time.

How it shows up at work

Peak-season operations create similar pressure. Product arrives faster than it moves out, and teams stack materials wherever there’s an open spot. Aisles tighten, staging areas spill into walkways, and temporary placements become semi-permanent. It’s rarely one item that creates a hazard, but the steady accumulation that limits visibility, complicates equipment movement, and narrows emergency access.

How to stay ahead

Brief layout walk-throughs make it easier to spot crowding early, and clear expectations for staging, stacking, and egress help prevent minor overflow from becoming a systemic challenge. A few small adjustments — redistributing materials, resetting a tight zone, or adding a designated overflow area — can keep workspaces balanced even when volumes peak.

 

3. The Dishwashing Puddle

After a big holiday meal, the area around the sink always gets a little chaotic. Dishes pile up, water splashes over the edge, and the floor develops a small puddle that’s easy to overlook until someone steps straight into it. A simple cleanup task turns into an unexpected slip hazard when the pace picks up, and everyone is focused on getting through the stack.

How it shows up at work

Warehouses experience the same hidden buildup during busy times. Packaging scraps, loose shrink wrap, broken product, cords, and even condensation near loading areas accumulate faster than teams can clear them. With heavy traffic and tight timelines, it becomes harder to spot issues early, and routine floor checks often get pushed behind more urgent tasks.

How to stay ahead

More frequent inspections and quick spot-check assignments help surface hazards before they escalate. Clearing debris, cords, and waste at regular intervals, even brief ones, keeps high-traffic zones safer and allows operations to move smoothly during the busiest weeks.

 

4. The Careless Carving Uncle

Most families have that one enthusiastic relative who grabs the carving knife with confidence, rushes through the turkey, and insists they can get it done in half the time. They mean well, but the speed and showmanship often override the care the task really requires — and put their well-being at risk.

How it shows up at work

In a warehouse, the same instinct appears when deadlines tighten. Workers rush to hit targets, skip steps that feel optional, or take on more than is comfortable because it seems faster. These decisions often stem from confidence built on past experience (“I’ve done this a thousand times!”) even when conditions are very different during peak season.

How to stay ahead

Reinforcing critical steps and encouraging teams to speak up when something feels rushed or unsafe keeps productivity from overshadowing safety. Normalizing brief pauses for clarification or repositioning helps prevent shortcuts from becoming habits during the busiest weeks.

 

5. The Last-Minute Baker

Every holiday has a baker who stays up late finishing one last dish. As the night goes on, their focus slips a little — measurements get imprecise, small mistakes appear, and tasks that felt easy an hour earlier start taking twice as long. Nothing is wrong with their skill or intention; they’re simply working past the point of good judgment.

How it shows up at work

Fatigue builds gradually during the holiday surge. Extended shifts, high repetition, and sustained pace lead to slower reaction times and reduced hazard awareness. End-of-shift hours tend to show this most clearly, as small errors and near-misses begin to surface.

How to stay ahead

Adjusting shift planning, encouraging early reporting of fatigue, and watching for changes in pace or communication help supervisors catch concerns before they turn into incidents. Even small opportunities to reset such as short breaks, rotation, or task adjustments can keep teams alert during the final stretch of a demanding season.

 

Bringing It All Together

Staying ahead this season means giving teams the clarity, space, and support they need to work safely even as activity peaks. Small preventive steps taken now can reduce stress later and help operations move through the holidays with more confidence.

 

Have any questions?

Contact us to discuss your environment, health, safety, and sustainability needs today.

As sustainability continues to mature as a core business function, organizations are refining their strategies, investing in governance, and reassessing how they collect and use data. Novata’s 2025 State of Sustainability Report highlights the trends shaping this shift, revealing both progress and persistent gaps.

Below are four data points that define where teams stand today and what will matter most in the year ahead.

1. Sustainability Takes Shape 

   80% of organizations now have a formal sustainability role or team. Sustainability is becoming a core business function, signaling real market maturity.

2. The Data Gap Persists

   60% of organizations still rely on spreadsheets to track ESG data. Data quality and digitization remain the biggest challenges to progress.

3. Regulation is Driving Progress

   38% are reporting for or already complying with CSRD. This is a notable figure given that only about one-quarter of respondents are headquartered in Europe with revenues over €50 million.

4. The ROI Challenge

   47% of sustainability leaders say proving the business value of sustainability is their top challenge. The next frontier: linking sustainability data directly to performance.

Get the Full Picture: Explore the full 2025 State of Sustainability Report for deeper insights into how companies are formalizing teams, tackling data gaps, and preparing for regulation.

Read the full report here.