Month: January 2026

Originally published on GoDaddy Resource Library

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your career journey to date.

I’m Bhumi Patil, a Senior Security Engineer based in Bengaluru, India. I work within the commerce division, where I focus on build-time security efforts and application security. Outside of work, I’m a new mom to a wonderful 11-month old who keeps me on my toes, and I’m married to my biggest supporter. We love planning trips together to explore different cultures and learn about the world. When I’m not tackling security challenges, I’m either chasing my baby around the house or dreaming about my next mountain adventure.

My journey into security wasn’t exactly planned. Early in my career, I wanted to do something more meaningful. I was fortunate that a director took the time to understand my career aspirations rather than just focusing on work completion. He asked me a simple question: “What do you want your career to look like?” I told him I wanted to make things secure. That conversation changed everything, he guided me to approach a security team, and from there I started learning on my own. I looked for projects, even requested teams to let me work with them as just an intern. I built myself up alongside my regular responsibilities.

Looking back now, I’m building things that truly satisfy me.

How did GoDaddy support you through your maternity leave?

Imagine announcing to your manager that you’re pregnant just six months into a new job. I was nervous going into the conversation, but his reaction told me everything I needed to know about GoDaddy’s culture.

He was genuinely excited for me. He said, “Business will go as usual! You need to take care of your family first. We will be here to support you.”

When you get that kind of support, you actually want to return. I chose not to extend my maternity leave because I was eager to come back not out of pressure or obligation, but because this felt like a place I genuinely wanted to be. It’s another space where I belong, where people have my back.

How has becoming a mom changed how you approach your work?

It’s taught me so much about prioritization. With a baby, you learn quickly what’s truly important and what can wait. Focus time becomes precious, so you make every minute count.

I apply the same formula to my work now. Being a mom means constantly multitasking, but only with the things that truly matter. I’ve become more intentional about where I spend my energy both at home and in my security work. That clarity has actually made me more effective, not less.

What are you most proud of working on at GoDaddy?

Firstly, I’m building an AI-powered Dependabot companion that helps our security team prioritize thousands of vulnerability alerts. Picture this: you have large number of alerts all screaming “FIX ME NOW!” My system prioritizes issues by real risk, likelihood of exploitation, and required upgrade effort. When a teammate tells me they finally feel like they can focus on what matters instead of drowning in noise – that’s the reward.

Secondly, I’m working on GitHub Actions security at an industry level not just for GoDaddy but contributing to how organizations think about supply chain attack prevention. The idea came from my manager, but I’m proud to have contributed. Supply chain attacks are one of the biggest threats in our industry right now, and knowing our work could help protect organizations beyond just our own walls feels meaningful.

What aspects of GoDaddy’s culture do you appreciate the most?

GoDaddy has given me a platform to explore and innovate. My manager is my biggest supporter for trying new things. He often says, “The normal things will be done by everyone that keeps the lights on. But we need to do something better than our usual bread and butter work.”

What I love is that it’s not about adding stress. It’s about having the ability to choose what you’d like to pursue. You’re empowered, not pressured.

There’s also something fundamental about GoDaddy that I haven’t seen elsewhere. You’re evaluated on four components and Join Forces is one of them. That shows a deep belief that when multiple people come together, they achieve great things. It’s not one person building alone while everyone else watches.

“Work Courageously” isn’t just a slogan here. They genuinely encourage you to get your hands dirty, to try things without overthinking the immediate benefit. They put trust in you first.

What might people be surprised to learn about you?

I’m deeply focused on improving who I am as a person rather than accumulating material things. I spend a lot of time thinking about personal growth. I listen to podcasts about life insights and I reflect on how I show up for people.

Here’s what I really care about: I want people to feel positive energy when they talk to me. It’s not about performing for others – it’s that this kind of presence genuinely matters to me. With growing technology, I feel like we’re becoming less authentic and less connected as humans. That saddens me. So, I try to be intentional about bringing warmth to my interactions, whether it’s with my team, my family, or anyone I meet.

Maybe that’s unexpected for a Security Engineer, but I think protecting systems and caring about human connection aren’t so different. Both require paying attention to what really matters.

What’s one piece of advice you wish you had received earlier in your career?

Keep your thirst for learning open, it will get you to the right place.

Also, technology keeps changing. Don’t chase the technology itself; chase the concepts behind it. Languages and frameworks will evolve, but the fundamentals of how systems work, how to think about problems, how to approach security – those principles stay relevant. That foundation is what carries you forward.

What’s your personal mantra?

Seeking balance.

As someone who juggles security challenges at work and a curious 11-month old at home, balance isn’t something I achieve once and keep forever. It’s something I actively seek every single day. Some days I get it right and some days I don’t. However, the pursuit itself keeps me grounded.

Are you enjoying this series and want to know more about life at GoDaddy? Check out our GoDaddy Life social pages! Follow us to meet our team, learn more about our culture (Teams, ERGs, Locations), careers, and so much more. You’re more than just your day job, so come propel your career with us.

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Starting out 2026, regulatory momentum around Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) is accelerating across several regions. For global companies, especially those with operations spanning Europe, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, and the U.S., these updates aren’t just check‑the‑box changes. They represent meaningful shifts in how governments define workplace risk, sustainability accountability, and cross-border environmental responsibility. Below, we outline the key regulatory updates to track, along with the risks of underestimating them.

 

Brazil: Mental Health and NR-01

In May 2026, Brazil will begin enforcement of an updated version of NR-01 that explicitly requires companies to evaluate psychosocial risks as part of their occupational risk programs. This includes employees working remotely, not just those in physical facilities. The update marks a shift toward recognizing mental health as a regulated component of workplace safety.

Employers must integrate assessments into their Risk Management Program (PGR) and consider common psychosocial risk areas such as workload, autonomy, recognition, community support, fairness, and value alignment. These elements are described in the Brazilian Ministry of Labor’s official Psychosocial Risk Guide, which is also used as a reference by labor inspectors.

Why this matters: Many companies in Brazil have not previously treated mental health as part of legal compliance. Starting in 2026, failing to assess and address psychosocial risk could result in fines or mandatory corrective actions during labor audits.

 

Spain: Carbon Reporting, Psychosocial Risks, and Climate-Driven Labor Protections

Spain is moving aggressively on both climate and occupational health fronts in 2026, with two major compliance areas requiring immediate attention.

Mandatory Carbon Footprint Reporting

Under Royal Decree 214/2025, companies subject to non-financial reporting obligations must now measure and disclose their Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for the year 2025. This data must be published on the company’s website in 2026, along with a five-year emissions reduction plan.

Many companies outside of heavy industry may mistakenly assume this regulation doesn’t apply to them. But if you’re in scope for EU non-financial reporting, you’re in scope for this too. Moreover, while registration in Spain’s national carbon registry remains optional for private firms, emissions data may now influence public procurement scoring.

Why this matters:

• The regulation is already in force and retroactive to 2025.
• Inaction could trigger administrative fines and public reputational damage.
• Companies without a carbon tracking system are already behind.

Psychosocial Risk and Climate Change as Labor Hazards

In parallel, Spain has declared 2026 the Year of Occupational Safety and Health at Work, reflecting a national campaign to address modern workplace risks. Labor inspectors have been instructed to scrutinize how employers are evaluating and managing psychosocial risks such as stress, burnout, harassment, and isolation. These are now considered part of employers’ legal obligations under Law 31/1995 on PRL, even in the absence of a dedicated law on mental health.

Companies are also expected to prepare for the impacts of climate change on labor. That includes protections for outdoor workers exposed to heatwaves, and climate-related disruptions such as wildfire smoke or storms. In addition to Spanish regulations on this, several regions in Spain have already introduced supplementary extreme weather labor rules, such as halting outdoor work during high-heat periods.

Why this matters:

• Inspectors will assess whether psychosocial risks have been evaluated and addressed.
• Climate-related labor protections are no longer optional in all Spain.
• Employers relying solely on physical safety metrics may miss key risks that now carry legal consequences.

 

Italy: Updated Health & Safety Training Requirements

Italy has updated its national Health & Safety training rules through the State-Regions Agreement of April 2025. The most immediate changes apply to safety supervisors, whose required training hours have increased and whose refresher courses must be completed by May 24, 2026. E-learning formats are no longer accepted for this role.

Training updates by role include:

• Supervisors: Basic training increased to 12 hours; refresher mandatory by May 2026
• Executives and Employers: Required updates every 5 years; additional site-specific modules available
• Employers carrying out safety duties: Must complete 8–16 hours of sector-specific training depending on industry

Why this matters: If your organization operates in Italy and has designated safety personnel, it’s essential to review training records now. Those trained before May 2024 will likely need refresher courses to remain compliant. Inaction could lead to audit issues and administrative penalties.

Law-Decree No. 159 of October 31, 2025, focuses on the following topics, announcing the publication of guidelines in 2026:
– monitoring and management of near misses
– prevention of workplace violence, harassment

Why this matters: Currently, the monitoring and management of near misses is a best practice that is likely to become mandatory in 2026 for all companies with more than 15 employees operating in Italy. Similarly, there is currently no specific mandatory assessment of workplace violence, but there may be developments regarding measures to be taken to prevent this phenomenon in the workplace.

 

United States: OSHA Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) and Heat Injury Rule

Hazard Communication (HazCom) / GHS Alignment
The U.S. OSHA Hazard Communication Standard is now aligned with GHS Revision 7, and key deadlines land in 2026:

• Substance SDS & Label Deadline – January 19, 2026: All chemical SDS and labels (e.g., resins, stabilizers, colorants) must reflect the updated hazard classifications. EHS managers should work with procurement to require compliant SDSs with incoming shipments. Older documents or labels on small containers (100 ml or less) will not meet the new requirements under 29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(12).
• Training Deadline – July 19, 2026: Changes must be included in domestic HazCom Plans, and employees must be trained on new label elements and pictograms. Key topics include new hazard categories like “Chemicals Under Pressure” and revised definitions for flammability in some aerosols and additives.

Federal Heat Illness Prevention Rule (Underway)
A federal heat rule is expected to be finalized in 2026. Employers should prepare to meet requirements such as:

• Access to shade, rest, and hydration for heat‑exposed workers.
• Acclimatization programs for new/returning workers.
• Recognition and response protocols for heat stress.

This will affect general industry, construction, maritime, and agriculture.

 

China: Updated Energy & Carbon Review Rules

China has introduced the Measures for Energy Conservation Review and Carbon Emission Assessment of Fixed-Asset Investment Projects, effective September 1, 2025. The measures establish a unified framework shifting from dual energy consumption control to dual carbon emission control. Key updates focus on integrating carbon assessment into project reviews and clarifying approval authorities.

Why this matters: If your organization is planning construction, expansion, or technological upgrades in China, energy conservation and carbon emission reviews are now mandatory before starting work. Projects failing to obtain approval cannot begin construction or operate. Companies should prepare detailed energy and carbon reports, align with local carbon peak roadmaps, and monitor for provincial implementation rules. Non-compliance may lead to ordered shutdowns, penalties, and public credit record inclusion.

 

Asia-Pacific: Chemical Safety, EPR, and ESG Disclosure on the Rise

Across the Asia-Pacific region, 2026 will bring several regulatory changes that EHS and sustainability teams should not overlook. While the region lacks a single coordinated framework like the EU’s CSRD, countries are moving in similar directions—tightening environmental controls, expanding product stewardship, and aligning with global ESG reporting standards.

Chemical Safety and Product Stewardship Under Scrutiny

Countries including China, South Korea, and Vietnam are updating national chemical inventories, expanding classification systems, and requiring more transparent labeling.

Companies importing or manufacturing products with chemical content will need updated safety documentation and stronger internal controls. While many APAC chemical rules now align with the Globally Harmonized System (GHS), local variations create complexity for global manufacturers, particularly in electronics, coatings, and industrial chemicals.

At the same time, governments in Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia are stepping up enforcement in high-risk industries such as construction and maintenance. Regulators are shifting toward targeted campaigns that focus on known hazards like work at height, lifting operations, and fire risks. The emphasis is on proof of effective controls and early-stage risk planning, not just compliance during site execution.

Environmental Regulations Are Driving Traceability

Environmental compliance across the region is increasingly focused on traceability: knowing where materials go, who is responsible at each step, and how obligations are documented. This includes waste tracking, hazardous substances, and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) frameworks.

Vietnam’s Law on Environmental Protection, Indonesia’s evolving hazardous waste regulations, and anticipated EPR policies in Malaysia and Thailand reflect this shift. Companies are expected to manage not only internal compliance but also that of their contractors and downstream handlers.

Why this matters: Environmental rules in APAC are becoming more lifecycle-based. Gaps in traceability or documentation now carry real compliance risks, even for indirect handlers.

ESG Disclosure Is Becoming Standard Practice

Jurisdictions such as Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and Australia are aligning their ESG disclosure requirements with international frameworks like the IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards (formerly ISSB Standards). Regulators and stock exchanges are integrating these standards into local expectations, especially for listed firms and companies in regional supply chains.

Why this matters: Even where ESG disclosures aren’t legally required, the pressure to provide data is rising. Companies need to prepare for investor, customer, and regulatory demands or risk falling short of stakeholder expectations.

 

EU-Wide: CBAM Enforcement Begins

Since January 1st 2026, the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) has moved into full implementation. Importers of certain carbon-intensive products—such as cement, steel, aluminum, fertilizer, hydrogen, and electricity—are now required to purchase and surrender CBAM certificates that correspond to the embedded CO₂ emissions in their goods.

This is a major change. Since 2023, companies have only been required to report emissions data. Starting in January 2026, the cost component kicks in. CBAM certificate prices will mirror the EU’s Emissions Trading System, which in 2025 saw a steady increase in certificate prices – from approximately €60 to €80 per tonne of CO₂. In 2023, certificates even reached an all-time high at around €104 per tonne of CO₂. To illustrate the impact, producing one tonne of aluminum carries a carbon footprint of roughly 5 to 15 tonnes of CO₂.

In October 2025, a significant amendment to the regulation introduced a new exemption threshold. Companies importing fewer than 50 tonnes of goods covered by CBAM each year are now exempt from its requirements. Importers exceeding this limit must become authorized CBAM declarants. These importers are required to purchase CBAM certificates from national authorities and surrender the certificates in amounts matching the embedded CO₂ emissions of their products. Additionally, if importers can prove that a carbon price was already paid during production, a corresponding deduction will be made to offset their costs.

Why this matters: Importers that fail to register or properly report will face delays at customs or risk having goods blocked entirely. Financially, the impact is real: companies must budget for carbon costs and ensure data is traceable to suppliers. Firms not traditionally involved in EU policy are especially vulnerable if they assume CBAM doesn’t apply to them.

 

EU-Wide: CSRD Reporting Thresholds Expand

The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) is undergoing amendments, with full adoption expected later this year.

Under the agreement reached by the EU Parliament and Council, reporting obligations will change significantly. Previously, companies meeting at least two of the following criteria would have been required to report starting 2028, as per the “Stop-the-clock” Directive:

• 250 or more employees
• €50 million or more in turnover
• €25 million or more in assets

With the new amendments, the directive will apply to companies that have at least 1,000 employees and a net revenue over €450 million. This means many previously in scope will no longer be obliged to report. Public Interest Entities that meet these criteria will continue to be covered, while other companies that reach these thresholds will need to start reporting in 2028 as set out by the amendments.

Even so, many businesses may still feel the impact in indirect ways. Companies that report under CSRD might ask their suppliers for specific details to meet their own reporting needs. These requests will only cover what is necessary according to the European Voluntary Sustainability Reporting Standard for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (VSME), an accessible and streamlined reporting standard.

A new edition of the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) is now available. The updated Simplified ESRS offer enhanced accessibility, with clearer structure and easier reading, alongside simplified reporting requirements.

Until all amendments are fully implemented, companies that have been required to report since 2024 should stick with the original ESRS, though they may use the simplified standards as a guide. Businesses that start reporting voluntarily can choose the simplified ESRS, particularly if VSME standards prove too basic. Organizations obligated to report starting in 2028 can also begin working with the simplified ESRS now to get ready for upcoming requirements.

Why this matters: Upcoming CSRD amendments drastically narrow reporting scope, yet indirect obligations persist. Companies should prepare early using simplified ESRS to ensure compliance and readiness for evolving sustainability disclosure requirements.

 

What EHS and Sustainability Teams Should Do Now

If your organization operates in any of the affected regions, 2026 isn’t a year to take a wait-and-see approach. Regulatory agencies across Europe, Latin America, and Asia-Pacific are actively expanding compliance expectations, and enforcement is already underway or imminent.

To stay ahead, EHS and sustainability leaders should:

• Conduct psychosocial risk assessments for operations in Brazil and Spain, integrating findings into broader occupational risk programs.
• Set up or strengthen carbon accounting systems to comply with Spain’s mandatory emissions reporting and to prepare for CSRD disclosures.
• Register for CBAM, collect supplier emissions data, and build internal processes for certificate purchasing and emissions tracking for EU imports.
• Review and update H&S training compliance in Italy, especially for supervisor and employer roles impacted by the 2025 State-Regions Agreement.
• Align ESG reporting systems to meet CSRD (EU) and IFRS-based requirements (APAC jurisdictions such as Singapore, Australia, and Japan).
• Evaluate chemical and product compliance frameworks in APAC countries where new or expanded chemical classification, labeling, and inventory requirements are in force.
• Prepare for Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws in markets like India and Thailand by reviewing product lifecycle data, packaging records, and recovery targets.

This is about more than avoiding penalties. These regulations are now shaping your ability to operate, win contracts, and demonstrate accountability to stakeholders.

 

Inogen Alliance Can Help

With a network of over 6,000 local experts in 150+ countries, Inogen Alliance provides global support backed by deep local knowledge. From emissions strategy in Madrid to safety training in Milan to risk assessments in São Paulo, we help multinational clients respond quickly and stay ahead of compliance trends.

Reach out to us to speak with a regional expert and start preparing today.

ST. PAUL, Minn., January 13, 2026 /3BL/ – Antea Group USA was ranked #17 in Environment Analyst’s latest Global Environmental & Sustainability Consulting Market Assessment.

The report by Environment Analyst, a leading environmental business intelligence provider and membership community, identifies the leading global consultancies in environmental and sustainability (E&S) consulting sector based on their E&S consulting revenue from financial year 2024. The state-of-the-industry study provides a window into market dynamics, competitor rankings, revenue breakdowns, mergers and acquisitions, and growth opportunities.

“Maintaining our position among the world’s leading E&S consultancies speaks to the depth of our expertise and the commitment of our teams,” said Raimond Baumans, Chief Marketing Officer at Antea Group USA. “We see this recognition as motivation to keep advancing solutions that support our clients’ business goals while contributing to a more sustainable and resilient world.”

Inogen Alliance is also included on the list with a ranking of 37, excluding Antea Group, which is its largest member. Inogen Alliance, co-founded by Antea Group in 2001 to better serve global clients, is a global network of partnering consultancies that provide multinational organizations with consistent, high-quality, and cost-effective environmental, health, safety, and sustainability solutions. The collective ranking of Antea Group and Inogen Alliance is #15 globally.

The report is based on the Global 38 leading E&S consulting firms’ figures for the latest fiscal year end, submitted via an annual survey and verification process (and/or estimated based on publicly available annual reports and public information sources where there are data gaps) and totaled a combined revenue of $38.1bn in 2024. Together, the report accounts for 65% of the global E&S consulting market.

Download the Report

 

About Antea Group USA 

Antea®Group USA is an environment, health, safety, and sustainability consulting firm. By combining strategic thinking and multidisciplinary perspectives with technical expertise and pragmatic action, we do more than effectively solve client challenges; we deliver sustainable results for a better future. We work in partnership with and advise many of the world’s most sustainable companies to address EHS-business challenges in a way that fits their pace and unique objectives. Our consultants equip organizations to better understand threats, capture opportunities and find their position of strength. Lastly, we maintain a global perspective on EHS issues through our work with multinational clients, our sister organizations in Europe, Asia, and Latin America and as a founding member of the Inogen Alliance. Learn more at us.anteagroup.com.

About Environment Analyst 

Environment Analyst is a leading membership community and provider of business intelligence to the global environmental services sector. Environment Analyst has a global membership community of over 22,000 sustainability professionals. Membership includes access to their entire market intelligence library, which features bespoke market intelligence reports, data-sets, interactive dashboards and competitor analysis profiles, plus business news and insights.

SANTA ROSA, Calif., JANUARY 12, 2026 /3BL/ – Keysight Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: KEYS) introduced Keysight AI Software Integrity Builder, a new software solution designed to transform how AI-enabled systems are validated and maintained to ensure trustworthiness. As regulatory scrutiny increases and AI development becomes increasingly complex, the solution delivers transparent, adaptable, and data-driven AI assurance for safety-critical environments such as automotive.

AI systems operate as complex, dynamic entities, yet their internal decision processes often remain opaque. This lack of transparency creates significant challenges for industries, such as automotive, that must demonstrate safety, reliability, and regulatory compliance. Developers struggle to diagnose dataset or model limitations, while emerging standards — such as ISO/PAS 8800 for automotive and EU AI Act — mandate explainability and validation without prescribing clear methods. Fragmented toolchains further complicate engineering workflows and heighten the risk of conformance gaps.

Keysight AI Software Integrity Builder introduces a unified, lifecycle-based framework that answers the critical question: “What is happening inside the AI system, and how do I ensure it behaves safely in deployment?” The solution equips engineering teams with the evidence needed for regulatory conformance and enables continuous improvement of AI models. Unlike fragmented toolchains that address isolated aspects of AI testing, Keysight’s integrated approach spans dataset analysis, model validation, real-world inference testing, and continuous monitoring.

Core capabilities of Keysight AI Software Integrity Builder include:

• Dataset Analysis: Analyzes data quality using statistical methods to uncover biases, gaps, and inconsistencies that may affect model performance.
• Model-Based Validation: Explains model decisions and uncovers hidden correlations, enabling developers to understand the patterns and limitations of an AI system.
• Inference-Based Testing: Evaluates how models behave under real-world conditions, detects deviations from training behavior, and recommends improvements for future iterations.

While open-source tools and vendor solutions typically address only isolated aspects of AI testing, Keysight closes the gap between training and deployment. The solution not only validates what a model has learned, but also how it performs in operational scenarios — an essential requirement for high-risk applications such as autonomous driving.

Thomas Goetzl, Vice President and General Manager of Keysight’s Automotive & Energy Solutions, said: “AI assurance and functional safety of AI in vehicles are becoming critical challenges. Standards and regulatory frameworks define the objectives, but not the path to achieving a reliable and trustworthy AI deployment. By combining our deep expertise in test and measurement with advanced AI validation capabilities, Keysight provides customers with the tool to build trustworthy AI systems backed by safety evidence and aligned with regulatory requirements.”

With AI Software Integrity Builder, Keysight empowers engineering teams to move from fragmented testing to a unified AI assurance strategy, enabling them to deploy AI systems that are not only performant but also transparent, auditable, and compliant by design.

Resources

• AI Software Integrity Builder
• Technical Overview

About Keysight Technologies   

At Keysight (NYSE: KEYS), we inspire and empower innovators to bring world-changing technologies to life. As an S&P 500 company, we’re delivering market-leading design, emulation, and test solutions to help engineers develop and deploy faster, with less risk, throughout the entire product life cycle. We’re a global innovation partner enabling customers in communications, industrial automation, aerospace and defense, automotive, semiconductor, and general electronics markets to accelerate innovation to connect and secure the world. Learn more at Keysight Newsroom and www.keysight.com. 

Contacts

Andrea Mueller
Americas/Europe
andrea.mueller@keysight.com

Fusako Dohi, Asia
+81 42 660–2162
fusako_dohi@keysight.com

For many in under-resourced communities, barriers such as unreliable transportation, language, insufficient insurance coverage and limited access to trusted information often put basic healthcare out of reach. These challenges can lead to preventable risks and unmanaged chronic conditions, widening the gap in community health.

“Navigating the healthcare system can be complicated,” says Liz Gardner, executive director of the DaVita Giving Foundation.

Working to close that gap, DaVita has acted as a convener — uniting purpose-driven organizations like the American Diabetes Association (ADA), the YMCA and Bridge of Life to execute the Community Health Experience. This initiative was designed to meet people where they are and brought no-cost health screenings and practical, straight-forward educational resources directly to trusted neighborhood hubs in Orlando, Houston and Los Angeles throughout 2025.

A Unified Approach to Community Health

The strength of this initiative lies in its coordinated effort. By aligning with organizations that have local and cultural roots, the Community Health Experience created a welcoming and familiar environment that fostered connection.

“A lot of times people don’t know where to turn,” adds Anita Dominguez, executive director for the American Diabetes Association (ADA) in Southern California.

Collaboration with local nonprofit organizations helped to create a sense of community and connection with participants. Events were held in familiar, trusted spaces to make the first step towards improved health management both convenient and approachable, and resources were offered in multiple languages to foster understanding and personalization.

“We can’t do it alone,” Dominguez explains. “Working with DaVita allows us to bring care directly into the community. Together, we can guide people to the support they need.”

Leveraging their collective knowledge and close collaboration, the organizations create a broad, effective network of care that attracted more than 1,100 community members across the three cities to attend and learn more about their health.

This unified approach delivers comprehensive support for interconnected conditions like diabetes, hypertension and kidney disease — all within one coordinated effort. That coordination opens a critical window of opportunity: the chance to identify health concerns early and keep them on a manageable path.

Empowering Kidney Health: Proactive, Preventive Care

Early detection is the first critical step in helping prevent chronic diseases.

“Providing early detection can give people simple steps to change their lifestyle, to better manage their medication, little things that ultimately can have a long-term impact on someone’s overall health,” explains Gardner.

Screenings at the Community Health Experience events helped individuals understand their well-being, including risk factors that could affect their kidney health:¹

• 69% of community members had results suggesting a chronic disease
• 66% had high blood pressure
• 7% had diabetes
• 12% had chronic kidney disease²

Participants received personalized, culturally relevant guidance from healthcare professionals who understand their language and communities. These individualized conversations supported people to know the steps they can take to care for themselves.

By creating awareness and offering resources, DaVita and collaborating organizations were able to help people plan for their next actions in managing their health: 35% of people screened said they planned to follow up with a doctor to talk more about their screening results.

“The earlier we can start to get people thinking about their health, the better,” says Warren Yon, executive director for the YMCA of Central Florida.

Behind the increased awareness and resources, lies a broader force driving actions and this initiative forward: the trust built through local-level engagement.

Learn more about the Community Health Experience here.

 

¹ The stats represent 1,032 community members screened during the Community Health Experience events from August 14 through October 10, 2025.

² Stat represents CKD3a and above.

Data centers are no longer just physical repositories of servers – they are the command centers of the global digital economy. As generative AI, cloud computing, and edge technologies accelerate, demand for data center capacity is exploding. In the U.S. alone, investments are expected to exceed $1 trillion by 2035, expanding at a steady 10.54% CAGR (DC Market Insights). This is reshaping the industrial landscape and creating unprecedented pressure on infrastructure, energy supply, and logistics systems.

Yet while discussions about data centers often focus on power availability or real estate, a critical enabler is frequently overlooked: the sophisticated logistics ecosystem required to build, scale, and operate these facilities throughout their lifecycle.

DP World – long known as a global port operator and now a diversified, end-to-end logistics provider – is stepping into this gap. With more than $20 billion in revenue, 125,000 employees, and a presence in 75+ countries, the company is positioning itself as a strategic partner to hyperscalers and technology leaders building the next wave of digital infrastructure.

A New Industrial Revolution – Built on an Uninterrupted Logistics Loop

Hyperscale data centers operate on a three-to-five-year innovation cycle. As chips become more powerful and energy-dense, facilities require constant upgrading, expansion, and replacement. This creates a continuous operational loop that is far more complex than traditional industrial logistics.

It’s an area of enormous growth. As Rob Choy, DP World’s Global SVP and Technology Vertical Lead, told Supply Chain Management Review earlier this year, data center investment “is over $300 billion and growing at 15%. We’re just looking for a small slice of that around logistics.” But that small slice is highly specialized – and mission critical.

DP World’s teams manage:

• White-glove assembly of server racks
• Secure transportation of semiconductor-rich equipment
• On-site installation and integration
• Decommissioning, reverse logistics, and responsible recycling
• Ongoing upgrades as new technologies come online

“It’s a complete lifecycle relationship,” said Glen Clark, CEO of DP World in the U.S. and Mexico. “We build the server racks, manage the movement of critical infrastructure, and then work directly inside the data center, supporting everything from initial deployment to ongoing upgrades and reverse logistics.”

“Because semiconductor technologies advance so quickly, this work never truly stops. Every few years, core systems must be refreshed to accommodate faster, more powerful chips – triggering a recurring wave of renewal, modernization, and supply chain orchestration,” Clark added.

This is the new frontier of industrial logistics: a precision-timed, zero-margin-for-error supply chain underpinning the world’s digital economy.

Power, Proximity, and the New Geography of Data

Data center site selection has traditionally revolved around three variables: power availability, connectivity, and access to land. Increasingly, sustainability and regulatory pressures are complicating the equation.

But logistics is emerging as a deciding factor.

Data centers must be built where the grid can support them – even if those locations are remote, expensive, or difficult to reach. “These facilities require sensitive, high-value equipment and depend on highly coordinated global supply chains to move it across borders, climates, and terrain,” Clark said. “My advice? Build in the location that makes the most sense, and let us handle the logistical challenges that come with it.”

DP World’s global freight forwarding, contract logistics, and multimodal network enable data center operators to develop facilities in locations with strong power and sustainability advantages, even when traditional logistics infrastructure is limited.

Data Sovereignty and the Re-Localization of Digital Infrastructure

A quiet but seismic shift is underway: nations are reasserting control over data. From cybersecurity mandates to AI governance frameworks, governments are requiring locally stored, locally processed information.

This trend is driving data center construction across Latin America, Africa, the Gulf, and Southeast Asia. DP World is investing heavily in the port terminals, trade corridors, and inland logistics hubs that will form the backbone of these emerging digital economies.

For global cloud providers, the challenge becomes: How do you build and supply dozens of distributed micro-regions instead of a handful of mega-campuses?

For DP World, this is where its integrated, end-to-end model becomes a differentiator—connecting maritime gateways, air freight operations, inland logistics, and final-mile technology services within a unified ecosystem.

Why Logistics Is Becoming a Strategic Priority for Data Center Operators

As data centers enter their fastest period of global expansion, operators increasingly recognize that logistics is not a back-office function, it is a strategic advantage that shapes:

• Speed to market
• Uptime performance
• Security and risk management
• Sustainability targets
• Total cost of ownership

A single delayed component can stall a multimillion-dollar facility. A poorly executed upgrade cycle can degrade AI training performance. A mismanaged decommissioning process can undermine ESG commitments.

Hyperscalers are turning to logistics partners who can deliver controlled-environment transportation, bonded warehousing, on-site integration, and full lifecycle support.

The Next Frontier: Logistics as a Platform for AI Infrastructure

DP World’s growing role in the data center sector demonstrates a profound shift:
Logistics providers are becoming architects of digital infrastructure; not just movers of goods.

As AI reshapes industries from finance to medicine to manufacturing, data centers will continue to proliferate; and the companies capable of enabling their rapid, secure, and sustainable deployment will define the speed and resilience of global innovation.

The data economy is expanding faster than any technology wave in history. The businesses that treat logistics as strategic infrastructure – not a cost to be minimized – will lead in the next era of global competitiveness.

Learn more about DP World’s Cloud and Data Centers Logistics Solutions.

Cisco’s first Empower & Connect Summit at our campus in Raleigh, NC, brought together partners, innovators, and communities to explore how technology can drive meaningful social impact.

At the center of that energy was the Community Innovation Challenge. In partnership with Net Impact we invited students from around the world to pitch their boldest ideas: how would they use Cisco technology to address critical challenges in their own communities? We received 84 proposals from 12 countries, with the top five teams advancing to present in person at the Summit. There, a panel of experts evaluated their ideas based on their understanding of community needs, innovative use of technology, and potential for real-world results.

What struck me most wasn’t just the technical sophistication of their proposals — it was how deeply these students understood the communities they were designing for, and how they positioned technology as a path to opportunity.

Bold solutions, big impact: Meet the 2025 Innovation Challenge Winners

First place: DinéLink – $10,000
Mahima Subramaniyan and Devangna Jadeja, Arizona State University

Spanning 27,000 square miles of rugged terrain across Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah, the Navajo Nation is the largest reservation in the United States. Yet for nearly two-thirds of the more than 160,000 people who live there, reliable internet remains out of reach. [1]

Mahima and Devangna’s proposal tackled this head-on with a vision for digital sovereignty through DinéLink, a community-owned network designed to withstand the terrain and serve the people who live there. They proposed using Cisco Ultra-Reliable Wireless Backhaul to bypass geographic barriers and reach areas where fiber isn’t viable, paired with Meraki access points and security appliances to provide both connectivity and network management at scale. Solar-powered hubs would ensure reliability in remote areas, while Catalyst infrastructure would reduce dependency on traditional fiber networks. But what set DinéLink apart was the emphasis on building for the long-term by proposing to embed Cisco Networking Academy training through Diné College and Navajo Technical University, so the community doesn’t just get connectivity, but also the workforce to maintain and expand it themselves.

Second place: HealthHorizons – $5,000
Priya Rao (University of Connecticut), Julia Kuang (Wellesley College), Grace Chen (Swarthmore College)

In Greene County, Alabama, just three practicing physicians serve the entire population. Like many remote areas, sparse infrastructure means limited broadband access, putting telehealth out of reach for most residents.

The HealthHorizons team’s proposal centered on creating reliable telehealth infrastructure where none currently exists. They designed a system using Meraki infrastructure with failover connectivity to ensure clinics stay online, combined with Meraki firewalls to maintain HIPAA-compliant security for patient data. Webex would enable remote consultations and connect patients directly with specialists, while AI-powered tools could help with triage. Their four-stage model was designed not as a one-time fix, but as a system that could provide continuity of care in a place that’s been medically isolated for decades.

Third place: OncoALERT – $2,500
Dr. Jayanti Kumari and Sweta Pandey, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (India)

In rural India, cancer is often diagnosed too late to treat effectively. Through OncoALERT, Dr. Kumari and Sweta proposed a low-cost, AI-enabled saliva biosensor that could be deployed by community health workers or used at home — no specialized equipment required. The technical infrastructure would use Catalyst wireless access points to provide reliable connectivity in rural villages, Meraki SD-WAN to extend healthcare networks beyond urban centers and layered security through Cisco ISE and Duo to protect sensitive health data. Webex would enable remote consultations, bringing oncologists into communities where they’ve never had access before. If implemented at scale, their model estimates that OncoALERT could screen 5 million people and potentially save 120,000 lives.

Honorable mentions that raised the bar

Two additional finalist teams demonstrated an impressive command of both technology and community dynamics:

Cisco Community Connect Detroit — $1,000

A University of Michigan team proposed a youth-focused digital skills program designed to certify 1,000 Detroit students and reduce the city’s digital literacy gap by 25%. Their model combined Meraki infrastructure with hands-on Cisco Networking Academy training to build both technical skills and career pathways.

FloodSense Ghana — $1,000

A Talladega College team designed an early-warning system to help communities in Ghana prepare for floods before they hit. Their proposal combined IoT sensors and Meraki dashboards for real-time monitoring with telecommunications partnerships to reach an estimated 500,000 residents, while building a pipeline to train 500 students annually in IoT, cloud computing, and analytics.

What comes next: Investing in the next generation of problem solvers

Watching these students think about technology the way we should all be thinking about it — as a vehicle for solving real problems in real communities — was inspiring. They started where it matters most: with people. Families without internet. Patients without access to healthcare providers. Communities without flood warnings. Then, they proposed tech-enabled solutions around those specific needs. Now, each of the five finalist teams will be paired with a senior mentor at Cisco to help them further refine their ideas and continue developing as problem-solving innovators who put people and communities first.

This is the kind of thinking that creates real change. These students understand that technology’s value lies in making communities healthier, safer, more connected, and more resilient. And this is what Cisco is committed to supporting: equipping the best and brightest minds of the next generation with the resources, mentorship, and technology they need to bring their bold ideas to life.

View original content here.

Originally published by Mastercard
By Vicki Hyman, Director, Global Communications, Mastercard

Cash, check or charge: There hasn’t been a shortage of choice at checkout for decades. But the convergence of several trends, from advances in artificial intelligence to the growth of cryptocurrencies, is expanding options even further — and much faster. This is not only creating new ways to pay but reshaping how money moves, how trust is built and how value is created.

If there’s a topline trend to 2026, it’s how payments are evolving, becoming more personalized, predictive and seamlessly interoperable between traditional and new payment platforms — and how the often unsexy work of building the infrastructure, setting the standards and forging the partnerships to support these new experiences is paying off.  

Securing agentic commerce

In 2025, gen AI quickly proved itself to be more than a mere recommendation engine, with the promise of AI-powered agents starting to manage transactions on behalf of consumers and businesses. Agentic commerce will expand in 2026, but critically, so will the guardrails around it, making it easier and more secure for businesses to integrate agentic commerce into their transaction flows. The industry is focused on how to identify that an agent is legitimate, how to strengthen authentication with agents and reduce fraud, and how to capture intent in case an AI transaction goes awry. You can automate commerce, but you can’t automate trust.

Connecting crypto to fiat commerce

The wild ride of crypto may be the financial story of the early 21st century, but mainstreaming cryptocurrencies beyond investing has proven elusive. The last year and a half brought regulatory clarity in the U.S. and Europe over stablecoins — cryptocurrencies pegged to government currencies — creating the confidence the financial sector needed for commercialization. Next year, expect greater collaboration between ecosystem players that will make it easier and safer for people to pay and move money with stablecoins, from facilitating payouts to stablecoin wallets to enabling stablecoin and bitcoin purchases on-chain to streamlining settlement across borders and currencies.  

Doubling down on digital identity

Recent Mastercard research into cybercrime found that 80% of global consumers were the targets of a scam attempt in the last year. As the digital ecosystem expands, it is becoming more vital than ever that businesses and consumers know who they can trust. More robust identity verification tools that also make it faster and easier to prove your identity (and confirm those you interact with) will be essential to the growth of the digital ecosystem. We’ll see digital identity wallets that ease access to financial, government and other services, including through age verification, plus an acceleration of the ability to create verified aliases for crypto transactions, eliminating the need for the complex addresses that so often play a role in fraud. Expanding digital ID services to developing markets could even accelerate inclusion into the digital economy. The bottom line: Digital identity that feels as natural and reliable as making a payment. 

Redefining consumption for the circular age

Mastercard research shows that a growing wave of consumers, led by Gen Z, are embracing the circular economy model, which prioritizes maximizing use of resources and is built on reuse, resale and repair. This is creating the opportunity for regenerative payment loops, where transactions can enable and incentivize more sustainable choices, often via micro-transactions and secure, easy peer-to-peer payments, such as refill models, take-back programs and deposits and returns for reusable items like coffee cups.  For the consumer, it’s a virtuous circle, making returning a cup as simple as single use. For retailers, there are virtues, too — from lower packaging costs to deepened loyalty. 

Personalizing payments, benefits and risk

Payments and banking are adapting to the consumer, not the other way around. In 2026, we’ll see the rise of dynamic tools and platforms that can be customized for our own spending behaviors and financial goals. That will include payment credentials that let us set rules for how we want to pay, such as credit for big purchases or debit for everyday expenses: convenience, but with controls. By harnessing insights from billions of transactions — nearly 160 billion in 2024 — Mastercard is also delivering personalized content and far more tailored offers at precisely the right time. Small businesses and those with thin credit files may benefit as lenders access deeper insights advanced analytics and permissioned open finance data to better assess the creditworthiness of individual loan applicants.    

Enabling the instant economy for everyone, everywhere

In-store checkout may become even more seamless with biometric solutions – smile! – while one-click checkout online is within reach by 2030, thanks to the acceleration of tokenization across the globe, which eliminates manual entry of card numbers and static passwords. On the merchant side, real-time payments are becoming real, as Mastercard Transaction Stream, the brand-new processing technology that can clear in real time and settle payments the same day, continues to roll out, freeing up capital for businesses. And with global cross-border payments expected to exceed $250 trillion by 2027, expect more innovation and investment in this arena, from alias-based remittances to make it simple to send money to loved ones back home to the expansion of fast, secure and transparent cross-border capabilities that will, among other benefits, enable small businesses to reach the global marketplace.  

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Follow along Mastercard’s journey to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere.