Month: March 2026

In December, the future of African innovation took center stage in Abuja, Nigeria, as students from across the continent gathered for Junior Achievement (JA) Africa’s Company of the Year (COY) competition. Among the standout moments was the presentation of the FedEx Global Possibilities Award, celebrating youth-led businesses that are transforming bold ideas into real-world impact. 

This year’s award was presented to Xero Labs, a student-run enterprise whose solution speaks directly to one of today’s most urgent challenges: climate change. Guided by the competition’s theme – “ACT! Action for Climate Transformation” – the team demonstrated how innovation, sustainability, and community impact can intersect to create meaningful change.

Xero Labs began with a simple question: What if air pollution could be turned into something useful? Their answer was a device that captures harmful soot from vehicle exhausts and converts it into products like ink. What started as a small idea quickly evolved into a scalable solution with the potential to improve air quality while creating economic value – locally and beyond.

As the premier youth business pitch competition on the continent, COY brings together high school entrepreneurs from eight African countries. The FedEx Global Possibilities Award, adjudicated by FedEx team members, recognizes student businesses that embody global connectivity through four pillars: innovation, access to new markets, sustainability, and community development.

“Supporting the next generation of African innovators is central to how we see the future of trade and economic growth on the continent,” said Nelson Teixeira, Managing Director of Operations for Sub-Saharan Africa. “This year’s winners demonstrated a clear passion for building solutions that can compete and connect on a global stage.”

For the Xero Labs team, the experience was both validating and motivating. “What began as a small idea to address air pollution has grown into a project with real purpose and potential,” they shared. “Being recognized on a global stage strengthened our confidence and reminded us that young people can contribute meaningful solutions to global challenges.”

JA Africa shares that belief. “Africa’s greatest resource is the brilliance and creativity of its young people,” said Simi Nwogugu, President and CEO of JA Africa. “Climate action is not just an environmental issue – it’s a development imperative.”

FedEx has worked alongside Junior Achievement Worldwide for more than 45 years, investing in young people who are shaping the future of trade, innovation, and sustainable growth. Through initiatives like the FedEx Global Possibilities Award, FedEx is proud to connect people, ideas, and opportunities – empowering the next generation to turn possibility into progress.

Click here to learn about FedEx Cares, our global community engagement program.

In December, the future of African innovation took center stage in Abuja, Nigeria, as students from across the continent gathered for Junior Achievement (JA) Africa’s Company of the Year (COY) competition. Among the standout moments was the presentation of the FedEx Global Possibilities Award, celebrating youth-led businesses that are transforming bold ideas into real-world impact. 

This year’s award was presented to Xero Labs, a student-run enterprise whose solution speaks directly to one of today’s most urgent challenges: climate change. Guided by the competition’s theme – “ACT! Action for Climate Transformation” – the team demonstrated how innovation, sustainability, and community impact can intersect to create meaningful change.

Xero Labs began with a simple question: What if air pollution could be turned into something useful? Their answer was a device that captures harmful soot from vehicle exhausts and converts it into products like ink. What started as a small idea quickly evolved into a scalable solution with the potential to improve air quality while creating economic value – locally and beyond.

As the premier youth business pitch competition on the continent, COY brings together high school entrepreneurs from eight African countries. The FedEx Global Possibilities Award, adjudicated by FedEx team members, recognizes student businesses that embody global connectivity through four pillars: innovation, access to new markets, sustainability, and community development.

“Supporting the next generation of African innovators is central to how we see the future of trade and economic growth on the continent,” said Nelson Teixeira, Managing Director of Operations for Sub-Saharan Africa. “This year’s winners demonstrated a clear passion for building solutions that can compete and connect on a global stage.”

For the Xero Labs team, the experience was both validating and motivating. “What began as a small idea to address air pollution has grown into a project with real purpose and potential,” they shared. “Being recognized on a global stage strengthened our confidence and reminded us that young people can contribute meaningful solutions to global challenges.”

JA Africa shares that belief. “Africa’s greatest resource is the brilliance and creativity of its young people,” said Simi Nwogugu, President and CEO of JA Africa. “Climate action is not just an environmental issue – it’s a development imperative.”

FedEx has worked alongside Junior Achievement Worldwide for more than 45 years, investing in young people who are shaping the future of trade, innovation, and sustainable growth. Through initiatives like the FedEx Global Possibilities Award, FedEx is proud to connect people, ideas, and opportunities – empowering the next generation to turn possibility into progress.

Click here to learn about FedEx Cares, our global community engagement program.

As both the plastics and healthcare industries continue to evolve, the Healthcare Plastics Recycling Council (HPRC) remains dedicated to our mission to collaborate across the value chain to inspire and enable the healthcare community to implement viable, safe, and cost-effective recycling solutions for healthcare plastics.

Last year, we embarked on several projects from identifying synergistic waste streams within hospitals to conducting a lifecycle assessment literature review to identifying sortation best practices in the EU. We published a number of case studies, shared the final phase of our advanced recycling research, and continued to work with industry partners to share learnings and overcome shared challenges.

Now as we enter a new year, we’re excited to share our 2026 project roadmap! While some projects will carry over from last year, we’re also launching a slate of new initiatives in the new year.

2026 Project Overview

Houston Healthcare Plastics Regional Recycling Initiatives

Building on work carried out in 2024 and 2025, this project aims to initiate a regional healthcare plastics recycling program in Houston. The Houston initiative is a collaborative effort with the Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW) and the Vinyl Institute, starting with the Houston Methodist healthcare network.

The goal is to create a model program that showcases effective collaboration and responsible plastic recycling practices within a network of hospitals that can serve as a blueprint for other regions.

HFAB Resource Refresh

To support healthcare facilities as they navigate the evolving recycling landscape, this project will assess our existing Hospicycle tools to identify gaps in information and any outdated resources.

Working closely with our Healthcare Facility Advisory Board (HFAB), the project team will determine desired content updates by conducting a gap assessment. They will work to understand what tools are most useful, what resources are missing, and what can be improved. They will then develop a plan to refresh our available resources and build new tools to meet the changing needs of healthcare facilities.

Recycling Infrastructure

This project aims to improve our understanding of what medical device manufacturers (MDMs) and packaging suppliers should prioritize for recycle-ready packaging and materials selection. The project team will engage with U.S. hospitals through interviews to understand what works for those who have recycling systems and what barriers exist for those who do not. The interview results will be used to identify specific infrastructure needs within hospitals that would improve plastics recycling.

The results of these discussions will inform the development of a publicly available map highlighting hospitals that are currently recycling, their recycling partners, and what materials are being recycled.

Standardized Labeling for Flexible & Rigid Packaging

The goal of this project will be to support accurate material identification to improve end-of-life separation and recyclability by developing a standardized approach to labeling flexible and rigid medical packaging materials across MDMs and suppliers.

Industry alignment through a harmonized approach is key to ensuring clarity and applicability to support credible sustainability claims. The project team will review and understand the current state of existing labeling practices to inform the development of labeling guidelines.

Volume and Value Tool Summary

With the goal of developing a tool to predict plastic and recyclable material moving through a facility, this project team would use predictive analytics gathered from procurement data from FY2025 projects as well as partnerships with hospitals to determine product material makeup.

The tool would offer visibility to the potential volume of material available for recycling and make it easier to find partners/resources for collection. It would allow the user to evaluate a material’s recyclability to see how purchasing decisions affect the end volume of recyclable materials.

Interested in learning more about HPRC and the work that we do? Follow us on LinkedIn to stay in the loop on our latest work and check out currently available resources on our website.

PITTSBURGH, March 25, 2026 /3BL/ — Wesco International, Inc. (NYSE: WCC), a leading provider of business-to-business distribution, logistics services, and supply chain solutions, today announced it has been named to Fortune’s 2026 America’s Most Innovative Companies list, recognizing Wesco’s disciplined approach to innovation and its continued focus on delivering value for customers through scalable solutions, operational excellence, and a strong culture of continuous improvement.

Fortune’s annual list honors companies that demonstrate innovation across products, processes, and workplace culture. Wesco was recognized for embedding innovation across its enterprise—advancing digital capabilities, strengthening supply chain solutions, and enabling customers to operate more efficiently in an increasingly complex environment.

“This recognition reflects the focus and execution of our teams across the organization,”said John Engel, Chairman, President and CEO. “Innovation at Wesco is purposeful—it’s about improving how we serve our customers, strengthening our operations, and positioning the company for long-term growth. Being named to Fortune’s America’s Most Innovative Companies list is an honor, but it also reinforces our responsibility to keep pushing forward.”

The full list and methodology for Fortune’s 2026 America’s Most Innovative Companies can be found at fortune.com.

About Wesco

Wesco International (NYSE: WCC) builds, connects, powers and protects the world. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Wesco is a FORTUNE 500® company with approximately $24 billion in annual sales in 2025 and a leading provider of business-to-business distribution, logistics services and supply chain solutions. Wesco offers a best-in-class product and services portfolio of Electrical and Electronic Solutions, Communications and Security Solutions, and Utility and Broadband Solutions. The Company employs approximately 21,000 people, partners with the industry’s premier suppliers, and serves thousands of customers around the world. With millions of products, end-to-end supply chain services, and significant digital capabilities, Wesco provides innovative solutions to meet customer needs across commercial and industrial businesses, technology companies, telecommunications providers, and utilities. Wesco operates more than 700 sites, including distribution centers, fulfillment centers, and sales offices in approximately 50 countries, providing a local presence forcustomers and a global network to serve multi-location businesses and global corporations.

Contact Information
Jennifer Sniderman
Vice President, Corporate Communications
Jennifer.Sniderman@Wescodist.com

Originally published on Guiding Stars Health & Nutrition News

by Allison Stowell

The cereal aisle can feel overwhelming—especially when every box claims to be the right choice. Call-outs like “whole grain,” “fortified,” “heart healthy,” or “high protein” add to the confusion. When you’re short on time, you may not be able to review the nutrition facts panel. And with such an expansive section, where would you start? Lean on Guiding Stars to cut through this confusion and simplify your choices.

The Guiding Stars program is designed to help you easily find foods that are higher in the nutrients you’re seeking. It also helps you reduce your intake of added sugar, sodium, and additives you may be trying to limit. Choose Guiding Stars-earning options to narrow down an overwhelming cereal section to the nutrient-dense products that truly are the right choice for you.

Fiber

Many people choose cereal to meet their daily fiber needs. It’s well known that fiber can improve blood sugar control, lower cholesterol, and manage hunger to help with weight loss. Grains rich in soluble fiber, like oat bran, oatmeal, and barley, are especially helpful for lowering LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. The Guiding Stars algorithm gives points to products that are higher in fiber (and an extra point if a product offers whole grain). If you’re seeking more fiber, Guiding Stars-earning cereals are a great place to start.

Vitamins and Minerals

The nutrition facts panel must include micronutrient information for calcium, vitamin D, iron, and potassium. However, it’s common for cereal manufacturers to fortify products and include far more vitamin and mineral content information on their package. The Guiding Stars ratings are based on the same nutrient information available to consumers on the food label. While capped, a product receives more points (and possibly earns a Guiding Star) when it offers more vitamins and minerals. Choose Guiding Stars-earning options to help you meet your daily vitamin and mineral goals.

Added Sugar

Added sugar sneaks its way into many foods, and cereal is certainly no exception. Attractive front-of-package call-outs for whole grains, fiber, and protein may make an option seem like a nutritious choice. However, it’s also very common for these products to be high in added sugar, which increases risk for a variety of health conditions. Guiding Stars recognizes that limiting daily added sugar intake is essential for overall health. So, any food with over 40% of its calories from added sugar won’t earn a star rating (even if it has positive nutrients). Go for Guiding Stars-earning cereals to ensure you are working toward consuming less added sugar.

Additives to Limit

The Guiding Stars algorithm reflects current research and nutrition recommendations. This includes a new approach to food additives like artificial colors and flavors, synthetic non-nutritive sweeteners, chemical preservatives, and sugar alcohols. With this update, any product with an additive will lose a point. And if there is more than one additive, it’s automatically ineligible for a Guiding Star. Some cereals have long and confusing ingredient lists. Lean on Guiding Stars to help you avoid the options that include additives you may be seeking to limit.

Surprising Stars

Sometimes it’s surprising when a cereal earns Guiding Stars. It’s helpful to remember that Guiding Stars is a nutrition guidance program that provides you with the most nutritious option among many. That said, you may find a Guiding Stars-earning cereal that doesn’t work well for you personally. Or maybe it does, but just not every day. For these options, remember that there are many ways to enjoy cereal. Maybe have it as part of a parfait, with protein-rich, nonfat Greek yogurt. You can also add it to a trail mix, or even as an ice cream sundae topping.

About Guiding Stars

Guiding Stars is an objective, evidence-based, nutrition guidance program that evaluates foods and beverages to make nutritious choices simple. Products that meet transparent nutrition criteria earn a 1, 2, or 3 star rating for good, better, and best nutrition. Guiding Stars can be found in more than 2,000 grocery stores, in Circana’ Attribute Marketplace, and through the Guiding Stars Food Finder app.

*Image by Freepik

Watch on Rewriting the Code’s YouTube channel

For Everpure’s Pure Good Foundation and Rewriting the Code, it looked like more than just funding; it looked like showing up. 

Hear from both sides of an impactful collaboration: a company that engaged deeply with RTC members through executive panels, mentorship, and real conversations, and the students and early career women who now feel more confident, connected, and seen because of it. 

It’s not just about recruiting. It’s about building trust, relationships, and belonging. And when companies invest in that? Everyone wins. 

Ready to see what a values-driven partnership can really do? 

Learn how your company can partner with RTC: https://rewritingthecode.org/csr

As the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games capture global attention, a powerful local gathering in Burien highlighted the inspiring connection between elite adaptive athletes and the veterans in our own community. Comcast and the Seattle Sports Commission partnered to host a Paralympic Games Watch Party at the Northwest Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), bringing together Paralympic legends from Washington, local veterans, and community leaders to celebrate resilience, competition, and the transformative power of adaptive sports.

The event welcomed more than 40 attendees, including veterans from the VA Puget Sound Spinal Cord Injury Unit, leaders from Seattle-area sports organizations, members of regional chambers of commerce and business advocacy groups, and Seattle Sports Commissioners. Together, the group gathered to watch Team USA compete in Wheelchair Curling and to hear firsthand stories from athletes who have competed at the highest levels of adaptive sport.

Celebrating the Paralympic Movement

The event opened with remarks from Joy Cochran, President of Northwest Paralyzed Veterans of America, who welcomed guests and reflected on the organization’s mission to empower veterans living with spinal cord injuries and diseases.

Comcast Vice President of Government Affairs Carl Gipson followed with remarks highlighting the company’s longstanding commitment to accessibility and inclusive storytelling. He also shared Comcast’s pride in serving as an Official Partner of Team USA and LA28, reinforcing the company’s continued support for athletes and the global Paralympic movement.

“Sharing the Paralympic Games with the paralyzed veterans here today is especially meaningful because these athletes embody the same resilience, determination, and strength that we see in our veteran community,” said Gipson. “We’re proud to partner with Paralyzed Veterans of America and the Seattle Sports Commission to bring these inspiring moments to life and ensure veterans can experience the power of the Paralympic movement together.”

Beth Knox, President and CEO of the Seattle Sports Commission, echoed the importance of adaptive sports in creating opportunities for recovery, independence, and connection within communities.

Stories of Perseverance from Paralympic Athletes

One of the highlights of the event was a fireside chat moderated by Alex Webster, Director of Sporting Events Development for the Seattle Sports Commission. The discussion featured former Washington athletes. Lindi Marcusen and Taylor Swanson, U.S. Paralympic Silver Medalists who shared personal reflections on their journeys as elite adaptive athletes.

Both athletes spoke candidly about how sport became a powerful force in their lives after life-changing injuries – helping them rebuild confidence, pursue new goals, and connect with a global community of athletes. They also emphasized the importance of visibility for Paralympic sports and the role events like this play in inspiring veterans who may be exploring adaptive recreation as part of their rehabilitation.

For many veterans in attendance, the stories resonated deeply. Several shared how watching Paralympic athletes compete serves as a powerful reminder that injury does not define a person’s potential.

Experiencing the Paralympic Winter Games with Xfinity and Peacock

Following the conversation, guests gathered to watch Team USA compete in wheelchair curling using Xfinity’s innovative technology.

With features and technology like Fan View and Multiview, Xfinity delivers customers the most innovative and immersive sports viewing experience available anywhere. Xfinity is the ultimate destination to watch every moment and every medal of the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games.

To commemorate the occasion, Comcast distributed more than 50 Xfinity-branded Team USA gift bags to attendees, including PVA members and patients from the VA Puget Sound Spinal Cord Injury Unit.

Strengthening Community Through Sport

Beyond celebrating competition, the watch party served as an opportunity to strengthen connections between athletes, veterans, and community leaders across the region.

Adaptive sports continue to play a meaningful role in rehabilitation and community building for many veterans. By bringing together Paralympians and local veterans, Comcast created space for inspiration, shared experiences, and new opportunities for engagement.

As the Paralympic Winter Games continue, Comcast remains committed to helping audiences experience these remarkable moments—whether through community events like this one or through platforms like Xfinity and Peacock that bring the excitement of the Team USA directly to viewers at home.

Together with partners like the Seattle Sports Commission and Northwest Paralyzed Veterans of America, Comcast is proud to celebrate the athletes, stories, and communities that make the Paralympic movement so powerful.