Month: June 2026

As previously seen on the CSRHub blog.

By Bahar Gidwani

Founded in Geneva in 2001, Covalence evaluates the environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance of thousands of companies around the world. Covalence has recently released a new data set that monitors whether or not a corporation is conforming to well-established “norms” of behavior.

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Covalence regularly reviews more than 60 lists published by asset managers and asset owners worldwide and identifies which companies they excluded from their portfolio for “norms” violation reasons. More than 1,400 major entities turned out to be on at least one exclusion list (out of 15,590 that are both covered and tracked by CSRHub). Covalence is now offering this “Norms-Based Exclusion Monitor” to help other asset managers and owners uncover potential problems within their portfolios.

CSRHub is excited to announce the Covalence Norms list data is now available through CSRHub’s customizable Roadmap Report. The Roadmap makes it simple to add this data in your made-to-order Report. Click CSRHub’s Roadmap Report form, enter the focus company and up to ten additional companies. Tailor the Report to meet your specific needs. Choose at least one Roadmap foundation (Benchmarking, Trends, Engage or Lever), then any additional data sets to meet your unique specifications. The Covalence data is $200 and includes companies that were checked for inclusion in the Covalence Norms exclusion list, a list count and if flagged by asset managers and/or asset owners. A list of the entities covered by this data set, including those for whom no Norms issues were found, can be seen here on the CSRHub site.

A company’s presence on an investor exclusion list should relate to the strength of its internal controls and ethical standards. A company that breaches societal norms may lose some or all of its “license to operate” from the communities it serves. This makes norms analysis an important aspect of benchmarking one company against others and something that can often explain differences in indicators such as board quality, leadership ethics, and transparency.

Please contact CSRHub if you want more information about this data set. The entire set can be licensed for both corporate and investor use by visiting the Covalence site.

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About CSRHub

CSRHub provides decisive ESG data to reduce risk, improve ESG reporting, strengthen brand and manage stakeholders, using authoritative sustainability metrics and data harmonized from key investor sources (i.e., MSCI, ISS, S&P Global), and hundreds of other ESG experts.

CSRHub provides ESG ratings, benchmarking tools, and data feeds that support:

Benchmarking to improve ratings
Supply chain and vendor assessment
Regulatory readiness
Investment and risk analysis
Academic and research applications

If you are interested in using CSRHub data for research, reporting, or analytics, please contact us or explore our tools and data offerings on our website.

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About Covalence

The Covalence Norms-Based Exclusion Monitor focuses on investor norms analysis. It is part of the suite of metrics that Covalence delivers. Founded in Geneva in 2001, Covalence evaluates the environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance of more than 15,000 companies around the world, with a focus on media analysis and social issues.

We provide professional investors with ESG ratings and data to monitor portfolios, define investment universes, track controversies, manage reputational risks and document positive impacts.

Our multi-source approach, combining human expertise and artificial intelligence, compares corporate disclosures with stakeholder perceptions. This approach also inspires confidence among academic researchers and non-profit organisations.

Our main differentiators are: pioneer, independent ESG rating agency; dynamic, granular news data documenting controversies, good practices and evolving sustainability issues; in-house AI capacities since 2014; greenwashing risk indicator; SDG mapping; expertise on social and political issues such as human rights, norms-based exclusions, peace and democracy.

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Bahar Gidwani is CTO and Co-founder of CSRHub. He has built and run large technology-based businesses for many years. Bahar holds a CFA, worked on Wall Street with Kidder, Peabody, and with McKinsey & Co. Bahar has consulted to a number of major companies and currently serves on the board of several software and Web companies. He has an MBA from Harvard Business School and an undergraduate degree in physics and astronomy. He plays bridge, races sailboats, and is based in New York City.

Water is foundational to the beverage industry.

As the core ingredient in every beverage product, water connects beverage companies to shared watersheds, agricultural systems, manufacturing operations, communities, and long-term business resilience. It is also the reason the Beverage Industry Environmental Roundtable (BIER) first came together.

Founded in 2006, BIER began with a shared focus on water stewardship, recognizing that responsible water use and watershed health are essential to the future of the beverage sector. From the beginning, BIER’s work has centered on a simple reality: many water challenges extend beyond the reach of any single company and require collaboration across shared basins, supply chains, and stakeholders.

Industry Dialogue: Insights from Industrial Water Solutions 2026

This June, BIER Founder Paul Bowen joined industry and water leaders at the 2026 Industrial Water Solutions conference in Chicago for the panel discussion, Water in the Beverage Industry. The session explored the evolving role of water across beverage operations, stewardship, reuse, resilience, and industrial water management.

Hosted by The WateReuse Association and the Water Environment Federation, Industrial Water Solutions brought together professionals working across industrial water use, treatment, management, and regulation to identify circular water solutions that reduce waste, recover value, and support resilient communities and industries.

BIER’s participation reflects a 20-year commitment to advancing responsible water use through collaboration, technical guidance, benchmarking, water circularity solutions, and collective action across shared watersheds.

Key Resources for the Industry

Over the past two decades, BIER’s water-related work has included:

• Defining world-class water stewardship principles for the beverage sector
• Releasing the first BIER Water Benchmarking Study in 2007
• Developing in 2011, A Practical Perspective on Water Accounting in the Beverage Sector
• Launching The True Cost of Water Toolkit
• Publishing BIER’s 2021 Water Stewardship Definition
• Advancing water circularity through tools, metrics, and the 2024 Water Circularity Playbook
• Supporting collective watershed action through Charco Bendito in Jalisco, Mexico
• Continuing water, energy, and emissions benchmarking to support operational insight and industry progress

Today, BIER’s Water Stewardship technical focus continues to advance responsible water use through watershed health initiatives, water circularity solutions, improved efficiency, and collective action across shared basins.

Charco Bendito is one example of this approach in action. Launched in 2020, the collaborative watershed initiative brings together beverage companies, local stakeholders, implementation partners, and communities to support watershed health, water replenishment, and long-term resilience in the Charco Bendito sub-basin.

As water stress, climate pressures, resource demands, and sustainability expectations continue to evolve, collaboration remains essential to helping the beverage industry understand risks, identify practical solutions, and support long-term water stewardship.

Continuing the Journey

BIER’s 20-year history began with water. Today, that foundation continues to guide the coalition’s work to support responsible water use, shared learning, and collective action across the beverage sector. Other notable water stewardship resources include:

• 2025 Beverage Industry Water, Energy, and Emissions Benchmarking Study
• 2024 Water Circularity Playbook
• Water Circularity Metrics Tool Application and Guidance

As BIER looks ahead, water stewardship continues to remain a defining part of the coalition’s work and a continued example of the value of collaboration across the beverage sector. Through shared expertise, technical guidance, benchmarking, and collective action initiatives, BIER continues to support practical, science-based approaches designed to help companies strengthen water resilience, support watershed health, and navigate evolving environmental sustainability challenges together.

Originally published in GoDaddy’s 2025 Global Stakeholder Impact Report

Sustainability Governance

GoDaddy remains committed to embedding sustainability across our business and operations and within our strategy. Our approach focuses on creating long-term value for our customers, employees, shareholders, and communities while minimizing our environmental footprint. The roles and responsibilities outlined in our governance model span across the company and up to our Board of Directors (Board), enabling clear accountability, informed decision-making, and consistent progress tracking.

Board & Executive-Level Oversight

Sustainability oversight is entrusted to our Board and its committees. Our committees aim to ensure GoDaddy addresses its Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) impacts while continuously monitoring and reviewing the effectiveness of our sustainability initiatives. The Board works closely with management to integrate sustainability considerations into our long-term strategy, taking into account the related risks and opportunities.

BOARD & COMMITTEE-LEVEL OVERSIGHT

• NOMINATING & GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE
  The Nominating and Governance Committee oversees GoDaddy’s sustainability strategy, practices, and programs, including risk mitigation and reporting. The committee also reviews GoDaddy’s public disclosures on such matters, including those in our proxy statements and annual Global Stakeholder Impact Reports. The Nominating and Governance Committee regularly reports to the Board on these topics.
   
• COMPENSATION & HUMAN CAPITAL COMMITTEE
  The Compensation and Human Capital Committee maintains oversight of the company’s human capital management practices and programs. The committee oversees GoDaddy’s talent management practices, including the company’s compensation programs, pay parity analysis and reporting, and the company’s culture and recruiting practices. The Compensation and Human Capital Committee reports regularly to the Board on these topics.
   
• AUDIT & RISK COMMITTEE
  The Audit and Risk Committee oversees the company’s risk assessment and management as it pertains to the company’s financial, accounting, and overall operational performance. The Audit and Risk Committee reports regularly to the Board on these topics.

EXECUTIVE & MANAGEMENT-LEVEL OVERSIGHT 

• MANAGEMENT OVERSEES THE PROGRESS OF RESPECTIVE SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAMS AND PRACTICES AS THEY RELATE TO KEY AREAS OF OUR BUSINESS
  Management reports regularly to the Board and its committees to provide insight and updates regarding the company’s human capital management, sustainability programs and practices, including progress on goals such as our emissions reductions, and the overall risk framework and profile of the company. Members of our Sustainability Working Group, who directly manage our sustainability efforts and disclosures, report directly to members of management and senior leaders.

SUSTAINABILITY WORKING GROUP

• OUR SUSTAINABILITY WORKING GROUP IS COMPOSED OF LEADERS ACROSS THE COMPANY
  The Sustainability Working Group is a cross-functional group of leaders chaired by the Corporate Sustainability and ESG Team. The Sustainability Working Group is responsible for driving progress across priority topics and guiding and executing the company’s sustainability strategy by managing relevant potential sustainability risks and opportunities. The Sustainability Working Group also supports our ongoing commitment to sustainable practices and transparent disclosure.

Learn more about GoDaddy’s 2025 Global Stakeholder Impact Report.

About this Report

The GoDaddy 2025 Global Stakeholder Impact Report details our progress toward our corporate sustainability goals, strategies, and initiatives in support of our overarching purpose and values. Unless otherwise noted, this report reflects our corporate sustainability performance across our global operations covering the fiscal year period from January 1 to December 31, 2025. To demonstrate our commitment to transparent communication regarding our sustainability progress, we routinely share updates through our website and our annual reporting. We welcome your questions, comments, and feedback on this report by contacting ESG@GoDaddy.com.

This report references the Global Reporting Initiative Standards, includes select Sustainability Accounting Standards Board metrics for the Internet Media and Services sector, and the Task Force on Climate Related Financial Disclosures. We also disclose our contributions and progress toward priority UN SDGs. For additional information on how we align with these frameworks and key indicators demonstrating our sustainability performance, please refer to the Frameworks & Metrics section.

About GoDaddy

GoDaddy, the world’s largest domain name registrar, helps millions of entrepreneurs globally start, grow, and scale their businesses. People come to GoDaddy to name their idea, build a website and logo, sell their products and services and accept payments. GoDaddy Airo®, the company’s AI-powered experience, makes growing a small business faster and easier by helping them to get their idea online in minutes, drive traffic and boost sales. GoDaddy’s expert guides are available 24/7 to provide assistance. To learn more about the company, visit www.GoDaddy.com.

Landscape architect, author and teacher, Julia Watson is a global advocate for Indigenous ecological knowledge and the bestselling author of Lo—TEK, Design by Radical Indigenism and Lo—TEK Water, A Field Guide for TEKnology.

Her work is inspired by travels across the globe and a lifelong mission to uplift ancestral technologies through storytelling. She co-founded the Lo—TEK Institute, launched the Living Earth Curriculum, and co-leads the Lo—TEK Office of Intercultural Urbanism, leading the way in regenerative design—merging Indigenous science, Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), and cutting-edge urban innovation.

Listen to the podcast here.

The following is an excerpt from Cisco’s FY25 Purpose Report. Explore the full report to learn more about how we Power an Inclusive Future for All.

Read on Cisco’s Blog

The world of work is changing faster than ever, but our greatest strength remains our Cisconians. They are the heart of our culture, the driving force behind our innovations, and a critical part of how we make a positive impact around the world. Whether it’s AI upskilling or community building, hybrid connecting or everyday collaborating, we aim to create a workplace where our people are empowered to succeed. Because when our people thrive, they bring their best to everything they do — for our customers, our communities, and one another.

Guided by our Guiding Principles

We strive to create the best possible workplace so our employees can thrive, and Cisco can win.

In fiscal 2025, we announced a new set of Guiding Principles: actionable values that shape the ways we lead, learn, and work in the AI era. These were co-created across the business, with input from employees and our Executive Leadership Team. Our Guiding Principles keep us focused on the skills and behaviors that matter most, driving success for our customers and our communities. They are:

• Think Really Big: Be curious, learn fearlessly Take smart risks Innovate. Adapt. Do it again.
• Play to Win: Be real, be coachable. Speak up, debate often, and commit. Execute with quality, a sense of urgency, and accountability.
• Drive Durable Growth: Drive customer outcomes with products and experiences they love. Embrace One Cisco and the power of the platform. Connect our work to Cisco’s priorities and purpose.

Prioritizing Team Rituals

Leaders have the most direct influence over Cisconians’ experiences.

In fact, our internal research shows that employees who checked in with their leader weekly had 33% greater confidence in their organization’s strategy. Today’s global and hybrid workplace requires our leaders to be more deliberate about the norms and rituals to be successful.

That’s why we offer leadership tools and development opportunities, including:

• Weekly Check-Ins: All employees are encouraged to complete a Weekly Check-In, inviting them to reflect on the past week (What did you love? What did you loathe?) and outline priorities for the week ahead.
• Quarterly Engagement Pulses: These quick, leader-led surveys measure how motivated and engaged team members are through 10 simple questions.
• Bi-Annual Performance and Development Discussions: This process creates a two-way dialogue between employees and leaders, driving ongoing clarity, accountability, and growth.

Investing in Ongoing Learning and Development

Whether it’s engineers designing next-generation architecture or sales teams creating new go-to-market strategies, a drive to learn and innovate is what keeps Cisco ahead.

Cisco employees have access to our industry-leading external platforms, including Cisco Networking Academy and Cisco U., as well as personalized training programs, like Cisco Leader Fundamentals. In fiscal 2025, 89% of Cisco employees voluntarily participated in a learning or development offering, with more than 37,000 employees completing AI-focused offerings — a 76% year-over-year increase.

Supporting Employee Health and Well-Being

At Cisco, we don’t think of well-being as a nice-to-have; rather, it’s a business imperative and core to our Guiding Principles.

In fiscal 2025, we continued to invest in mental health and well-being for all Cisconians. For employees, we introduced the Calm app, offering free tools to help improve sleep, manage stress, and develop mindfulness. For leaders, we offered numerous learning events, including our “Leading with Humanity” series, a research-backed well-being series based on needs identified from employee listening surveys.

This year, we also grew our Well-Being Ambassador program, a community of proactive employees who champion healthy behaviors and foster connection. In fiscal 2025, more than 500 ambassadors reached nearly 4,800 employees through team activities and challenges, creating meaningful momentum in how well-being is activated and supported across the business.

“As business leaders, it’s up to us to make mental health and well-being part of the everyday experience at work. That starts with really listening to our people, investing in the programs and resources they need, and enabling our leaders to lead with empathy. When we get this right, our people feel supported and connected, and both our people and the business thrive.” – Kelly Jones, Chief People Officer

All in on AI

In fiscal 2025, we began piloting Ask P&C Assistant, an AI-powered digital agent that helps employees interact with People & Communities (HR) services. From “Can you submit my vacation request for me?” to “What are my parental benefits?”, the assistant aims to simplify employee requests and bring personalized answers to Cisconians’ fingertips. Ask P&C responds to common HR questions six to 10 times faster, with employees reporting a 20% increase in satisfaction.

Read the full FY25 Purpose Report 

At Cisco, our Purpose is core to who we are and what we do. Learn more about our goals and progress to date in our Purpose Reporting Hub. 

View original content here.

Financial institutions are warning consumers about a growing wave of mail theft and check fraud, as criminals use increasingly sophisticated tactics to steal personal financial information and drain bank accounts. KeyBank and other banking organizations are urging individuals and small businesses to stay vigilant and adopt safer payment habits to reduce risk.

A Growing Threat to Consumers

Check fraud and mail theft have become more prevalent in recent years, posing significant risks to individuals who rely on traditional paper-based payments. These crimes are not only financially damaging but can also create long-lasting complications for victims attempting to recover lost funds and secure their identities.

Security experts say the rise is fueled by organized criminal efforts to intercept checks before they reach their intended recipients. Once stolen, these checks can be altered, duplicated, or fraudulently cashed.

How Criminals Steal Mail

Fraudsters typically begin by targeting physical mail systems, using several widely reported techniques:

• “Fishing” scams: Thieves use sticky materials attached to strings or weighted objects to pull mail out of public collection boxes, searching for envelopes that may contain checks or sensitive documents.
• Stolen “arrow keys”: These universal U.S. Postal Service keys allow access to multiple mailboxes within a neighborhood. When stolen, they enable criminals to open large numbers of mailboxes quickly.
• Targeting postal workers: In some cases, criminals resort to robbery or intimidation to gain direct access to mail.

These methods allow fraudsters to collect valuable financial information at scale, often without immediate detection.

From Theft to Fraud

After obtaining checks, criminals exploit them using several common schemes:

• Counterfeit checks: Fraudsters create entirely new checks using stolen account and routing numbers.
• Altered checks: Original checks are modified to change the payee name or increase the amount.
• Forged endorsements: Criminals sign the back of stolen checks made out to someone else and attempt to cash or deposit them.

Because checks contain sensitive information, a single stolen document can lead to multiple fraudulent transactions.

Practical Steps to Reduce Risk

Financial experts emphasize that prevention is the most effective defense. KeyBank recommends several proactive measures:

1. Reduce Reliance on Paper Checks

Switching to digital payment methods, such as online bill pay or peer-to-peer platforms like Zelle®¹, can significantly lower exposure to fraud. Small businesses are also encouraged to explore banking tools specifically designed for fraud protection.

2. Use Caution When Mailing Payments

Consumers should avoid placing checks in residential mailboxes or public blue collection boxes, particularly overnight. If possible, mail checks directly inside a post office.

3. Shred Sensitive Documents

Old checks, bank statements, and ATM receipts can contain enough information for fraud. Properly shredding these materials reduces the risk of identity theft.

4. Monitor Accounts Frequently

Reviewing bank accounts daily can help identify unauthorized transactions early, an essential factor in increasing the chances of recovering lost funds.

5. Enable Bank Alerts

Text and email notifications can provide real-time updates about account activity, alerting customers to suspicious transactions or changes.

6. Follow Safe Check-Writing Practices

Consumers should avoid leaving blank spaces on checks, never endorse checks until ready to deposit or cash them, and clearly mark checks deposited via mobile banking to prevent reuse.

What to Do If You’re a Victim

If check fraud is suspected, immediate action is fraud critical. Victims should report the incident to their bank through official channels such as online security centers, fraud hotlines, or in-person branch visits. KeyBank clients can report fraud in the online banking Security Center, by calling our Fraud Client Service Center at 1-800-433-0124 (dial 711 for TTY/TRS), or by visiting a KeyBank branch.

Prompt reporting improves the likelihood of stopping fraudulent transactions and recovering funds.

Staying Ahead of Emerging Scams

As fraud tactics evolve, financial institutions encourage customers to stay informed about new scams and trends. Educational resources, including fraud awareness portals, can help individuals recognize warning signs early and protect themselves.

Bottom line: As check fraud and mail theft continue to rise, experts stress that awareness and prevention are key. By reducing reliance on paper checks, safeguarding mail, and monitoring financial activity closely, consumers can significantly lower their risk in an increasingly complex fraud landscape.

Stay up to date on the latest scams, common hoaxes, and fraud trends at key.com/fraud.

^{1 Zelle is intended to send money to friends, family, and others you trust. You should not use the service to send money to recipients with whom you are not familiar.}

^{The information and recommendations contained here have been compiled from sources believed to be reliable based on current information and conditions and are subject to change. KeyBank assumes no duty to update any information in the material in the event that such information changes. KeyBank does not represent or warrant its accuracy, reliability, or completeness or accept any liability for any loss or damage (whether direct or indirect) arising out of the use of all or part of this material. This material is provided as general information only; particular situations may require additional information or actions. Nothing in material shall be regarded as an offer, solicitation, recommendation or advice (whether financial, accounting, legal, tax or other) given by KeyBank and/or its officers or employees or other presenters. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought.}

^{Zelle and the Zelle-related marks are wholly owned by Early Warning Services, LLC, and are used herein under license. ©2026 KeyCorp®. All rights reserved. KeyBank Member FDIC. CFMA #260608-4569330}

AMSTERDAM and HONG KONG and OAKLAND, Calif., June 18, 2026 /3BL/ – Addressing climate change requires more than ambition — it requires measurable action. Cascale today released the Manufacturer Climate Action Program (MCAP) Annual Impact Report 2025, highlighting significant progress by manufacturers, suppliers, and brands working together to accelerate decarbonization across the global value chain.

“I’m extremely proud that MCAP has achieved a significant milestone in its evolution into a scaled industry decarbonization program participated by 85 manufacturer groups across 19 countries. This structural and pragmatic approach, which enables manufacturers not only in setting science aligned targets as the start, catalyzes a shift from commitment to implementation across the manufacturing community; to achieve it, all manufacturers have a multi-year actionable decarbonization plan which contains available levers to deliver ongoing emissions reductions. During the past 12 months, MCAP strategic council members have played a critical role in shaping the program; we deeply appreciate the time, expertise, and commitment contributed by them whose collaborative leadership has played a critical role in advancing the program delivery and impact. The progress we are seeing today reflects the power of structured collaboration, shared accountability, and practical tools that enable manufacturers to act at scale.” – Joyce Tsoi, senior director, decarbonization program, Cascale

Key Takeaways

• 85 manufacturer groups and 8 sponsoring brands engaged across 446 participating facilities in 19 countries
• 52 science-aligned targets validated, representing more than 1.6 million metric tons of CO2e reduction potential
• 33 climate risk assessments completed to strengthen long-term resilience planning and 43 decarbonization plans currently in development
• In May 2025, the multi-stakeholder MCAP Strategic Council was established and provided strong programmatic governance

MCAP supports manufacturers and suppliers with a practical pathway to measure emissions, set science-aligned targets (SATs) for scope 1 and 2 emissions, assess climate risks, and develop actionable decarbonization plans. In May 2025, the multi-stakeholder MCAP Strategic Council was established and provided strong programmatic governance to ensure all programmatic activities align with its strategic objectives and goals, ensure performance monitoring and accountability, and ensure it continues to deliver value.

To date, 85 manufacturers and eight sponsoring brands have been engaged through MCAP across 446 participating facilities in 19 countries. A full 52 science-aligned targets are now validated, representing more than 1.6 million metric tons of CO2e reduction potential. Finally, 33 climate risk assessments were completed to strengthen long-term resilience planning, and 43 decarbonization plans are currently in development. The report underscores the program’s ability to translate climate commitments into measurable outcomes.

Manufacturer Focus

The program combines technical support, training, third-party validation, and peer engagement to help manufacturers move from planning to implementation. Cascale hosts monthly office hours and ongoing training sessions in both English and Chinese. Through MCAP’s peer-learning community, manufacturers have gained access to practical knowledge, shared experiences, and real-world solutions from others facing similar challenges.

“We joined MCAP with strong ESG capabilities but faced challenges coordinating climate action across multiple overseas manufacturing sites. MCAP’s structured target-setting process enabled us to establish a science-based reduction strategy while unifying our international facilities under a cohesive decarbonization framework. MCAP has been a critical turning point for Nobland, enabling us to move from intention to execution.” – Jay Kim, ESG team leader, Nobland

“The MCAP Climate Risk Assessment will be extremely valuable to our long-term planning as we take preventative action to reduce heat and maintain productivity. This is now part of our ongoing resilience strategy.” – Cherry Liu, QA manager, My Nga Trade

“Martex Group joined MCAP with a strong base of energy data, but we needed a clearer framework to turn this information into measurable climate targets. Joining MCAP has been a significant opportunity for our company, creating the structure we needed to move from data collection to a clear, actionable decarbonization strategy.” – Akila Lakshan, assistant manager sustainability, Martex Group

Brand Engagement

MCAP supports brands in sponsoring manufacturers to address Scope 3 emissions, which often represent the majority of a brand’s carbon footprint. Sponsorship is not philanthropy — it is the most direct route a brand has to the supplier capability its own targets depend on. The value runs in both directions: Manufacturers achieve structure, credibility, and the ability to act, while brands gain supplier transparency, aligned progress against a shared standard, and concrete evidence of Scope 3 action they can share with regulators and investors.

“Gap Inc. has been engaged with MCAP since the program’s inception. We have seen firsthand how MCAP has strengthened collaboration with our suppliers and deepened strategic partnerships that are essential to driving progress.” – Sally Gilligan, Chief Supply Chain Officer, Gap Inc

“MCAP has played an important role in turning climate commitments into practical progress. We—and our suppliers–have learned a great deal through the program and seen valuable outcomes tied to goals and aligned action plans. By providing structure to the decarbonization journey, MCAP has helped participating facilities better understand and plan their path forward.” – Tony Hung, Manager, Supply Chain Sustainability, New Balance ”

“MCAP equips our suppliers with the tools, structure, and clear pathway needed to take meaningful action on decarbonization and continue advancing their sustainability journey. We’ve seen encouraging growth in participating manufacturers from the beginning to the end of the program — a journey that has been both motivating and impactful. We appreciate Cascale’s active engagement and the support provided throughout the process.” – Mia Gunawan, director of environmental sustainability, PUMA

Looking Ahead

As of April 2026, all 52 graduates from Cohorts 1 and 2 have successfully completed the 18-month program with a validated science-aligned target. This 100 percent validation rate stands as direct evidence of the program’s impact, demonstrating how MCAP translates intent into measurable action.

Cascale will launch two new MCAP cohorts this year. The organization is also developing post-MCAP programming to extend the manufacturer-brand partnership and support ongoing target tracking and emissions reduction.

Brands, manufacturers, and suppliers interested in learning more about MCAP can register for an upcoming information session through Cascale’s website. For additional information, contact mcap@cascale.org.

Media Contact: Forster Communications, cascaleforster@forster.co.uk

ABOUT CASCALE

Cascale is the global nonprofit alliance driving systemic transformation to combat climate change and support decent work in the consumer goods industry. Formerly the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Cascale unites a diverse, worldwide ecosystem of over 300 retailer, brand, manufacturer, supplier, service provider, government, academic, and nonprofit members.

Our alliance catalyzes pre-competitive collaboration for maximum impact, anchored by our stewardship of the Higg Index frameworks — implemented through the Worldly technology platform — and recent acquisition of the Better Buying and Sustainable Furnishings Council tools. While these methodologies are central to our work, they are part of a broader strategy to mobilize collective action, challenge industry norms, and build an industry that gives back more than it takes to the planet and its people.

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Key Takeaways

• Reduced electricity per consumed byte by 55 percent since 2019 baseline
• AI integration, network upgrades, and modernization led to 15 percent reduction in electricity usage, even as data traffic increased by 89 percent

Connectivity is essential to our lives, whether it’s for work, school, or entertainment. Every year, our customers stream more live sports, download larger games, connect more devices over WiFi, and engage with AI-powered applications that depend on fast, reliable, low-latency networks. At Comcast, we’re committed to delivering an exceptional connectivity experience, but while we’re doing that, we also want to do it in a more sustainable way.

In 2022, we set a goal to double the efficiency of our domestic network by 2030 from our 2019 baseline. Thanks to the innovation and tireless efforts of our incredible team at Comcast, I’m proud to report that we exceeded our goal and achieved it five years ahead of schedule. 

The investments we’ve made to our network enabled us to achieve a 55 percent reduction in electricity per consumed byte (EPCB) from 2019 to 2025. In 2019, our network consumed 18.4 kilowatt-hours of electricity per terabyte of data. In 2025, that number dropped to 8.2 kWh/TB. During this timeframe, we saw an increase of 89 percent more terabytes traveling over our network, which we delivered with 15 percent less electricity usage. That is the power of innovation at scale: delivering dramatically more data, with greater reliability and performance, while using less electricity per byte.

These gains did not happen by accident. They are the result of years of implementing smarter technologies, virtualized infrastructure, operational improvements, and a relentless focus on making our network faster, more reliable, and more efficient.

Modernizing Our Network

We modernized both the physical and digital infrastructure that powers our network, helping us save on electricity. Over the past several years, our teams have worked meticulously to take inventory and optimize hundreds of thousands of network-powering assets. We are tying assets directly to utility bills to better track our footprint and right-sizing gear to maximize efficiency. 

Steps we’re taking to cut down on power usage also extend to our facilities, which primarily use energy to power and cool network equipment. We transformed the cable modem termination system (CMTS) – the technology that connects customers’ modems to our broadband network – into a virtual platform to support customer demand for data while minimizing space and power requirements. Several initiatives to optimize cooling efficiency and effectiveness are being implemented. Smart thermostats allow us to optimize set points and improve remote visibility into our sites to monitor performance during critical events, such as storms. Airflow optimization helps us to eliminate hot spots in our sites while reducing the energy needed to keep sites cool. Each of these efforts may seem incremental on their own, but together at a scale as large as our network, they help us make an impact toward our energy efficiency goals by helping us reduce electricity consumption.

A Smarter, More Sustainable Network

We are also embedding AI and machine learning deeper into the network to help us make better decisions in real time. This enhanced monitoring allows us to identify and address potential issues faster, saving time and reducing truck rolls, which ultimately help us save fuel and reduce emissions. These predictive and self-healing capabilities help us improve the customer experience and increase our network’s reliability and resilience, all while supporting our broader sustainability goals – a win-win.

This progress matters because demand is only going to grow. As AI becomes more omnipresent, more live events shift to streaming, and homes and businesses continue to rely on WiFi to power more and more devices, networks will need to be more intelligent, more resilient, and more efficient than ever before.

To meet these demands, Comcast will continue to invest in technologies and operational improvements to improve the speed, reliability, and efficiency of its connectivity.  I’m incredibly proud of the Comcast teams who made this milestone possible. They are proving that we can build a network ready for the next generation of customer experiences while continuing to reduce the energy intensity of the data we deliver.

What Is the EPA’s Superfund Solutions Initiative?

On June 3, 2026, EPA announced the agency’s forward-looking Superfund Solutions Initiative to accelerate cleanups at roughly 1,340 Superfund sites on the National Priorities List (NPL). This plan is organized under three new approaches that focus on eliminating inefficiency and paving the way for stakeholders to achieve cleanup goals—faster, better, and cheaper. 

The 3 Most Significant Reforms

While there are 14 steps under the three approaches, the three steps Antea Group believes to be most impactful in order of significance are:

1. Standardize approaches so federal, state, and local partners do not reinvent the wheel for every cleanup action under the bucket “Deploy Tools and Authorities Earlier”.   
2. Accelerate the selection of the best cleanup approach through more rapid development of remedial investigations, feasibility studies, and Records of Decision under “Enhance Project Management”.
3. Align risk assessment approaches with gold-standard science and ensure they address site-specific risks while anticipating the community’s future use of the site under “Apply Smarter Science for Smarter Outcomes”.

Let’s explore these three key steps in more detail:

1) Standardize approaches so federal, state, and local partners do not reinvent the wheel for every cleanup action, is relevant and impactful.  Standardizing would streamline and eliminate the inconsistency between state, federal, and tribal processes. The current inconsistencies delay environmental protections, especially when a responsible party is responding to more than one agency. Multi-layered agencies on a Superfund site with various processes for each state, each EPA region and various tribal entities lack agreement between them, prolonging investigation, risk assessment, and feasibility studies before an actual cleanup can begin. This problem has been one of the top and the most significant reasons for extended cleanup timeframes. It boils down to process over results, leading to delays but also higher costs. Now that the baby boomers are retiring within the agencies, delays are only expected to increase. A new generation of regulators are replacing the more experienced developers of EPA’s processes, and they tend to lean toward strict adherence to regulation guidelines. If standardization can be accomplished, both negotiating and re-thinking the science that created distinctions between each of these agencies can be alleviated.

2) Accelerate the selection of the best cleanup approach through rapid development of remedial investigations, feasibility studies, and records of decision, but EPA does not identify tools in the announcement. Regardless, we found these five tools that may be useful for EPA to streamline decision making.

• NEPAssist: A web-based mapping tool for project managers to screen environmental assessment indicators for a specific area of interest, streamlining early-stage project review.
• Lean and IT Toolkit: A resource guiding environmental agencies on using Agile methodologies and Lean principles to eliminate waste, lower product development risks, and modernize workflows.
• Systematic Planning & QAPPs: EPA utilizes Data Quality Objectives (DQO) and QA Project Plans (QAPPs) to statistically ensure project data perfectly aligns with its end goals and regulatory constraints.
• Green Infrastructure Toolkit: A suite of models (including SWMM, CLASIC, and WMOST) that helps managers plan, design, and evaluate the cost-effectiveness of sustainable, nature-based water projects.
• Smart Growth Tools: EPA offers a wide variety of tools and resources to help communities learn about and implement creative and sustainable development approaches and identification of future land use.

3) Align risk assessment approaches with gold-standard science and ensure they address site-specific risks while anticipating the community’s future use of the site. This is a goal shared by regulators, responsible parties, and communities alike. However, challenges can arise when multiple agencies—or a single agency with fixed soil or groundwater standards—apply cleanup requirements regardless of current or reasonably anticipated future land use. In these cases, standardized cleanup goals do not match the cost benefit.

RCRA Sites Should Be Included Too

While these approaches can create fewer hurdles to cleanup for Superfund sites, it would be even more helpful for this approach to apply to Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) sites, as there are nearly three times more RCRA cleanup sites compared to the number of active Superfund sites.

Questions about how evolving EPA cleanup initiatives may affect your site? Contact Antea Group’s remediation team to discuss strategies for navigating complex site investigations, remediation projects, and regulatory requirements.