Month: July 2026

Covia Holdings LLC has released its 2025 Corporate Responsibility Report, highlighting the company’s commitment to responsibly providing minerals solutions for a better tomorrow while continuing to build an enduring company, the right way. For Covia, that means creating lasting value for the company’s customers and communities while prioritizing safety and responsible stewardship.

The report reflects a year focused on strengthening the company’s foundation. Throughout 2025, Covia remained focused on protecting its people, operating with discipline, and investing in the leadership, systems, and processes that drive consistency and excellence across every site. As in previous years, the report details progress towards the company’s 2030 Goals, underscoring Covia’s commitment to environmental stewardship, positive social impact, strong governance, and ethical business practices.

Looking ahead, Bruno Biasiotta, President and Chief Executive Officer, shared his perspective:

“I am incredibly proud of what we have accomplished and excited about the work that lies ahead as we continue building an enduring company. As this report shows, we are committed to doing that the right way.”

Read the full 2025 Corporate Responsibility Report

Fast Retailing convened media, industry experts, and collaborators in London and New York City for annual media events focused on the group’s sustainability efforts.

In London, approximately 20 journalists from trade, business, and international media gathered in London recently for the event, moderated by fashion sustainability voice Rachel Arthur, to explore the role of long-term partnerships, supply chain visibility, decarbonization, and circularity in advancing sustainability across the apparel value chain.

Opening the event, Taku Morikawa, chief executive officer of UNIQLO Europe, reflected on a recent visit to Moldova, where the company works with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and other international NGOs to provide emergency clothing relief for Ukrainian refugees. The event then moved into a broader discussion of Fast Retailing’s sustainability strategy, led by Odilia d’Aramon-Guepin, corporate PR and sustainability director, UNIQLO Europe.

D’Aramon-Guepin shared progress against the company’s climate goals, including a reported 90 percent reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions across its own operations. She also highlighted Fast Retailing’s decision to increase its Scope 3 emissions reduction target from 20 percent to 30 percent by 2030, reflecting the company’s ambition to drive greater impact across its supply chain.

A common thread throughout the presentation was the importance of long-term supplier relationships. Many of Fast Retailing’s manufacturing partners have worked with the company for decades, creating the trust and stability needed to support investments in sustainability improvements.

That theme continued during a panel discussion on supply chain decarbonization featuring Kazumi Yanai, group senior executive officer at Fast Retailing, and Lee Green, vice president, marketing, communications & public affairs at Cascale.

Panelists highlighted fragmentation and supply chain complexity as major barriers to progress where oftentimes suppliers serve multiple customers with duplicate demands.

“Most emissions sit in the supply chain, not in a brand’s own operations,” said Green. “The question is no longer whether solutions exist. The question is how we create the conditions that allow them to scale.”

Drawing on insights from Cascale’s Better Buying program, Green emphasized the role that commercial relationships play in enabling sustainability progress. “Long-term relationships create something incredibly important: predictability,” he said. “Suppliers will invest if the relationship itself is deemed investible.”

He noted that when manufacturers have confidence in future business, they are more willing to make long-term investments in renewable energy, cleaner technologies, and operational improvements.

Yanai shared how its long-standing supplier partnerships have supported investments in energy efficiency, renewable energy, and other emissions reduction initiatives, helping build confidence in the company’s ability to strengthen its Scope 3 targets.

The event also explored the growing importance of traceability and responsible sourcing. A discussion featuring Tomoya Utsuno, director (Materials), production department at Fast Retailing, and sustainable fashion journalist and consultant Megan Doyle examined how brands are working to gain greater visibility into their supply chains.

The final discussion focused on circularity and Fast Retailing’s collaboration with Central Saint Martins. Maria Ledous, Sustainability Manager at UNIQLO Europe Limited, and graduate designer Haseeb Hassan shared how the partnership challenged students to transform returned UNIQLO garments into commercially viable products while remaining true to the company’s LifeWear philosophy.

The resulting “Everyday Reimagined” collection will be introduced through RE.UNIQLO Studio locations across Europe, providing an opportunity to explore how circular design concepts can be scaled in a retail environment.

In the New York City programming, speakers similarly elevated the importance of Fast Retailing’s Scope 3 emissions reduction pathway, long-term supplier relationships, and innovative consumer-focused circular collaborations. Over 15 journalists and guests attended this intimate event.

Consultant Michael Sadowski moderated the sessions, joined by returning panelists Kazumi Yanai and Tomoya Utsuno from Fast Retailing. Cascale’s editorial director Kaley Roshitsh and Worldly’s Paula Bernstein, associate director of sustainability science, also contributed to sessions on emissions and traceability.

In highlighting the group’s emissions-reduction milestones, Fast Retailing’s Yanai stressed the necessity of “meeting commitments together” with suppliers.

Roshitsh highlighted the mutual benefits of this approach. “The No. 1 thing [suppliers] want is commercial predictability. That comes from long-term relationships where you know what order volume is coming.”

In the next session, Fast Retailing’s Utsuno and Worldly’s Bernstein explained the benefits of traceability. Utsuno outlined efforts to build stronger relationships further upstream in its supply chain, supported by systems that provide visibility into Tier 3 suppliers and raw material origins.

He highlighted the Australian Merino wool initiative as an example of how direct engagement with upstream partners can support traceability, responsible sourcing, and product quality. Bernstein, meanwhile, emphasized that a traceable supply chain is a resilient one.

In the final panel, Waste Management’s head of sustainability growth solutions Raymond Randall and Jean Emmanuel Shein, sustainability director at Uniqlo USA, spoke on a unique collaboration tackling waste at the point of item departure: the dreaded apartment move.

The collaboration between Uniqlo, Piece of Cake Moving and Storage, and Waste Management is called UNTRASH IT, and similarly, followed years of relationship-building.

The panelists touted the ease of the initiative with Uniqlo’s Shein joking about the importance of the “smell test” in determining an item’s next useful life. The collaboration foresees expansion plans outside of New York City into Dallas and Los Angeles.

Across both events, a common conclusion emerged. Whether addressing decarbonization, traceability, or circularity, progress depends on trust, collaboration, and the confidence to invest in long-term change. As one networking attendee remarked, “Why don’t more brands present like this?”

BOSTON, July 7, 2026 /3BL/ – Brightly, a climate technology company creating new funding opportunities for food banks and food rescue organizations, today announced that its food recovery carbon project has become the first project registered under Verra’s VM0046 Methodology for Reducing Food Loss and Waste. The registration was completed through Verra, which administers the world’s largest voluntary carbon credit program. The milestone advances a new funding model for organizations that reduce hunger while preventing food waste.

Brightly’s food recovery carbon project quantifies greenhouse gas emissions avoided when surplus food is recovered and redistributed for human consumption rather than becoming waste. By measuring and monetizing these avoided emissions, Brightly aims to create new funding opportunities for food banks and food rescue organizations while reducing methane emissions associated with food loss and waste.

The registration follows years of data collection, greenhouse gas accounting, methodology implementation, and independent validation conducted by SCS Global Services, an internationally recognized third-party certification body. The project now advances toward final credit issuance by Verra.

“Food recovery organizations generate tremendous environmental value every day, but historically there has been no mechanism to recognize or finance that impact at scale,” said Nico Dobler, Vice President of Climate Solutions at Brightly. “Becoming the first project registered under Verra’s VM0046 methodology demonstrates that the climate benefits of food recovery can be measured with rigor, transparency, and credibility while creating a pathway for food banks and food rescue organizations to access new sources of funding.”

“This project represents a hopeful new era in food waste accounting and methane mitigation. As the assessor for the first registered VM0046 project, SCS was proud to bring our validation expertise to this innovative and impactful project type,” said Heather Rosa, Program Director of GHG Energy, Industry, and Agriculture at SCS Global Services. “Brightly’s accountability, transparency, and constructive engagement supported an efficient independent review of a complex, first-of-its-kind project. Their success also reflects the strength of their partnerships with the participating food recovery organizations and their collaborative approach that made this milestone possible.”

Food loss and waste is a massive driver of the climate crisis, accounting for 8% to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. When left to rot, it becomes one of the largest sources of methane, a climate superpollutant with a global warming potential 80 times more potent than CO2 over a 20-year horizon. By recovering surplus food before it enters the waste stream, food recovery organizations do far more than strengthen food security and improve system efficiency; they deploy a highly effective, immediate lever for slashing near-term atmospheric warming.

Participating food banks and food rescue organizations, including members of the Feeding America network, as well as Midwest Food Bank, Sharing Excess and more than two dozen other independent non-profit organizations, assign the climate benefits associated with recovered food to Brightly, enabling those benefits to be measured, verified, and ultimately monetized through carbon markets. Upon issuance, the project is expected to represent one of the largest efforts to quantify and monetize the climate benefits of food recovery at scale.

Additional information regarding credit issuance will be provided following completion of Verra’s review process.

About Brightly
Brightly helps organizations measure, verify, and monetize the climate impact of food recovery. Through advanced data analytics, climate accounting expertise, and deep partnerships across the food recovery ecosystem, Brightly works to transform surplus food into measurable environmental and social impact. For more information, visit brightly.earth.

About SCS Global Services
SCS Global Services is an international leader in third-party environmental and sustainability verification, certification, and auditing. Its programs span a cross-section of industries, recognizing achievements in climate mitigation, green building, product manufacturing, food and agriculture, forestry, consumer products, and more. Headquartered in San Francisco, California and celebrating over 40 years in business, SCS has representatives and affiliate offices throughout the Americas, Asia/Pacific, Europe, and Africa. Its broad network of auditors are experts in their fields, and the company is a trusted partner to companies, agencies, and advocacy organizations due to its dedication to quality and professionalism. SCS is a chartered Benefit Corporation, reflecting its commitment to socially and environmentally responsible business practices. SCS is also a Participant of the United Nations Global Compact and adheres to its principles-based approach to responsible business. For more information, visit www.SCSGlobalServices.com.

Media Contacts:
Leah Lefco
LLS PR & Communications
LeahLLSPR@gmail.com
(404) 368-0778

Rachel Barnhart
SCS Global Services
rbarnhart@scsglobalservices.com

BOSTON, July 7, 2026 /3BL/ – Brightly, a climate technology company creating new funding opportunities for food banks and food rescue organizations, today announced that its food recovery carbon project has become the first project registered under Verra’s VM0046 Methodology for Reducing Food Loss and Waste. The registration was completed through Verra, which administers the world’s largest voluntary carbon credit program. The milestone advances a new funding model for organizations that reduce hunger while preventing food waste.

Brightly’s food recovery carbon project quantifies greenhouse gas emissions avoided when surplus food is recovered and redistributed for human consumption rather than becoming waste. By measuring and monetizing these avoided emissions, Brightly aims to create new funding opportunities for food banks and food rescue organizations while reducing methane emissions associated with food loss and waste.

The registration follows years of data collection, greenhouse gas accounting, methodology implementation, and independent validation conducted by SCS Global Services, an internationally recognized third-party certification body. The project now advances toward final credit issuance by Verra.

“Food recovery organizations generate tremendous environmental value every day, but historically there has been no mechanism to recognize or finance that impact at scale,” said Nico Dobler, Vice President of Climate Solutions at Brightly. “Becoming the first project registered under Verra’s VM0046 methodology demonstrates that the climate benefits of food recovery can be measured with rigor, transparency, and credibility while creating a pathway for food banks and food rescue organizations to access new sources of funding.”

“This project represents a hopeful new era in food waste accounting and methane mitigation. As the assessor for the first registered VM0046 project, SCS was proud to bring our validation expertise to this innovative and impactful project type,” said Heather Rosa, Program Director of GHG Energy, Industry, and Agriculture at SCS Global Services. “Brightly’s accountability, transparency, and constructive engagement supported an efficient independent review of a complex, first-of-its-kind project. Their success also reflects the strength of their partnerships with the participating food recovery organizations and their collaborative approach that made this milestone possible.”

Food loss and waste is a massive driver of the climate crisis, accounting for 8% to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. When left to rot, it becomes one of the largest sources of methane, a climate superpollutant with a global warming potential 80 times more potent than CO2 over a 20-year horizon. By recovering surplus food before it enters the waste stream, food recovery organizations do far more than strengthen food security and improve system efficiency; they deploy a highly effective, immediate lever for slashing near-term atmospheric warming.

Participating food banks and food rescue organizations, including members of the Feeding America network, as well as Midwest Food Bank, Sharing Excess and more than two dozen other independent non-profit organizations, assign the climate benefits associated with recovered food to Brightly, enabling those benefits to be measured, verified, and ultimately monetized through carbon markets. Upon issuance, the project is expected to represent one of the largest efforts to quantify and monetize the climate benefits of food recovery at scale.

Additional information regarding credit issuance will be provided following completion of Verra’s review process.

About Brightly
Brightly helps organizations measure, verify, and monetize the climate impact of food recovery. Through advanced data analytics, climate accounting expertise, and deep partnerships across the food recovery ecosystem, Brightly works to transform surplus food into measurable environmental and social impact. For more information, visit brightly.earth.

About SCS Global Services
SCS Global Services is an international leader in third-party environmental and sustainability verification, certification, and auditing. Its programs span a cross-section of industries, recognizing achievements in climate mitigation, green building, product manufacturing, food and agriculture, forestry, consumer products, and more. Headquartered in San Francisco, California and celebrating over 40 years in business, SCS has representatives and affiliate offices throughout the Americas, Asia/Pacific, Europe, and Africa. Its broad network of auditors are experts in their fields, and the company is a trusted partner to companies, agencies, and advocacy organizations due to its dedication to quality and professionalism. SCS is a chartered Benefit Corporation, reflecting its commitment to socially and environmentally responsible business practices. SCS is also a Participant of the United Nations Global Compact and adheres to its principles-based approach to responsible business. For more information, visit www.SCSGlobalServices.com.

Media Contacts:
Leah Lefco
LLS PR & Communications
LeahLLSPR@gmail.com
(404) 368-0778

Rachel Barnhart
SCS Global Services
rbarnhart@scsglobalservices.com

Note: The Gartner Supply Chain Top 25: Insights on Leaders was republished on the 1st of July as the ranking was updated to include ESG data that was mis-reported in the initial version. With this update, Lenovo moved to No. 5 in the global top 25 ranking. An updated version of this document is now available on gartner.com.

July 7, 2026 /3BL/ – Lenovo has once again been ranked in the Gartner® Supply Chain Top 25 for 2026, achieving its highest-ever ranking at fifth globally. The Gartner Supply Chain Top 25 is a renowned annual ranking of the world’s superior supply chains. Now in its 22nd year, the Gartner Supply Chain Top 25 identifies, celebrates and profiles excellence in supply chain management. Supply chain teams use the Gartner Supply Chain Top 25 to benchmark performance, transform operations and lead in the future. Lenovo ranked eighth in 2025, 10th in 2024, and eighth in 2023.

AI Builds Greater Supply Chain Resilience

Global supply chains have faced unprecedented disruption over the past 12 months, driven by tariffs, component shortages, and geopolitical tensions. Lenovo’s strength amid these challenging circumstances has been its ability to build on its AI infrastructure behind its global supply chain, improving resilience, adaptability and execution at speed and scale.

Over the past year, Lenovo has evolved its Supply Chain Intelligence “digital nervous system” to develop iChain, a continuously learning orchestration system that coordinates thousands of suppliers and more than 30 manufacturing sites globally. iChain is delivering tangible results for Lenovo’s supply chain operations, including 60% faster decision-making, near real-time disruption response, and a 90% automation of network simulations that reduces manual analysis from two to three weeks down to two to three hours.

Lenovo remains committed to sustainability and continues to focus on future-proofing its operations by making the supply chain more resilient and intelligent.

“At Lenovo, we’ve always considered our Global Supply Chain as a key pillar of our operational excellence,” said Che Min Tu, Senior Vice President and Group Operations Officer, Lenovo. “Over the past 12 months, the ability to respond quickly to disruption has become essential for every business. By fully integrating AI into our operations, we’ve been able to meet our customer needs more quickly and respond to complex situations. We not only withstand disruption; we become stronger because of it. It’s this approach that’s helped Lenovo navigate changing market conditions, maintain a competitive advantage, and deliver its strongest year in the company’s history.”

Resilience Delivers Measurable Business Results

This resilience is translating into business performance. Lenovo retained its number one position in global PC market share, with the gap to the second-ranked competitor widening to its largest level in 15 years.

At the same time, integrating the Infrastructure Solutions Group supply chain into the broader global network has helped accelerate growth in Lenovo’s infrastructure business, supporting record operating profit and margins.

As global supply chains continue to grow more complex, Lenovo’s model is evolving beyond the high-volume PC business, where a single device can include an average of 2,500 components, to meet hypergrowth demand for AI infrastructure, enterprise solutions, and next-generation workloads. This positions Lenovo to maintain leadership in the global supply chain landscape by scaling AI server manufacturing, expanding liquid-cooled server capacity, and strengthening its global-local manufacturing network.

Lenovo’s Global, Anti-Fragile Supply Chain Strategy

Today, Lenovo’s supply chain spans more than 30 manufacturing sites in 10 markets across Asia Pacific, China, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, North America, and South America. Last year, Lenovo broke ground on a new manufacturing base in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Once operational, the advanced manufacturing facility will manufacture PCs, smartphones, and servers for the Middle East and Africa market, and will include a research and development center, talent enablement programs, and a customer experience center. Lenovo is committed to supporting the creation of thousands of local jobs, enabling knowledge transfer, and driving long-term economic value creation in Saudi Arabia.

In addition, Lenovo’s manufacturing site in Monterrey, Mexico, was recently recognized as one of 12 new additions to the World Economic Forum’s Global Lighthouse Network, a community of 201 leading manufacturers recognized for applying advanced technologies at scale. It is the second Lenovo site to receive this recognition, following the company’s site in Hefei, China, which was recognized in January 2023.

In September 2025, Lenovo announced a major investment and job expansion at its U.S. manufacturing and fulfilment campus in Whitsett, North Carolina. The three‑building campus spans more than 800,000 square feet and employs approximately 1,100 people. The site supports server manufacturing, rack integration, and order fulfilment for customers across the United States.

How are companies ranked in the Gartner Supply Chain Top 25?

A Top 25 supply chain ranking is based on an equal weighting of business metrics and community opinion.

Business metrics comprise financial and environmental, social and governance (ESG) metrics. Financial metrics are based on a combination of three-year weighted return on physical assets (ROPA), ROPA change and revenue growth, plus inventory turns across the year. ESG data is derived from trusted third-party sources in the areas of commitment, transparency and performance across each area of ESG.

Community opinion is based on the feedback of peer voters from the community and Gartner experts. Peer voters cast votes for their personal choice of the Top 25 supply chains. They base their decisions on perceived end-to-end supply chain maturity and leadership, specifically the supply chains that are run as strategic assets to deliver business and societal outcomes by partnering beyond their own organizations and that are thriving through uncertainty.

Read the full Gartner Supply Chain Top 25 for 2026 Report here.

Gartner Press Release: Gartner Announces 2026 Rankings of the Global Supply Chain Top 25

GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s Research & Advisory organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved.

About Lenovo

Lenovo is a US$83 billion revenue global technology powerhouse, ranked #196 in the Fortune Global 500, and serving millions of customers every day in 180 markets. Guided by its vision of “Smarter Technology for All”, Lenovo is executing a Hybrid AI strategy that spans Personal AI – one personal AI, multiple devices; and Enterprise AI – helping customers turn data into insights and value. This strategy is delivered through the Group’s commitment to world-class innovation and a full-stack AI portfolio, including devices (PCs, workstations, smartphones, tablets, accessories), infrastructure solutions (server, storage, edge, high performance computing and software defined infrastructure), as well as software, solutions, and services. With a global footprint spanning more than 20 research and development locations and a global supply chain that includes more than 30 manufacturing sites across 10 markets, Lenovo is widely recognized for its operational excellence. Lenovo is listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange under Lenovo Group Limited (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY). Learn more at www.lenovo.com and follow the latest news in our newsroom.

Note: The Gartner Supply Chain Top 25: Insights on Leaders was republished on the 1st of July as the ranking was updated to include ESG data that was mis-reported in the initial version. With this update, Lenovo moved to No. 5 in the global top 25 ranking. An updated version of this document is now available on gartner.com.

NEW YORK and LONDON, July 7, 2026 /3BL/ – AccountAbility, today, announced the publication of an exclusive conversation between Mr. Abdallah S. Jum’ah, former President and Chief Executive Officer of Aramco, and Mr. Sunil (Sunny) A. Misser, Chief Executive Officer of AccountAbility, in the June 2026 issue of AccountAbility in a Sustainable World Quarterly (ASWQ).

Drawing on a career that spanned more than four decades, Mr. Jum’ah reflects on the experiences and principles that shaped his leadership journey, from joining Aramco as a young mailroom attendant to leading one of the world’s largest energy companies.

The conversation explores the qualities that define exceptional leaders, including humility, trust, and mutual respect.

“Humility is not a question of being weak in front of others. Humility is the ability to know yourself, knowing your weaknesses and strengths, but the most important aspect of humility is recognizing that you, as a leader, do not have all the answers. If you realize that you do not have the answers, then you can build the right team.” said Mr. Abdallah S. Jum’ah, former CEO and President of Aramco.

Throughout the interview, Mr. Jum’ah explores how these principles supported him in building high-performing teams, fostering innovation, and creating an organizational culture focused on long-term success.

“From the very beginning, I decided to hire people who are much smarter than I am. People say do not bring a strong man or woman to work for you, but I am against that. A strong individual will strengthen me, a weak individual will weaken me. I hope that I built a powerful team of tigers.”, said Mr. Jum’ah.

Throughout the discussion, Mr. Jum’ah reflects that, empowering people, embracing diverse perspectives, and encouraging continuous learning will ultimately create an environment where individuals will be able to contribute their best. Leadership, he suggests, is strengthened by curiosity, cultural understanding, and a willingness to learn from others.

“Religion is very important in human life. Religion brings strong values to all its followers. There is no religion that will encourage you to kill, maim, or do bad things. All religions tell you to be a good person. To understand people, to understand what makes them tick, and to respect them, you have to understand something about their beliefs.”, he added.

The conversation traces several themes that have shaped Mr. Jum’ah’s leadership philosophy, including:

• Building teams that are, collectively, stronger than the individual leader.
• Leading with humility by recognizing both one’s strengths and limitations.
• Creating cultures founded on trust, respect, and continuous learning.
• Recognizing character and emotional intelligence as technical expertise.

The interview closes with a broader reflection that lasting leadership is measured not just by business performance, but by the people developed, the culture established, and the organization left behind.

“Leadership is often discussed in terms of strategy and performance. This conversation is, yet another, reminder that organizations are ultimately built by people and comprised of people. Humility, trust, respect, and investing in others remain among the most enduring qualities of effective leadership,” said Mr. Sunil (Sunny) A. Misser, Chief Executive Officer of AccountAbility.

The full conversation, “Reflections of a Distinguished Executive Officer: A Conversation Between Mr. Abdallah S. Jum’ah and Sunil (Sunny) A. Misser,” appears in the latest edition of Accountability in a Sustainable World Quarterly here.

You can watch the full video interview here.

 

About AccountAbility 

AccountAbility is an expert international Sustainability Advisory and Standards firm. Established in 1995 and structured as a Public Benefit Corporation, we work with businesses, investors, governments, and multilateral organizations to innovate and lead the global sustainability agenda by improving the practices and performance of organizations. We focus on delivering practical, effective, and enduring results that enable our clients and standards users to succeed.

AccountAbility operates globally from offices in New York, London, Riyadh, and Dubai, supported by a highly qualified team recognized by the Financial Times, Forbes, and Capital Finance International. AccountAbility is also acknowledged in the U.S. Library of Congress as a source of ESG & sustainability research and thought leadership.

For media inquiries or further information, please contact:

Mr. Jon Damon

jon.damon@accountability.org 
Chief Operating Officer 
AccountAbility

Website: www.accountability.org

PORTLAND, Ore., July 7, 2026 /3BL/ – Leading a global movement toward responsible technology, the Global Electronics Council^® (GEC) today proudly unveiled the winners of the 2026 EPEAT^® Purchaser Awards. This year’s honorees have demonstrated the extraordinary power of intentional procurement, making collective purchasing decisions that eliminated 224,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, an impact equivalent to removing roughly 48,000 passenger cars from the road for an entire year.

The annual EPEAT Purchaser Awards celebrate visionary institutions that actively prioritize EPEAT registered products. In doing so, these organizations do more than meet internal sustainability milestones; they fundamentally shift the market toward responsible electronic supply chains. Highlighting the intersection of institutional mission and environmental stewardship, this year’s cohort features the University of California, Santa Barbara, showcasing how educational institutions are uniquely positioned to champion social and environmental responsibility.

Showcasing the immense power of university procurement to drive systemic environmental change, the University of California, Santa Barbara stands out as a premier honoree this year.

“As institutions of higher education, we have a responsibility not only to teach sustainability but also to practice it. Institutional procurement can account for a significant share of supply chain emissions, making sustainable purchasing one of our strongest tools for reducing environmental impact” explained Jen Bowser, Sustainable Procurement Program Manager. “Receiving the 2026 EPEAT Purchaser Award recognizes the collective efforts of staff, faculty, and students across UC Santa Barbara to make sustainability part of everyday decision-making and reflects our commitment to purchasing electronics that support both our campus community and the future of our planet.”

The awards also spotlighted global leadership in the public sector, honoring the Scottish Government for an incredible eighth consecutive year. Their enduring commitment underscores how national procurement frameworks can actively build a sustainable future.

“These frameworks continue to support Scotland’s Net Zero ambitions through the circular economy and environmental best practice,” said Calum Elliot, Deputy Director, National Collaborative Procurement Division. “We can only achieve this with the support of our wider public sector colleagues, and our gratitude goes to them, our suppliers, and the Global Electronics Council for helping us move towards our sustainability goals.”

By collectively purchasing more than 1.5 million EPEAT registered products, the 2026 award winners did not just protect the planet—they also demonstrated that responsible procurement is smart business, securing an estimated $43 million in operational savings over the lifecycles of the products. Beyond massive greenhouse gas reductions, this year’s winners achieved remarkable conservation milestones across the board, collectively reducing:

• 978 gigawatt-hours of energy, enough to power 80,500 average US households for a year.
• 20,400 metric tons of solid waste, matching the annual waste output of 11,000 US households.
• 2.25 billion liters of water, saving enough water to fill 903 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

“This year’s winners demonstrate that when leadership and sustainability converge, the environmental dividends are immense,” remarked Bob Mitchell, CEO of the Global Electronics Council. “EPEAT is proud to empower these trailblazers with the tools they need to confidently advance their impact goals, protect vital resources, and lead the global marketplace toward a more responsible future.”

By choosing EPEAT registered products, the 2026 award winners are doing more than reducing their own footprint—they are establishing a bold blueprint for institutions worldwide. The Global Electronics Council applauds these pioneers and invites organizations everywhere to join this vital movement, leverage their purchasing power, and help accelerate the transition to a sustainable, circular economy.

To learn more about the EPEAT Purchaser Awards and view the full list of 2026 recipients, visit: globalelectronicscouncil.org/epeat-purchaser-awards.

 

Global Electronics Council

The Global Electronics Council (GEC) envisions a world with only sustainable electronic technology that enhances the well-being of people and planet. Our mission is to accelerate the transformation of markets toward prioritizing the most sustainable electronic products and services.

As stewards of the EPEAT ecolabel, we set global standards for electronics that empower brands, their value chains and their buyers to achieve ambitious sustainability goals. Through our thought leadership, advocacy, and EPEAT ecolabel, GEC is helping to reshape the electronics industry into a driving force for environmental preservation and global well-being.

 

Our EPEAT Ecolabel

We are stewards of the EPEAT ecolabel – the definitive global standard to drive change across the technology sector from extraction to end of life. EPEAT enables manufacturers to follow strict third party verified standards while providing transparency for buyers.

Since its launch in 2006, procurement professionals have reported purchases of over 3.2 billion EPEAT products, generating cost savings exceeding 39 billion USD and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by over 370 million metric tonnes.

 

Media Contact

Erik Fessler

Senior Manager, Global Communications

Global Electronics Council

Direct Line: +1 (971) 380-4088

U.S. Eastern Time Zone

efessler@gec.org

At Henkel, our pioneers are driven by an unwavering spirit to explore, create, and transform possibilities into progress and improve life for generations to come. Learn their stories.

In this story, you will discover:

• Growing What Lasts: What beekeeping and environmental engineering have in common and how those skills led him to Henkel
• Leading by Example: How L.D. approaches his role as part teacher, part coach, and part trainer
• Future? Ready!: How L.D. helps prepare the next generation to build a better future

Introducing L.D. Pierce

L.D. Pierce, Senior Manager Environmental and Sustainability, Henkel Consumer Brands in the Americas, supports factories and warehouses in ensuring environmental compliance and advancing sustainability efforts. From helping teams drive lasting sustainability progress at Henkel to beekeeping, he brings the same commitment to sustainability to every part of his life.

L.D. shares what inspires him to be a pioneer for good

Growing What Lasts

After 15 years as a beekeeper, L.D. Pierce understands that caring for pollinators is about more than honey; it’s a way of protecting the biodiversity of the planet and resources we rely on today while working to improve them for the future. L.D. cares for 70 beehives and has planted acres of natural prairie grasses and flowers to help provide nectar and pollen for his bees. The key to his success over the years is knowing that the work requires patience, steady attention and a commitment to building the right conditions over time because healthy systems take time to form.

That same sense of patience and care shapes the way he thinks about environmental work across Henkel sites too. Early in his career, L.D. learned that meaningful outcomes in sustainability do not happen overnight.

“A lot of the things that I wanted to do with my career in environmental engineering, I would never see the results because it’ll take 50, maybe 75 years, for those things to take root and become standard in the world,” he says.

That steady perspective is partly what drew him to Henkel. When L.D. interviewed for his role, he was struck by the depth of information the company shared publicly about sustainability. He quickly realized he had found a company that shared his commitment to doing the right thing and understood the seriousness of the work it would take to see results. Henkel’s clear sense of purpose and willingness to invest in initiatives whose full impact may not be seen for years, made a lasting impression.

We are not doing sustainability for profit. We’re doing it because it’s the right thing to do. That commitment, from the highest level of the company to the factory floor, speaks volumes. It makes me proud to be here.

L.D. Pierce, Senior Manager Environmental and Sustainability, Henkel Consumer Brands in the Americas

Leading by Example

That same sense of purpose and passion for environmental work inspired L.D.’s daughter to also pursue environmental engineering. She began her career at Henkel in a role at the Bowling Green, KY factory—applying without telling her father. Her path reflected more than a shared profession. It showed how a commitment to caring for the environment can be passed from one generation to the next and the importance of establishing your career at a company that shares your values.

Motivating those around him is also how L.D. shows up at Henkel. He focuses on guiding teams and helping people build the confidence, knowledge and capability to move forward. “You can’t teach someone to do their job by doing it for them,” he says. “I really work to be a support function of coach, a trainer, a teacher to the factories.”

One example L.D. points to is his support of the Dial® brand’s GreenCircle certifications at Henkel’s West Hazleton, PA site, partnering with manufacturing, innovation, sales and marketing teams to help validate sustainable production practices for a select range of Dial® soaps. For L.D., the certification demonstrates the kind of collaboration and follow-through that sustainability efforts require daily.

Future? Ready!

As Henkel celebrates its 150th anniversary, the company looks back with pride and looks ahead with confidence to continue to reimagine and shape the future. L.D. takes that to heart ensuring sustainability is built into his work and life every day and helping the next generation carry it forward.

L.D. does that as an adjunct professor at The University of Toledo, teaching environmental engineering. He draws on his real industry experience to connect lectures to the practical challenges students may face in their careers.

If we don’t pass on our knowledge to the next generation, they won’t be able to grow, innovate and learn from everything we’ve done. It’s really about preparing people to be better than us in the future.

L.D. Pierce, Senior Manager Environmental and Sustainability, Henkel Consumer Brands in the Americas

For L.D., teaching is one more reminder that meaningful progress happens over time. The changes set in motion today, whether at the farm, at Henkel or in the classroom, may take years to fully take hold. That is exactly the point: creating something now that future generations can take further.

Originally published on GoDaddy Resource Library

TEMPE, Ariz., July 7, 2026 /3BL/ – GoDaddy (NYSE: GDDY) recently revealed its 2026 list of America’s Most Entrepreneurial Cities, with San Antonio, Texas, claiming the top spot. For the first time since launching the annual list, GoDaddy partnered with Zillow (Nasdaq: Z, ZG) to spotlight housing data for each market.

The rankings reveal a continued shift: small business growth isn’t concentrated in a handful of expected hubs. It’s taking hold in cities of every size, from major metros to places that rarely make these lists. Building on last year’s finding that size doesn’t determine entrepreneurial success, the 2026 data shows that pattern deepening, with an even more geographically diverse mix rising to prominence. Factors driving entrepreneurship often include real estate costs, talent migration, tax incentives, and remote work flexibility.

“The footprint of American entrepreneurship is shifting deeper into non-traditional places,” said Alexandra Rosen, GoDaddy’s small business economist. “The idea that you need to be in a major coastal city to build something has evolved. Whether it’s a traditional storefront with a digital presence or an online side hustle, entrepreneurs are sustaining momentum and showing there’s growing opportunity in every part of the country.”

What Zillow’s Housing Insights Say About the Most Entrepreneurial Cities 
The GoDaddy Small Business Research Lab created the 2026 list by determining the cities with the highest rate of business growth during the previous calendar year.

Zillow’s data, including this year’s home values, rent prices, and Market Heat Index, adds housing-market context for each breakout hub. For every Most Entrepreneurial City, Zillow details whether home values and rents sit above or below national averages, and whether a market favors buyers or sellers via the Market Heat Index.

“A thriving local economy and a thriving housing market tend to go hand in hand,” says Zillow Chief Economist Mischa Fisher, “When housing is attainable and plentiful, entrepreneurs feel more confident putting down roots and businesses find it easier to attract and keep talent. The pandemic fundamentally changed where people want to live and work, and new energy flowed to markets outside of the traditional hotspots. The map of economic opportunity has been redrawn along with it.”

 *Zillow data provides insight into the housing market trends for these cities, however it did not factor into the rankings of the cities. The Most Entrepreneurial Cities list was determined by GoDaddy Small Business Research Lab data.

Key Findings and Market Trends

San Antonio Emerges as the Nation’s Top Entrepreneurial Hub
San Antonio’s first-place ranking shows strong momentum and the highest rate of small business growth at 11% year over year. For every small business added in the San Antonio area, five new jobs are created, driving economic benefits for the surrounding community. Zillow data shows the city maintains a highly stable housing foundation, featuring a balanced Market Heat Index score of 50, representing a neutral housing market, favoring neither buyers nor sellers, with below-average home and rent values.

The Great Migration South: Founders Planting Roots in the Sun Belt 
Texas, Florida, and New Mexico accounted for half of the cities on the list, underscoring continued entrepreneurial momentum across the Sun Belt. This region attracts founders with financial incentives, including no state personal income taxes in Florida and Texas. Past research has found that migration from other states and countries drives higher rates of new small businesses in the area. Zillow data, however, reveals founders across these two states are navigating very different housing environments. San Antonio, El Paso, and Albuquerque are below the national average for home values, making cost of living more affordable, while Miami and Tampa are above the national average for rent.

One small business founder in Miami, Florida, Anik Sahai, co-founder of Ethics Lab with Michael Gomez, a youth-focused organization shaping conversations around AI ethics, shared what he appreciates about this region. “South Florida’s entrepreneurial ecosystem is built on a culture of collaboration and forward-looking innovation. For young builders, it provides a unique environment where you can connect across industries, find mentorship, and turn complex, real-world problems into scalable AI solutions. It is an incredible place to build.”

The Surprising Standouts
Some cities in the top 10 demand a second look. Washington, D.C. – a city synonymous with big government – earned a top 10 spot on the strength of new business formations, while in New York it’s the Bronx, not Manhattan, leading the way. Zillow’s data shows the trend spans every kind of housing market, underscoring that there’s no wrong place to start a business.

To learn more about the 2026 Most Entrepreneurial Cities, including additional city data, comprehensive interactive maps, Zillow housing insights, or to get more information on GoDaddy’s Small Business Research Lab, visit announcements.godaddy/3bl-us-mec2026.

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.

About GoDaddy Small Business Research Lab
The GoDaddy Small Business Research Lab analyzes more than 20 million online businesses with a digital presence, defined by a unique domain and active website. Most of these businesses employ fewer than ten people, classifying them as microbusinesses. Since 2019, the program has surveyed more than 70,000 entrepreneurs, making it a leading source of data and insights on microbusiness trends. To learn more, visit us.godaddy/research.

About Zillow Group

Zillow Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: Z and ZG) is reimagining real estate to make home a reality for more and more people.

As the most visited real estate app and website in the United States, Zillow connects hundreds of millions of consumers with innovative technology, trusted agents and loan officers, and seamless digital solutions. With industry-leading tools and resources, Zillow supercharges real estate professionals so they can grow their businesses and deliver exceptional client experiences. For renters and housing providers, Zillow offers not only a robust marketplace but a set of end-to-end products and services to streamline applications, leases, payments and more.

Zillow’s ecosystem spans the entire home journey — from dreaming and shopping to renting, buying, selling and financing.

Zillow Group’s affiliates, subsidiaries and brands include Zillow®, Zillow Premier Agent®, Zillow Home Loans®, Zillow Rentals®, Zillow® New Construction, Trulia®, StreetEasy®, Out East®, HotPads®, Follow Up Boss®, ShowingTime®, dotloop® and Zillow® Closing.

All marks herein are owned by MFTB Holdco, Inc., a Zillow affiliate. Zillow Home Loans, LLC is an Equal Housing Lender, NMLS #10287 (http://www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org/). © 2026 MFTB Holdco, Inc., a Zillow affiliate.

The Ray is moving beyond research to deploy real-time technology that makes transportation systems more responsive, durable, and safe. One of their most impactful collaborations is with Pi-lit®, a leader in roadway safety solutions with 13 years of experience developing US-made products. Together, they are converting passive highway hardware into a Roadway Ground Truth platform that alerts agencies to incidents in real time.

The Challenge: Silent Infrastructure

Safety hardware such as guardrails, crash cushions, and cable barriers is critical for protecting drivers in crashes. However, maintaining these assets across thousands of miles is a massive operational challenge. Historically, there has been no formal reporting mechanism for the status of these assets; DOTs often wouldn’t know a barrier was damaged until a manual inspection or a third-party report. This lack of visibility can lead to dangerous situations in which a previously damaged crash cushion fails to provide adequate protection during a subsequent incident.

The Solution: Pi-lit® Impact Detection System (IDS™)

To bridge this information gap, The Ray partnered with the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) to deploy the Pi-lit® Impact Detection System (IDS™).

How it Works: The IDS™ consists of smart, cellular-connected sensors that mount directly onto critical signage, guardrails, and cable barriers.

Real-Time Alerts: Within 60 seconds of a vehicle impact, the system sends automated SMS and email alerts to maintenance crews.

Precision Data: These alerts provide the exact location and time of unreported hits, ensuring critical hardware is repaired immediately.

Smart Features: The sensors even record their initial orientation; if a sign falls over due to an impact, the system alerts the team that the sign is no longer providing vital information to motorists.

Impact on The Ray Highway and Beyond

Following a successful one-year pilot, GDOT is expanding the Pi-lit® system across Metro Atlanta, North Georgia, and the Georgia Coast. This expansion helps GDOT investigate how smart guardrails can enhance safety on winding roads, congested corridors, and coastal highways.

Beyond immediate safety, the partnership provides several operational benefits:

Reduced Response Times: Maintenance and emergency response teams can be mobilized faster, often integrated with CCTV cameras to enhance situational awareness.

Revenue Recovery: By documenting the exact time of impact, agencies can better identify responsible parties and recover costs for damaged infrastructure—up to $15,000 per event.

Post-Storm Assessment: The sensors are even being used to help GDOT assess roadway debris after severe storms by detecting impacts on or near the pavement.

A Vision for Connected Safety

The Ray’s partnership with Pi-lit® is built on a shared vision to accelerate road safety improvements. By enabling infrastructure to see beyond its physical presence and communicate directly with agencies and, eventually, connected vehicles, they are creating a future in which every journey is protected by a layer of connected intelligence.

Together, The Ray and Pi-lit® are ensuring that highways are no longer just passive paths, but active participants in safeguarding every driver on the road.