Month: July 2026

By Liz Peters

“Imagine a health crisis that affects virtually everyone in the country, yet remains invisible.”

And so begins a piece in The Mandarin, an Australian government news and policy analysis site, coauthored by Jack Noonan, IWBI’s Senior Vice President and Head of Asia-Pacific, and Plum Stone, CEO and Founder of the Safer Air Project and Co-chair of the Global Commission on Healthy Indoor Air, highlighting healthy indoor air as a form of inclusive, preventative healthcare that drives returns.

“For millions of Australians, breathing in shared indoor spaces has become a barrier to accessibility and inclusion. For people living with chronic health conditions – like heart disease, cancer, asthma or diabetes – a day at work, a visit to the doctor, or a holiday celebration with friends can pose an invisible health risk.”

The column highlights the humanity behind something that impacts us all, but can be impossible to see. “For millions of Australians, breathing in shared indoor spaces has become a barrier to accessibility and inclusion. For people living with chronic health conditions – like heart disease, cancer, asthma or diabetes – a day at work, a visit to the doctor, or a holiday celebration with friends can pose an invisible health risk,” an excerpt reads.

This is the heart behind the Safer Air Project, an organization dedicated to establishing indoor air quality (IAQ) as a critical accessibility and inclusion issue. Through Stone’s leadership, the Safer Air Project advocates for better air standards to protect high-risk populations, including those with chronic illnesses, from airborne threats.

Chief among those efforts is the organization’s cornerstone campaign, Making the invisible visible, wherein organizations around the world commit to monitor IAQ, and publicly display that data so that everyone can see it, increasing accessibility and promoting inclusivity.

“’We spend around 90% of our lives indoors, where airborne pathogens and pollutants can significantly affect health, with disproportionate impacts on people with chronic conditions or disability,” said Stone, Safer Air Project. “Visibly displaying indoor air quality turns an invisible risk into something actionable, leading to safer, healthier and more inclusive spaces for everyone.”

In its pilot year in 2025, more than 20 organizations across eight countries and scores of sectors–banking, science, technology, arts, local government, health, manufacturing–participated. The campaign had strong visibility, reaching more than 2 million people globally.

Coinciding with the end of Indoor Air Quality Awareness Month, October 26-November 1, 2026, the Making the invisible visible is a galvanizing moment for organizations to come together for change.

IWBI is a proud participant for the second-year running. “We know clean indoor air is essential to our well-being. It’s time we treat it like the human right it is, one that protects and enhances individual health and strengthens resilience across our communities,” said our own President and CEO Rachel Hodgdon in 2025.

Join us, and join the campaign.

View original content here.

Originally published on Guiding Stars Health & Nutrition News

If you’re celebrating the United States’ 250^th year of independence on July 4^th, food is likely to be a big part of your party or get-together. The menu that’s usually served on our nation’s “birthday” isn’t random—it actually developed over years. Of course, there are some menu variations that reflect regional culinary customs and cultural ingredients. But the resulting amalgamation of dishes is another example of how we are united despite our country’s vastness and melting-pot culture.

Brief History of July 4^th Food

Independence Day is typically associated with outdoor eating celebrations. A patriotic picnic is very traditional, but barbecues are most common now. Barbecues became a favored feature of public celebrations in the South and Midwest during the 1800s. Lemonade, smoked and roasted meats, seasonal fruit, cakes, and ice cream were popular fare back then as they are now. But it wasn’t always that way.

Seafood (salmon in particular), new potatoes, and peas were likely part of Independence Day celebrations during colonial times. And by the nation’s Bicentennial in 1976, we had a new menu for “all-American” July 4^th gatherings. Hot dogs, hamburgers, barbecued chicken, corn on the cob, potato salad, coleslaw, watermelon, and pies of all kinds were the standard fare. But of course, this is a big country with distinct culinary regions. Tweaks to this menu are common and delicious. They include bean salads, corn cakes, tortillas, variations on BBQ sauces, tropical fruit salads, and a variety of seafood.

Tried and True Red, White & Blue

Even in the early years of Independence Day celebrations, hosts were intent on bringing patriotic flair to the table. Some added miniature flags to platters of food, or arranged fruit in a red, white, and blue pattern. Whatever the creative idea, the colors of the flag were often predominant on buffet tables. Depending on where people lived, creating this color scheme from food alone could be tricky. Some accounts of early feasts note the difficulty of finding enough blue-hued foods to complete the look. Remember the ever-popular flag cake made from white cake, strawberries, and blueberries? It was likely a cake mix company creation started in the 1950s, and is still a beloved tradition for many.

Food Ideas for America’s 250^th

While the standard cookout fare is fine, this year you get a chance to do something special. After all, it’s not every year the country celebrates 250 years of independence! Here are a few ideas to showcase the delicious “melting pot” that is American cuisine. (And if you’re having a potluck, be sure to mention your ideas or theme so guests can bring something appropriate.)

Go historical. Include some dishes that were traditional when our country was “born.” Take a cue from the picnic-style celebrations of the time and put together a menu that’s equally doable in a park or your own backyard. An appetizer board with cheese, molasses-sweetened Boston brown bread, and a variety of pickled vegetables are accurate for the time. Skip the hot dogs and burgers and instead serve sliced ham and other smoked or roasted meat and poultry. Present it on a platter with a variety of breads, rolls, and sandwich fixings so guests can assemble their own. Potato salad (like this New Potato and Pea version), cornbread, green salads, and fruit hand pies could complete the menu.

Highlight regional foods in a coast-to-coast menu. Spread the celebration far and wide by incorporating dishes from every region of the country. You might include foods like:

• Baked beans (this version earns two Guiding Stars and is made in the slow cooker)
• Vidalia onion dip with crackers and veggies for dipping
• Skillet cornbread like Guiding Stars’ unsweetened Southern Corn Bread
• Texas-style barbecued brisket
• Cool California chopped salad or pasta salad (use spaghetti like they do in Cali)
• A nice Midwest cherry or berry pie for dessert

Incorporate red, white, and blue everywhere you can. Now that we can get naturally blue foods at a supermarket, it’s easier to make your buffet stay on theme. This plan also gives you lots of leeway for including plenty of fruits and vegetables in the menu.

• Potato salad using a mixture of red, white, and blue-skinned baby potatoes
• Green salad with berries and apples (this Red, White & Blue Salad is a favorite)
• Burger topping platter with tomatoes, crumbled bleu cheese, and white cheddar cheese
• Fruit trifle with layers of red and blue berries to offset white cake or cream
• Barbecue sauce with an especially red or purple hue would provide good contrast for grilled chicken or pork
• For any dish that you can’t make the colors work, simply serve it in a red, white, or blue dish or use a patriotic garnish

About Guiding Stars

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

Image by Freepik

For more than 160 years, PNC’s strategy has been focused on the communities and people we serve. PNC’s investment in and collaboration with our employees, communities, customers, and shareholders directly reflect the strength and character of our company. When our communities thrive, we thrive.

As I step into the Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer role, I’m honored to share the substantive progress our teams accomplished in 2025. It’s important to emphasize that we do not- and cannot- do this work alone. In 2025, we consistently engaged with our shareholders and community partners on topics such as corporate strategy, financial and operating performance, and our responsibility as a corporate citizen. These conversations provided valuable insight, reinforced accountability and helped to drive continuous improvement. Read the full Corporate Responsibility Report.

Sustained and Consistent Community Impact

At PNC, community investment isn’t separate from our business. It is fundamental to it. In 2025, we completed and exceeded expectations on two transformative multiyear commitments- one focused on community improvement, and the other, on climate action:

• The four-year Community Benefits Plan surpassed our $88 billion pledge, with $119.3 billion in capital deployed to promote homeownership, support small business growth and advance community investment through loans, financing, investments and philanthropic contributions. In 2025, our Community Development Banking team extended $660 million in loans and investments, up from $469 million in 2024.
• Additionally, we successfully met and exceeded our $30 billion Environmental Finance pledge. Since 2021, we have mobilized $33.4 billion in financing across multiple lines of business, including renewable energy, green buildings, clean transportation, and environmentally linked loan products. We also achieved our 100% renewable energy goal for purchased electricity by the end of 2025, driven by two long‑term agreements.

More Accessible Financial Tools and Solutions 

We continue to innovate on customer‑focused financial solutions for the evolving marketplace. In 2025, we rolled out an enhanced online banking platform, delivering a more convenient, accessible and seamless experience for 11.5 million customers. We also invested in meeting customers where they are through our mobile branch network. In 2025, PNC mobile branches traveled nearly 94,000 miles, serving almost 20,000 customers in 3,449 visits coordinated by 255 community organizations. We complemented this outreach with 461 free financial education seminars designed to help participants make informed financial decisions.

Even as technology allows for new, more accessible service options, we understand many customers rely on the convenience of their neighborhood banks. We expanded our branch network in 2025, including 26 new branches and 170 renovations that modernize the in‑branch experience while supporting local communities.

This growth will continue under PNC’s $2 billion investment commitment in our branch network over the next five years- adding more than 300 new branches and 1,400 renovations. On January 5, 2026, PNC completed its acquisition of FirstBank Holding Company, including its banking subsidiary, FirstBank, significantly expanding our presence in Colorado and Arizona.

Early Childhood Education to Drive Economic Opportunity

PNC has invested in early childhood education for more than 20 years because we know education is a powerful driver of economic opportunity.

Through PNC Grow Up Great®, our signature $500 million, bilingual early childhood education initiative, we remain steadfast in our philanthropic commitment to help prepare children from birth to age 5 for success in school and life. From the program’s inception in 2004 through 2025, PNC Grow Up Great has supported more than 11.5 million children through over $290 million grants and educational programs. PNC employees have volunteered more than 1.3 million hours for this worthy cause. In 2025, they volunteered a total of 84,549 hours across up to 2,000 partner organizations focused on early childhood education or economic opportunity.

Taking Action to Help Close the Housing Affordability Gap

Like education, home ownership is a powerful driver of economic opportunity and generational wealth. At a time when our country faces a clear shortage of affordable housing, we’re focused on expanding access.

We know that homeownership is one of life’s biggest decisions, and we are here to support individuals and families through that important process. In 2025, more than 40 percent of our mortgages in primary assessment area markets supported low‑ and moderate‑income (LMI) borrowers.

In addition to homeownership, PNC also expands opportunity by supporting the development of affordable rental housing. In 2025, PNC Multifamily Capital, one of the nation’s largest syndicators of affordable rental housing, provided $4.0 billion in debt and equity to create or preserve affordable rental housing across urban centers, suburban neighborhoods and rural communities. These investments produced 15,900 units of affordable rental housing in 127 properties across 31 states and Washington, D.C.

Through this work, and our insights from the Community Benefits Plan, we will continue to make meaningful investments and improvements in our communities to support housing affordability and strengthen the trust that our stakeholders place in PNC.

Talent & Inclusion Drive Growth

Our business stands on serving a diverse group of individuals, families and businesses across the country. To do so effectively, and win in the marketplace, we must recruit and retain talented employees with the relevant experiences, skills and perspectives to best support them. This is a business imperative, and we work every day to foster an accessible and inclusive workplace where all employees — and customers — can feel welcomed, valued and respected. To support this imperative, we do not discriminate against any employee, potential or current client, supplier, or any other stakeholder, consistent with applicable laws.

Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Our 55,000-plus employees strive to elevate our business, and we are intentional in supporting their well-being. In 2025, we advanced our competitive talent strategy by introducing Brilliant Thrives Here^{® –} a new Employee Value Proposition (EVP)- reinforcing our commitment to help employees grow, contribute and thrive. We also continue to improve the employee experience by offering professional development and education benefits. More than 10,500 employees have enrolled in academic programs through PNC’s education benefit in partnership with Guild since late 2022. Through PNC University (PNCU), employees had access to more than 26,000 learning content options, completing 4.2 million hours of training, including PNC’s AI Skills Academy, which launched in 2025. Teams also leveraged multiple generative AI platforms that we deployed in 2025, including Microsoft CoPilot®, to enhance employee productivity and support informed decision-making.

Looking Forward

When we help a child develop a love of learning or help a family access stable housing, we strengthen the communities where we live and work.

Our community investments, educational initiatives, and support for housing affordability reinforce our approach to growth: serving communities well, earning long-term trust, and building our coast-to-coast franchise responsibly. That includes the ethical and productive use of AI, which remains a critical focus for PNC and our stakeholders. In 2025, PNC strengthened governance for the responsible use of AI through the establishment of the Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) framework and policy, alongside the Responsible AI Working Group’s continued oversight of adherence to and expansion of the firmwide application of PNC’s Responsible AI principles.

These efforts in 2025 represent just a snapshot of the comprehensive accomplishments detailed throughout this report, demonstrating our commitment and service to our customers and stakeholders. It’s how we’ve prospered for more than 160 years — and it’s what we’ll continue to do in communities across the country.

STACY M. JUCHNO
Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer

For more than 160 years, PNC’s strategy has been focused on the communities and people we serve. PNC’s investment in and collaboration with our employees, communities, customers, and shareholders directly reflect the strength and character of our company. When our communities thrive, we thrive.

As I step into the Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer role, I’m honored to share the substantive progress our teams accomplished in 2025. It’s important to emphasize that we do not- and cannot- do this work alone. In 2025, we consistently engaged with our shareholders and community partners on topics such as corporate strategy, financial and operating performance, and our responsibility as a corporate citizen. These conversations provided valuable insight, reinforced accountability and helped to drive continuous improvement. Read the full Corporate Responsibility Report.

Sustained and Consistent Community Impact

At PNC, community investment isn’t separate from our business. It is fundamental to it. In 2025, we completed and exceeded expectations on two transformative multiyear commitments- one focused on community improvement, and the other, on climate action:

• The four-year Community Benefits Plan surpassed our $88 billion pledge, with $119.3 billion in capital deployed to promote homeownership, support small business growth and advance community investment through loans, financing, investments and philanthropic contributions. In 2025, our Community Development Banking team extended $660 million in loans and investments, up from $469 million in 2024.
• Additionally, we successfully met and exceeded our $30 billion Environmental Finance pledge. Since 2021, we have mobilized $33.4 billion in financing across multiple lines of business, including renewable energy, green buildings, clean transportation, and environmentally linked loan products. We also achieved our 100% renewable energy goal for purchased electricity by the end of 2025, driven by two long‑term agreements.

More Accessible Financial Tools and Solutions 

We continue to innovate on customer‑focused financial solutions for the evolving marketplace. In 2025, we rolled out an enhanced online banking platform, delivering a more convenient, accessible and seamless experience for 11.5 million customers. We also invested in meeting customers where they are through our mobile branch network. In 2025, PNC mobile branches traveled nearly 94,000 miles, serving almost 20,000 customers in 3,449 visits coordinated by 255 community organizations. We complemented this outreach with 461 free financial education seminars designed to help participants make informed financial decisions.

Even as technology allows for new, more accessible service options, we understand many customers rely on the convenience of their neighborhood banks. We expanded our branch network in 2025, including 26 new branches and 170 renovations that modernize the in‑branch experience while supporting local communities.

This growth will continue under PNC’s $2 billion investment commitment in our branch network over the next five years- adding more than 300 new branches and 1,400 renovations. On January 5, 2026, PNC completed its acquisition of FirstBank Holding Company, including its banking subsidiary, FirstBank, significantly expanding our presence in Colorado and Arizona.

Early Childhood Education to Drive Economic Opportunity

PNC has invested in early childhood education for more than 20 years because we know education is a powerful driver of economic opportunity.

Through PNC Grow Up Great®, our signature $500 million, bilingual early childhood education initiative, we remain steadfast in our philanthropic commitment to help prepare children from birth to age 5 for success in school and life. From the program’s inception in 2004 through 2025, PNC Grow Up Great has supported more than 11.5 million children through over $290 million grants and educational programs. PNC employees have volunteered more than 1.3 million hours for this worthy cause. In 2025, they volunteered a total of 84,549 hours across up to 2,000 partner organizations focused on early childhood education or economic opportunity.

Taking Action to Help Close the Housing Affordability Gap

Like education, home ownership is a powerful driver of economic opportunity and generational wealth. At a time when our country faces a clear shortage of affordable housing, we’re focused on expanding access.

We know that homeownership is one of life’s biggest decisions, and we are here to support individuals and families through that important process. In 2025, more than 40 percent of our mortgages in primary assessment area markets supported low‑ and moderate‑income (LMI) borrowers.

In addition to homeownership, PNC also expands opportunity by supporting the development of affordable rental housing. In 2025, PNC Multifamily Capital, one of the nation’s largest syndicators of affordable rental housing, provided $4.0 billion in debt and equity to create or preserve affordable rental housing across urban centers, suburban neighborhoods and rural communities. These investments produced 15,900 units of affordable rental housing in 127 properties across 31 states and Washington, D.C.

Through this work, and our insights from the Community Benefits Plan, we will continue to make meaningful investments and improvements in our communities to support housing affordability and strengthen the trust that our stakeholders place in PNC.

Talent & Inclusion Drive Growth

Our business stands on serving a diverse group of individuals, families and businesses across the country. To do so effectively, and win in the marketplace, we must recruit and retain talented employees with the relevant experiences, skills and perspectives to best support them. This is a business imperative, and we work every day to foster an accessible and inclusive workplace where all employees — and customers — can feel welcomed, valued and respected. To support this imperative, we do not discriminate against any employee, potential or current client, supplier, or any other stakeholder, consistent with applicable laws.

Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Our 55,000-plus employees strive to elevate our business, and we are intentional in supporting their well-being. In 2025, we advanced our competitive talent strategy by introducing Brilliant Thrives Here^{® –} a new Employee Value Proposition (EVP)- reinforcing our commitment to help employees grow, contribute and thrive. We also continue to improve the employee experience by offering professional development and education benefits. More than 10,500 employees have enrolled in academic programs through PNC’s education benefit in partnership with Guild since late 2022. Through PNC University (PNCU), employees had access to more than 26,000 learning content options, completing 4.2 million hours of training, including PNC’s AI Skills Academy, which launched in 2025. Teams also leveraged multiple generative AI platforms that we deployed in 2025, including Microsoft CoPilot®, to enhance employee productivity and support informed decision-making.

Looking Forward

When we help a child develop a love of learning or help a family access stable housing, we strengthen the communities where we live and work.

Our community investments, educational initiatives, and support for housing affordability reinforce our approach to growth: serving communities well, earning long-term trust, and building our coast-to-coast franchise responsibly. That includes the ethical and productive use of AI, which remains a critical focus for PNC and our stakeholders. In 2025, PNC strengthened governance for the responsible use of AI through the establishment of the Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) framework and policy, alongside the Responsible AI Working Group’s continued oversight of adherence to and expansion of the firmwide application of PNC’s Responsible AI principles.

These efforts in 2025 represent just a snapshot of the comprehensive accomplishments detailed throughout this report, demonstrating our commitment and service to our customers and stakeholders. It’s how we’ve prospered for more than 160 years — and it’s what we’ll continue to do in communities across the country.

STACY M. JUCHNO
Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer

Updated Investverte Data Is Now Integrated Into CSRHub’s Ratings

Investverte aims to combine the best modelling practice and pragmatic approaches to ensure a high quality and robust results through in-house Advanced AI and Machine learning tools. By analyzing a both conventional and unconventional data, the company seeks to continuously improve its practices and outputs.

We work with several machine learning/deep learning based data sets. They all have low correlations with both CSRHub’s scores, the scores of the “major” ESG rating sources, and with each other! InvestVerte is comfortable with being “different” because it has shown that its ratings can generate positive investment returns.
https://2489059.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/2489059/undefined-May-07-2026-01-06-46-0522-AM.png

To make AI generate robust data, Investverte adds strong controls and checking. It also layers human input onto the output of its learning models. This generates feedback that continuously improves the model and its connection to what matters to investors. (CSRHub uses similar Big Data-driven feedback to improve its connection the consensus view of a wide range of stakeholders.)

Perhaps because of its focus on investor needs, Investverte’s “ratings” have never had a high correlation with CSRHub’s outside-in, stakeholder-perception driven scores. Its rating also do not have a high correlation with those of “major” ESG investment data sets or with those of other AI-driven system.
https://2489059.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/2489059/undefined-May-07-2026-01-06-45-7449-AM.png

Investverte recently decided to revise and further strengthen its approach. In particular it sought to use deep learning to help fill in missing data.

We have long seen missing data as one of the ESG data area’s biggest weaknesses. Many of the data sets we work with are 80% empty at the indicator level. When they try to generate scores off these “empty” indicators, they generate consistency issues that are hard to manage.

Fortunately, our big data aggregation system is able to integrate a disparate signal such as the one Investverte generates and use it to fill in and strengthen our overall ratings. Adding new voices—especially ones with a unique perspective—is what CSRHub’s system is built to do.

---

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.

---

About Investverte

Machine learning–based, InvestVerte provides ESG scores, benchmarking, and portfolio arbitrage. Advances in technology continue to expand and enhance the world of ESG and sustainability data. ESG integration goes hand in hand with best investment practices, and keeping a long-term goal in view is important — especially given the several challenges and barriers along the way. Learn more: https://www.investverte.com/

---

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.

Updated Investverte Data Is Now Integrated Into CSRHub’s Ratings

Investverte aims to combine the best modelling practice and pragmatic approaches to ensure a high quality and robust results through in-house Advanced AI and Machine learning tools. By analyzing a both conventional and unconventional data, the company seeks to continuously improve its practices and outputs.

We work with several machine learning/deep learning based data sets. They all have low correlations with both CSRHub’s scores, the scores of the “major” ESG rating sources, and with each other! InvestVerte is comfortable with being “different” because it has shown that its ratings can generate positive investment returns.
https://2489059.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/2489059/undefined-May-07-2026-01-06-46-0522-AM.png

To make AI generate robust data, Investverte adds strong controls and checking. It also layers human input onto the output of its learning models. This generates feedback that continuously improves the model and its connection to what matters to investors. (CSRHub uses similar Big Data-driven feedback to improve its connection the consensus view of a wide range of stakeholders.)

Perhaps because of its focus on investor needs, Investverte’s “ratings” have never had a high correlation with CSRHub’s outside-in, stakeholder-perception driven scores. Its rating also do not have a high correlation with those of “major” ESG investment data sets or with those of other AI-driven system.
https://2489059.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/2489059/undefined-May-07-2026-01-06-45-7449-AM.png

Investverte recently decided to revise and further strengthen its approach. In particular it sought to use deep learning to help fill in missing data.

We have long seen missing data as one of the ESG data area’s biggest weaknesses. Many of the data sets we work with are 80% empty at the indicator level. When they try to generate scores off these “empty” indicators, they generate consistency issues that are hard to manage.

Fortunately, our big data aggregation system is able to integrate a disparate signal such as the one Investverte generates and use it to fill in and strengthen our overall ratings. Adding new voices—especially ones with a unique perspective—is what CSRHub’s system is built to do.

---

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.

---

About Investverte

Machine learning–based, InvestVerte provides ESG scores, benchmarking, and portfolio arbitrage. Advances in technology continue to expand and enhance the world of ESG and sustainability data. ESG integration goes hand in hand with best investment practices, and keeping a long-term goal in view is important — especially given the several challenges and barriers along the way. Learn more: https://www.investverte.com/

---

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.

In its How Energy Works video series, SLB’s experts make energy technology easy to understand.

This installment explores how, behind every energy decision, there is an immense amount of data. It shows how AI designed specifically for the energy industry helps engineers connect that data in real time to make operations faster, safer and more reliable.

Watch the video here.

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:

• From Foster Care to Finding His Path: Life experiences shaped how Gerry connects with others and laid the foundation for his journey at Henkel
• Turning Care into Action: Gerry mobilizes colleagues to support the needs of foster youth
• Guiding the Next Generation: Gerry draws on his life lessons to mentor eraly-in–career engineers

Introducing Gerry Bechard

With more than 30 years at Henkel as a Lead Applications Engineering Specialist for Henkel Adhesive Technologies, Gerry is a technical leader by trade and mentor to junior engineers. He has also helped shape the lives of hundreds of children as a long-time foster parent, an experience that continues to define how he builds relationships and shows up for others each day.

Gerry shares what inspires him to be a pioneer for good

From Foster Care to Finding His Path

Gerry’s story begins at home in Ontario, Canada. For 36 years, he and his wife have served as foster parents, providing stability, support and opportunity to children in need. Having spent the first six months of his own life in foster care before being adopted, Gerry is motivated by a desire to give others the same chance for a stable family life. Over time, that motivation deepened as he saw the positive impact the children he fostered went on to have on others.

Throughout their fostering experience, Gerry and his wife adopted four children and fostered more than 350 children – some for a day, some for years.

From his home life to work life, Gerry learned invaluable lessons about working with people, solving problems and being open to different perspectives.

After working in a variety of roles early in his career, Gerry joined Henkel looking for an opportunity to apply his true interest, science, in a more hands-on way. He decided to continue his professional growth by returning to school to earn his bachelor’s degree while working. This experience helped him build new skills he relies on today. 

The culture at Henkel feels like a family. From education reimbursement to having team members who cheer you on, you’re supported no matter what. If I had challenges that I went through, there’s always been a team of Henkel colleagues I could lean on.

Gerry Bechard, Lead Applications Engineering Specialist for Henkel Adhesive Technologies

That support is something Gerry has experienced throughout his life and something he has worked to create for others.

Turning Care into Action

As a passionate advocate for foster care, Gerry always looks for ways to rally his colleagues to support children in need, especially those often overlooked. During Henkel’s holiday donation program, he noticed most donations were geared toward younger children, not teenagers.

Determined to close this gap, Gerry began organizing pancake breakfasts at Henkel to raise money for the Peel Children’s Aid Foundation, a nonprofit organization that serves youth and families in the region of Peel, Canada. In the company lunchroom, Gerry whipped up the pancake batter himself, while colleagues served hundreds of meals to raise funds.

Henkel’s Community Impact Day was another opportunity where Gerry saw a chance to support children in need. He brought together his colleagues to once again support the Peel Children’s Aid Foundation for a day of sorting and organizing donated items for children in foster care. Gerry has also received funding through Henkel’s Make an Impact on Tomorrow (MIT) initiative to further support the foundation’s work and coordinate product donations of everyday essentials.

In addition to supporting families, Gerry contributes to environmental efforts through Henkel Canada’s Earth Squad, an employee group that engages in local community projects, like local park clean-ups, as part of Henkel’s broader sustainability efforts. 

Together, these efforts reflect Gerry’s focus on supporting others in meaningful and practical ways, an approach that carries into how he works with people every day.

Guiding the Next Generation

At Henkel, Gerry mentors early-career engineers, helping them translate what they’ve learned in school into real-world applications to collaborate on customer-facing problem solving. His life experiences shape his communication style: listening to understand and responding thoughtfully based on individual needs.

Communication and the ability to listen are very important. Everyone comes with their own biases and their own experiences. Being able to understand where people are coming from and translate that into how it fits within the business is key.

Gerry Bechard, Lead Applications Engineering Specialist for Henkel Adhesive Technologies

As Henkel celebrates its 150th anniversary, Gerry is helping the company become future ready by passing on his knowledge and ensuring the next generation is equipped to move the business –and their own careers– forward. By showing up with empathy – at work, at home, and in the community – Gerry proves that lasting impact starts with supporting others when and where they need it most.

This blog was co-authored by Jennifer Mulhern, Vice President of AP Program Access, College Board

Read on Cisco’s Blog

Cybersecurity professionals have become essential to protecting our society’s critical infrastructure. Yet globally, 4.8 million cybersecurity-related vacancies remain unfilled, and organizations across industries are feeling the impact. As the demand for talent continues to grow, the pipeline isn’t keeping pace.

As AI introduces more sophisticated cyber threats, many students are eager to explore careers in the field. Too often, they lack access to learning experiences that help them build real-world skills. Instead, they’re asked to choose between coursework that prepares them for college and learning that prepares them for careers.

We have the opportunity to bridge that gap.

Starting in the 2026-2027 school year, College Board will launch AP Cybersecurity as part of a new set of Advanced Placement® (AP®) Career Kickstart courses. Cisco is proud to support this effort through Cisco Networking Academy, which will serve as a resource to bring industry-aligned curriculum, hands-on labs, and educator support to classrooms nationwide.

Connecting college readiness with career relevance

The AP Cybersecurity course is designed to bring greater real-world relevance to foundational academic learning, ensuring students are prepared both for related college coursework and the demands of today’s workforce.

Students can earn college credit based on their AP Exam score and enter higher education with a strong foundation in cybersecurity principles. This allows them to build on that knowledge more quickly and intentionally as they progress through their academic and career journey.

For those who choose Cisco Networking Academy as their instructional resource, the AP Cybersecurity course will also provide preparation for the Cisco Certified Support Technician (CCST) Cybersecurity certification. This industry-recognized credential signals job-ready skills in a competitive hiring market.

This dual approach reflects a broader shift in career-relevant education: students increasingly expect their academic experiences to have direct real-world applications, while employers are prioritizing candidates who can contribute from day one.

Expanding access by supporting educators

The successful implementation of cybersecurity education ultimately depends on the educators tasked with bringing it to life.

Across the country, schools are working to introduce new career pathways. Still, many face common barriers: limited resources, a lack of specialized equipment, and the challenge of keeping pace with a field that is evolving at breakneck speed. Many educators have not had the opportunity to receive formal training in cybersecurity.

Cisco Networking Academy helps address these challenges by providing a ready-to-teach curriculum, built-in hands-on labs, and professional development for educators, helping schools implement cybersecurity programs without the complexity typically associated with launching technical courses.

We’ve already seen the impact. During the 2025–2026 pilot, the AP Cybersecurity course reached 3,100 students across 183 schools in 30 states, with strong teacher adoption and high levels of student engagement. Nearly 500 educators have registered for AP Summer Institutes ahead of the upcoming national launch.

In this pilot video, participating teachers describe the power of the AP Cybersecurity to bring cybersecurity concepts to life through hands-on learning and real-world application.

Building a future-ready cybersecurity pipeline

The cybersecurity workforce shortage remains a pressing challenge. In a competitive job market – one where the definition of ‘entry level’ is changing every day – we cannot ask interested students to wait until college to begin preparing for their cybersecurity careers.

The launch of AP Cybersecurity is a practical step toward addressing both student interest and a significant talent shortage. Through this collaboration, Cisco and the College Board are working closely to ensure that students are gaining academic knowledge while also building clear, sustainable pathways into cybersecurity careers.

We remain focused on supporting educators and expanding access to high-quality, career-connected learning through Cisco Networking Academy. Strengthening this connection between classroom learning and real-world opportunity is a critical part of building a more resilient cybersecurity talent pipeline.

View original content here.