Author: sHq_LoGiNz

DES MOINES, Iowa, August 7, 2025 /3BL/ – The Principal^® Charity Classic today announced the 2025 tournament raised a record $10.6 million in support of Iowa youth. The annual PGA TOUR Champions event in Des Moines has raised more than $73 million for Iowa children’s charities since Principal Financial Group^® became the title sponsor in 2007.

“This year’s record-breaking achievement demonstrates the unwavering commitment of our community to support Iowa youth,” said Ken McCullum, board chair for the Principal Charity Classic. “Next year marks the 20^th anniversary of Principal as title sponsor, and it is inspiring to see the positive community impact of the Principal Charity Classic continue to grow.”

The Principal Charity Classic impacts the lives of more than 130,000 Iowa youth annually by investing in programs that help youth succeed in education, culture, financial security, career planning, and health and wellness. Tournament proceeds support four Tournament Charity Partners, more than 100 Birdies For Charity nonprofits, and the Legacy Project: Career Ready Collective.

“Every volunteer, sponsor, and attendee helps advance our mission. The continued growth in charitable giving reflects how deeply our commitment to supporting Iowa’s youth resonates. Together, we’re driving meaningful, lasting change for the next generation.” said Jo Christine Miles, director of Principal^® Foundation and Community Relations.

The 2025 Principal Charity Classic, held at the Wakonda Club, attracted over 55,000 attendees, 215 sponsors, and 1,100 volunteers. The 2025 player field boasted eight past champions and eight World Golf Hall of Famers. Miguel Angel Jimenez emerged as the 2025 Champion after a tight three-day battle on the course and a playoff at the finish. This was his third PGA TOUR Champions victory of the year.

The 2026 Principal Charity Classic will be held June 10-14, 2026, at the Wakonda Club.

###

About Principal Financial Group^®

Principal Financial Group® (Nasdaq: PFG) is a global financial company with approximately 20,000 employees¹passionate about improving the wealth and well-being of people and businesses. In business for 146 years, we’re helping over 70 million customers¹ plan, insure, invest, and retire, while working to support the communities where we do business and building an inclusive workforce. Principal^® is proud to be recognized as one of the 2025 World’s Most Ethical Companies² and named as a Best Places to Work in Money Management³. Learn more about Principal and our commitment to building a better future at principal.com.

¹ As of March 31, 2025 
² Ethisphere, 2025 
³ Pensions & Investments, 2024

About the Principal Charity Classic
The Principal^® Charity Classic is an annual PGA TOUR Champions event dedicated to investing in the future of Iowa kids. Since 2007, the tournament has raised over $73 million for Iowa children’s charities, including a record-breaking $10.6 million in 2025 alone. Funds benefit organizations focused on education and culture, financial security and stability, and health and wellness for Iowa youth. Recognized as the 2024 PGA TOUR Champions President’s Award winner, the Principal^® Charity Classic was proud to be selected Tournament of the Year.

Golf Charitable Foundation of Greater Des Moines, operating as Principal Charity Classic, is a duly recognized 501(c)(3) organization focused on providing philanthropic support to youth serving programs across the State of Iowa. While Principal Charity Classic receives funding from Principal Financial Group® and Principal® Foundation, Principal Charity Classic is a distinct, independent, charitable entity.

Principal Financial Group Foundation, Inc. (“Principal® Foundation”) is a duly recognized 501(c)(3) entity focused on providing philanthropic support to programs that build financial security in the communities where Principal Financial Group, Inc. (“Principal”) operates. While Principal Foundation receives funding from Principal, Principal Foundation is a distinct, independent, charitable entity. Principal Foundation does not practice any form of investment advisory services and is not authorized to do so.

© 2025 Principal Foundation.

4694186-072025

August 7, 2025 /3BL/ – The Beverage Industry Environmental Roundtable (BIER) has released the Beverage Industry EUDR Interpretation Guide, a practical, sector-specific resource designed to help beverage companies understand and meet the requirements of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) (EU 2023/1115).

Effective June 29, 2023, the EUDR introduced strict due diligence requirements for companies placing cattle, coffee, cocoa, soy, palm oil, rubber, or wood – or products derived from them – on the EU market or exporting them from it.

For the beverage industry, this regulation is highly relevant as it covers both raw ingredients (like coffee, cocoa, and palm derivatives) and select wood-based packaging (such as barrels and branded wooden crates). Full compliance for large and medium-sized operators begins December 30, 2025, with Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) following by June 30, 2026.

The guide is designed for beverage manufacturers, brand owners, and procurement and sustainability teams who need clear, actionable direction on how to implement EUDR compliance across their supply chains. It provides:

• Sector-specific guidance on identifying which ingredients and materials fall within the scope of the EUDR
• Step-by-step instructions for mapping supply chains, assessing and mitigating risk, and maintaining traceability
• Support for compliance workflows, including preparing and submitting Due Diligence Statements (DDS) via the TRAde Control and Expert System (TRACES), i.e., the EU’s official digital platform for EUDR implementation
• Integration strategies to align EUDR obligations with broader sustainability initiatives like no-deforestation commitments and SBTi FLAG goals

By providing a beverage-focused lens on a complex regulation, the guide empowers companies to reduce compliance risk, maintain market access, and build robust, future-proof sustainability practices.

“The EUDR presents both a challenge and an opportunity for the beverage sector. Our members needed clear, actionable guidance on how to navigate this complex regulation, and that’s exactly what this guide delivers, helping companies meet their obligations while advancing environmental stewardship.” ~ Erica Pann, Executive Director of BIER.

The Beverage Industry EUDR Interpretation Guide reinforces BIER’s mission to accelerate environmental progress in the beverage sector by turning complex sustainability challenges into actionable solutions.

The Beverage Industry EUDR Interpretation Guide is available for download at https://www.bieroundtable.com/publication/beverage-industry-eudr-interpretation-guide/

For more information, please contact: Erica Pann, BIER Executive Director
Erica.Pann@anteagroup.us

About BIER
BIER is a technical coalition of leading global beverage companies working together to advance environmental sustainability within the beverage sector. Formed in 2006, BIER is a common voice across the beverage sector, speaking to influence global standards on environmental sustainability aspects most relevant to the sector, affect change both up and down the supply chain, and share best practices that raise the bar for environmental performance of the industry. By doing so, BIER is able to monitor data and trends, engage with key stakeholders, develop best practices, and guide a course of action for the future. BIER members include Anheuser-Busch InBev, Asahi Group Holdings, Bacardi, Brown-Forman, Carlsberg Group, The Coca-Cola Company, Constellation Brands, Diageo, Heineken, Keurig Dr Pepper, LION, Molson Coors, Monster Energy, Ocean Spray Cranberries, PepsiCo, Pernod Ricard and Suntory Global Spirits. For more information, visit www.bieroundtable.com.

Back-to-school season isn’t just about loading up on textbooks and moving into dorms — it’s about owning your moment. Whether you’re heading to campus for freshman year or clocking into your side hustle between lectures, you deserve tech that delivers something big — like, main-character energy big.

Enter: Helaine Zhao, a college student, creator and voice of experience when it comes to making the most of school, tech and travel. Her social posts give her hundreds of thousands of followers a front-row seat to campus life, study-abroad adventures and the digital tools keeping her locked in and focused.

“I’m excited to share my tech recommendations with other students based on my experiences as a student and content creator and also help spread the word about the amazing benefits and deals that make T-Mobile valuable to students on a budget.”

And Zhao says she’s seen firsthand how T-Mobile is investing in students — not just through deals, but real empowerment.

“At the world’s largest student-run conference for empowering women in tech, I had the honor of speaking with members who shared more about T-Mobile’s Project 10Million,” she says. “Learning about all of T-Mobile’s youth initiatives was super inspiring. I couldn’t be happier to partner with a company that genuinely cares about education and empowering the next generation!”

Your Technology Is Your Study Buddy, and It Has to Travel with You Everywhere

As a student at one of the most competitive Ivy League schools in the country, Zhao is tasked with staying on top of a rigorous course load while also trying to find balance with extracurriculars and a social life.

“Tech is truly the basis of a good semester and school year, and it makes such a difference in my school life,” she says.

So what’s the tech she can’t live without right now?

“I film all of my content on my iPhone, and after trying the iPhone 16, I thought the camera was insane,” she says. “As a student, I also love the iPhone 16’s fast performance and built-in Apple Intelligence features. I use the Notes app a lot to keep track of my assignments and now that Apple Intelligence is integrated into Notes, it’s made my entire workflow smoother and more productive. I also have to say my iPad because it’s so light I can carry it around campus all day — no backpack strain.”

She says she knows new tech can be expensive and has some advice on timing purchases to be most cost effective.

“Use student discounts or deals whenever possible, especially during back-to-school season,” she says. “T-Mobile has the craziest back-to-school deals I have ever seen.

On the Go and Always Online: The Power of a Great Connection

Zhao says thanks to today’s hybrid of in-person classes and online lectures, she thinks connectivity is the most important feature of her tech arsenal, which means having the right plan, so she has the data needed to work on the go and access hot spots if needed.

“I have done my assignments on the grass of the Harvard Yard, on the train to New York, in an Uber and even in the dining hall,” she says. “I feel very blessed to attend a college that offers a lot of traveling opportunities, but they often occur during the school year, which means that I am juggling schoolwork while traveling.”

“I especially love to study in cafes, which sometimes don’t offer free Wi-Fi, so having hotspot data included in my plan, along with the amazing 5G network has been super reliable. I never have to worry about losing connection during a meeting or interview,” she says. “Plus, I attend college across the country from home and fly over five hours every time I go back. As someone who frequently has work to get done, having free in-flight Wi-Fi is truly lifesaving.”

Time Management, Reimagined

While she says she’s confident in her current set up to balance coursework, content creation and her personal life, she admits there are some improvements she’s hoping to make before heading back to class this school year.

“I’m going to be so honest with you, before I tried the Apple Watch, I thought it was completely unnecessary and kind of extra,” she admits. “But after testing it out last school year, I can admit I was wrong. It kept me on schedule, tracked my workouts, and since every student today lives by their Calendar app, it’s helped me stay on top of notifications during class without pulling out my phone.

She says she’s surprised that one feature became a personal favorite.

“As a college student, it is so easy to feel stressed and overwhelmed, and the Apple Watch Mindfulness app has helped me manage my mental and emotional health,” she says. “I use it almost daily to guide me through deep breathing exercises.”

Making Memories

Everyone talks about how tech can help you succeed in today’s competitive college landscape, but there’s got to be room to experience your newfound independence and friendships.

“It seems silly to say, but an important piece of advice I have for college students is to have fun,” she says. “Yes, studying and work are very important, but the four years you have in college are a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so make the most of them. Attend concerts, go to events, stay up late watching a show with your friends! I am so glad that T-Mobile has also thought of this and is making college so much more enjoyable with everything that comes with Magenta Status including T-Mobile Tickets, their streaming bundles and perks.”

As previously seen on the CSRHub blog.

CSRHub CEO and Co-founder Cynthia Figge recently moderated two panels at the Future in Review (FiRe) Conference, offering key insights on emerging supply chain risks and also on embodied carbon:

Emerging Supply Chain Risks with Ilya Levtov, CEO of Craft.co, and Sydney House, ESG Product Lead of Certa. Both are partners of CSRHub and focus on managing supply chain risks through data intelligence.

The Business of Embodied Carbon with Andrew Himes, Director of Collective Impact of Carbon Leadership Forum, and David Victor, Distinguished Professor of the University of California San Diego and Director of the Deep Carbonization Initiative.

Why It Matters

These panels underscore CSRHub’s role in providing transparent ESG data to help companies and advisory firms navigate evolving sustainability expectations from supply chain risks to low-carbon building strategies.

Here are some highlights of these dynamic panels. Also see below links to the panel videos.

Emerging Supply Chain Risks

The panel explored the rising significance of supply chain risk management. Global supply chains face increasing pressures from climate events and geopolitical tensions to shifting regulations like CSRD and California’s SB 253 and EU deforestation rules.

Panel key points:

• Beyond financial risk: Companies’ top risks are financial, operational, cyber security, geopolitical, and ESG (environmental, social and governance), including human rights and climate impacts across their supply networks.
• Multi-tier visibility: AI and multi-source data like CSRHub are enabling risk mapping beyond Tier 1 suppliers.
• Quiet sustainability work: Even amid the ESG backlash, companies are quietly continuing resilience and compliance efforts in managing their supply chains.
• Data verification: Multiple external data sources help validate supplier-reported ESG metrics.
• Orchestration of data: high quality, well organized structured third-party data enables scaling analysis, and also enables AI models to work more effectively.

Watch The Panel

Emerging Supply Chain Risks

The Business of Embodied Carbon

This session highlighted embodied carbon, the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production of a product or material, encompassing its entire life cycle from extraction and manufacturing to transportation and disposal. It quantifies the carbon footprint of a product’s “embodied” energy and materials, which accounts for nearly a fifth of global GHG emissions. Note that in addition, buildings’ operational emissions account for nearly 30% of global GHG emissions.

Panel key points:

Tackling embodied carbon requires deep decarbonization beyond operational energy savings.

Shared data standards, like Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), are helping companies measure and compare material impacts.

Innovation in low-carbon materials (e.g., mass timber, bamboo) and strong industrial policy will be key to scaling solutions.

Watch The Panel

The Business of Embodied Carbon

About CSRHub

CSRHub offers the most comprehensive global set of expert consensus sustainability ratings, information, and tools. Clients use CSRHub’s decisive data platform for global benchmarking, supply and value chain risk assessment and compliance readiness solutions. Founded in 2007, CSRHub covers nearly 60,000 public and private companies, and provides ESG performance scores on 42,000 companies from 134 industries in 158 countries. Our Big Data platform uses algorithms to aggregate, normalize and weight ESG metrics from 1,000 sources to produce a strong consensus signal on corporate sustainability performance.

Interested in learning more about CSRHub?

AUSTIN, Texas, August 7, 2025 /3BL/ – Whole Foods Market Foundation is excited to announce $552,350 in funding across six transformative projects in Colombia, Ghana, Rwanda and the United States through its Choice 4 Change program. Earlier this year, over 36,000 Team Members across Whole Foods Market participated in the Foundation’s annual Choice 4 Change vote. Team Members used their voice to help the Foundation determine how to invest an additional $552,350 in food access programs. The selected partner organizations will help to increase the number of salad bars in schools, support smallholder farmers, and amplify the efforts of healthy nonprofit food retailers.

Learn more about each project below:

AMMAATI | Ghana

AMAATI is a Ghanaian social enterprise that works with farmers, mostly women, in producing and processing Fonio. AMAATI’s services provide a path out of poverty and inequality by providing skills training and income generation to women in the Northern region of Ghana. Their $52,770 Choice 4 Change funding will allow AMAATI to organize 100 Village Savings and Loan Associations with the smallholder women farmers it works with, who will meet regularly to save money and take loans from the seed capital provided through this project. 

Chef Ann Foundation | United States 

Chef Ann Foundation aims for every school in the United States to have a salad bar as part of their school food service program so that every child—from elementary school to high school—has daily access to fresh, healthy food. They will use their $294,300 Choice 4 Change award to give 134 salad bars to 58 schools from their waiting list.

Environomica | Colombia

Environomica is a nonprofit that provides agroforestry kits (which include farming tools, seedlings, and irrigation systems), technical assistance, result-based payments, and market access to indigenous communities living in the forests of Colombia’s Sierra Nevada mountains. Environomica will use their $52,600 Choice 4 Change funds to expand their core agroforestry program by engaging more families to plant 15,000 native fruit and timber trees, with the aim of enhancing their food security. 

Fresh Truck | United States (Boston, MA)

Fresh Truck has been a trusted source of fresh food in Boston since 2013, providing a reliable and dignified shopping experience for communities that lack access to affordable, quality produce. Their $50,000 Choice 4 Change award will be used to support Fresh Truck’s ongoing efforts to deliver fresh, quality, and culturally relevant produce weekly to 18+ communities with limited access and high rates of food insecurity and to meet increased demand at its current locations and expansion to two new locations. 

Kula Project | Rwanda

Kula Project is a non-profit that works with coffee communities in Rwanda. Kula runs a 12-month poverty graduation fellowship that joins regenerative agriculture support with entrepreneurial development and business coaching, empowering coffee farmers to increase their household income and move out of extreme poverty. Kula will use their $52,680 Choice 4 Change award to provide coffee farmers with in-depth agronomy training using a regenerative approach, hands-on business coaching to identify new business opportunities and supporting trials of organic pesticides.

Regional Environmental Council | United States (Worcester, MA)

Regional Environmental Council is a grassroots food justice organization that was founded in 1971 and has been dedicated to building healthy, sustainable and just communities in Worcester, MA for more than 50 years. They will use their $50,000 Choice 4 Change funds to support continued operations and expand efforts to increase food access through their Mobile Farmers Markets. Funding will also support increased outreach and access points for community members to use the Healthy Incentives Program (HIP) leading to an increase in overall community food security. 

Since 2005, Whole Foods Market Foundation, has invested over $200 million supporting over 16,000 partner organizations and schools in 81countries around the world.

For more information, visit wholefoodsmarketfoundation.org/funding-announcements. 

####

ABOUT WHOLE FOODS MARKET FOUNDATION

Whole Foods Market Foundation works to nourish people and the planet by providing access to essential resources to improve nutrition and create opportunities for financial stability. The registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, based in Austin, Texas, encompasses the pillars of Whole Cities, Whole Kids and Whole Planet. For more information on the Foundation’s work, visit wholefoodsmarketfoundation.org. For ongoing news and updates, follow Whole Foods Market Foundation on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn.