Author: sHq_LoGiNz

Since 1919, Griffith Foods has been committed to building a more sustainable food system—blending care and creativity to nourish the world. From our roots in food safety and innovation to our bold 2030 Aspirations, we can restore nature, improve livelihoods and deliver affordable, sustainable nutrition for all.

Join us on our journey through this time-lapse video and see how our legacy is shaping a regenerative future.

Explore more: https://bit.ly/3EHAg9f

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Our Sustainability Journey
At Griffith Foods, we are committed to driving positive impact through a regenerative mindset. Sustainability is connected to everything we do as a business, and by 2030, we are dedicated to significantly improving the future with a singular sustainable business strategy that we call our 2030 Aspirations. To learn more about Griffith Foods and its current sustainability efforts, visit them online and download the 2023 Sustainability Report.

About Griffith Foods
At Griffith Foods, our purpose defines who we are, what we do, and why we exist, highlighting what makes us distinct and authentic in the marketplace. We help our partners meet the evolving needs and desires of consumers in ways that respect and sustain the planet. Our care and creativity mean we’ll find the right mix of global reach and local impact to serve the earth and nourish all of us who call it home.

Originally published on Aflac Newsroom

Aflac, headquartered in Columbus, Georgia, recently donated a generous amount of furniture to area public school districts, transforming excess inventory into valuable resources for students and educators across the Chattahoochee Valley. The contribution not only helps the schools create more functional, organized and inspiring learning spaces, but also reinforces Aflac’s strong corporate commitments to waste reduction and philanthropy.

All told, more than 400 chairs, desks, cabinets, bookcases, tables, podiums and framed art pieces were donated, as well as a multitude of games, blocks and other classroom items no longer in use at one of Aflac’s on-site employee day care centers. Led by Aflac employee volunteers and members of the company’s Facilities and Wellness teams, representatives from school districts in Muscogee, Chattahoochee and Talbot counties in Georgia, and nearby Lee County, Alabama, combed through and selected items over a three-day period.

According to Mark Renner, Aflac manager of Office Design and Planning, the hearty surplus of quality items was no longer in use by the company and needed to be moved to open up employee workspace. His team reached out to Aflac Corporate Social Responsibility and Human Resources team members responsible for community and school engagement for ideas as to how the items could be recommissioned for community use.

“We’re very happy to see these items getting a second life in classrooms and schools, where they’ll help foster creativity, comfort and success for students and educators,” said Renner. “This is a great reflection of Aflac’s pledge to renewable practices, not to mention our longstanding mission to help strengthen the communities where our employees live and work.”

Muscogee County School District [MCSD], which serves over 30,000 students across 56 schools and programs, left the Aflac campus with four box trucks and two trailers full of donated items. Dr. Travis Anderson, MCSD chief operations officer, called the opportunity an incredible show of community partnership. Dollars saved on items such as these means more can be put towards education, he added.

Anderson said that, while furniture is always useful, the things they are most grateful for are the surplus items from the day care center because the district’s new elementary teachers will be able to use them to stock their first-time classrooms — manipulatives, games, building blocks, kitchen sets, markers, clipboards and more. Prior to the start of the new school year, the system hosted a New Teacher Yard Sale event where they could select things for their classrooms, free of charge.

The smaller school systems in the area were equally as excited for the opportunity to receive items for their offices and classrooms.

“Donations are especially important to the smaller districts,” said Carson Grier, athletic director at Chattahoochee County School District, which serves about 1,000 students in Pre-K through 12^th grade, roughly 70% of which are from families stationed at the U.S. Military installation, Fort Benning.

“We are a small school in a rural area and every bit counts,” he said. “Aflac’s generosity to our teachers and students and the company’s commitment to education, it makes a huge difference. It truly does. We are very grateful.”

Aflac herein means American Family Life Assurance Company and/or American Family Life Assurance Company of New York and/or Continental American Insurance Company and /or Continental American Life Insurance Company. Aflac WWHQ | 1932 Wynnton Road | Columbus, GA. 31999 Continental American Insurance Company | Columbia, South Carolina

Z2500565 
Exp. 8/26

 

ScottsMiracle-Gro continues to expand its partnership with Trex to recycle plastic film waste from its production operations. Soil bag trimmings and bags scrapped due to standard quality checks or failures are diverted from landfill through the NexTrex commercial recycling program.

Thus far in FY2025, more than 135,000 lb of plastic waste was diverted from our Lawrenceville, Virginia, and Carrollton, Kentucky, sites via the NexTrex program. Trex processes recovered plastic film into flakes, which are then combined with reclaimed lumber to make composite decking, railing and other outdoor items. The program is being rolled out to additional ScottsMiracle-Gro sites in FY25.

About ScottsMiracle-Gro
With approximately $3.6 billion in sales, the Company is the world’s largest marketer of branded consumer products for lawn and garden care. The Company’s brands are among the most recognized in the industry. The Company’s Scotts®, Miracle-Gro®, and Ortho® brands are market-leading in their categories. The Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, The Hawthorne Gardening Company, is a leading provider of nutrients, lighting, and other materials used in the indoor and hydroponic growing segment. For additional information, visit us at www.scottsmiraclegro.com. 

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Originally published on nextgov.com

By Edward Graham,
Staff Reporter, Nextgov/FCW

Over the past year, mobile telecommunications provider T-Mobile has been working to deploy advanced capabilities to regions ravaged by natural disasters in order to help first responders maintain access to key services. 

In an interview with Nextgov/FCW, Nicole Hudnet — emergency response team advisor for T-Mobile Business Group — said the provider has been working to deploy new technologies and provide enhanced network connectivity to areas devastated by wildfires and hurricanes, with the company further working to strengthen its partnerships with state and local authorities. 

Last September, T-Mobile unveiled T-Priority, which Hudnet called “the nation’s first 5G network slice to give our first responders more reliable data connectivity, the faster speeds and the lower latency, even during those times of congestion.”

Initially, New York City was announced as the “anchor customer” for T-Priority, but Hudnet said the service is designed to expand across networks, particularly during times of extreme congestion. 

“Why is this so critical for our first responders is they’re deploying more drones and AI-enabled technologies and data intensive communications — body worn cameras, traffic cameras, mapping tools — than ever before,” Hudnet said.

T-Mobile has also been working to provide the Department of Defense with 5G services to help the U.S. military maintain network reliability around the globe.

In response to a series of wildfires in Southern California earlier this year — including the devastating Palisades fire that burned more than 20,000 acres in Los Angeles County — T-Mobile activated more than 350 T-Priority hotspots and routers to help the Los Angeles Fire Department use the dedicated slice of the provider’s 5G network. 

The company also deployed its emergency response teams to Los Angeles, which help to assist first responders with frontline connectivity services. 

Beyond providing on-the-ground assistance to first responders, T-Mobile is part of emergency response working groups from the federal level down to the state and local levels. Hudnet said part of this work includes developing public-private partnerships ahead of disasters “so that when these events occur, you’re aware of the resources that are available.”

“Our goal is to really connect with those [emergency operations centers] at especially the state and local level, because that is where a lot of the heartbeat of that response is,” she added. “And so we’re coordinating with these emergency operations centers to prioritize and understand the priorities in the communities, and also the priorities serving their first responders.”

She said the provider has been conducting exercises with government agencies, such as FEMA, and that “it’s really important that agencies bring in all of their providers — whether it’s a tabletop exercise or a full-scale exercise — so that we go through these scenarios together.”

T-Mobile has also deployed other advanced tools to help frontline responders, including artificial intelligence-powered technologies and drones. 

After Hurricane Helene led to widespread flooding across Asheville, North Carolina, last September, Hudnet said T-Mobile’s response teams worked with the town’s police department to provide recon and assessments through the use of its heavy-lift and search and rescue drones. 

Hudnet also noted that the provider’s enhanced self-organizing network “uses real time data and AI to detect issues and adapt automatically to give first responders reliable connectivity before, during and after disasters.” The networks, which can reduce coverage gaps in regions where they are deployed, were used in response to both Hurricane Helene and the California wildfires. 

T-Mobile is already working to expand its partnerships with local jurisdictions. After last year’s announcement that New York City would be its “anchor customer” for T-Priority, the provider announced in February that it signed a major agreement with the city “to be the single carrier for all its public safety network.” 

India’s agriculture is at a turning point, with nearly 42% of its workforce reliant on small farms (IFAD). The sector faces mounting pressure: water scarcity, rising debt, and up to 15% post-harvest losses (NABARD study). In the last three years, 70% of smallholders have lost half or more of a crop, with 71% reporting severe climate impacts and incomes down 15.7% since 2022 (2024 Farmer Voice survey). Ultimately, by 2030, India is projected to see a substantial 5.8% decline in working hours – equivalent to 34 million full-time jobs – due to heat stress (WEF).

Yet, the promise of AI-driven innovation is real: investing in 15 foundational agricultural datasets could unlock $65 billion in value for Indian farmers (WEF), making food systems more resilient and profitable. According to the India Digital Agriculture Council, only 30% of Indian farmers were using digital tools—representing a vast, untapped opportunity for climate-smart transformation.

The Cisco Foundation’s Regenerative Future Fund and Climate Grants Portfolio support tech ventures and nonprofits that combine technology and farmers’ engagement for a more regenerative future. This means scaling reforestation, soil health, carbon markets, and nature-based solutions across India. Here are a few examples.

Mitti Labs: Transforming Rice for Climate and Livelihoods

Rice farming consumes 30% of the world’s freshwater (WFP) and produces 12% of global methane emissions (WWF)—making it central to India’s food and climate goals. Mitti Labs is pioneering a tech-driven approach to decarbonize rice production and reward regenerative practices.

Supported by the Regenerative Future Fund, an impact-first venture fund, Mitti Labs’ AI-powered digital Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (dMRV) platform combines satellite and sensor data with field support to help farmers adopt Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD). AWD reduces methane and water use by up to 40% while maintaining or increasing yields. According to Mitti Labs, here are a few ways they are gaining traction:

• Field results are compelling: In Telangana’s Warangal, AWD cut water use by 37% while maintaining yields. In Haryana’s Safidon, AWD reduced water by 19% with no yield loss. These results mean lower methane emissions, improved water conservation, and new income streams for thousands of climate-vulnerable farmers.
• Marketplace leadership: Partnering with Carbon Place, Good Carbon, Ceezer, and Cloverly, Mitti Labs enables secure purchases of methane-based carbon credits for buyers globally that would like to support avoidance efforts. Its entire 2025 offset supply is fully allocated, with more set for 2026 and 2027.
• Global recognition: Sylvera, a carbon ratings agency, called Mitti Labs a “key enabler” of methane reduction in rice (Sylvera, 2024).

As Madhuri, a Mitti Labs Field Manager in Warangal, shares, “It is encouraging to see more and more farmers understanding our AWD programs and coming forward to join our movement.” Community leaders echo the impact: “One in every four farmers in Warangal is now participating.”

Since 2023, Mitti Labs has onboarded 30,000 farmers, expanded digital Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (dMRV) capabilities to 10 million hectares, and launched projects with partners like Syngenta Foundation and The Nature Conservancy. Their pipeline spans India and Southeast Asia, targeting 200,000+ farmers and over one million carbon avoidance credits per year. With tech and new markets, Mitti Labs is shaping the future of rice decarbonization.

Digital Green: AI for Climate-Resilient, Regenerative Farming

Digital Green is transforming agricultural advisory services for smallholder farmers through its AI-powered assistant, Farmer.Chat. This innovative platform addresses the need for timely, localized, and actionable farm and market recommendations — especially for resource-poor, low-literacy, and low-connectivity populations. Farmers and extension workers can resolve queries using voice, text, images, or video in regional languages. The platform provides crucial information such as weather forecasts, crop and pest disease warnings, and reminders for regenerative practices.

Supported by the Cisco Foundation’s Climate Grant Portfolio in 2024, Farmer.Chat has reached over 460,000 smallholder farmers since its launch in 2022. Evidence shows it drives behavior changes, particularly in adopting regenerative practices like improved crop nutrition, disease management, soil health, and organic fertilization.

With women making up over 42% of India’s agricultural labor force — and facing barriers like lower mobile phone ownership — Digital Green’s design enables climate-smart advice to reach those who need it.

As CEO Rikin Gandhi shares, “Thanks to partners like Cisco Foundation, we’re helping build a more resilient, equitable food system—one voice, one decision, one farmer at a time.”

Farmers for Forests: AI-Powered Monitoring for Reforestation

Farmers for Forests (F4F) is using AI to revolutionize monitoring in agroforestry practices, particularly in regions facing significant tree cover and biodiversity loss — India alone has lost 5 million trees in two decades. With support from the Cisco Foundation’s Climate Grants Portfolio, F4F is developing an open-source AI platform using drone and satellite data for scalable, accurate monitoring.

The platform detects even small trees under four feet — often missed by traditional satellite models — and monitors carbon sequestration and irrigation infrastructure. It integrates computer vision models like Meta’s Detectron-2 and DeepForest, plus AI trained on tree datasets for species classification and biomass estimation. These tools enable carbon estimation and biodiversity mapping, supporting holistic ecological restoration.

F4F’s vision is to enable high-integrity, data-backed reforestation and agroforestry across one million hectares by 2030. Their technology empowers grassroots implementers—especially smallholder and tribal communities—with transparent, cost-effective, and scalable monitoring, fostering improved tree survival, enhanced biodiversity, and the creation of jobs. The platform’s focus on vulnerable farmers enables AI-driven insights to translate into tangible benefits like increased water security, improved soil health, and greater resilience through efficient resource management and carbon sequestration.

Harnessing AI for Agriculture in India

In addition to the Regenerative Future Fund and the Climate Grant Portfolio, Cisco’s India CSR program is also working to support the agritech startup ecosystem in India through Krishi Mangal (with Social Alpha), supporting startups like TraceX (advanced AI-ML supply chain compliance and deforestation monitoring), Satyukt Analytics (satellite and AI-powered insights for agriculture) and Jaljeevika (AI-driven chatbots for aquaculture, boosting productivity and traceability).

Cisco and the Cisco Foundation’s holistic investment strategy aligns with global recommendations: build digital infrastructure, data ecosystems, and scalable AI applications for India’s 150 million smallholders, building on AI’s 40% growth rate in the last five years (WEF). This platform approach isn’t just about tech — it’s about transforming yields, transparency, and resilience at scale.

This blog was written with assistance from Stasi Baranoff, Cisco’s Climate Grant Portfolio, TekSystems at Cisco.

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Sofidel

• Consolidated turnover at 3.225 billion euros, EBITDA at 17.85%.
• The Shareholders’ Meeting appoints the new Board of Directors of Sofidel SpA. 

PORCARI, Italy /3BL/ – The Shareholders’ Meeting of Sofidel, one of the world leaders in the production of paper for hygienic and domestic use, known in particular in Italy and Europe for the Regina brand, closes 2024 with positive economic and financial results.

Consolidated turnover stands at 3.225 billion euros (up + 3% compared to 3.129 billion in 2023), with an EBITDA margin of 17.85% (in 2023 it stood at 21.11%). 

On the environmental front, the commitment to ecological transition continued, with a 19.5% reduction in specific emissions compared to the base year 2018, in line with the objectives defined with the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi) to achieve the Net Zero target by 2050.

The year was marked by major investments in the United States, including the acquisition of the tissue division of Clearwater Paper Corporation, worth approximately $1 billion (the largest ever made by Sofidel), which brought four new production plants and 1,700 new employees into the Group’s scope, increasing production capacity by 342,000 tonnes per year, equal to 25% of the Group’s total.

“2024 was a significant year. The acquisition of the tissue division of Clearwater Paper Corporation strengthens our position on the North American market where we now have two production expansion projects underway – in the Duluth, Minnesota, and Circleville, Ohio plants – and where we are working to grow further. In Europe, we continued our policy of market consolidation and implemented numerous production process efficiency measures as part of the energy transition strategy to help us meet our Net Zero by 2050 objective,” said Luigi Lazzareschi, CEO of Sofidel .

The new Board of Directors of Sofidel SpA

Following the premature passing of Chairman and shareholder Edilio Stefani, the Shareholders’ Meeting of Sofidel SpA has appointed Paola Stefani, daughter of co-founder Emi Stefani, as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sofidel SpA. She is a partner who has been on the Board of Directors for over 20 years and has a previous ten-year experience working in the company.

Nicolò Stefani, already a Director since 2021, is appointed Chief Executive Officer, assuming all the attributions and signature powers previously held by his father Edilio Stefani, including responsibilities on the Boards of all subsidiaries. 

At the same time, two other members of the third generation of the founding families are joining the Board of Directors of Sofidel SpA: Federico De Matteis and Davide Giacomelli, who have already been active in the company for several years as Financial & Operations Coordination Manager – USA and Consolidate Financial Statement Controller respectively.

Also among the new members is Antonio Pace as a Councilor.  

On the eve of the sixtieth anniversary of the founding of Sofidel (1966), we once again see the Group positioned with strength and determination towards the future.

This is the new composition of the Board of Directors of Sofidel SpA:

Paola Stefani, President; Luigi Lazzareschi, Chief Executive Officer, Nicolò Stefani; Chief Executive Officer; Davide Giacomelli, Director; Federico De Matteis, Director; Chiara Mio, Director; Silvio Bianchi Martini, Director; Andrea Munari, Director; Alessandro Solidoro, Director; Antonio Pace, Director. 

Nasdaq

Proper board succession planning—the systematic process of identifying and placing qualified candidates in current or upcoming board seat vacancies—is vital for corporate stability and continuity. However, many companies struggle to recognize its importance. Findings from the Nasdaq 2024 Global Governance Pulse survey shows that private companies are half as likely to have a formalized board succession plan in place compared to public companies. And only 28% of all survey respondents believe their succession planning process is effective.

Board succession planning should be directly aligned with the company’s vision for its future. Approaching board composition from a strategic analysis can help keep the board’s aggregate composition aligned with business objectives and ensure that board transitions are seamless and avoid causing reputational damage.

Read the blog to learn the 5 components of effective board succession planning.