Author: sHq_LoGiNz

Join industry leaders from DP World, Trellis, Columbia University, and Oatly on April 17, 2025, for a webinar exploring innovative strategies to balance sustainability and adaptability amid shifting global trade policies.

DP World, a leading provider of global end-to-end supply chain solutions, is partnering with Trellis to host “Navigating Turbulent Waters: Sustainable Supply Chains in a New Political Era,” scheduled from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM ET/9:00 AM to 10:00 AM PT on April 17, 2025.

The webinar will feature industry experts from DP World, Trellis, Columbia University, and Oatly as they explore how companies can future-proof their supply chains by integrating sustainability with adaptive trade strategies amid shifting political landscapes.

The global trade landscape is facing rapidly evolving policies and shifting from multilateral agreements toward more individualized, bilateral trade deals. This change is introducing uncertainties around supply chain efficiency and continuity, regulatory frameworks, and financial incentives. At the same time, businesses are under increasing pressure from customers and local governments to integrate sustainability into their supply chains. Companies must balance long-term sustainability goals with the need to adapt quickly to political and economic disruptions.

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In this hour-long webcast, you’ll learn

• How companies can future-proof supply chains by integrating sustainability with adaptive trade strategies.
• Why long-term business resilience depends on embedding environmental goals into logistics and supplier partnerships.
• The role of data-driven solutions like predictive analytics and network optimization in reducing costs and emissions.
• Real-world examples from leading brands like DP World and others on turning sustainability into a competitive advantage

The session will be moderated by Jon Smieja, VP of Circularity at Trellis Group, and will feature a distinguished panel of speakers:

• Carey Boone, Vice President of Transformation, DP World Americas
• Sagatom Saha, Adjunct Research Scholar, Columbia University
• Erin Augustine, Co-lead Global Sustainability and Vice President of Sustainability for Operations and Supply Chain, Oatly

“Navigating Turbulent Waters” is designed to provide supply chain leaders with practical strategies to stay resilient while advancing their sustainability agendas despite evolving trade policies. Attendees are encouraged to register in advance to secure their spot.

Unable to attend live? Register and you will receive a link to access the webinar recording on-demand.

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About DP World 

DP World is reshaping the future of global trade to improve lives everywhere. Operating across six continents with a team of over 100,000 employees, we combine global infrastructure and local expertise to deliver seamless supply chain solutions. From Ports and Terminals to Marine Services, Logistics and Technology, we leverage innovation to create better ways to trade, minimizing disruptions from the factory floor to the customer’s door.

In the Americas, DP World operates with a team of over 16,000 people across 12 countries, driving excellence through a robust network of 14 ports and terminals and more than 40 warehouses. By harnessing our global reach and local expertise, we simplify logistics, enhance operational performance, and redefine the boundaries of what’s possible in global trade.

WE MAKE TRADE FLOW.

Introduction to Dashboarding: What, Why, and How 

In today’s environmental, health, and safety (EHS) landscape, data is a crucial aspect of strategy and decision-making. Leveraging powerful tools like PowerBI can transform complex health and safety data into actionable insights.

Through customizable dashboards, you can streamline the visualization of key metrics, such as incident rates, compliance trends, and hazard assessments. These visualizations not only enhance data transparency but also empower EHS leaders to make informed decisions in real-time.

In the case of two retail clients, Antea Group built custom dashboards, giving the client teams the ability to trend data, develop actions, and visualize the results in a way that could easily be communicated across all levels of the organization.

Click here to view the interactive dashboards for the case studies below.

Case Study: How Employee Feedback Was Used to Align Perceptions and Shape a Retailer’s Wellness Program 

Challenge:

A prominent fashion retailer was in the process of revitalizing their wellness program and sought to gain a comprehensive understanding of the current state of the program and how it was perceived by employees. Specifically, they aimed to compare employees’ views on wellness efforts with management’s perspectives and identify any gaps that could inform their wellness strategy.

With a workforce of over 5,000 employees spread across more than 100 store locations, the client recognized the importance of establishing a clear baseline. To do this, we utilized a wellness culture survey to assess and measure the organization’s beliefs, values, operations, and perceptions related to wellness.

Solution:

Our team collaborated closely with the client to design a wellness culture survey that employees could easily complete during work hours. The survey was created using Microsoft Forms and was made accessible through a QR code displayed on posters in employee break rooms across all retail locations.

The survey included the following components:

• Three demographic questions
• Seven Likert scale questions (ranging from “Strongly Disagree” to “Strongly Agree”)
• One multiple-choice question
• Two free-response questions

Results:

After the survey period was complete, the data was analyzed, and the major findings were summarized and presented to the client. We utilized PowerBI to build an interactive dashboard where the survey results could be visualized, giving the client greater insights into the survey responses across their organization.

For this client, the dashboard helped them decide how to utilize the baseline information, determine what key findings should be shared with leadership versus employees, and choosing the appropriate communication channels (e.g., monthly newsletters, meetings). They were also able to develop action plans based on the findings, including assigning responsibilities, establishing timelines, ensuring follow-up, and addressing potential survey fatigue.

Case Study: Completing Aspects and Impacts Assessments for Global Luxury Retailer 

Challenge: 

A large, global luxury retailer contracted Antea Group to conduct Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) Aspects and Impacts (A/I) Assessments at their facilities. These assessments marked the initial steps toward the development of ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 management system frameworks at their locations.

Fourteen facilities were selected for assessment to better understand the client’s overall A/I status globally. Antea Group collaborated with the client to develop a tailored approach for the assessments, which included specific activities categorized into health, safety, or environmental aspects, compliance actions (including regulatory references), associated impacts, and any notable observations made during site visits.

The deliverable also included a risk assessment component that categorized more than 30 risks into health, safety, environmental, operational, reputation, and financial risks.

Solution: 

Antea Group and the client held a project kickoff meeting to discuss the assessment schedule, develop a risk ranking and scoring framework, and agree on the overall approach for the A/I deliverable template and feedback system.

Once the governance procedures were agreed upon, Antea Group utilized its internal team of health, safety, and environmental experts, as well as the Inogen Alliance network, to perform the A/I assessments at the identified global facilities. This process spanned 16 months and included pre-visit calls, completing pre-visit questionnaires for each facility, conducting the assessments, drafting and reviewing the reports internally, and implementing client feedback before finalizing the deliverables.

Result: 

Upon completing the project, Antea Group had conducted 14 A/I assessments across the facilities, resulting in a summary report for each site.

The expertise and flexibility provided by Antea Group enabled the client to quantify the aspects and impacts affecting their business globally, allowing them to take steps to mitigate these risks. The project also laid the foundation for the client to implement an ISO-compliant management system.

With so much data collected across a variety of categories and facility types, Antea Group built a dashboard to help visualize the results and enable the client to gain a deeper understanding of the findings.

Conclusion: 

Data-driven decision-making is crucial for driving meaningful change and improvements. By utilizing dashboards like PowerBI, your organization can unlock the full potential of your data, making it easier to analyze trends, assess risks, and communicate findings effectively across all levels of the organization.

At Antea Group, we have seen firsthand how powerful dashboards can help clients not only visualize complex data but also take actionable steps to improve safety, wellness, and compliance. Reach out to our team today to learn how dashboards can help transform your EHS projects and initiatives.

Our team had the privilege of receiving the Minister of Investment, the team of the Regional Investment Center of the Souss-Massa region, and the local authorities recently at our packaging plant in Agadir.

We were delighted to share our ambitious vision and showcase our recent investments and future projects. This visit represents an important milestone that reflects our confidence in the promising potential of the Souss-Massa region.

It also confirms our commitment to contribute to the development of the local economy and strengthen our position in the packaging sector, within a sustainable, inclusive and innovative industrial system.

We are proud to be part of this trend and look forward to building fruitful partnerships with the Regional Investment Center to drive the regional economy towards greater prosperity.

International Paper (NYSE: IP; LSE: IPC) is the global leader in sustainable packaging solutions. With company headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee, USA, and EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) headquarters in London, UK, we employ more than 65,000 team members and serve customers around the world with operations in more than 30 countries. Together with our customers, we make the world safer and more productive, one sustainable packaging solution at a time. Net sales for 2024 were $18.6 billion. In 2025, International Paper acquired DS Smith creating an industry leader focused on the attractive and growing North American and EMEA regions. Additional information can be found by visiting internationalpaper.com

NEW YORK, April 9, 2025 /3BL/ – Governance & Accountability Institute, Inc. (G&A), a leader in corporate sustainability consulting and research, is pleased to announce the first webinar in its 2025 Pathfinder Webinar Series to be held on Wednesday, May 7 at 1:00 PM EST. Registration is now open: click here to register.

G&A Institute welcomes discussion leaders from the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA), uniting industry experts to examine the business relevance of sustainability topics. By leveraging the methodology behind the CSA, we will showcase examples of how sustainability issues like biodiversity and human rights can present both risks and opportunities for companies. These examples will demonstrate how such issues impact key corporate value drivers and, ultimately, influence financial performance.

Agenda

• Introduction: Sustainability is still good for business
• Linking sustainability and business strategies with the CSA
• Examples: Biodiversity and Human Rights
• Q&A

Discussion Leaders

• Louis Coppola, CEO, G&A Institute
• Robert Dornau, Senior Director, Head of CSA Corporate Engagement, S&P Global
• Sara Cardona, CSA Corporate Engagement Lead North America, S&P Global

The Pathfinder Webinar Series is designed to inform and empower corporate reporters with the knowledge and tools needed to navigate the increasingly complex landscape of both domestic and international sustainability reporting.

It is a must-attend for professionals seeking to plan and stay ahead in the dynamic field of global sustainability reporting and to ensure their company’s reporting practices are robust, relevant, and resonant on the world stage.

To keep up with additional information about the series and to sign up, please visit: https://www.ga-institute.com/webinars/pathfinder-series/getting-back-to-business/

ABOUT GOVERNANCE & ACCOUNTABILITY INSTITUTE, INC. 
(www.ga-institute.com)
Founded in 2006, Governance & Accountability Institute, Inc. (G&A) is a sustainability consulting and research firm headquartered in New York City. G&A helps corporate and investor clients recognize, understand, and develop winning strategies for sustainability and ESG issues to address stakeholder and shareholder concerns. G&A’s proprietary, comprehensive full-suite process for sustainability reporting is designed to help organizations achieve sustainability leadership in their industry and sector and maximize return on investment for sustainability initiatives.

CONTACT:
Louis D. Coppola
Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder 
Governance & Accountability Institute, Inc.
Tel 646.430.8230 ext 14 
Email lcoppola@ga-institute.com

The countdown has started for the implementation of the State of California’s corporate climate disclosure rules, SB 253 and SB 261, which are coming into effect in January 2026. Companies doing business in California that meet certain revenue thresholds will need to disclose carbon emissions and climate-related financial risks, and obtain third-party assurance of their emissions data by a verifying company.

More recently, a bill was introduced in the California Legislature that would extend climate disclosure rules to cover major suppliers doing business with the State. If enacted, SB 755 would require suppliers with over $25 million in state contracts to report their climate-related financial risks and Scopes 1-3 carbon emissions beginning in 2027, and suppliers with $5 to $25 million in State contracts to report their Scopes 1-2 emissions.

A first-of-its-kind analysis from Governance & Accountability (G&A) Institute and supporters Ceres, Carbon Accountable, and Persefoni, reveals that most of California’s largest state suppliers do not yet disclose key climate-related information. This research provides the first industry-wide benchmark assessing how major suppliers representing billions of dollars in procurement spend are aligned with California’s enacted and proposed climate disclosure regulations.

“Not all the suppliers in our analysis are in scope for reporting under SB 253 and SB 261, but most would be required to report under SB 755,” said Louis Coppola, CEO and & Co-Founder at G&A. “Our research finds low voluntary reporting rates among current suppliers, indicating a lack of readiness to comply with the proposed regulation. With SB 755 on the horizon, our research provides a critical baseline to measure the progress of supplier readiness over time.”

Key findings of the report show that just 25% of California’s top suppliers report Scopes 1-2 emissions and 18% report Scope 3 emissions, with only 10% obtaining third-party assurance for their reported emissions. In addition, just 17% of top suppliers conducted climate-related risk assessment aligned with the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD).

These low levels suggest that state agencies, procurement teams, and policymakers should proactively drive supplier readiness by providing guidance on the specific requirements of each bill and their applicability. This research also highlights the need for education on the complexities of climate reporting, and support for accurately measuring emissions and conducting climate-related risk assessments.

“Suppliers must do their part to help California achieve its ambitious climate goals,” said Catherine Atkin, Director and Co-Founder of Carbon Accountable, a climate data initiative and co-sponsor of SB 253. “This analysis helps clarify where industry gaps exist and where targeted action is needed.”

“Institutional organizations, ranging from finance institutions to corporations, universities to government agencies and more are actively reshaping their procurement processes around climate resilience,” said Annie Roberts, SVP Climate Consulting at G&A Institute. “They’re expecting suppliers not just to disclose carbon emissions, but also to proactively manage climate-related business risks and build adaptive capabilities. Since every organization contributes to someone else’s Scope 3 emissions, there’s now an essential business imperative to be transparent and prepared when it comes to emissions reporting and climate strategy.”

G&A’s team is prepared to assist companies as they prepare for the implementation of SB 253 and SB 261, and to help suppliers understand the potential requirements under SB 755. For more information contact us at: info@ga-institute.com.

This is just the introduction of G&A’s Sustainability Highlights newsletter this week. Click here to view the full issue.

Originally published on Aflac Newsroom

The high school years are a pivotal time in life — getting more involved in school activities, learning to drive, going to prom, choosing post-graduation plans, preparing for adulthood and so much more. For Katie Rutherford, it was also about surviving.

As a sophomore in high school, Katie was very active, singing in the chorus and playing soccer, basketball and softball. Then, one day, she noticed a hard bump on her chin. It continued to grow to the point that it affected her ability to talk and eat. Knowing something wasn’t normal, she went to the ER at the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta to find answers. After many tests, including an ultrasound and biopsy, she was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare type of cancer that develops in muscle tissue. And it had spread to the lymph nodes.

“Honestly, I was in shock and went immediately into survival mode,” said Katie. “I worried about my parents and how they would juggle the stress and anxiety ahead while caring not just for me, but for my two siblings as well.”

Following the diagnosis, Katie immediately met with an oncologist to discuss options and began treatment in 2017 — 48 rounds of chemotherapy and 27 rounds of radiation. Katie’s parents shaved their own heads in solidarity as she went through treatment.

“Every time I went in for an appointment — though the treatment made me feel horrible — everyone at the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center made me feel cared for,” said Katie. “They truly changed my life for the better.”

Her care team also included in-home tutors, who made sure she could graduate on time. And, to be sure she didn’t miss out on one of the most coveted teenage milestones, Katie’s family and friends planned a big party for her 16th birthday, surrounding her with lots of love and support — a day that Katie says was one of the best of her life.

In 2018, Katie completed treatment and got to mark the end of this journey by ringing the bell, a long-standing symbolic gesture of celebration and hope.

Katie just celebrated her 7^th anniversary of ringing the cancer bell in February, and in the seven years since that moment, Katie went to college, majored in public relations and landed an internship with the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center and, after graduation, joined the team full time as program coordinator for the foundation.

“I wanted to find a way to use my talents to give back to the community that poured so much into me, and as luck would have it, the perfect opportunity opened up at the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center,” said Katie. “Every day is special here, and it’s such an honor to get to build relationships with the patients, families and caregivers and show them there is so much hope for life beyond the bell.”

Learn more about the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta — including volunteer and donation opportunities — by visiting www.choa.org/jointhefight.

Aflac WWHQ |1932 Wynnton Road | Columbus, GA 31999

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