Author: sHq_LoGiNz

AMSTERDAM and HONG KONG and OAKLAND, Calif., June 18, 2026 /3BL/ – Addressing climate change requires more than ambition — it requires measurable action. Cascale today released the Manufacturer Climate Action Program (MCAP) Annual Impact Report 2025, highlighting significant progress by manufacturers, suppliers, and brands working together to accelerate decarbonization across the global value chain.

“I’m extremely proud that MCAP has achieved a significant milestone in its evolution into a scaled industry decarbonization program participated by 85 manufacturer groups across 19 countries. This structural and pragmatic approach, which enables manufacturers not only in setting science aligned targets as the start, catalyzes a shift from commitment to implementation across the manufacturing community; to achieve it, all manufacturers have a multi-year actionable decarbonization plan which contains available levers to deliver ongoing emissions reductions. During the past 12 months, MCAP strategic council members have played a critical role in shaping the program; we deeply appreciate the time, expertise, and commitment contributed by them whose collaborative leadership has played a critical role in advancing the program delivery and impact. The progress we are seeing today reflects the power of structured collaboration, shared accountability, and practical tools that enable manufacturers to act at scale.” – Joyce Tsoi, senior director, decarbonization program, Cascale

Key Takeaways

• 85 manufacturer groups and 8 sponsoring brands engaged across 446 participating facilities in 19 countries
• 52 science-aligned targets validated, representing more than 1.6 million metric tons of CO2e reduction potential
• 33 climate risk assessments completed to strengthen long-term resilience planning and 43 decarbonization plans currently in development
• In May 2025, the multi-stakeholder MCAP Strategic Council was established and provided strong programmatic governance

MCAP supports manufacturers and suppliers with a practical pathway to measure emissions, set science-aligned targets (SATs) for scope 1 and 2 emissions, assess climate risks, and develop actionable decarbonization plans. In May 2025, the multi-stakeholder MCAP Strategic Council was established and provided strong programmatic governance to ensure all programmatic activities align with its strategic objectives and goals, ensure performance monitoring and accountability, and ensure it continues to deliver value.

To date, 85 manufacturers and eight sponsoring brands have been engaged through MCAP across 446 participating facilities in 19 countries. A full 52 science-aligned targets are now validated, representing more than 1.6 million metric tons of CO2e reduction potential. Finally, 33 climate risk assessments were completed to strengthen long-term resilience planning, and 43 decarbonization plans are currently in development. The report underscores the program’s ability to translate climate commitments into measurable outcomes.

Manufacturer Focus

The program combines technical support, training, third-party validation, and peer engagement to help manufacturers move from planning to implementation. Cascale hosts monthly office hours and ongoing training sessions in both English and Chinese. Through MCAP’s peer-learning community, manufacturers have gained access to practical knowledge, shared experiences, and real-world solutions from others facing similar challenges.

“We joined MCAP with strong ESG capabilities but faced challenges coordinating climate action across multiple overseas manufacturing sites. MCAP’s structured target-setting process enabled us to establish a science-based reduction strategy while unifying our international facilities under a cohesive decarbonization framework. MCAP has been a critical turning point for Nobland, enabling us to move from intention to execution.” – Jay Kim, ESG team leader, Nobland

“The MCAP Climate Risk Assessment will be extremely valuable to our long-term planning as we take preventative action to reduce heat and maintain productivity. This is now part of our ongoing resilience strategy.” – Cherry Liu, QA manager, My Nga Trade

“Martex Group joined MCAP with a strong base of energy data, but we needed a clearer framework to turn this information into measurable climate targets. Joining MCAP has been a significant opportunity for our company, creating the structure we needed to move from data collection to a clear, actionable decarbonization strategy.” – Akila Lakshan, assistant manager sustainability, Martex Group

Brand Engagement

MCAP supports brands in sponsoring manufacturers to address Scope 3 emissions, which often represent the majority of a brand’s carbon footprint. Sponsorship is not philanthropy — it is the most direct route a brand has to the supplier capability its own targets depend on. The value runs in both directions: Manufacturers achieve structure, credibility, and the ability to act, while brands gain supplier transparency, aligned progress against a shared standard, and concrete evidence of Scope 3 action they can share with regulators and investors.

“Gap Inc. has been engaged with MCAP since the program’s inception. We have seen firsthand how MCAP has strengthened collaboration with our suppliers and deepened strategic partnerships that are essential to driving progress.” – Sally Gilligan, Chief Supply Chain Officer, Gap Inc

“MCAP has played an important role in turning climate commitments into practical progress. We—and our suppliers–have learned a great deal through the program and seen valuable outcomes tied to goals and aligned action plans. By providing structure to the decarbonization journey, MCAP has helped participating facilities better understand and plan their path forward.” – Tony Hung, Manager, Supply Chain Sustainability, New Balance ”

“MCAP equips our suppliers with the tools, structure, and clear pathway needed to take meaningful action on decarbonization and continue advancing their sustainability journey. We’ve seen encouraging growth in participating manufacturers from the beginning to the end of the program — a journey that has been both motivating and impactful. We appreciate Cascale’s active engagement and the support provided throughout the process.” – Mia Gunawan, director of environmental sustainability, PUMA

Looking Ahead

As of April 2026, all 52 graduates from Cohorts 1 and 2 have successfully completed the 18-month program with a validated science-aligned target. This 100 percent validation rate stands as direct evidence of the program’s impact, demonstrating how MCAP translates intent into measurable action.

Cascale will launch two new MCAP cohorts this year. The organization is also developing post-MCAP programming to extend the manufacturer-brand partnership and support ongoing target tracking and emissions reduction.

Brands, manufacturers, and suppliers interested in learning more about MCAP can register for an upcoming information session through Cascale’s website. For additional information, contact mcap@cascale.org.

Media Contact: Forster Communications, cascaleforster@forster.co.uk

ABOUT CASCALE

Cascale is the global nonprofit alliance driving systemic transformation to combat climate change and support decent work in the consumer goods industry. Formerly the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Cascale unites a diverse, worldwide ecosystem of over 300 retailer, brand, manufacturer, supplier, service provider, government, academic, and nonprofit members.

Our alliance catalyzes pre-competitive collaboration for maximum impact, anchored by our stewardship of the Higg Index frameworks — implemented through the Worldly technology platform — and recent acquisition of the Better Buying and Sustainable Furnishings Council tools. While these methodologies are central to our work, they are part of a broader strategy to mobilize collective action, challenge industry norms, and build an industry that gives back more than it takes to the planet and its people.

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Key Takeaways

• Reduced electricity per consumed byte by 55 percent since 2019 baseline
• AI integration, network upgrades, and modernization led to 15 percent reduction in electricity usage, even as data traffic increased by 89 percent

Connectivity is essential to our lives, whether it’s for work, school, or entertainment. Every year, our customers stream more live sports, download larger games, connect more devices over WiFi, and engage with AI-powered applications that depend on fast, reliable, low-latency networks. At Comcast, we’re committed to delivering an exceptional connectivity experience, but while we’re doing that, we also want to do it in a more sustainable way.

In 2022, we set a goal to double the efficiency of our domestic network by 2030 from our 2019 baseline. Thanks to the innovation and tireless efforts of our incredible team at Comcast, I’m proud to report that we exceeded our goal and achieved it five years ahead of schedule. 

The investments we’ve made to our network enabled us to achieve a 55 percent reduction in electricity per consumed byte (EPCB) from 2019 to 2025. In 2019, our network consumed 18.4 kilowatt-hours of electricity per terabyte of data. In 2025, that number dropped to 8.2 kWh/TB. During this timeframe, we saw an increase of 89 percent more terabytes traveling over our network, which we delivered with 15 percent less electricity usage. That is the power of innovation at scale: delivering dramatically more data, with greater reliability and performance, while using less electricity per byte.

These gains did not happen by accident. They are the result of years of implementing smarter technologies, virtualized infrastructure, operational improvements, and a relentless focus on making our network faster, more reliable, and more efficient.

Modernizing Our Network

We modernized both the physical and digital infrastructure that powers our network, helping us save on electricity. Over the past several years, our teams have worked meticulously to take inventory and optimize hundreds of thousands of network-powering assets. We are tying assets directly to utility bills to better track our footprint and right-sizing gear to maximize efficiency. 

Steps we’re taking to cut down on power usage also extend to our facilities, which primarily use energy to power and cool network equipment. We transformed the cable modem termination system (CMTS) – the technology that connects customers’ modems to our broadband network – into a virtual platform to support customer demand for data while minimizing space and power requirements. Several initiatives to optimize cooling efficiency and effectiveness are being implemented. Smart thermostats allow us to optimize set points and improve remote visibility into our sites to monitor performance during critical events, such as storms. Airflow optimization helps us to eliminate hot spots in our sites while reducing the energy needed to keep sites cool. Each of these efforts may seem incremental on their own, but together at a scale as large as our network, they help us make an impact toward our energy efficiency goals by helping us reduce electricity consumption.

A Smarter, More Sustainable Network

We are also embedding AI and machine learning deeper into the network to help us make better decisions in real time. This enhanced monitoring allows us to identify and address potential issues faster, saving time and reducing truck rolls, which ultimately help us save fuel and reduce emissions. These predictive and self-healing capabilities help us improve the customer experience and increase our network’s reliability and resilience, all while supporting our broader sustainability goals – a win-win.

This progress matters because demand is only going to grow. As AI becomes more omnipresent, more live events shift to streaming, and homes and businesses continue to rely on WiFi to power more and more devices, networks will need to be more intelligent, more resilient, and more efficient than ever before.

To meet these demands, Comcast will continue to invest in technologies and operational improvements to improve the speed, reliability, and efficiency of its connectivity.  I’m incredibly proud of the Comcast teams who made this milestone possible. They are proving that we can build a network ready for the next generation of customer experiences while continuing to reduce the energy intensity of the data we deliver.

What Is the EPA’s Superfund Solutions Initiative?

On June 3, 2026, EPA announced the agency’s forward-looking Superfund Solutions Initiative to accelerate cleanups at roughly 1,340 Superfund sites on the National Priorities List (NPL). This plan is organized under three new approaches that focus on eliminating inefficiency and paving the way for stakeholders to achieve cleanup goals—faster, better, and cheaper. 

The 3 Most Significant Reforms

While there are 14 steps under the three approaches, the three steps Antea Group believes to be most impactful in order of significance are:

1. Standardize approaches so federal, state, and local partners do not reinvent the wheel for every cleanup action under the bucket “Deploy Tools and Authorities Earlier”.   
2. Accelerate the selection of the best cleanup approach through more rapid development of remedial investigations, feasibility studies, and Records of Decision under “Enhance Project Management”.
3. Align risk assessment approaches with gold-standard science and ensure they address site-specific risks while anticipating the community’s future use of the site under “Apply Smarter Science for Smarter Outcomes”.

Let’s explore these three key steps in more detail:

1) Standardize approaches so federal, state, and local partners do not reinvent the wheel for every cleanup action, is relevant and impactful.  Standardizing would streamline and eliminate the inconsistency between state, federal, and tribal processes. The current inconsistencies delay environmental protections, especially when a responsible party is responding to more than one agency. Multi-layered agencies on a Superfund site with various processes for each state, each EPA region and various tribal entities lack agreement between them, prolonging investigation, risk assessment, and feasibility studies before an actual cleanup can begin. This problem has been one of the top and the most significant reasons for extended cleanup timeframes. It boils down to process over results, leading to delays but also higher costs. Now that the baby boomers are retiring within the agencies, delays are only expected to increase. A new generation of regulators are replacing the more experienced developers of EPA’s processes, and they tend to lean toward strict adherence to regulation guidelines. If standardization can be accomplished, both negotiating and re-thinking the science that created distinctions between each of these agencies can be alleviated.

2) Accelerate the selection of the best cleanup approach through rapid development of remedial investigations, feasibility studies, and records of decision, but EPA does not identify tools in the announcement. Regardless, we found these five tools that may be useful for EPA to streamline decision making.

• NEPAssist: A web-based mapping tool for project managers to screen environmental assessment indicators for a specific area of interest, streamlining early-stage project review.
• Lean and IT Toolkit: A resource guiding environmental agencies on using Agile methodologies and Lean principles to eliminate waste, lower product development risks, and modernize workflows.
• Systematic Planning & QAPPs: EPA utilizes Data Quality Objectives (DQO) and QA Project Plans (QAPPs) to statistically ensure project data perfectly aligns with its end goals and regulatory constraints.
• Green Infrastructure Toolkit: A suite of models (including SWMM, CLASIC, and WMOST) that helps managers plan, design, and evaluate the cost-effectiveness of sustainable, nature-based water projects.
• Smart Growth Tools: EPA offers a wide variety of tools and resources to help communities learn about and implement creative and sustainable development approaches and identification of future land use.

3) Align risk assessment approaches with gold-standard science and ensure they address site-specific risks while anticipating the community’s future use of the site. This is a goal shared by regulators, responsible parties, and communities alike. However, challenges can arise when multiple agencies—or a single agency with fixed soil or groundwater standards—apply cleanup requirements regardless of current or reasonably anticipated future land use. In these cases, standardized cleanup goals do not match the cost benefit.

RCRA Sites Should Be Included Too

While these approaches can create fewer hurdles to cleanup for Superfund sites, it would be even more helpful for this approach to apply to Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) sites, as there are nearly three times more RCRA cleanup sites compared to the number of active Superfund sites.

Questions about how evolving EPA cleanup initiatives may affect your site? Contact Antea Group’s remediation team to discuss strategies for navigating complex site investigations, remediation projects, and regulatory requirements.

Originally published on CVS Health Company Newsroom

Key points

• CVS Pharmacy is using advanced automation to modernize how products move from distribution centers to stores.
• An automated distribution center in New Jersey supports faster, more precise store replenishment across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.
• Combining robotics with human expertise helps CVS Pharmacy strengthen reliability, safety, and operational efficiency at scale.

Behind every CVS Pharmacy store is a complex supply chain designed to help teams do their jobs more efficiently and support a consistent in-store experience for customers. A distribution center in Hainesport, New Jersey, offers a clear example of how CVS Pharmacy is modernizing those operations through thoughtful use of supply chain automation, advanced logistics, and inventory management.

Inside the facility, much of the movement happens beyond what the eye can see. Behind red-and-gray walls reaching nearly three stories high, hundreds of robots work in coordination, moving thousands of products each day through an automated storage-and-retrieval system. Together with CVS Pharmacy colleagues on-site, these systems support steady, predictable deliveries to stores across the region.

“The automation in use at our Hainesport, NJ facility is helping us get products to our stores more efficiently than ever before,” said Josh White, Chief Supply Chain and Logistics Officer, CVS Health. “The goal is to improve how accurately and efficiently we move products through our network so stores can operate with confidence and customers can get the items they want and need.”

A smarter way to distribute everyday essentials

The Hainesport distribution center focuses on health, beauty, and personal care items that stores typically need in smaller quantities. Products like deodorant, skin care items, and household basics move through the building in reusable tote bins, guided by automation designed to reduce unnecessary handling.

Robots retrieve totes stacked in dense grid formations and deliver them to CVS Pharmacy colleagues at workstations, where items are sorted and routed to specific stores. Automated systems then label, stack, and prepare orders for shipment, ensuring consistency from pick to pallet.

This product distribution approach allows the facility to process approximately 2 million items each week; a significant increase compared to prior operations before automation was introduced in 2023.

Supporting colleagues through technology

While warehouse automation plays a central role, people remain essential to the operation. About 150 colleagues currently work at the Hainesport site, and CVS Pharmacy plans to expand on-site teams over the coming year. Technology is designed to support colleagues by reducing repetitive tasks, improving ergonomics, and allowing teams to focus on higher-value work.

Automated palletizing systems stack totes by weight, while robotic arms handle wrapping and staging, with these processes designed with safety and consistency in mind. When deliveries reach stores, totes are designed for easy unpacking, simplifying the process for store teams.

Built for scale and reliability

The New Jersey facility carries roughly 10,000 unique products, representing a portion of the total assortment available in CVS Pharmacy stores. Certain items, such as pharmaceuticals or bulk shipments, are handled through other specialized parts of the distribution network to ensure regulatory compliance and operational efficiency.

Technology partners including AutoStore, Tompkins Robotics, and Bastian Solutions support the systems in use at the site. Together, these tools help CVS Pharmacy manage inventory flow in a way that prioritizes accuracy, predictability, and resilience across the supply chain.

The bigger picture with advanced automation

As consumer needs continue to evolve, CVS Pharmacy is investing in infrastructure that supports long-term operational excellence. Automated distribution is one part of a broader effort to modernize the CVS Pharmacy supply chain, helping stores stay focused on caring for customers while back-end systems handle complexity behind the scenes.

“For our store teams, what matters most is knowing that shipments arrive as expected, are accurate, and are easy to work with,” said White. “That reliability starts long before a truck reaches the store.”

Through continued investment in automation, people, and partnerships, CVS Pharmacy is strengthening the foundation that supports its retail, health, and wellness services nationwide, one distribution center at a time.

Originally published on Guiding Stars Health & Nutrition News

by Kitty Broihier

Meat-eating has been connected with masculinity for a long time in Western countries. There are even studies on what drives the meat-masculinity link. Between the continued popularity of the “Carnivore Diet” and the meat-forward new Dietary Guidelines for Americans, you might be wondering if the science on meat-eating has changed recently. Here’s the latest on red meat and health, and practical ways to manage meat in your diet.

What Does Meat Bring to the Table?

Overall, meat has a lot of good nutrition going for it. It contributes essential nutrients including protein, minerals (such as iron, zinc, selenium, and phosphorus), vitamins (A and multiple B vitamins), and bioactive compounds such as creatine. A recent systematic review article found that, in general, meat-eaters are more likely to have high intakes of protein, some B vitamins, and zinc. However, they are also more likely to have inadequate consumption of nutrients prevalent in plants (such as fiber, polyunsaturated fats, vitamin E, folate, and magnesium). Meat is also a major source of saturated fat.

Meat and Health

Decades of research show an association between red meat, processed meat, and higher risk for certain diseases. Saturated fat, and its impact on cholesterol levels, used to be considered the main connection between meat consumption and disease. However, as science has evolved, there appears to be more to it. For example, researchers now recognize the gut microbiome’s response to a diet high in meat as an important factor. Another is the overall nutritional impact of eating a meat-heavy diet compared to one with plentiful plant foods. Here are some recent findings in the areas where meat appears to have the most detrimental impact on health:

Cardiovascular Disease. A 2023 meta-analysis of nine studies found that eating unprocessed red meat correlates with a significant increase in total stroke incidence. Eating greater amounts of meat was also found to increase cardiovascular disease in people aged 65+ in the U.S. And a large study in the UK followed participants’ consumption of processed meat for up to 30 years. It found that for each 50g increase (slightly less than 2 oz), risk of heart disease increased by 18%. In comparison, for unprocessed red meat, that 50g increase boosted heart disease risk by 9%. There was no clear link between eating poultry and cardiovascular disease risk.

Type 2 Diabetes. There was a large study in 2024 that included subjects from 20 different countries. Its findings suggest that greater consumption of unprocessed red meat, processed meat, and poultry increases risk for type 2 diabetes. However, controlled clinical trials have not shown a clear link. Still, the American Diabetes Association recommends eating patterns that emphasize seafood and plant proteins instead of red and processed meat. These include a Mediterranean-style eating pattern, a vegetarian diet, or plant-forward, lower-fat meal plans.

Colorectal Cancer. A 2022 study compared cancer risks of regular meat-eaters to low meat-eaters for 11 years. (Regular = people who eat meat, processed meat, and poultry more than five times per week. Low = those who eat meat products five or fewer times per week.) Compared to the regular meat-eaters, being a low meat-eater correlated with a lower risk of all cancers—including colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, both unprocessed red meat and processed meats likely cause cancer. And the risk increases with the amount of meat consumed.

Differences Between Red Meat and Processed Meat

Red meat refers to mammalian muscle meat, such as beef, lamb, pork, veal, venison, and goat. Processed meat has been salted, smoked, fermented, cured, or otherwise treated to flavor and preserve it. Examples of processed meats include hot dogs, deli meats of all kinds, sausages, canned meats, and ham.

Some of the health impacts of eating meat focus more on processed meat than red meat. This could be due to their higher salt content or the synthetic ingredients in processed meats, such as nitrates and nitrites. The Guiding Stars meat algorithm takes the presence of added sodium, added sugar, and additives like these into consideration. And it debits those products that include one or more of them.

Meeting Protein Needs With Less Meat

Men may be eating more protein than they really need. Most American adults meet the Recommended Dietary Allowance for protein, and males age 19 – 60 generally exceed that amount. What’s more, protein needs can be easily met with a combination of animal foods and plant foods. And this holds true even for those who might need more protein than the average person, such as athletes.

To get meat’s nutritional benefits without adding risk for chronic disease, mix up your protein sources and decrease meat overall. You don’t need to eliminate meat completely (unless you want to do so). Here are our top tips for being more choosy about the amount and types of meat on your plate:

• When shopping for meat, prioritize whole-muscle meat and poultry instead of processed meat items.
• Look for Guiding Stars-earning meat items to help you select the most nutritious options.
• Reduce your red meat consumption gradually. Swap out one or two servings of meat per week with fish, seafood, and poultry instead.
• Avoid buying fresh or frozen meat items that have added breading or include added solutions for weight-retention or flavoring.
• Aim to have a couple of meatless dinners per week. There are plenty of plant proteins that are delicious, nutritious, and usually less pricey than meat. And Guiding Stars has lots of Star-earning, satisfying vegetarian recipes.

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

Newsletter originally published on GoDaddy LinkedIn

Welcome to the GoDaddy Small Business Research Lab quarterly update on small and microbusiness activity across the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia!

Data Hub Refresh – Which industries and regions saw activity?

The Microbusiness Data Hub has been refreshed through March 2026, including small business entrepreneur survey responses and capturing the latest concentrations in entrepreneurship, geographically and by industry through our commerce data. Excerpts below:

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LinkedIn Live – Future of Work on June 2nd and April Recap

We’ve kicked off data-forward conversations with inspiring and insightful leaders when it comes to entrepreneurship.

One recent discussion explored the idea that the next generation of leaders will manage hybrid teams of humans and AI agents, and how that shift is already reshaping careers, entrepreneurship, and the economy itself.

If you missed the live conversation, you can now watch the replay featuring Alexandra Rosen, head of the GoDaddy Small Business Research Lab, and Tarja Stephens, human-AI workforce strategist and founder of Leaders of the Future, as they discuss the future of work, AI, and the rise of portfolio entrepreneurship.

Watch the replay: https://www.linkedin.com/events/7465149138683211776?viewAsMember=true

Last quarter, we covered how mall businesses are an essential, and often early, lens on what’s happening in the economy. Alexandra Rosen was joined by Victor W. Hwang, founder & CEO of Right to Start, for a live conversation on new small business data, opportunity unlocked by entrepreneurship, and what this signals for what’s next. 

You can watch the replay here: https://www.linkedin.com/events/7445933974629265409?viewAsMember=true 

For ongoing updates on GoDaddy Small Business Research Lab data, events, and broader trends around small businesses and entrepreneurship, subscribe to the newsletter.

FIFA World Cup 2026™ and America250

Philadelphia holds a unique place in the American story. It is the city where the nation’s founding ideals were debated, defined, and declared—a place where history continues to inspire the future. And for those of us at Comcast, it’s more than a historic place. It’s home.

This year, Philadelphia is at the center of several extraordinary global moments including the 250th anniversary of American independence and FIFA World Cup 2026™. Together, they represent a once-in-a-generation opportunity to show the world, once again, what makes this city special. Through targeted investments and partnerships, Comcast has helped to support making both moments worthy of Philadelphia’s place in history.

Bringing the World Cup to Philadelphia

Philadelphia will host six FIFA World Cup 2026™ matches this summer, and for soccer fans across the globe, the city will become a destination unlike any other. From the moment we began working to bring the World Cup here in 2019—when Comcast co-chaired the bid process—we knew this would be a defining chapter for our hometown.

Today, Michelle Singer, Comcast’s Senior Vice President of Political Engagement, and Dan Hilferty, Comcast Spectacor Chairman & CEO, together co-chair Philadelphia Soccer 2026, the host committee responsible for planning and executing the city’s World Cup experience. For years, they have worked alongside public, private, and civic partners to prepare for the scale of the tournament, supporting the planning, fundraising, and coordination necessary to welcome fans from around the world. Through their leadership, Philadelphia is expecting up to $770 million in economic impact, benefiting the region long after the final match is called.

On the broadcast side, Telemundo, which is part of the Comcast family of companies, is the exclusive Spanish-language home for the tournament and will air all 104 matches live, including a historic July 4th game right here in Philadelphia. Overall, Telemundo will deliver 700 hours of World Cup programming from June 11 through July 19, with 92 matches airing free over-the-air, the most FIFA World Cup matches ever broadcast on a U.S. network in any language. Every match will also stream on Peacock and the Telemundo app.

Earlier this year, Comcast NBCUniversal and Telemundo62, in partnership with the U.S. Soccer Federation’s Soccer Forward Foundation, launched the Vamos World Cup Initiative. The initiative provided a total of $600,000 in funding to nonprofits across the U.S. that use soccer to create opportunity, build leadership and move communities forward. Here in Philadelphia, local nonprofits JT Dorsey Foundation and Safe-Hub were among the 17 organizations nationwide that received grants and was awarded during Telemundo’s Tu Momento. Tu Jugada—a multi-city mobile experience tour that brought youth clinics, fan experiences, and the excitement of the world’s biggest sporting event directly to Northeast Philadelphia.

Lemon Hill, one of Philadelphia’s most beautiful public spaces, will serve as the site of the official FIFA Fan Festival, welcoming tens of thousands of fans who may not have match tickets but still want to enjoy a worldclass gameday experience. Comcast expanded its network to the Lemon Hill, providing new connectivity to the area to support city operations with Comcast Business services, including multi-gigabit, symmetrical Internet from America’s smartest and most reliable converged network. WiFi hotspots will support attendees celebrating all the World Soccer events that will be held there. Xfinity WiFi hotspots have also been permanently installed in the park and will be available for customers, delivering an added benefit for Xfinity Mobile devices that will enjoy speeds up to 1 Gig with WiFi PowerBoost when they auto-connect to those hotspots.

Comcast has also invested in the restoration of Lemon Hill through our partnership with Philadelphia Soccer 2026 and Fairmount Park Conservancy, helping ensure the space is safe, welcoming, and ready with the support of our employee-volunteers. Our teammates have gone even further, signing on as official FIFA volunteers, dedicating eight days of personal time to help make the match-day and Fan Fest experiences exceptional for every guest.

Beyond Fan Fest, we are supporting Fairmount Park Conservancy’s revitalization of FDR Park in South Philadelphia—a 348-acre transformation that will create opportunity in surrounding neighborhoods long after the final match.

And at Building 21, in partnership with the U.S. Soccer Foundation, we opened a new mini-pitch so Philadelphia kids have more safe places to play.

America 250 & Where It All Began

Two hundred and fifty years ago, Philadelphia set a new nation in motion. As a founding partner of Philadelphia250—the Philadelphia Visitor Center’s initiative to commemorate this milestone—Comcast is helping this Semiquincentennial honor this legacy by delivering lasting benefits to communities, through partnerships including:

• Welcome America, the beloved 16-day citywide festival that this year coincides with the World Cup—and is sponsored by Comcast, NBC10, Telemundo 62, and NBC Sports Philadelphia—will fill neighborhoods with free events open to every resident and visitor, offering a living expression of what this anniversary truly means.
• Philadelphia250’s Block Party Bonanza brings Semiquincentennial celebrations to neighborhoods across the city by supporting 250 free community block parties with themed kits, activities, and grocery gift cards.
• The Museum of the American Revolution’s The Declaration’s Journey, which explores the history and global impact of the Declaration of Independence through rare documents, artwork, and artifacts and shows how it influenced independence movements in more than 100 nations.
• The Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts presenting A Nation of Artists—an exhibition that brings together three collections to celebrate 250 years of American creativity across two Philadelphia institutions.
• ArtPhilly’s What Now Festival, a five-week multidisciplinary showcase running May 27 to July 2, that spotlights Philadelphia’s artists as interpreters of this complex and exhilarating American moment.
• The Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) production of 1776: The Musical, performed by students across the School District of Philadelphia.
• The Rosenbach Museum & Library is preserving irreplaceable artifacts that tell Philadelphia’s story for generations to come.
• The Belmont Mansion serves as a historic landmark and Underground Railroad museum.
• The Philadelphia Funders Collaborative for the Semiquincentennial is providing funding to dozens of local organizations dedicated to honoring Philadelphia’s role in our nation’s founding and how to continue its legacy.

Over the past decade, Comcast has provided millions in cash and in-kind support to organizations celebrating America’s 250th anniversary—and we look forward to continuing to support what comes for the next 250 years.

Bringing Us Together

This summer will be remarkable not because of any single event or investment, but because of what all of it represents together: a city and nation founded on the ideals that all people are created equal, opening its arms to the world through sport, art, history, and music. Our community of neighbors, volunteers, artists, students, and fans are a special part of celebrating our legacy and making this a defining moment that our city will always be proud of.

Comcast NBCUniversal is honored to be part of every chapter of that story—through broadcast, streaming connectivity, and community investments. Philadelphia has always been a place where people come together around big ideas. This year, the world is joining us. We couldn’t be more ready or more grateful to call Philly home.

Dalila Wilson-Scott, EVP and Chief Impact & Inclusion Officer, Comcast Corporation and President, Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation

Originally published on Aflac Newsroom

By any measure, firefighters accept extraordinary risk in the line of duty. Flames, smoke, collapsing structures — these are the dangers most visible to the public. But for Brian Ryll, president of the Professional Fire Fighters of New Hampshire, the most insidious threat is the one that often goes unseen: cancer.

Confronting an invisible enemy

Under Brian’s steady and determined leadership, New Hampshire has taken a decisive step to confront that threat head on. With the passage of Senate Bill 352, nearly 4,000 professional firefighters across the state now have access to comprehensive early cancer detection screenings, an initiative that advocates say could save countless lives.

Backed by $5 million in state funding, the program provides cutting-edge screening tools, including early detection blood tests, diagnostic ultrasounds and low-dose lung CT scans. Together, these measures can significantly improve the odds of identifying cancer in its earliest, most treatable stages. Together, these tools can mark a shift from reactive to proactive care, catching the disease before it progresses.

For Brian, the legislation is more than a policy victory — it is a deeply personal mission that also led to him receiving recognition as an Aflac Check for Cancer Champion.

“I’m honored to be named a Check for Cancer Champion,” Brian said. “I accept this recognition on behalf of my Executive Board, whose tireless advocacy has helped provide early cancer detection screenings to firefighters across New Hampshire. But to the legislature and the governor for working in a bipartisan fashion to make it happen. This honor reflects a commitment to protecting those who risk everything to keep their communities safe. Early detection and treatment save lives, and we are grateful for the support of Aflac and their recognition of these efforts.”

Why firefighters face higher cancer risks — and what’s being done

The statistics underscore his urgency. Firefighters are known to have higher rates of cancer compared with the general population, a reality linked to prolonged exposure to carcinogens released during fires.¹ Despite advances in protective gear, toxic exposure remains an unavoidable occupational risk.

That reality has shaped Brian’s advocacy. As president of the statewide union, he has worked tirelessly with policymakers, medical experts and fellow firefighters to help elevate awareness of occupational cancer risks. Senate Bill 352 represents the culmination of those efforts — a refreshing convergence of political will, public health expertise and union advocacy.

The program has already begun to resonate beyond the firefighting community. Public health advocates view New Hampshire’s initiative as a potential model for other states grappling with firefighter cancer risks. By making early detection accessible and comprehensive, the state is addressing a problem that has long simmered beneath the surface of emergency services.

How this effort is changing the future of firefighter health

Looking ahead, Brian hopes the initiative will not only save lives but also shift the national conversation around firefighter health.

“This is about changing the culture,” Brian has emphasized in various forums. “We need to prioritize prevention and early detection just as much as we prioritize response.”

In firehouses across New Hampshire, that cultural shift is already underway. Firefighters who once accepted cancer risk as an unavoidable consequence of the job now have access to tools that could catch the disease early.

For the families who depend on them, that change means something immeasurable: more time, more milestones, more moments that might otherwise have been lost. And for Brian Ryll, it is the clearest measure of success. It is what measures him as a champion.

The Check for Cancer Champions program is part of Aflac’s Check for Cancer initiative, a bold, national movement to increase cancer screenings by 10% over 10 years. Learn more about the Check for Cancer movement by visiting Aflac.com/CheckForCancer.

^{1 National Fire Protection Association. Firefighters and cancer. Updated July 25, 2025. https://www.nfpa.org/education-and-research/emergency-response/firefighters-and-cancer. Accessed on June 10, 2026.}

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