Author: sHq_LoGiNz

Climate Risk Assessment for Strategic Decision-Making

Posted on by sHq_LoGiNz

Climate change is increasingly shaping business decisions at the executive level. From workers’ safety to supply chain disruptions, effects of rising temperatures and extreme weather patterns have proven to be a financial risk.

In 2024 alone, 84% of S&P 500 companies aligned with the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosure, marking a 62% increase since 2021. It’s no wonder that climate risk assessments have become essential for protecting the longevity and value of a company, as well as maintaining customer and stakeholder trust.

What Is a Climate Risk Assessment?

Climate risk assessment is a process of analyzing a company’s operations, assets, and value chain to identify the most significant climate risks it could face, both now and in the future. The evaluation looks at a company through the lens of climate change, parsing how staff, operations, resources, product delivery, and finances could be affected by these external events. Overall, you want to walk away from a climate risk assessment with a clear view of what climate-related risks your business is exposed to.

Different Types of Climate Risks

Typically, climate risk assessment evaluates a business’ risks in two categories: physical and transition risks.

Physical risks are the ways in which climate change could disrupt a company’s physical assets, facilities, employees, and operations in short-term (acute) or ongoing (chronic) changes to weather. For example, excessive heat conditions could harm workers, or repeated flooding could lead to the decommissioning of a facility.

Transition risks encompass policy and law, technology, reputation, market, and more. These risks arise from the shift toward a lower‑carbon economy as policies, technologies, and market expectations evolve to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. While setting targets such as carbon neutrality or net zero can be relatively straightforward, achieving them often requires significant investment in new technologies, operational changes, and value‑chain adjustments, which can introduce unexpected costs and competitive pressures. Transition risks may also include legal and regulatory exposure if companies fail to comply with emerging climate‑related requirements, or if public disclosures about climate commitments and performance are misleading or incomplete.

How Are Climate Risk Assessments Conducted?

Climate risk assessments are complex processes that require data gathering, predictive modeling, prioritization, and ultimately, action to address what’s been uncovered in the assessment. Support from expert practitioners and consultants ensures that each step is carried out thoroughly and effectively.

Climate risk assessment begins with identifying a company’s physical and transition risks, as well as its vulnerabilities to these risks under different futures scenarios. Physical and transition risks like those outlined above can be identified through geophysical analysis, desktop research, and/or stakeholder engagement.

Vulnerability mapping, the other key component of this part of the process, assesses potential climate-related hazards and draws connections to how and where risk exposures are most likely to affect the company and its stakeholders if they are realized. This forecasts how employees, protocols, resources, communities, and investments will be directly affected by climate-related risks. Impact will vary between different arms of your business.

Vulnerability and risk exposure mapping will uncover countless risks. But because it’s not possible to tackle all of them at once, companies must prioritize identified risks. You’ll want to assess which matters the most based on urgency, possible financial losses, safety concerns, and reputational damage. Take each risk and identify those that are both highly probable (exposure) and will have the most significant impact on your company (vulnerability). Those are the ones to address first.

From there, you can develop an action plan to correct these internal issues. You can also revisit prioritizing impacts over time. Just as regulations change, so will what is most important to your business. Ongoing climate risk assessment will ensure that your company is always on the cutting edge of sustainability. It is recommended that the full climate risk assessment process be completed every 2-3 years or as the company faces large changes in geography or structure, such that may arise with mergers & acquisitions, closures, and market prioritization shifts.

Benefits of Climate Risk Assessments

Climate risk assessments are a that delivers returns to both your company and the community it serves. Here are four of the most significant ways an assessment can empower your business:

  1. Strengthening resilience. As the saying goes: an ounce of preparation is worth a pound of cure. Climate risk assessments prepare companies to be adaptable to the ongoing effects of climate change. It reduces moments of surprise, ensures action plans for risk-related events, and gives businesses more fortitude to bounce back from disruptions.
  2. Identifying opportunities. The holistic nature of a climate risk assessment means that it identifies both risks and opportunities in one exercise. The kind of deep analysis required to complete an assessment provides a fresh point of view for discovering new potential and rethinking existing work, making a compelling business case for the undertaking, beyond just addressing potential threats.
  3. Informing investments. With a clear view of climate risks, companies can budget for long-term climate-friendly planning. This could mean upgrading technologies, reinforcing facilities, protecting assets, and more. Either way, a business can invest to minimize future risk with confidence.
  4. Supporting Enterprise Risk Management (ERM). ERM is all about anticipating future mishaps. Conducting a climate risk assessment will only strengthen a company’s ERM strategy. All findings should be integrated into ERM so that climate-related risks are given the same attention as others.

Guidance on How To Get Started

While you may be on board with performing a climate risk assessment, it may take some work to get proper funding and support from executives. The first step to getting there is to engage key stakeholders within your company. Identify departments that could be affected by assessment findings, and start documenting relevant information. Enterprise-wide collaboration will be essential to the process. Teaming up with legal, finance, operations, and more will bolster your case. Additionally, when department leadership invests in climate risk assessment, it’s easier to get executives to follow. A cross-functional workshop, led by your external partner in conducting the CRA, is another opportunity to engage executives and other leaders in understanding the business value of an assessment.

However, don’t just rely on internal resources. While your company’s leaders are experts in their field, they may not be experts in climate risk assessment. Connecting with external partners who have experience in risk assessment will take the guesswork out of the process. Having an objective external expert to guide you not only through the assessment, but also through internal conversations with leaders, makes the process more efficient and effective.

Building a better future

Climate risk assessment isn’t just a tool to help you navigate the now. It’s an investment in resilience that will only enhance the long-term value of your company. If you are ready to take the next step in your commitment to sustainability and the environment, get in touch today. We offer a variety of climate-related risk assessment services to help your business stay strong and agile, no matter what extreme weather comes your way.

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CVS Health: Thank You! Gussie Belle Commons Grand Opening Salem, Oregon

Posted on by sHq_LoGiNz

On March 11, 2026, CVS Health proudly celebrated the Grand Opening of Gussie Belle Commons in Salem, Oregon, alongside our valued colleagues, local leaders, community organizations, development partners, and residents. The event marked the opening of a new community featuring 120 intentionally designed affordable housing units for families earning up to 30% and 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI).

Co-developers Home First and Green Light Development have created a beautiful and welcoming community for families, offering energy-efficient apartments and a wide range of amenities. These include a clubhouse with a kitchen, a playground, courtyards, on-site parking with EV charging, bike storage, and on-site management and supportive services. Resident services, provided by Seed of Faith Ministries and the Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency, are designed to support long-term housing stability by connecting residents to employment opportunities, benefits, and resources that promote overall well-being.

It was truly inspiring to celebrate this achievement with everyone who helped bring this vision to life, including CREA, Home First, Green Light Development, Seed of Faith Ministries, the Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency, First Commercial Real Estate, the Oregon Housing and Community Services Department, and our dedicated colleagues from CVS Health and Aetna.

Additionally, in the days leading up to the Grand Opening, volunteers creatively wrapped useful household items and distributed them to the residents of Gussie Belle Commons in beautiful welcome home baskets. 

Gussie Belle Commons interiors

Thank you to everyone who joined us in celebrating this milestone. We deeply appreciate these moments and are grateful to all who contributed to making the Grand Opening possible. This achievement reflects the unwavering commitment and collaboration of our colleagues across CVS Health and Aetna.

Gussie Belle Commons opening.

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Fifth Third Recognized Among 2026 USA Today Top Workplaces

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CINCINNATI, April 9, 2026 /3BL/ – For the fifth consecutive year, Fifth Third (Nasdaq: FITB) is honored to have earned the 2026 USA TODAY Top Workplaces award. Fifth Third also received Top Workplaces Culture Excellence Awards in the following categories: Appreciation, Employee Well-Being, Innovation, Leadership, Professional Development, Purpose & Values and Work-Life Flexibility. The Culture Excellence Awards showcase where an organization’s people-first culture excels to boost brand reputation and attract talent that aligns with organizational values.

“Being recognized as a Top Workplace is especially meaningful because it’s rooted in feedback from our employees,” said Nancy Pinckney, chief human resources officer at Fifth Third. “Earning this recognition for the fifth year reflects the dedication our employees show to each other, our customers and the communities we serve. Their commitment is the foundation of our strong culture and what makes Fifth Third a great place to work.”

Top Workplaces USA honors organizations with 150 or more employees that have created exceptional, people-first cultures. This year, more than 42,000 organizations were invited to participate. Winners are recognized for their commitment to fostering a workplace environment that values employee listening and engagement.

“Earning a USA TODAY Top Workplaces award is a testament to an organization’s credibility and commitment to a people-first culture,” said Eric Rubino, CEO of Energage. “This award, driven by real employee feedback, is more than just a recognition — it’s proof that your employees believe in the organization and its leadership. Job seekers and customers look for this trusted badge of credibility and excellence. It signals a company that values its people, and that kind of culture resonates in today’s competitive market.”

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About Fifth Third

Fifth Third is a bank that’s as long on innovation as it is on history. Since 1858, we’ve been helping individuals, families, businesses and communities grow through smart financial services that improve lives. Our list of firsts is extensive, and it’s one that continues to expand as we explore the intersection of tech driven innovation, dedicated people and focused community impact. Fifth Third is one of the few U.S.-based banks to have been named among Ethisphere’s World’s Most Ethical Companies® for several years. With a commitment to taking care of our customers, employees, communities and shareholders, our goal is not only to be the nation’s highest performing regional bank, but to be the bank people most value and trust.

Fifth Third Bank, National Association is a federally chartered institution. Fifth Third Bancorp is the indirect parent company of Fifth Third Bank and its common stock is traded on the NASDAQ® Global Select Market under the symbol “FITB.” Investor information and press releases can be viewed at www.53.com. Deposit and credit products provided by Fifth Third Bank, National Association. Member FDIC.

ABOUT Energage

Making the world a better place to work together.TM

Energage is a purpose-driven company that helps organizations turn employee feedback into useful business intelligence and credible employer recognition through Top Workplaces. Built on 20 years of culture research and the results from 30 million employees surveyed across more than 80,000 organizations,  Energage delivers the most accurate competitive benchmark available. With access to a unique combination of patented analytic tools and expert guidance, Energage customers lead the competition with an engaged workforce and an opportunity to gain recognition for their people-first approach to culture. For more information or to nominate your organization, visit energage.com or topworkplaces.com.

CONTACT

Jordan DuShane (Media Relations)
jordan.dushane@53.com

Matt Curoe (Investor Relations)
matt.curoe@53.com | 513-534-2345

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Inside Mary Kay’s Tech & Digital Transformation With CIO James Whatley

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Originally published on newsroom.marykay.com

Today, Chief Information Officers (CIOs) are redefining what it means to lead in tech by moving beyond systems and infrastructure to advance enterprise strategy, culture, and growth. CIOs are not just technology stewards, but business leaders who translate innovation into value, aligning data, AI, cybersecurity, and platforms with clear outcomes that matter to employees and customers.

Fresh off a feature in CIO Dive and named a 2026 Dallas CIO Orbie Award finalist, James Whatley and his team, are leading a digital and tech transformation that’s reshaping how Mary Kay operates and empowering Beauty Consultants to run their businesses online and in person, anytime, anywhere. We met with James at Mary Kay’s global headquarters in Addison, Texas, to talk CIO leadership: what it takes to drive change at scale and what’s next for Mary Kay entrepreneurs worldwide.

Q. James, tell us a bit about you and your role. Why do you love your job?

  • I have been with Mary Kay for 27 years during which I have had the honor to play an instrumental role in developing Information Technology (IT) systems that ensure our Independent Beauty Consultants (IBC) can run their businesses anytime, anywhere.
  • My role is to align technology, data, processes, and skills to the company’s strategic ambitions, ensuring every platform and investment reinforces how the business operates and grows. I see the Mary Kay enterprise as an interconnected system, designed to perform, scale, and adapt. Together with my team we connect the front office to the back office, innovation to execution, and speed to stability.
  • I am passionate first and foremost about finding solutions for our Mary Kay Beauty Consultants. At the same time, I want to help create a workplace environment that fosters teamwork, trust, and strong partnerships among the company’s global partners where we operate.

Q. Can you share about the major digital and cloud transformation at Mary Kay?

  • Over the past years, I have had the opportunity to lead or co-lead many of our largest transformations, and our transition to a “cloud-first” model is one of them.
  • For a global direct sales beauty leader like Mary Kay, accelerating digital transformation is business‑critical because in a digitally driven marketplace, the competitive edge of our business model depends on speed, relevance, and scale.
  • We have also gone through an Organizational Transformation, forming a “Global IT Organization,” creating great efficiencies and cost savings while balancing global core systems, market nuances, and local regulations.
  • Our founder, Mary Kay Ash, once said: “Standing still is the same thing as moving backward.” This is my favorite quote from her, and it is a philosophy I take with me to work every day.

Q. Can you describe the key steps of this “global rewiring” of Mary Kay?

  • We have made a structural shift with a complete tech stack* replacement, moving us away from a 100% custom development shop in record time. This is unprecedented for a global company of our size.
  • Our cloud-first strategy was just as much a mindset shift as it was a tech stack change. This change was not only significant for our Independent Beauty Consultants but also for our global IT organization. During this project, we evolved how IT and other groups run cross-functional projects making more informed and faster decisions.
  • We closed five data centers worldwide, moving over 95% of custom applications to powerful, integrated SaaS platforms** or hosted in a Cloud environment, managing the scale of our peak commerce volumes each month. This included our business-critical applications from eCommerce to supply chain. In other words, all our systems which manage our complex business model as well as our global Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Solutions.***
  • Our digital transformation involved modernizing all the applications our Independent Beauty Consultants use to manage and run their own businesses in more than twenty-five countries. This includes our new Consumer to IBC Commerce solution, creating online commerce shops for our Beauty Consultants. We launched in Germany and in the United States in 2025 and we are rolling the new system out globally in 2026.
  • These investments in modern platforms, analytics, and digital enablement allow us to focus more on the last mile to unlock new growth opportunities, strengthen user engagement, and futureproof the Mary Kay business against disruption, staying ahead of the curve rather than reacting to it.

Q. Is Leveraging AI and eCommerce functionalities truly compatible with the Mary Kay business model based on relationships?

  • 100% compatible! I like this question because it emphasizes how crucial it is to align IT with business goals and advance our business model while staying true to our mission of enriching women’s lives. Our obsession is “How do we continue to deliver a world-class opportunity to our Independent Beauty Consultants around the world?”
  • Consumer expectations shift toward seamless, on-demand, and transparent buying journeys, and our goal has been to create a seamless online experience for our IBCs to become truly omnichannel and enable commerce at every touchpoint.
  • With mobile commerce accounting for over 62% of beauty sales[1] in key markets, integrating AI into digital strategies is no longer optional, it is essential for growth.[2]
  • To us, digital business success blends the irreplaceable customer service Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultants are known for with technology. I always think about this quote from Steve Jobs: “You’ve got to start with the customer experience and work backwards to the technology.”
  • We leverage digital transformation to enhance and expand the way she runs her business using the right tools from e-commerce, smart reporting, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and many other applications. Digital tools enable her to engage customers where they already are, across social, mobile, and e‑commerce channels, while using data, AI, and automation to personalize experiences, optimize inventory, and improve productivity.

Q. What’s Mary Kay’s approach to Artificial Intelligence and how do you leverage it?

  • It is all about the right use case. We are gradually integrating AI based on a proven return on investment (ROI) approach. We have reviewed repeatable manual tasks and assessed opportunities to leverage AI spanning from IT, Marketing and Creative, to R&D, Manufacturing and Supply Chain.
  • We integrated AI governance from the beginning because we knew it would make our use of generative AI better. We created a Mary Kay AI Committee which is responsible for implementing the vision and strategy for AI within the organization. The AI Committee oversees all new implementations of AI into our global environment to ensure compliance with our internal risk tolerance, legal requirements, moral implications, security concerns, and proving the ROI of the implemented tools. The committee helped us prioritize, and better and faster integrate the use of our approved AI tools.
  • Education about the risk and power of AI is key. Our AI Committee and AI Champions are leading in-depth training of our teams to understand the capabilities of the available AI platforms and models, promote the use of AI, and help generate new ideas as well as a culture of innovation within our user base.
  • In addition to enterprise AI-driven solutions, we are also integrating our digital tools like the Mary Kay® Skin Analyzer App, Mirror Me™, our real-time makeover app using augmented reality (supporting Virtual Try On) and our latest tool – the AI Foundation Finder. A first in the direct selling industry, this AI Foundation Finder uses advanced artificial intelligence to scan a customer’s face on their mobile phone and provide personalized foundation shade recommendations in just seconds allowing the precise detection of 151 facial feature points.
  • Our blended technology portfolio of generative and agentic AI is helping to build the digital toolset we want to provide for our Beauty Consultants, customers, and our staff.

Q. CIOs today are not only tech experts – they are also culture shapers. What is your own experience with culture?

  • Our digital acceleration was powered by a “One Team Mindset,” building cross functional partnerships to serve our Mary Kay markets and beauty consultants around the world.
  • I have learned that a key factor in success is culture: it is essential to treat internal teams, market partners, vendors, and customers as key stakeholders in the transformation process, not just end-users. Change is a journey; culture helps shift from uncertainty into excitement and disruption into possibility.
  • AI can process data at lightning speed, but culture determines whether people trust it, use it, and let it optimize the way they work. I look at it as a multiplier. Reinforcing our strong purpose-driven culture, encouraging experimentation, and modeling openness to change, helps us move faster, and ensure that digital progress translates into sustainable business and human outcomes. Technology alone does not drive change, people do.

Tech Glossary:

  • *Tech Stack or technology stack refers to the comprehensive collection of technologies, tools, and frameworks utilized to develop and operate a software application. This includes components such as frontend and backend systems, databases, and supporting infrastructure.
  • **A SaaS platform solution is a cloud-based software model that allows users to access applications remotely via the internet.
  • ***Global ERP Solutions are specialized resource planning systems designed to manage multinational operations across multiple countries, regions, currencies, and languages, business processes such as finance, HR, sales, and inventory management into a single platform, enabling seamless data flow and real-time analytics.

***

About Mary Kay

One of the original glass ceiling breakers, Mary Kay Ash founded her dream beauty brand in Texas in 1963 with one goal: to enrich women’s lives. Learn more at marykayglobal.com. Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, or follow us on X.

# # #

[1] What is Mobile Commerce? Benefits & Trends | Blog Miquido

[2] Generative AI in Beauty Industry: Use Cases | Blog Miquido

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Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church to Visit Fresno for Historic Consecration of San Joaquin Valley Bishop

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First episcopal consecration in the Diocese of San Joaquin in 38 years

FRESNO, Calif., April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Most Rev. Sean W. Rowe, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, will travel to Fresno on April 18 to consecrate the Rev. Dr. Gregory W. Kimura as the sixth bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin during a ceremony at 10 a.m. at St. James Episcopal Cathedral.


The Bishop's Seal of the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin

The consecration marks the first episcopal consecration in the Diocese of San Joaquin since 1988, making it a historic moment for the diocese and its congregations throughout California’s Central Valley and High Desert.

Kimura will succeed The Rt. Rev. David C. Rice, who served as diocesan bishop for twelve years.

As bishop, Kimura will serve as the spiritual leader of the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin, which includes 19 congregations and ministries across the Central Valley, stretching from Lodi and Stockton in the north to Bakersfield and Ridgecrest in the south, and the Episcopal Conference Center Oakhurst (ECCO), with diocesan offices and the cathedral located in Fresno.

A fourth-generation Alaskan, Kimura has served Episcopal and Lutheran congregations in Alaska and California. Most recently he has been rector of St. James’ Episcopal Church in South Pasadena, and previously served as President and CEO of the Japanese American National Museum, a Smithsonian Affiliate, in Los Angeles.

“I look forward with enthusiasm and humility to serving Christ and the people of the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin,” Kimura said. “The Episcopal Church welcomes everyone with a message of God’s love for all people in the wonderful diversity God has created.”

The consecration will be led by The Most Rev. Sean W. Rowe, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church. As presiding bishop, Rowe serves as the chief pastor and primate of the Episcopal Church, which includes 106 dioceses in 22 countries and territories and is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion, one of the largest Christian traditions in the world.

His visit to Fresno highlights the significance of the moment for the Diocese of San Joaquin, which has experienced a period of renewal and rebuilding in recent years. The upcoming consecration represents another important step in the continued life and growth of the diocese.

The consecration service will include a traditional procession of bishops and clergy from across the country in ceremonial vestments and the historic “laying on of hands,” when bishops gather around the bishop-elect in prayer — a moment that marks the formal beginning of a bishop’s ministry.

The service is expected to draw clergy and church leaders from across the United States.

Seating for the ceremony is limited. A livestream of the ordination and consecration will appear on the Diocesan YouTube page. More information and the livestream link are available at:
www.diosanjoaquin.org/consecration

Media Opportunities

Members of the media are invited to attend the consecration.

Interview opportunities may be available with:

  • Bishop-elect Gregory Kimura
  • Presiding Bishop Sean W. Rowe

Media are encouraged to contact the diocese in advance to arrange interviews.

About the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin
The Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin serves congregations across California’s Central Valley and includes 19 congregations and ministries as well as the Episcopal Conference Center in Oakhurst. The diocesan cathedral and offices are located at St. James Episcopal Cathedral in Fresno.

The Episcopal Church is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion and has a continuous presence in the United States dating to the American Revolution.

Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/presiding-bishop-of-the-episcopal-church-to-visit-fresno-for-historic-consecration-of-san-joaquin-valley-bishop-302737456.html

SOURCE Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin

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Consolidated Credit Celebrates Financial Literacy Month with “The Business of Community” Breakfast

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South Florida Leaders, Financial Institutions, and Entrepreneurs Gather to Highlight the Economic Impact of Financial Education

FR. LAUDERDALE, Fla., April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Consolidated Credit hosted its annual Financial Literacy Month Breakfast, bringing together banks, credit unions, municipal leaders, elected officials, business owners, and nonprofit partners to celebrate this year’s theme: “The Business of Community.”

 

The event underscored the vital role financial education plays in strengthening families, empowering entrepreneurs, and driving long-term economic resilience.

“For us, financial literacy is more than education, it’s economic infrastructure,” says Sandra Tobon, Director of Community Outreach at Consolidated Credit. “When families gain financial stability, businesses grow. When entrepreneurs understand credit, communities build wealth. That’s the business of community.”

During the event, Consolidated Credit highlighted several key initiatives from the past year, including:

  • Participation in the Hispanic Entrepreneurs Initiative proclamation celebration
  • Workshops focused on helping small business owners transition from personal credit to business credit
  • Partnerships with community-based foundations to expand access to financial education
  • Collaboration with the University of Miami and SCORE Broward to support entrepreneurs and Spanish-speaking small business owners

The event also recognized the community partners and sponsors whose support continues to make this work possible, including City National Bank, Valley Bank, Third Federal Savings and Loan, Wells Fargo, Truist Bank, Comerica, First Bank, Optimum Bank, Citi Bank, and the United Way of Broward County. Their ongoing commitment has played a key role in helping individuals and families move toward greater financial stability and independence.

“Financial literacy becomes powerful when it becomes collaborative,” says April Lewis-Parks, Consolidated Credit’s Director of Financial Education. “Together, we are not just teaching financial education, we are building economic resilience.”

The organization also showcased KOFE: Knowledge of Financial Education, its scalable financial wellness platform that provides employers, credit unions, and municipalities with on-demand coaching, digital tools, webinars, and financial assessments.

“KOFE allows institutions to deliver year-round financial education with measurable impact,” says Ana Maria Ceballos, KOFE Relationships Manger. “It strengthens workforce stability, deepens member engagement, and supports meaningful community reinvestment.”

Consolidated Credit proudly presented the Barry Rothman Financial Education Scholarship to two Broward County high school seniors, made possible by City National Bank and in partnership with United Way of Broward County, the Crockett Foundation, Hispanic Unity of Florida, and the FLITE Center, all of whom share a commitment to advancing early financial education and long-term financial stability.

New for this year, Consolidated Credit introduced the 2026 Money Confidence Roadmap, a practical guide designed to help individuals and families. The roadmap provides structured strategies to build savings, manage debt, strengthen credit, and increase financial confidence.

About Consolidated Credit
Consolidated Credit is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping individuals and families overcome financial challenges through education, counseling, and community partnerships. For more than 30 years, the organization has provided financial literacy programs, housing counseling, debt management services, and workplace financial wellness solutions nationwide.


When you work with Consolidated Credit, you gain more than the support of one of the nation’s largest nonprofit credit counseling agencies — you gain a team of experts dedicated to helping people overcome debt and achieve lasting financial stability. Our mission has remained the same for more than three decades: to help Americans build stronger financial futures through education, advocacy, and personalized debt solutions. (PRNewsfoto/Consolidated Credit)

Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/consolidated-credit-celebrates-financial-literacy-month-with-the-business-of-community-breakfast-302737629.html

SOURCE Consolidated Credit

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SHINE Receives Conditional Commitment for $263 Million DOE Loan to Scale Domestic Medical Isotope Manufacturing Using Fusion Technology

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Financing will support completion of Chrysalis, the world’s largest medical isotope production facility, establishing first commercial supply of molybdenum-99

JANESVILLE, Wis., April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — SHINE announced today it has received a conditional commitment for a loan of $263M from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Dominance Financing (EDF). If approved, the financing will support the completion of Chrysalis, a first-of-a-kind medical isotope production facility that will establish the first domestic commercial supply of molybdenum-99 (Mo-99). Chrysalis, driven by SHINE’s fusion technology platform, is expected to have major advantages over conventional production methods.

Chrysalis represents the first deployment of new nuclear technology at this scale in decades. The facility uses novel American-made fusion systems to produce Mo-99—a life-saving medical isotope used in over 40,000 procedures daily to diagnose heart disease, cancer, and other serious medical conditions. By establishing U.S. production capability, Chrysalis addresses a critical national security vulnerability while demonstrating American leadership in advanced nuclear systems.

“Chrysalis proves that fusion doesn’t need to wait for future breakthroughs to create value for millions of people today,” said Greg Piefer, founder and CEO of SHINE. “This conditional commitment is a critical catalyst that accelerates our scale-up of the world’s largest medical isotope facility and ensures a secure, domestic source of critical medical isotopes. We are incredibly grateful to the Department of Energy’s rigorous due diligence process and look forward to working to meet the conditions to move forward on the loan.”

The United States currently relies on imports from Europe, South Africa and Australia for its Mo-99 supply. These imports are produced in venerable but aging research reactors that are nearing or at capacity. Mo-99 decays at about 1 percent per hour, so the U.S. loses roughly one-third of its volume and value during cross-continental transportation. Chrysalis will shore up global supply chains as the only new multi-million dose per year infrastructure expected in the next decade, eliminating logistical vulnerabilities while providing secure, reliable domestic supply.

SHINE’s process uses fusion and a liquid uranium target that is recycled. This reduces both waste volume and operating costs.

This milestone is the culmination of more than 15 years of significant collaboration with U.S. National Laboratories and consistent support from the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). This conditional commitment is instrumental in demonstrating the reliability and safety of SHINE’s fusion-based approach, which provides a modern, sustainable alternative to aging nuclear reactors. 

Once fully operational, Chrysalis will be the largest medical isotope production facility in the world, demonstrating fusion technology at commercial scale. While primarily focused on Mo-99, the facility is designed to be a versatile source for other critical isotopes, including iodine-131, xenon-133 and many others.

Chrysalis represents a significant investment in American advanced manufacturing and domestic supply chains. The project is a cornerstone of Janesville’s transition from its historical automotive roots to a high-tech nuclear future, supporting approximately 200 construction jobs and 150 permanent operations positions.

While this conditional commitment from EDF indicates the Department’s intent to provide a loan to finance the project, DOE and the company must satisfy certain technical, legal, environmental, and financial conditions before the Department enters into definitive financing documents and funds the loan. 

About SHINE

Headquartered in Janesville, Wisconsin, SHINE is an industry leader in next-generation fusion, developing innovative fusion-based technology that combines safety, cost-efficiency and environmental responsibility.

SHINE has successfully commercialized fusion across multiple applications, including neutron testing markets such as neutron radiography, radiation-effects testing and fusion material research. It has commercialized and is scaling its proprietary medical isotope production, processes, supplying high-quality radioisotopes essential for procedures including diagnosing heart disease and cancer as well as cancer therapy.

Beyond these applications, SHINE is pioneering nuclear waste recycling to make nuclear energy more sustainable. Its long-term purpose is to change the way humans make energy by commercializing fusion energy. Unlike other fusion companies, SHINE takes a commercially driven path mirroring successful deep-tech industries. Through this visionary approach, SHINE is advancing technology, healthcare, and sustainable energy, making a lasting impact across multiple sectors.  Learn more at www.shinefusion.com


Chrysalis, SHINE’s large-scale irradiation facility, is set to become the largest isotope production facility in the world. Once operational, Chrysalis will complement the existing supply chain ensuring a sustainable and reliable source of isotopes, including Mo-99, the world’s most widely-used isotope.


SHINE Technologies (PRNewsfoto/SHINE Technologies, LLC)

Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/shine-receives-conditional-commitment-for-263-million-doe-loan-to-scale-domestic-medical-isotope-manufacturing-using-fusion-technology-302737635.html

SOURCE SHINE Technologies, LLC

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CNOOC Limited Released 2025 Environmental, Social and Governance Report

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HONG KONG, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — CNOOC Limited (“the Company”, SEHK: 00883 (HKD counter) and 80883 (RMB counter), SSE: 600938) released its 2025 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report in Hong Kong today.


(PRNewsfoto/CNOOC Limited)

  • Adhere to efficient governance and solidify the foundation for development
  • Advance green transition and foster a sustainable ecosystem
  • Fulfill social responsibility and share the benefits of development

Faced with profound adjustments in the global energy market and fragmentation of the climate governance landscape, CNOOC Limited adheres to the principle of pursuing progress while maintaining stability, and embeds ESG concepts into development strategy and the entire process of operation. ESG governance has been improved to safeguard the Company’s high-quality growth. In 2025, the Company received numerous domestic and international accolades, including the “Corporate Sustainability Leadership Awards – Gold Award” from The Asset magazine and the “China Listed Company Value Awards ESG” from Securities Times, reflecting broad stakeholder recognition of the Company’s high-quality development achievements.

CNOOC Limited is committed to efficient governance. The Company endeavors to improve decision-making through building a diversified Board of Directors and enhancing the directors’ capabilities. ESG-related mechanisms are optimized. Ten key tasks have been completed, including ESG indicator system optimization and climate-related disclosure studies. The Company continues to enhance its risk management and internal compliance systems. Due diligence reviews on ESG issues are conducted. Audits on risk management processes are carried out on a regular basis. All employees have signed the Letter of Commitment on Compliance. Anti-commercial bribery and anti-corruption trainings are arranged to ensure sound corporate governance.

CNOOC Limited is steadily advancing green transition. The Company continues to optimize its product mix and enhances the capacity of clean energy supply. CNOOC Limited adheres to green and low-carbon production throughout the entire process. Energy efficiency has been improved. The application of shore power has been expanded, driving the consumption of green electricity to 1.08 billion kWh in 2025. Flare gas recovery has also achieved remarkable progress. Integrated development of hydrocarbon and renewable businesses has continued. The Company has made solid progress in offshore wind resource acquisition. Hainan CZ7 wind farm project and the world’s first 16-MW Tension Leg Platform (TLP) floating wind power project are advancing in an orderly manner. Carbon-negative sectors are fostered. The Company has led the development of two national offshore CCUS standards, and successfully commissioned China’s first offshore CCUS demonstration project at Enping 15-1. Offshore trials for deep-sea CO₂ hydrate solidification and sequestration have been carried out to explore “shore-to-sea carbon sequestration” potentials. The preliminary research on oil-gas-electricity-hydrogen-carbon comprehensive energy demonstration project has started. CNOOC Limited adheres to technology-led development. Its annual R&D expenditure registered a 22% year-on-year increase. Digital and intelligent transformation is advanced. The unmanned rate of offshore platforms has been increasing steadily. “Shenhai-1” gas field is selected into China’s first batch of pioneer-class smart factory cultivation list.

CNOOC Limited actively fulfills its social responsibilities. Upholding the community co-building approach of “EMPOWER-Empowering communities, limitless acts of kindness”, the Company continues to implement public welfare projects in rural revitalization, educational support, and ecological protection. The total annual investment exceeds RMB 134 million, including RMB 74.68 million invested in rural revitalization, which has benefitted approximately 6 million people. In terms of production safety, the Company has been optimizing the accountability system to reinforce the foundation of “Safe CNOOC”. Safety improvement campaigns and hazard inspections and rectifications are carried out, to maintain a stable safety performance throughout the year. In line with its talent-driven strategy, the Company enhances employee care and engagement, promoting mutual growth between staff and the Company to improve the employees’ sense of safety, belonging, and fulfillment. As for supply chain, CNOOC Limited has been deepening reforms and focusing on ESG-related issues. Compliance trainings for suppliers are implemented, to facilitate a green, win-win, and clean supply chain. CNOOC Limited enhances stakeholder communication and transparency in information disclosure. It has been rated as A-grade in the information disclosure assessment conducted by the Shanghai Stock Exchange for three consecutive years.

Looking ahead, Mr. Zhang Chuanjiang, Chairman of the Company, said: “CNOOC Limited will foster new quality productive forces for marine energy and resources development, and rely on a robust ESG management and disclosure system, to achieve high-quality and sustainable growth. We will strive to build a world-class energy and resources group with distinctive marine characteristics. By pursuing stable development, delivering superior performance, and fulfilling responsibilities, we aim to share the benefits of growth with all stakeholders. We look forward to joining hands with you to create a sustainable and prosperous future together.”

— End —

Notes to Editors:

More information about the Company is available at https://www.cnoocltd.com. 

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This press release includes forward-looking information, including statements regarding the likely future developments in the business of the Company and its subsidiaries, such as expected future events, business prospects or financial results. The words “expect”, “anticipate”, “continue”, “estimate”, “objective”, “ongoing”, “may”, “will”, “project”, “should”, “believe”, “plans”, “intends” and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These statements are based on assumptions and analyses made by the Company as of this date in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that the Company currently believes are appropriate under the circumstances. However, whether actual results and developments will meet the current expectations and predictions of the Company is uncertain. Actual results, performance and financial condition may differ materially from the Company’s expectations, as a result of salient factors including but not limited to those associated with macro-political and economic factors, fluctuations in crude oil and natural gas prices, the highly competitive nature of the oil and natural gas industry, climate change and environment policies, the Company’s price forecast, mergers, acquisitions and divestments activities, “health, safety, security and environment” (HSSE) and insurance policies and changes in anti-corruption, anti-fraud, anti-money laundering and corporate governance laws.

Consequently, all of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements. The Company cannot assure that the results or developments anticipated will be realised or, even if substantially realised, that they will have the expected effect on the Company, its business or operations.

*** *** *** ***

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For further enquiries, please contact:

Liu Cui
Media & Public Relations
CNOOC Limited
Tel: +86-10-8452-6641
Fax: +86-10-8452-1441
E-mail: mr@cnooc.com.cn 

Cheng Yao
Ever Bloom (HK) Communications Consultants Group Limited
Tel: +852 5540 0725
Fax: +852 2111 1103
E-mail: cnooc.hk.list@everbloom.com.cn 

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SOURCE CNOOC Limited

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SLR Launches Enhanced Digital Services Following Acquisition of Leading Climate-Modelling and Analytics Platforms

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LONDON, April 9, 2026 /3BL/ – SLR today announced the launch of its enhanced Digital Services following the acquisition of Planetrics and ClimSystems – two of the market’s most advanced climate‑modelling and analytics platforms. The move significantly strengthens SLR’s digital climate-intelligence capabilities and responds to growing demand from investors, businesses and public sector organisations to understand and address climate risk and associated value at risk with greater accuracy.

As momentum behind long‑term climate commitments fluctuates globally, climate‑related risks continue to intensify. Decision‑makers across sectors are increasingly focused on understanding how physical impacts – such as flooding, shifting rainfall patterns, heat, and wildfire – create both risks and opportunities for how business and governments operate. With physical impacts accelerating alongside heightened regulatory expectations, the financial implications are increasingly material across almost every sector. Organisations face growing pressure to base decisions on robust, science-driven climate intelligence. Traditional risk models – built on historical data – are increasingly unable to capture fast-moving transition dynamics and asset level climate shocks, leaving many businesses exposed. As a result, companies across energy, infrastructure, manufacturing, real estate, financial, consumer markets and the public sector are turning to science-based climate modelling for clearer foresight. These analytics – grounded in decades of validated research and high-resolution climate projections – equip organisations to make more confident investment and planning decisions, strengthen risk management, and build long term resilience into their operations and portfolios.

Strengthening SLR’s digital, technical and advisory capabilities

The acquisition of Planetrics and ClimSystems enhances SLR’s strategic advisory, climate and technical expertise, significantly advancing its digital climate analytics and modelling capabilities to create a powerful foundation for the next generation of climate intelligence. These acquisitions build on SLR’s long-standing investment in advanced digital tools and data driven‑intelligence that help organisations to understand, quantify and respond to climate-related risks and opportunities.

Planetrics, acquired from McKinsey & Company, delivers advanced climate scenario modelling through its PlanetView platform, widely trusted by leading banks, insurers, asset owners, managers and corporates. PlanetView converts complex physical and transition risks and opportunities into clear financial metrics – including changes in earnings, asset value shifts and portfolio-level impacts. It also enables organisations to assess how different transition pathways – such as an accelerated energy transition or policy developments could influence operational and financial performance, and impact long-term value. Planetrics data and analytics are used for risk management, stewardship and engagement activities, investment research, opportunity identification, regulatory climate stress testing exercises, such as those conducted by the Bank of England and the European Central Bank, and are commonly featured in climate disclosures, such as TCFD, ISSB, CSRD and CA SB 253 (forthcoming). Planetrics and SLR will continue to collaborate with McKinsey through an ongoing alliance, bringing a world class suite of capabilities to help organisations address critical sustainability challenges while ensuring continuity for clients. SLR is excited to deepen this relationship and to work alongside McKinsey’s board level networks and transformational business leadership.

Building on the strategic partnership established in 2022, and now formalised as a full acquisition, ClimSystems brings 20 years of market-leading physical climate intelligence to SLR, delivering detailed, science-driven modelling that quantifies how climate-related hazards could impact asset values, infrastructure resilience and supply chain exposure. ClimSystems supports a global client base, including market leaders in agriculture, mining, infrastructure and financial services. Its product suite include interactive, tailored dashboards that integrate with business, risk and financial oversight functions – enabling business owners to engage and interact access high-resolution physical hazard risk assessments at an individual asset or portfolio level, crop-specific yield modelling to identify risks, and opportunities of changing climate, residential and commercial real-estate climate risk assessments, and rapid-response due-diligence physical climate risk support.

Together, these technologies set a new standard for accuracy, transparency and usability. By translating complex climate signals into clear, actionable intelligence, SLR enables organisations to make future-proof decisions to price risk more accurately, anticipate regulatory shifts, protect asset value and uncover new opportunities.

Bradley Andrews, Chief Executive Officer at SLR, noted, “Our clients are navigating a new level of complexity – balancing transition opportunities, physical climate impacts, and the transformation required for long-term risk, resilience and reward. In this environment, confidence is only possible with robust scientific evidence. For more than 30 years, SLR has been Making Sustainability Happen by combining deep technical expertise, strategic advisory and cutting‑edge digital intelligence to give clients not only clarity and assurance, but science‑based foresight and insight they can act on.

Today marks a major milestone in SLR’s digital journey. With the integration of Planetrics and ClimSystems, we have two of the most advanced climate platforms enabling organisations to quantify climate risks, explore multiple futures, and understand how physical and transition impacts translate into operational outcomes and financial value-at-risk across assets and portfolios.”

Clients can now make investment, planning and risk decisions with far greater accuracy and confidence – with clear financial insight into climate risks and precise visibility into which assets, crops, facilities or supply‑chain links are exposed, and how that exposure will evolve. To understand what these enhanced capabilities mean for your organisation’s risk, value and long‑term performance, connect with SLR’s Digital Services team: www.slrconsulting.com/digital
 

– Ends –

For media enquiries, please contact Cecilia Law, Global Head of External Communications, SLR: claw@slrconsulting.com

If you would like more information on SLR’s Digital Services, including a demo, please visit: www.slrconsulting.com/digital

 

Notes to editors:

About SLR

SLR is a leading global environmental and advisory consultancy, with a team of 5,000+ talented professionals operating from a network of offices in Europe, the Americas, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa.

Our purpose – Making Sustainability Happen – means delivering outcomes that are grounded in evidence, shaped by experience, and built to last. Our team of scientists, engineers, economists, data modellers, and technicians work across our clients’ full sustainability journeys, from strategy through to on-the-ground project planning, execution and ongoing operations, all supported by robust data and science-based modelling.

Guided by our philosophy of Rational Sustainability, SLR specialises in the energy, mining, finance, industry & technology, government & infrastructure, and built environment sectors. Operating across more than 50+ technical disciplines, we’re helping a growing base of business, regulatory and government clients navigate the ever-shifting context of sustainable business.

Find out more: www.slrconsulting.com 

About Planetrics

Planetrics is a leading climate‑analytics platform that provides financial institutions with advanced scenario modelling to quantify, report and manage climate‑related risks and opportunities. Its PlanetView platform translates physical and transition risks into clear financial metrics across tens of thousands of assets globally, supporting risk management, regulatory reporting, stress testing, target‑setting and climate disclosures for banks, insurers, asset owners and asset manager

Learn more about the acquisition here: www.slrconsulting.com/news/slr-acquires-planetrics

Find out more about Planetrics: www.slrconsulting.com/planetrics

About ClimSystems

ClimSystems is an award-winning climate change consulting and technology firm dedicated to enhancing climate-resilient decision-making and planning. Headquartered in New Zealand and partnered with leading science agencies worldwide, they have more than 20 years of experience delivering climate risk assessments and climate‑intelligence solutions to organisations worldwide. Its multidisciplinary team – spanning climate scientists, data engineers, economists, and sector specialists – supports informed decision‑making for asset owners, corporates, governments, and research institutions across more than 50 countries.

Its innovative Dashboard is a deployable analytics platform designed to help organisations assess and visualise physical climate risk at scale. Built on ClimSystems’ extensive climate data expertise, the dashboard supports large data ingestion, and provides an interactive geospatial mapping interface that enables users to explore asset‑level risk through clickable map layers and customisable filters. The dashboard includes multi‑year time‑series charts, climate‑scenario comparisons, and a structured data‑view panel with CSV export, offering clear, actionable insights across indicators, scenarios and time horizons. Alongside ClimSystems’ suite of climate tools, it integrates the latest IPCC‑aligned climate projections, enabling users to evaluate acute and long‑term climate impacts with scientific rigour and global consistency.

ClimSystems has supported resilience planning for numerous infrastructure and natural resource companies, cities, development banks and government agencies. Leading organisations including the UNFCCC and the World Bank have recognised our rigorous and practical approaches.

Find out more: www.climsystems.com

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Los Angeles Personal Injury Attorney Steven M. Sweat Named to Super Lawyers for 14th Consecutive Year

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Recognition Underscores Firm’s Unmatched Track Record Representing Southern California Accident Victims Since 1999

LOS ANGELES, April 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Steven M. Sweat, founding attorney of Steven M. Sweat, Personal Injury Lawyers, APC, has been selected to the Southern California Super Lawyers list for 2026, marking the 14th consecutive year the firm’s lead attorney has earned this prestigious peer recognition. Super Lawyers honors no more than five percent of attorneys in each state, making the distinction one of the most selective in the legal profession.

First named to the list in 2012, Mr. Sweat has maintained the honor every year since — a streak that reflects both sustained courtroom performance and the deep trust of colleagues and clients throughout Los Angeles County and surrounding Southern California communities. His practice focuses exclusively on representing injured individuals and wrongful death victims on a contingency-fee basis, meaning clients pay nothing unless the firm recovers compensation on their behalf.

“For more than three decades, my sole focus has been fighting for people who have been seriously hurt through no fault of their own. Being recognized by fellow attorneys year after year reinforces that our approach — aggressive advocacy combined with genuine compassion — is making a difference for the families we serve.”
— Steven M. Sweat, Founding Attorney

In addition to the Super Lawyers honor, Mr. Sweat holds an Avvo rating of 10.0 (Superb), has been recognized by the National Trial Lawyers Top 100, and is a member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum — a distinction limited to attorneys who have achieved verdicts or settlements exceeding one million dollars. He earned his J.D. from California Western School of Law and has devoted his entire career to personal injury litigation.

The firm handles a wide range of serious injury matters, including automobile and motorcycle collisions, truck accidents, traumatic brain injuries, catastrophic injury cases, premises liability, and wrongful death claims throughout Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura counties.

Injured individuals seeking a free, confidential consultation with Mr. Sweat are encouraged to visit victimslawyer.com.

About Steven M. Sweat, Personal Injury Lawyers, APC
Founded in 1999 and headquartered at 11500 W. Olympic Blvd., Suite 400, Los Angeles, CA 90064, Steven M. Sweat, Personal Injury Lawyers, APC has spent more than 25 years exclusively representing accident victims and wrongful death families across Southern California. The firm accepts all personal injury cases on a contingency-fee basis — no recovery, no fee.

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SOURCE Steven M Sweat, Personal Injury Lawyers, APC

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