Author: sHq_LoGiNz

While regulatory uncertainty and anti-ESG backlash dominated headlines in 2025, surveys of global C-suite leaders reported an increased commitment to sustainability. In our Top Stories this issue, SustainabilityOnline.com said a new report from Reuters found that 75% of C-suite leaders rate sustainability as a ‘top priority,’ an increase of six percentage points from six months ago.

The Reuters IMPACT: Global Sustainability Report 2025 also found that close to two-thirds (64%) of organizations remain committed to net zero and have not altered their targets. The full Reuters report, which gathered insights from more than 500 global decision-makers, is available for download at the link in our Top Stories below. Among the key findings from the report are:

• 61% of C-suite leaders cited emerging sustainability-related risks as a main factor for prioritizing sustainability, including risks from climate impacts, supply chain vulnerabilities, and resource constraints.
• Other operational risks cited include customer expectations, reputational risk, and regulatory changes.
• Organizations are adapting their strategies including reframing sustainability messaging, with 39% of organizations emphasizing terms like “efficiency” and “resilience” rather than more traditional sustainability terminology.
• 34% of C-suite leaders reported making no changes to sustainability strategy or communications.
• Organizations scaling up sustainability goals (30%) outnumbered those scaling down (9%) by more than three to one.

The Reuters report closely tracked the findings of the UN Global Compact’s 2025 CEO Study published in September 2025, in which 88% of CEOs said that the business case for sustainability is stronger now than it was five years ago. This study, conducted in partnership with the global professional services firm Accenture, is based on a quantitative assessment of nearly 2,000 CEOs across 128 countries, as well as in-depth one-to-one interviews with CEOs, chairpersons, and presidents of UN Global Compact member companies.

In another of our Top Stories, BusinessChief.com highlights the findings of the UN Global Compact’s report along with Deloitte Global’s 2025 C-Suite Sustainability Report, which for the fourth year surveyed more than 2,100 executives across 27 countries. The results of Deloitte’s report also indicated that sustainability remains a top-three priority on the C-suite agenda, alongside technology adoption and artificial intelligence (AI).

The full Deloitte report is available for download at the link in our Top Stories below. Key findings include:

• 83% of companies increased sustainability investments in the last year.
• 66% said their priority actions have a positive impact on revenue generation.
• 79% are transforming their business model or embedding sustainability throughout their organization.
• 81% are already using AI to support their sustainability efforts.

As we head into 2026, companies are focused on ensuring that their sustainability investments and strategies are delivering tangible results for stakeholders. The G&A team is available to provide counsel to CEOs and the entire C-suite to help your company move your sustainability programs forward. Reach out to us at info@ga-institute.com.

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

Originally published on GoDaddy Resource Library

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your career journey, to date.

Throughout my time at GoDaddy, I’ve held a variety of positions. As the company has grown, my roles have grown with it. I started out as a PHP Developer on our legacy in-house Webmail system and gradually expanded my skills. This growth enabled me to serve as both a Senior Developer and a Manager. Currently, I’ve returned to being an individual contributor within the organization.

What initially attracted you to GoDaddy, and what has kept you here for nearly two decades?

What has kept me committed over the years is the people. A surprising number of us have been with the company for more than a decade.

The value of institutional knowledge is undeniable, and these long-standing relationships prove invaluable every day when it comes to getting things done.

How have you seen the software development landscape change during your time at GoDaddy?

There’s the push and pull of moving code and logic from the frontend to the backend and back, so while I’m not working in PHP anymore, the Javascript world continues to evolve and deliver interesting experiences. Of course, the introduction of AI means I can now approach these problems on a more abstract and conceptual level… it’s less about writing lines of code and more about delivering well designed features. That said, it’s still essential to understand what the code is actually doing.

What has been your most significant learning experience within the past year?

This job has a way of keeping you humble. Sure, there are times when you feel on top of the world—like you’re the smartest developer out there—but in my experience, those moments don’t last long. After about a month of experimenting with a particular JavaScript MicroFrontEnd technology (remote React components loaded from a CDN) I discovered some serious performance issues with the strategy and had to pivot and start again with a new approach.

Is wisdom simply the result of making mistakes and learning not to repeat them? Sometimes, you don’t even realize what you don’t know, until you’ve learned it. But now that you do, you’re able to make better, more informed decisions moving forward.

What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received, and how has it influenced your journey?

When I was 21, I found myself at a bar in Tucson, Arizona with a well known alternative comic creator, back when that was a thing (The 90s)! He told me: “Find something niche that you like doing and no one else is doing well. Do that and people will give you money for it.”

Now, after spending 30 years in the tech industry—a wild thought—I’m still searching for ways to be helpful, identify gaps, and pursue work that excites me.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

I’m a trail runner. When I’m not at work, I like to leave all the electronics behind, get out into the mountains, explore, and run free. We’ve got a great community of athletes here in Arizona and while my competitive days are mostly behind me, I don’t think I’ll ever stop loving the camaraderie and adventure.

Are you enjoying this series and want to know more about life at GoDaddy? Check out our GoDaddy Life social pages! Follow us to meet our team, learn more about our culture (Teams, ERGs, Locations), careers, and so much more. You’re more than just your day job, so come propel your career with us.

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Originally published by Mastercard

By Vicki Hyman – Director, Global Communications, Mastercard

Since the launch of the World Bank’s Findex database in 2011, bank account ownership among adults has grown from 51% to 79%. But a new report by Consumers International, the global membership organization for consumer associations, suggests that this progress masks an underlying fragility, with as many as 75% of consumers considered financially vulnerable to some degree.

In some low-income countries, less than half of people can come up with emergency funds within 30 days, says Helena Leurent, the director general of Consumers International. “That’s just not a level of resilience that is reasonable,” she says. “You can’t wait for another financial crisis to amend this issue, to build resilience.”

Though policy can be a powerful tool, you can’t regulate a community into resilience. Digital financial systems need to be designed with inclusion as a core principle, says Shamina Singh, the president and founder of the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth.

The Center has supported Consumers International’s “Building the Consumer Voice in Digital Finance,” an initiative that calls for regulators, policymakers, financial services providers and consumer organizations to adopt a common framework for building consumer resilience. The work includes designing and implementing outcomes-based regulation, integrating real-time consumer risk monitoring, strengthening and modernizing enforcement, and updating and developing financial products and services with consumer protection and feedback baked in.

Leurent and Singh recently spoke with the Mastercard Newsroom about the role of transparency in fortifying consumer trust, the need for greater collaboration to build resilience, and how to ensure vulnerable communities aren’t left behind as technology and financial services change faster than ever.

The following interview has been edited and condensed.

Digital finance has changed drastically since 2011. What is the answer to building consumer resilience? New policies? Better technology? More industry buy-in? More consumer education?

Leurent: In 2011, the world was exiting the financial crisis, and there was an important moment when the OECD said that consumer protection had been overlooked and that we needed a common, cross-sectoral set of principles for financial consumer protection. Their implementation is worth celebrating: They’ve become a reference standard for the need for, and importance of, consumer protection. Since then, the landscape has shifted dramatically. You’ve got so much more innovation — just look at the number of fintechs — more providers, the growth in mobile money, all sorts of shifts. There is greater recognition that consumers need to be included, but that in doing so, they can become more exposed. It means that the consumer outcomes are not progressing in tandem with that thinking about access and inclusion.

“Consumer protection builds trust, builds resilience. It means you can lean into the future. It means you can lean into innovation with confidence.”

Helena Leurent

There is a recognition that growth and consumer protection go hand in hand. Consumer protection builds trust, builds resilience. It means you can lean into the future. It means you can lean into innovation with confidence.

Singh: If the outcome that we’re looking for is resilience — being able to withstand shocks, being able to recover from financial hardships so that consumers can continue on their journey to financial health — then an essential component is protection. And protection in some respects can be legislated, can be implemented in policy. But a written policy doesn’t equal enforcement. To build resilience and protection, regulators, consumers, product providers and advocacy organizations all play a part. It requires constant communication and collaboration across various centers.

Do you think the lack of transparency in digital finance depresses access and usage for consumers, particularly those who are just entering the formal financial system? What’s the long-term impact for them and for the economy as a whole?

Leurent: Over time the meaning and value of transparency has shifted. In the past, it might have been enough to give people more information, but they could not make sense of it. Now we understand that disclosure is not the only solution. There must be well-designed products and process along the consumer journey where you factor in relevant, timely, inclusive information. It’s not just about telling me the price or the term, but answering the questions like: Is this product suitable and right for me? Are the distribution practices fair? Am I given a meaningful explanation? It’s a broader definition of what real transparency is.

Price transparency is a known issue. Asking consumer advocates around the world, close to 60% say that the lack of transparency in fees and charges is a significant factor that causes lack of trust in digital finance. But transparency in digital finance isn’t just on the demand side. There are supply-side issues that can be improved: Our research also shows that 88% of financial services regulators in low- and middle-income countries collect complaints data, but only 44% make that data available publicly. Doing so can help consumer advocates and financial service providers improve. If all parts of the ecosystem can see what’s happening behind the scenes in an increasingly complex marketplace, they can work together to improve it.

“Transparency is critical as part of the entire user experience. User experience and early interactions with the financial system will develop trust if they are repeated, predictable positive experiences.”

Shamina Singh

Singh: Transparency is critical as part of the entire user experience. User experience and early interactions with the financial system will develop trust if they are repeated, predictable positive experiences. One of the lessons that we can replicate from the Mastercard experience is protection by default, security by default, resolution by default. You know that when you use a digital form of payment, whether it’s a phone or a wallet or a card, protection is built into that experience. So that if something happens, if the purchase doesn’t work, you have a way of getting your money back. If you don’t, then that defeats the purpose of ensuring that a digital economy works for everyone, everywhere.

Can you point to an example of recent policies or an initiative that is already proving itself by empowering consumers in practical ways or making communities more resilient? Are there any common threads that could be easily replicated?

Leurent: In our report, we highlighted the U.K.’s relatively recent Consumer Duty regulation, which was a move from a “do no harm” approach to a “doing good by default” approach. In Malaysia, the Fair Treatment of Financial Consumers policy integrated a principle related to vulnerability, in which financial services providers should develop policies, procedures and controls to ensure fair treatment of vulnerable consumers through their entire journey. There are also examples of when regulators have intervened in specific circumstances, such as capping the cost of short-term credit, or stepping in to reduce the risk of mortgage defaults in the wake of interest rate rises after the COVID-19 pandemic. These are instances where different parts of the ecosystem have coordinated to focus on consumer and systemic outcomes and have been able to quickly design and implement effective solutions.

Singh: I’ll give you two examples around our work with women entrepreneurs that I’m really proud of. Through Mastercard Strive, we have a program called Strive Women that aims to turn cultural norms into opportunities in places like Pakistan and Peru. In Pakistan, we worked with a leading microfinance bank to remove male guarantor requirements and allow women to serve as loan guarantors. Now, instead of requiring a male co-signer, these women can use gold jewelry, which many South Asian women acquire in preparation for marriage, as collateral against a loan. These gold-backed loans make up 40% of total borrowers, and the repayment rate is an incredible 100%.

Separately, we have also been working to help digitize wages in the textile space, which builds trust and increases safety and autonomy for workers. By working with RISE in Egypt, where 93% of 24,000 garment workers now receive digital payments instead of cash, we’re reducing wage exploitation and theft while improving financial wellness and health. Across the two examples, the common thread is inclusion. When we think about bringing everyone, especially underserved or underrepresented communities in, we are creating systems that are resilient and sustainable.

The latest Global Findex showed significant strides in access to financial services, although there is more work to do. What do you think is the next gap or challenge that you’re looking to tackle?

Leurent: The reason we care so much about consumer resilience is that we don’t know what the next big shock could be. I could give you agentic AI, whatever comes after agentic AI, stablecoins, digital identity, energy costs and how we connect digitization with energy provision and energy services — major shifts coming down the pike, but we won’t know. If we thought back even five years, would we really know what was heading our way, and even faster?

If you build consumer resilience — that is a huge challenge on its own — if you get that right, then no matter what comes along, you’ve got a framework to be able to face it. The next challenge is this one: resilience.

Singh: Cybersecurity and fraud protection is the name of the game, especially for small businesses, where it’s very tough to withstand a cybersecurity attack. At the Center, we are working with many partners to create cyber toolkits bundled with our cyber products.

I would also say AI. The Center can intervene in this space by reducing the gap between the data-haves and the data have-nots. That’s why we’re working with organizations like data.org and Datakind and others that are fit for purpose and built for this moment, along with international consumer protection organizations, to ensure that the distance between those who understand data and AI and those who don’t isn’t insurmountable. So our area of focus has been on building the capacity of social sector organizations to realize the power of data and AI. And if I have one call to action, it’s please join us in this important work. Everyone has a part to play and we welcome your partnership.

From excluded to empowered

Shamina Singh on the latest Global Findex report, which shows that 79% of adults now have access to formal financial services, up from 51% in 2011.

Read more

Continue reading here.

Follow along Mastercard’s journey to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere.

SAN DIEGO, January 16, 2026 /3BL/ – As elder fraud continues to escalate nationwide, the San Diego Seniors Community Foundation (SDSCF) is significantly expanding its Elder Fraud Prevention education efforts across San Diego County, Orange County, and Los Angeles County, supported by a transformational gift of more than $200,000 from the Wells Fargo Foundation.

Federal data shows that older adults lose billions of dollars each year to fraud, with losses and victim counts rising sharply as scams become more sophisticated, more targeted, and harder to detect. Investment scams, impersonation schemes, and technology-driven fraud now account for the largest financial losses among older adults.

With support from the Wells Fargo Foundation, SDSCF has delivered dozens of in-person and virtual elder fraud prevention events, reaching thousands of seniors, caregivers, and families throughout Southern California. This expanded funding enables SDSCF to deepen its reach, expand into new communities, and increase the frequency of education-based prevention programming.

“This Wells Fargo Foundation grant allows us to scale what we know works: education,” said Kristoffer Kelly, Director of Partnerships at the San Diego Seniors Community Foundation. “The most effective way to combat elder fraud is not after the fact but before it happens. By educating seniors and their families, we are preventing devastating financial and emotional losses and helping people stay independent and secure.”

Scammers Are Using AI and Advanced Technology

Today’s scams are increasingly powered by artificial intelligence, voice cloning, spoofed phone numbers, and highly convincing emails and text messages. Criminals can now impersonate family members, financial institutions, attorneys, and government agencies with alarming accuracy, often creating a sense of urgency designed to override caution.

“These scams are no longer obvious,” said Paul Downey, Chief Advocacy Officer at the San Diego Seniors Community Foundation. “We’re seeing lawyers, doctors, pilots, business owners — highly educated, experienced professionals — fall victim. AI has fundamentally changed the landscape. Anyone can be scammed if the message hits at the right moment.”

Education as the First Line of Defense

SDSCF’s Elder Fraud Prevention program is built on a simple principle: education saves people from becoming victims. Through community workshops, webinars, and on-site trainings, participants learn how to recognize red flags, pause before acting, and report suspicious activity. This work is supported through close partnerships with local District Attorney offices, the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), and the FBI Citizens Academy, as well as SDSCF’s active participation in the Elder Fraud Task Force, helping align education efforts across agencies and regions.

In doing so, the Foundation continues to reinforce the San Diego County District Attorney’s Elder Scam Prevention message:

“Stop. Hang Up. Tell Someone.”

“Fraud thrives on fear, urgency, and isolation,” Downey added. “When people slow down, disconnect, and talk to someone they trust, many scams end immediately. Education gives seniors permission to pause.”

Upcoming Elder Fraud Prevention Events

The public is encouraged to attend, bring an older adult, or inquire about hosting a session.

Orange County

• January 23, 2026 | 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM
  Fullerton Community Center
  340 W Commonwealth Ave, Fullerton, CA 92832
• February 27, 2026 | 12:00 PM – 2:30 PM
  Brookhurst Community Center
  2271 Crescent Ave, Anaheim, CA 92801

Additional events are being scheduled in Santa Ana and Brea, along with webinars.

Los Angeles County

• March 2026 – In-person event with Pasadena Village
• May 2026 – Webinar with Pasadena Village
• May 16, 2026 | 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
  One Generation
  17400 Victory Blvd, Van Nuys, CA 91406

San Diego County

• Ongoing cybersecurity and technology safety classes at 12 senior center sites
• Continued in-person workshops and webinars throughout the year

Register or Host an Event

All events are free and open to seniors, caregivers, families, and community organizations. Senior centers, housing providers, faith communities, and civic groups interested in hosting an Elder Fraud Prevention session are encouraged to reach out.

To register for an event near you or request a hosted session, visit:
https://sdscf.org/elder-fraud/

 

About San Diego Seniors Community Foundation

The San Diego Seniors Community Foundation (SDSCF) is the first community foundation in the United States dedicated exclusively to seniors. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit, SDSCF works to strengthen the physical, mental, financial, and social well-being of older adults by addressing the most urgent challenges facing an aging population. 

Through education, advocacy, and strategic partnerships, SDSCF focuses on preventing elder fraud, combating senior isolation, supporting healthy aging, and building the infrastructure seniors need to live safely, independently, and with dignity. The Foundation brings together community leaders, service providers, public agencies, and philanthropists to ensure every senior has access to trusted resources, meaningful connection, and someone they can turn to.

SDSCF is committed to reimagining how communities support aging, not just extending lifespan, but protecting quality of life for all seniors, today and for generations to come. www.sdscf.org

Media Contact:

Joice Truban Curry

c3 Communications, Inc.

619-540-6611 (cell)

joice@c3publicrelations.com

CINCINNATI, January 16, 2026 /3BL/ – The Fifth Third New Markets Development Company II has received an $85 million New Markets Tax Credits award from the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions Fund.

An affiliate of the Fifth Third Community Development Company, LLC (CDC), the Fifth Third New Markets Development Company II was one of 142 community development entities nationwide to receive an award in the Treasury fund allocation announced on Dec. 23.

It is the second award to Fifth Third (NASDAQ: FITB) within the past 15 months: the Fifth Third New Markets Development Company also received a $50 million New Markets Tax Credits award from the U.S. Treasury in September 2024.

“Access to capital remains the most critical need in our communities: whether it’s financing to build housing, revitalize commercial corridors, support small businesses, develop the workforce, provide financial education, or empower individuals,” said Kala Gibson, chief corporate responsibility officer at Fifth Third. “Through our innovative, place-based economic development strategy, Fifth Third is leading the way. This award will enable us to accelerate our efforts and deepen our impact in the communities we serve.”

The New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) Program helps economically distressed communities attract private investment capital. This federal tax credit helps to fill project financing gaps by enabling investors to make larger investments than would otherwise be possible. Communities benefit from the jobs associated with investments in manufacturing, retail, and technology as well as greater access to housing and public facilities such as health, education, and childcare. For every $1 of federal investment, the NMTC Program generates $8 of private investment, according to the U.S. Treasury.

“New Markets Tax Credits are one of the most impactful tools in our community development toolbox,” said Susan Thomas, president of the Fifth Third Community Development Corporation. “They provide crucial capital for economic development in underserved communities, funding healthcare clinics, community facilities and the growth of local businesses. These efforts provide jobs and critical services for residents of the communities we serve.”

New Markets Tax Credits have enabled Fifth Third to support projects such as the Phillis Wheatley Westside YWCA in Atlanta and the Talbert House Hamilton County Crisis Center in Cincinnati.

Community economic development is a cornerstone of the Fifth Third Neighborhood Program, which creates and implements innovative place-based economic development strategies to effect positive change in historically disinvested neighborhoods across the Bank’s footprint.

The program takes a collective ecosystem approach focused on identifying solutions to key challenges in partnership with the community, with the goal of creating lasting, transformative change. It is designed to increase financial access and spur economic mobility for all, creating a positive ripple effect that leads to community revitalization, small business growth, affordable housing, financial and workforce education and development, and healthy safe spaces.

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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.

CONTACT
Amanda Nageleisen (Media Relations)
amanda.nageleisen@53.com
Matt Curoe (Investor Relations)
matt.curoe@53.com | 513-534-2345

Whirlpool Foundation, Best Buy Foundation and Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Southwest Michigan are proud to announce the grand opening of a new Best Buy Teen Tech Center powered by Whirlpool Foundation at the Joel E. Smilow Teen Center in Benton Harbor, Mich.

A grand opening event showcased the new space and equipment to support exploration, learning and skill development in the following areas: music, photography, videography, Esports, coding and more. 

Whirlpool Foundation is supporting the Best Buy Teen Tech Center as part of its ongoing commitment to improving the quality of life in local communities through education and community development. The center will provide area youth with access to cutting-edge technology, mentorship and hands-on learning opportunities to develop the digital skills needed for the jobs of tomorrow. 

“At Whirlpool Foundation, we believe in empowering the next generation of innovators and creators,” said Pamela Klyn, president of Whirlpool Foundation. “By supporting the Best Buy Teen Tech Center, we’re helping ensure that young people in Benton Harbor have access to the tools and resources that open doors to new possibilities and future careers.”

Best Buy Teen Tech Centers, an initiative of the Best Buy Foundation, is a national network of creative, youth-centered spaces where teens can explore technology, build critical skills and connect with supportive mentors. These centers help prepare young people for future careers in technology and beyond by fostering creativity, confidence and community.

“This collaboration represents a powerful investment in the future of our youth,” said Alloyd Blackmon, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Southwest Michigan. “The Teen Tech Center will give young people in Benton Harbor and neighboring communities the chance to explore new technologies, discover their passions, and gain the confidence to reach their full potential.”

In addition, Maytag, a Whirlpool Corporation brand, has supported Boys & Girls Clubs of America for more than 20 years with a focus on dependability, mentorship and creating opportunities for youth across the country. 

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Southwest Michigan has served youth across the region for more than 25 years, offering after-school tutoring, mentoring, and programs that promote academic success, leadership, and healthy lifestyles. The new Teen Tech Center adds a vital resource to help local teens pursue educational and career goals. Learn more by visiting www.bgcswmi.org/best-buy-teen-tech-center

Whirlpool Foundation
Since 1952, the Whirlpool Foundation has been making real, positive differences in local communities where Whirlpool Corporation families live and work. This is accomplished through two central pillars: House+Home. “House” supports a decent and affordable place to live and plan for the future, and “Home” focuses on creating thriving, resilient communities with the essential services, quality education, and job training needed to help people dream bigger and do better. The Foundation has an absolute commitment to equality and fairness and takes an innovative approach to social investing that prioritizes impact with measurable results.

View original content here.