Author: sHq_LoGiNz

At Trane Technologies, innovation drives how we approach every challenge. As a global leader in climate solutions, we are committed to creating brighter tomorrows by empowering the sharpest minds to transform cutting-edge ideas into real-world results. We see promise and possibility where others see limits, and by fostering a culture of innovation, we are working to create a more sustainable future.

A journey of growth and purpose

Corey Letcher, a Comprehensive Solutions Account Executive based in New York City, started working at Trane Technologies in 2015, drawn by the opportunity to work on large-scale energy projects where he could leverage his creativity and curiosity. He participated in our Graduate Training Program, where six months of immersive learning accelerated his understanding of HVAC systems, customer needs and the business as a whole.

“The experience I gained through the Graduate Training Program gave me the confidence and ability to contribute meaningfully to large, multifaceted projects early in my career,” Corey shared. However, what has kept him at Trane Technologies for nearly a decade extends far beyond technical training.

Corey spends his days collaborating with customers and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with innovative HVAC solutions. Advancing thermal battery storage adoption is one area where Corey has demonstrated great passion and made a measurable impact.

Thermal battery storage reshapes how buildings use energy. Instead of wasting heat generated during daytime cooling, the system captures and stores that heat in water tanks. When the building later needs heat, the stored water is frozen to extract energy.

“The brain gymnastics behind this work excites me,” Corey explained. “I like getting into the details, asking the right questions, and figuring out how all the pieces fit together.”

When Corey joined Trane Technologies ten years ago, thermal storage was mainly used for cooling. As the technology evolved to support heating, it opened the door to new opportunities. By shifting when and how energy is used, buildings can operate far more efficiently in ways that once seemed out of reach. “The more layers you peel back, the more you realize how much this technology can do,” he said.

Corey attributes much of his growth to the collaborative culture that surrounds him. On every project, he’s proud to be part of a team that supports him and shares a commitment to doing what’s right for the customer, sustainability and our planet.

“There’s a fundamental acceptance of ideas at Trane Technologies,” Corey said. “People challenge each other, but with respect and a desire to understand. That culture makes the work fun and rewarding.”

Leveraging cutting-edge technology to drive sustainable solutions

While innovation is exciting, it also requires courage. Corey experienced that first-hand when the 55 Water Street project presented him and the team the opportunity to implement an industry-first thermal battery storage system in one of New York City’s largest and most complex buildings.

For Corey, the most rewarding moments come when complex ideas become reality. After years spent working as part of the team to advance thermal battery storage capabilities, seeing it successfully come to life on a scale as grand as New York City’s largest office building reminded him how meaningful it is to work for a company that fosters innovation and allows him to truly make a difference.

Corey finds deep purpose in the work and takes pride in Trane Technologies’ sustainability commitments. “I feel like I’m on the front lines,” he shared. “Every proposal we put in front of a customer has a carbon impact component. That’s powerful.” Learn more about our Gigaton Challenge and how Corey’s work contributes to our commitment to help our customers reduce one billion metric tons of carbon emissions by 2030.

Excitement for what the future holds

Corey’s story is defined by curiosity, courage and a commitment to continuous growth. His experience reflects what’s possible when a company culture fosters innovation and collaboration, and he’s excited by what the future holds. As Trane Technologies continues to challenge what’s possible for a sustainable world, leaders like Corey are helping turn that vision into reality.

Explore careers that make an impact at Trane Technologies.

SEATTLE, January 13, 2026 /3BL/ – Building a regenerative future requires more than just technical data; it requires a new map for the human heart and the built environment. Living Future is proud to announce that Dr. Katharine K. Wilkinson, acclaimed climate strategist and co-founder of The All We Can Save Project, will headline Living Future 2026, taking place April 14–17 at the Sheraton Grand Seattle.

Dr. Wilkinson’s forthcoming book, Climate Wayfinding: Healing Ourselves and the Planet We Call Home, offers a bold roadmap for navigating the climate crisis with clarity, courage, and community. Drawing on personal insights, climate science, and practical strategies, Wilkinson’s work empowers leaders, designers, and communities to translate concern into meaningful action—a message at the heart of Living Future 2026.

We are at a pivot point where design must become a tool for healing,” says Lindsay Baker, CEO of Living Future. “Dr. Wilkinson’s work perfectly captures the spirit of LF26. She doesn’t just talk about the problem; she gives us the ‘wayfinding’ tools to strengthen our resolve and abilities as climate leaders, as world shapers, and as community members in this beautiful community of climate action. 

Living Future 2026 is far more than a conference; it is a collaborative meeting ground where architects, designers, developers, and advocates unite to shape the next era of the built environment. This year’s program is strategically built around four high-impact tracks designed to address our most urgent challenges. Through Radical Climate Action, we focus on decarbonizing our buildings at scale, while Thriving Communities ensures we center equity and health in every zip code. We further explore the shift from mere sustainability to restorative design through Nature as Co-Designer, while identifying the policy and financial levers that serve as Catalysts of Transformative Change to accelerate the movement.

The Path to a Regenerative Future 
The climate crisis demands that we move beyond the safety of incrementalism toward the bravery of radical innovation. Living Future 2026 is a vital convening for those ready to lead the transition from a “less bad” built environment to one that is truly restorative. Living Future 2026 is where global visionaries and practitioners unite to bridge the gap between climate policy and regenerative action. By immersing themselves in the wisdom of nature-aligned design and the integrity of healthy materials, attendees gain the essential tools to transform our buildings into catalysts for healing. This is more than a conference; it is where connections are forged and solutions are shared to cultivate a world that gives more than it takes.

Registration & Additional Information
Full conference access includes keynote sessions, workshops, building tours, networking events, and receptions. Registration rates and details are available now: https://bit.ly/Register-for-LF26

About Living Future
Living Future is a globally recognized nonprofit at the vanguard of the building industry. We provide industry leaders with the tools and support they need to drive an urgent transformation toward a regenerative, resilient, and just future. Our vision is simple: cultivate a society that is socially just, culturally rich, and ecologically restorative.

Media Contact

Anjula Duggal
Living Future
anjula.duggal@living-future.org

WASHINGTON, D.C., January 13, 2026 /3BL/ – Fairtrade businesses in the U.S. are leading the food and beverage industry on sustainability this year. Despite economic uncertainty and increased pressure to shy away from environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives, Fairtrade businesses have raised the bar for trade justice by increasing their investments in the farmers that make their products possible.

Through Fairtrade certification, businesses foster long-term partnerships with some of the most exploited actors in the global food system: small-scale farmers, workers, and cooperatives. These partnerships, in concert with Fairtrade’s unique pricing model, increase stability and assurance in the high-risk business of farming. Sourcing ingredients from Fairtrade’s network of farming organizations enables brands to build transparent, sustainable supply chains that they can be proud of – that provide decent livelihoods and greater climate resilience.

From March 2024 to March 2025, the 5,000+ Fairtrade products sold in the U.S. exceeded $1 billion in sales. By using the power of trade for change, these sales resulted in real impact for farming communities around the globe. Fairtrade farming organizations earned about $9 million in Fairtrade Premium from U.S. brand partners in 2024 alone, giving them greater ability to reinvest in their businesses and communities.

When partners go beyond their certification commitments, they up their impact for farmers, workers, and cooperatives. Fairtrade recognizes the following brands’ achievements:

Feastables commits to living income reference pricing

The chocolate brand founded by Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, pays the Fairtrade Minimum Price and Premium for 100% of the cocoa it sources and has committed to paying the Fairtrade Living Income Reference Price. Feastables is the first American chocolate company to make this commitment, sending an important signal to the industry that there is a need to collectively change the way cocoa business is done. The Living Income Reference Price is a way for brands to action on their livelihood goals, knowing that the price a company pays for a commodity has a direct impact on farmers’ quality of life. This price is set in direct consultation with farmers and not only includes the cost of doing sustainable business, but also accounts for basic needs like food, housing, education and savings in case of emergency. This will make a real difference during market downturns and is important because “stopping child labor starts with addressing its root cause – poverty,” as Feastables asserts.

Frontier Co-op collaborates on Fairtrade spice market expansion
Organic spice leader, Frontier Co-op – who launched the first regenerative organic spice line in the U.S. this year – is working to expand the impact that Fairtrade spice purchases have in farming communities in Guatemala. While Fairtrade has historically certified a range of herbs and spices, Frontier Co-op identified a few they were interested in sourcing that Fairtrade had not previously established fixed premium for, specifically organic cardamom, turmeric, and allspice from Guatemala. Setting Fairtrade premiums for these three commodities will help the farmers who grow them under Fairtrade Standards weather market volatility more effectively, strengthen the smallholder farmer supply chain and increase the availability of sustainable spice options on the market for consumers.

Grace Farms Tea & Coffee steps up for sourcing partners in crisis

Cyclone Senyar left Sumatra’s Ketiara Cooperative, a Fairtrade-certified, women-led coffee farming collective, isolated from surrounding areas and cut off from food, clean water, electricity, and communication. Wasting no time to coordinate a response for their long-standing partner, Grace Farms Tea & Coffee launched a humanitarian relief effort. Their swift actions, in collaboration with Ketiara Cooperative Founder and Chairwoman Ibu Rahmah, enabled the delivery of generators, Starlink satellite communication devices, rice, and essential food supplies by air to the most isolated communities. To support a sustained response in the region, Grace Farms Tea & Coffee is contributing $5 from every bag of its Single-Origin Indonesian coffee sold toward ongoing recovery and rebuilding initiatives in the region.

Hu connects directly with farmers

Dan Waters, Chief Executive Officer at Hu, spoke at Fairtrade’s 2025 Cocoa Producer Forum in Lima, Peru. This gave certified cocoa producers a rare opportunity to hear directly from an American chocolate brand that has made significant investments in sustainable sourcing with Fairtrade. It is especially important for farmers and cooperatives to understand the American chocolate market because Americans have a strong affinity for chocolate and the market is expected to grow 5% by 2030. Hu leadership’s presence at the forum marked an exciting addition to their 2024 support, when the brand sponsored two farmers from the cooperatives they source from in Sierra Leone to attend the Cocoa Producer Forum in Cote d’Ivoire.

Hu’s commitment to Fairtrade sourcing goes beyond cocoa. They also source 100% of their coconut sugar, quinoa, cashews, and vanilla on Fairtrade terms. Hu’s coconut sugar-focused Producer Development Initiative has driven progress on gender equality at the cooperative level, increasing women’s membership to 48% and leadership in decision-making groups. Today, women hold 15 of 19 delegate positions, which shape long-term planning and farmer representation, at Koperasi Nira Kamukte, a coconut sugar-farming cooperative in Indonesia.

More sustainable celebrations with Whole Foods Market

In 2025, Whole Foods Market made Halloween better for people and the planet with their new line of Fairtrade certified 365 by Whole Foods Market chocolates, packaged especially for Halloween handouts. By sourcing the cocoa for these specialty items on Fairtrade terms, Whole Foods Market contributed to more secure livelihoods and more resilient ecosystems that cocoa farmers depend on. Whole Foods Market dropped more seasonal chocolate offerings in partnership with Fairtrade in December. As Americans continue to tighten household budgets, it’s exciting to see private label offerings that also prioritize Fairtrade.

Despite global economic head winds and volatile trade conditions, American consumers remain interested in ethical and sustainable grocery options. Research conducted in 2025 by independent firm GlobeScan showed that 72% of American consumers who have seen the Fairtrade Mark are willing to pay more to ensure the farmers behind their favorite products are paid a fair price. When consumers and brands choose to invest in Fairtrade, they help build more resilient supply chains for grocery basket mainstays, including coffee, chocolate, and bananas.

Now more than ever, Fairtrade-certified businesses are instrumental in bringing these options to market and creating the more ethical trade structures needed to reduce poverty and injustice. To learn more about becoming Fairtrade certified, visit our website or sign up for our newsletter.

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About Fairtrade America

Fairtrade America works to rebalance trade, making it a system rooted in partnership and mutual respect rather than exploitation. It’s about businesses, shoppers, farmers and workers all working together so we can all experience the benefits of trade. Fairtrade America is the U.S. branch of Fairtrade International, the original and global leader in fair trade certification with more than 30 years of experience working for fair trading practices in more than 60 countries across the globe. A non-profit 501(c)3 organization, Fairtrade America is part of the world’s largest and most recognized fair trade certification program —part of a global movement for change. Learn more at fairtrade.net, and by connecting with Fairtrade America on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Media Contact

Liz Davis, ldavis@fairtradeamerica.org | +1 202-930-4349

Meet Sam Griffiths, EHS Consultant at Antea Group UK!

• Office: UK
• Practice Area: EHS
• Area(s) of Expertise: Health and Safety Compliance
• About Me in 140 Characters: EHS consultant at Antea Group UK, passionate about workplace safety, legal compliance, and improving safety culture.
• Favorite Thing about Being a Health and Safety Practitioner: I’m passionate about preventing harm and building a culture where safety is second nature!

What is the most interesting project you’ve ever worked on?

One of the most interesting projects I’ve worked on was serving as a Site Safety Advisor on an engineering construction site where a major UK car manufacturer was installing advanced engine testing dynos into a university research facility. It was a unique blend of cutting-edge automotive technology and academic innovation, requiring strict safety oversight to manage complex risks and ensure compliance in a high-stakes environment.

If someone at a party asks what you do, how to you respond?

I’m a EHS consultant, essentiality I help people stay safe at work!

What do you consider your biggest professional achievement so far?

My biggest professional achievement so far has been making the leap from a stable, comfortable role in an unrelated industry to pursuing my passion for health and safety. Transitioning into an EHS consultant role at Antea Group UK required stepping out of my comfort zone, gaining new qualifications, and proving myself in a completely different industry. It’s a move that reflects my commitment to growth and making a real impact on workplace safety and sustainability.

Just for Fun… 

What was your first job? 

Working as a waiter for university functions.

If you had one month off, where would you go or what would you do?

Plenty of walks with my dog around the Peak District and the Lake District.

What is on the top of your bucket list?

To travel across Southeast Asia and Australia!

Have any questions?

Contact us to discuss your environment, health, safety, and sustainability needs today.

Meet Sam Griffiths, EHS Consultant at Antea Group UK!

• Office: UK
• Practice Area: EHS
• Area(s) of Expertise: Health and Safety Compliance
• About Me in 140 Characters: EHS consultant at Antea Group UK, passionate about workplace safety, legal compliance, and improving safety culture.
• Favorite Thing about Being a Health and Safety Practitioner: I’m passionate about preventing harm and building a culture where safety is second nature!

What is the most interesting project you’ve ever worked on?

One of the most interesting projects I’ve worked on was serving as a Site Safety Advisor on an engineering construction site where a major UK car manufacturer was installing advanced engine testing dynos into a university research facility. It was a unique blend of cutting-edge automotive technology and academic innovation, requiring strict safety oversight to manage complex risks and ensure compliance in a high-stakes environment.

If someone at a party asks what you do, how to you respond?

I’m a EHS consultant, essentiality I help people stay safe at work!

What do you consider your biggest professional achievement so far?

My biggest professional achievement so far has been making the leap from a stable, comfortable role in an unrelated industry to pursuing my passion for health and safety. Transitioning into an EHS consultant role at Antea Group UK required stepping out of my comfort zone, gaining new qualifications, and proving myself in a completely different industry. It’s a move that reflects my commitment to growth and making a real impact on workplace safety and sustainability.

Just for Fun… 

What was your first job? 

Working as a waiter for university functions.

If you had one month off, where would you go or what would you do?

Plenty of walks with my dog around the Peak District and the Lake District.

What is on the top of your bucket list?

To travel across Southeast Asia and Australia!

Have any questions?

Contact us to discuss your environment, health, safety, and sustainability needs today.