Author: sHq_LoGiNz

WASHINGTON, June 4, 2026 /3BL/ – The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) and the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) today honored the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) with a Leadership in Innovation Award recognizing the agency’s pioneering efforts to bridge innovation, public health and the built environment through breakthrough research and development (R&D) in healthy indoor air.

“Americans spend 90% of their lives indoors, breathing air that can be two to five times more polluted than what’s outside, yet federal investment in indoor air quality has never matched the scale of the problem,” said Kenneth Mendez, President and CEO of AAFA. “ARPA-H is changing that. BREATHE and PRO-MICROBE represent the kind of bold, patient-centered innovation that millions of Americans living with asthma and allergies have been waiting for, and AAFA is proud to recognize ARPA-H for this important work.”

The award honors ARPA-H for its groundbreaking work through its BREATHE and PRO-MICROBE programs — two bold R&D initiatives helping to revolutionize how indoor environments are understood, monitored and optimized to protect and enhance human health. Together, the programs are advancing next-generation technologies designed to continuously measure indoor air quality, estimate health risks in real time and support interventions that promote cleaner, healthier indoor environments.

“Optimizing our buildings for health is one of the single greatest public health opportunities of our time,” said Rachel Hodgdon, President and CEO of IWBI. “We are excited to recognize ARPA-H for serving as a massive accelerant to meet this moment. Their groundbreaking work is driving the market to transform indoor air quality to not only prevent airborne illness, but actively extend human health span, boost cognitive performance and deliver well-being at scale.”

By accelerating innovations that can help prevent illness, improve well-being and enhance longevity, the ARPA-H programs hold enormous promise for children with asthma and allergies, adults with COPD, hospitalized patients and other vulnerable populations. The initiatives are also helping position the United States as a global leader in the rapidly expanding healthy buildings sector — driving innovation that supports human performance, productivity, resilience and long-term economic competitiveness.

“It is well understood across the building sector that operations and maintenance have a significant impact on the health, safety and productivity of building occupants throughout the built environment,” said Michael V. Geary, CAE, President and CEO of IFMA. “We congratulate ARPA-H and thank them for their leadership in advancing tools and research that are invaluable to facility managers around the globe.”

The award was presented to ARPA-H leadership today during ARPA-H’s Healthy Buildings Demo Day in Washington, D.C., where project awardees showcased hands-on demonstrations highlighting cutting-edge innovations aimed at transforming indoor air quality, advancing healthier buildings and strengthening public health.

“We estimate poor indoor air quality drives over $180 billion in healthcare costs each year in this country. That’s unacceptable,” said ARPA-H Director Alicia Jackson, Ph.D. “That massive impact on the American people demands an innovative, flexible solution we can roll out in years—not decades. With BREATHE and PRO-MICROBE, ARPA-H is redefining what’s possible in the built environment to protect every American from respiratory illnesses and the respiratory effects of chronic conditions.”

“Parents shouldn’t have to send their kids to school worrying the environment could exacerbate asthma, and patients shouldn’t have to enter a hospital just to leave with a new airborne illness,” said ARPA-H BREATHE and PRO-MICROBE Program Manager Jessica Green, Ph.D. “I’m incredibly proud of the rapid progress our awardees have made. We are headed toward a new era in indoor air quality that will translate to healthier kids, safer patients, dramatic cost savings, and far greater peace of mind.”

About the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America
Founded in 1953, AAFA is the oldest and largest non-profit patient organization dedicated to saving lives and improving the quality of life for people affected by asthma and allergic diseases through support, advocacy, education, and research. AAFA offers extensive support for individuals and families affected by asthma and allergic diseases, such as food allergies and atopic dermatitis (eczema). Through its online patient support communities, network of regional chapters, and collaborations with community-based groups, AAFA empowers patients and their families by providing practical, evidence-based information and community programs and services. AAFA is the first asthma and allergy patient advocacy group that is certified to meet the standards of excellence set by the National Health Council. For more information, visit: aafa.org and kidswithfoodallergies.org.

About the International Facility Management Association
Founded in 1980, the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) is the world’s largest, most widely recognized association for facility management (FM) professionals. Supporting more than 25,000 members in 140 countries, IFMA’s Vision is to lead the future of the built environment to make the world a better place. IFMA is a key contributor to the development of international FM standards and works with decision makers to inform FM-related policy. IFMA provides career resources and continuing education, offers three industry-respected credentials, maintains the largest repository of FM-related content on the web and hosts year-round global events. Learn more at ifma.org.

About the International WELL Building Institute
The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) is a public benefit corporation and the global authority for transforming health and well-being in buildings, organizations and communities. In pursuit of its public-health mission, IWBI mobilizes its community through the development and administration of the WELL Building Standard (WELL), WELL for residential, WELL Community Standard, its WELL ratings and management of the WELL AP credential. IWBI also translates research into practice, develops educational resources and advocates for policies that promote people-first places for everyone, everywhere. More information on WELL can be found here.

International WELL Building Institute, IWBI, the WELL Building Standard, WELL v2, WELL Certified, WELL AP, WELL EP, WELL Score, The WELL Conference, We Are WELL, the WELL Community Standard, WELL Health-Safety Rated, WELL Performance Rated, WELL Equity Rated, WELL Equity, WELL Coworking Rated, WELL Residence, Works with WELL, WELL and others, and their related logos are trademarks or certification marks of International WELL Building Institute pbc in the United States and other countries.

Media contact:
media@wellcertified.com

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As part of the Entertainment Industry College Outreach Program’s (EICOP) HBCU in LA Summit Week, AEG, the leading sports and live entertainment company, hosted more than 40 interns from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) at its L.A. LIVE campus on May 29, 2026.

The event brought industry talent and executives from AEG and across the entertainment sector together and offered students a chance to participate in panel discussions, mentoring sessions and learn first-hand about jobs in the sports and live event industry.

The day kicked off with lunch at L.A. LIVE where students were able to meet AEG employees representing the Talent Acquisition team, Black Equity Employee Network Group and Goldenvoice Black. Afterwards the students received a behind-the-scenes tour of Crypto.com Arena and concluded with a networking session with various AEG business units and EICOP partners at Peacock Theater.

The Entertainment Industry College Outreach Program is a non-profit educational arts workforce development organization, dedicated to educating, training, and recruiting the best and brightest student leaders from our nation’s Historically Black Colleges, Universities and other Minority Serving Institutions for careers across all aspects of the entertainment, music, sports, gaming and tech industries. Click here to learn more about the organization.

Cascale recently attended Move! Sustainability Fashion Summit 2026 in Madrid, Spain, bringing together approximately 250 professionals from across the textile, apparel, and footwear industry to explore the future of circularity, textile waste, business resilience, and sustainability.

Key Takeaways

• Sustainability is increasingly being viewed as a compliance requirement rather than a competitive differentiator.
• Fragmented data systems and limited infrastructure continue to slow progress toward circularity.
• Collaboration across the value chain remains essential to addressing textile waste and scaling solutions.

Across sessions and discussions, a clear theme emerged: sustainability is increasingly shifting from a strategic differentiator to a business requirement driven by evolving regulations. Industry leaders highlighted the growing need for collaboration, harmonized data systems, and scalable solutions to address some of the sector’s most pressing challenges.

Speakers from organizations including H&M, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, ReHubs, Pangaia, and the Regenerative Fund for Nature shared perspectives on circular business models, post-consumer textile waste, regenerative production systems, and the infrastructure needed to support industry-wide transformation.

Several discussions focused on the significant gap between circularity ambitions and current operational realities. While brands continue to invest in resale, collection, and recycling initiatives, speakers acknowledged ongoing challenges related to traceability, data fragmentation, and limited recycling capacity. Industry experts also emphasized that textile-to-textile recycling remains below one percent globally, underscoring the scale of the work ahead.

Roundtable conversations explored the relationship between sustainability investment and business performance, with speakers noting ongoing challenges in building the broader financial case. Participants also noted that consumers continue to prioritize quality, design, and value, with sustainability increasingly viewed as an expected baseline rather than a primary purchasing driver.

For Cascale, the discussions reinforced several priorities already shaping our work. Industry collaboration, consistent and credible sustainability data, and harmonized measurement tools are essential in supporting meaningful progress across the value chain.

GALWAY, Ireland, June 4, 2026 /3BL/ – Medtronic, a global leader in healthcare technology, today announced its first cohort of Medtronic Spark Scholarship recipients, recognizing 100 exceptional students from low-income households pursuing careers in health tech. This marks a significant milestone in Medtronic Spark’s global 10-year initiative to propel 1 million students into health tech careers.

The inaugural scholarship cohort represents 12 home countries and was selected from a pool of more than 1,500 applicants across 42 countries. Each recipient receives:

• Financial support for educational expenses, renewable for up to four years
• Career building experiences, which may include Medtronic mentorship, coaching, networking support, and more
• Availability of an emergency support fund to close the gap when facing unexpected episodic hardships that can derail academic progress

“The Medtronic Spark Scholarship gives students from around the world an opportunity to pursue their passion for improving people’s lives,” said Dr. Sally Saba, President of Medtronic Foundation. “I’m inspired and humbled by their stories of grit, perseverance, and determination to seek an education that allows them to serve and heal others. By combining financial support with mentorship, career guidance, and additional services, we’re creating a holistic support system that removes barriers and empowers students to graduate and thrive in health tech careers.”

“I’m inspired by the challenge of turning breakthrough science into technologies people can trust, access, and benefit from,” said Nathan, a Medtronic Spark scholarship recipient studying biomedical engineering and finance at Washington University in St. Louis. “I hope to build and scale health innovations—especially in areas like neurotechnology.”

Medtronic will award up to 100 new scholarships each year over the next 10 years to students residing in 70+ eligible countries. Applications will re-open in October 2026.

“I have always dreamed of helping people in difficult situations achieve a better quality of life through science,” said Valeria, a Medtronic Spark scholarship recipient at the Instituto Teccnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey in Mexico. “Receiving the Medtronic Spark scholarship motivates me to continue pursuing this dream, to move forward with determination along the career path I am passionate about.”

Visit https://www.medtronicspark.com/scholarship/ to learn more and sign up to receive updates.

About Medtronic
Bold thinking. Bolder actions. We are Medtronic. Medtronic plc, headquartered in Galway, Ireland, is the leading global healthcare technology company that boldly attacks the most challenging health problems facing humanity by searching out and finding solutions. Our Mission — to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life — unites a global team of 95,000+ passionate people across more than 150 countries. Our technologies and therapies treat 70 health conditions and include cardiac devices, surgical robotics, surgical tools, patient monitoring systems, and more. Powered by our diverse knowledge, insatiable curiosity, and desire to help all those who need it, we deliver innovative technologies that transform the lives of two people every second, every hour, every day. Expect more from us as we empower insight-driven care, experiences that put people first, and better outcomes for our world. In everything we do, we are engineering the extraordinary. For more information on Medtronic, visit www.Medtronic.com and follow Medtronic on LinkedIn.

Any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties such as those described in Medtronic’s periodic reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ materially from anticipated results.

Contacts:
Justin Paquette
Public Relations
+1-612-271-7935

Ingrid Goldberg
Investor Relations
+1-763-505-2696