Author: sHq_LoGiNz

BETHESDA, Md., November 20, 2025 /3BL/ – Tandem Global (formerly World Environment Center and Wildlife Habitat Council) and its partners: the Núcleo de Biotecnología de Curauma (NBC), Baastel, IncubatecUFRO, and the La Red de Innovación e Impacto (La RED), present the new members of the Empower Innovation Challenge Cohort 2025. This grant is made possible with funding from the U.S. Department of State.

Eight organizations will receive financial resources from Tandem Global, and, with the support of La RED, will strengthen their capacities and expand their opportunities through its Training, Capacity Building Program, and mentorship to benefit micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the region. The Empower Innovation Challenge (EIC) is an initiative that promotes competitions focused on innovation, entrepreneurship, and competitiveness in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The awardee organizations in the 2025 edition come from six countries on the continent: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama, and Colombia. All of them will become part of La RED, which brings together entities—both for-profit and non-profit—that support MSMEs in order to promote competitiveness and provide them with tools to improve their financial performance and social reach in their respective countries.

The EIC, supporting them with non-reimbursable funds, will provide technical assistance, training, and access to networks and partnership opportunities with local and international companies. All of this, to strengthen their projects, scale up and expand their reach.

The 2026 Empower Innovation Challenge will launch on November 20, 2025. This call for proposals will be specially designed to empower MSMEs in the region that are implementing innovative growth strategies, promoting solutions for economic growth, and fostering local development and prosperity.

The call for proposals will focus on selecting organizations that propose a paradigm shift toward economic growth and development in the region by strengthening local economies.

We present the awardee organizations of the Cohort 2025, latest edition of the EIC:

• Proyectar sin fronteras (PSF), Colombia. Project: AgroAvanza: Scaling Food Production for Growth and Market Integration
• CODESPA, Colombia. Project: Strengthening of shrimp micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
• Fundación Atuca, Colombia, por su proyecto crecimiento económico mediante el fortalecimiento de las cadenas de producción alimentaria y oportunidades de ingresos alternativos.
• Asociación Cámara de Turismo y Comercio del Golfo Dulce (CATUGOLFO), Costa Rica. Project: Inheritors of Golfo Dulce, Future Captains
• Asociación MOJE, El Salvador. Project: Empowerment of Innovative Artisanal Economic Initiatives in Cabañas.
• Lutheran World Relief (LWR), Guatemala. Project: RISE – Resilience and Income Improvement through Support and Empowerment
• Centro de Desarrollo Empresarial para la Micro Pequeña y Mediana Empresa Región Golfo de Fonseca, Honduras, por su proyecto Iniciativa de crecimiento y empleo en el municipio de Marcovia, región del Golfo de Fonseca, Honduras.
• Asociación Nacional de Productores y Pioneras Arroz Bajo en Carbono (ANPPAC), Panamá. Project: Production, differentiation, marketing, and distribution of rice grown and produced by entrepreneurial producers in Panama.

For more information about the initiative, visit: https://www.eiclared.org/cic and https://laredinnovacionimpacto.com/

• For additional questions, contact: EIC@tandemglobal.org

About the organizers of the EIC

Tandem Global

At Tandem Global (formerly the Wildlife Habitat Council and World Environment Center), we provide the know-how and the network to move business and the environment together, in harmony. We work across sectors and at all levels of organizations to facilitate long-term and lasting impact on all aspects of our natural world. From field operations to boardrooms and beyond, corporate leaders turn to Tandem Global for impact strategies and resilient solutions that can support a better future.

https://tandemglobal.org/

The La Red de Innovación e Impacto (La RED)

La RED is an initiative that brings together both for-profit and non-profit organizations to support micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) with the aim of promoting economic growth and prosperity in the Latin American region. Founded in 2014, La RED emerged from a selection process of organizations that have accelerated the development of sustainable businesses and promoted economic growth in the region. Initially funded by the U.S. Department of State, the project was executed by Tandem Global in collaboration with its partners Le Groupe-conseil baastel ltée (Baastel) and RioSlum Studio until June 2021. Since July 2021, La RED has been led by its own organizations and coordinated by the Núcleo de Biotecnología Curauma (NBC) at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso in Chile. 

 https://laredinnovacionimpacto.com/ 

Núcleo Biotecnología de Curauma (NBC)

The Núcleo Biotecnología Curauma Center (NBC), part of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso (PUCV), is an R+D+i center with over 15 years of experience in technological development, innovation and technology transfer. The NBC main goal is to support companies, especially MSMEs, in improving their productivity and competitiveness through technological based solutions.  

The center has pioneered projects like CompiteMAS®, which has allowed NBC to position itself as a key player in the region’s productive transformation, strengthening public-private networks and driving innovation in companies. 

NBC’s track record includes managing competitive R&D contracts, public tenders, international cooperation projects, and delivering certified training programs since its founding in 2010. NBC created a competitiveness indicator for SMEs, called CompiteMAS® indicator, which allows measuring competitiveness including economic, environmental and social areas. 

Throughout 14 years NBC has expanded its lines of work and specialization, addressing projects with innovation, and social impact, consolidating a portfolio of 500 projects executed with excellent results. Through all its activities and services, NBC seeks to make local SMEs more productive, and competitive. 

http://nbcpucv.cl

IncubatecUFRO

IncubatecUFRO is the incubator of the Universidad de La Frontera, the leading business incubator and accelerator in southern Chile, working with more than 250 companies and entrepreneurs annually. Its objective is to foster and strengthen entrepreneurial initiatives with differentiating and/or innovative factors through networking, access to networks, and access to specialized resources and services. Over the last five years, the program has focused on boosting national entrepreneurship and innovation field. Articulating collaboration with strategic support networks for entrepreneurs. Thus, IncubatecUFRO is currently supporting early-stage, expansion-, and scaling-up companies through specialized incubation services and the coordination of business boards with a focus on strengthening innovative value propositions. It also addresses gaps in areas such as business management, marketing and sales, raising private capital, and internationalization, thereby achieving a greater impact on the commercial growth and internationalization of its business portfolio. 

 https://incubatecufro.cl/

Le Groupe-conseil baastel ltée (Baastel) 

Baastel is recognized for its quality services in Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E), Results-based Management (RBM), strategic planning, project and program management, and building individual and institutional capacity in these areas. Baastel’s outstanding reputation in the field is built on a record of international and national successes, and expertise that is backed by attention to detail, quality, transparency and neutrality. 

https://baastel.com

By Sydni Behm, Global Program Manager, Lenovo Foundation

For the ninth consecutive year, Lenovo’s Love on Month of Service (LMOS) continues to grow in both community impact and employee engagement. During LMOS, employees around the world are encouraged to give their time and energy to issues that impact their local communities, often focusing on access to education and technology. The program empowers employee project leaders to design and lead service projects that reflect local needs and engage their local colleagues in giving back. After launching in 2017, LMOS has become a cornerstone of Lenovo’s corporate citizenship, philanthropic efforts, and employee culture.

Each year, Lenovo aims to grow the program by at least one measurable metric – whether it’s amount of volunteers, time spent volunteering, number of beneficiaries, or offices engaging around the world. In 2025, the global corporate citizenship team was thrilled to see significant expansion across every measurable metric!

A staple of LMOS is its employee-led model. Lenovo provides resources and support, but the ideas, energy, and execution come from its people. This year, more than 160 unique projects took place around the world and online, each tailored to the needs of a community.

Project leaders in 81 office locations contributed nearly 22,000 hours of volunteer work through 5,636 instances of service. As a result, 90,673 community members received direct support. These numbers reflect not only the scale of the program, but also the deep commitment of Lenovo’s workforce to making a difference.

This growth was fueled by a wide range of volunteer experiences, including digital inclusion, education, sustainability, and support for people with disabilities—themes aligned with the company’s vision of providing Smarter Technology for All.

In Amsterdam, Lenovo employees joined the Football for All program, partnering with Sport Club Only Friends to raise awareness about accessibility in sports. Volunteers participated in inclusive football activities designed to highlight the importance of adaptive equipment and welcoming environments for players of all abilities.

“It was eye-opening to experience the game from a different perspective,” said Santiago Mendez Galvis, Head of EMEA Corporate Citizenship. “Accessibility isn’t just about infrastructure, it’s about empathy, understanding, and making sure everyone feels welcome on the field.”

In Argentina, Lenovo employees partnered with United Way Argentina to restore an educational center serving low-income youth. The project included painting and beautifying the outdoor space.

“There’s a deep sense of pride in seeing employees from across teams come together for a shared purpose,” said Alice Damasceno, Director of Corporate Citizenship for Latin America. “Giving back to the community isn’t just something we do, it’s part of who we are.”

Across multiple cities in China, Lenovo employees joined students for immersive, hands-on learning experiences focused on technology, STEM, and AI. Activities ranged from robot-building workshops, fossil exploration, guided tours of Lenovo offices, and more, where students learned about innovation and career paths in tech.

In North Carolina, Lenovo employees organized a community bike tour to raise awareness and funds for local nonprofits. The event culminated in a hands-on volunteer activity where teams assembled and donated bicycles to students at a nearby school, promoting both mobility, independence, and fun.

“When we connect our passion for service with real community needs, the results are powerful,” said Libby Richards, Senior Community Engagement Manager at Lenovo. “This project gave our employees a chance to get active, give back, and directly support students in a way that’s both meaningful and memorable.”

In Indonesia, Lenovo employees planted nearly 1,000 mangrove trees along coastal areas in partnership with local environmental organizations. The initiative aimed to support biodiversity, prevent erosion, and contribute to climate resilience in vulnerable ecosystems.

“Mangroves are nature’s protectors, they shield coastlines, nurture marine life, and absorb carbon,” said Pratima Harite, Head of Corporate Citizenship for Asia Pacific. “Our employees in Indonesia embraced this initiative as a powerful act of environmental stewardship. Their wholehearted participation reflects Lenovo’s deep-rooted culture of giving back—where every action is driven by purpose, and every effort contributes to building resilient communities and a healthier planet.”

Beyond community impact, LMOS strengthens Lenovo’s employee culture. Employees report feeling more connected, engaged, and proud to work for a company that values giving back. The program also supports mental well-being and fosters collaboration across business units, functions and teams.

As LMOS continues to grow, Lenovo is committed to reaching and deepening the programs’ impact. We look forward to Lenovo’s 10th Love on Month of Service in 2026, celebrating impact and what is possible when innovation meets empathy.

Love on! (If you didn’t notice, that’s an anagram of Lenovo!)

CHICAGO, November 20, 2025 /3BL/ – Northern Trust employees have again demonstrated their commitment to community impact, dedicating a record-breaking 63,214 volunteer hours during the company’s global month of service, Achieving Greater Together. This annual initiative mobilized staff across 20 countries, supporting 1,500 nonprofit organizations and driving meaningful change on a global scale.

Throughout October, Northern Trust employees collaborated with local partners to address urgent community needs – from packing meals in Sydney to feed those in need and supporting early childhood education in Bangalore, to harvesting and preparing food with A Safe Haven in Chicago, packing holiday gifts for children in Limerick, and building homes with Habitat for Humanity. The collective contributions across all of the regions where Northern Trust operates reflect the company’s truly international reach and impact.

“Every year, our global month of service, Achieving Greater Together, reminds us of the power of collective action,” said Shana Hayes, Chief Social Impact Officer at Northern Trust. “In October, our colleagues volunteered the equivalent of seven years’ worth of hours in just one month. By uniting across teams and geographies, we’re making a lasting difference for communities. Our employees’ commitment reflects the spirit of service at the heart of Northern Trust.”

Northern Trust encourages employees to give back year-round, offering two paid volunteer days annually. For every hour volunteered in October, the company pledges 50 meals to those in need through The Global FoodBanking Network, European Food Banks Federation and Feeding America. This year, employees helped donate 3,168,700 meals, surpassing the campaign’s ambitious goal of 3,150,000.

To see the impact in action, follow #NTGivesBack on Northern Trust’s LinkedIn.

About Northern Trust

Northern Trust Corporation (Nasdaq: NTRS) is a leading provider of wealth management, asset servicing, asset management and banking services to corporations, institutions, affluent families and individuals. Founded in Chicago in 1889, Northern Trust has a global presence with offices in 24 U.S. states and Washington, D.C., and across 22 locations in Canada, Europe, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region. As of September 30, 2025, Northern Trust had assets under custody/administration of US$18.2 trillion, and assets under management of US$1.8 trillion. For more than 135 years, Northern Trust has earned distinction as an industry leader for exceptional service, financial expertise, integrity and innovation. Visit us on northerntrust.com. Follow us on Instagram @northerntrustcompany or Northern Trust on LinkedIn.

Northern Trust Corporation, Head Office: 50 South La Salle Street, Chicago, Illinois 60603 U.S.A., incorporated with limited liability in the U.S. Global legal and regulatory information can be found at https://www.northerntrust.com/terms-and-conditions.

November 20, 2025 /3BL/ – Charity Navigator, America’s top independent nonprofit evaluator, has awarded Direct Relief an overall 100% charity rating for 2025. The recognition marks Direct Relief’s 15th consecutive Four-Star rating, underscoring sustained excellence, accountability, and measurable impact in advancing its humanitarian mission.

Direct Relief is one of just four organizations nationwide included on Charity Navigator’s Best Highly Rated Charities list, which recognizes nonprofits with perfect scores across all of Charity Navigator’s rating metrics.

“These organizations are highly impactful in their given cause area, are fiscally responsible and transparent, and follow leadership and organizational culture best practices,” Charity Navigator notes. “We applaud these charities for being highly impactful and outperforming other organizations performing similar work.”

In addition, Charity Navigator named Direct Relief one of the Best Humanitarian Relief Charities for 2025, highlighting responses to  Hurricane Melissa, the Los Angeles fires, and the humanitarian crises in Sudan and Ukraine. The designation recognizes organizations Charity Navigator deems “extraordinarily effective at what they do.”

Charity Navigator also included Direct Relief on its 2025 list of Household Name Charities, a group of organizations that, as the site explains, “became household names partly because of their exceptional financial management, no easy feat considering the scope and size of their operations. Donors should feel confident that these highly rated national institutions will put their donations to good use.”

Direct Relief’s Charity Navigator Ratings

Direct Relief earned a 100% rating in each of Charity Navigator’s four “beacons”—Accountability & Finance, Leadership & Adaptability, Culture & Community, and Impact & Measurement—and received the highest possible score in every subcategory, from “program expense ratio” to “program planning & design” to “external focus on mobilizing mission.”

Michael Thatcher, President and CEO of Charity Navigator, recognized Direct Relief’s performance, stating: “We are delighted to provide Direct Relief with third-party accreditation that validates their operational excellence. The Four-Star Rating is the highest possible rating an organization can achieve. We are eager to see the good work that Direct Relief can accomplish in the years ahead.”

Humanitarian Impact in 2025

In 2025, Direct Relief made significant strides in advancing its global humanitarian mission, including:

• Delivering Lifesaving Medicines: In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Direct Relief distributed 308 million defined daily doses of medicine to more than 2,636 healthcare facilities across 91 countries and all 50 U.S. states. In total, Direct Relief donated pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, and supplies with a wholesale value of $1.9 billion and provided $69 million in grants to healthcare providers around the world.
• Hurricane Responses: Following Hurricane Melissa, Direct Relief dispatched a 757 charter plane carrying 16 tons of medicine and medical supplies to Jamaica, adding to the large quantities of medical supplies already prepositioned in the region prior to landfall, which helped ensure health providers were equipped immediately after the storm.
• Los Angeles Wildfire Response: Direct Relief’s response began within hours of the first spark, with an initial focus on lifesaving support, including deploying prescription medications to shelters, field medic backpacks to first responders, and more than 140,000 N95 respirators to protect residents and emergency personnel from smoke.
• Aid to Ukraine:  Direct Relief has surpassed more than $2 billion in medical and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine since the war began in 2022, making it one of the largest private philanthropic supporters of the country’s health system.
• The Largest Charitable Medicine Program in the U.S.: To help address the lack of affordable prescription medicine in the United States, Direct Relief provides needed medications to nonprofit health centers and clinics that collectively serve about one in 11 people in the country. In its 2025 fiscal year, Direct Relief’s assistance to the U.S. exceeded $300 million.
• Supporting Healthy Mothers: Direct Relief supports health organizations worldwide that provide critically needed maternal and neonatal services throughout pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care. In its 2025 fiscal year, Direct Relief’s support of midwives helped enable more than 45,000 safe births in 17 countries.

Stewardship and Financial Transparency

Direct Relief is committed to maximizing the impact of every donation, ensuring funds are used responsibly and effectively to support those in need:

• 100% Allocation of Donor-Designated Funds: Every contribution earmarked for specific programs or emergencies is applied exclusively to those purposes, giving donors full assurance that their intent is honored.
• Independently Funded Operations:  Direct Relief operates solely on private charitable contributions, declining government funding to maintain independence and focus on its mission.
• Leveraging In-Kind Contributions: Strategic partnerships with businesses and organizations amplify the impact of donations. Contributions of medicine and medical supplies, valued at their wholesale cost, constitute the majority of Direct Relief’s revenue, allowing cash donations to reach further and support more people.

Additional Nonprofit Recognition

In 2025, Direct Relief received additional independent recognition for humanitarian impact, transparency, and financial stewardship, including:

• Seoul Peace Prize: One of the world’s most distinguished honors for humanitarian achievement, awarded in recognition of Direct Relief’s role in advancing global health and supporting communities affected by disasters and conflict.
• Platinum Transparency Seal from Candid: Signaling the highest level of openness about finances, programs, and results, and enabling donors to see clearly how resources are used.
• A+ Rating from CharityWatch: Along with inclusion on its list of top charities, reflecting exceptional program efficiency, low overhead, and disciplined use of donor funds.

NORTHAMPTON, Mass., November 20, 2025 /3BL/ – From shifting consumer trust to the rise of individual impact, 2025 has been a turning point for sustainability communications. Through bold, data-driven research, 3BL explored how public sentiment, corporate action, and storytelling intersect to shape reputation and real-world outcomes.

Across the four reports released this year, 3BL captured the pulse of the moment. Revealing why staying silent on sustainability is riskier than ever, how personal conviction is driving the next wave of change, and what it takes for brands to earn genuine trust in a skeptical world.

The Big Thing Americans Agree On 

The study, conducted in January 2025, sheds light on shifting consumer expectations and the growing role of sustainability in shaping purchasing decisions and brand loyalty.

• 73% of Americans believe their purchasing decisions can influence corporate behavior on social and environmental issues.
• While 65% of Gen Z and 64% of millennials lead in prioritizing sustainability, the study found that only 5% of Gen X and Baby Boomers consider sustainability completely unimportant.

Download here.

2025 is the Year of the Individual 

There is a striking trend shaping the sustainability and social impact landscape in 2025: the growing role of individual action.

• Political and Generational Shifts: Republicans (22%) favor business-led impact, while Democrats (25%) lean on government. Gen Z trusts institutions, while Baby Boomers (38%) believe in individual action but show skepticism (26%).
• Business Priorities: Consumers expect action on employee well-being (56%), sustainable packaging (54%), and ecosystem restoration (49%).

Download here. 

Say Less, Risk More: Sustainability Silence Is Undermining Trust

This report draws on media analysis and original polling to expose a growing crisis of confidence in corporate sustainability claims. The findings signal a clear warning: greenhushing may feel safe, but it’s undermining public trust and putting market share on the line.

• A Decline in Corporate Voice: Media mentions of top U.S. companies tied to sustainability topics dropped nearly 10% in the first four months of 2025 compared to the same period last year.
• Trust Is Slipping: Nearly a quarter (23%) of consumers now say they “rarely” or “almost never” trust what companies say about their sustainability goals, up from just 15% in December 2023.

Download here. 

Sustainable Companies Make More Money, But Does Anyone Trust Them? 

This research shows that companies recognized among the 100 Best Corporate Citizens aren’t just doing good, they’re performing better in the market too. From January 2022 to July 2025, these companies’ annual returns were 2.2% higher than the S&P 500.

Even more impressive, repeat honorees generated a cumulative return of 106%, compared to just 37% for the S&P 500. Excluding outliers, the portfolio still delivered 40% cumulative returns versus the S&P’s 36.6%

Download here. 

About 3BL 
3BL is the leading sustainability and social impact communications partner, connecting organizations’ stories of purpose and progress with the audiences who matter most.

3BL partners with over 1,500 companies – from global corporations and mid-sized enterprises to NGOs and nonprofits – to elevate their reputations as players in the world of responsible business. We do this through unrivaled news and content distribution, bespoke storytelling support, and our digital media division, TriplePundit.

Learn more at 3BL.com

To support generational sustainability, we must build a pipeline that equips Southwire to tackle the challenges of today — and those to come. This work is crucial, with researchers estimating that up to 3.8 million manufacturing roles will need to be filled by 2033, and warning that nearly half could remain vacant due to gaps in skilled applicants.

We are addressing this gap by working with educational partners to broaden our recruitment efforts and reach while expanding programs that build critical skills in manufacturing and beyond. In 2024 we maintained partnerships with University of West Georgia (UWG), Auburn University’s 100 Women Strong and Engineering Academic Excellence programs, Georgia Tech’s Office of Minority Educational Development and the Atlanta University Center Consortium. We also zeroed in on early career and student-focused programs, such as internship and apprenticeship opportunities.

BRINGING OUR INTERNSHIP PROGRAM INTO THE FUTURE

Southwire hosted one of its largest internship cohorts in 2024. We updated the program to include more structure for interns, as well as in-person opportunities to spend time with their peers and Southwire team members. All interns came together for in-person onboarding to kick off the program and returned for an in-person offboarding event. We also provided each intern with a mentor, prompted managers to develop more clearly defined projects and created more touchpoints for interns and managers to connect. Outside of our regular programming, we provided interns with access to virtual learning opportunities to build targeted knowledge and skills.

Yello, a leading provider of early talent acquisition software solutions, recognized Southwire as one of its Top 100 Internship Programs of 2024.

CREATING THE NEXT GENERATION OF BUSINESS LEADERS

University of West Georgia (UWG) has been a long-time Southwire talent partner. Together, we host the Southwire Business Leadership Program (SBLP), where UWG students can spend a year gaining firsthand work experience. Next, they begin a two-semester internship that allows them to create a multiyear strategic plan to address a business opportunity or need. All SBLP participants present their plans to Southwire’s executive leadership team, cultivating strong presentation skills and gaining visibility with senior leaders.

Over 60% of SBLP participants over the past two years were offered positions at Southwire.

BUILDING A PIPELINE FOR MAINTENANCE CAREERS

Participants in our two-year Southwire Maintenance Apprenticeship complete on-the-job training alongside classroom instruction, preparing them for potential full-time Southwire roles. Apprentices can choose between two tracks created for maintenance or electrical technician positions. Opportunities are open to outside applicants, such as students from West Georgia Technical College and Southwire team members looking to transition into new roles.

Southwire proudly supports the University of Georgia’s Society of Women Engineers chapter, helping to expand the pool of engineering talent we recruit.

UPGRADING OUR FINANCE ROTATIONAL PROGRAM

The Finance Rotational program employs new recent graduates into the three-year rotational program. During this time, the new graduates learn various finance functions within the Southwire business to include operations, corporate and commercial. In 2024, we broadened our scope of participation to expand the program efficiencies through onboarding, development of cohorts, recruiting and committee sponsorship.

To learn more about Southwire’s accomplishments in 2024, read our full sustainability report: https://southwire.com/sustainability.

Originally published on Waste Dive

Carton recycling isn’t just waste diversion. It’s a growing part of the circular economy that keeps materials in use and out of landfills. Some cartons become high-quality fiber for paper goods, while others are transformed into durable building materials that replace virgin resources.

When cartons reach a paper mill, they’re prized for their long, strong fibers. Jason Pelz, VP of Sustainability for Tetra Pak in the U.S. and Canada, says that quality makes them a dependable part of a mill’s feedstock mix.

“Cartons carry some of the best fiber in the recycling stream,” he explains. “At many mills, the yield matches or exceeds other materials.”

Click here to read more on Waste Dive