Author: sHq_LoGiNz

AMSTERDAM and HONG KONG and OAKLAND, Calif., November 6, 2025 /3BL/ – Cascale has updated the latest Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM), ensuring the tool evolves with real-world needs of the consumer goods industry while driving measurable impact across global supply chains. Part of Cascale’s Higg Index, the Higg FEM is available on Worldly, the industry’s leading sustainability data insights platform.

The Higg FEM enables shared measurement of environmental performance across key impact areas — from water and waste to chemical and energy use. By providing consistent, science-based data, it helps manufacturers, brands, and retailers identify improvement opportunities, align expectations, and take informed action toward science-aligned goals.

“The updated Higg FEM gives manufacturers like ITL Group a sharper lens on environmental performance; one rooted in data, progress tracking, and collaboration,” said Jimmy Christopher, Senior Vice President, Group Sustainability & Innovation at ITL. “By using credible insights to guide action, we can move beyond compliance toward measurable progress that supports both business resilience and environmental goals.”

Developed through a collaborative process guided by the Higg FEM Strategic Council, Cascale members, and users worldwide, each update reflects the organization’s commitment to continuous improvement and industry-wide collaboration. Expanding beyond apparel, the Higg FEM remains the most comprehensive environmental assessment tool for consumer goods production, supporting textile, apparel, footwear, home furnishings, sporting, outdoor goods, bags, and luggage.

Key Updates in Higg FEM 2025

The Higg FEM 2025 introduces targeted refinements that enhance relevance and usability while minimizing disruption. Updates include:

• Adjusted cadence ensuring assessments submitted after April 30 maintain full value.
• Updated emission factors for greater accuracy in environmental impact calculations.
• New facility split types within Finished Product Processing for improved data usability.
• Streamlined Time Ordinance guidance tags for a more straightforward completion and verification process.
• Verification enhancements include simplified guidance, improved disclosures, and continued verification availability for all Level 1 questions, as detailed in Cascale’s Higg FEM Verification Scope Expansion Update.

“The Higg FEM continues to be a catalyst for industry-wide sustainability progress,” said Jeremy Lardeau, Higg Index senior vice president, at Cascale. “Aligned with our mission to combat climate change, this update demonstrates our commitment to continuous improvement, as we strive to empower organizations to make smarter, data-driven decisions.”

“Our collaboration with Cascale reflects a shared vision — to make sustainability data not just something the industry reports, but something it runs on,” said Scott Raskin, CEO, Worldly. “When data becomes intelligence that flows through both manufacturing and brand operations, real progress becomes part of the system itself.”

Additionally, platform enhancements introduced by Worldly help turn supplier data into decision-ready intelligence, including the Insights Hub dashboard to translate Higg FEM and Higg Facility Social & Labor (Higg FSLM) data into actionable insights.

For a complete list of Higg FEM 2025 updates, members and users can access the Higg FEM 2025 How to Higg Guide. 

ABOUT CASCALE

Cascale is the global nonprofit alliance empowering collaboration to drive equitable and restorative business practices in the consumer goods industry. Formerly known as the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Cascale owns and develops the Higg Index, which is exclusively available on Worldly, the most comprehensive sustainability data and insights platform. Cascale unites over 300 retailers, brands, manufacturers, governments, academics, and NGO/nonprofit affiliates around the globe through one singular vision: To catalyze impact at scale and give back more than we take to the planet and its people. LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

ABOUT WORLDLY

Worldly is the leading sustainability data and analytics platform for the consumer goods industry, empowering brands, retailers, and manufacturers to turn primary data into strategic action. Trusted by over 40,000 companies across apparel, footwear, home furnishings, and sporting goods, Worldly provides deep visibility into environmental and social impact — from carbon and water to chemicals and labor — at the product, facility, and value-chain levels.

Built on the industry’s leading standards, including Cascale’s Higg Index tools, Worldly transforms raw data into actionable intelligence that helps businesses reduce risk, meet evolving regulations, and accelerate measurable impact.

www.worldly.io

CLEVELAND, November 6, 2025 /3BL/ – KeyBank Community Lending and Investment (CDLI) provided a total of $72.8 million in financing for the first redevelopment phase and new construction of the Atlanta Civic Center, a 148-unit affordable senior housing project in Atlanta. The full depth and breadth of KeyBank’s platform was leveraged to secure the deal for the borrower, CCP Residential I LLC.

KeyBank CDLI provided a $39.1 million taxable construction loan as well as a $25.2 million in federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) equity. Key Commercial Mortgage Group arranged an $8.5 million Fannie Mae MTEB permanent loan, and KeyBanc Capital Markets underwrote two series of tax-exempt bonds totaling $30 million.

This revitalization initiative is a public-private partnership between Atlanta Housing and Civic Center Partners – a joint venture made up of The Michaels Organization (Michaels), Sophy Companies, and Republic Properties. The borrowing group includes The Michaels Organization (Michaels), a premier leader in residential real estate with a 50-year history and a portfolio exceeding $12 billion in assets, Republic Properties, which has executed over 35 public-private sector projects with over $2 billion of new projects under construction, and Sophy Companies, an Atlanta-based, minority-owned, fully integrated commercial real estate firm specializing in urban infill developments that enhance the built environment. Michaels is the lead developer, Sophy is the co-lead, and Republic Properties is the co-developer.

Atlanta’s Civic Center – owned by Atlanta Housing – is being redeveloped as a mixed-income, mixed-use community situated in the city’s Old Fourth Ward, within close proximity to MARTA’s Civic Center transit station and Renaissance and Central Parks. The initial phase consists of 148 one-bedroom units in a six-story building, with 74 underground parking spaces and amenities suited for active seniors 55 and older.

Thirty units in the development have been set aside as 50% area median income (AMI) units, with the balance (118 units) reserved for seniors earning less than 60% AMI. The first floor will contain a lobby, mailboxes, a package room, a management office, a social service office, an arts/crafts room, a fitness room, a community room, a computer lounge, and a laundry room. Half of the first floor will contain residential units. The property also includes 500 square feet of commercial space at the south end of the first floor that will ultimately be built as a café.

“Midtown Atlanta is a desirable location and demand to live there is growing fast, but the pace of senior-specific affordable housing is not yet matching that growth,” said Robert Likes, president of KeyBank CDLI. “We were uniquely positioned for this deal and tapped multiple teams across the bank to help secure financing, which will bring more of such housing to the area.”

“The Atlanta Civic Center redevelopment represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reconnect a historic neighborhood through inclusive and intentional development,” said Michael Green, CEO of Sophy Companies. “As co-lead developer, Sophy Companies played an integral role in shaping the project’s financial and community development strategy. We are proud to partner with Atlanta Housing, The Michaels Organization, and Republic Properties to advance a shared vision that keeps affordability, design excellence, and cultural legacy at the heart of this transformation. This work is also part of Sophy’s broader commitment to inclusive redevelopment across Atlanta, including the long-term vision for the Civic Center’s future.”

About KeyBank Community Development Lending and Investment 

KeyBank Community Development Lending and Investment (CDLI) finances projects that stabilize and revitalize communities across all 50 states. As one of the top affordable housing capital providers in the country, KeyBank’s platform brings together construction, acquisition, bridge-to-re-syndication, and preservation loans, as well as lines of credit, Agency and HUD permanent mortgage executions, and equity investments for low-income housing projects, especially Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) financing. KeyBank has earned 11 consecutive “Outstanding” ratings on the Community Reinvestment Act exam, from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, making it the first U.S. national bank among the 25 largest to do so since the Act’s passage in 1977.

About KeyBanc Capital Markets

KeyBanc Capital Markets is a leading corporate and investment bank providing capital markets and advisory solutions to dynamic companies capitalizing on opportunities in changing industries. Our deep industry expertise, broad capabilities and unique ideas are seamlessly delivered to companies across the Consumer & Retail, Diversified Industries, Financial Services, Healthcare, Industrial, Oil & Gas, Real Estate, Utilities, Power & Renewables, and Technology verticals. With more than 800 professionals across a national platform, KeyBanc Capital Markets has raised more than $125 billion of capital over the last twelve months for its their clients and has an award-winning equity research team that provides coverage on over 500 publicly traded companies.

KeyBanc Capital Markets is a trade name under which the corporate and investment banking products and services of KeyCorp® and its subsidiaries, KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC (“KBCM”), and KeyBank National Association (“KeyBank N.A.”), are marketed. Securities products and services are offered by KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc. and its licensed securities representatives. Banking products and services are offered by KeyBank N.A. Securities products and services: Not FDIC Insured • No Bank Guarantee • May Lose Value

About KeyCorp

KeyCorp’s roots trace back 200 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation’s largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $187 billion at September 30, 2025.

Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 1,000 branches and approximately 1,200 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank is Member FDIC.

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The global supply chain is undergoing a reckoning. From port strikes to climate-driven disruptions, the world’s most essential networks are being stress-tested like never before. As Glen Clark, CEO of DP World in the U.S. and Mexico, noted in his recent article for the Fast Company Executive Board, “Efficiency may have driven the last era of supply chain strategy, but resilience will define the next.”

At DP World, that future is already unfolding.

From Efficiency to Endurance

Supply chain disruptions jumped nearly 40% in 2024, with companies now facing month-long interruptions every 3.7 years, Clark writes in his article, The Supply Chain Playbook is Broken. The lesson is clear: optimization alone is no longer enough. Businesses must design supply chains that can bend without breaking.

DP World’s approach across the Americas focuses on this very principle – building diversified, technology-enabled, and sustainable networks that anticipate disruption rather than react to it. Whether through automation at our terminals in Vancouver, AI-powered logistics in Mexico, or renewable-energy transitions in Peru, the emphasis is shifting from short-term efficiency to long-term adaptability.

Technology and Talent: The Twin Engines of Transformation

As Clark emphasized, “Every acquisition or restructuring is about culture and capabilities.” Supply chain resilience depends as much on people as it does on systems.

Across our 12-country Americas network, DP World is investing heavily in both.

• AI and Automation: At our Vancouver terminal, the field trial of a hydrogen-powered crane is cutting emissions while improving efficiency. In Chile, automated mooring systems are reducing risk and improving reliability.
• Workforce Development: From technical training programs for the DP World’s future Dominican Republic Special Economic Zone to reskilling initiatives in Ecuador and Argentina, DP World is preparing today’s logistics professionals for tomorrow’s digital operations.

The result: smarter systems guided by empowered teams.

Planning Decades Ahead

Short-term thinking can’t produce long-term stability. Clark’s article points to Tesla and Walmart as proof that resilience requires a long view – and DP World shares that philosophy.

Our regional investments reflect a decades-long horizon. In Ecuador, port and logistics expansions are positioning the nation as a gateway for Latin American trade. In Canada and the Caribbean, port electrification and sustainability programs are reducing carbon emissions while future-proofing infrastructure against climate risks.

Customers as Co-Architects of Change

Clark’s central message – “True transformation begins with the customer” – is at the heart of our model. By integrating customer feedback into logistics innovation, we co-design solutions that are not only efficient but resilient.

In Mexico, automotive manufacturers leverage our intermodal “Cars in Containers” solution to mitigate rail capacity shortages, while in Peru, DP World ensures perishable exports move seamlessly through connected cold chain networks – recently delivering 400 tons of fresh blueberries to the U.S. in under 12 hours. Each solution reflects a partnership mindset, where customers are collaborators in shaping the supply chain of the future.

The New Playbook for Global Trade

The next era of logistics isn’t about returning to normal – it’s about defining what comes next. As Clark concludes, “The leaders who understand this shift will endure volatility and help define the future of world trade.”

At DP World, we’re doing exactly that – building sustainable, technology-driven, and people-centered supply chains designed for resilience.

To learn more, read Glen Clark’s full Fast Company Executive Board article here.

The latest episode of CSR Talent Group’s Corporate Impact Leaders podcast dives into a topic that’s gaining significant traction among corporate social responsibility (CSR) professionals: Donor Advised Funds (DAFs). In this episode, CSR Talent Group Affiliate Susanne Salerno breaks down what CSR leaders should know about DAFs, the different models available, and how they can strategically fit within a company’s social impact framework.

Susanne brings a wealth of experience working with corporate philanthropy teams and nonprofit partners, and her insights help demystify how DAFs can be leveraged to create more flexible, efficient, and impactful giving strategies.

What Listeners Will Learn

In this episode, Susanne covers key questions and considerations for CSR and philanthropy professionals, including:

• What exactly is a Donor Advised Fund? A practical overview of how DAFs work and the entities that typically sponsor them.
   
• Different models and approaches: Exploring corporate, community foundation, and national DAF options, and how each may align with a company’s goals.
   
• When a DAF makes sense: Understanding the circumstances where a DAF structure can support strategic giving, employee engagement, and long-term impact.
   
• Common misconceptions: Clarifying what DAFs can and cannot do, and how to avoid common pitfalls.
   

Susanne’s grounded, experience-based guidance makes this episode an invaluable listen for CSR leaders seeking clarity in a complex philanthropic landscape.

A Note of Caution

While this episode provides practical advice and perspective, it’s important to remember that CSR Talent Group and Susanne Salerno are not Donor Advised Fund providers. Companies should consult their legal and financial counsel before making decisions regarding DAF structures or charitable giving vehicles.

• The new pet food packaging solution is designed for recyclability and incorporates food-contact compliant recycled plastic content from advanced recycling, setting a new standard for sustainability in the pet food industry.
• The collaboration combines Dow’s materials science expertise, Zermatt’s packaging innovation, and Nature’s Variety’s commitment to high-quality pet food for a solution that meets upcoming legislative requirements and consumer demand for sustainable packaging.
• The new pouch includes 10% recycled content [mass balance approach] and can help comply with the 2030 target required by the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) for contact-sensitive packaging.

HORGEN, Switzerland, November 6, 2025 /3BL/ – Dow (NYSE: DOW), Zermatt, and Nature’s Variety announce the launch of a new pet food packaging solution that is designed for recyclability and incorporates recycled content from advanced (also known as chemical) recycling. This innovative product, already on the shelves in Spain, France and Portugal marks a significant step forward in sustainable packaging for the pet food industry with multiple aspects of circularity in a single item.

The collaboration between Dow, Zermatt, and Nature’s Variety brings together leaders in materials science, packaging innovation, and premium pet food. Dow provides innovative solutions that support manufacturers and brands in achieving their sustainability and performance objectives. Zermatt specializes in creating high-performance sustainable packaging solutions for a diverse range of applications. Nature’s Variety, a leading European pet food brand, is committed to providing high-quality, natural pet food products for dogs and cats.

“This achievement highlights the importance of strong value chain collaboration. With our combined innovation, together we are delivering a solution that proactively meets legislative requirements and advances sustainability in the pet food packaging segment,” said Antonio Barrasus, commercial director, Zermatt SA.

Innovation that proactively enables more sustainable pet food packaging

This innovative new pouch, specifically designed for Nature’s Variety pet food products, is a result of simplifying the former multi-material structure (PET/PE) into a mono-material PE film structure aligned to anticipated design for recyclability (D4R) standards from The European Committee for Standardization (CEN).

The D4R structure also incorporates recycled content from advanced recycling using an ISCC Plus certified mass balance credit approach. This is an important step to enable the safe use of recycled plastics into food contact and other contact-sensitive applications, providing consumers with peace of mind on food safety while also reducing reliance on virgin resources and advancing a circular economy for food packaging.

Today, this Nature’s Variety pet food pouch includes 10% recycled content [mass balance approach] and can help comply with the 2030 target required by the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) for contact-sensitive packaging. The brand’s medium-term goal is to reach 30% recycled content by 2030.

“By leveraging our innovative circular materials and expertise, we are supporting packaging redesign for recyclability, and the development and incorporation of advanced recycled materials into contact-sensitive applications. This is key to enabling customers and brands to meet voluntary circular plastic packaging commitments and legislative requirements,” said Marian Gmenta, marketing lead for circular & renewable solutions at Dow.

Addressing consumer preferences for circular solutions in pet food packaging

Nature’s Variety has observed that recyclable and sustainable packaging has been gaining relevance amongst consumers. This trend underscores the importance of developing packaging solutions that not only protect the product but also contribute to a circular economy.

“At Nature’s Variety, we are aware of the footprint left by our decisions. This is why we are not only committed to providing the best for our pets, but also to reducing the impact we have on the environment. To do so, we have defined a series of specific actions,” said Ilaria Bianchi, international marketing manager, Nature’s Variety. “This new packaging designed for recyclability and including recycled plastic content, thus reducing the use of virgin plastic, marks one big step in this direction and reflects our dedication to innovation.”

The new pouch will be on display alongside other innovative Dow packaging solutions at K 2025 in Dusseldorf, Germany from 8-15 October, at the Dow building 04.1, outside Hall 4. To learn more, visit Generation Transformation.

About Dow

Dow (NYSE: DOW) is one of the world’s leading materials science companies, serving customers in high-growth markets such as packaging, infrastructure, mobility and consumer applications. Our global breadth, asset integration and scale, focused innovation, leading business positions and commitment to sustainability enable us to achieve profitable growth and help deliver a sustainable future. We operate manufacturing sites in 30 countries and employ approximately 36,000 people. Dow delivered sales of approximately $43 billion in 2024. References to Dow or the Company mean Dow Inc. and its subsidiaries. Learn more about us and our ambition to be the most innovative, customer-centric, inclusive and sustainable materials science company in the world by visiting www.dow.com.

About Zermatt

We are a packaging manufacturer founded in 1970 with a very clear objective: to be leaders in the market by providing tailor-made solutions and innovation in our products. We are committed to our customers, focusing on state-of-the-art technology, prime service, and sustainable principles in our operations. At Zermatt, we make much more than plastic: we are shaping the future of packaging.

Learn more at www.zermatt.es

About Nature’s Variety

Headquartered in Barcelona, Spain, Nature’s Variety was born in 2021 with the mission to select top-quality natural ingredients from trusted suppliers and known origin for dogs and cats, to help pet parents know what goes into their bowl and provide them with healthy and tasty meals. Developed in collaboration with veterinary and nutritional experts, Nature’s Variety products meet rigorous standards for quality, safety, and transparency. The brand’s range is available in selected pet specialty retailers and online platforms across Europe and other international markets.

Learn more at www.naturesvariety.com

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For further information, please contact:

Sarah Young
Dow 
SYoung3@dow.com

Patrick Kennedy
Porter Novelli
patrick.kennedy@porternovelli.be

Antonio Barrasus 
Zermatt SA 
abarrasus@zermatt.es

Ilaria Bianchi
Nature’s Best 
ibianchi@affinity-petcare.com

View original content here.

ALEXANDRIA, Va., November 6, 2025 /3BL/ – The Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) today announced the live implementation of its Responsible Business Transparency Protocol (RBTP), a data exchange protocol built on the United Nations Transparency Protocol (UNTP) and World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) verifiable credentials.

Global supply chains are extremely complex, regulations are constantly evolving, and governments and customers are increasingly requiring provenance and other documentation to verify claims ranging from proof of origin to sustainability and due diligence. To address these challenges, the RBTP is an industry-specific extension of the UNTP that helps enable verifiable, portable, and interoperable supply chain data exchange across the automotive, electronics, and related sectors and helps enable the foundation of n-tier traceability.

Instead of relying on spreadsheets, PDFs, or siloed platforms to share sustainability and other data, companies can issue digital credentials. With a simple scan of a bar code or QR code, or by clicking on a hyperlink, these credentials can be accepted, passed along and checked by others, either manually or using existing tools and platforms.

The RBA recently began a collaborative pilot of the RBTP, bringing together diverse supply chain actors to test the protocol against data-sharing challenges, data complexities, and audit standard interoperability in mineral supply chains. The pilot aims to provide proof of concept for the RBTP and practical insights for the tools and engagement required to help ensure scaling throughout supply chains.

This pilot spans copper, cobalt, lithium and tantalum, which are critical minerals that underpin modern electronics – everything from EV batteries to smartphones. More than 20 organizations are involved, including upstream producers, downstream buyers, standards bodies, and a government agency. The goal is to demonstrate how a protocol built for traceability, auditability, and interoperability can work under complex, real-world conditions. With its large and diverse membership across the electronics, automotive, retail, and other sectors and its members’ suppliers on multiple continents, the RBA is uniquely positioned to pilot and pressure-test the infrastructure needed to facilitate transparency between suppliers and buyers across supply chain tiers.

“The Responsible Business Transparency Protocol is grounded in UN standards, with the technical specifications clearly defined to support broad adoption by governments and industries around the world,” said Tyler Gillard, Chief Strategy Officer, Responsible Business Alliance (RBA). “That means it’s designed to be adapted to local needs and regulations, and works using open-source technologies, across existing software and systems. Data stays with the owner so they can decide what data gets shared.”

Pyx Global, a UNTP acceleration partner, is supporting the RBA to coordinate the collaborative supply chain pilot. In addition to designing the technical backbone, Pyx is supporting the RBA in aligning with UNTP requirements and adapting the RBTP to reflect sector-specific needs.

The pilot will examine scenarios including the handling of partial or missing data, linking chain of custody claims across supply chain tiers, accommodating different sharing and security preferences and technical maturity levels, and verifying due diligence certifications across platforms. The pilot aims to deliver quantifiable insights on implementation cost and effort, validation of the RBTP as a flexible and scalable protocol, clarity on how traceability and sustainability claims can be trusted and reused, and the portability of supplier credentials across systems and platforms.

The UNTP focuses on interoperability standards that allow any technology platform to participate in interoperable and sustainable value chains. The protocol defines a relatively simple architecture comprising standards for product data, facility data, traceability data, conformity data, and identity data. Learn more about the UNTP here.

About the Responsible Business Alliance
The Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) is a nonprofit organization comprised of companies committed to responsible business conduct in their global supply chains. The RBA has a Code of Conduct and a range of programs, training and assessment tools to support continuous improvement. The organization has a global footprint, with offices in North America, Europe and Asia. The RBA and its Responsible Minerals, Labor and Factory Initiatives have more than 600 members with combined annual revenues of greater than $8 trillion, directly employing over 21.5 million people, with products manufactured in more than 120 countries. For more information, visit responsiblebusiness.org.

Media Contact
Jarrett Bens, Senior Director of Communications
Responsible Business Alliance
Phone: +1 571.858.5721
jbens@responsiblebusiness.org