Author: sHq_LoGiNz

EMERYVILLE, Calif., November 18, 2025 – SCS Global Services announces that Taylor Shellfish Farms, a supplier of farmed shellfish, has achieved certification against the rigorous Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) Standard. With over 15,000 acres of tidelands in the state of Washington, they are the largest producer of oysters in North America.

This new certification includes the following species now available on the market:

• Ostrea lurida (Olympia oyster)
• Crassostrea sikamea (Kumamoto oyster)
• Crassostrea virginica (Eastern oyster)
• Mytilus galloprovincialis (Mediterranean mussel)
• Veneripus philippinarum (Manila clam)
• Panopea abrupta (Geoduck clam)
• Crassostrea gigas (Pacific oyster)

“We believe true sustainability means caring for both people and the planet,” said Jada Brown, Marketing Manager, Taylor Shellfish Farms. “Our new ASC certification is a badge of that belief – recognizing our responsible farming practices, commitment to clean water, and the fair, empowering workplaces we’ve built for our teams across Washington’s coastlines. From the South Sound, Samish Bay, and beyond, this milestone celebrates the harmony between our farms, our people, and the waters that sustain us all.”

The independent audit consisted of several days with SCS’ team of auditors, with visits across six different regions within Washington state (Discovery Bay, Puget Sound, South Sound East and West, Willapa Bay, and Hood Canal) and over 200 aquaculture concessions.

“With this certification, Taylor Shellfish becomes the first and only bivalve farm to achieve ASC certification in the United States, and just the fifth U.S.-based farm to join ASC’s leading global program,” said Erica Tardiff, U.S. Market Development Manager, ASC. “This demonstrates their leadership and commitment to responsible aquaculture right here at home. Many U.S. consumers opt for local seafood and Taylor’s certification is an important step to expanding regional ASC-labeled options, as awareness and demand for sustainable seafood grows among shoppers, diners and communities.”

“Taylor Shellfish Farms’ commitment to continuous improvement and ecosystem health reflects the evolving role of aquaculture in climate resilience and food security,” said Caio Della Colleta Vianna, Senior Technical Specialist, Aquaculture, SCS Global Services. “They have a great passion for farmed shellfish and are willing to go the distance in order to ensure their products are of the highest quality and adhere to safety and social guidelines.”

As a family-owned business, Taylor Shellfish Farms has deep roots in the Pacific Northwest, having farmed shellfish there since 1890. Their product line includes geoduck, mussels, Manila clams, and a variety of specialty half-shell oysters.

About SCS Global Services

SCS Global Services is an international leader in third-party environmental and sustainability verification, certification, auditing, and standards development. Its programs span a cross-section of industries, recognizing achievements in climate mitigation, green building, product manufacturing, food and agriculture, forestry, consumer products, and more. Headquartered in Emeryville, California, SCS has representatives and affiliate offices throughout the Americas, Asia/Pacific, Europe, and Africa. Its broad network of auditors are experts in their fields, and the company is a trusted partner to companies, agencies, and advocacy organizations due to its dedication to quality and professionalism. SCS is a California-chartered Benefit Corporation, reflecting its commitment to socially and environmentally responsible business practices. SCS is also a Participant of the United Nations Global Compact and adheres to its principles-based approach to responsible business. For more information, visit www.SCSGlobalServices.com.

Media Contact:
Madhumita Mohan
Marketing Manager
mmohan@scsglobalservices.com

Viatris takes a multi-pronged approach to actively engage in addressing AMR, both by providing access through our portfolio of more than 90 antimicrobials and in partnership with others, including as a founding member and active board member of the AMR Industry Alliance (AMRIA).

In 2024, the UN General Assembly convened a high-level meeting among heads of state to secure the highest level of political commitment to address AMR globally through the adoption by the UN General Assembly of the Political Declaration on AMR. Contributing to these ongoing political discussions, global news organization Foreign Policy, Viatris and other stakeholders co-hosted the “A World Without Antibiotics – Confronting the Global AMR Challenge” simulation. This meeting convened leaders and experts from government, industry and civil society to work through a simulation exploring solutions to avert the potentially devastating outcomes of unchecked AMR. During the event, Viatris and AMRIA called on member states to ensure universal, equitable, affordable and sustainable access to quality assured appropriate antibiotics and diagnostics as well as to prevent and address the drivers, sources and challenges of the environmental dimensions of AMR.

As the co-chair of the AMRIA Access working group, Viatris led the development of the AMRIA Equitable and Responsible Access Roadmap, published in February 2024, through a consultative and evidence-based process. The roadmap is a global policy tool focusing on increasing global access of people to appropriate and high-quality antibiotics. It highlights key barriers to diagnostics and antimicrobial access and outlines solutions to tackle the global barriers of regulatory issues, demand forecasting, and procurement challenges.

Promoting a Scalable Model in the Fight Against AMR

In 2024, Viatris collaborated with BBC Storyworks to raise awareness about PLATINEA (PLATform for INnovation of Existing Antibiotics), a unique multi-stakeholder collaboration in Sweden that includes academia, healthcare, public health authorities, public payers and regulators and the pharmaceutical industry to find solutions to AMR. The campaign highlighted the PLATINEA model beyond Sweden, sparking discussions within and beyond the policy and medical communities about replicating this initiative in other regions and driving global momentum in the fight against AMR.

Combating Antimicrobial resistance via Responsible Manufacturing

Viatris is a founding member of AMRIA, an active member of its Manufacturing working group and is committed to partnering across the industry to collectively advance initiatives addressing AMR.

Beyond working to provide access to a broad portfolio of antimicrobials and promoting appropriate use, Viatris is committed to responsible manufacturing. We are compliant with AMRIA’s Antibiotic Manufacturing Standard for our own operations and committed to implementing it across our external supply chain.

In 2024, we continued to conduct assessments of our top antibiotic suppliers’ management and performance on the AMRIA Manufacturing Standard, in accordance with our five-year plan. We completed 84% of the planned audits by the end of 2024.

Read the 2025 Wesco Sustainability Report here

Supporting Employee Health and Wellbeing 

Wesco is committed to supporting the overall health and wellbeing of our employees through comprehensive resources and programs. Employees have access to local Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) which can offer advice on legal matters, counseling, health and fitness coaching, family issues, stress and financial matters privately and confidentially.

Additionally, employees have access to Passport, our online eLearning tool that offers a variety of wellbeing and lifestyle courses to support personal and professional growth. These resources are designed to promote a balanced and healthy lifestyle for all employees.

Health and Safety Training

In 2024, our global Wesco team completed approximately 75,000 hours of health and safety training.

Other training channels include daily safety huddles, safety alerts, safety stand-downs, where employees stop working and meet to discuss a safety concern to either prevent it from happening or a reoccurrence, and monthly safety talks focused on trends and relevant safety topics.

Operational leaders receive new training content each week via email or through a push notification on a newly launched mobile app for company communications called Wesco NOW, along with monthly compliance topics delivered through Passport, our online training system. With the help of our learning and development partners, we continue to develop our health and safety training programs by updating and adding content within Passport and the newly introduced Axonify, a learning platform offering daily learning assignments for operations employees. These platforms enable targeted training content for specific job categories, reinforcing our culture of safety.

Occupational Health Services

We use occupational health services to provide employee care and proactive injury and case management. These health services provide the services of qualified and accredited individuals.

We aim to provide our employees with access to occupational health services in the manner that is most convenient and suitable to them, including in- person assessment at their workplace, family doctor, or occupational health service provider’s premises, as well as a telephone consultation. Employees anywhere in our operating countries can access these services during working hours, conducted in their local language. We consult with external occupational health experts to guide us in hazard elimination, risk reduction, workplace adjustments and return-to-work planning in the case of long-term absences.

Personal data obtained from occupational health services is stored, processed and handled in accordance with our Data Privacy Notice and applicable data protection and privacy legislation. Per our Global Code of Business Conduct, we do not use employees’ personal health-related information or their participation in any such services or programs for any favorable or unfavorable treatment.

To learn more, download the 2025 Wesco Sustainability Report here.

About This Report

Unless otherwise stated, this report covers activities, data and initiatives from our fiscal year 2024.

We also regularly engage with our investors, employees, customers, regulators, ratings agencies and others on ESG and business issues. Additional information about Wesco can be found in our public financial filings— including our annual report and proxy filings—as well as on the Security and Exchange Commission’s website at www.sec.gov or on the Investors page of our website at Wesco.com.

In today’s fast-changing business landscape, CSR, ESG, and sustainability initiatives are no longer “nice to have.” They’ve proven to be essential to long-term success. Yet, many companies face a common challenge: how to maintain momentum when there are shifts in staffing compositions, key team members are on leave, new initiatives grow unexpectedly, or when specialized expertise is needed temporarily.

That’s where CSR Talent Group’s fractional staffing solutions come in.

What Is Fractional Staffing?

Fractional staffing is a flexible, strategic way to fill temporary or part-time roles with seasoned CSR, ESG, and sustainability professionals. 

Instead of pausing progress or overburdening your team, you can bring in an experienced professional who integrates quickly, keeps your programs on track, and helps you meet your goals.

How CSR Talent Group Can Help

Leading organizations turn to CSR Talent Group when they need trusted experts who can hit the ground running. We specialize in connecting companies with professionals who bring deep, real-world experience in CSR, ESG, and sustainability initiatives. 

Our clients often seek fractional or part-time support for roles that don’t require a full-time hire, such as:

• CSR Director (full-time for 6 months) –  to cover a maternity leave and maintain strategic initiatives.
   
• Employee Engagement Expert (10 hours/week for 6 months) – to support engagement efforts across multiple U.S. offices.
   
• Community Program Strategist (20 hours/week for 12 months) – to help design and launch a new signature program.
   
• Program Manager (variable hours) – to provide additional capacity for large-scale ESG or sustainability initiatives.

The list is exhaustive.

The Benefits of Fractional Talent

• Continuity & Stability: Your programs keep moving forward, even during staff transitions.
   
• Flexibility: Scale talent up or down based on your evolving needs.
   
• Specialized Expertise: Access professionals with years of hands-on experience in CSR, ESG, and sustainability strategy and execution.
   
• Cost Efficiency: Gain senior-level insights without the long-term commitment of a full-time role.

Ready to strengthen your team with flexible, expert support? Visit CSR Talent Group to learn more about our fractional staffing solutions and how we can help your organization achieve its impact goals: www.csrtalentgroup.com.

The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy® today released its tenth U.S. Dairy Sustainability Report, capturing the dairy community’s collective achievements from 2023 to 2024. The biennial report tracks industry-wide performance across three priority areas – Advance Well-being, Regenerate the Environment, and Care for our Animals and Communities – and includes the first progress update on the industry’s 2050 Environmental Stewardship Goals.

At its core, the report demonstrates how the U.S. dairy community is nourishing people while advancing solutions for a more sustainable, resilient food system. Through the U.S. Dairy Stewardship Commitment, farmers, cooperatives and processors representing more than 77% of U.S. milk production align to a single framework that drives accountability, transparency, and measurable action. 

“Our role in a sustainable food system begins with what we do best — nourishing people,” said Barbara O’Brien, President and CEO of the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy. “The U.S. dairy community is connecting the science of nutrition with the responsibility of stewardship, proving that progress for people and the planet can go hand in hand.”

Highlights from the report include:

Advance Well-Being: 
U.S. dairy continues to expand access to nutrient-rich dairy foods, delivering 1.5 billion servings through its partnership with Feeding America in 2024. With dairy milk’s 13 essential nutrients and emerging science around personalized wellness, dairy foods remain central to affordable, accessible nutrition.

Regenerate the Environment: 
U.S. dairy is making measurable progress toward its 2050 Environmental Stewardship Goals through science-based innovation and industry-wide collaboration. Between 2020 and 2025, the sector reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity by approximately 2.5%, while increasing milk production by 4.7%, an indicator of improved efficiency. Since 2007, on-farm GHG intensity has declined by 14.7%. The industry continues to advance environmental performance across multiple areas, including water stewardship, through the strategic use of science, data, and partnerships.

Care for our Animals and Communities:
With 99% of U.S. milk production participating in the FARM Animal Care Program, and strong commitments to workforce development and food safety, the industry embeds care and accountability throughout its value chain.

“On farms and across the dairy community, our progress moves at the pace of technology and investment,” O’Brien said. “Our focus is on making every dollar and every innovation count, translating today’s breakthroughs into lasting benefits for people, animals, and the planet.”

For more information, please visit www.usdairy.com.

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Founded by dairy farmers in 2008 through their checkoff, the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy® is a national forum that unites leaders from across the entire dairy value chain – farmers, cooperatives, processors, customers, and allied industry – to work together on precompetitive priorities that build a stronger, more trusted food system.

Media Contact:
Joe Micucci, Vice President, Corporate Communications
847-627-3732

Read More

As COP30 brings global attention to climate leadership in Brazil, DP World demonstrates how sustainable ports can power greener trade.

As world leaders gather in Belém for COP30 (November 10–21), DP World is spotlighting sustainability in action at its port terminal in Santos – one of Latin America’s most advanced ports. The company’s new video, “Sustainability in Action at DP World in Brazil,” highlights how innovation, clean energy, and community empowerment are transforming logistics for a low-carbon future.

From renewable power and waste reduction to ecosystem restoration and gender equity, the Port of Santos is proof that trade and sustainability can move forward together. These initiatives build on DP World’s global “Our World, Our Future” strategy, which aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 while ensuring lasting community and environmental impact.

As COP30 reinforces the world’s focus on climate solutions, DP World in Brazil is showing what action looks like on the ground – through cleaner operations, greener energy, and empowered communities.

Learn more: DP World Sustainability Initiatives

Originally published on Aflac Newsroom

COLUMBUS, Ga., November 18, 2025 /3BL/ – In collaboration with bestselling children’s book Author Sheri Fink and Research Astronaut Kellie Gerardi, Aflac Incorporated released today a new children’s book highlighting the power of empathy, kindness and compassion for loved ones, especially children, facing health challenges.

Award-winning author Fink introduces readers to Buddy, a bear cub who struggles to find the right words to comfort his friend, Bunny, who is in the hospital. As Buddy’s imagination takes flight, readers follow his intergalactic space adventures with new friends who help him understand that sometimes it’s not what you say, but what you do — beyond words — that matters most when someone is in need.

“Beyond Words” is an extension of Aflac’s longtime culture of care, inspired by My Special Aflac Duck^®, a robotic duck given free of charge to provide comfort to more than 40,000 children (ages 3 and up) with cancer and sickle cell disease across the U.S., Japan and Northern Ireland since 2018. The My Special Aflac Duck program is part of Aflac’s philanthropic efforts through the Aflac Childhood Cancer Foundation and a 30-plus year commitment to the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, with nearly $200 million in support.

“For more than 30 years, Aflac has supported children and families during their cancer journeys, providing them with opportunities for new treatments and, ultimately, better chances of survival,” said Aflac Chairman and CEO Dan Amos. “Yet, we thought we could do more by helping those surrounding the affected children who may struggle with how to provide comfort during challenging times. ‘Beyond Words’ is a beautiful expression of love and compassion.”

To write “Beyond Words,” Fink drew on her experience as a No. 1 bestselling author of more than 15 children’s books and her mission to inspire, delight and educate children. Through her work, Fink often gives back by visiting schools to speak to students about kindness and overcoming adversity — and reading her books to patients at children’s hospitals.

“Aflac’s heartfelt mission to help children experiencing childhood cancer and blood disorders — and those surrounding them — through a children’s book exemplifies the company’s commitment to make a tangible difference in children’s care,” said Fink. “With ‘Beyond Words,’ I was inspired to share the many ways we can express love and friendship, even when we don’t know the perfect thing to say. Buddy reminds us that there is infinite power in kindness and compassion.”

To illuminate the theme of “Beyond Words,” full of space adventures and interplanetary travel, Aflac asked Kellie Gerardi, a multi-mission research astronaut and mother, to provide the book foreword and be the voice of the audio version of “Beyond Words.” The audio version and free downloadable coloring sheets featuring Buddy and a few of his special friends are available by scanning the QR code on the last page of the book.

“I am proud to join Aflac on its mission ‘Beyond Words’ and to support such an important cause,” said Gerardi. “Whether I am spending time with my daughter or preparing to travel to space, Buddy’s reminder of the importance of showing up for the people we care most about through action, even if we don’t have the perfect words, is something I’ll continue to carry with me.”

The “Beyond Words” story was enriched by the imaginations of children from Mathews Elementary School in Columbus, Georgia, and patients at the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, who participated in focus groups to help shape the storylines and illustrations. Mary Webb, a childhood cancer survivor and former patient at the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, provided the illustration for the “Why This Book Matters” page.

Visit Aflac.com/BeyondWords for purchase options, including Archway Publishing, from Simon & Schuster, and Amazon.com. The hard cover book is $21.99, and soft cover is $12.99, with 100% of net proceeds benefiting childhood cancer and blood disorders research and treatment through the Aflac Childhood Cancer Foundation.

ABOUT AFLAC INCORPORATED

Aflac Incorporated (NYSE: AFL), a Fortune 500 company, has helped provide financial protection and peace of mind for nearly seven decades to millions of policyholders and customers through its subsidiaries in the U.S. and Japan. In the U.S., Aflac is the No. 1 provider of supplemental health insurance products.³ In Japan, Aflac Life Insurance Japan is the leading provider of cancer and medical insurance in terms of policies in force. The company takes pride in being there for its policyholders when they need us most, as well as being included in the World’s Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere for 19 consecutive years (2025) and Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies for 24 years (2025). In addition, the company became a signatory of the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) in 2021 and has been included in the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index (2024) for 11 years. To find out how to get help with expenses health insurance doesn’t cover, get to know us at aflac.com or aflac.com/español. Investors may learn more about Aflac Incorporated and its commitment to corporate social responsibility and sustainability at investors.aflac.com under “Sustainability.”

Media contacts: Stephanie Wilken, 706.905.5818 or swilken@aflac.com

Analyst and investor contact: David A. Young, 706.596.3264 or dyoung@aflac.com

¹ LIMRA 2024 US Supplemental Health Insurance Total Market Report

Aflac’s family of insurers include American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus and American Family Life Assurance Company of New York.

Aflac | WWHQ | 1932 Wynnton Road | Columbus, GA 31999

SOURCE Aflac