Author: sHq_LoGiNz

For media inquiries, please contact: 
Ahmed Issack Hussein — Communications & Advocacy Coordinator, Email: aihussein@so.actionagainsthunger.org 
Victor Akumu — Regional Communications Manager, Email: vakumu@actionagainsthunger.org
 

October 22, 2025 /3BL/ – Action Against Hunger, in partnership with Genius Water, Zamzam University and READO, (Rural Education and Agriculture Development Organization) has launched the REACT Project in Baidoa. The initiative — Resilient and Efficient Agroecological Value Chains and Technologies for Water and Food Security of Small Farmers in Somalia — is funded by the Italian Agency for International Development (AICS) and will run through 2028.

The project is crucial as it comes at a time when Somalia is facing another season of heightened food and nutrition risk. Recent analysis of Gu’ and Deyr (the two main rainy seasons in Somalia) point to poor crop performance, rising admissions to nutrition programmes, and continued exposure of rural households to climate shocks. Baidoa, a displacement and agricultural hub, remains at the center of this vulnerability.

Aligned with the Humanitarian–Development–Peace Nexus and the Somalia National Transition Plan, the project aims to reduce dependence on short-term aid by investing in water security, sustainable food production, and local market systems. In its two years of implementation, farmers will have adequate time to learn and apply new practices across seasons, build institutional skills, and strengthen market linkages over time.

The project will rehabilitate water infrastructure, promote soil and water conservation, establish farmer field schools, supply agricultural inputs, and support women and youth in agroecology and small-scale agribusiness. Additionally, the project will strengthen farmer groups to access buyers and financial services. A distinctive feature of REACT is its localization model: Somali institutions and community farmers are not only participants but co-designers and co-implementers, ensuring that solutions reflect local realities and can be sustained beyond donor funding.

“We are not investing in a temporary fix. REACT is a transition tool embedding water systems, agroecological skills and market access within local structures so that farmers in Baidoa can withstand shocks and progress with dignity,” said Rehema Bashir, Project Lead at Action Against Hunger.

Through this program, thousands of small farmers in Baidoa will gain the means to produce food more efficiently, protect their land and water resources, and connect to markets in ways that increase income and reduce the drivers of hunger and humanitarian dependency in the region.

Southern Company

Two Southern Company projects recently earned national recognition, reflecting Southern Company’s commitment to innovation, collaboration and superior performance in meeting the evolving needs of customers and the grid.  In its 2025 Top Innovators awards, Public Utilities Fortnightly recognized groundbreaking work by Southern Company teams in hydrogen blending and concrete thermal energy storage.

“These awards recognize Southern Company’s shared commitment to getting better every day in how we meet customers’ evolving energy needs – from everyday innovation to transformational technologies,” said Southern Company Chief Operating Officer Stan Connally.

“These individuals and teammates across our system are leading the way for the future of energy. They embody how we keep customers’ needs at the center of everything we do,” he said in a keynote address at the Fortnightly Top Innovators 2025 conference this month in Washington.

Pioneering hydrogen innovation 

Georgia Power’s team at Plant McDonough-Atkinson, along with teammates from Southern Company’s Operations business unit received the Bertha Lamme Top Innovator in Power Generation award for successfully demonstrating a 50% hydrogen blend on an advanced-class gas turbine – a global first and the largest test of its kind to date. 

The project, conducted in partnership with Mitsubishi Power, EPRI and Certarus, achieved up to a 25% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions while maintaining reliability and safety. The turbine was converted from steam-cooled to air-cooled, enabling faster startups, expanded turndown capability and reduced maintenance costs. 

“This was a world-first,” said Drew Uptain, Plant McDonough engineering team leader and project manager. “We scoped, planned and executed a complex conversion and demonstration in just 15 months – all while continuing to serve our customers without interruption.”  

Revolutionizing energy storage

Southern Company’s research and development team, with teammates from Alabama Power’s Plant Gaston and Southern Company Operations, earned the Mabel MacFerran Top Innovator in Energy Storage award for leading the world’s largest pilot of a concrete thermal energy storage system. The 10-megawatt-hour system, developed with Storworks Power and supported by the U.S. Department of Energy and EPRI, stores excess heat in modular concrete blocks and releases it as superheated steam when needed – offering a scalable, cost-effective alternative to conventional batteries. 

“This project advances the technology closer to commercial readiness and gives us a new way to manage energy more efficiently,” said Josh Barron, senior research engineer for Southern Company. “The technology’s modular design and use of existing infrastructure could help lower costs and improve reliability for customers, while giving us greater flexibility to meet changing customer demand.” 

The Fortnightly Top Innovator Awards honored 24 innovators or teams from 20 utilities nationwide. In all, 110 utility employees are being recognized in the October and November issues of Public Utilities Fortnightly. 

Tapping into different voices, perspectives, and experiences helps businesses solve problems, reveals new opportunities to grow, and encourages contributions that better support people and communities. At Henkel North America, diversity is a path to progress, innovation, and impact. Our employees and partners are united by our purpose: Pioneers at heart for the good of generations. They collaborate to tackle challenges, find solutions and open new perspectives – allowing us to deliver products, services, and innovations that enrich and improve everyday life.

We invite you to “meet” our pioneers in our series, “Pioneers for Good.”

Introducing Bill Downs

For nearly four decades, Bill Downs has been more than an HR Business Partner at Henkel North America—he’s been a steady force for empathy, intention, and community. Based in Richmond, MO, Bill works to ensure that every employee feels valued, supported, and seen.

“I’m proud and honored to be leading a small but mighty HR team. During my time at Henkel, I have been incredibly fortunate to work alongside coworkers at multiple locations and with countless organizations and charities,” says Bill.

Bill extends his lifelong commitment to helping others beyond Henkel, volunteering with organizations such as Relay for Life and March of Dimes, as well as local food drives and education institutes. His dedication to fostering communities both within and outside of Henkel exemplifies his pioneering spirit.

Resilience Through Advocacy

Bill’s advocacy efforts are rooted in resilience and personal crossroads. Bill experienced complications from surgery that led to lasting mobility challenges. Coupled with significant personal loss, these experiences took a toll on his mental health. Through these challenges, he transformed adversity into advocacy, becoming a voice for inclusion and accessibility.

“Through my life I have learned that we’re not alone,” Bill shares. “Whether we have seen or unseen disabilities. Sometimes we need to ask for help; and help is real and it’s there.”

This insight inspires Bill to center his leadership around intention and empathy and has been the driving force behind his work with Henkel’s Awareness of Visible and Invisible Disabilities (AVID) Employee Resource Group (ERG). AVID aims to create a workplace where employees have the opportunity to be seen in a way that celebrates the uniqueness of every individual.

“Every time I meet someone new that has a disability, it opens up new avenues of focus areas [for AVID] and ways we can innovate to be advocates for accessibility,” Bill explains.

Driving Impact Across Henkel

Through many projects and initiatives, AVID has made significant strides in promoting accessibility and inclusion. One notable achievement was recommending the use of NaviLens smart code technology in partnership with all® free clear laundry detergent— a groundbreaking step toward making everyday products more accessible for people with visual impairments.

Bill’s work with AVID makes an impact across Henkel. They organize education webinar events partnering with other ERGs such as Henkel’s Military ERG and organizations such as Disability IN. Bill also supports a monthly newsletter which is a collaborative effort of the HR Operations and D & I teams and distributed to employees at our manufacturing facilities. The newsletter highlights culturally important moments through spotlights of different ERGs while connecting all Henkel employees to relevant resources.

His accomplishments with AVID are not solely inspired by his compassion and high regard for others, but also a reflection of his lived experiences. Having his own challenges with mobility strengthened his passion to advocate for employees with both visible and invisible disabilities, ensuring that no one at Henkel ever feels alone or overlooked.

When it comes to being an ally to those with visible or invisible disabilities, it’s extremely important that people actively educate themselves, advocate for accessibility and inclusion, listen empathetically, offer support without assumption, and with permission, amplify voices for a more inclusive society.

Bill Downs, HR Business Partner at Henkel North America

In 2025, Bill had the honor of accepting the Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion award on behalf of Henkel, alongside his longtime colleague and friend Angie Parker, Senior Manager in Diversity and Inclusion. The recognition is a symbol of progress for inclusion in the workplace. “This award doesn’t mean we have everything figured out. It means we’re doing the right things and pushing forward to change,” Bill says.

Bill’s approach to leadership is grounded in purpose, resilience and empathy. Bill has shown how to face personal challenges and to foster an environment that encourages everyone to feel empowered to push forward and thrive.  As he quotes from Finding Nemo’s Dory, “Just keep swimming.”

EMERYVILLE, Calif., October 22, 2025 /3BL/ – SCS Standards and Assurance Systems is pleased to announce the publication of version 2.0 of the SCS-111 Certification Standard for Rigid Core Resilient Flooring. The Standard and associated certification label (Assure Certified™) were first introduced by SCS Global Services for the Resilient Floor Covering Institute (RFCI) in January of 2020. SCS-111 builds upon the well-established FloorScore® program by incorporating additional performance criteria. In addition to evaluating indoor air quality, it includes rigorous testing for rigidity, durability and performance, and low heavy metals and ortho-phthalates content.

Version 2.0 of SCS-111 has been revised to add a new ASTM testing method requirement, ASTM F3781 – Standard Test Method for Measurement of the Fracture Resistance of a Modular Resilient Flooring’s Profiled Edge(s) to an Applied Vertical Force. This additional performance criteria, based on an objective test method established through ASTM’s consensus-based process, will provide customers with an added level of assurance and confidence in product performance for the product’s intended use.

“SCS-111 provides customers the highest level of confidence in the safety and performance of Rigid Core products, supporting the growth of this rapidly expanding market,” states Victoria Norman, Executive Director, SCS Standards and Assurance Systems.

“The enhanced testing will improve the clarity and utility of the standard for product manufacturers seeking to certify products as Assure Certified,” states Bill Blackstock, President and CEO of RFCI. “Simply put, this robust certification delivers the confidence consumers demand.”

To download a copy of the standard, please visit the SCS Standards Website: Certification Standard for Rigid Core Vinyl Flooring | SCS Standards

For SCS-111 Certification Services, please visit the SCS Global Services Website:  ASSURE CERTIFIED™ | SCS Global Services

About SCS Standards and Assurance Systems

SCS Standards and Assurance Systems is an organization committed to the development of standards that advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Standards are developed in alignment with best practices and guidelines provided by internationally recognized bodies to ensure a robust, transparent, and collaborative approach. SCS Standards and Assurance Systems is the official standards development body for Scientific Certification Systems, Inc. For more information, visit www.SCSstandards.org.  

About SCS Global Services

SCS Global Services is a global leader in third-party environmental and sustainability verification, certification, auditing, testing, 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 and celebrating 40 years in business, 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 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.

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Victoria Norman

Executive Director, SCS Standards and Assurance Systems

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