Author: sHq_LoGiNz

World Wildlife Fund effort to protect wildlife habitats from agricultural expansion takes root as the Delta Ag Alliance—a group of innovative farmers, startups, retailers, and investors working together to transition existing farmland from commodity row crops to specialty food crops.

October 15, 2025 /3BL/ – If just 3% of existing farmland in the mid-Mississippi Delta (eastern Arkansas, western Tennessee, and northwestern Mississippi) could be converted from commodity crops to specialty food crops by 2034, it would result in an extra $3.2 billion in annual farmgate revenue across the region. According to a new report from World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) Markets Institute, this transformation would not only boost an economically distressed area; it would strengthen US food security and protect wildlife habitat.

“Right now, most of America’s fruits, vegetables, and nuts come from one place—California. But as droughts and fires intensify, relying on one state to produce most of our food is a gamble we can no longer afford. If we don’t plan ahead, the fallback will be plowing over more land, threatening critical wildlife habitat,” said Julia Kurnik, Senior Director of Innovation Startups at World Wildlife Fund. “Or we have the option to act now to support and invest in a too-long-neglected region with plenty of existing farmland and generations of agriculture experience, knowledge, and innovation. The mid-Mississippi Delta is ready, willing, and able to step up to secure our food supply; it’s time for the rest of the country to take notice.”

Over the past six years, WWF’s Markets Institute and AgLaunch, a farmer-centric innovation platform, have convened experts, facilitated connections with buyers and retailers, and researched the viability of shifting specialty crop production to the mid-Delta region as part of its Next California project. The next phase of the project will be led by AgLaunch, working in partnership with the Center for MS Food Systems. The newly branded Delta Ag Alliance will provide a regional framework for policies, alignment, and funding to expand the AgLaunch farmer network, launch new investment models, accelerate development of new companies, and support farmers in the transition. WWF will stay involved in a supporting role.

“Our work right now in the Delta is ground-zero for transforming the global food system in an equitable way through innovation and new business models that start with the farmers,” said Pete Nelson, president of AgLaunch. “What makes this region uniquely powerful isn’t just our water, land, and logistics—it’s the growing network of innovative farmers, the development of robotics and cutting-edge agtech, and a proactive investment ecosystem that fuels bold experimentation. The Delta Ag Alliance is showing how regions can build on their strengths, empower farmers, and create models for thriving, equitable rural economies.”

WWF’s Next California Phase III report details the success of the first pilot project with Delta Harvest to test out an easier-to-transition specialty rice crop that uses existing equipment but yields a higher premium. Three farmers planted more than 20 varieties of specialty rice in 2024, delivering 3.56 million pounds of rice to the first buyer. Farmers earned an average revenue of $1,250 per acre from the specialty rice, making an average $100 per acre profit. This compares to a loss on generic medium-grain white rice in the same year. This first pilot expanded from 750 acres in 2024 to 1,500 acres in 2025.

“Small farmers in our region are barely able to make ends meet or even losing money growing commodity crops. No matter how dedicated a person is, this is not sustainable,” said Noel Didla, co-steward of the Center for MS Food Systems. “Specialty crops have the potential to turn that around, but it requires initial risk and investment that we can’t ask farmers to take on alone. The role of the Delta Ag Alliance is to de-risk: connect with buyers, build the infrastructure, and ensure farmers have access to the latest research and innovation. This is something we have to do together.”

The report also showcases the stories of innovative farmer-entrepreneurs who are finding success in the transition to specialty crops and includes details of the Delta Ag Alliance’s 10-year roadmap. Achieving this scale of transition will depend on building a supportive business environment that stimulates new agtech startups, fosters farmer-driven innovation, and creates the infrastructure and investment networks needed to make specialty crop production both profitable and scalable. Previous reports are available here: Next California Phase I: Investigating Potential in the mid-Mississippi Delta River region (2020) | Next California Phase II: Preparing for Action (2024).

Media Contact

Lorin Hancock | Lorin.Hancock@wwfus.org

About World Wildlife Fund

WWF is one of the world’s leading conservation organizations, working for 60 years in nearly 100 countries to help people and nature thrive. With the support of 1.3 million members in the United States and more than 5 million members worldwide, WWF is dedicated to delivering science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth, halt the degradation of the environment, and combat the climate crisis. Visit worldwildlife.org to learn more; follow @WWFNews on X, formerly known as Twitter, to keep up with the latest conservation news; and sign up for our newsletter and news alerts here.

Published by Action Against Hunger.

CONTACT:

Meredith Whitefield

mwhitefield@actionagainsthunger.org

917-771-0519

NEW YORK, October 15, 2025 /3BL/ – As the world marks World Food Day tomorrow, a new national U.S. poll from Action Against Hunger, conducted by The Harris Poll among over 2,000 U.S. adults, reveals that nearly three in four Americans (72%) believe the U.S. should spend at least 1% of the federal budget on international aid, helping to end hunger. This overwhelming support comes at a critical moment, as U.S. spending on international aid has fallen dramatically following the shuttering of USAID in 2025, further reducing the U.S. spending on this area.

The Action Against Hunger 2025 Hunger Perception Poll shows that American support for addressing global hunger extends across party lines, with 61% of Republicans, 70% of Independents, and 87% of Democrats agreeing that the U.S. should achieve this minimum 1% spending threshold.

“Americans understand that investing in solutions to global hunger is not just the right thing to do – it’s essential for our collective future,” said Dr. Charles E. Owubah, CEO, Action Against Hunger. “Even as official aid budgets shrink, the American people are sending a clear message that they want their government to do more, not less, to address one of the world’s most solvable problems.”

Key findings from the 2025 poll include:

• Food security as national security: 59% of Americans view extreme hunger in poor countries as a risk to U.S. security, likely recognizing that hunger and instability are deeply linked globally.
• Climate concerns drive food insecurity worries: Nearly 7 in 10 Americans (69%) worry that changing weather patterns could create global food shortages.
• Call for better food systems: More than three in four Americans (77%) agree the U.S. government should do more to create a better global food system.
• Support for climate adaptation: Three in five Americans (60%) believe richer countries like the U.S. should help low-income countries pay for the costs of adapting to climate change – a 9% increase from 55% in 2024.

A Generational Shift

The poll reveals particularly strong support among younger Americans for action on hunger-related issues, with 80% of Millennials (ages 29-44) and 74% of Gen Z (ages 18-28) backing the 1% spending threshold for international aid, compared to 66% of Boomers (ages 61-79). This generational divide may signal a long-term shift in how Americans prioritize global hunger and climate adaptation.

“Younger generations are leading the way in recognizing the interconnected nature of global challenges,” added Dr. Owubah. “They understand that food security, climate change, and global stability are not isolated issues, but deeply intertwined.”

The Reality on the Ground

Nearly one in 12 people around the world currently face hunger, a number rising due to ongoing conflicts in Gaza, Lebanon, Sudan, Ukraine, and beyond. Despite these growing needs, the world currently produces more than enough food for everyone. Over the past 45 years, there has been a 60% drop in the number of children dying from hunger’s deadly effects, demonstrating that progress is possible with adequate resources and political will.

On this World Food Day, Action Against Hunger calls on U.S. policymakers to heed the voices of American voters and renew the nation’s commitment to ending global hunger through sustained investment in international aid and climate adaptation.

The full report is available here.

About the survey

This survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Action Against Hunger from October 2-6, 2025, among 2,052 adults ages 18 and older. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within +/- 2.5 percentage points using a 95% confidence level.

***

About Action Against Hunger

Action Against Hunger is a global leader creating a future where every life is well nourished. We innovate to prevent malnutrition and respond to hunger hotspots, working in 59 countries and reaching more than 21 million people each year. With 8,990 staff members worldwide—95% hired locally—we ensure culturally relevant solutions and empower communities with long-term resilience. For 18 consecutive years, we’ve earned top ratings from charity evaluators—a distinction achieved by fewer than 1% of nonprofits. Together, we are promoting resilience and working to end hunger for everyone, for good.

About The Harris Poll

The Harris Poll is a global consulting and market research firm that strives to reveal the authentic values of modern society to inspire leaders to create a better tomorrow. It works with clients in three primary areas: building twenty-first-century corporate reputation, crafting brand strategy and performance tracking, and earning organic media through public relations research. One of the longest-running surveys in the U.S., The Harris Poll has tracked public opinion, motivations and social sentiment since 1963, and is now part of Stagwell, the challenger holding company built to transform marketing.

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., October 15, 2025 /3BL/ – “Transparent Conversations,” the traveling podcast series that delves into the importance of mental health within the student-athlete community, will be available to stream on LG Channels, according to the podcast’s sponsor LG Electronics USA. Broadening the reach of the popular mental wellness initiative, LG Channels is a free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) service exclusive to LG Smart TVs, a service that delivers cost-free live channels and on-demand content that caters to the preferences and interests of a wide range of audiences.

The 18-episode series, hosted by sports journalist Taylor Rooks, addresses the unique mental health challenges that student-athletes face due to the demanding nature of their dual roles in the classroom and on the field. Each episode tackles the delicate balance between academics, athletics, personal life and overall well-being, shedding light on the multifaceted pressures student-athletes may confront. The integration of Transparent Conversations into the LG Channels lineup comes on the heels of Student-Athlete Mental Health Week (Oct. 5-12) and World Mental Health Awareness Day on Oct. 10. 

Just as its name promises, Transparent Conversations goes beyond the typical subject matter and covers issues that prominent athletes may historically steered clear of discussing, according to LG Electronics USA Corporate Marketing Director Jeannie Lee. The show covers compelling topics ranging from the intersection of identity and athletics, to juggling NIL (Name-Image-Likeness) opportunities, to overcoming setbacks and injuries, and speaks to the importance of mental health for all.

“Transparent Conversations on LG Channels ushers in an even deeper commitment to power today’s and tomorrow’s student athletes to reach their full potential,” said Lee. “Together, alongside a laudable cast of partners, we are helping students build confidence and access support systems that focus on whole person care to drive improved health outcomes.”

Grounded in a combination of clinical expertise and everyday experience, an engaging panel format provides listeners with real, actionable advice—delivered through candid conversations with mental health professionals and seasoned college and professional athletes. 

Notable guests have included Jerry Stackhouse (Head Coach of Men’s Basketball at Vanderbilt University and Former Two-Time NBA All-Star), Kenny Anderson (Head Coach of Men’s Basketball at Fisk University Former NBA All-Star), Ryan Murphy (USA Olympic Swimmer 4x Olympic Gold Medalist), Bobby Hurley (Arizona State University Head Basketball Coach) and Victoria Garrick Brown (Hidden Opponent).

Lee explained that, as a long-standing official NCAA® Corporate Partner, LG strategically focuses its partnership to support student-athletes both on and off the field. This collaboration has taken shape in initiatives such as the Life’s Good Coaches Award which is driven by the idea that every student athlete deserves a mentor, and NCAA coaches are perfectly positioned to fill that role. 

Beyond elevating coaches as unsung heroes, LG has partnered with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization. LG’s support of NAMI enhances NAMI On Campus clubs at the host schools for NCAA Men’s and Women’s Final Four® events and supports the creation of the NAMI Mental Health College Guide for Educators, which provides critical information on how to practice self-care and prevent burnout.

“At NAMI, we want every student to feel seen, supported, and encouraged to talk about mental health,” said NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison Jr. “Expanding Transparent Conversations onto LG Channels helps reach even more student-athletes with the stories and guidance that build confidence and connect them to the support they need for lasting well-being. We appreciate LG’s long-standing support and their dedication to lifting up mental health awareness and resources for young people across the country.” 

The latest edition of Transparent Conversations enriches the college sports offerings on LG Channels. The series will be curated in the LG Channels Sports Hub, along with a significant selection of sports content, including channels such as LG’s exclusive, NCAA Championships Channel. With 50 NCAA Fall, Winter, and Spring championships transforming living rooms into front-row seats, fans can cheer on their favorite teams and student athletes from anywhere. 

LG Originals like “The Rivalries,” also on the NCAA Championships Channel, further cements LG’s commitment to creating visibility for more student athletes across all divisions and compliments its ongoing partnership with the NCAA. 

To learn more about the LG x NCAA partnership, visit lg.com/us/ncaa or to learn more about Transparent Conversations Powered By LG, visit www.lg.com/us/transparent-conversations. Tune in to Transparent Conversations on LG webOS Smart TVs using the LG Channels Home App via the guide button on your remote or the LG Channels icon on the launcher bar. 

# # #

About LG Electronics USA
LG Electronics USA Inc., based in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., is the North American subsidiary of LG Electronics Inc., a smart life solutions company with annual global revenues of more than $60 billion. In the United States, LG sells a wide range of innovative home appliances, home entertainment products, commercial displays, air conditioning systems and vehicle components. LG is an 11-time ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year. www.LG.com. 

About LG Channels
LG Channels, LG’s free streaming service on webOS, currently offers more than 400 channels. These channels include a mix of live and on-demand content, encompassing movies, TV shows, news, sports, and more. The service is available on LG smart TVs (2016 models and newer). 

About the National Alliance on Mental Illness 
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for individuals and families affected by mental illness. Learn more at www.nami.org.

About NAMI On Campus
NAMI On Campus clubs work to end the stigma that makes it hard for students to talk about mental health and get the help they need. Clubs hold creative meetings, innovative awareness events, and offer signature NAMI programs through partnerships with NAMI State Organizations and Affiliates across the nation.

Media Contacts:

LG Electronics North America
John I. Taylor
John.taylor@lge.com
+1 201-816-2166

LG Electronics USA
Laura Barbieri 
Laura.Barbieri@lge.com
+1 631-848-9818

NEW YORK, October 15, 2025 /3BL/ – Governance & Accountability Institute, Inc. (G&A), a leading corporate sustainability consulting and research firm, today announced the findings of its 2025 Sustainability Reporting in Focus research report, focused on corporate reporting trends in the 2024 publication year for companies in the S&P 500® Index and the Russell 1000® Index. The research shows continued increases in sustainability reporting for both large-cap and mid-cap U.S. public companies^[1], as publishing an annual sustainability report is now widely recognized as a best practice for U.S. public companies. The 14th edition of G&A’s annual research report is available here.

2025 Sustainability Reporting in Focus provides detailed data and findings from G&A’s research into U.S. company reporting on sustainability (also called ESG, corporate responsibility, corporate citizenship, or social impact reports). G&A’s team analyzes corporate reporting content including frameworks and standards used – such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), Sustainable Accounting Standards Board (SASB), Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) – as well as alignment with initiatives such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), trends in external assurance, and CDP reporting. For this year’s research, we also began tracking alignment with new reporting initiatives: the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Sustainability Standards, the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), and the Task Force for Nature-related Disclosures (TNFD).

G&A’s 2025 research includes sector-specific analysis of reporting trends within all 11 sectors of the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS®), to provide additional insights into reporting behavior per industry sector.

Key takeaways from G&A’s new research report include:

• A record 94% of Russell 1000 companies reported on sustainability in 2024, up from 93% in 2023.
   
• The smaller half by market cap of the Russell 1000 (mid-cap companies with approximately $2 billion-$4 billion in market cap) had the greatest alignment in reporting in 2024 – reaching 90% compared to 87% in 2023.
   
• The larger half by market cap of the Russell 1000 (i.e., the S&P 500) are nearing 100% reporters with a record 99% reporting on sustainability in 2024, compared to 98.6% in 2023.
   
• SASB continued to be the most widely used sustainability standard, with 82% of Russell 1000 reporters aligning with SASB in 2024, compared to 81% in 2023 and only 12% in 2019. 
   
• TCFD reporting continued to increase, with 65% of Russell 1000 reporters aligning with TCFD in 2024, compared to 60% in 2023 and only 4% in 2019. 
   
• GRI reporters remained consistent among the Russell 1000 with 55% aligning with GRI in 2024 – the same compared to 2023.

Click here to view a graphical representation of the data noted above.

Louis Coppola, G&A’s Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, commented, “Over the past 14 years, our Trends research has chronicled how America’s largest public companies adopted sustainability reporting as a best practice because stakeholders demanded it, not because regulators required it. While policies may shift in Washington or Brussels, the fundamental reasons for sustainability reporting do not: the reporting process helps leaders sharpen strategy, strengthen resilience, understand risk, allocate capital, create value and build trust. That’s why the best companies keep going — and why G&A stands ready to help.”

Hank Boerner, G&A’s Chairman, Chief Strategist and Co-Founder, added, “At the heart of sustainability disclosure is a better understanding of risk and reward – something investors and stakeholders deeply appreciate. Despite the anti-ESG pushback in some quarters, Corporate America continues to innovate and push forward with more detailed and informative reporting on a widening range of topics. Companies on the leading edge of this trend are well positioned for upcoming shifts from voluntary to mandatory sustainability reporting in a growing number of jurisdictions.”

G&A proudly recognizes our research team of talented analysts who made significant contributions to this study: 

G&A Research Supervisors: Elizabeth Peterson, SVP, Sustainability Consulting

G&A Research Team Leader: Natali Alsunna, Senior Sustainability Analyst

G&A Research Team:

• Madeline Blankenship, Senior Sustainability Analyst
• Grace Cusack, Sustainability Analyst
• Neva Modric, Sustainability Analyst
• Amelia Veleber, Intern Analyst
• Zevid Lawrence, Intern Analyst

For more information on our team of research analysts please click here.

ABOUT G&A’S 2025 SUSTAINABILITY REPORTING IN FOCUS 
This new report marks the 14th annual edition in G&A’s annual research series tracking the publication of sustainability reports by the largest U.S. publicly-traded companies. In 2012, G&A published its first annual research on 2011 sustainability reporting trends of the S&P 500 companies, which at the time showed just 20% of these companies were publicly reporting on sustainability. In 2019, G&A expanded this research to include all companies in the Russell 1000 Index, and in 2024, it further expanded to provide detailed analysis by the 11 GCIS sectors.

ABOUT G&A INSTITUTE, INC.
G&A Institute is a leading sustainability consulting and research firm headquartered in New York City. Founded in 2006, G&A helps corporate and investor clients recognize, understand, and develop winning strategies for sustainability and ESG issues to address stakeholder and shareholder concerns. G&A’s proprietary, comprehensive full-suite process for sustainability reporting is designed to help organizations achieve sustainability leadership in their industry and sector and maximize return on investment for sustainability initiatives.

Since 2011, G&A has been building and expanding a comprehensive database of corporate sustainability reporting data based on analysis of thousands of ESG and sustainability reports to help steer strategy for our clients and improve their disclosure and reporting. 

More information is available on our website at ga-institute.com.

ABOUT THE S&P 500®
The S&P 500 is widely regarded as one of the best gauges of large-cap U.S. equity market performance, measuring the stock performance of approximately 500 large-cap companies covering approximately 80% of the total U.S. equity market capitalization. For 2024, S&P Dow Jones Indices estimated that $20 trillion in assets was indexed or benchmarked to the index. More information is available here. 

ABOUT THE RUSSELL 1000®
The Russell U.S. indices are market-weighted indices that serve as leading benchmarks for institutional investors to track current and historical market performance by specific market segment (large/mid/small/micro-cap) or investment style (growth/value/defensive/dynamic). The Russell 1000 Index includes the largest publicly-traded U.S. companies by market cap, which comprise approximately 93% of the total market capitalization of all listed stocks in the U.S. equity market. The index is provided by FTSE Russell, a wholly owned subsidiary of

the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG). More information is available here.

CONTACT:
Louis D. Coppola, Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder 
Governance & Accountability Institute, Inc. 
Tel 646.430.8230 ext. 14 
Email: lcoppola@ga-institute.com

[1] Definitions of market cap sizes: https://www.finra.org/investors/insights/market-cap

This story was originally published on the Truist Newsroom.

Fewer bonds are more precious than the relationship between a grandparent and a grandchild. While most of us revere this special connection, scammers use it to defraud seniors of millions of dollars per year. Known as the grandparent scam, fraudsters engage in emotional manipulation that is designed to cloud judgment and evoke fear in the heart of a loving grandparent. And it usually starts with a phone call and one simple sentence: “Hi Grandpa, do you know who this is?”

How it works

In an especially cruel scheme, fraudsters prey on the vulnerability of older adults by impersonating their grandchild via a phone call or sometimes through text message and email. They claim to be in a dire situation that requires the grandparents to send money right away. Examples of their fictitious stories include being arrested, kidnapped, or stranded overseas needing money for bail, ransom or to get back home. The scammer then pleads with the concerned grandparent to send a money transfer. These made-up scenarios from someone pretending to be a grandchild in distress can be an amazingly effective tactic when used on seniors. And with the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), these schemes get more elaborate and convincing by the day, leading to a risk of more aging adults falling victim.

Growing problem

Elder fraud is a growing issue that requires continuous effort from law enforcement, community partners, and the public to combat. This cruel crime continues to be a devastating threat, with recent FBI data revealing that victims aged 60 and older lost over $4.9 billion in 2024—a staggering 43% increase from the prior year. More than 147,000 older adults reported falling victim to scams, with average losses reaching $83,000 each, far surpassing other age groups. Other frequent schemes included investment scams, tech support fraud, and romance scams. These crimes inflict severe financial and emotional harm on seniors, many of whom have limited time and resources to recover, making elder fraud an urgent and growing concern for communities and law enforcement nationwide.

Learn how teammates have joined the fight against elder fraud. 

Katie McBride, a Communications Senior Specialist, has been with Truist for seven years. Prior to her role in Corporate Communications, McBride was a Senior Relationship Banker responsible for managing and cultivating relationships.

While advising clients on banking services, she personally witnessed the troubling reality of elder fraud – in some instances at the hands of caretakers or people they knew.

“I unfortunately witnessed situations where my elderly clients were exploited by people they trusted who gained access to their accounts or debit cards to make unauthorized transactions,” she shared.

This prompted McBride to invest time in understanding the caretaker selection process and determining the appropriate level of access they should have to a client’s finances.

“It required immense patience, but I wanted to make myself available to ensure (they) received the care and protection (they) deserved,” she added.

McBride says it is important for Truist teammates to prioritize educating seniors about financial scams – either in their daily roles or through community service.

“Prioritizing the education of the elderly population about scams is essential to protecting their financial security and showing how much we truly care,” McBride said. “Many seniors have spent their lives building savings and deserve to enjoy their retirement without fear of being taken advantage of. By equipping them with knowledge about scams, we not only defend their assets but also empower them to better navigate these evolving schemes.”

Mike Kelley of the Corporate Cyber Security Team is an avid supporter of educating seniors to help protect them from elder fraud. In fact, Kelley’s personal purpose statement is: “To inspire and build better lives by safeguarding individuals from cybercrime and empowering others through knowledge.”

He has served on the board of the FBI Baltimore Citizens Academy Alumni Association. An organization that is separate and apart from the FBI, this nonprofit was established to support the FBI’s Community Outreach program. Its mission is to provide a safer community by members serving as ambassadors through education, public awareness, and preparedness.

“Our organization consists of alumni who are graduates of the FBI Citizens Academy which is a six-to-eight-week program that gives community leaders an inside look at the FBI,” Kelley said. “During the academy, students gain insight into unclassified cases on topics such as fraud, cybersecurity, human trafficking, forensics, terrorism, and many others.”

As part of the program’s community outreach effort, Kelley recently got the opportunity to partner with the AARP Fraud Watch Network and the FBI’s Complex Financial Crimes unit. “We presented to hundreds of individuals in the community by hosting cyber educational events on Senior Fraud and World Elder Abuse Awareness Day,” he added.

Throughout his 16 years at Truist, he has had the opportunity to educate a variety of clients. He believes all teammates can help educate others including family members, friends, and the community at large.

“If only one person avoids being the victim of a scam, the education was a success.”

Jason Yaber is a Financial Crimes Investigator and is part of the Vulnerable Adult Exploitation team where he investigates crime and suspicious activity reported from the banking network, corporate offices, subsidiaries, and affiliates

The grandparent scam is just one example of many schemes he has seen perpetrators use to defraud seniors.

“Even after multiple attempts made by teammates to spend time educating older clients about scams, some seniors continue to participate anyway, ultimately becoming victims who lose their entire life savings and are unable to recover financially,” Yaber said.

Despite this, he remains committed to thoroughly investigating fraud cases to help seniors who have been targeted by scammers.

“We work each case referral with as much care as if the client was our own family member,” he added.

While some commit themselves to exploiting others, it is comforting to know there are Truist teammates who are dedicated to helping protect the most vulnerable.

For more information about the grandparent scam including tips for protecting yourself, clients, and family members, visit this FBI elder fraud resource page.

 

Author: Ian Goldsmith

In today’s world, purpose can no longer be a static statement on a wall or a quarterly report. It must be embedded in the systems, workflows and decisions that shape how we work and how we show up for each other and our communities.

As Chief AI Officer at Benevity, I believe that responsible AI, when applied thoughtfully, has the power to unlock this potential. And that’s exactly why we’re actively evolving our platform and our philosophy around AI.

AI as a core enabler for purpose-driven programs

At Benevity, we don’t see AI as just another feature set. We see it as a core enabler of our mission to help the world’s most influential companies become engines of social impact.

Our approach to AI in CSR software is simple: help clients realize purpose with the same sophistication and scale they use to run the rest of their business. Doing that requires rethinking how impact work gets done, typically by lean teams with big ambitions and increasing demands from their stakeholders.

This evolution of AI in CSR platforms represents a shift from a system of record to a system of action. A system of record simply logs data and activity, relying on siloed, traditional record-keeping tools. A system of action goes further. It is a holistic platform that uses AI agents and integrated data and capabilities to mobilize people, connect them to purpose, and turn data into outcomes. This industry-leading approach levels up our human understanding and sets the foundation to help guide CSR teams to act with confidence and accelerate impact.

Powered by AI, our Enterprise Impact Platform acts as a true partner: one that augments, supports and anticipates. It guides impact and foundation leaders to mobilize the right people at the right time, automate storytelling, match grants faster and forecast campaign outcomes; all while reducing the lift on lean teams. This is agentic AI, working behind the scenes to amplify your impact, connect your people to purpose, and turn data into action. In the best CSR software AI Agents will anticipate needs, facilitate workflows, and empower people to focus on the CSR program work that matters most.

The work that ESG and CSR software does today to document activity, facilitate employee activity, and report on program goals is important, and yet only tells part of the story. When powered by responsible AI, the system can help teams reduce the burden of manual reviews, surface insights they may not have time to chase down, and give them additional confidence in decisions backed by data. It reduces the lift on teams while amplifying their impact, connecting people to purpose, and turning information into action.

This is what we mean by a system of action: a CSR platform that doesn’t just reflect what’s already happened but shapes what comes next.

AI that works like a CSR teammate

What makes our approach different is that AI in our Enterprise Impact Platform is not about bots for the sake of buzz. It’s about intelligent agents that guide with context, empathy, and relevance.

We believe that AI supports human intelligence and ingenuity to create impact and purpose at work.

We are working to create a world where:

• A grant program administrator can start within a granting platform to tap into a curated shortlist of nonprofit grant applications, complete with AI-generated summaries, renewal recommendations, and predicted impact outcomes. Instead of sifting through dozens of applications line-by-line, grantmakers can move quickly to making the bigger, more important decisions, like which partnerships align with their organization’s strategy, values and long-term outcomes.
• A retail team lead can be nudged in Slack or Teams with a volunteering opportunity aligned to their team’s interests, complete with a ready-to-launch campaign kit. Rather than spending hours building a CSR program from scratch, they can engage employees in the flow of work, making that engagement feel seamless.
• A foundation president reviewing a new $5M equity grant portfolio can start with AI-ranked options already layered with employee alignment data and community sentiment insights. Instead of asking analysts for weeks of additional research, they can focus on decisions that balance financial stewardship with social equity.

These are just some of the inspirations where we see AI acting more like a teammate than a tool. It’s helping people focus on judgment, creativity and connection. AI does the background work. Humans bring the values, relationships, and ingenuity. Together, they can drive greater impact.

State of Corporate Purpose 2025: CSR Trends and AI Adoption

The 2025 Benevity Impact Labs State of Corporate Purpose Report, underscores why this evolution is so timely. The data show that more than half of companies expect grant budgets to rise this year. That increase means more grant funds and potentially more grants under management by grant program administrators. Those grantmakers are already leaning into AI. The report showed that many teams are already experimenting with AI:

• 64% are using it for grant application summaries.
• 62% are using it for grant reviews.

The message is clear: the appetite for responsible AI-enabled impact is real, and the need is urgent. Companies want CSR tools that deliver efficiency, deepen engagement and make impact measurable and visible. Nonprofits want corporate partners to share their advantages. Employees want purpose to be as accessible as their email or chat.

The three tenets of the Benevity initial approach toward AI

To respond to the dynamic nature of AI, we know we have to remain agile, adaptive, and learn from the best. We are orienting our AI strategy around three guiding tenets: Efficiency, Engagement and Impact.

Efficiency
Streamlining CSR tasks to allow more time for strategy

Administrative processes consume an outsized share of CSR teams’ time. For example, up to 20% of admin hours are lost to reviewing and validating matching requests. By November, Benevity will launch its first AI-powered solution to automate much of this review process. That means fewer bottlenecks, faster approvals and more time for strategy and partnership building.

Engagement
Driving employee engagement with AI-Powered personalization

Purpose programs thrive when employees participate. With 17 years of campaign data, billions of dollars in donations flowing through Benevity’s platform, and continued research conducted in the Benevity Impact Labs to anticipate what’s next, we can understand what sparks involvement and what sustains it.

AI takes that knowledge further by personalizing campaigns, optimizing timing and surfacing the opportunities most likely to resonate with each person and affinity group. The business value is real: even a 1% lift in engagement at a 10,000-employee company could equate to as much as $400,000 in employee retention value.

Impact
Facilitating faster, practical CSR reporting and storytelling

The hardest part of CSR programs has always been storytelling; capturing and communicating the stories of change. AI can draft reports, create content tailored to different stakeholders and even prepare rapid-response campaigns for disasters. The result is faster, more authentic communication that demonstrates value to executives, employees and communities alike.

These tenets support an AI approach that is practical and dynamic as we learn more. They translate directly into time saved, employees engaged, and stories told, anchoring Benevity’s role as both a technology partner and a catalyst for purpose.

Building responsible AI into the Benevity DNA

This shift isn’t limited to the Benevity platform. It is organization-wide. We’ve made deliberate investments to ensure AI at Benevity is grounded in ethics, transparency and readiness:

• We hired me as the industry’s first Chief AI Officer, reporting into the C-suite, with a mandate to lead the Benevity Responsible AI Charter.
• We have invested in dedicated AI and data science teams, embedded across product, engineering and strategy.‍
• We are building an enterprise-grade AI platform for compliance, security and trust, grounded in 17 years of impact data across 900+ companies, $30B in donations and grants facilitated and 8.5M changemakers engaged.

And we are applying responsible AI to how we work internally, improving productivity, simplifying systems and scaling excellence across the Benevity global teams. As it helps our own people move faster and work smarter, it will do the same for our clients.

The future of AI in corporate purpose and grantmaking programs

This shift is bigger than us. Custom web applications are giving way to AI agents embedded into everyday tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Google Workspace. Purpose won’t be something you log into separately; it will surface in the flow of work.

Our job is to embed Benevity capabilities into those agentic interaction points so people can act on their values where they already are. When purpose is so integrated — woven into the daily decisions, nudges and workflows that shape peoples’ jobs — it stops being an extra task and becomes how corporate purpose and grantmaking work gets done. That’s the future we’re building toward. That is purpose at work.

Embedding AI into the Benevity CSR platform for scalable social impact

Over the coming months, we’ll share more examples of how Benevity is bringing responsible AI into our Enterprise Impact Platform, including:

• Predictive models that reshape campaign planning and reporting.
• Storytelling agents that generate content your brand team can refine and amplify.
• AI that helps nonprofits connect to the right corporate partners faster and more effectively.

We’ll continue to bring the Benevity community of clients, nonprofit partners and innovators into this journey to challenge us, co-create with us and help define what responsible innovation should look like in the CSR industry.

The future of purpose at work will be guided and amplified by AI. Yet, enterprise impact will always be realized and elevated by human connection and meaning.

CAMDEN, N.J., October 15, 2025 /3BL/ – Subaru of America, Inc. today announced its annual charitable Subaru Share the Love^® Event will return for the 18th consecutive year. Through this year’s event, Subaru and its participating retailers will aim to reach a cumulative total of more than $350 million in donations to charitable organizations, including returning national partners: The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals^® (ASPCA^®), Make-A-Wish^®, Meals on Wheels America, and the National Park Foundation, as well as over 830 local hometown charities picked by Subaru retailers across the country.

Jeff Walters, President and Chief Operating Officer, Subaru of America, Inc: “As we kick off this holiday season, we’re especially honored to give back to the causes we value deeply. Through our annual Share the Love Event, Subaru and our retailers across the country shine a light on the generosity and care that define the support of our communities. Inspired by what matters to our customers and our retailers, we’re proud of the meaningful impact this event creates.”

For every new Subaru vehicle purchased or leased at any of the more than 640 Subaru retailers from November 20, 2025, through January 2, 2026, Subaru will donate $250 to the customer’s charity of choice.* Retailers can also add local hometown charities with causes important to their communities to receive at least an additional $50 for each vehicle sold or leased. Additionally, many retailers will donate $5 to their registered hometown charity for every qualifying Subaru vehicle routine service visit during the campaign period.

Over the last seventeen years of the Subaru Share the Love Event, Subaru and its participating retailers have already donated nearly $320 million to causes around the country and supported more than 2,700 hometown charities. To learn more, visit: www.subaru.com/share.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals® (ASPCA®)

Subaru is the largest corporate donor to the ASPCA. For more than 150 years, the ASPCA has been on the frontlines to save, transform, and protect millions of lives in the fight against animal cruelty, revolutionizing the way society cares for animals. The ASPCA is the voice for millions of animals across the country, and its commitment to eliminating animal cruelty is unwavering. Through our partnership with the ASPCA during the Share the Love Event, Subaru has had a significant impact on the rescue, transport, well-being, and adoption of more than 142,000 animals across the country.

Make-A-Wish®

Subaru is the largest automotive donor to Make-A-Wish. Research shows that children who have wishes granted can build the physical and emotional strength they need to fight a critical illness. A wish replaces fear with confidence, sadness with joy, and anxiety with hope. The impact of just one wish has the power to transform the lives of everyone involved and helps wish kids and their families believe in better days ahead. Through our partnership with Make-A-Wish during the Share the Love Event, Subaru and our retailers have helped to grant the life-changing wishes of more than 3,900 kids with critical illnesses.

Meals on Wheels America

Subaru is the largest automotive donor to Meals on Wheels America, the leadership organization supporting the more than 5,000 community-based providers dedicated to addressing senior hunger and isolation. This network serves virtually every community in America and, along with more than two million staff and volunteers, delivers the nutritious meals, friendly visits, and safety checks that enable America’s seniors to live nourished lives with independence and dignity. Through our partnership with Meals on Wheels during the Share the Love Event, Subaru and our retailers have helped deliver nearly 5 million meals and friendly visits to America’s seniors.

National Park Foundation

Subaru is the largest corporate donor to the National Park Foundation. As the official nonprofit partner of the National Park Service, the National Park Foundation generates private support and builds strategic partnerships to protect and enhance America’s national parks for present and future generations. Through our partnership with the National Park Foundation during the Share the Love Event, Subaru is helping support and protect America’s more than 400 national parks. 

*Subaru of America, Inc. (“SOA”) will donate $250 for every new Subaru vehicle sold or leased from November 20, 2025, through January 2, 2026, to four national charities designated by the purchaser or lessee. Pre-approved hometown charities may also be selected for donation depending on retailer participation. In addition, for every new Subaru vehicle sold or leased during the campaign period, participating retailers will donate a minimum of $50 in total to their registered hometown charities. Subaru will donate a total of $5 to their registered hometown charities for every qualifying Subaru vehicle routine service visit during the campaign period at participating retailers. Purchasers/lessees must make their charity designations by January 9, 2026. The four national charities will receive a guaranteed minimum donation of $250,000 each. See your local Subaru retailer for details or visit subaru.com/share. All donations made by SOA. 

About Subaru of America, Inc.

Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Subaru Corporation of Japan. Headquartered in Camden, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru vehicles, parts, and accessories through a network of about 640 retailers across the United States. All Subaru products are manufactured in zero-landfill plants, including Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc., the only U.S. automobile manufacturing plant designated a backyard wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. SOA is guided by the Subaru Love Promise, which is the company’s vision to show love and respect to everyone and to support its communities and customers nationwide. Over the past 20 years, SOA and the SOA Foundation have donated more than $340 million to causes the Subaru family cares about, and its employees have logged over 115,000 volunteer hours. Subaru is dedicated to being More Than a Car Company® and to making the world a better place. For additional information, visit media.subaru.com. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube.

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