Tag: 3BL

At AB, our volunteer program reflects our commitment to serving our local communities. In Munich, our team dedicated two days to organizing and building a workstation while repairing bicycles for Arche Kinderstiftung, an organization that supports children and young people in need. Meanwhile, AB Japan partnered with Katariba to host a financial education event for high school students, where they explored career paths, interviewed employees, and networked over lunch. Our Bernstein West Palm Beach office took on the role of “Chef for a Day” at Quantum House, a nonprofit hospitality home that supports families with children undergoing medical treatment.

AllianceBernstein (AB) is a leading global investment management firm that offers diversified investment services to institutional investors, individuals, and private wealth clients in major world markets.

To be effective stewards of our clients’ assets, we strive to invest responsibly—assessing, engaging on and integrating material issues, including environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations into most of our actively managed strategies (approximately 79% of AB’s actively managed assets under management as of December 31, 2024).

Our purpose—to pursue insight that unlocks opportunity—describes the ethos of our firm. Because we are an active investment manager, differentiated insights drive our ability to design innovative investment solutions and help our clients achieve their investment goals. We became a signatory to the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) in 2011. This began our journey to formalize our approach to identifying responsible ways to unlock opportunities for our clients through integrating material ESG factors throughout most of our actively managed equity and fixed-income client accounts, funds and strategies. Material ESG factors are important elements in forming insights and in presenting potential risks and opportunities that can affect the performance of the companies and issuers that we invest in and the portfolios that we build. AB also engages issuers when it believes the engagement is in the best financial interest of its clients.

Our values illustrate the behaviors and actions that create our strong culture and enable us to meet our clients’ needs. Each value inspires us to be better:

• Invest in One Another: At AB, there’s no “one size fits all” and no mold to break. We celebrate idiosyncrasy and make sure everyone’s voice is heard. We seek and include talented people with diverse skills, abilities and backgrounds, who expand our thinking. A mosaic of perspectives makes us stronger, helping us to nurture enduring relationships and build actionable solutions.
• Strive for Distinctive Knowledge: Intellectual curiosity is in our DNA. We embrace challenging problems and ask tough questions. We don’t settle for easy answers when we seek to understand the world around us—and that’s what makes us better investors and partners to our colleagues and clients. We are independent thinkers who go where the research and data take us. And knowing more isn’t the end of the journey, it’s the start of a deeper conversation.
• Speak with Courage and Conviction: Collegial debate yields conviction, so we challenge one another to think differently. Working together enables us to see all sides of an issue. We stand firmly behind our ideas, and we recognize that the world is dynamic. To keep pace with an ever changing world and industry, we constantly reassess our views and share them with intellectual honesty. Above all, we strive to seek and speak truth to our colleagues, clients and others as a trusted voice of reason.
• Act with Integrity—Always: Although our firm is comprised of multiple businesses, disciplines and individuals, we’re united by our commitment to be strong stewards for our people and our clients. Our fiduciary duty and an ethical mind-set are fundamental to the decisions we make.

As of December 31, 2024, AB had $792B in assets under management, $555B of which were ESG-integrated. Additional information about AB may be found on our website, www.alliancebernstein.com.

Learn more about AB’s approach to responsibility here.

Originally published on CVS Health Company News

HARTFORD, CT — CVS Health® recently announced key milestones in its ongoing effort to make health care simpler and more affordable for American consumers.

“Our ambition is to be America’s most trusted health care company,” said David Joyner, President and CEO of CVS Health. “We are partnering with the Administration and Congress to deliver common-sense solutions that make health care more affordable and improve outcomes for the people we serve. We continue to decrease prior authorizations, reduce hospital readmissions and emergency room visits, and bring down the costs of prescription drugs. The underlying costs of health care — primarily hospitals and new pharmaceuticals — continue to push up insurance premiums in the United States. We welcome policymakers’ assistance in driving out provider fraud and combatting drugmaker price gouging.”

Simplification

Part of CVS Health, Aetna® continues to make good on significant commitments to remove friction in the health care system and improve the experience for health care professionals and their patients. The prior authorization process has been hindered by incomplete data provided by clinicians, as well as the lack of technology interoperability across the health care system, but we have made significant strides in making the process simpler.

• Across the insurance industry, Aetna has the fewest medical services subject to prior authorization — about half as many as our nearest competitor. We approve more than 95% of all eligible prior authorizations within 24 hours, with many completed instantaneously. We currently approve 77% of electronic prior authorizations in real-time, and we will exceed 80% by the end of this year.
   
• We have met our commitments to enhance cross-payer interoperability to ensure continuity of care when patients switch health plans. By the end of this year, the 5-10 prior authorizations that represent 40% of the volume will adhere to consistent cross-payer clinical and technology standards. Furthermore, we are expanding this alignment effort to 50 of the most common prior authorization procedures in Medicare.
   
• Last year, we began bundling prior authorizations for certain conditions into a single request that would provide approval for a series of future tests and interventions consistent with the appropriate line of care. Historically each of these additional steps would have required separate prior authorization requests. These began in lung, breast, and prostate cancer to cover whole pathways of current and future screenings. We then built on this streamlining momentum to expand our prior authorization bundles to certain musculoskeletal procedures, where a single request authorizes a series of future procedures that can include X-rays, knee arthroplasty (THA/TKA) surgical procedure, anti-nausea and non-opioid pain medications, inpatient admission, infection control, and durable medical equipment. We have also begun bundling prior authorizations across pharmacy prescriptions and medical procedures for in vitro fertilization (IVF).
   
• Aetna is now embedding nurses within 17 major health systems to facilitate the necessary patient care and follow-up support they need to transition successfully out of the hospital, remain healthy, and reduce future readmissions. We project this program will reduce year-over-year 30-day readmissions and hospital length of stay by 5 percent.

Affordability

CVS Health works across our businesses to ensure each of the 185 million Americans we serve are receiving the right care at the right cost. We are expanding low-cost primary care, covering preventive care at no cost to patients, and offering free virtual care to eliminate barriers to access.

• We are expanding access to coverage that rewards providers for keeping patients healthy, not just treating illness. To date, we’ve made this shift for 80% of Medicare spending. This approach costs less, keep patients safer and healthier, and improves overall satisfaction. For multiple years running, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have recognized our Medicare Advantage plans with industry-leading Star Ratings, measures of member satisfaction and health outcomes.
   
• We are driving competition to lower drug costs. We’re aggressively promoting the use of biosimilars, introducing alternatives for popular expensive branded drugs like Humira and Stelara. Our alternative to Humira has generated $1.3 billion in savings for our clients, and we introduced a biosimilar for Stelara at 86% less than the brand list price.
   
• In addition, we share these savings with consumers directly. Since 2019, Aetna has been sharing its negotiated pharmaceutical rebates directly with members when they fill their prescriptions at the pharmacy counter. Today, our pharmacy benefit manager CVS Caremark delivers rebate savings at the pharmacy counter for 25 million of our 87 million members, and Caremark’s TrueCost® solution enables our clients to transparently deliver direct-to-consumer value from the discounts we negotiate from drugmakers.

Community impact

In 2024, CVS Health delivered $474 billion in positive contributions to the United States economy. We employ more than 300,000 United States citizens, and indirectly create an additional one million jobs through the partners and vendors who work with us.

In an era when other major retail pharmacies have declared bankruptcy or turned to private equity, more than 85% of Americans live within 10 miles of one of our 9,000 community pharmacies. We continue to put the people of the United States first in the work we do to simplify health care. One patient, one family, and one community at a time.

###

About CVS Health
CVS Health® is a leading health solutions company building a world of health around every consumer, wherever they are. As of September 30, 2025, the Company had approximately 9,000 retail locations, more than 1,000 walk-in and primary care medical clinics, and a leading pharmacy benefits manager with approximately 87 million plan members. The Company also serves an estimated more than 37 million people through traditional, voluntary and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including highly rated Medicare Advantage offerings and a leading standalone Medicare Part D prescription drug plan. The Company’s integrated model uses personalized, technology driven services to connect people to simply better health, increasing access to quality care, delivering better outcomes, and lowering overall costs.

This blog is authored by Charlie Jelen and Dan Gentry, co-hosts of the Cool Air, Hot Takes podcast.

Some decision-makers might view decarbonization as a compliance box to check or a constraint to manage. But, when we look closely at what’s happening inside buildings, across markets and within organizations, a different story emerges. Viewed through the lens of creating business value, decarbonization is an opportunity to rethink how we operate our built environment and what will make those systems more cost-effective while also reducing emissions. Decarbonization isn’t just a sustainability term, but an opportunity to create value.

On our podcast, Cool Air, Hot Takes, we talk about subjects ranging from AI to venture capital and then connect the dots on how those forces relate to the built environment. Decarbonization is one of the most exciting topics we cover: what it means, how it works and what technologies can help companies decarbonize while making operations more efficient.

What is decarbonization?

At its core, decarbonization is about reducing (and ultimately eliminating) emissions. Often, people hear about decarbonizing buildings and assume that it means an immediate leap to all-electric systems or a complete redesign of existing infrastructure, but that’s not the reality. Organizations are already decarbonizing, often without calling it that, simply by making systems more efficient and more intelligent.

Molly Ramasamy, the director of deep carbon reduction at Jaros, Baum & Bolles, recently joined us on the podcast and shared her perspective that decarbonization is one of HVAC’s biggest opportunities. Small operational improvements, equipment innovations and smarter controls can create meaningful efficiency gains and cost savings. Even improving simple maintenance processes can reduce energy use and emissions over time.

The most successful projects begin with questions, not solutions. How does the building actually operate today? Where is energy being used inefficiently? Where is heat being wasted that could be recovered and reused? When teams slow down enough to ask these questions, opportunities for cost efficiencies and decarbonization often quickly surface.

After teams identify those opportunities, they can map key priorities. Some organizations see results from efficiency improvements that reduce energy use and cost. Others prioritize a rethink of how the building meets heating needs or how to leverage waste heat. In many cases, the process involves examining where energy comes from and how it is procured over time.

Decarbonization in action

The most rewarding part of our work is when we see these innovations applied in projects that move the needle on decarbonization. One example is our work with EnerSys, a global battery manufacturer with a strong commitment to reducing fossil fuel use and achieving net-zero operations. Their team knew they would need to electrify heating, but standard financial models always favored energy efficiency projects.

Together, we took a systemic approach to decarbonization across the company’s facilities and created what was essentially an internal green bank that used the savings from energy efficiency projects to fund electrification. It is a powerful model of decarbonization solutions at the enterprise level, where each project generates financial resources for the next.

Another story comes from our colleague Emma Van Fossen, a Trane Technologies energy engineering team lead. Her team redesigned a customer’s HVAC system to eliminate on-site natural gas needs. After implementation, the building significantly reduced Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, and those emissions are projected to keep falling in the years ahead. Learn more about how Emma Van Fossen helps make buildings greener.

Heat recovery is another good example. Reusing the thermal energy already present in a building is often a good entry point into electrification. It reduces fossil fuel use, improves system performance, and sets the stage for subsequent decarbonization strategies.

A recent heat recovery case study comes from a project in Maine. Trane Technologies partnered with the local team to design a new state-of-the-art high school with a goal of all-electric operations. Using our Storage Source Heat Pump system, the team combined heat recovery chillers, air-to-water heat pumps and thermal storage to create an all-electric heating and cooling solution.

As we tested similar systems in our own facilities, we shared lessons learned and helped refine the design, creating a model that balanced decarbonization goals with performance and smart lifetime cost management.

Decarbonization is both a process and a goal

We are operating in a time of deep innovation and change in the HVAC sector. As innovation in AI and data analytics accelerates and new product technologies evolve, we will see more breakthroughs that create efficiency and cost savings while helping reduce climate impact.

Decarbonization is an opportunity for our industry: a chance to rethink how buildings operate, deliver value in new ways and help organizations move forward with confidence. Ultimately, decarbonization is not about doing everything at once. Progress, one practical step at a time, matters more than perfection.

Meet the hosts of the Cool Air, Hot Takes podcast, Charlie Jelen and Dan Gentry, both experts in a broad range of HVAC topics from microprocessors to the largest chilled water systems in the world at Trane Technologies. And to learn more, listen to the Healthy Spaces podcast episode, “Get the Scoop on Decarbonization.”

The Future is Ours to Create – Explore careers that make an impact at Trane Technologies.

STAMFORD, Conn. – Webster Bank has published a Philanthropic Impact Report detailing its support of nonprofit organizations that aim to bolster economic inclusion, with a focus on financial empowerment, community and workforce development, and providing basic needs in underserved communities.

The report details Webster’s philanthropic projects from 2022-2024, the period covering the launch of Webster’s first multi-year Community Investment Strategy. This includes $15 million in financial contributions and thousands of volunteer hours dedicated to nonprofit organizations in communities that are, on average, 82% low-to moderate-income.

“Our philanthropic priorities reflect our conviction that thriving communities start with access to opportunity,” said Marissa Weidner, Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer, Webster Bank. “We believe investing in the nonprofit community to provide essential services to individuals and families is incredibly important.”

Webster Bank’s philanthropic efforts focus primarily on communities in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York and Rhode Island. Results from 2022-2024 highlighted in the Report include:

• Grants totaling $3.4 million for financial empowerment initiatives, including Webster Finance Labs and many other nonprofits. To date, nine Finance Labs have launched serving more than 2,300 students ages 13 to 25. Webster provides support for technology and curriculum as well as volunteer opportunities for colleagues to participate in financial empowerment workshops, pitch competitions and career fairs.
• Providing $4.4 million to nonprofits supporting community development, affordable housing programs, homeownership counseling, foreclosure prevention and credit remediation, as well as support for Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) and Community Development Corporations (CDC).
• Contributing $1.8 million to support workforce development initiatives, promoting job creation, small business growth and career readiness for underserved populations and system-impacted individuals.
• Investing $4.8 million to address basic needs and human services, partnering with regional food banks and nonprofits to combat food insecurity and homelessness.

Learn more about Webster Bank’s commitment to communities and corporate citizenship in our Philanthropic Impact Report.

About Webster
Webster Bank (“Webster”) is a leading commercial bank in the Northeast that provides a wide range of digital and traditional financial solutions across three differentiated lines of business: Commercial Banking, Consumer Banking and Healthcare Financial Services, one of the country’s largest providers of employee benefits and administration of medical insurance claim settlements solutions. Webster is a values-driven organization headquartered in Stamford, CT, with more than $82 billion in assets. Its core footprint spans the northeastern U.S. from New York to Massachusetts, with certain businesses operating in extended geographies. Webster Bank is a member of the FDIC and an equal housing lender. For more information about Webster, including past press releases and the latest annual report, visit the Webster website at websterbank.com.

Key Points

• Young people from the Ute Indian Tribe are benefiting from the collective efforts in 2025 of companies operating in northeastern Utah, including Marathon Petroleum’s midstream segment, MPLX.
• Their support of an annual golf fundraiser strengthened the Ute Education Endowment Foundation, which provides scholarships and related programs.
• Additionally, MPLX trucking fleet employees provided over $3,000 in school supplies and helped distribute winter coats to elementary school children in need.

Over the past several years, a nonprofit foundation has been established to raise funds for scholarships and related educational programs for youth from the Ute Indian Tribe in northeastern Utah. Creation of the Ute Education Endowment Foundation is largely attributable to ongoing support from companies that operate in the region such as Marathon Petroleum’s midstream segment, MPLX.

“MPLX’s trucking fleets have played a vital role in bringing this vision to life,” said Blake Buxbaum, Project Manager with Ute Energy, the energy development company for the Ute Tribe that led the foundation’s formation. “By serving as a key sponsor and regularly fielding teams for the annual Ute Education Endowment Fund golf tournament, MPLX sets a strong example that encourages other industry partners to participate and further strengthen the endowment fund.”

In 2025, employee volunteers from MPLX’s trucking fleets based in Roosevelt and Salt Lake City supported the tribe’s youth in more ways than one. Along with participating in the endowment fund’s golf tournament fundraiser, volunteers from the Salt Lake City fleet conducted a school supply drive.

“We collected more than $3,000 of classroom essentials and backpacks,” said Salt Lake City Transport Supervisor Hannah Shank. “Building this relationship with the tribe has been important to us, and we’ve been working hard to partner with them and work together.”

Employee volunteers from the Roosevelt fleet staffed a winter coat distribution event that the company funded in support of the nonprofit, Operation Warm. They provided coats to more than 250 children from three elementary schools that Ute students attend.

“This activity was very meaningful to our families. We frequently have students without coats during the winter months and have loaners we give to students for recess and the like,” said Eagle View Elementary School Principal Chris Jones. “Across the three schools involved in the distribution, we serve about 80% of elementary students from the Uintah and Ouray Reservation of the Ute Tribe.” 

Buxbaum pointed to the powerful impacts that can come from collaboration.

“Being able to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives through this kind of assistance is both humbling and deeply rewarding,” he said. “These efforts not only expand opportunities for Ute youth but also demonstrate what can be achieved when industry partners and tribal enterprises work together in support of the next generation.”

 

Key Points

• Young people from the Ute Indian Tribe are benefiting from the collective efforts in 2025 of companies operating in northeastern Utah, including Marathon Petroleum’s midstream segment, MPLX.
• Their support of an annual golf fundraiser strengthened the Ute Education Endowment Foundation, which provides scholarships and related programs.
• Additionally, MPLX trucking fleet employees provided over $3,000 in school supplies and helped distribute winter coats to elementary school children in need.

Over the past several years, a nonprofit foundation has been established to raise funds for scholarships and related educational programs for youth from the Ute Indian Tribe in northeastern Utah. Creation of the Ute Education Endowment Foundation is largely attributable to ongoing support from companies that operate in the region such as Marathon Petroleum’s midstream segment, MPLX.

“MPLX’s trucking fleets have played a vital role in bringing this vision to life,” said Blake Buxbaum, Project Manager with Ute Energy, the energy development company for the Ute Tribe that led the foundation’s formation. “By serving as a key sponsor and regularly fielding teams for the annual Ute Education Endowment Fund golf tournament, MPLX sets a strong example that encourages other industry partners to participate and further strengthen the endowment fund.”

In 2025, employee volunteers from MPLX’s trucking fleets based in Roosevelt and Salt Lake City supported the tribe’s youth in more ways than one. Along with participating in the endowment fund’s golf tournament fundraiser, volunteers from the Salt Lake City fleet conducted a school supply drive.

“We collected more than $3,000 of classroom essentials and backpacks,” said Salt Lake City Transport Supervisor Hannah Shank. “Building this relationship with the tribe has been important to us, and we’ve been working hard to partner with them and work together.”

Employee volunteers from the Roosevelt fleet staffed a winter coat distribution event that the company funded in support of the nonprofit, Operation Warm. They provided coats to more than 250 children from three elementary schools that Ute students attend.

“This activity was very meaningful to our families. We frequently have students without coats during the winter months and have loaners we give to students for recess and the like,” said Eagle View Elementary School Principal Chris Jones. “Across the three schools involved in the distribution, we serve about 80% of elementary students from the Uintah and Ouray Reservation of the Ute Tribe.” 

Buxbaum pointed to the powerful impacts that can come from collaboration.

“Being able to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives through this kind of assistance is both humbling and deeply rewarding,” he said. “These efforts not only expand opportunities for Ute youth but also demonstrate what can be achieved when industry partners and tribal enterprises work together in support of the next generation.”

 

Key Points

• Young people from the Ute Indian Tribe are benefiting from the collective efforts in 2025 of companies operating in northeastern Utah, including Marathon Petroleum’s midstream segment, MPLX.
• Their support of an annual golf fundraiser strengthened the Ute Education Endowment Foundation, which provides scholarships and related programs.
• Additionally, MPLX trucking fleet employees provided over $3,000 in school supplies and helped distribute winter coats to elementary school children in need.

Over the past several years, a nonprofit foundation has been established to raise funds for scholarships and related educational programs for youth from the Ute Indian Tribe in northeastern Utah. Creation of the Ute Education Endowment Foundation is largely attributable to ongoing support from companies that operate in the region such as Marathon Petroleum’s midstream segment, MPLX.

“MPLX’s trucking fleets have played a vital role in bringing this vision to life,” said Blake Buxbaum, Project Manager with Ute Energy, the energy development company for the Ute Tribe that led the foundation’s formation. “By serving as a key sponsor and regularly fielding teams for the annual Ute Education Endowment Fund golf tournament, MPLX sets a strong example that encourages other industry partners to participate and further strengthen the endowment fund.”

In 2025, employee volunteers from MPLX’s trucking fleets based in Roosevelt and Salt Lake City supported the tribe’s youth in more ways than one. Along with participating in the endowment fund’s golf tournament fundraiser, volunteers from the Salt Lake City fleet conducted a school supply drive.

“We collected more than $3,000 of classroom essentials and backpacks,” said Salt Lake City Transport Supervisor Hannah Shank. “Building this relationship with the tribe has been important to us, and we’ve been working hard to partner with them and work together.”

Employee volunteers from the Roosevelt fleet staffed a winter coat distribution event that the company funded in support of the nonprofit, Operation Warm. They provided coats to more than 250 children from three elementary schools that Ute students attend.

“This activity was very meaningful to our families. We frequently have students without coats during the winter months and have loaners we give to students for recess and the like,” said Eagle View Elementary School Principal Chris Jones. “Across the three schools involved in the distribution, we serve about 80% of elementary students from the Uintah and Ouray Reservation of the Ute Tribe.” 

Buxbaum pointed to the powerful impacts that can come from collaboration.

“Being able to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives through this kind of assistance is both humbling and deeply rewarding,” he said. “These efforts not only expand opportunities for Ute youth but also demonstrate what can be achieved when industry partners and tribal enterprises work together in support of the next generation.”

 

MUMBAI, India, February 16, 2026 /3BL/ – Medtronic, a global leader in healthcare technology, has today launched the #DecodeYourRhythm campaign in India, a nationwide initiative to raise awareness about bradycardia, a type of arrhythmia in which the heart beats slower than normal. The campaign aims to help patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals recognise early warning signs and take timely action.

Bradycardia occurs when the heart beats fewer than 60 times per minute at rest. While some people may not notice any symptoms, a very slow heart rate can reduce the heart’s ability to supply oxygen-rich blood to the body, leading to dizziness, fatigue, weakness or shortness of breath. Understanding these signs is critical, as early recognition can make a significant difference in managing heart health.

To communicate this effectively, the campaign is anchored by a new film set during a “Spell Right Championship” in a lively housing society courtyard. When a participant is asked to spell “Bradycardia,” the term is explained as an abnormally slow heart rate. The scene then highlights common warning signs, showing how everyday experiences can provide early clues about heart health. By combining light-hearted storytelling with clear educational messages, the film makes complex medical information both engaging and actionable.

Commenting on the initiative, Chandra Shekhar Jaiman, Senior Director Cardiovascular, Medtronic India, said, “ Many people living with heart rhythm disorders like bradycardia may miss the early signs, often thinking symptoms are simply tiredness, stress, or age-related changes. In India, limited awareness means these conditions often go unnoticed, impacting lives silently.

Through our #DecodeYourRhythm public awareness initiative, we encourage everyone to recognize symptoms early, feel confident seeking medical care, and learn that advanced treatment options are available. Guided by our Medtronic mission to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life, we are committed to empowering patients to take proactive steps for better heart health.”

The campaign also highlights advanced pacing solutions such as leadless pacemakers, which deliver targeted electrical signals to the heart only when needed, improving outcomes for suitable patients. Leadless pacemakers are smaller, self-contained devices placed directly inside the heart. They don’t require surgical pockets or leads, which can reduce complications and shorten recovery time.¹ The campaign highlights the need for patients to talk to their doctors about the benefits and risks of these advanced pacing solutions.

By combining engaging storytelling, practical guidance, and innovative treatment options, the #DecodeYourRhythm campaign emphasises the importance of early detection of heart rhythm disorders and encourages proactive care across India.

For further information, please contact:
Medtronic
Nidhi Acharya
Nidhi.Acharya@medtronic.com

About Medtronic

Bold thinking. Bolder actions. We are Medtronic. Medtronic plc, headquartered in Galway, Ireland, is the leading global healthcare technology company that boldly attacks the most challenging health problems facing humanity by searching out and finding solutions. Our Mission — to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life — unites a global team of 95,000+ passionate people across more than 150 countries. Our technologies and therapies treat 70 health conditions and include cardiac devices, surgical robotics, insulin pumps, surgical tools, patient monitoring systems, and more. Powered by our diverse knowledge, insatiable curiosity, and desire to help all those who need it, we deliver innovative technologies that transform the lives of two people every second, every hour, every day. Expect more from us as we empower insight-driven care, experiences that put people first, and better outcomes for our world. In everything we do, we are engineering the extraordinary. For more information on Medtronic, visit www.Medtronic.com and follow Medtronic on LinkedIn.

Any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties such as those described in Medtronic’s periodic reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ materially from anticipated results. This campaign is educational in nature and does not promote or recommend any specific medical device or therapy. All details contained in this release are for general awareness purposes only.

¹Leadless Pacemaker
Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11958420/
Curr Cardiol Rep

2025 Mar 31;27(1):77. doi: 10.1007/s11886-025-02228-5

 

References

1 . Kusumoto, F. M., Schoenfeld, M. H., Barrett, C., Edgerton, J. R., Ellenbogen, K. A., Gold, M. R., Goldschlager, N. F., Hamilton, R. M., Joglar, J. A., Kim, R. J., Lee, R., Marine, J. E., McLeod, C. J., Oken, K. R., Patton, K. K., Pellegrini, C. N., Selzman, K. A., Thompson, A., & Varosy, P. D. (2019). 2018 ACC/AHA/HRS Guideline on the Evaluation and Management of Patients With Bradycardia and Cardiac Conduction Delay: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines and the Heart Rhythm Society. Circulation, 140(8), e382–e482. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000628

2. Sidhu, S., & Marine, J. E. (2020). Evaluating and managing bradycardia. Trends in cardiovascular medicine, 30(5), 265–272. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tcm.2019.07.001

3. Shrivastav, M., Shrivastav, R., Makkar, J., & Biffi, M. (2013). Patient selection for ambulatory cardiac monitoring in the Indian healthcare environment. Heart Asia, 5(1), 112–119. https://doi.org/10.1136/heartasia-2012-010228

LINCOLN, Neb., February 16, 2026 /3BL/ – Anna Rathmann, executive director of the Jane Goodall Institute USA, joins the Arbor Day Foundation in the second episode of its new podcast, “Unearthing Optimism.”

In a conversation with CEO and host Dan Lambe, Rathmann shares what she’s learned from the legendary Dr. Jane Goodall and reflects on her own journey from Yellowstone park ranger to a champion for global conservation.

“Anna shared such an inspiring perspective during our conversation, illustrating the power of connecting people and nature to grow a better future. She reminds us that we all have the ability to create positive change,” said Lambe. “In a time when it’s easy to feel overcome by challenges, this podcast is a way for people to embrace hope. We’re grateful for the many listeners who are joining us on this journey.”

“Unearthing Optimism” is a new kind of climate conversation, featuring a series of influential and trusted voices shaping culture, science, and how we understand our changing world. It’s available to stream or download on all major podcasting platforms including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.

The podcast is produced in part by the Arbor Day Foundation, the world’s largest tree planting nonprofit. Since its founding in 1972, the Arbor Day Foundation has helped to plant more than 500 million trees.

About the Arbor Day Foundation 

The Arbor Day Foundation is a global nonprofit inspiring people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. They foster a growing community of more than 1 million leaders, innovators, planters, and supporters united by their bold belief that a more hopeful future can be shaped through the power of trees. For more than 50 years, they’ve answered critical need with action, planting more than half a billion trees alongside their partners.

And this is only the beginning.  

The Arbor Day Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit pursuing a future where all life flourishes through the power of trees. Learn more at arborday.org.

###

FedEx Supply Chain has been honored with the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council’s 2025 Leadership Award in the Circular Economy category for its innovative e-waste pilot. The case study profiled the collaboration among FedEx Supply Chain, Pyxera Global, TERRA, Electronics Recycling Solutions, and the American Battery Technology Company to better understand the role logistics companies can play in building a more circular economy.

In 2022, the world generated 63.4 million tons of electronic waste, yet only about 22% of it was recycled. The FedEx pilot explored how logistics can help reduce e-waste by reusing, repairing, and responsibly recycling devices like laptops and tablets. The goal is to close the loop on valuable materials and critical minerals normally destined for landfills.

The FedEx Supply Chain e-waste collection pilot with Pyxera Global was part of a three‑phase effort, supported by two major research reports:

• Phase I – Powering Sustainability through Circular Logistics (July 2023): Pyxera released a blueprint to guide the logistics industry in adopting circular practices, outlining the importance and pathway for transitioning to a circular economy.
• Phase II – E‑Waste Collection Pilot (Sept 2023–Jan 2024): FedEx, Pyxera Global, ERS, TERRA, and ABTC worked together to offer free shipping of broken or used laptops and tablets to recycle centers, where repairable devices were refurbished and non‑repairable ones dismantled to recover materials such as lithium‑ion batteries.
• Phase III – Optimizing Circular Logistics: A Revisited Approach (July 2024): Findings from the pilot and additional research detailed certifications, packaging, procedures, and material volume requirements critical to scaling successful circular logistics programs.

“I’m proud of the FedEx Supply Chain team’s work every day to support our customers and communities in keeping valuable resources, like e-waste, out of landfills,” said Scott Temple, president, FedEx Supply Chain. “This recognition by the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council demonstrates how circular logistics is more than just a business strategy – it’s an innovative way supply chains can help conserve valuable resources, strengthen local enterprises, and build a more sustainable future.”

FedEx Supply Chain processes over 475 million returns annually, with a recycling program serving about 300 facilities and achieving a landfill diversion rate of 98.62%, helping customers reduce waste and lower their carbon footprint.

FedEx has contributed eight case studies to the SPLC since 2015, covering topics like sustainable packaging, electrification, and closed-loop recycling, reflecting its commitment to sustainability. As an active SPLC member, FedEx continues to help advance sustainable procurement and circular supply chains worldwide.

Building on the lessons learned from the pilot, the Circular Supply Chain Coalition was launched to expand e-waste recycling efforts across key U.S. regions and with Climate KIC in Europe. FedEx Cares has provided funds to create demonstration hubs focused on reducing electronic waste and promoting remanufacturing.

“We could not be more thrilled that FedEx Supply Chain has received the recognition they deserve for supporting such and impactful and meaningful project,” stated John Holm SVP, Partnerships for Pyxera Global and the Lead Convener of the CSCC. “The Circular Supply Chain Coalition’s mission is to support and scale local critical mineral procurement and remanufacturing across North America and beyond, and SPLC’s validation of our work provides us the necessary momentum to be the go-to resource for local critical mineral procurement.”

Click here to learn about FedEx Cares, our global community engagement program.