Tag: 3BL

September 12, 2024 /3BL/ – Ahead of Hurricane Francine making landfall in Louisiana, T-Mobile has activated its emergency plans to help keep customers, communities, first responders and others connected through expected heavy rains, flooding and hurricane-force winds. Here’s how we’re working to support the communities we serve and the network they rely on:

Network Preparation

Our Emergency Management team, local market teams and National Operations Centers, are vigilantly monitoring the storm and our network’s performance. T-Mobile’s teams have also pre-staged equipment at critical and strategic locations for rapid deployment after the storm and taken steps to ensure that permanent backup power resources are ready, including:

T-Mobile’s Mobile Emergency Operations Center (EOC): Large RV with network management and monitoring equipmentSatCOLTs and SatCOWs: Satellite cell-on-light-trucks and satellite cell-on-wheels that teams can drive to impacted areas to temporarily restore or boost serviceQuick-deploy and portable VSATs: Satellite dishes called “Very Small Aperture Terminals” that can provide a layer of coverage across broad areas and quickly provide temporary wireless service to send and receive data from T-Mobile’s networkMicrowave solutions: Network technology that offers high throughput and low latency for better data usagePortable Generators: Portable power solutions that can be quickly set up to power sites and help customersPermanent Batteries and Generators: Generators and batteries permanently installed on key sites — such as cell sites, data centers and switching centers — along Francine’s predicted path and surrounding areas have been topped up

In addition, T-Mobile’s network modernization allows local network teams to quickly and digitally optimize the network to a critical location when increased signal concentration is needed. By redirecting antennas and towers, T-Mobile can enhance connectivity for rescue operations, Incident Command Centers, hospitals, shelters, reunification centers or other crucial efforts and locations.

Public Safety and First Responders

T-Mobile for Government and our Emergency Response Team are engaged with numerous federal, state and local officials and emergency management agencies from Texas to Alabama including: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) and the Louisiana Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP), as well as others including the Texas Department of Emergency Management (TDEM), City of Houston Office of Emergency Management (OEM), Harris County Office of Emergency Management, Alabama Emergency Management Agency (AEMA) and others.

Agencies needing communications assistance can reach out to our 24-hour emergency hotline at 888-639-0020 or email at ERTRequests@T-Mobile.com.

Community Support

Our Community Support Team is staged and ready to assist impacted customers and communities following the storm with Wi-Fi, device charging and charging supplies. Specific equipment prepared to support includes Community Support trucks and trailers that provide Wi-Fi and up to 80 charging ports each, along with charging supplies such as battery chargers and cables. This assistance is open to anyone who needs it.

Customer Concessions

While the majority of our customers are on plans with unlimited talk, text and data, for those who aren’t we are offering unlimited talk, text and data for T-Mobile, Metro by T-Mobile and Assurance Wireless customers from today, September 11, through Tuesday, September 17 in the following parishes and counties:

Louisiana: Acadia, Allen, Ascension, Assumption, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Bienville, Calcasieu, Caldwell, Cameron, Catahoula, Concordia, East Baton Rouge, East Carroll, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Franklin, Grant, Iberia, Iberville, Jackson, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, La Salle, Lafayette, Lafourche, Lincoln, Livingston, Madison, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Orleans, Ouachita, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, Rapides, Richland, Saint Bernard, Saint Charles, Saint Helena, Saint James, Saint Landry, Saint Martin, Saint Mary, Saint Tammany, St. John the Baptist, Tangipahoa, Tensas, Terrebonne, Union, Vermilion, Vernon, Washington, West Baton Rouge, West Carroll, West Feliciana and WinnMississippi: Adams, Amite, Claiborne, Copiah, Covington, Forrest, Franklin, Hancock, Harrison, Hinds, Issaquena, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Jones, Lafayette, Lamar, Lawrence, Lincoln, Madison, Marion, Newton, Pearl River, Perry, Pike, Rankin, Scott, Sharkey, Simpson, Smith, Stone, Walthall, Warren, Wilkinson and YazooTexas: Jefferson and Orange

Employees and Retail Stores

We are monitoring potential impacts on our employees, retail stores and other locations. For updates on local store operations, please use our store locator to check your nearest store, as some locations may be temporarily closed or operating under modified hours in the coming days.

By Candace Higginbotham

Leroy Abrahams, head of Community Engagement at Regions, welcomed the attendees of the third annual Regions Bank CDFI Convening by outlining shared priorities for the leaders in the room.

“We have a vested interest in helping communities grow,” Abrahams said. “We all benefit when our communities are successful, and CDFIs play a critical role in that growth and success.”

Community Development Financial Institutions, or CDFIs, are private financial institutions dedicated to delivering responsible, affordable lending to help low-income, low-wealth, and other disadvantaged people and communities join the economic mainstream.

Support for CDFIs has long been a part of Regions’ community engagement strategy, and the collaboration has increased in recent years. Regions Bank and the Regions Community Development Corporation continue to provide lending and investments, and Regions Bank offers shared bank services, as well as subject-matter expertise, collaboration and technical assistance.

The annual CDFI Convening is a good example. Abrahams and Wendi Boyen, head of Community Development Lending and Investment at Regions, launched this program a few years ago to bring leaders from Regions and CDFIs together in the same room to share ideas and talk about how to leverage these important relationships to better serve our communities.

“CDFIs are valuable because of their interaction with communities and flexible products and services,” Abrahams said. “They can do things midsize and large banks can’t do.”

This year, Regions hosted 14 CEOs and leaders from CDFIs across the bank’s footprint.

As in past years, the agenda featured presentations by executives from Regions and guest institutions, covering topics suggested by the CDFI participants.

But the real conversation originated off the podium. Instead of a series of one-way presentations, the meeting consisted of two half-days of dialog and Q&A.

We all benefit when our communities are successful, and CDFIs play a critical role in that growth and success.

Leroy Abrahams, head of Community Engagement at Regions

And that’s exactly what Abrahams and Boyen wanted.

The CDFI executives had a lot of questions for Regions Treasurer Deron Smithy and Chief Investment Officer Alan McKnight, who talked about the economic landscape, balance sheet management, interest rate risk and liquidity management. The audience encouraged the speakers to elaborate on hedging strategies, deposit pricing and other topics of keen interest.

“We’re all facing the same economic risks, no matter the size of the institution,” Smithy said. “We just have to understand the range of things that can happen and be prepared, even for the unexpected.”

The participants were also highly engaged with the Regions Human Resources team, who talked about recruiting, talent development, succession planning and benefits. Top of mind topics for the audience were attracting and retaining younger workers and employee engagement.

That conversation was a good segue into Paula Drake’s talk, which advised the group about how to tell their story to win business and attract and retain employees. Drake, head of Corporate Marketing and Communications at Regions, told the leaders their brand is their most important commodity, and they should use it effectively to build a greater connection with their stakeholders.

The CDFI leaders were very interested in hearing from Brian Jackson, head of Consumer Products and Origination Partnerships, and Brandon Greve, a Consumer Banking executive at Regions. The attendees had the opportunity to visit the downtown Birmingham branch just outside the meeting room to see first-hand the design and technology innovations Regions is successfully implementing throughout its footprint.

One of the most interactive discussions of the meeting focused on Risk Management. Chief Risk Officer Russ Zusi had an open dialog with the executives around topics that all financial institutions are dealing with right now including credit, liquidity, cyber security, compliance, data management, change management, consumer protection and climate risk.

The conversation around climate risk continued when Brandon England, director of energy efficiency lending at Pathway Lending, took the floor. Much of that discussion centered on the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, a new EPA program created by the Inflation Reduction Act. The fund mobilizes financing and private capital for greenhouse gas- and air pollution-reducing projects in communities.

Pathway Lending has administered the Tennessee Energy Efficiency Loan Fund since 2010 to finance energy-saving lighting, efficient HVAC replacement units, solar panels, cool roofs and other projects.

“Our clients have seen energy benefits, as well as improved business impacts from the program,” England said. Using the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund capital, Pathway Lending and other CDFIs will be able to finance these types of projects throughout the country.

Another CDFI participant, John Olaimey president and CEO of Southern Bancorp Bank, led a discussion about the history and primary objectives of CDFIs and how their corporate organizational structure allows them to effectively serve their communities. Olaimey recounted that Southern Bancorp was one of the first CDFIs in existence and talked about their priority to “balance margin and mission.”

This was one of our most enlightening sessions, with so much information and helpful insight from both our internal Regions leaders and our community partners.

Wendi Boyen, head of Community Development Lending and Investment at Regions

“We’re a social justice organization but our shareholders ensure we generate returns,” he said.

The final hour of the meeting was dedicated to a roundtable discussion about business loan underwriting, led by Danielle Ware of Hope Credit Union and Charlie Breedlove and Lawrence Johnson of Friend Bank. These executives outlined their innovative and solutions-based underwriting processes and services.

“You have to dig a little deeper and understand your customer, their unique situation, their business – and be an advocate for them,” Ware said. With audience heads nodding, others could obviously relate to this description of a boots-on-the-ground, community-focused way of doing businesses.

And that brought the meeting full circle, recalling Abraham’s opening comments about the unique capabilities of these institutions and why they’re so important to Regions. Growing and maintaining these business relationships ensure individuals and families in our communities have access to banking products and services to help enrich their financial lives.

“This was one of our most enlightening sessions, with so much information and helpful insight from both our internal Regions leaders and our community partners,” Boyen said. “The informal conversations will continue, and we’re gathering feedback to ensure these meetings deliver actionable content to everyone involved.”

In recent years, the global focus on sustainability has shifted from a sole emphasis on climate change to a broader consideration of nature and biodiversity. Nature worldwide has been significantly altered by human activities, with most ecosystems and biodiversity indicators in rapid decline and approximately 25% of assessed species—around 1 million species in total—now threatened with extinction within decades unless we take action to mitigate the drivers of biodiversity loss. Considering this urgent crisis, organizations are reassessing their relationship with the natural world and their influence on biodiversity.

To support these efforts, the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) was established as a voluntary initiative to assist businesses and financial institutions in understanding and addressing their nature-related dependencies, impacts, risks, and opportunities.

The TNFD is comprised of 40 senior executives from financial institutions, corporates, and market service providers from all over the world and various sectors. Building on the foundation established by the Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), the TNFD seeks to provide organizations with a standardized framework for disclosing their interactions with nature and biodiversity.

This framework aims to enhance transparency around nature-related financial risks and opportunities and help organizations incorporate these risks and opportunities into strategic planning, risk management, and asset allocation decision-making. The TNFD’s target audience is broad, encompassing corporations, financial institutions, regulators, stock exchanges, and accounting firms who play critical roles in shaping the future of our natural world.

TNFD Disclosure Recommendations and Guidance 

At the core of TNFD are its disclosure recommendations, which provide a structured approach for organizations to assess and report on nature-related risks and opportunities. These recommendations are organized around four key pillars: governance, strategy, risk management, and metrics and targets.

The framework guides companies in identifying, assessing, and managing risks associated with nature, such as deforestation, water scarcity, and biodiversity loss. It encourages organizations to integrate nature-related strategies and metrics into their governance structures and management plans, ensuring that nature is a core component of decision-making processes.

Some examples of nature-related strategies and metrics are describing processes for monitoring nature-related risks in management plans and identifying locations of activities that are particularly vulnerable to biodiversity loss.

Finally, TNFD offers guidance on setting and tracking performance against nature-related targets, helping organizations measure their impact and progress over time. While there are many TNFD recommendations to consider, organizations can start disclosing information they already have to get started and plan for progression over time.

Integration with Other Reporting Frameworks and Regulations 

The TNFD does not operate in isolation; it is designed to complement existing reporting frameworks and emerging sustainability regulations. For instance, TNFD uses the same terminology and concepts utilized by the TCFD, which has become a widely adopted framework for climate-related financial disclosures.

TNFD expands this approach by focusing on nature, enabling organizations to address a broader range of environmental issues. Similarly, TNFD aligns with frameworks like the CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project) and can be used to help answer questions about biodiversity in the latest CDP disclosure.

The TNFD is also highly relevant in the context of new and emerging regulations, such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) in the European Union and the California Rule in the United States. These regulations are pushing for greater transparency and accountability in corporate sustainability reporting in nature-related risks and opportunities, and TNFD provides a valuable tool for companies to meet these new requirements.

Status of the TNFD Guidance 

The Taskforce has already published multiple documents and materials since its foundation in 2021. The Taskforce released its first beta framework in March 2022, which has since undergone multiple rounds of public consultation. The final TNFD Recommendations document was published in September 2023 and final sector and biome guidance documents were published in June 2024. There is even a series of training modules called TNFD in a Box with publications, webinars, and supplemental resources to support practitioners through the TNFD process.

These are major milestones, marking the availability of a fully-fledged framework that organizations can begin to implement. Some organizations have even begun to adopt the TNFD and incorporate nature-related issues into their decision making. As of January 2024, 320 companies and financial institutions have committed to publishing TNFD-aligned disclosures as part of their annual reporting for fiscal years 2023, 2024, and 2025. As more organizations engage in TNFD disclosures, additional examples will become available to guide others in completing their own TNFD reporting.

Conclusion 

The introduction of the TNFD framework represents a significant step forward in the evolution of sustainability reporting. By focusing on nature-related dependencies, impacts, risks, and opportunities, TNFD complements existing frameworks and regulations, providing organizations with the tools they need to manage and disclose their impacts on the natural world.

As the final framework and sector guidance are set to be published soon, businesses and financial institutions should prepare to integrate TNFD’s recommendations into their reporting processes. In doing so, they will not only meet emerging regulatory requirements but also contribute to the preservation of nature, ensuring that our economic activities remain within the boundaries of what the planet can sustain. The TNFD is more than just another reporting framework; it is a call to action for a future where nature and business can thrive together.

Connect with our Corporate Sustainability Reporting and Disclosure services to learn more about Antea Group’s approach to TNFD.

In today’s interconnected world, the magic of collaboration has become more apparent than ever. The most significant societal challenges we face today, including healthcare disparities, require collective action. When individuals and organizations join forces, fuelled by a shared vision and a common goal, the possibilities for positive change are limitless.

Collaborations closing healthcare disparities in underserved communities

Naom Monari is the Founder and CEO of Bena Care, a company that offers low-cost care giving services for chronically ill patients in Kenyan communities. In a unique approach, Bena Care also trains women caregivers in rural Kenya further reducing the burden of cost on the familes of patients, improving the healthcare of patients while creating a stream of income for the women.

Collaborations fuel the mission for Bena Care as it allows them to provide a wide range of services without building new products or services from scratch. Naom explains “Partnerships and collaborations are one of the easiest ways we provide services and make them available to patients.” From training organizations to equipment providers and tele-consultation platforms, they have leveraged the strengths of various partners to deliver the best possible care to patients.

One such successful collaboration for Bena Care is with the Jomo Kenyatta University in Kenya. This unlikely partnership between a startup and academia led to a study on chronic kidney disease in a local county. Findings from this research have also led to the launch of mobile dialysis facilities for patients in remote areas of Kenya.

Changemakers making a difference through strategic collaboration 

Another changemaker who understands the power of collaborations is Zubaida Bai, President and CEO of Grameen Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to ending poverty through their ‘Invest in HER Power’ strategy. This model aims to provide the framework needed to ensure women can leave poverty forever by first breaking down gender and power imbalances at home and in their communities.

For Zubaida and the foundation, collaboration spans all levels, including the family unit. She states, “This involves engaging men as allies, training them to support the women in their lives, and advocating for financial institutions to treat women fairly.” It also means ensuring that women have the skills and support they need to succeed as entrepreneurs and leaders in their communities.

As a mechanical engineer turned social entrepreneur, she has spent her career developing products and systems that uplift women and address gender inequality with collaboration at the center. “By transforming systems for women together, we ultimately create better opportunities for everyone”, Zubaida concludes.

Connecting to amplify social impact

It is evident that alliances can significantly improve outcomes in the realm of social impact as shared by these changemakers. Our lighthouse initiative, Making More Health (MMH, see infobox), builds upon on this approach.

“Collaboration is an indispensable tool for building sustainable social entrepreneurial ecosystems”, says Dr. Christopher Imbaya, Senior Manager, MMH. “Through collaboration, we created our social business incubator program supporting early-stage social start-ups in Sub-Saharan Africa to increase our impact in underserved communities”.

With their innovative solutions and passion for change, how then do we bring together these changemakers and others like them to amplify their impact?

Enter Making More Health Together! The convention brings together diverse stakeholders invested in creating sustainable social impact. In doing so, it provides a platform for networking, knowledge exchange and creation of potential solutions, while opening opportunities for multi-sectoral collaboration.

Zubaida affirms this. “I believe that places like this which are intentionally orchestrated to get the right audience in place are spaces to have healthy discussions that plant the seeds for systemic change”.

For Naom who has attended previous editions, Making More Health Together presents a great opportunity to collaborate and learn from other entrepreneurs. “The biggest selling point for MMH Together is the collaboration that they pioneer. Every time we go to the convention, there’s such a big opportunity to connect with other social entrepreneurs and organizations around the space’’.

She adds, “we learn a lot from the entrepreneurs we meet there. There is an opportunity to get a glimpse of how other companies within the space operate and you can adopt the best practices. We’ve also learnt how to effectively fund raise as women founders. It makes your road to success shorter.”

Increasing social impact through collective action

The work of Naom and Zubaida through their respective organizations, serves as a powerful example of the impact of collaboration. It shows the power of collective action and calls each one of us to become changemakers in our own right.

Remember, when we collaborate, we’re not just solving problems, we’re also shaping a better world – one shared goal at a time. Are you ready to be part of creating sustainable solutions for pressing social challenges?

Then make sure to register for Making More Health Together 2024 – coming to Ingelheim soon!

——

Making More Health Together is an annual global event that brings together like-minded people like Naom Monari and Zubaida Bai working together to achieve sustainable social impact. 

The convention is organized by Making More Health (MMH), one of our flagship initiatives aimed at creating healthy, inclusive, and sustainable communities around the world. 

MMH, a Boehringer Ingelheim initiative, began in 2010 as a partnership with the social entrepreneur network Ashoka. Since then, it has evolved into a many-faceted program, which is continuously forging new partnerships and developing innovative models to amplify social impact and improve healthcare in underserved communities. It focuses on equitable health and addresses issues like food deserts. MMH supports social businesses through grants and impact investments, providing them with the resources they need to scale their operations and reach more people. 

Explore Imagine: our sustainability story hub to know more.

——

Originally published on GoDaddy Resource Library

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your career journey here at GoDaddy.

Hey There, I am Jolie Gayles, a Technical Program Manager here at GoDaddy. I began my professional journey with GoDaddy in 2006, during which I was also pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Arizona State University. My initial role was a Quality Assurance Intern, where I was involved in testing and ensuring the quality of our virtual and dedicated hosting products. This position provided me with foundational experience in both quality assurance practices and the specifics of our hosting solutions.

Upon completing my degree, I transitioned into a full-time role as a C# Developer within our Internal Tools team. This position allowed me to leverage my programming skills to contribute to the development and enhancement of tools critical to our operations. My technical expertise and problem-solving abilities were honed during this period, leading to my progression into software development management.

In my management role, I focused on overseeing development projects, for our Legal and Cyber Security teams. My experience in this role deepened my understanding of both technical and managerial aspects of software development.

Currently, I am a Technical Program Manager, where I am responsible for leading cross-functional teams and managing complex technical projects. This role involves strategic planning, stakeholder communication, and ensuring that projects align with organizational goals and deliver value.

How have your past experiences prepared you for where you are today in your career?

Starting my career as a Software Engineer provided me with a solid technical foundation and honed my problem-solving abilities. This experience enables me to effectively communicate with engineering teams, grasp the technical challenges they encounter, and make well-informed decisions that balance technical feasibility with project objectives. Additionally, my role as a Software Development Manager deepened my understanding of the entire development process and refined my skills in coordinating large projects across multiple teams, ensuring seamless collaboration and alignment toward shared goals.

What has been one of your proudest moments at GoDaddy?

During my 18 years here, I’ve had the privilege of experiencing several memorable moments. One standout experience was joining our CEO at the time, Blake Irving, for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at our Tempe office via GO Cart. I’ve also had the opportunity to organize and participate in various check-in events across the country for our holiday parties. Additionally, I’ve had the honor of speaking and mentoring at Stanford University as part of their Women in Computer Science program. These experiences have been incredibly rewarding and have created lasting memories during my time at GoDaddy.

What advice would you give to an individual who is interested in a career in Program Management?

Before formally stepping into the role of Program Manager, I earned my PMI (Project Management Institute) Certification. This certification was instrumental in breaking down the various responsibilities of a Project Manager and understanding how to execute them efficiently. It also underscored the importance of strong communication, problem-solving, and leadership skills, which are all crucial for success in this role.

Can you share the biggest learning you’ve ever received from a mentor or leader?

The best advice I received was from a previous leader, who always emphasized the power of being nice to people. While this may seem obvious, it has always served me well to treat my coworkers with kindness and respect and I think a lot of what helps me be successful.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

I live passionately and embrace every opportunity to explore the world. I love traveling and make it a priority to hop on a plane and visit new destinations, especially those with stunning blue waters and white sandy beaches. I also have a deep appreciation for live music and enjoy attending various music festivals. Additionally, I’m a huge sports fan and love watching almost any sport, especially football… Go Cardinals! Also, anything I can do with my two-year old yellow lab, Penelope, as she is my favorite.

Are you enjoying this series and want to know more about life at GoDaddy? Check out our GoDaddy Life social pages! Follow us to meet our team, learn more about our culture (Teams, ERGs, Locations), careers, and so much more. You’re more than just your day job, so come propel your career with us.

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With people at the heart of our mission, Viatris is committed to representing and capturing the diverse voices of patients and caregivers and joining together for advocacy. As both a caretaker and a caregiver, people often experience a lack of power and limited access to information at a time when they may be at their most vulnerable. We work with many patient advocacy organizations to help provide patients and caregivers with access to information, grow their knowledge and leverage the power of their collective voice to raise awareness. Together with patient organizations and academia, we engage in education, research, sponsorships, awareness events and policy efforts with the goal to empower patients.

In 2023, this included:

Collaborated with Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia on awareness campaigns, patient education and resources to help ensure familiarity with how and when to use epinephrine auto-injectors. We also collaborate with the Australian Society of Clinical Immunology (ASCIA) to promote, evaluate, and update ASCIA allergy and anaphylaxis e-training courses and online resources.Sponsored the COPD Foundation’s Lace up for Lungs campaign in the U.S., which is instrumental in advancing the organization’s mission to help millions of people live longer and healthier lives by advancing research, advocacy and awareness to stop COPD and related lung diseasesParticipated in and sponsoring the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s annual Corporate Cup. More than a dozen colleagues took part in recreation and sporting events between area companies, while raising awareness and money to support the foundation.Supported our longtime U.S.-based partner the Boomer Esiason Foundation to provide education and resources to families affected by cystic fibrosis and the organization’s BEF Financial Hardship Fund, which provides a temporary source of funding for families during a time of unexpected adversity or emergencyPartnered with several multiple sclerosis (MS) advocacy associations, including the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America, the National MS Society and others to provide educational resources and support for people living with this autoimmune diseaseCollaborated with patients’ organizations and medical societies to create the MyHealthMyLife website to support patients group to provide additional resources on diseases awarenessSupported long-term partner Brazilian Association of Family, Friends and People with Affective Disorders (ABRATA) on several initiatives including disease awareness and advocacyPartnered with the Active Citizen Network (ACN), which supports several regional and local activities on European Patients’ Rights Day to strengthen patients’ voice in shaping and influencing health policies focusing on the healthcare workforce crisisParticipated in the working group of Gravitate Health, a publicprivate partnership with 40 members from Europe and the U.S., which works to equip and empower people with digital information tools that make them confident, active and responsive in their patient journey

View the full 2023 Sustainability Report.

Across North America, women at Saint-Gobain take the lead in Making The World A Better Home. They are manufacturers, innovators, scientists, engineers, and executives, all playing a vital role in shaping our industry.

Sustainability Engineer Jessica Rosencrans wanted to create positive change in the environment since she was 10 years old, and now she’s making a big impact by spearheading sustainability efforts at our Ceramics plant in Worcester!

Saint-Gobain is an industry leader with thousands of talented team members who are dedicated to one unified purpose: Making the World a Better Home. With more than 145 manufacturing facilities throughout the United States and Canada, there are so many robust and fulfilling career opportunities available. You’ll have the opportunity to work with colleagues from a wide range of businesses, cultures, and experiences.

Discover your career at Saint-Gobain North America here

Watch the Saint-Gobain video series empowHERed 

About Saint-Gobain

Worldwide leader in light and sustainable construction, Saint-Gobain designs, manufactures and distributes materials and services for the construction and industrial markets. Its integrated solutions for the renovation of public and private buildings, light construction and the decarbonization of construction and industry are developed through a continuous innovation process and provide sustainability and performance. The Group’s commitment is guided by its purpose, “MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER HOME”.

€47.9 billion in sales in 2023 
160,000 employees, locations in 76 countries 
Committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050

Originally published in Principal Financial Group 2023 Sustainability Report

Improving operational environmental performance

We remain committed to integrating responsible energy, water, and waste management practices into our business operations through efficient and sustainable solutions and improvements.

Our approach 

Energy-efficient technologies and access to renewable energy sources help us meet our broader goals and further reduce our impact on the environment.

We’re mindful of our water consumption and recycling efforts and have formulated action plans to improve our performance.

Furthermore, we’ve established a system and policy modeled after ISO14001 and designed to:

reduce energy use and GHG emissions,improve water efficiency,reduce waste to landfill, andincrease employee awareness.

While our consumption of energy and water and production of waste are not significant, we continue to routinely measure these areas of our operations to better understand our impact on the environment.

Our actions and performance in 2023 

Energy consumption and renewable energy1

From 2022 to 2023, we reduced energy consumption by 13.5% globally and by 13.2% in the U.S. This reduction resulted from our data center being moved to leased space, changes in office spaces, and the decreased need for heating this year from previous years due to warmer weather in Des Moines.

The changes in office space also contributed to a slight decrease in energy from renewable sources as compared to 2022 as these spaces primarily used renewable energy. On a global level, 47.8% of energy came from renewable sources in 2023.

In the U.S., approximately 55.6% of total energy consumption came from renewable sources—a total of 35,578.4 MWh, a small decrease from 2022 as a result of our energy mix using more fuel and less electricity than in the previous year.

Of total U.S. energy usage, 61.3% came from electricity, and approximately 90.8% of electricity consumption came from renewable sources—an increase from 2022. In 2023, we benefited from the ability of our Des Moines utility provider to provide a significant amount of energy from renewable sources. In 2023, the provider confirmed that it provided 100% renewable energy to its Iowa territory in 2022 through its wind fleet, and validated this through the Iowa Utilities Board GreenAdvantage program.

Water consumption2 

We incorporate responsible water management practices to meet or exceed Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) guidelines for water efficiency and implement water reduction measures wherever possible. Compared to 2022, we saw a 3.3% decrease in water consumption in 2023. Overall, in the last five years we’ve decreased our water consumption by 43.8%. This can be attributed to a reduction in occupancy in our buildings due to the pandemic and hybrid work arrangements, reducing our overall office usage and therefore decreasing water use.

55.6% of total energy consumption in the U.S. in 2023 from renewable sources90.8% of electricity consumption in the U.S. in 2023 from renewable sources3.3% decrease in water consumption in the U.S. in 2023

Waste and recycling3

In 2023, we diverted 69% of hazardous and nonhazardous waste produced in U.S. facilities where we measure recycling, donating, and composting efforts, with 100% of our hazardous waste being recycled. We continue to make incremental changes in our offices to reduce waste, such as an increase in signage to help employee awareness and education around appropriate waste practices, employee- led environmental initiatives, and a composting program for food service and restrooms.

Our goal is to meet or exceed LEED® guidelines for waste and recycling, which is to maintain a 50% or greater waste diversion rate annually.

69% of hazardous and nonhazardous waste produced in our U.S. facilities where we measure was diverted in 2023.

Overall we disposed of more waste this year than last year. We believe the primary contributor is an increase in employees working from the office more frequently, resulting in more non-durable goods disposal.

With the relocation of our data center to a leased location in 2023, we increased the amount of electronic waste recycled during the transition process.

Green buildings 

We use LEED® certification to ensure efficient and healthy work environments. Of the Principal owned and occupied portfolio in Des Moines, 93% is LEED® certified, as measured by square footage.

Read more in our Environmental policy

What’s next In 

November 2023, return to office guidance went into effect for our largest offices. We will monitor how our return to office guidance contributes to our environmental impact, and work to find ways to continue to prioritize responsible environmental management practices.

In 2024, we will be installing smart irrigation systems as well as enhanced cooling tower water controls to monitor and limit water usage.

We will continue to explore innovative technologies and renewable energy options to help reduce our GHG emissions across the globe. We’ll also continue to meet LEED guidelines for waste diversion, expand our composting program, and aim to reduce single-use plastics.

Finally, we are continuing to broaden our initiatives to educate our employees and provide more awareness to our stakeholders on environmental efforts and data.

To learn more, read the Principal Financial Group 2023 Sustainability Report.

12023 greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption values will be verified in Q2 2024, and final figures will be disclosed in the 2024 CDP Climate Questionnaire.

2Waste and water data represent select U.S. offices only.

3Waste and water data represent select U.S. offices only.

Insurance products issued by Principal National Life Insurance Co (except in NY) and Principal Life Insurance Company®. Plan administrative services offered by Principal Life. Principal Funds, Inc. is distributed by Principal Funds Distributor, Inc. Securities offered through Principal Securities, Inc., member SIPC and/or independent broker/dealers. Referenced companies are members of the Principal Financial Group®, Des Moines, IA 50392.​

3729297-072024

Eastman

Have you been fortunate enough to see the new McDonald’s Collector’s Meal cups that launched earlier this month? The latest set of six cups is made with Eastman Tritan™ and pay tribute to previous releases, featuring fan favorites like Barbie, Hello Kitty, Minions, and their own McDonald’s characters. The introduction has caused quite the frenzy for nostalgia seekers and created a hot market for sellers and collectors alike. 

Are you collecting? The best thing about these cups is their infinite reusability! Made with Tritan, these hot items will look amazing after repeated washing and many drops — they’re definitely worth the $100 they’re fetching on re-sale sites when you think of them this way. 

Here’s How Much McDonald’s Collector’s Cups Are Reselling For | Entrepreneur

Originally published on U.S. Bank company blog

After the youngest of Jo Murray’s two sons left home, she decided to embrace the new chapter in her life and embark on a new adventure – one that will involve rowing some 3,000 miles across the open ocean from the Canary Islands off the Coast of North Africa to the West Indies in the Caribbean.

“My children are grown up, and I thought it would be lovely to have a challenge and adventure, and if I’m not going to do it now when am I going to do it?” said Murray, senior vice president in U.S. Bank’s Global Corporate Trust.

London-based Murray is on a team with two other women training for The World’s Toughest Row, which will take place in December 2025. They’ve already been planning and training for the event for over 18 months, and preparation for the undertaking is no small feat. First, there was securing the specialized ocean rowing boat, which costs $100,000 and is designed to withstand capsizing in giant ocean waves and contains enough compartments to hold the team’s food and other supplies for the entire journey. Then there’s funding and understanding all the equipment needed to support the crossing and the extensive safety preparations, ranging from mandatory medical, sea survival and navigation training to required number of hours of documented night and open water rowing.

“Part of the reason we selected The World’s Toughest Row is we wanted to have an adventure, but we didn’t want to be stupid about it,” Murray said. “It’s part of an organized row, and there are safety precautions and rules and regulations coming out of your ears.

It’s a little like banking in that regard,” she added with a laugh.

Finally, there is the physical preparation. Murray already was an avid coastal rower, taking up the sport in earnest about six years ago. The logistics of keeping a boat rowing properly on course, night and day, without interruption for an estimated 45 days straight brings its own unique challenges. Murray is focusing on building up her core strength and flexibility so her body can withstand rowing while the boat is rolled by ocean waves that could potentially top 30 feet.

“The most important thing is not getting injured, because if something happens and one of you can’t row you are really in trouble,” she said.

Beyond the challenge of continuously rowing, the team also has to successfully navigate trading spots within the boat every two or three hours, allowing each of the team members to briefly nap or prepare food so they each can consume the estimated 4,000 calories they will need each day. Murray plans to acclimate her body for that schedule by setting her alarm for all hours of the night and hopping on her rowing machine so she knows how to competently row while profoundly sleep-deprived.

“It’s given me a renewed appreciation for what a team can accomplish when the whole is greater than the sum of its parts …That’s what work is, too – people with different experiences and skills working together for the common goal of delivering effectively to our clients.”

– Jo Murray

Daunting as all of that sounds, Murray is invigorated by the scope of the undertaking and the bonding she’s already experienced with her two teammates, one of whom is a longtime friend she met through coastal rowing and the other who joined the team later and has become a dear friend too.

“I really like the idea of an adventure with a group of women who rely on each other,” she said. “We’ve formed that same kind of friendship and bond that you have with your close friends as a child.”

Murray is doing all of this while working full-time at U.S. Bank, heading the business management function within the bank’s Corporate Trust group in Europe. Corporate Trust supports issuers of debt, including institutional clients, corporations, other banks and investment managers. Preparing for The World’s Toughest Row has underscored the value of teamwork for Murray that she carries through to her work at the bank.

“It’s given me a renewed appreciation for what a team can accomplish when the whole is greater than the sum of its parts,” she said. “We are three women, and friends, who row together but we all have different backgrounds and skill sets. That’s what work is, too – people with different experiences and skills working together for the common goal of delivering effectively to our clients.”

Murray says her manager and colleagues have “all been incredibly supportive, but they also think I’m mad.”

When the event begins in December 2025, Murray and her team will have to complete the row completely unassisted. Any resupplies of food, potable water or other supplies will result in disqualification. Their boat will have beacons so it will be visible to ships and the boat must carry three satellite phones, but the team will mostly be out of touch with friends and family in England until they land on the shores of Antigua.

Murray’s team, named The Only Way is Rowing, is raising money with their adventure for three nonprofit organizations with their endeavor – Rewilding Britain, Wilderness Foundation UK and Shelter. The nonprofits’ missions are closely tied to team’s love of nature, helping preserve it or expand access to improve mental health and wellbeing.

“I love rowing on the open water – it’s so lovely. Being out in nature to helps to balance you,” she said. All of the team members “get so much pleasure from being out in the nature, and we want to give some of that back.”