Tag: 3BL

July 1, 2024 /3BL/ – The Healthcare Plastics Recycling Council is pleased to announce that Nic Hunt, Global Head of Sustainability at Nelipak Healthcare Packaging has been appointed to its Executive Committee. The Executive Committee, comprised of members from across the healthcare plastics value chain, serves as the primary decision-making body for HPRC, responsible for approval of new members, annual work plans and budgets as well as setting strategic direction for the future.

At Nelipak, Nic is focused on the rapidly changing purpose of materials in making the world more sustainable and healthier, with a better quality of life. His experience spans plastic, fiber-based, and nonwoven materials in the packaging, conversion, assembly, contract packaging, and composite materials industries.

“As a leader in sustainable healthcare packaging solutions, Nelipak brings critical expertise to our HPRC membership,” says Peylina Chu, Executive Director of HPRC. “I am looking forward to working with Nic more closely on the Executive Committee and leveraging his strategic thinking and European perspective to advance HPRC’s mission of creating a more circular economy for healthcare plastics.”

Established in 2010, HPRC is a member-based technical coalition comprised of material suppliers, convertors, medical device manufacturers, hospitals and recyclers that aims to enable implementation of viable, safe, and cost-effective recycling solutions for plastics products and packaging used in the delivery of healthcare, and to advocate for and help create a more sustainable and circular economy for these materials. HPRC is currently active in North America and Europe.

HPRC is currently engaged in multiple initiatives aimed at enabling the recycling and circularity of healthcare plastics, including research into advanced recycling technologies to recycle mixed-stream healthcare plastics; a study of sorting technologies and potential integration with healthcare plastics waste streams; development of streamlined sustainability procurement criteria for plastic medical packaging and devices; and design of a regional recycling pilot program in the Houston market intended to serve as a blueprint for other regions.

July 1, 2024 /3BL/ – The Healthcare Plastics Recycling Council is pleased to announce that Nic Hunt, Global Head of Sustainability at Nelipak Healthcare Packaging has been appointed to its Executive Committee. The Executive Committee, comprised of members from across the healthcare plastics value chain, serves as the primary decision-making body for HPRC, responsible for approval of new members, annual work plans and budgets as well as setting strategic direction for the future.

At Nelipak, Nic is focused on the rapidly changing purpose of materials in making the world more sustainable and healthier, with a better quality of life. His experience spans plastic, fiber-based, and nonwoven materials in the packaging, conversion, assembly, contract packaging, and composite materials industries.

“As a leader in sustainable healthcare packaging solutions, Nelipak brings critical expertise to our HPRC membership,” says Peylina Chu, Executive Director of HPRC. “I am looking forward to working with Nic more closely on the Executive Committee and leveraging his strategic thinking and European perspective to advance HPRC’s mission of creating a more circular economy for healthcare plastics.”

Established in 2010, HPRC is a member-based technical coalition comprised of material suppliers, convertors, medical device manufacturers, hospitals and recyclers that aims to enable implementation of viable, safe, and cost-effective recycling solutions for plastics products and packaging used in the delivery of healthcare, and to advocate for and help create a more sustainable and circular economy for these materials. HPRC is currently active in North America and Europe.

HPRC is currently engaged in multiple initiatives aimed at enabling the recycling and circularity of healthcare plastics, including research into advanced recycling technologies to recycle mixed-stream healthcare plastics; a study of sorting technologies and potential integration with healthcare plastics waste streams; development of streamlined sustainability procurement criteria for plastic medical packaging and devices; and design of a regional recycling pilot program in the Houston market intended to serve as a blueprint for other regions.

COMPTON, Calif., July 1, 2024 /3BL/ – Watts-Willowbrook Church of Christ, known as “The Brook (13204 Mona Blvd. Compton CA 90221),” in collaboration with RE-volv and California Interfaith Power & Light (CIPL), celebrated the commissioning of their new 12-kW rooftop solar and upcoming battery storage installation. The church’s move to adopt solar energy aims to alleviate financial strains, build community resilience, and bolster local clean energy projects and advocacy efforts.

The celebration included a ribbon-cutting ceremony, a speaking program featuring remarks from the Compton Mayor Emma Sharif, and a resiliency workshop. The Mayor presented two awards, recognizing The Brook and Ms. Linda Cleveland, long time community activist and church secretary, for their environmental leadership and contributions.

“While there is significant clean air and energy progress underway in South Central LA, more work needs to be done to educate community members on its benefits and how solar and other clean energy technologies are accessible to them today,” said Jacquelyn Badejo, Chair of the Climate Emergency Mobilization Commission, City of Los Angeles. “Since The Brook church uniquely serves three neighboring communities, it is the perfect home base to spread awareness, educate, and accelerate local clean energy adoption.”

During the ribbon cutting ceremony, Compton Mayor Emma Sharif stated, “This is a significant moment for our community and for the future of Compton.” Leticia Vasquez Wilson, Central Basin Water Board Director, on behalf of Laura Richardson, Former US Representative and community activist, followed by explaining, “The installation of solar panels at the Watts-Willowbrook Church of Christ represents more than just a move towards renewable energy – it represents hope, resilience, and progress for our community.”

With solar energy, the church is set to save $184,033 on electricity costs over the next 20 years, thanks in part to the direct pay, also known as elective pay, provision available through the Inflation Reduction Act. This provision allows tax-exempt organizations to receive 30% or more in cash back on the cost of a solar system. A grant from the Wells Fargo Foundation supported RE-volv bringing their innovative solar finance model to The Brook, allowing them to go solar for zero down and start saving on their energy bills on day one. Additionally, their solar system will allow The Brook to avoid emitting 646,378 lbs of CO2 emissions over the lifetime of the system, equivalent to the carbon sequestered by 350 acres of trees every year.

“The solar installation at the Watts-Willowbrook Church of Christ is an excellent example of how the Biden-Harris Administration is helping community-based institutions, especially in communities of color, make clean energy upgrades that reduce costs and lead to quality-of-life improvements. The Elective Pay tool in the Inflation Reduction Act continues to be a game-changer,” said Ronald Newman, Senior Advisor, IRA Implementation, U.S. Department of the Treasury

Andreas Karelas, Executive Director of RE-volv, highlighted, “Recent data suggests that when a nonprofit or house of worship goes solar, you can expect up to 80 residences in the area to follow suit over the next five years.” Karelas expresses gratitude for The Brook’s leadership and their commitment to educating community members about clean energy and community resilience.

The solar and soon-to-be battery storage system yields significant benefits beyond producing clean, affordable power. With support from CIPL, WATTSKANDA consulted the community during the resiliency workshop to customize their emergency services, including air filtration on unhealthy air quality days and air conditioning during heatwaves. The event also provided resources for residents, churches, and nonprofits interested in adopting solar energy, leveraging federal tax credits and funding opportunities through the Inflation Reduction Act.

“Our partnership with The Brook highlights the core mission of CIPL – to help faith communities take bold and just climate action”, said Bekah Estrada, Southern California Director of California Interfaith Power & Light. “The church’s new solar system will lower their carbon emissions and help save money, while building the foundation for a resilience hub in Compton.”

RE-volv, in partnership with Interfaith Power & Light (IPL) and Green the Church, with support from NREL‘s Solar Energy Innovation Network, recently developed an initiative to bring solar to BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color)-led Houses of Worship. The Brook is the first completed project of the initiative.

“The Wells Fargo Foundation is pleased to see that our support of RE-volv’s work is playing a key role in making this project happen,” said John Moon, senior vice president and sustainability philanthropy lead for Wells Fargo. “Accessing the direct pay provision from the IRA is a game-changer for non-profits and community organizations to be able to access affordable clean energy solutions and support community resiliency.”

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About Watts-Willowbrook Church of Christ (The Brook):

The Brook serves as a beacon of clean energy education and resilience, providing critical services during electric grid blackouts, heatwaves, or unhealthy air quality days. (13204 Mona Blvd. Compton CA 90221)

About WATTSKANDA

WATTSKANDA is a nonprofit organization focused on the social and ecological transformation of the people, community and land of Watts and beyond through Water, Air, Transportation, Telecommunications and Sustainability, Konnecting, Agriculture, and Natural resources in a Demonstration of Alliance. The “K” in Konnecting represents the kinetic energy of the community to move any effort forward. The Watts Clean Air and Energy Committee is a program of WATTSKANDA, which will soon launch a “Cooling Center and Oxygen Cafe” model. Your generous donation will make a significant impact, helping us meet our goals and support various projects. Join us in making a difference today! https://wattskanda.org/

About California Interfaith Power & Light (CIPL)

California Interfaith Power & Light inspires and mobilizes individuals and communities of faith and conscience to take bold and just action on climate change. By becoming a CIPL member congregation and signing a congregational covenant, any faith community can join this inter-religious network without paying dues or obligations. Member congregations commit to education about climate change, promoting sustainability, reducing pollution, and advocating for climate justice. CIPL provides resources, connections, and volunteer opportunities to help congregations advance climate justice efforts. For more information on how to support California Interfaith Power & Light, visit their website interfaithpower.org.

About RE-volv

RE-volv is a climate justice nonprofit that helps nonprofits in historically excluded communities across the country go solar, while raising awareness about equitable climate solutions and training the next generation of clean energy leaders. To date, RE-volv has developed and financed solar projects for over 70 nonprofits in 18 states, collectively saving them $20+ million on their electricity bills, allowing them to better serve their 50,000 beneficiaries. The 4MW+ of solar RE-volv installed to date will avoid 100,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions over the life of the systems. RE-volv is an inaugural member of the White House National Community Solar Partnership and is a member of the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Innovation Network. Learn more at re-volv.org.

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COMPTON, Calif., July 1, 2024 /3BL/ – Watts-Willowbrook Church of Christ, known as “The Brook (13204 Mona Blvd. Compton CA 90221),” in collaboration with RE-volv and California Interfaith Power & Light (CIPL), celebrated the commissioning of their new 12-kW rooftop solar and upcoming battery storage installation. The church’s move to adopt solar energy aims to alleviate financial strains, build community resilience, and bolster local clean energy projects and advocacy efforts.

The celebration included a ribbon-cutting ceremony, a speaking program featuring remarks from the Compton Mayor Emma Sharif, and a resiliency workshop. The Mayor presented two awards, recognizing The Brook and Ms. Linda Cleveland, long time community activist and church secretary, for their environmental leadership and contributions.

“While there is significant clean air and energy progress underway in South Central LA, more work needs to be done to educate community members on its benefits and how solar and other clean energy technologies are accessible to them today,” said Jacquelyn Badejo, Chair of the Climate Emergency Mobilization Commission, City of Los Angeles. “Since The Brook church uniquely serves three neighboring communities, it is the perfect home base to spread awareness, educate, and accelerate local clean energy adoption.”

During the ribbon cutting ceremony, Compton Mayor Emma Sharif stated, “This is a significant moment for our community and for the future of Compton.” Leticia Vasquez Wilson, Central Basin Water Board Director, on behalf of Laura Richardson, Former US Representative and community activist, followed by explaining, “The installation of solar panels at the Watts-Willowbrook Church of Christ represents more than just a move towards renewable energy – it represents hope, resilience, and progress for our community.”

With solar energy, the church is set to save $184,033 on electricity costs over the next 20 years, thanks in part to the direct pay, also known as elective pay, provision available through the Inflation Reduction Act. This provision allows tax-exempt organizations to receive 30% or more in cash back on the cost of a solar system. A grant from the Wells Fargo Foundation supported RE-volv bringing their innovative solar finance model to The Brook, allowing them to go solar for zero down and start saving on their energy bills on day one. Additionally, their solar system will allow The Brook to avoid emitting 646,378 lbs of CO2 emissions over the lifetime of the system, equivalent to the carbon sequestered by 350 acres of trees every year.

“The solar installation at the Watts-Willowbrook Church of Christ is an excellent example of how the Biden-Harris Administration is helping community-based institutions, especially in communities of color, make clean energy upgrades that reduce costs and lead to quality-of-life improvements. The Elective Pay tool in the Inflation Reduction Act continues to be a game-changer,” said Ronald Newman, Senior Advisor, IRA Implementation, U.S. Department of the Treasury

Andreas Karelas, Executive Director of RE-volv, highlighted, “Recent data suggests that when a nonprofit or house of worship goes solar, you can expect up to 80 residences in the area to follow suit over the next five years.” Karelas expresses gratitude for The Brook’s leadership and their commitment to educating community members about clean energy and community resilience.

The solar and soon-to-be battery storage system yields significant benefits beyond producing clean, affordable power. With support from CIPL, WATTSKANDA consulted the community during the resiliency workshop to customize their emergency services, including air filtration on unhealthy air quality days and air conditioning during heatwaves. The event also provided resources for residents, churches, and nonprofits interested in adopting solar energy, leveraging federal tax credits and funding opportunities through the Inflation Reduction Act.

“Our partnership with The Brook highlights the core mission of CIPL – to help faith communities take bold and just climate action”, said Bekah Estrada, Southern California Director of California Interfaith Power & Light. “The church’s new solar system will lower their carbon emissions and help save money, while building the foundation for a resilience hub in Compton.”

RE-volv, in partnership with Interfaith Power & Light (IPL) and Green the Church, with support from NREL‘s Solar Energy Innovation Network, recently developed an initiative to bring solar to BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color)-led Houses of Worship. The Brook is the first completed project of the initiative.

“The Wells Fargo Foundation is pleased to see that our support of RE-volv’s work is playing a key role in making this project happen,” said John Moon, senior vice president and sustainability philanthropy lead for Wells Fargo. “Accessing the direct pay provision from the IRA is a game-changer for non-profits and community organizations to be able to access affordable clean energy solutions and support community resiliency.”

______

 

About Watts-Willowbrook Church of Christ (The Brook):

The Brook serves as a beacon of clean energy education and resilience, providing critical services during electric grid blackouts, heatwaves, or unhealthy air quality days. (13204 Mona Blvd. Compton CA 90221)

About WATTSKANDA

WATTSKANDA is a nonprofit organization focused on the social and ecological transformation of the people, community and land of Watts and beyond through Water, Air, Transportation, Telecommunications and Sustainability, Konnecting, Agriculture, and Natural resources in a Demonstration of Alliance. The “K” in Konnecting represents the kinetic energy of the community to move any effort forward. The Watts Clean Air and Energy Committee is a program of WATTSKANDA, which will soon launch a “Cooling Center and Oxygen Cafe” model. Your generous donation will make a significant impact, helping us meet our goals and support various projects. Join us in making a difference today! https://wattskanda.org/

About California Interfaith Power & Light (CIPL)

California Interfaith Power & Light inspires and mobilizes individuals and communities of faith and conscience to take bold and just action on climate change. By becoming a CIPL member congregation and signing a congregational covenant, any faith community can join this inter-religious network without paying dues or obligations. Member congregations commit to education about climate change, promoting sustainability, reducing pollution, and advocating for climate justice. CIPL provides resources, connections, and volunteer opportunities to help congregations advance climate justice efforts. For more information on how to support California Interfaith Power & Light, visit their website interfaithpower.org.

About RE-volv

RE-volv is a climate justice nonprofit that helps nonprofits in historically excluded communities across the country go solar, while raising awareness about equitable climate solutions and training the next generation of clean energy leaders. To date, RE-volv has developed and financed solar projects for over 70 nonprofits in 18 states, collectively saving them $20+ million on their electricity bills, allowing them to better serve their 50,000 beneficiaries. The 4MW+ of solar RE-volv installed to date will avoid 100,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions over the life of the systems. RE-volv is an inaugural member of the White House National Community Solar Partnership and is a member of the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Innovation Network. Learn more at re-volv.org.

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Eastman

Already a leader in building a circular economy, Eastman took another step forward when it announced a second molecular recycling facility will be built in Longview, Texas. The project will now put Eastman out in front in the search for alternative, clean energy sources.

Powered by the selection to negotiate an award of up to $375 million from a U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED)* program targeting climate change, Eastman will use a relatively new energy technology — thermal batteries — on a scale never seen before. Eastman’s choice of thermal battery technology for zero-carbon process heat, combined with efficient and high-yield molecular recycling technology, will address two global challenges at once.

“This can be a game changer for addressing both the plastic waste crisis and the climate crisis at the same time,” said Sandeep Bangaru, vice president of Eastman’s circular platform. “We’re taking a leadership role in building the largest thermal battery project to date in our industry.”

Longview facility key to sustainability goals

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) funding comes from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act as part of the Industrial Demonstrations Program. The Longview project is part of Eastman’s commitment to invest more than $2 billion in molecular recycling facilities that process hard-to-recycle plastics. Eastman began operating the world’s largest material-to-material molecular recycling facility in Kingsport, Tennessee, earlier this year.

The Longview facility will have the capacity to process approximately 110,000 metric tons of hard-to-recycle plastic waste, and both the Kingsport and Longview plants will put Eastman on the path to achieving ambitious goals of recycling 250 million pounds of plastic annually by 2025 and double that volume by 2030.

The company also targets being carbon neutral by 2050. Eastman’s climate strategy includes increasing renewable energy and adopting alternative technologies, which will be front and center at the Longview molecular recycling facility.

Leadership on climate

In addition to familiar forms of renewables, including on-site solar, Eastman will deploy a recent innovation that produces zero-carbon heat: thermal batteries. This technology could be a breakthrough for powering industry with cleaner energy.

Eastman has been collaborating with Rondo Energy to deploy thermal batteries for the project. Rondo Heat Batteries (RHBs) are essentially modular units containing thousands of tons of brick and coils of metal, much like those in the toaster on your kitchen counter. RHBs transform intermittent renewable power — in Eastman’s case, much of it from new, on-site solar — into heat in excess of 1,000°C. The brick batteries can store massive amounts of heat for up to 24 hours with very little loss.

By incorporating thermal batteries fed by renewable energy, Eastman will be able to recycle hard-to-recycle polyester waste and produce new, recycled materials with up to 90% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than materials produced with fossil feedstocks. PepsiCo has already signed a contract to use Eastman Renew materials from the Longview facility to create more sustainable packaging with a much lower carbon footprint.

John O’Donnell, CEO of Rondo, said the project demonstrates how collaboration can deliver a multiplier effect with cutting-edge technologies.

“Our work with Eastman illustrates how innovation and collaboration are essential to address great world challenges,” O’Donnell said. “Years of innovation and development by Eastman in molecular recycling combined with Rondo’s expertise in thermal batteries have delivered a moment where these technologies can be deployed together at large scale.“

Thermal batteries could be a ‘game changer’

Neil Brown, an Eastman engineer who is a leader in assessing renewable energy, said thermal batteries could be a critical innovation for decarbonizing industry.

“This can be a true game changer for providing low- or zero-carbon power for industrial processes,” Brown said. “Anywhere there are great needs for process heat — and Eastman uses a lot of heat to power our processes — thermal batteries can be a solution because you’re able to store heat for so long with so little loss. Another plus of building this new facility at an existing site is that if we run into challenges as we’re integrating the new thermal technology, we have backup steam and power systems in place to allow continued operations.”

In addition to the clean energy and circular economy advantages, there will be tangible benefits for the community. Eastman has committed a $20 million investment for a comprehensive community benefit plan that is part of the DOE award. The overall Longview project will create 1,000 temporary construction and trade jobs and 200 full-time jobs when construction is complete in the 2027 time frame.

*The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED) was established to accelerate clean energy technologies and fill a critical innovation gap on the path to achieving our nation’s climate goals of net zero emissions by 2050. OCED’s mission is to deliver clean energy demonstration projects at scale in partnership with the private sector to accelerate deployment, market adoption, and the equitable transition to a decarbonized energy system. Visit energy.gov/oced to learn more.

On the 5th to the 6th of June, over 250 delegates gathered at the Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh, Scotland to discuss water stewardship at the 2024 Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) Forum.

Among the attendees were 17 members of the Inogen Alliance Water Working Group, who gathered to discuss the pressing issue of water stewardship under the theme “Convergence.” Inogen Alliance currently hosts a over 30 AWS Accredited consultants, from a total of 16 countries and speaking more than 10 languages. For the second year, Inogen Alliance was an official sponsor of the event with Associates Anew Global Consulting, Antea Group USA, Antea Brasil, Baden Consulting, Chola Risk MS, HPC Envirotec France, HPC Italy, Peter J. Ramsay & Associates and Tonkin + Taylor.

Below are some of their key takeaways from this year’s forum.

Version 3.0 of AWS Standard

The forum kicked off with the announcement that version 3.0 of the AWS Standard is slated for release later this year. This new version aims to streamline and simplify the standard. One of the key points frequently discussed was the urgent need for the AWS Standard to interconnect or overlap with other disclosure frameworks, both voluntary (CDP, TNFD) and mandatory (CSRD), or risk being overlooked by businesses.

CSRD was a particularly hot topic, given that it introduced mandatory water disclosure through the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) as of January 1st, 2024. This development makes it increasingly difficult for businesses to ignore water security issues. Since businesses must disclose through CSRD, aligning the AWS Standard with it is crucial. Without such alignment, companies might bypass the AWS Standard to meet CSRD requirements.

Alignment with voluntary disclosure frameworks is equally important for fostering better water stewardship. For instance, CDP drives water action across supply chains, promotes stewardship at the source, and encourages collective action between suppliers and buyers. This creates opportunities for businesses to proactively address water risk problems. A 2021 CDP report highlighted that “the cost of water risks to business could be over five times greater than the cost of taking action now to address those risks,” underscoring the economic benefits of proactive water stewardship.

In summary, if the AWS Standard doesn’t offer alignment, many businesses may prefer using required disclosure frameworks or voluntary ones that offer long-term cost savings and risk mitigation. This makes the integration of the AWS Standard with these frameworks essential for its widespread adoption and effectiveness in promoting global water stewardship.

Connecting with Wider Communities

As mentioned, the central theme of the forum was convergence, with a strong emphasis on bringing more sectors outside of traditional water stewardship into the conversation. Engaging local policymakers, communities, and other authorities can significantly raise the visibility of water issues and climate change. Often, governments are absent from these discussions, but their involvement can enhance the visibility and impact of the water stewardship community. Additionally, promoting collective action and fostering more water stewardship champions is crucial to expanding the community’s reach.

The goal is clear: responsible water stewardship must become a non-negotiable norm, as it is fundamentally linked to climate resilience. The water stewardship community must embrace the complexity of climate change and use it to understand interconnected challenges. Water can be both a solution and a medium for resilience. Technology, partnerships, and the convergence of diverse stakeholders are key to navigating this complexity and fostering resilience through innovative stewardship methods. By embracing these strategies, the water stewardship community can drive meaningful change and build a sustainable future

Collective Action and Community Convergence

The concept of collective action was also a recurring theme, stressing the importance of coordinated efforts in the same locations at the same time. By collecting and sharing data from these efforts, companies can direct their actions to complement and reinforce each other, thereby maximizing impact.

One example case of collective action discussed was the Charco Bendito project in Mexico. This is a highly water-stressed area that saw a successful reforestation program. This program successfully brought together diverse stakeholders from corporations and the local community. By working together, reforestation was possible, although their next goal is to scale up. The ambition for phase two is to develop a flexible model for nature-based solutions, engage policy makers, global corporations, and local communities to reforest even more extensively with proper financial planning in place.

Beatrice Bizzaro, Water Working Group Lead of Inogen Alliance, facilitated a session dedicated to learnings and best practices from AWS Standard implementing Sites.

“This was a very special session as Sites were able to share their hands-on experiences from water stewardship implementation journeys. Deploying a corporate commitment and making it become a local reality through specific actionable and tangible objectives is no easy task: you must set the context, prepare the minds, and make people understand that what they are doing really is in light of a more sustainable and secure future. However, the role of collective action and community convergence is fundamental for scaling up not only actions, but also best practices to create even greater success stories within a watershed context,” Beatrice Bizzaro.

The Impact Accelerator

The AWS Impact Accelerator was highlighted as the simplest way to scale the AWS standard. This initiative accelerates impact through a collective, place-based approach, involving companies in scoping locations, securing buy-in, and developing budgets. The ambition is to establish annually repeating impact accelerators in the same locations, fostering long-term water stewardship commitments. Check out more on this initiative in our on-demand webinar here.

Future Directions

In summary, the Forum was a convergence of ideas, strategies, and commitments to advance water stewardship globally. The path forward involves more alignment with existing reporting methods, collaboration with local policy makers and communities, and connecting the water stewardship community to broader audiences. With the upcoming release of AWS Standard 3.0 and a reinforced focus on collective action, the water stewardship community looks to continue tackling water-related challenges and promoting sustainable water management practices worldwide.

Interested in learning more about Water Stewardship services? Check out more here!

Inogen Alliance is a global network made up of dozens of independent local businesses and over 6,000 consultants around the world who can help make your project a success. Our Associates collaborate closely to serve multinational corporations, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations, and we share knowledge and industry experience to provide the highest quality service to our clients. If you want to learn more about how you can work with Inogen Alliance, you can explore our Associates or Contact Us. Watch for more News & Blog updates here and follow us on LinkedIn.

By Sian Welch

When the calendar flips to June 1, many of us notice a change on our social media platforms; corporate logos swap from traditional branding to that sporting technicolor rainbows. This signals the observance of Pride Month, a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community and a month of recognition that dates back to the 1969 Stonewall uprising, where actions of queer resistance and liberation took root as an enduring, ever-vigilant call to drive change.

And now, fast-forward to where we are today on July 1, those bold logos are all but gone—and often with them the celebratory spirit of inclusivity, sanctuary and allyship. This has come to be known as “rainbow washing,” where entities display LGBTQ+ insignia and symbolism during Pride Month, but don’t actively pursue policies or support people who identify as LGBTQ+. Many of these organizations don’t know where to start—and the fact that action pays dividends.

Global studies show that employees in diverse and inclusive workplaces are more likely to enjoy their jobs, work harder, innovate more and ultimately stay with their employers longer. Diverse organizations have also been found to be nearly a third more productive and 21% more profitable than their peers–there is hope yet for organizations to act, implementing an inclusive culture, and putting some meat behind those rainbow logos.

At IWBI, we’ve developed research-backed tools to help organizations create places where people can thrive—where everyone feels welcome, seen and heard. The WELL Equity Rating is a roadmap that empowers organizations to take action and drive accountability toward their diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility goals. The rating helps organizations prioritize and implement equitable policies, programs and design interventions for the most marginalized people, including the LGBTQ+ community, allowing companies to proactively put measures in place that drive change—internally and externally.

Features of the rating are designed to be flexible because we know things are never one-size-fits-all. If you design with everyone in mind, we all benefit.

As the symbols of Pride month fade away in favor of the next big celebration, it’s the progress we’ve made that matters most. Because while we celebrate Pride for one month, the inclusion we strive for requires permanent change, and that requires our attention all 365 days of the year.

View original content here.

Programs will impact students and educators in Argentina, Japan, Nigeria, Spain and the United States

MIDLAND, Mich., July 1, 2024 /3BL/ – Dow (NYSE: DOW) and Teach For All expand collaboration to support Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) teacher recruitment, professional development and placement. The programming will continue to take place in underserved schools in Bahía Blanca, Argentina; Chiba, Saitama, and Ishikawa, Japan; Lagos, Nigeria; Tarragona, Spain; and, new this year, Plaquemine, United States.

“Since joining forces with Teach For All, we have made an incredible impact together,” said Bob Plishka, global director of Strategic Corporate Partnerships and Dow Company Foundation president. “Through our funding, Teach For All was able to reach more than 10,000 students, and this year, we are excited to expand our work to include educators and students in Louisiana.”

By collaborating with organizations like Teach For All, Dow aims to ensure equitable access to STEM education, help develop and support educators and improve students’ readiness.

Teach For All is a growing network of independent partner organizations and a global organization working to develop collective leadership to improve the quality of education for all children and break down the barriers standing in the way of their ability to learn and thrive. It has grown to include 62 network partners across six continents, with 13,000+ current teachers and 100,000+ alumni. Since 2022, Dow’s support for Teach For All has enabled the following outcomes:

62 STEM educators recruited and trained as part of the programsUp to 30% improvement in student performance in the countries where the programs were implemented

“Since 2022, we have proudly partnered with Dow, collaborating on significant support for young people in our shared communities. We’re delighted that with each renewal of the partnership, we’ve expanded the reach of our work together, this time extending that support to the United States. We’re so grateful to Dow and their colleagues for their continued support in helping ensure all children can fulfill their potential,” said Wendy Kopp, CEO and Co-Founder of Teach For All.

About Teach For All 
Teach For All is a global network of 62 independent, locally led organizations and a global organization united by a commitment to developing collective leadership to ensure all children can fulfill their potential. Each network partner recruits and develops promising leaders to teach in their nations’ under-resourced schools and communities and, with this foundation, to work with others, inside and outside of education, towards a world where all children have the education, support, and opportunity to shape a better future. Teach For All’s global organization works to increase the network’s impact by supporting the development of new organizations; fostering network connectivity and learning; providing coaching and consulting; and enabling access to global resources for the benefit of the network.

About Dow 
Dow (NYSE: DOW) is one of the world’s leading materials science companies, serving customers in high-growth markets such as packaging, infrastructure, mobility and consumer applications. Our global breadth, asset integration and scale, focused innovation, leading business positions and commitment to sustainability enable us to achieve profitable growth and help deliver a sustainable future. We operate manufacturing sites in 31 countries and employ approximately 35,900 people. Dow delivered sales of approximately $45 billion in 2023. References to Dow or the Company mean Dow Inc. and its subsidiaries. Learn more about us and our ambition to be the most innovative, customer-centric, inclusive and sustainable materials science company in the world by visiting www.dow.com.

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For further information, please contact:

Jess MacDonald 
jmacdonald1@dow.com

Henry Anumudu 
henry.anumudu@teachforall.org

For the 11th year, Points of Light has named Comcast NBCUniversal to The Civic 50, which recognizes the 50 most community-minded companies in the United States. Comcast NBCUniversal is one of only a small number of companies that have consistently achieved such high marks in the program’s 12-year history.

“The way we invest in and support our communities is such an important part of who we are at Comcast NBCUniversal,” said Dalila Wilson-Scott, EVP and Chief Diversity Officer, Comcast Corporation and President, Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation. “It’s an honor to be named to The Civic 50, and to work with partners and teammates who are doing such great work to help make our communities stronger and our future brighter.”

Comcast NBCUniversal’s longstanding commitment to driving positive social impact includes Project UP, our $1 billion digital equity and economic mobility initiative that’s opening doors for the next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs, storytellers, and creators. During another impactful year of collaboration and community investment, we worked to build a future of unlimited possibilities by helping more people gain the connectivity, skills and resources needed to thrive in our digital world.

In 2023, we partnered with the National Skills Coalition to help local and state leaders bridge existing workforce development programs with federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program and Digital Equity Act funding – highlighting the role digital skills and workforce development programs play in closing the digital divide. We grew our network of Digital Navigators – trusted individuals trained to help people build digital skills, get a device, and leverage other resources. We also expanded our support of college- and career-readiness programs, in 2023 granting more than $25 million to community organizations that provide skill building, job training and other career development offerings to ensure children and adults have the resources and support needed to build a stronger, more equitable workforce.

Comcast NBCUniversal’s commitment to community also includes our year-round employee volunteer and engagement programs. In 2023, over 16,000 employees engaged in volunteer efforts and board service dedicating nearly 130,000 volunteer hours. In addition, through our matching gift program, employees raised approximately $6 million in donations supporting community organizations nationwide.

The Civic 50 is an initiative of Points of Light, the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service. Determined by an annual survey, the list serves as a benchmarking tool and platform for sharing best practices in the corporate citizenship sector.

Like the conductor of an orchestra, Ron Erdmann leads a closely coordinated team of professionals. But instead of music, Ron is conducting American’s Boeing 777 operation on a recent afternoon.

Ron, a 35-year veteran of the airline, is an operations coordinator based at American’s Integrated Operations Center (IOC) in Fort Worth, Texas. Before him is a three-dimensional puzzle that’s playing out across five continents: the 67 777s in American’s fleet and the backbone of the airline’s long-haul operation.

At his side are the three other members of his unit: senior aircraft router Matt Hair, who looks after the aircraft themselves; crew coordinator Tiffany Gray-Coleman, who ensures the aircraft have crews available for their flights; and system customer service manager Robert Thornhill, who looks after customers.

Think of these units as teams of problem solvers who are committed to getting customers, team members and aircraft on their way when they’re thrown operational curveballs — and looking ahead to prevent issues from getting worse — or appearing altogether.

“An ounce of prevention goes a long way for our operation,” Ron said.

Saving the day for our customers

IOC units like the 777 unit — one of 11 in the building — are known to devise creative solutions when needed to save the day for American’s customers.

Take the time that a group of 54 customers traveling from Sao Paulo, Brazil (GRU), to Orlando, Florida (MCO), were going to misconnect at American’s Miami (MIA) hub. In the unit, the system customer service manager worked closely with the ops coordinator to develop a solution that allowed American to fly the large group to MCO on the same day. The solution? Creating an additional flight that’s known as an extra section.

The maintenance router found an available aircraft at MIA that could accommodate the group, while the crew coordinator found a crew that could staff the flight. The plan worked, and other customers were even able to take advantage of this extra section. Had it not worked, the group would have had to remain in MIA overnight and would have likely been separated as they made their way to MCO.

Recently, the Boeing 787 unit worked together to race a line of weather that was about to impact American’s Chicago (ORD) hub and a critical ORD-London Heathrow (LHR) flight that was scheduled to arrive close to the airport’s curfew time. The unit coordinated a 15-minute early departure that allowed the aircraft to beat the weather and avoid a lengthy delay of at least 8 hours. To make this plan work, the crew coordinator worked to ensure the crew knew of the earlier time and the system customer service manager worked to ensure that there were no tight inbound connections that could be jeopardized by the earlier departure time.

A day in the life

That afternoon, the 777 unit with Ron, Robert, Matt and Tiffany looked after American’s customers — and operation — in a number of ways:

The team proactively looked at opportunities to swap aircraft — switching one aircraft’s flight assignment for another — to help keep the operation on track. For instance, Matt and Ron proactively looked at the estimated arrival times for different 777 aircraft at London Heathrow (LHR) the following morning and made these swaps to maximize the time between flights, which helps ensure on-time departures.A medical diversion saw the unit do two things: work to ensure a customer requiring medical attention was getting the necessary care on the ground and devising a plan for the flight to continue to its destination, which it did after the quick diversion.

Throughout the shift, Ron was looking at the big picture, while Robert was looking out for the customers, Matt was ensuring that aircraft were being sent on the correct flights and Tiffany was looking out for crew issues, ensuring flights were staffed with crew who could operate them.

The unit makes decisions with American’s customers in mind and collectively looks after customers across more than 6,000 flights and 1,500 aircraft a day. Safely solving for the customer — and American’s system — is the main goal. Whether it’s devising an operational plan when a customer has a medical emergency or helping to restart the operation after severe weather impacts a hub, the IOC unit is there to help solve any problems that may arise, day and night.