Tag: 3BL

According to McKinsey, in the US alone the data center market is expected to reach 35 gigawatts by 2030, which is a 48% increase over the 17 gigawatts the market had in 2022. The US accounts for approximately 40% of the global data center market, and similar growth is expected across the global market. To meet demand, existing data center providers are building new data centers with new data center companies entering the market each year.

Data centers were historically owned/operated by one enterprise who was responsible for health and safety*. The boom of 3rd party data centers, especially with multiple tenants, has resulted in a complex multi-employer work environment. The recognition of safety hazards associated with these complex multi-employer spaces has only emerged over the past 5-7 years. Implementing company-wide health and safety programs designed to mitigate multi-employer risks has been challenging, as these data center businesses have been in a rapid growth cycle since 2020. The rapid growth has resulted in a large data center industry, in which many companies are less than six years old, safety programs that are not fully mature, and limited numbers of safety professionals with data center experience.

Collective Industry Action to Address Safety Gaps

In August 2023, 25 data center H&S professionals representing 12 companies gathered to discuss H&S challenges and share best practices across the industry. Recognizing the opportunity for industry leadership, a group of data center companies founded the Data Center Safety Council Council, an industry consortium dedicated to developing collaborative solutions to some of the data center industry’s most pressing H&S challenges. Sarah Kasper, Senior Director, Environment, Health and Safety at EdgeCore Digital Infrastructure, eloquently articulates the “why” for the formation of this consortium at this critical time in the industry.

Consistency and Uniformity

The primary motivation for establishing the Data Center Safety Council is to achieve consistency and uniformity in safety protocols. Different data centers often have varying safety practices, which can lead to confusion and communication breakdowns. By standardizing safety expectations, the council ensures that all workers, regardless of their location or the company they work for, adhere to the same protocols. This uniformity reduces confusion, enhances communication, and fosters a unified approach to safety in all data centers.

Enhanced Safety Performance

Standardized safety expectations help to establish a baseline for safety performance, which is essential for minimizing accidents, incidents, and injuries. With clear, consistent guidelines in place, data centers can more effectively safeguard their employees by creating a safer working environment for all employees involved in commissioning, operations, and maintenance activities. This not only protects workers but also contributes to a safer, more reliable operation. By establishing these standards, the council aims to significantly improve safety performance across the board.

Risk Mitigation

A proactive approach to safety is critical in the high-stakes environment of data centers. Standardized safety expectations help in identifying and mitigating potential hazards before they become issues. Clear guidelines and procedures allow for a systematic approach to risk management, promoting a culture where safety is a continuous priority. This proactive stance is essential for preventing accidents and ensuring the well-being of all employees. By setting clear guidelines and procedures, the Safety Council can help in preventing potential hazards and promoting a culture of safety consciousness among workers.

Regulatory Compliance

Compliance with safety regulations and industry standards is non-negotiable in the data center industry. Standardizing safety expectations helps ensure that all data centers operate within legal requirements, avoiding potential penalties and demonstrating a commitment to high safety standards. This not only protects the companies legally but also enhances their reputation as responsible and conscientious operators.

Efficiency and Productivity

When safety protocols are standardized, workers can perform their tasks more efficiently, knowing that they are protected and procedures are clear. This reduces the likelihood of disruptions caused by safety incidents, thereby enhancing overall productivity. The Safety Council’s efforts to minimize risks directly contribute to smoother, more efficient operations across multiple data centers.

Industry Leadership

Establishing a Safety Council focused on standardizing safety expectations showcases industry leadership and a commitment to excellence in safety practices. This collaboration showcases the dedication to setting high standards and leading by example. It enhances the reputation of data center owners within the industry as responsible and safety-conscious organizations willing to work together for the greater good.

Continuous Improvement

The Data Center Safety Council can serve as a platform for continuous improvement in safety practices by fostering collaboration, sharing best practices, and implementing feedback mechanisms from workers. This iterative approach can lead to a culture of learning and improvement in safety standards.

A Step Forward

In the rapidly growing data center industry, safety is paramount. There is a need for collaboration and standardization of best practices due to the unique hazards present across the data center industry and the rapid surge of infrastructure development. Prioritizing health and safety is crucial to manage operational complexities and worker safety across the industry and ensure sustained success of the data center industry. The formation of the Data Center Safety Council demonstrates leadership from key industry stakeholders coming together to standardize safety expectations, enhance the experience of workers, and foster a culture of safety across the industry.

 

About the Data Center Safety Council

Established in January 2024 by founding members EdgeCore Digital Infrastructure , Salesforce, STACK Infrastructure, Vantage Data Centers, and Yondr Group, the Data Center Safety Council was created to establish a unified approach towards ensuring safety and wellbeing of personnel in data center operations. The vision is to create a forum where health and safety professionals work collaboratively as an industry group to improve data center worker safety wholistically. Together, member companies will address common issues and seek long-term solutions with vendors and suppliers for the benefit and safety of data center workers. For more information, please contact Kate Asleson at kate.asleson@anteagroup.us

* “Safety” throughout this article considers the whole occupational health and safety agenda.

Our people making a difference is a series featured throughout Owens Corning’s 2023 Sustainability Report.

With over 25 years’ experience in environmental management, circularity, decarbonization, and policy, Petra Inghelbrecht brings a wealth of insight to Owens Corning. She has unique insights into sustainability on a global level — the large brands driving trends, the push for increased legislation in the region, and the spread from Europe into other regions around the world. Petra shares some of her insights here, and offers her perspective on our approach to building a circular economy.

On the need to rethink our approach to waste 

Waste needs to become a raw material. If you do that, you can really grow without being that dependent on your resources. There is a sustainability element to this, but also a bit of a strategic element, because we cannot keep mining and extracting our raw materials. In Europe, we’re at that stage where this is what the markets expect from us. Circular business models also allow us to work in closed loop systems with our customers and value chain. If we take back waste and bring it back as recycled content in our product, we are working in a closed loop, which is good from a sustainability point of view, but also very strategic because we are working with customers, making us both stronger — this is the double win on circularity.

On what set Owens Corning apart in circularity 

First of all, there’s a strong, innovative, technology-driven focus here, in combination with a marketdriven approach. We work with our customers and value chains to see things from their perspective. We understand the markets and the regulations, and this is the basis for the strategies we set.

Secondly, we are an innovative company that is really agile, enabling us to develop, test, and implement new things, and this combination is quite powerful. It’s a collaboration across teams and businesses with a lot of interaction and overlap, and we are progressing extremely well. The team is really enthusiastic, and I’m amazed by the level of engagement I see in the people. They’re really growing in their leadership and pushing it further. This is really a positive dynamic I see in Owens Corning and circularity, and I really like that a lot.

On the need for an integrated strategy for sustainability 

Circularity is not one solution fits all. You need to be circular and decarbonize and reduce environmental impacts. This is an important thing about circularity — it’s about winning together. We provide solutions for customers’ waste and we give it back as a solution for them. We are first focusing on our customer’s waste, where our customers win and our end markets win — and we are an essential part of that chain. We need to do it together. On circularity, it’s not only internal with Owens Corning. It’s really about collaborating across the value chain, with customers, recyclers, transporters, and end-markets. Together, we can create a positive impact on the market.

Mastercard

We’re thrilled that Mastercard has been named one of the World’s Most Sustainable Companies 2024 by TIME! This award is granted based on a comprehensive research study conducted by Statista and recognizes companies that are preserving the planet for future generations.

Here at Mastercard, we know that we all need a healthy planet to succeed. That’s why we’re driving toward net zero emissions and accelerating the transition to a low-carbon, regenerative economy. We will continue striving toward a future where people and the planet can thrive.

Read more below: https://time.com/collection/worlds-most-sustainable-companies-2024/

About Mastercard

Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments industry. Our mission is to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere by making transactions safe, simple, smart and accessible. Using secure data and networks, partnerships and passion, our innovations and solutions help individuals, financial institutions, governments and businesses realize their greatest potential. With connections across more than 210 countries and territories, we are building a sustainable world that unlocks priceless possibilities for all.

Originally published by Mastercard

Follow along Mastercard’s journey to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere.

French renewables startup Sweetch Energy will rely on extensive domain expertise and global presence from Rockwell Automation (NYSE:ROK) to help scale its osmotic power generation technology.

Osmotic energy is naturally generated by the difference in salinity between freshwater and seawater. The INOD® (Ionic Nano Osmotic Diffusion) technology developed by Sweetch Energy is the first technology of its kind to be marketed on an industrial scale.

Using Rockwell’s turnkey process control platform and visualization technology, Sweetch Energy will optimize its unique zero-carbon electricity generation technology in its first osmotic demonstrator plant at the Barcarin lock in Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône, France. The company plans to deploy several osmotic stations at the mouth of the Rhône to harness natural osmotic energy. These stations will represent up to 500 MW of carbon-free electricity production capacity, capable of supplying more than 1.5 million people – the equivalent to the population of cities such as Marseille and its surrounding areas, Barcelona, Amsterdam, or Montreal.

Manufactured using environmentally friendly bio-sourced materials, the osmotic generators can be located at any estuary or delta. Water is the only input in the process and is fully returned to the river mouth, with no chemical waste or pollutants created. And, unlike other renewables, it is not dependent on weather conditions and can produce clean electricity continuously.

Rockwell technologies will be used to automate, control, and monitor the system as well as optimize the process and power-generation efficiency. The technology to be deployed at the pilot plant is also highly scalable, allowing Sweetch Energy to create standardized, modular, with worldwide support for installations of any size, anywhere.

Learn more about Rockwell’s sustainably advantaged solutions.

As published on the Pentair Blog.

Pentair Pool is furthering its mission of helping people safely and sustainably enjoy water by continuing to highlight the importance of water safety awareness and learning to swim through a commitment to support Step Into Swim, an initiative of the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA). Pentair’s commitment to a Diamond Level sponsorship was announced at the U.S. Olympic Team Swimming Trials in Indianapolis, IN, and will help increase access to swim lessons and water safety resources across North America.

“Pentair Pool has been a longtime advocate of water safety and an incredible partner to PHTA, and we are thrilled to expand that partnership through their generous support of Step Into Swim,” said Olympic Gold Medalist Rowdy Gaines, PHTA Vice President of Partnerships & Development, who leads the Step Into Swim initiative. “Thanks to Pentair Pool, children around the country will learn to be safer and more confident in and around the water — a lifelong skill that saves lives.”

Together, Pentair Pool and Step Into Swim will help provide learn-to-swim programming for thousands of children annually. Pentair Pool, a long-standing proponent of water safety education, has sponsored water safety programming, including the annual National Water Safety Month initiative, for nearly 10 years.

“At Pentair Pool our mission is to help people safely and sustainably enjoy water,” said Greg Claffey, PHTA board member and Pentair Pool president. “This partnership exemplifies our commitment to supporting the communities in which we live and work by helping to safely advance the next generation of swimmers.”

Step Into Swim supporters provide the lifesaving skill of learning to swim and raising awareness for the aquatic industry’s role in improving public health and safety. In 2023, Step Into Swim raised over $1.4 million, which provided grants to more than 100 facilities in 32 states and Canada and funded swim lessons for 23,500 children. The initiative has gifted more than 330,000 swim lessons since 2012. The program is funded through partner contributions, which are integral for advancing the mission. Every dollar donated goes directly to learn-to-swim programming. To learn more, visit www.stepintoswim.com.

This episode features an interview with Angelique (Angie) Dickson, the President of the Inogen Alliance and Senior Vice President of Antea Group USA. She brings over two decades of global management and consulting experience focused on sustainability in a global climate. In this episode, Angie explores the current EHS landscape and the ways we are rethinking the future of EHS. She highlights major EHS challenges and future trends and emphasizes the need for global cooperation and agility. In addition to the conversation with Angie, we’ll hear from other EHS leaders around the world about their thoughts on rethinking EHS.

Listen here.

BY PEDRO GONÇALVES FOR TETRA PAK

Originally published by Fast Company

For seven decades, Tetra Pak has led innovation in the food and beverage industry. Our commitment to solving challenges drives us to develop comprehensive solutions using cutting-edge technology. No other food and beverage company is better equipped to help in this transition.

Implementing resource-efficient equipment and sustainable food packaging through a legacy of expertise uniquely positions Tetra Pak, and our customers, to bring forth solutions that shape a brighter future. And we won’t stop collaborating towards new pathways that help feed a growing world.

Continue reading here

Stephanie Knight has already hit a few milestones in her five-year career at Clorox.

After helping lead our Aberdeen, Maryland, site through the beginnings of COVID-19 as the assistant plant manager, she transitioned to our Glad manufacturing facility in Rogers, Arkansas, as the plant manager — the first woman in that role and also the youngest.

“We make bleach at the Aberdeen plant, and I remember thinking on my first day that it smelled like my grandmother’s house,” Stephanie says. “I wanted to apply at Clorox because I love the brands. I’m very loyal, and whenever I think of Clorox, I think about brands that I can get behind.”

Her background in chemical engineering has enabled her to apply her expertise across multiple brands, including to her latest role leading supply chain for our Burt’s Bees business, where she helps build people-centered teams that drive outcomes in an inclusive way.

“Spoiler alert: You don’t have to be a scientist to be an engineer,” says Stephanie. “I’m the type of engineer that works on problems in operations, trying to ensure that our equipment is running better and our people are supported. I get to go to the plant in my steel toes and see where our products come to life. Getting our products into the hands of our consumers is what we’re all about.”

There’s a bit of competitive spirit behind Stephanie’s drive to succeed. “We like to be the best,” she says. “We’re the brand leaders in every category that we play in, and there’s a lot of pride that comes with that. And it’s one of the reasons why I work here. Why do something if you’re not going to be proud about it?”

Learn more about life at Clorox here.

Originally published in GoDaddy’s 2023 Sustainability Report

Cybersecurity and Data Privacy

Cybersecurity and data privacy are a top priority for GoDaddy as an operator of large internet infrastructure. We take our commitment to cybersecurity and data privacy seriously. We maintain enterprise-wide cybersecurity and data privacy programs designed to manage the risks to GoDaddy’s information systems, customer data, and personal information of our customers and employees from cyber threats, and to comply with our regulatory obligations.

Our approach to management of cybersecurity risk and data privacy obligations includes:

Board Oversight: Our Board oversees the company’s cybersecurity risk management program through its Audit and Finance Committee. The Audit and Finance Committee receives regular reports from GoDaddy’s Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) regarding the state of the company’s cybersecurity program. These reports are shared, at least quarterly, with the Board of Directors. In addition, our Corporate Audit Services team audits our privacy practices, and the results of those audits are presented to senior leadership and discussed with the Audit and Finance Committee. Updates on privacy and cybersecurity matters are also included as part of the Audit and Finance Committee’s review of the Company’s enterprise risk management efforts. 
 Cybersecurity Risk Management: Our management is responsible for identifying, assessing, and managing the company’s material cybersecurity risks on an ongoing basis; establishing processes designed to help ensure that potential cybersecurity risk exposures are monitored; putting in place appropriate mitigation and remediation measures; and maintaining the company’s cybersecurity programs. GoDaddy’s CISO has primary responsibility for the company’s programs for identifying, assessing, and managing the company’s cybersecurity risks. The CISO reports directly to the company’s Chief Technology Officer and regularly provides reports and updates to the company’s Chief Executive Officer on significant cybersecurity-related matters relevant to the company’s cybersecurity risk. 
 Privacy Program Management: Our Privacy Officer manages our Data Privacy Office and global privacy program. Our Data Privacy Office is responsible for day-to-day operations of our privacy program, including but not limited to conducting privacy impact assessments, providing training to employees, responding to data subject requests, and responding to inquiries from data protection authorities. Other personnel and departments at GoDaddy also assist the Data Privacy Office, including but not limited to the company’s Legal and Information Security teams.

Cybersecurity

We’re committed to protecting customer information from cybersecurity threats. Our information security team uses a variety of controls to protect our systems and customer information from cybersecurity threats. Some of their efforts include:

Proactive Monitoring and Assessment: We use monitoring and detection tools designed to identify and mitigate threats before they impact GoDaddy or our customers. We also regularly scan our environment to identify potential vulnerabilities. 
 Security by Design: Our developers are encouraged to consider cybersecurity from the initial design phase of our products to completion. We also have designed and implemented risk-based processes and procedures to conduct security reviews on new or updated applications prior to launch. 
 Security Frameworks: Some parts of our business are required to align with specialized frameworks, such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI-DSS) for handling payment card data. Where required by our customer or other agreements, we align our practices and controls with other recognized standards such as International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 27001. 
 Incident Response: We have a dedicated incident response team that works with our business units and other internal and external subject matter experts to respond to potential cybersecurity incidents. In 2023, we updated our policies and procedures for reporting cybersecurity threats internally to strengthen our overall response capabilities.

Employee Training and Education 

GoDaddy employees receive annual data security and privacy training through our Do The Right Thing (DTRT) compliance training. We also send alerts to employees to keep them updated on the latest security threats and host regular workshops for specific teams on privacy topics.

Data Privacy 

We take a proactive approach to managing our data privacy obligations. Some of our efforts include:

Establishing Core Data Privacy Practices: We empower our customers, employees, and individual data subjects to manage their privacy preferences and exercise their privacy rights when visiting our websites, using our services, communicating with us, or working with us. Our core privacy practices are set forth in our Global Privacy Notice and related privacy policies. We apply our core practices to all individuals with whom we interact.

Global Regulatory Compliance: While we maintain a global privacy program where we apply a core set of common principles to how we handle personal data, we are mindful of local requirements and restrictions in many of the jurisdictions where we do business and have developed jurisdiction specific data privacy notices for the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union. From time to time, we have also adjusted our privacy practices to meet local requirements in other jurisdictions where we do business. We also follow jurisdiction-specific privacy practices relating to handling of personal data relating to our employees and job applicants.

International Data Transfers: In 2023, the U.S. and E.U. reached agreement on a new framework to allow lawful transfers of personal data from Europe to the United States (the “U.S.-E.U. Data Privacy Framework”). GoDaddy certified its compliance with this framework, as well as its compliance with the U.S. and U.K. extension to the U.S.- E.U. Data Privacy Framework. Where the Data Privacy Framework does not apply to transfers from the U.K. and E.U., we use other recognized transfer mechanisms, including standard contractual clauses.

Data Processing Agreements: In addition to our responsibilities for handling the personal data of our customers, employees, and other data subjects with whom we interact directly, we also handle personal data on behalf of our customers. In this capacity, we act as a data processor, and our customers retain primary responsibility for safely and lawfully processing personal data. Where required by our agreements or applicable laws, we enter into data processing addendums that regulate our rights and responsibilities for processing personal data on behalf of our customers. 
 Service Providers: Whether acting as a data controller or processor, we use service providers to process personal data when necessary or appropriate to provide our services or conduct our business. When we provide personal data to a service provider or other third-party acting on our behalf, those service providers and third parties are required to comply with our instructions and contractual restrictions in processing personal information on our behalf. 
 GDPR Independent Assessment: In 2023, TRUSTe independently assessed GoDaddy’s compliance with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and validated that GoDaddy provided evidence and other support showing that it implemented program-level measures that are designed to meet TRUSTe’s 40 GDPR Privacy Program Validation Requirements. 
 Privacy by Design: Our Data Privacy Office also consults with our business teams on day-to-day privacy issues, ranging from conducting privacy impact assessments (PIAs) on new business practices to participating in the earliest phases of new product designs to ensure that privacy concerns are addressed during product development. In 2023, we rolled out a new technical solution to streamline the PIA review and more closely integrate privacy reviews with engineering reviews.

Ambitions for 2024

We saw significant changes in the global privacy and cybersecurity landscape in 2023, as many jurisdictions rolled out new rules and regulations that may affect our business in the coming year. We also have seen rapid technological change as new AI and ML tools have been deployed that allow processing of personal information in new ways. In 2024, we aim to continue to adapt our privacy program and cybersecurity practices to meet evolving legal requirements and business needs in this rapidly changing environment.

To learn more, read our 2023 Sustainability Report.

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About this Report 

The GoDaddy 2023 Sustainability Report details our progress toward our corporate sustainability goals, strategies, and initiatives in support of our overarching corporate mission and values. Unless otherwise noted, this report reflects our corporate sustainability performance across our global operations covering the fiscal year period from January 1 to December 31, 2023. To demonstrate our commitment to transparent communication regarding our sustainability progress, we routinely share updates through our website and our annual Sustainability Report. We welcome your questions, comments, and feedback on this report by contacting ESG@GoDaddy.com.

This report references the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards and includes select Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) metrics for the Internet Media and Services sector. We also disclose our contributions and progress toward priority UN SDGs. For additional information on how we align with these frameworks and key indicators demonstrating our sustainability performance, please review the Frameworks and Metrics section.

Pernille Lind Olsen is the President of Henkel North America.

Originally published by Forbes

Leaders may believe that circularity is difficult to implement or that it impacts the performance of products and packaging, but integrating circular practices doesn’t have to mean compromising on quality. Creating a more sustainable product typically starts in the design phase, and I have found that considering the environmental impact from the beginning makes it easier to implement responsible practices throughout production. I recommend leveraging resources like the “design for recyclability” guidelines and working with industry partners to establish best practices and share real-time results. In this way, your company can help make a strong case for the environmental and economic benefits behind circularity.

Continue reading here