Tag: 3BL

That’s a wrap on IDEAcon 2024! 

For the second year, Clorox hosted its enterprisewide event to give Clorox teammates an opportunity to reflect on our purpose of championing people to be well and thrive every single day through the lens of inclusion, diversity, equity and allyship, or IDEA. This year, our focus was to dig deeper on how we can put allyship into action to help build a more inclusive workplace where all experiences are heard and valued. IDEAcon watch events, social impact activations and other gatherings were held across 26 locations around the globe, sparking critical discussions on how we can all activate allyship, further embed IDEA into our Clorox culture and continue building purpose-driven brands.

I want to give a special thanks to our guests, panelists and event hosts who shared their valuable insights on how we can embrace the role of allies in our daily work and lives. Here are some high-level takeaways from the different sessions:

Our allyship framework is a critical component of IDEA, which is integrated into our IGNITE strategy.We can all play a role in supporting our teammates through IDEA and engage with them about how to bring allyship into our day-to-day lives.Depending on the situation, we’ve all experienced being both “insiders” or “outsiders.” We must continually be conscious of how we can decenter ourselves to center and lift up others.

While IDEAcon has come and gone, the intention lives on. We continue to make progress against our priorities in service of our IGNITE strategy, and I encourage our entire workforce to keep the momentum going: Build on the connections you made this week, consider joining an employee resource group, be an active ally to your teammates and recognize the change makers already demonstrating allyship today.

A huge thank you to all of our Clorox teammates for their continued partnership on this journey.

Learn more about Clorox’s IDEA journey here.

Carita Hughes is a strong believer in leading with heart in all her efforts. She helps drive innovation through patent law, stirs a spirit of belonging, makes an impact on today’s youth through the joy of music, and preserves a family legacy.

Our purpose is what unites us at Henkel North America: Pioneers at heart for the good of generations. Our pioneering spirit is reflective of the diverse backgrounds, experiences and talents of our employees and partners. They dare to make an impact on the world by collaborating to tackle challenges, find solutions and open new perspectives.

Their contributions allow us to deliver products, services and innovations that enrich and improve everyday life. We invite you to “meet” our pioneers in our series, “Pioneers for Good.”

Introducing Carita

Carita Hughes is a Patent Paralegal at Henkel, playing an integral role in driving sustainability and innovation for the company. As patent experts, Carita and her team work to secure the rights to inventions, new products and solutions developed by Henkel’s Research & Development teams. She works at the North America headquarters of the Henkel Consumer Brands business in Stamford, CT.

She is a pioneer of patents at the office, of music in the community, and of making everyone she meets feel welcome. Carita believes being a pioneer at heart is, “Using your passion and what is dear to your heart for the good of generations.” This sentiment sits at the intersection of her enthusiasm for being a leader in her work and being an advocate for inclusion.

Building a sense of belonging

“Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are vitally important in an organization like ours,” Carita says. As the current Membership Chair of Henkel’s Black Alliance (HBA) ERG she aims to foster a community of acceptance and belonging like what she experienced when she first joined the group. Her role is instrumental in growing membership by celebrating cultural moments, making space for vulnerable conversations, and giving each other grace to build understanding across Henkel.

Celebratory moments are a core focus for ERGs, and she was extremely excited for the Juneteenth Festival this year. Carita’s passion for celebrating cultures and uplifting communities is apparent in her role at Henkel and in her community service.

We’re hosting a festival-like educational encounter with music, food, games, poetry, and vendors that showcase and support Black culture. The event is open to everyone at Henkel and our neighbors in the building to honor the history and significance of Juneteenth.

Carita Hughes, Patent Paralegal at Henkel

Spreading the joy of music

Carita is a classical piano teacher and was looking for ways to help in the local community. She joined Intempo, a youth development organization, dedicated to educating students from immigrant and underrepresented communities in classical and intercultural music practices.

Carita recalls noticing the program did not have piano teachers and immediately jumped at the chance to work with them. “I was drawn to the work at Intempo as it provides a safe space for children and their families who are new to the U.S. We use the joy of music as a way of connecting to their culture and embracing their new home.”

Through Henkel’s Make an Impact on Tomorrow (MIT) initiative, Intempo received a grant which has helped the organization secure a new home and purchase new instruments. Carita has been with Intempo for 2 years and currently teaches six classes. She has been proud to witness the program grow by 30% over the course of two-years, helping over 42 students.

In starting our piano studio, Carita has helped so many of our youth develop not just their musical talents, but also their confidence, work ethic, and social skills. She has created so much joy in our classrooms and we’re so grateful that she is a part of the INTEMPO family.

Douglas Laustsen, Interim Co-Executive Director

Preserving a family legacy

In reflecting on her work at Henkel, role with the ERG, and community service, Carita feels an obligation to make the world better. This obligation is felt by her family as well. During her grandfather’s lifetime when Black Americans faced denial of their basic rights of freedom, voting and land ownership, he found the means to buy and sell property leaving a legacy of hope for his family to live better. Today, Carita is the proud landowner of a 100-acre property in Mississippi that her grandfather passed down through family generations. This year she is arranging the planting of 33,000 trees to reforest the property and preserve it to pass onto the next generations of her family.

To experience success as a pioneer at heart for the good of generations, Carita is inspired by the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, “To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children…to appreciate the beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better… to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded!”

Originally published on bloomberg.com

June 21, 2024 /3BL/ – Bloomberg today announced the launch of a new data offering on the Bloomberg Terminal collating the data that companies have started to report in line with the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (“CSRD”). The offering is also available via Data License for scalable enterprise-wide use.

CSRD simultaneously expands the range of firms that need to disclose ESG data publicly and broadens reporting to over 1,000 metrics covering both financial and impact materiality criteria. When reporting requirements start from 2025, the new data offering provided by Bloomberg will help to holistically inform the sustainability strategy of financial firms, and will help streamline the sustainability reporting of their financing activities.

Bloomberg’s CSRD offering is based on a mapping of the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) to existing Bloomberg data fields. The offering includes historical data for a subset of fields reported by companies voluntarily or under previous regulatory requirements. Additional fields will be created to ensure that clients can access mandatory quantitative disclosures covering both financial and impact materiality. Companies required to report in 2025 are already included in Bloomberg’s coverage, which will expand to also include the companies that will start to report in 2026.

Patricia Torres, Global Head of Sustainable Finance Solutions at Bloomberg, said:

“Better data drives better investment decisions, which is why Bloomberg is taking steps to ensure its clients will benefit from the tremendous increase in the quantity, quality and reliability of ESG data reported under CSRD. By providing high quality ESG data alongside financial data to our clients, we help them seamlessly understand the sustainability profile of their investments and streamline their reporting.”

Nadia Humphreys, Global Head of Sustainable Finance Data Solutions at Bloomberg, said:

“Bloomberg has the scale and experience necessary to deliver the broad range of new ESG disclosures under CSRD to our clients in a timely and efficient way. This marks the first milestone of our CSRD solution, which will continue to evolve to capture the depth and breadth of available company-reported data, helping clients to take action and make well-informed decisions.”

Bloomberg’s CSRD data is available on the Bloomberg Terminal at {ESGD <GO>} and via Data License for scalable enterprise-wide use.

Bloomberg’s sustainable finance solutions span ESG data and analytics, indices, scores, regulatory solutions, sustainable debt and climate risk. In addition, Bloomberg Terminal users also have access to ESG research from Bloomberg Intelligence and BloombergNEF. Clients can readily access ESG data on the Bloomberg Terminal via {ESGD <GO>} or across their enterprise via Data License at data.Bloomberg.com for use in proprietary or third-party applications in their cloud environment of choice. Through Data License Plus (DL+) ESG Manager, Bloomberg connects customers’ ESG data workflows to the full power of Bloomberg’s datasets as well as data from vendor partners, so clients can unlock maximum value with ease. For more information, visit Bloomberg Sustainable Finance Solutions.

About Bloomberg

Bloomberg is a global leader in business and financial information, delivering trusted data, news, and insights that bring transparency, efficiency, and fairness to markets. The company helps connect influential communities across the global financial ecosystem via reliable technology solutions that enable our customers to make more informed decisions and foster better collaboration. For more information, visit Bloomberg.com/company or request a demo.

Media Contacts

EMEA – Anna Schoeffler, aschoeffler1@bloomberg.net, +33 6 75 54 70 92 
U.S. – Jennifer Molgano, jmolgano2@bloomberg.net, +1 860 690 4006

On June 18, the United Nations observes Sustainable Gastronomy Day 2024. The observance was established in 2016 to raise awareness of and educate on how to integrate sustainable practices into cuisine. Sustainable gastronomy is a broad topic that addresses where ingredients are sourced, how food is grown, how it gets to markets and how it is prepared, among other facets.

In establishing Sustainable Gastronomy Day, the UN acknowledges gastronomy as a cultural expression related to the natural and cultural diversity of the world, while highlighting the urgent need to pursue sustainable food production. Sustainable Gastronomy Day 2024 takes place amid the crises of climate disruption, nature loss and pollution. As such, sustainable gastronomy, which celebrates seasonal ingredients and producers while promoting actions to preserve wildlife and culinary traditions, is a critically important mindset.

Sustainable Gastronomy at Work

Sands’ latest sustainable gastronomy initiative is at corporate headquarters in Las Vegas where the company’s Café Veranda regularly offers corporate Team Members high-quality, sustainable dining choices. The café recently made the switch to using Ōra King salmon, a farm-raised salmon distributed by a New Zealand company that has prioritized sustainable husbandry practices and breeding expertise for 25 years.

Ōra King’s producer, the New Zealand King Salmon Co. Ltd, has been certified under the Global Aquaculture Alliance for Best Aquaculture Practices.

Café Veranda’s chef Raj Pawar, executive chef with 50 Eggs Hospitality Group, which operates Café Veranda, considers Ōra King to be the highest-grade and healthiest salmon to purchase and serve. The move to this salmon product also supports the company’s priority on sustainable sourcing.

“Ōra King is now the best salmon we can get,” Pawar said. “So that’s why we made the switch from wild to a farm-raised product. In order to use a wild salmon, you would actually have to freeze it when you get it fresh, then thaw it out and then, cook it shortly after.

“With the farm raised salmon, you can actually use it straight up. It’s actually a better, healthier product. The reason why we use Ōra King is that it’s currently the highest grade of salmon that you can get.”

Promoting Sustainable Food to Team Members and Resort Staff

Along with the switch to Ōra King salmon, Sands is working to educate corporate Team Members about the importance of this menu offering and how it fits into the company’s sustainable food strategies by highlighting the switch to a more sustainable salmon product through internal Team Member channels.

In fact, education for Team Members and resort staff is an important part of the company’s strategy to promote sustainable gastronomy practices both in Team Member dining rooms and in food and beverage operations. With more than 200 restaurants and a wide variety of dining facilities, Sands has a tremendous opportunity to make impact through education and awareness.

Last year, Marina Bay Sands hosted a Sustainable Food Showcase for more than 230 culinary and food and beverage Team Members to promote selection of sustainable and locally sourced foods in the resort’s food and beverage offerings. The event featured 22 vendors that highlighted local and certified products ranging from low-carbon beef to locally produced leafy greens and soy wine.

The showcase resulted in procurement of several new products, including certified brown rice from Myanmar, locally grown leafy greens for the Team Member dining room and beer made from surplus food for the RISE Restaurant. Chefs also initiated more than 50 other inquiries to explore sustainable food possibilities.

Advancing Sustainable Food Procurement Practices

Sands also incorporates standards for sustainable food into its procurement policies and practices. One of the company’s most recent steps is moving to sourcing cage-free eggs. In 2023, Sands instituted a new goal to source 100% cage-free eggs globally by 2028. The company began transitioning at select food and beverage outlets and for in-suite dining last year and will report progress toward its 2028 cage-free eggs goal in the company’s annual environmental, social and governance report.

Sands is especially focused on advancing sustainable gastronomy in the seafood category, which has included promoting sustainable sourcing to chefs and eliminating or reducing certain types of seafood from company-owned restaurants and food service operations. For example, Sands established internal policies to eliminate sourcing of shark fin and restrict offering of bluefin tuna in its restaurants and catering operations. The company also targets sourcing of seafood certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC).

“We love the idea of sustainable gastronomy, both from a progressive culinary standpoint and as a core priority for our global sustainability commitment,” Katarina Tesarova, senior vice president and chief sustainability officer, said. “We’ve steadily increased our actions in this area, looking holistically at our food value chain – from the baseline with procurement and supplier initiatives to working with our teams on menu creation and finally to education of end consumers about their opportunities to dine with sustainability in mind. We take a full-circle approach to sustainable gastronomy.”

To learn more about Sands’ sustainable food strategies and other environmental priorities, read the company’s 2023 ESG Report: https://www.sands.com/resources/reports/.

Eastman

For centuries, we have consumed without limits. We are now facing the consequences. Are we too late, or can we do better?

In recent years, we’ve noticed the huge impact the take-make-waste model has had on our planet. With tons of plastic waste trashed every year, plastic is everywhere — in our oceans, in landfills, and in incinerators.

What if plastic waste could be transformed into new materials again and again, keeping it in use without downcycling? With Eastman’s new molecular recycling technology, it can.

Committed to recycling 50 million tons of plastic waste by the end of 2030, Eastman is reducing the amount of plastic waste that pollutes our planet. With the world’s largest molecular recycling plant, we will use hard-to-recycle plastic to produce new plastic that can be used over and over again — without compromising its quality or strength.

We are not doing it alone.

With partnerships and collaborations with other companies that put the planet first, we are working together to make the world better.

Together, we will create a truly circular economy.

At Eastman, we’re revolutionizing recycling with our molecular recycling technologies. But it’s going to take all of us working together to find innovative ways to create a truly circular economy. Are you in?

Explore more sustainable solutions and connect with us at https://www.eastman.com/en/sustainability/environmental/circularity

Follow for updates on our latest innovations. LinkedIn: eastman Instagram: eastmanglobal Facebook: eastman Twitter: eastmanchemco 

Supporting the company’s commitment to sustainability, Southwire is pleased to announce its provision of the medium-voltage cabling for the shore power connection system commissioned by PortMiami in Miami, Fla. The shore power project is the largest on the U.S. eastern seaboard, offering shore power capability at five cruise berths.

“As Mayor, I vowed to protect our environment; shore power has been my personal dream and initiative. We embarked on this journey in 2021, thanks to an innovative partnership with our major cruise line partners and Florida Power & Light Company,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “Shore power is a great example of progress in tourism and clean energy converging. Together, we are creating jobs, expanding our economy, and preparing to meet the dynamic needs of tomorrow.”

The PortMiami shore power project is an important milestone towards sustainability within the maritime sector, concurrently bolstering essential U.S. manufacturing jobs at Southwire’s facility in Starkville, Miss.

“We are thrilled to be a key supply chain partner on this transformational project,” said Norman Adkins, Southwire’s Chief Operating Officer. “Port electrification in the United States is quickly gaining momentum, and Southwire is committed to providing products that meet the growing and evolving demands of the maritime market.”

Funded by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the project will enable as many as three ships to plug in simultaneously at five of PortMiami’s cruise terminals, allowing ships to turn off their diesel engines and rely instead on cleaner and more efficient onshore power generation.

“We are excited to be part of the first installation of shore power along the South Atlantic coast,” said Acting Regional Administrator of the EPA, Jeaneanne Gettle. “Through the Diesel Emission Reduction Act (DERA), EPA is able to leverage significant funding to implement projects like this one with PortMiami to address particulate pollution and climate-related emissions.”

“We would like to thank Hypower, a leader in port electrification, for working with us on this project, as well as our partners Electric Supply Inc. of Tampa and Marvin Bochner for helping us realize this opportunity,” said Ryan Tramonte, Ports & Airports Strategic Vertical Lead at Southwire.

For more information regarding Southwire port electrification products, please contact Ryan Tramonte, at ryan.tramonte@southwire.com.

For more Southwire news, visit www.southwire.com/newsroom.

June 21, 2024 /3BL/ – The Wells Fargo Foundation announced today a $500,000 grant for Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago, Inc. (NHS) in support of its Chicago Flats Initiative. The goals of the initiative are to preserve and rehab two- and four-flats, maintain rental affordability, and help homeowners build wealth. To accomplish these goals, NHS is connecting homeowners and renters to available mortgage and rental assistance programs.

“We want to make sure we continue stabilizing housing for both renters and owners,” said Neighborhood Housing Services President and CEO Anthony E. Simpkins. “According to our data, homeowners have 40 times the net worth of renters, so finding development solutions to foster the building of more affordable homes in our communities is a great return on investment.”

The Chicago Flats Initiative will provide:

HUD-certified financial counseling services and Homebuyer Education classes
 Foreclosure prevention resources to keep homeowners of two-and four-flats in their homes
 Competitive mortgage loans through NHS
 Home purchase assistance up to $15,000 for home improvement loans
 Health and safety inspections
 Construction management services

Enterprise, Institute for Housing Studies, Elevate, Preservation Compact, Greater Chatham Initiative, Resident of Greater Englewood (RAGE), Garfield Park Community Council, and Communities United are all partners on the Chicago Flats Initiative.

“We’re excited to partner with NHS on this innovative program that will make a real difference in Chicago communities,” said Trina Shepherd, Philanthropy and Community Impact Specialist at Wells Fargo. “Wells Fargo is dedicated to supporting initiatives designed to help close the wealth gap, boost homeownership, and revitalize communities.”

Since 2018, Wells Fargo’s philanthropic giving totaled nearly $40 million within Chicago in support of housing, small business growth, financial health, sustainability, and more.

About Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a leading financial services company that has approximately $1.9 trillion in assets. We provide a diversified set of banking, investment and mortgage products and services, as well as consumer and commercial finance, through our four reportable operating segments: Consumer Banking and Lending, Commercial Banking, Corporate and Investment Banking, and Wealth & Investment Management. Wells Fargo ranked No. 47 on Fortune’s 2023 rankings of America’s largest corporations. In the communities we serve, the company focuses its social impact on building a sustainable, inclusive future for all by supporting housing affordability, small business growth, financial health, and a low-carbon economy. News, insights, and perspectives from Wells Fargo are also available at Wells Fargo Stories. 

Additional information may be found at www.wellsfargo.com 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wellsfargo

About Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago, Inc.

NHS of Chicago is a nonprofit organization working in partnership with businesses, government, and neighborhood residents to develop and support Chicago’s neighborhoods. NHS offers a variety of homebuyer education classes, financial literacy instruction and provides HUD-certified counselors in efforts to stabilize communities and create neighborhoods of choice.

Contact Information

Jéntill Neal

Wells Fargo
jentill.neal@wellsfargo.com 

In this episode of ESG Talk, host Mandi McReynolds reflects on her conversation with AT&T’s Chief Sustainability Officer, Charlene Lake. They discuss the importance of achieving audit-ready ESG data and the crucial role technology plays in tracking and reporting emissions data.

Listen Now

Looking for more? Subscribe to the ESG Talk podcast on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.

ESG Talk is brought to you by Workiva, the world’s only unified platform for financial reporting, ESG, audit, and risk. Learn more at workiva.com.

Funding will support 33 nonprofits and government agenciesGrants will pay for training, life-saving equipment and new technology to aid in disaster planning and recovery operations

GREENVILLE, S.C., June 21, 2024 /3BL/ – As hurricane season begins, emergency managers and first responders turn their eyes to the tropics as they continue to prepare their communities for the possibility of impacts from severe weather.

Duke Energy is preparing as well and stands in support of these communities across South Carolina by announcing $500,000 in microgrants through the Duke Energy Foundation. These funds will increase community resiliency and local ability to help residents prepare for and recover from the devastation brought by significant weather events.

“Preparing communities to respond to severe weather impacts begins in our neighborhoods and communities,” said Mike Callahan, Duke Energy’s South Carolina president. “Providing our fellow first responders with the tools and training to handle whatever Mother Nature throws our way is necessary in maintaining a resilient and prosperous South Carolina.”

Duke Energy’s Emergency Preparedness and Storm Resiliency Grant Program was designed to help organizations with roles in emergency preparedness increase their resiliency to these events through advanced preparation, planning, equipment and training. Applicants could request funds up to $20,000. Grants were awarded to 33 nonprofits and governmental entities across the state.

A complete list of recipients can be found here.

Quotes

“Cherokee County Emergency Management would like to thank the Duke Energy Foundation for awarding Cherokee County this year’s grant. This grant will double our sheltering capabilities adding 100 cots and the necessities along with 10 special-needs cots, helping those in need when they need it the most. The grant will also allow us to purchase a pet sheltering kit so we can start to address those needs as well.” – Douglas Bowers, Director of Emergency Management, Cherokee County“Duke Energy is always a great partner for us at the City of Sumter, and this grant is no exception. Being storm-ready is crucial for us. It helps our employees prepare for potentially hazardous weather so that we, as a city, can best serve and protect our citizens and ideally prevent any damage before it gets to that point. At the City of Sumter, we like to Invest, Invite, and Serve. And thanks to Duke Energy, we can invest in this equipment that will allow us to better serve the people of Sumter in a safe and timely manner.” – David Merchant, Mayor, City of Sumter“This new eye in sky will generate an overhead picture of a scene and provide a more complete view for responding ground crews. Adding this new information to an emergency incident should allow us to implement new response strategies that will improve operations along with saving lives and property plus promoting a safer work environment for our personnel.” – Jimmy Flynn, EMS Operations Coordinator, Landrum Area Fire & Rescue District“We appreciate Duke Energy’s assistance with providing funding for equipment to help the City of Clemson communicate information to our community, especially during power loss and challenging circumstances.” – Jorge Campos, Chief of Police, City of Clemson

Duke Energy Foundation

The Duke Energy Foundation provides more than $30 million annually in philanthropic support to meet the needs of communities where Duke Energy customers live and work. The Foundation is funded by Duke Energy shareholders.

Duke Energy

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America’s largest energy holding companies. The company’s electric utilities serve 8.4 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 54,800 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas utilities serve 1.7 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky.

Duke Energy is executing an ambitious clean energy transition, keeping reliability, affordability and accessibility at the forefront as the company works toward net-zero methane emissions from its natural gas business by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions from electricity generation by 2050. The company is investing in major electric grid upgrades and cleaner generation, including expanded energy storage, renewables, natural gas and nuclear.

More information is available at duke-energy.com and the Duke Energy News Center. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook, and visit illumination for stories about the people and innovations powering our energy transition.

Contact: Ryan Mosier 
24-Hour: 800.559.3853

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Case IH, a brand of CNH, has worked in partnership with FPT Industrial to develop an ethanol-powered engine.

Case IH presented the prototype at this year’s Agrishow in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil.

The Cursor 13 propellant is a prototype for the use of fuel derived from sugarcane. It is currently in the development phase and will be tested on Case IH sugarcane harvesters in the next harvest.

Case IH puts technology within the reach of the farmer, offering a complete system of products and services capable of preparing the rural producer for the challenges of his daily life.

Among the solutions offered by the brand are grain harvesters, sugarcane and coffee harvesters, as well as tractors with a wide range of powers, self-propelled sprayers and planters. Products that make the brand the best option from planting to harvesting.