Sarah Nelson, Global Lead, Nature & Biodiversity at KPMG International, and Camilla Fontenelle, Supervising Consultant, KPMG in Brazil, and Chair of Leaders 2050, discuss the role that women, and local and indigenous communities, have to play in safeguarding nature and biodiversity around the world.
Tag: 3BL
Northern Trust wins GOLD in Small Employers Category at the 2024 Australian Workplace Equality Index awards with Pride in Diversity
About the award
The Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI) is the definitive national benchmark on LGBTQ workplace inclusion and comprises the largest and only national employee survey designed to gauge the overall impact of inclusion initiatives on organizational culture as well as identifying and non-identifying employees. The Index drives best practice in Australia and sets a comparative benchmark for Australian employers across all sectors.
Our work
Our Northern Trust Australia team and their combined efforts have been recognized for their continued work around inclusive policies, benefits and procedures, internal and external visibility, community support and support for employees that identify as LGBTQ+.
“At Northern Trust we count a diversified workforce as one of our strongest assets and one that brings to life Northern Trust’s core values of service, expertise, and integrity. This award reflects the success of our continuous focus on fostering a culture of inclusion for our LGBTQ+ colleagues and allies.” Melissa Cosby, Chief Administrative Officer & Executive Sponsor PRIDE Business Resource Group, Northern Trust Australia.
By Britt Erica Tunick
Originally published by Middle Market Growth
While there is no shortage of money heading into AI-related businesses, so far, the largest inflows have been from large technology companies like Amazon, Apple and Google. Industry participants say there is good reason for that: AI technologies are in a nascent phase where the building blocks for future applications are still being laid, and it remains unclear how many emerging AI applications will ultimately be monetized.
“Private equity likes to see proven technologies. They want to find predictable and profitable revenue production. A lot of the AI investment today is in companies that are still experiencing cash burn but have high promise,” says Travis Drouin, head of Baker Tilly’s technology industry practice.
Many PE firms are waiting for pure-play AI companies—those where AI is ultimately the end product—to mature before investing.
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Covia is committed to protecting biodiversity by preserving intact forests, reclaiming land with over 50% native species, managing avian and migratory bird habitats, protecting endangered species and their habitats, and combating invasive species while restoring pollinator habitats where feasible. Our partnership with the Wildlife Habitat Council demonstrates this unwavering commitment to biodiversity and helps us align our land use and management strategies with top-notch practices for ecological stewardship.
As a result of our efforts, two of Covia’s plants, Emmett and Tunnel City, have been recognized and honored at the recent Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) Conference. Covia’s Emmett, Idaho, plant was honored with the Avian Award for their exceptional project that monitors and manages avian species and their habitats. Team Members built special nest structures for American kestrels and ospreys, as well as habitats for geese. Tunnel City was awarded the Pollinator Project Award for their collaborative efforts with the Wisconsin DNR to re-establish the federally endangered Karner Blue Butterfly. They created a thriving habitat, welcoming these beautiful butterflies back to the area.
We extend our congratulations to the teams at these plants for their exceptional conservation work. For more information about Covia’s many biodiversity and conservation efforts at WHC-certified sites, visit https://www.coviacorp.com/esg/.
Laura Lane, chief corporate affairs and sustainability officer at UPS, joins Workiva’s Andie Wood to explore how one of the world’s largest package delivery companies is tackling emissions reduction. Listen in as they discuss the importance of leveraging data to drive down emissions, optimize investments, and achieve sustainability goals.
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.
On June 6th, the Connecticut Convention Center was abuzz for the United Way Women United’s 13th Annual Power of the Purse Luncheon and Silent Auction presented by KeyBank and Key4Women.
Nearly one thousand women in business and allies filled the room with energy and a real commitment to support Women United’s mission to help families on their path to financial empowerment.
It was KeyBank’s fourth year as Presenting Sponsor, with Business Banking Leader Allison Standish-Plimpton and Market Retail Leader Elona Shape giving welcome remarks and highlighting the resources that Key4Women provides to women business owners and entrepreneurs.
“Women United’s mission of providing financial stability to women and their families is a mission that we believe strongly in,” said Elona. “After all, financial wellness is the heart of what we do at KeyBank and the core of what we provide through Key4Women.”
Keynote speaker: Rita Moreno
The highlight of the event was actress and keynote speaker Rita Moreno. Best known for her role as Anita from West Side Story, Moreno (age 92) is the first Latina to win all four of the most prestigious awards in show business: an Oscar, a Tony, two Emmys and a Grammy. Her credits span more than seven decades, beginning with her Broadway debut at age 13, and appearing in 40+ feature films and countless television shows.
Rita delivered an inspirational message about breaking down silos, working together and supporting one another to create greater impact.
“I wouldn’t have accomplished what I did without the people who supported me and gave me a hand,” she said.
Tremendous support for Connecticut families
This year’s luncheon and auction of high-end handbags and other donated items raised more than $377,000 to support Women’s United work helping Connecticut families achieve financial security and will make a measurable difference for local women and families.
Since 2012, more than $1.8 million has been raised though the Power of the Purse Luncheon. Funds help ensure that participants in United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut’s supported programs receive financial stability programming, including employment and job training opportunities; access to benefits; financial coaching and education; and tax preparation services.
In the summer of 2023, Entergy New Orleans launched the Know Your Power pilot program, in collaboration with YouthForce NOLA. The innovative internship program exposes high school students to a variety of career paths within the energy sector. This year, the program has been expanded to include a high school teacher externship component through our partnership with Junior Achievement of Greater New Orleans (JAGNO).
“The purpose of the Know Your Power program is for students to understand their strengths and interests and how these align with careers at Entergy,” said Sumesh Arora, Entergy New Orleans’ Program Manager, Diversity & Workforce Strategies. “By expanding the program, teachers are able to shadow employees across various departments and learn about career opportunities in the power industry, enabling them to better educate their students about these possibilities.”
The program brought five experienced teachers from Orleans Parish schools into our facilities for a two-day job-shadowing experience. These educators had the opportunity to dive into the intricacies of our operations, gain an understanding of the diversity of careers available in our industry, and witness the dynamic work environment cultivated at Entergy New Orleans.
“Putting teachers into a shadowing experience is extremely important,” said Lauren Stendahl, the Director of Partnerships and Impact at JAGNO. “Through the Know Your Power Program, teachers have the ability to impact hundreds of students by exposing them to high-wage, high-demand career opportunities.”
The feedback from the teachers was overwhelmingly positive. They expressed appreciation for the experience and gained valuable insights to pass along to their students. Their enthusiasm underscores the success of the program and its impact on our local educational community.
“Teachers are the conduits that link students to educational experiences and professional opportunities. Through this externship program, I am able to increase my knowledge of utility operations and introduce my students to new and exciting professions in the energy sector,” said Corchenelle Jones, extern and teacher with Inspire NOLA Charter Schools.
Looking ahead, we are excited to welcome six high school students in late June 2024 to our summer internship program. These internships are designed not only to educate students about career opportunities in the energy sector, but also to help us develop a local and diverse talent pipeline.
We are incredibly grateful for the support and collaboration of our partners, Junior Achievement of Greater New Orleans and YouthForce NOLA, and for our dedicated team who made this program possible. Together, we are making strides in empowering the next generation of leaders and innovators in our community.
June 13, 2024 /3BL/ – Ceres Director of Federal Policy Zach Friedman issued the following statement today, after the U.S. Senate approved three new commissioners to ensure a full slate at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission:
“In the coming months, FERC will continue to play a critical role in meeting the nation’s energy and economic goals, especially as the agency moves to implement its recently released regional transmission planning rule, and we applaud the strong bipartisan approval of three new commissioners to ensure a quorum to help oversee this important work. Ceres and the businesses we work with are excited to work with commissioners and FERC staff to ensure that affordable, reliable, and home-grown clean electricity gets online as efficiently as possible to deliver economic benefits and meet growing demand across the country.”
Ceres has engaged closely with FERC in 2024 as transmission planning takes on a major role in building out the clean energy economy. In March, during its premiere annual advocacy event LEAD on a Clean Economy 2024, Ceres brought representatives from several key companies to meet with FERC commissioners, including Best Buy, HASI, Microsoft, Nucor, Salesforce, and Workday.
Ceres also submitted comments to commissioners with recommendations for the final rule, noting that “inefficiency and disorganization in transmission is the Achilles heel of our national effort to create a strong, sustainable, and equitable economy powered by clean energy.”
About Ceres
Ceres is a nonprofit advocacy organization working to accelerate the transition to a cleaner, more just, and sustainable world. United under a shared vision, our powerful networks of investors and companies are proving sustainability is the bottom line—changing markets and sectors from the inside out. For more information, visit ceres.org.
Media Contact: Helen Booth-Tobin, booth-tobin@ceres.org
With 2030 on the horizon and 2025 quickly approaching, I’m genuinely inspired by the progress the Mondelēz International team has made over the past year to drive our upcoming goals and have a clear plan to achieve our longterm ambitions.
Over the past year, we’ve done critical work to reduce our climate impact. This includes developing a time-bound, net-zero carbon emissions roadmap and reduction plan linked to targets independently validated by the SBTi, scaling regenerative agricultural practices across our signature sourcing programs, and reducing carbon emissions at scale across our owned operations. This work lays the necessary groundwork for Mondelēz International to make progress against our long-term net-zero target, an aspiration I am so proud to see our Company deliver measurable progress against.
This important work and the progress detailed in this report would not have been possible without our committed people, our partnerships with suppliers and NGOs and our collaboration with industry coalitions, including the World Cocoa Foundation and Consumer Goods Forum. We are committed to work in genuine partnership to deliver impact.
The world is changing rapidly, demanding that we change with it, and we are committed to working on interrelated systemic issues. Particularly as supply of cocoa has been hindered this year largely due to weather with lower production causing a rise in the price of this important input, we have continued our focus on our cocoa sourcing program, Cocoa Life, to support our goal of a thriving and equitable cocoa sector that collaborates to combat interrelated system issues like deforestation, farmer poverty and child labor.
Through perseverance and diligence, we have built an end-to-end carbon emissions reduction roadmap, leveraging both tried-andtrue programs as well as new pilots associated with SBTi-validated emissions reductions targets. These efforts are helping us meaningfully reduce our emissions and give us a clear path forward as we progress against our long-term ambition.
We’ve also made strong progress toward our 2025 environmental and social goals, some of which we have already achieved or exceeded. Some highlights from 2023 I’m particularly proud to share include:
a. Scaling regenerative agricultural practices across our signature sourcing program, Cocoa Life, where our programs continue to make an impact to help eliminate deforestation and contributes to our Scope 3 carbon reductions.
b. Sourcing approximately 99% of wheat volume needed for our European business biscuits production grown under the Harmony Charter (1).
c. Sourcing nearly half of electricity at manufacturing sites from renewables, up from more than 40% in 2022 (2).
d. Slashing food waste from distribution by an impressive approximately (69)%.
This work creates value for our business and helps enable our future growth by making our business more resilient. Looking ahead, we aim to further sharpen, amplify and accelerate our impact across our priority areas. We are also focused on evolving to meet expanding regulatory requirements and remain committed to transparency in sharing our progress.
I am grateful for the passion, drive and ownership Mondelēz International team members bring to their roles every day. I am proud to work alongside them and the many others we collaborate with to drive positive impact at scale and continue to make progress in 2024.
Christine Montenegro McGrath
SVP, Chief Impact & Sustainability Officer,
Mondelēz International
(1) Goal and reported information for wheat volume sourced under Harmony is partially based on a mass balance approach, which means that, for a portion of our wheat flour volume needed to produce products under our biscuit brands in Europe, the equivalent volume of wheat needed for that portion is grown under the Harmony program.
(2) Reported information excludes developed-market gum brands, which were divested as of October 1, 2023 (which differs from previous years). We have recalculated our base year 2018 (where applicable) and most recent years 2021, 2022 and 2023 for year-over-year comparison. Reported information based on latest estimate; independent, third-party verification in-progress. Any updates, if needed, will be included in the ESG Datasheet. Once completed, SGS verification can be found in our ESG Reporting & Disclosure Reporting Archive.
With 2030 on the horizon and 2025 quickly approaching, I’m genuinely inspired by the progress the Mondelēz International team has made over the past year to drive our upcoming goals and have a clear plan to achieve our longterm ambitions.
Over the past year, we’ve done critical work to reduce our climate impact. This includes developing a time-bound, net-zero carbon emissions roadmap and reduction plan linked to targets independently validated by the SBTi, scaling regenerative agricultural practices across our signature sourcing programs, and reducing carbon emissions at scale across our owned operations. This work lays the necessary groundwork for Mondelēz International to make progress against our long-term net-zero target, an aspiration I am so proud to see our Company deliver measurable progress against.
This important work and the progress detailed in this report would not have been possible without our committed people, our partnerships with suppliers and NGOs and our collaboration with industry coalitions, including the World Cocoa Foundation and Consumer Goods Forum. We are committed to work in genuine partnership to deliver impact.
The world is changing rapidly, demanding that we change with it, and we are committed to working on interrelated systemic issues. Particularly as supply of cocoa has been hindered this year largely due to weather with lower production causing a rise in the price of this important input, we have continued our focus on our cocoa sourcing program, Cocoa Life, to support our goal of a thriving and equitable cocoa sector that collaborates to combat interrelated system issues like deforestation, farmer poverty and child labor.
Through perseverance and diligence, we have built an end-to-end carbon emissions reduction roadmap, leveraging both tried-andtrue programs as well as new pilots associated with SBTi-validated emissions reductions targets. These efforts are helping us meaningfully reduce our emissions and give us a clear path forward as we progress against our long-term ambition.
We’ve also made strong progress toward our 2025 environmental and social goals, some of which we have already achieved or exceeded. Some highlights from 2023 I’m particularly proud to share include:
a. Scaling regenerative agricultural practices across our signature sourcing program, Cocoa Life, where our programs continue to make an impact to help eliminate deforestation and contributes to our Scope 3 carbon reductions.
b. Sourcing approximately 99% of wheat volume needed for our European business biscuits production grown under the Harmony Charter (1).
c. Sourcing nearly half of electricity at manufacturing sites from renewables, up from more than 40% in 2022 (2).
d. Slashing food waste from distribution by an impressive approximately (69)%.
This work creates value for our business and helps enable our future growth by making our business more resilient. Looking ahead, we aim to further sharpen, amplify and accelerate our impact across our priority areas. We are also focused on evolving to meet expanding regulatory requirements and remain committed to transparency in sharing our progress.
I am grateful for the passion, drive and ownership Mondelēz International team members bring to their roles every day. I am proud to work alongside them and the many others we collaborate with to drive positive impact at scale and continue to make progress in 2024.
Christine Montenegro McGrath
SVP, Chief Impact & Sustainability Officer,
Mondelēz International
(1) Goal and reported information for wheat volume sourced under Harmony is partially based on a mass balance approach, which means that, for a portion of our wheat flour volume needed to produce products under our biscuit brands in Europe, the equivalent volume of wheat needed for that portion is grown under the Harmony program.
(2) Reported information excludes developed-market gum brands, which were divested as of October 1, 2023 (which differs from previous years). We have recalculated our base year 2018 (where applicable) and most recent years 2021, 2022 and 2023 for year-over-year comparison. Reported information based on latest estimate; independent, third-party verification in-progress. Any updates, if needed, will be included in the ESG Datasheet. Once completed, SGS verification can be found in our ESG Reporting & Disclosure Reporting Archive.