Tag: 3BL

Company reduces GHG emissions 31% since 2018Achieves 79% of waste target and surpasses water targetInvests $1.3 billion in research and development for sustainable solutions since 2020Makes business case for inclusion and demonstrates impact through data

DUBLIN, July 11, 2024 /3BL/ – Intelligent power management company Eaton (NYSE:ETN) released its 2023 Sustainability Report and standalone Global Inclusion and Diversity Transparency Report. The publications feature the company’s progress toward its 2030 environmental, social and governance (ESG) targets and in creating an inclusive workplace. 

As the ESG regulatory landscape continues to evolve, Eaton is leaning forward—its 2023 Sustainability Report showcasing more transparency and reporting rigor than ever before. Likewise, the company’s Inclusion and Diversity Report shares several employee success stories and reveals how an inclusive culture can achieve better business results. 

Highlights from Eaton’s sustainability report include:

Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 31%, up from 27% in 2022, in its operations since 2018 through energy efficiency projects, energy conservation, and shifts to renewable energy. Eaton’s goal is to reduce 50% of GHGs from its operations by 2030.Certified 79% of manufacturing sites as zero waste to landfill, up from 75% in 2022. This moves the company closer to its goal to certify 100% by 2030. Certified 16% of manufacturing sites as zero water discharge, up from 8% in 2022, surpassing its goal to certify 10% of its sites in water-stressed areas by 2030. Invested $1.3 billion in research and development for sustainable solutions since 2020, up from $900 million in 2022, and progressing toward its goal to spend $3B by 2030.

“What’s important gets measured and what’s measured gets done,” said Harold Jones, chief sustainability officer and executive vice president, Eaton Business System. “I’m pleased to share that for yet another year, we’re getting it done. We’re marching closer to fulfilling our mission to improve the quality of life and the environment and these publications showcase the significant progress we’ve made on this journey.”

Highlights from Eaton’s I&D report include:

Increasing the representation of women in salaried positions across the enterprise to nearly 28% and U.S. minorities to more than 24%, against 2030 aspirational goals of 40% and 34%, respectively.Increasing the employee inclusion index score—a gauge of employees’ sense of inclusion—to 77%, bringing Eaton closer to its aspirational goal of 80%.Maintaining a strong representation of women and U.S. minorities on the board of directors and senior leadership team.

“Inclusion and diversity are a powerful combination that strengthens our culture and workforce,” said Ernest Marshall, executive vice president and chief human resources officer. “Our reports reflect our transparency, accountability and commitment to advancing policies and programs that promote equity and opportunity for all.”

Eaton is an intelligent power management company dedicated to protecting the environment and improving the quality of life for people everywhere. We make products for the data center, utility, industrial, commercial, machine building, residential, aerospace and mobility markets. We are guided by our commitment to do business right, to operate sustainably and to help our customers manage power ─ today and well into the future. By capitalizing on the global growth trends of electrification and digitalization, we’re accelerating the planet’s transition to renewable energy sources, helping to solve the world’s most urgent power management challenges, and building a more sustainable society for people today and generations to come. 

Eaton was founded in 1911 and has been listed on the New York Stock Exchange for more than a century. We reported revenues of $23.2 billion in 2023 and serve customers in more than 160 countries. For more information, visit www.eaton.com. Follow us on LinkedIn.

Contact:

Margaret Hagan 
+1 (440) 523-4343
MargaretHagan@Eaton.com

Drew Horansky
+1 (440) 523-4306
DrewAHoransky@Eaton.com

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Originally published on NRG Energy Insights

By NRG Editorial Voices

When we’re little, our world is relatively little as well; it consists of what we directly observe. And in the small world of childhood, perhaps nothing feels so big as the presence of papa. Their influence is powerful. It runs deep.

A father’s role is different from moms’ — and distinctly important. When dads don’t have their children’s hands, they have their backs. When dads show their children how to dream, kids can see a future. When dads help their children feel safe, being brave isn’t so hard. Dads have the power to teach their children about the world in a manner unlike anyone else, and more memorably than anyone else.

The way that fathers show up for their family is just as powerful as the way that they show up for their colleagues, and it’s not an easy juggling act. Being a dad is not something “perfect men” do; it’s something that perfects the man. Because nothing teaches patience, empathy, persistence, resilience, and selflessness more than being a parent.

Undoubtedly, this is why dads make for such outstanding teammates. At NRG, we’re proud of the exceptional fathers who play an integral role at home and in shaping our company’s future. Their dedication and distinctive way of seeing things serve as a source of inspiration for us all.

Whether they’re leading teams, driving innovation, or collaborating on projects, their experience as fathers brings a unique perspective to the table. They are quintessential problem-solvers skilled at showing up — because that’s what fatherhood has taught them is most important: being there.

We know that, for our dad colleagues, being a father is their most important job. In today’s society, dads are investing more time in their families than ever before; and that’s why work culture and policies that promote family involvement are essential.

No one succeeds alone. For dads to be the superheroes they’re capable of being, they need an employer who puts wellbeing front and center. Through mentorship programs, employee resource groups, and flexible work arrangements, we cultivate a culture that empowers dads to excel both professionally and personally.

We believe that supporting fathers is a true win-win. Because when dads have harmony between work in the office and work at home, their passion and presence fuel our company’s success and shape the culture of excellence that defines NRG.

Want to learn more about what it’s like to be part of the NRG team? See life at NRG.

Spanning the career journey, Keysight’s DEI initiatives create a more inclusive and diverse workplace. As a test and measurement company, Keysight is committed to transparently reporting on its progress, continually assessing the efficacy of its efforts, implementing new initiatives, and actively engaging employees around DEI.

In FY 2023, Keysight made progress in each of its strategic DEI pillars of advancing diversity in STEM, assembling diverse teams, fostering inclusion, and creating a place to thrive. While the company had many successes, it recognizes the work is not done. For Keysight to remain at the cutting edge of innovation and stay ahead of stakeholder expectations, it remains committed to delivering better outcomes through heightened diversity, equity, and inclusion.

We believe that being transparent with data creates accountability and the company remains committed to measuring an expansive set of employee diversity data. In FY 2023, Keysight made progress across many key diversity metrics including moving towards more balanced representation. At the close of FY 2023, women made up 31.0% of the workforce, representing a 0.4% increase over the prior year. Underrepresented minorities (URMs), as a percent of our US workforce, grew to 44.4%, a 6.7% increase over the prior year.

We recognize that attracting and hiring diverse talent is one of the key levers with which we can influence representation. Therefore, for the third year in a row, the company set goals to increase the percentage of new hires globally that identify as women, and new hires in the US that identify as URMs. In FY 2023, Keysight exceeded both goals, hiring 33.9% women globally (versus a goal of 33.6%) and 61.1% URMs in the US (versus a goal of 50.1%). A portion of senior leaders’ compensation was tied to the achievement of these goals.

The representation of women and minorities in leadership continues to be an area of focus as Keysight seeks to advance equity in its promotion and succession processes.

In FY 2023, women in executive roles grew to 27.6%, a 4.2% increase over the prior year, while women in leadership roles overall grew to 25.2%, a 0.8% increase. URM representation in leadership grew even more strongly. In FY 2023, URM representation in executive roles grew to 31.8%, a 7.8% increase over the prior year, and representation in leadership roles overall grew to 39.9%, a 6.6% increase.

Providing competitive pay based on the role and experience of an individual is another critical element of creating an equitable workplace where employees feel their contributions are valued. Through a robust, data-driven benchmarking and compensation framework, Keysight conducts an annual, company-wide pay analysis. The company is committed to achieving pay parity across different demographic groups. In FY 2023, we achieved 0.98:1 average women:men compensation ratio globally and a 0.99:1 average URM:non URM employees compensation ratio in the US.

Advancing Diversity in STEM

Investing in STEM education is key to developing a robust pipeline of future technologists who reflect our diverse society. Keysight takes pride in the work we do to empower girls, women, and people from underrepresented communities to pursue STEM interests and careers.

FY 2023 impact highlights:

Hosted hundreds of girls at Keysight sites in Penang, Malaysia, and Santa Rosa, CA for Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day — an annual event Keysight has sponsored for more than 16 years to inspire girls to pursue STEM careers. This past year, dozens of Keysight volunteers led teams of girls in a competition to design, develop, and decode communications signals.Progressed partnerships with six Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the form of scholarships, internships, corporate advisory engagements with company leaders, mentoring programs, career coaching, engineering lab grants, and equipment donations.Since 2017, the Apprentices Rising at Keysight (ARK) program has helped address the continuing need for manufacturing technicians via an apprenticeship program at Keysight’s Santa Rosa, CA headquarters. Apprentices receive education in the mechatronics program at the Santa Rosa Junior College as well as hands on training and real-life work experience through rotational job assignments aligned with their studies. Several graduates of the program have been hired as full-time employees.Expanded the company’s partnership with the Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement (MESA) association, reaching students at California universities through Keysight-led technical career development workshops and a scholarship program available to students engaged in MESA chapters. Keysight employees also acted as mentors to teams during the statewide MESA California leadership conference competition.Enhanced Keysight’s partnership with the University of Malaga, Spain through the launch of a co-sponsored engineering curriculum taught by Keysight employees and university professors focused on fundamentals of development and measurement of next-generation communications systems. In addition, Keysight partnered with the university’s Hedy Lamarr Women in Technology Chair to award female students an annual STEM scholarship.

Assembling diverse teams

Keysight works at the cutting edge of innovation. Harnessing the power of diverse perspectives and teams is critical to solving the most difficult technology challenges that enable breakthroughs. This is why the company remains committed to attracting a diverse set of candidates who bring unique skills and experiences to the company. Our goal is to continually enhance our workforce with people from different backgrounds, genders, races, ethnicities, sexual orientations, ages, and abilities. To attract top talent, Keysight is proud to offer a comprehensive, inclusive suite of benefits that meets the needs of our diverse, evolving, global workforce.

FY 2023 impact highlights:

Set aggressive new hire diversity goals for the third year in a row. The FY 2023 goals were 50.1% of US new hires identifying as underrepresented minorities and 33.6% of global new hires identifying as women. Keysight exceeded both goals with 61.1% of new hires in the US identifying as URMs and 33.9% of global new hires identifying as women.Expanded the global internship program to attract a more diverse group of next-generation talent. In FY 2023, 33.8% of interns hired globally were women, which is 2.8% higher than the representation of women in Keysight’s global workforce (31.0%).Enhanced the company’s global data infrastructure by implementing data-driven, customized goals and action plans for organizations with the greatest opportunity for improvement of diverse representation and hiring.Enhanced benefits including a new, improved, and expanded mental health service globally, a new benefit advocacy and care coordination offering, a 401k self-directed brokerage, expanded transgender benefits, and enhanced fertility medical coverage.Launched a new mandatory training program for managers called “Hiring with DEI in Mind” which covers best practices and compliance for recruiting and hiring inclusively and within the law.Partnered with the US Department of Defense’s Skillbridge Program to place military service members in Keysight training programs during their last 180 days of service, enabling a smoother transition to real-world job experiences.Remained committed to building a diverse supply base. Keysight’s partner and supplier network shares the company’s values and adheres to its business standards. In FY 2023, we expanded the percent of suppliers who identify as small, veteran-owned, minority-owned, women-owned, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ)-owned businesses and actively source new partners to diversify our supply chain. In addition, we worked with one of our key contingent workforce suppliers to grow women and minority representation in alignment with Keysight’s DEI priorities.

Fostering inclusion

Keysight’s high-performing, inclusive culture is key to unlocking breakthrough innovations. Enabling this culture requires policy, practices, and resources that recognize and empower every employee to play a role in advancing DEI and taking inclusive action.

FY 2023 impact highlights:

The entire Keysight workforce (100%) completed training on the fundamentals of DEI and the prevention of unconscious bias and microaggressions through the Working Inclusively curriculum.Implemented a racial literacy pilot through Keysight’s contingent workforce partner. Participants found the campaign engaging and agreed that their awareness of how different people experience and understand race has increased as a result.Maintained the myVoice program, ensuring Keysight provides employees the opportunity to be heard. This employee listening program measures key engagement areas and signals transparency. According to the results, 81% of employees feel comfortable speaking up if they see intolerance, mistreatment, bias, or lack of inclusivity.Keysight was certified as a Great Place to Work in the US for the 6th year in a row. Of the US respondents, 92% reported they were made to feel welcome when joining the company. More than 90% reported that employees are treated fairly regardless of their gender, race, or sexual orientation.Keysight employee network group (ENG) participation grew to one-third of the company via 18 groups across six countries. This included three new ENGs: Women’s Initiative for Success and Empowerment (WISE), Santa Rosa Caretakers, and the Colorado Springs Women’s Group.ENGs grew in impact, hosting numerous events throughout the year to foster development and networking within the company’s diverse global workforce. The ENG recognition program honored 25 employees for their commitment in leadership as group leads and with the ENG Spark Award: acknowledging the contributions of ENG leaders who step up to take on responsibilities beyond their day job to make a positive impact that furthers diversity, equity, and inclusion at Keysight.Introduced an expanded self-identification process in the US and Canada with updated and expanded options for ethnicity/race, gender, sexual orientation, disability status, and US veteran status. This expanded data is enabling the company to better understand employee needs.Keysight’s Society of Women Engineers Enterprise Program (KSWEEP) conducted an Allies program, involving 100 participants across US sites from a range of roles. Ten groups met monthly throughout FY 2023, each comprised of seven to nine men and facilitated by a woman.

Creating a place to thrive

At Keysight, creating a place to thrive means nurturing the distinct perspectives and voices of all employees throughout their career journey. Each person is encouraged to forge their own unique path, backed by support of practical on-thejob experiences, challenging assignments, and comprehensive development and training programs. With these ongoing investments in employees, Keysight’s workforce spans five generations and fosters multi-decade tenures.

FY 2023 impact highlights:

Expanded access to employee development, a key tenet of the Keysight Leadership Model (KLM), through courses at top universities including a selection of DEI trainings regarding inclusive communication, interpersonal dynamics, inclusive decision making, leading with courage, collaborative leadership, and more.Continued to foster a mentoring culture with hundreds of mentoring participants, resulting in thousands of hours of mentoring through eight programs: Accelerating Women Leaders, Advanced Leadership Program (ALP) Mentoring, Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) Mentoring, Employee Network for Underrepresented Minorities (ENUM) Career Development, Intern Mentoring, New Hire Mentoring, and Open Mentoring and KSWEEP Mentoring. During FY 2023, 7% of US mentoring participants earned promotions.Amplified the role of Keysight’s global DEI Council. This group of representatives from all Keysight regions, business groups, and functions plays a pivotal role in promoting DEI across the company. It is essential for elevating diverse perspectives, addressing regional challenges, and disseminating best practices. In FY 2023 over half of the council’s representatives established dedicated DEI teams that design and implement tailored DEI initiatives, ensuring that efforts are responsive to their organization’s unique needs.Launched a comprehensive DEI toolkit providing tools and resources to enable all employees to ignite meaningful change. The toolkit is organized into 12 focus areas including design, recruitment, visuals and writing, cultural and identity awareness, allyship, terminology, and specific sections for managers and functions like legal, finance, and workplace solutions.

Read the full 2023 Corporate Social Responsibility Report

To bring your best to work, you need to feel your best. Creating a culture and workplace where people have the support and resources to promote a positive mindset is a priority at family-owned Bacardi. From mindfulness workshops to workout programs to open conversations about wellbeing and a slew of benefits designed to support mental health, Bacardi sites across the globe are committed to driving a positive impact in the lives of people. For this effort, Bacardi is among “Top Places to Work for Wellbeing” by the 2024 Ragan Workplace Wellness Awards.

More than 50 Wellbeing Ambassadors across the business help drive local initiatives tailored to their markets. In collaboration with behavioral change experts, psychologists and Mental Health First Aiders, Bacardi hosted workshops to drive awareness about the importance of mental health and how to recognize when people need support. Among the services available to all is an assistance program that offers emotional and practical support. Available 24/7, the service is anonymous, completely confidential, and available to immediate family. Other benefits include free subscriptions to the Calm app with access to meditations, tools for more restful sleep, and other features that promote self-care and mindfulness.

All this and more supports a workplace culture where taking care of one’s wellbeing, and each other’s, is a priority.

Find out more about Bacardi life: www.bacardilimited.com

Constructing New Wor(l)ds, our new podcast series on sustainable construction

Modern human activities are partly responsible for rising temperatures, various forms of pollution and declining biodiversity. 

The construction industry is building and renovating more and more sustainably to deal with the climate crisis and scarcity of natural resources. With these innovative solutions and new construction methods, we have a whole new vocabulary that this podcast is going to decipher for you!

Listen here: A… for Anthropocene, A Saint-Gobain Podcast

About Saint-Gobain

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

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

Originally published on HARMAN Newsroom

Music holds the remarkable ability to transcend boundaries and connect people from all backgrounds, cultures, and beliefs. At HARMAN, we have experienced first-hand the power of music in bringing us closer – something we have celebrated throughout our company’s history, and for the last nearly ten years, as part of our global Make Music Day celebrations.

This year, our theme for Make Music Day was “United in HARMANy,” with a focus on how music can empower and encourage people around the world to come together and embrace the power of music to foster a sense of unity and harmony. Read on for a closer look at our musical celebrations and activities from the past month…

A Shared Rhythmic Relay 
Together with our partners at the Make Music Alliance, this year we sponsored an international music relay, called “Pulsations.” On Make Music Day, musical artists from 24 countries through Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Europe performed live, connected by a shared beat that was set by renowned-trumpeter Ibrahim Maalouf. Our friend and longtime global brand ambassador, A.R. Rahman, joined the Pulsations relay from India, with a moving performance that reminded everyone of the unifying power of music.

As a leader in audio innovations, HARMAN understands the need for state-of-the-art audio equipment and technologies to power one-of-a-kind performances. Through our support of the Pulsations program this year, we provided each artist with one of our AKG microphones – ensuring that listeners around the world were able to enjoy Pulsations with crystal clear audio!

Listen to: Make Music Day 2024: Pulsations | AR Rahman | India

Connecting our Global Employees 
Our employees also participated in a musical relay of their own through our HARMAN Employee Spotify Playlist. Based on employee submissions, we created a collection of songs specially curated by our team members around the world – in the end more than 46 songs were included in the playlist that powered some of our local celebrations!

From Brazil to Mexico, and Germany to India and beyond, our team members came together in full force to spread the unifying power of music, celebrate together, and give back to their local communities:

In Northridge, CA, employees celebrated with an office-wide summer barbecue, complete with a special performance from Girls Make Beats, a local nonprofit organization that supports young women chasing their dreams in the music production, DJ, and audio engineering fields. Our Northridge team also announced a sponsorship to provide one deserving individual with a scholarship to attend the Girls Make Beats program.At the JBL Store in New York City, passersby and Make Music Day celebrants enjoyed a live performance from a local band, while checking out the latest audio offerings from JBL.Our own HARMAN musicians took the stage to share their musical talents at our summer picnic in Novi, MI, but it was the band of young musicians from our longtime partner Music Will who really stole the show with their performance!

Our team members around the globe are passionate about spreading the power of music and helping their communities better understand the power of music to inspire us all. To learn more about our HARMAN Inspired initiatives and how we’re working with our nonprofit partners to expand access to music and music education, visit: https://www.harman.com/inspired

International Olympic Committee news

With just one month before the start of the Olympic Games Paris 2024, the President of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Dennis Francis, today made a solemn appeal to the UN Member States for the observance of the Olympic Truce. He called on all warring parties around the world to agree to “true mutual ceasefires” for the duration of the Truce.

The resolution for the observance of the Olympic Truce for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024 was formally adopted by the UN in November last year, calling for the Olympic Truce to be respected from seven days before the start of the Olympic Games until seven days after the Paralympic Games.

“I solemnly appeal to all Member States to demonstrate their commitment to the Olympic Truce for the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games and to undertake concrete actions at the local, national, regional and world levels to promote and strengthen a culture of peace and harmony based on the spirit of the Truce,” said UNGA President Francis.

“I also call upon all warring parties of current armed conflicts around the world to boldly agree to true mutual ceasefires for the duration of the Olympic Truce, thus providing an opportunity to settle disputes peacefully.”

In his appeal, Francis also highlighted the power of sport and the relevance of the Olympic Games to bring the world together in peaceful competition.

The Olympic Movement aspires to contribute to a peaceful future for all humankind through the educational value of sport, in particular youth.

Dennis Francis

President of the United Nations General Assembly

“The Games will bring together athletes from all parts of the world in the greatest of international sports events as a means to promote peace, mutual understanding and goodwill among nations and peoples – goals that are also part of the founding values of the United Nations.”

Francis also noted that Paris 2024 would be “breaking new ground in gender equality and inclusivity” by allocating the same number of quota places to male and female athletes, and emphasised that the participation of the Refugee Olympic Team would be “a powerful symbol of inclusion and our shared humanity”.

Read the complete text of the solemn appeal.

Paris 2024 to be “a unifying event”

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach welcomed the UN’s appeal, while emphasising the enduring significance of the Olympic Truce.

“The IOC very much welcomes the solemn appeal by the President of the UN General Assembly, Dennis Francis,” he said.

“The Olympic Truce represents the very essence of what the Olympic Games stand for – peace, unity and the hope of building a better world. In these difficult times, when we are all facing so much confrontation, division and polarisation, the Olympic Truce is more relevant than ever. And, as an event that unites the world in peaceful competition, the Olympic Games Paris 2024 will be a powerful reminder that we can all come together peacefully, even in times of wars and crises.”

Paris 2024 Olympic Truce Resolution

Entitled “Building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic ideal”, the Olympic Truce Resolution was adopted by the 78th Session of the UNGA in November 2023 by an overwhelming majority of 118 votes in favour, with two abstentions, and no votes against.

The resolution calls for “support for the International Olympic Committee in its efforts to promote peace and human understanding through sport and the Olympic ideal” and acknowledges that “the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024 will be a unifying event”.

It also welcomes “the leadership of Olympic and Paralympic athletes in promoting peace and human understanding through sport and the Olympic ideal”, and calls upon all Member States “to cooperate with the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee in their efforts to use sport as a tool to promote peace, dialogue and reconciliation in areas of conflict during and beyond the period of the Olympic and Paralympic Games”.

The Olympic Truce

The tradition of the “Olympic Truce”, or “Ekecheiria”, was established in Ancient Greece to allow safe participation in the ancient Olympic Games for all athletes and spectators.

The IOC decided to revive the concept of the Olympic Truce for the Olympic Games, with a view to protecting, as far as possible, the interests of the athletes and sport in general, and to harness the power of sport to promote peace, dialogue and reconciliation more broadly.

Since 1993, the United Nations General Assembly has repeatedly expressed its support for the Olympic Truce ideal and for the IOC’s mission by adopting, every two years – one year before each edition of the Olympic Games – a resolution entitled “Building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic ideal”.

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The International Olympic Committee is a not-for-profit, civil, non-governmental, international organisation made up of volunteers which is committed to building a better world through sport. It redistributes more than 90 per cent of its income to the wider sporting movement, which means that every day the equivalent of USD 4.2 million goes to help athletes and sports organisations at all levels around the world.

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For more information, please contact the IOC Media Relations Team: 
Tel: +41 21 621 6000, email: pressoffice@olympic.org, or visit our web site at www.ioc.org.

Broadcast quality footage

The IOC Newsroom: https://newsroom.olympics.com/

Videos

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Photos

For an extensive selection of photos available shortly after each event, please follow us on Flickr.

To request archive photos and footage, please contact our Images team at: images@olympic.org.

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As we strive to build an Inclusive Future for All, the work we do to improve inclusion and belonging for LGBTQ+ Cisco employees is essential. In this spirit, we are proud to share that Cisco has been recognized by the 2023 Workplace Pride Impact Awards as an Ambassador-level achiever with a 78% rating. Our rating is one of the Most Improved year-over-year among hundreds of companies. Cisco was also the Top Scorer by Industry Sector in the Information & Communication Industry category.

Workplace Pride

Based in the Netherlands, Workplace Pride’s mission is to drive LGBTQ+ inclusion in the workplace across the world by raising awareness and providing measurement, research, and networking opportunities. Their Global Benchmark is the go-to measurement tool of LGBTQ+ policies and practices for international employers, giving participating companies a tailored overview of their organization’s LGBTQ+ policies and practices. Among the 120+ participating companies, many are our customers, partners, and competitors, which allows us to understand how Cisco measures against other companies passionate about inclusion.

Cisco’s Achievement

Our 78% rating was the highest score ever given to Cisco in the 10 years our company has participated in the Global Benchmark, and we are among only 11 companies recognized in the Ambassador tier. With a 26% increase in our rating, Cisco is also one of the most improved among companies participating in the Benchmark. Some of the activities that contributed to this achievement include: the visible support from Cisco leadership, our LGBTQ+ Social Justice Fund, the launch of Pronouns in our Cisco Employee Central (CEC) Directory, Cisco’s Self-ID program, and our Gender Affirmation policies.

“It has been both an effort and an honour to drive Cisco’ participation in the Global Benchmark. I am very proud to see that the recent progress made for LGBTQIA+ employees at Cisco is reflected in our outstanding and record-breaking results for 2023. This shows the true power of collaboration globally and across organisations; together we can truly make a difference for our employees.”
—Anna Chekelova (she/her), Pride Netherlands & Global Assessments Lead

Driving Inclusion

These achievements would not be possible without the tireless work of the Global Pride Inclusive Community, sponsors, the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, the People, Process & Policy organization and the Benefits team, and many other Cisco leaders, teams and individuals who drive inclusion of LGBTQ+ employees at Cisco every day. A special thanks to the Netherlands chapter of the Pride Inclusive Community, who partnered with Workplace Pride to assess how we are doing and how to continuously improve as a leader in LGBTQ+ inclusion.

“As a People & Communities representative and an ambassador for the Pride & Allies Community, it was my privilege to accept this award on behalf of Cisco. In my years as an HR leader, I have experienced firsthand what inclusion can do to improve engagement and performance. This award shows how Cisco’s Inclusive Communities, powered by diverse employees and their allies, can change our company and industry for the better. Together, we power an inclusive future for all.”
—Jack Naidoo (he/him), People & Communities Director – EMEA North

View original content here.

SPRINGFIELD, MA, July 11, 2024 /3BL/ – The Springfield Boys & Girls Club is thrilled to announce that the KeyBank Foundation, the charitable foundation of KeyBank N.A. has awarded the Springfield Boys & Girls Club a $20,000 grant to support their Summer Brain Gain Program. This funding supports the administration of a comprehensive program run on one-week modules and fun-themed activities that are aligned with the common core standards, focusing on learning through discovery, creative expression, and collaborative group work. The program helps the club’s members avoid learning loss over the summer, ensuring they stay on track for the upcoming school year.

“The Springfield Boys & Girls Club is deeply grateful to the KeyBank Foundation for their generous support of the Summer Brain Gain program, said Vincent Borello, Executive Director. “With their help, the club will be able to provide even more resources and opportunities to the young people in our community.”

The vast majority of children being served by The Springfield Boys & Girls Club are from low-income families, with 65% of them raised in homes where English is a second language, putting them at a disadvantage in terms of reading, retention, and school learning. “The Springfield Boys & Girls Club believes that every child deserves a safe and supportive environment where they can learn, grow, and thrive,” continued Borello, “and this grant from KeyBank brings us one step closer to achieving that goal. We look forward to continuing our partnership and making a positive impact on the lives of young people in the community.”

Members of KeyBank presented a ceremonial check to Borello and members of the club on June 26, when local bankers conducted a “Banking Basics” financial literacy course to about 40 teen members. In addition to philanthropic support through its charitable foundation, KeyBank also provides financial resources to nonprofits within the bank’s service areas that help students achieve academically, with a particular focus on minority and low-and moderate-income populations.

“Empowering teens with money management skills is crucial for their future success,” commented Abigail Gawron, the KeyBank personal banker who conducted the financial literacy workshop. “It equips them with the knowledge to make informed financial decisions and avoid common pitfalls. At our bank, we believe that investing in the financial education of young people is an investment in the prosperity of our community.”

KeyBank has seven retail bank branches throughout greater Springfield.

Media contact: If you have any questions, please contact Sarah Gumaer Marketing & Special Events Director sgumaer@sbgc.org

About Springfield Boys & Girls Club

The Springfield Boys and Girls Club is committed to the betterment of the lives of children in Springfield, Massachusetts. At the Springfield Boys & Girls Club, we provide all our members with a safe place to grow and learn that fosters ongoing relationships with caring adult professionals. We offer a variety of life-enhancing programs that include character development experiences, hope, and opportunities. With a dedicated staff, board, and volunteers, the Club ensures that “Great Futures Start Here.”

About KeyBank Foundation: 

KeyBank Foundation serves to fulfill KeyBank’s purpose to help clients and communities thrive, and its mission is to support organizations and programs that prepare people for thriving futures. The Foundation’s mission is advanced through three funding priorities – neighbors, education, and workforce – and through community service. To provide meaningful philanthropy that transforms lives, KeyBank Foundation listens carefully to understand the unique characteristics and needs of its communities and then backs solutions with targeted philanthropic investments. KeyBank Foundation is a nonprofit charitable foundation, funded by KeyCorp.

Never in history has the global supply chain been more complex. Between geopolitical uncertainty, pressure for more sustainable operations, disruptive technologies, the list goes on, it is essential that companies adapt in this changing environment.

DP World, in partnership with Economist Impact, recently released our 2024 edition of the Trade in Transition report, highlighting key trends in global trade and supply chains. The research found that despite uncertainty, executives are optimistic due to improved economic stability and emerging technologies. You can check out the full report here, but let’s dive deeper into one of the trends: supplier restructuring.

Here’s the short of it: North American businesses are evolving their supplier networks in three ways to combat supply chain disruption: supplier diversification, supplier consolidation and nearshoring. Let’s unpack these, starting with diversification.

Supplier diversification allows companies to funnel their goods through a larger network of suppliers. This year’s study found that 44% of respondents prioritized this strategy over consolidating. Why? A larger supplier base prevents having a single-point of supply chain failure, which many companies experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Though popular, diversification does have its downsides. Expanding your supplier network can create operational challenges and increase maintenance costs. With an increased focus on emissions reporting, having more suppliers makes carbon output more difficult to track. Therefore, businesses are more cautious about diversifying their suppliers this year compared to last.

In stark contrast to diversification, 26% of businesses are opting to consolidate their supplier network, a strategy increasing in popularity by 16 percentage points since 2023. The benefits: greater supply chain visibility, quality control, better information sharing, and larger supplier contracts. Fewer suppliers can also simplify environmental reporting and allow businesses to foster a deeper feeling of trust between their supply chain partners – leading to more effective communication and stronger collaboration. While consolidation offers advantages, it introduces challenges such as an elevated risk of disruption and slower transport times, underscoring the delicate balance in supplier strategy.

While diversification and consolidation reign supreme in supply chain restructuring, nearly one-in-five North American respondents are prioritizing nearshoring as their main supply chain restructuring strategy. Nearshoring, the process of employing suppliers geographically closer to the initial production point, mitigates disruption caused by trade barriers, ultimately decreasing delivery times. Though the strategy has lost some steam since 2023, we believe it will rebound given ongoing geopolitical flux.

Take Mondelez, one of the world’s largest snack companies, for example. The year 2020 delivered a worldwide shortage of shipping containers, causing transportation problems in over 75% of the world’s supply chain companies. Mondelez was unable to reach over 15 territories in the Caribbean. Project Near, a collaboration between DP World and Mondelez International, focused on sourcing products directly from their countries of origin, including Mexico and Peru, to the Dominican Republic. This partnership enabled Mondelez to create a new cargo pathway through the Dominican Republic to the region and stabilize their product distribution through the pandemic and beyond.

Regardless of the chosen strategy—be it diversification, consolidation, or nearshoring—one common theme emerges: supply chain businesses are adapting to operate in times of crisis and preparing for the uncertainties of the future. As the Trade in Transition report emphasizes, the supply chain of the past will not be the same as the supply chain of the future.

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