Tag: 3BL

Investing in climate solutions can be a powerful way to improve lives, address historic inequities, create jobs, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions all at once.

One organization that keenly understands these connections is Sustainable Georgia Futures (SGF), a recipient of the 2024-2025 Drawdown Georgia Climate Solutions & Equity Grant.

A conversation with Adrienne Rice of Sustainable Georgia Futures

We recently had the chance to connect with Adrienne Rice, the founder and executive director of SGF, about the important work the organization is doing to improve lives and scale climate solutions in our state.

Read on to be inspired by their work around energy efficiency, weatherization, solar energy, and workforce development in historically disadvantaged communities.

Tell us about the work that Sustainable Georgia Futures does in the community.

SGF is a nonpartisan grassroots organization dedicated to creating green economy pathways for Black and people of color in our state. We are a Black-woman-led collective of expert organizers and community leaders working to build power in Georgia’s marginalized communities to advance an inclusive economy and promote environmental justice. 

We seek to achieve our goals through actions including:

Holding Climate Justice Education Meetings to build consensus on issues and address and devise action plans.Community organizing with a focus on addressing climate change and systemic racism.Offering a paid fellowship program that provides education about climate change, training in organizing strategy, and introductions to industry leaders.Hosting trainings, workshops, and other educational events for the community.

Congratulations on receiving a 2024-2025 Climate Solutions & Equity grant. Tell us about the projects this grant will fund.

Grant funds will be used to expand the already established WeatheRise energy efficiency program that provides weatherization improvements for low- to moderate-income Black households in Atlanta.

Beginning this summer, SGF will work alongside other local groups including the West Atlanta Watershed Alliance (WAWA), Southface, and the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy to develop a Pilot Solar Pre-Apprenticeship Program that will provide hands-on experience with Atlanta-based solar installers.

Apprentices will be able to earn three different well-respected solar installation certifications. Training these apprentices will help ensure that people in previously disinvested communities of color have equitable opportunities to be hired in the wave of solar-related jobs that are coming to Georgia.

This truly groundbreaking initiative was designed to address energy burdens within Georgia’s Low and Moderate- Income (LMI) Black households as well as to address the current lack of Black apprentices in registered apprenticeship programs. The program seeks to address the immediate issue of high energy burdens and creates long-term opportunities for economic empowerment within frontline communities.

By equipping participants with the skills and knowledge needed to address energy inefficiencies, this program seeks to create a more sustainable and equitable future for all residents.

>> Drawdown Georgia’s free toolkit offers advice for improving energy efficiency in your home, including tips for finding loans, tax credits, and more to make these upgrades more affordable.

Tell us about energy burdens in Atlanta and why they tend to be so high for low- to moderate-income Black households in the city. 

Energy burden, particularly in cities like Atlanta, is a pressing issue, especially for low-income, Black and minority communities. These populations often face disproportionately high energy costs compared to their income due to various systemic factors. When looking at energy costs as a percentage of household income, a high energy burden is defined as anything above 6%, and a severe energy burden is above 10%. The median energy burden of Black households in Atlanta is 33% higher than that of non-Hispanic white households.

One of the key factors contributing to this disparity is systemic environmental racism. This includes historical injustices such as unfair housing laws and redlining, which have led to the concentration of low-income and minority populations in areas with inadequate housing infrastructure and higher energy costs. Factors like unequal wages and lack of access to affordable housing also exacerbate the energy burden for these communities.

Addressing the energy burden requires tackling systemic racism and addressing its root causes. At SGF, we recognize the interconnectedness of workforce development, climate change, and systemic racism. By empowering Black and Brown communities and providing opportunities for them to participate in and benefit from a regenerative economy, SGF aims to dismantle oppressive systems and create positive change.

Addressing the energy burden and its underlying causes requires a paradigm shift in how society approaches and supports marginalized communities. Organizations like SGF are working towards a more equitable and sustainable future by building power within these communities and advocating for systemic change.

Why are energy efficiency/weatherization and workforce development projects so important for your community?

We believe that providing training in clean energy technologies such as solar and weatherization opens up new career pathways for community members, allowing them to join the growing clean energy workforce. This helps individuals secure employment and contributes to the expansion of this emerging economy.

Moreover, by involving community partners and experts, the program ensures that training is tailored to the specific needs and realities of the communities it serves. The localized approach fosters a sense of ownership and investment among participants, increasing the likelihood of program success and sustainability.

Additionally, by focusing on skill-building and professional development, the program equips participants with valuable tools and knowledge that can be applied beyond energy efficiency. This can lead to broader economic opportunities and entrepreneurship within the community.

The Pilot Weatherization and Solar Pre-Apprenticeship Programs have the potential to be a transformative model that not only addresses energy burdens but also empowers Black communities and promotes environmental justice in Georgia. By fostering skills, creating jobs, and promoting sustainable practices, this program aligns with SGF’s mission to build a more resilient, equitable, and environmentally conscious future.

How can people follow the work you do and/or get involved in your projects?

To learn more about SGF or get more involved, please sign up for our monthly Climate Justice Education Meetings (CJEM) on our website and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.

Originally published on Essity.com

Breaking Barriers to Well-being

Our purpose is breaking barriers to well-being for the benefit of consumers, patients, caregivers, and customers across the globe. As well as for the benefit of society and the planet.

We aim to break through and overcome the barriers that stand in the way of improving people’s well-being and enabling a healthier and more sustainable society. Our purpose tells the story of our company, our employees, our products and services, our actions, and initiatives – and the sustainable value we create for people, business, and planet, today and for the future.

Global challenges such as climate change, increased waste, biodiversity loss and social exclusion are high on agendas across the world. As a global, leading hygiene and health company, Essity plays an important role in leading change together with our customers and partners.

Contributing to a sustainable society is imperative to us. Essity is breaking barriers to well-being by enhancing solutions, making them available to more people and reducing their environmental impact.

The name Essity stems from the words “essentials” and “necessities”. Hygiene and health are the essence of well-being.  As a global, leading hygiene and health company, we offer products and services that are essential to people’s everyday lives.  That is why we are called Essity.

Read more about Essity’s strategic priorities, earnings and leading sustainability work in the Annual and Sustainability Report 2023, which can be downloaded at www.essity.com.

Across North America, women at Saint-Gobain take the lead in Making The World A Better Home. They are manufacturers, innovators, scientists, engineers, and executives, all playing a vital role in shaping our industry.

Watch the Saint-Gobain video series empowHERed here

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 in Qualcomm’s 2023 Corporate Responsibility Report

We have been a committed partner to countries around the world for more than 30 years, supporting policies that encourage innovation, foster the advancement of technology and enable business-friendly environments globally. With each new generation of wireless connectivity, we strive to create shared success in collaboration with lawmakers and regulators and to create new opportunities for local industries and communities.

We implement our public policy approach around four key principles:

Participation: We engage in policy discussions with governments, organizations and industries around the world to advocate for policies that promote innovation and protect and foster new ideas in connectivity. We are committed to helping policymakers at all levels understand our business model and role as an ecosystem enabler.Responsible Governance: We abide by all applicable laws and regulations regarding political contributions and expenditures, and our contributions are subject to the approval of our senior management with oversight by the Governance Committee of our Board of Directors.Transparency: We publicly disclose to the Federal Elections Commission all political contributions made by our Company and our Political Action Committee, and we abide by all legal obligations of the FCPA and similar legislation around the world.Policy Guides: We carefully monitor and evaluate developments that affect the world of connectivity. Our key public policy topics are 5G, invention and IP, spectrum, privacy, immigration and taxation. Our general positions are outlined below and published on our public policy website.

Key public policy topics

5G: 5G is a unified connectivity fabric that we believe will continue to transform industries, create jobs and usher in an estimated $13.1 trillion in global sales activity in 2035.17 To achieve these benefits, we believe governments must continue to adopt policies that support a comprehensive 5G rollout plan.Invention and IP: Invention, innovation and protection of IP are core drivers of economic growth and competitiveness. Without robust patent systems and strong global protection of IP, innovation would be significantly weakened.Spectrum: The benefits of wireless connectivity depend on the availability of adequate and appropriate radio spectrum. We believe in freeing new spectrum in a responsible way to meet the demands of consumers and businesses.Privacy: We believe that cultivating consumer trust through a foundation of security and privacy practices helps drive broader adoption and more personalized wireless technology offerings.Immigration: Highly skilled talent, especially in the areas of math, engineering and the sciences, is vital to the success of our Company and to the future of technological innovation around the world.Taxation: We support policies that incentivize innovation and enable American technology companies to compete in today’s global marketplace.Environmental Sustainability: Our technologies, our business model and our role as a driver of technology transformation can support communities, governments and other stakeholders in a transition towards a more sustainable future.

Our public policy position on climate change and environmental sustainability, published in 2023, can be found on our public policy webpage. We believe that environmental sustainability is a societal imperative. The conservation and protection of natural resources and global ecosystems yields significant social and environmental benefits for present and future generations. These benefits require collective action and leadership from corporate citizens.

Our Global Tax Strategy highlights our commitment to being a responsible and transparent corporate citizen. Our approach to tax is consistent with our CoBC and Code of Ethics and is premised on complying with applicable tax laws, maximizing stockholder value and delivering transparent tax reporting and disclosures. We also seek to pay the requisite taxes on profits generated from the activities performed in each jurisdiction.

“We are committed to helping policymakers at all levels understand our business model and role as an ecosystem enabler.”

Implementing our business strategy requires specialized engineering and other talent, as our revenues are highly dependent on technological and product innovations. To attract top talent, we must be able to hire top engineers, regardless of their country of origin. Beyond fierce competition for talent across our industry and with our competitors, existing immigration laws make it more difficult for us to recruit and retain highly skilled foreign nationals, making the pool of available talent even smaller.

We engage in public policy efforts to support regulations that are aligned to today’s economic reality. Our Government Affairs team participates in diverse advocacy efforts that contribute to immigration laws that support our Company’s ability to develop leading-edge technologies specifically and our innovation-based global economy in general. Our advocacy efforts, as they relate to immigration laws and recruiting a global workforce, are generally implemented through collaborations with trade associations and diverse coalitions of employers. For more information on our approach to managing a diverse highly skilled workforce, please see our SASB Index.

Fostering a more accessible patent ecosystem for all

Our belief that the U.S. patent system should reflect the diversity of this country is stronger than ever. We know that diversifying who is inventing and patenting can create more jobs, boost the national economy, close wage and wealth gaps and enable the U.S. to remain a global leader in innovation. We are actively working within our Company and externally to create equitable opportunities for all.

Last year, we announced, in collaboration with Invent Together, the launch of The Inventor’s Patent Academy (TIPA). TIPA is a free mobile-friendly course that guides inventors through the process of protecting their inventions through patenting. The e-learning course readies innovators to apply for their own patents, offering actionable advice for overcoming obstacles and navigating the system. It also shares real-life stories of inventors and how they surmounted challenges and brought their ideas to life. It gives inventors a solid understanding of patent law and the patent filing process.

Since its launch, TIPA has already reached close to 1,400 students. Two-third of those students responded to an optional survey to help TIPA better understand the profile and satisfaction of participants. Around three quarters of survey respondents highlighted being from historically URM and over 40 percent were women, 70 percent of whom were women of color. The United States Patent and Trademark Office’s (USPTO’s) First-Time Filer Expedited Examination Pilot Program is using TIPA as a learning resource. Students come from all sectors of the economy, including government, higher education, startups and accelerators and private corporations. Nearly a quarter are individual inventors. We are proud of this strong start and intend to continue outreach to our target audiences as we acquire more students.

At Qualcomm, we leveraged our diversity-oriented employee resources, including providing a new inventors’ workshop series entitled “Cultivating Innovation.” These workshops were a collaboration between our IP Department, Government Affairs and employee networks, with the goal of increasing diversity in innovation within the Company. We provided 16 events, including a workshop on TIPA, as part of that series. More than 90 percent of participants agreed that course material addressing systemic barriers to patenting and patent law content was useful and relevant. Given the positive feedback and our large engineering population, we are exploring ways to offer the course more broadly within the Company.

We are thankful for the help in our recruiting from Invent Together partner organizations like AnitaB.org, the Society of Women Engineers and the Native American Intellectual Property Enterprise Council. We are equally grateful that the USPTO has linked to the TIPA program on its website, featuring it as a learning resource for the USPTO’s new First-Time Filer Expedited Examination Pilot Program.

This past year, we also implemented updates and improvements in the content of the online course. For example, we incorporated user feedback and now provide an enhanced smartphone experience, updated voice-narration, learning capsules, improved accessibility and additional inventor resources including information on the patent pro-bono program. The enhancements and updates to TIPA will further our Company’s commitment to enabling the accessibility of the inventing and patenting process for all. We firmly believe that empowering inventors with robust patent rights enables them to transform the world for the benefit of all.

Learn more about how Qualcomm is driving innovation, societal advancement and sustainability in the 2023 Corporate Responsibility Report

Originally published on U.S. Bank company blog

For more than a decade, Jen Loller and her mom, Jo Maravilla, have jointly run a thriving outdoor wedding venue business while also juggling the joys and logistical challenges of a multi-generational family.

“There’s really no other way to describe running a business with your own mother than to say, our business and personal lives are interwoven. We’re not just coworkers, we are family, and support each other emotionally as well,” said Loller, whose two sons grew into adults while she helped manage Maravilla Gardens in Camarillo, California. “It’s like a big nest, as if we are birds collecting branches and building a nest to support both the business and our lives together.”

The roots of Maravilla Gardens go back to some of Loller’s earliest memories. When she was four, her parents – Jo and Tony Maravilla – purchased a lemon orchard in the Ventura County foothills. They turned it into a nursery, started up a landscaping contracting business and also built the family’s home on the property.

Pinched by the early 2000s recession, her parents decided to diversify their business by adding a wedding venue to the scenic grounds. Her father, Tony Maravilla, who designed and installed landscaping for his business, methodically created the venue grounds. Jo Maravilla, meanwhile, enlisted her knowledge of gardening, a trade she developed during her many years of running a plant nursery on the property, and turned the wedding venue into a joint project they were excited to work on as a team. In addition to running the nursery, Jo Maravilla kept the office straight for all three businesses.

During that time, Loller lived in Sacramento and was busy raising her young family. But she stayed in close touch with her parents and found that her artistic eye – Loller holds a degree in studio art – could benefit their business. She helped create a website that showcased the wedding venue’s scenic setting, doubling the number of ceremonies in a year. Within a few years the Maravillas decided to focus solely on weddings at the six-acre property. Loller and her family moved back to Camarillo in 2010 so she could jointly run the business with her mom, and today lives in her childhood home that overlooks the reception area.

“When people visit, they always comment on how the site has such an amazing flow – from the cocktail and reception areas the views overlook agricultural land that can’t be developed” because the base of the valley is a flood plain, she said.

Maravilla Gardens’ relationship with U.S. Bank began 15 years ago with predecessor company Union Bank. Over the years, Maravilla Gardens has worked with the bank for financing including a Small Business Administration loan, said Priscilla Valles, small business specialist at U.S. Bank.

“I’m honored that they trust me as an honest advisor who will always be here to support this family legacy business for years to come,” Valles said.

“There’s really no other way to describe running a business with your own mother than to say, our business and personal lives are interwoven. We’re not just coworkers, we are family, and support each other emotionally as well.”

– Jen Loller, who runs Maravilla Gardens with her mom, Jo Maravilla

Camarillo’s year-round sunshine and mountain views have turned the Southern California city into a destination for outdoor weddings in recent years. While the eight permitted venues in the area are technically competitors, they’ve also banded together to help market the region. The Camarillo wedding venue community also provided immeasurable practical and emotional support to each other during the nerve-racking months when all events in the state were canceled due to Covid.

For Maravilla Gardens, the shutdown was particularly painful because the lavish landscaping needs constant attention.

“Our business is, literally, alive,” Loller said with a laugh. “We had to stay on top of all of the maintenance of the gardens even though we couldn’t hold any events.”

When the pandemic hit, Maravilla Gardens had 58 weddings booked for the 2020 season, set to begin in less than two weeks. Suddenly 58 couples, made up of 116 engaged people in the middle of their wedding planning, began calling to express anxiety, grief, and an intense annoyance over the loss of control they were experiencing, Loller said

“The wedding industry is a joyful, energetic, and vibrant business, that requires teamwork, all while guiding a host of interesting and sometimes challenging clients,” she said. “My job was to listen, support, and assist each couple in picking dates that would postpone their forthcoming nuptials to what ended up being as long as three years past their original wedding date. I found myself in the trenches, performing the role of a makeshift wedding therapist. Let’s just say that I empathized my heart out!”

Now the wedding industry is returning to a new normal, and Jo Maravilla and her daughter are starting to plan ahead. Jo Maravilla celebrated her 83rd birthday in April. While she continues to be involved in owning the business, she’s also thinking ahead to her eventual retirement.

“This property was previously owned by a member of the Camarillo family. It is now our family legacy, and the business is a big part of what my parents have built to pass on,” Loller said. “Running a business that makes amazingly beautiful celebrations possible for so many couples is an honor. Over the years couples have returned for anniversary, family, and maternity photo shoots. It is a wonderful purpose to create a setting where beautiful moments happen on very important days. It doesn’t get much better than that.”

HOUSTON and ROTTERDAM, Netherlands, May 23, 2024 /3BL/ – LyondellBasell (NYSE: LYB) has collaborated with CORADIN and Dermalogica to create a more sustainable solution for the GREENIS® Dispenser, leveraging its innovative CirculenRecover solution for the award-winning packaging.

To accomplish this, CORADIN and Dermalogica teamed up with LYB to select the best Post-Consumer Resin (PCR) for this demanding cosmetics application, which required both functionality and aesthetics. LYB provided a high-quality solution with its CirculenRecover polypropylene (PP) polymer made from plastic waste through a mechanical recycling process. This solution achieved an optimal balance of performance, aesthetics, and recycled content. The new Greenis® Dispenser, made with over 75% PCR, received numerous awards, including the World Star Winner 2024 Award in the Health & Personal Care category, for its recyclability, sustainability, ergonomics, and waste reduction qualities.

“The GREENIS® Dispenser shows how recycled material can replace conventional fossil-based feedstock, improving circularity and environmental performance for the packaging industry,” said Paula Sanabria, Senior Director, Marketing & Commercial Development, Circular and Low Carbon Solutions at LYB. “We are happy to contribute to new recycled products that support a lower greenhouse gas footprint while helping improve consumer experience with product ergonomics, functionality, aesthetics, and lighter weight.”

This collaboration demonstrates what joint efforts can achieve in our industry: a more sustainable, high-quality, lightweight, user-friendly, and e-commerce-friendly award-winning1 product with a reduction in use of fossil resources. Through collaboration, we can help to end plastic waste in the environment and create solutions for everyday sustainable living.

“The GREENIS® Dispenser development project is the result of strong collaboration between the Californian Brand Dermalogica that has a firm commitment towards sustainable packaging solutions, and UNILEVER Prestige Brands. LYB has been very supportive to find the best recycled material that allowed winning all the technical challenges around the innovative package. LYB is a very appreciated partner of CORADIN, recognized within our company for quality polymer materials and great support” said Florence Bidamant, Associate General Manager & CCMO at CORADIN. “The four awards show the recognition of the packaging experts and encourage the CORADIN Team to work and innovate further.”

“When we partner in sustainability, we all win,” says Aurelian Lis, CEO of Dermalogica. “As leaders in the professional skin care industry, we need to create intuitive, premium packaging solutions that don’t compromise the health of our planet. By working with innovative partners, we can make meaningful changes that impact our industry and the planet for good.”

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About LyondellBasell

We are LyondellBasell (NYSE: LYB) ― a leader in the global chemical industry creating solutions for everyday sustainable living. Through advanced technology and focused investments, we are enabling a circular and low carbon economy. Across all we do, we aim to unlock value for our customers, investors and society. As one of the world’s largest producers of polymers and a leader in polyolefin technologies, we develop, manufacture and market high-quality and innovative products for applications ranging from sustainable transportation and food safety to clean water and quality healthcare. For more information, please visit www.lyondellbasell.com or follow @LyondellBasell on LinkedIn.

About CORADIN

CORADIN is a dynamic French based company specializing in the development and production of innovative solutions for the hygiene and beauty, pharmaceutical, medical devices and diagnostics, health and animal well-being industries.

CORADIN innovates to offer its customers new packaging and unique devices and invests in production means adapted to meet their current and future needs.

Known for being agile and innovative, CORADIN is a company that has a strong CSR policy and is committed to bringing sustainable solutions to the market.

For more than 20 years, CORADIN has been marketing products for Health, Hygiene and Beauty which are manufactured in a very clean production environment. CORADIN meets the ISO 9001, ISO 13485, ISO 14001 and ISO 15378 standards, and has been awarded ECOVADIS Platinum.

For more information, please visit www.coradin.com or follow @CORADIN on LinkedIn

About Dermalogica

Used by skin care professionals around the world, Dermalogica delivers skin treatment expertise with every touch. In 1983, founder Jane Wurwand identified a gap in professional skin care training and created the International Dermal Institute to provide advanced, post-graduate education. Wurwand launched Dermalogica in 1986, bucking the era’s industry trends in favor of clean formulas, a minimalist look, and commitment to skin health, not beauty.

Dermalogica today trains 100,000 skin therapists per year in advanced technologies and services. Products are formulated for the treatment room, used daily in the hands of licensed skin therapists and by millions people for professional results at home. Headquartered in Los Angeles, CA, Dermalogica is made in the USA, with products sold in more than 80 countries worldwide. For more information, visit www.dermalogica.com.

1WorldStar Winner: Greenis Dispenser

Takeaways

Later this year Meta will launch a new education product for Quest devices.It will allow teachers, trainers and administrators to access a range of education-specific apps and features, and make it possible for them to manage multiple Quest devices at once.The new product is the result of extensive consultation and collaboration with educators, researchers and third-party developers working in the education space around the world.

Of all the ways in which metaverse technologies like virtual, mixed and augmented reality could prove to be transformative, the potential they have for education is one of the most exciting. 

For most of us, learning is social – we learn from and with others, and from each other’s experiences. It’s about interaction and discussion as much as it is about absorbing facts. That’s why the unique feeling of presence and immersion these technologies create can be so impactful in education.

They also make things possible that are impossible in the physical world. Instead of telling students what the dinosaurs were like, they can walk among them. Virtual science laboratories can be built and filled with equipment that most schools would never be able to afford. Classes can go on field trips to the best museums, no matter how far away they are. And they can be used to take the risk out of otherwise dangerous or expensive technical or vocational training.

Last year, I wrote about some of the ingenious ways teachers and trainers were already using these technologies. That momentum has continued to build, with more and more colleges and institutions incorporating them into their curriculums. For example:

New Mexico State University is teaching criminal justice by immersing students in virtual crime scenes to learn how to best investigate.Stanford University is using virtual reality to teach its Business School students soft skills, like how to have a difficult conversation or how to nail an interview.The University of Glasgow is teaching life sciences by placing students inside virtual intestines, to see how the body battles bacteria.

There is also a growing research base showing that learning in VR can improve students’ performance, as well as their levels of engagement, attendance and satisfaction. In 2022, Morehouse College reported that students who learned in VR had an average final test score of 85, versus 78 in person. A survey by the XR Association found that 77% of educators believe these technologies ignite curiosity and improve engagement in class.

To make it easier for educators, later this year Meta will be launching a new product offering for Quest devices dedicated to education, just as last year’s Meta Quest for Business was designed for the workplace. It will allow teachers, trainers and administrators to access a range of education-specific apps and features, and make it possible for them to manage multiple Quest devices at once, without the need for each device in a classroom or training environment to be updated and prepared individually. This will save teachers time and allow students to pick up the headsets and get started right away – something that educators using our devices have consistently told us they want.

Education and training providers represent a considerable market for technology products, and we see a growing number of developers building and releasing apps aimed at this sector. While it is still early days for the use of immersive technologies in these settings, we think there’s scope for them to be adopted on a much wider scale. 

The product’s name and features will be announced in the coming months. At launch, we plan to make the product available in our Quest for Business supported markets to institutions serving learners aged 13+.

The new product is the result of extensive consultation and collaboration with educators, researchers and third-party developers working in the education space around the world. We want it to be something that makes it easier for students to learn, apply and practice new skills; feel a sense of presence with teachers and classmates; and to visit places or experience things that would otherwise be impossible. Above all, we want it to help teachers do what they do best: teach. We will continue to learn from them so we can keep improving and make sure Meta Quest headsets are the best devices, at the best value, to bring their classes to life.

DP World’s Container Operations Facility (COF) at the Port of Vancouver recently achieved a significant milestone in environmental sustainability by receiving the LEED v4 Gold certification. This recognition by the Canada Green Building Council exemplifies DP World’s unwavering commitment to sustainability and climate goals while setting a new standard in green building design.

What is LEED?

LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a globally recognized symbol of excellence in sustainable building practices. It signifies not only a commitment to environmental stewardship but also a dedication to creating healthier, more efficient spaces that support the well-being of people and the planet. LEED buildings contribute significantly to addressing climate change by:

Saving Money and Energy: By improving efficiency and reducing resource consumption, LEED buildings generate substantial savings for owners and occupants.Reducing Carbon Emissions: Lower energy consumption leads to a smaller carbon footprint, helping organizations meet ambitious ESG goals.Creating Healthier Spaces: With enhanced indoor air quality, natural lighting, and sustainable materials, LEED-certified buildings offer improved spaces for occupants.Supporting Resilient, Equitable Communities: Sustainable building practices promote resilience and inclusivity, benefiting all community members.

Revitalizing a Heritage Site

The journey to LEED Gold certification required careful planning and execution, particularly given the unique challenges posed by the COF project. The facility involved converting a century-old heritage structure into a state-of-the-art operational facility. Achieving this transformation demanded innovation, dedication, and a steadfast focus on sustainability. Here’s how the DP World team prioritized and pursued LEED certification:

Energy Efficiency Improvements: Advanced insulation, high-efficiency lighting systems, and optimized HVAC technologies were implemented to significantly reduce energy consumption.Water Conservation Initiatives: Low-flow fixtures, water-efficient landscaping, and innovative water management strategies helped minimize water usage across the facility.Material Selection and Waste Reduction: Recycled and locally sourced materials were prioritized during construction, while a rigorous waste management plan reduced construction waste.Indoor Environmental Quality: Enhancements such as natural lighting, superior air filtration, and low-emission materials ensured healthier indoor spaces for occupants.

Sustainability and Climate Goals

The achievement of LEED Gold certification reflects DP World’s broader sustainability strategy, “Our World, Our Future.” It aligns with the company’s vision to enhance energy efficiency, lower carbon emissions, and contribute positively to local communities. The COF project’s success also embodies DP World’s commitment to integrating ESG principles into its operations.

The Path Forward

As DP World continues to push the boundaries of sustainable building practices, the COF at the Port of Vancouver stands as an example of what can be accomplished through vision, innovation, and dedication. The facility represents a critical step toward building resilient, efficient infrastructure that supports global supply chains while safeguarding the environment.

In pursuing LEED certification, DP World aims to lead by example, inspiring other organizations to prioritize sustainability and environmental stewardship. By transforming a 100-year-old heritage site into a model of green building excellence, DP World showcases the transformative power of sustainability in action.

Through the COF project and others like it, DP World is not just meeting sustainability and climate goals; it’s actively shaping a more sustainable, resilient, and equitable future for global trade.

Learn more about DP World’s sustainability initiatives.

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Originally published on bloomberglp.com

About

Start date: Tuesday, June 4, 2024

Start time: 8:30 AM EDT| 1:30 PM BST

Duration: 4 Hours

At the halfway point between the COP 28 and COP 29 Climate Change Conferences, Bloomberg Intelligence and Bloomberg LP are pleased to host leading experts from the public and private sector in a series of discussions on the progress made since Dubai and the progress still to be made in Baku and beyond. We will look at the role the oil & gas industry can play in the transition, following a historical COP 28 deal to phase out fossil fuels, key decisions on funding an orderly & just transition that will be made at COP 29 (already dubbed the “Finance COP”), and a look at the intersection of climate and biodiversity. We will also look further ahead at the world of 2030, when climate will be further integrated into key financial markets.

Agenda

8:30 AM – 8:35 AM EDT 
Welcome Remarks 
David Dwyer, Director of Global Research, Bloomberg Intelligence

8:35 AM – 8:40 AM EDT 
Introduction to Bloomberg Intelligence 
Eric Kane, Director of ESG Research, Bloomberg Intelligence

8:40 AM – 8:50 AM EDT 
Keynote

8:50 AM – 9:35 AM EDT 
Panel – COP 28 Recap – The Role of Oil Companies in Decarbonizing 
Brad Crabtree, Department of Energy’s (DOE) Assistant Secretary, Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management 
Vicki Hollub, President & CEO, Occidental Petroleum 
Bjørn Otto Sverdrup, Chair, Oil & Gas Climate Initiative Executive Committee

9:35 AM – 9:45 AM EDT 
Keynote 
Dr. Kate Calvin, Chief Scientist and Senior Climate Advisor, NASA

9:45 AM – 10:30 AM EDT 
Panel: COP 29 Preview – Funding an Orderly and Just Transition 
Ben Jealous, Executive Director, Sierra Club and Former President, NAACP 
Nazmeera Moola, Chief Sustainability Officer, Ninety One 
Val Smith, Chief Sustainability Officer, Citi 

10:30 AM – 10:40 AM EDT 
Lightning Talk 
Patricia Torres, Global Head of Sustainable Finance Solutions, Bloomberg

10:40 AM – 11:25 AM EDT 
Panel: A Look at the Intersection of Nature and Climate 
David Craig, Co-chair, Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) 
Kelly Levin, Chief of Science at Bezos Earth Fund 
Minister Susana Muhamad, Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development of Colombia 

11:25 AM – 11:35 AM EDT 
Lightning Talk 
Adeline Diab, Director of Research, Chief ESG Strategist, Bloomberg Intelligence 

11:35 AM – 12:20 PM EDT 
Panel: Looking Ahead to COP 35: Climate & Financial Markets in the Year 2030 
Colin le Duc, Founding Partner, Generation Investment Management 
Ben Macdonald, Managing Principal, Climate Market Strategy and Infrastructure (CMSI) Group 
Marina Severinovsky, Head of Sustainability, North America, Schroders 

12:20 PM – 12:25 PM EDT 
Closing Remarks 
Irene Bermont-Penn, Head of European ESG Market Specialists, Bloomberg

Click here for more details and to register

On this episode of Healthy Outcomes, host Mark Ross interviews Krista Pankop, Partner and Leader of Baker Tilly’s Not-for-Profit Practice and Behavioral Health Practice. Together they discuss topics and issues addressed during the April 2024 National Council for Mental Wellbeing Conference (NATCON).

Topics of discussion include:

The increasing demand for behavioral health servicesConcept of parity relative to behavioral health reimbursementPrivate equity investment in the behavioral health sectorFunding for behavioral health services, including the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHC) modelRegulatory environment, including opioid litigation funding, federal privacy rules, etc.Workforce challenges

Connect with a member of the Baker Tilly healthcare team to learn more!