Tag: 3BL

NEWARK, N.J., May 19, 2026 /3BL/ – The PSEG Foundation continues its legacy of building thriving communities by inviting New Jersey and Long Island based nonprofits to apply for its 2026 Neighborhood Partners Program (NPP). This year, the program will award $1.2 million to organizations that help families and communities access critical services and resources. Applications for the program will be open from June 1 through June 30, 2026, with grants ranging from $500 to $15,000.

The Neighborhood Partners Program reflects the PSEG Foundation’s ongoing work to care for the communities served by PSEG. This year, funding will prioritize organizations whose programs help families through food assistance, workforce development, support for housing and wraparound support services. Since the program’s inception in 2014, more than $9.8 million in funding has impacted over 825 organizations across New Jersey and Long Island, including $8.9 million invested in New Jersey.

This program has strengthened critical community programs. More than $600,000 has been directed to initiatives addressing food insecurity; over $3.7 million to health and human service organizations; and nearly $2.4 million to programs supporting students through STEAM education, out of school time learning and youth development. In addition, more than $1.2 million has been invested in environmental conservation and stewardship and environmental education.

“At PSEG, caring for our communities means elevating organizations that help people access essential services and navigate everyday challenges,” said Calvin Ledford Jr., President, PSEG Foundation and Director of Corporate Social Responsibility at PSEG. “Through the Neighborhood Partners Program, we’re proud to partner with nonprofits that create meaningful, lasting change in the communities we serve. At a time when many families need support, we are grateful to the organizations that continue to provide care and stability to those in need every day.”

Nonprofits will be selected based upon demonstrated program effectiveness and their ability to advance affordability, community wellbeing, economic empowerment and environmental sustainability.

“For more than a decade, the Neighborhood Partners Program has partnered with nonprofit organizations across New Jersey and Long Island to strengthen care for the communities we serve every day,” said Maria Spina, Senior Manager, PSEG Foundation & Corporate Social Responsibility. “Through consistent support and capacity-building investments, we help trusted local organizations address critical needs from easing the financial burden caused by rising costs of living to expanding access to vital community resources. We see firsthand the meaningful impact these local organizations make in their communities, and we are proud to provide funding to  programs that promote community well-being, economic resilience and long-term opportunity.”

“We are most grateful for our partnership with the PSEG Foundation, as well as the PSEG Payment Assistance teams we work closely with, since we serve as the state’s Home Energy Assistance Hotline. NJ 211 connects New Jersey residents with the help they need, including utility assistance and many other health and human service essentials. Our service aligns extremely well with the PSEG Foundation Neighborhood Partner Program’s commitment to economic empowerment,” said Melissa Acree, Chief Executive Officer of NJ 211. “NJ 211 can connect people to multiple safety net programs that provide relief, but many people are unaware that they can turn to us for help. Thanks to a generous grant from the PSEG Foundation, we were able to increase awareness of NJ 211 by participating in multiple community events and distributing over 5,000 pieces of educational material. The grant also makes rides available to those needing in-person help with their utility assistance applications but have no option for transportation.”

“Through our mission at the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK), we are committed to ensuring that families across our community have reliable access to nutritious meals and the supportive services they need to build stability and thrive. Support from PSEG and the PSEG Foundation, through the Neighborhood Partners Program, has strengthened critical initiatives like TASK’s community kitchen, food truck and community meal site program,” saidAmy R. Flynn, Chief Executive Officer of TASK. “Together, we are overcoming the barriers that contribute to food insecurity, ensuring that everyone in our community who needs a meal has access to one. This partnership reflects a shared commitment to strengthening our communities, and TASK is grateful to PSEG and the Foundation for investing in the long-term wellbeing of our neighbors in need.”

Organizations interested in applying for the Neighborhood Partners Program can visit the PSEG Foundation website. Grant recipients will be announced on a rolling basis.

The PSEG’s Foundations Mission, Vision and Pillars

The work of the PSEG Foundation extends far beyond the Neighborhood Partners Program, reflecting broader efforts to strengthen resilience and improve quality of life in the communities PSEG serves. Over the past 25 years, the PSEG Foundation has awarded about $138 million to nonprofit and community organizations.

Guided by its vision to be a trusted partner that makes communities better places to live and work, the Foundation invests in nonprofit organizations that deliver measurable impact across New Jersey and Long Island. Its mission is centered on strengthening community resilience through initiatives focused on environmental sustainability, community well-being, disaster recovery, education and economic mobility. The Foundation manages this work with a focus on operational excellence and meaningful community impact.

These efforts are anchored in three core pillars:

• Community Well-Being
• Environmental Sustainability
• Economic Empowerment

Through these pillars, the PSEG Foundation partners with organizations that advance opportunity, support essential services and build long-term community strength. This work includes collaborations with trusted partners such as Sustainable Jersey, Sesame Workshop, the Stevens Institute of Technology and Montclair State University, demonstrating its commitment to innovative, community-focused solutions.

For questions about the NPP or other Foundation programs, please contact CorporateCitizenship@pseg.com.

About PSEG Foundation
The PSEG Foundation, a separate 501(c)(3), that is supported and fully funded by Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG) (NYSE:PEG), prioritizes investments in promoting community well-being, environmental sustainability and economic empowerment.

About PSEG
Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG) (NYSE: PEG) is a predominantly regulated infrastructure company operating New Jersey’s largest transmission and distribution utility, serving approximately 2.4 million electric and 1.9 million natural gas customers.  PSEG also owns an independent fleet of 3,758 MW of carbon-free, baseload nuclear power generating units in NJ and PA. PSEG aims to power a future where people use energy more efficiently, and it’s safer and delivered more reliably than ever. PSEG is a member of the S&P 500 Index and has been named to the Dow Jones Best in Class North America Index for 18 consecutive years. PSEG’s businesses include Public Service Electric and Gas Co. (PSE&G), PSEG Power and PSEG Long Island (https://corporate.pseg.com).

Originally published on CVS Health Company Newsroom

WOONSOCKET, R.I., May 19, 2026 /3BL/ – CVS Health® (NYSE: CVS) and WGU today announced a new online pre-pharmacy degree program designed to help address the national need for pharmacists through flexible, affordable education. Developed in collaboration with CVS Health, WGU’s fully online Associate of Science–Health Science (ASHS), Pre-Pharmacy degree program helps CVS Health colleagues complete foundational academic prerequisites at a lower cost than comparable programs. The program supports colleagues pursuing a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree and is part of CVS Health’s broader investment in building the next generation of pharmacists.

“This collaboration expands access to affordable education for our colleagues while strengthening the future pharmacist workforce,” said Lucille Accetta, Chief Pharmacy Officer and Head of CVS Specialty Operations, CVS Health. “By reducing financial barriers and creating clear pathways to pharmacy careers, we’re helping colleagues advance professionally while supporting the long-term needs of the profession.”

Flexible coursework, maximum savings

CVS Health colleagues enrolled in WGU’s ASHS, Pre-Pharmacy degree program complete foundational science, mathematics, and professional communication curriculum designed to prepare students for admission to PharmD programs. With personalized support from a WGU program mentor, colleagues have the flexibility to progress at their own pace while continuing to work.

Colleagues may apply for support through the CVS Health® Enterprise Tuition Assistance Program, administered by EdAssist by Bright Horizons, which offers up to $3,000 in tuition reimbursement per year throughout the duration of the two-year program. With an exclusive tuition rate of $3,989 per six‑month term, participants can complete the program with an out‑of‑pocket cost of $9,956 when they receive the maximum reimbursement amount. The 26-course program is eligible for transfer credits.

Supporting future pharmacists

The program is especially designed for CVS Health colleagues – including pharmacy technicians – seeking a clearer path to becoming pharmacists.

A CVS Health 2025 Rx Report revealed that 40 percent of pharmacy technicians surveyed are interested in becoming pharmacists, and 77 percent of them say that tuition assistance would increase their likelihood of pursuing a career as a pharmacist.

As the nation’s largest employer of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians — spanning community, mail, specialty, and pharmacy benefits — CVS Health supports the next generation of pharmacists through collaborations, tuition assistance, structured internships, training programs and continuing education opportunities, including, a 50 percent tuition discount toward the CVS | Duquesne University Tuition Advantage Program.

“Pharmacists are the most accessible clinicians in any community,” said Ryan Gates, Senior Vice President and Executive Dean, Michael O. Leavitt School of Health, WGU. “This is particularly true in communities that suffer from severe shortages of health care providers. CVS Health sees this reality every day across thousands of their locations. This collaboration gives CVS employees, who have long aspired to become a pharmacist, a real path forward without having to choose between their career and their education. This partnership with CVS is a shining example of how industry and higher-education can work together to solve some of the most urgent and meaningful workforce shortages facing our country.”

CVS Health colleagues can apply for the program, with courses expected to launch in summer 2026.

About CVS Health
CVS Health is a leading health solutions company simplifying health care one person, one family and one community at a time. As of March 31, 2026, the Company had approximately 9,000 retail pharmacy locations, more than 1,000 walk-in and primary care medical clinics and a leading pharmacy benefits manager with approximately 88 million plan members. The Company also serves an estimated more than 37 million people through a broad range of health insurance products and related services. The Company’s integrated model uses personalized, technology driven services to connect people to simply better health, increasing access to quality care, delivering better outcomes, and lowering overall costs.

About WGU
WGU’s mission is to change lives for the better by creating pathways to opportunity. That mission drives lasting impact for individuals and communities while strengthening the talent economy of tomorrow.

Established in 1997 by 19 U.S. governors, the nonprofit was founded on the belief that talent is universal, but opportunity is not, and that education is a powerful catalyst for upward mobility and workforce resilience. Purpose-built as a tech-enabled, competency-based university, WGU expands access to affordable, high-quality education through workforce-aligned programs and pathways that deliver value for students, particularly those not well served by traditional higher education.

By continually reimagining how education is designed, delivered, and accessed, WGU connects talent to opportunity and advances economic mobility for individuals and families. This model prepares learners for in-demand roles and supports a workforce equipped to meet the needs of a rapidly evolving economy. Learn more at wgu.edu.

Media contacts
Shannon Dillon
346-291-7131
Shannon.Dillon@CVSHealth.com

Chris Jones
801-503-6705
Chris.Jones1@wgu.edu

Originally published on CVS Health Company Newsroom

WOONSOCKET, R.I., May 19, 2026 /3BL/ – CVS Health® (NYSE: CVS) and WGU today announced a new online pre-pharmacy degree program designed to help address the national need for pharmacists through flexible, affordable education. Developed in collaboration with CVS Health, WGU’s fully online Associate of Science–Health Science (ASHS), Pre-Pharmacy degree program helps CVS Health colleagues complete foundational academic prerequisites at a lower cost than comparable programs. The program supports colleagues pursuing a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree and is part of CVS Health’s broader investment in building the next generation of pharmacists.

“This collaboration expands access to affordable education for our colleagues while strengthening the future pharmacist workforce,” said Lucille Accetta, Chief Pharmacy Officer and Head of CVS Specialty Operations, CVS Health. “By reducing financial barriers and creating clear pathways to pharmacy careers, we’re helping colleagues advance professionally while supporting the long-term needs of the profession.”

Flexible coursework, maximum savings

CVS Health colleagues enrolled in WGU’s ASHS, Pre-Pharmacy degree program complete foundational science, mathematics, and professional communication curriculum designed to prepare students for admission to PharmD programs. With personalized support from a WGU program mentor, colleagues have the flexibility to progress at their own pace while continuing to work.

Colleagues may apply for support through the CVS Health® Enterprise Tuition Assistance Program, administered by EdAssist by Bright Horizons, which offers up to $3,000 in tuition reimbursement per year throughout the duration of the two-year program. With an exclusive tuition rate of $3,989 per six‑month term, participants can complete the program with an out‑of‑pocket cost of $9,956 when they receive the maximum reimbursement amount. The 26-course program is eligible for transfer credits.

Supporting future pharmacists

The program is especially designed for CVS Health colleagues – including pharmacy technicians – seeking a clearer path to becoming pharmacists.

A CVS Health 2025 Rx Report revealed that 40 percent of pharmacy technicians surveyed are interested in becoming pharmacists, and 77 percent of them say that tuition assistance would increase their likelihood of pursuing a career as a pharmacist.

As the nation’s largest employer of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians — spanning community, mail, specialty, and pharmacy benefits — CVS Health supports the next generation of pharmacists through collaborations, tuition assistance, structured internships, training programs and continuing education opportunities, including, a 50 percent tuition discount toward the CVS | Duquesne University Tuition Advantage Program.

“Pharmacists are the most accessible clinicians in any community,” said Ryan Gates, Senior Vice President and Executive Dean, Michael O. Leavitt School of Health, WGU. “This is particularly true in communities that suffer from severe shortages of health care providers. CVS Health sees this reality every day across thousands of their locations. This collaboration gives CVS employees, who have long aspired to become a pharmacist, a real path forward without having to choose between their career and their education. This partnership with CVS is a shining example of how industry and higher-education can work together to solve some of the most urgent and meaningful workforce shortages facing our country.”

CVS Health colleagues can apply for the program, with courses expected to launch in summer 2026.

About CVS Health
CVS Health is a leading health solutions company simplifying health care one person, one family and one community at a time. As of March 31, 2026, the Company had approximately 9,000 retail pharmacy locations, more than 1,000 walk-in and primary care medical clinics and a leading pharmacy benefits manager with approximately 88 million plan members. The Company also serves an estimated more than 37 million people through a broad range of health insurance products and related services. The Company’s integrated model uses personalized, technology driven services to connect people to simply better health, increasing access to quality care, delivering better outcomes, and lowering overall costs.

About WGU
WGU’s mission is to change lives for the better by creating pathways to opportunity. That mission drives lasting impact for individuals and communities while strengthening the talent economy of tomorrow.

Established in 1997 by 19 U.S. governors, the nonprofit was founded on the belief that talent is universal, but opportunity is not, and that education is a powerful catalyst for upward mobility and workforce resilience. Purpose-built as a tech-enabled, competency-based university, WGU expands access to affordable, high-quality education through workforce-aligned programs and pathways that deliver value for students, particularly those not well served by traditional higher education.

By continually reimagining how education is designed, delivered, and accessed, WGU connects talent to opportunity and advances economic mobility for individuals and families. This model prepares learners for in-demand roles and supports a workforce equipped to meet the needs of a rapidly evolving economy. Learn more at wgu.edu.

Media contacts
Shannon Dillon
346-291-7131
Shannon.Dillon@CVSHealth.com

Chris Jones
801-503-6705
Chris.Jones1@wgu.edu

Patrick O’Connell, CFA| Director—Responsible Investing Portfolio Solutions and Research
John Huang, CFA| Director of Responsible Investments, Data and Technology—Responsibility
Kathleen Dumes, CFA| Senior Investment Strategist

New research connects intensifying natural perils to their future implications for asset classes.

When it comes to measuring our vulnerability to nature’s extremes, investors often lean on past data and simply assume that risks will rise. But new groundbreaking research has removed considerable guesswork, particularly among four key natural hazards facing the world this century.

Global Experts Unite to Predict Natural Hazard Threat Levels

New projections from Columbia Climate School build on its pioneering Natural Hazards Index (NHI), launched in 2016 to assess risk-level exposure from floods, drought and a dozen other extreme events nationwide. In 2023, we partnered with the university on a version 2.0 release, which includes an interactive map of natural hazard exposures for thousands of individual US communities.

2025’s upgrade broadens Columbia’s and AB’s collaboration among leading academic and public institutions, including NASA. Applying the latest weather science, climate research and sophisticated modeling, NHI 3.0 can now project the relative location, trajectory and magnitude of the four natural hazards it tracks at midcentury and end-of-century.

The NHI 3.0 not only tells us the ways a particular hazard has evolved, but also how it’s likely to evolve in the future. Wildfires, for example, have increased in frequency and intensity. New data not only predicts fires to worsen where they’re already commonplace, such as Southern California and Washington State, but also in areas where incidences are currently rare, like Minnesota and South Dakota (Display).

Newly forecasted tornado patterns are alarming too, with more outbursts likely stretching beyond the Midwest “alley” and much further east.

The NHI also anticipates where hazards will intersect. Sometimes, a disaster ebbs because of an equally disruptive event. The index shows that Louisiana, for instance, will likely suffer fewer wildfires but ties that to expected more frequent hurricanes, which lead to more flooding.

Tying Natural Hazard Vulnerabilities to Investable Assets

Columbia Climate School’s new data provide essential inputs for planning disaster responses and anticipating hazards’ long-range effects on people, the environment and economies. We believe it also can help investors see better around corners—which is particularly useful as climate change grows more unpredictable and hyperphysical.

With this in mind, we are incorporating key components of NHI 3.0 into our proprietary Physical Hazard Investment Risk (PHIR) tool, which overlays a financial element for each NHI hazard across more than 3,100 US counties. The expanded research now helps PHIR factor future local risk exposures to wildfires, hurricanes, tornadoes and rising sea levels in the US—considered the top four natural threats through 2050.

As an investment tool, the PHIR can assess hazard-risk exposure across municipal bonds and residential mortgage-backed securities. After all, homes, schools, hospitals, power plants and airports are all location specific, which means issuers and lenders are exposed to distinctly local trends in climate change.

Active equity investing can also benefit from the PHIR’s expanded data. Companies of all stripes can be just as exposed to local hazards—if not now, then in the coming decades. A company’s degree of risk could be exponential, since many operate in multiple locations that face elevated risk.

Wildfire projections offer a prime example of how a single company can reveal several risk profiles. A large utility with facilities in Minnesota and South Dakota may be situated in low-risk areas currently. But the wildfire outlook changes dramatically by midcentury. This region shows an increase in wildfire exposure of 88% (Display), a material factor that we believe the company—and those in similar situations—should address. In this case, we engaged the company’s leadership about applying lessons learned from its properties in wildfire-prone Colorado to their Midwest operations.

The Local Threats Are Clear, but Not Always Observed 

Not all risk scenarios will be as easily navigated. Add the rising threat of higher sea levels, tornadoes and hurricanes, and the future strain on businesses and industries is dire yet actionable. Investors don’t always take notice, however. Our expanded PHIR data set helps identify potentially mispriced investment opportunities where hazard exposure isn’t yet fully factored into market valuations.

Tomorrow’s hazards won’t look like yesterday’s, but they can inform today’s decisions. Locally mapping future natural hazard intensity and addressing its implications will be important steps to dealing with disasters as the century plays out. We think the new predictive analysis will likely save lives and livelihoods. But this forward-looking lens can also help investors understand what natural hazard exposure means for physical assets, while motivating companies and bond issuers to offset such risks on their bottom lines.

The views expressed herein do not constitute research, investment advice or trade recommendations, do not necessarily represent the views of all AB portfolio-management teams and are subject to change over time.

Learn more about AB’s approach to responsibility here.

Patrick O’Connell, CFA| Director—Responsible Investing Portfolio Solutions and Research
John Huang, CFA| Director of Responsible Investments, Data and Technology—Responsibility
Kathleen Dumes, CFA| Senior Investment Strategist

New research connects intensifying natural perils to their future implications for asset classes.

When it comes to measuring our vulnerability to nature’s extremes, investors often lean on past data and simply assume that risks will rise. But new groundbreaking research has removed considerable guesswork, particularly among four key natural hazards facing the world this century.

Global Experts Unite to Predict Natural Hazard Threat Levels

New projections from Columbia Climate School build on its pioneering Natural Hazards Index (NHI), launched in 2016 to assess risk-level exposure from floods, drought and a dozen other extreme events nationwide. In 2023, we partnered with the university on a version 2.0 release, which includes an interactive map of natural hazard exposures for thousands of individual US communities.

2025’s upgrade broadens Columbia’s and AB’s collaboration among leading academic and public institutions, including NASA. Applying the latest weather science, climate research and sophisticated modeling, NHI 3.0 can now project the relative location, trajectory and magnitude of the four natural hazards it tracks at midcentury and end-of-century.

The NHI 3.0 not only tells us the ways a particular hazard has evolved, but also how it’s likely to evolve in the future. Wildfires, for example, have increased in frequency and intensity. New data not only predicts fires to worsen where they’re already commonplace, such as Southern California and Washington State, but also in areas where incidences are currently rare, like Minnesota and South Dakota (Display).

Newly forecasted tornado patterns are alarming too, with more outbursts likely stretching beyond the Midwest “alley” and much further east.

The NHI also anticipates where hazards will intersect. Sometimes, a disaster ebbs because of an equally disruptive event. The index shows that Louisiana, for instance, will likely suffer fewer wildfires but ties that to expected more frequent hurricanes, which lead to more flooding.

Tying Natural Hazard Vulnerabilities to Investable Assets

Columbia Climate School’s new data provide essential inputs for planning disaster responses and anticipating hazards’ long-range effects on people, the environment and economies. We believe it also can help investors see better around corners—which is particularly useful as climate change grows more unpredictable and hyperphysical.

With this in mind, we are incorporating key components of NHI 3.0 into our proprietary Physical Hazard Investment Risk (PHIR) tool, which overlays a financial element for each NHI hazard across more than 3,100 US counties. The expanded research now helps PHIR factor future local risk exposures to wildfires, hurricanes, tornadoes and rising sea levels in the US—considered the top four natural threats through 2050.

As an investment tool, the PHIR can assess hazard-risk exposure across municipal bonds and residential mortgage-backed securities. After all, homes, schools, hospitals, power plants and airports are all location specific, which means issuers and lenders are exposed to distinctly local trends in climate change.

Active equity investing can also benefit from the PHIR’s expanded data. Companies of all stripes can be just as exposed to local hazards—if not now, then in the coming decades. A company’s degree of risk could be exponential, since many operate in multiple locations that face elevated risk.

Wildfire projections offer a prime example of how a single company can reveal several risk profiles. A large utility with facilities in Minnesota and South Dakota may be situated in low-risk areas currently. But the wildfire outlook changes dramatically by midcentury. This region shows an increase in wildfire exposure of 88% (Display), a material factor that we believe the company—and those in similar situations—should address. In this case, we engaged the company’s leadership about applying lessons learned from its properties in wildfire-prone Colorado to their Midwest operations.

The Local Threats Are Clear, but Not Always Observed 

Not all risk scenarios will be as easily navigated. Add the rising threat of higher sea levels, tornadoes and hurricanes, and the future strain on businesses and industries is dire yet actionable. Investors don’t always take notice, however. Our expanded PHIR data set helps identify potentially mispriced investment opportunities where hazard exposure isn’t yet fully factored into market valuations.

Tomorrow’s hazards won’t look like yesterday’s, but they can inform today’s decisions. Locally mapping future natural hazard intensity and addressing its implications will be important steps to dealing with disasters as the century plays out. We think the new predictive analysis will likely save lives and livelihoods. But this forward-looking lens can also help investors understand what natural hazard exposure means for physical assets, while motivating companies and bond issuers to offset such risks on their bottom lines.

The views expressed herein do not constitute research, investment advice or trade recommendations, do not necessarily represent the views of all AB portfolio-management teams and are subject to change over time.

Learn more about AB’s approach to responsibility here.

WASHINGTON, May 19, 2026 /3BL/ – The Trust for the Americas and the Organization of American States (OAS) presented Mastercard with the 2025 Corporate Citizen of the Americas (CCA) Award during a ceremony and luncheon in the Miranda Room at OAS Headquarters. The CCA Award recognizes companies that have made a real difference in improving the lives of underserved communities and promoting economic growth throughout the Western Hemisphere for over 15 years.

The award is in recognition of Mastercard Strive, a philanthropic program from the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, and Mastercard’s leadership in digital and financial inclusion, innovation, and economic opportunity across the region. Mastercard Strive helps small businesses thrive in today’s digital economy, giving entrepreneurs practical tools, access to capital, and trusted connection; so they can strengthen their operations, reach more customers, and drive inclusive economic growth in communities throughout the Americas.

The award was presented by Dr. Michael Bogachek, Executive Director of the OAS, on behalf of H.E. Albert Ramdin, Secretary General of the OAS, and accepted by Mr. Jon Huntsman Jr., Vice Chairman and President of Strategic Growth at Mastercard. “For the OAS, it is an honor to present this award together with The Trust for the Americas to an organization whose work inspires what we do across our Member States. This award reminds us of the importance of having partners that not only connect sectors but also implement, turning collaboration into real results for people,” Bogachek said.

During the award reception Mr. Jon Huntsman Jr., said, “Across Latin America and the Caribbean, the scale of opportunity demands collaboration. Through Trust Emprende and Mastercard Strive, we’re proud to work with partners across the public, private, and multilateral sectors to help small businesses build resilience, adopt digital tools, and grow.”

The ceremony also included discussions on new opportunities to expand impact through initiatives such as Trust Emprende, which will work with partners like Mastercard to strengthen micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) across Latin America and the Caribbean.

Dr. Enrique Segura, CEO of ENSE Group and Founding Chairman of The Trust for the Americas, said “Mastercard’s commitment to digital and financial inclusion across the Americas exemplifies exactly the kind of corporate leadership this award was created to honor. For twenty years, the CCA Award has celebrated companies that put purpose at the center of their business, and Mastercard has proven, through its Mastercard Strive initiative and beyond, that innovation and impact go hand in hand.”

The gathering included Ambassadors to the OAS from Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico and Panama, and private sector leaders from Citi, BMW, Banco BHD and Mastercard.

The 2025 Corporate Citizen of the Americas Award honors Mastercard’s leadership in advancing economic inclusion and reflects a shared commitment to building opportunity where it is needed most. Together, The Trust for the Americas and Mastercard are laying the foundation for a more inclusive, innovative, and resilient future for communities across the Americas.

---

Media contact

Jessica Jeng-Mitchell

Jessica.Jeng-Mitchell@mastercard.com

---

About The Trust for the Americas:

The Trust for the Americas is a non-profit organization that promotes social and economic inclusion in the hemisphere by developing key skills for employability, entrepreneurship, and innovation. As an organization affiliated with the Organization of American States, The Trust forges regional and local partnerships with the public, private, academic, and civil society sectors. Since its founding, it has worked in more than 29 countries across the Americas and has impacted over 6 million people through initiatives that connect training, technology, and real economic opportunities.

About the Organization of American States

The Organization of American States (OAS) is the world’s oldest regional organization and the main political, juridical, and social governmental forum in the Western Hemisphere. It brings together the 35 independent states of the Americas, with an additional 70 states and the European Union holding permanent observer status. The OAS works across four core pillars: democracy, human rights, security, and development, advancing peace, solidarity, and cooperation among its Member States.

About Mastercard

Mastercard powers economies and empowers people in 200+ countries and territories worldwide. Together with our customers, we’re building a resilient economy where everyone can prosper. We support a wide range of digital payments choices, making transactions secure, simple, smart and accessible. Our technology and innovation, partnerships and networks combine to deliver a unique set of products and services that help people, businesses and governments realize their greatest potential.

www.mastercard.com

Continue reading here

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

WASHINGTON, May 19, 2026 /3BL/ – The Trust for the Americas and the Organization of American States (OAS) presented Mastercard with the 2025 Corporate Citizen of the Americas (CCA) Award during a ceremony and luncheon in the Miranda Room at OAS Headquarters. The CCA Award recognizes companies that have made a real difference in improving the lives of underserved communities and promoting economic growth throughout the Western Hemisphere for over 15 years.

The award is in recognition of Mastercard Strive, a philanthropic program from the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, and Mastercard’s leadership in digital and financial inclusion, innovation, and economic opportunity across the region. Mastercard Strive helps small businesses thrive in today’s digital economy, giving entrepreneurs practical tools, access to capital, and trusted connection; so they can strengthen their operations, reach more customers, and drive inclusive economic growth in communities throughout the Americas.

The award was presented by Dr. Michael Bogachek, Executive Director of the OAS, on behalf of H.E. Albert Ramdin, Secretary General of the OAS, and accepted by Mr. Jon Huntsman Jr., Vice Chairman and President of Strategic Growth at Mastercard. “For the OAS, it is an honor to present this award together with The Trust for the Americas to an organization whose work inspires what we do across our Member States. This award reminds us of the importance of having partners that not only connect sectors but also implement, turning collaboration into real results for people,” Bogachek said.

During the award reception Mr. Jon Huntsman Jr., said, “Across Latin America and the Caribbean, the scale of opportunity demands collaboration. Through Trust Emprende and Mastercard Strive, we’re proud to work with partners across the public, private, and multilateral sectors to help small businesses build resilience, adopt digital tools, and grow.”

The ceremony also included discussions on new opportunities to expand impact through initiatives such as Trust Emprende, which will work with partners like Mastercard to strengthen micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) across Latin America and the Caribbean.

Dr. Enrique Segura, CEO of ENSE Group and Founding Chairman of The Trust for the Americas, said “Mastercard’s commitment to digital and financial inclusion across the Americas exemplifies exactly the kind of corporate leadership this award was created to honor. For twenty years, the CCA Award has celebrated companies that put purpose at the center of their business, and Mastercard has proven, through its Mastercard Strive initiative and beyond, that innovation and impact go hand in hand.”

The gathering included Ambassadors to the OAS from Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico and Panama, and private sector leaders from Citi, BMW, Banco BHD and Mastercard.

The 2025 Corporate Citizen of the Americas Award honors Mastercard’s leadership in advancing economic inclusion and reflects a shared commitment to building opportunity where it is needed most. Together, The Trust for the Americas and Mastercard are laying the foundation for a more inclusive, innovative, and resilient future for communities across the Americas.

---

Media contact

Jessica Jeng-Mitchell

Jessica.Jeng-Mitchell@mastercard.com

---

About The Trust for the Americas:

The Trust for the Americas is a non-profit organization that promotes social and economic inclusion in the hemisphere by developing key skills for employability, entrepreneurship, and innovation. As an organization affiliated with the Organization of American States, The Trust forges regional and local partnerships with the public, private, academic, and civil society sectors. Since its founding, it has worked in more than 29 countries across the Americas and has impacted over 6 million people through initiatives that connect training, technology, and real economic opportunities.

About the Organization of American States

The Organization of American States (OAS) is the world’s oldest regional organization and the main political, juridical, and social governmental forum in the Western Hemisphere. It brings together the 35 independent states of the Americas, with an additional 70 states and the European Union holding permanent observer status. The OAS works across four core pillars: democracy, human rights, security, and development, advancing peace, solidarity, and cooperation among its Member States.

About Mastercard

Mastercard powers economies and empowers people in 200+ countries and territories worldwide. Together with our customers, we’re building a resilient economy where everyone can prosper. We support a wide range of digital payments choices, making transactions secure, simple, smart and accessible. Our technology and innovation, partnerships and networks combine to deliver a unique set of products and services that help people, businesses and governments realize their greatest potential.

www.mastercard.com

Continue reading here

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

Throughout April, AMD employees from around the world came together to turn purpose into action in celebration of Earth Month. Through hands‑on volunteering and giving initiatives, AMDers demonstrated how collective action can help protect the environment while strengthening the communities where they live and work.

In 2026, more than 1,800 AMD volunteers across 34 global sites participated in 38 company‑sponsored events, all aligned to the Earth Day 2026 theme, “Our Power, Our Planet.” Activities focused on restoring natural spaces, planting trees, reducing waste, rescuing food and supporting environmental education, reflecting an ongoing commitment to community impact and environmental stewardship.

Seed balls: Small actions, global growth

One of this year’s signature activities focused on scalable environmental impact. Volunteers across 17 sites in the United States, Canada, Malaysia, India and the United Kingdom created 15,000 seed balls to support local afforestation efforts. Designed for easy planting and natural growth, the seed balls will be distributed through community partners such as community gardens and after-school programs, helping foster long-term green spaces and local biodiversity.

Greening communities through tree planting and garden work

Tree planting played a central role in Earth Month activities. Volunteers in Armenia, Taipei, Iasi, Suzhou and Markham planted more than 500 trees of various species, adding long-lasting green infrastructure to schools, parks, farms and urban areas.

In addition to planting trees, AMD teams supported community gardens and green spaces through hands-on service. Volunteers planted and mulched crops in Longmont and Seattle, while teams in Belfast helped clear land in preparation for a new sensory garden designed to support students and educators. These efforts will continue to benefit communities well beyond Earth Month.

Protecting waterways, parks and shared outdoor spaces

Across continents, AMD volunteers took action to help keep local environments clean, healthy and accessible. Teams removed thousands of pounds of trash from parks, trails and waterways in Fishkill, Austin, Ottawa, Singapore and Rochester, contributing to healthier ecosystems and more welcoming shared spaces.

In Edinburgh, volunteers supported both environmental preservation and public safety. Alongside litter cleanup efforts along the coastline, teams repaired 10 posts in a regional park, improving accessibility and safety for walkers.

Reducing waste and advancing circular solutions

AMD Earth Month activities also highlighted the importance of waste reduction and circular solutions. In Singapore, volunteers rescued seven tons of produce during a food rescue initiative, helping reduce food waste while supporting community organizations.

In Fort Collins, a donation drive kept 1,440 pounds of reusable items out of landfills, extending the life of materials while supporting local job training and community programs.

Volunteers in Hong Kong hosted an upcycling workshop that transformed used coffee grounds into soap, demonstrating how everyday waste can be repurposed creatively. In Santa Clara, teams assembled wind energy STEM kits, helping students explore renewable energy concepts through hands-on learning.

The momentum continues

While Earth Day has passed, the commitment to environmental stewardship continues. Volunteer events are still planned throughout May, extending the impact of Earth Month and reinforcing a focus on sustainable community engagement.

For more information on community involvement at AMD, visit: https://www.amd.com/en/corporate/corporate-responsibility/community.html.

As originally published by The Linux Foundation

Financial services, infrastructure, security, and public sector organizations join AAIF’s growing community to help shape the standards behind production-grade agentic AI

Summary

• This quarter, the Agentic AI Foundation (AAIF) adds 4 new Gold Members – F5, GoDaddy, Stripe, and TRON – along with 27 Silver Members and 12 Associate Members spanning enterprise technology, robotics, and government organizations.
• New members join a neutral community working to collaborate on open source and open standards of protocols, tooling, and frameworks for interoperable agent-based AI systems.
• The AAIF’s latest cohort reflects growing institutional adoption, with national laboratories, government agencies, universities, and global enterprises recognizing open standards as the foundation for deploying agentic AI safely and at scale.

The Agentic AI Foundation (AAIF), the neutral home where the open standard agentic AI stack is being built, today announced the addition of 4 new Gold Members, 27 new Silver Members, and 12 new Associate Members in the past quarter, bringing total membership to 190 organizations.

The new members bring a breadth of technical expertise that spans the full stack of modern AI infrastructure – from application delivery and payment processing to cybersecurity, robotics, and cloud native development. Representing financial services, government, academia, and enterprise technology, these organizations reflect the increasingly intersectional nature of agentic AI adoption and strengthen the Foundation’s ability to develop standards that are grounded in real-world operational demands across diverse industries.

“The conversation around agentic AI has fundamentally shifted,” said Mazin Gilbert, Executive Director of the Agentic AI Foundation. “No matter the industry, organizations building production systems are choosing to invest in open standards because they understand that fragmented, proprietary approaches don’t scale. Across the board, there’s a clear consensus – the future of agentic AI depends on open, interoperable protocols that everyone can build on and trust.”

By joining the AAIF, new members gain access to a global ecosystem where they can directly shape emerging standards, collaborate on open source innovation, and help meet growing demand for interoperable, standardized agentic infrastructure.

New Gold Members

The following organizations have recently joined the AAIF as Gold Members:

1. F5 helps organizations deliver and secure AI powered applications at scale. Through advanced traffic management, intelligent routing, and real time security, F5 enables customers to optimize AI inference performance, control costs, and protect model interactions across distributed environments, from enterprise deployments to large scale AI infrastructure and sovereign AI initiatives.
2. GoDaddy (NYSE: GDDY) is the world’s largest domain name registrar helping millions of entrepreneurs globally start, grow, and scale their businesses. Airo, the company’s AI-powered experience, makes growing a small business faster and easier by helping customers get their idea online in minutes.
3. Stripe is a technology company that builds economic infrastructure for the internet. Businesses of every size – from new startups to public companies – use its software to accept payments and manage their businesses online. Stripe has dual headquarters in San Francisco and Dublin, as well as offices in London, Paris, Singapore, Tokyo, and other locations around the world.
4. TRON is a world leading decentralized blockchain, and among the largest networks for sending and transacting in stablecoins, with over 381 million users, 13.9 billion total transactions and counting, $26T+ cumulative transfer volume, and one of the largest supplies of USDT (at over $89 billion) as of May 2026.

New Silver Members include Alice, Agen.co by Frontegg, Arkhai, Atlassian, Autonomous Security, Avaya, Concord, Contoro Robotics, Danal, Eigen Labs, Elgin White (soon to be Alpha FMC), Fastly, Lablup, Manufact, MintMCP, MOXFIVE, Natoma, NEXUS, Render, Savoir-faire Linux, Semiotic AI, Solvd, Stacklet, Teradata, Tigris Data, TrueFoundry and VeriSign.

New Associate Members include Consumer Reports, Drexel University, NCUK, NSW Government, National Sun Yat-sen University, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Rust Foundation, Sandia National Laboratories, San Jose State University, The Pennsylvania State University, University of Washington, and the U.S. Army.

Supporting Quotes

“AI is quickly moving from experimentation to production, where performance, cost, security, and governance become critical. F5 is joining the Agentic AI Foundation because we believe open standards will be essential to how agentic AI systems are delivered, scaled, and trusted. As organizations build more distributed AI environments, efficient inference, intelligent routing, and secure model interactions will become foundational to production AI. We’re excited to collaborate with the AAIF community to help advance open, interoperable approaches that support the next generation of AI applications.”

– John Maddison, Chief Marketing Officer, F5

“AI agents are participating on the open web alongside people and bots. For this to scale securely, agents must be discoverable via a verifiable identity tied to a real organization. That’s a problem solved decades ago for human interaction with websites. GoDaddy joined the Agentic AI Foundation to help extend those open standards to the agent ecosystem.”

– Jared Sine, Chief Strategy and Legal Officer, GoDaddy

“Joining AAIF reflects TRON’s commitment to advancing open standards that enable autonomous systems to operate globally. The future of agentic AI will depend on interoperable infrastructure that allows autonomous agents to coordinate, exchange value, and interact with digital financial systems at scale. With the AAIF, TRON looks forward to building and supporting frameworks that connect AI with decentralized financial infrastructure and enable continuous machine-driven economic activity powered by blockchain.”

– Justin Sun, Founder, TRON

 

About the Agentic AI Foundation

The Agentic AI Foundation (AAIF) is the neutral home where the open standard agentic AI stack is being built. With founding projects including MCP, goose, and AGENTS.md, AAIF governs the core standards and protocols that enable agents to operate interoperably across platforms. Through transparent governance and broad industry participation, AAIF is driving adoption and ensuring agentic AI infrastructure evolves openly, predictably, and at production scale. For more information, please visit aaif.io.

###

Media Contact
Agentic AI Foundation PR
pr@aaif.io
 

About The Linux Foundation

The Linux Foundation is the world’s leading home for collaboration on open source software, hardware, standards, and data. Linux Foundation projects are critical to the world’s infrastructure including Linux, Kubernetes, Node.js, ONAP, OpenChain, OpenSSF, OpenStack, PyTorch, RISC-V, SPDX, Zephyr, and more. The Linux Foundation is focused on leveraging best practices and addressing the needs of contributors, users, and solution providers to create sustainable models for open collaboration. For more information, please visit us at linuxfoundation.org.

For a list of trademarks of The Linux Foundation, please see its trademark usage page: linuxfoundation.org/trademark-usage. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds.

Originally published by MIT Technology Review Insights
In partnership with Everpure

Loudoun County, Virginia, once known for its pastoral scenery and proximity to Washington, DC, has earned a more modern reputation in recent years: The area has the highest concentration of data centers on the planet.

Ten years ago, these facilities powered email and e-commerce. Today, thanks to the meteoric rise in demand for AI-infused everything, local utility Dominion Energy is working hard to keep pace with surging power demands. The pressure is so acute that Dulles International Airport is constructing the largest airport solar installation in the country, a highly visible bid to bolster the region’s power mix.

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Data center campuses like Loudoun’s are cropping up across the country to accommodate an insatiable appetite for AI. But this buildout comes at an enormous cost. In the US alone, data centers consumed roughly 4% of national electricity in 2024. Projections suggest that figure could stretch to 12% by 2028. To put this in perspective, a single 100-megawatt data center consumes roughly as much electricity as 80,000 American homes. Data centers being built today are gearing up for gigawatt scale, enough to power a mid-sized city.

For enterprise leaders, energy costs associated with AI and data infrastructure are quickly becoming both a budget concern and a potential bottleneck on growth. Meeting this moment calls for a capability most organizations are only beginning to develop: energy intelligence. The emerging discipline refers to understanding where, when, and why energy is consumed, and using that insight to optimize operations and control costs.

These efforts stand to address both immediate financial pressures and longer-term reputational risks, as communities like Loudoun County grow increasingly concerned about the energy demands associated with nearby data center development.

In December 2025, MIT Technology Review Insights conducted a survey of 300 executives to understand how companies are thinking about energy intelligence today, as well as where they’re anticipating challenges in the future.

Here are five of our most notable findings:

• Energy intelligence is becoming a universal business priority. One hundred percent of executives surveyed expect the ability to measure and strategically manage power consumption to become an important business metric in the next two years.
• AI workloads are already driving measurable cost increases, and the surge is just beginning. Two-thirds of executives (68%) report their companies have faced energy cost increases of 10% or more in the past 12 months due to AI and data workloads. Nearly all respondents (97%) anticipate their organization’s AI-related energy consumption will increase over the next 12-18 months.
• Mounting costs are the top energy-related threat to AI innovation. Half of executives (51%) rank rising costs as the single greatest energy-related risk to their digital and AI initiatives. Most companies currently tracking and attempting to optimize data center energy consumption are motivated by cost management.
• Organizations are responding through infrastructure optimization and energy-efficient partnerships. To address mounting energy demands, three in four leaders (74%) are optimizing existing infrastructure, while 69% are partnering with energy-efficient cloud and storage providers. More than half are also implementing AI workload scheduling (61%) and investing in more efficient hardware (56%).
• Closing the measurement gap is the next frontier. Most enterprises still lack the granular data needed for true energy intelligence. This gap is especially pronounced for companies relying on third-party cloud providers and managed services for their data compute and storage needs, where 71% say rising consumption-based costs originate, yet energy metrics are often opaque.

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This content was produced by Insights, the custom content arm of MIT Technology Review. It was not written by MIT Technology Review’s editorial staff. It was researched, designed, and written by human writers, editors, analysts, and illustrators. This includes the writing of surveys and collection of data for surveys. AI tools that may have been used were limited to secondary production processes that passed thorough human review.