Tag: 3BL

Previously published by BriefGlance.com

Daniel Howard

When a company releases its annual corporate impact report, the document is often a curated collection of feel-good statistics designed for the PR circuit. Yet, Subaru of America’s eighth annual report, released today, offers something more: a detailed blueprint of a system where corporate social responsibility (CSR) is not an appendage, but the central gear in its operational engine. The report, detailing massive charitable donations, significant environmental progress, and top-tier industry awards, paints a picture of a company that has successfully integrated its ‘Love Promise’ philosophy into a formidable market strategy.

Subaru’s tagline, ‘More Than a Car Company®’, has been a cornerstone of its marketing for years. This latest report, however, provides the data to back it up, showcasing a complex interplay between community engagement, employee satisfaction, product engineering, and ultimately, brand dominance. It’s a case study in how purpose, when systematically applied, can become a powerful driver of both social good and commercial success.

The ‘Love Promise’ Quantified

At the heart of Subaru’s community-facing efforts is the Share the Love® Event, a program that has become a behemoth of corporate philanthropy. The 2025 event channeled more than $26 million to a combination of national charity partners and, notably, a record 839 local charities. This dual approach allows the automaker to support large, established causes while also empowering its retailers to direct funds toward grassroots organizations that matter to their specific communities. It’s a decentralized system designed for maximum local resonance.

“From our Subaru Share the Love® Event, which keeps growing every single year because it’s powered by real commitment, to the long-term partnerships we’ve built around environment, health, education, pets, and community, this report shows what it looks like when a company lives up to its values,” said Jeff Walters, President and Chief Operating Officer of Subaru of America, Inc.

Beyond this flagship event, the commitment deepens. The report highlights a direct injection of $1.6 million into charitable and nonprofit organizations in its hometown of Camden, New Jersey, demonstrating a tangible investment in the community where it is headquartered. This is complemented by the mobilization of its workforce; employees logged over 15,000 volunteer hours nationwide in 2025. These are not abstract numbers but represent thousands of meals served, parks cleaned, and students mentored, forming a system of direct action that reinforces the brand’s message at a human level.

A Blueprint for Brand Dominance

While the philanthropic numbers are impressive, what fascinates from an analytical perspective is how this social investment translates into market-leading brand equity and consumer trust. The report’s claims are validated by some of the most respected third-party arbiters in the business.

For the third consecutive year, Forbes named Subaru one of the top three brands on its 2025 Best Brands for Social Impact list. This isn’t a niche award; the ranking is the result of over 4.4 million consumer ratings across thousands of brands, evaluating them on trust, values, and community support. Subaru’s consistent high placement, and its position as the top-ranked automotive brand, confirms that its message is not just being broadcast, but received and believed by the public.

Crucially, this perceived goodwill is paired with exceptional product validation. In a significant achievement, Consumer Reports named Subaru its Best Overall Automotive Brand for 2025. This accolade is notoriously difficult to earn, based on a rigorous, independent evaluation of road-test performance, reliability, owner satisfaction, and safety. Unlike the Forbes list, which measures perception, the Consumer Reports award is a cold, hard assessment of product quality. Securing the top spot on both lists in the same year is a rare feat, suggesting Subaru has built a system that delivers on both its promises and its products. It has cracked the code of being seen as both virtuous and valuable.

Engineering for a Better World

The company’s philosophy extends deep into its industrial and engineering processes. The report’s claim of eliminating 120,000 pounds of single-use plastic from its supply chain is a prime example. Achieved through a new clearcoat technology during vehicle shipping, it represents a change at a fundamental, operational level—not a one-off initiative. This action builds on the company’s long-standing commitment to zero-landfill manufacturing, a standard it applies to all its production facilities. These aren’t peripheral projects; they are systemic changes to the core business of building and delivering cars.

This same ethos of integrated responsibility is evident in its approach to safety. The decision to make its EyeSight® Driver Assist Technology standard on 100% of its 2025 model year vehicles sold in the U.S. is a significant move. In an industry where such advanced features are often bundled into expensive optional packages, standardizing them democratizes safety. This commitment is reflected in the results: four models, including the popular Forester and Ascent, earned 2025 TOP SAFETY PICK awards from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). By engineering safety as a default, not an upgrade, the automaker reinforces its brand promise of protection.

This holistic system—linking community action, brand perception, and core engineering—is what makes Subaru’s report so compelling. It demonstrates that being ‘More Than a Car Company’ is less about a slogan and more about a sophisticated, and highly effective, operational strategy.

Continue reading here.

Coming up with an idea for a business can be exciting. Figuring out whether anyone else actually cares about it is harder.

For college students and young adults, uncertainty can be enough to stop an idea before it starts. You may wonder whether you need a website, a logo, paid advertising, expensive equipment, or a detailed business plan before you can find out if the idea has potential.

You don’t. Before you build a business, test the idea.

The goal of a 48-hour business test isn’t to create a polished company in two days. It’s to get one piece of evidence that somebody besides you cares about what you’re offering.

What service or product can you offer to someone in the next 48 hours?

Start by describing your idea in one sentence: what are you offering, and who is it for?

Keep it specific. Instead of saying, “I shoot videos,” try, “I’m a videographer for college students and events.” Instead of “I do social media,” try, “I create short-form content for local restaurants.”

Your offer should be something you could realistically deliver. The goal is not to make the idea sound bigger than it is. It’s to make it easy for another person to understand.

How much should you charge for your small business services?

Pick a real price, even if it’s provisional.

This can feel uncomfortable when you’re testing an idea, especially if you’re a student doing something for the first time. But asking people whether they “like” an idea doesn’t tell you much. A real price gives you a more useful test.

You can always change the price later. For now, the question is whether someone sees enough value in the offer to consider paying for it.

How do you know if your business idea or product is actually good?

Create one example of the thing you want to sell.

If you’re a designer, make a sample social graphic. If you’re a photographer, show a small portfolio or create a sample shoot. If you’re a writer, put together a short example. If you’re offering tutoring, explain what a session would actually include.

You don’t need dozens of examples. One strong piece of proof can make your offer much easier to understand than a paragraph explaining what you could do.

What is the best way to share your business idea so people can see it?

Now put the offer somewhere a real person can see it.

A simple landing page or website can give you an owned place to explain the offer, show your example and tell people how to contact you. It doesn’t need to be elaborate. At this stage, the website is part of the experiment, not the finished business.

GoDaddy Airo can help you get a simple online presence up and running, giving you a place to put your idea in front of potential customers without turning the test into a major project.

You can also share the offer through places where people who might actually need it already spend time: classmates, friends-of-friends, local businesses, student organizations or your social channels.

How many people should you ask to see if your business is a good idea?

On day two, show your offer to 10 or 20 potential customers and ask for a response.

Don’t just ask, “Do you think this is a good idea?” Ask something that gives you useful information: Would you pay for this? What would make you consider it? What questions do you have? What would stop you from buying it?

Then pay attention to what happens.

Clicks are evidence. Replies are evidence. Questions are evidence. An introduction to someone who might need the service is evidence. And, best of all, someone willing to pay is evidence.

You don’t need everyone to say yes. You’re looking for a signal that the idea is worth exploring further.

If the response is weak, don’t automatically assume the idea is bad.

Maybe the offer wasn’t clear. Maybe the price was wrong. Maybe you showed it to the wrong people. Maybe the problem isn’t urgent enough. The point of a test is to learn, not to get a perfect score.

Change one thing and run the test again. You can adjust the offer, the audience, the price or the way you present it.

That’s still progress. You learned something without spending months building a business that nobody asked for.

Can you test a business idea in just 48 hours?

You probably can’t build an entire business in 48 hours. You can, however, learn whether someone is interested enough to take a next step.

That’s the advantage of starting with an experiment. It keeps the risk small and replaces some of the guesswork with real-world feedback.

Maybe your idea turns into a side business. Maybe it becomes a freelance service. Maybe you discover that the original idea needs to change. Or maybe you decide it’s not worth pursuing.

All of those outcomes are more useful than spending months wondering whether your idea could work.

How do you test your business idea? 

If you have a business idea, you don’t need to prove that you can build a huge business. You just need to find out whether the idea creates enough value for someone to care.

Give yourself 48 hours. Define the offer. Pick a price. Make one example. Put it somewhere people can see it. Then ask real people what they think and whether they’re willing to take the next step.

The best outcome isn’t necessarily a sale. It’s learning enough to know what you should do next.

Because before you spend serious time or money building a business, it’s worth finding out whether there’s something there to build.

Where can you find free tools for college students to test your small business idea?

For college students ready to test, build or launch their business, GoDaddy Empower is offering a free domain and access to website building tools for three years.*

To learn more, visit www.godaddy.com/godaddy-for-good/empower. 
 

^{*Offer only available in US higher education institutions at this time.}

Originally published on Tork Newsroom

GREEN BAY, WI and APPLETON, WI, September 23, 2026 /3BL/ — Tork, an Essity brand and the global leader in professional hygiene, and the Green Bay Packers are launching the sixth annual Tackle Hygiene with Every Catch campaign for the 2026 season. Starting with the Packers’ first home game on September 24 through their fifth home game on November 15, Tork will donate $250 in sustainable hygiene products for every Packers catch made at Lambeau Field to Ronald McDonald House Charities^® of Eastern Wisconsin, an organization supporting families with children receiving medical treatment at local hospitals. Donations from this year’s campaign will help deliver up to $30,000 in sustainable hygiene products such as Tork facial tissue, toilet paper, paper towels, hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes.  

To date, the Tackle Hygiene with Every Catch campaign with the Green Bay Packers has donated $136,750 in Tork sustainable hygiene products to local charities, underscoring the commitment of these organizations.   

“Six years into the Tackle Hygiene with Every Catch campaign, we’re excited to continue building on this partnership both on and off the field,” said Justin Wolf, director of corporate partnerships sales and activations for the Green Bay Packers. “Every catch our fans cheer for provides sustainable hygiene products to families in need throughout our community. Together with Tork, we are enhancing the fan experience at Lambeau Field while making a meaningful impact beyond gameday and reinforcing our dedication to supporting those who need it most.” 

Building a welcoming experience for every fan 

Creating a welcoming experience for every fan is central to Lambeau Field’s mission, a commitment shared with the Tork brand. Through its inclusive hygiene in public restrooms program, Tork is helping remove barriers to hygiene in public restrooms and making these spaces more accessible for everyone. This commitment was recently recognized through the world’s first Design for All (EN 17161) certification, awarded to the Tork dispenser development process. At Lambeau Field, this translates to more than 2,100 dispensers providing paper towels, toilet paper, napkins, wipers, soap and sanitizer, purposely designed so all fans can more easily access the hygiene products they need.Accessibility extends beyond the restroom experience. In partnership with organizations like KultureCity and Ticketmaster, Lambeau Field is fostering an environment where all fans, including those with sensory sensitivities, can feel welcome and supported throughout gameday. “Lambeau Field’s KultureCity certification, paired with the Sensory Activation Vehicle presented by Ticketmaster, gives fans who are neurodivergent and those with sensory sensitivities the tools they need to fully enjoy gameday,” said Uma Srivastava, executive director of KultureCity and member of the Tork Coalition for Inclusive Hygiene. “Add in partners like Tork, who bring that same commitment into the restrooms and concourses, and you get a stadium experience that’s welcoming from the ground up.”

Comfort and care beyond the stadium  

Since opening in 1984, Ronald McDonald House Charities^® of Eastern Wisconsin has provided a welcoming space for families with children receiving medical treatment at Children’s Wisconsin, Rogers Behavioral Health, and other area hospitals, supporting more than 52,000 family stays from Wisconsin, across the United States, and dozens of countries. This year’s Tackle Hygiene with Every Catch donations from Tork will help supply sustainable hygiene products that support cleaner and more comfortable shared spaces.

“Families come to Ronald McDonald House during some of the most challenging moments of their lives, caring for children with serious illnesses or complex medical needs,” said Carl Lockrem, director of development, Ronald McDonald House Charities^® of Eastern Wisconsin. “In that environment, access to hygiene products is more than a convenience — it helps create a cleaner, more comfortable and supportive space where families can focus on their child’s care. We’re grateful to Tork and the Green Bay Packers for helping us provide that sense of comfort and care when families need it most.”  

From Lambeau Field’s gates to Ronald McDonald House’s doors, Tork, the Packers and RMHC^® Eastern Wisconsin share a common goal: making sure people feel welcomed, supported and cared for, wherever they are away from home. 

About Tork 

The Tork brand offers professional hygiene products and services to customers worldwide ranging from restaurants and healthcare facilities to offices, schools and industries. Our products include dispensers, paper towels, toilet tissue, soap, napkins, wipers, but also software solutions for data-driven cleaning. Through expertise in hygiene, functional design and sustainability, Tork has become a market leader that supports customers to think ahead so they’re always ready for business. Tork is a global brand of Essity, and a committed partner to customers in over 110 countries. To keep up with the latest Tork news and innovations, please visit https://www.torkglobal.com/.

About Essity

Essity is a global, leading hygiene and health company. Every day, our products, solutions and services are used by a billion people around the world. Our purpose is to break barriers to well-being for the benefit of consumers, patients, caregivers, customers and society. Sales are conducted in approximately 150 countries under the leading global brands TENA and Tork, and other strong brands such as Actimove, Cutimed, JOBST, Knix, Leukoplast, Libero, Libresse, Lotus, Modibodi, Nosotras, Saba, Tempo, TOM Organic and Zewa. In 2025, Essity had net sales of approximately $14 billion and employed 36,000 people. The company’s headquarters is located in Stockholm, Sweden and Essity is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm. 

Essity in Appleton, Neenah and Menasha, Wisconsin 

Essity has approximately 790 employees in the Fox Cities, including nearly 610 between its Menasha mill and Neenah converting facility, which manufacture the Tork^® brand of toilet paper, napkins and paper towels, and 183 at its Service Excellence Center in Appleton. In addition to Wisconsin, Essity has U.S. operations in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Kentucky, Ohio, Oklahoma, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas and Washington.

Learn more at essityusa.com. 

About the Green Bay Packers

The Green Bay Packers, an iconic professional American football team established in 1919, are the only community-owned team in U.S. professional sports, with more than half a million fans owning shares in the club. Remarkably, though the team plays in Green Bay, Wisconsin—by far the smallest city in the National Football League with just over 100,000 residents—the Packers are the league’s most successful franchise, with 13 championships, including four Super Bowls.

About Ronald McDonald House Charities^® of Eastern Wisconsin

Ronald McDonald House Charities^® of Eastern Wisconsin, Inc. is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that provides essential services to remove barriers, strengthen families and promote healing when children need healthcare. Since opening in 1984, RMHC Eastern Wisconsin has provided a supportive and compassionate community for families with children receiving medical treatment far from home. With the help of more than 430 dedicated volunteers, the organization has supported nearly 60,000 family stays from Wisconsin, all 50 states and 49 foreign countries. For more information, visit www.RMHC-EasternWI.org.

September 23, 2026 /3BL/ – Inogen Alliance welcomes WISER Group as its newest Associate company in Hungary. This strategic addition strengthens our presence in the EMEA region, further expanding our ability to deliver high-quality environmental, health, safety, and sustainability (EHS&S) services through a truly global network of local experts. With extensive experience supporting manufacturers, construction companies, and multinational organizations across Hungary, WISER Group enhances the Alliance’s ability to provide local insight and practical EHS support in a strategically important Central European market. As our multinational clients continue to grow and evolve, expanding our geographic reach as well as offering innovative solutions remains a key priority to ensure consistent, on-the-ground support wherever they operate.

With more than 70 Associate companies and over 6,000 consultants worldwide, the Alliance continues to grow as a trusted global partner, connecting regional expertise with global coordination to solve complex challenges. The addition of WISER Group reflects our ongoing commitment to strengthening coverage in key markets, enhancing collaboration across regions, and delivering innovative, locally informed solutions that support sustainable business practices at scale.

 

About WISER Group

WISER Group is a Hungary-based EHS consultancy with more than 15 years of experience, supporting multinational companies and SMEs across a wide range of industries, including construction and building materials, automotive and manufacturing, food and consumer goods, and telecommunications. Their core expertise covers occupational health and safety, fire protection, environmental compliance and construction safety.

“Becoming part of Inogen Alliance marks an important milestone in WISER Group’s development. It enables us to combine the agility and local expertise of our team with a truly global network, allowing us to support international clients consistently across borders while continuing to deliver the practical, high-quality EHS solutions our clients expect from us.”- László Kozák, Managing Director, WISER Group

 

Every Associate company admitted to Inogen Alliance undergoes a comprehensive evaluation process to ensure alignment in values, technical capabilities, and geographic fit. Approved by our Board of Directors, each new addition strengthens the expertise, collaboration, and trusted relationships that define our global network.

Inogen Alliance is a global network made up of over 70 of independent local businesses and over 6,000 consultants around the world who can help make your project a success. Our Associates collaborate closely to serve multinational corporations, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations, and we share knowledge and industry experience to provide the highest quality service to our clients. If you want to learn more about how you can work with Inogen Alliance, you can explore our Associates or Contact Us. Watch for more News & Blog updates, listen to our podcast and follow us on LinkedIn.

What topics will the 2026 Tire Emissions Research Conference cover? From how tire and road wear particles are generated to how they impact our environment, this year’s program spans five core scientific themes. 

An independent Scientific Committee has designed a rich agenda that dives into every major aspect of tire and road wear emissions research:

• Tire and road emissions generation and characterization (particulates and constituents) – How and how much do tires emit?
• Environmental Distribution & Fate of tire emissions – Where do these particles and chemicals travel and persist?
• Behavior and impact of tire emissions on the environment – What effects do tire emissions have on ecosystems and people?
• Design Alternatives – How can tires, vehicles or materials be re-imagined to reduce emissions?
• Civil engineering measures and environmental practices for mitigation of TRWP and chemicals – What road designs, runoff management or capture technologies can limit emissions?

Each theme addresses critical questions and solutions for more sustainable mobility. If your work touches on any of these areas, this conference will be an ideal platform to share insights and learn from peers. Let’s push the boundaries of what we know, together.

• Cambridge, England
• ️ 8–10 December 2026

 The Tire Emissions Research Conference is an event supported by the Tire Industry Project (TIP), part of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. 

Learn more about the conference themes and how to attend.
 

NEW YORK, September 23, 2026 /3BL/ – The Paulson Institute, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) today released Financing Nature Report 2026: A Mid-Decade Update: From Isolated Progress to Implementation at Scale, which underscores the importance of protecting biodiversity and assesses the current magnitude of the financing nature gap. Since publishing the first Financing Nature report in 2020, the financing gap has nearly doubled from $711 billion to $1.317 trillion a year. Drawing on practical knowledge from successful case studies by more than a dozen partner organizations, Financing Nature 2026 offers proven examples of how to close the financing gap and halt biodiversity loss by scaling nature-finance solutions. The report lays out more than just data points; it lays out action.

“I’ve always believed that a healthy planet is good for business, and it’s far cheaper to prevent environmental damage than to clean it up afterward,” said Henry M. Paulson, Jr., Chairman of the Paulson Institute. “Governments today spend more in a single month on subsidies that harm nature than they spend protecting it in an entire year. No other single action would unlock more capital for nature than reforming those subsidies, and none is more overdue. Where governments have gotten the incentives right, capital has begun to follow.”

Financing Nature 2026 arrives just a few weeks before COP17, the UN Biodiversity Conference, which the authors describe as a test of the world’s resolve to translate five years of pilots and proof points into widespread adoption. The research shows it’s not a lack of tools or evidence, but a lack of political will and harmful policies that leave nature and economies at risk.

“The conservation community has helped pioneer models that move real capital into conservation. These case studies are proof that we can protect nature and grow economies if we have the right people and programs in place,” said Jennifer Morris, Chief Executive Officer of The Nature Conservancy. “That means governments, businesses, investors and our partners on the ground align their climate, nature, and development plans before committing money, not after. We are not starting from zero. We are starting from a decade of evidence about what works, and this report is a call to build on it.”

The Financing Nature report presents a blueprint for scaling successful pilots into widespread implementation by aligning public incentives, policies, and private investment. The case studies show firsthand how both private and public institutions have moved the needle to protect nature.

“We no longer lack mechanisms for financing nature. We just need to deploy them at scale. And fast. Project Finance for Permanence deals, maturing carbon markets, impact investing, and other approaches offer promising ways forward,” said Carter Roberts, President & CEO of World Wildlife Fund. “This report proves these strategies work. But it also makes clear we need to deploy them at the pace and scale nature loss demands.”

Financing Nature 2026 was compiled with the help of contributing partners, including Bank of America, Conservation International with BTG Pactual, Goldman Sachs, Microsoft, Rare, Enosis Capital, International Crane Foundation and Endangered Wildlife Trust, Jocotoco, One Hundred Miles, Rare Systemiq, Temasek and The Nature Conservancy, whose case studies provided examples of projects that are working. Drawing on the solutions from those case studies, the report names five key recommendations for scaling proven nature-finance solutions and turning successful models into global practice:

1. Stop paying to destroy nature.
   Governments should recognize that some of their own policies and spending, including subsidies, tax breaks, loan guarantees, procurement, and infrastructure investment, actively drive nature loss, and should cut or redirect that money. For every dollar spent protecting nature, thirty go to destroying it. Reforming harmful subsidies is one of the biggest levers to close the gap. This should be done while continuing to strengthen environmental accountability for private investment and enforcement of environmental laws. 
2. Treat nature as critical infrastructure, not a free input.
   Governments should treat nature as productive capital, an asset the whole economy runs on, and line up economic policy, public investment, and risk management behind protecting it. 
3. Fight climate change and nature loss as one battle, not two.
   Governments, businesses, and investors should get their climate, nature, development, and investment plans in line with one another before the money is committed, not after. 
4. Make nature-positive investment the easy investment.
   Governments and regulators should create the policy and market conditions that let nature finance grow at scale, and Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) and Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) should use their balance sheets and tools to mobilize investment.
5. Scale what already works.
   Businesses and financial institutions should build nature into their strategy, everyday operations, lending, and investment, and scale up the approaches that have already worked.

“None of these priorities waits for perfect conditions,” Hank Paulson adds. “Each can begin now with the institutions and tools we already have, and each gets easier as the others advance. What is required now is not new knowledge but the political will and the sustained leadership to act on what we already know.”

Read the full report here. 

About Paulson Institute
The Paulson Institute is an independent, non-partisan organization advancing sustainable economic growth, climate and nature finance, and global economic stability. Founded by former US Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson, Jr., in 2011, the Institute applies economic and financial expertise to help address today’s most pressing environmental and geopolitical challenges. The Institute helps mobilize capital for natural infrastructure and biodiversity conservation, strengthen global green and nature finance standards, and work to advance economic prosperity. With a diverse, globally experienced team, the Institute convenes leaders, advises institutions, and helps provide practical solutions that support a more resilient, sustainable, and nature-positive future.

About The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy is a global environmental nonprofit working to create a world where people and nature can thrive. Founded in the U.S. through grassroots action in 1951, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) has grown to become one of the most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations in the world. Thanks to more than a million members and the dedicated efforts of our diverse staff and over 1,000 scientists, we impact conservation in 83 countries and territories: 39 by direct conservation impact and 44 through partners.

About World Wildlife Fund
Founded in 1961, WWF works to help people and nature thrive. As a global conservation organization, WWF operates in more than 100 countries, partnering with communities, companies, and governments to protect wildlife, conserve vital habitats, and advance sustainable solutions. Grounded in science and driven by collaboration, WWF works to help nature by conserving biodiversity, supporting resilient communities, and addressing climate change. Nearly 1 million people in the United States and more than 5 million globally are WWF members.

MEDIA CONTACTS

Kristin Gomez, Paulson Institute | kgomez@paulsoninstitute.org | 202-374-2398 Rachel Winters, The Nature Conservancy | rwinters@tnc.org | 267-210-2189 Seth Larson, WWF | Seth.Larson@wwfus.org | 401-265-9350

Originally published by Essence

By Khadija Allen

It has been said that nothing happens without electricity. From industry to small mom-and-pop businesses, to households across America, the utility industry provides the power people need to live their lives, enjoy their pastimes and make things happen. And in July, the Essence Festival of Culture in New Orleans provided the backdrop for yet another great conversation on the pivotal role of women in shaping the future of the utility industry.

The setting was the Global Black Economic Forum Business Summit and the panel, moderated by John Hudson, Entergy’s chief external affairs officer, offered a thoughtful conversation with two nationally recognized utility industry leaders: Colette Honorable, Chief Legal Officer, Compliance and Corporate Secretary at Exelon, and Nicole Daggs, Executive Vice President of Human Resources and Corporate Services at NextEra.

Hudson kicked off the session with a warm welcome to the Gulf South region, which is quickly becoming the home to much of the transformation underway in the utility industry, and he helped set the stage for a conversation about the forces reshaping the U.S. energy landscape. From grid modernization and the clean energy transition, to evolving customer expectations and the growing urgency for resilient operations, he underscored the complexity of the moment. Amid this rapid transformation, he emphasized one priority that must remain front and center: preparing the next generation of energy professionals, including elevating women’s leadership to help guide the industry’s future.

“I had the privilege of moderating a powerful conversation on women leading the future of the utility industry. Grateful to join Exelon’s Colette Honorable and NextEra’s Nicole Daggs—two exceptional leaders whose insights on leadership and preparing the next generation were truly inspiring,” said Hudson. “I left encouraged by the momentum and the growing community of women driving our industry forward.”

The discussion opened with a candid look at the landscape utilities are navigating today. Panelists talked about everything from how utilities are proactively addressing rising affordability pressures and aging infrastructure to proactive regulatory engagement and fast-moving technology shifts. They also underscored the current opportunities to modernize the grid, roll out smarter digital tools, and use data to stay ahead of what customers need. Hudson and the panelists agreed that as they push forward, they’re equally focused on supporting the customers who potentially feel any cost increase the most — ensuring modernization doesn’t leave anyone behind.

Entergy’s own Fair Share Plus pledge was noted as a model for how utilities are addressing the growth opportunity from data centers locating in their service territory in a responsible way that protects all customers and ensures economic and community benefits in the areas where they are locating.

Honorable and Daggs shared candid reflections on navigating transformation at scale. They discussed making tough decisions in moments when leadership and clarity were critical, and spotlighted technologies—like AI, automation and grid intelligence—that are already redefining how utilities operate. Both emphasized that modernization must never compromise reliability, and that thoughtful leadership is essential as utilities transition to more sustainable and efficient systems.

“AI is not something we should be fearful of, what we have seen at our company is just the opposite – we give our employees the opportunity to experiment, to pilot and use AI as their superpower,” said Daggs. “Whether it’s to look for a job, to think about an opportunity, to come up with a business idea our community needs to embrace it because we can really use it to elevate ourselves.”

Resilience emerged as a multidimensional priority—spanning operations, workforce readiness, and community trust. The panelists spoke about the responsibility utilities have to support vulnerable customers, deepen engagement, and communicate transparently. Investments in community partnerships, targeted programs, and employee development were highlighted as essential to strengthening resilience over the long term.

The conversation then turned to the future workforce, especially the vast opportunities for women entering the energy sector. If you think of any discipline that exists in business, from engineers, customer service and accounting, to finance, legal and even public relations, it exists within the utility industry. Despite the role or discipline, Daggs and Honorable identified the skills that will define tomorrow’s leaders, including adaptability, digital fluency, cross-functional collaboration, and the ability to lead through uncertainty. They shared personal career moments that shaped their journeys and spoke candidly about the importance of seeking mentors and sponsors, cultivating influence, and building confidence in male dominated spaces, as well as taking ownership of career growth.

“There have been several moments in my career when I thought, I’m just going to take a leap of faith and try something new and different,” said Honorable. “And now, here I am, leading at the highest level of a corporation—something I never imagined for myself. Along the way, I’ve learned that our industry isn’t just about power lines and plants; it’s about people. It’s about building resilient communities, making energy more affordable, and investing wisely so families and businesses can thrive. I share that because I want other women to know: take that leap. Believe in the possibility of your own success, even before you can see it—and know that your voice and leadership can help shape the future of energy.”

Throughout the panel, Daggs and Honorable reinforced themes of courage, curiosity and embracing opportunities during their careers even before feeling fully ready.

Hudson wrapped up the discussion encouraging emerging female leaders across the industry to step forward with confidence. He called on all attendees to foster mentorship, practice allyship, and help shape a more inclusive and resilient energy workforce.

Click here to read more on Essence

By Sherrell McMillan, Corporate Communications

Key takeaways

• Economic growth depends on access to affordable housing.
• Housing shortages across the country are limiting workforce growth, employer recruitment and retention efforts, and long-term economic competitiveness.
• Wells Fargo and the Wells Fargo Foundation are investing in community-led solutions that expand housing supply and strengthen the skilled workforce needed to build homes.

Wells Fargo leaders traveled hundreds of miles across America this August, meeting the people, organizations, and nonprofits working to expand economic opportunity in their communities.

During the tour, one message emerged consistently: Economic growth is fundamentally linked to affordable housing and workforce development. Employers need skilled workers. Workers need affordable places to live. And communities need both to attract investment, create jobs, and sustain long-term economic growth.

Drawing on 174 years of supporting communities, Wells Fargo was ready to act on those needs. Over five days in five states, Wells Fargo announced $5 million in philanthropic investments to support community-led efforts to expand housing supply, strengthen skilled trades, and drive economic opportunity. The investments reflect the bank’s commitment to helping communities across the country address interconnected challenges and build the foundation for long-term growth.

“Through the last five days, we have seen a coalition of the willing coming together — local universities, public officials, local and regional partners showing up for the importance of affordable housing and investing in the skilled workforce,” said Jason Rosenberg, head of Public Affairs at Wells Fargo, while at a tour stop in Minot, North Dakota.

Mike Rowe, founder of the mikeroweWORKS Foundation, joined Wells Fargo on two tour stops and saw the challenges firsthand. “Everybody is paying attention to this issue,” Rowe said, “but nobody has done more than Wells Fargo.”

The five-state tour builds on Wells Fargo’s decades of work in housing affordability. From strengthening skilled trades in Alaska to a high school homebuilding program in Montana to supporting housing innovation, Wells Fargo continues to advance communities on their path to growth.

Here’s a look at how Wells Fargo’s most recent investments across the country are shaping housing infrastructure in cities, towns, and rural areas.

Opening doors across North Dakota

For more than 27 years, Beyond Shelter has worked to ensure older adults have affordable housing. According to the nonprofit, they’ve financed 57 housing developments, creating more than 1,800 affordable homes across North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota.

When Beyond Shelter opened its older adult housing community two years ago, every apartment was leased within two months. The need for affordable housing is real.

“Quality affordable housing provides stability, dignity, and peace of mind,” said Dan Madler, CEO of Beyond Shelter.” And too many people across North Dakota are still waiting for access to it.”

In August, Wells Fargo, which has served North Dakota communities since 1885, announced a combined $1.2 million investment from the company and the Wells Fargo Foundation in Beyond Shelter and Junior Achievement North, a Minnesota-based nonprofit focused on experiential learning that drives real economic mobility.

Through a newly branded Junior Achievement pop-up classroom, the next generation of homeowners will have access to financial education and information about the requirements of homeownership.

“Housing impacts a community because it impacts people,” said Madler. “When people have a safe, affordable place to live, they experience greater stability, less stress, and a stronger sense of security. Those individual benefits then ripple outward to families, employers, neighborhoods, and communities.”

Keeping Idaho talent at home 

For students and working adults in and around Jerome, Idaho, the distance to College of Southern Idaho’s (CSI) Twin Falls campus can create real financial and personal barriers to higher education and workforce training.

That’s changing with CSI’s new LeRoy Craig Jerome Center, a 20,000-square-foot facility offering hands-on training in construction, electrical, plumbing, welding, and manufacturing trades right where students live and work. A $500,000 grant from the Wells Fargo Foundation helped make it possible.

“Idaho is growing quickly,” said Brett Madron, CSI’s Senior Director of Workforce and Economic Development. “But for years, places like Twin Falls and Jerome were seen as exporters of talent, with young people feeling they had to leave to do something amazing. The reality is that amazing opportunities exist here, too.”

Madron sees workforce development and housing affordability as closely connected.

“Building the skilled workforce attracts employers, keeps talent, creates high-paying jobs, and turns workers into homeowners. It’s a virtuous cycle.”

A feeling of ‘This is mine’ in Iowa

For most of her adult life, Emily Van Dorin felt like she lived out of boxes.

A native of Indianola, Iowa, she spent years renting, moving, and raising her son while navigating life’s challenges. A conversation with her mother led her to apply for Habitat for Humanity’s homeownership program. After completing the required volunteer hours and financial education classes, she picked up the keys to her new home.

“I went downstairs, laid on the carpet, and just cried,” Van Dorin said of walking into her new home for the first time. “I kept thinking, ‘This is mine. This is mine.’”

Wells Fargo recently announced $1.5 million in funding for Habitat for Humanity, including support for a new $1 million Rural Housing Innovation Fund that uses modular construction to reduce build timelines and expand affordable housing in rural communities nationwide. The Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity affiliate received $500,000 from Wells Fargo to continue helping people like Van Dorin.

“This home has helped me spread my wings a little bit,” she said, “and find my own peace.”

A Cornhusker blueprint in Nebraska

At Metropolitan Community College (MCC) in Omaha, Nebraska, students are learning homebuilding skills in a full-sized house built at the school’s construction lab. Rashad Deal, a first-generation college student, can’t get enough of the lab because it’s a peek into his future.

He represents what the Wells Fargo Foundation’s $1.25 million grant in support of MCC and local nonprofit Homewoven is designed to produce: a workforce capable of building affordable homes and future homeowners prepared to purchase them. Homewoven helps connect those two needs by offering students on-the-job experience with construction of affordable homes in South Omaha.

“I don’t plan on leaving Omaha anytime soon,” Deal said. “I intend to have a management position in some kind of residential work and my own home in the next few years. I want to be able to give back and help create affordable housing for Omaha.”

Wyoming’s concrete answer 

Jason Mackie and Aaron Resnick have long believed that quality housing is a foundation for a good life. That’s why they co-founded InOurHands — to find innovative solutions to the housing crisis.

Their answer: High Performance Structural Cellular Concrete (HPSCC), a proprietary building material that’s fireproof, wind-resistant, energy-efficient, and cost-effective.

A $1 million Wells Fargo Foundation grant to Wyoming Housing Network (WHN) is helping InOurHands put the technology to work through Goodwill Landing, a 24-home development in Casper, Wyoming, that will allow Casper College students to train on-site through the build. Goodwill Landing is intended to serve as a replicable model for future affordable housing developments across the state.

“Our goal is to strengthen Wyoming communities by providing quality resources and opportunities for people to reach their housing goals,” said Melissa Noah, executive director of WHN.

The projects look different from state to state — a training center in Idaho, Habitat homes in Iowa towns, a housing development for seniors in North Dakota, innovative construction techniques in Wyoming, and workforce partnerships in Nebraska.

Together, however, they reflect a common belief that communities are strongest when people can afford to live, work, and build their futures close to home.

Since 2019, Wells Fargo & Company and the Wells Fargo Foundation have donated more than $2 billion to strengthen local communities.

Find out how we’re investing in communities throughout America.

A single step can stop everything. In South Korea, employees and community partners are confronting mobility barriers firsthand—and removing them, one ramp at a time. What begins as awareness is becoming action, and action is reshaping how communities think about access for people with disabilities.

In the narrow alleys of Seoul’s Jung-gu district, a curb just a few inches high can become an immovable wall.

During a recent volunteer activity, employees from Boehringer Ingelheim Korea attempted to navigate the Seoul office in wheelchairs—pushing up inclines and jolting over uneven surfaces. “I never realized how hard this was until a single step brought everything to a halt,” one volunteer admitted after the simulation.

Beyond the office, teams then went into the field on foot to investigate stores and document real accessibility barriers. For millions of people in South Korea with limited mobility, this is not a simulation. It is daily life.

South Korea has a rapidly aging population. Today, nearly 15 million people (around 30% of the population) experience mobility challenges, including older adults, people with disabilities, pregnant women, and parents with strollers.

While ramp installation standards were expanded in 2022, 98.2% of retail stores remain exempt, leaving essential places such as pharmacies, clinics, and neighborhood shops difficult or impossible to access.

In December 2024, South Korea’s Supreme Court formally recognized accessibility as a constitutional fundamental right, reinforcing that mobility is not a convenience, but a matter of dignity, participation, and equity. Quickly following the ruling, Boehringer Ingelheim Korea became the first private company to install ramps in a local community. Yet policy change alone does not remove physical barriers already built into everyday environments.

From awareness to action

That gap is where the “Moving Forward” campaign begins. Guided by the message “Everyone’s life must move forward,” the initiative is a long-term collaboration between Boehringer Ingelheim Korea and MUUI, a social enterprise founded in 2016 to advance accessibility rights for people with limited mobility.

Rather than focusing on awareness alone, the campaign takes a practical approach: identifying real-world barriers and removing them—one ramp at a time. Key to achieving this was the thoughtful coordination with administrative offices such as the Jung-gu Administration Office and the Jung-gu Welfare Centre for Disabled People.

From April to October 2025, the initiative focused on Yaksu-dong, a neighborhood in Jung-gu with one of Seoul’s highest concentrations of residents with mobility challenges. Employees walked the same routes as residents, assessed street-level barriers, and experienced firsthand where everyday movement becomes restricted.

Through on-site surveys and accessibility training including wheelchair simulations, the team identified 33 potential wheelchair ramp installation points, prioritizing locations where steep slopes, aging infrastructure, and frequent foot traffic intersected. “A single curb can feel like a mountain,” one participant reflected after the exercise.

Building access, together

From these assessments, 10 key facilities and storefronts were selected to receive customized ramps. Twenty employees participated in every step—measuring entrances, preparing surfaces, and installing ramps alongside MUUI experts.

This hands-on model was intentional. “Awareness comes first,” said Dongho Park, a participating employee. “Once you are aware, you gain the ability to act. That’s what this experience taught me.”

For MUUI, the collaboration reflects a broader shift from isolated accessibility improvements to shared responsibility.

Accessibility is a right everyone should naturally enjoy in daily life. Through this partnership, I hope awareness grows and communities move closer to guaranteeing mobility as a right, not a restriction.

Yun-hui Hong, Chairperson of MUUI

Beyond a volunteer day

What distinguishes the Moving Forward campaign is its commitment to continuity. “This agreement is not a one-off activity,” says Ana-Maria Boie, General Manager of Boehringer Ingelheim Korea. “With our rapidly aging population, accessibility has become a critical social issue. We are committed to working with communities to create environments where everyone can move safely and freely—today and in the future.”

By pairing infrastructure improvements with local insight and employee engagement, the campaign moves beyond volunteering towards sustainable, community-embedded change. As a result of the campaign’s success, Moving Forward is now one of Boehringer Ingelheim Korea’s strategic sustainability initiatives.

Looking ahead, the initiative aims to enhance social accessibility and participation for people with limited mobility. By fostering closer collaboration between corporate and community stakeholders, the initiative seeks to strengthen shared responsibility, while also serving as a model for other organizations seeking to address social challenges through sustainable development.

Why accessibility matters to everyone

Mobility challenges are not limited to one group. Life can change in unexpected ways: a twisted ankle, a stroller for a newborn, caring for an aging parent. In those moments, accessibility becomes more than a policy issue. It becomes freedom.

Each ramp installed through the Moving Forward campaign represents more than concrete and paint. It is a doorway to healthcare, employment, and community life.

Accessibility is not for a few. It is for all of us. And when barriers are removed, life—quite literally—moves forward.

Read more on Imagine – Boehringer Ingelheim’s sustainability story hub.

*Image credits: Header, content pictures and video: Boehringer Ingelheim

Key Points

• The energy efficiency of Marathon Petroleum Corporation’s campus headquarters has earned federal ENERGY STAR® certification, representing the top quarter of similar commercial buildings nationwide in 2026.
• It’s the first time the campus has received this recognition, representing years of ongoing efficiency improvements.
• Since the campus’s energy efficiency performance was first benchmarked in 2009, utility spending has decreased 37.3%.

September 22, 2026 /3BL/ – Efficiency enhancements have helped Marathon Petroleum’s campus headquarters in Findlay, Ohio, earn federal ENERGY STAR® certification for the first time. This achievement, representing energy efficiency in the top 25% of similar commercial buildings nationwide in a given year, reflects almost two decades of ongoing upgrades across the campus’s five buildings.

“The improvements have involved replacing lighting, windows and entire HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) systems,” Principal Facilities Construction Specialist Dave Nowak said. “Our commissioning process aims to fine tune and extract available energy savings from the systems through all seasons.”

The Findlay campus uses ENERGY STAR’s Portfolio Manager®, a web-based tool that allows for comparing a building’s energy usage to baselines, national medians and the usage of similar buildings. This year, Portfolio Manager calculated an ENERGY STAR score of 79 for the campus, exceeding the certification threshold of 75 and signifying better energy efficiency than 79 percent of similar buildings. The mandated third-party data verification was provided by Go Sustainable Energy.

“Our commissioning process aims to fine tune and extract available energy savings from the systems through all seasons.”

“Since the beginning of our benchmarking in 2009, we’ve achieved a 37.3% reduction in utility spending,” said Lead Facilities Construction Specialist Kevin Hartman.

Gaining this level of efficiency has required overcoming project challenges along the way such as structural differences among the buildings and their various additions, which were constructed from 1929 through 1980. Additionally, installing the new HVAC infrastructure has necessitated temporarily relocating almost all 2,300 employees in phases over time.

“Decommissioning existing systems and installing new ones while maintaining services to an occupied building is difficult, comparable to changing a tire while driving down the highway,” Nowak said.

The Findlay campus’s 2026 ENERGY STAR certification may be far from its last one. Energy efficiency throughout the 880,000 square feet of space is likely to increase with additional improvements planned over the next couple of years.

“Installation of new HVAC equipment on the final floors of the Donnell Building is scheduled for 2027 along with adding more energy-efficient boilers in two other buildings in 2028,” said Nowak. “These upgrades are expected to help maintain eligibility for future certifications.”