Tag: 3BL

Originally published on Tork News Center

Tork, an Essity brand and global leader in professional hygiene, recently launched its commitment to advancing hygiene inclusivity in public restrooms by ensuring all individuals are able to pursue proper hygiene in these settings.

To bring awareness to one aspect of the issue, the brand is spotlighting stories of Americans who face barriers to washing their hands in public restrooms, showing how this negatively impacts the hygiene and well-being of individuals.

New research shows that:

Almost 1 in 3 Americans face barriers to washing their hands in public restrooms.*Around 1 in 5 Americans experience difficulties using soap or hand towel dispensers due to an injury, health condition, physical capability or as a parent with a child.*1 in 7 Americans cited loud noises as a source of difficulty, either personally or when assisting a child using public restrooms.*More than 1 in 3 Americans cite lack of cleanliness as a barrier to using workplace or public restrooms.*

Tork is sharing the real experiences of those experiencing barriers to hand hygiene, using the brand’s paper towel as a medium through its “paper towel plea.” Unique, printed Tork paper towels feature hand-written notes from individuals who face barriers related to age, neurodiversity, skin sensitivities and hygiene-related concerns. The towels will be installed in select restrooms at business and industry conferences to educate leaders where they are most captive to the message: the busy restroom.

“Many people around the world experience barriers, discomfort, or anxiety when they try to properly wash and dry their hands in a public or workplace restroom,” said Ron Clemmer, Secretariat Director of the Global Handwashing Partnership. “We know that hand washing is critical for reducing the spread of disease and having the integrity of good hygiene, but it isn’t easily accessible for everyone. We applaud Tork for leading the charge on this important initiative and continuing to push for attention and improvement of the accessibility of hand washing in public and workplace restrooms. Through these efforts, they are paving the way to make it easier for everyone to be able to wash their hands properly in public and workplace settings.” 

“We’re spotlighting these hand hygiene barriers because they can lead to restroom avoidance and can go largely unobserved,” said Amie Kromis, DEI director, Essity North America. “Our ultimate ambition is to explore – and solve for – the ways that the restroom experience could be improved for everyone. Not only is this important for the individual’s ability to use the restroom and wash their hands, but a negative experience in the restroom can impact a businesses’ revenue, as well.”

More than 60% of people have a lesser opinion of businesses or venues that provide hand hygiene facilities that are challenging to use.** Almost one-third of guests at high-traffic venues (such as sport stadiums) who avoid going to the restroom (in high-traffic venue) limit how much they eat and drink to do so.***

Tork announced its goal to advance hygiene inclusivity in the restroom recently at Reuters Responsible Business USA where the brand joined leaders from around the world to explore how organizations can improve the environmental and societal sustainability of their operations and solutions.

Demonstrating its commitment to enacting and driving change, Tork is starting the journey to engage business leaders and change agents in a range of capacities – from research, training to concepting and development – to create more inclusive restroom designs and facilities. Businesses can visit a new Tork website that features videos of those impacted by these invisible barriers alongside practical steps for businesses to make their restroom more inclusive.

To learn more about barriers to hand hygiene and to join Tork on the journey to a more inclusive restroom, please visit: Tork paper towel plea

References

*Survey among nationally representative group, barriers faced personally or in assisting others, 2024 

**Market research survey conducted in North America and Europe with offices, 2022

***Market research survey conducted in North America and Europe with visitors of high-traffic venues

For more information, please contact:

FHTork@fleishman.com

Gen remains committed to an impactful environmental strategy that syncs with its business objectives, supports actions to reduce GHG emissions, engages employees and inspires others to act. As part of that commitment, Gen partners with Planet Water Foundation to deliver clean, safe drinking water to rural communities in India. Watch this year’s AquaTower come to life at Panchayat Union Middle School. The new water filtration system can produce 1,000 liters of clean drinking water per hour and doubles as a handwashing station for more than 300 students, as well as people in the nearby village of Gummipoondi, which has a population of more than 2,000 people. Learn more about how Gen is committed to environmental action: https://www.gendigital.com/us/en/social-impact/environment/

MIAMI, April 4, 2024 /3BL/ – Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), the world’s largest cruise company, proudly announces that its port destination Mahogany Bay Cruise Center has been awarded the prestigious Honduran Ecological Blue Flag distinction for 2022-2023 by the Honduras Ministry of Tourism. This accolade, received in the beach category, emphasizes the destination’s commitment to environmental management, education, safety and accessibility, fulfilling a specific set of stringent criteria.

The Ecological Blue Flag program was adopted in Honduras and underscores a dedication to environmental stewardship. Recipients must meet and maintain a series of stringent environmental, educational, safety and accessibility requirements to qualify. In the case of Mahogany Bay, the cruise center was awarded for its implementation of best environmental practices in alignment with global conservation efforts. This recognition supports Carnival Corporation’s deep commitment to leading the way in sustainable cruising by promoting positive climate action to preserve natural resources and safeguard the planet’s ecosystems.

Nestled in Roatan, Honduras – a pristine natural paradise known for its white sandy beaches, crystal-clear waters, and the world’s second-largest coral reef – Mahogany Bay earned this recognition for its outstanding environmental management efforts spanning waste management, water quality assessment, and environmental education.

“Earning the Honduran Ecological Blue Flag distinction with the highest possible rating of five stars is a testament to our unwavering dedication to sustainability and responsible tourism,” said Juan Fernandez, vice president, destination operations for Carnival Corporation. “This recognition underscores our commitment to preserving the natural beauty of Roatan, Mahogany Bay and the many destinations and communities we visit for generations to come.”

To retain its Blue Flag status, Mahogany Bay is deeply committed to continue compliance with all the criteria, which is verified annually. In 2022, Mahogany Bay processed approximately 1,120 pounds of recyclable material in coastal clean-up efforts. In 2023, employees at the cruise center collected about 1,100 pounds of recyclable items and 2,300 pounds of non-recyclable waste. The port team also engages in crucial initiatives like seawater and potable water quality monitoring, wastewater treatment and extensive waste management strategies. Importantly, Mahogany Bay also focuses on community engagement and sustainability projects, including coastal clean-ups and mangrove reforestation, showcasing the cruise center’s commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainable tourism.

This accolade exemplifies Carnival Corporation’s broader strategy to embed sustainable practices across its operations, setting a benchmark for environmental excellence. Through persistent conservation, waste management and educational initiatives, Mahogany Bay exemplifies sustainable tourism, inspiring others to follow in its footsteps.

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About Carnival Corporation & plc 
Carnival Corporation & plc is the largest global cruise company, and among the largest leisure travel companies, with a portfolio of world-class cruise lines – AIDA Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Costa Cruises, Cunard, Holland America Line, P&O Cruises (Australia), P&O Cruises (UK), Princess Cruises, and Seabourn.

Additional information can be found on www.carnivalcorp.com, www.aida.de, www.carnival.com, www.costacruise.com, www.cunard.com, www.hollandamerica.com, www.pocruises.com.au, www.pocruises.com, www.princess.com, and www.seabourn.com.

For information on Carnival Corporation’s industry-leading sustainability initiatives, visit www.carnivalsustainability.com.

Carnival Corporation Media Contacts:

Amber Hastings, Carnival Corporation, amhastings@carnival.com

Ellie Beuerman, LDWW, ellie@ldww.co

The Longfellow Senior Housing, an historic redevelopment in Cleveland’s Collinwood community financed by KeyBank, has been awarded CoStar’s 2023 Impact Award for Redevelopment of the Year in Cleveland. KeyBank Community Development Lending and Investment (CDLI) provided a $16.9 million investment, purchasing the housing and historic tax credits for the project.  KeyBank also provided $8.8 million in financing towards construction.

The Longfellow offers 80 new one-and two-bedroom affordable apartments for seniors 62 and older, preserved within the historic Henry W. Longfellow School and a newly constructed building on the property. The site’s redevelopment kept the original building’s integrity while also providing modern amenities that enhance seniors’ social, physical, and mental well-being.

For more than eight decades, the property was home to The Henry W. Longfellow Elementary School. However, the school faced demolition in 2011 until The Cleveland Restoration Society stepped in and had it become a designated historic landmark by the City of Cleveland, and thanks to Vesta Corporation’s redevelopment project, Longfellow can continue to provide an essential service to the community.

From the creation of a usable senior-focused fitness center to the development of green spaces and community social areas, The Longfellow offers a unique living experience for seniors. Additionally, a wellness room was also included in the plan to provide a confidential on-site space where third-party healthcare providers can conduct examinations and provide essential healthcare services to Longfellow residents.

Learn more about KeyBank’s commitment to helping clients and communities thrive

2023 was the planet’s warmest year on record, with the average land and ocean surface temperature at 1.18 degrees Celsius—the hottest since recordkeeping began in 1880. As a leading science and technology company, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, is committed to continuing its accelerated emissions reduction. The company’s Group-wide and Life Science Sustainability Strategy addresses this goal, outlining an ambition to achieve a 50% reduction in Scope 1 & 2 emissions by 2030 compared to 2020. Scope 1 emissions, otherwise down as direct emissions, are emissions that occur on-site such as natural gas usage and use of refrigerants. Scope 2 emissions occur off-site and are mainly caused by electricity consumption not covered by renewable electricity.

One of the key levers to achieve this goal is EDISON, the company’s high-impact energy and water reduction program. Led by the EDISON team and over 100 site EDISON leads, the program delivered its most significant impact to date since its 2009 launch.

With the successful completion of more than 60 projects globally and an investment of just over €9 million, the Life Science business will avoid an impressive 35,000-megawatt hours (MWh) of energy, prevent over 7,000 tons of CO2 emissions and conserve more than 30,000 cubic meters of water.

Check out some of the 2023 EDISON highlights:

Solar Installation in Toluca, Mexico

A 550-kilowatt (kW) roof and carpark solar photovoltaic (PV) system was installed at a facility in Toluca, Mexico, resulting in 421,000 kWh of electricity and 168 tons of CO2 savings.

“It is a great pleasure to put the photovoltaic system in operation at our Toluca site,” said Raul Faudoa, Maintenance and Projects Manager. “This EDISON project improves our energy generation and consumption while maximizing our resources and avoiding unnecessary waste.”

Heat Pump Installation in Molsheim, France

Two heat pumps were installed at manufacturing buildings in Molsheim, France, to help reduce the site’s natural gas consumption. The €600,000 investment aligns with the company’s decarbonization strategy, saving 3,800,000 kWh of energy while switching to electric heat sources.

“Installing heat pumps on site enables CO2 emission reductions by switching off gas supply whenever temperatures are above three degrees Celsius, generating up to 80% savings on annual gas consumption for heating,” said Jean-Philippe Cann, Molsheim Site Engineer. “Also, if our gas supply may be impacted, it ensures the buildings’ heat is not at risk.”

Water Run-Off Collection in Visalia, California, USA

In Visalia, California, USA, a water collection piping, tank, and pump installation captures air handler condensate and repurposes it for landscape irrigation in this water-scarce area. The project contributed to a 133-point reduction in the organization’s water intensity score, or 1.6% off at the Life Science level, and conserves 900 cubic meters of water annually.

“Unlike a traditional cooling system, ours has no compressors and condensers. Instead, we integrated an adiabatic cooling system into the existing air turnover system for the whole building,” said Brian Duarte, West Region Distribution Manager. “Normally, the system dumps water after it gets old. We used the existing pumps in the coolers and added a series of pipes to gather the runoff and repurpose it for landscape irrigation.”

Keeping the Momentum in 2024

For 2024, EDISON put forth its largest investment yet, totaling €9.4 million to fund another 60 projects. This will cover 40 locations globally, of which ten are new participants in the program. Projections indicate that these projects will avoid an additional 4,500 tons of CO2 emissions, deliver more than 25,000 MWh of energy savings, and save 170,000 cubic meters of water—more than 5x the water savings delivered in 2023.

Learn more about the sustainability efforts of the Life Science Business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, by visiting its sustainability and social business innovation webpage.

We celebrated International Women’s Day and Women in Construction Week with LaToya Faustin and She Built This City. 

What a powerful and inspiring celebration of opportunity and resilience! 

Duke Energy Corporation is proud to be a sponsor and partner to She Built This City. One of the program’s alumni, Andrele Hilaire, is the first woman to graduate from the Central Piedmont Community College new lineworker program and certainly not the last. 

Onward!

Duke Energy 

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America’s largest energy holding companies. Its electric utilities serve 8.2 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 50,000 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas unit serves 1.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The company employs 27,600 people.

Duke Energy is executing an ambitious clean energy transition to achieve its goals of net-zero methane emissions from its natural gas business by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions from electricity generation by 2050. The company has interim carbon emission targets of at least 50% reduction from electric generation by 2030, 50% for Scope 2 and certain Scope 3 upstream and downstream emissions by 2035, and 80% from electric generation by 2040. In addition, the company is investing in major electric grid enhancements and energy storage, and exploring zero-emission power generation technologies such as hydrogen and advanced nuclear.

Duke Energy was named to Fortune’s 2023 “World’s Most Admired Companies” list and Forbes’ “World’s Best Employers” list. More information is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos and videos. Duke Energy’s illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

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Do you feel a bit lost when people refer to certain environmental sustainability topics and aren’t sure where to start when it comes to learning more? Sustainability 101 is a blog series that you can turn to for information about different environmental terms that may come up at work, during discussions with friends, and even at your annual holiday gathering.

Companies play a pivotal role in addressing the climate challenges of today and tomorrow, with initiatives and innovations helping to build a more sustainable future. Technology companies can especially play a crucial role in helping to reduce global emissions. According to a World Economic Forum (WEF) report published in 2023, “Estimates reveal that the adoption of digital technology solutions in different sectors could help reduce global GHG emissions by 6–20 percent by 2030, depending on modeling scenarios and the sectors taken into account.” And besides the potential from innovation, there is also an expectation from investors, customers, and employees for companies to implement environmental initiatives and transparently report on their progress. Many regulators around the world are requiring companies to report on these initiatives as well. According to WEF, “Stakeholders nowadays are pressing organizations to go beyond expectations, imagine a better way to do business, address environmental, social and governance (ESG) concerns concretely and transparently, and to set goals and report progress for business sustainability.”

Environmental reporting is an important part of this journey; it is how companies disclose their environmental impact and progress on sustainability efforts to stakeholders. According to the Governance and Accounting Institute (G&A), 98% of companies in the largest half of the Russell 1000 by market cap published a sustainability report in 2022. Setting clear public goals, measuring progress against them, and reporting on that progress is a best practice and, increasingly, a regulatory requirement. Not only does reporting help increase transparency and trust, but it also helps promote best practices and collaboration by demonstrating a more proactive approach to sustainability.

Changes in environmental reporting

Many companies have been voluntarily reporting on their environmental performance and progress against their goals for years. Companies have traditionally reported in two ways: by publishing their own public reports aligning with standard environmental reporting frameworks, such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), and by submitting information to formal indices, raters, and rankers, such as CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project).

In recent years, we have seen a shift from voluntary reporting to mandatory reporting. The need for comparability, accountability, and defendable and auditable data and progress across companies contributes to this change.

For example, in the European Union, the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) modernizes and strengthens existing rules concerning the social and environmental information that companies have to report. The CSRD aims to ensure that investors and other stakeholders have access to the information they need to assess the impact of companies on people and the environment, and for investors to assess the financial risks and opportunities arising from climate change and other sustainability issues. A broader set of companies will now be required to report on sustainability, and companies subject to the CSRD will have to report according to European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS).

Mandatory regulations are still evolving in many parts of the world. For example, in the United States, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently finalized a rule to enhance and standardize climate-related disclosures by public companies and in public offerings. And multiple jurisdictions around the world are actively pursuing or considering adoption roadmaps and pathways toward mandatory application of International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) IFRS® Sustainability Disclosure Standards (SDS).

Due to the urgency of climate change and the risks it poses, many companies recognize the importance of sustainability initiatives and transparent reporting regardless of the mandatory regulatory status. According to the WEF Global Risks Report, two-thirds of respondents rank extreme weather as the top risk most likely to present a material crisis on a global scale in 2024.

The future of environmental reporting

As we innovate in the climate space, there is also room to innovate on the way we approach environmental reporting.

Scenario modeling can help enhance the quality of environmental reporting by helping us gain a deeper understanding of potential future environmental impacts, risks, and opportunities such as climate change projections, regulatory changes, and advancements in technology.

Transition plans help companies gain a better understanding of how they intend to change their operations, practices, or business models to address environmental challenges. Robust scenario modeling can help project future performance against a defined baseline, and strategies and actions can be developed in response. In addition, these scenarios help us understand and make updates based on the latest climate science.

The complexity of the questionnaires and methodologies that raters and rankers (such as CDP, mentioned earlier) use to assess companies is growing. Reporting into these increasingly detailed frameworks relies on having quality data and estimations, which depends on a collective effort with customers, suppliers, and other partners to help gather the best data.

How Cisco approaches environmental reporting

Cisco has a long history of voluntary reporting on sustainability, and we want to continue to share our progress in an authentic and transparent way. To remain transparent, we publish an annual Purpose Report and maintain an ESG Reporting Hub. The report describes our commitments, goals, progress, and impact for the ESG topics that are important to our stakeholders from our most recent fiscal year. The ESG Reporting Hub includes in-depth information and historical data on all reporting topics.

Cisco’s 2040 net-zero target and near- and long-term targets are approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) under its Net-Zero Standard, the world’s first framework for corporate net-zero target setting in line with climate science. This builds on our history of setting meaningful goals, measuring our progress and impact, and reporting on them transparently.

Cisco is trusted in the IT space, and we are committed to maintaining that trust in our environmental reporting. Since quality reporting depends on a collective effort across the value chain to gather reliable data and estimations, we strive to influence our customers, suppliers, and partners to embrace robust reporting as well. For example, our suppliers are expected to report GHG emissions and energy consumption to CDP (a not-for-profit organization that runs a global disclosure system) on an annual basis. We know we must all work together to drive meaningful change for our planet’s health and future generations. Likewise, a collective emphasis on clear and accurate reporting will help inform our efforts and measure the progress we are all making for the planet.

Learn more in our ESG Reporting Hub.

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As previously seen on the CSRHub blog.

CEN-ESG combines deep sustainability insights with a keen understanding of financial markets to help companies and investors meet the evolving demands of sustainability performance. In the course of its work, it has helped public and private entities maximise their sustainability potential, performance and ESG disclosure, using a sound and transparent methodology.

CSRHub is now integrating this data into its consensus ESG ratings system. CEN-ESG’s ratings are different from most of CSRHub’s current sources because they are based on a detailed assessment of the broader ESG ecosystem. We found a relatively high correlation between CEN-ESG’s Total Score (which includes E, S, and G information) and CSRHub’s Overall Rating.

See 38% Correlation Between CEN-ESG Total Score and CSRHub Scores Chart

However, as we drill down, the correlation between CEN-ESG’s data and CSRHub’s information diverges. For instance, the correlation for just the Environmental category is about half of the overall correlation.

See 19% Correlation Between CEN-ESG and CSRHub Environment Scores Chart

This reflects the fact that CEN-ESG is using its own methodology (different from the aggregate of the 900+ other sources that CSRHub ingests). It also suggests as hinted above that CEN-ESG assessments capture granular insights about an entity’s performance that are not generally known by sustainability ratings groups as a whole.

CEN-ESG developed CENintel to help companies and investors improve sustainability reporting and the management of ESG-related risks and opportunities. We believe that CSRHub’s clients would be interested in this unique approach and that CEN-ESG’s clients would benefit from blending the current inside-out view of corporate sustainability performance with CSRHub’s outside-in evaluation.

About CSRHub

CSRHub offers the most comprehensive global set of Consensus ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) ratings, information, and tools. CSRHub’s business intelligence system measures the ESG business impact that drives corporate and investor sustainability decisions. Founded in 2007, CSRHub covers 55,000 public and private companies, and provides ESG performance scores on over 35,000 companies from 135 industries in 210 countries. Our Big Data platform uses algorithms to aggregate, normalize and weight ESG metrics from 933 sources to produce a strong consensus signal on corporate sustainability performance.

CROSSETT, Ark., April 4, 2024 /3BL/ – Georgia-Pacific’s Crossett paper mill in Crossett, Arkansas, received recognition from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for reducing its energy intensity by 15.8%, exceeding the ENERGY STAR Challenge for Industry goal by 5.8% within just three years. The ENERGY STAR Challenge for Industry is a national call-to-action to improve American manufacturer’s energy efficiency. The EPA recognizes manufacturing sites that reduce their energy intensity by a minimum of 10% within five years.

Operating a single boiler and taking a back-up boiler out of standby operation to reduce overall natural gas consumptionMore carefully managing the boiler burn rate when the mill’s paper machines are down for an extended timeMonitoring natural gas costs versus electricity costs and purchasing electricity from the local utility when it is more cost effective than generating electricity onsite

“This is a great achievement by our Crossett team, and I am very proud of the work they have done these past three years,” said Deb Coduto, the Crossett mill’s vice president and mill manager. “This award aligns with Georgia-Pacific and the Crossett mill’s environmental stewardship goals, and we continue challenging ourselves to find more ways to reduce our energy intensity.”

Georgia-Pacific’s parent company Koch Industries Inc. has earned the EPA’s ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year Award five times, maintaining its status in ENERGY STAR’s Sustained Excellence category. And the Crossett mill joins other Georgia-Pacific facilities such as Leaf River Cellulose mill in New Augusta, Mississippi, and its containerboard mill in Brewton, Alabama, in receiving recognition from ENERGY STAR for its sustainability initiatives.

The Crossett mill is among five Georgia-Pacific facilities in Arkansas. Georgia-Pacific employs 1,760 people throughout the state, and the company has made $867 million in capital investments and acquisitions since 2013.

Learn more about Georgia-Pacific’s approach to environmental stewardship. To learn more about energy efficiency and ENERGY STAR®, visit energystar.gov.

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For the third year, Tapestry joined in the 2024 Career Discovery Week, an initiative led by Partnership For New York City that brought together over 100 of New York City’s leading corporations and professional firms across sectors, to provide thousands of high school students with exciting hands-on career exploration and immersive experiences outside of the classroom.

In March, students from New York City’s High School of Arts and Technology visited our Hudson Yards offices for a full agenda of educational experiences. Their day kicked off with department presentations that shared perspectives of the day-to-day of various cross-functional teams at Tapestry and its brands, including presentations from Consumer Insights & Strategy, Retail Finance, FP&A, ESG & Sustainability, and Distribution Operations. Department representatives gave a glimpse into their own professional journey and provided insights into their experiences, to help increase the student’s awareness of potential future career paths. Next up on the agenda was a tour of the Coach atelier, where the students got to learn about Coach’s rich history in craftsmanship and materials, and see how some of our products come to life behind the scenes. 

The students were excited to put some of their learnings to use for their “Product Design Challenge,” where they were tasked with ideating on a new product for any Tapestry brand. Drawing inspiration from International Women’s Day and one of our Tapestry Foundation focus areas, the design challenge focused on two key themes: 1) a product with a sustainability tie-in, and 2) a focus on women’s empowerment, through the design concept, marketing, or other strategic components of their new product. Over 25 Tapestry volunteers supported the students with their projects as they worked in teams to design and story-tell their new innovative product. From their functional “Checkmate” Coach bag, to their “Coachtopia x SW” sustainable handbag, the audience was amazed by their endless creativity exhibited throughout the afternoon.

The five student groups presented their concepts to our panel of judges including Iris Coker, Director, Content Strategy at Kate Spade; Kim Matsoukas, Director, Sustainability at Coach; and Juliana Naso, Senior Director, Merchandising Strategy at Stuart Weitzman.