In this podcast episode, tune into a live conversation between Maria Isabel Cubides Sanchez, Senior Manager of Sustainability at The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF), and Tomoya Obokata, UN Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Slavery, speaking together at the CGF’s Global Summit held 6th-8th June in Kyoto, Japan. Maria and Tomoya speak about current global trends related to forced labour and modern slavery, the advancement of human rights due diligence both by businesses as a voluntary commitment and by states as a mandatory requirements, and advancements in Asia, especially Japan, around human rights issues. To learn more about our work on human rights and forced labour, visit www.tcgfsocial.com.
Tag: 3BL
Baker Tilly’s podcast series specifically for professionals in the multifamily housing industry
On this episode of BuzzHouse, hosts Don Bernards and Garrick Gibson discuss the latest trends and insights from the multifamily housing industry’s fourth quarter of 2023. Plus, Don and Garrick provide a construction pricing update, offer key takeaways around the multifamily real estate sector at large and more. Listen in to find out what can be learned from recent events as we kick off 2024!
For more insights, visit Baker Tilly’s multifamily housing page.
Connect To Work AZ in partnership with Northern Trust – ‘Identifying Hiring Needs and Developing Career Pathways’
Watch our video to learn more about the history of Northern Trust in Tempe and greater Arizona, and about our partnership with the teams at Greater Phoenix Chamber and Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation and how they align to our workforce needs and strategic goals.
“Our Tempe office location started in 2015 when 60 people transferred out of our global headquarters in Chicago to seed the site and since then we have grown to over 700 employees.” Kent Thomas, Senior Vice-President, and Managing Site Director at Northern Trust Tempe.
For more on how Northern Trust can help you grow your career, go to: https://www.northerntrust.com/united-states/about-us/careers
International Women’s Day (IWD) gives us time to reflect on the achievements women have made before us, the unique challenges women may face today as they continue to break barriers, and what the future may look like for women as we move into a digital and low-carbon economy.
The theme for IWD this year is “inspire inclusion.” Thriving economies depend on stable environments and inclusive societies, and that’s why Cisco’s environmental sustainability strategy, The Plan for Possible, includes investing in resilient ecosystems as one of its three priorities. It is in our shared interest to help humans and nature navigate a changing climate by investing in regenerative technologies, workforces, and nature itself. The Cisco Foundation’s Climate Grants and Investments team is working toward that vision by providing nonprofit grants and impact investing to support innovative climate solutions.
As I reflected in a piece last year about women making strides in sustainability, I couldn’t be prouder to see so many women represented in the environmental sustainability space. Women couldn’t be better positioned to help connect us to a more regenerative future. According to United Nations (UN) Women, “In general, women are more likely to consider their families and communities in decision-making processes—which is crucial to producing the kind of holistic solutions that make for effective climate action.”
To gain some different perspectives, we asked six women entrepreneurs, whose climate technologies the Cisco Foundation has invested in, how women’s leadership and creativity in the climate innovation space helps us build resilient ecosystems. This is what they had to say:
Allison Wolff, CEO, Vibrant Planet — United States
“Jane Goodall, one of the women I most admire, said: ‘The environment, after all, is where we all meet, where we all have a mutual interest. It is one thing that all of us share. It is not only a mirror of ourselves, but a focusing lens on what we can become.’
I am inspired by many women in the nature solutions space. Margo Robbins is a Karuk Tribal member teaching hundreds of people the art of beneficial fire; Katharine Hayhoe leads science at The Nature Conservancy; Sandra Steingraber who picked up Rachel Carson’s lifesaving work; dozens of women cofounders and CEOs who, like me, are pioneering the nature tech space.
Perhaps women are leading this space because we naturally have a nurturing, reciprocal relationship with nature rather than a destructive one. Women are known for creating community and we know that the answer to the nature and climate crisis resides in community, collaboration, and cooperation. Women know that nature is community and community is nature.”
Ugwem I. Eneyo, CEO and Co-Founder, SHYFT Power Solutions — Nigeria
“As the founder and CEO of SHYFT Power Solutions, I’ve had the opportunity to work with families, businesses, regulatory bodies, and a wide range of stakeholders, delivering technology and solutions to solve some of Africa’s toughest energy challenges.
I see how economies can be impacted and ultimately thrive when we take creative approaches to supporting clean, reliable, and affordable energy solutions.
I believe people closest to challenges are often in a unique and promising position to solve those challenges, and solving climate and environmental challenges can be best achieved when women are involved and leading those efforts.
One of SHYFT’s core values is solving unique challenges with diverse perspectives, and the creativity, ingenuity, and insight of women are a key part of that.”
Emily Jacobi, Founder and Co-Director, Digital Democracy — United States
“I believe that women’s full participation and leadership in general is critical to a thriving human ecosystem. This is particularly true in the climate innovation space.
Through my work with Digital Democracy, I have been privileged to work with Indigenous women on four different continents and I have seen firsthand how much more effective and resilient climate work is when women’s contributions are fully valued and recognized in their communities.
Everywhere we’ve worked, I’ve seen how Indigenous women bring essential skills, knowledge, and energy to the collective work of building resilience. For example, in so many Indigenous communities in the Americas, it is women who are the knowledge keepers of where sacred medicinal plants are grown, and how to best tend to traditional foods – essential knowledge for climate resilience. Or with our close partners the Cheptikale Ogiek of Mt Elgon, Kenya, women have played a leading role in a mapping initiative to restore ancestral lands to their communities, helping to protect and steward their local ecosystem.
The future of humanity depends on us doing everything we can to support resilient ecosystems in the world at large, and therefore depends on women’s inclusion in these efforts.”
Nancy Schellhorn, Co-Founder and CEO, RapidAIM — Australia
“As women leaders, we bring visibility to the value of whole-of-community approaches to innovation.
Meeting the challenge of building resilient ecosystems takes all of us. It is our diversity of thinking and lived experience that helps us fully understand the problems that we need to solve, and that guides our creativity in developing solutions.
At the company I lead, RapidAIM, we’re on a mission to reduce the chemical intensity of agriculture. Pesticides are hydrocarbons that have been a mainstay of protecting food and fiber systems for decades. They have brought value by providing simple solutions to protecting crops, but also CO2e and harm to biodiversity.
At RapidAIM we believe in protecting crops while also protecting people and the planet. We achieve this with our cutting-edge hardware-enabled pest detection and defense system. Our novel internet of Things (IoT) insect sensors connects growers to the farm 24/7 to enable the most precise management of pests.
In celebration of International Women’s Day, let’s honour those women who have cleared the path of innovation by being bold, believing in our vision, and building for a better future.”
Kelly Erhart, President and Co-Founder, Vesta — United States
“Ideal leadership includes varying perspectives and reflects the population being led. So, naturally, including women’s perspectives at senior levels is essential to holistic leadership for any organization – and the climate innovation space is no different.
In my personal experience, the teams where I’ve seen the most success are those that include women at the helm. Most recently, at Vesta, I helped build an organization that includes women in leadership positions in both the business and science functions – and we’ve been able to develop one of the most cost-effective emerging climate technologies available today as a result.
When I work alongside the women at Vesta, I don’t just feel optimistic, I feel inspired. Every day they’re doing something that’s helping a cause bigger than themselves, bigger than all of us. And this goes beyond Vesta as well: we see female leadership helping activate climate progress globally. As the UN reported, ‘In the workplace, women’s leadership is associated with increased transparency around climate impact. Higher percentages of women on corporate boards positively correlates with the disclosure of carbon emissions information.’ For our planet to make progress towards the goals we’ve set out as a society, it’s clear that we need all voices and genders at the table doing their part.
I truthfully can’t think of a better group of people to conduct our work on ocean-based carbon removal than the incredible women we have at Vesta. I’m beyond thankful to be able to work alongside such passionate and capable women who strive to make the world a cooler place.”
Nicole Rycroft, Founder and Executive Director, Canopy — Canada
“International Women’s Day focuses our attention on the things we now take for granted that were once monumental struggles of courage. It’s also a time to take note of entrenched systems that continue to threaten women’s peace of mind and body. My NGO, Canopy, being woman-led and with a formidable team that is 85% women, stands on the shoulders of women who have taken on the seemingly impossible and won. We are keenly aware that women are disproportionately impacted by climate change – and historically under-represented in the decisions that have created the ecological mess we’re in.
The climate crisis requires all-hands on deck. But until significantly more women are in decision-making positions – we’ve tied one hand behind our back as Spaceship Earth falters.
Stabilizing our climate requires solutions to be scaled on accelerated timelines. It requires a comfort with ambiguity along with fierceness and determination (beware of mama bears). No single country, company or organization can solve the climate crisis by themselves. Leaders that value traits of collaboration as much or more than beating the competition will feel more comfortable in this existential endeavor. As U.S. President Harry Truman remarked, ‘It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.’
In my work alongside women in investment, business, civil society, and philanthropy, I see these traits deployed daily. Women lifting the work of others, creating pre-competitive solutions-spaces for the common goal. Through persistent and strategic efforts, we are shifting entrenched economic and political dynamics, transforming unsustainable supply chains, and securing ambitious, community-led conservation. Today, we honor these achievements and dare to dream bigger.”
See how Canopy is transforming supply chains above.
Fostering resiliency, empowering people, protecting the planet. Learn more about Cisco Foundation’s Climate Grants and Investments
View original content here.
By Syreeta McAuley Conversational Designer and Jeremeiah Whiteside Senior Internal Auditor
Though one month is dedicated to Black History, the incredible efforts and contributions of Black individuals have made impacts far, wide and through periods of time.
History has the power to reach everyone.
Honoring Black History isn’t just about the past, though. It’s also about celebrating Black excellence and paving a way for people to follow.
Celebrating our POWER
Our Employee Resource Group, POWER, was created to connect Black team members and allies from around the company and the world. Like with many other communities, it’s a safe place to find fellowship with those who look like you, understand where you’re coming from and maybe even have similar experiences. We also use it as a space to educate those who are willing to learn and become an ally and a part of change. We focus on cultural topics, larger company initiatives and find ways to give back and ways to uplift.
And, of course, we couldn’t miss an opportunity to celebrate Black History Month. POWER hosted a global celebration for Black History Month, highlighting the contributions of Black individuals in visual and performing arts, literature, fashion, folklore, language, film, music, architecture, culinary arts and other cultural expressions.
Some honorable mentions included:
Toni Morrison – first woman to win a Nobel Prize in literatureAbby Fisher – published the oldest known cookbook written by a former slaveSona Jobarteh – first recognized female Kora player in the worldJean-Michel Basquiat – neo-expressionism artist, set the record for a painting sold at $110.5 million
(If you haven’t heard of them before, we encourage you to learn more.)
Becoming HBCU Heroes
Around Gen, team members have volunteered to participate in a year-long mentoring partnership with HBCU Heroes. The partnership includes quarterly mentorship “meetups” where 30 students will be paired with a Genovator to help advance their career goals.
We’re excited to help empower HBCU (Historically Black College and University) students to give them a leg up in corporate America and tech. We also hope that we can meet future hires through this opportunity, too.
Connecting Cyber Safety to Black Communities
As a leader in Cyber Safety and Identity Theft Protection, we use our skills and resources to also support our local communities. That’s why we’re a founding partner of the Identity Theft Resource Center’s (ITRC) multi-year initiative to provide identity education and protection programs and victim services to Black communities – communities that are disproportionately affected by identity theft.
Lots of quantitative and qualitative research has been done to give us a better understanding of identity theft in the Black community, Now, ITRC is working on the development of assistance programs. New training practices will help provide advice to identity theft victims and we’ll be seeking new ways to increase awareness and recovery, to better protect our community.
Celebration Through Action: How You Can Participate
Black History Month can be celebrated by anyone and everyone. The best part is, in seemingly small ways you too can make an impact.
Organize Speaker Sessions – Education is a tool for understanding awareness and empathy. Learn from culture, achievements and Black experts for a deeper understanding of black history and its significance.Promote Black Excellence – Share successes and milestones of Black professionals in your network. It takes one second to repost, like a tweet, etc.Advocate for Diversity – Amplify Black voices, representation and perspectives in panels, groups and organizations.Offer Support – Black businesses, authors and artists all need support. For instance, find a local Black business that you can purchase from or recommend to others.Donate to Nonprofits – Connect with nonprofits on how you can help. Some known ones are Black Girls Code and Blacks in Technology Foundation.Educational Support – Support programs and initiatives that provide educational opportunities, scholarships or resources to Black students and aspiring professionals. Mentorship – Just as we found an opportunity for mentorship with HBCU Heroes, you can too!Give Someone an Opportunity – Giving someone a chance can change the trajectory of their life.
Today and every day, it’s important to acknowledge the rich diversity and achievements of the Black community. And it’s also crucial that we not only reminisce about the past but also actively support and empower the Black community for the future.
Manufacturing Engineering Manager Emmanuel Caraza spends his days innovating more environmentally friendly wastewater treatment processes for our product plating and coatings.
As one of more than 900 Kohler Sustainability Champions around the world, Emmanuel:
Makes intentional decisions to reduce Kohler’s and his own environmental impact.Works to incorporate environmental sustainability improvements in his business, function, and physical location.Believes that sustainability is not just a buzzword, but a responsibility to future generations.
In the last five years, Emmanuel has helped to upgrade all plating lines across our China, India, and Mexico operations and integrate state-of-the-art equipment to recycle wastewater from the plating process and reduce sludge byproduct.
He also takes his passion home, where he’s reducing his personal water usage, cutting back on driving his car, and making plans to add solar panels to his house.
Here’s to the work being done each and every day to create a more sustainable future.
FISHERS, Ind., March 11, 2024 /3BL/ – Land Betterment Corporation, a Certified B Corporation and environmental solutions company fostering positive impact through up-cycling former coal mining and industrial sites to create sustainable community development and job creation is pleased to share that its ekō Solutions division was recently featured on WHNT News19 TV.
Peter Rodriguez, President of ekō Solutions said, “The idea for the shipping container conversions is to create attainable housing options in northern Alabama. There is a need for housing, especially in the fast-growing cities of Huntsville and Decatur. The need for unique and alternative housing is very, very evident and we are here to serve that solution.” Rodriguez concluded, “We hope that the homes will one day be able to offer more solutions in north Alabama counties with their unhoused crisis.”
THE FULL STORY ON WHNT CAN BE VIEWED HERE.
In addition to providing up-cycled shipping container homes across the country, ekō Solutions offers a range of sustainable and energy-efficient dwelling solutions for commercial, recreational, residential, farming and crisis recovery. ekō Solutions offers an extensive line of shipping-container housing solutions to include mobile workstations, mobile bathrooms, mobile dog grooming, containerized food stands, ekō farms, Airbnb rentals, nature retreats and homes. These sustainable and energy-efficient structures combine contemporary design with practicality.
To learn more about ekō Solutions’ products, visit – www.ekosolutionsllc.com
About ekō Solutions
ekō Solutions, a Land Betterment Company, is a sustainable development company utilizing innovative, low-cost, up-cycled shipping container structures to provide durable, high-end solutions to the building marketplace while also maintaining the ability to be utilized in a mobile environment. ekō Solutions uses innovative ecological structures to replace legacy inefficient and ineffective methods of living, growing and working. The sustainable craftsmanship of our up-cycled shipping container structures is what separates us from the alternatives. Our structures are suitable for residential, crisis recovery, commercial, farming and recreation use. To stay up to date on our innovations and get an insider’s view of our daily operations follow us on our social platforms – Facebook LinkedIn X Instagram Tik Tok and YouTube.
About Land Betterment Corporation
Land Betterment Corporation, an Indiana Benefit Corporation and Certified B Corporation, is an environmental solutions company focused on fostering a positive impact through up-cycling former coal mining and industrial sites to create sustainable community development and job creation. The Company utilizes a complete solution-based lifecycle program to restore and rehabilitate the environment and revitalize communities in need of change and opportunity. Land Betterment accomplishes this by identifying un-reclaimed, run-down and neglected coal mining sites, fixing the environment through reclamation and remediation, and then repurposing the land to support a sustainable business that serves the community. Land Betterment firmly believes that with real solutions it is possible for restoration of impacted areas to live side-by-side long term employment, while building sustainable and safe surroundings for communities and our planet. For more information visit landbetterment.com or connect with the Company on Facebook X Instagram and LinkedIn.
Contacts:
Mark LaVerghetta
317.537.0492 ext. 0
Chief Governance Officer, Corporate Finance
info@landbetterment.com
Stephanie Conzelman
207.205.0790
Stakeholder Engagement Director
info@landbetterment.com
Zak Owens
Fleur de Lis Communications
502.386.5704
zak@fdlcomms.com
Cascale (formerly the Sustainable Apparel Coalition) collaborated with Fashion Charter Decarbonization Working Group members on the UN Fashion for Climate Report, Guidance for Measuring Greenhouse Gas Emissions for Purchased Goods and Services in the Apparel and Footwear Industry. Prior to this publication, there was no sector-specific guidance on how to calculate carbon emissions in the upstream supply chain, a complicated process that requires blending factory-specific data when available and industry averages elsewhere. This report provides the industry with technical guidance that will enhance the consistency, accuracy, and comparability of carbon emissions calculations. The work reflects Cascale’s organizational focus on collaboration to drive emissions reduction in the apparel and wider consumer goods industry.
Collaborating with the UN Climate Change-convened Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action (Fashion Charter) and with members of its Decarbonization Working Group, Cascale led the development of guidance specific to measuring category 1 of Scope 3: Purchased Goods and Services (PG&S), which represents the vast majority of a fashion company’s carbon footprint. To develop the initial report, the organization received input from over a dozen brands, manufacturers, consultancies, and other industry stakeholders. After a draft review, Cascale incorporated feedback into the final report, with support from UNFCCC.
For apparel and footwear brands and retailers, PG&S emissions result from all of the value chain activities that go into making finished products, from raw materials to fabric development to product manufacturing. Given the magnitude of PG&S for brands and retailers, the language in this report is generally tailored for them; however, the guidance can also be used by finished goods manufacturers, textile manufacturers, and other “upstream” companies to measure their PG&S emissions.
Cascale drives impact at scale through three foundational pillars — Combat Climate Change, Decent Work for All, and Nature Positive Future — forming a unified strategy for industry transformation through collective action programs that guide members from action to impact. Cascale’s Decarbonization Program, launched in 2022, is one leading example of these programs in action. It aims for members to achieve a 45 percent reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030. As of 2023, Cascale’s corporate members are required to set science-based targets (SBTs) for reducing GHG emissions by the end of 2023, when the organization launched the Manufacturer Climate Action Program (MCAP), over 50 percent of these members had set or committed to setting SBTs. To learn more about participating in this program, please complete the MCAP Expression of Interest form. To learn more about this report, please contact higgindex@cascale.org.
Manila, The Philippines, March 11 2024 /3BL/ – Black & Veatch, a global leader in critical infrastructure solutions, was selected to join the United States (US) Presidential Trade and Investment Mission (PTIM) to the Philippines on 11-12 March.
The mission is part of President Joe Biden’s commitment to Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to enhance the contributions of US companies to the Southeast Asia nation’s economy, including its connected infrastructure, clean energy transition, critical minerals sector and food security efforts for its people.
The Honorable Gina Raimondo, Secretary of the US Department of Commerce, will lead the delegation.
This is the first trade and investment mission to the Philippines under the Biden administration. The objective of the PTIM is to reinforce the Philippines as a key hub for regional supply chains and high-quality investment.
“Advancing major infrastructure projects and investment opportunities in the Asia Pacific region is a priority. This includes adapting global best practices to support the Philippines’ rising energy needs with low and no-carbon energy sources. Black & Veatch is excited to be a part of this important mission,” said Narsingh Chaudhary, President, Asia Pacific and India, Black & Veatch.
Black & Veatch has worked in the Philippines for over 30 years to deliver power and other infrastructure solutions, including more than 3,000 MW of greenfield power projects to date.
To support the increasing demand for resources in the Philippines and other global projects, Black & Veatch has established an engineering center in Alabang.
Innovative and transformative projects that Black & Veatch is working on in the Philippines include liquefied natural gas (LNG)-to-power and large-scale floating solar. The company is also involved in early-stage discussions about nuclear project development.
Additionally, Black & Veatch subsidiary Diode Ventures is collaborating with local partners to develop data center projects in Tarlac province and New Clark City.
Chaudhary, together with Lee Mather, Vice President and Director, Southeast Asia, Black & Veatch, and other key US business leaders will meet with Government of Philippines officials in Manila to learn more about business development incentives and discuss regulatory reforms. Trade mission delegates will also meet with relevant local firms and business organizations to foster business-to-business trade and investment promotion opportunities.
Contact Black & Veatch for more information.
About Black & Veatch
Black & Veatch is a 100-percent employee-owned global engineering, procurement, consulting and construction company with a more than 100-year track record of innovation in sustainable infrastructure. Since 1915, we have helped our clients improve the lives of people around the world by addressing the resilience and reliability of our most important infrastructure assets. Follow us on www.bv.com and on social media.
Media Contact Information:
EMILY CHIA | +65 6335 6623 P | +65 9875 8907 M | Chialp@bv.com
24-HOUR MEDIA EMAIL | Media@bv.com
March 11, 2024 /3BL/ – Ceres commends the U.S. Department of the Treasury for its new effort with state insurance regulators and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners to collect crucial climate risk data from homeowners at the zip code level.
“This collaborative effort aims to understand the potential for major disruptions in home insurance coverage due to climate-related financial risk,” said Steven M. Rothstein, managing director, Ceres Accelerator for Sustainable Capital Markets. “This is a time when the country, and the insurance industry, is facing historic loss due to extreme weather and natural disasters. We need comparable, consistent national information more than ever before. We applaud this new effort, as there has never been a time when this information about homeowner insurance would be more important and urgent.”
Ceres has consistently advocated for such a data call, as detailed in our recent commentary submission to the Federal Insurance Office.
The U.S. faces $165 billion annually in damages due to extreme weather disasters, which are occurring more frequently and with greater intensity. On average, according to NOAA, a disaster occurs every 18 days, up from one every 4 months 20 years ago.
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners has agreed to provide the data to the Federal Insurance Office of the Treasury Department by September 2024.
About Ceres
Ceres is a nonprofit organization working with the most influential capital market leaders to solve the world’s greatest sustainability challenges. The Ceres Accelerator for Sustainable Capital Markets is a center of excellence within Ceres that aims to transform the practices and policies that govern capital markets to reduce the worst financial impacts of the climate crisis. It spurs action on climate change as a systemic financial risk—driving the large-scale behavior and systems change needed to achieve a net zero emissions economy through key financial actors including investors, banks, and insurers. The Ceres Accelerator also works with corporate boards of directors on improving governance of climate change and other sustainability issues. For more information, visit ceres.org and ceres.org/accelerator and follow @CeresNews.
Media Contact: Diane May, dmay@ceres.org, 617-247-0700 ext. 220