Tag: 3BL

As a self-labeled “intrapreneur,” I’m always looking to bring new opportunities and technologies into our enterprise. At Trane Technologies, our priorities for new innovative strategies are always twofold: to better meet our customers’ needs and to support our bold sustainability commitments.

Most of us have experience with climate control. Our heating and air conditioning systems monitor the indoor air temperature, and then heat or cool the home to meet our preferred, scheduled temperature. This system tries to maintain the homeowner’s comfort while balancing energy costs. But temperature is only one part of the indoor climate. Humidity, for example, can have a significant impact on the way we experience our environment, especially as it impacts our sense of smell. And we know that air quality is highly important for our overall health. As climate control technology has gotten more sophisticated, our systems can now measure and respond to more indicators like humidity. By and large, these systems do a good job of making decisions based on the information that they have about what’s going on in the home at that time. But advances in artificial intelligence (AI) will allow our climate control systems to work even smarter.

Artificial intelligence and the future of climate control

Intuitively, we know that what goes on outside of the house changes what happens inside the house. If it’s a bright, sunny day or a cold, rainy day, this is going to change how it feels inside. But other external air quality factors like cloud cover, ultraviolet radiation indexes, particulate matter and wildfire smoke also impact internal comfort and air quality. And at Trane Technologies, we have done a lot of work in understanding the correlation between these external air quality factors and internal comfort and air quality.

AI is very good at looking at a wide range of different data sources and types, enabling us to fully leverage many different sources of information, such as present conditions, historical patterns and future predictions. In the future, we may have a different way of interacting with our air conditioning and heating systems in order to explain our goals. Instead of having to program something into the system, we may be able to engage in a more conversational style, explaining how we feel or why we aren’t comfortable. And then the systems will be able to self-program to meet our goals, even if they aren’t explained in engineering terms or rigid formats.

We’re already applying some of this technology in the commercial space. Trane® Autonomous Control powered by BrainBox AI® uses AI to automatically identify and self-program system optimization. An enhancement to existing Trane Tracer® SC+ systems, it’s a cloud-based service that requires no additional hardware. Because we have such strong engineering expertise across different businesses, we can leverage that strength and launch new technologies in one business, then adapt them into different businesses as we learn more.

Imagining our future homes and investing in them now

We often think about sustainability in terms of emissions reductions, and it’s more than that. Sustainability also impacts how we think about and invest in products that can adapt to continued advances in technology—because the pace of innovation is increasing rapidly. As we’re designing solutions, we’re also considering the flexibility and future possibilities within each product. That kind of thinking isn’t just important for manufacturers and designers in the industry, it’s also important for homeowners.

When we’re thinking about what kind of system to bring into our homes, we need to think about what we want it to be able to do in the future. Many of the newest capabilities and upgrades in climate tech could be software-based upgrades. So new features aren’t necessarily limited to when we buy a new HVAC system. A system that you buy today may still be the one you have in 2040. The impacts of the decisions that we make now impact the possibilities for our future – and how we experience that future, especially as we consider the durable goods that we interact with and that we will have in our homes for a long time.

Hear more from Joel in Season 3, Episode 2 of the Healthy Spaces podcast: Homes of the Future

KeyBank will take part in MMB Realty’s Group’s Home Ownership Seminar in Buffalo, NY. KeyBank will be offering advice and details on products and assistance programs available to homebuyers.

The event will take place on:

Saturday, February 17th – 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. – Mount Olive Baptist Church – 701 East Delavan Avenue, Buffalo, NY

Get tips on home Ownership from KeyBank

KeyBank Member FDIC. NMLS #399797. Mortgage and Home Equity Lending products offered by KeyBank are not FDIC insured or guaranteed. KeyBank extends credit secured by residential real estate without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, handicap, or familial status. All credit products are subject to collateral and/or credit approval, terms, conditions, availability and are subject to change. 

CFMA #240214-2452780

Originally published by Walgreens Boots Alliance

By Mike Huffman

In its quest for supporting a healthy planet, Walgreens committed to four goals for its branded products, by 2030: reduce plastic packaging by 30%, make all packaging recyclable, increase recycled content in packaging and eliminate problematic single-use packaging. Significant steps have been taken toward making all packaging recyclable, and part of the progress has come in an unexpected place—nail polish remover bottle caps.

Preferred plastics

“By switching from black plastic caps to white plastic caps in just these seven Walgreens brand products, we’re able to improve the recyclability of a projected 13 tons of plastic,” says Andrew Horn, senior manager of sustainability operations. “Many recycling facilities use mechanical vision systems, essentially robots with cameras for eyes, to sort packaging that comes in. They have a difficult time correctly identifying black plastic. So, too often, they’ll put it in the waste stream or just inaccurately sort it into the wrong recycling stream.”

Within the beauty and personal care products industry, black plastic is commonly used for packaging. Walgreens chose to break away from that norm when the opportunity arose to reduce the negative impacts of plastics in Walgreens brand nail polish remover packaging. Dionne Carloni, manager of packaging sciences, worked with product managers and suppliers to identify recyclable plastic options and put those into use across the beauty and personal care product line.

“We strive to eliminate carbon black plastic from Walgreens brand packaging whenever possible, even if that means deviating from comparable national brand packaging,” says Carloni. “It’s a risk because we rely on colors to help our customers navigate to our products, but it’s a change we’ve committed to in order to improve the recyclability of our packaging.”

Another area with growing success is eliminating the use of PVC plastic commonly seen in “blister packaging” —think of toothbrush packages with their cardboard backs and plastic fronts.

“Recycling centers have an extremely difficult time recycling PVC, and most municipal facilities here in the U.S. don’t handle it at all,” says Horn. “If we want to be 100% recyclable, we can’t use PVC. We take a proactive approach with suppliers when discussing materials, and if they are proposing PVC, we tell them not to. PVC can often be replaced with a PET plastic that’s much more recyclable and is indistinguishable to customers.”

How 2 Recycle

However, it doesn’t matter how recyclable the packaging is if it doesn’t make it into the recycle bin. That’s where the How 2 Recycle product labelling guidelines come in. These easy-to-understand icons, standardized across the U.S. and Canadian packaged goods industry, are typically found on the back or bottom of a product to make it clear what should go into the recycling.

“We have a lot of success with getting recycling information on our products so consumers know how to dispose our packaging,” says Carloni. “We’re taking the steps to make our products more recyclable, and then we’re giving consumers the information to do it, too.”

Looking ahead

To get to the 2030 commitments Walgreens has made, there’s more work to be done. But the team is committed and up for the challenge, drawing professional passion from personal experiences.

“Back when I was in Girl Scouts, we collected newspapers to recycle and measured the saved trees. That experience propelled me towards a path where I actively sought opportunities to contribute to a more sustainable world,” says Carloni. “When I started in the packaging field over 15 years ago, sustainability was a really tough path because not a lot of companies had committed to it. I’m glad that progress has been made since then, and I’m really grateful that Walgreens has taken the initiative to push some of these solutions into the marketplace.”

For Horn, an avid back-country skier and camper, his love of the outdoors attracted him to his career path that helps create a healthier planet for future generations to enjoy.

“Saving something, or repurposing, reusing, reducing … just kind of plays into who I am at my core,” says Horn. “I saw this sustainability operations position become available and with my packaging engineering background and material sciences experience, it was the right opportunity for career growth and connected to my interests.” Now, minimizing the impact of the plastics used in Walgreens brand products and packaging is all in a day’s work.

For more information on WBA’s sustainability initiatives please see the latest Environmental, Social & Governance Report.

February 15, 2024 /3BL/ – Sky’s the Limit – a community of 75,000+ members actively offering and receiving practical, skills-based business mentoring and support – launches the first in a series of eBooks, Mentor Dynamics: The Transformative Power of Volunteer Business Mentoring Programs. The series aims to help purpose-driven leaders discover new ways to build meaningful skills-based volunteer programs, engage their workforces, and create transformational impact.

Starting off the series, this comprehensive guide offers value across industry and function for all leaders – including People Operations, Sustainability, and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) leaders – seeking innovative strategies to enhance employee engagement, boost corporate reputation, and implement transformational volunteer mentorship experiences to create lasting positive change. It can be downloaded here.

For over a decade, Sky’s the Limit has been matching underrepresented entrepreneurs with volunteer business mentors, fostering powerful relationships, resulting in transformative experiences for the mentors and entrepreneurs.

“Mentoring is one of the oldest ways of learning — for both the mentor and the mentee. As we navigate the complexities of today’s business landscape, the urgency of mentorship has never been more apparent. This eBook invites purpose-driven leaders to explore the untapped potential of skills-based mentor volunteerism in driving positive impact and shaping a more equitable future for businesses,” said Bo Ghirardelli, Co-Founder & CEO, Sky’s the Limit.

The eBook sheds light equally on the inherent mutual benefit of mentoring — the value of the reverse mentorship dynamic, where entrepreneurs expose mentors to new insights and experiences. Leading organizations including Accenture, PNC Bank, Goldman Sachs, and CVC Capital are experiencing this first hand in their work with Sky’s the Limit.

The digital revolution of the last 15 years has created new opportunities for mentoring programs, particularly for multinational corporations looking for global solutions. Innovative digital mentoring platforms like SkysTheLimit.org make it easier than ever for mentors and mentees to get connected and remove the geographical boundaries that have limited mentoring programs historically. This eBook is a timely response to urgent mentorship needs among entrepreneurs and a commitment to creating a world-class mentorship community.

Aiming to make volunteer mentor programs more accessible across organizations and leveraging Sky’s the Limit’s years of experience, the eBook is an invaluable resource for all leaders and organizations committed to fostering a culture of mentorship.

6+ compelling topics are discussed, including:

Positive Impact of Skills-Based Membership for Entrepreneurs, Teams and the CommunityImplementing Transformational Volunteer Mentorship ExperiencesSector-Specific Approaches and BenefitsAnd more!

As the business landscape evolves, mentorship emerges as a strategic investment in cultivating a skilled, innovative, and resilient workforce ready for the challenges of the future. With this eBook, leaders can explore how mentorship can make a lasting impact on their workforce and communities.

Access the eBook here.

Sky’s the Limit offers opportunities for traditionally marginalized entrepreneurs – typically those who identify as LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, women, veterans, disabled people, and people from low-income backgrounds – to connect with mentors to come together to foster, grow, and shape modern and future enterprise. The organization has also provided over $500,000 in startup grants and educated tens of thousands of diverse entrepreneurs. Sky’s the Limit has served entrepreneurs in over 100 countries around the world and is registered as a charity in the UK and U.S.

For more information about partnerships and how to get involved, please visit skysthelimit.org/partnerships.

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About SkysTheLimit.org: SkysTheLimit.org is a digital platform that connects young, historically excluded entrepreneurs with one-on-one support from experienced business advisors and mentors, entrepreneurship training, and community-voted startup grants. SkysTheLimit.org is a 501(c)3 nonprofit.

Authored by Heath Whitaker, Baker Tilly

American Rescue Plan Act overview

Signed into law on March 11, 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) allocated $350 billion in pandemic-relief aid to states, territories, tribes and local governments. The main goal of the ARPA is two-fold; to invest in long term capital projects to enhance a community and increase financial stability for state and local government coming out of COVID-19 to refill reserves and cover temporary operating shortfalls. On the capital project side, the funds can be used for investments in water, sewer, broadband infrastructure and parks and recreation beautification.

Recipients of ARPA funds must obligate the funds by Dec. 31, 2024, and spend the funds by Dec. 31, 2026. Funds not obligated or spent by those two dates must be returned to the Treasury.

Trends we are seeing

In response to this funding opportunity, there have been a number of capital projects set in motion across U.S. communities. This has caused strain on existing teams and resources due to the challenges caused by numerous ARPA funded projects being performed at the same time on very tight schedules to meet the deadlines mentioned previously.

With multiple projects underway, communities and grant recipients are finding it difficult to effectively track progress and costs. Due to this, we are seeing the following trends and challenges in the marketplace:

Increased project complexity: Varying project sizes and funding needs and numerous stakeholders involved (contractors, city officials, community members, etc.)Lack of monitoring: Progress across multiple projects is proving to be difficult to track and financials are unclearInadequate reporting: There’s been increased scrutiny from community stakeholders and a need for capital sustainability and visibility

The importance of planning and monitoring

Community leaders have a responsibility to their constituents and citizens to ensure the success of these projects. Quality construction management plays an important role in overall APRA fund management success, and leaders should ask two questions as the projects are undertaken:

How are we ensuring ARPA funds are being spent as intended?How can we ensure ARPA funds are spent on time to avoid having to return them?

When looking at project success after a grant is awarded, taking a phased approach is highly recommended.

Planning phase

Having a plan in place prior to construction is important. Following these steps allows you to not only set yourself up for success, but also gives the community visibility into project plans and expectations. During the initial planning phase, you should:

Engage the community and walk them through what the grant means, what the money is going to be used for and how the project effects and/or benefits the communityIdentify risk and make sure that the projects that are chosen can realistically be achieved and completed by of Dec. 31, 2026Establish expectations with community stakeholders, project teams, contractors and others involved in the actual construction of the project

Construction monitoring phase

As you likely have numerous projects running simultaneously, the key to success is determined by how well you are able to:

Track progress across multiple contractors to make sure projects are on scheduleForecast cost and schedule across varying complexity of projectsMitigate risks either during the planning phase or during the normal construction and project life cycle where potential challenges may arise

Our approach to strategic construction monitoring

At Baker Tilly, we have experienced construction advisory professionals that understand both the planning and monitoring aspects of capital investment projects and are successfully guiding clients through numerous ARPA funded projects.

How do we do it? We understand that data alone is not informative. We have developed a process which takes complex project data from multiple projects and provides a simple and customizable monthly project status report and dashboard to help monitor projects with regard to costs, schedule and potential risk.  Additionally, Baker Tilly is there to provide objective narratives of what the data is telling us so that our clients can fully understand where each project is in the construction phase. 

With the information gathered from our reports, we’re equipped to identify various potential project risks including structural, environmental and budgetary risks that could cause costs to inflate or inhibit a project from being completed on time. We provide alternative solutions in the event that a project fully funded by the ARPA might not be completed on time by helping you spread the funding across other community stakeholders and private entities. We also have federal grant specialists on the team to ensure all projects meet ARPA guidelines.

For more insights, visit Baker Tilly’s American Rescue Plan Solutions page. 

Originally published on HARMAN Pro Newsroom

By Robert Svensson, Architectural Lighting and Exterior Linear Pro and Martin

When you’re designing a product, there’s always a vision in mind – features that will captivate your audience and unique qualities that set your creation apart from the rest. The Exterior Linear Pro family surpasses expectations for both and reinforces Martin’s mission to deliver next-generation hardware and software solutions and industry-leading experiences for designers and customers. In this Tech Talk, we discuss the features that set Exterior Linear Pro apart from competing fixtures, as well as its surprising simplicity, unmatched color calibration, and innovative capabilities.

To better understand the features and technology that make this fixture so special, Martin contributor Tarryn Lyle talked to Robert Svensson, Martin’s Product Manager for Architectural Lighting.

Robert, can you share some insights into the Exterior Linear Pro variants and their intended applications? 

Sure Tarryn. The Exterior Linear Pro family was designed to address a variety of needs and applications. At its core, there are two unique light engines: one for full-color mixing (QUAD) and another for tunable white (CTC). The product line also includes three different variants – each serving a distinct purpose:

Graze: Delivering uniform light distribution of 15 degrees, Graze fixtures are perfect for highlighting textured surfaces and close wall placements.Cove: If you need to flood an entire wall or fill a specific element with light, the Cove model is the ideal choice. It features uniform light distribution and a 100 degree beam angle that’s ideal for striking indirect lighting of ceilings, walls, and other surfaces. It spreads light generously, covering surfaces with ease.Direct View (DV): This is where the unexpected excitement lies. The DV model acts as a visual element and has garnered significant positive reactions. These fixtures are specifically designed for direct view applications and are equipped with a round diffuser and segment control for low-resolution content. Their increased lumen output also makes them highly visible in daylight situations. They are perfect for soft, direct view lighting solutions and offer a simpler way to achieve pixel control and send video content to the fixtures, making them a user-friendly solution for creating stunning visuals without complexity.

How does the Exterior Linear Pro family strike a balance between simplicity and impressive results? 
The overall design intent was to develop a very compact and low-weight linear color-changing fixture focusing on high performance and ease of installation and control. The final solution has fully ticked these boxes and sets a new standard for a bright color-changing linear fixture with an efficacy of more than 50 lm/W. The fixture only consumes 12 W/ft but via RDM, you can even reduce the consumption down to 10W/ft or 5W/ft.

It provides superior color mixing, bright mixed, and saturated colors due to our Color Boost technology, which provides 2-3 times more output on colors, compared to similar products. The Exterior Linear Pro also allows for control down to 6-inch (15 cm) segments, which in particular for the Direct View (DV) variant allows for new creative solutions. All in all, the Exterior Linear Pro is a very versatile fixture to be used in a wide variety of applications.

Can you explain the significance of having products fully color calibrated from the factory, and what sets this approach apart from competitors? 
Great question. Full factory color calibration is a standout feature of our products, ensuring impeccable color consistency both within and across different ranges. The calibration process allows us to understand the correlation between DMX values and actual color output, leading to the development of a dedicated color temperature control channel that adheres to the black body curve. This feature proves beneficial for lighting designers who often require specific color temperatures, which can vary depending on the project’s requirements and the materials being illuminated. Instead of relying on custom fixtures or LED alterations, our solution enables users to effortlessly adjust color temperatures through software control, facilitating precise color management in their design endeavours. This makes the process efficient and flexible, allowing you to find your desired color temperature and even mix colors around it.

What are the advantages of having an integrated power supply in terms of setup and longer fixture runs? 
Exterior Linear Pro’s integrated power supply is an installation game-changer and aligns with our overall vision to integrate features right into the product whenever possible, typically easing installs and making them more cost-effective. Instead of cluttering your setup with external power supplies and cables, we’ve integrated the power supply directly – everything is compactly tucked into the fixture, enabling longer runs. Differing from setups with external power supplies, which require more boxes and cables, the integrated power supply actually enhances the fixture’s efficiency. This means you can run longer fixture daisy chains, providing more versatility and coverage for your lighting needs.

Let’s talk about standalone programming. Can you take us through the possibilities? 
One of the most exciting surprises for this family is the level of available standalone programming. While some standalone functionality existed in previous generations, it’s now more elegantly implemented. With our Martin Companion software, you can create standalone programs with a user-friendly interface on your PC or laptop. You can program up to 20 scenes, customize fade and hold times, and create a captivating light show. Once your program is set, you disconnect the laptop, and the fixtures run your program in an endless loop as soon as power is applied. It’s a straightforward way to create stunning visual displays without the need for complex controllers. This innovation is truly unique in the lighting industry, and it’s part of what makes Exterior Linear Pro such a standout product.

We’ve heard so much about this smart magnetic diagnostics tool – what’s it all about? 
When it comes to installations, particularly with electrical companies that might not be well-versed in DMX dynamic lighting, there’s often some apprehension. But what we’ve done is remove that stress entirely. During installation, you don’t need to be an expert in DMX, and you can even leave the DMX controller behind. We’ve integrated local diagnostics using our magnetic tool, any magnet can do the trick, but we provide a nifty handheld tool with a magnet, and all you need to do is swipe it across the product, and the fixture will respond using its main LEDs. If it starts flashing blue, it means the product has power.

If you have a DMX controller connected, it’ll flash blue and green, indicating it has both power and DMX control. So with a simple swipe, you’ll know whether it’s ready to go or what needs to be corrected. By further swipes, you can call up white, blue, green, or red color illumination for small demos or to start focusing the lights even before having a controller connected. This magnetic tool is a real time-saver and makes the installation process smoother and more efficient.

We’ve heard Martin is making strides in creating new products with sustainability in mind, what features of the product design assist with this? 
At Martin, we’re committed to sustainability, and it’s a core element of our product design philosophy. One significant aspect that reflects our commitment is our approach to minimizing waste. With Exterior Linear Pro, we’ve stripped away unnecessary components. For example, the product doesn’t come with a bracket; instead, it offers two mounting plates on the backside. We provide three different accessory bracket solutions, but customers also have the option not to purchase any of these brackets. They can collaborate with local manufacturers to craft custom brackets, reducing waste and excess components.

Additionally, we’ve made it possible to change the beam angle on a local level, streamlining our inventory and enabling designers to make late-stage choices without extended lead times. In addition, the Exterior Linear Pro family has low weight, more compact design, high efficacy, and fully carboard-based FSC-certified packaging. These sustainability-focused design principles align with our goal of delivering essential products that have less impact on the planet.

Can you share some real-world installations utilizing Exterior Linear Pro 

Irving Convention Center – USA 
The Irving Convention Center (ICC Texas) in Irving, Texas, USA was a project that strategically opted for Exterior Linear Pro fixtures, driven by urgency and its exceptional technical features. Initially considering a different product before the market release of the Exterior Linear Pro, the project encountered production challenges, prompting a decisive shift to the Exterior Linear Pro. The decision to switch was prompted by both practical and technical factors streamlining the installation process.

“Instead of putting together four or five components, it was just a single unit in the supply and running cables. Together with the product magnetic testing tool it massively cut down the install time,” explained Ken Rose, Solutions Specialist – Lighting, Crawford Electrical Supply. “Beyond efficient installation, the product boasts superior features, delivering almost three times the light output compared to the previously selected solution. The unexpected benefit of these installations extends beyond their initial purpose. With its impressive color-changing effects visible in daylight, the Exterior Linear Pro’s capabilities surpass our expectations. It’s a complete solution we’re very happy with.”

The project’s success is evident as it seamlessly integrates into marketing and events, functioning as a captivating landmark subtly transforming the environment and contributing to the vibrant and dynamic character of the community.

Restaurant Bavn – Denmark 
Exterior Linear Pro Cove fixtures were also specified to create a standout look and experience for visitors to Restaurant Bavn, located on the 44th floor, atop the Lighthouse Tower in Aarhus, Denmark. Exterior Linear Pro Cove fixtures were selected for their vivid and vibrant colors and to add a delightful touch to the restaurant’s ambiance.

Upon installation, the standout feature was quoted as ‘exceptional compactness’ as finding an interior-rated product with similar dimensions and specifications that could match the performance of Exterior Linear Pro Cove fixtures proved a challenge.

Another noted aspect was the product’s IP66 outdoor rating to ensure the fixtures remain entirely dust-proof. This feature is often appreciated when it comes to product maintenance, even for indoor applications.

(Restaurant Bavn: Client: Lighthouse, Architect: 3XN Architects, Fixture supplier: Martin Professional, Designer: Kollision + Jesper Kongshaug, Installer: LYSTEK + Design Smedien, Consultant: Ramboll, Contractor: Per Aarsleff)

The Exterior Linear Pro family delivers remarkable simplicity, offers enhanced accessibility to a wide range of users, eliminates the need for specialized knowledge, and opens the door to an advanced yet cost-effective solution. We invite you to experience Exterior Linear Pro for yourself to better understand its creative potential and design possibilities for sophisticated architectural lighting.

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ROBERT SVENSSON

Robert Svensson is a seasoned veteran of architectural lighting product and solutions management with over 12 years of industry experience. Robert enjoys taking solutions to market to ensure lighting designers and end clients are able to successfully bring their plans and ideas to life. His goal is to design products that are logical, reliable, and easy to install and use. Robert most enjoys impacting building lighting designs to evoke emotions and create long-lasting, customer satisfaction. 
 

Respecting human rights across our value chain

Global value chains depend on people, and people depend on global value chains for their income, livelihoods, and wellbeing. Businesses may exacerbate the vulnerability of these people through their operations and value chain or enhance their resilience and create better outcomes by proactively respecting human rights.

Today, the rights of workers, communities and other people affected by business activity are at risk, with increasing rates of forced labour, child labour and extreme poverty amongst other challenges1. The abuse of workers’ rights was severe in 20222, with only 3 out of 148 countries showing improvements in this area3. Meanwhile, the UN estimates that 7,500 people on average die every day from unsafe and unhealthy working conditions4. The climate crisis, and the necessary transition to a net-zero economy, exacerbate the risks to people across the value chain, whether in the form of lost livelihoods from extreme weather events and rising temperatures, or loss of employment from a rapid shift away from carbon-intensive practices.

In recent years, social sustainability has gained increasing attention from businesses, consumers, regulators, and civil society. One of the most prominent trends is the emphasis on promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace. While progress has been made in increasing the proportion of women in leadership roles, with the share reaching 36.9% in 2022 across 155 countries and 19 industries, equal representation has not been achieved across all industries5. In addition to promoting DEI, companies and its employees, benefit from protecting and promoting mental health at work, as depression and anxiety result in approximately 12 billion lost working days each year6.

Why it matters 

People’s income, livelihoods, and wellbeing are impacted by global value chains. While businesses can worsen people’s vulnerability, respecting human rights can increase their resilience. However, the increasing incidence of forced labour, extreme poverty, and unsafe working conditions threaten the rights of workers and communities.

Ambition 

To respect human rights across our operations and value chain, creating positive social impact7.

Targets 

Create action plans to address salient human rights risks across our value chain, along with targets and KPIsContinue to deliver wellbeing programmes for employees, support a positive and open safety culture across the company, and work towards reducing accidents and work-related ill health, with zero as the ultimate goalContinue to invest in training on inclusive leadership for managers and mentoring programmes driving gender equity and inclusivenessSustain investment in Future Talent Programmes and enable world-class training and development for all our employees

Tetra Pak’s role

Tetra Pak’s promise to protect food, people and the planet is ever more relevant. Social sustainability means putting people first and implementing business practices that contribute to the human dimensions of sustainable development. Operating in the food and beverage packaging and processing industry, we recognise the importance of promoting social sustainability throughout our value chain and focus on our own workforce, workers and communities in our supply chain, and workers in collection and recycling of packaging.

We are committed to respecting human rights across our operations and value chain, in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights8, and creating positive social impact. By positive impact we mean driving better outcomes for our workforce, workers and communities in our supply chain, workers in collection and recycling and people in our value chain in the areas of labour, discrimination, hazardous working conditions and sustainable income, among others. We aim to strengthen our human rights due diligence processes, continually assess and take action to prevent human rights issues across our value chain, and enable remedy when harm does occur. Through this process, we aim to empower and listen to affected stakeholders, with their views informing business decisions around social sustainability.

Our progress in 2022

Supporting a culture based on health, safety, and wellbeing

Our occupational health and safety (OHS) initiatives ensure safe working conditions everywhere for our employees. Additionally, we have established a mental wellbeing programme, which provides employees with the relevant tools, training, and support services to raise awareness, de-stigmatise mental health issues in the workplace, and support employees’ mental health whenever and wherever needed.

In 2022, we had zero fatalities and only one high-consequence incident, across our sites globally. We ensure that all high consequence incidents have subsequent detailed action plans to drive improvements to prevent reoccurrence. In 2022 we also achieved a 19% reduction in our Total Recordable Accident Rate compared to 20219 continuing the trend from 2020. Our continued efforts on OHS over the past few years have been contributing to this positive development. As an example, we have continued the implementation of the global software platform My OHS, to deliver OHS support to our employees and agency workers, and we launched a virtual course to further raise OHS competency in key positions.

Many of our sites also focus on employee health and wellbeing more broadly, from offering regular hearing and eyesight tests, routine vaccinations, and ergonomic risk assessments, to stress management programmes, complementary therapies, advice on nutrition and healthy living, and alcohol and drug support.

As part of our aim to improve global employee mental wellbeing, we have launched a campaign helping employees recognise symptoms of poor mental wellbeing in themselves or their colleagues and tools to help them make changes to improve the situation. The campaign worked alongside the global Employee Assistance Programme, which is open to all employees and their families should they need emotional support or counselling.

In 2022, over 3,000 employees accessed and engaged with our Mental Wellbeing portal with an additional 3,200 completing our training programme, including the resilience training we launched the same year. Based on our employee engagement survey we now start seeing a positive trend in number of employees who say they feel comfortable in talking about their mental wellbeing at Tetra Pak.
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Promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)

We strive for a truly diverse workforce, and a culture of inclusion, where every employee is valued, included, engaged, offered fair opportunities, and treated equally irrespective of their backgrounds. This includes, but is not limited to gender, age, race, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, and disability. 

Building gender equality
We continue to see progress in the representation of women among Tetra Pak employees: the number of women in senior positions increased to 22% in 2022, compared to 18% in 2021, and 14% in 2020. Women now represent 56% of participants in mentoring programmes, 38% of participants in our Leadership Accelerated Programme (LAP), and 31% of employees in our succession bench.

In 2022, we enhanced our focus on increasing the share of female workers in our factories. To increase the rate of women being hired in factories, we identified a list of enablers, such as adapting working patterns (e.g., facility requirements, shift patterns), onboarding for newly hired women, and training for people leaders who will lead women for the first time. Implementing these enablers has resulted in local improvements, one example being our factory in Chakan, India, where the number of female engineers increased from zero to five in 2022, when focusing on attracting women to our Future Talent Programme.

It’s great to be a part of a change where we’re breaking stereotypes and Tetra Pak is surely playing a major role in doing so by providing diversity, equity, inclusion and giving female engineers a chance to showcase their knowledge and talent.

Vandita Patil, 

WCM Engineer 

One of five women hired to our Chakan factory in 2022 as part of the Future Talent Programme

I have seen the opinion and work of each person being equally valued. Here, knowledge is welcomed, independently of whom it comes from. 

Nikita Sutar, 

Quality Engineer 

One of five women hired to our Chakan factory in 2022 as part of the Future Talent Programme

Developing diverse talents and fostering inclusion 
As part of our wider DEI strategy, in 2022 we have trained an additional 150 leaders through our Inclusive Leadership training which aims to create awareness of individual biases and to foster an inclusive environment. Since the launch in 2019, over 60% (1,800) of people leaders have gone through the programme. Additionally, we further expanded participation in the Gender Equity cross-company mentoring programme to 50 mentoring pairs in 2021, compared to 17 pairs in 2020. The programme is delivered by Moving Ahead and matches Tetra Pak women to more senior mentors from other companies. We also re-launched the Tetra Pak global mentoring programme, growing from 20 mentoring pairs in the last edition to 78 today. This is a 10-month programme to strengthen the leadership capability of emerging leaders, preparing them for future roles, and increasing their exposure to different functions, units and cultures.

Deploying initiatives via our local and regional DEI Panels
Our DEI organisational model involves employees across the organisation at the global, regional, and local level. Our Global DEI panel, sponsored by Executive Leadership Team (ELT) members, provides strategic directions, defines a global roadmap, and offers support. Across the organisation we have regional and local DEI panels to better drive actions and address issues at the local level and drive accountability.

In Brazil, the DEI team has been active since 2020, with more than 20 passionate employees. As a first step, they validated an action plan based on embedding our code of conduct, focusing on psychological safety, creating DEI allies, and running a DEI survey to create a more specific action plan for targeted employees. The census allowed the team to map the population, identify gaps for specific minority groups and define the key priorities for the market, which resulted in initiatives focused on the female workforce: how to hire and promote more women; inclusion for people with disabilities and people in the LGBTQ+ community; how to increase the representation of people of colour; and DEI informal discussions.

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Talent attraction, development, and engagement 

At Tetra Pak, every employee plays their part in delivering our strategy. Our investments in leadership and technical competencies – from recruitment to retirement – are therefore investments in the success of our business because they support productive careers with us. We offer competitive compensation and benefits packages10, opportunities for career growth, and a supportive and inclusive work environment to retain top talent. 

Attracting new talent through our Future Talent Programme 
We have several talent programmes to support the development and nurturing of our workforce and provide job opportunities for recent graduates. Our Future Talent Programme hired 103 talented and highly motivated new graduates in 2022 to become the next generation of engineers and leaders in Tetra Pak. The programme is currently operational in 45 countries and supports our Future Talents to develop, learn, and build a holistic view of Tetra Pak and a solid global network.
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As a Future Talent, you are constantly challenged while given the freedom and trust to work on meaningful projects. The network I have built over the last one and a half years will benefit me in my future role to find synergies and work with others across the businesses and value chain. Together we can for example raise sustainability as an important topic with our suppliers in direct (e.g. raw material for equipment) as well as indirect purchases (e.g. logistics and software) to make sure they follow the Tetra Pak guidelines and Business Code of Conduct regarding environmental and social sustainability.” 

Karola Kremer, 
Junior Supply Manager 
Joined Tetra Pak and the Future Talent Programme in 2021

Building competencies by promoting learning and development 
By promoting learning and sharing knowledge and experience across the business, we build a culture where competence is respected, recognised and rewarded. Employees can expect continuous learning and development, aligned to their personal goals and contributing to our corporate strategy. Regular performance evaluations11 are part of the company-wide review process and financial incentives are available to those meeting their goals, including environmental targets such as recycling rates and greenhouse gas emissions. We help our employees develop their competencies across corporate functions, from customer understanding, leadership and project management; to environmental and social sustainability.

Collecting and acting on feedback from employees
We regularly measure our employees’ engagement and collect feedback on multiple topics. For example, we run a large-scale employee engagement survey once every two years. This survey allows employees to rate how well the company performs in the different drivers of engagement. To complement the largescale survey, we run Employee Engagement Pulse surveys twice a year to give employees an opportunity to share feedback on specific topics, such as organisational changes or follow-up on findings from the large-scale survey.

Enabling leadership development
In response to our latest employee engagement survey, we created three learning programmes addressing specific developmental needs for our people leaders and individual contributors: Remote Leadership, Coaching, and Informal Leadership. These programmes are launched between November 2022 and May 2023. They utilise interactive methods of learning across a 2–4-month period and consist of on-the-job actions and experiments, virtual sessions, bite-sized self-paced digital learning, and peer coaching to provide a multi-faceted learning experience for participants.

In 2022 we launched “Energise”, a programme intended to support the leadership transformation in our factories. The programme was launched at 26 factories in 15 languages, where we trained over 400 leaders and facilitators on different leadership behaviours and challenges, in the context of the production floor. As a direct result of this, leaders and facilitators were able to deliver training workshops to 6,000+ production operators. Feedback provided by participants of our leadership development programmes stated that they believed our leadership curriculum would have a positive impact on their ability as a leader (NPS 4.6/5).

SustainABLE 2.0 training 

In 2022 we launched the SustainABLE 2.0 e-learning journey, tailored to our frontline staff to increase awareness and knowledge on climate, circularity and nature, and feel confident to undertake informed discussions with food and beverage manufacturers, NGOs, and other external stakeholders on these topics.

With the SustainABLE 2.0 learning journey, I was able to gain meaningful insight into the global regulatory requirements on packaging, packaging waste, as well as our efforts in collection and recycling. Armed with this knowledge, within a week, I found myself discussing comfortably on these topics with the top management of one of our global customers. Such time-relevant and focused learning programmes boost the confidence of our customer facing teams (people like me).

Rajat Shah, 

Services Director, Tetra Pak Thailand

Workers and communities in our supply chain

Our Responsible Sourcing Procedure sets out the requirements for all purchasing categories to manage risks in relation to human rights, labour practices, OHS, environment, and business integrity. As part of our commitment to respect human rights across our value chain, we assess and prioritise impacts on the people and the communities in our supply chain. We will address the most severe risks in our procurement of materials for our products, as well as the services we use.

Building our awareness and understanding of human rights issues 
In 2022, we worked with Shift, a leading centre of expertise on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), to assess our approach to respecting human rights and how it can be further developed as part of our social sustainability strategy. As an outcome, we initiated a systematic risk identification process, to assess and prioritise risks to people across our value chain. For risks in our supply chain, this involved desk research, including reviewing suppliers’ disclosure, relevant reports from civil society, international institutions and the media, and assessing information on suppliers from Ecovadis, Sedex audits, and industry schemes such as the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative. This was complemented by interviews with a selection of external experts from NGOs and international institutions that could provide expertise and insight into the severe risks to human rights in key supply chains, through dialogue with strategic suppliers, as well as internal stakeholder interviews and workshops with category managers in our procurement function. Through this process, we assessed that the most severe risks that may occur to people in our supply chain could be as follows:

Forced labour of workers and indigenous people’s rights in the extraction or cultivation of our base materials12Environmental impacts on the livelihoods of communities from the extraction of our base materials.Security of human rights and environmental defenders in some higher risk countries • Health and safety of workers in our base material suppliers’ productionWorking conditions of workers at our logistics providers

Workers in collection & recycling of packaging

We work at a local level to activate, accelerate, and transform the collection and recycling sector with a dedicated team of professionals which collaborate with recyclers, local authorities, and customers to advise on efficient collection and sorting schemes, and co-invest with industrial partners in the recycling value chain. As part of the efforts, we are seeking new ways to ensure safe and decent working conditions for people across the recycling value chain.

In 2022, we conducted a high-level mapping of the collection and recycling value chains for carton packages and assessed risks to people. As a next step, we will engage with informal waste collectors to inform market specific action plans in pilot countries.

Workers in collection & recycling of packaging By respecting collection and recycling workers’ rights, we aim to help increase incomes and livelihoods, provide protection in risky environments and give them a voice in the future of collection and recycling systems. We already collaborate with stakeholders to establish an environment where informal waste collectors in collection systems work and live with dignity. For example, in our projects in Brazil and India.
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Humanitarian assistance

We are working to further enhance our impact with a greater focus on the speed and type of response to humanitarian crises, providing assistance when required.

Ukraine 
In December 2022, Tetra Laval, the group which comprises Tetra Pak, Sidel and DeLaval, donated power and heat generators to a value of €10 million as humanitarian aid to the people of Ukraine, currently suffering major power shortages as a result of the Russian war on Ukraine. This donation was in addition to the € 10 million already donated by Tetra Laval to Ukraine, since the start of the Russian invasion, through reputable aid organisations and through Tetra Pak’s customers to ensure safe food distribution in support of Ukraine and Ukrainian refugees outside the country.
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Pakistan
Tetra Pak Pakistan donated €100,000 to support the Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) in response to its emergency flood relief appeal. The assistance immediately required by flood victims is lifesaving, however, the impact of this flooding will be long-term. The significant loss to the livestock and agriculture sector will not only impact the livelihoods of those affected but also the food security situation of the country in the medium- and longterm. There is a dire need for all stakeholders to work together and adopt smart solutions.

The massive havoc caused by these floods has shattered these communities, driving millions out of their homes and into the open to face danger and disease like never witnessed before. For an efficient capacity building of relief efforts, we believe in serving our part by supporting a major humanitarian actor such as the Pakistan Red Crescent, which has been actively involved in driving relief efforts across the country with great financial diligence and use of local capacity.

Misbah Burney, 

Finance Director, Tetra Pak Pakistan

Türkiye and Syria 
In early 2023, Tetra Pak gave support for people affected by the earthquake in Türkiye and Syria. To help affected communities who are suffering from a lack of electricity, we supplied generators, particularly for the rescue teams in night shifts, hospitals and permanent shelters. This is in addition to local employee activities to support those most affected, including blood donation campaigns and the introduction of an employee voluntary donation campaign for urgently needed items. These activities were done in partnership with local non-profit organisations.
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Learn more about what is next for Tetra Pak here.

1 International Labour Organisation: 50 million people worldwide in modern slavery. (2022). Source: https://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/news/WCMS_855019/lang–en/index.html 

2 Global Rights Index 2022 Violations. (2022). Source: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/09/globalrights-index-2022-violations/ 

3 Global Rights Index 2022 Violations. (2022). Source: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/09/globalrights-index-2022-violations/ 

4 UN Global Compact: Labour and Decent Work. Source: https://www.unglobalcompact.org/what-is-gc/ our-work/social/labour

5 Leadership roles included in the sample are Director, VP, CXO, Partner. The sample includes data from 155 countries. Global Gender Gap Report. (2022). Source: https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GGGR_2022.pdf

6 Source: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-at-work 7 By positive impact we mean driving better outcomes for our workforce, workers and communities in our supply chain, workers in collection and recycling and people in our value chain in the areas of labour, discrimination, hazardous working conditions and sustainable income, among others.

7 By positive impact we mean driving better outcomes for our workforce, workers and communities in our supply chain, workers in collection and recycling and people in our value chain affected by climate change and the transition to net-zero in the areas of labour, discrimination, hazardous working conditions and sustainable income, among others.

8 The UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) are the global standard for business conduct concerning human rights. They’re composed of 3 pillars: First, the state has a duty to protect people against human rights harm by business. It requires states to use all the tools at their disposal—law, policy, regulation, and adjudication—to protect against human rights harm by business. Second, businesses have a responsibility to respect human rights. That is, businesses should not infringe on human rights in their own operations, or in their business relationships (e.g. with partners, suppliers, and customers). That responsibility of businesses is much harder to realise when the state does not do its job, but the responsibility remains, nonetheless. Third, there is a need for greater access to remedy. This requires states & businesses to play roles in providing access to effective remedy—both judicial and non-judicial—for those harmed by business-related human rights abuse.

9 Data includes both employees and workers who are not employees when at a workplace under control of Tetra Pak.

10 The majority of our employees receive benefits including over and above statutory provisions such as; accident, death and disability coverage 2x Annual Base salary global standard, medical and pension plans positioned at market medians for each country, long service awards where market prevalent, redundancy benefits include typically above legally required severance payments as well as globally consistent outplacement services.

11 In 2022, 98% of employees had regular performance reviews.

12 Base materials are the materials we use to produce the packaging we sell to food and beverage producers, including paperboard, polymers, aluminium foil and inks.

MIDLAND, Mich., February 15, 2024 /3BL/ – Dow (NYSE: DOW) received recognition for its commitment to LGBTQ+ equality with a top score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation’s 2023-2024 Corporate Equality Index (CEI). This marks the Company’s 18th consecutive year receiving a perfect score on the Index, a national benchmarking tool measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ+ workplace equality.

“Promoting equality through our policies and practices enhances Dow’s culture, creating an environment where everyone can thrive, and drives innovation and success,” said Amy Wilson, Dow’s general counsel and corporate secretary, and executive sponsor of GLAD, the Company’s LGBTQ+ and ally employee resource group. “We are incredibly proud to once again receive this recognition, which is a testament to our consistent, multi-decade efforts championing LGBTQ+ rights.”

Dow offers best-in-class policies and practices for employees, including those important to LGBTQ+ colleagues – equal benefits to same-sex partners for health, dental and life insurance, parental and bereavement leave, relocation, dual-career assistance, and survivor benefits. Dow has enhanced its Total Rewards to be more inclusive in its coverage, furthering the Company’s leadership in equitable offerings. As a part of that initiative, Dow established global minimum standards for paid time off for new parents and family caregivers – which includes birthing and non-birthing parents, regardless of gender, as well as adoptive and foster parents. In the U.S., fertility benefits coverage has expanded to be more accessible to same-sex couples.

“Being truly inclusive requires an ongoing commitment and continuous improvement to identify gaps in policy that adversely impact our employees and take the actions needed,” said Louis Vega, president of Dow North America and vice president of Government Affairs & Advocacy. “I am pleased that Dow has been recognized for its work and focus for 18 consecutive years.”

Dow advocates for public policy around the world to help bring fairness and equal treatment to the LGBTQ+ community. As part of this commitment, Dow continues to support the Equality Act, a comprehensive federal framework that ensures fairness and opportunity for all. This year, the Company reaffirmed its commitment to LGBTQ+ rights by signing HRC’s Count Us In Pledge. Globally, Dow shares best practices with other like-minded organizations, leading the way toward a more inclusive, diverse and equitable workplace and world.

The CEI rates companies on detailed criteria falling under four central pillars:

Non-discrimination policies across business entities;Equitable benefits for LGBTQ+ workers and their families;Supporting an inclusive culture; and,Corporate social responsibility.

The full report is available online at www.hrc.org/cei.

About Dow
Dow (NYSE: DOW) combines global breadth; asset integration and scale; focused innovation and materials science expertise; leading business positions; and environmental, social and governance leadership to achieve profitable growth and help deliver a sustainable future. The Company’s ambition is to become the most innovative, customer centric, inclusive and sustainable materials science company in the world. Dow’s portfolio of plastics, industrial intermediates, coatings and silicones businesses delivers a broad range of differentiated, science-based products and solutions for its customers in high-growth market segments, such as packaging, infrastructure, mobility and consumer applications. Dow operates manufacturing sites in 31 countries and employs approximately 37,800 people. Dow delivered sales of approximately $57 billion in 2022. References to Dow or the Company mean Dow Inc. and its subsidiaries. For more information, please visit www.dow.com or follow @DowNewsroom on Twitter.

For further information contact:

Mary Fournier
989-636-7475
mkfournier@dow.com

A growing number of companies recognize that a more inclusive approach to procurement can increase economic opportunities in the communities they serve. An effective supplier diversity program lowers barriers and enables access, allowing diverse businesses to compete for contracts in an equitable environment. Webster’s Supplier Diversity Program integrates diversity and inclusion into the procurement process by implementing policy, practices and procedures that ensure equal opportunity.

Webster’s Office of Corporate Responsibility (OCR) was established after the 2022 merger with Sterling National Bank. OCR builds on both banks’ long-standing records of citizenship, sustainability, and responsibility. Our Supplier Diversity program, part of OCR, seeks to identify capable diverse suppliers and provide them access to opportunities to become our business partners.

We want to ensure that diverse suppliers have the opportunity to compete in a fair and equitable environment. We understand the value of a diverse supply chain and we welcome all suppliers that have the capabilities to provide our business with goods and services.

Important questions for potential vendors

Therest Billouin-Roberts, Managing Director of Supplier Diversity, answers some important questions for potential vendors:

What types of businesses is Webster looking to work with?

We work with a wide range of vendors, including professional services such as marketing, training, product development and merchandising. We are also interested in working with vendors for supplies and equipment, operational processing, maintenance and software licensing.

What are the qualifications to apply?

Potential vendors should be certified woman-, minority-, veteran-, LGBTQ+- and disability-owned businesses. Self-certified businesses may also be provided opportunities to engage in business with the Bank depending on industry type.

What is a Certified Diverse Supplier?

A certified diverse supplier demonstrates to an independent organization that their business is at least 51% independently owned, operated, and managed. In the case of a publicly owned business, at least 51% of the stock must be owned by one or more diverse owners. Eligibility for certification is typically established through a combination of screenings, interviews, and site visits.

Do diverse suppliers need to be certified?

While certification is not required to do business with Webster Bank, we strongly recommend certification so that the supplier can become part of our Supplier Diversity Program. If a supplier is not certified, we encourage them to become certified with one of our partner groups. The main certification partners we use are:

National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC)Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC)National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC)National Veteran Owned Business Association (NaVOBA)Global organization disability inclusion & equality in business (Disability:In)US Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce (USPAACC)

Additionally, there are local affiliates such as the Women’s Business Development Council in Connecticut and Women’s Enterprise Development Center, which serves Westchester and Hudson counties in New York, that can assist diverse vendors in identifying other certifying agencies.

How can I apply?

Applying to become an approved vendor is easy. Visit our web portal to get started. Vendors can email questions related to supplier diversity to supplier-diversity@websterbank.com.

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KFC

We’re cheering on KFC Thailand and the Equal Education Fund (EEF) for two successful orientation sessions for the Bucket Search program! 

Funded by Yum! Brands‘ Unlocking Opportunity Initiative, Bucket Search addresses educational inequality by increasing access to personal and professional development for youth, tailored to their unique skills and interests. 

During orientation, participants build confidence through character building and life mapping activities while exploring career opportunities with industry professionals. Learning more about pathways into mixology, digital entrepreneurship, hairdressing, and of course the world of KFC, inspired Bucket Search participants on their journeys to be their best selves. 

And, it keeps getting better. After orientation, participants are matched with mentors and supported in vocational learning. Keep up the great work, KFC Thailand!