Tag: 3BL

Following the pandemic and social unrest of 2020, many organizations prioritized inclusion, diversity, and equity (ID&E) to foster a more inclusive and equitable workplace, address systemic inequities, and promote a sense of belonging among their diverse workforces. But what actually drives impact?

When reviewing an organization’s reporting on ID&E, here are a few “green flags” — or positive signs — to look out for:

Reporting on more than representation. While representation goals help measure progress in diversifying teams and advancing equity for underrepresented populations, the story begins long before that. It’s important to look at whether an organization is approaching ID&E the right way — through efforts like leadership accountability, inclusive hiring practices, and equitable access to development and sponsorship opportunities. The report should focus on efforts to build and maintain an inclusive culture for all, not just select representation numbers. 
 Including the voices of real people — the employees. Cultivating a culture of belonging means sharing the stories and voices of employees. In order to build belonging, all employees need opportunities to connect, thrive and educate each other. How do we know if these programs are benefitting employees? We need to hear testimonials and success stories from the employees themselves. 

For example, we know that degree requirements can be a barrier to talented candidates, including ethnically diverse groups and veterans, when it comes to advancing their careers. And for us at Medtronic, hearing from employees like Candi Sneed, who leveraged our Medtronic Advancement Pathways and Skill-building (MAPS) program, brings our impact to life. We provide 100% upfront college tuition directly to an academic institution for eligible employees, without the need for reimbursement. And because we helped remove that barrier, Sneed completed her degree in Electrical Engineering, making her the first link in the chain of future engineers for her family. 
 Sharing actionable progress and impact. While sharing progress with data is critical to transparency, equally as important is sharing the actions taken to get there. Working toward true inclusion, diversity, and equity requires naming the barrier, addressing it with action, and reporting on the scale of the impact.

This year’s Global Inclusion, Diversity & Equity Annual Report highlights the progress Medtronic is making to drive real impact toward zero barriers to opportunity. We commit to this work — that’s embedded in our Mission — because we believe diverse teams generate new ideas, drive more product innovations, and ultimately, help us serve more patients around the world. And, as leaders in the ID&E space, our report shares trends we’re seeing and our approach to them. Read the full report here.

SYRACUSE, N.Y., February 6, 2024 /3BL/ – A $500,000 investment from KeyBank through the CenterState CEO Foundation will help CenterState CEO expand business coaching and technical assistance programs for Black, Indigenous and other People of Color (BIPOC), women- and veteran-owned firms in Central New York. This grant is part of KeyBank’s commitment to invest $40 billion in the communities it serves and support diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.

This funding will also play a significant role in helping CenterState CEO scale efforts to expand access to business financing for under-capitalized founders, for whom traditional business loans and investments are often challenging. It will support the launch and growth of underrepresented and BIPOC firms through training, coaching and technical assistance, through CenterState CEO’s Up Start program and other small business development programming, including a real estate developer-in-residence pilot. It will also provide direct lending to and investment in undercapitalized firms via CenterState CEO’s Growth + Equity Fund.

“This unique approach to equitable growth by CenterState CEO will help entrepreneurs from all backgrounds have access to assistance and financing they need that will help our region grow,” said Stephen Fournier, KeyBank Central New York Market President. “We are proud to invest in their efforts that will make it possible for marginalized entrepreneurs to build successful futures and generational wealth.”

“Systemic barriers have often left the talent of many entrepreneurs in our community untapped and their potential under supported,” said Dominic Robinson, senior vice president of Inclusive Growth at CenterState CEO. “This investment from KeyBank will support important tools like the Growth + Equity Fund and Up Start that address these equity gaps and scale their economic impact on entrepreneurs from historically disinvested populations and neighborhoods.”

Ultimately, as participants in these programs build successful businesses, they will achieve financial sustainability and begin to build generational wealth. As drivers of the local economy, they will gain stronger voices in local leadership, participate in the regeneration of the built environment, and drive economic growth and revitalization in these neighborhoods.

“Building generational wealth is key to building strong neighborhoods and strong economies,” said Tamika Otis, corporate responsibility officer for KeyBank in Central New York. “This investment by Key will kelp CenterState CEO continue the important work they are doing to level the playing field and make our community more accessible, equitable and successful.”

Since 2017, KeyBank has followed through on community commitments totaling more than $599 million in Central New York, supporting affordable housing and community development projects; small business and home lending to low-to-moderate income individuals and communities; and transformative philanthropy.

ABOUT KEYBANK

KeyBank’s roots trace back nearly 200 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, KeyCorp is one of the nation’s largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $188 billion at December 31, 2023.

Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 1,000 branches and approximately 1,200 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank is Member FDIC.

ABOUT CENTERSTATE CEO & THE CENTERSTATE CEO FOUNDATION

CenterState CEO is Central New York’s premier business leadership and economic development organization, committed to creating a region where business thrives, and all people prosper. Its vision is to be recognized as a visionary leader, effective advocate, exceptional employer and a force for positive outcomes for the community.

The mission of the CenterState CEO Foundation is to attract philanthropic support for CenterState CEO programs that remove barriers to economic prosperity for people and places. These programs help residents access quality jobs, inclusive workplaces and entrepreneurship opportunities, as well as build vibrant neighborhood business centers. Supported activities are designed in collaboration with community partners and focus on engaging historically marginalized populations including women, people of color, Indigenous people, veterans, New Americans and individuals with low-to-moderate incomes.

Originally published by Northwestern Mutual on January 31, 2024

MILWAUKEE, February 6, 2024 /3BL/ – Northwestern Mutual has been named one of the World’s Most Admired Companies by FORTUNE magazine – a prestigious recognition the company has earned for several years. Northwestern Mutual secured the No. two ranking in the social responsibility, quality of management, financial soundness and quality of products and services categories. The company also ranked highly for people management and use of corporate assets.

“We’re pleased to be recognized as a FORTUNE World’s Most Admired company and trusted leader in our industry,” said John Schlifske, chairman, president and CEO, Northwestern Mutual. “After an exceptional year of business performance, this recognition is further evidence that our distinctive and comprehensive approach to financial planning – combining insurance and investments – has never been more relevant. Our approach is proven to deliver superior outcomes for the clients we proudly serve and ensure Northwestern Mutual provides value for generations to come.”

For more than two decades, FORTUNE has surveyed leading global executives, board directors and financial analysts, evaluating companies across more than 50 industries on a variety of attributes. Based on the results of this annual review, the publication identifies companies with the strongest reputations and business results, naming the best to its Most Admired list.

In addition to this year’s World’s Most Admired Companies recognition, Northwestern Mutual continues to provide financial well-being to policyowners by earning elite financial strength ratings each year. Additionally, the company will once again break its own industry-leading dividend payout record, with an expected $7.3 billion to be delivered to its policyowners in 2024.

About Northwestern Mutual

Northwestern Mutual has been helping people and businesses achieve financial security for more than 165 years. Through a comprehensive planning approach, Northwestern Mutual combines the expertise of its financial professionals with a personalized digital experience and industry-leading products to help its clients plan for what’s most important. With more than $570 billion of total assets being managed across the company’s institutional portfolio as well as retail investment client portfolios, nearly $35 billion in revenues, and $2.2 trillion worth of life insurance protection in force, Northwestern Mutual delivers financial security to more than five million people with life, disability income and long-term care insurance, annuities, and brokerage and advisory services. Northwestern Mutual ranked 111 on the 2023 FORTUNE 500.

Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company (NM), Milwaukee, WI (life and disability insurance, annuities, and life insurance with long-term care benefits) and its subsidiaries. Subsidiaries include Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC (NMIS) (investment brokerage services), broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, member FINRA and SIPC; the Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company® (NMWMC) (investment advisory and services), federal savings bank; and Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company (NLTC) (long-term care insurance). Not all Northwestern Mutual representatives are advisors. Only those representatives with “Advisor” in their title or who otherwise disclose their status as an advisor of NMWMC are credentialed as NMWMC representatives to provide investment advisory services.

Ratings are for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company and Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company as of the most recent review and report by each rating agency. Ratings are as of 11/23 (Moody’s Investors Service), 8/23 (A.M. Best Company), 8/23 (Fitch Ratings) and 5/23 (S&P Global Ratings). Ratings are subject to change.

SOURCE Northwestern Mutual

Jennifer Lee, 1-800-323-7033, mediarelations@northwesternmutual.com

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Ginny Clarke is a leadership expert, speaker and author with over 30 years of experience in recruiting and talent management. She is a trusted advisor who guides organizations toward success by focusing on conscious choices and personal accountability. Her story will help you deepen your self-awareness, identify your strengths, determine what success means for you and tell your own compelling story. Join PNC Diversity & Inclusion for this special Black History Month event.

Presenter

Virginia “Ginny” Clarke 
Former Director, Executive Recruiting at Google 
Holistic Leadership Strategist

Ginny Clarke is a world-renowned conscious leadership expert, sought-after speaker, author, instructor and advisor who helps individuals and organizations based on conscious choices and personal accountability. 

She has over 30 years of experience in executive recruiting, talent management and commercial real estate. She has held leadership roles at Google and Spencer Stuart where she recruited senior leaders across sectors and functions, and specialized in diversity and internal mobility. 

Ginny’s focus on personal accountability and self-awareness empowers people to become radically accountable, creating a space for healthy, authentic leadership that inspires and transforms individuals and organizations. 

Her approach to leadership is rooted in the Five Dimensions Of Conscious Leadership, which encourages leaders to deepen their self-awareness, speak their truth, inspire love, expand their consciousness and activate their mastery. 

Ginny is the author of Career Mapping: Charting Your Course in the New World of Work and hosts the Fifth Dimensional Leadership podcast. She holds an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and a BA in French and Linguistics from the University of California at Davis. Ginny is the single mother of an adult son, Julian, who works in the entertainment industry.

Opening Remarks

Gyasi C. Chisley 
Head of Corporate Healthcare 
PNC Bank

Gyasi Chisley leads the strategic growth into all sectors of the healthcare ecosystem in collaboration with PNC’s local/main street market model and leveraging PNC’s deep network of relationship managers across the country to enhance the value that PNC brings to its clients that operate within the healthcare industry. 

Gyasi has more than 25 years’ experience within the healthcare industry and has led many health systems, health plans, and investment ventures. Functioning as a senior executive in various markets, Gyasi has served throughout government, private, and Fortune 500 companies. Gyasi’s experience runs the gamut from nearly every sector within the healthcare industry. 

As President and CEO, Gyasi led health systems in Atlanta, GA (now WellStar), New York, NY (formerly Catholic Medical Centers), Cincinnati, OH (UC Health & Mercy Health), Memphis, TN (Methodist Healthcare) and a national cancer network in multiple metropolitan areas (Cancer Treatment Centers of America). In every role, he has been able to establish considerable growth, forge significant partnerships, institute strong financial stability, and prioritize high quality/clinical acumen. Subsequently, Chisley assumed post as Senior Vice President/Chief Strategy Officer for UnitedHealthcare (UHC), where he created new payment products to improve health care delivery, fortified provider/payor relations, and oversaw acquisition of companies to improve quality metrics within UHC’s suite of services. 

Gyasi obtained a Masters of Health/Business Administration from the University of Michigan and dual Bachelor of Science degrees in Psychology and Biology from Morehouse College. He is board certified in healthcare and project management. Gyasi is an avid sports fan, a self-proclaimed movie buff, enjoys music/traveling, and running marathons in various cities around the world.

Moderator

Gina Coleman 
Chief Diversity Officer 
PNC Bank

Gina Coleman is senior vice president and chief diversity officer for The PNC Financial Services Group. In this role, Gina leads the development and implementation of strategies and programs that help further build and sustain a talented, diverse workforce and a culture of inclusion. 

Gina, who rejoined PNC in August 2021, previously served as chief sales officer for MassMutual Great Lakes, where she led the new advisor sales teams, including a female financial services group; recruiting; strategic sales, and partnerships. 

Gina is a business and community development professional and entrepreneur, with over 25 years combined experience in business, financial services, B2B and B2C sales and management roles. She also served as strategic partner of the Collective Financial Group, a specialized group within the firm, built to support female clients and drive more women into the career as financial advisors. Gina’s professional career started at the New Jersey Nets as an intern, then as a sales/marketing representative before elevating to director of Community Relations. Between her corporate careers, she developed as an entrepreneur through ownership of businesses in the service industry. 

Prior to leaving PNC, Gina served as Client & Community Relations director operating as the chief of staff for the Regional President office in Detroit. She was responsible for management of PNC’s local foundation; implementing corporate initiatives; managing marketing, partner relations, client relations, and community outreach; as well as oversight of employee volunteerism and engagement in diversity and inclusion programs. Gina was a PNC-Certified Women’s Business Advocate providing business and personal financial resources to support the achievement of female financial decision makers. She served as president of PNC’s local Detroit Women Connect chapter, a women’s employee business resource group. Gina also served as Workplace Banking development officer, Wealth Management channel development advisor and Community Development Banking consultant. In 2018, she received the PNC Performance Award, the highest employee recognition honor. 

Gina serves on the board of directors of Beyond Basics, Detroit Public Schools Foundation, Inforum Michigan, board chair of Junior Achievement of Southeast Michigan, and community advisory board member of Beaumont Royal Oak Hospital. She is a member of Links, Inc., Greater Wayne County Chapter, and the National Basketball Wives Association. 

Gina graduated Montclair State University in 1991 and a graduate of Leadership Detroit Class of XXXVI.

Closing Remarks

Johnathan C. Thrasher 
Relationship Manager 
PNC Bank Minority Business Development Group

Johnathan Thrasher is Vice President and Relationship Manager for PNC Bank’s the Minority Business Development Group covering Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Missouri and has 30 years of finance and banking experience with a competency of Corporate Finance, SBA, C&I, and Real Estate lending. 

Jonathan received his bachelor’s degree in economics from DePaul University and was inducted to the Golden Key National Honors Society for academic excellence. 

Jonathan supports local and suburban Chicagoland Chambers of Commerce and colleges by providing business Financing Fundamentals education. He is PNC Bank’s Chairperson of Supplier Diversity for the state of Illinois, encouraging partnerships with small businesses with Access to Capital events.

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Originally published on U.S. Bank company blog

Living and working in New York City, Beth Ann Bovino was used to going to work and social events and feeling like her job as an economist didn’t hold the same fascination as the aspiring artists, writers and actors in the same room.

Then the Great Recession of 2008 hit.

“I was at a party chatting with someone about my thoughts on the direction of the economy, and suddenly I realized there were 15 people gathered around hanging on every word I said – that was the first time that had ever happened,” she said.

Ever since then, the economy has remained a topic of great interest from cocktail parties to corporate boardrooms. Bovino joined U.S. Bank this May as the chief economist, bringing her extensive experience in macroeconomic and financial analysis to build on the bank’s economic research capabilities to support treasury balance sheet management activities as well as client-facing businesses.

In her chief economist role, she “explains both the current economic landscape but also provides preview of the economic environment that banks will be operating in the months and years to come,” she said. Her team focuses on economic conditions that are paramount to a bank’s bottom line, such as changes in the job market or interest rates that may impact household and businesses’ willingness to borrow and spend.

Bovino’s predictions have a reputation for being spot on. The Wall Street Journal recognized Bovino as the most accurate forecaster of the U.S. economy in 2013, and the second-most accurate forecaster in 2018. Her far from consensus call on when the Fed would begin to taper its balance sheet in 2013 also proved correct when the Fed announced its plan in December of that year.  Of all of her acumen to read economic indicators, though, she said perhaps equally important is the ability to realize when a forecast might be wrong and revise accordingly.

“Economic forecasting comes with a great deal of humility,” she said, noting that she’s already experienced two unprecedented economic events in her career with the Great Recession and the Covid-19 pandemic.

Bovino became interested in the field of economics when she was an undergraduate at the University of Pennsylvania, where she regularly volunteered at a local food bank in inner-city Philadelphia. It gave her an up-close view of families and individuals who were unable to find jobs and were struggling to make ends meet.

“Some of the people we served had lost their homes and couldn’t feed their children. I empathized with what they were going through, and it really made me think about the impact that the job market and the broader economy has on households,” said Bovino.

She continues to volunteer at food banks today, and has gone on to write papers about income inequality and on the dilemma many women face finding affordable childcare so they can work outside the home.  Her paper received coverage in major media outlets including CNBC and Politico, and the YWCA inducted her into the YW Academy of Women Leaders in 2018.

Heading into 2024, Bovino is focused on the impact of inflation – and the Federal Reserve’s attempts to contain it by raising interest rates 11 times since 2020. Higher borrowing costs are making it difficult for households to afford cars, new homes or other major purchases without taking on significant debt.

“Affordability right now is one of the biggest worries that I have,” she said.  “Fortunately, the healthy jobs market has provided cushion for many families to absorb these shocks.”

Outside of her role as economist, Bovino and her family are avid skiers and she’s an amateur oil painter. Her artistic interest dates back to her graduate-school days, when she joined the art department at Columbia University while pursuing her doctorate in economics and they gave her a studio for her personal use.

“That creative side does find its way into my day job, as it allows me to imagine possibilities for the economy that fall ‘outside of the box,’” Bovino said. “It also helps when coming up with creative titles and presentations, allowing me some fun in an otherwise dry occupation.”

Click here to see Bovino speak on panels about economic inequality at the Aspen Institute and at the Milken Institute conference. 

Originally published by Pepco

Be on the lookout for scam attempts claiming to be Pepco. In 2023, customers lost more than $205,000 to phone scams. Scammers can manipulate Caller ID to appear as our number. Don’t fall prey to scammers! If in doubt, hang up and call us directly at 202-833-7500. Learn more.

Pepco is warning customers to be vigilant against phone scams. Pepco has seen an increase in reports of individuals calling customers and falsely claiming their electric service will be disconnected unless payment is made. These impersonators instruct customers to buy a prepaid credit card and call back to a different phone number with the personal identification number (PIN) or other personal information. Scammers also use a tactic called “spoofing” to manipulate the Caller ID displayed phone number so that it appears as a Pepco number. We also caution customers to be mindful of individuals who try to gain access to their homes by posing as utility workers. Utility impostors may carry “official” looking credentials and often work in pairs.

In 2023, customers lost more than $205,000 to phone scams. Don’t fall prey to scammers! If in doubt call us directly at 202-833-7500. For more information about protecting yourself against scams, visit our website.

Originally published in Crown Holding’s 2022 Corporate Responsibility Report

Sustainability is not just about what we do—it is also about how we do it. We strive to reduce our impact across all our operations, supporting the drive for cleaner air, cleaner water and less waste. Our global workforce helps us make progress every day through their innovative thinking and by sharing knowledge across our network so we can collectively accelerate our sustainability performance.

A Fresh Take on Best Practices 

Making meaningful progress against our ambitious Twentyby30™ sustainability goals requires the commitment and creative thinking of our global workforce. That is why in 2022, we refreshed our long-standing best practices program to incorporate the Transit Packaging Division and the full Twentyby30™ strategy. The Twentyby30™ Best Practices program is designed to facilitate the sharing of operational efficiencies gained at the plant level on a global scale to fully encompass the pillars of our sustainability strategy and better position us to meet our corporate goals.

We recently celebrated the outstanding achievements of several teams based in Brazil, Mexico and Thailand for their resourcefulness to enhance efficiencies and processes that can yield benefits to our customers worldwide while also increasing the sustainability of our operations.

Climate Action Winner: Estancia, Brazil (beverage can plant) 

Our plant in northeastern Brazil reduced gas energy consumption by nearly 20% by enabling its boiler to heat water only when the temperature dropped below required levels. This eliminated the need to keep the boiler in constant operation, which was done even if the water was able to maintain the optimal temperature without additional heat.

Optimum Circularity Winner: Monterrey, Mexico (beverage packaging plant) 

Employees in our Monterrey, Mexico plant designed ultrafiltration equipment to remove impurities often found in used lubricant. By eliminating these impurities, the consumed lubricant was able to be reused in the plant’s manufacturing processes.

Resource Efficiency Winner: Thailand (Crown TCP) 

This beverage can plant reduced consumption of city water by 200 cubic meters per month by installing a reverse osmosis treated water system for use in plant toilets, watering the plant’s garden and cleaning pallets and roads.

Working Together Winner: Thailand (Crown TCP plant) 

Our team in Thailand was also recognized for steps it took to enhance worker safety on the plant floor. Material lifting equipment, which can be managed by machine controllers on the ground versus forklift operators, was installed to feed packing materials into the facility’s palletizer. The implementation eliminated a high-risk task and allowed operators to perform tasks more securely and efficiently.

Never Compromise Winner: Brazil (Corporate Procurement Team) 

Our Corporate Procurement Team in Brazil implemented a detailed and dedicated supplier evaluation program to strengthen relationships and increase engagement with key suppliers, aligning with Crown’s core Twentyby30™ objective to “Never Compromise.”

Leading by Example 

Our annual Chairman’s Sustainability Awards offer another way for us to recognize the exemplary contributions made by our manufacturing facilities and operating divisions in three key categories: Environmental, Safety and Social Sustainability. By sharing these achievements, we hope to provide a source of inspiration for our global workforce and continually raise the bar for sustainability excellence within the Company. 

Winners of the 2022 Chairman’s Sustainability Awards, which cover achievements in 2021, are as follows:

Committed to the Environment: Crown Vichisa (Mexico) 

Our Chihuahua, Mexico beverage glass plant was recognized with the Environmental Sustainability Award for saving over 15.5 million gallons of water and improving the quality of the facility’s wastewater. The team achieved these results by implementing a series of improvements including repairing leaks in washer valves, eliminating hard water, reusing water from downstream operations and installing recirculation filters.

Promoting Workplace Safety: Dahej, India 

Our Dahej, India plant, which is part of the Transit Packaging Division, received the Sustainability Award for Safety for its comprehensive approach to workplace safety and extensive track record of incident-free days – which stood at 2,342 days (or approximately 6.5 years) at the time of submission. The facility adopted numerous initiatives to safeguard employee safety, health and wellbeing, including medical check-ups, classroom and onsite safety trainings, administrative controls and oversight, internal and external safety audits and motivational programs such as monthly and annual staff awards.

Making a Positive Impact: Conroe, Texas (U.S.) 

The Social Sustainability Award, which recognizes activities that significantly impact the well-being of the workforce and/or the local community, was awarded to our Conroe, Texas beverage can plant. The team continues to demonstrate a steadfast commitment to their community by participating in mentorship programs, food drives, job fairs and various volunteer opportunities.

Corporate Rankings & Recognition 

Crown continues to be a leader in corporate responsibility, and we are very proud of the recognition we receive along the way. While delivering against our sustainability goals is our priority, the external validation of our efforts provides motivation to stretch further and accelerate our activities to become an even more sustainable Company. The following are some of the awards and distinctions we received throughout 2022. 

Responsible Citizenship 

For the second year in a row, we were featured in 3BL Media’s 100 Best Corporate Citizens list, including garnering a spot in the top 10 Materials industry companies. This ranking recognizes outstanding ESG transparency and performance among the 1,000 largest publicly-traded U.S. companies.

Our dedication to corporate stewardship was also recognized within Forbes’ inaugural World’s Top FemaleFriendly Companies list, as well as by Newsweek magazine with the publication of its fourth annual America’s Most Responsible Companies 2023 list. We scored within the top 15% of Newsweek’s corporate governance category, reflecting high marks for disclosure, transparency and economic performance. The ranking assesses more than 2,000 eligible U.S.-based organizations on more than 30 KPIs for performance in environment, social and corporate governance and evaluates public perception of the companies via an independent survey.

Furthermore, we were again ranked by Sustainalytics as a leader in the top 3% of the containers and packaging industry for our ESG performance. This was the third year in a row we were recognized within this percentile.

Powering a Renewable Future 

For the second consecutive year, our North American Beverage Packaging business unit ranked within the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Top 25 Green Power Partners from the Fortune 500 list, and the Company ranked within the top half of EPA’s Top 100 Partners across the U.S. The EPA cites this annual alternative energy usage, which for our U.S. beverage operations equates to nearly 400 million kWh, as a contributor to growing the voluntary green power market and reducing the negative impacts of air emissions, including those related to ozone, fine particles, acid rain and regional haze.

Raising our Sustainability Profile 

In the last year, Crown has increased its presence at strategic industry events around the world, sharing our commitment to sustainability, championing metal as the optimal choice for sustainable packaging and elevating our position as a thought leader. Here are just a few of the places we have been.

Refreshing the International Beverage Can Market (The Canmaker Summit; Czech Republic) 

Dr. Dan Abramowicz, Crown’s Chief Technology Officer, addressed leaders from the global metal packaging and filling community at this annual industry gathering. His presentation explored several innovations that are supporting beverage can growth versus competitive packaging formats and highlighted the inherent sustainability benefits of aluminum containers. This included a look at product design and process improvements that enhance quality and reduce costs, as well as innovations that enhance functional and visual appeal for increased differentiation on the retail shelf.

Supporting the Journey Toward a Circular Economy (Future Food Forum; Dubai, UAE) 

Sandrine Duquerroy-Delesalle, Director, Sustainability & External Affairs at Crown, discussed challenges and opportunities companies face as the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region shifts toward greener, more sustainable business models. The conversation yielded critical insights for food and beverage manufacturers, who can begin the transition to a circular economy through increased recycling, decreased emissions, heightened emphasis on resource conservation and consumer education. Sandrine discussed metal packaging’s key attributes, and how Crown is supporting global initiatives aimed at achieving circularity – a critical area of focus for these regions that are among the world’s most vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

Steps to Decarbonize the Aluminum Industry (Novelis Panorama Sustentabilidade; Brazil) 

Pamela Moreno, Regulatory Affairs and Sustainability Specialist at Crown, joined a panel organized by aluminum manufacturer Novelis, the leading producer of flat-rolled aluminum products and the world’s largest recycler of aluminum, to discuss strategies to minimize the carbon footprint of the material in the supply chain and enhance circularity. She shared the latest progress against our Twentyby30™ sustainability goals, including our use of renewable electricity and efforts to increase global recycling rates.

To learn more about Crown Holding’s commitment to corporate responsibility, visit our sustainability webpage.

For full details about Crown Holding’s 2022 Sustainability Report, visit here.

Eastman

Eastman has published its 2023 Inclusion & Diversity (I&D) Report, “Embracing the Power of Inclusion,” which highlights some of the progress the company has made on strengthening I&D, a core element of its culture and innovation strategy.

“Embracing the Power of Inclusion,” available on Eastman.com, includes perspectives from leaders throughout the company and stories of the many teams and people who are advancing I&D. Mark Costa, Eastman board chair and CEO, writes in an open letter how inclusion and diversity are critical to the company’s strategy to make a positive impact through material innovation.

“Technology and innovation are tools to bring about progress,” Costa said. “But those tools are only as good as the team behind them. The team must possess diversity of thought and openness to new ideas and all perspectives. And it must be a team of people who can fully be themselves at work, so they are inspired to come together and accomplish something bigger than themselves.”

The report also includes examples of success and elements of the I&D strategy: 

Hundreds of Eastman leaders across 14 countries completed an inclusivity training program to help mitigate unconscious bias and foster a more inclusive culture.The six Eastman Resource Groups (ERGs) for historically underrepresented employee populations and their allies increased their global reach. ERGs expanded to all of the company’s global regions in 2022, and overall membership increased 37%.Eastman strengthened resources for women leaders through an immersive leadership development program. That development program has provided more than 200 women with tools and immersive experiences that help them recognize and optimize the values and unique perspectives they can bring to the company and their teams. 

Kaamilya Clinkscales-Major, global head of inclusion and diversity for Eastman, said the report is an important signpost of where the company is on its I&D journey and why Eastman is committed to the work it will take to continue making progress. 

“We believe I&D enables us to deliver on our organizational aspirations of improving the world for future generations,” Clinkscales-Major said.

In January, the Coach Foundation celebrated five years of creating opportunities and removing barriers for the next generation through its signature initiative, Dream It Real. To celebrate, the Foundation launched its first social impact report, The Courage to Dream It Real. Coach is a part of Tapestry, the house of iconic accessories and lifestyle brands consisting of Coach, Kate Spade, and Stuart Weitzman.

This report shares the accomplishments of the Dream It Real community of students, non-profit partners, and global teams. The Coach Foundation also marked their achievement of funding 5,000 scholarships to students around the world by 2025 a year early and shared a new commitment of funding 10,000 scholarships by 2030.

More than facts and figures, the report highlights real-life stories of Dream It Real scholars, the impact of the programs like college scholarships, mentoring, and more – as well as the Coach Foundation’s vision for the next chapter of philanthropy. Meet Yannick — one of the 5,000+ scholars the Coach Foundation supports each year through the Dream It Real program. His story is a testament to the power of dreaming big and the Coach Foundation is proud to play a part in his journey.

When the Coach Foundation was in 2008, their goal was to extend Coach’s impact within the community to support a better future for all. Fifteen years later, Coach and the Coach Foundation have donated over $75 million dollars to cause-driven organizations and communities. The Foundation has established integral partnerships with non-profit, cause-organizations around the world including China Youth Development Foundation, Bottom Line, and The Opportunity Network. These organizations are Dream It Real champions – focused on supporting the next generation of students as they pursue their education and provide resources to help them achieve their dreams.

 

To learn more about the report, visit https://www.coach.com/coachfoundation-impact

View our exclusive in WWD: https://wwd.com/sustainability/social-impact/coach-social-impact-report-1236130502/

How do you evaluate how green (or not) a chemical process is?

For years there wasn’t an easy way. Then, in 2019, a team of chemists and bioinformatic experts from MilliporeSigma, the Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, debuted a new tool, known as the DOZN™ tool. This industry-first tool helps scientists compare the greenness of different products and processes.

There is often more than one pathway that scientists can use to create a target molecule. Because these different synthesis processes use different raw materials and create different byproducts, chemists can use the DOZN™ tool as a quantitative tool to compare the relative greenness of each approach.

Meet the MilliporeSigma chemist who championed this effort and now helps other chemists, including young chemists, think greener.