Tag: 3BL

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., January 30, 2024 /3BL/ – At a time when nearly 200 countries recently pledged to ratchet up climate action before the end of this decade, global decarbonization solutions leader Black & Veatch is seeking applications to join its innovation-focused program to advance technologies that mitigate carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change.

Applicants will vie for the opportunity to participate in Black & Veatch’s IgniteX Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) Accelerator, a largely virtual, 12-week program in which selected participants partner with Black & Veatch thought leaders and subject matter experts to co-develop, pilot and market their new technology. Along the way they receive mentorship, access to the company’s vast industry network, product testing opportunities, pitch development coaching and investor introductions. The program culminates with a showcase in which the entrepreneurs present their solutions and outline their value propositions and market opportunity.

Black & Veatch also is teaming up with RTI International – a leading independent research institute – to provide technical and commercialization support to IgniteX program participants.

Applications are due by Feb. 19 and may be submitted by visiting www.bv.com/ignite.

“With the challenges of climate change mounting, it’s increasingly paramount that we accelerate novel technologies that ultimately will help lower the global carbon footprint both at scale and affordability. This program seeks to do just that,” said Ryan Pletka, vice president of innovation for Black & Veatch. “Entrepreneurs and startups with outside-the-box, potentially transformational concepts often need a boost in developing and scaling their technologies, and we have deep expertise to kickstart the growing climate innovation ecosystem.”

Burnishing Black & Veatch’s decarbonization solutions status, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management last August named the company among 13 semifinalists to receive a total of $1.3 million for commercialization programs that support technologies that remove carbon from the atmosphere, including direct air capture (DAC).

The DAC Energy Program for Innovation Clusters (EPIC) Prize is among several competitions hosted by the DOE and funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to support breakthrough DAC technologies. The prize sponsors incubator teams that provide creative, impactful solutions that support entrepreneurs and innovators in the DAC space.

This year’s IgniteX program is looking for innovations that span the critical elements across the entire end-to-end carbon dioxide removal lifecycle in:

Direct air capture (DAC)Enhanced mineralizationSoil carbon sequestrationBiomass carbon removal and storageOcean-based CDRAfforestation and ReforestationBioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS)Other innovations that improve the cost-effectiveness, scalability, efficiency or co-benefits of CO2 capture from the environment through engineered processes

Editor’s Notes: 

The IgniteX tech accelerator program provides funding of up to $35,000 in non-dilutive grants and in-kind services, plus potential equity investments from $50,000 – $100,000.This is the fifth year of the program, where Black & Veatch has partnered with more than 40 companies.Since its inception, the program has made more than $2 million in investments, grants and in-kind services.

About Black & Veatch 
Black & Veatch is a 100-percent employee-owned global engineering, procurement, consulting and construction company with a more than 100-year track record of innovation in sustainable infrastructure. Since 1915, we have helped our clients improve the lives of people around the world by addressing the resilience and reliability of our most important infrastructure assets. Follow us on www.bv.com and on social media.

Media Contact Information:

JIM SUHR | +1 913-458-6995 P | SuhrJ@BV.com 
24-HOUR MEDIA CONTACT | Media@bv.com

Originally published on bloomberg.com

Bloomberg for Education and Bloomberg Human Resources have expanded the reach of this year’s Bloomberg and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Trading Challenge to new universities and shifted to evaluate participant investment performance against a developed market (DM) index.

The Bloomberg and HBCU Trading Challenge exercises the financial acumen of college participants through a virtual investment competition on the Bloomberg Terminal. Geared towards Black students in the US who are typically underrepresented in the finance industry, the challenge was created to help HBCU students build marketable skills and knowledge needed to compete for finance jobs and provide hands-on experience that they will use in their future careers.

This year, students invested $1 million virtual US dollars across companies in the DM index in a closed network, with the assistance of university faculty and assigned Bloomberg mentors. The winner was decided based on the trade performance of participants, benchmarked against real DM indices on the Bloomberg Terminal.

“The new focus on developed markets stocks builds on last year’s ESG-specific challenge to introduce another layer of difficulty and further replicate real world experiences,” said Emily Perrucci, Global Head of User Support at Bloomberg. “Fund managers often must consider ESG factors as part of managing a much larger, diverse portfolio. We want to ensure students have a well-rounded understanding of market indices to be best prepared for future careers in finance.”

Participating universities included Clark Atlanta University, Howard University, Hampton University, Morehouse College, Morgan State University, Spelman College and Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU). Jaeden Patterson, a Senior at FAMU was this year’s winner. “The advice I would give to future participants is to take advantage of your resources,” said Patterson. “The mentor that was provided through the challenge helped me navigate unfamiliar functionality on the Bloomberg Terminal. Additionally, I was able to take the Bloomberg ESG Certificate Course, which enabled me to identify ESG investment strategies and apply them to develop a profitable portfolio.”

Students who participated in this year’s challenge were invited to Bloomberg’s headquarters in New York City. There, top-performing students had the opportunity to present their trading strategy to a panel of experts who offered feedback and insights on the students’ experience. Students who participate in the challenge also receive direct access to Bloomberg recruiters who provide professional development support around interviewing and resume creation.

Bloomberg continues to build relationships with HBCUs and contribute to cultivating the success of its students. By providing additional resources, like the Bloomberg Terminal, University professors are able to further enrich their coursework with the same tools that are used by financial professionals.

“Florida A&M University School of Business and Industry (SBI) has a long legacy of training students to be capable and well-prepared young business professionals. Bloomberg plays a role in that training process,” said Dr. Inger M. Daniels-Hollar, Assistant Professor of Finance at FAMU. “Bloomberg access enables us to simulate for our students the experience of sitting on a real-life desk while they’re still in college — much like a law student might argue in a mock courtroom before becoming a lawyer.”

About Bloomberg for Education
Bloomberg for Education offers a suite of education technology products and services that immerse learners directly into the financial markets and provide research and analytics across multiple industries. Universities around the globe use Bloomberg to bring the real world of finance into the classroom, providing students with access to the same information platform used by leading decision makers in business, finance and government. For more information, visit: https://www.bloomberg.com/professional/product/education/

About Bloomberg
Bloomberg is a global leader in business and financial information, delivering trusted data, news, and insights that bring transparency, efficiency, and fairness to markets. The company helps connect influential communities across the global financial ecosystem via reliable technology solutions that enable our customers to make more informed decisions and foster better collaboration. For more information, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/company or request a demo.

Originally published on HARMAN Newsroom

STAMFORD, Conn., January 30, 2024 /3BL/– HARMAN, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. focused on connected technologies and solutions for automotive, consumer and enterprise markets, announced that HARMAN’s Digital Transformation Solutions strategic business unit has, once again, been rated as a “Leader” in the Zinnov Zones for ER&D services ratings. This is the eighth consecutive year that HARMAN has been recognized in the Zinnov Zones for Digital Engineering and ER&D services 2023 ratings.

“This is an incredible honor to have been rated favorably across 15 different categories in Zinnov Zones annual ratings,” said Vikas Gupta, EVP & General Manager for Digital Transformation Solutions, at HARMAN. “This recognition emphasizes the strength of our engineering capabilities and innovation-led problem solving. We look forward to continuing to architect and implement end-to-end, secure and scalable solutions that deliver superior experiences by using our expertise and experience in device management, cloud, enterprise applications, big data analytics and partner integration.

Sidhant Rastogi, Managing Partner at Zinnov, remarked “HARMAN has established a strong innovation rhythm through dedicated investments in AI/ML, analytics and quantum computing. Its recent offering HealthGPT – a private LLM for healthcare that customizes specific needs and goals of healthcare enterprises- has already helped them win multiple deals. Parallelly, its expertise in the Software Defined Network space, combined with its cutting-edge 5G Device Testing and Verification capabilities, and prominent enterprise customers partnerships have solidified its leadership in the Telecommunications sector. With an exhaustive portfolio of Industry 5.0 services, digital twins, edge analytics and beyond, HARMAN enables enterprises to activate the future digital factory and continues to create value for clients. This combination has helped HARMAN anchor its leadership position in the Zinnov Zones 2023 Ratings for Digital Engineering and ER&D services.”

The Zinnov Zones ratings have become the industry standard for benchmarking service providers across capabilities such as ER&D Services, Digital Services, IoT Services and Media and Technology. Zinnov’s annual ratings of Global ER&D Service Providers for 2023 evaluated ~60 Global ER&D Services players and rated HARMAN as a leader in 15 ER&D categories and two mentions as notable player in Digital Engineering Services, and Industrial.

HARMAN’s full list of honors includes:

ER&D Zinnov Zones:

Overall ER&D

Horizontals: 
Digital Engineering 
ER&D Services – US 
Data and AI Engineering 
Generative AI Engineering 
Hyperscaler Services 
Industry 4.0 
Experience engineering 

Verticals: 
Consumer Software 
Enterprise Software 
Industrial 
Semiconductor 
Telecommunications

Micro-verticals: 
Software Platform Engineering 
Telehealth

Zinnov Zones for ER&D Services ratings are published annually to assess the capabilities of Global Technology Service Providers. The ratings have been structured to evaluate the service provider ecosystem based on multiple parameters across various verticals, micro-verticals, industries, as well as geographies, for both overall services and specific use cases.

HARMAN helps customers to bridge the world of OEMs and software to IP platforms to transform everyday experiences. By combining capabilities of generative AI, cloud and data, design, IoT, wireless technologies, next-generation development and testing, HARMAN navigates the complexity of new product development and increases the product value from across the product lifecycle management.

For more information on HARMAN Digital Transformation Solutions, visit https://services.harman.com/.

About HARMAN Digital Transformation Solutions

HARMAN’s Digital Transformation Solutions is a strategic business unit dedicated to blending the physical and digital to make technology more dynamic in order to serve ever-changing human needs. Leveraging our unique Life-ware approach, our team of over 7,000 employees, spread across 12 countries in 45+ locations, with their expertise across hardware, software, and industry domains are transforming everyday experiences for our 200 clients globally. Compliant and certified with international standard/ management system EN 9100:2018 / AS9100D, ISO 9001:2015, ISO 27001:2013, ISO 13485:2016 and appraised at CMMI-DEV 2.0 ML5, HARMAN aims towards helping customers deliver a holistic experience to their customers – through the convergence of digital, cross channel user experience, cloud, mobility, insightful data, and internet-of-things backed by scalable underlying IT platforms. Healthcare, Communications, Industrial, Retail, Software, and Hospitality being our key focus areas, we have made significant investments into this space. Leveraging our global delivery approach, IPs, platforms and people, we deploy next generation technology platforms across industries, offer cost savings and deliver innovative solutions to help our clients on their digital journey.​​ To know more, please visit https://services.harman.com/

About HARMAN

HARMAN (harman.com) designs and engineers connected products and solutions for automakers, consumers, and enterprises worldwide, including connected car systems, audio and visual products, enterprise automation solutions; and services supporting the Internet of Things. With leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon®, Mark Levinson® and Revel®, HARMAN is admired by audiophiles, musicians and the entertainment venues where they perform around the world. More than 50 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and connected car systems. Our software services power billions of mobile devices and systems that are connected, integrated and secure across all platforms, from work and home to car and mobile. HARMAN has a workforce of approximately 30,000 people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia. In March 2017, HARMAN became a wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

About Zinnov

Founded in 2002, Zinnov is a global management consulting and strategy advisory firm with a presence in New York, Santa Clara, Seattle, Houston, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Gurgaon, Paris, and Pune. With a team of experienced consultants, subject matter experts, and research professionals, Zinnov has partnered with Global Enterprises, Fortune 2000 companies, Global System Integrators, and Private Equity firms across their value creation journeys to develop actionable insights – across revenue, talent, innovation, scale, and optimization. For more information, visit Zinnov.

Contacts 
Soumi Bhattacharya 
Soumi.Bhattacharya@harman.com

Accounting for a quarter of Georgia’s unhoused population, the Atlanta metro community has more than 2,600 men, women, and children experiencing homelessness. Atlanta Mission aims to meet the basic needs of these individuals, including shelter, meals, showers, and laundry facilities, while working with them to address the underlying causes of their homelessness.

According to a 2023 report released by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), homelessness in the United States reached a record high, finding more than 650,000 people were forced to become unhoused. This complex issue is rooted in several factors, including economic disparities, lack of available affordable housing, and the termination of government housing subsidies. With the rising cost of living and inadequate safety nets in place, individuals and families find difficulty in securing stable housing requiring a multifaceted approach to address.

Many people facing homelessness have suffered extreme trauma, either earlier in life or from the experience of homelessness. Through building relationships and trust with clients, Atlanta Mission’s care team of advocates, social workers, and mental health counselors complete a comprehensive needs assessment to determine the next steps that can help individuals overcome the underlying cause of being unhoused, including resources to address mental health and trauma.

With the Make Progress program, the Atlanta Mission’s care team ensures that each client’s unique physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and vocational needs are met in a trusted and safe environment. To address the needs of a diverse population, the care team provides each client with a personalized service program based on their needs assessment. The goal is for clients to become a part of the community, retain employment, and become eligible for housing.

Atlanta Mission supports its clients with programs that provide various wraparound services, including Make Progress, Find Hope, Choose Help, and Sustain & Growth programs. Their dedicated efforts are helping hundreds of Atlantans change their lives. During their 2022 fiscal year, Atlanta Mission served more than 1,700 people, including 426 children, through these programs.

With a grant from the Maximus Foundation, Atlanta Mission provided more than 450 men, women, and children facing homelessness with a full day of services, giving them hope and transforming their lives through physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and vocational development.

Visit atlantamission.org to learn more about how Atlanta Mission is helping its clients find their future homes.

Giving back to the communities we serve

The Maximus Foundation is one of the ways Maximus employees are doing something greater together. Established by the Maximus Board of Directors in 2000, the Maximus Foundation is an independent, employee-led, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Employee donors pool their charitable contributions together through the Foundation, double their impact on the grantmaking program through Maximus’ dollar-for-dollar matching pledge, and make their voices heard by nominating and voting for future grantee partners. Though the Foundation focuses its giving strategy on grantmaking, it also helps coordinate corporate-wide humanitarian efforts and empowers employees to donate their time and skills to nonprofits. Their inspired giving and volunteerism help accelerate the missions of nonprofits on the front lines of the communities we serve. Learn more at maximus.com/foundation.

Rates include upgrades to make the grid more resilient and shorten the duration of outagesNew programs will give customers more control over energy use and help low-income customersApproval includes performance incentives to hold the utility accountable for reliability, encourage renewables and reduce peak system loads

CHARLOTTE, N.C., January 30, 2024 /3BL/ – Duke Energy Carolinas will implement new rates for North Carolina customers on Jan. 15 as approved by the North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC).

Rates for North Carolina customers will remain well below the national average, even after Duke Energy Carolinas completes approximately $7.7 billion in upgrades to make the electric grid more resistant to outages and enable faster power restoration.

And as in its Duke Energy Progress order issued in September, NCUC approval covers multiyear rates, along with incentives and penalties to hold the utility accountable for reliability and other performance metrics.

“We’ve made significant infrastructure upgrades in recent years to meet customer needs and expectations,” said Kendal Bowman, Duke Energy’s North Carolina president. “This commission order enables us to continue meeting the energy demands of a growing region while limiting annual rate increases and giving customers more cost certainty.”

Rate changes start Jan. 15

After extensive evaluation since the rate review was requested last January, along with constructive settlements with the NCUC Public Staff and other parties, the NCUC approved a net increase in retail revenues in year one of about $436 million (8.3%), followed by $173 million (3.3%) in year two and $165 million (3.1%) in year three.

Customer bills already reflect an interim rate adjustment implemented Sept. 1. Accounting for that, beginning Jan. 15, the change from current rates for a typical residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per month will be an increase of $10.04, from $130.29 to $140.33 per month, followed by a $4.19 increase on Jan. 1, 2025, and a $4.10 increase on Jan. 1, 2026, for a total of $148.62 by 2026.

According to the Edison Electric Institute, the national monthly average for typical residential customers was $171.67 as of Jan. 1, 2023, before other utilities go through their own rate adjustments.

The full NCUC rate review order can be found here. Duke Energy Carolinas serves about 2 million households and businesses in central and western North Carolina, including Charlotte, Durham and the Triad.

Help for low-income customers

The NCUC ordered Duke Energy Carolinas to establish a Customer Assistance Program (CAP) that reduces bills for the utility’s most vulnerable customers through a $42 monthly credit for 12 months. Customers helped by the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) or the Crisis Intervention Program (CIP) – federally funded initiatives for those at or below 130% and 150% of the poverty level, respectively – will be automatically enrolled in CAP beginning this month in partnership with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

Duke Energy will also refer CAP customers to weatherization and energy efficiency services that can help provide long-term solutions to reduce energy usage. As part of a settlement in the rate cases for both Duke Energy Carolinas and Duke Energy Progress, Duke Energy shareholders will contribute $10 million for health and safety repairs that would otherwise prevent low-income customers from qualifying for weatherization and other energy efficiency improvements. Duke Energy shareholders are contributing an additional $6 million to the Share the Light Fund® in support of North Carolina customers.

New options for all customers

For all customers, Duke Energy Carolinas has also established new time-of-use rate options and energy efficiency programs to help lower their costs and reduce energy use:

Time-of-Use rates incentivize customers to shift electricity use to periods of low energy demand. Simple examples include running a dishwasher overnight or doing laundry on weekends; options are available for commercial and industrial customers as well. More detail can be found at duke-energy.com/NewRatesNC. 
 A Tariff on Bill program called “Improve & Save” will enable residential customers – owners and renters – to pay for energy efficiency upgrades through their Duke Energy bill. The program will incentivize customers to replace inefficient electric HVAC systems or insulation in a manner that ensures their annual savings are greater than the monthly cost of the upgrades – improving their service while lowering their bill. The program is expected to launch in first quarter 2024, and a dedicated webpage for the program is coming soon.

“Our goal with these programs is to help offset the rate increase as much as possible by giving customers more control over their energy use,” said Bowman. “The programs are designed to reduce costs across the entire system, benefiting all customers.”

Holding the utility accountable for reliability, renewables goals

As in the Duke Energy Progress order, another new aspect of this rate approval is the implementation of performance incentive mechanisms (PIMs). First allowed by North Carolina’s clean energy legislation (HB951), PIMs advance state policy goals through financial incentives and penalties that encourage utility performance in areas of shared interest with customers.

Following settlements with various participants in the rate review process, the NCUC approved three PIMs with annual incentives that grow up to $15 million in potential rewards as well as $15 million in potential penalties for Duke Energy Carolinas across three areas:

Reliability – holds the utility accountable to maintain expected levels of reliability through graduated penalties that would be distributed to customers if reliability dips below target levels. 
 Renewables Integration and Encouragement – encourages adoption of clean energy resources across three categories: 
 DER Integration – advances net energy metering (NEM) distributed energy resources (DERs), which allow customers to access zero-emissions generation – such as rooftop solar – at their homes and businesses, reducing their electricity consumption from the grid. 
 Large Customer Renewable Program Encouragement – supports large commercial and industrial customers, educational institutions and local governments that have clean energy goals and want access to renewable energy. 
 Utility-Scale Interconnection – incentivizes solar and solar-plus-storage interconnections above the estimated annual amounts in Duke Energy’s Carbon Plan. 
 Time-Differentiated and Dynamic Rate Enrollment – encourages the utility to create and gain approval of innovative rate designs and increase customer participation in existing rates that are designed to reduce system peak load.

A new page on Duke Energy’s website allows monitoring of these PIMs as well as other tracking metrics related to customer service, reliability and electric vehicle integration.

Duke Energy Carolinas

Duke Energy Carolinas, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, owns 19,500 megawatts of energy capacity, supplying electricity to 2.8 million residential, commercial and industrial customers across a 24,000-square-mile service area in North Carolina and South Carolina.

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

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

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

View original content here.

KeyBank and the KeyBank Foundation announced an investment of $750,000 in the Akron Children’s Foundation, aimed at supporting its Career Launch Program.

Career Launch is a workforce development program designed to remove barriers for participants looking to return to school and seeking a career in the medical field. Those who are enrolled, either employees or community members, continue to work in their jobs while attending college courses that will put them on the path to a stable career in healthcare with advancement opportunities. Graduates from the program receive job placement with Akron Children’s.

“The Career Launch program provides an opportunity to fill in-demand positions at the hospital, while building a diverse workforce that reflects the patients, families and communities it serves,” said Joe Daleiden, KeyBank East Ohio Market President. “KeyBank is so proud to support this program and Akron Children’s on their mission of removing barriers to education for our community members. We believe everyone – regardless of their situation – deserves a chance at a successful future and a quality education is just one of the many building blocks for that success.”

“We are committed to serving the communities around us, helping talented people build the skills they need to put them on a path to stable careers with advancement opportunities in the medical field,” said Janae Bragg, vice president of talent management at Akron Children’s. “We are grateful for this investment from KeyBank, which will allow us to continue to remove barriers to access and help people achieve career success.”

Career Launch participants are eligible for:

All costs for tuition, uniforms, books, supplies and equipment.Career Launch also offers transportation and childcare assistance when needed.Each participant is partnered with a mentor who is selected for a student’s area of expertise.Each graduate will receive job placement with Akron Children’sCareer Launch recruits agree to work for Akron Children’s for two/three years post-graduation.

Kristine Hilles, 32, is currently attending Kent State University through the Career Launch program, pursuing a degree in nursing.

“When I found out I was accepted into the program, I felt relieved that I could go back to school to finish what I really wanted to go for,” Hilles said. “I was going through a hard time at that point in my life and this gave me something to focus on. I’m excited for the structure this will give me to be successful in a career that I’ve always dreamed of doing.”

Veronica Miller, 39, graduated from Stark State College with a LPN certificate and is currently working at Akron Children’s in the gastroenterology department.

“Akron Children’s didn’t just write me a check and say ‘good luck’, they helped me transition into my career,” Miller said. “The program invested in me and my future. My mentors held me accountable and pushed me to excel.”

Miller is enrolled in courses to obtain her Registered Nurse degree.

KeyBank has supported Akron Children’s Hospital for more than two decades. In 2018, KeyBank pledged $1 million to support the hospital’s Assuring Success with a Commitment to Enhance Nurse Diversity (ASCEND) Program.

ABOUT KEYCORP

KeyCorp’s roots trace back nearly 200 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key 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 AKRON CHILDREN’S

Akron Children’s is an independent, nonprofit pediatric health care system that has been caring for children in northeast Ohio since 1890. Our pediatric care is ranked among the nation’s best by U.S. News & World Report and Newsweek. With two hospital campuses, six regional health centers and more than 50 primary and specialty care locations throughout Ohio, we are making it easier for today’s busy families to find the high-quality care they need. We also operate neonatal and pediatric units in the hospitals of our regional health care partners. In 2022, our health care system provided more than 1.3 million patient encounters. Every year, our Akron Children’s Home Care nurses provide thousands of in-home visits, and our School-Based Health Center nurses manage clinic visits for students from preschool through high school. With our Quick Care Online virtual visits and Akron Children’s Anywhere app, we are here for families whenever and wherever they need us. Learn more at akronchildrens.org.

The world of logistics has undergone significant transformations in recent years, and the pace of change is only accelerating. Organizations in North America have had to navigate a range of challenges, from global pandemics to political instability, labor disruptions, and rising labor costs, all while contending with the emergence of new technologies like automation and artificial intelligence (AI). 

In this ever-evolving landscape, the path to future-proofing supply chains is increasingly leading to third-party contract logistics providers, according to a recent article in the AJOT. 

The article, “DP World Canada’s Expert Insights on Contract Logistics,” highlights several reasons why organizations are turning to contract logistics providers:

Complex and Unpredictable Changes: The recent years have witnessed a series of rapid and unpredictable changes, making supply chains more complex and challenging to manage. Outsourcing logistics to experts in the field offers a solution to navigate these uncertainties.Cost Reduction and Efficiency Improvement: Contract logistics providers offer cost-effective solutions, improved operational efficiency, and inventory optimization. These benefits help organizations streamline their operations and reduce expenses.Focus on Core Competencies: Many organizations, particularly in technology and fast fashion, are realizing that logistics is not their core competency. Instead, they prefer to concentrate on areas such as product development, manufacturing, marketing, and sales, leaving logistics to the experts.

Mike Valentine, Chief Commercial Officer, USA/Mexico at DP World, raises a crucial question: “Is it smarter to develop innovative capacity in artificial intelligence and automation and build distribution centers across the continent, or outsource those costs and risks to contract logistics providers?”

The article identifies five logistics trends that are shaping the future of supply chains and making outsourcing to contract logistics providers more appealing:

Innovation, Automation, and AI: As AI and automation become prevalent in warehouses, organizations have the opportunity to drive efficiencies and cost reductions. However, the investments required can be substantial. Contract logistics providers, such as DP World, offer access to technology without the risks and exposure.Faster Deliveries: Consumer expectations for next-day and same-day deliveries have increased. Accessing additional distribution centers through contract logistics providers allows companies to meet these demands without significant upfront capital investments.Friend-shoring and Multi-sourcing: Rather than establishing operations in near-shore countries or dealing with multiple suppliers directly, working with contract logistics providers that already operate efficiently in these regions can save time and resources.Labor Costs and Talent Availability: The rise of labor movements and the competition for talent have led companies to reconsider whether they should manage these challenges in-house or outsource them to contract logistics providers, allowing them to focus on their core business.Sustainability: Sustainability commitments and the scrutiny of supply chains for climate impacts are influencing logistics decisions. Contract logistics providers can help optimize transportation routes and reduce environmental impact.

In conclusion, contract logistics providers act as a relief valve for companies grappling with the complexities of the global economic, political, environmental, and technological landscape. This outsourcing allows organizations to concentrate on their core strengths, products, and brands while reducing risk, accessing innovation, and strengthening their supply chains. 

As Tabare Dominguez, Vice President Commercial at DP World Canada, notes, “Complexity is increasing. Change is accelerating. Companies aren’t just looking for partners that can help them make smart decisions about logistics. They want to outsource that function.”

Access the full article here: DP World Canada’s Expert Insights on Contract Logistics.

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BOSTON, January 30, 2024 /3BL/ – Sappi North America Inc., a leading producer and supplier of diversified paper, packaging products and pulp, today announces President and CEO Michael “Mike” Haws’ recognition as a top 25 CEO in Maine for 2023 by Key Executives, a publication dedicated to providing news and information on today’s leading corporate executives.

This recognition is based on Key Executives’ criteria of leaders who successfully guide their companies through the ever-changing industry and landscape while simultaneously strengthening the state’s economy. Mike’s inclusion demonstrates his continued efforts to propel Sappi North America’s unwavering dedication to sustainability on a local, national and global scale.

“I’m honored to receive this recognition along with many other CEOs making an impact in the state of Maine,” said Haws. “It’s a privilege to work at Sappi North America and contribute to its continuous achievements in R&D, sustainability and employee well-being, not only those in Maine, but others across the country too. As I always say, the true power and real success of our company is in the people that make up Sappi North America.”

Sappi North America makes a significant contribution to the state of Maine through Somerset Mill in Skowhegan, as well as its office in Portland, R&D facility in Westbrook and the support the company provides to the local forestry industry.

“I am very proud, but not at all surprised, that Mike has received such recognition for his leadership, which has enabled Sappi’s Maine-based operations not only to survive, but thrive,” said Steve Binnie, chief executive officer of Sappi Limited. “Mike’s steady hand at the helm has navigated Sappi North America (SNA) through the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as challenging market conditions to achieve operational and financial success. I would add to the list of accomplishments the record-breaking safety achievement of SNA and the numerous awards and recognitions received by SNA, as well as the $418M conversion project at Somerset Mill to produce more sustainable paperboard for packaging products.”

Mike was named president and CEO of Sappi North America in 2019 and is responsible for leading all Sappi operations in the region. Previously, Haws served as the vice president of manufacturing, where he was responsible for Sappi’s Somerset, Cloquet and Allentown operations, as well as the Research and Development facility. He joined Sappi in 2012 as managing director of the Somerset Mill and has over 30 years of experience in the paper industry.

To learn more about Sappi, please visit: https://www.sappi.com/.

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About Sappi North America, Inc.

Sappi North America, Inc., headquartered in Boston, is a market leader in converting wood fiber into superior products that customers demand worldwide. Our four diversified businesses – high-quality Graphic Papers, Dissolving Pulp, Packaging, and Specialty Papers deliver premium products and services with consistent quality and reliability. Our high-quality Coated Printing Papers are used for premium magazines, catalogs, books, direct mail and high-end print advertising. We are a leading manufacturer of Dissolving Pulp, which is used in a wide range of products, including textile fibers and household goods. We deliver sustainable Packaging and Specialty Papers for luxury packaging and folding carton applications with our single-ply packaging brands and for the food and label industries with our specialty papers. We are one of the world’s leading suppliers of Casting and Release Papers with lines for the automotive, fashion and engineered films industries.

Sappi North America is a subsidiary of Sappi Limited (JSE), a global company headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, with more than 12,000 employees and manufacturing operations on three continents in seven countries and customers in over 150 countries.

Contact

Rajira Hernandez
Account Manager
Matter Communications
(978) 499-9250
sappi@matternow.com

Logitech customers can now equip entire conference rooms with sustainable tech to help them manage their carbon footprintExisting Logitech video conference products being redesigned with recycled materials without price increase or quality changeLogitech Sight, Rally Bar Family, webcams, mice, headsets, keyboards already made with recycled materials

LAUSANNE, Switzerland & SAN JOSE, Calif., January 30, 2024 /3BL/ – Today, Logitech (SIX: LOGN) (NASDAQ: LOGI) announced that all video collaboration devices that run on the CollabOS operating system will now be manufactured with next-life plastics, helping enterprise customers support their sustainability objectives. Existing products– Rally Bar, Rally Bar Mini, Tap IP, Tap Scheduler, and Scribe– are being refreshed with materials that lower the carbon impact of each product. This provides organizations with a partner that in turn helps position them to better manage their carbon footprint.

“By transitioning our portfolio of conference room devices to a lower product carbon footprint, we are helping other companies navigate their sustainability challenges,” said Prakash Arunkundrum, Chief Operating Officer at Logitech. “We’re not only designing and manufacturing new products with recycled plastic and other lower carbon materials, but refreshing existing products to provide IT leaders with a new way to evaluate their workplace technology investment in conference room systems – one that includes people and planet. We do this without increasing prices or compromising the highest quality and performance companies expect from Logitech.”

Efforts to reduce negative environmental impact have rapidly become a business imperative. In a recent survey of IT professionals by analyst firm Frost & Sullivan, 65% say that becoming a leader in environmental, social, governance and sustainability practices is a critical or very important business objective in the coming year.

Applying Design for Sustainability (DfS) principles to Logitech’s video collaboration portfolio means that Logitech customers can outfit entire conference rooms– including Microsoft Teams Rooms and Zoom Rooms–with technology designed with sustainability in mind. This development expands on the progress already achieved with personal workstation peripherals such webcams, headsets, mice, and keyboards.

Design for Sustainability (DfS) 
A key tenet of DfS is the use of circular materials that can be recovered from the waste stream and given a second life, including post-consumer recycled plastics (PCR) that Logitech calls “next life plastics.”

Newer conference room products like Logitech Sight use:

Minimum of 50% certified recycled plastic21% reduction in carbon footprint***1,400tCO2e avoided carbon per 100,000 units (enough to drive around the Earth approximately 131 times1)

Additionally, Logitech video conferencing products have:

Low carbon aluminum made with renewable energy rather than fossil fuelsPackaging from FSC®-certified forests and other controlled sources100% recycled fabrics in the Rally Bar familyOption to collect and recycle old video conferencing equipment via Logitech Select Power saving modes that can potentially reduce Rally Bar and Rally Bar Mini’s carbon impact by 1.65 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent**

Opening Access for Greater Impact 
Logitech has decreased its Scope 3 emissions by 21% in 2022 with the goal of removing more carbon than it creates by 2030.

To drive carbon reduction at an even bigger scale and stimulate industry-wide progress, Logitech is offering to openly share its DfS principles, tools and its knowledge of how to incorporate more sustainable materials in the manufacturing process with any organizations in the consumer technology industry interested in increasing their sustainability efforts. For a consultation on how to incorporate more sustainable materials into your manufacturing process, contact sustainability@logitech.com.

Transparency and Accountability 
As more companies hold themselves accountable for measurably reducing their carbon impact, they increasingly seek out technology vendors who provide transparency via key performance indicators, reporting, and third party certifications. Logitech is on track to achieve its 2025 target of having a product carbon footprint for every product in its portfolio, making it easier for company technology buyers to make informed decisions about–and report on– the scope of their impact when outfitting their global workforces for meeting rooms, personal workstations, and flex desking. Logitech annually reports on its progress toward its Climate Action goals in the 2023 Impact Report.

Availability 
Availability timing varies depending on supply of existing products in each geography. Logitech business products made with Next Life Plastic, and their availability, can be found here. For more information on the Logitech Select collect-and-recycle program, contact collect-recycle@logitech.com.

About Logitech 
Logitech helps all people pursue their passions and is committed to doing so in a way that is good for people and the planet. We design hardware and software solutions that help businesses thrive and bring people together when working, creating, gaming and streaming. Brands of Logitech include Logitech, Logitech G, Streamlabs and Ultimate Ears. Founded in 1981, and headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, Logitech International is a Swiss public company listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (LOGN) and on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (LOGI). Find Logitech at www.logitech.com, the company blog or @LogitechBiz.

Logitech and other Logitech marks are trademarks or registered trademarks of Logitech Europe S.A and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. For more information about Logitech and its products, visit the company’s website at www.logitech.com.

*Based on a global electricity consumption emissions factor from Logitech’s Carbon Clarity program.

Internal estimates of pre-optimization use phase carbon impact of 19.8t CO2e for Rally Bar and 21t CO2e for Rally Bar Mini for each 100 products used over a period of 2 years. Logitech’s internal user model for room VC equipment (based on recorded data from VC room usage)

**Based on energy saving mode switched on an EnergyStar certified, 50-69 inch, low energy television baseline, a global electricity consumption emissions factor from Logitech’s Carbon Clarity program. Internal estimates of pre-optimization use phase carbon impact of 95.4t CO2e for each 100 products used over a period of 2 years. Logitech’s internal user model for room VC equipment (based on recorded data from VC room usage).

***Compared to a “doing nothing” design scenario.

1 Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator, US Environmental Protection Agency

Media Contact: 
Leila Lewis, Global B2B Communications 
llewis@logitech.com 
Logitech

Gen Blog | Corporate Responsibility

WRITTEN BY Ondrej Vlcek President

Looking back at 2023, “Powering Digital Freedom” resonates as more than just an idea — it’s been our driving motivation for all the work we did and continue to do. Our goal has always been to develop technology solutions that enable people to explore the digital world safely, securely and confidently. This last year, we’ve set new standards for protecting consumers and innovating within the security landscape, making the digital world a safer place for everyone.

Our achievements, partnerships and forward-thinking vision continue to prove our standing as the leader in Cyber Safety.

We’ve hit many major milestones in our first year as Gen. While there is so much to reflect on and celebrate, here are a few highlights.

Leveraging AI to fight fraudsters: introducing Norton Genie 

In response to the evolving sophistication of cyber threats, we introduced Norton Genie to help people take control of their Cyber Safety. This innovative app combines the power of AI with the human intelligence and experience of our teams to combat digital scams, which are becoming more complex and prevalent every day.

With proprietary AI models trained on decades of scam and fraud data, Genie provides an accessible and intuitive way for people to intelligently judge the legitimacy of messages across various platforms. Whether dealing with texts, emails or social media messages, Genie operates as a simple yet powerful tool in the fight against digital scams.

Our goals for Genie are clear: provide an approachable application that offers a real-time guide for people in a world where scams and fraud are harder to spot than ever. By simply uploading a screenshot of a suspicious message, people can gain immediate insights into its credibility. This accessibility, combined with advanced AI technology, helps to empower consumers to navigate their digital communications confidently and helps to safeguard them against potential threats.

Partnering with the Open Wallet Foundation to promote Digital Freedom 

In today’s world, digital connectivity is essential, enabling individuals to shop, bank, learn and connect from virtually anywhere. As we approach an even more digitally integrated future, we’re committed to ensuring that this evolution prioritizes people’s safety, privacy and freedom. Our unique approach focuses on creating a future where digital empowerment and security go hand in hand.

This year, our partnership with the Open Wallet Foundation (OWF) marked a significant milestone toward realizing that goal. We advocate for a secure, decentralized means for transactions and identity that turns away from a future where individual companies control people’s data and financial information.

The open-source digital wallet, a key goal of the OWF, supports the development of digital wallets that are portable, secure and able to be used on any device, for any service and with any type of data. It’s a sea change for consumer autonomy, offering a solution where privacy, financial information and transaction history are controlled by the individual, rather than individual corporations.

Hitting top 5 for the Fortune Modern Board 25 

Our recognition by the Fortune Modern Board 25 as having one of the top five most innovative boards in the S&P 500 is a proud reflection of our ongoing commitment to consumer protection.

Fortune’s prestigious ranking highlights the diverse and innovation-driven members of our board, stretching from Arizona to Prague. Our board members come from backgrounds that reflect expertise in Cyber Safety and other related fields. Their collective diversity, experience, insight and independence are the driving forces behind our innovative approach to navigating the rapidly changing digital climate.

On top of this recognition, we also received other accolades that deserve a mention:

One of America’s Most Trustworthy Companies by NewsweekBest Tech Brands by PCMag, Norton and AvastBest Home and Free Anti-Malware by SE Labs, Norton 360 and Avast Free AntivirusBest Protection (Windows) by AV-Test, Norton, Avast, AVG and Avira

Honoring our responsibilities and creating a culture of giving 

We’re committed to making a real impact. And, for us, the best way we know how is to connect our passions with technical knowledge to provide Cyber Safety education and data privacy training around the world. With partners like Nasscom Foundation, Czechitas and The Trevor Project, we’re able to support and empower people of all ages and from all walks of life.

From large-scale efforts like $424K donated on Giving Tuesday, our Global Volunteer Day, and Back-to-School volunteering to individual efforts for sustainability, 2023 has been full of positive impact that people can feel. We’re very grateful that others have recognized us for that.

One of America’s Most Responsible Companies by Newsweek by S&P GlobalThe Civic 50 by Points of Light

Our social impact work helps us to bring equity, opportunities and safety to people all over the globe.

Our commitment to innovation and protection continues 

As we look to the future, our dedication to protecting people around the world from scams, viruses, malware and other exploits remains steadfast. Gen stands to be at the forefront of Cyber Safety innovation and our global reach informs our understanding of cultural nuances and vulnerabilities in our fight against cyberthreats. For 2024, we’ll continue to adapt and address the ever-evolving threat landscape, now exacerbated by weaponization of AI, to provide comprehensive protection for people worldwide.

We’re proud of the strides we’ve made in our purpose of Powering Digital Freedom and excited for what lies ahead. We invite you to delve deeper into our accomplishments and future plans by visiting the Gen newsroom and exploring our product advancements.

Together, we can continue to shape a future where Digital Freedom and security are not just ideals but realities for everyone. Join us in creating a safer digital tomorrow.