Tag: 3BL

During National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, AB’s Director of Social Research & Engagement, Saskia Kort-Chick reflects on how climate change may increase the risk of modern slavery, which can have material implications for investors. AB recently collaborated with Walk Free, an international human rights organization, on a report that explores climate-related modern slavery risks in depth and provides investors with tools on addressing and managing them. Read more on this report here: https://www.walkfree.org/reports/climate-change-and-modern-slavery/

AllianceBernstein

AllianceBernstein (AB) is a leading global investment management firm that offers high-quality research and diversified investment services to institutional investors, individuals, and private wealth clients in major world markets. We believe corporate responsibility, responsible investing and stewardship are intertwined. To be effective stewards of our clients’ assets, we strive to invest responsibly—assessing, engaging on and integrating material issues, including environmental, social and governance (ESG), and climate change considerations in most of our actively managed strategies. We also believe that strive to hold ourselves as a firm to similar practices that we ask of issues. Our stewardship practices, investment strategy and decision-making are guided by our purpose, mission and values.

Our purpose—pursue insight that unlocks opportunity—inspires our firm to act responsibly. While opportunity means something different to each of our stakeholders; it always means considering the unique goals of each stakeholder. AB’s mission is to help our clients define and achieve their investment goals, explicitly stating what we do to unlock opportunity for our clients. We became a signatory to the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) in 2011. This began our journey to formalize our commitment to identify responsible ways to unlock opportunities for our clients through integrating material ESG factors throughout most of our actively managed equity and fixed-income client accounts, funds and strategies. AB also engages issuers where it believes the engagement is in the best financial interest of its clients.

Because we are an active manager, our differentiated insights drive our ability to deliver alpha and design innovative investment solutions. ESG and climate issues are important elements in forming insights and in presenting potential risks and opportunities that can have an effect on the performance of the companies and issuers that we invest in and the portfolios that we build.

Our values provide a framework for the behaviors and actions that deliver on our purpose and mission. Values align our actions. Each value emerges from the firm’s collective character—yet is also aspirational.

Invest in One Another means that we have a strong organizational culture where diversity is celebrated and mentorship is critical to our success. When we invest in one another, we empower our employees to reach their potential, so that they can help our clients realize theirs. This enables us to partner with clients to design and deliver improved investment outcomes.Strive for Distinctive Knowledge means that we collaboratively identify creative solutions to clients’ economic, ESG and climate- related investment challenges through our expertise in a wide range of investment disciplines, close collaboration among our investment experts and creative solutions.Speak with Courage and Conviction informs how we engage our AB colleagues and issuers. We seek to learn from other parts of our business to strengthen our own views. And we engage issuers for insight and action by sharing ideas and best practices.Act with Integrity—Always is the bedrock of our relationships and has specific meaning for our business. Unlike many other asset managers, we’re singularly focused on providing asset management and research to our clients. We don’t engage in activities that could be distracting, or create conflicts—such as investment banking, insurance writing, commercial banking or proprietary trading for our own account. We are unconflicted and fully accountable.

As of September 30, 2023, AB had $669B in assets under management, $458B of which were ESG-integrated. Additional information about AB may be found on our website, www.alliancebernstein.com.

Learn more about AB’s approach to responsibility here.

PNC | Insights

It’s been estimated that as many as 22 U.S. veterans die by suicide every day. For those paired with a Guardian Angels Medical Service Dog, however, the rate so far stands at zero.

Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs is a nonprofit based in Williston, Florida, that raises, trains and donates medical service dogs to veterans, first responders and civilians with permanent visible and invisible disabilities. Hundreds of veterans are on a waiting list to be paired, and the vast majority can’t afford the roughly $25,000 it costs for a highly specialized service dog to help with PTSD, traumatic brain injuries, mobility issues and more.

Organizations like PNC help by sponsoring dogs, making it possible for more veterans to receive the life-altering support of a service dog. PNC has also been part of the family-friendly Community Mutt Strut fundraiser since its inception in 2016. The Pittsburgh-based event includes dog costume contests, pet- and veteran-related vendors and auction items, and boasts more than $1.5M raised and 66 dogs sponsored as a direct impact.

A medical service dog can often be the exact accommodation an individual with a disability needs to thrive in a corporate setting. Mike Clark, a business analytics manager on PNC’s Audit team, continued to struggle with PTSD and a post-traumatic brain injury for years after returning from his U.S. Army service to civilian life. But he got the support he needed from PNC, who worked with him and Guardian Angels to provide “Super Service Dog” Blade and completely transform Clark’s world – at work and at home.

Now Clark and PNC General Auditor Stacy Juchno talk about Blade’s impact over the years, how a recipient begins the process of transitioning an aging service dog into retirement, and whether there might be another service dog in Clark’s future.

Transcript

Michael, PNC Employee: Yeah, so I joined the military right out of high school, and I spent a year and a half in the Persian Gulf, that was the Bosnia conflict. I decided I wanted to go to college. Went to Penn State University, I joined the ROTC program. In my senior year, 9/11 happened. I didn’t have that typical opportunity of a college student to go do an internship. My internship at that time was Iraq. I finally hung up my uniform in 2015 and that’s when I decided that I was going to pursue a career in corporate America at that point. I had really bad post-traumatic stress, I had a traumatic brain injury that still hadn’t healed. I was scared, I didn’t really know if I wanted to disclose whether or not I had these disabilities at the time. But PNC made it easy to do it.

Stacy, General Auditor: I knew at the time, before I had actually met Mike, that there was a veteran at PNC that was in need of a service dog and I think Mike connected with Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs. He was one of the first folks that I know through anything we’ve done that he quickly got Blade and was prepared with Blade and now has a service dog.

And when I first met Mike, he was quiet, reserved, but present and when Mike joined Audit, he started to over the years start to work out of the quiet, reserved person and be a little bit more outgoing, taking on additional responsibilities, and I think with Blade with him over time helped open him up.

And now today, Mike is at every activity, every event, leading discussions, and I just think that I’ve seen this transformation over the last several years with Mike and it’s just absolutely phenomenal. He’s absolutely the light that walks in the room and brightens things up.

Michael: I mean, Blade’s going to be 12 years old in January, and I’m, as dogs age, they lose their eye sight starts to diminish, her ability to really kind of sit and stay for long periods of time have gone from her being able to sit there with me through an eight-hour day to four hours and she’s like nudging me, telling me it’s time for us to go home. And she’s been taking care of me all these years. Now it’s time for me to shift gears and take care of her. And so she tells me she’s ready to go home, then we’re going to take her home and Guardian Angels, they’ve really helped me develop techniques on how to get her to transition to retirement. And it’s something, things as simple as like talking to her and telling her, hey Blade, I’m going to work, you’re going to stay home. Be a good girl. I’ll see you in a few hours. Just constantly communicating that to her every day when I leave to come into the office is helping her kind of transition into this retirement mentality. PNC sponsored Blade from the beginning and just the fact that they’ve offered to get me another service dog when I need it, if I need it, really makes me, I just think that’s an amazing thing. At this point in my life, I’m not sure I’m ready for another service dog. I think I’m still – I have this bond with Blade that I’m just not there yet. It’s really time for us to shift into retirement mode. We’re both ready.

Originally published on HARMAN Newsroom

STAMFORD, Conn., January 26, 2024 /3BL/ – In the ever-evolving landscape of college life, JBL announces the launch of JBL Campus, a groundbreaking initiative focusing on NIL student athletes and influencers to amplify uninhibited expression. JBL Campus has partnered with 25 dynamic student athletes and 55 lifestyle influencers across 45 U.S. college campuses who redefine their craft by celebrating the vibrant blend of passion and individuality – “eardividuals,” students that go beyond the ordinary, embodying a lifestyle that champions their most unique self.

College students navigating the intricacies of self-discovery now find a formidable ally in JBL, a brand committed to elevating voices and fostering unique narratives. JBL Campus aligns with student athlete ambassadors ranging from a variety of sports, including LSU Women’s Basketball star, Flau’jae Johnson, a multi-hyphenate with many passions both on and off the court.

“I’m excited to continue growing my partnership with JBL through a program that embodies the spirit of self-discovery and amplifies authentic voices,” said Flau’jae Johnson. “It’s not just about sound, it’s about celebrating the individuality that makes each of us different and unique throughout campus.”

Aside from college athletes, JBL Campus spans across college students with an influential following on TikTok and Instagram to create engaging content that celebrates their true self.

These partnerships celebrate authenticity and unfiltered self-expression, showcasing leadership across diverse interests from music and art to social impact. JBL’s commitment to their multifaceted talents reflects a dedication to amplifying unique voices and fostering a community that embraces creativity and originality. JBL, a co-conspirator in each partner’s story, aims to amplify voices shaping the future to reach new audiences and communities across the country.

“By partnering with these vibrant individuals, JBL extends far beyond broadening its reach by cultivating a dynamic array of diverse narratives, forging voices that authentically embody the true essence of JBL,” said Chris Epple, Vice President of Marketing at HARMAN.

JBL Campus student athlete ambassadors include:

University of KansasHunter Dickinson & Kevin McCullar Jr., Men’s BasketballUniversity of MinnesotaEmma Carpenter, Women’s GolfMara Braun, Women’s BasketballOhio State UniversityDevin Brown, FootballCeleste Taylor, Women’s BasketballKameron Nelson, Men’s GymnasticsUniversity of FloridaAliyah Matharu, Women’s BasketballElli McKissock, Women’s VolleyballUniversity of Texas at AustinShay Holle, Women’s BasketballAlyssa Washington, Women’s SoftballUniversity of WashingtonZion Tupuola Fetui, FootballJayda Noble, Women’s BasketballWesley Yates III, Men’s BasketballUniversity of MichiganJace Howard, Men’s BasketballWhitney Sollum, Women’s BasketballLaila Phelia, Women’s BasketballUniversity of GeorgiaJaiden Fields, Women’s SoftballNazir Stackhouse, FootballUniversity of California, Los AngelesAlyssa Conyers, Track & FieldLexy Denaburg, Women’s VolleyballSt John’s UniversityCamila Ordonez, Women’s TennisBrady Dunlap, Men’s BasketballUniversity of NebraskaTaylor Landfair, Women’s Volleyball

For more information, visit www.jbl.com/campus

ABOUT JBL

JBL creates the amazing sound that shapes life’s most epic moments. From iconic events like Woodstock and concerts at Madison Square Garden, to games at Yankee Stadium and weekend road trips, JBL elevates listeners’ experiences with award-winning audio that lets them make the most of every moment. With 75 years of unmatched professional credentials and industry leading innovation, JBL has expertly blended a bold vision of the future with the passion and talent of engineers and designers around the globe. JBL’s Signature Professional Sound is the leading technology that powers major pop culture events, and the brand has partnered with the world’s top talent across music, sports and esports.

ABOUT HARMAN

HARMAN International (harman.com), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co, LTD., 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 25 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 2017, HARMAN became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics.

For more information:

HARMAN Americas Consumer Lifestyle

Denise Daly, Director of Communications & PR 
JBL@dkcnews.com

CINCINNATI, January 26, 2024 /3BL/ – The community of Avondale is a beneficiary of Fifth Third’s $180 million Empowering Black Futures Neighborhood Investment Program. Launched in 2021, the program is flourishing and has begun creating the kind of fundamental change that helps communities thrive long-term. The program, which is investing $20 million in nine neighborhoods within the Bank’s footprint, is enabling economic mobility for residents and supporting infrastructure, programming and financial access with the potential for life-changing, generational positive impact. To date, the program has invested $193 million in nine low-to-moderate income neighborhoods that have experienced disinvestment and is extending technical assistance through 2025 for sustained impact and progress.

Among the neighborhood program’s goals are the creation of safe and affordable housing options for residents. In Avondale, Fifth Third partnered with the Avondale Development Corporation and the Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority for the Avondale Home Improvement Program (AHIP), which is enabling homeowners to make critical repairs on their homes. The program targets specific areas within Avondale to make a measurable, noticeable difference on 30 homes and increase home property values and homeownership. Repairs include windows, roofing, concrete work, siding, doors and exterior painting.

“The AHIP program projects meet a critical housing need and home repairs in Avondale,” said Royce Sutton, Fifth Third’s community impact territory manager. “This represents our continued commitment to transform Avondale and empower the residents in all the communities we serve.”

AHIP helps residents pay for the repairs via a forgivable loan, an essential assist given that nearly 60% of the homeowners have an annual income of $25,000 or less. In addition to completing important repairs, the Avondale Home Repair Program was designed to promote homeownership in the community by stabilizing its existing housing stock. Mitch Morris, an Avondale resident whose home was part of AHIP, said, “I am grateful that my home was part of AHIP. Everyone was very professional and knowledgeable. They helped me with any questions I had through the whole process.”

“AHIP is not merely a project, it’s a testament to our commitment to building a community where everyone, regardless of their socioeconomic status, can have a safe, affordable place to call home,” said Avondale Development Corporation Executive Director Russell Hairston.

Fifth Third announced comprehensive updates for the neighborhoods, along with progress on additional initiatives to drive transformation in low-to-moderate income areas, in its inaugural Community Impact Report. To read the Community Impact Report in full, visit www.53.com/CIR.

About Fifth Third 
Fifth Third is a bank that’s as long on innovation as it is on history. Since 1858, we’ve been helping individuals, families, businesses and communities grow through smart financial services that improve lives. Our list of firsts is extensive, and it’s one that continues to expand as we explore the intersection of tech-driven innovation, dedicated people and focused community impact. Fifth Third is one of the few U.S.-based banks to have been named among Ethisphere’s World’s Most Ethical Companies® for several years. With a commitment to taking care of our customers, employees, communities and shareholders, our goal is not only to be the nation’s highest performing regional bank, but to be the bank people most value and trust.

Fifth Third Bank, National Association, is a federally chartered institution. Fifth Third Bancorp is the indirect parent company of Fifth Third Bank and its common stock is traded on the NASDAQ® Global Select Market under the symbol “FITB.” Investor information and press releases can be viewed at www.53.com. Deposit and credit products provided by Fifth Third Bank, National Association. Member FDIC.

###

CONTACTS 
Tiffaney Hardy (Media Relations) 
tiffaney.hardy@53.com | 513-534-8039

ALBANY, N.Y., January 26, 2024 /3BL/ – In 2023, the KeyBank Foundation invested a total of $1,120,000 in several non-profit organizations in the Capital Region to support workforce development and community initiatives. These grants are part of KeyBank’s commitment to invest $40 billion in the communities it serves and support diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.

“KeyBank’s purpose is to help the communities we serve thrive. With these investments, we are lifting up and amplifying efforts that will make our neighborhoods even stronger,” said Fran O’Rourke, KeyBank Capital Region Market President. “Each of these organizations play a huge role in making Albany and the Capital Region a great place to live. KeyBank has a long and proud tradition of supporting this community and we are honored to help these non-profits continue their transformative work.”

Included in this total are investments of $400,000 to help Trinity Alliance of the Capital Region expand food justice and family equity efforts and $200,000 to support capacity building initiatives at the Albany Black Chamber of Commerce, which facilitates economic development by implementing a one-stop shop of resources, networking and workshops to advance and empower Black and minority-owned businesses.

Other organizations receiving funding include:

Affordable Housing PartnershipAlbany Can CodeAlbany College of Pharmacy and Health SciencesAlbany Housing CoalitionAlbany Medical CenterBethesda House of SchenectadyCapital District Women’s Employment Resource CenterCenter for Disability ServicesColumbia County Recovery KitchenCommunity CaregiversCommunity Empowerment NetworkThe Cohoes Connect ProjectFranklin Community CenterGirls Inc.Glens Falls Area Youth CenterHomeless and Travelers Aid SocietyJoseph’s House ShelterLiving ResourcesMission Accomplished Transition ServicesOur Ability AllianceThe RED BookshelfUnity House of TroyWilliams-Francisco InitiativeWomen’s Employment Resource CenterYMCA of the Capital District

“We are honored to stand with and support these non-profits and help them broaden their reach by serving and impacting even more people in our region,” said Tamika Otis, Corporate Responsibility Officer for KeyBank in the Capital Region. “Building inclusive, equitable communities and eco-systems is central to the work all of these organizations do every day in the Capital Region.”

Since 2017, KeyBank has followed through on community commitments totaling more than $1 billion in the Capital Region 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.

International Olympic Committee news

The Olympic Winter Games are turning 100 years tomorrow, marking a revolutionary century of mountain sports driven by technological leaps and social progress. As we celebrate 100 years of sport on snow and ice, we look ahead to see how the Games can adapt to the challenges ahead.

In 1924, 258 athletes from 16 national teams came together in the small Alpine town of Chamonix, France, for what later became the first ever Olympic Winter Games. Since then, the Games have evolved to become the world’s most important winter sports event. Today, up to 3,000 athletes from over 90 National Olympic Committees take part in a growing number of disciplines, including the latest additions, such as freestyle skiing and ski mountaineering.

“Although Chamonix 1924 was only officially designated ‘Olympic’ by the IOC in 1926, it was nonetheless a key moment in the history of Olympism and the Olympic Games,” said International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach. “And with the exception of two editions, the event has been a permanent fixture on the Olympic calendar for a century, garnering huge excitement every time, with winter sport on snow and ice continuing to fascinate.”

Including this first edition, held in Chamonix from 25 January to 5 February 1924, 24 editions of the Games have been hosted by 21 regions and 13 countries. Of the 258 athletes in Chamonix, just 13 were women. Nearly a century later, Beijing 2022 welcomed 2,871 athletes, 45 per cent of them women – a ratio which is expected to grow to 47 per cent at Milano Cortina 2026.

Originally based on sports practices from Europe that were accessible to few people, the Games have helped to introduce winter sports to wider audiences, for professionals and amateurs alike.

They have also propelled their hosts onto the global map of world-class resorts and destinations – offering a wide range of winter but also warm-weather activities.

Host benefits

The Olympic Winter Games continue to uplift mountain regions, which seize the opportunity to raise their visibility on a global scale. Following the Games, Chamonix experienced a national and international reputational boost, resulting in steadily rising visitor numbers. The town today hosts over 8 million overnight visitors each year, spread equally between the winter and summer seasons.

Over the century, lesser-known mountain regions worldwide have leveraged the Games’ momentum to create lasting tourism infrastructure, sustainable transport options, entertainment events and sports facilities, enjoyed throughout all four seasons.

From Sapporo to Innsbruck, Olympic hosts have expanded their tourism portfolios to include not only sports but also cultural attractions, adding temporary and permanent jobs to local economies in sectors such as hospitality, construction, security and event management.

Sapporo 1972, for example, accelerated economic growth, contributing to the increase in the income of Sapporo citizens by 3.2 per cent each year between 1967 and 1972. And in Tirol, in 2021, the tourism industry directly and indirectly employed 60,000 people, generating around EUR 8.4 billion.

Check out the Innsbrucktourism Instagram page here

Aside from economic benefits, the Olympic Winter Games have created a ripple effect by inspiring individuals, communities and entire regions to embrace a healthier lifestyle, engage in mountain sports, and reap the physical and mental benefits of sporting activities.

The most recent Olympic Winter Games, Beijing 2022, are an example of how residents, including urban dwellers, embraced winter sports thanks to the Games. An estimated 350 million Chinese people engaged in winter sports in the run-up to and following the Games. By the end of 2025, approximately 5,000 schools across the country are set to include winter sports in their curriculum.

Winter sport will need to adapt to the impacts of climate change and mitigate their effects.

Thomas Bach

IOC President

The future

However, with the evolution came an increasing recognition of the fragility of the environment on which winter sports depend. Today, climate change poses a direct threat to people and their livelihoods and particularly jeopardises sports that rely on snow and cold weather.

Over the years, Games organisers have used the event to raise awareness about the mountain environment and the importance of its conservation. Dubbed the first “green” Games, Lillehammer 1994 set concrete sustainability goals for the planning and delivery of the Games. Over time, with Olympic Agenda 2020 and Olympic Agenda 2020+5, the IOC has strengthened sustainability requirements for the Games.

“As with all sectors, winter sport will need to adapt to the impacts of climate change and mitigate their effects,” said President Bach. “This thinking was very much at the forefront when we adopted Olympic Agenda 2020 and Olympic Agenda 2020+5, inspired by the mantra of ‘change or be changed’. The IOC and the Olympic Movement are seeking to reduce our impact on the environment, not only to contribute to the greater good of society, but also so that sport, and notably winter sport, can continue to contribute towards creating a better world.”

Today, all potential hosts must demonstrate climate-responsible projects. From 2030, Games organisers will be obligated to minimise their emissions, strive to remove more carbon than the Games emit, and encourage others to take climate action.

With 89 per cent of all the permanent venues used at previous Olympic Winter Games still in use, the IOC demands that nothing is built only for the Games. Organisers must prioritise existing and temporary venues. If any new infrastructure is built, it must respond to the long-term needs of the local people, ensuring year-round use. Today, events can be hosted outside the main hosting region and even outside the host country.

For the last hundred years, people have been speaking about the magic of the Games. Our duty and responsibility is to ensure that this is the same in the next hundred years.

Christophe Dubi

Olympic Games Executive Director

With temperatures continuing to rise across the globe, by 2040 only 10 to 13 nations may be able to host the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. This is one of the reasons why the IOC approved the principle of a double award of two successive Olympic Winter Games – the 2030 and 2034 editions – if the appropriate conditions exist. This would provide security for the athletes and the Olympic Movement, to allow the IOC to investigate strategies to ensure the future of winter sport. These could include: the notion of rotating the Olympic Winter Games within a pool of climate-reliable hosts; innovations and new technologies; co-hosting ice and snow events between different regions; and decentralising the organisation of the Olympic Winter Games to outsource certain competitions to experienced international and national event organisers.

“For the last hundred years, people have been speaking about the magic of the Games. Our duty and responsibility is to ensure that this is the same in the next hundred years,” said Christophe Dubi, the IOC Olympic Games Executive Director. “Society at large, and athletes in particular, are calling for activities – sports, events and the Olympic Games – to be socially, economically and environmentally responsible. We are responding to these calls.”

International Olympic Committee news

The Olympic Winter Games are turning 100 years tomorrow, marking a revolutionary century of mountain sports driven by technological leaps and social progress. As we celebrate 100 years of sport on snow and ice, we look ahead to see how the Games can adapt to the challenges ahead.

In 1924, 258 athletes from 16 national teams came together in the small Alpine town of Chamonix, France, for what later became the first ever Olympic Winter Games. Since then, the Games have evolved to become the world’s most important winter sports event. Today, up to 3,000 athletes from over 90 National Olympic Committees take part in a growing number of disciplines, including the latest additions, such as freestyle skiing and ski mountaineering.

“Although Chamonix 1924 was only officially designated ‘Olympic’ by the IOC in 1926, it was nonetheless a key moment in the history of Olympism and the Olympic Games,” said International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach. “And with the exception of two editions, the event has been a permanent fixture on the Olympic calendar for a century, garnering huge excitement every time, with winter sport on snow and ice continuing to fascinate.”

Including this first edition, held in Chamonix from 25 January to 5 February 1924, 24 editions of the Games have been hosted by 21 regions and 13 countries. Of the 258 athletes in Chamonix, just 13 were women. Nearly a century later, Beijing 2022 welcomed 2,871 athletes, 45 per cent of them women – a ratio which is expected to grow to 47 per cent at Milano Cortina 2026.

Originally based on sports practices from Europe that were accessible to few people, the Games have helped to introduce winter sports to wider audiences, for professionals and amateurs alike.

They have also propelled their hosts onto the global map of world-class resorts and destinations – offering a wide range of winter but also warm-weather activities.

Host benefits

The Olympic Winter Games continue to uplift mountain regions, which seize the opportunity to raise their visibility on a global scale. Following the Games, Chamonix experienced a national and international reputational boost, resulting in steadily rising visitor numbers. The town today hosts over 8 million overnight visitors each year, spread equally between the winter and summer seasons.

Over the century, lesser-known mountain regions worldwide have leveraged the Games’ momentum to create lasting tourism infrastructure, sustainable transport options, entertainment events and sports facilities, enjoyed throughout all four seasons.

From Sapporo to Innsbruck, Olympic hosts have expanded their tourism portfolios to include not only sports but also cultural attractions, adding temporary and permanent jobs to local economies in sectors such as hospitality, construction, security and event management.

Sapporo 1972, for example, accelerated economic growth, contributing to the increase in the income of Sapporo citizens by 3.2 per cent each year between 1967 and 1972. And in Tirol, in 2021, the tourism industry directly and indirectly employed 60,000 people, generating around EUR 8.4 billion.

Check out the Innsbrucktourism Instagram page here

Aside from economic benefits, the Olympic Winter Games have created a ripple effect by inspiring individuals, communities and entire regions to embrace a healthier lifestyle, engage in mountain sports, and reap the physical and mental benefits of sporting activities.

The most recent Olympic Winter Games, Beijing 2022, are an example of how residents, including urban dwellers, embraced winter sports thanks to the Games. An estimated 350 million Chinese people engaged in winter sports in the run-up to and following the Games. By the end of 2025, approximately 5,000 schools across the country are set to include winter sports in their curriculum.

Winter sport will need to adapt to the impacts of climate change and mitigate their effects.

Thomas Bach

IOC President

The future

However, with the evolution came an increasing recognition of the fragility of the environment on which winter sports depend. Today, climate change poses a direct threat to people and their livelihoods and particularly jeopardises sports that rely on snow and cold weather.

Over the years, Games organisers have used the event to raise awareness about the mountain environment and the importance of its conservation. Dubbed the first “green” Games, Lillehammer 1994 set concrete sustainability goals for the planning and delivery of the Games. Over time, with Olympic Agenda 2020 and Olympic Agenda 2020+5, the IOC has strengthened sustainability requirements for the Games.

“As with all sectors, winter sport will need to adapt to the impacts of climate change and mitigate their effects,” said President Bach. “This thinking was very much at the forefront when we adopted Olympic Agenda 2020 and Olympic Agenda 2020+5, inspired by the mantra of ‘change or be changed’. The IOC and the Olympic Movement are seeking to reduce our impact on the environment, not only to contribute to the greater good of society, but also so that sport, and notably winter sport, can continue to contribute towards creating a better world.”

Today, all potential hosts must demonstrate climate-responsible projects. From 2030, Games organisers will be obligated to minimise their emissions, strive to remove more carbon than the Games emit, and encourage others to take climate action.

With 89 per cent of all the permanent venues used at previous Olympic Winter Games still in use, the IOC demands that nothing is built only for the Games. Organisers must prioritise existing and temporary venues. If any new infrastructure is built, it must respond to the long-term needs of the local people, ensuring year-round use. Today, events can be hosted outside the main hosting region and even outside the host country.

For the last hundred years, people have been speaking about the magic of the Games. Our duty and responsibility is to ensure that this is the same in the next hundred years.

Christophe Dubi

Olympic Games Executive Director

With temperatures continuing to rise across the globe, by 2040 only 10 to 13 nations may be able to host the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. This is one of the reasons why the IOC approved the principle of a double award of two successive Olympic Winter Games – the 2030 and 2034 editions – if the appropriate conditions exist. This would provide security for the athletes and the Olympic Movement, to allow the IOC to investigate strategies to ensure the future of winter sport. These could include: the notion of rotating the Olympic Winter Games within a pool of climate-reliable hosts; innovations and new technologies; co-hosting ice and snow events between different regions; and decentralising the organisation of the Olympic Winter Games to outsource certain competitions to experienced international and national event organisers.

“For the last hundred years, people have been speaking about the magic of the Games. Our duty and responsibility is to ensure that this is the same in the next hundred years,” said Christophe Dubi, the IOC Olympic Games Executive Director. “Society at large, and athletes in particular, are calling for activities – sports, events and the Olympic Games – to be socially, economically and environmentally responsible. We are responding to these calls.”

In advance of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, we confirm our position as an inaugural Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) Early Adopter and our intent to publish disclosures aligned with the TNFD for our financial year 2025. Additionally, Crown has joined the TNFD Forum, a consultative grouping of institutional supporters who share the vision and mission of the TNFD and make themselves available to contribute to the Taskforce.

A market-led and science-based initiative, the TNFD’s mission is to provide business decision-makers with nature-related information that can help shape strategic planning and ensure positive outcomes for both global markets and environmental health. As we know that our business depends on many natural assets and that preserving them can aid our long-term success, we have continuously strengthened our biodiversity commitments and worked to make changes in how we utilize and save water, energy and other natural resources interconnected with biodiversity. We acknowledge that transparency around those topics will build a clearer picture for our industry, ultimately enabling us to evolve our strategy while striving to preserve our shared ecosystems.

We look forward to collaborating with the TNFD and other TNFD Early Adopters in this shared purpose.

Read more about the TNFD here: https://tnfd.global/about/#mission

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In advance of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, we confirm our position as an inaugural Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) Early Adopter and our intent to publish disclosures aligned with the TNFD for our financial year 2025. Additionally, Crown has joined the TNFD Forum, a consultative grouping of institutional supporters who share the vision and mission of the TNFD and make themselves available to contribute to the Taskforce.

A market-led and science-based initiative, the TNFD’s mission is to provide business decision-makers with nature-related information that can help shape strategic planning and ensure positive outcomes for both global markets and environmental health. As we know that our business depends on many natural assets and that preserving them can aid our long-term success, we have continuously strengthened our biodiversity commitments and worked to make changes in how we utilize and save water, energy and other natural resources interconnected with biodiversity. We acknowledge that transparency around those topics will build a clearer picture for our industry, ultimately enabling us to evolve our strategy while striving to preserve our shared ecosystems.

We look forward to collaborating with the TNFD and other TNFD Early Adopters in this shared purpose.

Read more about the TNFD here: https://tnfd.global/about/#mission

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In the spirit of its commitment to giving back and enhancing the quality of life in the communities it serves, CNH spearheaded a series of activities under its We Care, We Share program.

Now in its fourth year, We Care, We Share embodies CNH’s belief in growing together with farming communities. The recent employee-led outreach in Thailand included contributions and volunteering at the Ruamkatanyu Foundation and at the Foundation for Slum Child Care.

Renowned not only in Thailand but across the region, the Ruamkatanyu Foundation operates in every province and is supported by thousands of volunteers nationwide. It provides emergency assistance to communities in need and those impacted by natural disasters and accidents; and mobilizes food, medicine, and shelter for the homeless and displaced persons.

This year, CNH purchased high-quality rice from local farmers in Central and Northern Thailand to support the charitable works of the Ruamkatanyu Foundation.

“Our global commitment to grow together with the farming community goes beyond providing the best quality agriculture machinery and technical expertise. The spirit of volunteerism and community service is ingrained in our culture, and I’m proud of all our team members who are dedicated to supporting communities in need,” said Mark Brinn, Managing Director, CNH Southeast Asia and Japan.

CNH employees also visited the Foundation for Slum Child Care to donate rice, milk powder and other essentials. With the help of community volunteers, the Foundation runs day care centers for babies and infants growing up in slums, and who are at risk of malnutrition, neglect, and abuse.

“The Foundation for Slum Child Care nurtures more than 2,000 children, ensuring they are well-nourished and properly cared for. We’re humbled by this opportunity to contribute to the children’s daily meals,” Mark added.

By volunteering at the feeding program, spending quality time with the children, and learning more about the Foundation’s activities from the volunteer caregivers – CNH demonstrates its commitment to supporting the local communities of farmers around the globe.