Tag: 3BL

Originally published in Dow’s 2022 INtersections Progress Report

Dow is committed to the health and well-being of our people and offers a range of preventive, educational, consulting and medical services. We believe that helping our employees navigate through public health challenges, mental health concerns, individual health challenges and other threats to the well-being of our people is not only the right thing to do but also a great business decision.

Leading the Way in Safety Innovation

Teresa Keating, global EH&S director from 2020- 2022 (currently global business operations director for Performance Materials & Coatings), received the American Chemistry Council Responsible Care® Employee of the Year Award in 2022 for her exceptional leadership in safety. Under her guidance, there were zero fatalities at Dow. In addition, the company achieved its best-ever performance in consecutive days without a severe injury (2021).

Teresa also hosted virtual sessions, titled “What’s the Worst that Can Happen?”, featuring frontline employees who shared their stories to bring awareness to severe injuries and fatalities. Thousands of Dow employees and contractors attended the live forums, which had a direct impact on the company’s improved safety performance. Lastly, Teresa’s support of a “lifeguard” culture and involvement with the U.S. & Canada Task Force aimed at improving contractor safety fostered a renewed sense of belonging across global EHS&S operations.

Read more

An estimated 1.3 billion people around the world experience a significant disability, representing 1 in 6 people globally.[1] To create a more inclusive, more equitable world, Lenovo understands it must drive deeper awareness of visible and invisible disabilities, and take action to support those with unique abilities. Lenovo’s employee resource group, A Better Lenovo for Everyone (ABLE), creates a community of support for employees who experience disabilities themselves, through a friend or family member, or those who are passionate about being allies for this community. ABLE provides resources, helps employees navigate benefits, informs product development with inclusion top-of-mind and supports organizations that share Lenovo’s commitment to people with disabilities.

As the ABLE ERG continues to connect and empower employees at Lenovo, the company also recognizes the importance of giving back to organizations in communities that are doing the same. Alexander Jarmusz, a Lenovo Global Manufacturing Engineer, is at the forefront of the ABLE ERG and its years-long work with the Special Olympics, volunteering and coaching for the organization. Alexander was inspired to get involved through his brother’s participation as an athlete in Special Olympics, and has been leading Lenovo’s involvement with the organization. For more than five years, Lenovo has helped advance the Special Olympics’ mission to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, and build meaningful relationships that share joy.

“Having the opportunity to bring awareness to a cause that I am personally connected to and passionate about at Lenovo is really special,” said Alexander. “The ABLE ERG continues to make big strides to advocate for and celebrate people with disabilities – from partnering with organizations like the Special Olympics to helping to integrate disability inclusion into every aspect of our corporate culture. We are putting action behind our commitments to support the community and, while we still have work to do, I am proud of all that we have accomplished so far.”

During Lenovo’s Love on Global Month of Service, when employees across the globe are encouraged to spend time away from their work to give back to their communities, Lenovo and ABLE partnered with the Special Olympics of North Carolina. On September 13, Lenovo hosted a basketball game with the organization at the Morrisville office for Special Olympic athletes and Lenovo employees. The excitement during the game was felt by everyone in attendance, with fans cheering loudly from the sidelines, underscoring the immense passion and excitement Lenovo employees had for supporting the organization and this initiative.

“It meant a great deal to me to join my team in Lenovo’s support of SoNC on campus, as it’s an organization close to my family’s heart,” shared Kirsten Hamstra, Executive Director of Lenovo’s Global Social Media Center of Excellence. “My Aunt Debbie participated in many Special Olympics events over the years – those medals being some of her most treasured possessions. Cheering on ABLE’s basketball game together with so many other Lenovo employees was a very bright spot for us this year.”

Looking ahead, Lenovo will be partnering with the Special Olympics in the spring for a leadership training to build inclusive leadership on team. Lenovo will continue to strive be a place where people with disabilities feel included, heard and empowered around the world.

[1] World Health Organization Disability Fact Sheet

This story first appeared on Baker Hughes’ Energy Forward Stories.

Dr Joe Powell explains how the University of Houston’s Energy Transition Institute is working to grow vital knowledge and disseminate their research.

“Energy has been front-page news throughout my career, with ever-present challenges in energy supply now augmented by grand challenges in climate change and plastics waste,” says renowned chemical engineer Dr Joe Powell, founding executive director of the University of Houston’s Energy Transition Institute (ETI), which opened in 2022 with a $10 million gift from Shell.

Powell took on the executive director role at the new institute early in 2023, having retired as chief scientist of chemical engineering for Shell after more than 32 years. “The next generation will be the ones who solve these challenges and it’s exciting to be at the University of Houston (UH), sharing collective knowledge and experience, helping students make the connections and getting them grounded in the fundamentals of energy systems. Students bring a lot of energy and creativity and want to make a difference.”

In August 2023, the Baker Hughes Foundation announced a $100,000 gift to the ETI to support the University of Houston’s energy research and workforce development programs. “We’re very grateful to the Baker Hughes Foundation for this gift, which will fund much needed student scholarships,” says Powell.

UH’s Energy Scholars Program provides undergraduate students the opportunity to participate in research programs focused on the Energy Institute’s three key pillars: carbon management, hydrogen and circular plastics. “Our university is embedded in one of the most diverse cities in the U.S.,” says Powell. “It’s a tremendous opportunity to help educate students from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds and empower them to be an integral part of the future energy economy. Research exposure as an undergraduate compelled me to go on to graduate school to obtain the training needed to actively help resolve the energy crisis of the 1970’s. It was truly inspirational!”

Powell says developing a skilled and knowledgeable workforce to support the energy transition is a critical part of the ETI’s mission. “We really want to get the next generation of students to strongly consider energy careers,” he says. “You’re always competing for the hearts and minds of the best and most energetic students to consider careers that can make a difference to society.”

On top of its strong graduate research program, empowering and developing the capabilities of incoming undergraduates is vital. “UH students are often the first generation in their family to graduate from a full four-year college degree program,” he says. “We can have a very strong impact in connecting them to future-economy jobs, and for many it will be transformational in terms of what it means to their families and communities.”

Houston is a global hub for energy and chemicals, and as such many local employees will be faced with navigating the social and technological changes that are part of the energy transition, including impact on jobs. “We’re in a very energy and chemicals intensive part of the US, and many of our students’ come from families and communities connected to these sectors,” says Powell. “We can help provide the transition to future well-paying jobs that will be integral to achieving net-zero goals.”

The institute is taking full advantage of UH’s leading programs across a variety of subjects to ensure a multidisciplinary approach.

“We’re not just about the engineering and science side of things, but also communications, law, public policy, business, and commercialization,” explains Powell. “The university’s Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship is the top undergraduate program in the US, for example. We’re looking to connect across all the different colleges and degree programs to give UH graduates a grounding in energy so they can hit the ground running in their careers.”

UH is also supporting the upskilling of mid-career and even senior members of the energy sector. In conjunction with the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, the university offers micro credentialling certificates in a Hydrogen Economy Program, a series of three-badge continuing education courses. It’s delivered online, including synchronous sessions for real-time interaction with instructors – a mixture of UH academics and industry experts. The program provides technical, business and policy grounding as well as updates on current developments and opportunities around one of the most promising future energy vectors.

“We get mid-career postgraduates, corporate scientists, vice presidents and strategists from industry – anyone who wants to understand the opportunities for hydrogen, the developing technologies and markets,” says Powell. “You don’t have to be a mathematician or an engineer to participate. We have students joining from the US and all over the world – Egypt, Kazakhstan, South America, the Middle East. Students do a class project where we all learn from each other. It’s highly interactive.”

Meanwhile, investment into academic research into the ETI’s key pillars of carbon management, hydrogen and circular materials is growing. “We’re looking to double it,” says Powell. Involving industry is critical, he adds. “To date the energy industry has been primarily fossil based – about 80 percent of it still is. It’s not a matter of saying ‘Let’s switch to renewable energy’ and we’re done! There are a lot of issues to work through regarding land and resource use, infrastructure, and costs to make that happen at scale. There’s a tremendous amount of know-how in the conventional energy industry which can be pivoted and leveraged to work on the large-scale projects needed to drive the energy transition. We’re tapping into that industry expertise and bringing in the next generation of students to work on these problems together. Taking the existing knowledge base and adding the enthusiasm and new ideas of the students is an important combination.”

Powell is both realistic and optimistic. “Climate change is a global challenge – but it needs to be addressed and implemented at the local level. The best systems and technologies need to be replicated and implemented globally or we won’t achieve our net-zero and circularity goals,” he says. “In order to move forward, we must be collaborative and have collective input from a broad set of global stakeholders, where optimal solutions can vary due to geographical and regional differences in both resources and social needs. I believe the Energy Transition Institute is a perfect setting to make that happen.”

Originally published on Essity.com

In light of economic downturns and austerity measures, it is important to focus on the broader value created for society through a total cost calculation, including societal costs. Investment in prevention for preparedness should generate value both for individuals and for society at large. It generates a considerable economic and societal value to health and well-being, which is challenging to quantify.1 Given the strain on healthcare systems and budgets, it is important to think of long-term benefits available. This requires a value-based approach where the best health outcomes are in focus.

An example of long-term financial planning for healthcare budgets can be a change in attitude to pandemic management. More pandemics are likely to occur in the future2, driven by many different factors such as climate change, animal husbandry, and urbanization. Investing in prevention measures can help achieve better health outcomes and reduce infections and pandemics, thus reducing the cost required to manage these. Prevention measures such as education, limiting deforestation, and ensuring access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene products cost between $10.3 billion and $11.5 billion per year, which is much less than the cost of pandemic preparedness, amounting to around $30.1 billion per year3, both of which are negligible in comparison to Covid-19’s estimated $12.5 trillion cost globally4.

In addition to being a cost-effective approach, investing in prevention and more resilient health systems can result in increased productivity and less pressure on social insurance systems. When illness is reduced, less of the labor force is made absent, either through sick leave or for caregiving, leading to increased productivity and economic growth.5 It is estimated that workplace absenteeism due to illness costs the European Union 2.5% of its GDP,6 and that work- place presenteeism, whereby ill workers go to work despite being ill, also leads to significant costs.7

Investing in prevention as a key element for preparedness as laid out in this chapter has broader societal benefits beyond just savings.

Calls for action in prevention for preparedness

Boost the prevention agenda: For effective prevention of illness, essential hygiene and health measures are crucial. These measures should be integrated into a core prevention agenda to promote health, well-being, and preparedness for pandemics, looming crises like AMR, and other health threats. Boosting preventive actions such as hand hygiene and by prioritizing innovative solutions, in areas where infection prevention is needed, saves lives, keeps people healthy, reduces healthcare costs in the long term and improves productivity. 
 Hygiene as a policy area: Hygiene tends to be seen as everyone’s responsibility and lacks a clear home in policy. It is key that clear ownership is established and that the profound societal value that is associated with hygiene practices is recognized. 
 Access to basic hygiene products: Concerted efforts are needed to close the gaps in hygiene, cleaning, and sanitation infrastructure, including securing access to clean water, safe, clean, and private hygiene, and sanitation facilities, as well as sustainable surface cleaning. A shift in mindset is needed to prioritize preventative healthcare strategies. 
 Up-scaling health systems to include prevention: The Covid-19 pandemic brought to light the need for stronger preparedness in health systems, including increased investments in preventive measures. Concerted efforts are needed to close the gaps in hygiene and cleaning and sanitation infrastructure, including securing access to clean water, safe, clean, and private hygiene, and sanitation facilities, as well as sustainable surface cleaning. Increasing attention is also needed on infection and antimicrobial surveillance in order to enable early intervention. Surgical site infection surveillance is already having a positive impact on reducing infection rates, here, adoption needs to increase. A shift in mindset is needed to prioritize preventative healthcare strategies to address these gaps. 
 Invest in knowledge and training: For hygiene and other prevention measures to have lasting impact, there is a need to elevate action on knowledge, skills, implementation and follow up. Making effective and engaging training available to healthcare professionals, cleaning staff and caregivers is key to strengthen prevention measures. This includes investing in educational campaigns, workplace training, and messaging reinforcing best practices, such as proper hand hygiene, wound infection prevention and smart environmental cleaning.

Invest in preventing AMR within the One Health approach: To make a real impact in the fight against AMR, a multistakeholder approach is needed, where governments, healthcare providers, academia, civil society, and businesses collaborate across all relevant sectors. Working together at local, national and global level to improve infection prevention measures and establish guidelines, supported by education and training, and to emphasize the cost-effectiveness of prevention is key.

A relevant example is antimicrobial stewardship in wound care, which should be incorporated in care standards and practices, included in trainings for care givers and prioritized in financing and usage.

Mobilize partnerships to step up prevention and innovation for future health needs: To enable technical development, innovation, digital solutions, and research that aims to optimize the use of resources in prevention and preparedness, there is a need to step up collaboration across sectors and mobilize partnerships. To effectively combat challenges like AMR and HAIs, it is crucial for healthcare institutions to not only address immediate needs but also to invest in long-term solutions based on prevention. To further prevent AMR, there is a need to ensure that AMR forms an integral part of wider healthcare training.

Download the Essity 2023-2024 Hygiene and Health Report to learn more

Learn more about Essity here

1López-Casasnovas G. (2005). Health and economic growth : findings and policy implications. MIT Press.

2GAVI (2022) New study suggests risk of extreme pandemics like COVID-19 could increase threefold in coming decades https://www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/new-study-suggests-risk-extreme-pandemics-Covid-19-could-increase-threefold-coming

3World Bank Group (2022) Putting Pandemics Behind Us: Investing in One Health to Reduce Risks of Emerging Infectious Diseases.” Washington, DC. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/956a58be-ddd8-572f-8aac-df5ab453d7b2/content

4Reuters. (2022, January 20). IMF sees cost of COVID pandemic rising beyond $12.5 trillion estimate. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/ business/imf-sees-cost-covid-pandemic-rising-beyond-125-trillion-estimate-2022-01-20/

5Strömberg, C., Aboagye, E., Hagberg, J., Bergström, G., & Lohela-Karlsson, M. (2017). Estimating the Effect and Economic Impact of Absenteeism, Presenteeism, and Work Environment-Related Problems on Reductions in Productivity from a Managerial Perspective. Value in health : the journal of the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research, 20(8), 1058–1064.

6Human Capital Hub (2022). Absenteeism in the workplace: Impact, causes, and policies. Human Capital Hub. https://www.thehumanca- pitalhub.com/articles/absenteeism-in-the-workplace-impact-causes-and-policies

7Strömberg, C., Aboagye, E., Hagberg, J., Bergström, G., & Lohela-Karlsson, M. (2017). Estimating the Effect and Economic Impact of Absenteeism, Presenteeism, and Work Environment-Related Problems on Reductions in Productivity from a Managerial Perspective. Value in health : the journal of the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research, 20(8), 1058–1064.

As originally published by GoDaddy’s Venture Forward Research Initiative

Life is better as an entrepreneur– a trend revealed via our research of more than 6,000 entrepreneurs. This year, we also learned the American Dream evolved beyond home ownership and the smallest of businesses create major economic impacts, Tucson reigns as a great spot for entrepreneurs and business owners in the U.S. and U.K. have more in common than you might think.  

The research: GoDaddy’s Venture Forward research initiative analyzes more than 20 million online businesses with a digital presence (measured by a unique domain and an active website). Most of these businesses employ fewer than ten people, categorizing each as a microbusiness. While these *microbusinesses may be small, their impact on economies is outsized even though they are often too informal or too new to show up in traditional government statistics. 

Since 2018, Venture Forward surveyed more than 30,000 small business owners with a digital presence, making it the source for microbusiness data and insights. Five of which are shared below. 

Life is better as an entrepreneur.  

Sixty-three percent of entrepreneurs in the U.S. and U.K. agree that “life is better as an entrepreneur.” On the reasons why, they cite: creating a source of income / supporting family; connecting to customers; and making an impact in my community.  

The American Dream is no longer tethered to homeownership – now small business owners want to feel happy in life, live a comfortable lifestyle and enjoy the freedom to pursue their passions. 
 Supporting entrepreneurs is one of the only bipartisan issues.  

Mayors are all-in to support their local microbusinesses, and the Mayors of Cleveland and New Orleans Cleveland grew microbusinesses by 20% since 2019 and New Orleans increased microbusinesses by 7% since 2019. The mayors shared their secrets to successfully growing an entrepreneurial community in the panel recap here.  

Tucson welcomes entrepreneurs to learn and grow.  

With more than 630,000 microbusinesses in Arizona, Tucson is a hub with more than 50,000 of them. Tucson averages at least seven microbusinesses per 100 adults – growing 8% since 2019. Find out more about entrepreneurship in Tucson through TENWEST.  

Microbusiness, major impact. 

U.S. household median income increases by almost $500 per year for each additional microbusinesses per 100 people in a county. In the U.K., people earn £1,400 more in median annual pay for full-time workers in constituencies with a 1% higher concentration of digital microbusinesses. 

Every U.S. microbusiness and U.K. microbusiness entrepreneur adds about seven new jobs on a county-level or constituency-level through hiring and local spending. 

Stay updated on the latest Venture Forward data by subscribing to our LinkedIn newsletter and download all reports mentioned above via our website.  

Originally published on U.S. Bank company blog

To continue addressing California’s affordable housing crisis and close the wealth gap, U.S. Bancorp Impact Finance is leaning in to provide debt and equity toward affordable housing developments across the state, including two projects located within historical Los Angeles neighborhoods.

Abode Communities’ Adams Terrace opened earlier this year in the historic West Adams neighborhood in South LA and serves seniors, including those chronically homeless. Impact Finance provided a more than $33.7 million construction loan to construct 84 units of affordable housing to seniors ages 55+. A U.S. Bank team recently visited Adams Terrace to meet with the Abode staff and learn more about how the development is changing lives and influencing the neighborhood.

“It was energizing to visit Adams Terrace and see our financing come to life through the residents who live there and the employees who work hard every day to make it a great place to live,” said U.S. Bancorp Impact Finance Chairman & CEO Zack Boyers. “We’ve been working with Abode for many years and it’s a privilege to enable them through our financing to meet community needs like affordable housing in a historical neighborhood.”

Within the last 20 years in the Los Angeles metro area, Impact Finance has provided nearly $2 billion in affordable housing debt and financed approximately $1.4 billion in affordable housing equity. 

“Our commitment in Los Angeles and across the state is of significant importance to us.”

– U.S. Bancorp Impact Finance Chairman & CEO Zack Boyers

Recently honored with Abode’s People Impact Equity Award at its 55th anniversary celebration, Impact Finance has been lending and investing with Abode since 2008. Additionally, Abode received a Community Possible grant through the U.S. Bank Foundation in 2022, which was used in part to support the construction of Adams Terrace. Adams Terrace consists of two four‐story buildings and includes parking as well as community rooms, onsite laundry, outdoor courtyards, onsite resident and supportive services as well as onsite property management.

“Adams Terrace is another shining example of our partnership with U.S. Bank,” said President & CEO of Abode Communities, Holly Benson. “They are a reliable, trustworthy partner, and share Abode Communities’ desire to create equitable housing opportunity for all.”

For pop culture enthusiasts, there is a tie to West Adams and the recently released “Lessons in Chemistry,” a 2023 AppleTV+ series adapted from the book written by Bonnie Garmus. The series highlights character Harriet Sloane, a neighbor to main character Elizabeth Zott. As explained in this LA Times story which highlights the differences between the book and the series, Sloane actively pursues stopping the construction of the Santa Monica Freeway through their predominately Black neighborhood. The storyline is inspired by historical 1960 events and the decline of the Sugar Hill district within West Adams because of freeway construction through what was once a thriving community.

Just 11 miles south of West Adams in Los Angeles’ Watts community, Impact Finance made a $40 million equity investment and provided a $54.5 million construction loan to BRIDGE Housing’s Jordan Downs, a 1950s-era public housing development that also experienced civil unrest in 1965 and 1992.  First opened in May 1944, the complex was initially developed as semi-permanent housing during World War II for war workers. 

Jordan Downs Phase 3B will offer 107 apartments to low-to-moderate income families. Property amenities will include a leasing office, community room and ample outdoor areas. The property is adjacent to a new transit stop at the Jordan Downs Plaza retail center and is near a medical clinic, pharmacy, schools, library, and more. Additionally, residents will have access to a broad array of services, such as rental assistance, food distribution, and wellness activities. It is anticipated to complete construction in the Summer of 2025. Watch this brief video to learn more about this redevelopment project.

“BRIDGE deeply values our longstanding partnership with U.S. Bank and their commitment to the people and communities we serve,” said BRIDGE Housing President and CEO Ken Lombard. “In keeping with our mission, Jordan Downs Phase 3B goes beyond housing to provide the retail, transit, educational opportunities and jobs that lift neighborhoods. We’re proud to team up on this innovative development that will benefit future generations.”

The U.S. Bank Foundation has also supported BRIDGE through Community Possible grants to expand and preserve affordable housing for low-to-moderate income residents in California.

“Our commitment in Los Angeles and across the state is of significant importance to us,” said Boyers. “We look forward to more great things to come.”

Originally published by Delaware Business Times

Two DuPont alumnae and current top STEM executives encouraged an audience of female professionals to lead not only with courage, but with understanding, and embrace the complexities that come with being a female leader.

“It’s not mutually exclusive. You can be courageous and afraid and you can be grateful and ambitious. Female leaders recognize that duality. I often joke with my female mentors that we can hold two thoughts in our head at the same time,” Chemours Chief Sustainability Officer Amber Wellman said during the Inspiring Women in STEM 2023 Conference last Thursday. “Letting comfort trump meaningful change is the epitome of privilege, so I find I have to push myself outside my comfort zone. You have to be confident in what you know and what you don’t know.”

Wellman and Provivi Chief Operating Officer Teri Quinn Gray were among the highest-profile speakers during a fireside chat at the Delaware BioScience Association’s annual conference. The Inspiring Women in STEM 2023 Conference was in its 11th year, and drew 250 attendees to panels, mentoring and networking sessions at the University of Delaware’s Clayton Hall. Attendees ranged from seasoned professionals to soon to be graduates looking to enter the field.

STEM jobs are those in life sciences, physical and Earth sciences, engineering and architecture, computer and math occupations. In 2021, studies from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics found that women made up 28% of jobs in those fields, signaling a rise from 1970 when the number was around 8%.

Continue reading here

Originally published as part of the “Transforming Trade” custom content series with The Wall Street Journal. Click here to access the original article.

International trade is a success story for Türkiye, whose exports hit a record high of $254 billion in the past year. Forty percent of those goods go to countries in the European Union, and their traditional entry route is by road via Bulgaria.

But they’re not arriving fast enough. Taking cargo from Türkiye into EU countries on this route is increasingly problematic, with truck drivers stuck in queues as they approach the border. They can spend days waiting to cross, hampered by congestion, inadequate infrastructure and slow bureaucracy. Every driver must carry invoices for their cargo, insurance documents, an export declaration and a transport permit for every EU nation they will drive through, all of which are individually checked.

“In normal circumstances, each truck can lose a full day on the border,” says Duygu Can, general manager of logistics provider P&O Ferrymasters in Türkiye. “But in high season from September to December, queues can reach 30 to 35 kilometers (18 to 22 miles), and then it takes three or four days to cross.”

The biggest impact of this is on companies’ production schedules, she adds. In order to prevent these costly delays, producers double up on drivers to deliver goods or parts on time, or, in urgent cases, resort to airfreight solutions, which puts an additional strain on their budget.

Further pressure in meeting delivery deadlines comes from a shortage of truck drivers in Europe—a shortfall of 11% last year, according to an industry report—due to an aging workforce, a talent gap and the negative perception of a job that can mean long hours, challenging work conditions and extended periods away from home.

“Driver shortage is a significant problem,” says Can, “and most of the transport companies in Europe right now are addressing it by trying to use combined multimodal solutions and decrease driving distances.”

New route solution

The implications of these pressure points for the logistics sector are critical, says Kris Adams, CEO, DP World Yarimca in Türkiye “They can have negative effects on every stage of the supply chain: Suppliers are at risk of not delivering products of the expected quality, on time and stock shortages can occur. As well as putting production processes at risk, it also affects customer satisfaction, which can reduce customer loyalty and potentially cause businesses to lose their competitive edge in a highly competitive market.”

The establishment of new trade routes can foster cultural and social interactions.

Kris Adams, CEO, DP World Yarimca

The prospect of a new transit hub in Romania, connecting the EU to Eastern and Central Europe with the aim of optimizing existing trade routes and diversifying transport options, is a possible solution to this supply-chain disruption.

“The idea emerged as a result of combined economic, geographical and strategic considerations,” says CEO of DP World Constanta, Cosmin Carstea. “Romania’s location at the crossroads of Eastern and Western Europe, and its proximity to both Türkiye and EU member states, makes it an attractive location for facilitating trade and transportation between these regions.”

A new passage also has the potential to boost trade and economic growth in the locality, he adds, which could lead to the growth of local businesses, increased income levels, job creation and greater economic activity. “Its benefits, in terms of economic gains and improved logistics efficiency, likely played a role in considering this option.”

Positive change

Romania has traditionally ranked among the worst countries in the EU for transport infrastructure, but positive change appears to be coming. Last year, the Romanian government signed an agreement with Dubai’s Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation and DP World to develop new infrastructure at the Port of Constanta, the largest port on the Black Sea coast.

A significant part of this modernization will be DP World’s innovative roll-on, roll-off terminal, linked to the road and rail network of Central and Eastern Europe. By diverting road traffic to a combination of maritime, rail and road transport DP World aims to develop in Constanta a gateway for trade with Türkiye and other Eastern or Central European countries, and simultaneously ease congestion and reduce delays for truck drivers.

The creation of the new terminal in Costanta could also enhance living standards for people in Eastern Europe region. Carstea says, “Increased trade volumes can lead to higher customs duties, fees and other revenue sources. This revenue can help fund public services such as healthcare, education and social services. Moreover, the establishment of new trade routes can foster cultural and social interactions, strengthening connections between different regions and communities.”

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, December 27, 2023 /3BL/ – A 100 percent recycling target by 2050 for the world’s aluminium drinks cans has been set by industry leaders at COP 28.

Aluminium producers, recyclers, rolling mills, can makers and industry associations have set the target having stressed the need for enhanced recycling to support the IEAs Net Zero 2050 goal.

Currently more than 70 percent of aluminium beverage cans are recycled into new products but this figure falls short of making the complete contribution necessary for achieving the 1.5-degree target. Urgent actions for full circularity of aluminium beverage containers are needed to support decarbonisation of the aluminium sector. A little step for a large outcome as aluminium beverage containers recycle without change of quality not once but over and over again.

The number of beverage cans is set to increase from 420 billion in 2020 to 630 billion by 2030 and data has revealed that recycling all cans globally in 2030 would save 60 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per year.

“Together we are calling for greater commitment from national governments and the aluminium beverage can value chain industry to accelerate beverage can recycling rates, with at least 80 percent target by 2030 and near 100 percent by 2050. Reaching these targets is a must for the aluminium sector to decarbonise in line with a 1.5-degree slope” said Marlen Bertram, IAI’s Director of Scenarios and Forecast. To enable this to happen, we are calling for the following actions to be adopted by policy makers:

Establish national and/or state-level recycling targets for aluminium beverage cans.Formulate policies to help achieve these targets and enhance the quality of collected used beverage cans.Collect and publish data on aluminium beverage can recovery rates to monitor progress.

In addition, there are four actions for the aluminium industry to increase recycling rates towards the goal of 100 percent.

Scale up existing recycling capacity to recycle all cans put on the market.Track the global recycling rate.Support smart policies to improve aluminium beverage can collection and recycling.Prioritise can-to-can recycling and maximising the recycling content through optimised alloy design and scrap purification.

The following organisations have endorsed the actions:

Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA)Australian Aluminium CouncilUS Aluminum AssociationArdagh Metal PackagingAluminium Association of CanadaAssociação Brasileira do Alumínio (ABAL)The Brazilian Aluminium Beverage Can Association (Abralatas)Can Manufacturers InstituteEuropean AluminiumBall CorporationCrown HoldingsSpeiraCanpack GroupConstelliumNovelisUACJ CorporationMetal Packaging EuropeElvalJapan Aluminium AssociationUNESDABeverage Industry Environmental Roundtable (BIER)Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI)Every Can CountsFood Industry AsiaMission Possible PartnershipRECAPP by VeoliaRocky Mountain InstituteThailand Institute of Packaging and Recycling Management for Sustainable Environment (TIPMSE)

Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Global Aluminium, said: “Infinite recyclability is one of many reasons why aluminium is essential for the development of a more sustainable society. Aluminium is already one of the world’s most recycled materials, but too much of this valuable material is still thrown away. Increasing recycling requires supportive government policies and the development of infrastructure. It also depends on people around the world making the right decisions every day about how to dispose of items they no longer need. We all have a role to play in this, and at EGA we are committed to playing our part including working with our waste management, can-making and beverage producer partners in the UAE Aluminium Recycling Coalition we formed.”

Kristen King, Director of Sustainability, Ardagh Metal Packaging said: “The aluminium beverage can is one of the most recycled beverage containers globally, and our industry has committed to raising that recycling rate to new heights. To fulfil this commitment, we are calling on national and/or state-level governments to establish targets to increase recycling rates. Collectively, we can successfully recycle more cans, leading to more energy saved, fewer greenhouse gas emissions and increased revenue to help strengthen the circular economy.”

John OMaoileoin, Group Global Sustainability Director of CANPACK, said: “When a circular economy is developed and implemented properly, it benefits society, the environment, and the global economy. Keeping precious resources in use for longer is not only morally the right thing to do, it’s also the most logical thing to do, as it helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions and waste.”

Pierre Labat, Senior Vice President, Chief Strategy and Sustainability Officer of Novelis said, “As the world’s largest recycler of aluminum, including the recycling of more than 82 billion used beverage cans (UBCs) each year, Novelis continues to invest to increase our recycling capabilities and capacities with a goal of propelling the aluminum industry toward a more circular future,” said Pierre Labat, Senior Vice President, Chief Strategy & Sustainability Officer, Novelis Inc. “Once complete, our new plant being built in Alabama, USA, will be able to recycle approximately 15 billion UBCs annually, bringing our global total to nearly 100 billion.

“At the same time, we continue to work on increasing the amount of recycled content in our products, including our beverage packaging sheet, which is already at upwards of 80% on a global basis.”

“As we continue to reflect on the results of our collaborative study with IAI and other parties, we are increasingly focused on the need to act now with regard to recycling system improvement and greater industry commitment toward can-to-can recycling,” said Sandrine Duquerroy-Delesalle, Director Sustainability & External Affairs of Crown Holdings.

“It is no longer enough to simply speak about solutions and their potential—it is time for us to take actionable steps including establishing and advocating for effective, ambitious government policies around aluminium beverage can collection, as well as aiming to enhance the quality of collected cans.

Without a strong policy framework, we cannot properly benefit from the circular potentials of the aluminium beverage can and achieve our industry decarbonization goals. This push for policy is among our goals at COP28 and beyond; we call on national government and our peers at this forum to mobilize with us and see what we can accomplish.”

Raphael Thevenin, Vice President Strategy and Business Planning of Constellium said, “We count on the engagement from all governments to help implementing any measure to support the collection of aluminium beverage cans. When beverage cans are collected, the industry has the technology to recycle them into new aluminium products without loss of quality and with 95% less energy.”

“As Europe ́s leading aluminium rolling and recycling company it is part of our DNA to drive recycling and recycling rates in our products and solutions to its absolute maximum. Increasing the share of recycled content is key to reduce the carbon footprint of beverage cans and to contribute to the circular society. We believe in the value of circularity and transparency for the constant development towards a low- carbon society. As a purpose driven company it is our raison d ́être is to build a circular world that works. We are ready to take action and to team-up with decision- makers, industry partners and other societal stakeholders to build a framework that enables growth in recycling of aluminium beverage cans”, said Boris Kurth, Head of Can Business and Recycling in Speira.

Panagiotis Tserolas, Sustainability Senior Manager of Elval said: ‘’For Elval, this call is an opportunity to address our shared ambition and commitment, in order to establish the framework and the effective policies needed to unleash the circular potential of aluminium. Increasing recycling rates of UBCs around the world is a critical step to realize our common decarbonization targets. Aided by the inherent properties and recyclability of aluminium, we firmly believe in what we can accomplish with collective action, across all stakeholders, policy-makers, industry and consumers, towards a circular, low-carbon economy and society.”

Ramon Arratia, Chief Sustainability Officer, Ball Corporation said: “Circular decarbonization pathways are way faster and more effective than linear ones. We are calling for ambitious policies and commitments that unleash the full social, economic and climate benefits of circularity.”

Shinji Tanaka, Director, Managing Executive Officer, Leader of the Corporate Sustainability Division of UACJ group said: “Recycling aluminum is extremely important for improving the sustainability of beverage can sector. Therefore, UACJ agrees with “Call to accelerate Aluminium beverage Can Circularity. We consider the importance of recycling aluminum based on three key points. First point is reducing GHG emissions. Second point is circular utilization of mined mineral resources. And final point is conserving natural capital. UACJ prioritizes horizontal recycling, encompassing Can to Can, to achieve a society where aluminum is utilized indefinitely.”

Achieving the 100 percent recycling rate for aluminium beverage cans, is done against a backdrop of the aluminium industry dealing with rising demand for the metal while achieving decarbonisation.

Decarbonisation models for the industry, as presented by IAI, IEA, and MPP, indicate that the aluminium sector has a much higher chance to achieve the required reduction in emissions if it maximises collection and recycling at the end of life.

Media enquiries:

IAI: media@international-aluminium.org

About International Aluminium Institute

The International Aluminium Institute (IAI) is the only body representing the global primary aluminium industry. The Institute has the most comprehensive global data on Aluminium with more than 50 years of analysis on production, consumption, energy use and environmental impact. For more information, visit www.international-aluminium.org, or connect with us on X and LinkedIn.

View original content here.

 We released our annual Purpose Report, which reflects and celebrates the past year’s work towards Powering an Inclusive Future for All—the progress we’ve made against our goals, and the people and lives we’ve touched. The report explores the theme, The Power of Purpose, because we recognize that when we intersect our business, technology, and a network of partners together with our purpose, we create a powerful force for lasting change. And we have some incredible examples from this year, including the announcement that we achieved our goal of positively impacting 1 billion lives, and did so over a year early!

For many years, the purpose of our Purpose Report has been to look back. But we must also look ahead.

Any company looking to successfully execute their business strategy must consider the changing terrain, identify upcoming challenges and trends, and anticipate how to best meet evolving requirements. The same is true for purpose. This year’s Purpose Report begins to explore the landscape, and where we see opportunities for Purpose to grow.

Our biggest challenges are interconnected and interdependent

The past several years brought us all unprecedented challenges, and a world more prone to polarization than before. But instead of binary questions and issues, a more multipolar world has emerged, requiring us to operate with more nuance and greater context than ever. In this context one thing is clear—we are more interconnected and interdependent than ever.

Our lives and futures are linked by our shared dependence on our planet and its environments. We have a global responsibility to solve the climate crisis together. We see the growth of an increasingly digital and global economy, keeping us connected through ecosystems of financial interdependence. And as we learned in the recent pandemic, our collective health is also inextricably linked.

Global crises also continue to grow increasingly interconnected­­––and the consequences disproportionately fall on vulnerable communities. Developing nations who often contribute the least to climate change bear the brunt of its impact. And due to a lack of infrastructure and technological advancement, they are often the least equipped to respond to natural disasters. While the digital economy continues to grow, 2.6 billion people remain unconnected, denying them access to the opportunities and resources available. The consequences of each crisis exacerbate others­­—access to education is disrupted, progress for women and girls is set back, and extreme poverty rates rise.

Pursuing our Purpose can and must be the glue that brings us together to meet this moment and address these complex, interconnected issues. The question we must continue to ask as we look ahead is, how?

This year’s report reflects on how—how we achieved our goal of positively impacting 1 billion lives, how the private sector can work in new ways to address critical issues facing our societies, and how we can apply lessons from the past to build resilience in our communities for the future.

Where do we go from here?

There is no doubt that the path forward for business in a multipolar world isn’t entirely clear. There is significant work ahead to address risks in supply chains and manufacturing, and complex questions on how to best navigate a shifting geopolitical terrain. But should these challenges and uncertainties also apply to Purpose?

I don’t think so. In fact, in this moment when many are shying away from a global mindset and approach, our Purpose work proceeds by pursuing what is most meaningful, regardless if that is at the local or global level. Purpose can flex. It operates in a lane that is valued around the world, giving all of us who do this work the space to create and iterate, to sway and pivot, and find our rhythm. And when we do, pursuing our Purpose holds the door open for economic initiatives.

As we close the year in which we reached a goal of positively impacting one billion people, I’m looking ahead and considering the next goal we’ll set for ourselves. We are stronger with our partners by our side—an ecosystem focused on driving impact. We’ll continue to do this if we integrate the lessons of the past and take a new approach in the days and years ahead. I hope you’ll join us on this journey and read about our impact this year, and my reflections on what’s next, in our FY23 Purpose Report. Together, we can do good for our communities, good for our businesses, and good for all.

Read the full Cisco FY23 Purpose Report

View original content here.