Tag: 3BL

CINCINNATI, December 18, 2023 /3BL/ – Fifth Third Bank recently collected 9,720 pounds of electronic waste materials at two employee-focused e-waste collection events. Designed to help employees responsibly dispose of and recycle products, the Bank hosted events at its Fifth Third Corporate Service Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and the Fifth Third Madisonville Operations Center in Cincinnati, Ohio in October.

Jeremy Faust, Fifth Third’s director of environmental sustainability, said, “We host these e-waste recycling events every year to give our employees an opportunity to keep unwanted items out of landfills and/or put them back to good use. It’s just one way that we exercise our commitment to waste reduction and environmental sustainability.”

At both events, Fifth Third collected cell phones, computers and televisions. It also collected batteries and unused paint, the latter of which is collected by Matthew 25 Ministries and remixed for communities for a building preservation tool.

Fifth Third has six operational sustainability goals to be achieved through 2030. More about those goals can be found in Bank’s 2022 Sustainability Report and the Task Force on Climate Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) Progress Report.

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.

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

A project to strengthen career preparation for North Dakota youth has received a $1.5 million boost from Marathon Petroleum Corporation.The funding will support completion of a regional career and technical education center intended to serve as a resource for 10 high schools in the west-central region of the state.The facility will offer college dual-credit opportunities and instruction in high-demand occupational fields, including construction, agriculture, health care and welding.

The public and private sectors are teaming up to strengthen career preparation for high school students in the west-central region of North Dakota. A state-led initiative to construct a regional career and technical education (CTE) center has received a $1.5 million grant from Marathon Petroleum Corporation (MPC) to support completion of the facility, which will be a resource for 10 high schools and create college dual-credit opportunities for students.

The Heart River Career and Technical Education Center, which will be attached to the new Mandan High School that’s under construction, is scheduled to open in the fall of 2024 with classrooms, laboratories and other learning spaces. The facility will offer instruction that provides hands-on experience in construction, agriculture, manufacturing, health care, welding, culinary arts and other high-demand occupational fields.

“The new center will not only meet the needs of our growing student population, but will also foster creativity and critical thinking, and promote a skilled and capable workforce in the community.”

“The new center will not only meet the needs of our growing student population, but will also foster creativity and critical thinking, and promote a skilled and capable workforce in the community,” said Mandan Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Mike Bitz. “We are incredibly grateful for this partnership.”

Establishing a dedicated facility to serve the west-central region of the state is intended to provide new opportunities for students, educators, adult learners and businesses in the area to collaborate on workforce development.

“This facility will serve as a hub for learning, innovation and engagement, and we are proud to be a part of this exciting endeavor,” MPC’s Mandan Refinery General Manager Chris Staats said. “We believe that investing in education is an investment in the future.”

MPC’s grant adds to initial construction funding that came from a CTE capital projects grant the North Dakota legislature created in 2021. Additionally, MPC’s ongoing work with tribal-affiliated institutions in North Dakota resulted in an agreement to provide dual-credit opportunities to students who attend United Tribes Technical College (UTTC) in Bismarck.

“These programs enhance skills to help students develop the confidence needed for college-level coursework,” said UTTC President Dr. Leander McDonald. “Dual credit programs like these create educational pathways from high school to post-secondary schools and local employment, which not only benefits students, but also strengthens the overall community.”

Second recyclable thermoplastic blade built by LM Wind Power in Castellón, with a component made from recycled Elium® resin – a groundbreaking progress in the wind industry’s pursuit of circularityOwens Corning supplied high performance glass fiber specifically designed to be compatible with Elium® resin– glass fiber represents on average 70% of the blade’s weight and is therefore key in the blade’s recyclabilityThis second recyclable blade features a new Carbon-Elium® resin spar cap technology and a new adhesive from Bostik, recyclable together with the Elium® resinFull-scale structural lifetime testing of this second ZEBRA blade has started; first ZEBRA blade successfully validatedA complete Life Cycle Analysis work to compare the environmental impact of ZEBRA blade and conventional thermoset blade is expected end of June 2024

CASTELLÓN, Spain, December 18, 2023 /3BL/ – The ZEBRA (Zero wastE Blade ReseArch) consortium today announces the successful completion of the full scale validation testing of the first recyclable blade and production of the second recyclable thermoplastic blade, further advancing the wind industry’s commitment to achieving a circular economy.

The second blade, measuring 77 m in length, was made at LM Wind Power’s blade plant in Castellón, Spain, using Arkema’s thermoplastic liquid resin Elium® known for its recyclability, and Owens Corning’s high performance glass fabrics. It features a new Carbon-Elium® resin spar cap technology and a new adhesive from Arkema’s subsidiary Bostik specialized in adhesive solutions.

Importantly, the second ZEBRA blade is a world-first in using recycled Elium® resin in the manufacture of a shear web, which is a structurally important component of the blade, and demonstrates the potential of the resin technology to deliver sustainable blade designs and simulating the circularity of the Elium® resin.

“The ZEBRA project is proceeding according to schedule and will soon deliver its final results. The successful achievement of the test campaign on the first blade and the completion of this second blade represents a major achievement both for the consortium and for the wind energy industry as a whole. The next major milestones for the year 2024 will be the delivery of a complete life cycle analysis based on the blades produced in the frame of ZEBRA project, the focus on recycling activities and the completion of validation testing on the second blade containing the new Carbon-Elium® resin spar cap,” emphasises Guillaume SANA, project leader at the IRT Jules Verne.

Following the manufacture of the first recyclable blade in March 2022, the ZEBRA consortium initiated a further intensive development and testing phase to develop the necessary technologies to manufacture a Carbon-Elium® resin spar design. This included material and process development to ensure that required mechanical properties could be achieved, and in close collaboration with LM Wind Power’s skilled Castellon team, the necessary manufacturing process could be developed to ensure the manufacture of full-scale components.

John Korsgaard, Senior Director, LM Wind Power says: “The second ZEBRA blade builds on the learnings and valuable insights gained from the creation of the first blade and has helped us understand the structural potential to use Elium® resin in carbon blades. It complements the efforts led by our partners to demonstrate the recycling technologies for Elium® based composites using glass fiber and even carbon fiber. This blade marks a key milestone for the ZEBRA project and highlights the significance of plant collaboration in new technology development, in addition to supporting sustainability objectives for our company and our customers.”

According to Owens Corning: “Our involvement in this consortium is part of our strategy to be “sustainable by design”, which means taking into account environmental sustainability from the design phase of products so they can be recycled and reused. The testing done around the first blade produced demonstrated the performance and compatibility of Owens Corning’s glass fiber product with Elium® resin and long blade manufacturing requirements. This second blade serves as evidence that our products can maintain the performance and recyclability of even larger wind turbine blades.”

The first recyclable ZEBRA blade has successfully completed full-scale validation testing at LM Wind Power’s Test and Validation Centre in Denmark, with recycling tests currently ongoing. Full-scale structural lifetime testing of the second blade has already started with successful completion of static testing, where the blade is exposed to the extreme loads.

Launched in September 2020, the ZEBRA project is a unique partnership led by French research center IRT Jules Verne and brings together industrial companies including Arkema, CANOE, ENGIE, LM Wind Power, Owens Corning and SUEZ. The project’s aim is to demonstrate the technical, economic, and environmental relevance of thermoplastic wind turbine blades on a full scale, with an eco-design approach to facilitate recycling.

About Arkema 

Building on its unique set of expertise in materials science, Arkema offers a portfolio of first-class technologies to address ever-growing demand for new and sustainable materials. With the ambition to become in 2024 a pure player in Specialty Materials, the Group is structured into 3 complementary, resilient and highly innovative segments dedicated to Specialty Materials – Adhesive solutions (Bostik), Advanced Materials, and Coating Solutions- accounting for some 91% of Group sales in 2022, and a well-positioned and competitive Intermediates segment. Arkema offers cutting-edge technological solutions to meet the challenges of, among other things, new energies, access to water, recycling, urbanization and mobility, and fosters a permanent dialogue with all its stakeholders. The Group reported sales of around €11.5 billion in 2022, and operates in some 55 countries with 21,100 employees worldwide.

About CANOE – www.plateforme-canoe.com 

CANOE is a French R&T provider, specialized in polymer formulation, fiber-reinforced composite manufacturing and recycling process development, recycled fiber reprocessing, sensor integration for SHM, materials characterization and non-destructive testing. CANOE provides R&D services to companies over the whole manufacturing chain value of a composite part from design and prototyping up to pre-series and industrialization assistance.

About ENGIE 

ENGIE is a global reference in low-carbon energy and services. With its 96,000 employees, its customers, partners and stakeholders, the Group is committed to accelerate the transition towards a carbon-neutral world, through reduced energy consumption and more environmentally friendly solutions. Inspired by its purpose (“raison d’être”), ENGIE reconciles economic performance with a positive impact on people and the planet, building on its key businesses (gas, renewable energy, services) to offer competitive solutions to its customers. Turnover in 2022: 93.9 billion Euros. The Group is listed on the Paris and Brussels stock exchanges (ENGI) and is represented in the main financial indices (CAC 40, Euronext 100, FTSE Euro 100, MSCI Europe) and non-financial indices (DJSI World, Euronext Vigeo Eiris – Europe 120 / France 20, MSCI EMU ESG screened, MSCI EUROPE ESG Universal Select, Stoxx Europe 600 ESG-X).

About IRT Jules Verne – www.irt-jules-verne.fr 

IRT Jules Verne is a mutualized industrial research centre dedicated to manufacturing. Working closely with production equipment manufacturers and integrators, IRT Jules Verne caters to 4 strategic industrial sectors: aeronautics, shipbuilding, the automotive industry, and renewable marine energy. The IRT team works hand in hand with the very best industrial and academic resources in the manufacturing field. Its vocation is to improve the competitiveness of strategic industrial sectors in France by creating disruptive technologies for manufacturing processes. Its mission is to speed up innovation and technology transfer to factories. In its bid to provide comprehensive solutions up to scale-1 demonstrators, IRT Jules Verne installs and utilises a wide range of exclusive state-of-the-art equipment.

L’IRT Jules Verne bénéficie d’une aide de l’État au titre du programme d’Investissements d’avenir portant la référence ANR-10-AIRT-02 

About LM Wind Power – www.lmwindpower.com 

LM Wind Power (“Company”), a GE Vernova business, is an industry-leading developer and manufacturer of highquality rotor blades for onshore and offshore wind turbines with blade services solutions and a global manufacturing footprint, headquartered in Denmark. LM Wind Power has produced over 260,000 blades since 1978, corresponding to 142 GW installed capacity. As part of the Company’s sustainability journey, LM Wind Power became the first carbon neutral company in the wind industry in 2018 and is committed to building Zero Waste Blades by 2030.

About Owens Corning – www.owenscorning.com 

Owens Corning is a global building and construction materials leader committed to building a sustainable future through material innovation. Our three integrated businesses – Composites, Insulation, and Roofing – provide durable, sustainable, energy-efficient solutions that leverage our unique material science, manufacturing, and market knowledge to help our customers win and grow. We are global in scope, human in scale with approximately 19,000 employees in 31 countries dedicated to generating value for our customers and shareholders and making a difference in the communities where we work and live. Founded in 1938 and based in Toledo, Ohio, USA, Owens Corning posted 2022 sales of $9.8 billion.

About SUEZ 

SUEZ is a major player in environmental services. For almost 160 years, SUEZ has supported local communities and industrial companies in the management of essential services such as water, waste, and air quality. As such, SUEZ produces drinking water for 66 million people worldwide, recovers 2 million tons of secondary raw materials per year, and generates 3.1 TWh of renewable energy from waste. In our ongoing management of the ecological transition and climate change challenges, SUEZ relies on the expertise and commitment of its 35,000 employees (particularly in France, Italy, Central Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia) to offer high value-added and customized environmental solutions to all its customers. SUEZ’s expertise allows, for instance, its customers to avoid the emission of 4.2 million tons of CO2, thus improving their carbon footprint and their impact on climate. With a turnover of nearly 7 billion euros and backed by its expertise and capacity to innovate, SUEZ has strong growth prospects. SUEZ relies on a solid consortium of investors made up of Meridiam and GIP – with 40% stakes each – and the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations Group with a 20% stake in the capital, including 8% held by CNP Assurances, to pursue its strategic development plans in France and internationally.

Second recyclable thermoplastic blade built by LM Wind Power in Castellón, with a component made from recycled Elium® resin – a groundbreaking progress in the wind industry’s pursuit of circularityOwens Corning supplied high performance glass fiber specifically designed to be compatible with Elium® resin– glass fiber represents on average 70% of the blade’s weight and is therefore key in the blade’s recyclabilityThis second recyclable blade features a new Carbon-Elium® resin spar cap technology and a new adhesive from Bostik, recyclable together with the Elium® resinFull-scale structural lifetime testing of this second ZEBRA blade has started; first ZEBRA blade successfully validatedA complete Life Cycle Analysis work to compare the environmental impact of ZEBRA blade and conventional thermoset blade is expected end of June 2024

CASTELLÓN, Spain, December 18, 2023 /3BL/ – The ZEBRA (Zero wastE Blade ReseArch) consortium today announces the successful completion of the full scale validation testing of the first recyclable blade and production of the second recyclable thermoplastic blade, further advancing the wind industry’s commitment to achieving a circular economy.

The second blade, measuring 77 m in length, was made at LM Wind Power’s blade plant in Castellón, Spain, using Arkema’s thermoplastic liquid resin Elium® known for its recyclability, and Owens Corning’s high performance glass fabrics. It features a new Carbon-Elium® resin spar cap technology and a new adhesive from Arkema’s subsidiary Bostik specialized in adhesive solutions.

Importantly, the second ZEBRA blade is a world-first in using recycled Elium® resin in the manufacture of a shear web, which is a structurally important component of the blade, and demonstrates the potential of the resin technology to deliver sustainable blade designs and simulating the circularity of the Elium® resin.

“The ZEBRA project is proceeding according to schedule and will soon deliver its final results. The successful achievement of the test campaign on the first blade and the completion of this second blade represents a major achievement both for the consortium and for the wind energy industry as a whole. The next major milestones for the year 2024 will be the delivery of a complete life cycle analysis based on the blades produced in the frame of ZEBRA project, the focus on recycling activities and the completion of validation testing on the second blade containing the new Carbon-Elium® resin spar cap,” emphasises Guillaume SANA, project leader at the IRT Jules Verne.

Following the manufacture of the first recyclable blade in March 2022, the ZEBRA consortium initiated a further intensive development and testing phase to develop the necessary technologies to manufacture a Carbon-Elium® resin spar design. This included material and process development to ensure that required mechanical properties could be achieved, and in close collaboration with LM Wind Power’s skilled Castellon team, the necessary manufacturing process could be developed to ensure the manufacture of full-scale components.

John Korsgaard, Senior Director, LM Wind Power says: “The second ZEBRA blade builds on the learnings and valuable insights gained from the creation of the first blade and has helped us understand the structural potential to use Elium® resin in carbon blades. It complements the efforts led by our partners to demonstrate the recycling technologies for Elium® based composites using glass fiber and even carbon fiber. This blade marks a key milestone for the ZEBRA project and highlights the significance of plant collaboration in new technology development, in addition to supporting sustainability objectives for our company and our customers.”

According to Owens Corning: “Our involvement in this consortium is part of our strategy to be “sustainable by design”, which means taking into account environmental sustainability from the design phase of products so they can be recycled and reused. The testing done around the first blade produced demonstrated the performance and compatibility of Owens Corning’s glass fiber product with Elium® resin and long blade manufacturing requirements. This second blade serves as evidence that our products can maintain the performance and recyclability of even larger wind turbine blades.”

The first recyclable ZEBRA blade has successfully completed full-scale validation testing at LM Wind Power’s Test and Validation Centre in Denmark, with recycling tests currently ongoing. Full-scale structural lifetime testing of the second blade has already started with successful completion of static testing, where the blade is exposed to the extreme loads.

Launched in September 2020, the ZEBRA project is a unique partnership led by French research center IRT Jules Verne and brings together industrial companies including Arkema, CANOE, ENGIE, LM Wind Power, Owens Corning and SUEZ. The project’s aim is to demonstrate the technical, economic, and environmental relevance of thermoplastic wind turbine blades on a full scale, with an eco-design approach to facilitate recycling.

About Arkema 

Building on its unique set of expertise in materials science, Arkema offers a portfolio of first-class technologies to address ever-growing demand for new and sustainable materials. With the ambition to become in 2024 a pure player in Specialty Materials, the Group is structured into 3 complementary, resilient and highly innovative segments dedicated to Specialty Materials – Adhesive solutions (Bostik), Advanced Materials, and Coating Solutions- accounting for some 91% of Group sales in 2022, and a well-positioned and competitive Intermediates segment. Arkema offers cutting-edge technological solutions to meet the challenges of, among other things, new energies, access to water, recycling, urbanization and mobility, and fosters a permanent dialogue with all its stakeholders. The Group reported sales of around €11.5 billion in 2022, and operates in some 55 countries with 21,100 employees worldwide.

About CANOE – www.plateforme-canoe.com 

CANOE is a French R&T provider, specialized in polymer formulation, fiber-reinforced composite manufacturing and recycling process development, recycled fiber reprocessing, sensor integration for SHM, materials characterization and non-destructive testing. CANOE provides R&D services to companies over the whole manufacturing chain value of a composite part from design and prototyping up to pre-series and industrialization assistance.

About ENGIE 

ENGIE is a global reference in low-carbon energy and services. With its 96,000 employees, its customers, partners and stakeholders, the Group is committed to accelerate the transition towards a carbon-neutral world, through reduced energy consumption and more environmentally friendly solutions. Inspired by its purpose (“raison d’être”), ENGIE reconciles economic performance with a positive impact on people and the planet, building on its key businesses (gas, renewable energy, services) to offer competitive solutions to its customers. Turnover in 2022: 93.9 billion Euros. The Group is listed on the Paris and Brussels stock exchanges (ENGI) and is represented in the main financial indices (CAC 40, Euronext 100, FTSE Euro 100, MSCI Europe) and non-financial indices (DJSI World, Euronext Vigeo Eiris – Europe 120 / France 20, MSCI EMU ESG screened, MSCI EUROPE ESG Universal Select, Stoxx Europe 600 ESG-X).

About IRT Jules Verne – www.irt-jules-verne.fr 

IRT Jules Verne is a mutualized industrial research centre dedicated to manufacturing. Working closely with production equipment manufacturers and integrators, IRT Jules Verne caters to 4 strategic industrial sectors: aeronautics, shipbuilding, the automotive industry, and renewable marine energy. The IRT team works hand in hand with the very best industrial and academic resources in the manufacturing field. Its vocation is to improve the competitiveness of strategic industrial sectors in France by creating disruptive technologies for manufacturing processes. Its mission is to speed up innovation and technology transfer to factories. In its bid to provide comprehensive solutions up to scale-1 demonstrators, IRT Jules Verne installs and utilises a wide range of exclusive state-of-the-art equipment.

L’IRT Jules Verne bénéficie d’une aide de l’État au titre du programme d’Investissements d’avenir portant la référence ANR-10-AIRT-02 

About LM Wind Power – www.lmwindpower.com 

LM Wind Power (“Company”), a GE Vernova business, is an industry-leading developer and manufacturer of highquality rotor blades for onshore and offshore wind turbines with blade services solutions and a global manufacturing footprint, headquartered in Denmark. LM Wind Power has produced over 260,000 blades since 1978, corresponding to 142 GW installed capacity. As part of the Company’s sustainability journey, LM Wind Power became the first carbon neutral company in the wind industry in 2018 and is committed to building Zero Waste Blades by 2030.

About Owens Corning – www.owenscorning.com 

Owens Corning is a global building and construction materials leader committed to building a sustainable future through material innovation. Our three integrated businesses – Composites, Insulation, and Roofing – provide durable, sustainable, energy-efficient solutions that leverage our unique material science, manufacturing, and market knowledge to help our customers win and grow. We are global in scope, human in scale with approximately 19,000 employees in 31 countries dedicated to generating value for our customers and shareholders and making a difference in the communities where we work and live. Founded in 1938 and based in Toledo, Ohio, USA, Owens Corning posted 2022 sales of $9.8 billion.

About SUEZ 

SUEZ is a major player in environmental services. For almost 160 years, SUEZ has supported local communities and industrial companies in the management of essential services such as water, waste, and air quality. As such, SUEZ produces drinking water for 66 million people worldwide, recovers 2 million tons of secondary raw materials per year, and generates 3.1 TWh of renewable energy from waste. In our ongoing management of the ecological transition and climate change challenges, SUEZ relies on the expertise and commitment of its 35,000 employees (particularly in France, Italy, Central Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia) to offer high value-added and customized environmental solutions to all its customers. SUEZ’s expertise allows, for instance, its customers to avoid the emission of 4.2 million tons of CO2, thus improving their carbon footprint and their impact on climate. With a turnover of nearly 7 billion euros and backed by its expertise and capacity to innovate, SUEZ has strong growth prospects. SUEZ relies on a solid consortium of investors made up of Meridiam and GIP – with 40% stakes each – and the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations Group with a 20% stake in the capital, including 8% held by CNP Assurances, to pursue its strategic development plans in France and internationally.

December 18, 2023 /3BL/ – Qurate Retail Group, which comprises six leading retail brands – QVC®, HSN®, Ballard Designs®, Frontgate®, Garnet Hill® and Grandin Road® – has been recognized on Newsweek’s list of America’s Most Responsible Companies 2024. The world leader in video commerce (“vCommerce”) ranked second out of 25 in the retail industry and earned a spot among the top 125 companies overall. This accolade is presented by Newsweek in collaboration with Statista Inc., a renowned statistics portal and industry ranking provider.

America’s Most Responsible Companies recognizes the top 600 most responsible companies in the United States, spanning 14 industries. The ranking focuses on a holistic view of corporate responsibility that considers all three pillars of ESG: Environment, Social, and Corporate Governance. The analysis is based on two metrics:

KPI research: The KPI research formed the first part of the detailed analysis. Over 30 KPIs have been researched for the top 2,000 public companies by revenue with headquarters in the USA.Public survey: The survey was the second part of the detailed analysis to evaluate the companies’ CSR reputation. 17,000 US residents were surveyed. Respondents were asked to select companies familiar to them and then to evaluate the company’s CSR performance in general and in the three subdimensions: social, environmental and governance.

In September 2023, Qurate Retail Group released its third annual Corporate Responsibility Report, where it announced significant advancements in its efforts to protect the environment, foster empowerment and belonging, and curate product responsibly. Highlights from the report include a 26% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions, surpassing total charitable giving goals three years early and the implementation of traceability audits to enhance supply chain visibility. The report underscores Qurate Retail Group’s dedication to sustainability, philanthropy and fostering an inclusive business for the benefit of all stakeholders – including customers, team members, vendors, community members, and shareholders.

To learn more about Qurate Retail Group’s commitment to Corporate Responsibility, visit: www.qurateretailgroup.com/lp/corporate-responsibility/

December 18, 2023 /3BL/ – Qurate Retail Group, which comprises six leading retail brands – QVC®, HSN®, Ballard Designs®, Frontgate®, Garnet Hill® and Grandin Road® – has been recognized on Newsweek’s list of America’s Most Responsible Companies 2024. The world leader in video commerce (“vCommerce”) ranked second out of 25 in the retail industry and earned a spot among the top 125 companies overall. This accolade is presented by Newsweek in collaboration with Statista Inc., a renowned statistics portal and industry ranking provider.

America’s Most Responsible Companies recognizes the top 600 most responsible companies in the United States, spanning 14 industries. The ranking focuses on a holistic view of corporate responsibility that considers all three pillars of ESG: Environment, Social, and Corporate Governance. The analysis is based on two metrics:

KPI research: The KPI research formed the first part of the detailed analysis. Over 30 KPIs have been researched for the top 2,000 public companies by revenue with headquarters in the USA.Public survey: The survey was the second part of the detailed analysis to evaluate the companies’ CSR reputation. 17,000 US residents were surveyed. Respondents were asked to select companies familiar to them and then to evaluate the company’s CSR performance in general and in the three subdimensions: social, environmental and governance.

In September 2023, Qurate Retail Group released its third annual Corporate Responsibility Report, where it announced significant advancements in its efforts to protect the environment, foster empowerment and belonging, and curate product responsibly. Highlights from the report include a 26% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions, surpassing total charitable giving goals three years early and the implementation of traceability audits to enhance supply chain visibility. The report underscores Qurate Retail Group’s dedication to sustainability, philanthropy and fostering an inclusive business for the benefit of all stakeholders – including customers, team members, vendors, community members, and shareholders.

To learn more about Qurate Retail Group’s commitment to Corporate Responsibility, visit: www.qurateretailgroup.com/lp/corporate-responsibility/

Schneider Electric

Way back in 1982, I started my career when I became a trainee electrician at the age of 16. The talk at the time was all about acid rain and the ozone layer. The terms “global warming” and “climate change” were only just starting to appear on the public radar. The first-ever COP climate change conference (Berlin, 1995) was still several years away.

Fast-forward to 2023. In the time it’s taken me to go from trainee to CEO of a global leader in energy management and automation, those early hints of global warming have swelled into outright climate crisis. Successive COPs (number 28 is happening soon) have resulted in ambitious decarbonization targets and policy initiatives around the world.

But governments can’t do it all alone. The corporate sector needs to be part of the action, and there’s a lot more companies can do to get us towards net-zero emissions faster.

The good news is that in spite of – or perhaps because of – the geopolitical, economic and energy-market turmoil of recent years, the business world is increasingly making commitments to sustainability and decarbonization.

As of now, some 3,900 companies worldwide have set emissions-reduction targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). And according to the Net Zero Tracker, 929 of the 2,000 largest publicly-traded companies in the world had net-zero commitments in place as of mid-2023. That’s more than double the number of two years earlier.

But many businesses have yet to set decarbonization goals or deliver as much action as they could.

Why is that? I believe the hold-up is partly due to still-insufficient awareness of the solutions at our collective disposal and of the benefits of action.

Misconception number one is that decarbonization is entirely about increasing the use of solar, wind and tidal power. As important as supplying more clean, renewable energy, however, is tackling the demand side and optimizing how energy is consumed. And while energy efficiency is starting to get more attention, the role it plays on the path to net zero is often overlooked and under-appreciated.

That’s despite the fact that plenty of powerful solutions for energy efficiency already exist. Automation software that optimizes processes and energy usage in industrial sites and value chains, for example. Or digitally-enabled heating and cooling systems that identify and reduce energy waste in homes and commercial buildings. And electric heat pumps and EVs, which are cleaner and far more energy efficient than fossil-fueled technologies.

The second misconception is that such technologies are not particularly effective and that they yield a low return on investment. In fact, the good news is that both effectiveness and ROI are often larger than many assume.

Take the findings of research we conducted with the global design firm WSP. These showed that installing digital building and power management solutions in existing office buildings could reduce their operational carbon emissions by up to 42% with a payback period of less than three years. What’s more, replacing fossil fuel-powered heating technologies with electric-powered alternatives, and installing a microgrid with local renewable energy sources, can achieve an additional 28% reduction in operational carbon emissions.

Yes, policy action is key to setting frameworks and incentivizing action. And the Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders recently called for more to be done to streamline permitting processes, harmonize climate disclosure standards, and phase out fossil fuel subsidies, among other things.

But rather than wait for the policy environment to keep improving further, the corporate sector can and must do more, faster, now.

Even companies that are not directly involved in creating and selling decarbonization and climate solutions can reduce emissions and raw materials usage both in their own operations and within their supply and distribution chains.

They can contribute to the public debate, by sharing research and expertise. They can support communities through corporate citizenship programs, or through training initiatives that address the shortage of skills in the digital, electrification and clean energy sectors, particularly in remote or underdeveloped parts of the world, to ensure the energy transition is fair and inclusive.

And they can provide the commercial acumen and marketing expertise (and sometimes seed capital or financial backing) that’s needed to take innovations from the drawing board to fruition, and to market.

All this requires effort and financial commitment. But it’s time to recognize holistic, cooperative and multi-faceted corporate sustainability action as not just a must-do imposed by regulators, but as a business and job-creation opportunity that can lower emissions and costs faster than many realize.

Take it from a trainee-electrician-turned-software-engineer-turned-company-CEO: there are ample electrification, digital, automation and other technologies at our disposal today. There’s both a moral and a business case for deploying them at much greater scale and speed. And the cost of inaction would ultimately be far greater than the cost of action.

Schneider Electric

Way back in 1982, I started my career when I became a trainee electrician at the age of 16. The talk at the time was all about acid rain and the ozone layer. The terms “global warming” and “climate change” were only just starting to appear on the public radar. The first-ever COP climate change conference (Berlin, 1995) was still several years away.

Fast-forward to 2023. In the time it’s taken me to go from trainee to CEO of a global leader in energy management and automation, those early hints of global warming have swelled into outright climate crisis. Successive COPs (number 28 is happening soon) have resulted in ambitious decarbonization targets and policy initiatives around the world.

But governments can’t do it all alone. The corporate sector needs to be part of the action, and there’s a lot more companies can do to get us towards net-zero emissions faster.

The good news is that in spite of – or perhaps because of – the geopolitical, economic and energy-market turmoil of recent years, the business world is increasingly making commitments to sustainability and decarbonization.

As of now, some 3,900 companies worldwide have set emissions-reduction targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). And according to the Net Zero Tracker, 929 of the 2,000 largest publicly-traded companies in the world had net-zero commitments in place as of mid-2023. That’s more than double the number of two years earlier.

But many businesses have yet to set decarbonization goals or deliver as much action as they could.

Why is that? I believe the hold-up is partly due to still-insufficient awareness of the solutions at our collective disposal and of the benefits of action.

Misconception number one is that decarbonization is entirely about increasing the use of solar, wind and tidal power. As important as supplying more clean, renewable energy, however, is tackling the demand side and optimizing how energy is consumed. And while energy efficiency is starting to get more attention, the role it plays on the path to net zero is often overlooked and under-appreciated.

That’s despite the fact that plenty of powerful solutions for energy efficiency already exist. Automation software that optimizes processes and energy usage in industrial sites and value chains, for example. Or digitally-enabled heating and cooling systems that identify and reduce energy waste in homes and commercial buildings. And electric heat pumps and EVs, which are cleaner and far more energy efficient than fossil-fueled technologies.

The second misconception is that such technologies are not particularly effective and that they yield a low return on investment. In fact, the good news is that both effectiveness and ROI are often larger than many assume.

Take the findings of research we conducted with the global design firm WSP. These showed that installing digital building and power management solutions in existing office buildings could reduce their operational carbon emissions by up to 42% with a payback period of less than three years. What’s more, replacing fossil fuel-powered heating technologies with electric-powered alternatives, and installing a microgrid with local renewable energy sources, can achieve an additional 28% reduction in operational carbon emissions.

Yes, policy action is key to setting frameworks and incentivizing action. And the Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders recently called for more to be done to streamline permitting processes, harmonize climate disclosure standards, and phase out fossil fuel subsidies, among other things.

But rather than wait for the policy environment to keep improving further, the corporate sector can and must do more, faster, now.

Even companies that are not directly involved in creating and selling decarbonization and climate solutions can reduce emissions and raw materials usage both in their own operations and within their supply and distribution chains.

They can contribute to the public debate, by sharing research and expertise. They can support communities through corporate citizenship programs, or through training initiatives that address the shortage of skills in the digital, electrification and clean energy sectors, particularly in remote or underdeveloped parts of the world, to ensure the energy transition is fair and inclusive.

And they can provide the commercial acumen and marketing expertise (and sometimes seed capital or financial backing) that’s needed to take innovations from the drawing board to fruition, and to market.

All this requires effort and financial commitment. But it’s time to recognize holistic, cooperative and multi-faceted corporate sustainability action as not just a must-do imposed by regulators, but as a business and job-creation opportunity that can lower emissions and costs faster than many realize.

Take it from a trainee-electrician-turned-software-engineer-turned-company-CEO: there are ample electrification, digital, automation and other technologies at our disposal today. There’s both a moral and a business case for deploying them at much greater scale and speed. And the cost of inaction would ultimately be far greater than the cost of action.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are not just words but values that are exemplified through our One Cadence—One Team culture and the importance of sustaining it as we learn from diverse perspectives.

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.“ – Helen Keller

“None of us, including me, ever do great things. But we can all do small things with great love, and together we can do something wonderful.“ – Mother Teresa

Cadence Women Conference Global

I was honored to participate in our very first global Cadence Women Conference (CWC), which took place in sunny San Diego, California, and brought together 250 attendees from 15 different countries. The program for this year’s conference revolved around the theme of #bettertogether#, emphasizing that we are not just the sum of our parts but that our success is multiplied when we lift, support, and amplify each other.

This event showcased keynote speakers from academia and industry, as well as workshops, panels, networking, and mentorship. Additionally, it featured our signature “Voice” track, where employees shared their thoughts on workplace improvements.

CWC Recap Around the Globe

To continue the energy and extend the learnings to more people in our community, I worked with a passionate global team of volunteers to host in-person recap events around the globe. This included San Jose, Austin, Burlington, and Belo Horizonte in North and South America; Cork, Dublin, and Bracknell in Europe; Noida and Bangalore in India; and Seoul, Shanghai, Hsinchu, Beijing, Nanjing, and Singapore in Asia.

We had a blast at the recap events, where we got to hear from attendees about their experiences and insights from the global conference. It was even better because some amazing allies joined us for the learning and discussion sessions. At every site, we had featured agendas planned, including awesome summaries of the mentoring sessions, workshops, Voice, and clips from our inspiring speakers: Jodi Shelton, CEO of the Global Semiconductor Alliance; ML Krakauer, chair of the board at Cadence; and Asu Ozdaglar, MathWorks professor and department head of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at MIT. We also included fun and community-giving activities. 16 site events created great opportunities for women and their allies to learn, network, and celebrate. We’re thrilled to have had such an incredible experience!

Do One Thing for Yourself and One Thing for Others

The global recap events demonstrated Cadence’s “#bettertogether# spirit by following the philosophy of “do one thing for yourself and do one thing for others.” This is something that our executive sponsor, Yoon Kim, always asks of attendees. Here are some highlights.

Makeup Kit Packing: We collaborated with the Cadence Giving Foundation and volunteered with Dress for Success San Jose to assemble makeup kits and write notes of encouragement, which will be given to Dress for Success clients to help them feel confident for job interviews and new jobs.

Giving Back to Community: We received donations from across the Korea site to purchase goods, and our attendees worked together to package 42 sets of hopeFULL hygiene kits for teenage girls in the community. We spread joy through giving and inspire others to do the same together!

Aromatherapy DIY Station: In our fast-paced, technology-driven world, it can be easy to neglect yourself. Aromatherapy is the practice of using essential oils for therapeutic benefit. The U.S. attendees enjoyed creating an aromatherapy kit to take home for themselves and their loved ones.

CWC Post-it Wall: At the India site, a wonderful idea was introduced to reflect on one’s actions. The idea was that everyone should write on colored post-its—green was for what you did for the community (C), orange was for what you did for yourself (W for “we”), and pink was for what you did for Cadence (C).

Conclusion

I cannot express enough how thankful I am to all the wonderful volunteers and participants who made this series of events a huge success! The dedication and passion demonstrated by everyone involved is truly inspiring. Cadence is taking great strides towards empowering women through initiatives such as CWC, post-event activities, and many more local events. I am confident that these efforts will make a significant impact in creating a stronger and more supportive community for women at Cadence. This is only the beginning, and I am excited to see what the future holds for our amazing women’s community!

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are not just words but values that are exemplified through our One Cadence—One Team culture and the importance of sustaining it as we learn from diverse perspectives.

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.“ – Helen Keller

“None of us, including me, ever do great things. But we can all do small things with great love, and together we can do something wonderful.“ – Mother Teresa

Cadence Women Conference Global

I was honored to participate in our very first global Cadence Women Conference (CWC), which took place in sunny San Diego, California, and brought together 250 attendees from 15 different countries. The program for this year’s conference revolved around the theme of #bettertogether#, emphasizing that we are not just the sum of our parts but that our success is multiplied when we lift, support, and amplify each other.

This event showcased keynote speakers from academia and industry, as well as workshops, panels, networking, and mentorship. Additionally, it featured our signature “Voice” track, where employees shared their thoughts on workplace improvements.

CWC Recap Around the Globe

To continue the energy and extend the learnings to more people in our community, I worked with a passionate global team of volunteers to host in-person recap events around the globe. This included San Jose, Austin, Burlington, and Belo Horizonte in North and South America; Cork, Dublin, and Bracknell in Europe; Noida and Bangalore in India; and Seoul, Shanghai, Hsinchu, Beijing, Nanjing, and Singapore in Asia.

We had a blast at the recap events, where we got to hear from attendees about their experiences and insights from the global conference. It was even better because some amazing allies joined us for the learning and discussion sessions. At every site, we had featured agendas planned, including awesome summaries of the mentoring sessions, workshops, Voice, and clips from our inspiring speakers: Jodi Shelton, CEO of the Global Semiconductor Alliance; ML Krakauer, chair of the board at Cadence; and Asu Ozdaglar, MathWorks professor and department head of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at MIT. We also included fun and community-giving activities. 16 site events created great opportunities for women and their allies to learn, network, and celebrate. We’re thrilled to have had such an incredible experience!

Do One Thing for Yourself and One Thing for Others

The global recap events demonstrated Cadence’s “#bettertogether# spirit by following the philosophy of “do one thing for yourself and do one thing for others.” This is something that our executive sponsor, Yoon Kim, always asks of attendees. Here are some highlights.

Makeup Kit Packing: We collaborated with the Cadence Giving Foundation and volunteered with Dress for Success San Jose to assemble makeup kits and write notes of encouragement, which will be given to Dress for Success clients to help them feel confident for job interviews and new jobs.

Giving Back to Community: We received donations from across the Korea site to purchase goods, and our attendees worked together to package 42 sets of hopeFULL hygiene kits for teenage girls in the community. We spread joy through giving and inspire others to do the same together!

Aromatherapy DIY Station: In our fast-paced, technology-driven world, it can be easy to neglect yourself. Aromatherapy is the practice of using essential oils for therapeutic benefit. The U.S. attendees enjoyed creating an aromatherapy kit to take home for themselves and their loved ones.

CWC Post-it Wall: At the India site, a wonderful idea was introduced to reflect on one’s actions. The idea was that everyone should write on colored post-its—green was for what you did for the community (C), orange was for what you did for yourself (W for “we”), and pink was for what you did for Cadence (C).

Conclusion

I cannot express enough how thankful I am to all the wonderful volunteers and participants who made this series of events a huge success! The dedication and passion demonstrated by everyone involved is truly inspiring. Cadence is taking great strides towards empowering women through initiatives such as CWC, post-event activities, and many more local events. I am confident that these efforts will make a significant impact in creating a stronger and more supportive community for women at Cadence. This is only the beginning, and I am excited to see what the future holds for our amazing women’s community!