Tag: 3BL

Originally published on Nielsen News Center

At Nielsen, we know that data has the potential to transform the world. For over 100 years, we have innovated to bring powerful data to help our clients understand and reach their audiences and drive outcomes. In addition to serving our media and advertising clients, we know that Nielsen data can be an important tool to drive greater representation and inclusion in the media industry, such as our Diverse Intelligence Series. Put simply, our data has the potential to power a better media future for all people. That’s why we are committed to leveraging Nielsen data to advance social change through our Data for Good® program.

What is the Data for Good® program?

Data for Good projects and initiatives share Nielsen data as well as our solutions and talent with nonprofit organizations to make a positive impact, especially to increase representation and encourage inclusion. Our program includes but is not limited to traditional data philanthropy, which involves the donation of data to nonprofit organizations at no cost or at discounted rates. At Nielsen, we think beyond the term “data philanthropy” and aim to build mutual long-term collaborations with nonprofit organizations that leverage not only data, but also our talent and strategic solutions.

Recognizing the importance of this work, in 2021 we committed to a 2024 goal to contribute $30 million in total in-kind value for pro bono data donations, public reports and other support for organizations and topics that are powering a better media future for all people. In 2022 alone, we already donated an estimated $21.7 million in pro bono projects and skills-based volunteering to support nonprofit organizations, including many that are advocating for greater representation and inclusion in the media industry.

Why do we do it?

1. Our Data for Good program helps Nielsen and key nonprofit organizations work together to power a better and more inclusive media future for all.

For example, we collaborate with the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, a research-based organization that works to create gender balance, foster inclusion and reduce negative stereotyping in family entertainment media around the world. For more than five years, we’ve donated pro bono audience measurement data for their reports and other research analyzing diverse representation to drive inclusivity in family programming.

For our global day of service this year, 28 Nielsen volunteers worked in teams to propose solutions and provide actionable recommendations to four nonprofits driving representation in media and technology and the use of technology for social impact. The participating nonprofits included: AI4ALL, The National Association of Broadcasters Leadership Foundation (NABLF), The Paley Center for Media, and Potential Energy Coalition. Teams worked on a variety of projects covering website strategy, audience targeting, sponsorship growth, and data management. In a follow-up survey, all of the nonprofits reported they will be able to use or implement the work created and guidance provided in the next 12 months.

Additionally, since 2017 we have worked with Harmony Labs, a nonprofit organization dedicated to understanding media influence and encouraging media systems that serve the public good. We donate Nielsen audience panel data to help Harmony Labs to gain insight on consumers’ media behavior as well as the content they are engaging with.

2. It helps us get the next generation of diverse talent interested in data careers.

Since 2019, Nielsen has sponsored AI4ALL’s educational programs to train talent from historically excluded groups to become ethical leaders in the artificial intelligence (AI) industry. In 2022, we collaborated with AI4ALL to launch an inaugural Data Jam initiative for students in the organization’s College Pathways program. We donated a data set and provided volunteer support from Nielsen data scientists to help the students learn best practices in data analysis and visualization, and to develop new data visualizations using Nielsen data.

One of our Nielsen volunteers shared her experience: “Volunteering for the Data Jam was an incredible experience. I had the opportunity to mentor students, answer career-related questions and share my experience in the data science industry. As a local leader for Cares, our volunteering BRG, I know how important opportunities like this one are in cultivating more diverse and inclusive future generations of talent in the field.”

3. It helps drive our innovation.

In 2022, we hosted an internal company-wide Data for Good Idea Challenge. This challenge provided an opportunity to leverage the creativity and innovation of our people to explore ways to propel our Data for Good program for an even greater impact.

Dozens of employees from around the world shared their ideas for how Nielsen data, solutions and talent can creatively power a more inclusive media future that works for and represents all people. Nielsen teams across 10 countries submitted ideas on a range of media industry challenges, like the impact of media on mental health, news source credibility and influencer diversity. Six finalists were chosen to present their ideas to a panel of senior leader judges. Winning ideas included a rating for scientific content in extreme weather reporting; a framework to use nonbinary genders in survey-based products and models; and a new metric to evaluate mental health as a standard media key performance indicator (KPI). We’re excited that the Climate Content Rating project has continued to be developed throughout 2023 and a report of findings and analysis is scheduled to launch in early 2024.

As we look to the next 100 years of serving the media industry, we know that powering a better media future will require innovation and collaboration. We remain committed to supporting nonprofit organizations driving representation and inclusion, through our data, insights and expertise. Learn more about our efforts in our 2023 ESG report. We hope that you will join Nielsen in our commitment to use data to advance social change and greater inclusion.

Chemours Fayetteville Works and Fayetteville-based Mac Williams Middle School today announced a partnership through the company’s Chemours Future of Engineering, Science, Trades, and Technology (ChemFEST) program, to promote early engagement in STEM education in the Fayetteville community.

The ChemFEST school partnership program is a company-wide effort, designed to champion change toward a more diverse science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) workforce. Through ChemFEST, Chemours is investing in under-resourced middle schools in its footprint communities to ensure that younger students are exposed to STEM education early on. This is critical as research shows that proficiency and interest in STEM are most influential when initiated before students reach high school and begin choosing their courses, and there will be more than 800,000 job openings in STEM-related fields over the next 20 years.

The ChemFEST school partnership model allows for customization to meet the needs of each partner school and local community. As a first step in its ChemFEST partnership with Mac Williams, Chemours granted over $29,000 in funding for seven Paxton Patterson lab modules, which educate on topics like Alternative Energy, Environment & Ecology, and Engineering & Design. Paxton Patterson labs provide students the opportunity to explore possible careers through simulated experiences in the classroom. Through this hands-on learning, students can explore their interests and aptitudes for different STEM disciplines.

Mac Williams Middle School strives to provide a safe and caring environment that will enable successful outcomes in all aspects of each student’s development. The school is committed to preparing students for high school and to be career/college-ready in a globally competitive society.

Chemours employees will engage with students in a variety of ways throughout the year, including in-lab support and discussing STEM career opportunities, and the company looks forward to continuing to partner with the school and its students in future years through this partnership.

“We are so excited to join Mac Williams Middle School in their pursuit to bring new STEM tools and content to the classroom,” reflected Seth Bailey, Chemours Manufacturing Technology Manager and Fayetteville Works ChemFEST Committee Member. “Our employees are ready to assist the faculty in presenting the lab modules and share how STEM careers bring innovative solutions to address the world’s toughest challenges – which is exactly what Chemours does every day.”

“Mac Williams’ staff members are excited to begin this partnership to provide real world STEM experiences for our students,” shared Anita McLaughlin, Mac Williams Middle School Principal.

All ChemFEST programs include multi-year financial support as part of Chemours’ goal to invest $50 million to create and sustain vibrant communities. The time, talent, financial resources, and expertise of Chemours and its employees will be used to help meet each school’s needs with the goal of engaging and inspiring the next generation of STEM professionals. 

To learn more about Chemours’ ChemFEST school partnership program, visit www.chemours.com/chemfest.

The Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) is teaming up with Innovation Forum (IF) in a new media collaboration announced this month.

As part of the collaboration, the SAC will join IF on their two flagship Sustainable Apparel and Textiles Conferences, happening in spring 2024. IF looked to collaborate with the SAC, given the nonprofit’s strong representation in apparel and textiles – representing over half of the industry. The organizations will collaborate on session programming, speakers, event marketing, and more.

The first conference takes place in Amsterdam on April 23 to 24, followed by New York City on June 25 to 26. The Amsterdam conference promises over 350 attendees across the apparel industry. The forum will cover how brands can align on incoming legislation, deliver on ambitious climate goals, transform supply chains, scale circularity, engage consumers, and drive positive social impacts, per IF. Meanwhile, the New York event aims to convene over 200 stakeholders addressing apparel’s biggest sustainability challenges and opportunities ahead.

On the news, Lee Green, senior director of communications, at the SAC, said: “After having SAC members attend and speak in the past at Innovation Forum events, it felt like a great opportunity to deepen our involvement. We look forward to collaborating with them as we look to raise awareness about key challenges impacting the industry and, of course, discussing solutions that involve all players along the value chain.”

Drawing on the high-level discretion of the subject matter and attendees, both forums are held under Chatham House rule, meaning speakers can not be directly attributed but information can be used freely.

More information on the collaboration will be available soon.

We couldn’t be prouder to announce we received a 100% on the Human Rights Campaign’s 2023-2024 Corporate Equality Index – that’s nine years running! The CEI is a leading benchmark on how companies are advancing LGBTQ+ friendly policies.

With this score, we’ve earned the distinction of being an “Equality 100 Award: Leader in LGBTQ+ Workplace Inclusion” recipient. Engaging in efforts that help everyone feel accepted and celebrated is essential in fostering an inclusive environment for our employees. Learn more on how McDonald’s is investing in change: http://McD.to/6007RPHQt

Our Human Rights Commitment
We believe businesses like McDonald’s have a responsibility to respect human rights within their spheres of influence. We know we can be a force for good in communities and empower our partners to do the same.

We take our responsibility to respect human rights throughout our value chain seriously. Our commitment is set out in our Human Rights Policy (PDF – 91 KB), which is guided by the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), the International Bill of Human Rights and the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.

Our Human Rights Policy was developed through a highly consultative process, benchmarking against industry peers and benefiting from third-party guidance, including external human rights experts and stakeholders.

Beyond our Human Rights Policy, we’ve been working to strengthen our commitment to human rights and have introduced new policies, as well as updating old ones.

Examples of policies and guidance in place specific to populations most vulnerable to human rights violations include preventing the exploitation of migrant workers through our Responsible and Ethical Recruitment Principles; updated responsible recruitment requirements detailed in our Supplier Workplace Standards and Guidance Document (SWSGD); and safeguarding young workers’ rights with an updated and detailed remediation protocol in the SWSGD relating to child labor developed in consultation with external parties, including nongovernmental organizations (NGOs).

Read more about McDonald’s Impact and Purpose.

About McDonald’s

McDonald’s is the world’s leading global foodservice retailer with nearly 40,000 locations in over 100 countries. Approximately 95% of McDonald’s restaurants worldwide are owned and operated by independent local business owners.

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This post was authored by Alice Sanchez, a Customer and Partner Experience software architect and global co-lead of Cisco’s Native American Network (NAN).

As I stood on the campus of Lac Court Oreille Ojibwe University (LCOOU), I was filled with pride to be representing not just Cisco but also the Native/Indigenous community. I was there for the signing of a new partnership to support the university and its students, enabled by Student Freedom Initiative (SFI) and Cisco.

Participating in this event was meaningful to me for two reasons. First, because representation matters. I was representing my heritage—Pomo, Hawaiian, and Choctaw—as well as the broader Native/Indigenous community. Second—and no less important—because of the way Cisco’s investment will benefit Native/Indigenous students.

Expanding to Support Tribal Colleges

In 2021, Cisco announced our partnership with SFI, a nonprofit that supports students attending minority-serving institutions. As part of this partnership, Cisco funded a $50 million endowment for juniors and seniors pursuing STEM education at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The funding was part of $150 million commitment to HBCUs through Cisco’s social justice initiative. Our inaugural work with HBCUs created a blueprint that is now expanding to other minority-serving institutions, and LCOOU is the first tribal college beneficiary.

“Bridging the digital divide for Native/Indigenous communities is paramount for helping them achieve sovereignty for themselves and future generations.”

Supporting Students Beyond Financial Needs

LCOOU now has access to a loan program for juniors and seniors in STEM, but the partnership with LCOOU goes beyond dollars. It also includes technology modernization and access to the Cisco Networking Academy.

Cybersecurity Compliance

Part of the agreement includes ensuring LCOOU can meet important cybersecurity standards.

Cisco partner, Procellis, was engaged to conduct an assessment required by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Colleges and universities must be in compliance with more than 100 security controls to continue receiving federal aid under Title IV. Cisco’s donation of security products and services will help LCOOU achieve and maintain cybersecurity compliance.

For minority-serving institutions like LCOOU, protecting federal funding through technology compliance is critical.

Cisco Networking Academy

Cisco is also working with LCOOU to place a Networking Academy at the university. The university will be able to include Network Academy curriculum in its computer science program. As a result, students can graduate with a degree as well as industry-recognized certification.

Supporting Native/Indigenous Communities

I’m proud of the efforts that Cisco has made not just to listening to Indigenous voices, but also supporting and empowering us. Our work with LCOOU is one example, but there are so many more.

For example, I’m co-lead of our Native American Network (NAN), one of our employee resource organizations. Cisco is the first company I’ve worked at that has a Native American network. We’re a small group—Native Americans make up less than 1% of Cisco’s employee base. NAN gives us a vehicle to celebrate our culture and make contributions to the Native/Indigenous community. We are also able to build bridges between our company and Native communities, many of which do not trust big companies, and can benefit from technology.

I am proud of Cisco’s purpose to power an inclusive future for all and commitment to ensuring minority-serving institutions like LCOOU have access to technology, services and infrastructure. Bridging the digital divide for Native/Indigenous communities is paramount for helping them achieve sovereignty for themselves and future generations.

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In October 2023, Griffith Foods had the privilege of hosting “Nourishing the World: A Primer for Sustainable Diets,” webinar in partnership with Worldchefs – World Association of Chefs’ Societies. During the webinar, Griffith Foods experts Chef Mark Serice, Jackie Schulz, MS, RDN and Kim Frankovich touched on many topics including the importance and definition of sustainable diets, the impact of our food system, findings from the UN Food Systems Summit and several sustainable culinary demonstrations.

The team was joined by hundreds of chefs and industry experts from around the globe. Visit the below link to watch the recorded session and discover the profound impact of agriculture, food production, and food waste on our resources and climate, especially in the face of rapid population growth.

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Patrick O’Connell, CFA| Director—Fixed Income Responsible Investing Research 
John Huang, CFA| Director—Fixed Income Responsible Investing, Data and Technology 
Larry Bellinger, CFA| Director—Municipal Credit Research 
Sam Wilamowsky, CFA | Research Analyst—Securitized Assets

Investors need to understand the potential physical damage from natural hazards before they can assess their financial implications.

From hurricanes to earthquakes to droughts, natural disasters are becoming more numerous, extreme and costly. To assess the potential financial damage, investors must better understand physical risks at the local level. That’s the goal of a collaboration between AB and the Columbia Climate School.

Understanding Physical Risks from Natural Hazards

In 2016, the Columbia Climate School’s National Center for Disaster Preparedness created a Natural Hazards Index, a wide-ranging assessment of natural hazard exposures across US states and counties. The intent was to help US households, communities, and public health and emergency management practitioners prepare against natural disasters.

AB subsequently worked with Columbia on an upgraded 2.0 version, released in early 2023, that can generate a detailed interactive map showing natural hazard exposures across the US (Display). It can drill down to any of the 73,057 underlying census tracts that comprise the 3,143 US counties.

The Natural Hazards Index captures the frequency and magnitude of 14 different natural hazards, including coastal flood, damaging wind, drought, earthquake, extreme heat, floods, hail, hurricanes, landslides, tornado, tsunami, volcano, wildfire and winter storms.

It draws on a vast range of data from four different categories: historical data, based on prior events; probabilistic or predictive data, providing some percentage likelihood of an outcome; deterministic data, pointing to an expected outcome given a set of conditions; and a model data set, which uses multiple explanatory variables to approximate selected outcomes. These data are continuously updated.

The result is a non-ranked, summative index with individual hazard scores from one (very low) to five (very high) and, where multiple hazards exist, summative hazard scores as high as 42. The index has made a significant contribution to understanding evolving physical risks to people and property and has greatly assisted the work of first responders.

But the Natural Hazard Index is not a risk index; it isn’t designed to tell us damage or loss estimates or potential population impact. It does, however, provide a strong foundation for this next step.

Three Factors Can Turn a Hazard into a Disaster

For each hazard, investors must consider three key factors that can mitigate or multiply the damage, turning a hazard into a disaster.

The first is exposure: how close is the locale to the hazard? Is it in a floodplain? Surrounded by forest that is flammable from longer and drier summers? In an area prone to hurricanes? Second comes vulnerability. A hazard may be nearby, but precautions can mitigate its effects. For example, using wind-resistant materials when building can curb storm damage. Last is capacity—the ability to cope with the hazard. When disaster strikes, are residents able to evacuate? Do they have access to a car and a place to go?

Ultimately, natural hazard risk is determined by the intersection of the natural hazard and these risk factors—exposure, vulnerability and capacity.

Understanding the Financial Implications of Physical Hazards

To develop a proxy for these three risk factors, we reviewed 30 years of financial cost data from sources such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the US Geological Survey, the University of Oregon, and other institutions that have compiled data on the costs of cleaning up after and mitigating major perils.

With this vast amount of data as a starting place, we created a quantitative risk tool—the Physical Hazard Investment Risk (PHIR) indicator—that scores US census tracts and counties’ total hazard investment risk, ranked from zero (lowest) through 10 (highest) and visualized in a map (Display) that highlights areas with the most financially material risk exposure.

Putting the Physical Hazard Investment Risk Indicator to Work

Several hazards stand out as more costly than the rest: hurricanes, severe storms, droughts and floods. When a location is exposed to more than one of these and has high vulnerability and low capacity, the effect can be dramatic. The US Gulf Coast, for example, faces a cluster of the most devastating natural hazards—hurricanes, floods and coastal flooding (exacerbated by sea-level rise)—and has limited ability to mitigate them.

By contrast, the US Midwest has low PHIR scores, though there are many exceptions. Because the PHIR tool drills down to census tract level, it can identify pockets of risk that other analytics might miss.

PHIR scores are particularly relevant for investors in residential mortgage-backed securities and US municipal bonds. Homes, schools, hospitals, power plants and airports are all tied to specific locations, and so are exposed to the natural hazards in their locale. The tool can help identify securities where natural hazard risks are potentially mispriced by the market and should be accounted for in bond valuations.

In a world where climate is changing fast and natural hazards are becoming ever more important, both the Natural Hazards Index and the PHIR indicator that builds on it can be invaluable tools for investors, providing a deeper understanding of these material risks.

The views expressed herein do not constitute research, investment advice or trade recommendations and do not necessarily represent the views of all AB portfolio-management teams. Views are subject to revision over time.

About the Authors

Patrick O’Connell, CFA

Patrick O’Connell is a Senior Vice President and Director of Fixed Income Responsible Investing Research. In this role, he is part of the leadership team that develops responsible investment strategy across AB’s Fixed Income business, particularly related to integrating environmental, social and governance considerations throughout the team’s research and engagement. Previously, O’Connell served as a corporate credit research analyst, focusing on emerging-market corporates in Latin American and African countries. He joined the Emerging Markets research team in 2013 after working as a credit analyst covering US high-yield energy credits at AB. Prior to joining the firm in 2012, O’Connell was a desk analyst at UBS Investment Bank, where he helped to allocate capital on the trading desk. He holds a BS in accounting and finance (magna cum laude) from Villanova University and is a CFA charterholder. Location: New York

John Huang, CFA

John Huang is a Vice President and Director of Fixed Income Responsible Investing, Data and Technology. In this role, he is part of the leadership team that develops responsible investment strategy across AB’s Fixed Income business. Huang previously spent eight years as a research analyst for Commercial Real Estate Credit Research within the Securitized Assets Research team, covering commercial mortgage-backed securities in support of the firm’s global fixed-income portfolios. Prior to that, he was an associate portfolio manager on the Fixed Income Multi-Sector team, serving US Core and Core Plus clients. Huang joined AB in 2005 as an attribution analyst and developed the firm’s proprietary fixed-income attribution platform. Prior to that, he worked as a performance analyst at UBS. Huang holds a BS in finance and information technology and an MBA from the State University of New York, Binghamton. He also holds a Series 7 license and is a CFA charterholder. Location: New York

Larry Bellinger, CFA

Larry Bellinger is a Senior Vice President and Director for the Municipal Credit Research Group, providing high-yield research on municipal credits, with a focus on senior living and hospitals. He initially joined AB in 2012 as a municipal credit research analyst, focusing on municipal credits in Northeastern states, as well as Florida, Ohio and Wisconsin. Bellinger returned to the firm in 2019. In between, he spent three years as a research analyst with Schroders, covering all regions and all municipal sectors for investment-grade and high-yield credits. Earlier in his career, Bellinger worked at Moody’s Investors Service, where he primarily analyzed municipal credits in the Northeast. Prior to that, he was an analyst at insurance-rating agency AM Best Company and a D&O underwriter for financial institutions at insurance company Chubb. Bellinger holds a BS in business administration (international business) from Central Washington University, an MBA from Michigan State University and a JD from Rutgers Law School. He is a CFA charterholder. Location: New York

Sam Wilamowsky, CFA

Sam Wilamowsky is a Research Analyst with the Securitized Assets Research team. He began his current role in 2017, focusing on US agency mortgage-backed securities. Prior to that, Wilamowsky was a member of the US Multi-Sector and Securitized Portfolio Management team, where he served as an associate portfolio manager since 2013. He joined the firm in 2007 as a quantitative analyst, specializing in portfolio risk and attribution modeling. Wilamowsky holds a BA in liberal arts from Excelsior College and an MS in financial engineering from New York University. He is a CFA charterholder. Location: New York

Learn more about AB’s approach to responsibility here.

When Hurricane Idalia hit the Big Bend area of Florida and caused extreme damage in areas like Taylor County, veteran-led humanitarian organization Team Rubicon began spinning up a response operation within hours. But they knew it would be a months-long effort that would require a lot of teamwork, and they would need heavy equipment to clear roads, move trees and clean up debris.

CASE Construction Equipment, a brand of CNH, worked with its dealers Tidewater Equipment and CASE Power & Equipment of Florida, who were swift to respond. Both companies supplied essential equipment including CASE compact loaders equipped with root grapples to help make quick work of clearing trees and opening roadways.

“When CASE put out a request to local dealers for machinery to support recovery efforts, we jumped right into action,” says Kevin Pittman, sales manager for Tidewater Equipment at their location in Live Oak, Florida, near Taylor County. “This disaster was right in our backyard, and the folks impacted by Idalia were our neighbors, family and friends. We wanted to help any way we could, and we were moved by the work Team Rubicon volunteers were doing across southern Georgia and the Florida Panhandle.”

When it comes to responding to disasters, volunteers from the veteran-led nonprofit Team Rubicon are some of the first to arrive. Also known as “Greyshirts,” Team Rubicon volunteers include sawyers and heavy equipment operators who clear trees and debris from roads so emergency crews can access impacted communities.

“Helping people build communities is what drives CASE in everything we do. That includes rebuilding them when disaster strikes,” says Terry Dolan, vice president, North America, CASE Construction Equipment. “Our dealers in Florida and across North America are always ready to step up to the plate when the need arises. And we’re proud to play a part in the good work Team Rubicon is doing for those impacted by Hurricane Idalia.”

In Taylor County, the destruction left by the high winds, rain and storm surge from Hurricane Idalia was especially severe. Roads across the county were blocked by trees and other debris while power was out in large portions of the county. After Taylor County’s emergency manager requested help, Team Rubicon, with the help of CASE machinery from Tidewater Equipment and CASE Power & Equipment of Florida, launched its first Idalia response on Sept. 1.

“Our continued partnership with CASE allows Team Rubicon to assist more communities in need before and after disasters strike,” said William Porter, Director of Operations Support for Team Rubicon. “We were able to quickly clear roads within hours of Hurricane Idalia making landfall in Florida and have continued to support the community with CASE machines from Tidewater Equipment Company. The commitment of CASE fuels this work and increases our capacity to assist survivors.”

In just the first week following landfall, volunteers brought their relief operation to completion, clearing 298 obstructions across multiple counties in Florida, moving over 490 dump truck loads of debris, and allowing thousands of survivors to regain access to emergency and essential services. Throughout the operation, which continued for months after the storm’s initial impact, CASE dealers were in it for the long haul, supporting Greyshirts with critical equipment to help get the job done as quickly as possible.

“Despite all the destruction left by Idalia, we felt privileged to be in a position to help with the powerful equipment Team Rubicon needed,” says Jeff Heinemann, Director, CASE Power & Equipment, Florida. “Supporting each other in good times and bad is what we’re all about, and we’re proud to be part of a network at CASE that shares those values.”

On December 10th, the world commemorated the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights—a pivotal document that established the entitlement of every individual to certain inherent rights.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights underscores the right to work, emphasizing just and favorable working conditions, protection against unemployment, and the right to adequate remuneration. It ensures a standard of living conducive to human dignity, augmented by social protection measures if necessary.

Beyond human rights disclosures embedded in GRI’s Universal Standards 2021 and GRI’s social topic standards, the GRI Climate Change exposure draft places a great focus on the human aspect of climate change and the concept of just transition. This concept focuses on an equitable, inclusive shift toward green economies and creating viable employment opportunities while ensuring no one is left behind. A just transition is a crucial aspect that has not yet been stressed enough in the current climate reporting landscape.

The GRI Climate Change exposure draft introduces dedicated disclosures on just transition metrics, including:

Number of jobs generated, eliminated, and redeployed due to the transition planEmployee training statistics for upskilling and reskillingGeographical impact of the organization’s transition plan on local communities and Indigenous Peoples, along with the agreements established with them.

Moreover, the concept of just transition is present throughout the GRI Climate Change exposure draft. The exposure draft includes multiple disclosures, urging organizations to report their impacts on workers, local communities, vulnerable groups associated with the adaptation plan, and the use of GHG removals and carbon credits. This comprehensive human-centered approach of this draft amplifies the imperative to address climate change in a manner that safeguards the rights, welfare, and dignity of all individuals.

Get Involved

The Climate Change Standard exposure draft, as well as the Energy Standard exposure draft, were made public on November 21st, with the opportunity still open for all stakeholders to submit their views and feedback, including on the drafts’ feasibility and completeness. The public comment is open until February 29th, 2024. You are encouraged to provide feedback through the online survey, available through the following link: Climate Change and Energy exposure drafts survey.

In addition, a free global Q&A webinar on the exposure drafts will take place on January 24th at 11:00 AM (ET). Reserve your spot here.

Cainiao’s AI-powered logistics tool cuts packing materials by 15%Delivery service Ele.me targets plastic and food waste with in-app prompts

Alibaba Group’s ecosystem sits at the crossroads of digitalization and sustainability, and its businesses are leveraging the former to drive the latter, executives shared on the sidelines of COP28 in Dubai.

The 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, also known as COP28, concluded on Dec. 12 after two weeks of discussions between global policymakers on growing sustainability efforts.

The event offered a learning opportunity for Alibaba, according to the group’s Chief Financial Officer Toby Xu, who attended the conference.

Xu is also the Chairman of Alibaba’s Sustainability Management Committee and in a statement, he said that the platform company is just starting on its journey to address climate change.

Different businesses are tackling the challenge in different ways, though all empowered by technology as advanced as AI and as simple as in-app notifications. Explore their innovations below.

Ship Green

During a side event at the China Pavilion, Cainiao Group’s Vice President Niu Zhijing, who is also the company’s ESG General Manager, expounded on the value of green logistics, which are “a long-term strategy of Cainiao,” he said in a statement.

The company is leveraging many types of technology to implement this strategy, like using AI to create a smart boxing algorithm. This tool selects the optimal parcel size for orders and reduces packing material use by 15%, according to Alibaba’s 2022 ESG report, slashing 80 million cartons worth of material from entering circulation each year.

Cainiao’s adoption of electronic manifests, which list all the items in a shipment in a digital format, has saved over 400 billion paper manifests over the last three years, according to Niu.

The logistics service is also making it easier for other companies to cut carbon. Cainiao implants RFID chips into its suite of around 33,000 reusable boxes, which were used over 130,000 times in the year ending March 31, 2023, documents filed with Hong Kong’s bourse show.

Shop Wisely

There’s a reason “reuse” comes second in the sustainability maxim “reduce, reuse, recycle” – remaking an item into something entirely new is an energy-intensive process that can be avoided by matching pre-loved goods with new homes.

Enter Alibaba’s circular consumption platform Xianyu, which offers an online venue for over 500 million users to post used items for sale, especially clothing.

The fashion industry is responsible for 4% of global emissions, equal to all the greenhouse gases produced by France, Germany and the United Kingdom combined, according to data gathered by advocacy group Global Fashion Agenda.

Xianyu is working to bring this figure down. By using the platform instead of buying at stores, platform users cut 3.14 million tons of carbon emissions during the year ending March 31, 2023.

But that’s just the beginning, according to Xianyu President Ding Jiang, who took to the stage in Dubai.

“We expect that by 2030, Xianyu will serve more than 1 billion users and drive carbon emission reductions of more than 55 million tons,” Ding pledged during a COP28 side event on Dec. 10.

Serve Sustainably

Food delivery app Ele.me is at the forefront of efforts to curb plastic waste, which accounted for over 400 million metric tons of garbage worldwide in 2021.

The platform made headlines earlier this year by launching “nudges” to discourage the use of disposable cutlery. The in-app suggestions increased utensil-free food deliveries by 648% versus a control group, according to a study published in September in Science magazine.

Ele.me has delivered over 1.7 billion orders without tableware, Senior Vice President Xiao Shuixian said during a COP28 side event, just one of several “low-carbon habits” the platform is encouraging among users.

Other efforts include offering smaller portions and group ordering in business districts to streamline delivery logistics.

However, these initiatives require industry-wide cooperation to create lasting impact. And so, Ele.me has joined forces with the China Environmental Protection Federation to release standardized carbon calculations for food waste reduction.

Going forward, the business will move towards paperless receipts, bamboo-based takeout packages instead of plastic and other low-carbon products, Xiao noted.

Farming For The Future

Farmers facing the consequences of climate change, from droughts to hail storms, have found a friend in tech-powered grocery chain Freshippo.

The platform showcased how it is helping to protect harvests from increasingly unpredictable weather patterns, which can cause devastating losses for the agriculture industry.

In desert-bound Inner Mongolia, Freshippo opened a pumpkin farm to hold back the encroaching sands and combat soil erosion last year.

More recently, the business developed a carbon-neutral honey production site in a village in Yunnan, employing local farmers who would otherwise need to eke a living from destructive rubber planting practices.

“Agriculture will continue to be heavily impacted by climate change, making it the common mission of global agriculture practitioners to address climate resilience in agriculture,” said Shen Li, co-founder and Freshippo’s head of sustainable development.

Separately, Eric Wan, Vice President of Alibaba Cloud Intelligence International and General Manager of Alibaba Cloud Middle East, Turkey & Africa, also spoke at COP28, highlighting how Alibaba Cloud’s data centres are leveraging cutting-edge digital technology to support its own decarbonization and empowering more businesses to do the same.

“We believe we can effectively use digital technology for good purposes and create a sustainable world powered by technology,” said Wan.

This article was updated to include mention of Alibaba Cloud’s presence at COP28

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Please refer to https://www.alizila.com/esg/ for additional information about Alibaba’s sustainability efforts.