Tag: 3BL

Originally published by Paramount

In 2021, Paramount Insights surveyed 15,000 consumers across the world to understand their perceptions of the state of on-screen representation and diversity. The resulting study, Reflecting Me, found that audiences craved better representation both on- and off-screen.

Two years later, as part of our Content for Change initiative, we set out to refresh our understanding and build upon those findings. In addition to a new global survey, we spoke to a variety of leading figures shaping the global conversation around media and culture.

This is what they had to say about the state of diversity, equity, and inclusion around the world.

As originally published by GoDaddy’s Venture Forward research initiative

The big fact: *Microbusiness density in Colorado remains largely steady, despite the economic swings over the last four years, according to GoDaddy Venture Forward.

Higher income: Colorado microbusiness owners surveyed make more money than the average United States microbusiness owner, with 58% making $2,500 or more monthly revenue from their business, compared to 51% of the overall survey population. And while it may be easy to assume this success is due to assistance, it’s not the case for the majority of microbusinesses.

Even though Colorado residents (43%) claim more awareness of business assistance funding compared to the rest of the population (36%), and the cost of living in Colorado is 12% higher than the national average, few of them actually take advantage of resources. Only 8% of Colorado residents take advantage of local government, federal government, or non-government resources.

More experience: According to Venture Forward research, 69% of Colorado microbusiness owners started their business before 2020, compared to 62% of the rest of the U.S. sample. This timeframe coupled with a lack of assistance may signal that there are more seasoned entrepreneurs in Colorado equipped to weather economic bumps and challenges.

Surprising business location: With the pandemic-induced a shift to online businesses, it’s no surprise that more than half (55%) of Colorado microbusiness owners conduct business on their website. What’s unique is that nearly double the number of microbusiness owners in Colorado (46%) conduct business in a physical location compared to 27% of the entire U.S. sample. This could be because their businesses are locally focused — as most of their customers are located within their neighborhood (20%), city (40%), or state (39%).

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

Since 2018, Venture Forward surveyed more than 36,000 small business owners with a digital presence, making it the source for microbusiness data and insights.

At Climate Vault, we’re proud to be building a community of Carbon Champions that span a variety of industries, from Finance to Higher Education to Beauty to Design. Regardless of the industry our Carbon Champions are in, they all embody these five key characteristics: Strategist, Amplifier, Innovator, Game Changer, and Catalyst.

Late last year, we decided to create a new award program that would enable us to celebrate and recognize organizations that leverage Climate Vault’s solutions as part of their holistic and credible climate action strategy. This year’s group of honorees represent the organizations that have best embodied each trait, with a sixth additional Overall Carbon Champion Award being given to the organization that went above and beyond in their climate action this year.

In a world where the need for urgent and credible climate action has never been more critical, each of our recipients has made a significant difference in the fight against climate change this year. We are honored to have each of them as a valued member of the Climate Vault community.

We’re thrilled to share that this year’s 2023 Carbon Champions honorees are:

Morningstar, Inc.: Recipient of the Carbon Champion Amplifier award

The Amplifier award celebrates an organization that drives awareness about the importance of addressing climate change while advancing thought leadership to inform and inspire a wider audience through a multi-channel approach. Morningstar’s team has hosted and participated in a number of sustainability-focused events and conferences this year that gathered sustainability leaders and stakeholders to discuss key challenges and opportunities to advance the fight against climate change.

“We are honored to receive the Carbon Champion Amplifier award, which recognizes our dedication to promoting transparency in climate data. We strive to aid investors’ decision-making and support their ability to account for climate risks and opportunities in their investments.”

– Kunal Kapoor, CEO, Morningstar, Inc.

Wesleyan University: Recipient of the Carbon Champion Innovator award

The Innovator award celebrates an organization that seeks out and creates innovative solutions to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of a changing climate. They expand ways of thinking about reducing carbon emissions, supporting constituents, and building a more sustainable future. By implementing a new travel fee for employees, Wesleyan University was able to significantly mitigate its employee travel carbon footprint while also increasing awareness of the climate impact of each trip.

Qlik: Recipient of the Carbon Champion Strategist award

The Strategist award celebrates an organization that seeks to identify and analyze key issues, then leverage data-driven insights into effective ways to address them–all in order to help organizations, communities, and individuals mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change. Qlik has taken monumental steps to achieve net zero emissions by 2025, while also advancing data and AI solutions to help its clients understand their own carbon impact and implement meaningful solutions to address the climate challenge

“As we embrace our role as a Carbon Champion Strategist, we at Qlik recognize the power of data-driven insights in combating climate change. Our commitment goes beyond achieving net-zero emissions; it’s about leveraging our AI and analytics expertise to empower organizations in understanding and mitigating their environmental impact. This award is a testament to our unwavering dedication to innovative, sustainable solutions that not only address today’s challenges but also pave the way for a greener, more responsible future.”

– Julie Kae, VP of Sustainability and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

T. Rowe Price: Recipient of the Carbon Champion Game Changer award

The Game Changer award celebrates an organization that leads the charge against climate change by making a tangible difference in their own carbon footprint, as well as implementing diverse and creative solutions to deepen their impact. T. Rowe Price established its own ESG Oversight Committee this year, engaged with employees and key stakeholders through various eco-focused campaigns, and surpassed its reduction goal in greenhouse gas emissions, ahead of the 2025 deadline.

“We support the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement to limit the increase in global temperatures to 1.5˚C., because we believe that a smooth climate transition will create a more stable economic environment, reduce uncertainty, and enable business investment. We are proud to receive Climate Vault’s Game Changer award. Our partnership enables us to address our emissions from business travel, an area where our ability to reduce emissions is limited, and engage our workforce to address their personal carbon footprints.”

– Heather McDonold, Corporate ESG Senior Manager

Cuningham: Recipient of the Carbon Champion Catalyst award

The Catalyst award celebrates an organization that can drive and accelerate progress by collaborating with others, mobilizing and inspiring them to knock out their own carbon footprints. Cuningham began its drive to monitor and reduce carbon emissions in 2018 and as of 2022 had offset all of its Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3 business travel emissions, in partnership with Climate Vault. Cuningham has been an active leader in the Large Firm Roundtable (LFRT) Sustainability Leaders’ efforts to reduce carbon emissions from their firms’ internal operations. The success of Cuningham and other like-minded firms has now emboldened the LFRT to request that all of its member firms commit to the same effort beginning in 2024. As industry leaders, these firms will have a ripple effect on the entire design and construction sector.

“After spending five years monitoring and then reducing carbon emissions from our internal operations, Cuningham needed to tackle the daunting issue of carbon offsets. We wanted to achieve carbon neutral status for our Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3 business travel, and could only achieve that using offsets. At the same time, we were very aware of the questionable nature of some popular offset programs. Our search for permanent, additional, verifiable, enforced, and real (PAVER) offsets led us to Climate Vault. They’ve been a true resource in verifying the validity of our analytical methods and have made procuring offsets straightforward. Thank you to Climate Vault for helping us all pursue a carbon neutral future!”

– Paul Hutton, Director of Regenerative Design

Northern Trust: Recipient of the Overall Carbon Champion award

The Overall Carbon Champion award recognizes the organization that exemplifies exceptional dedication and impact in more than one category and drives action, educates others and accelerates progress towards meaningfully combating climate change. Northern Trust demonstrated commitment to mitigating its environmental impact including Northern Trust Asset Management, publishing its first report to the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), Northern Trust Asset Servicing launching a voluntary carbon credit ecosystem to support the carbon dioxide removal space, participating in numerous climate related thought leadership speaking engagements, committing to use Science-Based Targets (SBTi) to tackle it carbon footprint, and much more.

“We are honored to be named one of Climate Vault’s Carbon Champion honorees. At Northern Trust, we believe we share the responsibility to meet the needs of our current generation while protecting the environment for future generations. Our partnership with Climate Vault has allowed us to accelerate our progress in meaningful ways for various stakeholders.”

– Jamie Jones Ezefili, Chief Sustainability Officer

“We are incredibly excited to recognize our partners for the innovative and high-impact initiatives they have all undertaken in the fight against climate change this year,” said Michael Greenstone, Co-Founder of Climate Vault and Milton Friedman Distinguished Service Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago. “Our Carbon Champion recipients’ vital work, and those of all Climate Vault partners, demonstrates that it is possible for organizations to take credible, voluntary actions to reduce their carbon footprints. Climate Vault is honored to work closely with our pioneering and industry leading partners.”

It is truly inspiring to witness the dedication to leading the charge against climate change and making a tangible difference in emissions that our honorees bring to the table. We can’t wait to see what amazing things our Carbon Champions do in 2024 and are honored to be a part of their climate action journey.

Are you ready to join our Carbon Champion community and satisfy stakeholders, customers, prospects, and top talent with quantifiable, verifiable carbon reductions + removals? Contact the Climate Vault team to learn how we can help you simplify your climate solutions in the most credible and data-backed way in 2024.

MORE RESOURCES

Originally published on LinkedIn by KFC South Africa

As we embrace the festive season, your R2 can double to R4 and make a world of difference. KFC Add Hope and Gift of the Givers Foundation are uniting to combat childhood hunger in South Africa. Every R2 you contribute during December at KFC will be matched by KFC and directed to Gift of the Givers.​ This is in addition to the over 30 million meals Add Hope has served so far this year. 

Our mission is clear: to ensure no South African child suffers from hunger and malnutrition during the holidays. Let’s come together and be part of something remarkable. Small contributions can create a significant impact! ​ 

Grant Macpherson, Chief Marketing Officer, said it best: “We often underestimate the big our small can do.” Join us in this heartwarming initiative to spread warmth and Hope. Your contribution can change lives.​

KFC Add Hope

Originally published on TriplePundit

This year, the build-up to the United Nations annual Conference of the Parties (COP28) has been given greater urgency by the first Global Stocktake report. Published earlier this fall, the report sends the clear message that time is rapidly running out to limit global heating. Without drastic cuts in emissions of around 50 percent by 2030, we will lose touch with a pathway to a 1.5-degree world, where the worst impacts of global heating can still be managed. Only urgent, short-term actions can deliver the temperature targets fixed in the Paris Agreement.

The Global Stocktake report also highlighted the role that consumer behavior plays in generating emissions, calling on countries to shift to sustainable diets, halve food loss and waste, and transition at least two-thirds of all passenger travel to fossil fuel-free methods of transport by 2030. For business leaders committed to doing their part to limit emissions, this raises important questions about the viability of business models that prioritize immediate, consumer-driven economic growth over the macroeconomic risks of inevitable ecosystem collapse. Can we continue to drive revenue while concurrently safeguarding our long-term environmental and social wellbeing?

Over the past two decades, more than 30 countries have given us reason to believe that we can. Ireland, for example, cut greenhouse gas emissions by 42 percent from 2005 to 2020 while growing its economy by 81 percent, outgunning most of the major developed economies. This is evidence that sustainability and economic consumption do not need to work in conflict.

For Mastercard, playing a role in driving the wider decoupling of emissions and growth is a vital part of our responsibility as a business and as important to us as delivering on our own net-zero targets. We believe that companies can play an active role in supporting the transition to more sustainable consumption patterns. Whether it is the choice between two products, or the choice to support a less wasteful business model, sustainable consumption is about making smarter, more informed, more conscious decisions about what and how we are consuming.

As a payments technology company, Mastercard finds that we’re in a unique position to collaborate across industries to inform, inspire, and enable a new movement of sustainable consumers. Businesses need to provide consumers with the knowledge and data to make more informed purchasing decisions and inspire individuals to understand how their decisions can have a positive impact. Mastercard has increased its efforts over the last few years to equip consumers with information about the impact of their consumption choices, focusing on an education-first approach. We developed the Mastercard Carbon Calculator with our partner Doconomy to help people track and understand the estimated carbon footprint of their purchases. This goes beyond simply choosing one product over another — it empowers consumers to gain a holistic view of the impact that their spending habits have on the planet.

We know that helping drive the wider decoupling of emissions and growth is essential to achieving an inclusive and sustainable economy and a vital part of our responsibility as a business. We’re working to leverage the power of our network of 90 million merchants and nearly 3 billion cardholders so that soon, every swipe, click or tap will let a consumer contribute back to the planet and fight climate change.

The Global Stocktake is clear: We cannot wait for better, more sustainable consumption to evolve organically out of business as usual. We must double down on our efforts to bring transformational solutions to our customers and partners, driving circularity, efficiency, and transparency through high-integrity data, digital tools, and consumer incentives.

We believe that this emerging ecosystem of tech-enabled sustainable consumption will be most effectively realized through collaboration. That means solving problems, sharing learning and insights, and supporting entrepreneurs and innovators with partnerships and routes to market. Every business has a part to play. We’re committed to bringing transformational solutions to our customers and partners so that everyone, everywhere, will be able to make more informed, more conscious decisions today with hope to create a more sustainable and equitable future for tomorrow. We hope you’ll join us.

This article series is sponsored by Mastercard and produced by the TriplePundit editorial team.

When Olebogeng Moumakwe strides through the maze of streets that weave through Diepsloot, people often call out to her in recognition – whether she remembers them or not.

They might have seen her playing or coaching netball, the sport that has been her lifelong passion. They might have seen her at the Rhiza Babuyile health clinic where she works. Or she might have knocked on their doors when they were tending a sick child or newly arrived to the city, checking to see if they needed anything.

“Some of them, I don’t know their names, but they’re still greeting me on the streets,” said Olebogeng, who is sometimes affectionately called “coach” by the people who know her through sports. “They are like, ‘Do you remember that day you did this and that for me?’ And then I’m like, ‘Oh, okay, you’re still fine.’”

In the 10 years she has lived in Diepsloot, Olebogeng has seen it grow and change, attracting people from across the continent who hope to make a life in Johannesburg, South Africa’s largest city.

“I myself call it Africa, because we are a lot here and different tribes, different people,” she said. “In the environment that I’m working in right now, we have different patients with different backgrounds and different languages to speak. So I have to catch up with them.”

The clinic where she works was built through funds from Viatris in partnership with Rhiza Babuyile, a non-governmental organization dedicated to empowerment through community development. Olebogeng went to work for the NGO in 2019, initially in an administrative role but later branching out to become a community health worker.

She spends her days roaming Diepsloot, going door to door, becoming the clinic’s eyes and ears into the community. Who was struggling to find food? Whose children needed immunization? Who needed medical attention?

The conditions are often difficult. Rains brought flooding; overpopulation brought crime. Still, Olebogeng continued to knock. Behind some doors, she might find people in desperate need, unsure of where to turn. She recalls calling an ambulance for a man who had not been taking his heart medication correctly and was too sick to get out of bed; after getting medical attention he survived. Another man, sick with tuberculosis, was able to get help from the clinic after learning about it from Olebogeng.

She explains that they will be treated with dignity, and their care will be affordable. A waiting room mean they don’t have to stand in long lines for hours. After they receive care, she’ll follow up with them to see how they’re doing.

In the process, she has learned to speak several languages to communicate with the people of Diepsloot – so many that she has to think as she names them: Venda. Zulu. Some Xhosa. A little bit of Afrikaans. She’s trying to learn Tsonga, but it’s difficult.

“I’m a good listener. I love to learn, so it wasn’t that hard for me to know other people’s languages,” she explained. “I’m going to learn each and every day: This person speaks Zulu, I have to learn Zulu.”

She arrived at 17, seeking a life more interesting than the one she left behind in her quiet hometown. Worried about her safety, her father insisted that she stay with an aunt. But after working at the clinic, she became financially independent and was able to move into her own place.

Now 27, Olebogeng credits her work at the clinic – and the guidance of its manager, Sister Thandi Mcgina, with giving her confidence to pursue a career in healthcare. Through Rhiza Babuyile, she hopes to win financial aid for studies to become a pharmacy assistant, an interest she developed while observing how patients at the clinic were helped by medication.

Her interest in helping people stay healthy extends beyond her work. She recruits young girls from the streets to play sports, giving them something constructive to do, focusing their minds on the discipline required for the game. During some practices, she dedicates time to explaining women’s health issues.

Hear Olebogeng explain how coaching girls in sports is meaningful in other aspects of their lives.

“Me going to them and teaching them something about life, it means a lot,” she said. Just as Sister Thandi demands excellence from her at work, Olebogeng, in turn, sets high expectations for her players, while showing them understanding when things go wrong.

“I think I can be a leader,” she said. “Because of what I’m experiencing right now, it’s teaching me a lot for the future.”

Photos by Finbarr O’Reilly

Nine years ago, May heard about a nonprofit organization that helps people in their communities — and around the world — build and improve affordable places to call home.

A native of New York living in North Carolina, May applied for a home with Habitat for Humanity because she wanted something to pass down to her three children. She was unfortunately denied.

For almost a decade, May focused on paying off her debts and later enrolled in a financial literacy program offered by Habitat. Then in 2021, she was selected to purchase a home through the Habitat for Humanity homeownership program. She immediately began working on her “sweat equity hours” and completing the necessary steps to homeownership.

In addition to making a small down payment and monthly mortgage payments, Habitat homeowners must put in 300 sweat equity hours which may also include volunteering on a build site or taking financial literacy classes.

“I cried,” May said of the moment she was accepted. “And then I just kept having to look at the letter because I’m like ‘no, this ain’t happening.’ And I cried the whole entire time. I went to bed crying.”

In October, May and thousands of volunteers worked for five days, building 27 homes during Habitat’s Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project.

The 2023 build, hosted by Habitat humanitarians and country music stars Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood, took place in Charlotte, North Carolina, in a large-scale affordable housing neighborhood.

“We picked Charlotte because it’s emblematic of the affordability crisis in our country and in Charlotte,” said Habitat for Humanity International CEO Johnathan Reckford. “In the last five years, housing prices have almost doubled, and they were already a stretch for low-income families before then.”

Wells Fargo’s 30-year partnership with Habitat for Humanity dates back to 1993 in Des Moines, Iowa, where employees volunteered to build a home for a family of five. Since 2010, the company has donated more than $129 million to help build and repair thousands of new homes across the country.

“Our partnership with Wells Fargo, I cannot overstate how important it is,” said Laura Belcher, president and CEO of Habitat for Humanity of the Charlotte region. “What I really appreciate about our partnership with Wells Fargo is that it’s not a one and done thing. This has been many years in the making and the Wells Fargo team has always shown up with a strong group with lots of volunteer effort and consistent interaction.”

Tim Ryan, commercial mortgage services director at Wells Fargo, has been a Habitat volunteer for more than 30 years. This, however, was his first Carter Work Project.

“The energy here … just seeing all these people and all these homes going up is just phenomenal,” he said. “I sit behind a desk every day and I’m on calls with clients and things like that. To be able to get out and swing a hammer and work with other individuals from our organization is really fun to me.”

The Meadows at Plato Price in Charlotte is named after the Plato Price School. The school served a once-thriving African American neighborhood abandoned in the 1960s when desegregation took hold. It’s part of a shift in Habitat’s strategy from building individual affordable homes to developing affordable communities.

“When we’re done, there will be 39 families that live here,” Belcher said. “Not only are we building the homes, but we had to do the infrastructure. We put in the sewer, the streets, and the sidewalks. So, we’re really creating a sense of neighborhood, and it’s a big change for us.”

While volunteering alongside other Habitat homeowners during the Carter Work Project, May and her three children have gotten to know their future neighbors.

“Going through this program, we’ve been in the same places a couple of times and we’re all friends now,” May said. “This is an extended family. It’s amazing and a blessing.”

The KeyBank Foundation is investing $400,000 to help Trinity Alliance of the Capital Region expand its efforts to provide more accessible, responsive, and comprehensive service to community members facing food insecurity and acute crises. This grant is part of KeyBank’s commitment to invest $40 billion in the communities it serves.

“All of us at KeyBank are proud to invest in the Trinity Alliance, an organization that helps so many in our community who are facing challenges,” said KeyBank Capital Region Market President Fran O’Rourke. “The family focused work that the team at Trinity does lifts the Capital Region up and provides everyone a chance to succeed. Our support of their efforts is part of KeyBank’s purpose to help the Capital Region and all of the communities we serve thrive.”

“This contribution allows us to enhance and deepen our ability to reach hundreds more Capital Region residents,” Trinity Alliance CEO Harris Oberlander said. “This year alone, we’ve had a 15 percent increase in requests for services compared to last year. We are so grateful to Key Bank for supporting our vision!”

Funding will support Trinity Alliance of the Capital Region’s Health & Wellness Division, which serves thousands of Capital Region residents with unmet needs. Community members who seek out services have often been denied services or care at other service providers due to nuanced eligibility criteria. The Health & Wellness Division is designed to be a low barrier, rapid engagement center to address and solve complex and emerging social determinants of health needs. Services range from supplying emergency food, toiletries, and infant need supplies to health insurance navigation, transportation assistance, ID/documentation assistance, direct financial assistance, housing resource navigation, winter coats, holiday toy programming, mass food distributions, free IRS tax preparation, and more.

The project serves economically challenged residents in New York’s Capital Region, with the largest footprint within the City of Albany. Individuals served reside within food deserts, pharmacy deserts, and banking deserts – communities faced with a dearth of local resources. The majority of community members served identify with marginalized groups, including people of color, homeless, LGBTQ+, and/or immigrant populations.

On a programmatic and service level, Trinity Alliance of the Capital Region goes beyond acknowledging the imperative of diversity, equity and inclusion to enacting concrete strategic steps by deriving its mandate from the community and being responsive to it. Its integrated, collaborative, place-based, whole family approach promotes micro- and macro-level change, building neighborhood vitality, family stability and individual resilience.

“Trinity Alliance assists in leveling the playing field in the Capital Region by providing crucial help to people facing life challenges,” said Tamika Otis, KeyBank Capital Region Corporate Responsibility Officer. “We are proud to support and stand with Trinity Alliance as they continue bringing much needed resources, hope and equity to our community.”

Since 2017, KeyBank has invested more than $1 billion in the Capital Region through its National Community Benefits Plan, supporting affordable housing and community development projects; small business and home lending; and transformative philanthropy.

Learn more about KeyBank’s commitment to helping clients and communities thrive

ABOUT KEYBANK

KeyBank’s roots trace back nearly 200 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, KeyCorp is one of the nation’s largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $188 billion at September 30, 2023. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 1,000 branches and approximately 1,300 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank is Member FDIC.

ABOUT TRINITY ALLIANCE OF THE CAPITAL REGION

Founded in 1912, Trinity Alliance of the Capital Region offers a wide variety of resources and support tailored to meet the unmet needs of children, individuals, and families in the underserved community it represents. From parenting and reading classes to food pantries, anti-violence initiatives, housing assistance and much more, Trinity seeks to holistically strengthen the community in ways where it needs it, when it needs it and how it needs it. For more information, visit TrinityAllianceAlbany.org or call 518-449-5155.

CHARLOTTE, N.C., December 13, 2023 /3BL/ – Growing demand for electric vehicles is reshaping manufacturing supply chains, according to a new report by DP World and Canary Media’s Canary Creative. “Navigating the Opportunities and Challenges of an Electric Vehicle-Centric Manufacturing Supply Chain” offers an analysis of the rapidly evolving landscape of the automotive industry as it transitions towards electric vehicles (EVs).

Available for download now, the report provides an examination of how this shift impacts manufacturing supply chains. It sheds light on key areas such as the critical role of batteries, the transformation of factory floor logistics, the changing demands for parts and maintenance, and the integration of circular economy principles. This analysis is crucial for stakeholders in the automotive and logistics sectors to understand the complexities and prospects of the EV-centric environment.

“As the world moves towards a more sustainable future with electric vehicles, it’s imperative to understand the implications for the supply chain. Our report offers valuable insights into how companies can navigate this transition, highlighting both the challenges and opportunities ahead,” said Brian Enright, CEO and Managing Director of DP World, Americas.

The report examines some of the most consequential evolutions for U.S. manufacturers across the emerging EV supply chain, including:

The Battery Supply Chain. The battery supply chain for EVs is central to the industry, with batteries being the costliest component. This is driving focus on the proximity between battery production and EV assembly lines. The shift to EVs necessitates changes in factory infrastructure and logistics, including specialized storage and transport to handle battery safety concerns and to accommodate their substantial weight and size.From Factory Floor to the Customer Door. For EV supply chains, there is a need for substantial alterations in established car manufacturing facilities to adapt to the unique requirements of EV production, such as equipment for heavy battery handling. This transition also influences logistics, necessitating a shift from traditional manufacturing processes to methods that accommodate the distinct nature of EVs, including changes in storage, transport, and delivery to ensure safety and efficiency.Low-Maintenance EVs. Lower maintenance than their ICE counterparts, EVs significantly reduce the number and complexity of traditional automotive parts and maintenance services. This shift is leading to changes in supply chain and logistics practices, with a move towards more streamlined and efficient processes.The Circular Economy of EVs. The report underscores the potential of a circular economy in the EV sector, emphasizing the repurposing of reusable minerals for new batteries and reducing reliance on imported minerals. This approach not only bolsters supply chain reliability and reduces geopolitical risks but also aligns with environmental sustainability by fostering recycling and reuse of critical battery components.

“Navigating the Opportunities and Challenges of an Electric Vehicle-Centric Manufacturing Supply Chain” is available now on the Canary Media website.

– END –

DP WORLD AMERICAS MEDIA CONTACT:

Melina Vissat, Head of Communications, North America 
M: (+1) 704-605-6159 
E: melina.vissat@dpworld.com

ABOUT DP WORLD:

Trade is the lifeblood of the global economy, creating opportunities and improving the quality of life for people around the world. DP World exists to make the world’s trade flow better, changing what’s possible for the customers and communities we serve globally.

With a dedicated, diverse and professional team of more than 103,000 employees spanning 75 countries on six continents, DP World is pushing trade further and faster towards a seamless supply chain that’s fit for the future.

We’re rapidly transforming and integrating our businesses — Ports and Terminals, Marine Services, Logistics and Technology – and uniting our global infrastructure with local expertise to create stronger, more efficient end-to-end supply chain solutions that can change the way the world trades.

What’s more, we’re reshaping the future by investing in innovation. From intelligent delivery systems to automated warehouse stacking, we’re at the cutting edge of disruptive technology, pushing the sector towards better ways to trade, minimising disruptions from the factory floor to the customer’s door.

WE MAKE TRADE FLOW TO CHANGE WHAT’S POSSIBLE FOR EVERYONE.

Follow DP World on Twitter and LinkedIn.

About Canary Creative

Canary Creative works with companies and nonprofit organizations to develop thought leadership and reach Canary Media’s audience. Canary Media is an independent, nonprofit newsroom covering the transition to clean energy and solutions to the climate crisis. We report on how the world is decarbonizing — from electricity to transportation, buildings and industry — with a critical focus on finding out what works and what doesn’t.

Last updated on September 11, 2023

Forward-looking organizations are diving into environmental, social and governance (ESG) and sustainability, which can feel like ESG alphabet soup, a seemingly never-ending list of acronyms for varying ESG concepts, frameworks, rating agencies, regulations and regulatory bodies. It can be challenging to keep up, which is why we’ve developed this guide as a tool to quickly catch up.

Let’s get into it.

General sustainability definitions

Climate risk

Two types of climate risks exist, transition risks and physical risks. According to the EPA, transition risks are related to the transition to a lower-carbon economy, while physical risks are associated to the physical impacts of climate change.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

CSR is viewed as a form of self-regulation or a voluntary initiative by organizations to contribute to environmental or social goals and to be accountable to themselves, their stakeholders and broader society. Corporate Social Responsibility may also be referred to as corporate sustainability.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

DEI is a conceptual framework that promotes the fair treatment and full participation of all people within the workplace. DEI may also be referred to as JEDI, which stands for justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG)

GHG emissions, including carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, are one of the most popular ESG metrics reported on. They are easily quantifiable and strongly relate to how well an organization measures and manages its carbon footprint. GHG emissions are calculated in accordance with the GHG Protocol, which are standards for the accounting of GHG emissions.

Reporting frameworks

International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Foundation

The IFRS Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that supports the development of global standards to providing information to support investment decisions. In 2021, the IFRS Foundation established the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) which provides a global baseline of industry-agnostic and industry-specific sustainability disclosures, known as the IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards. The standards build on the previous work of the Climate Disclosure Standards Board (CDSB), the Task Force for Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), the Value Reporting Foundation’s Integrated Reporting Framework, industry-based SASB Standards and the World Economic Forum’s Stakeholder Capitalism Metrics.

Sustainability Accounting Standards Board Standards (SASB)

The SASB is an independent, not-for-profit organization aiming to create industry-specific sustainability standards across 77 industries. The standards reflect industry-specific material topics divided into five issue categories: environment, social capital, human capital, business model and innovation, leadership, and governance. The Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) was consolidated into the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) in 2022.

Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)

The GRI is a framework that operates as a modular system with interconnected standards. These standards are the first recognized global standards helping organizations better understand and communicate their sustainability impacts on the economy, environment, and people in a comparable and credible way.

Integrated Reporting Framework (IR Framework)

The International IR Framework is a principles-based framework that focuses on three principles: value creation, value preservation and the identification and retention of financial, manufactured, intellectual, human, social and natural capital. As of August 2022, the IFRS Foundation assumed responsibility for the IR Framework.

Science Based Target initiative (SBTi)

The SBTi initiative was created to promote climate action within the private sector by assisting organizations in setting a science-based emissions reduction target in line with the Paris Agreement.

Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD)

The TCFD is a framework that provides specific recommendations detailing how climate-related issues can impact an organization’s financial performance. The framework covers four areas: governance, strategy, risk management and metrics. Beginning in 2024, the TCFD will be consolidated into the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB).

Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD)

The TNFD is a framework that builds on the TCFD but instead focuses on how nature related risk and opportunities are understood and communicated effectively. TNFD uses the same four topics as TCFD (governance, strategy, risk management and metrics) to assess the impact environmental reporting has on a company’s financial position.

Climate Disclosure Standards Board (CDSB)

The CDSB framework was designed to help organizations prepare and present environmental and social information in mainstream reports for the benefit of investors. In January 2022, the CDSB was consolidated into the IFRS Foundation to support the work of the newly established International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB). As a result, no further work or guidance will be produced or published by CDSB.

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs)

The UNSDGs are 17 goals aimed at calling to action businesses and individuals in power to end poverty, protect the planet and create peace and prosperity by 2030. The goals have individual targets which can be utilized as a framework to measure and communicate progress.

International Organization for Standardization (ISO)

The ISO is an independent, non-governmental international organization with a membership of 168 national standards bodies. The ISO assists in facilitating world trade by providing common standards among different countries.

European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS)

The ESRS is a set of standards and rules that companies subject to the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive must disclose according to.

Primary rating agencies

Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI)

The DJSI ranks public companies based on industry-specific criteria referred to as the Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA), which weigh equally on economic, environmental, and social dimensions. Many investors seek socially conscious investments, making the DJSI a popular benchmark for private wealth managers.

Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI)

MSCI is an investment research firm that provides ESG ratings and climate search tools based on public data to allow relevant ESG information to be available to the public. MSCI is focused on institutional investors and the company’s focus is agnostic.

Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS)

ISS provides web-based access to ESG ratings on corporations and investment funds. The ratings are applied across a twelve-point grading system from A+ (excellent performance) to D- (poor performance). ISS publishes information for all general stakeholders and focuses primarily on public company data.

Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP)

The CDP is a self-reported survey that measures corporate and city action on climate change and forest/water security. The company or city is given a letter grade for how detailed and comprehensive their response, awareness, management, and progress to act on sustainability efforts are. CDP’s metrics separate companies based on their understanding and application of climate-related changes represented by a letter score.

Regulations

Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD)

Currently in effect, the CSRD is a European Union (EU) regulation that requires companies to report on the impact of corporate activities on the environment and society and requires the audit (assurance) of reported information. Companies based in the U.S. with operations or activity in the EU will be required to adhere to the CSRD beginning in 2025. Subsequently, ESRS were developed to outline the information and metrics companies need to report to comply with CSRD.

Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR)

Currently in effect, the SFDR is a European Union regulation that sets out environmental, social and governance disclosure requirements for financial market participants active within the European Union. The SFDR applies to all portfolio and fund managers, financial advisors and pension providers participating in European Union financial markets in any capacity.

Federal Acquisition Regulation section 5(b)(i) (FAR)

DoD, GSA, and NASA issued a proposed rule on November 14, 2022, to amend the FAR to require certain federal contractors disclose their GHG emissions and climate-related financial risk and set science-based targets to reduce their GHG emissions.

Climate-related Financial Disclosure (CFD)

The CFD regulations are part of the United Kingdom’s efforts to make climate-related financial disclosure mandatory across the economy by 2025. The regulation applies to UK-registered companies and financial institutions.

Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD)

The European Commission proposed CSDDD directive that, if passed, would require EU companies and potentially non-EU companies to establish due diligence procedures to address adverse impacts of their actions within companies and across the supply chain on human rights and the environment.

Regulatory bodies

International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB)

The ISSB is an organization that develops standards for the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Foundation. The standards, known as the IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards provide a framework for sustainability disclosures, mandates, and jurisdiction-specific requirements to provide ESG information to all stakeholder groups. ISSB has a global company scope and focuses on global standards.

Value Reporting Foundation (VRF)

The VRF was a nonprofit organization that was created through the consolidation of the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) and the International Integrated Reporting Council IIRC in 2021. The Value Reporting Foundation (VRF) was further consolidated into the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) in 2022. The Sustainability Disclosure Standards, which were created by the ISSB, include VRF guidance and resources. Although consolidated, the International IR framework and Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) standards will remain as complementary tools.

International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC)

The IIRC was a global coalition of regulators, investors, companies, standard setters, the accounting profession, academia, and NGOs. The IIRC developed the international IR framework to address the topics of value creation, preservation within corporate reporting and to provide a foundation for the future. The International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC) was consolidated into the Value Reporting Foundation (VRF), which was further consolidated into the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) in 2022.

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

The SEC is a federal agency that has proposed a rule that publicly traded companies be required to disclose GHG emissions, climate-related risks, impacts and risk management processes within registration statements and annually (10-K). While the rule only directly applies to public companies, it also impacts many private companies that are in larger public company supply chains.

The European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG)

The EFRAG, a private organization established in 2001 to ensure European views were incorporated into financial and sustainability reporting, EFRAG served as technical advisor to European Commission under CSRD in drafting the ESRS standards providing the information and metrics for reporting to comply with CSRD.

Get started on the ESG and sustainability regulations checklist. 

Contact Baker Tilly.