Tag: 3BL

Whirlpool Corporation has once again been recognized for its long-standing commitment to corporate responsibility, earning a position on the Dow Jones Best-in-Class Indices (formerly DJSI). This year marks the company’s fourth consecutive year on the World Index and its 19th appearance on the North America Index.

In addition to its inclusion in the Dow Jones indices, Whirlpool Corporation has been featured in the 2026 S&P Global Sustainability Yearbook. The company placed among the top 10% of more than 9,200 companies evaluated worldwide, a testament to transparency and commitment to corporate responsibility.

“We are proud that our focus on innovation seamlessly integrates sustainability into how we design, how we manufacture, and how products perform and improve life at home.”

“Being recognized for leadership in sustainability and our continued inclusion in these indices validates and reinforces our deep commitment to environmental stewardship,” said Beat Stocker, senior director of global sustainability at Whirlpool Corporation. “We are proud that our focus on innovation seamlessly integrates sustainability into how we design, how we manufacture, and how products perform and improve life at home.”

For more information on Whirlpool Corporation’s sustainability progress and most recent achievements, visit the Corporate Responsibility Resource Center or view the latest Corporate Responsibility reports.

About Whirlpool Corporation

Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR) is a leading home appliance company, in constant pursuit of improving life at home. As the only major U.S.-based manufacturer of kitchen and laundry appliances, the company is driving meaningful innovation to meet the evolving needs of consumers through its iconic brand portfolio, including Whirlpool, KitchenAid, JennAir, Maytag, Amana, Brastemp, Consul, and InSinkErator. In 2025, the company reported approximately $16 billion in annual net sales – close to 90% of which were in the Americas -41,000 employees, and 35 manufacturing and technology research centers. Additional information about the company can be found at WhirlpoolCorp.com.

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WASHINGTON, July 17, 2026 /3BL/ – The Congressional App Challenge and Qualcomm Incorporated today announced Engineering the Future: Educator Arduino Scholarship, a new national initiative to expand access to physical computing tools for middle and high school students participating in the Congressional App Challenge. Through the program, educators across the country can apply for sets of Arduino® UNO™ Q boards, enabling students to build hands-on, hardware-enabled projects that connect software to real-world applications, from environmental monitoring and health tracking to assistive technology and community-based solutions.

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. acquired Arduino in October 2025 to empower students, educators, and developers by facilitating access to its unmatched portfolio of edge technologies and products. The Arduino UNO Q is a newly released board that helps enable students to bring code into the physical world. This is done by connecting software to sensors, lights, motors, and other components, supporting interactive projects that help students design, test, and iterate real systems while learning core hardware and coding skills.

Apply Here!

Many students participating in the Challenge have strong ideas and technical ability but limited access to hardware. This scholarship is designed to address that gap by placing tools directly in student hands where educators can guide them from concept through working prototypes. The scholarship prioritizes under-resourced and rural schools, expanding access to opportunities that allow students to build, test, and iterate on real systems using Edge AI. Arduino boards are also heavily used in industries such as automotive, aerospace and IOT to help prototype and commercialize products, providing the foundation for students to gain highly valuable skills that directly transfer into industry.

The program is delivered in collaboration with the Congressional App Challenge, the official coding competition of the U.S. House of Representatives, and the largest high school coding competition in the country. Each year, the Challenge engages nearly 14,000 students across all 50 states, and all Arduino UNO Q boards awarded through this scholarship will support students or teams preparing to submit an app, ensuring the tools are tied directly to real projects and outcomes.

Learn More Here

“Students don’t just want to code, they want to build things that work in the real world,” said Joe Alessi, Program Director of the Congressional App Challenge. “What we see every year is that when students have access to tools like Arduino, the quality and ambition of their projects change completely. This partnership collaboration with Qualcomm gives more students that opportunity and brings hardware into classrooms that otherwise wouldn’t have it.”

Members of Congress will have the opportunity to recognize participating schools and educators in their districts, highlight student projects that incorporate both software and hardware, and engage directly with classrooms through visits and local events, strengthening the connection between local innovation and national priorities around technology and workforce development.

As part of the initiative, select Congressional App Challenge alumni will share examples of how they have used Arduino boards in their own projects, from dorm-room automation and smart plant monitors to assistive tools and sensor-based systems, offering practical examples that show what is possible with accessible hardware and giving students a clear starting point for their own ideas. Throughout the academic year, Qualcomm and the Congressional App Challenge will also highlight participating classrooms through local and regional media, school visits, and short video features focused on what students are building and how they are approaching real-world problems.

Applications for the Educator Arduino Scholarship are open now, supporting a new generation of builders preparing to define the next era of U.S. innovation. The program addresses a growing need as more student projects incorporate real-world data, sensors, and AI-enabled features, while many classrooms still lack access to the hardware required to support that work. Awardees will be notified in August, and Arduino UNO Q boards will be distributed shortly thereafter. Students supported through this program will be preparing submissions for the 2026 Congressional App Challenge, with a submission deadline of October 26, 2026 at 12:00 PM ET.

Educators can learn more about the scholarship and apply below!

Scholarship Application

Qualcomm branded products are products of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. Arduino and UNO are trademarks or registered trademarks of Arduino S.r.l.

As we close fiscal year 2025/2026, I am pleased to share with you our record results and milestones achieved in strengthening our leadership in Hybrid AI. I believe Lenovo is well positioned to seize the AI democratization opportunity to deliver growth and create value for our shareholders.

The Best Year in Lenovo’s History

The fiscal year we just concluded has been the best year in Lenovo’s history. We delivered record revenue and substantial growth in Net Income. Particularly noteworthy was our AI revenue, which increased significantly to become Lenovo’s leading growth engine.

Our intelligent devices business continued to lead the global PC market with record market share. Lenovo is now the global leader in AI PCs while expanding fast in the smartphone market. Our infrastructure solutions business delivered hypergrowth and significant improvement in its bottom line, successfully repositioned as another engine for growth and profitability while capturing the AI inferencing opportunity. Our solutions and services business achieved high growth at high profitability with strong customer retention and satisfaction and continues to build AI solutions for selected vertical industries and horizontal functions.

There are two key pillars behind these achievements. First, an unwavering commitment to innovation. We had an epic Tech World @ CES at the Sphere in Las Vegas, where we showcased our Hybrid AI vision, strategy and innovation. We were joined by ecosystem partners spanning across the entire tech industry and beyond. This event helped elevate Lenovo’s brand perception from primarily a PC leader to full-stack AI leader.

The other pillar is our operational excellence. Even amid ever-changing tariffs and industry-wide supply shortages, we have proven our ability to leverage our global footprint and resilient operations to navigate the situation effectively with one of the best supply chains in the world, delivering on every commitment we made to market consistently. And we continue to unleash the power of technology to make a positive impact on our communities and our planet.

Establishing Hybrid AI Leadership

Over the past decade, AI has advanced more profoundly than any technology we have seen before. Propelled first by computing and models, AI development today is largely driven by data, especially private data. This marks a whole new era of AI democratization, an unprecedented opportunity that Lenovo is determined to seize.

That is why Lenovo is committed to becoming an AI-native company. Every product we make, every solution we build and every service we deliver will be designed with an AI-native perspective.

Our priorities are clear. In Personal AI, we continue to focus on our strategy of “One Personal AI, Multiple Devices,” with Lenovo Qira, our Personal AI Super Agent, at its core. We are shipping Qira-embedded devices to deliver a whole new level of personal AI experience while expanding its ecosystem with more applications. We are also developing more AI-native devices, including wearables, new form factors of PCs and smartphones, and personal computing hubs that enable highperformance, scalable AI compute for personal use.

In Enterprise AI, we continue to unleash the Lenovo Hybrid AI Advantage to help enterprise customers turn their operational data into insights and value. This involves strengthening our infrastructure business across Client–Edge–Cloud to capture the on-prem and atedge AI inferencing opportunity. Furthermore, in our selected vertical industries including manufacturing, retail, and sports, we are building and deploying scalable, repeatable solutions across an expanded customer base.

Lenovo has a big role to play in 2026 to power the FIFA World Cup in Americas and 22 Formula 1 Grands Prix worldwide as the official technology partner, unleashing the potential of our technology to support the teams and bring the best viewing experience to fans around the world while landing our strategy and promoting our brand.

It’s clear that the past fiscal year was a great start of Lenovo’s AI decade. As we now embrace a new era of AI democratization, Lenovo will continue to innovate, lead change and act boldly. Just as once we brought PC to everyone, this time, we will make AI available and accessible to every individual and every enterprise.

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Read Lenovo’s FY2025/26 Annual Report: click here

NEW YORK, July 17, 2026 /3BL/ – The updated analysis from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Climate Prediction Center (NOAA) on 9 July, corroborated by leading international climate models, indicates that the El Niño phenomenon is expected to reach very strong intensity in 2026. For Action Against Hunger, these forecasts serve as a warning: the humanitarian consequences could be severe in contexts already weakened by conflict, economic crises and climate change. This predictability imposes a collective responsibility: to act before disaster strikes, rather than waiting to respond to an emergency

A Known Risk, Predictable Consequences

Previous El Niño events have demonstrated their ability to disrupt rainfall patterns, amplify extreme weather events and cause lasting damage to the livelihoods of already vulnerable populations. In several countries where Action Against Hunger operates, the expected consequences are particularly worrying:

• Madagascar: drought in the south and increased cyclone risk in the east

Southern Madagascar is already experiencing a rainfall deficit of over 300 mm over a 90-day period, which is exacerbating the risks of drought, crop losses and food insecurity. At the same time, the east coast is facing an increased risk of cyclones, exacerbated by a positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) , which is likely to increase the intensity of storms and extreme rainfall, according to the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWSNET ).

• Cameroon: the North particularly at risk from this summer onwards

The Adamaoua and Far North regions are among the areas most vulnerable to the expected effects of El Niño. Forecasts point to severe drought, with direct consequences for harvests, agricultural incomes, access to water and the nutritional status of the population. Strategic agricultural sectors such as cocoa could also be affected, with economic repercussions extending far beyond the areas directly affected.

• Yemen: from October onwards, a dangerous combination of extreme heat and flooding

In Yemen, people could face a particularly complex scenario combining extreme heatwaves with an increased risk of flash floods. This combination weakens infrastructure, compromises access to safe drinking water and increases health risks in an already critical humanitarian context.

• Iraq: a water crisis set to worsen this autumn

Already facing a multi-year water crisis, Iraq could see a worsening of water shortages, further degradation of agricultural land and an increase in sandstorms, with significant e impacts on people’s health, livelihoods and food security.

Anticipating and Preparing to Limit the Impacts on the Most Vulnerable

“We know that El Niño is on its way. We know where communities will be most at risk and we know the kinds of impacts they will face. When these impacts coincide with major humanitarian crises, such as those in Nigeria, the DRC or Chad, they act as amplifiers of vulnerability. Waiting for the crisis to happen before taking action comes at an unacceptable human cost and a considerable economic cost,” emphasizes Rowan Cody, Deputy Director of Emergency Preparedness and Response at Action Against Hunger.

The organization is therefore strengthening the integration of anticipatory actions into its emergency preparedness mechanisms. Alongside contingency plans developed in countries where it operates, the strengthening of local preparedness and response capacities, the improvement of early warning systems, and coordination with national authorities and local stakeholders, concrete measures are being put in place to ensure an adequate response when an emergency strikes.

In areas at risk of sudden disasters, such as cyclones or floods, Action Against Hunger pre-positions water, hygiene and sanitation kits to ensure access to clean, safe drinking water and thus limit the risk of waterborne diseases such as cholera or diarrhea. Similarly, non-food kits containing essential items are stockpiled to meet the needs of people displaced by disasters.

In areas threatened by prolonged drought and episodes of extreme heat, measures include, for example, the pre-positioning of stocks of ready-to-use therapeutic foods for the treatment of severe acute malnutrition, the strengthening of nutritional surveillance, and support for communities to safeguard their livelihoods before climate shocks worsen.

However, humanitarian funding remains largely focused on post-disaster response rather than on preventing the impacts.

“We need to increase flexible and predictable funding dedicated to anticipating and preparing for climate-related crises, whilst maintaining funding dedicated to climate change adaptation,” adds Rowan Cody.

As the effects of climate change increase the frequency and intensity of climate-related hazards, the issue is no longer whether intervention will be necessary, but whether to act early enough to prevent a foreseeable climate shock from turning into a humanitarian disaster.

***

Action Against Hunger leads the global movement to end hunger. We innovate solutions, advocate for change, and reach 26.5 million people every year with proven hunger prevention and treatment programs. As a nonprofit that works across over 55 countries, our 8,500+ dedicated staff members partner with communities to address the root causes of hunger, including climate change, conflict, inequity, and emergencies. We strive to create a world free from hunger, for everyone, for good.

CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 16, 2026 /3BL/ – National nonprofit CodePath today announced a $2 million philanthropic investment from Wells Fargo and the Wells Fargo Foundation to accelerate the number of local college students who are prepared to participate in Charlotte’s growing technology economy.

“We believe Charlotte can be a national example of how to prepare students for the future of work,” said Michael Ellison, Co-Founder and CEO of CodePath, which delivers industry-aligned programs at more than 700 U.S. colleges across the country. “Together with Wells Fargo, this philanthropic investment will unlock pathways to economic mobility for students and their families while strengthening the region’s tech ecosystem.”

In the span of just five years, Charlotte’s tech sector has grown nearly twenty percent – far outpacing national averages. Some of the largest tech companies including Apple, Microsoft and IBM, in the U.S. have opened hubs in the city.

“Preparing the next generation for the future of work is essential to helping our communities and our economy grow,” said Bonnie Wallace, Head of Financial Health Philanthropy at Wells Fargo. “Through our support of CodePath and local universities, we are expanding access to high-quality training and career pathways so more students can build in-demand skills and participate in Charlotte’s rapidly growing technology economy.”

Designed to meet the growing need for tech talent in the region, the new collaboration will embed CodePath’s courses, career services, and interview preparation in the computing programs at University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNC Charlotte) and HBCU Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU). Participating students will build in-demand technical skills including AI, software engineering, cybersecurity, and mobile development to propel them into employment opportunities in the city’s fastest-growing industries. In addition, the program will build direct hiring pipelines with top Charlotte employers. The courses will serve an initial cohort of 300 students, with the aim of serving up to 2,000 students each year by 2028.

“Integrating CodePath’s industry-aligned courses directly into our curriculum will give JCSU computing students the technical foundation, hands on professional skills, and employer connections needed to launch successful tech careers in the AI era,” said Patrick M. Martin, Ph.D., Provost, Chief Academic and Research Officer at Johnson C. Smith University. “This partnership strengthens our commitment to economic mobility and positions JCSU as a leader in developing AI-ready talent for Charlotte’s, North Carolina’s and the nation’s innovation economy.”

“This philanthropic support ensures that all UNC Charlotte students have access to CodePath’s exceptional classes and services, allowing our College to continue offering technical interview prep and iOS development courses as part of our degree programs,” said Bojan Cukic, professor and dean of UNC Charlotte’s College of Computing and Informatics. “This direct investment in our computer science, data science and AI curricula and career readiness services will bring the opportunity to our students to master industry-aligned skills needed to compete and succeed in the rapidly evolving technology workforce.”

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About CodePath

CodePath is a nonprofit dedicated to reprogramming higher education to create the first AI-native generation of engineers, CTOs, and founders. It delivers industry-vetted courses and career support centered on the needs of first-generation and low-income students. Students train with senior engineers, intern at top companies, and rise together to become the tech leaders of tomorrow. CodePath serves over 30,000 students at more than 700 colleges and universities across the country. Visit www.codepath.org for more.

Companies operating across global value chains face an increasingly complex regulatory landscape. Cascale’s new Global Legislative Overview Map provides an interactive, region-by-region view of 21 key human rights and environmental due diligence and sustainability reporting frameworks across Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific.

Developed as a companion to the 2026 Global Due Diligence and Sustainability Reporting Legislation Report, the map helps users understand where major regulatory developments are taking shape and how expectations differ across markets.

Key Takeaways

• Explore 21 key due diligence and sustainability reporting frameworks in an interactive global map.
• View developments across Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific.
• Use the map to understand where regulatory activity is taking place and how requirements vary by jurisdiction.
• Access the accompanying report for detailed legislative analysis and the Higg Index overlap assessment.
• The map will be updated periodically as relevant legislation evolves.

What Does the Global Legislative Overview Map Cover?

The map visualizes legislation related to corporate sustainability reporting and human rights and environmental due diligence. Users can explore the frameworks by region and review high-level information about their scope, requirements, and status.

It is intended to provide an accessible starting point for companies monitoring regulatory developments across multiple markets. The map can also support internal discussions among sustainability, legal, compliance, sourcing, public affairs, and leadership teams.

How Does the Map Relate to the Report?

The initial version of the map is based on the legislative analysis included in Cascale’s 2026 Global Due Diligence and Sustainability Reporting Legislation Report, published earlier this year. The report provides more detailed information on each legislative framework, including:

• Scope and applicability
• Key requirements for companies
• Implementation status and timelines
• Relevance to Cascale’s strategic pillars and workstreams
• Where the Higg Index frameworks may support readiness efforts related to data, governance, and performance measurement

How Does Cascale Support Members Navigating Policy Change?

The Global Legislative Overview Map is publicly available as part of Cascale’s commitment to strengthening industry understanding of sustainability policy.

Corporate and Affiliate Members receive access to additional policy insights and engagement opportunities designed to help them navigate regulatory developments, including:

• Member-exclusive policy webinars and briefings
• Email newsletters and legislative updates
• Regional reports and policy deep dives
• Discussions, resources, and expert insights through the Policy & Public Affairs Knowledge Hub on Cascale Connect
• Opportunities to contribute industry perspectives to Cascale’s public affairs and advocacy work

Through these resources, Cascale helps members interpret policy developments, make more informed business decisions, and engage with peers navigating similar challenges.

Explore the Global Legislative Overview Map

In a feed full of competing headlines, the featured image is often what decides whether your story gets a second look at all. Readers scroll fast, and a strong image is what stops the scroll — before a single word of your headline even registers.

It’s the first impression, and it happens in a fraction of a second

Social feeds, search results, and content aggregators are crowded places. A compelling featured image cuts through that noise instantly, giving your story a fighting chance to be noticed before a reader moves on to the next thing.

It sets the tone before anyone reads a word

The image a reader sees first shapes how they interpret everything that follows. A sharp, well-chosen featured image signals credibility and professionalism; a mismatched or low-quality one can undercut a story before it’s been given a chance. In that sense, the featured image isn’t decoration — it’s part of how your brand introduces itself.

It directly influences whether people click

Featured images are consistently one of the biggest levers on click-through rate. The right image doesn’t just look good — it gives a reader a reason to click, previewing what the story is about and why it’s worth their time.

That’s what makes getting this right worth the attention: a story’s featured image isn’t a finishing touch, it’s often the deciding factor in whether the story gets read at all.

Learn more in our Knowledge Base 

WASHINGTON, July 16, 2026 /3BL/ – The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), the Brown University Pandemic Center and Air Club released today Advancing Healthy Indoor Air: Five Leading Policy Models from Around the World, a new report highlighting a rapidly expanding wave of indoor air quality (IAQ) policy innovation across the globe. Drawing lessons from nearly 160 policies spanning 40 countries, the report identifies five leading policy models that governments are using to improve indoor air quality and offers practical guidance for policymakers seeking to strengthen public health, resilience and economic performance.

“We’re entering a new era of indoor air quality policy,” said Skandan Ananthasekar, lead author and Visiting Fellow at Brown University Pandemic Center. “We are seeing governments around the world increasingly focus on how to accelerate improvements in indoor air quality, exploring new policy approaches that can deliver better health outcomes. This report represents an important step forward in understanding the policy landscape and identifying leading models, while also providing a roadmap for policymakers looking to advance policies in their countries.”

The report synthesizes findings from a comparative analysis of a global indoor air policy database, which includes 158 adopted IAQ policies across 40 countries, including more than 50 that were enacted or amended within the past five years. The report highlights five leading policy models pioneered by eight governments, demonstrating how they are adapting IAQ policy to fit their own institutional structures, political environments and public health priorities while making a significant contribution to a growing body of international policy best practice.

“Policy is a critical driver in any movement,” said Jason Hartke, Executive Vice President of Global Advocacy, IWBI. “Around the world, policymakers are embracing indoor air quality as a public health imperative, adopting innovative policy approaches precisely because they recognize their potential to drive healthier buildings, healthier people and stronger economies. This report is all about highlighting what’s working and how we can accelerate progress through sound public policies.”

Drawing from the full database, the report identifies five leading policies models that governments have pioneered to advance healthy indoor air:

• High-Priority Sectors – focuses on investments in schools, healthcare facilities, childcare and other priority settings. Exemplar: City of Boston, United Kingdom
• Transparency – expanding opportunities for IAQ monitoring, public disclosure and other programs to make indoor air more visible. Exemplar: Belgium
• Integrating Health into Building Performance – Integrating health and indoor air quality within new or existing building performance policies. Exemplar: European Union, United Arab Emirates
• National Coordination – Establishing coordinated national strategies that align relevant government agencies and programs. Exemplar: Finland
• Dedicated Indoor Air Quality Law with Enforcement – Adopting IAQ requirements supported by monitoring and enforcement mechanisms. Exemplar: South Korea, Taiwan

“The global momentum for healthy indoor air has never been stronger,” said Georgia Lagoudas, Co-Founder of Air Club and Senior Fellow at the Brown University Pandemic Center. “Today, a multitude of countries are driving policy innovation that is helping make healthy indoor air both achievable and scalable. We hope this report will empower policymakers from around the world to learn from these models and inspire action in their own jurisdictions.”

The report builds on the growing international movement to elevate indoor air quality as a public health priority and a fundamental human right. Through the Global Commission on Healthy Indoor Air and the Global Pledge for Healthy Indoor Air, IWBI, Brown Pandemic Center and Air Club are working to bring governments and organizations together around a shared vision of healthier indoor environments. This report serves as another important contribution to that collective effort, and to the shared belief that everyone, everywhere deserves access to healthy indoor air.

About the International WELL Building Institute

The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) is a public benefit corporation and the global authority for transforming health and well-being in buildings, organizations and communities. In pursuit of its public-health mission, IWBI mobilizes its community through the development and administration of the WELL Building Standard (WELL), WELL for residential, WELL Community Standard, its WELL ratings and management of the WELL AP credential. IWBI also translates research into practice, develops educational resources and advocates for policies that promote people-first places for everyone, everywhere. More information on WELL can be found here. Media contact: media@wellcertified.com

International WELL Building Institute, IWBI, the WELL Building Standard, WELL v2, WELL Certified, WELL AP, WELL EP, WELL Score, The WELL Conference, We Are WELL, the WELL Community Standard, WELL Health-Safety Rated, WELL Performance Rated, WELL Equity Rated, WELL Equity, WELL Coworking Rated, WELL Residence, Works with WELL, WELL and others, and their related logos are trademarks or certification marks of International WELL Building Institute pbc in the United States and other countries.

About the Brown University Pandemic Center

The Pandemic Center at Brown University’s School of Public Health works to prevent, reduce vulnerabilities, and increase resilience to pandemics, other biological emergencies, and the harms they pose to health, peace, security, and prosperity.

About Air Club

Air Club is a global coalition of indoor air quality champions working to make indoor air healthy. Air Club launched the Global Pledge for Healthy Indoor Air, which calls on governments and organizations to prioritize this crucial issue.

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Originally published on STEM Next

Before they got involved in STEM Next’s Opportunity AI pilot project in the fall, educators said they weren’t sure where to start with using AI in their programs, much less teaching kids how to use it responsibly. Now, they’re testing activities with students, exploring how to integrate career-connected AI learning in their programs, and sharing what works with other educators across their states.

This is an early look at what it takes to scale human-centered AI learning through afterschool.

With leadership support from partners including Qualcomm and Arconic Foundation, STEM Next launched the Opportunity AI pilot project in fall 2025 with afterschool network leaders and educators in Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia with a goal to make AI learning practical, accessible, and scalable through afterschool and summer programs.

Click here to read more on STEM Next

Welcome to the BIER Workstream Feature Series, a new content series that provides members, partners, and industry stakeholders with a closer look at the collaborative initiatives, technical expertise, and practical resources that advance environmental sustainability across the beverage sector.

Each feature will highlight one of BIER’s active workstreams, exploring the challenges being addressed, the value being delivered to members, and the role collective action plays in supporting industry-wide progress. Through these conversations, readers will gain greater visibility into the work happening behind the scenes and the collaborative efforts that help transform shared challenges into practical solutions.

This month, we are highlighting BIER’s Water, Energy, and Emissions Benchmarking Study, one of the coalition’s longest-running initiatives. For nearly two decades, benchmarking has helped participating companies better understand operational performance, identify opportunities for improvement, and gain insight into environmental sustainability trends across the beverage sector. The study provides BIER members with normalized data and analysis that can support performance evaluation, goal setting, and continuous improvement efforts.

To learn more, we spoke with Eileen Lo, Senior Manager and BIER’s Benchmarking Workstream Lead.

What is the purpose of this workstream?

The Benchmarking Study provides participating members with a better understanding of environmental performance across the beverage sector by collecting and analyzing facility-level data related to water use, energy consumption, and Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions.

The study allows participating companies to benchmark their performance against aggregated industry data^[1] and gain insights into operational trends, efficiency opportunities, and sustainability performance across different beverage facility types.

What key issue is it addressing?

The beverage industry continues to face rising expectations for improved resource efficiency, climate action, environmental reporting, and operational performance.

The Benchmarking Study helps address a fundamental challenge facing many organizations: understanding how performance compares across the broader industry and identifying opportunities for improvement using credible, comparable data.

By providing meaningful benchmarking data, the study supports informed decision-making and helps companies better understand environmental performance trends across water, energy, and emissions metrics.

Why does this work matter to members and the industry?

As shared by our members, one of the most valuable aspects of the Benchmarking Study is that it enables them to understand how their facilities compare to overall industry performance.

The reports help members benchmark themselves against industry averages, evaluate progress toward sustainability goals, and identify opportunities for improvement.

The study also provides historical trend data, allowing participants to compare current performance against previous reporting periods. This helps companies better understand whether implemented programs are driving measurable sustainability improvements and identify efficiency factors that may influence performance over time.

Beyond individual companies, the study contributes to sustainability evaluation for the broader industry by providing aggregated insights that support shared learning and continuous improvement across the beverage sector.

How has the workstream evolved over time?

Originally, the Benchmarking Study focused primarily on water performance.

As climate-related discussions and expectations increased, members expressed interest in expanding the study to include energy and greenhouse gas emissions metrics. As a result, the benchmark evolved into the Water, Energy, and Emissions Benchmarking Study.

The study has also expanded its analytical capabilities. In addition to examining performance across facility types such as breweries, wineries, distilleries, and bottling facilities, BIER has conducted best-in-class analyses to better understand the technologies, tactics, and operational practices associated with top-performing facilities.

Members are increasingly interested not only in performance data but also in understanding the operational strategies and best practices that support improved efficiency and sustainability outcomes.

What is a current focus area or challenge?

The Benchmarking Team continues to improve the Benchmarking Study, working with participants to enhance data quality and evaluate opportunities to incorporate additional metrics that are meaningful to BIER members. Additionally, the Benchmarking Team strives to encourage submission of supplemental data specific to each facility type, which will help to identify process and product-related efficiency drivers for sustainability performance.

Overall, the Team is focused on continuously improving the report, building on the Study’s foundation to provide deeper insights and greater value for the beverage sector.

What is one insight or takeaway people may not realize?

The highly collaborative nature of the benchmarking process cannot be overstated. The study extends beyond participating companies and includes collaboration with industry associations and other stakeholders, helping create a broader platform for knowledge sharing and collective progress.

“The realization that so many large companies, that are competitors, can collaborate on these sustainability initiatives, is encouraging and impressive,” shares Eileen, the Benchmarking Workstream Lead.

Through working on this study, long-standing members often help newer participants understand BIER’s history and purpose, reinforcing the idea that the work is designed to benefit the broader beverage sector rather than any single organization.

How does this work support BIER’s broader mission and 2030 direction?

The Benchmarking Study reflects BIER’s longstanding commitment to advancing environmental sustainability through collaboration, scientific rigor, and practical implementation.

By providing members with credible, comparable performance data and facilitating shared learning across companies, the workstream supports BIER’s mission of helping beverage companies address shared environmental challenges collectively.

The study also aligns with the goals by strengthening collective action, supporting industry-wide learning, and providing practical tools and resources that help members make informed decisions on water stewardship, climate action, and operational performance.

Looking Ahead

As environmental sustainability expectations continue to evolve, access to credible data, practical insights, and collaborative learning opportunities remains increasingly important.

The Water, Energy, and Emissions Benchmarking Study demonstrates how BIER members work together to transform shared data into industry insight, helping support informed decision-making and measurable progress across the beverage sector.

Stay tuned for future editions of the BIER Workstream Feature Series as we continue exploring the people, projects, and collaborative initiatives advancing environmental sustainability across the beverage industry.

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^[1] Industry data referred in this article represents data contributed by participants of the BIER Benchmarking Study, which is not representative of the entire global beverage industry.

 

The Beverage Industry Environmental Roundtable (BIER) is a technical coalition of leading global beverage companies working together to advance environmental sustainability within the beverage sector.

BIER is facilitated by Antea Group.