Tag: 3BL

The Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth

Exciting news! Our new program with CARE, Mastercard Strive Women, will be part of the new Women in the Sustainable Economy (WISE) initiative, led by The White House. 

With a goal to reach 6 million entrepreneurs in Pakistan, Peru and Vietnam through campaigns, Strive Women will directly support over 300,000 entrepreneurs—the majority being women—to boost their economic potential. 

Through Strive Women, we’ll also work to help small businesses transition to eco-friendly practices and implement solutions for childcare support, while building an ecosystem to drive broader change. 

We’re proud to join this new effort to expand opportunities for women in a more sustainable economy. 

Get the details on this new initiative here. 

Strive Community | CARE Women’s Entrepreneurship

The Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth advances equitable and sustainable economic growth and financial inclusion around the world. The Center leverages the company’s core assets and competencies, including data insights, expertise and technology, while administering the company’s philanthropy, the Mastercard Impact Fund, to produce independent research, scale global programs and empower a community of thinkers, leaders and doers on the front lines of inclusive growth. For more information and to receive its latest insights, follow the Center on LinkedIn, Instagram and to its newsletter.

Originally published by The Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth

Check out more content from The Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth

Originally published in Kohler’s 2022 Believing in Better Impact Report

PARTNERSHIPS

Kohler’s stewardship team oversees the assessment of community needs at the locations around the world where we have sizable operations. We work directly with key community partners and humanitarian organizations to mobilize volunteers and provide corporate grants to fund local projects. Through engaging with local leadership, government, coalitions, and economic development officials, we are better able to understand local issues and take a customized approach to find solutions. Our stewardship work is overseen by our Chief Sustainability and DEI Officer, who communicates our social impact results to the Kohler Leadership Team and Board of Directors annually.

Kohler’s charitable giving is targeted primarily on education, health and well-being, and the arts, with $9.3 million in-kind and cash donations awarded in 2022. The annual Kohler Co. College Scholarship Program was established in 1984 to support students in our communities as they further their education. In 2022 we donated $814,903 to fund scholarships for 128 students at more than 50 schools. Since 1990 almost 2.7 million lives have benefited through scholarships and university support with 192,020 lives benefited in 2022.

Several of our partnerships also advance environmental conservation. Since 1990 Kohler has impacted almost 155,000 lives through environmental conservation initiatives and 4,148 lives in 2022.

In 2022 Kohler charitable giving totaled 9.3M in-kind and cash donations

Education Partnerships

In 2022 Kohler continued to expand support of educational programs focused on equity of opportunity and access to education for students at each stage of their development—K–12, higher education, and transition to the workforce. We have invested in programs supporting historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU) and organizations dedicated to expanding diversity, equity, and inclusion in education in Huntsville, Ala.; Milwaukee, Wis.; and Sheridan, Ark.

Thurgood Marshall College Fund: We also continued our partnership in 2022 to provide scholarships totaling $84,813 to support students attending HBCUs. Through this partnership we launched the Kohler Scholars Program, which selects two students to receive a scholarship along with mentorship and an internship with Kohler.Greater Milwaukee Urban League: Through this partnership, Kohler awarded ten scholarships in 2022 to Milwaukee public high school students to be used towards a pursuit of higher education.College Possible, M-Cubed, and United Way: In 2022 we partnered with three organizations in Milwaukee to host groups of students at the Kohler campus for activities, including tours of the campus, career exploration panel discussions, and visits to the Kohler Design Center and KOHLER WasteLAB® .

$640K invested in programs supporting students at HBCUs and organizations focused on expanding diversity, equity, and inclusion in education in Huntsville, Ala.; Milwaukee, Wis.; and Sheridan, Ark.

Health and Well-Being Partnerships

Kohler formed a partnership in 2022 with the Milwaukee Bucks Foundation and Jrue and Lauren Holiday to address domestic violence by supporting shelters across Wisconsin in honor of Purple Thursday and National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Our partnership will bring more than $200,000 of bathroom product upgrades and additional help to shelters and domestic violence organizations across Wisconsin, starting with Sojourner Family Peace Center and Hope House in Milwaukee and The Women’s Center in Waukesha.

Health and well-being partnerships will bring more than $200K of bathroom product upgrades and additional help to shelters and domestic violence organizations across Wisconsin

Health and well-being services 2.6M lives have been impacted through Kohler provided health and well-being services since 1990, with 111,000 individuals receiving services in 2022.

College Possible Corporate Partner of the Year Award

Kohler was named Corporate Partner of the Year in 2022 by College Possible Milwaukee for the company’s commitment to supporting students from under-invested communities through the Kohler Scholars Program.

COMMUNITY IMPACT THROUGH GIVING

Kohler supports a range of nonprofit organizations focused on serving critical education, health and well-being needs in our communities.

Kohler provided support for the construction of a new environmental education facility that opened in 2022 in Sheboygan, Wis., in partnership with Friends of the Sheboygan Marsh. The Kohler Center for Marsh Education is a U.S. Green Building Council LEED-certified facility that features spaces for classes, receptions, and exhibits, plus it will serve as the campground’s restroom facility.

Kohler has committed $100,000 over five years to the University of Wisconsin–Platteville to support student scholarships and the naming of the Kohler Mechanical Engineering Technical Elective Lab in the newly constructed engineering building, Sesquicentennial Hall.

Kohler continued to leverage investments in workforce development in 2022 through support of technical education, including the following partnerships:

Red Raider Manufacturing (Wis.) Pearl River Community College (Miss.) Sheridan High School (Ark.) Lakeshore Technical College (Wis.) Waukesha County Technical College (Wis.) Plumbing academies in India

ASSOCIATES IN ACTION

We are proud of Kohler associates worldwide who take action to have a positive impact on the quality of the environment, education, diversity, equity, inclusion, and health and wellness in our communities. Our associates contribute their time and talents to meet critical needs and strengthen organizations in their communities focused on these issues. In 2022 Kohler global associates initiated more than 300 community engagement activities.

To support these efforts by our U.S. associates, in 2022 we launched a paid volunteer time off (VTO) program which provides eight hours per year to all full-time U.S. associates. To date, associates have used over 2,000 VTO hours to volunteer in their communities. To help connect associates to volunteer opportunities, in 2022 we launched the Believing in Better® (BiB) app to all U.S. associates. The BiB app offers over two million registered nonprofit and volunteer opportunities, including virtual and skills-based volunteering, helping associates find more ways to take action on the pressing issues they care about.

“Stewardship is something that we can all do, or be part of—it’s not limited to specific teams or businesses. It’s our opportunity to give back.” 

Lelani Bester, Sr. Office & Communications Admin.

Among the Highlights in 2022:

Hattiesburg, United States: 20 associates volunteered in the children’s area at HUBFEST, Hattiesburg’s premier arts and music festival.Saraburi, Thailand: Associates conducted a tree-planting drive with local schools and the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare, planting 149 trees.Cheltenham, United Kingdom: The Mira IT team organized a donation of 200 PCs and laptops for IT Schools for Africa.Chikarang, Indonesia: Associates supported Rumah Harapan Cikarang orphanage with facility improvements, caring for nearly 1,800 children across four provinces.Sheboygan County, United States: 120 KBNA associates came together to volunteer across four nonprofit organizations. Associates built stage sets at Dare to Dream Theatre, picked up trash and pulled invasive species at KohlerAndrae State Park, fixed up the grounds at Camp Evelyn, and prepared meals and garden beds at Meals on Wheels.Kohler, United States: 1,050 backpacks and 25 special education kits were assembled at the 2022 Associate Picnic. With the partnership of United Way of Milwaukee and Waukesha Counties and United Way of Sheboygan County, backpacks and kits were distributed to freshman attending James Madison Academic Campus, Washington High School of Information Technology, and Sheboygan County elementary schools.Yan’an, Shanxi Province, China: Associates completed the eleventh Kohler forest through planting 3,000 trees, resulting in 436,233 trees planted since 2010.Milwaukee, United States: In September and October, a professional clothing drive was held that collected and donated 1,868 items to the Bottomless Closet, a nonprofit organization in Milwaukee, and raised $840 in online gift credits from Kohler associates. With a match from Kohler, a total of $1,680 was donated to the worldwide nonprofit Dress for Success. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: Associates partnered with Tan Thong Nursing Home to improve toilets and sanitation conditions in addition to volunteer activities with 102 residents. Sheboygan, United States: Ten Kohler Waters Spa therapists and The American Club® teamed up to recognize and celebrate over 30 nurses with 15-minute chair massages and take-home meals at Lakeshore Community Health Care.Tangier, Morocco: Supporting 700 people across 14 communities, in partnership with local medical students, associates from the Jacob Delafon plant helped organize the Tangier Morocco Medical Caravan to improve community health outcomes.Visayas, Philippines: Associates organized a donation of a six-month supply of menstrual hygiene products to support 83 women between the Department of Social Work and Good Shepherd Welcome House.Telok Kurau, Singapore: 21 associates volunteered at Willing Hearts organization, preparing meals that benefited an estimated 5,000 elderly or disabled persons, lowincome, children from single-parent or otherwise povertystricken families, and migrant workers in Singapore.Reggio Emilia, Italy: At the start of the war in Ukraine, more than 150 associates donated things such as blankets, winter clothes, masks, and children’s products.

Read the full 2022 Kohler Believing in Better Impact Report here.

Originally published in Kohler’s 2022 Believing in Better Impact Report

PARTNERSHIPS

Kohler’s stewardship team oversees the assessment of community needs at the locations around the world where we have sizable operations. We work directly with key community partners and humanitarian organizations to mobilize volunteers and provide corporate grants to fund local projects. Through engaging with local leadership, government, coalitions, and economic development officials, we are better able to understand local issues and take a customized approach to find solutions. Our stewardship work is overseen by our Chief Sustainability and DEI Officer, who communicates our social impact results to the Kohler Leadership Team and Board of Directors annually.

Kohler’s charitable giving is targeted primarily on education, health and well-being, and the arts, with $9.3 million in-kind and cash donations awarded in 2022. The annual Kohler Co. College Scholarship Program was established in 1984 to support students in our communities as they further their education. In 2022 we donated $814,903 to fund scholarships for 128 students at more than 50 schools. Since 1990 almost 2.7 million lives have benefited through scholarships and university support with 192,020 lives benefited in 2022.

Several of our partnerships also advance environmental conservation. Since 1990 Kohler has impacted almost 155,000 lives through environmental conservation initiatives and 4,148 lives in 2022.

In 2022 Kohler charitable giving totaled 9.3M in-kind and cash donations

Education Partnerships

In 2022 Kohler continued to expand support of educational programs focused on equity of opportunity and access to education for students at each stage of their development—K–12, higher education, and transition to the workforce. We have invested in programs supporting historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU) and organizations dedicated to expanding diversity, equity, and inclusion in education in Huntsville, Ala.; Milwaukee, Wis.; and Sheridan, Ark.

Thurgood Marshall College Fund: We also continued our partnership in 2022 to provide scholarships totaling $84,813 to support students attending HBCUs. Through this partnership we launched the Kohler Scholars Program, which selects two students to receive a scholarship along with mentorship and an internship with Kohler.Greater Milwaukee Urban League: Through this partnership, Kohler awarded ten scholarships in 2022 to Milwaukee public high school students to be used towards a pursuit of higher education.College Possible, M-Cubed, and United Way: In 2022 we partnered with three organizations in Milwaukee to host groups of students at the Kohler campus for activities, including tours of the campus, career exploration panel discussions, and visits to the Kohler Design Center and KOHLER WasteLAB® .

$640K invested in programs supporting students at HBCUs and organizations focused on expanding diversity, equity, and inclusion in education in Huntsville, Ala.; Milwaukee, Wis.; and Sheridan, Ark.

Health and Well-Being Partnerships

Kohler formed a partnership in 2022 with the Milwaukee Bucks Foundation and Jrue and Lauren Holiday to address domestic violence by supporting shelters across Wisconsin in honor of Purple Thursday and National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Our partnership will bring more than $200,000 of bathroom product upgrades and additional help to shelters and domestic violence organizations across Wisconsin, starting with Sojourner Family Peace Center and Hope House in Milwaukee and The Women’s Center in Waukesha.

Health and well-being partnerships will bring more than $200K of bathroom product upgrades and additional help to shelters and domestic violence organizations across Wisconsin

Health and well-being services 2.6M lives have been impacted through Kohler provided health and well-being services since 1990, with 111,000 individuals receiving services in 2022.

College Possible Corporate Partner of the Year Award

Kohler was named Corporate Partner of the Year in 2022 by College Possible Milwaukee for the company’s commitment to supporting students from under-invested communities through the Kohler Scholars Program.

COMMUNITY IMPACT THROUGH GIVING

Kohler supports a range of nonprofit organizations focused on serving critical education, health and well-being needs in our communities.

Kohler provided support for the construction of a new environmental education facility that opened in 2022 in Sheboygan, Wis., in partnership with Friends of the Sheboygan Marsh. The Kohler Center for Marsh Education is a U.S. Green Building Council LEED-certified facility that features spaces for classes, receptions, and exhibits, plus it will serve as the campground’s restroom facility.

Kohler has committed $100,000 over five years to the University of Wisconsin–Platteville to support student scholarships and the naming of the Kohler Mechanical Engineering Technical Elective Lab in the newly constructed engineering building, Sesquicentennial Hall.

Kohler continued to leverage investments in workforce development in 2022 through support of technical education, including the following partnerships:

Red Raider Manufacturing (Wis.) Pearl River Community College (Miss.) Sheridan High School (Ark.) Lakeshore Technical College (Wis.) Waukesha County Technical College (Wis.) Plumbing academies in India

ASSOCIATES IN ACTION

We are proud of Kohler associates worldwide who take action to have a positive impact on the quality of the environment, education, diversity, equity, inclusion, and health and wellness in our communities. Our associates contribute their time and talents to meet critical needs and strengthen organizations in their communities focused on these issues. In 2022 Kohler global associates initiated more than 300 community engagement activities.

To support these efforts by our U.S. associates, in 2022 we launched a paid volunteer time off (VTO) program which provides eight hours per year to all full-time U.S. associates. To date, associates have used over 2,000 VTO hours to volunteer in their communities. To help connect associates to volunteer opportunities, in 2022 we launched the Believing in Better® (BiB) app to all U.S. associates. The BiB app offers over two million registered nonprofit and volunteer opportunities, including virtual and skills-based volunteering, helping associates find more ways to take action on the pressing issues they care about.

“Stewardship is something that we can all do, or be part of—it’s not limited to specific teams or businesses. It’s our opportunity to give back.” 

Lelani Bester, Sr. Office & Communications Admin.

Among the Highlights in 2022:

Hattiesburg, United States: 20 associates volunteered in the children’s area at HUBFEST, Hattiesburg’s premier arts and music festival.Saraburi, Thailand: Associates conducted a tree-planting drive with local schools and the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare, planting 149 trees.Cheltenham, United Kingdom: The Mira IT team organized a donation of 200 PCs and laptops for IT Schools for Africa.Chikarang, Indonesia: Associates supported Rumah Harapan Cikarang orphanage with facility improvements, caring for nearly 1,800 children across four provinces.Sheboygan County, United States: 120 KBNA associates came together to volunteer across four nonprofit organizations. Associates built stage sets at Dare to Dream Theatre, picked up trash and pulled invasive species at KohlerAndrae State Park, fixed up the grounds at Camp Evelyn, and prepared meals and garden beds at Meals on Wheels.Kohler, United States: 1,050 backpacks and 25 special education kits were assembled at the 2022 Associate Picnic. With the partnership of United Way of Milwaukee and Waukesha Counties and United Way of Sheboygan County, backpacks and kits were distributed to freshman attending James Madison Academic Campus, Washington High School of Information Technology, and Sheboygan County elementary schools.Yan’an, Shanxi Province, China: Associates completed the eleventh Kohler forest through planting 3,000 trees, resulting in 436,233 trees planted since 2010.Milwaukee, United States: In September and October, a professional clothing drive was held that collected and donated 1,868 items to the Bottomless Closet, a nonprofit organization in Milwaukee, and raised $840 in online gift credits from Kohler associates. With a match from Kohler, a total of $1,680 was donated to the worldwide nonprofit Dress for Success. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: Associates partnered with Tan Thong Nursing Home to improve toilets and sanitation conditions in addition to volunteer activities with 102 residents. Sheboygan, United States: Ten Kohler Waters Spa therapists and The American Club® teamed up to recognize and celebrate over 30 nurses with 15-minute chair massages and take-home meals at Lakeshore Community Health Care.Tangier, Morocco: Supporting 700 people across 14 communities, in partnership with local medical students, associates from the Jacob Delafon plant helped organize the Tangier Morocco Medical Caravan to improve community health outcomes.Visayas, Philippines: Associates organized a donation of a six-month supply of menstrual hygiene products to support 83 women between the Department of Social Work and Good Shepherd Welcome House.Telok Kurau, Singapore: 21 associates volunteered at Willing Hearts organization, preparing meals that benefited an estimated 5,000 elderly or disabled persons, lowincome, children from single-parent or otherwise povertystricken families, and migrant workers in Singapore.Reggio Emilia, Italy: At the start of the war in Ukraine, more than 150 associates donated things such as blankets, winter clothes, masks, and children’s products.

Read the full 2022 Kohler Believing in Better Impact Report here.

Climate change is driving hunger—and people are dying as a result. In Kenya, 33 people have already died due to severe flooding and heavy rainfall. More than 121,000 are displaced. Most were not equipped to endure these climate shocks, especially after prolonged drought left 4 million Kenyans with next to nothing.

In the midst of a warming world, natural disasters are exacerbating hunger and poverty. Current systems are failing the world’s most vulnerable communities. But it’s not too late to take action. “We need to build new systems for adaptation and resilience,” writes Dancliff Mbura, Action Against Hunger’s advocacy, communications and partnership coordinator for Kenya.

COP28—the world’s largest climate gathering—is right around the corner. In less than 10 days, global representatives are meeting in Dubai. There’s no better time than now to spread awareness about climate risks, and most importantly, push for change. Action Against Hunger is urging governments around the world to take action in five critical ways:

1. Increase Access to Climate Finance For the Most Vulnerable

2. Transform Food Systems 

3. Safeguard the Right to Water

4. Recognize and Support Women as Agents of Change

5. Anticipate and Address Rising Humanitarian Needs

Mbura notes that climate and hunger are “intimately linked,” but that these five solutions can minimize future consequences.

“Without serious intervention, hunger will rise,” writes Mbura. “Despite the dire outlook, climate-resilient solutions are available and effective. But we have to act now.”

Read more here: Opinion | How We Can Fight Hunger Even as the Planet Warms | Common Dreams.

In the digital age, protecting data and critical business systems is not only paramount, but a non-negotiable for many organizations. Lenovo’s Infrastructure Solutions Group (ISG) most recent milestone of earning its ISO 27001:2022 Information Security Management System (ISMS) certification for the Isolated Computing Environment (ICE) Lab in Morrisville, North Carolina, where ThinkSystem, ThinkEdge, ThinkAgile and CSP ecosystem firmware and software are securely stored, built, and signed underscores the company’s commitment to providing secure solutions and products to businesses of all sizes. The certification was achieved in record time and with 100% compliance. The company’s clean audit results are a testament to the best-in-class security practices implemented and adhered to.

Implementing a strong security culture is a continuous task, not an isolated one. As the amount of data businesses hold continues to grow exponentially, propelled further by increased adoption of AI and analytics, security capabilities must expand in conjunction. And with a greater emphasis on security solutions rather than just products, combined with difficulties finding the right security personnel, organizations are looking to unified, autonomous solutions to empower them to safeguard their data.

Lenovo ISG’s ISO 27001:2022 ISMS certification demonstrates that the people, processes and technologies that process protected data address stringent security controls such as threat intelligence, physical security monitoring, data leakage prevention, and secure coding, to name a few.

What is ISO 27001:2022?

ISO 27001 is a globally recognized standard for managing information security. Certification provides evidence that an organization manages information security appropriately and adheres to the strict guidelines.

ISO 27001:2022 is the latest version of the standard released in 2022, reflecting more rigorous requirements and more modern information security concerns compared to the prior version released in 2013.

Prioritizing Smarter Security

Today, information security management is a crucial part of any organization. Without it, you risk lost revenue and damaged customer trust. Customers utilizing Lenovo ISG’s ISO 27001-certified solutions better position their businesses to protect the integrity of critical information.

The newly achieved certification provides customers with peace of mind, knowing that Lenovo’s products and services improve information security, protect the confidentiality of information and mitigate cybersecurity risks.

Looking Ahead

Security is a journey, not a destination. Lenovo is committed to making that journey as seamless as possible by helping customers unlock the value from their data with secure products and services while also being the most trusted partner for organizations of all sizes. Visit https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/compliance/iso-27001/ to learn more.

About Lenovo

Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) is a US$62 billion revenue global technology powerhouse, ranked #217 in the Fortune Global 500, employing 77,000 people around the world, and serving millions of customers every day in 180 markets. Focused on a bold vision to deliver smarter technology for all, Lenovo has built on its success as the world’s largest PC company by further expanding into growth areas that fuel the advancement of ‘New IT’ technologies (client, edge, cloud, network, and intelligence) including server, storage, mobile, software, solutions, and services. This transformation together with Lenovo’s world-changing innovation is building a more inclusive, trustworthy, and smarter future for everyone, everywhere. To find out more visit https://www.lenovo.com, and read about the latest news via our StoryHub.

Cummins

Cummins Inc.’s initiative to power gender equity around the world has partnered with Global Rights for Women, other corporations and a multi-national law firm to develop a tool for users to view laws, rights, policies, and penalties around the world related to domestic violence.

The tool is now available to non-governmental organizations, victims of domestic violence, victims’ support services and others.

“By users becoming better informed about the laws and their rights pertaining to those laws, they can make meaningful decisions on how to take action,” said Kate Teixeira, Senior Counsel, Asia Pacific at Cummins and sponsor of Cummins Powers Women for Asia Pacific.

“With its easy access and encouraged usage, the online tool has gained momentum and been instrumental in helping women have access to information about the complex legal systems of their respective countries,” Teixeira added. “Progress is being made and, ideally, these efforts will eventually aid in modifying the laws and government policies to support the rights of women everywhere.”

According to U.N. Women, the United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women, at least one in three women in the world are victims of domestic and sexual assault. In many countries across Asia and the Pacific, the proportion of women having experienced physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime is believed to be substantially higher than the 27% global average. As many as 75% of women are thought to have experienced some form of sexual harassment in their lifetime.

“We are fortunate to have some of our employees engaged in skilled volunteering to help address the dire need of protecting women experiencing domestic violence in this area of the world,” Cummins’ Teixeira said. “We have been working on a number of projects in partnership with Global Rights for Women, a non-profit working with more than 60 international partners to identify obstacles to justice and safety for survivors of domestic violence. Although there is much work to do, the progress we are making through this partnership is inspiring.”

In all, the partnership had 500 lawyers working on aspects of the research. Other partners included Google, 3M, HP, Accenture and Merck Sharp & Dohme as well as Baker McKenzie, a global law firm. The result is that anyone in the world can view country laws, rights, policies, services, and penalties related to domestic violence.

Cummins Powers Women was launched by the global power technology leader in 2018 to advance gender equality in the communities where Cummins has a presence around the world. It has evolved into a $23 million initiative, resulting in 47 gender equality law and policy changes potentially impacting millions of women and girls. The program has funded more than 250 advocacy grants through its 10 global partners in 18 countries.

The Mayor of Beaverton, Oregon, declared November 14, 2023 as International Paper Day, in recognition of the company’s many contributions to the community. Proclamations are ceremonial documents, signed by the Mayor and issued to businesses for special honors, on the recommendation of the Mayor.

For 125 years, International Paper has been the catalyst in the global economy as the world’s leading producer of renewable packaging, pulp and other fiber-based products essential to everyday life. IP transforms renewable resources into products people depend on every day including packaging solutions that protect and promote goods, enable worldwide commerce and help keep consumers safe. The company produces renewable basic materials such as pulp for diapers, tissue and other personal care products, and delivers circular solutions that enable recycling, reduce waste and build a better future for our planet.

IP strives to be a force for good and mobilizes people, products and resources to address critical needs in the communities where we live and work. Most of the company’s donations and IP Foundation grants support projects and programs focused on our signature causes – education, hunger, health and wellness, and disaster relief.

International Paper opened in Beaverton in 1956, first as Western Kraft and became part of International Paper in 2002. IP has been a valued partner in the community with more than 300 employees working at four locations in Beaverton. Since 2017, International Paper’s foundation has donated more than $300,000 to support a variety of local Beaverton organizations, including the Hoyt Arboretum’s Youth Environmental Education program.

###

About International Paper 
International Paper (NYSE: IP) is a global producer of planet-friendly packaging, pulp, and other fiber-based products, and one of North America’s largest recyclers. Headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., we employ approximately 39,000 colleagues globally who are committed to creating what’s next. We serve customers worldwide, with manufacturing operations in North America, Latin America, North Africa, and Europe. Net sales for 2022 were $21.2 billion. Additional information can be found by visiting internationalpaper.com.

Contacts: 
Media: Amy Simpson, 901-419-4964

On World Animal Day, we are honored to recognize organizations such as the Oakland Zoo for their commitment to the well-being of all animals.

FedEx and the Oakland Zoo have collaborated on multiple projects for over ten years. From transporting animals through in-kind shipping to providing support for the Zoo to Community (ZTC) program, FedEx is proud to support the Oakland Zoo’s conservation and education efforts.

STEM education for local students

The Oakland Zoo created its Zoo to Community (ZTC) initiative in 2006 to serve Title 1 schools primarily in Alameda County, CA. The ZTC program aims to close the learning gap for students by providing relevant, interactive, inquiry-based science and environmental learning programs for pre-K through high school. Students learn about the status of California’s wildlife and the conservation challenges they face, and how the Zoo is supporting efforts in the field to help these animals and their habitats.

As part of the field trip and wildlife assembly program, ZTC waives service fees and provides free bus transportation on the “Zoo Bus” to students who would otherwise not have the ability to visit the Oakland Zoo.

Transporting precious cargo

The Oakland Zoo is a nationally recognized leader in animal welfare, rescue, and conservation and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). The Zoo is a member of the Bay Area Cougar Action Team (BACAT) in partnership with the California Department of Fish & Wildlife. Through this program the Zoo rescues, rehabilitates, and re-homes mountain lions rescued from wildfire and human-wildlife conflict.

In cases where animals need to be moved to or from the zoo, FedEx is honored to use its global network and logistical expertise to help transport this precious cargo. From bears to jaguars, FedEx is happy to help the Oakland Zoo.

Highlights from animals transported via FedEx:

In 2018, Oakland Zoo and FedEx teamed up to transport four orphaned male brown bear cubs (two grizzly & two brown bear pairs) from Alaska to Oakland. Since the cubs could not be released back into the wild, the Oakland Zoo built them a 2.5-acre natural habitat in the California Trail expansion. It is equipped with a pool, a waterfall, several dens, and trees for climbing.

The 2020 California wildfire season left many animals injured and/or orphaned, including a young mountain lion cub now known as Captain Cal. While Captain Cal was recovering from his injuries, the Oakland Zoo took in two more mountain lion cubs who also needed medical care and introduced them to Captain Cal. The three thrived in each other’s company making the recovery process easier for all. Once the cubs recovered, FedEx stepped in to transport the cubs to their new fur-ever home at the Columbus Zoo in Ohio.

The latest collaboration by Oakland Zoo and FedEx is the recent move of Emma the jaguar from the Miami Zoo to provide a companion for the Oakland Zoo’s male jaguar, Lucha. Love is in the air for these two and hopes are for jaguar cubs soon. Emma’s move to the Oakland Zoo, courtesy of FedEx, is part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums “Species Survival Plan,” developed by AZA to help ensure the sustainability of a healthy, genetically diverse, and demographically varied AZA population.

***photo credit for two grizzlies Steven Gotz and Oakland Zoo for the rest of the images

Originally published in Alkermes September 2023 Corporate Responsibility Report

We strive to conduct our business activities in a manner that minimizes the environmental impacts of our operations and promotes effective stewardship of environmental resources. We are committed to complying with applicable laws, rules and regulations and operating with the highest standards of conduct. All Alkermes facilities are subject to routine regulatory inspections in respect of EHSS to confirm compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

We strive to maintain a culture of sustainability throughout our organization and work collaboratively across internal stakeholder groups and functions to identify ways to mitigate risks, increase operational efficiencies and reduce our environmental impacts, including those related to resource use, waste management and climate change.

Following a 2020 survey of leaders across our operations functions to identify the environmental focus areas of highest importance to our business operations, we identified the following key environmental focus areas:

Energy Use, GHG Emissions and RenewablesWaste Optimization and Circular EconomyPharmaceuticals in the EnvironmentWater ConservationSustainability in the Supply NetworkBiodiversity

In 2021, we established a global, cross-functional sustainability steering team to further develop and enhance our focus on these areas, and in 2022, we began to work with Sustainserv, an independent consultant, to help us further advance our environmental sustainability strategy and associated disclosures.

Energy Usage and GHG Emissions Highlights 

Alkermes recognizes the serious environmental, economic and societal impacts caused by climate change. We continually monitor and review our energy usage in order to identify opportunities for further optimization and reduction. Our activities in support of this objective include:

Analysis of data and trends from electricity, natural gas and processed gas monitoring systems at our facilities;Replacement of legacy equipment with more energy- efficient alternatives;Incorporation of sustainable design and building techniques into new facilities to promote less energy use; andAssessments of options to procure and further integrate renewable energy sources into our operations.

A group of engineering leaders from each of our sites meets regularly to develop best practices for our facilities and utility systems. A sub-team of this group is responsible for integrating sustainability principles and practices into the design of our capital projects, monitoring company-wide energy audits and developing multi-year plans for energy reduction initiatives.

Our overall energy use increased sequentially by 4% in 2022, and in turn our combined Scope 1 & 2 GHG emissions (absolute) increased by 2%. Combined Scope 1 & 2 emissions per $M revenue were 40% lower than our baseline year of 2015. The increases were primarily due to increased commercial activities (and corresponding gasoline usage) related to the launch of a new proprietary product, increased diesel usage at one of our facilities as part of an electrical supply upgrade and increased process gases and refrigerants emissions related to required system repair and maintenance.

These increases were partially mitigated by our continued assessment and implementation of opportunities to improve our energy use and reduce GHG emissions at our facilities including:

Our Dublin offices and Athlone facility were supplied by 100% renewable electricity generation in 2022; andAt our Athlone facility, a dedicated chilled water unit was installed as part of a process upgrade. This upgrade allowed the site’s baseload chiller to operate more efficiently, saving an estimated 1,175,150 kWh annually.

As part of an upgrade to our Athlone facility completed in 2022, the facility now provides additional Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations.

For the third consecutive year, the electricity at our Athlone facility was verified by Captured Carbon, an independent provider of energy services in Ireland, as being sourced from 100% renewable electricity generation in 2022. This achievement underscores our continued commitment to reducing our environmental impact and implementing sustainable business practices.

Water Conservation Highlights 

We recognize that water is a scarce and invaluable resource that we must endeavor to conserve and use efficiently and sustainably. We have implemented programs across our organization to assess, reduce and optimize our water consumption, and we examine opportunities to further conserve water on an ongoing basis.

Despite these efforts, overall absolute source water usage at our facilities increased 15% in 2022 compared to 2021, primarily due to groundwater well repair work at our Athlone facility. However, even with this increase, our overall absolute source water usage decreased 22% compared to our 2015 baseline measurement year and the majority of the water used in such repair work was recovered and recycled.

Case Study: Protecting Local Ecology 

In 2022 and early 2023, our Athlone facility designed, constructed and commissioned an enhanced Fire Water Retention Facility, which, in the event of a major incident, is designed to contain contaminated firefighting water and help protect the local environment. The project was completed in response to revised national guidance from the Environmental Protection Agency of Ireland, who consulted on the project.

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Originally published in Quest Diagnostics Corporate Responsibility Report 2022

We aim to deliver empathetic, high-quality, and convenient individualized care.

Strengthening our approach to patient-centered care

Development programs to build employee skillsets 
Throughout 2022, we deployed new staff training and development programs that are customer-centric and emphasize thoughtful and patient-focused care delivery.

Added content and training through our Everyday Excellence and Everyday Equity programs to educate frontline workers in empathetic care deliveryWorked with The Arnold P. Gold Foundation to train frontline employees in humanistic patient engagement. This included suggestions on how to build trust in relationships through active listening during patient interactionsRegularly asked patients in PSC exit surveys to assess the care and compassion of our staff and used that feedback as part of performance evaluationsAdopted Franklin Covey’s Speed of Trust® Program. Five hundred employees, including frontline supervisors, were trained on inclusive leadership with a focus on building trust with frontline employees and patients

Enhancing the patient experience using technology 
Patients expect efficient and accessible digital services from healthcare providers throughout their patient journey. This includes purchasing or scheduling tests, receiving test results, and learning about possible next steps.

We are committed to leveraging technology that is user-friendly. At the same time, we recognize that some patients may still encounter challenges. To ensure all patients have the support they need when they need it, we provide a range of communication options (telephone, social media, our website, instant messaging, and email).

Our PSCs have check-in kiosks that are wheelchair accessible, provide help in 30 languages, and feature audio guidance for visually impaired patients. In 2022, we added LanguageLine to our PSCs and customer service lines. This audio and video translation service enables our staff to better communicate with patients.

Identifying new approaches to care delivery 
We strive to deliver a high level of holistic care to all our patients. This requires exploring and understanding the needs of different population groups throughout the patient or consumer experience. In 2022, we began to adopt reference ranges in the development of some of our tests to reflect differential health outcomes across ethnicities.

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