Tag: 3BL

By Kristy Lilas, Vice President of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging at GoDaddy

Diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) are principles meant to ensure we all – regardless of who we are or what we’ve experienced – have an equal opportunity to thrive and succeed. DEIB isn’t just about one group, one company, or one issue—it’s about all of us. And DEIB is not just for big business, either. Focusing on DEIB in your small business can help empower yourself, your fellow entrepreneurs, your customers and your communities. There are many ways small businesses can make a positive impact by integrating DEIB principles into their operations, services and offerings.

A favorite part of my job as vice president of diversity, inclusion and belonging for GoDaddy is when I get to discuss DEIB best practices for small businesses with the entrepreneurs who participate in Empower by GoDaddy, GoDaddy’s global social impact program designed to equip entrepreneurs from underserved communities with learning and resources to accelerate their small business success. The first thing we cover in our DEIB course is:

Why should a busy entrepreneur spend time considering DEIB?

The answer is simple: DEIB is good for people—and people run businesses; people are our customers; and people make up our communities. What’s good for people is good for business and all of us as individuals.

But you don’t have to just take my word for it; there is plenty of research that agrees. DEIB empowers everyone a business interacts with, including:

Employees: 70% of job seekers say a company’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion is important when evaluating a potential employer. Once hired, employees who experience a sense of belonging are 5.3 times more likely to feel empowered to perform their best work. High belonging was also linked to a 56% increase in job performance, 50% drop in turnover risk and 75% reduction in sick days. And when a team is built, inclusive teams are 17% more likely to report being high performing and 20% more innovative. If you’re looking to hire employees for your business, those are some powerful reasons to build an inclusive environment in which they can flourish. You’ll attract great talent and build an effective team by focusing on DEIB. 
 Customers: Brands with the highest diversity scores showed an 83% higher consumer preference. Another study detailed how 73% of consumers believe it’s important that brands they buy from take action to promote diversity, equity and inclusion. Displaying a commitment to DEIB helps build a loyal customer base. 
 Investors: 75% of organizations with frontline decision-making teams reflecting a diverse and inclusive culture will exceed their financial targets. If you’re hoping to attract investors, you’re probably looking for any way to help you hit your financial goals, and DEIB can help. 
 Communities: In the U.S., the racial wealth gap is wide: in 2019 the median white family had $184,000 in wealth compared to just $38,000 and $23,000 for Hispanic and Black families, respectively. Meanwhile, the country will not have any single ethnic or racial majority by 2065. By considering and supporting diverse experiences now, we are both empowering those around us today and getting prepared for how to do so tomorrow and beyond.

How can a small business embed DEIB into its business strategy? 

Here are some best practices to consider:

Think about DEIB the same way you would any other priority to advance your business. If focusing on DEIB can help attract customers and make you more profitable, you may want to prioritize it the same way you do your marketing, sales and other business decisions.Think about your day-to-day operations to consider where you can integrate best practices into how you work to further DEIB goals.Be a consistent champion of DEIB principles through your business, with your employees, to your customers and in your community.

Those are considerations you can apply across your business. For a more detailed example, here are ways a small business could prioritize equity when introducing a new product or service to customers:

Research and ideation – When brainstorming a product or service concept:

Ask or survey people from marginalized and underserved communities, like women, people with disabilities, people of color, LGBTQIA+ individuals and others, about what they need or are looking for in the product or service.Consider trying to build products and services for those who may need it most—not just a “majority” of customers.Consult external resources when researching ideas for a new product or service or in how to improve your offering. For example, reach out to an organization that represents people with disabilities to understand whether your service will be as accessible as possible to people with limited mobility.

Planning and design – When scoping and conceptualizing your product or service:

Consider how you might design your products and services for beyond your “target” user. Focusing on marginalized and underprivileged communities can both help support those communities as well as potentially expand your customer base into other segments you hadn’t considered. Solicit feedback from diverse groups and individuals throughout the design phase so that their voices are reflected in what you create.

Development and prototyping – When creating and building your product or service:

Support other small and diverse businesses by partnering with or sourcing materials, services or input from them.

Validation and testing – When testing your product or service with target customers:

Ensure product testing groups reflect diverse groups and experiences.Prioritize updating and adjusting products and services in ways that support more people having an equally positive experience with them. For instance, adjust the times you offer a service so that parents or caretakers are more likely able to use it.

Production and commercialization – When producing, selling and marketing your product or service:

Train your customer-facing employees on how to engage with people inclusively. For example, teach your team on how to not make assumptions, use inclusive language and be welcoming to all.Actively promote products and services to a broad and diverse market. You may even find a new customer audience you hadn’t considered.Continue to invite and consider candid feedback after launch. Create ways for people to leave feedback through your website, with comment cards in your store or through a survey after providing a service and be explicit that your goal is to provide a positive experience for everyone.

DEIB doesn’t have to be complicated. The simpler we make it, the easier it is to do. Embracing the strategies outlined above doesn’t have to be expensive, either. Prioritizing DEIB really just means staying curious, compassionate and courageous when considering and interacting with your employees, customers and communities.

How might you get started with integrating DEIB into your small business?

For more small business tips and resources, visit https://www.godaddy.com/resources.

Empowering through Equity & Inclusion: A GoDaddy Series – At GoDaddy, we make apps and services that our worldwide community of entrepreneurs can relate to and that serve our mission of empowering entrepreneurs everywhere, making opportunity more inclusive for all. Our people and culture reflect and celebrate that sense of diversity and inclusion in ideas, experiences and perspectives. But we know that’s not enough to build true equity and belonging in our communities. That’s why we prioritize integrating diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging principles into the core of how we work every day. This article is part of the Empowering through Equity & Inclusion thought leadership series that reflects on how organizations can strive for more equitable and inclusive workplaces – as well as communities.

By The Black & Veatch Insights Group

The escalating frequency and strength of hurricanes, wildfires, floods, droughts and environmental impacts offer tangible evidence that climate change is making severe weather events increasingly unpredictable and more costly.

It begs the question: With the ever-present effects of climate change influencing the world, how are electric utilities dealing with the risks?

Black & Veatch’s survey of more than 650 U.S. electric industry stakeholders for its recently released 2023 Electric Report offers some perspective, beginning with the certainty that no utility or locale is immune from climatological risk.

Threats from Every Direction

No matter a utility’s location, some level of threat exists and is top of mind for power providers.

In the Northeast and South, respondents cited hurricanes as their top risk to successfully delivering reliable operations over the next three to five years, while those in the Midwest pointed to cold and ice. In the West, wildfires topped the list of climatological concerns.

Even though many utilities in the same region may face the same risks, the biggest risk they identify varies across the numerous types of threats. In other words, it seems that nothing is off the table when it comes to climatological events that could impact system operations.

Mitigating Risk

The U.S. Department of Energy has been beating the drum about the need for U.S. electric utilities to harden assets in pursuit of resilience and reliability, appreciative that there’s no panacea.

“There is no silver bullet technology to guarantee a reliable system, and every resource and system is at risk for failure: coal or natural gas fuel supplies can freeze, extended periods of low wind resource can occur, and transmission lines can fail,” the DOE warned in July 2022. “Reliability and resilience of the system stems from a portfolio of technologies and strategies that limits exposure to common risks and includes forward planning that considers the evolving threats from climate change, extreme weather and other unknown sources.”

Mitigating climate risk will require utilities to make sizable investments to bolster their infrastructure — an approach that champions being proactive rather than reactively addressing the fallout, both monetarily and in terms of public perceptions and relations – after a disaster hits.

While many electric utilities see merit in bolstering their infrastructures’ climate resilience, getting regulatory signoff for the often-steep price tag — and recovering that cost from ratepayers likely to object — keeps such projects from being viable, no matter the utility’s commitment to it.

But Uncle Sam is offering some help with climate-related investment infusions that started with the $1.2-trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) that earmarks $73 billion for grid upgrades, including the buildout of thousands of miles of new, resilient transmission lines to help expand renewable energy ostensibly meant to mitigate climate change. That single biggest federal investment in power transmission in U.S. history comes at a time of runaway expansion of renewables.

The “Inflation Reduction Act” (IRA) that followed became the single biggest climate investment commitment in U.S. history, with $369 billion over 10 years devoted to climate and clean energy provisions. That includes some $30 billion in grant and loan programs for electric utilities and states to advance the transition to cleaner, greener energy.

These historical measures will significantly benefit utilities looking to harden their systems against climate change events, especially given that respondents cited affordability (48 percent) as the chief obstacle to climate-related mitigation measures. However, other challenges remain, including both regulatory scrutiny and supply chain logjams (both at 27 percent), the latter manifested by the COVID-19 pandemic and not expected to ease in the near-term. Difficulty in modeling future weather events and their impact on assets drew one-quarter of respondents, reflecting the complexity of modeling the dynamic variables related to climatological changes and their impact on electric utility infrastructure.

A Focus on Planning

Despite the hurdles, the U.S. electric sector appears to be putting a major focus on planning.

According to respondents, two-thirds of utilities have incorporated climate risk analysis into their resilience planning or performed high-level climate risk modeling. This number has gone up substantially from 50 percent last year, punctuating the point that utilities are taking this risk more seriously.

Developing Unique Solutions

Utilities seemingly are taking climate risks seriously by implementing planning into their strategies, knowing that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach, even within one geographic region. It is imperative that we act now by discarding outdated planning methods and adopting new ones that incorporate climate modeling and other innovative climate-mitigation strategies to enhance our resilience against the escalating frequency and severity of climate-related events.

For More Information

When it comes to effective climate modeling and other tools to help utilities better prepare for their futures, the analysis comes to three key considerations – location, past weather event history and climate change models. To learn more about this topic in a Black & Veatch eBook, click here.

NEW YORK, November 14, 2023 /3BL/ – Demonstrating how purpose propels profit, leading CEOs who are a part of a coalition of more than 200 of the world’s largest companies collectively representing $8.7 trillion in annual revenue and $47 billion in total community investment, attended Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose’s© (CECP) Board of Boards yesterday in New York, New York.

This closed-door, CEO-only session focused on the purpose driven leadership in a volatile and every changing world. CEO discussion leaders included:

Mark Clouse, President & CEO, Campbell Soup CompanyDaryl Brewster, CEO, CECPRichard Edelman, CEO, EdelmanKen Frazier, Chairman, Health Assurance Initiatives, General Catalyst; Former Chairman & CEO, MerckMichael Roberts, CEO US & Americas, HSBC BankAlbert Bourla, Chairman & CEO, PfizerTim Ryan, US Senior Partner, PwCJessica Foster, President, RHR International Sara Armbruster, President & CEO, Steelcase Inc.Joanne Crevoiserat, CEO, Tapestry, Inc.Daniel Crowley, Chairman, President & CEO, TRIUMPHBill Rogers, Chairman & CEO, Truist Financial Corporation 

Key Takeaways

Go back to basics 

When asked to describe how they are feeling in the current business and sociopolitical environment, two words rose to the top, “uncertain” and “optimistic.”Focus on core business success—stay true to strategy, no hard lefts, or rights.Customers demand accountability and have high standards.From crisis brings clarity to set a clear and simple direction.

Where to focus

Trust, faith, and empathy to elevate the customer and employee experience.The next industrial revolution to define a new energy source.Do what matters, then absorb the secondary and tertiary benefits for all that you do.Your four walls—where you have control, credibility, and capability.

Communications matters

Drop the labels, do the work.Company channels matter as a source of trusted information—use them frequentlyCompanies should not be in the middle of every issue, advocate for truth.Acknowledge when issues come up, express empathy, fill the void, communicate, and then act.

Focus on purpose

Insist on the idea of purpose—purpose and profit are not at odds; they work in harmony.Focus on sense of common purpose, have tolerance for all beliefs.Persistence and a long-term view are essential, give initiatives time to flourish.

Employee engagement

Trust based culture—invite people into the conversation to co-create.New employee value proposition—who, when, where, how we work, revisited.Make employee upskilling similar to other employee benefits like 401k and health care.

“CEOs share their experiences, successes, and challenges in defining and implementing corporate purpose, which informs their business strategy throughout the year,” said Daryl Brewster, CEO, CECP. “This is a network of leading CEOs who are leveraging purpose as a north star in navigating today’s turbulent waters to tackle these issues collaboratively and more effectively.”

The event was limited to CECP CEOs, and the agenda and list of attendees can be found here.

This year’s 2023 Force for Good honorees are Joanne Crevoiserat, CEO, Tapestry and Dr. Albert Bourla, Chairman & CEO, Pfizer. Force for Good honorees advocate on behalf of their companies to create a better world through business, and the recognition acknowledges CEO’s leadership in the community and within their companies. Additionally, this year’s Lawrence A. Wien Legacy Award honoree is Ken Frazier, Chairman, Health Assurance Initiatives, at General Catalyst. This recognition spotlights many of his contributions to invest in solving societal challenges, speaking out, and taking action when needed. Specifically, Ken’s action around Charlottesville is seen as a seminal moment that inspired scores of CEOs and companies to re-think their role in society. This exemplifies CECP founder Paul Newman’s belief that businesses can always “do more”, where your purpose-driven and values-first work raised the bar. CECP also thanks the Empire State Building for lighting in CECP Blue.

The Board of Boards was preceded by the CECP CEO Investor Forum, the premier platform that brings CEOs from the world’s largest companies and investors together to discuss Integrated Long-Term Plans on climate. Eight CEOs will present to investors representing trillions of dollars in market cap in New York and virtually.

The 2024 Board of Boards will be held in New York City November 18, 2024, 25 years to the day from the date of the founding of CECP by Paul Newman, Peter Malkin, John Whitehead, and other business leaders. CEOs can register at info@cecp.co. To learn more about how to take part in CECP’s 25th anniversary celebration, contact info@cecp.co.

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About Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose (CECP)

Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose® (CECP) is a trusted advisor to companies on their corporate purpose journeys to build long-term sustainable value. Working with CEOs and leaders in corporate responsibility, sustainability, foundations, investor relations, finance, legal, and communications, CECP shares actionable insights with its CEO-led coalition to address stakeholder needs.

Founded in 1999 by actor and philanthropist Paul Newman and other business leaders, CECP is a movement of more than 200 of the world’s largest companies that represent $8.7 trillion in revenues, $47 billion in total community investment, 15.1 million employees, 16 million hours of employee engagement, and $34.1 trillion in assets under management. CECP helps companies transform their strategy by providing research, benchmarking, strategy, convening, and communications in the areas of societal/community investment, employee engagement, environmental social governance/sustainable business, diversity equity inclusion, and telling the story.

For more information, visit http://cecp.co.

At Yum! Brands, we believe in the importance of physical, emotional and financial wellbeing and have carefully crafted benefits to help employees in these areas. Recently teams had the chance to experience these benefits during Live Well Weeks hosted at each of our U.S.-based restaurant support centers. During these 14 days, they learned several ways to improve their wellbeing, like how to prevent diabetes, how to plan for retirement and how to manage stress. The event was such a success that it’s the subject of the latest episode of “Quick Bite,” the video series that profiles innovative work in under a minute.

Founded in 2005, the foundation is a private, non-profit organization established by Whole Foods Market and dedicated to poverty alleviation. The nonprofit’s mission is to empower the world’s poorest people with microcredit and the chance to expand a home-based business and lift themselves and families out poverty. To date, Whole Planet Foundation has disbursed $107 million through microlending partners worldwide, funding 7 million microloans and 35 million income-generating opportunities.

“Whole Planet Foundation is pleased to launch a new partnership with Smiling through Light to support the distribution of solar home kits in off-grid areas of Sierra Leone. For the Foundation’s West Africa/MENA portfolio, this is the first regional disbursement under Whole Planet Foundation’s new Energy & Water Fund!” said Claire Kelly, West Africa/MENA Regional Director at Whole Planet Foundation.

Pay-as-you-Go (PAYG) is an asset-based financing model used to provide solar energy systems to low-income households. Under this PAYG solar model, households can purchase a high-quality solar home system by paying it off through smaller installments. Typically, the model includes paying a deposit usually 10-20 percent of the total cost, then committing to a certain number of ongoing payments. The customer makes payments either daily, weekly or monthly through a mobile money account with a PAYG operator. Technology within the solar device regulates usage, disabling the energy services if a customer defaults on their payments. Under most PAYG models, the device then permanently unlocks at the end of the payment period and ownership is transferred to the customer. PAYG solar a viable option for households not currently served by a reliable grid, and is a cleaner, safer alternative to kerosene for lighting.

“With this new funding, Smiling Through Lift will demonstrate and scale up its PAYG operations in Sierra Leone supporting women, job creation and access to clean energy,” said Mariama Kamara, Founder & Director of Smiling Through Light (STL). “2022 was marked by the implementation of our new systems and processes. By December 2021 we completed the setup of the PAYG online platform (using Solaris/PaygOps). We further introduced a 5Cs process (x5 credit assessment related questions to assess the creditworthiness of our -typically unbanked – customers). The combination of the PAYGO platform and 5Cs process has seen a transformation from the cash and credit system we operated previously, and this new funding will assist us to scale our activities.”

PAYG technology lowers the threshold for poor households, allowing them to benefit from cheaper and more useful energy in the home. This has a positive impact on family finances, improves children’s grades in school, prevents health dangers associated with kerosene lamps, and makes the environment feel more secure.

Alexandros Germanis, Non-Executive Director of Smiling Through Light said “we are fortunate to have a partner such as Whole Planet Foundation alongside us. Their wealth of experience will be invaluable as STL scale’s up operations in Sierra Leone”.

This grant will support STL in achieving its overall vision of a West Africa where off-grid communities are no longer underserved and have access to clean, reliable, sustainable energy. We see a future in which women can generate income for their families, and remote communities no longer experience extreme poverty.

Learn more at wholeplanetfoundation.org.

Vehicle electrification is now a global trend. The battery is core to the EV’s range and performance, but it is also a major cost factor.

In this season finale of Auto Tech Talks on EV Battery Innovation, we invite Prajyot Sathe, Research Manager with Frost & Sullivan’s Mobility Practice expert on the e-mobility market, to share his industry insights on how the EV battery market is managing demand amidst rising costs.

Among the insights, Prajyot shares factors that affect the prices of EV batteries, which currently range from $130–140 / kWh for Lithium-ion NMC batteries. Besides geopolitical and commodity price fluctuations, Prajyot gives his take on how the proliferation of some 150 gigafactories over the next three to five years will also influence EV battery prices.

He also shares factors that influence the success and profitability of gigafactories — whether they are established manufacturers or new players in this highly competitive market.

Prajyot also discusses evolving battery technology. Besides growing interest in new energy storage architectures like solid-state batteries, the battery industry is also investing heavily in researching cell chemistries to enable battery packs that provide longer ranges for electric vehicles.

Tune in for more insights from Prajyot:

How disruptors like Sodium-ion batteries impact the industry.Whether modules will be dropped, with new EV battery designs going directly from cell to pack or chassis level.The viability of using fuel cells in the broader EV ecosystem.Frost & Sullivan’s research shows 70% of EVs will have bidirectional onboard chargers by 2030. Find out what this means for the electricity grid, charging infrastructure, and vehicle-to-grid, or V2G readiness.

Listen now.

Missed our earlier episodes of EV Battery Innovation? Listen on the go here.

ENERGY & EMISSIONS

For decades, Southwire has been leading innovations that move the electrical industry forward. With each generation comes new challenges and opportunities that shape the future of our company, our industry and the world. In this era of our growth, climate change is a defining issue that we must actively address. That’s how we’ll ensure Southwire can continue to fulfill its mission for the next 100 years.

Our ambitious Carbon Zero objective drives our efforts to eliminate and offset our Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions. The road to progress includes increasing the use of renewable energy and reducing our overall energy consumption. Building on this momentum, in 2022, our Board Sustainability Committee approved Southwire’s first Scope 3 emissions reduction goal. The objective: Implement six activities to reduce our Scope 3 carbon emissions by 2028. With the need for climate action more urgent than ever before, we’re energized to tackle our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across all three Scopes.

OUR APPROACH TO RESPONSIBLE ENERGY MANAGEMENT

Southwire’s environmental, health and safety (EHS) Management System, Policy and Principles outline our approach to protecting the environment and sustainably managing our energy usage through operational efficiency. We use internal and external benchmarking and audits to drive accountability while sharing best practices through our external partnerships and across Southwire’s management teams.

“ Southwire has demonstrated great leadership by setting a 100% Carbon Zero goal for its operations by 2025. We’re proud to acknowledge the company’s commitment to sustainability, which serves as an inspiration to others. It will be the collective efforts of the PSC and businesses like Southwire that move Georgia forward.” – Tim Echols, Vice Chairman of the Georgia PSC

Standing Out for Our Sustainability Strides 

In July 2022, the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) presented Southwire with its inaugural Energy Matters Award for Best Sustainability by a Large Company. Some of our recent successes that contributed to the award include:

Committing to being a founding member of the Drawdown Georgia Business Compact.Participating in Georgia Power’s Customer Renewal Supply Program.Opening a new Copper Rod Plant that will utilize 100% renewable electricity.Installing a solar canopy, solar-powered picnic tables and EV charging stations at our corporate headquarters.Incorporating sustainability-linked pricing into our $1 billion asset-based loan facility.Demonstrating leadership through our Carbon Zero objective.

CLIMATE RISK & OPPORTUNITIES

Addressing complex challenges begins by identifying potential risks and seeking opportunities for innovation. In the case of climate change, these factors will evolve over time, but we can start with what we know today. Extreme weather events are projected to become more frequent and intense, increasing risks such as flooding and severe storms, and straining power systems and grids. However, with demand for sustainable, clean energy and renewable solutions forecasted to rise, our company and customers have an opportunity to build worth.

In 2022, Southwire initiated a third-party climate assessment, which we plan to finalize and begin integrating into our enterprise risk management process in 2023. This will empower us to identify, prepare for and respond to potential climate-related risks, while harnessing opportunities to align climate action with long-term business resilience and success.

These efforts build on our previous initiatives to create a flood emergency response plan and establish winterization procedures. We have also implemented climate-minded infrastructure improvements to harden our operations.

ACCELERATING CARBON ZERO

Our Scope 1 and 2 emissions are generated through our operational activities and the energy we purchase to power our sites. We must stay vigilant in our efforts to address both areas of emissions to keep Southwire on track to achieve our Carbon Zero goal.

In 2022, we invested in widespread efforts to modernize our operations. In the short term, these activities and other factors caused our Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions to slightly increase. However, once completed, these modernization projects will enable us to operate more sustainably for years to come.

One example is our new investment with Sinclair Digital Services, which specializes in the design and implementation of advanced connected buildings. To boost energy efficiency, we partnered with Sinclair to design and implement PoE lighting at our Battery Atlanta office space in Georgia.

Meanwhile, in Carrollton, Ga., we completed construction of our new Southwire Continuous Rod (SCR®) plant — a 100,000-square-foot facility with capacity to produce more copper rod than any other SCR rod system in the world. Once the site is fully functional, it will replace an older plant, thereby reducing Southwire’s carbon footprint. Southwire has contracted with the Carroll EMC utility to provide the facility with 100% renewable electricity, the benefits of which will be fully revealed in 2023.

We will also begin to see the full benefits of a multi-phase initiative to address our carbon footprint through renewable energy credits (RECs). In 2021, Southwire contracted with Georgia Power and Constellation Energy to provide the environmental attributes (in the form of RECs) associated with new solar installations, which came online in two phases in the summer and fall of 2022.

With an eye toward reducing transportation-based emissions, we added new EV charging stations at our plants in Heflin, Ala., and Bremen, Ind. This brings us to a total of seven EV charging locations — including our Carrollton headquarters — with another location in Florence, Ala., currently underway. As we expand this infrastructure, we are exploring the potential to invest in a corporate EV fleet. In 2022, we partnered with master’s students at Georgia Tech’s Scheller College of Business for a semesterlong project to assess the potential to move this initiative forward.

Driving Targeted Energy Reductions

Low cost. Easy implementation. Big payoff. It’s a savvy strategy to move the needle on our operational emissions and accelerate energy reductions on a large scale.

In 2022, we took this approach to implement simple but effective energy-reduction practices at 13 high-priority sites. Collectively, these sites accounted for about 90% of our total energy consumption, making them prime candidates for energy efficiency improvements.

The projects ranged from switching to LED lighting to improving the sites’ compressed air systems through leak detection and repairs. Of about 100 improvements we identified through the initiative, we completed approximately 95 throughout the year. We expect to see the benefits of these efforts begin to add up in 2023.

LAUNCHING OUR SCOPE 3 GOAL

Our Scope 3 emissions occur through activities in our wider value chain, such as material sourcing and product use. While Southwire doesn’t directly contribute to these emissions, we can work with our suppliers, shipping partners and customers to actively promote and support reduction practices.

Throughout 2022, we worked closely with our Board Sustainability Committee to develop and solidify a goal to implement six activities to reduce our Scope 3 carbon emissions by 2028. Now that we have received the Board’s approval, we are engaging our Global Sustainability team and leaders and subject matter experts throughout our organization to identify high-potential projects.

Seven Ways We’re Reducing Our GHG Emissions 

REDUCE ENERGY CONSUMPTION through energy efficiency projects and modernization efforts to update our facilities and equipment.INVEST IN CLEAN, RENEWABLE ENERGY such as solar panels, EV charging stations and alternative fuels, and support our electricity providers to shift to lower-carbon energy sources.ESTABLISH POWER PURCHASE AGREEMENTS and virtual power purchase agreements for renewable applications on- and off-site.PURCHASE RENEWABLE ENERGY CERTIFICATES AND CARBON OFFSETS to offset Southwire’s carbon footprint and support carbon-reduction projects.ENGAGE OUR SUPPLIERS to develop lower-carbon raw material and packaging solutions and encourage them to set their own carbon-reduction goals.TEAM WITH SHIPPING PARTNERS to identify lower-emission transportation alternatives.INNOVATE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES with sustainable attributes that support energy transition, electric transportation, improved efficiency and extended product life.

COLLABORATING TOWARD PROGRESS

When we work together, we can power transformation on a larger scale. At Southwire, we’re inspired by the bold sustainability initiatives being led by industry associations, academic institutions, and nongovernmental organizations worldwide and in our own backyard. We seek out opportunities to engage these groups and accelerate progress toward our respective sustainability goals.

Our partnership with The Ray is a great example of how we can collaborate with organizations that align with our values and strengths. As one of their areas of focus, the Atlanta-based nonprofit promotes the deployment of roadside solar, EV charging and underground high-voltage transmission along interstate rights of way. Southwire team members serve on two of The Ray’s councils, and our company provides the organization with funding and technical support. In September, we welcomed The Ray’s Executive Director, Allie Kelly, as the keynote speaker of our annual Innovation Experience.

We also signed on as a partner with The Copper Mark, an assurance framework set up to promote the responsible production of copper along the value chain.

In addition, we continue to engage with:

100 MilesElectric Utility Industry Sustainability Supply Chain AllianceGeorgia TechThe Drawdown Georgia Business Compact

Overseeing & Integrating Our Energy & Emissions Strategy

Our corporate sustainability department manages our Energy and Emissions strategy, with support from our business group leaders, operations sustainability and environmental staff, energy procurement team and others. The sustainability and energy procurement staff evaluate opportunities to increase our use of renewable energy, while the operations teams seek opportunities to implement energy-saving measures at our sites.

Our executive vice president, general counsel, and chief sustainability officer is responsible for overseeing energy- and emissions-related data collection, goal progress and reporting. He provides updates to the Board Sustainability Committee, which guides our Energy and Emissions strategy and provides additional oversight of our performance. Learn more about corporate and sustainability governance at Southwire.

View the full 2022 Sustainability Report.

We had the opportunity to sit down with Chef Davide Bossi, Regional Culinary Director at Griffith Foods, to ask him about his interest in bees and honey, part of our 2024 Food and Flavor Outlook. His response was as follows:

“As a chef, I’m mindful of where our food comes from. As a Griffith Foods Chef, I’m also committed to act responsibly and care for our planet. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), a third of the world’s food production depends on bees. Nuts and fruits including almonds, avocados, cranberries, apples, and crops such as soybeans, are all pollinated by bees.

I love bees and of course, the honey they produce. Honey is an essential ingredient that I use to create a vast variety of savory, spicy and sweet culinary delights.”

Join us as we explore The Buzz on Honey together!

https://lnkd.in/gH3xETxD

Griffith Foods

At Griffith Foods, our purpose defines who we are, what we do, and why we exist, highlighting what makes us distinct and authentic in the marketplace. We help our partners meet the evolving needs and desires of consumers in ways that respect and sustain the planet. Our care and creativity mean we’ll find the right mix of global reach and local impact to serve the earth and nourish all of us who call it home.

Our Sustainability Platform of People, Planet, and Performance guides how we behave, conduct business, and treat people, ensuring that everything we do leads to responsible growth for our entire ecosystem.

People
We take care of our employees and the communities in which we do business.

Planet
We all share one Earth, and we take environmental action to responsibly care for it. 

Performance
We operate ethically and strategically to create a positive impact for our business and for all of those with whom we interact.

View original content here.

The project provides a sustainable solution to enhance the value of glass, the perfect material to support a low-waste circular economy in an area with a historic wine production that is profitable for the region’s GDP itself – as one billion of Sicily’s GDP comes from the production of Sicilian wines.The industry of wine production is constantly expanding and evolving: in Sicily alone, in 2002, more than 7000 winemakers and 500 bottlers operate each year within a supply chain that produces more than 86.5 million bottles.

MARSALA, Italy, November 13, 2023 /3BL/ – O-I Glass, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of glass packaging in the food and beverage industry, officially announces the launch of its “Cento per Cento Sicilia” bottles on the market: an initiative that will lead a portion of the production of the glass bottles in Marsala’s O-I facilities to follow a low-waste circular economy path, in a historical wine production area, which is profitable for the region GDP’s itself (as one billion of Sicily’s GDP comes from the production of Sicilian wines).

The project, whose intentions had already been announced by O-I in 2021, was designed with the aim of proposing a strategy to enhance the Sicilian wine market, providing glass containers – specifically bottles – which are the result of a virtuous, sustainable and locally sourced production process. The industry of wine production is constantly expanding and evolving: more than 7.000 winemakers and 500 bottlers[1] operate each year within a supply chain that in 2022 has produced – exclusively on the Sicilian territory – more than 86.5 million bottles[2].

“After about two years of experimentation and development, our “Cento per Cento Sicilia” bottles are finally ready, not only at the O-I facility in Marsala, but also for the supply chain of regional wine producers. The project is making a concrete contribution to the implementation of circularity in the wine industry economy,” says Massimo Noviello, CEO and President of O-I Italy S.p.A. He continues: “In an area with more than 24 thousand hectares of vineyards, our aim is to reduce the environmental impact to a minimum. A project that we are able to pursue thanks to the help of our partners SARCO and Fondazione SOStain, as well as an ongoing challenge that we are committed to support on a daily basis”.

The bottles are characterized by a customized bottom logo depicting the concept of circular economy and they are made entirely within O-I’s Plant in Marsala. These bottles are made of 90% recycled glass (at least) sourced uniquely from Sicily and are also extremely light, weighing in at just 410g, which ensures energy savings in terms of production.

A significant part of the project relies on the citizens, who play an important role in the sorting of waste and glass, thanks to the support of SARCO, which thoroughly sorts and cleans the glass to make it available to the O-I Marsala Plant – the only glasswork on the Island – which transforms it into the “Cento per Cento Sicilia” bottles. Indeed, the project also aims to make citizens and cities more aware of virtuous glass recycling – encouraging them to become more critical in their consumption of glass.

Thanks to the support and partnership with Fondazione SOStain Sicilia, once the bottles are made, they are delivered to wine producers in the region, minimizing the impact on the territory and reducing the carbon footprint to the bare minimum.

“This is exactly what the work of the entire SOStain community is about: combining energies and skills of responsible people in order to develop research projects that are able to respond, through innovative solutions, to the sustainability needs expressed by Sicilian wine producers, in harmony with the characteristics of the territory,” says Alberto Tasca, President of Fondazione SOStain Sicilia. “With the “Cento per Cento Sicilia” bottle, it was the great teamwork we have with the O-I glassworks that allowed us to reduce the carbon footprint linked to the transport of glass and to improve our sustainability standards. It is an exciting result achieved thanks to the contribution of all 40 companies associated with Fondazione SOStain to date”.

One of the most tangible examples of O-I Glass’ sustainability lies within the Marsala plant. For example, the dust eliminated by the flue gas filter is recovered and reintroduced into the melting furnace, avoiding the formation of any waste type; on an energy perspective, heat from the flue gas is used in Marsala to pre-heat the combustion air, saving energy, and water from the local water purifier is used instead as industrial water.

The ‘Cento per Cento Sicilia’ project, together with the marketing of its bottles, aims to be a concrete example of a sustainable economy, thus encouraging those involved in the supply chain – starting with the consumer – to choose products that are sustainable and able to safeguard the Sicilian territory.

About O-I  

At O-I Glass, Inc. (NYSE: OI), we love glass and we’re proud to be one of the leading producers of glass bottles and jars around the globe. Glass is not only beautiful, it’s also pure, healthy and completely recyclable, making it the most sustainable rigid packaging material. Headquartered in Perrysburg, Ohio (USA), O-I is the preferred partner for many of the world’s leading food and beverage brands. We innovate in line with customers’ needs to create iconic packaging that builds brands around the world. Led by our diverse team of approximately 24,000 people across 69 plants in 19 countries, O-I achieved revenues of $6.9 billion in 2022.

Learn more: o-i.com / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / LinkedIn

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