Tag: 3BL

Originally published in International Paper’s 2022 Sustainability Report

Sourcing renewable raw materials and other resources, such as wood fiber, chemicals, fuel, manufactured parts and services. We: 

Source 32% of fiber from forests certified to the FSC®, PEFC™ or SFI® forest management standardTrace 100% of uncertified wood fiber to origin using our ForSite™ Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping toolMaintain FSC or PEFC Chain of Custody certification at more than half of U.S. box plants

Designing circular solutions, in collaboration with our customers. We:

Deliver connected packaging innovations using traceable digital applicationsSupply renewable, recyclable corrugated boxes to help customers, including a growing e-commerce industry, become more sustainableTransform cellulose fiber into solutions ranging from personal care products to fiber-reinforced concrete applications

Recovering products and providing a market for them, in our own facilities and distributed to others. We: 

Are one of the top users of recovered fiber in the world, using 5 millions tons annuallyRecover, reprocess or facilitate the sale of 7 million tons of recovered fiber per year

Manufacturing renewable, recyclable and compostable products, in safe and inclusive workplaces. We: 

Responsibly produce 100 million boxes per dayReturn 88% of water used in our manufacturing operations back to the environmentGenerate about 70% of mill energy from carbon-neutral biomass residuals

Read more

Originally posted on LinkedIn.

Great food isn’t possible without a healthy planet.

As part of our Recipe for Change, we set ambitious goals to reduce our carbon emissions, including reducing emissions from our operations by 47% by 2030. Thanks to the dedication of our teams, we’ve already reduced the carbon footprint of our operations by 21% since 2019. We’re also engaging our vendor partners to set their own science-based carbon reduction targets, and helping customers reduce their carbon footprints by offering electric vehicle charging.

To further support the planet we share, we recycled more than 850 million pounds of cardboard and 27 million pounds of plastic bags and film in 2022.

Learn more about our Recipe for Change, goals, and progress in our 2023 ESG Report.

At GRI, we offer an exciting program that assists organizations in enhancing their sustainability reporting knowledge and practices. The GRI Community enables direct engagement with GRI and connections with over 550 member organizations from 80 countries, representing 35 industries globally. This includes over 80 current members in the United States. Members receive many benefits, including:​

Development opportunities: a free enrolment in the GRI Professional Certification ProgramRecognition among sustainability pioneers: a seat at the table at GRI local and global eventsWorldwide and Local visibility: GRI Community Mark and member profile on GRI’s website​

By joining the GRI Community, you will be able to: 

Access a year-round program of in-depth learning and knowledge-sharing on sustainability reporting topics and trends, which includes:

Free enrollment in GRI’s Professional Certification ProgramAccess to a library of webinars and other useful resourcesAccess to an exclusive online program

Engage with a global network of sustainability practitioners and experts through:

Collective onboarding callsGlobal Members MeetingsRegional RoundtablesAsk GRI

Gain profiling and communication opportunities to showcase your organization’s commitment and contribution to corporate transparency, including:

GRI Community member mark to use in your communication materials​Your organization’s name and logo on GRI’s website, listed as part of the member directoryResources to help you communicate the benefits of your membership with your stakeholders

Receive a discount on fees for GRI offerings, such as training, report services, leadership forums and events*  (*Depending on the membership package)

For an overview of all membership benefits and packages, you can click here:

Brochure for Reporting organizations – companies reporting on their impactsBrochure for Consultants – service providers

“Today, more than ever stakeholders request from companies the disclosure of strategic information for their long-term impact on communities with quality standards. GRI has been a strategic partner of ours to help meet stakeholders’ expectations robustly and transparently. At CEMEX, we understand, engage, and keep constant communication through close collaboration and dialogue with stakeholders, all the while reporting on our progress. We invite other organizations to join the GRI Community to connect with peers, learn from each other, and together contribute to sustainability practice.”
Denisse Blanca Amores, Social Impact Manager, CEMEX

Our global and inclusive program can help you unlock a variety of benefits that will speed up your organization’s progress towards corporate transparency and help gain a competitive advantage.

To sign up to the GRI Community, you can click here.

For any further questions, you can reach out to my colleagues of the Community team: community@globalreporting.org , or you can reach out locally in the US and Canada: northamerica@globalreporting.org .

Originally published on 3M News Center

3M will highlight a collaborative pilot program for water-stressed basins and a direct air capture technology this week during Climate Week NYC. In a series of engagements, the company will share how its science is driving climate innovation and advancing improvements in its own operational footprint.   

“At 3M, we recognize the urgency for delivering scalable climate solutions across various industries,” said Dr. Gayle Schueller, 3M senior vice president and chief sustainability officer. “Climate Week NYC provides us with the platform to ideate and strategize alongside fellow climate champions, prioritizing how we can expedite implementation of science-based solutions for this pressing global issue.” 

At the CEO Water Mandate UNGA Corporate Water Stewardship Half-Day Event on Wednesday, Sept. 20, Dr. Schueller discussed 3M’s participation in the first net positive water impact (NPWI) pilot program for the Water Resilience Coalition (WRC). The company will be collaborating to reduce water stress in target basins on three dimensions: availability (quantity), quality, and access—applying takeaways from the NPWI Piloting Workshop it hosted at World Water Week in August. The WRC program will also assess how NPWI is best evaluated, informing a guidance document that will be published in January 2024 and made available for companies around the world to operationalize. 

“The Water Resilience Coalition’s net positive water impact program will provide critical insight for our work across 100 priority water-stressed basins around the world, and the resulting guidance materials will help scale global adoption of our ambitions,” said André Villaça Ramalho, Water Resilience Coalition Coordinator. “As a leadership member, 3M provides vital support and expertise to the coalition—accelerating measurable watershed outcomes and building long-term water resiliency.” 

Accelerating the global reduction of water use by 3M 

The NPWI pilot program builds on work within 3M to reduce overall water use—targeting a 25% reduction by 2030—and return higher quality water to the environment after use in operations. 3M is accelerating progress toward these goals through process improvements and the installation of new technologies, and reached a 16.8% reduction in water use at the close of 2022 (benchmarked to 2019 levels). 

“3M prides itself on our global leadership in innovating new ways to apply science to accelerate our environmental commitments,” said Schueller. “With the expertise of 3M scientists and continued corporate investment, we will maintain momentum toward our water goals in our facilities and empower others to do the same, including collaborative efforts with global partners like WRC.” 

Showcasing climate innovation at Climate Week NYC 

In addition to the CEO Water Mandate event, 3M will spend Climate Week NYC highlighting new developments in key areas of climate innovation, including direct air capture (DAC) technology, and convening stakeholders from across industries to discuss how materials science can accelerate climate solutions. 

On Wednesday, Sept. 20, 3M presented with Svante Technologies, Inc. (Svante) at The Nest Climate Campus. Cory Sauer, 3M’s global carbon capture lead, shared the stage with Claude Letourneau, Svante’s president and chief executive officer, to discuss how the two companies are accelerating the development and scalability of DAC solutions, which can trap carbon dioxide found in the atmosphere and sequester it. In collaboration with Svante, the world leader in the solid sorbent method of carbon capture and removal, 3M is developing a proprietary material called Sorbents-on-a-Roll—or SOAR. Sheets of this nanoengineered material are to be stacked in parallel layers in Svante’s carbon removal filters.  

3M is currently scaling up production of SOAR material, allowing the material to be built into filters for DAC field trials in 2024. By leveraging each company’s capabilities—including 3M’s ability to produce advanced filtration technology at-scale—3M and Svante believe it will be feasible to capture millions of tons of CO2 from diverse DAC facilities around the world. 

In its own facilities, 3M is building momentum toward its commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. 3M’s greenhouse gas emissions are down 79% from 2002 levels, including a 38% decrease from levels in 2019. One of the driving forces behind this progress is the company’s accelerated transition toward renewable energy. The company is committed to using 100% renewable electricity in its operations by 2050 and reached 51.9% at the end of 2022—tracking well ahead of initial forecasts.  

On Thursday, Sept. 21, 3M hosted a dialogue at the Fast Company Innovation Festival on the opportunity to scale climate solutions across industries. The session will focus on technologies that are required for climate mitigation and adaptation—but are currently overlooked—and where and how to achieve meaningful implementation of these technologies globally. Understanding that achieving net zero will require profound economic transformation and global collaboration, 3M is convening a panel of influential leaders on the topic, including: 

Dr. Gayle Schueller, 3M senior vice president and chief sustainability officer Dr. Jonathan Foley, executive director of Project Drawdown Kani Keita, principal at TPG Rise Climate Kathi Vidal, undersecretary of commerce for Intellectual Property and director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office 

To learn more about 3M’s commitments to climate innovation and how 3M solutions are improving lives around the world, visit www.3M.com/ESG.  

EIT Climate-KIC and FedEx announced the launch of the second edition of the Sustainable Cities Mobility Challenge (formerly called the Climate Impact Challenge) for European cities. Applicants are invited to request funding to implement solutions that accelerate the transition towards cleaner, sustainable, and inclusive mobility.

City councils, municipalities or local authorities in the EU Member States, Horizon Europe associated countries, the United Kingdom and Switzerland, are all eligible to submit proposals that align with Europe’s climate agenda, including the EU Mission 100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030. Grants of up to €90,000 will support pilot projects or programmes evaluated based on their potential for positive environmental and social benefits, learning and replicability.

As more European cities pledge to rapidly cut carbon emissions, sustainable transport plays a crucial role in the transition to a net-zero carbon society. EIT Climate-KIC will select up to five impactful projects that integrate and implement sustainable transport solutions to help drive the green transition at a local level.

“Celebrating the achievements of the past year, we’re excited to announce the launch of the second Sustainable Cities Mobility Challenge, made possible by FedEx,” said Kirsten Dunlop, CEO of EIT Climate-KIC. “We are driven by the ambition to accelerate the transition to cleaner, more inclusive mobility solutions in European cities. With the dedication of city leaders, the support of our partners, and the urgent need for action on climate change, we are confident this year’s projects will make significant strides in enabling reduction of transport emissions and improvements in the quality of urban life.”

Transport emissions represent around 25 percent of the EU’s total greenhouse gas emissions, according to the European Environment Agency. Leading the EU-funded NetZeroCities project, EIT Climate-KIC is uniquely positioned to help cities develop and implement innovative projects shaping the sustainable design of future urban centres.

The first edition of the Challenge awarded the cities of Hackney (UK), Espoo (Finland), Olot (Spain) and Karasu (Türkiye) with charitable grants of up to $70,000 (€65,000) to implement their projects. These ranged from expanding cargo bike use, installing safe cycling storage, cycling courses for marginalised groups, and creating safer corridors for walking, wheeling, and cycling.

“Transport remains a key contributor to carbon emissions, so the transformative projects implemented by cities like Hackney, Espoo, Olot, and Karasu in the first edition of the Challenge serve as inspirations for what can be achieved when we unite in pursuit of a common goal. Together, we’re committed to creating greener, more equitable cities that define our future,” added Dunlop.

Funding for the Sustainable Cities Mobility Challenge is provided by Charities Aid Foundation, made possible by a grant from FedEx. The transport provider announced its goal to achieve global carbon-neutral operations by 2040, with a roadmap including electrification of its FedEx Express pickup and delivery fleet, upscaling use of renewable energy, and advancing scientific research leading to solutions that can sequester hard-to-abate carbon emissions – such as those generated by aviation.

“While we remain focused operationally on reducing emissions in our network, our charitable giving platform, FedEx Cares, allows us to collaborate with charity organisations and cities seeking to promote sustainable mobility more broadly,” said Wouter Roels, SVP Marketing and Customer Experience, FedEx Express Europe. “This contribution will help to implement projects that will improve the liveability of European cities and allow us to support transport decarbonisation beyond our own business.”

The call for applications remains open until 10 November 2023 via EIT Climate-KIC.

About EIT Climate-KIC 
EIT Climate-KIC is Europe’s leading climate innovation agency and community, using a systems approach to shape innovation to support cities, regions, countries and industries meet their climate ambitions.

Together with partners across the globe, EIT Climate-KIC acts to bridge the gap climate commitments and current reality by enabling decision makers to investors to act. They find and implement solutions in integrated ways and moblise finance. They build skills to accelerate learning and explore innovation, opening pathways to shift mindsets and behaviours. Through radical collaboration, EIT Climate-KIC orchestrates large-scale demonstrations that show what is possible when cycles of innovation and learning are deliberately designed to trigger exponential decarbonisation and build resilient communities.

About FedEx Corp. 
FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce, and business services. With annual revenue of $90 billion, the company offers integrated business solutions through operating companies competing collectively, operating collaboratively, and innovating digitally as one FedEx. Consistently ranked among the world’s most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its 530,000 employees to remain focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities. FedEx is committed to connecting people and possibilities around the world responsibly and resourcefully, with a goal to achieve carbon-neutral operations by 2040. To learn more, please visit about.fedex.com.

Fiduciary Trust International created this series to explore the diverse array of clean-energy-oriented business models and technologies that we anticipate will attract investors. We believe that as capital is deployed, new markets will be created, new technologies will be invented, and investors that position their portfolios appropriately will be rewarded.

To read more, visit Fiduciary Trust Insights website. 

About Fiduciary Trust International

Fiduciary Trust International, a global wealth management firm headquartered in New York, NY, has served individuals, families, endowments and foundations since 1931. With over $94 billion in assets under management and administration as of June 30, 2023, the firm specializes in strategic wealth planning, investment management and trust and estate services, as well as tax and custody services. The New York-based firm and its subsidiaries maintain offices in Coral Gables, FL, Boca Raton, FL, St. Petersburg, FL, Radnor, PA, Lincoln, MA, Los Angeles, CA, San Mateo, CA, San Francisco, CA, Washington, DC, Wilmington, DE, Reston, VA, and Atlanta, GA. For more information, please visit fiduciarytrust.com, and for the latest updates, follow Fiduciary Trust International on LinkedIn and Twitter: @FiduciaryTrust.

About Franklin Templeton 
Franklin Resources, Inc. [NYSE:BEN] is a global investment management organization with subsidiaries operating as Franklin Templeton and serving clients in over 150 countries. Franklin Templeton’s mission is to help clients achieve better outcomes through investment management expertise, wealth management and technology solutions. Through its specialist investment managers, the company offers specialization on a global scale, bringing extensive capabilities in fixed income, equity, alternatives and multi-asset solutions. With more than 1,300 investment professionals, and offices in major financial markets around the world, the California-based company has over 75 years of investment experience and over $1.4 trillion in assets under management as of August 31, 2023. For more information, please visit franklintempleton.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

The views expressed are those of the investment manager, and the comments, opinions and analyses are rendered as at publication date and may change without notice. These views may differ from other investment management teams of Franklin Templeton which operate with independent investment discretion. 

Rayonier has measured our impact on the environment by calculating the emissions associated with our corporate, forestry, and real estate-related operations during 2022.

We have estimated and broken down our emissions into Scope 1 (direct emissions from company-owned and controlled resources), Scope 2 (indirect emissions from electricity purchased), and Scope 3 (indirect emissions in the value chain—i.e., harvest and transport of our logs, forest management, and business travel). Approximately 25% of our Scope 3 emissions are associated with ocean freight, which reflects our participation in the log export market, particularly in New Zealand. As compared to 2021, the nearly 40% reduction in ocean freight emissions was primarily driven by a significant reduction in log exports from the U.S. South due to phytosanitary restrictions in China.

Moving forward, we are taking steps to improve our measurement of Scope 1 and Scope 3 emissions and are in the early stages of collaborating with our contractors to collect primary data from them to better measure our Scope 3 footprint.

For a complete analysis of our carbon footprint in the U.S. and New Zealand, visit our Carbon Report.

Essity’s Tork brand has reduced and compensated carbon emissions for the entire life cycle1 for a range of existing soap, toilet paper and hand towel dispensers.

Originally published on Tork News Center

As of October 1st, the Tork® brand will offer carbon neutral certification on a range of its existing dispensers in the US. This range makes Tork the first professional hygiene brand in North America to achieve this goal. The carbon neutral status is achieved through a combination of carbon reduction and carbon offsetting across the entire life cycle – from raw materials to end-of-life. The 11 Tork carbon neutral dispensers in the US will be produced with purchased certified renewable electricity, and the remaining emissions will be offset using verified credits from climate projects.

The Tork brand is part of global hygiene and health company Essity, recognized as a company with leading sustainability ambitions and targets2. The Tork brand has been including a sustainable approach in its products and services since its origin in 1968.

“We are thrilled to offer the first range of carbon neutral dispensers in the market. Tork dispensers are not only effective in providing great hygiene, but also reduce the environmental impact on our planet. This new certification will help our customers to meet their sustainability ambitions” says Matthew Urmanski, Vice President Sales and Marketing NA at Essity.

Essity will reduce the carbon emissions for the 11 Tork dispensers by using purchased certified renewable electricity for the production. To reach carbon neutral, the company will offset the remaining carbon emissions through investments in verified credits from climate projects with ClimatePartner. The selected projects reduce carbon emissions by supplying clean drinking water in Cambodia, providing energy efficient cookstoves in India, and supporting forest protection in Indonesia.

All Tork dispensers are designed with sustainability in mind. From using durable materials to enabling consumption reduction of up to 50% for several systems. And from offering data sensors for improved cleaning routines to ‘Easy to Use’ certification3 and ADA compliance.

For more information, please visit the Tork website www.torkusa.com. For more information on Tork carbon neutral dispensers please visit www.torkusa.com/sustainabledispensers. 

1. Excluding use of refills. Valid for a range of dispensers sold after October 1st, 2023 in North America

2. Corporate Knights 2023, Global 100

3. From the Swedish Rheumatism Association

About Tork
The Tork brand offers professional hygiene products and services to customers worldwide ranging from restaurants and healthcare facilities to offices, schools, and industries. Our products include dispensers, paper towels, toilet tissues, soap, napkins, and wipers, but also software solutions for data-driven cleaning. Through expertise in hygiene, functional design, and sustainability, Tork has become a market leader that supports customers to think ahead so they’re always ready for business. Tork is a global brand of Essity and a committed partner to customers in over 110 countries. To keep up with the latest Tork news and innovations, please visit www.torkusa.com

About Essity 
Essity is a leading global hygiene and health company. We are dedicated to improving well-being through our products and services. Sales are conducted in approximately 150 countries under the leading global brands TENA and Tork, and other strong brands, such as Actimove, JOBST, Knix, Leukoplast, Libero, Libresse, Lotus, Modibodi, Nosotras, Saba, Tempo, TOM Organic, Vinda and Zewa. Essity has about 48,000 employees. Net sales in 2022 amounted to approximately SEK 156bn (EUR 15bn). The company’s headquarters is located in Stockholm, Sweden, and Essity is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm. Essity breaks barriers to well-being and contributes to a healthy, sustainable and circular society. More information at www.essity.com.

For more information, please contact:

Raquel M Carbonari 
Brand Activation Director NA 
raquel.carbonari@essity.com

Originally published on Aflac Newsroom

On and off the court, Aflac is committed to advancing the mission of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). Aflac Group’s annual “Leaders vs. Employees Basketball Game” is a slam dunk for the cause. 

Teaming up and giving back

Drew Wellness Center in Columbia, South Carolina, was buzzing on Saturday, Sept. 16, as leaders and employees stepped on the court to shoot some hoops and celebrate, honor and remember those touched by cancer. Alex English, NBA legend and former University of South Carolina basketball star, led the tipoff to start the game. It was a fight to the finish, but the employee team came out on top and earned bragging rights for the year — not only for winning the game, but also for being top fundraisers for LLS. 

“The basketball game is a fun way to support the important work and mission of LLS and Light the Night events,” said Bob Ruff, senior vice president, Aflac Group Voluntary Benefits. “Congratulations to the employee team for their victory and for being our top fundraisers.” 

“Supporting LLS is a thoughtful way to honor someone whose life has been impacted by cancer,” said Veronica Goodwin, client manager, Aflac Group, and a member of the winning employee team. “Donating and volunteering for events like our annual basketball game can truly make a difference, especially when we rally together to support LLS.” 

Championing the cause 

Since 2015, Aflac has donated nearly $130,0001 to advance LLS’s mission to cure blood cancers and support patients and families who are facing a blood cancer diagnosis. Aflac also supports LLS through volunteer service. 

“Leukemia has touched my family in a very personal way, which is why I am proud to represent Aflac and our employees on the LLS board of directors for the Georgia/South Carolina chapter,” said Aflac Incorporated Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Max Brodén. “Aflac’s culture of philanthropy opens the door to provide support, time and resources to LLS and other charitable organizations. Through the Aflac Childhood Cancer Campaign, more than $170 million has supported childhood cancer research and treatment.” 

Learn more about how you can get involved with Aflac’s philanthropic initiatives by visiting Doing Good, Giving Back. Columbia employees: Join Team Aflac at Light the Night on Nov. 2. 

1 Source: Aflac Corporate Social Responsibility  

Originally published by Walgreens Boots Alliance

Walgreens believes healthcare costs too much and does too little, making it difficult for people to be, and stay, healthy. In The Picture of Health, the leaders of U.S. Healthcare share their vision to reimagine healthcare by delivering community-based care that’s centered around the patient, so people everywhere can live more joyful lives through better health. In each episode, you’ll learn about Walgreens commitment to creating better, more efficient healthcare through improved accessibility, trust and convenience.

Meet John Driscoll

In Episode 1, get to know John Driscoll, Executive Vice President and President, U.S. Healthcare, leading WBA’s efforts to expand into the care continuum, including provider enablement and managed service organizations, primary care, population health, home health, post-acute care, specialty pharmacy and retail pharmacy.

Driscoll joined WBA in October 2022, when WBA entered into a definitive agreement to acquire full ownership of CareCentrix, where he served as Chief Executive Officer since 2013.

Learn more about WBA’s U.S. Healthcare segment.

Ep. 1, Part 1: Changing the healthcare landscape

Walgreens has set out to change healthcare. But why—and how? John Driscoll, Executive Vice President and President, U.S. Healthcare, speaks on how Walgreens can make healthcare better for patients by connecting our strategic investments and leveraging our footprint in local communities.

Ep. 1, Part 2: Laying out a growth strategy

John Driscoll wants to disrupt healthcare, fast. Learn how he plans to shake up the status quo with his maverick approach to executive leadership.

Ep. 1, Part 3: John Driscoll’s key priorities

The $4 trillion healthcare industry still leaves patients with woefully insufficient care. John Driscoll explains why U.S. Healthcare’s approach to risk management and digitization can help treat all patients more efficiently.

Ep. 1, Part 4: The experiences that shaped him

Hear the lessons John Driscoll learned as a captain in the U.S. Army, how family health conditions shaped his interest in healthcare and why compassion among team members makes Walgreens successful.

Watch Ep. 1, Part 4 here.