Tag: 3BL

Originally published on Tork News Center

GREEN BAY, Wis., September 20, 2023 /3BL/– As fans return to Lambeau Field this week for the home opener, the Green Bay Packers are once again teaming up with Tork®, the professional hygiene brand of leading global hygiene and health company Essity, for the 2023 “Tackle Hygiene with Every Catch” campaign.

The campaign, which kicked off this week and will run through the first five home games of the Packers season, aims to raise awareness and promote the benefits of proper hygiene for all. Additionally, the Packers and Tork will provide community partners with essential hygiene products that help reduce environmental impact.

For every catch the Packers make during the first five home games of the season (Sept. 24 through Nov. 19), Tork will donate $250 worth of safe, effective and sustainably produced hygiene products, such as paper roll towels and toilet paper (up to $30,000 in products) to local nonprofit organizations working to improve the well-being of those in need.

“We’re proud to partner again with Tork on the Tackle Hygiene Campaign,” said Chad Watson, director of sales and business development for the Packers. “For years, we have relied on Tork hygiene products on gameday and every day and we look forward to making a positive impact in the community while cheering for Packers catches. Throughout the campaign, our fans can learn about the tools they need to stay healthy as well as the importance of hygiene and sustainability, all while supporting the team. We look forward to another great season of Tackle Hygiene with Every Catch.”

To date, in partnership with the Packers, Tork has donated $54,500 worth of sustainable hygiene products to local charities in Northeast Wisconsin. This year’s recipients will be:

Pillars, which provides shelter, support and solutions to address the housing needs in Appleton andHarbor House, which provides safe shelter and support services to survivors of domestic abuse in Northeast Wisconsin.

“Maintaining a clean and hygienic environment is critical at stadiums like Lambeau Field – which can hold more than 80,000 fans – as well as within our communities,” said Cindy Stilp, Marketing Communications Director at Essity. “Together with the Packers, we are proud to spearhead community initiatives, like Tackle Hygiene with Every Catch, in order to deliver hygienic experiences to fans, while giving back to those in the community who rely on programs like Pillars and Harbor House in Northeast Wisconsin, for essential services.”

Tork is the proud product provider of towels, tissue, napkins and sanitizer to Lambeau Field.

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 more than 110 countries. To keep up with the latest Tork news and innovations, please visit 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.

About Pillars

From homelessness to coming home, Pillars provides shelter, support and solutions to address the housing needs in our community. Pillars Crisis Housing serves adults and children experiencing homelessness with more than 45,000 nights of shelter each year. Pillars Stable Housing helps make home a reality for more than 150 households annually.

About Harbor House 

Since 1984, Harbor House has been committed to understanding the breadth of domestic abuse in our community and addressing the needs of affected individuals and families. In 2022, they expanded services to include addressing the needs of sexual assault victims and getting to the root of violence. Harbor House serves all people impacted by domestic and sexual abuse, leads the shift in perception of violence and advocates for lasting social change. Through its community-wide partnerships, they work on the prevention of violence and offer safety and support to diverse families in crisis. The organization provides services to more than 1,600 children and adults in Outagamie and Calumet Counties each year.

As published in Qualcomm’s 2022 Corporate Responsibility Report

We are bringing economic benefits of wireless connectivity to entrepreneurial ventures around the world by encouraging solutions that promote capacity building, scalability and longevity with micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).

In Senegal, where 30 percent of rural household’s experience food insecurity, fish are a critical source of nutrition. The fishery industry employs 17 percent of Senegal’s workforce (more than 600,000 people), and approximately 90 percent of the country’s fish are caught by small-scale fishers who are reliant on traditional methods1. Their catch is typically sold to wholesale fish markets and small-scale fish processors, who are predominantly women.

The Wireless Solutions for Fisheries in Senegal (WISE) program was launched, in collaboration with FHI 360, to use advanced wireless technology to improve fish catch and processing practices in the country’s artisanal fish industry. The program is designed to make the practices of fishermen and fish processors safer and more efficient and can positively impacted the income and lives of those in the sector. WISE developed a mobile application that offers daily information on fish market prices, weather forecasts, navigation resources, microfinance and health insurance calculators and information on fishing and fish processing best practices, among other features.

In 2022, the Senegalese government announced it will be officially adopting and expanding the program nationwide. Senegal’s ministries of fisheries and maritime economy and digital economy and telecommunications plan to institutionalize the WISE platform and support it in fishing regions across the country. At scale, WISE can provide services and resources to 52,000 artisanal fishers and 20,000 women fish processors throughout the country and be a valuable tool in advancing Digital Senegal 2025, the government’s strategy to increase GDP and create jobs by leveraging digital technology2.

According to a February 2022 report by fhi3602, our collaboration has supported more than 200 low-income economic interest groups (EIGs), serving more than 6,486 fishermen and fish processors by providing smartphones and Internet access to enable them to use WISE services. A third-party final assessment demonstrated that fishers and fish processors increased their annual income by an average of West African CFA franc (XOF) 176,923-235,400 (US$300$400), respectively, as a result of using WISE.

Learn more in Qualcomm’s 2022 Corporate Responsibility Report

1 The Importance of Wild Fisheries For Local Food Security

2 Improving the Lives of Men and Women in the Senegalese Artisanal Fishery Value Chain

PORTLAND, Ore., September 20, 2023 /3BL/ – KeyBank’s Key4Women program, Micro Enterprise Services of Oregon (MESO), and the Portland Thorns FC today announced 10 finalists have been selected to compete in a business pitch contest for women-owned businesses located in Oregon and SW Washington.

Selected from a pool of 210 applicants and judged by a panel of qualified representatives, the finalists will compete for cash awards totaling $50,000. The grand prize winner will earn $20,000.

Finalists include:

Ventura Home Loans LLCAmaza SuperfoodsBlue Elderberry Farm LLCCrisp NWEl Paraiso 100% Natural LLCYuri’s Certified ChildcareL&M Hair CompanySauvie ShrubsPrelude, LLCBreakaway Bookkeeping & Advising

“We are excited to announce our finalists today, so much to be proud of,” said Rachael Sampson, chair, Key4Women. “Women business owners and leaders positively impact our economy and communities in powerful ways every day, which is evident based on the strength and diversity of the applications we received. We thank all of those who applied and wish them the best of luck on their business ventures.”

“MESO has always known women entrepreneurs have the power to change the small business landscape,” said MESO Executive Director Cobi Lewis. “We are honored to be part of an event that will provide a chance for others to experience that passion, innovation and determination.”

“The Portland Thorns are proud to support this innovative program,” said Todd Spear, SVP of Corporate Partnerships for the Portland Timbers & Thorns. “We know women in business bring exciting innovation and we wish all ten finalists the best of luck with their pitches.”

MESO provided application support and mentorship to women-owned businesses throughout the application process. They will also provide workshops and mentoring to the finalists to help them prepare their pitches.

To be eligible, businesses had to be 51 percent owned, controlled, operated, and managed by a woman or women. They must also be headquartered in one of the following Oregon counties: Multnomah, Clackamas, Washington, Columbia, Hood River, Yamhill, Marion, OR one of the following Washington counties: Clark, Cowlitz, or Skamania. Applicants can be an entrepreneur with a new business idea or an existing business with a new product or service that expands their current business with annual sales of less than $3 million.

The finalists will present a 4-minute pitch and field questions for 6 minutes on November 16th at Providence Park in Portland, Oregon. The event, which is open to the public, will also be livestreamed by the Thorns. To learn more visit https://www.mesopdx.org/key4women

Final awards will be chosen by a panel of five judges, used to determine winners include the quality of the presentation, clarity of business vision and mission, economic impact of the idea and the soundness of value proposition.

ABOUT MESO

Micro Enterprise Services of Oregon (MESO) elevates and empowers under-resourced and excluded entrepreneurs to build resilience, equity, and thriving communities through access to capital, tailored business assistance, and education. Founded in 2005 to assist Black-owned small businesses that were experiencing challenges in the wake of gentrification in North and Northeast Portland, the nonprofit now serves more than 600 entrepreneurs and small businesses in Oregon and Southwest Washington each year. MESO is a designated SBA microlender, an IDA fiduciary, and a Certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI).

ABOUT PORTLAND THORNS FC

Portland Thorns FC is an American professional women’s soccer team based in Portland, Oregon that plays their home matches at the iconic Providence Park. Established in 2012, the team began play in 2013 as one of the founding teams of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) – the top-ranked professional women’s soccer league in the United States. Thorns FC rank among the best globally in attendance across male and female professional soccer clubs. The team has won eight trophies – three NWSL Championships (2013, 2017, 2022), two NWSL Shields (2016, 2021), NWSL Challenge Cup (2021), Women’s International Champions Cup (2021), NWSL Community Shield (2020).

ABOUT KEYCORP 
KeyCorp’s roots trace back nearly 200 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation’s largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $195 billion at June 30, 2023. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 1,000 branches and approximately 1,300 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank is Member FDIC.

ABOUT KEY4WOMEN 
Key4Women started in 2005 as a campaign to lend $1 billion to qualified women-owned businesses within three years. The program achieved that in two years and has now generated more than $12 billion in loans to women-owned businesses. Membership in Key4Women is free. In addition to helping women business leaders and owners tap into capital to build and grow their businesses, Key4Women members gain valuable access to a team of local Certified Key4Wome Advisors who advocate, connect and empower women on their journey to financial wellness. For more information, visit key.com/key4women.

The Curiosity Cube, a 22×10-foot shipping container turned mobile science lab from MilliporeSigma, the U.S. and Canada Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, has been hard at work sparking kids’ interest in STEM careers on its fifth annual U.S tour. The Curiosity Cube’s mission is to provide tomorrow’s scientists with access to hands-on science education. In fact, of the schools the Curiosity Cube will visit this year, the aim is that 95% will be classified as Title 1. According to the U.S. Department of Education, the Title 1 program provides financial assistance to schools with a high number percentage of children from low-income families, ensuring that all children meet challenging state academic standards. This year, the Curiosity Cube’s experiments focus on contamination. 

Now halfway through the 2023 tour, the Curiosity Cube has visited 51 communities in the U.S., hosted 76 events out of the total 124 planned and has sparked interest in STEM in more than 13,600 young minds.

The 2023 tour started in San Diego, where Curiosity Cube Coordinators worked alongside MilliporeSigma employee volunteers from the company’s viral vector manufacturing facility in Carlsbad. The tour stopped at the San Diego Festival of Science & Engineering and several local middle schools. The Curiosity Cube then headed to Tempe the following week, where it made a stop at Ostrich Fest.

Following a short break, the Curiosity Cube made a cross-country journey to Cincinnati to spark curiosity in students from the Buckeye State. Scientists walked elementary school students through the experiments with WLWT-TV stopping by to talk with Coordinator Danielle Chavis at the Highland Park Garden about what she enjoys most about the Curiosity Cube. The tour then headed West to Indianapolis before rolling to Pennsylvania.

Landing in Allentown, a new tour stop in 2023, WFMZ-TV covered the action and spoke to students and teachers from the Lehigh Valley Academy about their experience. Continuing its tour through the Keystone State, the Curiosity Cube stopped in Bellefonte to visit a handful of local schools, with WTAJ-TV stopping by to see the experiments in action.

Moving to Rockville, Maryland, the Curiosity Cube visited a few schools with the help of employee volunteers from the company’s contract testing facility in the area. BioBuzz learned more about the tour’s goal of reaching more than 45,000 students. Now two months into the tour, the next stop for the Curiosity Cube was Lake Erie in Cleveland, where WKYC-TV spoke with MilliporeSigma volunteers about the importance of STEM education. 

Following a break for Memorial Day, the Curiosity Cube stopped in Illinois and sparked curiosity in kids across the state. In Kankakee, the Daily Journal stopped by an event with a local nonprofit, Still I Rise, to discuss the need for more exposure to STEM education. WCIA-TV in Urbana spoke to local visitors about what they took away from the tour’s stop in the area.

The Curiosity Cube spent the rest of June and into early July touring I-70 and making an impact in St. Louis and Kansas City. In St. Louis, with the help of MilliporeSigma interns from Harris-Stowe University, KMOV-TV explored the three interactive experiments alongside Coordinator Audra DiMariano. While in St. Louis, the Curiosity Cube was also featured at Pride Fest and Busch Stadium, reaching over 2,200 visitors in that city. When the Curiosity Cube worked its way to Kansas City, 27 volunteers from the company’s Lenexa, Kansas facility helped over 1,000 visitors access hands-on science education. 

Rounding out the month of July, the Curiosity Cube visited Laramie, Wyoming and the Laramie Boomerang wrote about local families experiencing hands-on science at the University of Wyoming. 

The Curiosity Cube’s U.S. tour isn’t over yet, in fact, it still has 11 cities to visit before wrapping up in November. The tour will be headed up and down the West Coast from Seattle to San Diego before returning to the East Coast. To learn more about upcoming stops and request a visit to your town, go to. Want to keep up with the tour? Follow the Curiosity Cube on Instagram at @curiositycube_milliporesigma.

The ZDHC South Asia Conference in Bengaluru, India facilitated high-level conversations on sustainability, including a panel discussion on chemical management. Moderated by Prasad Pant, South Asia Director and Competence Centre Director for the ZDHC Foundation’s Roadmap to Zero Program, “The Need for Collaboration in Accelerating Sustainable Chemical Management” panel included Dhawal Mane, SAC Director of Verification, Training & Insights. Fellow panelists included Klaehn Gundolf, Head of Environmental Component, Responsible Industrial Practices in the Clothing Industry in Asia (FABRIC), Shivam Gusain, Innovation Analyst at Fashion for Good, Vidhesh Kadam, Standards & Recycled Materials Specialist at Textile Exchange, and Edga Melan, General Manager Engineering & Sustainability, Teejay Sri Lanka, Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) and Fabric Apparel Accessory Manufacturers Association (FAAMA) in Sri Lanka.

Mane emphasized the deep collaborations that drive SAC action on chemical management, including a close partnership with ZDHC to align their Supplier to Zero Program with the Higg Facility Environment Module (FEM); similarly, the alignment of FEM with the RtZ and StZ programs is rooted in the apparel alliance, which was formed by the Apparel Impact Institute, Textile Exchange, ZDHC Foundation, and the SAC in order to align tools and programs to achieve greater alignment and avoid duplicating efforts. Complementary tools are the bedrock of the apparel alliance’s goal of creating a connected, end-to-end path to action for the entire apparel and footwear industry as we work together to achieve a minimum goal of 45% reduction in GHG emissions by 2030.

Mane talked about SAC’s updated strategic plan, and its focus on aligning the facility’s journey geared towards impact. “With about 8000 factories completing the Higg FEM verifications, we recognise the several touch points facilities have with various supply chain sustainability programs and collaborative organizations.”

One of the key outputs will be an industry-wide standardized environment performance framework and factory journey, which will provide clarity and insight on how brands and their supply chains can best utilize different programs to drive continuous improvement on environmental performance at the factory level, and how these programs are connected and can facilitate the most impact. His final call to action was for continued collaboration with industry stakeholders to address the challenges we face as an industry.

A few weeks ago, I spoke on a panel at the Georgia Forestry Association’s Annual Conference in Jekyll Island called “Seedlings to Solutions: Mass Timber’s Rise in Georgia” with leaders from Jamestown LP and SmartLam North America discussing the role of mass timber in the sustainability of Georgia’s lumber industry.

Mass timber, by definition, is a sustainable building material made from layers of wood, glued together into glulam beams and cross-laminated timber panels (CLT). The benefits of mass timber are numerous, and they include environmental sustainability, speed of construction, waste reduction, and economic advantages.

At Georgia-Pacific, we believe the potential for mass timber and Southern Yellow Pine in Georgia are exponential. We view mass timber as “the sexy calling card” of building with wood. And we’re seeing mass timber’s rise in popularity reverberate around the industry; because of mass timber promoting wood, the use of light frame construction is on the rise in commercial, non-residential building.

One of the most fascinating benefits of mass timber is its ability to sequester carbon. Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as they grow, and when they are turned into mass timber, that carbon is stored in the building for its lifetime. This makes mass timber buildings a carbon sink, which gives it advantages compared with traditional construction materials.

Another advantage of mass timber is its speed of construction. Because the elements are prefabricated, on-site construction time is greatly reduced. For the 619 Ponce project, which is the largest Southern Yellow Pine mass timber construction in Georgia, we supported Jamestown LP and SmartLam by processing the lumber for the beams and panels at our Albany, Georgia, sawmill – which employs ~ 185 Georgians and contributes ~ $100 million to the Georgia economy.

After processing the logs, we shipped the lumber to Dothan, Alabama where it was fabricated into beams and panels by the team at SmartLam. This prefabbing process, alone, demonstrates the potential economic opportunity for mass timber – as the process included three communities across the southern states, known as the wood basket of the nation. As this construction process grows in popularity – so will its economic impact.

According to Forest Economic Advisors, mass timber construction can potentially expand the consumption of lumber ~ 5% over the next 10 years – which would be huge for Georgia, as we are home to more plantation acres, total timberland acreage and privately-owned timberland acreage than any other state in the nation.

That, along with the ongoing growth of light frame wood construction in non-residential and multi-family segments has the potential to grow the demand for lumber by over four billion board feet, consuming about 16 million tons of logs annually and supporting several million acres of working forest.

Overall, the benefits of mass timber are clear. It is a sustainable, efficient, and beautiful material that is changing the face of architecture and the economics of construction. As more companies and individuals become aware of its advantages, we hope to see a continued increase in the use of mass timber in building projects across the nation.

Over the past couple of years, we’ve partnered with the Georgia Forestry Foundation on their greater “Seedlings to Solutions” campaign, which is chronicling the story of the growth of mass timber in Georgia, this year. Georgia-Pacific has been a strong supporter of the development of modern mass timber construction through our involvement in the Georgia Forestry Association and Georgia Forestry Foundation, Softwood Lumber Board, WoodWorks and the American Wood Council.

View original content here.

Eight-year power purchase agreement will help to achieve a reduction of 6.8 Kilotonnes of CO2 equivalent per year, in line with the EU’s long-term climate action 2050 strategyAgreement follows companies’ 2021 memorandum of understanding to help Baker Hughes to meet 2030 target to reduce operational emissions by 50% The two companies also agreed on measures to preserve and enhance biodiversity

FLORENCE, Italy, September 20, 2023 /3BL/ – Baker Hughes, an energy technology company, announced Wednesday a new agreement with Shell Energy Italia – an eight-year-long power purchase agreement (PPA) that will see Shell Energy Italia supply seven of Baker Hughes’ Industrial & Energy Technology (IET) Italian facilities with renewable energy, sourced from Shell’s solar photovoltaic farm currently under construction in the Apulia region, in southern Italy.

The agreement aims to achieve a reduction of 6.8 Kilotonnes (Kton) of CO2 equivalent (CO2e) per year across the sites, resulting in 13% less emissions – equivalent to 1,200 fewer light duty gasoline cars on the road per year.

The announcement follows a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed in 2021 to enhance collaboration between the two companies as they seek to achieve respective commitments for emissions reduction through advancing technology solutions that help to decarbonize the energy and industrial sectors.

“Today’s announcement marks a significant milestone both in Italy and globally. We’re working together with Shell to invest in vital renewable energy projects that will support both the decarbonization of our manufacturing facilities and create a cleaner, more sustainable energy system for the country,” said Davide Marrani, vice president of operations, Industrial & Energy Technology at Baker Hughes. “This agreement sets us on the right path to achieving our commitment to reduce our CO2 emissions by 50 percent by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.”

“Shell Energy Italia is a major energy supplier, capable of responding to market demands by offering advanced energy commodity management solutions to over 700 major industrial customers,” said Gianluca Formenti, CEO of Shell Energy Italia. “The supply contract signed with Baker Hughes for the Zamboni plant is a tangible confirmation of our ability to create a direct link between our production and demand for energy from renewable sources positioning us as an integrated energy company.”

Sustainable progress is a major catalyst of the agreement, and several measures were implemented to protect and enhance local biodiversity where the new solar plant will be built, including restoration of a hitherto uncultivated area; designing structures for spawning and ecological corridors of native plant species to attract nesting sedentary birds and pollinating insects, and improve the health and quality of the soil.

The PPA complements a previous agreement Baker Hughes signed in 2019 to cover energy needs of its Texas facilities, as well as several other on-site renewable solutions, including the installation of solar across several Italian sites.

Baker Hughes’ 2022 corporate sustainability report showed a 28% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by its operating facilities in Scope 1 and 2 because of energy efficiency initiatives, which puts it on track to achieving the company’s net-zero commitments by 2050.

###

About Baker Hughes

Baker Hughes (NASDAQ: BKR) is an energy technology company that provides solutions to energy and industrial customers worldwide. Built on a century of experience and conducting business in over 120 countries, our innovative technologies and services are taking energy forward – making it safer, cleaner and more efficient for people and the planet. Visit us at bakerhughes.com.

For more information, please contact:

Media Relations

Chiara Toniato  
+39 3463823419  
chiara.toniato@bakerhughes.com

The Transformational Tech series highlights Cisco’s grant recipients that use technology to help transform the lives of individuals and communities. This blog features Cisco’s partnership with Fairfood, a non-governmental organization (NGO) based in the Netherlands. If you are interested in a deep dive on this partnership, please contact Sue-Lynn Hinson.

New research by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization shows that the world’s nearly 500 million smallholder farmers produce around one third of the world’s food supply. Yet many of them live on less than USD $2 per day and can barely feed and sustain their own families. Fair and ethical business practices are a rising concern among consumers; yet many agri-food companies struggle to build brand trust and prove that they are operating sustainably, treating farmers and food workers ethically and paying them a living income.

Fairfood has developed a blockchain-based technology platform called Trace with support from Cisco. Trace enables full transparency across the food supply chain, and provides data, evidence, and insights with which companies can develop programs and strategies to implement ethical business practices and improve the lives and livelihoods of smallholder farmers and food workers.

“The relationship between the buyer and the producer, to me, is the most important. It is 
good to have this transparency inside the cooperative; to be able to show what we are 
doing with the coffee, every step of the process. It helps build strong and dependable 
relationships with buyers.” 
—José Francisco Villada (Panchito), Coffee producer and co-founder of Capucas

Fairfood’s mission is to accelerate change towards fair and sustainable food value chains, partnering with agri-food companies to develop innovative business models that benefit companies and cooperatives and enable fair value distribution models that lead to higher incomes for smallholder farmers. Currently connecting more than 300,000 people (farmers, workers and their family members) to the domestic and international supply chains that shape their future, Fairfood’s global operations span 17 countries and diverse commodities related to the cocoa, coffee, spice, horticultural and fruit industries.

Fairfood’s partnership director, Peter van der Linde, shares the non-profit’s technology evolution and how its partnership with Cisco has helped it make significant advancements in digital inclusion while protecting data privacy and security and giving smallholder farmers control over their own digital information.

What role does technology play in Fairfood’s mission?

Technology and digital inclusion are key. Having technology that can help securely trace the product from farmer to consumer, end to end, is invaluable to bringing positive change to fair and ethical food sustainability, building brand trust among consumers through supply chain transparency, and helping us scale to market. Getting everyone on board, from the farmers to the cooperatives, to the brands, retailers, and consumers, is vital to creating real change.

Fairfood adopts a partnership value chain approach to traceability, forming data partnerships along international food corridors that benefit all parties, with a strong focus on strengthening the position of farmers as a key part of sustainability strategies. Fairfood’s approach is unique because it is focused on system change and centered on both product traceability and publicly verifiable brand promises that can be linked to individual products that add tangible value in the commercial market and help to build consumer trust. And the technical infrastructure that is backed by the partnership with Cisco is essential.

How has the support of Cisco contributed to Fairfood’s technology development and how critical has this been in advancing your strategy?

With the support of Cisco, Fairfood has strengthened its farmer-centric traceability solution that currently allows 46 companies to show exactly where products come from and share evidence for brand promises publicly, while improving farmers’ incomes. The partnership also allowed us to develop a data-secure NFC (Near Field Communication) card system in combination with a mobile app for first buyers, that enables the development of financial track records for farmers and community members who do not have a phone or a bank account. It is used to securely digitize proof of cash payments offline, ensuring financial transactions can only be verified by the authorized users.

In the markets Fairfood operates in, this concept shifts the power back to farmers and community members, allowing them to verify that payments intended for them are received, while ensuring they remain in control of their own data. It also opens up the possibility to use these records for financial inclusion for farmers that do not have a bank account. “We are exploring ways in which these digital financial track records can be used for credit scoring to help secure basic loans for these farmers that were previously out of scope. It’s a massive opportunity with a lot of potential and benefit to both the unbanked farmers and financial institutions”.

What are some of Fairfood’s accomplishments/wins in the industry to date?

Fairfood has a goal to improve the livelihoods of one million people by 2025. One of the ways we are making strides to achieve this goal is through novel business models. In 2022, Fairfood implemented its farmer-centric traceability solution with Verstegen Spices in their nutmeg supply chain from Indonesia, with a new incentive structure wherein farmers are paid a premium for top-quality product, and additionally compensated for providing digital verification of payments received. The program had two pathways of change: one aimed at demonstrating the business case for fully traceable nutmeg products, and the other focused on showcasing the potential of incentives to help structurally increase payments to farmers. The case got highlighted in the report ‘Towards a New Paradigm’ commissioned by USAID (DDI) and the Gates Foundation.

Watch a short video about the program.

The report highlights that after the initial hybrid financing model (public-private), key parties in the value chain are willing to continue to cover the running costs of the app/card system and sustain payments for both quality and data premiums. Farmer verified transaction records show that the quality and data premiums continued to result in an approximately $100 increase in income per farmer per year during the first year after implementation (March 2022 – March 2023).

Learn how Trace is enabling full transparency for the supply chain.

What challenges/roadblocks does Fairfood still face?

One of the biggest challenges Fairfood faces is to prove the business case for fully traceable products, instead of the market depending on current sustainability labels. We know that some of these labels can be misleading, and many do not prove that farmers are being paid fairly (despite consumers thinking that is what these labels mean). So, bringing our farmer-centric traceability system and approaches to the forefront is key to making real change towards sustainable and ethical food supply chains, consumer awareness, and brand trust. It takes time for people to really understand the power of farm-to-fork traceability, but we are beginning to make inroads.

Another challenge is with legislation. Up until a few years ago, there was a lack of legislation around ethical and sustainable supply chains. We are now seeing positive change in this area across governments in several countries and this is helping us to pick up steam in companies where sustainability was not previously mission-critical to them. A final roadblock area is the lack of data, and this is where we are partnering with our cooperatives to help them to digitize paper-based processes, for example enhancing their farmer lists and by supporting them with means to digitize transaction records using our app and card system. Sometimes it is starting from scratch, but as we collect data through the Trace platform, we can facilitate real change throughout the supply chain and help to make sure that farmers are paid fairly for their products.

How can consumers help Fairfood’s mission?

There are multiple ways consumers can help with Fairfood’s mission towards a sustainable food system.

Education: Learn about what companies are supporting ethical and sustainable food practices. Being an informed, responsible consumer can help to influence the system as a whole and lead to real, actionable change. Visit the Fairfood website for more information.Enjoy coding? Get involved: For the tech-savvy, one way to get involved is to possibly help Fairfood through open-source software contributions. Reach out to Derek at, derek@fairfood.org for more details on how you can contribute on Trace mobile.Connect Fairfood to future partnerships: Know of any local companies interested in bringing fully traceable products to consumers? Reach out to Peter at, peter@fairfood.org.

View original content here.

September 19, 2023 /3BL/ – Global health is based on the deeply held belief that quality health care should be available to everyone, no matter where they are born. Despite significant progress across the planet in recent decades, there’s still much more to be done to attain this goal. Entrepreneurs, innovators & bold thinkers remain a vital part of the solution, creating sustainable and novel innovations to address pressing health challenges; the future united awards were created to amplify their impact.

The awards celebrate both for-profit & non-profit organizations & individuals achieving extraordinary results in the field of global health, whether large or small, and whether working globally or locally.

Based in five different continents, the 2023 winners each bring a fresh approach to solving key problems and improving health for people around the world, and are as follows: 
 

The Provocateur Award – Blackfrog Technologies specializes in the development of patented technologies for precision cold chain and vaccine traceability systems, including Emvólio, a patented rapid cooling technology for safe last-mile transport of vaccines, insulin, breast milk, blood serums, medications & specimens with minimal thermal shock. 
 The Collaborator Award – Neotree develops technology to empower healthcare professionals in low resource settings, like Malawi and Zimbabwe, to count and care for every newborn through use of an innovative digital platform that combines data collection and visualization, digital education, clinical decision support, and quality improvement. 
 The Lodestar Award – Maisha Meds improves access to high-quality, affordable health care through private pharmacies and clinics — a first point of care for millions of people across Africa. Their platform combines cutting-edge technology, deliveries of vetted medications, and targeted subsidies that inform patient and provider decisions. Maisha Meds harnesses the power of the private sector to improve patient outcomes, while generating essential data insights for public health decision-makers. 
 The Futurist Award – OpenBiome is a pioneering nonprofit microbiome health organization based in Massachusetts that addresses systemic inequities in microbiome science to scale its impact on global health. Engaging over 80 research collaborators across nearly 40 countries, OpenBiome catalyzes cutting-edge research, advances life-saving therapies, and expands scientific capacity equitably across the globe. 
 The Multiplier Award – EOS International is a nonprofit social enterprise that provides rural communities in Honduras, Nicaragua, and El Salvador with access to safe drinking water through its innovative market-based Circuit Rider Model which ensures communities have the education, skills, and knowledge to operate their water utilities efficiently and effectively. EOS’ comprehensive model provides safe drinking water to over 1 million people across 2,000 rural communities. 
 

“This year’s future united award winners, finalists and nominees are doing the imaginative, brave and bold work that is necessary to change the face of global health,” said Lesley-Anne Long, President & CEO of GBCHealth. “The awards highlight organizations with incredible impact and potential, and by putting them in the global spotlight and welcoming them to the future united community, we help connect them with the partners and collaborators who can help them take the next step and make exponentially more impact.”

The winners were announced during GBCHealth’s ‘Celebrate’ event on September 19th in New York City, made possible through the support of the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation and Merck.

The future united global awards launched in New York last year with five incredible winners, followed by the 2023 future united Africa awards earlier this year.

*******

The GBCHealth CEO and winning organizations are available for interview. Please find contact details below.

GBCHEALTH

GBCHealth is the preeminent organization focused on business engagement in support of meeting global goals for health. Its vision is health equity and a global business community that contributes its assets, skills, influence and reach to create a healthier world for employees, their families, and communities. GBCHealth works with companies worldwide and with the United Nations, governments, academia, civil society & others. In September 2022, GBCHealth launched future united, a global initiative harnessing the power of the private sector to fight for – and achieve – health equity, tackle the impact of climate change on health, and address antimicrobial resistance and future pandemics.

Contact name: Lesley-Anne LongContact title: President & CEOContact email: futureunited@gbchealth.org 
 

Blackfrog Technologies

Contact name: Ashwini UpadhyayaContact title: Administrative ExecutiveContact email: info@blackfrog.inContact phone number: (+91)-820-2572478

EOS International

Contact name: Wesley MeierContact title: CEOContact email: wesley.meier@eosintl.orgContact phone number: 319-830-2731

Neotree

Contact name: Michelle HeysContact title: Prof Michelle HeysContact email: m.heys@ucl.ac.uk

Maisha Meds

Contact name: Dr. Michael NedelmanContact title: VP, Communications & AdvocacyContact email: michaelnedelman@maishameds.orgContact phone number: +1-347-766-8437

OpenBiome

Contact name: Justin ChenContact title: Director of External AffairsContact email: jchen@openbiome.orgContact phone number: 609-578-7230

For a third consecutive year, AccountAbility awarded Best ESG Strategy Development Partner from Capital Finance International (CFI.co), this time in 2023Global award honors AccountAbility’s impact in advancing ESG practices worldwideAccountAbility’s global ESG leadership recognition continues as CFI.co Award follows distinguished Forbes and Financial Times 2023 business accolades

NEW YORK and LONDON, September 19, 2023 /3BL/ – AccountAbility, a trusted global ESG Consulting and Standards firm with a three-decade history in guiding leaders to build better companies, is proud to announcethat AccountAbility has been honored with the Best ESG Strategy Development Partner 2023 Award from Capital Finance International (CFI.co). This marks a record, third consecutive year that AccountAbility has received the prestigious award, recognizing the firm for delivering practical and relevant solutions that advance the business performance of its clients with objective ESG counsel.

AccountAbility’s targeted purpose is to innovate and advance the global sustainability / ESG agenda by improving the practices of organizations worldwide. The CFI.co Award identifies the firm’s ESG leadership and its focus on providing thoughtful, actionable, and lasting value for its clients globally. This latest recognition adds to a growing list of multi-year global business awards for AccountAbility, including a two-time winner of Forbes World’s Best Management Consulting Firms (2022-2023) and a six-time Leading Management Consultant recipient from the Financial Times (2018-2023).

“AccountAbility is extremely grateful to CFI.co, the Judges Panel, our Clients, and our Global Stakeholders for this distinguished recognition – this time in 2023. This accolade is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our talented global team and the continued trust and support of our valued clients and partners worldwide,” said AccountAbility Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Sunil (Sunny) A. Misser. “At AccountAbility, we remain committed to delivering practical, effective, and enduring outcomes that enable our clients to succeed. This recognition further motivates us to remain at the forefront of sustainable business solutions and to advance good ESG practices worldwide.”

In their reporting remarks, the CFI.co Judging Panel noted, “AccountAbility uniquely provides relevant, practical, and industry-leading Advisory, Standards, and Research services under one roof. By prioritizing relevance and value creation, the firm delivers ESG solutions that ensure resilience, adaptability, and long-term competitive advantage for its clients.”

AccountAbility’s specialized ESG expertise and Advisory services, backed by some of the world’s first and most widely used industry Standards and Frameworks, have been instrumental in driving positive sustainability impacts across diverse business sectors. The company partners with prominent and influential global institutions, including International Monetary Fund, World Bank Group, and the International Finance Corporation. The World Economic Forum has recognized AccountAbility as an ESG Framework Developer.

Each year CFI.co identifies organizations from across nations and regions that contribute significantly to the convergence of economies and that add material value to their stakeholders. The Global Awards Program Judging Panel, comprised of leaders in business and in financial journalism review information generated from an initial nomination process, drawing on members expertise to identify candidates for the internationally recognized and respected CFI.co Awards. Short listed nominees are then narrowed to select award recipients that demonstrate best practices and inspire others to improve their own performance.

To learn more about the CFI.co Awards Program visit: CFI.co Awards Programme | Awards

About AccountAbility  

AccountAbility is a global Consulting and Standards firm that works with businesses, investors, governments, and multi-lateral organizations to innovate and advance the global Sustainability / ESG agenda by improving the practices, performance, and impact of organizations. The firm focuses on delivering practical, effective, and enduring results that enable our clients to succeed. AccountAbility is a Public Benefit Corporation, operating globally through a highly qualified team from offices in New York, London, Riyadh, and Dubai. The firm is the recipient of multiple business awards from the Financial Times, Forbes, and Capital Finance International. Learn more at  www.accountability.org.  

Contact: 
Mr. Jon Packer 
AccountAbility 
Head of Marketing & Communications 
Phone: +1 416 543 9179 
Email: jon.packer@accountability.org 
Web: www.accountability.org