Tag: 3BL

MEMPHIS, Tenn., September 13, 2023 /3BL/ – FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX), together with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®, celebrated the 11th anniversary of the Purple Eagle program at TPC Southwind during the FedEx St. Jude Championship. The program annually names a Cessna Caravan aircraft for a St. Jude patient who is also the child or grandchild of a FedEx team member.

This year’s honoree is seven-year-old St. Jude patient Olivia. Soon after her birth, her parents noticed several spots of brown pigmentation on her body. At her six-month checkup, the doctor let her parents know that these spots, called café au lait spots, were signs of a genetic condition called neurofibromatosis. Genetic testing later confirmed the diagnosis. In October of 2021, not long after her family moved to Memphis for her dad’s new job at FedEx, she began having seizures. An MRI revealed a grape-sized tumor on her optic nerve, and she was referred to St. Jude Children’s Hospital for ongoing care. She continues to see a St. Jude ophthalmologist every three months, while taking medication that has allowed her to remain seizure-free.

Olivia’s father, Roman, was surprised when his boss unexpectedly called him in for an in-person meeting, Roman entered the meeting room, not knowing what to expect, and encountered a host of FedEx leadership. They were there to inform him that the 2023 Purple Eagle naming ceremony would be held in honor of Olivia. Roman had donated to St. Jude in the past, never imagining his family would one day be utilizing the hospital’s services.

The Purple Eagle program at FedEx began in 2012, when Bill West Jr., vice president of supplemental aircraft operations, wanted to find a way to recognize the work being done at Memphis-based St. Jude and the idea to name a plane in the FedEx trunk fleet for the child or grandchild of a FedEx employee who is also a St. Jude patient was born. Except for the COVID-19 restricted summer of 2020, the program has honored a pediatric cancer patient every summer since.

“The only named feeder planes in our supplemental fleet are the ones that are part of the Purple Eagle program,” said West. “These planes are special and help us spread the word about the amazing work being done by St. Jude.”

Olivia’s plane, like its ten predecessors, will sport her name under the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital logo for the duration of the Cessna Caravan’s time in service as part of the FedEx Express supplemental aircraft fleet. There are over 280 feeder turboprop airplanes in the supplemental fleet.

“We are so grateful to FedEx and the Purple Eagle program for offering such a unique way to honor St. Jude patients – a truly memorable experience for the entire family,” said Richard C. Shadyac Jr., President and CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. “The care and treatment developed at St. Jude is made possible because of generous partners like FedEx whose dedication to this mission helps make a difference for the more than 400,000 kids around the world who will get cancer each year.”

11 Years of Purple Eagle Honorees

 Honoree DiagnosisCessna Caravan Tail Number2023 OliviaNeurofibromatosisN884FE2022 RileyAcute lymphoblastic leukemiaN986FX2021KenzieAcute lymphoblastic leukemiaN753FX2020No honoree due to COVID protocols2019 ReidRhabdomyosarcoma and EctomesenchymomaCFEXN2018 MyaSickle cell diseaseN981FE2017CalvinCraniopharyngiomaN846FE2016 AlyssaMelanomaN933FE2015 TylerAcute lymphoblastic leukemiaN752FX2014 AllieAnaplastic EpendymomaN987FX2013 HayesRare kidney cancerN981FE2012 McKaylee Anaplastic AstrocytomaN773FE

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 fedex.com/about.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Its purpose is clear: Finding cures. Saving children.® It is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. When St. Jude opened in 1962, childhood cancer was largely considered incurable. Since then, St. Jude has helped push the overall survival rate from 20% to more than 80%, and it won’t stop until no child dies from cancer. St. Jude shares the breakthroughs it makes to help doctors and researchers at local hospitals and cancer centers around the world improve the quality of treatment and care for even more children. Because of generous donors, families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food, so they can focus on helping their child live. Visit St. Jude Inspire to discover powerful St. Jude stories of hope, strength, love and kindness. Support the St. Jude mission by donating at stjude.org, liking St. Jude on Facebook, following St. Jude on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok, and subscribing to its YouTube channel.

Originally published in International Paper’s 2022 Sustainability Report

Apply innovation, redesign and material replacement to reduction, recycling and recovery strategies in five ways:

1. Eliminate all non-recyclable materials in finished products and innovate for circularity through material efficiency

Focus areas:

Eliminate all sales of non-recyclable productsReduce basis weights at box plants by 5% vs. 2020

Progress:

Projects ongoing in all box plants to reduce average basis weights; 0.37% reduction in basis weight at box plants vs. 2020, 7.24% reduction vs. 2018

2. Further develop product range and capabilities to substitute fiber products for plastics

Focus areas:

Substitute 6,000 tons of plastics with fiber- based alternatives by 2030

Progress:

765 tons of plastics replaced in 20221,410 tons of plastic replaced from 2021-2022

Highlight:

Consistent with our commitment to build a better future, and in response to increasing consumer demand for responsible packaging, we’ve created a new range of sustainable paper-based punnets called Respir®. Combining outstanding resistance with great visibility, these package designs ensure protection and promotion of products from field to shelf to consumer’s home. The perfect packaging solution to reduce single-use plastics’ negative impact on the environment and human health, Respir® is made of renewable resources, is 100% recyclable and extends shelf life by three days.

3. Reduce waste to landfill by targeting key areas for improvement across our operations

Focus areas:

Reduce waste to landfill by 50% over 2020 baseline by 2030

Progress:

Waste reduction cost analysis conducted across box plant system, identifying cost per plant/year for 2030 reductions21% of plastics rejects sent to energetic valorization in 2022

4. Expand partnerships to improve circularity and recycling

Focus areas:

Evaluate opportunities for circularity/ recycling collaborations and partnerships throughout IP’s value chain

Progress:

Participated in Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI) 4evergreen alliance to increase fiber-based packaging in a circular economy and minimize climate and environmental impact

Highlight:

Our Secure E-Box is an innovative corrugated box featuring a tamper- evident closure that breaks the first time it’s opened. It also comes with additional tabs at the top and inside that allow it to be reused for returns. Not only is this box made from 100% recycled corrugated material, but it also requires no adhesive tape or other material, thus promoting the circular economy and sustainability. The Secure E-Box was named Best Logistics and Distribution Packaging in 2022 by Liderpack and was recognized with a 2023 WorldStar of Packaging Award.

5. Contribute to improving industry recycling rate and quality of recovered fiber

Focus areas:

Increase education of the circularity and sustainability benefits of fiber packagingUse partnerships to expand amount and quality of recovered fiber

Progress:

Continued to grow circular economy agreements with customers, providing closed-loop packaging solutions that optimize the logistics of the packaging supply chain from International Paper corrugate sales through to recollection and recycling.

Highlight:

Designed by International Paper in Italy for customer Colgate-Palmolive, the Circular Box for transporting personal care products was chosen as finalist in the Best Packaging 2022 contest, organized by the Italian Packaging Institute (Istituto Italiano Imballagio) in collaboration with Conai (National Packaging Consortium). This packaging is a circular solution designed to reduce waste and increase recycling and material recovery. A local transport company collects paper and corrugated packaging scraps from the Colgate-Palmolive plant and delivers them to a local paper mill, which makes recycled paper. Our Pomezia plant then transforms it into its Circular Box range. The result is a completely closed and sustainable circular supply chain.

In addition to implementing recycled- paper broccoli cases at our Madrid mill, we sponsored a meeting with the +Broccoli association of broccoli growers to tackle water scarcity, an important subject in the Murcia region. We discussed targeting 100% recycled water use and have since reduced water consumption at our Madrid mill.

About International Paper

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

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Welcome to the latest edition of our Diversity & Inclusion News Round Up. Today we are talking about a new UN report on gender equality, Google making it easier to find results on women’s sports, employers taking well-being more seriously, and a hijab-wearing Barbie.

Well being

According to economists, the “great resignation” is over. One reason might be the current economic climate and people taking fewer risks – but according to this article, better job satisfaction might be another reason! Employers have taken employee well-being much more seriously over the past few years, and turnover is stabilizing. Read more here.

Gender equality

A new UNDP / UN Women report “The Paths to Equal” measures the status of women’s empowerment and gender equality across the world – and according to the report, less than 1% of the world’s female population live in countries with high women’s empowerment and a small gender gap. Worth reading!

Gender equity

In the past, sport result searches often brought up results from men’s teams only. Last week, Google announced that it has updated its search function, making it easier to find results for women’s sports.

Representation

Representation matters! Haneefah Adam is an artist from Nigeria who is designing hijab fashion for Barbie dolls, and showcases them on her Instagram account @hijarbie. Read more here.

Part of the DNA of the WELL Summit is bringing our community closer, and one way to do that is getting to know more about our speakers–and staff–and what personally drives their commitment to the movement. In putting people first, we want to highlight their perspectives on place and space, as well as the role of well-being in their everyday life.

The wounds of history can be healed if we apply social innovation, resilience and strong community connection. Hear from women leaders who have used these tools and more to help bring Canada’s truth and reconciliation efforts to fruition and help celebrate their progress, during Lessons from Canada’s Truth & Reconciliation Process: Centering and Celebrating Indigenous Wisdom.

Meet Victoria Grant, Chair, Counseling Foundation of Canada

What is the one thing you do every day that helps protect your health and well-being?
I begin each day with a good breakfast and take my time to review what is on my schedule. I like to get up early so I am not rushed.

What’s your favorite place—to work, relax, stay or be—and why?
By the water, in among the trees but my favourite place in the world is Island 762 on Lake Temagami. It is home, it is where I feel whole. This particular place is part of my family’s ancestral family territory.

What is the most pressing issue regarding your session?
The most pressing issue surrounding the topic of my talk today is the 94 Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Meet Diane Roussin, Project Director, The Winnipeg Boldness Project

What is the one thing you do every day that helps protect your health and well-being?
My children are my biggest accomplishment in my life, and I appreciate my time with them, my family, and my friends. In addition to spending time with my loved ones, I also rely on Indigenous teachings around gratitude and engaging in ceremony to protect my health and well-being.

What’s your favorite place—to work, relax, stay or be—and why?
In Anishinaabe culture, Nibi is important. Nibi is water and water is life. Women are responsible and accountable to the water-I appreciate this and try to honour it, and try to ground myself near the water. I find this to be my favourite space.

What is the most pressing issue regarding your session?
In Canada, some of the solutions used for social problems are the same ones that can cause the issues. We need to use community voices to support people in the development and delivery of new ideas and solutions to social problems. It is important to discuss how to center systems, experiences, values, and perspectives around Indigenous knowledge systems, especially with a growing Indigenous population in Canada. In order for solution finding to occur within systems changes, systems, experiences, values and perspectives need to be looked at through an Indigenous innovation lens.

This session will be moderated by Davina Rooney, CEO, Green Building Council of Australia, and IWBI Governance Council Member.

Learn more and register for the WELL Summit today.

View original content here.

Originally published on Rayonier.com

RAYONIER’S CARBON FOOTPRINT

Rayonier grows and manages an abundant renewable resource that provides many benefits to society, including carbon sequestration. 

In order to quantify the impacts that our global operations have on the environment, we conduct an annual analysis of the carbon sequestration and emissions across our forestry operations and corporate activities. We calculate the carbon sequestered by our forests, the emissions associated with our operations, and the carbon removed/transferred from our forests through harvest activity. We developed this analysis based on methodologies published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries. When estimating the carbon stored in our forests, we include overstory trees, understory vegetation, coarse woody debris, forest floor, and soil.

This analysis demonstrates that our working forests provide a natural climate change solution, in that we sequester substantially more carbon than we emit every year. In 2022, Rayonier’s forests sequestered over 14.6 million MtCO2-e4 versus corporate emissions of roughly 290,000 MtCO2-e5. Moreover, a significant portion of the carbon contained in the logs we sell to our customers each year remains stored for many decades through their conversion to a multitude of wood products.

FOR A COMPLETE ANALYSIS OF OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT IN THE U.S. AND NEW ZEALAND, SEE OUR CARBON REPORT.

To learn more, view the full Rayonier 2022 Sustainability Report.

NORWALK, Conn., September 13, 2023 /3BL/ – According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, more than 46 million Americans have substance use disorders, costing employers more than $80 billion annually. Shatterproof, a leading national nonprofit focused on reversing the course of addiction, is proud to be the presenting partner of the ‘Recovery-Ready Workplaces’ virtual event taking place this Thursday, September 14 at 2 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. Hosted by the Health Action Alliance (HAA) to commemorate National Recovery Month, this national briefing will provide valuable insights, strategies and resources for employers who want to create supportive work environments that empower workers in their journeys to addiction recovery.

Kirsten Suto Seckler, chief marketing and communications officer for Shatterproof, will be a featured speaker, along with:

Paul Bryant, Director of Addiction Medicine Department, Kaiser PermanenteJeff Levin-Scherz, Population Health Leader, Willis Towers Watson (WTW)Cheryl Brown Merriwether, Vice President and Executive Director, ICARE International Center for Addiction and Recovery EducationAmanta Mazumdar, Vice President of Americas Total Rewards, HiltonBob Poznanovich, Chief Business Growth Officer, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation

The event will consist of two informative and interactive panels focused on the impact of substance use on company workplace and culture and a conversation centered around HR initiatives and what support looks like for both those in recovery and their colleagues. This includes:

Panel 1: Focused on workplace culture, addressing addiction stigma, and providing sober-friendly activities to champion inclusive socializing within an organization.Panel 2: Focused on actions companies can take from an HR and/or policy lens to ensure that employees in recovery are supported, plus actionable steps to better communicate around this topic and create safer work environments.

Attendees will gain insights from experts in the field of addiction recovery who will share their knowledge and diverse lived experiences. Speakers will offer practical strategies and successful case studies for supporting employees in recovery, highlighting the positive impact these strategies can have on the workforce and organizational cultures. Free tools and resources that help support employers as they address substance use disorder and recovery will also be available.

This event is sponsored by Shatterproof and Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, and hosted by HAA in collaboration with Ad Council, Huntsman Mental Health Institute, and the National Safety Council.

To learn more and register for free, visit: 
https://hlthact.org/RecoveryReady2023l

ABOUT SHATTERPROOF

Shatterproof is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to reversing the addiction crisis in the U.S. Shatterproof is focused on guiding communities, removing systemic barriers to recovery, mobilizing the country to advocate for change and ending addiction stigma in the U.S. Find Shatterproof on Facebook, X and YouTube @ShatterproofHQ, or follow us on Instagram at @weareshatterproof. To learn more, visit www.Shatterproof.org. If you are experiencing anxiety, depression or a substance use disorder, text SHATTERPROOF to 741741 for help.

ABOUT HEALTH ACTION ALLIANCE (HAA)

Health Action Alliance (HAA) is the country’s largest private sector network operating at the intersection of business and public health – dedicated to supporting business leaders as they invest in healthier businesses and stronger communities. HAA offers free tools, training and events to more than 6,000 employers who collectively employ more than 32 million workers. We help employers navigate emerging health crises, improve health equity and make informed decisions to strengthen the health of their workforce and the communities where they operate. Created in 2021, HAA is a joint initiative of the Ad Council, the CDC Foundation and the de Beaumont Foundation – in partnership with Meteorite. To join the network and access our free resources and events, visit healthaction.org.

CONTACT: 
Lauren Lawson-Zilai 
Shatterproof 
press@shatterproof.org

Jenna Finer 
Health Action Alliance 
jenna@healthaction.org

As originally published by GoDaddy’s Venture Forward research initiative

A Note From GoDaddy CEO Aman Bhutani

Entrepreneurs are important. They innovate. They create solutions to unaddressed challenges and opportunities. But how do we measure the impact they make on their local economy and community? What insights are most useful to better serve them and help those who advocate for them? These are the questions we wanted to answer five years ago when we launched GoDaddy’s Venture Forward research initiative. Our aim was to expose what these entrepreneurs needed for success given they are often too small to be measured by traditional reports and government statistics and therefore not broadly understood.

Over the last five years, we studied entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship through Venture Forward. Throughout that time, we surveyed more than 30,000 small business owners about their needs, concerns and dreams. We regularly scrutinize data from more than 21 million ventures.

Through the research, we discovered these businesses provide an outsized impact to local and broader economies. For example, one in three U.S. microbusinesses contribute 51% or more to household income; and approximately seven additional jobs are created at the county level for every one online microbusiness entrepreneur. Microbusiness equals major impact.

I invite you to delve into the insights in this report and share them with those in a position to advocate for entrepreneurs. At GoDaddy, we believe by learning more about entrepreneurs, we can further empower them to grow and thrive, making opportunity more inclusive for all.

GoDaddy Venture Forward Report | Summer 2023 | U.S. Edition

This report is powered by the latest data from Venture Forward, a GoDaddy research initiative to quantify the presence and impact of over 21 million online microbusinesses on their local economies, while shining a light on the entrepreneurs behind them. Our goal is to empower anyone who advocates for entrepreneurs with robust data and insights that can’t be found elsewhere.

STAMFORD, Conn., September 13, 2023 /3BL/ – Americares and Quest Diagnostics, with the Quest Diagnostics Foundation, are teaming up to provide no-cost diagnostic services and expanded telehealth services to free and charitable clinics across the United States to reduce health disparities in underserved communities.

Americares, the health-focused relief and development organization, and Quest Diagnostics, the world’s leading provider of diagnostic information services, will provide 10 clinics with no-cost diagnostic services for one year to help patients manage chronic disease.

Additionally, clinics in Baltimore, Chicago, Houston and Richmond, Va., will each receive a grant made possible by the Quest Diagnostics Foundation to implement or sustain telehealth services—increasing access to care for low-income, uninsured and underinsured patients. The grant is part of the Quest for Health Equity initiative, which provides resources, funding, testing services and education to address health disparities in underserved communities across the U.S. More than 11,000 patients across the four clinics are expected to benefit over the next year from the expanded collaboration.

“Free and charitable clinics, which are a critical safety net in communities all across America, often rely on donations and need support to provide patients with essential health services,” said Americares Vice President of U.S. Programs Saqi Maleque Cho. “Telehealth is especially important for free clinic patients as it allows them the flexibility to see their health care provider without leaving work and losing income.”

Americares has been advancing health equity by improving access to health for people affected by poverty or disaster since 1979. In the U.S., Americares supports a network of nearly 1,000 health centers—over 500 of which are free and charitable clinics. Americares provides partner health facilities serving low-income and uninsured patients the resources they need to provide accessible health services and support equitable health outcomes. Resources include medicine and medical supplies, education, operational support, funding, training and innovations in health care delivery.

Quest Diagnostics is a longtime supporter of Americares and has provided donated testing services to the Americares Free Clinics in Connecticut since 1994. This grant, from the Quest Diagnostics Foundation, will build on the relationship with Americares and the no-cost testing services provided by Quest Diagnostics.

“Diagnostic screening services are critical for understanding the full picture of a person’s health,” said Quest for Health Equity Senior Director and Leader Michael Floyd. “Through our work with Americares, we are able to provide more access to testing services for people who need them, which we hope will provide better health outcomes.”

The following clinics will be provided with diagnostic services for all patients at no cost for one year:

Christ Clinic – Katy, TexasCommunity Health Services of Union County – Monroe, N.C.Hope Clinic of McKinney – McKinney, TexasLake County Free Clinic – Painesville, OhioMission Lexington, Inc. dba Mission Health Lexington – Lexington, Ky.San Francisco Free Clinic – San FranciscoSan José Clinic – Houston, TexasShepherds Clinic, Inc. – Baltimore, Md.The Catholic Charities Diocese of Arlington – Mother of Mercy Free Medical Clinic – Arlington, Va.Universal Heritage Institute – Miami Gardens, Fla.

The following clinics will be provided with funding for telehealth services:

Community Health – ChicagoHealth Brigade – Richmond, Va.Shepherd’s Clinic – BaltimoreUHPhealth – Houston

The telehealth funding may be used to purchase equipment or subscriptions to telehealth platforms, as well as for technical support with implementation, policies and best practices.

“Our patients are working class individuals who fall in the health care gap meaning they do not qualify for government assistance, are not provided health care by their employer and cannot afford private health care. Without our San José Clinic, thousands of patients would have nowhere else to go,” said San José Clinic Chief Clinical Officer Dr. Adlia Ebeid. “For a physician, telling a patient we need to do a biopsy to rule out cancer is a very difficult conversation. Now imagine if the patient also had to take on the cost burden given their limited finances. Thanks to Quest and Americares, our patients won’t have to make that decision.”

Clinics that provide services to non-English speaking populations and marginalized communities were given priority.

Americares helps communities prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters; increase accessibility, availability, affordability and acceptability of medicine and medical supplies; and improve and expand health services, prevent disease and promote good health. Since it was established more than 40 years ago, Americares has provided over $22 billion in aid to 164 countries, including the United States.

About Americares: 
Americares is a health-focused relief and development organization that saves lives and improves health for people affected by poverty or disaster. Each year, Americares reaches 85 countries on average, including the United States, with life-changing health programs, medicine, medical supplies, and emergency aid. Americares is one of the world’s leading nonprofit providers of donated medicine and medical supplies. For more information, visit americares.org.

About Quest Diagnostics 
Quest Diagnostics empowers people to take action to improve health outcomes. Derived from the world’s largest database of clinical lab results, our diagnostic insights reveal new avenues to identify and treat disease, inspire healthy behaviors, and improve health care management. Quest annually serves one in three adult Americans and half the physicians and hospitals in the United States, and our nearly 50,000 employees understand that, in the right hands and with the right context, our diagnostic insights can inspire actions that transform lives. Learn more at www.QuestDiagnostics.com.

About Quest for Health Equity 
Quest for Health Equity is an initiative of Quest Diagnostics and the Quest Diagnostics Foundation focused on providing resources, funding, testing services and education to address health disparities in underserved communities across the U.S. Learn more at www.QuestForHealthEquity.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Jacqueline Serna, Americares: (203) 379-7966 
jserna@americares.org

Jillian Flanagan, Quest Diagnostics: (973) 520-2800 
mediacontact@QuestDiagnostics.com

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September 13, 2023 /3BL/ – Ceres today published a report that provides guidance for investors to effectively influence and support utility companies in decarbonizing the gas distribution industry and align with the global goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Decarbonizing U.S. Gas Distribution: An Investor Guide provides insight into the diverse decarbonization options that can be deployed to viably reduce the industry’s greenhouse gas emissions. The report also underscores the financial importance of decarbonization in the utility sector, citing the substantial investor-owned assets totaling $379 billion in the gas distribution industry. By embracing decarbonization, utility companies can both mitigate financial risks and tap into substantial financial opportunities while ensuring energy remains reliable and cost-competitive for consumers. With major technological improvements across the industry and new investment spurred by the historic Inflation Reduction Act, the time is ripe for the industry to achieve a cleaner, more efficient, and equitable energy future.

“Decisive action on the part of utility companies is imperative for the gas distribution industry to successfully decarbonize. To ensure shareholder capital, maximize financial opportunities, and minimize costs to customers, their actions must also be grounded in viability,” said Dan Bakal, senior program director of the climate and energy team at Ceres. “Companies that are not aligned with a 1.5°C pathway need to move quickly by developing, implementing and investing in pathways that are both deeply impactful and feasible.”

“Our report provides an array of viable pathways that utilities can follow, empowering them to make informed decisions,” Bakal added. “This analysis also equips investors with the necessary tools to effectively engage and support these companies in their transition toward sustainable energy.”

The report’s key findings offer a clear roadmap for the industry’s transition:

Electrification presents compelling growth opportunities for both electric-only and dual-fuel service territories. It opens avenues for deploying capital in generation, transmission, distribution, storage, and appliances.Electrification and efficiency-centered pathways emerge as the most viable strategies to align with the 1.5°C target. These approaches often outperform low-carbon fuels and are already cost-competitive against unabated gas distribution.While renewable natural gas (RNG) and hydrogen-centric pathways have potential benefits, the evidence indicates they lack economic viability at the necessary scale to make substantial contributions toward 1.5°C alignment.Deep hybrid electrification presents an effective interim solution, particularly in regions with harsh winter climates. This strategy harmonizes electric grid congestion, averting costly capacity upgrades and their related expenses.Decarbonization plans must prioritize economic justice and equity, ensuring customer access and affordability are central. This approach fosters an optimized system which can benefit customers, utilities, and investors alike.

According to the International Energy Agency, the building sector—which closely corresponds to the emissions reductions needed in the gas distribution industry—needs to see a significant reduction in global average end-use carbon dioxide emissions of 46% by 2030. Furthermore, global methane emissions also need to drop by 75% by 2030.

The gas distribution industry is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions—representing approximately 14% of total U.S. emissions. With its vast network of pipes delivering energy to both homes and businesses, it plays an essential role in the energy landscape.

Ceres is committed to decarbonizing the six highest-emitting sectors of the U.S. economy—including the electric and gas utility sector—through its Ambition 2030 initiative.

About Ceres

Ceres is a nonprofit organization working with the most influential capital market leaders to solve the world’s greatest sustainability challenges. Through our powerful networks and global collaborations of investors, companies and nonprofits, we drive action and inspire equitable market-based and policy solutions throughout the economy to build a just and sustainable future. For more information, visit ceres.org and follow @CeresNews.

Media Contact: Reginald Zimmerman, zimmerman@ceres.org, 617-247-0700 ext. 136

WASHINGTON, September 13, 2023 /3BL/ – The American Forest Foundation (AFF), a national nonprofit that empowers family forest owners to create meaningful conservation impact, released a report today emphasizing how investment in family-owned forests in the United States is a critical but underutilized tool in the fight against climate change. The report, Boosting the Power of Corporate Investment in the Fight Against Climate Change, reveals that innovations to carbon programs and financing models are essential to build and scale a voluntary market that maximizes climate impact and benefits rural landowners.

“This new report makes it crystal clear: innovative investment tools are needed to unlock the power of family forests for climate action now,” said Rita Hite, President and CEO of AFF. “Today’s climate crisis requires a holistic, collaborative, and coordinated response from the world’s leading institutions and family landowners alike. Together, we must decarbonize the global economy by both drastically reducing emissions and drawing more carbon out of the atmosphere through natural climate solutions.”

The report, authored by AFF’s climate science and financing teams, outlines solutions to common concerns about carbon markets such as additionality and permanence, as well highlights the benefits of dynamic baseline methodologies and calls for improved financial models that account for the dynamism and complexity of natural systems, mainly:

Improving acceptance standards for setting and updating baselines in carbon projects on the voluntary carbon marketPull learnings from established markets – like agriculture – to adopt similar risk-sharing models and enhance the financial feasibility of projects without affecting their integrityPrioritize projects that use innovative financing models to underwrite uncertainty and distribute risk among all stakeholders, including federal agencies, carbon financiers, project developers, private philanthropies and carbon credit buyers

“By leveraging the innovative financing mechanisms outlined in the research, the private sector could facilitate the development of high-integrity carbon credits and catalyze the growth of the entire market,” said Nate Truitt, AFF’s Executive Vice President of Climate Funding. “New financing methods can fund higher quality nature-based projects in the United States – projects that restore forests and grasslands, advance coastal resilience, reduce the harmful impacts of wildfires, and improve agricultural practices on millions of acres – all while providing crucial economic support to rural communities.”

Spotlighted in the report is the investment of leading carbon programs, such as AFF and The Nature Conservancy’s Family Forest Carbon Program (FFCP). A leader in the field, FFCP sets the example of a program that benefits both private landowners and companies alike. The program provides annual payments and technical support to enrolled landowners to implement forest management practices that are scientifically proven to enhance carbon capture and storage, improve forest health, and provide other important ecosystem benefits. The carbon generated by landowners enrolled in FFCP is measured and verified by a first-of-its-kind forest carbon accounting methodology that improves accuracy and transparency for the marketplace. By measuring the difference between similar forests, the methodology pinpoints the program as the sole variable that created additional carbon benefit on enrolled landowners’ property.

Access the full report: familyforestcarbon.org/white-paper 

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About The American Forest Foundation

The American Forest Foundation is a national conservation organization that works with a broad coalition of partners to empower family forest owners to make a meaningful conservation impact around carbon sequestration, wildfire reduction, wildlife habitat, clean water, sustainable wood supplies and support for rural communities.  To learn more about the American Forest Foundation and the Family Forest Carbon Program, go to www.forestfoundation.org/carbon.