Tag: 3BL

Company working closely with General Motors, Ford Motor Company, BMW of North America to roll out flat fee residential charging subscription pilotEnrollment window opens Sept. 1Pilot program launches for enrolled North Carolina customers Nov. 1

CHARLOTTE, N.C., August 29, 2023 /3BL/ – As North Carolina looks toward a cleaner energy future with reduced greenhouse gas emissions and clean transportation, Duke Energy, General Motors, Ford Motor Company and BMW of North America are teaming up to launch a new electric vehicle (EV) pilot program in the state aimed at bringing certainty to the cost of EV charging.

Duke Energy’s 12-month EV Complete Home Charging Plan pilot will allow residential customers in North Carolina to use up to 800 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per month to charge an EV at home for a fixed monthly fee of $19.99 in its Duke Energy Carolinas service area and $24.99 in its Duke Energy Progress service area. The average EV driver uses less than 15 kWh on a given day, meaning the pilot will offer peace of mind for participants with nearly twice the amount per month needed by the average driver.

Customers who own or lease a qualifying EV will receive an invitation to participate from their respective EV manufacturer and can enroll in the program starting in September. Additional enrollment details will be provided to participants ahead of the program launch on November 1.

“North Carolina has ambitious goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and we’re supporting those efforts,” said Kendal Bowman, Duke Energy North Carolina state president. “Increasing the numbers of EVs while reducing the number of gas-powered vehicles on the road will help our state move closer to carbon neutrality.”  

Technology puts customers in the driver’s seat

Customers will be able to input their desired state of charge and preferred departure time using an application provided by their automaker that then creates a charging schedule that optimizes their preferred EV charging times. Duke Energy is working with General Motors, Ford Motor Company and BMW of North America as a part of the Open Vehicle Grid Integration Platform (OVGIP), which enables the management of EV charging from multiple automakers in a grid-friendly and EV driver-centric manner. OVGIP data will allow Duke Energy to measure customer charging data directly from the enrolled vehicles, eliminating the need to install a second meter. Each automaker owns and manages its own charging application that communicates through OVGIP.

During the pilot, program participants will input their desired time to reach a certain state of charge, and their automaker will optimize their EV charging schedule to meet their specific needs while attempting to avoid charging during the grid’s peak hours. This process can increase convenience for customers by helping to provide a charged vehicle when they need it, while contributing to grid stability.

“The average EV owner is already saving about $1,000 per year on fuel costs compared to a traditional vehicle – a predictable monthly subscription charge on top of that is going to ensure predictable savings when charging,” said Bowman. “Beyond cost savings, EV charging at home tends to be convenient because drivers can leave the house with a fully charged vehicle and lessen the number of trips to public charging stations.”

Flexibility of EV charging can help with grid demand

An important component of Duke Energy’s strategy to ready the grid for growth from transportation electrification is the ability to encourage EV charging to take place when the grid has available capacity. As part of the pilot, Duke Energy will call up to three demand response events per month to help balance grid demand. Demand response notifications will be communicated to pilot participants by the automakers at least 12 hours in advance of the event and include the date and hours to avoid charging an EV. Participants may opt out of demand response events up to four times during the pilot.

“EV charging has the added benefit of flexibility, meaning charging can be managed – such as shifting charging to off-peak hours – which is important in limiting cost increases and mitigating peak demands,” said Harry Sideris, executive vice president of customer experience at Duke Energy. “Duke Energy has been strategically planning and enabling the grid for a future with many more EVs on the road – and is also making data-driven investments to improve reliability, strengthen the grid, expand technologies and provide customers with the intelligent information they need to make smart energy choices and save money.”

More: EV Complete Home Charging Plan

Duke Energy

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America’s largest energy holding companies. Its electric utilities serve 8.2 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 50,000 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas unit serves 1.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The company employs 27,600 people.

Duke Energy is executing an aggressive clean energy transition to achieve its goals of net-zero methane emissions from its natural gas business by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions from electricity generation by 2050. The company has interim carbon emission targets of at least 50% reduction from electric generation by 2030, 50% for Scope 2 and certain Scope 3 upstream and downstream emissions by 2035, and 80% from electric generation by 2040. In addition, the company is investing in major electric grid enhancements and energy storage, and exploring zero-emission power generation technologies such as hydrogen and advanced nuclear. 

Duke Energy was named to Fortune’s 2023 “World’s Most Admired Companies” list and Forbes’ “World’s Best Employers” list. More information is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos and videos. Duke Energy’s illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Media contact: Logan Kureczka
Cell: 704.619.1190
Media line: 800.559.3853

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Fast-forward to Gregor Mendel who revolutionized what was known about heredity and genetics at that time. And today, breeders use refined processes to select superior performing plants for food, feed and fiber products that we as consumers and farmers find valuable. For me, growing up on a farm in India in the state of Uttar Pradesh—an area fondly known as ‘the potato belt’—I experienced the joy of a good harvest of potato, mustard and wheat, as well as the pain of a lost cotton harvest to the bug called pink bollworm.

It was critical for my family to protect our cotton from this devastating pest, and thankfully science (plus human ingenuity of course) has made incredible leaps in advancing solutions for farmers and agriculture!

But how do we know these plants are safe to eat or grow?

Along with the selective breeding practices, plant breeders also combine safety assessments at every step to ensure that they do not introduce something toxic into the plants they are developing—or the environment in which they will grow. Breeders bring their experience and expertise to deliver valued and desired attributes like size, shape, texture, color and disease resistance together into a plant variety. The entire breeding process takes years and varies depending on the plant. For instance, the time it takes to develop and commercialize a new variety takes about 10 years for maize and up to 25 years for apples. These practices, refined over hundreds of years, allow breeders to transfer and combine only intended characteristics into the plant variety and keep out undesirable ones.

One important part of my job at Bayer Crop Science is to address these safety questions, and we have A LOT of data to support the safety of our breeding portfolio. I recently co-authored a peer-reviewed scientific publication where we reviewed strategies used by plant breeders to ensure the safety of foods from selective breeding. We found that:

…there were no documented examples where conventional breeding practices led to new toxins being produced, or toxins not associated with the given crop. This is because selective breeding shuffles the genes from the parent plants, but does not give rise to new genes for producing new toxins.

— Shilpa Swarup , Geneticist

In other words, contemporary plant breeders use today’s tools and yesterday’s techniques to continually develop crops that are as safe—if not safer—compared to those in the past.

What are these built-in safety assessments?

Throughout the breeding development process, there are key safety assessments performed to ensure new varieties are safe:

/// 1. Backcrossing

In some crops, strategic crosses from one plant to another are performed using a technique called backcrossing.

Why?

Backcrossing is a traditional breeding method to move one or very few desirable genes from one plant into a plant that has many desirable characteristics. Breeders know that there can be unwanted effects that can tag along while moving the desirable gene into an elite line, so this process is critical to develop a new plant with only the desirable gene incorporated. For example, a wild-type tomato might have a disease resistant gene of interest, but it may be linked with a trait that has some unfavorable characteristic – like a tomato size is too small.

/// 2. Use of Elite Seed

Breeders use backcrossing method to move the desirable gene into a collection of elite lines—a process known as germplasm.

Why?

Because these elite plants are well characterized, adapted to grow in a specific environment and geography, high performing and have been commercially used for decades with a ‘history of safe’ use. Use of elite germplasm eliminates the chance of a new, random, or novel gene to be incorporated. In other words, if the elite plants in the germplasm collection don’t have a certain gene, the next generation and eventually the variety produced from future generations won’t have it either.

/// 3. Field Testing

Breeders pollinate elite plants in different combinations that result in hundreds of progenies. All these progenies are potential varieties that go through a rigorous field-testing phase which consists of multi-location testing (monitored growth stages) of plants over multiple years.

Why?

Breeders know that the possibility of a new and/or random toxin in any variety is the main concern when it comes to safety of any crop. Therefore, they use crop-specific, stringent selection criteria to eliminate potential unintended effects. At this stage, breeders are able to fine-tune selection criteria according to the crop and any known natural toxins within that crop. Let us take apple and potato as examples. Seeds in an apple contain cyanide toxin, but it is the apple skin (peel) and flesh that is typically consumed and not the seeds, apple breeders focus their efforts on improving flesh and skin attributes such as texture, color, taste, size. On the other hand, potato breeders know that a toxin called glycoalkaloids is naturally produced in potatoes and its levels must be below a certain threshold required by global regulatory agencies. Hence, they monitor and quantify potato glycoalkaloid levels along with other quality parameters discarding potato plants that do not meet their criteria.

Multi-location field testing combined with intense selection criteria and the previous outlined steps ensures varieties with no unwanted (backcrossing), random (germplasm), and unintended (field testing) effects.

And…there are also regulations in place.

Regulatory authorities around the globe hold seed developers accountable for the safety of all new plant varieties from field to market. This is true regardless of the tools, techniques and technologies used in the product’s development.

More importantly, general food safety principles are recognized and embodied in national food laws around the world. Our global food supply is held to the highest of safety standards; this plus generations of historical knowledge and safe consumption combined with modern selective breeding techniques, supported by a robust set of industry standards and governmental oversight ensure the safety of new crop varieties brought to market.

I am grateful to Mendel and his discoveries of plant genetics, because I experienced firsthand the benefits good seed technology brought to our farm in India. It was on this farm which inspired me to pursue a career in science and agriculture. It was on this farm which led me to be a geneticist. It was on this farm where I became a strong believer in technologies of plant breeding. I hope this blog inspires others to explore how we grow safe and healthy seeds to bring food to our tables!

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At a recent event hosted by Best of Bangladesh in Amsterdam, Lisa Domoney, SAC’s Senior Director of Membership and Corporate Engagement, discussed “Sustainable Sourcing Realities: Challenges, Achievements, and Next Steps” on a panel moderated by Omar Gias, Director, Strategic Engagement at the Bangladesh Apparel Exchange. The focus of the discussion was to explore how sustainable practices can combat critical issues related to the fashion industry’s environmental and social impact, especially in light of its rapid growth.

“The event was filled with optimism and hope,” Domoney said. “It celebrated the successes and incredible progress made in Bangladesh over the last decade, but that there is still a long way to go.” She was joined by Andrei Vasiliev, Responsible Sourcing/Social Impact Manager for Bestseller, Syed Tanvir, Managing Director of Pacific Jeans Limited, Joris Aperghis, CEO of WE Fashion, Rensje Teerink, Deputy Director of the Asia-Pacific Department at EEAS, Willeke Hendriks, Director of Global Sourcing & Product Development at G-Star RAW, and Karin Reimerink, CR Senior Director at PVH Europe.

The session was a pivotal moment for addressing the ethical considerations and responsible sourcing practices that are essential to transformation of the apparel industry sustainably. Vasiliev highlighted the importance of protecting worker rights and detailed how Bestseller has empowered more than 20,000 women in Bangladesh through the RISE program. Tanvir shared the impact of sustainability initiatives such as water recycling and clean energy, as well as the work that Pacific Jeans is doing in Bangladesh to provide university scholarships to women workers and vision care for all. Aperghis called for consumer education on sustainability and the benefits of legislation to support these goals, while highlighting the work that WE Fashion is doing on sustainability for the brand. Teerisk also called for clear legislation and explained how the EU is moving towards carbon neutrality, while exploring how developing economies with large textile industries can be supported in their transition to more sustainable manufacturing practices. And Hendriks shared the strategies that G-Star has embraced to reach a 30% GHG reduction by 2030, including producing locally and choosing more sustainable materials.

Domoney underscored the SAC’s vital role and vision for the industry, emphasizing the work of member companies that use the Higg Facility Social & Labor Module (FSLM) and the Higg Facility Environmental Module (FEM) to achieve social and environmental goals, as well as the SAC’s unwavering commitment to collaborative efforts that drive positive change. Her presentation was complemented by Reimerink’s discussion of PVH Europe’s ethical sourcing program, which utilized the Higg FEM to establish baseline data, as well as their collaboration with Better Work.

Given the energy-intensive nature of our operations, reducing our carbon footprint is a shared responsibility. Energy efficiency and emissions reduction have been consistent priorities for Covia over the years, and in 2021, we began adding more data-driven analysis to our efforts. We conducted a comprehensive GHG emissions assessment, analyzed the findings and evaluated the trends to determine our biggest climate-related opportunities and risks going forward. In 2022, Team Members contributed to these efforts in unique and meaningful ways.

To enable real-time monitoring of energy consumption, our Ottawa, Minnesota, plant conducted a full energy audit during the year to better understand electricity and fuel use trends at the facility and identify opportunities for improved efficiency. Through the audit, we determined that the existing method of relying on historical energy invoices for tracking consumption lacked the insights needed to help drive meaningful improvements.

Team Members installed a pulse sensor on the electrical meters at the site for more instantaneous feedback and in partnership with local utilities providers, now have access to real-time data, as well as monthly and annual reports.

After developing a baseline from this data, Team Members are able to modify the site’s equipment and processes to avoid peak consumption and drive energy and cost savings. Looking ahead, we plan to conduct similar audits at additional sites to help us better understand ways to reduce our energy needs across our operations.

 

To advance the collective emissions reduction efforts and help improve grid reliability in times of peak energy use, our Nepheline Syenite Operations (NSO) in Ontario, Canada, participates in the Independent Electricity System Operator’s (IESO) Global Adjustment and Demand Response program. The program aims to restore the balance between the supply and demand for electricity, helping to offset the shared impacts of increased energy market volatility.

Through the energy-use monitoring and production management systems we have in place, Covia is able to contribute to these meaningful programs without compromising our ability to Deliver on Promise to our customers. or more information about Covia’s Commitment to Addressing Climate Change, visit our 2022 ESG Report.

For university students, internships are a crucial opportunity to network with working professionals and sharpen technical skills through on-the-job training before entering the workforce full time. Knowing that internships help students to find their passions and bridge the gap between the lifestyle of a student and that of a full-time employee, Henkel takes pride in providing an internship program that helps students pave the way to their future careers.

This summer, Henkel welcomed 170 interns from 103 universities across the United States to work in our Henkel Consumer Brands and Adhesive Technologies business units and Functional areas such as HR and Finance. This summer’s programming kicked off with a hybrid event including a tour of Henkel’s facility in Stamford, CT, a live demo from R&D scientists in the Hair category, presentations from Employee Resource Group (ERG) Leaders and Sustainability Ambassadors, roundtables with employees from across the company, and a panel with former Henkel Interns turned full-time employees.

We also welcomed 9 interns through our partnership with INROADS, designed to offer mentoring and training opportunities to students from diverse backgrounds and help prepare them for corporate and community roles. A private panel discussion with employees who joined the company after their own INROADS internships provided these students with a unique opportunity to ask questions and walk away with advice and insights from professionals who have had similar experiences.

After their orientation to the Henkel organization, the interns joined their teams and embarked on a summer that promised real-world experience, a unique learning journey, and the opportunity to grow within a culture of trust and belonging. Interns jumped right into projects that made a real impact on the business such as budgeting, media planning, R&D formulations, and much more. Subject matter experts from across the company provided guidance and feedback that drove incredible results.

Outside of the office, interns and their mentors had the opportunity to make an impact on the community and on each other. Interns from our Connecticut offices spent 100 hours volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, continuing our legacy with a partner that Henkel has supported for 8 years with both grants and volunteer hours through our Make an Impact on Tomorrow program. A group also joined the Pride ERG at the NYC Pride March, sponsored by got2b, to show their allyship with the LGBTQIA+ community. Interns joined intermural sports teams, participated in speed networking events and Henkel trivia challenges, and had professional headshots taken to level up their LinkedIn profiles.

“I am proud of myself for stepping out of my comfort zone during my internship. I have been able to set up meetings with outside suppliers, work independently, and present my work to leadership members. Although uncomfortable at times, it has made me a better employee and my team has fully supported me the whole way and I am so fortunate to have them.”

Morgan Begley, Research and Development Intern, Henkel Consumer Brands 
[University of Connecticut]

“The most engaging intern events I participated in were the meet & greets that we had set up with people from across the organization. We got to hear a lot of awesome stories and great career advice from people who had dynamic experiences across the company.”

Nathan Mahar, Commercial Intern, Walmart Retailer Team 
[University of Arkansas]

“The accomplishment I’m most proud of this summer is the skills I have acquired, such as knowing how to utilize SalesBi, data modeling, and networking.”

Monica Uribe, Finance Intern, Beauty Professional Controlling 
[University of Denver, INROADS]

“My advice to a future Henkel intern is to be friendly! Everyone who works at Henkel is so outgoing, kind, and knowledgeable. Henkel is a large and global company, so there are employees who could teach you about any job in any location in the world. Use this to your advantage and form relationships.”

Sammie Godwin, Employer Branding Intern, Henkel Talent Acquisition 
[Washington University in St. Louis]

“One thing I learned this summer is that intentional networking is vital to success in any business. The people I met and have worked with at Henkel have given me the most valuable mentorship and advice to accelerate me into my professional career as well as the rest of my higher education.”

Sydney Sandefur, Sales Intern, Beauty Hair Professional 
[University of Tennessee]

It isn’t just the interns who benefit from this robust program – each team that employed a student gained valuable insight from the technical skills, fresh perspective, and enthusiasm that interns bring to the table. At Henkel, we believe that the teaching and learning that occurs between interns and mentors goes both ways.

“Assisting young talent in shaping their careers is very rewarding,” said Lori Baylock-Tomkiewicz, head of the Henkel Internship Program in the United States, “It has been such a pleasure working with our interns this summer and witnessing their important contributions to our organization. Our weekly workshops and other programming consistently left me inspired by the energy they brought to the table. From the softball field to mentorship meetings and organizational events, the opportunity to learn alongside them and help guide their passions will certainly leave a lasting impact on everyone they encountered.”

From the first day of onboarding through final project presentations, our internship program is structured to provide the skills, knowledge, and network that students need to succeed in a full-time role at Henkel. Through dedicated programming, substantial assignments, and ongoing feedback discussions, our interns have impressed us all with their growth and accomplishments.

We are already looking forward to next summer – if you are interested in applying to be a 2024 Henkel intern, applications open on September 1. Check out Henkel Careers for more information.

“Empower Innovation Challenge (EIC), Inspire and Design the Future” is the slogan of a series of competitions that are awarding more than one million dollars to benefit micro, small and medium-sized enterprises owned by women in Latin America. The application period to participate on the second challenge for entries begins on September 1, 2023.

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September. 2023. From September 1st to October 6th of this year, non-profit organizations in Latin America and the Caribbean that are focused on empowering micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) owned by women will have the opportunity to apply for access to funding that will allow them to expand the scope of their initiatives.

The Empower Innovation Challenge (EIC) is an unique competition that offers opportunities for specific projects that enable the amplification of business through small grants, training, access to networks and partnership opportunities with local and international companies. In this second edition, the organizers are opening the call for proposals with a gender focus specializing in green and blue economies in Latin American and Caribbean countries.

The invitation to apply is open to 10 Latin American countries: Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama, Dominican Republic, Colombia, Peru and Ecuador. Participating projects will be implemented by private non-profit organizations and non-governmental non-profit organizations (foundations, civil society organizations, associations, cleaner production centers, among others), universities and private non-profit institutions of higher education.

The targeted sectors range from agriculture, fisheries, sustainable tourism, creative service technologies, light and small manufacturing, and textiles, among others. This series of competitions aims to award more than US$1 million to 24 winners over a two-year implementation period and is funded by the U.S. Department of State (DoS) through the Office of the Secretary of State for Global Women’s Issues (S/GWI) together with Global Equity and Equality Action (GEEA) and the Office of Policy Planning Coordination for Western Hemisphere Affairs (WHA/PPC).

Interested organizations can learn about the requirements of participation and the required documentation on the official challenge’s website.

During the first edition of the challenge, 8 organizations from the region were awarded:

Bancalimentos SAS BIC for its project “Creation of green businesses run by rural women” from Colombia;Ecotarcoles with “Pacific Plastic Wood” from Costa Rica;PAQOCHA for its initiative ” Connecting knowledge with the Culebrillas community in the province of Bolívar and scaling up the alpaca fiber value chain for Paqocha as part of the Green/Blue economy from Ecuador;Fundación Centro Nacional de Producción Más Limpia with the “MSME WOMEN Program” from El Salvador;The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) received funds for the ” Project to Strengthen the Local Institutional Framework for Women and Individual and Collective Microenterprises” from Guatemala;ALLPA Association for Sustainable Development with its proposal ” Women of Santa Cruz and Andean Grains” from Peru;Sector3 Social Venture Group’s “Escala” project from Peru;Foro Ambiental de Samaná with “Samana Destino del Futuro, Women Entrepreneurs Leading Sustainable Tourism” from the Dominican Republic.

“The objective of carrying out these types of challenges aimed at organizations that benefit MSMEs managed by women is to generate more inclusive growth in each of the participating countries,” said Ernesto Samayoa, WEC’s Director of Operations for Latin America.

For additional information on how to apply, please visit: https://www.eiclared.org/

Ernesto Samayoa, Director of Operations – WEC: press@wec.org

About La RED de Innovación e Impacto (La RED) 

La RED is an initiative that brings together non-profit and for-profit organizations to support micro, small and medium-sized institutions (MSMEs) in order to promote sustainable economic growth and prosperity in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). La RED was born in 2014 through a selection process of organizations that have been accelerating the development of sustainable business and promoting economic growth in Latin America and the Caribbean. The project was funded by the U.S. Department of State (DoS) and implemented by the World Environment Center (WEC) and its partners Le Groupe-conseil Baastel ltée (Baastel) and RioSlum Studio until June 2021. As of July 2021, La RED is supported through the leadership of its own member organizations and coordinated by the Nucleo Biotecnología Curauma (NBC) of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso in Chile.  

https://www.laredinnovacionimpacto.com 

About World Environment Center (WEC) 

WEC is an independent, global non-profit, non-advocacy organization that promotes sustainable development through the business practices and operations of its member companies and in partnership with governments, multilateral organizations, non-governmental organizations, universities and other stakeholders. WEC’s mission is to promote business and its social value by advancing solutions to sustainable development related problems.

https://www.wec.org 

About Núcleo de Biotecnología de Curauma (NBC) 

NBC of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso is an R+D+i Center integrated by academics and professionals of excellence, with more than 10 years of experience in technological development, innovation and technology transfer in the area of science and technology. NBC seeks to make companies more productive, sustainable and competitive, visualizing itself in three years as a reference center to support Small and Mid-size Enterprises (SMEs) so they can increase their competitiveness. NBC develops innovative trends to face new economic, social and environmental challenges so we will live in a more sustainable world tomorrow. 

http://nbcpucv.cl 

About Le Groupe-conseil baastel ltée (Baastel) 

Baastel is recognized for its quality services in Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E), Results Based Management (RBM), strategic planning, project and program management, and individual and institutional capacity building in these areas. Baastel’s outstanding reputation in the industry is built on a track record of international and national successes and expertise that is backed by attention to detail, quality, transparency and neutrality. 

https://baastel.com

“Empower Innovation Challenge” (EIC), Inspira y diseña el futuro” es el lema de una serie de concursos que están otorgando más de un millón de dólares en beneficio de micro, pequeñas y medianas empresas lideradas por mujeres en Latinoamérica. El período de aplicación para participar del segundo llamado inicia este 1 de septiembre de 2023.

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Septiembre. 2023. Desde este próximo 1 de septiembre hasta el 6 de octubre del presente año, aquellas organizaciones sin fines de lucro en Latinoamérica y El Caribe, que estén enfocadas en empoderar a micro, pequeñas y medianas empresas (MIPYMES) lideradas por mujeres tendrán la oportunidad de concursar para tener acceso a financiamiento que les permita ampliar el alcance de sus iniciativas.

El Empower Innovation Challenge (EIC), es un concurso único que ofrece oportunidades para proyectos específicos que posibiliten la amplificación de negocios a través de pequeñas subvenciones, capacitación, acceso a redes de contactos y oportunidades de asociación con empresas locales e internacionales. En esta segunda edición, los organizadores están abriendo la convocatoria para favorecer proyectos con un enfoque de género especializados en economías verdes y azules en países de Latinoamérica y el Caribe.

La invitación a postular está abierta a 10 países de Latinoamérica: Belice, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panamá, República Dominicana, Colombia, Perú y Ecuador. Los proyectos que participen serán ejecutados por Organizaciones privadas sin fines de lucro y Organizaciones No Gubernamentales Sin Fines de Lucro (fundaciones, organizaciones de la sociedad civil, asociaciones, centros de producción más limpia, entre otros), Universidades e instituciones de educación superior privadas sin fines de lucro. 

Los sectores hacia los cuales va dirigida la convocatoria varían desde la agricultura, pesca, turismo sostenible, tecnologías de servicios creativos, manufactura ligera y pequeña, así como textiles, entre otros. Esta serie de concursos aspira a entregar más de un millón de dólares a 24 ganadores en un espacio de dos años de implementación y son financiados por el Departamento de Estado de Estados Unidos (DOS por sus siglas en inglés) a través de la Oficina de la Secretaría de Asuntos Globales de la Mujer (S/GWI) en conjunto con Global Equity and Equality Action (GEEA) y la Oficina de Coordinación de Planificación de Políticas de Asuntos del Hemisferio Occidental (WHA/PPC).

Las organizaciones interesadas pueden conocer los requisitos para participar, y la documentación requerida en la página oficial del challenge: https://www.eiclared.org/

Durante la primera edición del concurso resultaron ganadoras 8 organizaciones de la región:

Bancalimentos SAS BIC por su proyecto “Creación de empresas ecológicas dirigidas por mujeres rurales” de Colombia.Ecotarcoles con “Pacific Plastic Wood” de Costa Rica.PAQOCHA por su iniciativa “Conexión de saberes con la comunidad Culebrillas de la provincia de Bolívar y escalamiento en la cadena de valor de la fibra de alpaca para la empresa Paqocha de Ecuador.Fundación Centro Nacional de Producción Más Limpia de El Salvador con el “Programa MUJER MIPYME” de El Salvador.El Instituto Interamericano de Cooperación para la Agricultura (IICA) se agenció los fondos con el “Proyecto de Refuerzo del Marco Institucional Local de las Mujeres y de las Microempresas Individuales y Colectivas” de Guatemala.Asociación ALLPA para el Desarrollo Sostenible con su propuesta “Mujeres de Santa Cruz y Granos Andinos” de Perú.Sector3 Social Venture Group por su proyecto “Escala”Foro Ambiental de Samaná con “Samaná Destino del Futuro, Mujeres Emprendedoras Liderando el Turismo Sostenible” de República Dominicana.

“El objetivo de llevar a cabo este tipo de concursos dirigidos a las organizaciones, que benefician a MiPYMEs administradas por mujeres, es generar un crecimiento más inclusivo en cada uno de los países participantes”, señaló Ernesto Samayoa, Director de Operaciones de WEC para Latinoamérica.

Para información adicional sobre cómo participar puede visitar: https://www.eiclared.org/ 

Ernesto Samayoa, Director de operaciones de WEC: esamayoa@wec.org

Acerca de La Red de Innovación e Impacto (La Red)

La Red es una iniciativa que reúne a organizaciones, sin fines de lucro y con fines de lucro, para apoyar a las micro, pequeñas y medianas organizaciones instituciones (MIPYMES) con el fin de promover el crecimiento económico sostenible y la prosperidad en Latinoamérica y el Caribe (ALC). La Red nació en 2014 a través de un proceso de selección de organizaciones que han venido acelerando el desarrollo de negocios sostenibles y promoviendo el crecimiento económico en Latinoamérica y el Caribe. El proyecto fue financiado por el Departamento de Estado de los Estados Unidos y ejecutado por el Centro Mundial del Medio Ambiente (WEC) y sus socios Le Groupe-conseil baastel ltée (Baastel) y RioSlum Studio hasta junio de 2021. A partir de julio 2021, La Red se sustenta a través del liderazgo de sus propias organizaciones miembros y coordinada por el Núcleo de Biotecnología de Curauma (NBC) de la Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso en Chile.

https://www.laredinnovacionimpacto.com

Acerca de WEC

WEC es una organización sin fines de lucro neutral, independiente, global, que fomenta el desarrollo sostenible a través de las operaciones de sus empresas miembros y en alianza con gobiernos, organizaciones multilaterales, organizaciones no gubernamentales, universidades y otras partes interesadas. La misión de WEC es promover los negocios y su valor social fomentando soluciones a problemas relacionados con el desarrollo sostenible.

https://www.wec.org

Acerca de Núcleo de Biotecnología de Curauma (NBC)

NBC de la Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, es un Centro de I+D+i integrado por académicos y profesionales de excelencia, con más de 10 años de experiencia en desarrollo tecnológico, innovación y transferencia tecnológica en el área de ciencia y tecnología. El NBC busca hacer que las empresas sean más productivas, sostenibles y competitivas, visualizándose en tres años como un centro de referencia para apoyar a las pymes para que puedan aumentar su competitividad. NBCWe desarrolla tendencias innovadoras para afrontar los nuevos retos económicos, sociales y medioambientales para que mañana vivamos en un mundo más sostenible.

http://nbcpucv.cl

Acerca de Le Groupe-conseil baastel ltée (Baastel)

Baastel está reconocido por sus servicios de calidad en Monitoreo y Evaluación (M&E), Gestión Basada en Resultados (GBR), planificación estratégica, gestión de proyectos y programas y construcción de capacidad individual e institucional en estas áreas. La reputación sobresaliente de Baastel en la industria se ha estado construyendo sobre un historial de éxitos nacionales e internacionales y experiencia respaldada por la atención al detalle, calidad, transparencia y neutralidad.

https://baastel.com

There is no denying the fact we are all climate influencers in some way and how we purchase, cook and eat food has an immense impact on the planet.

With the triple challenge of limiting global warming to 1.5°C (in line with the Paris Agreement), securing enough nutritious, good quality food and reversing nature loss, it is no secret that the global population is facing a food crisis.

The effects of climate change have impacted areas such as crop production and now consumers are no longer seeing an abundance of fruit and vegetables on the shelves, as some supermarkets were forced to resort to rationing supplies for reasons that include poor weather conditions and Brexit.

New research revelations

Now a WWF study has reiterated the reality that the UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world – but while we may not be able to mitigate the damage already caused, we hold the key to improving and safeguarding nature – one of the most important stakeholders for preserving the planet.

WWF has released a new report to further explore this and has highlighted actions in which we can make changes to our diets to make way for a nature positive net zero transition.

The NHS spends a whopping £6bn on diet-related illness each year, a cost which is predicted to soar to more than £9.7bn each year by 2050, with such illnesses being responsible for about 10 percent of morbidity and mortality in the UK.

This is evidence that the food crisis will not be solved by simply producing more food to keep up with demand but requires a sharper focus on sustainable food production to ensure there is enough healthy and nutritious food for all, without detrimental effects on the planet and people.

Feeding the masses for a more prosperous, healthy future

The report believes a huge shift in transforming our food systems for healthier and more environmentally-friendly diets can be achieved by using a ‘farm to fork’ approach (eating local produce) to help meet climate and nature targets – and the best news is meat and treats can still feature.

WWF recommends aligning the current national diet with Livewell, a sustainable diet modelled by Blonk Sustainability Tools, a Netherlands-based leading international expert in food system sustainability. WWF claims Livewell could reduce emissions by 36 percent and lessen biodiversity loss (a 20 percent reduction) compared to an average diet today. If scaled up and rolled out, it could lessen the burden on the over-stretched NHS and help protect the planet and its inhabitants.

Livewell incorporates every food group, with a focus on fruits, vegetables, wholegrains and pulses, with everything else in moderation for health improvements.

Securing nature’s destiny, through food

In addition to information on its Livewell recommendations, WWF’s report also outlines seven key steps that governments and businesses should ensure their action is aligned to, to reach a nature-positive, net zero transition in the UK: 

1. Dietary guidelines (government recommendations for a healthy balanced meal) 

2. Public food procurement (government to improve quality of food in public institutions such as schools and hospitals) 

3. Safety nets and targeted support (improve nutrition security for the vulnerable, many of those hit harder by cost-of-living crisis) 

4. Food environments (holding businesses accountable to encourage plant-rich foods to be more readily available in supermarkets and restaurants) 

5. Transparency and accountability (improved monitoring of sustainability and health impacts to enable and encourage businesses to source healthy and sustainable food) 

6. Education and information (supporting key industry players such as chefs, local authority staff and healthcare practitioners) 

7. Investment in sustainable production (to enable diverse, nutritious food to be brought to scale to boost the economy and support farmers and growers)

Tanya Steele, CEO, WWF-UK, said: “The most effective policies and actions are those that will improve the accessibility, affordability, availability and desirability of healthy, sustainable food, making it the easy choice.

“In this report we outline seven key areas for implementation by government and businesses. We need an urgent focus on healthy, sustainable diets. Without such concerted action, we will not bring our food system within the boundaries of what the planet can sustain.”

Ruth Smith, Senior Consultant – Consumer Goods and Retail at Acre, said: “Food, sustainability, and health are three intrinsically linked elements, that as humans we should all be taking care of as much as we can. It’s essential to monitor the impact that one may have on the other and reflect it in our daily lives to help not just ourselves but also the environment.

“Relying on one approach or one specific diet style may not work – as we all have different consumption patterns and lifestyles, but effort is key in reducing our impact on the planet and improving our health correspondingly.”

About Acre

At Acre, we work with the most aspirational businesses with potential to make real change; from those who are just starting out to those who are well on the journey to crafting a legacy.

Our 18 years’ experience in sustainability recruitment, combined with our extensive global network, enables us to provide talent solutions that are designed to deliver this change.

Through our unique behavioural assessment technology, we understand the types of people, skills and behaviours required to create impact. We can develop these qualities within your existing teams too.

We find talented people and develop their skills to ensure they make a true impact in ambitious, progressive organisations.

Acre. Making companies ready for tomorrow.

For the 27th consecutive year, thousands of Paramount employees gathered across the globe to create impact in their communities by contributing to a magnitude of social and environmental causes. This year’s theme was TOGETHER FOR GOOD, which underscores Paramount’s collective commitment of giving back. Employees joined volunteer events in-person and virtually maximizing participation across the globe. 

Thousands of Paramount employees participated in 2023 Paramount Community Day. Additionally, 170+ volunteer projects were organized and curated across the following focus areas: education & mentorship, environmental & animal care, Health & Well-Being Care, Skills-Based Volunteering, and Kits/Resource supplies assembling. Paramount Community Day showcased 155 community partners participating in events across 43 markets globally. This resulted in close to 19K volunteer hours logged on this single day alone, which is truly a testament to the values of our culture. 

A few highlights from communities around the world include:

Making fruit marmalade from scratch to donate to local orphanages in partnership with Beautiful Store, a community organization that supports senior homes and childcare in South KoreaPacked and delivered over 100 Paramount Boxes of Hope filled w/ essentials for undernourished families in partnership with the Lagos Food Bank in NigeriaAssembled and donated over 20 wheelchairs for the elderly in partnership with Fundación Bertha de Osete in Mexico CityEmpowered young filmmakers through networking, film screenings and creative feedback in partnership with Reel Works in New York CityMentored HBCU students virtually from across the US in partnership with HBCU Heroes, a digital-first organization set-out to empower the next generation of big-tech and entertainment professionals  

Check out the video above for a snapshot of a tradition now 27 years strong!

ST. PAUL, Minn., September 6, 2023 /3BL/ - Following a published article earlier in the year regarding PFAS and Product Liability, Antea Group consultants Caron Koll and Jack Sheldon collaborated for a second time on a new article with the American Bar Association (ABA).

In this article, titled “PFAS toxicological risk status–A topic of much debate,” published in the ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources (SEER) September/October issue of Trends, Koll and Sheldon give their insights on evolving and uncertain PFAS toxicological risk status and how that has affected potential PFAS regulations at both the federal and state levels.

Koll and Sheldon write in the article that, “While there are thousands of toxicological studies on PFAS, many of these have low levels of confidence or are based on animal, not human, studies. Although perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) are by far the most studied PFAS compounds, the strength of evidence for their health effects varies.” 

While there is some consensus by the scientific community on certain PFAS health outcomes, they also note that, “There appears to be significant miscommunication by government health agencies that minimizes or over-generalizes health risks of PFAS to affected communities, medical practitioners, and the judicial system. The miscommunications stem from one big data gap—PFAS in mixtures.”

To learn more about PFAS in mixtures and what that means for the toxicology risk of PFAS, read the full article written by Caron Koll and Jack Sheldon on the American Bar Association website. 

Learn More About Our PFAS Management Services

About the American Bar Association  

The ABA was founded in 1878 on a commitment to set the legal and ethical foundation for the American nation. Today, it exists as a membership organization and stands committed to its mission of defending liberty and pursuing justice. They work tirelessly to uphold the ideals of liberty and justice #ForAll, and to promote the best quality legal education, competence, ethical conduct and professionalism, and pro bono and public service work in the legal profession. They aim to eliminate bias and enhance diversity, serve their members, and increase public understanding of and respect for the rule of law, the legal process, and the role of the legal profession at home and throughout the world.

About Antea Group

Antea®Group is an environment, health, safety, and sustainability consulting firm. By combining strategic thinking with technical expertise, we do more than effectively solve client challenges; we deliver sustainable results for a better future. We work in partnership with and advise many of the world’s most sustainable companies to address ESG-business challenges in a way that fits their pace and unique objectives. Our consultants equip organizations to better understand threats, capture opportunities and find their position of strength. Lastly, we maintain a global perspective on ESG issues through not only our work with multinational clients, but also through our sister organizations in Europe, Asia, and Latin America and as a founding member of the Inogen Alliance.