Tag: 3BL

Partnering with our supply network is key to creating a more circular economy. Science-based targets provide companies with a path to reduce emissions in line with the Paris Agreement goals for limiting global warming. In early 2022, the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) approved Sappi’s global two-component goal of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 41.5% by 2030 and encouraging 44% of our suppliers, by spend, to set science-based targets by 2026.

In procurement, the target for Sappi North America is to direct 37% of our annual third-party spend to suppliers with science-based goals by 2026. SBTi requires targets to cover at least 67% of Scope 3 emissions, and this requirement helped guide our 2026 goals.

We started our journey in 2019 at 12% of our spend with SBTi-committed suppliers. SNA suppliers already aligned with SBTi include companies from our categories of pulp, chemicals, logistics, packaging and some original equipment manufacturers. Our pulp procurement team is leading our initial discussions with suppliers about their plans for SBTi.

Internally, we are planning how best to achieve our 2026 target by gathering input from suppliers who have already committed to SBTi and by talking to key suppliers that have not yet signed up. 

In 2022, we distributed our second supplier GHG emissions survey. The goal is to obtain information that will allow Sappi to calculate and report our Scope 3 emissions from the manufacture of products that we purchase and the transportation of those products to Sappi facilities. At this point, not all of our suppliers calculate GHG emissions at the product level. We will continue to work with them to communicate the importance of this effort.

During 2022, Sappi salespeople collected data from existing and potential customers to learn what is important to them in the area of sustainability. The information includes whether those customers are signatories for SBTi. It is vital that we work together to understand our full value-chain impact on GHG emissions and, most importantly, to create options for improvement. Through this collaboration, we will be able to contribute efficiently and innovatively to a more circular economy. 

Looking to the future, Sappi is developing a supplier sustainability awards program to recognize our partner suppliers who are leaders in various areas of sustainability. We are exploring other programs that recognize suppliers in areas such as philanthropy, carbon reduction, sustainable innovation and certifications, and we hope to elevate this work as part of our supplier engagement.

September 5, 2023 /3BL/ – Paradigm for Parity recently recognized Trane Technologies’ Deidra Parrish Williams and Britt Smith as 2023 Women on the Rise. This accolade, which was made in honor of Women’s Equality Day, recognizes women who are breaking barriers in corporate leadership and show the value of gender parity in the workplace.

Here’s what Deidra and Britt had to say:

Deidra Parrish Williams, Director, Citizenship and Community Engagement

“Supporting women makes sense in every way. It helps women feel seen, respected and safe in the knowledge that the tremendous investments they make of their time, talent and loyalty will afford them commensurate opportunities for belonging, compensation and advancement, creating a healthy environment for women to innovate, take risks and fully develop. More broadly, when we support women, who remain by and large the nucleus of the family unit, their professional experiences have the ability to impact the stability of their families; to model to young girls what’s possible for them and contribute to creating healthier, more sustainable communities.”

Britt Smith, Senior Manager, Corporate Strategy

“As an African-American woman in corporate America, I feel very passionate about ensuring diverse representation in the work environment. Creating a workplace culture where diverse employees feel supported, celebrated, set up for success and can bring their authentic selves to work is an important element of why I dedicate time to this area at Trane Technologies and beyond. I am honored to be recognized for this work by Paradigm for Parity coalition, and it further motivates me to continue my efforts on breaking barriers in corporate leadership.”

Trane Technologies has partnered with Paradigm for Parity since 2017 to help address the gender gap in leadership and accelerate the pace of achieving gender parity as part of our commitment to create Opportunity for All.

Maintains “all of the above” strategy calling for a diverse deployment of new technologies supported by the North Carolina Utilities Commission in its 2022 Carbon PlanProposes new advanced nuclear at Belews Creek, new hydrogen-capable natural gas facilities at Roxboro and Marshall, plus significant increase in renewables and storageRetires coal by 2035; achieves carbon neutrality by 2050, as required by North Carolina’s clean energy law under least-cost and reliability mandates

CHARLOTTE, N.C., September 5, 2023 /3BL/ – Duke Energy filed a new resource plan to advance the company’s energy transition while prioritizing reliability and affordability – one designed to help maintain North Carolina’s status as the nation’s top state for economic development.

The Carbon Plan Integrated Resource Plan (CPIRP) builds on the trajectory of the North Carolina Utilities Commission’s (NCUC) 2022 Carbon Plan, which established a least-cost path to meet the carbon dioxide emissions reduction targets of House Bill 951, North Carolina’s clean energy law.

In the updated proposal, Duke Energy has identified new generation to meet unprecedented strong growth in the Carolinas and take the place of retiring coal plants: advanced nuclear at Belews Creek (Stokes County) and hydrogen-capable natural gas plants at Roxboro (Person County) and Marshall (Catawba County). The plan also significantly increases solar, storage and wind compared to the 2022 proposal, maintaining the “all of the above” strategy supported by the NCUC.

“This plan delivers a path to cleaner energy without compromising grid reliability, affordability or the energy demands of a growing region,” said Kendal Bowman, Duke Energy’s North Carolina president. “We project exponential growth, far beyond what has already made us the top state for business, so we’ve charted an ambitious roadmap for meeting that need while protecting reliability and affordability for our customers.”

Reducing carbon while accommodating growth

Between economic development success, population growth and increased adoption of electric vehicles, energy use by Duke Energy customers in the Carolinas is projected to grow by around 35,000 gigawatt-hours over the next 15 years – more than the annual electric generation of Delaware, Maine and New Hampshire combined.

To accommodate this, the CPIRP includes three core energy portfolios for the NCUC to review and ensure a pathway to carbon reduction that is least-cost and maintains equal or greater reliability than customers have today. The three portfolios reach HB951’s interim 70% carbon reduction target by 2030, 2033, and 2035, respectively, utilizing the flexibility given to the NCUC under state law to protect reliability and encourage advanced nuclear and offshore wind. All three portfolios reach carbon neutrality by 2050.

“We’ve already made tremendous progress in the energy transition, retiring two-thirds of our aging coal plants in the Carolinas and reducing emissions by 46% since 2005,” said Bowman. “Now we’re proposing specific new generation at existing plant sites, leveraging our current infrastructure, transmission system and workforce to save customers money while supporting job creation and tax base in these communities.”

Diverse mix of resources to reliably meet growth

The new plan maintains Duke Energy’s commitment to exit coal by 2035. To meet the significant increase in projected energy demand, all three proposed portfolios are more ambitious in pace and scale than the 70% by 2030 portfolio from the company’s 2022 Carbon Plan proposal.

The company has recommended a “near term action plan” based on the least-cost, least-risk portfolio. Activities in that plan would facilitate the following new resources:

Solar – 6,000 megawatts (MW) by 2031Battery storage – 2,700 MW by 2031Hydrogen-capable natural gas – 5,800 MW by 2032, which includes replacing coal retirements at Roxboro (Stokes County) and Marshall (Catawba County)Wind – 1,200 MW onshore by 2033; preserve option of 1,600 MW offshore for 2033 or laterPumped storage hydro – 1,700 MW by 2034 at Bad Creek Hydro in Oconee County, S.C., serving both statesAdvanced nuclear – 600 MW by 2035, partially replacing coal retirements at Belews Creek (Person County) and one other existing plant location to be determined

Duke Energy’s industry-leading energy efficiency and demand response options – voluntary programs that incentivize customers to reduce their energy use and save money – will help keep the need for new resources as low as possible. These options are projected to deliver a cumulative demand reduction of 22% over the next 15 years.

Stakeholder input critical to the process

Duke Energy held five stakeholder engagement meetings over a four-month period on technical, complex issues involving resource planning. More than 100 individuals, representing a diverse group of organizations that included customers, environmental advocates, community leaders and other industries, attended these virtual sessions.

The presentation materials and Q&A from these engagement sessions, as well as additional documents and links related to the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) process, can be viewed on Duke Energy’s IRP website. These technical sessions were augmented by environmental justice conversations in North Carolina that will continue with local community outreach in the months ahead for communities where new infrastructure is proposed.

More public input ahead

Today’s filing in North Carolina begins a public regulatory process at the NCUC that involves the evaluation of thousands of pages of testimony and data from the company, other parties to the proceeding and the input of customers. The NCUC will hold public hearings before issuing its final CPIRP order by the end of 2024.

The same resource plan was also filed in South Carolina on Aug. 15. Regulators there will independently conduct their own proceedings to consider the IRP and are expected to issue an order in spring 2024.

The plan will be checked and adjusted every two to three years, incorporating technology advances, updated cost forecasts and applicable federal funding to ensure ongoing affordability and reliability for customers.

Duke Energy Carolinas/Duke Energy Progress

Duke Energy serves nearly 3.7 million households and businesses in North Carolina through two utilities, Duke Energy Carolinas (central and western North Carolina, including Charlotte, Durham and the Triad) and Duke Energy Progress (central and eastern North Carolina plus the Asheville region).

Duke Energy Carolinas owns 19,500 megawatts of energy capacity, supplying electricity to 2.8 million residential, commercial and industrial customers across a 24,000-square-mile service area in North Carolina and South Carolina Duke Energy Progress, owns 12,500 megawatts of energy capacity, supplying electricity to 1.7 million residential, commercial and industrial customers across a 29,000-square-mile service area in North Carolina and South Carolina.

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 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.

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RESTON, Va., September 5, 2023 /3BL/ – Science Applications International Corp. (NYSE: SAIC) published its fourth annual Corporate Responsibility Report, highlighting the company’s ongoing commitment and continued evolution of its programs to improve the world, communities and people’s lives.

“As we release our fourth corporate responsibility report, I am proud of the strides we have made in sustainability, diversity and inclusion, and social and governance imperatives, but perhaps more importantly, I am proud that these efforts have become foundational to our culture at SAIC,” said Nazzic Keene, chief executive officer at SAIC. “Our culture centers on corporate responsibility efforts that begin with strong governance. This ensures all of us act with integrity and are held accountable, which are non-negotiables in our company.”

The report features the establishment of the Office of Environmental, Social and Governance Integration, which is dedicated to the integration of the company’s environmental efforts, improving diversity and inclusion across SAIC’s workforce, and supporting the communities in which SAIC employees live and work. The office is a direct result of SAIC’s commitment to corporate responsibility and sustainability and creates a mechanism to hold the company accountable to the goals it sets.

Like previous reports, it showcases continued progress in areas such as reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, elevating the company’s commitment to leadership and workforce diversity, and focus philanthropy in three areas important to the company: military heroes; community wellness; and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) efforts.

The report provides a snapshot of SAIC’s activities and progress in corporate responsibility and sustainability including:

Elevated Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) efforts — commitment and action to advance parity in the representation of women and people of color in leadership reflect the diversity of our workforceLowered Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 36% and electricity use by 22% since 2019Amplified communications around the SAIC Charitable Foundation, which helps SAIC employees and dependents in times of needA steadfast commitment to high ethical standards as ethics and integrity serve as the foundation of SAIC’s business practices, and by extension, the success of the companyA focus on protecting customers, business partners and employees through data privacy and cybersecurity, which is integral to everything SAIC does

As with past reports, the current publication is accompanied by SAIC’s response to the Global Reporting Index (GRI), a Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosure (TCFD) report as well as the ESG Reporting Framework and Standards Index, which also incorporates the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).

For more information on SAIC’s efforts on Corporate Responsibility, sustainability & ESG, visit https://www.saic.com/who-we-are/about-saic/corporate-responsibility.

About SAIC

SAIC® is a premier Fortune 500® technology integrator driving our nation’s technology transformation. Our robust portfolio of offerings across the defense, space, civilian and intelligence markets includes secure high-end solutions in engineering, digital, artificial intelligence and mission solutions. Using our expertise and understanding of existing and emerging technologies, we integrate the best components from our own portfolio and our partner ecosystem to deliver innovative, effective and efficient solutions that are critical to achieving our customers’ missions.

We are approximately 24,000 strong; driven by mission, united by purpose, and inspired by opportunities. SAIC is an Equal Opportunity Employer, fostering a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion , which is core to our values and important to attract and retain exceptional talent. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, SAIC has pro-forma annual revenues of approximately $6.9 billion. For more information, visit saic.com. For ongoing news, please visit our newsroom.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this release contain or are based on “forward-looking” information within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by words such as “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “guidance,” and similar words or phrases. Forward-looking statements in this release may include, among others, estimates of future revenues, operating income, earnings, earnings per share, charges, total contract value, backlog, outstanding shares and cash flows, as well as statements about future dividends, share repurchases and other capital deployment plans. Such statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risk, uncertainties and assumptions, and actual results may differ materially from the guidance and other forward-looking statements made in this release as a result of various factors. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause or contribute to these material differences include those discussed in the “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and “Legal Proceedings” sections of our Annual Report on Form 10-K, as updated in any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings with the SEC, which may be viewed or obtained through the Investor Relations section of our website at saic.com or on the SEC’s website at sec.gov. Due to such risks, uncertainties and assumptions you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. SAIC expressly disclaims any duty to update any forward-looking statement provided in this release to reflect subsequent events, actual results or changes in SAIC’s expectations. SAIC also disclaims any duty to comment upon or correct information that may be contained in reports published by investment analysts or others.

Media Contact:

Thais Hanson
703.676.8215 | publicrelations@saic.com

SHANGHAI, September 5, 2023 /3BL/ – Yum China Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: YUMC and HKEX: 9987, “Yum China” or the “Company”) has unveiled a landmark accomplishment in its efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. As of July 2023, its company-owned logistics center in Nanning, Guangxi province is completely powered by renewable energy.

Based on the Company’s market assessment, Yum China’s Nanning logistics center stands out as the first cold chain logistics center in China to fully operate on carbon-neutral power. This achievement aligns with the Company’s objective to achieve net-zero value chain GHG emissions by 2050. Furthermore, this shift to green energy operation was achieved without increasing utility costs, further cementing Yum China’s leadership in GHG emissions reduction within the restaurant industry in China.

“The inauguration of our fully green-powered logistics center in Nanning marks a significant milestone in Yum China’s sustainability journey,” said Joey Wat, CEO of Yum China. “It’s a meaningful achievement that emphasizes our responsibility to our planet and showcases what’s possible for the future of our industry.”

This milestone complements Yum China’s ongoing renewable energy transition efforts in its restaurants and supporting facilities. By the end of 2023, Yum China is estimated to have a total annual green power consumption of about 10 million kWh, encompassing logistics centers and restaurants within the Company’s operational control. Roughly 70 stores in Zhejiang, Anhui and Shanxi provinces are expected to complete a full transition to green energy in the fourth quarter of 2023. Utilizing a diverse range of green power trading models, Yum China is accelerating renewable energy adoption across its restaurants nationwide.

To meet increasing demands for renewable energy in the years to come, Yum China plans to generate its own power from distributed photovoltaics (DPV) while supplementing with green power purchases. By 2025, all newly-built Yum China logistics centers are expected to use solar power generated from rooftop DPVs. Plans are currently underway to install DPVs in the Company’s Nanning (Guangxi) logistics center and in its upcoming Nanxiang (Shanghai) logistics center. As in-house green energy production capability increases, Yum China is bolstering its energy storage capacity to optimize utilization. The Company also has been driving low-carbon transformation across its entire value chain through the launch of a Distributed Photovoltaic and Virtual Green Power Purchase Alliance with 40 key suppliers in May 2023.

These efforts collectively illustrate Yum China’s steadfast approach to explore and invest in affordable, reliable, and scalable renewable energy opportunities to support its ongoing low-carbon transition.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts and by the use of forward-looking words such as “expect,” “expectation,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “may,” “could,” “intend,” “belief,” “plan,” “estimate,” “target,” “predict,” “likely,” “will,” “should,” “forecast,” “outlook,” “look forward to” or similar terminology. These statements are based on current estimates and assumptions made by us in light of our experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that we believe are appropriate and reasonable under the circumstances, but there can be no assurance that such estimates and assumptions will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance and are inherently subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict and could cause our actual results or events to differ materially from those indicated by those statements. We cannot assure you that any of our expectations, estimates or assumptions will be achieved. The forward-looking statements included in this press release are only made as of the date of this press release, and we disclaim any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, except as required by law. All forward-looking statements should be evaluated with the understanding of their inherent uncertainty. You should consult our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (including the information set forth under the captions “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations ” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q) for additional detail about factors that could affect our financial and other results.

About Yum China Holdings, Inc.

Yum China is the largest restaurant company in China with a mission to make every life taste beautiful. The Company has over 400,000 employees and operates over 13,000 restaurants under six brands across 1,900 cities in China. KFC and Pizza Hut are the leading brands in the quick-service and casual dining restaurant spaces in China, respectively. Taco Bell offers innovative Mexican-inspired food. Yum China has also partnered with Lavazza to develop the Lavazza coffee concept in China. Little Sheep and Huang Ji Huang specialize in Chinese cuisine. Yum China has a world-class, digitalized supply chain which includes an extensive network of logistics centers nationwide and an in-house supply chain management system. Its strong digital capabilities and loyalty program enable the Company to reach customers faster and serve them better. Yum China is a Fortune 500 company with the vision to be the world’s most innovative pioneer in the restaurant industry. For more information, please visit http://ir.yumchina.com.

Investor Relations Contact:

Tel: +86 21 2407 7556 / +852 2267 5801

IR@YumChina.com

Media Contact:

Tel: +86 21 2407 7510

Media@YumChina.com

By Daniel C. Roarty, CFA| Chief Investment Officer—Sustainable Thematic Equities and Ben Ruegsegger, CFA| Portfolio Manager—Sustainable US Thematic; Senior Research Analyst—Sustainable Thematic Equities

There’s a big buzz around artificial intelligence (AI) and its potential to change the world. But much less has been said about its energy footprint. Companies that help solve this energy conundrum could enable a sustainable future for this burgeoning technology—and create opportunities for equity investors.

What’s known as “generative” AI uses machine learning to generate content—including text, audio, video and images. OpenAI’s wildly popular ChatGPT is perhaps the most well-known example. There are countless applications for generative AI, from academic writing to audio and video editing to scientific research. Companies everywhere are hunting for AI applications that can enhance productivity and create business benefits in industries ranging from healthcare to investment management.

But here’s the rub: AI requires massive computational power to train models. And that raises a thorny issue—namely, the energy impact of AI.

Generative AI Is an Energy Hog

What’s behind the magic of machine learning? There are two primary stages. The first is training, which involves gathering information so that machines can learn everything possible to create a model. The second is inference, whereby the machine uses that model to generate content, analyze new data and produce actionable results.

All of this requires energy. The more powerful and complex the AI model, the greater the training time and energy required (Display).

OpenAI’s GPT-3 model is illustrative. The energy needed to train GPT-3 could power an average American’s home for more than 120 years, according to a report from Stanford University. Meantime, Bay Area chipmaker NVIDIA notes that energy requirements for training models that include transformers—a form of deep-learning architecture—have increased by 275 times every two years.

The Many Sources of Energy Consumption

AI’s energy consumption will come from many corners. In addition to training and running large models, the proliferation of AI-assisted products, including AI search and chatbots, will gobble up terawatts.

Increasingly complex models will, in turn, require the use of more specialized hardware, such as graphic processing units (GPUs). The good news is that GPUs deliver much more performance-per-watt than traditional central processing units (CPUs), which could offset the overall power requirements to train and run AI models.

Ultimately, these drivers of energy consumption will accelerate the construction of power-hungry data centers, which already account for nearly 1% of global energy use, according to the International Energy Agency. Even before AI began to take off, studies predicted a sharp increase in data center construction, driven by the energy needs of new technologies.

There’s also the issue of emissions to consider. In particular, investors are pushing companies to measure Scope 3 emissions—upstream and downstream emissions that can be difficult to quantify. As AI use increases, the Scope 3 emissions of all data users—including firms that traditionally have low carbon footprints—are likely to grow correspondingly.

How Are Companies Addressing the AI Energy Conundrum?

Fortunately, companies are beginning to address the enormous AI energy challenge. These include firms that are central to AI and those only nibbling at the periphery. We think investors should pay attention to three key areas:

Hardware and Software: Reducing AI-related energy use will require new processor architectures. US semiconductor makers like AMD and NVIDIA are focused on delivering more energy-efficient performance. In fact, AMD has set a goal of increasing the energy efficiency of its processors and accelerators used in AI training and high-performance computing by 30 times over a five-year period. According to NVIDIA, its GPU-based servers in some applications, such as large-language model training, use 25 times less energy than CPU-based alternatives. As GPUs from AMD, NVIDIA and others take share from CPUs in data centers, energy efficiency should increase even further.

Conserving energy will also require advanced transistor-packaging techniques. Technologies such as dynamic voltage frequency scaling and thermal management will be required to produce more efficient machine learning. We believe companies involved in semiconductor chip production and inspection, including Taiwanese chipmaker TSMC and Netherlands-based ASML, will have a significant role to play in bringing these new innovations to market.

Investors will also be hearing more about power semiconductors, which help improve the power management of AI servers and data centers. Power semiconductors regulate current and can lower overall energy use by integrating more functionality in smaller footprints. Firms like Kirkland, Washington-based Monolithic Power Systems and German semiconductor manufacturer Infineon Technologies are at the forefront of their development, in our view.

Improvements in Data Center Design: As AI adoption fuels the expansion of data center capacity, firms that supply data center components could reap benefits. Key components include power supplies, optical networking, memory systems and cabling. Tech companies that use the data centers themselves—think Amazon.com, Google and Microsoft—also have a strong incentive to continue improving data center design and energy consumption.

Coming full circle, AI itself is being used to optimize data center operations. In 2022, Google DeepMind released the results of a three-month experiment that involved training a learning agent called BCOOLER to optimize Google’s data center cooling procedures. The result: BCOOLER achieved roughly 13% energy savings—underscoring that energy efficiency is improving in data centers, even as their numbers grow.

Renewable Energy: Renewables made up 21.5% of US electricity generation in 2022, according to the Energy Information Administration. With 80% of the US power grid nonrenewable, near-term power could come from traditional fossil fuels.

But over time, AI demand could open the door for more renewable energy use. That’s especially true given that AI data centers will be operated by the likes of Microsoft and Google’s parent company, Alphabet, Inc., whose net zero policies are among the industry’s best. As a result, we expect that accelerated adoption of AI could improve the investment prospects of the entire renewable-power ecosystem.

Investing in Energy Solutions

In all these areas, we believe that investors should search for quality companies with a technological advantage, persistent pricing power, healthy free-cash-flow generation and resilient business models. Companies with strong fundamentals that are poised to participate in and benefit from increased demand for energy-efficient AI capabilities could provide attractive opportunities for equity investors with a sustainable focus and those with an absolute-return mandate.

As AI adoption accelerates and search engines are replaced by chatbots, the energy impact of this revolutionary form of machine learning should not be overlooked. Initiatives aimed at creating a more energy-efficient AI ecosystem might not be in the spotlight now, but they could eventually unlock attractive return potential for investors who can spot the potential solutions early.

Claire Walter, Research Analyst—Sustainable Thematic Equities, contributed to this analysis.

The views expressed herein do not constitute research, investment advice or trade recommendations and do not necessarily represent the views of all AB portfolio-management teams. Views are subject to revision over time.

Learn more about AB’s approach to responsibility here

Every day International Paper (IP) along with their longtime partner National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), take strides toward enhancing wildlife’s precious habitats by supporting on-the-ground partners that help landowners manage their forests sustainably.

National Wildlife Day provides an opportunity to highlight how responsible forest management is helping protect and enhance habitats for many rare and endangered species such as gopher tortoises, Louisiana pine snake, reticulated flatwoods salamanders and red-cockaded woodpeckers.

Dedicated efforts are made by partners to recover gopher tortoises and red-cockaded woodpeckers, supported by grants funded through the Forestland Stewards Partnership, a partnership formed by IP and NFWF in 2013 to protect and enhance ecologically important forestlands and coastal savannas in 12 southern states.

“We recognize the importance of strategic collaboration when the future of wildlife is in all of our hands,” said Sophie Beckham, Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer, International Paper. “We are committed to partnerships that help landowners protect, enhance, and restore forest habitats for native and migratory species.”

A couple examples of important projects, led by The Longleaf Alliance, and supported by NFWF and IP, include translocating federally endangered red-cockaded woodpeckers and head-starting gopher tortoises in South Carolina. These species play a vital role in the intricate web of life of these forests. The Alliance is working to restore 5,000 acres of longleaf pine habitat which is crucial for red-cockaded woodpeckers and gopher tortoises. The red cockaded woodpecker exclusively lives in pine trees, preferably mature longleaf pines, and excavates cavities used by many other birds and small mammals as habitats to survive. Without the woodpeckers, other species are at risk.

Translocating, which is the process of moving the species from one location to another, supports the establishment of woodpecker populations in forests that will benefit most from them.

Hundreds of species depend on gopher tortoises in big and small ways. It’s called a ‘keystone species’ because more than 350 animals — such as owls, snakes, foxes, toads, skunks, and lizards — use gopher tortoise burrows to shelter from the heat, fires and predators. Partners are supporting gopher tortoises through head-starting, which involves collecting eggs from the wild each year, hatching them in the safety of managed care, raising them for a year, then releasing them back to nature. This process gives gopher tortoises a greater chance to survive in the wild, reducing their risk of predation, and enhancing the size of the gopher tortoise population.

This vital conservation partnership has restored, enhanced or protected more than 1.2 million acres of wildlife habitat since the Forestland Stewards Partnership was founded.

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 www.internationalpaper.com

About the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation  
Chartered by Congress in 1984, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) protects and restores the nation’s fish, wildlife, plants and habitats. Working with federal, corporate, foundation and individual partners, NFWF has funded more than 6,000 organizations and generated a total conservation impact of $8.1 billion. NFWF is an equal opportunity provider. Learn more at nfwf.org.

eevie, the leading app technology company for Employee Climate Engagement, announces the launch of its game-changing new version of its app and a brand new campaign builder, designed to empower employees in mid-to-large-sized companies to drive impactful climate action. The innovative update of the app introduces brand new features, and with eevie’s behavioural design approach, sustainability becomes an integrated part of the corporate culture, creating a profound impact on corporate decarbonisation. The app and campaign builder are going to be available starting September 4, revolutionising how corporations create and run climate initiatives.

DÜSSELDORF, Germany, September 4, 2023 /3BL/ – In an era where meaningful progress hinges on knowledge and collective action and the world’s attention is shifting again towards the next UN Climate Change Conference (COP28 UAE), eevie is proud to introduce the revolutionary new version of its engagement app that will empower the private sector to accelerate its business decarbonisation by the means of engaging and equipping employees with the skills to drive sustainability within organizations.

In an effort to inspire and empower more employees globally to make sustainability part of their daily jobs, eevie introduces a series of groundbreaking features such as the Streaks and Teams features. The Streaks feature transforms engagement by allowing employees to track their progress and build momentum. The Teams feature fosters a culture of friendly competition and collaboration, encouraging collective effort towards corporate climate goals. A new dashboard allows companies to build their own, branded and strategy relevant campaigns, run all sustainability communications and orchestrate all initiatives.

“We are excited to launch our new app version and a new campaign builder dashboard, which will help even more employees take company-relevant climate action,” said Antonius Willms, Chief Executive Officer of eevie. “The new features on the app are a powerful way to keep employees motivated to participate, reach the entire organisation and integrate climate initiatives more seamlessly into the staff’s daily life. The campaign builder allows employers now to develop their very own climate campaigns to tackle a diverse array of carbon hotspots in different departments of their businesses. We believe our latest software will make a significant impact on corporate climate initiatives and ultimately on corporate cultures.”

Executives of mid-to-large-sized companies are invited to experience the future of corporate climate action through eevie’s new app version. To learn more, visit https://www.eevie.io. The app is available for download on the App Store and Google Play Store.

For media inquiries, interviews, or more information, please contact:

Ebru Carter 
Chief Marketing Officer 
e.carter@eevie.io 
+49.176.23350809

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ABOUT EEVIE

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CNH Industrial is committed to improving how its employees get to work by encouraging the use of public transport and eco-friendly travel options. With the company’s recent release of their 2022 Sustainability Report, this commitment is demonstrated in various areas.

A mobility survey was conducted in Italy and the UK on 5,500 CNH employees to collect information about their habits, needs, suggestions and feedback regarding their commuting. The survey results will be used to develop and implement a targeted action plan in 2023.

CNH Industrial subsidized the purchase of public transit passes for employees in Modena and in San Matteo (Modena), Italy, as well as public transport costs for employees in Switzerland, all locations in Brazil, and for 100 employees in Heidelberg, Germany.

In Argentina, Brazil, China, India and Italy, shuttle services helped with employee commuting between home and the workplace. According to the report, these services benefitted 4,897 people. The service, called MYshuttle!, counted 1,600 registered profiles. With the service, CNH employees could book a shuttle ride both last minute (on demand) and in advance / periodically. ‘Myshuttle!’ represents an innovative, sustainable transport solution for employees looking to reduce their carbon footprint.

Many bike events continued at several locations throughout the 2022. During European Mobility Week in Italy and in Belgium, CNH organized ‘Biking New Ground’, a one-week event to encourage active and sustainable mobility of employees via biking to work. With the success in turnout and participation, ‘Biking New Ground’ will take place again during 2023’s European Mobility Week, starting September 14th.

Employees in Antwerp and Zedelgem (Belgium) also benefitted from bike leasing programs, with 544 bikes hired. Employees in the UK were similarly offered financial incentives to purchase bicycles, e-bikes or scooters for travel to work.

Carpooling initiatives involved 250 employees in Belgium, while in Italy, it remained suspended from the prior year for local health and safety reasons.

Sustainable mobility, as reflected in the company’s 2022 Sustainability Report, is a vital pillar to CNH Industrial’s commitment to the environment. The company aims to continue this trend through 2023 and beyond.

Originally published on Built From Scratch

ATLANTA, September 1, 2023 /3BL/ – The Home Depot Foundation is committing up to $250,000 to support immediate disaster relief and long-term recovery efforts in communities impacted by Hurricane Idalia. This new disaster response grant takes the Foundation’s disaster commitment to more than $6 million this year.

The Foundation’s nonprofit partners have set up operations in several counties in Florida and Georgia and are actively distributing relief supplies. Convoy of Hope and Operation Blessing shipped truckloads of materials, including several pallets of disaster relief kits, to affected communities. World Central Kitchen is providing meals while American Red Cross helps to shelter and support people in need. Team Rubicon and Inspiritus are working to clear trees and debris from roadways and neighborhoods as they continue to assess damage across impacted areas. 

In partnership with Team Depot, The Home Depot’s associate volunteer force, the Foundation has donated thousands of dollars in supplies to local first responders and government agencies.  

“Our thoughts are with all the communities that have been impacted by Hurricane Idalia,” said Shannon Gerber, executive director of The Home Depot Foundation. “The Foundation and Team Depot are working alongside our national disaster relief partners as well as local nonprofit organizations to determine immediate needs and assist the people and areas impacted by this storm.” 

Ahead of Hurricane Idalia, The Home Depot activated its first Hurricane Command Center of the 2023 season to support communities in the path of the storm. More than 150 associates from the company’s merchandising, operations and supply chain teams worked around the clock to move truckloads of products to stores in Florida, including shipping pallets of tarps directly to Naval Air Station Pensacola. So far, more than 200 trucks with emergency relief products, including generators, water, tarps, plywood, batteries and flashlights, have been sent to areas that were in the path of the storm. 

The Home Depot also brought in dozens of associates to work in stores in affected communities so any associates who were impacted by the storm could focus on their own needs. The Homer Fund, Home Depot’s employee assistance fund, is providing immediate financial support to impacted associates in need of safe housing, food and clothing while displaced.