Tag: 3BL

Originally published in Dow’s 2022 INtersections Progress Report

We intend to invest approximately $1 billion annually across the economic cycle to drive both growth and decarbonization of our manufacturing assets, which is well in line with the capital outlay that we want to maintain around depreciation and amortization levels through the economic cycle. We have a detailed investment plan and roadmap to our 2050 carbon-neutrality target that touches nearly every aspect of our business, focusing on the following five key areas.

OUR ACTIONS

Optimizing Our Manufacturing Facilities and Processes for SustainabilityIncreasing Use of Clean Energy and SteamInvesting in Transformative, Next-Generation Manufacturing TechnologyDeveloping Low-Carbon Products and ServicesBuilding a Value-Generating Scope 3 Decarbonization Pathway

Our carbon reduction strategy includes all three carbon emissions scopes.

SCOPE 1

Emissions directly under our control from our own operations

SCOPE 2

Emissions caused indirectly from the generation of power and steam we purchase from third parties

SCOPE 3

Emissions we are indirectly responsible for – upstream from the products or services we buy from suppliers, and downstream from the transportation, usage and end of life of our sold products

COLLABORATING ON DEVELOPING SECTOR DECARBONIZATION TARGETS

Our decarbonization goals and targets are grounded and based on more than 125 years of science, technical expertise and decades of sustainability leadership. Our targets are aligned with the widely recognized IEA Net Zero Emission by 2050 Scenario (NZE), which accounts for realities of industrial sectors.

The Science-based Target initiative (SBTi) is currently developing a chemical sector-specific decarbonization guideline that we expect will reflect the technical challenges and realities of the chemical sector and that likely will consider the NZE model. Dow is a member of SBTi’s expert advisory group providing input for development of this guideline, which is expected to be complete in early 2024. We recognize the importance of collaboration in addressing climate change and are committed to working toward a standard that is effective in reducing emissions and relevant for our sector.

2022 Actions to Support Our Decarbonize and Grow Strategy

OPTIMIZING OUR MANUFACTURING FACILITIES AND PROCESSES FOR SUSTAINABILITY

We are taking a phased, site-by-site approach to reducing our carbon footprint. In 2022, we outlined detailed roadmaps for each of our 25 highest carbon- emitting sites. These plans include replacing end-of-life and high-carbon-intensity assets with more carbon-efficient technologies, and investing in carbon- abatement technologies, including circular hydrogen and carbon capture and storage.

2022 Actions

Our Board of Directors approved the preliminary investment decision to proceed with the world’s first net-zero carbon emissions integrated ethylene cracker and derivatives site in Fort Saskatchewan, which will triple the site’s capacity, while retrofitting existing assets to be net zero. This will decarbonize approximately 20% of Dow’s global ethylene capacity. We also awarded Fluor with the contract for front-end engineering and design services and selected Linde as the industrial gas partner to supply clean hydrogen and nitrogen for the project.Our Terneuzen 2030 project, where we have a clear road map to reduce carbon emissions at the site by more than 40% by 2030, is progressing as we secure partner and government agreements and subsidies.Our team developed and approved Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions reduction plans for Dow’s 25 highest emitting sites – which collectively account for approximately 95% of those emissions – in 2022 and are working to further define project opportunities in 2023.

INCREASING USE OF CLEAN ENERGY AND STEAM

Dow is among the top 20 global corporations for renewable power purchases.

2022 Actions

In 2015, Dow set a target to contract 750 MW of renewable power capacity by 2025, a target we have achieved. In 2022, we expanded our access to renewable power capacity to more than 1,000 megawatts (MW), enabling approximately 40% of our purchased electricity to come from renewable sources. Though we expect variation in this amount year over year, we expect achievement of our target to be maintained.We announced a collaboration with X-energy with the intent to utilize zero-carbon-emissions advanced nuclear technology at our UCC1 Seadrift, Texas, site by the end of the decade.1 Union Carbide Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company.

INVESTING IN TRANSFORMATIVE, NEXT- GENERATION SOLUTIONS FOR CLIMATE PROTECTION

We’re investing in manufacturing technology innovations, such as fluidized catalytic dehydrogenation (FCDh), ethane dehydrogenation (EDH) and electric cracking technology (e-cracking), that will help us transition to cleaner manufacturing facilities by 2050.

2022 Actions

We mechanically completed and began final commissioning of our FCDh unit in Louisiana. This breakthrough propylene technology features up to 25% lower capital outlay while reducing energy usage and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by up to 20% versus conventional propane dehydrogenation units.We continue to advance our collaborative e-cracking technology program with Shell, which is on track to start up in 2025. In 2022, we started up an experimental unit at the Energy Transition Campus Amsterdam, the Netherlands. This represents a key milestone in the companies’ joint technology program to electrify steam cracking furnaces, bringing the companies one step closer to decarbonizing one of the most carbon-intensive aspects of petrochemical manufacturing.We also continue to advance EDH technology, which is expected to deliver 20% lower capital intensity and 40% lower carbon emissions than any cracker in Dow’s fleet today.

DEVELOPING LOW-CARBON PRODUCTS, TECHNOLOGIES AND SERVICES

We’re helping our customers achieve their climate goals by providing products that facilitate energy efficiency, lightweighting, fuel transition, circularity, increased operational efficiency, resource reductions and reduced emissions.

2022 Actions

Plastics enable innovations in approximately 30% of the global economy, including construction, health care, transportation and food safety, and can play an important role in reducing GHG emissions. Studies have found that in applications where non-plastic alternatives are available, the alternatives typically emit two times the GHGs compared to plastics.For the construction industry, we launched the Dow Carbon-Neutral Silicone Service for Building Façades used in structural glazing, insulating glass and weathersealing applications available for global specification in high- performance building projects.For lower-carbon mobility, we commercialized VORATRONTM MA 8200S high-bonding adhesives, which are designed to enhance the safety, durability, sustainability, integrated assembly and overall performance of electric vehicle battery packs. The adhesives contain bio-based components, contribute to reduced vehicle weight, and make it easier to dismantle and recycle battery packs. Additional actions and details can be found in GRI 3-3 Management approach – Energy and Emissions Management.

BUILDING A VALUE-GENERATING SCOPE 3 DECARBONIZATION PATHWAY

Approximately 70% of Dow’s emissions footprint falls into the Scope 3 categories – and more than half of those come from the raw materials, transportation and other services we purchase as a company. We recognize the significant opportunity we have to work with our suppliers to reduce those emissions – just as our customers are looking to us to reduce emissions for the products they buy from us.

2022 Actions

We’re working closely with our suppliers to set emissions reduction targets and embed sustainability, inclusion and diversity performance as a metric in supplier selection, contracting and relationship management. In 2022, Dow was recognized as a Global Supplier Engagement Leader by CDP, a global nonprofit that helps companies disclose their environmental impacts. Dow scored among the top 8% of companies that disclosed data to CDP and achieved an “A” score on their Supplier Engagement Rating System.

We achieved notable advancements in our Scope 3 strategy through three pillars:

Improving data. We are investing time and effort to more accurately account for our Scope 3 emissions. In 2022, we continued to leverage our wealth of internal data, looking at invoices, sales and shipment data, and included supplier carbon-intensity data for the first time to get a more complete and reliable picture of our Scope 3 emissions. Further, we streamlined our calculation process to enable more robust validation and the allocation of Scope 3 emissions by business and region.Enabling transparency. We continue to build transparency across our supply chain by encouraging all of our suppliers to share data on their carbon emissions and climate strategy publicly. In 2022, we grew our participation in the CDP Supply Chain program by inviting suppliers representing more than 80% of our upstream emissions to disclose their emissions to Dow directly.This engagement enabled us to significantly expand our use of value chain data in Scope 3 accounting and include supplier product carbon footprints in our reporting of upstream categories for the first time, as well as achieve 100% primary data from our joint ventures.We are actively collaborating with initiatives such as the World Business Council for Sustainable Development Partnership for Carbon Transparency, Together for Sustainability and the Global Logistics Emissions Council.

Progressing toward Dow’s 2050 carbon-neutrality goal.

We created an internal Scope 3 dashboard that puts Scope 3 data in the hands of Dow’s businesses and functions, enabling the development of data-driven Scope 3 improvement planning.

Our advancements in carbon accounting have helped us more accurately uncover opportunities to reduce Scope 3 emissions to deliver on our 2050 carbon-neutrality goal.Our procurement, supply chain, product design, circular economy and commercial strategy teams are all participating in Scope 3 reduction plans. Further, we are working to educate our employees on how they can help reduce Scope 3 emissions by minimizing waste and choosing lower-carbon transportation. Additional actions and details can be found in GRI 3-3 Management approach – Sustainable Procurement

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Webinar Information

August 30, 2023 /3BL/ – In the fast-paced world of Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) training, attention spans are dwindling, and traditional training sessions are becoming less effective for certain topics. To ensure that essential EHS knowledge is effectively delivered and retained, professionals are now adopting innovative techniques and embracing new platforms which can stand alone, or supplement existing delivery methods.

Join us for an enlightening webinar where we will explore the latest tricks of the trade for EHS training, and keeping a learner’s attention in the digital, bite-sized learning age.

Key Highlights:

Embracing Microtraining: In a world where time is of the essence, microtrainings have emerged as a powerful solution. We will discuss the concept of microtraining and how it caters to the modern learner’s short attention span. Discover how to condense certain EHS topics into bite-sized, engaging modules without compromising on crucial information.Beyond Conventional Training: While traditional EHS training methods have their place, they may not always be the most captivating. We will explore alternative training approaches, such as gamification, supplemental types of training, and interactive simulations, and when they may be a useful tool for an instructor to embed in regulatory training. Learn how these innovative techniques can enhance learning experiences and boost knowledge retention.Building an Engaged Audience: Keeping participants actively engaged is the key to successful EHS training. During the webinar, we will discuss interactive methods to involve adult learners. Additionally, we will share techniques for fostering a collaborative learning environment that encourages knowledge sharing and peer-to-peer interaction.

With rapidly evolving technology and a new workplace model emerging, traditional EHS training methods may not meet the needs of all modern learners. By adopting microtrainings, exploring alternative training approaches, and integrating new engagement methods, EHS professionals can create impactful and engaging learning experiences that resonate with their audience.

Join us Tuesday, September 19th at 2 PM ET for our webinar “Adapting EHS Training: Unveiling Tricks of the Trade for Engaging Learning in the Digital Age” where we’ll learn to train the workforce of the future effectively and ensure a safer and healthier working environment for all.

We hope to see you there!

Register Here 
 

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. Learn more at us.anteagroup.com. 

Everyone loves a little recognition for a job well done, right? With the intention, time and care you put into your company’s social impact and CSR programs, you deserve to be recognized. Not only do awards feel good, they help attract and retain top talent, boost your employee volunteer program, showcase your organization’s work, get stakeholder buy in, and stay on track with company goals (Points of Light, 2023). That’s why we compiled this list of  CSR, Corporate Citizenship, and Social Impact program awards for you to apply for!

Most of the awards below are closed for 2023, but it’s never too early to start planning for 2024. Take a look below and mark your calendars for 2024 deadlines!

If you feel like your Corporate Citizenship program isn’t quite ready for an award, reach out to us to find out how we can help.

Read the full blog here.

Home is where the heart is. And in the case of Habitat for Humanity homes, caring volunteers bring a lot of heart to every aspect of the building process. In Mississauga, Ontario (Canada), Henkel employees signed up enthusiastically to volunteer with their hearts and hands for a Habitat build.

Approximately 120 employees work at the Mississauga facility – home to both Henkel business units – Adhesive Technologies and Consumer Brands.

Lending Habitat a Hand

Donning hard hats, gloves and work boots, the Henkel crew gathered at the Habitat for Humanity Sherman Avenue build site in Hamilton, Ontario.

Working in three teams — with support and direction from assigned Habitat Supervisors — each team was tasked with building a wall and installing a door.

The work involved meticulous measuring of panels, cutting wood with a miter saw, creating and installing a door frame, and precisely leveling and securing the door – hard, but definitely rewarding. It was also a great way to get out of the office and for employees to develop stronger connections, while at the same time, giving back to the community.

Tina Sanbalian, Human Resources Manager at Henkel Canada

Slated for completion in early 2024, the Sherman Avenue Build represents one of the Hamilton affiliate’s most ambitious projects to date: a five-unit town house where five deserving families can start new chapters in their lives. Building more multi-family units is Habitat’s strategy to combat extremely high housing prices in Hamilton.

This build requires a true group effort from everyone in the community. Corporate partners like Henkel play an essential role in getting these affordable housing projects completed. The Henkel team was a fun, engaged, and hard-working group, and we really enjoyed working with them. We are very thankful for Henkel’s contributions.

Sean Ferris, CEO, Habitat for Humanity Hamilton

25 Years of Tomorrows

Along with the sweat equity of our volunteers, Henkel provided a grant through its Make an Impact on Tomorrow (MIT) program to support the build.

Celebrating its 25th year in 2023, the MIT program provides financial and other resources for charitable causes that Henkel employees support and are passionate about.

Giving back is in our DNA at Henkel, and we all have causes that are close to our hearts. At a grassroots level, the MIT program helps us improve quality of life in our communities in diverse ways that are meaningful to us as individuals.

Carolyn Newson, Human Resources Director for Henkel Canada

The Gifts in Giving Back

As Henkel employees around the world have discovered first-hand, working together toward a worthy goal fosters pride, teamwork, camaraderie — even some friendly competition.

“Everyone felt a sense of pride throughout the day as we worked together on a project that is going to benefit multiple families in the future,” says Sanbalian. “It also allowed me to learn new skills I might not have otherwise been exposed to.”

Working with corporate partners like Henkel, Habitat for Humanity offers hope for many. A refugee from El Salvador who will be housed in the Sherman Habitat build shared, “my son and I will have a safe place to call home for the first time.”

3BL’s Network Effect series has made its way across the country, sparking impactful conversations on pressing sustainability and social impact issues and showcasing meaningful initiatives. Now we are bringing the conversation to Cincinnati, OH on September 28 at Fifth Third’s headquarters. 

Network Effect: Cincinnati promises a dynamic space for collaboration, bringing a diverse range of corporate leaders from Ohio-based brands such as Fifth Third, Kohler, Cintas, OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation, and BCW to delve into how they are tackling a range of topics from employee engagement, developing innovative ways to make their products more sustainable, embedding ESG into their business operations, communicating their progress to stakeholders and more.

We will be joined by industry experts including:

Stephanie Smith, Chief of Inclusion and Diversity, Fifth ThirdDelisha Murray, Head of Corporate Responsibility Strategies, Fifth ThirdJeremy Faust, VP, Director of Operational Sustainability, Fifth ThirdAshley Fahey, Senior Manager, Global Product Sustainability, KohlerDavid Coe, VP Talent Acquisition, CintasAndy Brownell, Director of Creative and Communications, OneSight EssilorLuxottica FoundationMadeline Patterson, ESG Strategy Lead, BCWDave Armon, CEO, 3BL

Gain insights from senior leaders, connect with fellow professionals, and drive global change. Breakfast will be included. 

Click here to register at no cost. 

Originally published in Owens Corning’s 2022 Sustainability Report

Owens Corning has warehouses around the world, and they represent a significant part of our operations. For Zac Graffice, they are also an opportunity to deliver on our commitment to supply chain sustainability. In his role overseeing our global warehousing network, Zac has been part of a number of initiatives that are helping reduce our Scope 3 GHG emissions in costeffective ways. In addition to the warehouse facility consolidation described below, Zac is working with one of our partners to convert our warehouses’ forklifts from propane to electric.

”Owens Corning is pushing every single department and every division to become better in sustainability.“

On the importance of consolidating warehouses

When we consolidate facilities, we try to move them closer to the plants to reduce the amount of mileage on the road. A really good example of that is in our Heath facility that services Newark. In the past, our warehouse was about 13 miles from the plant. We’ve moved to a brand-new, build-to-suit facility that’s only six and a half miles from the plant, which reduced the total carbon emissions that we’re putting on the road. We’re also looking at future consolidations, and we think that there are probably three or four significant opportunities to reduce by, in some cases, 15 to 25 miles per shuttle run. We always need outside warehousing, so it’s our job to try to position those as close to the plants as possible.

On how Owens Corning operationalizes sustainability

We’ve taken it on as part of our DNA. It’s not something that we just talk about — we actually go after things. We go after it in our plants, in the office, and at the headquarters. I think if you don’t have that in your DNA, if you don’t put efforts in and put leaders in positions to really drive it, then it kind of falls apart and people don’t focus on it. All the work and effort and leadership behind sustainability at Owens Corning makes it a big part of everything that we do. It also comes back on us a little bit to make sure that we’re partnering with companies that share our values. We’re choosing who we do business with, so how do we make them better? I think everything helps, and everything matters.

On making a business case for sustainability

Ten years ago, to be more sustainable meant to be more costly. I think we’ve found out that in a lot of cases, it’s not more costly — it’s cost-neutral. It’s not a big increase in your cost, and it’s actually reduction in many cases, especially with diesel prices doing what they’re doing today. We need to go after those initiatives, and now’s the time. We don’t see a settling in the fuel industry, we don’t see a settling in propane costs. So right now it’s a win-win. You’re helping the environment, you’re trying to become carbon neutral, and at the same time you’re lowering your costs.

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Digital summit returns on Saturday, September 2, ahead of the G20, convening government leaders, civil society, grassroots advocates, and the private sector, calling for urgent action to address challenges facing humanity and the planet

Speakers to include Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations; Ban Ki-moon, Former Secretary-General of the United Nations; Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda; Gilbert Houngbo, Director General of the International Labor Organization; José Ramos-Horta, President of Timor-Leste; Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights; Wang-Yi, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister of China; Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia; Battsetseg Banmunkh, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Mongolia; Sofia Carson, Singer, Actor and Activist; Sabrina Dhowre Elba, Model, Actor and Activist, with more to be confirmed

Join the global conversation and take action by registering for the Global Town Hall 2023 at www.gth2023.com

JAKARTA and NEW YORK, August 30, 2023 /3BL/ – Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia (FPCI) and Global Citizen, the world’s leading advocacy organization, working in partnership with a worldwide consortium of civil society organizations, think tanks, and universities, today announced its fourth annual virtual Global Town Hall, taking place on Saturday, 2 September (GMT+7). The virtual Global Town Hall will convene government leaders, private sector executives, grassroots advocates, and philanthropic experts to discuss our planet’s most pressing challenges.

Under the theme “This Is Our World Too: A North-South-East-West Dialogue of Civil Societies,” the Global Town Hall will convene sectors for high-caliber discussions and debates on the state of the world involving leading minds worldwide. The virtual summit aims to engage global citizens with different perspectives and ideas on addressing global challenges, facilitating a genuine and high-quality East-West and North-South dialogue at the grassroots level.

The virtual 15-hour marathon discussions will feature speakers including Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations;Ban Ki-moon, Former Secretary-General of the United Nations; Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda; Gilbert Houngbo, Director General of the International Labor Organization; José Ramos-Horta, President of Timor-Leste; Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights; Wang-Yi, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister of China; Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia; Battsetseg Banmunkh, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Mongolia; Sofia Carson, Singer, Actor and Activist; Sabrina Dhowre Elba, Model, Actor and Activist, with more to be confirmed.

Both FPCI and Global Citizen aim to elevate communities and civil societies worldwide whose voices must be considered in global discussions, especially by those informing national and multilateral policies that affect their lives. Whether focused on enabling reforestation initiatives to uplift those living in remote areas, or ensuring a fair transition for resource-dependent regions as they navigate away from fossil fuels, this Town Hall serves as a crucial platform for fostering these discussions.

Taking place ahead of the G20 summit in India and the Global Citizen Festival in New York City, this series of discussions will feature issues including empowering small-scale farmers, defending human rights defenders, promoting youth political participation, empowering girls, supporting indigenous communities and protectors of our forests, while galvanizing much-needed climate action, and much more.

The Global Town Hall has gathered over 12,000 people from more than 140 countries since its inception.

“We are living in volatile times. As the world becomes increasingly divided and distrustful, we need more – not less – dialogue and civil societies must be part of this conversation. Civil societies want their voices to be heard and have a treasure of ideas and goodwill to offer policy-makers. The Global Town Hall aims to bring east-west-north-south communities together to promote better understanding, deeper trust, and mutual respect, without which no global problems can be resolved.” FPCI Founder and Chairman Dr. Dino Patti Djalal stated.

“The Global Town Hall offers a significant platform, not just for amplifying the voices of youth and civil society organisations, but also for ensuring their ideas are heard by those in power,” said Michael Sheldrick, Global Citizen Co-Founder and Chief Policy, Impact, and Government Affairs Officer, “As we approach the 2030 deadline to eliminate hunger and achieve SDG2, we are witnessing the loss of nearly a decade of progress. Against a backdrop of ongoing crises, additional stressors, including Russia’s catastrophic decision to cause the Black Sea Grain Initiative to fail or the UK’s draconian cuts to its Overseas Development Aid, are exacerbating global food prices and directly driving hunger-related mortality and morbidity. While there is agreement that ‘something’ must be done to strengthen global food systems, there remain significant disagreements about what tools are to be leveraged and what such a food system should look like. These urgent issues cannot wait, and we urge governments across the world to act now.”

Registration for Global Town Hall 2023 is now open at www.gth2023.com.

– Ends –

About Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia (FPCI):

FPCI is the largest foreign policy group in Indonesia, and one of the biggest in Southeast Asia and Indo-Pacific, with over 100,000 people in its network. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, independent foreign policy organization established to bring foreign policy to the grassroots with the mission to shape and promote positive internationalism across Indonesia and the world. For more information, connect with FPCI on social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

About Global Citizen:

Global Citizen is the world’s leading international advocacy organization on a mission to end extreme poverty NOW. Powered by a worldwide community of everyday activists raising their voices and taking action, the movement is amplified by campaigns and events that convene leaders in music, entertainment, public policy, media, philanthropy, and the corporate sector. Over the past 10 years, $43.6 billion in commitments announced on Global Citizen platforms has been deployed, impacting nearly 1.3 billion lives. Established in Australia in 2008, Global Citizen’s team operates from New York, Los Angeles, London, Paris, Berlin, Melbourne, Toronto, Johannesburg, Lagos, and beyond. Join the movement at globalcitizen.org, download the Global Citizen app, and follow Global Citizen on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Twitter.

For media inquiries: 

Irfan, FPCI Press Secretary – irfan@fpcindonesia.org / +62 878-7650-7488 
Global Citizen Press Team – media@globalcitizen.org

Press Kit

The incredible experience of our corporate volunteers showcase the lasting impact of skills-based volunteering. After participating in one skills-based volunteering event, Alexa Tang was encouraged to continue giving back meaningfully. As a Senior Product Manager at Arity, she utilized her specialized expertise and talent to optimize the operations of mission-driven organizations. By channeling her passion and curiosity into her volunteer work, she became a catalyst for change.

I felt so energized after my first skills-based volunteering event that I signed up for every opportunity after that! It feels great to dedicate a day to working with a nonprofit.

Common Impact was fortunate to have your perspective on a recent skills-based project with the Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence, a nonprofit on a mission to disrupt gender-based violence within AAPI communities throughout the U.S. and its territories. What was the challenge you collaborated on, and how did you use your professional skills to solve it? 

My most recent experience volunteering with Common Impact was through Allstate Foundation’s Day of Service. My group was assigned to work with the Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence (API-GBV) to improve its internal communications strategy to strengthen ties with other GBV organizations and the AAPI community.

My experiences in both my professional and personal life helped me collaborate on this challenge with my team. Professionally, I’ve developed human-centered design thinking skills at Arity to lead with empathy when facilitating meetings. This helped me listen beyond the words of what our organization described as challenges and probe them deeper for what they wanted to accomplish. It also enabled our team to work together in a virtual environment, using online collaboration tools to chart what we heard and discuss possible solutions. In the past, I’ve also been a member of a performing arts group that’s also a 501c3 nonprofit. My personal experiences with that group helped me understand API-GBV’s challenges in setting up a strategy. I wasn’t expecting to draw from these skills, but they were helpful throughout the day.

From your experience, what sets skills-based volunteering apart from more traditional volunteer experiences? 

What’s unique about skills-based volunteering is that it requires you to bring all of you to the experience. Traditional volunteering primarily requires you to invest time, and it’s usually some task that needs extra hands. What’s cool about volunteering with Common Impact is that it’s helping organizations that need extra hands, minds, and hearts.

What would you say to corporate leaders considering bringing skills-based volunteering to their company or participating in a project for the first time? 

I’d tell someone new to skills-based volunteering that you never know how much you have to offer until you do it. Initially, I felt self-conscious about the skills I’d be able to offer, but I’ve found that every experience you’ve had can translate into a skill. The diversity of experiences we had as a team helped the organizations we were paired with.

How did you become interested in skills-based volunteering, and what motivated you? 

I wasn’t convinced about skills-based volunteering until I heard about it through the Allstate Foundation’s Day of Service. It seemed like a cool way to work with other people across the Allstate Corporation (not just my company), and it would let me contribute to a good cause. I felt energized after my first one and signed up for every opportunity after that. It feels great to dedicate a day to working with a nonprofit, meeting and working with people I don’t usually get to, and seeing how I have more to offer than I thought. The day goes so quickly, and it’s a lot of fun – it feels selfish even to call it volunteering!

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About Common Impact 
Common Impact is a national nonprofit that works to build a society in which individuals and businesses invest their unique talents towards a shared purpose: strengthening the local communities in which we live and work. Founded in 2000, Common Impact has partnered with Fortune 500 companies and hundreds of the country’s leading nonprofit organizations to create transformational change through skills-based volunteering. Learn more about Common Impact’s services, impact, and clients.

Originally published in the 2022 FedEx Cares Report

Finding a new home for seven chimpanzees 

In 2019, the Wildlife Waystation animal refuge closed – leaving a group of seven chimpanzees, coined “the Sunrise Seven,” in need of a new home. Finding accredited sanctuaries that could accommodate all seven was a difficult task, but the nonprofit Save the Chimps was up for the challenge. Save the Chimps contacted FedEx to relocate the chimpanzees from California to Florida. Now, The Sunrise Seven will spend the rest of their lives receiving exceptional care in one of the world’s largest natural environment sanctuaries. Learn more about the Sunrise Seven from their Save the Chimps biographies savethechimps.org/the-sunrise-seven.

We salute FedEx and Pero Family Farms for their help in this emergency rescue. These magnificent chimpanzees, our closest relatives in the animal world, deserve to live in a safe place where they can thrive.

Ana Paula Tavares 

CEO, Save the Chimps

Equipping eye care teams in Vietnam 

For more than 40 years, FedEx has supported the global eye care nonprofit Orbis in its mission to end avoidable blindness. In 2022, we assisted in a 10-week virtual Flying Eye Hospital project that taught eye care professionals in Vietnam how to treat glaucoma, the country’s leading cause of blindness and vision loss. FedEx donated the MD-10 aircraft that serves as the Orbis Flying Eye Hospital, and our pilots volunteered their time to fly the plane to Vietnam.

Bringing the Memphis Botanic Garden’s unique outdoor exhibit to life 

When the Memphis Botanic Garden needed help transporting 33 tons of fine art sculptures made from live plants for their new Alice’s Adventures exhibit, they called FedEx. We donated three temperaturecontrolled Custom Critical trucks and lent the expertise of our team to keep the sculptures healthy and secure on their journey from Atlanta to Memphis. The exhibit was open from May – December 2022 and welcomed over 100,000 visitors.

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By Candace Higginbotham

For Connie Payne, it all started with a hammer. And a husband with a passion for helping people.

Payne serves on the board of Hearts in Hands, a faith-based organization in Birmingham, Alabama, that provides home repairs for low-income community members. But her connection to the nonprofit started with a simple desire to help people in need.

Payne, a product team manager for Regions Treasury Management, has always been involved in the community through programs associated with her church. After she married 11 years ago, she and her husband, Carl, wanted to find a cause they could work on together.

I love talking to people and hearing their stories. It can be difficult because so many people are in need, and you just wish you could help everyone, but it’s a good feeling to know you’re making a difference.

Connie Payne, product team manager for Regions Treasury Management

Through friends they found Hearts in Hands. Payne started out as a volunteer, helping to build wheelchair ramps, install handrails and doing minor plumbing and other repairs, but gradually began taking on more leadership and administrative roles with the organization.

“I just wanted to use my gifts to do more,” Payne said. With an accounting degree and an MBA, along with more than 39 years of banking experience, she has many financial and organizational skills to share. In addition to serving as secretary/treasurer of the board, she still finds time to work directly with clients, by taking the initial repair requests from homeowners.

“I love talking to people and hearing their stories,” she said. “It can be difficult because so many people are in need, and you just wish you could help everyone, but it’s a good feeling to know you’re making a difference.”

Many of their clients are elderly or people with disabilities and most do not have homeowners’ insurance. Hearts in Hands performed 300 home repair projects last year and installed 50 wheelchair ramps.

“Being a part of a nonprofit board is a different kind of community service,” said Wendi Boyen, head of Community Advocacy and Financial Wellness at Regions. “It’s not like making a financial gift or participating in a volunteer project. It’s a long-term commitment to make a difference in the community and support a cause you’re passionate about.”

Board members provide oversight, financial guidance and strategic planning to ensure the success of nonprofits, which strengthens our communities.

Board service is also a good way to enhance personal and professional development. Individuals who serve on a board have the opportunity to cultivate new skill sets and expand their network of peers, professionals, community leaders, and thought leaders, which provides new avenues for development, outreach, influence, and mentorship.

At Regions, board service is an important component of the Making Life Better Institute, the bank’s community engagement strategy that also includes volunteerism, financial education and CDFI and MDI support.

It’s not like making a financial gift or participating in a volunteer project – it’s a long-term commitment to make a difference in the community and support a cause you’re passionate about.

Wendi Boyen, head of Community Advocacy and Financial Wellness at Regions

Currently around 534 Regions associates serve on boards in communities throughout the bank’s footprint. Some associates’ board service is related to their work at the bank and many other associates provide leadership to organizations they care about personally.

Dennise Berger, branch manager of the Manatee Avenue Branch in Bradenton, Florida, also has a heart for service and a passion to lead.

“I grew up in the community I live in, and as a youth was instilled with the value of community service and giving back,” Berger said. And that drive to serve stayed with her as she began her banking career.

“I believe that we as bankers have a responsibility to give back to the communities that we serve to help them grow and thrive. If they are growing and thriving, so will we. And organizations and boards love to have bankers supporting their organizations,” she adds.

Berger has served on boards of several civic and nonprofit organizations, including Bradenton Rotary Foundation, Manatee Chamber of Commerce, Manatee Technical College and DeMolay Florida, an organization committed to developing and inspiring leadership, team building, and networking for young men.

Like Payne, Berger enjoys applying her specific skills and talents to provide leadership to these organizations and is gratified by their impact to the community.

“I am a member and past president of the Rotary Club. Every year we raise money to award grants to local organizations. We fund youth programs that help youth, the homeless population and also seniors. I’m really proud to lend my talents to help create positive outcomes for my community.”

Boyen has some advice for anyone interested in serving on a board. “First, think about the types of organizations that appeal to you and do some research on the nonprofits and their board structure,” she said.

If it’s in your heart to help people, I’d advise anyone to take a leadership role in an organization. Find your niche or your passion – or just do what I did and let your passion find you.

Connie Payne, product team manager for Regions Treasury Management

Boyen also suggests volunteering with the organization to get some hands-on experience with the work they do, and then connecting with a board member to let them know you’re interested in a leadership position.

To help associates learn more about serving on a nonprofit board, Regions recently launched a training course to provide information and insight on board service, as part of its Degreed learning platform.

“If it’s in your heart to help people, I’d advise anyone to take a leadership role in an organization,” Payne said. “Find your niche or your passion – or just do what I did and let your passion find you.”